Recycle Your Old Eyeglasses

North Pole is famous for which of the following:

• The home of Santa Clause.
• A famous reindeer.
• The Aurora Borealis Lions Eyeglass Recycling Vision Center 

Yep, all three!  Course only if you believe in famous reindeer.  :)

Did you know that Lions around the world collect approximately 30 million used eyeglasses each year?  Once they're collected, eyeglasses are sent to an eyeglass recycling center.  There's 10 recycle centers in the U.S., and we have one right here in Alaska--the Aurora Borealis in North Pole!

The Capital City Joint Sight Committee, which consists of members from both the Juneau Lions Club and the Juneau Mendenhall Flying Lions Club, collects eyeglasses and cases throughout the community as an ongoing Recycle For Sight Project. They have collection boxes at all eye glass offices in town where people can drop their used glasses off.  Lions pick up glasses every few weeks. 

We collect any and all glasses and cases.  Single lens, double, tri-focals, sunglasses, readers, prescription and non-prescription.  They can be tinted or have protective coatings.  The cases can be hard or soft case.  The frames can be broken or the lens scratched and unattached.  Any type of eyeglass can be recycled and redistributed to someone in need.  What's so cool is they can be redistributed to someone right here in Alaska, maybe even your neighbor! 

Once the glasses are collected, lions package them and ship them off to the Aurora Borealis Recycling Center.  Once there, they're cleaned, fixed, cataloged, and stored until there's a need.  The need could come from anywhere around the world. 

If you know someone in need who can't afford to purchase eyeglasses, direct them to a Lions Club who can walk them through the steps for getting assistance.  

Here's the big question:  When was the last time you looked through your drawers, your bedside table, your medicine cabinet, your boat, your rv, end table, on the kitchen table, the glove compartment of your vehicles, that junk drawer, or your cabin up the river to see if you have any old glasses and cases that haven't been donated yet? 

Your unwanted or unneeded eyeglasses can make a difference in someone's life.  They can give sight to a young child or an adult and help a child to read and learn. Right here in Alaska!

Spread the word!  When you spend time with family and friends, ask them if they donate their used eyeglasses and cases and, if not, this is a perfect time to spread the word.

May is Recycle for Sight month.  Let's plan on participating something big next year!