RICHMOND—Out of the box and into the bubbles, that’s where your donated eyeglasses go when they get into the hands of the Lions Club. Recently members of the Richmond club rolled up their sleeves to ready more than 300 pairs of glasses to be sent to Peru.

Some of the 300 pairs of donated eyeglasses the Lions Club prepared for distribution. Photo by Heidi Vaughn.

Everyone volunteering broke into groups for washing, drying, and organizing the glasses by size and prescription, into designated boxes. Whether they were dripping with soapy water or digging through piles of eyewear, each person was an important piece in the refurbishing process.

“We do it for the joy in our hearts,” said Wayne King, club district governor. The existence of these service organizations means that “in a world of need there is someone to help you.”

The glasses for this particular activity were supplied by Richard and JoAn Criddle of Logan. They first became connected to this effort nine years ago, through their work with the Hope Alliance, and have been overseeing it since they started. Having a consistent flow of donations from various people, groups and places creates a healthy supply of glasses.

“It seems anyone in Northern Utah knows where to bring them,” said Richard. “Sometimes we’ll come home and there will be a bag of them on our porch. No note, we won’t always find out who they were from.” The donations fill the basement of their home, as well as a storage space in a local apartment complex.

This was not the first time the Criddles had enlisted in the help of the local Lions Club, and it won’t be the last. With a history of supporting sight programs the Lions Club is an asset to the project.

Of their assistance Richard said, “They are so oriented on eyes, it’s the best place for us to join up and have good comrades.”

The club’s locations around the globe create a beneficial link for international humanitarian volunteer achievement. Each year the Criddles travel to Peru to distribute the eyeglasses to those in need. During their most recent trip more than 20,000 pairs of glasses were given away.

Published in cooperation with the Hard News Cafe. Original story is here.