Waukon Lions Club renews effort to recycle used eyeglasses

The World Health Organization estimates that 120 million people are visually impaired because of uncorrected refraction errors (far or near sightedness). Refractive errors can easily be diagnosed, measured and corrected with eyeglasses. Yet, millions of people lack the access to these basic services.

While each Lions Club has its own service focus, there are five global Lions causes of particular interest around the world: Vision, Diabetes, Hunger, Environment and Childhood Cancer). Vision causes began in 1925 when Helen Keller challenged the Lions to be “knights of the blind”.

The Waukon Lions Club has recently enhanced its efforts to recycle used eyeglasses and hearing aids. New collection boxes (see accompanying photo) have been placed in area businesses. The glasses will be gathered and sent to a regional recycling center where they are cleaned and sorted by prescription strength. They are then packaged and stored for the next eyeglass-dispensing mission trip.

The eyeglasses are dispensed at vision screenings in low income communities around the world. Many will experience corrected vision for the first time, enabling them to lead productive working lives, support their families, attend school and advance their education.

The Waukon Lions Club encourages everyone to donate their used eyeglasses, reading glasses and even non-prescription sunglasses in one of the 20 drop box locations in the area (listed below). Area residents can also donate used hearing aids in these same boxes.

Waukon Lions Used Eyeglass Box Locations

Waukon Locations
S & D Cafe
Freedom Bank
Waukon State Bank
WWC Senior Center
Gundersen Clinic
VMH Medical Clinic
St. Paul’s United Methodist Church
Zion United Church of Christ
First Presbyterian Church
St. Patrick Catholic Church
Iron Ridge Church
Northeast Iowa Community Action (NEICAC
Jets
JaDecc’S
Hartig Drug
Nightingale Drug

Postville Locations
Northeast Iowa YMCA
Postville Lutheran Church
Postville Dollar General
Postville Freedom Bank