Eye glasses recycling has been a signature project for the Benton Lions for more than 50 years.
The Benton Public Library serves the Lions Club mission as a collection center for recycled glasses to supports the Lions Club.
Records have been kept for the past 20 years and show that the Benton Lions Club recycled more than 9,000 pairs of eye glasses during the two decades.
Here’s how the recycling works.
—Donated used eye glasses are dropped in collection boxes located throughout town in various businesses and churches.
—Lions Club members collect the donation and ship the eyeglasses to Sycamore, home of the Illinois Lions Club Foundation.
—In Sycamore, the glasses are sanitized, reconditioned, and sorted by prescription and size.
—Then the glasses shipped to third-world countries, where humanitarian group distribute them.
—As a result, the people of these medically underserved countries may now have prescription eye glasses that meet their needs at no cost.
Millions of people in these third-world countries have avoidable, impaired vision that may be easily corrected with prescription glasses. Instead they have been living with functional blindness and the inability to do everyday tasks, such as reading, writing, cooking or earning a living.
The Benton, Ewing, and Akin schools have helped the Lions Club with eye glass collections. If any church or business would like a drop off box, contact the Lions Club at 618-439-6934. Please drop off the eyeglasses only. The club cannot use glass cases or loose lenses.
In addition to serving underdeveloped nations, the Lions Club collects monetary donations through their Candy Day held on the Benton Square each October. These collections are used to purchase new eye glasses for economically-challenged children and adults in our community.
