A CLUB GUIDE FOR COLLECTING USED EYEGLASSES

Transcription

1 A CLUB GUIDE FOR COLLECTING USED EYEGLASSES LIONS EYEGLASS RECYCLING PROGRAM

2 CARE GIVE RECYCLE

3 Usable glasses can make a difference! Your support of the Lions Recycle For Sight Program is important. Eyeglass collection is an easy and rewarding activity that will raise your club s visibility and provide your fellow Lions with a great deal of satisfaction in serving others. The used eyeglasses collected in your community can help children and adults in developing countries enjoy a better quality of life. Many will experience corrected vision for the first time, enabling them to read, attend school, gain employment and take care of their families. Your collection efforts can change the lives of many across the globe. This guide contains suggestions for novice clubs and clubs that have collected for many years. You ll find useful information for contacting community organizations to enlist their assistance as well as tips for expanding public awareness and participation in recycling. If you have any questions or need further information, staff at Lions Clubs International Headquarters will be glad to assist you.

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5 The Need is Great Professional and efficient collection of used eyeglasses in public locations will ease collection efforts, help to strengthen the program and increase the amount of eyeglasses available. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates more than 157 million people around the world have uncorrected refractive errors (near-sightedness, far-sightedness and astigmatism). Refractive errors can be easily corrected with eyeglasses, yet millions of people in low and middle-income countries lack access to basic services. Collected eyeglasses undergo processing, which includes: Sorting Cleaning Neutralizing or Grading (using a lensometer to determine the prescription) Categorizing by prescription Packaging in preparation for distribution. Lions and other mission teams deliver them free of charge to people in need in developing countries. Starting the Collection Process To begin, clubs usually appoint a Lions Eyeglass Collection Coordinator. Clubs may also work with the District Sight Chairperson to organize collection efforts. All types of glasses for children and adults are needed, including very strong and very weak prescriptions. Reading glasses and non-prescription sunglasses are also useful. Lions must obtain permission from participating community businesses, schools, governmental agencies or organizations prior to placing the recycling boxes in the designated areas. A sample Collection Agreement form (IAD-406) is included in this guide for the club s use. 3

6 Recycling boxes may be placed in community locations such as: Banks City administrative center Coffee shops and restaurants Colleges and universities Commuter stations Dry cleaners Elementary schools Funeral homes High schools Lasik surgery offices Libraries Major department stores Major grocery stores Ophthalmologists offices Optometrists offices Pharmacies Places of worship Shopping malls Video stores Program Guidelines The following guidelines can help you start and maintain a successful eyeglass collection activity: Lions Eyeglass Collection Boxes Collection boxes placed in public places represent not only your club, but Lions Clubs International. The boxes must be clean, attractive, in good condition, and emptied at regular intervals. An official eyeglass collection box is available through the Lions Club Supply Catalog (item # G-1174-DS). For convenience, orders may be placed online at Clubs may also choose to design their own custom collection boxes. Lions club collection box decals are available at a nominal cost through the Health and Children s Services Department via at eyeglasses@lionsclubs.org. Retrieval of Donated Eyeglasses All collection boxes should be emptied on the 1st and 15th of each month, or more frequently, if necessary. The club s name and current contact information should appear on the box in the event the box is full and needs to be emptied. Remember also to collect unclaimed glasses from the lost and found departments of local hotels, stores, restaurants, train stations, airports and other public places. Lions clubs should have a pre-arranged agreement with these places of business. 4

7 Before shipment of glasses to a regional or international Lions eyeglass recycling center, Lions may dispose of glasses: with broken frames and loose lenses with scratches on the lenses in the line of vision with trifocals or progressive lenses Only when metal frame eyeglasses are damaged beyond repair, remove the lenses and recycle the frames. If in doubt, include the glasses in the shipment. The Lions eyeglass recycling center will determine if the glasses are usable. Resources The Lions Clubs International Web Site at contains a section devoted to eyeglass recycling, which includes the Lions Eyeglass Recycling Centers List and a sample press release for local newspapers, radio and television stations. Your Club s Web site can be a valuable resource tool to alert the public about your participation in the Lions Recycle For Sight Program. Remember to list the names and addresses of all the community organizations, businesses and schools who are displaying the Lions eyeglass collection boxes. Health and Children s Services Department at eyeglasses@lionsclubs.org offers information and resource materials including: Lions Recycle For Sight Community Poster (code IAD-402) is an eye-catching promotional piece that can be displayed in public areas to announce the participation and support of the community in Lions Clubs International s efforts to recycle for sight. It has space to include the club s contact information. Lions Recycle For Sight Brochure (code IAD-403) is an attractive informational publication for distribution to the public. Lions Recycle For Sight Collection Location Form (code IAD-404) allows for a listing of six of the club s collection sites in the community. This information shall be submitted to the Health and Children s Services Department for posting on the association s Web Site as a resource for community residents who want to donate glasses. The form is found on page 15 of this guide. Lions Recycle For Sight Certificate of Appreciation (code IAD-405) is designed for presentation to a school, community organization or local business in recognition for its outstanding support and assistance in the Lions Recycle For Sight Program. This prestigious certificate is suitable for framing and can also be awarded to a Lions member, an adult or a child to recognize their excellent efforts in eyeglass collection. 5

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9 Lions Recycle For Sight Collection Agreement (code IAD-406) signifies the cooperation and commitment of both the Lions and the community organization, school or local business involved in the Recycle For Sight Program. Lions Recycle For Sight Materials Order Form (code IAD-409) is available on the association s Web Site and contains a listing of all promotional materials to help start and maintain a successful eyeglass collection campaign. Please use this form to order the materials you will need. Lions Recycle For Sight Kit (code KITRFS) is a handy envelope containing a sample of materials developed to promote and maintain a successful eyeglass collection in your community. A Recycle For Sight lapel pin is also included. New Glasses, New Life (code IAD28-DVD) is an excellent 10-minute presentation (English only) that explains the Lions Eyeglass Recycling Program. It can be shown to Lions, schools, community groups or local businesses who may display the collection containers. The DVD may be purchased from the Health and Children s Services Department for US$3.95, plus shipping and handling. Lions Recycling Events May is Recycle for Sight Month Give your club s eyeglass recycling program a boost and participate in this popular Lions activity. Remember to submit the Recycle For Sight Reporting Form found on page 12 of this guide and on the association s Web Site. Lions World Sight Day (second Thursday of October) World Sight Day is an annual day of awareness that focuses on blindness and vision loss. Organizations worldwide work together to raise awareness of the global movement for the elimination of avoidable blindness. Clubs are encouraged to conduct an activity on this day or any time during the month of October. Club Events Community and Lions club events provide ideal opportunities for promoting and sponsoring an eyeglass collection. Visit for more information about these events. Journey of a Pair of Eyeglasses is a free slide show presentation accessed through the association s Web Site. In a series of 14 slides, the viewer is taken on the journey of a pair of used eyeglasses from the moment they are donated to the time they are given to a person in another part of the world. 7

10 Suggested Recycling Activities Display the Lions Recycle For Sight poster and brochures at your collection locations to promote community awareness. Obtain a city proclamation to designate a special day in your community as the annual Recycle For Sight Day. List your collection sites in the local newspaper, community cable network, and your club s Web site. Hold an eyeglass collection in coordination with a community health fair event, or a community spring cleaning initiative. Give a Lions Recycle For Sight presentation at a local school to get students and faculty involved. Work with Leos, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and other youth groups to collect used glasses. Hold a club or district contest for eyeglass collection to spark interest in recycling. Use LCI public relations tools and resources to promote your eyeglass recycling program. Download the Lions Recycle For Sight logo on the association s Web site for use in newsletters and other communications. Share Your Results Use the handy Recycle For Sight Reporting Form on page 12 of this guide, and the association s Web Site, to highlight your club s accomplishments. Include photos, newspaper articles or collection stories, or submit same using the form posted on the Web. Lions Clubs International Eyeglass Collection Database A database to track eyeglass collection locations is available to Lions and members of the public to ease the collection process. All clubs involved in the Lions Eyeglass Recycling Program are requested to complete and submit the Lions Recycle For Sight Collection Location Form (code IAD-404) to list the collection locations in their communities. When LCI receives the information, it will posted on the LCI Web Site. 8

11 Your Used Eyeglasses Can Help Someone See Better 9

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13 Lions Clubs International Eyeglass Recycling Centers For more information about recycling centers, or to become a licensed Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center, contact the Health and Children s Services Department. Optical Missions Lions Eyeglass Recycling Centers provide eyeglasses free-of-charge for optical missions. Lions, healthcare workers, and service-minded volunteers from other organizations participate in optical missions. For more information about Lions optical missions, refer to the association s Web site at Contact LCI for Further Help For additional information about the Lions Clubs International Eyeglass Recycling Program, or to obtain resource materials, please direct your inquiries to: Lions Clubs International Health and Children s Services Department 300 W 22nd Street Oak Brook, IL Phone: Fax: eyeglasses@lionsclubs.org 11

14 R E C Y C L E F O R S I G H T R E P O R T I N G F O R M May is Recycle For Sight Month. If your club held a recycling campaign during the month of May, or participated in Lions World Sight Day, or other collection event during the year, please provide the following information: Note: An electronic version of this form is available on the Web site if you prefer to submit the information electronically. Club Name: Recycle For Sight Contact Name: Daytime Phone: Address: City: State/Province: Postal Code: Country: Eyeglass Collection Period Start Date: End Date: Did your club partner with any other organization? If yes, who was your recycling partner? If your club has been actively involved in the Lions Eyeglass Recycling Program in your community: How many years? Number of Eyeglasses Collected: Collected Eyeglasses Sent to: Date Eyeglasses Were Sent: Comments? Suggestions? If you would like to share photos, newspaper articles or collection stories, please send them to: Health and Children s Services Department Lions Clubs International 300 W. 22nd Street Oak Brook, IL eyeglasses@lionsclubs.org By submitting photos, articles and stories, you give Lions Clubs International permission for unlimited use. Photos and clippings will not be returned. We may post your photos on the Web, in printed material or use them in next year s materials!

15 COLLECTION AGREEMENT This Collection Agreement is entered into by and between: Lions Club, located in (city) and (state) (name of organization, business, school) located in,, until such time (city) (state) either one of the parties desires to cancel this collection Agreement. Purpose The purpose of this Collection Agreement is to recognize the cooperation and commitment of both parties in their joint efforts to collect used eyeglasses in support of the Lions Recycle For Sight Program.Lions will collect, process and distribute the recycled glasses for use during volunteer missions to developing nations. Eyeglass Collection The Lions club will provide and maintain the number of eyeglass collection boxes to be displayed. The Lions club will empty the collection receptacle(s) on the 1 st and 15 th days of each month, or if in a high-traffic area, more often. The Lions club s name and contact information shall appear on the box in the event the box is full and needs to be emptied. The Lions club will abide by the regulations of the organization, business or school. The Lions club will not use or display the name of the organization, business or school without prior written consent. The organization, business or school will promote eyeglass recycling through display of Lions eyeglass collection receptacle(s), posters and informational brochures, all supplied by the Lions club, free of charge. The organization, business or school will notify the Lions club of a need for additional collection boxes or promotional materials. The organization will incur no financial obligations in support of the Lions Recycle For Sight Program. Agreed/date: Lions Eyeglass Collection Coordinator: Name of Lions Club: Phone: Organization, business or school representative: Name of organization, business or school: Phone: IAD-406 2/10 EN

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17 LIONS RECYCLE FOR SIGHT COLLECTION LOCATION FORM If your Lions club is actively involved in eyeglass collection, please let us know the locations where members of the public can donate used eyeglasses.this information will be entered into a database on the Lions Clubs International Web site for easier access to collection sites.we will post a maximum of six (6) collection sites sponsored by your club.we also encourage you to list all of your collection locations on your club s Web site. Please provide the followinginformation: Name of Your Club: Club No. Eyeglass Collection Coordinator: Address: Phone Number: (for LCI s use only) COLLECTION LOCATION #1 Name of organization, community center or school: Address: City: State/Province: Postal Code: COLLECTION LOCATION #2 Name of organization, community center or school: Address: City: State/Province: Postal Code: COLLECTION LOCATION #3 Name of organization, community center or school: Address: City: State/Province: Postal Code: over

18 COLLECTION LOCATION #4 Name of organization, community center or school: Address: City: State/Province: Postal Code: COLLECTION LOCATION #5 Name of organization, community center or school: Address: City: State/Province: Postal Code: COLLECTION LOCATION #6 Name of organization, community center or school: Address: City: State/Province: Postal Code: Please submit form to: Health and Children s Services Department Lions Clubs International 300 W. 22nd Street Oak Brook, IL eyeglasses@lionsclubs.org Fax: CARE GIVE RECYCLE IAD-404 2/10 EN

19 Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. Helen Keller Lions Clubs International 300 W 22ND ST Oak Brook IL USA Phone: Fax: IAD-401 2/10