President Louis Caldera recently donated a pair of used eyeglasses to the Albuquerque Lion’s Club to kick off a UNM public service effort. The Staff Council, in conjunction with UNM Recycling, has set up permanent eyeglass collection boxes at the Student Health Center and other campus sites. Staff, students and faculty can readily donate eyeglasses that will be recycled and hand-delivered by the Lion’s Club to developing countries.
Student Health Center Director Beverly Kloeppel, Lion’s Club members Harry and Doris Kovaschetz, UNM Recycling Coordinator Dean Jojola, and Staff Council representatives David Grothe, Mimi Swanson, Shelley Rael, Kathy Meadows and Karin Retskin also helped kick off the venture at the Student Health Center drop site.
“Helen Keller in 1925 challenged the Lion’s Clubs to be the knights of the blind,” Kovaschtz said, noting that since 1996 the Lions have traveled throughout New Mexico to conduct adult eye health screenings.
Retskin said the Staff Council keeps an eye out for public service opportunities.
“This summer we added an eyeglass collection to our Celebrating Staff Week and more than 500 pairs of glasses were donated from all over campus. Many staff asked for permanent collection sites on campus and the idea was born,” Retskin said.
Retskin also noted that Halloween marks Sight Night, a national collection drive conducted annually by Give the Gift of Sight, a family of charitable vision care programs sponsored by the LensCrafters Foundation in conjunction with Lions Clubs International.
Contact: Laurie Mellas, (505) 277-5915