Lions Clubs, County Public Libraries New Partners in Eyeglass Collection Program

Header--Montgomery County, Maryland. Press Releases

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Contact: Rita Gale, 240-777-0022
or Jack Peoples, 301-881-6220
For Immediate Release: February 16, 2000

Lions Clubs, County Public Libraries
New Partners in Eyeglass Collection Program

Under a new partnership between the Montgomery County Department of Public Libraries and local Lions Clubs, residents may take used eyeglasses to the nearest library and deposit them in the specially marked boxes provided by the Lions. The eyeglasses are collected by Lions Club members and recycled. A collection box will be in each public library through the next few months.

The used eyeglasses collection program traditionally conducted by Lions Clubs is part of a comprehensive program of services offered for blind and visually impaired persons, such as the Lions Eye Bank which provides corneas for transplants.

According to Jack Peoples, former president of the Lions Eye Bank, the partnership is a natural because "It supports the County's 50 percent recycling goal, and the libraries provide convenient locations for drop off and pick up."

Harriet Henderson, director of the Department of Public Libraries, said, "Libraries are logical locations for the collection boxes because of the vast number of people who use our branches and because they are easily accessible for people who want to drop off used eyeglasses.

"We're happy to participate and cooperate with the Lions in this worthwhile project, Henderson added."

For more information about the eyeglasses collection program, call Jack Peoples at 301-881-6220.

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