Hi all, see below an email received from Nial Logan at Try on Fly. I am in the process of collecting as many pairs of reading glasses as I can get hold of to send up to CXI, so far got 40 pairs but aiming for 100. If you have any unwanted glasses laying around at home bring them along to the next club meeting. Cheers Terry
Those who have visited CXI will be aware of the limited facilities that are available to the residents. Access to simple things such as optometrists and then being able to readily purchase glasses is very foreign to the islanders. The only ones who can, are those who can afford to visit centres such as Fiji, Tawara or Honolulu.
In 2013, some of the Kiwis collected between 20 and 30 pairs of unwanted reading glasses and gave them to me for distribution. The resident doctor, Dr Harry, was most grateful for the donation and within a couple of hours had distributed them to the most needy. It was so well received that I thought that we would do it again in 2015.
It doesn’t matter what style or whether they are for children, male or female, all find a home. Last year, one of the male recipients was walking around with a pair of well decorated ladies glasses resulting in a “Dame Edna” appearance. He couldn’t have cared less because at last he could see clearly to read.
If you have any “redundant” glasses, in good repair of course, gathering dust in a cupboard and you would like to donate them to a worthy cause, please send them to me at the address below. I will have OPSM write up a prescription for them so it will make it easier for Dr Harry to hand them out. I don’t think that it matters too much because, from what I saw, the fitting process was a matter of……...if you can see better than before, then they are OK.
This is an opportunity to bring some joy to people who are less fortunate and all it will cost you is the postage. Make sure you put a name on them so I can send a thank you note.