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His estimate was based on the record number of full frame glasses -- 130,000 pairs -- being sorted there costing $100 each when purchased new at an eye doctor's office. These glasses, however, will not be resold in the United States but sent to needy people in developing countries.
On Sunday, about 30 volunteers sorted through boxes of rimless eye glasses, separating metal frames from plastic. Once sorted, all of the glasses -- from cheap sunglasses to bifocals -- will be sent to an Indiana prison, where inmates will check the prescriptions, label each set, sterilize them and send them off to be reused through various charitable groups.
» Click to enlarge image
George Gould (left), Jake Washer (center) and Don Forni work together to sort through tens of thousands of donated eyeglasses at the South Elgin Lions Club on Sunday. Karen Naess | For The Courier-News
Eyeglasses cannot be reused in the United States because they are considered prescriptions just like pharmaceuticals, Groth explained. That is true except for Texas, where donated eyeglasses can be given to residents.
The South Elgin Lions sort eyeglasses for the Lions of Illinois Foundation in Sycamore. Glasses are dropped in collection boxes around the area and from southern Wisconsin, but need to be pre-sorted before getting shipped to Indiana for the more-technical inspections, Groth said.
South Elgin Lions used to store the glasses for the foundation in a shed next to the clubhouse 500 Fulton St., but the shed was torn down a few weeks ago. Shanahan & Sons Construction donated indoor storage for the boxes, and it took several pickup truck beds and a horse trailer to bring them all to the clubhouse on Sunday.
"We have more this time than we have ever had before," Groth said -- although there were fewer volunteers helping on the sunny late October day.
The 130,000 glasses, however, were just one year's worth of donations, he said.
Sunday's event was the third "sorting party" the Lions have hosted in the past few years.
"We do this when we can, to help the foundation out," Groth said. "They are light years behind in sorting because they don't have the time" while working on other charitable efforts.
It doesn't matter if the glass lenses are scratched or if the glasses are broken, Groth said. However, they cannot accept just lenses. "When you grind lenses down to fit a frame, it changes the prescription," he said.
Although the Lions look for glasses to send to people with poor eyesight, there are always non-prescription sunglasses thrown in the donation boxes, too, Groth said. "The sun is bright in South America or Africa," he said, and people appreciate those, too.
Volunteer sorter Asia Toufexis, 24, came with a group from Elgin Community College's Phi Theda Kappa chapter. The glasses weren't dirty but did kick up a lot of dust. She had found a pair of Ray Ban sunglasses so far. "I am hoping to find some vintage Chanel sunglasses or something," she joked. She already had seen several sets that were very stylish. "It is tempting, but the glasses are going for a good cause," she said.
However, the collections usually are short on children's eyeglasses. "Most are adult," Groth said. So even if a child has broken his or her glasses, they can still be donated, he added.
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