Old eyeglasses are kind of like old cellphones: You hate to throw them away, but there's not much use for them. Actually, there is a great use for used eyeglasses.

Lions Clubs across the world for years have collected used glasses, had them recycled and distributed to those who can not afford to buy their own. During May, club members will be working to raise awareness about their role in providing adults and children in developing nations a way to improve their vision.

Here's how it works: The used eyeglasses are collected, cleaned, measured, and sorted in recycling centers across the country. One of the recycling centers is located in Roanoke; area Lions Club members meet there to measure the prescription of the recycled eyeglasses and sort the eyeglasses by type for distribution.

The recycled eyeglasses are then shipped around the world to provide corrected vision to those in need. The Roanoke facility recently recycled its one-millionth pair of eyeglasses.

If you want to help, look for collection boxes (blue and white) located around the lake at businesses, libraries and post offices, and other locations. You can drop your eyeglasses in these boxes and a Lions member will collect them. If you can't find a box, contact a member you know or call your local Lions Club.

-- Laker Weekly