Raise your stamps and glasses for those in need

THE Lions Club of Ocean Grove Barwon Heads (OG BH Lions) is raising stamps and glasses for two humanitarian foundations, Recycle for Sight Australia and Australian Lions Children’s Mobility Foundation.

The stamp collection will be used to raise money to get kids in wheelchairs walking while collected recycled glasses will be refurbished and sent to developing countries.

OG BH Lions secretary Philip Scambler said community members are encouraged to support both initiatives by bringing their old glasses, spectacles or unused contact lenses or donating stamps to the OG BH Lions.

“Usually people have a number of old glasses they don’t need when they upgraded,” he said.
“We’re part of a long-term Lions program and commitment, to help people with issue with sight over the decades, particularly in Third World countries.”

“The glasses collection has been going on for a long time and there is one Lions Club in Queensland that does the coordinating of it, so clubs all over the country help out.”

Mr Scambler said Bellarine locals and the Ocean Grove optometrists have been very generous and helpful over the years and together the club has sent hundreds of refurbished glasses to Third World countries.

All donations, collected by OG BH Lions and other Lions Clubs are sent to the Australian Lions Eyeglass Recycling Centre in Queensland for processing and distributed as humanitarian aid in developing countries around the world.

Across Australia, the Lions have been running this program for over the 26 years and have delivered more than seven million pairs of refurbished quality spectacles to those in need.

Alongside this, the club is currently collecting stamps to raise money for the Australian Lions Children’s Mobility Foundation, with the Lions national project auctioning off all stamps to donate all money raised to the Foundation.

“All that money is directed for Mobility Aid for children who need it. It helps kids who couldn’t afford mobility devices get them, it makes a lot of difference to these kids who wouldn’t otherwise be able to walk,” Mr Scambler said.

Last year Lions raised $48,000 for the Foundation, which was used to fund walking devices to get kids out of walking chairs.

OG BH Lions is currently collecting hearing aids, unused contact lenses, stamps and philatelic material, spectacles or glasses for these initiatives.

All donations can be sent to Lions Club of Ocean Grove Barwon Heads, PO Box 229, Ocean Grove VIC 3226, or to collection sites, or pick-up/drop-off can be arranged.

New Lions collection sites have been added for spectacle donations as the Ocean Grove Library is no longer a collection site.

• Bellarine Eyecare (formerly Greg Sly Optometry), 87 The Parade, Ocean Grove
• Ocean Eyes Optometrists, 2 Park Lane, Ocean Grove
• Bellarine Training & Community Hub, 1 John Dory Drive, Ocean Grove
• Barwon Heads Seniors Citizens Club, 5A Clifford Parade. Barwon Heads.

For more information regarding stamp donations, contact Lion Graham Mulroneyon via email [email protected] or mobile on 0419 549706 to arrange drop-off/pick-up.

To find out more about spectacle donations contact Lions secretary Philip Scambler via email on [email protected] or via mobile 0437 957 912.