Palmer Lions hosting glasses drive

- Frontiersman Valley Life editor

PALMER -- Halloween has long been known as fright night, but for Lions clubs around the country, it is "Sight Night." But not for Palmer's club. It has taken "Sight Night" a few nights further.

"Sight Night" is set for Halloween each year, and as part of the program, children who are trick-or-treating are encouraged to ask for any donations of eyeglasses, which are donated to the Lions Club and recycled so less fortunate people will be able to get glasses and see better. The Palmer Lions Club, however, is going into the community to ask for eyeglasses from now through Halloween, not just on one night.

"We figured, 'Let the kids have their holiday and have fun,'" said Dee Hilbert of the Palmer Lions. "So we have set up collection boxes and people can donate glasses through the end of October."

The two collection boxes are located near the entrances of both the Palmer and the Wasilla Carrs-Safeway stores. People can turn in any old glasses, and there is no restriction on what they have to look like.

"There is no color too hideous, no style too outdated," Hilbert said. "We can recycle just about anything to give somebody the gift of sight."

In addition to regular eyeglasses, people can also donate old lenses without frames, frames without lenses, and even sunglasses.

"We accept almost anything related to glasses," Hilbert added.