By SHERRY DIGMON
News Publisher
Three local organizations joined forces recently to help give the gift of sight – and they appealed to school children and their families to help with this project.
The organizations include Delta Kappa Gamma Society (Gamma Omega Chapter in Atmore), Atmore Lions Club and the Escambia County School System.
In January, representatives of the Lions Club and school system met with Gamma Omega to work out the logistics of collecting used eyeglasses to be donated to Lions Club International, via Atmore Lions Club, to be used in their overseas sight mission trips, primarily to South and Central America. (Groups are prohibited by the U.S. Government from giving used glasses to American citizens, however, the Atmore Lions Club helps furnish glasses for students whose families are not able to provide them for their children.)
Representing the school system at the January meeting were Stephanie Alaniz, nursing supervisor, and Michele Collier, assistant superintendent.
Patty Davis, chairman of the Atmore Lions Eyesight Program, and Bub Gideons represented the Lions Club.
Nancy Karrick, president of Gamma Omega, facilitated the meeting and coordinated the volunteers in her organization.
Lions Club International donation boxes are located in various buildings around town, so glasses are always being collected. However, this project got students and their families involved by placing collection boxes in schools.
Collier coordinated with principals in Atmore area schools, who in turn talked with their teachers. Letters were sent home to parents and guardians, asking them to have students bring used eyeglasses to donate. Gamma Omega members contacted private schools and asked them to participate.
On a designated day in late February, Gamma Omega members picked up the boxes in the schools and took them to Patty Davis at her office. Dozens of pair of glasses which were collected will be delivered to Lions Sight International for processing and distribution in their overseas mission trips.