The Lions Clubs of Bermuda are appealing for people to donate their unused and unwanted eyeglasses.

The group have embraced a centennial challenge set by their international counterpart to do their part in servicing 100 million people by June 2018.

“Lions Club International Foundation is reaching out to Lions members and friends around the globe to celebrate 100 years,” Alicia Virgil, who heads up the eyeglass collection in Bermuda, told The Royal Gazette . “The next time you go to toss out those unused or unwanted eyeglasses, stop by the nearest post office, bank or participating establishment and become part of ‘Giving the Gift of Sight’ and our centennial challenge.

“As little as that may seem, it’s a tremendous help in having someone else have sight and improving their vision.”

Over the past two years, Lions in Bermuda have collected more than 10,000 pairs of glasses that were cleaned and distributed to Third World countries.

Ms Virgil stressed this would not have been possible without the help of International Bonded Couriers, who assisted with shipping the glasses.

“IBC has eliminated us having to do that and assist us in shipping the boxes overseas, which is a great help,” Ms Virgil said, adding that the company was given a Melvin Jones Award — the highest award given out by the Lions — in 2013 to acknowledge their assistance.

In addition to sending glasses overseas, the local zone has a Sight Conservation Committee that helps to fund eye exams and buy glasses for those on the island who cannot afford them.

For more than 30 years, the Lions in Bermuda have been organising eye screenings for preschool children.

There are three clubs left in Bermuda — the Hamilton Lions, Paget Lions and Eastern Lions — that fall under the New York and Bermuda District 20K2 of Lions Club International.

This was founded by Melvin Jones in 1917 and was incorporated as a foundation — the Lions Club International Foundation — in 1968. It now has more than 1.4 million members, who provide youth programmes, humanitarian services and disaster relief. But their main focus is sight conservation and 72 million people worldwide have benefited from their services so far.

However, Ms Virgil said the local clubs were struggling to recruit new volunteers and urged anyone who could assist to get in touch.

• For more information, call Lions Clubs of Bermuda zone chairwoman Dessaline Waldron on 236-9438.