[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 48 (Thursday, April 28, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 28, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
  LENSCRAFTERS SELECTED TO RECEIVE 1994 PRESIDENT'S VOLUNTEER ACTION 
                                 AWARD

                                 ______


                            HON. ROB PORTMAN

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 28, 1994

  Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 
LensCrafters, a Cincinnati, OH, corporation in the Second District, 
which on Thursday, April 21, 1994, received the 1994 President's 
Volunteer Action Award from President Clinton for their ``Give the Gift 
of Sight'' partnership with the Lions Club.
  The President's Volunteer Action Award is one of the most prestigious 
honors that one can receive for community service. Those of us in 
Cincinnati know LensCrafters for its voluntarism locally, but this 
award appropriately recognizes LensCrafters nationally and 
internationally as well.
  Since the ``Give the Gift of Sight'' annual eyeglasses collection and 
recycling program began in 1988, LensCrafters and the Lions Club have 
collected over 2 million pairs of old, unwanted eyeglasses and 
distributed them to the less fortunate all over the world. Every year, 
all 484 LensCrafters stores in the United States and Canada participate 
in collecting eyeglasses during January and February. The eyeglasses 
are then sent to the Lions Clubs national eyeglasses recycling center 
where they are cleaned, repaired and classified by prescription.
  LensCrafters and the Lions Club annually conduct optical missions 
abroad to dispense the thousands of glasses collected. Mission 
destinations have included Costa Rica, Panama, Kenya, and Mexico, and 
have served over 33,000 people. The eyeglasses not dispensed by 
LensCrafters missions are given to Lions Clubs and other volunteer 
organizations around the world for distribution.
  In the United States, LensCrafters has provided eye exams and new 
glasses to tens of thousands of Americans and Canadians each year 
through LensCrafters' charitable certificate program. In 1993, a new 
domestic program was added, the Give the Gift of Sight Hometown Day 
program. On the morning of November 30, 1993, 77 percent of 
LensCrafters employees and 99 percent of affiliated optometrists' 
offices delivered eyecare to 10,000 needy people. LensCrafters and the 
Red Cross have also partnered to provide eye exams and eyeglasses to 
victims of natural disasters. Following the Los Angeles earthquake, 
more than 3,000 pairs of free eyeglasses were provided to victims.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to commend LensCrafters for their unselfish 
generosity and for making a difference in the lives of so many people 
all over the world. LensCrafters' vision has set an example of 
community service for each of us.

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