Help Third World Countries

Physicians for Peace has a very successful partnership with EYEsee, an organization whose mission is to address the problem of poor eyesight as a contributor to poverty in third world countries. The organization estimates that 4 million pairs of eyeglasses are discarded each year in North America, while 153 million people worldwide suffer from vision problems for which they cannot afford treatment. (Visit www.eyeseemission.org for more information.) Launched in the Philippines, the Physicians for Peace Seeing Clearly program, conducts medical missions to train eye care professionals, and provide vision exams and eyeglasses to those who do not have access to them. We are grateful to the medical donations from EYEsee that make these missions possible.

The following is an excerpt from a letter from Janice Guzon, EYEsee founder, about their ongoing efforts to recycle eyeglasses to help third world countries:

"During the last seven weeks, EYEsee has collected nearly 3,000 pairs of usable eyeglasses during its weekend drives. As EYEsee founder, I have gratefully acknowledged these donations of used eyeglasses from Saint Viator High School (Arlington Heights), St. Paul Lutheran Parish (Mt. Prospect), St. Raymond de Penafort Parish (Mt. Prospect), St. Alphonsus Liguori Parish (Prospect Heights), St. Hubert Parish (Hoffman Estates), St. Thomas Villanova Parish (Palatine), and St. Marcelline Parish (Schaumburg).

Many Saint Viator students have pitched in during these weekend collection drives. They manned EYEsee's table, passed out EYEsee's brochure, answered questions from the public, and received eyeglass donations. Because they engaged the public during these drives, volunteers helped raise public awareness of the two global issues of poverty and environment. Together, these volunteers have logged over 70 service hours to-date. Mr. Tom Nall, a faculty at Saint Viator High School and a member of our board of advisors, has been providing his presence and support of during EYEsee's early Sunday morning collection drives.

We are aiming to collect additional 5,000 pairs of used eyeglasses in the next 9 weeks. EYEsee's future collection schedule will cover: The Garlands of Barrington in Barrington (Mar 7), Church of the Holy Spirit Parish in Schaumburg (Mar 7-8), Holy Family Parish in Inverness (Mar 14-15), St. James Parish in Arlington Heights (Mar 21-22), Immanuel Lutheran Parish in Palatine (Mar 28-29), St. Emily Parish in Mt. Prospect (April 4-5), St. Anne Parish in Barrington (Apr 8-9), St. Thomas Becket Parish in Mt. Prospect (Apr 25-26), Addolorata Villa in Wheeling (May 9), and St. Theresa Parish in Palatine (May 23-24).

As I stated earlier, our board of advisors guides EYEsee in achieving its stated mission. They are Father Mick Egan C.S.V., President of Saint Viator High School; Father Corey Brost, C.S.V., a faculty of the Religion Department at Saint Viator High School; and Mr. Tom Nall, a faculty of the History/Social Studies at Saint Viator High School.

In our campaign materials, announcements, volunteer recruitment talks, and interactions with the public during site collection drives, we have made it known that we are collecting used eyeglasses in partnership with Physicians for Peace along with two other humanitarian organizations. A significant portion of eyeglasses that we recycle this year will go toward supporting your medical missions in Haiti, the Philippines, and the West Bank. We are very proud and honor to be associated with Physicians for Peace. "