The glasses will be cleaned, categorized by prescription and prepared for distribution by Lions, Leos and other groups.

KAHULUI — Lions Clubs on Maui and worldwide will be performing community service projects as part of the 13th annual “Lions In Sight” initiative to raise public awareness of the vital role Lions play in their communities.

Hawaii Lions are asking people to look through dresser drawers and closets for used eyeglasses and hearing aids, then donate them to the Lions Recycle For Sight program.

Due to COVID-19, and to keep within CDC guidelines regarding social distancing, Lions this year will not be present at storefronts as in previous years.

However, Lions are accepting donations through specially marked Lions Recycle For Sight collection boxes located in select Walmart stores (including the Kahului location) at the Vision Center.

In addition, Lions have several hundred boxes throughout the state. Both eyeglasses and hearing aids are collected year-round, and Jan. 22, 2022 is the major collection day. Visit hawaiilions.org for the locations.

The glasses will be distributed to those in need within developing countries where eye care is often unaffordable and inaccessible.

Most recently, 5,000 pairs of eyeglasses were distributed to villagers throughout the mountainous terrain of war-torn Afghanistan by Hawaii Lions Club members.

In most developing countries, an eye exam can cost as much as one month’s wages, and a single eye doctor may serve a community of hundreds of thousands of people.

According to the World Health Organization, the eyesight of approximately one-fourth of the world’s population can be improved through the use of a corrective lens.

In addition to the eyeglasses, hearing aids will be also collected, cleaned and tested for local distribution.

Lions are known for their commitment to being “Knights of the Blind in the Crusade against Darkness,” a statement made by Helen Keller in 1925.