Blog: THE EYEGLASS PROJECT-New Year’s Update

Written by: Elizabeth Hunter

Posted on Jan 13, 2012

Happy New Year!

It is the time of year to make our resolutions and to decide how to better our lives. As we are testing will power and perseverance in our own lives, why not, in one more simple act, make someone else’s better.

THE EYEGLASS PROJECT is well underway and we’ve experienced an amazing outpouring of generosity from the community. We have accumulated about 700 pairs of glasses between drop locations in Hunter Vision, the RDV Sportsplex, and Northland Church. 

As we continue on this venture, we are adding some drop locations through Track Shack. If you are a runner as I am not, you can drop off any eyeglass donations at packet pick-up for all Track Shack races. As Hunter Vision proudly sponsors Track Shack, we will also have a Hunter Vision booth at all Track Shack races. If you are running or cheering or just staring in amazement that people can run so far and fast without being chased by a tiger (That’s me. I do that. While eating a churro.), bring your used eyeglasses and drop them off at our booth.

700 pairs donated and more to come! Isn’t this fun?

Press: Central Floridians to Give the Gift of Sight This Christmas

Posted on Dec 22, 2011

Press Release

Blog: Week Two

Written by: Elizabeth Hunter

Posted on Dec 16, 2011

Watching a community rally together for the welfare of others is a humbling and beautiful thing to behold. I feel so blessed to get to join with you in this effort.

After just the first weekend of donation collection for The Eyeglass Project, we already have well over 400 pairs. That is a lot of lives to be changed.

Thank you so much for your generosity. As we are accruing glasses donations, we are also solidifying the details of our trip to the Dominican Republic. We have our visit on the calendar for May 2012. Time to install my Rosetta Stone! TIME Ministries will be providing translators but I would at least like to be able to talk about the weather and ask for directions by May. I’m already pretty solid on my colors and animal names.

If you are interested in donating eyeglasses, we will maintain drop locations at both Hunter Vision (located in the RDV Sportsplex) and at Northland Church. In addition, Hunter Vision will have booths set up at the following events over the next week:

Joy to the World
Central Florida Community Arts Christmas Spectacular
December 16th at 7:30 PM at Northland Church
(This is an organization very near and dear to my heart. You should check them out. They are a wonderful gift to our community.  www.cfcommunityarts.com)

Light Up UCF
December 17th from 4:30 PM to 9:30 PM at the UCF Arena

Press: Donate Glasses for Christmas to Help the Dominican Republic Poor

Posted on Dec 13, 2011

Orlando Sentinel Blog

Blog: The Eyeglass Project

Written by: Elizabeth Hunter

Posted on Dec 8, 2011

In a world where we have access to all kinds of luxuries, it is hard to imagine living life without access to something as simple as sight. If we can’t see the newspaper, we buy a pair of readers. If our world is blurry, we get a new glasses prescription.

The large majority of us have some sort of refractive error that requires a simple pair of glasses to enable us to see clearly. The same is true all over the world. The difference for people that are less fortunate is that many have no access to a pair of glasses.

So there are people walking around legally blind, that require no heroic intervention to give them sight, other than a simple pair of glasses. It seems like a pretty wonderful opportunity to change people’s lives!

We started a charity called The Eyeglass Project. I know it seems ironic, a LASIK practice working to get people in glasses. 3D LASIK is amazing. I personally am a big fan of it. It provides an end to the inconvenience of glasses. But then what’s left? A pile of glasses that have lost their purpose.

Hunter Vision is partnering with TIME Ministries to bring those used eyeglasses (and any others we can get) to those who need them. We will be collecting eyeglasses beginning December 10th and will have drop boxes at two locations, Hunter Vision (located in the RDV Sportsplex), and Northland, A Church Distributed.

In 2012, a team from Hunter Vision will take used eyeglasses donations to the Dominican Republic to bring clear vision to those who don’t have access to it. But we can’t do it without your help. The donation of your used eyeglasses, something so seemingly simple, could give sight to the blind.

What do you think of being a part of this? How about telling your friends too? It doesn’t require money, just a pair of glasses that you don’t use anymore. At each of our drop locations, we will have tags for your glasses that give you the option of sharing your information with us. The purpose of getting your info is to let you see the difference that your glasses made. Our hope is to be able to send you a picture of a very happy person in glasses that were once your own. What fun!