New Eyeglasses

The Club provides free eye examinations and free eyeglasses to deserving needy and or economically disadvantaged children and residents in the East County. At present, the Eyeglass Program serves the following schools and school districts:
*Alpine Union School District
• Cajon Valley Union School District
• El Cajon Valley High School
• Lakeside Union School District
• Literacy First Charter School
• Mountain Empire Unified School District
• Santee School District

HISTORY OF THE PROGRAM

In December 1993, one of the Club members, Lion John Knudsen arranged for the purchase of one or two pairs of eyeglasses for students at Cuyumaca School. At that time, the Club was having very successful fund raising events. Several Club members among them PP Richard Thurston and PP Gary Sims, contacted and met with the Superintendent of the Cajon Valley Union School District and proposed that ECVH Lions Club will provide free eyeglasses along with free eye examinations for any child in the District whose parents cannot afford them. In January 1994, the El Cajon Valley Host Lions Eyeglass Program started. PP Gary Sims was made Chairman in charge. He would receive the requests for eyeglasses from the schools and he in turn would assign Club members to service the families in need. Arrangements were made with 10 Optometrists and one Ophthalmologist to provide the eye examination.
The process has since changed thru the years, but still serving the community in a more efficient manner. Lenscrafters has been the Optician for the Club since 1997, Students can receive their eyeglasses same day that they are ordered.

NUMBER OF STUDENTS HELPED
2010— 101 students
2011—128 students
2012– Jan to date—87.