Manteca Lions Past President David Macedo is constantly amazed by the generosity of residents that continue to support local service groups aiming to help the less fortunate.

On Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Macedo will be one of a handful of Lions out in the Bedquarters parking lot at the corner of Yosemite Avenue and Main Street collecting aluminum pull tabs and old prescription glasses from people in the community – continuing a drive that the group has been pushing constantly for the majority of the last year.

With every 10 pounds of pull tabs equaling a one-week stay for a family at the Ronald McDonald House in Madera – a place for families to spend quality time with seriously ill children – the drive has become something that Macedo takes very seriously, and hopes that the support the group has been receiving will continue.

And with the youth of Manteca getting involved, his wish may come true.

During the group’s last meeting – when the district governor was in attendance – the East Union JROTC brought 17 pounds of tabs down to the meeting and a handful of glasses that they had collected on campus.

“It’s really awesome that the community is stepping up and coming forward like they are,” Macedo said. “Right now we have the youth in the high schools that are participating, taking it upon themselves because they realize how important it is.

“It’s a group that’s going around door to door collecting pull tabs and eyeglasses, and that’s just awesome to see.”

To date the group has collected over a hundred pounds of pull tabs and over 1,500 pairs of glasses.

While the tabs go to fund a week’s stay at the Ronald McDonald House, the glasses – those that can be salvaged – go to the office of Lions Club member Dr. Greg Miller who reconditions the lenses and helps pair them up with somebody who has submitted an application citing that they cannot afford glasses.

Six people this year have been given a refurbished fair of glasses, and that number is expected to grow as more applications come in.

“It’s very rewarding to do this and be able to help people,” Macedo said. “God has blessed us and now it’s our chance to give back to the community. It’s such an awesome feeling to see somebody that hasn’t ever been able to have glasses now be able to see.

“We’re grateful to the people of Manteca for supporting this and helping those in need.”

The donation site will be open on Sunday in the parking lot of Manteca Bedquarters – located at the corner of Main Street and Yosemite Avenue – from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The collections will continue again in September.