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Lions need your soda can tops & used eyeglasses
lions
Jerry Weed, Tom Blair and Adam Carrol help Lisa Stallings and Chris Bair sift through collected soda tops. For every 10 pounds raised, a child can stay at either the Ronald McDonald House or a children’s hospital free of charge. - photo by JASON CAMPBELL
Soda can tops and pairs of old glasses are nothing more than junk to most folks.

But to Manteca Lions Club members they represent hope – hope that they’ll be able to give an underprivileged child the medical care that they need and help outfit those who can’t otherwise afford glasses the chance to see again.

On the morning of Saturday, Feb. 6, they’ll brave the cold at the intersection of Main Street and Union Road at Cabral Chrysler Jeep Dodge to collect as many can tops and old pairs of eyeglasses as possible in order to make a difference in the lives of the children and adults they serve.

“One 10-pound bag of these can tops represents one night for a child at the Ronald McDonald house,” said Lions President Lisa Stallings. “Last year we had 170 pounds. Now we have over 400 pounds, and we’re not done counting just yet.”

With the combination of the eye-mobile and other projects, the Lions specialize in helping make sure that those who need glasses in Third World countries are able to wear the appropriate glasses.

“I don’t know what I’d do without my glasses,” said Lion member Jerry Weed. “I can only imagine what it’s like for the people that have never had them. It must be like learning to see all over again.”

The monies collected from the donations will go towards sending children to the Children’s Hospital in Madera. It includes hosting the families in a nearby Ronald McDonald House while the child receives treatment.

“Can you imagine what the cost would be if you had to stay in a hotel every night while your kid was in a hospital bed next door?” asked Stallings. “We’re hoping that this will help alleviate some of that burden.”

The organization is always accepting donations for the cause. For more information, contact Stallings at 679-5835.