Lions club gives spectacles to the needy

At the Samaj Centre in Rylands for the handover, from left, were Lions Club member Sharifefa Khalfey, Dennis Petersen, President of the Lions Club Athlone Zarina Hendricks, Marie Petersen, and Athlone ward councillor Rashid Adams.

Eight people have received new spectacles courtesy of Lions Club Athlone and Eyesave.

Two of them, Silvertown residents Marie Petersen, 65, and Dennis Petersen, 68 – they are not related – received their spectacles at the Samaj Centre in Rylands, on Youth Day, Wednesday June 16. Lions Club Athlone also donated bread and food to residents in Kewtown on the day.

Six other pairs of spectacles had been dropped off at the homes of recipients unable to make the handover, said Lions Club Athlone president Zarina Hendricks.

The club is now selling coupon booklets to fund more free spectacles for those who need.

“I’ve been waiting a long time for the day hospital to give me specs, now I can see properly. I really appreciate this,” Ms Petersen said.

Mr Petersen added: “I am so happy to be able to see properly now. Now I can see what I’m reading.

Lions Club members with the bread donated to Kewtown residents.

Ms Hendricks said the eight pairs of spectacles were part of a bigger project, involving the Athlone, Tokai and Stellenbosch clubs, to provide spectacles to the needy, including school pupils.

“We will be going around to schools in the area, starting at Regina Coeli and Bokmakierie primary schools, and branch out from there,” she said.

Athlone ward councillor Rashid Adams, said many people in the community had had the same spectacles for years and badly needed new ones.

“Your eyesight is of paramount importance and not something to play around with,” he said.