Framing the Future, One Lens at a Time

Volunteers gather to sort eyeglasses for charity. Photo: Trevor Phillips.

 Despite the gloomy morning in San José, the Vista Center on North Bascom was already bustling with activity as people shuffled inside. Some volunteers briskly weaved through the neatly spaced folding tables, carrying out various tasks, while others settled in, enjoying a Krispy Kreme and coffee. Along the east wall, large boxes lined the room, each containing over 500 pairs of eyeglasses. By mid-morning, the volunteers resembled members of Santa’s workshop, an assembly line powered by goodwill, delivering the gift of sight to those in need. Volunteers for this project come from Lions District 4-C6. Additionally many hundreds of volunteers come from local organizations and the general population of the greater San Jose area, many of which are SJSU alumni.

This is an entirely volunteer-run project, with individuals from Monterey, Napa and everywhere in between dedicating their time and energy to giving back. Not a member of the Lions Club? No problem. Many volunteers include both San José State University (SJSU) alumni and current students.

Among the crowd was Bob Stewart, the man responsible for turning an idea into an initiative, now in its fourth year. Stewart’s two daughters are blind, making sight preservation a deeply personal mission for him and his family. He is a board member of the Vista Center and a member of the Capitola Coastal Lions Club, a local community service club. This is a special year for the Lions Club, marking the 100th anniversary of the organization’s commitment to sight preservation. In 1925, Helen Keller challenged the Lions to become “knights for the blind” in the fight against preventable blindness, a call that still echoes today.

Stewart took me through each step of the process, detailing how their operation works. Eyeglasses cannot be resold once returned, so eyeglasses that are returned to the manufacturer are either trashed or donated to philanthropic organizations like the Vista Center. These rejected glasses are then stored for sorting events like this one. Today’s tasks would include the following:

Step 1: Volunteers inspect the glasses piled high in the center of the table for defects such as scratches, cracks and damaged frames. Only about 10-20% of these glasses are suitable for reuse. Since 2020, over 950,000 pairs have been inspected, resulting in an estimated 85,000 to 170,000 usable glasses that otherwise would have ended up in a landfill.

Step 2: Glasses that pass inspection are taken outside for cleaning. A small group of volunteers submerge them in buckets filled with warm water and disinfectant.

Step 3: Once cleaned, the glasses are examined using a special device called a lensometer. The lensometer, which resembles a laboratory microscope, determines the prescription strength, allowing the glasses to be sorted by diopter (lens power).

Step 4: The cleaned and sorted glasses are then transported to a warehouse in Vallejo before being shipped to low-income communities around the world.

One such dedicated volunteer is Gayle Kludt, ’70 Sociology, ’81 MA Education, who has remained deeply involved with her alma mater. A middle school teacher with 50 years under her belt, Kludt has more energy than many people half her age, whether she’s coordinating volunteers or cheering on the Spartans at a game. She has worked with SJSU sports teams, Panhellenic houses, student groups and anyone willing to lend a hand. Her love for SJSU runs deep; she previously served as president of the Alumni Association (1991-1993) and the Spartan Foundation (2000-2001). She’s also a proud Delta Zeta, former community ambassador to the women’s basketball team and has raised an incredible $2 million + for the university for scholarships and activities. She’s been involved with the Lion’s Club for 15 years and serves as a strong link between the organization and SJSU.  

When Dave Kaplow, past president of the West San José-Campbell Lion’s Club chapter, tasked Kludt with recruiting volunteers, she turned to her strength, engaging SJSU students. This initiative found an especially fitting partnership with the SJSU Delta Gamma sorority, whose philanthropic focus is sight preservation. Kludt established a connection with Delta Gamma’s vice president of philanthropy and the partnership has been strong ever since.

Back at the sorting event, Kludt’s table stood out. Fifteen to twenty young women in branded sweatshirts, members of SJSU’s Delta Gamma chapter, worked diligently. Despite the early hour on a gloomy Saturday, they were eager to contribute. 

Delta Gamma’s philanthropy, Service for Sight, supports both the five schools founded by Delta Gammas for children who are visually impaired and other North American organizations that promote sight preservation and conservation. This philanthropy has been at the heart of the Delta Gamma mission since 1936, when a member who was blind, Ruth Billow, petitioned to adopt it as their official philanthropy. As Delta Gamma’s Vice President of Philanthropy Maliyah Murphy put it, “the sisters love devoting some time to a life-changing mission.”

Joining them was another group of young women, fewer in number but just as bold in branded apparel. They were members of Her Campus, an SJSU student organization dedicated to fostering a supportive and empowering community for women. Their connection to the event came through Hannah Lyon, an SJSU student who has been involved with the Lions Club since her teenage years. Even though sight preservation is not part of Her Campus’ mission statement, the members demonstrated the love of community and philanthropy that Spartans and Lions Club members value. 

After hours of careful sorting, cleaning and measuring, the final count was in: 51,500 pairs of eyeglasses — each with the potential to change someone’s life. This keeps the group on track to reach an incredible milestone — their millionth pair. That milestone will most likely be reached at the next sorting event on May 17, 2025 — exactly 100 years after Helen Keller’s powerful call to action. The significant timing also  coincides with the 100th anniversary of Helen Keller’s 1925 speech at the Lions Clubs International Convention in Ohio, where she first inspired the organization’s mission.

It’s motivating to see an initiative like this thrive — rooted in institutions over a century old, yet still delivering the timeless gift of sight. As a Spartan, I’m proud to see both alumni and students leading that mission, one pair of glasses at a time.

If you would like to volunteer your time for this effort, please join us on Saturday, May 17, 2025, at the Vista Center in San Jose (101 N. Bascom). For more information, please visit the following page from the Lions Club of West-San Jose/Campbell.