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Oct. 25, 2004
DH 04 PH058
Contact: Pamela Hammond
(310) 243-2001
phammond@csudh.edu

MEDIA ALERT

Cal State Dominguez Hills Is Scaring Up Eyeglasses
For Developing Countries

CARSON, Calif. – For the third year in a row, California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) is preparing a great Halloween treat (no trick!) by collecting used eyeglasses to give the gift of sight to people in developing countries. CSUDH’s collection last about three weeks, and ends on Friday, Nov. 5.

The Institute for the Study of Cultural Diversity (ISCD) has organized the campus-wide participation in “Sight Night”—a program sponsored by Lions Club International, Lenscrafters Foundation, and UNICEF—where used eyeglasses are collected, cleaned, repaired, and classified by prescription. Then, they’re labeled, boxed and shipped along with 30,000 pairs to the upcoming international mission destination.

Each Fall semester Phi Sigma Sigma lota Gamma Chapter and Greater LA County Alumnae Chapter of Phi Sigma Sigma join ISCD in helping with this campaign. According to the program’s campus administrator Patricia Hamilton, coordinator, Institute for the Study of Cultural Diversity & Internationalization, the response has been “terrific”—to date 680,000 pairs of used eyeglasses have been collected.

According to the World Health Organization, one-fourth of the world needs corrective eyewear, but many people do not have access to it. Each year, Give the Gift of Sight sponsors optical missions to developing countries such as Mexico, Bolivia, Laos, and Thailand.

"The Gift of Sight volunteers travel on international missions to provide improved vision to the underserved and CSUDH enjoys supporting their efforts,” says Hamilton. “Perhaps you will join us by contributing a pair of used eyeglasses to someone who might just want the opportunity to clearly read, vote, or see their child’s eyes."

For more information, please contact Patricia Hamilton at (310) 243-2589 or (310) 243-2588. For more information on Sight Night and The Gift of Sight, visit http://www.sightnight.org. To learn more about CSU Dominguez Hills, visit http://www.csudh.edu.

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