sisi BB The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday, January 17, 1996 3 Goodwin will bring gift of vision to islanders ” EE a = = By JACK HILSHER Post Correspondent If you are typical of most eye- glass wearers, you have old pre- scription glasses stashed raround...in desk drawers, in a car glove compartment...”Spares,” you tell yourself, in case of break- ~ ‘age or loss. Nonsense. One thing we of lousy vision never do is lose our ‘glasses. (Misplace, perhaps.) So ' dig out those oldies and donate them to a worthy cause: Dr. Curt Goodwin of Shavertown needs them for a trip next month to Trinidad and Tobago. + There a group of American op- tometrists and volunteers will ex- amine and fit glasses to needy persons. This action is part of a series of trips by V.O.S.H. mem- bers, a northeast chapter of an international group known as Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity. The group was founded in 1990 and Goodwin became interested lastyearwhen reading about their activities in a trade journal. He said, “It sounded like something very worthwhile, something I should become involved with. So far I'm glad I did. Our drive for . discarded eyeglasses has pro- duced great results, and we are appreciative to our community but we could still use more.” Goodwin, an O.D. graduate of the University of Indiana, came here in 1984, starting the Back Mountain Eye Care Centerat 170 N. Memorial Highway. He is in his early forties, likes to fish (when he finds the time), hike, travel and read. His center has a staff of five: ' Nancy Mulligan of Noxen, recep- tionist; optical assistants Dorothy Knorr, Wilkes-Barre, Marietta Bachman, Sweet Valley and Teresa Pagoda, Harveys Lake, and Roseanne Makarewicz of Luzerne, the resident optician. Wife Bette, formerly a Talley of Philadelphia and Forty Fort goes, on the trip too, but says, “This is | no junket...I have to help with the examinations. But when I pack, just in case, there will be a bath- ing suit! I've been told the tem- perature is perfect every day.” Holding down the home base will be sons Chris, 16, and Rich, 13, along with daughter Sarah, POST PHOTO/CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK Dr. Curtis Goodwin of Shavertown has collected dozens of used eyeglasses to take to the islands of Trinidad and Tobago next month. There, he will match them with needy island residents. 12. (No pets because of allergies but there are some fish to be fed.) Goodwin hasn't packed yet but his list is finished: optical test lenses will take up the most room, plus lots of hand-held instru- ments, and some spare batteries. Goodwin says, “Our bags will be over the weight limit I'm sure, but I've been told the airlines never charge extra because they know what we intend to do with all the stuff.” One new gadget he looks for- ward to using is Nikon's just- developed “RetinoMax,” a $12,000 computerized miracle which liter- ally spits out prescriptions for glasses. The donated pairs will have been cleaned, repaired and identified. “They will then be matched as closely as possible to a patient'srequirement,” Goodwin explains. “There is some leeway permitted...they do not have to be an exact match.” The down payment for VOSH's new test machine was made pos- sible by donations from Rotary and Lions clubs, church groups and the Peace Corps. VOSH is completely non-profit, and mem- bers Pay: .sitheir own expenses...travel, lodging, the works. In five years they have examined over 25, 000 patients and dispensed that many glasses. Goodwin's chapter president is Lawrence Hauler of Richboro, near New Hope. Hauler is a retired school teacher and he and his wife Ruth are deeply involved in the running of trips, the schedul- Tell our advertisers you saw them in The Post. They'll appreciate it, and so will we. SAT Review PTC's Spring SAT SALE! Full Math and Verbal Review ing and planning involved. He grins when he says, “The new ‘RetinoMax’ has monthly loan pay- ments which seem to go on for- ever, and they probably do, but it's going to be worth it.” Why Trinidad and Tobago? Hauler explains, “We don't pick locations. They pick us. Word of mouth brings lines of hundreds who start out before dawn and walk for miles. The results are fantastic. A woman wearing an elaborate embroidered blouse was given a pair of glasses and she reached into her bag and brought out a needle and thread. On her first try she threaded the needle, then started to cry. You think that doesn't make this worth- ;while?™ Trinidad and Tobago, only a _few miles off the coast of Venezu- ela, has less than 2,000 square miles but a population of over one million. It has changed hands many times...Columbus discov- ered it in 1498 and the Dutch, Spanish, French and British squabbled over it but now, even with independent republic status since 1976, if the truth were told, the basically black and East In- dian population still regard the Queen as their head of state. Our visiting Goodwins may want to bring back some of Trinidad’'s most famous export - Angostura Bitters, which hasbeen produced by the same family since 1824. The secret recipe, known to only a few, was relayed orally, then finally written on a sheet which was torn in two and the halves placed in separate banks. The U.S. imports half of all the bitters produced. There is some tourism to T&T, after all calypso and steel bands started there, and considerable industry in oil and sugar. Cities are fairly modern, but those are not where the VOSH group will be working...it's the “boondocks” for them. There is where the VOSH patients live...many can’t see well; many can't even read. How do you “lens test” such a person for close-up work? AVOSH regular says, “You puta little black dirt in a bowl of white rice and ask them to pick it out. If they can't, their vision needs correcting. If they can, you've given them the right lens! Not as scientific as a chart but it works!” So, dig out those old glasses. Any age, any condition, any strength (even non-prescription sun glasses are needed. In the T&T sun-drenched glare they are a special prize.) Then, anytime within the next 30 days drop them offat the Back Mountain Eye Care Center, 170 N. Memorial High- way, Shavertown. A container is in place just in front of the door. During inclem- ent weather it will be right inside. Fill it up! The Knit N>* Needle NFL Pattern Books « 1997 Jeweled Calendar Mickey Unlimited, Snow White & Disney Babies Kits Hundreds of Pattern Books « Canvas Bags Mon.- Tues - Thurs. - Fri. 10-8 Wed. & Sat. 10-6 » Sun. 12-5 230 Wyoming Ave. Kingston Heating assistance grant information is available Financial assistance is now available for those individuals throughout our area who may be having difficulty paying their win- ter heating bills through Pennsylvania's Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Money is available for PG&W heating customers in need of help and who meet the eligibil- ity requirements. This year’s guidelines are as follows: Lake Townsip to accept recyclables shag Household Annual Sods Size (before taxes): - 1 $8,217.00" 2 2 $11,033.00 1:22 3 $13,848.00 4 $16,665.00..0.7 5 $19,481.00 ye each add'l. person $2,816.00 : If you are interested in ES ing more information concerning’ financial assistance programs, , calf . your local PG&W office or dial 1- 800-432-8017. de A } x Newspaper and co-mingled recyclables will be collected at the Lake Township Drop-Off Center on Route 29, Jan. 20, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m: Paper should be packed in paper bags and all glossy serfs removed. No oil containers can be accepted. [ J] [J Cri A Bridal section postponed ~~ = * Because of the storms last week and their effect on The Dallas Post's production deadlines, the Wedding Fantasy special feature has been postponed until next week's issue. Advertising will be accepted through Fri., Jan. 19. : . id k * (3 A real snow job Franklin Township resident Joe Smith shoveled nearly five feet of] snow from the roof of a neighbor's mobile home Saturday. POST PHOTO/GRACE R. DOVE N\ 23's L) L i i i i | sUetiscsenisiesennsanone serene omy NBC * Mary's Kids * Mary's new half day learning o experience for pre-school aged children will be opening soon. Please call fo arrange a visit & receive more information about | our sessions. Your pre-schooler will love the fun Be learning during these wintery days. + 8 week program + Optional refresher programs Call for info about our free introductory session and free SAT with student analysis. Professional Tutoring Center 655-6766 Major lines of furniture, executive all at drastic reductions. DREXEL HERITAGE CENTURY LEXINGTON STEARNS & FOSTER THOMASVILLE SHIFMAN MATTRESS HANCOCK & MOORE MILLING Roap HENREDON BAKER 97 Lackawanna Ave., Scranton 346-6591 Mon. - Sat. 10 AM to 5:30 PM Nin Mon. & Thurs. until 9 PM Free parking next to our store. furnishings and authentic oriental rugs, 283-5377 Right hand side after exiting Stross Yolloy Expres, on Be Mt. Sale 20" to 507 Oft ‘All Fabric Shades in-store Now on Sale thru Jan. 31st, 1996 e Bring Your Lamp Base Along for Shade Replacement Specializing in Lamp Repair - Rewiring and Reshading Fleming’s Lamps & Shade Center Route 11, Bloomsburg-Danville Highway OPEN MON.-SAT. 9-5 & By Appt. PHONE 717-275-2081 Contact Mary at 477-3205 or Sharon at 639-1076 R.R. # 1, Box 13, Baird St., Harveys Lake, PA ® eo 000 OCGEOIOEOIOIPOEOOEOSEOTROOSEOO RR a pear SP ree ; e O° ® +2 ® 2 Te Si SE a = ] soe 4 PENNSTATE BRN Wilkes-Barre 22 Campus Do LAA IN § a GET THE ANSWERS on how to finance a college education. nla LEARN ABOUT grants, loans, admissions procedures & scholarships. » Open to any interested persons » Refreshments will be served. Snow date: Tuesday, January 23. Ei To RSVP or for more information, i call Penn State Wilkes-Barre, vy ~ (717) 675-9242 or (800) 966-6613. 3 > “ Se - I A WWW WS WW NE AO
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