2 Hand High School Seniors Collecting 'Goggles For Docs'

MADISON, CT — Daniel Hand High School seniors Grace Vest and Kayla Howard have partnered for a very worthy cause.

For a student Civic Action Plan project, they are donating new or gently used ski goggles, tinted or clear lenses, to help with the shortage of eye protection.

"We will first be giving the donations to our Madison first Responders, then anything we have left will be sent to nearby hospitals in need," Vest told Patch.

Their effort is part of a program called Goggles for Docs, which was formed in response to the current pandemic and has grown rapidly over the past few months. Vest said that more than 44,000 pairs of ski goggles have been donated through Goggles for Docs, "but there are always more requests being made."

The two have set up a donation box at the Madison Stop & Shop in Madison (against the wall opposite the registers, between the bank and the customer service desk.)

The donation box will be there through the first week of June.

What you need to know about Goggles For Docs
Goggles For Docs is a grassroots effort to provide healthcare workers with ski/snowboard goggles as they treat COVID-19 patients and struggle to find traditional eye protection. Since its inception at the end of March, more than 41,000 goggles have been donated through crowdsourcing.
GooglesForDocs.com serves as the go-to resource for both hospitals in need as well as those interested in donating goggles.

Goggles for Docs came to life on March 28 via an email to Jon Schaefer, the General Manager of Berkshire East ski resort in Mass. A New York City doctor was looking for used goggles to give to his team for eye protection. A quick spreadsheet documenting who needed what and where was created and a snowball effect was created.
A group of seasoned and passionate volunteers – all of whom are goggle-wearing sports enthusiasts (snowboarders, skiers, downhill mountain bikers, motocross and more) – created Goggles For Docs.

How it works
Visit the website: www.GogglesForDocs.com Hospitals/Clinics: Click on the link specifically for hospitals. A team of researchers is vetting requests and connects directly to arrange donations. For Individuals: Select a specific state of choice. They can see which hospitals have opted in the program. If the required goggles listed have been fulfilled, pick another hospital. From there, the person adds in their info and the number of goggles willing to commit. The website illustrates how to prepare goggles for shipment, and where to ship — whether it’s direct to a hospital or to a regional drop-off location that has been set up by volunteers across the country.

Musical support

Virtual Après Music Series, in partnership with REVERB, is being featured in support of Goggles For Docs. Musical artists are volunteering their time to perform 30-45-minute après ski-style sets from their living room. The Series takes place on select evenings at 7 pm ET via Facebook.com/REVERB. The schedule can be found at GogglesForDocs.com
In addition to donating goggles, cash donations can also be made to purchase additional goggles at cost from participating brands.

Spread the word
Goggles For Docs has grown from one hospital to many across the country. As COVID-19 moves through each region, more goggles will be needed. The website is updated every day: GogglesforDocs.com. Follow the progress socially on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @GogglesForDocs