District 33A Lions Receive Large Donation

Jon Haglund, President of Arch Vision Inc. of Shrewsbury and former President of the Opthamalic Business of American Optical Corporation, has generously donated 120,000 brand new, single vision, polycarbonate lenses to the Massachusetts, District 33A Lions, which encompass much of Worcester County. Jon is pictured above at the far right, with Don Fortin, District 33A Eyeglass Recycling Chair on the left, and Westborough Lions Club President, Angelo Cavaliere, in the center.

In business since 1997, Jon has decided to retire and close his operation. Having been impressed for many years with Lions Clubs International's Sight programs and pondering what he should do with his remaining inventory, he and his wife Patricia decided to donate the lenses and a complete finishing lab to the District 33A Lions. The wholesale value of the donation is estimated at over $300,000. Alternatively, Jon could have sold the inventory to another company at market value, but he felt it was far more important to benefit those less fortunate. Because of this extraordinary donation, 60,000 people, who have no access to eyewear, will receive brand new corrective lenses, opening up a world of sight that they have not known.

On Saturday, March 10th, led by Region 1 Chairperson, John Riemer, and Westborough Lions Club President, Angelo Cavaliere, fifteen District 33A Lions from eight Worcester area clubs including: Westborough, Grafton, Charlton, Bolton, Shrewsbury, Monson, Uxbridge, and Barre, gathered at a distribution center in Worcester to load the donated lenses onto a truck for distribution. Don Fortin, District 33A Eyeglass Recycling Chair, is coordinating the dissemination of the lenses and finishing lab equipment to a third world country.

District 33A is most grateful for this exceptional donation from Jon and Arch Vision Inc. of Shrewbury. He has truly enabled the Lions to uphold their motto: We Serve and give the gift of sight to thousands who might never have had the oppportunity, were it not for his generosity.