More than 120 million people can’t see clearly enough to read or get a job. Not because they need surgery, but because they can’t get glasses. Meanwhile, in the U.S., people typically get new glasses every two to three years. And many of the old pairs end up in the trash. The Colorado Lions organization has a simple solution: recycle glasses from those who don’t need them and give them to those who do. As Lions like to say: “you need to be able to see to succeed.”

The beauty of the Lions system is that all it requires is for someone to drop their old glasses off in a public collection box. To make that even simpler, Lions launched a program with new outdoor collection boxes and is putting them in public places.

One of the newest locations is:

Pueblo Cooperative Care Center

326 W. 8th Street

Pueblo, CO 81003

The box is located in the Center’s parking lot adjacent to the 8th Street sidewalk. “We know people want to help, and we also know that no one wants to add more trash to the landfills” says Cathy Valenzuela, President. “That’s why we decided to put larger boxes out in public. People can find them and we’ll take care of the rest.”

Colorado Lions trained volunteers clean and sanitize glasses that are in good shape and each one is measured with a Lensometer to determine the correction power and type (nearsighted or farsighted). Glasses are then labeled, packaged, and shipped. To minimize waste, the Lions sell the broken and scratched glasses for recycling and use the funds to support the program. 

Fast Facts:

• In 2022, Colorado Lions will install 40 new collection boxes throughout Colorado.
• Colorado Lions have been recycling eyeglasses since 1937. 
• Prior to the COVID pandemic, Colorado Lions distributed 65,000 pairs of glasses. 
• 23,000 pairs were sent to Peru, Nepal, Honduras, Mongolia, Kenya, Cuba, and Guatemala and 42,000 pairs were sent to Feed the Children, an NGO that distributes glasses and food to many countries. Colorado Lions have also carried out eyeglass missions in Ethiopia, Ecuador, Senegal, and Haiti.

Lions is an active community organization and its members volunteer, raise money and direct sight and family-focused programs. To learn more about Pueblo Charter Lions or to join, volunteer or support their cause, call (719) 560-0694. You can also send an email to lolions@gmail.com">pueblolions@gmail.com or visit Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PuebloCharterLions/.

PRESS RELEASE

June 27, 2022

Colorado Springs, Colo.  –  Peak Vista Community Health Centers’ (Peak Vista) Family Medicine Residency (FMR) program ushered five doctors, now trained in Family Medicine, into the health care world.   

The FMR program is a traditional, three-year Family Medicine Residency with community support from local health care organizations and specialty physicians. Each resident learns the ins and outs of Family Medicine through rotations for outpatient pediatrics, family medicine, gynecology, obstetrics, community medicine, homeless health care, and geriatrics. Residents learn through patient interaction, bedside teaching, and structured educational sessions, how best to care for patients. The Peak Vista Family Medicine residents rotate through major hospital systems in the Colorado Springs region, as well as various private offices throughout the city. At the end of their training, each resident will undergo a board examination to earn their certification.

“The shortage of health care providers is a national crisis,” says Chief Medical and Dental Officer, Lisa Ramey, DO. “Programs like these, which educate new physicians, are invaluable right now. They can only be sustained through the support of our community and health care partners.” 

Peak Vista’s FMR program is the only primary care residency program in the Pikes Peak region. 

“This group of residents joined the program in 2019,” says Interim Program Director, John Epperly, MD. “After their rollercoaster over the past three years, I know they have the tools to handle any scenario. They will make excellent practitioners.” 

The FMR class of 2022 includes: 

Derek Fritz, DO

Dr. Fritz plans to work as an outpatient primary care provider, practicing Family Medicine and Osteopathic Manipulation Treatment (OMT), in Florida or Arizona. 

Amanda Neidermyer, MD

Dr. Neidermyer will practice as a hospitalist at Centura’s Mercy Hospital in Durango, Colorado. 

Gretchen Nonawzki, DO

Dr. Nonawzki will continue her education, entering a three-year Emergency Medicine residency at Florida College of Emergency Physicians. 

Lisa Reimer, MD

Dr. Reimer will continue to practice at Peak Vista, seeing patients at its Health Center at Wahsatch.

Ann Treisman, MD

Dr. Treisman will practice as a hospitalist at Montrose Regional Health Hospital, Gunnison Valley Health Hospital, and Lake City Medical Center, all in Colorado. 

About Peak Vista Community Health Centers

Peak Vista Community Health Centers is a nonprofit organization providing exceptional health care to people facing access barriers through clinical programs and education. Celebrating over 50 years of community health service, Peak Vista offers primary medical, integrated behavioral health and dental care services. We proudly serve over 89,000 patients annually through 23 outpatient centers in Colorado’s Pikes Peak and East Central regions. To learn more about Peak Vista, visit www.peakvista.org.

In the wake of Pueblo Cooperative Care Center’s provision of 300 services on a single day, we are now required to undertake numerous logistical modifications to better serve our clients and our communities. We believe this to be a proactive measure and not a reactive engagement like the one we all went through with the SARS-CoV-2 (Coronavirus) or COVID-19 pandemic.  Please see the attached document (in English and Spanish) which overviews our transitions, and while we do not have a timeline for getting back to the way things have been for the past 40 years we do look forward to that day in the future.