The Cody Lions Club had wanted to install an eyeglass dropoff box in Powell for years, but there was a hitch: They needed to wait for a damaged mailbox.

Last Thursday the goal came to fruition and four members of the club brushed off a steady rain to install, fittingly, a restored mailbox in front of the Powell Post Office. The box, club member Al Guilmain said, had been hit by a snowplow. Now it was operational again, painted yellow with the classic Lions Club logo. 

This initiative, which has been helping those in need for over 30 years, collects used eyeglasses and gives them to people who cannot afford them. This is the first box for the local club outside of Cody. Other locations are the Rodeo West gas station, Walmart, Basin Vision and the Cody Post Office.

“Thousands of eyeglasses have been processed each year, significantly improving the quality of life for countless individuals,” reads in part a release from the club.

The glasses are then transported to the Wyoming State Prison in Rawlins, where inmates on good behavior sort and prepare them for distribution,

“This collaboration not only provides vital services to those in need but also fosters a sense of responsibility and community among the prisoners, who play a crucial role in the program,” according to the club.

People are asked to only drop off eyeglasses at the box, which will be emptied regularly, as cases and contact lenses cannot be accepted.

“We’re thrilled to expand our reach and provide even more opportunities for the community to contribute,” the club writes. “Every pair of eyeglasses collected is a chance for someone to see the world more clearly.”