Macsteel donation to make a difference at Lions BrightSight
White Cane Day is observed worldwide to recognise the movement of blind people from dependency to full participation in society.
To celebrate World Sight Day on October 14 and White Cane Day on October 15, Macsteel donated R50 000 to Lions BrightSight.
Lions Clubs International commemorates and acknowledges the significance of sight awareness and the elimination of preventable visual impairment during October.
White Cane Day is observed worldwide to recognise the movement of blind people from dependency to full participation in society.
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Lions Brightsight chairperson PDG Pierre Theron said this year, Lions members throughout South Africa, in collaboration with the SA Guide Dogs Association, are conducting awareness and raising funds to assist members of the community who are visually impaired so that they can be more independent in their everyday life.
“Lions Brightsight has decided this year to ‘sell’ white cane badges through all the Lions clubs in the country and corporates through their social responsibility programmes or motivating their staff to participate, with the proceeds going to the SA Guide Dogs, Orientation and Mobility Division department, and Macsteel has adopted this project,” said Theron.
Macsteel CSR team leader Alana Mitchell said she decided to do the White Cane Day on behalf of the Rustenburg Lions Club, she then took the idea to Macsteel and since then the company has been involved.
In 2019, Macsteel donated R20 00 towards Lions Brightsight.
“We have also been collecting frames through all the Macsteel branches to give as a donation,” said Mitchell.
An emotional Mitchell added that if you can take R50 000 and look at all the costs that BrightSight has for their clear bifocal glasses, which are just R500, they will be able to assist at least 1 000 people with glasses. This wouldn’t be possible without the donation from Macsteel.
Theron said with the donation, they will be able to finance people who are unable to pay as they get people who need eye care and glasses but can’t afford them.
“We have certain expenses, such as paying for the lenses, the frames are free but we refurbish. This will help us to assist many more people to have eye testing and glasses.
“To Macsteel, this is such a great donation. They gave R20 000 two years ago and now it has increased. They see the worthiness of what we do and we are grateful for the donation.”
The Lions Brightsight has also kicked off a school screening project in Tshwane in collaboration with the South African National Council for the Blind (SANCB).
Theron said spectacles for this project will be supplied by them and this was made possible by a grant of roughly R405 000 that they received from Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF).
“With the project, they hope to screen about 3 300 learners and those identified for a further referral will be followed up by the SANCB,” he said.
Lions BrightSight is offering packets of 100 pins for R750 per packet to their clubs and business partners. R250 of the proceeds of each packet sold will be donated to the South African Guide Dogs Association.
The suggested retail price is R10 per pin. Purchases will be couriered free of charge to any business address.
Clubs can place their orders online at www.lionsbrightsight.co.za or email Theron on manco@lionsbrightsight.co.za or call 011 422 5577.
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