Eyeglass delivery for Guatemala Villagers

[2old4this]

I'm bringing 600 like new eyeglasses in my luggage for villagers in Guatemala on my Regent travel in early January. I do this when I cruise instead of shipping them and having them tapped into as they cross borders. We Lions Club members collect them in the USA, refurbish them, and hand deliver them to fellow Lions Club members as we vacation. Works well and everyone benefits - especially the vision impaired villagers.

 

Question: Do any of you experienced Regent voyagers have a good contact at Regent headquarters with whom I may make this personal mission known?

 

I recently cruised with Holland America (HAL) to Panama where I handed over 600 eyeglasses there and I had the help and support of HAL in many ways. Your swift response will be appreciated. JM

[xrvlcruiser]

I think I'd start with Mark Conroy - the President. If you post your email, I'll be glad to send his on to you.

 

Peggy

[2old4this]

I think I'd start with Mark Conroy - the President. If you post your email, I'll be glad to send his on to you.

 

Peggy

 

Thank you Peggy. TahoeTraveler also suggested going to the President which I did earlier today. You are right that he was the one to contact. He quickly asked his public relations staff to work with me and he even suggested what the ship's staff might do to make the handover of eyeglasses a more polished affair. Regent is proving to me to be the best cruise line on the seas. Thanks for your tip. JM

[xrvlcruiser]

I've put my out of date glasses in the Lions boxes for years so it's nice to know they actually go whre they are supposed to go.

 

I'm glad Mark was able to help - he's a good guy.

 

See you on the 1/4-11/11 trip . . .

 

Peggy

[janisegn]

we'll be on the same voyage with you - i'm not sure if there's anything you'd need help with, but we'd be glad to be of assistance to you - we have a special "bond" with Guatemala as our oldest (daughter) is from there -

[2old4this]

I've put my out of date glasses in the Lions boxes for years so it's nice to know they actually go whre they are supposed to go.

 

I'm glad Mark was able to help - he's a good guy.

 

See you on the 1/4-11/11 trip . . .

 

Peggy

 

Thank you Peggy for all the eyeglasses you have donated over the years to your local Lions Club. My wife and I may have carried some of your discards with us in our travels to Nepal, Tunisia, Mexico and Panama. I look forward to meeting you and thanking you in person in the lounge during the handover to the Guatemala Lions. We are hoping to make the event take place in the afternoon of January 8 after the tours have returned to the mother ship. And thanks for the suggestion I go directly to Mark Conroy. He is making many things happen through his PR people and his ship's staff. JM

[2old4this]

we'll be on the same voyage with you - i'm not sure if there's anything you'd need help with, but we'd be glad to be of assistance to you - we have a special "bond" with Guatemala as our oldest (daughter) is from there -

 

My wife and I appreciate your offer to assist in the handover of refurbished eyeglasses to the Guatemala Lions members on 8 January in the lounge. Please introduce yourself to my wife and I when the gathering takes place. Offers of assistance should never go unanswered or unappreciated. Will you be meeting any of your daughter's family while in Guatemala? Again, "mucho gracias . . ."

JM

[janisegn]

JM - we will definitely make it a priority to meet with you and your wife - it's so nice of you to do something like this during your vacation time! -

 

we will not be meeting any of our daughter's relatives - when we went to Guatemala City (almost 16 years ago!) we did have the opportunity to meet her birth mother - and i am forever grateful we had that visit! -

 

looking forward to meeting you! -

 

janis

[2old4this]

JM - we will definitely make it a priority to meet with you and your wife - it's so nice of you to do something like this during your vacation time! -

 

we will not be meeting any of our daughter's relatives - when we went to Guatemala City (almost 16 years ago!) we did have the opportunity to meet her birth mother - and i am forever grateful we had that visit! -

 

looking forward to meeting you! -

 

janis

 

Janis - From what I have heard from the President of Regent, the brief ceremony may take place on the 12th deck in the Observation Lounge. I underlined the word may since security protocols must be worked out to accept on board the Lions members from Guatemala. If not in the lounge, then on the pier beside the ship. Look for a small crowd of Lions members in our gold and purple vests and come join us. Freda and I look forward to meeting you. This is our first voyage with Regent and the support offered Freda and I with our delivery of eyeglasses has us very pleased to say the least. JM

[Nashna]

What a generous way to spend your vacation day. Until I had Lasik surgery, I always donated my glasses to the Lions Club. My daughter spent a summer in college working in Honduras at a health center. She was quite moved by the villager's reaction to seeing clearly for the first time in years. Especially, moving was the little children seeing their world changing.

 

My husband, Bob and I are sailing on the Mariner with you on January 4th. Please let us know if you need any assistance.

[2old4this]

What a generous way to spend your vacation day. Until I had Lasik surgery, I always donated my glasses to the Lions Club. My daughter spent a summer in college working in Honduras at a health center. She was quite moved by the villager's reaction to seeing clearly for the first time in years. Especially, moving was the little children seeing their world changing.

 

My husband, Bob and I are sailing on the Mariner with you on January 4th. Please let us know if you need any assistance.

 

Nashna and Bob - Good people! How kind of you to offer your assistance. You can bring your camera and shoot pictures at the brief event and then call on your Lions Club when you return home and offer to give a talk on what you experience with us on January 8. You will make your Lions Club members jump with joy. We Lions are all about eyesight and anyone who brings your exposure to eyeglass delivery back to your local Lions Club may give them the idea to do the same. Freda and I were the first to carry eyeglasses with us during cruising and we were featured in the Lions magazine in June, 2010. Many Lions members are now doing this even as I write. Please consider addressing your Lions Club if you are so inclined.

 

Freda and I want to hear about your daughter's humanitarian work in Honduras when we get together. Please bring some pictures to share with us during one of our few nights at sea. JM

[Nashna]

JM...I would be happy to take the photos and pass them along to the Fairfax Lions Club.

How wonderful that you started such a great tradition for the Lions. It's truly amazing how much of a difference one person can make.

 

This is our second Regent cruise. We totally enjoyed the experience we had onboard the Navigator in Alaska this past summer. You are in for a treat!

[Orange County Murphy]

The Lions Clubs also collect and refurbish hearing aids. I was surprised to learn of this when I was looking for a charity to which I could

donate my late mother's hearing aids.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[2old4this]

JM...I would be happy to take the photos and pass them along to the Fairfax Lions Club.

How wonderful that you started such a great tradition for the Lions. It's truly amazing how much of a difference one person can make.

 

This is our second Regent cruise. We totally enjoyed the experience we had onboard the Navigator in Alaska this past summer. You are in for a treat!

 

Nashna and Bob - I assume the Fairfax Lions Club is in Fairfax, California, right? You might contact one of its members and tell them what you and I and Freda and Bob will be doing on January 8. Maybe they will have a few club pins to share with you to give to the Guatemala Lions when you meet them. We Lions are always swapping pins for our vests much like the Rotarians do. My vest is so covered with pins that people think I must be a general or something. Freda has a few pins, also. JM

[Nashna]

We are way across the country in Fairfax, Virginia. There appears to be a large Lions group that meets in our area. I'll contact them to find out if they wish to participate in the exchange of pins. Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Nancy (the grandchildren call me Nashna.)

[2old4this]

We are way across the country in Fairfax, Virginia. There appears to be a large Lions group that meets in our area. I'll contact them to find out if they wish to participate in the exchange of pins. Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Nancy (the grandchildren call me Nashna.)

 

Nancy - Thanksgiving was several times happening - you know how it is when you enjoy sharing the table with several sides of the family in different locations.

 

As for the eyeglass handover event, I have heard from both the Cruise Line President and from middle management. Everything is a 'go'. What we don't have firmed up yet is the actual venue - wharf or lounge. Either one will put eyeglasses on those less fortunate than we travelers.

 

The Guatemala Lions have begun assembling their passport numbers, birth dates, names, and all the data required for boarding the ship. I am sure they will be disappointed if they are not allowed to board. But, security being what it is, I am prepared to appreciate what is provided the event. JM

[Nashna]

Security is usually more stringent in U.S. ports than it is in the other ports of the World so the local Lions Club members might actually get to board. The fact that you were able to involve the President of Regent is amazing. But, the biggest issue is that so many people will be able to see because of your involvement. It truly doesn't matter where the eye glass exchange takes place...just that it gets to those in need. Thanks to your post on Cruise Critic, my husband has found three pairs of old glasses to donate to our local Lions Club.

[TahoeTraveler]

The fact that you were able to involve the President of Regent is amazing. Thanks to your post on Cruise Critic, my husband has found three pairs of old glasses to donate to our local Lions Club.

Nancy, Jack (JM) is tenacious, if nothing else. His being able to involve Mark Conroy in this eyeglass exchange surprises me not in the least. My husband and I have had the pleasure of traveling with he and Freda on several occasions, and have always had a wonderful time. They have invited us on this upcoming cruise in January as well, and we are looking forward to seeing their good Lions work in person in Guatemala. Hope to be able to meet you and Bob as well.

 

Tami

[2old4this]

Nancy, Jack (JM) is tenacious, if nothing else. His being able to involve Mark Conroy in this eyeglass exchange surprises me not in the least. My husband and I have had the pleasure of traveling with he and Freda on several occasions, and have always had a wonderful time. They have invited us on this upcoming cruise in January as well, and we are looking forward to seeing their good Lions work in person in Guatemala. Hope to be able to meet you and Bob as well.

 

Tami

 

TahoeTraveler - AKA Tami - If this cruise is anything like the others we have taken as a foursome, including the day we met in Tel Aviv and a few days later became close friends over contraband beer in the Sinai, we are in for 7 days of very good time.

 

Nancy and Peggy - Regent has just advised me that we are going to hold our eyeglass delivery topside in the Observation Lounge in the afternoon of January 8. They will be announcing the Lions Club event on the suite TVs as we approach Guatemala. See you all there! JM

[2old4this]

TahoeTraveler - AKA Tami - If this cruise is anything like the others we have taken as a foursome, including the day we met in Tel Aviv and a few days later became close friends over contraband beer in the Sinai, we are in for 7 days of very good time.

 

Nancy and Peggy - Regent has just advised me that we are going to hold our eyeglass delivery topside in the Observation Lounge in the afternoon of January 8. They will be announcing the Lions Club event on the suite TVs as we approach Guatemala. See you all there! JM

 

GUESTS ATTENDING LIONS DELIVERY OF EYEGLASSES AT SANTO TOMAS - I was a tad too swift on my announcement that we were handing over the eyeglasses to Lions from Guatemala in the lounge. I have not yet had this cleared by ship's security. This is because the Antigua Lions Club was slow in providing their member names for the boarding. Then, when the names arrived, more than a week late, they didn't include birth dates and birth places. I am bringing the 600 eyeglasses and I will deliver them but the delivery may be on the dock and not the lounge. The important side to this is getting those glasses on the faces of people who truly need them. See you all on board. JM

[2old4this]

I received word today from Regent that my request to host the delivery of the eyeglasses program in the Observation Lounge on 8 January was approved. We hope to make the presentation around 2:30 PM after all of us have completed our tours around Santo Tomas de Castilla and are back on the ship. I have requested that ship's officers be present and that our Lions Clubs International humanitarian project be announced as part of that day's events. Visiting us from the distant city of Antigua will be 10 members of the Antigua Lions Club. These Lions will take the eyeglasses collected by Lions Clubs the United States and give them to local villagers suffering with vision impairments. Freda and I look forward to meeting you all during the cruise. Jack Morris

[Nashna]

Hi Jack...Hopefully, we can meet before the eyeglass exchange takes place. If not, we are looking forward to the exchange. We leave Virginia to fly to Ft. Lauderdale tomorrow. Looking forward to a wonderful cruise. See you onboard...Nancy Converse

[2old4this]

Nancy and Bob - Looking forward to meeting you two. Freda and I have not forgotten your offers to assist in the eyeglass handover. One way to do that is to shoot pictures of the short event and to email them to Freda and I when you get back to Virginia. I can report now that despite the light rain we are expecting while visiting Santo Tomas, the Antigua Lions members will endure nearly 150 miles of wet roads for the sake of meeting all of us and getting those precious eyeglasses. They have several eyeglass clinics in the planning for the less fortunate and our 600 pairs of eyeglasses make those clinics possible. We can exchange personal email addresses on board. Happy New Year! Jack Morris

[xrvlcruiser]

Jack,

 

How did it go?

 

I was off the ship at the time of the handover so didn't have the chance to be there but hope you'll post some pictures and tell us about it.

 

Peggy

[2old4this]

Jack,

 

How did it go?

 

I was off the ship at the time of the handover so didn't have the chance to be there but hope you'll post some pictures and tell us about it.

 

Peggy

 

Peggy - Sorry Freda and I missed you. As people entered the lounge I kept asking for Peggy. See you on another Regent vacation in the future.

 

It went picture perfect with 6 Lions members, General Manager Franch Galzy, Cruise Director Paul Reynolds, and Ship Hostess Elsa McLean present. Lounge staff brought out the drinks and Galzy presented the Guatemala delegation with a wall plaque of the Mariner on its maiden voyage. We had many pictures taken and a video made which you may have seen on the ship's channel #1 that evening. I spoke on the subject of Lionism, my favorite topic, and Elsa McLean translated everything said in both English and Spanish.

 

Regent staff did everything possible to make the event an event of note. Elsa took all of we Lions on a tour of the ship and into hidden spots I had not visited. A nice touch to cap off the day. We walked them down to the dock and waved them goodbye about 3:30 PM.

 

The 600 eyeglasses (There were 500 adult size and 100 small for children) will be given out free of charge in several eye clinics being planned by the Antigua Lions Club. Freda and I have been invited to assist in the clinics when they are scheduled. Our travel companions, Mike and Tami Kobold, (they had cabin 1102 across from us in 1103) are planning to join in the vision missions as well. Maybe I will talk them into becoming Lions some day.

 

I would include a picture with this reply if I knew how. You can get on my web mailing list by emailing me at morrisjac@gmail.com. My web will include a collection of the snaps taken during the handover inside the observation Lounge.

 

I have sweet memories of my short vacation on m/s Mariner. I hope you do as well. Jack