Her own personal contribution to the community project, about 15 pairs, came from family members.

She cleaned out her grandmothers, Denise Smith and Sue Bemrich.

“My grandmas had a lot,” Smith said.

“My one grandma had five or six,” she said. “Grandma D had like 10. My Grandma D had a really sparkly one.”

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Fort Dodge Noon Lions Club member Steve Rehmann, right, boxes up some of the 202 pairs of used glasses the students at St. Edmond Catholic School collected for the group. Vice President, Tom Webster, at left, along with members Doug Kinseth and Randy Kay, help him out.

She was impressed with the overall count. The students had set a goal of 150 pairs. They collected 202.

“I was surprised,” she said. “I didn’t think that we’d get that many.”

Her fellow student Lauren Gibb, who also helped lead the project, cleaned out her grandparents, too.

“My grandma and grandpa found about seven pairs,” Gibb said.

The project became a contest of sorts. Each middle school grade competed to see who could collect the most.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Some of the 202 pairs of glasses the St. Edmond middle school collected for the Lions Club were on display Wednesday as Noon Lions Club members came to collect them.

“It was a group project,” she said. “They all worked hard. Every grade tried.”

“We worked together to achieve,” Smith said. “We care for the community.”

Steve Rehmann, a Noon Lions Club member who’s the official “Lion Tale Twister” for the group, was on hand with several other members to collect the glasses from the students.

“It’s great,” he said. “From a goal of 150, then exceeding it by going over 200 is phenomenal. St. Ed’s is known for its service. We were excited they did this.”

“Their goal will help beyond the school,” he added.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Members of the Fort Dodge Noon Lions Club filled a large box with the 202 pairs of glasses collected by the students at St. Edmond Catholic Schools.

The glasses will go to the North Central Correctional Facility in Rockwell City where each pair will be measured, have the prescription noted and then go to a warehouse. From there, the glasses are distributed to those in need, Rehmann said.

Each year, the Fort Dodge Lions collect about 4,500 pairs of glasses.

They also sponsor the Iowa Kids Sight program that gives vision tests to children entering school. Some of the donated glasses may end up helping a local child see in school.

St. Edmond Middle School counselor Sue Laufersweiler had always wanted to collect glasses for the Lions. She presented the idea to the students and they ran with it.

“They were just so into it,” she said. “I told them this would help people who can’t read a book to their children. They were really dedicated to helping people see.”