Lions collect plastic for reuse

One local service club is making reuse - of plastic bags and eyeglasses cases - a centerpiece of their charitable works.

The Carlton Area Lions Club is working with Trex, a composite decking company, to turn donated plastic bags into benches placed around the county.

"We've actually collected enough pounds to do 10 benches," said Rita White, the organizer of the drive. She works with fellow club member Jim Vnuk to collect the bags from drop sites around the Carlton area and brings them to Super One or Cub Foods. People interested in donating can drop their bags off at the Carlton VFW or the Super One in Cloquet. They accept all kinds of plastic bags, including produce bags and zip-close bags.

They have been placing these benches around the county for four years and don't plan on stopping.

"We're really trying to hit all of the cities in Carlton County," White said.

Along with collecting plastic bag donations, the Lions club is known for its charity work with impaired vision. They provide vision screenings for grade-schoolers and collect eyeglasses to send to people in need in other countries.

White's new project is taking the discarded eyeglasses cases and making them into care kits. She fills them with items such as toothpaste and floss, shampoo and a comb, or lotion and body wash and donates them to CHUM or local schools.

"All these years we've been throwing the glass cases away," she said.

Drop off glasses cases at any Vision Pro Optical store with a drop box or at the Super One in Cloquet.

Light for Ukraine

The Carlton Area Lions Club is also accepting financial donations for solar lights that will be sent to people in Ukraine. The $125 units provide light, and can be used to charge cell phones. Call Larry Penk at 218-310-6520 to purchase one.