Justice and Public Safety
October 29, 2015

Safer Communities Through Rehabilitation Programs for Inmates

Inmates at Bishops Falls Correctional Centre Participate in Eyeglass Recycling Program

Inmates and Correctional Officers at the Bishops Falls Correctional Facility (BFCC) have partnered with the Lions Clubs of Newfoundland and Labrador to establish a satellite eyeglass recycling depot at the facility. This initiative will result in refurbished eyeglasses being used for overseas vision mission work.

"The eyeglass recycling program at the Bishops Falls Correctional Centre will benefit thousands of people around the world who have little or no access to quality eyeglasses. Inmates participating in the program also benefit significantly as they receive eyeglass repair training and spend some of their incarceration helping others. I commend the Lions Clubs for starting the initiative, the Correctional Officers for overseeing the program and the RCMP for assisting in collecting the eyeglasses for this worthwhile project."
- The Honourable Darin King, Minister of Justice and Public Safety

The eyeglass recycling depot at BFCC is operating as a satellite facility for the Canadian Lions Eyeglass Recycling Centre in Calgary. It is the first satellite depot established in Canada. BFCC now has approximately 25,000 pairs of donated eyeglasses on site and once recycled many will make their way to Haiti as part of a partnership with Team Broken Earth, a St. John's based medical relief effort founded in 2010.

"Lions International has been a recognized world leader in sight conservation and work with the blind since 1925, when Helen Keller challenged Lions to become Knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness. Glasses refurbished at BFCC will make their way to Haiti as part of our partnership with Team Broken Earth. We commend the province's Adult Corrections Division, the RCMP, and the inmates for their willingness to help transform lives in Haiti."
- Lion Bradley Moss, Sight Conservation Chair, Lions District N-4

To launch the satellite depot, six Correctional Officers underwent training on how to use a lensmeter. The inmates participating in the program are responsible for processing, sorting, cleaning, measuring, tagging and then bagging the recycled eyeglasses.

"Team Broken Earth is thrilled to be partnering with Lions Club District N-4 to broaden our health care offering to the people of Haiti. This marks the first-ever vision mission for Broken Earth and the initiative has been shaped specifically to meet identified needs of the Haitian population. We are grateful to the Lions for their tireless efforts in supporting the launch of this project and to the inmates for their labour and energy in the recycling process."
- Andrew Furey, Founder and CEO of Team Broken Earth

Team Broken Earth is a volunteer task force composed of physicians, nurses, and physiotherapists from across Canada committed to delivering and improving healthcare in Haiti. The team was initially assembled to support the relief effort in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake that left the people of Haiti in dire need of medical assistance.

"The RCMP enjoys community partnerships such as this project. Working together we achieve more than working alone."
- Boyd Merrill, Staff Sergeant, Executive NCO to the C.O. "B" Division, Royal Canadian Mounted Police

The RCMP will be accepting donated eyeglasses from Lions across the province and will arrange for them to be transported to BFCC.

QUICK FACTS:

• An eyeglass recycling depot has been established at the Bishops Falls Correctional Centre (BFCC) to repair eyeglasses for overseas vision mission work with the cooperation of the Lions Clubs of Newfoundland and Labrador.
• The recycling depot at BFCC now has approximately 25,000 pairs of donated eyeglasses on site.
• Once recycled, many pairs of the eyeglasses will make their way to Haiti as part of a partnership with Team Broken Earth

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Media contacts:

Luke Joyce Director of Communications Department of Justice and Public Safety 709-729-6985, 725-4165 lukejoyce@gov.nl.ca	Bradley Moss Sight Conservation Chair Lions International District N4 bradmoss49@gmail.com
Dr. Andrew Furey Founder and CEO of Team Broken Earth 709-746-7197	Boyd Merrill Staff Sergeant Executive NCO to the C.O. "B" Division Royal Canadian Mounted Police boyd.merrill@rcmp-grc.gc.ca

2015 10 29                              11:45 a.m.