EYEsee Chapters
EYEsee Chapters are youth teams that replicate the effort of EYEsee in their own churches, schools, and local communities. Chapters support the mission and work of EYEsee. Their primary activity is the collection of eyeglasses in their location on behalf of EYEsee, preferably in conjunction with EYEsee’s annual collection campaign. Chapters may also choose to get involved in EYEsee’s mission projects. EYEsee assists the development and growth of its chapters by offering mentoring resources and communication materials to help get their projects started and running smoothly, publicizing chapter activities, and providing chapters with updates on how their collective work are making a real difference in the lives of many in the Third World countries.
If you would like to organize an EYEsee chapter in your church, school or community, email Lexi Glinos, EYEsee Chapter Development Leader, at alexandra@eyeseemission.org.
First Lutheran Church Gladstone Organizes EYEsee’s ‘Upper Peninsula’ Chapter
Through the initiative of Chris Santucci, EYEsee–Saint Viator High School Chapter President, an EYEsee chapter has been organized in the Michigan-area. In September 2011, First Lutheran Church in Gladstone Michigan adopted EYEsee as a new ministry for their middle school kids. Church youth ministry members Cooper Koski, Shelby Martinucci, Jacob Siedlecki, Charlotte Strom, and Matt Swanson signed up as EYEsee Michigan Chapter founding members.
First Lutheran Church is a congregation of the Northern Great Lakes Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. This synod consists of Lutherans in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and Northeast Wisconsin. Pastor Jonathan M. Schmidt leads the First Lutheran Gladstone Church. Bishop Thomas Skrenes is the Bishop of the synod.
During the team’s initial weekend drive on September 18, 2011, they collected their first 100 eyeglasses. They concluded their September drive with 200 eyeglasses collected.
The EYEsee Michigan Team then travelled to Faith Lutheran Church in Rock, Michigan in October and then to Christ the King Lutheran Church in Escanaba, Michigan, in November. During these visits, they spoke before the church congregation about their EYEsee ministry and how a group of kids seeking to live faithfully is making a difference in the world.
As the ‘Upper Peninsula branch’ of EYEsee, this new ministry will be collecting eyeglasses in their own congregation and then moving out to other area congregations. Check out the evolving work of this youth ministry at http://www.firstlutheran-gladstone.org/news.html.