MASON - When Regina Sharp, 41, of Terrace Park was a toddler, a doctor discovered she had a lazy eye. Glasses corrected the problem and saved her sight.

Now the LensCrafters corporate employee is working to help others in less fortunate countries.

She recently returned from a trip to Ecuador with the company-sponsored Gift of Sight program. The program gave away, to a 7-year-old boy named Gabriel, its 3 millionth pair of glasses since its 1988 founding .

"It's wonderful to be able to help, especially the small children, the way the doctor was able to help me," she said.

Regina Sharp, Frank Baynham, Nikki Walden and Kelly Weyant (from left) give Gabriel in Ecuador the 3 millionth pair of glasses from the Gift of Sight program. (Lyons Photography photo) | ZOOM |

Three other people from Greater Cincinnati, including Frank Baynham, president of the LensCrafters Foundation, were on the mission in which the company took donated glasses and gave them to people in impoverished countries.

Kelly Weyant-Danislavs, 31, of Pierce Township, and manager of the Eastgate LensCrafters, helped with with fittings.

LensCrafters worker Nikki Walden, 30, of Lawrenceburg, said the most rewarding part of the trip was giving a person a pair of glasses.

"When you give them the glasses, you get to hear their story and see the difference you've made."

Eyeglass collection

On Friday night, volunteers in Greater Cincinnati and the U.S. will trick-or-treat for eyeglasses as part of LensCrafters' fifth annual Sight Night.

Glasses also can be brought to any LensCrafters store.

Scholarship given

Sara Imhulse, the assistant to the city manager in Milford, was recently awarded the W. Donald Heisel Memorial Scholarship.

The scholarship, overseen by the Center for Local Government, provides scholarships to graduate students in public administration.

Imhulse, a graduate student in Northern Kentucky University's public administration program, received $750 for tuition, books and school-related expenses.

ACADEMIC ALL-STARS

Five make dean's list

These students have been named to the spring term dean's list at their college or university:

Jillian Schaible, a freshman chemical engineering major at the University of Cincinnati.

It is the second consecutive dean's list for the Roger Bacon High School graduate.

Elizabeth Sheyn, a freshman majoring in political science at the University of Chicago. The Fairfield High School graduate is the daughter of Anna and Alex Sheyn of Fairfield.

Kyle Mueller, a third-year exercise science major at Ohio State University. The St. Xavier High School graduate is the son of Carleen and Tom Mueller of White Oak.

Amy Burda, a sophomore in the Williams College of Business at Xavier University. The McAuley High School graduate is the daughter of Audrey and Tim Burda of Springfield Township.

Jeffrey Brandt, attending the University of Toledo.

The Moeller High School graduate is the son of Debbie and Steve Brandt of Symmes Township.

To submit an item, call 755-4165.

OUR KIDS

Love of science

Sincer Jacob isn't a straight-A student, but he's found something he enjoys getting a perfect score on - science projects.

The 16-year-old junior at Mason High School has made his way through school and district fairs to the state level. There, he's received a perfect score twice, most recently with a project in which he shaved kiwis to compare men's and women's razors.

He's already thinking about how best to improve on his projects for this year.

"It's really changed my view on science. I've fallen in love with it," he said.

"Now I'm thinking I might go pre-med in college."