Kentucky Tells Church Optometry Ministry Giving Away Used Glasses to Poor it Is Breaking Law

[Revmitchell]

For 16 years, a Kentucky church member has been giving away prescription glasses to the poor. His program, Kendall Optometry Ministry, has become so successful, it has helped thousands of people across 79 countries.

But the state now says the program is illegal and it wants Holland Kendall, the president of Kendall Optometry Ministry, to meet optical standards or close.

Now, his eyeglass charity is at risk.


Kendall said he has been helping homeless people for the past 30 years and got the idea during a mission trip to Honduras. Since 2003, he has given away thousands of used eyeglasses as part of an extension of Fern Creek Baptist Church in Louisville.

Kentucky Tells Church Optometry Ministry Giving Away Used Glasses to Poor it Is Breaking Law

 

[rlvaughn]

Yep, quite the crime to help people who can't afford glasses get glasses! "The charity's practices could actually hurt someone with optical needs who should be seen by a licensed optometrist." They can't afford to go to a licensed optometrist, get an exam, and buy glasses, yet they might be hurt by getting glasses that help them see better. Sounds like he is horning in on someone's business.

 

[Revmitchell]

Yep, quite the crime to help people who can't afford glasses get glasses! "The charity's practices could actually hurt someone with optical needs who should be seen by a licensed optometrist." They can't afford to go to a licensed optometrist, get an exam, and buy glasses, yet they might be hurt by getting glasses that help them see better. Sounds like he is horning in on someone's business.

Just like optometrists have fought the online market you can bet that they are the one's complaining about this. I believe in the free market and when people who depend on the free market like these optometrist oppose help to those in need then they are the garbage of the market.

 

[GaoLu]

Oh dear. I have been breaking the law too! We have enjoyed gathering used glasses by the trunkload, and making them available to the poor in Asian countries. People would pour through the boxes trying on glasses and would be elated if just one lens helped to see a little better. I hope someday they can see an optometrist, but likely not in their lifetime.

In other cases we had glasses analyzed with a machine to determine prescription and a real optometrist was able to examine and match the person to the glasses. That was better. Thankfully what we were doing was not illegal where we did it.

 

[Jerome]

LOL, four of the five-member state board that's cracking down on this ministry are appointees of Republican Gov. Matt Bevin [including some guy who goes by "Beaver"!]:

July 4, 2017
"Bevin has made the following appointments....William Thomas Reynolds...to the Kentucky Board of Optometric Examiners....The Kentucky Board of Optometric Examiners is composed of five gubernatorial appointees. The Board is responsible for regulating the practice and licensure of optometry within the Commonwealth."

Nov 30, 2017
The latest round of gubernatorial appointments....Harold “Beaver” Eugene Corder II of Science Hill has been appointed to the Kentucky Board of Optometric Examiners....Corder has also been appointed to...the State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors"

March 8, 2019
"FRANKFORT, Ky. — Gov. Matt Bevin has made the following appointments....the Kentucky Board of Optometric Examiners....Lee S. Peplinski, of Louisville...and...Freddie M. Mayes, of Central City"

 

[Revmitchell]

LOL, four of the five-member state board that's cracking down on this ministry are appointees of Republican Gov. Matt Bevin [including some guy who goes by "Beaver"!]:

July 4, 2017
"Bevin has made the following appointments....William Thomas Reynolds...to the Kentucky Board of Optometric Examiners....The Kentucky Board of Optometric Examiners is composed of five gubernatorial appointees. The Board is responsible for regulating the practice and licensure of optometry within the Commonwealth."

Nov 30, 2017
The latest round of gubernatorial appointments....Harold “Beaver” Eugene Corder II of Science Hill has been appointed to the Kentucky Board of Optometric Examiners....Corder has also been appointed to...the State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors"

March 8, 2019
"FRANKFORT, Ky. — Gov. Matt Bevin has made the following appointments....the Kentucky Board of Optometric Examiners....Lee S. Peplinski, of Louisville...and...Freddie M. Mayes, of Central City"

Which means nothing

 

[Jerome]

More of "the rest of the story":

Governor-appointed board targets electrical engineer's glasses program


"[Electrical engineer] Halland Kendall is President of Kendall Optometry Ministry....without a license, he says the Kentucky Optometry Board has stopped him from providing glasses in Kentucky. 'If I get someone that’s within 90 percent of the prescription, then they will be able to see,' Kendall said."

"WAVE 3 News reached out to The Kentucky Board of Optometric Examiners...

"Dispensing of glasses requires that the glasses... meet...recipient's personal prescription"

"It is unlawful...to represent oneself as being engaged in the practice of optometry by name or advertisement...without a valid license."

"The Kentucky Board of Optometric Examiners (KBOE) proudly supports the charitable practice of optometry when it complies with existing state and federal laws, and has worked with several groups to help them meet these requirements including...Remote Area Missions... and the Kentucky Vision Project."

"Kendall said he’s taken 'optometry' out of the title of his free clinics and is interested in making changes that allow him to keep helping people in Kentucky. For now, the sorted glasses are being shipped out of the country."

 

[Revmitchell]

More of "the rest of the story":

Free glasses program paused in Ky. due to license issues

View attachment 3042

"[Electrical engineer] Halland Kendall is President of Kendall Optometry Ministry....without a license, he says the Kentucky Optometry Board has stopped him from providing glasses in Kentucky. 'If I get someone that’s within 90 percent of the prescription, then they will be able to see,' Kendall said."

"WAVE 3 News reached out to The Kentucky Board of Optometric Examiners...

"Dispensing of glasses requires that the glasses... meet...recipient's personal prescription"

"It is unlawful...to represent oneself as being engaged in the practice of optometry by name or advertisement...without a valid license."

"The Kentucky Board of Optometric Examiners (KBOE) proudly supports the charitable practice of optometry when it complies with existing state and federal laws, and has worked with several groups to help them meet these requirements including...Remote Area Missions... and the Kentucky Vision Project."

"Kendall said he’s taken 'optometry' out of the title of his free clinics and is interested in making changes that allow him to keep helping people in Kentucky. For now, the sorted glasses are being shipped out of the country."

Doesnt change how sad this is

 

[Baptist Believer]

Which means nothing

If they were Democrats, you would be screaming about it, claiming it represents the evil of Democratic Party.

We all know that's true.

 

[Ziggy]

Why do the Lions Clubs across the country have donation boxes for used glasses if they aren't planning to give them to the poor? Or hasn't the optometrists union found out about them yet?

 

[Jerome]

Why do the Lions Clubs across the country have donation boxes for used glasses

They collect them to send to third world countries.

 

[Aaron]

If they were Democrats, you would be screaming about it, claiming it represents the evil of Democratic Party.

We all know that's true.

I wouldn't be surprised if the law being enforced was passed by a Democrat-controlled legislature.