In Newton, Iowa a High School senior is striving to make a difference in the life’s of others, and a difference in the world. In celebration of Women’s History Month we wanted to share Shelby Cochran’s contribution, as she has recently organized a drive to collect sunglasses for her local church’s upcoming mission trip. This mission trip from Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Newton has traveled to El Salvador for the past 20 years to help assist the underserved local people with eye, dental and medical care.
In El Salvador, the conditions are harsh on the local people’s eyes due to the dust and the intense sunlight; cataracts and pterygium, a film that covers the eye, are very common due to the intense sun exposure. In order to help, Cochran decided to start a collection of sunglasses to bring on the trip. There was a need for funds for the mission trip, so with permission from her school’s student council a bake sale was organized; the bake sale was able to raise more than $400. The money earned will go towards buying sunglasses for those in El Salvador; in addition, Cochran created collection boxes and set them outside the school, church, and the Newton Daily News office in order to collect donated sunglasses.
During spring break later this month, a group of 39 people will travel over to El Salvador, along with the sunglasses. In addition, they will be traveling with dentists, doctors, and other medical professionals in order to educate others on the importance of proper eye care, as well as provide medical care to those who need it. Every year the mission helps more patients; last year the group saw around 2,000 patients, and that number is expected to grow this year. Shelby’s contribution is sure to make a difference to the lives, and eyes, of many!