“Something as simple as an old pair of glasses could make a real difference to the children of Ghana,” says physics professor Gordon Drake.

He and his wife, nursing professor Mary Louise Drake, are among 16 local members of the Rotary Club who will travel to the west African nation in November on a mission to build and supply a school. Besides the school supplies, the group is seeking to bring eyeglasses, sunglasses, and mosquito netting.

“The inhabitants are in desperate need of the things that we take for granted,” says Gordon Drake. “A pair of eyeglasses may be all that is needed to open up a world of literature and gainful employment.”

He is seeking the donation of non-prescription eyeglasses or sunglasses, as well as monetary gifts. A net large enough to protect an entire family from mosquitoes and the diseases they carry—including malaria—costs $5.

For further information or to make a donation, visit the project Web site or e-mail him at gdrake@uwindsor.ca.