A 14-year-old named Logan Laguë has been selling eclipse glasses in the Eastern Townships. It all began when his grandmother wanted to buy some to see the total solar eclipse on April 8. However, she mentioned that some of her friends had purchased the wrong glasses.
After finding certified eclipse glasses for his family, Laguë decided to purchase more and sell them in his community. In just two weeks, he has already sold over 800 pairs.
Laguë said, “We have many people expressing gratitude, saying, ‘Oh, if it wasn’t for you guys, we wouldn’t have been able to get some’.”
The money goes to his non-profit organization, the Logan Ryder Project, which he established at the age of 12.
His determination to assist others was sparked by the passing of Raphaël André. He was upset that individuals experiencing homelessness were being subjected to such harsh conditions and he wanted to help.
The very next day, he “went out with my sled, I reached out to some family friends for clothing donations, because we were planning to go to Montreal, and by the end of the day, I couldn’t make it up the hill by my house.”
Since then, he has been distributing clothing and meals to the homeless in Montreal, as well as to youth shelters and families in need throughout the region.
Even through the sale of glasses, he is combating loneliness. His mother Cynthia Royea explains that he has been sending individual pairs of glasses by mail to people with disabilities or others who are unable to leave their homes. “He’s like ‘Mom, those are the ones that make me the happiest, because I know they’re alone to watch the eclipse’,” she said.
Laguë recently completed the delivery of 20 Easter hams to needy families. In the future, he hopes to secure a place to store all the donations he collects throughout the year, which currently fill his living room. He also aims to establish a store where individuals in need can obtain second-hand items free of charge.
