TVN/Trenton Telephone gave away free eclipse sunglasses this morning beginning at 9 a.m. At 8:45, a line had formed outside the building.By 9:30, the specs were history. “They were all gone in half an hour,” said marketing director Audrey Clark.
With the total solar eclipse of 2017 due on Monday, the company had thought it would be an effective goodwill gesture to provide the community the protective eyewear designed to allow wearers to look safely at the sun. “But we were only able to get hold of 100 pair,” said Ms. Clark. “That’s why we limited it to one pair per family.”
Without the limit, she said, the 100 pairs would have been gone in the first rush. “I have four children,” protested one woman.
The disposable specs are one hot commodity, it seems. Thus The Planet checked with local stores and learned that if you’re still in need of a pair, your best bet is JB’s Variety Store on South Main. JB’s is out of stock but expecting a huge shipment Friday or Saturday. To be sure to get hold of a pair, you can call JB’s at (706) 657-2874 and reserve one. The store is expecting about 1100 pairs and already has orders for 850.
(Photos: Above, people line up outside the phone company for free specs. Below, Audrey Clark passes out shades to a young eclipse viewer.)
In Trenton, Dollar General, Fred’s, Dollar Tree, CVS, Food City and Food Outlet reported no stock. An Ingle’s employee at the phone company to claim a free pair said Ingle’s had had some for $1 a pop but had sold out over a month ago. The Dade School System ordered glasses for its students earlier and reported today its shipment had in fact come in.
Dade County is not in the diagonal geographical line across the United States that will see total darkness as the sun is obscured by the moon on Monday, but close enough that the eclipse should still be dramatic.
Those wishing for the full effect can hop on the interstate and head north. In Tennessee, Sparta, Athens, Smyrna, Cookeville and Murfreesboro are all in the path of totality, and even Cleveland is on the southern periphery.
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