By SDCNN Staff

In advance of the recent solar eclipse, three San Diego branches of the Boys and Girls Club received 425 pairs of solar-eclipse glasses from UnitedHealthcare, enabling hundreds of area children to safely view the moon’s blocking of the sun on Aug. 21.

UnitedHealthcare mascot Dr. Health E. Hound provided the children materials with safety viewing tips when distributing the glasses, which were certified for safe viewing of the solar event.

While those who lived or traveled to a 70-mile-wide path between Oregon and South Carolina were in the “totality” region and able to experience a total eclipse, those in San Diego were expected to see a partial eclipse at 60 percent. Viewing the eclipse without special glasses could lead to eye damage.

With over 6,000 hospitals and other health facilities nationwide, UnitedHealthcare offers a full spectrum of health benefits programs for employers, individuals, military service members, retirees and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. For more information, visit uhc.com or follow @UHC on Twitter.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego offer after-school, summer and sports programs serving nearly 25,000 children ages 5–18 throughout the county. To learn more, visit sdyouth.org.