SAN ANTONIO – A once-in-a-lifetime sight that can only be seen with the right glasses — if you’re looking to buy a pair, a retired San Antonio teacher has you covered.
Frank Badrack got the idea to start the business during the August 2017 eclipse when he saw many fraudulent glasses sold.
“I researched a great deal on where to have our glasses made and American Paper Optics. They’ve been doing this for over 30 years,” Badrack said.
To make sure your solar eclipse glasses are legitimate, check the inside of the glasses for an ISO certification or go to the American Astronomical Society website to see a list of certified glasses.
Since there will be two eclipses in Texas — the annular eclipse next Saturday around 11:30 a.m. and the total eclipse in April 2024 — Badrack said it was an opportunity to make money and give back.
“This crazy idea got some legs, and now it’s running. So we’re just happy that we can give back to the community,” Badrack said.
Nearly 20% of the sales will go to the San Antonio Food Bank or a local high school band. The option will be up to the purchaser.
“You’re feeding almost 20 people every time somebody buys a pair of solar eclipse glasses,” Badrack said.
Badrack was a former band director and director of fine arts in the Cibolo Schertz area for many years. That’s why a portion of the profits that go to a high school band in our area will help with new equipment, uniforms, and food for the band during away games.
“So there’s a huge umbrella out there for that. The way school budgets are set up, you know, they have a lot of limited funding to do what they need to do,” Badrack said.