"My dad wears glasses because he's old," the future West High sophomore said. "My mom has worn them since she was 13."

The teen will bring eyeglasses - and, she hopes, improved vision - to residents of Yanyacu, a tiny village in Peru, when she and her "old" dad, John Pace, travel there next month.

In tow will be various spectacles - sunglasses, reading glasses and prescription glasses - which the father-daugher duo plans to distribute to people in need. She collected most of the glasses from local businesses.

The trip was a long time coming.

In fact, it's been stuck in the back of Molly Pace's mind for the past four years.

It all started with a promise her dad made her that if she studied Spanish in school, Molly's father would take her to South America.

Molly - then a Salt Lake City sixth grader - dropped Spanish after one semester.

John Pace had his own reasons for wanting to go to South America. The lawyer and aspiring writer planned to write a novel about Colombian drug smuggling and wanted to research the region.

Pace wrote a few chapters then stopped working on the book indefinitely.

"But we just kept the idea of going to South America," said Molly Pace, who never did re-start her Spanish classes.

Recently, she reminded her dad of her desire to see and experience life there, and it got him thinking.

Why not go?

John Pace, who is also a nurse, hasn't been timid about visiting developing countries in the past. After the 2004 tsunami, he went to Sri Lanka to help.

"My dad's really cool," said Molly Pace.

On Aug. 2, the Paces will finally take their long-awaited adventure, and they hope to help the needy along the way.

"If I'm going to go to one of the coolest countries in the world," said the teen, "I might as well try to make a difference there."

Molly Pace, wanting to do something unique, decided to distribute eyeglasses. While she doesn't wear prescription glasses like her loved ones, she will donate several pairs of her own sunglasses to the cause.

Because of sun exposure and lack of ophthalmic resources, many Peruvians - children included - have gone or are going blind.

Children as young as 3 are losing their sight, Molly Pace said.

"Just because they can't afford glasses doesn't mean they don't need glasses," she said.

Molly was inspired to do the project because of her time with YouthCity, a Salt Lake City-based organization that provides kids with a host of opportunities, including arts, employment and sports.

She wanted to "pay it forward."

After five days of "touristy stuff,"-including a visit to Machu Picchu - the Paces will sail down the Amazon River to Yanyacu. They'll finally see the jungles they've longed to see for years, and in the process, they hope to bring sight to others.