#1 Practice in Canada and Globally: Queensway Optometric Centre raised an incredible $13,633.47 for the 2017 World Sight Day Challenge which is the most any optometry practice has ever raised for the Challenge in Canada and anywhere in the world! Their fundraising efforts were exceptional with over $7400 raised from patients and others, and combined with their own commitment and contributions to the cause, resulted in this highest achievement of any practice. Because of this, Queensway Optometric Centre received two of the three Canadian stipend prizes for the 2017 Challenge – one for the highest raised through fundraising alone, and one for the highest total raised. Their efforts were various and extensive: They held many silent auctions, a three day long bake sale, invited patients to donate after glasses adjustments and services, had their ‘Glasses Wall of Fame’ for donors to display their names, and one of their most creative events was an ‘adopt-a-stuffed-pet’ table where a donation could be made to ‘give vision and give a home’ to a stuffed toy! The optometrists generously donated a full day of their eye exam fees in November. Their optical reps were very supportive again this year as was the outpouring of support from their patients. Congratulations to everyone at Queensway Optometric Centre for breaking the record for highest raised by an optometry practice for the World Sight Day Challenge!!
Our thanks to Portage Vision Services who participated in the World Sight Day Challenge for the past 5 years and outdid themselves this year raising over $3000! They held a draw for an iPad, free frames and lenses or sunglasses, and anyone who ‘Liked’ the practice on Facebook received an extra entry into the draw. Dr Lorteau also matched the earnings for one day which was a huge success and their patients really enjoyed it!
Kelda Wray from Coral Sea Eyecare sent in a very sweet description of four kids from Port Douglass taking advantage of their patient event and fundraising for WSDC. She wrote, “Pupil free day today and these kiddies decorated rocks and shells to help raise money for world sight!! Little legends raised $78!!! The kids were very proud of themselves.” And rightly so, the kids should be proud of what they’ve achieved! When interviewed they responded with insight and empathy beyond their young years. When interviewed about their motivation for WSDC fundraising they responded by saying, Hallie (7): Because I wear glasses and know how it feels to see blurry. And I care about them. Ashton (5): So that every single kid can see better. Sophie (7): Because nobody else can help them, and I could. Ailbie (4): Because I can see. The interview continued with a mixture of endearing comments and youthful joy from the kids. Interviewer: What did you like best about raising money for the children? Sophie: Painting the rocks and making posters. I really enjoyed selling my green ones that was my goal! Ashton: It was so fun! People were kind. Ailbie: Eating the pie for lunch! Interviewer: [trying not to laugh] Anything else?! Ailbie: Selling the rocks in packets! Interviewer: How do you feel knowing you raised enough money to help around 16 kids? Ailbie: So good! Hallie: Really happy! That’s cool! A big thank you to Hallie, Ashton, Sophie, Ailbie, and also Kelda from Coral Sea Eyecare for a wonderful demonstration of how WSDC can evoke an entrepreneurial spirit and generosity from people of all ages!
For the sixth consecutive year, CooperVision employees rallied in support of the annual Optometry Giving Sight World Sight Day Challenge, raising funds to help provide much needed vision care for people without access around the world. More than 40 teams and sites put their creativity to work through a variety of spirited, inventive and successful fundraising activities, raising a record $200,500 in support of this worthy cause. From a fiesta in Singapore to a 24-hour cycling relay in the U.K., a soccer match in Mexico to an auction in China, employees joined the effort in incredible ways. Through their collective efforts and a matching gift from The Cooper Companies, CooperVision’s record donation represents approximately 40,000 eye exams for adults and children in need. CooperVision is an Optometry Giving Sight Global Gold Sponsor. Read More.
Our sincere thanks to FYidoctors – Regina Grasslands and their satellite practices in FYidoctors (Assiniboia, Saskatchewan) for their exceptional support. They hosted a fundraising burger night and silent auction, hosted staff lunches, baked treats, sold pumpkins, assembled a creative gift basket for raffle, made candy apples and had a baby pool guessing game. The Grasslands location competed against their out of town offices in Carlyle, Moosimin, Whitewood, and Fort Qu’Appelle who knocked them out of the park this year. In total they raised $6500.95!
A & A Optical had their annual day of blindfold games including employees partaking in a blindfold basketball shooting tournament and employees also donating personal gifts for the opportunity to dunk theri CEO, Robert Liener.
“The gift of vision is an endeavour that Signet Armorlite fully supports. We are proud to be a part of the 2017 World Sight Day Challenge and the ability to help change lives for the better.” Thank you Signet Armorlite, Inc. for your support.
At MCPHS University (Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences) , AOSA & SVOSH hosted out first ever Dining in the Dark as a fundraiser for World Sight Day! Thanks to the generous support from the Massachusetts Vision Foundation, over 50 students and faculty joined in a journey of the senses to explore a unique dining experience without sight. Dining in the Dark perfectly aligns with World Sight Day, an annual day of awareness to focus global attention on preventable causes of blindness and vision impairment. Our Dining in the Dark proceeds supported Optometry Giving Sight through the purchase of a 2017 World Sight Day t-shirt! They raised over $600 that will go towards providing eye care to those in need! It was a great first event and we hope it will become an annual tradition because we as Optometry Giving Sight donors and advocates for World Sight Day, we have the power to transform lives through the gift of sight!
As a proud sponsor of Optometry Giving Sight, and to coincide with World Sight Day, ProVision presents a bit of fun with ‘The Stevie J Challenge’. A total of $3,555.00 was raised! For those of you who don’t know Steven Johnston (aka Stevie J), he is the CEO of ProVision and an enthusiastic advocate for OGS. OGS transforms lives through the gift of vision. What is ‘The Stevie J Challenge’? A reliable source tells us that Steven doesn’t like two things: wearing lycra and creepy crawlies. Do you want to watch Steven squirm? Even better, do you want to choose how? Challenge 1 – Orange Lycra Steven must wear a bright orange, lycra bodysuit for a whole workday! Don’t worry, we will book in supplier meetings throughout the day for everyone’s enjoyment. Challenge 2 – Snakes & Spiders Watch Steven squirm as he faces his fears by coming into full contact with these creepy crawlies.
Arizona College of Optometry (AZCOPT) | Midwestern
Arizona College of Optometry (AZCOPT) | Midwestern
“This year’s World Sight Day fundraiser was a hit at AZCOPT. We put on a talent show called AZCOPT Idol, and we surpassed our goals in both attendance and fundraising. Students competed with random talents; everything from unicycling to electric violin was performed in front of the student body and a panel of professor judges. The winner of the competition was Rimpi Nakhwal, who belted out an impressive solo and even our “Simon Cowell” judge had nothing negative to say. Raffle prizes were distributed and lots of laughing / crowd participation contributed to a fun night for all.” – Annie Breen, AZCOPT AOSA Trustee
“MacuHealth is honored to contribute to such a worthy cause. The gift of sight is precious and we are passionate about helping people preserve and optimize vision. Optometry Giving Sight through the World Sight Day Challenge is an excellent way to raise awareness and help for those in need.” – David Israel, Vice President, Sales & Business development
A big thank you to the doctors and staff at Family Eyecare Associates in Sparks, NV – they have participated in the World Sight Day Challenge since 2011!
Our thanks to Killarney Optometric Centre who went ‘all-out’ again this year raising $5000: “This year we had a wonderful time putting together our second annual fundraising play ‘Legend of Sleepy Hollow’. Our own Dr. Dustin McGill was the star performer, portraying Ichabod Crane, and Dr. Candace DeCock was the play director. All the actors are local, and put in many hours of rehearsal time. This year we expanded the fundraising event to two nights! The first night included a lovely five course meal, served by the Optometric staff, and we held an auction for several donated items which was announced by our local auctioneer who once again generously offered his time and talent. The second night featured the same performance, but more casual with desserts and coffee along with a silent auction and 50/50 draw. The play backdrop, the candle centrepieces and the décor on the tables/entrance were all designed by our staff members! In addition, our practice matched all donations received from patients and the community, donated $5 from each pair of glasses sold in October, and invited patients to donate throughout the year after glasses adjustments and other small services.” Sincere thanks to everyone at Killarney Optometric Centre for all of your efforts in helping people in need to see!
On Oct 25th FYidoctors Dunbar joined local Ophthalmologists, Optometrists, patients and friends to celebrate “A Night for Sight”. The fundraising evening was filled with supercars, prizes, and entertainment held in support of World Sight Month and the World Sight Day Challenge. Dr. Mah inspired the crowd with her heart-warming speech discussing her upcoming trip to Africa to teach at a local Optometry school demonstrating the importance of giving back. The practice also had an eyeball candy guessing contest. In total, the event raised $2188.00. A big thank-you to sponsors, donors and everyone who participated creating an unforgettable evening for an amazing cause!
We are so thankful to Linden Optometry for supporting the Challenge over the past five years and being one of our largest supporters through their generous donations as well as tireless fundraising activities! Linden Optometry, Pasadena, CA
Dr. Jessica St. Pierre Street and the team at Petrolia Optometry joined us in the World Sight Day Challenge this year by donating a day of eye exam fees and inviting patients to donate. They ‘went big’ by scheduling as many eye exams as they possibly could on World Sight Day between 8:30 am and 7:00 pm, and contributed $1500 altogether. Thank you for your enthusiastic support!
Carlson Tillisch Eye Clinic participated in World Sight Day Celebration and fundraising by having a month long donation collection from both our employees and patients. “Employees who donated, wore their World Sight Day t-shirts and jeans each Friday in the month of October. We created many social media images posted to our Facebook page with information about World Sight Day fun facts and what we were personally doing to help spread the word of this great cause. We shared our story of when Dr John Lach and Tami Gay went on a mission trip to Panama through Vosh in 2016, with pictures from their adventure. We also had an extra special celebration for World Sight Day, encouraging patients to donate with festive cookies, lemonade and balloons. We love sharing our passion for great eye care and spreading the word to help others in need.”
Our thanks to FYidoctors Brandon in Manitoba Canada who let us know about their special ‘Fun’draising event. “On Sunday October 22nd FYidoctors Brandon rolled up their sleeves, grabbed the coffee pots and dusted off our serving skills while hosting a Pancake Breakfast fundraiser, selling tickets to our family, friends and patients. We took over Applebee’s Restaurant for 2 hrs with the Doctors and Staff of FYi Brandon who had an awesome time! We had our Doctors and Staff hosting, ordering, serving, in the kitchen and cleaning tables. We rocked it and had so much fun! For all of our efforts, we were able to raise $1,180.00 for Optometry Giving Sight!”
”Every year we make Optometry Giving Sight our 4th Quarter Charity. For every pair of lens we sell we donate and ask our patients if they would like to donate too. Each Tuesday we wear our Optometry Giving Sight shirts to help support our efforts for our Charity.” – InSight Eye Care, Oshkosh, WI
Our thanks to Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Canada for their continued support of Optometry Giving Sight and the 2017 World Sight Day Challenge campaign. For the month of October, they challenged ACUVUE® Facebook friends/followers to “like and share” the World Sight Day post in exchange for JJV’s donation on their behalf. They also promoted the campaign at their October national sales meeting in Toronto during a team-building event, awarding the winning team with a donation made on their behalf in support of World Sight Day.
“At Innovative Eyecare, we try to provide the best care for our patients and appreciate the work Optometry Giving Sight does all over the world. This particular World Sight Day Challenge, with some of the funds going to help those needing glasses replaced in the recent hurricane and earthquake devastated areas, really spoke to us. Our generous patients responded and Dr. Chris Teichmiller and staff were excited to help.”
Together with her WSDC donation, Robyn Main from Moving Eyes Mobile Optometry Outreach to Aged Care Facilities of Perth sent us an email aptly titled ‘Who says nursing home residents can’t give!’ She included a lovely picture of herself and resident, Patricia, who suffered a stroke due to an aneurysm in June 2017. Robyn, captioning the picture said, “That smile is due to the fact that her eye exam fees have gone to helping a child in an underdeveloped country have access to optometry and see better.” Moments like this remind us that sharing hope and donating often brightens more than one person’s day.
This year, Vision Source Member s Support Center created four team – black, white, cold and grey. Each team competed to take home the leading position as the team that could raised the most funds for the World Sight Day Challenge.
“We ended up collecting $207.30 in the donation tin by baking muffins each day during WSD week and asking for a gold coin donation. It went really well and I was baking every day!” Courtney appears proudly in the picture!
This year, Vision Source Member s Support Center created four team – black, white, cold and grey. Each team competed to take home the leading position as the team that could raised the most funds for the World Sight Day Challenge.
This year, Vision Source Member s Support Center created four team – black, white, cold and grey. Each team competed to take home the leading position as the team that could raised the most funds for the World Sight Day Challenge.
This year, Vision Source Member s Support Center created four team – black, white, cold and grey. Each team competed to take home the leading position as the team that could raised the most funds for the World Sight Day Challenge.