Canadians Rise to the Challenge
Canada’s World Sight Day Challenge proved a great success this year with many returning participants significantly increasing the amounts they raised. We would love to feature all the wonderful stories and pictures we received from our many participating optometric offices and companies across the country, but we have limited space so here are two samples. Dr. Tom Wilk of Mountain View Optometry in Cochrane, AB said this year’s fundraiser was their best yet.
"Our patients, doctors, staff and suppliers all got on board to contribute to the efforts of Optometry Giving Sight during the month of October. Amber Grove, our fundraising coordinator, again organized a silent auction where patients could bid on glasses. Our staff all contributed by hosting a bake sale which raised several hundred dollars. Patients were encouraged to donate directly to our OGS company site from our Facebook page,” he said.
“We made sure that awareness was built on several levels and it worked - a total of $7,798 was raised which topped our best past efforts by a mile!”
“Here in Canada most of us take vision for granted, but it's not like that everywhere,” added Dr. Wilk. “The lack of a simple pair of glasses prevents millions of people worldwide from getting an education or working to support themselves and their families - when described as such most are happy to contribute and the word is spread easily,” he said. “Thanks to our patients, doctors, staff and suppliers for making this event successful once again."
On the corporate side, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care raised nearly $7,000 – an astounding 250 percent increase over last year!
Early in October, a bake sale and raffle were held at their Whitehall Campus. Next came their annual potluck luncheon on World Sight Day. After lunch, they had both a live auction and silent auction for two boxes of the infamous and delicious cookies baked and donated by one of their suppliers and a bidding war ensued. Additional funds were raised by auctioning off ten personalized 2012 calendars donated by another supplier and by raffling off a day of vacation. 
Their efforts didn’t stop there - in the week following World Sight Day, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care held a fundraising event in conjunction with their fall sales meetings and just over $4,400 was collected - many thanks to all the sponsors who donated prizes for the evening. In addition, their employees made personal pledges to Optometry Giving Sight and raised almost $1,000!
As Renée Paré of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care stated, “And that folks, is how we are changing lives – by digging deep into our pockets to participate in and support the many events that make up a successful fundraiser. We cannot thank our employees and our suppliers enough for giving so generously each year in support of this great cause.”
Photo: (top) the staff at Mountain View Optometry, (above right) Johnson & Johnson Vision Care celebrate World Sight Day
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