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Record-breaking year for the 2018 World Sight Day Challenge
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Supporters of Optometry Giving Sight raised enough funds for the 2018 World Sight Day Challenge to provide eye exams and glasses to more than 190,000 people in need of eye care.
More than 160 companies and 360 optometry practices around the world participated in raising more than $970,000, according to a press release from Optometry Giving Sight
“Every World Sight Day Challenge, we’re blown away by the generosity and loyalty of our supporters. We’re thankful for each one: from the large companies generously donating to the small practices passionately fundraising,” Leigh Cleave, global director of development of Optometry Giving Sight, said in the release.
Through bake sales, auctions, guessing competitions, talent shows, running events and walkathons, companies and providers got patients, employees and customers involved. According to the organization’s report, CooperVision, a longstanding Optometry Giving Sight supporter, had a record-breaking year, raising more than $260,000 through its employee fundraising campaign.
“Our record-breaking 2018 World Sight Day Challenge donation represents approximately 52,000 eye exams for people around the world who could otherwise be at risk of a range of vision challenges,” CooperVision President Dan McBride, said in the release.
Vision Source, another long-standing partner of Optometry Giving Sight, celebrated its 12th year of participation in the World Sight Day Challenge. According to the organization’s press release, Vision Source donated more than $220,000 as part of its annual commitment.
“I never cease to be amazed by the selfless generosity of the Vision Source family; we are proud to partner with Optometry Giving Sight as Vision Source’s international charity of choice,” Vision Source CEO Jim Greenwood said in the release.
Additionally, Bausch + Lomb Australia pledged a donation of $1 for every kilogram of contact lens waste sent to TerraCycle, a program with the aim to keep contact lenses and blister packs out of landfills, turning plastic components into recycled materials.
The University of Montreal was the highest fundraising optometry school, according to Optometry Giving Sight’s release, raising more than $7,000 through events including a silent auction and a 5@10 social night.
The Wyanoke Group, parent company of Slack Inc., publisher of Primary Care Optometry News and Healio, supported the cause by hosting soup and lasagna lunches, a bake sale and a raffle.