News

Fy-Eye December 2018

 

PBWI small FY-Eye: December 2018

See America

 

You don’t need planes, trains or automobiles to See America’s hidden gems. Explore an interactive map and travel coast-to-coast through photos and discover all of the beauty and joy that life has to offer, with See America, an eye and vision health awareness campaign run by Prevent Blindness. 

Participate in the campaign and share a picture of your favorite parts of America: 

1. Take a Photo- Capture a person, place, or thing that’s a gem in your life.

2. Upload Your Pic- register and submit your photo.

3. Get Social- Share your photo using the hashtag #EyeSeeAmerica on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

4. Check Back Soon- Discover your gem and others on the See America map.

 

See america


Prevent Blindness Wisconsin Welcomes New Board Member Tony Revolinski

 Tony

Prevent Blindness Wisconsin welcomes Tony Revolinski, Senior Accountant at Wipfli, to our Board of Directors. Tony has a wide range of accounting experience including performing audits, reviews and compilations as well as tax returns. Tony received both his BS in Business Administration and his Master of Business Administration from Creighton University. In his free time, Tony enjoys playing hockey and serves as the Ozaukee County Hockey League Captain. Using his knowledge and experience as an accountant, Tony currently serves on the Prevent Blindness Wisconsin Revenue and Golf Committees and has shown his dedication to Prevent Blindness Wisconsin’s mission and sight-saving work. Thank you Tony!


Wisconsin Vision Ensures Students Have Clear Days Ahead

We are extremely grateful to have partnered with Wisconsin Vision during their Clear Days Ahead program to ensure that children in Milwaukee County have healthy vision to bring their future into focus. Together, we provided vision screenings for 304 children at Clement J. Zablocki School and 267 children at Clarke Street School; referring a total of 187 children on for further care. After the vision screenings, Wisconsin Vision generously provided referred children with a pair of eyeglasses. Thank you, Wisconsin Vision, for helping children start their path to a lifetime of healthy vision! For more information about the Clear Days Ahead program, watch WTMJ4’s coverage of the program.

 

 Wisconsin Vision Clear Days Ahead Picture 2  Wisconsin Vision Clear Days Ahead Picture 1


India Hicks Give-Back

Shop India Hicks and give-back to Prevent Blindness Wisconsin. India Hicks, a spirited lifestyle brand, features bags, beauty, home decor, accessories and jewelry. Shop our event website to place your order and give-back 15-25% of sales to Prevent Blindness Wisconsin. Link will be active until December 13. Orders placed by the 13th will arrive by Christmas.

India Hicks


Cocktails for a Cause

Come celebrate the winter season and support Prevent Blindness Wisconsin at Central Standard Craft Distillery! Throughout the month of December, Central Standard Craft Distillery will donate $3 to Prevent Blindness Wisconsin when you purchase their delicious specialty cocktail, “Mule Tide Greetings.” Made with Central Standard Vodka, lime juice, ginger beer, a splash of cranberry juice and garnished with cranberries, the Mule Tide Greetings will be sure to get you in the holiday spirit(s)!

Drink Night at Central Standard

Thursday, December 13

5:00 – 8:00 PM

Cocktails, camaraderie and a special raffle!

Yoga at Central Standard

Saturday, December 15

10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Hour long no experience needed yoga class. A quarter of the net profits will benefit Prevent Blindness Wisconsin. Limited tickets are available at $15 each which includes a signature cocktail.

 

drink picture

 


Birthday Girl Gives The Gift of Sight

While most kids ask for a new bike, toy, or phone for their birthday, Brenna Grissom is not like most kids. Instead, Brenna asked her friends to help give the gift of sight. Brenna, who turned 12 on November 10, asked guests at her birthday party to make a gift to Prevent Blindness Wisconsin instead of receiving presents. Family friend of 2017-2018 Preschool Vision Screening Ambassador, Addisyn, Brenna decided she wanted to help other kiddos just like Addi receive a certified vision screening they need and deserve for a lifetime of healthy vision. Thank you Brenna for using your birthday to help children across Wisconsin. Happy Birthday!

 

Brenna and Carrie Brenna & Girls

New Adult Vision Screeners in Racine and Outagamie Counties

Thanks to funding from the Marjorie Christiansen Foundation, 16 Pre-Health Club Students at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside became Certified Adult Vision Screeners this past month. 

Additionally, we’ve expanded our partnership with Delta Gamma chapters across the state, certifying 15 sisters at Lawrence University as Certified Adult Vision Screeners. Both university screening groups will be conducting adult vision screenings in their communities at senior centers, community centers, and homeless shelters, serving adults and assisting them with their vision health needs. We are very excited for both of these partnerships and look forward to helping more adults throughout Wisconsin. Are you interested in learning more about our adult vision health programs? Contact Courtney at [email protected] for more information.

December Adult 2

December Adult 1


Thank You Volunteers!

Peter

Prevent Blindness Wisconsin would like to give a huge ‘thank you’ to all of our volunteer groups for helping us to vision screen over 2,000 children during the fall and winter months. We cannot do what we do, without all of you!

A Dane County Success–Meet Peter!

Peter is a happy-go-lucky 3-year-old who loves his new glasses! Peter’s mom said she didn’t suspect that he had a vision problem because “he is so young and he never complained of not being able to see.” The vision screening helped Peter’s parents learn that he needed glasses to see more clearly. He is loving the attention he is getting in his new glasses. 

A very special ‘thank you’ to the Dane County Volunteer Group for helping us make sure that children like Peter have the healthy vision they need to be successful both inside and outside of the classroom.


Contest Alert! Share your Success Stories!

If you have a student that received glasses, share their story! Submit a Success Story Form and a photo of the student in glasses to Prevent Blindness Wisconsin. From now until December 14, Head Start Staff, School Nurses, and Lions/Lioness who submit a Success Story will be entered to win a $50 gift card for the school to Amazon or Walmart – winner’s choice! Success Stories help us share the good work you do and make wearing glasses a more relatable experience for other children. If you have any questions, please contact Shelby at [email protected].


Success Story: Meet Lawson!

 

Lawson- crop Lawson was vision screened at his Superior preschool by a local Lions group. When he didn’t pass his vision screening, he received a referral to see an eye doctor for further care. After being diagnosed with a vision problem, Lawson’s mom had this to say, “Knowing it was caught at such a young age, we are hopeful his prescription may correct the issue.”


Lions Take Pride in Vision Health 

Lions continue to advocate for healthy vision through vision screening and recently launched an initiative on diabetes awareness. On November 13, 22 Lions and 3 school nurses were certified at the Phoenix Center in Richland Center, WI as Children Vision Screeners. On November 16, the Wind Lake Lions Club hosted a Children’s Health Fair in partnership with Prevent Blindness Wisconsin, Children’s Hospital, and Froedert and the Medical College of Wisconsin. At the event, children and adults were offered free certified vision screenings, healthy snacks, and information about Lions summer camps and healthy meal choices. Thank you Lions! Together, we can provide a lifetime of healthy vision for every Wisconsinite. 


School Nurse Vision Screenings Help Save Sight

In November, more than 60 school nurses and staff from Milwaukee Public and Racine Unified School Districts were certified as Children’s Vision Screeners. These nurses will provide sight-saving vision screenings to students in their district and refer those who do not pass to further care. A vision screening referral can set a child on a path for a lifetime of healthy vision. If you’d like to be certified as a Children’s Vision Screener, review our upcoming training schedule or contact Shelby at [email protected].

 

MPS Photo for Nurses Blurb

Upcoming Trainings 

If you would like a training in your area of the state, please contact Shelby at [email protected] to schedule a local training. 

Friday, January 11, 2019

Certified Children’s Vision Screener Training

9:00AM – 12:00PM

Fischer Building

12121 W. North Avenue

Wauwatosa, WI 53226

REGISTER NOW!

Wednesday, March 27, 2019

NWTC Children’s Vision Screener Training

11:00AM – 12:30PM

Northeastern Wisconsin Technical College

1601 University Drive

Marinette, WI 54143

REGISTER NOW!

 

Full list of trainings here.


Healthy Vision for a Healthy Start at Head Start

Thanks to funding from the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation, six families at the Green Bay Area School District Head Start received vision health education at a Healthy Vision for a Healthy Start presentation. Families learned about vision health, possible vision problems in children, and even got to experience what seeing the world with blurry vision can be like for a child.  All families at Green Bay Area School District Head Start also received a copy of Patch’s Healthy Eyes to explain an eye doctor appointment in a fun, age appropriate way. To schedule a vision health presentation for parents at your Head Start, contact Shelby at [email protected].

 

Green Bay Head Start Photo- crop

 


Grants Galore!

Prevent Blindness Wisconsin is excited to announce it has been awarded grants from the Byron L. Walter Family Trust, the Four-Four Foundation, and the Marjorie Christiansen Foundation to support our sight-saving services for Wisconsin children and adults.

Thank you Byron L. Walter Family Trust for supporting the Children’s Vision Screening Program in Brown County which will ensure more than 15,000 children have healthy vision for success in school and beyond!

Thank you Four-Four Foundation for supporting the Children’s Vision Screening Program in Waukesha County, ensuring more than 12,000 children have healthy vision to begin their educational careers with success!

Thank you Marjorie Christiansen Foundation for supporting the Adult Vision Health Program in Racine County which will make healthy vision a priority in the community by educating and equipping local healthcare professionals to act as vision health advocates and providing sight-saving vision screenings and vision health education to community members.


‘Tis the Season for Toy Safety

December is Safe Toys and Gifts Month! As we begin to celebrate the holiday season, Prevent Blindness Wisconsin wants to make sure healthy vision and eye safety makes everyone’s holiday list.

Unsafe toys, such as toys with sharp, pointed edges and those that shoot projectiles, can cause damage to a child’s eye including bleeding and swelling of the eye, and blurry vision. Injury to a child’s eye can result in vision loss, traumatic cataracts, and an increased risk of glaucoma (a buildup of pressure in the eye) as they age. 

For safe gift ideas, follow the tips below:

-Look for toys that are age-approved.

-Make sure toys are stamped with the symbol ‘ASTM F963.’ This symbol means it is safe for children to play with and follow the safety standards of the American Society for Testing and Materials.

-Look for toys that are made of durable plastic or wood. These materials are less likely to break.

Gifts that should be avoided:

-Gifts/toys that are cracked or broken.

-Any toys that shoot darts or projectiles. If these are given as a gift, a pair of safety goggles would serve as a great pairing gift, ensuring your child’s eyes are safe when they are playing.

-Any toys/gifts that have a recall on them. If a toy is received that has a recall on it, it should be returned to the store.

Eye safety never takes a holiday. Be aware of the gifts your children receive and the toys they are playing with. We hope you and your family have a safe holiday season. Happy Holidays!

Presents


Amazon Smile

Use Amazon Smile for your one-stop-shop this holiday season and choose Prevent Blindness Wisconsin as your charity to donate 0.5% of eligible purchases back to Prevent Blindness Wisconsin!

Amazon smile


Join our Team!

Prevent Blindness Wisconsin currently has three part-time positions open. Please submit a cover letter, resume and three references via email to Breanna Overesch at [email protected].

Racine County Follow Up Coordinator

Racine County Vision Health Coordinator

Racine County Vision Screening Coordinator

Staff Photo

Your support allows us to carry out our vision for each Wisconsin resident to have healthy vision at every stage of life.

Thank you!

Donate

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Upcoming Events

Central Standard Cocktail of the Month

Month of December

$3 from each “Mule Tide Greetings” cocktail purchased benefits Prevent Blindness Wisconsin

Central Standard Drink Night

Thursday, December 13

5:00-8:00 PM

Cocktails and a special raffle!

Yoga at Central Standard

Saturday, December 15

10:00-1:00PM

$15 includes yoga class and signature cocktail

24th Annual Swing for Sight Golf Outing

Save the Date!

Monday, June 3, 2019

Ozaukee Country Club

Prevent Blindness Wisconsin Apparel

You can’t learn if you can’t see the board!

Newd- no bottom

 

Upcoming Trainings

View the Children’s Vision Screener Training Schedule

December Newsletter Articles

See America

Welcome Tony!

Wisconsin Vision Ensures Students Have Clear Days Ahead

India Hicks

Cocktails for a Cause

Birthday Girl Gives the Gift of Sight

Adult Vision Screeners

Thank You Volunteers!

Success Story Contest

Success Story: Meet Lawson

Lions Take Pride in Vision Health

School Nurse

Upcoming Trainings

Healthy Vision for Head Start

Grants Galore!

Toy Safety

Amazon Smile

Join our Team!

 

About Us

Founded in 1958, Prevent Blindness Wisconsin improves the lives of children, adults, and families through early detection of eye conditions to prevent blindness and preserve sight. On-going vision screening activities and state-wide public health education lead to a lifetime of healthy vision.

 

wisconsin.preventblindness.org

[email protected]