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This holiday season why not consider doing something good
for your community?
These ECPs did…
Dr. Berman helping a patient |
Harris Silverman, MD
and his guide dogs
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Dr. Paul Berman
at the Special Olympics
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There’s often nothing more rewarding than giving back
to those in need. And with so many worthwhile charities out
there, there are more ways to do so than ever before. In
addition to national non-profits, your local community is
likely filled with groups in need of help from local
businesses and practices. It’s a way to do something good
for your fellow neighbors - and what better time of year
than the holiday season to consider it. Besides the personal
fulfillment you’ll feel for your involvement, there’s an
added benefit as well. Getting involved with community
outreach programs or various service opportunities is also a
wise business decision. It’s a way to get your name out to
the public in a positive light.
Dawn Gammon, OD, FAAO, CEO of The Eyewear Gallery in
Reston, Va. says that in the first year she opened her
practice, her focus was primarily on learning and growing
the business. In her second year (this past year) she’s
focused more on getting her business name into the community
and doing something positive for her neighbors. “There’s
no doubt you’ll feel good about giving back,” says
Gammon. “My community has been good to me and my business
has grown since we’ve opened. So it’s a way to give
back. But it’s also helped get our name out there.”
Community Events
An easy way to get involved with the community is by
linking with an event that already exists. Every community
is packed with programs that are in need of supporters and
sponsors. Gammon has gotten involved in a variety of walks
and events in her community. This past October she was
involved as a sponsor for the Creating Wellness Family 5K
Walk/Run, an event that benefitted Reston Interfaith, a
local non-profit that serves families in need of food,
shelter, childcare and other services. The sponsors of the
walk are other members of the community involved in health
and wellness. “I like that this event is not only a way to
reach out to community members but is also a way to get to
know other medical professionals in the community,” says
Gammon. “When I refer my patients to other medical
professionals I like to know them.”
This holiday season, Gammon became involved in a holiday
trade-in event for the Lions Club. People can bring in their
old glasses and they’ll receive a discount off their next
pair. “We’re giving $50 off single vision and $75 off
progressives,” says Gammon. “The Lions Club will then
sort through the glasses, disinfect them, and distribute
them to various missions programs and groups in need.”
Emil William Chynn, MD, FACS, MBA, owner of Park Avenue
Laser Vision in New York City, has gotten involved with
existing charities by making some very generous donations.
Every quarter he donates one LASEK surgery to an
IRS-recognized charity which they can use in a raffle or
auction to raise money for their charity. “Typically they
raise several thousand dollars from each of our donations,”
says Chynn. “The last donation we did was two months ago,
when I donated a LASEK surgery to a charity that supports my
former education professor at Dartmouth in his educational
programs in Bosnia.”
Because it costs Chynn around $1,000 in hard costs to
perform the surgery, he asks the charities to set the
minimum bid at $1,000 if it’s for an auction. “With a
raffle, charities have the opportunity to make a lot more if
they sell a lot of tickets,” he adds.
More Amazing Efforts
Besides existing charities, there are many incredible eye
care professionals out there who have done some amazing
charity work or founded programs on their own. Harris
Silverman, MD, founder of The Eye Associates in Bradenton,
Fla., is also a founding member of the Southeastern Guide
Dog School, Inc., and has actively served as a member of its
board of directors for more than 25 years. The mission of
the Guide Dog School is to offer—free of charge—the use
of professionally and humanely trained guide dogs to
visually impaired men and women in order to help them
achieve independent travel with safety and dignity.
It started out as a small effort and grew to be one of
only 10 full certified guide dog schools in the entire
country. “We now have a beautiful campus and dormitory
where blind students come live for a month,” explains
Silverman. “They get matched with a dog that meets their
needs and learn how to care for the dog. We ultimately give
them the gift of mobility, allowing people to get around
independently. And the dogs, of course, become their best
friends.” The school currently has more than 800 active
guide dog teams across the country and continues to create
more than 70 new dog teams annually.
The Guide Dog School has also recently joined forces with
General Tommy Franks to offer the Paws for Patriots program.
This new program is designed for veterans who have been
injured during their service to their country. “It’s not
just for veterans who have visual impairments, but any sort
of physical impairment that a guide dog could help with,”
explains Silverman. “If our dogs can help our patriots in
any way, we want to be there for them.”
Another equally as impressive organization that has grown
from a small effort into something much larger is the
Special Olympic Opening Eyes Program. Founded and directed
by Paul Berman, OD, co-owner of Focus Eye Health &
Vision Care in Hackensack, NJ. In fact, Opening Eyes is now
a worldwide program that serves the visual needs of people
with intellectual disabilities. With the help of the Lions
Club, which provides funding, Safilo Group, which provides
frames, and Essilor, which has donated lenses, this program’s
mission is to improve the quality of life for the millions
of individuals diagnosed with intellectual disabilities by
optimizing their vision, eye health and visual skills
through quality eye care.
“It’s been one of the most gratifying experiences I’ve
ever had,” says Berman. “The beauty of the Special
Olympics is that it makes you a better person for being
involved. When you spend time with a Special Olympics
athlete, you learn to accept and understand people who are a
little different than you. And I think when you can get to
that point, you become a better person. Most people that get
involved with this program become ‘lifers’ and get their
entire family involved as well.”
The program is now in 46 states and 70 countries. Berman
shares one of his favorite memories over his many years of
involvement. “We were in Alaska at a world game and a
track and field athlete that was very nearsighted came to
see us,” he recalls. “I asked him how he was able to
compete when he couldn’t see the track. He said he follows
the blur in front of him. Because of this, he had always
gotten the silver medal. A couple of days later he got his
new glasses and that year he won the gold. That was a
special moment for me.”
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