CHICAGO, Ill. (April 2007) – As the weather heats up and children head outside to play baseball, kickball, soccer and other outdoor sports, Visionworks is helping kids keep their eye on the ball…literally. During Sports Eye Safety Month, Visionworks, a leading national eye care retailer new to the Chicagoland market, is focusing on making one thing clear to young athletes: eye care is essential for optimum sports performance.
As part of its new partnership with the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago, Visionworks will participate in Healthy Kids Day, a national annual celebration at all community YMCA’s to encourage kids and their families to stay active and healthy. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 14 at the McCormick Tribune YMCA in Logan Square, Visionworks will host “Keep Your Eye on the Ball,” a program that combines free eye screenings with the fun of putt-putt, electronic basketball and football toss games.
Optometrists and representatives from Visionworks will also be on-site to provide information about the importance of eye screenings and regular eye health as it relates to athletics.
“With so many children active in sports, it is crucial they receive the proper education when it comes to taking care of their eyes,” said James Denny, president and COO of the Eye Care Centers of America, Inc., the parent company of Visionworks. “It is our hope that through our participation in Healthy Kids Day, we can drive home the message at an early age.”
Eyes on the Community – Visionworks’ Ongoing Commitment
Through its long-term partnership with the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago, Visionworks hopes to spread the message of proper vision care to hundreds of area children and families. In addition to Healthy Kids Day, Visionworks will collaborate with several of the YMCA’s 34 Chicagoland centers to offer free vision screenings, eye exams and prescription glasses.
“In our area alone, there are thousands of people in need of vision services,” said Stephen S. Cole, president and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago. “We are thrilled that Visionworks understands the value of partnering with the YMCA, an organization dedicated to serving the needs of the local community. Together, through various programs and incentives, we hope to make a difference in the health and well being of our members to ensure that they can receive proper vision care."
Since the inception of the partnership, Visionworks has provided free eye exams and prescription glasses to 50 members and residents of the YMCA Leaning Tower in Niles.
For more information about Healthy Kids Day, visit www.ymca.net.
About Visionworks
Visionworks is an Eye Care Centers of America Inc. company, a leading provider of eye care services with nearly 400 locations in 36 states. Visionworks stores feature a larger display of optical frames than any other optical retailer in Chicagoland and offer the widest selection of kids’ frames in the optical industry. Each Visionworks store offers the convenience of state-of-the-art laboratories that produce most eyeglasses in one hour and in-store licensed optometrists who provide comprehensive eye exams, contact lens evaluations and fittings and other primary eye care needs.
About The YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago
Through its 43 Centers and more than 100 extension sites, the YMCA helps children learn and grow, teaches young people to lead, brings families closer, and encourages individual health and well-being. The fourth largest non-profit in Chicago and one of the largest human services organizations in the nation, YMCA programs impact hundreds of thousands of lives annually, helping to strengthen neighborhoods and respond to community needs across Chicagoland.
