This year, Kids Day at the Santa Barbara Eyeglass Factory marks the 20th year this event has been held.
The “Right to Sight” program founded and maintained by the Santa Barbara Eyeglass Factory is a year-round collaboration of Surgical Eye Expeditions (SEE) International, Lions Sight & Hearing Clinic and several other local nonprofit organizations that screen their clientele and refer those in need of eye care to SEE and the Eyeglass Factory.
In the most recent year, more than 1,000 individuals were given eye exams and free eyeglasses and, over a period of 20 years, it is estimated that more than $1 million in eye care has been provided.
It should be noted that, while SEE International’s primary mission is restoring the sight of many thousands of individuals around the world, their contribution to this local program is enormous.
On Kids Day from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14 at the Eyeglass Factory, 1 S. Milpas St., more than 100 kids will be examined and given new glasses. The actual examinations will be done by doctors Barry Mast, Christian Wilson and George Primbs. Volunteers will provide logistics support, serve refreshments and entertain all the kids while they wait for their eye exams.
As always, the real Santa Claus will be there, along with members of the Santa Barbara police and fire departments.
While the primary services provided on Kids Day are sight related, other resources supporting kids’ health will be addressed (i.e. hearing, nutrition and diabetes screening). The COW (Clinic on Wheels) will be there to enroll kids in the “Gateway” Health Insurance program and, for the first time at this event, provide dental care. The “Waterford Project” van, that helps preschoolers learn English, will also be in attendance.
For more information, contact Rick Feldman at the Santa Barbara Eyeglass Factory at 805.965.7120 or Lara Rich at SEE International at 805.963.3303.
— Rick Feldman represents the Santa Barbara Eyeglass Factory.