Millions of Roses Celebrate 'Helping Generations See' in Annual
Rose Parade Float Creates Awareness for Give the Gift of Sight Foundation
PASADENA, Calif., Dec. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In celebration of old
glasses giving sight to people around the world, the Give the Gift of Sight
Foundation will participate in the annual Rose Parade with the "Helping
Generations See" themed float. The float will showcase three giant replicas of
eyeglasses, symbolizing more then 3 million pairs that have been donated in the
past 16 years. Members of three families from Mexico, who represent three
generations of recipients from the Gift of Sight Foundation, will ride on the
float.
"We are excited to participate in the Rose Parade and to raise awareness about
the Gift of Sight program," said Kathy Clark, Director of Corporate
Communications and Public Relations, Luxottica Retail. "We are proud of our
volunteer associates, doctors and vendors who support the programs and all of
our customers who generously donate used eyeglasses to those who are less
fortunate. It's amazing how one pair of old eyeglasses can change a life." Based on the belief that vision is a basic human right -- not a luxury -- the
Gift of Sight program provides free eye care and glasses to people in need
around the world. Gift of Sight brings eyecare to millions of people in local
communities and developing countries. The program aims to provide the Gift of
Sight to seven million people worldwide by 2008. To date, associate
volunteers, doctors and vendors have traveled on 80 Gift of Sight international
missions -- delivering recycled glasses that are collected and processed in
LensCrafters stores to developing countries, in partnership with Lions Clubs
International. In North America, free eye exams and new glasses are provided
on two Vision Vans and through store voucher programs. Local charitable
partners help choose candidates based on visual and financial need. One of the
biggest Gift of Sight programs, Sight Night, takes place on Halloween, when
Gift of Sight volunteers, community groups, students, and others collect used
glasses while trick-or-treating. The glasses collected are given to people in
need on Gift of Sight international missions.
"The end of the year, or the beginning of the new one is the perfect time to
help others. By simply dropping off a pair of eyeglasses to a local
LensCrafters for the Gift of Sight foundation, you can help someone see for the
first time," stated Mark Durkan, Mission leader, Gift of Sight. "Our hope is
that giving to the Gift of Sight will become an American tradition just like
the Rose Parade has been for more than a century." About Luxottica Retail Luxottica Retail is the North American retail segment of the Luxottica Group,
S.p.A., based in Milan, Italy. Luxottica Group (NYSE:LUXNYSE:MTA:NYSE:LUX) is
the world leader in design, manufacture, marketing and distribution of
prescription frames and sunglasses. Luxottica Retail is comprised of more than
5,400 retail locations throughout North America, including LensCrafters,
Sunglass Hut International, Watch Station, Watch World, Pearle Vision, Sears
Optical, Target Optical, BJ's Optical and Things Remembered. Managed vision
care brands include EyeMed Vision Care and Cole Managed Vision. Additional
information is available at http://www.luxottica.com/,
http://www.lenscrafters.com/ and http://www.givethegiftofsight.org/ DATASOURCE: Luxottica Retail CONTACT: Elizabeth Page of Ogilvy PR Worldwide, +1-212-880-5340, for Luxottica Retail Web site: http://www.luxottica.com/ http://www.givethegiftofsight.org/ http://www.lenscrafters.com/
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