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CONTACT: Ellen Wein or Courtney Haines
Magnet Communications
(412) 456-4300
or
Susy Cabral
Transitions Optical, Inc.
(727) 545-0400 ext. 7159 |
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TRANSITIONS OPTICAL AND 21st CENTURY OPTICS
SWING INTO SUPPORT OF
CHILDREN’S EYE HEALTH WITH THE NEW YORK CHILDREN’S VISION COALITION
2003 Golf Classic Offers Opportunity to
Bring Attention to Eye Health Issues for Children
PINELLAS PARK, Fla., June 9, 2003 – Transitions Optical, Inc. and
its 2003 Lab of the Year, 21st Century Optics, joined together in
support of children’s eye health by participating in and sponsoring
the New York Children’s Vision Coalition’s 2003 Golf Classic held
May 19 at Cold Spring Country Club, Long Island, N.Y. The New York
Children’s Vision Coalition is a non-profit organization which strives
to assure comprehensive eyecare for all New York’s children. The 2003
golf event attracted nearly 150 golfers and grossed around $150,000
for the organization.
“We’ve supported the New York Children’s Vision Coalition since its
inception three years ago,” said Ralph Woythaler, president, 21st
Century Optics. “We believe strongly in giving back to the community
and are pleased to have the opportunity to simultaneously support
a cause that will also lead to the betterment of children’s eye health,
which is a topic of growing concern and interest among optical industry
professionals. We’re pleased to be making a difference at the local
level by partnering with the New York Children’s Vision Coalition
for this event and year round.”
Woythaler is a board member of the New York Children’s Vision Coalition
and serves on the event’s planning committee. Along with this year-round
contribution, 21st Century Optics supported the organization’s Golf
Classic with a corporate sponsor package, which included a spot for
a foursome of golf at the event, an ad in the Golf Classic journal
and sponsorship of one hole.
Transitions Optical provided support through a major corporate sponsorship
and by awarding vouchers for trial pairs of Transitions® Lenses to
golfers who completed vision screenings and glaucoma tests at the
event. Volunteers from Transitions Optical also supplied information
about the importance of daily UV and glare protection – for children
and adults – and demonstrated for attendees how Transitions Lenses
work.
“The topic of UV protection is particularly important for children,
since an estimated 80 percent of lifetime exposure to UV rays occurs
before the age of 18,” said P.J. Downes, sales director labs/ECPs,
Transitions. “As a strong supporter of eye health education, Transitions
was pleased to work alongside our Lab of the Year to support an event
that brings attention to the need to address eye health issues for
children. I was thrilled to experience the event
first-hand and to see that support for this worthy cause is growing
within the optical industry each year.”
Downes golfed as part of the Transitions Optical foursome with Frank
Reilly, North America marketing director; Connie Falvo, director lens
manufacturer sales; and Jon Harris, zone manager. Downes placed 3rd
in the “Men’s Low Gross” portion of the tournament, and Falvo placed
first in the “Women’s Low Net.”
About 21st Century Optics and Transitions
Optical
Established in 1967, 21st Century Optics is a family-owned wholesale
laboratory and anti-reflective coating facility serving the greater
New York City metropolitan area.
Transitions Optical, headquartered in Pinellas Park, was the first
to successfully commercialize a plastic photochromic lens in 1990.
The company is the leading supplier of photochromics to optical manufacturers
worldwide. Transitions Optical offers the most advanced photochromic
technology and the widest selection of lens designs, materials and
brand names.
Transitions Optical has manufacturing operations in Pinellas Park;
Tuam, Ireland; Laguna, Philippines; Sumare, Brazil; and Adelaide,
Australia. Sales offices are located in Toronto, Canada and nine other
countries.
For more information about the company and Transitions Lenses, visit
transitions.com or contact Transitions Optical Customer Service at
(800) 848-1506 (United States) or
(877) 254-2590 (Canada).
Representatives from Transitions Optical,
Inc., 21st Century Optics and AO SOLA enjoyed the New York Children’s
Vision Coalition’s 2003 Golf Classic held May 19 at Cold Spring Country
Club, Long Island, N.Y.
Back row from left to right: Robert Woythaler,
director of customer relations, 21st Century Optics; Ralph Woythaler,
president, 21st Century Optics; Lee Pochter, lens consultant, Transitions;
Frank Reilly, North America marketing director, Transitions; Allison
Baptista, sales consultant, AO SOLA; Steve Ferri, sales manager, AO
SOLA; P.J. Downes, sales director labs/ECPs, Transitions; Jon Harris,
zone manager, Transitions. Front row from left to right: Johanna DiChiara,
northeast key account manager, Transitions; Shawna Miller, lens consultant,
Transitions; Connie Falvo, director lens manufacturer sales, Transitions.
P.J. Downes, sales director labs/ECPs,
Transitions Optical, Inc., and Connie Falvo, director lens manufacturer
sales, Transitions, accept an award of recognition on behalf of Transitions
Optical from Thomas DiBartolomeo, golf classic chairman, New York
Children’s Vision Coalition, for its role as a major corporate sponsor
of the organization’s 2003 Golf Classic held May 19 at Cold Spring
Country Club, Long Island, N.Y.
Transitions Optical, Inc. Solutions Team representatives Shawna Miller
and Lee Pochter promoted the need for everyday UV and glare protection
and offered vouchers for Transitions® Lenses to golfers who completed
a vision screening and glaucoma test at the New York Children’s Vision
Coalition’s 2003 Golf Classic held May 19 at Cold Spring Country Club,
Long Island, N.Y.
Golfers enjoy the hole sponsored by 21st Century Optics at the New
York Children’s Vision Coalition’s 2003 Golf Classic held May 19 at
Cold Spring Country Club, Long Island, N.Y.
Electronic images available upon request
by contacting Ellen Terchila at (412) 456-0997 (eterchila@magnet.com). |
