April is Sports Eye Safety Awareness Month

Help Protect Your Eyes, Help Prevent Injuries.

Eye injuries are a common cause of blindness. Many of these injuries are a result of sports-related activities. It is unfortunate, but many eye injuries are serious and can result in a loss of sight. A simple but important way to avoid these injuries is by wearing protective eyewear. Protective eyewear will help keep eyes safe from flying objects, elbows, fingers, weather related airborne objects or other possible environmental hazards.

 

Think the risk of an eye injury is not serious? Below are some facts that may change your mind.

  • Emergency rooms treat more than 40,000 eye injuries annually as a result from sports related injuries. 
  • Racquetballs can reach upwards of 200 mph in competitive play while tennis and badminton objects can go 60 mph or more during competitions.
  • Many sports involve rackets and swinging objects at high rates of speed in confined places or close, person-to-person contact. These activities lead to encounters and interactions that will result in injuries. Many of these injuries are in the facial area due to the contact and support being played.

 

Sports eyewear does not have the same qualities or characteristics as regular eyeglasses or other everyday worn eyewear. Sports eyewear is specifically designed to suit the needs of each individual sport. Many of them are designed to fit while wearing helmets when playing football, baseball, hockey or other activities such as biking.

Protective lenses are manufactured from polycarbonate. This is a durable and impact resistant material made with full UV protection. The frames are usually designed with the same polycarbonate or impact resistant plastic. They come with rubber padding on the areas that connect to your face. Depending upon the style, some contour and wrap around the face which provides complete and secure coverage.

It is important to have proper sizing and well-fitting eyewear for the individual. There is no one size fits all when it comes to protective eyewear, especially for sports activities. Eyewear that is too large or too small will not only affect the individual and their performance but will likely discourage the individual from wearing the eyewear all together. Eyewear, especially for children, should be assessed every year.

      Pin on Glasses Guide - Frame materials sturdy but flexible, adjustable straps move with you while keeping the frame in place, bridge padding provides grip, comfort, and protection, Polycarbonate Lenses thin, light weight and impact resistant.

Camp KALEIDOSCOPE at Camp Victory

North Central Sight Services, Inc. will host a one day camp at Camp Victory…a special camp for special kids on June 2, 2023 from 8:00AM – 3:30PM. We are looking for participants that have visual impairments and want to enjoy a camp experience! 

Join us to spend the day completing arts and crafts, enjoying the Nature Center, a ropes course (zipline, challenge course) and swimming. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.

This is a great opportunity for your child to socialize, make new friends, participate in new challenges, and develop skills and memories that will last a lifetime! 

To register, please fill out this Camp Kaleidoscope Registration Form and return it to Noah Mantione at NoahM@ncsight.org or by mail to 2121 Reach Road Williamsport PA 17701 by May 22nd.  

Camp KALEIDOSCOPE will take place at Camp Victory located at 58 Camp Victory Road, Millville PA. Visit our event page on Facebook for more information. 

Raise the Region 2023

Ready to Lend a Helping Hand?

Raise the Region starts this Wednesday at 6PM and we need your help to make our campaign a success! We’ve included a few easy ways that you can support us.

• Share and share alike. Online giving days are successful because of our own network. Help us grow our network by sending this email to your network and ask your friends to do the same.

• Be socially (media) active. Use your social media networks: post on Facebook, tweet about Raise the Region, and share your love for your passion, whether it’s education, health care, animals, or the arts. Ask others to do the same.

• Become a fundraising champion. Everyone loves a champion, including us! We really need fundraising champions to help drive people to our Raise the Region profile on March 8-9. Click here to become a fundraising champion! Once on our page, you can click the red FUNDRAISE button to get set up.

By donating to North Central Sight Services, you are helping us continue to fulfill our mission to create sustainable, person-centered programs and employment that enhance independence for individuals with unique visual capabilities and to foster positive change, awareness, and advocacy while removing barriers. Thank you in advance for your support!

Kim Zimmer
President/C.E.O.

February is Low Vision/AMD Awareness Month

Low vision affects millions of Americans – including many older adults. People with low vision aren’t blind, but because of their vision loss, they may need assistance to perform everyday tasks like reading, navigating and transportation.

What is low vision?

Low vision is defined as a visual acuity of 20/70. It can be caused by eye diseases or health disorders, eye injuries, birth defects, or age. Someone with low vision can’t simply put on a pair of glasses or contacts and see well; this condition is beyond the typical loss of vision that occurs with aging. There are many different types of vision loss the most common conditions of vision loss include macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy.

What is AMD?

Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is a progressive eye condition affecting as many as 15 million Americans. The disease attacks the macula of the eye, where our sharpest central vision occurs, affecting reading, driving, identifying faces, watching television, safety navigating stairs and performing other daily tasks. Although it rarely results in complete blindness, it robs the individual of all but the outermost peripheral vision, leaving only dim images or black holes at the center of vision.

Picture1

To help maintain healthy eyes:

  • Visit an eye doctor regularly
  • Eat a diet with plenty of green
  • Include omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish, nuts, and plant oils, in your daily diet
  • Exercise regularly, maintain healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels
  • Avoid smoking
  • Wear sunglasses and a hat to protect yourself from harmful UVA and UVB rays

If you are experiencing vision loss, we are here to help. Contact us at 570-323-9401 to speak to a specialist.

Deck the Doors 2022

Back again for another year is our Deck the Doors competition and fundraiser!

Each year, NCSS staff donates a contribution in order to decorate and enter their door to win. All donations benefit Lions Club District 14-G as a thank you for supporting NCSS throughout the year. Members of the Lions Club have the honor of judging and selecting the winning decorated door.

Thank you Lions Club District 14-G for selecting two perfect doors as winners! Congratulations to our first-place winner Josh Garcia for his Nightmare before Christmas themed door and to our second-place winner Katie Coffey for her Your Light Makes the Season Bright themed door!

We had more doors entered than ever before. Take a moment to look at the creativity and festive doors that were made this year! 

Shop for Sight: Dec. 1, 2022

Shop for Sight

Shop for Sight

Save the date for our annual shopping fundraiser Shop for Sight!

Date 

December 1, 2022

Location

Rust & Shine

600 Cemetery St.

Williamsport, PA 

Time

6-9 p.m.

Support both North Central Sight Services and Rust & Shine for this night out! A portion of each sale at Rust & Shine will be donated to North Central Sight Services.

 

 

Rust & Shine specializes in unique gifts including handcrafted jewelry, pottery, accessories, clothing and locally made products. It also offers home goods like skin care products, candles and décor.

 

 

We are so grateful for our partnership with Rust & Shine. Shop for Sight is a collaborative holiday event that benefits both a local small business and our non-profit mission. What better way to celebrate the season of giving than by buying a gift for someone you love that will also help make a positive difference in another person’s life at the same time.

 

 

Join us for an evening of shopping, light refreshments and raffle baskets! We hope to see you there!

GivingTuesday: Nov. 29, 2022

GivingTuesday is Tuesday, Nov. 29. Please mark your calendar and consider donating to help us as we work hard to change more lives.

Thanks to our partnership with AllOne Charities, you can double your gift’s impact. AllOne Charities will match gifts up to our first $1,000 raised!

When you give to NCSS, you enable us to provide services to prevent vision loss, help young children with low vision, and assist people with tools and technology to enhance their independence.

Your gift will help fund services like blindness prevention education, vision screenings, our early intervention program and our assistance technology program. Please consider donating to help us continue our mission.

 

The donation match with AllOne Charities is eligible from Monday, Nov. 28 – Wednesday, Nov. 30. Please make sure you donate before 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 30! 

 

Thank you for being a supporter of North Central Sight Services!

AllOne Charities

Thank you to AllOne Charities for this partnership!

NCSS Announces New Leadership

Zimmer and Moon photo and name

 

Join Us in Welcoming our New Leadership!

 

North Central Sight Services is pleased to announce the appointment of Kim Zimmer as president and CEO and the promotion of Brandy Moon to chief operations officer.

Zimmer, who previously served as president and CEO of Hellen Keller Services in Brooklyn, NY, has over 20 years of executive leadership experience in nonprofit organizations. At Hellen Keller Services, Zimmer led strategic planning, financial management, fundraising, people management, operations and marketing, with a focus on serving individuals who are blind or visually impaired in New York City or have combined hearing and vision loss across the United States.

She also formerly held positions as chief marketing officer and senior vice president, global development, for Goodwill Industries International; and chief operating officer and vice president, corporate communications, for National Industries for the Blind.

“Throughout her career, Kim has been committed to assisting people who are blind or visually impaired or have other disabilities achieve their employment goals and grow their independence,” said Mike Bridgham, chair of the North Central Sight Services’ Board of Directors. “Kim is just the forward-thinking and dynamic servant-leader we need to continue to grow our client services and business services, all to achieve our mission of enhancing independence for individuals with unique visual capabilities.”

Said Zimmer, “At North Central Sight Services there is a shared culture of camaraderie, resourcefulness, ingenuity and commitment to mission. There is a remarkable standard of quality that every team member exhibits in the products and services they deliver. I am thrilled to now be part of this team and excited to drive North Central Sight Services’ mission forward.”

Moon was previously human resources director and executive assistant to the CEO at North Central Sight Services. In her new role as chief operations officer, she will oversee day-to-day operational and administrative functions for the organization, including human resources, industry operations, programs and services, and commercial services.

“Brandy is a keystone for North Central Sight Services,” Zimmer said. “She has extensive institutional knowledge and is tremendously passionate about improving the lives of individuals who are blind or visually impaired. She also successfully stepped up as an interim leader during the organization’s recent executive search, and her peers look up to her for guidance and support. I look forward to having Brandy by my side in her new leadership role.”

Prior to her tenure at North Central Sight Services, Moon was human resources manager for River Valley Regional YMCA in Williamsport, PA. Moon holds the SHRM Senior Certified Professional credential from the Society for Human Resource Management and is a graduate of the Leadership Lycoming, a leadership development program offered by the Williamsport/ Lycoming Chamber of Commerce. She is currently pursuing her master’s in business administration at the University of Scranton.

Please join us in welcoming Kim and congratulating Brandy!

 

Prepare Children for School with an Eye Exam

Backpacks, clothes, shoes and school supplies are at the top of the list for parents as they send their children back to school. These items are essential to prepare children for a successful year. With the busy pace of a new school year, eye exams are often missed. However, a child’s vision changes frequently during the early school years, adding importance to getting a functional eye exam. For income-eligible children living in Bradford, Centre, Clinton, Lycoming, Sullivan and Tioga counties, North Central Sight Services, Inc. (NCSS) is here to help.

 

NCSS’s Functional Vision Clinic provides income-eligible children with a complete eye examination with a pediatric optometrist who specializes in testing for visual-related learning problems. The clinic is held monthly at NCSS’s facility in Williamsport and the cost of an exam is $10.

 

According to the American Optometric Association, at least 5% of preschoolers and 25% of school-aged children have vision problems. These problems create complications when the eyes try to send accurate and clear messages to the brain.

 

It is not uncommon for young children to have difficulty identifying and communicating vision problems. Parents and caregivers can help by looking for the following common signs of vision issues in their children:

 

  • Poor eye-hand coordination
  • Alternate uses of the right and left hands
  • Difficulty when studying visual information
  • Trouble concentrating and learning
  • Closing one eye during activities like reading or watching TV
  • Avoiding activities that require near vision (reading, homework, computer use) or distance vision (sports, other recreational activities)
  • Poor school performance
  • Headaches and/or complaints of tired eyes
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Eyes tear up for no apparent reason

 

A comprehensive exam at NCSS’s Functional Vision Clinic can identify potential vision issues and offer solutions if any problems are identified.

 

As a new school year is now underway, parents are encouraged to consider the eye health of their children and reach out to NCSS to schedule an exam. In addition to clothes and school supplies, a functional eye exam is a critical part of preparing your child to have a successful school year.

 

For more than 65 years, NCSS has assisted individuals who are blind or visually impaired to live independently and maximize their quality of life. The organization helps prevent vision loss through education programs and screenings for children and adults. NCSS offers adjustment services for people losing their vision, support services, employment opportunities for people who are blind or visually impaired, and a prevention of blindness program.

 

For more information on vision screenings and related services, contact NCSS at (570) 323-9401.

Natural Waterscapes and NCSS Create Winning Partnership

Jon Klotz, president of Natural Waterscapes in South Williamsport, believes in the importance of community partnerships and looks for opportunities to engage with mission-focused organizations like North Central Sight Services, Inc. (NCSS). When his company dramatically expanded its line and method of business, Jon turned to NCSS for fulfillment services.

Natural Waterscapes was founded in 2007 to provide water resource management services throughout the country. As the business grew, a clear demand for high-quality pond and lake treatment resources emerged. Natural Waterscapes shifted its focus from a full-service business to one focused on providing superior products for pond and lake managers. When COVID-19 hit and consumers began focusing on improving their properties, the demand for pond and lake products skyrocketed. Natural Waterscapes revamped its business to a virtual platform and looked to NCSS for help packaging and sending its products to consumers.

“We needed warehouse space and help fulfilling orders,” Jon says. “NCSS was the perfect partner for us.”

NCSS provides storage space for large quantities of bulk products. When orders are placed through online sites like Amazon, NCSS employees repackage and ship the orders to customers. Currently, NCSS employs four people to package and four people to label and ship the orders. Last year, the organization distributed 2,778 units of products for Natural Waterscapes.

By serving as a packaging and distribution center, NCSS provides high-quality assistance for local businesses while generating employment for people who are blind or visually impaired.

“Our business services efforts align with our mission of helping people who are blind or visually impaired maintain their independence,”, says Amy Alexander, Development Director for NCSS. “Our employees provide excellent customer service and take great pride in their work.”

For Jon and his team at Natural Waterscapes, working with NCSS has been a winning partnership.

“It has been a rewarding experience, every step of the way,” Jon says. “We are proud to partner with NCSS and grateful for the excellent service they provide.”

For more than 65 years, NCSS has assisted individuals who are blind or visually impaired to live independently and maximize their quality of life. The organization helps prevent vision loss through education programs and screenings for children and adults. NCSS offers adjustment services for people losing their vision, support services, employment opportunities for people who are blind or visually impaired, and a prevention of blindness program.

For more information on business partnerships and related services, contact NCSS at (570) 323-9401.

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