Chipley Kiwanis Club Learns About Eye Center of North Florida

In recognition that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Ms. Kayla Cook and Ms. Meredith Saunders from Chipley High School, who are members of the “Juniorettes” (sponsored by the Chipley Women’s Club), were present to both inform the Kiwanis Club about Breast Cancer Awareness Month and to collect donations for breast cancer.  Also in attendance, Ms. Heather Shelby of Northwest Florida Community Hospital, announced that on October 26, from 4:30 to 6:30 PM, the hospital will be holding a Girls Night Out and serving “pink” snacks at the hospital.  Vendors will be on hand to facilitate early gift shopping.  On October 30, NFCH will sponsor a 5 kilometer Breast Cancer Awareness walk at the hospital track.  Registration begins at 7:30 AM and the walk begins at 8:30 AM.  Registration is $20.  You will receive a pink T-shirt and all donations go to Relay for Life. 

In keeping with the “Pink” theme that marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month, at their next game on October 29, the Vernon High School Football Team will wear pink.

The Kiwanis Club had two guest speakers from the Eye Center of North Florida, Ms. Jenifer Reale (seen at right), the marketing director who works out of the Panama City location, and Ms. Teresa Owens, who is employed as a Physician’s Assistant at the Eye Center’s location in Chipley.

The Eye Center of North Florida employs nine board certified physicians, all of whom are eye specialists.  The center offers expertise in all areas of ophthalmology and optometry and employs between 125 and 130 total employees in all of their locations.  The center offers an extensive array of services and products, including eye glasses, contact lenses, disease diagnosis and treatment, and various types of surgery.  For more information, visit their web site at www.eyecenterofnorthflorida.com.

Ms. Reale explained Lasik surgery, cataracts and lens replacement options, and who would be a good candidate for each.  Ms. Owens informed the Kiwanians about the Eye Center’s low vision program.  The center has a program with an employee who will visit the home of a person with low vision and change the light bulbs to a brighter bulb and even redo the labeling on such things as the burner settings on stoves so that the person with low vision can more readily read them.  The Eye Center can fit some people with low vision with a telescope type device on their glasses so that the person can see 20/20, but only in narrow view.

The Eye Center does a pro bono (free) “Lasik for Heroes” every month.  This program allows law enforcement, fire, or military personnel who could not otherwise afford Lasik surgery to receive the services free of charge.  The Eye Center also annually organizes a Christmas Elves program where senior citizens can be “adopted” by community members for the Christmas season and receive gifts and other needed items.  The Christmas Elves Program benefits between 200 and 500 senior citizens every year.

If you would like to contact the Eye Center of North Florida, their local Chipley number is 638-7333 and the main office in Panama City is (850) 784-3937.

The Chipley Kiwanis Club is currently holding its annual holiday fruit sale.  Prices and choices are the same as last year.  Orders can be placed with any Kiwanis member, or by calling Stone’s Chipley Packing Company at 638-0673 or the Community South Credit Union at 638-8376.  The money collected will be used to support youth oriented events and programs in the local area.

The Chipley Kiwanis Club meets Tuesdays at Patillo’s Restaurant at noon.  For an invitation, contact any Kiwanian or call Mark Collins, Membership Chairman, at 850-258-9453.