It’s hard to believe, but there are only 12 sleeps left until Christmas! For some of you, the thought of having less than two weeks to prepare might have you panicking a little bit. How on earth are you going to get all of your shopping done in time?

For others, the thought of having to wait almost another two weeks before Christmas might seem unbearable. Why won’t the 25th just get here already so you can give everyone their presents? You’re too excited!

How you’re feeling at this point will vary, depending on your holiday shopping style. What type of holiday shopper are you?

• Are you a Careful Cathy, who plans your gift list months in advance?
• An Impulsive Irene, who buys gifts months in advance, then tucks them away and can’t remember where you put them? (I’ll admit, this is me sometimes.)
• A Fast-and-Easy Fred, who picks up gift cards at the last moment at the local convenience store? (We all know someone like this!)
• Or are you a Smart Sammy, who orders the most meaningful gift of all – the gift of sight – through Operation Eyesight’s Gift Guide?

Smart Sammy knows that these gifts are two gifts in one. Each is both a beautiful message to a friend, family member or colleague, and a gift that helps Operation Eyesight work with local partners in Africa and Southeast Asia to transform the lives of children, families and communities in developing countries.

Smart Sammy knows that once she’s selected her gifts online, she can choose to send her recipients eCards, either right away or at future date and time. The eCards will include an overview of the work her gifts will support, and she’ll be able to add her own personalized messages, too/

No trudging through a crowded mall, no chopping endless laps to try to find parking, and no fighting with that darn wrapping paper roll. Just a few clicks and Smart Sammy will be done her holiday shopping. And best of all, she knows that her gifts will have a lasting impact in the lives of those less fortunate than her.

What are you waiting for? Check out our Gift Guide today and give the gift that gives twice!

Thank you for giving the gift of sight! We greatly appreciate your support this holiday season!

The post What kind of holiday shopper are you? appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

Isn’t it great to be around children as the holiday season approaches? I just love watching my grandkids’ eyes light up as they make their lists (and check them more than twice!), dreaming of brightly decorated trees and candy canes. Their excitement is contagious!

But I know there are countless children who don’t wish for toys and treats. They simply want to be able to see.

Four-year-old Livia from Kenya used to feel this way. She was born with a severe refractive error, meaning she has very poor eyesight. She also has a squint in one eye that further blurs her vision. Although her parents knew their daughter had problems seeing, they didn’t realize the urgency of her condition until she went to preschool this year.

Livia’s teacher quickly recognized the tiny girl was having trouble seeing the chalkboard. Her poor vision was not only preventing her from learning to read and print – it affected all her daily activities in class, and she even had problems playing with her friends.

Thankfully, Livia’s mother heard about our nearby partner, Kapsabet Eye Clinic. Thanks to our generous donors, this clinic provides free eye care to families who cannot afford it. After Livia’s eyes were assessed, she received brand new, custom-fitted prescription eyeglasses to help her see better.

Today, with her beloved eyeglasses firmly in place, she is a cheerful, active child who is excited to be in school. When Livia gets older, she’ll be sent to a hospital for surgery to help correct her squint. But already her mother is so much more optimistic for her little girl’s future, thanks to people like you!

This Christmas, you can help more people like Livia. Every $20 you give will purchase new, prescription eyeglasses for up to three people. Such a simple gift! Such a huge impact!

Instead of searching forever for parking and trudging through an overcrowded mall, you can simply purchase your holiday gifts online at operationeyesightindia.org/giftguide. Not only will you find a meaningful gift your friends and family will appreciate — you’ll help someone see. It’s two gifts in one!

With each order, your friend or loved one receives an Operation Eyesight greeting card and a gift tag that describes the work your gift will support. The tag can even be attached to another small gift, like a box of chocolates or a bottle of wine, if you choose.

This Christmas, please give generously from our Gift Guide. Every gift you send takes us one step closer to a world free of avoidable blindness. Every gift you give will give twice!

On behalf of all of us at Operation Eyesight, thank you for your support this holiday season!

The post Give the gift that gives twice appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

Sote Cheruiyot is a 68-year-old subsistence farmer who lives with her husband in Kenya. They’ve lived in the village of Kapsengwet for over 30 years, growing crops and raising livestock.

Over the past few years, Sote noticed progressive vision loss in both eyes. She could no longer help her husband on the farm. Soon, they began to worry about how they would live.

Sote became depressed. “I felt useless since I could not work on my farm or even do my household chores. I thought I would never see again, which looked like the end of life.”

Like other elders in her community, Sote assumed her loss of sight was simply part of growing old. Little did she know that her cause of blindness was reversible.

Just when Sote began to lose all hope, a team of community health workers from our partner Uasin Gishu Hospital organized an outreach program in her village. Working with the village leaders, the community health workers held a meeting in the village to educate community members on the importance of eye health. Sote learned that eye care services were being offered at a sub-district hospital 10 kilometres away. She decided to seek help.

A thorough eye examination at the hospital revealed that Sote had bilateral cataract, a condition that could be treated with surgery. She received the surgery free of charge, thanks to Operation Eyesight’s compassionate donors.

Since the operation, her vision has improved dramatically – and so has her life! She is able to tend to her crops and livestock again, and she is happy to not have to depend on others so much.

“I appreciate everyone who assisted in restoring my vision – those who informed me of the service and those who donated money so I could receive surgery for free,” she explains. “I pray that they can continue supporting others with eye problems.”

This Christmas, you can give the gift of sight to others like Sote. With a $50 gift, you can provide life-changing cataract surgery to a person living in Kenya, Ghana, Zambia or India. Click here to view our online Gift Guide. Thank you for your support!

The post Education, surgery – and your help! – can change a life appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

More than 80 donors, board members, staff and friends of Operation Eyesight gathered at the Delta Calgary South Hotel on June 25 for our “Halfway to Christmas Party” and Annual General Meeting. It was a fun evening filled with inspiring stories and updates, a delicious holiday meal, lots of Christmas cheer and, best of all, great company!

Sophia Langlois, Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors, facilitated the board meeting portion of the evening. She shared highlights of our work in 2014 – a financially strong year, filled with rejuvenation, reconnection and renewal. (Check out our 2014 Report to Donors for more information.)

We treasure all of our donors, and we head into the coming years healthy, optimistic and proud of the great work we’ve accomplished together!

We’re especially grateful for our generous sponsors who made our “Halfway to Christmas Party” possible:

• Active Accounting;
• Collis Insurance;
• Data Group;
• EBI Group Benefits;
• Greg McKernan Graphic Design;
• HCB Canada;
• MNP LLP;
• Servantage;
• Sure Systems;
• Topline Printing; and
• Western Union Business Solutions.

We would like to thank all of our friends and supporters – in Canada and across the world – for making every day feel special. On behalf of all of us at Operation Eyesight, thank you for an incredible 2014… and merry Christmas! We hope you will help us keep the spirit of giving going all year-round.

The post 2015 AGM: Spreading Christmas cheer in June appeared first on Operation Eyesight.