Learn to Give Back. Opticianry CE Course Sales to be Shared with TWECS
Thursday, May 12 2022 | 10 h 41 min | News
OptikConEd and The Practical Professor (Tom Weissberger RO) are pleased to announce the “Learn to Give Back” program in collaboration with TWECS, (Third World Eye Care Society), a 100% volunteer registered Canadian charity. TWECS is also a chapter of VOSH International (Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity), a non-profit international organization, founded in 1971.
TWECS’ mission is to collect old unused eyeglasses and distribute these eyeglasses in conjunction with eye exams given by properly trained individuals. The distribution of eyeglasses is made in developing countries where, because of poverty or lack of availability of eye care services, individuals are unable to obtain eyeglasses and primary eye care.
TWECS is an International Charity registered in Ottawa and founded by Dr. Marina Roma-March and Derrick March 27 years ago. They first served the poor living in the garbage dumps of Manila Philippines in 1995 shortly after finishing their university education.
Through the passage of many hands in eye clinics, optical stores, churches, and service clubs like the Lions Clubs, Rotary Clubs and the Knights of Columbus, donated eyeglasses reach the TWECS warehouse. The TWECS eyeglass warehouse, the base for its preparation of the 10,000 eyeglasses they bring on a project is generously provided by the Burnaby Lougheed Lions Club. TWECS volunteers meet every Monday evenings at the eyeglass warehouse to clean, measure and sort through over 250,000 donated eyeglasses.
TWECS has been supported over the years by the Canadian Association of Optometrists, Volunteer Optometric Services for Humanity, 10 Provincial Canadian Optometric Associations, Rotary International, Lions Clubs International, The Knights of Columbus , and the Fred Hollows Foundation. All the members of the society are unpaid volunteers most of whom are professionals from across Canada.
TWECS teams pay their own expenses to travel to developing countries and provide thorough eye exams and the highest quality recycled refurbished prescription eyeglasses to the poor.
Through the passage of many hands in eye clinics, optical stores, churches, and service clubs like the Lions Clubs, Rotary Clubs and the Knights of Columbus, donated eyeglasses reach the TWECS warehouse.
The “Learn to Give Back” program will donate 10% of all revenue sales of Optical courses authored by Tom Weissberger, The Practical Professor that are made available through the OptikConEd accredited continuing education platform (www.OptikConEd.com).
The program begins immediately and will contribute to the planned mission in Jaipur, India in 2023. Optik will also help bring awareness to TWECS through its various media platforms.
You can view the available courses at the OptikConEd Platform.
About TWECS (Third World Eye Care Society) (www.TWECS.ca)
TWECS mission is simply to provide free eye care and the highest quality eyeglasses to the poorest of the poor in developing countries. Since 1995 TWECS teams of eye doctors, opticians and volunteers have provided free eye care and free eyeglasses to over 101,000 underprivileged people in 16 countries around the world. They have set up eye clinics in Mexico, Guatemala, India, Grenada, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines, Nepal, and in the African countries of Kenya, Malawi, Ethiopia and Tanzania. TWECS is a member of the World Health Organization’s Emergency Medical Teams, responding to natural disasters.
About The Practical Professor
Tom Weissberger is a 2nd generation options who has made all aspects of opticianry his life’s work. Tom brings over 10 years of teaching experience as a former professor at Canada’s leading Opticianry colleges.
About OptikConEd.com (www.OptikConEd.com) OptikConEd.com is an online education portal providing accredited continuing education (CE) courses for opticians and paraoptometric professionals. The platform supports delivery of CE courses in multiple media formats, access to a post-course quiz and generates a certificate for your accrediting regulator. Courses are accredited by NACOR, the College of Ontario Opticians and Ordre des opticiens d’ordonnances du Québec.
Click HERE for the press release.
