(Press Release)
Urban Optiks Optometry, a San Diego-based practice, will hold its second annual “Raise Your Glasses" Vendor Trunk Show Expo and charitable fundraiser. The event will be held at Martinis Above Fourth | Table + Stage in San Diego on Tuesday, March 15 from 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Urban Optiks, named one of the top 10 eyecare businesses in the U.S. in 2015 by INVISION magazine, announced that Optometry Cares, which is administered by The American Optometric Association, is once again the beneficiary. Last year a silent auction and opportunity drawing raised more than $7,000 for the nonprofit organization.
The 2015 celebration had more than 150 attendees who participated in the event, which showcased 13 high-end frame and lens vendors in a mini trunk show experience. The evening provided a unique opportunity for attendees to see the entire frame collections from each of these vendors.
The event will feature thousands of frames to view, try on and purchase. Vendors include Gold & Wood Paris, Tom Davies London, Theo Belgium, Face a Face Paris, Anne et Valentin Paris, ic! berlin Germany, l.a.eyeworks USA, Claire Goldsmith London, Oliver Goldsmith London, Traction Productions Paris, Booth & Bruce England, Vinylize Budapest, Francis Klein Paris and Matsuda Japan. Lens vendors Shamir Optical and Carl Zeiss Vision will be on hand to explain the high-definition digital lens technology that Urban Optiks utilizes.
The charitable component of the evening will feature a silent auction and opportunity drawing prizes. Last year, individuals, organizations and businesses donated more than 30 items, including an iPad Mini, gift baskets, gift cards to local restaurants and theatres, digital lens packages, and pairs of high-end glasses and sunglasses to the drawing and silent auction.
“The event was so successful last year that we started planning the 2016 event the next day. We’re proud that "Raise Your Glasses" signifies so many things – not only by raising martini ‘glasses’ to celebrate our patients and guests, but also as an opportunity to ‘raise’ eye health awareness, and ‘raise’ funds for eyecare for low-income Americans," says Dr. Gary Klein, owner of Urban Optiks.
A donation of $10 in advance or at the door is being requested. The event, which is being held at Martinis Above Fourth | Table + Stage – a San Diego live music venue and supper club located at 3940 Fourth Avenue, 2nd Floor – will also feature cocktails, complimentary tray pass hors d’ouevres and live entertainment. For more details and to register for the event, visit www.uoosd.com/raise.
“We were so appreciative and pleased with the responses of the community. The attendance at the event was greater than we hoped and we were truly astounded by the amount of money raised for Optometry Cares," says Kristy Cambone, Urban Optiks’ managing optician. “The event is another opportunity for the local community to support the eyecare needs of those who require assistance, as well as raising awareness for a variety of eye health and wellness issues."
The beneficiary for the evening is Optometry Cares, which is administered by The American Optometric Association. The mission of the nonprofit organization is to expand eye health and vision care access to everyone in the U.S. in order to enhance human performance and quality of life by providing free eye exams and glasses to low-income Americans as well as performing free comprehensive vision assessments for infants.
Urban Optiks has a seven-year history of donating to organizations including Human Rights Campaign, The Center, Mama’s Kitchen, Human Dignity Foundation, The Rob Benzon Foundation, MARYAH, Project Wildlife, Museum School, and PAWS San Diego. “Giving back is a big part of our business principles. We are very excited to continue that tradition of giving through our partnership with a charity that has a valuable eyecare component to it,” says Dr. Klein.
Urban Optiks Optometry is located in the Cairo Building in Hillcrest at 3788 Park Blvd, Suite 5. More information about the practice can be found at www.uoosd.com.