Safilo for 'Opening Eyes'

Safilo has recently signed a three year agreement with S.O.L.C.I.O.E (Special Olympics Lyons Club International Opening Eyes) a worldwide organization which helps handicapped athletes see better, in order to support its program 'Opening Eyes' by offering athletes free eye screening analysis and supplying them with free optical frames and ophthalmic lenses. Safilo, which has always paid a special attention to social causes and to the world of sports in general, found it natural to get involved with S.O.L.C.I.O.E..

Safilo decided to donate those frames and lenses, respectively, to Special Olympic Athletes. Safilo will donate 11.000 frames and 20.000 sunglasses per year for three years, and is already working to give Special Olympics, and the Opening Eyes program in particular, support in various other ways, such as the organization of events, communication activities, promotional material items and many other ideas.

Special Olympics is a voluntary organization operating worldwide for the wellbeing of 'special' (handicapped) persons through sport activities: physical and psychological training, together with the sport competitions, give these persons a chance to live a better life and to be confident about themselves.

Special Olympics includes, among others, the Opening Eyes project, which consists of a series of eye screenings provided to the athletes during sports events. When the athletes need them, the organization supplies them with frames and prescription lenses, or with sunglasses. While the main objective is to make it possible for these persons to see well, many other goals are reached. Among these the emphasis (addressed to the athletes, their parents and their coaches) on the importance of periodic eye screenings. To have a good eye sight, in fact, means to see the world better and also to perform better in sports and life in general.

Many are the activities planned by Safilo to support Special Olympics Opening Eyes. Among these a dedicated area inside its booth during the latest edition of MIDO 2003: representatives from SOLCIOE Italy (optometrists working on a voluntary basis) were there to talk about the organization and all what they are doing for the special athletes.

The schedule of events planned for summer 2003 is already very rich: the most important will be the Summer Olympic Games, which will take place in Dublin, Ireland, between the 17th and the 30th of June.