[nagdu] Carolina Eye Partners With Mira Foundation

[Toni Eames]

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>Carolina Eye Partners With Mira Foundation
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>Wednesday, May 5, 2010
><http://www.thepilot.com/news/2010/may/05/carolina-eye-partners-mira-foundation/>http://www.thepilot.com/news/2010/may/05/carolina-eye-partners-mira-foundation/
>Mira Foundation USA, a nonprofit dedicated to 
>providing guide dogs to children in need, 
>announces Carolina Eye Associates as one of the 
>organization’s founding corporate partners.
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>Mira USA is the only nonprofit providing guide 
>dogs to visually impaired young children in the 
>United States. The two organizations both share 
>the same concern and commitment to providing 
>young children with the resources — and 
>companions — that enable personal independence and the freedom of mobility.
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>Carolina Eye is also the headline sponsor of 
>Mira USA’s upcoming “Dining in the Dark” 
>fundraiser event taking place May 14 at the 
>Country Club of North Carolina in Pinehurst.
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>“Mira USA is an organization close to all our 
>hearts, and we admire the passion with which 
>they’ve tackled the huge job of providing these 
>specially trained guide dogs to young children 
>across our country,” said Dr. Greg Mincey, of 
>Carolina Eye Associates. “We are proud to be a 
>part of Mira USA’s mission for improving the 
>lives of children in need of a guide dog and 
>invite other companies and organizations 
>nationwide to join us in supporting their effort.”
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>“Dining in the Dark” is one of many community 
>activities held to raise awareness and funds to 
>support the work of Mira USA. The concept began 
>in Germany and has spread to cities where 
>restaurants offer a unique twist on a normal 
>dinner out: guests gather to wine and dine in 
>darkness. With the complete loss of vision — and 
>the resulting heightening of the other four 
>senses — Dining in the Dark will be an extraordinary adventure.
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>“This is the first time such an event has been 
>presented in North Carolina,” said a spokesman. 
>“Reserved seats are filling quickly for this 
>dinner as the community has embraced both the 
>novelty of the event and the mission of Mira USA.”
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>“We are grateful to have the support of the 
>distinguished team at Carolina Eye Associates,” 
>said Robert Baillie, Mira USA founder and 
>chairman. “There are over 57,000 visually 
>impaired young children in the United States and 
>ours is a big undertaking to begin to serve this 
>largely overlooked population by providing 
>specially trained service dogs. I’ve experienced 
>how the dog can provide a bridge between the 
>child and the community, diminishing the stigma 
>often associated with disabilities, and with the 
>support of the public and organizations like 
>Carolina Eye, we will give as many children as 
>possible this tremendous gift of independence and companionship.”
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>MIRA Foundation USA Inc. is dedicated to 
>enriching the lives of the largely overlooked 
>population of young children living with 
>disabilities by providing specially trained 
>service dogs. Mira USA was established in 2008 
>by Robert Baillie. Having suddenly lost his 
>sight and realizing the life-changing difference 
>his guide dog Devon made for him, Bob set out to 
>improve the experience of individuals living 
>with blindness. These special dogs and services 
>are given to children free of charge. Although 
>Mira USA will provide dogs to all who qualify, 
>its main focus is on children 11 years of age 
>and above. Mira USA believes everyone should 
>have access to the tools and resources that 
>enable personal independence and freedom of 
>mobility, and invites you to be a part of it. 
>Learn more at <http://www.mirausa.org>www.mirausa.org or (910) 944-7757.
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>Carolina Eye Associates is one of the largest 
>eye-care practices in the Southeast, with eight 
>regional eye-care centers in North and South 
>Carolina. Carolina Eye was established in 1977 
>in Pinehurst/Southern Pines, N.C., by Dr. Robert 
>Gale Martin and Dr. George Tate Jr. Since then, 
>patients from across the United States and more 
>than 20 foreign countries have come to Carolina 
>Eye for eye care needs. For more information, 
>please visit <http://www.carolinaeye.com>www.carolinaeye.com.