Employees named top fundraisers in the nation
PRESQUE ISLE — Officials with the Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB), a national nonprofit focused on sight-saving research for retinal diseases, applaud the philanthropic efforts of dedicated associates at Walmart No. 1924 in Presque Isle.
During FFB’s inaugural Save Your Vision Month campaign in the fall, a team of the store’s associates volunteered their time to walk more than 1,900 hours on behalf of blindness research and eye health awareness.
Funds raised by associates’ volunteer efforts were compounded by Walmart’s Volunteerism Always Pays program, through which associates may request charitable contributions on behalf of organizations where they volunteer.
The Presque Isle Walmart store associates’ Save Your Vision Month efforts helped generate $28,750 for FFB, benefiting the organization’s research and public education programs. The store’s associates were the top fundraisers in the nation, helping more than 10 million Americans affected by retinal diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa and macular degeneration.
Associates from more than 50 stores across Walmart’s Northeast Division volunteered to generate an impressive $150,000 and walked approximately 28,000 hours.
This inspiring divisional effort contributed to the remarkable national Save Your Vision Month total of $1.2 million.
“Our Vision Center team members are constantly interacting with patients coping with vision challenges, so they understand the value of FFB’s work to save and restore sight,” said Paul Drzyzga, regional health and wellness director for Walmart. “We are proud to be able to help in any way we can, and the Save Your Vision Month program is an excellent way for our associates to stay connected to the communities we serve and give back.”
“We commend Walmart associates for raising awareness about eye health and, through raising these funds, making a difference for millions living with low to no vision,” said Bill Schmidt, CEO of the Foundation Fighting Blindness. “The money raised through Save Your Vision Month fuels some of the most promising research, including landmark studies that have restored significant vision in children and young adults who were previously blind.”
