BY KALYANI VASAN
VAN NUYS, CA- Close to 220 registered participants walked 5 kilometers on Feb 17, with a goal to gift vision to those whose eyes cannot enjoy the beauty of colors. As the participants, volunteers, organizers and sponsors congregated at Woodley Park here, the air was filled with anticipation and fun.
VAN NUYS, CA- Close to 220 registered participants walked 5 kilometers on Feb 17, with a goal to gift vision to those whose eyes cannot enjoy the beauty of colors. As the participants, volunteers, organizers and sponsors congregated at Woodley Park here, the air was filled with anticipation and fun.
The 5 kilometers were divided up into 5 milestones, and each participant was sprayed with vivid colors by enthusiastic volunteers at these milestones.
The event was hosted by the Los Angeles chapter of the Shankara Eye Foundation to raise funds for the nonprofit organization that provides eye surgeries for the blind at zero cost. Talking to India Journal, Anupama and Venkatesh incharge of the walk stated, “This is our 10th Anniversary Walk and we are happy that it is a ‘zero-cost’ event as every single expense is borne by our wonderful corporate sponsors. Each adult participant has paid a fee of $15; children and students have paid $10 to give those less fortunate the benefit of vision and are giving themselves the benefits of a healthy activity.”
Ten years ago this walk was initiated with 30 participants and has since grown in terms of size, corporate sponsors and contributions to the Foundation. In the past, the Foundation would send a letter to each donor with the name and photograph of the person who received free eye surgery. Anupama and Venkatesh received such a letter for their random contribution to the Foundation. Their daughter who was barely 8 years old at that time commented that the picture reminded her of her grandfather. This touched a soft spot in her parents’ hearts and they became volunteers and organizers of the Los Angeles chapter. The very first walk that they organized 10 years was unwittingly conducted in a dog park and even then they raised $450! “We have gained a lot more experience since then and we have strategized and have been successful in attracting participants, volunteers and sponsors mainly through word of mouth. We communicate to the world at large via Facebook and flyers placed in Indian businesses. No funds are used to market, communicate or organize our events.” This year Noosa Yoghurt, Bobo’s Oat Bar, New York Life and L.A. Indian Bazaar sponsored the 5K Walk.
Highlighting the participation of non- Indians, for Ruby Tang, Chinese born and raised in Costa Rica, this walk has lured her for three straight years now, just as all the other events hosted to benefit the Foundation. “It all started with a random email I received asking for my help to give the gift of vision to those whose lives have been enveloped in darkness. It feels really good to help others in need and I fully intend to continue supporting the Foundation’s mission and values.”
Last September, a Dandiya Night to celebrate Navratri met with huge success and hence the birth of a Color Walk to celebrate the festival of Holi. Additionally, a hackathon teaching students how to build websites attracted 50 young school students. During the month of December the youth volunteers collected pennies for the entire month from fellow students and wrapped them and exchanged them for dollars. The $60 that was collected paid for two free eye surgeries in India. India has 55 million visually impaired and 8 million totally blind people, according to the Foundation which started with just one hospital in 1998 performing nearly 8,000 free eye surgeries.Today, it has grown to 11 hospitals performing around 150,000 free eye surgeries per year.
The event was hosted by the Los Angeles chapter of the Shankara Eye Foundation to raise funds for the nonprofit organization that provides eye surgeries for the blind at zero cost. Talking to India Journal, Anupama and Venkatesh incharge of the walk stated, “This is our 10th Anniversary Walk and we are happy that it is a ‘zero-cost’ event as every single expense is borne by our wonderful corporate sponsors. Each adult participant has paid a fee of $15; children and students have paid $10 to give those less fortunate the benefit of vision and are giving themselves the benefits of a healthy activity.”
Ten years ago this walk was initiated with 30 participants and has since grown in terms of size, corporate sponsors and contributions to the Foundation. In the past, the Foundation would send a letter to each donor with the name and photograph of the person who received free eye surgery. Anupama and Venkatesh received such a letter for their random contribution to the Foundation. Their daughter who was barely 8 years old at that time commented that the picture reminded her of her grandfather. This touched a soft spot in her parents’ hearts and they became volunteers and organizers of the Los Angeles chapter. The very first walk that they organized 10 years was unwittingly conducted in a dog park and even then they raised $450! “We have gained a lot more experience since then and we have strategized and have been successful in attracting participants, volunteers and sponsors mainly through word of mouth. We communicate to the world at large via Facebook and flyers placed in Indian businesses. No funds are used to market, communicate or organize our events.” This year Noosa Yoghurt, Bobo’s Oat Bar, New York Life and L.A. Indian Bazaar sponsored the 5K Walk.
Highlighting the participation of non- Indians, for Ruby Tang, Chinese born and raised in Costa Rica, this walk has lured her for three straight years now, just as all the other events hosted to benefit the Foundation. “It all started with a random email I received asking for my help to give the gift of vision to those whose lives have been enveloped in darkness. It feels really good to help others in need and I fully intend to continue supporting the Foundation’s mission and values.”
Last September, a Dandiya Night to celebrate Navratri met with huge success and hence the birth of a Color Walk to celebrate the festival of Holi. Additionally, a hackathon teaching students how to build websites attracted 50 young school students. During the month of December the youth volunteers collected pennies for the entire month from fellow students and wrapped them and exchanged them for dollars. The $60 that was collected paid for two free eye surgeries in India. India has 55 million visually impaired and 8 million totally blind people, according to the Foundation which started with just one hospital in 1998 performing nearly 8,000 free eye surgeries.Today, it has grown to 11 hospitals performing around 150,000 free eye surgeries per year.
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