Midwest eye-Banks' RepoRt to the CoMMunity July 1, 2007-June 30 ...

During my first full year as President and Chief Executive
Officer of Midwest Eye-Banks, I’ve been privileged to
visit dozens of the communities we serve. It’s an honor to meet
our supporters and friends in each community, to rekindle those
meaningful relationships and to feel the energy that drives our
mission from all points of the compass.
And I haven’t been alone in my travels. Eye-Bank staff, Lions and
other dedicated volunteers throughout New Jersey, Illinois and
Michigan have taken to the highways on our behalf. In a way, it’s
history repeating itself: Lions who served in Michigan during the
1960s and ‘70s may recall the network of Lions Substations that
created the Eye-Bank, providing safe transport for donated eye
tissue at all hours of the day and night. Today, instead of carrying
eye tissue, we carry a simple message: Join your state’s Organ
Donor Registry.
Our I Joined! program, which launched this summer, is an effort
by the Illinois Eye-Bank, the Michigan Eye-Bank and the Lions
Eye Bank of New Jersey to increase participation in state Donor
Registries throughout our service area and beyond. During this
inaugural year, Lions and Lioness Clubs are playing a leadership
role by introducing I Joined! among their own membership. Joining
the Donor Registry is another way to join Lions and others in our
community in the effort to eradicate blinding eye conditions and
save lives. Our goals include reaching out to many Lions Clubs in
Illinois for the first time, as well as all Clubs in Michigan and New
Jersey. We’ve developed an array of promotional materials and
have launched www.IJoined.org, an online portal to each state’s
Donor Registry.
Through its community connections and longstanding Lions
relationships, the Eye-Bank is poised to make a measurable
difference in Donor Registry participation throughout its service
areas. I feel strongly that eye, organ and tissue donation is
something we can all stand ready to do for one another. To echo
the words of one of our donor family members: If a doctor said
you needed an organ to survive, you’d accept that organ. And if
you’re willing to accept an organ, you should be willing to donate
one.
That’s one reason I joined the Donor Registry. I’ll bet you and your
family have your own reasons, and I’d love to hear your stories.
Supporting Donor Registry participation is just one of the ways
we’re fulfilling our mission. As you will read in the pages to follow,
The President’s
Perspective
Kevin W. Ross, MS, MPH
President and Chief Executive Officer
your charitable contributions have also enabled us to provide more
substantial research support than ever before. With awards totaling
nearly $200,000 this year alone, Our Eye and Vision Research
Program has now awarded more than $2.5 million in grants
funding scientific inquiry into the causes and cures of blinding eye
conditions. This brings hope to people suffering from glaucoma,
diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration and a host of other
conditions that can’t be cured through corneal transplantation.
Each research proposal is scientifically evaluated by the members
of our Research Review Committee, a panel of esteemed scientists
working in the field of ophthalmology and vision research. They
volunteer their time and expertise to make our research program a
reality, and I’m grateful for their tremendous efforts.
Just as we are responsible to the communities we serve, we’re
also responsible to the environment in which we live. That’s why,
beginning this year, we have undertaken a new “green” initiative
to assess our organization’s environmental concerns, minimize our
environmental impact and seize opportunities to make a positive
difference. The initiative, led by President Emeritus Florence
Johnston, will scrutinize our use of energy and other natural
resources, including things like fuels, chemicals and paper products
we consume in our daily work. All Eye-Bank sites will participate
and, by this time next year, I’ll be able to report on our progress.
All of this reflects continuing growth across the organization, yet
it comes at a time when national and local economies are in crisis.
In some ways, it may appear that the Eye-Bank is isolated from
economic hardship, but that’s clearly not the case. My staff and
I are keenly aware of the challenges we face in the months and
years to come, as a result of this dangerous economic climate.
Our service fees, employee benefits and operational costs require
careful attention on an ongoing basis. We are aggressive in
pursuing cost reduction measures and identifying new sources of
revenue, all of which is designed to protect our mission and our
communities’ investment in the excellent services we provide.
Now, more than ever, we at the Eye-Bank treasure your support.
Whether your involvement is expressed through financial
contributions, volunteer participation or just committing to
donation by joining your state’s Donor Registry, know that you are
part of the fiber that will keep us strong and help to ensure our
service to your community for years to come.
Kevin W. Ross, MS, MPH
President and Chief Executive Officer