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Rhonda Eyes AllianceWorking to Help the Less

Fortunate See Clearly

2 Rhonda Eyes Alliance | Gala 2013 www.rhondaeyesalliance.org


RHONDA EYES ALLIANCE (REA)

MISSION REA is a group of dedicated health care professionals and volunteers committed to serving the Less Fortunate in the US and the Caribbean with most concern directed to the Island Nation of Haiti being the poorest.

The mission teams travel to impoverished areas to care for the eyes of the communities by providing eyeexams, medications, eyeglasses and surgeries. REA also conducts workshops on basic health, sanitary conditions, preventive action to preserve eye sight and the importance of regular eye exams.

REA’s motto is to fully engage the local healthcare providers and community leaders to ensure the continuity of services. REA also conduct Vision Screenings & Eyeglass Tune Ups in South Florida’s Community Health Fairs, Festivals and Senior Facilities.

HISTORY REA’s first mission to Haiti in 2007 was an eye opener when REA’s volunteers travelled to the mountainous rural town of Kenskoff to provide eye care at the invitation of Catholic Priest Father Ocide of the organization “Afe Neg Kombit”. 99% of the Patients served in that mission never had an eye exam before because they had no access to health care. All 185 patients served needed eye glasses and or medications to treat various infections.

For the past 5 years (2007 to present) REA has established a presence and reputation in Haiti and has demonstrated the ability to successfully implement eye care mission services for the Less Fortunate.

In 2009, REA’a founders sent up a monthly eye care clinic in St Marc Haiti as a pilot program for one year. The result helped REA realize that we can execute more efficiently by staying in one location and transporting the patients from outlying rural areas. The town of Arcahaie was chosen as REA’s base due to logistics and sound infrastructure. Having completed 7 missions in Arcahaie’s small hospital since 2008, the community partners are fully committed and supportive of a full service vision center including a laboratory to produce prescription eye glasses.

To date REA has served over 1500 documented patients from Plateau Central, Gonaive, Saint-Marc, Port-au-Prince and Arcahaie. We expect these number to increase exponentially once the vision center is fully operational. In addition REA has developed a network of local healthcare professionals, school and church leaders and other volunteers that assist in the service delivery efforts. These individuals and agencies assist in scheduling and transporting people to our facility.


Blessings to Share

I consider myself a blessed individual. I have an amazing life with a great family. I have a wonderful wife and our marriage is fantastic. My son has been a model child and I am very proud of him. I was blessed to be reared in a great Christian family with both parents and three accomplished siblings. Educationally, I was privileged to become a doctor, reaching a level few are fortunate to attain. With all these blessings, comes a responsibility to those who are not as lucky. That is why I have joined hands with Rhonda and Lucky Pierre to help with the Vision center in Haiti. However, there is only so much Rhonda’s Eye Alliance can do without your assistance. We need your help. We all have different abilities and talents which can be used to increase literacy, reduce poverty and assist in eradicating diseases. Someone may be gifted with organizational skills, while another may be a great artist, nurse, computer engineer or electrician. If we all lend a hand, the load would be made lighter and the benefit to those receiving the help would be immeasurable. If we can help one child to perform better in school or prevent another from losing his sight, then our efforts would be worthwhile. Who knows the benefit to society of a child rescued from a life of illiteracy and poverty? One of my favorite African proverbs says “if you see a turtle sitting on a fence, remember he didn’t get there by himself.” In other words he had help, so please help to make a positive change in a child’s life.

Dr. LennarD MccaLLa - OptOMetrist11417 S Dixie Hwy, Miami, FL 33156(305) 378-1915

Pascal & Lucky’s New CDInfo: [email protected]


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Rhonda Eyes Alliance LLC

February 2013 Gala


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Rose’s Corner THE ULTIMATE VALENTINE

I LOVE YOU WITH AN EVERLASTING LOVE I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU

I SAW YOU STANDING AT THE AUCTION BLOCKHANDS TIED BEHIND YOUR BACK

BEATEN UPTEARS STREAMING DOWN YOUR FACE

COME, REST IN MY ARMS MY LOVE

I LOVE YOU WITH AN EVERLASTING LOVEI HAVE PRAYED FOR YOU

YOU WERE DIRTY, I CLEANED YOU UPYOU WERE HUNGRY, I FED YOU

YOU WERE NAKED, I CLOTHE YOUCOME, REST IN MY ARMS MY LOVE

I LOVE YOU WITH AN EVERLASTING LOVEI HAVE REDEEMED YOU

THE PRICE WAS HIGHWITH MANY BIDDERS

I PAID IN FULLWHY? BECAUSE YOU ARE VALUABLECOME, REST IN MY ARMS MY LOVE


The President’s Message As a child, one is taught many lessons, some you learn by hearing the words yes and no, some you learn by seeing and others by the action of someone close to you. When my Dad passed away 2 years ago, people came from far and near to pay their respect. All spoke of him as a man that helped others and how He gave others a break in life with his kindness and selfless acts of giving. During my childhood, I was taught to always share and to be kind. The journey that I travel now with the other dedicated volunteers started many years ago. For over 15 years, Pierre my husband and I have been active humanitarians committed to helping people. It was in 2007 on our first mission to Haiti that our eyes were opened to this journey that we now share in “Helping People See”

In REA’s Summer Mission 2012, there was a group of 49 patients who came from the town of Saint-Michel to Arcahaie for eye care. Under the leadership of Pasteur Auguste they traveled 8 hours by bus from Saint-Michel located in the central department of Haiti to REA’s clinic in Arcahaie located in the western department of Haiti.

From this group of patients there were two women, one had been blind for 7 years and the other had been blind for 8 years due to very dense cataract. Through REA’s partnership with Medical Ministry International both women got surgery and their eyesight were restored with artificial lens implant. Their Happiness resonated thru-out the whole town of Saint-Michel and beyond, they were blind and now they can see. REA’s ministry is not easy, the 5 year journey has been very difficult, slow with many obstacles but sound in foundation. It is testimonies like these that keeps us motivated and encouraged. Poverty is a tragedy but poverty plus blindness is a death sentence. We believe that by helping the Less Fortunate to see we not only positively affect them, but their family, their community and their country.

From 2007 to present we have served over 1500 patients providing vision screenings, blood pressure and diabetes testing, comprehensive eye examination, eye glasses, medications and cataract surgeries. As the journey continues and we work towards the completion of the Vision Center in Arcahaie Haiti which will be the first model in “Helping People to See Program” using the concept of teaching a man how to fish, none would be possible without all of us working together.

In particular, REA thanks Ms Phyllis Newby for her insight, encouragement and serving by example. We also thanks all of you for being part of this program, your generous donations and support gives REA the means to care the Less Fortunate.

May God continue to direct our path.

Rhonda Veerasawmy LeBlancPresident / CEO


2007

2008

2009

Sharing The Gift of Sight


2010

2011

2012

Sharing The Gift of Sight


REA in South Florida


VALENTINE GALA PROGRAMMASTER OF CEREMONY JEAN WILLY GERDES

WELCOMEOPENING PRAYER

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PIERRE LEBLANCABOUT THE VALENTINE GALA MASTER OF CEREMONY

RHONDA EYES ALLIANCE VIDEO SLIDE SHOWPRESIDENT ADDRESS

RHONDA VEERASAWMY LEBLANCAWARD PRESENTATION

CAROL BROWNLEEROSE’S POEM

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OH HAITI THIS IS LOVEPASCAL & LUCKYSILENT AUCTION

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FUNDRAISING EFFORTSVALENTINE PHOTOSVALENTINE RAFFLE

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Beree SDA Church and Shalom SDA Church congratulate REA for their dedicated services as a non-profit organisation.

Your vision screening, eyeglass cleanings and tune-up in elderly homes, churches & health fairs are a blessing

to us and the community.

We bless God for your ministry.We hope you will get the support and contributions you need to

fulfill your mission. Kee up the good work.

Pastor Jean-Claude Alius - February 3, 2013


Ü American Bouquet

Ü Arditi Gordon Management

Ü Belle VisionÜ Caribbean Today

Ü Chinye & Associates

Ü Design by Dimitri

Ü Filipi JewelryÜ Haitian American Business Newspaper

Ü Jean Pompee Radio

Ü Junie’s Restaurant

Ü L’Eglise de Dieu Reformee

Ü Lucky Plus Band

Ü Marginal Marketing - Graphics

Ü Mr CopyÜ New York EyeÜ Photography by Benavides & Company

Ü Purple Room Studio

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Please support our proud Sponsors

13181 sw 49 court, Miramar, Florida 33027786-344-2157 / 305-829-8867email: [email protected] www.rhondaeyesalliance.org

Special RecognitionDr Mark Fulton Ms Phyllis NewbyRobin Sabourin Dr Pierre DeCastroParty Squad Room Engineer, Renest JoachimLiving Word Open Bible Church Dr LaGuerre CeronProfessor Joe Ronald Simmons Bethel Church of GodDr Laurie Lesser Reagan *Ti Jesus * Ti L’Amy * JonasPastor August Pastor Jean-MarieA Place called Hope Dr. KarpKinderhilfswerk Global Care German Christian NGO

This Project is dedicated to the memories ofJoseph K. Veerasawmy * Pastor Leonard Ziebarth * Dr Ross Brechner

Rhonda Eyes AllianceWorking to Help the Less Fortunate See Clearlya 501(c)(3) non-profit organization registered in the state of Florida

PARTNERS & SPONSORS

Graphics : Marginal Marketing [email protected]

Printing : Mr. Copy 305-681-0041

rhonda eyes alliance │rea

Documents

eye care mission services

eye sight

eye opener

eyes alliance reamission

monthly eye care clinic

prescription eye glasses

needed eye glasses

present rea