About
VOSH North Carolina
Formed in 2010 by Dr. Jill Scullion, VOSH NC is the North Carolina Chapter of VOSH International. VOSH International was established in 1971 and is dedicated to providing eye and vision care services for those who are below poverty level and without access to local eye care.
VOSH NC is one of 33 regional chapters and 29 student chapters throughout the world. In 2001, VOSH International joined with the World Health Organization to create Vision 2020, an effort to eliminate world blindness by the year 2020. Visit http://www.vision2020.org to learn more.
Mission Basics
On our week-long VOSH NC mission trips, we provide comprehensive eye care to materially poor patients. During the four days of patient care, our team of eye doctors, opticians and volunteers examine as many patients as possible, dispensing thousands of pairs of prescription glasses and sunglasses.
Our team addresses acute and chronic medical eye problems. We work in conjunction with and at the request of local officials, health care providers, physicians, nurses and health promoters to provide care to those adults and children who are most in need. For patient care, we go to small towns where we are hosted by a church or community. We set up our temporary clinic in their church, school or medical clinic.
Not all of our volunteers are trained eye doctors. Many volunteers joining our missions are teachers, engineers, clergy, nurses, and business people. Translators or bilingual volunteers are extremely helpful to provide the best care possible.
Costs
Mission participants are personally responsible for all of the costs of their trip, which generally totals about $1,100-1,400. This will cover transportation, food, and lodging. A $150 Mission Trip Fee must be paid to VOSH NC for each volunteer before you are confirmed as a trip participant. The mission trip fee contributes to necessary supplies, packing expenses, and shipping expenses as well as unforeseen costs.
Commitment
Membership and trip participation does not begin and end when getting on and off the plane! VOSH NC feels strongly about being an organization that the communities we serve can count on for a long-term commitment. People in the developing world need committed partners.
We ask all of our trip participants to consider ways that they can be fundraising advocates for the organization. Our costs always exceed the budget provided by participation fees. We need resources to help with purchasing medical and surgical supplies and equipment, providing patient surgeries, and buying new reading and sunglasses (including the fabrication and shipping of custom glasses).
We actively fundraise throughout the year, but our expenses exceed that which our board alone can raise. Please discuss your trip with your employer, church, and any organizations to which you belong (especially but not limited to Rotary, Lions and Kiwanis Clubs). Funds raised are NOT used for individual travel expenses, but for patient related expenses. We will make a power point presentation of our trip to share with those that support us.
Board of Directors
President – Jill
Scullion, OD
Vice President – Gail Long, OD
Secretary – Melanie Denton, OD
Treasurer – Dave Lavely, OD
Committee Chairs
Fundraising -- Kara Ramsey, OD
Website -- Heather Day, OD
Glasses -- Kara Ramsey, OD
Equipment -- Open
Mailing Address
VOSH NC
Attn: Jill Scullion, OD
405 Spyglass Hill Place
Salisbury, NC 28144
Resources and Links
Lions Clubs: www.lionsclub.org
VOSH International: www.VOSH.org
NCSOS: www.nceyes.org
