MISSION STATEMENT
To provide eye and vision care services for people in underserved populations who do not have access to local eye care.
To provide eye and vision care services for people in underserved populations who do not have access to local eye care.
SVOSH at SCO is the student chapter of VOSH International (Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity) located at Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Tennessee.
SVOSH: Past to Present
SVOSH was founded at SCO in 1975 by Donald Holbrook, a second year student. Mr. Holbrook’s father went to Costa Rica and noted that most of the rural natives lacked medical care of any kind. Hearing about the conditions inspired Mr. Holbrook to gather a group of optometry students and doctors to deliver eye care to those needy people.
Within one year, Mr. Holbrook recruited eleven classmates and three optometrists. In 1976, the fourteen volunteers comprised the first two SVOSH teams to travel to rural Costa Rica. They examined 3,726 patients in thirteen days. Electricity was turned off at 9:00 pm, but they worked past midnight using their hand held instruments to see patients in the dark.
Within one year, Mr. Holbrook recruited eleven classmates and three optometrists. In 1976, the fourteen volunteers comprised the first two SVOSH teams to travel to rural Costa Rica. They examined 3,726 patients in thirteen days. Electricity was turned off at 9:00 pm, but they worked past midnight using their hand held instruments to see patients in the dark.
Over the past 35 years, SVOSH has spread to many other schools and colleges of optometry and has grown to be one of SCO’s largest student organizations. Membership continues to rise each year.
In 2009, SVOSH established the Dr. L. Allen Fors SVOSH Endowed Fund in honor of Allen Fors, OD ’69, Professor, and long time supporter. Dr. Fors served as Faculty Advisor to SVOSH for over 30 years, travelling to 10 different countries with SVOSH and spending countless hours sorting glasses, creating awareness, and preparing students for our trips. This fund will establish an award that will both honor his contributions and continue to help offset travel costs for our growing membership.
As of 2011, SVOSH at SCO has completed over 119 total trips to 16 countries, examined over 200,000 patients, and distributed over 150,000 pairs of glasses. It has been conservatively estimated that our donated services (in 2010 dollars) are worth over 20 million dollars! This could never have been possible without the generous support of Lion's Clubs, Kiwanis Clubs, Rotary Clubs and other organizations that share our passion for service.
In 2009, SVOSH established the Dr. L. Allen Fors SVOSH Endowed Fund in honor of Allen Fors, OD ’69, Professor, and long time supporter. Dr. Fors served as Faculty Advisor to SVOSH for over 30 years, travelling to 10 different countries with SVOSH and spending countless hours sorting glasses, creating awareness, and preparing students for our trips. This fund will establish an award that will both honor his contributions and continue to help offset travel costs for our growing membership.
As of 2011, SVOSH at SCO has completed over 119 total trips to 16 countries, examined over 200,000 patients, and distributed over 150,000 pairs of glasses. It has been conservatively estimated that our donated services (in 2010 dollars) are worth over 20 million dollars! This could never have been possible without the generous support of Lion's Clubs, Kiwanis Clubs, Rotary Clubs and other organizations that share our passion for service.
Our Commitment
SVOSH Members work year-round to ensure our trips are successful. To prepare for our four-day mission, students work over 3,500 combined hours during the school year collecting, sorting, and cleaning glasses donated by Lion's Clubs, eye doctors, and other groups from around the United States. In addition, each student must participate in a variety of group fund-raising activities to help supplement the invaluable financial support we receive from our supporters.
Each member completes the following requirements:
1. 30 Volunteer Hours - organized community volunteering and fundraisers
2. 30 Lab Hours – sorting, labeling, packaging donated glasses to take with us
3. 25 Donation Letters – sent to Lions Clubs to gather donated glasses and funds
4. 2 Presentations – informational presentations made to Lions Clubs about SVOSH
SVOSH Executive Board Members and Chairs work hard behind the scenes to run club activities and plan the trips. While we depend heavily on the support of Lion's Clubs abroad, SVOSH at SCO is an entirely student-run organization. Trip planning, lab work, funds management, and fundraising efforts are all done by student volunteers elected by their fellow SVOSH members.
Each member completes the following requirements:
1. 30 Volunteer Hours - organized community volunteering and fundraisers
2. 30 Lab Hours – sorting, labeling, packaging donated glasses to take with us
3. 25 Donation Letters – sent to Lions Clubs to gather donated glasses and funds
4. 2 Presentations – informational presentations made to Lions Clubs about SVOSH
SVOSH Executive Board Members and Chairs work hard behind the scenes to run club activities and plan the trips. While we depend heavily on the support of Lion's Clubs abroad, SVOSH at SCO is an entirely student-run organization. Trip planning, lab work, funds management, and fundraising efforts are all done by student volunteers elected by their fellow SVOSH members.
Our International Trips
All members who complete the requirements are eligible to go on a SVOSH trip at the end of the year, and enough trips will be planned in order to give every eligible member a chance to serve. Multiple trips to different locations are taken concurrently during the week after spring semester final exams. Members are divided into teams among the various locations.
The SVOSH Team is made up of 12-14 members and 1-2 staff doctors. Two members serve as Trip Leaders and will oversee travel and clinic management once abroad. This ensures the staff doctors are free to focus on overseeing optometric work and assisting students. Non-student members (generally spouses) will help by taking visual acuities, dispensing in the optical, or translating.
The SVOSH Team is made up of 12-14 members and 1-2 staff doctors. Two members serve as Trip Leaders and will oversee travel and clinic management once abroad. This ensures the staff doctors are free to focus on overseeing optometric work and assisting students. Non-student members (generally spouses) will help by taking visual acuities, dispensing in the optical, or translating.
While there, the local Lion's Clubs of the host countries coordinate the visit, prepare makeshift clinics, and arrange housing for the SVOSH team. During a typical day, each SVOSH team works about eight hours and examines approximately 250 patients per site, per day, for 4 days. The demand for eye care in Central and South America is great, and patients often travel many miles and wait several hours to receive eye care they could not otherwise afford.
Our members work hard, but they also have fun! Following clinic, members have the opportunity of spending another 2 days in their destination countries at a local resort. Resorts are optional and paid for by the individual. This is a great opportunity to wind down and share clinic stories and experiences with fellow teammates. Nearly all members choose to take advantage of this opportunity and it continues to be a favorite tradition unique to SVOSH at SCO.
Our members work hard, but they also have fun! Following clinic, members have the opportunity of spending another 2 days in their destination countries at a local resort. Resorts are optional and paid for by the individual. This is a great opportunity to wind down and share clinic stories and experiences with fellow teammates. Nearly all members choose to take advantage of this opportunity and it continues to be a favorite tradition unique to SVOSH at SCO.
Where We've Been
SVOSH at Southern College of Optometry has provided services in 16 countries outside the US since our founding in 1975.
International Mission Trips (photos from past trips)
Belarus, Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru
International Mission Trips (photos from past trips)
Belarus, Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru
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