I would like to thank you again for your continued sponsorship and support of the A.R.E. Design Awards. We could not afford to offer this program without EMI, Alan.

Attached please find the final list of registrants for the awards presentation. Note that many individuals purchase multiple tickets and distribute them to clients, so there were actually more attendees than appear on this list. In fact, we had record-breaking attendance this year to the tune of a 21% increase over last year. In addition, we experienced a 9% increase in entry revenues year over year.

Thanks for making it all happen. Have a great summer!

Karen Doodeman

In most developed parts of the world, access to vision care is assumed—if you can’t see the stop sign down the road or your menu at a restaurant, you go to the eye doctor and get a prescription for contacts or eye glasses.

Sadly, though, that is not the case in many underdeveloped parts of the world. A faith-based volunteer organization named “Living in Faith” has set out to improve this access in one of the world’s most impoverished Nations—Haiti.

According to “Living in Faith”, “The availability of eye care and corrective lenses can be extremely limited and in many cases totally unavailable. As a result, many people in need of vision correction lead marginalized lives. They are unfortunate victims of a situation they cannot control.”

Peter Schaller, EMI’s Quality executive, is deeply involved with this organization and, in fact, he and his family embarked on a mission trip to Haiti last year. He saw first-hand how difficult it was for the organization to provide the much-needed medical care to the inhabitants.

“Often, at the end of an examination day in Haiti, there are twice as many people waiting in line as have been seen,” says the organization.

Now, with EMI’s help, “Living in Faith” will be able to more efficiently and quickly provide these mobile eye clinics to those in need.

Engineering Manager Greg Rusch designed a custom cabinet for this organization to use in the field. It was created to house all of the equipment and supplies necessary to provide the 140+ exams per week. It features large all-terrain wheels to better  navigate the sometimes rough terrain the volunteers encounter.

CEO Alan Harvill generously decided that EMI should donate these cabinets to the organization. We are proud that, even in difficult times, we have the means and desire to help those less fortunate.  Thank you, Peter, for bringing this need to our attention and allowing us to contribute to the good works done by  “Living in Faith”.