Eye Doctors Take the Runway for Non-Profit Charity Galla

On April 27, vision hit the runway in support of the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation, Georgia’s foremost vision and hearing care nonprofit. Over 550 attendees packed the Buckhead Theatre for the 6th Annual Night of Spectacles Fashion Show featuring dresses made from recycled eye-wear.

The event, chaired by Emory Eye Center’s head of Ophthalmologist Timothy W. Olsen, M.D., and his wife Virginia, was a huge success, grossing more than $240,000. The annual fundraiser for the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation raises money for the thousands of uninsured Georgians who are in need of vision services. Night of Spectacles 2013 wowed guests with a juried runway show, featuring doctors as models and a roaring silent auction.

Dresses are made using pieces of recycled eye-wear by fashion design students from art schools across Georgia.  A juried show, the winning student received a $1,000 scholarship; another was selected for an internship with judge and couture designer Nina Gleyzer. Other judges included: Lee Cox, costuming track director for Dragon Con; Mindy Hylton, marketing director for Modern Luxury and Yelena Leuchanka, Atlanta Dream center.

The Lighthouse Foundation thanks its many sponsors, medical partners, and volunteers, without whom this event would not be possible. This year’s top sponsors included America’s Best/National Vision, Emory Healthcare, Genentech, Regeneron, the McGee Group, Allergan Usa, Inc., Carl Zeiss Meditec Inc., Georgia Eye Partners, Georgia Retina P.C., Northside Hospital, PeopleNet, and Thomas Eye Group.

Event chairs Timothy W. Olsen, M.D., and his wife Virginia said of the event, “We are honored to have co-chaired this year’s Night of Spectacles to support the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation. These committed individuals provide extraordinary support for both citizens of Georgia as well as those beyond our borders. We enjoyed an evening celebrating the dynamic and exciting interplay between the visual arts; fashion, design, style, and your philanthropic spirit!”

Check out photos from this year’s event!