Well, the heat is finally gone, at least for now, as we get ready to celebrate Labor Day weekend!
For those of you who might be curious as to the origins of Labor Day, according the Department of Labor, the holiday is that originated with the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, 1883. In 1884 the first Monday in September was officially selected as the holiday in New York and the Central Labor Union urged similar organizations in other cities to follow the example of New York and celebrate a "working men's holiday" on that date. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country. Labor Day was designated a Federal holiday in 1894. Today the holiday also symbolizes the end of summer and is celebrated with parties, parades and athletic events.
In our Osborne College of Audiology, the class of 2020 held its Class BBQ on Thursday evening at the Hafter Center as an end of the semester event. It’s really nice to see these events on campus.
Yesterday we had the honor of hosting State Representative Mark Mustio and members of his staff on campus to show him how the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) trains today’s optometrists and prepares them for the future. We had the opportunity to tour both the Elkins Park campus and The Eye Institute (TEI). A high point of the visit for Representative Mustio was his instruction on our binocular indirect ophthalmoscopy (BIO) virtual training device. Dr. Trego instructed him on how to view the fundus through both a direct ophthalmoscope and a Binocular Indirect Ophthalmoscopy (BIO). I think he left with very realistic impression of how difficult this skill was to acquire! It’s always great to bring legislators to campus so we can educate them about our professions and impress upon them that we teach to the highest standards in each profession we train. Seeing it first-hand makes a huge difference. Representative Mustio certainly left with a much more informed impression of optometry than he had before he came.
Just a reminder that our annual Looking Out For Kids (LOFK) charity fundraiser will be held on November 3, 2018 at the Hilton Philadelphia City Avenue Hotel. Official invitations will be going out shortly and I wanted to ensure you had this on your calendars. It’s a fun event that helps to ensure we can continue to care for all those children in need of our vision and other health care services.
Finally, yesterday was a sad day for me and many on the staff as we bid farewell to Dr. Janice Scharre who officially began her retirement. It really hit home when I saw her husband wheeling all of her pigs with wings out of her office. We will miss her greatly and wish both Dr. Scharre and Dave “fair winds and following seas” as they begin their next adventure in Northern Virginia where they’ll be much closer to their family.
As you all get ready to celebrate the long weekend, please take some time to relax and recharge. I also ask that you reflect a bit on the events of this week and some of the many comments that were made in association with the death of Senator McCain. Without touching upon political views, I believe he represented what’s best in America – honor, courage, commitment, integrity, grit, dignity, the ability to forgive and move on and a true spirit of patriotism placing country above all else.
Take care and respect each other and come back ready to hit those books!
Mike
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