Improved eyesight is invaluable, but the cost for some can be prohibitive. With this in mind, Robert G. and Sandra Nichols Wilson have made a legacy gift to establish The Robert G. and Sandra Nichols Wilson Endowed Support Fund in Optometry.
The fund will provide the working poor and those who have lost their jobs and are currently seeking employment with aid to cover the costs of full eye examinations, frames and lenses, and any follow-up examinations.
“My parents wore glasses my whole life,” Sandra Wilson says. “My husband has worn glasses since he was two years old. I want to help people who have fallen through the cracks, who are working and struggling to make it, and glasses are an added expense.”
While the Wilsons have regularly contributed to various charitable organizations, this is the first time they’ve put something more permanent in place. “It’s so rewarding to me to see the expression on people when they receive glasses that clear their vision,” she says. “Glasses were very important to my parents. They’re important to my husband. We talked about it and for us, this seemed like the right thing to do.”
The endowment will be funded through a bequest of a percentage of the Wilsons’ estate.
"It is our passion at the School of Optometry to ensure that those in need receive quality eye care,” says Dean Kelly K. Nichols, OD, MPH, PhD. “The Wilsons’ generous endowment will help us provide the gift of sight well into the future to those struggling to make ends meet. Everyone deserves the opportunity to see the world, and the Wilsons’ kindness will allow us to fill this need over and over. It is truly a pay-it-forward gift.”
To support the School of Optometry, please contact Ms. Peggy Striplin, 205.934.9838;