the first half team

the man, the myth, the legend

One Pilsener too many

Steve and his Lucky Snake

The Second Half Team

greetings from the west coast

Hi Everyone,

My name is Reuben Hernandez and I'm very excited to be a part of this team and make a difference together in El Salvador. I've been working at Oakley for almost four years and I believe that I am the first Oakley employee to participate on an International GOS mission (making history is our company motto so I suppose I'm just doing my job). From what I hear, this will be a life changing experience and I can hardly wait! Anyone up for surfing down there? :]

I look forward to meeting all of you and seeing you very soon.

Cheers,
Reuben

PS I've been listening to this song non-stop (click to stream it):
the airborne toxic event :: sometime around midnight


El tema es vivir cada segundo como si fuera el ultimo.

Getting Ready?

Hey everybody, 

Look for me at the airport in a bright orange Gift of Sight T-shirt, with Gift of Sight in Spanish.  El Regalo Don de Vista, or something like that.  

Hello Everyone,
Sara Bachman reminded me today that I had not posted anything on our blog...resulting in her not even remembering I was going on the mission.

Well here I go. I am apart of the Associate Relations team, working as HR Manager for Canada and have been with the company for over 3 years. I am so looking forward to this mission...I can't believe we are so close to going!!. I still have a number of things to buy to bring on the trip...so next week should be quite busy for me. I have also been taking my exercise programme to another level to ensure I am totally fit and ready for the long days ahead...

I am looking forward to meeting everyone and helping make a difference in the lifes of so many people!! See all very soon!!

Hello Team!

I can't believe our mission is only 2.5 weeks away! This is my first mission, so I would love any thoughts from the veterans on things I should bring/think about before I leave. I've heard that I should bring some things to leave behind for the locals - any suggestions? Any other "insider" tips?

Hello everyone,

I hope that everyone is getting some rest. While this is the best work I have ever done it is also the most tiring work I have ever done. I have been on two wonderful missions and both very different but the things that are the same is I have made some friends for life, we truly become a family in the 12 days we are together and sometimes the most fun is laughing at yourself. I consider it a great honor to be on this mission with each of you. It is wonderful to meet people from all over who care about the same things that I care about. I came to LC about 4 1/2 years ago when the GM recruiting me spoke about the GOS program. I knew that a company with such a big heart would take care of it's employees.

I have told you that I love baseball here are a couple picks to show off my spirit. I look forward too meeting my new family soon.

Jenn

Let's Get Ready to RUMMMBLE!

Hello all. Hope everyone is doing great. My name is Cindy Nguyen and I'm from Southern California. I'm an on call doctor for Eye Exam/Lenscrafter for about 2 years now. Kudos to Dave for creating this blog to touch base with everyone. I'm ecstatic to be a part of the El Salvador mission. This will be my second GOS mission, the first was last year in Paraguay. I had a wonderful experience last year and expect nothing less on this mission. I'm looking forward to meeting and embark on this journey with all of you. About me...I love to go to the movies (FYI-Dark Knight was really good), working out, especially spin/cycling class, the outdoors, still learning to surf, the beach, and eating out!!! I have 2 sisters and one brother and picapoo doggie named Snuggles. Let's get ready to rumble!!!

P.S. Does anyone know if we need to apply for a VISA for EL Salvador?

woot woot for GOS El Salvador

Hi everyone!!

My name is Thu Trang. I've been working with lux for almost 2 years at the Sears location in California. This will be my first mission and I'm very excited to be going with a bunch of interesting and amazing people. I hope to learn a lot and make great memories on this trip. In my spare time I like to travel, exercise, go to the beach, and play video games. I have 4 brothers and 1 sister. I'm the 2nd oldest in the family. I get my video games addiction from my 4 brothers. I think we own every single game console that was made + some computer games as well. See you guys in September!!

Thu Trang

About me.....

Well, I guess it's my turn...

My name is Kim, and I live in St. Louis, MO. I am with a sub-lease doctor's office, Rosen Optometry, at LC #824. I have been with the Rosens for about 3 1/2 years.

This is my second GOS mission (last November I got to go to Mexico), but my very first with Leona (I definitely see that I am in the minority here!)

I have 3 daughters, Aeryn (20), Kianna (we call her Doonie--she is 12), and Jaylyn, who is 6. I also have the best hubby in the world, Jason.

I am SOOOOOO excited to meet everyone in Houston and then on to El Salvador! One of my favorite things about my last mission was while we were busy autorefracting and a jamming tune would come on, we would all be dancin' around and singing! Therefore, my "clinic playlist" (which I started developing right when I got home!) includes great songs such as: Sweet Home Alabama, Old Time Rock and Roll, Twist and Shout, YMCA, etc. I thought it was fun to say, "Bailamos!" to the little kids and see if I could get them going! Mostly they just thought I was a little bit loca!

Can't wait, guys!

Kim

Hey Team!

Let me see. Where to begin? I'm Norma(Not even my Momma called me that) "Jo" Dunn.
I'm an optician and sales supervisor at LC # 148. I moved into that store with some new furniture back in 1989, and despite some bounces around my region have been there pretty much the whole time. I am gift of sight captain there and love the contact with the local schools and children and school nurses in my region. This is my 4th mission, 2nd with Leona(do you think she planned this?) and 2nd as the tech leader. I love the gos mission opportunity and for those of you who are going for the first time, get ready for the ride of your Life!

I have 4 beyoootiful children ages 21 18 12 and 7. ( No I soo didn't plan that well at all. ) And a great hubby. I recently discovered gardening, which I have found fascinating since I born in the South Bronx and thought the only thing that came out of the ground were winos. Who knew! I watched my first tomato grow with the facination of a 3 hour epic. It was incredible! I started to put it on a three hour film loop but my husband said that was pushing it!

Well I can't wait to meet you all and have the mission of the Year!
JojO Dunn

Hello Team,

Well as promised I joind the blog spot.... for those of you that it might be your first time.. It is very easy..

As Melanie had mentioned about her connection with Cinzia I am attempting to attach a phot of them together I found in my Honduras photos... ::::: Hey that was easy to attach the photo:::::

I know that I will have fun getting to know everyone through this blog spot... Hope everyone joins !!!!!

Have a Great Day !!!

Hello, My Name Is . . .

Hi,

I'm Dave Gill, an optometrist with Sears Optical in Columbus for the last seven years. I also work outside of Sears a couple of days a week in a surgical office handling pre- and post-op cases, mostly cataract, corneal transplant and refractive surgery. This is my third international mission, and my second with Leona who led the first mission on which I participated and is a big part of the reason I've since dedicated two weeks of my year to international missions. I'm also look forward to reuniting with Lisa Greene, O.D. and Melanie McVey - La Gringita! All three share a same very low and laid back energy . . .

I keep busy with my two kids, my nine year-old daughter and ten year-old son - very busy! I'm an amateur painter, play Ultimate frisbee, and occasionally play my drums left over from my musician days. I somehow volunteered to teach Sunday school at my church about six years ago, and have yet to figure out how to "retire".

I was unable to participate on a mission last year, but I'm very much looking forward to working with Leona and the rest of you in September.