Eyes on the Prize!
Projects supported by the Cleveland
Eye Bank Foundation typically involve
microscopes and tissue samples.
But this summer, the organization is
putting resources toward a project that
involves basketballs and poker chips.
Thanks in part to the Foundation’s
support, the 2016 Transplant Games of America will be
held in Cleveland June 10-15, with Eversight Ohio and the
Cleveland Eye Bank Foundation as hosts.
“Our board saw this as a great opportunity,” Eversight Ohio
Executive Director Debbie May-Johnson said of the chance
to back the 2016 games.
The campaign to bring the games to Cleveland began two
years ago, May-Johnson said. The big event is now fast
approaching, and efforts to get the word out about the
The Games are in full swing. Among the many promotional
events was a webinar through which May-Johnson shared
information with team captains across the country.
TGA Live will air on the TGA website,
transplantgamesofamerica.org, at 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
daily throughout the games. Until and throughout the
event, Transplantgamesofamerica.org will serve as ground
zero for everything anyone wants or needs to know about
the games, VanDemark said.
Through a partnership with the Ohio University School of
Journalism, a group of students will produce the 30-minute
broadcasts, which VanDemark likened to Sports Center
for the Transplant Games. The show will include previews,
recaps and interviews with athletes and others involved
with the games.
VanDemark said details are in the works to provide a live
stream of the event’s opening and closing ceremonies,
making it possible for anyone, anywhere, to share in the
pageantry, emotion and excitement.
“I educated them about corneal transplantation, donation
and research,” she said.
Promotion of the games will continue until and throughout
the event. Nick VanDemark is communications manager
with the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission. He said a
“small army” of people has been assembled to post and
tweet about the games as they’re happening.
“It will be promoted heavily on our signage, and
throughout the event,” VanDemark said. Participants and
guests at the Transplant Games will be encouraged to
add the hashtag to their Facebook posts, tweets and
Instagram photos.
“There will be a ton of content coming from the games
through Facebook and Twitter,” VanDemark said..
In addition to social media coverage, the games will be
covered via a twice-daily webcast.
#
#tga16cle
Game on!
@transplantgames
Transplant Games of
America
Spring 2016 | V I S I O N | Page 5