Infinite Eye Care Gives Back—From Infants to Roller Derby

At Infinite Eye Care, we are dedicated to improving the lives of our customers and our community, whether that’s by giving the best care for your family’s eyes or by making an impact in the world around us. Here are some of the ways we are involved in our local and broader community.

Strides Against Breast Cancer

The “Infinite Pink” team will be participating in the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides of Central Minnesota walk. Our goal is to raise $1,500 to support the fight against breast cancer, and we need your help! You can join the team and walk with us on October 14th, or make a donation. A $20 donation gets you an “Infinite Pink” t-shirt!

InfantSEE

Infinite Eye Care is proud to offer free InfantSEE assessments for children ages 6 months to 1 year. These evaluations are recommended in addition to your child’s eye exam done by your pediatrician. 1 in every 10 children is at risk from undiagnosed eye and vision problems. The InfantSEE session may include assessing eye movement ability, eye health, and excessive or unequal amounts of nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism, allowing for earlier identification and treatment of these issues.

Back to School Screenings

Dr. Tom and other volunteers have recently helped screen approximately 800 kids in area school districts. It was found that over 35% of the kids needed referral for further assessment by local eye care providers. Of them, about 50% are not currently wearing any corrective lenses and have probably not been to see an eye care professional.

Identifying when children need further assessment can be a major benefit to parents, and we’re happy to help our local students in this way.

Reading Bug Program

Infinite Eye Care wants to encourage young readers to keep up their interest in books throughout the summer months. Whether children are reading on their own or enjoy books read to them (through our “Read to Me, Please” Program), the Reading Bug Program encourages kids to sign up to win prizes as they reach the goal of 10-15 books through the summer!

SCAR Dolls Sponsor

There is nothing quite like the speed and tenacity of our local Roller Derby team, the Saint Cloud Area Roller Dolls. Infinite Eye Care is proud to sponsor this local team of athletes.

Eyeglasses Recycling

We are proud to support the Minnesota Lions Club Eyeglass Recycling Initiative, and we are a collection site for used glasses. Don’t throw them away; recycling them at our location!


We believe that meaningful relationships don’t just apply to the patients walking through our doors, but that we are part of something bigger. We hope you will be a part of some of our philanthropic initiatives in the local community!

New Children’s Books To Get Your Kids Excited About Reading

Looking for activities for your kids this summer? Why not reading? Infinite Eye Care’s Reading Bug Program is just underway! Kids of all ages can participate and win great prizes to encourage them to read this summer. It continues all summer until August 18th, so come on in and sign up. It’s a great way to encourage your kids to read this summer.

Numerous studies show that kids who do not read or read a small amount during the summer have reading abilities that decline or plateau. This can have an extremely negative effect on a child’s education when they get older and have more advanced schooling.

With all the fun activities going on that threaten to take away from your child’s desire to read, it can be hard to find books that will pique their interest. A list of new children’s books from commonsensemedia.com may help you inspire your child to read. Below are our favorite picks from the list.

The Magic Hat Shop by Sonja Wimmer

This book tells the story of a magical hat shop that suddenly appears in the middle of a town, transforming the lives of the people around it. Upon wearing a hat from the shop, a person finds their best self.

Grand Canyon by Jason Chin

This highly educational book is about a father and daughter visiting the Grand Canyon. It features historical facts about the park, as well as explaining the geological process. If your little one is an outdoor enthusiast, this book is a great pick.

This Is How We Do It: One Day in the Lives of Seven Kids from Around the World by Matt Lamothe

This culturally rich book goes through the lives of seven different children who live around the globe. It explains a normal day for each child and gives the reader numerous cultural differences and national flavors.

Dad and the Dinosaur

This is a great story about a boy and his stuffed dinosaur. The boy feels brave and courageous when with his dinosaur, but then one day he loses it and becomes fearful and shy. His father helps him find it and along the way they conquer his fear together.

I am (Not) Scared by Anna Kang

In this cute picture book for young children, two bears conquer the fear of going on a rollercoaster together and have a great time. This book is light, funny, and relatable.

Hank the Cowdog Series by John R. Erickson

A book about a dog who lives on a ranch who finds himself in trouble quite frequently. This is a fun light read for kids 7 and up featuring lots of humor and drama.

Fish Girl by Donna Jo Napoli

This short novel depicts a mermaid's life in captivity, and her attempt to escape. Explained as a “Gorgeous Graphic Novel”, this book is great for young readers 10 and up.


Getting your child to advance their reading skills is very important, and hopefully, these new recommendations will help motivate them! There are an infinite amount of other interesting books to read as well that will help your child get on the right path to achieving the Reading Bug Program goals and winning great prizes! If you have any other suggestions for parents looking for great books their child can read, comment below!

The Top Children’s Books That Will Get Your Kids Reading Again

If you haven’t yet signed up for Infinite Eye Care’s Reading Bug Contest, you had better get going! The contest will be continuing until August 19th, and if your kids haven’t started yet, they’ll have a bit of ground to make up! Join Infinite Eye care in encouraging our community to have fun reading again!

Studies show that kids lose retention and knowledge learned during the school year while enjoying the months of summer. The appropriately named “summer slide” can create an impact on a child’s learning - especially when they return in the fall. That is why every summer, Infinity Eye Care provides this program to motivate kids to read more during the summer.

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At times, however, it can be difficult at times to determine what books to read, with millions of different lengths, genres and styles available. That struggle should hopefully be eased with this list of 100 Greatest Books for Kids from scholastic.com. Some of our favorite classics include:

Charlotte’s Web, by E.B. White

Charlotte’s Web is the classic tale of Wilbur the pig and his unlikely friendship with a spider named Charlotte. Whether you’re reading it for the first time or the hundredth, this book is entertaining for all ages.

The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats

The tale tells the story of a young boy exploring the city during a very snowy day. This picture-based book is perfect for younger readers.

Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak

After Max is sent to bed without his supper, he imagines himself sailing to an island inhabited by beasts called the Wild Things. While the story itself is fairly short, your kids will love the illustration and imagination in this book.

Green Eggs and Ham, by Dr. Seuss

One of many classics by Dr. Suess, the book tells the story of Sam, a stubborn person who is hesitant to try new things. Fun fact: This book was the result of a bet between Seuss and his publisher, who challenged him to keep the entire book under 50 different words, which Suess did.

Frog and Toad are Friends, by Arnold Lobel

The book tells the story of two friends —a frog and a toad — and the tales they share together. The book is broken into five different stories, so it is perfect for new chapter book readers.

Matilda, by Roald Dahl

The novel tells the story of a neglected yet intelligent young girl named Matilda and her remarkable powers.

The Adventures of Captain Underpants, by Dav Pilkey

This book series tells the story of two boys creating a superhero that comes to life. No one knows his true identity - not even Captain Underpants himself!

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, by Grace Lin

The book tells the story of a young girl going on a journey trying to find the Old Man on the Moon as he knows all of life’s questions.

The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame

The book tells the story of the adventures that a curious Mole has after leaving his home to explore. Along the way, he meets and befriends a laid-back Rat and an eccentric Toad, and they have exciting adventures together.

Hopefully, some of these books will help your kids start their summer reading adventure and reach their Reading Bug contest goals. There are hundreds and thousands of other books to pick and choose from—for all ages and reading levels.  What are your favorite classic stories? Let us know in the comments.

Infinite Eye Care Has Caught the Reading Bug!

It’s that time of year again - the Reading Bug Program has begun! Starting June 6th and continuing until August 19th, area kids have the opportunity to win prizes from Infinite Eye Care just by reading a few books!

Keep your kids’ time occupied with something educational, work on their reading skills, and help prevent learning loss known as “summer slide” during summer break. We are also continuing our “Read to Me, Please” Program for kids that are not yet old enough to read on their own.

Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Read. 10-20 books, depending on the age and reading level of the child.

Step 2: Complete the reading log. You can download a log from our website.

Step 3: Return you log to Infinite Eye Care.

Step 4: Win Prizes!

Guidelines:

• Kindergarten & younger “Read to Me, Please” 20 books 
• 1st Grade, adult reads to child/child reads to/with adult 15 books 
• 2nd Grade, child reads with adult, child reads books 12 books 
• 3rd Grade and older, child reads with adult / child reads books 10 books 

The first 30 children to complete their reading logs will receive a special “Bug” prize, and ALL participants will win a special prize from one of our sponsors. This year, our prizes are sponsored by The St. Cloud Skatin Place, The Fishing Pond Learning Store, Air Maxx Trampoline Park, Domino’s Pizza, Great River Bowl, Marcus Theatres, Dairy Queen, and Chuck E. Cheese’s!

Don’t forget to register to win one of the grand prize drawings happening in June, July and August. Visit our website or call (320) 257-4990 for more information.

The Reading Bug

Looking for something both fun and educational to occupy the little ones in your life this summer? Take reading “To Infinity and Beyond” by helping Dr. Tom catch the Reading Bug this summer!

Studies show that kids who read during the summer months retain better skills, making this program perfect for kids of all ages and gives parents a reason to encourage their children to read throughout the summer. For children who cannot read yet, they can participate in a “Read to Me, Please” program. These children participate by having someone share 20 books with them. Those that are able to read will finish 10-15 books throughout the summer and the first 30 children to return their completed reading logs will receive a special out-of-this-world prize!

Even if you are not one of first 30 participants to complete the reading log, you will still receive a prize from one of these generous donors: Summerland, Domino's Pizza, Great River Bowl, Marcus Theaters, Air Max, Chuck E Cheese, & The Skatin’ Place! Each time a child finished a book, an adult signs their log; once the reading log is completed, bring it to Infinite Eye Care to receive a prize and register for the grand prize drawing! 

Everyone can enter this drawing to win one of three grand prizes that will be drawn in June, July, and August! The Grand Prize will be a backpack filled with school goodies, Toys R’ Us Gift Cards, Space Aliens tokens, Summerland passes, and much more! 

Join us from June 2nd to August 22nd to catch the Reading Bug this summer with Dr. Tom!

The Reading Bug is Back!

As the summer is fast approaching, the Reading Bug is almost here! Don’t let your kids become apart of the “summer slide” where kids can lose up to one month of instruction by not learning during the summer. The Reading Bug is a great way to prevent the “summer slide” by giving children the opportunity to have fun reading and win prizes!

The program begins June 2nd and ends August 22nd. If your child is one of the first 30 children to complete a reading log, they will receive a special “Bug” prize. All participants that complete a reading log will be given a prize from one of our wonderful vendors. These participants will also be entered into a contest for a grand prize given out in June, July, and August!

Take reading above and beyond this summer by helping Dr. Tom capture the Reading Bug!

To download a tracking sheet visit: http://bit.ly/1lQ3A7D.

For instructions and additional information on the Reading Bug Program check out our information page at: http://bit.ly/1trtmoK.

Did You Catch The Bug?

We had A LOT of fun at Infinite EyeCare this summer! We got to be involved with Ladies Night Out in Sauk Rapids a few times, which was a blast! More importantly, we hosted a great event for kids at our clinic. Our “Reading Bug” program was a great success!

What is the Reading Bug program?  Every Summer, Infinite Eye Care provides a program giving motivation for kids to read by offering prizes to EVERYONE turning in a reading log to our office between June and the end of August. It is fun for the kids and truly a joy for us knowing we are making a difference. One reason we strongly believe in children reading over the summers is because the “summer slide” causes the average student to lose up to one month of instruction.

This blog post is to send out a HUGE thank you for all that participated. Many kids entered the contest and the three winners were chosen throughout the summer! For the final three, there was over $100 in prizes in a brand new back pack. Everyone who participated received some sort of reward. J Everyone deserves a prize for keeping up the brain power during the summer months- we know it can be a challenge! It was such a treat for us to see kids coming in excited and ready to submit the list of books they read.

The program would NOT have been possible if it weren’t for our fantastic sponsors! These include; Space Aliens, Domino’s, Dave and Busters, Air Maxx, Great River Bowl, Summerland, The Skatin’Place, and Marcus Theatres! It’s great to see local businesses supporting such an awesome and prevalent cause.

We hope to have a great turnout next summer so make sure you keep your eyes peeled this spring for all of the details! 

What’s the buzz about our Reading Bug Program?

Sometimes, getting children to read in the summer can seem impossible, especially in the technology focused time that we live in. There are many benefits to reading outside of the classroom.

Research shows that children who read for pleasure perform better in school. Children who read more than their peers are better spellers and have a more extensive vocabulary. They also get higher scores on the SAT. They get to explore their imagination.

Now that school is out, children have much more free time. Some of that time should be spent reading. Parents are encouraged to make age appropriate books readily available to their kids.

Some ideas of making reading for pleasure more appealing would be putting a basket of books in the car or even reading to their child at infancy. Even after a child can read, it is recommended that parents continue to read to them “out loud.”

Parents should lead by example. If a child sees their parent reading the child is more likely to read. Reading to a child before bedtime will help relax them, leading to a better nights sleep. This summer, take your children to the library or take a “field trip” to a local used bookstore.

Reading is to the mind, what exercise is to the body. This is the summer to shape up. Check out the Infinite Eye Care Reading Bug program. Kids of all ages can sign up, win prizes, and have fun reading throughout the summer. There is a program for all age groups.

Click HERE formore information about our Reading Bug Program.

Click HERE for popular children's books.