LASIk for the Gold Athletes Score 2 More Medals in Vancouver
Yesterday was very successful day for LASIK for the Gold Athletes with two bronze finishes. This has increased our medal count to 3 in the 2010 winter games! Hopefully there is more to come...
Katherine Reutter was part of the 3000m women's relay that captured the bronze medal.
LASIK for the Gold's Erin Pac teamed with Elana Meyers to take the Bronze Medal in women's 2 Bobsled. It was the first medal for the US in a sliding event in this year's games!
In other news, there were 2 more stories this week about our LASIK for the Gold Program:
Sports Business Daily:
Published February 24, 2010
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| Reutter Hoping To Win Her First Olympic Medal In Today's 3000m Short-Track Relay Event |
U.S. speedskater Katherine Reutter heads into today’s 3000m short-track relay event hoping to win her first Olympic medal of the Vancouver Games. The 21-year-old burst onto the national scene in December after an appearance on Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report.” Reutter has been a vocal supporter of the “Colbert Nation” initiative, which has raised $300,000 to sponsor U.S. Speedskating. Reutter’s profile continued to expand leading up to the Olympics after appearing on NBC’s “Today” show and riding on a float in this year’s Rose Parade. Chicago Sports & Entertainment Partners’ Patrick Quinn, Reutter’s agent, noted Reutter’s highest-profile sponsor currently is Verizon. She is featured in commercials with Bonnie Blair and in Web promos for the company, but those will not be seen during the Games due to the IOC’s rule 41, which prohibits non-Olympic sponsors from activating between February 4-March 3.
EYES ON THE PRIZE: Some of Reutter’s endorsements are outside-the-box, such as her deal with New Jersey-based Eyecare 20/20 and the Champaign, Illinois, Police Department. Reutter’s deal with the Champaign Police includes promoting the department’s “Cops for Kids” program, which provides children with the opportunity to interact with police officers in a positive atmosphere. The initiative is displayed on Reutter’s suit during competitions as well as on her Web site. Eyecare 20/20’s Dr. Cary Silverman decided to sponsor Reutter last year after he was approached by Quinn. Silverman noted he is not doing any marketing campaigns with Reutter but she, along with 10 other Olympians, is featured on the company's Web site and Facebook page. As part of the sponsorship, Silverman provided Reutter with free Lasik eye surgery and flew her to and from his office for the procedure. Silverman: “It gives my practice some credibility, word of mouth. ... We’ll definitely be getting more exposure than a small practice in New Jersey ever could get.”
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SPONSOR
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SINCE
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Verizon
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'09
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Eyecare 20/20
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'09
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Nike
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'08
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| Oakley |
08
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| Bioenergy Life Science, Inc. |
'08
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| Champaign, Illinois, Police Dept. |
'08
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PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE: Quinn is optimistic companies will soon bring Reutter on board for future deals. “A lot of people have compared Katherine to Bonnie Blair. They’re actually from the same hometown. Here’s this Midwestern wholesome girl. .. I wish we had more athletes like her. She’s so personable and good with the media. There aren’t too many products that I don’t think she’d be a fit for.” Quinn noted there are three areas where Reutter could really connect with sponsors. “She’s a home run for any healthy eating company because she is a very clean eater, more than probably any other athlete I’ve ever seen. She’s also very green and very much into the environment.” He added that she is “very much into style” and would be a natural for companies that want that “image of a young, healthy, vibrant girl.” Quinn noted that Reutter aspires to a career in health, fitness and nutrition once her athletic career is complete. He added that she “would love” to be featured in a fashion or style magazine once the Olympics are wrapped.
Vitals.com:
Katherine Reutter (eyecare2020.com)
What is Olympic Vision? It’s the free Lasik procedures given to Team USA members by Dr. Cary Silverman, a Lasik eye surgeon in East Hannover, N.J. whose unique version of getting into the Winter Olympic spirit was to offer free procedures to Team USA members. Katherine Reutter, a 21-year-old short-track speedskater was one of those with terrible vision and living on the ice financially. Dr. Silverman noted that “Katherine had terrible vision and that she was a wonderful candidate for the procedure because of how bad her vision was and it was great to help her out.
Here is a partial list of Team USA athletes who had been given Olympic Vision by Dr. Silverman
Chad Hedrick (speedskating) – Hedrick will square off against fellow American Shani Davis in the 1500 meters at this year’s Games.
Curt Tomasevicz (bobsled) – A pusher behind U.S. driver Steve Holcomb in Team USA’s number one sled, the “Night Train,” Tomasevicz and his teammates are on the podium more often than they are off of it.
Erin Pac (bobsled) – Long since considered “likely to make the Olympic Team,” Pac has recently shown that simply getting to the Olympics isn’t good enough. A World Cup bronze medal in Salt Lake City in November turned heads on the international bobsled circuit and marked Pac as someone to keep an eye on in Vancouver. She currently holds a 5th place ranking in the overall World Cup standings.
Molly Engstrom (hockey) – Highly likely to do battle with the host Canadian team with gold medals on the line.
Dan Joye (luge) – Joye, who is part of the doubles luge team of Niccum & Joye is part of the number one ranked US sled.
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