Hillsborough commissioners also recognize Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of Tampa Bay and numerous County departments
During the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners' October Quarterly Awards Ceremony, the Board presented a proclamation declaring October 2026 as World Sight Month. Preserve Vision Florida Board Chair Kevin Bakewell accepted the proclamation.
According to the World Health Organization, at least 2.2 billion people have a near or distance vision impairment, and at least 1 billion of those cases could have been prevented or are yet to be addressed. One in three children enters school with vision loss, 75% of adults use some type of vision correction, and seniors are at increased risk of falls, social isolation, and depression due to vision issues. Preserve Vision Florida, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit initially established as an affiliate of the National Society to Prevent Blindness, promotes healthy vision through vision health awareness and education for all ages, vision screenings for children and adults, assistance to obtain medical eye care, and advocacy for vision and medical eye care services.
After accepting the proclamation, Bakewell thanked the Board and said that the nonprofit will always be dedicated to helping children and adults see their bright futures.
"Preserve Vision is not just the name of our organization, it's also what we do," he said. "It is a profound service that we provide to those tens of thousands every single year throughout Hillsborough County."
Other recognitions presented during the awards ceremony included:
- A proclamation declaring October 2026 as Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Oct. 24, 2026 as Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Day.
- A prestigious accreditation from the American Public Works Association to Hillsborough County Public Works, Fleet Management, Facilities Management & Real Estate Services, and Solid Waste.
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