PINK OUT

Continued from page 12 of Balloon Joy of Southgate donated balloons and a basket with a gift certificate for the raffle.

Anderson player Gabby Jones and Roosevelt’s Aubrey Lyons designed the jerseys, which were ordered and delivered quickly by local vendors.

Dr. Mabry, who lives on Grosse Ile, said she was honored to be selected as the recipient of 70 surgical caps made of fabric, 70 heart pillows that help patients feel more comfortable after surgery and 70 lanyards that are used to assist patients after surgery – all funded by the game’s proceeds.

Anderson assistant coach Dan Neil was especially touched by the announcement that Mabry’s office was chosen to receive the items. Neil’s wife Carol is a breast cancer survivor. Mabry was her surgeon.

“My wife was diagnosed in November 2020,” Neil said. “It was an emotional roller coaster – one of the worst feelings ever. Early detection and mammograms were the key. We can’t preach about it enough.

“She was fortunate that they found it in early stage two during a regular routine checkup. It was cut out by surgery, and she just had radiation after that – and thankfully no chemotherapy.”

Neil had Carol’s name on the back of his shirt.

“My wife was proud to be there,” Neil said. “It was a cool moment. She was over the moon. We know how special Dr. Mabry and her staff are. They’re fantastic people. We can’t thank them enough. We owe my wife’s life to them.”

Anderson senior Hope Solo called the game “a really good experience.” She said she and her teammates “really wanted to do it.” Solo honored her Aunt Cheryl who had undergone breast cancer before she was born.

“It was a really fun game to play,” Solo said. “We’re all super close with the Wyandotte girls and especially since we were fundraising for a good cause. We had no idea the grounds crew was going to pink out the field until we got to the field. That was so special. The bleachers have never been so full. It was a really good experience and it did raise a lot of money.”

Junior teammate Taylor Mydlarz said the game created a lot of energy and said she was glad she pushed for it, especially knowing people who have suffered from breast cancer.

“It’s really a cause I want to fight for,” she said. “I definitely learned that people are willing to help and chip in when it’s a good cause. It really felt like it was a great experience. Everybody was excited.”

Dr. Mabry said breast cancer touches so many people – one in eight women in the United States will get it.

“It’s so common but it can be cured with proper and timely treatment. I would say there is a very effective treatment. If you take everyone with breast cancer, there is an 85-percent cure rate overall. It’s constantly improving. The treatments are improving.”

Mabry said she was proud of the teams that came together for a cause.

“Isn’t this amazing?” she said. “I’m so touched. I can’t even believe it. I’m so happy. We have patients coming in all the time with breast cancer. It can happen to anyone. You can do everything right and still get it or do everything wrong and not get it. We know the risk factors. You see people getting it that you don’t expect to have it and you see people who live and never get it. The element of it is so random. It makes it more frightening and unpredictable.

“Acts of generosity are things that make our community stronger,” she said. “We see a lot of it here, but it’s never just a trivial thing. It’s always a wonderful and important thing to do. You see people stepping outside of their own problems to help somebody else. It makes a wonderful community.”

Roosevelt’s Olson said she and her teammates were “honestly really excited” when Anderson chose them to play in the game.

“Win or lose, everybody wins,” she said.

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Many people - most, perhaps - go to an optometrist, get an eye exam and then follow the lady in the white coat over to the wall of frames and pick out a new set of glasses.

The story ends with the customer paying way more than he or she ever expected.

If that pretty much describes you, Bob Schmittou says there is something you should know: He can save you money, maybe lots of money.

Schmittou, a proud military veteran, owns New Eyes Optical, located on 1616 Ford Avenue, right at 16th Street in Wyandotte.

There are no doctors at New Eyes, just lots of frames and Schmittou, who can get you into fashionable new glasses for a lot less than all of the other chains and franchises out there.

Just bring your eyeglass prescription to him and see what kind of magic he can work for you.

“I am kind of like what the pharmacy is to your doctor,” Schmittou said. “Your doctor writes you a prescription. He doesn’t try to sell you the drugs. You go to the pharmacy. The same is true with us. You bring us a prescription and we will fill it.”

New Eyes Optical does not accept insurance, but their low prices mean that is often not an issue.

Schmittou has been in the eyeglass game for a long time. He enlisted in the Army after graduating from Lincoln Park High School and Uncle Sam sent him to school to learn how to make eyeglasses.

He did that in the Army for nearly four years and then worked for Lenscrafters and for private doctors after that.

In 2012 he opened New Eyes Optical and has been there ever since.

Schmittou said he has over 1,300 frames in his building and can make arrangements to get others if customers come in with a specific brand or style in mind.

For sunglass lovers, Schmittou said he has the largest selection of Ray Ban and Oakley sunglasses in the area.

If you come in, you will deal with Schmittou himself. He and his wife Pam are the only employees. Schmittou does the fitting of the eyewear, and Pam orders frames and keeps the shop looking fresh by arranging the frame displays and decorating.

So, if you are in the market for new glasses, would like a little personal attention and a really low price, give Schmittou a call at 313-587-4204, drop an email at neweyesoptical2012@gmail. com or contact them through their Facebook page, Facebook.com/neweyesoptical.