Arnold Family Eye Care

02/15/2026

🩷🙏Today, we say our final farewell to our dear optician, Keri. Rest easy, friend. 🙏🩷

02/11/2026

We don't just check your vision, we check your (eye) health! Call us at 636-200-5008 to schedule your appointment today!

02/06/2026

Arnold Family Eye Care recently lost one of our dear staff members, Keri. Keri was our lead optician and did a great job with our patients. She was a valued team member and friend and we will miss her terribly. If you pray and can keep our staff and Keri's daughters in yours, it would be appreciated.

02/06/2026

Arnold Family Eye Care is hiring! We are looking to add a team member with eye care experience. If that is you, please apply!

Benefits: Paid time off 401(k) 401(k) matching Employee discounts Arnold Family Eye Care would like to add a member to our team. MUST HAVE EYECARE EXPERIENCE. New employee will be cross-trained in different areas of our office, but will start at the front desk in order to learn our computer system a...

01/25/2026

12/29/2025

They say the flu virus is really bad this year. We just installed a Surgically Clean Air filtration system in the office to be sure to protect our staff and patients to the best of our ability. It will capture 99.9% of allergens, odors, dust and pathogens. The good news is, it indicates that our office air is optimal already (blue ring). The better news is, we plan to keep it that way! Stay healthy everyone!

12/25/2025

🎄From the Arnold Family Eye Care team, Merry Christmas! 🎄

12/24/2025

Enjoy the holidays with your family and friends. We will be doing the same. Thank you for your understanding. 🎄

12/20/2025

Heroes are all around. We all need a Mrs. Chen once in a while ❤️

"My daughter came home from school one day and said, “Mom, the lunch lady is so weird. She memorizes everyone’s name by the third day — like, all 600 kids!”

I laughed. Teenagers exaggerate, right?

Then I went to parent-teacher night. I hadn’t eaten, so I stopped by the cafeteria. An older woman with a gray hairnet was cleaning tables when she looked up and said, “You’re Zoe’s mom.”

I froze. “How did you know?”

Without pausing, she replied, “Same eyes. She always sits at table seven. Picks the bruised apples no one wants. Drinks chocolate milk even though she’s lactose intolerant. Hurts herself rather than waste food.”

I just stood there.

Then she started talking — not to me, just... speaking aloud.

“Marcus, table three — his dad left last year. Always takes double servings on Fridays because there’s less food at home. Jennifer counts calories out loud to punish herself. Brett throws away his lunch because kids make fun of the food his mom makes. He’s starving by sixth period. Ashley’s parents are divorcing. She eats in the bathroom to cope.”

I asked, “Why are you telling me this?”

She looked at me and said, “Because you're all here talking about grades. Nobody’s talking about this — about who's eating, who's not, who's hurting.”

I whispered, “What do you do?”

She replied, “I do what I can. I make sure Marcus gets extra servings. I tell Jennifer her calorie counts are wrong so she’ll eat more. I repackage Brett’s food and label it ‘cafeteria leftovers’ so he won’t be teased. I buy Zoe lactose-free chocolate milk with my own money and say we’re testing a new brand.”

I was speechless.

She'd been quietly saving kids for years. Twenty-two, to be exact. Making $14 an hour. No official title. No spotlight. Just quietly saving lives during lunch.

Then she had a stroke. Retired. The school hired someone new — fast, efficient... but didn’t learn names.

Within months, the guidance office was overwhelmed. Kids breaking down. Until one finally said: “Mrs. Chen knew when we were drowning. She threw life preservers disguised as extra tater tots. Now nobody’s watching.”

The school brought her back — part-time. Her new title? “Student Wellness Observer.”

She’s 68 now. Walks with a cane. Can’t carry trays anymore.

But she still memorizes every name by the third day.
Still watches.
Still saves kids — one lunch period at a time. 🥺🍽️

At graduation, my daughter thanked her:

“Some people teach math. Some teach history. Mrs. Chen taught us that being seen is sometimes the only thing standing between surviving and giving up.”

The cafeteria stood up for her.

So yes, maybe the “weird lunch lady” really is the most important person in the building. 💙

Let this story reach more hearts."

Credit: Grace Jenkins — story shared, not owned.

12/17/2025

Today our AFE staff enjoyed our annual Christmas party and day of fun together. After our secret Santa gift exchange this morning, we made chunky blankets, taught by 's Design Farm, and then had lunch at on Main in Columbia, IL. Happy Holidays from all of us. And, thanks for understanding about being closed today!

12/02/2025

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