Keep Calm and Smile On!

Operation Smile BU opened the semester with promising prospects. We had a number of club fairs lined up and opportunities to speak at other clubs about the cause. Our club gained some strong new freshman leaders and early club meetings had high attendance. We were excited to get back into the swing of things and start planning a big event for the fall. Taking a cue from the success our friends at Operation Smile at Fordham University have had, we had been working on a big "Songs For Smiles" event which would feature acapella groups, a staple of BU club entertainment. In past semesters we had gotten interest from groups to perform but failed to get our act together when it came to navigating the bureaucracy of our Student Activities Office. This semester we tried to learn from our mistakes and focus on cutting through the red tape ahead of time. We put in a lot of time getting the necessary paperwork into the school, but this time the acapella groups were booked up for the fall, despite our best efforts to schedule around their needs. After a lot of concerted effort to make it happen, things fell apart again. This is a frustrating, but not uncommon part of running a club in college.

But that's okay. We decided to keep calm and smile on. We regrouped and searched for new ways to raise funds. Our dedicated Treasurer Kallista Hammer who had spent the most time working on planning the acapella group pulled through yet again and found a donor to enable us to buy t-shirts. We decided we needed a cool design that would sell well, while spreading awareness. We immediately thought of our friends at Operation Smile Wash U. St. Louis. We asked to borrow their design and put it in a fresh new color. We now have great t-shirts available for $10 (+$5 shipping). Email opsmile@bu.edu to order.

Syracuse University: Funk N’ Waffles Benefit, Fall 2012

The Syracuse University Operation Club is fairly new to campus. It was registered with the University in 2009 but has just started to have a presence on campus as of last year. Last year bake sales were held and a few general interest meetings to get the word about this organization. The executive board, which consists of Ashley Winslow, President; Zerina Buljabasic, Vice President; Allison Eimer, Fundraising coordinator; and Jenna Solecki, Treasurer, are striving to get the club recognized on campus and to make a positive impact for children with facial deformities.

On Thursday, September 27^th, the Operation Smile Club at Syracuse University held a benefit at a local restaurant on the SU campus. This event was one of OP@SU’s first big benefits of the school year. The executive board recruited students with comedian and singing skills to perform at the venue. We charged $5 at the door which all went to Operation Smile. The fundraising coordinator, Allison Eimer, who worked extensively to organize this event, contacted the owner of Funk N’ Waffles, the restaurant used, to reserve space for the benefit.  The restaurant’s atmosphere has a chill, artsy vibe to it which created a relaxing evening for the guests attending. They could sit back and relax, with a unique waffle to munch on while enjoying their fellow student’s talent.   The event consisted of three comedians and two musical acts which brought in a great crowd. We had a great turnout, raising over $500! The club just recently has been gaining more recognition on campus and we hope to continue to do so over this academic year.

 -Ashley Winslow, October 16th, 2012