BU: Awareness Booth and Guest Speaker

At the beginning of December 2011, BU's club made a big last push of the semester. We went out of our way and made sure we got the best possible spot at our student union so we could host a What Makes Me Smile awareness booth. We asked students to stop by, share a what makes them smile and have them take pictures next to an Operation Smile poster. It was a simple way to get new people interested in the cause. Often tables at our student union hound students to buy something or sign up for events. We went with a different strategy to just focus on awareness. Now a bunch of students are now reppin' Op Smile in tagged pictures on Facebook--after we got them to join our club Facebook group of course!

Club treasurer Shalika Mathan and club member Jeanelle Uy share what makes them smile.

On the same day, Operation Smile hosted a guest speaker  Glenn S. Bacon, DO, FAAP, a board certified anesthesiologist, came to campus to discuss his experience as a medical professional. Educated at the US Naval Academy and Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Glenn Bacon has significant experience working around the world with the US Navy and volunteering with Operation Smile. Since 1991 he has been on ten medical missions, where he worked as an anesthesiologist to assist in surgeries to correct facial deformities such as cleft lips and cleft palates. As a member of the Operation Smile Speakers Bureau, he shared his unique first hand perspective with the organization. We worked to gain advertisement from Pre-Med Soceity, Pre-Dental Society and the Pre-Professional Offices by marketing the event as "a great opportunity to hear about how medical professionals can make a difference in the world after graduation." Consequently the event was a success and we drew in a number of new people to learn about the cause. If you're hosting a guest speaker, remember to give him or her a speakers gift as thanks. We gave our speaker a BU coffee mug and club T-shirt--a simple but effective way to express our club's appreciation for his time and efforts.

Fordham: Songs For Smiles, Fall 2011

    On this past November 29th, the Operation Smile Club at Fordham University held its third “Songs for Smiles” benefit; an on-campus event which features live performances by talented bands and individuals, delicious catered food, raffle giveaways, and t-shirt decorating. Like the club’s last fundraiser, which was record breaking in terms of attendance and support, this Songs for Smiles was also extremely successful. The event’s turn out was fantastic, and all of the performers were exceptionally talented. Also, this year’s raffle was a big hit. Thanks to appealing prizes donated from various businesses such as Starbucks, Apple, and Equinox, students clamored over the raffle stand where they continued to help raise funds by purchasing $1 raffle tickets. Though, of course, the fall 2011 Songs for Smiles was not merely fun and games, as I’m sure you’re all aware of how hard it is to plan and facilitate a fundraiser. 

Fordham Club Members Nikki and Christina work the raffle.

    Like our previous on-campus events, this fundraiser required a great deal of preparation. I had mentioned in my update for Fordham’s second Songs for Smiles event that the planning and entire procedure of the event was considered one of the “hardest” experiences endured during my first year in the club. This was certainly true this time around, especially now that our leader Eliza Boggia had graduated and it was up to myself, as her primary replacement, to carry on her legacy. Therefore I gathered all of the valuable information Eliza had taught me last year and commenced the daunting planning process for the event. At our weekly meetings, myself and the rest of the club figured out the basics such as the best possible date for the event and its location. We decided on the school’s atrium, which, as you can see in the pictures, is a beautiful glass dome like space that projects into the campus courtyard. The next step was to submit our decisions through 408, Fordham’s designated office for student affairs and organizations, in order to get everything approved. And, similarly to the preparation necessary for the past events, numerous hours were spent in 408, whether it was ordering the decorations and food, meeting with the head of student affairs, or going over our approved budget. The next step was to secure talent for the event. Fortunately, several Songs for Smiles veterans were available to perform again, and additionally, members of the club reached out to performers they knew. Consequently, there were many new performers at the event, all of which surprised and pleased the crowd with their talent. Another way in which many club members helped out was through the acquiring of raffle items. At our previous on-campus events, we had always just raffled off some of the items that we were selling at the event, such as records or t-shirts. This was the first time in which we had actually gone to nearby stores within the city to ask for donations. Luckily, our neighborhood businesses were very generous, and before we knew it, we had gotten raffle items such as $100 Bed Bath & Beyond gift cards, free movie passes, Starbucks gift cards, L’Occitane products, and more. 

     Everything seemed to be in place, and all of the sudden it was November 29th and the club was all gathered to set up and make the atrium all pretty and decorated for the event. Once the momentary crisis of constructing the drum set was fixed, and the space was properly set up, guests started pouring into the space. As I have previously mentioned, the turn out was fantastic, ultimately contributing to the amazing amount of money we raised. Through the suggested donations at the door and the purchasing of raffle tickets, we received $500 in cash! Then, after being combined with numerous checks from patrons, that amount quadrupled to almost $2,000. That’s enough to pay for eight children to receive surgery! 
This Songs for Smiles was not only special in its profit and all around success, but also in the fact that Operation Smile student volunteers throughout the region came together to work on and attend this event. Months before the event I had met with college council member James Reid to discuss the event. It was James to put me in touch with Rose Massett, a very involved Operation Smile volunteer from Malibu who had just begun her freshman year at NYU. Rose ended up coming to our weekly club meetings and helped tremendously not only in terms of preparation for the event, but also running the event the day of. Furthermore, Samantha DeVito, who was actually my team leader during the 2011 Beijing ISCE, and has remained my good friend ever since, was nice enough to take the train from her school in upstate NY down to the city just so she could attend the event! Fordham’s Songs for Smiles event not only raised funds and awareness for our charity, but also brought together student volunteers to share their passion and love for Operation Smile.

Fordham President Dan Dalena and former Executive Leadership Council Member Sam DeVito

 Left to right: Fordham Co-President, Julia Tomasek, Former Fordham President and Founder Eliza Boggia, Former Executive Leadership Council member Sam DeVito, and Fordham Co-President Dan Dalena

Daniel Dalena

President

Operation Smile at Fordham University

Hamilton College Fall 2011 Update

My name is Daniel Lichtenauer, and I am a sophomore at Hamilton College and the National Chapter Correspondent for the Hamilton College Chapter of Operation Smile.  We believe it is very important to keep in regular communication with our members, advisors, and regional chapter organizers to provide updates on our chapter’s progress and to ensure a mutually beneficial relationship between everyone involved with this worthy cause. As Operation Smile is a new organization to Hamilton College, it is with great pleasure that I report of our chapter’s success thus far and our plans for the future.

The Hamilton College Chapter has come a long way since registering with Operation Smile on August 29^th, 2011. A base of supporters was established via Facebook, and was increased drastically after members manned a table at our campus open house in the beginning of September. There, students can learn about clubs on campus and sign up for those they find appealing. Our table was very successful- over eighty students signed up!

Our first meeting on September 7^th was aimed at informing new members of Operation Smile’s mission and goals. Just a few days later, Hamilton Student Activities Board approved the Hamilton Chapter and elections for executive board positions were held. The founders of the Hamilton Chapter, Kara Shannon, ’14, and Leah Krause, ’14, were already established as Co-Presidents, both clearly passionate for the cause. McKenzie Foster, ’14, was elected to Vice President for her outstanding previous involvement and leadership with Operation Smile and other non-profit organizations. Experienced in the management of funds, Amanda Ng, ’14, was elected to Treasurer. Samantha Otis, ’14, an organized and dedicated member of Operation Smile, was elected to the position of Secretary. Isabelle Tan, ’14, was elected to be the Chapter Communications Director for her knowledge of and previous successes with social media. Ren Stern, ’13, a strong communicator and enthusiastic member of Hamilton Operation Smile, was elected for the position of Community Outreach Director. A few weeks later, I was asked by the then established executive board to join them as National Chapter Correspondent based on my previous leadership experience with non-profit organizations.

On September 22^nd a fundraising page through First Giving was opened, gaining over $350 before the end of its first day online. Three days later, the $1,000 mark was reached, an astounding accomplishment for such a new club to achieve in only four day’s time. Our first awareness event, entitled “What makes you smile?” successfully spread the Organization’s message through allowing students to write what made them show their pearly whites on a poster, which was then displayed in a high-traffic area on campus. Members from our chapter took shifts by the poster to inform and answer the questions of the many students who participated in the activity. This allowed the campus community to really understand how much makes them smile, and that for a trivial cost, those unable to afford surgery can have their cleft palates repaired, able to smile at the things that make them happy without shame.

                 

                           Co-President Leah Krause answers questions at the “what makes

you smile?” poster.

On October 29^th our chapter held a Halloween-themed bake sale fundraiser, headed by the enthusiastic efforts of freshmen Ashley Carducci and Deanna Cho. The success of this event was an example of the Co-President’s effective management strategy, wherein any member of the chapter has the ability to form a committee to accomplish goals they feel particularly passionate about. This ensures the quality of our events and the enthusiasm of involved members.

           

     

Co-President Kara Shannon and involved members Ashley Carducci

and Deanna Cho man the bake sale table.

We have several ambitious plans for next semester focusing equally on fundraising and awareness, including a fundraiser concert by The Girls Can Hear Us, an up and coming house music artist. Also planned for next semester is a day without smiles, where faculty and students can volunteer to keep a straight face all day, followed that evening by a comedy show where smiles will be very much allowed. This will show our campus community that even the ability to smile can be taken for granted, and that we can do something to help those less fortunate than we. Also in the developmental stages are plans to host a guest speaker and to hold candy-gram fundraisers.

            Overall, the Hamilton College chapter has had an incredibly successful start, and looks forward to an even more successful future. Our chapter is composed of extremely passionate individuals with the intelligence and focus to greatly contribute to the mission of Operation Smile. 

Daniel O’Brien Lichtenauer

Hamilton College, ‘14

Nat’l. Chapter Correspondent, HCOS

dlichten@hamilton.edu

BU: Franklin Park Zoo Halloween

In the beginning of November Operation Smile at Boston University volunteered at the Zoo Howl at Franklin Park Zoo. Volunteers dressed up in costumes and helped with a variety of activities around the park. Some of us handed out candy to children at stations next to animal exhibits. Other volunteers helped out with a haunted maze. After the event, volunteers helped the zoo staff clean up the park. This event allowed our club to interact with and give back to people in our own community, while spreading awareness about Operation Smile in the Boston area.


So why is this relevant to Operation Smile Student Programs?
           OS BU works to spread awareness, educate children, and promote philanthropy. Operation Smile BU also got to bond as a club, helping us to work more effectively on future initiatives. Sometimes it's especially difficult to raise funds in a college setting. by working on other volunteer opportunities, students can learn how they can be the change they want to see in the world, no matter what. 

BU: Giving Presentations and Creating Partnerships

In October, BU has been particularly focused on spreading awareness and establishing partnerships. We have spoken at Pre-dental and Pre-med society meetings. We have also spoken to a large cultural club called Alizana Latina. We are trying to set up relationships where we can easily spread the word to large numbers of dedicated leaders in the school.

This month I put together a presentation that allows all club members to give presentations on their own. The presentation is designed to provide basic information about Operation Smile, BU's club structure, and opportunities in the region and around the world. The presentation can be found on the University section of OS Central. Please feel free to use and adapt it as you see fit.

BU: Making Strides

This Sunday Boston University's Operation Smile club did our part to help out The American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk.  The event is a massive undertaking that usually raises 3 million dollars in the Boston area alone. Since the organization, like Op Smile, only employs a small staff, they rely on student volunteers to make the event happen. A week before the event we attended a training session to learn about the cause and understand our role. On the day of the walk we met up on campus at 6am (an accomplishment for any college student on a Sunday) and headed out to the walk. We were then placed in assigned roles working to register participants and collect literally hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations. We got to talk to individuals, families and teams that were all rallying around a cause they believed in. It was inspiring to see how much money these people raised from their friends and families and how much dedication they had to philanthropy.

Although the event was not directly related to Operation Smile, we were able to serve our community, bond a club, and build leadership skills. Boston University provides the majority of student volunteers for the event, so we were proud to help our school be the change we want to see in the world.
Op Smile at BU had the chance to assist a highly successful event and consequently gained skills to put on similar events in the future.

Breast cancer is one of the most visible causes in America. Organizations like The American Cancer Society and Susan G. Komen spread awareness on an amazing scale in campaigns ranging from relatively simple charity walks to the lids on your yogurt, from claiming the entire month of October to decking out NFL teams in pink gear.  There will always be great causes to fight for. Each cause is backed by passionate individuals who are making a positive impact in the world. It seems incredibly clear that breast cancer organizations have put their issues to the forefront of the American consciousness. There is something that we as Operation Smile volunteers and as leaders can learn from their passion and striking ability to share their cause.

Like cancer, a facial deformity, such as a cleft lip or cleft palate has a profound impact on individuals, families, and societies as a whole. We quickly learned that breast cancer gains so much awareness because organizations tap into that sense of community.  It was amazing to see thousands of people from all different walks of life come together to support someone they knew.  These organizations think big, uniting supporters under one national campaign. What international campaign can we work on together?

In order to spread more awareness about Operation Smile, we need to develop the public's understanding of how facial deformities affect communities and impact everyone. Fortunately the concept of "community"has grown beyond our neighborhoods to include the entire world. In an increasingly globalized world, one can not help but feel that we are all connected--especially through the universal language of a smile. Although our nation is blessed with better nutrition, advanced pre-natal care, more economic oppirtunity, and skilled medical professionals, most of the world is not as lucky and thus have higher rates of facial deformities. Co-founder of Operation Smile, Dr. Bill Magee, often states that if the hand of fate were to roll the dice again, the overwhelming odds would be that we would be that child picking rice for his family, struggling to make ends meet. So how can we show that a child with a facial deformity in Ethiopia is just as important as a child around the corner?


Operation Smile at BU had an amazing time at the Making Strides walk. We felt proud of our ability to help others and grateful for the lessons learned at the event. Hopefully we can work together to come up with new ways to spread awareness and make a difference in the world.

Boston University September 2011 Update

This month has been a very productive month for Operation Smile BU. Since most of our leadership board graduated in the spring we first had to deal with getting everything back together. Realizing the potential for our club to collapse we tried to anticipate the change in leadership by selecting and training a whole new board in the spring. At the beginning of the year we made sure to re-register our club We re-registered out club with BU and Operation Smile (register online here). We also made sure to check in with our activities office and make sure we had an up to date understanding of how to plan events and request allocations.

We made a big push to as much as the incoming freshman as we could. The most passionate and dedicated members usually start young, so get them while they are fresh. We set up awareness booths at a general freshman club fair, a fall club expo and a pre-health club fair. It's important to look into these fairs in the spring or over the summer, since registration usually closes before you can get yourself together in the fall.  We prepared ahead of time and made sure our booths had a clear banner (donated by a local business a few years ago) and were fully stocked with OP Smile merchandise, such as brochures, bracelets and temporary tattoos. We also sold our Op Smile club shirts that can be found and ordered on our club website. The booths were really successful. We ended up growing our email list by about fifty percent.  If you're interested in getting operation smile merchandise, email me at jamesonreid@gmail.com. A lot of emails doesn't necessarily translate into a lot of club members, but it certainly gives a broader range of people to get involved when they can.

We had our first meeting of the year where we introduced club members to Operation Smile through a mission presentation, outlined our club goals, and talked about our upcoming events. We also introduced the structure of our club. In an effort to empower general club memebers to take an active role in planning, we have fundraising, community service, and PR committees. Each committee is led by a separate "chair" that is present at all leadership board meetings and directs the focus of the group. This way students who are not on the e-board can work to develop a fundraiser idea, set up a community service event, or create a new way to spread awareness.

In an effort to lock in the students who attended the first meeting, we planned our first event over the summer. We volunteered at a MitoAction 5k charity run. MitoAction is a non-profit organization that helps people, especially children, dealing with mitochondrial disease. We worked to set up, to run  children's booths, and to clean up the event. MitoAction raised over 95 thousand dollars by the end of the day. The event allowed club members to educate youth, spread awareness about our own cause, bond club members, build leadership skills, be involved directly in the service of others, and see a new part of Boston.

Academy of Holy Angels: Spring 2011

This past spring was filled with Operation Smile events at the Academy of the Holy Angels (an all-girls Catholic school in Demarest, NJ).  We had our largest Comedy Night to date, as well as a Cupcake Contest, Dress-Down Day, and What Makes Me Smile awareness poster.  On March 18, comics from a local comedy club performed stand-up comedy in our school auditorium and kept everyone laughing the whole time.  They were generous enough to perform at an extremely discounted rate (less than 50% of what they usually charge), which greatly contributed to the success of the event.  Overall, this event raised over $3,500 for Operation Smile.  We couldn’t be happier!  In addition to ticket sales, a lot of them money we raised came from raffle ticket sales.  We had items donated from Saks Fifth Avenue (who we had partnered with earlier in the year for a shopping event), a local spa, a jewelry store, and much more.  The last time my school held this event, it wasn’t nearly as successful.  We are thrilled to see how much our club is grown and look for great things in the future! 

Throughout the year, bake sales are always very successful fundraisers for us.  For our spring bake sale, we decided to do a Cupcake Contest.  It was an easy way to reinvent a simple fundraiser, and we raised over $300.  We also had our annual Dress-Down Day, where students that pay $3 do not have to wear their uniform to school.  Due to some scheduling conflicts, we did not get the support we wanted, but we still managed to raise over $600.  Most Dress-Down Days raise closer to $1,000, but it was one small set-back in a really great spring.

For our spring awareness event, we hung up a blank poster on our Operation Smile bulletin board that said “What makes you smile?” across the top.  We also hung a marker next to the poster, so girls could write what made them smile as they were walking from class to class.  Within three days, the entire poster was filled up!  It was a great way to keep people thinking about Operation Smile and give them something to smile about.  Overall, Spring 2011 was a great semester for Holy Angels Operation Smile.  Next year’s executive board is now in place, and they will be able to lead the club to bigger and better things. 

Fordham University: Songs For Smiles

During the Fall 2010 semester, the Operation Smile Club at Fordham University held its first ever Songs for Smiles event. Featuring live performances from talented bands and individuals, tables that sold hundreds of CDs and various apparel, delicious catered food, and a raffle, the premier Songs for Smiles event was extremely successful; boasting a record-breaking attendance and raising enough money for two children to receive constructive surgery. This was also the first time that I got to really work with the whole club on a project, and because of that I felt as if I, entering the club as a freshman that didn’t really know anyone, had grown closer to my fellow members and further established myself within the club. The event was not only a profitable fundraiser, but also a bonding experience. Because of these reasons, the Fordham Operation Smile team and myself immediately and unanimously decided that hosting a second Songs for Smiles event would be a must during the Spring 2011 semester.

Like the first event, the Spring Songs for Smiles required a great deal of preparation, involvement, and dedication from everyone in the club. During one meeting months before the date of the event, myself and the rest of the club were split up into various committees, such as talent, which would recruit and organize a list of performers, and food, which would decide what food should be served at the event and then order it. As the committees began their work and found themselves closer and closer to the date of the event, we realized that we still had so much to do. Planning an on-campus event is no easy task, and while we had finally secured a location for Songs for Smiles, we still had to finalize our budget, appeal for that budget, and order party favors and the food. Consequently, our president Eliza Boggia, treasurer-to-be Linda Popowytsch, and myself spent numerous hours for the next few weeks in 408; our school’s designated office for student affairs and organizations. Here we developed and submitted our budget, chose and ordered the food and party decorations, and met with the head of student affairs to discuss various concerns. I had previously mentioned that the Senior Smile event was my most “rewarding” experience so far with the Operation Smile Club at Fordham, however the entire procedure of the second Songs for Smiles event was certainly the hardest and most difficult. While the hours spent in 408 were long, I am quite grateful for them because, in a way, they prepared me so much for the work I will be doing throughout the next few years as co-president. After this “hard part” was finished, we all grew more excited for the event, and before we knew it, it was May 4th and most of the club was congregating at 4 pm in our school atrium to commence the set up process. Once the stage had been properly set up, balloons blown up and scattered amongst the atrium, Christmas lights strewn across the ceiling and wrapped around pillars, tables decorated, and the buffet prepared, the club was in relief and was ready to enjoy the event. Throughout the night, as the nearby Empire State Building was lit up blue in honor of Operation Smile, students and guests listened to awesome live performances, decorated white t-shirts that were to be given to Operation Smile patients, browsed CDs, records, and apparel for sale, helped themselves to dinner and dessert from the buffet, and enjoyed a wonderful multi-media presentation by our president Eliza Boggia that covered her mission trip with Operation Smile to Bangladesh. Like the first Songs for Smiles, this one was extremely successful, and we raised over $1,000! Each surgery costs $240, so that’s enough to pay for at least four children to receive surgery! Fordham University has only begun to help Operation Smile by raising awareness and funds with its Songs for Smiles events, which myself and the rest of the club definitely plan to continue every semester.

Fordham University: Senior Smile Collection Event

Both retired NBA player John Salley and philanthropic financier Donald Trump Jr. slowly paced the stage of the posh Cipriani Wall Street venue, microphones in hands, as they facilitated an auction and persuaded guests to donate thousands of dollars to Operation Smile, which was hosting its annual Senior Smile event that evening on May 5^th, 2011. This was, of course, the whole point of the beautifully orchestrated event, which every year not only brings further awareness, but also millions of dollars to an amazing cause. John Salley was all too familiar with this important goal, and joked to the audience that they should “keep drinking” so that they will end up donating more than they had planned. Glamorous and, fortunately, generous guests laughed at such rehearsed jokes as they reached into their wallets and grabbed their checkbooks while others quickly filled out auction cards that had been placed throughout their tables. That was where I, along with approximately fifteen other Fordham University volunteers, came in and commenced our significant roles in the process. Our task was to record and then collect these numerous donations from our assigned tables so that they could ultimately be accounted for. Therefore, after the auction had finished and guests left their tables to leave the event or continue the celebration at the after-party, the results of the auction were put together and then organized by myself and the rest of the Fordham Operation Smile team. As usual, our founder, leader, and president Eliza Boggia took initiative and made sure that every donation was properly accounted for. “We gotta get this done, guys” was a phrase I recall hearing often. Despite the colossal number of donation cards and the seemingly infinite pages of guest lists, we finished the job, successfully recording each donation and its according patron. However, this was certainly not the only task that we tackled. Although more was asked of us at the smaller Junior Smile event, which was previously blogged about by Operation Smile Club at Boston University president James Reid, the Fordham University volunteers and myself helped assist the organization of the event and served as right hands for the head employees of the Operation Smile New York offices.

           

            Hi, my name is Daniel Dalena, and next year I will be a sophomore at Fordham University and  co-president of the school’s Operation Smile club. While I have only worked with the club for a year, I can absolutely testify that the Senior Smile event described above was the most pleasing and rewarding experience I have endured with the club so far. Behind the almost blinding glitz and glamour of the luxurious setting and guests, whom consist of the occasional celebrity, I was able to witness a monumental and wonderful moment that not only exhibits the driving force behind such non-profit charities such as Operation Smile, but also left me grinning like an idiot as I watched John Salley and Donald Trump Jr. joke on stage while simultaneously raising hundreds of thousands of dollars. It is the funds raised at benefits like the Senior Smile event that allow Operation Smile to forever change the lives of over 150,000 children and young adults in more than sixty countries across the globe. To take part in this event was an honor, and I am incredibly grateful and excited that I will be provided the privilege of doing so again for the next several years with the Operation Smile club at Fordham University. 

U-Voice Bangladesh 2011: Eliza Boggia

At the beginning of this year, Operation Smile at Fordham University founder and president, Eliza Boggia, packed her bag and headed off to pilot the first U-Voice University Student Mission. Eliza went through an rigorous application process, received online training and joined one of the first Operation Smile Medical Missions in Bangladesh. Her job was to record the stories of the many patients and families whose lives were changed by the organization. Her insights not only paved the way for future university student involvement but also provided organization with touching stories to spread awareness and touch the hearts of thousands of Operation Smile supporters. Co-founder of Operation Smile Bill Magee always says, "Reason leads to conclusions, but emotions lead to action." Statistics of how many children are born with facial deformities can only do so much to inspire others. By looking into the lives of individuals, Operation Smile can show others how vital these surgeries really are. It's hard to imagine what life would be like without the ability to eat, speak, or smile like everyone else. Eliza recorded precious stories about the struggles these patients faced after surgery and how their lives were dramatically changed after surgery. Her role as a photo journalist is crucial to the long term success of the organization. We are proud to say that the Northeast region has produced such a strong leader, and we are excited to see how the new mission initiative progresses to include new applicants.

For a closer look at Eliza's stories, check out her club blog Fordham Smiles

Boston University: Park Clean Up

This Saturday morning, Operation Smile at Boston University worked to clean up a local park. Although Operation Smile is primarily committed to raising money and awareness to provide surgeries for children with facial deformities, the organization fully supports community service. Student Programs is focused on creating a generation of leaders who are committed to service both locally and abroad.
 
We got up early and headed together to Ringer Park in Allston, a nearby neighborhood where many BU students work, live, and play. Working in conjunction with The Parents and Community Build Group, Inc. and the Ringer Park Partnership Group, our club worked to pick up trash, sweep sidewalks, rake and bag leaves, plant flowers, and clean debris. This was an oppirtunity for club members to get to know each other, spread awareness, and give back to our community. We were given tools and a list of instructions, and given freedom to clean up the park when and where we could. This project really showed us easy it was to volunteer. Unlike fundraisers or regular awareness events, we could easily join onto an existing organization to make a difference. Check out what you can do in your community! It was fun to meet and share stories with other passionate young volunteers who were eager to clean up a park they have lived by for years. We left feeling like we made a difference and excited to tackle another community service event next semester.

Boston University Spring 2011

Like Holy Cross, BU has been going through a major officer transition. Since everyone but the Fundraising Chair is graduating. We ended the fall semester with an election to choose a new group of officers. This new board has been working in conjunction with the current board to learn the ropes. Since it's often difficult to include the whole club, OSBU adopted a new committee system. Each of the officers is assigned to either Fundraising, PR, or Community Service. Each committee meets in small groups and then works with the others to make the idea happen. For example, Fundraising Committee would come up with an idea for a bake sale and then work with PR to develop strategies to promote it. This system has worked very well, but since we are admittedly struggling with dwindling club participation we've put this system on the back burner.

Since we've been struggling to get people to come to meetings and stay involved, we've been working on a PR Blitz where we created an Operation Smile BU Website, revitalized our facebook group, created a twitter (with limited success), and worked to make our e-mails more to the point. We also created t-shirts. They are simple "I <3 Op :)" T-shirts that can easily be marketed to other clubs. These orders have been facilitated by our website order form. Check them out and let us know if your club is interested! Shirts are only $10 + shipping.  So far the shirts have raised about $200.

We've had two Bake Sales this semester which have raised a modest $100. While they have not been huge events, they reflect BU's current ability. We are working with what resources we have to mobilize what volunteers we have, so overall these have been successful events. Our most recent Bake Sale took on a new marketing strategy strategy to fight off the ever present challenge of collegiate apathy. Sometimes being a charity in a college setting doesn't get the attention it deserves. In order to ramp up awareness, BU Op Smile playfully put the Baked Sale on 4/20, a big pop culture "holiday." While the event was kept entirely legal and P.G., the event proved that working with your audience  pays off. BU Operation Smile friends and supporters at the University of New Mexico adopted the same idea, showing that this was a fun and easy way to raise awarenes and money that can easily be adapted anywhere.

BU has also been working to drum up community service. With a new Community Service Chair, we have been able to get involved with a Children's Book Drive. This month we will also work as a team to help clean up a local park. This will stimulate team bonding and let us spread awareness while making an impact in our neighborhood. Both of these opportunities were through contacts with the BU Community service club. Check out what clubs you can work with at your school!

BU sent two students, next year's president James Reid and vice president Shannon Kiang, to help Fordham University and OS staff with the Junior Smile Collection Event in NYC. While this meant a little out of pocket expense for the travelers, the two had an amazing oppirtunity to be involved in one of Student Program's biggest events. This was also a great chance for BU officers to observe and connect with Fordham's amazing club. It is incredibly important to communicate between clubs. Since BU has already worked with Fordham on a benefit dinner and auction fall semester with Lexington High, the Junior Smile Event was just another way of solidifying our already strong relationship. Fordham proved to be an inspiring example of how a club can become incredibly strong in just a very short period of time.

Over spring break 2011, Operation Smile BU exhibited it's ability to directly effect the lives of others around the world. James Reid was chosen to pilot a type of college mission with Operation Smile University Program's new "U-Lead" initiative. With the help and support of BU's club, Jennifer Mings (University of Arizona), Danielle Rivera (St. Edward's University) and Megan Lloyd (University of New Mexico), James spent three months planing and eventually leading a three day student leadership conference for about 50 participants in Panama City, Panama over spring break. These university students worked together to create and arrange every detail of the conference from scratch on the other side of the hemisphere. Team Panama did  everything from composing student manuals to designing t-shirts, from arranging guest speakers to planning schedules and service projects with the support of their college clubs.  The conference focused on "Creating Waves of Change" and giving students the skills to inspire others in a ripple effect. The U-Lead conference taught Panamanian student volunteers about the organization, leadership skills, and the educational modals to teach to children on in-country medical missions. Students were given the ability to teach the impoverished people of Panama about nutrition and dental hygiene and even had a chance to practice their skills in a hospital. While many children are waiting to receive surgeries on medical missions, Operation Smile student volunteers play an important role by teaching basic health information to families. The conference was designed to empower Panamanian student leaders to get involved int he education of their own people. At end of the conference students exhibited their dedication to service, education, awareness and leadership as they spoke to children and mothers in one of the biggest children's hospitals in the city.

About 50 students from a broad range of Panamanian society attended the conference. Dedicated local leaders like Roberto Zuniga, Ana Isabel Correa, Maria Fernanda Roa helped make the conference a success by inspiring their peers with their passion and experience. Students from the American Balboa High School like club founder and president Conrad Frey left motivated and eager to spread involvement. Students from the Panamerican School like Arantxa Ceja and Juan Diego Vasquez left excited to see what they could to to help the upcoming medical missions in Panama and start new clubs. Overall the event was a huge success, paving the way for future international mission opportunities for American university students. This event also spoke to the dedication and coordination of Operation Smile BU, which played a key part in developing and implementing a pilot program with almost no direct involvement from the international organization.

For more information of the U-Lead Mission experience, check out the U-Lead Panama 2011 Blog.

Fordham University: Junior Smile Collection Event

Hi!
My name is James Reid. I am a sophomore at Boston University and an avid supporter of Operation Smile. I am currently a member of Operation Smile’s College Council. It’s my role to grow and support university involvement at a local, regional, and international level. Less than two years ago, I learned that Eliza Boggia, now founder and president of Operation Smile at Fordham University, was interested in starting an Operation Smile club. Currently a senior, she saw this as an opportunity to leave a mark on her a school, a chance to make a positive impact both locally and internationally. I did what I could to offer advice on how to start a club, but in the end it came down to Eliza’s passion and dedication to a cause she loved. In about a year and a half, Eliza has mobilized an amazing group of students into forming an extremely impressive college club. All too often, students are stricken with collegiate apathy. Students who are involved in high school quickly lose focus and stop caring about helping others, so forming a successful club at a university level is no small feat.

For two years Fordham University’s club has been involved with two of Operation Smile’s biggest fundraising events, the Junior Smile Event and the Senior Smile event. The Junior Smile Collection Event is a formal benefit dinner, auction, and fashion show organized by high school volunteers who are on a selective committee. These are massive collection events that draw out some of New York’s most generous supporters. Both events raise literally hundreds of thousands of dollars for Operation Smile. When you think about how a surgery only costs $240, that’s a big deal! Fordham University has played a key role in making these events a success. This year Fordham’s club extended a generous offer to my club. Since many student volunteers in the area are vying to be involved in these glamorous events, it was honored when Fordham asked if two of our club members wanted to be involved.

OS at BU Vice President Shannon Kiang and I took a long weekend and headed down to New York to help with the Junior Smile Collection Event. Luckily I arrived on Thursday to be a part of Fordham University’s general club meeting. From the moment I walked in the door, I was blown away by the number of students eager to be involved. I know from personal experience that most clubs have a difficult time getting people to attend meetings and volunteer to take on responsibility, but not at Fordham! Students were circled around raising their hands, willing and able to do what they could to help the organization. While Eliza Boggia is undoubtedly a natural leader that has pushed this club into being an incredibly strong club, it was immediately evident that this club was full of many dedicated and passionate students that will only make the club even better over time.

The next day Fordham University took charge of a massive event. The Junior Smile Collection event took place at an amazing venue called Espace in Midtown Manhattan. It was an incredibly classy event filled with generous and glamorous students and adults. A reception, silent auction, dinner, live runway show, desert and dancing also featured a preformance by chart topping recording artist and producer, Jeremih. Somehow Fordham University went from helping the event to running the event in only a year’s time. While organizational committee and Operation Smile staff members had undertaken a huge effort to prepare for the event, the big day clearly rested on the able shoulders of Eliza Boggia and her team of leaders. The club was in charge of stuffing 450 gift bags with dozens of items in an incredibly limited amount of time. They set up and maintained the silent auction and check-in. They collected donation cards. Most importantly Fordham University students undertook the huge responsibility of fitting, organizing, and running the fashion show. They were in change thousands of dollars of clothing that was on loan while trying to make sure the runway walks went off without a hitch.

 

Despite the fact that Fordham University’s heroic efforts during the event went largely without thanks, it was absolutely clear that the event could not have gone without them. Fordham University club members should be incredibly proud of their involvement, and I hope their actions inspire others to get involved. Although my personal involvement was relatively small, I left extremely proud that I had been involved in such an amazing event. I truly felt like my small effort made a difference in the world.


James Reid
President
Operation Smile at Boston University
College Council
Operation Smile International
jamesonreid@gmail.com

Fordham University Spring 2011

This semester Fordham University has been involved with three major events. One is on Fordham's campus and two are with the larger Operation Smile Community. At Fordham we will be hosting our 2nd Songs For Smiles Event, which is a night of live performances, free food, prizes and apparel for sale all to raise funds and awareness for Operation Smile.


They also volunteered at the Junior Smile Event April 15th, where a team of Fordham club members will run the fashion show and assist with the silent auction. Fordham undertook an incredible amount of responsibility at this major event which usually raises upwards of $200,000k. A more detailed account of their work can be read on their blog, Fordham Smiles.

Lastly, the Operation Smile Club at Fordham will be volunteering at the Senior
Smile Event which is held at the Cipriani Wall Street on May 5th. They will again play a major role in setting up and running the event.

College of Holy Cross Spring 2011

Holy Cross is currently undergoing an officer transition since most of the officers are graduating.  The Co-Chair for next year will be Michele Ribaudo.  Michele is a rising senior who has been volunteering with us since she was a freshman.  This summer she will be interning in NYC with one of Operation Smile's key sponsors to put on one of our more extensive charity events.  She is eager to become more familiar with the organization beyond the HC campus and will soon be serving as a key point of contact for the club.

This year we had our third annual Miles For Smiles, a 5k run in Worcester, MA.  Holy Cross extended the run not only to our students and faculty but also to the local community.  In addition we sold Holy Cross Vineyard Vines Hats since the company has sponsored Op Smile for the past several years.  They were kind enough to give us a decent discount and we were able to turn about a $300 profit--more or less the price for a cleft surgery.

Fairfield University Spring 2011

At the end of last semester, we finished our campaign “Capturing Smiles Around the World”, in which we sold beautiful posters and photographs taken by Kekoa Taparra. The fundraiser was a great success and we ended up raising $140! We were very pleased by these results, and so were the people who ordered the posters!

Just a few weeks ago, we ran a campaign called “Stag’s for Smiles”. (Stags because our mascot is the Fairfield University Stag) It was a very simple campaign and its primary purpose was to raise awareness around campus. Throughout the day, a group of club members were stationed in our campus center and offered to “stamp” peoples hands with smiley faces as they walked by. When we explained the Operation Smile Organization, we also asked if they would be interested in making a donation. People were very generous and we ended up raising $150! We plan on doing this again before the end of the year because it was easy, cheap and successful!

Last week we held a bake sale in our campus center, which was also very successful. We sold cookies, cupcakes and brownies and were also pleased to take any donations. In the end, we raised $320 -I guess our students love their sweets!

This spring, Fairfield University’s Operation Smile chapter will be holding a raffle fundraiser to raise awareness for the cause in the Fairfield community. We asked group members to go around to local shops in Fairfield or in their hometown to try and get donations for the raffle (either monetary donations, gift baskets, gift cards). For any businesses that did give us a donation, we provided them with a flyer to put in their store window. We were able to get a few donations from local businesses and we plan on launching the fundraiser before Easter Break. Each member is in charge of selling at least 20 tickets, but we plan on selling much more. I will have the results for this fundraiser before the end of the month.