Fordham: 5th Songs for Smiles Event

The following paragraph is from the first ever blog post I wrote about our Songs for Smiles event…

“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.”

Now looking back on the first time we, as the Operation Smile Club at Fordham University, hosted Songs for Smiles, I am so incredibly happy that this is a fundraiser we are continuing to implement within our semester agendas. On November 13th (which just happened to be Operation Smile’s 30th anniversary), myself and the rest of the club hosted our fifth Songs for Smiles event on-campus at Fordham University at Lincoln Center. Like the past four benefits, this Songs for Smiles was no different in the fact that it featured live performances from incredibly talented musicians and bands. We were especially fortunate with our talent this semester, as the event was headlined by Raveena Aurora and Kaleigh Young, both NYU students who are in the process of releasing debut albums. You can listen to Raveena’s album “Where We Wander” which is released on iTunes January 13th. Furthermore, the event once again featured an impressive list of donated raffle items as well as a t-shirt decorating stand creating make-shift hospital gowns for Operation Smile patients. Also, like all of the past events, this one was no different in that it 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, food, raffles, advertising, etc. Despite our preparation, planning an event is no easy task, and Sandy certainly did not help things. As we slowly approached the day of the event, we still found ourselves with so much to do, such as finalizing our budget, order food, secure donations, and much more. Such last minute work is always something typical in these types of events. However, there was one major way in which this event was quite different from the previous. As a result of the horrible damage created by the recent hurricane, the Operation Smile Club at Fordham University made the conscious decision to donate half of its proceeds to Sandy relief efforts organized by Fordham. Thus, participants were not only happy to support Operation Smile, but the tri-state area restoration as well.

The event itself went great, and as usual we were able to meet our fundraising goals! Thanks to cash donations and checks received at the event, we raised over $1,000 and made numerous hospital gowns that will be shipped down to headquarters before the end of the semester! Thank you to all of you who helped in the success of the event and for supporting the Operation Smile Club at Fordham University. For more information and to like our page on facebook, visit http://www.facebook.com/OpSmileAtFordham

-Daniel Dalena, December 3rd, 2012