You Make Me Smile

There are a number of things that make me smile: family, friends, scrapbooking are among the top of the list. But there is something else that touches my heart like almost nothing else—the beautiful face of a happy, healthy child. That’s why the charitable organization, Operation Smile, is SO important to me. This amazing group provides life-changing facial reconstructive surgeries to children around the world who were born with cleft lip, cleft palate, or other deformities. Surgeries average only about 45 minutes in duration, they typically cost only $240, yet they change the life of a child FOREVER.

Last year, Close To My Heart announced a partnership with Operation Smile with a goal to raise $150,000 by our Leadership 2009—that surgery for 625 needy kids! We are well on track, thanks to the efforts of so many of our great Consultants! Just this week, I heard about an extraordinary effort made by two Close To My Heart Consultants in California, Mary Thompson and Sue Nielsen, and I was so thrilled with their efforts and the results, I just had to share.

This past Saturday, the pair held a National Scrapbooking Month event at a local school. They had more than 100 participants, and the daylong event was filled with goodie bags, projects, prizes, and treats. The school gym was festooned with great artwork and décor, and throughout the day, the duo talked about their event goal: to raise $2,400 for Operation Smile. As the culminating presentation for the day, they showed one of the Operation Smile videos Close To My Heart offers to its Consultants. Sue commented, “When we presented the video, you could have heard a pin drop in the room. … a few minutes of just one family’s story is all it takes to understand how important Operation Smile is.” Thanks to Sue, Mary, and their great team members, including Shauna Nuttall, Kelly Morris, and Kelly Robinson, the event was a tremendous success—not only did participants enjoy a creative escape and amazing projects, but together, they raised $2,800 for Operation Smile! They exceeded their goals and will change the lives of 11 beautiful little children.
Mary, Sue, and team: THANK YOU for your efforts. And thank you to each and every Consultant who has embraced the mission of Operation Smile as their own. Last week, I had the wonderful opportunity to meet with actress and Operation Smile spokesperson Roma Downey. I was moved by her commitment to the children of the world and her tireless dedication to so great a cause. But I am just as moved by the efforts of each of you to make this world a kinder, gentler, happier place where children laugh and sing and smile. YOU make me smile.