Operation Smile is an international medical charity that has provided hundreds of thousands of free surgeries for children and young adults in developing countries who are born with cleft lip, cleft palate or other facial deformities. It is one of the oldest and largest volunteer-based organizations dedicated to improving the health and lives of children worldwide through access to surgical care. Since 1982, Operation Smile has developed expertise in mobilizing volunteer medical teams to conduct surgical missions in resource-poor environments while adhering to the highest standards of care and safety. Operation Smile helps to fill the gap in providing access to safe, well-timed surgeries by partnering with hospitals, governments and ministries of health, training local medical personnel, and donating much-needed supplies and equipment to surgical sites around the world. Founded and based in Virginia, U.S., Operation Smile has extended its global reach to more than 60 countries through its network of credentialed surgeons, pediatricians, doctors, nurses, and student volunteers.
For more information about Operation Smile visit their website: Click Here
After receiving surgery, each child receives a Smile Bag, the perfect gift to cheer up a healing child. Smile Bags are filled with small personal care items as well as toys, stickers and a mirror to see their new smile.
Operation Smile fills each patient’s Smile Bag with the following items.
- Small shampoo
- Small comb
- New wash cloth
- Bar of soap
- Travel-sized toothpaste
- Child-sized toothbrush
- Small stuffed animal (Beanie Baby® size)
- 8-pack box of non-toxic crayons
- Thin 8.5” x 11” coloring book
- Small square mirror
The Woman’s Club members met to sew cloth Smile Bags for the Operation Smile organization.
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- Members arrive with supplies for the project.
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- Preparing the irons for pressing.
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- Making ready the cords for the bags.
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- Setting up the sewing machines.
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- Clubwomen cut the material.
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- Ironing presewn material.
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- Club member sews a smile bag.
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- A second ironing of the bag.
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- Lots of tasks for everyone.
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- Clubmembers find time for conversation while they work.
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- Team work!
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- Clubwomen work along side each other.
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- Busy hands.
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- Group time among the club members.
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- Everyone is busy.
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- Working together and having fun.
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- A busy workshop.
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- A finished Smile Bag.
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- Smile draw string bags
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- This workshop produced 40 smile bags in 2 hours.
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- Smile Bags
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