“Kids Sharing Smiles” Teaches Children the Value of Giving and Sharing

Operation Smile, a worldwide children’s medical charity, announced today the latest addition to its online Smile Store (www.operationsmile.org/store), the Kids Sharing Smiles package.  This package includes a special letter from Operation Smile Co-founder and President Kathy Magee, an Operation Smile Moonjar, the book Katie’s Dream, by Meriette Vermeylen-Nuyts, and an Operation Smile Mr. Potato Head plush toy.  This unique gift package provides a fun way for children to learn the values of philanthropy and saving, along with helping them understand people born with facial deformities.  Children take pleasure in knowing that they can help someone else.  Parents and grandparents can encourage their child’s enthusiasm about giving by providing ideas and working with them on ways they can raise money to help others.  The Kids Sharing Smiles gift package is available for $60 plus shipping and handling, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting Operation Smile.

Operation Smile Co-founder and President Kathy Magee said, “Bill and I raised our children with the spirit of giving and sharing. The importance of helping others is a virtue that has always been stressed and practiced by the members of our family.  The Kids Sharing Smiles package can help you develop these same values with your loved ones.”

Operation Smile Moonjar
The Operation Smile Moonjar is an excellent tool for teaching children to save a portion of their income while also setting aside funds to share with those less fortunate.  There are 3 compartments: green for money they will “Spend”, blue for money they will “Save”, and red for the money they will “Share.”  These three fundamental principles of handling money teach children valuable lessons that will help them to become prosperous and philanthropic adults. 

Katie’s Dream by Mariette Vermeylen-Nuyts
Katie’s Dream is a story, illustrated by Ann De Bode and translated by Kerri Vermeylen, of hope and optimism. This is a story of acceptance of the things in life that are not possible, and the triumph in discovering what can be achieved. A story for everyone to understand children with a different face, as well as their families, friends, classmates and teachers.

Mr. Potato Head
Hasbro, Inc. produced one-of-a-kind Operation Smile plush Mr. Potato Head toys to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of Operation Smile.  The toy company produced and donated 50,000 Mr. Potato Head plush toys, with a market value of $250,000. In addition to being
available through Operation Smile’s online store, the toys were given to each child who arrived for a medical screening at all mission sites during Operation Smile’s World Journey of Smiles in November 2007 and will continue to be distributed to children on upcoming medical missions.

About Operation Smile (www.operationsmile.org)
Founded in 1982, Operation Smile, headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, is a worldwide children’s medical charity whose network of global volunteers are dedicated to helping improve the health and lives of children and young adults.  Since its founding, Operation Smile has treated more than 100,000 children born with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities. In addition to contributing free medical treatment, Operation Smile trains local medical professionals in its 25 partner countries and leaves behind crucial equipment to lay the groundwork for long-term self-sufficiency.  The year-long 25th Anniversary celebration culminated in November 2007, with the World Journey of Smiles, 40 simultaneous missions in 25 countries that treated 4,149 children living with facial deformities.

Images available upon request. 

To order, visit www.operationsmile.org/store .