Mission Statement

The primary purpose of the club is two-fold: 1) to raise money for the non-profit, international organization, Operation Smile, and 2) to raise awareness about childhood facial deformities and the important services that the organization provides.

Throughout the world, Operation Smile volunteers repair facial deformities—such as cleft lip and cleft palate—while building public and private partnerships that advocate for sustainable healthcare systems for children and families. These deformities are not simply physical conditions. Many children with these facial deformities have breathing, eating, and speaking problems due to their condition. In addition, such children are often ostracized by their own community and are unable to live normal lives.

QUICK FACTS:

• Operation Smile, headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, was founded in 1982 by Dr. William P. Magee Jr., a plastic surgeon, and his wife, Kathleen S. Magee, a nurse and clinical social worker.
• Operation Smile was launched with its first mission to the Philippines in 1982. Operation Smile currently supports international and local, in-country medical missions to 23 partner countries.
• More than 90,000 children have been treated by thousands of volunteers in 25 countries and more than 10,000 health care professionals have been trained.
• It takes as little as 45 minutes and costs approximately $750 for an Operation Smile cleft lip surgery to change a child's life.
• Missions have been held these countries: India, Honduras, Philippines, Morocco, Bolivia, Vietnam, China, Peru, Russia, Brazil, Jordan, Kenya, Thailand, Ethiopia, and many more.