Spring 2012 Newsletter – Alliance for Smiles

Our Continued Commitment to Africa

This February AfS returned to the Ridge Hospital in Accra, Ghana for a medical mission. AfS had visited the Ridge Hospital twice before, in 2010 and 2011. Seventeen mission volunteers made up the team, representing the United States, Canada, and Australia.

This mission was Alliance for Smiles’ 6th mission to Africa as part of a Smile Train grant.

In addition to The Smile Train, Alliance for Smiles would like to thank The Accra Ridge Hospital, and the following Rotary Clubs: Accra East, Accra West, Marietta Georgia, San Francisco, and Bartow Georgia.

Spotlight on Dental Hygienist Volunteers

We would like to recognize all of our outstanding dental hygienists for their fantastic work for Alliance for Smiles. Like all volunteers on AfS missions, dental hygienists work very hard, but their contributions often go unrecognized. On missions dental hygienists not only collaborate with the dentist and other doctors, but run educational sessions with local parents and children on proper oral care. Their dedication ensures that our patients keep their new smiles healthy!

Dental hygienists not only participate actively on missions, but also go above and beyond in organizing fundraisers. One of our most effective fundraising programs is the teeth whitening campaign. A teeth whitening fundraiser can be a one-day event or an ongoing campaign, in which all or part of the fee for a customer to have a whitening procedure is donated to Alliance for Smiles. One successful teeth whitening fundraiser brought in $10,000 in a single day!

If you are a dental hygienist or work in a dental office, please consider holding one of these events. This is a great way to use your valuable skills to help AfS. Please contact us at 415-647-4481 for help in setting up an event, and to receive printed materials, posters, banners, and more.

“Enlightened Substance” Exhibition in Hong Kong

Antoinette Rosan, Zi-Jia Huang, Manuela Paul-Cavallier, and Sophie Raynaud are four artists who are joining together in an interactive exhibition in Hong Kong’s Pacific Place from May 31 to June 13, 2012. They will be creating four unique works of art on site.

As a gesture of generosity and gratitude to life, the artists’ new creations will be on sale by auction and all proceeds will be donated to Alliance for Smiles, through support of the Rotary Club of Wanchai, Hong Kong.

Support Alliance for Smiles by Drinking Wine!

If you love wine and want to help Alliance for Smiles, you’ll love our new fundraiser. Mark Gendron of JK Estates Winehas promised to donate $50 from every case of specially labeled wine sold to our supporters. You can purchase bottles with an Alliance for Smiles label – or you can request a personalized label to commemorate a special occasion!

Choose between 9 different varieties, including favorites such as chardonnay, merlot, zinfandel and more. Cases range from $110 to $128. Wine can also be purchased by the bottle.

Alliance for Smiles Holds 7th Annual Gala

On February 25th, 2012, Alliance for Smiles held its 7th Annual Appreciation Gala at the W Hotel in San Francisco. Through ticket sales, donations made before the event and during the call to action, a raffle drawing and the live & silent auction, over $50,000 was raised!

The special honorees this year were John Uth – Chairman of the Board from the very beginning of AfS – who received the Distinguished Service Award; and Dr. Karin Vargervik – head of the Treatment Center program and a very active participant in our teaching missions – who was recognized as Volunteer of the Year. Having just opening a third Treatment Center in Harbin, China, the Treatment Center program is more important than ever, and is what differentiates Alliance for Smiles from other cleft lip and palate organizations. Dr. Vargervik has been instrumental in working with the local doctors to ensure that they become self-sufficient in treating the children suffering from these birth defects.

Thank you to all those who attended, donated in lieu of attending, pledged a donation during the call to action, and participated in the live & silent auctions! A big thank you also goes to the individuals and businesses that donated items for our auctions.

Thanks For Your Support!

Alliance for Smiles Holds 7th Annual Gala

Thanks For Your Support!

For going above and beyond in helping to make the 7th Annual Gala a reality, Alliance for Smiles would like to thank the following individuals and businesses:

Danielle Lee, the Event Chair; Peter Wong, owner of the W San Francisco; Mark Roberts, event manager at the W Hotel; DJ David Crosby of Danceworks; Mark Gendron of JK Cellars; Entire Productions for the lighting, and Joanne Kang for donating the flowers.

We would also like to thank our table sponsors Cecile Chiquette, John Goings, Benjamin Lam, Danielle Lee, Jim Patrick, Helen Soo, Anita Stangl, John Uth, Dr. Karin Vargervik, and Dr. Karl Wustrack, as well as our patron sponsors Mark Flegel, Anne Flegel, Warren Hernand and Dr. Libby Wilson.

And thank you to all of the volunteers who helped during the event. We could not have done it without all of your support!

Dining for Smiles Events

If you’re looking for a way to help Alliance for Smiles in a fun and personalized way, consider holding a Dining for Smiles event! These events can be literally anything you want – past events have included a wine tasting, an African-themed dinner, a scarecrow stuffing party, and more.

Most recently, volunteer Rosemary Welde held a hugely successful fundraiser called “Sailing for Smiles” on the Five Stars Yacht during the Superbowl. Rosemary won the live auction for a cruise on the Five Stars Yacht during the 2011 Gala, and held a fundraiser for us!

If you would like to hold a Dining for Smiles event, please contact the Alliance for Smiles office at 415-647-4481 for more information. We will be more than happy to send you printed materials, posters, banners and more!