For the past month, the team "Smiling for an Impact" worked relentlessly to put on a free dental clinic for the children and teens of the Silver Spring Neighborhood Center. Our efforts paid off, as we served 17 children with sealants, cleanings, x-rays, etc. In the first round, we were able to turn our initial seed money of $1,000 into over $11,000 in services and donations. We also developed a strong bond with Kaylin, the Director of Youth and Teen Programming, and the individuals she serves at the center. We reached out to several media outlets to tell the world about Kaylin and all the works she does, the love and compassion that drives her to do good in her community. These people have grown on our hearts, and we want to go above and beyond in this next round of the KAPCO Charitable Challenge.
And we have the plans to do so.
We have been fortunate enough to have Dr. Paul Sandvick and Dr. David Grisar, DDS so eager to help and so inspired by our mission. They offered to continue to give the children, teens, and staff at the SSNC bi-monthly, even after the final judging on November 16th, 2016. They have also agreed to be a part of the second round, opening both of their clinics on Sunday, November 13th to more children, teens, the staff at the center, and community members of West Lawn, Milwaukee. We hope to serve as many people as possible on that day.
As time has gone on, we have grown close to so many of the staff and teens and children that belong to the center. In this round, we really wanted to focus on the individuals and their well-being emotionally as well as physically. We decided to partner with Pearls for Teen Girls, and put on a presentation about empowerment, and the power of positive self-esteem. We also are giving four seniors in high school the opportunity to have their senior pictures taken professionally. Finally, we are helping the SSNC put on a Fashion Show to showcase the outfits and scarves that the sewing club has produced over time, also in hopes of selling some scarves as profit for the center.
We are still fundraising this round and accepting donations, and we cannot wait to see what is the end result by November 16th!
Our local outreach has been successful and full of support, and we are so glad that we belong to such a great community. No matter the outcome of our project, we have made lifelong relationships, and our lives have changed for the better. We hope to continue to make a difference in these people's lives, and always remember the importance of service, compassion, and most importantly love.
To stay up-to-date with our group and our work, please like our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/KAPCOchallenge/.
