kiDDS Foundation Updates – Free to Smile and KidSMILES

     As many of you know, the kiDDS Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that strives to provide children with the ability to receive dental care and to help change the smiles of children all around the world. This foundation was created by Zimmerman, Boltz & Company, and Paragon Management Associates, Inc., and Nardone Limited.  Today, the kiDDS Foundation planning committee met with two of our benefitting charities, KidSMILES and Free to Smile, to present them with their 2018 kiDDS Cup donation check.  We also discussed upcoming events and opportunities the charities had and thought we would share that with everyone and encourage you to get involved!

kiDDS Foundation planning committee with Stacy Henry of Free to Smile.

     Our first meeting was with Stacy Henry from Free to Smile.  Free to Smile Foundation serves the impoverished and underserved cleft lip and palate and dental communities throughout the world.  With the money donated from the 2018 kiDDS Cup, Stacy informed us that an entire mission trip will be funded!  And, just like the kiDDS Foundation, Free to Smile is celebrating their 10th year.  In that time, they have performed over 1,200 cleft lip and cleft palate surgeries and provided dental care and education for underserved children on 52 mission trips around the globe including Guatemala, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia, to name a few. To celebrate their 10th year, they will be hosting a fundraising event on Thursday, November 15th.  Tickets for this event are $75, which includes heavy appetizers and one drink.  See link below for more details and to purchase tickets.  Also, be sure to check out their Facebook page for more updates and photos from their mission trips.

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-decade-of-smiles-a-celebration-with-the-free-to-smile-foundation-tickets-47229781548

kiDDS Foundation planning committee with Laura Zuber and Dr. Burner, of KidSMILES.

     Our second meeting today was with Laura Zuber from the KidSMILES clinic.  KidSMILES is a non-profit pediatric dental clinic that provides quality and affordable dental care, as well as education, to children and their families. The clinic is staffed with volunteer dentists and hygienists and provides a wide variety of dental services for only $10 per visit for eligible families.  We had a chance to tour their office, which has been renovated by the Lady Blue Jackets and looks awesome!  We were also very happy that we got to meet Dr. Natisha Burner, their part-time staff doctor who came on board several months ago.  For any of our dental clients looking to volunteer and become involved, consider bringing your staff to KidSMILES for one afternoon.  It could serve as a great team building activity, as well as a way to help kids in need.  If interested, please email info@kidsmilesclinic.com.  For those looking to get involved outside the clinic, KidSMILES is seeking volunteers to staff the 50/50 raffle for several Columbus Blue Jackets games.  Volunteers will sell tickets in the concourse area and help count money for the 50/50 raffle announcement during the third period of the game.  A lucky raffle winner will take home 50{c91082aefe0e580fe546c40af534787b48cfd474f8c9ab8dac50bf49a7a1c43a} of the winnings and KidSMILES will receive 25{c91082aefe0e580fe546c40af534787b48cfd474f8c9ab8dac50bf49a7a1c43a} of the earnings for our organization. See link below to sign up for available volunteer slots.

CBJ 50/50 Raffle: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f084faea622aafe3-kidsmiles6