THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 14, 1996 TAG: 9606120167
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: P2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY KIA MORGAN ALLEN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 45 lines
Plaza Middle School students helped create smiles.
The students raised and donated $3,885 for Operation Smile, the largest nonprofit surgical organization in the world.
Now, five children with facial deformities will one day laugh along with the peers who made it happen. Recently, representatives from Operation Smile visited Plaza Middle and thanked the kids for their efforts with plenty of food from Chic-Fil-A, a sponsor.
``You should pat yourself on the back for doing a wonderful job for other kids that are not as fortunate as you are,'' said Julia Heffernan, Operation Smile's fund-raising coordinator.
Out of 120 schools asked to participate, 80 schools took part in the fund-raiser. Plaza Middle School brought in the most money ever raised by a school in the Hampton Roads area, including those in Williamsburg. The money will be used to provide surgery for those who cannot afford it.
Kids filed into the school's cafeteria for an awards presentation. Heffernan presented a plaque to Plaza Middle School's principal Jim Walker for the donated funds. On the left side of the plaque, a 10-year-old girl from Kenya was pictured with a severe facial deformity. In a picture on the right side, her face looked normal.
``We operate on children with all kinds of facial deformities in different countries as well as the United States,'' Heffernan said.
The students were fed chicken sandwiches, chips and sodas. A costumed human-size chicken paraded around the cafeteria, fishing for fun and laughter from the students.
Jose Villegas, a former Operation Smile patient from the Philippines, serenaded the kids with a song. As he strummed on his guitar he said, ``Thanks to Operation Smile, I have a new life and a new hope and I'm here to tell you that everybody needs to smile.'' And proceeded to sing. Villegas had a two-pound tumor in his chin, ``large enough to hold,'' he said. ``I was lucky enough to be selected eight years ago.''
Jennifer Loftis felt lucky because the contribution she made would make a difference. ``I brought in $11,'' the eighth-grader said. ``I didn't think it would be right to not help.''
Walker thought the collaborative fund-raising effort by the kids showed maturity. ``I think this is really good that kids think enough of other people to make sacrifices. Gifts are only valuable if you give them away.'' by CNB