Compassion Ties Us All Together

As Operation Smile employees, volunteers, donors, and other supporters gathered in the large ballroom, there were hugs and kisses on the cheek in every direction as old and new friends reunited. For many people, this was just the most recent of many encounters with friends that they have known for years. For other people, this was the first time they have met face-to-face, finally able to put faces with the names of friends whom they only knew through email or phone conversations.
Jann Schultz started by welcoming everyone and explaining the theme of the summit, "Building on the Past. Preparing for the future." She introduced Bill and Kathy and Jeremy Greenhalgh. Bill then addressed the crowd with his usual eloquence. "As soon as you walk in this room," he said, "you can feel the energy and enthusiasm." He explained the highlights of Operation Smile's history and where the organization is headed. "What we have the opportunity to accomplish is remarkable," he told the audience. He spoke of the global connection that was built between foundations during the World Journey of Smiles, and how "the collective energy was much larger than the separate pieces" and that built a foundation for a truly global effort.
Next Jeremy Greenhalgh, Chairman of the Board spoke. The most interesting part of his presentation for me was when he pointed out a paradox that I had never really appreciated. He talked about how it is the volunteerism on our missions, the absence of money, that allows the team to work so well together, to work harder, and to be more productive.
We then did an icebreaker, with a focus on the future legacy of Operation Smile. Some of the themes that kept coming up were teamwork, inspiration, change, selfless, family, compassion, innovation, and collaboration.
Danna Weiss, Manager of International Programs, and her team presented some of the stories of Operation Smile. She said when she asks people why they are involved with Operation Smile, they never name statistics or numbers, they always talk about the story of a child, so she felt that was the most important aspect of communicating the impact of the organization. Following presentations from the Philippines, Russia, India, Venezuela, Panama, and South Africa regarding their best practices in various aspects of foundation management such as recruiting patients and ensuring that the potential patients are ready for surgery, and there was a presentation from Jesse Hines, VP of Logistics and Material Management.
Then, our focus was reverted back to the concept of the importance of stories. Jim Weiss, a Master Storyteller who also happens to be Danna’s father, further stressed how stories are the key to getting the attention of people and appealing to their emotions. The most important part of the Operation Smile story, he told us, is the ending. Don’t just stop after the cleft lip or cleft palate is repaired, he said. The most amazing aspect of Operation Smile is how the lives of the child and their family are changed.
Since work still needs to get done at the office, I had to leave after Jim Weiss’ presentation. I will be returning for dinner so I can do some more catching up with my new and old international friends. The international aspect is my favorite part of Operation Smile. The inspiration I get from the dedication, determination, and devotion of my domestic and international colleagues is comparable to the inspiration I get from the stories of our volunteers and the children we serve.