Operation Smile

In January 2011, I got to sew some little kid hospital gowns at an event at church called Operation Smile.  (Sure wish I had taken some pictures.)  What I thought was a service project organized by the church turned out to be an event coordinated by a couple of women from the Brentwood Women's Club (BWC).  Because one of the organizers happened to be a church member, she got permission to use the church building and recruited lots of women from church to help sew.  I was still pretty new to the area and hardly knew anyone.  I remember lugging my sewing machine into the gym feeling a little shy and awkward.

Around May of last year, I joined the BWC after visiting a few more of their meetings.  I started to meet (and continue to meet) lots of amazing women.  About that same time I was called to serve in the Stake Relief Society at church, which meant I got to (and continue to) meet even more amazing women.  (Not more amazing than the BWC women, just there are more of them.  Get it?)

Fast forward to a few weeks ago in January.  I got to sew little kid hospital gowns again. (Still wishing I had taken some pictures.  I just never learn!)  I lugged my sewing machine into the gym with anticipation, knowing that I would be sewing with lots of friends this time.

Today at our monthly BWC meeting, the soon-to-be president approached me and asked if I would be willing to head up Operation Smile next year.  I think I agreed to it.  I didn't realize that my two BWC mentors/advisers, Linda and Liz, were grooming me for the task.  Yikes! 

At our meeting today Linda and Liz showed us the dolls that were sewn and stuffed at last month's event.  Aren't they cute?  And the dolls too, right?

These dolls go to the Operation Smile patients who are children born with cleft palates.  They draw their face on one side of the head before their surgery and after the surgery, they draw their new face on the other side of the head.

Liz reported the final tally of stuff sewn during the 4-hour event (over 210 service hours): 95 dolls, 50 gowns, and 43 smile bags to hold the doll, gown, and other goodies for each patient.