Hey, I know that I come across an an "ugly American" sometimes...I could change citizenship, perhaps European-if Ragnorak or French Queen would sponsor me-😉, but I can't change my looks; afraid I'll be ugly for good, so I am offering a challenge to all at the RHP community. Here is the scenario: There are babies all over the world, especially the 3rd-world, including babies of ALL religions, races, creeds, etc., that are born with a 'phenomenal' problem called cleft palate "syndrome". I call it a "syndrome" for lack of a better medical description; whatever it's called, it is a problem that affects a child's life from birth throughout life. A child born with a cleft palate is shunned, not only by family members, but by the community at large.
I participate in a program called "Smile Train-http://www.smiletrain.org/about_us/our_mission.htm, whenever I can afford to help out, and it is one of the most worth-while programs that one can donate to. Allow me to cut-n-paste a little of what they do, and those interested can go to the website and find out ALL of what they do:
[Quote from Smile Train]: Our Mission
No one knows how many millions of children there are in the world suffering from clefts.
No one knows how many lives will never be lived. How many children will never eat or speak properly, never go to school or hold a job. How many boys and girls will go through their entire life without ever being able to smile.
The greatest tragedy is that all of these children are suffering not because they were born with a cleft, but because they were born poor. Too poor to pay for a simple cure that has been around for decades.
Helping these children is the mission of The Smile Train. We help provide free cleft surgery and related treatment for children who would otherwise never receive it.
In as little as 45 minutes, and for as little as $250, we can help give these children not just a new smile — but a second chance at life.
With every cleft we repair, we restore a life.
With every doctor we train, we help a community take one more step toward self-sufficiency.
With every smile we deliver, we bring hope and dignity.
How We Operate
With a lean organization and modest staff, we develop and manage hundreds of partners and programs with thousands of doctors, nurses, hospitals and organizations.
Our average cost-per surgery of $250 is the lowest of any cleft organization. One of the things donors like the best about The Smile Train is that 100% of donations goes towards helping children. To many, this sounds too good to be true and we have received many phone calls and emails asking how this is possible.
The way it works is actually very simple. All non-program expenses such as overhead and fundraising are paid for with start up grants from our founding supporters. This makes it possible for us to commit 100% of all donations we receive from the public towards programs that help children with cleft.
"One of the most important responsibilities of a non-profit Board is to provide leadership in fundraising and to ensure the financial well-being of the charity," says Charles B. Wang, Chairman & Co-Founder of The Smile Train. "By underwriting all non-program expenses, we are showing donors just how much we believe in The Smile Train and giving them a very compelling reason to get on board."
The response to this announcement has been overwhelming. This past year, thousands of new donors from all over the United States and the world have come aboard.
Every day here in New York we receive heartfelt letters with donations ranging from $1 to $10,000 from people who are giving because they know 100% of their donation will go towards giving a child a second chance at life. End of cut-n-paste! 🙂
OK, chancremechanic back! There is just too much info to post here, so please at least go to the website and read further what this awesome organization is doing for children. One doesn't have to donate the full $250.00 (U.S), which covers the whole operation, but one can donate a little to help out....if 250 people gave 1 dollar, one child's life is changed for ever! Think about it, please. I take no credit for this post. I just wanted to give you decent people, even the ones I fight with, an opportunity to make the world a better place somehow instead of wringing our hands about the debacle in Iraq and the world in general; this is a bright spot on a dark planet. Please consider and do what you can to donate. On behalf of Smile Train (they did not get me to post this), I thank you in advance for anything you can do to help these babies...peace!
Originally posted by chancremechanicI'm a bit hammered at the moment, so I aplogize for the short reply. I will definitely check this out though. Looks like a good cause. I used to know a guy who was born with a cleft palate. Nicest guy you'd ever wanna meet, so this thing kinda "hits home" for me.
Hey, I know that I come across an an "ugly American" sometimes...I could change citizenship, perhaps European-if Ragnorak or French Queen would sponsor me-😉, but I can't change my looks; afraid I'll be ugly for good, so I am offering a challenge to all at the RHP community. Here is the scenario: There are babies all over the world, especially the 3 ...[text shortened]... I thank you in advance for anything you can do to help these babies...peace!
Originally posted by chancremechanicI highly doubt you're as ugly as you say.
Hey, I know that I come across an an "ugly American" sometimes...I could change citizenship, perhaps European-if Ragnorak or French Queen would sponsor me-😉, but I can't change my looks; afraid I'll be ugly for good, so I am offering a challenge to all at the RHP community. Here is the scenario: There are babies all over the world, especially the 3 ...[text shortened]... I thank you in advance for anything you can do to help these babies...peace!
Originally posted by chancremechanicI guess the importance of helping little babies around the world is a low priority with the forums crowd. That's too bad. Insult an Islamofascist by calling him/her what he/she is: an Islamofascist, and I get tons of replys denouncing me as racist. Start a thread on the low I.Q. of GW, and the vermin come pouring out of their holes. Talk about Michael Moore, and one gets feedback on what a great American he is. Make a case against abortion because I believe it to be sinful, and the whole lot of you: atheists, pro-choicers, secularists, social-progressives, anarchists, etc., etc., come out swinging your battle axes. I make a post about an organization that makes the world a better place for the babies of Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hundus, Buddhist, et.al., and it gets peculiarly quiet in the forums regarding this issue. I wonder if it's because we, including myself, enjoy slinging feces and mud at each other and our respective beliefs instead of putting some $$ where our mouths are, especially those who "pine" for a better world (Kyoto Accord fanatics?), those who slam America (Americans contribute a lot to this organisation) because we kill innocent Iraqi children on "purpose"🙄, or is it because we could care less about 3rd-world babies as long as Manchester United, or the NY Yankees, are winning, and we have our RHP and MTV!! 😲
Hey, I know that I come across an an "ugly American" sometimes...I could change citizenship, perhaps European-if Ragnorak or French Queen would sponsor me-😉, but I can't change my looks; afraid I'll be ugly for good, so I am offering a challenge to all at the RHP community. Here is the scenario: There are babies all over the world, especially the 3 ...[text shortened]... I thank you in advance for anything you can do to help these babies...peace!
Originally posted by chancremechanicI'll have you know that i have an amount of money taken out of my bank account every month to help disabled kids in Ireland.
I guess the importance of helping little babies around the world is a low priority with the forums crowd. That's too bad. Insult an Islamofascist by calling him/her what he/she is: an Islamofascist, and I get tons of replys denouncing me as racist. Start a thread on the low I.Q. of GW, and the vermin come pouring out of their holes. Talk about Mi ...[text shortened]... g as Manchester United, or the NY Yankees, are winning, and we have our RHP and MTV!! 😲
I don't know how that helps your case, there it is.
Originally posted by MimorThat could be true, yet I expected a little more conversation regarding this great organization and what people, RHPers in particular, thought of it and whether they would consider "getting aboard.....the train".....
It may be that your post directed people to this site, they checked it out and decided to support it or not without commenting in this thread. The response here may not correlate with the number of people who will contribute to the cause.
Originally posted by chancremechanicChancre bud, you know that wearing your heart on your sleeve on this site is generally shat on from a great height, this thread seems to've been spared that at least. . . .up until now anyway.
That could be true, yet I expected a little more conversation regarding this great organization and what people, RHPers in particular, thought of it and whether they would consider "getting aboard.....the train".....