Rev. Pansy Graham  introduced today's speaker: 

Alison Smyth- Operation Smile

"Alison has been a volunteer with Operation Smile Peru, since 1999. She started the Operation Smile Student Association in Lima, and acted as the Pre and Post operative coordinator at International Missions. The Smyth family moved to Miami in 2003, but Alison returned to Lima in 2004 and 2005 for the International Missions. In 2004 she acted as the voluteer interim country manager for Operation Smile Peru."

"Operation Smile was founded in 1982 by Dr. William P. Magee Jr., a plastic surgeon, and his wife, Kathleen Magee, a nurse and clinical social worker. Since then, Operation Smile volunteers have medically treated 90,000 children and young adults around the world and in the U.S.."

Alison shared with us that a simple surgery that takes 45 minutes can mean all the difference to a child that has been subject to ridicule and the cruelty of other children. The hardest part is is to determine who will be eligible to repair cleft lips and cleft palates. While in Peru 184 surgeries were performed in 5 days without complications. Lack of nutrition during pregnancy is a major cause of this deformity. Fortunately, with the help of medical volunteers, 8,531 children were treated for free worldwide last year.

Upcoming Speakers:  

February 7th:  Dianne Raulson & Kathleen Fisher, on "Learning Through Listening"

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It’s Your Turn:                                                        

February 7th :
DOOR PRIZE :    Cathy Miller  
DESSERT:   Barbara Kornblau          

February 14th:
DOOR PRIZE :   Dan McCrea 
DESSERT: Wendy Lapidus 

  February 21st:
DOOR PRIZE :  Asaad Masoud           DESSERT: Azam Malik               

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MEETING FUNCTIONARIES

Invocation: Roy Gonas
Pledge: Cathy Miller
Visitors: Greg Kendall
Happy $: Hampton Booker
50/50 Raffle: Cathy Miller

Door Prize(s): Howell Watkins

OUR CLUB'S WEBSITE:

southmiamirotary.org

Also visit:

southmiamifestival.org

for Craftfest information

February 25-26, 2006