On Thursday, November 3, a special event was held in the Miron Student Center Atrium. Here, Kean students worked with Operation Smile to help children in need.
Operation Smile is a student group dedicated to educating others about children with medical conditions. The conditions are focused on those with cleft lift, cleft palate, and cranio-facial abnormalities. Their objective is to raise funds that could cover at least 5 surgeries per semester, which is only $240 per operation.
“I was there throughout the whole sock puppet event that took place last Thursday,” said Operation Smile President Sabrina Rempel. “I want to say I was extremely overwhelmed with joy and appreciation as over 40 sock puppets were made and so many people participated in this event!”
Thursday’s event was Operation Smile Sock Puppet. Here, students decorated colorful sock puppets that would later be given to the children after their surgeries.
Sock puppets are extremely useful tools. According to Operation Smile’s student programs page on their website, speech pathologists use the puppets to help children practice their speech. With the chance of puppets improving their communication skills, Kean students were ready to lend a hand.
“Even as other members and I were setting up, students were approaching the table asking how they can help our cause and what exactly making sock puppets does for children who come out of cleft lip/palate surgery,” Rempel said. “Within the first 30 minutes of the event starting, we ran out of socks and needed to get more!”
During the event students were invited to make sock puppets with googly eyes, glitter, and more. It was a fun way to raise awareness for children with these conditions.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better turn out and I appreciate all the Kean staff, students, e-board members and club members who made a sock puppet and helped our cause!,” said Rempel.
Operation Smile is a great club that's doing a lot for those with cleft related conditions. If people want to support that cause, they can donate directly though the Operation Smile website.
