Operation Smile, an international children’s medical charity, hosted the third annual Park City Celebrity Ski & Smile Challenge at Canyons Resort on March 15th and raised over $380,000 for children suffering from facial deformities including cleft lip and cleft palate.
You can watch a video of the event here.
The ski team, led by actor Jay Harrington and Junior Event Sponsor Steve Rodosky, crossed the finish line with the fastest time and was awarded at a brief ceremony and luncheon following the race. American Idol alumnus James Durbin also performed an acoustic set and played his new single, “Parachute,” from his upcoming album “Celebrate.” Olympian cyclist Timmy Duggan spoke from the heart about believing that the struggles he went through growing up with a cleft lip and cleft palate helped shape his drive and toughness to become a national champion in his sport.
Over a dozen celebrities participated in the event including Zachary Levi (“Chuck”), Joel David Moore (“Avatar”), Missy Peregrym (“Rookie Blue”), Jason Ritter (“Parenthood”), Geoff Stults (“Enlisted”), Nicole Sullivan (“Cougar Town”), Michael Trevino (“The Vampire Diaries”), Alan Tudyk (“Suburgatory”), Aisha Tyler (“The Talk”), Jenna Ushkowitz (“Glee”), James Van Der Beek (“Don’t Trust the B—— in Apartment 23”), Kate Walsh (“Private Practice”) and Patrick Warburton (“Rules of Engagement”). Teams of six racers consisting of one celebrity skier, one professional skier, and four amateur skiers/Operation Smile donors competed in a friendly challenge to raise funds for the organization.
Billy Bush, NBC Entertainment President Jennifer Salke, 3 Moms on a Mission’s Stephanie Argyros, Krista Jajonie and Daneia Sanadiki and actress Kate Walsh served as Event Chairs. Henry Salke served as Junior Event Chair for the third consecutive year, and Operation Smile Ambassador Zachary Levi’s company, The Nerd Machine, served as the returning Title Sponsor. The Nerd Machine is currently running a crowdfunding campaign to create a fourth annual series of Conversations for a Cause in support of Operation Smile at www.iwantmynerdhq.com. Additional Event Sponsors included Canyons Resort, Argyros Group and the Rodosky family.
The Celebrity Ski and Smile Challenge recognizes the more than 200,000 life-altering surgeries that Operation Smile has given to children born with facial deformities around the world.
