Balsam Hill and Operation Smile raised more than $62,000 last Christmas with the #CelebritiesforSmiles campaign. This year the two organizations are teaming up to raise even more.
Celebrities from the fashion, television, film, music, sports and media world were invited to sign hand-blown glass ornaments that were auctioned off here during the month of December.
For 2015, Balsam Hill has again pledged the first $25,000 to Operation Smile and will donate the specially designed hand-blown ornaments. Last year’s auction included more than 30 one-of-a-kind holiday ornaments, autographed by celebrities including Billy Bush, Michael Franti, Kevin Jonas, Adam Levine, Gavin Rossdale, Michael Strahan, Mark Wahlberg, Pharrell Williams and the cast of Days of Our Lives.
This year, the goal is to have at least 50 new ornaments for auction. Celebrity ornaments already include one signed by Gwen Stefani. Fans can follow #CelebritiesforSmiles on Twitter and Facebook to spot new ornaments and celebrity participants throughout the fall and into the holiday season. Updates also will appear on facebook.com/BalsamHill.
“Improving lives for children around the world is a wonderful gift to be able to give,” said Balsam Hill CEO Thomas Harman. “Owning a Celebrities for Smiles ornament is a wonderful annual reminder of the joy that you can not only give, but receive during the holidays by helping others.”
“It is such a pleasure to partner with Balsam Hill because they are incredibly motivated and dedicated to helping give smiles to these children around the world,” said Dr. Bill Magee, CEO and Co-Founder of Operation Smile. “They truly understand how incredible it is to change the life of a child forever – a child who was been born into the world with no hope. Our work wouldn’t be possible without the support of companies like Balsam Hill, and with the celebratory spirit of the holidays, what better gift to give than the gift of a smile.”
All money raised by the sale of the ornaments will be donated to Operation Smile, a non-profit medical charity that mobilizes a world of generous hearts to heal children’s smiles and transform lives across the globe. To date, Operation Smile has provided over 220,000 free surgical procedures around the world to children with cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities
