Smile for Smiles

Emily Jackson, Community Editor

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Millions of children in developing countries suffer from cleft palates and lips. Most cannot eat or speak properly and are ostracized in their own communities. The cost of surgery is just $250, but most cannot afford this, so these clefts go untreated.

However, one fraternity is planning to raise money for reconstructive surgeries to change the lives of those living with clefts.

The University of Toledo’s Zeta Phi Eta will be hosting their first annual Smile for Smiles April 23 from 1 - 3 p.m. in front of University Hall’s bell tower.

Members of the fraternity will be taking professional headshots for $5 and are offering Photoshop and retouching for an additional $5.

All money raised will be donated to Smile Train, an international children’s charity that provides free cleft repair surgery and care to children in more than 85 developing countries.

According to their website, Smile Train has performed more than one million surgeries since 1999 and, every five minutes, a child receives a cleft repair surgery.

Elliott Free, a fourth-year communication major and vice president of Zeta Phi Eta, said that Smile for Smiles was organized through the fraternity’s national council.

“Our national council wanted to create an event where all chapters, across the country, raised philanthropic funds on the same day,” Free said.

Abigail Sullivan, a fourth-year communication major and fundraising chair of Zeta Phi Eta, will be taking headshots during the event.

She said that this is a great opportunity to give your profile a cleaner, more professional look.

“LinkedIn is focused on heavily both during and after college,” Sullivan said. “Headshots, especially high quality, professional headshots, aren’t cheap.

Free said that, as a professional communication fraternity, Zeta Phi Eta feels it is their duty to use their talents for a greater good.

“A huge part of our mission involves serving the local and greater communities,” Free said. “Zeta Phi Eta will continue to spread hope, joy and love to all for years to come.”

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Smile for Smiles