Healthy Smiles For Haiti

I want to express my sincerest appreciation for the generous support of Healthy Smiles For Haiti at the sixth annual dance and silent auction held on April 25, 2009. It has been more than seven years since I first visited Haiti and considered that perhaps we in Canada could share with those in Haiti who struggle each day, in the field of dental care for young and not so young!

Great success for any purpose is solely due to the great generosity of many hands and hearts. We are very grateful to the silent auction donors, to the cooks, and all the helping hands in addition to those who financially contributed and supported the evening. Those deserving special thanks include, Anne Marie, Dawn Marie & Mike, Gail,Barb D, Barb H, Tanya & Andrew, Jane, Ana, Anne, Ange, Pierre, Paula, Karen, Liz, Assunta, Kressia, Pat, Susan, Ray, Marianne, Kerline and all the Haitian ladies who once again contributed the fine cuisine!

Through the generosity of people like you, we have shared over 9,000 toothbrushes along with instructions to students in Haiti from preschool to adults. The dental world has enabled us to bring over 5000 pounds of various dental products. 17,000 people were treated over a fourteen month period in the dental clinic in Thibeau.

Now in 2009 we have partnered with a Haitian organization "Collective Struggle against Social Exclusion", which has the French acronym "CLES". It was created from a citizens' initiative for young professionals from various scientific backgrounds. CLES is a nonprofit organization that fights against social exclusion, promotes human and sustainable development in strict compliance with gender equity and human rights in Haiti. CLES has seven medical clinics in Haiti. Healthy Smiles has begun plans to develop a dental clinic in one located near Petit Goave. Our goal is to have it functional by the fall of 2009.