Give Kids A Smile, which has made an enormous impact in improving the dental health of local kids, is holding its fifth annual charity golf tournament next week.
Even if you're not an avid golfer, learning the good this organization does will make you want to pull out the clubs and give it a go anyway.
Give Kids A Smile (GKAS) began in 2002 when several local dentists and other health care professionals held the first Give Kids a Smile event to provide underserved children with free, comprehensive dental care, including examinations, professional cleanings, fluoride treatments, sealants, restorations, oral surgery and x-rays. Give Kids A Smile – St. Louis is a not-for-profit organization that continues working to eliminate the silent epidemic of dental disease for the millions of children who cannot sleep, eat properly, pay attention in school, or simply smile.
GKAS holds twice-yearly clinics in St. Louis during which dental health providers donate their time and talents to provide vital dental care to needy kids. "There is an enormous need in our community for the services our biannual clinics provide," said Joan Allen, executive director of Give Kids a Smile. "Each and every dollar we raise make a difference to the children in our community. It's a difference that might not ever be completely understood by those who so graciously give, but the impact is unquestionable at each and every one of our dental clinics. Lives are changed."
So far, GKAS - St. Louis has hosted 17 clinics , providing more than 8,800 local children with a total of more than $8 million in free dental care. The organization also helps provide dental education to kids across the metro area through its partnership with Delta Dental of Missouri and the Delta Dental Health Theater.
And despite being founded just eight years ago, Give Kids A Smile has made a national impact as well. Soon after beginning the Give Kids A Smile project in St. Louis, the American Dental Association adopted the GKAS concept and established a national clinic day each year in February where over a million children are cared for and over $100,000,000 in dental care is provided yearly. St. Louis is excited about this national expansion of the services for children. Despite the national recognition and the ADAs annual clinic, St. Louis Give Kids A Smile continues to be the leader both locally and nationally in developing and implementing access to healthcare services. We continue to develop new and innovative delivery systems to address the needs of children.
Though the Charity Golf Tournament is one way the organization raises funds to provide these clinics and other services, they also hold other events throughout the year. A recent "Great Minds and Hearts" Trivia Night drew a crowd of 360 and raised $16,000. For more information about the June 7 golf tournament, to be held at Bogey Hills Golf and Country Club in St. Charles, or to learn more about how you or your organization can become involved with Give Kids a Smile, call 636-397-6453 or visit www.gkas.org.
Hop into spring by bringing your family for a fun breakfast with the Bunny and other costumed characters at the Saint Louis Zoo. Guests can pose for photos with the bunny, and children 12 and under receive a gift from the bunny's gift basket. Reservations are required.
Hop on down the bunny trail and fill your basket with fun! Eckert’s Annual Egg Hunt includes animals for petting, tractor rides around the farm, planting seeds to take home, ice a cookie, gifts from the bunny, and a free photo scene with the Easter Bunny.
Take your family to watch birds of prey fly right over your head, macaws speak the English language and much more at the WOW! Amazing Animal Show at the World Bird Sanctuary. Every program showcases different animals so each day is a new experience.
Visit the James S. McDonnell Planetarium in Forest Park and see a star show to experience the largest artificial sky in the Western Hemisphere. Star shows are lead LIVE by one of the Planetarium's educators, creating a new and tailored experience for every audience.
See the Zoo's California sea lions perform acrobatic and athletic feats, including Olympic-style dives on a high-diving platform, flipper walks, frisbee tosses and plenty of surprises. While on stage with the sea lions, the Zoo's trainers explain sea lion behavior and positive-reinforcement training, in addition to the need for conserving the sea lion's ocean habitat.
