Minot State students to host Miles for Smiles
MINOT, N.D. – Members of the Minot State University National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) are hosting Miles for Smiles to raise money for Operation Smile on Saturday, April 13. The event begins at 10 a.m. at Oak Park shelter number 16 and will feature a charity walk, silent auction, raffle, and children’s game and activities.
Operation Smile is an international medical nonprofit that provides free, safe surgeries to individuals born with cleft lip and cleft palate around the world. Every three minutes a child is born with a cleft lip and/or palate and, as a result, they may suffer from malnourishment and difficulty with speech.
“This is the eighth year that NSSLHA has put on Miles for Smiles,” said Brenna Dyke, Miles for Smiles coordinator and junior communication disorders student at Minot State. “Last year, Miles for Smiles paid for 23.5 surgeries. Our goal is to pay for as many surgeries as we can.”
It is estimated that only 6.3% of surgical procedures worldwide take place in undeveloped countries. Funds raised for Operation Smile provides more opportunities for more operations. It costs as little as $240 to perform a cleft lip and/or palate surgery thanks to medical professionals who volunteer their time and corporations that donate supplies and equipment.
Participants can register for Miles for Smiles up to and on the day of the event. The price is $25 for the public, $20 for Minot State students with ID, and free for children 12 and under.
“Our NSSLHA club, as well as our entire communication disorders department, has a sense of community,” Jenna Wiltzen, NSSLHA president and senior communication disorders major, said. “We work closely together within our classes and organizing club activities — Miles for Smiles, for example. We often develop strong friendships with each other as we have many commonalities, including the goal of helping others.”
The Minot State NSSLHA club promotes volunteerism both within the Minot community and on the University campus and tries to have one to two volunteer events per month. Their primary events focus, however, is on the annual NSSLHA conference and Miles for Smiles.
“Both of these events take a lot of dedication and organization from the committee members. It is amazing to see the end results of their hard work,” Madison Leier, NSSLHA president-elect and junior communication disorders major, said. “Our club is looking forward to Miles for Smiles on the 13th and to see all of that committee’s hard work pay off as well.”
For more information about Miles for Smiles, the Facebook event can be viewed HERE.
About Minot State University
Minot State University is a public university dedicated to excellence in education, scholarship, and community engagement achieved through
rigorous academic experiences, active learning environments, commitment to public service, and a vibrant campus life.
| Published: 04/08/19 |
