Bakersfield Life
Kaiser Matches $5,000 in Donation for Smile Missions
Kaiser Matches $5,000 in Donation for Smile Missions
By: Jason Gutierrez
Topics: Kaiser Permanente, Community News, volunteering, fundraiser
Posted by Jason1983 Mon Apr 7, 2008 11:27:13 PDT
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On April 12, 10-year-old Paige Atkison wants to brighten the futures of children born with cleft palates by holding a fashionable fundraiser. “Styles for Smiles,” will be held at Curl Talk Beauty Salon at the Ice House, as part of Atkison’s “2008 Smile Missions Fundraising” adventure.
Atkison is headed to Mexico as a smiling ambassador for Smile Missions along with a team of surgeons to perform corrective cleft palate operations. Paige benefited from cleft palate surgery and is working toward raising funds so children in third world countries can undergo the same procedure she did.
“We raised $20,000 in 2007 for Smile Missions and my goal for 2008 is $50,000, which is enough to pay for an entire mission,” she says. “I have a long way to go. So far I have raised $600. This means I have to raise $49,400 before September 24. I know we can do it.”
All the money raised on this special day will go to Paige’s $50,000 goal. Services available on this day include: hair cut and color, weaves, perms, acrylic nails, manicures, pedicures, facials, massages and body waxing.
Inspired by Paige’s heroism are, MercyHospital and KaiserPermanenteKernCounty, which have both agreed to match, dollar for dollar, up to $5,000 raised at “Styles For Smiles.”
“Paige is a phenomenal young lady,” says David Ameen, Executive Director of KaiserPermanenteKernCounty. “Listening to her talk about her fundraising activities, you forget she is ten years old. She has a lot of spirit and will continue to do great things for our community and beyond. We are honored to be able to help her reach her goal this year.”
Paige and her family have been Kaiser Permanente members for many years. “Kaiser has taken great care of us. There is nothing I have ever needed while in their care. We will be with them forever because they are always there for us,” says Lisa Atkison, Paige’s mother.
For more information on “Style for Smiles,” or for an interview with Paige and her family please contact Jason Gutierrez at 661-334-2027 or jason.p.gutierrez@kp.org.
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