Written by Marking Intern Katy Rowan
Thirty miles north of Dallas, an orthodontist by the name of Jennifer Buchanan works incredibly hard to make her mark on this world. In addition to giving her McKinney, Texas patients the perfect smile, Dr. Buchanan partners with the North Collin County Habitat for Humanity to build houses for those in need.
Dr. Buchanan founded the Smiles Charity in 2008 with the hopes of changing the world one home, one family at a time, and it has had much success since then. Private donations and various sponsorships for the charity’s main event, the Smiles Charity Concert and Family Festival, have afforded Dr. Buchanan and Habitat for Humanity the ability to put three families in new homes in just three short years.
Each year, a celebrity has headlined the annual concert and drawn large crowds out in support of Dr. Buchanan’s mission. Entertainers Gavin DeGraw, Little Big Town, and Chris Cagle have been featured in years past, and Uncle Kracker took the stage most recently, on this past Memorial Day weekend.
The 2011 Smiles Charity Concert went off without a hitch with the largest community turnout since its beginning. This year’s goal was to recognize two locally fallen heroes and also to put three severely wounded veterans in homes, thanks to help from Operation Finally Home.
As a resident of McKinney myself, I can say I’m truly honored to live in the same city as Dr. Buchanan. Whether it’s through her orthodontic work or charitable compassion, she continues to make an impact on the community. I have no doubt she will reach her dream of expanding Smiles Charity to several cities nationwide.
Though she’s worked hard to give families the gift of a home and to raise large sums of money, the ultimate gift she’s bestowed on our community is one with no cost at all – an enduring smile willing to help.
After all, what’s more powerful than a smile? Absolutely nothing.
No comments:
Post a Comment