The U.S. Cellular Center was recently joined by Amelia Day, the founder of Operation: Veteran Smiles (OVS), to bring smiles to local veterans.
Amelia and the U.S. Cellular Center delivered kits to patients at the Charles George VA Medical Center in Asheville. Amelia is a 4-H Club member and this year’s National 4-H Council’s 4-H Youth in Action National Winner and Citizenship Pillar Winner for 2017.
Amelia founded OVS as a 4-H service project in 2012 after visiting a veteran’s hospital with her dad, a Marine Corps veteran, and noticing that many of the veterans were far from their families and lacking basic toiletries. Through her program, veterans receive handmade cards, toiletries, playing cards and a conversation during the delivery.
“Never in a million years did I expect OVS to grow outside of Georgia. It has been a dream and wish come true. I am so excited to see so many people that care about our veterans as much as I do,” says Amelia, founder and director of OVS. “Thank you to U.S. Cellular for helping spread OVS’ legacy to our U.S. veterans!”
OVS has helped more than 5,000 veterans to date, and U.S. Cellular will extend its reach by writing cards, packing kits and making two deliveries to 13 in-patient veterans’ facilities across the country. In Asheville, Amelia and her family joined U.S. Cellular associates to pack 220 kits and deliver them to patients at the Charles George VA Medical Center. They will also be spending time socializing with and getting to know the veterans.
“Our associates live and work in the communities we serve and are committed to being involved in their local market,” says Nathan Waddell, director of sales for U.S. Cellular in western North Carolina. “We are proud to support Amelia’s program and extend OVS’ reach to more veterans in Asheville.”
This is the third year U.S. Cellular has supported National 4-H Council through a $300,000 donation with an emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programming, and career exploration and preparation. To learn more about 4-H, visit www.4-H.org and OVS specifically, visit www.4-h.org/ovs.
“We are thankful for Operation: Veteran Smiles and U.S. Cellular’s generosity and respect toward our Veterans,” says Dr. Carl Bazemore, interim medical center director for Charles George VA Medical Center. “In addition to the hygiene kits, they have given our Veterans a priceless commodity—their time.”
U.S. Cellular has a longstanding commitment to the community and education. The company has contributed more than $9.65 million to K-12 education since 2009.
For more information, visit uscellular.com/communityinvolvement.
(Image: Nathan Waddell (left), director of sales for U.S. Cellular in Asheville, and Amelia Day (right), creator of Operation Veteran Smiles, assemble care packages for Charles George VA Medical Center patients.)