Sherrill Nonprofits and Charities

<br><br>I have been blessed to be part of several activities that have truly demonstrated the simplified mission statement of “It’s all about the smiles.”  The Smile Experience at the Fulton Quarter Midget Track is one of these activities. From start to finish, this event is so well planned out and implemented by incredible, energetic, smiling volunteers whose obsession, yes that might sound like an odd choice of words, but they are truly obsessed, in a good way, to make sure every family in attendance has a day full of smiles and empty of sickness, hospitals, medical terms and tears.  I have had the honor of being one of the track announcers/interviewers for the past 3 years, so I get to chat with every child that drives and some of the extended family too.  The things they come out with are priceless. This year I one young man said his “angel daddy” was with him on the track and it was comforting to him.  Another young man told me it was his “best day ever.”  A young lady who loves to dance got to bust a move with the local hockey mascot Audie, and she was beaming the whole time! Every year, I drive two hours in the early morning to get there to help set up, I spend all day in the hot sun, and drive two hours home.  And every year, I can’t wait to do it again. I get so caught up in the fun and excitement of the day that I don’t really get a chance to think about what it really means to the families until that drive home, when I think of the days, weeks, months and even years some of them have spent in hospitals, at doctors appointments, facing scary surgeries, and some, even death. To be able to give them one day of nothing but fun and being a family, is truly priceless. One dad summed it up when he told one of the volunteers “Thank you for letting me be 'just a dad' for the day!”