‘Operation Smile Saver’ Spreads Joy To Thermal School

THERMAL – Kindergarten students at Westside School could not believe what was happening Friday morning.

They were getting gifts, uniforms, and school supplies from total strangers.

“It’s like a fairy tale princess that comes through and delivers your wishes,” says Ricardo Medina, Coachella Valley Unified School District Superintendent. “It’s Christmastime in January!”

That fairy tale princess is Linda Tucker who came up with “Operation Smile Saver.” She started it eight years ago simply handing out toothpaste and toothbrushes.

Many low income East Valley families consider dental supplies as luxury items.

“A lot of times, students are absent because of dental problems. They will go to Mexico and have their teeth taken care of,” Tucker explains.

Each studentheld orange slips thattheir parents filled outa couple of months ago.The slips told the volunteers exactly what size of uniform the studentneeds.

Linda says it takes her a whole year to prepare for this day. She isalways shopping for deals, and she pays for them using donations.

She says she believes some of these students will become successful in life. When they do, she wants them to remember how generous people were in their time of need, and to pay that generosity forward.