What an incredible honor and privilege it was to host our very first Smile Maker Celebration Dinner as we recognized our three 2026 Smile Maker Award recipients: Robert, Quinn, and Winter.
Each recipient was joined by family members as well as someone who had written a letter of recommendation on their behalf. Robert attended with his mother, Amanda, and Major Keith Purvis of the Civil Air Patrol. Quinn was joined by her father, Michael, her brother, Rory, and Mrs. Dyer, who first met and befriended Quinn through theater class. Winter celebrated alongside her mother, Jenora, her sisters, Skylynn and Nova, and both Mrs. Meadows and Mrs. Trueblood, whose heartfelt recommendations helped tell Winter’s story.
One of the special moments of the evening was recognizing several individuals and organizations whose generosity made this celebration—and our mission—possible.
We were honored to recognize Robert Lajcaj of Independence Market by Meijer. During the store’s 2025 ribbon-cutting ceremony, Independence Market made a generous donation to The Happy Teeth Project. At that time, we promised Robert that every dollar would support the Happy Dragon Project within the Lake Orion Community Schools. Throughout the past year, we have stayed in touch, and it was important for us to let him know just how instrumental that gift has been in changing young lives. We are excited to continue building this partnership for years to come.
We were also grateful to have Superintendent Heidi Mercer in attendance. From our very first meeting, Superintendent Mercer has been a true partner in our mission. She coordinated meetings with counselors throughout the district, helped identify eligible students, and served on our selection committee, where candidates were evaluated anonymously before our final recipients were chosen.
When we shared our vision of expanding into the Lapeer and Waterford school districts for the 2026-2027 school year, Superintendent Mercer graciously introduced us to both district superintendents. Following those meetings, we are thrilled to announce that both districts have chosen to partner with The Happy Teeth Project, allowing us to serve even more deserving students.
None of this would be possible without our outstanding orthodontic partners.
Our first community partner was Dr. DeHaan and the team at DeHaan Orthodontics. Dr. DeHaan has a long history of investing in the Lake Orion community, and once again he answered the call to serve. Dr. DeHaan and his team will be providing Quinn’s orthodontic care, giving her the opportunity to smile with confidence.
We were equally honored to have Havens Orthodontics represented by Dr. Paron and Amber Fonnegra. Our partnership with Havens Orthodontics has been an incredible blessing. With multiple locations throughout southeast Michigan, they have enthusiastically committed to supporting The Happy Teeth Project as we expand into new communities. As providence would have it, Havens Orthodontics has locations perfectly positioned to serve both our Lapeer and Waterford expansion efforts. They will also be providing Winter’s and Robert’s orthodontic treatment.
For our Happy Teeth Project team, however, the true highlight of the evening was finally meeting the incredible young people and families we have the privilege of serving. Seeing their smiles, hearing their stories, and witnessing the joy shared between the recipients, their families, and those who had advocated so passionately for them was more meaningful than words can adequately express. It was a beautiful reminder of why this organization exists.
As we look ahead to the 2026-2027 school year, our goal is to recognize and serve seven Smile Maker Award recipients across the three districts. We hope next year’s celebration will not only be larger in number but even richer in stories of hope, confidence, and transformed lives.
Every smile tells a story. We are grateful to be part of those stories and look forward to continuing our mission of changing lives—one smile at a time.
