#celebritiesforsmiles with @balsamhill @operationsmile

Gwen Stefani signing an ornament on the set of Access Hollywood

I could not be more proud to announce this program which is the brainchild of my friend Jennifer Faulkner and I with her client Balsam Hill.  Jennifer and I met many moons ago in San Francisco at Edelman PR and today, she has her own firm Faulkner & Associate in Denver.  So, so, so excited! Happy Holidays!  Bid Away!!

Celebrities Autograph Ornaments for #CelebritiesforSmiles

Balsam Hill and Operation Smile announced the #CelebritiesforSmiles campaign today that will auction ornaments autographed by celebrities from fashion, television, film, music sports, and media on http://www.celebritiesforsmiles.com December 9-16th. 

Balsam Hill and Operation Smile announced the#CelebritiesforSmiles campaign today that will auction ornaments autographed by celebrities from fashion, television, film, music sports, and media onhttp://www.celebritiesforsmiles.com December 9-16th. Balsam Hill (http://www.balsamhill.com), the leading online retailer of premium artificial Christmas trees and upscale home decor products, and Operation Smile (http://www.operationsmile.org), an international medical charity serving children and families in more than 60 countries, have partnered this holiday season to bring surgeries to children with cleft lip and cleft palate around the world.

Balsam Hill has pledged $25,000 to Operation Smile and donated ornaments from their new, high-quality home decor collection. More than 30 one-of-a-kind holiday ornaments, autographed by celebrities including John Berman, Billy Bush, Alisyn Camerota, Chris Cuomo, Roma Downey, Michael Franti, Kit Hoover, Kevin Jonas, Chris and Peyton Lambton, Zachary Levi, Adam Levine, Jay Manuel, Jack McGee, Holly Robinson Peete, Missy Peregrym, Michaela Pereira, Gavin Rossdale, Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani, Michael Strahan, Michaela Pereira, Elaine Turner, Meredith Vieira, Kate Walsh, Mark Wahlberg, Pharrell Williams, the cast of Days Of Our Lives and the hosts of The Doctors will be available on eBay or at http://www.CelebritiesForSmiles.com from December 9-16. Fans can follow #CelebritiesforSmiles on Twitter and Facebook to spot new ornaments and celebrity participants now through the end of the auction. Updates also will appear on facebook.com/BalsamHill.

The delicate mouth-blown glass ornaments were made by the finest artisans in Europe and are approximately 4” in diameter. Each red, gold, silver or green ornament has been hand-signed by a celebrity.

“Improving lives for children around the world is a wonderful gift to be able to give,” said Balsam Hill CEO Thomas Harman. “Owning a Celebrities for Smiles ornament is a wonderful annual reminder of the joy that you can not only give, but receive during the holidays by helping others.”

“It is such a pleasure to partner with Balsam Hill because they are incredibly motivated and dedicated to helping give smiles to these children around the world,” said Dr. Bill Magee, CEO and Co-Founder of Operation Smile. “They truly understand how incredible it is to change the life of a child forever – a child who was been born into the world with no hope. Our work wouldn’t be possible without the support of companies like Balsam Hill, and with the celebratory spirit of the holidays, what better gift to give than the gift of a smile.”

All money raised by the sale of the ornaments will be donated to Operation Smile, a non-profit medical charity that mobilizes a world of generous hearts to heal children's smiles and transform lives across the globe. To date, Operation Smile has provided over 220,000 free surgical procedures around the world to children with cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities.

About Operation Smile
Operation Smile is an international medical charity with a presence in more than 60 countries, whose global network of thousands of credentialed medical volunteers from more than 80 countries is dedicated to helping improve the health and lives of children. Since its founding in 1982, Operation Smile has provided more than 220,000 free surgical procedures for children and young adults born with cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities. To build long-term sufficiency in resource poor environments, Operation Smile trains doctors and local medical professionals in its partner countries so they are empowered to treat their local communities. Operation Smile also donates medical equipment, supplies and provides year-round medical treatment through its worldwide centers.

About Balsam Hill
Balsam Hill was launched in Redwood City in 2006 to introduce a premium-level of realistic artificial Christmas trees using an exclusive True Needle® design that molds individual needles that are colored to mimic the patterns of live trees. The trees and a new line of holiday home decor are available at http://www.BalsamHill.com and the trees can be found internationally via Web sites in countries including the United States, Canada, Germany, England, Australia and France.

Balsam Brands is an Internet Retailer Top 500 e-retailer, appeared on the San Francisco Business Times’ 2012, 2013 and 2014 Top 100 Fastest Growing Bay Area Companies list, the Silicon Valley Business Journal’s 25 fastest growing private companies in Silicon Valley for 2012, 2013 and 2014 and for the past three years on Inc. magazine’s annual Inc. 500|5000, a list of the nation's fastest-growing private companies.

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