It is Thanksgiving week which brings up a few things that we always take for granted. The first two are a couple of traditional football games that always occur this time of year: the Detroit Lions playing on Thanksgiving Day and the Michigan/Ohio State matchup, and Florida/Florida State (my wife’s favorite pick). While football has become a four letter word in our household because of how poorly our favorite teams are playing (my Wolverines and Kelly’s Florida Gators have failed to live up to expectations in a big way, Michigan State and Ohio State are on fire and the Detroit Lions seem to be on a slippery slope out of playoff contention), these games will be played and watched by everyone in the house (even Reese).

After watching the Lions, hopefully, win against Green Bay we will all eat too much turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie and let the tryptophan lull us into a post-prandial nap for the ages. It happens every year, I tell myself that I won’t eat too much but the delicious southern spread that is put in front of me is too much to turn down. For those of you who have never tasted deep fried turkey, smoked turkey, or a true pecan pie I will tell you that you are missing out!

Let’s not forget the meaning of this holiday though. It is a time to reflect and give thanks for everything that we have in our lives; even something as simple and fulfilling as a smile. With this in mind, I will end my thoughts with this recent press release from Dr. Reyes and our hope to bring just that, a smile at this time of year, to those who are in great need of something to smile about.

Local Orthodontist Hopes to Send Smiles Across the Miles with Relief Funds for the Philippines

Rochester Hills, Mich., November 26, 2013 — You can read about it over and over, “4 million Philippine children in need of food and water” as the country struggles to get aid to the survivors. No dollar goes unnoticed and no effort is too small when the devastation is this widespread.

Dr. Brian Reyes, of Tyler | Dumas | Reyes Specialists in Orthodontics, knows very well the landscape and the destruction that is possible when a typhoon hits this archipelago. Born and raised in Michigan, he has been back “home” many times over the years, where his extended family resides. “My parents and I have been in touch with the family, and all are safe but the grief and the horrors of this storm are heavy on their hearts. This is far from over. It’s going to take a long time to reach out and start to rebuild/reconnect the country.”

Tyler | Dumas | Reyes has decided to try and send some “some smiles across the miles” and now through the end of the year will donate 50% of all Lasting Impression retainer fees to the relief efforts for Typhoon Haiyan. This along with hygiene supplies from the office will be going out in November and December.

“I hope our patients can really help us get behind this initiative and try to make an impact we can to bring the slightest relief. We are asking that if you need to replace your retainers, you might not want to wait,” says Dr. Reyes. “We would like to send our first donations by the end of next week and then continue through the end of 2013.”

“This feels like a drop in the bucket compared to the multi-million dollar campaigns of larger corporations but being mindful of our local response to the schools and charities we support, we would like to stretch just a bit further and if we can bring a smile to even one hungry child in the Philippines,” continues Reyes, “then I believe any effort is a worthy endeavor.”

Thanks for reading and don’t be like me and eat too much food on Thursday!

Happy Thanksgiving – Dr. Groth