A CHILD'S SMILE - 2023
-click here for 2022 report-
For the 12th year, St. Olaf Church, residents, organizations, businesses, and schools in our communities are partnering to provide a Christmas for the kids of local families in need.
The 2022 “A Child's Smile” effort provided a Christmas for 1,200 children from 596 local families facing difficult times this winter. 100% of the money donated by the generous organizations, businesses, and residents in our communities was converted to Walmart gift cards.
An anonymous “super donor” who contributed $20,000 enabled us to provide for all the kids on the schools’ lists.
We would not have been able to reach our local families in need without the partnership of our local schools. The counselors and teachers of 44 local schools determined the local families in need. The schools ensured that a parent or responsible caregiver in each family received a $50 Walmart gift card for each child in their family so they could buy Christmas presents for their children. The number of kids in each school or school district that were provided a Christmas this year because of the A Child’s Smile program is listed below.
In addition, about $2,300 worth of winter caps, mittens, and winter coats were also donated. They will be dispensed by the schools as needed to the kids who lose them or come to school without warm clothes. Also, about $2,300 worth of toys, dolls, and stuffed animals were also donated that will be gifted to kids in need through the schools and the Dodge County Toy Bank.
The schools, families, and I express our heart-felt thanks and appreciation for your partnership in A Child’s Smile and your above and beyond generosity from our communities. I wish you could read all the letters of appreciation I have received over the years from schools and families.
Next year I will again be joining with our communities and local schools to serve as many local families in need as funding will allow. I realize you have many charitable giving options, but I hope you will consider A Child's Smile again when Thanksgiving and Christmas, 2023 roll around.
Again, many thanks.
St. Olaf's Church www.st-olaf.org
Roger Johnson (414-651-3915) farmstone@aol.com
Number of children provided a Christmas in 2022 through “A Child’s Smile”
| Children | Families | School |
| 19 | 5 | Erin Elementary School |
| 78 | 27 | Randolph School District (3 schools) |
| 118 | 43 | Horicon School District (3 schools) |
| 32 | 17 | Beaver Dam School District (6 schools) |
| 25 | 10 | Theresa Elementary School |
| 28 | 10 | Lomira Elementary School |
| 14 | 7 | Addison Elementary School |
| 23 | 14 | Allenton Elementary School |
| 54 | 19 | Hartford Lincoln Elementary School |
| 42 | 14 | Hartford Rossman Elementary School |
| 22 | 10 | Hartford Central Middle School |
| 56 | 19 | Slinger Elementary School |
| 24 | 11 | Slinger Middle School |
| 37 | 23 | Slinger High School |
| 41 | 14 | Herman Neosho Rubicon School District (2 schools) |
| 57 | 32 | Hustisford School District (2 schools) |
| 69 | 30 | Dodgeland School District (3 schools)
(Clyman, Reeseville, Lowell and Juneau) |
| 25 | 9 | Stone Bank Elementary School |
| 4 | 3 | North Lake Elementary School |
| 108 | 57 | Oconomowoc School District (8 schools)
Includes Ixonia. |
| 45 | 20 | Dousman Elementary School |
| 13 | 7 | Lebanon Public Grade School |
| 223 | 173 | Watertown School District (2 schools) |
| 43 | 17 | home schooling families |