Team TAG raises big money for Operation Smile

CULVER CITY, Calif. - Oct. 22, 2013 - PRLog -- SANTA MONICA -  Team TAG raised nearly $500 in donations for children who need cleft lip and palate surgeries after spending four hours talking with people on the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica Saturday.

Operation Smile is a worldwide children's charity organization that helps treat facial deformities such as cleft lips & cleft palates. They held their national Day of Smiles on Saturday, October 5th this year. One surgery costs around $240 dollars. The team raised enough to change two children's lives.

Ten of Team TAG's finest used their sales and marketing skills to not only collect donations, but to educate shoppers about the charity's needs.

"Children born with cleft lips in the U.S. get this surgery automatically, that doesn't happen in the 3rd world, that's why we're out here, to make sure other children can get the surgery they need to eat, drink, smile and grow up healthy,"  volunteer Christine O'Donnell explained to a group of shoppers as they paused to donate.

One of the volunteers, Ilene Aaron, used the fundraising event as a way to teach children about the charity and how children in some 3rd world countries grow up. Three-year-Elijah Bernard  took special interest and asked his grandma for money to put in the jar.

His grandmother Rosita Gordon says they're originally from Belize.

"Why, did we stop, because these are kids who need help," Gordon said

Peter Marron from Panorama City had been fundraising for another event that morning. Still, he made his way to Team TAG's table to make a donation.

"The bible says love your neighbor as you love yourself," Marron said.

Nick Lowe and his children Ava, 8, and Jack, 5, came to LA for vacation from the United Kingdom. He made sure both of his kids learned something and made a donation.

"It's a good cause. And I relate that you've got to help the children. If you help them get their start in the world it makes all the difference," Lowe said.

In four hours, Team TAG raised a Grand Total of $437. One surgery costs around $240 dollars. The team raised enough to change two children's lives.

"It's amazing, there are some wonderful people out there and I feel amazing," volunteer Greg Farmer said about their fund raising efforts.

"I want to give back to the community because anything helps. And, I believe in karma. If you do something great, then you get great back. I think everyone did their best, we had a great time and well raise more next time," volunteer Sam Chen said.

# # #

About Team TAG

A sales and consulting firm based in Culver City, California, Team TAG specializes in customer acquisition and retention for Fortune 500 companies. Achieving their goals—while developing leaders and investing in personal growth—is important to Team TAG, as is giving back to the community (www.teamTAG.org).

For more information, call 310-670-6500 or go to http://www.teamTAGgroup.com/.

Like Team TAG on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/teamtag1 and follow @teamTAGgroup on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/teamtaggroup) http://www.twitter.com/teamtaggroup.