Anne McGovern from Newport received the Operation Smile Volunteer Award for Outstanding Commitment and Volunteerism from the charity at its 10th anniversary ball last month. The event marked a decade of Operation Smile in Ireland and was attended by the charity’s international founders Dr Bill and Kathy Magee, by whom Anne was presented her award.
After receiving her award Anne said: “I was totally surprised to receive this award. It has been my pleasure to have committed as a volunteer to Operation Smile for the past nine years. Being the Lead Medical Records volunteer on many Operation Smile missions has been hugely rewarding for me, as I witness so many people's lives being changed by our skilled medics. I am honoured to accept this award from the founder of Operation Smile, Kathy McGee, and I look forward to many more years volunteering with Operation Smile, changing lives one smile at a time”
Anne has been volunteering with the charity since it started in Ireland in 2003 and has been on 11 missions including to Bhubaneswar, India in September.
Operation Smile’s In-Country manager Mairead O’Callaghan had this to say about Anne: “She is always willing to do whatever is asked of her, whether on our overseas medical missions or on the home front here in Ireland. She is a highly valued volunteer and a perfect role model for young volunteers looking to become involved in the sector. We were delighted to be able to honour her work at our recent ten year celebration ball.”
