Great Shape! Inc. is blessed to work with two such wonderful people, Tara Montgomery and Shantelle Senior. They are both Project Directors for 1000 Smiles, but Tara is from the US and Shantelle is from Jamaica. They both became Project Directors after volunteering for Great Shape!. Even though they are from different places, they both share the love that they have for the Jamaican people.
We had the opportunity to talk to them both about their favorite “joy moment” with 1000 Smiles thus far. Tara Montgomery discussed a moment that she witnessed between a young boy and a volunteer. At a school in Ochi, there was a young boy that was being made fun of because his two front teeth were messed up and broken. One of the volunteers saw this, and convinced the boy and his parents to visit the 1000 Smiles clinic. The volunteer even went with the boy and his family to the clinic. Tara is in charge of the slideshows which have the “before” and “after” pictures from the clinics. Tara said, “when I saw the “before” and “after” pictures of his teeth, it made me realize how much of a difference we are making. It gives them confidence that they didn’t have before.” She loves being a part of 1000 Smiles because “seeing people’s lives being changed every day is such a fulfilling experience.”
Shantelle has also had the opportunity to experience many joy moments while working with 1000 Smiles. She says that “just seeing the smiles on all of their faces after coming to the clinic brings me joy. Some of them actually cry because they appreciate what we do so much.” Many of the Jamaican people have wanted help for years but dental care is very expensive. 1000 Smiles gives them access to healthcare that they could not previously afford. Shantelle’s favorite part about working with 1000 Smiles is meeting all of the new people that she works with and helps. Shantelle says that “it helps us to appreciate what we have at home, even if it is very little.”