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Welcome to the World Smile Day®
2008 Website
This year, on October 3, 2008 we celebrate World Smile
Day ® X. As ever the theme for
the day is "Do an act of kindness. Help one
person smile." And, as ever, the image that
leads the way on this day is the smiley face.
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As is well known by now
throughout the world Harvey Ball, a
commercial artist from Worcester,
Massachusetts created the smiley face in
1963.
That image went on to become the most
recognizable symbol of good will and
good cheer on the planet.
As the years passed Harvey Ball became concerned about
the over-commercialization of his symbol, and how its
original meaning and intent had become lost in the
constant repetition of the marketplace. Out of
that concern came his idea for World Smile Day®. He
thought that we, all of us, should devote one day each
year to smiles and kind acts throughout that world.
The smiley face knows no politics, no geography and no
religion. Harvey’s idea was that for at least one
day each year, neither should we. He declared that
the first Friday in October each year would henceforth
be World Smile Day®.
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The very first World Smile Day® took place in Worcester,
MA on October 1, 1999. What a celebration it was!
State and local dignitaries gathered and read
proclamations in support of the day. Another
proclamation recognizing the day was read on the floor
of the United States Congress and is now part of the
Congressional Record, the reporter of the official
proceedings of the US Congress. Thousands of
Worcester school children created World Smile Day® cards
that were then delivered to area hospitals and nursing
homes. The event became national and even
international news.
The US Postal service came to Worcester that day to
unveil its new Smiley Face stamp design. And, the
Postal Service issued a special cancellation just for
that event. Each year since then
the USPS has
issued a different cancellation commemorating the day.
In his inaugural address on that very first World Smile
Day® Harvey Ball laid the groundwork for that World
Smile Day® saying that the smiley face “…just reflects
what is inside every one of
us – a smile is what we want
to see when we look at another human being.” He
said, “Sometimes we forget that. Sometimes the world
seems big and filled with problems that are too hard
to
understand much less solve. We start to believe
that we are too small to make a difference. But
that’s not true. The truth is that every one of us has
the ability to make a difference every day.”
Harvey's hometown of Worcester, MA has been and
continues to be the epicenter for World Smile Day®.
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 In
2000, Worcester created the world's largest smiley
face jigsaw puzzle. |
 Sadly, in April
2001, Harvey passed away just shy of his
80th birthday. However, in October of
that year Worcester's citizens converged on City Hall
Plaza to observe World Smile Day® and decorate the plaza
with smiley faces under the direction of Sidewalk Sam, a
street artist well known throughout Northeastern US. |
 In
2002 Worcesterites gathered once again to observe
World Smile Day®, donning yellow and black ponchos to
form a huge human smiling face. |
 In
2003, it was a balloon release containing messages of
hope and goodwill. |
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In 2004 the Harvey Ball World Smile Foundation, created in 2002 to honor Harvey Ball's name
and legacy, combined fun and philanthropy and sponsored
a "Where's Smiley" contest. The Foundation awarded
a $10,000.00 grant to the contest winner; a Worcester
based non-profit organization, Poetry Oasis, Inc.
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In
2005, the Harvey Ball World Smile Foundation sponsored a
“Count the Smiles” contest. More than 1000 people tried
to guess the number of smiley candies in a very large
vase. The three closest guesses won the opportunity to
direct a charitable gift from the Harvey Ball World
Smile Foundation to the charity of their choice.
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 In
2006 in Worcester we kept our “Eyes
on the Pies.” It was a pie-eating contest for charity!
The teams gathered at Worcester City Hall Plaza
on World Smile Day® and competed for the chance to direct
charitable gifts from the Harvey Ball World Smile
Foundation to a charity, non-profit organization or
school of their choice. |
 In 2007 we spread smiles all around the greater
Worcester area on World Smile Day®. With the help
of radio station WCRN and talk show host Hank Stolz we
visited many homes throughout the area delivering smiles
and treats to those whose names had been suggested by
friends and loved ones. We also broadcast live
from City Hall Plaza allowing everyone to send out World
Smile Day® greetings over the airwaves.
Over the years a growing number of people from around
the world, especially teachers, have joined in the World
Smile Day® spirit and held their own observances
centered on the "Do an act of kindness. Help
one person smile." theme. Indeed anyone can
observe the Day. It costs nothing but yields so
much. |
 This year,
in 2008,
the Harvey Ball World Smile Foundation
has teamed up with the famous Eleni’s Bakery in Manhattan to send
packages of smiley cookies to US soldiers serving
overseas. You can join with us and help. Visit the
WSD 2008 events page
for more details of all our plans and events. |
Please note that the phrase World Smile Day® is a
registered trademark. It may not be used for any
money generating purpose, commercial or otherwise,
without express permission from the Harvey Ball World
Smile Foundation. Feel free to
contact us with any questions concerning this issue.
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