Donor Gives $1 Million to Create Interactive Learning Center in Operation Smile Global Headquarters
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., Feb. 24, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Through a gift of $1 million from late donor and local humanitarian, Anthony L. Burgess, Operation Smile has been provided with the means to create the Anthony L. and Hideko S. Burgess Interactive Learning Center (ILC) at its global headquarters in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Anthony "Tony" Burgess was a hard-working man who endeavored to give back to others and preserve the memory of his wife, Hideko, with a bequest at his passing. Tony researched charities in which education and children's development were a priority. Upon meeting the team at Operation Smile and learning about the plans for their Interactive Learning Center, Tony decided to make Operation Smile his charitable beneficiary.
“The bequest from Mr. Burgess is a full-circle love story," said Kathy Magee, Co-Founder and President of Operation Smile. "Mr. Burgess came into the organization as a monthly donor and, through our planned giving program, established a living legacy with the Interactive Learning Center. He made a generous decision to complete the project in honor of his wife and their 55-year marriage, knowing that the ILC will foster learning, education and cultural understanding for generations to come."
The ILC will serve as a "Window to the World," allowing visitors to take a journey through the medical mission process and learn about patients and families that Operation Smile serves. The ILC seeks to educate students, the community and visitors to Virginia Beach about culture, medicine, geography, and leadership. With empathy and compassion at the heart of the exhibit, participants will better understand the challenges that patients and their families overcome on their paths toward brighter futures through cleft surgery and comprehensive care.