What's your favourite thing about Smilezone Foundation?
Smilezone Foundation is very unique. In creating these great spaces, we are changing the atmosphere of facilities that are normally drab and dreary. We make the space more exciting for patients, parents and staff while helping the kids forget about their challenges for a while.
W
hat is the most memorable moment from any of the builds?
The most memorable moment at each build is always the surprised reaction that you get from not only the kids but the parents and staff. The reveal is often full of emotion, you see the impact the Smilezone has.
How quickly are the builds completed?
All of our builds are completed in
3 days
. The majority of the builds are schedule to start on a Friday and completed by Sunday. The Smilezones often end up being a surprise for everyone when they return Monday morning.
What’s the coolest thing you’ve put in a Smilezone?
The coolest thing we have done is create a 2 story mural waterfall for the front foyer at the
Pathstone
in St. Catherines. It was a huge undertaking but turned out to be amazing
How do choose what themes and items go into the Smilezone designs?
We work very closely with the front-line staff of each facility to see what
works and what doesn’t for their particular needs. This is a very critical part of the design process.
The Staff are the ones there every day and know what would work in the selected spaces and what the patients would most likely want to see and use.
What can be the most challenging part of the Smilezone installation process & how do you deal with that?
The most challenging part of the Smilezone install is the fact that we transform these spaces in 3 days. A lot of times we run into unforeseen issues that keep us on our toes but with our great team we're able to solve those issues and make sure we stay on track.
What’s your favourite part about working for Smilezone?
Being able to create amazing new spaces for facilities and seeing the joy and happiness from everyone that is involved whether it be the Patients, Staff, Parents and even those who dedicate their time and effort to making these transformations possible.
