Everett dentist Stephen Lee recently returned from a 20-day trip to the Dominican Republic, where he volunteered his time caring for the residents of a small village near the city of Santiago.
As part of his involvement in Creighton University’s Institute for Latin American Concern, Lee also served as mentor to a group of Creighton dental students who volunteered in the country, too.
This was the second such trip for Lee, who said being away from home “makes me appreciate some of the things we take for granted, like indoor plumbing and clean water.”
He lived with an elderly couple whose Spanish was difficult to understand and whose roosters crowed too early, he said. “But my Dominican ‘mom’ had a heart of gold and sent me off each morning with a bag full of fresh bananas to get me through the day.”
Lee’s dental team faced daily challenges, he said.
“We would see countless cases of rampant tooth decay brought on by the lack of understanding that sugar causes cavities,” Lee said. “We brought a portable dental chair and mobile instrument unit, and we had a generator and compressor that, when they worked, would allow us to do a wide variety of procedures.
“When it didn’t work, we put our patients in rocking chairs and performed extractions.”
In addition to treating the villagers, Lee said he and the dental students made an effort to educate village residents about other health problems such as sexually transmitted diseases and dehydration.
“Hopefully by doing so, our efforts will have lasting effects,” he said.
Lee, 30, graduated from Mariner High School in 1994 and from Creighton University’s dental school in 2002. In 2003, he moved back to Everett and has continued the dental practice his father began 31 years ago.
“He is retired, but he came out of retirement to keep the practice running while I was gone,” Lee said.
Dean and Glenda Wilson of Everett recently were honored with the “Angel of Hospice Award” from Providence Hospice and Home Care. The couple volunteer each December as Santa and Mrs. Claus, visiting many of the organization’s patients and bringing along treats and books.
Whidbey Island Eagles Aerie 3418 in Freeland recently donated $7,500 in profits from its spring golf tournament to the Forgotten Children’s Fund for use at the M-BAR-C Ranch, also in Freeland.
The Snohomish County Boys &Girls Club recently held its county basketball camp at the Everett club and Everett Community College.
Volunteers in one of the morning sessions included University of Washington player Jon Brockman, University of San Francisco player Randy Richardson, Hall of Fame coach Charlie Cobb and Boys &Girls Club athletic directors. Community college coach Larry Walker and Hall of Fame coach Ed Pepple also provided instruction.
Volunteers and participants gather for a photo during a recent Snohomish County Boys &Girls Club basketball camp.
A record 106 participants completed the recent “Christmas in July” motorcycle ride sponsored by the Gold Wing Touring Association Chapter C Evergreen Wings.
Starting at the Smokey Point Cycle Barn and ending at Everett Powersports, motorcyclists raised $1,565 for Christmas House, a Snohomish County-based charity that provided gifts to 7,634 children and 2,715 low-income families from 22 different cities in 2005.
Joel Woods, from the Evergreen Wing chapter, presented the check to Christmas House director Tom Thetford at the conclusion of the ride.
The 2006 Getchell Recruits in Training firefighter development program administered by Snohomish County Fire District 22 in partnership with District 15 of Tulalip Bay recently graduated 11 students from its rigorous six-week academy.
Jeff Olson, James Dolph, Luke Bagley, Tony Gleason, Mike Kozak, Aaron Reeder, Nic Verbon, Bryan Kees, Alex Petterson, Chad Mathews and Brandon Kloes earned firefighting and emergency medical technician certifications.
The selection process for next year’s academy begins in February. For more information go to www.getchellfire.com.
Eleven people recently graduated from the Getchell Recruits in Training firefighter development program. In the bottom row, from left, are Jeff Olson, James Dolph, Luke Bagley, Tony Gleason and Mike Kozak. In the top row, from left, are Aaron Reeder, Nic Verbon, Bryan Kees, Alex Petterson, Chad Mathews and Brandon Kloes. Behind them is drill master Matt Campbell.
Snohomish County Fire District 1 firefighters Tom Keene, Nicole Picknell and David Sherman recently graduated from the Washington State Fire Academy.
Keene was honored as a recipient of the Bulldog Award, presented to the recruit who has demonstrated the most determination.
He also was named to the Chief’s Company, a group of four firefighters chosen for demonstrating outstanding integrity, determination and skill during the academy session.
Helen Kendall of the G.R. Kendall Foundation has been installed as president of the 2006-07 Zonta Club of Everett.
Kendall, a Mukilteo resident, also serves on the board of the Mukilteo Branch of the Snohomish County YMCA and the Children’s Village Foundation.
The elected officers of the club are vice president Suzie Truglio of PROforma Creative Concepts, treasurer Nancy Stuchell Kniest of Stuchell Enterprises and secretary Janice Henning of Puget Press.
The board of directors includes Janet Jolley of Providence Hospice and Home Care, Norlonna Funkhouser of Doncaster, Jodie Ray Kelley of the Boeing Co., Darlene Conkle of Jeweler’s Choice and immediate past president Judith Strand of Merrill Gardens in Stanwood.
Zonta is an international service organization involving business and professional executives working together to advance the status of women through advocacy and service.
The club meets at 7:30 a.m. the first Thursday of the month and noon the third Thursday of the month at Everett Golf and Country Club.
For more information, call 425-348-3501 or go to www.zontaeverett.org.
Vicki Hesseltine of Snohomish is a finalist in the Pacific Northwest Quiltfest show Aug. 11 at the Seattle Center. Her quilt entry, titled “Summer Harvest,” will compete with 276 quilts and wearable art entries from five states and four Canadian provinces.
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