About the Event
Saturday, April 27, 2024 from 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm at the American Spirit Centre
Dress Code: Casual, Business Casual or Red, White & Blue Apparel!
The Stars, Stripes & Smiles Fundraiser is an uplifting event dedicated to supporting VINA Community Dental Center, a nonprofit committed to enhancing oral health and overall well-being by providing low-cost dental care to low-income, uninsured individuals, with a special emphasis on improving the lives of veterans through two impactful programs offering free dental care for these men and women in need.
Ticket includes:
- Dancing and music
- Buffet dinner
- Entrees: chicken marsala, baked white fish, roast beef with gravy
- Sides: rice pilaf, garlic mashed redskin potatoes, creamy bowtie Alfredo
- Vegetables: green beans Almandine, honey glazed carrots
- Dessert: assortment table
- Access to various raffles, wine and beer pulls and more
- FREE entry into a door prize raffle for all attendees
- Prize: Dinner for a group at Single Barrel Social
At this event, we will be drawing the winner of the Corvette raffle! To learn more about that raffle, click here.
Veteran Honor Roll
Connor Smith, Army
Evan Schwimmer, Army
Lt. Col. H.R. Petersburg, USAF
Michael "Mick" Jorgens, Army
Capt. James L. Fenton, M.D., Army
Sgt. William Abraham Androsian, Air Force & Army
Capt. Ronald Paler, USAF
Lt. Regina Ridley, Army Nurse
Greg Gagner, Marines
Bob Warren, USAF
Sponsors
Benco Dental - Threasa Liddell
Courtney Atsalakis
Drs. Donald & Sandra LaTurno
Scott & Sue Ward
Dr. Deb de Laski-Smith & Gene Smith
Door Prize Sponsor:
Flower Sponsor:
Ida Bergsma
Media Sponsor:
Thank you all sponsors for spreading smiles in our community!
About VINA
VINA is a nonprofit dental clinic serving low-income, uninsured adults in Livingston County.
Dental appointments only cost patients $25 and cleanings are $10 thanks to the generous support of grantors, donors and event attendees.
VINA patients are often older adults on fixed incomes, young adults aging out of insurance, part-time employees, small business employees, people who've recently lost insurance (divorce, loss of a job, etc.) and anyone else who fits the qualifications!
Recently, VINA patients shared what VINA means to them:
"Your zeal for those of us less fortunate than others has granted to each patient optimism and comfort by way of your example of selflessness. You are walking and working people of grace.
When my wife and I first came to VINA, we did not know what to expect. Our teeth and oral hygiene were at great risk and our comfort level was uncertain.
It was YOU who put a new perspective on everything for our oral health. It was YOU who comforted us...no matter what chair or which doctor or student was making us "whole" again. It was YOU, who with smiling faces welcomed us at each visit, as if "we were coming home" again."
VINA collaborates with local organization to help low-income veterans receive free dental care.
The Victors for Veterans Program is run by Dr. Howard Hamerink through the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. This program provides free, comprehensive care to veterans in a seven-county area. VINA is one of three host sites throughout the state and has nearly 20 clinic dates annually for this program. Dental students provide the care for these patients under the supervision of local volunteer dentists, including Dr. Howard Hamerink, Dr. Ken Marriott, Dr. Matt Matuszak and Dr. Bill Metz.
VINA and Livingston County Veteran Services also work together to provide free dental care to qualifying veterans in Livingston County. Veterans registered both with VINA and LCVS can have their appointment fees covered by LCVS. This helps connect Livingston County veterans in need with more resources that are available to them.