By Kathy Feist
November 22nd was a bitterly cold and windy day. But that didn’t stop one military veteran from lining up at the doors of Dental Care Center in Martin City at 2 o’clock in the morning.
That veteran was first in line to receive free dental care provided by the volunteer staff at Dental Care Center, 325 E. 135 St. Another 20 to 30 patients received care that morning for everything from cavity fillings to root canals and tooth extractions, according to Ginger Stiver, manager of the Center. None had insurance.
At the end of the day, one lucky military vet, April Murphy, was awarded a service dog presented by Friends in Service of Heroes (FISH). Bounce houses were set up outdoors for young children. But the weather kept that experience to a minimum.
To cap off the day, several varieties of cupcakes baked by Malorie Stiver were brought out to the front office. It was a way to celebrate the volunteer’s hard work and the $8500 contribution the Dental Care Center of South Kansas City made to FISH.
Dr. Paul Stiver and his wife Ginger agreed to make this an annual event, but with one caveat: hold it on a warmer day of the year