[StBernard] ST. BERNARD SCHOOLS

[Westley Annis]

ST. BERNARD SCHOOLS 

A group of volunteers from Champaign, Ill., consisting of a dentist and his
wife, five instructors, 20 dental hygiene students, two support personnel
and two bus drivers, recently paid their own way to St. Bernard Parish,
traveling 19 hours to volunteer their services. 

Bringing their own equipment and supplies, the group from Parkland College's
Dental Hygiene Program provided services valued at nearly $100,000 to 525
students in first through fifth grades at Andrew Jackson and J.F. Gauthier
elementary schools. 

The volunteers cleaned, flossed, and applied fluoride and sealants to
children's teeth. There was also an educational aspect of the visit as
puppets, printed materials, and an instructional DVD were all used to teach
the students the proper way to floss and brush. 

The volunteers credited Pastor Randy Maillet of the Adullam Christian
Fellowship in Arabi, who housed and fed them. 

Sherry Wolfe, who served as the liaison between the St. Bernard Parish
school system and the volunteers, returned the hospitality to the
volunteers. 

"We sent them off with Mardi Gras beads, pralines, king cakes, a copy of
'Lost in Katrina' and many tears. And a trip to Rocky and Carlo's," she
said. 

. . . . . . .