Give Kids A Smile (GKAS) received a $4,400 grant from the Cuivre River Electric Community Trust to provide free dental care to children at the recent GKAS biannual clinic on Feb. 20-21 at the Center …
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Cuivre River awards grant for free dental care
Posted
Give Kids A Smile (GKAS) received a $4,400 grant from the Cuivre River Electric Community Trust to provide free dental care to children at the recent GKAS biannual clinic on Feb. 20-21 at the Center for Advanced Dental Education on the campus of St. Louis University.“Operation Round Up funds are combined with additional resources to provide underserved children with comprehensive dental care. Oral examinations, professional cleanings with fluoride treatments, sealants, restorations, X-rays and oral surgery are provided at no cost,” says GKAS Executive Director Joan Allen. With the help of more than 500 volunteers, GKAS treated approximately 650 children during the two-day clinic.The Cuivre River Electric Community Trust (CREC Trust), which distributes Operation Round Up funds, has supported the GKAS mission with more than $13,000 in grants since 2006. “The CREC Trust has been a strong advocate of our programs for many years,” Allen adds. Serving youth and addressing unmet health needs in the community are key CREC Trust priorities.“Dental care is important to the overall well-being of a child and often becomes a secondary thought,” says Allen. Lack of education, medical coverage, geographical and financial reasons are contributing factors.GKAS, a not-for-profit organization founded in 2002, has an ongoing mission to bring volunteers and organizations together to provide free quality dental services and programs to children living at or below the poverty line. Programs include the GKAS Biannual Clinic, Smile Factories, Spreading the Smile, Tiny Smiles, New Beginnings, Smiling Kids, Learning to Smile and Additional Arms.“Our programs are designed to treat children who are living at or below the poverty line. The Operation Round Up grant will assist us in providing dental services to these children in need,” said Allen.GKAS is now accepting reservations for children in kindergarten through eighth grade living in Lincoln, Pike, St. Charles and Warren counties for the upcoming clinic in October. “More than 13,500 children have received over $6.8 million in dental treatments since our first clinic in 2002,” Allen adds. To learn more about Give Kids A Smile visit www.gkas.org or to schedule an appointment call 636-397-6453.Cuivre River funds are made available through Operation Round Up and administered by the seven-member volunteer Cuivre River Electric Community Trust Board. These funds help support individuals, families and organizations within the Cuivre River Electric Cooperative service area.
Smiles are under construction and things are looking up for this local youth thanks to a $4,400 Operation Round Up grant to Give Kids A Smile (GKAS). The grant helped provide free dental care to children from the Cuivre River area that were able to attend the recent GKAS biannual clinic at the Center for Advanced Dental Education on the campus of St. Louis University. Submitted photo.
