Congressman Norm Dicks (D 6^th district) visited the Port Angeles OlyCAP offices on August 14^th.  A long-time friend of OlyCAP, the congressman has been a firm supporter of the OlyCAP Oral Health Center and had visited the clinic while it was under construction.  He came this time to see the finished product and to hear about its successful role in serving the community and in educating dental hygienists.

On the occasion of this visit the congressman joined OlyCAP’s Executive Director, Tim Hockett, in conferring OlyCAP’s Community Service and Community Partnership Awards. 

Among those receiving the Community Service Awards were two dentists:  Todd Haworth DDS and Greg Birch DDS (pictured); together with Haworth’s dental assistant, Connie Payne.  Community Partnership Awards were conferred upon Peninsula College, the Olympic Lion’s Foundation and the Olympic Peninsula Dental Society.

Dicks congratulated each recipient and then praised OlyCAP for its innovative solution to the need for access to oral health care among the poor.  He then announced that Congress had approved a $50,000 appropriation for the clinic.

February 10, 2007 area dentists Todd Irwin, DMD, Travis Johnson DDS, DMD, David Chuljian, DDS and Brian Hughes, DDS joined forces to Give Kids A Smile at the OlyCAP Oral Health Center.   They were joined by local hygienists and other volunteers.   Dental clinic students in the Pierce/Peninsula College dental hygiene program shadowed experienced hygienists.   Over 50 children were seen throughout the day.

Give Kids A Smile is a national ADA initiative to focus attention on the epidemic of untreated oral disease among disadvantaged children. Caries, which is the chronic infectious disease that causes cavities, remains second only to the common cold in terms of prevalence in children. Unlike a cold, untreated tooth decay won’t heal—in fact, it often gets worse.

Denise Winter, Key City Players Artistic Director and Ian Keith, KCP Board President presented a check for $1112.29 to OlyCAP on January 25 at their offices in Port Townsend. The donation, intended for OlyCAP’s Senior Nutrition Program, represents net proceeds from the production of the theater company’s 2006 WordPlay Reading Series.  WordPlay productions are staged as readings, a format showcasing the contribution of the spoken word to the play and allowing the audience to focus on the words and characters.  Patrons of the readings support local nonprofits through their “pay as you wish” admission, with the net proceeds from the series donated to organizations related to the series theme.  Tim Hockett, OlyCAP’s Executive Director expressed appreciation to the Key City Players and the audience for the readings who contributed so generously.

This was the second year for WordPlay.   Area theatergoers have embraced the series, which frequently plays to standing room only.  The 2006 series, sponsored by Seaport Landing, centered on aging and included a mix of drama and comedy.  This year also added community outreach efforts such as an additional reading at The First Presbyterian Church, and post-performance discussions.  The WordPlay series will continue in 2007 with the theme “Community: The Collective Voice.” 

Key City Players is the oldest theater company in Port Townsend.  KCP presents a year round program.  Their 11^th annual Port Townsend Playwright’s Festival will take place between February 23 and March 11 of this year.  They will offer four plays throughout the year and present an original production at Christmas.