In 2002, the PFA Foundation awarded a $3500 grant to the Bay Cliff Health Camp in Big Bay, Michigan, on the recommendation of Michigan Chair Virginia Merchant (Dental World, Jan/Feb 2003, p. 14).

Under the leadership of Dr. Cheri Newman and her tribe of volunteers, several dental personnel ventured into the wilds of rural Michigan to provide dental care to the physically disabled. A couple of those volunteers at that time were past PFA President David Campbell and his wife Janet. They wrote an article about the experience which was shared with the Fellowship in the July/August 2003 issue of Dental World, pp. 2-3.

And though we are in 2007, the Dr. Cheri Newman Dental Tribe of UDM volunteers did venture out to Big Bay, Upper Peninsula, again last summer to continue their tradition of providing dental care to the physically challenged adults.

The Camp was originally established during the Depression years as an outpost to help starving children. It later became a center for treating children with polio and other physical disabilities. Currently, the Camp treats children with any physical disability. Over its 72 years of service, thousands of children have been helped in their lives. In those seven decades, the children have become adults, but serving their needs is still a priority. Bay Cliff Camp has established Camp Independence for "campers" 18 years and older to continue their childhood experience into adulthood. This is where PFA has become directly involved.

That Camp experience is adapted per person per disability to be inclusive, from kayaking, painting, bowling, swimming, photography, to physical therapy, massage therapy, and dentistry. The dentistry is particularly essential since many of these patients do not have access to dental treatment during the rest of the year. It is not that the families or nursing care homes do not care about their patient's dental needs, but the time and energy involved in getting the patients dressed and fed for the day is exhausting. Planning preparation for a dental appointment, transportation concerns of getting to a dental facility, and then making a series of dental appointments to take care of these needs is difficult to work into a regular regime and cost. When just taking a glass of water with a straw is a chore, brushing one's teeth daily is not a high priority item for living. This situation is an everyday reality for many Bay Cliff patients. This is where PFA volunteers make a real difference.

This year's team consisted of UDM students Tiffany Stafiej, (Foundation Scholarship recipient), Elizabeth Ralstrom, and Sam Blanchard, along with Brad Mattson, RDH Pat Theisen, RDH Stephanie Newman and Dr. Cheri Newman. They performed some 60 hygiene appointments, more than 40 multiple surface restorations, and a few extractions. While it seems strange that these patients are genuinely appreciative of the dental treatments, one understands better when they say, "Thank you. It no longer hurts when I chew."

At Camp Independence, there are no disabilities, only differently-abled campers. Camp Bay Cliff is a magical place where lives are affected every summer. Volunteers think that they are there to help others. Halfway through the camp they realize that the campers only needed a filling or two, but the volunteer needed the help in realizing another side of real life. They understand that the profession of dentistry is more than a business, and payment is more worth earning when done with thankful smiles and words.