Dr. Tom Grams, dentist extaordinaire, lived a life that made a difference, traveling to some of the most war-ravaged, impoverished nations in the world to give people good dental care.
Grams volunteered for 29 such trips through the Global Dental Relief Fund, a Denver-based organization that does its work in Nepal, Cambodia, Kenya, Guatemala, Ladakh, India and other countries of that ilk.
He died at the hands of terrorists in Afghanistan in 2010 while on a International Assistance Mission-sponsored trip. His death hit this community hard. But his work continues, in part by friends’ fundraising for Global Dental Relief and in part by friends continuing his mission the best they can.
In September, five Durangoans traveled to Ladakh, which was one of Grams’ favorite places to volunteer. (Retired art teacher Sandy Bielenberg thinks he visited there every spring and fall for five years.)
Along with Bielenberg, the Durango crew included Kelly Rubin, a retired speech therapist who worked with the San Juan Board of Cooperative Services, her husband, Dylan Brown, a retired Needham Elementary School teacher, Antonia Clark of Toh-Atin Gallery fame and Karen Backer, a hygienist from Grams’ dental office.
For Bielenberg, who was invited to join Grams in Ladakh for a Global Dental Relief clinic after his ill-fated Afghanistan trip, it was her second trip for GDF since her friend died. Her first trip was to Cambodia in 2013 when Global Dental Relief needed last-minute, nondental volunteers for its first mission ever to that Southeast Asian country. A stop afterward in Myanmar to visit villages being helped by the Durango-based Shanta Foundation led to a serious truck accident, where Bielenberg broke her back and foot, so she needed to heal first before heading out again.
Backer was one of three hygienists on the trip. The nondental crew worked as chairside assistants, taught oral health education, helped with the flow of patients to the dentists, sorted instruments, filled syringes and applied fluoride. (Some of that sounds pretty dental to me!)
Bielenberg said Global Dental Relief runs well-organized trips, and the other volunteers tend to be great. On this trip, there were four dentists, and all were under the age of 31. That’s unusual for GDF missions that tend to draw older and retired dentists. It bodes well for the future of the organization, as dentists frequently make multiple trips year after year.
After the clinic ended, the group trekked for 11 days. Clark, Rubin and Brown extended their trek for three days to climb a 20,134-foot peak, but as a group they covered about 95 miles at elevations ranging from 11,600 to 17,260 feet. Their trip was supported by a staff of seven great guides from Ladakh and 14 ponies to carry their gear.
The statistics for the clinic are pretty impressive. They saw 727 patients , 693 of whom were 18 and under. They performed 383 exams, 212 cleanings and 321 fluoride applications, along with numerous fillings, extractions and sealants. All told, the value of the work performed was more than $156,000.
Bielenberg said Global Dental Relief is looking for last-minute nondental volunteers for a trip to Cambodia in November. Visit www.globaldentalrelief.org to learn more.
HHH
Enjoying a world vibrant with color for their birthdays are Margaret Vallejos, Linkin Griego, Dewey Peden, Patricia Mertens, Mary (Crow) Dunlap, Marilyn Swanson, Richard Nobman, Jonah Michael Unterreiner, Norma Phillips, Caroline Munger, Betsy Janeczek, Jill Wright, Chris Calwell, Linda Schwinghammer, Lily Colbert and Ben Southworth.
HHH
On Sept. 12, the audience got to make a bow on the stage at the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College.
The occasion was Jazz on the Hill, a fundraiser for the hall itself, in the form of the Serzen Endowment. Bette Serzen founded the fund after her husband, Russ, died. Since he was a devoted jazz lover, there was only one form the fundraiser could take.
Joyce Lyons is a popular performer at the event. This time, she brought her trio, Graydon Peterson on bass, Jay Epstein on drums and Phil Aaron on keyboards.
The 76 guests enjoyed a fall feast prepared by Strater Catering, including chicken with honey-thyme velouté, a pork loin roulade filled with apples, Brie and spinach, baby maple-glazed carrots and a pumpkin-spiced mousse to top it off.
There was one incredible item on the auction block: a trip to New York City for a behind-the-scenes look at how concert hall director Charles Leslie selects the performers to book. Terry Bacon and Debra Parmenter will be enjoying the adventure, with Bette Serzen and Lyons thrown in for good measure. The Big Apple will never be the same.
HHH
Celebrating autumn anniversaries are Darrell and Diane Gardner, Alexander and Lauren Trlica and Chris and Linda Berger.
HHH
neighbors@durangoherald.com
This column has been modified because Dr. Tom Grams’ trip to Afghanistan was through International Assistance Mission. And Sandy Bielenberg was invited to join him on a Global Dental Relief clinic trip to Ladakh after he completed the mission to Afghanistan.
