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september 3, 2015
eview R sammamish www.sammamishreview.com
Local dentist travels the world to spread smiles
Quality canines
By Tom Corrigan tcorrigan@isspress.com
Contributed
The Sammamish Kennel Club held its summer dog show Aug. 23 in Snohomish, and Sammamish resident Amie McLaughlin won first prize with Binna, her Norwegian Buhund. Pictured (from left to right) are judge Karolynne McAteer, Best in Show handler Tony Carter, McLaughlin and judge Kenneth Rayner.
City plans ‘Welcome to Sammamish’ bash for Klahanie-area residents The official annexation of Klahanie and adjacent neighborhoods won’t become official until Jan. 1, but the city isn’t going to wait until then to say “Welcome.” Instead, the city will issue the greeting from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 12 at a “Welcome to Sammamish” event. The celebration, which will
feature live music, bouncy toys for the kids, and food trucks of all types, will be held at Klahanie Park (next to Challenger Elementary School). “We hope all the neighborhoods in the annexation area will come out and join in the fun,” City Manager Ben Yazici said in a news release. “The City Council members, city staffers
and I are looking forward to meeting all of our ‘about-to-be’ neighbors.” In addition to the music, bouncy toys and food, there will also be a few brief remarks and a ceremonial planting of a Red Oak at about 10:30 a.m. Learn more about on the event by calling 295-0585, or go to www.sammamish.us/events.
‘You Matter’ is message of local teens supporting National Suicide Prevention Day According to the Washington State Department of Health, between two and three youths ages 15-24 commit suicide every week in Washington state. “The last three years have been some of the hardest years of my ministry when we saw several young people take their lives,” Nick Pringle, pastor of
student ministries at Pine Lake Covenant Church for nearly 10 years, says in a Facebook video. “Each year in America, there are over 1 million attempts of suicide, and that’s too many.” For the second year, teens from Issaquah and Sammamish will join the national movement for National Suicide Prevention Day on Sept. 10 and
girls soccer previews, page 6
wear “You Matter” T-shirts to school that day. “I’m calling on every student from sixth grade through 12th grade to join us as we put on these T-shirts,” Pringle said, “as we go into our community and let other students know that they matter — that every perSee PREVENT, Page 3
In October, Sammamish dentist John Rossi and his wife Carolyn Rossi will make their eighth trip overseas to help young children in developing countries receive perhaps the first dental care they’ve ever received. Both tell stories about their trips and have nothing but good things to say about the people they’ve met and trip organizers International Health Emissaries. Still, Carolyn may have summed up the couple’s thoughts best. “If there is anything that is going to change your life, it’s doing something like this,” she said. The couple’s most recent trip was in January to Siem Reap, Cambodia. “It really is a country that is repairing by the generosity of other countries,” Carolyn added. “But the people there are so grateful.” John noted that although the local population sometimes may have trouble getting potable water, they seem to easily find sugary drinks. At the same time, youngsters often have no idea how to care for their mouths. Decay and infection is so bad that he finds himself removing adult teeth from fairly young patients. “As a dentist, that’s just horrible,” John said adding that his instinct, of course, is being able to save teeth. But that’s not always possible in places with little equipment and little electricity. Thinking back about Siem Reap, Carolyn mentioned tapping into the local power supply via a nail. When visiting a country, the Rossis and whatever other doctors may be with them set up shop pretty much wherever they can. In Cambodia, it was in a school room, with student desks used as dentist’s chairs. In other spots, church pews served the same purpose. Carolyn is not a
How to help
Drop off items or donations from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday at dentist John Rossi’s office in the Sammamish Highlands Shopping Center (next to Trader Joe’s,) at 504 228th Ave. N.E.
dentist herself, but often acts as an assistant on trips. “I’m a dental assistant, I’m a gopher, whatever I’m needed to do,” she said. John said the goal is usually to serve 100 or more patients a day, patients who both he and his wife said often wait in long lines. But Carolyn said most of the time the lines don’t seem to bother those waiting. John said luckily they have never felt threatened or in danger. A few things have disappeared from baggage, but that has been the worst. The Rossis were especially pleased with the relative safety of their trips to Ecuador, trips that included both their daughters — Mari and Lauren — as well as a son-in-law, now in his fourth year of dental school. Carolyn said the Ecuador trips were probably their favorites. “Ecuador is a phenomenally beautiful country,” John said. “It’s just sad it’s so impoverished.” The Rossis always take their own equipment and supplies, which are not limited to dental paraphernalia. Certainly, they take as much technical equipment as is practical, but shoes, small toys and other items are See DENTIST, Page 2 Prsrt Std U.S. Postage PAID Kent, WA Permit No. 71 POSTAL CUSTOMER
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