AROUND THE JERSEY SHORE Free Dental Care

For Ocean County Children To Give Kids A Smile

TOMS RIVER – Local dentists, Dr. Elisa Velazquez and Dr. Matt Sones from Ocean Pediatric Dental Associates, will provide one day of free preventive and emergency pediatric dental care and, if necessary, make referrals for continuing treatment for children ages 12 and under as part of National Children’s Dental Health Month.

The one-day program, called Give Kids a Smile! (GKAS), will take place on February 3 and is part of the American Dental Association’s annual push to bring attention to the number one childhood disease, tooth decay. Dental decay is more common than common childhood diseases including asthma.

“Giving back to the community that has supported my practice is so important,” says Dr. Velazquez. “This program will touch the lives of so many of New Jersey’s children who need dental care, but cannot afford it. I am proud to be a part of it,” she said.

Children who come to Ocean Pediatric Dental Associates (OPDA) for the program will receive a comprehensive dental exam, dental cleaning, oral healthcare instruc- tion, fluoride treatments, and free dental hygiene materials including toothbrushes, floss and toothpaste. The dentists and staff of OPDA are donating their time to help the children of Ocean County.

Helping families in Ocean County with no insurance or with state insurance is the goal of Ocean Pediatric Dental Associates. Ocean Pediatric Dental Associates has three locations (Toms River, Manahawkin, and Cream Ridge) and the board-certified pediatric dentists provide comprehensive pediatric dental care, sedation dentistry, orthodontics, Invisalign and special needs dentistry for all kids.

The site for Give Kids A Smile is 368 Lakehurst Road suite 305 Toms River. Contact the office at 732-473-1123 to schedule an appointment and visit oceanpediatricdental.com for information on all our services.

Waretown Historical Society Regular Meeting

WARETOWN – The Waretown Historical Society will have the regular meeting on February 20 at 7:30 p.m. at Little Red Schoolhouse Museum.

Join as they start planning ahead for the new year. For February’s Mini Program, they will move forward with the 1888 journal of Paul W. Warren, which he wrote from March through September of that year.

Paul was a Waretown boy, one of three generations of mariners who lived on Main Street in Waretown. Paul’s grandfather John was also the keeper of Barnegat Lighthouse in 1850. Paul was 14 or 15 years old when he began his journal. Although it now belongs to the Ocean County Historical Society, we have it on a thumb drive, which we project on the screen as we read. This way, everyone can see and appreciate Paul’s hand-drawn illustrations. They made it to page fourteen in November, and there was no December meeting, so I believe it will take us at least two more meetings to complete. Paul describes local storms and shipwrecks, as well as daily life events, such as going to “entertainments,” and school. The journal is a wonderful window on Waretown’s past.

Executive Board – There will not be an Executive Board meeting in February. Please continue writing your own memories of old Waretown for the museum’s collection. Your memories don’t have to be huge events - daily life happenings are important as well, just like Paul Warren’s journal! They paint a wonderful picture of our town in days gone by.

If you need any help in writing things down, or would prefer to talk to somebody, email at waretownhistoricalsocietynj@gmail.com, and they will set something up.