What a busy event it was inside the Yakama Longhouse!
Marianne Walker, Central Washington Oral Health Foundation director, coordinated a free dental clinic. She invited All Nations Center Church to partner with healthy lifestyle education for the summer Friday–Sunday outreach.
Five dentists volunteered, along with 16 third- and fourth-year dental students from University of Washington. Half of the longhouse was divided by a curtain for dental care with about 15 chairs.
In the other half of the longhouse were eight stations led by Karla Lamberton, a nurse, who worked with Adventist volunteers to share with and coach people on the joys of living with optimum health.
Using the NEWSTART program, the eight laws of health with handouts were presented. Inventories, treadmill, hand grip and lung function testings made this event practical. Yakama Nation participated with a booth on emotional health.
Overall, 271 people came through the three-day event.
As Walker quipped, “We are happy to give back to our Native community in their time of need.”
