Project Stretch Raises $45,000 with Help of GSDM DMD Students

On November 21, Project Stretch held a gala at the Crown Plaza Natick to celebrate 20 years of serving children around the world. The organization sends volunteers to places such as Mexico, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Chile, and New Orleans to provide dental care to underprivileged children.

The gala featured a dinner, wine tasting, raffles, and both silent and live auctions. Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) students Alexandra Antonescu DMD 11, Courtney Brady DMD 11, and Megan Ryan DMD 10 volunteered their Saturday night to support Project Stretch by accepting donations, selling raffle tickets, and processing payments for the silent and live auctions. In total the three processed greater than $45,000 for Project Stretch.

Antonescu was interested in getting involved with a dental mission trip since college. She adds, "I love children and anything to help them out from the dental perspective would be so rewarding! Last year I saw pictures of Adrienne Archidiacono, Kerry Anzenberger and Ms. Held on a trip to Mexico and I immediately asked how I could go on one too. They told me about Project Stretch and I started going to meetings this year and signed up to help out at their gala."

Antonescu continued, "It was a lot of fun, and to see over 300 people there supporting this organization made me want to be a part of it even more! Hopefully I can be part of a future mission."

Several other GSDM students were involved in the planning of the event but were not able to attend the gala. Faculty and staff in attendance included former Project Stretch Vice President and GSDM Assistant Director of Extramural Programs Ms. Kathy Held, Clinical Instructor Ms. Corinna Culler, Assistant Professor and Director of the Pre-doctoral Division of Pediatric Dentistry Dr. Dara Cunnion, Clinical Assistant Professor Dr. Frank Schiano, and Clinical Assistant Professor Dr. Jennifer Soncini.

Photos from the gala are available on GSDM’s flickr account and Facebook page.