It’s in the Bag

Mayor Thomas M. Menino and the Boston Public Health Commission’s Connecting Families to School Program gave away close to 1,000 book bags to area children on August 24, filled with school supplies. The goal of the giveaway event, held at the Salvation Army in Dorchester, was to help prepare Boston students for the upcoming school year.

But the event didn’t stop at the book bags. Children and their families were also put in touch with local officials, business leaders, and volunteers who staffed information tables and provided free health screenings, raffles, prizes, food and entertainment.

GSDM attended and students, led by CHP Oral Health Promotion Director Kathy Lituri, provided oral health screenings to 58 children and interacted with hundreds more.

GSDM volunteers included: Bethany Polnar DMD 15, Michelle Holzinger DMD 13, Joe Bousaba DMD 13, Kajel Shah DMD 12, Mahesh Sadhnani DMD 12, Antonio Maceda-Johnson DMD 15, Varun Arya DMD 13, Alexis Beetar DMD 15, Daria Molodtsova DMD 15, and Justine Karanian DMD 15.

Photos are available on facebook and flickr.