Fish Taco Friday!

Kerwin Johnson cooks up some delicious Fish Taco goodness at last May’s Fish Taco event – Tim Dustrude photo

Fish for Teeth will be selling fish tacos on Friday, January 23 from 11am-2pm in front of the San Juan Island Community Theater. The fish tacos are $7 each, and are made with wild Alaskan rockfish donated by Matt’s Fresh Fish, fresh salsa from Pablito’s Taqueria, and other quality ingredients rolled into a giant flour tortilla (they are actually burritos). All profits go to support Fish for Teeth.

Matt’s Fresh Fish will also be selling frozen, vacuum-packed Rockfish for $8 per pound, and frozen vacuum-packed Sockeye fillets for $10 per pound. Fish for Teeth’s signature Blackcod tips will also be for sale for $15 per pound, which will go towards Fish for Teeth programs.

Fish for Teeth is starting its fourth year of bringing the Medical Teams International mobile dental van to San Juan County. To date our local volunteer dental professionals have provided an estimated 275 visits, equal to $170,000 in dental services, to those who otherwise cannot afford dental care. The “ToothMobile” comes every January, May, and October. Last year the FHHS ASB contributed generously as well.

Our “Taco Team” volunteers have become so efficient the cost of a two-day clinic is nearly covered by taco sales. Direct donations help fill the gap. Supporting donations from Rotary, the American Legion Auxiliary, Kiwanis, Lions (and Leo’s), and Soroptomists clubs (and the hard work of many volunteers) helped build the program to where it is today.

Fish for Teeth is developing a sealant program with the goal of sealing the teeth of every second grader on San Juan Island. Children must have a check-up and any dental issues addressed prior to the sealants being applied.

Sincere thanks go to local dental professionals and “Team Tooth” volunteers for the October 3-4, 2014 clinic: Dr. Michael Horn and assistants Jill Atkins and Lori Miller; Dr. David Tegrotenhois and assistant Kathy Raivo; Dr. Bo Turnage and his assistant; Dr. Michelle Reynolds and assistant Andrea Champlin; ToothMobile driver Neyibe Tamboer; clinic coordinators/schedulers/helpers Liz Pillow, Margaret Johnson, Nancy Best, Joanne Runyan, and Elaine Pretz.

Thank you also to Team Taco: Jim Gruneisen, Bruce Robinson, Eric and Meichelle Roberts, Amy Wynn, Tori Zehner, Ted Strutz, George and Pauline Mulligan, Mary Ellen Courtney, Chad Peterman and Aimee Urata, Sharon Lannon, Penelope Haskew, and Matt and Maureen Marinkovich.

Our appreciation of ongoing support goes out to the following:

• Friday Harbor Suites for generous accommodations the dental van driver
• Mullis Center—dental van site
• Ace Hardware—fish taco site
• San Juan Island Community Theater—fish taco site
• Cynthia’s, Of Course catering—ingredients prep space
• Pablito’s Taqueria—great deal on delicious salsa
• Matt’s Fresh Fish—donation of wild Alaskan rockfish
• Mullis Street Storage—housing our equipment

Matt Marinkovich,
Fish for Teeth President

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