10/19/12 - Spartan and Wolverine fans took their rivalry to another level at Cleary University Thursday to raise money towards the VINA dental clinic in Brighton. The fourth annual fundraiser, held at the Cleary University Johnson Center, included food, games, prizes, auctions and football fans. VINA Community Dental Center received a grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan to pay for oral and dental care for low-income pregnant women. Over 1,300 low-income patients receive dental care from VINA and more than 7,200 one-hour dental appointments have been provided. Chairman of the board of VINA and local oral surgeon, Fred Bonine, says the fundraiser is a way for the community to help those in need. The clinic requires about a quarter of a million dollars per year to run and the fundraiser amasses $25-30,000. State fans won the challenge this year by raising almost double the amount that Michigan fans did. According to Dr. Christine Love, the chair of fundraising for VINA, these numbers arenât including the donations that continue to come in after the event. Dr. Ryan Petersburg, a local dentist and member of VINA, took the punishment this year as a Michigan fan proudly displaying the Spartan âSâ on his forehead for the next week. His colleague Dr. Bonine says itâs only fair, considering he took a pie to the face last year when State lost and had pie behind the ears for about a week as well. (DK)
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