All Williams Lake resident Faith Buchanan wanted for Christmas was her two front teeth.
Her holiday wish came true last week when she was selected as Lake City Denture Clinic’s winner of a free, new set of dentures through its first ever ‘All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth’ giveaway.
“I’m so thrilled. I really am,” Buchanan, 77, told the Tribune. “I still can’t believe it. I’m just in awe because I have tried to save every year, and every time I’m saving for teeth something has happened. Like, this year, I have to drill a new well, but this takes care of that.”
Lake City Denture Clinic Registered Denturist (R.D.) Roy Jaroudi came up with the idea to start the contest as a way to give back to the community for being so welcoming to him after moving from Surrey and taking over the business in 2018 from longtime denturist Ernie West.
Read more: Free dentures offered in ‘All I Want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth’ contest
Applicants to the contest could nominate themselves, or be nominated by friends or family members with a short description of why they thought they should be selected as the winner. Buchanan said she entered the contest on her own, however, later found out several others in the community had nominated her, as well.
Working in home care, Buchanan said she’s had the same dentures for over 50 years.
“They’re almost as old as me,” Buchanan said of her current dentures. “When they called me I turned into a weeping willow. I was so shocked, and still am.”
Buchanan has already been into the clinic for her first two fittings for both top and bottom dentures.
Jaroudi said the goal is to have Buchanan’s dentures ready before Christmas time.
“I can’t believe how nice they all are,” Buchanan said of Jaroudi and the staff at Lake City Denture Clinic. “And he even said he’s going to do this denture giveaway again — that’s his way of giving back — and that really appeals to me.”
He added after meeting Faith, he couldn’t be happier with their selection.
“We’re really happy,” he said. “We got over 90 submissions over the month and, when we did the exam and looked at her dentures and her mouth, she really needed it. We really couldn’t have chosen a better person.”
Buchanan’s journey through the denture process, meanwhile, will be documented on the Lake City Denture Clinic Facebook page.
Jaroudi is so pleased with how the contest went he said he plans on hosting the free denture giveaway annually.
“And hopefully next year we’ll have another good response and find someone else in need,” he said.
Read more: Spotlight on Business 2020: Lake City Denture Clinic
greg.sabatino@wltribune.com
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