Success at VOICE Action Sunday 1/29

Twenty-six people from UUCR attended the VOICE (Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement) Dental Action on Sunday afternoon, January 29th. Thanks to each of you who participated! I am so proud of our congregation. Our very own Steve Ewart took to the stage at the high point of the action to ask State Senator Janet Howell and Sharon Bulova, Chair of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, to report back on their progress and make commitments to continue to work with VOICE to locate the remaining funding we need to match the $100,000 donation VOICE was given to fund a dentist at a clinic in Sterling for the next two years. Morris Kaplowitz and his wife, Boo, showed up early to help get people into seats and signed in, and Steve Whitfield represented our church at the roll call.

However, our support for this action began prior to Sunday. Steve Ewart, Myles Flint and Morris Kaplowitz attended the many meetings that brought this action to fruition. They met with Senator Howell to invite her to join in our efforts to secure funding, Steve and Morris attended a handful of leadership meetings with members from other houses of faith to plan the action, and Steve attended VOICE planning meetings last spring to discuss the need for dental care.

For those of us gathered, we got a glimpse into what is possible in OUR community when we build relationships beyond our church walls and join with people in other religious and civic institutions. We weren't in Woodbridge or Arlington, we were right here with people in our community. We committed to our local politicians that we would turn out 200 people for this action and instead 356 people showed up focused and concerned about the inability of many to afford dental care in Fairfax County. Over 200 of these people were some of our Spanish speaking neighbors who attend St. John Neumann.

We heard from a local woman who went to the emergency room for dental care. Without this emergency care, she shared that she would have died from the infection. We heard from Rev. Becca Messman, Associate Pastor at Trinity Presbyterian in Herndon, about a local man who pulled out four of his own molars when he could no longer stand the pain and he was not able to afford the dentist's bill. We all agreed Fairfax County can do better than this!

Thanks to all those at UUCR who helped make this happen. I am proud of the ways we showed up and showed our neighbors that we care about social justice in Reston and are willing to take action!

Yours in faith,

Rev. Erin