“I write to honestly testify and to wholeheartedly express my greatest appreciation to Dr. Julie Spaniel of Summerwood Family Dental for her immense free Dental Care Services and Cultural Exchange programs in the rural communities of Ghana. For over 15 years working in these communities, this is my first time to have seen and experienced such impactful humanitarian work for the poor and cultural exchange activities between especially young people/students here in Ghana and those from the USA – it is our utmost desire and appeal that rural communities continue to benefit from these services . . .” Read complete testimony.

Kofi Nyalimba
Chief Executive Officer/Country Representative for Refugee Outreach Club

“I have traveled many times with Dr. Julie Spaniel on service trips and I share her strong interest in and commitment to traveling with a mission to benefit local people in developing countries and make connections at the ground level to promote cultural exchange.

The first several times I traveled with Julie, it was as a healthcare provider on trips to Honduras sponsored by our local Rotary Club in Vermont, she as a dentist and I as a nurse practitioner. From when we first met, I witnessed Julie’s compassion, ability to connect with locals and trip participants, and dedication to hard work to accomplish the job at hand. Both on those trips and on the one I took with her to Ghana in 2018, she manifested her belief in the importance of including young people as assistants and participants. She included her own children and also reached out to high school and college-aged young people, many of whom had never had the opportunity to experience the world outside our own western culture.

Julie has a wonderful way of connecting with young people as a friend, mentor, and fellow traveler through showing respect and valuing what they have to offer, and at the same time commanding respect and inspiring hard work and dedication to the mission of the trip. Such trips attract individuals with a passion for learning and growing, connecting with people of different cultures, making a difference, and having a good time while doing it! All participants learn through their experiences that in giving of oneself with the intention of benefiting others, one receives more than they ever would have thought possible.”

Alison Parker
Nurse Practitioner