Trip updates

SAN DIEGO, CALIF., April 1, 2000 — Two bicyclists embarked today on a two-month, 3,180-mile journey across the country to promote cancer research and raise awareness of the fight against cancer. Western Dental Services, Inc., the major sponsor of the event, raised over $10,000 through employee and dental office donations for "Bike Across America" to benefit the American Cancer Society.

The bicyclists, Gary Wright, an Aerojet employee and father of a Western Dental employee, and Garland Weller, an Aerojet retiree, began their trip from Spanish Landing in San Diego with a gala send-off celebration. The festivities included local bicyclists, a ribbon-cutting launch, prizes, refreshments, balloons and banners. A Western Dental dentist was on hand to answer questions about oral cancer, which is estimated by the American Cancer Society to affect 29,800 people this year in the United States.

In addition, Teri Casiano, Western Dental’s director of regional managers, and "Pearly White," Western Dental’s life-size tooth mascot, presented a check in the amount $10,773 to the American Cancer Society. The money was raised through a company-wide fund-raising drive in which employees from Western Dental’s corporate headquarters and the company’s 130-plus dental centers in California and Arizona participated.

"We are very proud to sponsor such a unique fundraising campaign for this worthy cause," said Samuel H. Gruenbaum, president and chief executive officer of Western Dental. "I admire the fortitude of these two men and their strong commitment to the fight against cancer. Their trip should certainly generate widespread public awareness and support. On behalf of everyone involved in this event, I wish them a safe, successful journey."

The bicycle trip will take the two men through eight states, concluding in St. Augustine, Fla., on approximately June 1. Their itinerary will include stops in Tempe, Ariz.; El Paso, Del Rio and Navasota, Texas; St. Francisville, La.; DeFuniak Springs, Fla.; and, finally, St. Augustine. Their journey will be tracked on Western Dental’s Web site at www.westerndental.com.

After a series of personal losses, Wright, from Citrus Heights, Ca., and Weller, from Fair Oaks, Cal., decided to make a commitment to themselves and, specifically, to the cause of fighting cancer. They had both been planning "Bike Across America" for more than 10 years as a means of drawing increased public attention to their cause.

The American Cancer Society is the nationwide, community-based, voluntary organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives and diminishing suffering from cancer through research, education, advocacy and service. Additional information on cancer can be obtained by calling the American Cancer Society at (800) ACS-2345, or visiting its Web site at www.cancer.org.

Headquartered in the City of Orange, Calif., Western Dental Services is one of the nation’s leading dental care providers. The company operates more than 130 dental centers throughout California and Arizona, over 40 of which provide orthodontic services.