Mr. Sprinkles the Unicorn joined the herd at the Hazel Patton Riverfront Carousel on Friday, welcomed a revealing event that included rainbows, cupcakes and some tears from the orthodontist who assigned him.
It’s because Mr. Sprinkles is not a common unicorn. It has been modeling after a stuffed animal that has helped hundreds of Salem children get free braces.
Dr. Cole Johnson opened Orthodontic family Johnson Family In 2011, with the aim of serving the community beyond what is expected by the average orthodontist. Early, she does not charge a 15 -year -old child who was pregnant and came for a series of straps, which usually cost thousands of dollars.
The word came out and donations from the community began to come. Johnson began selling stuffed unicorn straps in their teeth in exchange for donations to cover the costs for children in foster or terminal diseases.
For them, it’s more than just straight teeth.
“Some kids who have cancer, even if they know they are going to go through, still want to have the same experiences that all their peers have. Sorry, I will get emotional,” Johnson said in an interview with a voice. “It will often be like” hey. I still want to get braces. My friends have braces. ”
Johnson’s first “Unicorn Patient” was the eight -year -old Spencer “Bubba” Enderle, who was diagnosed with a neurological condition.
Spencer helped spread the word for the program by being in the office video and his parents and Johnson became friends. The boy’s mom, Tiffany Enderle, said she was special that her son was able to help start the program.
“(Johnson) is doing an amazing thing for children with disabilities and children. You can’t be blessed by it. We have two children who have disabilities, so it was very nice to have someone to take us under their wings,” Enderle said.
Since the program started with Spencer, over 200 people have received free braces.
Spencer died seven years ago at the age of 14. He had visited Johnson’s office “many times”, Enderle said.
“He had a very big, infectious smile,” Enderle said.
Create Mr Sprinkles
Johnson’s office hosts an annual carnival at the Riverfront Park, which said it was pumped thousands. Year It will be on Saturday, August 12th. Johnson also has eight children who often visit carousel.
“Riverfront was just like our home,” he said and honors the program with a new addition to the carousel “just made sense”.
Adding an animal to Carusel usually lasts two to three years and costs $ 15,000 to support, said Carousel’s executive Marie Bradford-Blevins. The most recent addition before Mr. Sprinkles were The shark called Ramses He added this winter, he said.
Johnson’s office posted a video On facebook sharing the process behind the scenes of the creation of Mr. Sprinkles.
On Friday, the Enderle family stood with the Johnsons at Carousel. Mr. Sprinkles were presented to applaud some excited waste from the children. Some children wore a bright unicorn horns and colorful tutus for the event.
Redable Unicorn has a shiny blue horn, a mane and a tail of the rainbow and a complete set of braces. The straps are printed 3-D by his friend Johnson, who plans to change them with themed colors for Halloween and other events.
“We can’t wait for the holidays. It will be like our personal Salem Barbie doll,” Johnson said. He said he asked the designers to make them chunky and cartoonish, and “nailed it”.
Another feature is a heart -shaped name label on the Unicorn front, sharing his full name: Mr. Spencer B. Sprinkles.
Contact Reporter Abbey McDonald: [email protected] or 503-575-1251.
A moment more, please– If you have found this story useful, consider registering on Reporter Salem if you do not already. Work, like this, done by local professionals, depends on Community support from subscribers. Take a moment and sign up now – easy and safe: Sign up.
Abbey McDonald joined the Salem journalist in 2022. She worked as a business journalist at Astorian, where she covered work issues, health care and social services. A university at Oregon Grad has also reported to Enterprise Malheur, News-Review and Willmette news week.
