By Mel Rubenstein
When my dentist retired, he recommended that I see Dr. Michael Cadin for my dental work. I did that and found him to be gentle, caring, and knowledgeable. A couple of years later, I joined the Rotary Club of DeWitt, and found out that Cadin had been a member of the club for many years. It was at Rotary meetings that I began to realize how involved in volunteering he has been. It will be a challenge for me to write about all of Cadin’s volunteer involvement in this space, but here we go.
Cadin was born in Syracuse, received his bachelor of science degree at Niagara University, and graduated from the Georgetown University School of Dentistry with a D.D.S.
In 1972 he served as a captain in the Army, where he put his medical training to good use. Cadin was involved in Mass Casualty Training at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas, and then was also a Continuing Education Programs Organizer at Ft. Carson, Colorado.
In 1973 Cadin had assignments in oral surgery and periodontics at Ft. Letterman Hospital, San Francisco and Walter Reed Hospital, Washington, D.C. When he thought it was time to get some fresh air, he climbed Pikes Peak in 1974.
Cadin was chairman of the Children’s Dental Health Month Activities for the Onondaga County Dental Society during the month of February for several years, which included hospital visits, newspaper articles, and television appearances. He also became chairman of the United Way Onondaga County Dental Society Fundraising campaign from 1980 thru 1984, and president of the Syracuse Dental Study Club and the Onondaga County Dental Society. In the mid 1980s he participated in the LeMoyne College Higher Education Preparatory Program, offering free dental work for students.
Cadin was in private practice for over 40 years and somehow found the time to be a nursing home consultant where he provided dental care.
Being a sports buff, and having treated so many children who needed dental care, it was natural that Cadin got involved in youth sports.
Living in the Fayetteville area, he became an F-M Little League coach, then a board member and its president. He was also a F-M Youth Basketball coach for eight years, founding member of Youth Lacrosse and, in the early 1990s, president of the F-M Booster Club.
In the mid 1980s Cadin helped build an exercise trail at Jamesville Middle School. That experience led him to be the self-appointed Butternut Creek Trail Maintenance Director, which he has done since 2013, and continues to do today.
The 67.5 acre Butternut Creek Recreation and Nature Area is located off Kinne Road between Butternut Drive and Cedar Bay Road in the Town of Dewitt. Currently there is the 0.9 mile Butternut Creek Trail and a 0.25 mile boardwalk trail that travels into a wetland available to explore.
Cadin has enlisted the help of Dewitt Rotary members to assist in the maintenance of the trail several times a year. As the brush is cut back, and the trail swept, people using the trail stop and give thanks to those Rotarians.
Cadin is not there just to supervise, as he is constantly working along with the others. And speaking of Dewitt Rotary, Cadin has been a member for over 40 years. During that time, he was on the board of directors for 17 years and its president from 1997-1998, and he was involved in the annual Pancake Day fundraiser, being its chairman in 1983. Just in the past few years Pancake Day has raised over $100,000 in charitable funds which goes to help organization like: Jim & Juli Boeheim Foundation, Monarch Industries, Samaritan Center, Rotary Polio Project, Salvation Army, OnPoint for College, J-D School Programs, Rotary Youth Exchange, Rotary Foundation, Scouts, scholarships and more.
Cadin also participated in Samaritan Center Feedings where members of Dewitt Rotary go five times each year to serve the hungry. This past Nov. 11,, Cadin helped organize a Veteran’s Day drive-by parade for Menorah Park residents, which included a 100-year old WWII veteran. Over 25 cars took part in the drive-by.
As if climbing Pikes Peak was not enough, over a two year period Cadin swam across 10 of the 11 Finger lakes. Amazing!
Cadin lives in Fayetteville and continues to volunteer in every way imaginable. As writer of this column, I apologize for using the word “also” so many times, like in “Cadin also did this, Cadin also does that, also, also, also.” But, that is who Cadin is.
To recommend someone with a stellar record of volunteering to be featured in this column contact Mel Rubenstein: [email protected] or call 315-682-7162.
