UAMS Showers Local Veterans with Care Packages
| Nov. 18, 2016 | UAMS delivered 375 care packages to local veterans Nov. 10 and 11 to thank them for their service and celebrate Veterans Day.
That’s just one of the ways UAMS faculty, staff and students honored those who have served the country. The month-long celebration of veterans is organized by the UAMS Veterans Awareness Committee.
Committee members delivered 320 care packages at Fort Roots in the Eugene J. Towbin Healthcare Center in North Little Rock, and 55 care packages to veterans at St. Francis House in Little Rock.
UAMS Project SEARCH interns helped assemble and deliver the packages, which included toiletries, T-shirts, briefs and socks for males and fleece throws and toiletries for females. All of the care packages included Thank You cards signed by UAMS employees, students and guests. The care packages were made possible by the generous donations of UAMS employees and students who donated approximately $1,700 and many items.
Committee members visited veteran patients in the UAMS Medical Center on Nov. 11 and presented them with Thank You cards and a coupon from UAMS Nutrition Services. Patients were also allowed to choose an item from an appreciation cart.
“The veterans we encountered were incredibly thankful,” said Odette Woods, senior director of the UAMS Center for Diversity Affairs. “We are so appreciative to our faculty, staff, student and guests who allow us to provide this recognition to our veterans each year.”
Volunteers helped serve lunch at St. Francis House Ministries, a Little Rock shelter that provides transitional housing to homeless veterans. UAMS Nutrition Services provided a cake.
UAMS recognized the military service of its employees with an appreciation breakfast Nov. 4. About 60 employees from all five uniformed services enjoyed a breakfast of bacon, eggs, biscuits and gravy in the Hospital Gallery.
Bob Bishop, vice chancellor for institutional compliance and a retired colonel in the Air Force and National Guard, said celebrating our veterans’ service is important because “we never want to take that service for granted.”
Members of the Arkansas Army National Guard’s 871st Troop Command presented the colors to begin the program. U.S. Rep French Hill attended and introduced the speaker, retired Air Force Chief Master Sgt. John “Mickey” Spillane.
Following Spillane’s presentation, Mark Leonard, a retired Air Force master sergeant who works in the enterprise resource planning system, and Audrea Means, R.N., a nurse in the Myeloma Institute who was a senior airman in the Air Force and retired sergeant in the Army National Guard, handed out prizes to the veterans who correctly answered service-related questions.
The month’s festivities included an educational and benefits fairs for veteran employees where helpful resources and information was shared by various veteran agencies and organizations.
The committee is made up of veteran employees, employees who are spouses of veterans, and other employees passionate about veteran-related issues. The committee plays a vital role in ensuring UAMS’ veteran employees feel a sense of belonging and that UAMS is an inclusive community. In the past, the committee has hosted various seminars on topics relevant to veterans, including post-traumatic stress disorder and the Arkansas Veterans Preference Act.
Because of all the activities and services provided to its employees who are veterans, UAMS was named the 2016 Large Employer of the Year by the Arkansas Disabled American Veteran Association.
UAMS employs more than 550 armed forces, veteran, guard and reserve members.