More than 250 Northwest Arkansas Free Health Center friends and supporters got All Up in Your Grill on April 25 at the Springdale Country Club to help the group raise some $63,000, while lauding a clinic co-founder, Dr. J.B. Hays.

Hays, an oral surgeon and avid car collector, has volunteered an enormous amount of time and donated equipment to treat clinic patients since 1986, when the clinic opened.

The evening included a joint proclamation from Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan and Springdale Mayor Doug Sprouse declaring the day "J.B. Hays Day" in both cities and the presentation of a life-sized bust of Hays commissioned by his colleagues as a gift to him.

The clinic is staffed by volunteer physicians, nurse practitioners and nurses and provides a wide range of services that include primary care, dental and dental hygiene clinics, prescription services, smoking cessation and diabetes education.

Those getting All Up in Your Grill for the health center included Margaret and Dick Rutherford, Denise and Hershey Garner, Pattie and Rick Osborne, Rebecca Lucke, Doug Martin, Barbara Taylor, Jennifer and Kenton Ross, Kathleen Paulson, Marsha Foster and Fadil Bayyari, Melonie and Pierce Osborne, Michele Miller and Mark Hays.

Some 1,000 Northwest Arkansas Children's Shelter supporters helped raise nearly $400,000 at the 12th Starlight Gala on April 26 at the John Q. Hammons Center in Rogers.

Highlights of the evening included hearing from Megan Anthony, who had a stay at the emergency residential shelter 10 years ago as a 13-year-old. Now with a promising career with Walmart and an officer in the Arkansas Army National Guard, Megan said the vision of security and freedom she found at the Children's Shelter carried her through her remaining years in foster care and through college.

A special appeal led by Dick Trammel yielded $60,000 for the shelter's case management program and a 45-minute mini-concert from country music duo Thompson Square capped the evening.

Among those championing the Children's Shelter were Chris Lamson, MaryBeth and Arist Mastorides, Nicole and Scott Tassani, Cindy and Duncan Mac Naughton, Elda and Eric Scott and Nancy and Dick Trammel.

Columnist Carin Schoppmeyer can be reached by email at [email protected].

NAN Profiles on 05/04/2014