Local notes

Garden contest

winners named

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture and the Farm Credit Associations of Arkansas have announced the winners of the 2020 Arkansas Grown School Garden Contest:

Best Start-up School Garden Proposal: Fairview Elementary, Texarkana (Miller County), $500 award.

Best Education Based School Garden: ACCESS Group Inc., Little Rock (Pulaski County), $500.

Best Harvest Partnership School Garden: Fayetteville Public Schools, Fayetteville (Washington County), $500.

Best Community Collaboration School Garden: Hugh Goodwin Elementary, El Dorado (Union County), $500.

Best Overall School Garden: West Arkansas Child Development Inc., Alma (Crawford County), $1,000.

Champion of Sustaining School Garden: Carolyn Lewis Elementary, Conway (Faulkner County) $1,000.

The Arkansas Grown School Garden of the Year Contest was initiated by the Arkansas Department of Agriculture and the Farm Credit Associations of Arkansas in 2014. The program provides the opportunity to promote the importance of involving young people in the process of fresh food production and cultivation. Farm Credit provides the funding for program award recipients.

The contest was available to public and private K-12 schools, early care facilities, and alternative learning environments. Winners were schools that had a school garden open during the 2019-20 school year or planned to start a garden in the 2020-21 school year.

Information: agriculture.arkansas.gov.

WelcomeHealth

receives support

WelcomeHealth recently received a $20,000 donation from the Arvest Foundation to continue its mission of providing no-cost medical and dental services to low-income, vulnerable community members.

"We are pleased to present this donation on behalf of the Arvest Foundation to support WelcomeHealth's efforts to provide dental and health care to those who can't afford it in our area. This donation is just one of many we have made throughout the area. It demonstrates the foundation's ongoing commitment to helping those in need in the region," said Donny Story, CEO/president of Arvest Fayetteville.

Information: welcomehealthnwa.org.

Hope Cancer

offers support

• Free Tobacco Cessation Program: Hope Cancer Resources' certified health education specialist is available to support members of the community who are looking to quit smoking with nicotine replacement therapy and counseling.

• Emotional Support Through Cancer Battle: Hope Cancer Resources' team of counselors and social workers are supporting cancer patients and their families every day with a focus on emotional health, no matter the circumstance.

• Virtual Wellness Classes For Cancer Patients and Caregivers: The Wellness Center for Hope at Hope Cancer Resources has created a yoga and fitness class schedule via Zoom and Facebook Live.

Information: (479) 361-5847.

OLLI offers

new classes

The Osher Lifelong Institute at the University of Arkansas announces the following classes for the upcoming week:

• Oct. 29: "John Brummett on the 2020 Presidential Election" (online). One of OLLI's favorite lecturers is coming back this fall to talk about the current political climate and upcoming presidential election Nov. 3. Will a Democrat or a Republican reside in the White House for the next four years? Find out from John Brummett, a political columnist for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and a favorite OLLI lecturer, his take on this election year. What will it mean, with our current national and world situation, to have either party as the leader of our nation? $15. All are invited.

• Oct. 30: "FBI Efforts to Combat Street Gangs in Northwest Arkansas" (in-person). $29 members, $44 nonmembers.

Information: (479) 575-4545 or olli.uark.edu.

Red Cross

needs blood

The American Red Cross is urging healthy donors of all blood types to give blood to ensure a strong blood supply for patients as the U.S. braces for flu season while in the midst of the covid-19 pandemic.

Medical experts are urging people to get the flu shot to avoid a flu epidemic on top of the current covid-19 pandemic. Because blood can only be given by those who are feeling well, a severe flu season could create additional challenges to maintaining a sufficient blood supply for hospital patients in need.

The Red Cross is testing blood, platelet and plasma donations for covid-19 antibodies. The test may indicate if the donor's immune system has produced antibodies to this coronavirus, regardless of whether an individual developed covid-19 symptoms. Red Cross antibody tests will be helpful to identify individuals who have covid-19 antibodies and may now help current coronavirus patients in need of convalescent plasma transfusions. Convalescent plasma is a type of blood donation collected from covid-19 survivors that have antibodies that may help patients who are actively fighting the virus.

Covid-19 antibody test results will be available within one to two weeks. A positive antibody test result does not confirm infection or immunity. The Red Cross is not testing donors to diagnose illness, referred to as a diagnostic test. To protect the health and safety of Red Cross staff and donors, it is important that individuals who do not feel well or believe they may be ill with covid-19 postpone donation.

Each Red Cross blood drive and donation center follows the highest standards of safety and infection control, and additional precautions – including temperature checks, social distancing and face coverings for donors and staff – have been implemented to help protect the health of all those in attendance. Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to arriving at the drive and are required to wear a face covering or mask while at the drive, in alignment with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention public guidance.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities include:

• Bella Vista: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Nov. 4, New Life Christian Church, 103 Riordan Road

• Bentonville: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 9, Bentonville Fire and Police, 800 S.W. A St.; 3-7 p.m. Nov. 12, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, 600 Museum Way

• Gentry: 12:30-5:30 p.m. Nov. 9, First Baptist Church of Gentry, 221 West Main Street

• Rogers: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 10, Center for Nonprofits, 1200 W. Walnut St.; 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Nov. 12, John Q. Hammons Center, 3201 Pinnacle Hills Parkway

• Siloam Springs: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 2, New Life Church - Siloam Springs, 1611 Cheri Whitlock Drive

• Jasper: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Nov. 3, Jasper High School, 600 School St.

• Fayetteville: 2-6 p.m. Nov. 2, Colton's Restaurant, 642 East Millsap Drive; 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 4, Fayetteville Athletic Club, 2920 E. Zion Road; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 10, The Garden Room, 215 W. Dickson St.; 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 13, Medical Arts Pharmacy, 2515 E. Huntsville Road

Information: redcrossblood.org or (800) 733-2767.