A helping hand

Unity Health plans 21st annual A Day of Caring

Standing around Dr. Todd Wyatt, center, at Searcy Dental Associates as they prepare for the 21st annual A Day of Caring are, from left, Courtney Laire, dental assistant; Erin Whitley, administrative assistant; Kohl Blickenstaff, intern; Kristen Davidson, dental hygienist; Colette Owens, dental assistant; and Kenia Munoz, administrative assistant.
Standing around Dr. Todd Wyatt, center, at Searcy Dental Associates as they prepare for the 21st annual A Day of Caring are, from left, Courtney Laire, dental assistant; Erin Whitley, administrative assistant; Kohl Blickenstaff, intern; Kristen Davidson, dental hygienist; Colette Owens, dental assistant; and Kenia Munoz, administrative assistant.

Unity Health’s A Day of Caring provides free medical exams, information, immunizations and supplies to friends and neighbors within the community who need them most.

Anna Brumfield, marketing coordinator for Unity Health in Searcy, said A Day of Caring is a communitywide outreach that focuses on the people of White County.

The 21st annual event will take place from 9 a.m. to noon July 29 at the Ganus Athletic Center at Harding University in Searcy.

Brumfield said free medical, dental and vision screenings will be provided. Additional services, such as Pap tests and haircuts, will also be offered.

Bibles, books, groceries, school supplies, socks, shoes for children and personal-care products are some of the things that will be given out at the event, she said.

Informational booths will also be set up.

“The main goal of this event is to give a helping hand to those friends, neighbors and families who are in need of help in our own community,” Brumfield said.

Brumfield said the event is free to those in need. Uninsured and underinsured people in White County are encouraged to attend.

“It is first-come, first-served for the services, and we do encourage people to do medical first if that is a need they have,” she said.

The White County Health Department will also be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 29 to provide a variety of free immunizations.

Brumfield said A Day of Caring impacts the community as a whole.

“It is wonderful to see businesses, churches and individuals come together to meet needs for others in the community. Our hope is for those receiving services to feel cared for and to leave A Day of Caring with more information and help in various ways,” she said.

A Day of Caring is funded by grants and over 40 sponsors, she said.

“A Day of Caring makes a difference in my life as well,” Brumfield said. “Every year, I meet new people, and seeing a smile on a sweet child’s face because they received new shoes or school supplies also brings a smile to my face.”

Montana Wallace, office coordinator at Searcy Dental Associates, has been participating in A Day of Caring for four years.

Wallace coordinates the Caring Dentist Group, which is made up of dental hygienists, oral surgeons, orthodontists and dentists in and around White County.

“Each year, I send letters to several offices asking not only for participation at A Day of Caring, but also for donations of treatment, toothbrushes and toothpaste. We try to provide a toothbrush and toothpaste for each person who is seen at A Day of Caring, whether they are seen for a dental screening or not,” Wallace said.

Patients receive oral screenings at the event to help diagnose treatment, she said.

“Once a patient has received a screening by one of our volunteer dentists or hygienists, he or she is given a voucher that can be used to receive dental treatment by a provider in the Caring Dentist Group,” she explained.

Wallace said 161 screenings were completed last year, and treatment was provided to 107 patients who needed it.

“The best part about A Day of Caring, in my book, is the time and treatment that local dentists, hygienists and their teams donate out of the kindness of their hearts,” Wallace said.

The gratitude people show for the free treatments is especially rewarding, she said.

Wallace said the event is important because it provides treatment to those who need it in the community.

“If I could sum up my overall experience with A Day of Caring, it would be a humbling one,” Wallace said. “The entire event reminds me of the little things many of us take for granted. From a simple pair of socks to a haircut, A Day of Caring provides it all.”

Staff writer Kayla Baugh can be reached at (501) 244-4307 or kbaugh@arkansasonline.com.

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