Red Cross
The American Red Cross continues to experience an emergency blood shortage that has caused the blood supply to drop to the lowest post-summer level in at least six years.
With less than a day's supply of certain blood types in recent weeks, the Red Cross asks donors of all blood types, especially type O, to make an appointment to give blood as soon as possible to ensure patients can receive the lifesaving transfusions they rely on.
Upcoming blood donation opportunities include:
• Bentonville: 1-5 p.m. Oct. 18, Harps Food Store, 1209 N. Walton Blvd.; 1-5 p.m. Oct. 19, Northwest Church, 301 S.W. Unity Blvd.; 11:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Oct. 25, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, 600 Museum Way.
• Rogers: 12:30-5:30 p.m. Oct. 18, First Baptist Church Rogers, 3364 W. Pleasant Grove Road.
• Jasper: noon-5 p.m. Oct. 26, Jasper High School, 600 School St.
• Fayetteville: 12:30-5:30 p.m. Oct. 21, Central United Methodist Church/Central Activities Center, 6 W. Dickson St.
• Springdale: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 19, Holiday Inn & Convention Center Northwest Arkansas, 1500 S. 48th St.
Information: redcrossblood.org or (800) 733-2767.
Hope Cancer
The Wellness Center for Hope at Hope Cancer Resources offers a yoga, meditation and fitness class for cancer patients and caregivers in person, via Zoom and YouTube.
Their team of counselors and social workers support cancer patients and their families every day with a focus on emotional health, no matter the circumstances.
A certified tobacco treatment specialist is available to support those looking to quit smoking with nicotine replacement therapy and counseling.
Those in need of medical supplies, liquid nutrition or durable medical equipment, such as shower chairs or walkers, are asked to reach out. Donations of new or gently used items are also accepted.
Information: (479) 361-5847 or hopecancerresources.org.
OLLI
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Arkansas announces the following classes for the upcoming week:
• Oct. 18, 25, Nov. 1, 8: The American Labor Movement, $25 members, $40 nonmembers.
• Oct. 19, 26: Gravitational Wave Detection, $29 members, $44 nonmembers; 99 Years and Counting: A History of Mount Sequoyah, $19 members, $34 nonmembers.
• Oct. 20: Only Hope: My Mother and the Holocaust Brought to Life, $19 members, $34 nonmembers.
• Oct. 20, 27: Female Painters – Yes, They do Exist! $29 members, $44 nonmembers.
• Oct. 21: Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, $19 members, $34 nonmembers; "Trumpland: A Movie Starring Sarah Sanders," $35 members, $50 nonmembers. Hear the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's political columnist, John Brummett, as he dissects "Trumpland," a movie starring Sarah Sanders and see where he thinks this will lead and what it will mean for Arkansas.
• Oct. 22: Hike Logan Springs Preserve, commuter only, $25 members, $40 nonmembers; A Brief History of Plant Evolution, $29 members, $44 nonmembers
Information: olli.uark.edu.
Writers' Colony
The Writers' Colony at Dairy Hollow was presented the "Writer's Support Organization/Foundation of the Year" award at the Act Like an Author, Think Like a Business publishing conference for writers, traditionally and self-published authors, and small/independent publishers Oct. 5 in Las Vegas. The conference was hosted by Path To Publishing, whose founder and CEO, Joylynn M. Ross, was a writer-in-residence at WCDH in July 2020. Ross said WCDH was chosen "for its distinctive accomplishments and hard work," and for "demonstrating the power of their commitment to excellence toward writers and authors in their writing and publishing careers and journey, and in their service to the literary industry as a whole."
Information: writerscolony.org.