GENTRY FIRE DEPARTMENT
The Gentry Fire Department will soon add a helipad to its Fire Station No. 2 on land donated by Southwestern Electric Power Co., which co-owns and operates the nearby Flint Creek Power Plant.
SWEPCO donated one acre of land to the city of Gentry in 2012 for construction of a new fire station at the intersection of Taylor Orchard Road and Marion Lee Road. The four-bay station was completed in 2015. A second acre was donated in 2017 for future construction of a helipad.
The additional acre will provide a safe and readily accessible landing and loading location for air ambulances in the case of any necessary rapid transport to medical facilities to provide patient care for those who may have suffered from a traumatic injury, potential threat of loss of life or limb.
WELCOMEHEALTH
WelcomeHealth recently received $5,000 from the Academy of General Dentistry Foundation to help low-income patients receive oral cancer screenings and general dental care services.
Jenna Waselues, DDS, has been working with WelcomeHealth since its expansion of dental services in May 2016.
BENTON COUNTY
TREES
The Walton Family Foundation is expanding its effort to increase and diversify the area’s tree canopy by providing grants at the recommendation of Steuart Walton to cities and local nonprofits in Benton County. Funding will provide nearly 3,000 trees of 25 different species for community projects and resident giveaways.
This year, the program includes 12 grants totaling more than $2 million to municipalities, the Benton County Fair Association, the Rogers Historical Museum, the Friendship Community Care Children’s Center and local foundations. Funding will allow grantees to plant large and smaller trees near trails, highways, parks, airports, elementary schools, playgrounds, fairgrounds and other public spaces to improve livability and economic activity. As the trees continue to grow, communities will reap additional benefits including cleaner air, increased shade, reduced runoff and improved wildlife conditions. The new trees will also help enhance the region’s overall health, beauty and outdoor recreation opportunities.
Last year’s planting initiative contributed more than $780,000 worth of grants providing 2,000 trees in Benton County. The program has helped increase interest in urban forestry, with more communities, schools and nonprofits participating this year. Mountain bikers and hikers have benefited from improved shade along the trails and the Razorback Regional Greenway. Trees are also improving the experience for users of the Bentonville Community Center with more shade and flowering trees available on nearby trails, ballfields and parking lots.
WASHINGTON
REGIONAL
The American Heart Association’s Northwest Arkansas Heart Walk Executive Leadership Team recently raised funds to buy 100 infant CPR kits, which were delivered to Washington Regional neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) on Oct. 11. Washington Regional will supply the kits to new parents who need training in infant CPR as they prepare to transition their infants from the hospital to home. Each kit contains everything needed to learn basic CPR and choking relief.