ALZHEIMER’S
In September 2012, President Lynn Smith and President-Elect Sharon Huffmire proposed adopting Alzheimer’s as a state project. This program allows our auxiliaries the opportunity to provide much needed information to patients, their families and caregivers. The state of Arkansas makes available free brochures on the subject. Contact the State President-Elect for reference materials or sources.
HELP
(Helmet Emergency Labeling Program)
The HELP program gives emergency personnel important information about persons involved in an accident while engaged in an activity requiring a helmet. The bright yellow round sticker on the outside of the helmet makes rescuers aware that there is identification / medical information inside the helmet if there is an emergency situation.
You may order HELP supplies from the State President-Elect.
“LOOK BEFORE YOU LOCK”
“Look Before You Lock” is a safety awareness program designed to educate the general public, especially parents and child caregivers, about the danger of leaving a child unattended in a vehicle even for just a few minutes.
The AHAA has designed a brochure giving child vehicular heat stroke facts and also prevention/safety tips. This brochure gives examples of how to create a reminder to always check the back seat before locking and leaving the vehicle.
This brochure is available on the AHAA website and can be downloaded and printed by each auxiliary as needed.
Fighting Hunger, Strengthening Communities
Food insecurity is a pressing and growing concern in Arkansas. Nearly 18.6 percent of Arkansans—more than 567,000 people—struggle with not knowing where their next meal will come from, and almost one in four children in our state are affected. Recent estimates show that Arkansas’s average food insecurity rate for 2021–2023 was 18.9 percent—the highest in the nation, with every county exceeding the national average. As hospital auxilians, you serve on the front lines of community well-being, and we have an opportunity to extend our care beyond the hospital walls by helping neighbors who are struggling with hunger and nutrition. This new initiative invites you to join a meaningful effort: for example, we could hold a food drive in partnership with a local food bank or pantry, or host a Feed the Funnel event with a partner like The Pack Shack (or another meal-packing group) to prepare and distribute meals for families in need. By raising awareness and putting action behind our compassion, we can make a tangible difference—one meal, one family, one auxilian at a time.
Stroke Awareness: Every Second Counts
Stroke remains a serious and urgent health challenge in Arkansas. In 2020 alone, approximately 10,969 Arkansans experienced strokes and 1,684 died of them. Arkansas now ranks among the top states for stroke-related deaths, with some regions—including the eastern and southern parts of the state—showing notably higher rates. That’s why learning and acting on the signs of stroke matters — remember the acronym B-E-F-A-S-T: Balance (sudden loss of balance), Eyes (vision trouble), Face (does one side droop?), Arm (can you lift both arms?), Speech (is it slurred or strange?), Time (call 911 immediately). Your hospital auxiliary is in a unique place to raise awareness and educate your community: by hosting informational tables, distributing “BE FAST” reminder cards, offering mini-training sessions for local volunteers or church groups, and organizing stroke awareness events during community health fairs. Every minute counts in stroke response, and by stepping forward together we can help our neighbors act quickly when every second matters.
Suggested Ways Auxilians Can Put This Into Action
• Set up a “Stroke Awareness Corner” in a lobby or community room: display posters on B-E-F-A-S-T, have hand-outs, and invite staff or survivors to share brief stories.
• Coordinate with local schools, churches, or senior centers to present a 15-minute “Know Your Signs” talk (led by a volunteer plus hospital educator) and hand out BE FAST cards.
• Host a “Stroke Rapid Response” simulation or drill for volunteers and staff: show how quickly one should call 911, describe what to expect when EMS arrives, and reinforce that time equals brain.
• Organize a community wellness day focusing on stroke prevention: include blood-pressure checks, education on risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, smoking, inactivity), and a short segment on stroke signs and what to do.
• Launch a social-media or print campaign specific to your region: for example, share local stroke statistics and encourage families to memorize the BE FAST mnemonic together.
• Create a “Stroke-Aware” volunteer badge (or ribbon) that auxilians wear during a designated week each year to spark conversation and awareness among visitors and patients.
SCHOLARSHIPS
Auxiliaries are encouraged to support scholarships in their local communities. Our state has an excellent network of community colleges and other institutions of higher learning that have programs for nurses and other medical professionals. Many of our auxiliaries support scholarship programs for students in their own communities. If an auxiliary would like to participate in the support of scholarships and is unable to do this at a local level, they are encouraged to make a donation to AHAA, as the state organization does support a scholarship program.
AHAA STATE SCHOLARSHIPS
In 2004-2005 the AHAA Board established a Scholarship Program to be available to Arkansas residents and to be awarded to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Two $2,000 scholarships are awarded each year; one to a second-year BSN student in the College of Nursing and one to a second or third-year student in the College of Health Professions.
AHAA ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP
In early 2013, a $25,000 endowed scholarship was approved to be available to Arkansas residents and to benefit the above-mentioned colleges at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. The scholarship awards will support one second-year BSN student in the College of Nursing, who makes a commitment to become a nurse educator. Two students enrolled in the last year of their degree in the College of Health Professions will also be awarded scholarships.