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ALTRUSA INTERNATIONAL, INC.

of Hot Springs Village, Arkansas

http://www.HSV-Altrusa.org

HSV Altrusa Club Donates “Comfort Kits” to Hot Springs Hospitals

Members of the Hot Springs Village Arkansas Altrusa Club met Monday evening, December 4th, to assemble “Comfort Kits” containing a new velour pullover with matching pants, underwear, footies with non-slip soles, foot warmers knitted and donated by Greta Wolfe (of Hot Springs Village), a soft flannel throw and other personal items. In addition to the things purchased by Altrusa, lipstick and lotions were provided by Debbie Bjornson, owner of the newly opened Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio located outside the Hot Springs Village East Gate near Cranford’s Grocery Store.

These “Comfort Kits” were presented to National Park Medical Center and St. Joseph’s Hospital in Hot Springs, and will be replenished as needed throughout the year. We hope to expand this Altrusa Service Project to include other area hospitals, in our effort to provide comfort and dignity to women who are victims of rape and who must leave their clothing at the medical facilities.

It is our hope that this small gesture will show these women that others care about them and will comfort them at a time of severe trauma.

L/R – Hot Springs Village Altrusans, Carol Heckert, Linda Stuart, Ouida Wolfe, Mary Kay Latick, Valerie Derryberry and Gail Held

12/06/07

The HSV Altrusa Club’s Christmas Project this year was a collaboration with The HSV Civitan Club, to benefit Small Group Therapy, in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Small Group Therapy features the following supportive services for clients with mental health challenges: group-government, housing, personal responsibilities, case management and medical services, financial and accounting services and individual client support on a twenty-four hour, seven days a week basis. Hundreds of individuals have benefited from this program and facility, and most have advanced to a more autonomous level of living.

This was an extremely gratifying project for our Altrusa Club.

Wrapping gifts for clients at Small Group Therapy in Hot Springs, Arkansas. L/R: Ellie Maciejewski, Maureen Halloran, (with back to us is Carolyn Starr), Karren Pamperin, Pat Rozema and Martha Patton-Rogers. Blurred behind Martha is Ouida Wolfe, “an Altrusan in motion!”

Projects & Events

Hot Springs Village Altrusa Club

2007 Christmas Project

General Membership Meeting

Packing the “Sleigh”: Left is Mary Kay Latick, right is Ginna Watson. Front seat full, back seat full, back window full and trunk FULL. We filled Mary Kay’s “really big car” to bursting!

Photos by Gail Held

Mamie L. Bass Service Award, 1st Place Winner

At District Eight Conference

Held April, 2007

Photo by Gail Held

A Breast Cancer Research Project

In cooperation with The Village Walk for Cancer board, our Altrusa Club participated in “Spit For The Cure” a research study of the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. The research event was held in Hot Springs Village, Tuesday, January 22, 2008.

What did we do? The research team asked for volunteers to provide a saliva sample for DNA extraction and answer a short questionnaire. In addition, we were asked if we would be willing to participate in follow-up studies. This was a great opportunity for us as Altrusans to be part of a study by Dr. Susan Kadlubar and Dr. Suzanne Klimberg, the primary investigators leading the study aimed at identifying information that could eventually cure breast cancer.

Dr. Bondurant, “Spit For The Cure” Study Director at UAMS, said, “Genetic information is needed for the research but the identification of the participants is protected.” So, Altrusans showed up wearing our Altrusa shirts and/or our Altrusa badges and pins, and we made our presence known!

Considering how many of our members and their families have been touched by this form of cancer and others, we were proud to “Spit For The Cure.”

“SPIT FOR THE CURE”

Article & Photo by Gail Held

L/R: Carol Heckert, Gail

Held, Anne Holt, Incoming New Member Carol Lanning, Claire MacNeill (HSV Walk for Cancer), Ouida Wolfe, Marie Williams, Ginna Watson