THUMBS COLUMN
During the past several weeks, the heat and humidity have been among the main topics of discussion for Spa City denizens.
And rightly so.
Just for fun, here’s a “Thumbs-up” to everyone who can quickly come up with five synonyms to describe our recent spate of wicked weather.
Good luck and keep cool. Staying on the summer side of things, here’s a “Thumbsup” to the Hot Springs School District’s addition of a Trojan Cooking/Writing Camp to its series of enrichment programs for students K-1 and grades 3-6.
Many thanks to Jessica Jeffers, Langston Elementary Leadership Academy Title 1 and family coordinator, and to district staffers for seeking campers’ input and arranging workable rotations for cooking different recipes and allowing more time for reflection and writing.
Kudos, as well, to the guest speakers who volunteered their time to share personal and professional experiences during the free camp sessions. Meanwhile, here’s a “Thumbs-up” to the good news that in 2021 — according to a data report— “Hot Springs National Park welcomed more than 2.1 million visitors who spent $154 million in communities within a 60-mile radius.”
The 2021 National Park Service Visitor Spending Effects Report also showed that the aforementioned statistics compared to “total visitor spending of $88.1 million in 2020 and $95.4 million in 2019.”
We greatly appreciate Superintendent Laura Miller’s leadership and the hard work of the Hot Springs National Park personnel who make this historic place thrive and help grow its visitor numbers, which benefits us all.
And most deservedly, we give another “Thumbs-up” to the family of the late Dr. Surinder Gupta of Hot Springs for its generous gift of $100,000 to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Per a news release, the gift “will create an award for neurosurgery residents in the College of Medicine.”
With the gift, Gupta’s wife, Urmil, establishes the Dr. Surinder Gupta Legacy Endowed Resident Award that “will support one third-year and one fourth-year neurosurgery resident each year, enriching the resident experience at UAMS and rewarding residents who have a strong desire to develop themselves professionally.”
By the same token, a Hot Springs resident sends out a big “Thumbs-up” to “the curbside person who went above and beyond on Saturday, July 23, at Sam’s Club.” Via email to this columnist, the grateful customer explained, “My order included a foam pool ‘oasis’ and I expected to put it across the car’s back seat, but I underestimated the size of the container.
“Since it wouldn’t fit there, the experienced clerk helped me rearrange three items in the back of my SUV and laid down the seat back. The box still extended a few feet beyond the lift gate so we repositioned the front seat and still came up several inches short of being able to close the back end.
“This wise and very patient woman then asked how I felt about removing the float from the box. Bingo! That action saved the necessary space and I headed home with my groceries and float.
“All of this took place just past 4 p.m. and the temperature was over 100 degrees. It was my problem but she worked with me for almost 10 minutes, rearranging various items and wrestling the 6-feet-long carton until coming up with a way to make it fit. Regretfully, I did not ask her name but I certainly don’t take her exemplary service for granted, Thank you, kind soul.”
Speaking of good deeds, a belated “Thumbs-up” and heartfelt “Thank you” to the person who recently retrieved my money market account passbook after I had unknowingly dropped it outside the Albert Pike branch of Regions Bank.
“Haste makes waste” the old adage warns and my personal carelessness— not securing my wallet and passbook in my purse when exiting the bank — could have resulted in a less than positive end to this story.
A “Thank you” also to my Regions Bank friends who made several calls to tell me the account record was back in their safekeeping while I was out revisiting my other stops to see where it might be.
The Thumbs Column appears in The Sentinel-Record on the first and third Wednesday of each month. The newspaper welcomes readers’ comments and suggestions, which should be submitted in writing with a telephone number and home address for verification and contact purposes, This information is kept confidential.