Arkansas Delta Community Connection holding informational meeting in FC

Members of the Arkansas Delta Community Connection will gather Wednesday at the Forrest City Civic Center to introduce the program to the area.

"It is like a community connection group," said Amy Hale, group co-chair.

The event will begin at 11:30 a.m.

Hale said organizers are expecting several health representatives at the first meeting to help address the health care needs in the area.

"There are people coming from all over Arkansas," said Hale. "People from St. Bernard’s are supposed to come along with the mammogram van. We've invited nonprofits and community groups, anybody that we could come up with.”

The group hopes their work will help reduce health disparities by raising public and provider awareness for highmortality diseases, expanding health care coverage, increasing the knowledge base of highmortality diseases, interventions to reduce disparities and to encourage a return to screenings in the Arkansas Delta.

"But it is more than just that," said Hale. "The idea is if you put a whole bunch of people who want to accomplish things in one room, you'd be able to use each other's network and connections to get more done.

Some of the initial ideas the group will be discussing include a community cancer awareness walk in the spring, National Cancer Survivorship Day and the continuation of the Delta Pink Rubies Breast Cancer Awareness walk in October.

Other topics will include health screenings, health fairs and awareness campaigns.

"We also have a grant writer who will be coming for those who need feedback on a grant they may be writing," said Hale. "It is just to get people in a room to pair those who are wanting projects to get done with those who have the funding, connections or similar goals."

"The group is primarily focused on the Delta, so Forrest City, Wynne, West Memphis, Marianna, anybody in this region, is welcome to attend. We have higher rates of cancer, food insecurity and funding insecurity so we hope to alleviate some of that," she added.

Hale said she is currently one of two chairs for the project, with the other being Jackie White.

"This first meeting is pretty much to gauge who we have in attendance and who is interested

Brodie Johnson • Times-Herald The Forrest City Fire Department reminds residents to avoid using cheap extension cords when decorating for the holidays. Firefighter Topher Newbold plugs the Station 2 Christmas tree directly into the wall outlet to demonstrate how trees should be plugged in at residences. Firemen cautioned residents to make sure any extension cords used are able to handle the additional electricity.