Ouachita Children’s Center leader addresses Rotarians
HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE — The Rotary Club of Hot Springs Village gave a warm welcome to a good friend during a recent meeting. Linda Lampman Ragsdale is the daughter of the late Ed Lampman, a beloved former member of the club who passed away in August 2016 at age 99.
Ragsdale is executive director for Ouachita Children’s Center in Hot Springs, and gave the group a first-hand account of the organization’s work.
OCC serves children in crisis, from age 6 to 17. Some are abused or neglected, others are homeless, and some have committed minor infractions of the law. When they come to OCC, some children might have been injured, and almost all are scared, confused and homesick.
Ragsdale and her caring staff offer short-term emergency shelter, individualized counseling, and life skills classes for both the young people and their families. The children are given opportunities for personal growth, which allow them to get back on track for lifelong success.
According to a news release, Ragsdale said that when she joined OCC, she found the facility had a reputation for being “the place where bad kids go.” Today, OCC is known as a positive environment where young people who have come from bad circumstances can find adults who care about them. In an atmosphere of compassion, trust and stability, OCC provides a place for them to be safe, to learn, to thrive, to re-join the community and — being children — even to have fun.
Membership in HSV Rotary Club is open to all, and guests are always welcome to attend weekly meetings, held at 7 a.m. Thursdays in the Fireside Dining Room of the Good Samaritan Society, 121 Cortez Road.