Civitans honor nursing home employees

Janelle Jessen/Herald-Leader
Civitan members hand out goodie bags to Siloam Springs Nursing and Rehab employees on Saturday morning.
Janelle Jessen/Herald-Leader Civitan members hand out goodie bags to Siloam Springs Nursing and Rehab employees on Saturday morning.

Members of the Siloam Springs Civitan Club recognized Siloam Springs Nursing and Rehab's 130 staff members with a Beach Bash Party on Saturday.

Civitan Clubs from across the world gave back to their communities during an international day of service on July 25, a part of the 2020 Virtual Convention on July 23 through 25, according to the organization's website civitan.org. Civitan International is a volunteer organization of clubs dedicated to serving individual and community needs, with an emphasis on helping people with developmental disabilities, the site states.

The Beach Bash Day was created to celebrate and honor those who serve the community and don't get a lot of recognition for their work, according to Doris Henderson, president of the Siloam Springs Civitan Club. The club chose to show its appreciation for nursing home staff because the employees serve people with disabilities and health impairments, and have faced additional challenges because of the covid-19 pandemic, she said.

The theme of the event was "Heroes don't wear capes, they wear scrubs." Each nursing home employee received $5 gift cards to local businesses, a hand sanitizer, Little Debbies and a water bottle, Henderson said. Employees who weren't on duty Saturday morning will receive their gifts during their next shift.

The club plans to make the service day an annual tradition, Henderson said.

The Siloam Springs Civitan Club meets at noon on the first and third Thursday of the month at the Generations Bank Conference Room. For more information on the Civitan Club of Siloam Springs, contact Henderson at [email protected] or follow the Siloam Springs Civitan Club.

Janelle Jessen/Herald-Leader
Civitans recognize employees of Siloam Springs Nursing and Rehab with a beach bash party on Saturday morning.
Janelle Jessen/Herald-Leader Civitans recognize employees of Siloam Springs Nursing and Rehab with a beach bash party on Saturday morning.