NPCC helps students get throught the day

Last Thursday Bunny Everett, the student nurse at National Park Community College, spoke to Scenic 7 Rotarians regarding the Oaklawn Wellness Fund.
The Oaklawn Wellness Fund was set up by the Oaklawn Racetrack owner as an initial $2,000 donation in 2009 to NPCC to provide help as needed for NPCC students to get through today to make it to tomorrow. Funds are donated each semester.
NPCC students qualified for the help include credit students taking a minimum of one hour, non-credit students, concurrent enrollment students and GED students. Division chairs let members of the OWF committee know which of their students may need help.
Serving on the Committee with Everett are the NPCC director of adult education, counselor/disability specialist, director of development and assistant director of admissions and scholarships.
The services provided by the fund include the following.
Food. Working in coordination with Soup’Er Sandwich, the NPCC cafeteria, $5 vouchers are available through Everett to provide students with a sandwich and a drink.
Transportation. Hot Springs daily bus passes are available through Everett. Monthly Hot Springs bus passes will be available only in cases in which the student will continuously need help today to get to tomorrow. Also, $20 gas cards from Wal-Mart for use at Murphy USA are available for students. To retain future eligibility for Foundation funds the students must bring back in their gas receipt.
Medical. $100 vouchers to HealthPark’s Convenient Care Clinic are provided to students without insurance and Medicaid that need immediate assistance. The voucher covers an office visit and a shot. Sample drugs are earmarked for students in need. Students with chronic illnesses are referred to Charitable Christian Clinic.
Other. $100 of hygiene product kits are available for students at any committee member’s office.
If future funding should increase dental services and medical prescriptions will be available to students in need today to get to tomorrow.
Becky Fugate, also with NPCC, spoke a bit about Helping Hands, another avenue of assistance for NPCC students. Helping Hands provides money to pay utility bills for students. The students are asked to pay back their loan in $5 increments.
NPCC is striving to keep its student body sound and available to concentrate on their studies not their challenges.
The Rotary Club of Scenic 7 meets every Thursday at noon at the Boys and Girls Club. Bring a brown bag lunch to enjoy with members at 11:30 a.m. Today the speaker is Jason Hudnell. He will be discussing conflict resolution.