In November 2018 Methodist Village Senior Living (MVSL) launched its Candy Striper Program. Since conception, MVSL has received an outpouring of applications from junior high to high schoolers, age 14 and up from throughout the River Valley. In all, over 50 Candy Stripers have come through the doors at MVSL to volunteer their time along with MVSL staff as they are “Passionately Serving Seniors” (PSS).
MVSL is proud to provide this type of program to the community. It allows an opportunity to sample the healthcare profession. Most of the teen volunteers are interested in healthcare as a career, and some find new interests during the program as they discover the various career fields within our facility. “Some Candy Stripers may join the program thinking they want to be a doctor or a nurse but by the end they may be considering a career as a dietitian or a physician’s assistant. With the shortage of healthcare workers rising, interest in any health career is beneficial. After all, the youth of today, are the future of healthcare,” said Melissa Curry, CEO of MVSL.
MVSL has built great partnerships with local junior high and high schools throughout the River Valley to promote this opportunity. Future School Fort Smith has been working with MVSL from the early beginning to place their students in the program as their ‘internship’. These Candy Stripers volunteers are on the MVSL campus every Wednesday as their school day. Many also volunteer at other times during the week.
Due to the hard work, dedication and desire to Passionately Serve Seniors (PSS) exemplified during their time volunteering, MVSL provided 3 students of Future School Fort Smith with sponsorships to become Certified
Nursing Assistants (CNAs). Jayla Alston, Te’Leon Desire, and Taziya Sanders have completed the course going from Candy Stripers to CNAs. These students will complete their education at Future School Fort Smith and become employed with MVSL after graduation.
“Our goal is to provide positive, energetic students who are possibly interested in healthcare or other real-world experience in other departments within our organization (dietary, environmental services, activities, security) with an environment and an opportunity to learn, help others, build friendships, and give back. The program also aids departments that could use extra sets of hands. Volunteering is a great way to build character,” said Melissa Curry, CEO of Methodist Village.
First National Bank of Fort Smith has been underwriting the cost of the uniforms since beginning in November 2018. “First National Bank is excited to partner with MVSL in providing this opportunity to our youth. This program will not only be great for the volunteers, the residents and staff at Methodist but also for our community. It’s exciting to see Methodist Village lead the way in intergenerational planning” says Anne Dunn, Senior Vice President, Retail Operations. MVSL has also received donations from individuals in the community who want to support this great program. “We are thankful for the support of such a loving and giving community. It is because of their generous and compassionate giving that we are able provide this program. We have a great heritage and are committed to providing incredible life experiences that allow our residents and their loved ones to live full, enriching lives,“ said Melissa Curry, CEO.
Methodist Village Senior Living (MVSL) is proud to have served as Fort Smith’s only faith-based, non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing quality of life for our active adult and elder population for nearly 60 years. Their 30-acre campus is the only complete continuum of care “Life Plan Community” in the River Valley. Now offering comprehensive total patient care through assisted, independent, long term, memory care, respite, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation. In addition, MVSL has a Multi-Treatment Center providing on-site services by a General Practitioner, Dentist, Optometrist, Podiatrist, and Audiologist. These combined offerings allow for a community that enables seniors to live on one campus throughout their life, depending on how their needs change.
For more information regarding the Candy Striper Program, please call 479-755-6304 or email inquiries to csmith@methodistvillage.com.