Community members gathered this evening on the front lawn of Southwest Arkansas Regional Medical Center for a festive Business After Hours event, enjoying food, games, music and fellowship as the hospital expressed its appreciation to the citizens of Hempstead County.
Hosted in partnership with the Hope-Hempstead County Chamber of Commerce, the event transformed the hospital’s spacious front lawn into a welcoming community gathering space. Blue and orange flags lined the tops of the trees, marking the area where tables were set up, while matching blue and orange balloons decorated the tents and added to the festive atmosphere.
A variety of lawn games, including cornhole, ladder toss and volleyball, kept guests entertained throughout the evening. Families and friends enjoyed complimentary hot dogs, popcorn, snow cones, cookies and bottled water while music played in the background.
Guests also had the opportunity to receive complimentary blood pressure and vital sign checks from hospital staff, highlighting SWARMC’s ongoing commitment to the health and well-being of the community it serves.
A large sign facing Main Street read, “Thank You Hempstead County,” greeted visitors and served as a prominent message of appreciation throughout the evening. The message reflected the hospital’s gratitude to local residents following the recent vote that secured the future of the community’s hometown hospital.
Hospital employees were on hand throughout the event, welcoming guests, serving refreshments, assisting with health screenings and ensuring everyone felt at home.
“This was such a wonderful evening of community,” said Christy Burns, Executive Director of the Hope-Hempstead County Chamber of Commerce. “Business After Hours gives us an opportunity to connect outside of the workplace, and Southwest Arkansas Regional Medical Center created an event that truly reflected their appreciation for the people of Hempstead County. Their commitment to serving this community extends far beyond the walls of the hospital, and it was exciting to see so many people come together to celebrate.”
Shelby Brown, Chief Administrative Officer at Southwest Arkansas Regional Medical Center, said the evening was simply the hospital’s way of saying thank you.
“This is a very small token of appreciation for the citizens of Hempstead County,” Brown said. “We really felt confident that it would pass, but we did not think it would pass by as much as it did. I think that is a testament to the employees inside that building and what they do for this community. They stand ready to take care of anybody who walks through our doors. So again, it’s just a big thank you to Hempstead County.”
