Miller brings holiday cheer to nursing home residents

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 06 Dec 2017 21:05:54 +0000

A former University of Arkansas at Little Rock employee is helping to bring the holiday spirit to the residents of one Little Rock nursing home. Rosalyn Miller, former conference services manager at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock who still serves as the advisor to Delta Sigma Theta sorority, will deliver gift bags to the 115 residents of in Little Rock. “I use my personal Mary Kay business to gather sponsors for a bag for the residents of the Good Shepherd Nursing Facility,” Miller said. “Many who are confined to nursing homes may not have family or loved ones to visit them during the holidays. Each year, I look forward to making gift bags and delivering them to residents in a nursing facility in our community, for this is the season of giving.” Members of the eStem Public Charter Middle School cheer team will accompany Miller to hand out the gift bags on Thursday, Dec. 21. The gift bags will contain Mary Kay hydrating lotion, lip balm, ornaments and cards made by youth volunteers, and other sweet treats to soften the season for the residents. Miller’s effort to spread holiday cheer to the residents began three years ago. It’s grown from providing gift bags for 80 residents in 2016 to 115 this year.

Rosalyn Miller

“I’ve had numerous relatives who have been residents in this particular facility,” Miller said. “I actually left my job in Washington, D.C. years ago to return to Arkansas to take care of my aging parents. I saw there were plenty of residents who had no family or friends to come in to visit them. I thought this is a good way that I can let them know that there are people in the community who care.” Anyone interested in helping can donate $25, which will cover the cost of one gift bag. Each donor’s name will be attached to a gift bag. For more information, contact Miller at 501-231-4248 or rxmiller@ualr.edu.

After joining military, finishing degree, grad seek to help at-risk youths

Ajani Oyindamola — Tue, 09 May 2017 13:29:45 +0000

After one year of attending the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 2010, Candace Culbertson left to work full time. After two years, Culbertson found herself unsatisfied with the line of work and joined the Arkansas Air National Guard in 2013 to get her life back on track. “During training, I received the discipline, encouragement, and work ethic needed to reintegrate into college,” she said. “Since I have been back, it has opened up many doors, provided ample opportunities, and has led me to being involved in the community. It has provided me something I would not have gotten without coming back to college.” After returning to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2014, Culbertson found a love for community service. She served as treasurer of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and as vice president of the Nonprofit Leadership Student Association. Culbertson also interned at, a nonprofit organization that gives high-risk students an opportunity to finish high school and attend college, and, a domestic violence shelter. “I knew I wanted to serve as an advocate, so I wanted to become involved with organizations that would allow me to work with at-risk youth and women dealing with special circumstances,” Culbertson said. “I want to empower the minority population to face their adversaries.” She will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in sociology with minors in nonprofit leadership studies and criminal justice. After graduation, Culbertson will attend Airman Leadership School so she can achieve the rank of staff sergeant. In the summer, she will also begin her master’s degree in social and human service at Walden University. “I owe much of my educational success to the decision made to join the United States Air Force, always keeping a line of our creed in mind, ‘I will NOT fail!’” Culbertson said. Her ultimate goal is to become an advocate for at-risk youths by opening a group home for teenagers in the foster care system. In addition to giving them a place to live, the home would help teens learn the skills needed for future independent living. “Growing up in a single parent household in a disadvantaged neighborhood, I felt that I lacked necessary resources needed to properly transition into adulthood,” she said. “Although I have never been in the foster care system, I want to show youth who are underprivileged how they can face their adversaries and succeed in life.”

- University News Archive - ����Vlog��ý Little Rock

Miller brings holiday cheer to nursing home residents

After joining military, finishing degree, grad seek to help at-risk youths

- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock