Three volunteers at the Bargain Box Thrift Store in Mountain Home have been awarded Baxter Health’s Heroes with Halos award for their quick actions to assist a man who fell in the store’s parking lot. Diane Steele, Donna Judson, and Betty Gaither received the recognition after being nominated by a community member.
The incident occurred on August 3 in the back lot of the Bargain Box, which is operated by volunteers to benefit charity. According to the nomination, a woman had parked in the back lot because the main parking area was full. While she was inside shopping, her husband remained in the car. He dropped his cell phone under the seat, and as he tried to get out and retrieve it, his foot became caught, causing him to fall onto the blacktop.
The man’s wife returned to the car to find him on the ground. Unable to lift him on her own, she called 911. Meanwhile, several volunteers from the store, including Steele, Judson, and Gaither, brought out ice and a cold, wet towel and stayed with the couple to offer comfort and assistance until firefighters arrived to help the man back into the vehicle.
The man suffered a sprained left ankle and a scraped elbow during the fall. Two days later, Becky Rose, Director of Volunteer Services, followed up with the couple to check on their recovery.
In her nomination, the man’s wife wrote, “We wanted to honor the heroes who helped and stayed with us until the Fire Department arrived. We sincerely appreciate these ladies!”
The awards were presented by Rose, Bargain Box Coordinator Karla Tyler, and other Bargain Box volunteers.
The Heroes with Halos program allows community members to nominate Baxter Health employees, volunteers, or departments for acts of compassion and excellence. Nominations can be submitted on the Baxter Health website at baxterhealth.org/heroes.