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On February 12, the Alpha Sigma Alpha chapter at the University of Arkansas at Monticello hosted a Cookies & Cards event, allowing UAM students to make Valentine’s Day cards to be distributed at The Woods, A Nightingale Community, a nursing home in Monticello.

The chapter hosted the event at the Gibson University Center as both a service project and a recruitment opportunity. “Service is one of our core values, and we believe the best way to show who we are is through action,” said Bryleigh Myers, a sophomore accounting student and member of Alpha Sigma Alpha. “By creating an event that allowed us to give back, while also welcoming potential new members, we were able to demonstrate that our sisterhood is rooted in compassion, kindness and purpose.”

Recognizing that holidays are often challenging for residents of nursing homes, Alpha Sigma Alpha decided to host Cookies & Cards. The organization was able to deliver 60 Valentine’s Day cards to The Woods.

Kerri McKinney Harrison, business office manager at The Woods, issued a letter of thanks to the sorority. “We would like to express our appreciation for the Valentine’s cards that you graciously provided to our residents here at The Woods, A Nightingale Community,” Harrison said. “They thoroughly enjoyed your kind words and feelings of sincerity portrayed in the cards. A direct quote from one of our residents is, ‘It is always so nice to be thought of.’”

“Each message was written with care, with the intention of sending love, positivity and reassurance,” Myers said. “Our hope was that these cards would brighten their day, lift their spirits and remind them that their community is thinking of them. Through this event, we were able to extend the love we strive to show through our chapter, while also finding individuals who share our passion for service and making a difference.”

The Alpha Sigma Alpha chapter at UAM has been active at the university since October 1961 and celebrated its 64th anniversary in 2025.

For more information about Alpha Sigma Alpha at UAM, contact Julie Barnes at barnesj@uamont.edu or 870-723-3267 or Morgan Strickland at 870-997-0249.