Arkansas Children’s Northwest Auxiliary Celebrates Successful a la Carte Event

BENTONVILLE, AR (May 8, 2024) – The Arkansas Children's Northwest (ACNW) Auxiliary hosted its annual a la Carte event on May 2 at Ledger in Bentonville, raising funds to support essential care for families in northwest Arkansas and beyond. The event, themed "A Wonderland Affair," attracted over 400 attendees and raised $137,249.

Under the guidance of event chair Belinda Mayo and chair-elect Kelly Comer Steinwart, a la Carte 2024 showcased culinary delights from 23 local restaurants and vendors. Walmart's senior vice president of chilled and adult beverages and convenience, Tyler Lehr, returned as the honorary chair for the second consecutive year. JT and Imelda Rose were presenting sponsors for the event.

Guests indulged in delectable food samplings, participated in an online silent auction and enjoyed live entertainment by Patrick Hall with 96Miles.

"We are immensely grateful to our featured restaurants, generous sponsors, partners and team of volunteers who all helped make this year’s a la Carte a success," Mayo said. "We could not have done any of this without you!"

Since its establishment in 2018, ACNW has been dedicated to providing accessible health care services for children and families in the region. Arkansas Children’s Foundation Director of Philanthropy Taylor Speegle, echoing the sentiments of many, emphasized the critical role of ACNW in delivering essential care close to home. Thanks to the support of generous donors, Arkansas Children's is expanding to provide expert pediatric health care for even more patients and ensuring fewer children than ever before leave Arkansas for care.

"Arkansas Children's is committed to advancing the well-being of children, and the success of events like a la Carte is instrumental in achieving our mission of championing children by making them better today and healthier tomorrow,” Speegle said. "We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who contributed to this remarkable evening."

Over eight years, the health system’s historic expansion will require nearly $318 million in investment for construction at ACH in Little Rock and ACNW in Springdale. Phase one of construction on the ACH and ACNW campuses began earlier this year and is scheduled to be completed in 2026. To learn more about the expansion, visit archildrens.org/expansion. To support Arkansas Children's growth, visit archildrens.org/donate or call 800-880-7491 today.

ABOUT ARKANSAS CHILDREN’S NORTHWEST AUXILIARY

Arkansas Children's Northwest Auxiliary is a volunteer organization that supports patients and families through fundraising and service projects to ensure Arkansas Children’s Northwest, the region’s only pediatric hospital, provides care close to home for children in northwest Arkansas and beyond. Arkansas Children’s Northwest Auxiliary is overseen by Arkansas Children’s Foundation, Inc., a subsidiary of Arkansas Children’s, Inc.

ABOUT ARKANSAS CHILDREN'S

Arkansas Children's is the only health care system in the state solely dedicated to caring for Arkansas' nearly 700,000 children. The private, non-profit organization includes two pediatric hospitals, a pediatric research institute and USDA nutrition center, a philanthropic foundation, a nursery alliance, statewide clinics, and many education and outreach programs — all focused on fulfilling a promise to define and deliver unprecedented child health. Arkansas Children's Hospital (ACH) is a 336-bed, Magnet-recognized facility in Little Rock operating the state's only Level I pediatric trauma center; the state's only burn center; the state's only Level IV neonatal intensive care unit; the state's only pediatric intensive care unit; the state's only pediatric surgery program with Level 1 verification from the American College of Surgeons (ACS); the state's only magnetoencephalography (MEG) system for neurosurgical planning and cutting-edge research; and the state's only nationally recognized pediatric transport program. Arkansas Children's is nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report in seven pediatric subspecialties (2023—2024): Cancer, Cardiology & Heart Surgery, Diabetes & Endocrinology, Nephrology, Orthopedics, Pulmonology & Lung Surgery and Urology. Arkansas Children's Northwest (ACNW), the first and only pediatric hospital in the northwest Arkansas region, is a level IV pediatric trauma center. ACNW operates a 24-bed inpatient unit; a surgical unit with five operating rooms; outpatient clinics offering over 20 subspecialties; diagnostic services; imaging capabilities; occupational therapy services; and northwest Arkansas' only pediatric emergency department, equipped with 30 exam rooms. Generous philanthropic and volunteer engagement has sustained Arkansas Children's since it began as an orphanage in 1912, and today ensures the system can deliver on its promise of unprecedented child health. To learn more, visit archildrens.org.

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Pictured left to right: Tyler Lehr, Belinda Mayo and Kelly Comer Steinwart | Photo credit: Travis McAfee