Jennifer Swinney, CB&S Bank branch sales leader for the Russellville main office, presents a check to Burns Nursing Home administrator Mark DeArman for the “Wish Comes True” program that allowed Burns resident Michelle (second from right) to go to the pumpkin patch. Tammie Hall, CB&S Bank senior teller at the Russellville Main Office, is also pictured (far right).

Thanks to CB&S Bank, residents of Burns Nursing Home in Russellville will have an increased quality of life due to the “Wish Comes True” program provided by CB&S Bank through operation of the Senior Crimestoppers program and the Senior Housing Crime Prevention Foundation.

CB&S Bank recently provided the means for a wheelchair accessible van and nurse to accompany a resident at Burns Nursing Home to visit the pumpkin patch, a lifelong dream of hers.

As a sponsored facility in the nationally acclaimed crime prevention program Senior Crimestoppers, Burns Nursing Home is now eligible to participate in the “Wish Comes True” program, whose purpose is to fulfill a wish or need for one or more of the residents. Items purchased provide an increased quality of life and are events the residents look forward to on a daily basis.

The “Wish Comes True” program has provided:

–      Wii systems for rehabilitation and entertainment

–      Bingo machines for afternoon entertainment

–      Themed parties like luaus and fair games

–      Specially built flower gardens and planter boxes for wheel chair accessibility

–      Televisions and juke boxes in the community room for daily entertainment

“Senior Crimestoppers is a way for an administrator to enhance the lives of the residents they serve by providing an additional layer of safety and security. In addition to the crime prevention program, the Foundation and their sponsoring bank, CB&S Bank, want to provide special items or events that provide endless hours of entertainment and meaningful contact that the facility might not be able to provide in its already stretched budget,” said Terry Rooker, president of Senior Crimestoppers.

“CB&S Bank is excited to participate in the “Wish Comes True” program to help fulfill a wish or need for the residents of Burns Nursing Home. This is a program that we feel strongly about. To be able to help increase the quality of life and do something special for a resident makes it all worthwhile,” said Dennis Upchurch, president and CEO of CB&S Bank.

The Senior Housing Crime Prevention Foundation (SHCPF) is a national organization that serves as a conduit for banks to use to fulfill their federally mandated Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) requirements through providing aid to low and moderate income individuals in their local community. The Foundation’s mission is to provide safe and secure living environments for our nation’s senior nursing home residents, many of whom are low and moderate income individuals, through the operation of the nationally acclaimed Senior Crimestoppers program.

Crime against the elderly in our society is a longstanding, constant battle that can be reduced and prevented through the operation of the Senior Crimestoppers program in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Senior Crimestoppers is a coordinated set of components that work together to create a zero tolerance to crime platform in senior housing facilities.  Components include personal lockboxes for the residents, cash rewards up to $1,000 paid anonymously for information about wrongdoing of any kind, and effective, on-going education and training for staff members and residents. Senior Crimestoppers has reduced all aspects of crime in participating facilities by 93 percent.

For more information about Senior Crimestoppers, contact Terry Rooker at 800-529-9096 or visit www.seniorcrimestoppers.org.