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 UA Little Rock who still serves as the advisor to Delta Sigma Theta sorority, will deliver gift bags to the 115 residents of Nursing and Rehabilitation Center at Good Shepherd 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.

“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.