It was a mix of pig, chocolate and salsa

More than 150 gathered Saturday night (May 2) to dine, dance and help raise money at The Gregory Kistler Treatment Center’s 7th Annual “A Night in the Caribbean” fundraiser.

Music for the event, held at Golden Living’s corporate headquarters in Fort Smith, came courtesy of the Tulsa-based Salsa Rhythm Project. The group was sponsored by Zero Mountain Inc. Zero Mountain and Golden Living were the lead sponsors for the event.

Another feature of the event was a live auction, with two-round trip tickets from the U.S. to Mexico, Bermuda, Bahamas or the Caribbean provided by American Airlines. Other items in the live auction included four Arkansas Razorback football tickets and hotel rooms at the aLoft hotel in Rogers provided by CSK Hotels, a Poulan lawn tractor from Sutherlands and limited edition paintings from John Bell Jr.

The mission of The Gregory Kistler Treatment Center For Children is to provide an opportunity for all children to lead full, productive lives with the assistance of occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language therapy, according to the Kistler Web site.

Children who receive physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy at
the center have wide range of diagnoses and needs. Some children need assistance with the basics of daily living, such as feeding and sitting up, while others have problems with balance and coordination.

More than 530 children now benefit from the center’s services, and more than 3,000 children and families have received help at the center. Treatment at the Center is provided without regard to the ability of the child’s family to pay for services. All that is required for a child to be able to benefit from treatment at the center is a prescription from his or her physician. The Kistler Center is the only outpatient center specializing in the treatment of children in the Arkansas and Oklahoma region.