ECHO expands into future before it gets here

Eureka Christian Health Outreach, continuing to evolve into more than a healthcare clinic, has kicked off a free Music & Movement story time on Tuesdays at 10 a.m. at the ECHO Thrift Store at the corner of Rockhouse Road and US 62. In another bold move, ECHO just had a generator wired that uses solar panels for alternative power in preparation of emergencies when the facility will be used as a shelter.

“We have this facility, and it seemed it could be put to use in so many ways to serve the community,” Danyelle Harris, manager of ECHO Thrift Store said. “With tornadoes hitting close by in the past few years, if Carroll County were hit, it would not take much for our little hospitals to be overrun with patients. To have a shelter set up and ready has been an important goal for us. Even with the flooding over the past couple of years, we were lucky enough to have people in the community help each other out.”

The ECHO Thrift Store had solar panels hooked up a year-and-a-half ago to assist with energy efficiency costs. Now, they are also equipping the clinic to be an emergency shelter option as they are finalizing the generator and solar panel set up.

“With the wiring connected, we can move forward with a supply of cots and emergency equipment to be able to set up a MASH unit or emergency shelter,” Harris said, “and we have done trainings with the Red Cross.”

There are no other designated public emergency shelters in the Eureka Springs area.

But back to the new children’s activities, Harris says, “Children’s books are one of our most popular areas. Before I moved here from Texas, I did a music therapy business called Kindermusik. I am passionate about music, movement and child development. We have created an air-conditioned story area so moms can come in and have a place to read that is child friendly. This summer we are getting music movement and story time off the ground and hope it has enough momentum to continue it into the fall.”

Harris said music and movement connected to literature have a major beneficial impact on a child’s mental development. “Our brains grow the more in the first five years of our lives than they will for the remainder of our lives,” she said. “The first three years there is rapid growth. Surrounding children with music and literature so they can get used to the rhythm of words or music helps them with other skills – how to cut with scissors, walk, run. Music combined with physical activity stimulates every area of the brain. Music is a multi-sensory stimulus.”

Music & Movement favorite activities include dancing with scarves while making circle or square shapes, and learning how to tap a percussive instrument while reading. A variety of percussive instruments will be introduced in upcoming months.

“Music and dancing wake up our brain in a way our culture of everyday life doesn’t challenge us to do,” Harris said.

The Thrift Store staff and volunteers are focused on keeping the store tidy, friendly and stocked with a fresh turnover of merchandise to attract locals and tourists, Harris said. “Our free Wi-fi café offers specialty coffees, charging outlets for electronics, and we sell honey made in Carroll County,” Harris said. “ECHO is striving to inspire a whole healthy existence.”

Arnie Matthews-Richter, who works at the store, said business has been brisk.

“I’m thrilled with all the people coming in from other places,” Matthews-Richter said. “We get a lot of people from Oklahoma. Some tourists have told us they enjoy coming in each time they come to visit. People are impressed with the purpose of the thrift store to finance the free health clinic. We are blessed with wonderful donations from the community. It is just incredible the really neat things we get from clothing to furniture, books and everything. And our prices are really good, too.”