David Arant – Growing a family at the right pace of life
This is the first in a series of profiles about the people who are helping make our community better by serving as members of the North Sunflower Medical Foundation’s Board of Directors.
When David Arant was approached about joining the North Sunflower Medical Foundation Board, he didn’t have to think long and hard about it. “As a kid, I would hear my parents talk about what Mr. Billy Marlow was doing to help the hospital, and how that was helping the community. I felt like, if I wanted to have a say in what happens around me, it was time to step up and do things that benefit the community.”
David grew up on his family farm growing corn, soybeans and rice on the border between Sunflower and Leflore counties. After graduating from Mississippi State, he took a job as a civil engineer in Jackson. It was a good job, but as he and his wife Rebekkah started to grow their family, they wanted to return to a life David says they could only find in the Mississippi Delta. “It’s a better pace of life. I like that.”
After 15 years of marriage, the Arant family has grown to include three boys under the age of 11. “Rebekkah and I are completely outnumbered,” David says. “Working on the farm taught me the value of hard work. The boys are a little young right now, but they see me working all day long, sweating in the heat and how that pays off. For them, mostly, they have a big yard to play in. And that’s important to us.”
David says that the North Sunflower Medical Foundation has been instrumental in keeping downtown Ruleville alive. “The hospital and the foundation own buildings all over town. The way they have improved the look of the area encourages people to want to work here. It has been a plus for the community and the town.”
The mission of the North Sunflower Medical Foundation is to promote health and wellness for the residents of Sunflower County and surrounding areas by assisting with the enhancement of quality healthcare, providing grants for educational purposes to ensure the availability of healthcare professionals, and partnering with local governmental agencies in matters related to healthcare.
David is particularly proud of the way the NSMF helps hospital employees continue their education through grants and scholarships. “The way they give back to the community, the hospital, the employees. I think it’s impressive.”
If you are interested in contributing to the North Sunflower Medical Foundation, contact Stacy Davis at stacy.davis@nsmedicalfoundation.org or call (662) 756-4129.