Each year, the Community Health Education Foundation works to raise money for and awareness of heart disease and how to prevent it, along other health education and chronic disease prevention programs. Next month, the nonprofit organization’s 19th annual Red Dress Gala will honor five individuals and businesses who share CHEF’s cause while raising money to further its mission.

The 2026 Red Dress Gala, Denim and Diamonds, will take place at Arkansas State University’s Centennial Hall on Feb. 6. Honored at the event will be Dr. Jane Sneed, Health Advocate; Rev. Dr. Charles Coleman, Ed Way Community Support and Philanthropy Award; Pat Wolover, Red Dress Ambassador; Greenway Equipment, Corporate Community Service and Support Award (More than 50 Employees); and Gina’s Place, Corporate Community Service and Support Award (Fewer than 50 Employees).

“In the beginning, this group had a mission to improve cardiovascular care for this disease in our region,” said longtime CHEF executive director Emily Lard. “The change of the mission in 2014 to be a premiere health nonprofit health organization that annually provides health education and chronic disease prevention programs through a wide array of education, conferences, screenings, AED placements and health partnerships in Arkansas and nationally allowed the enhancement of the AED program, a mental health education partnership, COPD programs and others.”

CHEF will hold many The Heart Truth events and is bringing back the Wear Red Day Ladies Luncheon for 2026. The Heart Truth’s National Wear Red Day is an annual event on the first Friday of February, uniting people to raise awareness that heart disease is the number one killer of women.

The nonprofit organization’s Red Dress Gala will raise money to fund those events and programs, which is held thanks to many volunteers who share CHEF’s goals for the Jonesboro community.

“We truly have some of the best and most fun volunteers in the county, and they ensure the gala just seems to get more fun each year; I think 52% of our tickets being spoken for the first week they were released for sale attests to that,” said Lard. “The auction is always dynamic and different, the people can eat a great variety of foods until they are full, they always love the band and tearing up the dance floor and hanging out with friends, so what's not to like? … We have such exceptional honorees each year, and they are truly a reason why Jonesboro is as great as it is.”

One passionate volunteer is chairing this year’s gala for the first time. Dr. Carlitta M. Moore is the Vice Chancellor for Access and Institutional Engagement at Arkansas State University, where she advances a campus culture rooted in access, belonging and engagement. A trailblazer in athletic training and higher education, she previously made history as the first African American female head athletic trainer at Fayetteville State University and currently serves on the CAATE Board of Commissioners, El Centro Hispano Jonesboro Board of Directors and is the Vice-President of Programming/President-Elect for the American Association of Blacks in Higher Education. Moore holds degrees from Fayetteville State University and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and remains deeply committed to professional leadership and community service, especially with CHEF.

“I became involved with the Community Health Education Foundation in 2022, driven by a deep commitment to health equity and community empowerment,” said Moore. “CHEF’s mission resonates with me because it addresses health disparities through education, prevention and access. Our work aligns closely with my professional and personal belief – communities thrive when individuals are informed, supported and given equitable opportunities to live healthy lives. Supporting CHEF is an investment in the long-term wellbeing of Jonesboro and the surrounding region.” 

Red Dress Gala 2025 Auction Chair and longtime volunteer Stacey Schratz says the event’s noteworthy auctions keep attendees coming back each year.

“Supporting CHEF and the Red Dress Gala is important to me because heart disease is the number one killer of men and women, and I have several family members that have died and live with complications of heart disease,” said Schratz. “This cause is also important to me because of our AED placement program for schools and nonprofits and how many lives it has saved right here in NEA Arkansas where CPR alone would not have saved their life. We have great community support from our local businesses, and our support is increasing with our active engagement in new educational programs such as the Heart of the Farmer that was held last month.

“This auction is usually a very high reason we sell out each year. People just love our items. We go out of our way to offer different and unique items. We have some great items this year and brought back things people really love like our seven nights at Turks and Caicos, seafood blast for 30, a weekend for 30 on the lake. … The silent auction will have many sports packages, hunts, weekend getaway trips, spa packages, golf packages, art, parties for kids and adults, dinners and so much more. Our volunteers work very hard to make our silent and live auction great, and it never disappoints, and it gets bigger and better every year.”

Moore says she looks forward to the sense of togetherness the Red Dress Gala consistently fosters because it is more than a signature event; rather, it is a physical representation of a powerful platform for awareness, advocacy and action around heart health, particularly for women and communities who experience disproportionate health outcomes. 

“Jonesboro’s support demonstrates a collective commitment to prevention, education and saving lives,” she said. “When the community rallies behind this event, it reinforces the message (that) health is a shared responsibility and together we can make a meaningful impact. …

“At its core, the work of CHEF and the Red Dress Gala is about people. Our families, our neighbors and future generations. I encourage the Jonesboro community and the surrounding area to view this event not only as a moment of celebration, but as an opportunity to commit to healthier lifestyles, informed choices and sustained support for community-based health initiatives. When we invest in prevention and education today, we strengthen the health and vitality of our community for years to come.”

Dr. Jane Sneed, Health Advocate Award

Dr. Jane Sneed, the 2026 Health Advocate Award recipient, has spent her entire career caring for and giving back to the Jonesboro community. 

Sneed has been a physician at The Children’s Clinic since she completed her training at the University of Tennessee-Memphis and Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. The Memphis native says she has been in love with Northeast Arkansas, St. Bernards Medical Center and the families and staff she met along the way since visiting the city in 1993 at the invitation of Dr. Warren Skaug. 

“When I began my training, Dr. Kemp basically explained that this is our community, and we have to give back where needed and when needed,” said Sneed. “If you identify a problem or see a need, research it and then try and figure out what you can do to improve the situation for your community.”

She takes that call to give back to the community seriously. Over the years, she has sat on the ADH-Board of Directors, AFMC-Board of Directors and CASA of the 2nd Judicial District, in addition to several boards and committees at St. Bernards. She was very involved with Boy Scouts/Scouting America, and through the years has helped to train family practice residents, medical students, APRN students and PA students. She currently works with an organization called the ICDR-Infant and Child Death Review Team of NE-Arkansas as a part of one of several multi-disciplinary teams across the state that review all unexpected pediatric deaths in this corner of the state to see if physicians can identify trends and understand causes in hopes of developing prevention strategies and the ability to avoid future deaths.

Sneed heads the SBRMC Bioethics committee and is the Interim Director of its Palliative Care Program. She is a board member for ACCN-Ark Children's Care Network, which works to help coordinate pediatric care across the state, and she has been involved for years in helping to advance PCMH (patient centered medical homes) programs across the state, which help to improve the quality and coordination of care for children with special health care needs closer to home.

“There is more than physical health – there can be emotional health, mental health, nutritional health and the overall sense of well-being,” said Sneed. “We all have something to offer no matter our background/education/financial status. It can be as simple as a kind word or word of encouragement, a pat on the back or a hug. It can be as little as recognizing one person's struggle or as big as recognizing a community's struggle or lack of representation and trying to help. Above all, I would tell people to not be scared to get involved. Time is precious, and we are told to not over commit or overextend ourselves, but we can't become so self-centered that we forget to give back.

“I have great hopes that data that we use to drive our advocacy will become more real time and that this new generation of community advocates/leaders can use the technology at their fingertips to continue to help drive and demand change.”

Rev. Dr. Charles Coleman, Ed Way Community Support and Philanthropy Award

The 2026 Ed Way Community Support and Philanthropy Award winner, Rev. Dr. Charles Coleman, came to Jonesboro in 1993 and taught at Arkansas State University for 19 years. Now retired from teaching, Coleman continues to serve on several boards in Jonesboro for a variety of nonprofits.

“A person can give consistently to the community by weaving service into the rhythm of their everyday life instead of treating it as something extra,” said Coleman. “This often means using the gifts, skills or resources they naturally have – teaching, cooking, organizing, mentoring, gardening or simply showing up with a listening ear. When community service flows from what a person already enjoys and is good at, it becomes life-giving rather than exhausting. …

“Another key is recognizing that giving doesn’t always require large blocks of time. Many small, steady acts – checking on seniors, volunteering a couple of hours a month, donating supplies, sharing knowledge, encouraging youth – add up to a powerful impact. Most people who serve long-term discover that giving refreshes them, strengthens their purpose and connects them to others in meaningful ways. They don’t give because they have extra time; they give because they make it a priority, and it becomes part of who they are.”

Coleman says many people are inspired by organizations like the Rotary Club, various community foundations, local church ministries and programs such as Success School because these groups focus on real, practical change. 

“Rotary stands out for its global work in clean water, literacy and eradicating diseases like polio,” he said. “Community foundations make a deep impact by investing directly in local families, small nonprofits and neighborhood projects. Churches remain powerful centers of compassion – feeding the hungry, supporting youth, strengthening families and offering hope in moments of crisis. Programs like Success School give students tools to succeed, build confidence and help them dream beyond their immediate circumstances. People often choose to donate to these organizations because they see results that matter. They see a child learning to read, a neighborhood garden feeding families, a mentoring program shaping the next generation, or a disaster-relief team showing up when no one else can. 

“Giving to these groups feels meaningful because the work is visible, personal and lasting. Supporters know their contribution – whether time, money, or expertise – helps create stronger communities, healthier families and brighter futures.”

Pat Wolover, Red Dress Ambassador

Wolover will be honored at the 2026 Red Dress Gala as the Red Dress Ambassador. She has been involved with CHEF for eight years and works to support cardiovascular health in Northeast Arkansas.

“My initial intent in joining CHEF was to meet new people in the area, but being a woman and a registered nurse, I see the need for the education, and by volunteering with this group, I have learned what the need was and how to bring it to our attention,” said Wolover. “I think CHEF has been a leader in bringing awareness to heart disease in women in NEA. We also have some great cardiac doctors here in Jonesboro, at both St. Bernards and NEA Baptist. We have the tools for detection and treatment that many places do not have. I think we are very lucky in that respect.”

For Wolover, CHEF’s mission is personal.

“I have AFib,” she said. “I have had two ablations and high BP and cholesterol. I have struggled with shortness of breath for years, thinking it was my asthma, and finally found out I was in and out of AFib, which also makes me at a higher stroke risk. I eat better, have lost weight and regularly go to the gym. I have also lowered my cholesterol.”

Wolover says there needs to be more of an awareness brought to light for women and heart disease. There are screenings done throughout the year, and she hopes more women start to take advantage of them. 

“With so much emphasis on women and breast cancer, I think that more awareness needs to be brought to our attention on women and heart disease,” she said. “Symptoms of heart attacks are different in men and women, and not all women are aware of what they are, along with other heart disease, besides just heart attack.”

Greenway Equipment, Corporate Community Service and Support Award (More than 50 Employees)

Since 1988, Greenway Equipment has delivered innovative product and services, along with expert advice, to customers across Arkansas and Southeast Missouri. Today, Greenway has grown to more than 30 locations with more than 200 highly trained service technicians and a passion for continuously reinvesting in the communities where it operates, which is why it is being honored at the 2026 Red Dress Gala.

“Over the last five years, we have surpassed $1 million in donations to regional food banks through our Hunger Hero fundraising efforts,” said a company representative. “Each year, we partner with country music star Jason Aldean to raise funds to benefit the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas, Arkansas Foodbank in Little Rock and the Southeast Missouri Food Bank.”

Greenway also works to help the community by establishing the Greenway Ag Mechanics Lab at Camp Couchdale, sponsoring Ag Tech Programs, establishing the Greenway Ag Power Systems Technology Courts at the Lonoke Business Academy, funding a variety of collegiate scholarships, supporting agricultural research and promoting conservation. 

“Greenway encourages employees to volunteer, serve and lead in local organizations, and we empower locations to host and support community events to build local connections,” said the representative. “We prioritize community support because of the value it provides back to our organization as a whole: Employees amplify local impact and keep us responsive to evolving community needs; service builds leadership, communication and project skills that translate directly to customer service excellence; and a purposedriven culture improves engagement and helps us attract and retain people who care about the places we serve. … 

“Giving back is fundamental to our role in the agriculture industry, which ultimately feeds, clothes and supports the world. We aim for the fundraisers, organizations and partnerships we pursue to convert into meals, training and resources for families, closing gaps and strengthening local resilience.”

Greenway says it’s grateful and humbled to be recognized at the annual gala and is focused on continuing to invest in education and conservation in the community.

“Thank you to CHEF, its volunteers and the Jonesboro community for your leadership on heart health,” said Greenway’s representative. “We’ll continue to partner, invest and show up – in classrooms, on farms, at research centers and in local food banks – because strong communities don’t happen by accident, they’re cultivated together.”

Gina’s Place, Corporate Community Service and Support Award (Fewer than 50 Employees)

Gina’s Place has been a beloved part of the Jonesboro community since starting out as Ann’s Restaurant in 1983. Originally started by current owner Gina McKay’s mother, Ann Maynard, the restaurant has been serving up home-cooked plate lunches for more than 40 years and will be honored for its service to its longtime hometown at the 2026 Red Dress Gala.

“Community is like an extension of your family,” said McKay. “We take care of each other in times of need … and we have to strive daily to maintain those core values of kindness in order to thrive. If we don’t look out for one another, who will?

“We are blessed to feed our customers, especially our seniors. We do our best to make our meals affordable and treat our customers like family.”

McKay is invested in CHEF and heart disease awareness and prevention following the passing of both her mother and brother due to heart attacks and Wolff-Parkinson-White.

“Heart health is very important, from getting your teeth cleaned to having routine physicals, we have to work to take care of ourselves,” said McKay. “We are thankful for receiving the award and hope that we can continue to do our part to make the community a better place.”

The 2026 Community Health Education Foundation Denim and Diamonds Red Dress Gala will take place on Feb. 21 at Arkansas State University’s Centennial Hall. For tickets or more information, email chefjonesboro@gmail.com or call (870) 931-4044.