Living Stories creates space for understanding and connection

Free event invites the community to talk openly about mental health

BENTON, Ark. (April 29, 2026) — Saline Memorial Hospital and the Saline County Library are partnering to host Living Stories, an event designed to spark understanding, reduce stigma and create meaningful conversations around mental health. The event will be held at the Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library in Benton from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday, May 9.

Living Stories, which is free and open to the public, invites attendees to “check out” a person for a short one‑on‑one or small-group conversation. Instead of books, guests will engage with individuals who share real experiences related to mental health, recovery, caregiving and resilience.

Several of the “stories” available for checkout will be licensed clinicians from Saline Memorial Hospital, including Stacy Drennan, LCSW, who will speak with attendees about caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s and dementia.

“Mental health touches every family in some way, yet so many people feel alone in their experiences,” said Michelle Rispoli, director of the hospital’s Behavioral Health Services. “Living Stories creates a safe space for honest conversations — where people can learn from one another, feel seen and walk away with a deeper sense of community.”

While Living Stories offers meaningful opportunities to learn from both licensed mental health professionals and individuals with lived experience, Rispoli reminds everyone that these conversations are brief and informal. They are not intended to provide medical or therapeutic advice.

The Saline County Library sees the event as a natural extension of its mission to connect people through shared knowledge and human experience.

"We are excited to partner with Saline Health System and share powerful stories in this program," said Kari Lapp, public relations manager for Saline County Library. "We strive to foster community connections, as well as share resources to help our patrons face whatever challenges life may bring."

About Saline Memorial Hospital

Saline Health System, a part of LifePoint Health, is made up of Saline Memorial Hospital, a 177-bed acute care facility, and Saline Clinics, a network of primary care and specialty clinics. The hospital is accredited through The Joint Commission for meeting quality and safety standards, the American College of Cardiology as a Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI, the MBSAQIP as a bariatric surgery center, Optum in the Bariatric Centers of Excellence network, CARF as a rehabilitation center and the AASM as a sleep center. Saline Memorial Hospital is also proud to be recognized as a Leapfrog Grade “A” Hospital for its commitment to patient safety and quality care. For more information about Saline Memorial Hospital, please call 501.776.6000 or visit SalineMemorial.org. For more information about LifePoint Health, visit LifePointHealth.net. 

About Saline County Library

The Saline County Library has been serving the residents of Saline County since 1931 and has three locations: Benton, Bryant, and East End. Each location provides wireless access computing as well as desktop computers for guest use and several other non-traditional items such as video games, cake pans, small tools, and more. The Saline County Library also provides a variety of events and community outreach programs. For a full list of services and upcoming events, visit www.salinecountylibrary.org or call 501-778-4766.