Baptist Third Business to Receive Access Oxford Award

By Carson McKinney
Hottytoddy.com intern
cqmckinn@go.olemiss.edu

BMH-MS was awarded the Access Oxford award Tuesday. From left: Bill Henning, Cameron Stubbs, Peyton Warrington and Judy Pettit. Photo by Carson McKinney.

Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi was recognized Tuesday with the Access Oxford Award for its efforts to be accessible to all of its patients and visitors.

It is the third such award to be given to local Oxford businesses since July.

On Tuesday, March 5, Chairman of the Mayor’s Commission for Disability Issues Cameron Stubbs and Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance Officer Judy Pettit awarded BMH-MS CEO Bill Henning and Assistant Administrator Peyton Warrington the Access Oxford Award for the hospital’s accessibility and contributions to persons with disabilities in Oxford.

“Baptist was chosen based on their merit for the changes that they have undertaken, especially in this new facility, like making everything extremely accessible and multitudes of parking,” Stubbs said. “They serve the disabled community members here in Oxford. We want to show our appreciation for things they have done and the great service they continue to provide for Oxford citizens with disabilities.”

The first two recipients of the Access Oxford Award were Gus’s World-Famous Fried Chicken and Premiere Lanes Bowling Alley in July 2018, coinciding with the 28th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26.

Stubbs says La Perla Tapatia Mexican Restaurant will be the next award recipient.

Stubbs says awards are given based on a variety of criteria, which he thinks Oxford has improved on through awareness of accessibility issues and better technologies.

“We’re talking about things like curb-cuts that are smooth, sidewalks that aren’t broken, parking that’s accessible, doorway entrances being too narrow and the inability to use the restroom because the door may not be wide enough or have an ADA accessible stall to use,” he said. “We’re looking at all of the aspects of what an individual would use in everyday experiences and taking note of who has made those changes in order to be more accessible. The changes in technology and the more mainstream that accessibility has gotten have provided a lot of Oxford with the growth that it needed.”

Stubbs believes the Access Oxford award is important to spread awareness to tourists with disabilities who visit Oxford and residents, with or without disabilities, who benefit from increased accessibility.

“Seniors on scooters, new mothers with strollers, athletes and regular folks recovering from surgery on crutches; the more accessible things are, the easier it is to deal with the issues you’re having,” he said.

The Mayor’s Commission on Disability Issues plans to continue awarding Oxford businesses quarterly and is open to recommendations from the public.