A Heart for Caring
The name Jennifer Kistler is a name well-known throughout Fort Smith—a name synonymous with service, selflessness, and love for children. As a Kistler, Jennifer hails from a family with deep ties to the medical community in Fort Smith, a family that blazed a trail in an area that was once severely lacking in any kind of intensive or ongoing care for children with physical or cognitive disabilities. Facing a need of their own when Jennifer’s six-year-old brother was hit by a car in 1962 and left with a traumatic brain injury that partially paralyzed him, his care was more than the family could handle. The nearest facility offering the type of assistance he needed was in Louisiana.
Still, the family made the necessary sacrifices—though the glaring need for something more in Fort Smith was not lost on the Kistlers. Just over a decade later when Jennifer’s daughter Michelle was born with spina bifida, the lack of children’s therapy services was one that the family determined could not be ignored.
And so, in 1978 The Gregory Kistler Treatment Center, Inc. was created, filling a void that had too long been left empty. In the forty-four years since its doors opened to the children and young adults of Fort Smith and beyond, Jennifer had served as the executive director, offering her heart and expertise in healthcare to make the center a place of exceptional care for those whose needs go beyond the abilities their families can provide. Now, she’s taking a step back into semi-retirement, working largely on a remote basis and in the homes of those served by the Kistler Center to provide medication management.
“Jennifer realized the help she needed for Michelle and what their family had gone through years earlier with Gregory, and that there was nothing in the area that provided for those needs,” says Development Coordinator Aaron Lee. “Often times it has been providing hope for parents facing challenging situations. To know that they were not alone, that Jennifer and the Kistler Center were there for them has been so important to these families. It helps to know that others have gone through similar circumstances with positive outcomes and to know that people care. It’s overwhelming to think of where they started and where we are today. In the work that she has done, Jennifer has been such an asset to the community. Jennifer and her family provided opportunities for children to receive the care they desperately needed when there was nowhere for them to go in our community, and the Kistler Center has helped thousands of children over the years. She has certainly left an indelible imprint on the world around her.”
As executive director, Jennifer was responsible for the administration of the Kistler Center—duties that included areas such as finance, human resources, developing and monitoring programs, fundraising and multiple other facets required of managing an organization the size and scope of The Kistler Center. Additionally, Jennifer managed medication teaching and oversight for the center’s CES waiver department, leaning on her expertise and credentials as a registered nurse.
As many hats as Jennifer wore in her position at the Kistler Center, she treasures the time she has spent there and the opportunity it gave her to make a true difference in the world. “I enjoyed being a positive influence, often personally guiding families by relating to their difficulties, their needs and the numerous challenges they face as they navigate toward the best paths and opportunities for their own success,” she says.
Her passion and commitment are two of the very things that made her such an effective leader, enabling her to take the Kistler Center to become renowned in the world of pediatric therapy services. “The fact that I know we can help not only the child, but the family, as well has been such an incredible part of my work at the Kistler Center,” Jennifer says. “And in the case of our CES waiver department where we work both with children and adults, I know that we make a difference in their lives, as well. I especially enjoy giving special attention to those individuals whose parents or family can no longer care for them. I want them to know that I care. I want to treat them the way that I would have wanted my daughter treated if I were not around to care for her.”
But Jennifer does more than just care. She truly has a heart that beats for these children and their families. “I want people to remember the way that I care,” she says. “I want that to be the legacy that I leave. “
Her legacy is certainly an impressive one—one that will continue to change lives for generations to come. In this she has much to be proud of, though her humility is as much a part of her nature as her altruism. “I feel that I used the gifts that God gave me for the benefit of others, and that is what I was meant to do,” Jennifer says. “It wasn’t an option.”
“I think that people in our community love Jennifer because of her long-term dedication to the Kistler Center mission through many trials and even personal challenges she has overcome through all these years,” says Ralph Smith, current board member and former president of the Kistler Center Board of Directors. “Even after the passing of her brother and parents and the much later sudden loss of her precious daughter Michelle, Jennifer was as committed as ever. She was at the Kistler Center working every day. Jennifer has continued to be a positive influence. In essence, because of her long history of leadership and overcoming personal and management challenges, Jennifer Kistler was and still is uniquely qualified to offer compassion to those experiencing the very situations she has overcome. Empathy is one, if not the foremost, of her attributes.”
“People love Jennifer because she is genuine,” agrees Aaron. “She truly cares. She has empathy for the children and families because she has gone through it herself.”
In the time that she now has for personal pursuits, Jennifer plans to increase her activity in her ministry and spend more time with her dog Gemma, and horse Talula. “Gemma is such a happy dog who was once in a bad spot,” says Jennifer. “I also I enjoy taking care of, riding, and training Talula, aka Lula, who is a former Texas prison horse who is great on the trail and working obstacles.”
Forty-four years after Jennifer started this journey with her parents, she can look at what she has helped build and see that she has made a difference. She has given the families she works with a true gift and served her community in a truly remarkable way.
To learn more about The Gregory Kistler Treatment Center or to find out how you can become involved, visit kistlercenter.org.
