More Than a Stethoscope: A Gift That Builds a Lasting Connection

When Chuck and Terri Peacock decided to help provide a stethoscope to an Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine (ARCOM) student, they hoped to make a difference in a student’s journey. 

Years later, one of those gifts would lead them on a 12-hour drive to Wisconsin for a wedding. 

Giving back comes naturally to the longtime River Valley residents and local business owners. 

Since 2018, the Peacocks have supported ARCOM students through the Stethoscope Program, an opportunity that helps provide medical students with an important tool for their education while also connecting them with members of the community. 

“People have given to us, and so giving back is just kind of our nature, too,” Terri said. “We like to help other people, and we can see the advancements that happen through giving back to the community.” 

The Peacocks first learned about the Stethoscope Program after receiving an application form about the opportunity. Already familiar with Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (ACHE) through their popular catering business and impressed by the institution’s growth, they decided to participate. 

They have returned every year since. 

Terri says part of what keeps them involved is knowing their support can ease one small expense for medical students during a demanding time in their lives. But over the years, the program has also given the Peacocks something they did not necessarily expect; long-lasting relationships. 

That has been especially true for them with ARCOM Student Doctor Jacob Wojtowicz and his new bride, Megan. 

The connection grew well beyond the initial stethoscope presentation. Jacob began joining the Peacocks at church when his schedule allowed, followed by lunches together. Chuck and Terri opened their home to the couple and eventually to their visiting parents and grandparents. 

“It’s like he’s our adopted kid,” Terri said. 

Then came an invitation to Jacob and Megan’s wedding in Wisconsin. 

The Peacocks did not hesitate. They made the 12-hour drive and found themselves seated with the couple’s parents during the celebration. 

“We felt very honored,” Chuck said. 

For the Peacocks, the relationship represents what they had hoped could come from participating in the Stethoscope Program: an opportunity not only to support a student, but also to be a familiar face and source of encouragement while that student is far from home. 

“They know we’re there if they need us,” Terri said. “That gives them comfort, and it helps us too, because we know we’re helping them.” 

Their connection with ARCOM students also reflects the Peacocks’ own deep ties to the River Valley. Terri’s father started the family restaurant in 1961, and Chuck and Terri have continued that legacy for nearly four decades.  

Today, Bruce Terri Drive In and Catering remains a familiar gathering place in the community, and the Peacocks have proudly watched as ACHE and its students have become increasingly woven into the community. 

Students from ACHE regularly walk through the doors of their restaurant, where the Peacocks enjoy getting to know them by name.  

“It’s kind of like ‘Cheers,’ where everyone knows your name,” Chuck said. “We know who they are. They walk in, and we know what they’re going to drink. It’s kind of neat to connect with people in the community like that.” 

Terri sees those connections as a two-way relationship. 

“You kind of get to know them, and then that makes them feel more comfortable,” she said. “They enjoy this community and what we can offer them, but also what they can offer us.” 

The Peacocks hope those relationships can help students feel at home in the River Valley and perhaps encourage some to put down roots here after graduation. 

Chuck hopes the students they meet will one day “touch other people’s lives like they’ve touched ours.” 

For community members considering supporting an ACHE student through programs such as the Stethoscope Program or Scrub Club, Chuck’s message is simple: “Why are you waiting?” 

Terri agrees that donors receive something from the experience, too.  

“We’re never too old not to learn something,” she said. “We can learn from them, and then they can learn from us, too.” 

Beyond helping provide students with something they need, the programs offer donors an opportunity to welcome students into the community and potentially form relationships that last well beyond their time at ACHE. 

Each year, Terri finds herself looking forward to doing it all over again. 

“It’s like, ‘Okay, when’s my application coming in? And then, when am I going to get to meet them?’” Terri said. “You get to know some young people and maybe help them through their career. It’s just been a blessing.” 

Support an ACHE Student 

Community members can support students through the Stethoscope Program, which provides stethoscopes to ARCOM medical students, or Scrub Club, which provides custom scrubs to ACHE occupational therapy and physical therapy students. 

CLICK HERE to learn more about the programs and how to become a donor.