August 2008

Flattery will get you everywhere.

YOU SAID WE WERE #1 IN CONWAY

Thanks for voting us the #1 bank in this year’s LogCabinReaders Poll. Compliments like that will get you almost anything you could want from a bank. In fact, we’re not sure what more you could want. Only First State Bank can offer all of this:

• Banking ’til 7 weeknights

• Most locations in Faulkner County

• Banking at Twin City Bank and Community Bank

• The state’s only mobile branch

• Our Stuck on a Truck competition at Toad Suck Daze

• Our famous, free cook-outs

• A community focus that includes First State Park and our FSB Scholarship

• More donations to the community than all other banks combined

Best of all, this convenient, fun and community-minded bank is backed by one of the state’s most stable holding companies, Home BancShares. With all of these features, we can see why people voted for us. It even makes us want to vote for ourselves. But, of course, we would never do that. Thanks for doing it for us, Faulkner County.

Your Perfect Match.

According to the latest data released an estimated 15 million Americans have sleep disordered breathing, while up to 90% remain undiagnosed. Sleep apnea is more prevalent than diabetes or asthma and 17-20% of adults have obstructive sleep apnea. What most people don’t realize is that sleep apnea can be treated non-surgically with an oral appliance. So, if you snore or know someone who does, if you hate using a CPAP Machine, or if you have trouble sleeping, Dr. Dalton may be able to help in just a few office visits.

“Thanks to Dr. Dalton I don’t have to sleep with a CPAP machine anymore and I wake up feeling refreshed.”

General Dentistry

Care that’s recognized as some of the best.

As a community hospital, caring for you with the most personal of attention is what we do best. And doing our best has earned us some of the industry’s most respected accolades nationally, regionally and locally. Conway Regional doctors, nurses and staff have been recognized over and over for being the best in their field by organizations such as the Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care, American Cancer Society, Service Professionals, Arkansas Business and Professional Women, as well as publications including the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and the Log Cabin Democrat. But more important than the awards we receive is the feeling we’re rewarded with for taking care of you.

A Human Touch.

28 Cover story

Celebrating “Back to School” with the Jami and Monte Smith Family.

32 Entertaining

Summer seems to present an open invitation to entertaining with a fun and festive family reunion.

34 Savor

Meal-making can’t be any easier – or tastier – than when done in a slow cooker.

53 The arts

The National Symphony Orchestra will be making Arkansas its home come March.

54 Sports

Jim Bailey, an Arkansas treasure, has been writing about sports in the state for more than 50 years.

56 Pets

Meet St. Joseph Bulldogs Marley and Jake Spradlin and their bulldog, Lucky.

57 Travel

A new, self-guided tour offers insight into Downtown Little Rock.

501 LIFE

Donna Spears

Sonja Keith

Tracy Ferrell

Sonja J. Keith

LIFE Pics

Pages 10-15

– Hewlett-Packard announcement

– Newspaper reunion

– First State golf tournament

– Conway Regional Golf Classic

– Live United luncheon

– Rotary Club banquet

– Vilonia Fest

See more at 501lifemag.com

Neighbors

18 Greenbrier – The hot trend is building “green,” and the Greenbrier district is setting the standard with its third elementary school.

20 Vilonia – School offers a helping hand through parenting center.

A.J. Carol

Mike Kemp

Tanya Hightower

Trina Mitchell

Hannah Longing

Don Bingham

Tiffany Block

Maggie Chandler

Dr. Tim Cloyd

Sharon Gray

Angie Howard

Mathilda Hatfield Hulett

Renee Hunter

Karl Lenser

Janice Malone

Lauralee McCool

Richard Ryerson

Jan Spann

Donna Lampkin Stephens

Audrea and Jimmy Toal

Kellie Turpin

Quentin Washispack

Johnny Adams

Rob Bell

Lori Case

Kay Dalton

Gena Ester

David Hambuchen

Mathilda Hatfield Hulett

Rosanne Johnson

Mike Kemp

Julie LaRue

Karl Lenser

Monica Lieblong

Deanna Ott

Pat Otto

Jon Patrom

Lori Ross

Warwick Sabin

Margaret Smith

Jan Spann

Amy Stockton

Beth Tyler

Jeff Whitehead

Jennifer Whitehead

Nancy Williams

LIFE in the 501

Heading back to school

It’s that special time of year. Fresh supplies of paper and pen, brand new backpacks and new clothes can only mean one thing. It’s “Back to School.”

While young people – from kindergarten to college age – as well as teachers still have a few more weeks to enjoy until the bell rings and they find themselves back in class, there’s no time like the present to get ready for another semester.

501 LIFE has assembled some interesting and informative features for this special issue that we think will help.

We can’t thank Jami and Monte Smith – and their five kids – enough for their help with this issue. What a wonderful family! The couple reminds us that all too quick “our little ones” aren’t little anymore, and best to cherish every moment. Good advice.

In Conway, back to school also means a sudden increase in the city’s population as hundreds of students head to our three institutions of higher learning. (Boy, are we blessed to have Central Baptist College,

Take 501 LIFE on vacation

As readers pack their bags and head out on a summer excursion in the weeks ahead, they encouraged to take 501 LIFE along for the ride.

Photos of readers holding a copy of the magazine while vacationing will be published in an upcoming edition of the magazine.

“We would love for readers to share their vacation photos with other 501 readers,” said publisher Donna Spears.

Readers who would like to submit a photo can do so by email at info@501adsandmags. com or by mail to Vacation Photos, c/o 501 LIFE, 1002 Front St. Suite 1, Conway, Ark. 72032. (Sorry, photos will not be returned.)

Hendrix College and the University of Central Arkansas in Conway.) Our neighbors in Morrilton, Searcy and to some extent Little Rock can also identify too.

Dr. Timothy Cloyd, president of Hendrix College, shares his insight on what it means to be a “college town” in this month’s guest column (Page 27). Thank you, Dr. Cloyd!

We also offer a peek of what’s hot in back to school fashions for young people (Page 46) as well as residence hall rooms (Page 44).

This month, we’re also celebrating the recent announcement that Hewlett-Packard will be locating a center in Conway and taking a look at the community’s journey to this point (Page 10 and 50).

At 501 LIFE, we’re taking advantage of the summer months to plan some special projects that we think you will find exciting and fun. More on that next month.

Until then, here’s to loving LIFE in the 501.

Sonja J. Keith

Donna J. Spears

Tracy L. Ferrell

The Keith Kids – Joe (from left), James, cousin Kaitlyn Witherell, Emily and Laura – on vacation in South Dakota with 501 LIFE. Readers are invited and encouraged to send their “On Vacation with 501 LIFE” photos to info@501adsandmags.com. Check out future issues to see who is enjoying summer with LIFE.

August

The 96th annual St. Joseph School Bazaar will be held Friday, July 25, and Friday and Saturday, Aug. 1-2, at St. Joseph Catholic Church/School on College Avenue in Conway. The event will kick off with box lunches (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.) and a family-style dinner (5 to 8 p.m.) on July 25.

The following weekend – Friday, Aug. 1, and Saturday, Aug. 2 – the midway will take center stage at the church and school grounds. Hours are 6 to 10 o’clock each night. The midway will once again feature a variety of carnival-type games as well as bingo and food booths.

A live auction is also in the works for the Saturday evening of the bazaar, leading up to a raffle drawing for a 2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac. For more information, please call 501.329.5741.

Thanks so much for highlighting the work of the Argenta Community Development Corporation in your July issue (“Home Green Home”).

Argenta’s “Building Green” initiative was inspired by the belief that true community enhancement and revitalization is comprehensive. We don’t just build new, quality affordable housing in distressed neighborhoods. We build homes that will save our new homeowners money and be more efficient and friendly to the entire neighborhood.

The article you wrote featuring Yolanda Mathis and her family highlighted the first family in Arkansas to own a LEED-H home. We’re proud that we received gold certification and hope platinum will soon be achieved in future projects.

Many developers suggest that building green is just too expensive. My response is, “If affordable housing can be green, all housing can be green.” Argenta CDC was honored to receive the first LEED-H certification in all of Arkansas and that work has already started a ripple effect in the Argenta neighborhood. CityGrove

The 11th Annual First Security Conway Kids Triathlon will be held Saturday, Aug. 9. Kids ages 7-15 years old will swim, bike and run, with all finishers receiving a medal. There is no race day registration and the field is limited to 400 participants. For information, email ironmann@ conwaycorp.net or go to www. ConwayKidsTri.com.

Townhomes, located in the heart of Argenta, is slated to be one of the first green neighborhoods in Arkansas. Likewise, additional developments are exploring green options. Matt Bell and Springfield Properties are building a new green development near the old Union Station in Little Rock.

Argenta CDC’s “Building Green” will not stop with merely four houses. Over the next few years the Holt/Mid-City neighborhood will continue to change thanks to new, green development. We anticipate establishing a significant footprint of new, green, affordable homes that will help to transform the landscape of the neighborhood, all for the betterment of our new homeowners and the entire community.

Thank you to the US Green Building Council-Arkansas Chapter, the City of North Little Rock, NeighborWorks America and our many banking partners for helping to see this vision become reality. And thanks to 501 Life for publishing a magazine that not only highlights great things that go on in the Central

Fun, food and fellowship will again be on tap as St. Joseph Catholic Church in Conway celebrates its 96th annual bazaar. The event includes traditional box lunches (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.) and a family-style dinner (5 to 8 p.m.) on Friday, July 25. On Friday, Aug. 1, and Saturday, Aug. 2, the midway will take center stage at the church and school grounds. Hours are 6 to 10 o’clock each night. J. Mallett (pictured, from left), Rachel Briggler and Kevin Briggler enjoy one of the carnival games on the midway. The bazaar is the primary fundraiser for the St. Joseph School.

The “Great Escape,” an annual fundraiser for the Women’s Shelter of Central Arkansas, will be held at the Conway Sports Center on Lower Ridge Road from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 23. Tickets are $10 per person and may be purchased at the door or by calling 501.730.9864.

The 23rd Annual National Championship Chuckwagon Races

Arkansas area, but doing so in a way that is substantive and allows us all to learn in depth about how we can best be involved and contribute to our community.

Brad Williams, Executive Director Argenta Community Development Corporation North Little Rock

Congratulations on the creation of 501 LIFE. It is a much-needed magazine for our area to show off all the neat things that do happen in Conway and the surrounding area.

We get magazines that highlight Northwest Arkansas, Little Rock and St. Louis, so it is great to have one highlighting our hometown.

Dr. Bill and Freda Freeman Conway

are planned August 23-31 at Clinton. An estimated 150 teams compete in five different divisions for the title of national champion. The event also includes band performances and dances on Friday and Saturday nights. For more information, please go to http://www. chuckwagonraces.com.

The eighth annual Taste of Conway is scheduled 5 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 26, at the Conway Sports Center. The event –sponsored by the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce – showcases local talents and flavors all under one roof. Tickets are $10, and will be available at the chamber beginning Friday, Aug. 1. For more information, please call 501.327.7788.

September

The 17th Annual Hot Springs JazzFest is scheduled Friday through Sunday, Sept. 12-14, in Hot Springs. Held in Downtown Hot Springs, festival goers have an opportunity to sample a variety of items in a food court as well as

shop merchant vendors while enjoying the music. There is also a KidZone tent where kids can create “jazzy” crafts and enjoy jazz through touch and sound. For more info, please go to http://www. hotspringsjazzfest.org.

October

The fourth annual Kitchen Store Holiday Preview will be held 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, October 23. The event benefits the Conway Regional Health Foundation. For more information, please call 501.513.5778 or email foundation@conwayregional.org.

The 15th annual Race for the Cure is scheduled 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, in Downtown Little Rock. For more information, please go to www. komenarkansas.org.

To submit a calendar item, please send information to info@501adsandmags.com.

A winner with LIFE

Cheryl Linn of Greenbrier won dinner for two to Marketplace Grill in Conway in the magazine’s prize drawing last month.

501 LIFE subscribers are eligible for prize drawings, special promotions, VIP invitations to events, lunch in the 501 and much, much more. Subscribe today and you could be the next “Winner with LIFE.” Go to www.501lifemag.com to subscribe or complete the subscriber card inside this issue to be entered in the next drawing. Watch this space to see if you are the next “winner with LIFE.”

To see a complete list of items, please go to www.501lifemag.com.

Hewlett-Packard event draws large crowd

More that 1,000 turned out June 19 to hear Gov. Mike Beebe announce that Conway had been selected by the Hewlett-Packard Company for the location of its new stateof-the-art customer service and technical support center.

“HP conducted a nationwide search and chose Conway as one of the locations based on multiple factors, including the quality of the workforce, business environment, standard of living and government cooperation,” said Gary Fazzino, HP vice president for government affairs.

The Reynolds Performance Hall at the University of Central Arkansas was packed for the announcement, hosted by the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, Conway Development Corporation, City of Conway, Conway Area Chamber of Commerce and the Conway Committee of 100.

Brad Lacy, president and CEO of the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce and the Conway Development Corporation, said HP executives were pleased with the reception they received at the announcement. “That just paints a picture of a community that really wants them here.”

The HP center – which will be located in The Meadows Office and Technology Park on Sturgis Road – will employ 1,200 with salaries starting in the low $40,000 range. Hewlett-Packard was founded in Palo Alto, Calif., in 1939 by Stanford University classmates Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard.

HP – a 2008 Fortune 500 company ranked at No. 14 –has a portfolio that includes printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure. It is among the world’s largest IT companies, with revenue totaling $110.4 billion for the four fiscal quarters ending April 30.

Brad Lacy (left) and HP executive Gary Fazzino.

Andy Hawkins and Shelley Mehl.

Mike Roberts (left) and Johnny Adams.

Chad Russell (left) and B.J. Moody.

Becky Thompson and Brad Lacy.

Mary Hardin and Jack Bell.

photos by Hannah Longing

Former employees reminisce at reunion

It was an evening of laughter and renewed friendship as about 40 former employees of the Log Cabin Democrat recently gathered in Conway for a reunion.

Ann Turney and Carolyn Floyd Ishee were organizers of the event, held on the rooftop area at Michelangelo’s in Downtown Conway.

“Carolyn and I were talking a few months ago about the old days at the Cabin. We were laughing so much and having such a good time, we had one of those ‘hey, let’s put on a show!’ moments,” said Ann. “We said we should really get everyone together, and it took off from there.”

Former managing editor John Ward provided old staff photos and meeting notes that were used for the decorations and “program.” Most of those in attendance worked at or were associated with the Log Cabin in the 1970s.

“We enjoyed planning the party, because it brought back so many wonderful and hilarious memories for us,” Ann said. “For me, it was about celebrating longstanding friendships; remembering wonderful times working for Bill Ward, an early mentor and longstanding friend; and of course honoring John Ward for all he did for the Log Cabin and community.”

Former editor Sonny Rhodes described his time at the Log Cabin – 1976-1978 – as “the best two years of my life” and offered his thanks to former colleagues.

The group also recognized and thanked Frank Robins, former publisher of the newspaper. “He wanted a good newspaper and put a high priority on coverage,” John said. “We took on some issues that I was very proud of…We did a lot of good things.”

While Frank was unable to be at the reunion, his wife, Dorothy, and daughter, Laura Robins Falls, attended and shared their memories of working at the newspaper as well as their appreciation to those gathered at the reunion. “We love every one of you,” Dorothy said.

Former Log Cabin employees gathered for the reunion included (front, from left) Ann Turney, Carolyn Floyd Ishee, Sug McMillen, Ina Martin, John Ward, Dorothy Robins and Donna Spears; (back) Andy Dean, Bob Qualls, Rick Joslin, Sue Siria, Brenda Worm, Julie Rhodes, Judie Burney, JoLynn Warbritton, Bill Ward, Sam Davis, Sonny Rhodes, Jackie Clark, Sylvia Meriwether, Laura Robins Falls, Sarah Meriwether Coker, Laura McCadden Daniel, John Brummett, Jo McCadden, Joe Mosby, Clay Henry and Jim Schneider.

Laura Robins Falls (from left), Carolyn Floyd Ishee and Ann Turney.

Andy Dean (from left), Sonny Rhodes and Donna Spears.

Laura Robins Falls (left), John Ward and Dorothy Robins.

Shalah and John Brumett (from left) with Peggy and Jim Schneider.

Jackie Clark (from left), Ina Martin and Donna Spears.

Betty and John Ward (from left) with Bob Qualls.

Sylvia Meriwether (left), Bill Ward and Sarah Meriwether Coker.

David Turney (left) and Vance Daniel.

Sonja Keith and Bill Ward.

Conway Regional hosts golf tourney

The Conway Regional Health Foundation hosted its 12th annual Golf Classic on June 9 at Centennial Valley Country Club.

Using proceeds from the 2007 golf classic, the foundation announced in the spring the donation of 17 automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for all public and private schools in Conway as well as the city’s two sports centers.

Proceeds from this year’s golf classic will purchase AEDs for any remaining schools in Faulkner County that need them including Mayflower and Mount Vernon-Enola.

First State tourney benefits charities

First State Bank of Conway held its annual Million Dollar Shootout Golf Tournament on June 23 at the Conway Country Club.

The format was a 4-man scramble and included 20 shots for $1 million. There were no successful attempts for $1 million, although a few made some spectators hold their breath.

Approximately $13,000 was raised for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children) and the Central Arkansas Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC).

CASA is a volunteer-based group, formed on the commitment that every child has the right to a safe, permanent home. A juvenile or family court judge turns to these specially trained pool of CASA volunteers each time a case involving a child is received.

The CAC is a non-profit, child-friendly program that provides a kind and caring environment entirely focused on the well-being of an abused child. CAC offers therapy, support groups and victim advocacy for child abuse victims and their non-offending family.

John Strack (from left) and Carey Crain of Windstream Communications – a major sponsor of the tournament – with Charlie Hamling of Conway Regional.

Randy Sims holds his prize for scoring a hole in one.

“The Buzz” team – Scott McWilliams (from left), Brad Teague, Justin Acri and Pat Bradley. Snap On 2 team members Carl Pruitt (from left), Kenny Vestal, Mike McNew and Fred Rogers.

The Hess team – Steve Hess (from left), Lee Anne Hess, Stephanie Stephens, Tanner Cangelosi.

Central Arkansas Golf Academy team members Brannon Watson (from left), Christopher Stalnaker, Cindy Watson and Tom Watson.

FSB 2 team members Brad Youngblood (from left), Jordan Case, John Sweeney and Jonathan Isaacs.

Nabholz Construction Corp. was the presenting sponsor of the Conway Regional Golf Classic in June.

Conway Fire Chief Bart Castleberry (right) explains the importance of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) as Mike Smith, Centennial Valley Country Club golf pro, prepares to start the tournament.

Rotary club presents awards

Awards and accolades highlighted the Conway Rotary Club annual banquet held recently at Hulen Hall at Hendrix College.

President Shelley Mehl closed out her presidential year and passed the gavel on to President Daniel Allen.

Rotary Youth Leadership students Ricardo Maioli, Alex Dunn, Mollie Long and Joel Ludford were recognized along with Clay Gordon and Tim McKenna,

graduates of the first class of the Farris Leadership Institute.

Bob McCormack announced the recipient of the Rotary Community Service Award for 2007-2008 - United Way of Central Arkansas. Receiving the award on behalf of United Way was Samantha Huseas, executive director.

A highlight of the evening was the announcement of new Paul Harris Fellows - Jackie Fliss, Gene Gardner and outgoing president Shelley Mehl. Also, Bill Simmons and Dan Allen honored their wives, Elizabeth and Nancy, by naming them Paul Harris Fellows with contributions of $1,000 to the Rotary Foundation in their names.

John Gierke was also recognized for reaching the Paul Harris level twice.

Banks unite to host executive luncheon

First Security Bank, First State Bank, Metropolitan National Bank and Regions Bank teamed up to host a CEO and executives luncheon to present information on United Way of Central Arkansas.

The event was held June 17 at Centennial Valley Country Club in Conway. About 30 business leaders from the area attended and heard from members of each of the banks,

who also serve on the United Way board of directors. Each discussed ways corporations can support United Way and the importance of giving back to the community.

Topics included ways to get 100 percent participation in employee campaigns, various sponsorship programs and year-round campaigning and marketing.

Bob McCormack presents the community service award to United Way representatives Aimee Prince (from left), Samantha Huseas and Lori Case.

Gene Gardner (left) and Freed Duncan.

Nancy and Dan Allen with their son, Daniel.

Jackie Fliss (from left), John and Tonya Gierke, and Shelley Mehl.

Elizabeth and Bill Simmons.

1 Derrek Thomason (from left), Lori Case, Bliss Hicky, Jennifer Harrison and Shawn Rea.

2 Samantha Huseas (from left), Bill Pryor and Aimee Prince.

3 Jim Lambert and Linda Linn.

4 Ritchie Howell (left) and Bill Bethea.

5 Derrek Thomason and Terry Talley.

6 Bliss Hicky (left) and Terry Kimbrow.

Fun in the sun at Vilonia Fest

The annual Vilonia Fest – held June 5-7 – offered something for all ages from carnival rides and games to entertainment and food concessions.

“We try to have something for everyone to draw them to come,” said Gary Lambert, president of the Lions Club which sponsors the event.

The festival – held on the parking lot at Vilonia High School – had been scheduled in previous years on Mother’s Day weekend but organizers moved the event to the first weekend after the end of school. Lambert said the new date helped avoid schedule conflicts associated with the end of the semester.

Organizers also extended the festival this year, starting on Thursday instead of Friday to help attract a vendor for carnival rides.

As has been the tradition with Vilonia Fest, entertainment showcased young people and local talent. Among the acts performing this year was “Primary Melodies,” a group from the Vilonia school. In addition, gospel music was featured one night.

Vilonia Fest also included the Keith Townsend Memorial 3-on-3 basketball tournament, which raises money for scholarships.

Money from Vilonia Fest “goes back into our community,” Lambert said. The Lions Club uses the funds to further its emphasis on vision and eyesight issues, providing the means for needy families to seek professional eye care. Proceeds are also used to support other activities, including a Thanksgiving meal at the Vilonia Senior Activity Center and a communitywide Easter egg hunt.

Lambert and other organizers are already thinking about next year’s event and how to improve on the festival. He said Vilonia Fest typically ends mid afternoon on Saturday but organizers may consider moving the fireworks display, traditionally held on Friday, to Saturday next year to extend the festival through that evening.

“The fireworks activities turn people out on Friday night,” Lambert said, estimating that several hundred attended the annual event.

photos by Richie Ryerson

New Road Gospel provided entertainment at Vilonia Fest. Members include Rick Covington (from left), Jerry Stephens, Pruett Osborne, Robin Covington, Suzanne Waggoner and Ben Waggoner.

Cameron Hawks checks out the duck pond. Youngsters enjoy the cool breeze on a ride.

A Vilonia fire truck on display.

Ann Crump mans one of the food booths.

Kim Shock paints Brooke Gober’s face.

Art Pischke (left), vice president of the Lions Club, and Gary Lambert, club president and assistant superintendent of the Vilonia School District.

Coty Brock enjoys a ride.

Kathy Moore and Dan Kerr of First Baptist Church help with puppet show.

The Swinger was among the popular carnival rides.

Behind the scenes of the V-Kids Live Puppet Theater.

Tiffany Fowlkes and her son, Taylor. Steve Austin, Mayor Ken Belote and Sen. Gilbert Baker.

Tara Gunter and her daughter, Zoie. Ronnie Smith and his son, Brennen, on the Tilt-a-Whirl.

back to school

Are you a helicopter parent?

You’re the generation of parents that made car seats, bike helmets and “Baby on Board” window clings common. You’ve been devoted to protecting your child for 18 years now.

At times it seemed like they would never grow up and then suddenly they DID grow up. College, which once had seemed like a far-off adventure, has become an immediate reality. Braces and bicycles are gone, replaced with ACT and SAT and other words that can be new and mystifying.

In what seems like the blink of an eye your student will make one of the most important choices in his or her life. The college selection process can appear daunting, partly due to the sheer number of college and universities (there are more than 3,000) and the many options within that long list of schools – big, small, public, private, close to home or far away. Your student will look to you for guidance and reassurance as the college selection process begins.

Now, you’re asking – “How do I begin to let go?” Take heart – you won’t be alone! Many parents will join you this fall in asking themselves the same question as they send their children off to college. Letting go will be hard but it is important to realize that this is the first step on a journey to adulthood for your student. It is also the beginning of a new relationship between parent and child.

Balancing your role as mother or father, mentor and soothsayer, while still allowing your child room to grow is extremely important. The best advice I can offer is this –do your best to allow your student to take the lead in determining where to go to college.

If (and for many it is a matter of when) your student approaches you with a problem or concern, first ask him/her, “What steps have you taken to resolve this problem?” This helps your student find ownership in the issue and can segue into a healthy conversation on the development of conflict resolution – an essential skill for any successful career or relationship. Most importantly, it allows them to be a proactive decision-maker who is not afraid to call upon the advice and judgment of mom or dad.

In some ways it is much like those first tentative moments when you’ve removed the training wheels from the bike. Only your child can push the pedals but you can be there to keep them on track if they start tipping and to reassure them as they go. Yes, those first wobbly moments can be nerve-wracking but

they pass quickly and your student will be much stronger in the long run. Thankfully, not all interaction with your student will be about problems. Here are a few other ways to stay involved at a proactive but non-invasive level: You could:

• Join the parent council at your student’s college.

• Sign up for the college’s online community or for email and newsletter information.

• Attend family weekend and other campus events geared for parents.

• Host a gathering in your area for other parents of students attending the college.

• Attend your student-athlete’s sporting events or musical production.

• Volunteer to represent your student’s college at local high schools and college fairs.

Ask your student:

• About his/her class work and grades.

• If he/she has looked into the academic advising opportunities on campus.

• About his/her passion and academic interests and help him/her explore a career that incorporates that field of interest and suggest visiting the campus career services center.

• About the experiential learning opportunities at the college such as internships and research work.

• About possible funding opportunities for study abroad or experiential learning projects.

With cell phones, email, text messaging, Facebook and IM it is easier than ever to be part of your student’s life. It can be hard to know from a distance whether you are helping or hindering your student’s growth and development, but, if you keep the lines of communication open and allow yourself to give advice when called upon, you’ll quickly find that the level of trust between you and your student will deepen significantly.

The aim is not to let go completely. You are and always will be an integral part of your student’s life. Work to strike the right balance between a hands-off approach and hovering (also known as being a “helicopter parent”).

Your goal is to empower your student and provide him/her with the life skills needed to succeed in college and beyond. You’ll be glad you did and someday…they’ll be grateful for it (or at least send you a “THX” text message!).

by Fred Baker

assess yourself

hel•i•cop•ter par•ents: (noun) Overly involved adults who hover over their children, swooping in to fight their battles and make decisions for them.

Take the test

To help parents gauge whether they are playing too big a role in their child’s education, the CollegeBoard has developed an online quiz that automatically scores your responses. Access the quiz at – http://www. collegeboard.com/parents/ plan/getting-ready/155044. html

Questions include:

• Do you search college websites for your child?

• Do you have a strong influence over the high school courses your child takes?

• Do you play the lead role in planning and scheduling your child’s activities?

Additional information on “helicopter parents” can be found in a story on the National Survey for Student Engagement at http://www.usatoday. com/news/education/2007-11-04-nssehelicopter-parents_N.htm.

Fred Baker serves as the associate director of admission at Hendrix College. A 2000 graduate of Hendrix, he has served in the admission office since 2002.

Tips on paying for college

If you have a college-bound senior in your house, you know that the end of this school year means the beginning of a new adventure. However, while college can be exciting, it’s also expensive. If you haven’t saved as much as you would have liked, don’t despair – even at this late date, you can take some steps to help pay those college bills.

Here are a few ideas to consider:

Don’t panic – You don’t have to pay the full year’s tuition, room and board upfront. You will likely be billed in installments that may correspond to the school’s quarter or semester system.

This payment system gives you some time to find additional funding sources. For example, if you have a bond coming due in the middle of the college calendar, you can use the proceeds to help pay for

Liquidate assets in a timely

If you’ve earmarked certain investments for college, don’t liquidate them until it’s time to write a check. The longer you can keep your investments growing, the better off you’ll be.

Look at a Roth IRA – If you have a Roth IRA, you can withdraw contributions, tax- and penalty-free, to help pay for your child’s education. (However, some rules do apply to penalty-free withdrawals, so talk to your tax adviser before making this move. Also, if you withdraw earnings, you may have to pay taxes on them unless you meet certain conditions.)

If you have more time – If you still have a few years before your children head off to school, you may want to take advantage of some of the more popular college-savings plans. Here are two to consider:

Section 529 plans – When you set up a Section 529 plan, you put money in specific investments, which are managed by the plan administrator. If you participate in your own state’s Section 529 plan, you may be able to deduct your contributions from your state income taxes.

Your plan contribution limits are high, and your withdrawals are free from federal income taxes, as long as the money is used for qualified college or graduate school expenses. Withdrawals for expenses other than qualified education expenditures may be subject to federal, state and penalty taxes. Keep in mind that Section 529 tax benefits are effective through 2010, unless extended by Congress. Also, a Section 529 plan could reduce your child’s or grandchild’s ability to qualify for financial aid. Because tax issues for 529 plans can be complicated, please consult your tax adviser.

Coverdell Education Savings Account – Depending on your income level, you can contribute up to $2,000 annually to a Coverdell Education Savings Account. Your Coverdell earnings and withdrawals will be tax-free, providing you use the money for qualified education expenses. (Any other withdrawals from a Coverdell account may be subject to a 10 percent penalty.)

You can fund your Coverdell account with virtually any investment you choose – stocks, bonds, certificates of deposit, etc. And you can contribute to a Coverdell account in the same year that you put money into a Section 529 plan.

Consider all options – Putting together a good college-funding plan – either at the last minute or years in advance – can test your resources and ingenuity. But by diligently exploring all your options, it’s a test you should be able to pass.

Greenbrier adds eco-friendly school

Greenbrier

NURSING & REHABILITATION CENTER

OUR NEWLY RENOVATED FACILITY FEATURES A MEDICARE UNIT THAT INCLUDES ITS OWN ENTRANCE, DINING ROOM, PRIVATE ROOMS, AND TERMINAL CARE ROOMS.

From long-term care residents, to rehab patients, everyone’s needs are met with dignity and respect in a comfortable living environment.

A spectacular outdoor area is the focal point of our living environment with special attention given to the indoor décor. The facility reflects our concern for the quality of life we feel our residents deserve.

Our ongoing goal at Greenbrier Nursing and Rehabilitation Center is to provide the highest quality of care to each resident.

We invite you to come in for a visit.

Our sincere professional staff enjoys giving extra attention to service and going the extra mile for residents and their family members.

by Lauralee Wilcox McCool

The hot trend in construction these days is building “green” and the Greenbrier School District is setting the standard with the addition of its third elementary school.

Designed for kindergarten through fourth grade, Wooster Elementary will open this fall to approximately 420 students, according to Lenett Thrasher, school principal. Fifth grade students will attend the elementary school for one year while a new intermediate school is built.

Randy Talculcuit of the firm Jackson, Brown, King Architects in Little Rock, lead architect for the project, said the green design of the building will save the district money in operating costs.

The firm is seeking LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environment Design) certification through the U.S. Green Building Council. According to the council’s website, “LEED emphasizes state-of-the-art strategies in five areas: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials and resources selection, and indoor

The Greenbrier School District will be opening a new, eco-friendly school this fall at Wooster.

environmental quality.”

The most striking exterior feature of the building is its use and positioning of windows to utilize the sun as a light source but minimize its impact on heating. “The whole building is oriented in a way to use natural light and save money,” Talculcuit said.

The school features large northern windows to capture sunlight, while deep overhangs on the south side deflect “the intense light that beams in from the south and west,” Talculcuit said. As a result, the school gets no direct light from the east or the west which helps keep the cost of cooling the building at a minimum. Plus, the windows have different colored tints according to their position with the solstice and the overhangs.

Talculcuit and Thrasher highlighted several features of the high-efficiency building.

Sensors above the windows monitor the amount of sunlight coming in and automatically adjust the amount of electricity needed to sufficiently illuminate the rooms.

Motion sensors in the ceiling automatically shut the lighting off when no movement is detected.

Carbon dioxide sensors control the amount of fresh air that enters the building. As the number of people inside the building increases, more fresh air flows in.

Tall ceilings in the hallways and classrooms provide a feeling of openness and allow for greater acoustical performance.

Stained concrete floors can be dry mopped allowing fewer chemicals to be used in cleaning. There are no vinyl or tile floors in the building.

Major furnishings will be certified by the GreenGuard Environmental Institute, meaning the products have been tested to ensure that their chemical and particle emissions meet acceptable indoor air quality pollutant guidelines and standards.

The landscaping and outside areas are also being constructed with an eye for the environment. Parents and visitors will enter the building through a covered outdoor classroom area to provide even more opportunities for students to learn in a natural setting.

The courtyard area leading to the playground allows grass to grow through a concrete design in certain areas. Trees

and plants in planters provide shade during outdoor play times.

Plants and materials used in the landscape design require very little maintenance and will make it appear as if the building has always been there.

Thrasher described how building “green” ties in with the pedagogy of the students.

“All the ‘green’ features of this building are designed to provide the best natural learning environment possible for students,” she said. “However, as a parent, I believe the greatest asset is the opportunity for our students to learn how to better care for our planet.”

Students will help plant and maintain

a vegetable garden. The district hopes to add a compost area “so that the students can learn to take what is left over from some of our meals to help produce more food,” Thrasher said.

“Our students will learn about the importance of recycling so that usable materials are not put into our landfills. We will begin by recycling paper, plastic, aluminum, glass and corrugated cardboard. However, we plan to expand this to newspapers, magazines, leather tennis shoes and many more items.

“There will be many hands-on learning experiences for our students. The overall goal is for them to learn to give more back to our planet than they take away.”

The overall goal is for them to learn to give more back to our planet than they take away.

— Lenett Thrasher

Making a difference in a child’s life – every day

by Renee Hunter

Students are more successful when parents are involved in their education. In Vilonia, Jeannie Grissom has worked for 16 years to help make that happen.

Vilonia School District Superintendent Dr. Frank Mitchell established the Vilonia Parent Center in 1992 – long before parental involvement efforts were required by law – because he wanted a resource center that would serve as a liaison between parents and schools.

“We were the first to have a center like this,” said Jeannie, center coordinator. “Dr. Mitchell was ahead of his time.”

Among programs designed to help involve parents in their children’s education, the center offers:

• Book nights for preschool through fourth grade, at which families get free books and activity packets.

• Annual instructional packets that tell parents what their children are expected to learn.

• A fair held each April for families of incoming kindergarten students, which highlights specific readiness areas such as the alphabet, colors and sequencing.

• A brunch for kindergarten parents on the first day of school, brown-bag lunches for parents, and other occasions to allow parent networking.

• A Christmas make-and-take, which introduces families to activities that enhance learning.

• An early-childhood focus group, a recent program addition.

The center also offers parenting classes, which reach about 100 adults annually.

The first class, “Love and Logic,” helps parents increase their effectiveness by learning to curb anger and frustration. Class two, “Megaskills,” helps parents integrate basic values and skills. Each class is limited to 12 people.

“Jeannie’s assistant, Amanda Westbrook, serves as a parent liaison and operates a program for children who are struggling but are not eligible for other services. She also handles enrichment prescriptions – lists of objectives that children and parents are expected to address. The parent, the teacher and the center each get a copy of the prescription, and the center provides supplemental materials to help reach the objectives.

““It’s not meant to be extra homework; it’s meant to be a fun time,” Jeannie said. “Without the enrichment prescription, it’s difficult for me to know what the child needs.”

As with so many school programs, budget constraints keep money tight. Jeannie stretches the dollars by obtaining free resources from the Arkansas Parent Involvement Resource Center. “Arkansas does an outstanding job of providing supplies and support,” she said.

In 2000, eight years after the center started, “No Child Left Behind” was passed and required a parent-involvement component for Title I students. In 2003, Arkansas Act 603 went the extra mile by requiring the same for all students.

As a result, Vilonia’s program has been much studied by other districts.

“We’ve become a model program for the Arkansas Department of

We’ve become a model program for the Arkansas Department of Education.

I have an outstanding administration that allows me to share what I’ve learned.

— Jeannie Grissom

Education,” said Jeannie. “I have an outstanding administration that allows me to share what I’ve learned.

“I’m a rare bird in the state of Arkansas, a fulltime parent facilitator.”

Most parent facilitators are part time because, while it requires them to be certified, Act 603 provides no funding.

With the increased attention from other districts, Jeannie soon began getting requests to write a handbook for parent facilitators. “They kept the pressure on me” until finally she sat down and “in a couple of evenings, I had thrown together a rough draft,” she said. She sought input from others which grew into a second draft.

In the spring, a committee of state employees, members of the Center for Effective Parenting and Jeannie refined the draft to a final form. The handbook is called “Love, Luck, Laughter and Lollipops.” Love is used in the title because parents need to know schools care; luck, because we make our own; laughter, because humor is the best way to relate to parents; and lollipops because “free stuff tames the beast in all of us.” It will be unveiled in October at an Arkansas Parent Education Network conference.

There is no quantitative way to measure the center’s success since many factors determine each student’s success or failure. But Jeannie knows it has been successful.

“The most glaring example of this program’s effectiveness is that when it started our staff was not all that supportive,” she said. “The staff has become supportive because of feedback from parents.”

That feedback makes Jeannie feel good about her work and the future of students in the Vilonia district. “I make a difference in the life of a child every day,” Jeannie said. “I love my job.” 501

Jeannie Grissom, coordinator of the Vilonia Parent Center, has worked for the last 16 years helping parents help their children.

by Maggie Chandler

photos by Bill Ward

MEMORIES

Say not to me that all was lost. That I had failed to count the cost, As ashes by the wind were tossed Under the sunlit skies.

For life was made of more than wood Charred in ruins once so good It was holding fast to what I could Lest memories ever die.

Memories

Phyllis Rose in Hers: Through Women’s Eyes wrote, “One form of loneliness is to have a memory and no one to share it with.” I discovered the truth of that statement when I was working at the State Capitol in Little Rock and decided to drive several blocks and visit some of the old familiar places where I’d spent the early years of my life.

There was the apartment on Spring Street

where, as newlyweds, we had wondered how we could possibly swing the extravagant rent of $80 a month. There was the tree that had once held our bag swing on State Street, though the house was long gone. And there was the house on Chester Street where, as a child, I had gotten my head caught between the banisters of the front porch.

I drove slowly past Rightsell Elementary

School, where the safety patrol boy had been the big man on campus. Then, through McArthur Park, home of the political rallies of the 1950s that were held all day and into the night at the band shell, where they gave away free ice cream and balloons.

And, finally, there was the two-story Victorian house on Rock Street where I was born. Today, houses in the Quapaw Quarter, including Villa Marre (featured in the sitcom Designing Women) at the end of our block, are deemed architectural masterpieces and historic relics, but to us, they were just old houses, where we whiled away summer days and where, by the ripe old age of 8, you could sell matches and used magazines door-to-door and make enough money in one afternoon to buy a banana Popsicle.

That’s why I cried. I wanted to show Don the apartment and see if he remembered pushing our first Christmas tree up the hill in a Safeway cart. I wanted to know if my brothers remembered the bag swing and if Granny could recall our trips to town on the bus to buy basic necessities at Woolworths –a Cisco Kid coloring book, Evening in Paris perfume, and a “fountain” coke.

There I was with all those memories, and the only people who shared my past were in Conway. My loneliness was overwhelming.

But it does explain how a child feels on the first day of school, replacing the shared experiences of family with a room filled with strangers. Or a high school graduate who leaves behind lifelong friends and is suddenly on a campus without shared memories.

Or a husband who says goodbye to his mate and then for a brief moment forgets his loss. He turns to share a memory, only to find her gone.

We are not really alone, as we experience the transitions of life. Jesus experienced human suffering on earth, including loneliness. Even His closest disciples couldn’t console Him, for they had not shared with Him the glory He had experienced with the Father, a glory He had laid aside, and a glory for which He must have longed many times. He understands and cares.

So treasure each and every memory –especially the shared ones!

A Conway resident, Maggie Chandler is a noted speaker and published author. She can be reached at maggiec@ conwaycorp.net.

by Don Bingham

Sauerkraut at Center Ridge

There are so many unique dining experiences in the 501 area and here is one of the most delightful culinary treats available. Almost everyone enjoys a festival, a bazaar, a reunion or a community celebration. May I suggest you consider attending the amazing community event sponsored by the St. Joseph Parish in the community of Catholic Point in Center Ridge.

In the late 1800s, a group of Italian immigrants settled in the northern area of Conway County, purchasing land from the railroad companies. The early setters liked the valleys and the hills, as this land reminded them of the “old country where the barrel would not roll.”

In 1881, a strong faith, a desire for a better life, a kindred spirit and hard work were the foundation upon which the Italian Catholic community was established. The name of St. Januarius (Patron Saint of Naples, Italy) was given to the first constructed church. When the present church was built in 1925, parishioners named the church St. Joseph’s and it remains so today. The community had a small school, taught by Benedictine Sisters, which closed in 1967.

The community loves the gettogethers around families, friends and all cooks. Hence the reason for the Spaghetti Picnic at Center Ridge.

So popular, the line to get into the serving area stretches down the hill, across the street and continues on and on with eager folks and hungry appetites. This year, the Catholic Point community fed 2,400 guests in a short period of time!

While you wait, there is an option to participate in a version of the “cake walk.” You simply stand in front of a ledge with painted numbers and place your 50-cent donation on the number in the box in front of you. A roulette wheel is

turned and if the dial falls on your number, you get to select a prize from shelf after shelf of homemade cakes.

There is “go fishing” and bingo, as well. Or, you could shop in the take-out area from home-baked goods. I bought a large jar of sauerkraut before being seated in the dining room. If it tastes anything like what I ate in the actual feast, it will be amazingly delicious!

Upon purchasing our tickets and waiting in line, we were taken to a table and seated with 250 other guests. Placed in front of us was bowl after bowl of spaghetti, sausages, sauerkraut, coleslaw, corn, bread and dessert. It was an amazing array of home-style served foods. We never felt rushed, and the ambience of community farm life and down-home tradition was electric.

And as if we needed one more cookbook added to our culinary library, I bought the first addition of CIAO! – the Catholic Point Cooks Cookbook.

It was nice to support the ladies’ organization, St. Joseph’s Altar Society and St. Joseph youth as they, in turn, help those in need and take care of the church within their parish. The results of the tornados of May 2 and June 9 were obvious as you approached the community; the funds procured from this event will help restore from the damage.

I plan on making the next one, which will be the Spring Dinner the third Saturday of March, and the Spaghetti Picnic on the third Saturday of June. I hear the 80th anniversary celebration is coming up and this will be one amazing festival. Until then I plan on trying the Italian Gnocchi, the Italian Meat Balls, the Italian Sausage Squash Special, and Pasta Con Fagoli, and top it all off with Sauerkraut!

Jerry Malik (above, from left), Earlene Paladino (back), Paul Boeckman, John Hart and Donna Hart lend a hand in the kitchen. More than 2,400 enjoyed the Spaghetti Picnic (right photo) this year at Center Ridge.

The Knights of the Round Table (above, left photo), a biker group from Springdale that supports veterans and military troops, were among those that attended.

Members of the Farrell Lentz Family (above, right photo) attended the event, which has been held for 79 years.

Mike Rossi (right photo, from left), Roxy Harlan and Paula Bostain help with cleanup.

Making sauerkraut

Shred Cabbage. To each pound of cabbage, mix 2 teaspoons salt or to each 10 pounds of cabbage, mix ½ cup salt. Put salted cabbage in a crock. The salted cabbage will make its own brine.

Once the brine has formed, pack down the cabbage. Press down firmly on the cabbage and the brine will rise. Place a cheesecloth directly on the cabbage. Put a glass plate topped with a gallon jug of water on top of the cloth. Cover with sheet and let sit in an area that is at least 70 degrees. The cabbage will begin to ferment within a day or two after packing.

A whitish scum will form on the brine in a few days. The scum will cause the cabbage to get soft, if not removed every day. To remove the scum, lift off the glass jug, the plate and the cloth. Most of the scum will come off with the cloth, but if it does not, use a spoon to take off any that is left.

After removing the scum, place another cloth directly on top of the kraut and replace the plate and the glass jug. This will need to be done daily.

It will take 1 to 2 weeks for the kraut to be ready. The fermentation will stop. Kraut should be the color of straw.

After the fermentation is complete, remove from the crock. Place in a large container and add some water as a means of “rinsing” the kraut. Do not drain. Take the kraut out of the container and can in quart jars. Process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes.

This recipe is from Alice DeSalvo Riedmueller from the first edition of CIAO!

(Chef’s Note: I’m told the above sauerkraut is also wonderful when sautéed in the sausage drippings, onion, and bell pepper – that’s what we ate and thoroughly enjoyed!)

FOOTBALL... CENTRAL ARKANSAS IS READY FOR SOME &SOIS501 LIFE! &SOIS501 LIFE! 501

FOOTBALL - a special edition of 501 LIFE - will celebrate this special time of year with an interesting and informative preview of the upcoming season throughout Central Arkansas.

This exciting four-color magazine will include features on players/coaches, rosters, team schedules, and much more.

Thousands of copies will be distributed throughout the region through local schools and businesses, adding to the anticipation and excitement of the upcoming season. (Check out www.501lifemag.com for specific locations.)

501 FOOTBALL will be an invaluable guide on who to watch – whether you’re a coach, player, parent, cheerleader or die-hard fan.

We’re ready for some 501 FOOTBALL!

August 2008

Being a ‘college town’ has its benefits

Conway is a genuine college town, and soon its campuses and businesses will be alive again with the newest classes of first-year students. They will come from nearly every state in the U.S., dozens of other countries, and will represent the best and the brightest of almost every high school in Arkansas. Conway is truly a melting pot of young adults.

Hendrix, the University of Central Arkansas and Central Baptist College individually and collectively draw diversity to Conway. In fact, Conway’s three colleges spend enormous amounts of time – and money – to tell these incoming students why Conway and their individual campuses are the best places for them. The evidence is convincing for all three, which draw top students in numerous educational categories.

More than ever before, college students today look at the “big picture” before selecting their higher education choice, and that includes the city that surrounds the campus.

Despite the enormity of the colleges’ involvement, some may want to shy away from labeling our city as a college town. You don’t have to be a fan of movies like “Animal House” to understand the long and lasting stereotypes that often follow college students wherever they go. It’s the good stories of collective and individual service beyond campus borders that should continue to make Conway proud of the distinction, however.

A few examples:

Allison Wolf, an outstanding Hendrix student and highly-decorated member of the college’s soccer team, spent the summer before her senior year as an intern at Pediatrics Plus, a Conway organization of dedicated therapists who work together to assist and encourage children with

special needs. In her capacity there, she organized a program called Triumph Soccer, which allows children with special physical needs the opportunity to participate in the sport she loves. Seeing the smiling faces of these children demonstrated the immeasurable success of this program.

Allison, who recently graduated from Hendrix, is a native of Dallas. Conway is a better place, however, because someone with a servant’s heart chose to attend college in Conway.

by J. Timothy Cloyd

gifts this year included furnishing the girls’ hangout room at HAVEN (Help for Abuse Victims in Emergency Need), funding a week of the backpack program for the Food Bank Network, and buying medical supplies for local clinics.

Community service from college students is not exclusive to Hendrix. Last year, CBC created Pi Lambda, a student service organization that encourages a lifestyle of service among students at the college. Their motto comes from the Bible: “Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves (James 1:22).” Additionally, the college has men’s and women’s organizations that conduct numerous service projects and have been doing so for many years.

“I had expectations that this would be something wonderful, but it has exceeded my expectations in a major way,” Allison said after the event. “I haven’t seen this many people at a soccer game in a while, even with typical kids. And seeing the kids score a goal and the entire crowd just going into applause was just so amazing.”

Collectively, Hendrix students raised more than $40,000 in April for Conway charities through the college’s Campus Kitty, a decades-old organization that sponsors a week of fundraising events on campus. Through fun activities like mud volleyball, Mega-Twister, and a real-life version of “The Price is Right,” Hendrix students contributed financially to Campus Kitty, which then distributed the funds to 23 Faulkner County charities. Some of the major

UCA has a department dedicated to volunteer services. Community groups and service organizations in need of volunteers can simply go to the college’s Student Life Department website and fill out an online volunteer services registration form. The university has numerous students ready and willing to provide volunteer assistance, and hundreds of students from UCA routinely do so.

To list all the organizations that do service work in Conway would be much too lengthy to print here.

An outstanding number of Hendrix, UCA and CBC students significantly and positively enhance Conway every year, and as our city refills in August it will be exciting to see what the newest group of college students will bring to our college town.

J. Timothy Cloyd is president of Hendrix College.

Back to school every

‘Cherishsecond of moment’

@

For many parents, the end of August usually means back to school with new school clothes, school supplies and school schedules. For Monte and Jami Smith, back to school means all of that – multiplied by five.

The Smiths have five children – ages 10 to 18 – who headed back to school last year to five different schools. This year, only four.

A graduate of Baylor University, Jami was working for a banking firm in Dallas when the couple met. Monte –employed by JC Penney and living in Little Rock – happened to be in Texas one weekend in June 1985, visiting a brother when he and Jami met at the Greenville Avenue Country Club.

“It was love at first sight – literally,” Jami said. “We dated long distance over the summer, got engaged that Thanksgiving and were married in June of ’86. We have been married 22 years.”

In August 1999, the Smiths and their children moved to Conway. “We absolutely love it.” Monte and his brothers now have a company that manufactures, markets and distributes aircraft anti-corrosion products. Jami, who has an accounting degree and a CPA license, also went back to school to get a degree in nursing from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She has an RN license.

But caring for her family – which includes daughters Sadie and Addie and sons Tanner, Slater and Jackson – leaves little time to work.

“I’m not using any of these degrees right now,” she said. “I thought when Addie started kindergarten that I wanted to ‘do something’ and I quickly discovered by going to nursing school full time with five kids that I really already have a fulltime job and that for now this is what I want to be doing.”

by Sonja J. Keith

So, what’s it like having five children?

“It’s a wild ride and I wouldn’t change it for the world. It’s fun and frantic, and there’s never a dull moment. We absolutely love it.”

“We both always wanted a big family,” added Monte. “The biggest challenge is just finding time for everyone to be together.”

“I love it when we are all together for dinner and it just doesn’t happen often enough during the school year with everyone’s crazy schedules,” said Jami.

The Smith kids are involved in a variety of activities at school and off campus. There are some common interests - all five play soccer and are involved in K-Life. Other activities they might share with a sibling or not. For example, both Slater and Jackson will play football at Carl Stuart Middle School this fall, and both play in the school band. Tanner, on the other hand, is the only cross country runner among the group.

To keep up with all the various activities, the Smiths utilize a color-coded master calendar.

“I have to admit that by now I am really pretty good at this coordination thing. If George W. needed me to, I could step in and run the country for a couple of days,” Jami jokes. “I have a dry-erase board calendar on my refrigerator that is color-coded for every child. I can get up each day and look at the calendar and my brain can just churn out the logistics for any one particular day. I do the calendar for one-month time frames and then I have a desk calendar for future dates.”

The calendar is important not only to get their children to their designated places on time but mom and dad as well. For example, with all five kids active in K-LIFE, it was only natural that both Jami and Monte would serve on the organization’s board. “Monte and I are a really good team.

Our strengths and weaknesses as parents complement each other. From the moment our first was born, it was just a natural for both of us to be very hands-on parents.

“We’re also very fortunate in that Monte’s work schedule allows him to be very hands-on. He travels for his job, but when he’s not traveling he works out of the house.”

Jami has always been involved with her kids’ activities – from volunteering as room mom to serving as a PTO officer. “That’s just something I have always enjoyed doing,” she said.

“We also go to lots and lots of sporting events. It’s rare for both of us to ever see a game or event at the same time and sometimes it’s a shuffle for even one of us to be somewhere when everyone has an activity going on, but we do our very best to make it to everything.”

Monte and Jami also stay connected with their kids by encouraging them to have friends over. “Even though we may not be ‘hanging out’ directly with just

our children, it’s just one more way to stay in touch with their lives,” he said. “I guess basically we try to be a constant and consistent supporting presence in everything they do.”

“With my first child and even second I felt like I needed to chair everything. I had to do it all,” Jami said. “But then you realize it can be as simple as showing up to take pictures when your child goes on a mission trip or sending snacks or a dessert for a teacher appreciation event or just showing up for meet-the-teacher nights. Every little thing you do as a parent adds up to lots of involvement and support.”

While the kids are active throughout the year, the Smiths enjoy the “long, lazy days” of summer. “We will be ‘physically’ ready to go back to school because that’s just what has to be done but we love summer at our house,” Jami said. “We love the lack of structure and schedules - just good old summer fun. Plus it’s a time when we’re all together more.”

As the summer draws to a close at the

Smith house, there will be an element of excitement and anticipation for the new school year. “This year will seem calm compared to last year,” Jami said. “They were all five in five different schools and that was a whirlwind. Once school got going and everyone and thing was in its place, it was fine…but whew. Those first few weeks were crazy.”

The annual shopping trip to buy school supplies will help the family make the transition. While it can be an arduous task, the Smiths make a fun day of it. “We love school supply shopping,” Jami said. “We do a big Excel spreadsheet and basically consolidate everyone’s school list, by child, and then hit the town. We make a day of it - shop, go to lunch. It’s fun. It’s gotten easier as the kids have gotten older because once they hit high school the lists are much smaller and much more individualized to their classes.”

While the Smiths have back to school and school supplies down to a routine, things will be a little different come this

Jami and Monte Smith with their five children - Jackson (front), Tanner (middle) and Sadie, Addie and Slater.

Tanner

Sophomore at Conway High-East Extra-curricular: Soccer, cross country, K-Life small group and First United Methodist Church youth.

Favorite activity: Anything outdoors, and hanging with friends.

Favorite subject: Science.

Favorite teacher: Three-way tie between Mr. (Jeremy) Lowe, Mrs. (Marcie) Starkey and Coach (Jeff) Prince.

When I grow up I want to be: A biomedical/mechanical engineer. Like most about school: Seeing all of my friends.

What I would change about school: No homework!

Addie

Fifth-grader at Ruth Doyle Intermediate School, Conway

Extra-curricular: Soccer, jump rope team, K-Life and FUMC.

Favorite activity: Playing with my friends and taking care of my pets. We have four cats – Patch, Tiger, Snow Shoes and Cloudy. We also just got a brand new puppy that doesn’t have a name yet!

Favorite subject: Tie between reading and science.

Favorite teacher: I can’t choose! I’ve loved all of them – Ms. (Jeanne) Ortiz, Mrs. (Sherry) Griffith, Miss (Courtney) Eason, Mrs. (Carolyn) Reynolds, Mrs. (Denise) Perry and Mr. (Roy) Sullivan! When I grow up I want to be: A veterinarian.

Like most about school: Seeing my friends and P.E. What I would change about school: No homework, longer recess and being able to have all my friends in class with me.

Jackson

Seventh-grader at Carl Stuart Middle School, Conway

Extra-curricular: Soccer, football, K-Life, FUMC youth, and band –saxophone.

Favorite activity: Hanging with friends and playing any kind of sport.

Favorite subject: Math.

Favorite teacher: Three-way tie between Mrs. (Dianna) Caldwell, Ms. (Peggy) Carter and Mrs. (Julie) Haynes.

When I grow up I want to be: An architect.

Like most about school: Seeing all my friends and the special events like bashes and dances.

What I would change about school: I would like to be able to select who I have classes with so that I could have classes with all of my friends.

Slater

Eighth-grader at Carl Stuart Middle School, Conway

Extra-curricular: Football, soccer, track, K-Life small group; FUMC youth; and band – percussion.

Favorite activity: Running and hanging with friends.

Favorite subject: Science.

Favorite teacher: Three-way tie between Mrs. (Katrina) Smeltzer, Mrs. (Janie) Carpenter and Coach (Barry) Lueders.

When I grow up I want to be: An orthopedic doctor.

Like most about school: Athletics and seeing all my friends.

What I would change about school: Go four days a week and have three days off.

Sadie

Senior at Conway High-West Extra-curricular: Soccer, Delta Beta Sigma Sorority, Teen Court, National Honor Society, Beta Club, K-Life and First United Methodist Church (FUMC).

Favorite activity: Spending time with my friends and family.

Favorite subject: Math.

Favorite teacher: “I have had very few teachers that I haven’t enjoyed or gained SOMETHING from, so I don’t feel as though I can fairly answer this question.”

When I grow up I want to be: A civil/ architectural engineer. Like most about school: School supplies.

What I would change about school: Longer and more frequent breaks!

August. The Smith’s youngest child, Addie, will attend Ruth Doyle Intermediate this fall – elementary school years are behind them. Slater and Jackson will be at Carl Stuart Middle School and Tanner at Conway High-East.

Also, the Smiths’ oldest, Sadie, will be a high school senior, which promises an exciting and emotional year for her parents.

“As parents, Monte and I are so proud of who Sadie has become and it’s exciting for us to anticipate and see everything her future has to offer. Visiting colleges and making plans, it is all very exciting. But I will admit, I am already so emotional. The least little thing can set me off. I had to take the song ‘Butterfly Kisses’ off of my iPod.”

Even shopping for a birthday card for her daughter recently proved an emotional experience. “It was as if Hallmark was out to get me that day. Every card I looked at was something along the lines of ‘it was just yesterday you were our little girl and now…’ There I was, in the Hallmark store, wiping away tears over greeting cards!

“My boys love to tease me about Sadie leaving. They are relentless and then they’ll go on to let me know that they too will be departing not too long after that. I’ve had so many friends tell me that it is such a

whirlwind year and it will go by so fast so we’re trying to be prepared but I’m afraid it’s probably going to be like so many life experiences are. You have to experience them to really know.”

The Smiths have some simple advice for other parents that is valuable as school gets started as well as throughout the year. “Cherish every second of every moment. As cliché as it sounds, it really does seem like yesterday that my five were all babies and now I have three teenagers, a senior in high school, no more kids in elementary school. It really does go by so fast.

“And it’s all good. They’re all growing up and doing all the things that as parents we want them to do. I know the next stages in life will be just as wonderful, but oh my goodness time flies! Especially as we approach ‘back to school’ and it’s so easy to get caught up in our ‘to do’ lists and the daily craziness of schedules.

“But when you’re flying out the door to drive your kids to school on time or pick them up on time to make sure you get them to soccer or dance or whatever, take a deep breath and stop to drink it in when you can because it won’t be long before they’ll be driving themselves or even driving away.” 501

The Smith Kids

by Don Bingham

UV -

Entertaining the family reunion &

Summer seems to present an open invitation to entertaining, family-style, with the annual or biannual or even the “every five year” reunion. Parents, grandparents, children, cousins all converge on a certain location for a determined length of time. Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day — all seem to lend themselves to “family reunion.”

We just had ours – 52 of us from Texas, Louisiana, Illinois, Utah, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Alabama and of course Arkansas. There were those who flew in, those who drove in, those who came in a “limo” and those who came with a carload of children; some came early to help “set up” and others stayed late to assist in cleaning up. What a rush of excitement to all run out to meet the arriving guest – to see who’s gotten older, put on weight or trimmed down – with hugs for everyone. How precious family can be!

It was such fun, and some amount of work, for those who planned and directed the weekend. Some of our meals were done on the grill. One son-in-law smoked meats ahead of time and we had to have a wiener/marshmallow roast, as well. Everything “sweet” imaginable – from blackberry cobbler and pies to birthday cakes and cookies – was available “24-7.” Most of the desserts had been prepared ahead of time by the adult grandchildren and brought to the celebration.

There were the housing assignments upon arrival with gift bags in each room; there were the welcoming statements at coffee time by the hosts; there were swimming parties, testimonials, baseball games and card tournaments.

Among the highlights was the Sunday morning worship service, when all 52 sang. The devotional was led by a son-in-law who is a minister in the Philadelphia area. Another highlight was on Saturday afternoon when the grandmothers took the 17 children for a craft time and a “high tea” – complete with china cups and saucers with lessons on proper “tea etiquette.” (Granddads were asked to come along to help with the craft time so the adult children and their spouses could have some quality “chat time” by the pool.)

There was the usual happening of some of the children who had meltdowns over a particular game they did not want play, and some who tried to drink the bubble mixture instead of the traditional method of “blowing” the lovely, round, floating creations. My favorite was when a precious 4-year-old ventured over to the shrubbery area and began to play in the spongy, amoeba, mushroom growth on the ground. It was all such fun.

Then there was a hayride for all 52 of us. After every age of humanity had hiked onto the wagon full of hay, the wagon gave one heroic effort to pull us for a block before it died, never to be resurrected again — and we all dismounted to head to the wiener roast.

There were decks of cards with the family names printed on them; there were notecards with reproduced prints of a painting done in oils, and of course coffee around the clock. And, oh, the stories! Most were laughable memories that the “now grown” children had experienced throughout their growing up years, and some stories, perhaps, should have not been told.

The first day was given over to the memories and in honor of the grandparents who are now deceased, the second day was spent remembering the parents who were gone – each guest was given pictures of these family members as reminders of the heritage we all have in past generations.

It was three days of family “togetherness” that will go down in history as the event when “a grand time was had by all.” Of course, with 52 different people will come 52 different opinions, but all

in all peace was kept and the “Mama’s Family” syndrome was kept at bay. Even the “outlaws” of the family were genuine in their desire to have a grand time and be a part of the festivities.

With the price of gas and cost of travel, it was amazing that everyone would put forth the effort to come – and better yet, to stay. We did not have a talent show, a cooking contest or bring all our wedding albums, but there was never a down time or a boring moment. When it comes to entertaining, there are so many families that have the ability to “make things happen” and entertainment becomes a commodity not often experienced by the extended family unit.

There is still time for a family reunion this year, and plenty of time to plan for next year’s gathering. We may have to resort to some simple, homespun “conversation” for entertainment – imagine that!

Recognized throughout the state as an accomplished chef, Don Bingham has authored cookbooks, presented television programs and previously served as the executive chef at the Governor’s Mansion. He is now the director of special events at the University of Central Arkansas.

What shall I say? It’s the absolute best of both worlds – quick and efficient as well as delicious and healthy. These words all characterize crock pot meals. Soon, school will be back in session and your life will probably be in overdrive once again. Homework, music lessons, sports and dinner….you need a break!

Let me introduce the wonders of the crock pot. Slow cooking, for anyone who hasn’t tried it, can save you time, money and weeknight panic. Even better, it can give you warm and nourishing one-pot meals every family member will enjoy.

Meals can be started in the morning or night before, and be ready by dinner. Imagine coming home from a long day at work or running errands to the smell of a hearty beef stew, already cooked and waiting for you. Your half hour of prep in the morning has saved you hours in the evening, and now you’re free to relax and enjoy as you eat dinner slowly with your family.

Some may wonder, “What’s the difference between a slow cooker and a crock pot?” The answer is nothing. Generally, these two terms are used to describe the same cooking appliance. A slow cooker has the heating element on the bottom. This means you may need to stir occasionally to prevent sticking. It will usually have a thermostat allowing a range of cooking temperatures.

Slow cookin’ in a crock pot

by Tiffany Block

A crock pot has the heating element around the sides of the container with a crockery insert, where you place the food. This insert is removable – making cleaning so easy. A crock pot usually only has two heat settings – low and high. However, the most important thing is that all crock pot recipes will work as slow cooker recipes; you just might need to give some of them a stir.

One of the things I like the most about crock-pot meals is that they are very flavorful. Due to the fact that meals which are prepared in a crock pot sit and cook for a while, the end result is a savory meal.

Crock Pot Beef Tips

2 pkgs. (2 lbs.) beef stew meat

2 cans cream of mushroom soup (can use low fat)

1 envelope dry onion soup

¼ cup water

Combine in crock pot: Beef, dry onion soup, cream of mushroom soup and water. Stir. Cook on low for 8 hours. Serve over cooked rice or egg noodles.

Kielbasa-N-Beans

1 pound lean ground beef

1 large green bell pepper*, diced

1 cup chopped onion

1 pound kielbasa or smoked sausage, thinly sliced

1 (10 1/2 oz.) can tomato soup, undiluted

1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (10 oz.) can diced tomato and green chiles, undrained

3 (16 oz.) cans pinto beans, undrained

4 (15 oz.) cans pork and beans, undrained

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack

Apricot Glazed Chicken

1/2 cup apricot preserves

1/3 cup bottled Russian dressing

1/2 envelope onion soup mix

6 frozen chicken breasts (not thawed)

Country Crock Apples

4 to 5 cups peeled and sliced apples

2 tablespoons flour

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup raisins

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2/3 cup quick cooking or regular rolled oats

3 tablespoons melted butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

The juices have had a chance to soak in and marinate the ingredients, which makes for a meal that will tantalize the taste buds.

I also love that many crock pot recipes are unique and different. Crock pot recipes tend to be ones which are a bit different than the usual recipes that require stovetop or oven cooking. You can also personalize some crock pot recipes by throwing in additional ingredients for added flavor.

So as the kids head back to school, consider digging out your crock pot and make something fantastic for dinner without spending much time on the meal. Bon Appétit.

Cook ground beef, green pepper and onion in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, stirring and breaking up until meat is browned and no longer pink. Remove from skillet; drain. Brown smoked sausage in the same skillet; drain. Place beef, sausage, and next seven ingredients in a 5-quart slow cooker. Cook, covered, on LOW for 7 to 9 hours. Stir cheese into hot bean mixture just before serving.

*Part of a red bell pepper can be substituted.

Mix the first three ingredients together. Place chicken in crock pot and cover with apricot mixture. Cook on low 5 to 6 hours.

Put apples in a mixing bowl; toss with the flour and granulated sugar. Stir in raisins, cinnamon and oats. Pour 1 cup water into crock pot. Add apple mixture. Pour melted butter over apples and then sprinkle with brown sugar. Cover and cook on LOW 4 to 6 hours. Great with ice cream!

A Conway resident, Tiffany Block enjoys cooking and has been catering for friends and family for about four years. She considers cooking an art. “The best part for me is seeing the finished product.” In addition to cooking, she enjoys reading, writing and poetry.

by Karl Lenser

increase fluid intake

• Carry a water bottle wherever you go. Keep one at your desk and make a goal to consume a certain amount per day.

• For every cup of coffee or caffeinated soda, drink a cup of water.

• Try decaffeinated sodas and teas.

• Look for drinking fountains and use them.

• Water does get boring at times so add a lemon wedge to provide some flavor.

• Consider purchasing flavored waters from grocery stores.

• If you are counting calories and enjoy sports drinks, try a 50/50 dilution between water and sports drinks.

Fluids and the summer heat

“Water, water everywhere Nor any drop to drink...”

- The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner

Samuel Coleridge’s poetic lines written in the late 1700s fit in quite well in today’s society and specifically in terms of healthy fluid intake. Despite the abundance of easily accessible water and sports drinks, do we manage to drink enough fluids to replenish what we lose throughout the day? How do you know if you are adequately hydrated?

According to Jack Daniels, Ph.D., an exercise physiologist and noted collegiate cross country coach, “Most recreational athletes don’t drink enough to replace the fluids they lose during exercise. One of the main concerns that recreational and competitive athletes have is that they usually have no idea as to when they are dehydrated and how much fluids are really adequate to reload their system.”

First of all, we have to examine why fluids are so important to one’s health. Water is the most important nutrient that we can ingest. It comprises almost 60 percent of our body weight and our blood plasma is more than 90 percent water.

During these blast furnace-like environmental conditions that we encounter every summer, active people can lose up to 3 quarts of fluid per hour. The only way to make up for this loss of fluids is to continually drink fluids such as water and sports drinks before, during and after a workout.

Unfortunately, many athletes and individuals who have jobs that require them to be outdoors (roofers, landscapers, construction workers, etc.) fail to realize when they are dehydrated. Dehydration is dangerous and sometimes can be fatal if not treated properly.

Some early warning signs of dehydration include:

Fatigue.

Loss of appetite.

Flushed skin.

Heat intolerance.

Light headedness

Urine that is dark yellow (clear is good).

Signs of severe dehydration include:

Difficulty swallowing.

Stumbling, clumsiness.

Muscle spasms.

Delirium.

What happens to your system when you become dehydrated? The primary way your body keeps your internal organs and systems functioning properly is through perspiring. When sweat evaporates, it cools the skin which, in turn, cools the blood that is transported back to the core of your body. When this sweating mechanism malfunctions or is compromised, your cooling system fails and the heart has to work harder to pump out more blood to the skin to aid in cooling.

In the words of George Sheehan, M.D., “Heat is the silent killer. The victim is down for the count before the warning comes.”

How much fluid is enough? How can you gauge your fluid loss and needs? It is difficult to assign a fixed number of ounces because everyone has a unique sweating mechanism. There are two easy ways to check your fluid needs. The easiest method is by weighing in every day prior to your workout or before heading outdoors for work or recreational activities and then weighing yourself when you get back home. If you have adequately rehydrated yourself throughout the day, your weight in the evening should equal your morning weight. For every pound you lose (from perspiration/water loss), you need 16 ounces of fluid to keep your fluid levels in balance.

Another simple way to check your hydration level is to check your urine color. A clear, lighter color means you are well hydrated, but a darker yellow indicates dehydration.

Some guidelines for fluid intake:

Before exercise: 8-16 ounces of water or sports drink about 20-30 minutes before exercise.

During exercise: 6-8 ounces every 15-20 minutes.

After exercise: 16-32 ounces.

Don’t let dehydration become an albatross around your neck this summer. Use the guidelines and strategies listed above to ensure that you beat the heat this summer and continue these healthy habits throughout the year.

A Conway resident, Karl Lenser is the director of wellness programs at Hendrix College. He has bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of WisconsinLaCrosse. An accomplished runner, he can be reached at lenser@hendrix.edu.

How can I eat well when healthy food costs so much?

Sky-rocketing gas prices along with increasing corn and wheat prices have led to a noticeable case of food inflation. Many people are asking how is it possible to eat healthy with food prices on the rise?

It’s not that they are unable to feed their families, it just maybe that they are unable to feed their families the way that they would like to.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the price of milk has increased 23 percent, the price of eggs 35 percent and a loaf of bread 16 percent.

&

This pales in comparison to developing countries. Americans spend about 10 percent of their household income on food compared to 70 percent spent by families in poorer countries. What’s worse is that a 2004 study found that the average American household wastes 14 percent of their food purchases. As food prices climb, surely we will become more savvy with leftovers and perishable items.

A

The cost of nutritious food may be climbing while junk food continues to cost less. In the midst of this, Americans are bombarded with messages that we weigh too much and we need to eat healthier. We can ride our bikes to work and save gas, but should we have to cut back on our food intake?

Americans now consume 1,000 more calories per week than in 1985, so it wouldn’t hurt to cut out the junk food in order to spend money on healthier food.

Foregoing the junk food may save a bit of money, however, not eating out will make the greatest impact. Even if you order from the “dollar menu,” you can still make that sandwich at home for much less and you will most likely get a lot less fat and sodium.

Grocery shopping for your health and for your budget can be a bit more challenging. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

• The adages, don’t shop when you are hungry and stick

to a list, continue to ring true.

• You may have also heard to shop the periphery of the store where the fresher foods can be found. This advice is also good, however you may be missing some inexpensive healthy staples such as brown rice, whole wheat pasta, oats, beans and peas.

Unfortunately many people have been brainwashed to believe that pasta and rice should be avoided because they are high in carbohydrates. These important staples should actually be the mainstay of our diet. Americans have slowly inched these foods out of their diet, replacing carbs with more meat.

A diet high in meat in combination with a low fiber intake can set the stage for many diseases such as cancer, high blood pressure and diabetes. As our meat intake has increased, so have these disease rates.

If we go back to filling our plate with mainly vegetables, healthy complex carbs and go easy on the meat, our health will improve along with our grocery bill. These inexpensive healthy carbs such as whole grain pasta, rice and beans are packed with nutrition so you will get a lot of nutrients for very little money.

A few more cost-saving hints to consider:

• Check the unit pricing and gauge the cost per ounce to compare different brands and sizes. The biggest is not always the best deal.

• Be sure to look up and down in an aisle. Foods that are located at eye level often cost the manufacturer more money for placement which increases the cost to the consumer.

• When items are on sale, buy in bulk.

• Leave the bottled vitamin designer waters alone. It’s cheaper to drink tap water and take a daily multi-vitamin.

• Last but not least, shop the local farmers market for produce that is in season and freeze what you can’t eat. Better yet, consider starting your own garden!

Kellie Turpin, a registered and licensed dietitian, is the wellness coordinator at the Conway Regional Health and Fitness Center.

Teach your children well

by Janice Malone

Here it is — time for children and teachers to return to the classroom and for all those other important school personnel (principals, counselors, food service and transportation staff and secretaries) to return to the campus. It seems that summers get shorter and shorter and the time passes so quickly.

Like most, I have spent, and continue to spend, most of my life revolving around a school schedule. Of course, I had my own growing-up and adult years based on the school schedule, and then I had a child in which our lives revolved around the school schedule. Even now, my sister’s school schedule (she is a teacher) impacts my life.

As parents, our work lives are influenced by our children’s school schedules. The children’s services provided by the organization where I work are affected by the school schedule. I am aware that there is probably no other single institution or entity that influences more the way we manage the schedule of our day-to-day lives.

Of more lasting impact than the school schedule on our daily lives is the impact of educators on our lives. As the advertising goes, “If you can read this, thank a teacher.” The woman or man who stands before our children every day has the potential to change the course of a child’s life.

My eighth grade science teacher gave me my first job in an accounting firm, which led to a path that paid for my undergraduate and graduate education and gave me skills that I use every day almost 40 years later.

My ninth grade biology teacher believed that I needed to go to college and that that college needed to be Hendrix College. His influence led to a great education and to more than 30 years of Conway being my home; it led to my having the child who is the light of my life and led to a multitude of dear friends who are my chosen, second family.

My nephew’s history teacher nominated him for participation in an honors program in Washington, D.C., this past year. Now he has an invitation to the Presidential Inauguration in January. His

mother can only imagine what lies beyond those doors that are opening, thanks to a teacher who cared and saw his potential.

But even beyond the influence of a wonderful educator, research shows that children look first and foremost to their parents for guidance, leadership and values. My parents believed that success in school was the foundation for a successful life and was of primary importance. This value was impressed on each one of us, and lest we forget, bringing home report cards brought parental scrutiny of our progress — and our behavior — in school.

Expectations for success (not perfection) were reviewed along with the report card. Poor performance and failures were not punished, but they were not acceptable and we all knew it. Report cards, school papers, and teachers’ notes were all signed and returned to school as requested.

Today, my sister tells me incredulously of the number of parents (covering the full range of socio-economic demographics, by the way) who do not respond whatsoever to attempts by the school to engage parents in their children’s education experiences. Papers and report cards are not signed; school conferences are not attended; homework is not completed. Needless to say, many of those children are not motivated to learn.

As parents, we have a responsibility to “teach our children well.” As Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young sang, “Teach your children what you believe in. Make a world that we can live in.” Our children tend to value what we value, especially when they are young.

Our educators cannot “teach our children well” without our support and our valuing what they are trying to do. I believe that we all want our children to be successful in life, to have healthy relationships and a loving family, to find a career that is personally satisfying — to live a good life. The basis for that successful adulthood is, for many, success in school.

Form a partnership with your school and your children’s teachers, and “teach your children well” to value their educational opportunities.

A graduate of Hendrix College and a former Conway resident, Janice Malone is the clinical director of Ozark Counseling Services in north Arkansas.

looking good In search of: A youthful appearance

by Sharon Gray

Since the beginning of time, it seems people have been searching for a means to achieve eternal youth - the concept of human physical immortality free of aging.

Unfortunately, the “fountain of youth” has yet to be found. Nor has any “elixir of life,” a potion or drink that grants the same, been discovered. Nevertheless, the search continues.

It seems now more than ever, men as well as women are looking for ways to set back the “hands of time.” The good news is that technology in the 21st century has brought us to a place where although we cannot stop the clock, we can certainly “punch the snooze” on aging or at least its appearance.

One of the newest, most advanced treatments is known as ProFractional laser by Sciton. Conway CosMedic, a clinic owned and operated by Dr. Sharon Meador, is one of only six in the state to offer this cutting edge procedure. Before ProFractional laser treatments, there were two types of available laser treatments - fully ablative and non-ablative.

Fully ablative laser treatments involve vaporization of entire layers of skin cells at a very high temperature. This treatment is very effective but is associated with a high incidence of side effects and typically requires a lengthy healing period. Non-ablative laser treatments can have a lower incidence of side effects and little healing time, but require numerous sessions over many months with widely variable results.

ProFractional treatments strive to offer the effectiveness of ablative lasers with the benefits of the gentler, non-ablative lasers. The treatment is designed to target specific portions of damaged tissue. By creating microscopic “wounds” within the targeted areas, the body’s natural healing process is triggered, accelerating the production of collagen and new, healthy skin cells. Most areas of the body can be treated and most common areas are the face, neck, chest and hands.

Although there is still no magic pill or one singular procedure which will prevent the aging process, there are more treatment options available to help individuals maintain a more youthful appearance.

Sharon Gray is the patient care coordinator at Conway CosMedic.

When Conway students head back to Sallie Cone Elementary School in the weeks ahead, they will have a beautiful and fun counselor’s office to enjoy.

As part of a class taught by instructor Jennifer Whitehead, interior design students at the University of Central Arkansas worked with school counselor Sherry Haywood to create a space that both faculty and young people love.

Students assigned to the office were Cathy Long, Angie Young, Courtney Utley, Melissa Christy and Christi Lewis. Two students – Cathy and Courtney – volunteered to implement the design and finished up after the semester ended.

Utilizing a Dr. Seuss theme, the students created a “very studentfriendly” design that utilized existing furnishings – plus a donated loveseat – with an updated look and bright colors. The paint for the project was donated by KWAL Paint in west Little Rock. The new tile countertops were installed by Cathy.

The plan included a large mural on one wall to serve as the focal point for the space, which Cathy and Courtney admit took the longest to create but is their favorite aspect of the room. The students also painted a picture frame on the opposite wall to highlight some of the counselor’s personal items.

School principal DeLanna Lacy noted that the counselor used her own personal resources for the project. “She invested a lot of her own time and money into this,” she said.

“It is so worth it,” Mrs. Haywood added.

Sallie Cone students were able to see the mural the last week of school. Mrs. Haywood noted that it is already having a positive effect on students, and cited an instance where two boys were so interested in the mural that it prompted a conversation about what the picture contained instead of behavior problems that have occurred in the past.

“I love it,” Mrs. Haywood said. “The girls have been wonderful. It’s just been so much fun.”

Class project

Students transform counselor’s office

UCA students who implemented the design – Cathy Long and Courtney Utley – with Sallie Cone counselor Sherry Haywood.

Students assigned to develop design concepts for the counselor’s office were Cathy Long (seated, from left), Angie Young and Courtney Utley; Melissa Christy (standing) and Christi Lewis.

going greena

Back to school basics

Four-year-old little boys do not understand the concept of decorative towels. Who can blame them? We pour into their heads, “Wash and dry your hands after you go to the bathroom,” and when they dutifully oblige, what little guy in a hurry to rush back to his snack, the backyard or favorite toy is going to care if he dried his hands on a “regular” towel or one five times the price with pretty beaded fringe hanging delicately from the seams?

As a mom of two little guys, I’ve learned to move the towels that won’t survive a wash cycle far away from the blueberryscented antibacterial foaming hand soap and put the ones up for punishment on the front lines, dangling irresistibly right beside the faucet. Life just works better that way.

Location is everything.

With this mindset, let me ask a question. Is there a recycling bin in your home or office, and if so, where is it located?

Many times we have good intentions of faithfully participating in our community’s conservation efforts through the local recycling program. We call the sanitation department; get our shiny new blue bin delivered to our door, and park it proudly –at the far corner of the garage.

In our household this may as well be another continent. It would take more effort for me to cart each and every piece of recycling to that container at the back side of our garage with a 16-month old on my hip and (much more alarming) a preschooler unattended in the living room than I think I could muster. Short answer for our family, we keep a small bin in the pantry earmarked for recyclables and dump them in the big blue can at the end of the day. Problem solved.

Since visiting with many local businesses, both small organizations and large industries, it is equally as apparent that when recycling receptacles are close at hand, the participation rate among associates soars. Adversely, when you move the bins even a short distance away from desks, break rooms and vending machines rates plummet. Hard to admit, but not many of us would stop in the midst of a busy work day and trek 25-50 yards to the nearest recycling bin for one aluminum can.

by Angie Howard

Success for the program is all about good receptacle location.

Currently, the City of Conway and Faulkner County Solid Waste District are working on obtaining funding to purchase office recycling receptacles that will be available for area businesses to utilize in their work space, making it more convenient to recycle. When plans are finalized, the bins are projected to be provided at no cost to local businesses who request the receptacles.

The Conway School District and the City of Conway Sanitation Department have established a relationship that enables area schoolchildren to actively participate in the community recycling program by providing receptacles, one bin located in each and every classroom, dedicated to recyclables. The ease of bin proximity has proven itself invaluable to this program, which kept approximately 1,500 cubic yards of recycling out of our landfill during the 2007-2008 school year. A similar rate of success is envisioned when readily located receptacles are placed under workstation desks in office complexes.

It’s funny how something so simple as shortening the distance of a few steps can dramatically impact our behavior, specifically the willingness we have to actively engage in an activity.

Don’t let a life’s busy routine and a few steps sabotage your home or workplace recycling efforts. Embrace the recycle bin and give it a proud (and convenient) spot of honor in your space today! After all… without the “regular towels” strategically situated to take one for the team, the decorative ones wouldn’t last. Admittedly, the recycle bin may not be the most aesthetically interesting item in our home or office, but that regular-looking blue cart will help preserve something of much more importance to each of us than nicely kept bath linens… and our lives might just become better that way.

A Conway resident, Angie Howard is the recycling coordinator for the city of Conway and the Faulkner County Solid Waste District. She is also the executive coordinator of the Keep Faulkner County Beautiful Organization and serves as the information education specialist for the Faulkner County Conservation District.

away from home

For many students, “home sweet home” will be at a local college or in a new town when it comes time to go back to school.

With so much time that will be spent in their residence hall room, college students should make the space their own – incorporating colors and accessories that reflect their own style and tastes.

Adding pictures of loved ones or using a favorite pillow or blanket can also make the space feel more comfortable and like home.

No matter the color scheme or design, students should research the college’s specific guidelines and rules on what can be included in the rooms and what can’t, including how objects can be attached to walls. A word to the wise - review the rules before making investments into furnishings and appliances.

With a little thought and planning, that new home away from home can be just as warm and comfortable, and “home sweet home.”

Chalkboard - $16.99

Wall clock - $24.99

Grass bundle - $9.99

Ornate frame - $12.99

Three-photo frame - $24.99

Photo clip/frame - $9.99

Lamp base - $24.99/Shade - $14.99

Trumpet table - $24.99

Pillow - $16.99

Butterfly chair - $29.99

Comforter - $19.99

Twin sheet set - $14.99

Black pillow - $20.49

Toothbrush stand - $9.99

Soap pump - $14.99

Storage basket - $5.99

Green shower curtain - $10.99

Dorm towel - $10.99

Large tote - $12.99

Area rug - $29.99

It will soon be time for back to school, which can only mean two things – school supplies and new school clothes.

Warmer temperatures typically blur the transition from summertime to back to school, but thankfully there are a variety of “cool” clothing options that both student and mom will like this season.

Back (to school) in style

With style in mind, Paten Denton sports a Hannah Montana purple-sequined dress with a jean bolero jacket ($48).

Ready for school, Madison Spears wears a My Michele, Earth Angel brown dot kimono top ($28) and Indian summer brown gauchos ($21).

Haze Denton shows off the popular “skater” look in a 4 Seasons guitar shirt ($16) and Prototype pinstripe shorts ($32).

Paten pulls off the “cool” look that combines a Crushed Ice: Pink “Cowgirls Rock” hooded T-shirt ($22) and a pair of SO Wear it, Declare it brown Bermuda shorts with a crochet belt ($24).

Back to school fashions courtesy of Kohl’s Department Store, Conway Commons.

New Look

Young girls are drawing inspiration from the likes of Hannah Montana to influence their style preferences. Similarly, many boys as well as girls like “anything” to do with rock ‘n roll this back to school fashion season.

Some fashion trends remain popular – like graphic Tees – and are expected to carry over to this season.

For younger as well as older boys,

the trend continues to be the layered look – combining vintage Polo shirts with T-shirts.

For girls, expect to see baby doll smocks.

Also this season, plaid shorts for boys and girls are the big trend for back to school. And don’t forget the tried and true – and sometimes blue – fall favorite –denim jeans.

Madison earns high fashion marks in an IZ Byer California, green and white colorblock kimona top ($20) and plaid Bermuda shorts ($25).

It’s back to school for Haze in a (Tony) Hawk redstriped polo ($22) paired with a blue undershirt and (Tony) Hawk gray plaid shorts ($30).

A study in style

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Gary Fazzino

The announcement that HewlettPackard would locate a state-of-the-art customer service and technical support center in Conway was nearly 10 years in the making. Not only will it mean 1,200 new jobs and a boost to the economy, it also represents the vision of city leaders, years of hard work and a cooperative attitude.

Brad Lacy, president and CEO of the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce and Conway Development Corporation, points to the CDC’s decision to create a technology park, which will eventually house the HP facility, as a major factor in Conway’s ability to lure the company.

“The park has the type of environment they were looking for, and we’re the only game in town and perhaps the whole state.”

The idea for a technology park –kicked around for several years – was suggested by Wadley-Donovan (a New Jersey consulting firm) during a study conducted years ago that looked at Fortune 500 companies and what they would consider Conway’s pros and cons. Lacy said the park would help Conway “take advantage of one of its advantages” when it came to recruiting industry – a young, educated workforce.

The park was created with specific requirements – including guidelines on building design and landscaping – that “resonated” with HP officials, according to Lacy. It represents a public/private project, with the CDC purchasing the property and the City of Conway investing in its infrastructure.

As the technology park was developed, Lacy thought, “This is going to make us or break us. It was going to be the best thing we had done as a city or a very expensive field.”

The park generated some interest and today two firms already call it home.

Still, Lacy found it discouraging when other companies considered the Conway community – not necessarily the technology park – but opted for another location at the 11th hour. “Without my faith, I probably would’ve quit a time or two but I’ve always felt I was where God wanted me to be,” he said, explaining that if Conway had landed one of the other projects the city would not have had the resources to secure HP. Looking back at those other companies, he said they were “nothing close” to HP.

The Hewlett Packard deal started in mid-February when the CDC fielded an inquiry from a national consultant about

“Project Sigma.” Questionnaires were returned and no one heard anything else until late April, when officials made an hour-long visit to Conway. While he already knew that the project involved a Fortune 500 company, it wasn’t until the visit that Lacy was “stunned” to learn the project involved HP - No. 14 on the prestigious business listing.

“We knew in April that it was narrowed to five regions with multiple sites in each region.”

What followed were intense negotiations and more work which included long nights and weekends for those involved with the chamber and CDC. Timing was such that the work fell in the middle of preparations for Toad Suck Daze, one of the largest festivals in the state.

“It took everybody in this building to pull this off,” he said.

“This team is incredibly talented, creative and hardworking. I’d put them up against anybody.”

In May, HP officials made another visit to Conway.

“By the end of the visit they had eliminated all other Central Arkansas sites.”

“It will change us forever – our organization, our community and our state. It will stretch us to do things we’ve never done and to think different, not just for Conway but I’m so happy, for our state.”

- Brad Lacy

On June 6, Lacy was at Lake Village, on his way to Florida for a vacation when he received a call that HP had selected Conway. “We all had been on pins and needles. We were all so happy.”

While the technology park was a big enticement for HP, Lacy points to the many other factors that worked to Conway’s favor – from a thriving downtown and how the city looks to the recently passed bond issue for parks.

“The journey started eight or nine years ago with some deliberate decisions by many different groups, he said. “There

‘This is a significant investment in our state’

by Sonja J. Keith

are so many pieces to the puzzle that fell into place.”

Other factors that typically affect a company’s decision to locate in a community, which worked in Conway’s favor, included quality housing, parks, national retail businesses, a good public school system and the three institutions of higher learning. Conway has an added bonus – a locally-owned utility.

The HP announcement brought to fruition the vision that many individuals had in creating the technology park, Lacy said. “It was an incredible validation of a lot

of hard work.”

Lacy is proud of his staff and his city, and their hard work. “It was overwhelming to look out (on June 19) and see a community full of people who care about Conway,” he said, explaining that many had made financial investments that benefitted the work of organizations like the CDC and the chamber. “It’s meaningful that people believed in a vision when you had nothing else to offer them.”

“It was the best day of my life, professionally.”

Lacy points to Conway’s previous successes – like securing Hendrix College years ago - in putting the HP announcement in a historical perspective. “This is exactly what Conway has done before. Conway has always been a risk taker and it has paid off in a big way,” he said. “Conway’s had good leadership and leaders not afraid of change. They have embraced change and have not seen it as a threat.”

Lacy characterizes Conway residents as “fiercely independent” and willing to work hard at what they want. “This story isn’t just about what happened between February and June. This is about a community that believed.”

Hewlett-Packard project highlights

Hewlett-Packard Company plans to open new, state-of-the-art customer service and technical support centers in Conway and Rio Rancho, N.M.

More than 1,200 employees are planned in Conway and 1,300 in Rio Rancho in a phased approach over four years.

The Conway Development Corporation will construct a $28 million, 150,000-square-foot, LEEDcertified building and lease it to HP. Nabholz Construction Corp. of Conway is the general contractor for the project. The Wilcox Group is the architect and EcoINTEGRATION, the LEED consultant. Both companies are located in Little Rock.

The HP center will be located in The Meadows, the 181-acre office and technology park in southern Conway.

In announcing the Hewlett-Packard Company would be opening a center in the state, Gov. Mike Beebe said, “This historic announcement for Conway and Central Arkansas demonstrates the new direction of Arkansas’ 21st-century economy. This is a significant investment in our state that will provide great job opportunities for our skilled technical workforce. It also marks the beginning of a partnership between Arkansas and one of the global leaders in information technology.”

Enjoy a family night dining out (without breaking the bank)

by Jan Spann

Most of us are looking for ways to stretch the dollar and still enjoy the little extras such as dining out. Fortunately, there are restaurants throughout the 501 area that cater to those two goals, serving up family fun to delight the taste buds and yet not making too big a dent in the wallet.

If you’re looking for new options for family nights out, here are some Central Arkansas restaurants that help you spend less and enjoy more. All restaurants included define child as 12 and under, and most deals are “dine-in” only.

Maumelle

Beef ‘O’ Brady’s 115 Audubon Drive

Beef O’Brady’s promotes a kid-friendly atmosphere with a game room and a trained service staff ready for young’uns. On Tuesday nights, each regular-price adult meal earns a kid-eatsfree meal. House specialties include eight big salads, a seafood basket, crispy chicken wings with a variety of sauces along with burgers and deli sandwiches. For information, call 501.803.3500.

Morrilton

Old Mill Burgers & BBQ

2837 Hwy. 95

A wee bit off the beaten path, you’ll find Old Mill Burgers & BBQ, where kids dine half-price from 5 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursdays. Not far from Overcup Lake, Old Mill is less than a mile off Interstate 40 at Exit 107.

The children’s menu includes hot dogs, corn dogs, grilled cheese sandwiches plus hamburgers, chicken nuggets and strips. The restaurant is known for its pork and beef barbecue, and it features ribs on Saturday nights. For information, call 501.354.1148.

Conway

Lindsey’s BBQ

1101 Mill St.

Lindsey’s BBQ in Conway continues a family tradition started in 1956 when Donnie Sr. opened in North Little Rock.

The Kids’ Special on Monday night includes chicken strips, barbecue, hot dogs and drumsticks. Fried chicken is a favorite, along with fried fish, and of course, the namesake barbecue. Or try the smoked turkey legs at $5 each, as two or three can feed a family.

Got food?

Know of any other kid-friendly restaurants in the 501 area that offer special discounts or accommodations to help families? Send an email to info@501adsandmags. com with the restaurant information and watch for a future issue of 501 LIFE with more family dining ideas.

Greenbrier

Same Ole Joe’s 44 S Broadview St.

On Monday night, the “Balloon Man” entertains kids from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Same Ole Joe’s. The menu offers yummy sandwiches as well as kid portion pastas for about $2. You can add a $1.99 one-trip salad bar, with fresh fruit, seasonal veggies and pudding.

Joe’s pizza features fresh-daily dough in either deep pan or thin crust. Another option offered is the weekday buffet from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Sunday For more information, call 501.679.3911.

Although Dad ‘retired’ and is now a minister, he still makes the sauce and helps smoke the meats. Save room for the homemade fried pies or sweet potato or coconut pie, to name a few. For information, call 501.505.8089.

Stoby’s

805 Donaghey Ave.

A Conway favorite for 28 years, Stoby’s offers “Kids Eat Free” on Monday nights.

In addition, the restaurant menu includes the “Kids’ Clubhouse,” served from 5 to 9 p.m., which features a variety of options that youngsters love – from a cheeseburger and fries and spaghetti to a peanut butter n’ jelly sandwich. Prices range from $2.25 to $3.50.

Stoby’s also offers coupons on its website at www.stobys.com. For information, call 501.327.5447.

So beat the heat, get out of the kitchen and enjoy a meal at one of these family-friendly locations in the 501!

Beef O’Brady’s in Maumelle provides activities for kids to enjoy. Adults can also pack a bag with toys, crayons and coloring books to keep kids occupied so they can enjoy the meal, too.

NSO to spend week playing in Arkansas

Dr. Rollin Potter explains the successful effort that was made to have Arkansas named as the host state for the National Symphony Orchestra’s residency program.

No state will be or has been more grateful.”

by Sonja J. Keith

The National Symphony Orchestra will be making Arkansas its home one week in March, and the news is music to the ears of many throughout the central region of the state.

With about 100 in attendance, the announcement was made July 2 at a press conference held at the Reynolds Performance Hall at the University of Central Arkansas. Participants included Gov. Mike Beebe, U.S. Representative Vic Snyder and UCA president Lu Hardin.

Dr. Rollin Potter, dean of the UCA College of Fine Arts and Communication, welcomed those attending and explained that about two years ago, he was watching an NSO concert on TV when he saw a notice about the residency program. He researched the program, began making inquiries and enlisted support.

“It’s a very special day for us,” he said. “We’re very fortunate to have this in the state of Arkansas.”

Joy Pennington, director of the Arkansas Arts Council, officially extended the invitation to Associate Conductor Emil de Cou and Patricia O’Kelly, managing director of NSO media relations. They officially accepted the invitation.

The conductor’s remark that he owned a Hewlett Packard printer – a reference to the announcement that Conway would be getting an HP facility – prompted a laugh from those in attendance. He added, “From my heart, the residency program is one of the most important things that the national symphony does throughout the year.” He explained that orchestra members are “giving back” to the United States while learning more about each state they visit.

Both Hardin and Beebe recognized Potter for his hard work in pursing the residency program. Hardin explained that while UCA was the conduit, the entire state, including thousands of students will benefit. “This is a coup,” he said. “It is a coup for the arts in the state of Arkansas. Thank you National Symphony for coming to Arkansas. Thank you for this wonderful, wonderful gift of education.

In 1992, the National Symphony Orchestra of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts began a project unique throughout the world: The American Residencies. The NSO accepts one invitation each year, making a state or a region the focus of a host of activities.

Last year’s residency was in South Carolina.

Each state prepares a list of requests, ranging from in-school appearances to workshops for teachers to full orchestral concerts, and prioritizes them for the National Symphony Orchestra, with the orchestra fulfilling as many of those requests as logistics, scheduling and budgetary limitations allow.

The Arkansas Arts Council and UCA will jointly coordinate all residency activities. There will be six orchestral concerts in the state, including an NSO Young People’s Concert in Helena. Funded by grants, all ticket proceeds from the concerts will remain in Arkansas to support local arts organizations.

Concert schedule

• Tuesday, March 24 – Arkansas State University, Jonesboro.

• Wednesday, March 25 – Phillips College, Helena-West Helena.

• Thursday, March 26 - Young People’s Concert, Phillips College, Helena-West Helena.

• Saturday, March 28 – Reynolds Performance Hall, UCA.

• Sunday, March 29 – Robinson Center, Little Rock.

• Monday, March 30 – Walton Arts Center, Fayetteville.

Unless otherwise noted, each performance is an evening orchestral concert. For information on tickets for the Conway concert, please contact UCA Ticket Central: 501.450.3265, or 1.866.810.0012 (toll free in Ark.), or go to www.uca.edu/reynolds. For the Little Rock concert, call 501.666.1761 or go to www.arkansassymphony.org.

Jim Bailey is my hero, but he’s also one of my favorite people in the whole world.

Not many people are lucky enough to be able to work with and befriend their heroes, but I was one of them as a young sportswriter for the Arkansas Gazette

Even fewer get to feel they’re a family. But that’s what that sports staff was to me from the time I joined it as a 21-year-old University of Arkansas student in May 1984 until the Gazette died Oct. 18, 1991. As the youngest member of the family, I loved and looked up to them — Bailey and Orville Henry, James Thompson, Wadie Moore, Joe Mosby, Aris Jackson, Nancy Clark, Kim Brazzel, Bob Buchanan, Jake Sandlin, James Gilzow, David Smith, Nate Allen and Jim Harris.

And for the most part, 17 years after the jarring loss of our matriarch, the Gazette, we still are a family, despite circumstances and distance, after unemployment, transfers to new jobs, a couple of unexpected funerals and a 50th wedding anniversary or two. Now this time, the family gathering is sure to be a joyous one.

Jim Bailey, who has spent more than 50 years as a sportswriter in the state, including 35 at the Gazette, will be inducted into the second class of the Arkansas Sportscasters and Sportswriters Hall of Fame on Saturday, Aug. 9, at Brewer-Hegeman Conference Center at the University of Central Arkansas. He’ll follow Henry, the posthumous inaugural selection last year. The late Bud Campbell will join the late Paul Eells in the sportscaster category.

“I think Jim Bailey is the most thorough, concise and easy-to-read sportswriter that the state has ever produced,” said Mike Harrison, executive director of the ASCASW. “I enjoy

Honoring an ‘Arkansas treasure’

by Donna Lampkin Stephens

reading his stories about the past that give everyone his vast knowledge of sports in the state. He has a vast knowledge of sports in the state of Arkansas.”

Longtime Gazette sports editor Orville Henry hired Bailey in May 1956 out of tiny Emerson and what was then Southern State College. He stayed for a little more than 35 years, covering what was then the Arkansas

general and sportswriting in particular would be today if more people emulated him.

Once while taking dictation from me as I covered some basketball game in Fayetteville, I used the term “charity stripe” in my story, and I’ll never forget Jim’s quiet response — “Let’s just make it free throw line.” I got the hint — no more clichés. I readily accepted his tutelage, which I think reflects well on me!

Wadie Moore agreed.

“Jim Bailey is the best at his profession. He has a great sense of humor and is a historian for all sports. The category where there’s no match for Jim Bailey — his leads for columns or feature stories. Those three to four lines at the start of his stories are like a force field, which pulls you into the rest of the text until you’ve reached the very end.”

Arkansas sports fans know about Bailey’s knowledge and his ability to turn a phrase. They may not know the inspiration he’s been to those who’ve worked with and looked up to him over the years.

Moore tells it eloquently:

Intercollegiate Conference, the Razorbacks, the Southwest Conference, boxing and the Arkansas Travelers, among other beats.

“I wanted to write sports, I wanted to stay in Arkansas, and I wanted to stay with the Arkansas Gazette,” Bailey told the Arkansas Sports Club in 2006. “I stayed there until they pushed me out and shut the door in October 1991.”

After the Gazette closed, Bailey spent some time working for Arkansas Times then went to the Democrat-Gazette. Now “technically retired,” he still contributes a weekly column.

One of the first things I admired about Jim was his writing style. It is simple, clear, direct, understated. How much better journalism in

“The old saying when you are young and something great happens is, ‘He’s like a kid in a candy store,’” he said. “I was that kid when I walked into the Gazette sports department on June 28, 1968. I was faced with the great legends of sports history — Orville Henry, Jerry McConnell and the quiet, seemingly sly Jim Bailey. I had a sweet tooth for learning the business, and what better group could I have asked to be around?

“In the early stages, Orville worked to develop my skills with game reporting. Jerry made all of the assignments and was great with assisting the young writers with lead ideas. Jim was just Jim...quiet, and seemingly to himself and short on conversation.

Arkansas Gazette staffers who went to the Orange Bowl in ‘78 included Bailey (from left), Nancy Clark, Orville Henry, Wadie Moore and Kim Brazzel.

Jim Bailey

“I wanted to get in the Jim Bailey circle — that circle of friends, that circle that held nightly conversations, but it was an inviteonly group. I stayed my distance, worked extremely hard (especially on feature stories) and made a personal commitment to do my very best. Jim’s style sort of wears on you.

“In 1975 Bailey opened the door to that circle. I wrote a story about Little Rock Central’s basketball program, which had won three overall titles under three different head coaches. Jim told me that was the best story I had written as a Gazette staffer. From that moment on, I placed a great pride in the stories I submitted. I wanted each story to have that Jim Bailey stamp of approval.”

Moore will introduce Bailey at the Hall of Fame induction dinner.

I had a similar experience. A few years after I arrived at the Gazette, after Jim handed over the reins of the AIC coverage to our friend Kim Brazzel, and after Kim moved to covering horseracing full-time, I was privileged to inherit that beat. I quickly learned that it was the best beat at the paper — big-time enough, but not so big-time it was too serious. From Jim and Kim after that, I learned the great value of just phoning coaches to chat about whatever was going on. One of the toughest assignments I ever had, though, was the death and funeral of Sporty Carpenter, the popular

longtime football coach at Henderson State University. When Bailey later complimented my coverage, I knew I had made it.

As Wadie said, Jim’s prose always read so smoothly in the paper, but sometimes it was sheer torture for him to get it out. Before the Gazette banned smoking in the newsroom, you could always tell when he was struggling over a story — by the smoke rings circling above his computer. He would think, puff, type a few words, puff again, think some more — but readers never knew it the next day, even when a Travelers game would finish late and he would call in right at deadline for me or someone else to take dictation. His dictation off the top of his head on deadline was better than what most

people can scratch out on a computer with no deadline looming.

Another thing I love about Jim is the stories he tells. He is the master. I will never forget those nights in the Gazette sports department sitting around waiting for the first edition of the paper to come up for proof. It didn’t take much to encourage a story or two, and we all sat around hanging on every word, even when we already knew the outcome. His story-telling style is as good in conversation as it is on paper.

I’m not going to attempt repeating those stories because the punchline inevitably would get lost in the translation, so you’ll have to ask Bailey to tell a few of his better ones, most of which revolved around Orville — like of Orville driving to the Cotton Bowl and getting lost year after year after year. Or of Orville’s love for Mexican food and his insistence that everyone in the Gazette caravan partake — no matter whether they liked it or not.

Jim Bailey has been so much more than a sportswriter all these years. He has been an Arkansas treasure.

“It has been a honor just to read Jim Bailey for the last five decades,” Moore said. “I’m also thankful that he allowed me inside his circle of friends.”

So am I. 501

Jim Bailey will be inducted into the Arkansas Sportscasters and Sportswriters Hall of Fame on Aug. 9.

MEET: Lucky and the Spradlin Family

Owners: Jamie, Tammy, Jake and Marley Spradlin

Hometown: Conway

Age: Lucky is 5

Type of animal: French bulldog

Where/when did you meet: Jake picked out Lucky from a bulldog breeder in Gurdon (Clark County). It was love at first sight!

Activities you enjoy together: Wrestling, laying on the couch, sleeping, and chasing squirrels.

Quote about your pet: “Lucky is a beloved member of our family. He adds much humor and laughter to our days. He is a sweetheart and loves everyone he meets.”

photos by Stuart Holt

Jake will be in the fifth grade in the fall and Marley will be entering third grade. Both attend St. Joseph Elementary School, home of the Bulldogs.

Marley and Jake with their dog, Lucky.

501

Walking tour celebrates Little Rock’s legacy

Thanks to the MacArthur Park Group in Little Rock, travelers in the 501 can now explore Downtown Little Rock’s political and historical development with a selfguided tour. The group introduced the Arkansas Political History Audio Tour in May in an effort to promote cultural and heritage tourism in Little Rock.

Twenty-three digital tracks are available for download to an MP3 player at no charge from the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau website at www. LittleRock.com.

615 E. Capitol Ave. Little Rock, AR 501-663-1222

www.LittleRock.com

The tour leads the listener on an exploration of Downtown Little Rock, highlighting the 23 locations. A sidewalk decal marks each site. The decal is a logo depicting the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History superimposed on the contemporary Little Rock skyline. The MacArthur Museum, constructed in 1840, is one of central Arkansas’s oldest surviving structures and the birthplace of Gen. Douglas MacArthur.

Each tour stop offers a different aspect of the state’s political history and highlights either a person or an event associated with that particular area.

According to the audio tour narration, “Starting at la Petite Roche (the “little rock”), this tour will guide you away from the Arkansas River in much the same way the town developed.”

Other stops include Trapnall Hall, Curran Hall, MacArthur Museum of Military History, MacArthur Park and the Historic Arkansas Museum. The tour is narrated by Arkansas native and retired television personality Steve Stephens.

While, the tour begins at the “little rock” on the river, you can start at any location on the tour. Just look for the numbered decals on the sidewalk that correspond with the tracks on the audio tour file. A printable version of the tour is available for those who prefer to read along as they walk the tour route.

Historic Arkansas Museum

Trapnall Hall

Historic Arkansas Museum

loving life in the 501 Woodrow ‘Woody’ Cummins

Family: Cora, wife of 40 years; Anthony and Katie Efird (son-in-law/daughter); grandsons Jackson, Sam and Connor Efird.

Job: Financial consultant at Stephens Inc.

Education: Bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Central Arkansas; doctorate from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.

Background in education: Kindergarten and special education teacher; elementary, middle school and junior high principal; assistant superintendent; all in Conway. Deputy director - Arkansas Department of Education.

Back to school advice for parents/students: Education is a life-long process. The learning itself is more important than the symbol.

Community activities: Rotary, Boy Scouts, Conway Public School Foundation, Co-founder Toad Suck

Kazoo and Drum Corps.

Last book you read: Maestro by Bob Woodward.

Favorite book: Since a student in junior high, C.S Forester’s “Horatio Hornblower” series.

Favorite meal: Traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Most enjoyed weekend activity: Inspecting playgrounds with grandsons.

Favorite quote: “Never let fact interfere with good, emotional decision-making.”

No. 1 vacation spot: Tampa Fla.; my favorite vacation was floating the Grand Canyon on a rubber raft.

Favorite place in Arkansas: Cummins Family Farm at Marked Tree, Ark.

What do you love about living in the 501: The community has balance. Conway enjoys several strong dimensions. A focus on education which includes higher education, public education and private schools. A focus on economic development that provides an extraordinary level of employment. A focus on spirituality and social responsibility with strong churches and organizations that address the needs of our citizens. At the risk of sounding hokey, this is a “wholesome community.”

Woody Cummins at the Conway elementary school which will be named in his honor. Dedication ceremonies are tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 9.