ABOUT | April 2014

VOCATION TO CREATION

Reflecting the Character of the Arkansas River Valley April 2014

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RUSSELLVILLE HIGH SCHOOL CYCLONE THEATRE PRESENTS:

Little Women THE BROADWAY MUSICAL April 24-26 at 7 PM April 27 at 2 PM The Center for the Arts

Admission: Adults: $10 Students: $5 For ticket information, call 479.498.6600

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D & R Paints 1003 S. Rogers Ave Clarksville, AR 72830 479-754-7075 April 2014 | ABOUT...the River Valley

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April 2014 8 Vocation to Creation

After nearly six decades of transforming cold metal into useful products and works of art, Doug Hensley shows no signs of slowing down.

12 Reading from the Same Page

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A Hidden History

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Cultured Cuisine

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Edible Easter Delights

From 1820 until 1829, Pope County was home to a large Cherokee school known as Dwight Mission. It was located near present day Russellville on the west bank of the Illinois Bayou and about four miles from the Arkansas River.

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Garden Scheming and Springtime Dreaming

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Millard-Henry Grand Opening

Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center faculty and staff welcomed the public to the grand opening of the new Millard-Henry Clinic.

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ABOUT...the River Valley | April 2014

WWW.UACCM.EDU

Join us at UACCM to see how far we’ve come, meet our students, see our career and transfer programs, and tour our campus.

There will be lots of free food, activities, and door prizes

Day

Celebrating

One lucky guest will

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Open to the Public 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm UACCM Campus Morrilton, Arkansas

50 years of graduates with an open house!

If you have an accommodation need for any UACCM event or service, please contact Counseling Services at 501-977-2095.

Community is the most important part of our name!

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Too busy to wait in a drive thru Call 968.2456 & switch to C&D We will deliver to your work or home (learn why more locals are switching to C&D)

Downtown Russellville Call 479.968.2456

A PAGE FROM

The Editor’s Notebook

ABOUT the River Valley

From accents to articles, diversity is the character of the River Valley

A Publication of One14 Productions, Inc Vol. IX, Issue 3 – April 2014 Owner/Publisher: Chris Zimmerman

This winter has been the most stubborn I can remember. But we made it, and now here we are nestled in the arms of April. Spring does not automatically preclude us from cold and winter weather, though. If you’ll recall, we had snow on Memorial Day weekend 2013. So maybe we shouldn’t put the jackets away just yet…

But if you’re like me, you’ve already been in shorts for a month.

Shorts in March and April is a southern thing, though, western Arkansas isn’t really what you’d call the south. We’re an interesting bunch here, sandwiched between the Ouachita and Ozark mountains. A mix of southern, western, Midwestern and even Appalachian cultures that you can clearly see if you’re paying attention. You can hear it in the voices, too.

My syrupy drawl sounds like a combination of Boston Mountain Ozarks blended with a pinch of Texas hill country. I detect a note of North Carolina Smokey Mountains in the accent of a good friend. Some of that Midwest choppiness creeps into the enunciation when people are trying to sound like they’re not really from here. The bugaboo is that “eye” sound. I know some highly educated folks that have managed to wrestle their accent all but into submission except for that long “I.” Just try to say “pie” or “buy” and note how that “I” just goes on and on and on and on. Sometimes it seems like the only way to end the word is by running out of breath.

I’ve tried to fight the accent. I meet people who can turn it off and turn it on. I’ve met a few that can glaze their speech with the sweetest little drawl on just the right words and sound like an Arkansas sophisticate, my wife is one of those people, but I cannot.

My lazy tongue and nasal sounding voice have always bested efforts to sound more cosmopolitan. So I’ve learned to embrace it.

This issue of ABOUT embraces diversity and history in the River Valley. Inside you’ll find the story of a man that shaped metal for a living, but turned his vocation into a creative outlet he still explores after nearly 60 years of fabrication. We offer a glimpse into one of the first settlements in the River Valley; a place that we’ve all heard of but knew little about. And then we bring you to the table of a fantastic eatery with a menu of flavors not usually found in the River Valley.

That’s a diverse lineup for a regional magazine, and that diversity is what we Johnny Sain, Editor strive to tell stories about as we follow the 479.857.6791 guideline laid out in our motto: reflecting johnny@aboutrvmag.com the character of the River Valley.

DIANNE EDWARDS | founding editor JOHNNY SAIN | managing editor johnny@aboutrvmag.com BENITA DREW | advertising benita@aboutrvmag.com CHRISTINE SAIN | advertising christine@aboutrvmag.com KECHIA BENTLEY | columnist kechia@aboutrvmag.com MEREDITH MARTIN-MOATS | freelance meredith@aboutrvmag.com EMORY TYSON MOLITOR | freelance emory@aboutrvmag.com LYDIA ZIMMERMAN | columnist lydia@aboutrvmag.com STEVE NEWBY | photography stevenewbyphotography@aboutrvmag.com CLIFF THOMAS | illustrator maddsigntist@aboutrvmag.com CHRIS ZIMMERMAN | layout/design chris@aboutrvmag.com

ABOUT… the River Valley is locally owned and published for distribution by direct mail and targeted delivery to those interested in the Arkansas River Valley.

Material contained in this issue may not be copied or reproduced without written consent.

Inquiries may be made by calling (479) 857-6791.

Office: 220 East 4th Street Email: johnny@aboutrvmag.com Postmaster: Please send address changes to: SPPI, P.O. Box 10176, Russellville AR 72812.

One14 Productions, Inc. assumes responsibility for the production, content and financial obligations of ABOUT...the River Valley magazine. Silver Platter Productions, Inc. shall no longer be involved with, or be responsible for the production, content or financial obligations of ABOUT...the River Valley magazine.

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ABOUT...the River Valley | April 2014

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479. 880.1006

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ABOUT...the River Valley | April 2014

Calendar of Events April 1 - Liverpool Legends the Complete Beatles Experience. The Center for the Arts Russellville High School Campus at 7 p.m. For more information call 498-6600.

information call (501) 680-0055 April 24 - Taste of the Valley, Main Street Russellville. From 5-8 p.m.

For more information call 967-1437.

April 26 - RussVegas 1/2 Marathon.

For more information contact 9671762.

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April 4 - All You Can Eat Catfish 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Dinner presented by Knights of 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 Columbus, 990 SR 247 Russellville, April 26 Color Pencil Classes at the from 4-8 p.m. For more information River Valley Arts Center 9 a.m.-1 call 964-0063 p.m. For more information contact April 11 - River Valley Health Expo May 10 - Piddlin’ Days at Potts Inn 968-2452. hosted by The River Valley Senior Museum in historic downtown April 27 – Women’s Spring Fashion Networking Group at Hughes Pottsville. From 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Enjoy Show & Tea at First United Community Center. Starts at 7:30 tours with added attractions at our Methodist Church Family Hall from a.m. For more information call 967annual event. For more information call 2-4 p.m. For more information call 9300 or 968-5039.

968-3869.

968-1232.

April 11 - Bash at the Ball Park, May 10 - Building Better Moms May 2 - Get On Board 2014: Wonderboys take on Ouachita Mother’s Day Color Run benefiting An Evening With Non-Profit Baptist University at Tech Field The Hampton Foundation at the Train Organizations At Tucker Coliseum on the campus of Arkansas Tech Depot in Downtown Russellville. from 5- 7 p.m. For more information University from 4:30-6:30 p.m. For Registration starts at 7:30 p.m. $30 call 964-0548. more information call 968-2530. day of and $25 for preregistered May 2-4 Balloons Over RussVegas. runners, $15 for Children’s 1K. Start April 12 - Out of the Darkness U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ,1598 time is 8:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. for the Campus Walk. Registration starts Lock and Dam Road, Russellville. kids 1K. For more information, contact at 8 a.m. at Tucker Coliseum on the Angie Thornsberry at 970-5212 or campus of Arkansas Tech University. For more information call (417) 3366060 angie_thornsberry@yahoo.com Walk starts at 9 a.m. For more *Unless otherwise indicated, all area codes are 479. To have your event included in the ABOUT Calendar of Events, email: editor@aboutrvmag.com or fax to (866) 757-3282. Deadline is the 15th of the month preceding publication.

April 2014 | ABOUT...the River Valley

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ABOUT...the River Valley | April 2014

Vocation to Creation After nearly six decades of transforming cold metal into useful products and works of art, Doug Hensley shows no signs of slowing down.

Story by JOHNNY SAIN | Photos by STEVE NEWBY & JOHNNY SAIN

Doug Hensley‘s rich baritone voice carries through the cool February air with authority, but it’s tinged with down home warmth. “Pull the car up closer, and get out of that mud.” I do just that and park on dry ground near the door of his shop.

Doug is of average height with broad shoulders and silver hair. Doug turned 72-years-old just a few weeks ago. His voice exudes confidence and the hair tells you years of wisdom stand behind the words, but his hands tell the real story.

Doug’s hands are really like paws. They are huge. Even though he and I are roughly the same height, they easily swallow my mitts. Thick fingers squeeze and a hearty shake follows as he introduces himself. I can’t stop staring at his hands, though. Scarred, husky and broad, with joints and tendons strained by hard work.

The first joint on his right hand middle finger angles toward the ring finger. His hands speak more to what I’ve come here to talk about than any words he can say.

They are hands that have spent a lifetime working with metal. Bending, twisting, melding, forming, creating and fabricating with metal.

Like many craftsman, Doug started out working for his father. And, like many craftsman that walked that path, it wasn’t by choice. At the age of thirteen Doug began helping in his dad’s sheet metal shop in Topeka, Kansas.

“Of course, back in those days the kids had to work,” said Doug. I ask if this was something he wanted to do back all those years ago as a boy. “It was something I had to do,” said Doug.

But as we stand in front of the shop just a few yards from his house, a shop

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“My dad told me one time that when you finally figure out what you’re supposed to do it will come to you. You might be asleep at three in the morning, but you’ll see it. There’ll be a picture in your mind. You can just look at, say a box, and you know you can build it. Dad was right.”” filled with welders, grinders, metal and an eight-foot-tall horse fabricated out of horseshoes, I get the sense that somewhere between that first job and today something about creating with metal changed from obligation to passion. I am right. I ask why he still does it today, a decade after retirement. “It got in my blood,” said Doug, and he accents the statement with a hearty chuckle.

Doug was the shop rat for his dad, sweeping floors, cleaning up and helping build things with metal. Sixty years later, he is still sweeping floors, prepping for jobs and building things with metal.

In the blood could be an understatement. What started out as an obligation to his father has blossomed into a creative outlet.

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ABOUT...the River Valley | April 2014

After a stint in the Navy, Doug found himself in Oakland, California, working for a company that built things from stainless steel. It seemed every job that found Doug had something to do with metal fabrication. As the years and projects rolled along, Doug realized his work was more than work. “My dad told me one time that when you finally figure out what you’re supposed to do it will come to you,” said Doug. “You might be asleep at three in the morning, but you’ll see it. There’ll be a picture in your mind. You can just look at, say a box, and you know you can build it. Dad was right.”

All of this eventually led to Doug settling in the River Valley and opening Custom Sheet Metal by Doug Hensley in Dardanelle.

Even after selling the business and settling into retirement, metal work is still what gets him out to the shop nearly every day.

Doug’s blue-collar work ethic and persona might lead folks to believe his abilities point to a purely utilitarian attitude about metal. But all of Doug’s metalworking skill comes from personal experience with no training more formal than watching his dad.

Intuitive skill reveals an artistic mind. The gleaming eight-foot tall horse sculpture sitting in the middle of his shop confirms this.

The horse is made entirely of horseshoes, but irony is often a component of art. “One day I was on the computer and I saw this picture of this horse made by this guy in England, and I thought, well I can do that.”

Doug started the sculpture on January 14, 2012 with no plans and no drawings, just a picture printed from the internet and a vision.

You could call it freehand sculpting. “I had about 200 horseshoes when I started,” said Doug. “I looked at the picture and I started by building a hoof.” Width and length of a horseshoe varies little, but to get the proportions and symmetry just right some of the shoes had to be bent. “So then I had to build a shop press so that I could

bend some of the horseshoes,” said Doug. A do-ityourself man doesn’t buy what he can build.

Doug counted horseshoes on the picture and built his horse accordingly. “But then I got up to about here,” Doug points to the iron steed’s haunches. It was then that he realized just how big the project was. “With 200 horseshoes I’m only going to have a quarter of a horse.” And so began the search for more horseshoes.

Doug talked with veterinarian Dr. John Davis about where to find horseshoes and Davis sent him to farrier Paul Doriss in Centerville. “I told Dorris what I was doing, and I needed to buy beg or steal horseshoes,” said Doug.

Doriss had a pile of horseshoes, and offered them all. Doug describes the width and depth of the pile, gesturing with a hand held waist high. He talks of what the pile taught him about horseshoes, that the more square shaped ones are actually mule shoes, that some are handmade and some are factory made. “I’ve learned a lot about horseshoes,” said Doug. One thing all of the shoes had in common was that they were dirty. Doug cleaned every one, by hand, at a rate of 25 per day. As pictures accompanying this article can attest, the horseshoe horse shines in sunlight. The completed horse required 700 horseshoes and weighs about 800 pounds. Doug has two other projects, one with 580 and one with 470 horseshoes, sitting in a neighbor’s yard just down the road.

Retirement has been a busy time for Doug.

Besides building horseshoe sculptures, Doug repaired a historic bell at the Danville United Methodist Church. The bell was damaged while being moved years ago due to a lack of heavy equipment said Doug. “Back then Danville was a little town, and didn’t have any big cranes or heavy equipment, and they didn’t know exactly what to do.”

So the local farmers decided to push some dirt together as a cushion and push the tower over.

“They thought, well, if we push it over from this side it ought to land on the dirt pile,” said Doug.

“Well, it didn’t, and the thing weighs 2,500 pounds.” The yoke was broken and repairs at the time made the bell lopsided. The bell sat askew for years, Doug wasn’t sure how many, but when the church members decided to repair it they asked Doug to do it.

The bell yoke repair was a huge undertaking, and something that Doug wasn’t sure he could handle. “I had never worked on a bell. I turned the job down three times,” said Doug. He finally decided to take the job and used connections

made through owning his business to enlist help from other metal specialists in the River Valley. David Corbin at C&C Machine shop was one of those, but Corbin had the same amount of experience with bells that Doug had. “I asked David if he knew anything about bells, and he said, well, I know they make a lot of noise and they’re heavy.”

There is something about a challenge that inspires creative people. The thought of looking at problems from different angles, the opportunity to hunt for a solution that requires the addition of new skills is hard to resist. Perhaps this was the deciding factor for why he took the job. Even while Doug was telling me about turning it down, I could sense that he was always intrigued by the challenge. And despite his inexperience and trepidation, Doug finished the project. Today the bell stands on the south side of the Danville United Methodist Church, hanging in perfect balance on its yoke.

After nearly six decades of transforming cold metal into useful products and works of art, Doug shows no signs of slowing down. His eyes flash with energy as he leads me on a tour of metal art in his yard. His hands, burly and tough, point to his work that decorates the rural Yell County acreage he calls home. You can hear the energy in that rich baritone, too. He doesn’t try to hide the enthusiasm.

I ask him about the drive that keeps him going. Has metalwork been just a job? “No,” said Doug. “It’s always been about the creativity, too.” Has it been something he feels obligated to do because of working with his dad? “It was at first,” said Doug. Is it more than those things; is it something you do just because you want too? Is it fun? “Oh god yeah,” said Doug. “I love it.” l April 2014 | ABOUT...the River Valley

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ABOUT...the River Valley | Every Day Life

Reading from the Same Page Story by KECHIA BENTLEY | Photo by STEVE NEWBY

The basics of my ‘life script’ were always the same. Go to college, get married, career, and then children. I have accomplished all those things, although, not as neatly as my original script had called for.

I began college right on time. But, things got a little off track when my dad died right after my freshman year. That really messed up my script. I had to delete the scenes of him walking me down the aisle at my wedding and of him playing golf with my children.

Then I married after my sophomore year of college – that came a few years too early. And, to top it off, I had my first child in September of my senior year of college. That really messed up the plot line of my ‘life script.’ Being a writer has made me a professional at the art of the rewrite. However, keeping up with all the revisions does get complicated sometimes.

The trickiest part of my script is the little bitty daily details: the dialogue between my husband and me. Women, you know what I mean. For instance if I am crying when my husband gets home from work he is suppose to ask, “What’s wrong?” then just listen as I tell him – not offer solutions. I mean really, this script has been around for a long time, why is it he refuses to read it? Or, if I am not speaking to him when he gets home from work, he is not suppose to just think, “oh, well” and go off to the garage and work on the lawn mower. No, he is to ask me over and over again ‘what is wrong,’ and ‘what can I do to make it up to you’ until I finally give in and tell him.

Why oh why can he not read the script? Okay, let me be honest, that last scene, even if I gave him the script for it - that just isn’t going to happen.

This whole “script” thing has actually turned into a point of humor and communication in our family, but it was learned through a very hard - absolutely not in the script - moment of our lives. After the death of our infant son, my husband and I ended up in marriage counseling.

Neither one of us had ever even considered a script for this scene in our lives and we were writing it by the seat of our pants every day.

Unfortunately, our scripts had nothing in common and they were tearing us apart. At one point it seemed that it would be easier to write the other person out of the rest of our lives just to survive the grief.

We had a two-year-old son so we thought, ‘before we throw the whole storybook away let’s seek some help.’

We all expect those closest to us to know our script. They are supposed to know the perfect thing to say and how to react to our every mood. It is in the script isn’t it? Sure it is, but that script is in our head.

Our counselor helped us realize that we each had an idea of what grief should look like and what grief should do. Our problem was our ideas were very different and we weren’t sharing them with each other.

We were asked to not talk to each other but to write to each other instead. We were to tell the other person on paper what our lines were and what their lines were. It was remarkable to see that we both were feeling the same grief and needing the exact same comfort, we just didn’t know how to say it in a way that the other person could hear it. But when we saw each other’s scripts – what he needed me to say and what I needed him to say - it saved our marriage and healed our broken hearts.

We have taken that lesson with us and used it more or less

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ABOUT...the River Valley | April 2014

successfully throughout the years. Now when things are getting tense and communication is going south we say, “You have not read the script!!!”

Let me give you a specific example. I would call my husband during the day while he was at work and say something like, “Please come home. I miss you so much.” I knew he couldn’t come home, but in my script I was just showing him that I was thinking about him. In my script this was suppose to make him feel loved and needed – things we are told are important to men. Remember I knew he couldn’t actually come home.

However, in his script all he heard was my wife wants me to come home and I have all this work to do. He had written a lot of guilt into his script because he often worked long hours and would miss family events or evening meals. I didn’t know that.

Having to tell me he couldn’t come home only added more guilt.

Our scripts were working against each other. He would start listing all the reasons he couldn’t come home and it would frustrate me. In my script when I said, “I miss you and want you to come home” my husband’s line would read something like this, “Oh honey, if I could I would.”

Problem was he didn’t have a copy of my script. So this phone call that was suppose to make us both feel loved and cherished left us both frustrated and lonely.

That is until, finally one day, I made one of my “miss you” phone calls... and before he got a chance to start in on all the reasons he couldn’t come home I said, ”Now say, ‘if I could, I would. I miss you too.” It was like magic. I had shared the script and now the scene played out the way it was intended. I wish I could say that the next time I called he remembered his lines, but he didn’t. It took a few good dress rehearsals for him to get it right.

So the next time a loved one, friend, or even a stranger reacts in a way you didn’t expect or can’t understand, maybe it is because they just didn’t get a chance to read the script. Go ahead and give them a copy. I promise it will help. l

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April 2014 | ABOUT...the River Valley

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A Hidden History Many River Valley residents have heard of Dwight Mission, one of the first Protestant Missions west of the Mississippi. But much of its history is hidden in the fog of time and the waters of Lake Dardanelle.

Story by MEREDITH MARTIN-MOATS | Photos by JOHNNY SAIN

FROM 1820 UNTIL 1829, POPE COUNTY WAS HOME TO A LARGE CHEROKEE SCHOOL KNOWN AS DWIGHT MISSION. It was located near present day Russellville on the west bank of the Illinois Bayou and about four miles from the Arkansas River. The site housed at least 24 structures, including multiple residence halls, a post office, carpentry and blacksmith shops. Today only a portion of the cemetery remains, located on a hill that once overlooked the settlement. A small sign on Highway 64 marks the historic location, but otherwise this history has long disappeared from the public discourse. Though many of the buildings were sold off of the property when the Cherokee were forced into Oklahoma, the foundations of those buildings were likely buried deep under water when the Corps of Engineers created Lake Dardanelle in 1965.

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ABOUT...the River Valley | April 2014

Dwight Mission was inspired by Brainerd Mission, an onsite residence school for Cherokee children near the Tennessee/Georgia border. Like other mission schools of the early 1800s, and hundreds of others that would come later, Brainerd's central purpose was to convert Native American children to Christianity and western culture. Operated by the American Board of Commissioners of Foreign Missions, a Presbyterian organization, Brainerd School employed New England missionaries like Cephas Washburn who would eventually make his way to Arkansas to found Dwight Mission. Cherokee students were expected to learn English and Anglo traditions, but missionaries seldom made any efforts to learn Cherokee or communicate with their students in their native tongue.

In the early 1800s, the western Cherokee who populated the River Valley area were not originally from the region. They moved to the territory in the late 1700s and early 1800s escaping war and strife in their homeland of Appalachia. According to J.W. Moore, editor of Cephas Washburn's book Reminiscences of the Indians, 1793-1860, by the time Dwight Mission was constructed, the western Cherokee were living all along the Arkansas River “from Pointe Remove to where Van Buran now stands.�

Cherokee Principle Chief Tahlonteskee (also known as Tolluntuskee) was originally from western South Carolina, but by the early 1800s was one of a handful of leaders who made his home in what would eventually become the Yell and Pope County area. According to historian Charles Russell Logan, author of The Promised Land: The Cherokees, Arkansas and Removal, 1794-1839, Tahlonteskee (spelled Tolontuskee in Logan's article), traveled back to the Cherokee homeland in 1818 to “lobby for eastern support for the Arkansas reservation.” It was there he visited the Brainerd Mission and requested a similar mission be created near his own home in Arkansas. The missions board met and agreed to send two Presbyterian ministers in to the Arkansas “wilderness,” as they described it. Rev. Cephas Washburn and Rev Alfred Finney were dispatched along with two assistants, Jacob Hitchcock and James Orr. It's hard to say why Tahlonteskee requested a school focused on the eradication of traditional Cherokee ways of life, especially after he had moved to Arkansas at least partially to distance himself from Anglo settlements in his homeland.

Most likely, says Leslie Stewart-Abernathy of the Arkansas Archeological Survey, his decision was based on keeping his people safe. “It was not an easy thing to be a Cherokee in the early 1800s,” Stewart-Abernathy explains. “The Cherokee had been on the wrong side during the American Revolution. There had been a great deal of pressure on settlements. There were thousands of Cherokee and so thousands of opinions on what way to go. Do we go hide someplace? Do we become white people? What do we do?” And because the Cherokee were still new to the region, they were often engaged in fighting with the Osage as well. Creating a school and settlement would, many believed, helped ward off further dangers from both whites and other tribes.

By the time the missionaries were making their way toward Arkansas, the lines between who were and who were not Cherokee were not always so clear. Cherokees from the eastern and western bands often intermarried with white families and, in some cases, black families. Tahlonteskee himself was the son of a mixed-race couple. Many of these Cherokee owned large homes, pieces of property and even black slaves.

Other Cherokee, including those of mixed ancestry, openly rejected this assimilation, especially slave ownership. “This was one issue,” historian Charles Logan writes, “that divided the Cherokee traditionalists form the assimilationists.” For example, a leader

Cephas Washburn

known as the “The Bowl,” also sometimes called Duwali, lived for a short time near the Petit Jean River in northern Yell County and openly discouraged any act of assimilation. Even Tahlonteskee, Logan explains, started out somewhat anti-assimilation but eventually “began to believe in the need for a balance between Euro-American civilization and Cherokee traditions.” It's essential to note there was not one unified position among the tribe. They're were upwards of twenty different perspectives just in the River Valley area alone, Stewart-Abernathy explains. “Some say let's stay with the old and some say let's combine the two, but how do you really combine the two?”

Chief Tahlonteskee died of natural causes before Dwight Mission was realized. He was succeeded by his brother Ooluntuskee, also known by the anglicized name of John Jolly, who had mixed feelings about the school and the ways in which it would take children from their homes, their language, and their culture. Chief Takatoka, a leader who made his home near present day Clarksville, was openly against the school and loudly discouraged family members from sending their children. In the end, Chief Takatoka proposed the school be located near Spadra Creek, most likely an effort to keep his eye on what was taking place at the mission. Despite these Cherokee misgivings, by 1820 Cephas Washburn and Alfred Finney chose a site on the Illinois Bayou and began construction. They named the mission after Timothy Dwight, a man who had been the president of Yale University and member of the American Board of Commissioners of Foreign Missions.

April 2014 | ABOUT...the River Valley

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Information from David Vance's Early History of Pope County in the 19th Century and Part of the 20th says the school opened on the first day of 1822 with three students present. “By the twelfth of January,” writes Vance, “they had eighteen children, which was a larger number than they were equipped to accommodate.”

Two years later the enrollment was over one hundred. The growth of the school brought more missionaries from the east and there were multiple marriages among the missionaries on site, making these the first marriages on record in Pope County. By this time, Finney and Washburn's wives had also joined the mission and were teaching sewing and cooking classes to young Cherokee girls. Certainly there were marriages and children born to area Cherokee families, but the records of the mission focus only on the experiences of the eastern missionaries and say virtually nothing about the daily lives of the people who populated the school.

During the school's tenure the settlement was also one of few Anglo outposts in the region.

It was home to the first post office in the area, the first ferry, the first doctor clinic and “the destination of the first steamboat to come up the Arkansas River above Arkansas Post,” writes Vance. Maps of the school’s early days give historians an idea of how the community was laid out, which included a sawmill and grist mill located about a mile away on Mill Creek, the area known as Mill Creek Road today.

While it's possible to gain a sense of what life for the missionaries was like, it's virtually impossible to find information about the experiences of the young Cherokee children caught between the culture of their parents and life on the school grounds.

Converting the adult Cherokees to Christianity was seldom successful, as the early missionaries often lament in their journals.

But children were a different story. And while the Cherokee had already become very anglicized, Dwight Mission certainly played an instrumental role in children separated further from their cultural heritage. In an age when many Americans are starved for information about their own native history, the diaries of the missionaries can be difficult to read.

Writing in his journal as published under the name Reminiscences of the Indians, 1793-1860, Cephas Washburn has this to say about his experience working with Native American communities in both Appalachia and Arkansas: “There is a great chance since we came among them. At that time there were not twenty men in the nation who wore hats and pantaloons. Now there are not twenty who do not wear pantaloons and the great majority wear hats... the people use coffee and sugar daily...there is very little serious regard paid to their heathen rites. The green-corn dance is now 16

ABOUT...the River Valley | April 2014

observed by a very few, and not as a religious ceremony, but as a scene of amusement and revelry.”

Despite the western Cherokee's assimilation into Anglo culture, there were large groups of whites in Arkansas territory who continually sought Cherokee removal. Even the Arkansas Gazette supported mass removal and federal officials did little to change public opinion. To address these growing pressures, a delegation of several western Cherokee including Sequoyah---the man who created the Cherokee syllabary and made his home near Russellville for a short time---traveled to Washington to secure permanent access to their Arkansas lands. Amid growing pressure to leave, the meeting eventually resulted in the Treaty of 1828, which ceded all Cherokee land in Arkansas for land in what would eventually become Oklahoma.

Dwight Mission closed in 1829, moving with the Cherokees to a new location near Sallisaw, Oklahoma where Washburn and others continued the school. The Oklahoma Dwight Mission continued to operate as a school for Cherokee children until 1948 and later became a Presbyterian summer church camp and meeting facility. It still stands today and operates as both a church and camp, and is rented out to various groups for conferences and events.

Visiting the Oklahoma site today you'll find little mention of the history of the Native Americans students save for a few photographs which can be found on the walls of the cafeteria building. Histories of the white missionaries, however, can be found in abundance.

It's hard to say exactly what happened to the Dwight Mission site in Pope County. After the mission was moved, Washburn decided to sell the buildings to white settlers who were coming to the area in increasing numbers. Over the years this history virtually disappeared, making its way into Russellville culture only in small and isolated snippets, such as with the founding of Dwight Elementary which bears the schools namesake.

Though we know virtually nothing about what happened to the Cherokee students who left Dwight Mission to move to Oklahoma, we do know a bit about the missionary families. Cephas and Abigail Washburn eventually returned to Russellville, known as Norristown at the time, and made their home in a two-story log house located near where the Russellville soccer fields stand today. Cephas and Abigail's son Edward Payton Washburn, a well-known painter, often came to visit his parents and occasionally visited the site of the old Dwight Mission. Historians believe Edward Payton Washburn's famous “Arkansas Traveler” painting is based on a girl who was living, explains Stewart-Abernathy, “in a cabin at the former Dwight Mission location.” According to oral histories, explains Stewart-

Abernathy, the Dwight Mission cemetery was continually used by those with claiming Cherokee ties on up until the 1930s. After the 1930s a number of African Americans were buried in the cemetery.

More research is needed to understand this history.

Everywhere in the river valley area you'll find people in both white and black communities who claim Cherokee ancestry. Are they relatives of students who once attended Dwight Mission?

The official stance of the Cherokee Nation, explains StewartAbernathy, is that everyone with Cherokee ties left Arkansas after 1828. But local oral histories suggest otherwise. Often people say they've heard of Cherokee princesses in their family, for example, most likely a reference to the matrilineal nature of the Cherokee society. While some area families are able to trace their heritage back to the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma, others are unable to prove such a lineage. Of course, proving one's native ancestry is a controversial subject involving politics, history and race -- complex topics this short article can't even begin to untangle.

It's possible some families never left. But staying on in Pope County meant denying Cherokee heritage and demanded total assimilation into the growing Anglo culture of the area. Perhaps those families who stayed claimed to be Anglo in the public sphere while passing down stories of their Cherokee history within the privacy of their own homes. What further complicates this history is that Cherokee families, even those who moved to Oklahoma,

often changed their names to more anglicized forms, making family histories and genealogy difficult to untangle. It's also likely, Stewart-Abernathy explains, that at least a few Cherokee families originally left for Oklahoma only to slip back in to Arkansas years later to escape the Cherokee civil war. There are even reports that some Cherokee families returned to the area generations later, he says, seeking to escape the intense poverty and desperation of life on the Oklahoma reservation. “Being on the reservation during the Depression was so bad,” said Stewart-Abernathy. “that one couple got on a boat and went down to Cardon Bottoms and became tenant farmers just for something to eat.”

This article just barely scratches the surface of the complex history of the Cherokee in Arkansas and perhaps poses more questions about Dwight Mission than it actually answers.

Although it's likely that much of Dwight Mission's history has been lost forever, oral histories, although fraught with problems, can sometimes help researchers flesh out missing pieces.

What do you know about Dwight Mission? Did you hear stories passed down in your family? The researchers at the Arkansas Archeological Survey would love to hear about them and so would I. This article was written in partnership with my work at the McElroy House: Organization for Cultural Resources and Community Action and you can find further resources, including a reading reference list, listed online via our site the Boiled Down Juice at www.boileddownjuice.com. l April 2014 | ABOUT...the River Valley

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ABOUT...the River Valley | Valley Vittles

THE OAK TREE BISTRO | 2725 East Parkway, Russellville

Cultured Cuisine; C’est magnifique!

Story by JOHNNY SAIN | Photos by STEVE NEWBY

The word “bistro” has a classy ring to it. It just sounds cosmopolitan. Try it yourself; say, “I’m eating at the bistro tonight.” Go on. Say it aloud. Don’t you feel instantly cultured and refined? Maybe it’s the origin of the word, “bistro.” It sounds French but, like many words today, the etymology is sketchy at best.

Some research says the word was originally Russian.

The Russian army was in Paris after it defeated Napoleon, and they were a thirsty bunch. Cries of “bystro, bystro,” translated “quickly, quickly,” were heard throughout restaurants in the City of Lights as Russian soldiers ordered drinks. The French heard “bystro” so often they began calling all small restaurants “bistros.” Other research says “bistro” comes from the French words “bistouille,” which means a mixture of alcohol and wine, or “bistraud,” a place where wine is served. However, after reading several research papers I wasn’t able to find a concrete connection to any of these.

So it’s probably not the origin of the word that lends

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ABOUT...the River Valley | April 2014

an aura of sophistication to “bistro.” Maybe it’s the bistro itself. Oak Tree Bistro makes a strong case for this hypothesis.

Nestled among the boutiques on East Parkway in Russellville, Oak Tree Bistro offers an urbane atmosphere with cuisine to match. Perusing the menu is an adventure in diversity. Oak Tree Bistro serves everything from soups and salads, wraps and gourmet hamburgers, on up to center-cut ribeye steak. Then there is my favorite entrée: King Street Shrimp.

Picture cheddar grits with green chile. Throw on tomatoes, chives, green peppers, and cover it all with plump sautéed jumbo shrimp. After eating some outstanding Creole cooking in New Orleans the last two summers, I would have to rate Oak Tree’s interpretation of shrimp and grits as one of the best I’ve ever tasted. After savoring the last morsel I wanted to shout, “c’est magnifique!”

But that would not be classy. And I was, after all, in a bistro. l

April 2014 | ABOUT...the River Valley

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ABOUT...the River Valley | Countertop Creations

Edible Easter Delights Story by LYDIA ZIMMERMAN, Food Editor

E

aster is my second favorite holiday, behind only Christmas. There are two reasons for this: Number one is because we celebrate our Lord Jesus rising from the grave and ascending to heaven.

Number two is because of the beautiful “spring is here at last” decorations we see, from the flowers outside to the bright decor we see inside.

Those fortunate enough to have visited my in-laws home around the holidays know that my mother-in-law loves to decorate for the holidays. The celebration of Easter means pastels, bunnies, chicks and eggs cover her table.

This month’s recipes are edible Easter themed decorations for your brunch/lunch Easter table.

As always enjoy!

EASTER DEVILED EGGS 12 large eggs 1/4 c creamy salad dressing (such as Miracle Whip®) Salt and ground black pepper to taste Hot sauce 1/4 tsp dry mustard 4 drops red food coloring, or desired amount 4 drops blue food coloring, or desired amount 4 drops green food coloring, or desired amount 3 c water, or as desired Place eggs into a large saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Let eggs boil for 3 minutes; turn off heat, cover pot, and let eggs cook in hot water for at least 20 minutes. Drain and cover eggs with cold water. Peel cooled eggs.

Cut hard-cooked eggs in half lengthwise and remove yolks; mash yolks in a bowl with creamy salad dressing, salt, black pepper, hot sauce, and dry mustard until smooth.

Place red, blue, and green food coloring into 3 different bowls and add about 1 cup water to each bowl. Steep 8 egg white halves in each bowl, tinting the egg whites pink, light blue, and green. If color is too pale, add more coloring to bowls. Drain colored egg whites on paper towels.

Pipe or spoon egg yolk filling into colored egg white halves; cover and chill before serving, at least 30 minutes.

Recipe Courtesy of allrecipes.com 20

ABOUT...the River Valley | April 2014

EASTER EGG CEREAL TREATS ¼ c butter 10 oz bag of marshmallows 5 c cereal (I used Fruity Pebbles) In a large pan melt butter using medium heat.

Add marshmallows and stir until melted.

Pour in the cereal and mix to incorporate.

Spray plastic eggs with cooking spray. I found it was easiest to use eggs that split vertically. You could just use 1 or 2 eggs for this process as the cereal does not take long to take the shape of the egg.

Spoon the cereal mixture into each half of the egg then close egg to form shape. Pop cereal out after about 10 seconds.

Recipe courtesy of inkatrinaskitchen.com

CADBURY CREAM COOKIE CUP Chocolate chip cookie dough, prepared or purchased ½ c light corn syrup ¼ c salted butter, softened 1 tsp vanilla 3c powdered sugar Yellow food coloring Prepare your favorite chocolate chip cookie dough. Spray a muffin pan with nonstick spray and add about 3 Tablespoons of dough to each muffin well. Bake for 13-15 minutes until golden.

Let cool 15 minutes in the pan. The middle will sink in. To help it along you can press a small glass (or spice jar) into the well to create a cookie cup. While the cookies are warm but firm use the tips of your fingers to gently twist the cookie cups up and out of the pan. Let cool completely.

In the bowl of your mixer combine corn syrup, butter, and vanilla until smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar and mix until incorporated.

Remove about 1/4 of the cream and dye with yellow food coloring.

Pour white cream into the cookie cups. Finish off with a small drop of yellow cream.

Recipes courtesy of inkatrinaskitchen.com *** PEANUT BUTTER EGGS 3/4 c butter,melted 4 c powdered sugar 1 1/2 c peanut butter 1 tsp vanilla 12 oz chocolate candy coating 12 oz vanilla Candy coating sprinkles Colored candy melts Combine butter, sugar, peanut butter and vanilla in mixer. For easier handling, refrigerate for about one hour. Roll into a two inch log, then pinch one end to shape like an egg. Press thumb on top

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EASTER EGGS NESTS 3 drops green food coloring 1/2 tsp milk 1 1/3 c flaked coconut 6 oz white confectioners’ coating Jelly beans or robin eggs In a small bowl, mix food coloring with milk; add coconut and mix until evenly tinted; set aside.

Melt confectioners’ coating over a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring every 15 to 30 seconds until smooth. Mix with coconut mixture and place by spoonfuls on waxed paper. Shape mixture like a bird’s nest, making a slight indentation in the center of each one.

Cool completely and decorate by placing candies in the center of each nest.

Recipe courtesy of allrecipes.com to flatten. Lay on wax paper lined baking sheet. Repeat until all dough is used. Freeze for at least 30 minutes.

Melt chocolate and vanilla candy coating in separate dishes, according to package directions. Using two forks, dip each egg into chocolate (or vanilla), tap off the extra coating and lay it on a piece of parchment. Repeat until all eggs are coated.

To decorate, melt various colors of candy coating in small bowls.

Put in a ziploc bag and snip of the corner. Decorate. To decorate with sprinkles, re-dip the egg into desired chocolate (or vanilla) and add sprinkles immediately. To make the bunny, use a toothpick to dot on the eyes with chocolate. Then use the vanilla bark to attach two jimmies (for the ears) and half a mini marshmallow (for the tail). Allow eggs to set (about 10 minutes). I store mine in refrigerator for best flavor!

Recipe courtesy of shugarysweets.com

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I asked Ava what her favorite thing is at Kitchen Essentials and she replied “I love EVERYTHING. Miss Becki and Miss Kim always know just what I need to make yummy treats. I really like the apple cider, the soup, and the crackers with dips. I like it all! “ It’s so nice to have a kitchen store that Miss Ava Barringer really does have the (Daughter of Bob & Cindy Barringer) ESSENTIALS.

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BUNNY BUTT CAKE 1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow or white cake mix Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box 1 Tray or cardboard covered with wrapping paper and plastic food wrap or foil 1 container Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting Red food color 1 large marshmallow, cut in half 3 c shredded coconut Green food color 2 strawberry or cherry stretchy and tangy taffy candies (from 6-oz bag) 1 roll Betty Crocker® Fruit Roll-Ups® punch berry chewy fruit snack (from 5-oz box) 3 green-colored sour candies, separated into strips Construction paper Heat oven to 325°F. Grease 1 1/2-quart ovenproof bowl (8 inches across top) with shortening; coat with flour (do not use cooking spray). Lightly grease 3 muffin cups in regular-size muffin pan.

Make cake batter as directed on box. Pour cake batter in 3 muffin cups, filling two-thirds full. Pour remaining batter into 1 1/2-quart bowl.

Bake cupcakes 17 to 21 minutes, bowl 47 to 53 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes.

Remove cakes from muffin cups and bowl; place rounded sides up on cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour. If necessary, cut off rounded tops of cakes.

Spoon frosting into large bowl. Add red food color to make desired pink color. Place bowl cake on tray cut side down; spread 1/3 cup frosting over cake. Use frosting to adhere cupcakes to bowl cake for feet and bunny tail. Use toothpicks if necessary.

Place marshmallow halves, cut sides down, on tops of 2 cupcakes to make heels of feet.

Spread thin layer of frosting over side and top of cake to seal in crumbs. Freeze cake 30 to 45 minutes to set frosting.

Spread remaining frosting over cake.

Sprinkle with 2 cups of the coconut; press gently to adhere. Shake 1 cup coconut and 3 drops green food color in tightly covered jar until evenly tinted. Surround bunny with tinted coconut. Use rolling pin to press strawberry candies into 2 large rectangles.

Cut 2 large ovals and 6 small circles out of candy. Press onto bottoms of bunny feet, using frosting if needed.

Roll up fruit snack to make carrot shapes.

Cut green sour candies in half crosswise; press into large end of each carrot to make greens on carrot. Cut ears from construction paper; wrap ends that will be inserted into cake with plastic food wrap. Insert into cake.

Remove ears, plastic wrap and toothpicks before serving. Store loosely covered.

Recipe courtesy of BettyCrocker.com

EASTER BUNNY BREAD 2 loaves (1 lb each) frozen bread dough, thawed 2 raisins 2 sliced almonds 1 egg, slightly beaten 1 c dip of your choice Cut a fourth off of one loaf of dough; shape into a pear to form head. For body, flatten remaining portion into a 7-in. x 6-in. oval; place on a greased baking sheet. Place head above body. Make narrow cuts, about 3/4 in. deep, on each side of head for whiskers.

Cut second loaf into four equal portions. For ears, shape two portions into 16-in. ropes; fold ropes in half. Arrange ears with open ends touching head. Cut a third portion of dough in half; shape each into a 3-1/2-in. oval for back paws. Cut two 1-in. slits on top edge for toes. Position on each side of body.

Divide the fourth portion of dough into three pieces. Shape two pieces into 2-1/2-in. balls for front paws; shape the remaining piece into two 1-in. balls for cheeks and one 1/2-in. ball for nose.

Place paws on each side of body; cut

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two 1-in. slits for toes. Place cheeks and nose on face. Add raisins for eyes and almonds for teeth.

Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30-45 minutes. Brush dough with egg. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Place bread on a serving tray. Cut a 3-1/2-in. circle in center of body. Hollow out bread, leaving a 1/2-in. shell (discard removed bread or save for another use).

Place a 1-cup shallow bowl in the hole and fill with dip. Yield: 1 loaf.

Recipe courtesy of tasteofhome.com *** CADBURY CREME BRU’LEGG 4 ounces Mini Cadbury Crème Eggs (unwrapped…I know this seems obvious but I had a reader once not do it and complained I didn’t explain that), chopped up 1 cup heavy cream 3 egg yolks, at room temperature ¼ cup granulated sugar ¼ tsp. vanilla extract In a medium bowl whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla extract.

Using a double boiler or a saucepan with heatproof bowl over it, melt the Cadbury crème eggs. They won’t totally melt like normal chocolate because it’s got fondant in it. It will make a nice warm blob…go with

that. Place into a blender…yep, blender.

In a small saucepan, bring cream to a boil. Once at a boil remove from heat.

Take ¼ cup of the cream and pour into egg mixture while whisking the whole time.

You are tempering the eggs so they don’t scramble on you. Keep doing this ¼ cup at a time until all the cream is whisked in. Pour mixture into blender and let sit for a minute.

Turn blender on low at first and then up to high, you want the chocolate fully incorporated into the cream/egg mixture.

You don’t want chunks but the end of the world won’t happen if you do.

Pour into 3-4 (depending on how big yours are…I got 4) leaving just a little room. Place them into a 9-13-inch pan and fill half way up the ramekin with hot water making them a little water bath.

Bake at 300F for 30-37 minutes depending again on the size of your ramekins. I had one slightly smaller on and that took 34 minutes the other three took 37. You just need to watch it. You want it firm but with a little jiggle in the middle.

Remove from oven and from water bath and let sit for about 5 minutes. Then while still warm add the extra egg on top. It will sink a little…that’s okay. You will notice this says brulee and looks it. The fondant makes it look that way. These don’t actually get tourched unless you want it.

And if you do want that, do it after they have been in the fridge for 4 hours.

Recipe courtesy of culinaryconcoctionsbypeabody.com

MARSHMELLOW EASTER CRITTERS Vegetable oil cooking spray 1 T confectioners’ sugar 2 envelopes (1/4 oz each) gelatin (1 T plus 1 1/2 tsp) 2/3 c cold water, plus 1/2 c roomtemperature water 2 c granulated sugar 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract Fine colored sanding sugar, for sprinkling and rolling STEP 1: Coat a 9 1/2-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray, and dust with confectioners’ sugar, tapping out excess.

Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in the bowl of a mixer. Let stand for 5 minutes to soften.

STEP 2: Meanwhile, heat granulated sugar and room-temperature water in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Wash down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush. Cook until syrup reaches 238 degrees on a candy thermometer. Stir syrup into softened gelatin, and keep stirring for a few minutes to cool. Whisk on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, 8 to 10 minutes.

Whisk in vanilla. Spread mixture into baking sheet using an offset spatula; sprinkle with sanding sugar. Let stand for 1 hour to set.

STEP 3: Cut out marshmallows using your favorite Easter cookie cutters (wipe cutters clean between each cut), and roll cut sides in sanding sugar to coat.

NOTE: Marshmellows (critters) should be stored in an air tight container.

Recipe courtesy of MarthStewartLiving

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ABOUT...the River Valley | Community and Events

Diana Butler, from left, and Dr. Linda Birkner assist as Dr. Larry Davis and Gene Ruffiner complete the paperwork for the land purchase.

UACCM Purchased Additional 9.67 Acres For Expansion MORRILTON, Ark.—The addition of a new Workforce Training Center became more of a reality for the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton on March 11 when the college purchased an additional 9.67 acres of land at the southwest corner of its campus. Coupled with the acreage purchased by UACCM in May 2013, the college now owns all of the more than 17.5 acres of land needed for future construction of the estimated $10 million facility.

After almost 10 years of discussion, UACCM purchased the land, located on the northeast corner of Poor Farm Road and University Boulevard, from Gene Ruffiner.

An initial agreement was signed Nov. 11, 2013, to purchase the land and complete the acquisition of property within the college’s planning boundary. Ruffiner believes in the mission of UACCM and attended the college when it was still under the name Petit Jean Vocational Technical School.

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ABOUT...the River Valley | April 2014

UACCM Chancellor Dr. Larry Davis said, “Our dream for the future of this area starts with securing the 17 acres of land for the Workforce Training Center. With this purchase of Mr. Ruffiner’s land combined

“The acquisition of Mr. Ruffiner’s property will allow us to continue growing and adding programs that are vital to our six-county service area,” said Birkner.

“The campus now stretches from Bruce Street to Poor Farm Road, and the visual impact is a valuable asset to the city and the community as a whole.”

Planning for the center is already underway.

Davis, Birkner, and other campus administrators have worked closely with architects in recent months and began drawing up plans for the structure.

The building will house many of the college’s technical programs including automotive service technology; automotive collision repair technology; and heating, air conditioning and refrigeration technology as well as a new industrial maintenance program. An open space for workforce training will be used to recruit new industry

Ruffiner Land Purchases Map: Land purchased shown in yellow.

with last year’s purchase of Mr. Coffman’s land, step one toward our dream and vision for Morrilton, Conway County, and all of our six-county service area is complete.”

The University of Arkansas Board of Trustees approved the purchase Jan. 24 after Davis and Vice Chancellor for Administration Dr. Linda Birkner made preliminary arrangements. The transaction was complete when Ruffiner and UACCM closed on the property last week.

to the area as well as assist current industry with workforce development needs.

“We’re excited about sharing the plans and drawings that we’re putting together to individuals and businesses in hopes that they’ll be supportive financially of this project,” Davis continued. “It will benefit students and citizens that we serve for years to come.”

To fund the project, UACCM is in the beginning phases of its “GIVE MEANING”

capital campaign, a six-county fundraising effort led by a leadership team and volunteers. Through the campaign, the college will work to raise funds to construct the new Workforce Training Center and establish a maintenance fund for the new facility as well as support endowed scholarship funds.

Students come to UACCM from many counties in central Arkansas to get a quality, affordable education. As the college continues to grow, new programs and training opportunities and new industry partners will be added to better equip its students to enter the workforce.

This new facility will present even more avenues for growth and expansion that will provide enhanced educational offerings at UACCM well into the future.

For more information about UACCM or this project, visit www.uaccm.edu.

POPE COUNTY TO HOST FIRST NONPROFIT EXPO

By Shane Crabtree This April, nonprofit organizations of Pope County will be given an opportunity to connect with the public at “Get On Board,” a nonprofit organization exposition.

Presented by Leadership Russellville, a group of community leaders elected by the Russellville Chamber of Commerce, the expo is set to be held on April 29 at Arkansas Tech University’s Tucker Coliseum. All activities will start at 4 p.m.

According to Tony Warren, assistant vice president of Arvest Bank on Elmira Avenue, other counties have held successful nonprofit organization information sessions, but that this is a new motion for Pope County. “Little Rock just had a nonprofit expo, and there have been a couple of others around the state,” said Warren. “But it’s never been done here.

This will be the first in our county.”

As a member of Leadership Russellville, Warren describes the expo as a “field of dreams” for those involved in nonprofit organizations, as it allows for exposure to the public and encourages individual involvement and commitment. “There are over 200 nonprofit organizations in Pope County alone, and I’ll be excited if I can get at least 75 of those to present at our expo,” said Warren. “But in the end, it’s all about getting people to show up and meet

WE ARE

other people and businesses that they had no clue were there. I want people to really get involved.”

“And when I say we want the public, we mean that everyone is welcome,” said Warren. “Besides the non-profits, we’re inviting kids, schools, churches and whoever else might be interested.”

Additionally, a free workshop seminar hosted by Beth Presley, Arvest Bank’s marketing director, and Patricia Brown, The City Wire’s chief operating officer, will be offered to attendees. According to Warren, Presley and Brown combine for a total of 25 years experience in the nonprofit organization industry.

With the event date quickly approaching, Warren says that any nonprofit organization interested in presenting at the exposition has until March 21 to complete a registration form. “We’re all busting it right now to get more invitations out to local nonprofits,” said Warren. “I’ve been spreading it around and advertising as much as I can.

And I can’t emphasize enough just how important this is for nonprofits.”

“I mean, it’s free,” said Warren. “It’s a huge opportunity, and I want people to take advantage of it while they can.”

WALTERS WILLIAMSON

Few students know about the Williamson Dining Room’s spring lunch series, but even fewer know that it is not only helping current hospitality students prepare for

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April 2014 | ABOUT...the River Valley

25

their future, but also helping preserve the memory of two former students.

Renee Walters and Julia Williams were two “very well-respected and hard-working students” according to hospitality department head Dr. Cathi McMahan. “The girls were very likable, hospitable girls. They were very well known in our department – due to their personalities and work ethic.” They complemented each other. Walters was more outgoing while Williams loved to spend the majority of her time in the kitchen. McMahan called them “two peas in a pod.”

Because of their work ethic and skills, both Walters and Williams earned internships through Signature Services for the summer of 2003.

They had the opportunity to cook for a Boy Scout camp on Catalina Island off the California coast beginning that June, but an unfortunate accident never let that dream become a reality.

A van full of interning students, including Walters and Williams, was headed to the summer camp on the afternoon of June 14, 2003 when the vehicle was struck by a tractor-trailer around 4:30 p.m. While all of the other passengers suffered only minor contusions from the collision, both Walters and Williams died from the injuries they sustained.

Signature Services, the company Walters and Williams were to serve their internship through, decided to fund a scholarship in memory of the students. The hospitality department then resolved to maintain the fund and chose to use the Williamson Dining Room as its means to do so.

Since the scholarship was founded, all gratuities from the

spring lunch series, fall dinner series, and other special events hosted by the Williamson Dining Room go directly to the Walters/ Williams scholarship fund. This scholarship awards two qualifying Arkansas Tech hospitality interns the funds to pay for their internship, equivalent to six credit hours of tuition, each year the finances are sufficient. At least 26 students have benefitted from the Walters/ Williams scholarship to date.

“We are very pleased to be able to offer the scholarship, as not many departments have the opportunity to offer a scholarship opportunity for interns/internships,” said McMahan.

“We truly appreciate all those that have generously given to the scholarship fund!”

This semester, students and members of the community can support the hospitality administration department and the Walters/Williams scholarship by taking part in the spring lunch series. More information about the Williamson Dining Room including menu, meal prices, and serving times can be found at http://www.atu.edu/ prha/diningroom.php.

RELAY FOR LIFE

The American Cancer Society’s 2014 Pope and Yell County Relay for Life will be held from 7 p.m. April 25 to 7 a.m. April 26 at the Pope County Fairgrounds. The theme for this year’s event is Dr. Seuss and the goal is $80,000.

Since the local Relay effort kicked off in November, more than 20 teams have been raising money for ACS. But Relay for Life activities are open to everyone and not just team members.

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ABOUT...the River Valley | April 2014

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“We encourage anyone and everyone from the community to come out and be a part of the Relay for Life experience,” said cochair Leigh Ann Veach.

Opening ceremonies will begin at 7, followed by the survivor lap. At that time all survivors present are invited to make the first lap around the track. After that initial lap, teams are encouraged to have at least one member walking around the track until the event’s conclusion, with the exception of the luminaria ceremony.

At 9 p.m. white bags, containing candles, will line the track in memory of those people who have lost the fight to cancer, in honor of those fighting the disease and in recognition of all caregivers.

A full line-up of entertainment and activities will continue throughout the night.

“I love being a part of Relay For Life. It’s wonderful to see so many people come out for the same cause, even though each path that brought them there is different,” Veach added.

“Some are there because they themselves are battling or have battled cancer, some are there to celebrate loved ones, while others are there to remember and honor someone lost to cancer. No matter why they are there, the end goal is the same: to find a cure.”

Additional information is available on the event’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/RelayForLifeOfPopeandYell.

2014 BUILDING BETTER MOMS MOTHER’S DAY COLOR RUN BENEFITING THE HAMPTON FOUNDATION

This run will be held on May 10n at the Train Depot in Downtown Russellville. Registration starts at 7:30 p.m. $30 day of and $25 for preregistered runners, $15 for Children’s 1K. Start time is 8:30 a.m and 9:30 a.m. for the kids 1K. For more information, contact Angie Thornsberry at 970-5212 or angie_ thornsberry@yahoo.com The Hampton Foundation is a small group of people that believe the most precious commodity to a terminally ill or injured child is time, time for a sick child to feel safe and secure during a period in their young lives that feels the darkest. During this dark time we believe the best way to shed light is by spending time with the people closest to them. We believe that a child should be able to feel safe and secure with their loved ones by their side. We believe that no child should be alone, and we can help by connecting

families so that the child experiences the safety and security of having a loved one nearby. We are the way, we are the help, and we are the hope that gives a child what is most important when they most need it: The ability to spend time with their loved ones.

We are The Hampton Foundation. Our goal is to give families the opportunity to stay together.

UACCM TO HOST COMMUNITY DAY

MORRILTON, Ark.—The University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton will host Community Day on Sunday, April 6.

The free event will feature an information session for prospective students beginning at 1:30 p.m. and an open house for the public from 2:00 until 4:00 p.m.

Current students, alumni, and their families are encouraged to attend as well as anyone from the community who is interested in finding out more about UACCM. This event will conclude UACCM’s official 50th anniversary celebration as this May will mark its 50th graduating class since the college opened its doors in 1962.

Prospective students and their families are encouraged to attend the information session in the Fine Arts Auditorium beginning at 1:30 p.m. to learn more about UACCM educational programs and services, including financial aid, counseling, tutoring, and campus life. Anyone interested in attending this portion of Community Day should R.S.V.P. online at www.uaccm.edu or by phone at 501977-2053. Space is limited for the information session.

Beginning at 2:00 p.m., the entire college will be open to the public with different activities going on in many departments throughout campus. Among them are a skills competition

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win any of the available door prizes he or she chooses.

No R.S.V.P. is required to attend the open house portion of Community Day. For more information about Community Day or the information session, visit www. uaccm.edu.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW FOR ONE OF THE RIVER VALLEY’S MOST RELISHED EVENTS

between auto collision and welding students, a car show featuring antiques and hot rods from the CC Kruzzers and the Toad Suck Car Club, student projects and displays, the Arkansas Arts Center ArtMobile, a well-head demonstration by petroleum technology students, the launch of the Community Borrower Card by the E. Allen Gordon Library, nursing SIM lab demonstrations, blood pressure checks, and more! The Earle Love Child Study Center will have a make-a-puppet activity for children, and balloons and coloring books will also be dispersed. Many vendors who support UACCM’s technical programs will be on campus as well.

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ABOUT...the River Valley | April 2014

The Plaza at UACCM will serve snacksize samples of some of their biggest menu items, and student organizations will be set up outside The Plaza with information about the different groups. The Alumni Association will be set up outside The Plaza in the pavilion taking photos of graduates from each decade since the first class of graduates in 1964.

Guests will have the opportunity to win several door prizes, including an iPad Air donated by Follett, College House, and the UACCM University Bookstore.

Door prize tickets can be obtained from each department during the open house.

Guests can get one ticket from each location throughout campus and enter to

The 22nd Annual Taste of the Valley, Main Street Russellville’s award-winning tasting party and signature fundraiser will be held on Thursday, April 24th from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Russellville Depot, 320 W. C Street.

Taste of the Valley showcases area restaurants, bakeries, caterers, delicatessens, and coffeehouses, as well as Arkansas vineyards. In addition to the delicious food, live entertainment will be provided throughout the event

by The Journey, Steve Kaufmann and The Mountain Boomers, making this one of Russellville’s most anticipated and “relished” social events.

Tickets to the 22nd Annual Taste of the Valley are on sale now for $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Tickets provide each guest with the opportunity to sample food and beverage from more than 25 participating exhibitors. Each

year exhibitors anticipate the results of the anonymous judging of the ‘Best” Awards for Best Taste, Best Presentation, Best Dessert, and Best Beverage, and ticket stubs provide guests the opportunity to vote for the much sought-after “People’s Choice Award.” The presentation of awards is held at 7:30 pm.

Ticket and exhibitor information is available at the office of Main Street Russellville, located in the historic Russellville Depot at 320 W. C Street, 479967-1437, msrsvl@centurytel.net. Tickets may also be purchased at Russellville Area Chamber of Commerce.

Proceeds from Taste of the Valley benefit Main Street Russellville, Inc., a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that is dedicated to the preservation, revitalization, and redevelopment of Russellville’s traditional central business district, the historic “heart” of the city.

Since 1992 the organization has provided no cost professional design and technical assistance to businesses and property owners located in the central business district. The organization has administered grants as incentives for rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of numerous private properties, and the restoration of the historic Russellville Depot and development of Burris Memorial Plaza have become notable community landmarks. The organization conducts a number of free special public events that take place downtown throughout the year that include the quarterly Downtown Art Walks, Tri-Peaks Community Market, Collectibles on Commerce, the new Music Downtown @ Sundown summer concert series held on the last Saturday in June, July and August, and the Downtown Fall Festival and Chili Cookoff has become a signature community event. Numerous projects resulting from the development of the Downtown Master Plan are in the conceptual planning and development stages and include a performance pavilion at Depot Park and a multi use parking facility at the Pope County Courthouse. The Master Plan has also resulted in ongoing public improvements that include the El Paso corridor project and streetscape improvements on West Main Street. l

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ABOUT...the River Valley | Backyard Living

Read more from Meredith at www.boileddownjuice.com

The Boiled Down Juice

Garden Scheming and Springtime Dreaming Story by MEREDITH MARTIN-MOATS

Public schools are increasingly offering garden education programs for children.

But for those of us with young kids (or grandkids) it's important to remember learning to love the garden begins in babyhood when children gravitate toward the tactile experience of dirt in their hands and grass under their bare feet.

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ABOUT...the River Valley | April 2014

Maybe you're thinking, “but I can't even keep a cactus alive.

How can I teach my kids to garden?� The great thing about early gardening education is that it really isn't about actual gardening.

It's about observation and experimenting and taking time to just be outside. Whether we're experienced farmers or repeat cactus killers, we all start with simple trial and error and observation.

And, if we're lucky, we never lose sight of these fundamentals.

Teaching my kids to garden didn't start as a deliberate act.

I needed to garden and they needed to be with me. But before you conjure up some idyllic image of us basking in an amazing backyard Eden of blooming flowers and grape vines, let me tell you what gardening with young kids is really like. As babies they destroyed many plants with their fat, little, grabby hands.

They ate all manner of dirt and leaves; they picked flowers before they could bloom. They got so dirty I had to hose them off in the yard (which they loved). All the while, they became fearless explorers of the soil.

Along the way I started to see the garden through their eyes.

Together we figured out a few common sense ideas for getting very young kids engaged with the garden.

1. Encourage them to touch. For babies and toddlers, everything is about the tactile experience. Allowing young children access to plants and dirt lets them know the outdoor world is to be loved, not feared. Obviously, you don't want them eating poisonous flowers, crushing your precious seedlings, or playing in chemical-laden fertilizer. So pick and choose what they explore by giving them a big pan of dirt and a few seedlings they can handle. Let them touch the stringy roots and feel the soft petals. If they're really

young, give them a bowl full of snippets from edible plants---dill or cilantro, for example—and let them feel the texture in their hands and experiment with the taste on their fingers. If you don't garden, just give them a big pan of dirt and some clover from the yard. Or when you're preparing dinner let them pull back the cornsilk from an ear of corn and feel the silk in their hands. The point here is to make sure they know the garden is a place full of tastes and textures.

And so what if you turn your back for a moment and they ruin a few plants? Sure, it's not ideal. But don't scold them, especially if they're preverbal. They're touching your precious plants because they're fascinated by them. This is a good thing! A few crushed seedlings is an investment in their future.

2. Encourage them to get dirty. Getting dirty should be a huge part of childhood, not something that happens only under controlled conditions. Plenty of time spent with dirt helps kids develop an appreciation for its power and ubiquity in our lives. So allow them time and plenty of access to sink their hands in the soil. If you've got a small garden plot in your yard, block off a section that's only for them. Give them a tiny spade and let them dig, dig dig. Give them a watering can (any object that holds water will do) and encourage them to fill it up and dump it in the dirt. Yes, it'll be messy. But they will love it. Developing an early appreciation for dirt and worms is more important than all the clean clothes in all the world.

3. Pay attention to the rain. Kids start to notice rain at a young age and we should never downplay their interest in this mundane yet truly magical act of nature. When there's a nice steady rain take a moment to sit outside and watch how it soaks into the soil. Wear a raincoat or maybe don't. If you allow yourself to step into their world, chances are the drops will feel as magical to you as they do to them. If it's a harsh, hard rain, sit on the front porch and put out a metal bucket, listening to water loudly hit the bottom.

If you're able, install a rain barrel to catch the water for the garden. The point here is to help young kids see the connection between rain and growth, giving them

ample opportunities to appreciate the wildness and wholeness of a vast and interconnected world.

How do you teach your kids about growing? As part of my work at the McElroy House: Organization for Cultural Resources and Community Action I'll be co-presenting a workshop on gardening with kids at the first annual CANAS (Central Arkansas New Agrarian Society) Conference on April 26th. Go to: eventbrite.com/e/ cultivating-community-1st-annualspring-canas-conference-tickets for more information. I'd love to see you there and hear your ideas! l

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ABOUT...the River Valley | Style in the Valley

Go Ahead, Make a Statement Story and photos by EMILY LANGFORD

A lot of brands, designers and stylists are becoming bigger advocates of simple approaches when it comes to personal style. Women around the world are rejoicing, too. However, simple does not have to mean bland, and it definitely should not!

If you have peeked in a J.Crew magazine lately or even inside the local boutiques of Russellville, you will see an obvious trend – statement jewelry. This trend is your friend. In fact, feel free to make it your best friend.

Not sure what “statement jewelry” is? The best way to describe it is as jewelry that makes you instantly say “wow.” It makes a… statement. It can take a look from day to night. It can be worn in the office or Sunday’s church service. It can make a man weak at his knees. Basically, statement jewelry is almost as powerful as women are.

Execution is everything, so let the breakdown begin.

WORKING WOMAN Regardless of varying dress codes, making a statement with jewelry in the office is usually possible. If you work in a conservative environment, loud necklaces will not be the way to go. In this case, cocktail rings, a toned down necklace (chain necklaces are great), an oversized watch or signature bracelet will be your best bets. If you have a little more freedom where you work, tiered statement necklaces are something to experiment with.

DATE NIGHT Ladies, whether date night is with your other half, best girlfriends, or yourself, looking and feeling fabulous is essential. This is another occasion when tiered necklaces are ideal. Since it will be nighttime, including some stones into your look can make everything pop. If the neckline on your outfit is a little low, throwing it off with a long in

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ABOUT...the River Valley | April 2014

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length, thin necklace can be very chic and attractive. Layering thin, long necklaces is another option.

Good news, Lefler’s in Russellville’s City Mall is ready to accommodate your statement jewelry needs! Reasonable prices, constant replenish of stock and current trends for all ages are just a few of the things that have kept this local and family-owned boutique in business for so many years.

Making a statement does not have to end with your accessories. Lefler’s offers both Estée Lauder and Clinique makeup lines.

With a new season around the corner, it is time to transition your makeup.

TRENDS + CLASSICS TO TRY Testing out beauty trends does not have to be intimidating or time consuming, but let us not forget about our timeless favorites. Below are a few of my favorites of both.

NEW TRENDS Bold brows are here, and for a while.

No shame needing a little help having thick, perfectly shaped brows. My favorite product to do that with is Clinique’s “Brow Shaper,” a pressed powder, which is less messy than gels. This product is so easy to use.

Plum lips, finally a trend that looks great on everyone! Finding the perfect shade for you is the key to adopting this trend.

Estée Lauder’s new “Pure Color Envy” in “Brazen” is one plum I am excited about this season. Not only is the color intense in all of the right ways, it hydrates unlike many of its competitors.

THE TIMELESS Red lips have been a staple of beauty for countless years. Please, whatever you do, find a shade of red lipstick you love and wear it. If it is not a color you want for every day, use it for when you want to feel special. One color I have found to be universally flattering is Estée Lauder’s “Double Wear Stay-in-Place” lipstick in “Stay Cranberry”. Double Wear is 12hour makeup, and it is my favorite thing.

No more worrying about lipstick on teeth or reapplying during the day, this lipstick does the job.

All mentioned makeup and jewelry can be found at Lefler’s. Tell them we sent you! l

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ABOUT...the River Valley | Outdoors

Read more from Johnny at www.aviewfromthebackroads.com

Simple Fun at the Pond Story and photo by JOHNNY SAIN

Farm pond bass take us back to when things were simple. You don’t need a lot of expertise, equipment, or time. You can be an absolute beginning angler with a spincast reel, a white spinnerbait, and half an hour of freedom. The half hour of freedom is the only necessary ingredient for a good time at the pond.

In rural areas across the River Valley, almost every pasture that did or now holds livestock will have a pond of some size and shape on it. The primary reason for a pond is to supply water for cattle, horses and such, but the landowner would often stock a pond with bass and other game fish.

Wading birds can occasionally deposit fish eggs from one locale to the next as well.

Ponds with a creek in close proximity will likely have fish deposited in them when the creek overflows, and ponds with larger feeder creeks running through them are good bets to hold bass.

The first thing to do after locating a prime piece of small water is to find out who 34

ABOUT...the River Valley | April 2014

owns the pond and ask permission to fish.

Be polite and courteous. Be sure to add that you will close all gates and pick up any trash lying around, even if you didn’t leave it.

When you get permission to fish, remember those things you told the landowner because if you want to come back and fish this pond again you will need to do them. Close the gate behind you, pick up your trash, don’t keep fish if told not to, and for the love of Pete don’t harass the livestock. It’s not that hard, and it can insure that return visits will be welcomed.

Once you’ve gained access you need to equip yourself, and this is the real beauty of pond fishing: whatever you have will work just fine. You don’t need half a dozen rods suited to half a dozen tasks. I like to use the lightest equipment I can get away with, but really, it doesn’t matter. Bait casting, spinning, fly rod, and spincast tackle are all acceptable. The bass don’t care.

A handful of lures will cover everything. Fly rod anglers need some streamers and popping bugs. All others need a bottom bait like a jig or Texas-rigged plastic worm, a topwater lure of some kind and, no matter what else you bring, always tuck a spinnerbait into your tackle pack. Pond bass and spinnerbaits go together like beans and cornbread.

No matter the season, always bring a spinnerbait.

You don’t need to impress anyone by wearing a jacket with enough sponsor logos to make a stock car envious. No one that cares whether you can pitch, flip or skip. The basics will serve you well here at the pond.

The only thing you need to be “pro” at when your pond bassin’ is spotting fresh cow patties. l

ABOUT...the River Valley | Engagements

Save the Date!

Calendar listings of engagement, wedding and anniversary announcements on the pages of each issue of ABOUT…the River Valley are available at no charge.

They may be mailed to: ABOUT Magazine, P.O. Box 10176, Russellville AR 72812 or sent via email to: editor@aboutrvmag.com. (A phone number must be included for verification.)

~ April 5 ~

~ May 23 ~

~ June 14 ~

Amanda James and David Osborne

Paige Griffin and Caleb Bubbus

Sara Benfer and Paul Swearingen

Joanna Newburn and Ryan Newton

~ May 25 ~

Amy Bruce and Jeremy T. Hall

Allison Whiting and Cecil Whiting

~ April 12 ~ Katie Goodwin and Ross Harvell

Megan Moore and Phil Brick (25th)

~ May 31 ~

Amanda Gordon and Brandon Weaver Megan House and Nick Jones Anna Martin and Justin Pool

Stephanie Hentschel and Adam White

Kirsten Sordelet and Daniel Bell

Janey Jacimore and Jacob Gatling

Alesha Marie Upton and Kyle Meatheany

Natasha Young and Mason Henry

Allie Pipkin and Jacob Sparks

~ April 26 ~

Megan Teer and Drew Cahill

~ June 20 ~

~ April 19 ~

Nicki Zimmerman and Jacob Unruh

~ May 3 ~ Stacy Baldwin and Jason Pollack

Hannah Ulrich and Ryan Jones

~ June 7 ~ Jillian Colten and Steven Walker Heather King and Blake Hendricks

~ May 17 ~

Emily Lacy and Andrew Tackett

Megan Brunetti and David Lensing, Jr.

~ June 8 ~

Abby Halley and Colt Wright Jessica House & Daniel Walters

Megan Freeman and Blake Harris

Kayla Avery and Kyle Johnson

~ June 21 ~ Ashley Beam and Devin Thaxton Lori Carter and Seth Brunetti Amanda Collins and Nathan George

~ June 28 ~ Jaclyn Blake and Matt Kitchens Cendyl Carter and Jordan McGowan

To have your engagement or wedding published in a future issue of ABOUT Magazine, send your information, photo* and a check for $57.50 to: ABOUT Magazine, PO Box 10176, Russellville AR 72812, or visit visit www.aboutrvmag.com/forms.html. Word count is limited to 225 words. Deadline is the 15th of the month preceding publication. For additional information, call (479) 857-6791. *Digital files are accepted and will be published upon receipt of payment.

Blessings www.youramcare.com

Visit ABOUT’s website

TODAY!

to you and your family this Easter season

• Wedding & Engagement forms online • See who is in this month’s issue • Browse information from past issues • Learn how to Advertise in ABOUT • Subscribe Online!

IN-HOME PERSONAL CARE

www.aboutrvmag.com

(479) 880-1112

April 2014 | ABOUT...the River Valley

35

Millard-Henry Clinic Celebrates Grand Opening Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center celebrated the grand opening of the new Millard Henry Clinic on March 2nd, 2014. Despite gloomy, icy weather the attendees enjoyed hordouvres, facility tours and socializing.

Medical team members served as tour guides throughout the 47,000-squarefoot, ultra-modern facility.

Millard Henry Clinic is home to 28 medical practices, making it one of the largest multi-speciality clinics in the state.

36

ABOUT...the River Valley | April 2014

April 2014 | ABOUT...the River Valley

37

On a Personal Note Whole Health Means Healthy Body and Mind Guest Written by Tonya Gosnell

The mind is like the body; you get out what you put in.

If you feed your mind junk, full of negativities, that’s what you get back.

38

The World Health Organization says health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being; not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. They define mental health as “a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.”

So what does this look like for me? Does it mean I’m happy every day? Does it mean I feel like conquering the world every day? Does it mean I have it all together every day? I don’t think so.

Some days I have to get up and fake it until I make it. In other words, I put a smile on my face and plug through with a positive attitude until it is my reality. One thing is for certain, you are much more likely to have a good day if you start it off by saying that you will. You are also much more likely to accomplish something if you have a goal in mind and a plan to get there.

The mind is like the body; you get out what you put in. If you feed your mind junk, full of negativities, that’s what you get back. The power of positive thought is real and effective. Looking at the big picture of your life and not just one moment or one day will give you a more realistic picture of what is going on and help you appreciate life at a different level. Everyone experiences good days and bad days, but what does my overall life say about my mental health or my health in general?

I’ve found that healthy self-esteem is important.

This doesn’t mean I should take 20 selfies a day and post them on Facebook because I’m all that and a bucket of chicken. No, it’s how do I make a difference in my job, in my relationships or in my daily activities. Am I making positive contributions? If not, let me find a way. Be a positive change in someone’s life, love someone, be true to

ABOUT...the River Valley | April 2014

whom I am, live a good life and be thankful for the blessings God has given me.

My relationships also contribute to my health. I need satisfying relationships with people that I can count on and that can count on me. I need mutually nurturing relationships that provide unconditional and positive support. If I isolate myself I will get down. God created us to be social, so if I don’t have relationships I feel the void.

Sometimes the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. An example of this would be joining the Arkansas Tech University campus walk called Out of the Darkness on Saturday, April 12. We will be walking to raise awareness and money for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. It’s a great feeling to join other people in a common cause and it doesn’t take much to participate.

It’s also important that I am resilient. When life throws a curve I can take it. I think our culture has been teaching us the wrong responses to life and its challenges. Society has created this dependence on the government and others to do everything for us. We want to abuse our bodies with junk food and sit in front of the television all day. Then take medication that will help us continue our unhealthy life styles rather than putting forth the effort to help ourselves. Go ahead, eat all you want, just take the purple pill and you’ll be fine. I want to be the kind of person that faces a challenge with dignity, strength and determination.

I have to take care of myself. If my body feels bad then it’s really hard to be positive and productive.

The food that I eat needs to nourish and not poison me. I also stay active. My exercise of choice is Zumba! The music is great and the people I’m with are having fun. Dancing is a way for me to have fun and get my heart rate really pumping. The more I do it, the better I feel physically and mentally.

And it gives me satisfaction by helping someone improve their lives on different levels. There is no down side.

Look for more interesting features and tidbits in "On a Personal Note" each month in future issues of ABOUT...the River Valley. You'll find short stories, interesting pieces and other great reads from people you know, or would like to know from around the River Valley.

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BENEFACTOR $2000-$3499 About Magazine Allen, Brad and Kristy Bank of the Ozarks Entergy Saint Mary's / Millard Henry Clinic Shoptaw-Labahn Tom Bagby Photography

SPONSORS $1000-$1999

A-1 Pawn Arvest Bank Asurion Blackstone Construction BnBauman Photography Cogswell Motors Convergence Technologies Duffield, Luke and Stephaine Good Deal Charlie Discount Furniture & Mattress SuperCenter Joshua's Fine Jewelry Leaning Willow Phil Wright Autoplex Regions Financial Corporation Streett Law Firm PA Taber Extrusions, LLC Wilkins, Mike & Teresa

FRIENDS $500-$999

Arden Boyce Bell, Dr Mike & Debbie C & D Drug Store Duffield Gravel Gardner, Jacqueline Jennifer Goodman Photography Kozii LeeAnne's Parkway Dental River Valley Martial Arts Russellville Steel Simmons First Bank of Russellville Skelton Law Firm Staples Stingley, Rusty and Kathleen Southwest Airlines Tangles Salon & Spa Valley Motors Whitt, Brandon and Julie Wilkins Brothers Sudy's

SUPPORTERS $100-$499

Abernathy, Faye Adams, Travis and Lou Anderson, Ferne Shinn Arkansas Tech University Bachman, Toni Back to Basics Fitness Center Barr, Harold and Carol Barron, Dr. Garr and Rosalind Belk Bizzy Bee Quilts Blue Chip Ice Bradley, Alan Brown, Dr. and Mrs. Robert C. Brown Cargill Central Rental Supply CenturyLink Chevaillier, Bill and Milly Coker, Ken and Kellie Douthit, Scotty and Gretchen Duffield, Ronnie and Susan Dunn, B.J. and Claire Ewings Photography Forca Martial Arts & Fitness Fouts, Dan and Pam Garrett, Ms. Mary Lou Gaston's White River Resort Golden Boy Goodin, Cliff and Sara Lou Grant, Mr. and Mrs. Pete Happy Jumpers Rentals & Party Supplies Harmon, Suzanne and Bill Harrell, Rick and Jane Harris, Benny and Lavel Harrison, Rick and Laura ~ In Memory of Kelly Loop Hernandez Cleaning Holeyfield, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Humphrey, Mr. and Mrs. Harold I do Formal Wear Johnson, James and Bonnie Johnson, Robin Junior Auxiliary Provisional Class of 2007 Kelley and Collins, Pope County Title Co & ArtSpace Gallery in Morrilton Killingsworth, Dr . Stephen & Sherry Kirby, Dr. Robin Kronberger, Fritz and Sharon Trusty Lieblong, Dr. and Mrs. Jim Lieblong Eye Clinic Little John Transportation Services, Inc. Leonards Hardware McSpadden, Roy and Troylynn ~ In Honor of Clara, Chloie, Anna Kay and Mac McSpadden Massey, Dr. and Mrs. Rudolph Mathis, Max and Stephanie Matt Cooper Agency, Inc. Microplane

Millyn's Mullen Team Sports Mullens, Bert and Annette Murphy, Judy Newton Tire Newton, Mr. and Mrs. John ~ In Honor of Suzanne Harmon Nicholson, Dan and Susie OHEKA CASTLE Omega Solutions Ownbey, Ron and Joanne Paint with Lane Park Lane Jewelry Paul Lackey of Caricatures by Paul PDQ Super Convenience Stores Perry, Joann Hays ~ Judy Thacker Memorial Scholarship Quick Service Cleaners Razorback Video & Tanning Rendezvous Richardson, Tommy and Linda Roberts, Robert and Kay Rose Drug Russellville Family Dentistry Rye, Christie Salon 121 Serendipity Sims, Mr. and Mrs. Donnie Sims, William and Kim Smith, Bill and Kathy Space World & Moving Center Sorrell's Sorrells, Jamie and Beth Stratton, Peggy and Gary Silkensen, Dr. and Mrs. Hugh ~ In memory of Sara Simpson Sugar Creek Foods Terminix The Beach Shack The Other Foot & More Tyler, Dr. Tom and Linda Vspa Vspa MedSpa Wachovia Securities - Gordon Investment Group West Main Donuts Wojtkowski, Aaron

Firehouse Subs Fitness Junkie Fletcher Oil Flowers, Etc. Four Dogs Bakery Freddo's Funky Junky Gifts on Parkway Gordon, Sara Gosnell, Tonya Griffin, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Griffin, Scott and Suzy Hale, Jeffrey and Melanie Hampton Inn Harpenau, Al and Donna Harps Health Food Garden Italian Gardens Just Dance Inc. KidKouture - Jennifer Saxton Knit 2 Together Kroger La Huerta Lavish Lefler's Lowrey, Dr. D.H. Matilda Jane Clothing, Heather Ramsey Meason, C. Michele Merle Norman Cosmetics of Russellville McAlister's Nails by Hannah Nickels, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Oak Tree Bistro Premium Siding Supply Stallings, Sue Taco John's Taco Villa Mexican Food Tena's Gymnastics & Cheerleading The Cake Place The Dandy Lion The Jump Place Tom E Tiger/Sportsworld Venezia's Walmart Whattaburger White Gardenia Designs Young, Mr. Harvey

CONTRIBUTORS $1-$99

ACKNOWLEGEMENTS

Arkansas Tech Spirit Squad Ava Anderson Non Toxic Beyond Words Therapy Services, Inc. Carr's Chain Reaction Cash Saver Cathy's Flowers Cardsbychrissy.etsy.com CJ's Butcher Boy Burgers Crews, Tommy and Mary Anne Dixie Café Fat Daddy's BBQ

Life & Associate Members Helping with Work Day Lunch

PROVISIONAL CLASS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Beach Shack Joyce Laws

April 2014 | ABOUT...the River Valley

39

Sastry Prayaga, M.D.

Dai-Yuan Wang, M.D.

Shuja Rasool, M.D.

Ahmed Athar, M.D.

LEADING SPECIALISTS. ADVANCED HEART CARE. MEETING ALL YOUR NEEDS HERE AT HOME. Cardiology Associates of North Central Arkansas is proud to provide advanced heart care to the River Valley region. We offer our patients convenient access to complete cardiology services delivered by experienced, board certified physicians: Dr. Sastry Prayaga, Dr. Dai-Yuan Wang, Dr. Shuja Rasool and Dr. Ahmed Athar. Our team of leading specialists is committed to your heart health. To schedule an appointment with one of our heart specialists, please call our clinic at 479.968.4311.

Cardiology Associates

of North Central Arkansas

cardiologynca.com | saintmarysregional.com 2205 West Main | Russellville, AR

AN AFFILIATE OF

REGIONAL

HEALTH

SYSTEM