ABOUT | December 2016 by ABOUT the River Valley Magazine

Capâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;n Phil

Reflecting the Character of the Arkansas River Valley December 2016

www.aboutrvmag.com

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ DECEMBER 2016

DECEMBER 2016 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S

DECEMBER 2016 EDITION

Pg16

Pg8

Pg30

8 Troubadour

Phil Higdon’s small frame was relaxed and, though, he walked with a cane he seemed chipper and spry, hardly relying on it at all as we hugged and found a quiet corner in a busy restaurant for lunch.

14 Victory

16 Improving the Lives of Strays

No Kill Russellville is a grassroots organization of activists and game changers dedicated to the care and fair treatment of animals. As a group, their goal is to lower the “kill rate” of the Russellville Animal shelter by providing low cost spay/neuter clinics and microchipping, volunteers, and adoption drives.

22 Deck the Halls

Subscribe Today! Have every issue of ABOUT...the River Valley delivered to you monthly! Subscribe online today at www.aboutrvmag.com or send a $20 check for a One-Year Subscription (11 Issues) to ABOUT Magazine 220 East 4th Street Russellville, AR 72801 Call 479.219.5031 for more information.

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ DECEMBER 2016

30 My Hometown - Paris

Paris, Arkansas claims 3,495 residents and is home to the Butterfly Festival, a replica of the Eiffel Tower, and the old Paris hospital. The town also hosts events, like Frontier Days, that pay homage to the roots of the community reaching back to 1871.

46 Lessons of the Jalapeno Flower

FEATURED MERCHANT First State Bank Pg. 44

DECEMBER 2016 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

A PAGE FROM

The Editor’s Notebook

Precious little mundane moments

What a year. Seriously, this was the most surreal year of my life. August weather was like April weather and October weather was like August weather and then, regardless of which side of the political fence you come down on, we all just experienced the most shocking presidential election in our nation’s history. Oh, and, holy moly, the Cubs won the World Series! Is there a better indicator that we’ve slipped into some other dimension, that the very fabric of our known reality is at least compromised than the Cubs winning the Series? And then, of course, weird as it was, it came and went too fast. Years always slip away too fast. As winter’s darkness settles over the River Valley, it’s always nice to reflect on the comforting truth that some things don’t change. At least not turn-your-world-upsidedown drastic change, anyway. Though the narrative and costumes will be different this year, your kid’s Christmas play will still be staged in a crowded auditorium with questionable acoustics and a jammed thermostat set to 81 degrees. Infants will cry and every cough and sniffle will have you reaching for the GermX and a zinc lozenge. But you’ll still love the experience anyway. That’s your kid up there along with the offspring of friends and family, business partners, and other community members. And you’ll smile and clap for every off-key singer and comment to your neighbor that “that was really good,” and your neighbor will smile and nod. And you’ll carry on about how much little Susie looks like her mom and how little Bobby is growing like a weed, and your neighbor will smile and nod. And the clapping and the smiles and the nods will continue off and on until the lights flare and you’re thanked — sincerely thanked by someone who pours their life into molding our children — for the opportunity to work with your kid on this wonderful presentation. Though the faces gradually change through the years, this spirit never does. And then you’ll go home to a warm house with food in the fridge and a twinkling tree in the corner with maybe a couple of new ornaments marking an event on your family’s timeline this year. There’ll be bright paper and shiny bows underneath illuminated by those blinking little bulbs. And you’ll smile a grateful smile for the slow changes, the changes you can savor, the precious little mundane moments that comprise the tapestry of our existence. And you’ll whisper a thank you — a sincere thank you — to whoever or whatever you believe deserves your gratitude. And then you’ll ask, with more sincerity than you thought possible, for more of the weird, more of the surreal, and more, much more, of the slowly changing precious little mundane. Johnny Carrol Sain, Editor johnny@aboutrvmag.com

Celebrating a Decade of Character in the Arkansas River Valley A Publication of One14 Productions, Inc Vol. XI, Issue 11 – December 2016

DIANNE EDWARDS | founding editor JOHNNY CARROL SAIN | managing editor johnny@aboutrvmag.com LIZ CHRISMAN | photography editor lizchrismanphoto@gmail.com BENITA DREW | advertising benita@aboutrvmag.com CHRISTINE SAIN | advertising christine@aboutrvmag.com MEREDITH MARTIN-MOATS | freelance meredith@aboutrvmag.com SARAH CHENAULT | freelance sarah@aboutrvmag.com LYDIA ZIMMERMAN | columnist lydia@aboutrvmag.com CHRIS ZIMMERMAN | layout/design chris@aboutrvmag.com CLIFF THOMAS | illustrator maddsigntist@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) 219-5031. Office: 220 East 4th Street Email: info@aboutrvmag.com Postmaster: Please send address changes to: One14 Productions 220 East 4th Street Russellville, AR 72801

Benita DREW

ad ver t isi ng

(4 7 9 ) 8 5 8- 9 2 7 2 6

Christine SAIN

adve r t i si n g

( 479) 970-1998

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ DECEMBER 2016

Liz

CHRISMAN

phot og r a ph e r

Chris

ZIMMERMAN

l ayo u t/ d e s ig n

(479) 264- 2438

www.aboutrvmag.com

CALENDAR OF EVENTS: DECEMBER 2016 Every Saturday in December — Horse and buggy rides through downtown Paris. Enjoy a relaxing night of Christmas lights while taking a Horse and Buggy Ride. Either a romantic evening with your loved one or a family outing. For more info contact 963-2244. December 2 — Downtown Art Walk & Holiday Open House from 6-9 p.m. in downtown Russellville. For details call 967-1716. December 2 — Dardanelle Christmas Parade. Parade starts at 6:30. For more info contact 229-3328. December 2-3 — Clarksville Christmas Arts and Crafts Show at the Marvin Vinson multi-purpose building 1611 Oakland Street. Doors are open from 9 a.m.- 6 p.m. both days. Santa will be on site from noon - 4 p.m. both days. Admission is $1. For more info, go to Clarksville Christmas Arts and Crafts Show page on Facebook. December 3 — Clarksville Christmas Parade through downtown Clarksville. Parade starts at 7 p.m. For more info contact 754-2340. December 3 — Christmas Open House at Mather Lodge in Petit Jean State Park. See the park’s historic Mather Lodge dressed in its Christmas finery. Enjoy family arts and crafts activities and seasonal entertainment. Contact the park for a schedule. Admission is free. For more info contact 501-727-5441. December 3 — St John’s Lutheran Church of Russellville’s Nativity Tour from 2 - 4 p.m. For more info contact 968-1309. December 10 — Dutch Oven Cooking Workshop at Lake Dardanelle State Park.

Meet at the Visitor Center and join a park interpreter for a hands-on class about cooking with Arkansas’s official state cooking vessel. Discover the methods and secrets of successful Dutch oven cooking that early settlers would have used. You will help prepare a meal and we will cover the basics of temperature control as well as how to care for cast iron cookware plus send you home with the recipes we cook and some new ones to try on your own. Dutch ovens will be available for sale in gift shop if you wish to purchase one after the workshop. Preregistration is required. Admission is $20. For more info contact 967-5516. December 11 — Russellville United Methodist Women will present a Holiday Tour of Homes from 2-4 p.m. on December 11, at the homes of Tara O’Dell, 511 Autumnwood Drive; Paige Fisher, 1414 Lands End Point North; Vickie Stingley, 4 Rimrock Road; and Georganne Rollans, 408 Skyline Vista Lane. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at FUMC office, 304 South Commerce. All proceeds go to support United Methodist Women mission projects. For more info call 968-1232. December 15-16 — A Homemade Christmas Craft Show and Silent Auction. Held in the Johnson Regional Medical Center lobby, this is a fundraiser for Johnson Regional Medical Center held by the hospital auxiliary. It will showcase artisans from the hospital’s service area (Johnson, Logan, Pope and Franklin Counties). An opportunity to finish Christmas shopping and find unique handmade items. The auxiliary will also sell homemade sweets. For more info contact 774-1153.

ABOUT...the River Valley Su

*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 (479) 219-5031. Deadline is the 15th of the month preceding publication.

December 22 — Eagle Tour on Lake Dardanelle State Park. Meet at the weigh-in pavilion Lake Dardanelle State Park is proud to offer free winter lake cruises for the best chance of seeing our national symbol, the Bald Eagle. Many other spectacular birds will be in the area for viewing including American White Pelicans, ducks, and Snow Geese. Please dress appropriately as temperatures and winds are more severe on the lake. In an effort to accommodate as many people as possible for our tours, we will be taking reservations. You will need to call the visitor center at 9675516 to reserve your seat. Begin boarding 15 minutes before the tour, at the boat dock near the Tournament Weigh-In Facility. Tours are weather dependent. December 25 — Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

DECEMBER 2016 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

Story by ROBB McCORMICK | Photos by LIZ CHRISMAN

Story by MIKE QUAIN | Photos by LIZ CHRISMAN

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ DECEMBER 2016

DECEMBER 2016 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

PHIL HIGDON’S small frame was relaxed

and, though, he walked with a cane he seemed chipper and spry, hardly relying on it at all as we hugged and found a quiet corner in a busy restaurant for lunch. His silver hair and Gandalfian beard was shiny and well groomed, a trademark for those that know him around the River Valley. Phil is a soft-spoken man. He always has been, at least since I’ve known him, which impossibly adds up to about 20 years now. Phil, now 64 years young, started playing classic rock before it had the word “classic” in front of it. “It was just called rock back then,” Phil jokes. What do you call a man who's been playing music for over 50 years? What do you call someone who never held any notion of making it big but whose love for music, passion for people and history have kept him on different stages throughout the past five decades? I’d start by calling him a troubadour. “Where did it all begin, musically, for you?” I asked. Of course it began where so many children find a lasting love for music, in a classroom with a great, encouraging teacher. “My most influential teacher was probably Mrs. Sanders, my choir teacher,” said Phil. “She taught me from first grade through the 12th. When I was 15, she asked me to play the guitar with the choral quartet.” This was Phil’s introduction to the stage and spotlight. In sixth grade Phil played both piano and his dad’s Harmony Archtop guitar with Black Diamond strings. Black Diamond Strings, Phil recollects, could also make excellent survival saws. “Especially that big E string,” he said with a Santa Claus wink and smile. Phil was finally given his own electric guitar when he was 15. He played folk music and loved finding an audience in the assemblies at school. “In 1967 The Ballad of Springhill [a song about a coal mining disaster], made famous by Peter, Paul and Mary, was one of my favorite songs to play. I was attracted to the storytelling from the beginning.” The same week Phil was to play it for a talent show, there had been a similar disaster in the Kentucky mines. Phil changed the words at the last minute to fit the current news and his classmates and teachers loved it.

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ DECEMBER 2016

Phil grew up in the sixties, when folk music was becoming mainstream. Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, John Prine, and other voices resonated in that era. They were writing worldchanging songs. And it was songbirds like Phil Higdon that brought this new music to northwest Arkansas. At the time, folk music was considered dangerous because it carried hippie ideas, crazy ideas like peace, love, and equality. Phil was pushing borders before most of us were being pushed in strollers. Barry McGuire’s prophetic Eve of Destruction and Bob Dylan’s The Times They Are A-Changin and Blowin’ in the Wind, have been in his playlist over the years, and we talked as music fans about the relevancy of those songs even today. We came to the conclusion that those songs are still relevant because the times are still’a-changin’ and the answer is still blowin’ in the wind. I first met Phil after wandering into Higher Grounds Coffee Shop and seeing this silver beard behind a microphone, singing and playing these old songs. I was intrigued. This is when Higher Grounds was still upstairs on the corner of Commerce and Main Street, and Pam Burns, the owner and a music lover, brought live music into her coffee shop. I distinctly remember the smell

of roasting coffee when you’d reach the top of the stairs and Christmas lights glowing in the window, silhouetting performers against the cityscape. I sat there, in the soft worn fabric of the couch that would sink in so low you needed a buddy’s help or an armrest to get up out of it, countless nights. It was like the world slowed down for little bit when Phil played. His soft, hushed tones forced us to listen. His playlist was very different from other performers at the time. Phil included histories about each song, how they maintained their

Phil, now 64 years young, started playing classic rock before it had the word “classic” in front of it. “It was just called rock back then,” he jokes. relevancy, some even beyond the composer’s life. He didn't realize it, but that was our classroom. Phil and other seasoned performers, like John Cotton, were our teachers. He wasn’t just teaching us to be a performer on a stage, he was teaching us how to write songs that would outlive us. From the coffee house seats I heard Don McLean's “Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)” and John Prine’s, “Sam Stone” from Phil’s lips and for the first time. These are songs that hold powerful, profound lyrics dealing with mental anguish and PTSD. >> DECEMBER 2016 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

For 33 years Phil worked in mental health services, serving others primarily as a drug and alcohol rehabilitation counselor. Music had a cathartic power for Phil. He listened patiently to people's problems, helping them move past trauma, all day long. Then he would come home and unwind. “Zachary, Eva, and Jesse [Phil’s children] definitely have memories of me strumming songs from the 60s and 70s as they drifted off to sleep in their rooms,” Phil said. “It was the soundtrack to their youth.” During his lengthy career, Phil has had to deal with the death of clients. Many were self-inflicted. So many, in fact, that he had to stop counting. But Phil used music to help him cope. And while he doesn't call himself a songwriter, inspiration has forced pen to paper more than once. “Twisted Minds” was a song he wrote about suffering the loss of his patients and trying to cope with grief and guilt. Another song, “Grace,” was written for his wife of almost 40 years, Diane. Phil met Diane in his second year of graduate school. Diane's dark hair and brown eyes are what first attracted Phil, and we shared a laugh about brown-eyed girls being our kryptonite (my wife, Jeri, has brown eyes, too). In just a few months, Diane and Phil will celebrate their 40th anniversary. When asked about the secret behind 40 years of marriage, Phil replied humbly, “Compromise and forgiveness. Don't expect the other person to

change into who you want them to be. Love them as they are.” Wise words from a wise friend. Phil has been involved as a political performer as well as an activist with his music for over half his life. In rural Arkansas, perhaps in the whole state, he was one of the first people to form a community band of mixed ethnicity back in the 60s. “Music,” he said, “is transcendent of race, age, creed, or sex.” Phil’s playlist today includes an eclectic mix of works ranging from the ancient to the contemporary, from the 1400s to the 1980s. When I asked which songs spoke to him in more recent years, he was quick to mention Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah. “Really it's so beautiful,” he said thoughtfully. “It was too good to pass up playing.” Phil doesn't miss a beat when I reference the original Nine Inch Nails version of “Hurt” versus Johnny Cash's. He’s even quick to note that Cash's interpretation of that song was much like Jeff Buckley's version of Hallelujah, in that it became the definitive version. Phil has always given back to the community. “Throughout college, I volunteered at a hotline for drug abuse and suicide prevention. And for a year I volunteered as a teacher for kids who dropped out of high school.” He has also been a faithful guitar player at his church, Grace Fellowship, for 35 years, where he still plays today.

#moreinMorrilton

MORE OPTIONS

BASICS

HEALTH PRO

WWW.UACCM.EDU | 501-977-2000

TECH

If your goal is to ﬁnd a rewarding career, explore all options available to you. Go online today to learn more about our aﬀordable, convenient technical and transfer degrees.

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ DECEMBER 2016

In 1999 Phil started suffering from painful diverticulitis, which led to his first surgery in 2005. The ailment became more complicated when an autoimmune disorder attacked his surgery wounds, putting Phil back into the hospital to undergo emergency operations. He spent eight days in ICU and three months total in the hospital. When I visited him in the hospital after that last surgery, his long silver beard and white hair were the only part of Phil I recognized. His arms were bruised and swollen from needle pricks and medicine. Phil became depressed. He feels that he was given a choice, there in the hospital, to live or die. He chose to live. And after recuperating, he continued working at Counseling Associates in Russellville until 2009 for total of 31 years. Eventually, as is bound to happen with all musicians, our conversation turned to gear. Phil has a nice collection of instruments, but the one that he is most proud of is the Taylor 712 CE. He said it’s because of how it was acquired. An old friend was writing a painful autobiography, and due to Phil’s work experience and their close friendship, the friend asked Phil to act as sounding board for some raw segments. As a gift for his time, and as an act of appreciation, the friend offered to buy Phil a nice guitar. Money was no object. Phil could choose the one he really wanted. Phil was unsure at first but his friend reassured him that it was going to happen regardless of whether Phil made a choice or not. Phil, who describes himself at this point “like a kid at Christmas,” took his time and finally found the guitar of his dreams and a small amp to go along with it. Phil is a humble man. He never expected a soaring music career with big lights and fast cars. He's never demanded things from people. His shows are almost reminiscent of a college professor teaching his class regardless of whether students show up or appreciate it at the time. He has learned from life and now he is giving back the way he always has, through the joy of music and storytelling. Phil was the last person to think he would ever end up on the cover of a regional magazine like ABOUT, though, I can't think of anyone more deserving of recognition. Phil is a troubadour, a bard who marches to the rhythm of the voice he hears guiding him, a man with no pretense about him, a straightforward, faithful, honest, hard-working, music loving, some would say, ol’ hippie of a man. After lunch, we leave each other with a selfie and a hug and smiles on our faces. Both of us looking forward to another day of music and the blessings that comes with it. l

Cap’n Phil Personally, I call Phil, “Cap’n Phil.” And for the longest time I think he thought it was because he does, on occasion, wear a captain's hat. The truth is that it’s inspired by the movie Dead Poet’s Society. Spoiler alert — when John Keating, portrayed by Robin Williams, has been fired and is forced from his classroom, his students disobey the headmaster, stand on their desks in solidarity reciting “O captain, My captain.” An excerpt from Walt Whitman’s Poem: “O Captain! my Captain! Our fearful trip is done, The ship has weather’d every rack; the prize we sought is won.” I call Phil “Cap’n Phil” because he helped lead me down a path. He doesn’t raise his voice or give orders because he leads by example. And when he performs he is a conduit of distant voices and echoes of wisdom from times gone by. Echoes that, we today, should strain our ears to hear. In my 2003 album, Everything is Nothing, I had written a song about my wife called “Better Now.” It had a fingerpicking part in it that I knew I wanted Phil to play. He agreed to help and I was honored and happy to have Phil’s touch on that album. You've heard it said nice guys finish last. I'm here to tell you nice guys finish well. And while I believe Phil Hidgon is nowhere near being finished, I know that Phil will finish well. As long as there is life in his body and breath in his lungs, as long as God allows him the ability to tell stories and play, he will continue. Robb McCormick 11.16.16 a.k.a. some fan named robb

DECEMBER 2016 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

EVERY DAY LIFE

ABOUT...the River Valley

Victory

Story by SARAH CHENAULT | Illustration by CLIFF THOMAS

Before we blink an eye, the Christmas season is upon us... Again. I myself am an avid lover of all things Christmas: the lights, the music, the food, and the merriment. I am not, however, as big a fan of Christmas shopping. The overall madness of the experience is just too much for me. Every year I concoct a plan to keep myself out of the stores — “I’ll shop online!” or “QVC!” or “I wonder if I can pay someone to do this for me?” — but I still end up scrambling around to department stores, trying to scrounge together the last few items on my gift list. This year I found myself at the mall a few weeks early. I had to drive a couple of hours for a medical appointment only to find out I had arrived a couple of hours too early. Fortunately, there was a shopping mall directly across the street, so I decided to pass the time trying to knock out some Christmas shopping. Inside the mall, I glanced at the directory for a few moments and discovered that most of the stores I needed to visit were upstairs. But I couldn’t find any stairs, only escalators. I walked further into the main corridor of stores and still didn’t spot any stairs. Where were the stairs? The maintenance woman that was coming out of the mall bathrooms might know. “Excuse me,” I asked. “Can you tell me where I can find a stairwell?” “Right there.” She pointed to the escalators. “No, that’s the escalator, does this mall not have any regular stairs?” “Well, we remodeled a few months ago and the stairs are in Dillard’s, but I think that store is under construction.” I recalled the front of the Dillard’s store being taped off when I first walked in. “But,” she continued slowly, “there is an escalator right there...” The woman must have thought I was crazy. “OK, thank you.” I walked slowly in the direction of the escalators. It had been years since I had been on one. No matter where I was, I would take the longest route to find a set of stairs, to avoid the electronic version. I stopped directly in front of the moving stair case. The steps surged forward, collapsing at the top only to then 14

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ DECEMBER 2016

cycle back through, surging from the floor again, and all to a steady, rhythmic hum. The memories came rushing back to my mind as I stood frozen in front of the escalator. It was this same time of year, but I was a teenager, Christmas shopping with my mom. We were carrying several big bags each and only had a few more stores to visit before heading home. I had found the perfect gift for my sister but wanted to make sure I didn’t spot anything better in another store. Of course, I couldn’t found anything nearly as good, so I decided to go back to the store on the second level to pick up the bracelet I knew she would love. I was wearing a brown pair of cargo pants that had a draw string on the ankle cuff. You remember the kind, you could cinch them up higher if you chose to wear them as capris pants, another ridiculous fashion blip from the 90s. As I stepped onto the escalator, one of the draw strings from the bottom of my pants got hung in between two of the stairs! I instantly panicked and tried to pull my pant string free, but to no avail! “Mom!” I shouted. She turned and looked at me, then down at my pants. “Take them off!” She exclaimed. “WHAT? Absolutely not!” Continued on page 42...

About Products

Looking for the best products in the River Valley? These retailers have them! Shop local for the best deals!

KAVU

THE NORTH FACE

PATAGONIA

Trendy Women’s Kavu Plaid shirts also available in dresses.

Men’s The North Face Gordon Lyon collection perfect for work or the weekend!

New Patagonia Pullovers perfect for the winter transition.

FELTNER’S ATHLETE’S CORNER; 2320 West Main, Rsvl; (479) 968-6464

MARK ROBERT’S COLLECTIBLES

UNIQUE NATIVITY SETS

Complete selection of Mark Robert’s collectible fairies and elves. Each charmingly unique piece is hand crafted with its own personality and look.

Large selection of unique nativity sets in a wide range of sizes, prices and styles. MILLYN’S; Front Street, Dardanelle; (479) 229-4144

MILLYN’S; Front Street, Dardanelle; (479) 229-4144

BENJAMIN MOORE ADVANCE

With all the performance characteristics of a conventional alkyd, Advance is the ultimate finish for cabinets & trim with easy soap & water cleanup! FREY PAINTS; 905 E. Main St., Russellville; (479) 968-7071; 1003 S. Rogers, Clarksville; (479) 754-7075

BENJAMIN MOORE CHALKBOARD PAINT Why settle for boring black? Benjamin Moore Chalkboard Paint is available in ANY color! FREY PAINTS; 905 E. Main St., Russellville; (479) 968-7071; 1003 S. Rogers, Clarksville; (479) 754-7075

GIANI GRANITE COUNTERTOP PAINT

Give your old, worn countertops the beautiful look of granite in 3 easy steps. Available in 5 realistic mineral-rich colors. FREY PAINTS; 905 E. Main St., Russellville; (479) 968-7071; 1003 S. Rogers, Clarksville; (479) 754-7075

DECEMBER 2016 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

Improving the lives of

ONE FURRY FRIEND AT

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ DECEMBER 2016

strays

A TIME

NKR Story by MIKE QUAIN | Photos by LIZ CHRISMAN

No Kill Russellville is a grassroots organization of activists and game changers dedicated to the care and fair treatment of animals. As a group, their goal is to lower the â&#x20AC;&#x153;kill rateâ&#x20AC;? of the Russellville Animal shelter by providing low cost spay/neuter clinics and microchipping, volunteers, and adoption drives. Since 2012, Whitney Hickerson and her fellow animal lovers have been improving the life of stray animals one furry friend at a time. DECEMBER 2016 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

NO KILL RUSSELLVILLE FORMED after Whitney wrote a letter to the editor for the local newspaper criticizing the published kill rates at the Russellville Animal Shelter. According to the text, less than 20 percent of animals brought into the shelter were adopted and the rest were euthanized. Whitney wrote, “There are resources available to help cities work toward achievable goals in reducing both the shelter’s kill rate and the community’s overpopulation challenge.” These resources included grants, volunteer work, and simple policy changes. After reading that letter to the editor some like-minded folks found Whitney on Facebook and started discussing what they could do to facilitate change. From there, the group quickly snowballed into a volunteer force that became No Kill Russellville. Their first event was a huge adoption drive during the summer of 2013 and before long they had identified several ways to begin improving the quality of care given to animals at the Russellville Animal Shelter. 18

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ DECEMBER 2016

Although the group is called No Kill Russellville, volunteer Megan Jones explained that they understand not all animals can be saved. Some cannot be rehabilitated and many are so sick that they cannot recover. Behavioral problems, injuries, and sickness can all mean that euthanasia is the most humane response. Megan said, “Even a no kill shelter isn’t going to be 100 percent, and we know that. There are dogs that come in that are really, really sick and cannot be rehabilitated or are just vicious.” In these cases, euthanasia is the only humane choice. Instead of focusing on these animals, the No Kill movement is focused on reducing the numbers of animals that are killed because of cost, time, and space requirements. A commonly discussed goal among no kill groups is a 90 percent adoption rate. According to 2013 numbers, only 20 percent of animals brought into the Russellville Animal Shelter are adopted. In addition, statistics comparing the Clarksville Animal Shelter and the Russellville Animal

Shelter show that Russellville spends more money per animal and euthanizes more than three times as many of those animals. The No Kill website reads, “This begs the question. Why do Russellville taxpayers spend more money to save fewer animals?” The solution is complicated, with multiple strategies coming together to reach that 90 percent adoption goal. The volunteers donate time, raise money, and hold events to help out at the shelter. One of No Kill Russellville’s biggest events is the spay and neuter clinic. The overpopulation of stray animals is a substantial strain on the animal shelter. In Russellville, these animals are brought into the shelter but simply cannot be adopted away fast enough. When the shelter runs out of space, they have no choice but to euthanize. Having a spayed or neutered pet is the best way to combat this overpopulation, and No Kill Russellville’s clinics allow pet owners to spay or neuter their pets for only $20. Any reduction in the breeding of stray animals is a benefit to the Russellville Animal Shelter. Lower numbers of animals means that each animal gets more care, more time available for adoption, and the attention they deserve. Sterilization isn’t just about overpopulation either; according to The Humane Society, spaying or neutering your pet often improves behavior. Calmer animals are much more likely to be adopted. Holding a clinic like this is not an easy or a cheap task. “We’ve been raising funds for a spay and neuter clinic all year,” board president Megan Davis said. Despite the effort, high volume spay and neuter clinics are the most cost effective means of keeping animals out of shelters. Another service No Kill Russellville offers is lowcost microchipping. Many lost pets brought to the animal shelter are never recovered. But for $10, pets are implanted with a small RFID tag that can be read at any vet’s office or animal shelter. This tag stores an ID number that can be used to retrieve the pet’s name and owner information. The chip is about the size of a grain of rice. It is inserted with a needle and is no

When we hear the words “animal shelter,” images come to mind of a safe space for homeless animals and families reunited with their lost friends. The reality is unfortunately far more bleak than that. DECEMBER 2016 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

more painful than a vaccine. These chips are an invaluable resource for pet owners and help keep animals out of the shelter and reunited with their owners. Volunteers from No Kill Russellville also donate their time to walk the dogs, which exercises the dogs and helps improve their behavior. “I think a lot of people don’t realize how rambunctious dogs can be if they’re not exercised regularly,” Megan Jones said. When shelter animals are locked in a kennel for days at a time they quickly develop behavioral problems, anxiety, and sometimes even aggression. In addition, the volunteers occasionally help clean up the shelter. All of these activities and events help reduce the shelter’s kill rate, but the most effective service No Kill Russellville provides is with its adoption events. Once a month, the volunteers select the most likely candidates for adoption early in the morning. They groom the animals, walk them, and then transport them to one of several locations, such as A Dog’s World Grooming or Tractor Supply Company. While at the event, No Kill volunteers do their best to promote adoption. “We’ll post pictures on Facebook and invite people to come out,” Megan said. Adoption events help animals and recruit volunteers. “Adoption events are dual purpose, said Whitney, “Not only do we work to adopt dogs from the shelter, but we also use it as an opportunity to talk with people in the community, hear their stories, and talk about how they can make an impact.” “Sometimes we go in and take mass pictures of dogs,” Megan said, “We wish the shelter would just take photos of the dogs when adoptable ones are brought

Your One-Stop Technology Source

:: Server Administration

Advanced Solutions, Inc. (ASI) is your one-stop source for home and personal computer repair and service. We also offer business-to-business computer solutions from networking to systems installation to on-site training and service. Additionallly, ASI is the River Valley’s EXCLUSIVE Apple Service provider. ASI has the solution to your technological needs.

:: Networking

:: IT Consulting :: Structured Wiring :: Drop-Off or On-Site Service :: Virus Removal ~ FREE Diagnostics :: Computer Sales & Training

479.880.2005

:: Website Hosting & Design

220 East 4th St., Russellville www.asitechnology.com

:: Accounting Systems

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ DECEMBER 2016

in.” She said that one of the things that No Kill would like to change about the animal shelter is an improvement on intake procedure. “Animals should have a picture, identification, gender, and description posted online when the arrive,” Megan said. She expresses frustration with the Animal Shelter, but admits that they do very hard work and have improved greatly. She estimates that kill rates in Russellville have dropped to 50 percent — a big improvement over the 80 percent euthanasia rate published in 2013. No Kill Russellville is part of the larger No Kill Movement, which is growing nationally. These groups work together to share resources, volunteers, and advice while promoting the humane treatment of shelter animals. Similar groups have seen success in cities like Jacksonville, Florida and Austin, Texas, where almost 100 percent of shelter animals are saved. When we hear the words “animal shelter,” images come to mind of a safe space for homeless animals and families reunited with their lost friends. The reality is unfortunately far more bleak than that. Although the No Kill Movement has a long way to go and change happens slowly, members of No Kill Russellville are happy with how far they have come. They will continue to fight for animal rights until “no kill” is a standard practice, not a slogan to rally behind. Those that want to join No Kill Russellville are encouraged to visit www. nokillrussellville.org and fill out the volunteer form. New recruits will then be contacted with further information about how to get involved. l

DECEMBER 2016 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ DECEMBER 2016

VALLEY VITTLES

ABOUT...the River Valley

Deck the Halls

Photos by LIZ CHRISMAN | Story by JOHNNY CARROL SAIN MADAM WU’S | 914 S Arkansas Ave, Russellville

We’re not sticklers for Christmas traditions. Sometimes we decorate and sometimes we don’t. Sometimes we open gifts on Christmas morning and sometimes on Christmas Eve. But there is one timehonored ritual in which we simply must indulge: watching at least one episode of “A Christmas Story.” We build a fire in the fireplace, needed or not, and vegetate as the screen flashes images of Ralphie’s Red Ryder fantasies, the old man and his major award, and how to be a soap connoisseur. I’ll offer no more spoilers because if you haven’t watched this iconic Christmas movie, you owe yourself and your family a viewing this year. Maybe one more spoiler. As the movie winds down, after the presents are unwrapped and the pink nightmare ascends the stairs, tragedy strikes the family. Treading carefully here to, yet again, avoid too many spoilers,

Christmas dinner is lost. So the family must find an eatery for their holiday dinner, and the only place open in town is a Chinese restaurant. The closest approximation to the old man’s beloved turkey is duck, cooked whole and smiling. If only Madame Wu’s would have been an option. No duck at Madame Wu’s, but poultry options abound. We enjoyed the chicken and vegetables, tender chicken with a delicate sauce; the general’s chicken with it’s sweet and spicy boldness; and the extreme hot pepper chicken, which was only extreme in the category of sophisticated and alluring flavor. In short, something for everyone that’s looking for fine dining in Russellville’s original Chinese food establishment. These delicious options are sure to make you want to deck the halls with boughs of holly... l DECEMBER 2016 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

COUNTERTOP CREATIONS

ABOUT...the River Valley

GLAZED APPLE CREAM PIE (Grand Prize Winner/Aunt Bea Award) 1 (15 oz) pkg refrigerated pie crusts 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled & cut into thin slices 1/2 c sugar 2 T flour 1/2 tsp cinnamon Filling: 3/4 c sugar 3/4 c milk 3/4 c whipping cream 6 T butter or margarine 3 T cornstarch 3 T milk 1 1/2 tsp vanilla 2 T butter or margarine, cut in small pieces

Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Apple? Story by LYDIA ZIMMERMAN, Food Editor

his year, I was honored to be one of five judges in the Pie/Dessert contest at Russellville’s Downtown Fall Festival. Actually, my husband received the call from contest coordinator Mrs. Tachany Evans who asked if I would be a judge. As I looked over the dessert entries, and before we sampled each of them, I discovered an apple pie amongst all the pumpkin entries. I thought that this would be interesting. Each of the entries were sampled and rated among the judges based on taste, external (pre cut) appearance and internal (post cut) appearances. Other factors included were whether the crust was homemade or store bought, and texture of the dessert (smooth, lumpy, crumbly, etc.). After several minutes of discussion, we awarded the grand prize not to a pumpkin dessert but to an all-American classic apple pie. Congratulations to the baker of that apple pie, Mr. Logan Pate of Russellville, and to all the participants in this year’s contest. A special thanks to Mrs. Evans for asking me to participate as a judge and allowing us to print this year’s winning recipes. I’m sure you will enjoy preparing and tasting these desserts as much as I did. As always, enjoy! 24

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ DECEMBER 2016

Glaze: 1 T butter or margarine, softened 1 T milk 1 c powdered sugar 1/4 tsp vanilla Heat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare pie crust according to the package directions for 2 crust pie using a 10 inch pie plate. In a medium bowl, combine apples, sugar, flour and cinnamon; set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, milk, whipping cream and butter or margarine. Cook over medium-low heat until hot and butter has melted, stirring occasionally. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and 3 T milk; blend until smooth. Add to saucepan and cook until thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour into prepared pie crust and spoon apple mixture evenly over filling. Sprinkle cubed butter or margarine evenly over apples. Top with second pie crust: seal edges and flute. Cut slits in top crust. Cover edges with foil, if desired. Bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes. In a small bowl, combine softened butter or margarine and milk until blended. Add powdered sugar and vanilla: stir until smooth. (If necessary, add additional powdered sugar or milk to make a thick glaze.) Spread over warm pie. Refrigerate 2 hours before serving. (May be warmed before serving.) Store in refrigerator. Recipe courtesy of Logan Pate of Russellville

LAYERED PUMPKIN DREAM (1st place layered sheet cake/dessert) 1 1/2 c flour 3/4 c butter, softened 3/4 c pecans, chopped 8 oz cream cheese, softened 1 c powdered sugar 3 c whipped topping 2 1/2 c whole milk 3 sm pkgs (3.4 oz) white chocolate instant pudding mix 1 (15 oz) can of pumpkin 1 tsp pumpkin spice 1/4 c pecans, chopped Layer 1 Mix flour, softened butter and 1/2 c pecans together. Press into a 9X13 in pan. Bake for 15 minutes @ 350 degrees, then remove and let cool. Layer 2 Blend cream cheese and powdered sugar, add 1 c of whipped topping then spread over cooled crust. Layer 3 Mix milk, pudding mix, canned pumpkin, pumpkin spice and 1 c whipped topping until smooth. Spread over the top of layer 2. Layer 4 Spread remaining whipped topping and sprinkle with pecans. Let chill for 3 hours or until set. Recipe courtesy of Shelli Johnson of Dover

a greased and floured large cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Allow first layer to cool before spreading on second layer.

FROSTED PUMPKIN BARS (2nd place layered sheet cake/dessert) Layer 1 4 eggs 1 c oil 2 c sugar 2 c pumpkin 1/2 tsp salt 2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp baking soda 2 tsp baking powder 2 c flour

Layer 2 3 oz cream cheese, softened 1 tsp vanilla 1 3/4 c powdered sugar 1 stick margarine 1 tsp milk

Combine all the ingredients and pour into

Mix together and spread over first layer. Recipe courtesy of Caroline Davelaar

Merry Christmas from Bill & Marlene Newton and the staff of

(479) 968-1157 â&#x20AC;˘ 715 W. MAIN, RUSSELLVILLE, AR

Serving the River Valley Since 1970 DECEMBER 2016 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

PUMPKIN SPICE CUPCAKES WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING (1st place Specialty) 3/4 c butter, softened 2 1/2 c sugar 3 lg eggs 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin 2 1/3 c all-purpose flour 1 T pumpkin spice 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp ground cinnamon 3/4 tsp salt 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1 c buttermilk Frosting 8 oz cream cheese, softened 1/2 c butter, softened 4 c powdered sugar 1 tsp vanilla 2 tsp ground cinnamon Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add pumpkin. Combine flour, spice, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and ginger; add to creamed mixture alternating with buttermilk, beating well. Fill paperlined muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake 20-25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to cool completely. Frosting: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add powdered sugar,

vanilla and cinnamon; beat until smooth. Frost cupcakes. Decorate with sprinkles if desired. Recipe courtesy of Abbi Johnson of Dover PUMPKIN ROLL (1st place Holiday dessert) 3 eggs 1 c sugar 3/4 c flour 1 tsp baking powder 2/3 c pumpkin 1/2 tsp nutmeg 2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp lemon juice powdered sugar a tea towel Filling: 8 oz cream cheese 4 T margarine 1 c powdered sugar 1/2 tsp vanilla Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 10X15 jelly roll pan and line pan with waxed paper. Cream eggs, sugar, pumpkin and lemon juice, then add dry ingredients. Beat until smooth. Spread in pan. Bake 15 minutes. Dust tea towel with powdered sugar before rolling. Roll while hot in tea towel. Allow to cool completely. Mix cream cheese, margarine and spread on cake. Roll cake and slice. Recipe courtesy of Sharon Lyon PUMPKIN PIE CREAM CHEESE DIP (2nd place Holiday dessert) 8 oz cream cheese (room temperature) 1 (15 oz) canned pumpkin

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ DECEMBER 2016

2 tsp pumpkin spice 1/4 c maple syrup 1 tsp molasses Using an electric mixer, combine all ingredients until lumps are gone. This may take a while. Chill for atleast an hour before serving. Serve with sliced apples, vanilla wafer cookies or ginger snaps. A cute idea: Use a small pumpkin (cleaned out) pumpkin as a serving bowl. Recipe courtesy of Abbi Johnson of Dover PUMPKIN & CHEESE-SWIRLED PIE (3rd place Holiday dessert) 1 frozen pie shell for a 9-inch single-crust pie or 1 sheet of dough from a 15-oz packaged refrigerated, rolled, unbaked pie crusts 1 (3 oz) package cream cheese, softened 1/2 c light corn syrup 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 2 lg eggs 1 c pure pumpkin puree 1/2 c evaporated milk 1/4 c sugar

1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1/4 tsp ground cloves 1/4 tsp ground ginger 1/2 tsp salt Follow directions for prebaking crust (baking temperatures can vary depending on brand). Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add 1/4 c corn syrup and vanilla, blending until smooth. Whisk eggs in a separate large bowl until well blended, then whisk in pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, spices, salt and remaining 1/4 c corn syrup until smooth. Put prebaked pie crust on a baking sheet and fill with pumpkin mixture. Drop cream cheese mixture by rounded tablespoons onto pumpkin mixture. Swirl mixtures using a knife, creating a marbled effect. Bake until a knife inserted in middle comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. (Cover edges with

foil or a pie shield if browning too much.) Transfer to wire rack to cool, 2 hours. Recipe courtesy of Logan Pate of Russellville PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE WITH SOUR CREAM TOPPING (Cheesecake 1st place) Crust: 2 c graham cracker crumbs 1/4 c sugar 1/3 c butter, melted Filling: 2 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened 1 c packed brown sugar 1 (15 oz) solid pack pumpkin 2 T cornstarch 1 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1 (5 oz) can evaporated milk 2 eggs Topping: 2 c sour cream 1/3 c sugar

1 tsp vanilla In a bowl, combine crumbs & sugar; stir in butter. Press onto bottom & 1 1/2 inches up the side of a greased 9 or 10 inch springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes or until set. Cool for 10 minutes. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese & brown sugar until smooth. Add pumpkin, cornstarch, cinnamon & nutmeg: mix well. Gradually beat in milk & eggs just until blended. Pour into crust. Place pan on baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until center is almost set. Combine sour cream, sugar & vanilla; spread over filling. Bake 5-7 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of a pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Chill overnight. Remove sees of pan; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before slicing. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Refrigerate leftovers. Yields 12-14 servings. Recipe courtesy of Jacki Miller of Dover

DECEMBER 2016 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

PUMPKIN SPICE TRUFFLES 2 oz full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature 2 T confectioners' sugar 1/3 c pumpkin puree 1 3/4 c graham cracker crumbs (about 12 full sheet graham crackers) 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 4 oz white chocolate, coarsely chopped and melted Topping 10 oz semi-sweet or white chocolate, coarsely chopped optional garnish: extra graham cracker crumbs or cinnamon/sugar Special Equipment Double boiler or microwave, handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment Dipping tool (highly recommended for dipping!) With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar together in a large bowl

until creamy - about 2 minutes. Add the pumpkin and beat on high until combined. Add the graham cracker crumbs, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and melted chocolate. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until everything is combined. The mixture is supposed to be soft and thick. Cover mixture tightly and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 24 hours. Chilling is mandatory. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside. Begin rolling chilled mixture into balls (about 1 teaspoon per ball) and place the balls on the baking sheets. You should have around 35 total. Chill balls in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. During the last few minutes of the chilling time, begin melting the chocolate. You can melt the chocolate in a double boiler or the microwave. If using the microwave: place the chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl. I like to use a liquid measuring cup. Its depth makes it easier for dipping the truffles. Melt in 30 second increments in the

microwave, stirring after each increment until completely melted and smooth. Let the warm chocolate sit for 5 minutes to slightly cool before dipping. Alternatively, you can temper the chocolate. If tempering, do not place or store truffles in the refrigerator. Remove balls from the refrigerator and dip them in the chocolate using a dipping tool. When lifting the truffle out of the chocolate, remember to tap the dipping tool gently on the side of the bowl to allow excess chocolate to drip off. Top truffles with a sprinkle of graham cracker crumbs, if desired. Place balls back onto the baking sheet after you dip each one. Allow chocolate to completely set in the refrigerator before serving. Truffles are OK at room temperature for a few hours for serving. Make ahead tip: Layer truffles between sheets of parchment or wax paper in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Recipe courtesy of sallysbakingaddiction. com

y r r e Mhristmas C

Everyone at our company joins together to wish you a wonderful Holiday and a New Year filled with Peace and Happiness.

DEPENDABLE AIR CONDITIONING COMPANY INCORPORATED “DEPEND ON US” Air Conditioning - Heating - Plumbing

754-5242 Clarksville

24 Hour Emergency Service

968-5555

3904 S. Arkansas • Russellville

Toll Free 1-800-298-6505 HVACR 143034 28

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ DECEMBER 2016

www.dependableaircond.com

Since 1972

PUMPKIN TIRAMISU 1 can pumpkin puree ½ c. light brown sugar ¾ tsp. ground ginger ¾ tsp. ground cinnamon ¼ tsp. Kosher salt 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg ¾ c. granulated sugar 1½ c. mascarpone cheese 2½ c. heavy cream 2 c. brewed coffee 2 package dry ladyfingers Chocolate shavings and candied ginger In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree with the brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar. Add the mascarpone and 1 1/2 cups of the heavy cream. Using an electric mixer, beat the pumpkin mixture at medium speed until soft peaks form; do not overbeat. In a medium bowl, whisk the brewed coffee with 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar until it's dissolved. Dip both sides of 6 ladyfingers in the coffee and arrange them in a single layer in a 4-quart trifle dish. Spread

1 cup of the pumpkin mousse on top. Repeat the layering 5 more times, ending with a layer of the pumpkin mousse. Cover and refrigerate the tiramisu overnight. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the remaining 1 cup of cream with the remaining 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar until soft peaks form. Dollop the whipped cream over the tiramisu, garnish with shaved chocolate and candied ginger and serve. Recipe courtesy of delish.com PUMPKIN SPICE CAKE 1 box yellow cake mix 1 can pumpkin 3/4 c sugar 1/2 c oil 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp allspice 1/2 tsp nutmeg 4 eggs Combine cake mix, pumpkin, sugar, oil, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice and eggs. Beat for 3 minutes with mixer. Pour into a greased bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for

1 hour. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn over onto a cake tray or large plate. Glaze: 1/2 c margarine 1/2 c brown sugar 1/2 c pecans Melt margarine and sugar in microwave. Add nuts and pour over cake. PUMPKIN-PECAN ICE CREAM 1 qt vanilla ice cream, softened 1 (16oz) can solid-pack pumpkin 3 T maple syrup 1 c chopped toasted pecans additional maple syrup for garnish Whipped cream, for garnish Chopped pecan for garnish Oil an 8-cup mold. Beat or stir ice cream, pumpkin and maple syrup just until blended. Fold in nuts. Pour into prepared mold. Freeze until firm. To unfold, dip briefly in hot water and invert on seeing platter. Drizzle with syrup. Garnish with whipped cream and nuts. l

Have you considered pre-planning? It is never too early to pre-plan your funeral arrangements. By taking time now to collect cost information and calmly making choices related to your own services, you'll be protecting your family from the stress of having to make these decisions at a time in which they should be allowed to grieve. With pre-planning you can carefully choose specific items you want and need ... and pay for them now, or make a payment plan, locking in current pricing.

A Century of Service ~ 1916-2016

DECEMBER 2016 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

Paris Story by SIERRA MURPHY | Photos by LIZ CHRISMAN

TODAY, PARIS, ARKANSAS CLAIMS 3,495 RESIDENTS AND IS HOME TO THE BUTTERFLY FESTIVAL, A REPLICA OF THE EIFFEL TOWER, AND THE OLD PARIS HOSPITAL. Some events, like Frontier Days, pay homage to the roots of the community that reach back to 1871 when what is now Logan County was carved out of the surrounding counties and originally named Sarber County after a well-known carpetbagger. But when Democrats retook the state legislature, renaming the county and extinguishing the legacy of reformation in the entire state was on top of the agenda. Sarber County became Logan County in 1875. 30

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ DECEMBER 2016

DECEMBER 2016 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

FROM THERE CAME MAN-MADE LAKES, community buildings and eventually the railroad. Business was booming with the combination of the railroad and the coal mines that brought, and kept, people in the city. Paris, though, saw drastic change when it began evolving. The coal industry bottomed out and buildings today have turned into museums instead of the busy places and industries they used to be. Curtis Varnell, a Paris native, has dedicated a portion of his life to chronicling the town, its history and to honor his own Paris roots. “As a child, my uncle William Varnell would tell me stories about his explorations, old caves, Civil War hideouts, old home places and tales of the people that preceded us,” Curtis said. “I have since located many of those locations and researched the history.” Varnell’s love of history went on well past his childhood. As an adult, Varnell decided to stay in Paris after graduating from Arkansas Tech University. He taught science and history at the high school, drove a school bus and announced ball games. “Kind of a jack of all trades, as most people are in small schools,” Varnell said. In his down time, Varnell narrowed down Paris history to some distinct time periods that the city saw profound change. The first, 1874, was the founding of the city. “At first named Maryville, after a young settler that lived in the region, it was

“It was like you picked up a whole town and moved it from Tennessee to here.”

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ DECEMBER 2016

“At first named Maryville, after a young settler that lived in the region, it was discovered that Arkansas already had a town by that name so it was changed to Paris, in honor of the French capitol,” discovered that Arkansas already had a town by that name so it was changed to Paris, in honor of the French capitol,” Varnell said. A naming after the French capital city, though, seemed a bit odd for the original Scots-Irish settlers of the day. Most of the original settlers actually migrated from Tennessee and North Carolina, Varnell said. “It was like you picked up a whole town and moved it from Tennessee to here.” But one of the county commissioners greatly admired Paris, France for it’s technological advancements around the turn of the 20th century and the citizenry agreed with this choice. The second monumental shift happened with the discovery of coal in the region. Up until that turn, settlers were farmers producing for themselves, their growing families and a small but growing market. A lot of the agriculture was plantation farming, mostly cotton and corn, along the Arkansas River. Paris soon became an agricultural center for cotton and corn. But historical documents note residents were beginning to find coal deposits in 1865. The discovery of coal fueled the city’s boom in the early 1920s. Coal was key to most economic growth seen in western Arkansas. As the economy grew, the need for expanded and improved infrastructure grew as well. Lakes, roads and bridges, Varnell said, were “a result of the Civilian Conservation Corp and the Works Progress Administration.” >> DECEMBER 2016 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

Coal was transported west by train and cities began popping up around the railroad tracks. Commerce and jobs also picked up. Timber, another resource ubiquitous to the region, created the rail road ties and other products that were shipped to cites like St. Louis. But when the coal dried up, people left almost as quickly as they came. “There was no money crop in this area,” Varnell said, at least on a comparable economic scale with coal. And what agriculture remained soon fell under heavy weight of improved farming techniques in other regions of the country. By the 1950s, cotton production had shifted to Texas as a result irrigation technology developed. A lot of natives now became migrants like many citizens in the Dust Bowl Days. Migrants like Varnell’s parents would move to California and Arizona for work and return to Paris when they had saved up the money to ride out the winter. “This is where their roots are,” Varnell said. Eventually, home became a getaway for settlers as they made their way up Mount Magazine and businesses soon followed. Traveling playwrights and small productions would perform on the ledge to crowds that gathered at three hotels on the Mountain. The beginnings of the tourism industry also attracted the wealthy, but access to other areas via train and more developed modes of transportation led to a decline in early tourism around 1925. Some settlers, though, returned, thus giving birth to the sleepy town that Paris is today. Varnell equated it almost to a retirement community comprised of just over 3,000 people. Many of the younger generation, he said, have moved on to bigger cities to pursue jobs achievable to them

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ DECEMBER 2016

largely due to the education they received from Paris schools. State wide, Varnell said, Arkansas sees a larger population of teachers and nurses that started their education through the Paris school system. Current citizens often work in larger cities like Fort Smith, making the commute just to return to the rural area that affords them peace. Varnell himself is one of only 13 classmates that decided to stay in Paris. Many of his other 100 or so classmates took work out of state. The community’s growth, though, isn’t something Chamber of Commerce Director Tonya Baumgartner is worried about. The attractions like Mount Magazine and the ever-popular Christmas lights bring in visitors from all over the state, and keep Paris on the map. And it’s because of these events, Baumgartner said, Paris will continue to steadily grow and be a “gateway to Mount Magazine” for many years to come. l

Great Gifts for the Holidays at Dependable Holland Grills and RTIC Tumblers Made in the USA!

And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. LUKE 1:14

DEPENDABLE AIR CONDITIONING COMPANY INCORPORATED “DEPEND ON US” Air Conditioning - Heating - Plumbing

www.shinnfuneral.com

968-5555

3904 S. Arkansas Russellville

www.dependableaircond.com DECEMBER 2016 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

COMMUNITY PAGES

ABOUT...the River Valley

Junior Auxiliary announces the 2017 Children’s Benefit Ball

The 2017 Junior Auxiliary of Russellville’s Children’s Benefit Ball will be Feb. 25 at the L.V. Williamson Boys and Girls Club in Russellville. The theme for the 2017 Children’s Benefit Ball is “Mardi Gras Masquerade.” Tickets are $80 per person or $150 per couple. Junior Auxiliary is a national non-profit organization that represents an endeavor on the part of women to be active and constructive community participants, and to render charitable services beneficial to the general public with particular emphasis on children. The award-winning Russellville chapter is one of 97 chapters in the national association. Junior Auxiliary of Russellville members provide more than 3,000 volunteer hours annually. Junior Auxiliary projects include “Lunch Buddies,” in which JA members provide support to local elementary students, and “Milk and Cookies with

Pictured from left to right: Beth Giroir, Sarah Neihouse, Bethany Swindell, Jodi Moore, Leigh Ann Veach, Holly Pace, Cassity Hogins, Sara Jondahl, Heather Gipe, Courtney Pratt

Santa,” which brings area children together in a celebration of the holiday season. JA also supports local teachers through Teacher Assisted Grants. The TAG program provides opportunities for teachers in the Russellville School District to fund innovative projects for their classrooms. In addition to annual projects, Junior Auxiliary provides volunteer assistance to a number of local organizations. JA currently partners with the local Food 4 Kids program to provide assistance with food distribution. The majority of the projects and grants provided by Russellville Junior Auxiliary are funded by the chapter’s annual Children’s Benefit Ball.

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ DECEMBER 2016

For more information, contact Kristen Foster, public relations chair, jaofrussellville@gmail.com or www.jarussellville.org

IT’S TIME FOR GIFTS OF LOVE

Crow Mountain Extension Homemakers Club and friends are creating special homemade gifts for Arkansas Children’s Hospital and Russellville Nursing Home. Gifts are give to Children’s Hospital monthly. Gifts of Love are given during the “Festival of Stars” on December 16 for patients at Children’s. Crow Mountain Extension Homemakers Club is a small club with big hearts to help. Club officers include president Ida Jones, vice president Janie Moody, secretary/trea-

FASHION FOR LIFE

surer Modean Bowman, and project chairman Janie Moody. Gifts include: Knitted hats of all sizes and colors, teaching dolls used by doctors to explain an illness to children, blankets, lap robes, pillows and other comfort items along with toys go to Festival of Stars. The club also gives gifts of comfort to the elderly at Russellville Nursing Home. The patients at the home have been and still are an important part of our community. To all who donate items or money, a special thank you: you are a part of “Gifts of Love.” God Bless, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year Submitted by Janie Moody, Project Chairman.

The first-ever “Fashion For Life,” a fundraiser for the Relay For Life of Pope, Yell and Conway counties, will be held Jan. 21 in Russellville. The event will be held at 7 p.m. at All Saints’ Episcopal Church and “will feature some of our dauntless cancer survivors as models in the season’s hottest styles from your favorite boutiques and retailers,” said Charlia Pack of Atkins, chairperson for the 2017 Relay For Life. “We hope to grow Relay with our first fashion show and make this an annual event showcasing survivors as models from around our community,” Pack said. “This gives everyone a chance to see the perseverance, strength, and beauty in our survivors.” The evening’s activities will include Going up the stairs in the photo are Donna Harpenau, wine, dessert and a silent auction. Tickets Alex Webb, Lindsey Wilson and Julie Hodges. They are among the models for the fashion show. are $15 per person and $25 per couple. All proceeds benefit the American Cancer So- support the event may contact her for additional information. ciety. “Fashion For Life” tickets may be pur- The 2017 Relay For Life, which is conchased by contacting Pack at 479-970-1409 sidered the signature fundraising event for or charlia.pack@hotmail.com or Jennifer the American Cancer Society, will be April 29 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. in downtown Lackie at Jennifer.lackie@yahoo.com. Among the local survivors who will mod- Russellville at the Depot Park. “Carnival el the fashions are Donna Harpenau, Alex for a Cure” is the event theme. Webb, Korey Heath, Julie Hodges, Gail The event will include live entertainMurdoch, Lynn Montange and Lindsey ment, a DJ, food trucks and local merchants, among many other attractions. Wilson. Local businesses confirmed so far for the Traditional Relay For Life activities, inevent include Blue Hoot, Cato, Serendipi- cluding the luminaria ceremony and survity, Rue 21, and The Other Foot. Also con- vor lap, will also be included. firmed as a participant is the Scarlet Locke Anyone interested in becoming involved in the event in any capacity may contact Hair Lounge. >> Pack said other businesses wishing to Pack for more information.

DECEMBER 2016 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

ATKINS’ HICKMAN RECEIVES SURPRISE $2,500 SCHOLARSHIP

Arkansas Tech University student Sarah Duvall Hickman has been selected as the recipient of the fall 2016 Third Floor Caraway Girls Scholarship. Hickman, a business education student from Atkins, received the $2,500 scholarship during a surprise presentation at Crabaugh Hall on Friday, Oct. 31. “I’m so honored,” said Hickman. “My husband and I were doing budgeting to figure out how to make next semester work. I’ll be doing my internship, so I won’t be able to work as many hours. We kept coming up short, and I had been praying about where that money would come from. Receiving this scholarship will help me afford my last semester of college. I am truly grateful.” The story of the scholarship dates back more than a half-century to a lifelong sisterhood that was developed by a group of women in Caraway Residence Hall. Their friendships were rekindled in 2009 when they gathered for Homecoming at Arkansas Tech, and they have returned to Homecoming for a reunion every year since. Past recipients of the Third Floor Caraway Girls Scholarship have included math education student Heather Gordon Neumeier of Russellville, pre-medical biology student Linda Du of Baoding, China, vocal music education major Michelle Einert of Ozone and elementary education student Keri L. Todd of Ozark.

$70 MILLION PROJECT AND OTHER ARKANSAS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA NEWS

Newly remodeled Robinson Center is now billed as Robinson Center Performance Hall. The $70 million project took a little over two years and was completed on budget and on time. The reconstruc-

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ DECEMBER 2016

tion will improve nightlines for the 2,214 patrons that will fill the hall. This along with expanded stage and wing space now make it possible for the booking of Phantom of the Opera, which will be onstage March 8-19, and The Lion King appearing at a later date. Arkansas Symphony Orchestra conductor Philip Mann will bring the Orchestra to Russellville for its annual performance at Arkansas Tech University’s Witherspoon Auditorium on April 1. The annual Opus Ball was held in November and was attended by some of our Guild members and their husbands including Ann and Robert Squyres, Elizabeth and Dr. Chris Stinnett, Aldona and Earnest Standridge, Juanita and Carl Sigler, Linda and Robert Rush, Kathleen Fullerton, and Camille Talbot.

ARKANSAS TECH STUDENTS HELP ENSURE THANKSGIVING FOR THOSE IN NEED

One carload after another, the bags were carried and carted in to the Salvation Army location on Weir Road in Russellville on Friday, Nov. 18, until they covered a large portion of the floor in one of the activity rooms. In all, there were approximately 250 food kits donated and delivered by Arkansas Tech University students as part of the 10th annual Helping Halls program, a project of the John Tucker Chapter of the National Residence Hall Honorary. The food kits, which contain all the side items necessary for a traditional Thanksgiving meal, will be paired with chickens donated by Tyson Foods and

the Main Street Mission. The food will be distributed to area residents in need served by the Salvation Army of Russellville, which is led by Lt. Andrew Thorson and his wife, Lt. Shannon Thorson. “It means community,” said Andrew Thorson. “We have such a great group, both with our youth groups that are helping out around town and of course the college kids who have gathered up all the time and money that it took to make this possible. It’s amazing to watch a community come together like this so well. A lot of the people who come in need this with an absolute. It’s difficult just making things get by right now, so being able to see their happy faces and sometimes even tears, it brings nothing but joy and happiness to my heart.” >>

DECEMBER 2016 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

2016 Santa Schedule Friday, Nov. 25th �� 1:00-5:00 pm Saturday, Dec. 3rd �� 1:00-5:00 pm Sunday, Dec. 4th �� 1:00-4:00 pm (Open House - Appearance Only)

Thursday, Dec. 8th �� 4:00-7:00 pm (Pet Night)

Friday, Dec. 9th �� 2:00-5:00 pm Saturday, Dec. 10th �� 1:00-5:00 pm

Wednesday, Dec. 14th �� 4:00-7:00 pm Thursday, Dec. 15th �� 3:00-7:00 pm Saturday, Dec. 17th �� 1:00-5:00 pm Tuesday, Dec. 20th �� 1:00-5:00 pm Wednesday, Dec. 21st �� 2:00-5:00 pm Thursday, Dec. 22nd �� 1:00-4:00 pm Friday, Dec. 23rd �� 1:00-6:00 pm

From the Residents of the City Mall

Sandwiches, salads, soups, pastas, & pizzas.

We have something for EVERYONE! (479) 968-7827

CITY MALL RUSSELLVILLE

Let us cater your next party or meeting!

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ DECEMBER 2016

Brought to you by

At a value of $13 per food kit, the donation represents a gift of approximately $3,250 from Arkansas Tech students to the local community. Over the course of the first decade of Helping Halls, the program has donated approximately 2,800 holiday meals to neighbors in need. “I’m very proud of Arkansas Tech University and our students as a whole,” said Zach Tvrz, an Arkansas Tech junior from Huntsville and president of the John Tucker Chapter of the National Residence Hall Honorary at Tech. “It really helps bring the Tech community together and the individual residence halls. They each had events, and the kids knowing this was for a good cause brings out the best in people. It makes me proud to know that we’ve been able to give this to people we don’t even know who wouldn’t otherwise have this opportunity.”

paintwithlane@gmail.com

SWANIGAN TAKES TOP PRIZE IN 10TH ANNUAL JURIED STUDENT COMPETITIVE

Opal Mae’s Café and Nothing Fancy The best of Opal Mae’s and Nothing Fancy combined! DAILY PLATE SPECIALS, TAKE HOME MEALS, CASSEROLES & MORE

(479) 890-6005

nothingfancysuite6@gmail.com

Five Arkansas Tech University students received awards in the 10th annual Juried Student Competitive Exhibition hosted by the Arkansas Tech Department of Art during a reception at Norman Hall Art Gallery on Wednesday, Nov. 16. Senior Deondra Swanigan of Marion won first place for his digital painting “Contemplation, 2001.” Second place went to senior Datona Hunt of Hot Springs for her sculpture “Warrior,” while senior Liz Dalton of Russellville captured third place for her oil on canvas “Rio Grande Gorge, Taos, New Mexico.”

Honorable mention awards were presented to senior Lexie Wood of Floral for her mixed media “Cherry on Top” and to sophomore Casey Dean of Deer for her cardboard and print “Faces of Me.” Sixty Arkansas Tech students entered 125 artworks for consideration of inclusion in the exhibit. Of those, 48 pieces of art created by 30 students were chosen for display. Dr. Ann Prentice Wagner, curator of drawings for the Arkansas Arts Center in Little Rock, served as juror for the competition. Student artworks that were selected for the exhibition will remain on display through Friday, Dec. 2. Norman Hall Art Gallery is located at 203 West Q Street in Russellville.

BECAUSE WE CAN

Since the spring semester of 2016, Because We Can has recovered 15,419.97 pounds or 7.7 tons of commercially prepared but unserved food from Arkansas Tech’s campus. The food has been distributed to various food pantries throughout the River Valley in an effort to combat food insecurity. The food recovery program incorporates student, faculty, and staff volunteers who dedicate time out of their schedule each week to reduce food waste by making sure that unserved food goes to the individuals and families in our community that most need it. For information on how you can help us make a difference or to donate, please contact Dr. Sean Huss (shuss@ atu.edu). l

DECEMBER 2016 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

...cont. from page 14 We both sat down our bags and pulled on my pants string, as the top of the escalator drew near. The bottom of my pants started to rip, and I thought we would be able to free my leg, when my mother realized there just wasn’t time. “Take them off now!!” She bellowed. I could hear the panic creeping into her voice, which made me realize I should listen to her. The top of the next floor was coming into full view as I unbuttoned the cargo pants and shimmied a leg out. “Hurry!” My mom yelled, as she gathered all the parcels I had sat down. I got my second leg out just in time to see every last thread of my cargo pants be flattened and sucked into the revolving staircase. We both stood still in disbelief, until I suddenly realized I was standing in the middle of an extremely crowded mall, right before Christmas, in my Spice Girls underwear. “Mom! I have no pants on!” I hissed. She wrapped her jacket around my waist and we scurried to the nearest store to buy another pair of pants. “Ma’am?” ….. “MA’AM?” I blinked a few times and returned to reality. I suddenly realized I had been standing in front of the escalator just staring at it like a crazy person. I made eye contact with the elderly lady in front of me, looking at me cautiously. “Are you OK?” She asked. “Yes, just having to work up my nerve to get on this thing,” I answered. I heard her mumble something with the words “crazy” and “drugs” before she stepped onto the first moving step. I just decided to let her think what she wanted because I was about to have a coming to Jesus meeting with an escalator. I lifted my foot and stepped on. I gripped the rubber banister with white knuckles all the way to the top. I practically leaped off when I made it to the second floor, jumped with elation and let out a loud “WHOOP!” I grabbed the arm of the same elderly lady, and said “I got on an escalator! And no one saw my Spice Girls underwear this time!” She pulled her arm free of my clutches and I heard her mumble something about “crazy” and “drugs” again before she walked away quickly. I pulled my cell phone out of my purse and called my mom. “Mom! I just got on an escalator!” l 42

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ DECEMBER 2016

DECEMBER 2016 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

COMMUNITY COMMERCE

First State Bank

ABOUT...the River Valley

Story and photo by SIERRA MURPHY

First State Bank has been providing community and commercial service to the River Valley since it opened its Plainview office in the early 1990s. Now, with four Russellville offices and an Ola office, father-son duo Charlie and Chip Blanchard, company chief executive officer and president respectively, say the company is going to remain small, local. “I think every community deserves First State Bank a hometown bank just like you (479) 498-2400 deserve a hometown place to eat www.fsbmybank.com or a hometown place to shop,” Chip said. “You’re not going to get transferred to a one-eight-hundred number that’s a customer service center. Our phone numbers are listed in the phone book. People have our senior officer’s cell phone numbers. We’re accessible.” Charlie started out at a much larger bank in Texas. He and his wife relocated to Arkansas where he pursued a job in Conway as a banker, a profession that always had a sense of allure to him. “It was something I had always observed and admired,” Charlie said. 44

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ DECEMBER 2016

It was attractive primarily because of the role models he had; Charlie’s father-in-law also got into banking, but looked to include and service the community he was in. Historically, Chip added, that’s how banks have always been, and it was a practice Charlie wanted to emulate in his own business. Chip also wanted to steer away from the larger-bank feel when he joined the team. As banks have grown, he said, “their focus can lean toward efficiencies versus communities,” and First State Bank has made it a point to remain privately owned and operated to ensure the focus stays on serving the community. That attitude of servicing the community is what attracted partners like Toni Laws, Ragena Moore and Jennifer Samuels. Toni Laws got her start as a bank teller and, much like Charlie, worked her way into management positions until she employed her marketing degree to become a marketing director. When she decided to leave after her former bank’s assimilation, Charlie asked her to join his team. She is now executive vice president of FSB. Still employing her marking skills, she works to make citizens aware of the options FSB can offer to them. “We want

the people in the community to understand that even though we are that local bank, we have all the same services they need for their conveniences.” These are conveniences that Ragena Moore, chief operations officer, had a hand in fine tuning and building. Moore got into banking much like Laws did; she started out as a teller with a much bigger bank and eventually moved into management positions where she was responsible for as many as 30 branches at a time. “In bigger banks, everything is very segmented by business lines,” Moore began. “While you may talk to the customer, most everything is done behind the scenes and it’s centralized in remote locations. That’s the thing that’s unique about us. We’re able to outsource things, the processes, but we have someone who touches the customer in every aspect of banking.”

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.” – ISAIAH 9:6

479-641-2220 1402 N Church Street, Atkins AR

Moore said that those services are the same services bigger banks provide — mobile banking via an application, internet banking, payroll and bill pay for commercial businesses, and much more. “We have to be able to compete with those large businesses,” Moore said. “The thing that makes us unique and different is our ability to be customer focused because we’re small and we’re local.” Jennifer Samuels, mortgage loan officer, also came from a bigger bank and prefers the smaller-bank feel to larger banks. “It’s more of a family,” Samuels said. “We’re all about this community. We want to grow with the community. We’re not interested in being a huge, huge bank.” l DECEMBER 2016 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

BACKYARD LIVING

ABOUT...the River Valley

Lessons of the Jalapeno Flower Story by JILL MCSHEEHY

Read more from Jill at www.journeywithjill.net

Do your HOLIDAY

SHOPPING

AT DOG EAR

BOOKS 301 w main st Russellville

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ DECEMBER 2016

The breeze chilled my skin as the sun dipped just below the tips of the pines. Only 4 p.m., I still protested the shorter days and longer nights. The first frost of the season, despite our warmer than average fall, would come right on time. I headed toward the garden to harvest the last of my summer crops, a task I always dreaded. I picked up my bucket and walked to a raised bed. I found a few straggling red bell peppers and tossed them into the bucket. Then I moved to the jalapeño plant, every inch covered with plump, ripe, green fruit. This plant had been exceptionally productive this year. I unthreaded the bucket’s handle from my arm and placed it under the plant. Tugging each fruit and letting them fall into the bucket turned out a much more efficient strategy. As I looked up to pluck the next jalapeño in line, my eyes caught an interesting

Instead, he kept blooming — producing flowers no matter his age or life stage. I saw in him a passion to make a difference. To love well. To never give up. To invest in those who would live on after him. sight on the plant: tiny white flowers. I knew these flowers held the promise of more blessed jalapeños. But their smiling innocence contrasted with what I knew the night would bring. The killing frost would put an end to that plant’s season and decimate the flowers before they ever began growing fruit. The orange sky, with fewer rays penetrating the pines now, prodded me to continue picking. But my hands didn’t move. My eyes lingered. Didn’t this plant know that winter was on the way? Couldn’t it sense by the dipping temperatures and abbreviated daylight hours that time was limited? Why continue to produce flowers? Why not close its growth, knowing its season was strong and good? Four years ago I had the privilege to speak to senior adults at a local church on practical ways to invest in the next generation. After the event, a pleasant elderly gentleman walked up to me. He first shared that he was 93 years old. Then he listed which

suggestions from my speech he planned to put into practice with those younger than him in his life. I was astounded. If anyone had reason to call it a day and rest in the fruit of his labor, it was this man. Instead, he kept blooming — producing flowers no matter his age or life stage. I saw in him a passion to make a difference. To love well. To never give up. To invest in those who would live on after him. Two years later, I saw that this gentleman had passed away at the age of 95. He is who came to mind when I saw those beautiful, strong flowers on my jalapeño plant in mid-November. As December gives us longer nights and shorter days, as vibrant summer plants fade into memories, I’ll remember the unlikely jalapeño flowers from mid-November. Despite the darkness surrounding us, despite portents of endings on the horizon, may giving up never be an option. Our tenacity to make a difference when even nature tells us to rest may just be the example someone needs to keep going. l

Make your little one smile

Christmas Day! Come See Our Selection of Toys!

MAUS IMPLEMENT

1187 South Hwy 9 Morrilton, AR 72110 (501) 354-3527

3807 S Arkansas Ave Russellville, AR 72801 (479) 968-2220

17053 Hwy 65 Damascus, AR 72039 (501) 335-7313

DECEMBER 2016 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

OUTDOORS

Proselytizing

ABOUT...the River Valley

Story and photos by JOHNNY CARROL SAIN

YOU DON’T WAKE UP one morning and decide to become an evangelist. It’s an organic progression that stems from emotion and something more, something deeper. An energy grows within until it reaches the limits of containment and pours out of you. Everything you say and do is unconsciously linked to the energy. Even if you wanted to shackle it — and you don’t — you couldn’t. What started out as a personal decision has become an entity of its own. And the entity catches other eyes through you. It beckons to other people in your life. The line between religion and fly fishing is barely there anyway, and this is most obvious when it comes to proselytizing. I don’t ever start a conversation with the intent of making a convert, but it happens before I know it. The discussion will turn to fly fishing

— as all my conversations inevitably seem to do these days — and whomever I’m talking to will say, “I’ve never tried that” or “I’d like to try that” or “what’s that all about.” In the blink of an eye I’m shuffling through the back room or opening a truck door looking for the fly rod and placing it in a potential disciple’s hand. More questions bubble out as they wave the limber stick, and I suggest a few casts. “Right here? Don’t we need water?” they exclaim. “Water is just one component of fly fishing,” I say. Fish are, of course the second. Water and fish are important, sure, but water and fish are part of every angling experience. The essence of fly fishing is fully realized within a treble of elements, but the third is not easily explained. So I rig the rod, passing line through guides, and tie a piece of yarn to the leader for a full fly casting simulation. And then they cast the line. It’s always rough at first. A lifetime of chucking lead, cork floats and weighted lures leaves them unprepared for the mechanics Read more from Johnny at www.aviewfromthebackroads.com

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ DECEMBER 2016

ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY!

479.857.4315

n He

Shelley Willis Owner 203 N. Commerce Ave Downtown Russellville

e Red tl

The line between religion and fly fishing is barely there anyway, and this is most obvious when it comes to proselytizing. I don’t ever start a conversation with the intent of making a convert, but it happens before I know it.

FREE GIFT WRAPPING

involved in casting line. I offer instruction from my limited experience and they soon learn to feel the subtle surge of weighted line on the backcast that signals them to a tender acceleration forward. Vertical halos loop over their heads with increased regularity. Eyes widen. Without exception, an ethereal change in countenance sweeps across their face as the flow of energy radiates from arm to rod to line and back again. Everyone smiles. What I tried, unsuccessfully, to put into words as I talked about the reasons I’m a fly angler no longer needs words. They get it. And while I haven’t kept track of actual conversion percentages, my tally does include at least three newcomers to the sport in only the last few months. One young man bought a fly rod mere hours after catching his first smallmouth on my fly rod that very morning. I had to nearly threaten bodily harm and wrestle it away from him when it was time to leave the creek. Even those that have not bought their own fly rod yet say they love it. Maybe not those words verbatim (thought two did) but they, too, struggle for accurate phrasing when I ask why. “This is cool” or “I see why you’re so into this” or sometimes just “wow” is what I hear. Everyone vows to do it again and several have asked to join me on a fishing trip. I know some of the promises are just lip service. Even if the experience moves something in their soul, the way of the disciple requires, well, discipline. Emotions and gut feelings offer only an invitation. It takes effort to enjoy the full benefits and sense of harmony in any walk of spiritually. Faith without works is dead. And all of this happens without my conscious decision to make it happen so I am an evangelist. I’m a soggy, creek-wading evangelist that found a less-traveled path by accident and I want nothing except to spread the good news — there is a better way. The better way has provided a closer relationship and understanding of my home waters and its denizens, and it offers something else that words just can’t quite describe. But instead of trying to explain, let me grab a fly rod and you can give it try. l

Lit

313 W. B Street Russellville, AR 72801 HOURS: Tues-Thurs: 11am - 8pm Fri-Sat: 11am - 9pm

f Gi ior s a nd

YELL COUNTY GIN COMPANY South 2nd St. • Dardanelle

479-229-4841

www.oldgintractors.com

DECEMBER 2016 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

On a Personal Note A Helping Hand Guest Written by Cynthia Callahan

Start today or continue to sow the seeds of your time, talent and treasure in our community, and living generously will be a way of life that reaps a bountiful harvest.

Live Generously. As a member of Zion Lutheran Church at Augsburg, a Rotarian, a Pope County Habitat for Humanity board member and a Thrivent Financial Representative, I spend much of my time helping people live generously by connecting them with community needs. Americans are generous people who are more than willing to give of their time, talents and treasures when they are aware of a need. At this time of year many nonprofits make huge efforts to solicit support and make their needs known, but the needs exist all year long. I’d like to share a few tips for lending a helping hand by being good stewards of our time, talent, and treasure — living generously. 1) Give Wisely, Just Ask Ask a local nonprofit what they need and the answer may surprise you. There are many needs that can be met without writing a check. Nonprofits have all the same needs as a family or business. Someone has to do the household/ office duties, repair/maintain the buildings, and care for people. Can you donate a few hours a week to do tasks that need to be done? Giving your time is just as important as giving your money and can ease the burdens carried by staff. Do you have skills that could be used to meet a specific or urgent need? Can you provide skilled labor or a service instead of cash? And all fundraising events take lots of man hours to carry out so consider gifting your time and talent to these efforts. 2) Donate Items Wisely You can’t know what items have already been donated or what items are needed most, at any given time, without asking. For example, once I asked about shampoo; that sounded like a good item to donate to a shelter but I couldn’t know that they had just received a huge donation from a business and didn’t need shampoo unless I asked. Many organizations also have lists of what they can and cannot accept. Sometimes processing donations expends more time and energy than it is worth so it is wiser to ask about needs before gifting your donations.

ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY ~ DECEMBER 2016

3) Plan Events Wisely Living Generously is not just a holiday event. Visiting hospitals and nursing homes is wonderful during the holidays but they will appreciate the visit in other months as well. Consider doing some of your projects are other times of the year. Don’t wear out the troops. Many organizations have discovered that one or two large annual fundraisers that are unique and distinguishing are better than constant fundraising efforts that fatigue volunteers and donors. And for maximum participation when planning events, be mindful of other community events going on at the same time. 4) Become Wise about the Causes you Care About Visit the nonprofits working in this area; hear from those who are in the trenches about their vision, their needs, their plans, their successes, and their frustrations. You’ll soon know if your time, talent, and treasure can be put to good use with that organization. Once you’ve found your niche, you will not only be helping them with your personal efforts, but you will become an educated advocate for the cause and will find yourself sharing your passion and raising awareness with your friends and family. You’ll be using your time, talent, and treasure wisely. 5) Multiply your Efforts Being an informed advocate — sharing your time, talent, and treasure — will have the largest impact on the causes you care about. Are you a part of a family, a business, a church, a group of any kind? Get creative and get your group together to meet a local need. If you haven’t already, consider joining forces with a local civic group focused on giving back to our community. Start today or continue to sow the seeds of your time, talent and treasure in our community, and living generously will be a way of life that reaps a bountiful harvest. Blessings to all. 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.

ENGAGEMENTS

ABOUT...the River Valley

Save the Date!

Calendar listings of engagement, wedding and anniversary announcements on the pages of each issue of ABOUTâ&#x20AC;Śthe 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.)

December 3

January 21

Alexis Sisson & Logan Stuckey

Ashton Farris & Jonathon Cantu

December 10

February 4

Rachel Beauregard & Dean Berner

Jessica Howerton & Chris Shippey

December 17

March 25

Ashlee Edwards & Jacob Tisdale

Marissa Trusty & Mitchell Mourot

Madeline Key & Chris Skelton

April 8

Miranda Harness & Kole Gray Chelsey Mans & Brandon Potter Mollie Taylor & Will Richey

December 30 Alexa Sotomayor & Eric Turner

January 7 Rebecca Robinson & Zachary Jackson

January 14 LeeAnne Nelson & Brett LeFever

Lorna Porter & Eli Pierce

May 29 Lauren Ossolinski & Foster Pace

June 3 Alaina Harpenau & Thomas Meares Lori Wilson & Brandon Hanlon

June 9 Riley Smith & Kyle Ahern

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 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.

704 Quay Street Dardanelle, AR 72834 (479) 229-2004 (479) 495-2617 DECEMBER 2016 ~ ABOUT the RIVER VALLEY

OUR CARE FOR THIS COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO GROW STRONGER As the Arkansas River Valley’s largest multi-speciality clinic, Millard-Henry Clinic proudly announces the addition of Drs. Jonathan Brixey, Nathan Henderson, and Mark Buchanan to our growing staff of leading physicians.

JONATHAN BRIXEY, MD INTERNAL MEDICINE/PEDIATRICS MILLARD-HENRY CLINIC

Dr. Brixey specializes in internal medicine and pediatrics. Reared in Pope County, he received his medical degree at the University of Arkansas-Medical Sciences (UAMS). Prior to medical school, he completed an undergraduate degree at Arkansas Tech University (ATU). Dr. Nathan Henderson also has deep family roots in our area. Upon earning his undergraduate degree at ATU, he completed medical school at the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, and a residency at UAMS/AHEC West. Dr. Henderson specializes in rural family medicine. Joining our outstanding team of surgeons is Dr. Mark Buchanan, whose specialty is orthopedic surgery. His practice includes but isn’t limited to total joint replacement (knee, hip, and shoulder), NATHAN HENDERSON, MD arthroscopic surgery (knee and shoulder), hand surgery, FAMILY MEDICINE fracture management, and treatment for sports injuries. A graduate MILLARD-HENRY CLINIC/DOVER of Creighton Medical School in Omaha, NE, he completed his residency at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. All three physicians are taking appointments. To schedule an appointment, call: Dr. Brixey: 479-968-2345 Dr. Henderson: 479-331-3880 Dr. Buchanan: 479-964-4344 MILLARD-HENRY CLINIC 101 Skyline Drive, Russellville, AR 72801 479-968-2345

MILLARD-HENRY CLINIC/ATKINS 1601 N. Church Street, Atkins, AR 72823 479-641-2255

MILLARD-HENRY CLINIC OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY 105 Skyline Drive, Russellville, AR 72801 479-890-2426

MILLARD-HENRY CLINIC/DOVER 8970 Market Street, Dover, AR 72837 479-331-3880

MARK BUCHANAN, MD ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY MILLARD-HENRY CLINIC

AN AFFILIATE OF

REGIONAL

HEALTH

SYSTEM