ORDINARY PEOPLE
Reflecting the Character of the Arkansas River Valley March 2015
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Russellville School District believes it is our responsibility to provide opportunities that help our students acquire skills and traits that will make them successful. To accomplish this, it takes a lot of different academic courses, varied learning experiences beyond the ordinary, and planning by the district, parents, and students. At RSD, we care not only about getting good results now, but also focusing on the long term goal of helping young people become successful in the world in which they will live. Because we care at RSD, we work to prepare our students for their world. 220 West 10th Street n Russellville, AR. 72801 n 479.968.1306 n www.russellvilleschools.net
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March 2015 8 Ordinary People
Connie Christian joined the Army soon after high school. On March 4, 2006, at 46 years old, Christian became the first woman in Arkansas to receive the Purple Heart.
12 Waiting on the Words
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From Academic to Artisan
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Down by the River
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RussVegas: Where Everyone's a Winner
James Thomas Willcutt, a professor of physics at Arkansas Tech University for 38 years, spent his entire academic career learning the Earth’s ways and passing his lessons on to his students. In retirement, Willcutt has found another way, far more hands on than theoretical, to give to others the finished product he creates from the natural world.
People of all ages will gather this April 10th and 11th to raise money for Circle of Friends and Arkansas Children’s Hospital. This is the second annual RussVegas Half Marathon brought to you by the many volunteers at the RussVegas Foot Race Foundation.
32 Frosted Memories 36 Dead Skunks don't Lie
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ABOUT...the River Valley | March 2015
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A PAGE FROM
The Editor’s Notebook
ABOUT the River Valley
People like You and Me I was all set to join the Navy in the winter of… I think it was 1991. I remember it was the “Hawg Ball” era of Razorback basketball because Arkansas was taking the court against UNLV in a matchup of top tier teams as I readied for the drive to Little Rock on that crisp sunny day. The national anthem was looping through my head all the way to Pulaski County. Black and white photos of family members in Naval uniform proudly displayed at Granny’s house were in my head that day as well. The images were burned into my brain, and I’m not ashamed to admit those photos kept me focused during serious late night introspection tinged with fear and uncertainty. But my Naval career wasn't meant to be. My paperwork was fine. I rocked the ASVAB. It all came down to two nylon screws holding tendons in place after a knee surgery two years prior. The staff doctor sent me by taxi (my first ever taxi ride) to a specialist there in Little Rock, and the specialist determined that my knee would not hold up through boot camp. He was wrong. I’ve hiked miles and worked long hours and banged my knee in hundreds of pickup basketball games since then without much more than the normal aches. His word was final, though. I would never be a sailor. I felt cheated. Since that time I’ve had an interest in veterans and their experiences. Not all veterans want to talk about those experiences, but some will open up occasionally. I met several veterans while writing a story for the Arkansas Wildlife Federation about the Wounded Warrior Bass Tournament held on Lake Dardanelle last summer. What I discovered, well, what I always knew but was then confirmed, is something that is often lost in the political discourse of today. Veteran’s have been labeled a lot of things — heroes and patriots, and even villains and pawns. But what they are is human. They are ordinary men and women asked to do extraordinary acts on our behalf. Sometimes those acts are acknowledged with a medal. Often those acts leave a scar. But the veterans, regardless of our personal opinions about national foreign policy, are worthy of our respect if for nothing else than the incredible strength to overcome an experience with the worst of human violence in service of you and me. In this issue, Meredith visits with a medal recipient from the River Valley. The medal says this soldier is a hero, but beyond the soldier is a person. Someone you might know. And that is how I choose to label veterans. People I may know. People like you and me. Johnny Sain, Editor Just ordinary people asked to do extraordinary acts on johnny@aboutrvmag.com my behalf.
DIANNE EDWARDS | founding editor JOHNNY SAIN | managing editor johnny@aboutrvmag.com BENITA DREW | advertising benita@aboutrvmag.com CHRISTINE SAIN | advertising christine@aboutrvmag.com KECHIA BENTLEY | columnist kechia@aboutrvmag.com MEREDITH MARTIN-MOATS | freelance meredith@aboutrvmag.com EMILY LANGFORD | freelance emily@aboutrvmag.com LYDIA ZIMMERMAN | columnist lydia@aboutrvmag.com LIZ CHRISMAN | photography lizchrismanphoto@gmail.com CLIFF THOMAS | illustrator maddsigntist@aboutrvmag.com CHRIS ZIMMERMAN | layout/design chris@aboutrvmag.com
ABOUT… the River Valley is locally owned and published for distribution by direct mail and targeted delivery to those interested in the Arkansas River Valley. Material contained in this issue may not be copied or reproduced without written consent. Inquiries may be made by calling (479) 219-5031. Office: 220 East 4th Street Email: johnny@aboutrvmag.com Postmaster: Please send address changes to: One14 Productions 220 East 4th Street Russellville, AR 72801
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A Publication of One14 Productions, Inc Vol. X, Issue 2 – March 2015
ABOUT...the River Valley | March 2015
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ABOUT...the River Valley | March 2015
Calendar of Events March 3 - Made From Scratch Workshops--One Pot Meals at the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute from 6-8 p.m. Pricing is $15 per participant per class. For more information contact 866-972-7778. March 6 - Downtown Art Walk in Russellville Downtown from 6-9 p.m. For more information contact 967-1437. March 7 - Wetland Metaphors at Lake Dardanelle State Park at 10 a.m. Wetlands are a vital part of the ecosystem. They are beneficial to wildlife and humans alike. Join a park interpreter at the amphitheater and discover what these benefits are. For more information contact 967-5516. March 7 - Engage Mens Event 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. Hosted by the River Valley Men of Faith at the Russellville Center for the Arts. Chick-Fil-A box lunch included with ticket purchase. Tickets are available online at iTickets. For more information contact www. rivervalleymenoffaith.org. March 10 - 2015 Annual Gala - Choices Pregnancy Resource Clinic 6:30 p.m.8:30 p.m. at First Baptist Church in Russellville. The fund raiser will include dinner, a feature presentation by Kirk
Walden and a mission and vision report from the Choices PRC staff. Registration is open until March 4th, 2015. For more information contact 967-2255. March 16 & 17 - Boating Education Course at Lake Dardanelle State Park from 6-9 p.m. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s Mandatory Boating Education Regulation states that: “Anyone born after 1985 must take and pass an approved Arkansas Game and Fish Boating Education Course and carry proof that he or she has satisfactorily completed the course in order to operate a motorboat in Arkansas.” For more information contact 967-5516. March 17 - The Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center will present “Home Based Businesses: Where to Start and What to Expect” 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Arkansas Tech University. This seminar will help you with business planning, ideas, requirements and more to get you headed in the right direction. Cost is $30 per person to attend. Seating is limited and registration is required at 479-356-2067 March 21 - Fireside Stories at Lake
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Dardanelle State Park 7 p.m. Telling stories is a centuries old tradition. Meet a park interpreter at the amphitheater to hear some stories, share some stories, and enjoy the firelight. Bring something to sit on. For more information contact 967-5516. March 21 - Arkansas Tech Baseball: Wonderboys vs. Southeastern Oklahoma at Tech Field on the campus of Arkansas Tech University 1 p.m. For more information contact 968-0389. March 24 - Arkansas Tech Softball: Golden Suns vs. Harding at Chartwells Complex on the campus of Arkansas Tech University 4 p.m. For more information contact 968-0389. April 18: Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. 8:00 PM. ATU Campus in Witherspoon. Pre-reception at 6:00, at Lake Point Conference Center.
*Unless otherwise indicated, all area codes are 479. To have your event included in the ABOUT Calendar of Events, email: editor@aboutrvmag.com or fax to (866) 757-3282. Deadline is the 15th of the month preceding publication.
March 2015 | ABOUT...the River Valley
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Ordinary People
asked to do Extraordinary THINGS Story by MEREDITH MARTIN MOATS | Photos by LIZ CHRISMAN
Connie Christian joined the Army soon after high school. After growing up on Front Street and graduating from Dardanelle High in 1977, she and her husband moved to Fort Sill, Oklahoma where they both decided to enlist. They went to the recruitment office together, but her husband's back problems kept him from being able to sign up. “I'm here. I might as well do it,” she laughs, recalling that day. “So I ended up joining.” That was in 1979. She was nineteen years old. She went to basic training at Anniston, Alabama where she spent three years in the Army. “Then I got out of the Army and stayed out five or six years,” she explains. When she and her husband moved back to Arkansas in the late 1980s she decided to join the Army Reserves with a unit in Little Rock. But she left the reserves when her mother became ill and passed away. “I stayed out for several years,” she explains. “I finally went back in 1997.” It was during this third stint in the armed services that she was deployed for the first time and sent to Ayn al-Asad Iraq during the Iraq War. “Only time I went some place [in the army] was Iraq,” she recalls. On March 4, 2006, at 46 years old, Christian became the first woman in Arkansas to receive the Purple Heart. She had been in Iraq for a few months when she was wounded by what the military calls an IED (improvised explosive device) while driving a truck during a convoy mission near the Jordan border. “We left camp about 8:30 at night,” she explains. “Around 11:30 or 12 the convoy was stopped because a truck was broken down. It was about 12 when I remember the IED going off,” she says. “When the bomb went off nobody knew what was going on,” she recalled. “That's when I felt my leg. It felt like it was on fire. Then they got me down in the truck, and they found that I had two holes in my leg and a couple pieces of metal had gone through my leg. And there was another one stuck in my leg about half an inch deep. Then they called a helicopter to come get me.” Before the bomb injured her leg, Christian worked as a driver for convoy trucks taking food, water and fuel to civilians. Sometimes they'd be gone for two or three hours on runs and sometimes, if they ran into enemy fire, they could be gone for two or three days. It was dangerous work. “Seemed like every time we left the main gate someone was getting fired on or shot at IEDs getting thrown at,” she says. Even at base camp there were dangers. “In our tent areas they were always throwing grenades or IEDS,” she recalls. Once an IED hit a diesel station just fifty feet away. Christian and her unit had made several runs before she was hit, and it certainly wasn't the first time someone was injured on such a run. “I was the only one hurt that day,” she says, “But there had been some people hurt before me that went home. But that day it was only me.” >> 8
ABOUT...the River Valley | March 2015
March 2015 | ABOUT...the River Valley
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The Purple Heart is awarded to any member of the United States Armed Forces who is wounded or killed while serving in the military. The award as we know it today began in 1932 when the criteria were announced in a War Department circular. Any solider who had received combat-related injuries, had been awarded the Army Wound Ribbon or the Meritorious Service Citation Certificate, or were authorized to wear a Wound Chevron after April 5, 1917 (the day before the United States entered World War I) could apply for the award. The award's precedent was the Badge of Military Merit, an award established by George Washington as the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. The award---newly defined and given retroactively -- was established to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the birth of George Washington. Around 78,000 retroactive Purple Hearts were awarded between 1932 and 1942. Since then, around 1.8 million Purple Hearts have been awarded to women and men serving in all branches of the military. The first woman to receive the award was Lt. Annie G. Fox, the chief nurse in the Army Nurse Corps at Hickman Field during the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Even though there is historical documentation for some of the more wellknown Purple Heart recipients, there are no central databases for mandatory documentation of the award, and therefore no one knows exactly how many men or women have received the Purple Heart. In recent years there has been an ongoing effort to document the names. Recognizing this as an issue in women’s history, in 2000 the Military Order of the Purple 10
ABOUT...the River Valley | March 2015
Heart Foundation awarded a grant to Women in Military Service for America Memorial Foundation to began identifying servicewomen and veterans. Close to 300 women have been identified, but certainly there are thousands more. Though women have been in the armed forces since before the creation of the Purple Heart, both the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars have radically redefined the role of women in both military service and direct combat. According to a 2013 report on women in war these wars have “blurred, if not erased, the traditional notions of combat versus noncombat positions. Battle fronts are fluid, and the concept of a defined front line is virtually meaningless,” writes journalist Greg Myre. According to the military, around 280,000 women have been two deployed in the two countries since 2001. Christian says that when she first enlisted there were around fifteen to twenty other women in her unit. Most were younger, but by the time she deployed there was another woman around her age. Many of the women, she says, had to return to care for their families when alternate caregiver arrangements fell through. She didn't realize it then, but by the time she was injured she was the only woman left in her group. After being hit by the IED she spent two days in Camp Korea, near Jordan, before she was flown back to their base came at Alasad. Then she was flown to Germany for surgery. She recalls staying there for three or four weeks before she was sent to San Antonio for physical therapy. She says someone from DC called her sister and her husband, letting them know they weren't really sure what was going on or where Christian was or even if she had
made it through the attack. “My unit shut down for two or three days until they could find out if I was dead or alive,” she recalls. When she got to Germany she was able to contact her unit and her family who'd been waiting fearfully for any news. “When I called my husband from Germany,” she says, “he was thrilled to death.” Flying back to the states she says she remembers all the grass, the trees, and street signs, all things she hadn't seen in quite a while. She recalled being driven in the San Antonio traffic, fearful every time they went near an overpass and saw cars coming toward the car. “I ducked down because I said, ‘Oh my Lord they're gonna throw a bomb.’” It took a while before she got used to being in all the traffic. Arriving in San Antonio in the company of others was a welcome change. A few people from her unit were also in San Antonio, having been wounded previously. She recalls one of them saying, “You look pretty good for a dead woman!,” a reference to the confusion in her unit when she was first wounded. She stayed in San Antonio for around four weeks receiving rehab on her leg and attending classes to help her re-acclimate to civilian life. She says her leg was still sore and bruised, but she soon felt better. When she was released in September of 2005, her husband came to pick her up and bring her back to Arkansas. “My husband was a truck driver for Tyson, and he came down there and got me,” she recalls. “It was great to be in Arkansas again.” She mentions her in laws and her three sisters -- one who lives in Dardanelle, another in Russellville, and one in Scranton -- she is very close with all of them.
On March 4, 2006, at 46 years old, Christian became the first woman in Arkansas to receive the Purple Heart.
Thankfully, there was no permanent damage to the bone, only nerve damage. Within a few months she returned to her daily life. “I went back to my unit and went back to normal,” she says. She started doing drill again and returned to her job at Tyson where she has worked as a line worker for the past twelve years. “I went back to work probably about a month after I came back home,” she says. “I went back to the normal routine.” The hardest part was getting used to driving again, she says. While in Iraq an oncoming car almost always meant danger. “If you saw a car coming toward you or running you
off the road be careful they're not showing bombs or shooting at you,” she recalls. When Christian received her Purple Heart in March 2006, she was surprised to find out she was the first woman in Arkansas to be awarded. “I was excited” she says, pausing. “And also I wasn't [excited].” Christian is clearly not someone who seeks to draw attention to herself or her achievements. “TV stations and my unit did research and found that out,” she explains. “I couldn't believe it either. That was a big surprise.” Christian retired from the military in 2011 after serving a total of 22 years. She regularly attends Veterans parades and continues to work at Tyson in Russellville. When asked how she feels about this prestige she admits she was initially a bit embarrassed by the attention. Though she isn't one to draw attention to herself, her family is incredibly proud, making sure people in Dardanelle, Russellville and beyond know about their relative. “My husband tells everyone he sees,” she laughs, “And my sisters usually tell everybody.” Being the first woman in Arkansas to be given the Purple Heart even brought members of her family together who hadn't seen each other in decades.”My three sisters told the whole family and the neighborhood,” she laughs “Thirty to forty people from my family came to see me get it,” she says. “They were all excited. There were a couple of cousins I hadn't seen in probably 20 years. They all came. It was a pretty big deal.” l March 2015 | ABOUT...the River Valley
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ABOUT...the River Valley | Every Day Life
"How many times I have asked God to show me the script of my life and the lives of those I love? The answer is, way too many to count. But today I struggle with what I would do with that script if I had it."
Waiting on the words
Story by KECHIA BENTLEY | Illustration by CLIFF THOMAS
It is 1:22 p.m. and I still have nothing on the page. The words refuse to come. I have done everything correctly to set up a successful writing day. I have my list of story ideas neatly written out beside me. I have cleared my calendar so I can spend the whole day in front of my computer. But still no words, nothing as the day slips away. You see, my neatly laid out plan blew up this morning at 7:43 a.m. My day planned for joyful banter through what I hoped would be an amusing story gave way to the cruel life changing moments of this world. Now as I sit and wait for witty words to come tumbling out of my head, I also wait for words of life or death from a hospital. A precious young person is fighting for their life following a serious accident. And I am reminded once again that life can change in an instance. We make our plans, but… So I sit, I stare, I pray and I wait. How many times I have asked God to show me the script of my life and the lives of those I love? The answer is, way too many to count. But today I struggle with what I would do with that script if I had it. If I knew what was coming just around the corner would it bring me peace? I don’t think so. I am sure I would struggle against 12
ABOUT...the River Valley | March 2015
it. I would fret over the trials, tragedies, and disappointments that I knew were just ahead. I would not be able to withstand the crushing weight of worry and dread. I do believe that is why God tells us in his word not to worry about tomorrow for today has enough trouble of its own. If I had known that handsome man I met one Sunday night was going to steal my heart and then move me to Long Island, New York, would I have even gone on a first date with him? If I had known my dad was going to die when I was 19-yearsold, would I have lived my childhood in fear instead of joy? If I had known our second child, Austin, was going to die at birth would I have missed the joy of the discovery of being pregnant and feeling his kicks inside of me? It is best we do not know what today or tomorrow will bring. It is best that we live
in the moment we have with joy, love, and gratitude. It is best to remember it could all change in a moment, so that when that moment comes we have the precious memories of love, laughter, peace, and joy to comfort us through our darkest nights and crushing days. Oh, it is not as if I can pretend nothing horrible will ever happen just because I haven’t read the script. I have lived too long to think that way. I just know, that if I knew when the hard times were coming I would spend most, if not all, my time dwelling on the pain and miss all the joy. For we must not forget, especially in these times of overwhelming anguish, all the great joy in our life. Today is that day: the day to remember to love greatly, laugh loudly, and stop long enough to see the glory and majesty all around us. Doing these things will help hold us together as we wait for the storms of life to pass. It is now 3:02 p.m. and the words have come. They are not at all what I planned, but remember God did not let me read the script. l
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From Academic to Artisan T
he word physics comes from an ancient Greek term meaning “knowledge of nature.” The study of physics is the journey to attain an understanding of the nature around us,
and in turn use this knowledge for the betterment of self and others. James Thomas Willcutt, a professor of physics at Arkansas Tech University for 38 years, spent his entire academic career learning the Earth’s ways—cryptic yet awe inspiring even to the most educated of scientists—and passing his lessons on to his students.
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ABOUT...the River Valley | March 2015
Story by RYAN SMITH | Photos by JOHNNY SAIN
In retirement, Willcutt has found another way, far more hands on than theoretical, to give to others the finished product he creates from the natural world. Willcutt, 71, now dedicates about eight hours a day, six days a week, every week, to woodworking. Today, Willcutt can turn chunks of old stumps and cast-off wood into everything from Post-it note boxes to kitchen cabinets, sparing none of his talent for whatever crafted art catches his fancy in between. His designs and output are more intricate and prolific with every run of the saw, and it’s easy to mark Willcutt’s progression as a craftsman with each piece. Wilcutt has built nearly everything in his home, and he said if you talk to his wife, Norma, she’ll be sure to point out which pieces are “earlyTom” and which are “lateTom.” There’s quite the difference between the two, they both agree. “A man named Leonard Stout had a small table saw, router, lathe and jointer for $200,” Willcutt said concerning his start in the craft. “I bought it and worked out of my garage just doing refinishing work starting out. The first job I ever did was a pie crust table for Pattie Barker. I probably made 50 cents an hour on it—if that.” His work isn’t about the money though. “I just take a wild guess when pricing something,” he said. “It doesn’t matter at all.”
The only reason he sells the decorative boxes, picture frames, shelves, chairs, stools and anything else that can be made from one of the 28 types of wood he works with daily is to make room for doing more work. For Willcutt, the effort expended is simply about enjoying himself while perfecting the craft. Like Tantalus’ fruit, a perfect state is unattainable for the artist, yet he pursues it with ever-increasing diligence. Simply put, Willcutt likes to make things. Selling them is a necessary evil to clear way in his shop for future works. Just as Barker’s table helped prove to him that money is valueless in his goals as a woodworker, it also taught him his first lesson in handling fisheyeing, a major problem for neophytes in his field. “The varnish wasn’t sticking to the wood because the surface tension was too high so instead of sticking to the wood it stuck to itself and pulled away and formed the little holes they call fish eyes,” he said. “The problem is that the cohesive forces are greater than the adhesive forces. Little bit of physics involved there, see?” The woodworker never loses interest in the complexities of creating out of the earth’s raw materials, but Willcutt now has the process down to an exact science. >> March 2015 | ABOUT...the River Valley
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Boxes are his biggest seller, and are what he’s best known for in the River Valley community. He’ll generally be making about six types and sizes of boxes at once, all of which have a plan he may choose to alter during the construction. But ultimately, meticulously, each is brought to fruition with an idea based on simplicity: to make something aesthetically pleasing. “I usually just look at a certain piece of wood and think ‘that might make a pretty box,’” he said while holding a piece of spalted persimmon. This is his favorite wood for boxes because of its decaying look that provides unique patterning and a rustic feel. “You hear these artists say they saw the figure of their finished products in the wood the whole time, and that they just liberated it from the wood. I never see any of that. I just take off at it and do what I want.” Not just any piece off a felled tree will work for Willcutt, though. He will search through mounds of wood piled chest high to find intact sapwood, as opposed to the heartwood in the center of limbs and trunks that’s become resistant to decay. The sapwood is still living. This means it will decay and provide him with the distinction each piece of wood offers after being allowed to cure. Once selecting the wood is finished, most of his work is completed using his table saw and jointer. The latter being is used to get the edges perfectly straight and ensure there’s no gap when the wood is fitted together. He said after the pieces are cut, and the form of the box has taken shape and been glued together, rubber bands and clamps are used to hold everything together for a about a day. This solidifies the glue’s hold and strengthening the structure of the wood. “Now if I stopped right there and dropped the box, it would shatter because glue on edges doesn’t have any strength,” he said. “So I make a jig and cut a spline that I glue onto the edges to make sure it won’t fall apart. Most people think the splines that run over the edges are just to look pretty, but the primary reason is for strength.” After curing, the boxes need only a layer of sanding sealer and satin polyurethane to be completed. After application, any designs, lettering or other additions inspired by the self-effacing artist’s whims can be added. 16
ABOUT...the River Valley | March 2015
And though Willcutt has said he prefers creating boxes and other woodworks he has complete creative control over, some of his most cherished projects have been custom jobs for clients desiring a piece either be reworked upon or constructed anew. “What I really like doing is for people to bring me wood out of their mother’s or dad’s old house, or taking a piece that has sentimental value to someone, and making something out of it,” he said. “And believe it or not, I really do a whole lot of that.” Caroline Statler, a longtime client of his whom he had done numerous jobs for, passed away recently and had left a few pieces of furniture to her kids. The pieces were becoming worn with age and falling apart. Willcutt completely remade the bottom two legs before stripping and refinishing a desk, repaired the top of one of her make-up tables and also refinished a chair to match the table. “Stuff like that is important because they really do cherish it,” he said. “That right there makes it special to me.” Lisa Porter brought Willcutt pieces of wood from her fatherin-law’s tornado ravaged house he then transformed into a chest, end tables, stool, mirror frame, book shelf, several assorted boxes, crosses and picture frames for her in remembrance of the home. Another client, Ann Webb, brought him a stool that was time beaten and nearly busted from weathering. It had belonged to her grandfather and she wanted Willcutt to put it back together. “I said ‘lady that’s all broke.’ She told me ‘No, you can fix it.’ So I did.” Willcutt reveals with a grin that once he had fully restored the stool he told Webb what it was actually used for during her grandfather’s generation. She was surprised to find out it held the chamber pot. “She didn’t know what it was before, but when I told her she said, ‘That’s probably right, now that you mention it, because the stool was always in his bathroom.’” Willcutt restores the old by reviving the past. After the former mayor of Pottsville, Jerry Duvall, passed away, his wife wanted handcrafted boxes to put some of his belongings in to give to their four grandkids. Willcutt wasted no time assembling some of his hallmark boxes for the family. Willcutt rattles off handfuls of River Valley citizens’ names
-- those he’s reached by using his craft to give them back a dying piece of the past. He remolds, reshapes, and recreates what once was, and the stories of his workings are the retold stories of days and years gone by. He’s used wood coming from ancestral homesteads as far away as North Dakota to hack and saw into existence new forms from old shades, but he’s also used his own family’s pieces as inspiration for replicating woodworks. Willcutt’s oldest sister has the original piece of the only furniture left that once belonged to his great-grandmother. He decided to create copies of the darkly stained elm nightstand, and give one to each of his two brothers and sisters, all of whom still live within twenty miles of one another. “I’ve made stuff out of mom’s and dad’s old house after we had torn it down,” he said. “I’ve been able to build furniture for my whole family that really means something.” Although his wife, Norma, tells him he works all the time, he insists that what he does in his woodshop is the farthest thing from working. It’s playing. “I thought when I retired I’d fish all the time,” Willcutt said. “While I was at Tech, I even arranged all my classes so that I was free every Tuesday for fishing. Guess what. I never fish anymore. It’s just as fun to woodwork as it is to fish. I’d just as soon do this.” And while he downplays the work he pours into his daily task, it seems his passion for teaching physics has seeped into his “play” as a craftsman. “I told people while I was teaching that I didn’t know why anyone would want to be anything other than a physicist, and if you don’t feel that way about your job you’re probably in the wrong field,” he said. “You know, somebody once said to find a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” Willcutt may be citing a cliché, but there’s a reason these sayings recycle throughout the gamut of human existence: They’re true. In woodworking, as in physics, he has found his own truth. And Willcutt’s pieces serve as the representation of this truth. Happiness is put into each creation, and this is perhaps the truest instance of art imitating one man’s life. l
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March 2015 | ABOUT...the River Valley
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ABOUT...the River Valley | Community and Events
Arkansas Tech faculty member donates $67,000 for scholarships Dr. Mildred Diane Gleason, associate professor of history at Arkansas Tech University, has made a $67,000 gift to the Arkansas Tech Foundation that will allow the institution to provide scholarship assistance for qualified individuals of Mexican descent. The gift made by Gleason fulfills the final requirement of a $33,000 grant that Arkansas Tech received from the Consulate of Mexico in Little Rock in November 2014. The university was required to obtain a matching gift of at least $66,000 in order to receive the grant funding. “I believe in the mission of public universities to educate all qualified students,” said Gleason, an alumna of Arkansas Tech and member of the faculty there since 2009. “I am thrilled to assist in this effort at Arkansas Tech University.” Through the support of the Consulate of Mexico of Little Rock and the generosity of Gleason, Arkansas Tech was able to award seven IME Fellowship scholarships to its students for the spring 2015 semester. The IME Fellowship recipients at
Arkansas Tech for spring 2015 are Dulce A. Baeza, a hospitality administration student from Clarksville; David A. Cortes Moreno, a management and marketing student from Clarksville; Antonio Gomez Garcia, a management and marketing student from Danville; Mari C. Hayes, an educational leadership student from Rogers; Lisbeth Lopez, an early childhood education student from Danville; Eduardo Rodriguez Martinez, a nursing student from Dardanelle; and Jovana L. Rosas, a political science student from Morrilton. Applicants for the IME Fellowship must be Mexican or of Mexican origin to qualify. The scholarships are awarded competitively based on academic performance and financial need. Applicants
must not be eligible for any other type of scholarship funds or financial aid. For more information about the IME Fellowship, contact the Arkansas Tech Office of Admissions at (479) 968-0343, (800) 582-6953 or tech.enroll@atu.edu
HAMMONDS TAKES ON NEW ROLE PROMOTING DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
Arkansas Tech University has added a new staff member to help the institution continue to serve the needs of its campus community as that population evolves and changes. Dr. MarTeze Hammonds began his duties as associate dean for diversity and inclusion on Monday, Feb. 2. He is the first
Volunteers Needed
We Need You! Show your pride in our community and join us on April 10th & 11th to help make the 2nd Annual RussVegas 1/2 Marathon an even greater success than last! To volunteer, register online at:
www.RussVegasHalf.com Benefiting Arkansas Children’s Hospital and the River Valley Circle of Friends
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ABOUT...the River Valley | March 2015
person to hold that title at Arkansas Tech. “When I read the job description about Arkansas Tech, it talked about starting brand new at the ground level,” said Hammonds. “I have the ability to come in, roll up my sleeves, introduce some new initiatives and most importantly do some training to move the campus in a way that it becomes more inclusive. I like a really good challenge. After reading some of the numbers, research and history, it felt like the right fit for me to come in, take what is already existing and build upon that to create a situation where every student feels included no matter who they are, even before they arrive on this campus.” A review of the institutional demographics at Arkansas Tech reveals some of the ways in which the face of the university is changing. A decade ago, 10 percent of Arkansas Tech students identified themselves as members of an ethnic minority group. Today, that figure has increased to 22.4 percent. African-American enrollment at Arkansas Tech increased by 244 percent from 2004-2014, while Hispanic enrollment at the institution increased by 522 percent over that time frame. During the fall 2014 semester, Arkansas Tech President Dr. Robin E. Bowen initiated a consultative process to evaluate how the institution approaches issues related to diversity and inclusion. Among the recommendations that came forth was to develop an office that would coordinate educational programming concerning multiculturalism for the campus, coordinate a student mentoring program, serve as a resource and provide support for
students when diversity issues arise and serve as an advocate for diverse students. Following a nationwide search, Hammonds was selected to serve in that role. A 2005 graduate of Murray State University, Hammonds went on to earn two Master of Science degrees from Murray State and a Doctor of Education degree from the University of Arkansas. Hammonds most recently served as assistant dean of students for retention and academic engagement at the College of Wooster in Ohio. While at College of Wooster, he also fulfilled the duties of associate director for the Center for Diversity and Global Engagement and director for the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs. “So many have talked about the idea of social justice, but not in the way we are talking about it now,” said Hammonds.
“It’s not binary between black and white. We want to make sure it is clear that here at Arkansas Tech, social justice stems into all of the identities. We all have layers of identities. The intersections of those identities should be respected. It is the norm to have diversity on this campus. “Social justice leads us to become a more culturally competent campus,” continued Hammonds. “This is not about them versus them. We have to come to a place where we understand it is us, not them versus them. To break it down, social justice is about getting to the point where we all treat each other the way we want to be treated. If we can get that, we’ve done ourselves an awesome service.” Hammonds’ office is located in Doc Bryan Student Services Center room 248. Students, faculty and staff seeking more information about services related to diversity and inclusion may send e-mail to mhammonds2@atu.edu.
TIME TO NOMINATE FOR ATKINS CITIZEN OF THE YEAR
Do you know someone who deserves to be recognized for all their efforts in the community of Atkins? Nominate them for Citizen of the Year! Forms can be downloaded at www. peopleforabetteratkins.org. Deadline is March 15, 2015. l
Children - Adolescents - Adults - Couples - Families
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ABOUT...the River Valley | March 2015
ABOUT...the River Valley | Valley Vittles
CATFISH N | 210 Dardanelle Dam Road, Dardanelle
Down by the River Story by JOHNNY SAIN | Photos by LIZ CHRISMAN
S
outhern cuisine is grounded in local flavor. Fancy recipes and exotic ingredients were not only hard to come by but unnecessary as well. The main criteria was cheap — free was even better — and available. Lucky for us Southerners that delicious, cheap and available food was often there for the catching in waterways throughout the region. Channel catfish covered all the bases. Simple yet delicious, the fried catfish filet and its partner in delectability, the hushpuppy, are iconic representatives of earthy, poor-folk eating that has been transformed into near gourmet fare. The meal is a marriage of fish and cornmeal fried in hot oil and seasoned with only the essentials — ingredients readily available to any southerner with a patch of field corn and access to practically any body of water. Of course, the Arkansas River was and is chock-full of catfish. Channel catfish are common throughout the Mississippi River drainage, and the Arkansas River is one of the larger tributaries of Big Muddy. Flakey white meat encased in crispy golden cornmeal accompanied by seasoned nuggets of cornmeal (called hushpuppies because they were used to keep the hounds quiet while supper was cooking) partnered with fried potatoes. A rural feast fit for a king. Catfish N honors this Southern food legacy in a way that could only be described as scrumptious. Good food, great service and perfect atmosphere on the banks of the Arkansas River since 1971, Catfish N can satisfy your catfish cravings. l March 2015 | ABOUT...the River Valley
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ABOUT...the River Valley | Countertop Creations
DUBLIN LAWYER Fresh lobster/about 2 1/2 lb 3 T Butter 4 T Irish whiskey 150 ml (4 oz) Cream Salt and pepper The lobster should be cut in two down the center. Remove all the meat from the lobster, including the claws: retain the shell for serving. Cut the meat into chunks. Heat the butter until foaming and quickly saute the lobster chunks in it, until just cooked but not colored. Warm the whiskey slightly, then pour it over the lobster and set fire to it. Add the cream, mix with the pan juices, and taste for seasoning. Put back into the half shells and serve hot. Recipe courtesy of irishabroad.com
When Irish Eyes Are Smiling Story by LYDIA ZIMMERMAN, Food Editor
U
ntil last June, when we celebrated my grandmotherin-law’s 90th birthday, I had only heard bits and pieces of the aforementioned song that I now find quite beautiful. My daughter played it on her flute for her “GG” that day, and as March approaches this song and it’s home country come to mind. Of course, we will be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in a couple of weeks and in doing some research I found that parades celebrating this day take place on several continents. The first recorded 22
ABOUT...the River Valley | March 2015
parade took place in New York City in 1762 as a recruiting rally by the English army in North America. In honor of St. Patrick’s Day and people born with ‘the luck of the Irish’, also known as those having Irish lineage, I have collected Irish recipes that I am sure will make you smile. I will close with an Irish toast to ya: May the leprechauns be near you, To spread luck along your way. And may all the Irish angels, Smile upon you on St. Patrick’s Day.
BARMBRACK 2 1/2 c Mixed dry fruit--currants, dates & raisins 1 c Boiling black tea 1 Egg, slighty beaten 1 Mixed spice (Allspice) 4 tsp Orange Marmalade 1 1/3 c superfine/castor sugar 2 1/2 c Self-raising flour 1 ring (optional) Place dried fruit in a bowl, cover with the hot black tea and let soak overnight. The next day, add the remaining ingredients. and mix well. Add ring wrapped in greaseproof (wax) paper(optional). Preheat oven to 375 F. Pour batter into greased 7" square pan and bake in the center of oven for 1 1/2 hrs. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack. Slice and serve buttered with tea. Whoever gets the ring ( make sure not to swallow it) is prophesised to be the next person to get married. Recipe courtesy of irishabroad.com
POTATO SOUFFLE’ 2 lbs potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces 3 T butter 1 small onion, finely chopped 2 T sour cream 2 eggs, separated 2 T heavy cream Salt and pepper, to taste 1 T dried parsley, thyme, or tarragon 4 oz grated Parmesan cheese In a saucepan, cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain and mash. In a small pan over medium heat, combine the butter and onions and cook until the onions are soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the onions to the mashed potatoes, then stir in the sour cream, egg yolks, and cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the herbs and grated cheese and stir until smooth. In a small bowl using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff. Carefully fold two tablespoons of egg white into the potato mixture to loosen it, then gradually fold in the rest. Pour into a well-greased 7-inch soufflé dish and bake in a preheated 350°F oven until top is golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes (check after 15 minutes). Recipe courtsey of Margaret Johnson/ irishabroad.com BLUE CHEESE, BACON AND ZUCCHINI SOUP 1 T olive oil 6 slices Irish traditional bacon, chopped (may use Canadian Bacon) 1 onion, chopped
2 large zucchini or courgette, sliced 3 potatoes, peeled and chopped 4 c chicken stock 3 oz Cashel Blue cheese 2/3 c half-and-half Freshly ground black pepper 2-3 sprigs fresh parsley, chopped
and process, in batches, until smooth. Return to the saucepan, stir in the cheese and cream, and heat gently. Add the reserved bacon, sprinkle with pepper, and garnish with parsley. Recipe courtesy of Margaret Johnson/ irishabroad.com
Cashel Blue is first of the Irish farmhouse blues, smooth, creamy, and exceptionally versatile in cooking. Try this as a first course for any meal, or with a salad and cruty bread for a warm and welcoming supper. In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the bacon and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.(Reserve a few pieces for garnish.) Add the onion, zucchini, and potatoes, cover, and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Transfer to a food processor or blender
IRISH COFFEE 60 ml (2 oz) of Irish Whiskey 1 teaspoon of brown sugar Freshly made strong black coffee Double cream freshly whipped to peak
SPRING
IS AROUND THE
CORNER!
Gently warm an Irish Whiskey/Coffee glass in hot water. Pour whiskey and sugar into the glass and stir. Add the fresh made coffee filling the glass to within half an inch or so of the top. Pour the cream onto the top of the mixture gently using the back of a spoon to prevent splashing. Do not stir. Add grated chocolate to the top if required. >>
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Notes: To Make Fruit Scones: 50g/2oz of sultanas, cherries or raisins may be added to the dry ingredients before adding the liquid. Recipe courtsey of Odlums flour company/ foodireland.com IRISH CHOCOLATE CAKE Sponge 175g/ 6oz self-raising flour 1/2 tsp salt 50g/ 2oz dark chocolate 110g/ 4oz butter 175g/ 6oz caster sugar 80g/ 3oz cooked mashed potato 2 eggs, beaten 4 T milk
DELICIOUS IRISH SCONES 8 oz Odlums Self Rising flour (can use any brand) Pinch Salt 25g/1oz Caster Sugar (super fine sugar) 25g/1oz Margarine 150ml/¼ pint Milk (approx) For glaze Beaten egg or milk Preheat oven to 210°C/425°F/Gas 7. Lightly dust a flat baking tray with flour. Sieve flour and salt into a bowl, stir in sugar, if used. Rub in margarine. Add sufficient milk to make soft dough. Turn onto a floured board and knead to remove any cracks. Roll out lightly to 1”/3cm in thickness. Cut into scones with a cutter dipped in flour. Place on the preheated baking tray, glaze if liked. Bake in oven for 10 -15 mins. approx. or until risen and golden brown. Cool on a wire tray
Filling 110g/ 4oz dark chocolate 125ml/ 4fl oz double cream 50g/ 2oz icing sugar 3 T Irish cream liqueur Preheat oven to gas mark 5/ 190°C/ 375°F, and grease and line two 20cm/ 8 inch cake tins. Sift flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Melt chocolate in a bowl placed over a saucepan of hot water. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar together until fluffy, then beat in the chocolate and mashed potato. Gradually beat in the eggs, adding a little flour with each addition. Fold in the rest of the flour and stir in the milk.
Divide mixture between cake tins and bake for 25-30 minutes or until top is firm but springy to the touch. Remove from oven and after a few minutes, turn out on a cooling rack. While the cake is cooling, make the filling. Melt the chocolate as before, stir in the other ingredients and mix well. Use the filling to sandwich the sponge layers together and coat the top and sides of the cake. Recipe courtesy of irelandseye.com FILET OF BEEF WITH POTATO CAKE AND HERBY BUTTER 4 fillet steaks Salt and black pepper Rapeseed oil 125 ml home-made beef stock Dash of whiskey Knob of butter Potato Cake 1 lb potatoes, peeled and chopped 2-3 T. mixture of milk and cream (½ & ½) Knob of butter 2 T scallions (spring onions), chopped Salt and black pepper Herby Butter 2 oz softened butter, mixed with chopped scallions, chives, parsley, crushed garlic and lemon juice Potato Cakes: Place the potatoes in a large pot. Cover with water. Season, bring to the boil, then simmer until potatoes are cooked. Drain well, then mash really well
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ABOUT...the River Valley | March 2015
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with the milk, cream and butter. Whip in the scallions, season well. Divide the mixture into four and shape into four potato cakes. Dust each one with a little flour and fry in hot butter until golden brown on each side – keep warm. Season the steaks with salt, black pepper and rapeseed oil. Heat the pan and cook the steaks to your liking. Remove from the pan and keep warm. To the juices in the pan, add some beef stock, dash of whiskey, knob of butter and season to taste. To Serve: Place the warm potato cake on the plate with the steak on top. Spoon on herby butter and drizzle the sauce around the plate. Recipe courtsey of Bord Bia/foodireland. com STEAK AND GUINNESS PIE 12 in Pie pastry 1 or 2 lb of Round steak 1 T Flour 1 T Brown sugar 1 T Raisins 5 medium size onions
1 bottle of Guinness stout (not the 'draught' variety) 8 slices of bacon 3 T of shortening/butter Some Chopped parsley Dice the steak, cover with flour and brown, with the bacon, on a medium heat using the butter. Peel and chop the onions and brown over a good heat. Add to the meat in a casserole dish. Add raisins and brown sugar and Guinness. Cover the dish, simmer and cook over a lowish heat for 2.5 hours. Add water of the gravy mixuture starts to thicken excessively. Coat a pie dish with half of the pastry and bake. Add the Meat and Gravy mix when cooked and place the remaining pastry on top and bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with potatoes and vegetables. Recipe courtesy of irelandinformation.com TRADITIONAL IRISH STEW 2 large onions 4 large Carrots 1 lb stewing steak / mince or lamb
8 large potatoes Salt & pepper (personal preference) How to make Traditional Irish stew Wash and cut onions into moderate size chunks and add to the pot. (dont like onions. Do not worry, this can still be cooked without onions). Wash carrots and cut into chunks (some prefer thicker chucks for taste). Wash and peel the potatoes (spuds) then cut each one in half. Slice the meat into smaller pieces. If using stewing mince roll into meatballs. Get a large pot and fill it with water. Add the potatoes and meat. Heat pot until water boils then add carrots and onions. Keep on a low boil and stir every now and then until vegetables are cooked. Serve hot! Cooking time for the Irish stew should be approximately 60 minutes or when the meat is fully cooked and the potatoes are soft inside (check using a fork). Recipe courtesy of yourirish.com
Recipes continued on page 31...
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ABOUT...the River Valley | March 2015
RussVegas
I
t begins with a starter pistol. A single shot into the air signaling to walkers and runners it’s time to begin their foot race through beautiful downtown Russellville. People of all ages will gather this April 10th and 11th to raise money for Circle of Friends and Arkansas Children’s Hospital. This is the second annual RussVegas Half Marathon brought to you by the many volunteers at the RussVegas Foot Race Foundation. The idea for the RussVegas Foot Race Foundation began while Chris Olsen was running. He was participating in a half marathon raising funds for St. Jude Research Hospital, and began wondering just how he could bring a similar event to our area. He gave Christie Graham, with Russellville Advertising and Promotions, a call and pitched the idea, called a few friends to recruit them to volunteer, and the rest as they say, is history. A Board of Directors was formed and met every month. They met with local officials, police, fire and EMS. They also formed an advisory board, recruited volunteers, ordered medals, planned routes, addressed safety issues and signed up runners. This is of course only a few steps of the many it takes to plan an event like this, and hundreds of volunteer hours will be spent reviewing and organizing, making sure this event offers everyone in the River Valley a chance to spend a beautiful spring day with like-minded friends and neighbors raising money for a worthy cause. Local resident and avid runner Angela Beyette and I spoke at length about her love of running and last years’ event. According to her, RussVegas is the place to be. Angela ran her first 5k in 1995, but it really became one of her favorite pastimes three years ago after signing up with the Women Can Run Clinics in Russellville. To date, she has participated in 13 half marathons (13.1 miles), numerous 5k’s, and several marathons (26.2 miles), raising funds for several different
Where Everyone’s a Winner
Story by DENISE ROBINSON Photos by LIZ CHRISMAN
children’s organizations. I asked Angela what she thought made the RussVegas Half Marathon event so special. She replied very simply “The community. All along the route, there are people lined up to cheer for you. People you have never met are there to wave as you pass by, to encourage you when you are tired, and to stand with your family and friends as you cross the finish line.
In its first year, over 1000 runners from 23 states participated in the RussVegas Half Marathon. Knowing that we all came together to support each other and raise money for children is an amazing feeling.” The passion she has for participating in these events and help others in the process is contagious, and I personally look forward to cheering her on when she laces up her sneakers to cross the finish line in April. >> March 2015 | ABOUT...the River Valley
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Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH) is the only pediatric medical facility in Arkansas, and is one of the largest in the United States. The ACH website states the campus spans nearly 30 city blocks and currently houses 370 beds. They have a staff of approximately 500 physicians, 95 residents in pediatrics and pediatric specialties and employ an additional 4,400 employees. Children from all over the United States come to Arkansas Children’s Hospital for treatment. I encourage you to visit their website at archildren.org and read some of the patient stories. These children are amazing. They have dealt with some of the worst life has to offer, and have come out smiling. I recently had the pleasure of visiting with 2 of these patients and their mothers. Zola Prati is a busy 3 year old girl with bouncy brown hair, bright eyes and energy for days. She loves looking at books and playing
with stuffed animals. Not so long ago, Zola was not this picture of health. When she was 17 months old, her mother Brandy noticed that Zola had a rather ‘round’ belly. She had been a cute chunky baby, but as she was getting more active and thinning up a bit as busy little ones do, her belly remained distended. Brandy took her to their family physician and he informed her that Zola had an enlarged liver and she needed to have an ultrasound immediately. They went to Arkansas Children’s Hospital that day, and upon receiving the results of the ultrasound and blood work, the nurse told Brandy that Zola was being admitted. Her parents were in shock. She was such a healthy baby, had never even had a cold or an ear infection, and she was being admitted into the hospital, to the Oncology floor. Zola was diagnosed with hepatoblastoma, a rare cancer which occurs in 1.6 of every 1,000,000 children a year, and makes up only 1% of childhood cancers. She has had more tests, CT scans, ultrasounds and x-rays than her mother can remember. Chemotherapy treatments made her unable to eat or drink without vomiting, and for fear of germs and illness, unable to directly interact with family and loved ones. She required several blood transfusions during her treatment, and in June of 2013 received a liver transplant. To look at her, you would never
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ABOUT...the River Valley | March 2015
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guess what this adorable bundle of energy has been through. Jeffery Smith has an incredibly infectious smile. He is a 17 year old Junior at Clarksville High School and is on the swim team. Sounds normal for a teenage boy, right? Jeffrey is definitely not the average teenage boy. At age 12, he was diagnosed with End Stage Renal Disease. Jeffery’s mom, Cheryl, had taken him to his pediatrician after noticing some odd bruising on his legs. Jeffrey had also been feeling quite tired, and Cheryl figured he was anemic. Dr. McCraw ran some blood tests and then repeated the tests to make sure they were correct. Jeffrey’s kidneys were barely functioning at all. His blood pressure was 181/136. The toxins in his bloodstream measured at 119 instead of the normal range of 10. He was a very ill young man. By midnight, Jeffrey had undergone surgery at Arkansas Children’s Hospital to place a temporary hemodialysis catheter into his leg. He also received several blood transfusions and began hemodialysis. A biopsy of his kidneys showed there was severe scarring, and his kidneys had actually quit growing long ago, and were unable to keep up with his growing body as he got older. This first stay at ACH lasted 3 long weeks. During that time Jeffrey had several surgeries and along with his family he learned how to care for himself so he could go home. His diet was severely restricted and his fluid intake could not go above 40 ounces in a 24 hour period. He had to take numerous pills and shots, do daily blood draws, and take care of the exit site where the Tenckhoff was placed for his dialysis.
A year passed by and Jeffrey was finally well enough to be placed on the transplant list. On November 11th the following year they received the call, there was a kidney for Jeffrey. The news spread so fast the family could barely keep up with the calls and well wishes. The surgery went well, and he was on his way to a full recovery. Jeffery had persevered and been through so much, they named his kidney Percy. On November 21st, he lost Percy. He was bleeding internally and was rushed into
emergency surgery. Dr. Blazack, Jeffrey’s Nephrologist, had heard the news while he was away for the Thanksgiving Holiday. He drove 9 hours to get back to ACH to be with Jeffrey and his family. On December 20th, they finally went back home. A short time later, Jeffrey developed a severe infection in his leg that required yet another long stay and surgery at ACH. Jeffrey received his second kidney, named ‘The Blaze’, on August 1st of 2014 and he is doing well. >>
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March 2015 | ABOUT...the River Valley
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ABOUT...the River Valley | March 2015
He is back at school, on the swim team and even received his lifeguard certification. He and his family cannot say enough great things about Arkansas Children’s Hospital. The doctors and staff worked together to save Jeffrey’s life over and over again, while also making sure his family was taken care of. Jeffrey told me that he is sure God has a plan for his life, and he hopes part of that plan will allow him to be a pilot for Angel 1 at ACH. In its first year, over 1000 runners from 23 states participated in the RussVegas Half Marathon. Through the combined efforts of the volunteers, walkers and runners, The RussVegas Foot Race Foundation was able to present the River Valley Circle of Friends with a check for $19,200.00 to be utilized for children and families in need at
Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Without such charitable donations, organizations like the River Valley Circle of Friends would not be able to offer their assistance to these families. These funds assist families in paying bills at home along with providing gas money and funds for other essentials while staying with their loved ones at the hospital. The volunteers with River Valley Circle of Friends and the RussVegas Foot Race Foundation contribute countless hours in service to others in our community. This year’s event will span over two days and include a kid’s mile, 5k glow run, car show, live music, spirit stations, vendor booths and great food. For information on how you can volunteer your time or register for the RussVegas Half Marathon, please visit their website at www.russvegashalf.com. l
...Recipes continued from page 25 TRADITIONAL HOT CROSS BUNS 1lb plain flour 2 oz caster sugar 1 oz fresh yeast or 1 level T dried yeast ¼ pint lukewarm milk 1 level tsp salt 1 level tsp mixed spice (Allspice) 1 level tsp cinnamon 4 oz currants (or raisins) 2 oz chopped mixed peel (a mixture of chopped orange, lemon and/or grapefruit rind) 2 oz butter, melted and cooled 1 beaten egg For the Glaze: 2 oz granulated sugar 3 T milk For the cross: 2 small strips of short crust pastry per bun Sift 4 oz flour into a bowl and add 1 teaspoon of sugar. Blend the yeast with the milk and water. Add to flour and sugar. Mix well and leave for 30 minutes or until frothy. Sift remaining flour, salt and spices into another bowl. Add the rest of the sugar, currants and peel. Toss lightly together. Add to yeast mixture with butter and beaten egg. Mix to a soft dough that leaves the sides of the bowl clean. Turn on to floured board and knead for 5 minutes (or until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky). Cover and leave to rise until double the size. Turn onto floured board and knead lightly, divide into 12 pieces. Shape into round bun. Stand well apart on floured baking tray. Cover and leave for another 30 minutes. Cut a cross on top of each bun with a sharp knife and lay strips of pastry in each cut. Bake in a hot oven (220 degrees C / 425 degrees F) for 20 – 25 minutes. Transfer to wire rack. Brush twice with glaze, made by dissolving sugar in milk and boiling for 2 minutes. Serve warm with lashings of butter. Makes 12 buns Recipe courtesy of yourirish.com
CASHEL BLUE POTATO CAKES WITH HERB MAYONNAISE Makes 24 small cakes Herb Mayonnaise 1 c mayonnaise 3 T chopped chives 2 tsp dried parsley 4 T sweet green relish 2 T fresh lemon juice 1 1/2 tsp dried tarragon dash of Tabasco sauce salt and freshly ground pepper to taste Potato Cakes 3 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 in. pieces 2 T butter, melted 2 T minced fresh flat-leaf parsley 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 1 large egg yolk 1 c crumbled Cashel Blue cheese 1 c all-purpose flour 2 large eggs beaten with 1/2 c/125 ml milk seasoned bread crumbs for dredging canola oil for frying To make the mayonnaise, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and stir to blend. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead; cover and refrigerate). To make the potato cakes, cook the potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water for 15-20 minutes, or until tender. Drain, mash, and return to the stove. Stir the butter, parsley, nutmeg, salt, and pepper into the potatoes, and then remove from the heat and cool completely. Stir in the egg yolk and cheese, leaving the mixture slightly chunky. Shape the potato mixture into 24 small cakes and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm. Lightly dredge in flour, coat with the egg mixture, and then the breadcrumbs.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the cakes and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side, or until browned. (The cakes can be prepared 2 hours ahead up to this point. Let stand at room temperature, and then reheat in a 250° F oven for about 5 minutes, or until heated through.) Recipe courtesy of Margaret Johnson/ irishabroad.com LEPRECHAUN FUDGE 1 ½ c white sugar 1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow crème 2/3 c Irish cream liqueur 1/4 c butter 3 c white chocolate chips 1/2 tsp clear vanilla flavoring (optional) Green food coloring – about 8 drops 1 c lightly salted shelled pistachios Prepare an 8-inch baking dish by lightly buttering and then lining with parchment on paper or foil, then lightly butter the lined pan. Set aside. In a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, marshmallow crème, liqueur, and butter. For best results, add a candy thermometer. Stirring constantly, bring the mixture to a boil. Continue to cook, stirring vigorously to keep the mixture from browning, until the thermometer reads 210 degrees. If you do not have a candy thermometer, once the mixture comes to a boil, cook and stir for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the white chocolate and stir until it is melted (mixture will be thick.) Add the vanilla, food coloring, and pistachios and stir well. Spoon mixture into prepared pan and allow fudge to cool completely. Lift the fudge out of the pan using the liner. Remove paper or foil and cut into 1-inch pieces. Recipe Courtesy of blommi.com l March 2015 | ABOUT...the River Valley
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ABOUT...the River Valley | Backyard Living
Read more from Meredith at www.boileddownjuice.com
The Boiled Down Juice
Frosted Memories Story by MEREDITH MARTIN-MOATS Photo by JOHNNY SAIN
Just as the dandelions were beginning to bloom, and the cornflower was coming up (unseasonably early) around the yard, winter came to central Arkansas. First there was the freezing rain sleet, leaving a sheet of ice around the city. Then a little snow came down on top of all that, and next thing you know the whole school district is closed for three days.
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ABOUT...the River Valley | March 2015
My sons couldn't wait to build a snow person. Of course, the yard was nothing but one big ice cube. I explained how there were certain kinds of frozen precipitation and now all of them were conducive to creating snow people. So instead of making snow angels or building Frosty, they took the bottom half of a dog crate and went sliding down the hill in our back yard. I loved listening to their excited screams and laughter as they went sailing down into our now defunct garden space. Sure, dog crate sledding probably isn't the safest thing in the world. Later that evening on Facebook I found myself reading a story from a local news station about the so-called “dangers of sledding.� I'm not much of what people often call a helicopter parent. A backyard is supposed to hold a healthy amount of danger. And a kid needs to get hurt and dirty every now again. My own mother was hyper cautious. Never in a million years would she let me go sledding, much less let a fellow hyper child my own age push me down with gleeful abandon. But we're different in this regard, and I guess that's why I sometimes find myself reliving my childhood vicariously through my sons. I believe that sledding down the hill isn't just about laughter. It's one of those many chances we have to learn something about the subtle differences between being brave and stupid; between being wisely cautious and paralyzingly fearful. While it's true my mother wasn't a fan of gutsy childhood feats, she certainly knew how to honor the the childhood imagination, especially in the winter. I remember discovering icicles hanging from the eve of the house. I was probably around four or five, the same age as my twin sons. There were so many shapes and sizes. Some were
pointed and fierce. Others bumpy and fat and crooked. I can remember the sound they made dripping onto the porch in little puddles. Others would break off in chunks and come crashing to the ground and shatter into hundreds of pieces. I remember feeling sad as I watched them slowly melt away with the sun. Without my ever asking, she went inside and got out a freezer bag. She reached up and broke off a big pointed formation, the perfect size for the bag. Then she stuck it in the freezer. Anytime I wanted I could take it out and remember the winter. I remember another year we had a large snow, but it was the snow was so dry it wouldn't stick together to make a snow man. We tried and tried to roll the balls, but it just fell apart in our hands. II was older then, but a snowman was still a very big deal. After all, we didn't get snow that often and it could be another year before it returned. She was undeterred. She started piling all the snow together unto a big heap. Then she went inside and got one of her wigs (a relic from the days when wig wearing was high fashion in semi-rural
Arkansas) and the foam mannequin head upon which it was stored, and placed the head and the hair down into the pile of snow. Then she went back in and got a piece of paper and wrote the words “Help!” on it in really large, block letters. I'd like to think she did it just for me, but now that I'm a mother I know that anything with humor was just as much for her as it was for me. By the second day the boys were out for school, the ice was beginning to melt and become squishy. Thinking about my mom and the crazy avalanche snow lady, I knew we could find a way to make a snow creature. Armed with layers and mittens we braved the cold. I showed them how to roll up balls of the frozen material, watching them become bigger and bigger and bigger. It wasn't a foolproof method. It wasn't quite ideal snow, and we picked up all manner of leaves along the way. But we did succeed in making three round balls of ascending size. We picked some of the recently blooming dandelions for its eyes and and gathered some yarrow leaves for the hair. A red holly bush leaf served as
the mouth, like a tongue sticking out in silliness. And we picked out a fuzzy hat to wear along with a purple super hero cape. After she was complete, my sons wanted to knock her down. What can I say? They knock down everything. But I convinced them to keep her up at least for one day. Later that afternoon when I was standing on the back porch watching my sons go back to propelling themselves down an icy hill, I noticed the icicles hanging over the eves of the back porch, melting onto the steps below. I was holding my eight month old daughter in my arms who screeched and giggled at the cold air, her loud brothers, and the snow covered city. I leaned forward onto the front step a bit, making sure I found my footing in the leftover ice. I moved my daughter over to my left hip, reaching up to carefully grab one of the larger ice formations. It broke off easily into my hand, melting quickly. I showed it to my daughter who laughed and licked the ice. Then I took it inside and put it in a freezer bag so I could take it out later and remember. l
RiverValley AssistedLiving At River Valley Assisted Living
we have recently opened a specialty cottage with 15 apartments. We’ve also increased staffing to care for residents with increased needs, such as those with short term memory or wandering. We offer total assistance with activities of daily living, and medication administration by a licensed nurse. We have a registered nurse who evaluates the residences’ needs and supervises their care. Specialized activities are planned daily for the individual’s interests. Our courtyard is fenced to allow secure outdoor activities. Couples are welcome! Please come by for a tour or call Sue Gray at (479) 567-5578.
1909 East Fairway Blvd, Russellville
(479) 567-5578 | (479) 970-5669 March 2015 | ABOUT...the River Valley
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ABOUT...the River Valley | Community Commerce
Taylor Nursery 103 South Cumberland Russellville | (479) 968-2778 Story and photos by EMILY LANGFORD
When Raymond Taylor, the late founder of Taylor Nursery, began his business in July of 1977, offering just a few services, it is likely he never dreamt that it would become all that is has bloomed into today. “It was on July 4th, 1977, that he dug the footing for the foundation. He began with landscaping, some greenhouses, and it all grew from that,” recalled Mary Jane Taylor, owner of Taylor’s Nursery and wife of Raymond. Before diving into the world of small, local businesses, “Raymond did ‘dirt work’ for contractors in Russellville, and would landscape around the homes, consequently, needing to buy shrubbery,” said Taylor.
Choosing assisted living at an Emeritus Senior Living community will actually give your loved one greater independence. You will gain peace of mind knowing that they are nearby in a safe and comfortable senior living community. Call us today to learn more about the benefits of assisted living for your loved one. We will be glad to arrange a private tour experience for you. CALL TODAY FOR YOUR FREE TOUR Downtown Russellville
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ABOUT...the River Valley | March 2015
(479) 890-6709
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a business and you are treated for like an extended member of the family than another customer and potential sale. When you have been in business as long as Taylor Nursery, there is something to be said for the way you are running your business, whether it is the customer service, business model, the employees, etc. The success the Taylor family has had seems to be a combination of quality and customer service. “We really pride ourselves in having the best merchandise for our customers. After we get it, we take care of it and can then tell you how to take care of it. Our employees can tell you the environment it will grow best; shade or sun, moist or dry , we walk customers through everything down to what will complement their product best,” said Taylor. “When you buy something here, it is not just about quality. Some of these employees
have been working here between 15 and 20 years, they know what they are doing,” said Taylor when asked what separates Taylor’s from larger businesses offering similar plant products. “Sometimes being a small business can feel like a headache and no reward. However, we helped with the bulb outs in Downtown Russellville, and it was rewarding to see everything bloom, and the beds be so colorful. It is also rewarding to work with new construction, and turn it into a well landscaped yard,” said Taylor. For more information on products and services offered, you can reach Taylor’s at 479-968-2778, or pop in the store located at 130 South Cumberland Avenue in Russellville. With Mother’s Day in the coming months, remember Taylor Nursery when picking out your gifts! l
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Previously a schoolteacher, it was not until 1984, after 30 years of teaching, that Mrs. Taylor came into the family business full-time. “Previous to that, I worked part-time helping when I was not teaching. In the meantime, Raymond’s nephew, Bob Taylor, came to help be a part of expanding projects that were going on,” said Taylor. Now with a total of 18 employees, the size of their team is not the only thing Taylor’s has grown over the years. “In the years that have passed, we have expanded the services we offer. We do lots of side work. You learn to change as the times change,” said Taylor. “I remember the days when we had a few pots, just a few plants, but now as you look around the office you see wind chimes, beautiful ceramic pottery and benches. We offer house plants, yard plants, automatic sprinkler systems, we can haul topsoil, own dirt pit, and can sell homeowners plants and let them plant them, or we can plant them; However the homeowner wants to do it, we can do it,” explained Taylor. Furthermore, “We offer lots of live plant deliveries to funeral homes, hospitals, in memory of loved ones or for moments to remember. We can also go out and give free estimates,” added Taylor. “I am amazed at what was com on the market in the last 30 years.” Where would our community be without all of its locally owned and operated businesses? The minute you step into Taylor’s, the earthy smell is intoxicating, the smiles are contagious and it feels like times of the past, where you walk into
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(479) 747-2029
March 2015 | ABOUT...the River Valley
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ABOUT...the River Valley | Outdoors
Read more from Johnny at www.aviewfromthebackroads.com
Dead Skunks don’t Lie During the last week or so, the drive into town has turned into an obstacle course. I’m constantly jerking my steering wheel this way or that to avoid some hapless, flattened critter. Road kill typically peaks at this time of year and in the fall as hibernating and semi-hibernating animals are on the move. What I’ve noticed more than anything are dead skunks, and dead skunks don’t lie. When you start seeing dead skunks it’s almost spring. Skunks aren’t true hibernators. They spend some extended periods cozied up in dens during cold weather, but they get outside the den often during the winter. What sets February and early March apart as prime skunk moving time is their libido. Yep, we’re in the skunk “pre-rut” phase. Female skunks typically have a home range of a half mile up to two miles. Once they find suitable habitat they tend to homestead throughout their years on Earth. Male skunks, on the other hand, will search far and wide for a willing partner every year at this time. They can travel up to five miles in a single night whilst looking for love. They often look for love in all the wrong places, like in the middle of a twolane highway. We all know that skunks are equipped with chemical weaponry. This weaponry has proven effective on almost 36
ABOUT...the River Valley | March 2015
every type of predator that would try to maim a skunk, but it’s worthless against a Chevy closing in at fifty-five miles per hour. The skunk has relied on its noxious yellowish-green spray for protection since, well since skunks came into being, and they don’t have much in the way of athletic skills. Add all this up and you have a recipe for road kill on a grand scale. Once things settle down, around late March, we should notice a decrease in skunk carcasses. After the drama that accompanies breeding season, there will be seven to ten weeks of gestation. Mama skunks typically
Story & Photo by JOHNNY SAIN
they eat anything they can find. Their diet includes small animals like mice, frogs, crayfish, insects, lizards, birds, and bird eggs. They also eat various fruits, table scraps, and any pet food that Fido or Kitty leave behind. Not many predators can get past the smell in order to enjoy a meal of skunk. The top skunk killers are birds of prey, particularly great horned owls. Most birds have a weak sense of smell rendering the slow moving skunk an easy target when an owl or hawk gets a bead on them. Once a skunk empties it’s scent glands it
"Skunks can travel up to five miles in a single night whilst looking for love. They often look for love in all the wrong places, like in the middle of a two-lane highway." have four to six kittens or kits per litter. The little stinkers are equipped with scent glands from the get-go, but in my personal experience -- which is more extensive than you would probably imagine -- young skunks don’t spray unless very agitated. Kits will hang around with mom all summer long. Around September, they leave her and look for territory of their own thus beginning the second period of high skunk mortality on Arkansas highways. Skunks are omnivorous, which means
can take seven to ten days for the glands to fill up again and during this time the skunk is effectively out of ammo and defenseless. Because of this, skunks don’t want to spray unless they absolutely must. Stink is used as a last resort, and skunks give all kinds of warning before they point the barrel and pull the trigger so if you get sprayed it’s probably your own fault. The air may reek and the road may be bloody, but we must persevere; it means we are that much closer to spring. l
March 2015 | ABOUT...the River Valley
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On a Personal Note My New Position Guest Written by Vickie Henderson
Writing is my outlet. It is therapy for me. I write for myself, but, I also write to encourage others who are facing difficult situations. I’ve found that people listen more when they know you have your own struggles.
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Everybody needs to be somebody. When we meet a stranger we often ask, “What do you do?” We encourage our children to decide what they want to be. I have a good friend who advises that when you finish your education you should be able to say, “I am a …” Rather than, “I have a degree in…” So, what do I do? I have a new position. For the last twenty five years I have been a doctor. I have been privileged to practice obstetrics and gynecology in this wonderful community. It’s been a fantastic ride. I absolutely loved delivering babies even when they came in the middle of the night, which they often did. It is so exciting to be part of a special time in the lives of families. My career was very fulfilling. I had no intentions to retire, but God had other plans for me. I trust His plans are good. In June, I suddenly found myself on the wrong side of the sheets. I was diagnosed with a rare, neuromuscular disease called myasthenia gravis. I instantly transitioned from physician to patient. You probably don’t need me to tell you, but, it is a lot more fun to be the doctor. I’ve learned much on the other side. The River Valley has such good schools, churches and sense of community. For those reasons my husband and I chose to move here. I just didn’t realize how much I was going to need that. I have been completely overwhelmed by the support I have received. Since I have lived here I have been Dr. Henderson. It has been rewarding, though not always easy. Thankfully, I discovered my identity was not wrapped up in being a doctor. I am still the same person I was before I developed myasthenia gravis. Some people still call me doctor, but most don’t. It has given me the opportunity to know people in a more personal way. Now if someone asks me what I do, I could say I am retired. I then see eyebrows raised a little, thinking maybe I’m a little too young for that. I could say I am disabled. I don’t like that either although it is true. I suppose I have to answer the question, “What do you do?” I have a new position.
ABOUT...the River Valley | March 2015
Although this debilitating disease that causes bizarre, fatigable weakness has taken much from me it has also given me the gift of time. I have time to spend with people I truly care about. I have time to think, read, study and write. I’ve always dreamed of being a writer but never had time until now. Writing has rescued me from a body that won’t move much. Those who know me realize that I have enough energy to get on my own nerves. Writing is my outlet. It is therapy for me. I write for myself, but, I also write to encourage others who are facing difficult situations. I’ve found that people listen more when they know you have your own struggles. It took a while before I was physically able to clean out my office. I thought I would be more melancholic, but I wasn’t. However, if I was sentimental over leaving anything it was my little rolling stool. I spent countless hours sitting on my cushioned stool listening to women’s legitimate ailments and problems. I doled out a lot of advice. I gave advice on marriage and relationships, diet and exercise, physical, emotional and spiritual health. Sometimes it was well received and occasionally it was resented. That may have been my fault but my intentions were always good. In fact, I went into medicine to make people feel better. Now I’m trying to do that with writing. I’m enjoying my new position. And, I don’t miss the calls in the middle of the night. If you need advice or just want to chat, you’re welcome to join me on my front porch. That’s where I frequently sit now. It’s more comfortable than a stool and the view is much better. Feel free to email me kvhen@hotmail.com. You are invited to read more about my journey by following my blog at www.myupsiderightlife.com. I’m not always sure where we are going, but I think it’s fun. Recently someone told me they missed me as their doctor but like my new position as “physician for the soul.” I like that too. 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.
ABOUT...the River Valley | Engagements
Save the Date!
Calendar listings of engagement, wedding and anniversary announcements on the pages of each issue of ABOUT…the River Valley are available at no charge. They may be mailed to: ABOUT Magazine, P.O. Box 10176, Russellville AR 72812 or sent via email to: editor@aboutrvmag.com. (A phone number must be included for verification.)
~ March 14 ~
~ May 9 ~
Kathryn Dicken and Alexander Lopez
Jessica Roper & Jeffrey Powell
Kailey Wheaton & "Bo" Kyle James
~ May16 ~
Abbey Darnell & Kyler Lee Jami Hoyt & Mitch Wilson Dawn Thomen & Ryan Timmons
~ March 20 ~ Erin Marsh & Joey Brown
~ March 21 ~ Rachel Storment & Caleb Jones
~ April 11 ~
~ May 23 ~
Hanna Crane and Kurtis Kulbeth Jessica Virden and Dillon Hickman
~ May 30 ~
Amanda Kimbrough & Will Farley
~ April 14 ~ Dr. Ashley Mason & George Mallory, IV
Brooke Flippo & Colton Williams Alyssa Shaw & Matt Bradley
~ June 6 ~
~ April 18 ~
Taylor Eshnaur & Joshua Willis Lauren Sisson & Caleb Powers
Lauren Russell & David Robinson Jill Van Es & Matt Gregory Katherine Wohlgemuth and Cole Smith
~ May2 ~ Mary Caughman & Jordan Baumberger
Photo by Benita's Photography
~ June 13 ~
Lindsey Branham and Matt Williams
Alisha Sears and Braden Carson Kelli Couch & Mark Jelks Bailey Vaughn & Josh Hambuchen
Hanah Winton & Chase Peek
~ July 18 ~
Morgan Newton & Clay Ramey
~ June 27 ~
To have your engagement or wedding published in a future issue of ABOUT Magazine, send your information, photo* and a check for $57.50 to: ABOUT Magazine, PO Box 10176, Russellville AR 72812, or visit visit www.aboutrvmag.com/forms.html. Word count is limited to 225 words. Deadline is the 15th of the month preceding publication. For additional information, call (479) 857-6791. *Digital files are accepted and will be published upon receipt of payment.
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