ABOUT | November 2015 by ABOUT the River Valley Magazine

A Keen Sense of Tradition

Reflecting the Character of the Arkansas River Valley November 2015

www.aboutrvmag.com

November 2015 8 A Keen Sense of Tradition

Deryl Wrightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s knife shop is neat and orderly. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what you would expect from a master of knifesmithing.

14 The Future of My Past

It happened on an ordinary day in April of 2013. Gina Welsh was running errands and stopped by Walgreens Pharmacy in Conway to pick up a prescription. She had no idea that this stop on her errand list would change her life.

20 Paradise by the Back Table Light

28 Helping Families Help Themselves

Not All Heroes Wear Capes

Universal Housing Development in Russellville exists to make home desirable and accessible by making resources, opportunities and funds available.

Fall in the Valley

42 My Friend Jake 44 Flowers of Fall

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ABOUT...the River Valley | November 2015

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November 2015 | ABOUT...the River Valley

A PAGE FROM

The Editor’s Notebook

ABOUT

The Definition of a Hero

the River Valley

Many of us here at ABOUT could be classified as geeks. We love our superheroes and science fiction. Speaking just for myself, rarely a day goes by that I’m not faced with a situation and ask: “What would Yoda do?” or “How would Bruce Banner control his inner Hulk?” or “I wonder how fast I could slice these potatoes if I had adamantium claws?” But my semi-obsession with fantasy warriors isn’t about escaping reality. It’s about looking for inspiration, finding the best of human qualities combined with some supernatural abilities to right the wrongs we face every day but feel powerless to change. We’ve always searched for heroes out there somewhere just beyond the limits of reality, stories of men and women who stood for truth and justice, who fought for those that could not fight for themselves. We long for selfless defenders and protectors endowed with strength and insight that we mere mortals can barely comprehend. Even here in the real world we often get caught up in looking for heroes only in their most dramatic unveiling. There are our uniformed heroes who do place themselves in harms way and often in dramatic fashion— our soldiers and sailors, police, fire and rescue workers. But there are also heroes among us who perform their heroics with a gentle quiet — the mom working two jobs but still finding time at the end of a long day to read a book to her daughter, the step-dad who loves and provides for his wife’s kids just like his own, or the teacher who goes that extra mile to ensure a student truly does understand algebra. We had the chance to interview an unassuming hero for the November issue of ABOUT. She’s someone you might not think of as a hero if you were sizing her up based on some definitions. She simply answered the call for help from a stranger in another country. She responded with that gentle and quiet heroism in a dramatic circumstance. And in true hero fashion, she responded without hesitation. A humble and unassuming hero could be sitting next to you right now. They probably are. So when you’re searching for inspiration in this often cynical world, don’t look for super powers and giant muscles. Look for selfless attitudes and giant hearts. And what you may discover is that hidden not so deep inside all of us a hero is waiting to emerge.

A Publication of One14 Productions, Inc Vol. X, Issue 10 – November 2015

DIANNE EDWARDS | founding editor JOHNNY SAIN | managing editor johnny@aboutrvmag.com BENITA DREW | advertising benita@aboutrvmag.com CHRISTINE SAIN | advertising christine@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: info@aboutrvmag.com Postmaster: Please send address changes to: One14 Productions 220 East 4th Street Russellville, AR 72801

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ABOUT...the River Valley | November 2015

Calendar of Events For the month of November — All veterans are invited to eat lunch at Brookdale Senior Living free of charge for the month of November. Nov 7 — 2nd annual Paint the Park Purple. Event will kick off with a 5K starting at 8 a.m. at the College Ave entrance to Spadra Nature Trail. Event continues at the Johnson County Fairgrounds at 10 a.m. with vendors, a silent auction, games & prizes, a talent show, an optional BBQ meal for $6 and will conclude with a "Movie in the Park at Dark". All funds go to the non-profit organization, Epilepsy Advocacy of Arkansas, to help those that are living with Epilepsy. For more information contact 214-1589. Nov 6 - Nov 7 — 8th Annual Mistletoe Market benefitting The Boys & Girls clubs of the Arkansas River Valley. A one-stop Christmas shopping experience with over 50 merchants featuring a fabulous assortment of hand-made items, jewelry, Christmas decor, gifts, clothing and food items. For more information contact 968-7819. Nov 7 — Masterworks/Concert at Walton Arts Center Baum Walker Hall 495 W. Dickson St. Fayetteville 7:30 p.m. Symphony of Northwest Arkansas (SoNA). Tickets: www.sonamusic.org/tickets or call 4435600.

Nov 14 — eWaste Recycling Drive at Tucker Coliseum Parking Lot from 8 a.m.- 2 p.m. For more information go to escoprocessingandrecycling.com. Nov 14 — Uncommon Communities of Pope & Yell Counties is hosting the first ever Paint the River Valley. Sixteen buildings in Russellville, Dardanelle, Atkins, Pottsville, and Dover will be getting a facelift. The mission is to promote and enable community and economic development by restoring and revitalizing our business districts and our communities in Pope and Yell Counties. Buildings will be prepped for painting on November 7 and then painted on November 14 from 8-5 finishing on November 15. Volunteers are needed as carpenters, painters, yard workers, and hospitality workers. For more information and volunteer opportunities visit www. facebook.com/UCPopeandYell Nov 21 — Lake Dardanelle State Park Basket Weaving. Basket making, using oak splits. From 9a.m. - 4p.m. learn weave your own market basket in this hands-on class and reflect on those who lived in this area before it was a state park. Bring a sack lunch or plan to visit a local restaurant. $40 registration fee covers the cost of materials. Class size is limited, preregistration is required. To get registered and for more information contact 967-5516.

Nov. 27 — Santa Claus will be appearing at the City Mall in Russellville for pictures from 3:00 - 6:00 pm. Nov 27 - 29, 2015 — 18th Annual Mountain Rendezvous at Petit Jean State Park. Experience a primitive camp, as well as some of the survival skills used by Arkansas pioneers. Watch a variety of demonstrations including muzzleloading rifles, tomahawk throwing, and more! Co-sponsored by the Early Arkansaw Reenactors Association. Contact the park for a schedule. Admission is free. For more information contact (501) 727-5441 or go to petitjean@arkansas.com Dec. 4 - 6 — The Dance Foundation presented "The Nutcracker". Performances Friday, December 4 and Saturday 5 at 7:00pm and Sunday, December 6 at 2:00pm. Dec. 5 — Clarksville Christmas Parade & Light Up the Square. For more information contact 754-2340.

*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.

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ABOUT...the River Valley | November 2015

A Keen Sense of

tradition

Deryl Wright’s knife shop is neat and orderly. It’s what you would expect from a master of knifesmithing. Tight tolerances separate quality knives from mere hunks of steel in the archaic craft of bladesmithing. Detail is the name of the game, and Deryl is a detail oriented person. Observing the order of the shop — grinding belts hung neatly, drill bits arranged by size, clutter to an absolute minimum — you wonder if knifesmithing forged him into a detail oriented person or if he was drawn to it as extension of who he is, kind of a chicken or egg scenario. But when you visit with him for a while, it becomes apparent that it is a bit of both. Story written by JOHNNY SAIN Photos by LIZ CHRISMAN

November 2015 | ABOUT...the River Valley

“It’s not me that makes these knives some of the finest cutting knives.

It’s the steel. It’s the heat treating and it’s taking care of them after heat treating.”

Precision is part of Deryl’s character. Perched atop cabinets in his knife shop’s kitchenette are symbols that attest to this. Competition archery and pistol trophies shine in the fluorescent shop lights. Compound and recurve bows hang on a rack behind rows of fishing rods at the ready and ranging from light-weight fly rods on up to deep-sea tackle rated for tuna. Each rod stands at attention, and the G-Loomis insignia on all of them tells you their owner demands quality. Deryl has stored his fishing reels in padded cases, there are several cases, and the reels number deep into double digits. He tells the story behind the purchase of one saltwater rod and reel combo. He tells a story about how a tuna drug his boat three miles over a four-hour fight. He talks about a 100-yard bow shot on a deer, about the precision thinking that led to a killing shot. Though you’re tempted to call them campfire tales, Deryl has a presence, a matter-of-fact personality, that tells you this is not a man prone to telling stories to impress. He doesn’t have to. Deryl’s thick forearms end at a pair of broad and rugged hands. His hands look 10

ABOUT...the River Valley | November 2015

like what you would expect of someone that does manual labor; they’re suited for the fencepost or hammer. But Deryl’s meaty fingers move with surprising dexterity as he walks me through the steps of knife making. Barrel chested and built solid, Deryl stands over his work table and lifts a knife as he talks about steel. Any discussion of knives begins and ends with steel. Deryl turns the blade over in his hand and traces the knife’s spine with a fingernail. “If I’m going to make a knife I’m going to us the best material I can use,” said Deryl. “If you don’t use the best steel you’re defeating your purpose before you even start.” Quality steel means the perfect balance, or as close as you can get, to a knifesmith’s dream steel — soft enough to take a keen edge but hard enough to hold that edge. The old simile “hard as steel” isn’t entirely accurate. Steel can vary in hardness and this variability is measured by the Rockwell scale, it’s a measurement of penetration steel allows by an indenting machine. “You can get steel too hard,” said Deryl. “I get all my steel 60 1/2 Rockwell. I don’t want it 59, I don’t want it 61, I want it 60 1/2 Rockwell. It gives the ability to hold a fine edge without it breaking off.”

The Wyandotte Turtle Emblem You may have noticed the Wyandotte Turtle emblem on the knife in our cover shot. Deryl puts the emblem on all his creations as a symbol of his heritage. Here’s an explanation of what it stands for. The Turtle – Signifies the ancient belief that the world was created on the back of a turtle, the “moss-back turtle,” also known as the snapping turtle.

To make a knife, as Deryl explains, you start with marking an outline on a steel blank then to cutting the form and drilling holes for handle attachment and lanyard, and then it’s off to the grinder. Deryl’s knives are the product of friction not flame. Gritted belts lick away steel one sparking atom at a time, honing and polishing and shaping as Deryl guides the metal. “If you grind one side of the blade more than the other you’ve got a knife that won’t cut a straight line,” said Deryl. After the blade is shaped it’s sent off for heat treating and then cryogenically quenched; the metal is scorched almost white hot then plunged into nearly interstellar cold of negative 300 F. The knife is born from fire and ice. Deryl’s interest in knives springs from utility. He is a lifelong hunter, though he says he doesn’t hunt much anymore, and an interesting mishap in the woods led him to knifesmithing. In the fall of 1969 Deryl was fortunate to kill a Wyoming elk deep in the wilderness. As he worked on field dressing the elk, his fingers fumbled and the knife plunged into two feet of snow. A knife buried in deep snow is a knife lost. “You don’t go to feeling around for a sharp knife in the snow when you’re 100 miles from anywhere,” said Deryl with a chuckle. But Deryl knew a knifesmith, fellow by the name of Jimmy Lyle; you may have heard of him. >>

Willow Branches – The weeping willow found its way into tribal tradition due to the influence of Christianity. Weeping willow motifs can be found on some of our citizens tombstones throughout the 1800s. The Christian symbolism represented by the weeping willow states the parent tree will continue to flourish no matter how many of its branches are severed. From those severed branches new trees will sprout and begin to grow. The parent tree, or the traditional Wyandot Tribe, is represented today as the Wyandotte Nation; whereas, the severed branches that have grown into trees of their own are the Wyandot of Anderdon Nation and the Wyandot Nation of Kansas. War Club and Peace Pipe – The tomahawk and peace pipe show our resolve for war or peace. The choice is that of our enemies, or other people groups we encounter while living upon the Big Turtle. We stand at moments notice to meet their challenge or sentiments for peace and mutual acceptance. We always prefer and seek peace, but will never turn our backs to a challenge regardless of the pending cost, in defense of our honor and tribal interests. Council Fire – The fire is that of the great council of nations over which the Wyandotte was given the sacred honor of presiding. The council was initially formed in the early 1700s and consisted of the Chippewa, Ottawa, Pottawatomie and Wyandot. In the latter half of the 1700s as the whites began encroaching upon all our lands in the greater Ohio Valley the Delaware, Shawnee and Miami were added to the council. Upon leaving Ohio and our removal to Indian Territory (Kansas) the great council was again convened. All the tribes were there and reaffirmed us as the Keeper of the Council Fire. At that time the Kickapoo and Kansas were admitted to the council further strengthening the alliance of old friends that has proven to be inseparable. Points of the Shield – Represent the twelve clans of the Wyandotte: 1. Big Turtle

5. Bear

9. Striped Turtle

2. Little Turtle

6. Beaver

10. Highland Turtle

3. Mud Turtle

7. Deer

11. Snake

4. Wolf

8. Porcupine

12. Hawk

Information provided by www.wyandotte-nation.org November 2015 | ABOUT...the River Valley

When he got back to Arkansas, Deryl explained to Jimmy how he’d lost his knife and asked the talented knifesmith to make him a replacement. Jimmy agreed, but then asked Deryl what would later turn out to be a pivotal question: Why don’t you make your own knife? All of these blades, these tools, this shop can be traced back to knowing the legendary Jimmy Lyle. “Jimmy Lyle got me making knives in 1970,” said Deryl. “Jimmy hooked me up with a supplier and I made knives for a few years and then I quit.” Deryl says he doesn’t really know why he quit. But then another world-class Arkansas knife maker named Bob Dozier contacted him in 2008 and invited him to a knife show in

Rogers. “I said ‘Bob, I ain’t making no more knives,’” said Deryl. “‘I’ve already got all the knives I’ll ever use, I don’t need any more.’” But Bob talked him into going anyway. “Mistake,” said Deryl. “I got some stuff up there and started making knives again.” And that led to where Deryl is today. “l learned a lot about making knives from Bob Dozier,” said Deryl. “I learned how to do it the right way.” We move from Deryl’s shop into his home where a guest bed is used to display his work for me. There are knives and sheaths of varying sizes and shapes. Deryl makes the sheaths as well, each crafted to exactly fit a specific knife. The marriage of knife and sheath is

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ABOUT...the River Valley | November 2015

flawless in each example, almost organic in perfection, and the assortment of blades and leather in front of us scream quality. The smooth and sensuous knife handles from a variety of materials — African black wood, cocobolo, buckeye, stag antler, ram horn, buffalo horn — fit naturally to the palm and the knives’ heft and balance make them feel less like a tool and more like a natural extension of your hand. But the form is due to function. “I don’t make knives to hang on the wall and look at, but I don’t criticize those who do,” said Deryl. His knives are beautiful, they are works of art, but part of the beauty lies in their cool pragmatism. Deryl’s knives

are made to work, to cut through hide and meat. “All these knives are sharp,” said Deryl. He demonstrates by shaving off a pile of hair with nothing more than a gentle glide down his forearm. But despite his obvious talent, Deryl tends to speak with humility and respect for the craft when talking about his work. “It’s not me that makes these knives some of the finest cutting knives. It’s the steel. It’s the heat treating and it’s taking care of them after heat treating.” All of these are proven techniques passed down from masters. Deryl seems to understand that he is only a caretaker of this knowledge. This is a notable characteristic, and it’s a characteristic that comes into play for another interesting aspect of Deryl — his Native American heritage. Deryl is a member of the Wyandotte

Nation, a sovereign Native American Nation in Oklahoma. More than just a member, Deryl is on the Wyandotte Nation Cultural Committee and a Gourd Dancer. Gourd Dancers are the elder warriors of the tribe, and an invitation to the ranks is a show of respect. Other tribal blood flows through Deryl — Delaware, Seneca and Cherokee — But he has embraced his Wyandotte heritage.

Deryl’s knifesmithing skills have been integral part of modern Wyandotte heritage. He has been commissioned to replicate knives taken from Wyandotte burial mounds now held in a museum in Ottawa, Canada. The knives can’t be taken from the museum and his replicas will be the used to share that culture with those that can’t make it to Ottawa. Deryl also crafted an incredible knife to symbolize the Wyandotte Nation today and presented to his chief and other tribal elders on the day of groundbreaking for a new Wyandotte cultural center. The knife is inscribed with names and likenesses of Wyandotte chiefs and the Wyandotte turtle emblem. Deryl said he counts the

crafting of that knife as one of his most notable and proud accomplishments. “There is probably a little bit of Indian influence in my knife making,” said Deryl. “It’s the reason I don’t make knives to put on the wall. He [the Indian] didn’t have knives to look at. He had knives to use.” Deryl’s Native American roots may have indeed influenced his knife making, but there’s more to his skill than Indian ancestry. Maybe a combination of genetics and culture fused in a man with ideal temperament for his craft. A malleable yet strong mind, exacting and deliberate, honed ever sharper by keeping the traditions passed down to him. l

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ABOUT...the River Valley | Every Day Life

The Future of My Past

Story and Illustration by CLIFF THOMAS

hen I was a kid thinking about my future, there were two things that I knew for sure: I was going to be wealthy and I was going to own a flying car. After all, you need a way to get around when the weather is too severe to use your jet pack. I was born in 1966, a child of the space age. I lived my early life in Houston, Texas, in the shadow of NASA and the Johnson Space Center. I knew the names of the astronauts whose pictures hung on my bedroom wall. I knew the designations of the rockets they piloted and I was sure that these men and the technological wave they rode would carry me into the glorious life that was the birthright of any child lucky enough to have been born in the latter half of the 20th century. Of course, as a kid in the early 70s I didn't attempt to think about it in terms that pretended to be quite so eloquent. I just thought I'd live like George Jetson. Science was going to give that life to me. The other detail of my future, the wealth? I didn't spend nearly enough time thinking about how I would attain that. It was much more fun to plan what I would do with it. There were the usual ideas of luxury and travel, but the thing that I imagined in great detail was the library that would be the center of my home. I would not have some dark repository of musty tomes, no oak paneling or brown leather chairs for me. My den would be a glistening space with white furnishings and perfectly cataloged Lucite shelves, a scene from Logan's Run made real. I would sit in my chair and my robot would bring me whatever I wanted to utilize. I use the term utilize because 14

ABOUT...the River Valley | November 2015

my library would house much more than books. In my mind, the single greatest privilege of wealth would be the ability to sample all media and choose the most appealing parts to consume. I would buy every single book that caught my interest, read the first few chapters and keep the ones I liked. I would purchase every album by any artist that appealed to me and listen to it at least once. I would own every art book so that I could immerse myself in anything from commercial illustration to the finest pieces displayed in the Louvre. Any topic that intrigued me, from motorcycle mechanics to microsurgery, would be exhaustively represented in my collection. And of course, there would be the television and movies. I knew that soon compact video storage would be a reality; Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d seen it on Star Trek. The ability to watch, on a whim, any old episode of The Twilight Zone would be mine. The only limitation would be how quickly my robot could retrieve it. As I got a bit older the astronauts and rockets on my walls gave way to actresses and rock stars. Somewhere along the line a basic understanding of physics brought the realization that efficient jet packs were unlikely within my lifetime. Flying cars? They do indeed exist now, but they are extremely expensive and grounded by an imposing anchor of regulatory confusion.

One day I realized that the future of my past had arrived without the NASA spawned wonder promised in 70s TV shows and movies. The wealth hadn't exactly come either but, to my surprise, many of the things I hoped wealth would bring were now available free or quite reasonably priced, courtesy of science. Online libraries and sellers offer the first few chapters of any book as a sample, if you like it you may purchase it or at times download it free with a swipe of your finger. Much faster than waiting for a robo-butler to bring it to you. Music services offer nearly every album ever recorded in exchange for listening to a few commercials, or commercial free for a monthly fee that is less than the cost of a single cd. I used to pay twenty to fifty dollars for a single art book, now I can go to any artist's site and view his or hers work in HD. As a bonus, there are often links to the sites of other artists he or she finds inspirational. There are more online galleries than you could visit in a lifetime and virtual tours are often an option. And movies or television (not to mention concerts, college lectures, how to videos or just people doing funny things)? Streaming services and downloads offer even the most obscure entertainment anytime you want it. My dream room exists, it sits on my desk or fits in my pocket. Continued on page 41...

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ABOUT...the River Valley | November 2015

Not All Wear

Heroes Capes

It happened on an ordinary day in April of 2013.

Gina Welsh was running errands and stopped by Walgreens Pharmacy in Conway to pick up a prescription. She had no idea that this stop on her errand list would change her life. Story by DENISE ROBINSON | Photos by LIZ CHRISMAN

While picking up her prescription, the pharmacist told Gina about the bone marrow donor drive hosted by Walgreens and asked if she might want to sign up. The pharmacist explained that it was a simple process and that afterward Gina would be placed on the bone marrow donor list. Not giving it a second thought, Gina agreed and completed the application. The process was simple: the drive workers gave Gina two cotton swabs, she swabbed her cheeks as instructed, signed the application and went on her way. “I was glad to sign up to be a donor. I didn’t know if I would ever get called; I’ve heard people can be on those lists for years” said Gina. Bone marrow donor lists are crucial. According to the website deletebloodcancer.org, someone in the United States is diagnosed with a blood cancer every three minutes. Only 30 percent of the diagnosed will find a match in their family for a bone marrow transplant or stem cell treatment. That leaves 70 percent of patients depending on the kindness of friends or even strangers to get the lifesaving treatment they will need. One day in August of that same year, Gina received a call from a New York number dialing her cell phone. Like most of us, she didn’t recognize the number and didn’t answer. “After all, I don’t know anyone in New York,” said Gina. Listening to the voicemail she almost chalked it up as a prank call, but something told her to call the number back. During that return call she learned that she had been matched to a leukemia patient in another country. The patient was a man, but because of patient privacy laws that’s all they could tell her. “I got chills.” said Gina. “There was not a

moment of hesitation; I knew I would see this through and help whoever I could.” After the call, Gina called her mother and father and told her husband. They were all immediately on board to help. Gina was assigned a coordinator to help her with the confirmation process. “It was amazing to me how supportive the coordinators and counselors were,” said Gina. “There was always someone assigned to me to answer any questions or address concerns I had.” Gina began the confirmation process by completing more paperwork and an in-depth medical history, and was asked if she would want to donate bone marrow or stem cells. “I told my coordinator I was blessed to be healthy, and happy I was able to help someone, and to take whichever they needed.” In November, just after Thanksgiving, Gina and her husband, Mike, flew to Washington D.C. for a checkup to confirm her health. At the hospital she underwent almost more tests than she can remember. “I had an in-depth physical exam, blood work, urinalysis, a chest x-ray, an EKG and a pregnancy test just to name a few. They checked everything, even my veins to make sure they were up to the task.” The tests were all done on site and results are available that day. All tests came back fine and she was approved. “While at the hospital for these tests I met some other people who were there for the same reason I was. What was really interesting to me were the various lengths of time everyone had been on the registry. One man I met was on the registry for so many years before he got called that he had forgotten all about signing up and I had only been on it for a few months.” >> November 2015 | ABOUT...the River Valley

Be the Match On Campus, a student-driven organization to find bone marrow donors, came to Arkansas Tech University last

year and registered nearly 1,800 new donors. The event was a phenomenal success. You can read more about it and the efforts of its organizer and ATU psychology professor Jason Warnick Ph.D. in the On a Personal Note column on page 46 of this issue.

Donation was set for December. In preparation for the procedure, Gina took vitamins and increased her protein intake. “It was important for me to take care of myself and do exactly what the doctors told me so my body could prepare for the donation,” said Gina. “My friends and family kept asking me what was taking so long,” said Gina. “What others didn’t understand is that while I was being prepared to give the donation the patient was being prepared to take the donation. I was told the patient was being given massive amounts of chemotherapy to kill off as much of the cancer as possible in order to give him his best chance of the stem cell treatment working.” Gina couldn’t disclose the name of the D.C. hospital. “Confidentiality was of the upmost importance. I was not allowed to post anything online or tell any family or friends anything that might lead to identifying the patient I was going to help. We took some photos, but were very careful about what they showed. All we knew was it was a man from another country, and we were very careful to respect his privacy.” On Sunday of donation week Gina began a series of filgrastim shots at the Sherwood Urgent Care Clinic in Conway. Filgrastim is used to decrease the chance of infection by increasing the white blood cell count in 18

ABOUT...the River Valley | November 2015

people who have certain types of cancer and receiving chemotherapy treatments. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday she dropped in at the clinic on her way to work for her shot. On Wednesday evening she and Mike caught a flight to Washington D.C. Thursday was donation day. Gina was admitted to the hospital, given the last in her series of shots and prepared for the donation of stem cells. The nurses put a needle into each of Gina’s arms. The process pulled blood from her right arm, cycled it through a machine to extract stem cells, and back in to her through her left arm. The procedure took six hours and her blood was circulated through the machine six times. During the process, her coordinator and counselor with Delete Blood Cancer called several times to check on her and make sure everything was going well. “They were all so caring and friendly” said Gina. “From the moment we started this process the counselors, coordinators, nurses and doctors all worked like a welloiled machine to take care of me and the patient. It was truly amazing how well everyone worked together. When we were finished with the donation a lady came in with a little cooler, loaded up the stem cells and they were flown out immediately.” For months after the procedure she received calls from her counselors at

Delete Blood Cancer asking how she was doing. “Even at this point, patient and donor confidentiality plays a role,” said Gina. “I would ask about the patient, but they couldn’t really tell me anything.” One year after the donation date coordinators will arrange for patient and donor to know with each other if both parties agree. But tragically, six months after receiving stem cell treatment, Gina received word that the patient who received her stem cells had passed away. Through tears Gina told me about her feelings. “He was like my family even though we had never met” said Gina. “I wish the treatment had worked, but I know that because of my donation he lived six more months. That’s six months he wouldn’t have had with his family if I had not helped. I was given the option to contact his family, but I chose not to. I felt they needed to grieve and there was nothing I could do to help so I just let them be.” When asked, Gina said she would donate again. There was no hesitation in her answer. “I would donate over and over again,” said Gina. “Even though the first person I donated to passed away it was a special gift for me to be able to give him six more months to be with his family. Finding out I was a match to someone was a great Christmas present for me. Some people

say it’s just too much trouble to go through, and it’s really not. It’s just a little of your time. Someone is dying. What better way to spend your time than helping to save someone’s life? There are people out there who receive bone marrow transplants or stem cell treatment and go on to live happy, healthy, normal lives. It’s amazing to me that my stem cells can help someone live,” she said. “After each donation you have to wait two years to donate again. I can go back on the donor registry in January of 2016, and look forward to it. I will do it every time I am given the opportunity — no questions, no reservations. There are people of all ages, children and adults alike, who suffer from diseases like leukemia. It would be wonderful if there was a match for each and every one.” Gina Welsh doesn’t wear a cape and she has no super powers, but I think she is a hero. She could have decided her time was better spent doing almost anything else during the holidays, but she chose to help someone in need. Someone she didn’t even know.

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“Delete Blood Cancer DKMS began with one family’s search for a bone marrow donor. In 1990, Peter Harf and his daughters went door-to-door in an effort to find a donor match for his wife and their mother, Mechtild Harf. They registered 68,000 donors in just one year. Sadly, Mechtild lost her battle, but in her honor the Harfs started a bone marrow donor center (DKMS) that has since grown to be the world’s largest. Globally, they have registered over 5 million donors and provided more than 51,000 patients with second chances at life.” What the website doesn’t say is that this company also gives every day people like you and me and Gina Welsh the chance to do something amazing — help save someone’s life. Donating stem cells and/or bone marrow through Delete Blood Cancer DKMS doesn’t cost anything but a little of your time. All costs associated with being a donor are covered. It costs $65 to register each new donor and even that cost is covered by charitable contributions from individuals, foundations and corporations. For more information on applying to the donor registry, visit deletebloodcancer.org.

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or email kirtm1101@hotmail.com November 2015 | ABOUT...the River Valley

ABOUT...the River Valley | November 2015

ABOUT...the River Valley | Valley Vittles

FOX & FORK | 117 S College Avenue, Clarksville

Paradise by the Back Table Light Story by JOHNNY SAIN | Photos by LIZ CHRISMAN

Meatloaf the singer is awesome. Who doesn’t dig rock opera, right? But meatloaf the food is boring and also ironic. You’ve known this since your first experience with the traditional dinner of native suburbanites. I doubt there are any puzzled looks over the “boring” label. But Ironic? Yes, ironic. Meatloaf is jazzed up hamburger. Just add some bread, some fancy seasoning (who knows what), some onions and then cover it with that thick red topping of irony. All that work to make it something besides hamburger… and then add ketchup. Meatloaf doesn’t have to be boring or ironic, but finding a recipe that’s not is challenging. When your search for exciting meatloaf ventures into the restaurant realm, well, you can forget it. No such dish exists. But this was before I was introduced to “Frenchified Southern” cuisine. You can find this unique interpretation of food at Fox & Fork restaurant in Clarksville. I suggest the meatloaf open face sandwich. Sounds interesting already, doesn’t it? Fox & Fork took this bland thing and turned it into a visual and palate thrilling dish, something you need to see and taste before your final verdict on meatloaf. Gently seasoned meat topped with real tomatoes (no ketchup) spinach and a poached egg served on a slice of Texas toast. Cover that with some pepper gravy and… wow. Paradise by the back table light. l

November 2015 | ABOUT...the River Valley

ABOUT...the River Valley | Countertop Creations

ROAST QUAIL WITH BALSAMIC REDUCTION 4 whole quail 1 T olive oil Salt 1 celery stick 1/2 c chicken stock 1/2 c inexpensive balsamic vinegar

The Game is On Story by LYDIA ZIMMERMAN, Food Editor

ame as in wild game, that is. The onset of fall weather sends hunters to the woods to claim that big deer or to the duck blind to bag that perfect duck. My husband doesn't hunt and neither do I, but we do enjoy the wonderful deer creations that my family serves each holiday. This past Christmas Eve our youngest daughter, Anita Claire (a future PETA president for certain), was enjoying my nephew’s bacon-wrapped deer steaks when she was reminded that she was eating poor Bambi. Her response: “deer are so sweet and cute, but they taste sooo GOOD!” This is probably the consensus of many non-hunters who enjoy the benefits of family or friends that do hunt. In celebrating the harvest of game, I have compiled some tasty recipes that will have your mouth watering. I have a recipe you’ll enjoy whether your tastes run to deer, duck, quail or turkey. I’ve also included an ATU hospitality program graduate’s recipe for Louisiana crawfish etoufee that can be found in the “A Taste of Hospitality” 30th anniversary cookbook. The cookbook is a compilation of recipes created and served at the ATU Hospitality program’s weekly Thursday night dinners that are open to the public. Cookbooks are $15 and proceeds go to the Dr. Brenda Montgomery Endowed Scholarship. To purchase a cookbook or get information on the weekly dinners, contact Karen Hall at 968-0378 or stop by the ATU Parks, Recreation and Hospitality department located in Williamson Hall at 1205 N El Paso on the ATU campus. They would make a great Christmas gift. As always, enjoy! 22

ABOUT...the River Valley | November 2015

If you are working with frozen quail, either defrost overnight in the refrigerator, or place the package in a large bowl and cover with a couple inches of room temperature water for 20 minutes. Pre-heat the oven to 450-500°F. Truss the quail with kitchen string. Cut off a length of string about 18 inches long. Cross the middle of the string over the quail’s legs and bring the string around to the front of the bird, making sure it holds the wings close to the bird’s flanks. Tie the string tightly around the neck. (Chow.com has an excellent video on how to truss a chicken, and quail are the same, only smaller.) Allow the quail to come to room temperature for at least 20 minutes. Pat the quail dry with paper towels. Coat the quail with the olive oil and salt well. When the oven is hot, arrange the quail, breast side up, in a small roasting pan. Use pieces of the celery stick to keep the birds upright while they roast. Cook for 10-12 minutes. Remove the birds from the pan and set aside on a plate to rest for 10 minutes, loosely tented with foil. As the quail are resting, make the sauce by putting the roasting pan on a burner set to medium heat. Discard the celery sticks. Add the chicken stock and deglaze the pan by scraping all the browned bits off the bottom. Bring this to a simmer and pour into a small pot or sauté pan. Add the balsamic vinegar, increase the heat to high and boil down to a syrup. Halfway through the boil, pour any accumulated juice from the resting quail into the sauce. When the sauce thickens and will coat the back of a spoon, it’s ready. Serve the quail with the sauce drizzled over everything. Serve with a side of polenta, or rice pilaf. Recipe courtesy of simplyrecipes.com

EMERIL´S MARINATED LOIN OF VENISON WITH CHILE SPIKED CRANBERRY SAUCE Venison: 1 c good quality bourbon ¾ c fresh orange juice ½ c brown sugar 1 T Worcestershire sauce 4 whole cloves 2 cinnamon sticks 2 bay leaves 1 bunch fresh thyme 2 lbs venison loin or filet Salt and freshly ground black pepper Sauce: 2 T olive oil 3 whole ancho chilies 1 yellow onion, chopped 2 heads garlic, minced 1 bag cranberries (10 ounces) 1 c orange juice ½ c sugar 2 cinnamon sticks 2 whole cloves ¼ tsp chili powder In a medium saucepan, combine bourbon, orange juice, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves and thyme and gently heat until sugar is completely dissolved. Cool completely. Place venison in a resealable plastic bag and cover with the marinade. Let stand in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours. Allow venison to come to room temperature before roasting. Preheat oven to 400°F. Remove venison from the marinade. Season all sides of the loin with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large, oven-

proof skillet over high heat. Sear the loin in the hot oil on all sides (1 to 2 minutes). Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 17 to 20 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. The venison will be mediumrare when it reaches 125°F on an instantread thermometer. Remove the venison loin from the skillet and allow meat to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Heat a medium size sauté pan over medium heat and toast the ancho chilies for 1 ½ minutes per side or just until they become pliable and slightly fragrant. Prepare the sauce for the venison by combining the whole ancho chilies, chopped yellow onion and garlic in a medium saucepan and add just enough water to cover. Simmer the chilies for 5 minutes or until they are tender. Let cool. Pour into the bowl of a blender and puree until smooth. In a medium saucepan combine the ancho chili puree, cranberries, orange juice, sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and chili powder. Bring cranberry sauce up to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer

for 15 to 20 minutes or until most of the cranberries have popped. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. Serve with the venison loin. Serves 4-6. Recipe courtesy of brokenarrowranch. com/Emeril Lagasse and Team Planet Green BAKED QUAIL Fillet quail breast and place the legs aside. Sprinkle quail breast with Greek seasoning. Take a slice of thin bacon and cut in half Wrap the bacon around the breast and attach with a tooth pick. Spray flat pan with Pam and bake at 350 degrees for about 20-30 minutes. You want the bacon to be done but not crispy. Watch the oven carefully so that you do not overcook the quail. You can also grill the quail. While the quail is baking, take the quail legs and dust in a mixture of flour, salt, pepper and greek seasoning. Deep fry in Fry Daddy. This makes an excellent appetizer. Recipe courtesy of Robert and Lawanda Dale of Covey 3 Quail Farm >>

November 2015 | ABOUT...the River Valley

TERRY’S ‘WAY DOWN IN ALABAMA’ SMOKED DOE 4 - 6 lb deer roast 1/2 can Coke, not diet 1 pint beef broth 2 T mushroom base 2 T liquid crab boil seasoning 1 c George’s marinade or your favorite marinade 1/2 c Italian dressing, strained, save the strained pieces 2 T creole mustard or any spicy mustard just make sure it’s a fine grind dry Cajun seasoning thick cut bacon wood chips Mix all of the ingredients together except the Cajun seasoning. Mix well. Liberally inject the roast with the marinade. Place in a sealable container or a large zip-lock bag. Add the remaining marinade and the strained pieces from the Italian dressing. Seal and refrigerate for a couple of hours. Place in freezer for 1 day then remove and let thaw in the fridge. Remove roast and coat heavily with Cajun seasoning. Let come to room temperature. Place on lower rack of smoker. Hang bacon above the roast so it drips onto it. Smoke at 225 degrees. Use a light smoke. Remember it’s going to cook for

a long time so a little constant smoke is better than a heavy smoke over 8 hours or more. Continue to cook/smoke adding more chips and fresh bacon until meat is cooked to medium doneness. The bacon makes a great snack while cooking! Once removed from smoker. Let set covered for an hour or so while you cook up the side dishes. Recipe Courtesy of backwoods bound. com DUCK AU VIN 20 pearl onions 1/4 lb bacon 1 lb mushrooms 4 small or 2 large duck breasts 1 small onion, sliced 2 cloves of garlic, minced 1 carrot stick, chopped 1 stalk of celery, chopped 1 tablespoon of tomato paste 1 bottle red wine, preferably pinot noir The rest of the bottle of wine 2 cups of duck stock (or chicken broth) 1 bay leaf 4 sprigs of thyme Start by boiling about 20 pearl onions for a minute or two. Remove with a slotted spoon, cut off the ends and peel the onions. Next, in a large skillet, fry bacon. When the bacon is done, remove to a casserole dish. Season the breasts of two

big ducks or four smaller ducks (skinned or picked) liberally with salt and pepper and dust with flour. Sauté the floured duck breasts in the bacon grease. When browned on both sides, remove to a large Dutch oven. Using the same skillet, sauté one at a time: Sauté the mushrooms until they give off their liquid, then remove to a casserole dish with the bacon. Sauté the onions and them to the casserole, then cover with cellophane and refrigerate. In the remaining fat, sauté: 1 small sliced onion, minced garlic, chopped carrot stick, chopped celery stalk and tomato paste. Drain off any excess fat, increase the heat under the skillet and deglaze the pan with: 1 cup of red wine, preferably pinot noir Quickly scrape up all the caramelized bits with a wooden spoon, then pour the wine and vegetables over the duck in the Dutch oven, adding: The rest of the bottle of wine, duck stock or chicken broth, 1 bay leaf and 4 sprigs of thyme. Place the Dutch oven in the refrigerator, covered, and marinate overnight. The following day, place the Dutch oven in a 300-degree oven for about three hours. Remove the duck to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Strain the braising liquid, discarding the onion, garlic, carrot, celery, bay

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leaves and thyme. Pour the sauce into a large saucepan and bring to a simmer until it reduces and thickens. Once the sauce has thickened, return the duck, mushrooms, pearl onions and crumbled bacon bits to the saucepan and heat for 15 minutes. Note: If the sauce doesn’t thicken enough, stir in a bit of prepared roux or cornstarch mixed in cold water. end main content Recipe courtesy of deltawaterfowl.org HILL COUNTRY CASSEROLE 2 T olive oil 1 clove garlic 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1 lb ground venison 2 8-oz. cans tomato sauce 8-oz. package small egg noodles or spaghetti 3-oz. package cream cheese, softened 1-1/2 cups sour cream 6 green onions, chopped 1/2 lb cheddar cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350° F. In a skillet, sauté the garlic in the olive oil. Add the meat to the skillet and brown. Add salt, pepper and the tomato sauce. Simmer for 20 minutes. Cook the noodles according to package directions. In a separate bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream and green onions. Place noodles in a greased 13x9-inch casserole. Top with cream cheese mixture and then meat mixture. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top. Bake, uncovered, about 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Recipe courtesy of brokenarrowranch.com LOUISIANA CRAWFISH ETOUFEE 3 c long grain white rice 6 c water 3/4 c butter 1 lg yellow onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, chopped 1/4 c all purpose flour 1 lb crawfish tails 2 T canned tomato sauce 1 c water or as needed

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6 green onions, chopped 1 1/2 T Cajun seasoning salt and pepper to taste Combine the rice and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender and water has been absorbed. While the rice is cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, and saute until transparent. Stir in the garlic and cook for a minute. Stir in the flour until well blended. Gradually stir in the tomato sauce and water, then add the crawfish tails and bring to a simmer. Add the green onions and season with salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning. Simmer for 5-10 minutes over low heat, until the crawfish is cooked but not tough. Serve over hot cooked rice. Recipe found in “A Taste of Hospitality” 30th Anniversary Cookbook/Braden Carson, Mitch Woodson, Justin Lewandowski chefs and ATU Hospitality program graduates >>

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SMOKED WILD TURKEY WITH SWEET TEA BRINE 1 whole wild turkey, plucked and spatchcocked Brine 2 gal warm water 1 1/2 c salt 1/2 c brown sugar 1 gal brewed sweet tea 3 cloves garlic, lightly crushed 3 bay leaves 1 T black peppercorns A sprig each of fresh thyme and rosemary, or a half tsp of each dried Injection I c beef or chicken broth 1 stick of butter 1 T of Better Than Boullion brand Chicken Base 1 T Worcestershire sauce Your favorite BBQ rub Brine Since wild turkeys aren’t inherently moist to begin with, that juice has to come from somewhere. My go-to method always starts with a brine. Two gallons of warm water, a cup and a half of salt and a half a cup of brown sugar form the brine’s base. To that, I like to add aromatics like a few lightly crushed garlic cloves, a handful of peppercorns, three to five bay leaves and a couple sprigs of fresh thyme and rosemary

if I have them handy, a half teaspoon of each in dried form if I don’t. From there, my turkey brine takes a bit of a different twist. I add a gallon of strongly brewed sweet tea.Pour the brine mixture into a clean (very clean) cooler. Submerge the turkey into the brine, breast side down. Next, pour a bag or two of ice into the cooler and close the lid. Let the turkey brine from four to eight hours. Inject While brining definitely adds moisture and flavor to the bird, I like to take it another step by injecting the meat before I place it on the smoker. The base for this turkey injection starts with a cup of beef or chicken broth. Heat the broth in a small saucepan and add a tablespoon of Better Than Bullion brand Chicken Base, a stick of butter and a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce. Inject the mixture into the turkey breast, thigh and leg meat about 30 minutes before the bird goes on the smoker. Spatchcock Spatchcocking a bird simply means to cut down either side of the backbone and press to flatten out the turkey like an open book. This helps the bird to cook a bit faster and more evenly, preventing fastcooking areas from drying out while the thicker parts come to temperature. Don’t Overcook To prep the bird for the smoker, blot the

DUCK WITH MAPLE BOURBON GRAVY DUCK 2 wild ducks, such as mallards, pintail, canvasbacks, gadwall or redheads Olive oil to coat ducks Salt MAPLE-BOURBON GRAVY Pan drippings from the duck, about 3 tablespoons 3 T flour

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skin dry, coat it with olive oil, then shake on a liberal amount of your favorite BBQ rub. I highly recommend the use of a remote thermometer when smoking any large cut of meat. The ability to watch the temperature without opening the smoker keeps the temperature up and speeds the cook along. I like to place the thermometer in the meatiest part of the thigh and pull the bird as soon as it hits 165-170 degrees. As the turkey rests, it will rise another 5 to 10 degrees. Bring your smoker up to 250 degrees. I like a mixture of pecan or hickory and a fruitwood like cherry for turkey and pork. While I don’t always use the water pan on my smoker, I do with turkey. The extra moisture in the smoke just seems to help keep the meat from drying out. Place the bird onto the smoker and cook for three to five hours, depending on the size of your bird. Carefully monitor the internal temperature to prevent overcooking. Recipe Courtesy of Realtree.com

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ABOUT...the River Valley | November 2015

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1/3 c bourbon or whisky 1/2 c duck stock, beef stock or water 2 T maple syrup 1 tsp Tabasco sauce or other hot sauce 1 to 2 T heavy cream Salt and black pepper to taste Take the ducks out of the fridge and coat them with olive oil. Salt them well inside and out. Let them come towards room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 450°F. When the oven is ready, put the ducks breast side up in a cast-iron frying pan or other heavy, oven-proof pan. Make sure they do not touch each other. Roast until the breast meat hits about 135°F to 140°F, about 18 to 22 minutes. Remove the ducks from the oven and carve off the breasts. Set them skin side up on a cutting board. Return the ducks to the oven so you can cook the legs another 5 minutes. Take the ducks out of the oven again. Move the ducks to the cutting board and put the pan on the stovetop. Turn the heat to mediumhigh and crisp up the skin on the breasts. This should take about 2 to 4 minutes. Watch out for the pan handle — it will be very hot! Once the breast skin is crisp, move it to the cutting board skin side up. You want 3 tablespoons of duck fat left in the pan. Spoon out extra or add some butter if you are short. Add the flour and mix well. Turn the heat to medium and cook the flour for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the bourbon. The roux will seize up, so be ready with the stock or water. Add it, stirring all the while, to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer. Pour in the maple syrup, Tabasco, and add salt and black pepper to

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taste. Simmer for for a minute or two. If the gravy has the right consistency, you are ready to add the cream. If it is too thick, add more stock. If it is too thin, let it boil down a bit. Once it is the consistency of Thanksgiving gravy, add the cream and cook 1 minute. Carve the ducks and give everyone some breast meat and legs. Serve with mashed potatoes, pouring the gravy over everything. Recipe courtesy of honest-food.net VENISON WITH CHIMICHURRI SAUCE 1-2 garlic cloves, minced 1 c fresh chopped parsley, lightly packed 1 c fresh chopped mint, lightly packed 1 small hot chile, minced (I use mirasol chiles for this) 2-3 T lime juice 1/2 c olive oil Salt and black pepper to taste VENISON 1 1/2 pounds venison backstrap, in one piece Vegetable oil Salt

hand, stirring all the while. Let steep for an hour or so before serving. For the Venison: Take the venison out and let it come to room temperature. Pat it dry with a paper towel, then coat with the vegetable oil. Salt it well. If you are grilling, get your grill hot and clean the grates. If you are planning on pan-roasting, preheat your oven to 400 degrees and get a large saute pan hot on your hottest burner. Grill the venison over direct heat, turning occasionally until it is medium-rare, or however you like it; this should take about 10-15 minutes. If you are pan-roasting, brown the outside of the venison backstrap in the saute pan, then put the whole pan into the oven. Roast for about 8 minutes for rare. Use the finger test for doneness as your guide. Let the venison rest, loosely tented under foil. Right before you slice and serve it, Pour any accumulated juices into the chimichurri. Pour the chimichurri over the sliced venison and serve at once. Recipe courtesy of honest-food.net l

FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD Put the garlic, herbs, chile, lime juice and a little salt in the bowl of a food processor. Buzz to combine, but do not puree. With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil. Add more salt and black pepper to taste. Let steep for an hour or so before serving. TRADITIONAL METHOD Mince the garlic, chile and herbs by hand and pound a little in a mortar and pestle. Add the lime juice, salt and pepper and then mix in the olive oil slowly by

Holiday Events NOVEMBER 19: Third Thursday Downtown, stores open until 8 pm NOVEMBER 28: Small Business Saturday/Winter Wonderland Lights On DECEMBER 3: Community Christmas Tree Lighting, 6 pm & Russellville Christmas Parade, 6:30 pm

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November 2015 | ABOUT...the River Valley

UNIVERSAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT

Helping Familes Help Themselves Story by EMILY LANGFORD | Photos by LIZ CHRISMAN

Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz said it best when she said: “there’s no place like home.” While home can be a place of refuge, love, memories and recharging, it can also be a burden for some. Universal Housing Development in Russellville exists to make home desirable and accessible by making resources, opportunities and funds available. The 501-CE non-profit organization and HUD approved counseling agency began in October of 1971. “The executive director at the time worked for ARVAC Inc., which was social service,” said Pat Atkinson, executive director. “They were not doing anything with 28

ABOUT...the River Valley | November 2015

housing. He and the executive director of ARVAC got together and made an agreement that Joe Miller would break off from ARVAC and focus on housing. He started packaging loans for Rural Development and went from that to a weatherization program.”

Not wasting any time, by 1980 the ambitious bunch had built 50 units of HUD202 apartments for elderly and handicapped on South Detroit in Russellville. They also built 24 units of USDA Rural Development apartments in Paris that were multi-faceted in their utilization. “I started in 1981. I have two daughters, and when the youngest went to school I wasn’t sure what to do so I went to business college. My neighbor worked for ARVAC Housing Development Corporation and told me about an opening as a secretary and bookkeeper in the self-help housing section. I interviewed and was offered the job,” said Atkinson. “Being number 12 of 15 kids in my family, I knew I could handle anything,” she added.

When the project director at the time, Rick Price, decided to pursue new opportunities the executive director offered Atkinson the job. With some hesitation she accepted the position that served as a pivotal point in her career. “The longer I worked there, the more hours I found myself working and loved the job. The executive director told me what I was doing at that time was basically the job I would be doing as project director, so I accepted the offer. It was his encouragement that helped me make the decision,” recalled Atkinson. Serving in that position for 23 years, it was 2004 when Atkinson made another shift in the organization. This time to a position she felt like she had been groomed for: executive director. Balancing work and life is a difficult task for most anyone, and Atkinson credits having a husband who was willing to help out so much and parents who lived nearby that enabled her to devote so much time to her successful career doing what she loved — helping people. Universal Housing Development has a very broad range of

services and resources available. It serves a total of nine counties in Arkansas, and all out of the office in Russellville with a total of just 20-something employees. A popular self-help program is the self-help new construction funded by USDA Rural Development. The service aids clients with the financial and organizational side of building a home start to finish. “We are on a two-year cycle grant. In the two-year grant we said we would build 36 homes. In 1981 we were doing 48 homes in two years,” said Atkinson The timeline for building one home spans about a year from start to finish. During that time, Universal Housing walks the client through and assists in filling out applications and submitting them to Rural Development for funding — the organization that actually makes the loans — getting the homes completed to USDA guidelines, and finding and purchasing property. Clients are able to select from numerous house plans — the most popular is the three bedroom two bathroom house with a double garage — or pay to have their own drawn up. >> November 2015 | ABOUT...the River Valley

In an effort to conserve funds, the soon-to-be homeowners put in a lot of sweat equity that can be done by friends, family, volunteers or just themselves. “The families are the contractors on these jobs.

interest rate was when you closed your loan. Some people can criticize the payment assistance, but it is not meant to be forever. Especially families just starting out, they work themselves off the assistance, usually

“I love helping people…I know rough times. I know how hard just getting by can be. I don’t think people should just have to get by...” Subcontractors are hired for technical things such as framing, plumbing and electric — things the families can’t do,” said Atkinson. Income, county and the amount of people in your family determine the amount of the 33year Rural Development loan clients receive. “Maybe one out of every five applicants is approved. However, that’s part of us being a housing counseling agency. Also, we can work with them and improve their credit and get them approved,” said Atkinson “They have to pay at least one percent rate of interest. Depending on income, they could be paying one percent and then receiving assistance on the difference between the 1 percent and whatever the 30

ABOUT...the River Valley | November 2015

within five years, and then they will be making full payment,” explained Atkinson. “When I started in 1981, the average client’s loan was $18,000-$20,000, land included. Now $98,500 is where loans are capped,” said Atkinson. Atkinson believes this kind of opportunity allows someone to move up. “Everyone needs a helping hand sometimes. And that’s what it is, a hand up, not a hand out,” she added. A second kind of self-help program Universal Housing offers is self-help rehab, which specializes in updating older homes that are not suitable or livable. This program is typically funded through a grant.

“We work with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas to do grants up to $5,000 a year. For example, if we have someone apply and get approved by SNAP (Special Needs Assistance Program), and they need a new roof, most of the time a roof is going to take all of the $5,000. Say they have issues with their windows and need to remodel a bathroom to where it’s accessible. We can come back next year with the same client in the same program and get rest of their needs met,” said Atkinson. Universal Housing walks their clients through this process the same way they do for new construction, making this easy to utilize regardless of knowledge base. “We are a NeighborWorks organization and receive funds from them that we can leverage with our other rehab programs to give grants,” said Atkinson. “Rural Development also has a 504 program that can be a grant or a loan. If someone’s income is a little higher the loans are affordable. We do the paperwork and process applications for the 504. We walk everyone through everything and even manage subcontractors for them.”

“Anything pertaining to housing we do. We have rental assistance through HUD. Another one that seems too good to be true is our IDA (Individual Development Account) program through the Department of Workforce. The income guidelines are not as strict as self-help new construction, but you have to have a child under 18 in the household and a purpose — such as building a house, rehab on a house, education. It has a three to one match, meaning that for every dollar we will match it with three through a savings account. They have to open a savings account and will hopefully deposit $10 a month until they reach $666 which we then match with $2,000 per adult.” Offering so much to the community, it can be easy to hear about these services and assume they are too good to be true or that you might not qualify. But Atkinson encourages community members to let her staff determine someone’s eligibility before counting themselves out. It is obvious from the moment Atkinson begins explaining all that Universal Housing Development does that her passion is part of what has kept her there for so many years. “I love helping people. Like I said, I come from a large family from eastern Arkansas, cotton fields… I know rough times. I know how hard just getting by can be. I don’t think people should just have to get by, and with a little bit of assistance I think they can get a boost up. Owning a new home builds equity quicker than anything,” said Atkinson. If what Universal Housing Development is doing excites you and you would like to learn about volunteer opportunities, or you think you could benefit from their services, you can reach them at 479-968-5001. l

November 2015 | ABOUT...the River Valley

Sarah Robinson

Fall

Samantha Moore

IN THE VALLEY

“I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house.”

~ NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE

And you shouldn’t either. Brilliant blue skies, the living kaleidoscope of leaves, crisp mornings followed by tender afternoons — all beckon to you here in the River Valley. So use these beautiful images from our area students for inspiration to get out there and experience it yourself.

Breckin Sanders Morgan Beck

Laykin Rentfro

ABOUT...the River Valley | November 2015

Carmen Meadows

Madison Cook

Kailon Ingmire

Bailey Sparks

Alicia Minks Brooklyn Hamby

Landon Worsham

Kayla Covey Devin Williams Caitlyn Wilson

Montavia Johnson

Abby Mahon

Jennifer Cowan November 2015 | ABOUT...the River Valley

ABOUT...the River Valley | Community and Events

UACCM Pageant Coming Soon The University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton Phi Beta Lambda student organization announces plans for the nineth annual UACCM Pageant. The pageant will be Nov. 7 in the Fine Arts Auditorium of the UACCM campus. The pageant is open to current UACCM students and girls between the ages of birth and 17 years competing in seven other categories. Those competing for the title of Miss UACCM will be judged on beauty, professionalism, speech presentation, and interview skills. The winner of the Miss UACCM division will receive a $1,000 scholarship to UACCM, and the first alternate in that category will receive a $500 scholarship. The pageant will run throughout the day, beginning with a welcome at 10 a.m. followed by the Baby Miss, Tiny Miss, Petite Miss, and Little Miss competitions. At 1 p.m., the Princess Miss, Pre-Teen Miss, and Teen Miss competitions will

ABOUT...the River Valley | November 2015

2013 UACCM Pageant Winners

take place ending with the competition and crowning of Miss UACCM. Admission to the pageant is $3. Children under age four get in free. Additional information, including registration forms and rules for entry, is available at www.uaccm.edu.

CARTER NAMED HOMECOMING QUEEN 2015 AT ARKANSAS TECH

Stephanie Carter of Van Buren was crowned Arkansas Tech University

Homecoming queen 2015 during a pregame ceremony at Thone Stadium at Buerkle Field in Russellville on Saturday, Oct. 10. Carter is a senior rehabilitation science major. She is a member of Zeta Tau Alpha, National Society of Collegiate Scholars and Greek Programming Board. Carter has served the campus community as a resident assistant, orientation leader and summer student ambassador. Her parents are Sherri and Tony Carter.

Also selected for the 2015 Arkansas Tech Homecoming court were senior Toni Cody of Sulphur Springs, Texas, junior Haley Owen of Subiaco, senior Hailey Robinson of Okmulgee, Okla., and senior Bailey Taylor of Rogers. Cody is majoring in middle level education with a specialization in math and science. She is active in Collegiate Middle Level Association, CRU and intramural sports. She has served as an orientation leader. Cody’s parents are

Amber and Stuart Cody. Owen is majoring in management and marketing. She is a member of the Arkansas Tech volleyball team. Her parents are Jennifer and David Owen. Robinson is majoring in sociology and communication. She is active in the African-American Student Association. She has served as an orientation leader and assisted in planning for International Women’s Week and Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations on campus. Robinson’s

parents are Marsha and James Robinson. Taylor holds membership in Delta Zeta, Presidential Leadership Cabinet, Order of Omega and the College of Business Dean’s Leadership Class. She has served as a resident assistant. Her parents are Felicia and Jim Taylor. Arkansas Tech won its 2015 Homecoming football game, defeating nationally 20th-ranked Ouachita Baptist University 30-12 in front of a crowd of 6,976 fans. >>

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MCELROY HOUSE HARVEST RUN AND COMMUNITY WALK

On December 5 the McElroy House: Organization for Cultural Resources will host its second annual Harvest Run 5K and Kids Fun Run at Bona Dea Trails in Russellville. The run/walk will begin at 10 a.m followed by an awards ceremony at noon. All racers will receive a race packet including t-shirts designed by artist Bryan Moats for the McElroy House. This year's design includes a beautiful yarrow illustration. Drinks and snacks will be provided by local businesses. Families and organizations/groups are encouraged to do the walk together and come together as a community. Sponsorships for businesses and organizations are also available and begin at $10. Pre-registration for the run costs $20 until November 5 and goes up to $25 the day of the run. “Our fundraiser is a great way to support health and coming together as a community while allowing us to get our message out to a wide variety of people and to sustain our community programs,” says event

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coordinator and founder Marie Williams. “This year we will be showcasing Bona Dea, one of our community's most beautiful nature trails,” she explained. “We invite seasoned runners to take part along with people who may be new to 5ks.” Participants are encouraged to enter as families and groups, and discounts are available for those registering together. One of my favorite things about this event is that it's multi-generational,” explained McElroy House founder, Meredith Martin-Moats. One of our biggest goals with the McElroy House is to bring people together across divides. This event encourages people to come together across generations to stand up for a strong and diverse community,” said Martin-Moats Located in Dardanelle and serving Pope and Yell Counties, the McElroy House is grassroots community-based organization working to find local solutions to local problems. Valuing our landscape and our cultural resources, we explore how the past informs the present, and how, by building bridges across generations and cultures,

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we can work toward a stronger and more inclusive future for Pope and Yell Counties. Over the past year the McElroy House has offered communist-led skill shares on everything from cloth diapering to knitting to making your own baby food. They host multiple living room conversations bringing people together to talk about southern history and fighting racism, and are beginning our on-site heirloom and native plant gardens which will serve as interactive teaching tools for regional sustainability. They also house a caregiver resource bank, including cloth diapers and postpartum support. The McElroy House has over 12 skill shares planned for the coming year which will include home weatherization, heirloom flower gardening, cloth diapering, collecting oral histories and many more. The organization will also be partnering with other regional organizations to offer free community workshops on fighting racism, addressing growing prison rates in the state, exploring root cases of immigration and exploring

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how to support immigrant communities, and growing resources for supporting and understanding LBGTQ communities. All of the events are intergenerational and open to everyone. For more information contact Marie Williams at mwilliams65@atu.edu, 479692-1151 or Meredith Martin-Moats, meredithmartin_moats@yahoo.com, 479-957-0551. For more details: www. mcelroyharvestrun.com

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MISTLETOE MARKET PREPARES FOR 8TH YEAR

The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Arkansas River Valley is proud to announce the “8th annual Mistletoe Market-shop for a Cause” set for Friday and Saturday November 6 and 7, 2015 at the L.V. Williamson Boys & Girls Club, 600 E. 16th St., Russellville. The holiday shopping event will offer an array of merchants’ gift items under one roof – with proceeds benefiting the Boys & Girls Club of the Arkansas River Valley. For the past seven years this has been a very successful event where merchants, shoppers and the Boys & Girls Clubs end up big winners. This is definitely holiday shopping made easy! It is a great opportunity to do your holiday shopping in one place, support area businesses, save a little gas money, and most importantly, help the children of the area that are involved in the outstanding programs offered by the Boys & Girls Club. "Last year's event raised over $25,000 for the Boys & Girls Club," stated Angela Bonds, publicity chair for the event. "We hope to make this year's event the best one yet!" Gift items and merchandise will include art, beauty products, clothing, fall and holiday items, home décor, baby items, jewelry, toys, items for men, food and other gifts of all kinds. At the door a $5 donation is requested of all shoppers which entitle them to a 2-day shopping pass for Friday and Saturday Nov. 6, 10am to 7pm and Nov. 7, 10am to 4pm. A special “Preview Party” will be held the evening of Thursday, November 5th, tickets for this event are priced at $25 and include lots of good food and “first chance” toward plenty of great shopping. Tickets for the Preview Party will be available at the Boys & Girls Club or from

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any committee member. For those who wish to have the first opportunity to shop, don’t forget when you spend $100 total from the Mistletoe Market merchants, you will then qualify for the “Dash for Cash” $500 prize. This is only for a limited number of shoppers that turn in their receipts. For more information or to become a vendor, contact the Boys & Girls Club at 479.968.7819 or Angela Bonds at 479.886.2001. ARTRAC COMPANY, LLC • (479) 705-2200 • www.artrac.com I-40 Exit 58 • 219 East Taylor Road, Clarksville, AR 72830

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ABOUT...the River Valley | November 2015

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DANCERS FROM AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE (NYC) AND THE ROYAL BALLET (LONDON, ENGLAND) JOIN LOCAL CAST FOR THE NUTCRACKER BALLET

Russellville -- The Dance Foundation proudly announces that Beatriz StixBrunell from The Royal Ballet, in London, England and Cory Stearns a super star with the world-renowned American Ballet Theatre (ABT), in New York City, will be performing with local cast members in this season’s production of The Nutcracker. The Christmas classic is being produced by The Dance Foundation, a local nonprofit organization chartered to promote participation and appreciation for the art of dance. The production is under the direction of Ashley Miller Davis and is being sponsored by Whitson Morgan. The Dance Foundation production of The Nutcracker will take place December 4, 5 and 6th, 2015 at the Center for the Arts in Russellville. Ticket prices are $20.00 for adults and $5.00 for children (12 and under) and are on sale now at the Russellville Whitson Morgan location and at All That Dance and Just Dance studios. Performing the role of the Prince will be Cory Stearns. Born on Long Island, New York, Cory Stearns began his classical training at Seiskaya Ballet with Mme. Valia Seiskaya. At fifteen, he participated in the Youth America Grand Prix and was offered a full scholarship to the Royal Ballet School in London. During his training there, he performed in Madrid, Moscow, Milan and Germany. His principal roles included principal roles in Mark Annear's Mendelssohn Concerto, Kenneth Macmillan's Concerto, Kirk Peterson's Eyes That Gently Touch, Robert Hill's Piano Concerto #2, and Barry Moreland's Fearful Symmetries. In March 2004, Stearns appeared with Kylie Minogue in her music

video Chocolate. Upon graduating from the Royal Ballet School with honors, he received, for the second year, the Dame Ruth Railton Award for excellence in dance. Stearns joined American Ballet Theatre's Studio Company in September 2004, the main Company as an apprentice in January 2005 and as a member of the corps de ballet in January 2006. He was appointed a Soloist in January 2009 and a Principal Dancer in January 2011. Stearns repertory with the Company includes The Awakening Pas de Deux, Solor in La Bayadère, a featured role in Brief Fling, the Ballet Dancer in The Bright Stream, Her Prince Charming in Cinderella, Conrad in Le Corsaire, Basilio and Espada in Don Quixote, Oberon in The Dream, a leading role in Études, Kaschei in Firebird, Albrecht in Giselle, Grand Pas Classique, Her Lover in Jardin aux Lilas, Armand Duval in Lady of the Camellias, The Leaves Are Fading pas de deux, His Friend in The Moor's Pavane, The Nutcracker Prince in Alexei Ratmansky's The Nutcracker, Onegin in Onegin, a Carnival Dancer in Othello, Romeo and Paris in Romeo and Juliet, the Terrestrial in Shadowplay, Prince Désiré, the Celtic Prince and a Fairy Knight in The Sleeping Beauty, Prince Siegfried and von Rothbart in Swan Lake, James in La Sylphide, Orion and Apollo in Sylvia, leading roles in Allegro Brillante, Duo Concertant and Everything Doesn't Happen at Once, and roles in The Brahms-Haydn Variations, Citizen, Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes, Duets, In the Upper Room, The Leaves Are Fading, Overgrown Path, Rabbit and Rogue, Symphony in C and Thirteen Diversions. Stearns created roles in From Here On Out, One of Three, Piano Concerto #1 and Private Light. Stearns won the 2009 Erik Bruhn Prize for best male dancer. Local student dancers featured in this production include Karrington Bost as Clara, Alex Jones as the Rat King, Ben Stevens as Drosselmeier, Emma Grace Gregory as the Snow Queen and Cameron Davis dancing the role of the Dew Drop Fairy. For tickets or more information about The Nutcracker or the DANCE Foundation please email thedancefoundation@ suddenlink.net or call (479) 968-6888. l

Honoring our area Veterans

Brookdale Russellville (Formally Wildflower) would like to salute our veterans and those currently serving in the US Military! All veterans are invited to come have lunch free of charge for the month of November.

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ABOUT...the River Valley | Community Commerce

Kitchen Essentials 407 N. Arkansas Ave., City Mall Russellville, AR • (479) 280-1933 Story and Photos by EMILY LANGFORD

Kitchen Essentials, gourmet kitchen store, has been a treat to the noses, taste buds and souls of shoppers alike at the City Mall since their launch in July 2013. It was a combination of a long line of passion for cooking and the acknowledgment of a gap in the local market that led Becki Bryson, owner, to open the gadget-filled store. “It hit me while I was Christmas shopping one year that there was no store like Kitchen Essentials between Fort Smith and Little Rock where you could buy everything in one place,” said Bryson. Bryson credits the success of the store to employees she can trust and enjoy working around, Molly Hood and Tiffany Pritchett, and the customers who have become family. With Christmas right around the corner Kitchen Essentials is preparing to knock your socks off with all kinds of deals and steals this holiday season. But they would also like to remind the community to shop local, not only with them, but with everyone in the City Mall. “It is nice to have a family in the other businesses here,” said Bryson. To save you the trouble of picking out what to buy the people on your nice list, Becki has put together the top five things you need for the Christmas or Thanksgiving. CAMERONS STOVETOP SMOKER Cook and smoke your meats and vegetables on top of the stove in a minimal amount of time with Kitchen Essential’s best-selling item! Becki’s go-to dish with her smoker is pork tenderloin that can be cooked with the smoker in just 35 minutes. 40

ABOUT...the River Valley | November 2015

COFFEES + CIDERS With the temperatures dropping, it is time to bring out all of those smells of the season. One of the best being the coffees and ciders that come with fall and winter. With 24 flavors of whole beans sold by the half-pound and pound, there’s a flavor for everyone. Not to mention, Becki just got Aspen cider, the unofficial cider of holidays. LE CREUSET The name sells itself, but if you have never bought anything from this 90-year-old company they offer a lifetime warranty on the majority of their products. “With the Dutch oven, it is nearly impossible to burn something,” said Bryson. Brightly colored and the chosen cookware of many celebrity chefs, this brand packs a lot of punch and will help decorate your table with every use. WUSTHOF KNIVES When carving your cooked-to-perfection turkeys the next few months, trust the job can be done with Wusthof knives, a German company with 200 years of business under their belt. Kitchen Essentials carries the classics and can order any other style you would like. When you stop in to check out the knives be sure to lay your eyes on the beautifully crafted cutting boards carried by Becki.

...cont. from page 14 When I talk to people I often pick up a feeling of anxiety or even anger when the subjects of science and technology come up. But almost everything we enjoy is enhanced by recent advancement. Are family & friends the important thing for you? Ask someone my age how annoying it was to make a long distance call and watch the clock because with every minute ticking by the bill went up. Do you love nature? I bet your backpack, fishing pole, or hunting rifle is far superior to the item your grandfather used. Most of us have loved ones who would not be with us if medicine had stalled in the fifties and we all have a life expectancy that exceeds our parents in length and quality. Science hasn't solved all of our problems, it never will, but it has improved our lives so much that we now expect constant innovation, and we get it! The future of the Jetsons never arrived but our world getting better every day is here. Whatever we want to do, learn, enjoy or participate in is available to us in a way that is unprecedented in human history. The entire world is in fact at your fingertips, enjoy! l

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Drive Thru * Walk Thru * Make Memories NIGHTLY! November 28 thru January 5

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COOKIE CUTTERS Adorn your pies with perfectly placed crust cut out by the seasonal cookie cutters from Kitchen Essentials! BECKIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FAVORITE ITEM: USA PANS Commercial quality, silicone coated pans that can be used to cook both your turkey and your cookies. They come in many sizes and can keep up with the hustle and bustle of the holidays, as nothing that burns on them sticks! Be sure to add your favorites to a wish list at the store! l

2015

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.

Call Chris Lemley at (479) 970-6534 for your personal consultation.

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ABOUT...the River Valley | Outdoors

Read more from Johnny at www.aviewfromthebackroads.com

My Friend Jake

he raggedy old collar resurfaced while cleaning up

Story & Photo by JOHNNY SAIN

There was a time or two I swear a doggy grin crossed his face when a quick nip brought a the back room. As I sat down on our kindling box squeal of surprise from a nosey porker. Jake also knew that a pig in the walkway was not and traced a finger over the orange nylon, an afternoon sun something to take lightly and his best course illuminated one auburn hair wedged in the buckle. I thought of action was to hide behind my legs or run to the barn exit. But as he grew older he became a great help in moving pigs onto the stock trailer about my friend. His name was Jake. -- better than some of my helpers on two legs. He was the biggest pup in the litter, and the only red one, too. He was smart enough to know that most pigs would turn, but that The man that owned his parents, and him at the time, called him a big hog dead set on running him over would do just that. That's Bear. And he was ornery as a bear, mauling his brothers and something that a lot of folks find out the hard way, like the guy sisters while I asked about bloodlines and shots and worming. that left our farm one day with hoof prints on his back. The bully wasn’t quite so big and bad as I grabbed him by the He was never a playful dog. With Jake it was either work, take scruff and examined his teeth, but he wasn't scared and he didn't a walk, or just hang out on the porch. He would fetch a ball or glare at me with a baleful stare. His attitude said he knew exactly catch a Frisbee when I asked him to, but never with enthusiasm. who he was, and my doubts about taking him home evaporated Sometimes he even grumbled about it, growling under his breath as we made eye contact. as he brought the Frisbee or ball back. I had a working hog farm at the time, which translates into For three years we spent nearly every day together. If I was outside having no life off our property. Our house was on the farm, and Jake was with me. Christine, my wife, would know that I was there were often week-long stretches that I did not go anywhere. somewhere out on the farm if Jake didn’t greet her when she came Jake — I named him “Jake” on the first day we met because he just home. But in 2001 Jake’s life was forever changed when an autumn looked like a “Jake”— and I got to be pretty close. I spent more thunderstorm destroyed our pig barn. Rather than go into huge debt time with Jake than I did with my wife and daughters. to rebuild I chose to take a job off the farm. Jake had a little bit of Heelers are smart dogs, and Jake figured out a lot of things about separation anxiety. For a couple months after, he would be frantically the farm on his own. Within a couple weeks he knew that pigs in scratching at my truck door as soon as I pulled into our driveway. As the pen couldn’t get him, and that biting a snout poking through time passed he became less anxious when I was gone, but I could the bars of a gate was a bucketful of fun with no consequences. never leave his sight when I was home and outside. 42

ABOUT...the River Valley | November 2015

The only place on the farm where I didn’t really want him to accompany me was the bluff line on our property. A big rock outcropping provided a place to sit and watch deer, turkey and sometimes just feel the breeze or watch the sun slip over distant Pilot Rock Mountain. Jake wouldn't chase a deer, but holding in a bark was too much to ask so I would tell him to "stay" as we passed a large white oak on the way to the bluff. To his everlasting credit, I think he would have sat by that darn tree until Kingdom Come. I can’t remember a single time he broke rank and moved until I gave the ok. I could fill a book with stories about Jake. There was the day he got nervous around a stranger on the farm and peed on my leg and into my rubber boot. Marking me as his territory? Who knows. There was his look of utter shock when our pygmy billy goat, Stinky, rolled him over with a head butt. Jake was elevated to hero status when he killed a copperhead that nearly bit Christine. He made sure no one came down the driveway without us knowing about it, and while a stranger might get out of the vehicle no one got on the porch without our approval. Sometimes even our approval wasn’t enough. Christine told me about the day she pleaded with him to go easy on some utility workers. They even tried to bribe him with baloney sandwiches, but no deal. The porch was offlimits to strangers while Jake was on duty. One evening, in the spring of his eighth year, Jake didn’t meet

me at the truck. He was sitting on the porch, wagging that stump of a tail, waiting on me. Even before I climbed the wooden steps I could see illness in his eyes. I sat up with him late. He never ate or drank, and I had plans to take him to the vet in the morning. But morning never came for Jake. I found him at sunrise, lying beside our home, directly under my bedroom window. He normally slept on the porch, but on his final night of life he was looking for me. He died mere feet from me as I slept that night; so close that had the window been open I could have leaned out and touched him. I wish I would have opened that window. I wish I could have stroked his fur and told him it would all be ok. I wish I could have been there with him to say goodbye. I buried him under the big white oak and told him to watch for me, that one day soon we would walk through fields and sit on the porch together again. Surely the Creator in his infinite wisdom and love made a way for Jake into the next realm. And say what you will, but if there is no place in heaven for a soul like Jake then heaven doesn’t sound that great to me. Some people don’t understand how you can love an animal like family. Some folks can’t understand how a grown man could cry for days over a smelly red dog. I myself can’t understand how even now, nine years after his passing, I fight tears as I write this. And I still can’t comprehend the depth of Jake’s love and friendship. As his life was fading, the only thing Jake wanted was me. l

November 2015 | ABOUT...the River Valley

ABOUT...the River Valley | Backyard Living

Read more from Jill at www.journeywithjill.net

Flowers of Fall At the first sight of the maple tree's yellowing leaves in September, I wanted to yell out a guttural "No!" I know, it's a bit dramatic, but I clung onto summer as long as I possibly could. In previous years you would find me looking forward to fall and all the things that make autumn wonderful. But since I began gardening, I’ve noticed a shift. My first season I was so exhausted I couldn't wait until my winter break. After the first season, however, I began to really notice winter… and all the things I didn't like about it: the endless brown yard, the otherwise beautiful, lush trees that are just sticks and don't get me started on shorter days. I do enjoy snow, but we don't get enough of it to justify a longing for winter. Even though spring, summer, and the early fall are so much work — gardening, weeding, digging, more weeding, freezing, and canning — I’ve learned to embrace the work and cherish the beauty. One of my favorite memories this year was shelling black-eyed peas on the deck, enjoying a conversation with my husband and admiring my kids splash in the pool. I didn't want those days to end. But as the crisp air made the cusp of autumn hard to ignore, I had to remind myself that the Creator orchestrated seasons, and they are good. 44

ABOUT...the River Valley | November 2015

Story and photo by JILL MCSHEEHY

When the earth is a sea of brown and the trees look dead I have to remind myself of the many purposes of winter. First, creation gets to rest. That includes us. After three seasons of work — preparing the ground, planting, maintaining, harvesting, and storing — it’s time to heed the signal of shortened days. And while trees, bushes and other perennials look dead to us, they are actually working on expanding their roots, preparing themselves for the next year of growth. Winter is a time of rest and preparation. Similarly, our lives invariably go through seasons. Career changes, new children, moves, and the death of loved ones usher us into new phases of life. And during those changes of season, whether we embrace the new changes or hold on to the old with dear life, it's helpful for us to consider the wisdom in creation. I know it may seem in Arkansas that we go from winter to summer overnight and vice versa, but we do enjoy the beautiful transitional times of spring and fall. The cooler, less humid autumn air eventually wins me over, and I no longer dread the change of seasons but instead embrace them for the gift that they are. Sometimes, when our lives go through these seasonal changes, we want to skip the transition. We either hang on with all of

our might to what cannot be clung to or we plunge headlong into the next new thing. May we slow down. May we take time to slowly let go of what is passing and, in some instances, to allow ourselves to fully grieve the change. May we allow the shift in season to eventually woo us into accepting the next one. Even if it's winter and we feel it will never end – it will. The seasons remind us of that. There's hope. There's growth right around the corner just waiting for the temperatures to begin rising. Because they always do. Have you ever realized how dependable the seasons are? In my mind, they point to the faithfulness of our Creator. So now that it's November I'm starting to finally embrace autumn and preparing for winter. I'm enjoying the pumpkin spice lattes, roasting s'mores, snuggling with the kids by the fire, Thanksgiving decorations and, of course, football. And in the dead of winter, when sadness at the brown and lack of nature's life threatens to smother me like a blanket, I'll grab a cup of coffee, sit by the fire and read my gardening books, preparing for the next beautiful change of season. "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to harvest...for He makes all things beautiful in His time" (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, 11). l

ABOUT...the River Valley | Engagements

Save the Date!

Calendar listings of engagement, wedding and anniversary announcements on the pages of each issue of ABOUT…the River Valley are available at no charge. They may be mailed to: ABOUT Magazine, P.O. Box 10176, Russellville AR 72812 or sent via email to: editor@aboutrvmag.com. (A phone number must be included for verification.)

~ November 1 ~

~ December 20 ~

Sally Bubbus & Billy Alvarado

Amanda Lutz & Kirk West

~ November 6 ~

Whitney Walters & Cole Hollowell

~ December 28 ~

Lucy Busch & Andrew Behrendt

~ November 7 ~

Emily Blackard & Clayton Frazier Mindy Cooper & Derick Echols

~ January 2 ~

Savannah Callan & Drew Hancock

~ January 30 ~

~ November 14 ~

Bridgette Anderson & Jason Groves Ramie Hay & Ethan Domerese

Savannah Sage & Ricky McKnight

~ February 13 ~

~ November 22 ~

Sloane Roberts & Zach Hocker

~ November 28 ~

Grace Roys & Sawyer Grace

~ December 5 ~

Ashlee Van Peeren & Brian Byrum Ariel Nicole Wade & Logan Hayes

Emma Zachary & Thomas Hunt

~ February 20 ~

Mallory McCormick & Timothy Onarecker

Natalie Whitehead & Chris Hall

~ March 12 ~

Photo by Benita's Photography

~ April 16 ~

Bailey Craig & Casey Nickleson

~ June 4 ~

Hannah Limbocker & Logan Taylor

~ June 11 ~

Emily Callaway & Alex Enderlin

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.

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City Mall • Russellville • (479)968-3001 November 2015 | ABOUT...the River Valley

On a Personal Note You Could be the Match Guest Written by Jason E. Warnick, Ph.D.

“The River Valley is one of the most caring places in this country. When the region realizes their help is needed, they will be here to sign up.” And the River Valley proved us right."

Until about three years ago, I had been fortunate to never have anyone close to me suffer from leukemia. To say I was ignorant about blood cancers would be generous — I knew nothing. My introduction came while working on a book. Somehow, I managed to get a legendary scientist to agree to write the foreword to this manuscript. A few weeks went by and I received an email from the scholar requesting permission to drop out of the project. She explained that she had a reoccurrence of leukemia. Speaking with one of her colleagues, I learned that she battled this disease for years, but this time it looked like it would be the final fight. She needed a bone marrow donation soon or she would not survive. Unfortunately, that bone marrow donation never happened. She passed away less than six months after dropping out of the book project. The world lost an accomplished scientist, a devoted mother and wife, and a friend to many. After she passed away, I learned that she had looked for a bone marrow donation for 11 years. Eleven years of hopes, prayers, waiting for the phone to ring, doctors reporting on her deteriorating health, saddened friends and worried family members. It did not seem fair that this could happen to her or anyone else. I wanted answers and I began studying. Why wasn’t she able to get a donation? Bone marrow matching isn’t as simple as matching blood types. There are only eight blood types but the bone marrow tissue types are complex and unique from person to person. Even within families, finding a donor can be difficult. Only 30 percent of patients are able to find a bone marrow match among their relatives. The majority of patients have to look at the National Bone Marrow Registry to find their match. The more people registered on this database the greater the chance of a patient finding a match. Increasing the number of people registered is one of the best ways to battle leukemia. I reached out to the Be the Match Foundation to learn more about hosting a bone marrow registry event and learned that it’s easy to register. All

ABOUT...the River Valley | November 2015

you need to do is fill out a form and swab the inside of your cheek to collect skin cells for a DNA analysis. It takes about five minutes and the person is on the National Bone Marrow Registry until they are 62 years old. Approximately one out of every 500 people registered gets a request to donate. I established a chapter of Be the Match On Campus at Arkansas Tech University in 2013 with the goal to get 500 people registered and save someone’s life. Almost 300 people registered in the first year. While I was proud of our progress, I wanted to get more people registered. A colleague, Dr. Julie Mikles-Schluterman, had a great idea: let’s try to break the world record for bone marrow registrants in a 24-hour time period. We needed 3,000 people to accomplish this. When I approached Be the Match with this idea for there was skepticism. But I told them what would become a mantra for this event: “The River Valley is one of the most caring places in this country. When the region realizes their help is needed, they will be here to sign up.” And the River Valley proved us right. In spite of horrible weather on the day of the event, we were able to register nearly 1,800 people. Community members stood in the rain for the chance to sign up. They helped us move our registry tent to a new location. They advertised on social media. They did all that they could to insure the event was successful. We didn’t break the world record but the River Valley showed its’ character on that day. We are hearing the first reports of our registrants getting called to donate bone marrow. It is a proud moment to see members of our community giving the gift of hope and life. If you have not registered, I would encourage you to make the commitment and join the National Bone Marrow Registry. You don’t have to wait until a bone marrow registry drive comes to your area. Simply go to https://join. bethematch.org/ and sign up. If you are unable to join due to age or health, please consider donating money to this cause. Let us continue to show what makes the River Valley such a special place by fighting leukemia and other blood cancers.

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

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ANNOUNCING A HEALTHY ADDITION TO THE RIVER VALLEY.

Valentino Piacentino III, M.D.

Sarahrose Webster, M.D.

Suzanna Chatterjee, M.D.

MILLARD-HENRY CLINIC

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General Surgery | 479.890.2433

OBGYN | 479.890.2428

Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center and Millard-Henry Clinic welcome general surgeons Valentino Piacentino III, M.D. and Sarahrose Webster, M.D. along with the Millard-Henry Women’s Clinic addition, OBGYN Suzanna Chatterjee, M.D. Saint Mary’s is proud to bring the quality services of these skilled specialists to the River Valley. All three physicians are now taking appointments.