April 2018 WINC

APRIL 2018

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Dig into Spring Visit Nana’s Kitchen Meet a Hometown Hero Tour a Toy Train Museum

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APRIL 2018

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Ruland Junction Toy Train Museum

Ruland Junction an opportunity for outreach

Digging Into Spring

Hometown Hero

6. Mom sows the seeds of gardening in son

26. Josh Deweees

Nana’s Kitchen

Do It Yourself

16. Nana’s brownies making children happy since 1961

28. Container Garden

Majestic Mama

A Look Back

20. Beaches and more in the Southeastern United States

32. The Frauenthals

Crafting Fails & Favs

Faith & Finances

24. Locals attempt an pistachio shell bird wall art.

42. Baby Steps to Financial Freedom

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Conversations with a Craftman Nick & Caroline Wood

Publisher Kelly Sublett Contributing Writers Jeanette Anderton Cindy Beckman Andrea Champlin

PUBLISHER’S LETTER Spring is upon us and whatever the weather, we’re in this together!

This season traditionally is a time for new beginnings, and WINC. Magazine is budding with new focuses and new audiences. The magazine’s brand has been known and loved in the Faulkner County community for nearly 15 years and has beautifully complemented the Log Cabin Democrat.

As we embark on a new spring in a new year, the look and feel of WINC. is changing to accommodate the ever-growing and changing landscape of Central Arkansas and the people here.

With the newspaper’s new ownership under GateHouse Media, our community message is much larger, expanding into Van Buren County, Heber Springs and North Little Rock. WINC. now will be seen each month door-to-door in those communities.

As group publisher, my goal is to highlight what makes our region great — its people. Longtime local journalist Melissa Gates will serve as the resident storyteller of our community through her dynamic cover features. Our veterans and first responders will be honored every issue. Instead of highlighting the beauty of a private home, Andrea Champlin, WINC.’s Majestic Mama, will walk you through a DIY project anyone can try. Former teacher and expert in local history, Cindy Beckman, will showcase the then and now of our area history.

I am thrilled to introduce the monthly “Nana’s Kitchen” feature. My “Mammaw-Tine” was known in her small Southeast Arkansas community for her specialty dishes, having been part of the

local Extension Office programming for more than 70 years at the time of her death. But more personally, her kitchen was the meeting place, the place where all of us in the family at one time or another spilled our happiest moments over morning muffins. It’s the place we convened on Sunday’s after church for good, Southern lunches that prepared all the men for napping. After her passing, I realized, like my siblings and cousins, that no one knew the magical recipe for her butter cake muffins. It was all done from scratch and by memory over generations.

WINC. will begin bringing you those stories and those kitchens and simple dishes no one wants to forget. We all have a “Nana” or a church friend or a neighbor who fits this profile. And this “Nana” will look different to each of us.

Maybe she’s young and hip and doesn’t cook, but she always makes sure her grandkiddos have the comforts of her home. Maybe it’s a grandad who takes on the role. WINC. will bring you that nostalgia and something really good to try in your kitchen!

In 2018, WINC. magazine is about bringing our community and surrounding communities together, diverse and different, all ages and a new perspective to help you grow and help our community thrive.

Thanks for reading,

Kelly

Melissa Gates – Cover Story Marisa Hicks Jenny Strange Kelly Sublett Photographers Ron Beckman Andrea Champlin Amanda Cole – Cover Story Andrew Robertson Kelly Sublett Art Director Jay Prince Advertising Sales Director Lisa Licht Advertising Sales Executives Bobby Eller Crystal Geraldson Leigh Anne Gray Editorial Board Cindy Beckman Andrea Champlin Eden Corley Melissa Gates Lisa Licht Jay Prince Kelly Sublett

Questions or Comments?

Call (501) 327-6621, e-mail: WINC@thecabin.net or write to: 1111 Main Street, Suite 102, Conway, AR, 72032 www.womensinc.net

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Digging Into Spring: Mom Sows the Seeds of Gardening In Son

by Melissa Gates, Photos by Amanda Cole Gardening is something I so wish I knew about. Every spring that longing always gets a little bit stronger. I think that’s why it intrigues me so much. That, and I’d love to feed my kids clean foods, straight from our backyard, with no worries of chemicals, added sugars, or trans fats. I’m so pleased to see this as a new movement among young parents.

Emily English is the expert when it comes to feeding your family clean; plus she’s living it. Emily is the Research Director of the Access to Healthy Foods Research Group at Arkansas Children’s Research Institute. She has two masters degrees in public health and public science; and is currently finishing her PhD in public health. Plus, she’s a mom to 4-year-old son, Murrell.

The 38-year-old believes gardening shouldn’t be perfect but just a chance for family members to have the experience and to get their hands dirty. Both she and her husband, Wes Craiglow, were always around farms and gardens growing up, but for Emily, it didn’t become her passion until she was an adult. “For Wes and I both, it’s in our blood.” Wes’ great grandparents had Murrell’s Nurseries in Cabot. Emily’s great-grandfather sold veggies out of the back of his truck. “My grandpa would laugh at me when I said I wanted to garden,” Emily says.

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Now her son, Murrell, benefits from Emily’s passion. He knows how to plant, pull veggies out of the ground, wash them, cut them, and the best part – eat them. He says, “Look a worm!” Emily laughs telling him, “Worms poop out perfect fertilizer for our garden!” She adds, how great it feels feeding her son clean foods. “He’ll eat anything off the cutting board but you put it on a plate he won’t. It’s the experience,” she says.

Emily has not only launched her family’s vegetable garden, but is responsible for bringing gardens to communities across Arkansas. She created a huge garden at the Heifer Ranch in Perryville and farmed it for five years. She mentions how hard the work of a farmer is. Emily says, “I want my son to know where his food comes from, to know how hard the people who feed us work. They deserve praise and honor. Just thinking about all we take for granted; food is one of those.” After working for Heifer for five years, Emily got both her masters degrees; one at the Clinton School for Public Service and one from UAMS. She then put those degrees to work in Conway. She created the Faulkner County Library garden, helped build gardens for CAPCA, as well as launch the Conway community garden at the McGee Sports Center. “We should all have access to good food,” she says.

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Emily says April 15th is considered central Arkansas’ last freeze date. So wait until then to plant your temperature-sensitive vegetables. But before then, you’re clear to plant winter hardy veggies; like kale, broccoli, and cabbage. She says with little ones, planting radishes works great. About 30 days after planting the seeds you’ll have vegetables ready to pick and eat.

She tells Murrell while he’s planting radish seeds, “Tuck them in and blow them a kiss.”

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Emily and Wes’ wedding day; October 13th, 2012. Their moms add compost from their own home gardens to help plant a new tree to grow at Wes and Emily’s home.

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Emily says you don’t need a lot of land, time, or expertise to have your own garden. “I’m a lazy gardener,” she says. She doesn’t even rake the leaves out of her bed because she says, “They offer nature’s perfect mulch.”

Her husband built her raised bed, they filled it with compost from the city, and water it by hand as needed. She loves the location near their driveway because they pass by it every day coming and going to the car and house. “It’s a great reminder

that we need to pick something for dinner,” Emily says.

Murrell was just over a year old when he ate his first cherry tomato right out of the garden. “He wouldn’t eat them inside the house but would eat them outside from the garden. Now he eats them like candy,” Emily says.

Emily believes raising kids with gardens is one of the best ways to ensure their future is a healthy one. “We need to make sure they have a taste for vegetables. It’s a misconception amongst parents that kids won’t eat them. That’s not true. I don’t want us to give up on our kids because they want a cookie over a carrot,” she says.

Emily recommends a book called, “How Did That Get In My Lunchbox?” by Chris Butterworth, for parents and grandparents wanting to start gardening with their little ones. She also recommends what she considers safe knives for kids to cut vegetables. One is called a crinkle slicer, where kids can just push down on the knife to make wavy vegetable slices.

There’s also a nylon kitchen knife that is guaranteed to cut vegetables and not skin.

They are advertised as kid-friendly.

Emily says Conway is fortunate to have so many resources available for gardeners or soon-to-be-gardeners; also for those wanting locally grown food who can’t grow it themselves. What great news for parents like me who are wanting to feed their kids clean, unprocessed food.

Melissa Gates has been telling stories in Faulkner County for more than a decade.

She has interviewed a wide variety of interesting people from U.S. Presidents to rock stars, and countless community leaders.

After growing up in the Midwest, she is thrilled to call Conway home, alongside her husband and three kids.

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Faulkner County Library Garden

Visit Faulkner County Urban Farming Project on Facebook for more information.

F Co RE

mm E Gar unit den ing C y lass es

Master Gardener Classes 1st and 3rd Saturdays each month at Freyaldenhoven’s Greenhouse.

Bring the kids; they get to dig, too.

Visit www.uaex.edu for more information.

Bell Urban Farm

It’s across Tyler Street from the Faulkner County Library. Shop their April 7th plant sale as a great way to start your home garden. www.bellurbanfarm.com

Conway Locally Grown If you don’t want to start your own garden, here you can order food on-line that’s harvested the week you buy it. www.conway.locallygrown.net

Conway Community Garden Location: McGee Sports Center conwaycommunitygarden@gmail.com

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Ruland Junction an opportunity for outreach

by Kelly Sublett Tucked away on a residential street in Heber Springs sits a beacon of activity and interaction for children and adults of all ages.

Ruland Junction Toy Train Museum At the Corner of 12th and Walnut Heber Springs, Arkansas (501) 362-6342 www.facebook.com/ rulandjunction This two-story museum houses 90 years of toy train collecting, a wide variety of real train memorabilia, and 10 operating train layouts. Open Tuesday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $5 for adults and $2.50 for children.

Wayne Ruland and wife, Susan, built a place that has become a second home in a sense for area children — some with special needs — who grace the doors with curiosity and who learn social skills and a thing or two about trains.

And the story begins “when the truck broke down.”

The couple ended up in Heber Springs in 1978 when a cross-country trip to relocate from out of state landed them in the town.

“When we decided to leave Wisconsin, we had two choices,” Wayne says. “Heads, we go to Washington and tails, we go to Arkansas. So we flipped a coin and Heber Springs is where the truck broke down.”

Wayne and Susan eventually set to work in their spare time on the train depot that sits adjacent to their home. Using the many toy trains Wayne had collected over the years, either by inheritance from his father, Ed, an avid train builder and collector, and brother, Gary, the tracks and scenes began taking shape.

The Ruland Junction Toy Train Museum opened to the community as a museum and learning station on Memorial Day 2012, and the couple couldn’t be more proud of the impact the “little depot that could” has created.

“I watch the intentness of these kids as they watch the trains in motion,” Wayne says on a recent Saturday. “We want them to learn, all kids to learn, they can do this.

Knowledge comes with all this stuff and the desire to do more.”

Many of the buildings and scenes along the seemingly miles of indoor tracks, are handmade with cardboard, constructed out of leftover toys and household decor picked up at garage sales and flea markets. Although a toy train hobby can be expensive, the Rulands teach each child they have the ability to create the world they want.

They are lessons Wayne learned from his father, and he’s passing them down to those special visitors he considers “our children.”

Regular visitors Jachin, 7, and his mother Keilah Herman, of Conway, found the museum by chance, but the relationship they’ve made with the Rulands has been life-changing. Jachin was diagnosed at age 2 with Autism Spectrum Disorder. His love for trains has been steadfast in his developmental growth in many aspects, Keilah says.

“When he was diagnosed, I didn’t want to think something was wrong with my child. It was difficult,” she says, while Jachin followed the moving train along the massive track system sprawling among the dioramas on the first

floor of the museum. “But he has always loved trains. We come here every other week, and now Jachin wants to read now and compare and contrast different trains.

He has a love for the mechanical and he has developed a curiosity.”

Jachin, a student at Julia Lee Moore Elementary, spends hours constructing tracks for trains at home. He also enjoys building race tracks for cars and recently was gifted an electric train by Wayne.

“Tracks. Everywhere,” Keilah smiles.

“Our whole house is filled with tracks of one kind or another.”

But beyond the love for locomotives, Jachin has found a mentor and friend in Daniel Hipp, a 23-year-old Train Master (a title well earned, Wayne says). Daniel began frequenting the shop early on, first visiting with an uncle. Daniel, too, was diagnosed with ASD at age 2.

“Motivation, for me, is never something I’ve been consistent with,” Daniel says during an expert tour of the massive displays — some built by Wayne’s father almost 90 years ago. “If feels hard, but once you start with this, it is hard to stop.”

Over the years, Daniel has created his own scenes among the engines, including his prized miniature diesel shop that took him more than a year to finish when he was 18.

“I worked on it two days a week for a year and a half,” he explains.

But Daniel, not unlike his younger counterpart, loves real trains, too. And maybe his perspective is the key to what draws all of us to personal passions.

“Real trains and toy trains bring people together,” Daniel says, sweeping his arms above the displays. “People who seem so far away are brought closer together.

They bring small towns to the outside world, they transport goods on a scale never seen before except by ship. Trains influence the world.”

Wayne and Susan are no experts on Autism, but have witnessed the profound influence their museum has had on children like Daniel and Jachin.

“If they can find a network, there is strength in numbers,” Keilah says. “There is community all around to help you. Each child is so special, and each has their own niche. When you find it, let it blossom.

Give them everything they need to be successful. There is an encouragement [Jachin] gets here and a foundation.”

The Rulands have no children of their own, but have a

plan to will the entire operation to Daniel.

“He’s our local manager and Train Master,” Wayne says of the young man. “He is proof that you can teach all of this. When he first came here, he was here three hours and said to me, ‘You have changed my life forever.’ He, of course didn’t know what that meant to me. He is self-taught about trains, and you would swear he lived it, worked it. Everything he does here helps other kids.”

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Nana’s 16 WINC. | APRIL 2018

Nana’s brownies making children happy since 1961 Dorothy Yeager is everyone’s ‘Nana’

by Kelly Sublett

On Monday nights once a month, Dorothy Yeager’s kitchen is filled with children ages 5 to 19, hovering over her pan of soft, gooey brownies. Keeping the adults away from the pan proves a difficult as shooing away any child.

Dorothy is known to generations in Faulkner County as “Nana.” And those brownies, well, they are almost as famous as the lady herself.

“I started working with 4-H in 1961 in Guy as a transportation leader,” Nana says. “Then helping Mrs. Miriam Dunk with the Greenbrier 4-H, then becoming a main leader of the Cloverleaf 4-H Club in 1968.”

The club now boasts nearly 50 young people, and Nana Yeager is the heart of it all. Her husband, Ratis, is a master woodworker and her biggest supporter. He, along with daughter Donna, built the kitchen in their home, located off Cadron Ridge Road.

“Donna kept him straight on what Mama wanted,” she laughs. “I cook for my whole family several times a week. Our kitchen has custom cabinets and chopping block built by Ratis. He also built the cedar dining table that seats 10 people.”

Food, Nana says, is the main focus of family gatherings many times over.

“We enjoy the home-cooked food and fellowship and laughter we share together at mealtime,” she says. “We have room for others to love as our own children and grandchildren.

Time together is important family bonding, and what better fellowship with food and love for each other?”

“Nana’s Brownies” are her signature at church, business, family and social gatherings, but it’s the

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Name: Dorothy Yeager Children: 5 — Paul, Dubby, Kevin, Debbie and Donna Grandchildren: 9 — Jared, Jake, Justin, Zack, Alex, Brittney, Brandon, Jayme and Jordan Great-grandchildren: 4 — Keenan, Aria, Paisley, Gage

love she mixes into every batch that people remember.

“We have church gatherings here as a close family and our Cloverleaf 4-H Club. I always have brownies for them,” she explains. “Many of their parents were in my same Cloverleaf 4-H group enjoying the same brownies.”

Nana Yeager is anything but limited in her kitchen. She helps cook at Areopagus Church Camp every summer, making homemade cinnamon rolls, cheesy rolls and homemade pizza. All the cooking is from scratch and feeds about 100 at a time.

“I lost my grandparents at an early age,” she explains. “I feel blessed to be able to be with my grandkids and great grandkids. All the grandkids have enjoyed making cookies with Nana and licking the mixing bowl!

“My mother, known as ‘Granny Grace’, was well known for her Mexican food, coconut cake with 7-minute icing and Parker-House Rolls and her cinnamon rolls. My family loves the homemade rolls like Granny Grace made.”

Nana encourages her children and grandchildren to join her in the kitchen PawPaw Ratis built with love. Pie making, from-scratch cooking and 4-H demonstrations over generations are a result.

“The only advice I can give to all young people is to keep God in their lives and in their families they become. The family being close to God is the most important thing in their lives,” Nana says with conviction. “Families that share home-cooked meals around the family table usually bond closer and form a stronger foundation of unity for the betterment of our country.”

If you know a favorite family cook and would like to nominate them for a feature, please email ksublett@thecabin.net.

Nana’s (Ms. Dorothy’s) Brownies Mix: 2 cups sugar, 1 ½ cups self-rising flour, 1 heaping tablespoon cocoa Mix well with a whisk. Add 4 eggs, ⅔ cup Wesson oil and 1 tablespoon vanilla.

Mix gently until mixture is moist. Do not over stir.

Cook: 350 degrees for 25 minutes in a 9X13 pan.

Icing Melt one stick oleo, stir in one tablespoon vanilla, and add one box of powdered sugar, add enough canned milk to make a smooth mixture. Ice the brownies while they are hot, just out of the oven. Enjoy!

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2018 Resolutions ✓ Reach

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ThriveHive has worked so well that for the 2018 season, we are launching 5 new campaigns and have increased our spending more than 3 times (3X) over because of the results they have generated.

It’s really had a tremendously positive impact on our mission and our business.”

— BRUCE, ROWING CLUB EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

CW-SPAD0313121556

new customers

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Reconnect with current customers

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Grow my business

Our customers speak for themselves.

Make 2018 your best business year yet, with a little help from ThriveHive.

501-505-1227 | www.thecabin.net womensinc.net 19

Beaches and More

in the Southeastern United States

by Andrea Champlin

We’re a family that likes to travel. Our three kids have been flying since they were infants. They are seasoned adventurers.

A funny thing happened this year when we were planning our summer trips. We realized that our children hadn’t been to several of our neighboring states! I’m an Arkansas girl, and Florida vacations were the norm for me when I was young. My kids have been to the Pacific multiple times, but not the gulf or the Atlantic. Nor have my kids been to Texas – and it’s right next door!

So, my husband and I decided it would be fun to take a road trip to a beach with the kiddos this summer. Right now we’re looking at several options in the southeastern United States.

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Scenic Highway 30A, Florida Scenic Highway 30-A is a much ballyhooed 18.5 mile stretch of road in the panhandle of Florida. I started seeing the little round blue and yellow 30A advertisements before I even knew about this Florida highway. It has developed somewhat of a cult following, and for good reason. Along this stretch of road you will find some of Florida’s most beautiful beaches and charming communities.

This stretch of highway is part of the 100-mile stretch of coastline known as the Emerald Coast. It’s called the Emerald Coast because unlike some of the blue water that you’re used to seeing, this water is a beautiful, shimmering green. Why? Because it’s far enough away from the mouth of the Mississippi

Boone Hall Plantation

Boone Hall Plantation River that it doesn’t have the sediment that flows from the river. The other reason is the algae in the water. When the sun reflects off the water it reflects the emerald green color. But the algae (aka June grass) isn’t dangerous, so it’s safe to swim!

It’s also home to white sand beaches.

There are 12 coastal towns located on 30A. I’ve included brief descriptions of some of my favorites: Dune Allen Beach - Home to three coastal dune lakes and 5 miles of trails in Topsail Hill Preserve State Park. It’s also home to Stinky’s Fish Camp restaurant which appears to be some sort of local institution. I kind of want to go here just to eat at that restaurant.

Santa Rosa Beach - This beach town is mentioned several times in some pretty well-respected travel publications. The town is an idyllic mix of old and new. An ideal place for families.

Grayton Beach - Their unofficial motto is: Nice Dogs, Strange People. If a town can have a sense of humor, this one sounds like it does. Grayton Beach State Park is nearby and has nature trails, campsites, and sand dunes. It’’s also a little less expensive than some of its 30A neighbors.

Watercolor - This a planned beach community located in Santa Rosa Beach. If you’re looking for a little luxury on the beach, WaterColor Inn is the place to stay.

Seaside - This is where the movie The Truman Show was filmed. It’s full of quaint cottages and white picket fences.

WaterSound Beach - Known as a perfect hideaway for families and for its beautiful coastal cottage architecture. This is a large, gated community that features wooden paths that lead to the beach and three golf courses.

Rosemary Beach - I’m a little bit obsessed with Rosemary Beach. It’s a designed community with the purpose of creating a traditional neighborhood lifestyle. I love the thought of parking the car for the week, walking and riding bikes everywhere we need to go. And the pictures I’ve seen are amazing.

Savannah and Tybee Island, Georgia Tybee Island is a 30 minute drive from downtown Savannah.

The three main beaches in Tybee Island include: South Beach, Mid Beach and North Beach. South Beach is the busiest one and the closest to Savannah. This beach has the most parking and restaurants and shops are close by. There’s no designated parking for Mid Beach, just street meters. If you are staying at a place nearby, this would be a great beach for you. North Beach is just across the street from the Tybee Lighthouse. I love lighthouses!

I think they’re so fun to tour.You can tour this lighthouse that has been around since the early 1900s, but the original was built in 1736! You can also visit the Tybee Island Museum.

If you want to skip the beach for a few days and go exploring, Savannah isn’t far. Savannah’s River Street is, you guessed it, right next to the Savannah River and paved with cobblestones. It’s

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Charleston, S.C. full of shops and restaurants and a fun place to stroll and have a bite to eat. The historic district is full of museums and tours that are varied enough to please almost anyone.

Savannah is one of my favorite cities in the United States: moss in the trees, cobblestone streets, and beautiful historic buildings. I just feel like I should be sipping sweet tea and sitting in a rocking chair whenever I’m in Savannah.

Charleston Area, South Carolina I used to live in Greenville, South Carolina, and I had the opportunity to travel to the Lowcountry several times. There are several beautiful beaches in the Charleston area: Kiawah Island, Folly Beach, Isle of Palms, Sullivan’s Island; and if you’re used to driving to the Flordia panhandle, this will only add about two more hours to your trip.

This is an area filled with history, beautiful architecture, and some of the best seafood you can find. The first time I had shrimp and grits I was in the Lowcountry; and I’ve never had lobster bisque anywhere else as good as it is here.

And that brings me to another point. If you have the option of eating at Red Lobster or Lindy Lou’s Shrimp House. Choose Lindy Lou’s. Try the local restaurants and experience the local culture. Nothing wrong with the chain restaurants, but they’re everywhere. Honestly, I’d rather have a bad experience at a local

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place than an average experience at a chain restaurant. Even if it’s a bad experience, it will make a great vacation story, and they’re almost as good as vacation photos.

History buffs will love it here! We love to use travel as learning experience for our children.You can drive to Fort Sumter and see where the Civil War actually started! Tour the Boone Hall Plantation and learn about life on a plantation or see the historic houses on Rainbow Row. On one trip I visited the Old Slave Mart Museum which once housed slave auctions.

There’s not a whole lot to this museum which I think increases the powerful effect it can have on its visitor.You can almost feel the despair of all the souls that were bought and sold here. I think it’s an essential stop to make if you’re in Charleston.

Where to stay?

If you ask your friends where to stay you will get lots of opinions. The bottom line is: book a hotel, condo, or residence based on what is important to you. Do you want to be in the middle of activity, or do you want a more secluded location? Do you plan to cook all of your meals, or will you be eating out most of the time? Should your place be kid-proof, or is it an adult-only trip? Do you want housekeeping services?

The most important thing I can tell you about reserving a vacation rental is to READ THE COMMENTS! We’ve used

vrbo.com and airbnb.com in the United States and in Europe and have never been disappointed. I knew exactly what to expect because I reviewed the listing well and read the comments of guests who came before us. So ask your friends, do your research, and read the comments!

Make sure you have the address of where you’re staying handy. That way, if you’re an hour away from home and realize you forgot something, you can have the nice folks at Amazon ship it to you.

Tybee Island Light

Don’t stress!

The unexpected always happens whenever you travel, especially when traveling with children.Vacations should be a lot of things, but stressful isn’t one of them. Plan well before you go, and relax while you’re there. I hope I’ve given you some things to consider when planning your next vacation!

You can find this article on my blog at TheMajesticMama.com/winc. Links to websites and vacations guides are included in the online version.

Andrea Champlin is a Conway transplant with a new appreciation for toads and mythical creatures. She’s a wife, mom of three, and likes to create pretty things all while trying to get the mom thing right. Andrea can usually be found toting her kids around or planning their next trip, but always with paint on her hands.

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g n i t f a r C S FAIL

&

S FAV

To kick off WINC.’s new feature “Crafting Fails & Favs,” the magazine chose an adapted version of Crazzy Craft’s (www.crazzycraft.com) pistachio shell bird wall art.

Each of our crafters were given basic supplies and a canvas to create this art. All were instructed they could embellish any way they liked, but they could not start over. Once the project was underway, they had to stick with it.

We rate this month’s craft at skill level 4.

Here’s what you need:

• A collection of pistachio shells, clean and dry Acrylic paint or spray paint • Hot glue • Paint brushes • Canvas or wall space

“I shortcut the project a little by Lance Licht “Monka” Age: 60 Occupation: Retired grandpa Crafting level: 5

using permanent markers and super glue gel. Next time, I would probably rub the pistachio on a piece of sandpaper to flatten the glue side. I enjoyed the project.

It was easy to do. Even with big fingers, you get to eat pistachios!”

Lance rated his attempt 7 out of 10

Jennifer Poole Age: 54 Occupation: Registered Nurse Crafting level: 7

“I made my shells the outline of the umbrella. I tried to make a heart out of two shells, too, but left it off.

I made love birds. I only had three colors of paint. It was hard to do the project with just three.”

Jennifer rated her attempt 4 out of 10

Ellie Reed Age: 14 Occupation: Student Crafting level: 7

“I think it helped to dip the shells in the paint and then use the brush to get it even.

It also helped to put the hot glue on the canvas and squish the shell into it.”

Ellie rated her attempt 3 out of 10 24 WINC. | APRIL 2018

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WN METO O H

HERO

The Presidents’ Marine: Conway’s Joshua Dewees

Joshua Dewees – Owner, Dewees HVAC, LLC

Growing up in a small town. Joshua Dewees played football and was good enough to have colleges looking at him. But following an injury, he opted for the military.

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“I always enjoyed the camaraderie of playing sports and I figured there was no other place to get that besides in the military,” he says.

Dewees took his first ever flight to San Diego, California, for boot camp. Nerves were certainly an issue at first, but armed with the knowledge that Marines were the “best” and his future was taking shape, he took his recruiter’s advice.

“My recruiter once told me to just play the game and keep my head low and I would be just fine,” he says.

Dewees took on his primary job as a Military Police Officer.

While in school, the HMX-1 Presidential Security detail came looking for eight Marines to join their team and help guard the President and travel with Marine One, the President’s helicopter.

“After a week-long process of interviews and tests, I was one of eight marines chosen out of around 300 that interviewed to join the team,” he says.

After graduation Dewees was ordered to Quantico,Virginia.

He learned all the ins and outs of the detail, trained with the FBI and Secret Service and traveled with President Bill Clinton to several different countries and around the United States.

In Okinawa, Japan, Dewees would try out for another elite team – the Special Reaction Team aka S.W.A.T. Only 14 were chosen out of around 1,500 Military Police on the island.

Most of Dewees’ service was spent in Okinawa as a Military Police officer, Special Reaction Team member and in 5th Force Recon indoctrination screening.

The September 11, 2001, terror attack on the United States spurred Dewees to eagerly help in the fight against terrorism.

“I knew I still had at least a year or more of training to make the Recon team and making very little money, so when I was offered a job with a private security company called Blackwa-

ter USA, I left the Marines and went to Iraq and Afghanistan working as a High Threat Security Officer on a Department of State detail.

“The training was intense and I loved it.”

He spent six years in the Middle East.

“I decided to hang up my hat in July of 2006 after seeing too many bad things happened to good friends,” Dewees says.

Over his years of service, Dewees marked several milestones, most notably the pride of earning the rank of corporal E-4.

“In the Marine Corps, we pride ourselves on what we call getting our ‘blood strip.’ That was a very proud moment for me,” he says. “I am proud of all my metals but earning the Presidential Service Badge was one of my favorites and receiving a meritorious mast for actions taken while on the Special Reaction Team.”

During his service, Dewees had the honor of meeting many influential people, including U.S. Presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush, Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai,Vice President of Micronesia Leo Falcam, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, The Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, and two MMA fighters Dan “The Beast” Severn and Ken Shamrock.

“My military experience has made me into the man I am today,” he says. “As a Marine we were instilled with honor, courage and commitment and to me that has translated in everyday life as honesty, fairness and integrity in my beliefs and actions.

My time in the Marine Corps taught me give respect to others.

It helped to make me a better person and a man of character.”

If you know a verteran or first responder and would like to nominate them for a feature, please email ksublett@thecabin.net.

From left to right, Alicia, Brennen Stewart, Joshua and London Dewees.

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Container Gardening The first time I walked into a plant nursery, I knew exactly how my husband felt at Hobby Lobby. The wide eyes. The vacant stare. There is just so much to see and I had no idea what to do with any of it; I was completely overwhelmed! In fact, I was so overwhelmed I left without making a purchase.

That was two years ago. I am now committed to adding some live plants to our home. But this beginner needed some serious help. So I headed to Plant Outlet in Conway, where Michelle Boone was kind enough to give me the basics on caring for plants and what kind she thought would be good for me.

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What type would be good for me, you ask? Easy to care for.

Hard to kill.

So first of all: what is container gardening? Simply, it’s growing plants in a container instead of planting them in the ground.

When I was growing up, I was never really a fan of container gardens. I remember seeing plants in white plastic containers that looked a little sad and unkempt, and they never really looked too fashionable to me. Fast forward to now. These are not your grandmother’s container gardens. There are such a wide variety of plants that are beautiful and easy to keep

THE TWO PLANTS POTTED On the left we have aloe, and on the right sedum clavatum. Both are succulents. Succulents are a group of plants that store water in their leaves.

Since I’m using these two plants in three different containers, I first split the aloe apart. I just pulled it apart with my hands.

The sedum clavatum is really easy to handle. I broke off a little piece for a small candle holder. You also need to pull some of the bottom leaves off for new roots to grow. There’s only about an inch of dirt in this container, so I used tiny pieces of the sedum clavatum and the aloe.

by Andrea Champlin alive. No artificial arrangements for me anymore! In fact, I’m so excited and happy with the way my container gardens turned out, I plan on being a regular at Plant Outlet now!

After speaking with Michelle at length on my first visit, we decided I would come back and bring some containers with me. I decided to be a little unconventional with my containers.

I wanted my container gardens to look like art with a plant. So, most of the containers I brought were not originally intended to hold plants. womensinc.net 29

BIG ARRANGEMENT ON THE BUFFET I still have three more small containers to plant and I’m going to use two succulents in all three of these.

Michelle chose some plants that she thought would be good for the containers I brought in. I chose my favorites and left Plant Outlet really excited to get started on my container gardens, but a little nervous that I wouldn’t be able to pull it off. Michelle would have put everything together for me, but I really wanted to show (fingers crossed) that anyone can plant a container garden with a little guidance.

So I started with a very large bowl that I already had. This bowl has had several things in it around my house. It has some hot glue and styrofoam residue, but Michelle said that it would be fine for planting.

The first thing I did was fill the bowl full of dirt. Don’t do that. Put your large plant in first, then add dirt. I used Fertilome Ultimate Potting Mix. Apparently the soil you use makes a big difference in the success of your planting.

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CRYSTAL CANDLE HOLDER I decided not to use moss on this one, but thought that gold rocks would be perfect! I placed it on a mirror on my coffee table so you can see the reflection of the crystal. This was my children’s favorite. They couldn’t wait to pick the rocks out! I think some of the gold rocks are being taken for show-and-tell.

I have three plants that are going in this container garden: a staghorn fern, pothos, and echeveria. I put the staghorn fern in the middle first. I then added the echeveria. Next, I surrounded the echeveria with the pothos. I pulled the pathos apart and put it on either side of the echeveria. I finished the arrangement off with reindeer moss.

This made the perfect addition to my dining room!

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this and I truly hope you’re inspired to give container planting a try. And if you’re not, go see Michelle at Plant Outlet and she will make something beautiful for you. Many thanks to Michelle Boone for walking me through this process. I couldn’t have done it without her advice.

For more photos and to see the step-by-step process, you can visit TheMajesticMama.com/winc.

GRAY GLASS BOWL Next up is this beautiful gray glass bowl. I just placed the aloe first, added some dirt, and then placed the sedum clavatum. I finished it off with some reindeer moss and it’s done!

COFFEE MUG ARRANGEMENT And lastly, our cute little coffee mug. Coffee, books, and the color blue are my love language, so this was the perfect piece for the last little arrangement. This one was super easy: aloe, dirt, moss, done.

Isn’t it just the cutest?

Andrea Champlin is a Conway transplant with a new appreciation for toads and mythical creatures. She’s a wife, mom of three, and likes to create pretty things all while trying to get the mom thing right. Andrea can usually be found toting her kids around or planning their next trip, but always with paint on her hands.

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A Look Back...

The Frauenthals

Inside of the Frauenthal Schwarz Building 1923. Photo courtesy of FCHS housed in UCA Archives.

by Cindy Beckman In 1871, a small, ingenious, far-sighted man named Max Frauenthal came to Conway with the railroad crew and purchased a lot in the southeast block at Front and Oak. Although the city’s founder, A.P. Robinson, had intended for most business activity to occur along Main Street between Railroad Avenue (Parkway) and Court Street, the German-born Frauenthal built his mercantile store in the alley where the farmers left their horses and wagons. That alley became Front Street.

The store’s first wooden structure burned and in 1879, was replaced with a brick two-story, the town’s first. When Jo Frauenthal, Max’s cousin, joined him in the business, the name changed to M. and J. Frauenthal. Later, Max brought another cousin, Leo Schwarz, from Germany to help in the growing business. Jo’s parents, Jacob and Yetta, also moved from Russellville where Jacob had been a successful businessman for about 30 years. They and their children, Maurice, Henry, Ike and Charles, worked in the store.

The store provided supplies and general merchandise but also “furnished” farmers who were given a line of credit based on their future cotton crop. If the farmers failed to repay the debt, Max Frauenthal, or the company, would acquire the property.

As a result, by 1890, Frauenthal and the company owned 6,096 acres in the area.

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In 1881, Max bought a tract of land, which included healing springs, several miles north of Conway from John T. Jones. He formed Sugar Loaf Springs Company which incorporated the city of Sugar Loaf in 1882. Frauenthal donated land for a court square and in 1883 the state legislature created Cleburne County from parts of Van Buren, White and Independence counties with Sugar Loaf as the county seat. He also helped build the frame courthouse.

Frauenthal would also donate Spring Park to the town. His family lived in a 13-room house there and ran a 26-room hotel. In 1910, Frauenthal changed Sugar Loaf’s name to Heber Springs; choosing the name to honor Dr. Heber Jones, son of the original land owner. Max Frauenthal passed away in McGehee in 1914 and was buried in Memphis, Tennessee.

When Max moved to Sugar Loaf, he sold his interest in M. and J. Frauenthal Co. The store’s name was changed again to Frauenthal and Schwarz, with Jo and his brother, Charles, becoming the general managers. In the 1890s, a two-story building to the south was acquired and the storefront was expanded to 125 feet long. It was considered to be Conway’s leading mercantile.

In 1925, Frauenthal and Schwarz underwent a major renovation. Plate glass windows and two double-leaf doorways were installed on the ground floor with four groups of six windows on the second floor. The second floor of Frauenthal

and Schwarz served as a social hall. Balls, dances, skating and elaborate events took place there. These formal affairs sometimes included a Little Rock orchestra and rented costumes from Memphis.

Jo Frauenthal became very active in civic affairs. He headed the Chamber of Commerce for 25 years, was President of the Conway Commercial Club organized in 1916 and was on the Conway Corporation board from 1932-1935. His wife, Ida Baridon Frauenthal, was the niece of A.P. Robinson and heir to his estate.

Active in many women’s organizations across Conway, she is remembered at the state level for helping select the state flag.

Jo and Ida Frauenthal lived in a 5,000 square-foot house on Western Avenue.

Built in 1913, it had 20 rooms and sat on the site of Governor George Donaghey’s three-story home of which had burned a few years earlier. The couple had no children, so after Mrs. Frauenthal’s death in 1947, the estate was purchased and subdivided by realtor Elbert L. Faucett.

The house, with its large-columned porch and elaborate staircase, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 and is today owned by Conway Regional Health System.

Jo gradually handed the executive duties of Frauenthal and Schwarz over to his brother, Charles, and passed away in 1944.

Although Charles had moved to Little Rock in 1911, he still drove to Conway almost every business day. Leo Schwarz died in 1928 and Charles passed away unexpectedly the next year. Mayer Gates, who had married Gladys Frauenthal, Charles’ daughter, in the 1920s, would manage Frauenthal and Schwarz for almost 20 years.

Dave Grundfest, founder of Sterling Stores, had married Maurine, another of Charles’ daughters and operated a 2,500-square-foot store next to Frauenthal and Schwarz in the mid-1920s.

Sterling Stores moved into the Frauenthal and Schwarz building when it closed in 1952. The historic downtown building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992 and today houses American Management Corporation.

The Frauenthals played a significant role in the development of Conway and Heber Springs. Their business anchored downtown Conway for 80 years and their civic leadership in both Conway and Heber Springs helped the towns to develop and prosper.

Outside of the Frauenthal Schwarz Building 1930.

Photo courtesy of FCHS housed in UCA Archives.

The Frauenthal-Schwarz Building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992 and today houses American Management

The Frauenthal House, Jo and Ida Frauenthal’s house on Western Avenue, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 and is owned by Conway Regional Health System

Max Frauenthal. Photo courtesy of Cleburne County Historical Society. womensinc.net 33

2018

Arts calendar

Please refer to the event website for more information and pricing.

April 1: Perfect Fourth Trombone Quartet Concert@ UCA Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall; 5:00 p.m. www.uca.edu/music (G) April 3: Billy Kemp in Concert @ Faulkner County Library; 7:00 p.m. Nancy@fcl.org (G) April 3, 17: Adult Writing @ Faulkner County Library; 6:00 p.m. Nancy@fcl.org (A) April 3: UCA BearBones Trombone Concert @ UCA Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall; 7:30 p.m. www.uca.edu/music (G) April 3: UCA Artist in Residence Organist Cameron Carpenter @ UCA Reynolds Performance Hall; 7:30 p.m. www.uca.edu/reynolds (G) April 4: UCA MFA Film Screening @ Reynolds Performance Hall; 6:00 p.m. www.uca.edu/film (A) April 5: UCA BA.BFA Juried Senior Art Exhibition Reception @ UCA McCastlain Hall Baum Gallery; 4:00 p.m. www.uca.edu/art (A) April 5: UCA Concert Choir/ Chamber Singers Concert @ UCA Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall; 7:30 p.m. www.uca.edu/music (G) April 5: Rashod Ollison Public Reading, Q&A, Book Signing @ UCA College of Business Auditorium 107; 7:30 p.m. www.uca.edu/cfac (G) April 6-8: Friends of the Library Book Sale @ Faulkner County Library; April 6 for Friends, April 7-8 Open to the Public Nancy@fcl.org (G) April 6: Painting and Pizza Parents’ Night Out @ Blackbird Academy of Arts; 6-8 p.m. www.blackbirdacademy.org (Ages 5+)

Rating key G – Suitable for all ages PG – Suggested for ages 7+ PG13 – Suggested for ages 13+ A – Suggested for Adults 18+ 34 WINC. | APRIL 2018

April 6: Charlotte’s Web @ Reynolds Performance Hall; 6:00 p.m. www.uca.edu/reynolds (G)

April 18: Cinderella @ Reynolds Performance Hall; 7:30 p.m. www.uca.edu/reynolds (G)

April 6-8: Fame Jr. presented by Red Curtain Theatre @ Staples Auditorium on the Hendrix Campus; April 6-7 @ 7:00 p.m., April 8 @ 2:00 p.m. www.redcurtaintheatre.com (G)

April 19-21: Conway High School presents Good News! @ CHS James H Clark Auditorium; ThursSat @ 7:00 p.m., Sat @ 1:00 p.m. (PG)

April 11: An Evening of Readings by the UCA Arkansas Writers Workshop @ UCA Downtown; 7:00 p.m. www.uca.edu/ftcw (A) April 11: UCA Percussion Ensembles Concert @ UCA Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall; 7:30 p.m. www.uca.edu/music (G) April 12-14, 19-21: Arms and the Man @ UCA Snow Fine Arts Center Bridges/Larson Theatre; April 12, 13, 19, 20 @ 7:30 p.m., April 14, 21 @ 2:30 p.m. www.uca.edu/theatre (PG13) April 12: Third Annual UCA Tuba/Euphonium Spring Fling @ UCA Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall; 7:30 p.m. www.uca.edu/music (G) April 13: Spring Art Gallery Show by Blackbird Academy of Arts; 6:00-8:00 p.m. www.blackbirdacademy.org (G) April 14: UCA Double Reed Day @ UCA Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall; www.uca.edu/muisc (G) April 15: UCA Jazz Ensembles Concert @ UCA Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall; 7:30 p.m. www.uca.edu/music (G)

April 19: Open Mic @ Faulkner County Library; 7:00 p.m. Nancy@fcl.org (G) April 19: UCA University Chorus Concert @ UCA Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall; 7:30 p.m. www.uca.edu/music (G) April 21: Kim Sanders discusses Japanese Internment in Arkansas @ Faulkner County Library; 2:00 p.m. Nancy@fcl.org (G) April 21: Strings Attached with the Conway Symphony Orchestra @ Reynolds Performance Hall; 7:30 p.m.

April 25: UCA Viola Studio Recital @ UCA Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall; 7:30 p.m. www.uca.edu/music (G) April 26: UCA Symphonic/ University Band Concert @ UCA Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall; 7:30 p.m. www.uca.edu/music (G) April 29: A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder @ UCA Reynolds Performance Hall; 7:30 p.m. www.uca.edu/reynolds (G)

April 17: #MeToo Slam @ UCA McCastlain Ballroom; 6:00 p.m. www.eventbrite.com (A)

April 29-30: Conway Women’s chorus presents “Love Songs” @ Family Bible Church, April 29 @ 7:00 p.m. and @ Wesley United Methodist Church, April 30 @ 2:00 p.m. www.conwaywomenschorus.org (G)

April 17: UCA Concert/Chamber Choir Concert @ UCA Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall; 7:30 p.m. www.uca.edu/music (G)

April 30: Voices of Central Arkansas Concert @ UCA Ida Waldran Auditorium; 7:30 p.m. www.uca.edu/music (G)

April 18: UCA String Chamber Recital @ UCA Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall; 7:30 p.m. www.uca.edu/music (G)

Jennie Strange is the founder and Executive Director of Blackbird Academy of Arts, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing quality performing and visual arts education. She lives in Conway with her husband, Statler, and a random assortment of dogs, goats, and chickens. To submit your Arts Calendar events, email Jennie@blackbirdacademy.org

Conversations with a

Nick and Caroline Wood Owners: Zumbeedo Wax Merchant www.etsy.com/shop/zumbeedo Married: December 5, 2015 Current hometown: Conway

Current location: India, educating local people on how to raise bees Nick is originally from Tulsa, OK Caroline is originally from St. Louis, MO

What’s your guilty pleasure?

Nick: Taking a rare nap on a workday Caroline: “My Dove Moment...”

Which is your favorite restaurant in town?

Nick: Wunderhaus Caroline: Pasta Grill. Lub me some Italian gnocchi...

What’s the one thing in your home you want to get rid of but that your spouse won’t allow?

Nick: All of the receipts for anything we’ve ever bought.

Caroline: That weird wild boar skull that Nick found in the woods.

Who is the better driver?

Nick: Well, I have driven motorcycles and cars in some of the most densely populated roads in the world, so I’d say that I am (Sorry, Caroline).

Caroline: Nick!

What are you most passionate about?

Nick: I am passionate about developing others and helping them reach their goals. I love to learn and teach.

Caroline: Our Dog,Waffles... But for real, helping other people see their value, and pointing people in the right direction are very important to me.

Who is the calmest?

Nick: Definitely me Caroline: Nick is overly calm, which is literally ‘The-Most’ annoying. Sometimes I want him to be riled up about things.

What is the furthest you’ve been from home and why?

Nick: I have been to 16 different countries so far, but South Asia is probably the farthest I’ve been from home.

Most of these travels were either for vacation, or ministry assignments. I have lived overseas for a total of almost three years of my life.

Caroline: Same as Nick Do you prefer mountains or the beach?

Nick: Mountains Caroline: The Beach

What is your favorite memory as a family?

Nick & Caroline: Since we’ve been married only for a couple of years, we are making new ones all the time. Our wedding was such an awesome dance-party celebration, though! We were married in Saint Louis, and the tradition there is for your wedding to last all day.The ceremony started at noon, and the reception didn’t finish until midnight!

Cody Sublett is a native to Faulkner County. He is a local business owner and enjoys sharing the personalities of the people he meets. Whether it is another small business owner or a family he has had the pleasure of meeting, the Cadron Creek Craftsman is happy to share a little bit about the people who make Central Arkansas unique and diverse.

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Ain’t nothing like the REAL thing, baby!

I remember when I was in high school and a relatively new ‘gemstone’ came onto the scene called a cubic zirconia. Some called it a CZ and some called it ‘ice’.

You could buy clear ice, pink ice, champagne ice and practically any other color you desired. Back then, these imitation gemstones sold for hundreds of dollars and most of the high school girls coveted a ‘pink ice’ ring! Now here we are, in 2018, and that same imitation gemstone can be obtained for just a few dollars. I’m talking about a 2 carat stone for around $5! Why is this even worth mentioning?

Well, in our crazy busy world we are constantly bombarded with so many images and messages

of ‘new and improved’ products that it can be overwhelming and confusing trying to ensure that you’re purchasing the REAL THING or even the best thing for the occasion!

Moissanite, another synthetic gemstone, has several physical properties of a diamond. It can even fool some electronic diamond testers, but it can’t fool a professional with a trained eye. Moissanite is what we, in the Gemology world, call a doubly refractive stone. Double refraction is when a single ray of light traveling through a gemstone is split into two rays which can be seen in certain angles in a Moissanite. Genuine diamonds, on the other hand, are singly refractive and much harder than a Moissanite.

The difference between a genuine Diamond and a Moissanite doesn’t stop there. When Moissanite first came on the scene in the mid 1990’s you could

obtain a 2 carat stone for around $3,000.

Now the purchase price of that same gemstone is around $850. Just like the CZ, Moissanite has lost its value over the years. Unlike a genuine Diamond, these gemstones will decrease in value and aren’t always the best investment.

However, there may be times when you aren’t able to afford a natural diamond for a special occasion. In those situations, always choose a CZ rather than a Moissanite so that when you are ready to replace it you won’t be out thousands of dollars.

In the case of an engagement ring, a better alternative is to start off with a smaller diamond that will hold its value and allow you to trade up for a larger diamond later.

As they say, “there’s nothing like the real thing, baby!!”

Cindy Webb is the owner of Francis M. Fine Jewelry in downtown Conway. She received her Bachelor of Science in Speech/Communications from UCA, her Graduate Gemologist title from GIA, her Certified Gemologist title from AGS and has continued her education with GIA by receiving the Pearls diploma and Insurance Replacement Appraisal diploma. Cindy has worked in the fine jewelry business for the past 25 years in literally every capacity and is also a practicing numismatist. She and her husband, Donald live in Comway with their 3 adopted cats.

36 WINC. | APRIL 2018

Random thoughts about a whole lot of nothing I don’t know about you, but sometimes my thinker gets stuck in neutral. That’s my situation at the moment. Maybe I’m just plumb thunk out. I have a mental image of “The Thinker,” a famous sculpture by Auguste Rodin, which sits in the middle of a beautiful garden at the Musee’ Rodin in Paris. My wife and I had the privilege of walking through that garden on an anniversary trip a few years ago. We visited that museum just to see the statue and, frankly, I was stunned to discover it sitting out in the open rather than inside a building in an area restricted to the public. The image shows a powerful man deep in thought sitting on a rock and is one of the most recognizable sculptures in the world. Perhaps he was stuck in neutral or was all thunk out, too.

Let me thank the Editor of Women’s Inc for publishing my “Monster in the Closet” article last month. Thanks to social media, that article has been shared from coast to coast. The responses I’ve received have been humbling. Hopefully it will make a difference and help reform a broken marketplace which denies patients access to their local pharmacy. I actually testified before the Senate Insurance and Commerce Committee at the state capitol about this very issue during the special legislative session in March.

On another note, let me kind of bring you up to date on what’s been going on at Smith Family Pharmacy. This is old news, but for those of you who don’t know, we actually moved our pharmacy to the corner of Dave Ward Drive and Nutter’s Chapel Road on October 1st.

a rack of skinny signs which will make We are now located in the Daniel Buildyou laugh out loud. For those of you ing right on the corner next to several who love to soak in the tub, check out family practice physicians, an ENT clinic, our new bath bombs by UR and our a Dermatology clinic, an Oral Surgeon, a Spongelle bath products. I’m a huge Pediatric Dentist, two Pain Management fan of our Naked Bee line of products, clinics, CARTI, and a Physical Therapy a collection of natural, personal skin clinic. care products. We carry their complete We doubled our space and have added several gift lines to go along with the best line of lotions, lip balms and shampoos selection of plush toys in Faulkner county. in a variety of fragrances, and are now featuring their new Naked Zinc line of Nobody does plush like Aurora. You simply won’t believe how soft the Aurora sunscreen/sunblock products.

Our candles by Illume are very “Luvsters” infant toys are. We now carry a complete line of Melissa and Doug toys exclusive, smell fantastic, and make a beautiful decoration for your home. We and games for children and an amazing have them put back in the storeroom for selection of silly socks by SockSmith. now, but come Christmas, you’ve got to We can’t keep the chicken socks or goat see the ones which come inside a music socks in stock. You have to see our new box! Last, but not least, we now have an line of water bottles, mugs, sippy cups, excellent line of aromatherapy oils and and dog bowls by True North. They are diffusers by Rare Essence. They are both terrific and come in all the colors of our fun and therapeutic. Oh, you have to try local schools. We also have some really on the best neck and shoulder wrap I’ve neat tea towels by Wildwood Landing that you must check out. They make very ever seen. It is unbelievably soft and is filled with lavender infused beads. good, yet inexpensive, gifts. We can even I know this article is quite different order them with custom messages for from what I try to write in this space, special occasions. For the man in your but after last month’s article, I really just life, you’ve got to come see our new wanted to keep things light. Come see line of Duke Cannon products. You just us soon. think he’s manly now but wait until he uses some of the Duke Cannon soaps, beard oil, or man-sized lip balms. These David Smith is the owner and chief pharmacist at Smith products would Family Pharmacy where he works with his wife Shirley and make Tim “The staff. He graduated from the UAMS College of Pharmacy in 1974 and has been taking care of people in the Conway and Tool Man” Taylor surrounding areas for more than 43 years. He loves spending grunt for sure. time with family and is No1POP to 5 wonderful grandchildren.

We have home décor signs and

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Getting used to hearing aids and better hearing

by Dr. Sam Kelso, Au.D. You’ve finally decided that it’s time to get hearing aids, or maybe you just recently got your first pair but aren’t quite sure about what to expect. Hopefully your doctor gave you some tips for realistic expectations and you’re moving along without a hitch. I hope that this short article will inform you about what to expect and/or motivate you to seek a diagnosis and treatment for your hearing loss. I’ve written in this space on prior occasions that hearing sounds and understanding speech are different.

Hearing is the ability of your ears to detect the presence of a sound while understanding is the ability of your brain to formulate those sounds into something that is meaningful.

The primary complaint of all patients with sensory neural hearing loss is. “I hear but I can’t understand”. The brain must be constantly stimulated to process sound and ironically it is our ability to ignore unwanted sounds that help us hear better in noisy places. In order to begin to hear better, new hearing aid users must learn to filter out what they don’t want to hear the same way that they did when their hearing was normal.

38 WINC. | APRIL 2018

People with normal hearing have the ability to do this and don’t even think about it. No hearing aid can distinguish between what you want to hear and don’t want to hear as well as your brain can. The longer you go without hearing well the harder it is for your brain to relearn to understand speech in the presence of other noises.

We can all get used to things to the point where we ignore them. If you were to move in to a house close to the railroad tracks, you might not sleep for weeks, or even a few months because you would be so aware of the trains going by. After several years someone might ask you, “How can you stand that?” and your

response would be, “Stand what?” The train didn’t get quieter, but you became so used to it that your brain learned to ignore it and it no longer interferes with your normal activity or sleep. The more that you wear your new hearing aids the more sound you will be hearing, and your brain learns to better sort out things that are not important so that it can focus on the sounds of voices that keep you engaged in the conversation.

Getting used to your hearing aids should only take a couple of weeks and most patients tell me that they don’t even know they are wearing them after a few days.

I generally tell a patient that they should expect a 75-80% improvement in their ability to understand. This is meant to imply that you will hear much better but can sometimes miss what was said.

It helps to be self-motivated and stay positive about hearing and understanding better. Hearing aids have improved dramatically in the past few years but more importantly those improvements have helped patients regain much of their speech understanding that was once lost to them. They can help you too!

Make vet visits easier on cats Some pets handle trips to the veterinarian better than others. Animals used to car trips or spending ample time among other animals might not hesitate to get in the car for routine vet visits, while pets that don’t often socialize with other animals may be more resistant when it’s time for their routine medical checkups. Frisky felines may experience some anxiety when leaving the house, and that anxiety may only increase upon arriving at the vet’s office. While cats may never be excited by trips to the vet, the American Association of Feline Practitioners offers the following advice to cat owners who want to make their cats’ vet visits go as smoothly as possible. Make the carrier a place cats can feel comfortable in.

The AAFP advises that cat owners should always transport their cats in a carrier so trips are as safe as possible. Place a small blanket or toy inside, and keep the carrier in an area of your home where cats feel comfortable. Doing so encourages cats to see the carrier as a safe haven. If they do, then they will be less likely to resist their owners’ efforts to get them into the carrier in advance of their vet visits. Covering carriers with towels also may soothe cats’ anxiety, preventing them from seeing the unfamiliar. Give yourself time to get cats ready to go. It can take time to get cats on board with the idea of getting into their carriers. Allow yourself enough time to calmly get your cat into its carrier. Rushing

things may only increase the cat’s existing anxiety, and that can create problems at the vet’s office and set a bad precedent for future visits. Keep cats in their carriers upon arriving at the veterinarian’s office. Do not remove cats from their carriers while sitting in the vet’s waiting room. Instead, keep cats in their carriers, maintaining eye contact and speaking to them in soft tones to calm their nerves.

Prepare for the vet visit in advance. The more time cats spend in the vet’s office, the more restless they may become. Save time and reduce the chances your cat will suffer an anxiety attack by preparing for the visit in advance.

Prepare a list of questions for the vet and write down any abnormalities regarding your frisky friend’s behavior when applicable.

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Tennis Anyone???

by Melissa Gates

There is a new movement in town, can you feel it? If you spend any time on Prince Street you’ve seen it. It’s tennis! My dear friend Hannah Howell has been asking me to play with her since our youngest kiddos were born. They are 5 years old now and I’m finally saying yes!

Conway’s new facility at Laurel Park is scheduled to open this month. And those leading the charge to have it built couldn’t be happier.

You see, in the past anyone wanting to play matches or tournaments had to drive to Little Rock to do so. Howell says some dropped out of the sport because of that. “It was just too far to drive, especially for those who live in Russellville,” she says.

Because of her efforts to get practically everyone in town playing; dozens have signed up and new teams are forming.

Howell says, “My family and I just love tennis so much I want everyone to play! I enjoy the friends I’ve made playing in Little Rock but I would rather play with friends in Conway; and not have to drive down there.”

The city broke ground for the project last summer. Mayor Bart Castleberry is thrilled to add it to Laurel Park. “I am excited about the new tennis complex for several reasons. We are partnering with Conway Public Schools as well as Central Baptist College in the near future to use the facility. This, coupled with our local tennis association bringing tournaments to Conway will have a positive economic impact,” Castleberry says.

There will be eight courts, vending machines, a pro shop, and restrooms. There will also be two heated and cooled indoor viewing areas. “This provides our citizens another amenity to enjoy. It will be another reason to get out and enjoy the tremendous opportunities we have in our city,” Castleberry says.

But what mom and tennis advocate Hannah Howell is most excited about is the potential to reach Conway’s kids, many of whom frequent Laurel Park. “I would love to build the kids programs in Conway. If we can get interest from parents and adults, 40 WINC. | APRIL 2018

our kids and juniors programs will improve as well. I am excited about the new courts. Conway has really done a great job!”

The Conway Area Chamber of Commerce will host a grand opening for the tennis facility on April 17 from 5-7 p.m.

It’s open to the public.You’re invited to bring your workout clothes and try out the courts. Professional tennis instructors will be on hand for those who want to learn how to play. The family-friendly event features a kids court for kids 10 years old and younger. Whether or not you’re interested in tennis, you’re invited to enjoy live music by Preston Palmer and tasty food from local restaurants.

The first tournament will be April 27- 29. It’s the Conway Regional Tennis Classic. There’s still time to register.Visit www. arkansascup.com/tournaments. To learn more about the tennis movement in Conway visit the website www.conwaytennis.net.

They even convinced yours truly to sign up! I haven’t picked up a racket in 30 years!

See you at the courts!

Melissa Gates has been telling stories in Faulkner County for more than a decade. She has interviewed a wide variety of interesting people from U.S. Presidents to rock stars, and countless community leaders. After growing up in the Midwest, she is thrilled to call Conway home, alongside her husband and three kids.

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&

Faith Finances

By Ron & Cindy Beckman

You can’t avoid taxes! They are a fact of life. But there is one tax you can avoid—the “stupid tax.” It’s the price you pay for doing foolish things with money.You work too hard for your money to tax yourself by not managing your money.

Many of us live paycheck to paycheck. We tend not to save for “a rainy day” so when there’s an emergency, we end up using those easy-to-get credit cards. Even when there is not an emergency we use them. After all, who knew that Christmas was coming? Who knew that the kids would outgrow their clothes?

Dave’s Story After building a net worth of over a million dollars in the real estate business, Dave Ramsey lost everything. He was making $250,000 a year, but he had a mound of debt; he ended up losing everything. He then went on a quest to find out how to handle money the right way – God’s way.

He and his wife, Sharon, started again; this time determined to win with money by applying God’s principles. Along the way, he began helping others, forming Ramsey Solutions in 1992 to counsel people who were under financial stress. He wrote his book, Financial Peace, and started a local radio call-in show that is now nationally syndicated.

Ramsey teaches the Seven Baby Steps to Financial Peace.

They are designed to be followed one right after the other. The first step is to create a cushion between you and life. Things are going to happen. But if you have an emergency fund, you can take care of those surprises in life rather than going into panic mode.

42 WINC. | APRIL 2018

Creating a Budget One of the most important keys to financial peace and success is to know where your money is going each month instead of wondering where it went. Sit down with your spouse (or an accountability partner if you’re single) and do an assessment of monthly household income and expenses. Put it on paper. You need to see where your money is going each month.

Starting now, you need plan where your money will go each month – all of it. The old maxim is true, “We don’t plan to fail, we fail to plan.” You decide where the money goes and then you follow the plan – every month.

Tip:You are not going to get it right the first month or even the second or third months. It will take you about 90 days to get a feel for this so give yourself a break and don’t give up!

Balancing your checking account One of the things that can help you stay on track is to reconcile your bank statement every month. Why? To make sure you and your bank agree on how much money you have in your account. You can’t spend money twice. Keeping up with where the money goes will help you avoid another stupid tax—overdraft charges.

So here’s how to do this: Write every transaction down in your checking account register or spreadsheet and keep a running balance. Then check your account statement each month and compare your records with it. Be sure to add bank fees and service charges to your records. Add any deposits and subtract any expenditures from the account statement’s ending balance

that haven’t cleared the bank yet. Make sure both records match. This is called reconciling your bank statement.

Tip: Don’t use ATM receipts to check your balance. It will not reflect any transactions that haven’t posted to your account yet.

Tip: You might find it easier to do this more than once a month, especially if you have online access to your checking account.

The Debt Snowball Baby Step #2 is to pay off all your debt but the house. If you are going to get out of debt, the first decision is to not dig a bigger hole. If you want to get out of debt, you have to quit taking on more debt. You may need to cut up some credit cards.

The debt snowball strategy helps you get traction in your financial plan. List your debts from the smallest debt to the largest. Every month use any extra money in the budget to attack the smallest debt while still paying the minimum payments on each debt you have. Once the smallest debt is paid off, start applying that payment to the next smallest debt.

Tip: Avoid the “stupid tax” of late charges by paying your bills on time. If you pay your bills online, make sure you allow enough time for electronic transfers.

Each semester, Ron and Cindy Beckman facilitate Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University course at Antioch Baptist Church in Conway. Go to www.daveramsey.com to find a class near you.

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Women’s HEALTH FAIR 17TH ANNUAL

Friday, April 20, 2018

9:00am - 2:00pm

• Conway Regional Health & Fitness Center

• 700 Salem Road, Conway

Cholesterol and Glucose Screenings | Blood Pressure Checks | Posture and Sun Damage Assessments NEW Body Composition Analysis | Bone Density Scans | Car Seat Safety Healthy Cooking Demonstrations and Nutrition Consultation Fitness Demonstrations and Personal Training Information | First Aid and Trauma Prevention Senior, Home Health and Hospice Resources | Mental Health and Stress Management Resources

No registration required for this FREE event Lots of great door prizes and giveaways Box Lunches will be available for the first 150 guests Visit ConwayRegional.org/HealthFair for more information.

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