Womens Inc - 10/31/2016

WOMENSINC.NET

WINC. NOVEMBER 2016

Giving back the

issue

Perfect timing Marti Jones’ return to Haven fuels organization’s big plans

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Tara Mallett

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4 WOMEN’S INC. / NOVEMBER 2016

WINC.

CONTENTS

N O V E M B E R 2 016 WOM EN ’ S IN C .

Editor Lori Quinn

Contributing Writers Jeanette Anderton Leah Ashby Detra Clark Marisa Hicks Colleen Holt Nancy Jackson Andrea Lennon Jill McCollum Susan O’Keefe Jennifer Stanley Jenny Strange Kelly Sublett

Perfect timing

Marti Jones’ return to Haven fuels organization’s big plans

Chief Photographer Brandy Strain Advertising Sales Director Betsey Barham Advertising Coordinator Molly May

6

REASON TO SMILE

DOING MORE

10

Robinsons’ time with The Salvation Army reflects years of service

14

Hospital’s longest serving volunteer gives back through art, service

PUMPKIN TIME

18

Recipes to fill fall cravings

Advertising Sales Executives Sarah Allen Sara Grady Rusty Hunnicutt Tara Mallett Advertising Artists Jay Prince Lauren Morgenstern Editorial Advisory Board Leah Ashby Detra Clark Nicolle Fletcher Haley Crafton Fowler Sarah Frost Mary Harlan Nancy Jackson Cate Ketcheside Leslie Kostecky Caroline LaVan Velda Lueders Candace Meeks Misty Morse Carol Patty Amy Reed Lori Ross Mary Margaret Satterfield Jennifer Stanley Katherine Thomason Stefanie Holt Vann

Questions or Comments?

Call (501) 327-6621, e-mail: WINC@thecabin.net or write to P.O. Box 969, Conway, AR, 72033 • www.womensinc.net

ON A MISSION

22

Dazzle Daze 2016 chairs invested in community

iMatter

50

Caroline Osborn takes Conway to the Middle East

columns 26. spiritual

Dear, Younger Me

by Andrea Lennon

38. arts

Why I’m voting for Elton John for President

by Jennie Strange

28. book review Dysfunction at its fineser Susan O’Keefe review

34. events Downtown Partnership Annual Meeting Museum of Veterans and Military History WWW.WOMENSINC.NET 5

cover stor y

6 WOMEN’S INC. / NOVEMBER 2016

MARTI jones

Perfect timing Marti Jones’ return to Haven fuels organization’s big plans

By Leah Ashby Photos by Brandy Strain

Marti Jones, executive director of Haven, is a lifelong resident of Conway whose roots are firmly planted in the community.

“Conway is a big part of who I am, and I am very proud of that. I love our school system, our growth, and mostly the people and their kind and giving nature,” Marti said.

Daughter of Wayne Longing and Martha Longing, she is a graduate of both Conway High School and the University of Central Arkansas with a Bachelor of Science in Community Health. Brothers Salty and Chad Longing are both teachers and coaches for the Conway Public School system.

“I am the black sheep of the family that didn’t go into education and usually the little sister that nobody knows they have,” joked Marti.

Despite the fact that Marti did not pursue a career in

WWW.WOMENSINC.NET 7

“Marti stepped into the Haven Director role and hit the ground running. Her passion and love for the girls of Haven shows in everything she does. ... No dream is too big for Marti when it comes to improving the lives of the girls who call Haven home.”

Alison Wish, current president of the Haven board of directors

education, she makes a huge impact in the lives of so many young girls at Haven. Her journey to her position as executive director began close to 20 years ago when she applied for a part-time house parent position at Haven.

“In that moment I fell in love with everything that Haven stood for and the girls that called it home,” Marti said.

After she earned her degree, Marti left Haven, taking a full-time position with Counseling Associates, Inc., Haven’s parent company. She continued to work there until 2008, when she resigned to care for her two young daughters.

“When I left, I told my supervisor, Lee Koone, if the Haven director or assistant director positions became available, she better give me a call. When my youngest daughter started kindergarten I had been out of the workforce for five years and didn’t know what my plan were going to be, and then my phone rang. Lee asked me to interview for the director position at Haven. I still can’t believe the perfect timing, and I also can’t believe three years have already passed since I enthusiastically accepted the position,” Marti said.

Haven is a residential group home for adolescent females that enter foster care for abuse and/or neglect at no fault of their own.

Haven is a non-profit, United Way funded organization under the supervision of 8 WOMEN’S INC. / NOVEMBER 2016

Counseling Associates, Inc. Haven traces its beginning back to 1985 when the members of Junior Auxiliary recognized a need for a local shelter. Because of Junior Auxiliary and Counseling Associates, Inc., Haven opened its doors later that year.

“In the past 30 years, close to 3,000 children have called Haven their home,” Marti said.

Marti attributes much of her success to the support of her husband, Chris, and her two beautiful and kind-hearted daughters, Tate and Wren.

“To say that Haven is a full-time job is an understatement. It was a huge adjustment for my family, not only me going back to work, but also going back to work at a place that took so much of my time and energy away from them. A lot of work days end for people at 5:00, but Haven is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I am extremely lucky to be married to a ‘super dad’. Chris goes into work early so that he can pick the girls up from school and get them to their many after-school activities. I honestly could not do what I do without him. My entire family is very proud of the work that I do, and my daughters are being raised with empathy, a kind heart and knowing the importance of volunteering and helping the less fortunate.

I’m very lucky that my job has impacted them in such a positive way,” Marti said.

Alison Wish, current president of the

Haven board of directors, echoed Marti’s enthusiasm for Haven’s success.

“Marti stepped into the Haven Director role and hit the ground running. Her passion and love for the girls of Haven shows in everything she does. She came to a board meeting last year with a dream of building a new home for Haven. Not long after the announcement, she received a donation of land, and now we’re beginning our capital campaign. No dream is too big for Marti when it comes to improving the lives of the girls who call Haven home,” Alison said.

The capital campaign to build a new home for the residents of Haven kicks off January 1, 2017. Haven, along with Walt Eilers and Fred Hueston, conducted a feasibility study within the community. The results were very positive, and both the Haven and Counseling Associates, Inc. boards voted to continue working with Walt and Fred to move forward with the capital campaign.

“Haven is excited and honored that Susan Salter will be chair for our upcoming campaign. Susan was one of the Junior Auxiliary members that founded Haven over 30 years ago. Her passion for Haven, love for this community and drive to help others made her the perfect choice. We are thrilled she is up for the challenge,” Marti said.

The new 9,000-square-foot home, located at Country Club Road and Tyler Street, will have 12 bedrooms, including rooms for

Chris and Marti Jones with their two daughters, Tate and Wren

teenagers in foster care who have turned 18 and are working or attending college.

“I think one of the things I am most excited about in the new home is our ability to house four girls that are aging out of foster care. These will be rooms for girls that are 18, 19, and 20 years old that are attending college or have a full-time job. They will have more freedom than the younger children but will still have us there for support,” Marti said.

The new facility will be built to support the active lifestyle of approximately 100 adolescent girls each year. It will contain adequate space for more effectively and efficiently feeding, housing and educating the residents. In addition, the new home will include dedicated areas for study, exercise, confidential counseling sessions and family visits.

“One of the most important things for the community to know is that Haven must still keep the current facility up and running during this campaign. We need our Christmas Coffee, Arkansas Gives Day and Pony Up for Haven fundraisers to succeed. These fundraisers will not go towards the new home. We desperately need the community to back these events, even if they also give to the new home,” Marti said.

Marti sums up the importance of this wonderful opportunity to provide muchneeded growth for the residents at Haven.

“Haven strongly believes that Every Child Deserves a Home, and I know that this amazing community that has supported us for so many years will help make sure the girls get the home they deserve. This is our community, and these are our children.”

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feature story

doing More than most realize Robinsons’ time with The Salvation Army reflects years of service

By Jennifer Stanley Photos by Brandy Strain Hearing “The Salvation Army” evokes thoughts of red kettles and thrift stores.

While those are certainly important components of what The Salvation Army does, the organization involves so much more.

Major Joanna Robinson serves as corps officer for the Salvation Army of Conway.

Her husband, Major David Robinson, works alongside her in an effort to further the organization’s mission to assist those in need.

The Robinsons have been married for 32 years this December. They have two children.

Their daughter, Risa, lives in Muskogee, Oklahoma and also works for The Salvation Army. Their son, Barry, is married to Christina, and they have two children, Laila LeighAnn, 3 and Major David, 1.

Joanna and David have been in Conway for three years, but their affiliation with The Salvation Army dates further back. “I grew up attending The Salvation Army church in Ponca City, Oklahoma as a youth. Later, David and I attended The Salvation Army Seminary, which is called The Evangeline Booth College, in Atlanta, Georgia for two years,” says Joanna. Both Joanna and David are commissioned as lieutenants. They have each served in an officer capacity for 17 years.

Joanna’s role at The Salvation Army is that of a Salvationist, which means she is an ordained minister of the Christian faith who fulfills roles not typically filled by clergy in other denominations. “We do so having been trained, ordained, and commissioned to serve and lead. We are also given a quasimilitary rank. What David and I always say is that we marry and bury and everything in 10 WOMEN’S INC. / NOVEMBER 2016

j o a n n a & d a v i d R O B I NSON between,” she says.

The Robinsons enjoy working together.

“David and I work best as a team because of our calling to be pastors. We love The Salvation Army and all it stands for. We love preaching the Gospel, and we love helping people! We go to bed at night knowing that we have helped, prayed with, cried with, and laughed with people all in one day,” shares Joanna.

Their careers began at the Bartlesville, Oklahoma Salvation Army, where they served from 1996 to 1997. From there, they attended the aforementioned Salvation Army Evangeline Booth College in Atlanta.

Over the years, the Robinsons served in many different Salvation Army locations, including: • Charlottesville, Virginia from 1999 to 2000 • Port Arthur, Texas from 2000 to 2004 • Conroe, Texas from 2004 to 2009 • Pine Bluff, Arkansas from 2009 to 2013 • Conway, Arkansas from 2013 to present They have also completed continuing

“David and I work best as a team because of our calling to be pastors. We love The Salvation Army and all it stands for. We love preaching the Gospel, and we love helping people! We go to bed at night knowing that we have helped, prayed with, cried with, and laughed with people all in one day.”

Major Joanna Robinson education at Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky and Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, Tennessee.

When asked about the operation, Joanna explains, “First and foremost we are a church, where we hold services on Sunday and Wednesday, and we have praise and worship practice. We have a social service office where we help with food, utilities, rent, and clothing vouchers. We have a family store where people can donate clothes, shoes, furniture, and household items. If donors need to have items picked up, we have a WWW.WOMENSINC.NET 11

truck that will do that! Just call 501-3293158 to schedule a pickup, and you’ll even get a tax exempt receipt.” When asked about needs in Faulkner County, she says, “The homeless population is out there, and just having more shelter for them is important.”

The Salvation Army has specific needs heading into the Christmas season. “I love Christmas volunteers! We would love to 12 WOMEN’S INC. / NOVEMBER 2016

have more volunteers man our red kettles by ringing the bell. We also need people to help at our Angel Tree Cheer Center, which is where we set up to help the families who have come to The Salvation Army for help with Christmas toys and food.” To volunteer for the angel tree, contact Joanna at The Salvation Army. To volunteer for the red kettles, contact Kelly Spencer. “We love families,

church groups, school groups, college fraternities and sororities, scout groups....really anyone can ring,” she says.

Joanna and David have enjoyed their time in the community, saying, “Conway and Faulkner County has been a great place to live and serve. We look forward to what’s in the future for The Salvation Army here!”

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feature story

14 WOMEN’S INC. / NOVEMBER 2016

M R S . JE A N

Mrs. Jean brings a smile to faces

Hospital’s longest serving volunteer gives back through art, community service Submitted story and photos Each month Jean Hieronymus can be found painting a holiday scene in acrylic paint on the windows and doors of the Conway Regional Gift Shop. It may be a scarecrow surrounded by pumpkins and orange leaves for October or a festive Thanksgiving scene in November.

“It’s just a hobby; something that I started eight or nine years ago,” Hieronymus said. “I have always enjoyed arts and crafts.” Her artwork is noticed, often brightening the mood of employees, visitors and patients alike.

There are also requests and offers to pay her for private work, which she politely declines. The maintenance crew has asked for a deer hunting backdrop, but Jean Hieronymus isn’t so sure about that request. “I always tell people who come by to watch me paint that it isn’t by design; it’s just what comes out of the brush that day,” said Jean. “God has blessed me in so many ways, and this is my way of giving back.”

“She is our artist in residence,” added Virginia Johnson, a co-volunteer in the gift shop.

While she is best known for her artwork, there is much more to Jean Hieronymus, who at age 81 is Conway Regional’s longest serving volunteer. Jean has given the hospital more than 8,000 volunteer hours, almost all of them in the gift shop. Jean has also taught Sunday School for 35 years at a number of churches, including her current home---First United Methodist Church of Conway. She is the secretary for the Town and Country

Garden Club as well. “I’m slowing down and enjoying watching others volunteer,” she said with a smile.

Jean is not one to be overcome by obstacles.

Jean and Ron, her husband of 61 years, met for the first time thanks to a get-together of mutual relatives for a funeral. Ron lived in California and Jean in Illinois, but they were not going to let distance become a barrier. They wrote letters and Ron visited relatives in Illinois one summer. She went to Western State Teachers College and he joined the US Navy; they continued to write to each other. Ron was stationed at NAS Dallas, a naval air fueling station, and Jean eventually joined him there. They began their married life in Grand Prairie, Texas and moved to California when Ron opted for civilian life. He became a real estate appraiser and they raised a daughter (Ronda) and son (Ray) to adulthood.

Shortly after becoming empty nesters, Jean and Ron, decided to leave their home in Escondido, CA, for a year of traveling in an RV. They took a trip to Arkansas to visit one of Ron’s Navy buddies and fell in love with Faulkner County. They currently live in a home they built in Greenbrier’s Tally Ho Heights subdivision.

Ron eventually took a job as facilities manager for First United Methodist Church of Conway and Jean decided that she wanted to get out of the home and meet people. A church friend directed her to Conway Regional.

Jean began her volunteer career at the hospital as a courier almost 29 years ago but she had her heart set on WWW.WOMENSINC.NET 15

“I always tell people who come by to watch me paint that it isn’t by design; it’s just what comes out of the brush that day. God has blessed me in so many ways, and this is my way of giving back.”

Jean Hieronymus

16 WOMEN’S INC. / NOVEMBER 2016

another area. “I always thought I would love to own a gift shop. This is the best of both worlds; with no hiring, firing or paperwork,” she said.

Jean mentors the new volunteers teaching them how to set up displays and operate the cash register and credit card machine. “She taught me everything that I know about the gift shop,” said volunteer Virginia Johnson.

“She is the sweetest person that I know. She makes the job fun.”

She also mentors new gift shop managers, like Jayme Jeane. “When I took over the Gift Shop in January, Mrs. Jean was my go-to on all my questions,” said Jayme Jeane. “She has so much knowledge and

history with the Gift Shop and her memory is remarkable. Not a week passes that I don’t learn something from her. I also love how her art brings a smile to so many faces as they pass by. Mrs. Jean is a blessing to me and I am glad to have her not only as a volunteer, but also as a friend.”

One of Jean’s favorite moments is when the volunteers decided how to spend the revenue from the not-for-profit gift shop.

“It’s always exciting to me when we meet to decide what department projects we are going to fund. The gift shop gives back to the hospital when revenue is used to purchase items that are needed but are not in the budget,” she explained.

This past May the volunteers contributed $40,000 in gift shop proceeds back to Conway Regional. Purchases included: • Special mats to reduce patient falls • Therapy equipment • A video laryngoscope for intubation of infants • A trailer for a mobile diabetes education kitchen • Wheel chairs • A $7000 contribution to the Patient Love Fund • Funds to refurbish the chapel Thinking about all the good that be accomplished with those gift shop funds always brings a smile to Mrs. Jean’s face.

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food

It’s

all about the pumpkin

Here we are, ready for another fall full of sweet pumpkin delight. Pumpkin treats as big as the Charlie Brown Great Pumpkin, or the harvest moon. We’ll be surrounded this fall, just like last year, with any cute little pumpkin flavored treat we desire. We’d be hard pressed to imagine fall without pumpkin. Fall and pumpkin are synonymous – one in the same. And lucky for us, they grow so well in our area. We

18 WOMEN’S INC. / NOVEMBER 2016

are really spoiled to have the luxury of so many beautiful pumpkins in the fields, and readily available at great prices.

Everyone knows, in the fall, pumpkin flavored “anything” is all that and a bag of chips.

Pumpkin steels the show, right alongside apples, each autumn. And it really can be your go-to chip! Much like the popular root vegetable chips, such as sweet potato, and red and golden

beets, or even apple chips, pumpkin can be peeled, sliced thinly with a mandoline, brushed with olive and basically dehydrated in the oven.

A sprinkling of sea salt, rosemary, and sage will take this cool new chip over the top! Dip it in your favorite creamy sour cream-based dip.

These chips are loaded with flavor so they also taste great on their own. Let’s make this the “new” pumpkin item of the year!

Another savory pumpkin sensation is a cast iron skillet cooling on the kitchen counter filled with pumpkin cornbread. While this version of cornbread doesn’t possess a distinctive pumpkin flavor, the addition of pureed pumpkin adds moisture and packs in extra nutrients. It has a slight orange hue, and the texture is slightly denser than regular cornbread. Starting the cornbread on the stovetop in the cast iron skillet ensures the crispy edges but leaves the inside pillow-y soft.

This cornbread naturally pairs well with soups, chilies, and stews just in time for those cool fall evenings. Or cook up a big pot of beans. Flavor them with a little pork and serve with a big wedge of pumpkin cornbread topped with a pat of butter. And an old-time country favorite is to crumble the leftover cornbread in a cold glass of milk to eat with spoon. ‘Good to the last crumb.

Pasta and pumpkin are a match made in heaven. Pumpkin puree, toasted and seasoned similarly to mole, lends itself to the creamiest of sauces in this recipe. Add a sprinkle of toasted pumpkins seeds for a little crunch before serving and you’ll experience pure pumpkin perfection. The pumpkin mixture in this recipe can also be used as a filling for homemade ravioli.

To complete the ravioli, top with a quick brown butter-sage sauce.

Pumpkin puree is one of life’s simple pleasures. It’s so easy to make fresh puree for all your favorite fall treats, and it can be easily

pumpkin recipes CREAMY PUMPKIN PASTA 12 ounces dry pasta, such as shells 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 4 cloves garlic, peeled, and smashed 2 shallots, peeled, and finely diced 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg 1 cup pumpkin puree 2 cups reserved pasta water or broth 4 ounces mascarpone cheese 1 tablespoon butter 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or pumpkin seeds Grated parmesan cheese to serve Prepare pasta per package instructions, timing it with the completion of the sauce.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.

Sauté the garlic and shallots for 5 minutes, stirring often, until tender. Add the oregano, salt, pepper flakes, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir for 30 to 60 seconds, slightly toasting the spices.

Push to the side and add remaining oil. Add pumpkin puree, stirring to mix well. Reduce heat to medium-low and let the

pumpkin mixture toast in the skillet for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often. It will thicken slightly.

Add the pasta water or broth to the thickened mixture and stir to combine; cook for 5 minutes longer, stirring often.

Add mascarpone cheese and butter to the sauce, stirring until cheese is melted.

Serve sauce over prepared pasta and top with toasted pine nuts or pumpkin seeds, and grated parmesan cheese, if desired.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

PUMPKIN CHIPS 1 small pie pumpkin 6 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped 10 sage leaves, stacked up and finely chopped Sea salt, such as Maldon’s Preheat oven to 325° F. Line 4 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Remove peel, stem, and seeds from pumpkin, scrapping the inside clean. Cutting the pumpkin in half will make this job easier. Cut halves into quarters.

Carefully slice each quarter into very thin slices with a mandoline, minding your fingertips, (use the safety guard for the mandoline if yours came with one).

Brush prepared baking sheets with half of the oil. Place sliced pumpkin onto the prepared baking sheets. Drizzle with remaining olive oil and spread with fingertips to coat top sides of each pumpkin slice.

Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes. Rotate baking sheets.

Continue baking for 7 minutes. Flip each slice over and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Paper thin slices will be ready a this point but if some of the slices are thicker they may require a few more minutes in the oven.

While pumpkin chips are baking, use a mortar and pestle to blend the rosemary, sage, salt. The back of a spoon on the cutting board will also work in place of a mortar and pestle.

Sprinkle chips with salt mixture, immediately upon removing

from oven. Let cool for 15 minutes and enjoy! Additional salt may be added if desired. Chips may be served with your favorite dip or eaten as they are. They are best when served immediately.

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frozen for later use. Pumpkin puree is a simple pleasure for a couple of reasons, it contains one ingredient and it’s simple to make. Blend up a batch with the following method - or a good canned pumpkin puree works well, too. Just be sure it is pure pumpkin “puree” and not canned pumpkin pie filling.

To make pumpkin puree, choose a small pie pumpkin. Clean the outside with a damp paper towel. Cut the pumpkin in half from end to end with sharp knife, and remove the seeds, membranes, and strings. Brush the interior of the pumpkin halves with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and place the halves cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 45 minutes in a preheated 350° F oven. Allow to cool, then

scoop the flesh out and transfer to a blender.

(The outer skin will be soft and separate easily from the flesh; discard the outer skin.)

Puree the pumpkin in the blender on low speed for 1 minute, or until smooth.

Note: Pumpkin puree can be used to make these cornbread and the pasta recipes but it can also be used for all your favorite sweet treats this fall such as pumpkin candy, pumpkin pie, and pumpkin milk shakes.

Tip: Extra puree can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or freeze it for in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

This method can be used to prepare larger pumpkins, as well. Or pick up two or three of the pie-size pumpkins so you have plenty of puree to last you through Thanksgiving.

And don’t forget to wash and dry the seeds to make pumpkin seed snacks with! Toast them in the oven and sprinkle on some salt or other savory seasonings you like while they are still hot. Let cool and enjoy!

Just remember, it’s not all about the pumpkin lattes, pumpkin ice cream, or pumpkin fudge. Pumpkin trends are fun, but it’s time for new ones. These fresh savory recipes are exactly what pumpkin lovers have needed. The sweet pumpkin treats can’t have all the glory. So move over, sweet pumpkin treats, make way for the new kids in town.

Do the savory thing with pumpkin this year. Savory is where it’s at – Savory reigns supreme! So pick your pumpkin – will it be Pumpkin Chips, Pumpkin Corn Bread, Creamy Pumpkin Pasta, or all of the above?

PUMPKIN CORNBREAD 1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon sugar 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 1/2 cups milk 1/2 cup olive oil 2 large eggs 3/4 cup pumpkin puree 1 tablespoon butter In a large mixing bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk milk, oil, and eggs into dry ingredients and then whisk in pumpkin puree until well combined.

Preheat oven to 400° F. Heat butter in cast iron skillet over medium heat. Pour batter into skillet. Cook on stovetop for 1 minute. Place in preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Serve hot with additional butter, if desired. Serves 8.

Store leftover cornbread in refrigerator for up to one week, wrapped in plastic wrap. Reheat in microwave approximately 15 seconds per serving.

20 WOMEN’S INC. / NOVEMBER 2016

fashion

ADVERTISEMENT

One Pair of Jeans M o n d ay

t h r u

By Renee Notto Same pair of jeans more than once a week, yes you can! No one wants to appear they are wearing the same item over and over but style it to create a different look and no one will be the wiser. Try different styles sporty, feminine, cool, or classy... remember that if you want to appear different you must first feel different. Let’s see if anyone notices!

Tuesday throw on an oversized shirt.

Considering its length, it could also be worn as a dress. We think fall is the perfect season to wear a shirt and oversized works perfectly with jeans. If you think this is a stale idea think again: being able to look good in basic clothing is the secret of any cool girl. Worn open over a graphic tee, buttoned and belted, or tucked in the oversized shirt will never be out of fashion.

Feel it’s time to revamp your look and try something cooler? Have fun on hump day and add a sporty touch to your outfit.

Sneakers always feel comfortable, but they are often considered too casual. So, what can you do if you still want to wear them?

Avoid looking like you just stepped out of the gym by accessorizing. Be a little playful and create a bold contrast with posh bags and classic jewelry. Don’t forget the classics, a crisp shirt and a polished blazer. They are

F r i d a y

comfortable and create a balance between smart and sporty, practical and cool.

Cooler temperatures are headed our way and the perfect way to ward off the chill is to add a shearling coat or bomber jacket to your Thursday lineup. Shearling the iconic piece of the 1970’s and 1980’s is perfect for the hippie trend but we believe it could also be current and cool especially deconstructed and paired with jeans, sweater and sneakers. You can find many styles around long coats, short jackets, and bombers.

There is one for all taste. Go for a bomber jacket shearling or not! It works wonderfully with jeans, little dresses or shorts. If you want to look utterly cool, go for a satin one. It’s always the best choice.

Friday has us nipping at weekends heels...go for daytime sequins! You may have realized that sequins have made a major comeback this season, and we obviously cannot wait to wear them. If you still think that sequins are only good for a night out: it’s time to try something new, namely daytime sequins. Sequins are often difficult to wear. The smallest mistake can make you look tacky. A sequined top can look amazing over your favorite pair of jeans and sleek, simple accessories. The key idea is to manage the interplay between minimal, casual, and ultra-glam styles. There you go, you will look wonderful all week long.

Renee Notto, owner of French Lily, has worked retail her entire life. She managed The Limited, American Eagle Outfitters and Gymboree.

Before opening French Lily, she was office manager for Notto Chiropractic Health until she realized a desk job was not a good fit for her.

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feature story

From Wampus Cat sports to global mission work Dazzle Dazesm 2016 chairs invested in community Submitted story and photos Dazzle Dazesm 2016 co-chairs Wendy Nelson and Pam Sims feel a strong sense of investment in Conway.

Nelson has been calling Conway home for more than 22 years. Both her children were born at Conway Regional. The commitment is shared by Sims, whose parents and grandchildren have received care at Conway Regional during her 17 years in Faulkner County. Her granddaughter spent her first month of life in the Conway Regional Nursery. “I’m so glad she didn’t have to go to Little Rock,” she said.

Their shared bond will have them greeting several thousand shoppers this month when the doors open on Dazzle Dazesm 2016 at the Conway Expo Center, Nov. 17-19.

“This is our 15th year. It’s a pretty big deal.

It is a pretty good indicator of support from the community that about seven thousand people come to the event every year,” said Sims.

“Women who are not part of the council will come and volunteer for a friend. It is important we support our local, community hospital and one way we can do that is through events like Dazzle Dazesm.”

It is all about the plan for Wendy Nelson. “I like being involved in everything and working to make it all happen,” said Nelson. “It’s exciting to plan something for a long time and see it through to fruition. All those hours behind the scenes; nobody sees all of the planning and preparation.” The Conway Regional Women’s Council has the help of about 175 volunteers who put in almost 900 hours of service on Dazzle Dazesm weekend alone.

Both women are deeply involved in Faulkner County professionally and philanthropically.

Sims has been the personal enrollment officer for the PACE program at Central Baptist College for three years, but has also spent 25 years in the medical field as a certified ophthalmic assistant and is a published author and public speaker. Her husband, Jim, has delivered packages for UPS for 37 years.

She also teaches a Bible study class and volunteers in the coffee shop at New Life Church.

22 WOMEN’S INC. / OCTOBER 2016

Sims has spent much of her life in ministry work, volunteering with organizations that help women and children escape human trafficking and prostitution in Baton Rouge as well as in Germany, Haiti and Armenia.

Nelson is in the appraisal business after working at Southwestern Energy for six years, Acxiom for 11 years and as a trust banker. Her husband, Tom, is a senior vice president at BancorpSouth.

When she is not volunteering with the Conway Regional Women’s Council, Nelson can be found at Wampus Cat Booster Club pep rallies or serving early morning breakfast for the team. Her son, Jack, plays football and baseball at Conway High School. She also volunteers at Woodland Heights Baptist Church and is a Junior Achievement volunteer.

New This Year

Nelson said she is excited about some changes to Dazzle Dazesm this year, including: • Moving the Pajama Party to Saturday morning followed by a teddy bear clinic where kids can bring their favorite stuffed friend for a “check up” • Increasing the number of higher value goodie bags at Girls Nite Out to 500 to accommodate the growing numbers of shoppers for on the first night of the event • Healthy holiday cooking demonstrations

Friday morning and afternoon • New décor that will accent the event’s 15th anniversary • And, “going back to the red Mustang this year.”

Dazzle Dazesm Raffle

Tickets have gone on sale for the raffle, which is one of the most popular features of Dazzle Dazesm. Five hundred $100 tickets will be sold.

This year’s prizes includes more items for outdoors people: • 2016 red Ford Mustang convertible from Smith Ford, valued at more than $30,000 • A two-day, four-person, guided duck hunting trip courtesy of Cypress Crossing in Stuttgart, valued at $4,200.

• A Polaris Outlaw 110 ATV from C2 Powersports • A Traeger wood fired grill donated by Moix RV with a $500 gift certificate for meat • $1,000 furniture gift certificate, donated by Cajun Brothers Furniture

Where to purchase tickets

Anyone wishing to purchase a ticket can do so from a Women’s Council member, or at the Conway Regional Health Foundation offices, located at Western and Louvenia Streets, or at the Conway Regional Health & Fitness Center.

DAZZLE DAZE Other Conway outlets include: 501 Life, the Log Cabin Democrat, Smith Ford, Cajun Brothers Furniture, H3 Home + Décor, H & N Architects, Michelle Phillips, CPA, Model Cleaners, pattiCakes Bakery, US Pizza Co. and The Spa’ah.

Greenbrier locations are First Security Bank and Daisy-A-Day Florist. Tickets are also available at La-Z-Boy Furniture Gallery in Little Rock.

This year’s schedule of events at Dazzle Dazesm includes: • Girls Nite Out, 6 to 9 pm, Thursday, Nov. 17, a rollicking good time for shoppers Attractions: high value goodie bags for the first 500 shoppers, the Reindeer Raffle, dinner from TGI Friday’s, dessert from Julie’s Sweet Shoppe, a variety of tastings from pattiCakes and others, and early bird shopping with more than 80 holiday vendors. ($30 advance, $35 at the door) • Photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, 10 am to noon and 4 to 8 pm, Friday, Nov. 18, and 10 am to 3 pm Saturday, Nov. 19, a holiday tradition for the kids ($15 and up photo packages) • Pajama Party, 9 am, Saturday, Nov. 19, storytelling by Santa and Mrs. Claus as well as appearances by holiday characters, 100 tickets ($17.50 each) • Teddy Bear Clinic, 10 am, Saturday, Nov.

19, free with general admission or Pajama Party ticket • General shopping, including the Reindeer Raffle, 10 am to 9 pm, Friday, Nov. 18, and 10 am to 4 pm, Saturday, Nov. 19, ($7.50, per ticket, per day) • Drawing for Dazzle Dazesm raffle prizes, 4

pm, Saturday, Nov. 19.

All Dazzle Daze sm tickets can be purchased by calling 501-513-5191. Raffle tickets must be purchased in person. General admission, Girls Nite Out and Pajama Party tickets can be purchased online at www.conwayregional.org/dazzledazetickets

WWW.WOMENSINC.NET 23

M eet t h e W I N C T eam

Jennifer Stanley Editorial board member and contributing writer Family: I am married to Jake and have three children: son, Chaz, 15 (and we all look up to him); and daughters Kate, 9; and Bella Grace, 7.

Work: I am in my fourth year as a proposal/ strategy manager for a large, national medical management company. I have also been a contributing writer for WINC for ten years!

What does your work entail? My mother always says, “I have no idea what you do!” It is a unique job. As a proposal/strategy manager, I write and edit responses to requests for proposals and manage the entire project involved, working with various insurance subject matter experts. I always say that not procrastinating is my super power, and my work certainly draws on that strength. The job is completely deadline driven, and missing any one deadline can result in losing business. I have worked in the insurance field for 16 years.

Tell us about writing for WINC. I can’t believe it has been ten years! Hands down, the best part about being a contributing writer is meeting people and playing a small part in sharing their stories. Over the years I’ve even made lasting friendships with some of my “subjects!” Conway is home to many wonderful women, and I love that WINC provides a forum to highlight their accomplishments. Being part of the board has given me a glimpse into the other side of the process, which I thoroughly enjoy.

Tell us about your education: I have a Bachelor of Arts in Professional and Technical Writing from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. I also have a Master of Arts in Professional and Technical Writing from the same institution. While there, I had the privilege of teaching composition classes. I am especially proud to have completed my masters while a mom of three and working full-time! I wholeheartedly believe in lifelong learning and encourage my own children to always be curious and ask questions. I also hold an Arkansas Insurance License in life and health.

Describe any community involvement: I work with our children’s ministry at Grace United Methodist Church, where we are members. Jake and I both volunteer at Mar24 WOMEN’S INC. / NOVEMBER 2016

guerite Vann Elementary School, and I am in my second year of serving as room mom (another role that well-utilizes my lack of procrastination). I volunteer to lead beginning runners for the Soaring Wings Half Marathon each fall. I also independently raise funds for the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, a cause near to my heart. We volunteer as a family when we can; for example, we all ring the bell at the Salvation Army’s red kettles each year and participate in Operation Christmas Child.

What activities do you enjoy outside work?

I am the quintessential “kid taxi” like many other parents. My kids are involved in dance, gymnastics, cross country, basketball, track, fishing, youth groups at Grace, chess club, running club, and a reading program at UCA between them. Personally, I am an avid runner, and I try to find time to race several times each year.

I also love taking different classes at the gym.

Reading is my passion. I am involved with a book club, and I am always reading more than one book at a time. I love hiking and fishing with my family. I also enjoy writing non-fiction and have been fortunate to have some published pieces and to guest blog on occasion.

What is your proudest accomplishment?

My family is my biggest success without a doubt. I spend an inordinate amount of time

instilling certain values in my children. If they become thriving, honest, compassionate adults, I will feel accomplished. I tell them success does not always equate to finances and encourage them to follow their interests. They know they have the ability to do anything they put their minds to. They also know I have high expectations for them. I love learning about my kids’ passions and seeing how those sometimes stick and sometimes fade. I know our time with and influence on them is fleeting, so we make the most of each day and try to expose them to as much culture as possible. They have my heart completely.

What are your future plans? Personally, furthering my education is always on the roadmap. As higher education continues to become more accessible and mobile, I believe that is a distinct possibility. I try to write a few grants per year on a donation basis but would like to do more. It is the perfect way for an introverted writer to give back! I have many years left in the workforce and want to make the most of my experience. The insurance field is undeniably evolving, but there is always a need for writers who can also serve as subject matter experts. Ultimately, I’d like to end up on a porch in the mountains, but today isn’t that day!

real estate

ADVERTISEMENT

Take precautions during the holiday season

The Tobey Team always gives back to the community and one way is to provide you with monthly Real Estate information. Enjoy the upcoming holiday season, but don’t forget to be safe.

Did you know from now until New Years that crimes will increase THREE TIMES the average monthly crime rate? The top three crimes during this time period will be: 1. Automobile Break-in 2. Home Invasion 3. Identity Theft Normally identity theft is the number one crime; however most people won’t know this until after the holiday season if their security has been breached. Be safe out there and be sure to pay extra attention to your surroundings. Here are a few suggests for you to protect yourself.

Automobile Safety

• Never leave anything of value visible in your automobile.

• If you are doing holiday shopping and put gifts in the trunk pull away and drive to a different parking spot so a thief thinks you have left the area and not just going back in side where they will have time to relieve you of your purchases.

• If you need an ATM machine, use a location that is inside a building in a populated area.

Using a drive-up ATM in a deserted area at night is your highest risk • Park in well-lit areas.

• Do not park next to shrubs, walls or large

vehicles especially if you cannot see in the vehicle next to you.

• When walking to your car, don’t just walk to the driver’s door, walk around the vehicle to ensure no one is hiding inside or behind your vehicle.

• Always keep your vehicle locked when not inside.

• As with all times of the year don’t drink and drive, text, or email while driving. It’s extra dangerous because more people are out and may be distracted also.

Home Invasion

• Keep the outside of your home well lit.

• Consider using timer on lamps and keep window treatments closed.

• Don’t put gifts under a tree or in sight where they can be seen from the outside of your home.

• After the holidays cut up cardboard boxes or take to the dump so we are not broadcasting to criminals all the new toys you received over the holidays.

• Take your signs off your vehicles. If you have magnetic signs this is great to market your-self throughout the year. At holiday time it can advertise when you are not home.

• Take extra caution of your social media posts. Advertising what parties you are going to, when you will be visiting family, or taking a holiday vacation is another way of inviting criminals and letting them know where there is an unoccupied home. Consider posting all these nice events when you are back home and

will be at your house.

• Let your local police know if you will be out of town, most local police will do random drive by checks. Also be sure to stop your mail, newspapers, and let your neighbors know you will be out of town.

Identity Theft

• If ordering gifts on line be extra sure you are on a secured site before providing any personal or payment information (you can search the internet for ways to validate you are on a secure site).

• If possible do not leave outbound mail in your mail box. Take it to the post office or a secure mail box.

• Consider a secured mail box where you can receive mail but need a key to obtain the mail inside the box. You can also utilize a PO Box. • Check your mail box often, thieves know your credit card invoices come at the first and middle of the month.

General Safety at Holiday Time

• Don’t carry excessive cash or credit cards if you don’t have to.

• When making a purchase don’t leave your credit card exposed for someone to remember or write down your credit card information.

• Shop with friends.

• Put your wallet in your front pocket and be sure to secure your purse • When giving your credit card to a checkout clerk be sure you get your credit card back

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spiritual

We make mistakes. Hard things happen to us and around us. Life is not always easy and sometimes it is downright confusing.

Dear, Younger Me

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andrea lennon

By Andrea Lennon There is a song playing on Christian radio that is titled, “Dear, Younger Me.” I wonder if you have heard the song.

The premise of the song is simple. If we could give the younger version of ourselves some advice, what would it be?

One day, I was driving and listening to the song on the radio. The song made me stop and think. What advice would I give to the younger version of myself?

Before I tell you my answer, let me give you a little background. My life has been good... really good. God placed me in a great home when I was seven days old. My parents adopted me; and I do not remember a time when I was not loved, provided for, and given incredible opportunities. God is good!

Even when life is good, struggles are a normal part of the journey. We live in a fallen world and we are sinful. This combination provides a perfect storm that creates regrets, hardships, and trials.

We make mistakes. Hard things happen to us and around us. Life is not always easy and sometimes it is downright confusing.

My life has plenty of “could’ve, should’ve, and would’ve” moments.

Maybe you can relate. With this in mind, I was thinking about the advice I would give my younger self. Know-

ing that life is hard, mistakes happen, and some seasons are beyond confusing, what do I wish that I had known or believed deeply in my heart and mind?

I thought for several minutes. I replayed my life and I came to one simple truth, a truth that I know is applicable for every season of life and a truth that has not always been deeply embraced in my own life. Here is what I would tell my younger self: “Always trust the grace of God. Always.”

If I could go back and change anything, I would not necessarily change the mistakes that I have made. The lessons from the mistakes are invaluable to me. They have become a part of my journey and have helped to shape me into a person who is desperate for Jesus.

Trusting the grace of God at a deeper level would have helped me because I would have known that the hardship, sin, or trial going on in my life was not the end of my story. It was not. I would have known that God was with me and that He was working despite me. I would have known that God loves me and was graciously positioning me for healing and restoration.

How about you? What would your advice be to the younger version of you?

Give it some thought, write it down, and share it with a friend.

We cannot go back and change the

past. Our “could’ve, should’ve, and would’ve” moments are a done deal.

Thankfully, we can take the lessons from these moments and allow them to change our future. God is a redeeming God. He brings purpose to the pain and meaning out of the mess!

So, here is what I am going to do from this point forward. I am going to trust the grace of God at a deeper level. I am going to surrender to His plan each day. I am going to obey what He tells me to do. I am going to learn from my past mistakes and be different because of them.

Let us never forget that Jesus is the author of our lives and He is the perfecter of our faith. (Hebrews 12:2) Nothing is impossible for Him. ( John 15:5) Without a doubt, God has a good plan for each one of us. I love to think of this truth: Jesus is “all in” when it comes to us. The question is will we be “all in” when it comes to Him? I, for one, am “all in!” How about you?

Andrea Lennon lives in Conway, Arkansas, with her husband, Jay, and sons, Jake and Andrew. Andrea ministers to the women of Arkansas through a speaking and writing ministry called True Vine Ministry.

To learn more about this ministry, access Andrea’s website at www.andrealennon.net.

WWW.WOMENSINC.NET 27

book review

Dysfunction at its finest

A Good Man is Hard to Find And Other Stories Written by Flannery O’Connor Reviewed by Susan O’Keefe

Country characters from the middle of nowhere with thick backward twangy accents were an immediate draw to me. I was raised in a rural tobacco town. I identified with these colorful characters, yet I was totally unprepared for the dark side that upright church-going southern folks refuse to acknowledge. I was stunned to be abruptly introduced to author Flannery O’Connor’s wicked sense of humor.

After reading a handful of her short stories, I was emotionally drained. In just a few dozen pages, I had lost hope in humanity, and painstakingly questioned the moral compass of all society. And then, I drove to book club.

That’s when my eyes were opened, and I was enlightened.

This is reason number seven hundred forty-three to start and/or join a book club. Book club discussions provide insight, and sometimes mind-boggling perspectives from other women who have read the same material and gleaned different doses of lessons. Once I heard everyone

28 WOMEN’S INC. / NOVEMBER 2016

SUSAN O’KEEFE else’s opinions, I was hooked.

A Good Man is Hard to Find is by far the deceased Georgia author’s most well-known and most dissected story. It is a disturbing tale of a dysfunctional family setting out on vacation in a run-down sedan when fate deals them a fatal blow. There is a catatonic element to O’Connor’s writing. It’s near mesmerizing as she famously combines comedy, violence, and religion.

Hailed as one of America’s most gifted modern writers, O’Connor’s myriad of topics seizes readers from across the board. After a battle with several illnesses, O’Connor died in 1964 before reaching her fortieth birthday. Her work was viewed as shocking during her lifetime. Today, it is still unapologetically in-yourface. Without hesitation, she dives headfirst into controversial themes. It is obvious that she exercised and entertained a brilliant mind.

One of her short stories that our club found fascinating centered around a little boy whose parents lived in a constant hangover. When readers meet the boy, a caretaker is being paid to take him away from his home for the day so his mother “could rest” and “find a cure for what ails her.” Only minutes after the caretaker has the boy a few blocks from home does she realize that the parents didn’t even share the boy’s name.

Readers immediately feel drawn to the boy, who is easily impressionable and seems to be seeking some type of salvation from the misery he calls home. His babysitter decides their destination, and leads the boy to the ‘round the clock revival at the river. It’s the river of religion where a traveling preacher is dunking one and all.

After reading a handful of her short stories, I was emotionally drained.

In just a few dozen pages, I had lost hope in humanity, and painstakingly questioned the moral compass of all society. And then, I drove to book club. That’s when my eyes were opened, and I was enlightened. This is reason number seven hundred fortythree to start and/or join a book club.

Book club discussions provide insight, and sometimes mind-boggling perspectives from other women who have read the same material and gleaned different doses of lessons.

The boy finds such comfort in the idea of a father who loves him dearly, and surrenders himself to the murky waters. It seems harmless enough, until a few days later when the innocent child is led like a lamb to the slaughter. He’s still searching. He thinks the answers are in the river. And he plunges underneath the muddy current to find refuge.

“The characters all seem to be looking for redemption, and in the midst of their troubles, there are more troubles,” commented one reader.

“It’s not pretty, but most of reality isn’t,” offered an O’Connor admirer. “O’Connor’s stories are rich with morally flawed characters, some of whom are disturbing in their thoughts and actions. But how much more real can it get?”

O’Connor writes in parables. She submits a scenario, allows readers to mull the various ways it could play out, and then continues with shocking storylines. But she forces readers to reason, to contemplate, to deliberate, and not just to think outside the box, but to think outside the book, to think outside ourselves.

“Grace changes us, and the change is painful,” eloquently said one of the lawyers in our bunch.

It’s advisable to read the collection of nine short stories over the span of a few weeks.

Each one takes time to digest. From the drifter who courts and marries a mentally challenged country girl to the teen who lives with his grandfather and boasts about a trip to the city, there are harrowing moments mixed with God’s love and mercy.

Originally published more than 60 years ago, A Good Man is Hard to Find, is not for the faint of heart. Clearly, it’s stood the test of six decades and deserves the accolades it’s received. For an eye-opener with a lasting impact, read a bit of Flannery O’Connor.

Susan O’Keefe is a wife to Jack, mother to four children, and eager to face the crazy, awesome, fun things God delivers daily. She and her family recently moved to Oxford, Mississippi, where Susan will continue to read and review, instruct fitness classes, and embark on this next adventure in life.

WWW.WOMENSINC.NET 29

in the news New office

Coldwell Banker RPM Group-Conway recently hosted their grand opening and Conway Area Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting at their new office on Hogan Lane in west Conway.

Donation to The Salvation Army

The Faulkner County Board of Realtors presented a check for $500 to The Salvation Army at their October luncheon.

30 WOMEN’S INC. / NOVEMBER 2016

Antique Show Comes to Conway

Antique Alley Arkansas Antique Show, brought to you by Ashley’s Finds, LLC, will take place November 12-13 in the Conway Expo Center, located at 2505 E. Oak Street in Conway. The show will be open Saturday, November 12, from 9:00AM – 5:00PM, and Sunday, November 13, from 12:00PM – 5:00PM. Admission for the Antique Alley Arkansas Antique Show is $5 for each adult and $1 for each child age 12 and under on Saturday and Sunday. Parking is free.

Exhibitors representing 10 states will fill 200+ booths with a wide variety of items from the 1950s and before: Architectural salvage, primitives, estate jewelry, pottery, ephemera, antique furniture, antique and vintage glassware, and advertising signs are just a sample of what will be for sale.

For more information, please contact Ashley Norris at 501-230-5728.

Additional information can be found at http://www.AntiqueAlleyArkansas.com or on Antique Alley Arkansas’s Facebook page.

WWW.WOMENSINC.NET 31

in the news

Time to start packing for Operation Christmas Child The Samaritan’s Purse project Operation Christmas Child collects shoeboxes—filled with school supplies, hygiene items, fun toys and notes of encouragement—and delivers them to children in need around the world to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way.

Operation Christmas Child, the world’s largest Christmas project of its kind, will deliver gift-filled shoeboxes using any means necessary—boat, plane, dog sled and even elephant—to reach the hands of needy children.

In preparation for National Collection Week, hundreds of individuals, families and groups are filling empty shoeboxes with gifts of toys, school supplies, hygiene items and notes of encouragement.

In 2016, Operation Christmas Child hopes to collect enough shoebox gifts to reach another 12 million children and our area hopes to collect 11,000 gift-filled shoeboxes.

When/Where Are Boxes Collected?

National Collection Week: Nov. 14-21 Local Drop off Location: 1051 Hogan Lane Conway, AR Collection hours during collection week: Left to right: Verna Higgins, Susan Shaddox, Vickie Crutchfield, Chris Quinn, Donna Clawson, Judge Baker. Not shown: Catherine Swift.

Planning for Haven Haven’s board and staff hosted a meeting with some community volunteers to start planning their capital campaign for Haven’s future forever home. Haven is a shelter for abused girls in Conway.

32 WOMEN’S INC. / NOVEMBER 2016

M-Fri 10-2; Wed 7-9; Sat 10-12; Sun 1-6; final Mon. 9-12

Operation Christmas Child also offers a year-round opportunity to pack personalized shoeboxes online. Go to samaritanspurse.org/occ to select toys and gift items, write a note of encouragement and “pack” them in a shoebox. These gifts will go to children in some of the hardest-to-reach countries around the world. A $7 postage donation is suggested.

Also, participants can follow their box online to discover where in the world their gift is delivered by using the donation form found at samaritanspurse.org/occ.

You can also visit the GO store that has quality items at greatly discounted prices for your boxes. This is the perfect place for groups such as the Boy/Girl Scouts, small group Bible studies, Sunday School classes, and school clubs to come and make packing easier- and fun!! The GO store is located at the Ministry Center, 766 Harkrider Street in Conway.

What To Pack?

• Toys: Include items that children will immediately embrace such as dolls, toy cars, stuffed animals, kazoos, harmonicas, yo-yos,

jump ropes, balls, toys that light up and make noise (with extra batteries), etc.

• School Supplies: pens, pencils and sharpeners, crayons, markers, notebooks, paper, solar calculators, coloring and picture books, etc.

• Non-Liquid Hygiene Items: toothbrushes, bar soap, combs, washcloths, etc.

• Accessories: t-shirts, socks, hats, sunglasses, hair clips, jewelry, watches, flashlights (with extra batteries), etc.

• A Personal Note: You may enclose a note to the child and a photo of yourself or your family. If you include your name and address, the child may be able to write back.

• Do Not Include: Used or damaged items; war-related items such as toy guns, knives or military figures; chocolate or food (you CAN include hard candy that is not out of date and we recommend that you place that in a baggy); out-of-date candy; liquids or lotions; medications or vitamins; breakable items such as snow globes or glass containers; aerosol cans.

More Information:

For additional information about Operation Christmas Child, please visit samaritanspurse.org/occ or contact the local coordinator, Dawn Wilson, at 501-269-0434.

Quorum Court approves tax for animal shelter

The Quorum Court approved $30,000 of the voluntary tax to be released to

purchase plans for the shelter.

Judge Carter allowed $600 of that amount to get a sign and move forward by placing it on the land they hoped to build it on. Little Rock Sign Company donated the sign for the shelter. So it was printed and delivered and unveiled Oct. 6.

WWW.WOMENSINC.NET 33

events Celebrating 15 years of the Conway Downtown Partnership! This year’s annual meeting theme was “Smart Growth within Boundaries”. The area has had roughly the same boundaries for generations but has experienced significant growth within those boundaries. Guests at this year’s annual meeting were able to take a look back at the Conway Downtown Partnership’s impact over the past 15 years, and learn about future smart-growth strategies the organization has planned.

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C o n w a y D o w n t o w n Part n e r s h i p A n n u al M e e ti n g

WWW.WOMENSINC.NET 35

events Realtor Restore volunteers build a stage area for the Museum of Veterans and Military History in Vilonia. Home Depot supplied the materials for this project.

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real estate

ADVERTISEMENT

Honey, I Shrunk the House!

By Spencer Hawks

A few years ago an individual came to me and asked if I could help her sell her home.

We came to an agreement allowing me to market the property, and we put the home on the market. The place was gorgeous, but due to the price and size the house did not move quickly. Then the offer came! The buyer and seller were excited about the opportunities before them. Sadly however, the appraisal revealed to us a discrepancy in the square footage. The house had shrunk by more than 500 sq. feet, and at over $100 a square foot that added up. My seller was devastated.

Occasionally discrepancies are found with the square footage when homes are sold. The best way to avoid confusion and complications concerning square footage issues is to know from where the measurement you are using came. Not all entities measure homes the same way. If a local government supplies the measurement, it may only be an estimate based off of: external measurements, an aerial view, or a statement from the builder.

Appraisers who often have access to enter the property will consider: ceiling height, floor coverage, consistency in building standards, heated and cooled areas, and other factors.

Appraising standards change occasionally too. ANSI z765-2003 is the current standard being used by appraisers in the state of Arkansas. If your home has not been appraised since 2003, it may also be subject to variations.

Selling a home can be a rollercoaster for emotions. While my client’s home sold, she had to adjust the price. Always go into negotiations with the best and most accurate information. Before listing, check and double-check the sq. footage so that you do not end up surprised in the end as the owner of the incredible shrinking house.

Written by Spencer Hawks, Executive Broker, Arkansas Property Brokers; President, Hawks Family Team Real Estate. Co-Authored by Nathan Broyles, Certified Residential Appraiser

WWW.WOMENSINC.NET 37

artscene

Why I’m voting for Elton John for President

By Jennie Strange Okay… so that was a bit of a stretch. First, he wasn’t born in the United States and if you haven’t learned anything in the past eight years about politics let’s hope you’ve learned birth on American soil is a prerequisite for our Commander in Chief. And let’s be honest, if you were to put Elton John and Vladimir Putin in the same room the world might implode.

But now that I have your attention… I do have to admit the thought crossed my mind.

Let me explain - back in September my husband took me see Sir Elton John for our anniversary – a huge check off the ole’ bucket list!

Long before the concert began, before we stood in line for exorbitantly priced t-shirts and before we took our seats amongst the throngs of other concert goers, I found myself just staring at the people around me. Not in a rude “where did you come from?” kind of way, but in a surprised, “the world really is a wonderful place” kind of way.

Waiting to get through the front doors I could already see this would be unlike any concert I’d been to – on my left were two fortysomethings obviously on a first date, to my right a mother with gaggle of pre-teen girls, behind us a group that included someone from at least 4 different decades and three different ethnicities.

Once inside I noticed a pair of college girls, decked out in full Elton costumes, one in a white unitard with feather shoulder pads, the

38 WOMEN’S INC. / OCTOBER 2016

other in tiny sparkly, patriotic shorts. They walked past a group of sweet, Southern grannies who stopped the girls for a series of group selfies. In the concession line there was a mother with her teenage son, complete with his own blue eyeshadow and trim sequin lined blazer.

At our seats, we sat down next to a man and a woman, a good 20 years apart in age, who had obviously just met the minute before, but who sang together at the top of their lungs for the rest of the night. A guy who could have only been described as a retiree from an 80’s hair band strolled to his front row seats, his bleached blonde hair floating, his wife and two young sons at his side.

And about two hours into the MOST AMAZING concert I have ever been to (did I mention I LOVE Elton?), I noticed an elderly man in suspenders being assisted down from his seat and into a motorized wheelchair- trying to beat the crowd out the door.

What does any of this have to do with Elton being President?

That night, as I looked around, I saw people from 5 to 85, black, white, brown, and all shades in between, attired in everything from gilded glitter unitards to flowered house dresses, Carhartt work pants to leather leggings. I saw a family with three generations in tow dancing in the aisles, and an African American convention center worker make friends with the young white man confined to his wheelchair from cerebral palsy.

I’m not really saying Elton should be our president (thought I’m not saying he shouldn’t… wink, wink.) But what I am saying is that for the first time since this election began, I felt like everyone – all thousands of us- in that room were unified by something bigger than our individual selves. I had a renewed hope in the American people- I saw proof that at the root of who we are, there really is goodwill and a desire to connect in a positive way with those both like us and also so very different.

And that’s what great music- truly great art- has the power to accomplish. That’s why we need art and music and theatre – we need those moments of solidarity, of fresh air amidst all the pollution. We need something to remind us that we really aren’t that different from one another.

And the good news is, no matter how this election really does turn out, we can all pull out our record players (or touch screen iPhones), sit back, listen to a little “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” and have 4 minutes and 2 seconds of warm, fuzzy greatness.

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

ARTS CALENDAR

November Arts Events – Please check out the event website for more information and pricing.

November 1: Public Trombone Concert by BearBones @ UCA Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall; 7:30 p.m. www.uca. edu/cfac (G) November 1: Public Readying by Author Tonya Hegamin @ UCA College of Business Auditorium; 7:30 p.m. www.uca. edu/cfac (G) November 3: Public Concert by UCA’s Concert Choir @ UCA Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall; 7:30 p.m. www.uca. edu/cfac (G) November 3, 20: UCA Dept of Art BA/BFA Juried Senior Art Exhibition @ UCA Baum Gallery; Nov 3, 4:00-6:00 p.m., Nov 20 2:00-4:00 p.m. ; www.uca.edu/cfac (PG13) November 4: Painting and Pizza @ Blackbird Academy of Arts; 6:00-8:00 p.m. www.blackbirdacademy.org (Ages 5+) November 5: Tap Workshop with Untapped Arkansas @ Blackbird Academy of Arts; 12:00-2:00 p.m. www.blackbirdacademy.org (Int and Adv levels) November 6: Lightfoot Family Band @ Faulkner County Library; 2:00 p.m. Nancy@fcl.org (G) November 7-30: Celebrating Mayberry with UCA Professor and Sculptor Bryan Massey @ Art on the Green; www. artonthegreen.net (G) November 8: Public Recital by UCA’s Faculty Chamber @

UCA Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall; 7:30 p.m. www.uca. edu/cfac (G) November 9: Public Recital by UCA’s String Chamber @ UCA Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall; 7:30 p.m. www.uca. edu/cfac (G) November 10: Byrd & Street in Concert @ Faulkner County Library; 7:00 p.m. Nancy@fcl.org (G) November 10: VOCES8 @ Reynolds Performance Hall; 7:30 p.m. www.uca.edu/reynolds (PG) November 10: Public Concert by flute guest artist Meghan Bennet @ UCA Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall; 7:30 p.m. www.uca.edu/cfac (G) November 12: Fame the Musical @ Reynolds Performance Hall; 7:30 p.m. www.uca.edu/reynolds (PG13) November 13: Public Concert by UCA’s Trombone Studio @ UCA Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall; 3:00 p.m. www. uca.edu/cfac (G) November 14: Wind Ensemble Fall Concert @ Hendrix Staples Auditorium; 7:30 p.m. renshaw@hendrix.edu (PG13) November 17: Open Mic Night @ Faulkner County Library; 7:00 p.m. Nancy@fcl.org (G) November 17: Public Concert by UCA’s University Chorus @ UCA Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall; 7:30 p.m. www. uca.edu/cfac (G) November 18, 19: Aladdin the Musical presented by Blackbird Academy of Arts @ Antioch Baptist Church; Friday @ 7:00p.m., Saturday @ 2:00 p.m. www.blackbirdacademy.org (G)

November 19: Low Brass Workshop @ UCA Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall; All Day; www.uca.edu/cfac (G) November 20: Chamber Players, Jazz and Composers Forum Concert @ Hendrix Reves Recital Hall; 7:30 p.m. griebling@hendrix.edu (PG13) November 21: Thanksgiving Concert with the Hendrix College Chamber Orchestra@ Hendrix Reves Recital Hall; 7:30 p.m. griebling@hendrix.edu (PG13) November 21: Public Concert by UCA’s Jazz Ensembles @ UCA Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall; 7:30 p.m. www.uca. edu/cfac (G) November 22: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer the Musical! @ Reynolds Performance Hall; 7:30 p.m. www.uca. edu/reynolds (G) November 29: Tim Ernst photography @ Faulkner County Library; 7:00 p.m. Nancy@fcl.org (G) November 29: Public Concert by UCA’s Wind Ensembles @ UCA Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall; 7:30 p.m. www. uca.edu/cfac (G) November 29-December 1: UCA’s Festival of One-Act Plays @ UCA Snow Fine Arts Center Bridges/Larson Theatre; 7:30 p.m. www.uca.edu/cfac (A) Rating key: G – Suitable for all ages PG-Suggested for ages 7+ PG13- Suggested for ages 13+ A- Suggested for Adults 18+

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homes

“Many family traditions have been made in our home. Fall is a time to give thanks and has also become one of our favorite family traditions!”

Pam Pruitt 40 WOMEN’S INC. / NOVEMBER 2016

P R U I T T HO M E

A fall tradition Pam Pruitt’s favorite season reflected in décor

By Jennifer Stanley Photos by Brandy Strain

Pam Pruitt’s West Conway home is idyllic for those who love falling leaves and all things pumpkin spice. From the elaborately decorated entry to many nooks and crannies throughout the house, almost no surface is without a splash of the oranges, reds, browns, and golds representative of the changing season.

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Pam is a Conway native. Her family includes husband Charlie and their two daughters, Amanda and Ashley. Amanda is married to Chris Picaro, and they have three sons. Ashley is married to Stacy Dumas, and they have two daughters and a son.

Pam has loved fall her entire life. “Back when the girls were little, people didn’t decorate for fall like they do now. But we always made a big thing out of it. We visited pumpkin patches when the kids were small, and I have always decorated our house for the season,” she shares. She has also collected seasonal decorations for years.

Her dining room includes an impressive centerpiece that utilizes an arrangement of pumpkins, sunflowers, leaves, and pinecones. These are placed on a custom table runner. Pam made the topiaries featured in the room. In fact, Pam does all of her own decorating and design. Her sideboard also keeps with the theme and includes a glass

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“I decorate the entire kitchen countertop each year. I enjoy having things around me that make me happy. I love to cook and spend a lot of time in the kitchen, so I enjoy the decorations during the season.”

Pam Pruitt

44 WOMEN’S INC. / NOVEMBER 2016

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46 WOMEN’S INC. / OCTOBER 2016

container filled with pumpkins and displays a beautiful autumnal platter.

The kitchen and hearth room have apple green walls which provide a perfect backdrop for the orange and yellow of Pam’s fall décor.

“I decorate the entire kitchen countertop each year. I enjoy having things around me that make me happy. I love to cook and spend a lot of time in the kitchen, so I enjoy the decorations during the season,” she shares.

The table in the hearth room includes one of her favorite elements, place settings in creamy yellow with painted fall leaves and acorns.

Pam even adds pumpkins and leaves in bathrooms and other unexpected areas of the home. She often creates pieces on her own, such as adding lighting to ceramic pieces.

Pam says she has shopped all over for her fall décor throughout the years, but she particularly enjoys Conway’s Classic Touch.

“Now our daughters decorate their own homes for the holiday, so it is fun to see the tradition live on,” adds Pam. She, Amanda, and Ashley now enjoy pumpkin shopping together. Charlie is instrumental in the outdoor decorations, so it is a family affair. Now, they take their grandchildren to the pumpkin patch each year. “Many family traditions have been made in our home. Fall is a time to give thanks and has also become one of our favorite family traditions!”

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health

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My Thoughts On Nutritional Supplements

By David Smith

A really long time ago – 42 years ago to be exact – I graduated from the UAMS College of Pharmacy and moved to Conway to work at Central Pharmacy, a tiny little pharmacy in the corner of the old Banister-Lieblong clinic on Parkway street. I’m sure all of you long-time Faulkner County residents remember it well.

Fresh out of pharmacy school, I was raring to go but as green as the proverbial gourd.

I’ve always been very thankful to my mentor, Glover Joyner, who gave me the opportunity to work for him, and later gave me the opportunity to buy the pharmacy. Through the years I’ve laughingly referred to that pharmacy being so small that “you had to go outside to change your mind.” It was in that small facility, however, that I began to stress the importance of proper nutritional support for my patients and it remains a focal point in my practice today.

Why do we need to take supplements anyway? The primary reason is the standard American diet. Just a couple of generations ago the vast majority of our foods were organically grown and our food supply was more nutrient rich than it is today. With a few exceptions, there just aren’t many places you can go buy organically grown fruits and vegetables today.

Due to fast foods and prepackaged foods our diet is loaded with saturated fat and “empty” calories – not to mention all of the preservatives to prolong shelf life – and provides very little true nutrition. Consequently we have a growing number of Americans with obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. But, for

48 WOMEN’S INC. / NOVEMBER 2016

the purpose of this article, I want to focus on a different reason we need supplements and some basic guidelines to follow when purchasing them.

Did you know that there are significant nutritional depletion issues associated with commonly used prescription drugs? Sometime around the late 1990s researchers learned that certain prescription drugs were associated with nutrient depletion. There was much skepticism in the medical community about the validity of that research, but it really piqued my curiosity.

Because it made good sense to me, I invested a great deal of time (and money) studying nutritional products and why we need them. Since that time research has continued at an accelerated pace. As a matter of fact, I am personally participating in a five-year nutritional study

by Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

The purpose of the study is to determine the possible cardiovascular benefits of a multivitamin and cinnamon in patients of a certain age.

I’ll let you know how that turns out – in about 10 years.

To put this in perspective, according to a Mayo Clinic study in 2013, nearly 7 out of 10 Americans regularly take at least one prescription drug. Senior citizens – including me – typically take many more than that.

Thanks to reliable research we can now identify what depletion issues those medications might cause, and have really good products to address those issues.

You’ll notice I emphasized the word “proper” in the first paragraph. That’s because there is so much misinformation that you almost need a

degree in pharmacy or another health-related profession to weed out what I call “snake oil” vendors. I’ve run across quite a few of them myself over the years. Along with reputable manufacturers, this multi-million dollar market is flooded with companies who seemingly care less about the basic good manufacturing processes we all take for granted – purity, stability, consistency of content, etc. – than they do about the bottom line. To protect the public, the FDA enacted a regulation entitled the DSHEA Act of 1994, which regulates both finished dietary supplement products and dietary ingredients. The FDA regulates dietary supplements under a different set of regulations than those covering “conventional” foods and drug products. In short, one cannot make medical claims associated with dietary supplements. What one can do, however, is recognize what nutrient depletion issue exists, what the potential consequences are, and what product(s) might prevent or rectify those issues.

In the next issue of WINC, I plan to address some common prescription drugs that are well known for nutrient depletion. I’ll also give you my thoughts on some specific nutritional products. In the meantime, please give me a call if you have questions about this or any other medication issue.

David Smith is the owner and chief pharmacist at Smith Family Pharmacy where he works with his wife Shirley and staff. He graduated from the UAMS College of Pharmacy in 1974 and has been a pharmacist in Conway for over 41 years. He loves spending time with family and is NO1POP to 5 wonderful grandchildren.

health

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Hearing vs. Understanding

Our ability to hear is not the same as our ability to understand. Hearing sensitivity is a function of the ear. Speech understanding is a function of the brain. The outer ear, ear drum, ossicles, cochlea etc. function to collect sound and transmit it to the auditory cortex of the brain. There the brain must translate what the ears have collected into something that it can understand. If hearing loss prevents the ear from picking up all of the sounds of speech then the amount of information that the brain has to work with becomes limited and speech understanding suffers. If this lack of stimulation goes unchecked for many years the brain effectively forgets how to process speech. It’s a case of use it or loose it and thus why early diagnosis of hearing loss and early intervention with the proper hearing aids is so important.

There are two primary components of speech, volume and clarity. These contribute to our understanding. The volume of words comes from loud, low frequency vowel sounds that we make with our vocal cords.

The clarity of words comes from soft, high frequency consonant sounds that we make with our lips and teeth. If high frequency

hearing loss prevents us from hearing the soft sounds at the beginning of a word and we only hear the loud vowel sounds, then we don’t know if the person speaking said, Hat, Cat, or Sat. We just hear, “at” and accuse the speaker of mumbling. This seems worse in a noisy place like a restaurant because all of the sound waves colliding in the air further exaggerate the condition and the auditory environment just seems like a dull roar.

Hearing aids used on a regular, daily basis can provide great improvement in not only hearing but understanding as well.

Research shows that most people with hearing loss wait seven years between the time that they first start having problems and the time that they get a hearing test. In this time period the brain is losing practice at understanding. If the hearing loss is too severe and goes on for too long there is always a chance that it can not be improved, but almost always, patients who choose to correct their hearing loss sooner rather than latter and who wear their hearing aids often will hear and understand speech much better.

An accurate examination can reveal exactly where the deficit lies along the

spectrum of speech sounds and which type of hearing aid circuitry and programming will best aid the listener in regaining the ability to understand speech more clearly.

This is where the experience and training of your audiologist comes into play in order to incrementally give the user the correctly prescribed settings, in the correctly prescribed amount of time so that the brain can be appropriately reintroduced to the subtle differences between consonant sounds.

Hearing loss is the 3rd most prevalent chronic condition in older adults behind hypertension and arthritis. The majority of hearing loss, 90%, in adults is sensorineural, for which hearing aids are the only treatment available. Hearing aids are also a viable treatment option for conductive hearing losses where surgery is not an option - JAMA 2003:289(15).

“I hear but I don’t understand.” “People just mumble when they talk to me.” “People talk too fast.” There is a solution to this lack of understanding. The first step is getting an examination, preferably in a medical clinic that specializes in diagnosing and treating disorders of the ear and hearing. Hearing health is an important aspect of our daily lives and poor hearing that leads to poor understanding can contribute to numerous negative health consequences ranging from depression and isolation to dementia. (http://www.aarp.org/health/brainhealth/info-07-2013/hearing-loss-linkedto-dementia.html)

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imatter

Caroline Osborn Takes Conway to the Middle East

By Jennifer Stanley Submitted photos It’s a long way from Conway to Dubai, but one Conway High School graduate is connecting the two cities in an effort to broaden her studies. Caroline Osborn, a senior honors student at the University of Arkansas, earned a competitive William Jefferson Clinton Scholarship to study at the American University in Dubai. Her studies commenced in September, and she is the first student at U of A to earn the prestigious scholarship.

Caroline is a double major in French and Middle East Studies with a minor in Arabic in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. “I learned about the opportunity to study abroad at the American University in Dubai (AUD) from my Arabic professor at U of A. He visited AUD last spring over spring break and learned about the Clinton Scholarship program here,” she shares. The goal of the William Jefferson Clinton Scholarship at the AUD is to provide American students the opportunity to expand their learning through studying in 50 WOMEN’S INC. / NOVEMBER 2016

the Middle East.

Caroline began the application process in April, which included submission of a 500-word essay, a letter of recommendation, a transcript, and her resume, among other paperwork. She had a phone interview for the scholarship by the end of June. “I was on the outskirts of Yosemite at the time, and my call was scheduled for six in the morning. It’s a miracle I woke up in time for it and had service! After I was notified that I received the scholarship, I sent AUD a ton of paperwork concerning my housing, class schedule, and visa,” says Caroline.

Despite her excellent academic record, she was surprised to learn she got the scholarship. “After my phone interview I was expecting to wait at least two weeks to hear back from them. I got an email from them later that week! I remember thinking, ‘How did this happen? I’m a random girl from Conway….’ Naturally I was also very excited! Studying abroad, especially in Dubai, would not have been possible for me without this scholarship.”

Caroline’s studies at AUD will culminate in completion of the Middle Eastern Stud-

ies (MEST) Certificate Program, which requires 18 hours of courses. Those courses include an Arabic language class, Introduction to Middle Eastern History, Islamic Art and Architecture, and classes on the Qur’an and Iraq. “I’m considering working in the Middle East after I graduate, and living in Dubai has given me exposure to a huge diversity of cultures, including Emirati traditions. Whatever I end up doing in my career, I hope to continue learning Arabic and bring about understanding between Middle Easterners and Westerners,” she says. Caroline hopes to teach English in the region, rather than work for an embassy.

Though she has enjoyed numerous interesting encounters, one stands out. “The AUD study abroad mentors took us to the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding in Old Dubai, where we had an amazing local meal on the floor (with coffee and dates), and tried on the traditional dress.”

“In Dubai the expats greatly outnumber the Emiratis, so I’ve met students from all over the world, including Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Pakistan, India, the United States, the United King-

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dom, Australia, Spain, Hungary, Madagascar, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, and Egypt. Everyone on campus knows I’m a visiting student because, I think, I’m one of the only white Americans here.

Surprisingly most people think I’m from Europe, which might explain why so many European tourists come up to me for help with directions,” she says.

Several of Caroline’s friends expressed concern for her safety upon learning of her plans to study in Dubai. “While the culture certainly is different, especially towards single young women, I actually feel very safe…. There are sections on all public transportation specifically designated for women and kids - men are fined if they are found trespassing! There are also taxis driven by women for women. And the security guards at AUD make sure all the girls who live on campus are safe. Dubai is definitely a more Westernized place in the Middle East; it’s stable and developing. I’m excited to see how women will thrive in this city.”

imatter Young people are often the pulse of a community, as sporting events, school events and activities bring them into the spotlight. Women’s Inc. wants to showcase these young people in a special feature each month. iMatter will seek to tell the stories of a new generation of community, skill, success and achievement. Do you know a student in Faulkner county who is truly one of a kind?

Send youth’s name, school, parents contact information (if under 18) and a brief explanation of why you think your youth or you would make a iMatter candidate to Winc@thecabin.net