Toad Tab 2010 by Log Cabin Democrat

2010

TOAD SUCK DAZE

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C O N WAY, A R K A N S A S

2010 Festival Guide April 30, May 1 and 2

TOAD SUCK DAZE

Sunday, April 25, 2010

C O N WAY, A R K A N S A S

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— Sunday, April 25, 2010 • Toad Suck Daze

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TSD committee asks for community to commit to goal of $1M S

ince 1981, the Toad Suck Daze Committee of the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce has organized and developed a scholarship program to promote continuing education in Faulkner County. Funds coming from festival proceeds and the sales of Toad Suck Daze merchandise help provide the sought-after scholarships. Since the scholarship program’s inception, the committee has awarded more than $583,000 to 182 Faulkner County students attending the University of Central Arkansas, Central Baptist College, Hendrix College and the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton. The Toad Suck Daze Get Smart Challenge was endowed in 2008 by the committee in the amount of $300,000 to the Community Foundation of Faulkner County. Combined with endowments at UCA, Hendrix and CBC, the number exceeds $500,000. The committee also pledged another

$250,000 to the endowment for 2012. The Toad Suck Daze committee would like to challenge the community of Faulkner County to raise $250,000 by 2012 to create $1 million in endowments. Lacy Glover, scholarship VIP of the TSD committee, said, “The whole purpose of the festival is to provide scholarships to local students, and it’s one of the largest festivals in the state. Aside from getting scholarships, local students learn about community involvement through the application process because of the application’s community service requirements.” Glover said one stipulation of receiving a scholarship from the fund is accruing a number of volunteer hours, many of which can be obtained by working at the festival. “Students can do anything they want to do during the festival. Toad Suck Daze is very handson. It requires a lot of manpower. They can help anywhere needed. From help-

TOAD SUCK DAZE

2010

By COURTNEY SPRADLIN LOG CABIN STAFF WRITER

C O N WAY, A R K A N S A S

ing with toad races to volunteering with the entertainment committee.” Glover said scholarship winners will be announced just before Sunday’s main act, Jason Crabb, at the Simon Park stage. In 2010, the Toad Suck Daze Committee will provide the following scholarship contributions: Six scholarships in the amount of $4,000 each will be awarded to students planning to attend UCA, CBC or Hendrix College. Each school will receive two and will choose the student from those who applied for the Toad Suck

Daze Community Service Scholarship. One scholarship in the amount of $1,500 will be awarded to a student attending the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton. The school will choose the C O N WAY, A R Kstudent ANSAS from those who applied for the Toad Suck Daze Community Service Scholarship. Four scholarships in the amount of $4,000 will be awarded to students planning to attend UCA, CBC or Hendrix from the Toad Suck Daze Get Smart Scholarship Fund at the Community Foundation of

Faulkner County. A donation of $1,500 will be given to the Faulkner County Single Parent Scholarship Fund to provide scholarships. Also, $50,000 will be put into endowment to help reach the committee’s goal of $1 million in endowment by 2012. (Staff writer Courtney Spradlin can be reached by e-mail at courtney. spradlin@thecabin. net or by phone at 505-1236. To comment on this and other stories in the Log Cabin, log on to www.thecabin.net. Send us your news at www.thecabin. net/submit)

TOAD SUCK DAZE

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Toad Suck Daze • Sunday, April 25, 2010—

First family ‘toadally’ committed to TSD By MEGAN REYNOLDS LOG CABIN STAFF WRITER

obby and Ericka French affectionately describe Toad Suck Daze as a “holiday” in their home. The year’s first family was nominated and then voted 2010 Honorary Co-Chairs by the Toad Suck Daze Committee. Bobby and Ericka French are Conway natives. Bobby is the owner of Central Arkansas Professional Surveying on Front Street. Ericka is a fourth-grade teacher in the Conway School District. The couple have three children, Kylee, 9, Lucas, 8, and Logan, 6. The pair are no strangers to community service. In his spare time, Bobby serves as board president for the Faulkner County Boys and Girls Club. Ericka serves in the Julia Lee Moore PTO and is involved with the New Life Church youth program. Additionally, the two share a passion for the annual Toad Suck Daze festivities. Bobby said his involvement in the festival began in the ’90s, as a member of the Chamber of Commerce. “We would cook hamburgers all weekend, and some time along the way, we started selling the drinks for the Toad Suck Daze Committee and I have been there every year, all weekend ever since,” he said. Ericka attended the first Daze festival in 1982. “I can still remember

standing in the mud with my shoes and ticket in hand with my sister waiting to get in the bounce house,” she said. “It seemed like we were at the World’s Fair or something.” Ericka said that “fun, family atmosphere and seeing old friends” keeps their family active in the festival’s organization each year. “There is something for everyone in the family,” Ericka said. “The committed volunteers make it all happen.” Bobby agreed. “I’ve been on several boards and have never found a group of people as dedicated and excited about serving their community as the Toad Suck Daze committee is,” he said. “It is the most fun you can have while volun-

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teering your time for a great cause.” Bobby attributed the festival’s success to the team of dedicated volunteers who are “willing to give their time over the years, and their commitment to keeping the core values of the original members,” which he said is to host a fun, family-oriented weekend while raising money for Faulkner County scholarships. “We love being there and watching the kids and families have fun while spending time together,” he said. Ericka agreed. “Now our kids share the excitement. They can’t wait to race toads and ride the rides. They talk about it all year. It’s like a holiday at the French house.”

“Fun, family atmosphere and seeing old friends” keeps the French family active in Toad Suck Daze. SUBMITTED PHOTO

— Sunday, April 25, 2010 • Toad Suck Daze

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Toadmaster fulfills childhood dream By COURTNEY SPRADLIN LOG CABIN STAFF WRITER

n a crisp fall day in 1999, Brian Ratliff received a telephone call, which would both fulfill one of his childhood dreams and transform him into a town festival hero, the Toadmaster. “I got a phone call from the Toad Suck Daze committee, asking if I’d be interested in taking over the position. I told him it was something I’d need to talk to my boss about and see, who also ended up being my wife, and my superintendent,” Ratliff said. Ratliff was the assistant principal at the time, for Greenbrier primary and intermediate schools. “I told him initially, obviously, that I would jump at the opportunity to do it. I’d like to hop on board with the Toad Suck committee,”

Brian Ratliff has been the Toadmaster for the past 11 years. Ratliff said one of his favorite things to do as Toadmaster is to see the people he knows with their children. “Toad Suck Daze can be like a big family reunion every year,” he said. LOG CABIN FILE PHOO

Ratliff said. Ratliff said he attended the very first Toad Suck Daze festival. “Toad Suck Daze has been one of my favorite festivals to attend. It’s in Conway, and I’ve grown up here.” Ratliff said he got the OK from his wife and superintendent, and told the committee he’d love to take the job. “I’ve been a part of it ever since.” Ratliff is the fourth Toadmaster of the festival. Others included Jim Stone and Woodrow Cummins, both former administrators for the Conway school district. “Mr. Stone was my principal in junior high. One year during Toad Suck Daze I told him I thought it was a really great job and one day I would want to be Toadmaster. It was a little bit of foreshadowing from a 14-year-old,” Ratliff said. Brent Chalker, former festival promoter for the

Conway Area Chamber of Commerce, also held the prestigious title of Toadmaster. Ratliff said his most important duty as head toad lies in conjunction with the festival’s toad races. “I, along with Marty Sikes, do all the races. We get them started. The two biggest races we have are the final race for the championship and the Jamie Bray Jump for Education Race. “Since Toad Suck Daze is focused on education and gives back to the community, the Jump for Education Race has gained importance,” Ratliff said. “That one is a lot of fun to me because having worked both in the Greenbrier and Conway districts, and now in Vilonia, I know a lot of kids from around and as Toadmaster, I get the privilege of going to the schools to visit with kids and get them excited about Toad Suck Daze and inspire them to race toads. Everyone who races is a winner. They all get a ribbon, and the winner of each heat is to come back on Sunday for the final race for the coveted gold cup.” Ratliff said one of his favorite things to do as Toadmaster is to see the people he knows with their children. “It’s a lot of fun to see the kids I’ve raced toads with, and their parents over the last 11 years. It’s a great festival and Conway is in general one of the friendliest towns in America. People are so outgoing and friendly. They are willing to tell you to have a good day and smile. Toad Suck Daze can be like a big family reunion every year.” (Staff writer Courtney Spradlin can be reached by e-mail at courtney.spradlin@thecabin. net or by phone at 505-1236. To comment on this and other stories in the Log Cabin, log on to www.thecabin.net. Send us your news at www.thecabin.

net/submit)

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— Sunday, April 25, 2010 • Toad Suck Daze

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Toad Suck Daze FAQs By JOE LAMB LOG CABIN STAFF WRITER

oad Suck Daze offers a bewildering array of activities, and it’s understandable that folks might need a little guidance. The Log Cabin Democrat offers these frequently asked questions and their answers to help out. Q: How much do the concerts cost? A: Why, they’re free. Enjoy. Q: How does my child sign up to race a toad? A: There’s no registration or “signup sheet.” Just go to Verizon Toad Dome and assemble in line. Ideally, you will have captured a wild racing toad during the toad roundup, which starts at dark on Tuesday at the Tucker Creek Walking/Bike Trail’s Salem Road trailhead. If your kid doesn’t have a toad or the toad they caught has met with some horrible misfortune, a number of carefully selected

racing toads will be lounging in the athletes’ paddock of the toad hotel at the Verizon Toad Dome waiting for their chance to make history. Q: Who takes toad bucks? Who doesn’t? A: Carnival rides, food/ drink vendors and T-shirt stands all trade in toad bucks. Arts/crafts vendors and carnival games require cold, hard cash. Q: Are toad bucks refundable? A: Sorry, buddy, but no. Q: How’s the toad buckto-dollar exchange rate holding up? A: It’s still steady at one to one. Q: Where should I park? A: Wherever you want, provided that you understand that parking in a prohibited place may result in your car

being — maestro, drumroll please — toad. There are several businesses that will allow you to park in their parking lot, sometimes for a fee, but beware: if there is a no parking sign, it still does mean it even if it is a special weekend.

not a bad idea to make sure that children know where they need to go if they become separated from their parents or guardians, and that the parents and guardians know where to start looking for them.

Q: If my child wanders off, where can I go to find them?

Q: There seems to be a railroad track running right smack dab through the middle of Toad Suck Daze. Does this mean that a train might come by?

A: As always, there will be a secure, supervised area for lost children, whether they show up there themselves asking for help or if a police/fire official takes them there. If your child becomes lost, find a police/fire official or a Toad Suck Daze official, who will be wearing a green polo shirt with “Staff” written on the back, and ask for the “Lost Children’s Corral” on Main Street across from carnival area and in front of Guy Murphy building. The Conway Police Department’s event command post is set up nearby, and the area for lost children is labeled on the festival brochure map. It’s

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A: Yes indeed. It is a certainty that a number of trains will come through during Toad Suck Daze. All railroad crossings will be manned by local authorities and/or members of the Union Pacific volunteer employee club, and these people take their job very seriously, as well they should. Everyone is urged to obey their instructions. Also, the railroad tracks and the gravel beds that they sit on are Union Pacific property. Walking along them may seem like a way to get from A to B without fighting a crowd, but it’s also

trespassing — and therefore illegal — and law enforcement officers will be everywhere. Consider yourselves warned. Q: What’s free? A: All kids entertainment is, of course, free, as are some carnival-style games, the rock climbing wall and pony rides. New this year is the Conway Corp. Toadal Game Zone on Parkway Street next to the police station, where contests will be held with various family-friendly video games, or you can just kick back and play just for fun. Q: What about that New Orleans street band that was so great the last couple of years? Are they coming back? A: Sadly, no. This year’s budget was a little tight after last year’s epic rainfall meant that Toad Suck Daze funds fell short. Cuts had to be made, and the Loose Marbles band was one of them. Hopefully they’ll be back next year.

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Toad Suck Daze • Sunday, April 25, 2010—

Ask a herpetologist the toad’s lesser cousin, the ungainly and disagreeable frog, though this animal has no sporting purpose.

By JOE LAMB LOG CABIN STAFF WRITER

t’s only a few days a year that more than a handful of people on the globe ask themselves, “Can’t my toad be made to go just a little quicker?”

Luckily for you, you’re holding in your hands the answer to that question, and the answer is an unqualified yes. This can only mean one thing: It’s time to ask a herpetologist. This year’s answers to the questions on the minds of hundreds of toad racers will be answered by Dr. J. Whitfield “Whit” Gibbons, Professor Emeritus of Ecology at the University of Georgia and head of the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory’s Environmental Outreach and Education Program. Dr. Gibbons was awarded in 2006 with the Henry S. Fitch Award for Excellence in Herpetology from the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. It should also be noted that Dr. Gibbons actually wrote the book on toads (and their dastardly cousins, the frogs), “Frogs and Toads of the Southeast,” along with co-author Mike Dorcas. He is also the author of a number of other books on reptiles and amphibians in general, including “Their Blood Runs Cold: Adventures with Reptiles and Amphibians.” It must also be said that Dr. Gibbons has, for some reason, educated himself on

Q: So, Dr. Gibbons, we all know that an ichthyologist studies fish, an ornithologist studies birds, and an archaeologists unearths the remnants of ancient civilizations and battles mummies and Nazis and many other unspeakable ancient evils — what does a herpetologist do? A: Herpetologists study reptiles and amphibians, which includes toads. Q: Very good. You would know then how to best care for a racing toad in the days leading up to the big race. What should we do to give our racing toads a perfect “home away from home?” A: You want to give your toad a container that it could not get out of. You’d want to give it a place where it could hide, like a log shaped so it could get under it or a matchbox — you could use anything that it could crawl into or under and hide. I would put dirt on the bottom, and you’ve got to be sure to have a bowl of water. They won’t use it like a frog would (we’re sure Dr. Gibbons refers here to the frog’s notoriously frivolous use of water), but they might need to get a drink of water or soak in

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Q: What is an ideal diet for a racing toad? A: They could go without food for a week, but if you can find an earthworm or two they would love to eat it. Earthworms, mealworms and insects all are part of a toad’s diet. Crickets would be perfect, or earthworms, and you can get those in bait stores anywhere. Q: These toads are of course athletes. What training techniques do you recommend to ensure peak performance on race day? A: Just like any other athlete, getting some exercise and building up those muscles will make them stronger and faster. Urge him to hop along once a day or twice a day; that would probably be good. Can I ask what they do to make them jump? ... Oh. So I would scream at my toad (during pre-race training). I’d imagine that a lot of them will just sit there and don’t do anything when there’s a lot of people around screaming at them, so make your toad so he’s not scared of that and talk to them and give them a lot of encouragement, that’s for sure. Let them get comfortable around people and do

not use any type of steroids. If you’ve read Mark Twain’s story... Q: I’m sorry to interrupt, but you do understand, Doctor, that Mr. Twain’s story is about frogs and that what we are discussing here is a different matter entirely? A: Well, yes. In Mark Twain’s story, somebody else filled (an already cumbersome frog) with buckshot, and that’s why he lost the contest. I’d make sure nobody else handles my toad — unless you trust them. Just watch your animals and take care of them. You’ve got to treat them like racehorses. Q: How should we look for the best racing toads? A: The first thing about looking for toads is looking for them at night. If it’s raining it’s going to help, and you should listen for them first. Toads where you are have a really pretty sound — but be careful, because there are other animals that live in the same habitat. There could be venomous snakes or spiders or other stinging insects. But a real caution, and what we always tell people, if you’re looking around roads, be real careful of traffic. Hunting along walking trail sounds ideal. Q: Which toad should I pick? How can I tell a real

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winner from a back-of-thepack toad? A: With those toads that you’re dealing with, the big ones are typically the females and the smaller ones are the males. The males spend a lot more time looking for females than females do looking for males. The females can usually stay in one place and find a male, but a male might have to travel a great distance to find a female, and so they’re more adapted for moving on land. I would go for the largest male toad I could find, because it’s probably travelled a lot more in its life. Q: Toads don’t seem to wear clothes or have hairstyles that might allow quick gender identification. How do I know if I’ve got a giant male or a runty female? A: With the toads you have in your area — and this is generally true of most species of toads and frogs — if you look under its chin and it is a light color, it’s a female; if under its chin it’s a dark, almost black color, it’s a male. Q: And finally, Doctor, what got you into this field of study? A: I’m probably like a bunch of those kids you’re going to see during the races. Kids love to go out and catch animals, in my case it was snakes in particular, but frogs and turtles as well ... and toads, of course toads. I’ve loved doing that since I was 5 years old, and I happened to grow up in a family that let me get away with it and then in college they let me get away with it and that’s what I’ve been getting away with ever since. I’m just lucky to have been able to make a living doing what I’ve loved to do since I was 5 years old.

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Toad Suck Daze • Sunday, April 25, 2010— Forty vendors will be on hand at Toad Suck Daze 2010. Food will include funnel cakes, kettle corn, fried Twinkies, fried Snickers, roasted corn and more. LOG CABIN FILE PHOTO

Food easy to find at Toad Suck Daze

By ADAM SWEENEY LOG CABIN STAFF WRITER

ith all of the walking that will be necessary to properly enjoy Toad Suck Daze, attendees are guaranteed to work up quite an appetite. Luckily 40 vendors will be on hand to make sure that hunger is satisfied, with every thing from pizza to the much-loved chicken-on-a-stick available. Among the usual returning favorites will be Blackwoods’ gyros, Chicago Style Pizza, and the cajun food vendor who offers up such treats such as alligator tail. Another perenial favorite, roasted corn, will also be available. Sweet T’s wil be selling the familiar sausage-on-astick. For those with a sweet tooth, usual festival-type food such as funnel cakes and kettle corn will be offered. And treats like fried Twinkies and fried Snickers are always popular, Carla O’Dwyer, who is overseeing concessions this

year, said. All of this eating is bound to work up a thirst, and naturally, Toad Suck has that covered, too. Along with the usual favorite soft drinks being available in various locations, one stand offers something a tad different. “Wild Bill’s Root Beer offers the chance to make your own Root Beer. Kids will enjoy that,” O’Dwyer said. Other items popular with children that will be on hand are snow cones, corn dogs and Dippin Dots. As usual, Toad Bucks Booths are located near every concession area, in pretty close to the same locations they were last year, O’Dwyer said. One exciting change this year is an easy-to-use map of concession areas that can be accessed using the iCabin app, which can be purchased in the iTunes Store for an annual fee of $2.99. By clicking on the Toad Suck Daze link, the map is easy to find and provides not only the locations of all vendors but the names of the booths and the food they have available.

Log Cabin iPhone app a must-have at TSD LOG CABIN DEMOCRAT

Throughout its history, the Log Cabin has coupled outstanding community journalism with evolving technologies to better serve our loyal customers. We recently launched a new tool that will enable us to provide news and information on the go to anyone around the world — the Log Cabin iPhone application. The project is a result of a collaborative project involving marketing firm Clarovista, the Conway Chamber of Commerce and four exclusive sponsors — Caldwell Toyota, Centennial Bank, Conway Corp. and Conway Regional Medical Center. Log Cabin Democrat Publisher Rick Fahr said the application provides a media platform combining a local focus with an ease-of-use that viewers appreciate. “There isn’t another media outlet that focuses on Conway and Faulkner County the way the Log Cabin Democrat

does. We never stop looking for ways to serve our customers better, and this application is another way we can reach people with a device that is already a part of their daily life,” he explained. The application contains a variety of information from the newspaper and the Log Cabin’s Web portal, www.thecabin.net, but it also features several types of content not available in any other format. A unique component of the application is the Toad Suck Daze section, which includes entertainment and event schedules, maps of concessions and activities and other must-have content about Faulkner County’s premier annual festival. “We wanted to unveil the application for Toad Suck Daze, and so that put the development process on a tight timeline. Lee Watson, Doug Ward and everyone involved with building the app worked unbelievably hard to make it happen,” Fahr noted. “The results of their efforts speak

for themselves.” The project would not have been possible without the support of key sponsors, the publisher said. “We knew we needed help to get this project off the ground, and so we contacted a few key players in the community,” Fahr explained. “Each one jumped on board, and their support is making this project possible. We can’t thank them enough.” Over time, the application will include new features. “We will be adding more content sections and types as we go along. The evolution of the Log Cabin app will continue as we go forward. Also, in coming months, the app will be available for other ‘smart-phone’ platforms,” Fahr noted. The application is now available through Apple’s iTunes app store for an annual fee of $2.99. Stop by the Log Cabin tent at Toad Suck Daze to learn more or discuss features you’d like to see on the app in the future.

10 — Sunday, April 25, 2010 • Toad Suck Daze

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Education, fun toadally come together in kids zone By BROOKE TACKER LOG CABIN STAFF WRITER

oad Suck Daze may be all about education, but it’s also toadally about fun. Those two characteristics are fused at the Toadal Kids Zone, named the Chesapeake Energy Kids Zone this year. The Kids Zone provides entertainment and education for children of all ages. Peggy Paxton, a fifth-grade teacher in Conway Public Schools, is in her third year on the Toad Suck Daze Committee, and she was a Toad Suck volunteer for two years before joining the committee. “I’m a teacher, so I love that the money

goes back into education for scholarships for students in Faulkner County,” Paxton said when asked why she is involved in the festival. “I enjoy seeing all the students and parents out there, and I like to be a good example for my students.” The entertaiment at Kids Zone will include acts of comedy, magic, dance, baton twirlers, music and drama. There will be two stages in the kids zone, the Courthouse Stage and the Petit Jean Meats’ Kids Stage. The children’s pet show will again start the weekend off with a hop on Friday at 4:15 p.m. Then, Tommy

Terrific’s Wacky Magic show will return for its second year on the Courthouse Stage at 5:15 p.m. There will be four magic shows throughout the weekend, and there will be drawings at each show to give away free books. The Faulkner County Library will also have a tent set up in the Toadal Kids Zone. There, parents and children can find out information about the summer reading program. New additions to this year’s Toadal Kids Zone are Radio Disney, the Central Arkansas Children’s Choir and the choir from the University of Arkansas Commu-

nity College at Morrilton, Soundscape. The University of Central Arkansas’s reggae band, The Farmers, is another new act to the kids zone. This group was supposed to play last year, but was canceled due to rain. For younger toadsters, CenterPoint Energy is sponsoring a toad dig from 4-5 p.m. Saturday. Children 5 years old and younger will dig in sand for toads and eggs to win prizes. Lost child wristbands will be available again at the lost child tent. Parents can write their cell phone numbers on the wristbands in case they get separated from their

child. The wristbands are free. “I think that’s a great idea because we can immediately contact the parents and ease some of the worry,” Paxton said. She also said that families won’t want to miss out on so much free entertainment and enrichment for their children. And, any money that is spent goes toward scholarships. “Toad Suck Daze has a great atmosphere,” Paxton said. “All the money goes back into Faulkner County and these kids (who come to Toad Suck) will go to college and hopefully get one of the scholarships one day.”

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Log Cabin Democrat • Find our online edition at www.thecabin.net

Toad Suck Daze • Sunday, April 25, 2010— 11

Chesapeake Energy Toadal Kids Zone Schedule 2010 Friday, April 30 Petit Jean Meats’ Kids Stage 4:15 P.M. Children’s Pet Show Courthouse Stage 5:15 P.M. Tommy Terrific’s Wacky Magic “Fun in Reading Show” 6:15 P.M. Tommy Terrific’s Wacky Magic “Fun in Reading Show” Saturday, May 1 Petit Jean Meats’ Kids Stage 10:30 A.M. Derrick Rose the Magician 11:00 A.M.

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Derrick Rose the Magician 11:30 A.M. The Balloon Man 12:00 P.M. Checkers the Clown 12:30 P.M. Greenbrier Eastside Sports Stackers 1:00 P.M. Greenbrier Eastside Baton Twirlers 1:30 P.M. Radio Disney 2:00 P.M. Radio Disney 2:30 P.M. The Balloon Man 3:00 P.M. Checkers the Clown 3:30 P.M. The Balloon Man 4:00 P.M. CenterPoint Energy Toad Dig Courthouse Stage

10:30 A.M. The Ida Burns Scat Cats Choir 11:00 A.M. The Mustang Singers of JLM 11:30 A.M. Voices of Sallie Cone 12:00 P.M. Ruth Doyle Intermediate Choir 12:30 P.M. Greenbrier Westside Choir 1:00 P.M. Evangeline Parker and Teen Promise 1:30 P.M. Radio Disney 2:00 P.M. Radio Disney 2:30 P.M. Sonshine Academy Dancers 3:00 P.M. Central Arkansas Baton Twirlers 3:30 P.M.

Soundscape 4:00 P.M. CenterPoint Energy Toad Dig 5:00 P.M. The Farmers (UCA Reggae Band) Sunday, May 2 Petit Jean Meats’ Kids Stage 12:30 P.M. Derrick Rose the Magician 1:00 P.M. Derrick Rose the Magician 1:30 P.M. The Balloon Man 2:00 P.M. Checkers the Clown 2:30 P.M. The Balloon Man 3:00 P.M. Checkers the Clown 3:30 P.M. Vilonia Melodies

Courthouse Stage 12:30 P.M. UCA Community School of Music Guitar Studio 1:00 P.M. UCA Community School of Music Guitar Studio 1:30 P.M. Tommy Terrific’s Wacky Magic “Fun in Reading Show” 2:00 P.M. Mt. Gale Youth Choir 2:30 P.M. Mt. Gale Youth Choir 3:00 P.M. Central Arkansas Children Choir 3:30 P.M. Tommy Terrific’s Wacky Magic “Fun in Reading Show”

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12 — Sunday, April 25, 2010 • Toad Suck Daze

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Toad Buck Chairman: John Albritton Toad Dome Co-Chairmen: Jill Imboden and Jennifer Green Toadal Kids Zone Chairman: Peggy Paxton Toad Market Chairman: Joy Cox Members: Kyle Allison, John Albritton, Jeff Anderson, Chris Baker, Brianna Belote, Jackie Bennett, Jackie Black, Paula Bruner, Doug Coppock, Joy Cox, Wayne Cox, Joe Crisafulli, Mark Daniels, Betsy Eckardt, Stacie Edwards, Dan Fife, Randy Freeman, Bobby French, Ericka French, Lacy Glover, Chris Green, Jennifer Green, Cory Imboden, Jill Imboden, Perry Kelley, Paul Kerst, Lauren Loftin, Anne Mann, Rebecca McHughes, Robert McHughes, Jay McConnell, Kim Nash, Jackie Nicholson, Carla O’Dwyer, Peggy Paxton, Sherry Pelot, Amy Reed, Lanette Rogers, Carter Rook, Jerry Rye, Marc Shock 2011 Honorary CoChairmen: Wayne and Joy Cox 2009 Honorary CoChairmen: Cory and Jill Imboden

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14 — Sunday, April 25, 2010 • Toad Suck Daze

To subscribe call (501) 329-2927 • Log Cabin Democrat

Crafts, food, and toad gear available at Toad Market By COURTNEY SPRADLIN LOG CABIN STAFF WRITER

s hand-crafted and home-spun items become more popular in pop culture, Toad Suck Daze’s Toad Market vendors wonder what took the rest of the United States so long. Vendors, numbering 182 this year, will fill downtown Conway during Toad Suck Daze, hoping customers will hop in to find that unique something they were looking for. “We’ll have hand crafted hummingbird feeders, handmade purses, tie dyed shirts. A man will sell his wooden swings and rockers. We’ll have quilts, mosaic crosses. We also have a booth where they sell mixes to bring home and make meals. There’s lots of toys for the kids. Several booths will be selling baby items like onesies, bibs, di-

aper bags and other things like that. Several booths will be selling embroidered dresses and handbags. One booth will sell girl’s and women’s hunting apparel. There will be hand-woven rugs and place mats,” Joy Cox, Toad Market chairwoman said. Cox said there are hundreds of variations of those items listed available, and she is anticipating homemade treats like chocolatedipped strawberries, fudge, pecan brittle and kettle corn. “We embrace the arts and crafts idea,” Cox said. Vendors will come from Georgia, Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi and Florida. “The market covers parts of Parkway, Main, Locust, and Oak Street,” Cox said.

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Homemade and hand-crafted items will be available in the Toad Market at this year’s Toad Suck Daze. “We embrace the arts and crafts idea,” said Joy Cox, Toad Market chairwoman. LOG CABIN FILE PHOTO

Toad Market hours will be Friday 4-11 p.m., Saturday, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. “I think it’s going to be great this year, with some-

thing for everyone,” Cox said. (Staff writer Courtney Spradlin can be reached by e-mail at courtney.spradlin@ thecabin.net or by phone at

505-1236. To comment on this and other stories in the Log Cabin, log on to www. thecabin.net. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/ submit)

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Toad Suck Daze • Sunday, April 25, 2010— 15

Conway Corp. to host Toadal Game Zone, Guitar Hero tourney at TSD be available to play on during the festival, with prizes going to winners of selected Wii games. “Anyone can come play games throughout the festival,” Kemp said.

By COURTNEY SPRADLIN LOG CABIN STAFF WRITER

onway Corporation has hopped on the gaming bandwagon this year to host the new Toadal Game Zone, an interactive gaming experience, including a Guitar Hero tournament, at Conway’s Toad Suck Daze festival. The event will be held at the corner of Main and Parkway streets in the Toad Market area. In addition to the tournament play, open game play will be available on multiple screens throughout the weekend. Sixty-four players will be selected to play in the tournament, with the overall winner receiving a 42-inch Pioneer HDTV, along with six months HD cable service from Conway Corporation. The runnerup will receive an Xbox 360 plus six months of premi-

(Staff writer Courtney

Subscriber Services 1-800-678-4523 um Internet service. Tournament contestants must be at least 16 years of age by Friday and provide parental consent if under 18. Contestants will compete on Friday and Saturday for a chance to reach the finals on Sunday. “For several years we’ve had different activities we’ve hosted at Toad Suck

Daze, and we wanted to do something that gives us an opportunity to interact with our customers. This was the idea presented and we’re really excited about doing something that’s already very popular,” Crystal Kemp, marketing coordinator for Conway Corporation said. Kemp said several different game consoles will

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Spradlin can be reached by e-mail at courtney.spradlin@ thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1236. To comment on this and other stories in the Log Cabin, log on to www. thecabin.net. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/ submit)

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18 — Sunday, April 25, 2010 • Toad Suck Daze

To subscribe call (501) 329-2927 • Log Cabin Democrat

Sticking it out at Stuck on a Truck By JOE LAMB LOG CABIN STAFF WRITER

2010 will be the 10th year for Stuck on a Truck. This years contestants will be competing to beat the record, set in 2007, at 98 hours and 48 minutues. LOG CABIN FILE PHOTO

f you want to know what someone’s really made of, check in with them after three days of competing in Stuck on a Truck, Toad Suck Daze’s ultimate test of endurance and the only event of the festival where nobody asks why we spell “daze” the way we do. Thousands upon thousands signed up to have their name added to the list of possible contestants, and that list has been whittled down to 25 contestants through a series of drawings, the last of which will have been held by the time you’re reading this. This will be the 10th year for Stuck on a Truck, and the event’s organizers have taken an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” ap-

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proach to this year’s rules. The 25 contestants stand around the truck with at least one hand touching it, the clock starts ticking, and the last one standing gets to drive the truck home (after a good night’s or day’s rest, or both). Last year, Conway Christian School athletic director and head football coach Chuck Speer beat all comers, including Jumbo Cauthen, who most spectators agreed seemed a permanent fixture beside the truck and a good bet to be the winner. However, after 83 hours and 43 minutes of standing solidly as a mighty oak, Cauthen reached down with one hand to undo one knee brace in preparation for a 15-minute break, and then, tragically, reached down with his other hand to undo the second knee brace.

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The record stands at 98 hours and 48 minutes, set in 2007 by Danny Alford after he and second-place finisher Dana Kemp put on a tremendous display of endurance. Lori Case, spokesperson for Centennial Bank, the event’s main sponsor, has been an official at Stuck on a Truck since the beginning, and she’s seen just about everything the exhaustion of Stuck on a Truck can offer. Confusion, delirium, paranoia and, ultimately, a bit of hallucinating are all par for the course after a couple of days. It’s tough, and it can take its toll on a body. Happily, part of Stuck on a Truck is the involvement of the Conway Fire Department and other trained paramedics. Contestants’ blood pressure is taken regularly, and if it seems to trained personnel that the rigors of staying awake and alert for several days is exacting too high a toll on someone, they’re taken out of the competition. The prize is the same as it has been since 2002: a red Ford F-150 from Conway’s Smith Ford dealership. The second-place prize has changed for this year, from the traditional four-wheeler to Yamaha Zuma 125 Scooter from Duncan Outdoors. Third place is a hot tub from Luxury Pools & Spas (just the thing every competitor is wishing for when it comes down to the final few), and fourth place is a home air conditioning unit from Freyaldenhoven Heating and Cooling. (Staff writer Joe Lamb can be reached at 5051238 or by e-mail at joe. lamb@thecabin.net. Send us your news at www. thecabin.net/submit.)

Log Cabin Democrat • Find our online edition at www.thecabin.net

Toad Suck Daze • Sunday, April 25, 2010— 19

Car show to be toadally souped up, as usual BY JOE LAMB LOG CABIN STAFF WRITER

ot rods, chrome-laden ’50s excess and musclecars galore are expected, as usual, for the Toad Suck Daze Car Show, held again at the Bank of America parking lot at Main and Court streets. If the weather’s nice — and after last year’s monsoon it certainly wouldn’t be fair if it wasn’t — we can expect between 250 and 300 examples of rare, unique, cherished or just plain fast automobiles to be on display. The show will be on May 1, with registration running from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. The registration tent will be set up at the northwest corner of the parking lot, at the corner of Court and Main streets, and it’s that entrance that participants should go to first to register. Past years have seen a number of extraordinary

cars, not the least of which have been the incomparably dramatic (both in styling and name) Plymouth Road Runner Superbird, replicas of Carroll Shelby’s Cobra sportscars, Ford’s models A and T, “chopped-n-dropped” Mercury lead sleds, and one year not one, but two Ferrari 308s and a Porsche 356 coupé — it was an especially good showing for the European end of things that year. This writer’s usual favorite, an Austin-Healey 3000 owned almost since new by Ken Coyles of Morrilton, should also be on display, according to Toad Suck Car Club President Don Searls. Coyles has a great story behind his “big Healey,” and that’s true of most of the cars you’ll see at this year’s show; if you don’t make it a point to ask the cars’ owners about how they came to own their machines and the adventures they’ve had with them you’re missing half the

experience. As always, the Toad Suck Car Show is a family-friendly event. While it’s true that some car shows include flocks of similarly scantilyclad women milling about in promotion of some product or organization, there’s none of that at Toad Suck Car Club events. Proceeds will benefit the scholarships offered by the Toad Suck Committee, and the car club itself uses the event as a major fundraiser for its scholarship, which goes to an outstanding student with the Conway High School Auto Collision Technology program who wants to further her or his education with the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton’s auto body repair program. (Staff writer Joe Lamb can be reached at 505-1238 or by e-mail at joe.lamb@thecabin. net. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/submit.)

Tour de Toad helps keep things physical By MICHAEL ALLEN LOG CABIN DEMOCRAT

he Toad Suck Daze 10/5K event and the Tour de Toad are two events that highlight physical fitness at the festivities. The Tour de Toad event is a bicycle race through parts of Conway, and the 10/5K starts at John McConnell Stadium. The Toad Suck Daze 10/5K are hosted by the Conway Running Club, and the race is part of the Arkansas RRCA Grand Prix Series. The races help benefit HAVEN (Help for Abuse Victims in Emergency Need), Junior Auxiliary of Conway, Faulkner County Service Center of the

American Red Cross, Boys & Girls Clubs of Faulkner County, Children’s Advocacy Center, Community Connections and Make A Child Smile. According to a press release about the Tour de Toad race, throughout the festival’s 29 years, the Toad Suck Daze Committee has funded one million dollars in scholarships and endowments to the University of Central Arkansas, Central Baptist College, Hendrix College and the Community Foundation of Faulkner County. The scholarships go to Faulkner County recipients. Your attendance and patronage help make these scholarships possible.

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20 — Sunday, April 25, 2010 • Toad Suck Daze

To subscribe call (501) 329-2927 • Log Cabin Democrat

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CFD gives kids a taste of firefighter training at Toad Suck Daze By JOE LAMB LOG CABIN STAFF WRITER

hat kid doesn’t want to be a fireman? During Toad Suck Daze weekend, the Conway Fire Department gives kids a little taste of what they do with the Crawl, Drag and Squirt competition. Over the past few months, the county’s public schools have held preliminary competitions to pick out the quickest kids, and at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, the finals will be held on Front Street, just north of Toad Suck Square. In the competition, kids have to complete a number of tasks simulating firefighter training. They crawl through a tunnel, which simulates an attic, hammer away at a target to simulate chopping a hole in a roof, drag a hose line and spray

targets with water and drag a dummy to safety. The quickest get trophies for their age categories. Brian Moix, CFD division chief of training, said that thousands of kids have enjoyed the event for more than 10 years. “It gives kids a chance to do some of the things that we do as firefighters and it’s a chance for us to get out in public and meet people,” Moix said. The school preliminaries are all wrapped up, but there’s one more chance to get a kid involved. On Friday, the final, open preliminary will be held at the Central Fire Station at Locust and Caldwell Streets. It starts at 5:30 p.m. and is set to go until about 7 p.m., but if kids are still lined up it’ll go later. “We hate to turn anyone away,” Moix said.

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Toad Suck Daze • Sunday, April 25, 2010— 21

Things get hopping at the Verizon Toad Dome By MARK BURKE LOG CABIN STAFF WRITER

he Verizon Toad Dome is sure to be one hopping place at this year’s festival. Keeping in tradition with one of the longest-running events at Toad Suck Daze, the Toad Dome will play host to the annual toad races. That means there will be plenty of participants and onlookers making their way to the Toad Dome — which again will be a tent that replaced an aluminum structure that stood until the 2008 festival. “(The toad races) are really the most unique thing to do at the festival,” said Conway Chamber of Commerce Director of Events Mary Margaret Satterfield. “Lots of people will go just for that.” Racing will take place all three days of the festival. The first races will be at 5:30 p.m. Friday. There will also be races Saturday at 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. On Sunday, races will

start at 1:30 p.m., with the championship races set to begin at 3:30. The Toad Dome is located at the corner of Oak and Parkway. While children may be the majority of who enters the races, Satterfield said anyone — young or old — is eligible. The winner gets a large trophy after Sunday’s championship race. But regardless of age, a large crowd is expected to stop by the Verizon Toad Dome. “You’ll see line form 3045 minutes before a race,” Satterfield said. “It’s almost like a line at Disney World.” But the Toad Dome isn’t solely for racing toads. According to Satterfield, there will also be dance and cheer demonstrations by various groups. The toad races, though, are what the Toad Dome is most known for. That’s not something people take lightly — or can even find any place. “It’s probably the most fun and most unique part of Toad Suck,” Satterfield

said. “It’s a lot of what the festival is bagged on. “It’s just fun. It’s something you don’t do on a normal basis and you can’t just do it anywhere.” But there’s just as much importance in the preparation for the race as the race itself. “A lot of kids are going out hunting for toads,” Satterfield said. “We ask that they take care of them.” And when the races begin? “To race your toad, you can’t touch the toad unless it jumps out of the lane,” Satterfield said. “You move the toad by blowing on the toad or gently hitting the ground behind the toad.” While the Verizon Toad Dome is currently in the form of a tent, plans are to find a dome in a different form. The particulars are yet to be determined. “We’re still looking at different possibilities,” Satterfield said. “As the landscape of the festival changes, we’re kind of keeping our minds open to different options.”

Toad Suck Daze toad races will take place in the Toad Dome, a tent that replaced the aluminum structure in 2008, all three days of the festival. LOG CABIN FILE PHOTO

“(The toad races) are really the most unique thing to do at the festival,” said Mary Margaret Satterfield, Conway Chamber of Commerce director of events. A large crowd is expected to stop by the Verizon Toad Dome this year. LOG CABIN FILE PHOTO

22 — Sunday, April 25, 2010 • Toad Suck Daze

To subscribe call (501) 329-2927 • Log Cabin Democrat

Using social networking to highlight TSD sports BY DAVID MCCOLLUM LOG CABIN STAFF WRITER

porting events for Toad Suck Daze include a golf tournament, a series of runs and a softball tournament. That’s the traditional way of stating things in print. Borrowing from a couple of popular social networking methods — but we’ll use Ribbets instead of Tweets — we’ll try a “toadally viral” version about this basic information. NEWS FEED: Harriet needs to get outside and run. WALL POST: A good way to do that would be to participate in the Toad Suck Daze 10K5K runs, hosted by the Conway Running Club

and a part of the Arkansas Grand Prix series. It begins and ends early Saturday morning at John McConnell Stadium at Conway High School and winds about several neighborhoods. COMMENT: How much does it cost? COMMENT: $20 through Thursday. After Thursday, it’s $25. COMMENT: Need to do something with the kids; they are full of energy on Saturday. COMMENT: A series of Tadpole trots for youngsters will be held after the 10K/5K. Youngsters 4-8 will run 200 meters, those 9-10 400 meters and those 11-12 800 meters. NEWS FEED: Need a massage. COMMENT: There is

massage therapy after the race. RIBBET: A group of Conway Kiwanians, veterans for decades of toady-type runs, are again ready to hop to it in coordination of the race. WALL POST: If the Conway Kiwanians administer the race while sitting on stools, are they “toad stools?” COMMENT: I’m doing more groaning than running. RIBBET: Harriet is off to buy some new running shoes. Facebook confirmed. NEWS FEED: Bill wants to play golf on Toad Suck weekend. WALL POST: Let’s get a team together and play in the Toad Suck Daze Golf Tournament

on Friday at Centennial Valley Golf and Country Club. Shotgun starts at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. Threeperson scramble. $300 per team. COMMENT: I haven’t played in months. I hope it’s flighted. COMMENT: It is, Bill. Five flights of 12 teams. Entry deadline is Wednesday. Call Jay McConnell at 733-1552. RIBBET: Bill is off to the driving range. RIBBET: Hope Bill finds a home on the driving range. RIBBET: Fore! NEWS FEED: Trey would like to play a little softball this weekend. COMMENT: Consider the USSSA-sanctioned Toad Suck Softball Tournament on Saturday and Sunday at the Don Owen

Complex. COMMENT: Our team is not very good. COMMENT: This touranment has two divisions, men’s and women’s Class D and below. COMMENT: Trey, you also need to sign up soon. Entry deadline is 5 p.m. Tuesday. $715 per team. COMMENT: Who’s da man for information? COMMENT: Try Derek Cox at 472-7294 or Derek.Co@cityofconway.org. RIBBET: Trey is headed to softball practice. RIBBET: Trey just limped home from softball practice. RIBBET: Trey has a bag of ice on his shounder. He hopes he’ll be ready for the Toad Suck Tournament.

Toad Suck Daze entertainment schedule Friday, April 30, 2010

5:00 P.M. National Anthem 5:15 P.M. A Good Fight 6:20 P.M. The Letter Black 7:20 P.M. Red 9:10 P.M. Skillet Saturday, May 1, 2010

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3:00 P.M. Singletree 4:30 P.M. Jason Greenlaw and the Groove 6:00 P.M. Eddie Smith 7:30 P.M. Riverbilly 9:00 P.M. Clint Black Sunday, May 2, 2010

1:00 P.M. Toad Suck SuperStar Finals 2:30 P.M. Light Headed 3:45 P.M. Jason Crabb

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Toad Suck Daze • Sunday, April 25, 2010 — 23

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SOMEONE WILL WIN A 2010 FORD F-150! HOW IT WORKS: Twenty-five contestants will be drawn for their chance to get “Stuck On A Truck” during Toad Suck Daze, beginning Thursday, April 29th in downtown Conway. Contestants will be required to keep one hand on the truck at all times. The last remaining person with their hand on the truck will win the Ford Pick Up.