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Interested in joining our team? Learn more and apply at SalineMemorial.org/Careers. Saline County is one of the fastest growing areas in the entire country. At Saline Health System, we’re growing too. That’s why we’re looking for healthcare professionals to join our team focused on caring for our growing communities. With the most advanced technology and a team of doctors and nurses who know you by name, we’re here to provide care that makes our communities healthier.
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EDITOR’S LETTER
The word, “fad” can be defined as an intense and widely shared enthusiasm for something, especially one that is short-lived and without basis in the object’s qualities – a craze. In short, it’s something that quickly becomes popular and then disappears as fast as it came. Fads can be tied to all sorts of things: clothing, hairstyles, toys, dances, etc. I mean who can forget shoulder pads, perms, beanie babies, and the Macarena? With all the different fads that come and go, the one that I have the most trouble getting behind is a fad diet. Nobody wants his or her long-term health to be dependent on a trend that disappears as fast as a boy band. But these diets have been popping up for centuries. In the early 1900’s Horace Fletcher came up with the “chewing craze” diet, insisting that you could eat as much as you like as long as you chewed each mouthful a minimum of 100 times. Over the next 100+ years, there have been an endless variety of weight loss wonders that have gained traction. More recently, options such as the South Beach Diet, Weight Watchers, Atkins Diet, and Paleo Diet have risen in popularity. Many dieters have tried them all in search of a rapid weight loss “quick-fix” that doesn’t require them to exercise. Just as many find it difficult to continue eating a restricted diet for a lifetime. Now it’s time for my moment of truth. I recently tried the Keto diet in preparation for our family’s trip to the beach. The Keto diet is a very low-carb, high-fat diet that works by putting your body into a metabolic state called ketosis which makes it more efficient at burning fat for energy. Let me say this, for a guy whose favorite foods are chips, bread, and pretty much any desert under the sun, it was a daunting task to stay on this diet. The good news is that after eight weeks I lost almost 15 pounds. The bad news is that after my strict new “beach diet” consisting of fried foods and ice cream, I gained the majority of the weight back in just a fraction of the time. Regardless of how we choose to do it, we should make it our goal to be the healthiest version of ourselves. Our community offers a vast range of fitness options that can make sure our quest for a healthier lifestyle isn’t just another fad! Your town. Your Life. Your Magazine.
2020 Volume 13, Issue 1
PUBLISHER & EDITOR Josh Elrod
jelrod@ignite-mediagroup.com
ART DIRECTOR Krystal Neuhofel krystal@salinecountylifestyles.com
CONTRIBUTORS Contributing Writers Carrie Amox Keith Brooks Carolyn Buckner Ed Buckner Cody Calhoun Charles Crowson Brent Davis Justin Elrod Jillian Jacuzzi Ashley Leopoulos Nate Olson Dr. James W. Robb Contributing Photographer Lela & Lyla Photography
IDEAS/COMMENTS If you have a story idea or comment, please email us at: feedback@salinecountylifestyles.com
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If you are interested in advertising in Saline County Lifestyles please email us at: info@ignite-mediagroup.com Saline County Lifestyles is published by:
Ignite Media Group P.O. Box 861 Bryant, AR 72089 www.salinecountylifestyles.com Articles should not be considered specific advice as circumstances vary per individual. Advertised products and/or services are not necessarily endorsed by Ignite Media Group.
2 • Saline County Lifestyles
CONTENTS OLD FASHIONED DAY
NOTES FROM DR SAM
WEATHER UPDATE
04 07 08
ANYTIME FITNESS ................10 FULL OUT BARRE ..................14 HOTWORX ............................18 LEGACY ATHLETICS ..............22 McCLURE FITNESS ...............26
32 34 36 38 40 42
HEALTH & WELLNESS EVENT
HEALTH UPDATE
SERVING OUR HEROES
MyFarmers.Bank
INSURANCE INSIGHT
FAITH FOCUS
THE TALE OF THREE JOGGERS
Saline County Lifestyles • 3
Decade Soirée - Empowering Families Through the Decades
It may be the start of a new decade, but Kidsource Kids, the nonprofit arm of Kidsource Therapy, is taking it back a few (or five!) decades with its 1970s-themed soirée. The Decade Soirée party is back for the third time–all to support Kidsource Kids and their goal to provide children with disabilities a chance to enjoy activities like attending a fall festival, taking an art class, or getting a picture made with Santa Claus. Touted as “the best party of the year,” That 70’s Party is a spinoff of Mullet Madness, which was the name of the
“This festival is such a sweet time for families and friends to shop, visit and enjoy the launching of the fall season.” organization’s signature fundraiser for many years. “We decided that it would be fun to change it up a bit and celebrate many decades,” says Corey Tinkle, founder of Kidsource Kids as well as co-owner and physical therapist at Kidsource Therapy. But don’t worry if the 80s is your jam; 4 • Saline County Lifestyles
Corey says they will be bringing Mullet Madness back very soon.
we will be there for them, both for their child and for their whole family.
That 70’s Party will be held from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, March 7 at Next Level Events in Little Rock. This “groovy” event will include great food, music by DJ Johnny Jackson, a silent auction and casino-style games.
Decade Soirée helps support activities and special events designed to provide an environment that is fun and safe, and are tailored to a child’s specific needs, such as Sensory Santa. “We create opportunities for families to go to Fall Fest and not be judged or made fun of for a child with autism who may not look or act like what is considered ‘normal,’” Corey says. “We also provide a Sensory Santa that has made it possible for families to get that one pic with Santa that otherwise wasn’t possible under other certain conditions because the scene is just too much for their child. This event helps us meet our families where they are and provides support and opportunities to be a part of their community.”
Funds raised that evening will be used to support Kidsource Kids. Corey says Kidsource Kids initially was started to provide support for children with special needs and for their families. This support came through in many ways, such as providing specific types of specialized therapy to helping with basic family needs. In recent years, the focus has turned more toward not only scholarships for those specialized services but also opportunities for clients to participate more in their communities, and to hold events and create programs that help realize that goal. Kidsource Therapy’s mission is to meet families where they are and support them to the best of its ability. “When you have a child with a disability there are so many things to learn, tough decisions to make, and dealing with the reality that your family may not be the family that you had in mind for yourself,” Corey says. “As a company, we do our best to listen to, share with and empower our families. While challenges lie ahead,
“It takes a lot more work to meet our families in their homes and preschools than just in the clinic or in center-based services,” Corey says. “We have a great group of therapists and staff who understand our mission. They could probably make more money elsewhere, but they stay with us because they believe in our mission.” To help Kidsource Kids, you can become a sponsor, donate an auction item or purchase tickets to Decades Soirée: That 70’s Party. You can get involved online by visiting https://
kidsource.ejoinme.org/decade-soiree. This year, event organizers are adding the ability to bid on auction items online as well. This will make it easier to get that one thing you want so badly, participate in the auction from home and provide a much faster check-out process. “Dustin Weems with Innovatech Solutions is helping us with this project and we are so excited,” Corey says. For those interested in volunteering for this or other Kidsource Kids events, visit www.kidsourcetherapy. com to learn more. Jillian Jacuzzi
Saline County Lifestyles • 5
Good Day, I hope this note finds you well. Throughout my life I have placed value on having a quiet place to sit and think. It started when I was a small child. My mother was the caregiver for our extended family; she was also an avid reader. Each week we made a trip to the little library in Augusta, Arkansas and she came home with a stack of books. One of the proudest moments of my young life was when I got my first library card. I can remember sitting in a small padded rocker in the hall of our house near the space heater and reading a Zane Grey book. Since that time, I have valued those quiet places where I could become absorbed in my thoughts. During college, I lived in a small single-wide house trailer in the country about a mile from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. Each morning, I got up at 5:30 AM, fixed my coffee and spent the next two hours in a wooden rocking chair. I had fashioned a study-board that balanced over the arms of the chair to hold my books and papers. Most days I was studying, but on occasion I would simply sit in my chair and watch the sun come up. I couldn’t think of a better way to start the day.
Fifty years ago, last fall, I started my career in medicine as a twentytwo-year-old freshman medical student. Going to medical school was a great adventure for me; I was doing what I really wanted to do. I clearly remember the cafeteria; it was a large cavernous room with small knots of students and families scattered throughout. Generally, I would make my way to the far corner of the hall and sit for an hour or two immersed in the universe of information that would be my life’s work.
Each morning, I got up at 5:30 AM, fixed my coffee and spent the next two hours in a wooden rocking chair In the last fifty years, I have lived in several locations. For the last thirty-five years, I have lived with a wonderful woman, Annette Enderlin, who shares my desire for a warm comfortable home. In addition to having a delightful green thumb, she has the touch of creating an inviting home full of love, animals, books, personal knickknacks, soft calming
colors and a quiet place to sit and think. She also indulges me with my most comfortable, if not stylish, recliner. Each morning, the cats and I get up, they eat a bite and then go outside. For the next couple of hours, I immerse myself in thought. I still can’t think of a better way to start the day. As I age, I seem to be going full circle. Since my retirement from the active practice of medicine, I drive from Hot Springs to Benton each day to have lunch with my friends. I have arranged my schedule so that I get into town by 10:30 AM and go to the Saline County Library. In the back of the stacks they have a series of cloistered areas with comfortable seating. That’s where you can find me most days. Have a good journey, Sam Dr. Sam Taggart is a retired doctor/ writer/ marathon runner in practice in Benton for the last 35 years. He recently published The Public’s Health: A narrative history of health and disease in Arkansas, published by the Arkansas Times.
Saline County Lifestyles • 7
8 • Saline County Lifestyles
URBAN
Lifestyle
WEATHER WATCH Once Old, Now Renewed and Even Better
By Ed Buckner, THV11 Chief Meteorologist
As we grow older, there might be occasions when we have to reinvent ourselves, change habits or even start a new career. We do this with the intention of making ourselves a “better” version of who we were. Allow me to use the analogy of technology. The television was invented in the late 1920’s. It was one of those inventions like computers, air flight, automobiles and air conditioning that changed our world. Great ideas and innovations usually succeed at changing and evolving through the years. There was a time when there may have been only one television on a block and the whole neighborhood would come to that living room to see this new marvel of pictures and sound. The grainy black and white image coming through an antenna was an amazing break through. Within 10 years, homes with televisions blossomed. Soon every house had one, then color television came, then cable tv came, then satellite tv came, then flat screens and high definition. I will shorten this and sum it up with the fact that now, almost 100 years later, we can watch whatever we want, whenever we want through a television or a smartphone that fits inside our pocket. So, with that example set, we turn to weather and forecasting, and how
what we thought was so innovative in the days of the National Weather Bureau in the 1800’s has evolved. Let’s start with a simple concept, the weather balloon. Little has changed with launching a balloon since its inception in the late 1800’s. They were first introduced in France in 1892, but back then the devices that measured pressure, temperature and humidity had to be retrieved in order to collect the data. When a balloon would pop, they could end up being hundreds of miles away, making data gathering very hard. Soon, radiosondes, a device that a computer could track as the balloon ascended, gave meteorologists a better idea of what the upper atmosphere was like. Radiosondes measure humidity, temperature and pressure and directly send those data to super computers that then forecast what might happen in the future. These are what we call forecast models. Balloons are launched at the exact same time twice a day in 92 locations across the United States. These data, combined with Doppler radars, satellite data, surface observations, human observations and even data from aircraft are all input into super computers that give us current data and project the future forecast. There are many different algorithms and
different models. Most rarely agree with each other. This is the challenge of the human meteorologist. It wasn’t until the 1970’s that computer modeling improved, and to this day it continues to improve, with super computers processing close to 3 quadrillion calculations per second. Pretty impressive for sure, but still no forecast is perfect. So, going back to what we started with, and the incredible inventions and innovations of the past century or so, we continue to grow and make our world new again, each year.
Saline County Lifestyles • 9
ACTIVE
Lifestyle
FITNESS TIPS 3 Benefits of Great Workout Form
By Marietta McClure, Head Trainer, McClure Fitness
New year! New goals! If you’re diving into your resolutions headfirst, I am cheering for you! There is no time like the present to go ahead and get started. My biggest piece of advice for those of you who are just beginners: take your time (but not too much time). There is a fine line between pushing yourself to get uncomfortable and overdoing it. I suggest doing two or three workouts at 30-45 minutes the first couple of weeks. Add five minutes each session until you reach 50-60 minutes total. Every couple of weeks, add another session until you reach five workouts a week.
My biggest piece of advice for those of you who are just beginners: take your time. (but not too much time). Even more important than frequency is form. Good form actually looks a little different on everyone, because all of our bodies are shaped differently. However, when you have proper form, your whole body works together in harmony. Good form will decrease your chances of getting hurt, and it will increase your strength and the energy of the movement. While good form is all about maximizing your results while keeping you safe, there are also a ton of other benefits involved! 10 • Saline County Lifestyles
1. BETTER FOCUS Ever heard the phrase “Get your head in the game?” Great workout technique is your ticket to the golden city. When you’re targeting the intended muscle groups of the exercise at hand, your results and your focus will be much better. When you improve, your confidence grows, and you’re able to really get in the zone as you make your way into the gym.
2. BETTER OXYGEN INTAKE Have you ever held your breath while doing an exercise? No good! That’s bad form, and it’ll make the workout harder than it has to be. When you execute good form and breathe throughout your exercise, it will support oxygen flow, allowing you to work harder and longer than you otherwise could.
3. BUILD UPON YOUR PROGRESS When you’re churning out the same great form each time, you’re building on your progress. While monotony isn’t all that exciting in life, it’s very exciting in the gym, because it’ll build upon your strength, your tone, and your overall performance.
TIPS TO CHECK YOUR FORM Even if you’re visualizing the proper form, it’s easy for your body to deceive you. A mirror is your best friend. Watch your form as you do the exercise and adjust as you go. Your body will eventually develop muscle memory, and you’ll become a natural over time. Don’t rush it! Move slowly through each exercise, allowing yourself time to truly make adjustments. You can even go a step further by recording yourself and watching it back afterwards. And if you still aren’t sure if you are using the correct form in your workouts, sign up for classes at our gym and we will watch you, correct your form, help you modify if needed and motivate you to keep going!
ACTIVE
Lifestyle
GOOD SQUAT FORM If you have bad form when squatting you can compromise your joints, especially your knees. To have good squat form, don’t let your knees drop inward or track out over your toes. Instead, be conscious to spread your knees apart, sit back on your heels, and keep your back straight and upright.
GOOD PLANK FORM We’ve all seen it, haven’t we? When you let your belly drop down to the floor or have your booty hiked up in the air, the plank becomes easier, but you’re not supporting your muscle groups, and you’re also not really benefiting from the exercise! To have great form when doing a plank, tighten your core so that your stomach doesn’t drop down. You’re trying to achieve a straight line from your head to your ankles. Pro tip: Do a plank in front of a mirror to make sure your stomach isn’t starting to sag to the floor.
GOOD PUSHUP FORM Since there are many (many) variations on a pushup, this one can be confusing. However, there are some form issues that are never acceptable in any variation of a pushup. If you’re going hands to knees, don’t tuck your knees in too far and flare out your elbows. Keep your elbows tucked to about 45 degrees from your side, and lie out further to straighten your leg from your hip to the knee. When you get stronger to go hands to toes, keep your core engaged, back straight (no sagging), and keep those elbows locked in place.
Saline County Lifestyles • 11
12 • Saline County Lifestyles • Fall Into Fitness
ACTIVE
Lifestyle
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Saline County Lifestyles Saline County • Fall Into Lifestyles Fitness • 13
OPENING S
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SPREAD?
Saline County Lifestyles • 15
Saline County Library This month, I learned details about my husband’s paternal grandfather’s voyage to start a new life in America. We learned he arrived on New Year’s Day in 1930 to Ellis Island. He was only 22 years old and had traveled aboard the MS Vulcania from Sparti, Greece. We now have these incredible details thanks to help from the Saline Country Library. Our public libraries are a treasure and provide valuable resources to our communities. Whether you are a bibliophile and enjoy the weight and smell of a book in your hand as you read or you prefer to consume your media digitally via an e- or audiobook, look no further than your local public library to cultivate your curiosity. While the Saline County Library houses more than 250,000 printed books, the library offers a wide variety of resources to the community totaling nearly 500,000 items in circulation including DVDs, electronic content, audiobooks, e-books and specialty items available for rent. You can host meetings, update your passport, learn a new language, meet friends at a monthly adults-only 16 • Saline County Lifestyles
night, or bond with your child or grandchild during one of the many monthly children’s programs. Use your Saline County Library card, and access to materials and programs is available to you for free! According to a study conducted by the Pew Research Center, “Americans read an average of 12 books per year” and bustle.com reports, if you were to borrow your books instead of purchase them, you could save more than $300 a year. The Saline County Library offers you other budget-friendly options. Curious about the Instapot and how it works? Interested in trying out a new workout like Zumba? Or perhaps you need to unwind with a coloring book for adults? You can rent a buzz box curated by the Saline Country Library with everything you need to try your new hobby before you invest in it. Your library card also provides you discounts at more than 70 local businesses in Saline County during September. A Storied Past The Benton Public Library was established by the Junior Fortnightly Club of Benton, a women’s civic
group, in March of 1931. Together they began fundraising for Saline County’s first library in Benton and collected 600 books and donated 300 of their own books to the library’s collection. The library was housed on the top floor of the Walton Building in downtown Benton. In 1934, the Benton Public Library became a project of the Public Works Administration formed under the National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA) and a part of the New Deal. This allowed for the library to operate six days a week and for additional staff to be hired. In 1935, the Junior Fortnightly Club turned over library operations to the City of Benton and provided a new location next to City Hall on South Street. In 1946, Dr. Dewell Gann, Jr. donated his father’s office building to the city to house the library in honor of his parents and their service to Saline County. In 1948, the library was moved to that location and the Gann Memorial Library was officially dedicated. In 1964, the old Palace Theater was deeded to the Saline County Public Library Association.
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In 1966, the County Library Boards combined with members from the Gann Memorial Library board, and after a successful fundraising campaign the library reopened at the Palace Theater in 1967. In 1969, the Bryant Branch of the Saline County Library opened on donated land. In 1998, Jim Stilwell, Mike Duke, and Jim Villanes donated land to build the new Benton Library location, the Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library. The same year, Ted and Joyce Boswell donated additional land for the new Bryant Library location, the Mabel Boswell Memorial Library. In 2002, the Bryant location opened to the public. In 2003, the Benton location opened to the public. The team at the Saline County Library is working on innovative solutions to provide greater access to the library. In 2019, the Saline County Library received the John Cotton Dana Award in public relations excellence from the Library Leadership and Management Association (LLAMA) division of the American Library Association. Winning $10,000 for their work through the “Power of the Card campaign,”
Saline County Library is exploring the idea of a mobile book kiosk. “We are hoping to put a moblie kiosk in either Paron, Salem or the Sardis area,” explains Kari Beesley, Marketing Manager of the Saline County Library System. “I think one thing that makes the library so special is that we aren’t out to sell you a product; we are here to provide you an experience. It amazes me that no matter how small or big the library has been, it’s always been centered around volunteers and the community who make it stronger.” This year, take time to visit your Saline County Library. This organization with its rich history has so much to offer. This year you will have the ability to learn something new, like how to make fresh pasta or your own quilt, or maybe learn even more about your family story. Allow yourself to explore all the library has to offer because, quite honestly, who doesn’t love a good story? Ashley Leopoulos
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Saline County Lifestyles • 17
Middlebrooks Electric
In the early 1940’s, 16-year-old James Middlebrooks started a fledgling business repairing radios. He called it Star Radio, but his idea wasn’t part of a long-term business endeavor or any plan. It began because radio was the standard medium for the public’s information and entertainment, and when owners needed theirs repaired, this industrious teen had the knowledge to get it done. A few years later, Middlebrooks became acquainted with the owner of a popular Saline County restaurant known as The Spot. He went to work in the kitchen learning the art of barbeque, rising to the rank of pit master. That unexpected talent eventually took the young Middlebrooks from Benton to Fontana, California, where he worked for the same business owner who’d decided to take his business and his barbeque to the West Coast. There, the two opened a small eatery, appropriately named Mr. Arky’s. As expected, Middlebrooks’ barbeque was a hit, drawing diners that included 18 • Saline County Lifestyles
celebrities Lucille Ball and Desi Arnez as regulars. The couple would often share meals with the young man who had been fixing radios a few years ago, now becoming a cook to the stars. In 1945, Middlebrooks decided it was time to come home to Arkansas. Upon arriving back in Saline County, he didn’t reopen Star Radio or his own barbeque pit. Instead, Middlebrooks realized that, in addition to their radios, people now owned televisions and they were having their homes wired for electricity. So as you might expect, he started a new business repairing radios and televisions and wiring homes for a new utility that was becoming commonplace for homeowners. From that decision, Middlebrooks Electric/Heating & Air got its start. “The first house daddy ever wired was for Mr. Henry Gingles,” said Greg Middlebrooks, president of Middlebrooks Electric/Heating & Air. ‘It was a small rent house, and daddy put in one light and one receptacle, which was for the radio.”
Within the next dozen years, James Middlebrooks added appliance and HVAC repair to his growing list of services. It appeared his philosophy became, if it had an electrical current running through it, Middlebrooks wanted to be the person who could fix it. Greg Middlebrooks recalled a story of a friend who, while going through some old family files, found a check her grandfather had written to Middlebrooks Electric in 1962. “It was for $5 to fix an attic fan, probably a broken belt. Can you imagine something like that costing so little? How times have changed!” Seventy-five years later, the jobs have grown much larger, and customers from across Central Arkansas still turn to Middlebrooks Electric/ Heating & Air for electrical, HVAC or appliance service. However, for Greg, 60, and his brother and company vice president, Allen, 55, electricity has always just been a way of life. “Me and my brother were raised
in this business, and really, this is all I know,” he said. “I started working with daddy when I was in the third grade. I would work with him every summer, and when I was in junior high school, I would ride my motorcycle to wherever he was working. “When I graduated high school, I learned to work on Heating/ Air units, washers and dryers, all types of appliances,” he added. Through the next forty years, the Middlebrooks family continued working closely together. James oversaw the company’s operational needs while Greg and Allen managed the electrical and heating/air service. James’ wife, Bobbi, managed the company’s financial responsibilities. “I graduated in 1979, and back then, it was just daddy and me,” Greg said. “Allen graduated high school in the 80’s and he started working with us then, too. “Daddy would often tell me, ‘God owns this company, and He picked us to run it.’ He left us a legacy, and Allen and me were lucky to fall into it. Saline County Lifestyles • 19
He taught us everything we know.” James Middlebrooks passed away in 2012, and keeping their father’s perspective as the company’s focus, Greg and Allen have taken Middlebrooks Electric/Heating & Air to unexpected heights. The company, which started as the four family members, has grown to include 25 employees, including a chief administrative officer, Gwen Sample, and a chief operations officer, Blake Massey.
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That growth has taken place to meet the demands of what Greg and Allen recognized was a changing business. “The electrical business evolves so quickly, and we have to keep up with all of those changes to best serve our customers,” he said. “When me and Allen were younger, growing up with a business, we did a lot of residential service work. Now, 98 percent of the work we do is commercial service. Instead of meeting with homeowners, these days we’re meeting and working with the managers of Harps Food, Cracker Barrel or Big Red Valeros.” Middlebrooks Electric/Heating & Air will celebrate its 75th anniversary this year, and with that milestone, changes are on the way. Notably, the demand for the company’s services means Greg and Allen will soon expand operations with new offices in Conway and Hot Springs. “We’re growing quickly, and we’re going to have to branch out,” Greg said. “Our specialists are going to Hot Springs at least three times a week, and we go to Conway once a day. If we’re heading up there multiple times, it may be time to expand that way.” It’s an impressive history that shares a valuable story about family, faith and the value of hard work. And to think, it all started thanks to a man who once prepared barbecue for the stars of I Love Lucy. Charles Crowson
20 • Saline County Lifestyles
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@middlebrookselectric | www.middlebrookselectric.com Saline County Lifestyles • 21
McClendon’s Appliance You’ve heard people say, “They’ve been there as long as I can remember.” That’s how it is for many about Benton’s long-established and well-known McClendon’s Appliance on South Street. There’s a reason for longevity of any business, organization, technology or innovation: they are doing things right while always looking forward. Founded in the late forties, McClendon’s started out as a Firestone store. “Cecil (my grandfather) opened the store in 1947. In 1949, he starting selling hardware and appliances, and eventually furniture. We have customers today that recall shopping with my grandfather. We are now selling to these customers’ children and grandchildren,” says Glen McClendon, current owner of the store. The original location was 122 S. Market, where the Habitat for Humanity ReStore is currently located. In 1957, the South Street location was built and McClendon’s relocated at that time. Other businesses in the 22 • Saline County Lifestyles
strip during the late 1950s were B & B Food Market, Westside Pharmacy, and Frank’s Bakery. Following a fire in July 1982, McClendon’s moved into the space which held Frank’s Bakery, where it has remained ever since, focusing entirely on selling quality appliances with an emphasis on service after the sale. McClendon’s has always been known for friendly, helpful customer service and a positive shopping experience. “We want our customers to know that when you come into our store, you’ll be met with great products and a friendly face.” McClendon’s offers name-brand appliances such as KitchenAid, Maytag, SpeedQueen, and Whirlpool, plus a full line of parts for these brands, which are all highly rated in customer “Best Of” reports. “We are very competitive with the big box stores and can actually beat their prices a lot of times. We may not have as large of a selection, but we can order pieces and have it usually within a couple of days.” McClendon’s also has a team of well-trained technicians that can service most major brands and a list
of dependable plumbers and carpenters if needed by their clients. In addition to all the latest in new appliances, it’s the customer service that my husband and I appreciate the most. In these days where personal service may sometimes lack, McClendon’s does it right. They are more than just competent; they care. They make sure they are on time and honest, and always make service calls trustworthy. We have used them many times and can attest to the service they provide and pride themselves on. Although McClendon’s numbers are small, with six employees, the total combined years of full-time service in the business are many. “Robert, my dad, has been an employee for over 60 years. Virginia DuVall, our office manager, has been with us 41 years, and I have been here for 35 years. Roger Fagan, our serviceman, has spent seven years with us and our newest service tech, Justin, has been with us about 6 months.” In addition to longevity and a team of experienced, customer focused
employees, McClendon’s is unique in the appliance world because of their commitment to providing a friendly, no-pressure atmosphere and staying up-to-date with advancement in technology and the latest trends in home design as it relates to appliances. When shopping at McClendon’s, customers are introduced to a wide variety of options for every appliance need. For example, double wall ovens, electric warming drawers, high efficiency top load washers and beverage centers are somewhat non-traditional options that McClendon’s offers to customers who are replacing wornout appliances or purchasing for new construction. McClendon’s provides access to no-credit-needed financing through Westcreek Financial, and no interest financing for 12 months (in some cases longer) through Synchrony Financial. The application process for up to $5,000 in credit is fast and easy and there are never any hidden fees. Customers also benefit from McClendon’s Rebate Center, located on
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Saline County Lifestyles Saline County • Fall Into Lifestyles Fitness • 23
the website, mcclendonsappliance.com. The McClendon family has lived in Saline County for many generations and throughout the years have supported the community through sponsorships and donations, including sponsorship of Benton Optimist baseball teams for over 30 years. “In addition, I served on the Saline County Boy’s and Girl’s Club of Board of Directors for about 10 years, and the Civitan Services Board. At McClendon’s Appliances, we are firm believers in giving back to our community,” adds Glen. As for carrying on the family business, the verdict is still out. Glen and his wife Susan have two children, Kevin (32) and Mandy (28). “Both children have grown up in the business. Weekends and summers found them working in customer service, delivery and installation, social media, and more.” Kevin is currently employed as a software engineer for WalMart in Bentonville. Mandy is the Communications Director for AustinBergstrom International Airport in Austin, Texas. So only time will tell if fate leads them back to the family business that has served Saline County with quality products, exceptional customer service and unsurpassed service after the sale for more than 70 years.
BENTON FIRE DEPARTMENT
24 • Saline County Lifestyles
Saline County Lifestyles • 25
Thomas Real Estate Longevity in health is never a given and isn’t something most people take for granted. A marriage of more than 60 years is a rarity these days. A business that remains strong and vibrant beyond the half-century mark is the exception to the rule. However, Benton is fortunate to have one individual who wraps all of these amazing accomplishments into one bundle of lightning. His name is Lib Carlisle. Since 1960, Lib has been at the helm of one of the most successful real estate firms in Saline County. Thomas Real Estate continues to be a fixture in the landscape of the city, a stone’s throw from the Saline County courthouse. The business was founded by Robert Thomas. One of their first hires was Lib. But the story of this trio goes back further. Lib was born in 1936 in a small house in an area that was, at the time, on the outskirts of Benton. Today, the house is gone, but it was located adjacent the new Regions Bank branch
under construction on Military Road. Eight days after Lib’s birth, Lib’s father died. His mother faced the daunting challenge of raising a son on her own while mourning the death of her husband. In stepped brothers Albert and Robert Thomas, Lib’s uncles. As he grew, the brothers taught him the importance of helping others. They became his father figures. At the age of 14, Lib took a job at Smith Caldwell Drug Store as a soda jerk. The central location of the store next to the Royal Theater made it a popular place to shop and grab something to eat. People from all walks of life passed through the door every day, each one of them a potential lesson. He learned to talk to people, get to know them and show genuine interest in their well-being. Time passed and Lib enrolled at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia where he met the love of his life, Sandra. They were married in 1958 and are still going strong.
26 • Saline County Lifestyles • Fall Into Fitness
Lib recounts the moment in 1960 when he received a letter from his Uncle Robert asking him if he wanted to join the new business, Thomas Real Estate. “I got that letter and I said I’m going home!” And that’s exactly what he did. In 1965, the business was turned over to him as sole proprietor. “I owe everything to my uncles. They were there for me. They taught me the importance of taking care of your loved ones.” For the past three decades, Thomas Real Estate has grown, but the circumstances through which the business came to be remain the foundation firmly planted in Downtown Benton where it all started. Lib points to several subdivisions in the area that he has developed. They include the Dobbs subdivision in 1960, then came Watson Manor, Misty Meadows, Rolling Acres, Desoto Terrace, and currently Richland Hills. So how does a business stay alive for 60 years in such a competitive industry as real estate?
Kindergarten Registration April 10 and April 11, 9am-2pm
il 10 and AprilChild11, must9am-2pm be five (5) years of age on or before August 1 in order to be eligible.
READY Readyto to BE A be a Hornet? HORNET?
ust be five (5) years of age on or before August 1 in order to be eligible.
Parents must provide the following records to complete registration requirements:
must provide the following records to complete registration • Officialrequirements: Birth Certificate • Kindergarten Physical Examination cial Birth Certificate • Immunization Record ergarten Physical Examination Kindergarten • Social Security Card (or nine-digit number will be assignedRegistration by school upon parent unization Record request) April 10 and April 11, 9am-2pm al Security Card (or nine-digit number will be assigned by of school upon parent • Proof Residence Child must be five (5) years of age on or before August 1 in order to be eligible. est) Includes Current Real Estate (iforhome owner) OR toPersonal Child must be fiveAssessment (5) years of age on before August 1 in order be eligible. f of Residence Property Assessment (if renting); AND a current rent receipt, utility bill or Parents must provide the following records to complete registration requirements: des Current Real Estate Assessment (if home owner) OR Personal deposit receipt with name and physical • Officialaddress. Birth Certificate • Kindergarten Physical Examination erty Assessment (if renting); AND a current rent receipt, Parents utility bill or provide the following must records to complete registration requirements: • Immunization Record • Social Security Card (or nine-digit number will be assigned by school upon parent osit receipt with name and physical address. Download registration forms at bit.ly/HornetReady2019-20. request)
KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION APRIL 1 & APRIL 2 | 9AM-2PM
• OFFICIAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE • PROOF OF RESIDENCE Includes Current Real Estate Assessment (if home owner) OR Personal Property Assessment (if renting); AND a current rent receipt, utility bill or This includes Current Real Estate Assessment (if home owner) deposit receipt with name and physical address. • KINDERGARTEN PHYSICAL EXAMINATION OR Personal Property Assessment (if renting); AND a current Download registration forms at bit.ly/HornetReady2019-20. • IMMUNIZATION RECORD rent receipt, utility bill or deposit receipt with name and physical address. • SOCIAL SECURITY CARD (if available) Students should register Visit bryantschools.org/parents/zoning-information to determine whereelementary to register your student for kindergarten. at their zoned school. • Proof of Residence
d registration forms at bit.ly/HornetReady2019-20.
Students should register Students should register at their zoned elementary school. t their zoned elementary school.PRE-K REGISTRATION Visit bryantschools.org/parents/zoning-information to determine where to register your student for kindergarten.
Visit bryantschools.org/parents/zoning-information to determine where to register your student for kindergarten.
Visit bryantschools.org/parents/zoning-information to determine where to register your student for kindergarten.
Bryant Public Schools APRIL 15 & 16 | 8:30AM-2:30PM Creating Opportunities for Success
Bryant Elementary (behind Hornet Health Clinic)
bryantschools.org
Child must be four (4) years of age on or before August 1 in order to be eligible. Limited spots available.
Bryant Public Schools
Bryant Public Schools Creating Opportunities for Success
Creating Opportunities for Success
bryantschools.org
bryantschools.org
For Lib, adaptability is the key. “When we first started back in 1960, the only way to find a home was to contact an agent. These days, the Internet opens all kinds of possibilities for buyers to search for their home before ever stepping foot into an office or contacting an agent. You have to adapt.” he says. “Used to be I could only see my listings. But now, we can search online and I can find homes listed by other agents and sell them too! You have to change with the times.” Across the years, Lib has seen his share of growth in Benton, but he attributes one moment in time when he saw the community get behind a project that served as the catalyst moving the city from a suburb of Little Rock to a fine city all to itself. “The Event Center. That’s the point where everything changed.” In 2011, voters in Benton approved a bond issue to build an event center. In the fall of 2013, it officially opened and has been Saline County Lifestyles Saline County • Fall Into Lifestyles Fitness • 27
steadily booked since that day. “Sure, we had businesses coming here before then, but it was the event center that the community got behind and said, ‘Let’s take a chance.’ Now we have more businesses coming here because of the success of the center. We don’t have to go to Little Rock for what we need anymore. We have everything we need right here.” Benton is often described as a small town with lots of character. In that respect, Lib Carlisle and Thomas Real Estate fit right in. It also doesn’t hurt that the man out front is a bit of a character himself. From what he learned from his uncles, the customers at Smith-Caldwell, his clients in real estate, and, most importantly, from Sandra, you can rest assured that anyone that has spent time with Lib leaves with a smile on their face and a story to tell. Carolyn Buckner
28 • Saline County Lifestyles
Brent Jones
Financial Advisor 1107 Ferguson Dr. Benton, AR 72015 501-776-1414 www.edwardjones.com Member SIPC
Saline County Lifestyles • 29
Medic Pharmacy’s family-owned charm, established long ago, continues today with relatively new owners Bryant and Claire Sizemore. Founded by Pat and Janie Kauffman, the Bryant pharmacy has been serving the area for more than 40 years, striving to provide the very best service to the local community. Claire started working for Pat in 2012 after she graduated from pharmacy school. In January 2017, she and Bryant purchased the business and became its new owners. The Sizemores say they both always knew they wanted a career in the medical field. Bryant considered dentistry and Claire started down the path of physical therapy. However, they found that pharmacy was the best fit for both of them. Actually, pharmacy is the reason they are married–they met in pharmacy school at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. They say they have enjoyed the opportunity to foster and build genuine relationships with customers, 30 • Saline County Lifestyles
and they look forward to moving the pharmacy to its new location at the corner of Reynolds and Mills Park roads. “This will be the new and muchimproved location of Medic Pharmacy, and we are so excited,” Bryant says. Since taking ownership, the Sizemores have brought Medic Pharmacy into the 21st century. “We have implemented new computer software, a website and mobile app, which allows our customers to access their records and communicate with us from their smart phones,” Bryant says. Staying on task and remembering which medications to take and when can be difficult to manage. Obtaining all medications on the same day can help alleviate this burden. Bryant explains they started a program that allows customers with multiple prescriptions to fill all their meds on the same day each month. “They can let us know what they need filled in one phone call and pick up everything in one easy trip per month,” he says. “We can now also
send text or email notifications when a prescription is ready to be picked up. These updates in technology and convenience are just small additions to the business model that has kept Medic thriving for over 40 years: great customer service.” In the face of healthcare challenges, Bryant says keeping the focus on customers has been key. There are threats to the pharmacy business, especially local pharmacy business every day, he says. “For example, insurance companies reimbursing us below cost, mandated mail order pharmacy and employers forcing their employees to use only certain chain pharmacies rather than the pharmacy of their choice are just a few of the challenges we’re facing. That said, we have continued to provide superior service to this community, and we continue to grow. And I think we have much more growth and many successful years ahead.” The new store will be more spacious and will allow Medic Pharmacy to
Your Town. Your Pharmacy.
free local delivery immunizations
text notifications
carry a wider variety of products, Bryant says, such as medical equipment, breast pumps and lactation supplies, high-quality vitamins and nutrition supplements, and gift items. “We will have a dedicated immunization room for providing shots, and Claire will have an office for lactation counseling. She is a certified lactation counselor and will have a dedicated space to expand her service in the new building. The new location will also offer the thing everyone has been waiting for–a drive-thru.” Claire credits their success to their customer’s loyalty. “I am repeatedly amazed at the loyalty of so many of our customers,” she says. “We try to provide the best service in every possible way, and people appreciate that. Many of our customers have chosen to keep their business with us, even when their insurance plans require them to use certain chain or mail order pharmacies.” From a business owner’s standpoint,
Claire says providing something unique is important in order to survive. “For us, I think those things are free delivery, a real live human answering every phone call, faces you recognize and who greet you by name when you walk in, a clerk running your prescriptions out to your car when it’s raining or when you have sleeping kids in the back, a monthly phone call reminder that it is time to fill your medicine, and an overall feeling that the Medic Pharmacy owners and employees care about your well-being.” If they can be successful at their one store, Claire says perhaps they’ll entice others to own a pharmacy to provide the kind of service only an independent pharmacy can provide. “I also feel called to fill the void in breastfeeding support for women in our community,” she says. “Ultimately, I want my daughter to see me doing the things I love doing every day and strive to find that kind of fulfillment in her career someday.
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Saline County Lifestyles • 31
The feeling of having made even a tiny difference in someone’s day will never get old, and that may be my biggest motivator.’ Jillian Jacuzzi
OPENING DOORS FOR Arkansas B U S I N E S S .
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Saline County Lifestyles • 33
OPEN
OPEN 34 • Saline County Lifestyles
What Marietta Believes: ❖ Taxes should be low ❖ Life begins at conception and must be protected ❖ All students deserve equal educational opportunities
❖ Gun rights should not be infringed ❖ Good roads and infrastructure are key to economic development ❖ Government should be leaner and operate more efficiently
REPUBLICAN PRIMARY MARCH 3RD Early Voting Begins February 17th PAID FOR BY MCCLURE FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE
Saline County Lifestyles • 35
HEALTHY
Lifestyle
HEALTH UPDATE SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER
By Dr. Michael Pafford, MD Saline Memorial Hospital
As we highlight businesses that have been long lived in our community, it’s only natural that we talk about longevity in relation to our health. But I don’t want to just talk about living long. Living long does not necessarily equal living well. Who wants to live forever if you aren’t well enough to dance at a relative’s wedding? The key to longevity is recognizing how your body changes with time so that you can adjust and maintain as much health as possible. So first, we cannot deny that our bodies do change with time. That should be no surprise at all, but our subconscious identity often acts as if it has forgotten that. I’m reminded of this quite often when I counsel patients regarding certain medicines that they may have taken without problems for many years and then they are hospitalized with a side effect of that medicine. They always say the same thing: “But I’ve taken this medicine for ten years! What I’m feeling can’t possibly be caused by a medicine that I’ve taken so long.” They say that because they are not aware of the changes that take place in their body over the course of many years. Many medicines are affected by your body’s balance between lean muscle tissue and subcutaneous fat. As we age, our lean muscle mass goes down and our 36 • Saline County Lifestyles
subcutaneous fat goes up, changing that balance and changing what dose of medicine might be the right dose for us. This is particularly true of medicines that take their effect in your brain. If you don’t believe me, Google “why is volume of distribution important?” and you will read how this affects the dosage of hypnotic medicines like Ambien and Valium. As your body composition changes with age, the volume of distribution changes and this can bring out medication side effects that you didn’t experience when you first started taking the medicine. A common side effect of valium is weakness and fatigue because it is a potent muscle relaxer. If you have taken valium for many years but now you feel weak all the time, it could very well be the valium that is making you feel that. Many other body functions change with time. Your bone marrow changes such that you don’t make infection fighting cells as efficiently as you used to. This is why you can lose the immunity that you once had to certain infections like shingles and whooping cough. Your bone marrow makes your red cells and those are your oxygen carriers. So, recovering from bleeding is slower with age and oxygen-carrying capacity of blood is lower as well. Kidneys do not filter as well with age and this
can also affect medication dosing. Circadian rhythm, the rhythm that governs sleep patterns, changes with age too. In general, it is normal and natural that we fall asleep earlier and do not stay asleep as long as we age because of changing in the circadian rhythms of our hormones and body temperature. This is important, because I have counseled many older adults that are still seeking medicines to make them sleep 8 hours per night because they think they are not healthy if they don’t sleep 8 hours every night. Once we understand how our bodies change with time, we can adjust to maintain health. Knowing that our immunity wains, we can choose certain vaccines to boost that immunity. Age 50 is when you should ask your doctor about the shingles vaccine. Depending on which vaccine your doctor offers, you might need either two doses starting at age 50 or one dose starting at age 60. No later than age 65, you should consider taking a pneumonia vaccine, and likely will need the pneumonia vaccine repeated about every 5 years. Influenza vaccine must be updated yearly because the proteins that identify the virus to your immune system change every season. Regardless of age, you should already be in the habit of taking influenza vaccine annually. Whooping cough (Pertussis)
HEALTHY
Lifestyles
is a germ that is notorious for reinfecting older adults whose vaccine immunity has worn off since they were vaccinated as a child. Pertussis doesn’t only affect your health, but susceptible adults are the reservoir that lets Pertussis to hide and later attack children. Therefore, if you haven’t had a Dtap booster in the last ten years, you should ask your doctor about that as well.
ONCE WE UNDERSTAND HOW OUR BODIES CHANGE WITH TIME, WE CAN ADJUST TO MAINTAIN HEALTH. Regular doctor visits become more important as you age so medicines can be re-dosed based on your current organ health. I commonly have patients ask me, “Why does my doctor force me to come see him to refill my prescriptions? Can he not just call in my refills?” If your doctor is practicing good medicine for you, he should be encouraging you to come in at least once per year for blood tests that check your organ function. Kidney failure is very common and has many different stages, even in people whose kidneys are never sick enough for dialysis. I very commonly see patients in the hospital with stage III kidney failure who don’t even know it. If you don’t see your doctor at least yearly, he won’t know it either and you might be taking a dose of medicine that is too big for your kidneys to handle. Aging can either be your golden years, when you make some of the best memories with your family and friends, or it can be your prison, where you are stuck wondering why things you used to do when you were 20 seem to put you in the hospital every time. Please do not let your mind get stuck in your 20’s! Accept and adapt to the seasons of your life as they come, and you will truly embrace all the happiness that life can offer you.
Saturday, Satu a rday, atu ay, Ap a April ril 25th | 6:00PM Benton Event Center
K-12 th grade students can participate in materials creating a design from recycled rec and showcase their design on the runway. For more information visit www.recyclesaline.org or contact Tiffany Dunn at tiffany@recyclesaline.org Saline County Lifestyles • 37
FAMILY
Lifestyle
INSURANCE INSIGHT A Healthy Fresh Start in the Driver’s Seat By Dennia Beard, State Farm Insurance
Happy New Year! With the start of a new year, we humans tend to look for opportunities to wipe the proverbial slate clean and start again. For some, that may mean jumpstarting an exercise regimen or eating well or maybe spending more time with family. Does the start of a new year bring you a feeling of excitement about your car insurance? Probably not, but it is something you should consider as you properly plan and prepare for the year ahead. Car insurance is something every driver needs, but how much do you really know about your auto coverages? To make the best decisions about purchasing auto insurance coverage, you’ll want to understand what’s covered, what’s not covered and what’s optional. In addition to understanding types of coverage, you’ll also want to consider coverage amounts. MANDATORY COVERAGE
•
Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability – Bodily Injury (BI) covers costs associated with injuries and death that you or another driver cause while driving your car. Property Damage (PD) Liability will reimburse others for damage that you or another driver operating
38 • Saline County Lifestyles
your car cause to another vehicle or property, such as a house, fence, or utility pole.
when an accident is caused by an insured motorist–think “hit and run.” You can also purchase underinsured motorist coverage, which will cover costs when another driver lacks adequate coverage to pay the costs of a serious accident.
OPTIONAL COVERAGE
Consider adding these coverages to your policy for greater financial protection. •
•
Medical Payments – Medical Payments provide reimbursement for medical expenses for injuries to you or your passengers. It will also cover lost wages and other related expenses. Uninsured Motorist - This coverage reimburses you
•
Collision – This coverage reimburses you for the damage to your car that occurs as a result of a collision with another vehicle or another object when you are at fault.
•
Comprehensive - This provides
FAMILY
coverage against theft and damage caused by an incident other than a collision, such as fire, flood, vandalism, hail, falling rocks or trees and other natural hazards. •
Dennia Beard, Agent 1408 Military Road Benton, AR 72015
With most major insurance carriers, you will have the option to also add coverages such as Car Rental and Emergency Roadside assistance. Renting a car after an accident can be very expensive, as are the costs associated with towing your vehicle to a repair facility. Both can keep your daily routine from being interrupted or delayed. Daily allowances or limits vary by state.
501-778-6066 www.insurebenton.com SERVICES: Auto Insurance Home and Property Insurance Life InsuranceHealth Insurance Banking Products Annuities Mutual Funds
It is also important to take the time to learn how to reduce your auto rates by getting the right coverage. One thing you can do is adjust your deductibles on Comprehensive and Collision coverages. The higher the deductible, the lower the premium, but also understand that this means you’ll have to pay more out of pocket in the event of a loss. Your actions as a policyholder can affect what you pay, too. For instance, if you add another car or a teenaged driver to your policy, your costs will increase. Alternately, your costs will decrease if you drop either a car or a driver from your policy. You can take proactive and positive steps to reduce your costs. Talk to your insurance agent to make sure you are getting all the discounts to which you’re entitled. Please take a moment and schedule a time to sit down with your agent. This simple policy and financial review only takes 15-20 minutes depending on what questions you have, and it could make a lifetime’s worth of difference. As agents, if you will give us 20 minutes of your time each year to discuss your protection needs, we will spend the rest of that year making sure you are taken care of. Enjoy your 2020 to the fullest. Be safe, be protected and most importantly be confident that you are taking care of yourself and your loved ones.
Lifestyles
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FAMILY
Lifestyle
FAITH FOCUS What Does God Expect of You?
By P.J. Noland, Lead Pastor/Church Planter at Oasis Church Saline
What does God expect of you in 2020? There was an Old Testament Prophet named Micah who gave us some old school truths packed with timeless relevance. God chose Micah to be his spokesperson to His people in Israel and Judah. Throughout the book of Micah, Micah pleads with God’s people reminding them of what is displeasing to God and urges them to return to what pleases him. In Micah 6:6 God’s people ask Micah, “What can we bring to the Lord? What kind of offerings should we give him?” Inspired by God’s Holy Spirit, Micah replies to God’s people. God Expects You To: Do What Is Right But, we don’t just get to decide what is right. God decides what is right, what is pure, holy, and acceptable in His sight. God, through the help of His Holy Spirit, reveals to us in his Word what He determines is right. “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is 40 • Saline County Lifestyles
true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT)
NO, O PEOPLE, THE LORD HAS TOLD YOU WHAT IS GOOD, AND THIS IS WHAT HE REQUIRES OF YOU: TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT, TO LOVE MERCY, AND TO WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD. MICAH 6:8 (NLT) Love What Is Kind We live in an unkind world, don’t we? Don’t misunderstand me, I know there’s lots of kindness, too. But the unkindness seems to be highlighted more often. However, those of us who are in Christ have been made a holy people. We are set apart for His special purposes. Our choices, words, and reactions to circumstances should be different. After all, God’s Holy Spirit is working in us to make it
possible, in an unkind world, to demonstrate uncommon kindness. But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness... Galatians 5:22 (NLT) Walk Humbly Do you want God’s favor? Do you want God’s blessing? Then you must walk humbly with God, because God favors those who are humble! Jim Cymbala says, “A humble heart is a magnet that draws the favor of God toward us.” Just look at what the Lord does for the humble. He leads the humble (Ps. 25:9). He crowns the humble with victory (Psalms 149:4 NLT). He blesses the humble (Matt. 5:5). Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less. It’s not living like a doormat, but it is living more like Jesus. And Jesus came to serve (Mark 10:45). In 2020, let’s not forget these old school, yet timeless truths. Do what is right. Love what is kind. Walk humbly with God.
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Lifestyle
FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN CHANGE By: Justin S. Elrod, Certified Elder Law Attorney, The Elrod Firm At 2:00 am on Sunday, March 8, 2020, Daylight Saving Time will begin (again), and most Americans are not thrilled about it. The obvious and immediate frustration results from the loss of an hour of sleep the night we’re forced to “spring forward.” But statistics tell us that may be the least of our worries or, at least, only the beginning of them. CBS News reports that it takes us longer to adjust to the new sleep cycle required by Daylight Saving Time than many people realize, which negatively impacts our mood and productivity long past the night we change our clocks. In fact, there is a statistically significant increase in both the number and the severity of workplace injuries on the Monday following the time change. There is also a spike in car crashes in the days following the change. Perhaps even more alarming, CBS News also reported on one study that found, in analyzing over a decade of stroke data, that incidents of ischemic stroke were eight percent higher during the first two days after Daylight Saving Time. Another 42 • Saline County Lifestyles
study found statistical evidence of higher short-term risk of heart attack associated with the time change. If so many people dislike the change and there is so much evidence against it, why do we do it? Where did this idea come from anyway? It all started in Great Britain. You may be surprised to learn that the idea behind Daylight Saving Time was first proposed by Benjamin Franklin in 1784. However, the idea was uniformly rejected in his day. In 1907, Englishman William Willett brought it up again, but the British House of Commons rejected his proposal, too, until British Summer Time was finally passed by Parliament in 1916. The United States followed suit in 1918, near the end of World War I, in an attempt to save energy. Even though the change was, at least arguably, for a good cause when it was initially adopted, most Americans objected to the change even then. But here’s the thing. Unless you want to be perpetually late for everything all summer long, you have little choice than to play
along. Other than, perhaps, calling your Congressman, there’s really nothing you can do about it. This falls under the category of, “Accept the things I cannot change…” On the other hand, in my fields— estate planning and elder law—there are several potential stressors in life that can be avoided, or at least mitigated, if you care enough to act. One thing about which we warn our clients, young and old, is the potential that one day, you may not be able to manage all your affairs the way you once did. You may need assistance managing your business, your banking, and your healthcare. The best way to prepare for that day is to execute a solid set of power of attorney documents. The alternative is guardianship court, and no one wants to wind up in court if they don’t have to. Another thing about which we warn our clients is the peril of probate court. When you die without proper planning, your family will not be able to receive the inheritance you may have intended for them without spending a ton of money on a lengthy
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probate process. But it doesn’t have to be that way if you understand the difference between a will and a trust and know how to properly use death beneficiary designations. In Ben Franklin’s time, the average life expectancy was only 36 years, so they didn’t have to put much thought into long-term care planning. But for us, the high costs of long-term care are a third thing about which we warn our clients. And while we, as attorneys, may not be able to help you avoid long-term care the way we can help you avoid guardianship court and probate, we can help decrease the level of financial stress associated with the need for long-term care. Without proper planning, most families just pay out of pocket until funds run low. But there is a better way. We may not be able to do much about Daylight Saving Time, but we can take steps to avoid guardianship court, keep our families out of probate, and minimize the financial stress that may come with the need for long-term care. It all starts with a free strategy session. Give us a call to find out how we can help. Saline County Lifestyles • 43
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