March 2020

Twelve Years of

Kindness Counts

Be thee Chang

ts r a St ith w ou y INsiDE...

HOW YOU CAN

Make a Difference

IN NWA

*Northwest Health Physicians’ Specialty Hospital is owned, in part, by physicians. *Northwest Health Physicians’ Specialty Hospital is owned, in part, by physicians.

March 2020

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We help children explore and discover their interests through play in a safe environment. We provide ample opportunities for fun learning experiences, promoting a lifelong love of learning in literacy, science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

CALL TODAY! FAYETTEVILLE • 479-262-0970 ROGERS • 479-335-1122 GoddardSchool.com INFANT THROUGH PRE-K The Goddard Schools are operated by independent franchisees under a license agreement with Goddard Systems, Inc. Programs and ages may vary.

Goddard Systems, Inc. program is AdvancED accredited. © Goddard Systems, Inc. 2020

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Family KIMBERLY ENDERLE Editor-in-Chief editor@peekaboonwa.com | 479-957-0532

JONATHON ENDERLE Creative Director jon@peekaboonwa.com | 479-586-3890

Jonathon and Kim with Holden, Ava, Gwen, and Grant PHOTO BY MILES WITT BOYER

DISTRIBUTION/ CIRCULATION Joyce Whitaker Judy Evans Marcedalia Salinas

Jeremy Whitaker Michelle Dodson

FRANCES WILSON Assistant Editor

BEN LACY Dad’s View

Peekaboo Publications

Columnist

PO Box 1036 Bentonville, Arkansas 72712 Please send inquiries to: editor@peekaboonwa.com or call 479-957-0532 www.peekaboonwa.com Peekaboo may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. Views expressed herein are those of the authors and advertisers, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the magazine.

PEEKABOO Northwest Arkansas accepts writing contributions

4 March 2020

MEAGAN RUFFING Columnist

DAVID HOVEY Story Design

No matter how small, every EMERGENCY is a

BIG DEAL Arkansas Children’s Northwest has the only pediatric emergency room in the region.

ER Open

24/7

Pediatric Experts

Fast Access

Kid-Sized Care

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(479) 725-6977 | archildrens.org/emergency 2601 Gene George Blvd., Springdale, AR 72762 Across from Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, Don Tyson Pkwy. Exit 70

Inside

MARCH 2020

Also 24

A Spring Break Just for Me BY: MEAGAN RUFFING

30

Dad’s View

WITH BEN LACY

32

12

Fun Photo Spots from Across NWA

14

Equestrian Bridges: Changing the Face of Mental Wellness

BY: STACEY KAUNDART

Give Camp

Meet Emma

36

BY: JAMIE SMITH

40

Northwest Health OB Nurse Navigaotrs Offer Personal Guidance

44

Bentonville Film Festival: “If You Can See It, You Can Be It!”

46

Dr. Kerry Moll and NWA Gives

18

Meet Nate

20

Vintage Market Days

BY: BRIAN HERNDON

50

Snapshot: Nonprofits Across NWA

ON THE COVER

26

The UAMS Healthy Start Jined ilo Kobo Program

38

Noah’s Story BY: NOAH FRANKLIN

Cover Sponsored by: Northwest Health www.northwesthealth.com 6 March 2020

Dr. Kerry Moll with her daughters Addison, Emerson, and Brennan.

Photos by Lazer Lee Photography.

FB: Lazer Lee Photography

From the Editor photo by: Miles Witt Boyer

It is officially March and, though the past few years have been difficult to divide into individual seasons, this month (according to the calendar) we will enter the season known as “spring.” As a child I remember the seasons being much more easily identifiable, as they followed the little pictures hanging in my elementary classroom. Winter was little kids bundled in coats playing in the snow; spring, little green leaves on the tree and kids in rain coats; summer, kids in a swimming pool with the sun wearing black sunglasses; and, finally, fall, with its colorful leaves and children raking the ones that had fallen. I also remember sections of my closet exclusively devoted to winter wear, spring dresses, summer tank tops and fall coats and scarves. I’m also quite confident that we never played outside in shorts and bare feet in January, or went swimming in February. Lately, however, my kids will be in a sweater on Monday, a t-shirt on Tuesday, crossing their fingers that the chance of snow pans out on Wednesday, donning a heavy jacket on Thursday and then rushing outside to play with friends barefoot on Friday.

While the last few years have been virtually “seasonless” or “season-combined,” there is one March that I remember the weather very clearly -March 2003. Jonathon and I didn’t have plans for our spring break from classes at the University of Arkansas, so we decided to take advantage of the beautiful Florida weather and said our “I dos” on the beach, wearing traditional wedding colors purchased at Abercrombie. While we could have just gone skiing, or to the exciting city of Branson like other college kids, we planned a wedding because: young love! This month we will celebrate our 17th wedding anniversary. Of course, if any of my kids replicate our impulsive love story, I might freak.

You see, I have a pretty great plan mapped out for each of my four little people, and they have pinky promised me that they will stick to it. Fingers crossed, right?

The subject of weddings and, more specifically, 8 March 2020

in-laws has been brought up in conversations multiple times over the last few years with friends.

While some of my friends are blessed with inlaws who are over the top amazing, a pretty big percentage are tortured by their mothers-in-law.

I sympathize with them, I ponder how anyone could not love my friends or question their son’s decision to marry someone as amazing as they are--but, at the same time, I am pretty sure that I am going to be one of those mothers-in-law. The ones who might have one too many opinions and hold on a little tight. To be fair, it might just be my idea of the future based on the fact that my kids are nearly 100% dependent on me right now.

They can’t fall asleep without being tucked in and kissed on the cheek, and I can’t imagine them doing much without my help.

A few weeks ago, Ava’s cotillion group was asked to write an RSVP card to their director to respond “yes” to going to a special dinner. As I sat with her to fill out the card, I was surprised by how many questions she had. “Where do I write this part?” “Which part of the envelope do I write our address?” I felt like I had failed my young teen by not teaching her these things already. It wasn’t until the other moms of the cotillion kiddos shared their own exasperation over what their kids didn’t know that I relaxed a little. Then, one mom pointed out, “Just how much of this did we know when we were their age?”

And there it was: the root of most of my distress when it came to raising my four little people.

While I do understand that I shouldn’t compare them to each other because every kid grows, learns, and develops at different paces, I had neglected to remember not to compare their knowledge to all that I had learned throughout my own life -- which is way longer than theirs.

Because I know they won’t hold true to that pinky promise to stay little forever and let me take care of their every need and want, I just want to make

sure I teach them everything they need to know, and prepare them for life outside of the bubble we have created for them.

I can’t always be there to prevent the bad. I can, however, always be there to comfort them, offer them guidance, and give them unconditional love.

I can also do everything I can to make sure that they are surrounded by good people, mentors, and positive caretakers.

Northwest Arkansas is full of amazing groups who take this parenting philosophy and make it their mission. This month is our twelfth annual nonprofit issue: our chance to give back to the organizations that make a positive impact in our community, day in and day out. It is because of people and groups like the nonprofits featured in this issue - and the many more across our area - that we can continue to keep our spirits lifted high knowing that so many amazing, caring people are in the world working to make it a more positive one. Reach out and see how you can help, and make this month the best month yet! These nonprofits dedicate their time and their hearts to helping children and families in need, behind the scenes, without asking for thanks or recognition. In their journey to make the best of a situation--from providing food for families otherwise going without, or clothing to keep them warm, even to helping children find their forever family--these selfless groups do everything they

can to make sure life is a little better for our NWA community. I am so honored, and so thankful, to personally know a number of the leaders behind these nonprofit organizations and am always amazed at the size of their hearts. I am so proud to call this place home, and can safely say there is no better place to raise my family than right here.

- Kim Enderle

In an effort to make you feel better about your day, here is the cake I got for my son’s birthday party last month -- the result of going into Rick’s Bakery an hour before my son’s 7th birthday party. He really wanted a Star Wars-themed cake, but I forgot to order it because #busiestweekever. He said, “I really wanted a Star Wars cake, so can you just write that on there instead of Happy Birthday?”

Themed cake? Check!

Seaghan Matthews viewed her first pregnancy as a journey, and she was thankful to have Dr. Erin Large of HerHealth Clinic as her guide. From confirming Seaghan’s pregnancy to delivering her baby boy, Smith, Dr. Large was by her side throughout the entire nine months. The expertise and support Seaghan received during her pregnancy and delivery confirmed that she made the right choice in selecting Dr. Large, HerHealth Clinic and the Women and Infants Center for the most important event of her life.

“We trusted Dr. Large with the most important event of our lives, and she took excellent care of us.”

Seaghan Matthews, Patient Washington Regional HerHealth Clinic & Women and Infants Center

Visit wregional.com/SeaghanMatthews to learn more about her story.

We get you.

Care for Women,

by Women.

479.463.5500

At Pediatric Dental Associates and Orthodontics you’ll discover that we go the extra mile for our patients! From the moment you see our office, you’ll know what we mean. We have a fully themed environment that is comforting and fun for your children.

We offer preventive, restorative, and orthodontic services for kids ages 0-18.

We also specialize in dental care for children with special needs.

1607 E. Rainforest Rd. Fayetteville, AR 72703

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Fayetteville: 479-582-0600

Bentonville: 479-268-5000

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We accept all insurances and we are in-network with Delta Dental, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, ARKids, Delta Dental Smiles, and MCNA.

10 March 2020

IT’S TIME BFF 2020 FESTIVAL | April 29–May 2, 2020 Experience films, panels and family friendly events all over Bentonville with diverse makers and friends. For tickets, passes, and more information visit bentonvilleflim.org.

IT’S TIME

© 2020 Bentonville Film Festival, LLC

Arka Razornsas Lady backs Game

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rice pop up event!

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Worthy Photo Spots Take a “PEEK” at these snapshots from families across NWA! 12 March 2020

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Emma

By: Stacey Kaundart Photo by: Charles Hart with Heart Photography

it being peak flu season, we assumed it was the flu and never expected the events that were about to follow, but God completely went before us every step of the way. He put doctors and nurses in our path that not only would help heal our baby, but also comfort our hearts during some of our darkest times.

E

mma is the answer to many prayers. She was the perfect addition to our family after a miscarriage in 2011, traumatic birth with our second daughter due to a placental abruption in 2012, and ectopic pregnancy in 2018. We weren’t sure we would be able to have more children, but God answered our prayers with our sweet Emma.

Emma was born October 8, 2019, and things couldn’t have gone more perfectly. She was a dream baby, and fit right in with our other daughters, Hannah and Olivia. On January 5, 2020, however, everything changed. What started out as a typical Sunday morning quickly became a day we will never forget. Emma woke up that morning incredibly happy -- no one would have ever guessed how sick she would be just hours later. By 3pm, we knew something was terribly wrong with our baby, as she was incredibly fussy and difficult to wake.

After a quick assessment at home, we rushed her to the ER at Arkansas Children’s Northwest. With 14 March 2020

The doctors and nurses in the ER were incredible and began immediately treating Emma. Emma’s heart rate was above 250 beats per minute and her fever was rapidly rising. After several tests, it was confirmed that Emma had bacterial meningitis as a result of Group B Strep. (It should be noted that Emma was born via C-section and I had tested negative for Group B Strep so we were all very shocked by this diagnosis.) She was one sick little girl, and we needed more care than was currently available at ACNW, so she and I were flown via the Angel One helicopter to Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock.

We were immediately admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and Emma was hooked up to every machine possible. The doctors were monitoring everything from brain activity to blood pressure to body temperature, and she was receiving no less than fifteen infusions multiple times a day to combat this terrible illness. The list of medications Emma has been on is mindboggling. Shortly after admission in the PICU, Emma had a CT scan and MRI, which revealed that she suffered three strokes as a result of the meningitis. The strokes damaged a few areas of her brain and caused her to begin having seizures, as well as an increase of fluid on her brain. Brain swelling and brain damage became a very real

threat to Emma’s health. Emma was put in a medically-induced coma for the next three weeks to allow her brain to rest and heal while she was hooked up to a continual video EEG to monitor seizure activity. Thankfully, during that time her brain began to recover on its own -- the swelling decreased and there was no further damage. After those three long weeks, our baby was taken off the ventilator and we were finally able to hold her. It was like Christmas morning for this momma! We were then moved from the PICU to the Infant and Toddler Unit to begin her next phase of treatment.

Once she was awake, she began having withdrawals from all the medications that kept her asleep and alive those three weeks in the PICU. Though the withdrawals were part of the healing process, it was beyond difficult to watch my baby struggle those first few days off the ventilator. After the withdrawals had subsided a bit, she began all the therapies to get her stronger and back to her spunky self. The most important therapy for her is speech therapy, as she is relearning how to eat after being on the ventilator for three weeks and not taking anything by mouth for nearly four weeks. Once we knew she was stable, we put in a request to be transferred back to Arkansas Children’s Northwest in hopes of finishing her recovery closer to home and closer to our family and friends. Fortunately, everything aligned just perfectly and Emma was transferred back to ACNW on February 12. She and I took the Angel One ambulance from Little Rock to Springdale, and we couldn’t have been more relieved to be back home.

Once we were settled in at ACNW, Emma began working with the speech therapists multiple times a day to take a bottle again. I’m happy to say she is working hard and getting better every day! We know Emma’s story has been shared all over social media, and it is times like this we are so thankful for

the power social media has to get as many people as possible praying for our girl. We have been on the receiving end of so many blessings since this all began. From our dear friends at Bliss Cupcake Café having a fundraiser for us, to neighbors setting up a GoFundMe account, to CrossFit friends designing Team Emma shirts, we are truly blessed with an amazing community in Northwest Arkansas!

We cannot wait to tell Emma her story one day and share with her all the people who have been praying for her during this time. Emma endured so much during this 46-day stay, but she is a fighter and we have seen our precious girl return to us.

We were discharged from the hospital on February 20 and it was the best day ever for our family!

Though the healing isn’t over for Emma, we are thankful to be surrounded by doctors and therapists that will continue to work with us to give Emma the best possible chance at a full recovery. We are forever indebted to the men and women who kept our baby alive during those very critical hours in the ACNW ER, the nurses of Angel One who made all our travels possible, and the doctors, nurses, and therapists at ACH and ACNW who helped Emma on the road to recovery. Arkansas Children’s Hospital will always hold a special place in our hearts.

To learn more about the Kaundart’s journey, purchase a Team Emma t-shirt, or to donate visit: masonprints.com/collections/kaundart-family or www.gofundme.com/f/baby-emma-prayers-and-support

peekaboonwa.com

15

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Monday-Friday, 8am-5:30pm

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Monday-Friday, 8am-7:30pm Saturday, 8am-11am peekaboonwa.com

17

Down Syndrome Connection NWA

MEET

NATE

BY: BRIAN HERNDON

I

t was the summer of 2008, and we were moving. I was starting my first principal job in Excelsior Springs, MO, so we were selling a house and moving from our beloved Columbia to Excelsior Springs. If you recall, the housing market crashed in 2008, which made our situation all the more nervewracking and costly for relocating! My wife, Jenny, and I were also expecting our third child, a boy, that summer. My wife has a blood clotting disorder known as Factor V Leiden, which means that her blood clots more easily than others. It also means that she has high-risk pregnancies, which require that she stay monitored through frequent ultrasounds and stress tests during the course of the pregnancy. Every ultrasound and every stress test came back with good results, showing a healthy baby boy.

July 29th arrived, and we excitedly arrived at Boone Hospital in Columbia to welcome our baby boy into the world. Everything seemed to be going as planned. My wife had a scheduled C-section, and we went through all the pre-op procedures and made our way into the operating room to deliver our precious bundle of joy. Because my wife has always had scheduled C-section deliveries, I always had my camera so I could take pictures of our baby and show her as doctors finished everything up after the delivery. With one of the pictures, my wife’s face showed some concern. She said, “He looks like a Down’s baby.” “Oh no,” I replied. “He looks just like Trent and Chase (our nephews, who also have beautiful almond-shaped eyes).”

The nurses had to provide Nate, our newborn son, with oxygen as they worked to clean him up. The room seemed quiet that day, much more

facts about what

so than with the deliveries of our previous children. No one really gave us much eye contact, and no one spoke much to us other than to give us they were doing with Nate.

The medical staff took Nate down to the nursery, and I had joined them to get all the obligatory pictures of the first weigh in, the measurements, etc., while my wife was taken to her recovery room. Later, we were joined by a doctor in my wife’s hospital recovery room, who said that he suspected that our son had Down syndrome. The doctor proceeded to tell us all the things that our child would never do, including breastfeed, which devastated my wife because she had nursed our other two children and planned to do so with Nate.

He explained that there were lots of resources to help us out, and that they would order genetic testing to be sure. He left the room without much more than an “I’m sorry…” We were shocked.

There had been no indications and no mention of Down syndrome with this pregnancy. How did this happen?

Sometime that afternoon, they had switched my wife to her regular room, and in the process, they wheeled her by the NICU, which was being remodeled, so all the babies from the nursery were in the NICU as well. It was a very crowded room to be sure! The nurse, who was with my wife, asked if she wanted to go in and see our son. “Of course,”

she replied. “But, what about all the baby beds?”

The nurse went in and started rearranging the cradles to make room for my wife, who was still bed-bound after her C-section. As we wheeled up to our son, the nurse laid him next my wife and asked, “Would you like to try to nurse?”

“But, the doctor said I couldn’t,” lamented my wife. “Forget the doctor!” retorted the nurse, exposing my wife so our son could find the milk. With tears in her eyes and doubt in her heart, my wife adjusted herself so that Nate could latch on. With all of us standing around watching, Nate performed his first act of defiance, proving the doctor wrong. He latched on like a champ and nursed so well. We all looked at each other in amazement with tears rolling down our cheeks. Nate was nursing!

Sometime during our hospital stay, we were visited by the parents of one of my former students, John and Mary. They also had a son with Down syndrome, and they came to the hospital to talk with us and give us the hope that somehow had eluded the doctors who told us all the things our son would not be able to do. They told us that all the feelings we had were perfectly normal, even the ones that didn’t feel so good -- the ones that made us sad or that made us mad. They cried with us. They prayed with us. They gave us hope. We will be forever grateful for that visit and their friendship that day.

Fast forward to October 2008, and we had all finally made the move to Excelsior Springs, which is a rural suburb of Kansas City, MO. We sold the old house pretty quickly, which was a miracle, given the state of the economy, though we took a pretty decent loss on it. All five of us were all crammed into a two-bedroom house, with our cat and our dog as well. Knowing it was temporary until we had sold our old house and found a new house, we made it work, with much of our stuff in storage.

Down syndrome, also known as Trisomy 21, is a chromosomal disorder resulting in three copies of the 21st chromosome that occurs in 1 of every 800 births. People with Down syndrome experience cognitive delays and have an increased risk for certain medical conditions. A few of the common physical traits of Down syndrome are low muscle tone, small stature, almond shaped eyes, and a single deep crease across the center of the palm.

Every person with Down syndrome is a unique individual, and may possess these characteristics to different degrees, or not at all.

Our little Nate experienced a hole in his heart that

required surgery. He had surgery at 4 months of age to repair the defect.

Several years later, we moved to Northwest Arkansas. We had heard about the Down Syndrome Connection of Northwest Arkansas, and we knew that the benefits of the Down Syndrome Guild we had been a part of in Kansas City were significant, so we knew we would get involved with the Down Syndrome Connection NWA (DSCNWA). We attended the annual Christmas brunch as our first event. We had met a few other families of children with Down syndrome, and it was fun to connect with them at this event. We met Danielle Pezely as well, the President of the Board of Directors at the DSCNWA. She was so wonderful and told us all about the great things being done here in Northwest Arkansas.

Over the course of the next year, we attended a few events, but we didn’t “commit” because we live in Siloam Springs and it seemed tough to travel to events in the I-49 corridor. But, over time, we decided that we needed to take the step of commitment to being more involved in the DSCNWA because the benefits to us, our son, and to others are so great! We put together a team to attend the Step Up for Down Syndrome Walk that was held at the NWA Naturals Stadium in Springdale. We attended some other events, and I even did an IEP presentation for the DSCNWA. I was asked to join the Board in October/November of 2019, and I immediately knew that was the right thing to do to give back to this wonderful organization that is working to help so many in Northwest Arkansas.

We are firmly planted here in Northwest Arkansas.

We love Siloam Springs. Our son, Nate, has proven the doctors wrong at every turn! He is nearly fully included in the general education classroom at his school, and he is making great friends. We are invested in the Down Syndrome Connection of Northwest Arkansas because we know that there is great value in the programming, support, friendship, and encouragement that is provided.

The statistics tell us that 1 in 800 children are born with Down syndrome, so we count ourselves as one of the “Lucky Few,” and we are doubly blessed to be joined with others through the Down Syndrome Connection of Northwest Arkansas.

The Down Syndrome Connection of Northwest Arkansas has been supporting families since 2002.

Their vision is a Northwest Arkansas Community in which individuals with Down syndrome are able to participate in a meaningful way at work and at play, are able to achieve their aspirations, and are welcomed as valued community members. For more information visit dscnwa.com peekaboonwa.com

19

20 March 2020

Must-Shop Booths at Vintage Market Days

Reborn Co.

www.rebornco.net Reborn Co. is a veteran-owned, veteran-operated business located in the Ozark Mountains. We specialize in ManCandles and more. Our products contain no color, no toxins, and no additives, and burn clean, burn slow, hold their scent and are skin-safe. You can find us on Amazon, Instagram, Facebook or RebornCo.net Amazon: Reborn Co Candles Shows: reborncoshows@gmail.com Facebook: @therebornco Instagram: Reborn Candle Co Work Shop 417-612-8411 Cell 417-860-9668

Carmelita Catering

www.carmelitacateringco.com Carmelita Catering Co. is your much-anticipated supplier of hand-crafted, made-from -cratch foods in Northwest Arkansas. Our customizable menu offers traditional Mexican cuisine and Southern-inspired dishes that will be sure to please. We offer gluten-free and vegetarian options in all our menus to satisfy your dietary needs. For your party needs, we are pleased to introduce Lita and Roger, the charming ice cream cart and our old-fashioned tap cart. email: CarmelitaCateringCo@gmail.com Phone: 479-222-0953 Social Media: @CarmelitaCateringCo

Vintage Market Days® is an upscale, vintage-inspired, indoor/outdoor market featuring original art, antiques, clothing, jewelry, handmade treasures, home décor, outdoor furnishings, consumable yummies, seasonal plantings, and a little more.

Git-N-Krafty & Scott’s Stuff www.gitnkrafty.com

Specializing in premium wood decor, and inspired by Vintage Farmhouse Designs.

We bring both finished and unfinished wood designs, allowing for DIY-goers to add their unique touches to that special piece. Anything from large wall words 45” wide to the smaller words at 10,” several variations of letter monograms for your home, 3 size ladders and plaques for individual sign creations, window frames, and window arches. We design each product to be interchangeable and multi-functional for efficient use, and at an economical costs. After being in business for 15 years, we value our customers and bring a large variety of wood decor to meet individual design preferences.

Must-Shop Booths at the Vintage Market Days Continued...

Piggin’ Out snack sticks

www.facebook.com/367627030622190 We are a farm-to-table pork snack stick made from locally grown and vented pigs with no growth hormones or antibiotics.

We offer twelve flavors, from a mild, smoky BBQ to a spicy habanero BBQ, and everything in between. We will deliver to you or ship anywhere in the US. (479) 903-5869 or (479) 427-0699

Mod Miss Jewelry www.themodmiss.com

Mod Miss Jewelry is dedicated to two things - making beautiful jewelry and providing a safe haven for women struggling with life-controlling issues. We employ women who are overcoming addiction so they can provide for their families and regain self-confidence.

When you purchase from Mod Miss Jewelry, you are helping to provide an opportunity for women to overcome and become better and stronger individuals for themselves, their families, and their local community.

Spruce + Nest with Studio Bliss

www.thisisstudiobliss.com Studio Bliss is an occasional/traveling cottage shop, full to the brim with pretty things. This allows us time to create and curate our ever-changing collection and supply of unique finds and handmade designs for sprucing your wardrobe and feathering your nest. @thisisstudiobliss

Email: misty@themodmiss.com 28 South First St. Paris, AR

Cottonwood Creek Herbals cottonwoodcreekherbals.com

I grew up in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina, learning from my parents and grandparents about medicinal herbs. After graduating with my master’s in herbology, I wanted to share my love of medicinal plants with others. I create all-natural bath and body products using medicinal herbs and therapeutic grade essential oils. I love to teach people that what they put on their skin is in their bloodstream in as little as thirty seconds, so choose wisely. Our lotions, soaps, body washes, scrubs, pain lotion, and other wellness products are made with the highest quality ingredients and, most importantly, love.

22 March 2020

Granny’s Jam

grannysjam.etsy.com Looking for a unique gift? Check out our all-natural jalapeno jams! We have five different jalapeno flavors: blackberry, raspberry, strawberry, peach, and regular Jalapeno.

Goodman Locker Plant at 125 N Roy Hill Blvd, Goodman, MO email: grannysjam7@gmail.com phone: 918-864-6085

J Bae Boutique

www.jbaeboutique.com (918) 533-8986 Everything J Bae offers is handmade and done with so much love.

We offer the most adorable baby moccasins, gorgeous lightweight earrings, and incredible hand-stitched handbags. We value excellence and quality while still maintaining affordable products. J Bae Boutique isn’t just another accessory company - it’s a small, home-based business with a huge amount of heart.

Family Matters

Matilda Jane Clothing

FB: Family Matters: Fun, Unique Gifts & Decor!

Brittney Wheeler www.matildajaneclothing.com brittneywheeler@matildajaneclothing.com

We are a family- and friends-run business! We make rustic magnet boards, mirrors, tables, lamps, hats, and so much more!

Linsey Eakin www.matildajaneclothing.com/ LinseyEakin linseyeakin@ matildajaneclothing.com We are personal stylists and boutique owners for Matilda Jane Clothing Company.

We have a mission to keep little girls little, twirling and spinning, and to help ladies feel beautiful and confident in what they wear. Our unique clothing and accessories are so special, as our very own artist does most of our prints.

We are proud to offer quality clothing that will last babies and ladies for years to come!

peekaboonwa.com

23

A Spring Break Just for Me

This is my first spring break without my kids in 11 years. The reality of this left me feeling a little sorry for myself, so I promptly got to work at making plans. I called a friend to see if we could take a road trip to get my mind off of things. So, Magnolia Farms, here I come.

Maybe you find yourself in an unfamiliar situation as well. Perhaps your spring break will be spent working to make ends meet. Or maybe you are the parent who has the kids this year because you, too, are divorced. No matter the situation, embrace your spring break with an attitude of gratitude.

There are a couple of things everyone can do to ensure a great time, wherever they may find themselves in life. First, make a short list of a few things you have been wanting to get done.

This might be some cleaning around the house, or getting together with friends who you haven’t seen in a long time. Be intentional about which day you’ll do what, because the week will fly by!

2. Continue with, or begin, that New Year’s Resolution you committed to. Mine was to go on at least two runs between January and June.

I used to run almost every day, but haven’t since the divorce. Life has a funny way of passing you by even when you think time is standing still. I will be taking one of my runs this spring break, and I can’t wait to get back in the swing of things.

3. Rest and relax any way you see fit. Some people I know like to relax by getting a pedicure, and others crawl into bed to sleep the day away. What relaxes you? Think of something that brings you joy and peace... and do it. If it’s something that requires an appointment, think ahead and schedule it now.

4. Try something new in your town. Wherever you live, there’s bound to be a restaurant, a store, or an ice cream place that you’ve yet to try. Give it a go and get yourself out there. It’s fun to 24 March 2020

explore your town and visit your surroundings.

5. Get outside. If you’re at the beach, lucky you!

Or, if your spring break includes a staycation this year, make plans to go on a hike and have a picnic. Just because you’re home doesn’t mean you can’t have fun. Visit all the places you never have time to go and renew your sense of adventure.

6. Write a letter to a family member or friend.

I love getting letters. It’s one of my favorite things to receive. I have a few friends who continue to send me snail mail because they know it makes me happy. Something fun this spring break would be to send a few encouraging notes out.

You never know when the other person might need it. Have fun with these and get some stickers, washi tape and cute notecards. (Hint: Target dollar bins are a great place to find stuff like this!)

7. If nesting is your thing (aka… homebody), make plans to spruce up your house with a little decorating. It doesn’t have to break the bank. Think a few new frames, or a fresh coat of paint in one of the main rooms. You’d be amazed at what a little interior decorating can do for one’s mood.

And finally, have fun. My definition of fun is doing something, anything that makes me laugh and get lost in the moment. I’ll need laughter this spring break as I continue to adjust to my new normal as a single mom. I’ll need laughter to fill my cheeks when there may be moments I’m longing for my kids. Spring Break 2020 will be a time just for me.

Parenting journalist Meagan Ruffing is looking forward to a few days off this spring break.

She plans on taking a few ideas from this list, especially number 3, “rest and relaxation,” and may even write a few letters. Head on over to Facebook and let Meagan know what you’ll be doing this spring break at facebook.com/ writermeaganruffing.

Make your space.

March 23-27 | 9am-3pm | Ages: 6-11 Register today at amazeum.org/programs/camps.

Easy transfers.

Free delivery.

Plus, 10 on-the-way locations across Northwest Arkansas, making your journey to wellness its easiest. collierdrug.com

1-888-237-6261

The UAMS Healthy Start Jined ilo Kobo Program The UAMS Healthy Start/Jined ilo Kobo Program is a free service that promotes positive birth outcomes and improves the health and well-being of Northwest Arkansas mothers, fathers and infants.

Healthy Start staff are trained to connect mothers, fathers, partners, and families with education and resources throughout the community while also providing support services in the home, hospital, and other community settings. Currently, our Maternal Health APRN is accepting new patients in the UAMS Family Medicine clinics in Fayetteville and Springdale. Healthy Start clients can receive prenatal/ maternity health services at NO COST. Here are some of the services the Healthy Start/ Jined ilo Kobo Program can provide to families and children in Benton, Carroll, Madison and Washington counties: Translation services: While Northwest Arkansas is home to a large minority population, data shows that Marshallese and Hispanic populations face adverse health risks, including higher-than-average risks of contracting diabetes. Additionally, birth record data shows that in Northwest Arkansas, 15% of Marshallese women receive no prenatal care, compared to 1.6% nationally; 19% of Marshallese infants were born

preterm, compared to 8.6% nationally; 15% of Marshallese infants were lower birthweight infants, compared to 8.3% nationally; and only half of Marshallese women receive prenatal care in the first trimester. Healthcare can be complicated for anyone, with or without a language barrier. We have a large staff of dedicated Marshallese and Spanish-speaking care coordinators who can help mothers, fathers, and children navigate the health care system and access their best health.

Health Care Navigation: Starting a family can be a challenge, and there’s a lot to learn within a short window of time. Our care coordinators are trained to help mothers both during their pregnancy and after, through one-on-one, in-home support and education to ensure that the entire family stays healthy, before and after the birth of the child.

Connection to Resources: No one should have to go through a pregnancy alone, and we know we’re not the only resource in Northwest Arkansas to help families and their children live their healthiest lives.

We have several partnerships and connections with – and can assist with access to – local community organizations, food pantries, clinics, and more. We all work together to ensure families start healthy and stay healthy.

For more information about the UAMS Healthy Start/Jined ilo Kobo, call us at 479-713-8661 or email us at mch@uams.edu. Like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/uams.healthystart and visit northwestcampus.uams.edu/chr for more resources to help keep healthy before, during, and after pregnancy.

26 March 2020

Journey to the past.

MARCH 10-15 | 8 SHOWS!

Broadway Extra: Emperor’s Ball Saturday, March 14, 12:30pm

Bring your family to a special pre-show event and enjoy finger foods, soft drinks and arts & crafts.

TICKETS $20!

Broadway Series Sponsor:

Media Support:

peekaboonwa.com

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Amber J. Sills, MD | Amy Sarver, MD | Lisa Bearden, MD

500 SE Plaza Avenue Bentonville, Arkansas

F

ormer Los Angeles Laker basketball player Kobe Bryant, his thirteen-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others lost their lives in a horrific helicopter crash on January 26th, 2020. You don’t really need to know anything about basketball or his NBA career to be impacted. For me, being a dad was more than enough.

Kobe was a league MVP, a two-time scoring champion, a four-time All Star Game MVP, a fivetime NBA Champion, a twelve-time All Defense selection and an eighteen-time All-Star… just to name a few of his professional accomplishments.

However, the most important number he put up in my book is four: the number of children, all daughters, who called him Dad. Honestly, I wasn’t a fan of Kobe Bryant the basketball player. He was brash, arrogant, a ball hog, publicly 30 March 2020

called out his teammates and shot far too much for my taste (I’m also quite certain he would have agreed with my analysis). But that is just my opinion, and given the number of ESPN stories, nationally televised games and #8 and #24 jerseys sold (he wore two different numbers during his career, and the Lakers retired BOTH of them) I was definitely in the minority. But Kobe the dad... that’s where I jump on the bandwagon.

Like me, he’s had his ups and downs. Early on in his career, he cared far too much about personal gain and notoriety (painfully familiar) and was very much init-to-win-it for himself. Throughout his twenty-year NBA career, he achieved his professional goals and had some major and minor speed bumps in the arc of life that left him what he was on January 26th: A caring husband, a thoughtful father very engaged in his daughters’ lives, an ambassador for the National

Basketball Association, and a mentor to many young players.

Unlike me, he once scored 81 points in a game.

Unsure if I ever had 81 points in a season, but I can identify with him as a dad who helped coach youth basketball. Obviously, he had a greater ability and far more experience to teach his kids, but regardless, we both know how invested you get watching your child perform and struggle in sports.

For those of you who aren’t basketball fans, there is a little “thing” that some kids, and some adults, do when they are shooting baskets, or even tossing trash into a waste basket. Often you will hear them yell “KO-BE!!!” as they fall backwards shooting.

This is a nod to Kobe’s most famous shot technique: the fadeaway jump shot. One of my sons does this quite often; especially when we are playing pickup basketball in the driveway. Before Kobe’s passing, I understood what my son was saying and why he was saying it, but it never really meant that much to me.

However, now, as a dad mourning the loss of another dad, it means a lot to me, as it reminds me of Kobe the father, not Kobe the basketball player.

One of Kobe’s most famous teammates was Shaquille O’Neal, or “Shaq” as he is most commonly referred.

O’Neal is roughly the same size as a mountain, and in the early 2000’s the duo of Kobe and Shaq was unstoppable. The only thing that could stop them was themselves, since eventually egos erupted and they went their separate ways. Recently, Shaq appeared on TV and was emotionally distraught for not speaking to Kobe for over four years, and he, also a father, delivered a powerful message. He said, “Hug your kids, tell your family you love them, call the people you have a beef with and fix it, and phone that friend you’ve been thinking about calling for days, months or years.” Huge advice from a huge man.

Nobody knows what happened or what was said in the final seconds before the crash. However, I have to believe that Kobe held his daughter tight in his arms, looked her in the eye and told her he loved her. For the rest of my life whenever somebody yells “KOBE!!!” I will be reminded of Kobe Bryant the father, and how he must have felt in his last moments with his daughter Gianna on January 26th. It will also remind me to hug my daughter a little tighter on her birthday, which is also January 26th.

EQUESTRIAN BRIDGES - CHANGING THE FACE OF MENTAL WELLNESS -

Equestrian Bridges (EB) is a registered 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization dedicated to helping Northwest Arkansas children with special needs, youth at risk, veterans, individuals, and their families.

We empower these individuals by using Natural Horsemanship in Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies (EAAT).

We have the mission to foster an innovative therapeutic experience both in the saddle and on the ground for individuals, families, and communities.

Our purpose is to change the face of mental health by providing a unique therapeutic environment and treatment for those in need through Equine EAAT. We strive to ensure that all clients and families who step foot onto our healing grounds receive a profession, integrative, and holistic service with our nonprofit and other organizations in the Northwest Arkansas community.

Originally, Equestrian Bridges started with a small therapeutic herd serving two clients through private lessons. Now, we have expanded to include seven miniature horses and seven standard-sized horses, along with four children’s programs impacting 150200 individuals per year. We have recently relocated from our Fayetteville location to a new temporary stable in Rogers with exciting plans in the next year to move into our forever home in Lowell!

Equestrian Bridges

We have seven programs targeted to help individuals with various disabilities. We offer three programs

for children with diverse needs along with private individual lessons that are tailored specifically for the client.

Dreamcatchers Program

The program works with children and teens 5-18 years old with ranging abilities through small groups which help build social skills, education, and confidence.

Ride to Grow Program

This program helps students ages 5-12 enrolled in a special education program within local school districts develop adaptive behavior skills, communication skills, gross/fine motor skills, and social skills.

Reins Program

The program is for teens 13-18 years of age considered at risk for behavioral and emotional turmoil, experiencing trauma, or involved in the juvenile detention, foster care, or child protective systems of NWA. We facilitate the development of emotional regulation skills, coping skills, communication skills, and anxiety management skills.

Horses and humans share an indescribable bond.

Horses truly free spirits and heal souls. Through EAAT, communication skills can develop when clients realize that they can trust the horses not to share secrets or disagree with them, which fosters an open environment. EAAT can also benefit and develop motor skills.

“My daughter bonded with her pony, Fibber, and for the first time understood the concept of teamwork. She did not understand nor care to make connections with people, but she would be a team with Fibber.”

Private Session Side Walkers

-Client/family testimony

Equine Management Team

We are extremely grateful for all the support from our local community, and are continuously seeking to create more relationships in our community. If you are interested in volunteering at Equestrian Bridges, there are so many opportunities! Here are a few:

Mini Buddy

Private Session Horse Leaders

Our horse leads also assist and participate during private client sessions and help navigate the horse through the arena. Volunteers must be 18 years old or up.

Side walkers interact with the clients during private lessons and walk beside the client for added safety measures. Volunteers must be 18 years old or up.

Volunteers will assist in the maintenance of our fourlegged worker in the training and care of our 14 (seven minis and seven standard sizes) therapeutic horses. Volunteers must be 16 years old or up.

For any youth interested in volunteering, the Mini Buddy Program is perfect. Children and adolescents can help care for and groom our seven miniature horses.

This opportunity is for individuals 5-15 years old.

Visit equestrianbridges.org to learn how you can be a part of our unique programs!

Let’s race toward a brighter future for NWA individuals and families with diverse needs!

Save the Date for Equestrian Bridges’

8th Annual Mini Derby!

May 2, 2020, 2 -7 p.m Location: Estates at Southgate Tickets $45 Children 12 years- old and younger are FREE All community members are welcomed!

The event will include: Kentucky Derby watch party, miniature horse racing, local food trucks, mint juleps, big hat and bowtie competitions, an open bar, kid’s zone, petting zoo, and more!

pre-primary (2-4 years)

primary (5-12 years)

secondary (12-21 years)

Engaging & Individualized childrensABAteam.com peekaboonwa.com

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LO O K A N D F E E L

YO U R B E S T At Women’s Health Associates, we want you to feel confident about every aspect of your life, including how you look. That’s why we offer a number of aesthetic services designed to help you be your best self at every stage of your life.

FA C I A L S Designed to help you put your best face forward, let us help you discover a more beautiful and youthful-looking you. All facials include an in-depth skin analysis, cleansing and exfoliation of the neck, face, and décolleté.

Also Offering: Dermaplaning | Microneedling | Chemical Peels | Microdermabrasion

I N J E C TA B L E S A N D D E R M A L F I L L E R S As we age, our faces naturally lose subcutaneous fat and the “plump” look of our youth. Injectables and dermal fillers can be used to help diminish facial lines and restore volume and fullness in the face. Plump thin lips, enhance shallow contours, soften facial creases and wrinkles, and improve the appearance of recessed scars.

Offering: BOTOX® Cosmetic | JUVEDERM®

I N T I M AT E W E L L N E S S CO2RE Intima vaginal treatments help restore your vaginal health… and help you rediscover what you’ve lost. The procedure only takes a few minutes and many women report symptom relief after the very first treatment. The treatments use laser energy to stimulate healing and renewed collagen that results in increased elasticity and natural lubrication, decreased urine leakage, and more pleasurable sex.

B O DY C O N T O U R I N G Love the idea of reshaping your body, but not the reality of incisions or scars? Our non-invasive procedures don’t require any incisions and deliver noticeable results. The treatments work to improve the appearance of cellulite, reduce dimpled skin, and tighten skin on the abdomen, love handles, hips, thighs and other areas that require fat reduction. BodyFX addresses problematic fatty tissue in larger body areas such as the abdomen, back (flanks), and thighs. MiniFX addresses problematic fatty tissue in smaller areas like the neck, arms, and knees. Forma tightens the skin on the face, neck and hands.

Also offering: Photo facials with Lumecca | Laser Hair Removal | Waxing Spider Vein Treatment

500 SE PLAZA AVENUE BENTONVILLE, ARKANSAS

479-876-8111 www.whanwa.com 34 March 2020

Empowering Nonprofits with Technology

By Jamie Smith Let me ask you something about the last time you volunteered for, donated to, or otherwise interacted with a local nonprofit: How did you learn about what they do and the impact they have?

I would guess that you interacted with them online in some way, whether a friend shared a social media update, or it was information you learned from their website. Nonprofits rely on technology to make connections, be it providing information to clients, inspiring donors, or engaging volunteers.

involves volunteers creating free technology solutions for nonprofits that apply and are approved based on our criteria.

Most of the time, the organizations want a new website, and that’s pretty much our hallmark project.

We’ve tried to branch out a few times, however, and are willing to take a look at nearly any technology project that nonprofits request. The key is, it must be feasible to complete during the one weekend.

The need for that technology is why one of the nonprofit organizations I’m most passionate about, GiveCamp Northwest Arkansas, exists. GiveCamp NWA has operated for more than a decade in the region but became an official 501c3 in 2018.

This event is an exhausting, yet empowering time where we bring in (on average) 12 nonprofits along with about 60-75 community volunteers to complete the projects. We divide the volunteers into teams based on their skill sets, and those teams are each assigned to a nonprofit.

Our tagline is “Empowering nonprofits with technology,” and the main way we’ve done that has been via our annual event we simply call GiveCamp.

This event, scheduled for October 2-4 of this year,

What comes out of this weekend is nothing short of amazing. Usually, professional websites would cost around $5,000 and take several months.

Our volunteers complete 10-12 websites in one

36 March 2020

weekend—for free. We’ve also been able to tackle other technology projects such as a digital waiting room, and helping nonprofits with social media and branding.

If I were to name my favorite part, I would have to say two things: Getting to know all the different nonprofits and also how well people from all backgrounds, belief systems, and skills come together to conquer the world in a single weekend. I’ve participated in five GiveCamps, two as a board member. It’s been an honor to work with a wide range of nonprofits, including an animal rescue, women’s shelter, supply chain nonprofit, children’s dance foundation, and an education organization.

The other board members and I could talk about GiveCamp all day long, but I thought I’d let some of our recent volunteers and nonprofits share, too.

Joe Rocko is part of United We Dance, a nonprofit that provides opportunities for people with disabilities to dance and make friendships in a safe, accepting environment. United We Dance was one of our 2019 nonprofits. We asked nonprofits and volunteers what their favorite aspect was about the event and also what was most rewarding.

“I think my favorite part about GiveCamp is the environment. It’s a super cool building that oozes with

inspiration. People from all different backgrounds and causes gathered together to make a difference in our community. There’s something special about this,” he said. “I think the most rewarding thing for me is the connections we made. We have been given an opportunity to network and learn a new skill that we didn’t know was possible. I truly believe this is a once in a lifetime experience that we have been blessed to have been given.”

Cynthia Maggard has volunteered for a couple of years and is now part of our organizing committee.

“The speed with which things get done (is my favorite part of GiveCamp),” she said. “Oftentimes, nonprofits struggle to keep pace with a technologically changing space. GiveCamp gives those groups a chance to look much bigger than they are, and in turn, generate more public awareness for their mission.”

As we move forward in 2020, GiveCamp NWA is expanding. We’ve added more volunteers to help organize our big event, and we are working on ways to make a difference throughout the year, including education and smaller technology assistance events.

If you would like more information on GiveCamp NWA visit www.givecampnwa.org to apply or find out how you can volunteer.

peekaboonwa.com

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MICAH’S HOUSE

NoaShtor’ys

by: Noah Franklin

In the years before I arrived at Micah’s House, my life was pretty rough. I was unemployed and homeless more times than not. I drank heavily, sporadically used various street drugs, and was in and out of jail several times for everything from public intoxication to theft of property. All of these events only made finding a job more difficult.

Even when I found work and a place to live, my prior homelessness and frequent bouts of depression had ingrained into me some terrible behaviors. I would inevitably fail to take care of myself: my diet was poor and mostly consisted of an abundance of cheap beer and whatever I could get from a nearby food pantry. I’d ride a bike to work until things would get to be too much for me again, and then I’d just stay home for weeks or months... and then I’d be homeless again. I shoplifted and stole things frequently. I was caught several times and was nearly sent to prison before talking with a representative of the Washington County Drug Court. They told me that if I was willing to go to rehab and complete the drug court program, I could avoid prison. At that point, I had already recognized I had a severe problem with drugs and alcohol, so of course I agreed. When I finished 30 days of rehab, I was still homeless. This 38 March 2020

was unacceptable to Judge Beaumont (the judge in charge of Washington County Drug Court) and she reached out to Micah’s House, who then took me in.

I came to Micah’s House with almost nothing, I had very little of anything left to my name. With the help of everyone at Micah’s House, I was finally able to get back on my feet. I got back the sense of security and routine that I needed to reliably deal with everyday life.

I completed drug court, gained some (much-needed) weight and started working again. I steered away from old associates who would’ve been no help to my future and, instead, built new friendships.

Micah’s House (MH) taught me to be patient and decisive. They helped me plan and prepare for my future. Because of these plans, I’ve done so much better for myself than I ever had before.

I’ve been staying busy, but I’ve also actually begun enjoying my life these past years. I think I’d forgotten that there was more to life than work and drugs. I wasn’t able to live much before my experiences at MH. Everything I used to do involved work or substance abuse with very little in between. I will always be grateful to the role models I had at MH for showing me another way to live.

My experiences at Micah’s House were unique. I never felt a lack of compassion or help while there.

There is a distinct sense of care and concern that I saw every day during my time with them. There were several other boys there who also needed that. I was one of the oldest there, and I talked with many other young men about their prior experiences. Many were foster kids or former foster kids. We were all pretty rough around the edges, often very defensive and argumentative with everyone. But the people at MH was unbelievably patient with us. They understood that while only we could deal with our problems, it was up to them to provide us with the structure, tools, and time needed to grow into men. I’m not sure all of us would be where we are now without all of those benefits. For some, MH was one of the only programs that truly taught them the skills they needed to be more in life. The young men in MH often don’t know how to cook, follow a budget, deal with their emotions in a positive manner, or accept help from others. Many of us never felt in control, either of ourselves or our environment. Being given the opportunity to seize that control back from addiction, anger, abandonment, and a sense of having nothing to work with was truly invaluable. There’s no price I can put on it. Most places I’ve seen, it’s sink or swim. At MH, they never leave you behind.

About Micah’s House Micah’s House equips young men to discover hope, healing, identity, and a place to belong.

Their mission is to provide mentoring in a structured home environment for young men ages 18 to 25 who have aged out of foster care/group homes and/or who have been orphaned by essential support systems.

Each participant has a story as unique as the individual; however, there are characteristics that they will share. First, they often have broken relationships and nonexistent healthy social supports. Second, they are either in a crisis situation or in transition and looking for an alternative to homelessness, i.e., in an emergency shelter, in transitional housing, sleeping on a friend’s couch, or exiting an institution where they temporarily resided.

For more information visit

micahshousenwa.org

THE MOST ADVANCED PERINATAL CARE

NOW IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS

We specialize in providing health care services for high-risk pregnancies.

Our staff includes obstetricians with expertise in maternal-fetal medicine, specially trained sonographers, skilled obstetrical nurses, registered dieticians with expertise in diabetes and genetics counselors.

Now taking appointments at 5414 Pinnacle Point Drive, Suite 300 Rogers, AR

NORTHWEST HEALTH OB NURSE NAVIGATORS OFFER

personal guidance A

s any expectant parent knows, the anticipation of the birthing experience is an exciting time, but it can sometimes be overwhelming. To help parents feel confident and comfortable before the big day arrives, Northwest Health offers an OB Nurse Navigator program at all three of its hospitals that provide maternity services. Your navigator – who serves as a personal guide throughout your pregnancy – will give you valuable information, discuss your labor options and birth preferences, provide an escorted facility tour and help connect you with prenatal classes and services. The nurse navigator program is free and adds an extra layer of one-on-one care for pregnancy, delivery and postpartum care.

“I’m a labor nurse and a mom, so I understand how nerve-wracking planning for a baby is. I love helping to take the anxiety out of the delivery process for parents,” said Hannah McHardy, RN, CLC, OB Nurse Navigator for The Family Birth Place at Northwest Medical Center - Bentonville. “We get to know each other and I get to watch their confidence grow on their journey to parenthood. I have heard from so many of our patients how helpful it was to have the support and education that we provide.”

How does it work?

After learning they are pregnant, women can sign up for the navigator program at NorthwestHealthBabies. com or by calling the hospital where they plan to deliver. Patients can request to meet with a navigator at any point during their pregnancy, even as early as pre-planning for pregnancy.

Patients will receive a personal tour of the hospital, one-on-one education to help plan the birth experience and assistance in registering for free prenatal classes.

“I didn’t know what to expect when I signed up for the Nurse Navigator Program of Northwest Medical Center - Bentonville but am so glad I did,” said Najla Awan of Rogers. “As first-time parents, my husband and I found the hospital tour, pre-registration and comprehensive classes extremely beneficial, wellplanned and expertly led. I absolutely loved ‘Dancing Thru Pregnancy’ and later ‘Dancing with Baby’! My nurse navigator Hannah was amazing in extending support throughout pregnancy, during my stay at 40 March 2020

the hospital, and even post-delivery, providing me guidance, useful resources, and encouragement as I returned to work after maternity leave.”

Jennifer Adair of Lincoln was also a first-time mom, choosing to deliver at Willow Creek Women’s Hospital. “I’ve never delivered a baby before. Being pregnant for the first time, I/we were terrified. I was told about the nurse navigator program and was very interested. That’s when I met Karla Moran, RN, OB Nurse Navigator… She was so awesome from day one. She made me feel so relaxed and anytime I needed advice or concern she would help me. It was such an awesome program. I would recommend it to anyone. She even came and saw me during labor! She and the whole staff at Willow Creek went above and beyond. They made sure they made me as comfortable as I could. Then when my little girl came into the world, Karla came to visit us. Till this day (Hadley Jo is now 19 months old), I still take her to Willow Creek, and we go and visit everyone. We had such an awesome experience. My husband was even impressed. Such amazing people.”

OB-GYNs also see value

“Most leave their first nurse navigator visit on a firstname basis with our hospital staff, and have a great understanding of what to bring to the hospital and which education classes best suit them,” said Dr. Katie Beal, OB/GYN at Northwest Women’s Specialty Group in Bentonville. “The tour and information provided to them is a perfect starting point for us to work on their own birth plan throughout their

pregnancy, and most of my patients also really appreciate a little “handholding” while signing up for classes and completing their preregistration near their delivery date.”

The nurse navigator also schedule another meeting the end of pregnancy to help hospital pre-registration and preparations.

will near with final

The purpose of this meeting is to make your delivery and hospital experience as easy and comfortable as possible. After you deliver, you will receive a hospital visit or followup call from your nurse navigator to make sure you have a smooth transition back home.

Benefits of the OB nurse navigator program include: • Personal tour of the hospital you’re delivering at to help you plan and prepare for your birth experience. Tours are scheduled at your convenience.

• Visit with OB nurse navigator midway through pregnancy and again toward the end of pregnancy.

• Assistance in selecting prenatal classes to best fit your needs and schedule.

• One-on-one review of prenatal and childbirth information, including your personal birth plan.

• Assistance with hospital pre-registration, including helpful tips for selecting a pediatrician.

• Information on car seat selection and installation.

• One-on-one review of breastfeeding resources, including lactation services, and getting a breast pump through insurance.

• A resource for general pregnancy questions.

• Hospital visit or follow-up call by the nurse navigator after the birth of your baby.

To sign up for the OB nurse navigator program, visit NorthwestHealthBabies.com *More than 83,000 babies have been born at Northwest Health’s hospitals, including Northwest Medical Center-Bentonville, Siloam Springs Regional Hospital and Willow Creek Women’s Hospital. As the largest health system in Northwest Arkansas, Northwest Health has five hospitals with 487 beds, a combined medical staff of more than 900 physicians and over 2,400 associates working together to provide quality healthcare for the region. Northwest Health Physicians’ Specialty Hospital, which is owned in part by physicians, is the official medical provider for the Arkansas Razorbacks.

davidadams.com

100 West Center, Ste 101 Fayetteville 479-444-7778

Dr. Averitt, Megan, Staci & and the staff of Best Start Pediatric Clinic would like to welcome our new Nurse Practitioner, Bessie Smith, APRN.

peekaboonwa.com

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Entering its 6th year, the Bentonville Film Festival is a oneof-a-kind event that champions inclusion in all forms of media. Co-founded by Academy Award® winner Geena Davis and Inclusion Companies CEO Trevor Drinkwater, BFF is a year-long platform culminating in an annual festival in partnership with founding sponsor Walmart and presenting sponsor Coca-Cola.

“IF YOU CAN SEE IT, YOU CAN BE IT!”

This year’s festival will include a powerhouse of discussion events in the areas of Advertising & Brand, Film & TV, Culture & Connection, and Kids & Family Entertainment.

Mission: BFF is a year-long initiative which champions inclusion in all aspects of entertainment media. BFF’s primary objective is to influence mainstream media to immediately increase diversity in the content that is produced and distributed, because if they can see it, they can be it.

Learn More: www.bentonvillefilm.org

www.facebook.com/BFFfestival

www.twitter.com/BFFfestival

www.instagram.com/BFFfestival

44 March 2020

Special Guest Appearances: The 2019 Festival featured speakers included Jason George, Jamie Brewer, Frankie Grande, Jackie Cruz, Jon Cena, Kim Bass, Jordana Spiro, Noelle Stevenson, Sandra Gonzales and more.

Who do you hope to meet this year at the festival?

The 2020 Bentonville Film Festival program is full of films, activities, giveaways, and fun.

New events and opportunities are being added weekly.

Find film schedule, event updates, and buy tickets and passes at BentonvilleFilm.org. Be sure to download the Bentonville Film Festival app to stay up to date during the festival.

What to Expect at This Year’s Festival • Independent films (narratives, documentaries, shorts and episodics) with discussions with the filmmakers • Family activities throughout the festival

• Showcase screenings of top festival films and anniversary screenings of classics • Inspiring and thought provoking discussion events

• Outdoor fun for the entire family, with activities and giveaways from BFF’s partners and sponsors, including STEAM activities, free movies at the Lawrence Plaza Outdoor Theatre, pet adoptions sponsored by Mars Petcare, and so much more!

“BFF has an unwavering commitment to support groups and people historically underrepresented in media. This year, 86% of the films selected included key representation by female filmmakers and 62% included representation by filmmakers of color, LGBTQIA, or different abilities. We saw sold-out houses for the competition and spotlight films and full audiences for impactful discussions held during the festival,” said Wendy Guerrero, President of Programming for Bentonville Film Festival. “BFF has made great strides in the last 5 years. We’ve also expanded and enhanced our year-round programming, adding membership, monthly screenings, educational programs, filmmaker retreats, and mentorship. BFF continues to focus on our role in creating positive and social change and look forward to increasing our base of support and impact on the community.”

Spectacular Science NORTHWEST ARKANSAS NORTHWEST ARKANSAS

• School Assemblies & Workshops •• School & Workshops SpecialAssemblies Events & Camps •• Special Events & CampsPresentations Corporate/Non-Profit •• Corporate/Non-Profit Presentations Awesome Party Concept • Awesome Party Concept

EDUCATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT FOR ALL AGES EDUCATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT FOR ALL AGES!! www.super-sci.com • 479-444-0303

www.super-sci.com • 479-444-0303

peekaboonwa.com

45

Dr. Kerry Moll and

NWA Gives photo credit: Lazer lee Photography

After a year of traveling in an RV with my husband and three daughters, we decided to settle in Northwest Arkansas and are here to stay.

13 countries, and I worked with my clients from the road. It was exactly the recalibration we needed as a family.

How did we end up here? Well, we have become a family of doers. We set goals and work together to achieve them. We don’t just dream about trips, ventures, or crazy ideas; we do them. But we weren’t always that way.

During this time I had the rare opportunity to reflect on what energizes me personally and professionally.

Our family committed to a thoughtful, present, frugal, authentic, and creative life on the road.

We committed to embracing risk. We committed to valuing experiences over things. Over long conversations on trains, hikes, and dinners, we reconnected with ourselves and each other, and we created lasting memories. We crafted a lifestyle we loved—one that we were determined to replicate in a house without wheels.

Our story is a common one for many families today.

I built my career, first as an educator, then as a nonprofit executive working in policy and advocacy, and most recently as a consultant supporting the work of nonprofit organizations across the country.

My husband flourished as well with his career. But as a family we were over scheduled, overworked, and over-committed to activities, which left us little time to focus on our relationships with each other, our friends, and our community. After two decades in Austin, TX, we knew we needed a change.

And change we did. We went out of our comfort zone and downsized everything. We sold or gave away most of our possessions, rented out our home for two years, and moved all five of us into an RV. We lived frugally, homeschooled our girls, visited 44 states and 46 March 2020

As the adventure was winding down, we had decisions to make, with a core question at the center: Where can we live our values and find a community that gives us as much as we can give it?

This is where Northwest Arkansas figures in.

We vacationed here a few times to visit family and had always loved the area. As a test, we rented a

place for a few months and felt instantly at home and decided to stay. Entranced by the beauty, the biking, the expanding food scene, museums, the small-town charm and the people we met riding bikes and in the town square, we were drawn to the deep sense of community and connection here. We had found our place.

When we landed here, I set three goals: 1. Connect: Get connected with my new hometown. I pledged to say ‘yes’ to experiences and get to know the people who are my neighbors.

2. Enjoy: Enjoy the calmness of our life.

We purposefully pared down our activities with the kids to spend more time together, modeling for them the benefits of resisting busyness.

immediately that I wanted to be a part of helping hundreds of organizations, ones making Northwest Arkansas the best place to live for all of our neighbors, raise hundreds of thousands of dollars each April on our giving day. Not only does it connect me to the most big-hearted, generous people, but it ties me to the movements that are transforming lives—the ones that inspire me to not only dream about change, but to make it.

Here, in this corner of Arkansas, we have found doers like us who are cultivating compassion. We have found deep friendships and places to belong.

We have found caring neighbors and brave leaders.

We have found a community that gives us so much.

And in return, we give back. We work, we volunteer, we fund, we celebrate. As a family, we intentionally create a culture of giving in our home and in our community.

3. Expand: Expand my nonprofit consulting work. With clients mainly on the coasts, I wanted to start working with nonprofits that impact our community.

And I know that my neighbors all throughout Northwest Arkansas are doing the same. I invite you to join me in celebrating our truly unique area by marking April 2 on your calendar as NWA Gives Day, supporting nonprofits who make this part of our country and the world that much better.

For the past year and half, this is exactly what I’ve been doing. I’ve embraced experiences that connect me to people: mountain biking with strangersturned-friends and leading rides with Women of Oz, and joining the Greater Bentonville Area Chamber’s FridayRideDay.

Let it be our day to do good things for our community, the way it does good things for us. Check out nwagives.org to learn more about being a doer and a giver.

I’ve been enjoying time with my daughters and volunteering alongside them with Scouts BSA Troop 122G, appreciating the opportunity for them to be a part of the inaugural group of female Scouts.

And while I’ve had the privilege to expand my consulting work with trusted clients in the area, I’ve also been supporting nonprofits I believe in such as Beer & Hymns and Trike Theatre by giving my time to serve on their boards, and cheering on organizations like the Hispanic Women’s Organization of Arkansas, which raises college scholarship money for firstgeneration college-goers like myself.

Even with all this, my husband and I have committed to keeping a sense of calm within our family and not to over-schedule. We’ve found a balance and it is good.

That is why when Tim and Chris, founders of NWA Gives, asked me to be a part of its steering committee, I jumped at the opportunity. NWA Gives is a regionwide giving day for nonprofits across Northwest Arkansas. We rally big-hearted change-makers and givers to come together to fund nonprofit work.

The mission was like a magnet for me. I knew

Dr. Kerry Moll and her family are happily living life in Rogers. She can frequently be found riding through Oz on her mountain bike, hosting gatherings at Blake Street House, and traveling around hunting for the area’s best breakfast tacos. You can find her online on LinkedIn or at www.intersection-us.com

W E LC O M E S

Hanna Baxendale, APRN Hanna will begin accepting new patients in March.

2900 Medical Center Parkway, Suite 370 | Bentonville AR, 72712 479-282-2966

48 March 2020

livingtreepediatrics.com

Find us on Facebook!

SERVING NWA FOR OVER 60 YEARS! Speech-language, Occupational, Physical & Behavioral Health Therapies Early Intervention Day Treatment Preschool Program After School Care Nutrition - Nursing - Transportation First Connections - Parents As Teachers Arkansas Better Chance Classrooms - Community Support Services

THERAPY

EDUCATION

SUPPORT

"WOW! The staff is amazing and very qualified. You enter an atmosphere of love, caring, and true commitment when you walk into these classrooms. I would highly recommend this school to anyone and everyone. Impressive!" - Kimberly B.

479-636-3190 3400 Woods Lane, Rogers, AR 72756 nwaSunshineSchool.org

Snapshot :

Nonprofits Across NWA We asked you to share your favorite local nonprofits! Here are a few...

Be sure to check these out!

Canopy NWA

The Call

2592 North Gregg Avenue Fayetteville, Arkansas www.canopynwa.org

479-418-1314 thecallinarkansas.org/nwa

Our mission is refugee resettlement and integration, where we welcome and equip refugees to live and thrive in Northwest Arkansas.

Instagram: @canopynwa

There are 5,900 churches in Arkansas. 8,200 children are in Arkansas Foster Care every year, but only1,600 families available to care for these children. The CALL is changing this. We are mobilizing the church in Arkansas to love foster children with the extravagant love of Christ.

Ability Tree

TEAMworks

2350 E Tahlequah St Siloam Springs, Arkansas www.abilitytree.org

www.teamworksteam.org

Coming alongside individuals and families impacted by disability and equipping organizations through recreation, education, support, and training (R.E.S.T.). We envision individuals and families living with disabilities being accepted and supported in their local communities, enjoying healthy relationships in their neighborhoods, schools, workplaces, and churches.

National Charity League, Inc. Northwest Arkansas Chapter

northwestarkansas.nationalcharityleague.org We are a nonprofit organization dedicated to mothers and daughters serving communities together in Northwest Arkansas.

DownSyndromeConnection www.dscnwa.com Our mission is to facilitate inclusion and respect for individuals with Down syndrome within the Northwest Arkansas community, ensuring that they have access to the support and the resources necessary to reach their full potential at all stages of life.

50 March 2020

TEAMworks International: Is a team of therapists who travel internationally, seeking to improve the lives and futures of children. Currently, we travel to Guatemala and Ukraine where therapy is not typically provided.

Team Talent: Is an after-school program that provides adaptive acting and art classes to children with special needs to help get them involved in the community by promoting social skills and confidence with their peers.

Heroes for Kids: Is an initiative that raises money to pay for equipment such as bikes, trikes, and jogging strollers to help families who have kids with special needs to get outdoors, get active and have fun together.

2nd Milk!

446 Angel Falls Lane Springdale, Arkansas www.2ndmilk.org 2ndMilk is a nonprofit organization committed to saving the lives of malnourished and orphaned infants in Africa and around the globe. The organization is a sponsorship program where we deliver formula, food, blankets, and bottles.

Snapshot : Non-Profits across NWA Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter 14100 Vaughn Rd Bentonville, Arkansas www.nwacs.org Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter is a private nonprofit organization that provides 24hour emergency care to children who have been abused, neglected, or abandoned.

DEB project 1140 N Walton Bentonville, Arkansas (479) 544-9397 www.debproject.com The DEB Project is an outreach program with a heart to help every child in need of clothing. Our clothing is donated by wonderful people and, in return, giving to wonderful children in need. All proceeds from sales go back into the community.

Saving Grace www.savinggracenwa.org Saving Grace is a Christ-centered home in Northwest Arkansas offering hope and transformation to young women lacking critical supports. We provide relationships, skills, and resources to empower generational change.

Beautiful Lives 1327 S. Main Street Bentonville, Arkansas beautifullivesboutique.com As a local thrift shop we provide the opportunity for women to find affordable, fashionable clothing.

We strive to generously help women in every season of life. We live out this mission by giving away our proceeds to other organizations that are committed to also helping women and

children in our community and world. Take a look at our current ministry partners.

The Community Storehouse 511 W Tulsa St, Ste 110 Siloam Springs, Arkansas (855) 456-5437 www.bridgesiloam.church This is a storehouse for those in need or experiencing difficult times, whether it be a tornado, a fire, or just life. We have all types of items available from clothing to furniture and more! Stop by and let us serve you and we would love to pray for you while you are visiting!

Open Avenues 2202 N 24th St Rogers, Arkansas (479) 636-5082 www.openavenues.org Open Avenues empowers adults with disabilities by providing employment education, life skills training, and meaningful work. We serve by fostering independent living through the development of life, work, and social skills, preparing clients to become a part of, rather than a part from, the community, and providing opportunities for a more fulfilling and productive life.

Make-A-Wish MidSouth midsouth.wish.org Make-A-Wish is a non-profit organization working to make wishes come true for children with a life-threatening medical conditions. MakeA-Wish Mid-South serves children in Arkansas, West Tennessee and North Mississippi. It has granted more than 5,350 wishes!

Rampy MS Research Foundation www.researchms.org We bring encouragement to the world of MS and beyond through research, endurance sports, and the power of community.

CONVENIENTLY LOCATED AT 194 COLLEGE ROAD, PINEVILLE, MO NO OUT-OF-STATE TUITION | FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING | JUST NORTH OF THE STATE LINE ASSOCIATE DEGREES: Certified Medical Assistant (AAS) General Studies (AA) Nursing (AS) Psychology (AA)

CERTIFICATIONS: Certified Nurse Assistant Certified Medical Assistant Emergency Medical Technician Phlebotomy EKG

ACCEPTING NURSING PROGRAM APPLICATIONS THROUGH FEBRUARY 15, 2020

CROWDER.EDU | 417.226.6000

Snapshot : Non-Profits across NWA Pack Shack 1091 E Lowell Ave Cave Springs, Arkansas www.thepackshack.org We bring people together for crazy fun Feed the Funnel parties to pack thousands of delicious, healthy meals for local nonprofits across the country.

NWA Women’s Shelter www.nwaws.org Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter provides safe and temporary shelter, a 24-hour confidential crisis line, court advocacy, Spanish bilingual services, children’s advocacy, and support groups for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and the children of those victims.

Prairie Grove Little Food Pantry www.pgtowncenter.com “Take what you need, give what you can.“

Tailwaggers NWA www.nwatailwaggers.org Tailwaggers is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to improving the lives of pets and their owners through education, promoting spaying/ neutering, and assisting otherwise abandoned, abused, and neglected animals through fostering and promoting their adoption. We work closely with local shelters and rescue groups in an effort to minimize euthanasia as a predominant outcome for abused, neglected, and unwanted animals.

Micah’s House NWA 1110 W Elm Street Rogers, Arkansas micahshousenwa.org 54 March 2020

Our mission is to provide mentoring in a structured home environment for young men ages 18 to 25 who have aged out of foster care/ group homes and/or who have been orphaned by essential support systems. Our program is about providing a safe environment for young men who have the capabilities necessary for independent living and self-management, but lack a support system to provide the tools and skills.

Equestrian Bridges equestrianbridges.org Equestrian Bridges is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose primary objective is to build bridges for children and their families, helping them to improve the quality of their lives and increase their opportunities for success.

Single Parent Scholarship Fund of NWA 16 W Colt Square Dr Fayetteville, Arkansas www.spsfnwa.org The Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Northwest Arkansas, Inc. (SPSF NWA) works to help single parent families become financially stable and independent by providing direct financial assistance to low-income single parents pursuing education.

Family Network NWA 614 E Emma Ave, Ste 103, Springdale, Arkansas (479) 927-3659 www.familynetworknwa.com Family Network’s home-based prenatal and parenting education program was modeled after Healthy Families America, a national initiative to help parents of newborns get their children off to a healthy start. Our main goals are to cultivate the growth of nurturing, responsive parent-child relationships, to promote healthy childhood growth and development, and to build foundations for strong family functioning.

Come On In

For Convenient Care If your child needs quick and convenient care for a minor injury or illness, just come on in. Visit us Monday through Friday from 7:30 – 10 a.m. and we’ll see your child that same day. No appointment or phone call is necessary.

Mercy Clinic Pediatrics 3101 S.E. 14th | Bentonville 4600 Mercy Lane, Suite 130 | Springdale Learn more at mercy.net/Peekaboo

Math & Language Therapy

Academic

READING • SPELLING HANDWRITING • MATH GRAMMAR

Multisensory Language Therapy “Take Flight” , a comprehensive intervention for students with dyslexia based on OrtonGillingham concepts.

Reading • Spelling • Handwriting • Phonics Vocabulary • Fluency • Comprehension (classes available) Pre-Flight (Phonological Awareness) Multisensory Math • Counting and Numeration • Addition & Subtraction facts for instant recall • Multiplication & Division facts for instant recall • Fractions • Decimals & Percents • Integers & Algebra I & II Multisensory Grammar • Parts of Speech, Capitals, Punctuation …

Verbal to Written Expression (thoughts on paper) Writing Treatment for Hyperlexia (can read, but does not understand what is read) Study Skills • Time Management • Notetaking • Memory Technique • Test Taking Strategies …

Visit us at www.amltherpy.com or call 479-253-3256

Bentley

Greeter

104 North 37th Street Suite B Rogers, AR 72756

Karen Sykes — Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) 29 years experience teaching

Lisa Lundeen — CALT, 6 years experience in Social Work, 6 years experience teaching

www.siloamwomenscenter.com

Kyle Thompson, DO, FACOG

Chad Hill, MD, FACOG

Natalie Eiland, DO

Siloam Springs Women’s Center BOARD CERTIFIED OB - GYN SPECIALISTS SERVING SILOAM SPRINGS REGIONAL HOSPITAL

Focusing On:

• Comprehensive OB Care & Delivery • Gynecological and Laparoscopic Surgery • Female Incontinence • Pelvic Pain • Pelvic Reconstruction • Minimally Invasive Outpatient Hysterectomy • In-Office Surgical Sterilization

Now Accepting New Patients COMMERCIAL INSURANCE • MEDICARE • OKLAHOMA, ARKANSAS & MISSOURI MEDICAID

603-2 N. Progress Avenue, Suite 100, Siloam Springs 479.524.9312

Hours: Monday - Friday 8am to 5pm

peekaboonwa.com 57 39 peekaboonwa.com

MARCH 2020 Library Story Times: Bentonville Public Library: bentonvillelibrary.org Fayetteville Public Library: faylib.org Springdale Public Library: springdalelibrary.org Rogers Public Library: rogerspubliclibrary.org Siloam Springs Library: siloamsprings.com

March 5

Northwest Arkansas a la Carte 5:30-9pm The Barn at the Springs · Springdale Our second annual Northwest Arkansas a la Carte is fast approaching. Join us March 5th from 5:30-9pm at Barn at the Springs and enjoy some of the best food from local restaurants. Including some tasty beverages and a great silent auction, this evening is the fun networking event for you, your friends, and family to come out and support Arkansas Children’s Northwest. All proceeds will benefit ACNW as we celebrate the hospital and continue to champion children to make them better today and healthier tomorrow! Call 479-725-0404 or go online at http://give.archildrens.org/ nwaalacarte for tickets, but don’t wait, as this event will sell out.

March 6-8

158th Anniversary of the Battle of Pea Ridge Pea Ridge National Military Park, Garfield Encampment, living history, and firing demonstrations representing the 24th Missouri infantry, who fought at the Elkhorn Tavern during the Battle of Pea Ridge.

A Victorian Wedding Exhibit Opens 10am · Rogers Historical Museum Weddings in early 1900s Rogers were an intimate occasion and often took place in the home. You are invited to attend this guided wedding tour through the historic Hawkins House as a guest into the past. Enjoy a glimpse into a Victorian home making preparations for this special event and learn what nineteenth-century wedding traditions continued to influence the twentieth-century bride. Exhibit opens March 7th and will run through May 2nd, 2020.

March 8

One District One Book 1pm · Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art Join us for a wrap-up celebration of the “One District One Book” reading program! The whole family is invited to enjoy an afternoon of fun with games, exploration, and art projects featuring our friends from Bentonville Schools, Bentonville Library Friends & Foundation, and other community collaborators. Free. No registration required.

March 13-14

12th Annual NWA Beautiful Girls Retreat Embassy Suites, Rogers www.nwabeautifulgirls.org This year’s theme is “Beautiful Life.” At this years’ retreat, each participant will explore their past, present, and future to recognize the unique ‘beautiful life’ God has gifted them with. Girls Retreat has grown into a national retreat welcoming girls and women from all over the United States.

This community-based retreat develops the spiritual journey, esteem, and identity of each person that walks through the door.

March 14

Arkansas Miss Amazing 2020

March 7

3rd Annual Running of the Hogs 5k/10k 9am · Razorback Gardens, Fayetteville University Recreation, Arkansas Alumni Association, and the Student Alumni Association are proud to announce the 3rd Annual Running of the Hogs race. This event began in 2018 as a way to promote health and wellness on the University of Arkansas campus and in the community.

Come out for a fun morning run or walk through the University of Arkansas.

NWACC History Day 9am · NorthWest Arkansas Community College The 2020 NWACC History Day Contest will be held on the NWACC Bentonville Campus from 9am to 5pm.

Area students in grades 4-12 will compete in six different categories: posters, exhibits, websites, performances, papers, and documentaries.

Monthly Children’s Storytime 10:30am · Once Upon a Time Books Come join us every first Saturday of each month at 10:30am where we will have special guests read different stories from our reading throne! After storytime, each child gets to pick out a FREE book from our treasure chest. The event is perfect for pre-K through elementary children.

58 March 2020

6pm Bentonville Community Church of the Nazarene Join us for the 2020 Arkansas Miss Amazing event! Young ladies with special needs from across the state of Arkansas will be showcasing their talents and showing us what makes them truly amazing! This is an event you won’t want to miss!

Tickets are $5 *CASH ONLY*

JCPenney Kids Zone (age 3-10) 11am - 12pm Northwest Arkansas Mall Join us the second Saturday of every month. All kids receive: a free, fun craft, special ID badge, a lanyard, and collector pin. Collect six pins and earn a Project Master Medallion. All parents receive a special one-day coupon to shop in store the day of the event.

Kiddos Class 2pm Art & Soul Studios NWA · Rogers For this event, your child will be working on an 8x10 canvas.

The cost of this session is $15.00 per kiddo and all supplies are included. You will leave your paintings in the studio to dry, where we will later varnish them with several coats of Liquitex professional art varnish.

March 21

2020 Barks and Brews 2pm Barks & Brews is an annual event and dog show to raise money to support the Rogers Animal Shelter, and this year will also be supporting the Humane Society of Rogers. There will be food, beer, vendors, a silent auction and adorable dogs! So bring your lovable furry friends and the non-furry ones too!

Register here: www.rogerslowell.com/events/2020/03/21/ downtown-rogers-events/barks-brews/

Kid’s Craft Corner - Pottery Puzzle Rogers Historical Museum 1pm This month help us Celebrate Archeology! Drop in and learn about pre-historic pottery found in Arkansas. Meet Dr. Melissa Zabecki of the Arkansas Archeological Survey and discover what archaeologist do when they find broken pieces of pottery from history long ago. Make a pottery puzzle to take home. All ages welcome!

Wizard Way of the Ozarks 2020 Fayetteville Town Center March 21-22, 2020 TICKETS NOW ON SALE https://bit.ly/wizardway2020 We invite you back to our third year running fan convention inspired by our love of worlds of wizardry and the Boy Who Lived! It’s Fayetteville’s award-winning festival of all things wizards, witches, magic, and magical beasts! (Formerly dubbed DiaCON Alley of the Ozarks). Our goal each year is to donate to a local nonprofit or public service in line with our beliefs on community, inclusion, diversity, literacy, and youth issues.

World’s Largest Baby Shower 2020 9am Jones Center For Families · Springdale, Arkansas Truly an event for the whole family... The World’s Largest Baby Shower is a one day event that features Educational Seminars, Two complete Nursery Raffles, Games such as - The Daddy Boot Camp, The Diaper Races, and various Baby Shower Games played for prizes. A place where a new family can make life long connections and find the much needed answers from leading professionals in our community.

March 26

Spring Break Superhero Day: Thursday 12pm-5pm Jones Center, Springdale Meet super heroes in costume; Dress up like your favorite super hero. Free showing of “Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse” at 2pm.

March 27

2020 NWA Home Show 10am NWA Home Show · Springdale Help us celebrate 30 years in Northwest Arkansas March 27-29 at the Northwest Arkansas Convention Center! Visit with over 100 vendors with services and ideas for home building, remodeling, green living, financial planning, and home maintenance. Show hours are Friday 10am to 6pm, Saturday 10am to 7pm, and Sunday 11am to 5pm. Admission for a one day pass is $5 at the door, or purchase tickets before the show with our “buy one get one free” 3-day pass

March 28

30th Annual Kite Festival 10am Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, Eureka Springs FREE FAMILY EVENT - Enjoy high flying fun for the whole family! Bring your own kite or make one on-site with the experts at KaleidoKites of Eureka Springs. Enjoy food/service/merchandise vendors, live music, games, giveaways and more! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Kite Festival! We’re celebrating 30 years of this special event with plenty of food, vendors, a live DJ, games, giveaways, professional demos, kite-making, and more!

Hogeye Kids Run 12pm Kids ages 5-13 may choose between a 1 or 2-mile course in Downtown Springdale. www.hogeyemarathon/kids for registration and info.

Pancakes with Princesses!

8am Join us at the Siloam Springs Community Center for pancakes, princesses, crafts, drawings, and more!

Sponsored by Jordan Smithson State Farm. All proceeds benefit Ability Tree. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased online or by stopping by Ability Tree at 2350 E. Tahlequah St. in Siloam Springs.

AETN and PBS KIDS are getting ready for the 2020 PBS KIDS Writers Contest, an initiative designed to promote the advancement of children’s literacy skills through hands-on, active learning. The contest encourages children in grades K-3 to celebrate creativity by submitting their own original stories and illustrations.

Entries will be judged on originality, creative expression, storytelling and integration of text and illustrations.

Each Arkansas entrant will receive a participation certificate, and 12 winners – three from each grade – will receive an AETN prize pack. In addition, first place winners will receive one (1) PBS KIDS Playtime Pad, which comes preloaded with educational games, music and videos!

Arkansas students may submit stories by mail to AETN until Friday, April 3, 2020.

Winners will be announced in May and featured on aetn.org/writerscontest

Glance At a

ARTS and MUSIC

Amazeum (Pg. 25) (479) 696-9280 Walton Arts Center (Pg. 27) waltonartscenter.org

BANKS

First Security (Pg. 13) www.fsbank.com; www.onlyinark.com

CAMPS

Amazeum (Pg. 25) (479) 696-9280 Arkansas Athletes Outreach Spring Camp (Pg. 16) aaoteam.org/spring-camp Super Science (Pg. 45) (479) 444-0303 www.super-sci.com

CHILDCARE/NANNY SERVICES

ABC Happy Kids Learning Academy (Pg. 37) (479) 202-5691 abchappykids.com Goddard School (Pg. 2) (479) 696-9280

DENTIST

Pediatric Dental Associates & Orthodontics (479) 582-0600 (Pg. 10) The Smile Shoppe (Pg. 51) www.smile-shoppe.com

DERMATOLOGY / SKIN CARE

Women’s Health Associates (Pg. 34) (479) 876-8111 whanwa.com

EDUCATION

Crowder College (Pg. 53) crowder.edu Goddard School (Pg. 2) (479) 696-9280 Primrose School of Rogers (Pg. 7) (479) 876-8176 Providence Academy (Pg. 43) providence-academy.com Sunshine School (Pg. 49) nwasunshineschool.org

60 March 2020

To advertise email: editor@peekaboonwa.com

Super Science (Pg. 45) (479) 444-0303 www.super-sci.com

FAMILY FUN / ENTERTAINMENT

Bentonville Film Festival (Pg. 11) bentonvillefilm.org Girl Scouts (Pg. 15) girlscoutsdiamonds.org/cookies Let’s Imagine Indoor Playground (Pg. 35) letsimagineplayground.com Starlight Skatium (Pg. 54) (479) 444-STAR Walton Arts Center (Pg. 27) waltonartscenter.org

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Arkansas Children's Northwest (Pg. 5) ARchildrens.org Collier (Pg. 25) collierdrug.com Friendship Pediatric Services (Pg. 29) fccare.org Northwest Physicians (Pg. 64) mynorthwestphysicians.com

JEWELRY AND GIFTS

David Adams (Pg. 41) (479) 444-7778 davidadams.com

LEARNING CENTER/THERAPY

ABC Happy Kids Learning Academy (Pg. 37) (479) 202-5691 abchappykids.com Academic Math and Language Therapy (Pg. 56) (479) 253-3256 www.amltherapy.com Friendship Pediatric Services (Pg. 29) (479) 524-2456 The Grace School (Pg. 33) (479) 871-7994 Posh Tot Learning Academy (Pg. 39) (479) 268-6609

PEDIATRICIAN

Best Start (Pg. 42) (479) 575-9359 Friendship Pediatric Services (Pg. 29) fccare.org Living Tree Pediatrics (Pg. 48) livingtreepediatrics.com Mercy Clinic Pediatrics (Pg. 55) mercy.net/springdalekids

To advertise email: editor@peekaboonwa.com

Northwest Arkansas Pediatrics (Pg. 17) NWApediatrics.com Ozark Pediatrics (Pg. 31) (479) 544-9432 UAMS Healthy Start (Pg. 62) (479) 713-8661

A look ahead: If you have a story to share, or an idea for a story, email editor@peekaboonwa.com and be a part of the Peekaboo family!

HERE IS A LOOK AHEAD! _____________________________

Photography

APRIL is our CAMP GUIDE PREVIEW. We want to have the most comprehensive camp guide yet to make sure you know every possible camp option for your kiddos this summer.

WOMEN'S HEALTH

MAY is when we honor mothers across the area. It is your chance to nominate your favorite mom and let us know what makes her special.

Lazer Lee Photography (Pg. 61) (479) 644-7121

HerHealth Clinic-Washington Regional (Pg. 9) (479) 463-5500 The Perinatal Center (Pg. 39) (479) 268-4979 Siloam Springs Women's Center (Pg. 57) (479) 524-9312 Women's Health Associates (Pg. 28) whanwa.com

JUNE : It's Dad’s turn! For Father's Day, we want to shine the spotlight on the people who take on the important role of being a father.

JULY is all about summer fun, summer safety, and making sure you have as many memorymaking opportunities as possible before heading back to school in August!

Lazer Lee Photography Phone: (479) 644-7121 Email: lazerleephotography@yahoo.com Facebook: Lazer Lee Photography

Find these items and more at your local retailer!

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When you need an OB/GYN appointment, you want to be able to see a provider without a long wait. So at Northwest Physicians, we’re committed to seeing you faster. And if you have an urgent need, we’ll fit you in just as soon as possible. Give us a call today for women’s healthcare that is personalized and prompt.

NORTHWEST FAMILY MEDICINE AND OBSTETRICS 5501 Willow Creek Dr., Suite 104, Springdale 479-250-3081 Adam McCall, M.D. | Heron Martin, APRN NORTHWEST WOMEN’S SPECIALTY GROUP 2900 Medical Center Pkwy., Suite 240A, Bentonville 479-250-3104 Katie Beal, M.D. | Amy Fry, M.D. | Kelsey Gilley, APRN, CNM WILLOW CREEK WOMEN’S CLINIC 4301 Greathouse Springs Rd., Suite 100, Johnson 479-306-6865 Rachel Farrell, M.D. | Alexis McCollum, M.D. | Serena Pierson, M.D.

NorthwestPhysiciansOBGYN.com

WITH THREE CONVENIENT LOCATIONS,

OB/GYN APPOINTMENTS ARE AVAILABLE QUICKLY.

Members of the Medical Staff of Northwest Medical Center – Bentonville, Northwest Medical Center – Springdale and Northwest Medical Center – Willow Creek Women’s Hospital.

64 March 2020