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CASA volunteers active in community It is difficult to find the time to be a career woman, take care of one’s family and volunteer. Crawford County Court Appointed Special Advocates, known as CASA, volunteers are living proof this can be done. CASA Director Celeste Lewis said she believes the quote, “If you can find a job that you are passionate about, you will never work a day in your life.” These ladies are active in our community as paralegals, teachers, school counselors, nurses, accountants, human resource managers, health department administrators, business owners, insurance sales, housing authority administrators, office managers, full-time mothers and students.
Many of these ladies work more than 40 hours a week. They not only give 100 percent to their jobs and families, but manage to juggle their busy schedules to give 10-15 hours a month to be the one consistent person in an abused and neglected child’s life. “These committed women trained for 33 hours before being sworn in and appointed by Crawford County Juvenile Judge Mike Medlock to represent children who are wards of the state in abuse and neglect cases,” Lewis said. Judges appoint CASA volunteers to represent the best interests of children who have been removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect. Because there are not enough CASA/GAL vol-
unteers to represent all of the children in care, judges typically assign CASA volunteers to their most difficult cases. Foster care should be temporary, not a way of life, Lewis said. Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Crawford County train everyday people to stand up for abused and neglected children in an overwhelmed and extremely under-resourced foster care system. “Without these committed advocates these children might fall through the cracks and never be given an opportunity to find a place to call home,” Lewis said. A CASA volunteer will not only bring positive change to the lives of these vulnerable children,
CASA of Crawford County Director Celeste Lewis, Judge Mike Medlock and CASA volunteer coordinator B.J. Lea.
but also their children and generations to come, Lewis said. Lewis feels that every child in foster care should have a CASA volunteer advocate. “These children need to know they are valued and that someone knows everything that is happening in their life while they await a permanent placement,” Lewis said. Before becoming involved with the CASA program, Lewis worked in marketing and sales. She served as a CASA volunteer for seven years before working as a part-
time volunteer coordinator in 2009. In 2012, Lewis was hired as the executive director for the CASA program. CASA Volunteer Coordinator Beverly Lea, known as B.J., retired from working at Tate and Lyle of North America after working there 25 years. Lea became a CASA volunteer in 2007. When the part-time position for volunteer coordinator became available in 2011, Lea applied for the position and was accepted. Lea is passionate about making sure Crawford County volunteer advo-
cates have the resources, training, and encouragement they need to meet the needs of the abused and neglected children they serve, she said. RaAnda Hallum is a new part-time volunteer coordinator for CASA of Crawford County. She has worked in Child Protective Services, the CASA program in Springfield, Mo., and has a bachelor’s degree in Social Services. “RaAnda is passionate about meeting the needs of abused and neglected children and will be a great addition to the CASA staff team,” said Lewis.
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We Proudly Celebrate our Women Business Leaders! They Impact our Community Positively Every Single Day.
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CCAEC growing, expanding to meet students’ needs Headed by Dr. Debbie Faubus Kendrick, Crawford County Adult Education Center (CCAEC) offers free classes and services. Hours of operation in Van Buren are Tuesday and Thursday 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. and Monday and Wednesday 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. The center is closed on Fridays. CCAEC is growing and expanding to meet the needs of our students and the community. Our services provide ongoing learning opportunities to prepare individuals for career advancement, post-secondary education, technological innovation, and life enrichment. All services available at CCAEC are free of charge. P reparation classes and tutoring are available for students in adult basic education. The new computerized GED® exam includes four test sections: Mathematical Reasoning, Reasoning through the Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies. Passing all four sections of the exam will earn students an Arkansas High School Diploma. The preparation classes include math, language, writing, science, social studies, and computer literacy. The computer literacy classes will help students become comfortable with taking a computerized exam.
Additional classes available at the center are as follows: Workforce classes, including instruction on basic computer skills; Career Development Workshop geared toward clerical instruction; Craft Skills program which includes basic introduction to Construction, English as a Second Language (ESL), Adult Career and College Transitions (ACCT), and Naturalization classes. CCAEC continues to provide assistance in studying for the COMPASS and ASVAB exams. CCAEC has increased ESL class availability. ESL class is now scheduled Monday through Thursday at 8 to 9:20 a.m. Students can also attend on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 6 p.m. A Naturalization Class begins at 9:20 a.m. The Naturalization class will focus on preparing students to take the U.S. Naturalization Test to become a United States citizen. These classes are all free of charge. Students who are unemployed or underemployed and who are seeking to increase their academic and job readiness skills can do so through the Workforce Alliance for Growth in the Economy (WAGE)™ program and Career Readiness Certif icate (CRC) training, both
available on site. Other services located on campus are: Parents as Teachers (PAT) Program, Educational Opportunity Center (EOC) Services, Vincennes University Van Buren campus, and Arkansas PROMISE Program. The Crawford County Adult Education Center works in collaboration with Vincennes University to offer college courses in Van Buren. The Van Buren campus has several options for college courses including a two-year associate’s deg ree. College courses are scheduled in the evenings Monday through Friday. Courses are affordable and assistance with financial aid applications is available on site. Please contact the center for questions regarding financial aid or enrollment in Vincennes University courses. For more information on any of our classes or services, please call the center at (479) 471-0019. All of the services offered at the Crawford County Adult Education Center are free. More information is available at our website www.crawfordcountyadulteducationcenter.webs.com, or by visiting us on Facebook a t C r aw f o rd C o u n t y Adult Education Center or on Twitter @AdultEdCrawford.
Crawford County Adult Education Center (CCAEC) offers free classes and services.
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Program’s success attributed to Nelson This January will mark two years since the inception of the logistics management program at Arkansas Tech University - Ozark Campus. The program’s success can be attributed to its program chair, Heather Nelson. Nelson was at the forefront of helping form the logistics management program at Arkansas Tech University Ozark Campus. “One part I love about my job, specifically, is building the program from the ground up,” Nelson said. “I love it. I have done that for other programs. I enjoy that. I like being challenged.” Prior to her work at Arkansas Tech - Ozark, Nel-
Nelson son served as a local sales support analyst for ArcBest ABF Freight and previously served the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith as project manager in plant operations.
“Logistics is an exciting, versatile career field,” Nelson said. “It is used by every business and we are very excited to be able to offer our students and our industry partners a solution to the growing need for proficient logistics employees.” Her passion also lies in event planning stemming from her master’s degree in recreation management with a focus in project management from University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. “I am so passionate about event planning,” Nelson said. “I just love planning an event. I think the planning gets me more excited than the actual event.”
Nelson helped organize two large events with the Convention and Visitors Bureau in Fayetteville, Bikes, Blues and BBQ and Lights of the Ozarks. She also volunteers her skills to help plan events for a Family Readiness Group (FRG) she helped form. Nelson is the president of the group, formally called FRG for the Golf Company 39th BSB (FA FSC), which offers support to families of soldiers who are deployed. “I don’t like to plan events unless it is for a cause or a good purpose so with the FRG, because my husband is in the military and has been deployed, I really get behind
that group in particular.” While Nelson has been event planning for quite some time, becoming an instructor at the beginning of this year was a new challenge. Nelson took on that challenge like she has taken on the rest and succeeded. Nelson said her favorite part of being an instructor is the moment when the students clearly understand the material she is teaching. “You can really tell when it clicks,” she said. “You can tell they have learned it and they will take it with them. It’s not something they are regurgitating for a test, it’s knowledge they will always have.” The associate of applied
science in logistics management introduces students to the basic fundamentals of supply chain management including procurement, issues in executing global supply chains, warehousing, transportation, and technology instruments in logistics. Additionally, the program exposes students to business management, business communications, economics of supply and demand, computer fundamentals and database management skills. To learn more about logistics management program at Arkansas Tech-Ozark, contact Student Services at (479) 667-2117 or visit www. atu.edu/ozark.
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Hawkins-Weir Engineers serves needs of clients
For more than 37 years Hawkins-Weir Engineers has proudly served the engineering needs of clients in Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma from its home office located in Van Buren. Hawkins-Weir opened its newest regional office in Fort Smith this summer. The Fort Smith office will join their previously established central Arkansas office in Little Rock and northwest Ar-
kansas office in Fayetteville. Hawkins-Weir is a fullservice civil engineering consulting firm providing professional services to municipal, industrial and private enterprise clients. Six of the 38 total employees of Hawkins-Weir Engineers are accomplished women in the engineering, management and administrative support fields.
Lisa Huckelbury-Fort is the corporate business manager. Gayla Holland and Helen Campbell are local support staff. Engineer Haley Machycek works in the Little Rock office with Hilary DuBois and Stacy Henry, who provide administrative support. The six women have more than 36 combined years of experience with Hawkins-Weir Engineers and are an integral part
Citizens acknowledges female officers, employees “Citizens Bank & Trust Company is proud to acknowledge all the talented bankers that continue to contribute to the success of our bank, especially those female staff members,” according to Keith Hefner, President and CEO. The bank has seven branch locations, all within Crawford County, and employs 100 people of which 83 are female. “Of those ladies, 23 are officers of our bank,” Hefner said. “Women staff
every department within the bank including critical functions in trust, personnel, lending, accounting, retail banking, marketing, and management. In addition to their demanding professional and hectic lives, many staff members volunteer in the community, admirably representing the bank in leadership roles with civic, government, and charitable organizations.” “There are no unimportant jobs in the bank. In most cases the qual-
ity of service provided is judged by the experience our customers have when they enter one of our locations and that interaction is more often than not with a female banker. We are proud of the knowledgeable, professional, hard-working ladies on our staff and the contributions they make toward making Citizens Bank & Trust a strong financial institution and Crawford County a better place to live,” stated Hefner.
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of the company’s success. “I’m so proud to be working for a firm that is committed to promote and support the community,” Huckelbury-Fort said. “The company invests time and resources for various economic and community development initiatives as well as civic and charitable contributions in the areas that we serve. I know I speak for all our staff when I say that we are blessed to be working for such an upstanding company.”
Hawkins-Weir staff members Lisa Huckelbury-Fort (seated); standing from left Gayla Holland and Helen Campbell.
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DeWater enjoys assisting customers Linda DeWater began machine quilting in 2005 as a hobby, but then saw a need for affordable fabrics for quilters. She went to the business department at University of Arkansas-Fort Smith for consultation and was given the basics of how to start a business, including tax information and how to file paperwork through the courthouse. With help from her husband Vernon DeWater and her three sons, Linda DeWater built and opened her first fabric shop that year, in July 2005 in Mulberry. With the great success of her store in Mulberry, Linda DeWater opened her second location on historic Main Street in Van Buren in July 2017. “I didn’t want to see the art of quilt-making go out because of lack of places to buy fabric,” Linda DeWater said. Raised in the Mulberry area, Linda DeWater did some quilting with her mother and grandmother as a child but is mostly self-taught, she said. She has been quilting for over 35 years, loves to visit with other quilters, and is always willing to listen to customers’ input on new ideas, she said. One of the most imp ortan t t h i ngs L in d a DeWater has learned is networking, she said. She
also expressed concern that the cost of the craft can cause some to quit quilting. A few years ago, Linda DeWater became involved in the Row by Row Experience Shop Hop, an event she loves to promote each year. “For someone that is into quilting and hasn’t seen or heard of this, they need to take a look at the website,” she said. The website shows over 1 , 250 participating stores, across all 50 states, with different row patterns. Quilters must go to a store for a row pattern then complete a quilt with at least 8 different rows to be eligible for a prize. In 2014, Linda DeWater said she received calls from as far away as Maryland. This year, she has received calls from quilters from Scotland, Canada and 20 different states, she said. “It is rewarding to see people come in with the look of surprise when they drive out in the country and find a shop with all this fabric,” she said. When asked what she loves most about her business, Linda DeWater said she enjoys being able to answer her clients’ questions about why things don’t always work for them exactly as they plan. “For example like hav-
ing a quilt block coming together and helping them to have the finished products to see. Also, I love to get to know new people,” Linda DeWater said. Vernon DeWater said his wife is a professional at what she does and her business. “People are comfortable with asking her questions,” Vernon DeWater said. “Linda is a relationship builder and wants to know people in order to help them.” Linda DeWater had told her husband the story of a woman that had called to ask about a certain problem she was having with a pattern. Though she also was not familiar with the pattern, she invited the woman to the store and put on a pot of coffee so they could figure it out together. “Hours later, they had it conquered,” Vernon DeWater said. Though Linda DeWater loves running her business, she has many other capabilities. She was previously an EMTI, first responder with the Mulberry Fire Department, a member of the Crawford County Fair Board, a member of the CRN networking group and a pianist and singer at Freewill Baptist Church in Mulberry. She also has nine grandchildren.
Cozy Quilts and Things has two locations, one in Mulberry and one in Van Buren.
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Employees honored for compassion, commitment Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home salutes their Women Around Town, Davine White, Brandy Rodgers, and newcomer, Anna Nunez for their compassion and commitment to their roles at the Van Buren funeral home, as well as their daily contribution to its successful operation. White joined Edwards Van-Alma in 2007 as a part-time support staff member and accepted the office manager position in 2012. She believes strongly in the company’s tagline, “Taking care of each other is
what community is all about.” Rodgers has been a licensed funeral director and embalmer since earning her degree from Arkansas State University - Mountain Home in 2005 and joined the Edwards family of funeral homes in 2007. Of the over 1,400 licensed funeral directors and/or embalmers in the State of Arkansas, only 396 are female. Of that number, only 101 share the same licensure as Rodgers. While both vocations are indeed male dominated, Rodgers brings
her compassion and caring as a mother and a daughter to the job. Nunez had worked in the funeral industry for 17 years on the Central Coast of California before moving to Crawfo rd Co u n ty i n 20 1 5. She joined the Edwards family of funeral homes in March of this year as a Family Services and Pre-Planning Counselor. Offering her years of experience, it has always been her focus to help and serve, because in caring for other families, she feels like she is caring for her own.
Nunez
Rodgers
White
Her wish is to continue to serve the community with the same care and respect that Edwards,
Fentress, and Van-Alma have long been known for. Hablo español. The trio enjoys work-
ing together in fulfilling the clients’ needs and honoring a Life Well Celebrated.
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Center urges hearing protection Center for Hearing opened in 1998 as the only private practice audiology clinic in the River Valley area. Co-owners Kelley Machan-Linton and Kelly Spradlin-Johnston built the company and practiced together until 2009 when Kelly Johnston lost her battle with cancer. Dr. Kelley Linton remains the owner of the clinic and is joined by two other doctors of audiology, Dr. Trace Cash and Dr. Lori Boyd. Together they have built a reputation where customer care in a friendly and Christian atmosphere is the norm, not the exception. Center for Hearing is considered one of the top clinics in the state for hearing health care. Dr. Linton is also a major in the Army Reserves and is an officer with Public Health Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. Her duties there include teaching hearing conservation as well as review of combat noise exposure and management strategies. She is typically committed to 6-8 weeks of military duty a year, focusing on military noise management and hearing preservation of soldiers. She also started Center for Industrial Audiometrics (CIA) Inc., in 2011. CIA focuses on hearing conservation and protection in our area’s workforce, ensuring companies are compliant with OSHA regulations in regards to protecting work-
ers hearing. CIA is the only industrial hearing conservation clinic in the River Valley providing noise measurements and noise evaluations for industries. Kelley Linton and her husband Kevin are lifetime residents of Crawford County and feel privileged to raise their children in the same community they grew up in. Dr. Lori Boyd joined the staff of Center for Hearing in 2011 and is an outstanding hearing health provider. She is also a lifetime resident of the River Valley area and we feel blessed to have her on our team. Dr. Boyd has practiced in Fort Smith since 1998 and has helped many local patients improve their quality of life through better hearing. She can be found around town, in various venues, providing educational seminars on hearing loss and hearing aids. She is married to Dr. Justin Boyd, pharmacist and State Representative and they have three daughters. Justin Boyd’s pharmacy, Coleman Pharmacy, is located in Alma and serves the Crawford County area. The Boyds are very active in their parish, St. Boniface, and their three daughters attend school there as well. Dr. Trace Cash joined Center for Hearing in 2010, and he and his family reside in West Fork. Center for Hearing doctors are supported by an excellent staff of business
women. Leeann Harrelson has been the office manager and bookkeeper since 1998. She lives in Bokoshe, Okla., and has two beautiful grown daughters. Ann Mayes has been one of the smiling faces at the front desk since 2001. She has a gift of remembering names and making patients feel at home. She also represents the clinic at many health fairs around the area. Samantha Puckett is the other receptionist at the front desk. She and her family live in Charleston. Chasidy Beavers is an audiology technician and she and her husband live in Lavaca. Our newest team member is Tami Reddell, who lives in Van Buren. Center for Hearing wants to encourage everyone to protect their hearing. Hearing loss is the third most common chronic disability afflicting people today. The fastest growing population of noise induced hearing loss is in our children. It is important to use preventative measures when exposed to loud noises. It is also important that everyone have a baseline hearing test before the age of 40 and routine annual hearing tests after that. Insurance usually covers the cost of hearing testing and many insurance companies are offering hearing aid benefits. Disposable ear plugs are always free at Center for Hearing and anyone can stop by anytime and pick up a free pair.
Dr. Kelley Linton
Dr. Lori Boyd
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Store provides shopping experience for everyone Arends-Allison enjoys assisting customers with one-of-a-kind pieces Creative Furnishings by Jean is the culmination of a long and serious addiction to shopping and decorating. It began with an interest in attending farm auctions in the Midwest when Jean Arends-Allison would visit extended family members. “Since I always pur-
chased more than I could use, I began having quarterly yard sales at our home in Florida. We would put our sign out on the highway and the fun would begin,” said ArendsAllison. The store is stocked with hand-painted furniture and numerous gift
items for the home. “For the do-it-yourself people, I carry a complete line of Miss Lillian’s No Wax Chock Paint and Milk Paint,” Arends-Allison said. She says it is always a fun experience to assist customers as they “solve the mystery” on making
Women empowered for success (NewsUSA) - They can outperform boys in school, will probably live longer than their male counterparts and, according to the Financial Times, are forecast to outnumber men as millionaires by 2020 in the UK So, why are there still so few women entrepreneurs around the world? Oh, there are a handful, yet, it appears these notable women are still the exception rather than the rule. Still, one woman is betting that America is on the cusp of change, at the same time acknowledging that, “while the Mad Men days may be over, we’re also not quite there yet.” Erica Solis, co-founder of MovoCash (www.movocash.com), a mobile payments technology company, believes that women are being empowered more than ever to be successful in business. “As a young female entre-
preneur, this is a tremendous advantage as the world shifts its mindset to how they view women in the workplace,” says Solis. Solis, a millennial, whose first job out of college was for a startup company that is now publicly traded and has over 200 employees, should know. Her father has been in the fin-tech (financial-technology) field for years, and she has seen first-hand the amount of hard work, agility and confidence it takes to be an entrepreneur. This experience made the decision to go work for her father, Eric Solis, an easy one. Together, the fatherdaughter team created MovoCash, a payment platform that allows consumers to link their bank accounts to their MovoCash account for mobile payments with no limitation on the number of supported banks. Unlike Apple Pay or PayPal, MovoCash eliminates the direct link re-
quired by conventional nearfield communication (NFC), which has been lauded for its security and convenience, but is being criticized by both analysts and merchants, who say that consumers are not yet comfortable paying with their phone, and that the NFC technology is more expensive to implement than traditional card systems. “I think the environment for women is exciting,” says Laurie Itkin, financial advisor and author of the book “Every Woman Should Know Her Options.” “Starting your own business gives a woman the opportunity to be a leader, an opportunity that she might not have in a corporation.” Solis agrees. “I feel very fortunate to be in a country that encourages women to take risks, and be innovative and bold. This is a major advantage every American female entrepreneur has today,” says Solis.
their piece a one-of-a-kind item. Arends-Allison also enjoys developing custom work plans for a special piece and is excited to see the “before” and “after” when the piece is picked up by the customer, she said. The shop will continue to have original artwork by Jason Sacran and photography by Kevin Mehle, and Arends-Allison says she is always looking for unique and unusual pieces of art. The store was recently
expanded and will provide additional shopping experiences for everyone, along with industrial furniture and decor by Jack Kindberg, Arends-Allison said. “It also means that our home will no longer be a warehouse,” she said. Arends-Allison is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and The Old Town Merchants Association and has also been involved with the Center for Art and Education and the CASA board, she said.
Arends-Allison
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Telecommuting growing trend in business world (NAPS)—Increasingly common in the corporate world, telecommuting allows employees to work from home while staying connected to their office through conference calls and videoconferencing. According to the Huffington Post, “It is a trend that has grown, with over 34 percent of connected workers saying they would be very likely to telecommute on a full-time basis if they could.” With the growing popularity of programs such as Skype and GoToMeeting, the “old” downside of telecommuting, not being able to meet colleagues face to face, has virtually disap-
peared. Now, many telecommuters participate in multiple videoconferences per day, making it imperative to dress professionally and keep a clean and organized at-home workspace. That being said, here are some tips to help telecommuters remain professional, productive and focused while working from home. 1. Claim a space. It’s important to designate a specific area in your home as your workspace. Separating yourself from distractions like a buzzing washing machine or a sink full of dirty dishes allows you to stay focused on work. 2. Create separate e-
mail accounts. Having work and personal e-mails sent to different in-boxes makes it much easier to stay on task. Only log in to your work e-mail during your designated “working hours” and you won’t be distracted by the coupons, advertisements and updates from your friends that pile up in your personal in-box. 3. Stay connected. It’s important for telecommuters to be in contact with their office throughout the day, reassuring their employers that at-home workers are positive contributors, reliable and productive. Regularly check in with your boss to clarify instruc-
tions or report progress. At the office, it’s easy to drop by a co-worker’s desk and say happy birthday or ask for a second opinion on a project; when working from home, substitute these personal interactions with an e-mail or phone call. 4. Stay organized. A clean and organized workspace can help increase your productivity. Try using a system like ClosetMaid’s ShelfTrack® Elite Home Office Kit and Accessories. Complete with adjustable shelves, this flexible and affordable DIY office system can be configured for any space. Conceal desk and workspace clutter with fab-
ric bins or trays. 5. Commit to a regular schedule. In today’s global economy, many people don’t work a standard “9 to 5,” and telecommuters are even more tempted to keep untraditional hours as they juggle to balance work and home life. Although it may be necessary to have a flexible schedule, be careful not to be consumed by your job. Working through family dinners or putting in long weekend hours can be unhealthy and stressful. Commit to keeping a regular schedule, planning breaks throughout your day and leaving free time to spend with family or enjoy hobbies. To remain on
track, try to keep your work week as close to 40 hours as possible. Although telecommuting has some obvious advantages (e.g., a serious savings on gas), it’s important to remember that working from home requires discipline. Keeping regular hours, maintaining a clean and organized workspace, dressing professionally and limiting distractions allows telecommuters to be just as successful as their in-office counterparts. For more information on how to solve your storage and organization dilemmas, you can visit www.ClosetMaid.com or call (800) 8740008.
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Women make difference at county Farm Bureau In every successful business there is at least one women who makes a difference. However, a t C r aw f o r d C o u n t y Farm Bureau there are six women who make this possible. They provide over 90 years of service and leadership
to the business. Mary Whitaker is the off ice manager and a Member Service Representative and has been with Farm Bureau for 32 years. Mary hails from Ozark. She is married to Donald Whitaker, and they spend their extra
time camping and hanging out with grandchildren. LeeAnn Campbell Bowline is a Member Service Representative and has been employed with Farm Bureau for 28 years. She is a lifelong resident of Alma, where
Seek advice when starting own business by JACQUELYN SMITH Business Insider
Changing jobs can be scary ... and exciting ... and overwhelming. Becca Brown would know what it’s like to ride that emotional roller coaster. In 2000, after graduating from Harvard University, Brown landed a job at Goldman Sachs, where she started out as a financial analyst, then moved to the Private We a l t h M a n a g e m e n t team as an associate, and ultimately moved to London to work as a chief of staff. But in 2006, she decided to go back to school. While getting her MBA from Columbia, Brown and Monica Ferguson, her friend and classmate -- and Gold-
man Sachs colleague at the time -- decided to launch their own business. A few years later they founded Solemates, a brand of women’s shoe care products. Business Insider recently talked to Brown a b o u t h e r t ra n s i t i o n f r o m Wa l l S t r e e t t o startup, and asked her to share her best advice for anyone else thinking about branching off on their own. Here’s what she said: “Follow your passion, but don’t do so blindly. Use your head. Starting a business is tough, and you’ll work harder than you’ve ever worked before, but there is nothing like it. Have a plan, get your ducks in a row, and make sure you’re ready. “Ask for help, guid-
ance, and advice. Try to gather as much feedback from others around you as you can. Seek out 360-degree advice -- ask those more senior to you, your peers, and those more junior. You can only benef it from hearing the different perspectives. Also, don’t make major decisions when you’re not 100 percent. Sometimes there is no going back. “Focus on the present moment. You can’t dwe l l i n t h e pa s t o r worry too much about the future -- you just have to focus on what’s right here and now, and make the best decision you can right now. One decision leads to the next, and the next, and before you know it, you’re in a totally different place in your career ... and life.”
she and her husband, Carvin still reside. Cathy Gifford has been a full service insurance agent with Farm Bureau for 29 years. Her hobby is volunteering and she been involved in community development for many years. Currently, she is president of the Van Buren Rotary Club, member of the Kibler United Methodist church, the GFWC Women’s League of Van Buren and the Old Town Merchants Association. She also serves on the Historic Commission of Van Buren. Cathy is a lifelong resident
of Van Buren, and she and her husband Richard have two children, Angie Kalmijn, a hospice nurse for Peachtree Hospice, and Jeff Gifford, teacher and coach in the Conway school district. They have four fantastic grandchildren. Leslie Ann Jones hails from Yell County but j o i n e d t h e C rawfo rd County Fa r m B u rea u team six years ago. She is currently working on her FSCP designation. She is a board member of NAIFA, attends Park Hill Church of Christ in Fort Smith and has been
a counselor at summer camp for kids for 20 years. Newest member and the youngest member of the team is Chelsea Smith. She graduated from Alma High School in 2012 and the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith in 2016. She is an alumni of Delta Gamma, loves to work out, shop and spend time with family and friends. She also sells Monat products. Farm Bureau is a full service insurance agency offered through the Farm Bureau Federation.
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Radiology services expand at Sparks-VB Radiology services at Sparks Medical Center – Van Buren have expanded to benefit patients in our community. Arterial Doppler exams for those suffering from leg pain caused by poor circulation are now available. The test will reveal arterial and/or vascular damage in the legs. “In some instances this pain can become so intense that walking is difficult,” said Heather Albertson, BSRT(R)(N)(CT), NMTCB, Radiology Manager, at Sparks Van Buren. “The information obtained from this test can help the physician locate the circulation problem and then define a better course of treatment.” This is just one of the many ways the fully accredited Radiology Department at Sparks Van Buren has improved over the last year. The department has more than 70 years’ worth of professional experience among the staff and they are passionate about staying on the cutting edge of technology and training. Recently Albertson, who has been with Sparks since 2000, was added to the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) for Computed Tomography. It’s her third registry with the ARRT and fifth registry overall. To be on the registry, radiologic technologists must meet clinical expe-
rience requirements and pass appropriate examinations. This advanced-level certification through the ARRT shows a dedication to quality and safety. In the last year, Kellie Deer, RT(R), ARDMS, (AB/OB/GYN), RVT, also passed a national board exam to become a Registered Vascular Technologist with the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS). The certification allows Deer to perform venous ultrasounds on the vascular system, also known as the circulatory system, of the human body. Thanks to Deer and the Radiology Department venous studies are available at the hospital 7 days a week. “We pride ourselves on our customer service and the ability to do same day or next day scheduling of all the services we provide,” Albertson said. For more information on Imaging and Radiology Services at Sparks Medical Center – Van Buren, call (479) 474-3401 or visit SparksVanBuren.com. Sparks Health System includes Sparks Regional Medical Center, Sparks Medical Center – Van Buren, Sparks Clinic, Sparks PremierCare and the fully hospital-integrated Marvin Altman Fitness Center. For more information about Sparks Health System, visit www.SparksHealth.com.
The Radiology staff at Sparks Medical Center – Van Buren provides 24/7 diagnostic imaging services to patients in Crawford County. From left are Roger Haggard, Kellie Deer, Heather Albertson, Tammy Hogan and Alejandra Acevez.
Women investing more in online marketing (NAPSI)—There could be big news for small business owners, especially women, looking to enhance their business. According to a survey by the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) and Web.com, women business owners (WBOs) are investing more in online marketing and customer service. While 85 percent of WBOs say social media is important for building customer
relationships, only 67 percent are using social media to connect with customers. Only half of these women are confident in their own ability to build a social media presence for their business. What steps can a business take to flourish online? 1. Get in the game. Only four out of 10 small businesses have a dedicated business website, according to a past Web.com survey. This means 60 percent of small businesses are missing out on a
tremendous opportunity to connect and engage with potential customers at the most basic online level—through a business-focused website. 2. Local is where it’s at. The percentage of online search queries focused on local businesses continues to accelerate, with even greater growth in local search via mobile devices. It is important for small businesses to stake their claim now on such basic local channels as Google Places and populate those sites with
the types of information consumers are most likely to search for—products, services, hours, phone number, address and so on. 3. Partner up. A small business owner’s focus should be on the business side of things—not IT and online marketing. By finding an online marketing partner with a broad range of expertise, small business owners can focus on what should be their primary goal—a successful business.
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Now you can add a new dimension to the fight against breast cancer. Sparks Health System offers 3D mammography, which increases early invasive cancer detection by 41% over 2D mammography alone.* This all could mean greater clarity, fewer callbacks and a greater chance for survival. This system also allows us to provide contrast-enhanced 2D imaging, giving patients an alternative to MRIs for breast imaging. And we’re the only hospital in Arkansas with this capability. For more information or to schedule a 3D mammogram, call 479-709-DOCS (3627).
The Women’s Center 1500 Dodson Ave., Suite 140
3D MAMMOGRAPHY HAS LANDED– AT SPARKS HEALTH SYSTEM.
*Comparative data using 3D and 2D mammography to detect invasive cancer, BreastCancer.org, June 2014. For a list of risk factors and American Cancer Society recommendations, visit www.Cancer.org. Appointments are on a first-come, first-served basis. An order from a physician or qualified healthcare provider is not required, but the patient must provide a physician/provider name when an appointment is made. If the patient does not have a physician/provider, a list will be provided for selection. All mammogram reports will be sent to the physician/provider, and the patient is responsible for follow-up. Check with your insurance provider to confirm coverage for a screening mammogram.