��� Chamber Welcomes Sara Lynn Geiger & Skylar Rutherford 21����� Winners Announced for Chamber Golf Tournament, Presented by Salmonsen Group Realtors 22���� Focus on the Community Articles

chamber welcomes sara lynn geiger & Skylar rutherford

Sara lynn geiger

Government affairs & advocacy: Sarah Lynn Geiger started in September as the Chamber’s VP of Government Affairs. Her work is specific to cultivating relationships among elected officials, community leaders, and businesses to ensure we can continue building and supporting strong business growth in the area.

Sunshine State Experience: Sara Lynn previously worked as a head legislative aide for the Chairman for the Ways & Means Committee and the Chairwoman for the Education Committee in the Florida House of Representatives. During her time in the Florida House of Representatives, her duties entailed managing the members’ legislative agendas, tracking bills of interest, and navigating the varying interest within both policy areas.

Volunteerism, Travel & Food: Sara Lynn enjoys spending time with her husband, Drax, and their dog, Maggie. She also loves volunteering for varying causes and being outside. She considers herself a foodie and loves to experience new things through travel and food.

EYE FOR DESIGN: Skylar Rutherford started as part of the Chamber’s Marketing Communications division in September as a Marketing Communications Manager - Design Specialist. Her work includes designing for print, digital and social media within the Chamber’s many platforms, properties and departments.

Before the Chamber: Skylar previously worked as an Art Director for Advantage Solutions Sales & Marketing, where she specialized in the retail customer experience and worked closely with a team of artists to create custom design work for a variety of clients.

Outside of Work: Skylar enjoys promoting #girlpower, fishing, painting, indoor cycling, yoga, playing golf, reading, John Mayer, bright colors and FRIENDS.

Winners Announced for Chamber Golf Tournament, Presented by Salmonsen Group Realtors

annual event highlights

Friday, September 16, 2022 The Creeks Golf & RV Resort in Cave Springs

winners

Morning Flight 1 Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers* 2 Xtreme Exteriors 3 Legacy National Bank Afternoon Flight 1 Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas 2 Great Southern Bank 3 CEI Engineering Associates

*Overall Winner

Chamber Golf Tournament inaugural

Helicopter Ball Drop This year’s tournament featured a special event: a helicopter golf ball drop. Participants purchased a golf ball for $25 that KNWA Chief Meteorologist Dan Skoff dropped from a helicopter among a bucket of golf balls, and whoever owned the ball that landed closest to the hole won a $1,000 prize. Our winner was Kevin Taylor of Cox Business!

Focus on Community is a monthly feature sharing news and information about the businesses and people who make the Rogers-Lowell Area a great place to live, work, play and invest.

NW Arkansas Championship Returns to Rogers

the ladies professional golf association

(LPGA)’s NW Arkansas Championship tournament returned to Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers in September.

something for everyone The event featured

family friendly activities such as kids viewing areas, the Always Live #LikeaGirl Day, the highly anticipated BITE Experience @ the LPGA food festival and a tournament field that included both fan favorites and six of the top 10 ranked players in the world.

new choctaw club a hit New to the NW

Arkansas Championship this year was The Choctaw Club. Sponsored by Choctaw Casinos & Resorts, the club accommodated 500 guests. The only luxury hospitality deck open to the public, admission included food and drink along with course-side casino games such as blackjack and craps.

rookie winner LPGA Tour Rookie Atthaya Thitikul shot a -17 and claimed victory in a playoff to become this year’s #NWAChampionship winner.

More About Atthaya:

Hometown: Ratchaburi, Thailand

Birthdate: February 20, 2003

Qualified for LPGA Tour: Finished third at LPGA Q-Series to first earn LPGA Tour Membership

Turned Professional/Rookie Year: 2020/2022

Caddie: Banpot Bunpisansaree

VICTORIES

LPGA Tour: 2nd career victory

Previous Wins: 2022 JTBC Classic presented by Barbasol

Previous Let Wins: Two official career victories; also won two LET events as an amateur

With her win, Thitikul earns $345,000; she has earned $1,881,392 for the season and for her LPGA Tour career.

State’s First Dedicated Bilingual Bank Opens in Rogers

The Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce helped

celebrate the grand opening of Banco Sí in downtown Rogers on September 23 with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

what it is: Banco Sí, a division of Signature Bank of Arkansas, is Arkansas’ first dedicated bilingual bank with 100 percent of their staff speaking both English and Spanish.

Cornerstone of History: The

building at 114 S. First St. was built in 1906 and was the location for Rogers’ first financial institution, The Bank of Rogers.

Aprende Más: Banco Sí’s

advisory board is made up of fully Hispanic members, including local businesses, in order to provide insight to the community and guide the bank’s operations.

railyard park named facility of the year

Congratulations in Order: Railyard Park was

named Outdoor Facility of the Year over $500,000 at the Arkansas Recreation and Parks Association Conference in September.

the city of rogers contributed to the revitalization of Downtown Rogers with the Railyard Park development with a grant from the Walton Family Foundation. This park, located in the Railyard Entertainment District, allows residents and visitors to enjoy downtown in a new way as a destination for families, picnics, the Rogers Local Food Market, live music at the Butterfield Stage and more.

Chamber President/CEO Raymond Burns:

“The revitalization of Downtown Rogers is exciting for our residents, visitors and businesses. Railyard Park represents a gathering place for Northwest Arkansas. The location in the heart of our downtown businesses and right on the trail system makes this experience second to none.”

other park amenities include:

• Picnic tables in Frisco Plaza • Shade structures all along 1st Street • Park benches around the facility • Bike path connecting to trails • Access to many shops and restaurants in downtown Rogers • Events throughout the year at Butterfield

Stage and Frisco Plaza • Restroom facilities located in the Play Yard and across the street near Centennial Park

Literacy Council of Benton County Notes 50-year Anniversary of “Each One, Teach One”

Humble Beginnings: The Beaver Lake Literacy Council initially distributed reading and tutoring materials in 1972 to any interested Arkansans out of the trunk of a car in a parking lot in Rogers, and charged students for the materials.

Making a Difference: Today, the council only teaches adults to read, write and understand English. Fifty years, community merging, a name change and a nonprofit status later, the Literacy Council of Benton County currently occupies space off the Bentonville Square and consists of nearly 70 active students, 48 active tutors, a current waiting list of 60 students with 250-300 students served year to year.

“When the council started, all our students were American adults whom for whatever reason, were not reading well or at all,” LCBC Director Vicki Ronald notes. “Almost all of our students are now English as Second Language students.”

Board minutes first mention the need for Spanishspeaking tutors in January 1985.

Welcoming New Residents: “Today, 65 percent of

our students are Hispanic,” Ronald notes, “however, we have 12 Afghan refugees attending classes with group and individual tutors. We have Russian students, Indian students, Brazilian students…our council is still filling a need for these residents to learn English and contribute to our community.”

Each One, Teach One: Early council curriculum included the Laubach reading method, its motto being “Each One, Teach One.” This motto can still be found today written on the council’s building. The initial mission statement of the council included the tutoring of non-reading or slow-reading adults and school-age children using the Laubach reading method. Read more at RogersLowell�com�

Ozark regional transit Service rises in popularity

Springdale-based transit provider Ozark Regional

Transit (ORT) has seen interest for its on-demand service triple since launching earlier this year on the Via platform.

Riding High: Ride requests have risen from about 500 per week in late February to 1,500 in the summer. Via provides the technology platform for the ORT service that’s offered in Bentonville, Fayetteville and Rogers.

Community Funding: The

Walton Family Foundation provided ORT with a $985,608 grant for multiple initiatives, including establishing the on-demand service and extending the zero-fare service through 2022.

Read more at TalkBusiness�net�

Pumpkin Patches and Haunted Houses in Northwest Arkansas

Where can you find the best pumpkins? Check out this list of places in Northwest Arkansas for the best around!

McGarrah Farms Rivercrest Orchard

2991 Dead Horse Mountain Rd Fayetteville

Open: September 10 – October 30

Hours: Thurs & Fri 12 pm – 8 pm Sat & Sun 10 am – 8 pm

Activities: Corn Maze, Pumpkin Patch, Sunflower Patch, Apple Blasters, Bounce Pillows, Low Ropes Course, Barrel Train, Hayrides, Ziplines, Grain Train, Trackless Train, Corn Cribs, Fall Ball Zone, Barn Chute Slide, Bumper Cars, and a 6-acre Barnyard Play Area.

Additional Info: Ticket(s) and time reservation required for entry (children under 2 years of age are free!). Tickets may be purchased, and time slots may be reserved at RivercrestOrchard�com. Pumpkins sold separately. No outside food or drinks.

Vanzant Farms

3705 E. HWY 264 Lowell Open: September 26 – October 31 Hours: Mon - Sat 8 am - 6 pm, Closed on Sundays Activities: Pumpkin Patch

McGarrah Farms

14804 Miser Road Pea Ridge

Open: September 24 – October 31

Hours: Closed on Tues. Mon, Wed-Thurs 1 pm - 6 pm

Sat 10 am - 6 pm, Sun 12 pm - 6 pm

Activities: Mule Train Ride, Tall Grass Maze cut by Farmer McGarrah, Tractor Pulled Hayrides, Picnic Area, Haystacks, Hay Tunnels, Bounce Pads, Ball Zone, Ziplines, and more!

Additional Info: Admission is $12/person (children under 2 years of age are free!) Pumpkins sold separately.

Farmland Adventures

5355 Parsons Road Springdale

Open: September 9 – November 5

Hours: Thurs 3 pm - 9:30 pm (October Only),

Fri 1pm - 9:30pm, Sat 9am - 9:30pm

Closed on Sundays

Activities: pumpkin patch, petting farm, pony rides, straw bale maze, hay bale pyramid, corn box, giant corn maze, mini corn mazes, wagon rides, pedal karts, pig races, human foosball, tire play area, spider web, flashlight nights, campfires for groups, and more!

Additional Info: Ticket(s) required for entry (children under 2 years of age are free!). Tickets may be purchased, at farmlandadventures�com. Pumpkins sold separately. Giant corn maze closes an hour before the farm closes.

Ranalli Farms Pumpkin Patch

1960 W. Henri De Tonti Boulevard Springdale

Open: September 26 – November 4

Hours: Mon - Sat 8:30 am - 7 pm

Sunday 12 pm - 5 pm

Activities include: pumpkin patch, photo op area, and games. Free Admission!

Sequoyah UMC Youth Pumpkin Patch

1910 Old Wire Road Fayetteville

Operating Dates: October 1 – 31

Hours: Sun-Fri 12pm - 7pm, Sat 10am - 7pm

Activities: pumpkin patch, photo ops

Additional Info: Free entry. This is a fundraising event to benefit Sequoyah UMC Youth Missions and the Navajo Indian Reservation in New Mexico.

Bella Vista United Lutheran Church

100 Cooper Road Bella Vista Operating Dates: October 14 - 15 Hours: Friday 11 am - 8 pm, Saturday 9 am - 3 pm Activities include: pumpkin patch, arts & crafts

Reagan Family Farm

241 E. 13th Street Fayetteville - please use the field entrance on 15th Street across from Hiland Dairy

Open: September 27 – October 31

Hours: Tues - Fri 4 pm - dark, Sat 10 am - 6 pm

Sunday 10 am - 4 pm, closed on Mondays.

Activities: a WIDE variety of Reagan Family Farmgrown pumpkins of all shapes, colors, sizes and textures to pick from the patch! Corn stalk bundles, straw bales, beautiful mums, treats from local bakers, cool cider for warm-weather visits and hot cider for cool-weather visits.

Additional Info: Free entry. Come make yourself at home and enjoy our family farm by walking around the property to view the chickens, mini goats and the beautiful scenery. We accept all forms of payment: cash, credit/debit, check and Venmo.

In the mood for something a little scarier? Check out these haunted houses around NWA:

The Asylum Haunted House

210 N. Main Street Cave Springs

Open: September 30, Every Fri & Sat in October

Hours: 7 pm – midnight

Family Night Thurs, Oct 27: 7 pm – 10 pm

Halloween Night 7 pm – 10 pm

Additional Info: They will not touch you and you cannot touch them. They recommend that you do NOT bring small children to the haunted house. No refunds. Ticket required for entry. Tickets may be purchased at

http://www�theasylumhauntedhouse�net�

Nightmares Haunted House

3706 NW Frontage Road Bentonville

Open: Every Fri & Sat in October & Halloween Night

Hours: Dusk - 11pm

Additional Info: Tickets required for entry. General Admission and Fast Pass options. Includes a short bus ride. Scaring since 1987. Tickets are available for purchase at https://nightmareshauntedhouse�net.

Modern Mission - Zombie Battleground

3484 E. Joyce Boulevard Fayetteville

Open: Oct 21, 22, 28, 29 from 7 pm – 10 pm

Sessions begin at 7 pm with new options every hour until the last session at 10 pm.

Additional Info: Be sure to arrive 30 minutes in advance to check in for your session. They highly recommend you reserve your tickets in advance. The Zombie event plays out on an indoor laser tag field with four unique missions. The price is per player for an hour-long session. Tickets are available for purchase at https://www�modernmission�com/zombies.

Banshee Manor Haunted Attraction

4520 N. College Ave. - located inside Lokomotion

Open: • Fri & Sat in October 7 pm – 11 pm • Sundays in October 7 pm – 10 pm • Thurs, Oct 27 No Scare Tour 5 pm – 8 pm • Halloween Night 7 pm – 9 pm

Additional Info: Ticket required for entry. Tickets are available for purchase at https://bansheemanor�com. No one under the age of six years is allowed. 6-13 year old must be with an adult. No refunds.

Carpenter’s Mortuary Spook House

136 E. Main Street Gentry

Open: Every Fri & Sat from Sept 30 – Oct 31

Hours: 7 pm – 11 pm

Additional Info: Ticket required for entry. General Admission and Fast Pass Tickets are available for purchase at https://www�mortuarystudios�com. ALL TICKET SALES ARE FINAL! Tickets may NOT be upgraded or downgraded.