29 minute read
Hometown Hero
RONNIE HOMETOWN HERO:
By Scott Cutlip CONTRIBUTING WRITER
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DEAL LOCAL PASTOR CASTS LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS
John McKinney, owner of 4Mac Inc.
Ronnie Deal didn’t set out to be a pastor. In fact, he went to college in pursuit of a business degree. However, his father died during his junior year in college, and that redirected Deal’s life. A er his graduation from Lenoir-Rhyne University, where he played on the football team, in 1980, he attended Southwester Seminary in Fort Worth. He went on to be a youth minister in Fort Worth and in Charlotte, North Carolina. at was when he came to Greenwood to become the senior pastor at First Baptist Church, and he’s been here roughly 20 years.
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First Baptist Church bills itself as a diverse church, which is open to people of all backgrounds and ages. e church runs four services on Sundays, in addition to Wednesday night ministries. Additionally, there are di erent Bible studies throughout the week, a clothes closet, a recreation outreach center, and room for meetings.
“We go from birth through senior adult,” Deal said. “In a lot of ways, we’re a typical church. Probably one of the big things that we try to do is help people have good solid relationships with each other.”
Deal, a native of Newton, North Carolina, sees it as his mission to encourage people to be involved in the community.
Deal and Rae, his wife of 34 years, have four children, two who are adopted, and two grandchildren. Deal’s hobbies include hunting, shing, and biking.
During the timeframe of our interview, the coronavirus had changed the way we currently have to live our lives. While Deal cannot at the moment hold services to a packed church, he is lming services that can be watched online at the First Baptist Church website.
First Baptist Church is located at 19 N Adair St. Its website is https://www. greenwood c.com/.
East Sunday PASTOR DEAL ABOUT
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE IN ATTENDANCE IN EASTER AND DURING THE REST OF THE YEAR?
“In the past we’ve had two services at the PAC (performing arts center). is is what we had planned for this year; we’re just not sure right now how it’s going to go. We try to really mobilize our folks to invite folks that don’t have a church home on Easter. It’s to help our people just really develop a love for others and desire to see people know Christ…;so we usually had around anywhere from 1500 to 1800 people in those two services.”
DO YOU PLAN ANY SPECIAL EVENTS?
“We’ve done Easter egg hunt and things for children in the past, but because our two Easter services on Sunday morning are so big, there’s a lot of what we do that centers around the preparation and the outreach. We try to keep it simple and focus on people worshiping together on Easter Sunday morning.”
WHAT WAS EASTER LIKE AS A CHILD?
“I knew it was a big event. I grew up in a Christian home, and I knew it was a big Sunday. ere were Easter eggs and a big family time at our home a er church. It probably wasn’t until I was in college that I began to really see the signi cance of what Easter means.”
DOES IT MEAN ANYTHING DIFFERENT TO YOU AS A PARENT/ GRANDPARENT?
“With my family and grandkids, I feel like it’s important to let them know the whys of this day, why it’s di erent than any other day. Why do we celebrate it?”
DO YOU HAVE A MEMORY OF A SPECIFIC EASTER?
“It’s just the anticipation every year. is will be a di erent year. is will be a memory of the rst Easter in my lifetime that there was no church. We’ll look back and say, of all the Easter Sundays, this in 2020 was a Sunday that no churches in America were able to meet.”
WHAT TOOLS ARE YOU USING TO REACH CHURCH MEMBERS? “We have our website. Tomorrow night I will do a full worship service , and my sta will record it, and it’ll be out there on Sunday available. We’re encouraging people to connect on Sunday and worship as a family. We’ll do that every Sunday that we’re not able to have services here on campus.”
J.R. & Kristin WHEELER
All Photos by Jade Graves Photography
Married February 29, 2020 at Greenwood First Assembly of God Reception at Chateau on the Greens
Bridesmaids: Kiyah Wheeler, Ashton Spencer, Anna Scherff, Bethany Adams (flower girl Kynslee Wheeler). Groomsmen: Jim Wheeler, Darren Adams, Boone Gilbreath, Dave Moore, Tyler Dunavin (honorary ring bearer Ethan and Zeke Adams)
HOW WE MET: Our story is de nitely not typical. I tried to follow JR and his late wife’s cancer story as they struggled to bring a Christian based educational wildlife park to our region while raising two young daughters while ghting a deadly cancer. I was struggling with my own cancer battle and tried to look to his late wife for motivation. Sadly before I was able to meet her she passed away. JR and his family still welcomed me to help the park with their “Wild About Reading” program and taking animals and books to local school districts. We stayed in contact over social media trying to plan how I would help once the time came to start visiting schools. We rst met face to face in the Walmart meat aisle. JR had actually went to church on a Sunday night with his girls, which was out of the ordinary for them to go on a Sunday night but JR said he kept feeling God leading him to go to that service for some reason. During the service he said he felt nothing and couldn’t understand why God wanted him at that particular evening service. At this point I was facing a lot of social anxiety from my cancer and still trying to nd where I t in. I had went from a collegiate national champion in cheer, to someone struggling to understand who I was as a woman, a follower of Christ, and struggled to even leave my own bed. e same day JR went to that church service I had went to a UAFS cheer event, which put me out in public, which was extremely rare for me at this point. A er church, and the cheer event, we both found ourselves at Walmart. is is where we made eye contact from across the store and as we met we asked if we were the person we had been talking to and commenced to talk to each other for almost two hours. God has a way of putting you where you need to be if you just listen and obey. A er that I began to help JR with the book program and we began to fall for each other and the rest is history……. THE PROPOSAL: JR has a lot of cool guns with silencers that I LOVE to shoot. Our second date he took me shooting with one of his silenced 22 ri es. e targets we shot helped me get over some baggage that I struggled with from my past. e date would seem insigni cant to most but to me it meant the world. On the two year anniversary of when they found my tumor, JR said he wanted to take me shooting as a stress relief. He took to the same spot on our land to shoot the same ri e as we did on our second date. He didn’t let me see the target as he set it up. I shot the target twice (horrible shots actually) and JR asked why I didn’t have a comment about the target. I couldn’t see it through the scope but as I walked up to the target it had typed on it “let’s make this date mean something else, WILL YOU MARRY ME”. When I turned around he had the ring in his hand sitting in the truck door and Kynslee (the
3 yr old daughter) was screaming “daddy has you a wedding ring” OUR WEDDING DAY: e girls and I spent the day at the house getting ready before heading to the church. JR was actually almost late to the wedding. He showed up about 20 minutes before the wedding started and still had to get dressed. He was late because he went with his dad to help him pick out the prettiest pearl necklace and diamond bracelet that his dad wanted to give me as a wedding gi before he got the honor of walking me down the aisle with our pastor. OUR HONEYMOON: We went to this breathtaking cabin that sat on a rock blu overlooking the most tranquil river ever. e balcony overlooked the whole river bottom and we got to watch the sunrise each morning through the early morning mist as otter, wild hogs, beaver, and other animals played just yards from our feet. ADDITIONAL INFO: Many know our story because of JR’s family and now myself forging ahead with Roo Doo’s Wildlife Park and our passion to bring this park/zoo to our region. Our story is one of hope even when the whole world seems to be falling down around you. God always has a purpose for you even when it feels like not a soul cares for you or when the cards just don’t fall your way. Cancer destroys lives but it is not bigger than our God. Don’t ever give up. JR and I’s family is testimony to this. SPECIAL THANKS TO:
HUGE thank you to the best wedding planner ever, Mary Ann Sandifer (and Tara and the one who always is le out, Troy) with “I do” Wedding Consulting. Tommy Jay Boyd was the best DJ and he also married us even though he le out Kristin’s “I DO” part ank you to Great American Cookie and Tara Gamble for the awesome cakes and cookies. ank you to Kim and Olivia Boyd for the gallons of amazing homemade salsa. Special thank you to JR’s mom (Linda) for being the best mother/mother in law ever and going above and beyond helping us and essentially gathering up everything we needed
ALL SMILES DARYNNE DAHLEM MISS ARKANSAS
STORY BY Scott Smith
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Sharla Derry
She’s 23, she’s Miss Arkansas and she has quite a lot to smile about these days.
Daryne Dahlem is a 2015 Greenwood High School graduate who is loving every second of her time as Miss Arkansas. Her current Miss Arkansas duties have her speaking to school students, school sta , parents, civic organizations, library patrons and others across the state, and she embraces the busy schedule with a smile and open arms.
“I am literally in a di erent town every single day, and I love it,” said Darynne, who is the daughter of Ron and Traci Lewellen of Greenwood and now lives in and works from the Miss Arkansas Apartment in Conway. “As Miss Arkansas, I was given a Chevy Equinox that was donated by Bale Chevrolet — they’ve given it to me to drive for a year — and it’s been great.
“ ey say the average person drives 15,000 miles a year,” she added as her eyes widened. “I’ve already driven over 38,000 miles, just since June. I’m busy, and it’s great.”
Darynne, who also competed in the Miss America Pageant late last year, said she’s proud of the platform she used during the Miss Arkansas competition. Her platform, “Know Who You Are,” was designed to inspire children and teenagers, as well as adults.
“You know, we always tell kids to be themselves and not do drugs, but unfortunately, there’s been a gap,” Darynne said. “We haven’t really given them the right tools to say no to drugs. Unfortunately, kids fall into a trap with that, but I tell the kids that, ‘It’s OK to feel like you’re not the best at everything,’ and ‘It’s OK to like or believe in something that maybe not everyone else likes or agrees with.’”
One who strives to stay active, Darynne graduated with honors with an animal science degree from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville in 2019, and she recently was accepted into the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. When she was younger, Darynne envisioned working as a veterinarian, but her encounters with children and her working closely with Arkansas Children’s Hospital over the last few years steered her interest into another area.
“I want to be a pediatric cardiologist,” she said. “Which is kind of funny, because when I was in high school, I was like a lot of other high schoolers in that I wasn’t really wanting to be around a lot of younger children, but in college, I found myself drawn more to children.
“I am hoping to work at Arkansas Children’s Hospital someday and still continue to be a guest speaker for others,” Darynne added. “I love going to schools, to Rotary clubs, to other groups and meeting and speaking to people.”
Darynne’s admiration for school teachers, sta and students no doubt was fostered by her grandmother, Patti Gilstrap, who taught mostly English and world history at the Greenwood district for 43 years. Darynne, when she was a Greenwood student, seemingly couldn’t get enough of school. e talkative young woman helped boost the spirits of Greenwood athletes, coaches and fans while serving as the Greenwood High School Bulldog mascot during her sophomore and junior year.
“Once you get past the smell of (the mascot out t), it’s great,” joked Darynne, who also was a cheerleader during her senior year at GHS. “I loved it because being the mascot helped get the younger generation into sports. Little kids don’t understand what o - sides is, or an interception, but they do understand when a mascot is jumping up and down, excited. Kids also understand when a mascot has their head low during a tough time in a game. Being a mascot can help give kids that perception.”
Darynne’s favorite school classes were AP U.S. history and AP world history. She names Mr. Bridges and his AP world history class as major inspirations for her years studying before tests.
“Mr. Bridges, still to this day, has to be one of the most intelligent people I’ve ever met,” Darynne said. “He was so knowledgeable, and his class was so great. I loved how Mr. Bridges would have all this knowledge, but he would encourage people to think. He showed us the importance of showing respect for others.”
Darynne’s rst victory in the Miss Arkansas “system” was winning the Miss Western Arkansas title when she was 18. She remembers those early days of pageants and competition fondly.
“I always had stage fright — really, really bad stage fright — when I was younger,” Darynne said. “But doing the private interviews for competition was always something I loved. I loved the interview and I loved answering political questions and other questions.
“I’ve never been nervous for an interview; I still love doing interviews,” she added. “But before, to have me sing, I would freeze up, but my experience of competing in the Miss Arkansas system has helped me overcome that stagefright. rough competi-
Daryne Dahlem MISS ARKANSAS 2019
tions, I’ve been able to get more comfortable doing the things that used to make me uncomfortable.”
For the most part, Darynne sings Broadway songs in public. She names “Hamilton,” “West Side Story” and “Chicago” as her favorite Broadway productions, and she freely admitted that she loves to read books whenever she has free time. “I was riding horses at 8 years old, and I was better at riding horses then than I am at walking now,” she added. “I know that’s strange, but it’s true. I can ride better than I can walk a straight line.”
In Darynne’s mind, the events between her grade school years and her winning Miss Arkansas seemed to happen in a ash.
“I also am into exercise, but not as much lately; I love long-distance running, and I love riding horses,” Darynne said before laughing and rolling her eyes. “I’m not very athletic and I’m not very coordinated — I’m always bumping into things because I’m kind of clumsy — but I’ve always been good at riding horses. “I remember when I was in the eighth grade, and I was like, ‘I’m an adult!’” Darynne said with a laugh. “Now I look at these students these days and say, ‘Oh, they’re just babies.’”
One of several near-future events that will make Darynne feel like a kid again will be the World’s
Smallest St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which will take place in Hot Springs.
“ e biggest thing that I have coming up as Miss Arkansas next is that parade, and I am so excited about it,” she said. “ ere also will be Cheech Marin of ‘Cheech and Chong’ fame there. Won’t that be amazing?
“ e parade is a fun thing and they always have celebrities, so I’ll get to hang out with Cheech,” Darynne added with a grin. “It should be a really fun time.”
Darynne, who also has been tapped to crown her Miss Arkansas successor on June 20 in Little Rock, has made a promise to herself that she would never forget — and never taken for granted — her life experiences. When asked how her Miss Arkansas crown and sash has changed her in recent months, she smiled before answering.
“For me, it’s amazing to be a part of something so great, and yet, in a way, it’s so simple yet still important,” Darynne said. “ ere aren’t many jobs where you can just make someone’s day by smiling at them or visiting with them. I am so fortunate to be able to be a part of that experience.
“One person I met asked to carry my bag for me — he was so excited and it was great to see him that excited,” she added. “ en later, I overheard him say to someone else, ‘I carried Miss Arkansas’ bag.’ He was so proud and so happy, and that made me happy.”
Darynne nds herself in an even happier mood when mingling with young Arkansas students. Whether it’s encouraging college and high school-aged students or its simply sitting on the oor with kindergarteners, the thrill of interaction has yet to fade for Darynne.
“You know, those kindergarten students might not remember it, but I hope they do,” she said. “I think their parents will remember it, so that interaction is so important. I love being a part of that, and being able to share that with other people.”
with DARYNNE DAHLEM & Miss Arkansas
WHAT WAS IT LIKE WINNING THE 2019 MISS ARKANSAS TITLE?
It was incredible. I had been in the Miss Arkansas system for ve years, so I had worked my way through it, competing. It was such an exciting thing. (Smiles).
WHAT WAS IT LIKE COMPETING IN THE MISS AMERICA 2019 EVENT?
I loved it. What I take away from that is, I met ve of the most amazing people from di erent states, and we are so incredibly close now. We have a great bond and we talk in a group chat every day.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FOOD?
Can ice cream be classi ed as food? (Laughs). I can say that I don’t like sour cream or oysters. I can’t do oysters at all. But I will admit that I will try anything once. (Smiles).
ARE YOU AND YOUR PARENTS, RON AND TRACI LEWELLEN, CLOSE?
Yes. We are a very close family. My family has supported me through all of the ve years of the Miss Arkansas system and beyond. I couldn’t have done it without the support of my family. ey’re wonderful.
WHAT IS THE FUNNIEST THING THAT HAS HAPPENED TO YOU SO FAR?
I was speaking for a group of kindergartners at a school, and one of them asked how old I was. I told them I was 23, and then the entire auditorium was like, “Wow!” A er I spoke to the kids, one of the girls came up to me, hugged and me, and then she said, “You still look really good for being 23.” I thought that was so funny.
Q&A with Scott Smith • Photo by Sharla Derry
WHAT IS ONE OF YOUR EARLIEST CHILDHOOD MEMORIES?
Oh, that’s a tough one. Good question. I remember when I was a kid and my mom telling me that I was getting a cat. (Smiles). My mom told me that my grandfather found a cat — he was a black-colored stray cat — and I was so excited. I was telling everyone at school, ‘Hey, I’m getting a cat!”
ARE YOU A BIG FAN OF MOVIES?
Oh, wow. Well, the movies I like probably aren’t like the movies that other people would pick. (Laughs). I love “My Cousin Vinny,” “ e Blues Brothers,” “Animal House” and “Vice.” (Laughs)
YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU ENJOY POLITICS. IS THERE ANYTHING ABOUT THE CURRENT POLITICAL CLIMATE YOU WOULD CHANGE, OR ANYTHING ELSE IN THE WORLD YOU WOULD CHANGE?
ere seems to always be this team mentality. It’s a “My team has to win; your team has to lose,” and I hate to see that. I wish people would be more open-minded, and be open to listening to other people and respecting other people, even if that other person believes in something or likes something that you don’t agree with. We have to be more open to compromise, and we need to be more understanding of where other people believe and enjoy.
WHAT CONTINUES TO DRAW YOU TO GREENWOOD? WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT THE GREENWOOD COMMUNITY? It kind of sounds like the stereotypical thing, but I love that it’s a small town where everyone gets together on a Friday night for a game. e town comes together and it’s wonderful. In Greenwood, it almost seems like you can’t go anywhere without bumping into people you are related to, or people you know. I really love that.
Recommended
Books are available at the library or through ebook form at https://lib2go.overdrive.com/ Reading
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VOTE FOR OUR FUTURE! (2020)
by Margaret McNamara illustrated by Micah Player
Wonderfully illustrated, Vote for Our Future explains the voting process for children to understand. It demonstrates how even those who are too young to vote can still be involved in the process!
MIDDLE SCHOOL: MASTER OF DISASTER (2020) MIDDLE SCHOOL: MASTER OF DISASTER
#13 of the Middle School series, Rafe and Jimmy uses their powers for good this time…throwing a book festival! As party preparations begin, little mess ups start piling up, and the festival might be cancelled. Readers will be pleasantly surprised to discover all characters in James Patterson’s children’s books show up in Master of Disaster! #13 of the Middle School series, Rafe and Jimmy uses their powers for good this time…throwing a book festival! As party preparations begin, little mess ups start by James Patterson
WHERE THE WIND LEADS (2020)
by Vinh Chung is true account story follows the refugee journey of three year old Vinh Chung and his family forced to ee Vietnam in 1979. No possessions and no knowledge of the English language, Chung and his family settle in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Having to leave everything behind, Chung’s family begins a new life from scratch with the added challenges of learning a new language and culture. rough hard work, determination, and the help of community, the family ourishes.
OUR COUNTRY
I am really worried about our country. It is suffering from a terrible addiction. It seems to me as if everyone from a baby sitting alone to people my age are addicts. Although I have been able to escape it because I haven’t been exposed. It has affected both hands, fingers and even appears on one ear or the other. You can’t go anywhere now days, and even church, that you don’t see some one with this addiction. I don’t care if you are in the isle of a grocery store you are expose to it. A restaurant seems one of the places that you come nearer being exposed to it. You can just bet that most patrons in a restaurant has one somewhere either in their hands or on their ear. I’m talking about Cellphoneitis. One cannot go any where there is people that most of them are not using their phones. The other day, during one of the Lenten Services at the church a woman was on her phone the whole service. She was sitting in front of me where I could see it. The brightness of the phone bothered me as I could not take my eyes off of it. One time I was in a restaurant eating when a family of six was at the table next to me. Five of them played with their phones, one boy was reading a book while waiting for their food. I did not see them engage in a conversation. How sad. Other times you will be eating when a person at the next table is talking on the phone. That is when you get to hear every thing, good or bad. I don’t know why most people talk so loud on a cell phone.
Another addiction is face book and I don’t have that either. One reason I know I would stay mad all the time. It is awful what some people write especially between the political parties. It is hard for me to be believe what terrible things people write that they would never say to your face. People you would never expect to think such things much less write them. I know face book is a good way to keep in touch with friends and family if it was only used for the good.
I do have a flip top cell phone for emergencies and I do have a tablet where I can get an email. My family has tried to get me to get face book and I know I wouldn’t have to read the bad things but
By Drucilla Hughart
I know I would so just say no to it.
What is so important that a person has to talk on the phone while others are eating? I realize some people are on call and need to have the phone on the table and that is o.k. If you have to take a call, be polite and step outside or tell the other person you will call them later. I think children need to be reading books instead of playing on a cell phone. Maybe I was born thirty years too soon!
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MEDICAL RESIDENCY Greenwood Native Secures
Provided By NYITCOM at Arkansas State University
Ross Lenzen, a Greenwood native and fourth-year medical student at New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University, learned last week that he has secured a family medicine residency at Conway Regional Health System in Conway.
Upon the completion of medical school, physicians must complete a residency to obtain their license to practice medicine in the United States. Residencies typically last three to seven years, depending on the specialty.
During their final year of medical school, student doctors apply and interview for residencies. Once they’ve completed their interviews, the student doctor ranks their preferred programs, and the programs rank their preferred candidates they’ve interviewed.
The National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) uses an algorithm to “match” candidates with programs based on the rankings submitted by the students and programs. Last Friday (March 20), medical students around the country celebrated “Match Day” as they learned where they’d secured residencies.
Lenzen is a member of NYITCOM at A-State’s inaugural class and will earn his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.)
in May before relocating to Conway to begin his residency in July.
NYITCOM at A-State was established in 2016, and this year marked the first time the college participated in the Match. Of the NYITCOM at A-State student doctors who participated in the 2020 Match, 95% received placement into programs.
“I just couldn’t be any happier for Ross and all of our students,” said Shane Speights, DO, Dean of NYITCOM at A-State. “It takes a special group of students to commit to being part of the inaugural class of a new medical school. These students trusted us to provide them with a top-notch medical education, and they dedicated themselves to working incredibly hard to make themselves quality candidates
for residencies. I’m just so proud of every one of them.”
Among NYITCOM at A-State students who participated in the 2020 Match, 72% - including Lenzen - were placed into primary care programs, including 36 percent who matched into Family Medicine programs, 27 percent into Internal Medicine residencies and another eight percent who will specialize in Pediatrics.
“Our country and especially our region are facing significant shortages in primary care physicians, so we’re pleased that so many of our students are pursuing those paths,” Speights said. “They have an opportunity to make a real difference.”
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