SPLENDOR - APRIL 2023

W SHARE

Welcome to our incredible April issue, filled with so many amazing stories and features! For starters, I’m featuring three of my favorite Arkansas state parks. Two thousand twenty-three marks the centennial for the Arkansas State Parks system, which calls for celebration! You’ll also find Egg-dorable ways to decorate eggs for Easter and a no-bake Easter-themed cheesecake recipe. If you’re like me and eager to get in the garden, you’ll want to check out the tips on page 26. There are new book reviews on page 22 and regular Do South® health contributor, Dr. Kendall Wagner, discusses food allergies on page 34!

Spring roars in with lots of entertainment! This month we’ve got details on Fort Smith Symphony’s once-in-a-lifetime musical event: Native American Legends, the upcoming Carpenter’s Country Fest, and live music at the Whippoorwill restaurant in downtown Fort Smith. More events are listed in our calendar, page 6!

I’m honored to share ways you can get involved with several local nonprofits. Hamilton Center for Child Advocacy hosts their second annual Hunt the Fort on April 15 and Monarch 61 Project will host a Mother and Daughter Empowerment Tea in May. Local volunteer organization, Quilts of Valor, shares how they support veterans touched by war and CASA of Sebastian County discusses their mission and need for volunteers.

We’ll also introduce you to three incredible locals! Leroy Casalman, owner of Leroy’s Barber Shop, shares the secret to a long and happy life. Leroy says he’s never worked a day, even though he’s been barbering for six decades. Next is Bryan Thompson, volunteer coordinator at HOPE Campus in Fort Smith. Bryan explains how they provide hope for their clients now, and their future. And then, David Scherrey, who was recently reunited with four children he saved from a fire in 1972 – it’s a full circle story you don’t want to miss.

Finally, you’ll find our annual Healthcare Specialties Guide and Realtor Profiles. We’re proud to partner with the best local experts and share these resources with you! Enjoy this issue and please visit the advertisers who support Do South® often. Along with you, they make our community an incredible place to call home. See you in May!

APRIL 2023

OWNER - PUBLISHER - EDITOR

Catherine Frederick

COPY EDITING

Charity Chambers

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Artifex 323 – Jessica Meadors

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Jade Graves

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Catherine Frederick, Dwain Hebda, Liesel Schmidt, Sara Putman, Bob Robinson, Dr. Kendall Wagner

ADVERTISING INFORMATION

Catherine Frederick I 479.782.1500 catherine@dosouthmagazine.com

FOLLOW US

©2023 Read Chair Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without the permission of the copyright owner. Opinions contained in Do South® are exclusively those of the writers and do not represent those of Read Chair Publishing, LLC. as a whole or its affiliates. Any correspondence, including photography, becomes the property of Read Chair Publishing, LLC. Do South® reserves the right to edit content and images. Printed in the U.S.A. | ISSN 2373-1893

Annual subscriptions are $36 (12 months), within the contiguous United States. Subscribe at DoSouthMagazine.com or via mail, 4300 Rogers Avenue, Ste. 20, PMB 110, Fort Smith, Arkansas 72903. Single issues available upon request. Inquiries or address changes, call 479.782.1500.

Catherine Frederick, Owner/Publisher/Editor catherine@dosouthmagazine.com

APRIL EVENTS

April 1

BUNNY BREAKFAST

Harry E. Kelly River Park, Fort Smith

April 1

FORT SMITH SYMPHONY ON THE GREEN (FREE)

UAFS Campus Green

April 1

JOSH WARD WITH SUNDANCE HEAD & JOE STAMM BAND

The Majestic, Fort Smith

April 1 - 2

AHS PRESENTS GO, DOG. GO!

Skokos Performing Arts Center, Alma

April 4

STOMP

ArcBest Performing Arts Center

Fort Smith

April 6

CREED FISHER THIS AIN'T THE HAMPTONS TOUR

The Majestic, Fort Smith

April 6

MAUNDY THU RSDAY

First United Methodist Church

Fort Smith

April 7

GOOD FRIDAY

First United Methodist Church

Fort Smith

April 7

THE ORIGINAL HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS

Simmons Bank Arena, North Little Rock

April 7

PAUL BROCK BAND

King Opera House, Van Buren

April 7

FORT CITY SLAM OPEN MIC!

Bookish, Fort Smith

April 8

EASTER EGG HUNT

Fort Smith Church of the Nazarene, Fort Smith

April 8

JOSH MELOY

The Majestic, Fort Smith

April 8, 14, 22 & 26

RIDE THE TRAIN TO WINSLOW

Van Buren

April 9

EASTER SERVICES

Sunrise at Hunt’s Park, Fort Smith

First United Methodist Church

April 11

STACEY JONES SEASON OF ENTERTAINMENT:

JAZZ BAND CONCERT

ArcBest Performing Arts Center

Fort Smith

April 12

PALM SUNDAY

First United Methodist Church

Fort Smith

April 13

BLACKBERRY SMOKE

TempleLive, Fort Smith

April 15

HUNT THE FORT BENEFITTING THE HAMILTON CENTER FOR CHILD ADVOCACY

Arvest Bank, Fort Smith

April 16

BLUES AT THE BAKERY

The Bakery District, Fort Smith

April 21

29TH ANNUAL WINE & ROSES GALA

Donald W. Reynolds Cancer

Support House, Fort Smith

April 22-23

WESTERN ARKANSAS BALLET PRESENTS SLEEPING BEAUTY

King Opera House, Van Buren

April 22

FORT SMITH SYMPHONY PRESENTS NATIVE AMERICAN LEGENDS

ArcBest Performing Arts Center

Fort Smith

April 22

SCOTTY AUSTIN OF SAVING ABEL

The Majestic, Fort Smith

April 22

TYLER CHILDERS

Walmart AMP, Rogers

April 23

RIVER VALLEY BRIDAL EXPO

Fort Smith Convention Center

April 24

PATCH THE PIRATE GOES WEST

King Opera House, Van Buren

April 27

STACEY JONES SEASON OF ENTERTAINMENT: GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING

ArcBest Performing Arts Center

Fort Smith

April 29

2023 UNITED WAY HONOR RUN

8401 McClure Drive, Barling

April 29

RAM 75TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION GALA, EVENING IN PARIS

ACHE Research Institute, Fort Smith

April 29

SPRING FEST OF ALE

The Barn by Two Brothers, Fort Smith

April 29-30

MISS ARKANSAS USA / MISS ARKANSAS TEEN

ArcBest Performing Arts Center

Fort Smith

April 29

JO DEE MESSINA

TempleLive, Fort Smith

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS FORT SMITH ATHLETICS

Visit uafortsmithlions.com for match and game times.

April 1

UAFS Women’s and Men’s Tennis vs University of Texas at Tyler

1pm, Fort Smith Athletic Club

Fort Smith, Arkansas

April 6

UAFS Baseball vs Eastern New Mexico University

1pm, Crowder Field

Fort Smith, Arkansas

April 7

UAFS Women’s and Men’s Tennis vs St. Mary’s University

1pm, Fort Smith Athletic Club

Fort Smith, Arkansas

April 7

UAFS Baseball vs Eastern New Mexico University

1pm & 4pm, Crowder Field

Fort Smith, Arkansas

April 8

UAFS Baseball vs Eastern New Mexico University

1pm, Crowder Field

Fort Smith, Arkansas

April 21

UAFS Baseball vs Texas Permian Basin

1pm, Crowder Field

Fort Smith, Arkansas

April 22

UAFS Baseball vs Texas Permian Basin

1pm & 4pm, Crowder Field

Fort Smith, Arkansas

April 23

UAFS Baseball vs Texas Permian Basin

1pm, Crowder Field

Fort Smith, Arkansas

A Place of Healing

MMonarch 61 opened its doors to women in the River Valley in September of 2021 offering free art and wellness classes, targeted healing programs, and safe community. The welcoming space includes a café, art studio, wellness studio, beauty salon, and coaching offices. M61 exists to connect, nourish, and empower women and recognizes sexual assault, domestic violence, and generational trauma are existing issues for women in our very own backyard and throughout the world.

One third of women in Arkansas will experience intimate partner physical violence in their lifetimes and Arkansas is ranked as having one of the highest rape rates in the United States. Victims of domestic violence or sexual assault experience depression, anxiety, self-harm, emotional trauma, substance abuse, and PTSD. M61 recognizes the healing journey for a trauma survivor is long, that each is unique, and that long-term aftercare and mentoring solutions are limited. M61 has built working relationships with more than a dozen area addiction and crisis intervention service providers, community partners, and numerous area counselors to serve women who are disadvantaged or rebuilding.

M61 believes creative play is healing and as such, the art studio houses art classes, therapy classes, and support groups that connect women in community and shared trauma experiences. Within the wellness studio, you can find trauma-informed yoga and movement classes to encourage self-care and build self-

esteem. M61 also offers an eight-week program (RISE) that restores power and self-esteem to survivors of trauma and abuse. To support the younger population, M61 started Rooted in 2021. An immersive coaching initiative that empowers young ladies to grow in confidence, security, self-love, emotional health, and relationship building, it has expanded to serve over fifty young women in three area high schools for the 2022/23 school year. Next year, Rooted will launch an in-house monthly gathering for 6th & 7th grade girls along with a coaching platform for all women.

M61 will host their Mother and Daughter Empowerment Tea, Lavender & Lace, May 20, 2023, from 11:30am to 1:30pm at the Clayton House in Fort Smith. This event will support and fund the Rooted program for the 2023/2024 school year. Event highlights include a high tea, princess photos, mother/daughter photo shoot, a silent auction, door prizes, vendors, and empowerment resources. Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for ages 3-17, with a combo price of $40.

Partners and volunteers are the heartbeat of the organization and supporters can choose to engage through monthly giving, donating items from their wish list, or volunteering their time. M61 offers training that encompasses self-care and emotional health for the volunteer and trauma-informed care for women they serve. To volunteer or learn more about opportunities or a partnership, call or visit online at www.monarch61.com.

WORDS and IMAGES courtesy Nicole Watson, Monarch 61 Project

native american legends

PRESENTED BY FORT SMITH SYMPHONY

OOn Saturday evening April 22, attendees of the Fort Smith Symphony will have the opportunity to experience a truly historic, once-in-a-lifetime musical event – possibly the first orchestral concert featuring music by a historic Native American concert composer.

Louis Wayne Ballard (1931 - 2007) is recognized as the first Native American concert composer. Born of Quapaw and Cherokee parents near Miami, Oklahoma, his work as a performer, composer, music educator and arts administrator was dedicated to bringing living Indigenous culture to the forefront of Western consciousness and understanding. Ballard’s early childhood was spent in Indian training schools that generally discouraged any recognition of native peoples, yet he always maintained an insatiable enthusiasm for his history, speaking his native language and participating in tribal dances for which he was often punished.

Valedictorian of his graduating class, Ballard continued his music studies throughout his time at various universities and he continued composition studies as well as teaching duties at the prestigious Aspen Music Festival from 1957 - 1972. Ballard also served as music director of the Institute of American Indian Arts in New Mexico and was appointed national curriculum specialist for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. His many accomplishments as a music educator included publishing American Indian Music for the Classroom, a curriculum of musical instruction, based on Native American folk music. His interest in Native Americans in the arts included his own film production company, hiring only Indigenous actors and promoting a more realistic portrayal of Native Americans in Hollywood.

Most significantly however, was his work as a composer, with works ranging from large-scale orchestra pieces to intimate works for solo piano. His style is totally unique combining

WORDS John Jeter, Fort Smith Symphony IMAGES courtesy Ballard Family Archive and Bill Dunning

traditional Western musical styles with Indigenous musical idioms. Indigenous influences in his works are often very noticeable with the inclusion of original Native American folk tunes in the music and the use of Native American instruments such as the Native flute and percussion.

Working with Louis Ballard’s granddaughter, Simone Ballard and Ballard scholar, Karl Erik Ettinger, the Fort Smith Symphony will present an all-Louis Ballard symphony concert on Saturday, April 22 at the ArcBest Performing Arts Center in downtown Fort Smith. This event marks the first time a symphony orchestra has dedicated an entire concert to a historic Native American concert composer.

Naxos Records, the world’s leading classical music label, will record the Fort Smith Symphony in studio with these works. These world-premiere recordings will mark the symphony’s fifth commercial recording for Naxos following successful recordings of the music of Florence Price and William Grant Still. Still and Price, both Arkansans, were the first African American male and female concert composers respectfully.

The recording of Price’s Symphony No. 1 and 4 played a major part in the international rediscovery of her music. It is hoped that the Louis Ballard recording will have a similar impact. Although there is nothing like live music, recordings offer the chance to share music with millions around the world. The

symphony’s previous recordings have streaming numbers in the multi-millions and are aired nationally and internationally daily.

The concert and recording will feature an orchestra of one hundred members performing five orchestral pieces that demonstrate Ballard’s wide-ranging skills. A pre-concert lecture by Karl Erik Ettinger will begin at 6:15pm followed by a postconcert after party with live music at the Bakery District. During concert week, there will be school and civic presentations with Ettinger and Simone Ballard. The Fort Smith Symphony’s new “Perspectives” chamber music series has presented two programs which included Ballard’s music to great acclaim. The symphony also worked in collaboration with the Fort Smith Public Schools to include portions of Ballard’s works and his textbook in the elementary music syllabus for the 2022-2023 academic school year.

“Native American Legends” is the final performance of the symphony’s 2022-2023 concert season, a fitting conclusion to an exciting season that leads to an incredible milestone, the symphony’s 100th Anniversary season!

This project would not be possible without the support of the Walter O. Caldwell Foundation, ArcBest Corporation, as well as many generous corporate and individual sponsors. For tickets and further information about this event, visit: fortsmithsymphony.org.

Louis W. Ballard, Composer

Quilts of Valor

Last night I dreamed of Life and Liberty. Who had paid the price to keep me free? A storm-tossed sea, breaking on the land; Revealed your boot prints in the sand.

Quilts of Valor Foundation began in 2003 with quite literally a dream. Founder Catherine Roberts’ son Nat was deployed in Iraq and one evening she had a dream as vivid as real life. “I saw a young man sitting on the side of his bed in the middle of the night, hunched over. The permeating feeling was one of utter despair. I could see his war demons clustered around, dragging him down into an emotional gutter.

"Then, as if viewing a movie, I saw him in the next scene wrapped in a quilt. His whole demeanor changed from one of despair to one of hope and well-being. The quilt had made this dramatic change. The message of my dream was quilts equal healing,” says Catherine. Catherine’s model was simple: have a volunteer team who would donate their time and materials to make a special quilt, a Quilt of Valor.

To date, the foundation has 300 groups nationwide, five groups in other countries, and has awarded over 340,000 quilts to

veterans touched by war. There are currently fifteen to twenty groups in Arkansas, including our local chapter, River Valley Stars, which formed in 2018. Since their inception, members have created and awarded over 400 quilts.

Each quilt is stitched and includes a personalized label. The all-volunteer group meets twice per month, one day for business, and the other to sew. Everyone pitches in on award days. While most ceremonies are conducted at the local VFW chapter, the group has awarded quilts at veteran’s homes, churches, and during Covid, even through windows.

During the ceremony a speech is given to the veterans, thanking them for their service. The quilt is then draped over the veterans’ shoulders, wrapping them in comfort, and eternal thanks for all they sacrificed.

Any veteran honorably discharged is eligible for a quilt, and nominations can be made on the foundation’s website, Qovf.org. River Valley Stars are always accepting volunteers willing to sew. If you would like to get involved, please contact Sue Anderson, group leader, at rivervalleystarsqov@gmail.com or call 619.701.5569.

WORDS Catherine Frederick IMAGES courtesy River Valley Starts QOV

Truman Domer, U.S. Army

John Marchese, U.S. Army, Vietnam

Nathaniel (Nate) Catlett, U.S. Marine Corp, Afghanistan

Songs of the Whippoorwill

There is a new venue for live music and good food in downtown Fort Smith – Neumeier’s Whippoorwill. Joe Neumeier owns and operates three restaurants all within walking distance from one another, Papa’s Pub & Pizzeria, Neumeier’s Rib Room & Beer Garden, and now, the Whippoorwill. Inside, you’ll discover food like your momma used to make, or rather, Joe’s momma, Jody Neumeier. Affectionately called Mimi, the menu includes selections such as Mimi’s Meatloaf, Mimi’s Chicken Salad Sandwich, and Mimi’s Fruit Salad, all created from her recipes.

Previously Harry’s Downtown Performance & Event Venue, the stage and bar area are pretty much preserved intact, but some walls had to be demolished, and furnishings replaced to accommodate the kitchen and new restrooms.

In keeping with his passion for preserving the area's history, you’ll notice a variety of items on display which pay homage to days gone by, including a pair of antique doors from the former Tip Top Western Wear building which frame the kitchen entryway. There’s also the sign from Neumeier Nursery & Greenhouse, which his family owned and operated in the area for over half a century. Joe also brought in the front end of an old Chevy pickup truck which houses the sound system for the music venue.

With The Rib Room & Beer Garden also hosting live music, Joe intends to provide customers a choice of music genre. On a given night, you may find a blues band at The Rib Room, and bluegrass on the Whippoorwill stage. Bob Marsh, a longtime member of the Fort Smith Riverfront Blues Society, said Joe has always been a supporter of local musicians and looks forward to having an additional venue in the area for musicians to perform.

Whippoorwill is located at 509 Garrison Avenue in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Currently open Tuesday - Saturday, 11am to 9pm, they will be open later Friday and Saturdays during the summer months with the goal of featuring live music both days. While many performers will be local there will always be room for new musicians. Check out the band schedule and menu on Facebook and Instagram (@whippoorwillfs).

WORDS Bob Robinson IMAGEs Jade Graves Photography

When Words Fail, Music Speaks

As stories go, the way Carpenter’s Country Fest came about might have the makings of a great country song. Originally brought to life as Music on the Mulberry, the event had its first year in 2015 – in essence, as a last-minute stand-in for Thunder on the Mountain’s cancellation, a mere two weeks before it was set to take place. “I had so many folks looking forward to it that I felt I couldn’t just do nothing, so I contacted a venue close to there that had a stage,” says Lance Carpenter, the mastermind and namesake of Carpenter’s Country Fest and an award-winning country music artist. “Long story short, I spent about twenty-five to thirty-thousand dollars of my own money that I didn’t really have to create a three-day event with

more than twenty-four artists, including Kevin Fowler, Keith Anderson, Matt Stell, and Kristen Kelly.”

Over the next five years, that stand-in festival became an incredible draw in its own right and a presence on the music festival circuit. Those early years were spent filling Byrd’s Adventure Center on the Mulberry River with music until 2020, when it was decided that the event should be moved into the town of Ozark to provide a more convenient location. The move precipitated another change, as well, this time, to the name.

“Without the Mulberry River, it was suggested I rename it Carpenter’s Country Fest,” says Lance, who partnered with the

words Liesel Schmidt images courtesy Carpenter’s Country Fest

North Franklin County Fair and built a stage for their first year in 2022, with nearly 450 people in attendance.

Taking place May 20, 2023, this year’s lineup promises to be a talent-filled one. “Ryan Harmon will be returning this year, and we’ll have a first-time appearance by another popular local band, Highway 124,” says Lance. “There will be friends of mine from Nashville, and, of course, I will be performing with my band. I would love to get a big-named artist to play, but they are so expensive, and our budget is very small. Maybe someday a big sponsor will allow us to bring in a big-name headliner to help support the event; but the local and regional talent in Arkansas is on such a high level that, even if you don’t recognize their names, you should come experience their talent. You might even discover your new favorite artist.”

Each year, Carpenter’s Country Fest supports a military or lodge organization – the beneficiary of this year’s festival being the Ozark Area Youth Organization. “Growing up in Ozark, playing youth sports was important to me and taught me my first lessons in framework and leadership, and there were coaches who had a big impact on my life,” says Lance. “OAYO has struggled in the past few years with the cost of everything increasing, from hiring coaches to buying equipment, and the facilities could use some TLC. I’d love to be able to raise enough money to buy new scoreboards and give them enough funds to comfortably offer a spot to any kid wanting to participate.”

In addition to supporting a chosen organization each year, Lance’s altruism shines bright in the eponymous scholarship he has created. “I’ve given a scholarship every year to students from Ozark High School, my alma mater, who are looking to further their education by going to college or a university,” he says. “A committee narrows it down to the best candidates, and a winner – or, as in past years, up to three winners – is awarded a $500 scholarship.”

Whether or not any of those scholarship recipients go on to write songs and sing about how country music changed their lives remains to be seen, but it certainly has changed life for Lance. "I wrote my first song in 1999 while attending Arkansas Tech University where I played football on full scholarship, but it was only a hobby for many years before I made a trip to Nashville to learn about songwriting,” he says. “I signed my first publishing deal and got my first cuts by Curb artist Dylan Scott in 2012. What I love about music is that it is a universal language, and there are songs that are basically the soundtrack of life. They say what we need to hear or what we can’t find the words to say, make us laugh, dance, cry, remember, forget…I remember how important songs were at points in my life, and the chance to write and sing one that could be important to someone is an honor I cherish.”

For more information, visit carpenterscountryfest.com.

Lance Carpenter

CASA Needs YOU!

CASA of Sebastian County (Court Appointed Special Advocates) is a nonprofit organization that utilizes volunteers to advocate for children in Sebastian County foster care. CASA volunteers are trained to understand the impact of trauma on children in foster care. By visiting a child in their placements, volunteers become a consistent person for that child in their journey through foster care. Our advocates also gather information from people in the child’s life, service providers, teachers and social workers which allows a volunteer to make informed recommendations to the court. Volunteers also advocate for services that promote healing, to help children develop resilience without causing additional trauma. CASA volunteers encourage services that strengthen parents’ relationships with their children, which can result in successful reunifications.

Due to the current lack of volunteers, CASA of Sebastian County is only able to advocate for forty percent of the more than 400 children in foster care. Every child in foster care deserves a CASA volunteer that advocates for their best interest and

ensures they don’t fall through the cracks of an over-loaded foster care system. CASA of Sebastian County has a thirty-hour training program. Most of the training is done online over a six-week period while meeting in person once a week. Our program needs committed volunteers who will advocate for children right here in Sebastian County. The only requirements are to be over the age of twenty-one, pass a background check, and have a commitment to the case you choose and are assigned to. Our volunteers range in age from twenty-five to eighty-seven and come from all walks of life, employed full time, or retired, teachers, attorneys, homemakers, and even retired police officers.

Judges are more likely to assign CASA volunteers to their most complex, serious cases – cases in which children are at higher risk of poor outcomes. Judge Shannon Blatt was quoted in a recent article, stating “I wish we had a CASA for every case.” Please help us help these children, who through no fault of their own, are placed in foster care. You can be that special someone for a child who is hurting and feels like no one is listening. You can change a child’s story! To learn more, please follow us on Facebook and call the CASA Office at 479.785.4171 to learn more.

WORDS courtesy CASA of Sebastian County

Do South ® Cares

Hamilton Center for Child Advocacy is a nonprofit, community-based facility providing a safe place where child abuse victims are heard, families are healed, and lives are rebuilt after trauma. Jennifer Terry, Development Director, Hamilton Center for Child Advocacy shares more.

Helping abused children requires a highly specialized team of first responders. The Hamilton Center for Child Advocacy, as part of the multidisciplinary response to child abuse allegations, provides child-focused services to help reduce the trauma associated with a child abuse investigation. Collaboration occurs between a team of medical, mental health, prosecutorial, child protective services, and law enforcement to serve the best interests of these young victims.

Our center's specific services include family advocacy, forensic interviews, sexual assault medical exams, mental health therapy, and prevention education. Children brought to an advocacy center are more likely to receive long-term mental health and advocacy services needed to properly heal and thrive after the trauma of abuse. Families are connected to resources needed to help heal and rebuild as well. The impact of these services is lifelong, and lifesaving, and promotes a more positive economic outcome in the community.

SATURDAY

15TH

Arvest Bank Tower 5000 Rogers Ave Fort Smith

*Participants will need to be present at 10:00 a.m. for check-in *Hamburgers and hot dogs are available at no additional cost provided by Arvest Bank Gather a group of friends, family members or business buddies and register for this event at www.hamiltoncca.org/events

We serve five counties and are the only 501(c)(3) nonprofit required by law to be used during a child abuse investigation (A.C.A § 9-5-110.) We are always available in times of crisis and our services are free. In 2022 alone, our center served 948 children. It is remarkable to consider we run entirely on grants and individual donations.

The Hamilton Center for Child Advocacy had an exciting year in 2022, as we celebrated a ribbon cutting for our name change and the move to a larger space provided by Mercy. We initiated our first Hope for Healing campaign and provided education and awareness of our services at community events. We also participated in our first partnership for the Community Strikes Back Against Child Abuse bowling tournament. Save the date for next year, Saturday, February 3, 2024!

April is Child Abuse Awareness month, and the Hamilton Center is hosting our second annual Hunt the Fort scavenger hunt on April 15 – this is an event not to be missed! Proceeds will help advance our mission and further provide forensic, medical, and mental health services to our clients. More information can be found on Facebook @hamiltoncca and our website, hamiltoncca.org.

Next month, we’ll showcase another worthy nonprofit in our area free of charge. Requests for this free page accepted beginning October, 2023. Send inquiries to catherine@dosouthmagazine.com, or call 479.782.1500.

We have made incredible strides since 2010 and we continue to look to the future for ways we can better serve our community and help end the cycle of abuse. As our mission continues, expanded space and services will be needed. Your financial support is tax-deductible, and any level of support is a difference-maker in the life of a hurting child. We are here to listen, heal, and rebuild!

Jennifer Terry, Development Director, Hamilton Center for Child Advocacy a scavenger hunt event to benefit

Get the Good Stuff!

Liquid Alchemist Premium Cocktail Syrups IN GOOD SPIRITS

479.434.6604

Hearts On Fire Simply Bridal Twist Diamond Engagement Ring Available in Platinum, 18kt White, Yellow and Rose Gold

JOHN MAYS JEWELERS

479.452.2140

Eyewear by Tom Ford STILES EYE GROUP

479.452.2020

Spring Home Décor JENNIFER’S GIFT SHOP AT BAPTIST HEALTH

479.441.4221

Protect Their Hearing with Snug Earmuffs in a Variety of Designs

CENTER FOR HEARING AND BALANCE

479.785.3277

Truly Vodka Seltzer, Malibu Peach Rum, Tooth & Nail Sauvignon Blanc, Tintero Moscato d’Asti Sori Gramella, Founders Green Zebra

SODIE’S WINE & SPIRITS

479.783.8013

imageS Jade Graves Photography and courtesy vendors

Weyward

by Emilia Hart

This debut novel tells the story of sisterhood, family bonds, and resilience. When Kate leaves her abuser and goes to her aunt’s old cottage in the English countryside, she not only learns more about her own past, but she discovers the natural history that made the Weyward women a force to be reckoned with. Hart’s novel travels to 1619, 1942, and 2019 connecting generations of witchy women.

I Have Some Questions for You

by Rebecca Makkai

Makkai takes the thriller genre and elevates it through her insightful characters and relevant plot. When Bodie Kane is invited back to her old boarding school to teach a class on podcasting, she didn’t expect that a murder that took place while she was a student would still be on everyone’s mind. Makkai unravels a story that captivates readers while allowing us to look deeper into our own collective memory.

Enjoy these four must-read books from our friends at Bookish, Fort Smith, Arkansas’s only independently owned bookstore.

Hang the Moon by

Jeannette Walls

In this novel, we meet a feisty young woman, Sallie Kincaid. The daughter of one of the most important men in her small town, she runs amok during the Prohibition era. Her upbringing is relatively charmed; however, there is that incident with her mother, but she manages to find herself cast out regardless. It seems the town can’t contain Sallie Kincaid. She’s fearless and damaged, but you’ll love her, nonetheless.

House of Cotton by

Monica Brashears

If you liked Luster or The Other Black Girl, you’ll equally love this contemporary Black southern gothic novel that delves into what it means to be a poor woman in the God-fearing south. Magnolia Brown accepts an odd job at a funeral home and things unravel quite quickly after that. Brashears’ sly social commentary is sharp, but you’ll be mesmerized by this off-kilter fairy tale set in a southern funeral parlor.

Recommendations courtesy Sara Putman, Bookish

DDining out is a relaxing experience for many of us, yet for others, it may induce anxiety or fear due to a food allergy. It is estimated about fifty million Americans have an allergy of some kind, affecting around five percent of adults and children. A food allergy occurs when the body’s natural defenses overreact to a particular substance causing the body to recognize the food as an enemy, sending out chemicals to defend against it. While the most common time to develop a food allergy occurs as a baby or younger child; food allergies may develop at any age – even in foods eaten for years without reaction. While allergies do tend to run in families, it is impossible to predict whether a child will inherit a parent’s allergy or if siblings will suffer from similar food allergies.

REACTIONS

Food allergy reactions can vary greatly from person to person, be mild or severe, and may also change in the affected individual. For example, the first time you eat shrimp, a reaction occurs with only mild symptoms, but weeks or months later, you eat it again and severe symptoms occur. It’s important to note that for some, it could take a large amount of the food to trigger a reaction, while others may experience a reaction with very small amounts or even inadvertent exposure such as a utensil

simply touching the food. Reactions may range from a funny, itchy feeling in the mouth, skin rash or hives, swelling of the tongue, lips, or face, abdominal pain with vomiting/diarrhea, to severe, life-threatening whole-body reactions, which can involve impaired breathing, dramatic drop in blood pressure, and elevated heart rate.

TYPES OF FOODS

While a reaction can occur to any food, there are nine food groups that are associated with almost ninety percent of all food allergies: eggs, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, wheat, soy, and sesame (added as of January 2023). Allergic reactions usually present within minutes up to two hours following ingestion. Of the above groups, allergy to milk, eggs, and peanuts occur most commonly in children, while tree nut, fish, and shellfish allergies are seen more commonly in adults. Many children may outgrow an allergy to milk and eggs, whereas allergies to peanuts and shellfish tend to persist. While avoidance of foods that result in allergic reactions is generally recommended, there are certain cases in which avoidance may not be required. Individuals who only experience oral reactions (the funny, itchy feeling in the mouth) following ingestion of certain uncooked fruits and vegetables may be able to eat

WORDS Dr. Kendall Wagner, Chaffee Crossing Clinic Image Africa Studio/Shutterstock

cooked versions of the foods. Additionally, individuals with egg and dairy allergies may sometimes be able to eat baked goods containing eggs and milk as the high heat during baking results in chemical changes of the protein which cause the allergy.

DIAGNOSIS

Diagnosis of a food allergy can usually be made with a simple interview by your physician. A true food allergy will usually cause some sort of reaction every time the suspected food is eaten. As mentioned previously, reactions may vary with each exposure in presentation and severity. Your physician may recommend a blood test for certain antibodies that result in food allergies. This testing can be complicated to interpret as a negative result is helpful to rule-out a food allergy to certain foods, but positive results may not always indicate a true food allergy. Referral to a physician who specializes in AllergyImmunology may be necessary for skin-prick testing, the gold standard in allergy diagnosis. This testing involves injection of potential food allergens into the skin and observing for a reaction. Additionally, suspected foods may be ingested by the individual in a controlled environment such as the physician’s office or a food challenge center where medical emergencies can be managed if they occur.

ATYPICAL ALLERGIES

While most food allergen reactions occur within two hours of ingestion, there are two atypical allergies which are becoming more frequent. One is alpha-gal allergy, a potentially severe allergic reaction to a carbohydrate molecule found in red meat. The molecule is found in most beef, lamb, pork, and venison, etc. Unlike common food allergies, alpha-gal reactions may be delayed, occurring up to eight hours following ingestion. Like other food allergies, reactions may include hives and itching, lip and facial swelling, abdominal pain with vomiting/diarrhea, and shortness of breath with cough/wheezing. Reactions may progress to life-threatening anaphylaxis. This is particularly

worrisome as patients may not experience a reaction until several hours after a meal, perhaps during sleep. Interestingly, alpha-gal allergy has been associated with being bitten by the Lone Star tick. The tick carries the alpha-gal molecule in its saliva resulting in sensitivity of the individual after a bite. Individuals with a history of frequent tick bites are more likely to develop this specific allergy. Prevention involves avoidance and prompt removal of the tick.

The second delayed allergic food reaction is Food ProteinInduced Enterocolitis Syndrome (FPIES). This allergy is associated with severe gastrointestinal symptoms which occur between two to six hours after ingesting milk, soy, and certain grains. FPIES usually occurs in infants. Symptoms may include severe vomiting and diarrhea which can lead to dehydration. The severe inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract may also lead to blood being present in the stool. Diagnosis may be delayed as this allergy presents like other viral or bacterial infections that may occur in infants. Treatment involves IV fluid rehydration and removal of the offending food from the infant’s diet.

TREATMENT

Overall, avoidance of the offending food or foods is the mainstay in the management of food allergies. In the event of inadvertent exposure, Benadryl can provide some symptom relief. Severe reactions may require treatment from your physician with epinephrine (EpiPen) or corticosteroids. Some patients may benefit from oral desensitization therapy performed under the supervision of an allergist physician. During therapy, increasing amounts of the offending food are provided over time to build up a tolerance.

While quality of life can be affected, emerging testing and treatment can greatly reduce the burden and anxiety associated with food allergies. Talk to your physician today if you feel you are experiencing an allergic reaction to food.

APRIL IN THE GARDEN

THE DIRT

If you haven’t already, get your soil tested and prepare your garden plot. Consider raised beds to eliminate weeds and make planning, planting and harvesting a bit easier. If you’ve already planted seeds and they are sprouting, be sure to thin them out to keep them from overcrowding

YOU CAN PLANT TIPS

If planting fruits and berries, plant in full sun Plant what your family likes to eat plus one new vegetable to try!

Basil

Onions

Beans (mid-April)

Peppers (late-April)

Beets

Potatoes

Broccoli

Radishes

Carrots

Spinach

Cabbage

Squash (late-April)

Collards

Sweet Corn (late-April)

Cucumbers (late-April)

Swiss Chard

Dill

Tomatoes (late-April)

Lettuce

Watermelons (late-April)

Okra (late-April)

LINDA, AGE 14

Meet Linda! Linda is a fourteen-year-old girl looking for her forever home. She is always laughing and likes to live on the brighter side of life. Linda is creative, self-confident, and kind, but like many teens, she also has an independent streak. She can sometimes struggle with boundaries and must be monitored closely. For this reason, Linda needs a family that is willing to set and enforce healthy boundaries for her to follow. Could your family be the right fit for Linda? Submit an inquiry below to learn more!

In partnership with Project Zero and the Arkansas Heart Gallery, each month Do South® will feature a waiting child, or sibling group, in foster care in Arkansas. To inquire about these incredible children, please visit theprojectzero.org.

IMAGE courtesy Jon Yoder Photography

2023 REALTOR PROFILES

special feature pRESENTED BY

WORDS Dwain Hebda and Catherine Frederick some interviews have been edited for length and clarity

Do South® is proud to recognize the talents and dedication of local Realtors, Agents, and Brokers who are committed to excellence and consistently go the extra mile for their clients. Join us as we salute the incredible professionals who propel our region forward!

CHUCK FAWCETT REALTY

In the real estate business, you’re only as good as the housing inventory you have and the agents you have to sell it. For Chuck Fawcett, head of Chuck Fawcett Realty, having quality inventory and outstanding agents is never an issue.

Working in Chaffee Crossing since 2008, Chuck has aligned his business with Tim Mays, a premier builder, and Becky Ivey, one of the best executive brokers in the area, to bring hundreds of happy customers into their dream homes. And with their latest subdivision, The Meadows of Chaffee, Chuck is positioned to continue his run of success.

“Chaffee Crossing is a great area,” he says. “They’ve got the medical school out there, and they’ve got new businesses going out there. There are walking trails, a lake where people can fish and it is close to Ben Geren Park. Chaffee Crossing is its own community and a really successful area.”

The Meadows of Chaffee is the fourth subdivision Chuck has been part of in Chaffee Crossing with Tim Mays, the other three being The Woods at Chaffee Crossing, Highland Crossing and Lakeside Crossing. The latest development is being built exclusively by Tim, a respected builder spanning four generations of family craftsmen.

“Tim builds a top-quality house, as everybody knows,” Chuck says. “His son, Colten, started working with him in 2016, and now he’s working with his dad full time building houses. They take a lot of pride in what they do; from quality materials to the finishing touches, it’s top-notch all the way. He’s built a really solid reputation.”

Chuck said houses in The Meadows of Chaffee are already selling as fast as they are being built and he predicts the new area will enjoy the same if not more success than previous developments.

“When you bring together a builder of Tim’s stature, someone who’s built nearly two hundred homes in the Chaffee area since 2008, along with Becky Ivey and Kim Kelly who together have decades of experience in this market, that's a winning team,” he says. “We invite anyone who’s in the market for a house to take a look at what we’re doing at Chaffee Crossing. They won’t be disappointed.”

BOYD SUDAR TEAM

Leveraging cutting-edge technology, fresh thinking and good old-fashioned grit and hustle, Corrine Sudar and Ashley Boyd are redefining the real estate industry. The duo have become formidable players in the Fort Smith real estate market with an aggressive, informed style that’s attracting clients in droves.

“We have a very good, first-hand understanding of the real estate market and we combine that with our marketing expertise in ways that allow us to be successful,” Corrine said. “Our mission is to simplify and modernize the experience of buying and selling real estate by cultivating a spirit of innovation, integrity, and collaboration.”

“I think something that sets us apart is how well Corrine and I complement each other’s strengths,” Ashley said. “We’re very different in our personalities, but we work together so well to help our clients have the best experience possible. We’re committed to them.”

The duo’s expertise begins with a familiarity of the Fort Smith housing market that comes from their deep roots in the community. They both said as the city undergoes a housing renaissance, it’s created unparalleled opportunity in the local market as inventory has rarely been higher.

“Fort Smith is a hidden gem, it’s got some of everything,” Corrine says. “What everyone talks about in Northwest Arkansas – dining, art, shopping, good schools – it’s all here for the asking in Fort Smith, but so much more affordable. That’s why we love doing business here.”

“The thing I’ve always loved about Fort Smith is that even though it’s grown, it still maintains that small-town feel,” Ashley said. “Everybody knows everybody here, which is why we work so hard to make sure every client is satisfied. Your reputation is everything in real estate and word of mouth travels fast.”

The duo is backed by the resources of the Sudar Group which Corrine owns with her husband Doug. The innovative company’s mastery of digital marketing and other cuttingedge strategies is what makes them unique.

“Sudar Group is a completely digital firm which sets us apart in our advertising and mixed media marketing,” Corrine says. “Our whole firm is built on a very curated approach that can be tailored to each client’s specific real estate goals. We leverage a lot of SEO marketing which allows us to promote listings in a way other firms don’t.

“We’re extremely aggressive in service to our clients. We have a very concierge-type approach to listing someone’s house and our marketing is incredible. If someone is looking for a finer selling experience, they would want to buy and sell with us.”

MCGRAW REALTORS ®

Large enough to manage any transaction yet small enough to know the client by name, McGraw REALTORS® are real estate experts families have trusted for the past eight decades.

“Our culture is something that sets us apart; our company core values describe us best as committed, loyal and tenacious,” says CEO Bill McCollough. “Even as we have grown over the years from an independent residential real estate company in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to one of the nation's top ten fastest-growing real estate companies, our people focus every day to provide the best service, marketing and technology in the business.”

The company’s rapid growth to 800 agents serving thousands of satisfied clients in Oklahoma, Arkansas and Colorado is reflected right here in The Natural State. McGraw REALTORS® entered the Arkansas market in 2020 and operates seven offices in Hot Springs, Bentonville, Fort Smith, Greenwood, Siloam Springs, Little Rock and Benton to connect with clients locally.

Business throughout has been brisk – the firm has already had to find larger quarters in Hot Springs and Benton despite only being open there since 2020 and 2022, respectively – as clients discover the McGraw REALTORS ® difference.

The company’s agents are committed to the communities they serve, which aids in their success serving customers. Supporting them is a corporate staff that allows agents to operate with the highest levels of professionalism, expertise and service. These industryleading resources include administrative staff and an in-house marketing team that assists front-line agents in marketing their listings through digital and traditional channels. Agents also undergo regular continuing education courses and training to ensure they have the latest information, technology and tools at their disposal.

A s important as these operational systems are, they are just one part of the company’s success formula. Equally critical are the company’s culture which is lived every day in every transaction.

“We are wholeheartedly dedicated to one another, to the people we help walk through the real estate process, and to doing everything with excellence,” says Susie Sparkman, Arkansas principal broker. “We are firm and constant in our support and allegiance to one another, to our clients and to the values that have guided us through more than eight decades of service.

“We are persistent, determined, and unyielding in our commitments to our values and culture, to our relationships with one another and our clients, and to representing McGraw and the industry with integrity. These aren’t just things we say, these are the principles we live with every client and in every deal we do.”

MIKE & MIKA MULHERN

Mike & Mika Realty Group

Husband-wife powerhouse Mike & Mika Mulhern bring a dynamic set of skills to the local real estate market, offering clients two experts for the price of one. “The same thing that makes a marriage work is what makes this team work,” Mike says. “We are not the same people; we have a complementary set of skills. One person is very extroverted and creative; the other person is very detailed and analytical.” “I am the extrovert, Mike is an engineer by trade,” Mika says. “We always knew when I came into real estate, we wanted to be a team together someday. The partnership you see now has been a long-held goal of ours.”

The couple, who are affiliated with Keller Williams Platinum Realty, are known for attention to detail. From yard signs equipped with LED lighting to stand out at night to the partnerships they maintain with top-quality lenders, everything speaks to the Mike & Mika

Difference. “Everything we do shows our attention to detail,” Mika says. “Nothing is going to fall through the cracks, everything is going to be on time and the details are going to be taken care of because you get two people looking at things and making sure it gets done right.”

Mike said another differentiating factor is the relationship-building the couple engages in before, during and after the sale. This has earned the couple the nickname Dynamic Duo. “We were doing a walk-through and the husband and I were figuring out where he wanted to pour the pad for his garage,” Mike says. “Mika and the wife were looking at the pantry and the wife said to Mika, ‘This is great. I’m in here doing my thing and he’s out in the yard doing his thing. You two are the perfect pair to show houses.’”

“We are not transactional real estate agents. We are relational real estate agents,” Mika says. “We want to have a relationship with each one of our clients. We want to stay in contact with them. We want to follow up with them and check on them from time to time.”

VICKI BUSH

Linsey E. & Co. Realtors ®

With a career spanning more than twenty years, Vicki Bush has learned the ins and outs of real estate from the ground up. In addition to being a highly successful REALTOR® she’s also co-owner and managing partner of Linsey E. and Co. Realtors of Fort Smith where she works every day on behalf of clients throughout the area.

Vicki said experience, longevity and lifelong roots in the community set her apart in the local market. She grew up locally and early in her career gained expertise in the financing side of buying a home, a skillset that she learned on the job, and which today makes her unique among her peers.

“When I first started twenty-one years ago, I started working for a builder of entry-level homes,” she says. “During that time, I learned a lot about financing – mortgages, special grant programs, that sort of thing. Knowing everying about financing, such as the

difference between FHA loans, conventional loans, and VA loans, really helps me to understand and help clients in ways that others in this business can’t. I also learned about construction, which helps me today in advising sellers about getting ready for home inspections, what are major issues and what aren’t and other things that can affect the transaction.”

Vicki’s combination of skills earned her the Diamond Level Award of Excellence from the Arkansas Realtors Association and she is a past Affordable Housing Realtor of the Year by Crawford Sebastian Homeownership Center. She’s also an active member of the Fort Smith Board of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors.

But beyond all that, she’s most proud to be considered among the very top of her profession in terms of sales results, ethical business practices and as a trusted advisor to generations of clients. “I read one time ten percent of agents sell ninety percent of the property,” she says. “Through hard work and servicing my loyal clients I am proud to say, I’m in the ten percent.”

NICK & ELLIE GLIDEWELL

Sagely & Edwards Realtors ®

When it comes to buying or selling a home or property, there’s nothing more important than expertise with the personal touch. And for the past fourteen years, that’s exactly what Nick and Ellie Glidewell have provided to hundreds of satisfied customers.

“ We’re a team that complements each other’s talents,” Nick says. “We both do different things well, but what we share in common is a commitment to the process and serving our customers to the fullest. We follow up on every single phone call and sweat all the details, crossing the t’s and dotting the i's. I think that’s the strongest indicator that this business will never fully be handled remotely. Something we tell our younger clients is that while technology is great and it makes some parts of the process a lot easier, you just can’t get the kind of hands-on service that we provide working through an app.”

The couple is associated with Sagely & Edwards Realtors, consistently ranked at the top among area real estate firms. This gives them access to the latest technologies, endless resources and trustworthy colleagues, all to make the buying or selling process a smooth one. The couple leverages this relationship with their own knowledge of the local market, which is also their hometown. Both Nick and Ellie grew up in Fort Smith and love to help people achieve their dreams of home ownership in a community that has meant so much to them personally.

“ I’ve had the privilege of living my whole life here in Fort Smith,” says Ellie. “I love this community and truly believe this area is one of the best spots in the world to live. I like the people and the land, so real estate has been a logical way for me to have great encounters with both.”

Nick says he and Ellie measure their success one transaction at a time and have enjoyed considerable repeat business because of it. “There’s a family we’ve helped buy and sell a few homes,” Nick says. “During COVID when the market was going crazy, they thought they’d try selling by owner. After a couple hours of the sign being up, they called and said, ‘This is crazy, this is too much to handle right now. Will you please just get over here and take care of this?’

“ It’s not just a paycheck we’re after, it’s a relationship. Ellie does something that’s amazing; after the transaction’s over, sometimes after a few days, sometimes a few months, she’ll pick up the phone and say, ‘Are you guys doing OK? How’s the home? Is there anything I need to work on?’ It’s little things like that that set us apart and has allowed us to serve families over and over.”

the FIRE

It was a Monday, already sticky under the heat of an Arkansas summer morning, David Scherrey dropped his wife off at work and nosed the car toward home.

David was assistant manager of the Piggly Wiggly in those days, and the father of three young kids, along for the ride that morning. As he drove, his mind lolled to what lay before him. It was a short drive, but in 1972 nothing in Fort Smith felt that far from anything else, and he’d soon be home to get ready for work. Before he’d arrive, five lives would be forever changed. ****

Don and Dorothy Kelley were working-class parents to a big family. Don, a trucker, spent a lot of time on the road to provide for his family, while Dorothy worked a full-time job of her own in addition to running the household.

The couple’s four children, Doug, Donna, Debbie and Diane, learned responsibility and hard work early, but there was plenty of time for simple joys too, for camping trips and playing on the local softball team. The family may not have had much, but they had each other, and that was more than enough. Even today when they get together stories flow naturally. Of how the young parents bought the home at 2401 Tulsa. Of life

Doug, Diane, Donna, Dorothy, David, Rochelle, Kim, Debbie

WORDs Dwain Hebda images Jade Graves Photography and courtesy Debbie Hug

in a 1,100-square-foot house with one bathroom among six people. Of the girls tormenting their older brother growing up, of pranks pulled and first heartbreaks and inside jokes.

And, inevitably, of the fire.

It’s unfathomable what could have happened to the siblings asleep in their beds that day – and the passage of time has done nothing to dull the thought of it. But for a passing good samaritan, the table at which they now gather may have been much smaller, with silent, empty chairs.

To this day, it’s unclear what caused the blaze that originated in the laundry area where something sparked and ignited the house. In the melee that followed, four lives were saved, and one interwoven with a random family, encountered on an ordinary ride home.

David came around a curve and immediately saw something wasn’t right. Smoke billowed out of one of the houses as flames licked the perimeter of the carport. There was no car to be seen; maybe they’re not home, he thought, but he couldn’t be sure. He parked across the street and ran to the front door. All at once he was inside, calling out for anyone who might be there. Smoke roiled and tumbled in the living room and hearing no one, he ran to a neighbor’s house and banged on the door for them to call the fire department.

Meanwhile, Doug awoke and looked around. Whatever grogginess he felt was dashed by the smell of smoke and the realization the house was on fire. He bolted from the bedroom to meet a confused Donna standing in the hallway and commanded his sister to follow him out.

To understand the events of that day is to understand how profoundly different the world was then, a world where consumer technology had only produced three television channels and a corded phone mounted on the wall. Kids played and explored the outdoors unsupervised, rode their bikes everywhere with friends until the streetlights came on. In short, everything that mortifies parents today was everyday life for kids in the 1970s.

So, it was nothing out of the ordinary when Dorothy ran to a local laundromat that morning leaving the kids asleep. With Doug being fifteen and Donna almost thirteen, there was plenty of supervision to hold down the fort until she returned.

Except on this day, she returned to fire trucks and emergency vehicles clogging the neighborhood. She had to take an alternate way back only to feel the sickening realization it was her home they’d been summoned to save. Her way blocked, she threw the car into park and ran, skipping over fire hoses, her voice its own siren.

“My kids are in that house!” she screamed. “My kids are in that house!”

It’s a part of the story that still produces uproarious laughter from his siblings. Having been taught to keep low in a fire, in the moment he interpreted that to mean bend at the waist, not crawl on the floor, and they ran for daylight hunched over like battering rams. From smoke and chaos, he and Donna made it to the front yard, their little sisters still inside. ****

David came out from the neighbor’s to see the two older kids stumble onto the lawn. He ran back and asked if anyone else was inside. Hearing there was, he ran to the east side of the house.

Ten-year-old Debbie woke first and like her brother, knew smoke meant trouble. She started rousting Diane to wake up.

Doug, Donna, Diane, Debbie

Wanting to go back to sleep, the obstinate nine-year-old kept fighting her off, until Debbie pulled her out of bed onto the floor, yelling they had to get out. Together they scooted a heavy dresser to get behind and then the window caved and a man they’d never seen before reached in and helped them scramble to safety.

Diane remembers looking back to see black smoke pouring in through the bedroom door, clawing after them. The girls joined their siblings on the front lawn, four shaken children in their pajamas, wide-eyed with fear and ebbing adrenaline. A voice sliced through the haze, “My kids are in that house!” and a familiar form was running toward them. They looked around. Their mom was rushing in, the mystery man gone. ****

David left the scene to the authorities, quietly slipped to his car, and drove home. He arrived at the Piggly Wiggly to hear the cashiers abuzz with excitement – a house had burned, and four children had been saved.

“Yeah, I heard about it,” he said, as casually as talking about heads of lettuce. “I was there.”

It was as talkative as David would get about the incident; his wife, Rochelle, jokes if she hadn’t learned of it in the news, she might not know today what he’d done. He got one call from the local media on a tip he was the mystery hero and that was about it, which was fine with him. He wasn’t hiding anything, per se, he just didn’t like the spotlight. He did return to the house on Tulsa to check on things. The Kelley kids remember him in the driveway chatting briefly with their folks and when

he left, for the final time it seemed, it was as mysteriously as he had appeared.

All four kids would lead full and productive lives. Shortly after the fire, Doug started taking flying lessons and would work as a pilot for ArcBest for forty-four years. Donna Vieth completed perfusion school and worked in operating rooms. Debbie Hug had a career with a local utility and lived for a time in the repaired family home when her parents moved to Texas. Diane Rainwater earned her degree and ran a trucking company with her husband. All are happily married with children and grandchildren of their own.

The story might have ended there, except for Dorothy and her late husband Don’s meticulous habit of saving. Eventually they’d retire and sought financial planning to manage their nest egg, settling on a sharp gal they really liked, whom they referred to as “Kim from the bank.”

Recently, Debbie was part of a community committee and found herself seated next to Kim from the bank, aka Kim Scherrey. Debbie pieced things together and asked Kim about her father. Was he, did he, by chance...

Kim took it up with her dad who confirmed things, and in telling Debbie, Kim dropped another bombshell – the David who’d sat on the committee with them for months, was one and the same. Debbie’s hands shook as she texted her siblings; the man they’d wondered about for fifty years was right here.

A few weeks ago, a family reunion of sorts occurred. The siblings and Dorothy met for breakfast with David, his wife of fifty-two years Rochelle, and their daughter, Kim from the bank. The family shared what they’d done with the lives he’d given back to them, hugged him, thanked him, hugged him again. David, who’s retired, listened, smiled, and looked at home in the honorary place he has in the family, previously in absentia, now manifested for all time.

“I feel really good. These stories are just wonderful,” David says. “I just met them, but I can tell that they’re all really good people.” Tears flowed. Laughter was shared. A circle closed, whole at last.

Doug, Diane, Donna, Dorothy, David, Rochelle, Kim, Debbie

The LONG and the SHORT of Things

T

Tradition can take many forms. It resides in high school pep rallies, a favorite campsite or a tailgating ritual and abounds in family holiday celebrations. But in our increasingly disposable society, there are fewer and fewer businesses that can legitimately call themselves a tradition for its clientele.

Leroy’s Barber Shop in Fort Smith is the rare exception to this trend. Its namesake, owner Leroy Casalman, has been at his post for five of his six decades in barbering, withstanding changing eras and fickle hairstyle trends throughout. He's been here so long that for many, getting one’s hair cut here is as much a family tradition as calling the Hogs or enjoying Mom’s banana pudding.

“I’ve got several fourth-generation customers,” Leroy says. “I had a five-generation, but the little boy couldn’t come in. He was here in town, and they were gonna bring him in, but they couldn’t make it work. I missed out on that one.” Leroy hasn’t missed much of anything else during his time in business, in part due to the work ethic he developed early in life.

“I grew up in Cecil, Arkansas, forty miles east of here out in the country. As the crows fly, it’s halfway between Ozark and Charleston,” he says. “We had cows that we hand-milked. We had a Grade A milk barn. The man next door to us had chickens and I worked for him so I could have a little spending money and buy my clothes for school and stuff like that.”

The young farm hand approached his high school graduation with little in mind for what would come next. His employer, chicken farmer Lew Shaw, doubled as a barber at Fort Chaffee and it seemed to Leroy as good a trade to learn as any.

“I didn’t have anything that I wanted to do, so I graduated in May and started barber school in September 1962 and graduated May 18, 1963,” he says. “I had gone to Kansas that summer and worked on a farm there and made enough money to pay for my schooling. Barber school was in Little Rock; I went

words Dwain Hebda images Jade Graves Photography

Leroy Casalman

down there and rented a boarding house and that’s where I stayed until graduation.”

The coursework – 1,500 hours in nine months which worked out to eight hours a day, five days a week – was coupled with working at a local restaurant to help supplement his goingto-school money. Leroy didn’t mind the rigorous schedule as it hardly held a candle to farm work, not to mention he’d stumbled onto something he truly loved.

“I took to it like a dog eating dog food. I loved it,” he said. “And I’ve never had to go to work a day in my life. I look forward to going to work.”

Leroy came home from barber’s school and quickly became an in-demand sub for barbers looking to go on vacation. A two-week stint in Alma led to a similar stint in Van Buren which led to a month’s service in Fort Smith.

“I worked about a month at Skinner’s Barber Shop across from the old St. Edward’s Hospital on Rogers Avenue,” he said. “Ralph Grace, who owned Rogers Avenue Barber Shop up on the corner of Greenwood and Rogers, called me and wanted me to come to work for him, so I went and ended up there nine years.

“Your pay was considered on how much business you brought in. You got seventy-five percent of what you brought in, and the shop owner got twenty-five percent. He paid unemployment, social security out of that.”

With just under a decade of professional experience – and clientele – under his belt, Leroy bought the Grand Plaza Barber Shop in February 1972, and with it, the last place he’d hang his smock. A natural conversationalist and jokester, Leroy’s customers came for his cut and stayed for his commentary, some for decades.

“You have to give a halfway decent haircut, but to be honest with you, the more bull you put out there, the more customers you get, for some reason,” he said, his chuckle lighting up the room. “It’s not just how you cut hair it’s how you get along with your customer.

“I’ve got customers that have gone back fifty-three years, several of them came with me from over on Rogers Avenue. Yes, I’m still cutting for them today.”

Leroy's customer-first mentality presented itself in other ways, such as adjusting to the latest hairstyle trends and fashion that have come and gone and come back over sixty years.

“When I started barber college, flattops were in,” he says. “Then the Army-style haircut never did come in ‘til about eight years ago; it’s just a regular haircut. Of course, we went through that phase that time when everybody had long hair and you had to adjust to taking off whatever they wanted. You’ve got to please the customer or he ain’t gonna come back.”

Barber shops are one of the last true bastions of males gathering in society and Leroy has loved such camaraderie and being a hub of community news, information and gossip.

“If anything is going on in town, if anybody’s going to know it, the barber shop is going to know it,” he says. “You’ve got all kinds of people coming in here and they’ve been all over town and they’ve seen everything, and they tell you what’s happening.” There were limits to this, of course. Even though he’s served exclusively men over his career, Leroy never let testosterone-fueled political incorrectness turn his shop into a blue den where anything goes.

“I was saved back on May 15, 1966, and God took away all the cussing from me. I’ve been fortunate enough to work in shops where that has not been a factor,” Leroy says. “Now, every once in a while, you’ll have an old Army vet come in and he might let out a few words, but cussing in our barber shop has never been an ordeal. We just don’t let it happen.

“Some kids were in the other day, and I guess they were gonna be smart and show off. I had to get onto them and tell them this shop is not that kind of shop.”

There’s only one thing that rivals his barbering career in love and longevity and that’s his family. This summer he’ll mark sixty years of marriage to Sharon, his high school sweetheart. Together they’ve raised two children and welcomed four

grandchildren and soon-to-be five great-grandchildren. All in all, he’s learned a few things about the secret to a long and happy life.

“And it would help you if you find a good church somewhere to get into. There is no peace like Jesus can give you. I can lay down at night and not have to worry about a thing. That’s one thing about that job; when you lock the door, you’re done. You don’t have worries, no deadlines to meet. You come home, go back the next morning, unlock the door, it starts over. You get that rest with your mind and with no interference.”

At age seventy-eight Leroy still works the four-and-a-half days a week the shop is open, usually arriving by 7am and locking up at 5pm. Time has been good to him health-wise which the devout Christian sees as both a gift from above and a sign to keep going.

“I’ve never had a problem with my legs, my arms, no shakes. Health is great. Went to the doctor today and my blood pressure is one-twenty-four over sixty-eight,” he says. “I’ll keep finding myself where I’m supposed to be, until my health gives way. Now, I’ve slowed down some. Mowing my yard and all that stuff, I can’t get it done as fast as I used to, but I can get it done and that’s what counts.”

Another warm chuckle. “I’m livin’ the dream, brother.”

Leroy’s Barber Shop is located at 922 N. 32nd Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas | 479.769.2462

You can find Leroy’s Barber Shop on Facebook.

“Tell the truth is the main thing,” he said. “And be what you are; don’t try to be somebody that you’re not. Be honest with people. Don’t try to snowball them or smoke ‘em. Just be honest with them.

Hope Lives Here

There are many sayings about how to achieve success in life, how to attain self-sufficiency, how to claim your place in the world. But sometimes it’s not so simple. Sometimes there are circumstances that overshadow opportunity, that knock even the most resourceful person into a place they can’t find their way out of. For some, the cost of daily living can be overwhelming, especially when you have a family to support. Healthcare bills, food, clothing, rent… every little thing begins to add up and tips the scales, leaving millions of people facing homelessness, starvation, and even death. A country that was once known as “the land of plenty,” America is now a nation where want is far more prevalent than we might imagine; and hope seems far away and out of reach.

For organizations like HOPE Campus in Fort Smith, Arkansas, offering a way out and extending a hand to help someone up is the mission that drives them, giving less fortunate members of the community a chance at a fresh start. “Our mindset as staff is focused on helping our folks address those pieces of their

lives that are broken and unhealthy,” explains Bryan Thompson, Volunteer Coordinator at HOPE Campus. “We walk with them throughout this process of self-discovery, encouraging them and acknowledging the successes and progress they experience. Empathy is one of the most important parts of our system, as we truly meet our clients where they are currently. This is so important in building relationships, and once they are created, the learning begins. It’s all relational. Building relationships and sincere empathy towards their plight is crucial. We are not just a homeless shelter – we are a transitional facility, and our staff knows that is our direction.”

Originally a coordinated effort between the Homelessness Task Force and the City of Fort Smith to address the growing problem of homelessness in the River Valley, HOPE Campus was created to guide impoverished community members in finding their way to becoming self-sufficient.

words Liesel Schmidt images courtesy Hope Campus and Levi Holmes, squirrelshots.com

Bryan Thompson

As research was compiled in 2010, the city passed a resolution supporting the development of a “campus model approach” rather than a traditional shelter, basing their decision on the high rate of success this model has shown in preventing and managing homelessness.

Over the next few years, the Homelessness Task Force gathered additional data as they ascertained both the best location for the campus as well as which services should be offered. The Homelessness Task Force was subsequently disbanded and replaced by the Old Fort Homeless Coalition, comprised of various organizations in Fort Smith dedicated to ending homelessness and poverty. To that end, the Old Fort Homeless Coalition began raising funds to initiate Riverview HOPE Campus – including purchasing and renovating the property at 301 S. E Street in Fort Smith.

Since opening its doors in 2016, HOPE Campus has operated as an independent 501(c)3 organization serving the impoverished residents of the River Valley, providing them with a wide range of services including shelter, meals and education, medical attention, and counseling.

“We understand the importance of equipping people with the tools they need to reshape their lives,” says Bryan. “HOPE Campus has services for case management, Medicaid application assistance, and Social Security Disability guidance – we successfully guided twenty-nine individuals to Social Security benefits in the last six months – as well as offering life skills classes, job search assistance, computer literacy classes, adult education classes, readiness classes, budgeting classes and even assistance with their first month’s rent and deposit through the ESG HUD grant. Our clients can stay with us and work on their progress for up to one year.”

To meet those needs, HOPE Campus operates a facility that includes a dormitory, dedicated men’s and women’s showers, a kitchen and cafeteria, barbershop and salon, laundry, library, community room, classroom, dog kennels, and a full-service clinic operated by Mercy Fort Smith. “Research and anecdotal evidence show that having so many services under one roof increases the likelihood that an individual will gain selfsufficiency,” says Bryan. “It’s help for them now, but also gives them hope for a better future. “

The impact they are making in the Fort Smith/River Valley area is incredible – and the number of people who come through their doors in need speaks volumes. “Our facility serves three meals a day, seven days a week, and we never close,” says Bryan. “We serve anywhere from 9,000 to 11,000 meals a month, not counting any other services we provide. Our shelter dorm has a capacity to house 105, and our program dorm has a capacity of forty – and we stay full year-round. Which means that we help thousands each month, in one way or another.

“So how do you measure an organization’s success?” Bryan asks the question before offering an observation of what HOPE Campus has seen in terms of its effect on the community. “We can gather all the stats to show how great a success we’ve had in changing the lives of the people who come to us. However, the true measure is in the relationships that are built daily, and those relationships will see fruit – but that takes diligence, consistency, and time. Thirty days, sixty days, ninety days… how long does it take to make progress? We believe it takes the time it takes. We don't cap that time. We do want to see some progress towards goals that have been set, of course; however, we want that progress to last. And so, to interrupt that just because of a metric mindset would be harmful to the client's situation.”

A prior resident receiving his apartment key

HOPE Campus services are available to anyone in the community – not just residents. “We are a communitybased organization so all are welcome,” Bryan notes. Operational funding is provided by the community through financial donations, while expansion funding is provided through a series of grants.

Over the years, HOPE Campus has grown from a staff of four to a staff of twelve. And there have been other points of growth as well.

“Our experience with our population has increased, and we have more of an understanding of the difficulties, challenges, and barriers they experience,” Bryan says. “We have expanded our housing services to include a new forty bed program dorm, specifically for those individuals who have income and have reached a point that they are close to being self-sufficient enough to move out on their own.”

Naturally, there are challenges such as the availability of transportation for their residents, affordable transitional housing, and supportive services for individuals with mental and physical disabilities. Even so, HOPE Campus is making a noticeable change in the community – with their eye always on the future and the possibilities of more. “Our goal for the future is to add additional single unit apartments as well as to provide transitional housing for those most vulnerable among our population.”

As they work with the those in need, HOPE Campus offers more than just some abstract concept of the word “hope.” Instead, they show what hope looks like, what it feels like – and what it does

Hope Campus is located at 301 South E. Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas. For more information, visit hopecampus.org, or call 479.668.4764.

Mercy Fort Smith Executive Team Volunteers

Cavanaugh Freewill Baptist Volunteers

Hope Campus New 40-Bed Program Dorm

Sacred Heart of Mary Barling Volunteers

Simply EGG- dorable!

words Catherine Frederick DIY AND IMAGEs Kara Allen, KarasPartyIdeas.com

Boiled eggs, cooled

I fell instantly in love when I happened across these adorable creations online! With a quick click, I found myself immersed in a party world styled with cuteness at KarasPartyIdeas.com. Kara Allen is the creative genius behind these whimsical creations, and I’m thrilled to share just a few of her amazing masterpieces with you, just in time for Easter!

Easy to create in no time at all, these are for decoration only - we do not recommend consuming the eggs as it’s possible they would come in contact with the paint or markers when peeled. Sad? Don’t be. They’re much too cute to eat!

Materials

• Craft paint in choice of colors

Colored permanent markers

• Paint brushes, small

Ice Cream Cone Easter Eggs

METHOD

Step 1: Paint the entire egg with a light tan color. Let dry.

Step 2: Paint the top of the egg in a color of your choice, creating little rounded scallops where the paint reaches the cone part of the egg. Let dry.

Step 3: With a light pink marker, draw cone lines on the cone part of the egg.

Step 4: Use a black Sharpie to draw a face, if desired. Let dry.

Step 5: Add final touches to the face with small dabs of white paint for the eyes and pink paint for the cute little cheeks. Let dry.

Pineapple Easter Eggs

METHOD

Step 1: Paint your eggs with yellow craft paint. Let dry.

Step 2: With an orange permanent marker, draw diagonal lines going both directions across your egg, adding a little dot to the center of each diamond you create with the diagonal lines. Don’t worry if your lines don’t look perfect, you will be smoothing them out in the next step.

Step 3: Using yellow craft paint again, paint another light coat over your marker lines. This will smooth out the lines. Let dry.

Step 4: Paint the top of your egg with green craft paint, using the paint brush to create triangular points for the pineapple leaves. Let dry.

Doughnut Easter Eggs

METHOD

Step 1: Paint a round thick ring around the top of your egg to form the doughnut shape. Let dry.

Step 2: Draw little straight lines on the painted doughnut with colored permanent markers, creating sprinkles.

Kara is regularly featured on numerous morning talk shows, magazines, and publications including TheTodayShow,HGTV, SheKnows.com, TLC, Parenting Magazine, Michaels.com, Parents Magazine, Brides Magazine,FamilyFunMagazine,PEOPLE, All You Magazine, Baby Talk Magazine, Good Housekeeping, Disney Baby, Celebrate Magazine, The Rachael Ray Show and more. Visit Kara at KarasPartyIdeas.com.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE CRUST

° 1 sleeve of graham crackers

° ½ stick melted butter

° 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar

FOR THE CHEESECAKE

° 2 ½ teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin

° 2 Tablespoons cold water

° 1 pound cream cheese, full-fat, room temperature

° ½ cup granulated sugar

° ½ teaspoon lemon juice

° 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

° salt, dash

° 1 cup heavy cream, room temperature

° gel food coloring

° whipped cream

° candy eggs (optional garnish)

° sprinkles (optional garnish)

° jumbo silicon muffin pan

METHOD FOR THE CRUST

Crush the graham crackers using a blender or by hand. Using a fork, combine crumbs, melted butter, and sugar. Place silicon pan on a baking sheet, then divide the crumb mixture evenly into the bottom of the 6 wells. Press mixture firmly to form the crust.

FOR THE CHEESECAKE

Add cold water and gelatin to a small bowl, whisk to combine and set aside, about 5 minutes. Once set, heat in microwave for 15 seconds until it is melted completely, keep warm and in a liquid state. Using a stand or hand mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add lemon juice, vanilla extract, sugar, and salt. Continue mixing until thoroughly combined, scraping sides occasionally. While on low speed, add heavy cream then mix in the warm gelatin liquid, mixing to combine.

TO ASSEMBLE

Divide the cheesecake mixture evenly into 4 bowls. Add a drop of gel food coloring to each bowl, stir to combine, add more until desired color is reached. Divide the first color among the 6 wells, making the top smooth with the back of a spoon. Working quickly, repeat this step with remaining colors to create 4 layers, and then place in the freezer for 2 hours to set. Press the mold from the bottom to remove and place on serving dish. Let sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes to thaw before decorating and serving. Decorate the tops as desired with a swirl of whipped cream, candy eggs and sprinkles. Serve chilled, not frozen.

Grapefruit Rosemary Paloma

INGREDIENTS

° ½ cup water

° ½ cup gr anulated sugar

° 4 sprigs of rosemary, le aves removed, roughly chopped

° 6 oz. silver tequila

° 8 oz. grapefruit juice, fresh

° 2 oz. lime juice, fresh

° 6 oz. sparkling grapefruit soda

° rim salt (optional garnish)

° r osemary sprig (optional garnish)

° lime wheel (optional garnish)

° gr apefruit wheel (optional garnish)

METHOD

Combine water, sugar, and rosemary in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Cover, let simmer for 15-20 minutes. Set aside to cool. Combine tequila, grapefruit juice, and lime juice, and 1 ½ ounces of rosemary simple syrup in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well to combine. Rim glasses with salt, add ice to fill glasses. Divide mixture between two glasses, top each with grapefruit soda, garnish as desired.

ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY. NEVER DRINK AND DRIVE.

(MAKES 2)

RECIPE adapted barleyandsage.com image apolonia/Shutterstock

Ozark Folk Center State Park

words courtesy arkansasstateparks.com images courtesy arkansas.com

arkansasstateparks.com

1032 Park Avenue Mountain View, Arkansas 870.269.3851

Ozark Folk Center State Park is dedicated to perpetuating the music, crafts, and culture of the Ozarks. Open mid-April to late-October, the park offers visitors an opportunity to watch artisans work, to stroll through the Heritage Herb Garden, and to hear live Southern Mountain music.

In the Craft Village more than twenty working artisans demonstrate, create, and sell handmade items. The Heritage Herb Garden is where old-time pass-along plants, medicinal herbs, native plants, and edible herbs are grown. Music is at the heart of this park. Fiddle, banjo, guitar, mandolin, dulcimer, and autoharp are just some of the instruments that combine to produce that enduring Ozark Mountain sound. The Cabins at Dry Creek offer beautiful cabins with suites available and amenities of home. You can enjoy Southern cooking in the Skillet Restaurant and Loco Ropes offers a challenging ropes course and zip line!

Devil's Den State Park

words courtesy arkansasstateparks.com images courtesy arkansas.com

arkansasstateparks.com

11333 West Arkansas Hwy. 74

West Fork, Arkansas

479.761.3325

Arkansas’ iconic state park, Devil’s Den, a special place nestled in Lee Creek Valley, was selected as a state park site in the 1930s. The Civilian Conservation Corps used native materials to build the park’s rustic-style wood and stone structures that mirror the surrounding natural beauty. It now stands as one of the most intact CCC sites in the U.S., with a legacy you can see in its trails and buildings like its original cabins. Some of the park’s unique characteristics are rock formations and caverns.

An impressive rock dam spans Lee Creek forming Lake Devil, an 8-acre lake for fishing and boating with canoes and pedal boats for rent. The park’s hiking, backpacking, mountain bike, and horseback riding trails lead to the surrounding Ozark National Forest. Devil’s Den includes 17 cabins with kitchens and fireplaces and 6 camper cabins. The park also offers 135 campsites, 8 hike-in, and 42 sites with hookups in the horse camp that includes a bathhouse and access to the horse trails.

Bull Shoals White River State Park

words courtesy arkansasstateparks.com images courtesy arkansas.com

arkansasstateparks.com

153 Dam Overlook Lane

Bull Shoals, Arkansas

870.445.3629

Famous for its world-class trout fishing, Bull Shoals–White River State Park lies along the shores of both Bull Shoals Lake and the White River. The scope of the park can first be experienced from the 15,744-square-foot visitor center set high above the Bull Shoals Dam. Its state-of-the-art visitor exhibit hall and theater share the history of the area and tell the fishing stories from these waters. Venturing down into the park along the White River, visitors are greeted with 113 campsites plus three Rent-An-RV sites.

The riverside marina and store offer boat rentals, bait, tackle, and supplies. Besides being the state’s premier park for trout fishing, the park also offers great hiking and mountain biking. Interpretive programs include campfire cooking demonstrations, trout fishing workshops, and nature walks.

SomethingBLUE

“Dani, I need this story covered. I’ve got the initial details here, but I need you to go and get the rest of the info in person. Saturday event, three o’clock. I know it’s last minute, but—"

“But I’m your last-minute queen,” I broke in, parroting words I’d heard my editor say a thousand times—always, of course, when she needed me to pull off some magic in a very, very short amount of time.

Susan grinned widely. “Exactly. I knew you’d understand,” she said, placing a memo on my desk and turning on her heel to leave my cubicle. “They’re expecting your call. You’re the best!” She tossed the words over her shoulder as she walked, not giving me any time to protest. Or even flash her a dirty look for pulling this on me yet again.

words Liesel Schmidt image Konmac/Shutterstock

“You could have just emailed this to me, you know!” I called at her retreating back. I rolled my eyes and sighed. Oh, well. Before she’d come in, I had been staring holes in my computer screen, trying to figure out the opening sentence for an article about the resurgence of neon colors in fashion. As absolutely enthralled as I was about disseminating the history of neon and its unfortunate resurrection, I was having problems. I needed a dynamic line, something that would make people want to read instead of just flipping the page. But I was stuck.

I swiveled in my chair and picked up the note Susan had so unceremoniously dropped on my desk, hoping that maybe concentrating on anything else would shake something loose for the neon article. I glanced over the words she’d scribbled on the paper, admittedly uninterested once I saw the word “wedding” float across my eyes.

As many times as I’d written them, I’d become somewhat jaded about the whole wedding thing. So many of these couples spent reckless amounts of money for this one day, and statistically more than half of them would still be paying off wedding debts and divorce lawyers at the same time.

Not that I didn’t have my own personal reasons for my cynicism. I’d been married once—very, very briefly and very, very badly. So, while I wished them the best, I couldn’t help but log mental wagers on whether they’d still be married in six months or not.

My eyes skimmed the meet-cute story and tried to find the perfect opener for this wedding I would apparently be attending in…two days. And then I saw it: a name I recognized as well as my own—one that I had, once upon a time, believed would be the one I was speaking at my own wedding. And then our threeyear relationship had crumbled. He wasn’t ready for something more and began pushing me away.

My heart had never fully recovered from that, and I’d been at a particularly vulnerable place when someone who was ready for a march down the aisle came along, promising things he had no intention of giving me.

I could hear my heartbeat pound in my ears. Seth. Seth Andrews. My Seth.

Seth was getting married. To someone who wasn’t me.

I closed my eyes against the spinning room and tried to slow my racing heart. Breathe, Dani.

I opened my eyes and turned back to my computer, clicking the Facebook icon and typing his name in the search bar. And there he was, tagged in a photo posted by his fiancée. They looked happy, facing each other with her arm outstretched toward the camera to show off a stunning princess-cut diamond inset in a border of smaller, round diamonds.

She was pretty but not overly so, and he—well, he was him. Seth. My Seth. Older since I’d seen him last, so many years ago. Older since the last time I’d looked at this page before realizing that I was only keeping myself from moving on, only hurting myself more every time I checked to see where he was or whether he was still single.

And clearly, he was not.

I picked up my phone and hit the number for Susan’s extension.

“Yeah,” she said distractedly.

“Susan, I know I’m your wedding writer, but this one…” I struggled for the words to explain without making me sound unprofessional. Or as though I couldn’t handle myself like an adult. “This one is a little too close to home,” I finished. Maybe she hadn’t forgotten.

“Close to home how?” she asked.

Clearly, she had forgotten.

“The groom. Did you see the name of the groom?”

“Seth Andrews. Yes, I saw.” She paused, and I could almost hear the wheels spinning in her head. “Dani, I don’t have anyone else who can cover this. And the bride’s family are big advertisers, so I can’t give them excuses that we’re too close to deadline to get the wedding into this issue. They’d still want someone to cover the wedding and just use it in next month’s issue. It’s an extremely high-profile wedding. I’m sorry, there’s really nothing I can do.”

I took a deep breath. “I understand,” I said, though all I wanted to do was yell into the phone that she was going to have to find something that she could do, because I just couldn’t do this. Not this one. Not for this couple.

“You’re the best,” Susan said, already moving onto something else in her mind. And then she was gone.

I returned the receiver to its cradle and sunk back into my chair, trying to fight off the tears that I could feel burning my eyes. I was going to have to sit through the ceremony and watch someone I’d never truly gotten over pledge his love to someone else, and listen to him say words I’d always wanted him to say to me. How was I supposed to get through that?

won’t love me the way that I love them. And Seth is part of that pattern. Even knowing that, I can’t seem to completely move on from him.”

Marcus cocked his head and gave me a sad smile. “Sometimes our hearts have minds of their own,” he said. “But…maybe you just haven’t opened your heart to someone else who would actually be good for you.”

“Maybe,” I allowed. But I wasn’t so sure.

“I’ll go with you for emotional support if you need someone, Dani.”

I shot a dubious look at my friend Marcus, who hated doing anything that required a dress code more formal than cargo shorts and a tee-shirt. I’d known him almost ten years and had only seen him wear a shirt with buttons twice. Both times, I almost hadn’t recognized him.

“You don’t need to do that,” I replied, reaching to toss another piece of wood on the fire. We were sitting in my backyard by the firepit, watching the blaze we’d started with a bunch of papers that needed shredding and throwing wood scraps on every now and again to keep it from going out.

“I know I don’t need to, but I know how hard this is going to be for you,” he said, looking seriously at me. “I wasn’t here when you went through everything with Seth, but I know you’re still not completely over it. Or him.”

I felt tears sting my eyes again and an involuntary bark of bitter laughter escaped. “No, for some reason, I have a pattern.” I shook my head. “I invest my heart in someone who can’t or

I stared at myself in the mirror and took a deep breath.

I could do this.

I had to do this.

I adjusted the straps on the bodice of the midnight blue tulle gown I was wearing and steeled myself to leave the ladies’ bathroom where I’d come to hide out and gather my nerves. I pulled open the door and stepped into the entryway of the old cathedral where Seth and his fiancée were going to exchange vows in just a few minutes, hoping no one could see how much I didn’t want to be here.

“You can do this,” I heard a familiar voice say behind me.

Surprisingly, I turned and saw Marcus, handsome, standing tall in a tux, smiling reassuringly at me. And in that moment, I felt all the fear retreat, all my doubt and insecurity scurrying from the light of his smile.

He held out his hand. “Ready?”

I returned his smile and took his hand. “I am now.”

Want to read more fiction? Visit dosouthmagazine.com.

8101 McClure Drive, Ste. 101 Fort Smith, Arkansas

479.484.7100

arveinandskincare.com

Varicose vein and venous ulcer care since 2004! Dr. Norma Smith was the first Diplomat of the American Board of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine (formerly ACP) in Arkansas. We are an IAC Accredited Peripheral Vascular Lab serving the Fort Smith area since 1998. Aching legs? We can help! Our friendly, knowledgeable staff are here to alleviate pain and suffering caused by varicose veins and venous ulcer. Practicing vein care for over 15 years, you can trust our experience, training, and commitment to the community. Dr. Norma Smith and her staff are professionally trained and accredited to care for your needs. Call us today for an appointment 479.484.7100.

HEALTHCARE SPECIALTIES

Choosing a provider to care for you and those you love can seem overwhelming. That’s why, each year, we partner with local professionals who are committed to providing expert care. Inside this year’s guide, you’ll find information from leading physicians and facilities to help you locate the expert care you deserve!

1502

Dodson Avenue, Fort Smith, Arkansas

479.709.7190

baptist-health.com

Baptist Health Radiation Oncology-Fort Smith treats cancer with innovation. Dr. Daniel Schroyer and his staff provide world-class care for patients right here in western Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma. Their mission is to set a greater standard for cancer treatment in the River Valley by providing comprehensive care with the most advanced technology available, coupled with a positive, caring and professional staff. Baptist Health takes pride in offering exceptional care, close to home when you and your family need it most. For more information call Baptist Health Radiation Oncology-Fort Smith at 479.709.7190.

5500 Ellsworth Road, Fort Smith, Arkansas

479.709.7295

baptist-health.com

Baptist Health Urology Clinic-Fort Smith offers comprehensive services for urological conditions in both men and women. Our urologists treat a full range of conditions including kidney stones, erectile dysfunction, cancer, female organ prolapse and incontinence. If surgery is necessary, our surgeons offer progressive surgical techniques, including da Vinci roboticassisted surgery for prostate cancer and other cancer-related surgeries. Not only is Baptist Health a leader in robotic surgery, but they are also the first in the state to provide Aquablation therapy for lasting relief of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). Learn more by calling Baptist Health Urology ClinicFort Smith at 479.709.7295.

7200 Cameron Park Drive, Fort Smith, Arkansas

479.785.3277

centerforhearing.net

Hearing health can have a dramatic impact on your overall well-being and quality of life. Hearing loss usually occurs gradually and can go undetected for years. In many cases, it’s a close friend or family member who first brings it to your attention. If someone has mentioned this to you, it may be time for a diagnostic hearing exam by a medical professional you can trust. The doctors of audiology at Center for Hearing and Balance are highly skilled and medically trained to detect problems with the ear and offer a wide range of solutions to help you hear your best. Sometimes, it’s as simple as having your ears cleaned! Call today for your appointment.

Fayetteville, Bentonville, Harrison, Springdale, Bella

Vista

479.442.6266

breastcenternwa.com

The Breast Center offers supportive, expert care for both women and men coping with breast cancer, and for women proactively concentrating on breast health. All the mammography machines are 3D, and the images are read by board-certified radiologists who specialize in breast imaging. If your mammogram indicates you have dense breast tissue, The Breast Center offers breast ultrasound screening. At your appointment, we provide a risk screening quiz. If you are at increased risk, we will offer a risk assessment appointment with a specially trained nurse to discuss your options for screening and develop an individualized care plan that may include genetic testing, breast ultrasound, or dedicated breast MRI.

5004 South U Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas

479.883.2223

healingtreetherapy.com

We don't believe people "break" or become "damaged." We believe people become emotionally wounded and those wounds can keep us from living a fully authentic life. The good news is that those wounds can be healed, and you can live a life you love! We utilize a three-prong approach to healing that focuses on mind, body, and soul. No one deserves to live with any version of themselves they hate. Let us help you heal and uncover the best you! Call today to schedule your appointment, or visit us online at healingtreetherapy.com for more information.

311 Lexington Avenue, Fort Smith, Arkansas

479.782.1444

lpgkids.com

Learn, Play, Grow Children’s Therapy Services is an outpatient pediatric therapy provider specializing in working with children of all ages and abilities. We offer physical, occupational, and speech therapy services in a relaxed, patient-focused, and family-centered setting. We offer both ongoing and shortterm therapy programs provided by therapists who have a passion for working with children. We accept most forms of insurance and payment, including Arkansas Medicaid, Oklahoma SoonerCare, TRICARE, BCBS, United Healthcare, and private pay. We also host monthly support groups for parents of children with spina bifida and Down syndrome. We are all about the kids and our community and we are here to help you! Call to schedule your appointment today!

7811 Euper Lane, Fort Smith, Arkansas

479.452.1611

methodistvillage.com

Caring for those who cared for us! MVSL is celebrating 62 years of building a home for our community’s elders, a future for those coming after us, and a legacy in our community. MVSL is the only complete continuum of care “Life Plan Community” in the River Valley, caring for elders through Independent, Assisted, Memory Care, Long Term Care, and In and Outpatient Rehab. Call 479.452.1611 to schedule a tour today!

Ann K. Passmore, M.D., F.A.C.S

7805 Phoenix Avenue, Fort Smith, Arkansas

479.242.2442

passmoreplasticsurgery.com

A Board-Certified cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Ann Passmore has been voted Best of the Best the past eight years as well as being selected Best of the River Valley. Her practice now proudly offers the Fraxel DUAL laser designed to help you look younger without extended downtime in just one treatment. This technology, available in this area exclusively at Passmore Plastic Surgery, provides the reduction of brown spots and scars and improved appearance of skin tone and texture. Passmore Plastic Surgery can customize products and procedures for your body, your skin, and your budget. Call for a consultation today!

Josh Wilkinson, MD

5901B Riley Park Drive, Fort Smith, Arkansas

479.763.3050

premierpediatricsfs.com

Hey Moms-to-be, we love babies! If you’re looking for a pediatrician, we invite you to schedule a “meet and greet” before your baby arrives so we can answer your questions and introduce you to our clinic. As your child grows, routine examinations provide the best opportunity for our team to observe your child, detect problems through screening tests, provide immunizations, and get to know one another. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends visits at 3-5 days, 2 weeks, 2,4,6,9,12,15,18,24 and 30 months, 3 years, and once a year thereafter. When your child is ill, you’ll have peace of mind knowing our urgent care is open nights and weekends. Schedule an appointment online or call today!

10 Locations Listed Below

479.785.5700

rvpcs.org

River Valley Primary Care Services is a nonprofit Federally Funded Health Center organization with clinic locations in Ratcliff, Fort Smith, Mulberry, Mountainburg, Lamar, Waldron, Clarksville, Lavaca, Bonanza and Coal Hill, Arkansas. RVPCS has assembled a team of excellent doctors, dentists, and healthcare professionals to create an inviting Health Care Home where hopes and dreams of good health can soar. RVPCS is based on the commitment to provide quality comprehensive and preventative health care that is affordable to all people in Arkansas, including those with insurance, those without, and those that are underinsured. RVPCS has created a Health Care Home with dignity and respect for the health and well-being of all individuals that we serve.

Pediatrics Plus is proud to serve the River Valley with our two newest locations in Alma and Van Buren. At Pediatrics Plus, our vision is to Empower Children to Conquer their World, and we strive to do that daily through our developmental preschool and therapy services. Whether your child could benefit from outpatient therapy services, or an all-day program that includes preschool and therapy, Pediatrics Plus has an option that will fit your family. Each child can receive applied behavior analysis, occupational, physical, or speech therapy services within our preschool program or through outpatient therapy. To learn more, visit us at PediatricsPlus.com.

8101 McClure Drive, Suite 301

Fort Smith, Arkansas

479.242.8300

jameskelly3md.com

Surgery of any kind should not be taken lightly and choosing to have plastic surgery or hand surgery requires thorough research and educated decision making. The qualifications and experience of a surgeon must be considered and ensure the facilities are certified. Dr. Kelly, Board Certified in Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, has provided quality cosmetic and hand surgery services since 1996. Our office utilizes stateof-the-art equipment, emphasizing proper disinfection and sterilization techniques for your safety and comfort. Our friendly, knowledgeable, and well-experienced staff stand ready to answer your questions. Dr. Kelly accepts most insurances and performs surgery at Mercy Hospital, and Baptist Health in Fort Smith. Our number-one priority is your well-being!

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