SLEIGHED - December 2022

TIDINGS

Your tree may be trimmed and aglow with lights, but is your Christmas gift list looming? Never fear, Santa’s elves are here! Our annual Holiday Gift Guide begins on page 54, and it’s filled with local small businesses ready to help you select the perfect gift for everyone on your list. You also don’t want to miss our incredible 25 Days of Christmas Giveaway overflowing with amazing products and services, just waiting to be won! We’ll be hosting giveaways each day beginning December 1, so be sure and visit us on Facebook or Instagram daily for your chance to win! The holiday cheer continues with our jampacked calendar of events found on page 6.

Can you believe we’ve reached the end of another year together? I love looking back on all the heartwarming stories we’ve featured over the past year. This month I am honored to share four more with you; features on Daren Bobb, Jennifer Kistler, Zane Chunn, and Darlenia Grant. They are each incredibly fascinating and I am so thankful they’ve allowed us into their lives!

If you’re a foodie, we’ve got you covered! Inside you’ll find recipes for delicious peppermint bark and candied pecans, perfect for gifting or devouring on the couch as you binge watch Hallmark Christmas movies in your pj’s. Young and old alike will love our gingerbread cookie recipe, page 50 – it’s a Santa favorite! And, if you need a way to wash it all down, or a little something to get you through holidays with the in-laws, check out our mulled wine recipe on page 52.

I encourage you to turn up the Christmas music as it has a way of soothing the soul, then cozy up and enjoy this issue. There’s much to be thankful for this season. I’m grateful for my family and friends, our loyal advertisers, and my small but mighty team who churns out the most amazing magazine every single month.

I love you all!

Merry Christmas,

Catherine

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

DECEMBER 2022

OWNER - PUBLISHER - EDITOR

Catherine Frederick

COPY EDITING Charity Chambers

GRAPHIC DESIGN Artifex 323 – Jessica Meadors

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Jade Graves

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Jeanni Brosius, Catherine Frederick, Dwain Hebda, Sara Putman, Liesel Schmidt

ADVERTISING INFORMATION

Catherine Frederick I 479.782.1500 catherine@dosouthmagazine.com

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©2022 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@dosouthmagazine.com.

DECEMBER EVENTS

Now - December 9

UAFS GALLERY OF ART AND DESIGN PRESENTS RON JUDE: 12HZ UAFS Windgate Art & Design

Now - Christmas Eve

THE TRAIL OF LIGHTS

Bell Park, Greenwood, Arkansas

No w - January 1

FORT SMITH ICE SKATING RINK

Cisterna Park Fort Smith, Arkansas

No w - January 1

VAN BUREN CHRISTMAS IN THE PARKS Van Buren, Arkansas

No w - December 17

CREEKMORE HOLIDAY EXPRESS AND LIGHTS DISPLAY

Creekmore Park Fort Smith, Arkansas

De cember 1 - 30

VAN BUREN ICE SKATING RINK (THUR, FRI, SAT) Van Buren, Arkansas

De cember 1

FORT SMITH CHORALE

CHRISTMAS CONCERT

First United Methodist Church

Fort Smith, Arkansas

De cember 1

CLINT BLACK MOSTLY HITS AND THE MRS. TOUR

ArcBest Performing Arts Center Fort Smith, Arkansas

De cember 1 ROALD DAHL'S MATILDA THE MUSICAL Alma High School

De cember 2-7 HOLIDAY EXPRESS PAJAMA TRAIN

Van Buren, Arkansas

De cember 2 & 3 ANNIE KIDS

King Opera House Van Buren, Arkansas

De cember 2

STEMS AND STORIES FOR THE HOLIDAYS Bookish, Fort Smith, Arkansas

De cember 2 GASLIGHT GALA Clayton House, Fort Smith, Arkansas

De cember 2

CHRISTMAS HONORS WREATH WORKSHOP

Fort Smith, Arkansas

De cember 3

HEARTS OF GOLD CLASSIC 5K RUN/ WALK PROJECT COMPASSION Fort Smith, Arkansas

De cember 3

CHRISTMAS HONORS

LAYING OF THE WREATHS Fort Smith National Cemetery

De cember 2

CSA SOUNDS FALL CONCERT St. Boniface Catholic Church Fort Smith, Arkansas

De cember 3

LIGHTING OF THE COURTHOUSE AND JINGLE & MINGLE ON MAIN Van Buren, Arkansas

De cember 3

FORT SMITH SYMPHONY PRESENTS THE JOY OF CHRISTMAS

ArcBest Performing Arts Center Fort Smith, Arkansas

De cember 3

JINGLE ALL THE WAY 5K Van Buren, Arkansas

De cember 4

WESTERN ARKANSAS BALLET PRESENTS SUGARLAND FAIRY TEA The Riverfront Pavilion Fort Smith, Arkansas

De cember 5

GREENWOOD CHRISTMAS PARADE Greenwood, Arkansas

De cember 6

US MARSHALS MUSEUM

PRESENTS AN EVENING IN THE PAST - ABIGAIL ADAMS Riverfront Drive, Fort Smith, Arkansas

De cember 6 & 8

UAFS SEASON OF ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS THE CHRISTMAS GIFT UAFS Breedlove Auditorium

De cember 8

THE CATE BROTHERS 801 Media Center, Fort Smith, Arkansas

De cember 8

JAMES MCMURTRY

Walton Arts Center Fayetteville, Arkansas

De cember 8-10

COMMUNITY SCHOOL OF THE ARTS PRESENTS RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER

King Opera House Van Buren, Arkansas

De cember 9

ALTON BROWN BEYOND THE EATS

ArcBest Performing Arts Center Fort Smith, Arkansas

De cember 9

DRENNEN-SCOTT CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE Van Buren, Arkansas

De cember 10 HOLIDAY IN WHOVILLE ON MAIN Van Buren, Arkansas

De cember 10

FORT SMITH CHRISTMAS PARADE Downtown Fort Smith

De cember 10

HOLIDAY ART PARTY AT FORT SMITH REGIONAL ART MUSEUM Fort Smith Regional Art Museum

De cember 10

UAFS BASKETBALL VS. TEXAS PERMIAN BASIN UAFS Stubblefield Center

De cember 10

YULE RUN 5K Greenwood, Arkansas

De cember 17 & 18

WESTERN ARKANSAS BALLET PRESENTS THE NUTCRACKER ArcBest Performing Arts Center Fort Smith, Arkansas

De cember 29

RODNEY CARRINGTON Fort Smith Convention Center

De cember 30

UAFS BASKETBALL VS. TEXAS

WOMEN'S UNIVERSITY UAFS Stubblefield Center

Satu rdays in December

RAM SATURDAYS Fort Smith Regional Art Museum

REGIONAL LIBRARY EVENTS AT DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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Submit events online at dosouthmagazine.com or email catherine@dosouthmagazine.com.

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Christmas Wish

FFort Smith native Jonathan Karrant's highly anticipated holiday album is set for release on November 11, 2022. Joining forces with the incomparable Joe Alterman Trio, this once-in-a-lifetime record features Grammy-winning jazz legend Diane Schuur, renowned saxophonist Houston Person, and trumpeter of jazz at Lincoln Center Kenny Rampton. This incredible team of artists have reimagined twelve of the most beloved holiday songs and brought new life with profound and unique arrangements. The single, “Grown Up Christmas List,” has already received national attention. The duet with Diane Schuur is a reimagined arrangement of a David Foster classic. Diane and Jonathan's voices weave together with a spiritual cry for peace, breathing new life into this timely message.

Jonathan will be performing at 906 Lounge in Downtown Fort Smith on December 18 and 19. When Jonathan takes the stage, 906 will transform into a Las Vegas supper club showroom as he performs songs from the album and shares some of his favorite Christmas memories. The evening will leave you filled with the holiday spirit!

Jonathan, born and raised in Fort Smith, sang his first solo at the First Methodist Church at the young age of six under the direction of Nancy Vernon. Throughout his youth, Jonathan participated in many local plays, recitals, and musical events and was a choir member at both Ramsey Junior High and Southside High School. At Southside he wowed audiences in the theater department led by Joann Elsken.

After graduation Jonathan was accepted to the William Esper Performing Arts Academy and moved to New York City, and immediately began working at the Metropolitan Opera House in major productions. During a brief stay back in Fort Smith, Jonathan connected with Don and Terri Bailey who took him under their wings and featured him in their Big Band.

The next stop was California where he began paving the way for his music career, performing in some of the finest music venues and working with renowned musicians. His debut album On and On hit number four on the Billboard Jazz Charts and Jonathan toured the States as well as Europe. After relocating to Las Vegas, he recorded his second album LIVE at The Smith Center, that album reached number two on the iTunes Jazz Charts. He has many received honors including the New York City Cabaret Jazz Honors, “Best Singer” for the Bravo California Awards and was named one of the top ten rising vocalists by Downbeat.

Jonathan loves returning to his hometown to visit with friends and family and perform. He can’t wait to share and celebrate his new holiday album Christmas Wish with you at 906 Lounge!

words and image courtesy Jonathan Karrant

Jonathan Karrant’s Christmas Wish at 906 Cocktail Lounge Sunday December 18, 5PM & Monday December 19, 7PM 906 Garrison Avenue, Fort Smith, Arkansas | 479.434.4343

Do South ® Cares

words Catherine Frederick with Melissa Schoenfeld, Executive Artistic Director with Western Arkansas Ballet

DS: How did Western Arkansas Ballet come to be?

Western Arkansas Ballet was founded July 23, 1979, as the Fort Smith Civic Ballet and reorganized in August 1985 under the present logo and code of ethics.

DS: Who does Western Arkansas Ballet serve and in what ways?

Western Arkansas Ballet (WAB) is a dance academy and pre-professional company offering dance training for ages three through adult. Classes offered include Ballet, Pointe, Modern, Tap, Jazz, Progressing Ballet Technique, and Hip Hop. WAB Company is a member of Regional Dance America, which gives them the opportunity to have their work adjudicated annually and attend an annual regional festival to take classes from renowned faculty from across the nation. WAB performs two fulllength ballets each season, providing unique performance opportunities for not only our Company and Academy dancers, but also for other local youth and adults.

DS: How does Western Arkansas Ballet impact our community?

The mission of Western Arkansas Ballet is "to create a community dedicated to the fine arts through quality dance education, training, and performance." Do South® reached out to Melissa Schoenfeld, Executive Artistic Director, to learn more.

4701 Grand Avenue Fort Smith, Arkansas 479.785.0152 waballet.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.

As a part of our mission to bring quality dance education to the community, WAB has developed and implemented many community outreach programs. In addition to teaching Academy classes, our instructors teach classes for the Fort Smith Girls, Inc. summer program. Our faculty is part of the Arts at Bost program that provides dance education to children and adults with developmental and related disabilities. We are excited about a newly developed partnership with the innovative programs at the Wellness Center at the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education.

DS: What is something we may not know about Western Arkansas Ballet? In addition to our unique outreach and educational program, WAB is the only dance organization in the area with membership in Regional Dance America; the only dance organization in the area to receive annual support from the Arkansas Arts Council; and the only nonprofit dance academy and regional company in the area. WAB provides scholarship opportunities that help make dance education attainable to those who might not otherwise be able to afford it.

DS: Are there upcoming performances or classes we should know about? Our Academy registration is open through February 17. We invite the community to join us for our 37th annual production of The Nutcracker on December 17 & 18 at the ArcBest Performing Arts Center. This timeless ballet features a cast of over 100 local youth and adults and we are thrilled to be welcoming Ashley Murphy-Wilson and Nicholas Cowden from The Washington Ballet to dance the roles of Sugar Plum Fairy and her caviler. Our spring ballet, Sleeping Beauty will be performed April 21-23, 2023 at the King Opera House in Van Buren. Visit our website www.waballet.org or call 479-785-0152 to register for classes, purchase tickets to performances or fundraisers and to learn more about WAB.

'Tis the Season to Shop Local!

Give the Gift of Better Hearing CENTER FOR HEARING AND BALANCE 479.785.3277

Eyewear by Tom Ford STILES EYE GROUP 479.452.2020

Vera Bradley Handbag, Cozy Blanket, Pen Set, Notebook, and 3-Piece Sock Gift Set JENNIFER’S GIFT SHOP AT BAPTIST HEALTH 479.441.4221

KATIE AGE 10

Kaitlyn, or Katie as she likes to be called, is sweet, caring, and she has a great memory! She likes arts and crafts, and she loves all things related to the movie Frozen . When it comes to favorite foods, she’s a girl after our own hearts – pizza and chicken nuggets top her list! Like a lot of kids on the Heart Gallery, Katie did not have a stable and supportive home life as a younger child. There weren’t a lot of consistent expectations and rules, and as a result Katie struggles with being told no and doesn’t always respond well to simple consequences. Meltdowns and tantrums happen, but these are learned behaviors that are slowly being replaced with new behaviors. Appropriate reactions to consequences are much more common now than before, and we know Katie will make even more progress as time goes on! Katie will thrive in either a single parent or a two-parent home, but she probably needs to be the only child in the home at first. Every family is different, so we encourage you to talk with Katie’s adoption specialist! The most important thing is to give Katie the attention, time, and space she needs to trust and feel supported in her forever home. Katie deserves plenty of love, structure, and grace as she continues to soak in new life lessons. Katie is ready to reward a family with a lifetime of smiles, wonderful memories, and love.

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

Bookish

Enjoy these Christmas gift recommendations from our friends at Bookish, Fort Smith, Arkansas’s only independently owned bookstore.

The Tired New Parent (or Just Plain Tired)

When we’re bone tired and soul tired, we can get overwhelmed with 500 pages. Here’s a list of some of our very favorite books that hit shelves this year. They aren’t a huge time commitment, and you’ll get a take-away that will soothe any book lover’s heart. And Yet, Poems, Kate Baer • Happy-Go-Lucky, David Sedaris Now is Not the Time to Panic, Kevin Wilson

The Renaissance Man (or Woman)

In these books, through thoughtful and tender narratives, readers find glimpses of remarkable humans overcoming insurmountable odds, leaving their mark on the world. These stories take us through Nazi Germany, the Civil War, and deep questions of faith. One Hundred Saturdays, Michael Frank • This Here Flesh, Cole Arthur Riley And There Was Light, Jon Meacham

The Great Outdoors

The love of nature is year-round, but we can foster it during the holidays. Let the new year bring waterfalls, mountains, new trails, or a newfound love for the wonders of nature right outside our doors. Five Trails: The Ozarks, Jim Warnock • Slow Birding, Joan E. Strassmann Riverman: An American Odyssey, Ben McGrath

Cozy Christmas

Whether it’s romance that fills your stocking or simply the idea of a quaint English village, these selections are certain to get you in the spirit. Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village, Jay Cooper and Maureen Johnson • Just Like Magic, Sarah Hogle Meet Me Under the Mistletoe, Jenny Bayliss

The Connoisseur

These are slow burns that connect us to the narrative in a thoughtful and sometimes heart-wrenching way, but the blend of thoughtful prose, fascinating characters, and the relevance of the story sustain us. These are selections for the book snobs in your life. Our Missing Hearts, Celeste Ng • Demon Copperhead, Barbara Kingsolver Signal Fires, Dani Shapiro

December Recommendations courtesy Sara Putman,

Snippets of Memory

graduated from college, her wedding day, grandchildren, and great-grands. We are a five-generation family, and they are all a joy to me. As time went on, they all went away to far cities. They do all come back sometimes and there is loud laughter, talk of ball games, and beaches, all of which I don’t understand much about. Still, I sit and smile and try to look wise.

II got up late this morning in a beautiful room in my daughter’s house. My daughter brings me a light breakfast. Eating breakfast is a habit I formed long ago in a Kentucky farmhouse kitchen. We needed a hearty breakfast then, for the men went to work in the tobacco fields and farmers' wives always had work to do. After breakfast, I make my bed and dress myself. It takes me longer than usual, but I manage to get it done. There is a pen and pad on my desk and books on my shelves, but I can no longer see to read and write which was my favorite pastime. I walk with the aid of a walker, for which I am thankful. This morning, I sit down to remember.

At ninety-four years old, I have many memories of days gone by. Some stand out above the rest. The day I walked down the aisle in the country church and dedicated my life to the Lord. Then, a few months later, I walked down that same aisle and took my wedding vows. These vows I have kept. I still wear my wedding rings though my husband has been gone many years now. I read that when you are ready to start dating you should take your rings off. I was never ready. Then, there was the morning the nurse laid our baby girl in my arms. There was the day she

There are people who pass through your life for a short season, and you never forget them. When I was five years old, my brother came home from his job in the city. He brought with him a pretty young woman named Agnes and introduced her as his wife. I don’t think she knew much about country life because she never offered to help my mother and sister with their work. Instead, she played with me, and boy was I delighted. She made me a doll house with all the trimmings from the Sears and Roebuck catalog. She cut out paper dolls from the same catalog and made clothes for them. She also made cars out of match boxes to pull with a string. She cut the weeds down in the field to pull the dolls in their cars. She smoked cigarettes. No women in the country smoked cigarettes back then, other than a few old women who smoked a pipe. She sort of hid from the family to smoke; I sort of hid and watched her. It was fascinating to watch her blow smoke rings. They left in a few weeks to go back to the city. My brother came back later to go on a vacation, he did not bring Agnes, so we assumed they broke up. I never saw Agnes again.

Have you ever driven to town in a farm wagon pulled by two mules over a rough gravel road? We did not mind the jolting ride. When we were going to town we laughed and sang along the way. Back then, town was made up of two grocery stores, a drug store, a post office, and a small restaurant known as The Eat Shop. Young people went to The Eat Shop and listened to loud country music. The farmers did not go, perhaps they had no money, or the music was too loud. If we stayed for lunch, we had bologna sandwiches from the meat case at the grocery. The drug store served cold drinks and my first soft drink was an orange Crush. Later, when I was a young teen, if I had a quarter, I bought an orange Crush and a True Confessions magazine.

When I was fourteen, I once walked to town in my first pair of high-heel shoes. Oh boy, did I have blisters on my feet the next day! I even remember when we got our first battery-operated radio. Our neighbors did not have radios, so they gathered at our house on Saturday night to listen to the Grand Ole Opry. Never was the music more appreciated, not even the music at Carnegie

WORDs and images courtesy Dorothy Johnson TRANSCRIPTION Kara Billingsley

Hall in New York City! I always wanted to go see the place where the music came from, but I never got to go.

I had four nieces. One of them was around my age. We had a lot of fun together. We are pictured together in this photo. I loved my sisters. My oldest sister was married and gone before I had many memories, but my youngest sister stayed home and was not married until she was an old maid. She became a fine seamstress! When I was a young teenager, I would pick out a dress from the catalog and she would make it with no pattern. She also loved flowers. Our yard was always filled with beautiful flowers as long as she was home. I was not a flower person, but my husband was. He grew the prettiest roses there ever was! My daughter loves flowers. I guess she inherited it from her dad. My mother was just a plain seamstress, she made the prettiest patches I ever saw for the men folk in our family.

Do you remember when fellas got excited when they saw a girl’s knees? Once my girlfriend saw a picture of her and me and somehow my skirt came up and showed my knees! She sent that

picture to a fella she was writing in the army. After that, half the fellas in the army wanted to write to me. On a rare date three of us girls were asked by three fellas if they could take us home after a church supper. They had a one-seated car. The driver saw my leg and tried to get a date with me for the next six months! I wonder what those fellas would think if they were around today.

There was a small town up the highway. During the war there was an army base called Fort Camel. In those days, all the men in uniform could be trusted. I don’t know about today. We girls liked to catch their eyes. When I was eighteen, I met a young soldier on a Greyhound bus. We sat together on the bus, talked, and got acquainted. We began to write each other. On our first date, we met in the little town. He came in on the bus and I rode in with my brother. There were no benches to sit on and I don’t think he had any money to go to The Eat Shop, so we walked until we got tired. We saw a big grassy lot in front of the school building, and we laid down in the grass and talked. All we did was talk that night, not even a kiss. I told this story to a youth group, and they hooted and hollered saying “Tell us the truth!” On our second date, he took a cab out to our house. We sat on the couch in our parlor, and we kissed!

After we were married, we moved eleven times in eleven years. Somehow, though it is strange, I like to move. Though it wasn’t much, I also got excited when we bought our first house, it was a mansion to me. Even now, at ninety-four years old I get excited at the thought of moving to a new home.

As I close this book of memories, I want to offer a tribute to my mother. I was only twenty-two years old when she died. She was a lady, and to say someone is a lady is the highest compliment you can pay a woman. If you had seen my mother out somewhere, you would not have thought of the term “lady.” She was a little woman weighing less than one-hundred pounds. She had dark hair that she wore in a bun on the back of her head. Her hands were rough, and she bit her nails. Her face was lined from years of hard work and long illness. She never snapped or spoke harshly to her seven children, although I have done both. To me, that was a lady. Also, I want to give praise to God who helped me remember, I know many my age cannot. A loving thanks to you who remember these stories with me.

~With Love, Dorothy

SHARE THE JOY, Not the Sneeze

WORDS Dr. Kendall Wagner, Chaffee Crossing Clinic Image SG SHOT/Shutterstock

LLights are sparkling, trees are aglow, and friends and family are gathering for holiday parties. During this season of holiday cheer and celebration we see a lot of viral illnesses which lead to dampened spirits and hampered plans. The spread of illnesses during the winter is driven primarily by the amount of time spent indoors, near each other with less fresh air. Changes in our immune system during the colder season and being exposed to individuals we don’t normally spend time with can also contribute to sickness or new viral illnesses.

THE COMMON COLD

The common cold is a viral infection that includes symptoms such as stuffy-runny nose, scratchy-tickly throat, wet-hacking cough, and often a low-grade fever. Headache, fatigue, and sore muscles may also accompany respiratory symptoms. The common cold causes inflammation of the membranes in the nose and mouth, which increases secretions that lead to runny nose and cough. The cold virus is spread through airborne droplets which are directly inhaled into the airway or introduced to the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, or mouth or by touching contaminated surfaces. Symptoms usually start 2-3 days after the virus enters the body and may last several days. Treatment includes rest, increased fluids, cool mist humidifier and warm steamy showers, as well as over-the-

counter decongestants and antihistamines. Tylenol or Motrin may also be used as needed for headaches or fever. The cold virus does not respond to antibiotics or antiviral medications and they should not be prescribed for symptomatic treatment.

THE FLU

Influenza, also known as the flu, is a viral infection that may affect the entire respiratory system including the nose, throat, airway, and lungs. Symptoms of the flu begin much like a cold with runny nose, sore throat, and cough. Flu symptoms often start suddenly with a high fever, while a cold develops more slowly and usually has a lower grade fever. The flu is also associated with severe fatigue, body aches, headache, and often vomiting and diarrhea (especially in children). There are multiple strains of the flu that circulate during flu season, and this often changes every year. The flu is generally transmitted from direct airway inhalation and less commonly from touching contaminated surfaces. A person infected with the flu will usually develop symptoms within two days, and are most contagious during the first three to four days of the illness, even before symptoms have developed. The primary distinguishing factor between the common cold and the flu is the secondary complications that often follow infection. Bacterial pneumonia, ear infections, and sinus infections are common complications.

In patients with underlying respiratory issues, progression to acute respiratory failure may occur. Annual flu vaccination is recommended by the CDC. The vaccination cannot cause the flu and while it is not 100% effective at preventing the illness, it does reduce severity and complications by bolstering the immune response. Antiviral therapies may also be used for treatment of the flu. Most commonly, Tamiflu is used to treat Influenza A; however, its benefits and side effects should be discussed with your physician.

RSV

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a respiratory virus that usually causes cold-like symptoms which last approximately 1-2 weeks. Individuals of any age may contract RSV and while most infections are mild, RSV can be a serious infection for infants and older adults. In fact, RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways of the lungs) and pneumonia in children younger than 1 year of age. RSV is a respiratory droplet-borne illness that transmits primarily through direct airway inhalation or contact with mucus membranes; however, the virus may also be transmitted by touching infected surfaces.

Symptoms normally begin around five days from exposure and infection. A person infected with RSV is contagious for approximately five to seven days, however, symptoms of cough and congestion may extend up to two weeks. Prevention is mainly accomplished through limiting exposure of at-risk individuals (infants/elderly) to patients with respiratory symptoms. For premature infants with chronic lung disease, monthly antibody injections against RSV may help prevent or reduce the severity of the illness. Antibiotics are not useful in treating RSV infections. Occasionally, a physician may recommend an oral corticosteroid or albuterol inhaler for certain at-risk patients to aid in reducing inflammation of the airways and increase air movement in the lungs.

CROUP

Croup is a viral infection affecting the upper airways, usually of infants and children. The infection causes an obstruction of airflow and results in a barking cough. If the obstruction progresses enough, there may even be a harsh sound as air is drawn into the lungs through the narrowing of the airway – this sound is called stridor. If more obstruction occurs, labored breathing may develop resulting in retractions – a sucking in of the breastbone or skin between the ribs as the child struggles to take a breath. Croup is spread through respiratory droplets directly inhaled into the airway or introduced to the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, or mouth by touching contaminated surfaces. While patients of any age may be infected, croup occurs most often in pediatric patients six months to three years of age. The smallness of their airways results in obstruction symptoms. In adults and older children, this virus may also lead to laryngitis (loss of voice or hoarseness with a sore throat). Treatment of croup is mainly symptomatic, however, if severe stridor or increased difficulty breathing develops, your child should see a physician immediately. Treatment with a corticosteroid may be recommended to decrease the inflammation and aid the obstruction of the airway.

PREVENTION

For most patients the viral illnesses discussed are usually mild. The number-one factor in preventing illness and potentially death is acting responsibly when illness develops. If you or your child is sick with symptoms, stay home and do not go to work or school. It’s vitally important to avoid exposure to young infants and elderly who are at a high risk of morbidity from these viruses. Finally, outside of secondary infection, antibiotics are not useful in treating viral respiratory illnesses and in fact, can be harmful by inducing resistant bacterial organisms from antibiotic overuse. If you are prescribed an antibiotic for a likely viral infection, ask the healthcare professional providing your care if that antibiotic is truly necessary.

Calico

Fort Smith Little Theatre

Salon Elements

314 Lexington Avenue, Fort Smith 479.649.3435 | salonelements.com Deluxe medi-pedicure with hot stone massage and steam towels, plus a MoroccanOil gift set (hand and bar soaps, shower gel, and body treatment). Value $145

Community School of the Arts

201 North 19th Street, Fort Smith 479.434.2020 | csafortsmith.org

Intro to Ballet beginning level dance class for grades K-2. Class will meet weekly on Mondays from 5:30-6:15pm, January 23 – May 8. Value $135

Fort Smith Coffee Co. 1101 Rogers Avenue Fort Smith 479.226.2437 fortsmithcoffeeco.com Fort Smith Coffee Co. gift basket full of goodies! Value $75

Uncork’d 5501 Phoenix Avenue, Fort Smith 479.434.5000 | uncorkthefort.com

Gift card! Uncork'd offers an unparalleled experience with a huge selection of curated wines, craft beers and bourbons on tap paired with dinner entrees & shareables. Value $100

words and images Janna Wilson

For years I’ve loved the simple goodness of kraft paper packages and have used it to wrap holiday presents, as well as birthday gifts and other goodies. This holiday I decided to experiment with some interesting ways to make my simple packages snazzy and festive with a handmade touch. With just a few supplies from your craft stash, you can create customized gift wrap and one-of-a-kind gift bags to place under the tree.

Janna Wilson is a graphic designer, lettering artist and long-time crafter. Visit Janna’s blog at jannawilson.com for more holiday crafting ideas.

IIf Fort Smith were ever to open a museum of media, it would do well to install Daren Bobb as its curator. For thirty-eight years, the Illinois native has lent his talents to not one, but two important forms of mass communications: radio, which brought him to the Fort Smith market, and television, which has helped keep him here. It’s a tenure even he has to stop and ponder at times.

“When I first came here, the professor at school said, ‘You stay there a year or two and then maybe you’ll want to move on,’” he says with a hearty chuckle. “Well, I stayed a year and then got married and then my wife got a teaching job. Fort Smith became it; we weren’t going anywhere.

A Welcome Face , A Familiar Voice

“I always tell people I don’t know how to do anything else. If the TV station shut down or the radio station shut down, I wouldn’t know what I would do. This is natural and I’m very comfortable in what I’m doing.”

Few of us are fortunate enough to wind up exactly where we always wanted to be, but Daren is one of those people. Bitten by the radio bug in high school, he decided early on he wanted to be on the air. “When I was sixteen, I got involved with Junior Achievement, which teaches kids about business and careers,” he says. “One of the businesses in my hometown of about 13,000 was a radio station. Basically, one night a week we got to run the radio station, with supervision.”

WORDs Dwain Hebda images courtesy of Daren Bobb

Daren Bobb

Daren was so taken with the medium, he remembers wanting to record a demo tape on the spot. Instead, he graduated from the College of Broadcast Journalism at Lewis and Clark College in Godfrey, Illinois, during which time he made a fateful contact.

“The teacher at broadcasting school had worked at KTCS in Fort Smith,” he says. “He suggested I get a tape together and send it down. I did, and two weeks later, I moved to Fort Smith and started a job at KTCS in the news department.”

Radio news was very different in the mid-1980s than it is today. With no such thing as internet – or even cable, in many communities – local radio and TV were largely on par with each other as far as immediacy of reporting and reach. Daren was immediately thrown into the deep end of covering news in a town much larger than where he’d grown up.

“We were the only four-person radio newsroom in Fort Smith at the time and our biggest competition was the TV stations,” he says. “I would go cover everything – accidents, fires, court meetings, city council meetings, political rallies. I’d learned how to do all that in school, but you don’t ever know exactly how to handle something until you’re thrown into it.

“You just kind of let your instincts take over and with what you learned in school, you do the best you can. But compared to where I’m from to here, oh my gosh, it was a huge world of difference.”

One of the first big stories for the cub reporter was a wintertime plane crash seven months after he’d arrived that killed a man and his son. The next summer brought a tragic fire in downtown Van Buren caused by a truck barreling down a hill and ramming a station wagon. The wreck killed nine people and set ablaze three downtown businesses.

Another standout story from the early days was the trial of R. Gene Simmons, a spree killer and mass murderer convicted of shooting or strangling seventeen family members and a couple of non-relatives in 1987.

But it wasn’t all death and gloom, as Daren is quick to point out. “You’d also get to cover the really cool things like a business opening or a parade, it was a wide range of things,” he says. “Fort Smith was a town four times bigger than where I grew up with maybe ten times the things going on.”

All in all, Daren came to see his work as a great adventure where no two days were the same and the big story was always right around the corner. He loved radio, but as the 1990s dawned he could see it starting to fade among the public. “You could kind of see the writing on the wall that radio news wasn’t going to be what it was when I first started in it,” he says. “The station had scaled back to two people and there just wasn’t a lot of emphasis on doing local news. Maybe it was a generational thing; people weren’t listening to radio for news, they wanted to hear music and that’s it.”

W.C. Monk and Daren Bobb

Daren and family

It was here Daren took his first dip into television, leveraging a relationship he had with Channel 5. He came aboard as the six o’clock producer and de facto newsroom manager, a job he held for nine years until an old flame whispered to him.

“About that time, talk radio started taking off,” he says. “KWHN in Fort Smith needed somebody and so they let me come over there and work for six years with one of my best friends, Gary Elmore, who’s since passed away.

“Gary and I had a four or five-year run on KWHN. We would do six to nine every morning; three hours of he and I and news and sports and some traffic here and there. We would have guests every day and it was very issue oriented. We just had a ball with that. It was so much fun.”

Given the success of the show Daren wasn’t looking to change mediums again, but when his former employer lost its anchor, Channel 5 came looking for him.

“The news director at Channel 5 said, ‘Why don’t you come over and see me?’ I said, ‘Why?’ He said, ‘I want you to test,’” he recalls. “I said, ‘Look, I’ve always said I’m way better off behind the camera than in front of it.’”

Nonetheless, he read well enough to land the job and since 2006, he’s never looked back. All these years later, he finds himself in another media revolution – the era of clickbait and the almighty blog – but it feels less existential than last time.

“It is amazing how much it has changed, but it really hasn’t,” he says. “It’s kind of hard to explain but, especially in this market, I think we still have a core audience that watches TV. I’ve heard stories in larger markets that stations are doing a lot of things online only and that’s the only way they know how to compete. In our market, when we don’t do something on TV and it’s online only, we hear about it.

“At the same time, we have a huge presence online. Now, I’m old school, and most people my age were dragged kicking and screaming into this, but once you see it, it’s amazing. I’ve been able to adapt; there’s not very many older people at the station, I think I might be the oldest one.”

Age has its privileges, even in the notoriously fickle realm of television. Today Daren finds himself mentoring people on staff, offering advice and experience only years in the business can instill. At its heart, he tells the youngsters, the principles of the job have never changed, even as formats and technology have.

“I think it all comes down to us still covering both sides of the story,” he says. “Any journalist who’s been in the business for a while knows that you just have to, or you lose your credibility. The ones who’ve been in business for a while understand that while the younger reporters, I think they get it, but I don’t think they fully grasp the importance of that. But that has been the case since Day One.

“As for the actual news product itself, I think it has to be concise and very easy to understand, but more importantly, factually correct. Those are also things that have been consistent here. I think that’s Journalism 101 and I would hate to see that go anywhere.”

Watch Daren Monday through Friday at 4:00, 5:00, 6:00 and 10:00 p.m. on KFSM Channel 5 News.

A Heart for Caring

The name Jennifer Kistler is a name well-known throughout Fort Smith—a name synonymous with service, selflessness, and love for children. As a Kistler, Jennifer hails from a family with deep ties to the medical community in Fort Smith, a family that blazed a trail in an area that was once severely lacking in any kind of intensive or ongoing care for children with physical or cognitive disabilities. Facing a need of their own when Jennifer’s six-year-old brother was hit by a car in 1962 and left with a traumatic brain injury that partially paralyzed him, his care was more than the family could handle. The nearest facility offering the type of assistance he needed was in Louisiana.

Still, the family made the necessary sacrifices—though the glaring need for something more in Fort Smith was not lost on the Kistlers. Just over a decade later when Jennifer’s daughter Michelle was born with spina bifida, the lack of children’s therapy services was one that the family determined could not be ignored.

And so, in 1978 The Gregory Kistler Treatment Center, Inc. was created, filling a void that had too long been left empty. In the forty-four years since its doors opened to the children and young adults of Fort Smith and beyond, Jennifer had served as the executive director, offering her heart and expertise in healthcare to make the center a place of exceptional care for those whose needs go beyond the abilities their families can provide. Now, she’s taking a step back into semi-retirement, working largely on a remote basis and in the homes of those served by the Kistler Center to provide medication management.

“Jennifer realized the help she needed for Michelle and what their family had gone through years earlier with

words Liesel Schmidt IMAGEs courtesy Jennifer Kistler

Jennifer Kistler

Gregory, and that there was nothing in the area that provided for those needs,” says Kistler development coordinator Aaron Lee. “Often times it has been providing hope for parents facing challenging situations. To know they were not alone, that Jennifer and the Kistler Center were there for them has been so important to these families. It helps to know that others have gone through similar circumstances with positive outcomes and to know that people care. It’s overwhelming to think of where they started and where we are today. In the work that she has done, Jennifer has been such an asset to the community. Jennifer and her family provided opportunities for children to receive the care they desperately needed when there was nowhere for them to go in our community, and the Kistler Center has helped thousands of children over the years. She has certainly left an indelible imprint on the world around her.”

As executive director, Jennifer was responsible for the administration of the Kistler Center—duties that included areas such as finance, human resources, developing and monitoring programs, fundraising and multiple other facets required of managing an organization the size and scope of The Kistler Center. Additionally, Jennifer managed medication teaching and oversight for the center’s CES waiver department, leaning on her expertise and credentials as a registered nurse.

As many hats as Jennifer wore in her position at the Kistler Center, she treasures the time she has spent there and the opportunity it gave her to make a true difference in the world. “I enjoyed being a positive influence, often personally guiding families by relating to their difficulties, their needs and the numerous challenges they face as they navigate toward the best paths and opportunities for their own success,” she says.

Her passion and commitment are two of the very things that made her so effective, leading the Kistler Center to become renowned in the world of pediatric therapy services. “The fact that I know we can help not only the child, but the family as well, has been such an incredible part of my work at the Kistler Center,” Jennifer says. “And in the case of our CES waiver department where we work both with children and adults, I know that we make a difference in both their lives.

2019 A Night in the Caribbean committee

Jennifer and Michelle

Martha Osbun, Jennifer Kistler, Betty Colley

"I especially enjoy giving special attention to those individuals whose parents or family can no longer care for them. I want them to know that I care. I want to treat them the way that I would have wanted my daughter treated if I were not around to care for her.”

But Jennifer does more than just care. She truly has a heart that beats for these children and their families.

Her legacy is certainly an impressive one—one that will continue to change lives for generations to come. In this she has much to be proud of, though her humility is as much a part of her nature as her altruism. “I feel that I used the gifts that God gave me for the benefit of others, and that is what I was meant to do,” Jennifer says. “It wasn’t an option.”

“I think that people in our community love Jennifer because of her long-term dedication to the Kistler Center mission through many trials and even personal challenges she has overcome through all these years,” says Ralph Smith, current board member and former president of the Kistler Center Board of Directors.

“Even after the passing of her brother and parents and the much later sudden loss of her precious daughter Michelle, Jennifer was as committed as ever. She was at the Kistler Center working every day. Jennifer has continued to be a positive influence. In essence, because of her long history of leadership and overcoming personal and management challenges, Jennifer Kistler was and still is uniquely qualified to offer compassion to those experiencing the very situations she has overcome. Empathy is one, if not the foremost, of her attributes.”

“People love Jennifer because she is genuine,” agrees Aaron. “She truly cares. She has empathy for the children and families because she has gone through it herself.”

In the time that she now has for personal pursuits, Jennifer plans to increase her activity in her ministry and spend more time with her dog Gemma, and horse Talula. “Gemma is such a happy dog who was once in a bad spot,” says Jennifer. “I also I enjoy taking care of, riding, and training Talula, aka Lula, who is a former Texas prison horse who is great on the trail and working obstacles.”

Forty-four years after Jennifer started this journey with her parents, she can look at what she has helped build and see that she has made a difference. She has given the families she works with a true gift, and served her community in a truly remarkable way.

To learn more about The Gregory Kistler Treatment Center or to find out how you can become involved, visit kistlercenter.org.

“I want people to remember the way that I care,” she says. “I want that to be the legacy that I leave."

Top Gun Top Gun

Zane Chunn Takes the Mounted Shooting World by Storm

TThere are a lot of things about Zane Chunn that mirror millions of other American kids’ experience growing up. More than a few of us asked for a pony for Christmas. Many of us wanted to grow up to be the cowboys we saw on television, able to ride and shoot with precision accuracy even at a thundering gallop.

The difference between Zane Chunn and the rest of us is, he actually did it.

“When I was five, six, seven, I was very into John Wayne and [ Gunsmoke’s ] Matt Dillon,” he says. “My parents got me replica Colt .45 pistols; same weight, same action, everything. I was brought up around guns and taught gun safety at an early age; we’d go shoot targets and stuff.”

About that time, Zane also asked his parents for a horse for Christmas, so they put him in riding lessons and after about six months bought him his first mount. For those who don’t know, the mount is the horse. Originally, he competed in Englishstyle competitions, but it wouldn’t be long before he found the perfect outlet for marrying his horsemanship and the pistols that had been dragging at his childhood hips.

“I saw mounted shooting on a TV show and my mom did some investigating,” he says. “The lady that did Mom’s hair, her parents did mounted shooting. They’re from the Van Buren/ Alma area. I got involved with a local group when I was about nine and jumped into it.”

WORDs Dwain Hebda images courtesy Zane Chunn

Zane Chunn

Mounted shooting is an exciting, timed sport that combines several elements of skill. Mounted competitors race in a specified pattern around and through gates, similar to ski gates, and barrels like those used in barrel racing. At the same time, the rider shoots at balloons mounted along the course. Lowest time wins, with penalties assessed for nicking a stake, hitting a barrel, or missing a shot. To make things even more challenging, in pistol events the rider must manage two guns, successfully drawing and holstering during the run, shooting five targets with each hand. Other events require use of a rifle or a shotgun.

Competition rules dictate youngsters don’t actually fire the guns – loaded with a black powder blank emitting a long spark to pop the balloon –but instead just point their pistols at the balloons as they make their run. Which left Zane chomping at the bit to get into the adult division as soon as possible. “I was a horse and gun enthusiast so it all really molded together when I found the sport,” he said. “I won all the majors in the kids’ division, the wrangler class. I liked the timing and accuracy. But when I began actually shooting the balloons, it was definitely very gratifying.”

All competitors are graded according to their ability with one being entry level and six being the most accomplished. By age twelve, the same year he entered the adult division, Zane had reached level five; three years later, he was at level six, a rank usually reserved for professional horse trainers and full-time mounted shooting professionals.

“When I got involved as a kid, I said I want to be the best at this,” he said. “It was my passion. I lived and breathed it every day. I’d go practice and ride. We’d go to all the major championship events, and I would have my mom video all the top competitors back then. Driving to all the events I’d be in the backseat watching over and over, all the top guys, what they were doing and all the little nuances of how they did things.

“There’s a million styles to riding the horse and shooting and you kind of have to figure out what’s best for you, how far you go into the turns, how you change your guns, where you wear your holsters. There’s a wide variety of just that; I wear mine on my hips like an old-school style where a lot of people now in mounted shooting are wearing them on their torso and midsection.”

It didn’t take long for Zane to coordinate all the minute physical details, but turning professional in 2013, he found another element of his game holding him back. “I had the ability and the skill set, but I was not much of a competitor,” he said. “I went through 2015 and at one point or another I was in the lead at each of the major championships, but I didn’t win one. That’s when I started studying mental management practices and

“Ultimately, every guy out there in the professional level, we all have a very similar level of ability but at the end of the day it’s between your ears.”

the mindset you have to have to win. Ultimately, every guy out there in the professional level, we all have a very similar level of ability but at the end of the day it’s between your ears.”

Once that fell into place, the sport was at Zane “Top Gun” Chunn’s mercy. Since winning his first major in 2016, he’s made it look easy. He’s the only person in history to win four of the six majors in a single year, which he’s done twice, and the only person to win the overall at each of the major championships. He’s won the American Quarter Horse Association World Championships seven times and won the Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association overall eighteen times, twice that of the person in second place.

Some of his accomplishments read like showing off – in one championship, he blistered the course despite having a stirrup fall off midway through. In another instance, he came off winning a world championship only to fall at the end of a run in the next meet, only to then get up and set a world record in the next run. And oh-did-we-mention his favorite mount, Mocha, is blind in one eye? “Every time I ride him, I’m always amazed he is as good as he is, being blind,” he says. “It’s kind of incomprehensible to think a horse can run full speed like that and trust me to turn. When you’re making a left-hand turn, he’s absolutely blind. Nothing, you know? He’s a freak of nature. He is an unbelievably good horse.”

In addition to rewriting every record book and growing his own lore, Zane’s looked good doing it, introducing a swagger and style that’s modernized the sport with some color and bling. “If my family taught me one thing, it’s how to have fun. Everything

that I do is to have fun,” he says. “When I started, it was a lot more like an old Western dress-up type event; we were wearing suspenders and the whole getup like the 1800’s. I always was a little bit more outside the box with that. “We wear these things called chinks that are like chaps but a little shorter. Probably ten years ago, I said, ‘I should get a pair of gold chinks made.’ Of course, everybody had brown and black and basic kind of deal. I came out with those gold chinks on, you can’t imagine the stir that that caused. So, I’ve always kind of been on the forefront of changing mounted shooting fashion, always been the bright one out there. Now, there’s a lot of bright colors and wild shirts.”

It takes quite a bit to put Zane at a loss for words, but his October induction into the Cowboy Mounted Shooting Hall of Fame, at age twenty-four no less, was one of those things. “That’s still shocking to me,” he says. “Of all the things that I wanted to achieve in mounted shooting, of course the hall of fame was one of them, but it was never really something that I thought of this early, for sure. When they called me this year and told me, I was in utter shock; I still don’t have the words to conceptualize how big that is.

“I don’t feel like I’ve put the book on the shelf yet. I don’t feel like I’m finished with this story and you tend to associate hall of fame with the end of a career. But it is really cool to go into the hall of fame right at the height of your career. That really is mind blowing.”

Follow Zane’s latest adventures at facebook.com/zane.chunn. To learn more about mounted shooting, visit cmsaevents.com.

Zane, Mom Brenda, Grandmother Judy Ollie, Grandfather Grady Ollie

I Am She

A Collection of Colorful Personalities

words Jeanni Brosius IMAGEs courtesy Darlenia Grant

She is a woman of courage, yet at times she is afraid. She’s a woman of faith who forgives, trusts and dreams. She allows her creativity and imagination to shine through. She finds joy in the simple things and sees the beauty of God in all humans. I Am She.

-DARLENIA GRANT

WWhen Darlenia Grant paints, her hopeful, joyous soul shines through. Darlenia – known to her friends as DeeDee – has a heart for women, and she understands that each season of a woman’s journey has special meaning. Her art is ablaze with colorful strokes that represent women at various stages of life.

Darlenia stood there smiling, seemingly sure of herself, during a recent reception at Gallery 26 in Little Rock. As attendees stopped to visit about her I Am She collection of hand-painted bags, they couldn’t help but notice the colorful jeans she wore featuring lips and eyelashes that fluttered up and down each leg, hand painted by Darlenia.

Her new collection, I Am She, is a series of beautiful, bold bags. Each one-of-a-kind bag has a name, a personality, and a story. For example, Karen is a bag with a delightful nature. Darlenia says Karen has a smile and grace to lighten up the saddest heart. Karen has learned how to dance in the rain despite her grievances.

Then there’s Deborah who is a woman of confidence, although she’s been through a lot. Deborah is a warrior who is gentle and kind with the power to move mountains.

Karen and Deborah have many friends. There’s Veronica, who is colorful and fun; Kadijah, who is full of curiosity and wonder; Tosha is cute and quaint, but a force to be reckoned with; Priscilla has endured challenges that have given her courage; and Lesa, who walks confidently through every open door.

According to Darlenia, these women overcome life’s obstacles gaining confidence and strength. Cards describing their unique stories are included with each bag, so the new owner will know who they are carrying.

“I created the bag line to inspire women to be uniquely themselves, to remind a woman to be alive and free, and to become confident in how colorful she is,” Darlenia says. This collection represents the seasons of a woman’s life, where she eases into her identity. The bag collection is based on a piece she painted with the same name I Am She. “ I Am She is a 45 x 45 self-portrait. It was therapeutic to release how I see myself through color,” Darlenia says.

It’s evident Darlenia has many admirers. One being Renee Williams at Gallery 26, who fell in love with Darlenia’s personality, and after seeing her work asked her to show her work along with other local artists. “We like things in here you can’t buy anywhere else,” Renee says about her Hillcrest gallery. “We have a variety of prices, so everyone can afford something original.”

Another fan is John Bradenberger, owner of Community Bakery. “I love DeeDee’s work,” says John. “What intrigues me about it is there is an underlying joy in her strokes and color palette. There’s a playfulness to it.” John, who is also an artist, says Darlenia has a rare perspective of life, and that shows through in her art. “She has an ease about her,” he continues. “She’s fluid like water and can go in any direction and relates to so many people.”

Born and raised in Seattle, Darlenia learned a lot about diversity in arts and fashion because her hometown is such a melting pot, culturally. When Darlenia was seven, she watched Bob Ross and began dabbling in painting. By the fifth grade, she found a passion for fashion and would put together her own outfits.

“My mom allowed me to wear mismatched clothing,” Darlenia says with a smile. In her youth, she was confident in her art and her identity, but as she got older, that confidence began to fade. As with most women, she began to question her talent and her identity. “I became a chameleon and didn’t think what I liked was good enough,” Darlenia says.

The pandemic reignited her passion to reach her full potential as an artist. “Things were scary and unsure, and when I saw people were getting sick and dying of Covid, I knew I had to follow through and start painting,” Darlenia says.

She began writing stories about her paintings and shared them on social media. Since that time, she’s had four art shows. One of the paintings that helped carve her path with art is titled Self Sabotage. “I was sabotaging myself; second guessing myself and making things take longer, I didn’t feel as if I was good enough, so I went into the garage and painted my feelings. Sabotage is a monstrous thing that eats away at our hopes and dreams.”

The response to the painting was so strong that she had her third art show at Argenta Counseling and Wellness in North Little Rock during an Argenta District Friday Night Art Walk last April.

A natural encourager of women, Darlenia enjoys speaking to groups. She recently was given an opportunity to speak about art at a Community Bakery event. She told a story about her grandmother who used food as a bridge builder. Her grandmother loved cooking for her friends of multiple nationalities. “I spoke about how, in the same way that she

enabled people to feel seen and heard through her cooking, I too, am inspired to do the same through my art and the stories I tell. The legacy my grandmother left behind is being passed down to me through art. She loved women and serving them and so do I.”

To learn more about Darlenia’s work, follow her on Instagram @ForHisGloryArtWork. Her latest show continues through January 14 at Gallery 26, located at 2601 Kavanaugh, Suite 1, in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Darlenia Grant

Fine Dining with a Southern Twist

For the perfect pairing of fine food and creative beverages, there’s no place quite like Uncork’d. The restaurant serves familiar dishes with a sophisticated twist that has foodies raving. “I call it fine dining with a Southern twist; beautifully plated foods to remind you of your Southern roots,” says Sarah Brownfield, event coordinator.

“Our menu is vast, providing something for everyone, from shareable tapas plates you can enjoy with friends to steaks that reward you for getting through the week’s grind.” The restaurant’s wine list, regularly voted the best in town, as well as craft beer and innovative cocktails, provide the perfect companion to Chef Jasmine Williams’ (aka Chef Jas) inventivebut-approachable fare.

“Uncork’d’s vibe feels like a cool Colorado pub, with wood adorning the walls and floors and beautiful wooden tables throughout,” Sarah says. “You can choose from forty craft beers on tap as well as our award-winning wine menu. We also have a wall of Enomatic machines, holding thirty-two wines that you can self-serve and discover something new.” The age 21+ establishment prides itself on ambiance, with a relaxed feel that’s always welcoming, whether catching the big game at the bar, a special occasion dinner in the dining room, or toasting the holidays with your company in the party room.

“The experience makes it unique, and we can customize that experience for any occasion,” Sarah says. “Our private room holds about fifteen people; we have a cigar room that can be private that holds about twelve. The cigar room opens onto the heated patio, which can also be private, accommodating an additional twenty-five to thirty guests. You can even bring your dog on our patio. We are the perfect choice for business lunches, weddings or other events, both on- and off-site. Chef loves these opportunities because it allows her to be creative with her food options.”

words Dwain Hebda

Jas's

Preheat

In a separate bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon. Add pecans to the wet mixture, stir to coat. Next, add sugar mixture to the pecans and mix well to coat.

Pour pecans onto a parchment-covered baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring pecans around every 25 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool and enjoy!

Mint to Be PEPPERMINT BARK

ingredients

• 12 ounces sem isweet chocolate chips

• 16 ounces white chocolate chips

• ½ teaspoon peppermint extract, more or less to taste

• ¾ cup candy canes, crushed

method

Cover a baking sheet with wax paper, set aside. Microwave semisweet chocolate chips in a medium bowl in thirty second increments until melted. Stir until smooth. Spread chocolate onto parchment paper then place in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes until set.

Microwave white chocolate chips in a medium bowl in thirty second increments until melted. Add peppermint extract and stir until smooth and combined.

Spread white chocolate over semisweet chocolate. While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle the top with crushed candy canes. Place in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to set. Remove and break into pieces. Serve or place in tins for gifting.

RECIPE adapted dinneratthezoo image Teri Virbickis/Shutterstock

RECIPE adapted simplyrecipes.com image Levgenii Meyer/Shutterstock

ingredients method

for the cookie dough 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 Tablespoon ground ginger

• 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

• ¾ teaspoon ground cloves

• ½ teaspoon ground nutm eg

• ¾ teaspoon baking soda

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ¾ cup unsalted butter, room tem perature

• ½ cup dark brown sugar, packed

• 1 large egg

• ½ cup unsulfured molasses 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract zest of one small orange

for the icing

• 6 cups powdered sugar

• ¼ cup 2% m ilk, more if needed to thin

• ¼ cup agave

• 2 teaspoons almond extract

• food coloring of choice

to make the dough

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer with paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat sugar and butter on medium speed until fluffy. Add the vanilla, molasses, orange zest, and egg, beat until combined. With the mixer on low, add in flour mixture, a little at a time until combined.

Divide the dough equally and form into two balls. Flatten out each ball gently to a 1-inch-thick circle. Wrap each circle in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator until the dough is chilled, about an hour.

Heat oven to 350° and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap the circle and place it on a lightly floured surface. Flour your rolling pin and roll out the dough evenly to about 1/8-inch thick. Cut out shapes using cookie cutters, re-rolling dough as needed to cut more. Transfer cutouts to the baking sheets, making sure they do not touch. Bake 7-10 minutes. Remove, let cool slightly then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Once cool, decorate with icing. Cookies can be stored in a sealed container for up to 4 days.

to make the icing

Add all ingredients in a bowl, except food coloring. Beat with mixer until combined. Add more milk, one teaspoon at a time, to thin if needed. Divide icing into bowls, add food coloring to reach desired color. Add icing to a standard piping bag or a Ziploc bag (cut off a corner) and pipe the icing onto the cookies.

Mull It Over ingredients

(SERVES 6)

• 1 bot tle red wine (750 ml)

– Merlot / Caberne t Sauvignon

• 2 cups apple cider

• 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup

• 1 orange, zested & juiced

• 5 whole cloves

• 4 green cardamom pods

• 1/4 cup brandy or orange liqueur

• 2 cinnamon s ticks, more for garnish

• 1 whole s tar anise, more for garnish

• 1 whole orange, sliced to rounds (garnish)

method

In a large pot, combine wine, apple cider, honey/syrup, orange zest and reserved orange juice, stir to combine. Add cloves, cardamom, cinnamon sticks, and star anise and boil over medium-high heat. Bring heat to low and simmer for 25-30 minutes, do not allow to boil. Add brandy, stir to combine. Ladle into serving glasses and garnish with orange slices, whole star anise, and cinnamon sticks.

Recipe adapted gimmesomeoven.com

Image GoncharukMaks/Shutterstock

2022HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

Searching for the perfect gift this holiday season? We’re happy to be Santa’s little helpers! No matter what, or who, you’re shopping for, the local small businesses in our community are ready to help you select the perfect gift for everyone on your list!

The River Valley is home to many nonprofit organizations doing incredible work with limited resources. Our 4th annual Guide to Local Nonprofits serves to further each of their missions and allows you to discover how you can get involved and commit your support to the organizations near and dear to your heart.

4300 Rogers Avenue, Suite 23 Fort Smith, Arkansas 7209 Chad Colley Boulevard, Suite H Barling, Arkansas cardandclothshop.com 479.522.0512 / 479.974.7209

Natalie Hedrick and Kaci Collins, Fort Smith natives, opened Card and Cloth’s first storefront location in March of 2018 in Green Pointe Shopping Center. They then launched cardandclothshop.com a year later and in 2020, opened a second storefront location at the beautiful Heritage Community in Chaffee Crossing. Card and Cloth offers women’s clothing sizes XS-3X, home décor, baby gifts and more! Follow along on Instagram: @cardandclothshop and @cardandclothhq for behind the scenes!

7200 Cameron Park Drive Fort Smith, Arkansas centerforhearing.net 479.785.3277

The holiday season can be especially challenging for people with hearing loss. We can help you enjoy conversations again with a hearing solution customized just for you. Properly fit hearing aids help reduce listening fatigue and make visiting with friends and loved ones far more enjoyable. Don't miss out this holiday season, give us a call!

12300 Highway 71 S. Suite C

Fort Smith, Arkansas

exhaleskinbarandbodyworks.com 479.551.2374

All she wants for Christmas is to relax and we’re making that easy at Exhale Skin Bar and Bodyworks. From holiday gift sets to last-minute gift cards to medical & professional grade skincare products plus a variety of spa services to select from including the highly demanded DMK Enzyme Therapy Treatments - we have the perfect gift for everyone on your list. Follow @exhaleskinbarandbodyworks on Instagram and Facebook for more information and holiday promotions. Luxurious, Customized, Relaxation - We strive to bring you the most advanced, corrective aesthetic to the River Valley.

6119 US-271, Fort Smith, Arkansas farmersmarketdirect.com 479.406.7333

Keep your dollars local this holiday season at Farmers Market Direct. Farmers Market Direct is family owned and operated! We offer online shopping with free Fort Smith delivery, convenient curbside pick-up, and in-store shopping. By shopping at Farmers Market Direct, you receive high-quality products while supporting local farmers and artisans. Check out our selection of responsibly raised beef, pasture-raised chicken, all-natural pork, farm-fresh eggs, jams, jellies, and much more. We feature products from some of your favorite farmers market vendors like microgreens, mushrooms, kombucha, produce, baked goods, small-batch candles, natural beauty products, etc. Farmers Market Direct, a farmers market at your fingertips! Follow us on Facebook to keep up with our ever-changing inventory and selection!

1601 Rogers Ave, Fort Smith, Arkansas fsram.org 479.784.2787

Shop the FSRAM Store! We are local and your purchases help sustain our institution’s service to the public and help support local and regional artists! We have a wide selection of hand-crafted jewelry and homewares, original works of art and art prints, art-inspired children’s items, and more. FSRAM is the home of the John Bell, Jr. Legacy Project, so you’ll also find a selection of John Bell, Jr. items, including offset lithographs, prints on canvas, magnets, bags, and two John Bell, Jr. 2023 wall calendars for our upcoming 75th Anniversary Year! Unique gifts you’ll only find at your local Museum Store, and don’t forget…FSRAM Members always receive a discount! We look forward to welcoming you.

5622 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Arkansas johnmaysjewelers.com 479.452.2140

The holidays have arrived! We cherish the opportunities to see old friends, support our community, and spend quality time with our families and loved ones. We are very excited to host our Holiday Open House on the evening of Friday December 2, from 5pm - 7pm, and on Saturday December 3, from 10am - 5pm. We also invite you to join us as we continue our Give Back Day to Christ the King School! We’re honored to donate 10% of all sales on Saturday December 10, from 10am - 5pm. We cannot wait to visit with you in person this holiday season, it is truly our pleasure to serve you. From the Mays family to yours, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!

4300 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Arkansas hummingbird-boutique-fort-smith.myshopify.com 479.420.4008

We are a unique boutique offering gifts and clothing for all ages! Founded and operated by a local mother-daughter duo, we've created beautiful and unique items waiting for you to explore. Nothing makes us happier than moms, daughters, and grandmothers shopping together at Hummingbird! Inside our 2,500-square-foot space, you'll find clothing, décor, candles, journals, books, religious items, inspirational gifts, jewelry, and more! We carry a variety of clothing lines including Sympli with options for all budgets! Customers compliment the inviting interior, peaceful shopping experience, and close parking. We offer gift wrapping and SO much new inventory has arrived, just in time for Christmas – come see us and enjoy our extended hours this month!

314 Lexington Avenue, Fort Smith, Arkansas salonelements.com 479.649.3435

This holiday season, give our Elements gift card and share our products and services with everyone on your Christmas list! Salon Elements is one of the River Valley's most unique and engaging hair salons. Marcie Comstock and our Salon Elements team of incredibly talented stylists provide cuts, styling, blowouts, hand tied hair extensions, hair replacement, color, individual eye lash extensions, skin care, massage, wigs, men’s barbering, hot shaves and sugaring! Salon Elements specializes in modern hair techniques like balayage, platinum-card, and dimensional highlighting. We want to invite you to feel complete ease as we bring the good word, love, and haircuts. Call to book an appointment or purchase your gift cards today!

103 East Main Street, Alma, Arkansas skokospac.org

Box Office: 479.632.2129

Here at the Skokos, we are celebrating our 20th Anniversary of Bringing the Arts Alive in the River Valley! We are excited to be poised for future growth with much anticipated roadway expansions, further connecting Alma’s arts and culture opportunities with our surrounding communities. As one of the finest performing arts centers in the region, offering a professional season of quality entertainment from the classics to country to comedy, drama, dance, to Broadway and beyond, we invite our neighbors to explore these opportunities for you and your family! Upcoming 2023 spring shows include: Feb 4: The Isaacs; Feb 25: Cross that River; March 16: Anastasia. Visit us online or call the box office for tickets!

5401 Phoenix Avenue, Fort Smith, Arkansas mysodies.com 479.783.8013

Sodie’s Wine & Spirits wants to make this the easiest holiday season ever! Our new mobile app allows you to search our inventory, drop your favorite products in your virtual cart and pick them up at our drive thru. We also have custom gift baskets available. Call or come by and tell us what items you would like in your gift basket, and we can make it special for you. From corporate gifts to stocking stuffers, Sodie’s has you covered!

6808 Rogers Avenue, Ste. B

Fort Smith, Arkansas truegritrunningco.com 479.434.3571

True Grit Running Company was founded to passionately promote a healthy and active lifestyle in the River Valley area. We aim to create an exceptional retail experience by providing excellent customer care, product knowledge, and community. With our slow-motion video gait analysis system and foot scanner, each customer is ensured a unique experience. Our store is locally owned and operated by Melissa Vitale, who became a runner later in life, when she sought to make a change in her lifestyle. She and staff now strive to share the joy of living an active, healthy lifestyle with everyone. Visit True Grit to find the best shoes for that next step of your health journey.

Fort Smith, Greenwood, Van Buren yeagershardware.com 479.646.1209

For over 60 years, Yeagers Hardware has been your local neighborhood store in the River Valley. Yeagers is coming to Barling in 2023! We are your go-to place for name brands like Stihl, Echo, Ego, Traeger, Blackstone, Big Green Egg, DeWalt, Milwaukee and more. Order online at acehardware. com and pick up within minutes in store or have it delivered. Why shop at the big boxes when we can order for you and maintain stock for items you need all the time? Just ask! Shop local, it matters.