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April 2018 DoSouthMagazine.com
CONTENTS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / OWNER Catherine Frederick CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Scott Frederick MANAGING EDITOR Marla Cantrell CONTRIBUTING WRITERS / PHOTOGRAPHERS Joel H. Aizprúa Marla Cantrell Benita Drew Catherine Frederick Jade Graves Dwain Hebda Pineapple PR Jessica Sowards Tom Wing Hayleigh Worgan GRAPHIC DESIGNER Artifex 323 - Jessica Mays PROOFREADER Charity Chambers
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PUBLISHER Read Chair Publishing, LLC
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INSIDE
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ARE YOU READY FOR SOME STEAMPUNK? One of Van Buren’s oldest festivals is getting a makeover! Find out why steampunk is causing such a stir, and why you should plan to attend.
THE DELISH DISH This Tuscan Garlic Chicken with Pesto Zoodles is easy to make, easy to clean up, gluten-free and keto diet approved. Plus, it’s super delicious!
GEORGIA ON MY MIND If you’re planning your next vacation, consider Augusta. We have tons of travel tips, tales of the state’s iconic peaches, and must-see stops in this Georgia city.
ARKANSAS’ GREAT GRAPES The wineries and vineyards of our great state are filled with history, heritage, and humble beginnings. Not to mention, some truly delicious wines!
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ADVERTISING INFORMATION Catherine Frederick - 479.782.1500 Catherine@DoSouthMagazine.com
EDITORIAL INFORMATION Marla Cantrell - 479.831.9116 Marla@DoSouthMagazine.com ©2018 Read Chair Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. The 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 to Do South® or Read Chair Publishing, LLC., 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 Cover Image: savitskaya iryna
FOLLOW US Annual subscriptions are $36 (12 months), within the contiguous United States. Subscribe at DoSouthMagazine.com or mail check to 4300 Rogers Avenue, Suite 20-110, Fort Smith, AR, 72903. Single issues are available upon request. Inquiries or address changes, call 479.782.1500.
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letter from the editor
I
I am a list maker. Not loose paper lists, but notebook filling
would turn into a collection so vast that it fills his entire base-
lists—the more categorized and color-coded the better. I find
ment and warrants visits from college professors and children
intense satisfaction in crossing items off the list one
from local schools? Read Joe’s story on page 22.
by one, then ripping it from the wire binding, crumpling it into a tiny ball, and finally tossing
If the warmer weather has you dreaming of a
it into the trash. But one list is ongoing. It’s
getaway, we’ve got you covered. Dwain
filled with long and short-term goals I want
Hebda takes us along on his trip through
to accomplish. It ranges from small things
Arkansas’ wine country and gives us
I could do in a day, such as weeding
tips on taking a day trip of our own.
the flower bed or rearranging my
Looking to travel beyond our state’s
closet from winter to spring, to items
borders? Discover why history runs
most would say belong on a bucket list.
deep in Augusta, Georgia, and why
Things like: learn to speak Italian, plan a
there’s more to love about this region than just the Masters® Tournament.
vacation to the Maldives, or learn to play the acoustic guitar. It’s the bucket list items that
And don’t miss our All About Kids special
set me dreaming, even if some feel like fairytales.
feature! We’re bringing you the best of the best We have plenty of dreams that come true in this issue.
in public and private education options, specialized health-
Remember Duke and Duchess from our February issue? The
care, local entertainment, and fun activities for the kiddos,
two furry lovebirds who longed to leave the Hope Humane
so you can stay informed, have a great time with your kids,
Society for a forever home together? Turns out, thanks to
and make the best possible decisions for your family.
our story, they found one! Marla Cantrell brings us an update on the precious pair on page 14. Hayleigh Worgan takes us
As for my family, our son turned thirteen last month, so I’m
inside the dream that is the Bentonville Film Festival on page
holding on tighter than ever as the days fly by with light-
34. The fourth annual event kicks off on May 1, in the heart
ning speed. My thoughts run just as fast: Where will he go
of the city’s downtown district. Filmmakers hoping to have
to college? What career path will he choose? Will he move
their career launched, and celebrities who support those
far away? And possibly the most recurrent one: Will I need
whose casts and scripts are inclusive, will be in attendance.
medication when he graduates from high school? I don’t know about you, but those questions look like a list to me.
Sometimes a dream is not immediately realized but evolves over time. Take Joe Kremers from Clarksville, Arkansas, for example. How could he know that when he began collecting bugs in 1957 as a high school science project, that sixty years later it
Wait here while I go get my pen!
~Catherine
Follow Do South® Magazine
To reserve this free space for your charitable non-profit organization, email: Editors@DoSouthMagazine.com.
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calendar
APRIL
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some images courtesy vendors and Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism
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Fostering Fashion Fort Smith jlfs.org
Paws for Paws Fort Smith runsignup.com Each adult entrant in the Paws for Paws 5K Color Run can have a child 12 or younger race with them for free! Race begins at the intersection of Darby Avenue and Ellis Street in the Historic District of Chaffee Crossing.
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Submit your events to editors@dosouthmagazine.com
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Wine & Roses Gala Fort Smith reynoldscancersupporthouse.org
Gourmet food, exceptional wines, live music and dancing, great art for sale, even an auction. Wine & Roses is an incredible fundraiser for Fort Smith’s Donald W. Reynolds Cancer Support House.
Head to the Fort Smith Convention Center for the ultimate night out hosted by the Junior League. Shopping, food, drinks, a fashion show, and silent auction.
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Calendar Girls Fort Smith fslt.org Ready for a heartwarming show that will make you cherish life? Calendar Girls, based on a true story about 11 mature women raising money for a local hospital in a riotously unconventional way, is just the ticket. DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
19th Century Living History Ball Fort Smith fortsmithmuseum.org The whole family can attend this ball at the Fort Smith Museum of History. Live music from the Camp Follower Band. Dress in 19th-century attire or come as you are to learn reels, jigs, and quadrilles.
calendar
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FS Symphony: Bicentennial Celebration Fort Smith fortsmithsymphony.org This season marks the 200th anniversary of the founding of Fort Smith, and the symphony is celebrating with exuberant film scores and world premieres that will blow you away!
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24-29 T H Beautiful – The Carole King Musical Fayetteville waltonartscenter.org The Tony® and Grammy Award®winning Broadway hit, Beautiful—The Carole King Musical makes its Walton Arts Center debut for a limited eightshow run.
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Wild Edibles Workshop Devil’s Den State Park 479.761.3325
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Learn about wild edible plants from Dr. Tamara Walkingstick as you hike, and help prepare a dish for the class to sample from nature’s wild garden. Contact the park’s front desk for more information and fees.
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Cinderella Fort Smith uafs.universitytickets.com Here’s your chance to see Cinderella, the Tony® Award-winning musical that's delighting audiences with its surprisingly contemporary take on the classic tale.
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The Old Timers Day Steampunk Festival Van Buren oldtownvanburen.com The Old Timers Day Festival has a new look, and it’s all steampunk! More free family events, entertainment including stilt walkers and fire eaters, food trucks from as far away as Florida, and great shopping.
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poetry
THE WINDED NIGHT LINEs Joel H. AizprĂşa, JOLAIZ
I heard the wind passing by in a moonless night
and missing stars in the sky, and among its whistles;
were verbs in broken words. Between the noises of its tail were hanging clothes
fluttering on tired strings like forgotten flags
of long-time gone wars. I undertook a journey
into the inner corridors of my mind,
traveled distant lands
to rescue the love of mine. Speechless voices
pausing in the void
added anguish to my soul and neither the wind nor its whistling
brought a whisper from her love.
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entertainment
Are You Ready for Some Steampunk? words Marla Cantrell IMAGE courtesy Kathy Lumpkins
For forty-two years, downtown Van Buren, Arkansas, has hosted its Old Timers Day Festival, an event that celebrates the area’s past. This year, the festival, on April 28th and 29th, is getting a makeover, and going steampunk. If you’re not familiar with the word, it originated in the 1980s when like-minded individuals imagined a world that was a mesh of the Victorian era, the Industrial Revolution, and science fiction. not enough to entice you, there will be a steampunk costume Artist and downtown Van Buren shop owner Kathy Lumpkins says
contest for you and your dog.
the easiest way to explain steampunk is to think about what today would look like if we didn’t have electricity or the technology
As for food, you can expect some traditional festival fare. But
that stems from it. Invention would depend on brain power and
there are other adventurous choices, like the food truck from
imagination (think 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea). Moving large
Miami that’s set to serve shrimp kabobs, jambalaya, and even
objects would require steam power, fire, cogs and wheels.
mahi-mahi. Another is making drinks served in pineapples.
As for fashion, steampunk is radiant with top hats and tails,
Of course, there will be traveling arts and crafts vendors with
corsets and ruffles. Kathy’s vintage shop, Key Lime Crush,
unique merchandise. The stores along Main Street will be open,
features many steampunk items, from clothing she makes to
as will downtown restaurants.
lamps she designs with found objects. She’s thrilled about the new twist on the old festival and can’t wait for visitors to see it.
There are a few paid events. On Saturday from 5-7pm (after
There will be performers at all five intersections of downtown
sion on all things steampunk is still being organized. There will
Main Street performing shows at one stop and then moving
be a workshop for making your own steampunk hat. And there
to the next so that everyone in the crowd gets a chance to see
will be horse and buggy rides.
hours), there’s a tethered hot air balloon. A tea and panel discus-
them. There will be several acts, including Irish sword dancers, fire dancers, stilt walkers, jugglers. Some come from far away, while
Kathy believes the new twist on this old festival will bring in
others, including Sacred Somatics, a group from Fort Smith, will
people of all ages and is perfect for everyone, from the littlest
only have to travel a short distance.
visitors to those who’ve attended every Old Timers Festival these past four decades.
While those acts are mobile, the nationally traveled steampunk sideshow from Tulsa, Carnival Epsilon, is set to perform on stage. And at the end of the street, Airship Iron Rose will wow the crowd not only with their act but with their life-size gondola bridge,
Old Timers Day Steampunk Festival
where high-wire stunts take place, as well as tons of special effects.
Downtown Van Buren April 28: 9am-5pm
Cedric Morley, a magician who does balloon art and face
April 29: 9am-4pm
painting, is attending, as is Professor Jefferson Parker and his
oldtownvanburen.com
Penny Farthing Bike. All these performances are free. If that’s DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
entertainment
The Kindness Effect Experience the Power of Irrational Giving By Jill Donovan, Founder of Rustic Cuff Charisma House | 166 pages | $20 review Marla Cantrell
I, like most women I know, have an affection for the bracelets
In some books of this sort, it feels as if the author is sending a
made by Rustic Cuff, a wildly popular company in Tulsa. I’ve
mixed message. The words they write are, “Look at me! Look
worn one that has the inscription Let Your Faith Be Bigger
at what I’ve done!” even as they tell you not to put them
Than Your Fear.
on a pedestal. But Jill writes so humbly that that flaw never surfaces. She talks about the kindness shown to her. She talks
I wear it because it reminds me not to freefall into that abyss
about hard life lessons she’s learned through her husband’s
of imagining the worst that can happen. Economics, relation-
illnesses and the loss of her father. She talks about rearing
ships, health, it’s a lot to worry about.
two girls whose light and love bowl her over.
That bracelet helps remind me to let the future play out the
Mixed in are examples of irrational giving, both by herself and
way the future will, and deal with whatever comes with faith.
by others she’s known. One of the small things she does is
Still, I had no idea the story behind this piece and the rest
wear a row of cuffs on her wrist, jingling as she walks along.
of her collection, many with other uplifting messages, until I
When she hears that small voice inside her head tell her to
picked up Jill Donovan’s book, The Kindness Effect. Jill is the
take one off and give it to a woman who looks like she needs
creator of Rustic Cuff, a law professor who started this busi-
it, she gives it to her. The first time she tried this, she was
ness from her guest bedroom, making bracelets she calls cuffs
hesitant but pushed ahead. When she handed the bracelet
late at night while she watched a lot of TV.
over, the woman told Jill she’d been diagnosed with breast cancer the day before and had asked God to send her a sign
She started giving the cuffs away to family and friends, and
that she’d be okay. The pink bracelet Jill gave her was the sign
soon others started asking to buy them. From there, her
this frightened woman needed.
jewelry empire was born. Of course, there are bigger stories in this book, of grander But this book is not about the wild success of Rustic Cuff.
giving and the infinite blessings that flow from it. But all
Instead, it’s a meditation on Jill’s life, the ups and downs that
have the same message of hope. If you’re searching for an
made her who she is today. The family and faith that formed
uplifting story that will make you excited about the future
her sweet heart. Because for all the success she’s garnered, what
instead of afraid of it, pick up The Kindness Effect. Your
lies beneath is a desire to live a life of radical kindness and giving.
heart will thank you.
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community
This year, as Fort Smith celebrates its bicentennial, author and historian Tom Wing will be sharing stories of our city’s past in each edition of Do South®.
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MARTIN SCOTT Tcha-to’-ga (Mad Buffalo)
Martin Scott
words Tom Wing, Historian IMAGEs Mad Buffalo by George Catlin courtesy of the Gilcrease Museum via Tom Wing; Photo of Martin Scott courtesy of the Bennington Museum via Tom Wing
Fort Smith’s history includes a number of recognizable soldiers
seventy-five yards, three times in a minute-twenty seconds. Yet
who were associated with the post. A few became generals and
another tale, perhaps tall, but likely grounded in some fact, tells
one even president. One soldier, who would have likely been
of Scott and two friends hunting. Scott’s associates proceeded
among those remembered had his life taken a different turn,
up a trail where they both missed the same raccoon. When
was Martin Scott. Author and historian Frank Jastrzembski has
Scott appeared, ready to take the shot and bag the animal, the
recently chronicled his amazing life.
raccoon surrendered and was taken alive out of fear of Scott’s reputation with a rifle.
Born in Bennington, Vermont, in 1788, Scott had a reputation for being a crack shot. At twelve years old, he shot and killed a
In 1814, he received a commission to serve in the army and
bear that had been terrorizing local farms. Another story notes
was soon promoted to second lieutenant. In 1818 he joined
an occasion where Scott shot the center of a playing card at
the elite Rifle Regiment and rose to the rank of first lieutenant.
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community
He spent time at a number of frontier posts in the west, until
bank, where they murdered six people, three Quapaw and three
he was transferred to Major William Bradford’s company at Fort
Delaware tribal members who were friendly to the Cherokee.
Smith, dubbed the “Little Gibraltar on the Arkansas,” in 1821.
The group also plundered and robbed settlers on Lee Creek, and made off with a large number of stolen horses. Scott noted
At that time, the fort, established in 1817 to settle the peace
that “no whites” were harmed and the soldiers’ families, while
between the removed Cherokee and the relocated Osage, was
no doubt traumatized, were not injured.
holding its own. But it was understaffed due to illness, ending of enlistments, and a few desertions. To remedy this, Major
Scott’s account was published anonymously in the Arkansas
Bradford traveled to St. Louis to recruit and enlist replacements.
Gazette on April 23, 1821. “Their covenant in attempting to get
This left the fort in the hands of a newly transferred First Lieu-
in the fort by strategizing, their exertions made use of to attain
tenant, Martin Scott.
that object, their hostile appearance and insolent demands for provisions and ammunition, together with their landing parties
History tells of many instances where untried, inexperienced
above and below us, can only be viewed as a violation of good
rookies must sink or swim in pressured situations. Reputations
faith towards our government, checked by energetic and deci-
that last a lifetime are made under such conditions. April 9,
sive measures.”
1821, was one of those times. The day dawned like any other fine Western Arkansas spring day, with the exception of the
In 1824, three years after the article appeared, Fort Smith was
post being alerted to 400 Osage warriors on the opposite shore
abandoned, its mission mostly accomplished, with some credit
across from the fort, harassing soldiers’ families who lived in a
due to Scott. The Rifle Regiment was disbanded at the same
cluster of cabins located there.
time, and Scott eventually became a Lieutenant Colonel in the 5th Infantry. In 1847, he died leading his men at the Battle of
Led by Tcha-to’-ga (Mad Buffalo) and six other leaders, the
Molino Del Rey in the Mexican War.
war party occupied the Loving family cabin, threatening Susan Loving and her children, while her husband was on duty in the
Years later, Osage oral history somewhat disputed Scott’s account,
fort. Lieutenant Scott sent emissaries across the river to escort
explaining the 400 warriors could have conquered the Cherokee,
the Osage leaders to the fort. He also specified that the 400
but one of the leaders experienced a bad dream and interpreted
warriors were not to cross. Scott described the “haughty”
it as an evil omen. Therefore, the hostility towards the fort was
demeanor of the group and that they refused food and drink.
abandoned by choice and not the actions of the Lieutenant.
Scott explained the government’s position of neutrality to Mad
The details of the dream remain unknown, lost to time, but
Buffalo and the other leaders. His words were met with the
one has to wonder if it might have involved a few pounds of
Osage’s demands for provisions, ammunition, and permission
black powder, a quantity of iron shot, and two cannon barrels
to bring the war party across the river and camp beside the fort.
mounted on wooden carriages. If so, perhaps both Martin
During the discussion, the group “minutely examined every
Scott’s and the Osage accounts might actually agree.
part of the fort and were anxious to know how many soldiers were at the post.” Scott noted “there was little doubt of their hostility towards the garrison.” Once the leaders crossed back over the river, the Osage were seen cutting trees, lashing logs and making rafts. A small group of warriors was discovered on the fort side of the river, hiding in a cane break below the post. With these provocations, Lieutenant Scott ordered the two six-pounder cannons to be loaded and set up outside the fort in view of the war party. This show of firepower caused the
For more information about Martin Scott, visit emergingcivilwar.com/2017/05/15/the-mythical-martin-scott/. For information about Osage oral history, read
The Chouteaus: First Family of the Fur Trade by Stan Hoig.
raft-building to stop, and the cane break invaders retreated. The entire war party then proceeded downstream, on the north DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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pets
Duchess and Duke
Duke and Duchess Find a Home In February, Do South® published a story about Duke and Duchess,
words Marla Cantrell IMAGE courtesy Hope Humane Society
Still, the plight of these two kept coming back to her.
two sweet strays staying at Hope Humane Society in Fort Smith, Arkansas. These dogs had a problem; they couldn’t stand to be
So, one night after she and Chris had gone to bed, she told him
apart, and that made finding them a home a little tricky. Someone
their story. “I pray about everything,” Cindy says, “so I figured if
had to love them both.
Chris didn’t think it was a good idea, I’d take that as a closed door.”
Enter Cindy Kenna, who read their story in our February issue.
Chris didn’t say no, but he did broach the subject cautiously, and
In May of 2017, she and her husband Chris had lost both their
even though he suggested setting up a meeting, Cindy suspected
precious dogs, Abby and Bubba, to age and illness. The Kennas
she’d gotten her answer. One thing she said before nodding off
were heartsick. In the months that followed, they talked about
was, “I think the question comes down to, Christopher, do we
getting another dog, and when Cindy says this, she raises a
have enough love in our hearts to welcome two little souls.”
finger. “One dog,” she says and laughs, “probably a smaller dog that could fly with us when we travel.”
As she says this, her eyes fill. She is sitting at her kitchen table
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pets
where sunlight pools. Just outside, down a long flight of steps
night. You get a dog (or two), and you have to sweep more and
is a half-acre that makes up the backyard, and in that yard are
clean up the occasional accident. But all that love, Cindy asks,
eight forty-year-old pine trees where squirrels do gymnastics.
isn’t it worth it?
And in the grass, rabbits zip here and there, moles plunder beneath the soft dirt, and birds play choruses all day long.
She answers her question. “You read stories like the one about
Translation: it is doggy paradise.
Duke and Duchess, and your heart breaks, but you might not act on it. Or it might be something else you felt you should have done
The next morning, the first thing Chris said was, “Are you ready
but didn’t. It felt good to follow through with a good intention.
to go see the dogs?”
To complete another task here on Earth that you were supposed to complete. I feel like we’re theirs more than they're ours.
On that day, Duke and Duchess were at Pet Smart in Fort Smith, at a mobile adoption event for Hope Humane Society. After
“I never thought I wanted a Chihuahua.” Cindy laughs. “But
loving on both of them, and then making sure they were okay
now I have Duke, and I can’t imagine him not being here. If you
around cats—the Kennas have a cat they adore—they signed the
give the Lord a chance, the things that you had shut the door on
adoption papers.
can open up.”
“When Christopher started the car, I was holding Duke, and
The door to Chris’s office is wide open. Between where he sits
Duchess was in the backseat. She came up from behind and
with his head bent over his keyboard and where Cindy sits at her
licked Chris’ ears. It was like she was saying thank-you, thank-
table are their two dogs, fast asleep, curled into one another,
you. When I got them home, I told them, ‘This is your home. No
content. The phone rings and Duke and Duchess raise their
one will ever take you away.’”
sweet heads. The sound is nothing for them to be concerned about, so they lie back down and sigh. At this moment, in fact,
For a week, Duke and Duchess stayed so close to each other
they have no concerns at all. And that is the perfect ending to
they were often touching. They didn’t like it when Cindy was
this story that began with two worried dogs holding on to hope
out of view, so she made sure they could see her. They began to
and each other, looking for a family to love them as much as
trust their good luck bit by bit, and one day, she noticed them
they loved each other.
in the yard. Duke was lying in the sun, and Duchess was yards away, her black nose in a molehill. There they were just dogs being dogs. Not afraid of losing each other, not afraid Cindy and Chris would suddenly disappear.
There are so many other pets looking for a home. Please consider finding your next forever friend at a local shelter.
As Cindy is telling this story, Chris opens the door, and Duke and Duchess rush in, ask for kisses, and head to the swanky bed Chris bought. It is elevated off the floor, topped with a cushy mattress and on top of that a soft cover. Chris smiles as
We’ve listed a few to get you started. Hope Humane Society, Fort Smith hopehumanesociety.com/479.783.4395
the dogs hop up, circle and cuddle. They look like happiness
Ahisma, Muldrow, OK
personified, joy embodied by fur.
ahismarescuefoundation.org/479.651.1319
Already, the Kennas are thinking about the future, adding the dogs into every decision. They’ll take fewer overnight trips to see
Almost Home Shelter, Van Buren almosthome.org/479.462.3122
friends, for example, and longer trips will likely be by car. But none
Charleston Dog Shelter, Charleston
of that is concerning. Most of what matters takes concessions.
479.965.3591
Plus, Cindy says, life gets messy if you live it well. You have kids, and it’s runny noses and stepping on Legos in the middle of the
Humane Society of The Ouachitas, Mena 479.394.5682
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pets
M
F
M
M
Emory
Heidi
M
Kodiak
Sarge
F
Reese
Trudy
Almost Home Shelter and Rescue 3390 Pointer Trail East - Van Buren, AR | 479.462.3122 or 479.629.0056 | Almost Home Shelter and Rescue is a 501C-3 Non-Profit all volunteer staffed facility. They work in partnership with Van Buren Animal Control to find loving, forever homes for the dogs in their care. All dogs will be spayed or neutered and up to date on vaccines when adopted. Please consider adopting or fostering one of their sweet pets. Each month, Do SouthÂŽ donates this page to local and regional non-profit animal shelters. If you work with a shelter and would like to reserve this space, please email editors@dosouthmagazine.com. DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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community
Our Community Cares words Do South® staff
Each day, Next Step Homeless Services sees as many as 150 clients who are either homeless or about to be. In 2017, they assisted 1,427 homeless men, women and children at the dayroom and averaged 450 clients each month. The United Way Community Partner non-profit provides help including hot lunches on weekdays, a place to receive mail and make phone calls, case management tailored to each client, job counseling, job referrals, and housing assistance. Do South® spoke with Executive Director Kim Wohlford about their mission.
DS: What does having a hot meal each weekday mean to your clients? Kim: We served over 23,000 meals in our soup kitchen in 2017 with the help of many volunteers! The meals are a matter of survival for many. This is also a time when our professional case managers check in with clients to see how they’re doing, schedule counseling, offer hygiene items and ask if they need specific assistance. 123 North 6th Street, Suite 200 Fort Smith, AR 72901
DS: What about the housing Next Step provides?
479.782.5433
Kim: We provide emergency shelter during the day. We have transitional housing, where clients
thenextstepfs.org
can literally take that “next step” towards self-sufficiency. In our transitional housing program, clients apply, are screened and selected to live in these residences for up to 6 months. They must agree to live drug and alcohol-free, obtain employment or disability benefits, and save 80% of their income until graduation from the program. In return, we provide 100% of their living expenses, including groceries. We furnish counseling and case management several times per week. This program began in 2006, with the 8-bedroom Gabriel House for men. With the help
Next month, we’ll showcase another worthy charity in our area. If you have a non-profit you’d like to see recognized, email us at editors@dosouthmagazine.com.
of a Community Development Block Grant from the city, we were able to open Esther House in 2009, a 7-bedroom home for women and children. In 2012, (again with grants and community support), we opened the 16-bedroom Buddy Smith House, focusing on homeless veterans. In November 2017, Next Step purchased a duplex, and our first family moved in at Christmas. In April 2017, we secured additional CDBG funding to build two single-family homes. We’re working with the Fort Smith Housing Authority and Affordable Construction who’ve helped us find the most affordable, quality construction. In January, we began construction on both twobedroom, one-bath homes. In March, we’ll break ground on the first single, transitional residence for a homeless veteran, due to a generous donation of David Dillmeier, CEO of Dillmeier Glass, and additional monies provided by community leaders and donors. The house will be named for David’s late father-in-law, Korean War veteran Jack Bradley.
DS: How can our readers help? Kim: We need all the household items you’d need when moving to a new home, volunteers for minor home repairs for our older homes, volunteers to serve meals, or to provide food or meals. Call us at 479.252.5100 or 479.782.5433.
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community
IMAGEs courtesy local boutiques
Cold Shoulder Etched Top from Sympli in papaya.
Gallivanting Ladies Apparel 4300 Rogers Ave. Fort Smith 479.646.7555
Dainty blooms and polished pinstripes pair together, styled with adjustable shoulder straps, a sweetheart neck and drapey palazzo pants to create the perfect jumper combo.
This light-weight blush cardigan is perfect for layering paired with KUT from the Kloth denim. Your favorite, go-to basic paired with our wide-legged, high waisted trouser.
Simply Couture Boutique
Card + Cloth
305 Garrison Ave. Fort Smith 479.650.3202
4300 Rogers Ave., Ste. 21 Fort Smith 479.522.0512
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We are currently loving denim jackets for all seasons. Adding a denim jacket to jeans and a tee makes the look more put together.
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people
Inside Joe’s Bug Lab words and images Benita Drew
Inside Joe Kremers' home in Clarksville, Arkansas, there’s a prized collection, down a narrow staircase, housed in a well-lit white room, with a handmade wooden sign reading “Joe’s Bug Lab.” What started in 1957, as a Clarksville High School science project,
Joe Kremers
turned into a collection that’s grown for the past sixty years. Glass jars are carefully placed on shelves lining the walls, and in the middle of the room, from floor
The group from Brigham Young asked him to come with them
to ceiling. His basement houses an impressive collection of
while researching crayfish that lived in the mountains. "To me, it
insects both common and rare, some to the point of being
was fun just going with the professionals, a bunch of us traipsing
classified as endangered, as well as a few that no one has yet
through the woods," Joe said. The information they gathered
been able to identify.
was included in a book, Crayfish of the World, written by a Swedish man from the group.
Joe's brother Tom said, "I remember the box (that he started his collection in) from when I was nine years old. Joe ordered pins
One might think he’d devoted his career to these creatures,
from somewhere, and I remember thinking I'd never seen pins
but that isn’t the case. “I just always liked bugs, even as a little
so tiny. They were made just for that." Joe added that the box,
guy,” Joe said. He still had a few from his high school project
which he still uses to take a sample of his bugs to show at school
and added to it when he had another bug-collection assignment
visits, was his mother's sewing box before he claimed it for his
while attending the College of the Ozarks. He'd have liked to
first collection.
have made a career out of studying bugs, but times were tough, and he left to work in the coal mines after his first semester.
A professor from Ohio State once spent four hours studying Joe’s collection and left with a list of thirty names. Of those,
Joe met his future wife Trenna at a community dance, and they
six were declared to have never been found in the state before,
married in 1962. He only had a handful of bugs in his collection
earning Joe recognition in the 2009 Journal of the Arkansas
at the time but continued to collect.
Academy of Science. He’s also had visitors from Brigham Young, Mississippi State, and Southern Arkansas University, to
He bug-hunts when he has time or sets traps, usually consisting
name a few.
of two-liter bottles, with a hole cut in the top and species-specific DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
people
homemade bait placed inside. “You have to find out what plant they feed on. I just try different stuff for the traps, like maple syrup and sugar. Sometimes I catch one right off, others not. I just try different things until I find what works.” He worked for years to find a sugar maple borer beetle, but then tried beer, sugar and maple syrup and caught eighteen in four days. Joe uses approximately forty books, some bought and some gifts, to identify most of his findings, though occasionally he can't find a specimen in any of his books or on the Internet. That's when he calls Professor Henry Robison of Southern Arkansas University. "Henry knows everybody. If you've got a bug, he knows a bug expert. If you've got a frog, he knows a frog expert. The same with moss and fish. If I can't identify a bug, he sends it to one of his buddies that is a curator at the
start their own collections and are taken on a field trip, armed
Smithsonian and an expert on the longhorn beetles, which are
with nets, to see who can collect the most specimens.
my favorite." His connection with Henry is how the word of his collection got out to other universities across the United States.
Of Joe’s six children, twelve grandchildren, and four greatgrandchildren, none have yet shown the desire and patience to
Joe not only enjoys sharing his collection with experts but
collect as he has. “The grands will get involved and give up in a
curious children as well. Starting approximately ten years ago
week or two,” he said, adding that when he threatens to throw
with his daughter-in-law Andrea's second-grade class, he
them away, suddenly all of them want to keep them.
began letting them tour his bug lab. Now each fall, the entire Clarksville second grade files into his room full of bug-filled
While he estimates that ninety-five percent of his collection
glass jars and shelves, ten at a time. It takes three days for the
was found in Arkansas, Trenna recalls an outing in Texas that
approximately 200 students to have a chance to inspect the
netted a few more. “He set up a box on top of the car with a
insects up close.
funnel to guide them in, and we drove around Texas that way. The kids were kind of embarrassed,” she chuckled.
In the spring, he takes a relatively small sample of his bugs to an event for the Pottsville fifth grade, where his daughter Ann Lee
Tom tells another story. "Joe was clearing land and dug up an
teaches. Approximately 130 children each year learn how to
elderberry bush. He found larvae in the root. He had one of the
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bushes growing in his yard, so he drilled a hole in the root of it and put the larvae in it then built a cage over it, so he could catch it when it came out." Joe said it was an elderberry borer beetle, and that he had built a similar wire device around a white oak to trap a white oak borer beetle. He waited three years for the white oak borer beetle to emerge. Most emerge every other year, while some take up to thirty. In each of his jars, he has numerous examples of the same insect, pinned to a piece of Styrofoam, with the insect name, where it was found, and if someone gave it to him: that person’s name. He includes a series of numbers: the number that coincides with that particular bug within a book and the number of the book he used to identify the bug. Each of his books has a number taped to the spine for this purpose. Of his vast collection, he remembers stories about many and has his favorites. The Dryobius Sexnotatus, 103-1, 2012, is one example. He hunted the long black and yellow beetle with antenna longer than its body, for a considerable time. Then, within two months in 2012, he and his friend Gene Leeds found four in Piney Creek and north of Oark. It’s considered for the endangered list for its rarity. The apple borer beetle, or Saperda Candida, is one he hunted for years. His son Paul found one and brought it to him, as he often does with bugs. Joe admitted he has still not found an apple borer beetle himself. Looking as well preserved as each of the other specimens, the Plectodera, or cottonwood beetle, still sits on the shelf, a part of his original 1975 collection. Joe also proudly displayed a fish-eating spider which he said he found interesting because it goes underwater to catch minnows. The key to keeping a collection intact for so long, Joe said, is to dry them well to prevent mold, so he keeps a dehydrator running. His trove of meticulously preserved insects might not gain him fame or fortune. It has, however, unquestionably gained respect among professionals and fascination from students. Joe shares letters from second graders thanking him for sharing his collection with them, with as much pleasure as he does his books and cards signed by educators and professionals in the study of bugs. Joe is just happy collecting bugs, learning as he goes, and sharing that knowledge with others. DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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people
The Land of
What-if
B e i n g a p a r e n t i s t e r r i f y i n g. Words and images Jessica Sowards
I used to live in so much fear
t h a t s o m e t h i n g a w f u l w o u l d h a p p e n t o m y k i d s. E v e r y n e w s s t o r y w a s a o n e -w a y t i c ke t t o t h e La n d o f W h a t- i f. A n d i t w a s a l a n d I v i s i t e d o f t e n. I t w a s a l a n d i n w h i c h I h e l d d u e l c i t i z e n s h i p.
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people
I’d wake in the night and hover over their beds with my hand
and a mother that knew the goodness of God. It went viral. So
gently resting on their chests, making sure my imagined
much so that four years later, it still receives a hundred hits a
horrors had not spilled over into reality and, in fact, stopped
day. Beauty began to emerge from ashes, and I was set on a
their lungs from rising. Every time we were in public places, I
path into a deep and meaningful relationship with the Creator
scouted out the exits and planned my escape from attackers.
of the universe. God used a tornado to teach me about His
Every stranger could have been a kidnapper, every bump or
goodness. In the faith of my friend and her unsurmountable
bruise could have been the first sign of a dire diagnoses,
peace, I found freedom from the chains that had bound me
every moment of calling their name and not getting an imme-
my entire motherhood.
diate response could have been the moment that everything It was in the midst of loss, pain and tragedy that I learned a
changed for the worse.
lesson I had not been able to grasp before. Gripping my chilI remember after the Sandy Hook school shooting in Connect-
dren suffocatingly tight while fear dictated how I raised them
icut, I checked my boys out early. They were in kindergarten
wasn’t changing the fact that our days aren’t promised. So I
and first grade, the same ages of the children slain by the
decided to be certain in His love and actually, really, fully live.
shooter. We lay in bed and watched movies all afternoon. We
The opposite of fear isn’t nonchalance in the face of threats.
ate ice cream for dinner. They thought it was the best day ever
The opposite of fear is found in love. That is where bravery and
and I hid my tears so as not to change their minds.
freedom exist. The knowledge that He is good and trustworthy is the only place unshakable by What-if.
School shootings were added to the looming list of threats, alongside the rest of the possibilities that might snatch them
Last week, while yet another school shooting, this time in
away from me. This list was a vague and nearly palpable thing,
Florida, was still trending in the headlines, and while a tornado
whispering daily its intention of proving my worries right. I
watch buzzed on weather channels, we met with a group of
loved my sons so much that it seemed only right to worry with
friends in our home. We get together weekly, a living room
the same fervor. It felt like love to worry like that, even though
expression of church and community, and we teach our chil-
it killed my joy.
dren to worship and to know Jesus. That night we sat before them, us completely aware of the state of disarray of our broken
In April of 2014, a tornado tore through Central Arkansas. It
world, them completely oblivious to it. And we taught them
missed our house by about three miles, but it did not miss my
about the Bible story of Jesus washing the feet of His disciples.
friend April’s house. My sons slept peacefully that night as I lay awake in horror. The next day we told them that April’s two
Jesus washed His disciples’ feet briefly before going to the
sons, their best friends, were dead, and the Land of What-if
cross for humanity. It was a picture of His love for them and
was no longer some imaginary and vague place. It became an
His humility. He knew when He washed their feet that soon
inescapable reality.
things would look hopeless to them, and He was giving them a palpable expression of how trustworthy and good He is. In
It took a few days for God to break in. I was so mad at Him.
the modern world of socks, sneakers and paved roads, we
His character was standing trial and I was judge, jury and
have no literal need of foot washing. But we can still carry out
executioner. Then I visited April in the hospital, and in her
the act for all it symbolizes.
brokenness and newfound childlessness, she proclaimed the goodness of God to me and it sent me reeling. I simply could
We didn’t expect our foot washing to be profound. We antici-
not process her faith. That night I lay awake again, this time
pated something of a zoo, one with seventeen children and
not in horror but in a weak and flickering hope that maybe my
several pitchers of water. As the story unfolded and we talked
fear could be overcome.
about what love looks like, the children settled. They began engaging in conversation, and when we asked who would like
The next morning, from the end of my kitchen table, while I
to help wash their friends’ feet, hands went up, some quickly,
breastfed my son Ezra, I wrote a blog post about a tornado
some apprehensively. Within minutes, even the hands that
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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hadn’t gone up at all had taken part. Before we knew it, everyone was washing feet, praying over each other and receiving the same. We wept that night as our babies carried out an act of love they were only beginning to grasp. It may not seem like much, a handful of families in a living room doing something so menial as foot washing, but it stood for something incredible. It stood for the belief that the bad things happening in the world do not measure the goodness of God. It was a picture that grace means having the ability to navigate through brokenness with love and the ability to still have hope. My heart still breaks at the headlines. I am not harboring the
brushes them in this life, they will be the ones who respond
belief that I am immune from tragedy. I know that I can follow
in certainty to God’s goodness. That on the foundation of His
the traffic laws, and make my sons wear their helmets and
love and mine, they might be the ones that loosen the chains
follow every precaution to keep them safe, but ultimately, I
of fear off their friends by their own fearlessness.
cannot protect them from the world. So I have decided to trust the heart and intentions of God, and to find my assur-
Maybe, just maybe, they could be the ones to bring a little
ance in the promise of eternity. No matter what, He is good
healing to this broken world. Maybe they could live as duel
and He loves my boys more than I do.
citizens to a different Land of What-if, one where only one question was begged, “What if the world knew that God
So I will love them with a worry-free ferocity. They will never
really is, always and undeniably good?”
learn fear from me. It is my earnest hope that when tragedy
Follow Jessica
@thehodgepodgedarling.blogspot.com.
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taste
The Delish Dish
Tuscan Garlic Chicken with Pesto Zoodles WORDS & IMAGES Catherine Frederick Recipe adapted from Easy Family Recipes
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taste
Ingredients Tuscan Garlic Chicken
>> 3-4 chicken breasts >> 2 teaspoons minced garlic >> ½ -1 cup fresh mushrooms, chopped >> 2-3 oz. fresh baby spinach >> 12 oz. artichoke hearts, drained and chopped Need reasons to love this dish, other than the fact that it’s packed with deliciousness? It has only eight ingredients, one dish clean-up, can be in the oven in less than fifteen
(I used ¾ of the jar – use more or less to taste)
>> 8 ½ oz. sun-dried julienne cut tomatoes,
drained, reserve 1-2 Tablespoons oil
(I used ½ the jar – use more or less to taste)
>> 1-1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese >> Salt and pepper to taste
minutes, and is gluten-free and keto diet approved! Yummy layers of chicken, spinach, artichokes, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes are topped with mozzarella cheese. This simple dish packs a major punch
Pesto Zoodles
>> 3-4 zucchini, spiralized (I used my Kitchen Aid
spiralizer attachment)
>> Pesto sauce (I used McCormick® brand) >> Extra virgin olive oil
and is one you’re sure to love!
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taste
Method
Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Place chicken in bottom of casserole dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and minced garlic evenly over the chicken breast. Top chicken with spinach, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, and mushrooms. Drizzle 1-2 Tablespoons of reserved oil from tomatoes on top. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, uncovered, then cover loosely with foil for 25-30 additional minutes until chicken is cooked through – to an internal temperature of 165˚F.
Cook pesto sauce as directed on package, set aside. Spiralize zucchini, set aside. Heat 1-2 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Once oil is heated, add zoodles. Toss to coat. Cook for 2-3 minutes only, tossing often, so the zoodles do not get mushy. Remove from pan to a plate lined with paper towels. Once plated, spoon pesto sauce over top of zoodles.
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taste
AUGUSTA LEMONADE recipe Fruitland Augusta Georgia Peach Vodka image Pineapple Public Relations
INGREDIENTS 4 parts Fruitland Augusta Georgia Peach Vodka 6 parts lemonade Georgia peach - optional garnish
METHOD Pour both ingredients into a tall glass over ice. Garnish with a slice of fresh Georgia peach. Please drink responsibly. Never drink and drive.
Image James Stefiuk
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entertainment
Jewel and Geena Davis
The fourth annual Bentonville Film Festival (BFF) returns May 1-6, in the heart of the city’s downtown district. While the BFF provides tons of entertainment during the
The
BFF
WORDS Hayleigh Worgan Images courtesy Intercut Productions/ Bentonville Film Festival
week, they do have a mission. The founders and organizers want to make sure there’s support for filmmakers whose casts and scripts are inclusive. Much has been reported about women and minorities being underrepresented in the film industry, and many scripts have faced criticism for their negative portrayal of stereotypes related to both groups. For people of all ages, but especially children, representation is key. The BFF has a creative team that’s joined forces with like-minded sponsors to achieve this goal. Created by Geena Davis, Academy Award®-winning actor, Founder and Chair of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, along with Trevor Drinkwater, President and CEO of Inclusion Companies, they have set out to create a legacy to inspire generations to come. President of Programming, Wendy Guerrero, explains, “Geena had established the Institute on Gender in Media and wanted to expand that inspiration into a wider platform that included diversity and inclusion in media. Then, Walmart came on board. BFF aligns with issues that Walmart is working on regarding women empowerment, diversity, and inclusion.” DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
entertainment
Rachel Winter, Geena Davis, William H. Macy
Jake Owen
Aisha Tyler
Coca-Cola added its sponsorship to the long list of supporting
work. In 2018, BFF was named by MovieMaker Magazine as
businesses. Big names on this list include Procter & Gamble, Sony
one of the Top 50 Film Festivals worth the submission fee for
Pictures, Disney, Marvel, Universal, and Samsung. As companies
its dedication to championing diverse media.
continue to add their names to this list, it is clear that people from all industries are concerned about diversity on the big
Some of the most important aspects of this festival are the
screen. Movies like Hidden Figures, Coco, and Black Panther are
panels and discussion events throughout the week, held at
changing the entertainment industry, proving with their success
Record, a modern event space in downtown Bentonville. Panel
that audiences are looking for more than an intriguing story.
discussions will cover a variety of topics and feature everyone
They are seeking complex characters in realistic roles. Children
from celebrities and changemakers to CEOs. This is a great
from all backgrounds want to see a hero that looks like them.
opportunity for those who are interested in being part of the change, and adapting solutions that can have an immediate
Films will be shown over the course of the festival at the
impact on making the media we consume more diverse and
21c Museum Hotel, CineTransformer mobile cinemas, and
representative of the world around us. The goal is to start a
Skylight Cinema. This year, the festival will feature its Legacy
conversation, and ultimately, inspire action.
Film Series, highlighting “films that pioneer diversity on the big screen and change the national dialogue.” Attendees will
For the filmmakers entering the competition, there’s also a
also experience Showcase Films that feature recognizable
chance to have their career launched. “Our partners at AMC
talent who support the mission of encouraging diversity in the
Theaters have established a distribution prize for our winner,
media. Competition films will showcase the work of up-and-
so our award-winning narrative feature film will receive a
coming creators. In 2018, 750 films were submitted from
distribution package offer that is unique to our festival,” Guer-
around the world for the competition series. They range from
rero said. “It’s another great example of our concrete efforts
international productions to some selections shot in Arkansas.
to getting these voices out there, and continually working with partners to devise other ways, including additional awards to
In the past, many films screened at BFF have gone on to
help filmmakers with financing and distribution. We are also
receive distribution, and BFF is committed to supporting their
dedicated to making sure that our prizes are supportive of real
DOSD OO UT SH OM UT AH GM AA ZG I NAEZ. C I NOEM
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entertainment
access and change for filmmakers who submit to the festival.” The festival will feature music on the Coca-Cola Soundstage at the Meteor and entertainment events with well-known artists every evening. Previous years have included special guests Marilu Henner
like Meg Ryan, William H. Macy, Terry Crews, and Jewel. According to their website, BFF 2018 “already is experiencing high demand from those in [the] entertainment industry who champion inclusion.” With an arts and culture hub like Bentonville as the host for this event, attendees can expect big things from their lineup. “Last year, we had over 75,000 attendees come through the festival over five days. This year, we are expecting the same, if not more,” adds Guerrero. Ideally, you could spend the entire week in Bentonville, but even a day or two is worth it. Between festival activities, get out and explore the city that is a hub for art, culture, and education. Enjoy wood-fired pizza at the Pedaler’s Pub or grab
Becky G., Amy Jo Johnson
a glass of wine at the Two 25 Gallery and Wine Bar. Take a walk through the Crystal Bridges Museum, the Museum of Native American History, or the Arend Arts Center. Several kid-friendly films will be shown outside, and there will be family-friendly activities and giveaways surrounding the festival. On Sunday, attendees can enjoy a family-themed day that will include a bike ride and a cookout. Tickets to BFF are available for individual events, as weekly passes, patron badges, and foundation badges. Regular tickets cost just $15, and these ticket holders are allowed to reserve a seat for one event. They can choose from movies (Compe-
Purchase your tickets in advance to receive further information
tition, Showcase, Legacy, and Studio Premiere), discussion
on how to reserve your seat for the events you wish to attend.
events (panels, talks, and workshops), spotlight (studio sneak
Festival organizers recommend purchasing tickets in advance
peeks), and select celebrity events. Weekly pass holders
since films do sell out. However, you can purchase tickets
($275) can choose twenty events to attend throughout the
on-site if there are seats available. Download the Bentonville
week. Patron badge holders ($775) can choose forty events
Film Festival app for up-to-date information.
(including a Welcome Breakfast, Filmmaker Happy Hour, and access to the Filmmaker Lounge). Foundation badge holders ($1,575) may choose up to sixty events (including a VIP PreAward Show Party and the Opening Ceremony). For more information on the rules and terms of ticket categories, visit bentonvillefilmfestival.com.
Visit bentonvillefilmfestival.com for more information on what to expect throughout the week, and to purchase tickets.
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travel
Georgia on My Mind WORDS Pineapple Public Relations Images courtesy Augusta Convention & Visitors Bureau
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Gertrude Herbert
I
travel taste
Ingrained in the minds of most as the home of the iconic Masters® Tournament, Augusta, Georgia’s rich history runs much deeper than the manicured greens and famed pimento cheese sandwiches. While thousands of visitors descend on this bustling city year after year for the prestigious tourna-
ment, Augusta’s famous golf course, Augusta National, holds years of history beneath its rich soil. Trotted on by fans from all over the world eager to look on as their favorite golfer takes a swing at winning the coveted green jacket, learning the history behind the course and city is undoubtedly the key to understanding the deep tradition that this city holds so dearly. The Hive
The 1800s were a fruitful time for the city of Augusta, specifically for what is now known as the most iconic golf course in the world. Before the course was home to the world-renowned golf tourna-
Morris Museum of Art
ment, the property served as home to three million peach trees. The history of this course dates back to 1853, when Augusta judge, Benjamin Warren, sold his 315-acre property to a local indigo farmer named Dennis Redmond, who named the property “Fruitland.” He grew peaches, apples, grapes, strawberries and many kinds of trees and shrubs. Redmond also began building a large house on the property that he called, “Fruitland Manor.” In 1858, Prosper Berckmans acquired ownership of Fruitland from Redmond and purchased the surrounding lands to expand the nursery and make Fruitland Manor his home. Augusta Canal Tour
Prosper soon became a well-known horticulturalist and the “Father of the Peach Culture” across the South as his nursery business took off. When he arrived in Georgia, there were approximately 100,000 peach trees primarily located on family farms throughout the state. In 1858, he shipped the first Georgia peaches to the New York market. By 1861, the Berckmans were producing over 300 kinds of peaches and many other kinds of fruits and trees at Fruitland. During Prosper’s lifetime, he had introduced or improved three of the five main varieties of Georgia peaches. During Prosper’s fifty years of extensive research on peaches, he planted more than three million peach trees in Augusta, according to Berckmans’ family documents. Following Prosper’s death in 1910, his three sons carried on the business. His oldest son, Louis Alphonse, became president of the company. His second son, Robert Craig, served as vice president, and youngest son, Prosper Jules Alphonse, Jr. (“Allie”) was secretary and treasurer. Both Louis and Allie were
active landscape designers and carried out Fruitland’s landscaping department successfully. Louis was also the garden designer for Radio City Music Hall in New York and designed numerous golf courses around the country. In 1912, the Berckmans brothers struck the largest peach deal ever made in Georgia. According to The Augusta Chronicle, the brothers sold their entire year’s peach crop to a New Jersey firm for an estimated $100,000.00.
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As the early twentieth century progressed, Augusta was Frog Hollow Tavern
becoming a small winter retreat for wealthy northerners. In 1925, Miami hotel mogul, J. Perry Commodore Stoltz, saw the opportunity and purchased the Fruitland property in an attempt to build his winter resort “Augusta Fleetwood Resort.” His construction was never completed, and the Fruitland property was idle for the remainder of the 1920s. In 1931, the property was eventually sold for the reported amount of $70,000 to establish a golf course that has forever placed Augusta on the map as an internationally recognized center for golf. After the acquisition, Prosper’s two sons, L.A. and Allie Berckmans, returned to the Fruitland property and assisted in the landscape design of the famous golf club. The Berckmans’ family home remains on the original Fruitland property and serves as their clubhouse today. Decades later, to preserve the history and to pay homage to the Berckmans, Augusta’s surrounding community, along with millions of Americans around the globe, continue to embrace the rich traditions inside the gates of the Masters® Tournament. While the golf culture will always reign supreme in this unique city, those who do not have the opportunity to venture to Augusta for the tournament can experience a whole new scene filled with art, history, adventure and delectable cuisine outside of the gates. Off the putting green and away from the budding azaleas, guests can customize their visit to fit any adventure or person-
The Forks Area Trail System (FATS)
ality type. Explorers seeking a bit of serenity and a place to stretch their legs can stroll along Augusta’s Riverwalk, take a cruise down the Augusta Canal on the Petersburg Boat Tour, enjoy a nature walk at Phinizy Swamp or a fun bike ride through the Forks Area Trail System (FATS). For art enthusiasts, a visit to the only non-profit contemporary gallery and visual arts school in the region, Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art, is a must. The institute offers a variety of art classes for youth and adults year-round. Also, guests will want to check out the first museum dedicated to the art and artists of the American South, the Morris Museum of Art. Historians will enjoy The Augusta Museum of History and the unique exhibits that await inside. Take an in-depth look at the
Finch & 5th
man, music, and legacy of Augusta native, James Brown, at the one-of-a-kind exhibit honoring The Godfather of Soul’s life. DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
taste travel
Golf fans will enjoy an up-close look at a green jacket, learning the history of the sport and the region’s rich golf past. Visitors can walk back through time and tour Summerville, one of Augusta's seven historic districts, which began as a summer resort for wealthy Augustans who sought refuge from the heat and mosquitoes, near the Savannah River. Visitors can also walk the halls of the home where President Woodrow Wilson lived as a boy and hear how some of his childhood experiences shaped the nation’s twenty-eighth presidency. Foodies will enjoy the regionally and nationally acclaimed Augusta restaurants, such as The Hive, Finch & 5th, Frog
Partridge Inn Exterior
Hollow Tavern, Abel Brown, and Honey from the Rock Café. Many of Augusta’s staple restaurants even feature Masters ®themed food items on their menu. To satisfy the pimento cheese craving, customers can drop into Craft & Vine for their delicious Woodfired Salted Pretzel Bites. Served up soft, salty and warm with pimento cheese fondue, this mouthwatering dish serves as a tasty tribute to the traditional course favorite. Guests looking for a place to call home during a visit can book a room at the Augusta Marriot at the Convention Center, which is centrally located on the Riverwalk, making it easy to leave the car behind and traverse downtown by foot. The Partridge Inn, located in the historic Summerville neighborhood, is a beautiful hotel that is more than a hundred years old. Augusta’s best-kept secret, Olde Towne Inn, is located on the edge of downtown near restaurants, nightlife, and entertainment. While traditional history remains at the root of this momen-
Woodfired Salted Pretzel Bites - Craft & Vine
tous city’s identity, that hasn’t stopped this Peach State gem from incorporating a fresh new vibe into their rapidly growing future. With so much to do and so much to see, Augusta is a city on the rise worth catching on its way up.
For more information, see visitaugusta.com.
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Phinizy Swamp Nature Park
55 41
44 42
travel
Arkansas' Great Grapes words Dwain Hebda images courtesy Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism
Altus Vineyard
I
Imagine a day trip or weekend in wine country where unique
right in line as recognized as an old growing region."
wineries offer sweeping vistas as you enjoy tasting the local fare joined by fellow fans of the grape. Or join in the revelry of wine
Audrey's operation is a stylish affair, fifty acres in all, that
festivals that celebrate the local industry until the sun dips below
includes a gorgeous 5,600-square-foot tasting room completed
the well-tended vineyards.
in 2005 under the spreading arms of an ancient oak tree. But the newer amenities aren't nearly as impressive as Chateau
If this sounds exciting, you're in luck. It won’t require a trip
Aux Arc's backstory, which began with a twenty-one-year-old
to Napa Valley or Europe. It's right here in Arkansas along a
Audrey buying twenty acres and a tent which was her shelter
fertile stretch known as the Arkansas Wine Trail, with wineries
while she built her house.
stretching from Bentonville and Tontitown in the northwest to Subiaco and Paris in the Arkansas River Valley to Little Rock.
Audrey knew nothing of grapes or the wine business, learning it literally from the ground up from other local
But the epicenter of this industry, and the oldest stretch of the
growers and sampling wine from one end of the country to
Trail, thrives around tiny Altus in Franklin County, which just
the other. "It was a matter of opening my mind with all of
might be the best-kept secret in the state.
the traditions and learning as much as I could from everybody and asking the right questions and being willing to
"A lot of people don’t realize that [Arkansas has] one of the
work for free to get that knowledge," she said. "Tasting over
oldest and largest wine regions," said Audrey House, founder
500 wineries from California to New York in a short period of
of Chateau Aux Arc Vineyards and Winery. "Actually, we were
time helped me create protocols and learn how to do things,
an AVA [American Viticultural Area] before Napa, so we were
though not necessarily by the book.
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travel taste
"It’s the uniqueness of wine," she said. "It’s liquid art, and it’s also liquid love." Audrey's age and background are relatively rare on this stretch of the Wine Trail, which includes a clutch of five operations around Altus. Most of the other wineries here are much older than hers with decades of history to their credit. These include large, well-known operations Post Familie Winery and Wiederkehr Wine Cellars which date back to the 1880s and the smaller family-run winery Mount Bethel, founded in 1956. Two-year-old boutique Dionysus Wine and Brew round out the offerings. Sharla Kay Wiederkehr and her husband Dennis, recently named president of the original family operation up the road, launched Dionysus as a labor of love in the community. Dionysus is by far the smallest of the Altus operations and its
Chateau Aux Arc
wines are produced out-of-state, but it has one thing the other wineries can't claim, a yurt available for overnight accommodations right on premises. "We've always wanted to do something different," Sharla Kay said. "I've worked forty-three years at my other job, and Dennis always wanted his own little winery, just for something fun. That’s why we did this, and we did the yurt because there weren't many places for people to stay." There's a palpable sense of camaraderie as you visit the various operations. Altus' population, about 750, means everyone knows everyone and their families have for more than a century. Take the Post family, for instance. Not only does it claim one of the 100 largest wineries in the country, founded by Jacob Post, but his son Joseph and daughter-in-law Katherine launched a winery next door that is today Mount Bethel Winery. Wiederkehr, incorporated as its own village in 1975, sold Audrey the acreage from which Chateau Aux Arc sprang. You get the idea how the wine family tree has unfolded. Michael Post, owner of Mount Bethel Winery, revels in these historical connections. His tranquil farm and vineyards give visitors a living diorama of what generations of his family built. The centerpiece here is the original hand-dug cellar that serves as the region's most unique tasting room. It's a testament both to the founders' profession and their faith, having helped build nearby St. Mary Catholic Church looming from a high point above the town.
Wiederkehr Wine Cellars
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travel
"There’s a lot of history and legacy, I guess, in my family around that cellar," Michael said, "that was built right around the turn of the century, around 1900. If you’ve been up to St. Mary’s Church, the cornerstone of that church is 1901. The reason I mention that is because the cellar is mostly just made of rock, but there are a few stones in there, if you look in the right place, that were quarried from the same place as the stone was that was used to build the church." Arkansas' winemaking tradition was carried here by the Swiss and German immigrants of the early to mid-1800s. The floodgates opened around 1870 when many were lured to Arkansas by promises of steady employment or cheap land, one and the same thing in the case of winemakers. The first wines were made using the wild fruit found in abundance and several of today's local winemakers still produce these traditional wines made from various native berries. But it wasn't long before farmers were growing their own grapes specific to their purpose. Over time many new grapes have also been developed including the Cynthiana, named Arkansas' official grape in 2009. Arkansas' wineries peaked at about 150, but many closed due to dry county laws. The entire industry was nearly stamped out by Prohibition, during which wineries like Post and Wiederkehr limped along making sacramental wine for religious purposes. Of course, some operators took a more defiant stand, including Katherine Post, who did a stretch for illegally carrying on the family business. "The primary source of employment in this area was the coal mines," Michael Post said. "A lot of people were German and
Chateau Aux Arc Vineyards
Post Familie Winery
Swiss and German-speaking immigrants, and it was in their
& Winery
479.468.2741
nature to come by in the afternoon and grab a sandwich at
479.468.4400
postfamilie.com
her—I guess you might say—deli-style restaurant.
chateauauxarc.com
"Katherine Post was known in the area as ‘Ma Post’; people would
Dionysus Wine & Brew
800.622.9463
come by, and she would serve sandwiches and, of course, a glass
479.209.1234
Wiederkehrwines.com
of wine. That was the European culture."
dionysuswinebrew.com
Spring or fall is recommended for visits to the area, due to the
Mount Bethel Winery
wine festivals that are held to celebrate the grape. But any time
479.468.2444
of year is perfect for planning a trip to get your taste of European
mountbethel.com
Wiederkehr Wine Cellars
history, aged to Ozark perfection. DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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46
southern fiction
THE DISHES WE ARE
I
FICTION Marla Cantrell
It’s no time to talk about love, I know that for sure. I’ve just
trees, and we’ve each snagged a beer out of his fridge. “I don’t
hung up from having a fight with the phone company over my
know how I’ll make it,” Nick says. “Twenty hours a week barely
sky-high bill, and Nick’s found out his hours got cut in two by
covers my truck payment and groceries.”
the builder he works for. Plus, me and Nick are only friends. I met him while floating the Buffalo River, just after I’d moved to
I want to answer, but all I’m thinking is that love is a veil that
Jasper, right after my twenty-fourth birthday when I was looking
drops across your face till you can’t see good. I wait a beat too
to get away from certain things. That day, I tumped over my
long, but finally, I say, “You paint like Da Vinci, Nick. Another
canoe, and he jumped in to save me. He had a girlfriend then,
builder would hire you in a flash.”
built like a column, with hair so black it glowed in the right light. Nick takes a swig. “Camilla,” he says, “I paint like Richard Petty Her name was Louisa, but Nick called her Louie. She gave me
drives. Fast and perfect. If I had more ambition, I’d leave this
one of her t-shirts to wear, and I became their friend. But that
one-horse town and start my own company.”
was two years ago, and now she’s moved away to be near her daddy, who’s sick, and her mama, who won’t take good care
“But you wouldn’t have the Buffalo,” I say, thinking about the
of him. Nick wanted to go with her, but she said no thank-you.
sparkly river, about the elk you can sometimes see near the shore.
And by and by, that was that. “The Buffalo,” Nick says, “where we met.” And I say, “The Right now, Nick and I are sitting in lawn chairs outside his
river where you saved me.”
house out in the country. The April sun is flittering through the
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southern fiction
We take a drink at the same time. We look straight ahead.
I lift my hair, twist it around one hand, and let the air hit my neck. “Grandma is chicken and dressing and broccoli cheese
The trouble with a veil is that it’s bound to get ripped off. I’ve
casserole, light on the broccoli. Yeast rolls. Coconut cake.”
had it happen many a time. It’s better never to put the thing on. “Sounds like my kind of woman,” Nick says and rubs his belly. But Nick has these arms that could lift a house. He has skin that
I say, “It’s your turn again.”
turns gold in the summer. Eyes that hold the whole dang world “My little sister Daisy is the white cheese dip from a Mexican
when you look into them.
restaurant that’s gone now. She went from her baby bottle I do my best to snap out of it. “Let’s talk about how people
straight to Mexican food. I can remember holding her on my lap
remind us of food,” I say, and Nick laughs. “You are the
when I was five or so, breaking off pieces of corn chips that she’d
strangest girl,” he says.
dunk in the dip. It was messy as all get-out, but I didn’t care.”
“I have dishes for everyone I know. Let me back up. Just about
I’ve met Daisy. She’s trouble inside and out. I close my eyes to
everybody reminds me of a dish or two. Take Mama. She’s roast
imagine what she looked like there on Nick’s lap.
and carrots and potatoes. She fixed it every Sunday when I was a kid. She’d get it ready and leave it for Daddy to slide into the
“Your turn,” he says.
oven because he never went with us. I’d sit beside her on the pew. I’d hold her hand, and sometimes I’d raise that hand to my
“My ex,” I say, and shift in the chair. In the summer, the
lips and kiss it. That kiss smelled like Sunday dinner.”
webbing that holds this seat together will tattoo my legs, will cut across my back when I wear my two-piece. But today I’m in
I feel my throat swell, and it surprises me. I talk to Mama about
jeans, a soft shirt. Nothing is hurting today.
once a month, and every time we get in a fight. “What about him?” “And Daddy. He’s grilled cheese sandwiches with bacon, cooked in bacon grease. And pork and beans cooked in bacon
“He’s the only beef stroganoff I ever made. I worked all after-
grease. Over a campfire.”
noon on it, but it didn’t turn out right. I can still see him, standing at my stove, that big wooden spoon in his hand. The way his face changed when he tasted it.” I take another sip,
Nick says, “I’ve met your daddy. I can see that.”
wipe my mouth. “He flung that big skillet across the room.” “Now you try,” I say, and he says, “I’m not too good with imagining.” But I push a little, and he takes a deep breath.
When I cry, I put everything I got into it. I hate that about me, but I do. In a split-second, Nick is kneeling at my feet, his hands
“Louie,” he says, and my heart breaks in two. “Louie’s a #3
on my knees. “Please don’t cry over a piece of trash like that.”
Sonic cheeseburger, hold the onions. She’s rum and Coke at the racetrack on a Friday night, watching the stock-cars shoot
“It’s the beer,” I say, even though I haven’t finished even one. I
by. Louie,” he said for a third time, “is gone.”
stop for a second to make a memory of what his hands feel like on my knees, through the thick fabric of my Levi’s.
“See how good you did?” I say, as upbeat as I can. “Then let’s walk it off,” Nick says, and I wipe my eyes on the Nearby, at the edge of these woods, bugs are making their
end of my shirt, and he helps me up.
rumbled sounds. When it gets quiet enough to hear, you can imagine nations of them building castles in the trees, making
We step into the woods at the edge of his property and cross
babies, flying kites.
a sagging barbed wire fence that was abandoned years ago.
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47
48
southern fiction
There are white flowers here and there, ones I don’t know the
Nobody sets out to be run over by someone who’s supposed to
name of. We climb a hill, and ahead, a brown squirrel shimmies
love them. It happens like a magic trick, little pieces of yourself
up a giant pine tree, and a pine cone falls to the earth.
disappear. Get turned into air. Until one night, while on your hands and knees, cleaning up supper off the linoleum, off walls
“I’ve always liked squirrels,” Nick says. “Never would hunt ‘em.”
and cabinets, you’re still thinking you might make it work.
The woods here smell like earth and incense mixed together.
When I finally called Mama, she told me to come home. But I didn’t want to go home. I needed to leave town, find some-
"I don't know if its true, but I've heard squirrels live about three
place where a river flowed. Maybe one day I’d meet a good
years,” Nick says. “They’re rodents, even though they’re kind of
man—I still had a tiny spark of hope—and I’d wait to know his
pretty. Same family as the rats. But rats live twenty-five years.
heart to be sure. I ain’t that smart, but I read every self-help
If I’d been in charge of lifespans, I would have changed that.”
book at the library, got some free counseling, and by and by, I felt like myself again.
A few seconds pass. Then Nick says, “I don’t think I would have created rats at all.”
So maybe real love isn’t a veil. Maybe it’s a telescope, letting you see way down to the heart of man. I wanted it to be so.
We are in a spot where the trees are so thick we can’t walk side by side. Nick takes the lead, and I say to his back, “What
I touch Nick’s shirtsleeve. “I thought Louisa was your everything.”
dish am I?” He hooks his fingers in the belt loops of my jeans and pulls Nick starts to turn around, reconsiders. “Well, let’s see. The
me close. I lay my head on his shoulder, and we fit just so.
second time we hung out together after Louie left, we ate at
“You knew Louie,” he says. “She carried a party in her pocket,
Fultz’s. You ordered a cheese pizza, which seemed like a waste
and I liked that for a long time. But parties get old. And she’d
of pizza to me. But when you took a bite, you closed your
go crazy on me for reasons I never figured out. I’d drop her off
eyes, kind of whimpered, and then your whole body relaxed. I
at her apartment, and she’d tell me she loved me. Then she’d
reached across the table for a slice, but you slapped my hand.”
text me till the sun came up calling me every kind of dirty dog you could think of. When she left town and didn’t want me to
He does turn around then. He says, “I never wanted anything
go with her, I felt like whatever had been sitting on my chest
more than I wanted that pizza.”
had got up and gone.”
I look into his eyes. I was wrong about them holding the
Nick’s voice gets softer. “If you want to just be friends, I’ll
whole world. They hold the entire universe. “So, you’re saying
blame all this on that whole bottle of beer I drank.”
I’m a pizza?” “Did we have a beer?” I ask. Nick laughs, and it reminds me “No, Camilla, I’m saying you’re everything.”
of a choir singing. He lifts my chin and kisses me. Whatever is happening between us is so powerful, the forest goes quiet.
The night of the stroganoff incident, I didn’t cry. I watched the
The birds still, the squirrels hush, the insects making universes
skillet leave my ex’s hand. I heard it hit the refrigerator. I felt the
take a break. Maybe me and Nick are making a universe of our
sauce splatter across my face. I remember thinking if I didn’t wipe
own today. Today, anything is possible.
it off, I might be scarred—it was that hot—but I couldn’t move.
Marla Cantrell is an Arkansas Arts Council Fellow in short fiction.
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ALL ABOUT KIDS
All About KIDS Our children are everything to us. We laugh, we cry, but through it all we do everything in our power to keep them safe, happy, and healthy, no matter how busy our lives become.
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But being busy can keep us from knowing everything we’d like about the businesses and organizations that serve our families. That’s why Do South® has partnered with the best of the best, to bring you the latest and greatest on everything from public and private education options, to specialized healthcare, to local entertainment and fun activities. Now, if we could just figure out how to slow down time!
Arkansas Pediatric Therapy is a locally owned and operated therapy center providing physical, occupational and speech therapy to the River Valley and surrounding areas. APT has been providing exceptional therapy since 2001 by therapists with over 15 years of experience. APT’s therapists are trained in the latest treatment approaches and work with the patient’s family and physicians to provide the best treatment available. Arkansas Pediatric Therapy serves children with: Cerebral Palsy, Autism/PDD, Sensory Processing Disorders, Down Syndrome, Developmental Delay, Prematurity/Birth Injuries, Spinal Cord Injuries/Disorders, Orthopedic injuries, Torticollis, Articulation/Language Delays, Hearing Impairments, Auditory Processing Disorder, Feeding Disorders, ADHD, & Scoliosis.
Burton Pools & Spas 6121 S. Zero, Fort Smith 725 S. 48th Street, Springdale 479.646.3484 / 765.5511 burtonpools.com
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115 Pointer Trail West, Van Buren 7320 Rogers Ave., Ste. 25, Fort Smith 479.471.1290
What other product can bring a family together, turn special moments into lasting memories, offer good, clean fun for years to come, and improve your health, all without leaving the comfort of your own backyard? We all know the family that spends thousands of dollars on family vacations that require months of planning, but then they’re over in the blink of an eye. Invest in a swimming pool to provide those moments of family fun, and you’ll find you never need to go anywhere else. Call Burton Pools & Spas today – we are your source for backyard fun!
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104 North 13th, Van Buren 479.474.7767 art-ed.org The Center for Art and Education, for over 40 years, is at the heart of our creative community. Our mission is creating
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art experiences to inspire personal growth and community well-being. We believe arts education is vital to personal development, self–expression, and academic success. As CAE continues its work to create a new space in downtown Historic Van Buren, AR, anyone can get involved at the center and experience art. Come visit CAE or contact us for more information about our programs, calendar of events, and how you can get involved. Creating art experiences!
4300 Rogers Ave., Ste. 15, Fort Smith 479.784.3277 centerforhearing.net Protecting your child’s hearing begins with monitoring the noise levels they are exposed to. If you must shout for your child to hear you over their activities, the noise is too loud. Limit the time your child spends in noisy places and provide hearing protection when the noise can’t be reduced. If your child participates in noisy activities, have their hearing tested annually. Be aware of hearing loss symptoms such as ringing in the ears, if their speech sounds muffled or difficult to understand, or if they experience temporary hearing difficulty after a noisy activity. Contact us today for more information!
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5912 S. 28th Street, Fort Smith 479.646.1616 flamefs.com
7020 Taylor Avenue, Fort Smith 479.452.4554 chaffeecrossing.com Getting the kids away from city life for a couple of hours is a
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snap at Chaffee Crossing. Have a picnic at McClure Amphitheater. Take a hike, walk or cycle the miles of multi-use trails. Play ball or fly a kite on the lawn by the Historic District then visit the museums. Grab a pole and fish Wells Lake or Torraine Lake. Hit some balls at Deer Trails Golf Course. Tour the Huckabee Nature Center or go canoeing and kayaking. It’s all natural fun in the city and nearly all FREE! Start planning your outdoor play day at ChaffeeCrossing.com.
Flame
offers
recreational
gymnastics,
USA
Gymnastics
Junior Olympic competitive teams (Levels 3 - 10), and Tiny Tot and Preschool gymnastics classes. There’s also Mom 'N Tot gymnastics classes—loved by moms and kiddos alike— tumbling classes, and even Urban Gymnastic classes! During the summer, kids nine months old to twelve years old can learn to swim (beginners, advanced beginners, intermediate and advanced swimmers)! We also offer amazing birthday party packages. If your child is ages four through twelve, plan their next birthday party with us, for a party they’ll never forget!
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FLAME GYMNASTICS ACADEMY 5912 South 28th Street, Fort Smith 479.646.1616 | flamefs.com | Celebrating 32 Years!
Love competition? Flame has produced 35 State Champion Teams, and more than 600 Individual and All Around State Champions! Call us today, and start your child on the road to fun and fitness! Gym Hours Monday - Thursday: 10a - 7:30p Friday: 10a-6:30p Saturday: 10a – 12p
Office Hours Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 9a-8p Wednesday: 9a-7:30p Friday: 9a - 6:30p
We Offer: Urban Gymnastics Classes Girl's & Boy’s Recreational Gymnastics USAG Level 3-10 Competitive Girls Teams USAG Level 4-10 Competitive Boys Teams
Mom N’ Tot, Preschool & Tiny Tot Gymnastics Swim Lessons with Jayne Jacobson and Daniel Beam Birthday & Splash Bash Swim Parties Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced Tumbling Classes
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Developing Mind, Body & Spirit since 1985!
Flame Gymnastics is the leader in Gymnastics and Tumbling instruction in the River Valley. We offer over 20,000 sq. ft. of gymnastics fun and fitness. The finest equipment and the most experienced instructors ensure your child will learn and enjoy their gymnastics experience!
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Children
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will become who you are. So, be who you want them to be. -anonymous
Immaculate Conception Catholic School, following the example
Learn, Play, Grow Children's Therapy Services is an outpatient
of the Blessed Virgin Mary, develops the whole child, instills
pediatric therapy provider with locations in both Fort Smith
Gospel values, inspires a love of learning, and promotes academic
and Greenwood! We offer physical, occupational, and speech
excellence in a diverse nurturing community. We believe the
therapy services to children of all ages, diagnoses, and abili-
hallmark of quality education is learning and the appreciation
ties, in a relaxed patient-focused, family-centered setting. We
of learning. Therefore, the teachers and the administrators of
offer both ongoing and short-term therapy programs provided
the Immaculate Conception Catholic School (preschool through
by therapists who have a passion for working with children.
6th grade), in partnership with parents, pledge themselves to
We accept most forms of insurance and payment, including
achieve and maintain professional and personal excellence to
Arkansas Medicaid, Oklahoma SoonerCare, TRICARE, BCBS,
share knowledge, develop useful skills, teach Catholic doctrine,
United Healthcare, and private pay. Call to schedule your tour,
and instill a high Christian value system that reflects Christ-like
or to make an appointment today!
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223 South 14th Street, Fort Smith 479.783.6798 icschoolsfs.org
314 S. 17th Street, Fort Smith 1530 W. Center Street., Suite 3, Greenwood 479.782.1444 lpgkids.com
attitudes. Ask about our summer programs!
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821 Pointer Trail, Van Buren 479.471.3165 rivervalleyvirtualacademy.com 7300 Zero Street, Fort Smith 479.788.6550 parrotislandwaterpark.com Get ready for your summer Island Escape! The season begins May 25. Get special savings on both the Blue Pass and Gold Pass until April 30. What a perfect way for you and your family to spend the summer! Jump the waves at Caribbean Splash, relax on down the Lazy River, shoot some hoops in the Activity Pool or take a ride on the wild side with exciting, heart racing water slides. Little ones will enjoy Tiny Turtle Island with slides, waterfalls and climbing toys just for them. Get your Season
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Passes today and save!
Launched in 2017, RVVA is Arkansas’ first district conversion K-12 Virtual Academy. Courses are entirely online, which means students can attend class when it is convenient. Participants benefit from interactive web tools, online lessons, and live instruction in an online classroom without distractions or peer pressure. They also have access to experienced, Arkansas-certified teachers for one-on-one tutoring at the RVVA campus, with families receiving year-round support from academy staff. Students are eligible to participate in Van Buren School District extra-curricular activities, such as athletics, band, and choir. Peer engagement and service opportunities are also provided. Be a part of this flexible and innovative approach to learning by enrolling today!
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7301 Rogers Ave, 4th Floor, Fort Smith 479.756.5600 hello@rmhcofarkoma.org
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Every year, RMHC of Arkoma helps 400 children from Fort Smith and the surrounding area stay close to their families, and to the care they desperately need. Unexpected hospital stays are stressful enough without worrying about where mom and dad will sleep, eat or shower. You can help alleviate these uncertainties by volunteering at the Ronald McDonald Family Room, providing meals, raising funds, or encouraging friends to collect wish list items.
2401 Savanah St., Fort Smith 479.646.2671 rivervalleynaz.org River Valley Church of the Nazarene is pleased to introduce the launch of our new Early Childhood Ministry: SonShine Christian Academy. This new preschool will partner with families to engage children in a Christ-centered early learning experience. Class sizes are small which provide an atmosphere where children can thrive as they explore and learn. Our program is designed to offer opportunities for children to engage in developmentally appropriate learning at a pace that is right for them. We are now registering for the fall of 2018.
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1205 S. Albert Pike Ave, Fort Smith 479.782.2451 trinitycatholicjh.org Trinity Junior High School was born from the rich Catholic heritage founded by the Sisters of Mercy and Benedictine Sisters in Fort Smith. The school opened in 1986 with a vision of providing small classes and personal attention, while emphasizing academic, spiritual and character development in an atmosphere promoting greatness for grades seven through nine, and is considered to be among the top Catholic junior high schools in the United States. For enrollment information, please contact Zach Edwards, Dean of Academics and Admissions at
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zedwards@trinitycatholicjh.org or 479.782.2451.
2101 Dallas Street, Fort Smith 808 S. Broadway St., Poteau, OK 479.782.3021 udoujorthodontics.com Welcome to Udouj Orthodontics! Dr. Henry J. Udouj, III is a respected provider in our orthodontic care community. We have offices to serve you in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and Poteau, Oklahoma. Our practice's top priority is to provide you the highest quality orthodontic care in a fun, friendly, comfortable environment. We utilize the latest technological advances in the field of orthodontics to ensure that you receive the most effective care possible. Schedule your appointment with us at Udouj Orthodontics today!
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Union Union
Christian Academy Christian Academy
4201 Windsor Drive, Fort The Smithnew • Where “family” really describes the The new school 479.783.7327 • No one goes unnoticed unioneagles.org • Relationships are built with every • New kids never sit alone
• New kids never sit alone
• Where “family” really describes the school • No one goes unnoticed
• Relationships are built with every member of your class (and other classes, too)
member of your class (and other • Students are encouraged to examine worldly events from a classes, too) biblical perspective
Imagine a
Union Christian Academy is the only fully accredited Kinder• Students are encouraged to school • Hearts and minds are equally
examine worldly events from a engaged Imagine where... garten-12thbiblical perspective grade private Christian school in the Fort a Smith • Older students mentor younger students
school where...
• Hearts and minds are equally area. Imagine a school where family truly describes the school. engaged • Bible classes are taught daily • The day is started with scripture Older students mentor younger New kids • don’t sit alone, no one goes unnoticed, and older and prayer
students
• Teachers can and do pray with students mentor younger students. Where hearts and minds • Bible classes are taught daily students • People are loved and God is The day is started with scripture are equally• engaged, and students are encouraged to examine honored
The Van Buren School District is proud to participate in school choice for 2018-2019! VBSD has established a long tradition of excellence and is recognized as one of the region’s most progressive districts. Students at all grade levels have access to unique opportunities designed to help them succeed, including online learning options, Advanced Placement curriculum, STEM educa-
and prayer
tion, and innovative technology. Van Buren also partners with
students
multiple universities to offer concurrent course credits, voca-
• from Families drive from miles around to world events a biblical perspective. At UCA, bible classes • Teachers can and do pray with attend
are taught daily, people are loved, and God is honored. The • People are loved and God is You don’t have to imagine,
tional training, and the chance to earn an associate’s degree
• Families drive from miles around to
before graduating high school. Engaging agricultural initia-
honored day begins with scripture and and teachers can and do come explore The Newprayer, U!
pray with students. You don’t have to imagine, come explore attend Call 479-783-7327 The New U today!or visit unioneagles.org
for more information You don’t have to imagine, come explore The New U!
Call 479-783-7327 or visit unioneagles.org for more information
DO SOUTH MAGAZINE
2221 Pointer Trail East, Van Buren 479.474.7942 vbsd.us
#thenewU • unioneagles.org
#thenewU • unioneagles.org
tives and award-winning fine arts programs further enhance students’ educational experience. Enroll today! #PointerPride
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