®
ESCAPE
May 2020 DoSouthMagazine.com
02
may
Contents 04 08 09 12
Publisher’s Letter Pet Adoption Banking: Emergency Funds Shop Local
{ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT}
06 10
{PEOPLE}
28 Eddie and the Hand Jive 32 Living to Serve 36 Spring {COMMUNITY}
Fan Mail & Contest
11
Non-Profit Spotlight:
Get Bookish: May
Children’s Shelter
Recommendations
14 20
Home Is Where the Heart Is Back to School at
Oliver Springs
24
Strong Medicine
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{TASTE}
40 42 45
Super Snacking Piña Colada Rum Cake Rosé All Day
{FICTION}
46
Out of the Blue
OUR COVER Photographer: Alessandra Caretto Location: Kissamos, Greece
04
Letter from Catherine
MAY 2020
READY! I’m ready. Ready to sit down and enjoy a meal at my favorite restaurant. To chat it up with my hair stylist as she applies massive amounts of color to my sparkle. To wrap my friends up in the longest, tightest hugs. To walk aimlessly down the aisles of TJ Maxx, just waiting for the things I need to take home to speak to me. Heck, I’m even ready to get back in the gym and burn off some of the “COVID-19” pounds I’ve packed on. During the past few weeks, we’ve had much taken from us, but if we look at the situation from a different view, we’ve also been given much. We’ve witnessed the kindness of strangers and been given the gift of time. When things return to normal, and they will, there are things I’ll continue. Walks with my family. Cooking dinner together. Long talks around the kitchen table. The things we’ve not been able to do left gaping holes in this thing called life, but those holes are filled with gifts of moments and memory. For ten years, our mission has been to share stories that inform, inspire, and help us all connect with our community. Even in the face of this pandemic, our mission has not changed, and we remain committed to spotlighting what makes our community so special. It’s because of our deep love for our community that we continue to provide support to our readers and partners who have supported us for so many years. We know moving forward requires bravery, creativity, and commitment to helping our neighbors. It’s in this spirit that we present our May issue. Stay safe, stay healthy. See you in June!
Catherine Frederick
Owner/Publisher/Editor
OWNER - PUBLISHER - EDITOR Catherine Frederick COPY EDITING Charity Chambers GRAPHIC DESIGN Artifex 323 – Jessica Meadors CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Jade Graves, Dwain Hebda, April Stamper CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Catherine Frederick, Dwain Hebda, Sarah Phillips-Burger, Sara Putnam, Brittany Ransom, Jessica Sowards, Stoney Stamper ADVERTISING INFORMATION Catherine Frederick I 479.782.1500 catherine@dosouthmagazine.com
FOLLOW US ©2020 Read Chair Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without the permission of the copyright owner. Opinions contained in Do South ® are exclusively those of the writers and do not represent those of Read Chair Publishing, LLC. as a whole or its affiliates. Any correspondence to including photography, becomes the property of Read Chair Publishing, LLC. Do South ® reserves the right to edit content and images. Printed in the U.S.A. | ISSN 2373-1893
Annual subscriptions are $36 (12 months), within the contiguous United States. Subscribe at DoSouthMagazine.com or 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.
catherine@dosouthmagazine.com
To reserve this free space for your charitable nonprofit organization, email: catherine@dosouthmagazine.com.
The Young Homes at Chaffee Crossing provide love and stability for large sibling groups in foster care. For information on how you can help, call 479-755-6513 or email Marla Nelson at mnelson@fwbfm.com.
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fan mail
FAN MAIL Send comments and suggestions to catherine@dosouthmagazine.com.
Thrilled I was thrilled to have this magazine delivered to my home! ~ Shelli H.
Thank you Catherine, loved the story in Do South®! Thank you so very much! It turned out really well, and he (Dwain Hebda) did a great job of covering everything! We appreciate you! ~ Ashley F., Children’s Shelter
Free Copy
Who else got a free copy of Do South® Magazine in their mailbox today?! We are so thankful for Catherine Frederick and her team at Do South® going above and beyond with this direct mail issue to make your home a little brighter! ~ Eastside Baptist Church
CONTEST (Deadline is May 15) Go to dosouthmagazine.com, click on “Contest” at the top of the page. All who enter will be subscribed to our mailing list. Please see rules and policies on our Contest page!
DO SOUTH® DELIVERED
Love Do South®? Here is your chance to have it delivered right to your door! Two lucky readers will win a full, one-year subscription to Do South®! Visit our website at DoSouthMagazine.com to enter! CODE: DOSOUTH
CONGRATS Congrats to our contest winners from April! One-year subscription to Do South®: Staci Oliver and Daisy Morris
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community
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pets
Take Me Home! M
M
Roo F
F
Riley F
Freya
Ellie Mae F
Snowie
Sally
3 Girls Animal Rescue is a foster-only rescue, so there is no facility. All animals are currently in foster homes being socialized and cared for by loving families. All animals are spayed or neutered, up-to-date on vaccinations, and heartworm negative. 3 Girls is run completely by volunteers and operates solely on public donations.
CONTACT: Angela Meek 479.883.2240 • Mitzi Burkhart 479.651.4445 www.facebook.com/3GirlsAnimalRescue • threegirlsanimalrescue@outlook.com Each month, Do South® donates this page to local and regional nonprofit animal shelters. If you work with a shelter and would like to reserve this space, please email editors@dosouthmagazine.com.
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
lifestyle
EMERGENCY FUNDS words courtesy Arvest Bank image rawf8/Shutterstock
Life throws us a curveball ever y now and then – and it ’s often costly – whether it ’s a broken air conditioner, an unexpected medical expense or losing your job. That ’s why it ’s crucial to create an emergency fund. Do South® reached out to Arvest Bank for tips on where to begin and how much we need. DS: HOW DO WE KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE NEED
DS: OUR FINANCES CAN CHANGE FOR THE BETTER
IN AN EMERGENCY FUND?
AND FOR THE WORSE, SO HOW SHOULD THAT AFFECT
Arvest: You never know what that emergency will be, how big
OUR EMERGENCY FUND?
it will be or how long it will last, so it’s recommended that you
Arvest: Before you start saving, you need to budget so you
save enough money to cover at least seven months of expenses.
know how much money you can realistically put back without
This can take time to build, so it’s important to begin saving
neglecting your monthly and annual bills. When you have a
as early as possible, even if your initial contributions are small.
financial setback, try to continue building your emergency fund, but cut back elsewhere. For example, try to avoid eating
Set goals along the way. Determine what percentage of your
out, and consider cancelling memberships or subscriptions.
check you can put back, then have it automatically withdrawn When you have extra money, add it to your emergency fund.
and placed into your emergency fund.
This may be in the form of a pay raise, a tax refund, the DS: SO, IT’S LIKE A SAVINGS ACCOUNT, BUT FOR
additional money you have after paying off a credit card.
EMERGENCIES ONLY! IS IT ALSO A GOOD IDEA TO
That extra money you can deposit may be short-lived, but it’s
DIVERSIFY?
worth investing while you have it.
Arvest: That’s a personal preference. Some like to keep everything in a savings account, while some prefer to earn
DS: WHAT ARE SOME OTHER AREAS WHERE WE
money on their emergency fund. In that case, you might keep
COULD FIND SAVINGS TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT WE
a third of your cash in a savings account and place some in a
DEPOSIT INTO OUR EMERGENCY FUNDS?
money market account that allows withdrawals at a specific
Arvest: Evaluate where you spend excessively such as eating
minimum level, or purchase short-term CDs with three- or
out, entertainment, big purchases, etc. You can also:
six-month terms so you earn interest. It’s important to remember
• Request a rate reduction on your credit card
that your emergency fund needs to be accessible when your
• Shop for better car insurance or homeowner insurance
emergency happens. If you elect to go with a savings account,
• Assess luxuries such as cable TV or your mobile phone plan
don’t get a debit card or checks associated with the account.
to see if you’re subscribing to more than you need
This will help you resist borrowing from the account.
• Shop with a grocery list so you don’t “impulse buy”
Consumers who are looking for more resources can visit with a local Arvest branch manager or via Arvest.com for more information.
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community entertainment
Get
BOOKISH MAY Recommendations and image courtesy Bookish
Five must-read nonfiction book recommendations for book lovers of all ages, from our friends at Bookish, Fort Smith, Arkansas’s only independently owned bookstore. You can order online, call 479.434.2917, or email orders@bookishfs.com, then schedule curbside pick-up or free delivery!
The Call of the Wild
by Jack London Introduce your young reader to London’s classic before watching Harrison Ford in the 2020 remake. The story of Buck’s kidnapping and his fight for survival is a tale that has lived in the hearts of generations of young readers.
Emily Writes: Emily Dickinson and her Poetic Beginnings
The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires
by Jane Yolen and illustrated by Christine Davenier
by Grady Hendrix
Davenier’s watercolors convey sunshine and nature as we meet young Emily and watch her love for language grow. Dickinson fans can read this to young readers to spark their own love of writing, and older kiddos could use this to aid in their own understanding of the poet and her work.
Like a lot of us these days, the only thing that keeps Patricia Campbell sane is her book club. Imagine the drama when Patricia is attacked by an elderly neighbor, ushering in a series of events that has her thinking her hot neighbor James is more dangerous than his good looks and cultured personality initially led her to believe.
Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick
The Roxy Letters
by Zora Neale Hurston
This is your fun read for the month! Set in Austin, Texas, Roxy begins writing letters to her ex-boyfriend Everett who recently moved back in with her because he is homeless and unemployed. Through these letters, we witness Roxy’s journey into love and personal growth. The writing is fun, the allusions to hipster culture are wistful, and you’ll cheer for Roxy and her privileged Whole Foods friends the entire time.
Fans of Hurston will appreciate this compilation of her short stories. More so because it is expertly edited in the order they were written, so the evolution of Hurston as a writer can be explored. The combined twenty-one stories include humor, darkness, complexities of love and race, and the wild spirit that we have come to love from Hurston’s writing.
DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
by Mary Pauline Lowry
community
Nonprofit Spotlight words Catherine Frederick with Ashley Forsgren, Director of Development, Children’s Shelter
The Fort Smith Children’s Shelter is a safe and stable home providing long-term, evidence-based and trauma-informed, resident-centered and family-focused care to youth in foster care who exhibit emotional and behavioral challenges due to neglect and/or abuse.
3015 South 14th Street Fort Smith, Arkansas 72901 479.783.0018
DS: Tell us about your current needs. Due to COVID-19, our primary needs include Lysol spray, Clorox wipes, and monetary contributions. We encourage monetary contributions because a donor’s dollar will go further if we spend it, due to tax exemptions and discounts at local stores. Donations can be made online, FSChildrensShelter.org/donate. DS: Are there any special events coming up that we should know about? We have rescheduled Havana Nights, our annual fundraiser, to Friday, August 28! Fundraising is an integral part of our organization and proceeds from Havana Nights cover thirty percent of our operating budget. DS: Tell us about the recent name change for your organization. For twenty-two years, the Fort Smith Children’s Emergency Shelter operated under an “emergency” model of care for youth in foster care ages 6-17. In February of 2018 a federal law was passed (known as the Family First Prevention Services Act) that forced “emergency” shelters to change their model of care. As a result, we became a Qualified Residential Treatment Program (QRTP) in October 2019, and now operate under a model of care that serves youth in foster care for six months to one year. We are no longer considered an “emergency” shelter and have dropped the word “emergency” from our name. While many still refer to us as the CES, our official name is now the Fort Smith Children’s Shelter. DS: What does it mean to be a QRTP? As a QRTP, our mission has expanded to provide long-term care with an emphasis on therapy services to youth in foster care ages 10-17. We continue to provide a safe and stable home, along with social outings and life skills opportunities, but we can now better address the emotional and behavioral challenges that they face due to previous neglect and abuse. As a Qualified Residential Treatment Program, our staff along with the support of Western Arkansas Counseling and Guidance Center works with each resident on providing an evidence-based and traumainformed model of care, focused on helping each child heal.
fschildrensshelter.org
Next month, we’ll showcase another worthy charity in our area free of charge. If you have a nonprofit you’d like to see recognized, email us at catherine@dosouthmagazine.com.
DS: What is the GetREAL24 group called Gamma Rho? GetREAL24 is our independent living program for youth in foster care ages 18 and older. The residents of the program have established their own governing body called Gamma Rho. As members, the residents have established a board with an elected president and vice president, created a mission statement and logo, and voted on a set of rules and expectations separate from the GR24 program rules. In addition, they participate in the selection process of new youth who are interested in being a part of the GetREAL24 program. To watch our young adults take responsibility for their campus, their successes, and hold each other to a standard of accountability is empowering. They are defining the future of successful independence for “aged out” foster youth—they are determined to break the cycle of dysfunction and poverty, and succeed! DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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shop
We Love Local! words Catherine Frederick imageS Jade Graves Photography and courtesy vendors
In these uncertain times, one thing we know for sure – local businesses are ready to me et our ne eds and they ne ed us now, more than ever. If you’re lo oking for the perfect gift, or just want to treat yourself, be sure to shop local. Give them a call, they are open and ready to help!
Hayley Paige by Hearts On Fire Love Code “Mrs” Ring with Pink Sapphire Accents, Available in 18kt. Rose, Yellow and White Gold.
JOHN MAYS JEWELERS 479.452.2140
Protect your ears when you ride, with soft comfortable motorcycle and OHV earplugs.
CENTER FOR HEARING
Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Lost Forty Brewing Dirt Surfer IPA, Bike Rack Brewing Co. Peachy Kween Peach Fiefeweizen, MOVO Wine Spritzers Variety Pack, New Province Brewing Co. Rainfall Hoppy Wheat, Elijah Craig Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey
479.785.3277
SODIE’S WINE & SPIRITS 479.783.8013
Ménage à Trois Wines: Limelight Pinot Grigio, Gold Chardonnay, and Red Blend
IN GOOD SPIRITS 479.434.6604
Eve Sunglasses by Krewe
DR. STEVEN B. STILES OPTOMETRY 479.452.2020
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community
Home Is Where the Heart Is words Dwain Hebda IMAGEs courtesy Greenhurst Nursing Center
W
When Carolyn Parker of Paris, Arkansas, arrived at Greenhurst
Jonas Schaffer feels these families’ pain. The third-generation
Nursing Center recently for one of her three weekly visits
owner of Greenhurst is unusual by industry standards, an
with her father, Martin Gonzalez, the day felt like any other.
owner who reports to work at the community every day to
Yes, the news was full of COVID-19 finally making its way to
supervise care directly and develop the bonds that come with
Arkansas. Yes, she was worried about her father, knowing the
day-to-day interaction.
elderly are particularly susceptible to the deadly virus. But in every other respect, it was a typical visit on a typical day. Until
“It was one of the worst things in a career of working in a
it wasn’t.
nursing home to look that daughter in the face and say, ‘I’m sorry, you can’t see your father,’” Jonas said. “You saw a
“I got the heads-up to enjoy my visit, because they were going
panic, almost like this person was trapped. Everyone’s been so
on lockdown and I would not be able to get back in for a
supportive, they understand, but it’s still so difficult to tell a
while,” Carolyn says. “I was sad but glad they were protecting
child, ‘You can’t see your mother.’”
the residents. I kissed Daddy on the top of his bald head, not telling him it would be a while before we would be together
Greenhurst’s operational protocols for the situation had long
again. I did not want him to be sad or worried like I was.”
ago been laid out in a disaster contingency plan, but Jonas’ idea of quality care goes beyond three meals and a clean bed,
Carolyn’s story is one shared by families of residents in long-
as the company vision statement promises, “motivate each
term care communities everywhere, another example of
person to live each day to its fullest and to give each person
COVID-19 disrupting the rhythm of daily life. And just like
the hope and desire to live yet again because tomorrow is a
Carolyn, families feel mixed emotions about their loved ones
day to anticipate.”
being sequestered in their communities – relieved that the homes are taking such measures, heartbroken over being
In short, there’s survival measured in years and there’s living
separated from a parent’s side.
measured in engagement and experiences. Jonas has always DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
community
Carolyn Parker
JW and Mary Smith
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community strived for the latter at Greenhurst and he wasn’t going to let
That extra effort has come in the way of new activities
a little global pandemic change that now.
and initiatives designed to help keep residents upbeat and connected to the outside world via technology. Staff began
“Part of the secret here is our residents feel loved and they
helping residents send Facebook Live messages to loved ones
look forward to tomorrow because they feel wanted, needed
and posted photos of them holding white boards on which
and desired,” he says. “I explained to the staff, if somebody
they’ve written greetings to their families.
doesn’t feel loved or if they don’t look forward to tomorrow, they’re not going to live as long. We have to be even more
“I am a big fan of spontaneity and I’m like whatever we can
focused on this every single day.”
do let’s just try to make it happen,” Jonas said. “I don’t care what idea there is, as long as we’re trying to be safe in all this,
It wasn’t a particularly hard sell; his staff had been hand-
I am all for whoever, whatever; let’s figure it out.”
picked for their empathy and bedside manner as well as their health-care expertise. Like him, they’d committed their lives to
The live streaming took off and has become so routine at
the residents, so much so they view them less as clients and
Greenhurst, there’s little camera-shyness on the part of most
more as honorary members of the family.
subjects anymore. In fact, it has uncovered several budding social media stars like Mr. Hayden Hise, ninety-three years young with
“Greenhurst has such a wonderful culture, everything we do
a story for every day of the week. Or Tommy and Carolyn Parker
is resident-focused,” said Margit Krellwitz, director of nursing.
who share snippets of going to high school with Mickey Mantle
“The staff has always gone above and beyond to help the
in between numbers called during virtual bingo games. They, like
residents. Now that we are on lockdown, the staff is stepping
many others, talk of the care they’re getting, the safety they feel
it up another notch.”
and the love and well-wishes they have to send.
Jonas Schaffer
Schaffer kids playing games with residents outside the window.
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community
Cory Yates shaved his beard to have his mask fit properly.
Mr. Gonzalez enjoying kids visiting him through the window.
“I couldn’t be treated better,” Hayden assures all of cyberspace
“We have always been part of our community and our
with a bright grin. “Sometimes I think I’m not qualified for this
community has always visited out here,” Jonas says. “We’re
type of treatment.”
getting a lot of cards from folks. We have the churches get involved and they’re making videos of services which they post
Greenhurst also offers analog activities, such as outings to
on Facebook Live or on YouTube. We bring it up on a laptop
the community’s fish pond, golf cart rides to get fresh air and
and then broadcast it to all the TVs. That way, Miss So-and-So
hosting visitors at the large windows in the common room
still gets to see and pray with her preacher. That’s a big thing.”
which doubles neatly as a tic-tac-toe board, played with markers. Such efforts are a hit with residents and families, of
But of all these efforts, perhaps the most telling for Jonas was
course, but also the community at large.
the issue of the park bench.
Ima Stubblefield
Robert Caro
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community
“This bench right outside our big front bay Ruby Phillips
window was bolted to the ground so nobody would move it, and it was facing towards the pond,” Jonas says. “We had to unbolt that thing to turn it around (for visitors). Never in a million years would I have ever thought we would unbolt the bench to turn it around to face the window.” It takes a lot of extra effort on the part of staff to make these amenities a reality, all while maintaining extra vigilance. Hailey Daily, a certified nursing assistant here for the past two years, said while the stress level is higher for all, she’s buoyed by her team members and inspired by the people in her care.
“The spirit at Greenhurst has just been phenomenal,” she says. “We are all tired, we are all stressed, but you never hear anybody complain. From dietary to laundry to CNAs to nurses to
anywhere else but with my Greenhurst family. I think of them all as my own.” Jonas himself is often at the center of the action, particularly the live streaming where he’s one-part emcee, one-part interviewer with a little game show host sprinkled in. The
administration, we have all had to make
circumstances being what they are, he’s spent extra time away
huge changes and everybody, including
alike in a manner that’s safe. But he sees it as the price of
residents, have adjusted remarkably.
from his own family to tend to the needs of residents and staff providing the personal touch that is his family’s legacy. “That’s how my dad did it and that’s how my grandmother did
My mission every single day is to make sure my residents
it. It’s just the best way to do things,” he said. “Health care
smile, are happy, safe, and to let them know they are loved. I
is not fast food. Health care is something totally different. I’m
want them to have the very best quality of life. They all mean
lucky and fortunate to be able to have this wonderful nursing
so much to me; words cannot describe how thankful I am to
home that had a great reputation and for me to perpetuate it
be able to be a part of their lives each day."
and continue the quality.”
“The staff here at Greenhurst is amazing,” says Irene Hewett, age ninety-eight, who’s lived here since 2017. “I see them taking precautions every day to keep every one of us safe, from constantly washing hands to wearing face masks every day. “I would like to tell each and every one of the staff that I am thankful for everything that they do and would not want to be
Greenhurst Nursing Center 226 Skyler Drive Charleston, AR 72933 479.965.7373 greenhurst.net
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community
Back to School at
Oliver Springs WORDs Brittany Ransom images courtesy Van Buren School District
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community
While all other campuses are essentially shut down,
Construction of a new campus required a rezoning for
Van Buren’s Oliver Springs Elementary School is bustling.
elementary students. District leaders consulted its various
The site is entering the final phases of construction in
stakeholders for guidance on the new zones. Parents, staff,
preparation for the 2020-2021 school year. District leaders
and city leaders helped advise on where new lines would
continue to press on, hopeful that the community will be
be drawn. The district worked to create zones that would
able to celebrate the school’s opening this summer once
help ease traffic congestion, primarily along busy roads such
the COVID-19 crisis has passed.
as Pointer Trail and Highway 59. The new zoning map was released in February and families impacted by the change
Community support has been a driving force behind the
were notified at that time.
project. VBSD announced that it would construct a new school on the north side of town in 2017, following the passage of a millage increase in the previous year. Additional support came in the form of a land donation. Eleven acres were gifted to Van Buren School District (VBSD) by Dr. William and Sharlene Gaither of Richardson, Texas. The Gaithers owned the property for several decades, but the region itself has been a part of their family for more than one hundred seventy-five years. The donated land sits directly across from what was the Gaithers’ family farm, which was passed down through multiple generations. To complete the campus, VBSD also purchased an additional ten acres on Northridge
“We know that moving to a new school can be an emotional experience for students,” explained Jeffcoat. “Our administration took that into account throughout the rezoning process and worked hard to make this transition as seamless as possible for everyone.
Drive, for a total of twenty-one acres. "We appreciate the city’s help and our Board of Education’s “We are very excited about the opening of Oliver Springs
leadership in this matter. We are also grateful to all those in
Elementary
the community who provided input, and to our families for
School,”
said
Superintendent
Dr.
Harold
Jeffcoat. “With so much residential development taking
their cooperation.”
place on the north side of the interstate, adding another K-5 campus has been a need for many years. Oliver Springs
The existing schools most directly affected by the opening
is an absolutely beautiful campus and a very nice addition
of Oliver Springs are City Heights and Parkview Elementary
to our school system and community.”
Schools. Because a large portion of Parkview students live in the northernmost parts of town, many of its current student
The first new school to be built in nearly a decade,
body was rezoned to the new school. District leaders opted
Oliver Springs Elementary School will help accommodate
to transfer Parkview staff to Oliver Springs, as well. “We felt
continued growth in the northern part of the city. The
that it was best for everyone – students, staff, and parents,
nearly
levels.
alike – that we try and keep the Parkview staff together,
Lower grades will be housed on the ground floor, while
as best as possible. While students will be adjusting to the
classrooms for the upper grades will be on the second
new building, most will at least be alongside teachers they
story. A large gymnasium sits on the west side. Playground
already know and love.”
60,000-square-foot
structure
has
two
equipment will soon be installed on campus grounds. The building is also equipped with modern classroom
Parkview Principal Summer Cox is excited to begin her new
technologies and safety features. Secure check-in and
role as principal at Oliver Springs. She looks forward to
video monitoring systems will be utilized by office staff.
moving in the building with her staff and to welcoming her
As with all VBSD campuses, Oliver Springs will also employ
pupils this August.
a full-time school resource officer.
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community
Principal Summer Cox
“I am excited and honored to be a part of opening Oliver
“As soon as we are able to do so, we will schedule an
Springs Elementary School! Opening a new school will be
open house for families zoned for the new school,” shared
a positive experience for our students, staff, and for our
Jeffcoat. “Hopefully, we will be able to coordinate tours for
community as a whole. The new building is wonderful, and I
the rest of the community, as well.”
cannot wait until it is filled with students, staff, and learning!” Van
Buren’s
persistence
in
completing
the
Oliver
City Heights, which was built more than sixty years ago,
Springs campus is a prime example of its new slogan,
will officially close as an elementary campus this June. For
#PointersPressOn.
continuity, its staff is relocating to Parkview, as will the
schools would be closed for on-site instruction through the
majority of its student body. Most will have little time added
end of the year, VBSD released a video urging all Pointers to
to their commute or bus route, as the Parkview campus is
persevere during this challenging time. The district is proud
located less than a mile from City Heights. Although City
of how its students and staff have navigated the challenges
Heights will no longer operate as an elementary school, the
of at-home and virtual learning, but Dr. Jeffcoat and his
district does have plans to repurpose the existing structure.
fellow VBSD staff are looking forward to the day when
Following
the
announcement
that
everyone can return to the classroom. It is an exciting time for the Van Buren School District, and district leaders are eager to share the new school with
“Before you know it, we’ll be back to school, together again.”
the community who helped make it happen. Originally, administration had scheduled tours for the students and staff. Open houses for key community groups such as civic leaders and the Chamber of Commerce were also planned. Because of COVID-19, all tours have been
Stay up-to-date on their progress! Follow along on Facebook and Twitter @OliverSpringsVB.
postponed indefinitely.
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community
STRONG MEDICINE Words Dwain Hebda images courtesy Arkansas Colleges of Health Education
FORT SMITH’S FIRST MEDICAL PRESENCE, surgeon Thomas Russell, arrived in 1817 with the original company of riflemen who founded the wilderness outpost that would grow into Arkansas’ second-largest city. One hundred ninety-seven years later, the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education stood its own post and looked out upon a different kind of frontier – one dominated by medical technology, shifting health-care policy and of late, a viral crisis of global proportions. Since that day in 2014, the challenging health-care landscape has been more fuel than damper for the group’s mission. Seeing the growth that the organization has enjoyed over the past six years, it’s obvious ACHE has tapped into a vein near the bursting point. “Our next year’s class is full,” says Kyle Parker, CEO. “We had over five thousand applications for one hundred and fifty seats. We give emphasis to our region and that would be not just Arkansas, but also contiguous states. Historically about sixtyseven percent of our kids are from this region.” Arkansas
Colleges
of
Health
Education
is
the
governing
organization for several medical schools. The first, Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine, began teaching students in 2017, and was followed by a one-year Masters of Science in Biomedicine program in 2019. All told, the four-year medical school is home to six hundred students. DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
community
ACHE just completed the home of the second college in its lineup, a
66,000-square-foot structure to house
the College of Health Sciences comprised of the schools of Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy and Physician Assistant Studies. The schools are currently undergoing accreditation, with PT expected to begin classes next year and OT in 2022. The rapid growth and overwhelming demand for spots within the medical schools makes one wonder why class sizes are limited to just one hundred fifty spots. In part, Kyle says, it’s because class size is set by accreditation guidelines, which allow for schools to grow seats as they get more time under their belt. But there’s a bigger, more mission-based argument for restricting class sizes too, he says. “Where the big difference comes in in the medical profession going into (students’) third and fourth year, when you put them on clinical rotations,” he says. “There are specific accrediting standards that require no more than X number of students per physician in a given core subject matter. “When students are out, they’re typically on thirty-day rotations. For thirty days, they’ll go to a dermatologist, for thirty days they go to OB-GYN, thirty days they go to all these different subspecialties, typically four med students for one physician. Going from one hundred and fifty to two hundred students means we’ve got to find more physicians who are taking students. Logistically, that’s very difficult.” Kyle said while theres no shortage of doctors nationwide, a complicating factor comes from the school’s desire to send students to rotations within the ArkansasOklahoma-Missouri footprint. He said this is a critical component of ACHE’s mission to keep students at home following their medical training. “When you look at Arkansas right now, the current ratio is six thousand citizens for every one doctor in the state. And when you look at primary care physicians in Arkansas, a third are over the age of sixty,” Kyle says. “It’s predicted DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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in the next five years that number is going to grow to ten thousand residents per one physician in the state of Arkansas. It is a major, major problem and that’s what we’re hoping to help address. “Eighty percent of medical students will end up within an hour to an hour and a half of where they went through residency. That’s why location is so important. We just recently announced the signing of forty-eight residents right here in Fort Smith. We’ve already got ninety-six over at Unity in Searcy. We’ve got CHI St. Vincent down in Hot Springs and we’ve also recently filed with a hospital in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. “We’re setting up right now to keep every one of those students in this region and with an eighty percent stick rate, I think we’ve got a pretty good chance at keeping them here.” Like most every educational institution, the school has switched to an all-online format during the current COVID-19 crisis, something Kyle sees as a very short-term patch. He says while technology is rampant in medicine, it can only go so far in medical school. “There’s been some questions about introducing more and more online-type courses,” he says. “The problem with that is, for example anatomy, you can do it virtually but there’s nothing like being able to actually feel the various muscles and veins and cartilage. You really can’t do that very well through virtual reality. “You can expand it and drill down and that kind of stuff, but until you really get to touch it and see what it feels like to reach in behind and grab that torn ACL, if I’m going to be a surgeon, I really need that hands-on experience.” Kyle also says while COVID-19 doesn’t cover any new ground from an DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
community
infectious disease perspective, the ongoing effort to manage
protect ourselves as much as possible, but you can’t just
the outbreak provides a valuable real-world classroom.
create a bubble, and everybody wear a bubble and walk around in life. You have to take the most reasonable way
“I don’t think it changes the instruction on infectious
of doing something without taking it to such an extreme
diseases, because that’s covered today. That’s how these
that you can no longer do your job.
doctors who are out there working on this knew how to do it in the first place because they got taught how in
“Human beings are community-oriented people and we
medical school,” he says.
desire to be around other people. There’s something special about human touch, not only the ability to
“There’s always silver linings in dark clouds and this one to me is the ability for our students to deal with what they may never see again in their lifetime, a pandemic.
diagnose things, but when a doctor puts their hands on
Whether or not SARS and Ebola and the bird flu were
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Arkansas Colleges of Health Education’s annual fundraiser gala “On Call An Evening Under the Pines,” has been postponed.
considered pandemics or not, they passed very quickly. Here, our students are being able to see situations where
your shoulder and tells you that they understand what you’re going through, it’s very different than looking at you on a TV screen.”
HOW TO HELP
there’s an inordinate amount of people that potentially could be affected.” Sitting as it does on more than four hundred acres in the Chaffee Crossing District, the organization has a lot of room to grow. Kyle wouldn’t rule out satellite schools
As a non-profit 501(c)(3) entity, ACHE depends on community support to help fund its educational programs. To make a donation, please contact Jackie Krutsch, executive director of development, at 479.308.2295.
either, although at present there’s plenty of work to do right here. It all comes down to priorities, he says, and
Arkansas Colleges of Health Education
striking the balance between reasonable safety in the
7000 Chad Colley Boulevard Fort Smith, Arkansas 479.308.2243 / acheedu.org
pandemic and fearlessly teaching quality of care. “I think it comes down to logistics,” he says. “That’s really where I see the change taking place. We know how to
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EDDIE and the
HAND JIVE Words and images Dwain Hebda
L
Love makes you do strange things; takes you places you might not have expected you’d go and shows you sights you may never think you’d see. For Eddie Schmeckenbecher, communications specialist for Arkansas School for the Deaf, love and American Sign Language go, quite literally hand-in-hand. “I started learning (to sign) at church in 1972. They had a deaf ministry at church and I thought it was fascinating to watch the interpreter,” he
Eddie Schmeckenbecher
says. “I was in high school. There was a girl that was an interpreter. You know, there’s always a girl involved somewhere.” While the romance part didn’t materialize, Eddie’s love affair with signing and the people who benefited from his ministry stuck. Throughout his college years, split between Liberty Baptist College (now Liberty University) in Lynchburg, Virginia, and UA Little Rock, he continued to hone his technique, taking formal courses and interpreting church services and classes for the academic and spiritual enrichment of the deaf.
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“While I was at Liberty Baptist College, they asked me if I
Watching Eddie work is a thing of beauty. For those blessed
would interpret a class for deaf students. I said sure. I’d been
with your hearing, cover your ears or turn down the volume
interpreting for about five years in church,” he says. “So, I
for a few minutes and watch. The fluid motions may hold no
started doing it and they paid me me for interpreting in a
meaning, but even those uninitiated in ASL are drawn by the
class. I thought well, this is pretty cool. Now that I’ve done it
animated body language and expressions. Before you know it,
for forty-something years, it’s become second nature to me.”
slivered rays of meaning begin to shine.
Two years ago, Eddie was summoned by his boss at the
It’s a comment Eddie hears over and over from ASL neophytes,
Arkansas School for the Deaf for a meeting. The governor’s
but it's not mere performance art. Mouthing the words helps
office was in need of a sign language interpreter for press
a deaf person who may be accustomed to reading lips and
conferences and other events and he was being assigned to
expressions assign the context that the hearing use vocal tone
the job. He was happy to do it, even if he wasn’t given much
and pitch to convey in conversation.
choice in the matter. “The word ‘understand’ for example,” says Eddie, “I can sign “The governor talked with the superintendent (about having
that word and then with different facial expressions it can be,
an interpreter), and the superintendent said, yes we can help
‘I understand,’ ‘I don’t understand,’ or ‘Do you understand?’
– ‘Eddie, you go and interpret,’” he recalls with a chuckle.
Just by changing my facial expressions, not changing the sign, all of those sentences come from that one sign.”
So began what was initially an innocuous assignment with the governor’s office, that is, until 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic reached Arkansas. As Governor Asa Hutchinson’s daily press conferences became must-see TV for a population locked into their homes, many viewers were drawn to the man to the left of the podium, captivated by his bright neckties, fluid signing and animated facial expressions. “Typically, I’m in a box in the bottom of the screen, I’m not standing up beside him,” Eddie says. “But because there are unprecedented times, they decided to have the interpreter stand up beside the governor.” As a result, Eddie’s audience, as well as his notoriety, leapt exponentially. By the end of April, Eddie was a full-blown social media star, attracting press interviews and inspiring hundreds of comments from onlookers across the state. “He is the most professional interpreter I have ever seen,” writes Gigi on Facebook. “Thinking I’m actually learning some signs from him. I listen to the governor but watch him,” adds Myra. “My daughter currently takes ASL in high school. Eddie is helping her stay well practiced,” writes Melissa, one of many similar such sentiments. “Thank you, Eddie, for being a kind human.” DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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The most remarkable thing about watching Eddie work is when you notice how well he keeps up with the speaker, despite the fact that he’s had no preview of what’s to be said. His method is a complicated and well-worn equation of hear-comprehendtranslate-sign that’s only one or two beats behind the actual speaker, despite the fact that syntax between the languages doesn’t align perfectly. “(ASL is) a completely different language (from English). Actually, the grammar structure for ASL is more related to Spanish and French,” he says. “If I said, ‘I painted the house red yesterday,’ if I was signing that, I would say, ‘Yesterday house me paint red.’ In order to do true ASL I have to give a little bit of time lag to figure out what they’re saying before I can put it in ASL. whether they’re deaf. I have to signify who’s speaking by “For example, when I hear the word ‘run’ there are in the
giving their name or their sign name or ‘mother’ or ‘father.’
dictionary about two hundred fifty-six different meanings for the word. Well, for all of those there are different signs. It’s
“When the deaf person speaks on a call like that or even in
not just one word, one sign. So, I have to get the meaning
a meeting, I say their name and voice for them what they’re
of the word before I can sign it.” Throw in unfamiliar name
signing in order for somebody in the room who doesn’t
spellings, most of which have to be spelled out one letter
know sign language to understand. I’m working for forty-five
at a time, and the inevitable (and very occasional) error he
minutes straight, interpreting both ways. I don’t get a break.”
must back up and correct, and Eddie’s unflappable expertise Eddie’s technical precision has come by way of perfecting
becomes nothing short of astonishing.
his gift for decades. But it’s the love and care with which “If you said ‘My name is Dwain Hebda’ I would go back to my
he communicates, radiating through him to the audience,
reference of the word ‘Dwain’ and then ‘Hebda’,” he says. “I
that truly sets him apart. It’s what drew deaf congregants
would tend to finger spell it like I hear it. It may be right, it
to gather at his home after church services as a teen and
may be wrong. But I get the word out.
guided him in his previous work as a rehab counselor to the deaf. And today, it’s what informs and inspires thousands
“I try to finger spell at a pace that people are able to
– deaf and hearing alike – who tune in to gain information
understand; I could spell ‘Schmeckenbecher’ pretty fast, but I
and hope through the governor’s COVID-19 broadcasts.
have to slow it down a little bit.”
Love, it seems, has a very long shelf life.
Eddie says interpreting Gov. Hutchinson is relatively easy
“What I like about what I do is, getting out and meeting different
given the chief executive’s moderate pace of speaking. And,
people, getting in different situations,” he says. “My favorite
the format of a press conference where generally only one
places to interpret are church, hospital operating rooms and
person is talking at a time, is also easier than what he does in
funerals. There have been people that request me specifically for
his day job, such as interpreting eighteen people in two-way
interpreting for them. That’s really meaningful.”
communication on a forty-five-minute video call. “Right now, we’re doing meetings for school and we have parents, teachers, students all on the Zoom call,” he says. “I’m interpreting for everybody, whether they’re hearing or
Watch Eddie in action during the governor’s live COVID-19 press briefings: govstatus.egov.com/ar-covid-19.
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LIVING TO
SERVE
words Stoney Stamper IMAGEs courtesy April Stamper and ccpixx photography/Shutterstock
I stand with my arm around Emma’s shoulder, holding her
Let me back up a tad. We are at the Oklahoma Youth
against me as I hear her sniffle. She’s fifteen years old, and
Expo, otherwise known as OYE to most everyone involved
this is always the hardest part of showing animals. We watch,
in FFA and 4-H. It’s the largest livestock show on the
as the two pigs that she’s worked so hard with this year,
planet. Thousands and thousands of animals, exhibitors,
walk down the aisle to “the truck.” The truck, of course,
Ag teachers, moms, dads, and families gather every year
is the truck that will carry them to the processing plant.
in Oklahoma City in hopes of making “the hill.” The show
Months of hard work, exercise, washing and conditioning,
is so large, that it requires a few “sift pens” before you
have now culminated to this moment. Just the two of us
can actually reach the main show pen, or “the hill,” as it’s
standing there, watching as they disappear onto the truck.
known. To even get in the top ten in one of these classes is
It’s sad, of course. But we are Ag folks. We understand that
quite an accomplishment. It’s the toughest show you’ll likely
this is how the world works. We donated both of these
ever go to. Countless hours of hard work, blood, sweat and
animals to the Food Bank of Oklahoma, so that their meat
tears are put into these animals. And to be realistic, most of
will go to feed children in need in Oklahoma. So, although
the kids that walk in that show ring are going to get sifted
it hurts Emma to know that these pigs won’t be going
pretty quickly. Most of them won’t make it to “the hill.” So,
home with us today, they are going to help people in need.
why do all this for just a few moments in the show ring?
Someone won’t go hungry because she chose to donate them. And that takes a bit of the sting out of watching
That’s a great question. Some people may look at that as
them take their final walk.
a waste. A waste of time. A waste of money. Lots and lots
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of money. But to me, it’s the farthest thing from waste. To
had no reason to help us. They just saw someone in need,
me, it’s one of the single greatest things from my childhood
and so they stepped in to help a total stranger – someone
that I can pass on to my own kids. My grandpa was in FFA
they’d likely be competing against in the next few days.
and was a premier horse showman, known all throughout
That’s not something you see every day. People helping
the country. My dad and his brothers showed horses, pigs
other people for no reason.
and cattle. My siblings and I showed horses, pigs and cattle, as well. It’s hard work. Getting up early before school to
Later in the show, Emma was walking her pig in the show
take care of these animals, to keep them healthy, to exercise
ring, and her pig had some dirt and shavings on its side.
them and get their hair and skin in perfect shape, it’s a full-
She hadn’t seen it yet, and a young man that was showing
time job. It can be a bit aggravating when other kids in your
against her took his brush from his pocket and brushed the
grade are getting together for sleepovers or parties on the
dirt and shavings off her pig. He had no reason to do that,
weekends, and you can’t go because there’s a pig show
except it was the helpful thing to do. It takes me back to
that you have to go to that’s three hours away. But the
my high school days of Ag class, when we were learning
lessons taught in the barn are lessons that will follow you
the FFA motto. “Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to
all the days of your life.
Live, Living to Serve.”
On the second day of the show, we were walking one of
Living to serve. I certainly believe that FFA and 4-H gave
our pigs down to the wash pens to give her a bath. It can be
me a servant's heart, and I know so many others that could
a bit overwhelming because of all the people and animals
say the same. And I see it in my girls, Abby and Emma.
that are heading in different directions. The pig got a little
Eager to help and serve those around them. Agriculture,
nervous and didn’t want to walk to the wash rack. And let
FFA, showing animals...it isn’t just about winning. Sure,
me tell you something, if a pig decides they aren’t going to
winning is nice – it’s what we shoot for. But in the bigger
do something, then they probably just aren’t going to do it,
picture, whether we won first place or last, it isn’t what we
and you can’t make them. So, as Emma and I tried to coax
focus on. We focus on making our children better people.
the pig into the wash rack, other kids from towns all across
We focus on molding them into responsible, hard working
the state stepped in to help us. They didn’t know us. They’d
adults. Nothing makes me prouder than seeing my fifteen-
never seen us before, and very likely never will again. They
year-old daughter jump up to help someone without being
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asked. That fills my heart with pride much more than any blue ribbon or premium sale. Living to serve. I know not all people are raised as I was, on a ranch, with agriculture literally all around them. And that’s perfectly ok. But I do wish that everyone could be taught this motto, and learn how fulfilling it can be to live to serve. At the end of the show, as we began to pack and load all of the show supplies, feed, buckets, and everything else that goes into showing these animals, I was carrying a sack of feed out to the truck with my signature limp, a result of a car wreck a few years ago. Two young men I’ve never met saw me struggling, and they jump up immediately. One of the young men says, “Sir, may I take that for you? Let me help.” The other young man asks what else needs to go out to the truck. I show him our pile of supplies, and he and the other boy load them all in my truck in a fraction of the amount of time it would have taken me. I thank them both for their help. They make sure there is nothing else they can do for me, I shake their hands, and then they go on about their
it ends right here. Emma looks a bit downtrodden, and she
business. They didn’t want anything or expect anything for
says, “I wish I would have done better at this last show.”
their help. They just live to serve.
But I look at her, and having to hold back tears of pride, said, “Babe, you couldn’t have done any better. You did
So, as I hold Emma against me, and as little tears roll down
perfect.” And of course, I think back to yesteryear when
her cheek as we send this year's projects on down the
my dad told me the same thing, and how aggravated it
road, I feel sad for her, but I also feel an overwhelming
could make me. But now I understand. It really wasn’t
sense of pride. Six months of hard work, early mornings
about winning, after all. It was about learning to do, doing
and late nights, countless baths and hair conditioning,
to learn, earning to live, and living to serve. And in that
vaccines and medicine for coughs and runny noses, all of
regard, she definitely won.
Stoney Stamper Stoney Stamper is the best-selling author of My First Rodeo: How Three
Daughters, One Wife, and a Herd of Others Are Making Me a Better Dad (WaterBrook) and author of the popular parenting blog The Daddy Diaries. He and his wife, April, have three daughters and live in Oklahoma, where they are heavily involved in agriculture and raise and show a variety of animals.
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Spring Words Jessica Sowards images courtesy Jessica Sowards and Fotokostic/ Shutterstock
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We are going to have to talk about the elephant in the room. The big, imposing elephant called Coronavirus that stepped on our plans for 2020 and left them in shattered ruins. The blinking cursor has been mocking as I’ve sat down to write this article half a dozen times. I’ve stared at a blank screen and asked myself, “How do I write about anything else?” It is spring. I love spring. I am a gardener, a hobby farmer. Therefore, I spend the long months of winter planning and dreaming of the green returning to the world around me, of life coming back and sinking my hands into the soil once again. This year was no exception. I counted down the days of February, I planned my seeds, ordered chicks to be delivered by mail, bred my goats and amended the garden beds. I was ready. I took a work trip to Iowa at the start of March, planning on returning from my trip and jumping headlong into the task of waking the farm up for this year’s growing season. I was mentally prepared for the hard work that would ensue. I love Spring, not because she is easy but because she is rewarding. I was ready, or so I thought. During my trip, the spread of Covid-19 began to overtake my newsfeed. The airplane ride home was a tense one. Within days of being home, schools began to send students home, store shelves became bare, and fear spread in a way that could only be called viral. I won’t lie. I was afraid. Change is bewildering and I’d never experienced such intense change at such a rapid rate. I’ve lived my whole life as a safe, sustained American. I’d never seen bare shelves at my grocery store before this. It has been a bewildering thing. We canceled the large homesteading event we host every year. We looked on, shell shocked, as our calendar cleared for months ahead, as the whole world seemed to shut down. I spent a few days reeling, processing the change and finding my bearings. My teenage son sat at the end of our kitchen table, realizing that all of his plans for the remainder of the school year were falling away, and he screamed, “So this can just happen? How is this able to just happen?” I was silent in response, realizing that I had the same thoughts ricocheting inside my own mind. I just lacked the teenage zeal required to voice them so earnestly. I have lived my entire life as an optimist. In every situation, I find the bright side. I spot the silver lining. I weed through the weeds of failure and brush off a bright, shiny harvest of wisdom. Sometimes it is easier than others. Sometimes, situations are obviously hopeful. Other times, it’s a little harder, but I get there in the end.
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This spring has been the strangest season I think I’ve ever
we’ve found our footing and found that we, humanity, are so
experienced. The baby chicks still came. We planted the
much more resilient that we realized.
garden. The goats still gave birth. The days have been filled with joy, punctuated with concern. We have daily danced
I cannot offer a conclusion to this chaotic season. I cannot tell
the dance of caution mixed with hard work and what we
you what we have carried out of it, because frankly, we are
have left of our usual routine. We have laughed so much.
not out of it. I can say, though, that what will come of this
We have cried. We are sick and tired of being at home, but
will be good. Spring isn’t lovely because it’s easy, it’s worthy
I think I will look back on these months forever, the months
because the hard work put into this season yields a harvest
that I spent more time with my teenagers than I have in
later. I can’t help but think maybe a lot of people sowed seeds
years, the months our schedules were cleared and our family
during these months, in their homes and their families and
was at the top of the priority list with no competition.
in themselves. A lot of people slowed down and maybe, just maybe, something beautiful will grow from it.
We tripled our garden this year. We built a high tunnel greenhouse and gave away a thousand plants that had
That’s what I’m hoping for at least. Of course, I am an optimist
been intended for the event we had to cancel. As we’ve
and I do love spring.
walked through the murky water of everything-changing,
To watch Jessica’s garden tours, visit her YouTube channel, Roots and Refuge.
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Words and images courtesy Family Features
Snacks are a way of life for people of all ages, but especially children, who consume about 25% of their daily calories
from
snacks,
according
to
research published in the Journal of Nutrition
Education
and
Behavior.
Providing nutritionally balanced snacks for your children at home can make for a happy and healthy day. Planning snacks that are as delicious as they are healthy is a winning solution, and snacks are a simple way to add more nutrition to your child’s diet. For example, low-fat and fat-free dairy foods are essential to children’s growth and overall wellness. They provide calcium and vitamin D, two nutrients kids don’t get enough of, according to the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The guidelines recommend 2-3 servings of low-fat and fat-free dairy foods every day, depending on the child’s age. Giving kids a role in the preparation can give them added incentive to enjoy healthy treats, and these recipes are all easy enough that kids can make them on their own (or with minimal assistance). Giving your kids the ability to play a role in the kitchen and create is a gift that can last a lifetime. The culinary skills they develop early in life can give them the confidence and know-how to cook nutritious meals for themselves as teens and adults. Get more ideas to get kids cooking and snacking smart at milkmeansmore.org. DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM
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if you like
PiĂąa Coladas... Recipe Adapted tasteofhome.com image Lesya Dolyuk/Shutterstock
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If you like piña coladas…. make this cake! This delicious ruminfused cake combined with creamy frosting and pineapple filling has us dreaming of an island getaway.
INGREDIENTS FOR THE CAKE
FOR THE FROSTING
•
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
•
10 cups powdered sugar
•
4 teaspoons baking powder
•
1 ¼ cups unsalted room-temperature
•
½ teaspoon salt
butter, cubed
•
¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
•
1 ¼ cups shortening
•
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
•
1 ½ Tablespoons coconut extract
•
¼ cup sour cream
•
6-7 Tablespoons coconut milk or water
•
6 egg whites, room temperature
•
2 teaspoons clear rum or
•
1 Tablespoon rum or
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract if preferred
1 teaspoon rum extract
•
1 Tablespoon coconut extract
•
¾ cup coconut milk, room temperature
•
¾ cup water, room temperature
FOR THE COCONUT BALLS (optional for top of cake) •
1 ½ cups coconut
•
½ cup condensed milk
FOR THE PINEAPPLE FILLING •
16 ounces crushed pineapple, with juice
•
2
•
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
•
2
•
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
/3 cup granulated sugar
/3 cup water
FOR THE GARNISH •
2 cups flaked coconut, sweetened,
more if needed
•
lime, cut to thin round slices (optional)
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METHOD CAKE
FROSTING
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three round
In mixing bowl, blend butter and shortening until
cake pans, line bottom of pans with parchment paper
smooth. Slowly add half the powdered sugar until
circles. In large bowl, cream together butter and sugar
smooth. Add coconut extract, rum (or vanilla extract)
until fluffy – about four minutes. Next, add coconut
and coconut milk, blend until smooth. Add remaining
extract, rum or rum extract, and sour cream, mix until
powdered sugar, mix until smooth, adding additional
combined. Add egg whites in two phases, mixing after
coconut milk if needed to reach desired consistency.
each. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients, set aside. In a small bowl or cup, combine water and coconut milk. Add half the dry mixture to the wet mixture and blend until combined. Add coconut milk mixture and stir to blend. Add remaining dry mixture
COCONUT BALLS Mix one cup of the coconut with condensed milk until combined. Form mixture into balls. Coat each ball with remaining coconut.
and mix well. Divide batter between pans and bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs. Remove cakes and cool completely
ASSEMBLE Place one layer of cake onto serving plate or cake
before assembling.
stand. Add a thin layer of buttercream and pipe or spoon a dam around the outside to hold filling
PINEAPPLE FILLING
in place. Add two Tablespoons of pineapple filling
In a large saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch, then add in pineapple, juice, and water. Cook over medium-high until mixture begins to thicken – about ten minutes. Let boil for one – two minutes, remove
inside the dam and spread evenly. Top with some coconut. Repeat with another layer. Add final layer and crumb coat the entire cake (this is simply a thin layer of frosting). Chill cake for thirty minutes.
from heat. Add vanilla extract, set aside to cool. Cover outside of cake with frosting, then press coconut into frosting over entire cake. Decorate top with coconut balls and lime slices if desired. Will keep in refrigerator for three to four days.
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Rosé All Day Recipe adapted tastemade.com image Rimma Bondarenko/Shutterstock
ingredients serves 2 ° 1 cup rosé wine ° 2 cups lemonade (we used pink) ° club soda ° lemon (sliced in rounds for garnish) ° rimming sugar (optional)
method Twist mouths of glasses in rimming sugar to coat. Fill glasses with ice; add lemonade and rosé, stir gently to combine. Top with a splash of club soda if desired, garnish with a slice of lemon.
Please drink responsibly. Never drink and drive.
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OUT OF THE BLUE words Sarah Phillips-Burger image ND700/Shutterstock
William
removed his glasses and rubbed at the sore
imprints left behind on his nose. He stuck the gas bill envelope turned grocery list turned bookmark into the book he had been attempting to read for the last half hour and placed it back on the end table beside his recliner. Feeling overcome with exhaustion, he closed his eyes and crossed his arms over his stomach, careful not to bend the thin, metal frames that dangled between his fingers. William exhaled, feeling the last bit of energy leaving his body, and slipped easily into sleep.
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But the moment he drifted away, he was startled awake
Scout was waiting by the sliding back door when he
by the buzz of the clothes dryer. He looked down to see
trekked back to the kitchen, the dirty plate once again a
Scout, his Jack Russell terrier, looking toward the laundry
pristine white. He let the dog outside and carried the plate
room before yawning and laying his head back down on
to add to the other dirty dishes from that morning, and
his bed. “Well, if you’re not going to take care of it, I
filled the basin with soapy, hot water.
guess I have to,” William said before putting on his glasses While he washed, he looked out the window above the
and pushing himself from the recliner.
sink at the large oak that held a tire swing and thought He walked into the warm room that smelled of Gain
of his daughter. Hannah was three when he met her, all
laundry detergent and removed his clothes from the dryer,
pigtails, big brown eyes, and chubby cheeks. A year after
folding the larger items first and placing the smaller ones
he and Margaret wed, he adopted the little girl, making
on top. He started another load in the washer, using the
him an official father. It was the proudest day of his life.
new detergent he was given to wash the more delicate items, and headed to the kitchen for some lunch. The
William stood with his hands braced against the countertop,
sound of the refrigerator opening was echoed by the
and wondered again, as he had a million times over the
sound of Scout’s nails on the hardwood floor, the dog
past several years, where Hannah was. The tire swing
circling around William’s feet in excitement. “Oh, now
rocked back and forth like the pendulum of a grandfather
you’re awake?” he laughed.
clock, keeping a record of the time she had been gone. It was a gentle but never ceasing reminder of the loss in
He shook his head, looking at all the food in his refrigerator.
William’s life. After drying his hands, he stepped onto the
Tupperware filled with casseroles, cakes, soups, and more
back deck and picked up a tennis ball, throwing it as far as
casseroles lined the shelves from side to side. His neighbors
he could to give Scout something to do.
had been bringing him food all week, and he hoped, for his waistline’s sake, that they would stop soon. “There
He then sat down on the deck stairs, watching the dog
hasn’t been this much food in this house since before
search for the ball in the grass that needed mowing
Margaret died,” he thought, before shaking the pinch of
while he searched his memories again for clues. Hannah
sadness away and deciding on the Mexican entrée.
had taken her mother’s death so hard. She had been a teenager in high school back then, and teenage girls need
He warmed up a plate and sat at the kitchenette to eat, his
their mothers. He had tried so hard to be strong for the
thoughts returning to his wife again as he looked around
both of them, to step in and do the things her mother
at the cobalt blue décor she loved so much. Nearly six
would have done, to be there for her however she needed.
years had passed since the car accident that took her life,
But Hannah pushed him away, unwilling to share her
but the house remained just as she had left it, the only
grief, unwilling to move forward with her life without her
exception being the dog, to which she would have been
mother’s presence.
allergic. “I wish you were here now,” he thought. “You William teared up remembering his daughter coming
would know what to do.”
home late, smelling of alcohol, sleeping all hours of the Scout, who had been patient up to that point, whined at
day and night, missing school. She had barely managed to
William’s feet, wagging his tail in anticipation. “All right,
graduate that next year, and when she had left home to
all right,” he said as he placed the near-empty plate on the
live with friends, he thought he might just give up himself.
floor to be licked clean. He returned to the laundry room
But his job and his neighbors and friends had kept him
and emptied the washing machine, inspecting each item
going, and somehow, he got used to his new life. The
to ensure the fresh stains had been removed, and started
visits from Hannah had become more sporadic, which in
the dryer again.
a way was its own blessing. Seeing her in so much pain
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stirred up his own, and no matter what he said to her, he
“I’m calling about your daughter, Hannah,” the woman had
could not convince her to stay.
said. William’s heart had sunk to the floor in anticipation of the horrible news he thought would come.
William sat with his chin in his hands and stared at the tire swing as if it held all of the answers that he desperately
“Is… is she okay?” he managed to ask after bracing
needed, now more than ever. Scout climbed the steps and
himself on a table.
stood with his front paws in William’s lap, nuzzling his snout in his shirt, the cold, wet nose grazing his neck.
“As far as we know, yes. You see, she had a baby two days
“Okay, let’s go in,” William said as he stood and walked
ago, a baby boy.”
back inside. Relief flooded William. My daughter has a baby boy. Scout drank from his water bowl and William returned to his recliner once more to read. The soft, chocolate suede of the
“She left the hospital today, but she left without him. You
La-Z-Boy soothed his tired body as he kicked his feet up and
are her next of kin and well, we wondered if you would be
settled in. Not one to miss out on the best napping place in
able to take the baby. Otherwise-”
town, Scout joined him, scooting in between his leg and the armrest before resting his head on his front paws.
“Of course. Of course, I’ll take him.”
William picked up the book, glancing over at a picture of
He met with a caseworker that afternoon, and after filling
Margaret with her arms wrapped around Hannah, the both
out all the paperwork and answering countless questions,
of them laughing. He thumbed through the pages to find
she took him to meet his grandson.
the bookmark and stuck it in between his legs, opening the book wide towards the light and adjusting his eyes to the
“She named him Jack,” the woman said as she placed the
small print. He scanned the page with his finger until he
tiny bundle in his arms for the first time.
found the place where he left off and began reading again. Now, as he entered the dimly lit room, Scout silently stood Beside him, Scout’s head jerked up and tilted slightly to
guard beside the crib. William peeked over the mahogany
the right, his gaze zeroed in on the hallway. His head tilted
railing at the bundle that was starting to squirm. He picked
to the left, hearing the noise again, and he scrambled out
up the baby, loosening the blue swaddling blanket enough
of the seat and leaped off the footrest, heading straight to
to touch the tiny fingers that opened and closed in search
the hall. He stopped and turned back to look at his owner.
of something to hold on to.
“Okay, I’m coming,” William said as he returned the book to its place on the table once more and lifted the lever on
“Hello, Jack,” he cooed.
the side of the recliner to lower his feet. He returned to his recliner with his grandson and rocked He made his way through the living room, passing wedding
him gently as he gazed at the little face that looked so
and birthday pictures, Margaret’s chair next to the window
much like his daughter’s. “How about I read to you for
where she had once knitted, and the couch where Hannah
a little bit, would you like that?” William asked before
had often fallen asleep watching movies. Everything in his
picking up the book, What to Expect the First Year and
home held memories of them, memories that he carried
finding, once again, where he left off.
with him. And now, a new memory was added to be carried by him, one of a phone call he received last week from the hospital.
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Dear Lord, please watch over and support all mothers on earth and in heaven and help them to know how much they are loved and appreciated on Mother’s Day and every day.
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