UNCONDITIONAL - March 2021 by Do South Magazine

UNCONDITIONAL

MARCH 2021 DoSouthMagazine.com

march

Contents 04 05 12 14 15 16

Letter from Catherine What’s New - Contests

Nonprofit Spotlight:

Homemade Easter DIY

Riverview Hope Campus

{TASTE}

40 43

Premier Pasta Primavera Kickin’ Kiwi Mojito

Advertiser Spotlight:

08 Project Zero 11 Shop Local 18 Wind Beneath My Wings:

John Mays Jewelers

Arkansas Single Parent

Scholarship Fund

36 Kick Start Guide to Spring

We Love Your Pets Babes in Snowland

48 Special Feature:

{COMMUNITY}

Locally Owned Guide

{OUTDOORS}

Tiptoe Through the Tulips: Garvan Gardens

Floating in Arkansas

{ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT} {PEOPLE}

Rock and Roll Never Forgets:

Gary Hutchison

26 30

Spirits from the Postmaster The Old Rugged Cross

Get Bookish:

March Recommendations

{FICTION}

Letters From Home

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OUR COVER Image Credit: Pavlina Trauskeova/ Shutterstock

Letter from Catherine

SPRUNG

There’s not much better than a beautiful spring day. The days grow longer, winter’s chill begins to fade away and beautiful blooms and fresh blades of green grass begin to emerge from hibernation. With so much to explore in the Natural State, it’s time we come out of hibernation too!

This month, I have three ways to get you out of the house and enjoy the season! We begin with a tiptoe through hundreds of thousands of tulips at Garvan Gardens in Hot Springs. Feeling more adventurous? Don’t miss our Kick Start Guide to Floating in Arkansas! Looking to make a road trip? How about a weekender to Newport, Arkansas where your mission is dinner and drinks at Postmaster Spirits – find out why it made our bucket list, starting on page twenty-six. Next, we’re sharing the mission of Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund and how they’re helping single parents reach their goals. Then, we get up close and personal with legendary musician, the incredible Gary Hutchison of Oreo Blue. You’ll also find unique ways to dye your Easter eggs naturally, recipes, book recommendations, and not just one, but four contests from local businesses!

MARCH 2021 OWNER - PUBLISHER - EDITOR Catherine Frederick COPY EDITING Charity Chambers GRAPHIC DESIGN Artifex 323 – Jessica Meadors CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Lydia Dobbins, Bob Dyer, Jade Graves, Ross Jones, Dwain Hebda CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jeanni Brosius, Catherine Frederick, B.J. Heilman, Dwain Hebda, Sara Putman, Liesel Schmidt ADVERTISING INFORMATION Catherine Frederick I 479.782.1500 catherine@dosouthmagazine.com

You know how much we love local, and this month I am thrilled to bring you our 6th Annual Locally Owned Guide, filled with businesses working tirelessly to serve you. They

deserve our attention and our patronage, as do all those who advertise with Do South®. Our valued advertisers are the reason you are reading this right now! Thank you for loving Do South®! We love telling the stories of Arkansans making the place we call home an even better place to live. Is there a story you’d love to read

©2021 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

or someone you know who deserves recognition? Drop me a line and let me know – see you in April!

Catherine Frederick Owner/Publisher/Editor

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.

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what's new

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CONTESTS (Deadline is March 15) Go to dosouthmagazine.com, click on “Contests” at the top of the page. All who enter will be subscribed to our mailing list. Once notified, winner must pick up prize from the participating business. Please see rules and policies on our Contests page!

KINDRED ROOTS ................................................................ CODE: ROOTS

If you love plants and want to add to your collection, or perhaps you’re just getting started, Kindred Roots can help! Enter for your chance to win a $25 gift card from Kindred Roots, located in the Bakery District, Downtown Fort Smith. HUMMINGBIRD BOUTIQUE .....................................CODE: HUMMINGBIRD

Spring has sprung at Hummingbird Boutique in Fort Smith! From apparel to unique gift items and home décor, Hummingbird has so much to choose from! Go to DoSouthMagazine.com and enter to win a $25 gift card! CARD + CLOTH ....................................................................... CODE: CC

You’ll have so much fun deciding how to spend your $25 gift card to Card + Cloth! If you’re shopping for yourself, or someone you adore, you’ll find what you need in store! Now with two gorgeous locations to serve you! ALMOND MACARONS ............................................... CODE: MACARONS

Divine. Delicate. Delicious. We could go on and on about the tasty treats from Almond Macarons! Enter for your chance to win your choice of either a box of delectable macarons or a $25 gift card from Almond Macarons. Interested in hosting a contest with us? Contact Catherine at 479.782.1500 or email catherine@dosouthmagazine.com for details!

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community community

Nonprofit Spotlight words Catherine Frederick with Chris Joannides, Executive Director, Riverview Hope Campus

DS: How did Hope Campus come to be? HOPE Campus was a community project through the Old Fort Homeless Coalition working with many stakeholders to address the rise in homelessness and the desire to offer an evidence-based model for providing services. The campus model offers a variety of services all under one roof, therefore reducing the many barriers our community homeless and underserved populations face daily.

DS: Who does Hope Campus serve and in what ways? We are open to anyone in need of assistance, whether homeless or just in need

The Riverview Hope Campus is a place where homeless service providers will meet to offer comprehensive assistance to the homeless in our area. Their mission is to provide a safe environment, through a network of regional partners, and comprehensive services to impoverished individuals and families in the River Valley to improve their livelihood and in return, strengthen the community. Through care, treatment, and services RHC will address acute needs as well as help individuals identify root causes of the challenges they face so that these individuals can pursue a path to self-sufficiency. Do South® reached out to Chris Joannides, Executive Director, to learn more.

of a hand up. Our emergency shelter houses thirty-five individuals nightly, plus an additional eighty-six program beds available to individuals wanting to enroll in one of four tracs to work towards self-sufficiency. We offer a laundry facility, salon, three meals a day, showers, dog kennels for those with companions, case management to assist in reaching goals and objectives, onsite medical clinic by Mercy, and we have just opened HOPE Cares, which is our clinical department to help uncover the many root causes of homelessness.

DS: Tell us how Hope Campus’s mission impacts our community. HOPE Campus works towards two areas, affordable housing, and mental health. We wish to offer a hand up, working directly on individual case plans so we improve the lives and community of Fort Smith.

DS: How can our community get involved with Hope Campus? Our biggest need is volunteers and groups to help us with serving meals. We serve more than 300+ meals daily to our residents and members of our community. If

301 South E Street

your church group or civic club can help, we can get you plugged in right away!

Fort Smith, Arkansas 479.668.4764

DS: What else should our readers know about?

riverviewhopecampus.org

We were awarded a grant to expand our emergency shelter, so we will be under construction soon, which will lead us to our next phase of transitional housing. This is a phase up from shelter and programming yet will give forty-eight individuals

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.

more flexibility as they progress towards individual goals and self-sufficiency. Our capital campaign kicks off soon and donations can be made to HOPE Campus 301 South E Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas 72901.

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ON VIEW: MAY 21 - SEPTEMBER 19, 2021

ART: Ron Whitehead Blood Sweat Tears

Featuring art from former and current service men and women in the states of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Texas. The aim of this exhibition is to raise awareness about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder by giving service men and women a venue to tell their individual stories through artwork. Through the duration of this exhibition, the Fort Smith Regional Art Museum will offer Arts4Healing Classes FREE to veterans. To help support this FREE Participation Exhibition call RAM Development 479.784.2787 All works in this group exhibit will be for sale and will benefit the participating artists and RAM’s Art4Healing Program.

1601 ROGERS AVENUE FORT SMITH, AR 72901 479.784.2787 • FSRAM.ORG DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

18 08

community community

Ahdees is the oldest in this sibling

ages in their circumstances. Ahdees needs to

group and is a big fan of both outdoor activities

get better at being less impulsive and respecting

and video games. Pizza and chicken are at the top

boundaries. Taichionna is working hard on using

of the menu every night if you’re asking Ahdees!

better judgement and making smarter decisions.

The middle sibling is Taichionna, and she loves

And Rashad has a little more work to do on clearly

gardening, crafts, and playing with her Barbies. In

communicating what he wants and needs. But

line with her love of gardening, she enjoys eating

they’re all making steady progress and looking

all sorts of fruits, so she is right at home at your

forward to sharing their successes with you.

local orchard or farmer’s market. Rashad is the youngest, and he loves playing basketball and is

They’ll need a two-parent home with structure

nuts about cars. Want Rashad to clean his plate?

and consistent routines. If you can provide

Fill it up with chicken nuggets and pour him a

that and a steady diet of love, support, chicken

glass of chocolate milk to wash it all down.

nuggets, fresh fruit, and pizza, then these siblings will thrive!

The siblings each have their struggles, too, but they’re nothing out of the ordinary for kids their

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

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community

Ahdees, Taichionna, and Rashad Ages: 9, 7, 5 IMAGE courtesy Ashley Carson

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community entertainment

Get BOOKISH

Enjoy these four must-read books from our friends at Bookish, Fort Smith, Arkansas’s only independently-owned bookstore. Shop hours: Monday 11am-4pm, Tuesday - Friday 10am-6pm and Saturday 10am-4pm. Need curbside delivery? Call 479.434.2917 or email orders@bookishfs.com.

The Wife Upstairs

Valentine

March Recommendations courtesy Sara Putman, Bookish

by Rachel Hawkins

Fat Chance, Charlie Vega

This retelling of Jane Eyre is told through the eyes of Bea, Jane, and of course, Eddie Rochester. Hawkins replaces the Victorian mansion with an upscale neighborhood outside of Birmingham, and Jane finds herself at the mercy of Bea’s handsome widower. Little does she know that the secrets kept by privileged society go above and beyond what the rest of us could imagine. Twisty and southern, Hawkins pays tribute to one of the weirdest love stories in classic literature with wit and sass.

Charlie Vega is a lot of things. Smar t. Funny. Ar tistic. Ambitious. Fat. Charlie is awkward, over thinking and tries to do her best to love herself. She's confident in her writing skills but second guesses every interaction with potential boyfriends. She tries to follow the body loving movement but struggles with her mom's projection of the "right weight." The characters are well-rounded and the story moves along without meaningless or unrealistic drama. It’s good fun for anyone who enjoys YA!

by Crystal Maldonado

by Elizabeth Wetmore

The New Rules of Aging Well

This isn’t the first time I’ve recommended this book, and it won’t be the last. Set in Odessa, Texas in the 1970s, it opens with the brutal assault of a young Mexican girl. What ensues is a tapestry of weathered but wonderful female characters who choose to suppor t one another, protect each other, and find solace in the hardness of their lives. Wetmore’s use of storytelling to connect these women to our current world is nothing shor t of genius. Valentine was one of our favorite books of 2020 and now it is out in paperback.

While it doesn’t necessarily offer new information, Lipman and Claro do a wonderful job explaining the science and the “why” behind it; furthermore, they help reframe the act of aging so that we can think about it more positively. For instance, aging is a luxury, and it’s important to recognize all the ways our bodies serve us. What can we do to help our bodies be the best they can be? Food, exercise, lifestyle, and mindset are all covered in this concise but important read for anyone over the age of forty.

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by Danielle Claro & Frank Lipman

shop

Spring into Shopping Local! words Catherine Frederick imageS Jade Graves Photography and courtesy vendors

Welcome spring with the help of some of our favorite local shops! Be sure to tell them Do South® sent you!

Sunglasses by Persol Göller German Pilsner Original, Göller Steinhauer Weisse, Göller Dunkel, and Göller Lager

Consuela Spring Arrival Handbag

BLACK BISON COFFEE COMPANY

DR. STEVEN B. STILES OPTOMETRY 479.452.2020

479.551.2880

IN GOOD SPIRITS 479.434.6604

Hearts On Fire Tessa Diamond Circle Earrings, Available in 18kt White, Yellow and Rose Gold, from .34cts. - 2cts. Total Weight

JOHN MAYS JEWELERS 479.452.2140

Odinell Ear Cleaning Spray by Audinell Hearing Care Technology

CENTER FOR HEARING 479.785.3277

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Tin City Cider Co. Poly Dolly, Austin Eastciders Blood Orange Cider, King St. Vodka, Daou Rosé, Ketel One Citroen, Swig Stainless Steel Insulated Tumbler

SODIE’S WINE & SPIRITS 479.783.8013

diy

Homemade words Catherine Frederick image RHJPhtotoandilustration/Shutterstock

Orange/Brown Eggs

Ye l l o w E g g s

Light Blue Eggs

Y EL LOW O NIO N S K IN S

TUR M ER IC

R ED O R P UR P LE CAB B AG E

M ATER I ALS

• hard boiled eggs • apple cider vinegar or white vinegar • 4 cups beets, chopped • 4-5 cups yellow onions, outer skin only • 3 Tablespoons turmeric

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• 4 cups red or purple cabbage, chopped

• 4 cups blueberries, whole • 1 pound spinach, fresh leaves *disposable gloves (optional)

diy

Easter Dark Blue Eggs

Light Green Eggs

Pink Eggs

B LUEB ER R IES

SP IN ACH

B EETS

M ETH O D

Combine 1 quart water and 2 Tablespoons vinegar in a medium pot. Once boiling, add dye ingredient, then lower the heat. Simmer for 30 minutes then allow to cool. Strain liquid into mason jar or bowl of choice. Add eggs and let rest for a minimum of 30 minutes, longer for brighter colors (overnight in the refrigerator). Once desired color is reached, remove eggs and pat dry with paper towels. Repeat for each color.

*TIP: Turmeric can stain your skin so you may want to wear disposable gloves. DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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community

We Love Your Pe ts! We asked you to share a photo of your pet on our Do South® Facebook page, and wow, did you deliver - over 550 photos were shared! Check back in April for more adorable pet photos!

Phoebe - Alyssa Lawrence

Delilah - Lauren Cox

Millie Monster Holly Woddard

Faith - Sarah Jane Jones

Bailey and Millie - Dianna Hewitt Ladd

Coco and Sirius - Michelle Smith

Ollie - Spencer Mays

Rouix Pig - Brandy Carter

Jack - Terra Harrmon

Winston - Jami Davis

Bentley - Sarah Gunn Norman

Mr Wick- Shelly Wade Roberts

Bitty - Candace Rainwater

Lightning - Bill Dodson

Zeke - Jennifer Brown Yaffe

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Duchess - Shannon Stoddard

Cooper - Susan Jordan Gattis

King - Jeanette Hilton Saterfield

community

Babes in Snowland! Thank you to everyone who shared photos from February’s epic snowstorm on our Do South® Facebook page!

Brandy Merechka

Lydia Mounts

Becky Ballard

Jenny O'Daniel Hassen

Amanda Grist

Natalie Copher & Ivy Moreton

Tori Lopez

Ellis Meadors and Curtis Mays

Kristen Gean

Bridget Worley Asbury

Luke Crow

Constance Martin DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

Aubrey Crow

Jackie Mock

Witten Morten

Kevin Mays

Laura Crow

Kathy Henry

advertiserSPOTLIGHT

ADVERTISER SPOTLIGHT

JOHN MAYS JEWELERS

with KEVIN MAYS,

ABOUT JOHN MAYS JEWELERS

Certified Gemologist Appraiser

We specialize in finished jewelry, watches, jewelry repair, watch repair, custom design, and appraisals. Our store has three Gemologists, a Certified Gemologist Appraiser, two Graduate Jewelers, and we are an Accredited Gem Lab from the American Gem Society.

5622 Rogers Avenue Fort Smith, Arkansas 479.452.2140 johnmaysjewelers.com When founded: Opened 1999 Number of employees: John Mays III, Kathryn Mays, Kevin Mays, John Mays IV

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advertiserSPOTLIGHT IN A CROWDED MARKETPLACE, WHAT SETS JOHN MAYS JEWELERS APART? Our store is very unique and different from others. From the stunning jewelry in our cases, to the wallpaper on our walls, to the incredible landscaping outside, we hand select everything. We aren’t just selling you jewelry or repairing your grandmother’s ring. We want you to have a genuine experience from the moment you pull up and hear the music and see the flowers outside. When you leave we want you to feel the passion we have for jewelry. WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHANGE TO YOUR BUSINESS OVER THE YEARS? Digital marketing and the evolution of social media and e-commerce. The days of traditional marketing still have a place, especially in our market, but everything is now available at the touch of a button or swipe of an app, so you have to stay current. Over the last few years, and especially given what we have planned for the future, we are making significant changes to evolve and adapt to the new and ever-changing market. Our industry is still unique in that our clients always want to come in and make that personal connection, touch and view various pieces of jewelry. Still, the information you can provide and send to clients instantly is impressive and invaluable. WHAT ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS HAS REMAINED THE SAME OVER THE YEARS, AND WHY IS THAT SUCH AN IMPORTANT FOUNDATION TO YOUR COMPANY? We are a family that genuinely loves jewelry. In our industry, we laugh and call ourselves gem geeks, but it’s true. When you love what you do, it’s not work. Walking into our store is like walking into our home, and that’s how we want it to be. You should have a passion for what you do and it’s visible from the moment you walk into our store.

HOW HAVE YOU ADJUSTED TO COVID-19 PROTOCOLS? We have had to adjust a few things around the store to stay safe during the pandemic. We are cleaning the cases and door after every client and wearing a mask, a must to shop in-store. We also offer private appointments and viewings should any customer want a more intimate, safe shopping experience where they can have the store to themselves or their family. WHAT ADVANTAGES DOES FORT SMITH PRESENT FOR YOUR COMPANY? Fort Smith is a smaller, family-oriented community, and that is another reason we love it here. I cannot tell you how many times when I was growing up, my family would be at dinner, and a client would hand my dad a watch or a ring to fix, and now all these years later, this is still happening when my son and I go out to eat. We love being a part of this community and the friendships and trust that we have within it. All of our family grew up in Fort Smith and attended the same schools, Darby and Northside. Watching our clients' families grow over the years is something that makes our business so personal. It’s these close relationships we have created that has made us who we are as a business today. IF YOU HAD TO SUMMARIZE THE PHILOSOPHY OR CULTURE AT JOHN MAYS JEWELERS? Our parents have always told us, “You can’t be everything to everyone, stick to what you know and be honest.” It doesn’t only apply to business but all aspects of your life. We take a very hands-on approach to every customer who walks through the door. Whether it is a watch battery or a custom-designed ring for a 50th Anniversary, we want you to know how important you are to us and how much we value your business and your trust.

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HOW HAS TECHNOLOGY IMPACTED YOUR OPERATIONS? Technology has impacted all our lives and I think this last year, we saw the broad impact of how it has affected so many industries around the world during the pandemic. I have worked the last few years to bring our digital footprint up to speed online and in-store with new technology and features. This past year we completely updated our website and began a multiphase project to advance our e-commerce and website to adjust to changes in the marketplace quickly. We have experienced a considerable uptick in traffic and web-based sales due to this new strategy. WHAT DO YOU SEE IN THE FUTURE FOR JOHN MAYS JEWELRY? This year we will be rolling out the next phases of our website and e-commerce, and hopefully, having a few of our in-store events, which we love to host, and our clients love to attend. We can’t wait to see everyone together again! I am very excited for all of the projects we’ve been working on come to fruition and for our customers to be able to take advantage of the new features! HOW DOES JOHN MAYS INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY? Giving back to our community and the schools is something we take great pride in. Whether it is something for a silent auction, for a school event, or a large event like the Mercy Gala, which we have been honored to be a part of for over twenty years, we like to keep our donations local and in our community. If you’ve ever had a daughter who was Homecoming Queen or Band Queen in our area in the last twenty years, then that crown came from John Mays Jewelers. We continually sponsor events to benefit the Children’s Emergency Shelter, Bost, Girls Club, Humane Society, WATA, and countless other school and community events.

people

Wind Beneath My Wings Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund Helps Turn Dreams Into Reality

Words Dwain Hebda images courtesy Michelle Gilbert, Breezy Kuhl, and Jade Graves Photography

At an age when most kids are getting their driver’s license, Meya Sanders became a mom. It was just one of the conditions of her early life that seemed to steer the Memphis native into a statistical column; another child of addicts destined to a life devoid of its true potential. But where many people only viewed where she was, Meya always held in her mind where she could go. She attended community college and earned a phlebotomist degree which began a long career in health care. She felt called to care for others, be it in a clinic or on their deathbed in hospice, both of which have been stops on her professional journey. Life hasn’t always been smooth and seemingly never easy – a marriage brought her to Fort Smith; a bad divorce put her back on her own with more children to care for – but the journey has been hers. “The classes and what I’ve learned so far, it’s just joy that I did this, you know? It gives me that I-did-this-all-bymyself feeling, you know?” she says. “It gives me a sense of accomplishment. Coming out of a really bad divorce, it makes me feel so good that I was able to do this. I am happy in what I’m doing and how I’m doing it. It’s hard, don’t get me wrong; it’s so hard, but it’s rewarding.” Meya Sanders

Meya is quick to give credit where credit is due. She mentions her sister who's nearly done with a master’s degree as one source of inspiration. Her parents, now more than twenty years clean and sober and pursuing careers as drug and alcohol counselors, are another. The Almighty gets a lot of credit, too, and without question, she says, the Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund (ASPSF), which has helped fund her dream into becoming a reality.

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people

“I actually heard about it through my financial advisor at Arkansas Tech University [Ozark campus],” she said. “I told her my story that I was a newly single parent at the time and I’m doing this on my own. I have no family here. My ex-husband and his family do not help me whatsoever. She mentioned the Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund. “They heard my story, filled out the application and for the last almost two years they have helped me every semester with making sure that I get these things done on time. These

They heard my story, filled out the application and for the last almost two years they have helped

people are a blessing to me.”

me every semester with making sure

****

that I get these things done on time.

The nonprofit ASPSF began thirty-one years ago as a

These people are a blessing to me.

grassroots organization in Northwest Arkansas. Its founders envisioned a way to help support single parents who were trying to make a change in their circumstances through higher education. “There was a growing need due to gaps in services provided. This meant [single parents] were facing a lot of barriers,” says Michelle Gilbert, the group’s communications director. “Our scholarship dollars can be used for whatever is needed most to help them be able to continue in their education. If that’s childcare, if it’s gas, if it’s money to have internet at home so that they can do their online courses, whatever. It’s for whatever they need to help them be successful. “The base scholarship is $1,200 a semester for a full-time student and if some of them were taking fewer hours than that, it would be proportional to the number of hours that they’re

Michelle Gilbert

taking. They can receive that in spring, fall and summer.” The program wasn’t just interested in handing out checks. From its inception, ASPSF took a holistic approach to the people it served, providing support services to help ensure the efforts took root. “We provide what we call wraparound services,” Michelle says. “We’re giving the students different developmental and educational opportunities that will help them throughout their school career, help them better prepare for interviews and landing a job, help them be more successful once they secure that employment.

Breezy Kuhl

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people

“Today, we have a lot of budgeting classes and career

accelerated programs, so it probably took me a little less than

preparedness. We even have some workshops that might

two years to finish.”

not come to mind easily, but really help people overcome barriers, such as a car maintenance class. Lower-income

She graduated with a degree in business administration with

students may not have the greatest functioning vehicle in the

a concentration in human resources management and is today

world, but it’s important to get themselves and their kids to

the director of HR for a consulting company that manages

school, so we teach them how to take care of it themselves

nursing homes. She’s also pursuing her master’s degree.

and save some money doing that.” The ASPSF was so instrumental to her success, she volunteers The number of scholarships awarded to date is impressive

in her spare time to help others who are in the same position

by any measure. To date, ASPSF has awarded forty-six

she once was in.

thousand scholarships over its history, totaling $30 million. In 2020 alone, more than sixteen hundred scholarships were

“It’s a great, great program. The people are wonderful,” she

awarded, totaling $1.5 million, an increase of forty-one

said. “For me, it was so much more than just a scholarship. It

percent over 2019. This doesn’t include distributing more

was more than that money. It was the support that they gave

than fifty laptops to qualifying students to assist in their

you. As a single parent, going back to school, it’s never easy.

schoolwork. And still, the group would like to do more.

I did have a good support system with my friends and my family, but I can’t imagine what it’s like for the people who

“One of our big goals is increasing our reach and awareness,

don’t have that.

so that we’re able to serve a greater portion of our state,” Michelle says. “Thirty-five percent of single-parent families

“Even though they don’t have programs for grad students, they

in Arkansas live below the poverty line and we would like to

still keep up with me as I’m working on my MBA. They still

be serving as many of those individuals as we can.”

encourage me to keep going. They really do care about these students. They invest in them in more than that financial part,

****

they invest in the emotional part as well.”

Breezy Kuhl knew she had reached a crossroads in life,

Breezy emulates this caring attitude, and when she speaks to

standing in the checkout line at a discount store.

people about the program, the ring of authenticity in her voice is undeniable. Encountering other single parents facing the

“I was living paycheck to paycheck. I was in Saver’s trying to

same hurdles she once did, she’s direct and to the point.

find my kid a Halloween costume,” she said. “He picked out this seven-dollar Halloween costume and my card was denied.

“It’s never a good time to go back to school when you’re a

I scanned another one and it denied. That was the moment for

single parent,” she says. “I believe that so much in our life we

me. I had to make a change.”

put stuff off because it’s not a good time. You have to get past that and just go do it.

Breezy had attended college off and on since high school but dropped out before graduating in order to get married and

“My advice is, you’re always going to have excuses, but you

start a family. The marriage fell apart, leaving her to fend for

just have to make up your mind that this is what’s going to be

her family’s welfare.

better for me and commit to it and go for it.”

“I had about three years left to get my degree,” she says. “I went through Southern New Hampshire University’s

Learn more about Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund at Aspsf.org.

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people

Rock 'n' Roll Gary Hutchison

Never Forgets Words Dwain Hebda images courtesy Bob Dyer Photography

For a guy who never wanted to be huge in music, Gary Hutchison of Fort Smith has had one hell of a run. A musician of fifty-five years, he’s played with countless artists across thousands of gigs, squeezing multiple marriages in between millions of notes. Emerging with his health and sanity intact – to say nothing of his marrow-deep love of music – his has been a career of his own making. “I got into the music business when I was twenty-one,” he says. “Growing up, I didn’t know you could make a living at it. I thought you were either a rock star or you played at home in your bedroom. I didn’t know there was a middle ground there, you know? When I got a little older and moved to a bigger city, I realized you could make a living playing guitar. That’s what I’ve always done.” “I never wanted to be a rock star. That wasn’t a dream of mine. I’m not sitting at home going, ‘I could have been a contender,’ you know? I just wanted to play guitar in a group and I think I’ve succeeded at that. I’ve made a living doing it since 1974. I’ve not had a day job or anything." The pride of Anderson, Missouri, Gary’s life in music has been something out of a lyric: small-town kid turns on, tunes in and drops out, takes along a guitar and the rest is history. Or, something like that. "Anderson is a little town straight up Highway 71,” he says. “It’s one of the first little towns you hit as you’re

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people

going to Joplin from Arkansas. I always said I grew up in

“My older brother came home from college and he was

Mayberry. It was idyllic. You didn’t lock your doors, you

listening to it and he said, ‘You need to check that out. That

didn’t worry about stuff, there was no crime. It was just a

guy is all over the guitar.’ So, I listened to it a second time,

great time to be alive.”

as a guitar player, and went oh my gosh, this is amazing.”

Eventually, the quaint charm began to constrict and by the

The album opened the first of several new musical doors in

time he was in his teens, Gary and his pals were into a scene

Gary’s mind, whereby he’d discover a new genre, soak up

that felt a universe away from rural Missouri.

as much as he could then find something else in which to immerse himself.

“There were just a few of us that were hippies in that era. Well, we thought we were hippies, you know? There were

“You know, I say I’m self-taught, but that’s not really true.

about five of us in high school,” he says, chuckling. “We

I learned from everybody I could,” he says. “Early on, I got

listened to different music than the mainstream. I was really

into all styles of guitar. I worked at a music store and the

into the psychedelic stuff. I was into Jefferson Airplane and

owner was a jazz player, so I learned all those cool chords.

Quicksilver Messenger Service and that kind of stuff.”

I learned how to play solo guitar where I could just sit and play by myself. I got into country bands just so I could work.”

Gary’s fondness for the genre inadvertently snagged him into the blues when he chose a record album for its trippy

“I learned from every record I put on; from anybody I saw

cover art.

playing guitar to ask a question. I had thousands of teachers.”

“I saw this album by a band called Ten Years After. It had

This not only kept things interesting as a musician, it became

this real psychedelic-looking cover on it. I thought, well

absolutely essential while paying his dues in clubs.

this is cool. It looks like something I’m going to like,” Gary remembers. “I took it home and put it on the turntable and

“I got in the musician’s union and it was the kind of deal where

went, eww, yuck. It’s blues.”

they’d go, ‘Be at The Wagon Wheel at 8:30 p.m. Bob will be

Gary with Don Bailey

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people

on bass, Frank on drums and Larry will be the singer. You just show up.’ You better have it together, you know?” “A lot of it, like I said, was watching how the pros handled things. I’ve been in those situations where we were the wrong band for the venue, where you’re just trying your best to make them happy. One thing that always helped was having that wide repertoire. I can go from Hank Williams to Louis Armstrong to Antonio Carlos Jobim to Ted Nugent to Jimi Hendrix to Creedence Clearwater. If you can’t find somebody that likes at least one of those, you’re in trouble.” Gary’s brush with greatness came as a guitar player in Southern Fried, a Joplin band Billboard ranked as one of the top three unsigned acts of 1979. It was a heady period, even though the group itself was on borrowed time. “Being in a band is kind of like being married. I’ve been married four times and I’ve been in a band longer than I’ve been in any of my marriages,” he says. “Over the years, I’ve chosen a band member on his personality over one that was a better player but who I knew would be trouble to work with.” work. On any given night, he can be the standard-bearer “When you’re spending that much time with someone,

for those who came before or he can draw from his own

especially if you’re doing any kind of roadwork, you better

considerable original catalog.

like who you’re with. You’re going to be stuck in a van for eight hours and then onstage four hours and in a hotel room

Most of all, he’s happy, having earned the hard-won

with them.”

perspective that comes with a lifetime at his craft. “I was in bands in the past where it was all about sex, drugs and rock

By the time Southern Fried collapsed, Gary figured he’d

and roll. Heavy on the drugs,” he says. “One thing about

learned enough to be a frontman. But first, he needed a

Oreo Blue is that nobody does drugs in the band. We don’t

break and a change of scenery.

even have an alcohol problem. I couldn’t have said that about myself thirty years ago and a lot of that comes with

“Southern Fried, we’d been on the road and travelled for 300

maturity, you know?”

days a year,” he says. “Right about that time I moved down here, to Fort Smith, from Joplin. I had just gone through a

“That’s the big thing; you’ve got professional musicians

divorce and I just wanted to get a fresh start. A friend of mine

that are there for the music. They’re not there to chase girls,

was working in a music store and he said, ‘We need a guitar

they’re not there to get high or to get drunk. When you’ve got

teacher. I’ve got a band for you. Just move down here.’ That

that kind of professionalism and a common drive, you want

was in 1984 and I thought, well, I’ll stay in Fort Smith a couple

to make the same kind of music for people and you want to

years and move onto something else.”

make people happy. And I’ve been able to do that.”

Instead, he’d land with Oreo Blue, a group that observed its thirtieth year in music last year. Over that time, he’s worked steadily, if you can call something he loves as much as music

Find Gary Hutchison’s Fan Page and Oreo Blue on Facebook.

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people

Ross Jones

SPIRITS FROM THE POSTMASTER EAT, DRINK AND BE FRIGHTENED words Jeanni Brosius IMAGEs courtesy Ross Jones

The Saturday night air was bitter cold following a midweek ice storm. The sparse crowd at Postmaster Spirits and Craft Distillery in Newport, Arkansas gained momentum as the night edged on. Locals made their way in for the distillery’s signature cocktails and the entrée of the week—Pho. Owner Ross Jones made sure those ordering knew the correct pronunciation of the Vietnamese soup. Ross learned how to make Pho from his Vietnamese mother-in-law, who also makes the most delicious egg rolls. Each weekend, the dinner menu is comprised of random dishes from around the world depending on who the guest chef is that week. One week, it could be Greek, the next it could be Cajun or Italian or Asian or Mexican, prepared authentically by experts in the particular culture. When you belly up to the bar at Postmaster Spirits, there will always be conversation. It can be about the weather, the building’s paranormal activity, the distillery’s production line, or it can be politically charged, but it may not always be politically correct. Ross always welcomes his customers, whether they are regulars or newcomers, with stories and a drink. The distillery is known for its Trump Tonic vodka, which is available in four flavors: the orange Trump Tonic, Mmm Peach, Border Berry and Salted Caramel. As a former newspaper man, Ross finds it second nature to come up with catchy slogans for his products, and he loves political satire, “with proof.”

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people

“The Mmm Peach can only be served in doubles,” he said with a laugh. Drinks such as the Double Mmmpeachment, Border Berry-er Spritzer, Muller Mule and Screwed Sunrise are only a few of the dinks on the cocktail menu. Ross said the distillery’s new line of vodka will not be satirical, but it will be supportive. He said proceeds of the sale of the new blueberry, cinnamon, lemon, or white chocolate vodkas will be sent either to law enforcement, fire fighters or first responders. He is also developing a signature flavor for Newport. Ross also recently announced Postmaster’s new oak barrel aged, limited batch, Sugar Wash Whiskey made with a heritage recipe. Ross and his wife Lua purchased the old Newport Post Office building and worked for three years to preserve and showcase its glamour and tumultuous past. Constructed when Jackson County was booming, the more than 7,000-square-foot post office was built to a high standard with twenty-foot ceilings, a marble bathroom, and terrazzo floors. It even includes a huge safe, booby trapped with mustard gas, which, of course, no longer contains the mustard gas vials. When the Joneses chose the name for their craft distillery, Postmaster Spirits, it had a double meaning. Not only are spirits now produced in the sorting room, but the building is brimming with spirits from a bygone era. The original tables that are bolted to the floor have inkwells in the middle for when people would write with quills. Ross talked about the news that was read and written at those tables. Dear John letters written, or news read about losing someone in the war. News that made an indelible mark on the space, leaving a sad energy behind. But mostly, the paranormal experiences center on keys. The sound of jingling keys or strange keys left in odd places, and a toilet that randomly flushes itself are common occurrences. Taking his customers on tours of the building, including the secret tunnels, Ross tells stories about the spirits that co-inhabit the building, along with the history that preceded him.

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people

Ross with his daughter

One night, Jon Chadwell was sitting at the bar while Ross

“I love the restoration,” Jon said. “They stayed very true to

had taken a group on a tour.

the historic nature of the building and yet gave it a chic, big city venue vibe. The elements they have highlighted illustrate

“I felt someone behind me and assumed someone had

the bones of one of the neatest buildings in Newport.”

dropped out of the tour,” Chadwell said. “But when I turned to acknowledge—and maybe tease them a bit—there was no

Jon said the atmosphere is something that would fit in larger

one there. I was very certain someone had been.”

cities, such as Fayetteville or Little Rock.

Other patrons have experienced similar occurrences. Ross

“The food is amazing,” he said. “And the neat thing is that

said three teams of paranormal investigators have been in

they serve cuisine that you can’t get anywhere in Newport

the building and picked up paranormal activity, one even got

and probably not many places in the state. Much of it is

an image of a man walking out of the darkness.

Asian inspired and it’s all delicious. The drinks are fun, and they have a wide selection of beer, good wine and a full bar,

“It was finished in 1915, two years before WWII and at the

and the vodka they make at Postmaster is used for some fun

end of the wild west era,” Ross said about the building that

and tasty signature cocktails…. Ross is a great storyteller,

sits on the corner of Hazel and Second streets. “This was the

and you can sit at the bar for an hour with a drink or two

information hub for this area, and it was built as a fortress.”

and be entertained, or you can come with someone special, find a table for two and escape into conversation with that

Ross said, “So much alcohol was coming through the post

special person.”

office during Prohibition that the Feds came in and added a surveillance system in the form of peep holes.” He pointed

Not everyone has business in Newport, but a destination

up to what looked like a ventilation system above the bar and

trip to Postmaster Spirits is worth your time. Located at 200

explained that it was a secret tunnel through the building

Hazel Street, the distillery is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on

and there is not a room in the building where someone

Thursday, 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Dinner

cannot be seen. Most of the locals had no idea, nor did the

is served only on Friday and Saturday, but go early, because

post office employees, that this secret tunnel and entrance

when it’s gone, it’s gone.

into the building existed. Jon Chadwell, director of Newport Economic Development Commission, has seen the transformation of the old post

For more information, call 870.495.3893 or visit with Ross on Facebook @postmasterspirits.

office every step of the way. DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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people

the

Old Rugged Cross words and images Dwain Hebda

Pastor Josh Davis steps

to the microphone with a Bible

Welcome to CrossRoads Cowboy Church of Natural Dam, a

in his hands. Seventy-five sets of eyes hone in on the thirty-

small but rapidly growing group of believers who care less

eight-year-old former bull rider, called to preach the word of

about where you’ve been in life as much as that you are

God to all who have ears to hear. Many carry their own well-

here today.

worn good books, lined and highlighted, chapter and verse. “I think becoming a pastor, you have to be open to anything,” It’s a regular Sunday morning and all over Arkansas, faithful

Josh says. “You’ll find when some of these folks are coming

Christians of every stripe have gathered to give thanks,

to church, they’re broken. They’re lost. A lot of them are

pray for wisdom, look for strength. The congregation here

unsaved, never had the opportunity to get a personal

in Natural Dam is no different, save for one thing. For this

relationship with Christ. There’s a lot on their minds. One

flock, the sanctuary is a rodeo arena where bleachers take

thing I have really learned is how to be a good listener and

the place of pews. Sunday duds are by Wrangler, Stetson,

to sit back and have a true heart to hear somebody and what

Carhartt, and Tony Lama.

they’re really trying to say.” DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

people

Josh took over as senior pastor here in October 2020. He

whether it be meeting a challenge, getting over an obstacle or

and his wife previously attended CrossRoads Cowboy Church

seeing something amazing that God’s doing. Something new is

in El Paso, Arkansas, where they were heavily involved with

coming up every day. I know that I’m growing in this position

various ministries there and engulfed in the culture of the

and I think that’s just a testament to God.”

place. The El Paso church founded the Natural Dam church in 2019, first in borrowed space in Fort Smith, then to the

The cowboy church movement started in Texas in the 1940s,

covered rodeo arena where it now resides, a stone’s throw

when a born-again country singer hosted a radio program called

from the area’s landmark falls.

“Cowboy Church in the Air.” Thirty years later, evangelists started following around rodeo circuits, reaching out to riders

At the time, Josh couldn’t fathom the thought of becoming

and ropers known for their hard-partying, itinerant lifestyles.

a pastor.

Groups like Cowboys for Christ, Rodeo Cowboys Ministry and Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ Cowboy Chapter soon

“I just kept telling myself that I’m not qualified for that

formed to offer a welcoming path of salvation to all.

position,” he says. “I’m not worthy of being a pastor. I look at the pastor position as someone who’s a little older and

A landmark moment in cowboy church history came in 1985

wiser and been there and done that on more things than I

when Sunday services began at the rodeo arena of Billy

have, and who’s sound in theology.”

Bob’s Texas nightclub, turning the iconic honky-tonk into the world’s first stationary cowboy church.

“There is no way God’s going to call this beat up, ragged ol’ bull rider into a pastor position. I just didn’t see that in the

It’s difficult to pinpoint just how many cowboy churches

cards for myself or my family.”

there are – the American Fellowship of Cowboy Churches boasts 200 members while some estimates put the total as

Three years of encouragement from the pastoral staff at

high as 5,000 nationwide – but they all share certain things in

El Paso and a lot of prayer proved Josh wrong. Today, he

common. Namely, they provide a spiritual outlet that’s shorter

looks at whatever deficiencies or inexperience he has as

on ceremony compared to more traditional denominations.

opportunities to learn something new rather than as an excuse to duck out of what God wants of his life.

They have also made their name attracting the unchurched, people who have walked away, stayed away or been turned away

“I think one thing about becoming a Christian and especially

from more mainstream religions. Josh’s plainspoken, salt-of-the-

stepping into this position, is you should never be comfortable,”

earth preaching perfectly embodies that simple philosophy.

he says. “God is an expert at keeping people outside of their comfort zone because that’s when we grow. And I’m continuously

“Sometimes in the traditional church, there’s too many labels

growing. Every day I wake up, I’m learning something new,

and that’s why it’s so refreshing for people to be part of the

Brad Niell

Pastor Josh Davis

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people

nondenominational cowboy church atmosphere,” he says. “There are times that it’s challenging to find common ground and to be able to relate to people because of what your story is.” “God gives you a testimony so you can share it with people that need to hear it. It’s hard to share a testimony with somebody that doesn’t share those same interests and be able to get them to grasp it.” The area that serves as Josh’s Sunday sanctuary is part of the formula for success that grew El Paso to 1,200 members and counting. Events are held here every day of the week in riding, roping, rodeo and other Western heritage activities. Josh doesn’t miss the chance to evangelize at these events, invite people to Sunday services and explain what a cowboy church is all about. Between these activities and the behind-thescenes administrative duties, he finds himself wearing many ten-gallon hats. “On the business side, knowing when to delegate and when to lead out in front with sleeves rolled up is key,” he says. “I surround myself with people who are smarter than me and as a result the leadership team we have at Natural Dam is bar-none, exceptional.” “As a pastor, you have to be a good listener because

know him, but that’s not enough. He’s always on the range,

there’s going to be times that I’m not going to have the

looking to rescue more.

resources inside my building to give somebody and I’ll have to know who to get them in contact with. There are

“People come to you with many different struggles and

just different things you have to be open and vulnerable

things that they’re going through, and it’s my job to love on

to. Again, you have to be willing to step outside of your

them, to pray with them, to involve my wife in that,” he says.

comfort zone and understand there’s going to be some

“As a church family, we wrap our arms around these folks

unfamiliar territory you’re going to have to go through

and show them hospitality, love and kindness. That’s what

as a pastor, and there’s going to be a lot of firsts. There’s

we’re called to do.”

been a lot of firsts here so far.” There‘s a brightness to Josh’s tone as he talks about his work and the community he leads and loves with all his heart. He knows his sheep, as Scripture goes, and his sheep

CrossRoads Cowboy Church Natural Dam, AR | 479.929.3001 Find them on Facebook: CrossRoads Cowboy Church Natural Dam.

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outdoors

Tiptoe Through the Tulips at Garvan Gardens words Catherine Frederick IMAGEs courtesy Garvan Woodland Gardens

GARVAN WOODLAND GARDENS in Hot Springs, Arkansas, is about to come alive with color! Hundreds of thousands of tulips, dogwoods and azaleas will burst forth from their winter hibernation to create the largest display of color between Dallas and Memphis. The tulip extravaganza, which begins in March and continues through April, will also showcase thousands of crocus, daffodils, and hyacinths! The changing of seasons is nowhere more evident than at the Gardens. Everything which was once dark and dreary is overcome with new life, dripping in vibrant color. Once you enter the Gardens, life takes on a slower pace. The tall pines

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that seemingly reach beyond the clouds provide endless protection for the delicate blooms and waters below. You'll discover a koi pond, a waterfall, and panoramic views that are as bright and colorful as a box of new crayons. It's hard not to move at a snail’s pace as you take in the wonder of nature on the four and a half miles of woodland shoreline. Photo opportunities abound in the Gardens, especially at Anthony Chapel. This architectural wonder is open to the public and free to view, as long as it is not reserved for a private event. Much like fall foliage in Arkansas, determining exactly when the blooms will be at their peak is heavily weatherdependent. For updates, be sure to visit the Garvan Woodland Gardens website and follow them on Facebook!

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Garvan Woodland Gardens 550 Arkridge Road, Hot Springs 800.366.4664 | garvangardens.org For hours of operation, admissions, and COVID-19 policies, visit garvangardens.org.

outdoors

Kick Start Guide to Spring Floating in Arkansas

words B.J. Heilman images Lydia Dobbins

AS THE CALENDAR TURNS to March and peak cabin fever

plentiful water, and no leaves on the trees provide a more

has set in from a long winter, we inevitably begin to look

immersive river experience than in the summer months. The

toward spring. The days gradually get longer, the temperature

occasional bald eagle, river otter, and deer sightings can be

slowly warms, and the rains become more frequent. Every

commonplace too.

fiber in our body is telling us to get outside and enjoy the Without question, early spring can be a fantastic time to get

change of seasons.

on the water but can present many challenges to the average March often marks the beginning of the floating season

recreational kayaker or canoer. Temperatures can shift from

here in the Natural State. We are blessed with hundreds,

seventy degrees and sunny to forty and rainy in the blink

if not thousands, of miles of floatable water within a

of an eye. Since the water has not had the chance to warm

few hours from home. Early spring presents some of the

after months of cold weather and inadequate sunshine, it’s

best floating our state has to offer. Small (or no) crowds,

important to be prepared for these types of conditions.

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outdoors

Being prepared for floating this time a year goes beyond

Some of my favorite early spring floats are the Buffalo River,

dressing appropriately. Before venturing out this time of year,

the middle and lower Kings River, and the Ouachita River.

the first thing you should consider is a proper evaluation of

These rivers are generally slower paced, have fewer rapids,

your skill. Do you have the requisite skills to paddle this stretch

and are easier to float for the novice as opposed to the Upper

of river safely? If not, then look to easier stretches of river or

Mulberry River, Big Piney River, and the Cossatot River.

flat-water lake paddling. Once you know the levels and temperatures are adequate, After assessing your skill level, be sure to check the river levels

we must prepare ourselves for the cold water. Floating is

and weather forecast. A river that is going down with no rain

inherently a wet sport, and even with the best layers and

in the forecast is a safe bet. A river running optimally or slightly

watercraft, you will get splashed at some point. You must

high with more rain in the forecast is a riskier proposition.

always be dressed to swim, even if the section of river

Know your mileage and allow enough time to complete your

is well below your skill level. Hypothermia can be a real

desired float.

concern this time of year. If water temperature is below sixty

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outdoors

degrees, thermal insulation is a must. If the water

Now you must consider a quality dry bag to

temperature is above sixty, and the combination of

pack extra layers and essentials. In the event of

air temperature and water temperature is greater

a swim, changing to warm, dry layers is crucial.

than one hundred twenty, then hypothermia does

Even if you do not need them, your companions

not pose a significant risk.

will appreciate the extra fleece jacket when they are shivering after a cold dunk in the river.

Proper base layers and a dry outer shell will go a long way to keep you warm, dry, and happy while

Along with your extra layers, creature comforts

on the water. Wool or synthetic base layers are ideal

are a necessity to carry in your dry bag. A

over cotton because they still retain their heating

comprehensive first aid kit, thermal space blanket,

properties even when wet. Air temperature, water

hand warmers, fire starter, headlamp, and snacks

temperature, wind, and sunshine all affect how I

should be top priorities. I prefer warm food and

layer before an outing. Generally, I opt for a heavy

drinks on cold river trips over a sandwich any day

base layer, mid-weight top, and occasionally a

of the week. I often carry a couple of double-

puffy down or synthetic jacket under my dry suit

walled stainless-steel containers, like a Hydro

on the coldest days.

Flask, with soups, coffee, or hot chocolate. On some occasions, I will even bring my Jetboil stove

While a dry suit is hands down the best outer layer

for cooking or reheating meals. Chocolate candy

for cold-weather paddling, most cannot or will

bars or trail mix are never out of reach either.

not spend a thousand dollars or more on a

Sweet treats not only help to kick start your

high-end dry suit. For some, even a few hundred

metabolism but also boost endorphins.

dollars on neoprene wet suits, dry tops, and dry pants might be too much for an activity

When you are cold and wet, most think starting

they only participate in a couple of times a year

a fire is the first thing they should do. However,

in these conditions. A quality pair of rain pants

starting a fire should be your last priority.

and a rain jacket to repel water, worn over

Getting dry layers on and kick starting your

wool or a synthetic base layer will suffice for

internal furnace should be your top priority. After

recreational floaters.

changing layers, huddling under a space blanket with multiple people and consuming calories will

Wearing a P.F.D. (personal floatation device) -

warm you significantly faster than the superficial

also known as a life jacket - adds an extra layer

warmth of a fire.

of warmth to your core and keeps you afloat in the event of a swim. Finish off your attire with

By taking the proper precautions and preparing for

a pair of neoprene gloves or pogies, one or two

worst-case scenarios, you can extend your paddling

pairs of wool socks under a pair of neoprene kayak

season past the warm summer months and enjoy the

booties, a beanie for head warmth, and you have

less crowded rivers throughout our state. Grab your

dressed appropriately.

paddle, boat, life jacket, warm layers, and get out to enjoy the rivers the Natural State has to offer.

Planning your next outdoor adventure? Visit The Woodsman Company in Fort Smith, Arkansas for all your adventure needs! 5609 Rogers Ave, Suite D, Fort Smith, Arkansas | 479.452.3559 | thewoodsmancompany.com

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WHAT IS IN MY DRY BAG? Top Row • Watershed Ocoee Dry Bag Middle Row •AMK Medical Kit •Space Blanket •Wilderness Wipes •Pocket Bellow •Patagonia Capilene Quarter-Zip Bottom Row •NRS Neoprene Gloves •Extra Beanie •Petzl Bindi Headlamp •Shar Snacks Trail Mix •Fire Starter & Lighter •Patagonia Capilene Bottoms

HELPFUL LINKS - americanwhitewater.org - ar.water.usgs.gov/buffaloriver/

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taste

premier

PASTA

PRIMAVERA makes 4 servings

recipe bbcgoodfood.com IMAGE Liliya Kandrashevich/ Shutterstock

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taste

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INGREDIENTS

taste

METHOD

2 carrots, shaved to ribbons (you can also chop or slice thin)

1 head broccoli, chopped into small bites

1 cup peas (frozen or fresh)

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

handful of fresh basil, leaves chopped or left whole

8 ounces bowtie pasta (reserve 1 cup starchy liquid from cooking the pasta)

¼ cup dry white wine (you can also use chicken or vegetable broth)

juice of ½ lemon

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 Tablespoon butter

½ cup parmesan cheese, shaved, for garnish

salt and pepper to taste (about 1/4 teaspoon each)

*Other delicious vegetables you can substitute include zucchini, mushrooms, asparagus, yellow squash, and bell pepper.

Wash and prep all vegetables, set aside. Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook pasta to al dente, reserving a cup of the cooking liquid prior to draining. While pasta cooks, heat a skillet over medium heat and add butter and olive oil. Add carrot ribbons and broccoli pieces and cook for one minute. Add peas, garlic, salt and pepper, and cook one minute. Add the wine and cook for one more minute. Zest the lemon over the vegetables while cooking. Remove from heat, add lemon juice, halved tomatoes and cooked pasta. Stir to combine. Add a small amount of the reserved liquid from the pasta, about a ¼ cup. Stir, sprinkle with parmesan and fresh basil leaves, stir and serve immediately.

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taste

KICKIN' Recipe adapted wearenotmartha.com image RHJPhtotoandilustration/ Shutterstock

INGREDIENTS

(makes 2)

kiwi mojito METHOD

° 3 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced

Add kiwi slices, reserving some for garnish, to a cocktail shaker.

° 1 ½ oz. lime juice, fresh squeezed

kiwi between two glasses. Add ice. To the shaker, add lime juice,

° 7 mint leaves, plus more for garnish ° 2 oz. simple syrup (water and sugar) ° 2 oz. white rum

° 8 oz. lime sparkling water

Muddle or mash until small pieces remain. Divide the mashed

mint leaves and simple syrup. Muddle the mint leaves with the

juices. Shake to combine. Add rum, shake again. Pour mixture

into the two glasses and top with sparkling water. Garnish with

kiwi slices and mint sprigs.

Please drink responsibly. Never drink and drive. DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

fiction

Letters from Home words Liesel Schmidt image New Africa/Shutterstock

Whoever you are, I hope you like this house as much as I do.

Hello,

It is a special house. We used to be very happy here. I think you will be, too. Maybe you could write and tell me if you are

My name is Brian. I am 10 years old. This is my house, and

happy.

we are moving away today. I love this house, and I wish we could stay. My mom died last year. My dad says we need a

Love,

new house now so that it won’t be so hard. I miss her. My

Brian Wright

dad misses her, too. Sometimes he still cries at night when he thinks I’m asleep. Maybe he won’t anymore when we move. I

Abbie held the letter in her hand, wondering how old it

wish I could make him feel better.

was. The paper was stiff from dampness that had come DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

fiction

and gone several times over, drying out to leave it feeling

She smiled at the words. Yes, she knew she was going to be very

almost brittle. Thankfully, the writing was still legible,

happy here. But how could she write, when she didn’t know

though the blue ink had started to bleed slightly and was

where Brian was or even when the letter had been written?

almost transparent around the edges. The envelope gave no indication of anything, and there was no date anywhere

******************************

on the page. Still, she thought it must have been left by the last occupants of the house. Hello, She’d only moved in last week, coming across the state from a much smaller town where everything seemed almost

We are in our new house, but I don’t think I will ever like it

suffocating. At least it did for her. No one looked at her the

here. It doesn’t smell like home, and my bedroom here isn’t

same anymore, not after she’d left Peter. But how could they

painted blue like I like. Dad says I will get used to it, but I

expect her to stay with him after he’d done what he’d done?

don’t think so. My friends are all far away now, too. I don’t know anyone in this neighborhood. I wish we could move

Abbie shook her head and studied the letter again. It was

back home.

such a sweet letter. And so sad. She hoped that the boy who had written it had found happiness again. She looked up and

Dad is still sad. We moved so he could be happy, but he is

made a visual sweep of the room. So many boxes to put away,

still sad.

but still, an astonishingly small amount of stuff to call hers. Especially in this house. With four bedrooms, it was far too big

What is your name? Do you like it there? Did you find

for one person; but she’d loved it when she had first seen it. It

my letter?

was ridiculously inexpensive, too—far below the market value, but Abbie realized now why that might have been. Brian’s

Please write back.

father must have wanted to sell it quickly. At the price it had been, it was a miracle that the house hadn’t been snapped up

Love,

before Abbie had even had a chance to look inside, much less

Brian Wright

make an offer. Abbie had come home from work to find the letter in her But here she stood, the proud owner of her very own home.

mailbox, waiting for her like a new friend. It had been

What would Peter say to that? She scrunched her nose in

addressed to “The New Person,” a unique departure from the

distaste. He’d probably say it was foolish. But it wasn’t. It was

usual mail that read simply “Resident.”

wonderful. And it was all hers. Clearly, she needed to respond to the letter—especially since The letter, though, was something she hadn’t expected.

this was the second one she’d received. To do otherwise

It had been tucked in one of the kitchen drawers, way at

would have been cruel.

the back, as though it had been shoved in there hastily and then forgotten. She’d found it when she had been looking

She retrieved a blank note card from her desk and sat down

through all of the cabinets, wiping them down and deciding

to write, feeling a bit strange that she didn’t know this person

where she might want to store things. Other than the letter

at all. What should she say? She clicked the pen in her hand a

and a lone marble rolling around in one of the other drawers,

few times as she thought, a nervous habit she’d had for years.

she’d found nothing left behind of the people who had lived

Something Peter had hated. She shook the thought away and

here before her.

began to write.

Maybe you could write and tell me if you are happy.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

fiction

Dear Brian,

Dear Abbie,

Yes, I received both letters and am glad to meet you. My name

We have a school holiday coming up, and Dad says that he

is Abbie Greer. I just moved into your old house. I really love it

will take the day off to be with me. We are going to spend

here, and I can understand why you miss it.

all day at the aquarium, my favorite place in the world. I love the shark exhibit the best. Last year, my class got to spend the

I’m sorry about your mom. That must be hard, and I’m sure

night there, with the fish and sharks swimming all around us

you miss her a lot. I lost my mom a while ago, too, and I still

in the tanks. It was very cool.

miss her. I know that your father misses your mom, but he’s trying to make it easier for both of you without her. That’s

Anyway, would you like to come, too? I would like to meet

probably why he doesn’t let you see him cry. He wants to be

you for real. That would be the coolest thing ever.

strong for you. It will get better. I have to go now. Please come. I moved here from the little town where I grew up, and I’m still having to get used to living in a bigger city. I like it, though.

Love,

I work as an office manager for a very nice doctor here, and I

Brian

think I am beginning to love my job. I meet a lot of interesting people.

******************************

Abbie paused. Should she say more? She shook her head. No, there was no need to get into Peter. No need to tell anyone

Abbie stood staring at the sharks, nervously watching them

that she’d left her hometown to escape the hateful looks of

swim around mere inches from her face. She could hear

everyone who didn’t believe that Peter had laid a finger on

snippets of conversations all around her, catching words and

her, much less that he was the reason she’d ended up in the

phrases from people walking by. At half-past one, she’d been

hospital with broken bones. She went back to her letter.

there almost an hour by now and was sure she’d soon be approached by staff about moving along. But she couldn’t

Write back soon, if you’d like.

leave. Not until they’d come.

Love, Abbie Greer

“Brian, come back!”

Over the next months, the letters flew back and forth through

Abbie heard the voice and turned around quickly, hoping she

the mail. Abbie learned more about Brian: his favorite foods,

could find whoever had called out. And then she saw them:

his favorite color, which baseball team he loved, what he

the little boy who had been writing to her for months, and the

wanted to be when he grew up. She also learned more about

father that she had somehow come to know through his son.

his father. He sounded kind and caring and like someone who was lost after losing the love of his life.

She caught the little boy’s eye and waved. He ran up to her and stopped, his father following a few paces behind.

As strange as it might have seemed to some, she loved getting the letters. She also loved writing back to the little

“Are you Abbie?” the little boy asked with a wide, hopeful

boy, knowing that he was truly interested. She’d found her

smile.

first friend. She nodded and returned the smile. “I am. It’s wonderful to meet you, Brian.”

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

LOCALLY OWNED

WELCOME TO OUR 6 th ANNUAL DO SOUTH® MAGAZINE

LOCALLY OWNED GUIDE! On the following pages, we’ll introduce you to twenty incredible locally owned businesses. They are our neighbors, our friends, all committed to our community. They work tirelessly to make it a better place to live.

LOCALLY OWNED

8000 S. Zero St, Fort Smith, Arkansas Find us on Facebook 479.310.8444 Choose 4 Corks for all your entertaining and gift giving brew. We offer a large selection of wines in all price ranges and welcome you to browse the area's best wine cellar featuring wines from around the world. We also carry a vast variety of ever-popular craft beers along with all the popular beer brands. You’ll also find your favorite liquors, liqueurs, brandies – even cigars! Enjoy the experience for yourself at 4 Corks Wine & Spirits!

Dr. Norma Smith has been serving the Fort Smith community for over twenty years, practicing obstetrics and gynecology from 1998 to 2012 and Phlebology (venous and lymphatic medicine) since 2006. Dr. Smith treats patients suffering from varicose vein disease and venous ulcers, creating individualized treatment plans based on ultrasound studies performed by her specially trained and licensed staff who are accredited by IAC as a peripheral vascular lab. Treatments include laser ablation, chemical ablation, sclerotherapy and phlebectomy. Dr. Smith’s aesthetic practice features Janet Newman, RN and Therese Jenkins, PA-C. Services include Botox, dermal fillers, light and laser skin care and intimate wellness procedures diVa and O-shot.

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needs, Fort Smith's one-stop shop for spirits, vino and

8101 McClure Drive #101, Fort Smith, Arkansas arveinandskincare.com 479.484.7100

LOCALLY OWNED

The Black Bison Company 3716 South 87th Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas Find them on Facebook 479.551.2880 As Fort Smith natives, we love supporting our community

6121 South Zero, Fort Smith, Arkansas 725 South 48th Street, Springdale, Arkansas burtonpools.com 479.648.3483 / 479.756.5511

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and providing a service to our customers! You’ll be drawn by the beauty of our 110-year-old barn, originally the

What other product can bring a family together, turn special

Ozark Mountain Smokehouse. Shop our gift store and

moments into lasting memories, offer good, clean fun for

boutique to discover one of a kind items including fine

years to come, and improve your health, all without leaving

art, jewelry and gourmet foods. We’re also a small batch

the comfort of your own backyard? We all know the family

coffee roaster, selling our whole beans by the bag – enjoy

that spends thousands of dollars on family vacations that

a free cup of our fresh roast coffee while you shop!

require months of planning, but then they are over in

We offer unique gifts for special occasions, weddings,

the blink of an eye. Invest in a swimming pool to provide

birthdays or just for yourself. We support other local

those moments of family fun, and you'll never need to go

businesses by offering frozen meals from Taliano’s Italian

anywhere else. Call Burton Pools and Spas today – we are

Restaurant and Jeff’s Club House in store. Keep shopping

your source for backyard fun!

local and hope to see you soon!

LOCALLY OWNED

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LOCALLY OWNED

4300 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Arkansas centerforhearing.net 479.785.3277 Living and growing up in the River Valley area has special meaning to our audiologists and team. It means they can give back to the people in our community who have meant so much to them for so long. It means having a viable way of helping people improve their quality of life through better hearing. We love it when people tell us how much their relationships have improved and grown just by addressing their hearing needs. Dr. Linton, Dr. Cash and Dr. Boyd are available to help you do just that. Give us a call, we can help!

1323 Main Street, Van Buren, Arkansas ddfloorcovering.com 479.474.0533 As a local small business owner, we appreciate and support other small businesses, just like ours! We know first-hand how small business owners must wear many hats. The relationships we have with our staff, customers, and community are what have made D&D Floor Covering successful! That’s why we helped launch a small business community group called SBC Unified. It is an affordable way to increase your online visibility! We are proud to be a part of the River Valley and look forward to serving our customers for years to come. Give us a call anytime, at 479.474.0533.

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LOCALLY OWNED

602 Garrison Avenue Fort Smith, Arkansas fnbfs.com 479.788.4600 Founded in Fort Smith, Arkansas in 1872, First National Bank of Fort Smith has been a community partner serving local businesses for 149 years and counting. As one of the first and oldest locally owned banks in Arkansas, our commitment is shown through resilience in an everchanging society and driven by an understanding of the symbiotic partnership between First National Bank and our community. First National Bank of Fort Smith is proud to be your local bank serving local businesses now and for

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generations to come.

4300 Rogers Avenue, Suite 32 Fort Smith, Arkansas hummingbird-boutique-fort-smith.myshopify.com 479.420.4008 Hummingbird is a unique boutique offering gifts and clothing for all ages! Founded and operated by a local mother-daughter duo, they’ve curated beautiful and unique items waiting for you to explore. Nothing makes them happier than moms, daughters, grandmothers and granddaughters shopping together at Hummingbird! Inside the 2,500 square foot space, you will find clothing, décor, candles, journals, books, religious items, inspirational gifts, jewelry, and more! Customers compliment the inviting interior and peaceful shopping experience. Safe and close parking makes it a quick and easy stop. Hummingbird Boutique also offers complimentary gift wrapping and delivery. Shop online in the comfort of your home and find up to 70% of everything available in-store!

LOCALLY OWNED

12100 Highway 71 South Fort Smith, Arkansas ingoodspiritsfs.com 479.434.6604

5622 Rogers Avenue Fort Smith, Arkansas johnmaysjewelers.com 479.452.2140 What a year 2021 has been so far! Who would have predicted record low temps, a global pandemic, and snowmen! It is a

we have redefined the standard for liquor stores in Fort Smith

year of change for us all, and here at John Mays Jewelers,

and throughout the Arkansas area. We are the only store in

we are hoping to make this transition a little easier. We

Arkansas that features a climate-controlled wine cellar to

are still offering private appointments, curbside pickup

keep our premium wines at the perfect temperature! We also

and drop off, and our incredible new e-commerce site is

offer exclusive tastings for new products and a large selection

being updated daily with new and exciting products! Be on

of fine cigars. Looking for a premium spirit? We have those

the lookout for more exciting lines available for purchase

too. At In Good Spirits, if we don't have what you're looking

soon. Stay safe, be kind, and remember to keep it local by

for in stock, we’ll order it! When you need the best, you need

showing your support for local businesses and restaurants

In Good Spirits!

during these unprecedented times!

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Let the good times flow with In Good Spirits! For 13 years,

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LOCALLY OWNED

3407 Industrial Park Road Van Buren, Arkansas lumberone.org 479.474.4444 Lumber One has been and still remains the area’s only locally in May 2002. Lumber One is here to provide a level of service that sets us apart as the best in the marketplace against our competitors. We can supply you with the materials to tackle your projects whether you’re a professional home builder, commercial contractor or do-it-yourselfer. Lumber One is part of the Greater Fort Smith Association of Home Builders. Let our experts give you the assistance you need and the materials to get the job done right!

We are proud to be Veteran-owned and have been local and family-operated since 2008 in Fort Smith. We offer drain cleaning services, as well as a wide variety of skilled plumbing repairs by licensed technicians. We know that you need to be able to trust the person that you welcome into your home. That’s why we send a text with a photo of your en-route technician so that you know who’s on the way. We also background check and drug test all of our technicians. We are proud to stand behind our work with a “No Quibble” guarantee. No job is too big, too small or too stinky for us!

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owned and operated full-service lumber yard since opening

1300 Knoxville Street, Ste. 2 Fort Smith, Arkansas mrrooter.com/greater-fort-smith 479.262.6261

LOCALLY OWNED

1414 Fayetteville Road Van Buren, Arkansas Find them on Facebook 479.474.4505 DO SOUTH® MAGAZINE

The Paint Store in Van Buren has been serving the needs of the River Valley for thirty-three years! We are the only locally owned, full-service paint store in the Metro area. We offer friendly, expert advice, can match any competitor color and we are contractor friendly! Hands down the most popular colors can be found here – on large, real sheetrock and wood samples. Have a special order? We'd love to help. Details count when it comes to paint, so we ask a lot of questions to enable us to share the best tips and techniques. Call or come see us today!

5901B Riley Park Drive, Fort Smith, Arkansas premierpediatrics.com 479.763.3050 Whether it's a routine checkup or an after-hours injury or illness, Dr. Josh Wilkinson has designed Premier Pediatrics to meet the needs of pediatric patients in the River Valley. The approximately six thousand square foot clinic includes separate waiting rooms for urgent care in primary care, thirteen exam rooms, and in-office lab and x-ray. It's uniquely designed to be a fun and welcoming environment for infants, children and teens. Dr. Wilkinson has been practicing in Fort Smith since 2009. He opened Premier Pediatrics in July 2019 and we welcome both new and existing patients to Premier Pediatrics Primary Care. There is also urgent care available for any pediatric patient who needs it on nights and weekends.

LOCALLY OWNED

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LOCALLY OWNED

Experiencing hair loss? Salon Elements scalp and hair

LOCALLY OWNED

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

5401 Phoenix Avenue Fort Smith, Arkansas mysodies.com 479.783.8013

specialists now offer Nutrafol Hair Growth Supplements for Men & Women, formulas designed to promote healthy scalp

At Sodie’s Wine & Spirits, we are committed to growing and

& healthy hair! With specific formulas for men & women,

supporting our local community. As a result, we support local

these supplements target issues that slow hair growth and

businesses and several local charities throughout the year. We

impact overall health with antioxidants, stress adaptogens,

believe that our community thrives when one drives that extra

botanicals & other nutrients to improve how the systems in the

mile to shop local, keeping jobs and tax dollars here in the

body perform to maximize hair growth. They help hair grow

River Valley. As we continue to grow, customers can expect

faster, thicker, as well as improve your skin, nails and other

to find top-of-the-line products and services, including online

systems in the body for overall better health and appearance!

ordering, the Sodie’s app, and a loyalty rewards program that

returns dollars toward purchases. We invite you to shop local

learn more about Nutrafol and other hair growth options.

and experience different at Sodie’s Wine & Spirits.

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LOCALLY OWNED

1308 Zero Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas tri-hill.com Fort Smith: 479.782.0404 NWA: 479.442.2847 Locally owned since 1986, we're specialists in lawn and pest control! Our years in business are proof of the quality of our results. All our technicians have been tested and hold a state license, and our company is certified by the National Pest Management Association as a Quality Pro Company. In addition to keeping up with current research, staying on top of changing weather, and having the right people and equipment to meet your lawn’s needs, we're serious about doing things right, and we will always work hard to earn and keep your confidence and trust. Call today, and let our family

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take care of yours!

timmayshomebuilder.com 479.629.6565 Dedicated to building fine, quality homes in the Fort Smith area for more than sixty years, Mays construction company was founded in 1958 by J.L. Mays, Tim Mays' grandfather. Tim has built over three hundred homes ranging from $130K to over $900K since taking over the business in 2002. Tim’s oldest son, Colten, joined the business and Tim is excited that this family business will continue on through a fourth generation. The excellent reputation of the Mays family is proof that hard work and pride are present in every home they build. If you’re looking for a quality house that you and your family can call home, call Tim Mays Homebuilder!

LOCALLY OWNED

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LOCALLY OWNED

2101 Dallas Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas 808 South Broadway, Poteau, Oklahoma udoujorthodontics.com 479.782.3021 / 918.647.7272 We love our hometown and have for generations. The Udouj family is rooted in Fort Smith! Our patients love that we have often treated their parents and even their grandparents, so we've established trusting relationships. As a locally owned business, we are deeply involved in the success of our community, and we strive to offer our time, treasure and talents to see that “Life IS worth living in Fort Smith, Arkansas!”

3117 Waco Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas westarkplumbing.com 479.646.5151 Why choose Westark Plumbing? We are locally owned, and we’ve kept the River Valley flowing since 1993! We stand behind our work, and our vendors stand behind us with their products. We are organized and productive, honest and available, and have an excellent work ethic with the licensing and right equipment to get the job done. We are here to take care of your needs, and we answer the phone every time! We can unclog anything in addition to pumping out septic tanks and cleaning grease pits. Trust is our main asset! Depend on our team for all plumbing installations, repairs, and replacement

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needs! We are very thankful for your continued trust!

Read Chair Publishing, LLC 4300 Rogers Avenue, Suite 20-110 Fort Smith, AR 72903

479.452.2140 | 5622 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith johnmaysjewelers.com

UNCONDITIONAL - March 2021

Articles inside

Letters From Home

John Mays Jewelers Special Feature: Locally Owned Guide

Tiptoe Through the Tulips

Kickin’ Kiwi Mojito

Rock and Roll Never Forgets

Gary Hutchison Spirits from the Postmaster

The Old Rugged Cross

Wind Beneath My Wings

We Love Your Pets

Letter from Catherine

Project Zero

Advertiser Spotlight

What’s New - Contests

Get Bookish: March Recommendations

Nonprofit Spotlight