Bloom - March 2023

W LOCAL

Where are you, Spring? I’m growing weary of your mixed signals. I’m ready to look out my windows and see shades of green, from the ground to the trees. Today, I see brown, wet grass, with a sprinkling of green peeking through in small patches. My bird friends are impatiently waiting for me to fill up their feeder and my raised garden beds are bare. I’m starting late this year, waiting for a warm day to get my hands dirty. Springtime is my favorite season, when all things are refreshed, and made new.

I say every issue of Do South® is my favorite, but our Locally Owned Guide always holds a special place in my heart! I encourage you to take your time as you read over each business in this issue and shop local as much as possible. It is because of them that you are reading this right now. We are thankful for their support, and in turn, they are grateful for yours. We are proud to be a magazine that supports our community! This year’s guide begins on page forty-six.

With spring break around the corner, we thought it would be fun to chase a few waterfalls in the Natural State! We’re sharing where they are and how to get there beginning on page forty-two. You can also take a trip back in time and discover the True Grit Trail. Find out how the trail came to be and learn a little more about the incredible Western heritage in this part of the country.

We’re also sharing what’s new at The Bakery in downtown Fort Smith, how a local teacher is literally building greatness, and celebrating incredible anniversaries with Fort Smith Regional Art Museum and local nonprofit Project Compassion.

If you own a local business and are considering advertising, I invite you to call me. I’d love the opportunity to earn your business, answer any questions, and explain what makes Do South® the best choice. Have a story you’d like us to tell in an upcoming issue? Please reach out to me. I’m so thankful for the support of our advertisers and our readers – we are very blessed to have you all in our corner, see you in April!

Catherine

catherine@dosouthmagazine.com 04 Letter from Catherine

MARCH 2023

OWNER - PUBLISHER - EDITOR

Catherine Frederick

COPY EDITING

Charity Chambers

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Artifex 323 – Jessica Meadors

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Jade Graves

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Jennifer Burchett, Catherine

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

ADVERTISING INFORMATION

Catherine Frederick I 479.782.1500

catherine@dosouthmagazine.com

FOLLOW US

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

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

To inquire about this free space for your charitable nonprofit organization, email: catherine@dosouthmagazine.com.

MARCH EVENTS

March 1

HOME FREE: ROAD SWEET ROAD TOUR

TempleLive, Fort Smith, Arkansas

March 2-4

GROWING KIDS SPRING CONSIGNMENT SALE

Kay Rodgers Park, Fort Smith, Arkansas

March 2-4

SEASON OF ENTERTAINMENT: THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM

SPELLING BEE

Breedlove Auditorium

Fort Smith, Arkansas

March 3

GIOVANNIE AND THE HIRED GUNS WITH SLADE COULTER

The Majestic, Fort Smith, Arkansas

March 3-4

PBR: U. S. BORDER PATROL INVITATIONAL

Simmons Bank Arena

North Little Rock, Arkansas

March 4

GRAPE ESCAPES, MORE THAN A VINE AFFAIR

ACHE Research Institute

Fort Smith, Arkansas

March 4

FORT SMITH SYMPHONY PRESENTS WHAT A RUSH!

ArcBest Performing Arts Center

Fort Smith, Arkansas

March 4

TENNESSEE JET

The Majestic, Fort Smith, Arkansas

March 9

BOWL FOR THE BONE BOWLING TOURNAMENT

Bowling World, Fort Smith, Arkansas

March 9

JACKSON TAYLOR & THE SINNERS WITH THE BRANDON BUTLER BAND

The Majestic, Fort Smith, Arkansas

March 10

UAFS JAZZ NOON SHOW

Reynolds Room, UAFS

Fort Smith, Arkansas

March 10-11

CSA PRESENTS FOOTLOOSE: THE MUSICAL

ArcBest Performing Arts Center

Fort Smith, Arkansas

March 12

GUIDED TOUR - PABLO PICASSO

Fort Smith Regional Art Museum

Fort Smith, Arkansas

March 14

UAFS AND FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH COMBINED CHOIRS

First Presbyterian Church

Fort Smith, Arkansas

March 14

THE CONCORDIA CHOIR

First United Methodist Church

Fort Smith, Arkansas

March 16

BLAKE SHELTON - BACK TO THE HONKY TONK TOUR

Simmons Bank Arena

North Little Rock, Arkansas

March 17

GABRIELLE GORE

Cherokee Casino, Roland, Oklahoma

March 18

2ND ANNUAL CAR SHOW

McKenzie’s Racing Supply

Van Buren, Arkansas

March 19

WINTER JAM 2023

Simmons Bank Arena

North Little Rock, Arkansas

March 23

OU R PLANET LIVE IN CONCERT

ArcBest Performing Arts Center

Fort Smith, Arkansas

March 24

WAR HIPPIES: SCOOTER BROWN AND DONNIE REIS

The Majestic, Fort Smith, Arkansas

March 24

DUCKS UNLIMITED LEFLORE COUNTY BANQUET - POTEAU

Donald W. Reynolds Center

Poteau, Oklahoma

March 25-26

MONSTER JAM 2023

Simmons Bank Arena

North Little Rock, Arkansas

March 30

WORLD BALLET SERIES:

CINDERELLA SPRING

ArcBest Performing Arts Center

Fort Smith, Arkansas

March 30

THE IGUANAS

AACLive!, Fort Smith, Arkansas

March 31

KOLBY COOPER WITH LOGAN JAHNKE

The Majestic, Fort Smith, Arkansas

FORT SMITH REGIONAL ART MUSEUM AND REGIONAL LIBRARY EVENTS AT DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS FORT SMITH ATHLETICS

Visit uafortsmithlions.com for match and game times.

UAFS TENNIS

Fort Smith Athletic Club

March 1

UAFS Women vs Northeastern State

March 4

UAFS Men & Women vs Harding

March 6

UAFS Men & Women vs Newman

March 9

UAFS Women vs Angelo State

March 10

UAFS Women vs Texas A&M - Kingsville

March 13

UAFS Men & Women vs Cameron

March 28 & 30

UAFS Men & Women vs Southeastern

Oklahoma State

March 30

UAFS Men & Women vs Dallas Baptist

UAFS BASEBALL

Crowder Field, Fort Smith, Arkansas

March 10

UAFS vs Texas A&M International

March 11

UAFS vs. Texas A&M International

March 12

UAFS vs Texas A&M International

March 24

UAFS vs St. Edward’s

March 25

UAFS vs St. Edward’s

March 26

UAFS vs St. Edward’s

UAFS GOLF

Hardscrabble CC, Fort Smith, Arkansas

March 6-7

UAFS Men & Women at The Hardscrabble Invitational

TThe Fort Smith Regional Art Museum (RAM) is celebrating its seventy-fifth anniversary throughout 2023. Groundbreaking special exhibitions, innovative art classes, a fund-raising gala and a time capsule are all part of this spectacular celebration.

“One important part of our seventy-fifth anniversary is to celebrate what a community project this art museum has been,” says Julie Moncrief, development director. “The dedication of so many people over the decades is why we have this excellent museum that today provides exhibitions and art education at no charge, just as it has from the beginning.”

An important funding source for RAM’s free programs is its membership program. To thank members, donors and business partners, RAM held a special reception in January for members to view its three kickoff exhibitions. The exhibitions opened to the public the following day.

Pablo Picasso: 25 Years of Edition Ceramics from the Rosenbaum Collection is the grand centerpiece of three new exhibitions that opened to the public on January 22. The whimsical ceramics featured in RAM's main gallery showcase Picasso's ceramics made when he partnered with George and Suzanne Ramie’ at their Madoura pottery workshop in Vallauris, France. It also includes original posters from previous exhibitions and photo murals of Picasso at work at Madoura pottery. The exhibition will run until April 23 and is free to the public.

Art Center to Museum: The Last 75 Years exhibition takes visitors on a journey of RAM through a timeline of organizational

milestones and a fifteen-foot collage of more than three hundred photos taken of people and events. The exhibition, which tells the story of RAM from art center to museum, runs until April 9.

75 Years: The RAM Permanent Collection will feature art on an array of subject matter and tell the stories of numerous artists whose works have graced RAM’s walls over the years and helped the museum become the cultural treasure it is today. This exhibition will run until April 9.

Art classes in 2023 will also feature innovative ways to include the community. In collaboration with Arts on Main, Plates to Go with Picasso classes are two-hour ceramics workshops under the direction of artist Stephanie Payton. The regular Tuesday night online class, RAM Sketch, will celebrate RAM's 75th by featuring Pablo Picasso in March. Online attendees will try out Picasso's various art styles using unconventional materials as well as sketch a still life of his pottery.

The museum will continue its regular art programs, including the monthly Paint ‘N Sip class, Drop-In and Draw live-model sketch class on Thursdays, and the make-and-take art activity RAM Saturdays.

Finally, plan to attend the 75th Anniversary Celebration Gala April 29, celebrating the community effort that has made the art museum alive and dynamic after seventy-five years. “This party will be held at the ACHE Research Institute Health & Wellness Center, and we are transforming the luxurious event room into a Paris café,” Julie says. Ticket sales are going well and there are still sponsorships available. To learn more, visit fsram.org/gala2023.

WORDS and IMAGES courtesy Fort Smith Regional Art Museum

Spring in and Shop Local!

Hearts On Fire Aerial Petite Drop Earrings, 18kt White Gold, 1.13cts

JOHN MAYS JEWELERS

479.452.2140

Old Irish Whiskey, Lost Forty Pale Ale IN GOOD SPIRITS

479.434.6604

DryBoost UV Maintenance System for Sanitizing and Drying Rechargeable Hearing Devices

CENTER FOR HEARING

AND BALANCE

479.785.3277

479.452.2020

Spring Home Décor and Accessories JENNIFER’S GIFT SHOP AT BAPTIST HEALTH

479.441.4221

Toppling Goliath Camp Sandy Shore Lemon, Danzante Pinot Grigio, Dos Hombres Mezcal Artesanal Joven Tequila, 19 Crimes Cali Sauv Blanc, Prairie Neapolitan Squeeze Sour Ale, Swig Oh Happy Day 22oz. Tumbler

SODIE’S WINE & SPIRITS

479.783.8013

Jade Graves Photography and courtesy vendors

Eyewear by Krewe STILES EYE GROUP

Lost Forty Brewing Trash Panda India Pale Ale, Paddy’s

The Faraway World

by Patricia Engel

Engel’s collection of short stories is as much about how pasts influence the present as it is about the characters on which each story centers. While characters are thrown into monumental life events, they are forced to reckon with the ghosts of their pasts and the choices that brought them to their apex. The joy of this collection is the way the characters respond. While stories often end with a gut-punch, they are wholly more optimistic and hopeful than one might expect.

White Horse

by Erika Wurth

Erika Wurth’s debut novel is a wild ride! Kari, the main character, enjoys heavy metal and dive bars. Kari is thirtyfive years old and either taking care of her sick father or nursing a beer at her favorite bar, White Horse. When she finds a bracelet belonging to her missing mother, it unlocks realms that Kari was not prepared for. When Kari begins to see the ghost of her mother, among others, her past becomes something she can no longer run away from.

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

Grace: President Obama and Ten Days in the Battle for America

by Cody Keenan

Cody Keenan was the chief speechwriter for Obama’s second term, and his candor and thoughtfulness as he reflects on this specific week and a half is inspiring. If you enjoy watching fast-paced television shows like The West Wing, Keenan’s experience will keep you on the edge of your seat. Through sleepless nights and constant self-doubt, this young speechwriter grapples with the right words to use in the midst of Supreme Court decisions, hate crimes, and a eulogy that touched the hearts of many.

We Deserve Monuments

by Jas Hammonds

This YA novel is winning well deserved awards left and right. When seventeen-year-old Avery has to move from DC to Bardell, Georgia to take care of her grandmother, she resists as long as she can. While she meets great friends and more-than-friends along the way, Avery is forced to make a decision that topples those friendships while uncovering the dark secrets of her family’s past. There is something hiding behind every corner, but the heart of the novel is what you’d expect from a small southern town.

March Recommendations courtesy Sara Putman, Bookish

Do South ® Cares

words Meredith Eddins, Communications Director, Good Samaritan Clinic

Good Samaritan Clinic is a nonprofit providing quality healthcare access to all individuals in the Arkansas River Valley, regardless of their ability to pay. Meredith Eddins, Communications Director, Good Samaritan Clinic shares more.

The Good Samaritan Clinic is thrilled to be celebrating twenty years of service in 2023! What began as a weekly mission of several medical professionals at Saint Paul United Methodist Church has blossomed into a thriving medical practice providing healthcare to the uninsured and underserved in the River Valley.

Executive Director Patti Kimbrough said, “Sustaining a nonprofit in today’s world is no small feat.” She explained the clinic has been successful thanks to the dedication of the physicians, board of directors, staff and volunteers. “We are grateful for everyone who believes in the clinic’s mission of providing quality, compassionate care to our neighbors in need,” Patti added.

615 North B Street

Fort Smith, Arkansas 479.783.0233

goodsamaritanfs.com

#begoodsam

To mark this milestone, the Good Samaritan Clinic is hosting a “Best Night of the Year” platinum anniversary party, to be held Friday, April 28, 2023, at Kay Rodgers Park Expo Center in Fort Smith. The evening will feature delicous food, a variety of beverages, a silent and live auction, as well as live music!

Featured entertainment for the evening, The Frontmen, is an amazing trio comprised of the lead singers from three of the all-time best bands in country music. Tim Rushlow (formerly of Little Texas), Larry Stewart (of Restless Heart), and Richie McDonald (formerly of Lonestar) have joined forces and will be singing their greatest hits. This super group features three dynamic voices with a combined thirty #1 hits. Together they have sold over thirty million albums. Their chart-topping hits include “God Bless Texas,” “I’ll Still Be Loving You,” “Amazed,” and many more.

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

The theme for the platinum anniversary is Bling & Blue Jeans. Patti said, “Our event is always casual, but since we are celebrating twenty years, we wanted to add the bling!” Attire is still boots and jeans just with added flair. With non-stop hits from The Frontmen, and an evening filled with food, drinks and fabulous prizes, the "Best Night of the Year" is an event not to be missed.

While Patti and the Good Samaritan Clinic staff are grateful to celebrate this milestone, they are looking forward to the future. “We are constantly seeking ways to improve, expand and better serve our community.” The clinic provides general healthcare and patient education on a daily basis, and offers specialty services such as counseling, chiropractic, and vision care once a month. “We want to expand so we can see more patients and help more people. We see little miracles happen here every day, and we’re looking forward to the next twenty years of serving those who need us most.” For more information about the Good Samaritan Clinic or the “Best Night of the Year,” call 479-783-0233 or visit goodsamaritanfs.com.

THE THICK OF IT THICK

Signs of spring are everywhere and for many of us this time of year brings a welcome opportunity to venture outside. It’s also an opportunity to begin our outdoor exercise regimens that may have been hampered by the bitter cold. These regimens are important as they are a key factor in preventing obesity and improving our overall health and wellbeing.

Obesity is the single most important factor driving chronic disease in the United States and is also a growing global problem. Just how detrimental is obesity on the body? It is estimated obesity is likely to result in a five-to-ten-year reduction in life expectancy! Current data estimates that one third of adults in the U.S., and twenty percent of children and adolescents are classified as obese. Obesity is defined as a Body Mass Index (BMI) score greater than thirty. In pediatric patients, obesity is seen when a child’s weight is at or above the ninetyfifty percentile for his or her age. You can easily calculate your BMI online at nhlbi.nih/gov.

Unfortunately, obesity is directly related to the onset of high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, diabetes, asthma, sleep apnea, and musculoskeletal abnormalities. Interestingly, even many types of cancer seem to be more prevalent or

progressive in obesity patients. More alarming, many of these conditions begin to appear even in patients who are classified as overweight, meaning a BMI score greater than twenty-five and not quite in the obese category. Even a modest amount of weight reduction results in a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, reduction of high blood pressure, and improvement of sleep apnea.

While even a five percent reduction in weight results in significant health benefits, more importantly, progress, even though small, early in the weight loss journey may stimulate further interest and determination to continue losing weight. This is key as we examine the underlying reasons for obesity. As fat cells increase, chronic low-grade inflammation in the body also increases. This low-grade inflammation is an important driver of insulin resistance, the key factor of Type 2 Diabetes. That same inflammation may damage blood vessel linings, allowing clot-forming cholesterol to invade the wall of the blood vessel leading to increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Because fatty tissue has been shown to secrete both hormones and certain signal molecules; colorectal, pancreatic, uterine, and breast cancer have all been shown to be increased in obese patients.

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

Given the risks resulting from obesity and the magnitude of benefits achieved by even a modest amount of weight loss, there is a great focus on weight management in individuals experiencing both obesity and overweight conditions. By far, the most important aspect to weight loss and weight management is lifestyle modifications. These changes may then need to be supplemented with pharmaceutical or surgical options in discussion with your physician.

The first step in lifestyle modification and your weight loss journey is setting a goal. This goal should be attainable and actionable. Usually the goal should be five to ten percent of your current body weight achieved over a three-month period. Caloric reduction is absolutely necessary in achieving meaningful weight loss. A strict avoidance of fast food is recommended as it is calorically dense and nutritionally poor. A shift from prepackaged and preprepared foods to fresh vegetables, fruits, and meats prepared at the time of the meal is also helpful. Scheduling mealtimes and avoiding between-meal snacking or eating before bedtime will help reduce hidden calories in the diet. Working with your physician or nutritionist may help identify the most appropriate diet for your unique condition as there are many options such as the Mediterranean diet, whole foods diet, ketogenic diet, paleo diet, etc.

Increased physical activity is the second most important factor in weight reduction. The addition of moderate physical activity such as brisk walking for thirty to forty-five minutes at least four times per week can improve insulin resistance and increase weight loss. If able, large muscle group exercise, with resistance training such as free weights, elastic bands, machine weights, or body weight exercises for thirty minutes, three times per week is also beneficial.

In individuals with higher levels of obesity or difficulty initiating weight loss, a physician may recommend a pharmaceutical approach. Weight loss medications have historically focused on appetite suppression or increased caloric elimination. These

medications are limited due to adverse side effects which cause patients to lack compliance. Recently, a new class of diabetic medications have been employed to achieve weight loss and have been used in diabetic patients to achieve glucose control. They have shown to induce weight loss in patients with and without Type 2 Diabetes. These medications decrease appetite, and thus food intake, by stimulating the hypothalamus, a structure within the brain that controls hunger and satiety. These medications have not been associated with the complication of low glucose but have been notably associated with nausea and sometimes vomiting that may limit patient use. Length of treatment needed for sustained weight control remains unknown and their high cost limits use by many patients. There are some long-term risks associated with these medications that, while rare, should be discussed with your physician prior to initiating treatment.

In addition to medication use, some individuals may decide at the recommendation of their physician to pursue surgical weight loss options. These options may include gastric banding, gastric sleeves, and gastric bypass procedures. While the surgical approach of each option differs, the result is the inability to consume the previous amount of food which results in fewer calories, which leads to weight loss. While the surgical approach can provide a long-term solution to weight management, it may also be associated with the need to follow a restricted diet, need to supplement essential vitamins whose absorption is limited by the surgical procedure, and may require time off work or away from other responsibilities during recovery. A careful discussion with your physician should precede any surgical procedure to be sure your body is healthy enough for the procedure and how to best approach your unique health needs.

It is always the right time to start taking steps to improve your health! Small changes in reducing your fast food and junk food intake as well as increasing your activity will go a long way in improving your health. Spring into action today!

Wagner, M.D. is a regular healthcare contributor to Do South® Magazine.

SHYLA, AGE 9

Most of the kiddos on the Heart Gallery have experienced a lot of instability in their lives, and our sweet friend Shyla is no different. At times, she has experienced inappropriate parenting. At other times, she has been left alone for long periods with no supervision or guidance of any kind. Suffice to say, she has not had the best role models or been taught the best lessons thus far in her young life, and her behaviors and maturity level reflect that.

But one thing is for sure, Shyla’s wonderful spirit and true loving personality are still there, waiting for the right family to find her and provide the kind of guidance and support she needs and that she deserves. Shyla is a girly girl and loves anything that glitters and sparkles! She also enjoys dressing in cute clothing, including makeup and nail polish! She really loves sweets, and if allowed, she’d eat candy and snacks all day – a girl after our own hearts! Shyla needs a family – one parent or two is fine – that is patient, structured, and committed to consistency and follow through. Shyla wants and needs boundaries and guidance to help her learn the lessons she should have already been taught. She may push back against boundaries due to her upbringing, but slowly, she’ll learn what’s right and wrong and what’s appropriate, and what’s not. One lucky family will have the incredible opportunity to help mold and guide this beautiful young lady into the best version of her amazing self! Will it be yours?

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

IMAGE courtesy Mallory Smothers Photography

2023 WOMEN IN BUSINESS profiles SPECIAL FEATURE

PRESENTED BY

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

Do South® is proud to recognize the achievements of accomplished women in our community. We celebrate these passionate leaders who set the bar for excellence in their professions. Join us as we salute the incredible women who continue to propel our region forward!

Formed with the mission to “educate, equip and encourage the Christian community to provide a future and a hope for children in foster care in Arkansas,” The CALL has grown rapidly statewide.

Families recruited by The CALL make up over half of all foster families in Arkansas, families that have cared for over 22,750 children and created forever families for over 1,900 children since 2007.

The CALL provides services to families and churches at no cost; the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization is funded by contributions

from individual donors, churches, foundations and corporations. Active in sixty-two Arkansas counties, The CALL is at work daily in western Arkansas.

The CALL in Crawford & Sebastian Counties was established in 2009 and has quickly spread its ministry throughout its territory, making up seventy percent of the traditional foster homes in its service area. In 2018 the group expanded services to include visitation space to DHS-involved families.

In Northwest Arkansas, The CALL in NWA was established in 2011 and since its founding has opened more than 820 foster and adoptive homes to serve the foster children in the area.

The CALL in the River Valley, serving Franklin, Johnson, Logan, and Scott counties, strives to help grow the number of foster homes available to the 163 children in foster care on average. The CALL office is inside Annie's House of Hope in Paris.

One of the River Valley's most unique and engaging salons, Salon Elements provides a range of services to help anyone look and feel their best. The talented team of technicians offers exceptional services from extensive medical-grade pedicures to being “The Salon Certified Hair Extension Specialists,” offering the finest in hair, from wigs to dimensional color to eyelash extensions. S alon Elements operates on the look-good, feel-good principle, and in the case of its advanced restorative pedicure, they mean it literally.

“ I can actually take nails that are deformed and thick and painful and restore the health of the nail through my services,” said Stephanie Ebert MMT, a certified advanced medical nail technician.

“As far as I know I am the only person providing these advanced services in Fort Smith.”

The corrective services performed in Stephanie’s private suite restore natural nail growth, reverse chronic nail issues such as hammertoe, provide anti-fungal protocols and even include specialized diabetic foot care and reflexology sessions.

This unique service is just one of many offered by Salon Elements. Their beauty specialists can also be on-site for your wedding or special event, catering to you and your bridal party, ensuring a picture-perfect look with exquisite makeup and hair.

“We offer service and expertise you’d expect to find in a much larger city, right here in Fort Smith,” said Marcie Comstock, owner. “My team and I work hard with each client to provide the very best products, expertise and customer service, ensuring everyone leaves looking and feeling their very best.”

Lashes by Megan

Megan Cernak brings the skill of a seasoned entrepreneur and a heart to serve others to her business, Lashes by Megan.

“I really enjoy enhancing my clients’ natural beauty,” she said. “My customers tell me that coming to see me is a relaxing and fun experience. Some of them even get a nap!”

Megan’s desire to be an entrepreneur comes from her parents, longtime local business owners Bryan and Michelle Cernak. After graduating from Alma High School, she studied at the University of Arkansas Fort Smith and the Academy of Salon & Spa in Fort Smith.

Now a licensed esthetician, Megan regularly works to keep up on the latest products and techniques, ensuring the highest in

customer satisfaction. She specializes in lash extensions and brow waxing/lamination and enjoys the steady stream of clients coming to see her at Lash BNB located at 115 North 10th Street in Fort Smith, the previous location of Bookish.

“Lash extensions are great, because they save my clients the stress and time it takes to apply mascara,” Megan said. “Your eyes just pop! The health of their natural lashes is my top priority, and I can teach them how to take care of their extensions, so they last.”

When she’s not working, Megan is devoted to her family. Her brother Joseph and his wife live locally, which gives Megan plenty of time with her new nephew. She and her boyfriend Spencer enjoy working out together, hiking, kayaking, playing video games and spoiling her golden retriever.

Megan’s operating hours are Monday, Wednesday, Friday, from 8am to 4pm. Find Megan on Instagram and Facebook @lashesbymeganc. Appointments can be made by calling 479-763-5488, or online at www.lashesbymeganc.square.site.

ON THE RISE

It’s been over one hundred years since the Shipley family built the structure in downtown Fort Smith, Arkansas which was home to Shipley Baking Company for three generations, from 1921 to 1996. The facility continued under new ownership until 2006, closing permanently in 2008, where it then sat, largely abandoned for ten years.

When the aging building was purchased in 2016, owner Bill Hanna and his family’s plans for the site were wide open and largely unknown. The building, located directly across from Fort Smith Convention Center, came as is, with baking equipment still in place. In the months that followed, Bill, and his eldest son Griffin, explored the site and began brainstorming ideas for its use that would go far beyond baking bread.

These explorations drew them into the building’s past. Bill and Griffin respected the storied history of three generations of Shipley’s operating the family-owned business and they knew immediately, regardless of the ultimate use of the site, they wanted that history preserved. In keeping with that desire, the site became known as The Bakery District.

The first order of business was a major cleanup, but not a complete facelift. The exposed brick of the worn floors and the chipped plaster on the walls would remain, but the building did receive updates to the sound, lighting, and HVAC systems. As cleanup progressed, areas were opened for local organizations to host activities. The overwhelming response from the community drove Bill and Griffin’s first directive, to create the 8,000-square-foot Collection Room Event Center.

WORDs Bob Robinson images courtesy The Bakery District

To best plan the next stage of renovations, a whiteboard was posted on the Collection Room’s wall, asking visitors to list businesses they wanted to see at The Bakery District. The top request was a coffee shop. Griffin, a regular customer at Fort Smith Coffee Co. in downtown Fort Smith, began discussing the possibility of opening a second location at The Bakery with coffee shop owner, Kaity Gould.

Kaity was on board as their original location was literally bursting at the seams and a second location would give them the space needed to increase production. She also liked having a large casual area for patrons to gather. To the enjoyment of many, Fort Smith Coffee Co. opened their second location at The Bakery in June 2020.

The next business to join The Bakery District family was Bookish, Fort Smith’s only independent bookstore. Owner Sara Putman knew the spot next to Fort Smith Coffee Co. was the perfect space to relocate her bookstore, which she did in August 2020.

During this time, Bill and Griffin also began converting an adjoining wing of the building into a 5,800-square-foot outdoor patio to be shared among The Bakery District community. Lachelle Warden, property manager at KMW, and Rham Cunningham, also known as the Director of Fun for The Bakery District, have worked together to fill The Bakery’s social calendar rotating food trucks and entertaining activities such as trivia night, disc golf, bocce-ball, shuffleboard, ping pong, live music, open mic nights, and other seasonal events.

Sharing Bill's vision, his two other sons, Sam and Tom joined the team, eager to lead further restoration plans. This added

manpower was helpful when University of Arkansas Fort Smith (UAFS) Chancellor Dr. Teresa Riley visited The Bakery District in search of space to house the Center for Economic Development (CED).

“We had been considering a move to a downtown location for some time,” explained Kendall Ross, Executive Director of the CED. “We were just waiting for the correct opportunity.” Kendall worked with the Hanna’s to redesign the 10,000-squarefoot space while maintaining the original plan to preserve the industrial feel of the former bakery. One example of this preservation is seen in the repurposing of the bakery’s beautiful, original hardwood floor, now utilized as a backdrop wall for the reception area.

Opening their doors in April 2022, the Center for Economic Development created office space for their employees, three classrooms with seating for thirty-four, plus a training area that accommodates 120 people. The move has been a success for UAFS, having hosted sixty-nine events over

the last six months designed to advance area businesses and individuals’ career goals.

Along with the original Shipley building, KMW Properties also purchased the adjoining Willard Smith attorney building. When brainstorming plans for developing the structure, one idea was a co-workspace environment. The team noticed how many people worked from their laptops in the coffee shop or outside on the patio and Tom had experienced similar environments when living in Denver, Colorado. “The Bakery District community is trying to target the collaborative economy,” explained Tom. A collective workspace was a natural progression for many in the community to grow their ideas, and so, the development of The Mill & Exchange became the next chapter in The Bakery District story.

Bill invited his friend, Phil White, who has renovated buildings in downtown Fort Smith since the mid-70’s, to partner on The Mill & Exchange project. Phil and the Hanna brothers began to envision how the new project could contribute to The Bakery District community, even traveling to other cities for ideas on how to best create this collaborative work environment.

While Tom demonstrated his passion for real estate and development, handling the day-to-day work with contractors and laborers, Phil believes his major contribution was the design flow. ”We wanted to present a unique experience, visually and emotionally, that hasn’t been seen in Fort Smith,” Phil stated. It was Phil who pitched the idea to turn the back of the building into the front to tie the new project in with the rest of The Bakery District community. Another one of Phil’s ideas was to create a hole through the second floor to allow for an atrium with a beautiful twelve-foot crystal chandelier at the entry staircase. The architectural influence from Phil and Kelly Wilson of Beshears Construction, greatly contributed to blending the old with the new to accomplish the professional industrial look they sought.

Located on the second floor of the building, co-workspaces at The Mill are fully outfitted. Whether you are a student, a budding entrepreneur or an executive, The Mill offers a range of membership options including a day pass, social memberships, dedicated desks, as well as private offices. Membership includes office amenities such as conference rooms, printers, mail service, patio space, kitchen, and free fresh coffee. A cost-effective option

for small businesses, The Mill’s open workspace environment is an excellent hub for inspiration and creativity.

The Exchange occupies the first floor and basement. The first floor is organized as an open-market space, no separating walls, with businesses complimenting one another in a collaborative environment. As of this writing, the businesses that will occupy The Exchange were unknown, but Tom believes they will be selected with the goal of serving the fresh food needs of the downtown community.

The basement was designed to be a single open space or two separate areas using a pullout divider wall. Stoned Epicureans has located production of their nutritious microgreens and Spicy Salt, a hot pepper blend of natural sea salt, to one of the spaces as they scale up distribution across Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and northern Texas. Bookish will relocate in early spring to another space inside The Bakery to provide customers with an entry from South Sixth Street. That space will become Concourse at The Bakery, filled with rotating art exhibits.

So, what’s next for The Bakery, perhaps a residential concept? There is still much planning to do and ideas to be developed, but one thing is certain, The Bakery is once again on the rise.

70 South 7th Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas 479.522.3999 | bakeryfs.com

Follow The Bakery District on Facebook. Find more photos at dosouthmagazine.com.

BUILDING GREATNESS

SSometimes teachers stay with you long after you’ve left school. They’re the ones whose words linger after their voices have faded in the background of life, after you’ve graduated and moved on from those quintessential younger years when writing your name or solving a math equation made you the biggest superstar there ever was. Most of us are lucky to come across one, maybe two such teachers in our lifetime, but at Ballman Elementary there are many. One of them is Mrs. Karen Smith.

Her presence is remarkable, yet if it weren’t for the effect she has on others, oftentimes you’d never know she was in the room. It is with the kindest words and gentlest voice that she gets the attention of her kindergarten class, and in a similar manner communicates with peers and parents with whom she collaborates daily. Being a teacher for thirty-two years has taught her a thing or two, not least of which is that around

every corner, through every twist and turn in the hallways and hearts of children’s learning journeys, there’s no task too great or too small to conquer.

Laura Gladden, Ballman Elementary School Principal, says, “Karen's biggest strength is building relationships with colleagues and students. She provides opportunities for students to learn in her classroom by working together as a team.”

Several years ago, Karen helped one of her kindergartener’s parents learn English by allowing them to sit in her class for an entire year. During that time, the parent observed the fundamentals of language, phonics, and reading, while Karen made it a point to provide insight that helped them on their specific journey. Then she went even further by helping them earn their citizenship.

words Jennifer Burchett images courtesy Jennifer Burchett and First Lego League

It was a milestone for the parent, an inspiration for their child, and a learning opportunity for all of them. With the parent’s advancement, the child’s educational outlook increased dramatically. Karen gave the family the tools to learn from the inside out, not the outside in.

Throughout the years, Karen has helped many parents earn their GEDs and achieve other educational and personal goals. For Karen, it’s all part of the job.

She looks back on the experience with fondness. “I am a lifelong learner. If I don’t know something, then I’m going to figure it out. I even do that with my kids in class. If they ask me something and I don’t know the answer, I tell them. I want kids to know that it’s okay not to know everything, and it’s okay not to get the right answer the first time. That’s what I do with my kindergarten kids and that’s what I do with the Lego Robotics team.”

When this school year began, a new challenge presented itself. Ballman Elementary needed a teacher to coach its Lego Robotics team for fourth and fifth graders. Karen took on the opportunity and promptly let the games begin.

There was just one thing; Karen knew diddly about Lego Robotics or of the competition regulations. Regardless, she accepted the challenge and led the team with fierce determination. Karen didn’t let what she didn’t know stop her, nor did she let it hinder the team’s chances of success. She was diligent, always pragmatic, and sensible enough to seek help and support from other coaches in the region. What Karen didn’t know, she figured out, and thereby taught the kids to do the exact same. No obstacle was too great to learn and overcome.

In addition to building their robot and coding it to accomplish specific missions for points, the team also had to come up with an Innovation Project, a portion of the competition where teams solve a real-world energy problem with creative solutions. During competition, this is conveyed to judges by an extensive interview. It was a lot for a group of fourth and fifth graders to take on, particularly when they were up against eighth graders, but they put on their game faces and coded full steam ahead.

Slowly, week by week, practice by practice, Karen and her team learned together and grew stronger, confident in their ability to solve any problem that stood between them and success.

As the newly named Bashing Bots progressed through the semester, it was apparent Karen’s ambition for the team was equally matched by her support for every one of the students. They trusted her, and knew they had all the building blocks they needed for success. The students who didn’t know how to code, learned. The students who knew how to code, taught. And every child who had an idea was heard. They all leaned on each other.

During a presentation to community stakeholders and the school’s partners in education meeting before the qualifying competition at Peak Innovation Center on December 3, 2022, Aubree Sonnier, team captain, shared, “We all worked together, and we all did everything. If we didn’t know something, we figured it out. It was a lot of fun.”

The team’s hard work and dedication paid off. The Bashing Bots qualified for the State Tournament and won the Core Values Award for their exemplary use of First Lego League’s core values of Inclusion, Innovation, Impact, Discovery, Teamwork and Fun. At State competition this January, the Bashing Bots won the Breakthrough Award. Though they did not advance further, what they truly won was clear – a team of lifelong learners, and lifelong teachers.

Terri Jones, an educator at Ballman Elementary and good friend of Karen’s, shared this, “I have known Karen for thirty years.

I have spent years in her class as a paraprofessional. Karen is exactly what you see. She is kind, loving, caring and funny. Her heart is made of gold. She wants each of her students to succeed, and she will go above and beyond for each of them. She is there for all her many friends. She loves her school family. She jumps in whenever anyone or things needs to be done. She gives to her students and their families anyway she can. So many things she does go unnoticed.”

There is no end in sight for Karen and her many team efforts. She continues to help her students and their parents traverse the learning landscape in and out of the classroom. She remains a steadfast supporter of her school and its educators. The Bashing Bots continue to practice, and already have their sights set on next year’s season. Nationals is their goal.

It is not with passive intentions that one teaches. It is an active, intentional, fierce profession that seeps out of the cracks of any classroom. And for Karen Smith, inspiration is her repertoire.

She isn’t just a kindergarten teacher; she is one of many lifelong learners at Ballman Elementary guiding young minds and their families to greatness. Throughout Karen’s career, she has taught students and built lifelong friendships. They all say the same thing. What you see with Karen is what you get, and every word she speaks comes from the heart. It isn’t for show or to gain favor, or simply because she’s paid to do it. Every ounce she gives is authentic and lingers in the halls and in the hearts of the students she leads long after the bell has rung.

A Golden Anniversary

“My father and mother taught me at an early age to care for the elderly and to always give of myself and my love to others,” she says. “So, for twenty-five years of my life, not only in Project Compassion but to other family members, I was a caregiver.

“I truly loved interacting with all the residents. I must admit that it was a joy to walk into a room and see a welcoming smile from each person. Even today on days when I feel lonely, I can always reach into my memory of those I visited, and a smile comes into my heart.”

Nancy’s story mirrors those of thousands of other volunteers who over the past fifty years have improved the quality of seniors’ lives through the nonprofit Project Compassion. Launched in 1972, the organization performs many acts of kindness and caring for nursing home residents who might otherwise be forgotten, carrying forth the mission of founder Gloria White.

“They called her the ‘Banana Lady,’ because she brought fortyplus bananas to Parkview Nursing Home every Friday,” says Gloria’s daughter, Lisa Bell Henson of Farmington. “She was the ultimate professional geriatric nurse, personally greeting and ministering to each patient.”

Nancy Zornes has lived a life of service to her community. Now retired, the Fort Smith resident spent years volunteering for worthwhile organizations, sixteen of them with Project Compassion, giving nursing home residents the love and companionship so many were lacking.

Lisa recalls how effective her mother was in recruiting volunteers and raising money for the effort, moving Project Compassion from a one-woman crusade to a thriving organization.

“Dad was a busy physician in private practice, so Mom just took us with her as she started and conducted her nursing home ministry,” she says. “We watched her recruit an army

words Dwain Hebda images courtesy Project Compassion

Nancy Zornes

of volunteers from all walks of life – clergy, musicians, church women, lay people.

“I saw her boldness in asking for money to raise funds for Project Compassion. We didn’t just watch Mom found Project Compassion, we grew up in it; she even had a particular way she wanted my sister and I to answer the home phone and take messages for her.”

Established as a one-to-one visitation program for nursing home residents in Fort Smith, the organization is now a United Way of Fort Smith agency and serves nursing homes in six counties including Crawford, Franklin, Logan, and Sebastian counties in Arkansas and LeFlore and Sequoyah counties in Oklahoma.

As the reach of the group’s work has grown, so has its programming, now including Hearts of Gold, an annual holiday gift drive that provides meaningful Christmas gifts to residents, many of whom lack or are separated from any family. There’s also a visitation program that targets youth to connect the generations called GrandFriends and Paws for Joy, a pet program whereby volunteers bring in their animals for residents to pet and love on.

The expansion of programs reflects Gloria’s drive to instill volunteerism early and to promote greater generational understanding. It was a mission which Lisa and her older sister, Julie White Dinius, now of Redding, California, learned early.

“It made a big impact on me seeing the frail, lonely elderly sitting in wheelchairs and lying in bed, seemingly forgotten by the rest of the world,” Lisa says. “The smells and the sights were somewhat scary at first. Mom made it an educational event; she showed us how to talk to patients who were bedfast and how to do anything we could to bring joy to the residents. It was a formative experience from as early as I can remember to when I left home after marriage. It colored every aspect of our lives.”

Project Compassion’s programs and reach may have evolved, but the original mission and spirit of the organization hasn’t changed in the least.

The White Family

“Mom instilled in us at a very young age that ‘to whom much is given, much is expected,’ and that we had a responsibility and an honor to serve those less fortunate,” says Julie.

“Thanks to growing up as ‘Gloria’s daughter,’ she taught us to have eyes to see the needs around us and heed the calling to get involved.

“It is such a blessing to see how Project Compassion has grown in the thirty-plus years since Mom’s passing. She would be so very proud of the ladies and men who have invested so much to continue to serve the elderly across several states. God has truly blessed the mission, the vision and the success of the ministry and I am honored to be a part of Gloria White’s legacy.”

As successful and well-regarded as Project Compassion has grown to be, it’s still recovering from one of the most difficult chapters in its five-decade history. When COVID struck, nursing homes were locked down for safety reasons and outside visits were suspended until further notice. Overnight, the ministry created solely to reassure seniors they were not forgotten was unable to reach the people who needed it most.

“It was challenging for us but agonizing for the residents,” says Marian Conrad, executive director. “Facility staff were overburdened and suddenly without critical supplies. Residents were upset because everybody had a mask on and that was scary at first. It was tough for our volunteers, too.”

Project Compassion found ways to serve within the pandemic restrictions. Once the initial shock wore off, leadership began to find creative ways to connect that didn’t endanger residents’ health. “We did video calls and window visits where we set up alternate ways to communicate and visit from outside, weather permitting,” Marian says.

“We played window tic-tac-toe. We continued our card and pet programs by collaborating with churches, home health agencies, schools, and civic organizations to help coordinate efforts throughout our communities.”

The group continued its improvised programming until mid-2021 when restrictions started to be lifted. Since then, efforts have focused on building the number of volunteers back up to meet the needs of residents and visitors alike.

“The pandemic brought loneliness and isolation to the forefront everywhere,” Marian says. Every age group and sector was affected with undeniable consequences. With those days behind us, Marian is reflective about what lessons were learned during that time, even as the organization prepares to mark its milestone anniversary.

“There was a global surge in awareness of the great need for social engagement of all age groups,” she says. “It forced us to find new ways to use volunteer skills and talents. Community interest in GrandFriends skyrocketed due to its focus on inter-generational relationships, so we created new pathways for those connections. People felt a renewed sense of responsibility to use their resources and talents for the greater good. Today, our programs are flexible and symbiotic with more opportunities for everyone to help carry Gloria’s mission of love into the next fifty years.”

Make plans now to attend Project Compassion’s 50th Anniversary Celebration, Tuesday, April 11 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The fundraiser will be held at the Festivity Event Center at 8400 Massard Road in Fort Smith. For more information, please email info@projectcompassioninc.com.

Lisa Henson and Julie Dinius

Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars

ingredients

for the crust

° 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs (about 12 full sheets)

° ¼ cup granulated sugar

° 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

for the filling

° 2 - 8 oz. packages full fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature

° 1 large egg

° 1 ½ cups fresh blueberries

° 6 Tablespoons granulated sugar

° 3 Tablespoons lemon juice (1 large or 2 medium lemons)

° 1 teaspoon lemon zest

° 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

method

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper; allow to hang over the sides for easy removal once bars are set.

for the crust

Grind graham crackers into fine crumbs using a food processor or crush by hand. In a medium bowl, combine sugar and crumbs then stir in butter until mixture is thoroughly combined and the texture of sand. Press mixture into the bottom of the baking pan. Prebake the crust for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

for the filling

In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese for 1-2 minutes on medium speed. Add egg, sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon juice and zest. Blend for 2-3 minutes until smooth. Fold in blueberries. Spoon filling evenly on top of the crust. Place in oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until top has set and edges are golden brown. Let cool for 20-25 minutes. NOTE: The top will be puffy but will settle once cooled. Once cooled, chill in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours. Lift up on the overhanging parchment paper to remove from the pan. Cut into squares, wiping the knife between each cut to ensure neat squares.

Sparkling Pear Spritzer

INGREDIENTS

(YIELDS 1)

° 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (more for garnish)

° fresh pear, cored and sliced (garnish)

° 2 oz. pear juice, chilled

° ¼ oz. amaretto

° 8 oz. pinot grigio or chardonnay, chilled

° club soda, chilled

METHOD

In a mixing tin, muddle thyme leaves and pear juice together, then add wine and amaretto. Strain into ice-filled cocktail glasses. Top each glass with club soda and garnish with fresh pear slices and thyme sprigs. Enjoy!

ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY. NEVER DRINK AND DRIVE.

For fans of the modern Western there are few tales that compete with True Grit . In Arkansas literary history, there are few authors who have engendered the public and enjoyed such critical acclaim as Charles Portis – John Grisham and Maya Angelou being notable exceptions.

Put these elements together and you have in the author and his work a masterpiece that stirs the imagination even today and should produce particular fondness among native Arkies.

There are many ways by which we, as a society memorialize our heroes – myriad halls of fame, statues outside of sports stadiums, presidential libraries – but few elevate the memory of our artists. This, in part, is because their art is their monument, and arguably a more enduring one than that made of marble or stone. True Grit , released in 1968, is regarded by critics as one of the great American novels and is still taught in literature classes, which to its late author is sufficient enough, publicity shy as he famously was.

But time makes fickle friends of us all and in our microwave society, it becomes necessary to provide reminders of our heritage and heroes lest they be relegated to Wikipedia entries filed under “Whatever happened to...” Enter the True Grit Trail, an Arkansas-born attraction that seeks to harness the enduring allure of the famed novel and its characters for a new type of traveler seeking their own brand of edification.

“Growing up, I had heard that there had always been an interest in doing something with True Grit ,” begins Tom Shay, a Yell County native who splits his time between Dardanelle and Fort Smith and a driving force behind the trail. “I had seen several pieces from Dardanelle in years past but there were no attempts at doing it.

“A few years ago, I was in Minnesota, driving along. I passed by an interstate sign that says, ‘Exit here for the Lake Wobegon Trail.’ That’s what turned the lights on in my head. I go, ‘This is it! This is what we need. We need the True Grit Trail.’”

words Dwain Hebda images courtesy True Grit Trail

The novel True Grit traces the quest of Mattie Ross of Yell County to avenge her father, killed at the hands of ne’er-dowell Tom Chaney. She sets out from Dardanelle to Fort Smith where she hires U.S. Marshal Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn, a hard drinking but effective character when it comes to hunting down criminals in the territory.

Mattie hires Rooster to help bring Chaney to justice, a quest that soon attracts Texas Ranger LaBoeuf, who’s also on Chaney’s trail. There’s friction between the two lawmen, neither wanting to share the reward for the outlaw, but discovering that Tom Chaney is running with the Lucky Ned Pepper gang, they agree it prudent to work together. The trio track the outlaws into Indian Territory where the final showdown plays out.

Armed with that tale and the places fourteen-year-old Mattie the narrator name-drops along the way, Tom approached his local state representative at a town hall in Dardanelle.

“I had always heard great things about everything that [State Representative] Mary Bentley did for her constituents and so I said, ‘I’ve got an idea,’” Tom says. “I said, ‘What if we were promoting people to come here and see what’s going on and learn about the landscape of True Grit ? What would it take to get the legislature to honorarily name Highway 22 the True Grit Trail?’ In a heartbeat she said, ‘We got this.’”

As good as her word, Rep. Bentley filed House Bill 1628 to create the True Grit Trail on February 28, 2019, with multiple co-sponsors in both the Arkansas House and Senate. The bill passed both chambers unanimously on March 14, 2019 and became law with Governor Asa Hutchinson’s signature on March 20.

With dizzying speed, Tom and his fellow proponents of the trail got what they wanted. The next question was what to do with it to promote the trail and the towns that reside along the route.

Map of the True Grit Trail

The Yell County Historical Society invited four students from the East Lab program at Dardanelle High School—Michael Finkenbinder, Ryan Knight, Diego Hernandez and Robert Keech—to research Portis’s book and use the references to locations to create this map.

True Grit Trail Bill Signing

“We have this very unique concept. Our whole purpose is to help businesses in the seven counties along the river to tell the story and help them invite people to come there,” he said. “We are on a first-name basis with Charles Portis’ surviving brother, Jonathan. He welcomed us into his home, we talked to him and told him what we’re doing. He’s very gracious in giving us permission in what we do.”

To get businesses on board, a logo was designed by Bob Gray, a longtime friend of Tom’s. Backers started knocking on doors to recruit businesses who were willing to be active promoters of the attraction.

“We tell businesses, if they’ll create a meal, or design T-shirts or create a wine on the True Grit theme, we’ll let them have the use of the logo, for free,” he says. “We don’t want a royalty; we want them to make money. Then we take and promote the business with the things that we’re doing.”

Examples from participating businesses thus far include the Trails Head Flea Market by Yesterday’s Antiques in Dardanelle; True Grit Grounds coffee shop in Paris; and Country Monks Brewing at Subiaco Abbey, which introduced True Grit Ale.

An even more intriguing part of the project, mapping the trail apart from Highway 22, fell to four EAST Lab students at

Dardanelle High School, Michael Finkenbinder, Ryan Knight, Diego Hernandez and Robert Keech. The quartet researched the novel for hints as to where the events of the story took place.

“They were brilliant,” Tom says. “We wanted to create a series of exhibits to be in the public libraries up and down the river who are part of the same network. So, we called [EAST Lab] and said, ‘We need kids to read the book and we need them to help us figure things out.’”

The students platted the Arkansas portion – Dardanelle to Fort Smith through Subiaco, Paris, and Charleston –before crossing into the Oklahoma leg to Sallisaw then south to McCurtain, Robbers Cave State Park, Wilburton and McAlester. From there, the trail turns back east to Hartshorne and ends in the Winding Stair Mountains within the Ouachita National Forest.

“One of the big questions was, when did the book really happen, because Portis never tells you,” Tom says. “We found an article in the New York Times that said True Grit happened in 1883, but the students came back and said this person was mentioned in the book at this point and this is when they would have been alive, or this would have happened.

“Based on that, we now believe it’s 1878 to 1880 as the correct

Country Monks Tap Room

Fort Smith Memorial Day Parade

True Grit Grounds-Jonathan Denney

years. The fact that four kids from Dardanelle, Arkansas, got it right and the New York Times didn’t just tickles me.”

Of course, being a work of fiction, one needs to make room for imagination in both the telling of the tale and the creation of the trail. Tom says talks are underway with owners of a structure on Mount Nebo, all but the foundation of which is lost to time, with the intent of one day promoting it as the family retreat Mattie Ross mentions. To literalists it’s a stretch, but certainly more authentically rooted than the movie locales – the 1969 version shot in Colorado and the 2010 film in New Mexico and Texas.

“Some people are like, ‘You realize that’s not true.’ I go, ‘You ever gone to Disney World?’” Tom says. “Paris has a train engine they are trying to preserve. That train engine would have been in existence in Mattie Ross’s time era. She could have ridden it. Our message to the people in Paris was why not make it an attraction as part of the True Grit Trail to tell the story of this engine.”

Other events to promote the trail, brought under management of the Yell County Historical Society in 2020, are underway in partnership with various communities’ chambers of commerce and convention and visitors bureaus. Tom is tight-lipped about details, saying only that there lies great potential for

the project to play a visible role in sharing the unique bit of Arkansas history, both actual and literary.

“There’s incredible Western heritage in this part of the country. All the neat people you read about who came through here, lived through here, died here,” he says. “Look at all the incredible things that Fort Smith has done, like the U.S. Marshals Museum. Of all the places in the United States it could have been built, we got it!

“Now here we’ve got this novel, about a young girl from Dardanelle who comes to Fort Smith, written by a very famous author who comes from Arkansas. We just believe that there are some really neat things that we could do here. It has been fun to watch.”

To learn more about the True Grit Trail, please visit truegrittrail.com.

Mt. Nebo Chicken Fry

Yesterdays Antiques - Barb Melder

Let’s Go Chasing Waterfalls

To catch most waterfalls at their peak you need to visit them within twenty-four hours after the rain ends, if not while it is still coming down. Since March and April have the highest precipitation of the year, it’s time to pack up your hiking gear and keep an eye on the forecast for the next big deluge!

There are many waterfall viewing opportunities for those living in the River Valley. The selection is limited only by how many miles you are willing to drive and how far you want to hike. If you only have a couple of hours and don’t want to spend a chunk of that time driving, Lee Creek Reservoir Park and Lake Alma have easily accessible falls.

Crack in the Rock Trail at Lee Creek Reservoir has a nice waterfall. Its twelve-foot freefall can be viewed from the rim or, after an easy scramble down the hillside, enjoyed from the bottom. From start to finish, it is about a two-and-a-half-mile hike, with optional loops if you want more miles.

Lake Alma Trail features another good, nearby waterfall. The hike to McWater Falls is less than a mile from the trailhead. The falls are also about twelve feet, but when it is flowing, it is well worth a visit. If you want to continue following the trail around Lake Alma, it will be just over a four-mile hike. The path has also been retooled into an incredible multiuse trail if you want to ride your bike.

words Bob Robinson IMAGEs Bob Robinson and courtesy arkansas.com

Murray Falls

ROADTRIP

For those with enough free time for a road trip, continue east on I-40 to State Highway 23, The Pig Trail. This beautiful drive has been designated as a National Scenic Byway. Following a heavy rain there are several breathtaking waterfalls along this route that, if not just off the highway, are only a short hike away.

Head north for about ten miles after exiting I-40. When the road begins dropping down into the Mulberry River Valley, as you steer through a sharp hairpin turn, keep an eye on your left to bag your first waterfall, appropriately named Pig Trail Falls

The mountainside is so steep the peak runoff from a rain lasts only a few hours before it becomes a mere trickle. If you hit it immediately following heavy rain, you are treated with a gushing, fifteen-footwide, curtain of water spraying over the bluff for an eighteen-foot plunge. I visited just after a real toad-choker rain and was gifted with an equally impressive river of water, just twenty feet to the right, cascading through a scattering of large boulders.

Returning to the car, continue north for a couple of miles to the next falls. This unnamed waterfall is just off the southern apron of the Turner Bend Store parking lot. Interesting note. Following a ten-foot drop at the top, it becomes more of a cascade. It is still well worth checking out. Also worth investigating is one of the store’s almostfamous sandwiches & wraps. Piled high with sliced meat and all the fixings, it makes for a great picnic at the foot of the next waterfall.

Back on Hwy 23, continue north through Cass and turn right on County Road 215. This scenic drive borders the Mulberry River. The route passes several turnouts that offer expansive views into this designated National Wild and Scenic River.

After driving another four miles along the Mulberry, you reach High Bank Canoe Access parking area. Just past the turn into the parking area, there is a short, paved turnout on your right. Park here and cross the highway to the entrance of a hiking trail that will take you to what nature photographer Tim Ernst calls, “one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Arkansas.” It is an easy quarter-mile hike. If the water level is up, you pass a small cascade to the right that deserves a visit as well.

Continue following the trail and it will dead end at the base of High Bank Twin Falls Bank Twin Falls. This, is indeed, a very impressive seventy-one-foot fall. Following heavy rains there are not just one but two streams of

Pig Trail Falls

Sixty Foot Falls

water pouring over the rock ledge. It is a great place to unpack those almost-famous sandwiches, kick off your shoes to soak your feet and experience a moment of Zen with nature.

A PATH LESS TRAVELED

Sometimes you must get off the beaten path to reach the best waterfalls The Natural State offers. If you are up for an off-trail adventure, return to The Pig Trail and take a right turn. Continue seven miles north to Ozark Highlands Trail’s Cherry Bend Trailhead. This is the launch site for the next leg of your journey. Warning, this can be a very challenging hike because there are no established trails . Just follow the basic rule of waterfall exploration. When in doubt as to where to go next, keep going down.

Over the years, a well-worn social trail has developed that leads to the first waterfall. It starts behind the kiosk at the north end of the parking lot. Be aware that it is a steep, rocky, root-filled, and often muddy trek down the mountainside.

After a couple of hundred feet, you pass the rusted remains of a badly battered automobile. Continue down the mountainside, you may need to execute what I call “a controlled slide.” A picturesque view of a wide swathe of water flowing over a ledge then crashing onto the jagged rock-strewn canyon floor below will reward your efforts. This is thirty-seven-foot Murray Falls . Beautiful!

If you are able to cross the creek feeding into this fall you can reach another beautiful waterfall pouring in from the left called Senyard Falls . Named after Roy Senyard, who was a fellow hiker, trail worker, and friend.

Round trip from the parking lot is just over one mile at this point. For most visitors, the hike ends here—those who continue to follow the drainage are greeted with more waterfalls and beautiful splashing cascades. A couple of miles further downstream you are gifted with a view of Sixty Foot Falls . A great end to this outdoor adventure.

Tip: To avoid the long hike back to the Cherry Bend Trailhead, you can stop at Mulberry Mount Lodge, and ask for permission to leave a vehicle beside the large music stage. Your hike out will then be a short, steep hike up an old jeep trail to your vehicle.

You can find descriptions and detailed directions for these and other waterfalls in Tim Ernst’s book, Arkansas Waterfalls, available at timernst.com. Another excellent resource for hiking in Arkansas is Jim Warnock, author of Five-Star Trails: The Ozarks Find his book on Amazon and ozarkmountainhiker.com.

High Bank Twin Falls

welcome to our 8th annual LOCALLY

OWNED GUIDE!

On the following pages, you’ll discover incredible locally owned businesses that are vital to our community. The owners are your neighbors, your friends, and truly are what makes our community vibrant and unique. Each of these locally owned businesses works tirelessly to elevate our community, making it an even better place to live, work, and play!

8000 South Zero Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas

Find them on Facebook / Instagram

479.310.8444

Choose 4 Corks for all your event, entertaining and gift-giving needs! We have everything you need to make your Valentine’s Day, wedding day, or any day special. As Fort Smith’s one-stop shop for spirits, vino, and 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 all around the world! We also carry a vast variety of every popular craft beer, along with all the popular beer brands. You’ll also find your favorite liquors, liqueurs, bourbons – even cigars. Enjoy the experience for yourself at 4 Corks Wine and Spirits!

The Black Bison Company

3716 South 87th Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas

Find them on Facebook / Instagram

479.551.2880

As Fort Smith natives, we love supporting our community and providing a service to our customers! You’ll be drawn by the beauty of our 100-plus-year-old barn, originally the Ozark Mountain Smokehouse. Shop our gift store and boutique to discover one-of-a-kind items including fine art, jewelry, and gourmet foods. We’re also a small batch coffee roaster, selling our whole beans by the bag – enjoy a free cup of our fresh roast coffee while you shop! We offer unique gifts for special occasions, weddings, birthdays or just for yourself. We also offer custom gift baskets for any occasion or celebration.

COMING SOON…The Markets by Black Bison – follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates!

6121 South Zero, Fort Smith, Arkansas

725

South 48th Street, Springdale, Arkansas

burtonpools.com

479.648.3483 / 479.756.5511

What else can bring a family together, turn special moments into lasting memories, improve your health and offer good, clean fun for years to come without leaving the comfort of your own backyard? Nothing can do all of that quite like a pool or hot tub. Since 1978, Burton Pools and Spas has built over 12,000 pools and installed over 8,000 hot tubs. From start to finish, we can help you build the backyard of your dreams. At Burton, we do more than build pools and install hot tubs, we build long-term relationships. Call Burton Pools and Spas today!

7200 Cameron Park Drive, Fort Smith, Arkansas

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 and balance. 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!

479.883.2223 healingtreetherapy.com

Our clinic helps clients heal emotional wounds created by life’s most difficult circumstances. These types of wounds, if left untreated, can create an inner self-critic that constantly whispers, “You’re not good enough.” Together we practice healing techniques to quiet the inner critic so you can step out of shame and into a life you feel proud to live. We help you accept yourself wherever you are in life by providing the tools you need to uncover and nurture your true potential. Our role, as skilled clinicians, is to help you see, feel, and love who you are, where you are. Please let us know how we may best support you on your life’s journey.

479.452.2140

We are proud to be a family-owned, local business, serving the jewelry and watch needs of Arkansans and Oklahomans for twenty-four years! The Mays family are all Gemological Institute of America (GIA) graduates and proud American Gem Society members. Kevin Mays also serves on the International Board of Directors and is a Certified Gemologist Appraiser! In addition to in-house watch and jewelry repair we can also help design that custom piece you’ve been dreaming of. Whether it’s a gorgeous Hearts On Fire diamond or piece of jewelry or an exotic gemstone (we call ourselves gem geeks for a reason) we are here to serve you! Stop by and let the Mays family assist you today.

5004 South U Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas

5622 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Arkansas

4300 Rogers Ave, Suite 32, Fort Smith, Arkansas

479.420.4008

hummingbird-boutique-fort-smith-myshopify.com

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 a website to browse and purchase online.

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

passmoreplasticsurgery.com

Without a doubt, your baby brought changes to your life – and your body. To regain your pre-pregnancy shape, consider an individually designed Mommy Makeover. Procedures performed by the skilled hands of Dr. Ann Passmore, can lift, enhance, and reshape those areas that could use a little more or a little less. Call for an appointment to discuss surgical and non-surgical options for every body and budget.

Main: 6119 US-271, Fort Smith, Arkansas Shops at Brick City: 3215 South 74th Street

Fort Smith, Arkansas

farmersmarketdirect.com

479.406.7333

Farmers Market Direct is a farmers’ market at your fingertips. Whether you prefer to shop in-store or online, we've got you covered. Shop online at farmersmarketdirect.com or at one of our two retail locations: 6119 Hwy 271 South close to Green Papaya or in central Fort Smith at The Shops at Brick City! We offer products such as all-natural, humanely raised beef, chicken, and pork from local ranchers, freerange, hand-gathered eggs, farm-fresh, seasonal produce, microgreens, mushrooms, baked goods, local honey, handcrafted art, and much more! Get farm-fresh goodness while supporting local farms and families. Follow us on Facebook and be the first to see new products and sales!

5401 Phoenix Avenue, Fort Smith, Arkansas

479.783.8013

At Sodie’s Wine & Spirits, we are committed to growing and supporting our local community. As a result, we support local businesses and several local charities throughout the year. We believe that our community thrives when one drives that extra mile to shop local, keeping jobs and tax dollars here in the River Valley. As we continue to grow, customers can expect to find top-of-the-line products and services, including online ordering, the Sodie’s app, and a loyalty rewards program that returns dollars toward purchases. We invite you to shop local and experience different at Sodie’s Wine & Spirits.

jadegravesphotography.com

479.996.5199

I am a River Valley-based photographer specializing in wedding photography and lifestyle portraits. I love clean, timeless styles, and while I appreciate a flattering pose, I cherish the moments captured when everyone forgets the camera is near. I promise to value your family, your memories, and your time. I’ve captured hundreds of weddings and thousands of lifestyle portraits and I take pride in providing my affordable, high-quality products. Message me on Facebook, Instagram, or at jadegravesphotography@hotmail.com for details!

4300 Rogers Avenue, Suite 29

Fort Smith, Arkansas

sewtown.com

479.452.3256

Central Sewing Center is celebrating forty-one years as a locally owned & operated business in Fort Smith! Visit us in our new, bigger, and brighter location with an incredible classroom in GreenPointe Shopping Center! As an authorized dealer for Husqvarna-Viking, Brother, and Singer, we offer quality machines not sold in chain stores. We back our machines with 100% warranty management, free first year cleaning services and free lessons so you are sure to get the most out of your investment! Our commitment to exceptional service sets us apart from the rest. We look forward to serving all your creative needs! Visit us online for additional information and a full class schedule!

rvpcs.org

479.785.5700

The Mission of River Valley Primary Care Services is to provide quality comprehensive and preventative health care to all community residents regardless of their ability to pay. We are a nonprofit Federally Funded Health Center organization with multiple clinic locations to serve you! We are committed to affordable, comprehensive, and preventative health care to all people in Arkansas, including those with insurance, those without, and those that are underinsured. We help our patients connect with services such as the Prescription Assistance Program and our Sliding Fee Scale Program. We have created a health care home with dignity and respect for the health and well-being of all individuals that we serve!

3101 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, Arkansas

479.739.6333 / 479.782.8911

Put real estate market knowledge on your side! In real estate transactions, the more knowledge you have, the more likely you’ll enjoy a favorable outcome. Realtors Nick and Ellie Glidewell have been providing their clients with up-to-date, accurate market knowledge for more than twelve years. As long-time agents with Fort Smith’s Sagely & Edwards Realtors, Nick and Ellie believe that everyone should have an opportunity to buy the home of their dreams and that selling a home should be a smooth, predictable process. Go with the team that will take the time to get to know your needs and deliver the right knowledge and local market trends, homestaging, property amenities, money matters, and more!

Fort Smith, Bonanza, Mountainburg, Mulberry, Lavaca, Waldron

1323 Main Street, Van Buren, Arkansas

ddfloorcovering.com

479.474.0533

Over ninety-nine percent of all businesses in Arkansas are small businesses and Arkansas ranks #1 in the country in the cost of doing business. We believe it is imperative to support other small businesses in our state. While being a small business presents challenges, our commitment and relationships with our customers, employees, and our community are of utmost importance. We have always focused on offering quality products, professional installation, and excellent customer service. We buy a great deal of our products from an Arkansas distributer, and support USA products every way we can. From flooring and area rugs to shutters and custom drapes, we offer an array of designer options. Visit with one of our friendly designers today!

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 ensure that “Life IS worth living in Fort Smith, Arkansas”!

613 Main Street, Van Buren, Arkansas

479.208.3039

Firefly Boutique and Gifts originally opened its doors in 2012 in Van Buren, changing ownership in January 2021. We are located in beautiful, historic Downtown Van Buren! Our loyal customers have truly humbled us. We serve all our customers with trendy, affordable clothing to feel beautiful, confident, and present in their day-to-day life. We also offer candles, goat milk soaps, lotions, hats, purses, shoes, and jewelry. Locally made wreaths and home décor can also be found here. We have a section just for your fur babies and a small men’s section as well - something for them and you! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram or visit us online and in-store!

Melissa Vitale founded True Grit Running Company in order to promote a healthy and active lifestyle within the River Valley area. She had no prior run experience until she began her journey in 2011. Though it started out difficult, she persevered and found a new passion within the sport. Now, Melissa strives to share that feeling with everyone, especially in the form of quality running shoes, socks, apparel, and more. We help our customers get to the starting line by providing a free foot scan, gait analysis, and having our expert-trained staff pick out options that best suit your needs. Find your True Grit Fit at True Grit Running Co., in Fort Smith, Arkansas!

3407 Industrial Park Road, Van Buren, Arkansas

479.474.4444

Lumber One has been and remains the area’s only locally owned and operated full-service lumber yard since opening 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!

479.358.7088

When you need a local plumber for your home, Mr. Rooter Plumbing is the one to call. We work around your schedule and your safety is our priority! We even send a text message with a photo of your service professional to let you know who is on the way and when we will arrive. We clear clogs, but also offer video camera inspection to get to the root of the problem. Our licensed service professionals can repair a gas or water leak, install a new water heater, or repair any other plumbing issue. We are located between Phoenix and Zero St. in Fort Smith. Give us a call for fast, quality plumbing services.

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 the right equipment to get the job done. Water, sewer, gas, and grease, we take care of your needs, and trust is our main asset. Please depend on our team for all plumbing installations, repairs, and replacement needs. We are very thankful for your continued trust!

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