March 2021

INSIDE: 501 WORKS I MOM IS THE TOUGHEST JOB I 501 BASKETBALL TEAM I UPDATE YOUR HOME ON A BUDGET

Celebrating Greater Central Arkansas March 2021

A LIFE’S WORK

L I K E FAT H E R , L I K E SON FO R A R K A NSA S C I RC U I T COU RT S E AT

2 | 501 LIFE March 2021

JEFF HOLT, M.D. Farmer Unity Health Cardiologist Family Man Searcy Neighbor

HOSPITALS • CLINICS • SPECIALISTS We are friends, neighbors and caregivers. Together, we share a common bond.

We love our community and those who make it what it is.

Unity-Health.org March 2021 501lifemag.com | 3

EDITOR'S NOTE

EDITOR Stefanie W. Brazile PUBLISHER Jeremy Higginbotham FOUNDERS Donna Spears and Sonja J. Keith ASSOCIATE EDITOR Levi Gilbert COPY EDITORS Jordan Hickey and Andrea Miller BRAND AMBASSADOR Donald Brazile ART DIRECTORS Jeremy Higginbotham and Nick Walker PHOTO DIRECTOR Mike Kemp FINANCE DIRECTOR Debbie Flowers ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Donna Spears

CONTRIBUTORS

Make the

JUMP!

Opportunity knocked at my door in the

fall of 2019 and I’m so glad that I answered the call with a “yes.” A trusted friend and colleague contacted me about partnering with him to purchase 501 LIFE Magazine and to move our families to Central Arkansas. With our spouses’ support, we both made the jump.

For several years, I had felt that same professional restlessness which so many people have experienced. Even though I created new challenges in my department each year, it was time to explore another part of my skill set and this opportunity led me back to my roots in journalism.

After college, my first job had been as a reporter for a daily newspaper. I was assigned two beats: medical and legal. The medical stories were rarely controversial; however, my legal beat took me to one federal and several county courthouses each week to stay abreast of cases. As you can imagine, it was the unusual cases that required my presence in the courtroom.

I learned so much as a reporter, but I couldn’t stomach the constant police scanner running above my head. So, I left my press pass behind and worked in public relations and development for a decade. With a phone call, opportunity invited me to return to my first love.

My trusted colleague and business partner is Jeremy Higginbotham, whom I’ve known since we began collaborating on projects in 2007. For 20 years he has owned Workhorse Marketing and I know that his work ethic and commitment to his clients lives up to the title “workhorse.”

Since Jeremy and I purchased this magazine five months ago, we have shared an excitement about telling the stories of both heroes and unsung heroes throughout Greater Central Arkansas. It’s refreshing to look for

4 | 501 LIFE March 2021

positive people, events and developments, and to share good news in a way that’s appealing to the eye.

Fortunately, the magazine was staffed with so many talented contributors, and getting to know them and their respective styles has been a joy. We’ve added some new writers, as well, who bring fresh voices to the pages.

Many of you may be hoping that opportunity will knock at your door this year. I encourage you to continue pursuing excellence at your job until it does. Sometimes discussing your restlessness with a good leader at your current job can result in a new role that allows personal growth.

It’s also important to meet other professionals. This happened for me through my membership in a local Rotary Club and by having lunch with women whose work ethic I admired. From a federal magistrate judge to attorneys and company managers, I was fortunate to share a meal and conversation with talented people — and I learned from them.

On your professional journey, I encourage you to find mentors, join a civic club and have conversations with leaders you trust. Ask what skills you would have to add to move into a different role.

Work is a huge part of our lives. It can be an exciting opportunity or someplace you dread going every day. I am excited that opportunity knocked at my door and that I answered the call with a “yes.” Our company is named Make the Jump Media and we’re committed to the mission that is printed on our cover: “Celebrating Greater Central Arkansas.”

Becky Bell Donna Benton Don Bingham Kellie Bishop Donald Brazile Brittany Gilbert Laurie Green Dwain Hebda Linda Henderson Vivian Hogue Beth Jimmerson

Kevin McCoy Jennifer McCracken Mark McDonald Mark Oliver John Patton Susan Peterson Dr. Robert Reising Judy Riley Donna Lampkin Stephens Morgan Zimmerman

FAULKNER COUNTY EDITORIAL BOARD Johnny Adams Jack Bell Don Bingham RaeLynn Callaway Glenn Crockett Kay Dalton Beth Franks Russ Hancock Spencer Hawks Mathilda Hatfield Roe Henderson Jerry Hiegel Mike Kemp Julie LaRue

Karl Lenser Monica Lieblong Lori Melton Kiera Oluokun Deanna Ott Pat Otto Jon Patrom Amy Reed Lori Ross Margaret Smith Jan Spann Kim Tyler Jennifer Whitehead

CONWAY COUNTY EDITORIAL BOARD Mary Clark Shelli Crowell Dr. Larry Davis Shawn Halbrook Alicia Hugen Alisha Koonce

Stephanie Lipsmeyer Stewart Nelson Kristi Strain Jim Taylor Morgan Zimmerman

WHITE COUNTY EDITORIAL BOARD Betsy Bailey Tara Cathey Cassandra Feltrop Phil Hays Natalie Horton

Matt LaForce Mike Parsons Brooke Pryor Carol Spears Kristi Thurmon

To subscribe or order back issues, visit 501lifemag.com.

The subscription rate is $20 for one year (12 issues).

Make the Jump Media, LLC 920 Locust Ave., Suite 104 Conway, AR 72034 501.327.1501 info@501lifemag.com

501 LIFE is published monthly by Make the Jump Media, LLC (920 Locust Ave., Suite 104, Conway, AR 72034, 501.327.1501) owned by Jeremy Higginbotham and Stefanie W. Brazile.

The contents of 501 LIFE are copyrighted and materials presented may not be copied or reproduced in any manner without the written permission of the publishers. Articles should not be considered specific advice, as individual circumstances vary. Products and services advertised are not necessarily endorsed by 501 LIFE.

Your Care. Your Safety. Our Priority.

THAT’S OUR HERITAGE!

VACCINATED The COVID-19 vaccination was recently offered to all staff and residents; we are excited to announce the majority were vaccinated!

Our team at Heritage Living Center is committed to the continued safety and protection of our residents, family members and team of caregivers. As a safeguard against COVID-19 we will continue to offer the vaccine on a routine basis.

1175 Morningside Drive Conway, AR • 501.327.7642

CONTENTS

March 2021 Volume 13 Issue 11

m

4 Letter from the Editor/Staff Box 7 List of advertisers/Writers’ Room 8 News 10 Loving LIFE photos 12 Working to raise money for a

community with special needs

By Stefanie Brazile

14 Sports news: UCA changes conferences 16 Following his father’s legal footsteps

By Dwain Hebda

18

20 22 24 32

Couple of the month: Yolanda and Chris Hervey American Ninja Warrior visits UCA First Security works to help region 501 Basketball Team Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, off to work we go!

By Don Bingham

On the cover Honorable Ed Clawson and Honorable Charles “Chuck” Clawson III of the 20th Judicial District Division III Circuit Court, just one of the many stories celebrating "A Life's Work" in this month's 501.

(Mike Kemp photo)

34 Cardiologist brings experience to Unity

By Erica Duncan 36 UACCM Workforce Training Center

16

By Jared Craig

20

38 Youth of the Month - Elise Gasaway

By Dwain Hebda

39 501 WORKS 51 Work and play: Parable of the golf ball

By Donald Brazile

52 Five ways to update your home on a budget

By Donna Benton

55 Honoring hands that work

By Vivian Lawson Hogue

56 Veteran has no plans to retire

24

38

By Becky Bell

57 Financial Focus: Resilience 58 Barn serves family for a century

By Dwain Hebda

60 Disabled adults find gainful employment

By Judy Riley

62 Authors in the 501: Dr. Kenneth C. Barnes

By Susan Peterson

64 501 KIDS Section

By Laurie Green and Brittany Gilbert

67 Pet of the month 68 Celebrating Athletic Excellence:

Leon “Muscles” Campbell

By Dr. Robert Reising

70 PCSSD invites you to make a difference

By Jessica Duff

72 Garvan Woodland Gardens' tulips

By Linda Henderson

74 What’s in your water?

By Beth Jimmerson

76 Getting CRMC patients back on their feet

By John Patton

77 Kid of the month: Bentley Meredith 78 Person of the month:

Francisco Yáñez, Ed.D. 6 | 501 LIFE March 2021

Special Section beginning page 39

501 LIFE would like to thank our advertising partners for their continued support and encourage our readers to visit these businesses:

Covering 11 Counties

in Greater Central Arkansas!

A

Acxiom, 45

B

Bledsoe Chiropractic, 42-43

C

Get “LIFE” at home!

Centennial Bank, 40 Conway Corp, 33 Conway Institute of Music, 49 Conway Regional Health System, 79 Conway Regional Rehab, 21

For a limited time, 501 LIFE is offering a special subscription rate for new subscribers: have the magazine delivered to your home for only $20 for one year, $40 for two years. While the magazine is distributed to more than 700 locations in Central Arkansas, copies go fast. Home delivery guarantees readers they won’t miss a single issue.

D

Visit 501LIFEmag.com or call 501.327.1501 to subscribe.

DJM Orthodontics, 19

E

Edward Jones, 57

F

First Security Bank, 46, 80 First Service Bank, 13 Freyaldenhoven Heating and Cooling, 24

501lifemag

GarageExperts, 41

H

Hartman Animal Hospital, 67 Harwood, Ott & Fisher, PA, 75 Heritage Living Center, 5 Hiegel Supply, 54

J

Julies Sweet Shoppe, 59

M

MSC Eye Associates, 61 Methodist Family Health, 14 Moore and Co. Realtors, 44 Ott Insurance, 31

P

Patterson Eye Care, 59 Pulaski County Special School District, 30

R

Reynolds Performance Hall, 23 Roberts Real Estate, 48

S

Salem Place, 17 Sissy’s Log Cabin, 15 Shelter Insurance, 71 South Conway County School District, 50, 63 Stoby's/Patti Cakes, 47 Superior Health & Rehab, 2

U

Unity Health, 3 University of Arkansas Community College Morrilton, 9 University of Central Arkansas, 35

501life

Writers’ Room

G

O

501lifemag

Kellie Bishop has lived in Plumerville (Conway County) for nearly 10 years. “There are so many opportunities for engaging with the community and getting outside to enjoy the beautiful area we live in.”

Kellie completed her bachelor of science degree in nursing at U of Ain 2013. She earned a master of nursing science degree with a pediatric nurse practitioner focus from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in 2016. “I completed my education at UAMS, where I obtained my doctor of nursing practice in 2018.” Kellie and her husband, Greg, have a son and two “fur babies.” She can be reached at kelliebishop827@gmail.com.

Wooster resident Laurie Green most enjoys the hometown feel of living in the 501. “I attempted college at U of A Fayetteville but found I was a much better mom than student.” She and her husband, Will, have seven children, five grandchildren and a golden retriever named Marla.

A regular contributor for 501 LIFE, Laurie writes a faith column. “I love writing. I spend 24/7 with my husband doing lawn care, which we love. Laurie said that most people probably don’t know that she and her husband have two sets of twins who were born 18 months apart. To contact Laurie, email thegreens@ymail.com.

Donna Benton has lived in Greenbrier for nearly 25 years. She most enjoys the small-town culture and community in the 501. “But most of all, my friends and family are here and that is what makes it home!”

Most people probably don’t know that Donna was a rock climber, whitewater kayaker and a backpacking guide. To contact her, email donna@waterhousemarket. com. Check out her blog on waterhousemarket.com and follow her on Instagram @waterhousemarket and Facebook at WaterHouse Market.

March 2021 501lifemag.com | 7

501 NEWS

Conway High students launch virtual

Black History Museum

By Heather Kendrick

S

tudents, parents and members of the community are invited to experience “2021: A Year of Triumph” as Conway High School students proudly debut the Black History Museum, a collaborative project designed in conjunction with the celebration of Black History Month.

The Black History Museum is a virtual experience that allows visitors to explore student-created projects to learn more about Black history. The website is designed to look like a real museum and has research articles, presentations, art pieces, musical compositions, poetry and more.

Students were given freedom to pick topics they were interested in, giving them ownership and appreciation for the historical content. Conway High School history teacher Brick Cullum said this project helps students relate to one another.

“The Black History Museum, from its earliest stages, was conceived as a way to let the students take control of a conversation that we all need to have,” Cullum said.

“When we appreciate and understand more about Black history, we appreciate and understand our fellow human beings so much more clearly. It’s all about value and caring for each of our kids.”

Planning for the project began back in August, when Cullum sat down with his students and asked for their input. The online platform, adapted for COVID-19 precautions, meant all students, both onsite and virtual, could fully participate in the museum.

“There are quite literally hundreds of student voices represented in the project,” Collum said. “Each student in the African American history courses (roughly 100 students total) created exhibits for the museum and participated in discussions of theme, layout, etc. Beyond this, 10th- to 12th-grade English classes created various contributions accounting for hundreds of student submissions. Orchestra students recorded music for the website and did research, too. There were really so many different young people who were able to shape what their vision of the project was, which made it really fun to work on over the course of the year.”

Guests are invited to visit the Black History Museum at this link: https://sites.google.com/conwayschools. info/2021-a-year-of-triumph/home Visitors can see original student artwork and read poetry, essays and student reflections on a variety of Black history topics.

“It’s a collection of what young people wanted to create to demonstrate their appreciation for – and love of – Black history,” said Cullum.“Young people have a voice.

We owe them to hear it. I’m really proud of the kids.”

8 | 501 LIFE March 2021

Students worked on museum contributions by completing detailed research, discussing ideas with peers and debating which topics would have an impact on viewers.

LEFT: The student is holding his artwork of Malcolm X. He wanted to contribute a project that was more personal and utilized his artistic talents.

RIGHT: To mark the opening of the museum, students handed out brochures with QR codes linking to the website.

They also distributed candy, pencils and bookmarks to begin a celebration of Black History Month.

501 NEWS

Conway Corp announces promotions

Brandon McNew

Mark Ferguson

Jimmy Dolan graduates from Leadership Institute

Jimmy Dolan

Carrier relations and account development coordinator for Conway Corp, Jimmy Dolan, was among 33 graduates of the 2020 class of the Conway Area Leadership Institute (CALI) at Reynolds Performance Hall.

CALI prepares emerging leaders to serve the community through curriculum inspired by Conway2025, a long-range strategic plan developed by the Conway Chamber of Commerce with the input of more than 1,400 residents.

“In his role at Conway Corp, Jimmy is focused on the fiber and broadband needs of our business customers,” Conway Corp Chief Marketing Officer Crystal Kemp said.

“His completion of the CALI program

Justin Moore

demonstrates his commitment to our mission to exceed customer expectations for service. We are proud of the work he does.”

• Brandon McNew was promoted to senior broadband services technician.

He was hired in 2006 and has earned multiple promotions through his career, most recently becoming a broadband services technician 2 in December 2016.

• Justin Moore has been promoted to broadband transport specialist from his role as business class services specialist, the role he held since May 2018. Moore was hired in 2008 as an installer trainee.

• Mark Ferguson was promoted to water systems (WS) senior engineer. He was hired in 2013 as a WS engineer 1 and promoted to WS engineer 2 in 2017.

Diesel Technology

Heavy Equipment Operator Training

Construction Technology

coming soon

www.uaccm.edu/heavy_equipment_training

www.uaccm.edu/academics/degree_prog/cons.html

New Credit and Non-Credit Programs Available at UACCM in 2021

GET A MOVE ON Become a mover, shaker, or a building maker

 Hands-on training in small class sizes  Valued credentials for the workforce  Financial aid and scholarship options

March 2021 501lifemag.com | 9

LOVING LIFE

Susan Nolte, who owns Glass from the Past, was “Loving LIFE” outside her downtown Searcy business.

Renee Stone, owner of Emerge in Conway, was “Loving LIFE” as she prepares for prom season.

Central Baptist College President Terry Kimbrow was “Loving LIFE” as he crowned 2021 Homecoming Queen Madelyn Jameson.

Heather Cox was “Loving LIFE” while working at Golden Girls in Downtown Conway.

Elaine Fulford (from left), Stacy Parish, Dr. Smitha Thomas and Heather Sellars were “Loving LIFE” at Medical Park Primary Care in Conway.

Jodean Peeples (from left), Natalie Sidoti and Trey Daniels were “Loving LIFE” while working at the East Branch of First Security Bank in Conway.

LOVING LIFE

Vilonia's Justin and Kati Collier were “Loving LIFE” while skiing at Whitefish Mountain Resort in Montana.

School Days at St. Joseph

Students and staff at St. Joseph School were "Loving LIFE," friends and school on a sunny day.

LEFT: Alaina Poe and Lincoln Newman.

CENTER TOP: Emily Flanagin (from left) and Laney Henderson. CENTER BOTTOM: Aidan Saibou and preschool teacher Amy Covington.

RIGHT: Principal Courtney Pope and Tanner McDowell.

March 2021 501lifemag.com | 11

501 NEWS

L

ike a proud, protective mom, Sarah Murphy, superintendent of the Conway Human Development Center (CHDC), describes her place of work as a “hidden treasure” that serves disabled children and adults. Each year, their Volunteer Council raises money to buy each of the 460 residents a $30 Christmas gift.

The 26th annual Bowl-A-Thon is planned for 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Friday, March 5, at Conway Family Bowl and is organized by the CHDC Volunteer Council. Because of COVID-19 precautions, residents who typically participate will enjoy bowling activities on campus, but the public is invited to wear a mask and come out and knock down some pins in person.

Another way to help is by making a donation.

“We appreciate the members of the Volunteer Council,” Murphy said. “They work hard throughout the year. It takes $16,000 to buy each person a $30 Christmas gift.” Murphy is amazed at what they have accomplished over the years, including building an Olympic size pool in the past.

While the state pays for housing and medical needs for residents with disabilities, the Volunteer Council was established in the 1980s to support other needs that the state cannot provide. There is a 1960s model train on campus that allows them to do a Polar Express-style Christmas.

“We love what our residents love and we go all out with our experiences,” Murphy said. “We’re huge with Special Olympics and the torch run comes through the campus every year.”

CHDC was founded in 1959 and employs about 900 people, many of them physicians, nurses and other allied health care workers. The huge campus has 32 houses where people are divided by age, gender and needs into separate homes. “We want them to grow and develop with a peer group similar to them,” the 20 year veteran said.

About 50 children live on campus, along with approximately 410 adults, ages 16 and older. Some individuals only need medication management, while others require more intensive care.

12 | 501 LIFE March 2021

“Like everyone else in the world, we had the most difficult year last year,” Murphy said. “We lost our first resident [because of the virus] in late January and it was completely horrible.

“We have the most dedicated, wonderful staff that comes to work no matter what.”

LaQuetta Garlington-Seals is the volunteer services coordinator and her enthusiasm for the annual Bowl-A-Thon is contagious. She knows it will take a lot of effort to raise the money needed to bring smiles to the family at CHDC next December.

The event is open to the public. A person may come by the event and make a donation as well.

To join in the Let the Good Times Roll fun with a team of four, call Garlington-Seals at 501.329.6851, ext. 319. The cost is $50 per person or $200 per team. Checks can be mailed to: CHDC Volunteer Council, 150 E. Siebenmorgen Road, Conway, AR 72032.

Help us provide

HOME OWNERSHIP for the BRAVE

Text ORWB to 800-669-2517 to learn more!

CONWAY NORTH | 501.932.5050 | CONWAY SOUTH | 501-932-9700 CLINTON | 501.745.7200 | GREENBRIER | 501.679.7300 | LITTLE ROCK | 501.801.7402

501 SPORTS

New day for UCA in ASUN Conference

By Steve East, Associate AD/Media Relations, UCA

The University of Central Arkansas’

athletics program announced in a joint virtual press conference on Jan. 29 that it will become part of the ASUN Conference, along with fellow new members Eastern Kentucky University and Jacksonville State University.

“We are excited about our new conference home,” said Dr. Brad Teague, UCA Director of Athletics. “The member institutions in the ASUN represent great traditions in sport and in academics. They are programs and universities that align with our ideals. We are happy to be playing against programs in new major media markets. We have been recruiting studentathletes and students more and more to our east, and this move is in concert with those efforts."

“UCA represents so many great assets that the ASUN values,” ASUN Commissioner

Ted Gumbart said. “The university is growing. It has built an athletic tradition of success since moving to Division I in 2006. The growing campus, the growing curriculum, the growing academic success of the student-athlete population, the growing population of the metropolitan area in which Central Arkansas resides, and the leadership of the university in President Houston Davis and Athletics Director Brad Teague all impressed the ASUN evaluation team.

“The ASUN becomes athletically stronger for sure, but for our Presidents’ Council, the primary focus is on adding a school that shares our value of students first and can supply the data to prove the university support for the success of the studentathlete population. And it doesn’t hurt that multiple evaluations have named UCA the most beautiful college campus in Arkansas.

I visited for a football game this fall and

I came away more impressed than I ever thought I could.”

The commissioner continued, “"This partnership is a win-win," the commissioner continued. "The ASUN is better with UCA, and UCA has a partner that shares the value of innovative and adaptive approaches to future success.”

The Bears and Sugar Bears will begin competing in the ASUN beginning this fall. UCA, which competes in 18 sports, will complete a highly successful run in the Southland Conference, which it joined in 2006-07 when the athletics program moved to NCAA Division I. “This move will open up new and large markets to our east in Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Kentucky and Florida,” said Teague. “These are areas we already recruit for student-athletes and for students. This move will give us a stronger presence in those talent-rich markets.”

Coronavirus Also Affects Minds That’s why we are available anytime from anywhere, offering all our services in the safest possible manner – Telehealth for: • Outpatient and school-based counseling • Kaleidoscope Grief Center group support • Methodist Behavioral Hospital physician services, family therapy, visitation through Arkansas Division of Child and Family Services, and court appearances • In-person psychiatric testing with plexiglass screen and PPE

Call 877-778-1197 info@MethodistFamily.org 14 | 501 LIFE March 2021

M Y L A G O S M Y W AY

C AV I A R C O L L E C T I O N S

March 2021 501lifemag.com | 15

JUSTICE

Photo provided by So Loved Studios

FOLLOWING IN HIS FATHER’S

legal footsteps

By Dwain Hebda

When the Honorable Ed Clawson

moved off the 20th Judicial District Division III Circuit judgeship in January, it marked the end of an era. Sort of.

The Conway native was stepping down from the bench, but it wasn’t into retirement, nor was he leaving his circuit role bereft of the Clawson name. As Ed Clawson moved into the 2nd Division District Court judgeship, to which he was elected last March, his son Chuck stepped into the position his father had held with distinction for more than a quarter of a century.

“I was not ready to retire, but 25 years is a long time and I was ready for a change,” Ed said of his decision to seek election to the district bench. “I felt pretty confident that Chuck would want to take a shot at this job, and we were both fortunate enough to run 16 | 501 LIFE March 2021

unopposed.”

The position had interested the Honorable Charles “Chuck” Clawson III for years. “Being a circuit court judge had always been a long-term goal,” he said. “In law school, I always wanted to be a trial attorney, and the more I did trials, the more I wanted to be presiding over them.”

The unusual situation is just the latest chapter in one of the more unique legal family trees in the state. Both men graduated from Conway High School, but Ed completed his undergraduate work at Hendrix College while Chuck attended Arkansas State University in Jonesboro.

Both would attend law school through the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Ed during the day and Chuck at night while working a full-time corporate job.

Both got a taste of private practice before heading to the municipal courts. Ed was

appointed to the circuit court seat in 1995, while Chuck spent most of his legal career as a deputy. But the allure of the bench was never far.

“As far as what drew me to the law, it was just the ability to help people,” Chuck said.

“Obviously, I had an extraordinary example in Dad.” Chuck isn’t alone in his high regard for his father’s accomplishments. Judges around the country who couldn’t find Conway with a compass are familiar with him, thanks to the highly successful Faulkner County Drug Court he instituted in 2003.

Drug court gives certain narcotics offenders an alternative to jail and has been described as probation on steroids, demanding participants not only stay clean but get their lives on track through education, employment and accountability.

“Drug courts provide an opportunity

for people who have a drug problem to get a chance to get a fresh start,” Ed said.

“People have to be screened and have to be committed to it. They can’t just think they’re going to come in and it’ll be an easy way to avoid jail. The purpose of it was to give structure, to give them a sense of responsibility, to give them a sense of accomplishment.”

The drug court is also budget-friendly, with 15 percent recidivism and an annual cost of only $5,000 per individual.

Compare this to the Arkansas Department of Corrections’ 40 to 50 percent recidivism rate and the $50,000 it takes annually to house someone in prison.

Since its founding, the program has graduated around 175 individuals. While not everyone is a success story, there are enough people who’ve made the most of the opportunity to cement Ed’s faith in the program.

“I’ve said it a thousand times,” he said.

“Many of these folks have been kicked in the backside a lot, but they’ve never been patted on the back for something they’ve done right. To see somebody turn their life around, to make that decision to go to work, take care of their family, where they’re paying taxes, they’re productive, is something I’m very proud of.”

The wildly successful drug court, just one part of Ed’s looming reputation, could have been intimidating, deterring Chuck from following in his father’s legal footsteps in the first place. Not so, he said.

“You’re not going to come across anybody that’s a better attorney or a better judge than my dad,” Chuck said. “I wanted the responsibility to carry that on. I don’t want anything my father’s done — what he’s built and worked on and dedicated his life and career to — to ever be tarnished in any way. I realize the expectations for me are high, but I accept that and I know what I am getting into as judge.”

As a prosecutor, Chuck never argued a case before his father. Asked what advice he has for his son now that they are both judges, Ed is deferential.

“Well, first of all, I want to say that I think Chuck will make an outstanding circuit judge. We‘re a little past me giving him advice at this point,” he said with a smile. “Some of the best advice I ever got was when I first got my appointment. A colleague told me, ‘As long as you’re sitting on the bench, don’t ever forget what it feels like to stand in front of it.’

“You always have to bear in mind the people coming before you deserve your attention, they deserve your respect.

You’ve just got to treat everybody just like you’d want to be treated, adjust your thinking to whatever the problem is and look for a solution. That’s why you’re there.”

March 2021 501lifemag.com | 17

NEIGHBORS couple of the month

HER STORY NATIVE OF: Conway.

Yolanda Hervey

EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree in business administration

from Philander Smith College.

JOB: Right now, I’m at home, virtual schooling my 11-year-old

niece, but I will soon start a new career in real estate.

PARENTS: Marsha Stratton and Artis Davis of Conway.

Christopher Hervey NATIVE OF: Conway.

EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree in finance from from University of Central Arkansas.

JOB: Agency owner / Christopher Hervey, Allstate Insurance Agency.

PARENTS: Lloyd and Verna Hervey

CHURCH ACTIVITIES: Deaconess and youth ministry

of Conway.

HOBBIES/SPECIAL INTERESTS: I love to draw, paint

Conway Morning Rotary Club, Chair of Public Relations; member of Faulkner County NAACP; Conway Chamber of Commerce Equity, Inclusion & Diversity Business Task Force; participant in Marguerite Vann’s Distinguished Gentleman’s Program; and member of Kappa Alpha Psi Conway Alumni.

volunteer at Greater Pleasant Branch Baptist Church.

and create anything with my hands.

WHAT IS ONE THING PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU? I have a clone. Well, an identical twin sister.

MOST ENJOYED WEEKEND ACTIVITY: Spending

time with family and traveling with my niece for volleyball tournaments.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT LIVING IN THE 501? I love that my friends and family are here. Our

daughter has grown up and moved away, but we knew we had to raise her in Conway. Growing up here, I’ve seen the city grow so much. There are a lot of new businesses and faces. I’ve made so many new friends, but I love that I still have wonderful relationships with the people I grew up with. Shout out to Class of ‘91!

18 | 501 LIFE March 2021

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES:

CHURCH ACTIVITIES:

Deacon and director of student ministry at Greater Pleasant Branch Baptist Church.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?

Calm, compassionate, fun-loving, and thoughtful (sometimes).

HIS STORY WHAT IS ONE THING PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU? I was part of an opera titled “Amahl and the Night Visitors.” I was Amahl.

HOBBIES: Basketball and reading.

MOST ENJOYED WEEKEND ACTIVITY: Going out with Yolanda and watching basketball, football and movies.

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO? “ … to be conformed to the image of His Son.” (Romans 8:29)

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT LIVING IN THE 501? I love the community feel of Conway. When there is a crisis, Conway rallies around one another to meet the need. In most of my experience, you can find a friend around every corner, and we have been blessed to grow up in such a beautiful community.

We love “the Way.”

Above: The pair attended prom together and graduated from Conway High School in 1991.

Below: Chris (from left), daughter Alexis Hervey who lives in Texas, Yolanda and their niece Joselyn (front).

WHEN/HOW WE MET: 1989 at Conway High School. We

were high school sweethearts.

THE PROPOSAL: We went out to eat in Little Rock, and on our way back, Chris seemed very nervous, so nervous that he ran a red light!

We arrived at his parents’ house and he handed me a window marker. On my car window, he’d written, “Will you marry me?” with yes or no check boxes. LOL! It was also a surprise engagement party. I guess he knew I’d say yes! He proposed that night without a ring, but, to my surprise, the next day he presented the ring to me at church.

WEDDING BELLS: We were married May 15, 2004, at Greater Pleasant Branch Baptist Church.

CHILDREN: Alexis Hervey, 27, now residing in Texas, and we also raise our niece Joselyn, who is now 11.

FAMILY ACTIVITIES ENJOYED TOGETHER: Netflix/ movie nights. We enjoy hosting friends (pre-COVID-19) and collaborating on just about anything.

March 2021 501lifemag.com | 19

SPECIAL EVENT

By Jeremy Higginbotham 20 | 501 LIFE March 2021

Akbar Gbajabiamila followed an unlikely

path to success. He was a football star who didn’t pick up the sport until his senior year.

He was a former NFL player who spent his early retirement years selling AstroTurf and now co-hosts one of America’s highest-rated competition programs. In short: The “American Ninja Warrior” star knows what it takes to meet a challenge. On Tuesday, April 26, he will share his incredible journey at Reynolds Performance Hall at the University of Central Arkansas.

“For me, it is such a blessing to be part of ‘American Ninja Warrior,’” Akbar said. “It speaks to who I am at the core. Like most people, I can string moments of my life together through overcoming obstacles. I host a show that tells the stories of these ninjas from all around the world that overcome physical obstacles and it makes me think about my own personal challenges. It is what motivated me to write my own book, ‘Everyone Can Be a Ninja.’”

With the current pandemic, all of us are facing obstacles never seen during our lifetimes.

“There have been disruptions of learning, workflow, households, parenting and on and on,” Akbar said. He specifically noted the challenges college students are meeting and the advice he has for rising above them. “It’s an homage to my NFL days, but the key takeaway is being able to formulate a game plan to navigate through obstacles, whether they be physical or mental. It is scary at times, but my hope is to inspire.”

Even within the “American Ninja Warrior” community, Akbar said he has witnessed the competitors struggling. A well-known participant recently shared doubts with Akbar about returning to the upcoming season of the show and said he was considering retirement.

“I asked why he would want to do that, as he is one of the top ninjas in the entire world. But I understand his anxiety and pressure.

“I said, ‘Oh, I have been where he is in life … twice,’” Akbar said. The first time was after

he graduated college as an undrafted free agent.

“There was a moment of uncertainty for me. ‘Where am I going to go? How am I going to provide? I can’t go back home after graduating college and be considered a failure and live with my parents.’” The college player ended up being signed by the Oakland Raiders. The second time was when Akbar left the NFL. “I went through an identity crisis,” he said.

“It distorted my feelings Akbar is the host of NBC’s four-time Emmy nominated about myself, the value of series American Ninja Warrior, Universal Kid’s spin off myself and what I could show, American Ninja Warrior Jr. as well as NFL Networks’ offer. That is what forced highest rated show, NFL Fantasy Live. Akbar is the author of me to figure out what I am Everyone Can Be A Ninja, his first book. really passionate about. I realized that busyness and community. These ninjas are cheering each other insecurity oftentimes blind on. We all as humans have a natural tendency to us from being able to focus in on who we are and be envious of others — especially when you are where we are going.” Akbar eventually found himself as the face of an NBC hit. extremely competitive. They are on the sidelines Akbar said what he finds most rewarding supporting each other, sharing tips and notes.” about being part of the American Ninja franchise Akbar said he has taken this same message to is that it is truly one of the few programs his own children. “I teach them to be happy for available today that can bring entire families others, to take that time to cheer people on together. The broadcaster also takes pride that in their success. It’s what I strive to do when I the competition shows anyone can achieve their speak to the audience in Conway … hopefully dreams. inspiring and encouraging them during this time “All sports have relatable events, but of uncertainty.” not everybody can relate to Lebron James, Tickets are on sale now for an evening Bret Farve and especially Tom Brady! But the with Akbar Gbajabiamila at uca.edu/ backstories of the ninja warriors show that they publicappearances or by calling the Reynolds are ordinary people. People naturally gravitate Performance Hall box office at 501.450.3265. to them, because they are so relatable.

The show begins at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 6.

Something else that sets the program Prices are $15.00 for the general public and $5 apart, Akbar said, is the true sense of for children/students. encouragement that runs through the ninja

March 2021 501lifemag.com | 21

COMMUNITY

Good Works First Security Bank helps community during pandemic

Edward Haddock (from left), District Director Small Business Administration Arkansas District and Donnie Baker, Senior Vice President First Security Bank.

The past year was challenging for

everyone and we are still dealing with the effects of the pandemic in 2021. First Security Bank has implemented three programs to help their customers and the community during this unprecedented time.

Small Business Association awards efforts

The shut-down of small businesses in March 2020 to prevent the spread of COVID-19 created a ripple effect none of us could anticipate. In every community, friends and neighbors were suddenly faced with the potential loss of income. When Congress and the Treasury Department established the CARES Act, they created the opportunity for businesses to gain some relief thru the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) newly enacted Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

“Our success in helping so many of our customers get this much-needed assistance was the result of an overall team effort,” said Scott Brady, senior vice president of marketing. “After many long days, and even longer nights, our customers were able to get the assistance they needed with our help.”

PPP loans were designed to protect 22 | 501 LIFE March 2021

Daniel Frazier (from left), Anne Marie Coy, Alexis Coy, Sophia Jacimore and Andrea Lewis of First Security Bank.

businesses and their employees from loss of income as a result of the pandemic.

“It didn’t take long to recognize the significance of the program to small businesses in Arkansas,” Brady said. “This was a big deal. Even though we were not as familiar with the SBA lending programs, the First Security team jumped in to help our customers apply for these loans immediately.”

The bank’s efforts were recognized by the SBA as one of the top PPP lenders in Arkansas. While the staff had no idea the number was significant prior to receiving the award, it makes them very proud that First Security helped secure over 2,900 loans for customers, some as small as $1,000. “Helping them get through a difficult situation was our top priority,” Brady added. “On behalf of all the lending staff at First Security Bank, we are humbled and appreciative to have such great relationships, and glad we could help our small business customers in Arkansas.”

Change for Change program First Security also joined forces with the Arkansas Food Bank to support their ‘Change for Change’ program.

From January 9th thru Saturday, March 13, ‘Change for Change’ is collecting

donations of spare change, or any dollar amount, to support the Arkansas Food Bank. Donations can be made at any First Security Bank in central Arkansas in the ‘Change for Change’ donation account or at the Arkansas Food Bank. Donations can also be made online at: http://weblink. donorperfect.com/ArkansasFoodbank/ ChangeforChange2021 Anyone wanting to participate in the collection of spare change can help by picking up a donation can at a First Security in Pulaski or Saline County, or at the Arkansas Food Bank.

“What’s Cookin’ at First Security Volume 2”

The bank also partnered with the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance by offering “What’s Cookin’ at First Security Bank Volume 2.” Employees submitted their favorite recipes to create a cookbook to help raise money for the hungry in the state. “With the last cookbook, we raised over $25,000 to support their mission,” Brady said. “We look forward to providing another great donation through the help of our customers and friends who purchase one of these cookbooks.” Cookbooks can be purchased for $20 at any First Security location.

EVERYONE CAN BE A NINJA

AKBAR GBAJA-BIAMILA DISTINGUISHED SPEAKER

Host “American Former Pro NFL Football Player: Ninja Warrior” Raiders, Chargers and Dolphins

FIND YOUR INNER WARRIOR AND ACHIEVE YOUR DREAMS

TUESDAY APRIL 6, 2021 7:30 P.M.

March 2021 501lifemag.com | 23

WORK WE MAKE COMFORT

COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL SERVICES

501 LIFE is proud to present the 501 Basketball Team for 2020-21. The team boasts 34 honorees representing the best studentathletes Greater Central Arkansas has to offer both on and off the court.

We presented 18 players last month and feature the remaining players this month.

Players were nominated by their coaches and selected by the 501 staff, and the nominations were weighted equally between on-the-court and off-the-court attributes. Sponsors for this year’s team are Conway Regional Health System and First Security Bank.

KEEPING CONWAY Comfortable FOR NEARLY 50 YEARS (501 ) 329-2951

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Meet the 2020-21 501 Basketball Team Brooklyn Adcock (Mount Vernon-Enola), Kayla Akers (Morrilton), Madelyn Atkins (Beebe), Audrey Beck (Wonderview), Wesley Booker (Mount Vernon-Enola), Ashley Brown (Searcy), Luke Bruich (St. Joseph), Chloe Buie (Bigelow), Jacob Cantrell (Quitman), Chloe Clardy (Conway), Matti Clements (Harding Academy), Cooper Ellis (Conway Christian), Devin Foster (Morrilton), McKenzie Greeson (Sacred Heart), Kylie Griffin (Greenbrier), Lilly Hill (St. Joseph), Taylor Hooten (Quitman), Kyler Jones (Bigelow), Molly Madar (Cabot), Artavia Malone (Guy-Perkins), Gram Middleton (Vilonia), Lauren Patterson (Vilonia), Westin Pickell (Mayflower), Darvis Rasberry (Maumelle), Ellie Riddle (Heber Springs), Brayden Roberts (Cabot), Caleb Squires (Wonderview), Gabe Strickland (Guy-Perkins), Kamiah Turner (Mayflower), Bryce Webb (Greenbrier), Jayden Williams (Conway), Josie Williams (Conway Christian), Logan Worthington (Beebe) and Kaeden Wright (Nemo Vista).

“We are so excited for this year’s 501 Basketball Team,” said Levi Gilbert, associate editor. “We’ve got a great mix of upper and underclassmen, and there are a few state champions in there, too.

Stories by Levi Gilbert & Mark Oliver • Photos by Mike Kemp March 2021 501lifemag.com | 25

Brayden Robert, Cabot After finding his niche as a strong perimeter shooter off the bench last season, Cabot senior forward Brayden Roberts earned his keep in Cabot’s fast-paced offense this season.

“Last season, Brayden came off the bench for us in relief of our bigs,” Cabot head coach Logan Bailey wrote in his nomination. “At 6’2” he really had to battle and did an admirable job. He shoots the ball really well from the perimeter and has a very high basketball IQ.” This season, Roberts has shined in Cabot’s quest to make a deep postseason run.

“Brayden can make some really big plays on the defensive end with his IQ,” Bailey wrote. “As our only returning rotational player from last year’s team, we need him to bring a great deal of leadership, most importantly.”

According to Bailey, playing unselfish basketball has been Cabot’s bread and butter this season— something that Roberts excels at.

“Brayden is a selfless teammate,” Bailey wrote.

“He isn’t worried about getting his, but, instead, helping the team however he can. He spaces the floor with his shooting and that opens up driving lanes for teammates. He is also a quality screener which our offense really values.”

Off the court, the senior serves as a positive role model for his classroom and his community.

“Brayden has great character and really enjoys serving his community,” Bailey wrote. “He is a model student with a personality that people gravitate towards and he is coming into his own as a leader.”

Chloe Clardy, Conway Sophomore phenom Chloe Clardy is ready to lead the Conway Lady Cats back to championship heights. After earning the Arkansas underclassman of the year award as a freshman and being named as a Wooten Top 100 Player and ranked the No. 8 player in the country according to ESPN, Clardy is even more focused on putting in the work each and every day.

“Not everything comes easy, and you have to keep working to get better every day,” Clardy said.

“I just want to be the hardest working player.”

Clardy is one of several talented underclassmen leading the way for the Conway. It’s a talented core that has set a high goal of earning a championship for the Lady Cats for the first time since 2014.

“Chloe is the total package when it comes to the qualities and skills a player has on the court,” Coach Ashley Hutchcraft said. “Her ability to score is far beyond her years. She makes her teammates better and is a great leader. She genuinely cares about her teammates, but at the same time holds them accountable for the good of the team as a whole. She is humble with her successes and can celebrate the success of others. Chloe cares about her team. She puts the team as a whole before the individual.”

Clardy is being recruited by nearly every top college in the country. The sophomore boasts a 4.0 GPA and is a member of Caring Cats and Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Matti Clements, Harding Academy Matti Clements is focusing beyond just her senior season for the Harding Academy Lady Wildcats.

“Being a senior this year, I have learned to appreciate each of my teammates and be present in each moment, win or lose,” Clements said. “I want to not only leave a lasting impact on my team, but leave a lasting impact on our program.”

On the court, Clements contributes in a variety of ways.“There is not a coach in the country that wouldn’t be proud to have Matti represent his or her program,” Coach Rusty Garner said. “She is a terrific student, a great friend to those around her, she’s thoughtful and considerate and she loves people well. Matti is a tremendous leader on the floor.

“She is regularly undersized yet is a terrific 26 | 501 LIFE March 2021

post defender and rebounder. She is a great communicator on the floor, a great teammate and a wonderful leader. She’s tough and physical in all the positive ways.”

Off the court, Clements is involved in the arts at Harding Academy, performing in the Harding Academy Chorus and Wildcat Theatre Company. Clements was the lead in the fall musical, Anastasia.

“Mrs. Blansett, my theatre teacher, inspires me because she has always encouraged and believed and pushed me to reach my full potential,” Clements said.

She also serves a worship leader at her church and enjoys painting and drawing in her free time. She plans on attending Southwestern Adventist University and majoring in psychology on the pre-med track.

Molly Madar, Cabot After finishing in the top eight teams in last year’s Class 6A state tournament, Cabot senior guard Molly Madar and the Lady Panthers are ready to make some magic happen this postseason.

“Molly is a hard-worker who always maintains a positive attitude,” Cabot head coach Jay Cook wrote in his nomination. “She plays with passion every time she steps on the court and pushes her teammates to be better. As a senior with varsity experience, we expect Molly to be a leader, both vocally and by example. As our point guard, we expect her to efficiently manage our offense and set the tone on defense.”

In addition to her athletic abilities, Madar also leads Cabot with respect and positivity.

“Molly exemplifies all things that are good,” Cook wrote. “She is kind, compassionate, sincere

and respectful in all that she does. She truly puts the team first and is always ready to serve her team in whatever capacity is asked of her. She is an amazing example for everyone around her.”

Off the court, Madar brings the same energy to her classroom and community.

“Molly is the type of person who others want to be around and try to emulate,” Cook wrote. She is a very active of her youth group at Cabot Church of Christ, is the president of CHS stem, co-vice president of the French Club, and is an active member of National Honor Society, FCA and Ecology Club. She is involved in community service work through these clubs.”

Jayden Williams, Conway Jayden Williams is a rare type of gifted athlete. He boasts the size and strength to play in the post on the hardcourt or at left tackle on the gridiron but also possesses the agility and speed to play wide receiver or make remarkable moves around the rim.

“I feel like I was born to ball,” Williams said.

As a junior last year, Williams took over down the stretch of 6A Central play and into the state tournament, helping lead the Wampus Cats to a co-championship.

“Jayden is a great rebounder and rim protector,” Coach Salty Longing said. “He is very efficient around the rim and a tremendous passer for a big man. He meshes well with teammates.

He has a laid back approach to life that allows him

to get along with any type of teammate.”

Due to COVID, the Wampus Cats missed most of the non-conference schedule. A mostly young and inexperienced squad is trying to find its way late in the season and preparing for another postseason run.

“Even though we lost some key pieces to the team from last year, we still have a good team,” Williams said. “We’ve yet to play at our full potential. I want to be remembered as one of the best players to put on a Conway jersey, but also for having good time on the court. If you come to a Conway game, the $5 you paid will be worth it.”

Williams has committed to play football at Ole Miss.

Ashley Brown, Searcy Ashley Brown never thought that she’d be where she is today on the basketball court.

For many years, the Illinois native held pom poms—not basketballs—on the sidelines as a cheerleader, but life had other plans for Searcy’s senior center.

“I started cheering when I was three years old,” Brown said. “I had a growth spurt the summer before my eighth-grade year and I started playing basketball. It’s funny how a growth spurt can change things.”

The rest is history for Brown who quickly developed into a basketball force for Bloom High School in Chicago Heights, before bringing her big-city experience to the 501.

“Ashley has great size and does a solid job posting up and using her size in the paint,”

Searcy head coach Kim Sitzmann wrote. “She can also step out some for the mid-range jump shot and is a good rebounder.”

Brown was selected to this year’s 501 Basketball Team by Coach Sitzmann.

“Ashley is very uplifting and encouraging,” Sitzmann wrote in her nomination. “That’s what makes her a good teammate. She puts the team before herself, she is easy going and gets along well with others. Along with her skills on the court, she is a leader, vocally and by example.”

Off the court, Brown enjoys dancing, singing and making TikTok videos with friends “I think Ashley has an opportunity to make All-Conference and All-State this season,” Sitzmann wrote. “She has the athletic ability to lead in multiple categories.

March 2021 501lifemag.com | 27

Taylor Hooten, Quitman

TAYLOR

Taylor Hooten is stiving for excellence and continuing to build on the success of Quitman Lady Bulldog basketball. In three years as a starter, the junior has helped lead Quitman to more than 80 wins, and she’s not finished yet.

“I want to be remembered as the player that nobody wanted to guard or be guarded by,” Taylor Hooten said. “I want to be known as the player that gave everything she could in every game that she played.”

After falling in the state championship a year ago, Taylor and her fellow Lady Bulldogs are singularly focused on working their SPONSORED BY way back to the state title game.

“If you watch her play, you will see she is the floor general and has a great knowledge of the game,” said Timothy Hooten, her father and head

QUITMAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

coach. “Also, she is a tremendous defensive player as she has shut down the supposedly best guards in the conference. She was Quitman’s No. 1 3-point shooter last season and leading scorer. She also led the team in assist and steals and was second on the team in rebounding.

“She is No. 1 in her class academically. She is involved in Future Farmers of America in livestock showing and also in four other sports — volleyball, cross country, softball and track.”

Taylor has grown up in a family of athletes.

Her older sister, Rieley, led Quitman to state championships in cross country, track and basketball a few years back.

“She left a huge pair of shoes to fill, and I use her as motivation to be as successful as she has been,” Taylor Hooten said.

Gram Middleton, Vilonia With the postseason on the horizon, Vilonia is right where it wants to be in the Class 5A title discussion. Behind senior guard/forward Gram Middleton, the Eagles rely on great shooting and stingy defense to win games.

“Gram is a good leader for our senior high team, but he is also a good leader for our program as a whole,” Vilonia head coach Jeremy Simon wrote in his nomination. “He is accountable, trustworthy and always has a positive attitude. He is a leader by example.”

Once a role player in Vilonia’s system, Middleton has grown into a key player for the Eagles this season.

“After losing four starters to graduation, we really needed Gram to step up,” Simon wrote. “He is

6’7” and has a great-looking shot. He is constantly in the gym working on his shooting and he’s a good friend to everyone. He is a young man with high character and integrity.”

Like any good leader on the floor, Middleton is constantly looking for opportunities to grow. This season, the senior focused on growth in the post, turning him into a sizable threat down low.

“Gram has also developed into a good post player as well,” Simon wrote. “He has got some crafty moves around the rim and he has become more and more comfortable with being in the post if that is what his team needs from him. We are going to need him at the top of his game if we are going to be successful.”

Audrey Beck, Wonderview

AUDREY SPONSORED BY

28 | 501 LIFE March 2021

After winning back-to-back state championships her freshman and sophomore seasons, it’s easy to see why Wonderview senior guard Audrey Beck likes to win.

“I have a lot of great basketball memories that I will cherish forever, but my favorite memory was winning state and then doing it again the next year,” Beck said. “The memories I made with my teammates during that time was so much fun and made me realize why I love basketball the way I do.”

“My goals heading into this season were to be more of a confident player and to be the best team leader that I could be,” Beck said.

“We have a lot of young players on our team and it is vital to be a positive role model.”

Beck was selected to this year’s 501

Basketball Team by Head Ccoach Alaina Ford.

“Audrey can play both inside and out,” Ford wrote in her nomination. “She is a strong force in the paint, but will also knock down threes or jump shots from outside. Audrey is very unselfish on the floor and does whatever it takes to help her team.”

Off the court, Beck is involved with FBLA, FCA, FCCLA and serves as Student Council class president at Wonderview. She also plays softball.

“Audrey is a hard worker off the court,” Ford wrote. “She is a great student. She is loyal, compassionate and understanding when it comes to her peers. Audrey has a bright future ahead of her.”

Jacob Cantrell, Quitman Each time Quitman senior forward Jacob Cantrell hits the floor, his teammates know they’re getting two things — a solid leader and a fierce competitor.

“Jacob sets the example for student athletes in our program,” Quitman head coach Brandon Burgener wrote in his nomination. “He has a great personality and he’s great at building relationships and team chemistry off the floor. He always tries to find a positive and uses mistakes as learning experiences for himself and the team. His teammates love being around him.”

On the court, the senior’s biggest strengths are his speed, athleticism and rebounding ability.

“Jacob adds a ton of versatility to our team,” Burgener wrote. “He is 6’4” but plays like a guard when needed. There were several nights where he has the

best matchup on the floor, so we feed him the ball and let him play his game until we draw a switch and have a mismatch elsewhere. I expect him to be an impact in games where he is keyed on by our opponents.”

A versatile athlete, the dual-sport senior leads the Bulldogs not only on the basketball court, but in track and field as well.

“Jacob is a pivotal part to the success of our cross-country program,” Burgener wrote. “He has won multiple individual state championships in track and field JACOB SPONSORED and finished runner up in state for the second year in a row in cross country. This year, we expect him to lead our track program to compete for a state championship.”

Lauren Patterson, Vilonia The Vilonia Lady Eagles have been on a remarkable run the last four seasons, and senior Lauren Patterson, who has started at point guard since her freshman year, has been a big factor in the success.

“Lauren’s best quality on the court is her ball handling,” Coach Jeremy Simon said. “She is good at going left or right, and she has a very quick step. She is good at attacking the basket and finishing around the rim. She is also great at finding her teammates on the floor, and she can shoot it as well as anyone.

Another great quality Lauren has is her ability to finish ball games. She is at her best when the pressure is on her.

“I think she is one of the most underrated

BY

QUITMAN

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

players in the state of Arkansas. She runs the show for us, and as long as she is on the floor, our team is in good hands.”

During Patterson’s career, she’s scored well over 1,200 points, has been named all-state twice (and may well be headed for a third) and will have a chance to lead Vilonia to 100 wins in four seasons.

“Lauren is a very unselfish, caring person,” Simon said. “She has started every game her entire career as a Lady Eagle, but on her senior night, she volunteered to come off the bench so another senior, who has never started before, could start in her place.

That meant a lot to me that she did that for her teammate.”

Caleb Squires, Wonderview The Daredevils pose a strong threat this season to not only repeat as conference champions, but to thrive in the state tournament as well. Wonderview is led by junior guard Caleb Squires.

“Our biggest moment so far has been coming off a two-week quarantine and sweeping the first half of conference play,” Squires said. “We played five games in eight days during that stretch. Our team goal is to make another deep state tournament run.”

Caleb was selected to this year’s 501 Basketball Team by Head Coach Jerod Squires.

“Caleb is a relentless competitor and his basketball IQ is as good as there is,” Squires wrote in his nomination.

Leading by example, the junior understands that for his team to repeat last year’s state tournament success, it will require a full team effort.

“Success doesn’t happen overnight,” the student said. “It takes many sacrifices, such as 6 a.m. workouts before school and many late nights on weekends.”

Squires scored more than 1,100 career points, including 138 three-pointers, as a freshman and a sophomore. Averaging 17.5 points per game last season, Squires earned all-conference honors and was named to the Class A all-state tournament team.

“Caleb knows how to motivate his teammates in positive ways as well as being a servant leader to his team,” Squires wrote.

Off the court, he is a member of FBLA, FCA and Beta Club. He attends Old Hickory Baptist Church in Hattieville, enjoys bass fishing and aspires to continue playing basketball after graduation.

CALEB SPONSORED BY

March 2021 501lifemag.com | 29

Bryce Webb, Greenbrier

BRYCE

When Bryce Webb’s playing days are over at Greenbrier, the senior guard will be remembered not only for the games that he’s helped the Panthers win, but also for the way he played the game.

“Bryce is one of our best three-point shooters and has high basketball IQ,” Greenbrier head coach Mike Simmons wrote in his nomination. “He plays multiple positions, cares about his teammates and always tries to help them succeed.”

As one of the Panthers’ SPONSORED BY backups last year, Webb came into his own this year, thanks not only to his prolific shooting ability, but also his ability to steal the basketball and create opportunities for his team to score.

“Bryce played behind a lot

of seniors last year, so his contribution was limited to mostly junior varsity,” Simmons wrote. “This season, my expectation was for Bryce to be one of our leaders on the floor and in the locker room. He comes to practice every day and leads by example with hard work and being engaged in practice.”

In the highly competitive Class 5A West conference, Webb has helped spark the Panthers in big games this season. When the senior gets hot, his play is contagious.

“Bryce is positive and has energy and enthusiasm every day, regardless of the situation,” Simmons wrote.

Off the court, Webb works just as hard to succeed in academics as he does in athletics.

“Bryce works hard in the classroom,” Simmons wrote. “He is respectful and kind, which makes him a good classmate.”

Ellie Riddle, Heber Springs

ELLIE

30 | 501 LIFE March 2021

As the lone senior on this year’s Lady Panthers squad, Heber Springs senior forward Ellie Riddle knew she’d be faced with increased responsibility and leadership this season.

Challenge accepted. “Ellie is our only senior this year, so we need her now more than ever to be a leader, both verbally and by her good work ethic,” Heber Springs head coach Jamey Riddle wrote in his nomination. “She did a great job for us as a role player last year. Whatever we needed her SPONSORED BY to do—she was able to do it.”

Despite multiple challenges this year, Riddle dedicated her senior season to growing the future of Lady Panthers basketball—that’s just the kind of leader she is.

“Ellie is a motivating leader who

stays positive, no matter how bad things get,” Riddle wrote. “She pushes others to get better so the team can get better and be successful. She shows up early and stays late, she encourages others and she is a good communicator. If she sees a problem, she’s selfmotivated to help fix it.”

On and off the court, Riddle gives 100-percent in everything she does. “Off the court, Ellie is an ‘A’ student and is very active in other sports and activities at school,” Riddle wrote. “She communicates with and spends time with teammates outside of basketball, volunteers at functions in the community and is very active in her church and family. She has a positive attitude, loves life and has a good time, no matter the circumstances.”

Kylie Griffin, Greenbrier For the last three years, Kylie Griffin has poured herself into improving the Greenbrier Lady Panther basketball program, and her senior season has paid off with an opportunity to earn a 5A state tournament bid.

“This has been one of my favorite basketball seasons and teams that I have gotten to be a part of,” Griffin said.

“We all play really well together, and we have had a lot of success this season.”

Griffin has started at point guard and been a team captain for the last three years for the Lady Panthers, and her contributions come on both sides of the court.

“Her leadership on the floor, her work ethic and attitude and the energy that she plays with are her best qualities on the court,” Coach Payton Edmondson said.

“She has been one of our best defensive players for the last three years. The energy she plays with makes

her a great on-ball defender. She was also our leading rebounder from last year.

“She is such a great kid on and off the floor. Her attitude and work ethic are outstanding, and she is always working on her game. The energy level she plays with all the time is tremendous, and her leadership makes us a better basketball team.”

Griffin also plays softball and runs track for Greenbrier. She also participates in Future Business Leaders of America and Beta Club. She has signed to play KYLIE SPONSORED softball at the University of Central Arkansas where she plans to pursue a degree in speech pathology.

BY

Kaeden Wright, Nemo Vista From big wins on the court to making memories with his teammates off the court, it’s been a year to remember for Nemo Vista senior forward Kaeden Wright.

“This season has been one of the best seasons I have ever experienced because our team is able to get along so well on and off the court,” Wright said.

“My team this year is one of the greatest groups of guys that I know and it has been an honor to be a team leader to them because they understand how to hustle and know what it means to play as a team.”

Amid multiple disruptions from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Red Hawks managed to win when it mattered most, securing the team’s spot in the postseason.

“Beating teams like Mt. Vernon-Enola and Sacred Heart to secure our spot in the district tournament

was a big moment for our team,” Wright said.

“Another big moment was getting to beat Southside.

We have always battled with them for my entire high school career and beating them in our final meeting was very nice, even though they aren’t in our conference.”

“Kaeden is an all-around great student athlete,” Nemo Vista head coach Drew Blocker wrote in his nomination. “He plays with relentless energy and effort and never has a practice where he doesn’t bring energy and enthusiasm.

He holds his teammates accountable and leads vocally and by example. I would take a player like him on every single team I ever have.”

March 2021 501lifemag.com | 31

ON-THE-JOB DINING

HEIGH-HO, HEIGH-HO... it’s off to work we go!

Lunch pails, lunch totes, lunch sacks and lunch boxes have a

rich and interesting history! Today’s kids stuff their lunch in a polyester version of a knock-off Vera Bradley; a soft insulated carrier that fits into their backpacks and the work-force adult is happy with a plastic Kroger bag!

The 1880’s historic lunchbox was a recycled tobacco box. The first commercial lunchbox was a metal picnic basket decorated with scenes of playing children, in 1902.

That wonderful historic resource, Google, explains that Mickey Mouse was the first popular character to grace the front of a lunch box, in 1935. Then a parade of personalities began and continue to this day, such as Gunsmoke, Cinderella, Barbie, Star Wars, The Beatles, Fat Albert and more!

The flea markets have scores of choices in historic, tired, used

lunchboxes. Whatever your preference in carry convenience — here are some up-to-date ideas for your work day convenience.

Beyond the cost savings, your home-packed lunches are healthier and portion controlled.

Those who love sandwiches may use a variety of whole grain breads, pitas and wraps. The adults might consider adding basil, sprouts, sliced cucumbers, onions or tomatoes. Leftovers are the perfect food to pack – they are sure to be more nutritious, filling and delicious. What could be better than a lunch of chili, soup or rice and beans packed in a microwavable container and heated at the office? Cooking in bulk is also a great suggestion. Prepare your favorite over the weekend and freeze into individual portions that are ready to take to work – even packed the night before in the refrigerator and ready to grab on the way out the door.

Don Bingham Recognized throughout the state as an accomplished chef, Don Bingham has authored cookbooks, presented television programs and planned elaborate events.

THE TURKEY DELIGHT 32 | 501 LIFE March 2021

Tortellini Salad

There are endless options for using the thermos, microwave safe containers with lids and the ever-handy sealable plastic bag.

The marketing genre has shelf after shelf of options for the kids of the family. I’m going to suggest the following brown bag lunch that sounds delicious to me and could even be prepared in a second bag and taken to share with a stop-by spouse or a co-worker. These recipes, as given, will produce enough to work with any entrée for dinner the next night. Whereas, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and chips are a viable option, it’s fun to raise the bar of the sack lunch to a gourmet level! I’ve enclosed two sandwiches, three salads and an option for a cup of soup.

In the 70’s we owned and operated Zinzendorf’s, the first tea room in Conway, starting out with a small seating area with a pizza, soup/ salad/sandwich menu. Two of the most popular sandwich offerings were the Rachel and the Turkey Delight! The Ruben – corn beef and sour kraut – was also a regular on the menu.

The sandwich recipes below travel well and would be great for the work day lunch – or anytime!

2 lbs. Tortellini cheese 1/2 cup minced parsley 1/2 lb. sliced pepperoni 1/2 lb. Havarti cheese, diced small 1 green or red bell pepper, chopped 1/4 cup black olives 2 chopped scallions 1/4 cup diced sun dried tomatoes 1/2 cup white wine vinegar 2 tsp. dried basil 2 tsp. Dijon mustard 1/8 tsp. pepper Garlic cloves to taste (1-15 cloves) 3/4 cup olive oil

Mix all ingredients; may be served refrigerated or at room temperature.

Marinated black-eyed pea salad

Turkey Delight

The Rachel

Buttered and toasted multigrain bread Mayonnaise, spread on bread slices Soft, spreadable cream cheese, spread on bread slices Sliced avocado Sliced swiss cheese Sunflower seeds Lettuce Sliced tomatoes 1/4 pound of sliced turkey breast

Fresh rye bread, two slices mayonnaise, spread on bread slices – (Use Thousand Island Dressing as option to Mayonnaise, if preferred.)

Sour Kraut, drained Lettuce Tomato slices Swiss cheese, sliced 1/4 lb. thinly sliced roast beef

Compose sandwich and enjoy.

Compose sandwich and enjoy.

3, 16-ounce cans black-eyed peas 1 cup salad oil 1/2 cup wine vinegar 1 garlic bud 1/2 cup onions, sliced 1/2 tsp. salt Cracked pepper to taste 1 tsp. chili powder 1 cup stuffed green olives, sliced

Drain peas; add remaining ingredients. Refrigerate in covered container for at least 24 hours. Remove garlic bud.

Salad will keep for two weeks.

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March 2021 501lifemag.com | 33

HEALTH

34 | 501 LIFE March 2021

Cardiologist Jeffrey Holt, M.D., brought his practice to Searcy because he loves the small-town setting.

It's Heart Work

By Erica Duncan

Cardiologist brings experience to Unity Health Cardiologist Jeffrey Holt, M.D., joins

Unity Health – Cardiology Clinic, bringing years of expertise, hard work and the joy of farming with him to the Searcy area as he joins our team of six additional boardcertified cardiologists. Holt appreciates that he can practice advanced general, interventional, and nuclear cardiology in a tight-knit community. He has earned his board certification in all three areas and has obtained fellowships in cardiology and interventional cardiology. Though he has been board-certified in several medical fields through the years, he enjoys practicing cardiology the most.

Holt likes to continually improve himself. “I have a Type A personality.

I can’t get stagnant. I always need to be learning new things,” he explained.

Cardiology gives him the opportunity to continue to learn about new developments in the field so he can provide the best

treatment for his patients. The part he enjoys most is “the diversity of the field and the opportunity to provide critical care to help patients,” he said.

The Searcy community is a perfect fit for the Holt family. The small-town setting is what he had envisioned many years ago when he began pursuing his medical studies. Though his journey led him to study in San Antonio, Texas, and practice cardiology for 12 years in Shreveport, La., he still favors the small community way of life. With his local connections to Searcy, he had already planned to retire here.

However, after some encouragement from friends and thoughtful prayer, he and his family decided not to wait.

Holt has worked hard for his successes in the medical field and understands the blessings he has received along the way, “Over the years, doors continued to open for me, from my educational preferences

to the clinics where I practiced. I always seemed to get my first pick. I was blessed,” he said. He worked hard as he completed his board certifications while working as an emergency room doctor. Hard work is a trait he learned early in life from his parents’ example as they worked their jobs and ran the farm. He still owns the family farm in East Texas and runs cattle on the property like his grandmother. “I just can’t bring myself to sell the cows,” he said.

In Searcy, he said, “I feel like I’ve come full circle to practice the cardiology I enjoy in a small town I like while owning the rural farmland I wanted.” Holt feels right at home in this community, and he even has a daughter attending Harding University.

Unity Health welcomes Dr. Holt and is excited about his contribution to the Cardiology Clinic at 711 Santa Fe Drive in Searcy. He is accepting new patients with referrals at 501-279-9393.

On UCA Day of Giving, your gift directly impacts our students. From the expansion of academic programs to the addition of new facilities, UCA is growing – and your gift makes it possible. On March 11, let’s grow together.

CHOOSE FROM: COLLEGES • STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS ATHLETICS • PROGRAMS • SCHOLARSHIPS • MORE

UCA.EDU/DAYOFGIVING March 2021 501lifemag.com | 35

WORKFORCE

Let's Get To Work Workforce Training Center lights spark for the community

Student activites from left: Installing parts in the automotive service lab. Working with robots in the industrial mechanics and maintenance technology lab. Hands-on training in welding. Training with a CNC (Computer Numerical Control) router.

By Jared Craig

On any given day, scores of students

flood the training labs and classrooms inside the Workforce Training Center (WTC), a technical education facility located at the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton.

Some 54,000 square feet, the building is impressive to walk through, with students working over equipment with their instructors — themselves at the top of their fields. Many students enroll because they’re drawn to a profession and its income potential. Others are concurrent students who are taking time in their high school education to pursue a passion. Some are even current working professionals looking to enhance their skillset. Whatever the reasons why

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someone pursues a technical education degree, the WTC offers a multitude of opportunities to learn.

“The UACCM Workforce Training Center is the embodiment of what it is to be a comprehensive community college,” said Dr. Richard Counts, vice chancellor of academics. “In the WTC, credit programming, workforce training, and community education programs all coexist for the general improvement of our local communities.”

The building houses four of the college’s technical programs: air conditioning, heating, and refrigeration; auto service technology; industrial mechanics and maintenance technology (IMMT); and welding technology.

Those who are taking these programs, numbering 139 students this semester, know the training is essential — to repair an engine, to keep a factory running, to make homes comfortable in extreme weather and to fuse metal into a purpose.

The most common characteristic of these programs is that Arkansas needs more of these workers, both today and in the immediate future. These are the skills that help communities fill vital service needs, expand manufacturing and compete in the larger, regional economy.

The WTC operates on a principle to imitate a workplace as much as possible.

At times, the details are elaborately planned. Students begin class by punching cards through a time clock system and

being held accountable to be punctual, much like any profession. The welding lab features a set of bays located outside, so students can get comfortable training in weather similar to what their profession may require. The air conditioning, heating and refrigeration program also features a collection of HVAC units outside one of its labs. The “garden,” as it’s called, also prepares students to work in different weather conditions.

One can even identify a student’s area of study based on their uniform, color coded by their program and embroidered with the college logo. Students sometimes crossover into different programs, preparing for whatever their career will require. The industrial mechanics labs play host to HVAC students in classes teaching motors and systems control, while IMMT students learn the fundamentals of welding, just to name a couple of examples.

Determining the direction of a field is done by forging partnerships. UACCM maintains an updated curriculum by inviting businesses and industry leaders in Central Arkansas to sit on advisory committees.

Over 130 advisory members representing more than 100 companies provide feedback on technical programs, with their names placed on plaques at each training lab.

The college values the benefits of hands-on experience. Inside, students train on equipment that they will find in their workplace. According to Howard West, an auto service technology instructor, the regular upgrading of equipment sets UACCM graduates apart in the job market.

“Students preparing for entry-level positions will be more capable when entering the automotive repair trade after experiencing training on this new equipment,” he said.

The more recent acquisitions are impressive. The John Bean V3400 3-D

Aligner in the auto service technology lab, a machine the college acquired thanks to its relationship with Snap-On Tools, is top of the line. An IMMT lab features robots: a welding robot and an ABB robot designed to move objects in an assembly line. And a hydraulic metal shear in the welding lab is a piece of hardware that reflects the modern industry that blends manual and automatic labor.

Situated near the entrance of the WTC is UACCM’s Workforce Development & Community Education department. The department provides skills training to help companies boost workforce potential.

“Knowledgeable, capable employees are the cornerstone of exceptional businesses,” said Jessica Rohlman, director of the college’s Workforce Development & Community Education. “UACCM can be an ally when it comes to teaching employees the unique skills your business needs for future success.”

The demand of immediate skills training is in high demand, according to Counts. “Through our workforce training programming we are able to provide ondemand, short-term training for our local business/industry partners to enhance their workforce,” he said. “It is not unusual for individuals who participate in these trainings to have been former UACCM students.”

The department offerings include commercial driver training, a four-week program that prepares students for licensure. In 2020, a heavy machinery noncredit program was added, teaching students how to operate anything from a bulldozer to a backhoe.

Much of what the department does is providing more learning opportunities to the surrounding community. Low-cost, non-credit classes are available to the public

which allows people to learn something new, whether it be storm watching or cake decorating.

“It is more important than ever to find connection — to find comraderie in a skill or hobby,” said Denise Pote, community education coordinator. “UACCM’s goal is to bring people together through similar interests and to build relationships with those in our community.”

Prior to the building’s opening in 2018, the college had invested its future in these facilities. In 2014, college administrators began a plan for a state-of-the-art training center that would meet the needs for training a qualified workforce in highdemand, high wage technical areas. Many of the college’s technical programs were housed in buildings that were nearing fifty years old. The structures were small, crowded and lacked the ability to bring in larger pieces of machinery and equipment.

The UACCM Foundation, the college’s fundraising arm, created the “Give Meaning” campaign to raise money that would help fund the project. Over a three-year period, almost $3 million was raised in private funds from individuals and businesses. The donations included an employee campaign that garnered a 90% participation rate and over $63,000 in gifts and pledges. The remainder of the project was funded with a $ 10 million bond issue and existing school funds.

Mary Clark, director of marketing and public relations, said, “The generous support of our donors, including employees, business partners, and supportive community members was instrumental in making the Workforce Training Center a reality. They realized the expanded opportunities that would be available to students, including increased enrollment capacity and access to a variety of large equipment, machines, trainers and lab space.

March 2021 501lifemag.com | 37

YOUTH - Vilonia

Elise Gasaway

Taking every shot

By Dwain Hebda

At first glance, it seems Elise Gasaway is

living a typical high schooler’s life, rolling out of bed to attend class, then heading off to extracurricular activities. But a closer look reveals there’s nothing typical about how this Vilonia High School senior views life, especially in the age of COVID-19.

Take, for instance, her academics. While most of her classmates are riding out their final semester with light class loads, Gasaway has chosen a much different course.

“I’m one of the few people in my grade that has a full schedule,” said the bubbly 18-yearold. “Everyone my age is kind of at home, you know? Virtual. That’s not me. I’m a very social person and one of the things I wanted to make sure of was [that] I maintained those connections with people.”

Gasaway didn’t stack her schedule with frivolous electives and busy work, either.

Her courses, all of which are conducted inperson, show she’s serious about her future.

“I have four college classes and then my other extracurricular was anatomy and physiology. So, yeah, I’ve taken a lot,” she said. “Mainly, I did that so that I didn’t have to take those classes in college. We really benefit from using UA Little Rock as our concurrent college. You pay less if you take a college class in high school.

“But I also wanted to get that experience, 38 | 501 LIFE March 2021

you know, of what it’s going to look like in college and prepare myself for that.”

Rounding out her class load are two semesters of Education Accelerated

by Service and Technology (EAST), a curriculum that develops leadership and critical-thinking skills in students.

“The whole mission of the EAST program is to teach students how to solve problems using technology,” she said. “What we do is help solve problems in our community, and technology fits within that. It’s a really cool class. I’ve been able to use some very sophisticated technology to help my community.”

Through EAST, Gasaway has completed two projects this year, including creating a hammock garden on campus and raising money for a classmate injured in a horseback-riding accident. Along the way, she’s developed some valuable life skills that will come in handy in college and beyond.

“You learn a lot of things in EAST, like communication and how to work with other people,” she said. “We have to talk to so many different types of people, and we have to do it through so many different modes, too.

We have to talk to adults, we have to talk to administrators, we have to talk to business owners, we have to talk to kids our own age more professionally. EAST has really given me the opportunity to learn those skills and

grow them over the years.”

Gasaway has also competed for her high school's athletics program. In 9th and 10th grade, she threw shot put and discus for the school's track and field team. After taking a break from sports entirely her junior year, she decided to go in another direction as a senior.

“This year, I just decided to take on golf,” she said. “It was kind of my mom’s idea. She was like, ‘It’s your last year, just go for it.’ I’ve always played with my brothers and with my dad, so I’ve had a little bit of experience. But this year, I went full force with it.”

Other activities during her high school career have included Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA), and Beta Club. She said each extracurricular activity, which also includes her church youth ministry, helped broaden her perspective on different types of people.

“I’ve met a lot of people through each club and activity that I’ve done. I feel like I’m friends with everyone in some way,” she said.

“I think that’s really cool because I know, coming out of high school, I’ve had all those friends, I’ve met all those people, and those are connections I’ll have later on in life.

“As I look back on it, I was a person who made a ton of friends, but not of one clique.

I’ve really grown to love all sorts of people

Senior Elise Gasaway is not sailing through her final semester of high school; instead, she is taking four, in-person college classes and joined the golf team, having enjoyed playing with her father and brothers in the past.

She is standing on a ridge at the Conway Country Club.

Mike Kemp photo

who do different activities. It’s helped my education a lot because I’ve learned different skills within each of those clubs, I guess you could say. That’s really helped me grow.”

Gasaway, the daughter of Warren and Melissa Gasaway, plans to attend the University of Central Arkansas next year, where she’ll study in the health sciences field.

She said if she could pass along any advice to her younger schoolmates, it would be to get involved.

“Join those clubs, join those sports. You’re going to have so many more experiences that way, and you’re going to learn a lot,” she said.

“You’re going to learn how to love more people, you’re going to learn how to deal with more situations.

Every club is different, but they all mold you. I know I’ve been shaped by my school, and those clubs, and activities, and sports.

“Also, don’t go sit with one group of friends always. It’s cool to go out and meet people because you learn different cultures. You learn how different people act and some of the things they do for fun. Go out and make those friends.”

A 501 LIFE Special Section

The best businesses are built on the vision of passionate people. Those businesses thrive because their talented staff is committed to hard work and quality service.

Businesses that stand the test of time don’t do so because of luck. It comes from creativity, responding to customer’s needs and having an excellent reputation for Southern hospitality.

In the pages that follow, we feature outstanding businesses and the loyal employees that are the cornerstone of their success. The hard work and dedication of people is highlighted in this section of 501 WORKS.

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C O NN ECT ION S A RE Everything.

In Arkansas, people understand the value of community. Caring for each other is just a way of life here – which is why the biggest challenges often bring out the best in us. The First Security team is proud to serve alongside volunteers, helpers and heroes throughout the state. We were also proud to be recognized for helping so many small businesses get funds to survive the pandemic.

But supporting our neighbors? That is by far our favorite reward.

Member FDIC

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FAITH

The parable of the golf ball:

Learning from work and play A Baptist minister decided to play

hooky one Sunday to play golf. To his surprise, he was playing the best golf of his life when an angel asked God, “Are you going to let this slide?” God said, “Watch this.” The minister hit a 425-yard tee shot and the ball went in for a double eagle. The angel asked, “Why are you rewarding him?” God replied, “Who’s he going to tell?”

Speaking of telling or not telling what goes on at the golf course, in Lee Wilson’s book “The History of Golf,” he tells the backstory of the first golf balls. The balls were smooth and made from leather stuffed with feathers. Years later they started using shavings from Malayan trees that could be formed into balls. The new balls were better than the leather ones but still didn’t go very far—or very straight—so the golfers would give them to their caddies after a day’s practice.

Several months later, the golfers noticed something; their caddies were hitting balls farther and straighter than they were. It seemed the older balls that were beat up with nicks and bumps flew farther. They concluded that the more

the balls were dented (dimpled), the higher and farther they would soar.

There might be a lesson (parable) here for us to consider.

The various trials and battles we go through in life create scars and leave marks on our lives that we wish weren’t there. Nevertheless, the marks of our struggles can be the very source that enables us to soar higher and further in our personal endeavors and achievements.

On the golf course, there are plenty of ways to get into trouble—they’re called hazards. What’s true of golf is true of life.

None of us is exempt from life’s hazards: unexpected turns, closed opportunities, agonizing delays, unanswered prayer, and confusing periods of silence. With each blow, the more “dented” we become; still God takes us, dents and all, and doesn’t overhaul our personalities or change our backstories. Instead, he seeks to redeem them as we are willing to use them to move forward and upward.

All of us fall prey to different hazards along the way, but the critical issue is whether we get up. Some people don’t rise. Pain of embarrassment cripples

and binds them to their mistakes. Others spend an inordinate amount of time trying to discover who tripped them. And a few deny that they fall at all.

What can you do if your wings fall off while soaring through the hazardous areas of life?

The first step to soaring again is to give up all hope of ever having a better past. Accept it, embrace it, and transform it into strength by using your past (dents) to propel you forward. Then start moving one foot in front of the other; this is the runway for taking flight. In God’s eyes, winning is beginning. The premium is placed on the heart to start. From that moment on, you can start to live with new vision, new perspective, and new alternative ways to navigate through the hazards of life—dents and all.

If there’s a person you know whose wings have fallen off due to the dents they’ve received on the course of life, hand them a golf ball and pass along this parable.

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength: they shall mount up with wings as eagles.” Isaiah 40:31

Donald Brazile recently moved to Conway from Texas. His writings have appeared in the Lectionary Homiletics Journal, Open Windows (a Lifeway devotional publication) and the Texarkana Community Journal.

March 2021 501lifemag.com | 51

HOME

Make it work

By Donna Benton Photos by Makenzie Evans

52 | 501 LIFE March 2021

Layers of rugs, drapes and art complete a room.

Five ways to update your home on a budget Donna Benton is a maker of custom home furnishings and specializes in classic painted finishes for antique and vintage furniture. To contact her, email donna@ waterhousemarket.com.

Each year

coffee in a folding lawn chair by the fireplace until I had a clear vision of what my home should look like, which was just about the time the daffodils bloomed, if I recall.

It was an effective way to achieve a new look for my house, but not one that I would recommend to others. It’s easy to become perplexed with the task of updating your home, whether you just moved in or you have been living with the same old look for way too long. There is an easier way than “tabula rasa,” thank goodness, and here are

some ideas to help you take it bit by bit in a way that won’t require a visit with your lender.

from just about the time we ring in the new year 1. Paint your walls until I see the If you think it might be time to change first daffodils your look, first take a look at your walls. pop their yellow New paint is the most affordable update heads up in a you can do and it makes the most impact roadside ditch, I too.

Replacing dated colors and giving your get a touch of what might be diagnosed by space a fresh, clean, current look is the first a professional as winter blues. You know order of business. And painting makes a that “I should be somewhere other than great DIY weekend project that you can here” feeling. I use those long winter nights accomplish one room at a time. I like to contemplate things like sailing a neutral wall color that lets your art the islands (I get seasick), opening and furnishings become the focus. a bakery (gluten allergy), cutting And with a little thought and just my hair (been there – done that), the right color, you can mix your getting rid of all my clothes (gotta existing furniture into a whole new have clothes), and, especially, great look. redecorating the house. I’m a take charge kind of gal, so I am sure my 2. Know when to say when family lives with the ever-present on your dated furniture thought that at any time they Yes, I remember how much could find a note scrawled with the you paid for that entertainment latitude and longitude where they can find me if they want to. If I can center in 2004 that still spans the make it to the daffodils each year, south half of your den. But do you I’m golden! really still need it? I’m sure your One day during this touch200-pound TV is long gone, and its and-go season, my husband, Joey, doors and drawers are stuffed with came home to find me wheeling DVDs that you haven’t aired since the last piece of furniture out you got an iPad. It may be time to of our living room and into the ditch that colossal monument of the garage. Three bare rooms echoed last millennium and hang that TV with a hollow emptiness. “Is there on the wall. Tuck a tasteful console something I should know?” he underneath and your living space asked in his trademark nonchalant will breathe a fresh sigh of relief. way that is equally reassuring and If you have one of those spouses exasperating. As it turned out, I who needs some help letting go, was simply tired of everything here’s a thought. There is someone in my house, and I couldn’t think on Facebook Marketplace who clearly to change it until I had a wants that giant entertainment blank slate to work with. So out center, and they might be willing to it all went. I expect that most pay you enough to get that new 70spouses would find this mystifying inch TV you have had your eye on. It New paint is the least expensive way to make the most and unacceptable, but mine just wouldn’t fit in the old entertainment impact when updating your home. embraced it and had his morning center anyway.

March 2021 501lifemag.com | 53

Ditching a bulky entertainment center and hanging the TV on the wall is a great way to add a breath of fresh air to the living room.

Reupholstering this vintage sofa in a velvety blue changed an eyesore into an icon.

And let’s talk about the bedroom suite, the one with the four-poster bed and matching dressers, nightstands and TV cabinet. I know it was your first major purchase and how hard it was to come by, but it may be time to put that in the guest room and rethink the place where you spend half of your life. Reimagine your room with a comfy upholstered chair to kick up your feet with your morning coffee, some new super soft bedding and some fun colors. You deserve it!

Like new jewelry for your house, new lighting is a great way to add some bling to your room.

3. Change out those ugly lights

Chances are, when your home was built, whoever picked out the lighting was mostly concerned with getting the project to the finish line and making the construction budget work. It’s not uncommon to end up with skimpy, cheap lighting and to still be living with it a decade or two later. Nothing dates your design like a home store hall light, an ugly ceiling fan or a tacky chandelier. There are so many unique and affordable lighting options available today, and it’s a great way to add a little bling to your room without spending a lot of bucks. It’s like getting new jewelry for your house.

4. Refinish and reupholster

Treasured furniture is the blessing and curse of great design. At its best, a fabulous piece that you cherish or a family heirloom passed down from a loved one can anchor and add personality to a room. On the other hand, you might find yourself with furniture that you can’t bear to part with even though it is turning your design plan on its head. Reimagine that threadbare hand-me-down vintage sofa stuffed with new down and covered in velvet, or grandma’s china cabinet given a fresh paint finish and used to store bathroom accessories. Don’t you think grandma would love to know that her beloved pieces had been recycled and reincorporated into your beautiful new room?

Let’s Get To WORK

5. Pillows, drapes, rugs and art

It’s always that last layer of home design that gets overlooked. But it’s the one that gives a room drama and that coveted magazine cover appeal. If you put a little effort into this last layer, you can get that “together” look that is missing from so many rooms.

Use this last layer to add textures and variations to your foundation color or to add a secondary color without a lot of expense. It’s incredible how simply updating or finishing this layer can change or complete the look of a room.

I guess we should embrace our limitations, otherwise I might be dizzily selling gluten-free scones from the starboard bow. But don’t let anything hold you back from having exactly the space you want within your walls. Maybe one of these ideas will get the ball rolling toward that look you have always wanted.

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Hardware Plumbing Electrical •

•

Quality service you can count on!

Honoring hands that work An old Irish proverb says, “You will never plough a field if you only turn it over in your mind.” Our small town in the 1960s had few in its population who did not work. Everyone worked at something if they were able. That’s just the way the world worked. The late 1960s and early 1970s changed our culture, and incentives to labor for a living were lessened.

I recall as a small child I was occasionally asked, “Does your mother work?” I would say, “No.” With her husband, five children and the cooking, Vivian Lawson laundering, managing finances, being an Hogue example and getting them to church, I A native of Conway, still said, “No.” The day came when the Vivian Lawson Hogue phrase “work outside the home” arrived graduated from the and I could honestly say, “No.” We were University of Central blessed that she was always home.

Arkansas with a degree Working. in art education. A Our town of 9,971 persons was retired teacher, she blessed, too, by so many who operated worked in the Conway mostly self-employed businesses. My School District for 23 years. She can be phone book of 1960 reveals that we reached at vhogue@ had several factories with substantial conwaycorp.net. workforces, but self-employment was significant. In time, most factories felt compelled to move. Fortunately, locally owned businesses held forth until the big-box stores arrived, and even today there are some stalwart souls.

It helps to know the former perimeters of our town. In a somewhat oblong shape, the corporate limits were Robins Street and areas just outside Western Avenue, Harton and Ingram Streets. At the busy hub of that was Old Downtown Conway. If you ever knew downtown then, you haven’t forgotten it. It was not the most scenic of towns that now strive to look charmingly quaint. We WERE quaint without any effort, and close-knit with residents of our town and county. We had everything we needed unless it was a wedding dress only found in Little Rock, 48 miles away.

I recently found myself thinking about those many self-employed businesses and became struck by the number of those we wish could return.

Elgin Rose, watchmaker, had a shop at Fletcher Smith Jewelry.

He was named for the Elgin watch company. He sat for hours every work day hunched over a piece of jewelry or a watch, eyeing it closely through his jeweler’s loupe, a small magnifying glass held in the eye socket or attached to glasses.

Dale Dorsey was a piano tuner. He was also a pastor and lived next door to his church. I was always excited when he came to our house to tune our solid oak, upright, Francis Bacon piano with real ivory keys. We did not converse much as I wisely felt that he couldn’t listen to both the piano and me. I was fascinated with his tuning lever with which he turned the piano pins and tightened or loosened the wire strings. A piano usually has about 230 strings and 88 keys. With those 88 to be tuned, I was entertained for about an hour.

Clela Kane was my piano teacher as I entered third grade. She and her family lived across the street from us in a large, 1895 historic home built

by Col. George W. Bruce. If I arrived early, she would let me go upstairs and sit in the window seat of the wide bay window, where I could look down on my own house. I suppose she cooked beans on Thursdays because in the middle of my glowing “prodigy quality” etudes, she would tell me to keep playing while she went to stir the beans.

Ollie Hammett Sr. was a grocer on Railroad Avenue (now Parkway) who apparently processed his own meats for sale. His store was appropriately next door to Mr. Warren’s freezer locker. If we parked nearby, I couldn’t help but focus on Mr. Hammett’s white, bloody apron as he took a break while standing in the doorway.

There were other varied businesses, no matter how small. Mike Morris, whose home was one of several downtown, probably recalls the area better than anyone else as his father owned a furniture store. He says, “I remember a couple who lived on Chestnut Street.

She made hot tamales and he sold them on Front Street next door to the old Post Office. There was also a man who sold sassafras roots for making tea. He sat on a short rock wall next to the Oak Street railroad crossing. Olsen’s Music and Photo Center, which I often frequented, was also on Front Street. Casper and Gertie Dum owned a bakery nearby in the building now occupied by Mike’s Place.” (A foundation marker remains embedded in the lower brick façade.)

The 1960 phone book includes a listing of goods and service businesses that no longer exist in Old Downtown Conway. Included are adding and calculating machine sales and repair; private ambulance services; a book and stationery store; inner and intercity buses; cotton ginners; a creamery; and dead animal removers.

Others were floor furnaces; freezer lockers; chicken hatcheries; ironing machines; rebuilt mattresses; TV repair shops; two theaters; residential telephone directories with city directories; corded desk phones with glow-in-the-dark dials; and paying by the minute for long-distance calls. In 1960, we received postcards stating our new phone number would be in the new dial telephone system. Our number changed from 371-J to FAirview 9-2474, which it remained for over 30 years.

The smells of Old Conway’s downtown were half the enjoyment of a shopping day. It might be whiffs of cow manure at Lewis’s Sale Barn, the scents of hay, livestock feed, and sandwich meat wrapped in white paper from Clarence Day’s Feed Store, or aromas coming from the Co-Ed Café or the OK Barber Shop. It is pleasing that memories can toss themselves into your mind like hats on a shelf and make you close your eyes and smile.

March 2021 501lifemag.com | 55

COMMUNITY

Still runs fine Veteran has no plans to retire Story by Becky Bell • Photo by Mike Kemp

Gale Velte, a Conway mechanic, tried to retire back in 2000. Within the week, he was back at work.

“I kept getting so many calls at the house that I came back to work again,” Velte said. “And I enjoy the people I work for and I didn’t want to let them down. They trusted me. That’s the way I am right not. A lot of people trust me and I’m not going to let them down.”

Velte, 84, has never had formal training as a mechanic and said he learned everything he knows about working on cars from his father. His father started showing him the ropes when he was 10 and his adult life has been dedicated to being a mechanic.

“Except for four years in the Air Force, I have been at it every day since,” Velte said.

During his time in the Air Force, Velte asked to be a mechanic, but was turned down because his superiors said they didn’t need any mechanics.

So, for that period, he worked in offices. He was chief clerk for two years in Alaska.

“I loved it and started to take my discharge there,” he said. “I fished and hunted and everything. I was there when it wasn’t even a state. I could have homesteaded if I wanted to.” However, when his enlistment was up with the Air Force, he decided to go back to Conway.

“I wanted to come back home and see everybody and then when I got here, I didn’t want to go back and leave everybody again. I had to come back home for discharge. The last six months in the service I was at the Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama.”

Velte has owned Velte Automotive since 1984 and passed it over to his son, Stephen Velte about 20 years ago. Before Velte Automotive, he owned a Bug Service Center that he opened around 1974.

Velte brags about his son Stephen being good with cars since his childhood as well and said he could take them apart and put them back together, including parts that involved computers.

“He does all the electronic stuff, but I’m not smart enough for that.

I’m from the old school. The old ones didn’t have computers,” Velte said.

‘When they started with the computers that is when I kind of lost out.”

However, there are many other services people need that Velte is more than capable of doing at the shop. And people have known that for years and keep trusting him because of his lifetime worth of knowledge.

Geoff Terry of Terry’s Automotive knows about Velte and his skills.

“He’s a super mechanic. His only problem is that he may have too much business,” Terry said.

As for Velte, he thinks working is what keeps him going and that if he was home, he would be, in his words, “vegetating”. He doesn’t see anything slowing him down for a long time and until he can’t, he plans to come to work.

“It’s because I like what I do and I don’t think I will stop,” he said. “They will probably one day pull me from under a car and put me in a box.”

56 | 501 LIFE March 2021

FINANCE

This article was written by Edward Jones

You can demonstrate this resilience by

answering these questions: What is your specific goal? What obstacle do you face in achieving this goal? How can you overcome this obstacle? Here are some examples of how this resiliency process works:

Goal: Building sufficient retirement funds

To build sufficient retirement income, you need to invest in the financial markets through your 401(k), IRA and other accounts.

But how should you respond when these markets go through periods of volatility?

Your best defense is to remain invested. If you were to jump out of the market every time it dropped, you’d probably miss out on the rebounds that followed. Also, over a period of decades, the effects of short-term market fluctuations tend to diminish, so while the results of any particular day or week may not look good on your investment statement, the importance of these results may diminish in 10 or 20 years.

Goal: Maintaining steady cash flow

Keeping a steady cash flow is essential

to meeting your daily and monthly expenses.

So, it’s obviously important that you maintain sufficient earned income. But what happens if you encounter a serious illness or injury that keeps you from work for an extended period?

Depending on the length of time you’re not working, you could feel a real financial pinch, so you may want to consider some type of disability insurance. Your employer may offer a short-term policy as an employee benefit, but it might not be sufficient, so you may need to look at private coverage.

Goal: Keeping retirement accounts intact

Ideally, you’d like to leave your IRA, 401(k) and other accounts intact until you need to start tapping into them when you retire. But what if you face an unexpectedly large medical bill or you need to replace your furnace or get a new car? If you don’t have the money readily available, you might be forced to dip into your IRA and 401(k), incurring taxes and potential penalties and leaving yourself fewer resources for retirement. You can help avoid this setback by creating an emergency fund containing three to six months’ worth of living expenses, with the money kept in a liquid, low-risk account.

Goal: Having confidence in your strategy

To achieve your important financial goals, you need a strategy – and you need to believe in it strongly enough to keep following it during all types of stress on the financial markets. It’s not always easy to maintain this conviction – less than half of Americans are confident in their abilities to recover quickly from difficult financial situations, according to a new survey from Edward Jones. One way to help gain this confidence is by working with a financial advisor.

In fact, 36 percent of those surveyed began working with a financial advisor in 2020 for help navigating the past year. The importance of receiving good advice became apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought about a variety of financial worries, such as job loss, retirement considerations, caregiving for elderly parents or providing financial support to adult children.

You will face some challenges on your journey toward achieving your financial objectives. But by being resilient, you can stay on the right road.

March 2021 501lifemag.com | 57

COMMUNITY Photos by Mike Kemp

By Dwain Hebda

Century-old barn is a real piece of work “It was there when I was born and I’m 93 years old.” - Russell Casey

Arkansas is a land of things that last. The same emerald

mountains that attracted our ancestors thrill us today; the same sparkling waters that refreshed their bodies restore our souls.

The best things about us stand the test of time.

Take the Casey family, a farming clan who settled in Faulkner County before the dawn of the 20th century. James Madison “Sam” Casey, the son of Irish immigrants, arrived here like many of his day to coax a living from the land. It was a hard existence, marked by manual labor and the whims of weather, a legacy Sam passed down to his children and theirs.

“I remember a lot of work. I remember that,” said Russell Casey, Sam’s grandson. “We were poor as Joe’s turkey. We just survived.”

Russell’s parents, Rufus and Bessie Casey, would eventually move their family to Mississippi County, where the large brood – 15 kids, 13 of whom survived childhood – would grow up working cotton and corn. But there’s plenty he remembers about the ancestral ground, particularly the log barn, a local landmark built somewhere around 1900 on a rural patch between Mount Vernon and Enola, where it stands to this day.

“My grandfather built that barn,” said Russell, seventh in the line 58 | 501 LIFE March 2021

of siblings. “It belonged to my grandfather. It was there when I was born and I’m 93 years old.”

The barn was the gathering place for the family after a hard day’s work or in the brief respite of Sunday, the only day the labor paused. Sam’s tri-level barn was an impressive sight to the neighbors and nearly irresistible to the children in that short window of life before they were old enough to walk behind a horsedrawn plow or hoe the fields.

Once, Russell, his brother Faber, and his cousin Eldon, defied the standing order to stay out of their grandpa’s barn and climbed to the third level. Thinking he was on the second level and headed for a pile of corn, Russell jumped, landed wrong and broke his arm.

Another brother, Quention, was summoned to take the injured boy back to his parents’ house to await the country doctor.

“That’s when we lived at Caney Creek,” Russell said. “The creek was pretty close to the house. In fact, Caney Creek was a good 500 feet wide when we crossed it on a horse with that broken arm that I had. If that horse had went down, there wouldn’t have been no horse, or Russell, or my brother either. I was only 5 or 6 years old, so I didn’t think a thing about it. I wasn’t scared at all.”

Today the barn remains a symbol of the hardships and joys of the pioneering family, marking the seasons for well over a century in the lives of its members. After Rufus and Bessie relocated to Northeast Arkansas, where they lived the spartan life of sharecroppers, Russell grew up and entered World War II, serving in Japan. Returning home and failing to find work, he relocated to Indiana in 1951, raising his family on jobs at the Pullman Co. and U.S. Steel.

For his brother Randall, things worked in reverse. Number 14 of the 15 kids, he didn’t grow up in the shadow of the barn but around Jonesboro. As time and fortune would have it, however, he’d migrate back to Central Arkansas, where he worked for AT&T and now lives in the same general neck of the woods as his forefathers.

“All my brothers and sisters worked hard on that farm,” said Randall, 84. “I remember we did take Sunday off. All the kinfolk would come see you, and we’d all get together and have maybe a chicken dinner or something like that.

“I didn’t finish school, but soon as I got 18, I went to work at Conway at the shoe factory.

From there, I went to Little Rock and worked up there at Arkansas Electric for a couple years. Then I went to AT&T. “I married when I was about 20 years old, and we had two kids, two boys.” He added proudly, “Both of them finished school.”

Another Casey sibling, Norma, married Carmon Varner and raised her family in the area. Her daughter, Janice Housley of Mabelvale, didn’t play in the family barn’s lofts or attend family picnics like the previous generations, but the lore of the building came to fascinate her as an adult.

“To be perfectly honest, I never paid any attention to the barn as a child,” Janice said.

“Not until I became an adult did I realize the significance of rural life and its many hardships. We went up there to visit the barn and some other relatives who live on that site now where the barn sits. It just brings back a lot of memories when they talk about all the things that happened in their lives.”

Janice said she and her cousins recently decided to start recording these stories straight from the mouths of their elders to preserve the family legacy. Inevitably, the barn works its way into the narrative.

“We wanted to write these accounts because they summarize their life, how much they all depended upon each other,” she said. “Not all of it was good; sometimes there wasn’t enough to eat and they had inadequate clothing. Some things they would just as soon forget. To me, basically, the barn represents their struggles.”

James Madison “Sam” Casey built this log barn around 1900 between Mount Vernon and Enola, where it stands to this day on the family’s land.

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March 2021 501lifemag.com | 59

COMMUNITY

Program trains disabled adults for gainful employment

By Judy Riley

Trainer Taylor Musgrove works with an intern during the nine-month training program.

"Participating in Project SEARCH

helped me grow as a person and made me more employable. For the first time in my life, I am independent.” These words spoken by Bryan Purifoy typify the outcomes for other young adults completing an internship with Project SEARCH. Purpose, independence and opportunity are the goals for participants in Project SEARCH® Arkansas: ACCESS® Initiative. It’s truly an innovative and effective job-training program for young adults with developmental disabilities.

Beginning in Central Arkansas in 2013, the nine-month internship training program assists individuals with preparation required to find and maintain competitive, integrated employment. “At ACCESS, we are always looking for new opportunities to help our clients expand their individual potential. When we discovered the Project SEARCH model, we knew it was a natural extension of the mission we serve at ACCESS,” explained Tammy Simmons, ACCESS executive director and co-founder.

Today, Project SEARCH Arkansas: ACCESS Initiative is a collaborative 60 | 501 LIFE March 2021

partnership between ACCESS, Arkansas Rehabilitation Services, and seven host businesses throughout the state. ACCESS, a local nonprofit in Little Rock, offers evaluations, therapy, education, and vocational training for individuals with special needs. They also provide technical and instructional support for the program, along with follow-along services for interns after graduation. ARS serves as the funding partner and government liaison. Business hosts offer onsite training locations and provide various internship opportunities.

Central Arkansas business hosts include University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, and CHI St. Vincent in Hot Springs.

“Project SEARCH has been extraordinarily successful in training and supporting ARS clients,” said Joe Baxter, commissioner of Arkansas Rehabilitation Services, “Those who complete the ninemonth training exceed all expectations, including expectations of themselves, their families and that of their communities. To date, Project SEARCH Arkansas: ACCESS Initiative’s sites are among a few across

49 states and nine countries who have graduates that serve as mentors for current interns, and the only known state with a graduate that has achieved the title of manager.”

What sets this program apart from others is the success rate; 80% of more than 250 graduates find employment in a competitive work environment upon completion. “Our goal is ultimately for our interns to obtain and maintain sustainable employment within their community,” said Simmons. “Our success rate is high because of the training participants receive and the support of our partners.” The curriculum is based on directives from Project SEARCH International, housed in Cincinnati Ohio, but adapted specifically to fit the needs of our Arkansas partners.”

“Mentoring on the job is one of the keys to our success,” said Jenny Adams, director of Project SEARCH Arkansas: ACCESS Initiative, “We have instructor coordinators and skills trainers who not only train during the internship but follow along with the individual’s employment for the first year.

The variety of internship opportunities is

appealing to participants. They are able to learn a wide range of transferable skills that can transition between career types and industries.”

When asked why she got into this field, Adams said, “There’s something really special about this work. It’s much more than just helping people; we help to change lives.

The best part is that we help them simply by giving them the tools they need to help themselves. Seeing them grow motivates me every day!”

Throughout the training period, the staff digs deep into determining the best match of the skill set of participants with the needs of the employer. According to graduate and six-year employee of UAMS, Andrew Aston, “It’s made me a better person in the work environment, gave me so much confidence. I was having difficulty keeping jobs, but Project SEARCH taught me how to fill out resumes, how to find and keep jobs. It helped me understand everything all along the way. And now I have a job I love, and I'm a mentor for other interns! I would recommend it to anyone.”

The benefits of this program to the individuals, their families, the business partners and the economy of the state are legion. When asked about the greatest impact of interns who were trained at UAMS, Chancellor Cam Patterson said, “Project SEARCH interns afford our employees the opportunity to grow beyond the scope of their daily jobs. Just as the interns are learning from our employees, our employees are learning from them. It feels good to us to mentor and invest in the future of individuals. This training gives participants confidence and comfort as they enter the world of work. They handle it well, instantly becoming a critical part of our team and that speaks volumes about their training.”

Because of the follow-through by SEARCH job coaches, graduates sustain jobs. Bryan Purifoy completed his internship in 2014 and was immediately employed by Arkansas Children’s Hospital.

“For the first time, I no longer qualify for government assistance of any kind – no food stamps and no SSI,” he said. “My big success was being able to pay for a cruise to Mexico with paychecks from my job at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. It’s so amazing to be independent!”

Simmons added, “All of our young adults have different skill sets and abilities, and they compete for jobs anyone can apply for, Our program offers employment opportunities from entry level to very complex, including positions such as receiving room coordinator; equipment manager; patient transport; mailroom clerk; administrative specialist; dietary aide; and,

Bryan Purifoy prepping for training other interns.

patient care technician. Because of their successful employment, the lives of our graduates will forever be changed.”

Who is a fit for Project SEARCH Arkansas: ACCESS Initiative? According to Adams, “Our program is open to individuals between the ages of 18-35 who have a diagnosed disability. They should have a high school diploma, GED,

or certificate of completion. Applicants must possess a desire to work, a willingness to improve their social, communication and employability skills, as well as exhibit a cooperative spirit toward our staff and their co-workers. They must have access to transportation to and from the training site, be nicotine-free prior to and during training, and must have an open case with ARS.” For the fortunate young people who participate in this training, Project SEARCH answers the call, the call to identify and use skills they had no idea they possessed, the call to become part of a work family that values their contribution, and the call to gain their independence. In the words of a former state legislator and current Project SEARCH state coordinator, “this training is the REAL first chance for people with disabilities to attain full citizenship.”

In short, it’s a win on every front: the young adults who learn, grow, and become gainfully employed; the families who wish for independence for their child; the hiring institutions that learn to appreciate their skills; and the state of Arkansas.

More information is available at https:// projectsearcharkansas.org/ or by calling 501529-3139.

March 2021 501lifemag.com | 61

WRITING

Local historian explores Arkansas & Southern history

By Susan Peterson Dr. Kenneth C. Barnes

T

he ultimatum “publish or perish” has never been a problem for Dr. Kenneth C. Barnes, a 28year veteran of the History Department at the University of Central Arkansas.

Originally from Clinton, Barnes received his bachelor’s degree from UCA. He broadened his world views by attending the University of East Anglia (England), where he earned a master’s degree in European history followed by a Ph.D. in history from Duke University. Before returning to UCA in 1992, he taught at Concordia University-Chicago and the University of Southern Mississippi.

His early scholarly publications were on German religious history. But after returning to his home state to teach, his interests leaned toward Arkansas and Southern history. He published In 1896, the ship Laurada will travel to Liberia with approximately “Who Killed John Clayton?: Political Violence 300 passengers, half of them from Arkansas. The image was and the Emergence of the New South” (Duke featured on the cover of Barnes' book “Journey of Hope: The Back-toUniversity, 1998) and “Journey of Hope: The BackAfrica Movement in Arkansas” to-Africa Movement in Arkansas” (North Carolina, 2004).

In 2016, he published “Anti-Catholicism in Scholarly achievements seem to run in the family. Debbie, who Arkansas: How Politicians, Religious Leaders, the Press, and the was an administrator in the College of Education at UCA, retired Klan Imagined an Enemy” (University of Arkansas), which he was in 2016. The couple’s children are Nick Barnes, a psychiatrist and personally motivated to write. During the 1960s, Barnes’ brother pain physician in Boston, and their daughter, Christina Cooley, converted to Catholicism while in high school despite the fact a professor of organic chemistry at Trinity University in San that his parents were openly biased against Catholics. The book Antonio. garnered several awards, including the Booker Worthen Literary Following his retirement this May, Barnes will stay busy Prize from the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies (Central completing his next book, which tells the story of the Missouri & Arkansas Library System) and the J.G. Ragsdale Book Award from North Arkansas Railroad Strike, which was ended by mob action the Arkansas Historical Association for the best book-length study in Harrison in 1923. The couple intend to spend time visiting in Arkansas history. their children and four grandchildren and traveling to exotic His newest publication is “The Ku Klux Klan in 1920s Arkansas: destinations like Peru’s Machu Picchu and India.

How Protestant White Nationalism Came to Rule a State.” He Members of the local community have unknowingly benefitted documents the origins of the KKK throughout Arkansas and from Barnes' penchant for history. He helped relocate the historic explains how the Klan’s attitudes and ideas linger in the state Springfield Bridge to Beaverfork Lake Park, and has worked with today. The book is scheduled to be released March 26 and can be the Faulkner County Historical Society to help organize a Pine pre-ordered on Amazon.

Street museum. But perhaps the greatest benefit is that his research Barnes' wife, Debbie, is the daughter of Ruth and Herman helps explain the mistakes society has made in the past. And if Reese of Conway. The couple met as freshmen at UCA and understanding the past can give us insights into the future, Barnes is married in 1978 while Barnes was doing graduate work in a veritable fortune teller.

England. They traveled across Europe for their honeymoon.

His books are available from Amazon.com.

62 | 501 LIFE March 2021

Congratulations

Cade Halbrook

National Merit Finalist

South Conway County School District • 100 Baramore Street • Morrilton, Arkansas 72110

501-354-9400 • www.sccsd.org

March 2021 501lifemag.com | 63

501 KIDS

By Laurie Green

Over the years, I’ve

had quite a few occupations.

I’ve been a babysitter, a lifeguard, a fast-food worker, and a medical receptionist. I currently have the pleasure of working full-time with my husband, Will, in our lawn care business. And while I’ve enjoyed most of these opportunities, I have to say my most rewarding job has been that of a mom. This is the one occupation that has stretched me, bent me, and grown me the most—even still today.

Often when people learn that I had two sets of twins 18 months apart, I will always get asked, “How did you survive four babies?” I always laugh and reply that I have no idea and that there was a lot of crying and not just from the babies. As I’ve gotten older, I have honestly realized that the ONLY way I survived was by the grace of God. The thing is, when my kids were younger, I was always so scared to let anyone see that I didn’t have a clue what being a new mom was all about. I had perfected the art of wearing a mask and pretending I had it all figured out. My twins are 24 and 25, and I am still adapting and learning as they grow.

As a mother, I truly believe God has called us and equipped us like no other.

However, I can’t help but wonder how many years of trouble people might have spared me if they had been honest with me about being the mom of a newborn, much less twins. I thought it should be all beautiful and blissful, and at times it was, but parts of it were horrid! I was tired, stressed, smelly, and, did I mention, 64 | 501 LIFE March 2021

tired. I felt awful that my life wasn’t a Pampers commercial. Seriously, as moms we NEED to let other moms know it’s okay to feel like you don’t have it all together. I often wonder how many God-given opportunities we miss to bless another mom by simply admitting we have survived the same struggles?

I am a complete lover of Jesus, but I am far from perfect. Over the years, my job as mom has transformed from caregiver of infants, toddlers, and teenagers to a promoted position of “mom of adults.” I admit over the years I’ve cried, screamed, and said hurtful things. I’ve slammed bedroom doors, all the while telling God I had had enough. I had moments I felt sick, tired, and simply done. How thankful it makes me for scriptures like Romans 8:26: “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.”

In those moments that my words came out as a big old cry fest, the Holy Spirit knew what I really meant to pray about.

I have also had the pleasure of experiencing more joy and happiness than I ever thought could be possible through the eyes of my children. I don’t doubt for a moment how blessed I am to be a mom (and bonus mom) to seven of the most special people you could ever meet. Not to mention a “gram-gram” to six beautiful kiddos. So, yes, this occupation of “mom”

can be a bit messy for a while, but I do want to encourage and remind you that we’ve been given the opportunity to pray earnestly over them. It’s a skill God has already equipped you with. Trust me, no one can pray for your child like you can!

In the same way, no one can speak life into another mom like one who will be transparent and encouraging to others.

My personal advice: I tease that I don’t remember much of the toddler years, as sleep deprivation will do that to you. But I do recall those teenage years, and I’ll admit they can be tough. Teens can be full of spite, anger, and have a smart mouth, but this is exactly why God created moms! We possess an extra special kind of love for our children. (Seriously, who would use their own hands to catch a kid’s vomit?

Only a mom.) It’s okay to feel like you don’t know what you’re doing at times. It’s okay to feel hurt and angry at moments. Trust me, no one has it all figured out except the Good Lord, I promise you that. I’ve learned a lot over the years and I certainly wish I had the opportunity for some do-overs to fix the mistakes I made. Again, this is the wonderful thing about God’s goodness and mercy. I am perfectly OK letting my kids know I made mistakes, too. Personally, I think that’s why we get grandkids, so we can have the opportunity to do better this next time around. LOL. My hope for all us moms out there is that we can all strive to be more transparent with each other. Next time you see a stressed-out mom, take a moment and encourage her. We have all faced similar struggles, and in the end, let’s be thankful that God’s mercies are new every day.

Value of

The

By Brittany Gilbert

501 KIDS

Work It is our responsibility as parents to teach our kids the value of hard work and how to have a good work ethic. I remember my first job when I was 15 and how my boss taught me the value of hard work and having initiative rather than being told what to do next. To this day, I am thankful for her mentorship and taking me on rather than giving up on me. This is a difficult concept to teach teenagers unless it comes from someone they really respect and admire. As a high school teacher, it was almost impossible to teach teenagers that they should care about work ethic. Therefore, I truly believe it is something that children should learn from their parents.

I met my husband, Levi, in grade school. My earliest memory of him was from sixth grade (he was in fifth grade). Levi was well-known for two things: being very smart and very silly. You could count on him to have a lot of energy and be singing and dancing, but whenever there was work to be done, he was focused and determined to give his all. This is also why the football coach gave him a starting position on the team in high school. It wasn’t because he was the most talented player. No, not by a long shot. It was all because he knew he could count on him to show up and give his all.

I realized the reason behind his work ethic once we started dating in high school. Levi’s parents were hard-working and successful in their individual professions. They knew the value of hard work because they worked hard for everything they had. Levi was expected to chop wood, clean house, cook dinner, etc. I was extremely thankful for this when we got married and shared the responsibilities. I was also very thankful when we had our first baby, and short of birthing and nursing, he did it all.

In the last few months, I gained even more appreciation for my motherin-law when she moved in with us. She was in poor health and couldn’t do everything for herself as she typically would. I would hear her ask my kids to get things, fix things, clean up, and other basic household chores that I had not been asking them to do because it was just easier for me to do them myself. In those moments, I remembered that not only were they helping her, but she was helping them. There were so many lessons they were gaining in those moments.

Declan Gilbert helping to put away the dishes.

One of the things I teach my kids is that God made work and He blesses it. In Genesis 2:15, it says, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” The Bible talks clearly about how work is good. Proverbs 12:24 says, “Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in forced labor.” The Bible is also clear about laziness. While it may be easier to do things for your kids, and sometimes that is an act of service that they’ll appreciate, know that it is wise to teach them the value of work.

The best way to teach it is for them to see it in you.

March 2021 501lifemag.com | 65

PET OF THE MONTH

Tessa Wolff is training Evie to assist a person with a disability. She describes Evie as her `heart dog’ who has helped her find purpose.

Evie will leave in May to work with a professional trainer and will ultimately work as a service dog.

FULL NAME/BREED/AGE:

Evie VI is a Labrador retriever/golden retriever cross – 17 months old

HOW DID YOU MEET YOUR PET?

I volunteer for Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) and she was assigned as my puppy-in-program. All the puppies are born in Santa Rosa, Calif., and are sent to volunteer puppy raisers across the country and we raise them for 18-20 months, teaching them roughly 35 basic commands. Then, we send them to professional training where they learn more advanced commands to allow them to assist someone with a disability. I picked Evie up in November 2019, at the Little Rock Airport when she was nearly eight-weeks-old. She is scheduled to turn in to professional training in May.

TELL US ABOUT THE TRAINING YOUR PET HAS RECEIVED?

I've taught Evie almost 40 basic commands – things like sit, down, stand, shake, etc. We've also focused heavily on polite behavior in public, eye contact and focus, and proper greetings. As a service dog, she will need to always remain focused on her future handler, so we always encourage appropriate behavior in public not only to prepare her for her future, but also to positively represent the service dog community. We've 66 | 501 LIFE March 2021

taken several training classes with Pamela Padget at Conway Canine Companions (CCC) and have learned so much from her! We're forever grateful for her help in getting Evie to where she needed to be. Evie just earned her Canine Good Citizen (CGC) title there.

WHY DID YOU WANT TO PURSUE THE CERTIFICATION/TRAINING?

The CGC title shows that a dog can behave respectfully and properly in public. It isn't required for her training through CCI, but since I was little, I always dreamed of going through a CGC class with my dog. I'm so blessed that I got to go through my first class with Evie. She has made me so proud.

WHEN YOU GET READY TO WORK WITH YOUR DOG, WHAT DOES SHE WEAR?

Each time we go out, Evie always wears her collar with her identification tags, her yellow CCI training vest, as well as her gentle leader. I equate the gentle leader to a horse halter: where the head goes, the body goes.

It allows me to communicate with Evie and encourage proper loose leash walking, without hurting her in any way. It doesn't restrict her movement or her ability to open her mouth, eat, drink or bark.

WHAT IS SHE TRAINED TO DO?

She knows all required commands and I’ve taught her a few fun ones like spin, snoot, "selfie" and kiss.

WHAT ELSE IS SPECIAL ABOUT YOUR PET? Evie is the first dog that I've

raised and trained on my own. I have a very strong attachment to her and give her a lot of credit for helping me find my purpose in life.

She's my heart dog, even though I will soon have to say goodbye. She is also marked as a potential breeder for CCI, which means that she may be chosen to bring more service dogs into the world. It is a huge honor!

WHAT IS HER FAVORITE TREAT? Besides her kibble, ice cubes.

WHAT PLACES DO YOU TAKE YOUR DOG TO "WORK"? We go

everywhere! She comes with me to work, the grocery store and the mall. You name it, Evie's been. It's our job as puppy raisers to positively socialize our dogs to as many environments as possible while they are young, so nothing surprises them when they become working dogs.

HOW DO PEOPLE RESPOND TO EVIE? People love her! In public, we get a lot

of ooh's and ahs. A lot of people ask to pet her, so it serves as a good way for us to encourage proper service dog etiquette and to explain her future role as an assistance dog. Most people just admire from afar, though.

Evie when she was a just a pup!

"Evie's whole life isn't just all about training! She has lots of free time and we make sure that she is always having fun. She loves all her toys, but her favorites are ropes and squeaky plushies. She likes to carry them around and drop them in my lap (or throw them at me if I'm not paying enough attention.) She's such a diva," said Tessa Wolff.

March 2021 501lifemag.com | 67

Saline County: Leon ‘Muscles’ Campbell

68 | 501 LIFE March 2021

Many of his fans probably never knew his first name. To them, his nickname sufficed, evoking exciting images of his performances as the bruising, yardage-devouring fullback who powered his way to membership on the University of Arkansas’ “Football Dream Team.” Nor did that nickname disappear with his retirement from professional football. It pursued him for the entirety of his 75 years, and today appears on the headstone marking his grave. Visitors to that site need not fear they have erred: Leon Campbell is a common name.

Yet, there was and will always be but one Leon “Muscles” Campbell.

At his birth in Bauxite on July 1, 1927, there was no hint of exceptionality. One of six children welcomed

by Jack and Lois Campbell — the former a 30-year employee of Alcoa as a carpenter and supervisor, the latter a housewife — young Leon attended the municipality’s public schools.

In junior high school, he first began to show signs of unusual speed and agility and, soon thereafter, uncommon strength. That combination of assets brought him numerous honors in the three sports he played in high school: As a forward, he earned a place on the all-district basketball quintet. As “Bauxite’s one-man track team,” he led the Miners to two state track and field championships. As Bauxite’s numerous football victories were dubbed "Campbell's Feats," writers and cartoonists took to employing the nickname bestowed upon him by schoolmates and fans: "Muscles," the mortal and the moniker, became a media marvel.

In football, he twice qualified for the all-state team; in 1945, the second time, he topped all scorers with 154 points. His mailbox was peppered by scholarship offers from the nation’s intercollegiate football powers, but Bauxite native George Cole, a coach at the University of Arkansas, convinced him to remain in his home state to embellish his gridiron stardom.

There he met the legendary Clyde Scott, who would later orchestrate the first campus showing of Muscles’s best-known feat of strength: railroad-spike bending.

Together, Campbell and Scott would provide the Razorbacks with their finest “Mr. Inside – Mr. Outside” backfield combination, eventually earning the label of “The Campbell-Scott Express" in the press. One excelled at blasting his way through foes, the other at speeding beyond their reach.

The dynamic duo were key in bringing success to Arkansas football under Coach John Barnhill, whose three predecessors had failed to claim even a single winning campaign. Barnhill’s four-year run of 22 wins, 17 losses and two ties included a pair of post-season bowl appearances, with Scott starring in the first and Mr. Muscles, the media-rechristened fullback, doing no less in the second.

Before graduating in 1950, the battering back had four years of impressive varsity performances.

He gained 1,335 yards on 295 carries for a 4.5-yard average, three numbers that certainly would have been higher had a series of knee and ankle injuries not hindered him. During senior year, his 236 rushing yards against North Texas State set the university’s record for a single game high. That record, combined with his daredevil style and uncanny ability to rebound

from physical difficulties, won the 200-pounder a second-round selection by the Baltimore Colts in the National Football League’s 1950 draft.

But knee injuries again intruded. They dogged him through three teams and five years of play, limiting him to 379 yards on 102 carries and 156 yards on 20 pass receptions. Finally, on the eve of the 1956 season, he rejected a salary increase and retired from “the pro game” at age 28.

Thirty-three years of employment with the Reynolds Metals Company in Bauxite followed. Yet, an unusual occurrence around the time of the transition surprised no one who had seen Muscles star in semi-pro baseball as a teenager: In front of three professional baseball scouts, he hammered half a dozen 400-foot blasts out of a local ballpark; he refused to discuss a contract.

He was, however, lured out of “retirement” for several annual company gridiron brawls between teams from his Bauxite plant and the nearby Alcoa plant.

Golf, however, soon became his favorite free-time sport.

His drives were herculean, as much discussed as were visitors to Reynolds Metal Company seeking to see him bend a railroad spike, to test him in arm wrestling or to prove to themselves that Muscles was more man than myth.

His death after undergoing yet another supposedly routine knee operation occurred on September 2, 2002. Saline County and the 501 will forever remain proud of their inimitable native son.

March 2021 501lifemag.com | 69

EDUCATION

PCSSD invites applicants to make a difference with youth of tomorrow

Crystal Hill Elementary staff members

By Jessica Duff

T

he Pulaski County Special School District is continually seeking qualified applicants to work in an environment where students are the first priority. From administrators to support staff, each individual plays a vital role in the wellbeing of our students.

At PCSSD, educators strive to prepare students for life, cultivate future leaders, strengthen public schools, strengthen communities and drive innovation in the classroom. Each individual is expected to dedicate themselves to these ideals.

“Working at PCCSD is an opportunity to impact lives on a daily basis in a plethora of ways,” said Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Shawn Burgess. “It is a privilege to come to work and embrace the spirit of educating our future leaders.

We welcome applicants who will embrace culturally responsive teaching and learning for the students and staff in PCSSD.” 70 | 501 LIFE March 2021

The ideal candidate is willing to make a difference in the lives of children served by the district. PCSSD’s mission is to provide equity and excellence for all students through rigorous college and career readiness instructional strategies.

Students are offered expansive STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) programs like EAST that give them an advantage in today’s economy. For those students with a more artistic drive, the Fine Arts department includes a wide variety of both visual art and performing art classes, providing students the opportunity to be in a visual art and music class every year in their educational career.

Do you have expertise in one of these fields (or another field) and a desire to pass your knowledge on to the next generation?

Job openings typically range from teachers, custodians, insurance specialists, executive assistants, bus drivers, IT workers and many more. The most recent list for job

openings at PCSSD can be found at pcssd. org under Human Resources.

Full-time employees are provided with health insurance from ARBenefits/ Health Advantage and enrolled in the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System.

Supplemental insurance benefits, such as dental, vision, short/long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, and additional life insurance coverage, are also available through Educational Benefits.

PCSSD is always looking for substitute teachers, especially as teachers are required to quarantine due to a COVID-19 exposure. The district partners with PCMI/ WillSub for substitute staffing services.

To begin PCMI’s employment process, an application must be filled out on their website.

For teachers, PCSSD puts an emphasis on professional development in order to provide the necessary tools to raise student achievement. The Rules for Professional Development require each

Maumelle middle schoolers enjoy the library.

A better level of coverage

Maumelle High School administrative team.

educator to obtain a minimum of 36 hours of professional development each year for license renewal. The staff provides all certified staff with 60 hours of professional development opportunities. Teachers can also complete sessions outside of PCSSD to meet the professional development credit guidelines.

DRIVEN Virtual Academy (DVA) is new for the 2021-2022 school year. The online K-12 school will serve students in homeschool or who are homebound due to health or social-emotional issues.

DVA will also serve students whose families must travel often or are involved in extracurricular activities and desire a more flexible option through online or accelerated learning. Blended learning and extended, in-person tutoring opportunities will add other resources to support students and families. DVA students may participate in PCSSD

extracurricular activities upon meeting academic requirements.

If you are interested in working with PCSSD in any capacity, please check the website for current job opportunities. You can also contact our Human Resources Department by calling 501.234.2030 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. each weekday.

About PCSSD Pulaski County Special School District spans more than 600 square miles in Central Arkansas and requires highly skilled and passionate personnel to adapt educational policies and personalization to 25 schools. Every school is accredited by the Arkansas State Board of Education. PCSSD has served schools across Pulaski County since July 1927.

PCSSD is committed to creating a nationally recognized school district that assures that all students achieve at their maximum potential through collaborative, supportive and continuous efforts of all stakeholders.

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March 2021 501lifemag.com | 71

NATURE

72 | 501 LIFE March 2021

Photos and story by Linda Henderson

It is that time again when spring flowers begin to bloom.

My favorite of all the spring-blooming flowers is the tulip. Like many other flowers, no two tulips are alike. Every bloom differs in size, shape, texture, and color. Tulips burst from the ground in a rainbow of colors. The colors will draw your eye first, and texture then attracts you. Some varieties have smooth lines, while others have fluttering edges that look like cabbage.

Tulips thrive in the early spring when the weather is cool. They will start to fade when the temperatures reach near the 80s. In Central Arkansas, most varieties of tulips are best treated like annuals. Tulip bulbs need to be planted yearly because of Arkansas summer heat. A tulip’s life is short and should be enjoyed when it is at its peak.

The tulip originated centuries ago in the

Middle East and Turkey. They have played a significant role in the art and culture of the time. Eventually tulips were exported to Europe, where the flower’s popularity spread quickly, particularly to the Netherlands.

During the 17th century, a “Dutch tulip mania” occurred. Tulips became so highly prized in the Netherlands that prices for single blooms soared and flower markets crashed. Tulip bulbs spread to the entire globe and now grow throughout most of the world, particularly in milder climates.

Gardens in the 501 will momentarily be ablaze with the brilliant hues of spring’s reward for planting bulbs in the fall. Tulips planted months ago will soon be busting from their wintery rest. If you are a lover of the delicate oval-shaped flower, you are in luck because Central Arkansas has many places to view the long-stemmed beauties.

Garvan Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs is one of the best places in Arkansas to enjoy the elegant flower. During the months of March and April, Garvan will have more than 130,000

tulips blooming. Visitors can wander down paths brimming with mounds of pink, red, orange, yellow and variegated tulips.

If you wish to photograph the quickly fading blooms, grab your camera and head out to the nearest garden. Here are a few tips for improving your images. Avoid a windy day unless you want a shot of tulips dancing in the wind.

Choose a time of day when shadows are softer, usually before 10 a.m. or after 3 p.m.

Consider using a tripod, which will reduce the risk of a blurry picture. Try to photograph tulips close and low. Get down close and really focus on one tulip. Use the portrait mode on your smartphone to get a picture with a blurred background and an enhanced flower.

The weather will soon be warming here in the 501. Arkansans will be heading outdoors to enjoy warmer days, bright sunshine and spring flowers. Winter has come and gone, but the warm spring breezes are starting to blow, urging us to get out and enjoy the beauty of the Natural State and blooming tulips.

March 2021 501lifemag.com | 73

WATER SAFETY

What’s in

your water?

Conway Corp strives to deliver pure H2O For more than 90 years, Conway Corp has

Beth Jimmerson A long-time Conway resident, Beth McCullough Jimmerson is the manager for marketing and communications for Conway Corp. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Arkansas and a master’s degree from the University of Arkansas.

She can be reached at beth.jimmerson@ conwaycorp.com.

74 | 501 LIFE March 2021

operated the city-owned utility system and now provides electric, water, wastewater, video, internet, voice, and security services for the community.

We are dedicated to exceeding our customers’ expectations in producing and delivering safe, affordable, reliable, innovative, and environmentally sound utility and telecommunication services while enhancing the quality of life in our community. Part of our mission is ensuring a clean, safe, and reliable water supply for the 70,000 residents who rely on us daily.

Our employees are on the job 24/7/365, managing the many steps involved in collecting, cleaning, and delivering water to you, our neighbors.

Here is just some of what’s involved in managing our system.

COLLECTION

Conway’s primary source of water is Brewer Lake, a 28,900 acre-feet lake near Plumerville. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers created the lake in 1983 by damming Cypress Creek. Operation and maintenance of the lake was turned over to Conway Corp later that year.

We have on-site employees who oversee the operation of the lake, and our crews focus on helping the watershed stay healthy by looking at timber management and stabilization of the lake banks. We recently planted more than 3,000 bald cypress trees around the lake banks to help protect the lake and

maintain a high quality of water for our community.

We have Cadron Creek as a backup water source, and we also have an agreement with Central Arkansas Water to collect water from Greers Ferry Lake in case of a water shortage due to severe drought conditions or emergencies.

TREATMENT

Water from Brewer Lake is treated at the Roger Q Mills Water Treatment Plant to purify the water before it’s delivered to our customers. Filters remove debris and particles, and disinfectant is added to protect against any bacteria, viruses, or other microbes that might remain. The treatment plant can treat more than 24 million gallons of water daily for the community.

Our teams also follow drinking water regulations established by state and federal health officials designed to stop waterborne pathogens from contaminating drinking water, including a virus like COVID-19.

We conduct multiple daily tests to ensure the water we send to your home or business is safe. In addition to the daily tests, we gather bacteriological samples that the Arkansas Department of Health tests each month.

Recently, we entered into a five-year contract with the UCA College of Natural Science and Mathematics for continued testing for the natural constituents in water that impact taste and odor. The Biology Department is taking a leadership role providing

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undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to be a part of water quality monitoring tests. This proactive testing will help us better understand taste and odor issues from natural algal activity in the lake and is in addition to our regular daily tests.

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DISTRIBUTION

Our water distribution system has more than 400 miles of pipe buried underground. That’s enough pipe to stretch from Conway to the Gulf of Mexico if laid end to end. Our system also boasts approximately 7,000 valves, 2,500 hydrants, and more than 25,000 meters. Our crews work 24/7/365 repairing and upgrading infrastructure to ensure a seamless distribution.

We’re dedicated to providing an excellent water product at the lowest possible cost to our customers. From the lake to the water quality lab to your faucet, we’re at work every day delivering a safe, reliable water supply for the residents of Conway. You can drink, wash, and cook comfortably knowing we have a 30-year plan to prepare for Conway’s future water needs so our community has ample water for years to come.

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Securities Offered through St. Bernard Financial Services, Inc Member FINRA-SIPC March 2021 501lifemag.com | 75

HEALTH

Back on their feet Conway orthopedist offers relief from painful bunions

By John Patton

With more than 3 million cases reported nationwide each year,

bunions are a medical condition affecting people of all ages.

“A bunion is much more complex than just a bump on the inside of your big toe,” explained James Head, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon with Conway Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Center.

“It’s a three-dimensional condition that involves the bone and soft tissue.”

A fellowship trained foot and ankle specialist, Dr. Head offers multiple treatment options for bunions and is one of the only surgeons in Central Arkansas to use two new innovative technologies that improve quality of life for his patients.

Bunions are bony projections on the joint at the base of the big toe that cause the toe to be displaced and press against the second toe. This displacement results in pain and discomfort that can limit walking, standing, and other activities.

Bunions can often be a source of embarrassment. For many individuals, bunions create social insecurity, causing people to be reluctant to show their feet or wear sandals in public Dr. Head’s patients have also heard stories of surgeries that have gone wrong. “I’ve talked with a number of people who have been reluctant to see a physician because they had a poor experience or someone they know had complications,” he said.

“You don’t have to live in pain. If it hurts to wear a shoe because you have a bump on your toe, we can correct it,” he said. “We 76 | 501 LIFE March 2021

can get you back to wearing a narrow style of shoes. After most surgeries, you can walk right away, which minimizes activity restrictions and time away from work.”

Conway Regional is proud to invest in advanced technology and specialists who offer innovative services to meet the needs of the community.

Minimally Invasive Bunion Surgery For patients with less severe bunions, Dr. Head uses the PROstep™ MICA™, a minimally invasive surgery developed by Wright Medical of Memphis, Tenn., that is performed with small 3to 5-millimeter incisions-compared to 3- to 5-inch incisions used in traditional bunion surgery. The smaller incisions result in less pain, less soft tissue damage, and smaller scars.

The PROstep technology uses micro-sized equipment to remove the bunion and realign the foot to a normal, stabilized position.

The technology is also designed to enable surgeons to avoid arteries, tendons, and nerves during the procedure.

For patients with more severe bunions and unstable joints, Dr. Head turns to Lapiplasty.

This surgical option has patients back on their feet and in a walking boot in two weeks—with some patients driving in from out of the state for this innovative procedure. Traditional surgical options can often require many months of recovery.

“When I use Lapiplasty, I can offer my patients a positive outcome and a quicker return to regular activities,” said Dr. Head.

Historically, when correcting bunions with surgery, there is a risk of over-correcting the toe spacing. “Lapiplasty gives us an additional tool,” he said, “utilizing a guide that allows the surgeon to correct the bony projections and toe spacing with consistent and precise results.”

He added, “There have been numerous studies conducted with a high number of patients who have had this procedure with remarkable results and quick healing.”

Lapiplasty is manufactured by Treace Medical Concepts, Inc. of Ponte Vedra, Fla. Using the latest technology, treatment techniques, and advanced equipment helps specialists like Dr. Head offer services that enable patients to recover quickly and return to their day-to-day lives without pain.

Dr. Head advises anyone who believes they may have bunions or other orthopedics issues to visit their family doctor for an examination.

For more information about Dr. Head and Conway Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Center, visit www.conwayortho.com.

X-Ray of left foot on dark background with bunion

Causes The exact cause of bunions is unknown. However, several factors that can cause them include: • Pressing of the big toe against the second toe • Wearing narrow or tight shoes • Wearing high-heeled footwear • Structural abnormality at birth • Inherited foot deformities • Arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis • Stress on the foot • Injury to the foot

About Dr. Head James L. Head, M.D., is a native of Arkansas, born and raised in Heber Springs. He attended the University of Central Arkansas for his undergraduate education and the University of Arkansas for his medical degree.

Dr. Head is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon, fellowship trained in foot and ankle care, including minimally invasive bunion and Achilles surgery. He practices at Conway Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Center.

501 LIFE KID OF THE MONTH

Bentley

Meredith Bentley loves to cuddle. He spends most of his time listening to audiobooks and playing on his keyboard.

Bentley also loves to sleep in on the weekend and watch cartoons!

AGE: Nine.

LIVES IN WHAT CITY: Conway.

SCHOOL: Fourth grade/special education.

FAVORITE SUBJECT: Music.

FAMILY: Christopher and Karen Meredith (Grandparents) and Collin (younger brother).

FAVORITE MEAL OR SNACK: Cheez-Its and burritos.

MOST CHERISHED POSSESSION: His keyboard.

March 2021 501lifemag.com | 77

NEIGHBORS person of the month

Francisco Yáñez, Ed.D.

CITY:

I moved to Conway in August 2016. I think it is the greatest city in the world!

WORK:

I am an entrepreneur: Las Delicias Ice Cream Shop, FYI Taxes & Insurance, and Lovely Learning Center.

EDUCATION:

A bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago, a master’s in accounting from Devry University, a master’s in education from Southern Illinois University, and a doctorate in educational leadership from Argosy University at Chicago.

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES:

Board member of United Way and of the Arkansas Community Foundation of Faulkner County. Board president of Paloma Community Services, which organizes Mexican Independence Day in Conway and provides scholarships. I am also the board president of Opportunity Matters Arkansas, which provides financing to people with individual tax identification numbers to purchase homes.

CHURCH ACTIVITIES:

New Life Church.

MOST CHERISHED POSSESSION:

Conversations with parents, family and friends.

MOST ENJOYED WEEKEND ACTIVITY:

Reading and spending time with family and friends.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT LIVING IN THE 501: I love how the community gets together to help each other and advance as a city.

Several organizations get together to help close gaps in the community. This is a community that is open minded.

78 | 501 LIFE March 2021

A Growing Health System for a Growing Community

Left to Right: J. Tod Ghormley, MD, James L. Head, MD, H. Scott Smith, MD, Grant W. Bennett, MD, James T. Howell, MD, and Robert F. McCarron, MD

New Medical Offices

More Specialists

Expanded Access

Innovative Services

Orthopedic Excellence At Conway Regional, our team of talented orthopedic surgeons and specialists are dedicated to helping you regain mobility and recover from injury and disease. We are honored to have been voted "Best Sports Medicine Clinic” in the state by the readers of AY Magazine and “Best Orthopedic Care” by readers of Log Cabin Democrat.

2020

We’re not just growing—we’re growing together.

T O GE T HE R FOR Better.

Arkansans appreciate community. We work and raise families. Care for our neighbors. And come together in good times and bad. At First Security, that local strength is what we love best about our home state. There is commitment here. And heart. And hope. Thank you to everyone who is standing together, learning from one another, and making Arkansas a place we all love to call home.

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