November 2023

2 | 501 LIFE October 2023

PUBLISHER/ART DIRECTOR

Jeremy L. Higginbotham

EDITOR

Stefanie W. Brazile

FOUNDERS

Donna Spears, Sonja Keith and Tracy Ferrell

BRAND AMBASSADOR

Donald Brazile

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

Paulette Higginbotham

ADVERTISING SALES

Donna Spears

DIGITAL DIRECTOR

Levi Gilbert

PHOTO DIRECTOR

Mike Kemp

COPY EDITORS

Andrea Lively and Andrea Miller

FINANCE DIRECTOR

Debbie Flowers

SOCIAL MEDIA

Morgan Zimmerman

CONTRIBUTORS Becky Bell Don Bingham Jessica Duff Mary Eggart David Grimes Dwain Hebda Linder Henderson Vivian Lawson Hogue Tammy Keith

F

udge. Just the thought of the delicious candy awakens my sweet tooth, and I’m sure the “501 LIFE Pecan Caramel Apple Fudge” on the cover has awakened yours! We asked Paw Paw’s Pecans to combine our state nut (pecans) and state flower (apple blossoms) to create a one-of-a-kind fudge for the holiday season, and they did! The theme of this issue is “The Sweet Life,” and Paw Paw’s Pecans in Conway County has created a delicious confection for our readers that can be purchased across the 501 this month. Take it from a dessert aficionado – this fudge is truly sweet as pie.

November hosts two national holidays, Veterans Day and Thanksgiving.

At 501 LIFE Magazine, we are grateful to veterans for keeping this the land of the free and the home of the brave. If you know a senior adult veteran, be sure to share our article about Forever Young Veterans. The founder is from Morrilton (Conway County), and they take groups to battlefields and to Washington, D.C. for free.

With Thanksgiving arriving early, I’ll be planning a menu of traditional favorites and at least one new dessert. It will feature pecans, and there is no shortage of places to buy them in the 501. Check out our pecan articles and plan to visit Keo’s annual Arkansas Pecan Festival on Dec. 2. The drive to Lonoke County will be worth it. They host The Pie Ride for cyclists and the State Pecan Pie Championship.

How sweet it is to hear stories that tickle your funny bone! We found the ultimate “Why did the chicken cross the road?” story in Greenbrier (Faulkner County.) Don’t miss this short and sweet love story.

Finally, it is with a heavy heart that we mourn the loss of Suzann DeShazo Waggoner, who helped me develop our “Artist of the Month” feature two years ago. She introduced me to painters, dancers, set builders and sculptors, and I will always be grateful to the national award-winning artist for her time.

Happy Thanksgiving to you, our valued reader! May you begin the holiday season with a hopeful heart and sweet disposition.

4 | 501 LIFE November 2023

Beth Jimmerson Mark Oliver Susan Peterson Dr. Robert Reising Kelli Reep Judy Riley Carol Rolf Donna L. Stephens Rita Halter Thomas

FAULKNER CO. EDITORIAL BOARD Johnny Adams Jack Bell Don Bingham Jessica Brown RaeLynn Callaway Glenn Crockett Beth Franks Sylvia Gauvey Russ Hancock Spencer Hawks Mathilda Hatfield Roe Henderson Jerry Hiegel Antonio Jamison Mike Kemp

Julie LaRue Karl Lenser Monica Lieblong Lori Melton Deanna Ott Pat Otto Jon Patrom Amy Reed Lori Ross Margaret Smith Jan Spann Kim Tyler Suzann Waggoner Jennifer Whitehead Kay Wood

CONWAY CO. 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 CO. EDITORIAL BOARD Betsy Bailey Amy Burton Tara Cathey Cassandra Feltrop Phil Hays Natalie Horton

Matt LaForce Mike Parsons Brooke Pryor Judy Riley Carol Spears Kristi Thurmon

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

Advertisements are not necessarily endorsed by 501 LIFE.

November 2023 501lifemag.com | 5

November November

2023 Volume 16 Issue 7

On the cover: Paw Paw's Pecans created a unique holiday treat for us. Be sure to try 501 LIFE Pecan Caramel Apple Fudge on sale now through Christmas.

See Page 36 for details.

(Photo by Makenzie Evans)

4 8 9 10 12 14

17

Letter from the Editor Upcoming events five-oh-ones To Watch Loving LIFE Veterans Day in the 501 Couple of the Month: Rachel & Billy Hubbard Entertaining: Taking the Pecan Challenge

20

Youth of the Month: Clara Principe

24

The sweet story of the pecan: Arkansas’s Native Nut

30

Everybody loves a nut Paw Paw’s Pecans

33 38

42

44

Introducing 501 LIFE Fudge!!

Visits to Arkansas courthouses sweeten 501 friendships

Striving to succeed at PCSSD

48

Get your game on: Conway Corp’s “Gamer Gab”

52

Honor, Healing, Hope.

Forever Young Veterans

56

Pets of the Month: Rooty and Shakira

58

SPECIAL SECTION

64

Kid of the Month: Hannah Halbrook

68

Southern Social Morrilton women’s group

72

A spoonful of sugar

74

WLN Royal Gala

76

Artist of the Month: Terri R. Taylor

80

Celebrating Athletic Excellence: Natalie Jennings

84

Naturally Sweet...

14 desserts to represent Arkansas

88

From good to gourdeous

90

A sweet sight Travel helps through tragedy

33

56 17

20

By Don Bingham

By Carol Rolf

By Judy Riley

By Dwain Hebda

By David Grimes

Our Sweet Journey

By Laurie Green

By Jessica Duff

By Mark Oliver

By Kelli Reep

By Becky Bell

98

6 | 501 LIFE November 2023

By Becky Bell

By Mary Eggart

By Vivian Lawson Hogue

By Rita Halter Thomas

By Dwain Hebda

Dr. Robert Reising

By Kat Robinson

By Julianne Milner

By Rita Halter Thomas

94 96

98

Mr. Rogers Sweater Drive Author of the Month: Carl J. Barger Person of the Month: Dr. Charles “Chuck” Barber

r

501 LIFE would like to thank our advertising partners.

Arkansas Grown, 29 Arvest, 63 _____________________________________ Baucum Nut House, 29 Bledsoe Chiropractic, 16 _____________________________________ Central Arkansas Karting, 23 City of Morrilton, 71 Conway Corp, 51 Conway Flooring, 95 Conway Healthcare & Rehab, 91 Conway Regional Health System, 99 Conway Regional Rehabilitation Hospital, 87 Conway Symphony, 77 _____________________________________ Downtown Conway, 44-45 DJM Orthodontics, 21 Dr. Rachel Deal, 43 _____________________________________

Edward Jones, 87 Explore Springdale, 43 _____________________________________ First Community Bank, 41, 98 First Security Bank, 100 First Service Bank, 13 Freyaldenhoven Heating and Cooling, 31 _____________________________________ Hartman Animal Hospital, 57 Harwood, Ott & Fisher, PA, 97 Heritage Living Center, 5 _____________________________________

Good News in a Nutshell, that's 501 LIFE. And for those who want to savor the flavor of 501 LIFE at home, you can get a subscription for only $20 a year.

Home delivery ensures you never miss an issue!

Visit 501LIFEmag.com or call 501.327.1501 to subscribe.

Catch 501 LIFE on KARK at Noon and Conway Corp each month.

welcome to the Writers’ Room

Jacksonville Parks & Rec, 79 _____________________________________ Kilwins Little Rock, 85 _____________________________________ Max Event Venue, 47 Merle Norman & More, 69 MSC Eye Associates, 91 _____________________________________

Ott Insurance, 19 _____________________________________ PCSSD, 46 Pinnacle Place, 73 Point Remove Brewing Co., 61 _____________________________________

Reynolds Performance Hall, 83 _____________________________________ Salem Place, 55 Single Parent Fund, 67 Sissy’s Log Cabin, 39 Shelter Insurance, 91 South Conway County School District, 67 Southern Sippery, 69 Superior Health & Rehab, 2 _____________________________________ Unity Health, 3, 93 University of Arkansas Community College Morrilton, 65 University of Central Arkansas, 49 _____________________________________ Velda Lueders Coldwell Banker, 8, 14

Judy Riley

lives in White County. She holds degrees from the University of Arkansas and Texas A&M UniversityCommerce. She retired as a full professor for the U of A Cooperative Extension Service. She currently helps her husband, Tom, with a hay production and beef cattle farm and is on several nonprofit community foundations.

Mary Eggart

lives in Morrilton and is a recently retired English teacher with 20 years of teaching experience. She holds degrees from the University of Arkansas and Arkansas Tech University.

The arts and travel are her passions, as she is an avid lover of people, their culture, and the stories that build and shape a community.

Laurie Green

is a Greenbrier native and a 501 LIFE faith contributor.

Laurie and her husband, Will, share seven children, nine grandchildren and a golden retriever named Marlo. They own and operate a lawn care business and are members of New Life Church in Greenbrier and love cruising the world together.

November 2023 501lifemag.com | 7

Annie!

Nov. 16 • Conway

Little Orphan Annie has reminded generations that sunshine is always around the corner, and now you can be reminded at 7:30 p.m. at Reynolds Performance Hall. One of the best-loved musicals of all time, “Annie” offers the ultimate cure for the hard knocks life throws your way. Sponsored by 501 LIFE Magazine, adult tickets begin at $27, while tickets for children or students are only $10. Call 501.450.3265.

Arkansas

Cornbread Festival

Turkey Trot 5K & Gobble Wobble Nov. 23 • Conway

Nov. 4 • Little Rock

The unique event is planned from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in SoMa, 1401 South Main St. If you buy a “Tasting Ticket” for $20, you can sample cornbread from 15 competitors and then vote for your favorite. A ticket is not required to enjoy live music. Local brews and tasty nosh are available, along with unique Arkansas gifts. On Facebook, visit “Arkansas Cornbread Festival” for more information.

The 9th Annual event benefits the United Way of Central Arkansas.

The Gobble Wobble begins at 8 a.m. in front of Estes Football Stadium on the University of Central Arkansas campus. The adult run starts at 8:30 a.m. This Thanksgiving morning tradition takes racers through the beautiful campus, over the Dave Ward Drive pedestrian bridge and back. A virtual run/walk option is also offered. Visit uwcark.org/turkey trot.

Pumpkins & Peppermint

Joy of Christmas Tour featuring

Nov. 11 • Searcy

Nov. 30 • Hot Springs

Holiday Craft Fair

Martina McBride

The Carmichael Center will be open from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Located at 801 South Elm St., the fair will be teeming with visitors enjoying the fall and Christmas décor, food, elegant jewelry, and gift items for birthdays, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Kick off your seasonal shopping by visiting numerous vendor booths. Learn more on the Facebook page “Searcy Holiday of Lights” or call the Center at 501.279.1010.

The Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort’s event center welcomes the four-time Country Music Association’s Female Vocalist of the Year at 6 p.m. She has sold more than 23 million albums, including 20 Top 10 singles and six No. 1 hits. When McBride isn’t in the studio, she focuses her time on charitable causes dear to her heart through her Team Music Is Love charity initiative. Buy tickets at oaklawn.com.

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WE NEED YOUR IDEAS! N O M I N AT E S O M EO N E YO U K N OW F O R A N E W S PEC I A L E D I T I O N O F 5 01 L I F E

T H E Y A R E C H A N G I N G T H E G A M E I N C O N WAY LEADING THE WAY IN LITTLE ROCK A N D S E T T I N G N E W S TA N D A R D S I N S E A R C Y

HELP US SHINE A LIGHT ON

THE FIVE-OH-ONES TO WATCH You know that special someone who makes LIFE brighter for us all? 501 LIFE wants to recognize those individuals who have stepped on the stage and are making a real difference in their work, at church or for their community. This January, we want to celebrate them as a five-oh-one to watch!

It’s the nurse who goes above and beyond to give care and compassion … the stylist who always gets your look just right … that friend who always steps up when there is someone in need. Now is your chance to honor them in Central Arkansas’s home for good news — 501 LIFE. Please visit 501lifemag.com/onestowatch and nominate someone who lives, works or serves in one of our 11 counties: CLEBURNE, CONWAY, FAULKNER, GARLAND, HOT SPRING, LONOKE, PERRY, PULASKI, SALINE, VAN BUREN AND WHITE.

Nominate your “five-oh-one to watch” by November 17 at 501lifemag.com/onestowatch.

You just might see them lighting up our pages this January!

November 2023 501lifemag.com | 9

Randy Palculict (from left) of Jackson Brown Palculict Architects in Little Rock was “Loving LIFE” at the Alex Foundation’s “Merging Architecture and Fashion” October 1 event, where he modeled the latest fashions provided by Belk. Doug Hutchins, branch manager for Blue Bell Creameries, received a Heart and Treasure Award at the event.

Ada Spain (from left), Mary Sponer and Mattie West were “Loving LIFE” at the Perfectly Loved Transitional Living Center Launch luncheon. The nonprofit will host an open house at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 7 at 2196 Hwy. 247, Hattieville.

The Greenbrier Recycled Teenagers from the Senior Citizens Center were “Loving LIFE” when they went undefeated (8-0) in bean bag baseball. Back row, from left: Richard Johnston, Caryles Vondran, Larry Epperson and David Moore; Middle row: Rick Jay, Susan Shirey, Wanda Vondran, Virginia Jennings and Ranellia Mann; front row: Patsy Maxwell, Linda Elrod, Julia Elbert and Kathy Jay.

10 | 501 LIFE November 2023

During the week before she passed away on Oct. 16, 501 LIFE Magazine’s Art Consultant Suzann DeShazo Waggoner was “Loving LIFE” at Washington State Park in New Hampshire. At nearly 6,300 feet, it is the highest peak in the northeastern U.S. When she emailed the photo, she wrote, “The wind is blowing at 52 mph, and it is 45 degrees. I am holding onto the Washington State Park sign as best as I can .... the sudden drop off of 500 feet causes me to hold on.” She was 78.

The Hendrix Village Market Committee was “Loving Life” at the final market in late September. Marty Golden (from left), Courtney Corwin, Mary Cantrell, Gloria Cheshier, Keith Duncan, Joe Forester and Debbie Barnes.

Nona Brown from Texarkana was “Loving LIFE” while in Conway for her son’s soccer tournament.

James and Youlonda Chappell of Morrilton were "Loving LIFE" at the Sight & Sound Theatre in Branson, Mo.

Participants in a “Beauty and the Beast” Scavenger Hunt were “Loving LIFE” in Conway. Roger Stone dressed as Gaston (from left), Jennifer Flint as Lumiére, Janet Stone as Mrs. Potts and Jimmie Rutledge as Belle. They traveled from Batesville (Independence County) on Oct. 14 to participate in the scavenger hunt by CluedUpp Games. The gaming app guides participants throughout a selected city to search for clues and solve a mystery.

Central Arkansas businesses and restaurant owners were “Loving LIFE” at the Conway Business Expo and Taste of Conway that took place on Oct. 12. More than 25 local restaurants gave the community the opportunity to sample some of the best food the 501 has to offer.

November 2023 501lifemag.com | 11

Corvettes and Veterans Nov. 11 • Little Rock

The event will honor veterans, acknowledge the 75th anniversary of War Memorial Stadium and celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Chevy Corvette. Plans include a parade of one-of-a-kind military-styled Corvettes, an “Official Salute and Ceremony,” demonstrations from high school JROTC teams from throughout the state, and historic military displays from Camp Joseph T. Robinson, as well as other educational and historical displays. For information, visit littlerock.com/events/ corvettes-and-veterans.

7th Annual Salute Our Vets Truck, Bike & Car Show Nov. 11 • Searcy

This family-friendly event is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Orr Toyota, 1745 Janet Drive. The entry fee for a car that will be judged is $25, and $10 to display a car. There are multiple categories for first- and second-place awards, starting with pre-1940 classes through current, Rat Rod, Special Interest, ATV and Jeep classes. Visit the event name on Facebook for updates.

Veterans Day Celebration Nov. 11 • Conway

Julie’s Sweet Shoppe will host its annual event at 9 a.m. at 201 Skyline Drive. There will be a ceremony, singers, a bugler and popular speakers from the region. Area businesses donate door prizes that will be given away, and veterans can enjoy refreshments and fellowship. If you have questions, call Julie’s at 501.205.4301.

UCA Veterans Day Event Nov. 9 • Conway

The University of Central Arkansas (UCA) will observe its annual Veterans Day Celebration starting with an information fair from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on McAlister Lawn offering free hamburgers and hot dogs, plus music by the UCA Choir. Vets can find information on employment opportunities, support, and other services on campus and in the community. The ceremony featuring notable speakers will begin at 1:40 p.m.

Museum of Veterans and Military History Program Nov. 11 • Vilonia

The Museum of Veterans and Military History will host a program at 53 North Mt. Olive beginning at 11:30 a.m. They will post flags honoring the fallen; the Arkansas Diamond State Punishers will ride in; the Vilonia High School band will perform; and there will be a Quilts of Valor program.

There will also be antique military vehicles, vendors, food and giveaways.

For more information, visit the Facebook page “Veterans Museum Vilonia” or call 501.796.4572.

12 | 501 LIFE November 2023

November 2023 501lifemag.com | 13

Photos by Kauffman Creative

COUPLE OF THE MONTH

RACHEL & BILLY ______ HUBBARD _____________________ BENTON

THEIR STORY: W

e met in 2004 at a restaurant in Little Rock. We were both waiting tables at night to make extra money, and we started out as friends. Billy was so charming that I almost refused to go out with him. I thought no one could be that perfect, and I was not going to fall for his tricks!

Well, it turned out that he really was that perfect. On our first date, he was so kind, thoughtful, steady and sweet, and he is still all those things and more nearly 20 years later.

He proposed on a snowy day during a trip to New York City.

We were riding on a carriage in Central Park, and everyone in the park around us clapped and cheered when I said yes.

It was like a moment out of a movie. On July 8, 2006, we were married. It was the picture-perfect day that I had always

14 | 501 LIFE November 2023

dreamed of. We had absolutely no idea that our lives were about to radically change.

Shortly after getting married, we heard about Second Chance Youth Ranch. We didn’t know anything about foster care, but as we started learning, our hearts started breaking.

So six months into marriage, we moved into a home at Second Chance and became foster parents. Those first few weeks tested everything about us, including our marriage.

But we were determined to have a good marriage and to be good foster parents, so we leaned on the Lord, and we worked really, really hard.

It turns out, hard things can make you stronger. We love serving together in ministry, and it’s hard to imagine our life without foster care being a part of it.

HER STORY: HOMETOWN: Bryant CHILDREN: Bronley Hubbard (13), Brooklyn Hubbard (8), hundreds of

“bonus” kids and dozens of “bonus” grandbabies.

EDUCATION: University of Arkansas at Little Rock WORK: Director of Operations for Second Chance Youth Ranch CHURCH ACTIVITIES: I am a member of Family Church Bryant HOBBIES/SPECIAL INTERESTS: I love to read Christian

fiction books. I love to travel; I’m always working on planning the next trip. I also love hiking and swimming.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF? I’m a busy momma and wife. My three favorite humans on the planet are my hubby and kids! I love to have fun and laugh, and I’m a sucker for fancy food. I’m authentic with everyone and I’m passionate about serving others and making a difference in the world. I love celebrating other people and making them feel good about themselves. My faith in God guides everything, and it motivates me to do more.

My ultimate goal in life is to be like Jesus.

WHAT IS ONE THING PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU? I was a first-grade teacher before starting my career in the

foster care world.

TELL US MORE ABOUT SECOND CHANCE YOUTH RANCH AND WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU: It is a

private placement agency for children in foster care. We recruit, train and support parents to foster in their homes or in a home on one of our three campuses. We have been involved for 17 years. We never really intended to get in this deep!

We initially thought that we would get involved by donating or volunteering … something nice and comfortable. But once we met the kids, we knew that there was no turning back. We fell in love right away, and we wanted to go all in. Second Chance is committed to ending the foster care crisis in Arkansas by making sure that every single child has a safe and loving home, and we are honored to be a small part of helping to achieve that goal.

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO: “Let your light shine before men so they will see your good works and praise your Father in Heaven.” Matthew 5:17

HIS STORY: EDUCATION: Ouachita Baptist University PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT:

Director of Operations for Second Chance Youth Ranch.

CHURCH ACTIVITIES: I am a member

of Family Church Bryant.

HOBBIES/SPECIAL INTERESTS: I love spending time with

my family. I enjoy running, camping and hiking. I love the Arkansas Razorbacks and the St. Louis Cardinals.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF: I love serving. My family and my

church mean everything to me.

WHAT IS ONE THING PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU: I have

run four full marathons. I owned a pizza restaurant for eight years.

TELL US MORE ABOUT SECOND CHANCE YOUTH RANCH: It’s the

place where God has called me to serve many kiddos and to help transform their lives. It’s also the place where I have grown as a Christian and raised my biological family, and Rachel and I have spent our entire marriage here. I have learned that there are more important things in life than the first-world problems that we all tend to get worked up about.

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO: Whatever breaks your heart is what you were created to change.

November 2023 501lifemag.com | 15

16 | 501 LIFE November 2023

November 2023 501lifemag.com | 17

Photos by Mike Kemp

Holiday Pecan Cake

‘The wait time is three weeks before consuming!

And it's worth it.’

Don Bingham

3 cups sugar 2 cups butter, softened 10 eggs, separated 4 cups sifted all-purpose flour 1 cup bourbon whiskey 2 pounds white raisins 2 pounds pecan pieces 1 Tbsp. nutmeg

Cream sugar with butter and beat in egg yolks one at a time. Alternately add, in small portions, 3 cups flour and bourbon. Combine remaining flour with raisins, pecans and nutmeg, and add to batter. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form, then fold into batter. Pour into a large tube pan or three small loaf pans that are well-greased and lined on the bottom with two layers of wax paper. Fill pan(s) two-thirds full and bake for 4 hours at 250 degrees in a tube pan or 3 hours at 250 in loaf pans. Cool completely before removing from the pan. Wrap a cloth soaked in bourbon, and then wrap in foil. After one week, resoak cloth. Soak again two weeks later.

Pecans are a natural for the South, and especially for Arkansas!

P

ecan harvest time is here, and we would like to share with you an amazing recipe for the Holiday Pecan Cake. This cake is not for the "faint of heart" nor those who resort to the simple box cake mix–to say nothing that the baker of this cake may want to "float a loan" for the ingredients, but the results are amazing!

The recipe calls for three cups of sugar, 10 eggs, two pounds of raisins, two pounds of pecans, four cups of flour, butter, salt and about three cups of bourbon.

The cake will try your patience, not from the difficulty of making this wonder, but because it must soak for one week, then be refreshed with a bourbon-soaked towel, and then rest in an additional bourbon-soaked towel for two more weeks before serving! The results will produce a very heavy, dense, rich, large, amazing cake. Seriously, the ingredients cost approximately $ 40, the time to bake is four hours at 250 degrees, and the wait time is three weeks before consuming! And it's worth it.

Should you be looking for something a little less time intensive, cheaper, and simpler to make, we've included a pecan-rich candy favorite, "Millionaires," and a Mexican Praline recipe that will be available at many of our November and December parties. The Holiday Pecan Cake has been in our family recipe file for forty years or more! It's a special occasion cake and will serve up to 40 people when the slices are cut small–which they should be, as you don't want to provide your guest with a breathalyzer test before going "over the river and through the woods!” Happy holidays to all!

Mexican Pralines 2 cups white sugar 1 1/2 cups water 1 Tbsp. Karo light corn syrup 2 cups pecan halves 1 cup brown sugar (packed) 1/4 tsp. salt

Cook over low heat until it comes to a soft ball stage. (Soft-ball stage is when a drop of candy mixture is dropped into a cup of cold water and forms a soft-firm ball without dissolving in the water.) Let cool until lukewarm, then beat. Form patties and drop onto wax paper.

Millionaire Candy 1/4 cup evaporated milk 1 pound of caramels 2 cups pecans, lightly chopped 9 ounces of Hershey’s bars 1/3 bar paraffin

Melt milk and caramel in a double boiler very slowly. Stir and add two cups of pecans to the caramel mixture. When melted, drop teaspoons of the mixture on buttered wax paper. Let them set until firm. Coarsely chop and combine Hershey’s bar and paraffin and melt in a double boiler. Dip hardened candy pieces into the melted mixture and let set until hard.

November 2023 501lifemag.com | 19

Photos by Mike Kemp

20 | 501 LIFE November 2023

By Carol Rolf

C

lara Principe is living the sweet life at Mount St. Mary Academy in Little Rock.

A senior at the all-girls, college preparatory high school, Clara, 17, maintains a 4.0 GPA (5.0 weighted GPA with Advanced Placement classes) all the while being involved in a myriad of clubs on campus. One of her favorite clubs is the HoneyBelles Bee Club.

“I joined the HoneyBelles when I was a freshman,” she said. “That was my first experience with bees. I now have a hive at home, too.”

Clara is president of the school’s beekeeping club for the second year; she was the hive manager her sophomore year. The club has two hives on campus, which are

maintained by approximately 50 club members. They tend to the hives, extract the honey and then sell it as well as other bee-related products at school and communitywide events like Hillcrest HarvestFest, which was scheduled Oct. 28 in the Hillcrest neighborhood in Little Rock.

In addition to making and selling sweet products, Clara and the HoneyBelles do presentations across the 501 community to educate people about the importance of bees.

Clara has served as a beekeeping apprentice under Lauren Anderson, founder of Calm+Confidence, and participated in research at the University of Central Arkansas on native bees in the state.

Continued on page 22

November 2023 501lifemag.com | 21

Clara Principe is a senior at Mount St. Mary Academy in Little Rock.

After high school, she will major in entomology, or the scientific study of insects.

“Clara is one of, if not the best, students I have ever worked with,” said Coleman Little, a biology lecturer and the director of the Jewel Moore Nature Reserve at UCA. “She is extremely self-motivated, to a point that I had to make her stop working and go home. She is also very inquisitive. If something doesn’t make sense to her, she questions it and immediately starts trying to understand it. It would take a long time to describe all of Clara’s qualities that make her such a great student, but my top five are her motivation, impressive intelligence, positivity and curiosity. Clara is an amazing individual, and I am excited to see what her future holds.”

what is happening in the hive as individuals come up for a closer look. She has a keen eye and is a great queen-spotter, an important skill in beekeeping. She has truly become our in-house bee expert. I am thankful to have one more year with Clara in charge of the bees and will depend on her to help train our future beekeepers.”

Maureen Stover, faculty adviser for the HoneyBelles Bee Club, calls Clara “a calm and confident beekeeper.”

As she finishes out her high school career, she continues to be involved in the Odyssey of the Mind program, Honor Council, American Sign Language Club, Quiz Bowl and choir.

“Over the years I have worked side by side with her tending to the bees, making crafts from beeswax and working a booth at the annual HarvestFest,” Stover said. “She is the student I can always count on to be there and to take initiative. She quickly became knowledgeable because she rarely misses an opportunity to work with the bees. Whether it is after school, on a weekend or even in the summer, Clara shows up.

“Clara is fearless,” Stover said. “There was an occasion when the bees actually started to swarm while we were working with them, so bees were circling us like a tornado.

Clara stayed calm and cool, just admiring their behavior as they finally calmed and settled back in.

“As a club, the HoneyBelles invite classes from a local grade school to educate students on pollinators,” Stover said.

“When these students visit, Clara is in charge of the hive demonstrations, opening up the hive, finding good frames that the students can observe and learn from and explaining

22 | 501 LIFE November 2023

Clara has not decided on a college yet, but she plans to major in entomology.

“I would like to do research after college,” she said. “I’ll just see where all this takes me.”

“Our Odyssey of the Mind team went to a national competition last year at Michigan State University and will return in May 2024 to the competition at Iowa State University,” she said. “Last year, our team combined improv theater into our presentation. Our theme was ‘Classics …

Walls of Troy’ and featured a cast of ‘bugs’ that built the wall.

It was a lot of fun.”

When Clara is not involved in school activities, she enjoys writing poetry, doing crafts, walking and listening to music.

“I also watch Bollywood movies with my dad,” she said, laughing.

Clara is a daughter of Phil and Anne Principe of North Little Rock. She has one older brother, Mac, 18, and one older sister, Reilly, 20, both students at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.

Located at 49 Ricky Bobby Way in Vilonia, Central Arkansas Karting Complex recently opened its doors as Arkansas’s first outdoor karting track.

The 15-acre facility takes kart racing to the next level, offering 14 turns on seven-tenths of a mile of professional-grade asphalt.

Inspired by the rapidly growing sport of karting throughout the southern United States, Greg, Tammy and Peyton Long began developing plans to open a complex that rivals those of neighboring states.

“The idea for Central Arkansas Karting Complex began after our family visited a track in Dallas,” co-manager Peyton Long said. “After riding their rental karts and talking with the owner, we became very interested in buying and racing karts of our own. Kart racing has been around for a number of years and Arkansans have been asking for a place like this. In 2022, we began putting the plans together and we had our grand opening two months ago. It has been a big hit in the community.”

From 65-mph SODI racing karts to standard two-seaters and cadet karts, online leaderboards and packages for group events, Central Arkansas Karting Complex offers attractions for racers of all skill levels and plans to become Central Arkansas’s premier destination for racing competitions.

“A lot of people think we’re just another go-kart track,” Long said. “We’re much more than that. We’re open to anyone who has a need for speed. With our recent addition of two-seaters and cadet karts, we’ve expanded our reach to offer a racing experience to ages 5 and up.”

Since the business opened in August, Vilonia has proven to be the perfect place to grow the Long family’s vision for the kart racing community.

“When we were trying to find a place to open our doors, we searched all over Central Arkansas,” Long said. “We saw Vilonia as a small town that’s often overlooked but has huge growth potential. There’s a lot of expansion toward Vilonia right now, and we believe that it’s the right place at the right time.”

501.999.RACE • 49 RICK Y BOBBY WAY • VILONIA For more information, visit centralarkansaskarting.com

November 2023 501lifemag.com | 23

By Judy Riley

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Pecans are not just the official state nut, the Arkansas Department of Heritage named them the 2023 Food of the Year.

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estled in the heart of the 501 lies a small town with two big assets: people with big ideas and more than 500 acres of some of the finest pecan orchards in Arkansas. The town is Keo, just 25 miles southeast of Little Rock but far away from the hustle and bustle. Residents and the surrounding area have an enthusiasm for promoting pecans. Proclaiming Keo the Pecan Capital of Arkansas, the townsfolk plan their second annual Pecan Festival for Saturday, Dec. 2. It is all free to the public and starts in the commercial historic district and includes a pecan cooking contest, including both sweet and savory concoctions, as well as the Southern traditional pecan pie. Bicyclists can participate in the competitive, 35-mile “Keo Pie Ride.” There will also be entertainment, food trucks, displays and vendors selling, you guessed it, pecans! Keo Mayor Stephanie White looks for the festival to be a huge success and a great way to promote pecans as well as show off their town.

Pecans in Arkansas are an important crop as well as a delicacy we enjoy, especially during the holidays. “Arkansas produces around 2 million pounds of pecans per year and ranks in the top 15 pecan-producing states,” said Dr. Jackie Lee, pecan researcher and current director of the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture (UADA) Fruit Experiment Station in Clarksville. Much of that production is in Central Arkansas. Because of the soils, sources of water and climate, there is a great potential in the state to expand both acreage and quality, according to Lee. In 2009, The Eighty-seventh Arkansas General Assembly passed a bill that designated the pecan as the official state nut.

Pecan trees are an investment in the future. “Trees begin producing pecans in years 4-7 and are not in full production until year 25,” Lee said. “There are some orchards with 50 plus-year-old trees. Some over 100 years old are still producing pecans.

There are a variety of pecans grown in Arkansas. Old orchards are generally [producing] either Desirable or Stuart. Newer varieties are Pawnee, Kanza, Caddo, Oconee and Lakota.” When asked what a home gardener should look for when planting a pecan tree or two, Lee suggested planting Kanza because it currently has the best disease resistance and one can get a decent crop with less management than other varieties. Kanza has a smaller nut than many improved varieties but superior flavor, and due to the smaller nut size, it takes less water to mature the nuts, which is great for an area without irrigation. It is very important to remember that irrigating newly planted pecan trees is very important for establishment. A mature pecan tree will use up to 200 gallons of water per day.

One young pecan grower is looking to the future. John Bruhl recently purchased Baucum Nut House, named for an area just east of North Little Rock, and the pecan orchard that went with it. He enthusiastically ventured into the world of pecan growing by first apprenticing with previous owners Phillip and Dan Nelson. His aim was to learn from the best and that he did. The Nelson brothers sold both the retail establishment, the orchard and a family home only after seeing the ability and interest of Bruhl.

Bruhl always had farming in his blood. He spent time with grandparents on the family farm in southeast Missouri and then worked for an uncle in Texas raising cattle and pecans. Meanwhile, he finished a degree in industrial design but never lost a yearning for farming and country life.

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“In addition to their uses in cakes, candies, and treats this time of year, pecans are rich in nutrients. Yes, they contain fat, but it is unsaturated, which can lower the LDL or bad cholesterol. They are also a good source of calcium, magnesium, and potassium, all important for heart, bones, teeth and for fighting infection. This makes pecans a good option for an occasional snack.”

Dr. Nina Roofe, registered dietician and assistant vice president of Family & Consumer Science for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

Photo by Mike Kemp

November 2023 501lifemag.com | 27

John Bruhl is the president of the Arkansas Pecan Growers Association. He recently purchased Baucum Nut House in North Little, as well as the pecan orchard that went with it. He cracks and shells pecans for the public.

Photo by Mike Kemp

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After returning to Arkansas and marrying, his interest continued as he researched the fascinating field of growing pecans. He immersed himself in learning the latest technology, utilizing resources from UADA researchers, and got involved in the Arkansas Pecan Growers Association. His aim, like that of the Keo mayor, is to promote pecans in Central Arkansas. Bruhl is also the president of the Arkansas Pecan Growers Association.

Bruhl uses a mechanical shaker, which vibrates the tree, causing the pecans to fall. He then scoops up pecans from the orchard floor using a mechanical harvester. At every step, he uses the best sanitation practices. His retail needs often exceed his capacity to produce, so he selectively buys from other Arkansas producers, making sure they follow best practices to maintain safety and quality. He also cracks and shells pecans for the public. Bruhl sells his pecans through his retail outlet, Baucum Nut House, 214 Steed Road in North Little Rock. Learn more at baucumnuthouse.com.

This fall as leaves turn, the humble pecan tree begins its age-old process: The outer shell, called a shuck, dries, cracks and opens, allowing the nut to fall to the orchard floor, ready for harvest. A collection of crows, blue jays and squirrels are well-schooled in the process and anxiously wait for their treats! It is time to celebrate this 501 treasure, whether visiting the Arkansas Pecan Festival in Keo, baking a pecan pie or munching on pecans in front of a warm fire. To add celebrity status to the pecan, the Arkansas Department of Heritage has named its “2023 Food of the Year” the pecan.

November 2023 501lifemag.com | 29

Everybody loves a nut Pecan farm and plantation make life sweet for Conway County's Wilchman

By Dwain Hebda

Photos by Makenzie Evans

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he old saying “You don’t have to be nuts to work here, but it helps” might aptly be applied to Paw Paw’s Pecans, a lovely Conway County spread of 5,000 pecan trees of 12 different varieties producing about 120,000 pounds of nuts annually.

“A guy came from Calico Cottage in New York and spent the day with us teaching us how to make it,” Wilchman said.

“The kettle that we use makes 33 pounds, and of course when you add all the nuts and everything, it ends up being about 60 pounds after you get through with it.

Billy Wilchman, a nurse practitioner by trade and farmer by avocation, began the operation as a hobby during the 30 years he and his wife ran a six-house chicken operation.

Little did he know what gold there was in “them thar” shells.

“He made a batch of white and a batch of chocolate and it ended up being over 150 pounds on the counter. I said, ‘I’ll never, ever sell that.’ A week and a half later, I was making it again. Now we make it at least once a week. During the holidays, we’ll make it at least three times a week.”

“I didn’t realize how sought-after a commodity pecans actually were,” Wilchman said with a dry chuckle. “I mean, come October, November, I’m a pretty popular guy.”

The success of the farm has led to the development of other products and attractions, including developing a bed and breakfast, Charlotte Teresa Plantation in Atkins, with a gift shop that sells the farm’s pecans, pecan oil and other merchandise. They also branched into homemade fudge about three years ago, a product that wasn’t without its skeptics at first.

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The couple has 300 different fudge recipes in their repertoire, from which they produce about 15 to 20 varieties at any given time. For those uninitiated in the confection or who only know the chocolate-based varieties, Wilchman said you don’t know what you’re missing.

“What we do in the springtime, everybody loves strawberries so we’ve got a strawberry pecan,” he said.

“There’s a peach pecan that’s got little dried peach chunks in it and it tastes like a smoothie. One real popular one that we make is raspberry nut.”

Like any good craftsman, Wilchman knows his product and its raw materials inside and out. He can tell you the flavor nuances between the Pawnee and Caddo varieties of pecan and how one trades size for sweetness. He can also read his trees from one season to the next, gauging the effect of the elements on that year’s crop. For the record, 2023 is coming in a little light due to rough weather earlier this year, though the trees survived the February snowstorms largely unscathed.

“Fortunately, pecan trees are the last trees to bud out,” he said. “Every once in a while, there’s been a year or two where you get a late April freeze like at Easter and they’re already out. Fortunately, it usually just nips them a little bit. It’s rare to get a total crop loss.

"It is my honor to represent Arkansas as a farmer and we were very proud to be named 2015's Conway County Farm Family of the Year." Billy Wilchman

“We had at least three good hailstorms with some wind damage. I’m going to say we’ll be 25,000 pounds off of where it should be. We produced the same amount as last year, but it should have grown by about 25,000 pounds.”

To the casual pecan consumer, none of this might seem like a big deal, but to Paw Paw’s devoted customers– whose fandom for the annual bounty borders on rabid–the availability of the prized homegrown nut is serious business.

Wilchman and his wife, Charlotte, have developed their clientele in the same folksy, hands-on manner in which they tend their trees to help produce maximum results, and it shows.

“I didn’t have many pecans to start with, but when I first started selling them, anybody that would give me a check, I’d record their address and the next few years I collected lots of addresses,” Wilcher said. “I’d send them out a letter around the first of October reminding them that pecans were ready.

These 50 pound bags of Paw Paw's Pecans are delivered to fruit stands throughout Arkansas.

“We also developed a real nice little logo. Got a little squirrel on it and it says, ‘Nuttin’ better.’ My little squirrel’s name is Jimmy–Jimmy Da Nut Job. Everybody on my Facebook page comes looking for Jimmy to see what’s going on at the farm.”

November 2023 501lifemag.com | 31

Images from Paw Paw's Pecan Farm and the Charlotte Teresa Plantation

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Photo by Makenzie Evans • Table Setting by Paulette Higginbotham

The newest variety of fudge to be developed by Paw Paw's Pecans is a custom number named 501 LIFE Pecan Caramel Apple Fudge, produced in honor of this longtime regional magazine.

“The 501 LIFE fudge came about because the editor called me and asked if there was something specific that we could make for them,” Wilchman said. “I had a recipe for apple fudge that I’d never made, so this seemed like the perfect opportunity.

The fudge uses Arkansas apples, plus the caramel and the pecans. It’s the bomb.”

“As many people know, the apple blossom is Arkansas’s state flower and pecans are the state nut,” said Stefanie Brazile, 501 LIFE editor and coowner. “We thought the combination of those two items in a fudge named after us perfectly captured our Arkansas roots and everything we love about our home state. Besides that, we’ve had some advanced tastes of the candy, and the ingredients work together amazingly. We’re excited for people to try this truly unique treat. I’m afraid to be alone with it!”

501 LIFE Pecan Caramel Apple Fudge is on sale now through Christmas at 501lifemag.com.

The fudge is also on sale at many locations throughout Central Arkansas including: Hillcrest Farmers Market - Little Rock Me & McGee Market – North Little Rock Midtown Farmers Market - Bryant Reynolds Farm Stand - Conway Bell Urban Farm - Conway Pops Market - Guy Copper Penny - Greenbrier Paw Paw’s Pecans - Atkins Farmers Co-op - Morrilton and Perryville

‘Oh, fudge, are we excited!’

Publisher Jeremy Higginbotham

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Wade Lucas Farms restaurant - Shirley Rolling Meadows Nursery and Garden Center - Rose Bud

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The honor of their company Visits to Arkansas courthouses sweeten 501 friendships

By David Grimes

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small group of lifelong friends have embarked on a journey that will take them to all 75 of Arkansas’s counties over the next few years. The group includes Jack Bell, Steve Bell, Bo Conner, Tom Courtway, Kenny Evatt and Jim Thompson.

These six gentlemen gather together for lunch at least once or twice per month.

In addition to reliving their youth and bragging about grandchildren, these old friends talk about various activities they can do together to stay busy and active now that several are retired and the others are slowing down. One day, their discussion led to an idea to visit each county in the state.

Thus, a plan was crafted to travel to the county seat and to visit with the county judge and/or others in the courthouse to learn more about the county and that part of the state. “Our visits are informal and just a good discussion with the judges, staff and others in the county government,” Courtway said. “All of the county judges, their staffs and persons we met in each county have been generous with their time, told us about their county and have been very knowledgeable and fun to visit with.”

Their odyssey began on the morning of July 28 in downtown Conway, when Faulkner County Judge Allen Dodson took time to meet with the group.

The previous county judge, Jim Baker, joined them as well for a great discussion about the happenings in their home county.

They continued on to Searcy to meet with White County Judge Lisa Brown. The White County Courthouse is the oldest in the state still in use as a courthouse, having been built in 1871. After a stop for lunch at KJ’s Restaurant in Judsonia, they drove to Augusta, the county seat of Woodruff County. The courthouse dates back to 1900 and is located in a residential area of town.

Continued on page 40

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Photo by Mike Kemp BACK ROW: from left: Madeline Roberts, communications director for Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde; Bo Conner; Tom Courtway; Travis Montgomery, administrative coordinator for Hyde; Steve Bell; Kenny Evatt and Jim Thompson. FRONT ROW: Jack Bell and Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde. The group enjoyed coffee and visited at the Blackberry Market in North Little Rock.

‘All of the county judges, their staffs and persons we met in each county have been generous with their time, told us about their county and have been very knowledgeable and fun to visit with.’

Tom Courtway

The group made their third visit in August, heading to Russellville. With Pope County Judge Ben Cross on vacation, the men were met at the courthouse by a “one-woman greeting party” in long-time county employee Robyn Richardson and then later met with the judge’s administrative assistant Laura McGuire.

They next headed to Morrilton to the courthouse to visit with Conway County Judge Jimmy Hart. The afternoon found them in Perryville, where they toured the Perry County Historical Museum and then the courthouse, where they had a good visit with County Judge Larry Blackmon. The Perry County Courthouse was built in 1888, although a few additions have been constructed over the years.

In October, instead of meeting at the courthouse, a visit was scheduled in Argenta for coffee with Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde. Lunch was in Lonoke, the county seat of Lonoke County, and then they toured its courthouse with County Judge Doug Erwin. “It has been fun and very educational,” Bell said. “The county judges have been really cooperative and informative. It is easy to tell they are very devoted to their counties.”

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Courtway handles the logistics, and the plan over the next couple of years is to have several two-day trips to other parts of the state. Their first overnighter is scheduled for November.

The day will begin with a drive to Newport, where they have an appointment with Jackson County Judge Jeff Phillips.

They will then head to Craighead County, which has two county seats, Jonesboro and Lake City. (There are actually 10 counties in Arkansas with dual seats.) The group will finish up day one in Mississippi County, another county with two seats. They plan to spend the night in one, Blytheville, then head to the other, Osceola, in the morning.

Conner has enjoyed the adventure, saying, “It’s very interesting what we have learned on these trips from the county judges and the other folks we talked with. We’ve learned about crypto mining in Faulkner County, been privy to future industrial development in some counties, heard that the Woodruff County Courthouse is haunted, and learned how Petit Jean Mountain, which was once in Perry County, came to be part of Conway County. You can tell the cultures in each county are just a little bit different by how the counties developed historically.”

November 2023 501lifemag.com | 41

Our Sweet Journey My perspective of what a Sweet Life means

By Laurie Green

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he sweet life means lots of different things for different people. Take, for instance, my husband, Will, and I. You don't have to hang around us very long to find out that we are both avid cruisers. The thought of being surrounded by only sky and sea is nothing short of magnificent in our opinion. It truly is the "sweet spot" in our sweet life.

What is funny about all our cruise vacations is that it never fails that we run across people who will make comments such as, "Must be nice," or "Look at that vacation tan." And truthfully, it is nice and we do have fantastic tans, but it's all about the unseen perspective.

The fact is we spend the majority of the year living a life like nobody else so we can live a life like nobody else. Our vacations and tans come the old-fashioned way, by working outside all summer long. We spend far more days covered in sweat, dirt and grass clippings than we do posing in photos of saltwater and sunsets.

But that's how perspective works. Unless you can see something from the full scope, you are bound to miss something. Perspective is EVERYTHING, and it sits in hand with my faith.

You see, that's another fantastic thing about lawn care.

Being on my mower gives me a lot of one-on-one time with Jesus. I have time to just rest and reflect on the goodness He has shown in my life. It's allowed me time to not just memorize scripture, but to really learn it and apply it to my life. This year, I've been saturating myself in Isaiah 55:8-9, which appropriately is all about perspective.

The fact is, we are far from rich. I'm dressed down way more times than I'm dressed up. We struggle paycheck to paycheck, and we spend more time watching TV and turning in early than we do out on the town. I dare say we are 90 percent boring, but, oh, the perspective I have found in that other 10 percent of my life is so sweet!

I'm with my husband every day, I am loved and treasured immensely by my family and friends, and I rest fully and confidently that the Lord's ways are higher than mine and His thoughts are far beyond anything I can imagine. I dare say under all this sweat, dirt and grass that I reside in daily lives a beloved daughter of the King who is living an abundant sweet life!

ExploreSpringdale.com | 479.872.2222 November 2023 501lifemag.com | 43

A message from

Kim Williams

Executive Director, Conway Downtown Partnership With the arrival of November, anticipation for the holiday season will reach a fevered pitch, and Downtown Conway is poised to become the embodiment of holiday cheer.

It all begins on a charming Sunday afternoon, Nov. 12, when the town gathers for the annual Downtown Conway Christmas Open House. Twinkling lights and wreaths will adorn the streets, and the sweet sounds of holiday music will fill the air. From 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., families can stroll along the festively decorated streets, stopping at one of more than 30 shops and restaurants, each decked out in holiday splendor.

As the month unfolds, the magic continues to build. On Saturday, Nov. 25, we will see not one but two extraordinary events. We begin the day with Small Business Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. It is a day to champion local businesses, explore quaint boutique, and find that one-of-a-kind item to bring joy to a loved one's heart.

But the excitement doesn't end there. The day transitions into Illuminate, starting at 3 p.m. and shimmering until 8 p.m.

Downtown comes alive with sparkling lights, a grand tree lighting ceremony, and a sense of wonder only the holidays can provide.

Rogers Plaza will become a festive wonderland, and laughter and shared memories will fill the air.

And as December approaches, the grand finale is on the horizon.

Mistletoe Madness will occur on Saturday, Dec. 9, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Shoppers are invited to enjoy special promotions and soak up the joyous atmosphere only Downtown Conway can provide.

Throughout the season, the streets will be alive with music, the aroma of holiday treats and the warmth of the community coming together. Families, friends and neighbors will join in the festivities, creating cherished moments that will last a lifetime.

Please make plans to join us!

November 2023 501lifemag.com | 45

STRIVING TO SUCCEED

AT PCSSD

By Jessica Duff

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he Pulaski County Special School District boasts many dedicated educators and administrators from 26 schools across Central Arkansas, which includes the DRIVEN Virtual Academy now starting its third year with the district. PCSSD also has hard-working students who strive to succeed on and off the field.

“In my opinion, success can come to any student athlete who wants it.” said Maumelle Athletic Director Kirk Horton. “Success may look different from one athlete to another.

Some athletes may have the physical gifts to go pro and must work on that path. Other athletes may find success in a sport by building relationships with teammates and coaches. The greatest thing about sports is that there is a fit for everyone.”

Maumelle High senior and football and basketball player Elijah Newell said he grew up playing sports and has learned to balance his academics with his athletics.

“I grew up playing basketball and football since I was 2 years old. Through the years, I’ve learned that you have to work hard and put in the work both in class and on the

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field. So during the day, I focus on my schoolwork to make sure everything is completed before practice or games.”

Maumelle High senior volleyball player Blakely Rochelle said playing high school athletics has made a big impact on her life.

“To balance school and athletics, I have to make sure I am organized and I have to plan ahead. I have had to say no to other things because school and practice come first.

I would tell younger students the hard work is worth it; just make sure you can balance it all. It's not always easy.

Athletics is important to me because not only do I love the sport, but it has taught me a lot and I have made great friends.”

The Pulaski County Special School District Athletic Department provides student-athletes the opportunity for involvement on a variety of athletic teams. While striving for excellence, the athletic programs serve as an extension of the school district’s academic goals, supporting success in the classroom as well as on the field. The Pulaski County Special School District Athletic programs aim to instill loyalty, teamwork and leadership while maintaining honesty and integrity in every student-athlete.

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 26 schools. Every school is accredited by the Arkansas State Board of Education. PCSSD has served schools across Pulaski County since July 1927.

Elijah Newell, Maumelle High School

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.

November 2023 501lifemag.com | 47

Conway Corp's “Gamer Gab” is new home for player programming

By Mark Oliver Photos by Mike Kemp

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W

ayne Bailey and Ashtyn Brown aren’t just coworkers at Conway Corp Channel 5; they’re also avid gamers. One day, the duo put their minds together and turned watercooler talk about their favorite video games into a passion project that’s reaching across the 501 and the internet: “Gamer Gab.”

end of the videos,” Bailey said. “I thought it was funny because every credit is the two of us. From shooting and editing to building and designing the set with memorabilia from our favorite games, we do everything from start to finish. I love all of it because it’s our baby, and we’ve had full creative freedom to build it our way.”

“‘Gamer Gab’ is a project that we’ve been working on since before COVID-19,” Brown said. “Wayne and I would often have in-depth conversations, agreements and disagreements at work about which games we were playing. To me, it sounded like a video game-style podcast that we could easily do. We pitched the idea to our bosses and they gave us the green light.”

With collaborative segments such as Gaming Pet Peeves, Games to Play Between Games and The Quitter’s Corner, Bailey and Brown carefully craft their content to appeal to gamers of all skill levels.

Inspired by a drive to connect with local gamers while promoting Conway Corp’s internet services, Bailey and Brown’s first episode aired in April on YouTube.

“Gaming is a billion-dollar industry that is extremely popular with all age groups,” Brown said. “With most games requiring internet for updates, cloud streaming and online multiplayer, the show also ties in well with the services we offer at Conway Corp.”

From “Gamer Gab’s” custom video intro to the set behind them, Bailey and Brown have meticulously designed each element of the production, big and small.

“In our first few episodes, we put credits at the

“In the beginning, we tried doing reviews of games we liked,” Brown said. “From there, we’ve transitioned to multiple segments that we feel appeals to our audience.

“I love the conversations we have when we’re recording the show,” she said. “They’re so organic. You couldn’t script our chemistry if you wanted to.”

Episodes of “Gamer Gab” are produced monthly on YouTube with plans to move to weekly releases.

“For our first episodes, we’ve dropped a new episode on the first of each month,” Bailey said.

“Going forward, we plan to release each segment as its own video. With YouTube’s algorithm, the more content you put out, the more visibility you get with viewers.”

Continued on page 50

MORE THAN

$100 Million This fall, the UCA NOW campaign accomplished, then exceeded its goal with more than $109 million total raised – victoriously ending the largest campaign in UCA history 10 months ahead of schedule.

This campaign has embraced the urgency of NOW, calling us to new levels of service to our students, our communities and our state.

Because of the incredible support for this vision, we are ready to shape the future in new ways.

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN

November 2023 501lifemag.com | 49

‘ I love all of it because it’s our baby and we’ve had full creative freedom to build it our way.’

Wayne Bailey

On a quest to grow its presence in the gaming community, “Gamer Gab” recently featured an interview with YouTube gaming star TipToe the Tank to resounding success.

“I’ve always been a big fan of TipToe the Tank’s content,” Bailey said. “She’s referred to in the gaming community as ‘The Lady of Lore’ and has more than 90,000 subscribers on YouTube. One day, I cold-called her via e-mail and asked her to join us for an interview. I was very excited when she accepted. That episode, by far, has been our most viewed episode and did wonders for our visibility online, and we are excited about that.”

“Reaction to the channel has been positive,” Brown said. “We’re planning to interview more guests and appeal to a wider audience. We’re open to everyone and want to reach all the markets we can.”

For Brown, Gamer Gab also serves as a platform to shine a light on women in the gaming community. “‘Gamer Gab’ means a lot to me because there’s such a stigma involving women in gaming,” Brown said. “I love to shut that down. Seeing the shock and comments about being a female gamer only opens up the conversation about how large the women’s gaming community is. I hope it helps other women like me feel comfortable about being themselves.”

For Bailey and Brown, “Gamer Gab” has been a dream come true.

“For some, if you make a job out of your hobby, it isn’t fun anymore,” Bailey said. “That’s not the case for us. Because ‘Gamer Gab’ is only a part of what we do at Conway Corp, it’s still fun for us and we enjoy sharing our passion with others like us.”

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Wayne and Ashtyn’s

TOP 10 Gaming Gift Ideas:

10. Playstation, Nintendo or Xbox gift cards 9. Xbox Game Pass or Playstation Plus subscriptions 8. Xbox Design Lab: Create a Custom Xbox Controller 7. External hard drive for additional storage 6. Xbox Series X or S 5. Playstation 5 4. Nintendo Switch OLED Model 3. Gaming Memorabilia at Lootcrate.com 2. Gaming headset 1. Pop! Build your custom Funko Pop at funko.com

November 2023 501lifemag.com | 51

Veteran Billy Davis Photo Photoby byStephen StephenFletcher Fletcher-Arkansas ArkansasAction ActionPhotography Photography

Forever Young Veterans organization gives back to those who have given so much

By Kelli Reep

Founder Diane Hight takes United States Veterans on honor trips to Washington, D.C., to visit war memorials and the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine museums.

November 2023 501lifemag.com | 53

W

hen Billy Davis returned home in 1972 from two tours in Vietnam, his reception was anything but welcoming. He and other veterans were told that, because of protestors outside of the airport gates, they would endure not just ugly names hurled at them, but bags of garbage and worse as well. After dodging taunts, insults and trash, Davis, who was an Army aircraft electrician, door gunner and crew chief, ducked away to change into civilian clothes so he could go on to the next phase of his life.

“I left Vietnam behind me,” he said. “From then on, I didn’t talk about it or acknowledge my time there in any way.”

Diane Hight hears stories like this every day. It’s what keeps her motivated to do all she can to honor the veterans of World War II, Korea and Vietnam. Her father, Leland Oliger, served in the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II, and he struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder while building his life in Morrilton (Conway County).

“I am and always will be an Arkansas girl,” Hight said.

“Watching my daddy's struggle with the effects of war had a profound impact on my life, and this was before we knew anything about PTSD. When I saw a news story on a World War II veteran getting her wish to drive a race car, then seeing the joy on her face, I thought, ‘I can do that.’ That’s what led me to begin Forever Young Veterans.”

This nonprofit provides senior veterans, ages 65 and older, free trips to former battlegrounds like Normandy, Belgium, Pearl Harbor, Germany, Vietnam, England, Italy

and South Korea, as well as honor trips to Washington, D.C., to visit war memorials and the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine museums. Everything from roundtrip flights to hotel accommodations, bus travel and meals is completely free for senior veterans.

“What we have found is these trips are a deep source of healing for the veterans,” Hight said. “Many of our veterans, especially those who fought in Vietnam, Korea and World War II, suffer in silence from their experiences in or near combat.

Forever Young Veterans works to end this by granting their individual wishes, returning them to places where they fought and taking them on a Trip of Honor to Washington, D.C. When we honor our veterans, their healing begins.”

In fact, the first trip Forever Young Veterans was able to accomplish began as one veteran’s wish to visit the National World War II Memorial. Many of these veterans had not witnessed the monument that stands in their honor. This led to other Wish of Honor trips, including a veteran finding a former war buddy, riding in a B-17 again and throwing out the first pitch for the St. Louis Cardinals.

“You know, my daddy never asked for anything from his country,” Hight said. “He was only 17 when he entered the service. When I decided to pursue Forever Young Veterans, I thought I could get some veterans medals they may have lost or coordinate reunions. It became so much more than that and just exploded.

I wanted to take his suffering and help bring healing and hope into the lives of his comrades. I've never taken a salary, so we could honor as many veterans as possible with Trips of Honor, which is my gift to my dad.”

It wasn’t until Davis met Hight that he began to come to terms with his service in Vietnam. To date, he has taken four trips to Washington, D.C., and plans to go on more to help veterans like him find the healing they need and deserve.“Today, you won’t find me without my Vietnam Veteran hat or a shirt,” he said. “After my first trip to Washington, D.C., I realized being a Vietnam Veteran is something special. I’m proud to be one.”

‘Watching my daddy's struggle with the effects of war had a profound impact on my life, and this was before we knew anything about PTSD. I wanted to take his suffering and help bring healing and hope into the lives of his comrades. I've never taken a salary, so we could honor as many veterans as possible with Trips of Honor, which is my gift to my dad.’

Founder Diane Hight speaking about her father, Leland Oliger (pictured left).

June 6, 2024, will mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy during World War II, and Forever Young Veterans is planning its 10th trip there to mark the occasion. It welcomes any veteran who is well enough to go. There is space for 35 to 40 veterans, and, as with all trips through the nonprofit, a nurse, therapist and two volunteers accompany the group to attend to every need the veterans may have. Other trips and wishes are continually being granted, and Forever Young Veterans encourages senior Veterans to contact them about how the nonprofit can help with their wishes by completing an email form at foreveryoungvets.org/contact-us.

You may also write them at P.O. Box 1381, Collierville, TN 38027 or call 901.299.7516.

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Root_____________________ y and Sha__kira PETS OF THE MONTH

GREENBRIER

By Becky Bell

W

hen people ask the age-old joke about why the chicken crosses the road, they obviously expect the answer to be “to get to the other side.”

Although roosters can have multiple mates, Strack expects that since her other chickens have been kept in their coop, Rooty is Shakira’s one and only right now.

But in Greenbrier, a chicken named Shakira is proving that question has to do with a romance whose spark is still burning strong.

“I am sure her eggs are being fertilized. He doesn’t let her get very far from him,” Rooty’s owner said.

She crosses an entire neighborhood to pursue a romance with a tall, handsome rooster named Rooty, and he does the same.

Misty Chance was amused when she found that her attractive, petite, stark-white hen named Shakira had been exploring outside the yard. So Chance took to the Facebook page “Greenbrier News You Should Know” to find the rooster’s owner. There she and Aimee Strack, who owns Rooty, made a connection and are delighted with their pets’ friendship.

Strack said that Rooty is a husky, 10-pound, jet-black Australorp rooster. “Ms. Chance said, ‘We know your rooster and he is taking really good care of our hen, and we love him,’” Strack said.

Strack has had Rooty for about a month and describes his temperament to be much better than other roosters she has known. “He is black and has a red comb, so he’s really pretty,” she said. “This rooster is the sweetest thing. I think it’s just his nature.”

Strack explained that Rooty, who isn’t even a year old, stayed in her yard the first couple of days he was at her home, and remaining close to her chicken pen to keep predators away. But once he went off her property and met Shakira, the two became inseparable.

Chance also told Strack that Shakira was her only chicken left after her other chicken’s lives had been shortened, most likely due to a fox they had seen around the area. But both owners feel that if Rooty is around, Shakira will be alive and in love.

“She was the sole survivor, so he’s her boyfriend I guess,” Strack mused. “He is her knight in shining armor.”

Strack’s cousin, Jason Miller, who also lives on the family farm in Greenbrier, has gotten a huge kick out of the romance between Rooty and Shakira, she said.

“He is the first one who sent me a picture of them in the yard,” she said. Miller told his cousin that Rooty sits on top of the rails and roosts in his Chevrolet truck which is made to haul heavy equipment. Meanwhile, Shakira stays under the shop, laying eggs.

“Jason said she is paying rent,” Strack said.

One thing is for sure about the romance, and that is that it has put a smile on the faces of all who have heard about it.

“Like I said, I live on a family farm, so no one is surprised when animals do crazy things,” Strack said. “I used to do a lot of volunteer work for the Greenbrier Athletic Booster Club when my kids were in school. But I never thought I would be mentioned in a love story about a rooster.”

Animaal l Hospit HARTMANANIMALHOSPITAL.COM November 2023 501lifemag.com | 57

501 LIFE invites you on a journey through the heart of the beautiful Petit Jean River Valley.

Within lies a city drawing new residents and visitors alike.

Its scenic views, robust industries and the welcoming people who know and care about their neighbors are hallmarks of this vibrant community in Conway County.

There's so much to see and so much to do when we ...

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Small City. No Limits. This is the city of Morrilton, the county seat of Conway County. Our community lies in the Ozark foothills, with world-renowned Petit Jean Mountain as a breathtaking landmark nearby. On top of the mountain is Petit Jean State Park, considered the flagship of the Arkansas park system.

Visitors and locals alike will agree that there is much to do and see in Morrilton and throughout Conway County.

The area features experiences that include excellent outdoor and recreational activities, historic landmarks, inviting shops and a wide range of flavorful dining options. Whether you are looking for a getaway in the heart of the Natural State or to relocate to a community that is continually growing, Conway County has much to offer. From a strong network of businesses, industries and farming operations to outstanding educational institutions and recreational opportunities, Morrilton and the Petit Jean River Valley are rich with resources.

Photo by Mike Kemp

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An 8-foot bronze sculpture of the late Winthrop Paul Rockefeller, who was the 17th Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas, stands outside the Morrilton Train Depot.

Dedicated in 2011, it was sculpted by David and Bree Harris of Royal. Win Rockefeller was a dedicated family man, a proud Arkansan, a generous philanthropist and an accomplished businessman. As a boy, he spent summers with his father on Petit Jean Mountain.

Photo by Morgan Zimmerman

Artist Jason White stands in front of his mural design “Morrilton - Small City. No Limits.” that he painted in 2023.

The 2,250-square-foot public art installation, located at 204 W. Railroad St., is located in the Morrilton Historic District. The design was inspired by a vision of the late Charles Louis Ormond, who operated his insurance company out of the building where the mural is located and was known to love trains, planes and grains. After an extensive restoration by Union Pacific, in 2019 the 4014 “Big Boy” train featured on the mural went on a tour of the Union Pacific system to commemorate the transcontinental railroad’s 150th anniversary.

That tour included a stop in Morrilton.

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Where economic opportunity meets a community of caring With a profitable environment and enhanced quality of life, Morrilton is a prime prospect for capital investment. with contributions by Mary Eggart

C

onway and Perry Counties are working together to explore options for port, rail and trucking and are using the natural resources available to bring new companies to the region.

They have formed the Central Arkansas Intermodal Authority (CAIA) and are trying to develop a port on the Arkansas River that will serve large industries.

A port will offer another means to transport goods and alleviate diesel traffic on the interstate. The CAIA believes this option will attract new industries. The civic and business leaders that comprise the group are working to secure funds to construct it. They have land available that is shovel-ready and move-in-ready buildings.

The CAIA is dedicated to industrial and economic development in the region. They diligently work to retain and recruit new industries and promote the area and the state to ensure job security and creation.

Another group is also working to better the lives of citizens.

The Conway County Economic Development Corporation is developing and implementing strategies to expand the tax base by attracting new capital investments that will create highly skilled jobs for the region's residents.

The heart of a community is its downtown. Main Street Morrilton is a Main Street America Affiliate, part of a national network of more than 1,200 communities committed to creating high-quality places. Some events organized by Main Street Morrilton include the monthly Farmer's Market and the downtown "Monsters on Main" Halloween Trick or Treat event. These events allow community members to meet new friends and learn about small businesses.

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Offices for the Morrilton Chamber of Commerce and Conway County Economic Development Corporation.

Holyfield Place is a planned mixed-use park being constructed downtown.

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Photo by Mike Kemp

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KID OF THE MONTH

HANNAH HALBROOK _____________________ __________________ M O R R I LT O N

By Becky Bell

H

annah Halbrook is only 14, but she is already thinking about her future and sees herself becoming a doctor one day.

“I really like people’s biology, our DNA and makeup and stuff and how certain traits are going to get passed on through generations,” Hannah said. “I feel like I’ve liked science for a while. I want to go into a medical career. I want to be an oncologist or cardiologist. It is just something I have been thinking about.”

Hannah’s experiences with family members who have faced crucial health challenges have led her to the conclusion that doctors help people when they need it most.

“I have known people who have had cancer, and there is a part of me that really wants to get rid of that pain for people and help them get better,” Hannah explained, adding she has had aunts and cousins who have suffered with different types of cancer.

However, she might be swayed to go down the path of helping those with heart problems because of her grandfather, Charles Masters, whose heart problems led to open-heart surgeries.

“It was cool to hear about when they went in and did (the surgeries),” Hannah said. “A friend of mine recently had heart surgery, and it helped her out and made it better, and that is just something I would like to do.”

Hannah’s favorite class is, unsurprisingly, physical science, and she said the class is taught by her favorite teacher, Kaleb Blocker. Although she and other eighth graders at Morrilton Junior High School will have to wait another year to dissect a frog, Hannah said she likes frogs but the thought of the dissecting assignment really doesn’t bother her. An ability to dissect and keep a solid stomach will serve her well as she continues her studies to become whatever type of doctor she wants to be.

Hannah is the daughter of Shawn and Jennifer Halbrook.

She has three siblings: Cade Halbrook, 21; Ashlyn Halbrook,

19; and Kynsleigh Halbrook, 11. The family has one pet, a cat named Violet, whose sweet name doesn’t quite do her justice as an expert hunter of the various lizards, birds and rabbits that she lays down as gifts in front of the family’s door.

Jennifer said the cat was supposed to be Kynsleigh’s pet, but the cat has chosen her favorite.

“She loves Hannah and Hannah loves her,” Jennifer said.

When she isn’t studying science, or hanging out with her family, Hannah participates in various athletic pursuits. She runs track and plays both volleyball and softball. Her favorite sport is volleyball because she likes the faster pace of the game.

“I am a setter, which [means I] get the ball where the hitter can hit the ball to the other team,” Hannah said. “Volleyball is my favorite over softball because it’s faster paced, which is really meant for me. I like everything fast-paced because sometimes softball will get boring.”

Hannah certainly does like fast-paced if her position as shortstop on the softball team runs a little slow for her. Also, in search of fast-moving sports, she started track last year.

She competes in the 400-meter race as an individual and the 4x400-meter relay, which is where the runners hand a baton off to each other at the end of each relay leg.

Additionally, she competes in the triple jump, which requires three steps before landing the jump in the sand pit, and she also competes in the pole vault.

Because she is not an only child, she realizes that both her parents can’t attend all her sporting events, but she loves to see them in the stands, she said.

“It’s just nice seeing they care enough to come and see what I’ve been working on and how I’ve been improving,” Hannah said.

With supportive parents, success in school, a love of science and a desire for a fast-paced environment, Hannah is on her way to becoming a doctor or anything else she wants to be.

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From dining and family-fun to historical and unique attractions, there’s

Much To Do in Morrilton!

Big Cuppa Coffee Shop – As “Morrilton’s Place

Since 2017,” Big Cuppa, located at 205 E. Broadway Street, is a local craft coffee and specialty beverage shop in historic downtown Morrilton that exists to promote community pride and provide a venue for new shared experiences.

Parks and Recreation – The City of Morrilton

Parks and Recreation Department operates many different parks for its citizens. The main complex at City Park Drive features the Morrilton city park, pool, splash pad, walking trail, skate park and ball field complex. The area also contains tennis, basketball and pickleball courts. Artwork, picnic tables, and pavilions are also available.

Morrilton Community Center – Located at

1307 East Harding St., the Center offers a complete fitness center and many youth, adult and elderly programs, including aerobics and aquatics classes.

Morrilton Depot Museum – Housed in a 1915 Missouri-Pacific railroad depot, the Morrilton Depot Museum is located in downtown Morrilton. The museum is dedicated to the history of Conway County and includes displays on the Trail of Tears, railroad history, and the Civil War. Morrilton Golf and Country Club – Established in 1928, it features an 18-hole golf course with Champion Bermuda grass greens. The course is two miles west of Downtown Morrilton. This private club welcomes daily golfers as well as those visiting Morrilton and Petit Jean Mountain area.

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Morrilton Historic District – Located along Church and Broadway streets, the area features the Conway County Courthouse and the Carnegie Library, which is one of only two public libraries in the state operating in its original Carnegie building.

The area also features handsome churches, homes, restaurants and downtown shopping.

Playland Skating and Bowling – Located on

Howell Drive in Morrilton, Playland Skating and Bowling is a family-friendly skating rink, bowling alley, arcade and café. Completely renovated by the city of Morrilton in 2022, Playland has quickly become one of the area’s top family entertainment centers.

Point Remove Brewing Company – Point Remove Brewing Company is a craft brewery and wine producer located on Highway 64 in Morrilton featuring products that are inspired by our surroundings in the Natural State. The patio is the perfect place to relax after a day spent in the outdoors, a space where patrons can enjoy hanging out and listening to live music while sampling the brewery’s craft beers, wine and artisan pizza.

Rialto Community Arts Center and Gallery

The Rialto Theatre has a rich history spanning more than 100 years. The Rialto Community Arts Center, comprised of the theater and adjoining art gallery, is a subsidiary of the Arts Council of Conway County. The Rialto Theatre hosts several theatrical performances and musical acts each year and hosts auditions.

Meet Positive Change.

Ready to help hardworking single parents like Lyric earn a degree? Donate or volunteer now at aspsf.org.

“We all have the goal of making lives better not only for ourselves but most importantly our kids.”

UACCM graduate Shamard Thomas placed second in the nationwide 2021 SkillsUSA Championship Architectural Drafting competition.

Conway County families can choose between public and private schools, beginning with early childhood education. The local opportunities continue through college-level courses.

UACCM

The largest public school district is South Conway County School District. "We are large enough to provide excellent learning opportunities to prepare all students for a 21st-century world and economy, said Superintendent Shawn Halbrook.

Lyric & her son

Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund Recipient

Other options are Nemo Vista and Wonderview School Districts. The private school option is Sacred Heart Catholic School, one of only two Pre-K-12 Catholic schools in the state.

After graduation, the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton offers an affordable two-year associate degree and technical and occupational certificates.

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Southern Social

Empowering women through sisterhood at Morrilton Women's Group

By Mary Eggart

W

omen supporting women. This is the goal and mantra of Southern Social, a women’s group in Morrilton that is dedicated to lifting, educating and empowering women. As the organizers of the group, Stacy Drilling and Misty Willbanks are no strangers to supporting each other and their goals as local entrepreneurs.

Together, they have created a mobile bar business called the Southern Sippery and opened Orenwood Hall, an event space in Morrilton that is multi-functional, where Southern Social members and guests gather each month. The group offers women’s topics monthly and brings in speakers and activities related to that topic.

Members pay monthly dues for access to all events; likewise, they receive a discounted fee for using the rental space, Orenwood Hall, which is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays as a women’s co-working space. Guests are welcome to attend all events for a fee.

The idea for a women’s social club came to Drilling and Willbanks in the aftermath of COVID-19 shutdowns. Both stated that they had often thought about the toll the shutdowns had taken on many people’s mental health and how important social interaction is for everyone, from children to the elderly. Moreover, women significantly benefit from being around women, and Southern Social has offered the ladies of Morrilton and Conway County valuable opportunities to further and perhaps rekindle friendships while also making new connections with other women in their community.

Meanwhile, these ladies learn together about topics that affect them directly, which often leads to dynamic conversations that allow women to feel empowered and supported by their fellow neighbors.

Since its inception, the community has been extremely supportive of Willbanks and Drilling’s vision. Both women believe that the success of their other local businesses has helped them gain trust, which in turn assures their members that Southern Social values its members’ and guests’ time and investments. Drilling and Willbanks are always working diligently on bringing quality speakers and activities to their members each month. The topic of “Gaining Confidence to Achieve Your Goals” followed by “Vino and Vision Boards” is only one example of the pair’s thoughtful creativity.

July was an exceptional example of Southern Social members and guests coming together to learn from speakers while also being treated to various topic-related activities throughout the month. The theme for July was Self-Care and Mental Health. On July 11, Wendy Blackwood, therapist and director of Healing Path Counseling, was accompanied by Townsend, professional musician and podcaster. Both spoke about managing stress and anxiety.

Later that month, ladies were invited to Self-Care Saturday, where they had access to chair massages, Botox and IV health drips, all performed by licensed professionals. Meanwhile, members present received discount cards to local businesses.

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The August Southern Social speaker was popular Confidence Coach Christina Lecuyer. Her podcast is titled “Decide It’s Your Turn™.” Any woman is welcome to join the group and pay dues and guests are welcome to visit for a fee.

Photo by Bo Cunningham

Photo by Morgan Zimmerman

Stacy Drilling (from left), Donna Terrell and Misty Willbanks at a Southern Social meeting at Orenwood Hall in Morrilton. Terrell is a FOX 16 news anchor.

The topics and speakers have certainly been impressive. Donna Terrell, Emmy Award-winning journalist and FOX 16 news anchor, was also a speaker. Her topic was “Finding Triumph Over Tragedy,” where she openly spoke about the death of her daughter. Another notable speaker was Deena Burnett Bailey, owner, CEO, author and widow of 9/11 United Airlines Flight 93 passenger Tom Burnett. Her topic was “Remaining Resilient through the Unthinkable.”

As a mother of three young girls at the time of the tragedy, Burnett Bailey spoke to the Southern Social members and guests about how fortunate she was to have a community of neighbors, church members and friends who instinctively took the reins and helped her in all areas of her day-to-day life during an unthinkable time, from getting her children to school to buying groceries. She was asked by a Southern Social member about the importance of women in her life in the aftermath of 9/11. With tears in her eyes, she passionately replied, “Women were vital. They became my family; my friends were now my sisters.”

This is the goal of Southern Social. It is a place where women can come together as neighbors while also supporting each other as sisters.

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Morrilton and the Petit Jean River Valley are going to great lengths to make the 2024 Great North American Eclipse a true experience, with a number of special events and activities planned for the weekend before and leading up to the day of the eclipse. The community will be hosting concerts, a food truck festival, a hot air balloon event atop Petit Jean Mountain, a pop-up market, kid’s games and activities, and much, much more as part of the fun in Morrilton and the Petit Jean River Valley during the eclipse.

Aside from the special events and activities, there are a number of things to see and do in the community that are sure to entertain visitors of all ages. Arkansas’s first and most popular state park, Petit Jean State Park, is located atop Petit Jean Mountain and offers amazing scenery, trails, interpretive programs and activities. Petit Jean Mountain is also home to the Museum of Automobiles classic car museum, Barnyard Friends & Stables petting zoo and horseback riding, and Fly Petit Jean hot air balloon flights.

The City of Morrilton is home to the Depot Museum, located in the Historic Downtown and offering a wide variety of exhibits on the history of Morrilton and the Petit Jean River Valley.

Morrilton is also home to Playland Bowling & Skating Rink, Point Remove Brewing Company, a movie theater, the Rialto Community Arts Center & Gallery and a large number of other historic buildings and homes.

A Wide Variety of Accommodations and Amenities Whether you are looking for a hotel room, vacation rental, or campsite, Morrilton and the Petit Jean River Valley have a variety of places to stay during the Great North American Eclipse. In addition to traditional lodging, a number of groups and landowners are setting up “Eclipse Villages” where visitors can camp and enjoy the eclipse and related activities.

In addition to many places to stay, Morrilton and the Petit Jean River Valley offer many places to shop and dine. Dining options range from local coffee shops and artisan pizza to wellknown chains; whatever you may want, there’s a good chance you can find it here. Shoppers love the small shops, boutiques and gift shops found in Downtown Morrilton, plus we have department stores, grocery stores, pharmacies and anything else you may need on your visit.

For more information on Morrilton and the Petit Jean River Valley and the 2024 Great North American Eclipse, including concerts, festivals and camping options from primitive camping to RVs, visit arkeclipse.com. You can also call the Morrilton Area Chamber of Commerce at 501.354.2393 and follow their Facebook page.

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I

t is hard to categorize the word “sweet.” It can describe all of the senses of taste, smell, sound, touch and sight, as well as create the word combinations “sweet-talk” and “sweetheart.”

Taken further, it refers to purity, love, nostalgia, a pleasantnatured person, and recently, its new use as a response of approval.

Shakespeare wrote, “Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it be morrow.” Proverbs 20:17 says, “Food gained by fraud tastes sweet, but one ends up with a mouth full of gravel!”

Singer Paul Davis demonstrated his marital and family life contentment in lyrics from one of his 1970s hits. “All our friends seem to be in a hurry but we'll just keep on taking our time. We're living such a sweet life … ” It doesn’t take long for us to sense sweetness in food, objects, people, actions or memories. Going through my cedar chest, I noticed an elegant, hand-stitched article of clothing made by my Grandmother Arnold for her trousseau.

When she died in 1946, my 3-year-old self prevented me from remembering her afterward, but I came to know her personality and Granddad’s through their love letters.

I have them in a box, and to see how the two came to finally marry without cellphones, e-mails or ease of dating is miraculous. Many are short notes of formal wording written on small pieces of paper. Her parents were not keen on their possible marriage, so they hid their written communications in books. They are all signed with quaint variations of “Your

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true friend.” Not until the last note before marrying did he say, “I love you, dear.” Now, that was sweet.

The advancement of time altered the sweetness of home cooking. My Lawson grandparents maintained a subsistence farm. Essentially, that means they consumed what they raised, but hadn’t enough to sell. Twelve people lived in that three-room log cabin, and all were involved in gardening, cooking and raising and processing animals if they wanted to eat. They had okra, corn, peas, peanuts, potatoes, beans, root crops and greens as “sides” for meat, eggs, poultry and fish. Fresh milk, buttermilk, cream and homemade butter were extra blessings.

But what about sweets? Well, that would be apples from the orchard to make cobblers and pies with cinnamon, butter, flour and sugar. Molasses was also used in cookies and even on pancakes. Sugar, salt and spices were purchased at a store a few miles away uphill and down in a wagon. Sugar was used sparingly, as it took a half-day to make those trips, whatever the weather. Most people were light on sweetness anyway. Her dessert specialties were Tennessee stack cakes with an apple filling between the layers and pies made with apples, vinegar or buttermilk.

Grandmother Arnold’s sons and daughters were also taught to cook. Cooking during World War I was difficult enough with ingredients being limited. During World War II, the government rationed sugar and eggs among other things, so there were countless recipes for sugarless, eggless recipes.

In anticipation of her coming marriage in February of 1899, the author’s grandmother began collecting and writing in pencil a few family recipes in a notebook in December 1898.

In 1941, the small, round chocolate candies covered with a crunchy coating and stamped with two M’s were made exclusively for soldiers. They “didn’t melt in your hands,” provided energy and could survive in battlefield action.

They had previously had a Hershey bar made just for them but it is thankfully no longer made. Soldiers found them tasteless and tough. Years later, the small, crunchy candies were sold to the public along with what they called a candy “kiss” because of the sound the machine made when it dispensed them. The upward point of the little foil-wrapped chocolate candies just might indicate the direction your weight would go! There were also flavored, red wax “lips” as well as tiny wax cola bottles injected with syrupy food dyes. The path was set.

Entire companies made nothing but cupcakes, cinnamon buns and rolls of chewy chocolate. At that time, our population was not addicted to sugar or sweets, so we had been a relatively healthy nation. The “war to end all wars” victory, however, would be followed by more prosperity and the beginning of a sugar-laden food industry that competed for our taste buds and changed our health. At home, the new recipes with excess sugar were invading kitchens through magazines and newspapers. Currently, everything from cereal to cough syrups contains sugar and/or fructose syrup and/or corn syrup and other additions with questionable effects. And that is not sweet.

But what did the poet John Newton write in 1779?

“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound.” What does Granny tell her “sweetie pie” grandchild when she wants a kiss?

“Gimmee some sugar.”

Words said from the heart are powerful, whether spoken by a poet or a sweet granny.

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By Rita Halter Thomas 74 | 501 LIFE November 2023

Lady W hi stleLIFE’s

SOCIETY PA PERS DEA R R EA DER S: It is my absolute delight to share great news of an upcoming Bridgerton-inspired royal gala at Conway’s own Legacy Acres, to be held Thursday, the 30th day of November, beginning at 6 o’clock in the evening. Prepare to be swept into a time of “romance and intrigue” and experience an unforgettable night with the “opulence and sophistication” of Regency-era high society.

As you would expect at a royal gala, guests will enjoy delectable foods, a scrumptious three-course meal, horsedrawn carriage rides, ballroom dancing and music appropriate for such a historic-themed occasion. Musicians and dancers from an institute of higher learning, the University of Central Arkansas, will set the regal ambiance of a nineteenth-century England ball. An opera singer will entertain with her vocal prowess of trills and leaps, and a string quartet will provide live music from the era. And since modern forms of dance less resemble the elegance of ballroom dancing, instruction will be provided by those proficient in the manner.

As a philanthropic endeavor, there is to be a silent auction with an array of items (or experiences) to be won, if you are the highest bidder. Be generous, readers, and you may win such things as a live portrait, the handiwork of local artists, or lodging at something called an “Air BNB” at some highly desired location. Oh, the sport of keeping a keen eye on those bids!

Once guests stand next to the stately white columns or walk beneath the iron-rail balcony and enter the double doors of this timeless, prestigious facility at 100 Legacy Acres Drive, they will feel the grandeur of the time. Lady Jessica Crum, WLN board member and gala marketing chair, suggests having royal portraits taken upon arrival, catching your likeness first, before dinner and dancing. And readers, don’t forget to peruse those auction items early and set your sights on items you wish to win.

My sources say the masters of ceremonies will be Lady Ashton Pruitt, president of the Greenbrier Chamber of Commerce, and Lady Faith Woodard, evening news anchor, THV 11. The Royal Gala will raise funds for the Women’s Leadership Network (WLN), a society of women formed

to support, elevate, empower, and embrace women. Lady Stacey Alston, VP of the WLN and gala chair, added, “We also encourage women to live their lives authentically.”

The royal gala is the organization’s primary annual fundraiser. While the university is still a valued and important partner, the WLN just acquired its official 501(c)(3) nonprofit status. Whether in leadership at home, at work, or in the community, the WLN seeks to provide the tools and networking support to elevate each other to become “agents of influence,” as Lady Crum once stated.

The esteemed Lady Dr. Shaneil Ealy, UCA’s Associate VP Division of Outreach and Community Engagement, oversees the WLN and shared her gratitude for the community’s support. “I am thrilled about Conway’s excitement when I tell people … the gasps and excitement on their faces … we’re really bringing something unique to the community. We’re excited the community is joining us in this effort, not only for entertainment purposes but to support the network.”

The WLN Royal Gala is for both Lord and Lady, and proper era attire is highly encouraged for the fun and entertainment of it all. I am told, my faithful readers, that an array of era clothing may easily be found searching something called the “internet.” Ladies should wear Regency or Victorian-era gowns and Lords should wear formal suits. However, those clothed in modern-day formal attire will still be granted admittance.

Tickets can be obtained through Eventbrite by searching for the WLN Royal Gala. Don’t delay, as seating is limited, and you don’t want to miss out.

Rumor has it there may even be a diamond selected from this very event. So, dear readers, spare nothing. Mark your calendars now, adorn yourself in your best-era attire, and purchase tickets for this very special occasion at wlnarkansas. com.

Yours Truly, Lady WhistleLIFE

LEFT: Paola Ticas, Catherine Buercklin and Jane Nim

November 2023 501lifemag.com | 75

Photos by Mike Kemp

76 | 501 LIFE November 2023

L

onoke, Arkansas, isn’t the kind of town one generally associates with art, but that says more about a person’s attitude than the place itself. Art is, as the saying goes, in the eye of the beholder and the hand of the Almighty, and one look at the brilliant sunsets, the vibrant landscapes or the abundant wildlife here attests to that.

It's the kind of place that has enchanted lifelong artist Terri Taylor, owner of Cozy Nook Studios Gallery & Café.

ARTIST OF THE MONTH

TERRI R. TAYLOR ________________________ LONOKE

By Dwain Hebda

“I drove by this building and it had stained glass in it,” she said. “I love stained glass. It’s a hobby. I would never do stained glass professionally because that would steal my passion. Anyway, I bought the building.”

Today a welcoming space that gathers people for nourishment of the body and soul, the building was, at the time she found it, hungry for its second act in life — much like its owner. Looking to move on from a failed marriage, Taylor had taken a job teaching art at Hazen High School in part because it was full-time work and partly because it was halfway between one of her sons attending college in North Little Rock and another attending school in Memphis. It took her eight weeks to renovate the 1,700-square-foot building before opening an art studio in 2018.

“I would finish teaching in Hazen and I would drive to Lonoke and work in my studio and teach classes,” she said. “I learned to embrace hiccups.

There’s been several little hiccups along the way, but I will tell you that you don’t get the highs without the lows. It’s a great ride.”

Continued on page 78

November 2023 501lifemag.com | 77

Artist Terri R. Taylor of Cozy Nook Studios in Lonoke sits in front of one of her paintings that is for sale at her café/art studio.

“Three Moons” is part of a series based on the Delta landscapes from an aerial view, then flattened.

Taylor has never known a time when she wasn’t surrounded by art as both her mother and grandmother were gifted creators. Growing up in a military family, she moved around a lot growing up, mostly on the East Coast. In 1976, the family landed in Sheridan, where her mother opened a studio and gallery downtown, foreshadowing her own venture years later.

Though Taylor would only be there for three years before entering college at age 16, she was already accomplished in her own right. Each step in her educational journey – she’d ultimately attend five colleges in multiple states before earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Henderson State University – only broadened that experience.

“When your mother owns an art gallery and studio, you sell artwork from about the age of third grade, you know?” she said “I always was a drawer growing up. Then I became a muralist and basically did that all the way through my several

78 | 501 LIFE November 2023

years of college. Then I went full-time educator in art and I worked my summers as a muralist.”

Taylor’s path eventually led back to Arkansas, where she and then-husband Marc Menefee started a family and founded the Art Church, a former Hot Springs sanctuary building they bought when it was barely standing and transformed it into a commercial space. After 19 years, the couple parted ways, and Taylor found her way to the Delta just as Lonoke was starting to catch its second wind with new businesses opening along the town’s main drag.

“When I first started this, it wasn’t anything. The building was falling in. This was a project of love and I had a blast playing with the building, working with some great contractors,” Taylor said. “The energy of this little town is so embracing. It’s not like a new energy that’s moved here; it’s like air has been breathed into the town and it’s awakening.

That’s been exciting.”

Most art studios survive on art students, and students don’t grow on trees, especially in small farming communities.

Taylor found what she’s always found – that there will always be some parents who want their kids to discover and express talent outside of sports – but also recognized it was prudent to broaden the business’ appeal by adding a café. Artistry can live anywhere, she contends, especially the kitchen.

“I’m in rural Arkansas and the bottom line of things is there’s a lot of people who would never, ever walk into an art gallery or an art studio, but they’ve got to eat,” she said. “If you have good food, they will walk into an art gallery or an art studio for it.

“So I get the farmers who come in to eat and they’re surrounded by original art. Our menu is named after famous artists, and every day I get to talk about artists and art to people who would never take time out of their day to walk into a museum or art gallery.”

Today, Taylor is as immersed in creative endeavors as at almost any time in her life, whether it’s baking by touch and smell – due to food allergies, she can’t eat her own creations – or chatting up the lunch crowd or leading classes of all ages.

Every encounter brings something out of the retired teacher, something she’s glad to share with anyone in a space that glows with creativity and warmth.

“If I can plant that seed in everybody that walks through this door or even just one person, which I know I have, that is a quest accomplished,” she said. “Spreading joy and passion and love is a gift from God, it’s a gift from the universe, it’s a gift of persistence and patience. But most of all, it’s a gift only others can give you. I’m just incredibly blessed every day.”

November 2023 501lifemag.com | 79

By Dr. Robert Reising Photo by Mike Kemp

80 | 501 LIFE November 2023

She looks and sounds healthy, and her activities and achievements reinforce an image of health and fitness.

Yet her medical records disagree.

For the last five years, they identify her as a victim of cystic fibrosis, a terminal illness that affects her lungs, liver, and pancreas and demands regular medical surveillance and periodic treatments at Houston’s Baylor Medical Center, miles from her Garland County home.

T

wenty-year-old Natalie Jennings has begun her journey into adulthood, certain to be at least as challenging and inspiring as it is successful and fatiguing. “I hope to live many more years,” explains the Henderson State University (HSU) Cross Country stalwart, adding “we can never fully appreciate life until we’ve struggled all my struggles helped make me a determined and dedicated athlete.”

Since Natalie's 2003 birth in Garland County, she has enjoyed the unqualified, Christianity-enriched support of her parents, Charles and Melissa Jenkins, owners of the spacious Back Porch Grill on Lake Hamilton, where she works part-time.

Her three siblings, an older sister and two younger brothers, also attend school–Jessica at Ouachita University (where she runs Cross Country) and C. J. and Samuel at St. John’s Catholic School, where Natalie completed her early education in 2017.

Faith in the Almighty, productive labor and quality education unite the family in a commitment to purposeful lives. Without incident, a healthy Natalie sped through St. John’s while, thanks to her father, cultivating capabilities in a variety of sports.

In the fall of 2016, Coach Jeff Haynes welcomed her into his Track and Cross Country Programs at Lakeside High School.

She earned his respect quickly. In her first year, Natalie garnered All-State honors in Cross Country

and in her second, 5A All-Conference honors in Cross Country before again capturing All-State honors in Cross Country. During the subsequent track season, she won the mile and the 800 at the 5A All-Conference Meet and runner-up honors in the latter at the Arkansas State Meet.

In the same spring, however, the ominous, debilitating impact of disease emerged. Slowly but ever more frequently, the mysterious enemy within Natalie’s body wreaked its havoc, until eventually a diagnosis of cystic fibrosis was undeniable. Slowly, too, becoming more crucial were excursions to Houston for more sophisticated treatment than available in Arkansas.

Life had changed for Natalie. Thereafter she was always to live and compete while a foe silently threatened to become increasingly debilitating.

But even with what the attractive female termed “my daunting disease,” she continued “to run well and defy expectations.” As a junior, she claimed a third All-State Cross Country title before COVID-19 forced closure of all state schools. In her final year of high school she proved for a fourth time that she was the state’s best Cross Country runner while also winning the 5A Conference’s runner-up trophy in the 800. Then in May of 2021, just weeks before her Lakeside High School graduation, Natalie was hospitalized with pneumonia and could not compete in the state meet.

Continued on page 82

“I know it’s not normally necessarily to have gone to three colleges or to be running with a terminal illness, but if life has taught me anything it’s to take everything in stride and have faith in God’s plan.”

Natalie Jennings

She left the school with special insight into her ailment: in each of three years, she had completed a three-credit course in biomedicine taught by Coach Fields which included units on cystic fibrosis.

She also departed with records at Lakeside High that she continues to hold, the fastest times ever in both the mile and the 800. The CHI St. Vincent Health Award, which honors Arkansas student-athletes who have overcome health challenges with grace and humility while inspiring their team and community, came to Natalie as well, accompanied by a wish from Make-A-Wish® Mid-South. “I have continued to volunteer with Make-A-Wish®, she explains, “to try and show my gratitude for the wish I received.”

In the following year, however, Arkansas Tech University proved to be “a bad fit,’” forcing Natalie to transfer to National Park College (NPC), a two-year institution in her home county. There, she thrived. She completed her basics in what she labeled “a personalized learning environment [with] many great professors who were understanding of my illness and practices.”

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Additional success accompanied her cross-country performances in her lone season of NPC competition. She aided her team in every one of its six meets, taking second place in the Van Davis Memorial 5K, sixth place in the Carl Albert College Invitational (in Poteau, Okla.), and ninth place in the Bucks XC Season Opener. She was also NPC’s top finisher in the Lois Davis Invitational, in which the Nighthawks failed to rank as a team because of their inability to enter a full squad.

Natalie confesses that “I greatly enjoyed my time at NPC,” where guidance led her to transfer to Henderson State University with junior standing and a major in business and marketing. She is now a valued member of the Reddies’ 2023 Cross Country Team, which is currently exceeding pre-season predictions with a pair of third-place finishes in its opening meets.

Natalie continues to be a marvel in the nation’s athletic world. Her relentless zeal to compete, her admirable performances, and her unflagging spirit merit respect far beyond the 501’s measurable limits.

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November 2023 501lifemag.com | 83

By Kat Robinson

14 better desserts to represent Arkansas than Red Velvet Cake.

About once a quarter, there’s another insane creation put out on a website or online magazine, that quantifies each of the 50 states by a particular food item or idea. A few years ago, an online magazine based in New York chose Red Velvet cake for Arkansas’s signature dessert. They were wrong.

Mind you, I like Red Velvet cake. I really do. But it’s quite clearly a Louisiana food.

We have no need to borrow desserts. We have oodles of our own!

With so many different desserts to choose from, Arkansas has a lot of great options to share. We can leave red velvet cake to our south-of-the-Arkansas-border neighbors.

Cinnamon rolls.

A classic that came along long before biscuits-in-a-can, the cinnamon roll (along with fudge and smoked meats) once lined our highways with one stand after another, claiming to have the largest and best. There are still numerous amazing cinnamon rolls across the state, from the largest at Burl’s Country Smokehouse in Royal and the almost-as-large at Ferguson’s in St. Joe to the icing-less variety served with every meal at Calico County.

Chocolate rolls.

Butter rolls.

If you have no clue what a butter roll is, I am so very sorry. A divine combination of cream, butter and flour elevated to the highest essence of richness, it is a divine dessert you will rarely find on a restaurant menu.

Created from a biscuit-type dough rolled out, dolloped heavily with real butter and sugar and nutmeg, rolled up and baked and then smothered in more cream, sugar, butter and nutmeg (and sometimes cinnamon) and let to rest until every sweet drop is absorbed, then often topped with MORE cream, sugar, butter and nutmeg... this Arkansas delight is incomparable.

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Searcy County in the Arkansas Ozarks has named itself the Chocolate Roll Capital of the World, and for good reason.

This long-time homegrown favorite has recently emerged as a contender for great dessert across Arkansas. Similar to a cinnamon roll, its cocoa-andsugar essence has become the must-stop food for folks traveling through Leslie and Marshall. Get yours at Misty’s Shell on U.S. 65.

Fried pies.

Oklahoma cannot have fried pie. It ain’t happening. Yeah, it’s sweet, the little story about the lady who fried pies. We have dozens of those stories.

Our fried pies have been made in the Delta for generations.

Meringue pie.

Generations of home cooks in Arkansas have beat the hell out of egg whites in efforts to create the perfect halo of essence over a variety of creamy fillings for these angelic pies. While Ed and Kay’s Restaurant has closed, ending decades of its fine standing with Mile High Pies, purveyors such as Charlotte’s Eats and Sweets in Keo, which still serves up slices of marvelous meringue pies, from the traditional chocolate and coconut pies to caramel, to places like Hillbilly Hideout in Ozark with its cherry cream cheese meringue pies, and Neal’s Cafe in Springdale, with its almost iridescent lemon variety.

Pound cake or butter cake.

The first recipe my mom taught me to bake was a pound of flour, a pound of sugar, a pound of butter and a pound of eggs. She simplified this for me as a cup of flour, a cup of sugar, a stick of butter and an egg. Pound cake, or butter cake, became part of my life early on, and to this day I keep seeing it in restaurants, at potlucks and wherever. No one else has it, let’s claim it.

Peanut butter pie.

We can’t claim to be the original home of Skippy Peanut Butter, but in Little Rock we make tons of it. Whether that has anything to do with the plethora of peanut butter pies offered across the state or not, I don’t know. You can find it on restaurant menus a little bit of everywhere, from Jonesboro (Gina’s Place) to Mabelvale (Three Sams BBQ).

Ice cream.

We have Yarnell’s, which produces such delectable and honestly scrumptious flavors such as Homemade Strawberry, Butter Pecan and Ozark Black Walnut.

Thank you, just put ice cream on that list for us now.

November 2023 501lifemag.com | 85

Lemon icebox pie.

How can there not be an icebox pie on this list? The simple, easy-to-make marvel should have made the list somewhere, and as many cooks who delight in this cold confection as there are, let’s choose to name it a source of Arkansas pride.

Blackberries in sweetened condensed milk.

Another item you will never find on a restaurant menu, this simple yet decadent sweet is well known to kids who have grown up in rural Arkansas.

Watermelon.

I realize that this is a fruit and not a created dessert, but WATERMELON. How can you deny watermelon as a great dessert after seeing these faces?

Pies in general.

Kat Robinson is an author and Arkansas food historian who shares stories extensively about The Natural State’s cuisine through books, articles and documentaries.

Her 12th book, The Great Arkansas Pie Book, is available nationwide. You can follow her adventures at her website, TieDyeTravels.com.

86 | 501 LIFE November 2023

There is no other state that reveres pie like we do. And we do it so well and in so many different combinations: PCP (Pineapple, Coconut, Pecan), Dang Good (Pineapple and Coconut), Bourbon Chocolate Pecan, Tang (yes, the astronaut drink), grape, Grasshopper (chocolate mint), old fashioned fried (cocoa-sugar-butter filled), lemon-coconut, Black Bottom, blackberry, cherry cream cheese, Dreamsicle, strawberry icebox, strawberry cream, strawberry cream cheese, baked strawberry, peach, peach cream cheese, peach-blackberry, blueberry, Turtle, Almond Joy, caramel apple nut, Karo nut, sugar pecan, sweet potato, chocolate pile, chocolate cream, chocolate chocolate chocolate, possum pucker, raisin, shoo-fly, pecan, oatmeal, cushaw, four-layer, toasted coconut, caramel, coconut pecan, Bradley County pink tomato, chocolate caramel cream, brown sugar, egg custard, hot fudge, walnut, pineapple cream, banana cream, lemon custard … I could go on all day. Pie belongs to Arkansas. We are the pie state.

And of course, that brings me to possum pie. This one eponymous pie has been seen all over Arkansas and appears on menus across the state. It’s simple, just being four layers - a flour and pecan crust, a cream cheese layer, a chocolate custard layer, and a whipped cream layer sprinkled with pecans. It’s definitive. It probably should be considered as the state dessert, in my opinion.

November 2023 501lifemag.com | 87

gourdeous from good to

88 | 501 LIFE November 2023

Create an Autumn Centerpiece

By Julianne Milner

F

all is such a cozy time of year. We focus our attention to the indoors with textured throws and rich velvet pillows on the sofas. Our candles go from cucumber and lavender to more heady scents such as pumpkin, spices, vanillas and others that bring fall to mind. We bring out the pumpkins, gourds and berry stems along with heavier fabrics in deep fall tones and those ever-loved plaids.

Fall is the perfect time to mix in vases, candlesticks, bookends and other accessories in copper and bronze hues that really warm up a space A simple way to add a touch of fall to your dining table, buffet, kitchen island or coffee table is with a dough bowl.

Many of you may have a dough bowl you have inherited from your mom or grandmother. If not, they are easy to find in a variety of sizes at home goods and antique stores. It only takes three easy steps to go from an empty dough bowl to a gorgeous arrangement!

Fill your dough bowl half full with dry beans. This ensures that nothing gets lost in the bottom of the bowl and gives you a level surface to work with.

This is where you add your leaves, berry stems and any stems you might want to hang down over the side of the bowl. Tuck the stems in the beans to anchor them and keep them stable.

Add the pumpkins, gourds, or any other natural elements you are using such as pinecones or acorns, and tuck ribbon in if you like.

I used artificial pumpkins and gourds in my dough bowl because real ones were not available at the time of the photo shoot. Real ones are just as easy to use and even more beautiful!

Photo by Mike Kemp

And there you have it! A fall delight to enjoy all season long.

November 2023 501lifemag.com | 89

Photo by Mike Kemp

This year Gina Harrison went on a three-week driving trip to Alaska with a friend, stopping at iconic destinations on the way. They drove 11,800 miles, entered six territories in Canada, and 11 different states.

A Sweet Sight

After family tragedies, Gina Harrison found her smile again through travel

By Rita Halter Thomas

W

e’re told when life hands us lemons, make lemonade.

For some, the sweeter, the better. Gina Harrison of Beebe has had her share of lemons, but in recent years her travels and new friendships have made her life a lot sweeter.

When Gina lost her husband in 2017 shortly after he retired, their dreams and plans of traveling together came crashing down. Three months later, she nearly died in a car accident.

When her grandmother passed away, she sold the family’s land and both their homes in Cabot. She bought a home in Beebe for herself, her mom and her daughter, putting three generations back under one roof. “I always wanted to travel,

but I never thought I would get to,” she said. “I’m not rich at all and live on a widow’s pension.”

Widowed with so much life left to live, Gina tried dating sites on social media. “I’ve not had much luck finding love, but I’ve made a lot of friends,” she laughed. One such acquaintance led to a recent and remarkable three-week road trip with her friend David Howell from Missouri. “People thought I was crazy for taking a trip with someone I didn’t know very well, but we had been talking for over a year. I felt completely safe.

We drove 11,800 miles, entered six territories in Canada, and 11 different states,” she said.

Continued on page 93

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November 2023 501lifemag.com | 91

Isla Mujeres, Mexico

Beth Rowell (from left) and Gina Harrison in Mexico.

The Alaskan sunset

NW Territories waterfall

92 | 501 LIFE November 2023

Gina Harrison at the 60th Parallel in the Northwest Territories.

One leg of the trip included a 500-mile drive on a bumpy, gravel road through some of the most rugged wilderness in Alaska and Canada. More than 400 miles of that road is known as the Dalton Highway, a stretch that begins north of Fairbanks and ends near the Arctic Ocean and Prudhoe Bay. “That’s the furthest you can drive unless you work in oil or fly in by plane,” she said. One can’t travel that far and not check the bucket list. Of course, they entered the icy waters of the Arctic Ocean. She laughed. “I didn’t go all the way under because it was cold, but I got a certificate for the plunge!”

The plunge wasn’t the only excitement on their journey.

The pair drove first through Canada all the way up toward Yellowknife, the only city in the Northwest Territories of Canada. “We got stopped 60 miles outside of town because of forest fires, and there were nights we couldn’t find a room because we were up so far in the middle of nowhere, so we slept in the truck. But we were prepared for that.”

Not only did the pair pack specifically for long stretches with no restaurants or hotels, but the truck was specifically equipped for the trip.

“One night we slept on the McKenzie River (in Canada) with the bison walking around nearby. The bison own the roads up there,” she said. Throughout the trip, the pair enjoyed the wildlife they saw, including grizzly bears, eagles, elk, caribou, pronghorns and prairie dogs. They even caught a glimpse of a whale in the Arctic Ocean — and a jellyfish, too.

They traveled through the Alberta Rocky Mountains, stopped in Banff (north of Calgary), and visited Twin Falls Gorge on the Hay River. “There are two falls, the Alexandra Falls and Louise Falls. It is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in my life. It took my breath away.” Beaming, she said, “We walked right down to the falls and touched the water.

“We saw the Canadian Rockies and even traveled some by ferry. The water is just so blue and beautiful with the snow-capped mountains all around it. It’s just gorgeous.”

Gina said the photos she took didn’t require editing at all.

The pair made their way through various towns, forts, creeks and rivers. They saw the McKinley Summit, the highest mountain peak in North America. They saw the Matanuska Glacier, Oregon’s Gold Coast, the redwoods of California, Napa Valley, the Golden Gate Bridge, rock formations in Utah and so much more.

“We had some scary moments, but to have that kind of adventure, you have to know how to rough it out there,” she said. Gina said her companion is a very disciplined traveler and makes these types of trips every year. “I honestly think he spends all year planning his next trip,” she laughed. Every part of the trip was calculated pretty much to the minute and the mile.

Gina journaled daily on the trip. “This was a trip of a lifetime, and I wanted to record as much as possible.” She feels taking the road less traveled returns a much greater reward. “I think we miss so much flying and going on cruises.” Of course, that doesn’t keep her from enjoying the other trips she’s taken. She’s stayed a week in a condo on a Florida beach with a friend from high school, recently returned from a week in Mexico and has been to Puerto Rico, Jamaica and the Caribbean. Someday, she plans to make it to Europe.

Gina is quick to say she isn’t rich but is blessed with great friendships. “Life is short. None of us are guaranteed tomorrow. You don’t have to be rich, just determined not to let things stand in the way,” she said. “Make friends and maintain those relationships.”

Those are the things that make life the sweetest.

November 2023 501lifemag.com | 93

More than 80 organizations from across the state, including 501 LIFE, have partnered with Arkansas PBS to sponsor the Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood Sweater Drive as a tribute to Fred Rogers and his example of being a caring neighbor. The drive will be held Nov. 1-30.

94 | 501 LIFE November 2023

“C

elebrating the ethos of 'Mister Rogers' Neighborhood,' where empathy and thoughtfulness for others create a sense of warmth and well-being, is truly profound,” Arkansas PBS Executive Director and CEO Courtney Pledger said. ”The enduring messages and timeless values that children learn from Fred Rogers continue to resonate.

During the Neighborhood Sweater Drive, members of the community are asked to donate new or gently worn sweaters, as well as other cold-weather clothing, at participating libraries, schools and businesses statewide, or at Arkansas PBS headquarters in Conway.

”Fred Rogers' iconic cardigan sweater symbolizes the gentle spirit, kindness and nurturing essence of the neighborhood.

Arkansas PBS is honored to carry forward his impactful legacy, collaborating with remarkable library and charity partners throughout the state for the Mister Rogers' Neighborhood Sweater Drive."

Sweaters collected in this drive will be distributed by various local charities.

Supporting sponsors for the statewide Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood Sweater Drive include Walmart and Honda World of Conway.

Participating Locations within the 501 Arkansas Flag and Banner Benton – Saline County Library Bryant – Saline County Library Cabot Public Library Carlisle Public Library Conway – Faulkner County Library Conway – UCA Torreyson Library Damascus Public Library Greenbrier – Faulkner County Library Honda World of Conway Little Rock – (CALS) Adolphine F. Terry Branch Library Little Rock – (CALS) Dee Brown Branch Library Little Rock – (CALS) Esther Dixon Branch Library Little Rock – (CALS) Hillary Rodham Clinton Children’s Library Little Rock – (CALS) John Gould Fletcher Branch Library Little Rock – (CALS) Main Branch Library Little Rock – (CALS) Oley E. Rooker Branch Library Little Rock – (CALS) Roosevelt Thompson Branch Library

Little Rock – (CALS) Sue Cowan Williams Branch Library Little Rock – (CALS) Sydney Sanders McMath Branch Library Little Rock – The Arkansas State Library Lonoke Public Library Malvern – Hot Springs County Public Library Maumelle – (CALS) Maumelle Branch Library Mayflower Public Library Mount Vernon – Faulkner County Library North Little Rock – William F. Laman Public Library North Little Rock – Argenta Library Perryville – (CALS) Max Milam Library Sheridan – Grant County Library Sherwood – (CALS) Amy Sanders Branch Library Twin Groves – Faulkner County Library Van Buren Public Library in Clinton Vilonia – Faulkner County Library Wrightsville – (CALS) Millie Brooks Library

November 2023 501lifemag.com | 95

Photo by Mike Kemp

AUTHOR OF THE MONTH

CARL J. BARGER ___ __________________

By Susan L. Peterson

96 | 501 LIFE November 2023

W

hen Carl J. Barger retired in 2004 after working 38 years in public schools in Arkansas, he finally found time to write. He now has seven books under his belt, the most recent of which is “Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way” (May 2023). It is a memoir of his experiences as one of 11 children growing up in Cleburne County, his career in public education and his strong friendships and family ties.

Times were tough for the Barger family in the early and mid1900s. Although they owned land in Higden, the family traveled annually over the span of 10 years to pick fruit in Michigan and cotton in South Arkansas to supplement their income. Barger was 5 years old when his mother made him a burlap sack to pick cotton.

The youngest of six boys, Barger was the first in his family to attend college. He graduated from Arkansas Tech College in 1966 and took a job as a teacher and basketball coach. A mere five years later at age 25, he became superintendent at McNeil in Columbia County, the youngest in the state’s history. Subsequently, he took superintendent positions in Emerson, Nashville, Bentonville and Warren until his retirement in 2001. He came out of retirement to become superintendent at the Arkansas School for the Deaf in Little Rock for two years.

Barger published his first book, “Swords and Plowshares,” in 2004.

The family saga traces his great-grandfather throughout Tennessee and Missouri during the Civil War era. He spent innumerable hours online and searching public records to find personal information and to verify and expand his knowledge of this era.

His second book was “Mamie: An Ozark Mountain Girl of Courage” (2005), a tribute to his mother, who demonstrated strength and resilience during hard times. Reviewers of the book remarked on the accuracy of time and place and how the story helped them to recollect their own childhood.

Barger next wrote “Dark Clouds Over Alabama: A Story of Struggles and Triumphs in the Old South” (2013) and its sequel “Blue Skies of El Dorado” (2016). This fact-based, pre-Civil War love story centers on Obadiah Bradford, a plantation owner in Alabama, who fell in love with a young slave, Penelope. Again, Barger meticulously explored records in Alabama and Arkansas that led him to discover that the couple married and relocated to El Dorado, Arkansas, the setting for the follow-up story, “Blue Skies of El Dorado.”

In “Arkansas Hillbilly: One Man’s Memoir of a Blessed Life” (2017), Barger shares personal details of his relationship with God, his formative years, marriage, adoption of two children, then the birth of a biological child. Using his research skills, he was able to locate his children’s biological parents, a promise he once made to them.

Civil War records, personal letters and genealogy searches played an important part in Barger’s "Sons of War” (2019), the story of his great-grandfather and uncles who emigrated from Germany in the 1800s to become pioneers in Missouri. They joined the Missouri 26th Infantry during the Civil War. Barger also wrote and published two historical books: “Cleburne County and Its People, Vol 1 and 2.”

Barger has indeed led a blessed, sweet life. After receiving his degree at Arkansas Tech, he earned his master's degree in education at UCA and his administrator degree from the University of Arkansas.

Even in retirement, he continued to serve others as a member of the Conway School District School Board from 2007-2017. He is a passionate supporter of their athletic teams and attends as many games as possible.

Photo by Mary Eggart

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Connie Cody Fisher, CPA

Barger and his wife, Lena, have been married for 59 years. They have three children and seven grandchildren who must feel very fortunate to have such detailed family chronicles. History was always interesting to him, and writing about it comes naturally. He says he has the ability to read something and then the scenario and words just start to flow. He is quick to point out that his books are historically accurate, but the dialogue and situations mostly arise from his vivid imagination. Barger also mentioned that he hopes his personal story will motivate others who are struggling and want to escape poverty. He knows that hard work, determination and the right support can lead to a better life. And, as his father once told him, “Don’t give up.”

If you have a nostalgic longing for the old South or life in rural Arkansas, Barger’s books may help rekindle that feeling. They can be purchased from Amazon and other online booksellers or from his website, sbpra.com/CarlJBarger. He is available for book talks or other events.

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PROUDLY PRESENTS

PERSON OF THE MONTH

DR. CHARLES “CHUCK” BARBER CHIEF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION OFFICER FOR THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

‘I would not be the man I am today or in the position that I'm in today if it hadn't been for the Bald Knob community doing its part and really investing in me.’

HOME: Lorton, Virginia NATIVE OF: Bald Knob. Arkansas FAMILY: I live with my immediate family in Virginia, and I have family in

Texas and extended family in Bald Knob, Searcy, Stuttgart and throughout Arkansas.

EDUCATION: Ph.D. in transformational leadership from Bakke Graduate University, undergraduate degrees in organizational leadership and business management from Columbia Southern University, Excelsior College and Ouachita Baptist University. My high school diploma is from Bald Knob High School.

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES: I would not be the man I am today or in the position that I'm in today if it hadn't been for Pleasant Grove Baptist Church and the Bald Knob community wrapping its arms around me, doing its part to help me take advantage of opportunities to get to where I am. Because of that, I think it's very important that I continually go home and talk to the kids in White County and surrounding areas, because they need to see somebody from that area like me who has grown up there and gone off to do things at our nation's capital and beyond.

PERSONAL INTERESTS: I really want to help Bald Knob Public Schools establish a science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) lab within White County. When you think about the future, STEM really advances science and the well-being of our nation and even national security.

I want to make sure we put opportunities to grow STEM talent everywhere, and in a lot of cases, some rural areas like Bald Knob get left out. If I can help them take advantage of opportunities and work through the system, we all benefit.

WORK: I am the chief diversity and inclusion officer for the National Science Foundation (NSF). I have been in this role since January 2023.

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PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Bald Knob is and will always be home. Bald Knob and Arkansas are the center of the universe for me. What I learned at Bald Knob High School led me to broaden the entire rest of my life. I was able to earn a track and field scholarship to Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, which led me to be a sprinter and earn the All-Army 100 Meter Dash Championship on the All-Army Track & Field teams, which led me to set athletic goals and reach world class and Olympic qualification standards. As a result of that, I will always be humbled by being inducted into the Arkansas Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2022.

I’m also proud of my deployments to Kosovo and Iraq, and I am particularly proud of my presentation, “Reimagining How We Harmonize Diversity & Meritocracy,” on TEDx. CURRENT PROFESSIONAL GOALS: Part of the reason why I like to do what I do is because I like to teach society. There's a right way to do this kind of work without it being viewed as activism or being viewed as divisive. DIA is not just an abbreviation for diversity, equity and inclusion.

To me, it's the gateway to the psychological work in organizational change, where we need to really do better as a part of society. I now have a platform where I get a chance to talk to university presidents throughout the nation as well as other federal agencies on diversity and inclusion initiatives. My ultimate goal is to teach others that we can show love and pride for this country while we reconcile with past indiscretions and vice versa. We have to do it together to get better. It is absolutely possible.

What was your reaction when you learned your hometown has placed your name above the “Welcome to Bald Knob” sign. Honestly, I cried. Bald Knob is the center of the universe to me, and regardless of what we all go through, that sign, to me, represents something just much bigger than just Chuck Barber.

PROUDLY PRESENTS

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