2 | 501 LIFE October 2020
ALWAYS
here
for you
Your health and safety are our top priorities Unity Health is trained and prepared for health-related crises. Our physicians encourage the community to continue to seek medical treatment if needed. Our hospitals and clinics practice elevated safety for the health and well-being of patients and staff at all locations, and it is safe to schedule regular appointments and come to the emergency department. We continue to fight for our community and will always be here for you.
HOSPITALS • CLINICS • SPECIALISTS Searcy | Newport | Beebe | Bradford | Cabot | Clinton | Heber Springs
Unity-Health.org October 2020 501lifemag.com | 3
501 LIFE
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EDITOR'S NOTE
OWNERS Donna Spears, Sonja J. Keith OFFICE MANAGER Tracey Wilkinson EDITOR Stefanie Brazile
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Donna Spears
ART DIRECTORS Jennifer Godwin and Nick Walker ASSOCIATE EDITOR Levi Gilbert
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Sonja J. Keith
ASSOCIATE ADVERTISING DIR. Jeremy Higginbotham PHOTO DIRECTOR Mike Kemp
DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Tom Keith CONTRIBUTORS Donna Benton Don Bingham Kellie Bishop Adam Bledsoe Tanner Cangelosi Brittany Gilbert Laurie Green Linda Henderson Vivian Hogue Karl Lenser
Mark McDonald Mark Oliver Todd Owens Bill Patterson John Patton Susan Peterson Dr. Robert Reising Robin Richards Jan Spann Donna Lampkin Stephens
FAULKNER COUNTY EDITORIAL BOARD Johnny Adams Jack Bell Don Bingham RaeLynn Callaway Glenn Crockett Kay Dalton Beth Franks Russ Hancock Spencer Hawks Mathilda Hatfield Roe Henderson Jerry Hiegel Mike Kemp Julie LaRue
Karl Lenser Monica Lieblong Lori Melton Kiera Oluokun Deanna Ott Pat Otto Jon Patrom Amy Reed Lori Ross Margaret Smith Jan Spann Kim Tyler Jennifer Whitehead
CONWAY COUNTY EDITORIAL BOARD Mary Clark Shelli Crowell Dr. Larry Davis Shawn Halbrook Alicia Hugen Alisha Koonce
New office location for 501 LIFE at 920 Locust Ave., Suite 104, Conway. (Jeremy Higginbotham photo)
A new season and a new lease on LIFE! “I pray that in every way you may prosper and enjoy good health, as your soul also prospers.” 3 John 1:2 Welcome to our Health and Wellness issue. These topics have taken center stage this year in a way no one planned, or desired. But when we think beyond the current dilemma to the larger picture, we know that daily choices impact the quality and longevity of our lives. But wellness is more than being thin or muscular or able to run a marathon - it’s about peace and general contentment with your life. In this issue, our contributors will explore the importance of exercise both for individuals and for the health of relationships. One contributor will teach you how taking the time to breathe each day 4 | 501 LIFE October 2020
will rejuvenate your soul and another will encourage you to fill your life with light. CHANGE OF ADDRESS - 501 LIFE Magazine has moved to the other end of Downtown Conway and we’re proud to share photos of our new space with you on pages 34-35. You’ll find us on the corner of Locust Avenue and North Street (920 Locust, Suite 104.) Our publications are available here and in 700 other locations throughout Greater Central Arkansas. This October, we hope that your health and soul prosper.
Stephanie Lipsmeyer Stewart Nelson Kristi Strain Jim Taylor Morgan Zimmerman
WHITE COUNTY EDITORIAL BOARD Betsy Bailey Tara Cathey Cassandra Feltrop Phil Hays Natalie Horton
Matt LaForce Mike Parsons Brooke Pryor Carol Spears Kristi Thurmon
To subscribe or order back issues, visit 501lifemag.com. The subscription rate is $20 for one year (12 issues). 501 Advertising and Publishing 920 Locust, Suite 104 Conway, AR, 72034 501.327.1501 info@501lifemag.com 501 LIFE is published monthly by 501 Advertising and Publishing (920 Locust, Suite 104, Conway, AR 72034, 501.327.1501). The contents of 501 LIFE are copyrighted and materials presented may not be copied or reproduced in any manner without the written permission of the publishers. Articles should not be considered specific advice, as individual circumstances vary. Products and services advertised are not necessarily endorsed by 501 LIFE. 501 LIFE is produced on recycled paper.
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CONTENTS
October 2020
Volume 13 Issue 6
18
18 Cover story
Family improves health on local walking trail.
20 Youth
Maumelle senior attends Governor’s School.
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22 Entertaining
Fresh fall ideas for home and table.
On the cover
This month, 501 LIFE is focusing on “Health and Wellness” with a cover story about a local family who spends a lot of time on the Tucker Creek Walking/Bike Trail. They often wave to Ashton, Hudson and Jennifer Harper and her grandmother, Clara Baker. (Mike Kemp photo)
24 Duck hunting
Jacquelyn Elliott is a Dillard’s executive by day and duck hunter any chance she gets.
26 Couples
Alex and Roy Lee Hurst are loving life in Conway.
28 Breast cancer awareness UCA provost overcomes breast cancer.
30 Wellness column
Seek light in your life for improved wellness.
32 Event
Renewal Ranch recognizes donors at dedication.
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34 Change of address
Budding designer brings "LIFE" to new 501 office.
36 Pet pals
In the wake of a pandemic, pet adoptions rise.
38 Hospital and college work together
28
Partnership keeps quality nurses in Conway.
40 Health
Exams and symptoms adults should not ignore.
42 From the chef
You’ll fall for this peanut butter cheesecake.
44 The heart of the matter Conway Regional adds heart specialist.
46 Home is their castle
36
For the Castleberrys, new home is a dream come true.
49 Public Power Week
Benefits of local power company celebrated.
50 Authors in the 501
Small town upbringing inspires award-winning books.
52 501 Kids
Keeping your kids active. Health care your child shouldn't miss. Student safety at PCSSD.
56 Wellness column
Show up for the ones you love.
42
58 The great outdoors Hiking Club welcomes all.
60 Sports
Boxing legend hails from Garland County.
62 Wellness column
64
Breathing life into your soul.
64 Lasting legacy
501's Civilian Conservation Corps.
66 Person of the month
Joel Fountain joins physical and mental health.
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On Stands October 2020!
501 LIFE would like to thank its advertising partners for their continued support and encourage our readers to support these businesses:
A
Banister-Lieblong Clinic, 50 Bledsoe Chiropractic, 33
Covering 11 Counties
in Greater Central Arkansas! Get “LIFE” at home!
C
Conway Corporation, 31 Conway Institute of Music, 21 Conway Regional Health System, 67 Conway Regional Rehab, 25 Cousins’ Office Furniture, 19
For a limited time, 501 LIFE is offering a special subscription rate for new subscribers - have the magazine delivered to your home for only $20 for one year, $40 for two years. While the magazine is distributed through more than 700 locations in Central Arkansas, copies go fast. Home delivery ensures readers won’t miss a single issue.
D
Dazzle Daze, 30 DJM Orthodontics, 52
Visit 501lifemag.com or call 501.327.1501 to subscribe.
E
Edward Jones, 51 English Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery Center, 55
Tune in at 12:30 p.m. the last Tuesday of each month to KARK Channel 4 for a segment on the current issue of 501 LIFE.
F
First Community Bank, 45 First Security Bank, 68 First Service Bank, 13 Freyaldenhoven Heating and Cooling, 17
G
facebook.com /501lifemag
Writers’ Room
Glenrock Apartments, 47
H
Hartman Animal Hospital, 37 Harwood, Ott & Fisher, PA, 41 Heritage Living Center, 5 Hiegel Supply, 32
J
Julie’s Sweet Shoppe, 43
M
MSC Eye Associates, 65 Methodist Family Health, 27
O
Ott Insurance, 23
P
Patterson Eye Care, 53 Pulaski County Special School District, 55
S
Saint Joseph Schools, 62 Salem Place Nursing and Rehab, 59 Sissy’s Log Cabin, 15 Shelter Insurance, 43 Superior Health & Rehab, 2
U
Unity Health, 3 University of Arkansas Community College Morrilton, 61 University of Central Arkansas, 57 UCA Reynolds Performance Hall, 39
twitter.com /501lifemag
Dwain Hebda is an awardwinning writer, editor and journalist as well as president of his own editorial services company Ya!Mule Wordsmiths in Little Rock. Hebda’s work is published in more than 35 publications, covering everything from the outdoors to business to the arts. He loves telling extraordinary stories about everyday people. Nebraskan by birth, Southern by the grace of God, he and his wife dote on their four grown children and three spoiled dogs. Contact him at dwain@ya-mule.com.
A resident of Central Arkansas most of her life, Linda Hoggard Henderson shares her love of photography and traveling Arkansas each month with 501 LIFE readers. “I enjoy most our small town life in the 501, but we are close to Little Rock and our state parks,” she said. “Also, most of my family and friends live in the 501.” In addition to photography, Linda enjoys traveling backroads, blue line highways and cooking. “I enjoy eating at every dive, drive-in and every mom and pop restaurant in the 501.” A graduate of the University of Central Arkansas with a bachelor of science degree in nursing, Linda retired from the Conway Human Development Center, where she grew up. She and her husband, Jim, have a son, John Mark, and daughter-in-law, Jenni Henderson. Other family include her dad and mom, Tommy and Peggy Hoggard, and Jim’s parents, Joanne and the late Jack Henderson. Contact Linda at lindahenderson@conwaycorp.net or follow her on Facebook (Linda Hoggard Henderson) and Instagram (lindahenderson).
Books and balls have aided Bob Reising since his Connecticut boyhood. They have guided him to a B. A. with Special Honors in English at Michigan State while playing three years of Varsity baseball and to a doctorate at Duke with a dissertation treating LITERATURE AND SPORTS while serving as the University’s Interim Head Baseball Coach. He has had the good fortune to teach, coach, and administer in higher education during seven decades, earning an appointment as Professor Emeritus at UNC-Pembroke. He and his wife, Judy, enjoy the 501, and especially respect its institutions of Higher Education and its medical professionals and facilities. Contact him at rreising54@gmail.com October 2020 501lifemag.com | 7
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NEWS/NOTES
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4-7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1, Morrilton First Thursday Farmers' Market Downtown Morrilton, 100 Block of Commerce Street The final farmers'’ market of the season will host a free mini yoga session from Peace of Mine Yoga Studio. Don’t miss it! Rain or shine. CANCELLED Noon Saturday, Oct. 3, Maumelle’s Bash on the Boulevard
18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Due to pandemic, readers are encouraged to confirm events closer to event date.
Monday, Oct. 5 Arkansas voter registration deadline for 2020 election
4-6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, Morrilton: Monsters on Main Street Downtown Trick or Treat Free games on Railroad Ave. (weather permitting); hot dogs and drinks for 50¢ each at the Depot; 4 p.m. pet costume contest on Railroad Ave.; 6 p.m. kid’s costume contest at the Rialto. Visit the Main Street Morrilton Facebook page for updates. All day Saturday, Oct. 31, Petit Jean: Community Market day Farmers' Market will also include hot air balloon flights, tether rides and a Halloween Glow Show with Amish market and other special vendors.
To submit a calendar item, please send information to info@501lifemag.com. To see a complete list of items, please go to 501lifemag.com.
Virtual Turkey Trot and Gobble Wobble The United Way of Central Arkansas’ annual Turkey Trot 5K and Gobble Wobble Kids Mile are still on for 2020 even though things will look a little different this year. The race is going virtual for 2020, but Executive Director Jennifer Boyett believes it is important to carry on the tradition and provide a fun way for the community to support the United Way. “We looked at all of our options and felt like having a virtual race still allowed us to continue the Thanksgiving Day tradition we’ve built as well as give the community an opportunity to support the United Way during this season of giving,� she said. “One of the benefits of a virtual race is that participants have a longer window to participate, so if Thanksgiving isn’t the best day for them, they can run - or walk any day of Thanksgiving week.� Conway Regional Health System will serve as the presenting sponsor for 2020 and is providing a training program for anyone who isn’t quite race-ready. The training program is available to all registered participants. An enhanced swag bag is also being offered to all participants with the traditional t-shirt and finisher’s medal, as well as items such as a neck gaiter, sticker and stadium cup that will be packaged like a gift and can be picked up locally before the race or shipped to a participant’s home after the race. Turkey Trot participants aren’t the only ones who get the extra benefits. Kids up to age 12 can register and participate in the Gobble Wobble Kids Mile. “We want this to be a fun activity for the whole family, so of course the kids doing the Gobble Wobble will get T-shirts, finisher’s medals and all the great swag that the adults receive,� Boyett said. Another added benefit for this year’s race is access to the RaceJoy app, which provides live phone tracking, GPS progress alerts and allows you to cheer for your racer. “We wanted to make the virtual race feel as much like race day as possible, so we are excited to offer this app, which provides many of the of benefits you’d find in a live race.� Boyett said. RaceJoy can be downloaded free from the App Store or on Google Play. Registration for the Turkey Trot 5K and Gobble Wobble Kids Mile is open through Sunday, Nov. 15, but you must register by Saturday, Oct. 31 to guarantee your T-shirt size. You can find the registration link at uwcark.org/turkey-trot-5K. 8 | 501 LIFE October 2020
2020 Gobble Wobblers are L-R, back row: Hunter Boyett and Ariona Knight. Front row: Melchizedek Flowers and Theophilus Flowers.
Cara Johnson.
L-R: Emmy Lou Duvall, Jaylyn Scroggins and Allee Grace Duvall.
L-R: Ryan, Brody and Kaitlyn Wright.
Main Street Morrilton First Thursday Farmers' Market The First Thursday Farmers' Market was held in early September in Downtown Morrilton and featured numerous vendors offering a wide variety of proteins, homemade cream soda and butter beer, artisan breads, crafts, produce, and local musicians.
Many downtown stores also stayed open late with First Thursday discounts. During the market, Big Cuppa, Morrilton’s Downtown coffee house, offers an in-house roasted coffee aptly named “Farmers’ Market Blend” to
Kicking the school year off right in Greenbrier
celebrate community and summertime. The final Farmers’ Market of the season will also host a free mini yoga session from Peace of Mine Yoga Studio. Don’t miss it on 4-7 p.m. on Oct. 1 The event will be held rain or shine.
Conway Regional’s Greenbrier Family Medical Clinic L-R: Director Billy Henry, Dr. Kristy Roberts, PT Asst. Don Clark, Nurse Practitioner Misty Birdwell, Nurse Practitioner Jarrod Jerry and Practice Manager Tanya Smith.
On August 19, Greenbrier School District hosted its annual Teacher’s Breakfast for all staff. Vendor booths provided goodies for several hundred attendees, as well as door prizes.
Greenbrier School District staff members are excited to see one another at the annual breakfast.
L-R: Jerry Boyer, JP Faulkner County and Chairman of the county’s Republican Party; Rep. Stephen Meeks, District 67; and, Kris Kendrick, JP Faulkner County.
October 2020 501lifemag.com | 9
L-R: Nikki Thornton and Jaylan Fulton of Planet Fitness Conway.
L-R: Austin Johnson, Sydney Fixico, Bayli Miller and Dillon Lineberger of Northwest Arkansas made a trip to experience the Natural Bridge near Clinton.
L-R: Cressie Patterson and Byron Cory from Watson, Louisiana brought their pups Loui and Lucia to experience Petit Jean State Park. Jeremy Wheeler of Nutritional Sports & Health.
10 | 501 LIFE October 2020
L-R: Lainey Kelley, Crystal Webster and Heather Oleksa, general manager of Glover Fitness.
L-R: Steve Joseph of Conway and Janelle Barnes of DeQueen take time to enjoy the water at Woolly Hollow State Park.
L-R: Mallory Lefler, Kameron Rachel, Amanda Castillo and Reed Gotcher at the Conway Regional Health & Fitness Center.
L-R: Brothers John David and Jim Hamilton with brothers Payne and Bax Howell at the Searcy Arkansas Downtown Farmers' Market.
Colton Fieker, regional manager of 10 Fitness.
L-R: Ethan Gonzalez and Matt Olszewski of Leanfeast.
L-R: Shawn Hamby, Duane Evans and Will Pennington at the McGee Center.
October 2020 501lifemag.com | 11
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LOVING LIFE
Home for a Hero by Jeremy Higginbotham
A project of love, five years in the making, broke ground in early August when local builders Beth and Bret Franks welcomed the Hixon family to the site of their new custom-built, mortgage-free home in Conway. As part of the Operation FINALLY HOME program, members of the 501 community gathered to celebrate Marine Corps Purple Heart recipient Lance Cpl. Cory Hixon, as well as his wife Shala, and their children, Haizlett and Cru. The program provides homes to service members who are wounded, ill or injured as a result of their service. In October 2004, Cory was deployed to Iraq to serve in Operation Phantom Fury. During his second tour, while conducting a resupply, he and his unit were attacked by insurgents with heavy mortar fire that resulted in a six-hour firefight that required air and tank support. After the unit captured three insurgents, a mortar struck five feet in front of him, producing a blast of shrapnel to his upper torso, face and left eye. Cory was medically evacuated for emergency surgery to enucleate his eye. Because of his time in combat, Cory suffers from severe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, migraine headaches due to a traumatic brain injury, left eye enucleation, hearing loss and more. VFW Patriot Guard Riders arrived by motorcycle and escorted the family to the groundbreaking and VFW Post 2259 Chaplain Richard Sharrock provided a prayer to begin the proceedings. Special messages were given by Bret and Beth Franks, of Bret Franks Construction. A presentation by Ronnie Lyles, project manager of Operation FINALLY HOME, thanked the various organizations of the 501 community for their support of this project. Before the actual groundbreaking, Beth presented young Haizlett and Cru with a Toad Suck Daze gift in preparation for their 501 life. She spoke about the giving spirit that embodies the entire Hixon family and remembered a story of the first time she met the family. “This story talks about the character of this family,� Beth remembered. “I asked Haizlett questions like, `what colors do you want in your room, what does your brother like and what about your mom?’ The daughter responded that her mom had always wanted a big white house. “I got to say to that little girl, `Honey, your momma is going to get that big white house,’ and Haizlette just broke down. She was happy for herself, but in her heart, she was so humbled and excited that her momma was getting something. It just shows us about this amazing family you have built. We are so excited to welcome this family to Conway!�
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We’re all called to serve, and sometimes those opportunities come in the most unexpected ways. I never could have dreamed that my fundraising ability and Bret’s building ability could change the trajectory of someone’s life – not to mention the entire Hixson family. God knew what He was doing when He crossed the paths of our two families with a seed that was planted nearly six years before we met. — Beth Franks
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Groundbreaking of mortgage-free home provided by Operation FINALLY HOME for U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Cory Hixon and family.
L-R: Terry Ham, quartermaster, Jennifer Nichols, member, Lonnie Shackleford, member, Richard Sharrock, chaplain and Thomas Holt, commander, all of VFW Post 2259.
L-R: Destiny Linkford and Eric King of Centennial Bank. 12 | 501 LIFE October 2020
Chaplain Richard Sharrock of VFW Post 2259.
L-R: The Hixon Family: Cory, Shala, Haizlett and Cru Hixon.
WE ARE HERE WHEN YOU NEED US.
We are... CONWAY | 501.932.5050 | CONWAY SOUTH | 501-932-9700 CLINTON | 501.745.7200 | GREENBRIER | 501.679.7300 | LITTLE ROCK | 501.801.7402
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LOVING LIFE
L-R: Alonzo and Madison Pollum at Chi Alpha on the UCA campus.
L-R: Greg Davis of Vilonia and his dad, Keith Davis of Clinton, were “Loving LIFE� at Pisa, Italy, during a twoweek bus trip around Europe in January.
Brently Jobe is celebrating his 11th birthday with friends and 501 LIFE. L-R: Gavin Legg, Weston Spears, Brently, Cullen Andrus and Samuel Hicks.
Student Whitney Barnum at Mustang Outfitters at Central Baptist College. 14 | 501 LIFE October 2020
L-R: Bob and Linn Powers are “Loving LIFE� at Hope Hill Farm in Quitman.
Karisa McAlister is “Loving LIFE� as the assistant registrar at Hendrix College.
The Gravel Yard Band was “Loving LIFE� in the 501 at the South Main Street Arts District in Little Rock before performing in the outdoor dining room L-R: Matt Clampit, Mary Parker, Gresham McMillon, Turner Atwell, Titus Turner and Aaron Farris.
M Y L A G O S M Y W AY
C AV I A R C O L L E C T I O N S
October 2020 501lifemag.com | 15
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LOVING LIFE
Harley Wadsworth visits the new 501 LIFE office location at 920 Locust, Suite 104.
ERA TEAM Real Estate was “Loving LIFEâ€? as it showed appreciation to real estate essential employees on May 20. The group set up at each of the three title companies in Conway and gave away free Kona snowcones to title company employees, contractors, inspectors, appraisers and mortgage lenders.Â
L-R: Jordan Roberts, Tyler King and Brady Trafford took 501 LIFE along on their exploration of the Ark Encounter, which is 510 feet long, 85 feet wide and 51 feet high. They were traveling with their grandparents, John and Paula Trafford from Morrilton.
L-R: St. Joseph School kindergartners John Embryk and Rowan Craver, along with first-graders Danny Gomez and Aryanna Castro, practice social distancing.
16 | 501 LIFE October 2020
A huge Conway crew took 501 LIFE along to Exuma, Bahamas, to celebrate Lindsay Brown’s (in blue shirt) 40th birthday.
L-R: St. Joseph Senior Abigail Bailey and her sophomore brother, Frederick Bailey, are masked up and ready to learn after being away from school for five months.
Mary Katelyn Wilhite and her family took 501 LIFE along on a trip to Myrtle Beach, S.C. The group stopped in Conway, S.C. (pictured). Mary Katelyn is holding a copy of the 501 Kids edition where she is on the front cover with her St. Joseph Dribblers team and a copy of 501 LIFE which features her principal at St. Joseph Elementary School. Mary Katelyn is a secondgrader at St. Joseph.
“Loving LIFE” at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY. L-R: Jordan Roberts, Tyler King and Brady Trafford, grandsons of John and Paula Trafford.
L-R: Fourth-graders Ivy Martens and Tucker Burns attend St. Joseph School. October 2020 501lifemag.com | 17
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NEIGHBORS conway
‘Getting Better Together’ Family's mantra benefits health, relationships by Stefanie Brazile
Being active together is essential to a local family who prioritizes walking, jogging and playing sports almost daily. Karl and Krystal Johnson attended the University of Central Arkansas and have been exercising together for 19 years. “We’ve always been active in sports and intramural in college,� he said. As their family grew, they decided it was a great way to spend time together and burn off some stress. “First we want to try to stay healthy,� Krystal said. “Second, just to interact with our children because they’re involved in sports.� The couple has helped coach their kids and are committed to helping them train. The oldest son is Karl Junior (K.J) who is 12, then daughter Kylie who is 11 and a 1-year-old, Kaleb. While some families say that having young children keeps them from exercising, the birth of Kaleb inspired them to increase their activity level. “One of the key reasons we started exercising again is because we had him,� Karl said. “And with our two older kids we’ve been able to get around, play basketball and sports, and we didn’t want to rob him of that opportunity of basically getting out there with his parents.� A networking engineer with Insight Enterprises by day, Karl has been known to lead his family up mountains on the weekend, with a baby strapped to his back. This summer, the family climbed Pinnacle Mountain in Little Rock. But most of the time, they employ more conventional means of exercising with a young child. Krystal added, “Out here (Tucker Creek Walking/Bike Trail) we use a jogger stroller which makes it convenient.� When the COVID-19 pandemic caused schools to close, Karl noticed that their older kids were having more conflict than he had ever seen. “We said, let’s all get out and do something. With the kids not having recess, this gives them a way to stretch their legs and a lot of time to let off energy and be out of the house.� The father of three continued, “Our kids have never been in any kind of trouble or fought with each other or anything like that, but I found just with them being stuck in the house they would get into it, they argue and fight all the time and I’m wondering what’s going on? But we found when we started getting out and they started seeing more stuff they were more relaxed. I’ve always found that a lot of times even before school we’ll have them go out and do a workout because it relieves some kind of energy so when they get to school, they can pay more attention and be more focused.� Krystal said they missed the team sports and games that were cancelled because of the virus and have been intentional about creating activities. “We had to come up with another way to 18 | 501 LIFE October 2020
The Johnson family exercises at Tucker Creek Walking/Bike Trail in Conway together several times a week. (Mike Kemp photo)
K.J. and Kylie at their last basketball tournament in Cabot before the COVID-19 pandemic. Both of their teams won first place.
exercise. Getting out here and climbing Pinnacle has been a substitute for not playing ballgames or intramural sports.” She works for the Department of Human Services and has advice for families who want to start being active. “The walking trail or even walking in your neighborhood. We started in the neighborhoods.” Karl also recommends the Don Owen Sports Complex or the McGee Center which has a skate park. The need to remain strong was highlighted a year ago when his mother fell in her home and was there all night. “It was scary and we were worried,” he said. She came to stay with them during her rehab and they brought her to the Tucker Creek Walking Trail to build endurance. “That was one of the things we used to decide when she was well enough to go home because we were walking this trail together and she was able to do a mile by herself.” The Johnson family has a saying that Karl repeats often: Getting better together. “I can’t push my kids to get better if I’m just gonna sit around the house and watch basketball and games. If they’re gonna get better, we’re gonna get better as a family.” His eldest son enjoys exercising with his family instead of just being in team sports. “It’s fun because we’re so closed-in with this new COVID,” K.J. said. “Also, in the mornings I like practicing basketball at Don Owen Sports Complex. I’m excited about going back to school because we’ve
Karl and baby Kaleb enjoying the view atop Pinnacle Mountain. been out so long. Usually nobody’s really excited to go back but because nobody’s been there for so long, we’re really excited.” His sister also enjoys family time. “I like it because you never know when your family might pass away so it’s good spending time with them.” While on the path, she and K.J. dribble basketballs because that’s their favorite sport. Because they are on the trail five or six days a
week, they have become familiar with some of the people who live along the paved path, like Clara Baker. Ms. Baker said that when she hears balls bouncing, she knows that it’s the Johnsons and when she is outside, they wave to one another. The parents say that video games are very limited at home because the kids would rather be active. Krystal added, “Health is important and you want to live a healthy life so you’ve just got to exercise. “
October 2020 501lifemag.com | 19
YOUTH
Multitalented in Maumelle Senior is musician, National Merit Semifinalist and so much more by Dwain Hebda
Like a lot of people his age, Clayton Boothe of Maumelle doesn’t know exactly what to expect out of his senior year. Asked what it’s like to be a high schooler in the era of COVID-19, the 17-year-old musician waxes philosophically. “The other day someone said to me something that I hadn’t really thought of,” he said. “They said the Class of 2020 missed the last two or three months of school. They missed their prom and their graduation. We’re going to miss everything that they didn’t, which is really difficult to think about. “Their senior year was cut short, but ours is not going to start as it normally would for months, if it ever even does. So, this year will definitely be a lot less than it normally would.” Boothe is a son of Tom and Kelly Boothe. His older brother, Carson, is entering his sophomore year of college at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway where he’s studying psychology. He grew up in a household that preached the value of developing a broad spectrum of interests. “Honestly it was really just a bit of everything, education, faith, music,” he said. “Everything has always been kind of balanced pretty evenly for prioritization from how I was raised to how I think about things. Just, trying to excel at a variety of things instead of focusing on one thing.” Thus, the pinch of the pandemic is likely to be felt even more keenly by Boothe than some of his classmates, given his wide range of activities. He enters his final year top-ranked in his class academically, is captain of the Quiz Bowl Team and founder of the Maumelle High School chess team. He’s got two or three new clubs in mind he’d like to get going at school, but is unsure if that will happen due to COVID-19. This summer, he was selected for the prestigious Arkansas Governor’s School. “I applied for mathematics, which led me to believe that it was going to be focused on mathematics, but it was actually less about the subject focus,” he said. “There were definitely mathematics classes, but it was more about learning how to affect social change and how to help society, which I didn’t expect. It was welcomed; it was much needed, especially right now. “I would have preferred it to be in person on the Arkansas Tech campus. It was all virtual this year, but I still got a lot out of it and I would definitely recommend anyone else to attend. It was a really, really good experience.” Those accomplishments alone would make him a shoo-in for accolades such as National Honor Society, of which he’s a member, but Boothe’s achievement doesn’t stop there. Booth has been named a 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program (NMSP) Semifinalist. According to the National Merit website, this program 20 | 501 LIFE October 2020
Clayton Boothe is prepared for his senior year. (Mike Kemp photo) honors individual students who show exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies. Approximately 16,000 semifinalists were chosen from more than 1.5 million juniors that entered the program nationwide. Additionally, he’s a musician. “I’ve played piano for about 12 years, as well as trumpet and bassoon in the school band,” he said. “I’m part of the Arkansas Symphony Youth Orchestra, as a principle trumpet player. I’ve done that for four or five years and it’s a lot of fun. It’s a good chance to experience professional quality music. You can relax and have a good experience. I also got first band, first chair at All State on trumpet.” Boothe got his start in music early in life when his parents, in his words, forced he and his brother into six months’ worth of piano lessons. “I was about 4 years old,” he said. “After six months I wanted to keep going and he didn’t. Since then, I just loved piano. “For me, it’s just expanded the way I think about things and helps me to be more open to new things. It’s kind of hard to describe; it’s just a good way to express myself.” Boothe’s other means of self-expression is through creative writing. He said he’s started a novel
several times when he was young, though is frustrated by never having seen it through to completion. “I’ve actually never finished a novel, which is problematic,” he said. “I start writing one, I get about 50 pages in and then I go back and read it and I realize that it’s really bad. “I started writing my first one probably in second grade and I thought it was really good at the time, but it was definitely not. Same thing for one I started in sixth grade and then in eighth grade. And now I’m working on one that hopefully is going to be a lot better. It actually has a theme, an actual plot. It’s an actual book.” Boothe said a silver lining of the pandemic is that he expects his schedule to slow down a bit allowing him to focus on his college search. He’s currently leaning toward Northwestern University in Chicago where he’d like to study music composition and creative writing. “I have several different interests,” he said. “I’m not sure what I want to focus on going forward, but I definitely want to keep doing a little bit of everything – keep writing music, keep writing books, keep doing math and science, keep playing piano. I don’t know exactly what I’m going to be relying on the most, but I do want to do as much as I can.”
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October 2020 501lifemag.com | 21
ďż˝
ENTERTAINING
Enjoying tasty fall nibbles
Little loaves of chocolate chip pumpkin bread, pumpkin bars and chocolate chip cheese balls shaped like pumpkins make a SWEET fall nibble tray! Artificial gourds, leaves and berries accentuate the fall theme. (Mike Kemp photos)
Fall 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 Julianne Milner mind. We bring out the pumpkins, gourds and A self-taught baker, Julianne berry stems along with Milner is a caterer, seasonal stylist heavier fabrics in deep and owner of Julianne’s Southern Table. She can be reached at fall tones and those julianne60@gmail.com. ever-loved plaids. Fall is the perfect time to mix in vases, candlesticks, bookends and 22 | 501 LIFE October 2020
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. And there you have it! A fall delight to enjoy all season long. 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! After decking the halls with berries, pinecones, pumpkins and gourds, you may find yourself thinking about what delicious little fall nibbles you would like to serve to friends and family. I have gathered a few of MY favorite fall nibbles to share with you today. The first is a delicious, creamy chocolate chip cheeseball. I have shaped it like a pumpkin and used a stem that I removed from an artificial pumpkin. I paired the cheese ball with graham cracker sticks which is the perfect duo. You could also serve it with butter cookies or pretzels if you like.
CHOCOLATE CHIP CHEESEBALL 1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened 3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar 1/2 cup butter, softened 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 3/4 cup miniature chocolate chip morsels 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans, divided Graham crackers, butter cookies or pretzels
Toast pecan pieces at 350 degrees for four minutes. Set aside. In a bowl, combine cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar, butter, brown sugar and vanilla extract. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Add chocolate morsels and 1/2 cup of the pecans. Refrigerate until firm, approximately 2 hours. Remove from the refrigerator and shape as desired. Roll in remaining pecan pieces. Enjoy!
This next recipe is one of my very favorite fall breads. It’s perfect to serve as a breakfast bread with a cup of coffee on a cool, fall morning and also makes a wonderful appetizer on your fall board. You’ll love the cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves paired with the chocolate chips in the delicious, moist bread. It’s even better on day two! Be sure to try this one!
Entertaining continued on Page 27
October 2020 501lifemag.com | 23
⅝ OUTDOORS
Dillard’s executive finds peace in the duck blind by Dwain Hebda
If the only time you saw Jacquelyn Elliott was in her professional capacity – corporate beauty director for Dillard’s with responsibility for the company’s Eastern Region – you might find it hard to believe what this successful executive does in her winter spare time. As she herself admits, there aren’t many women who trade their smartly-tailored corporate uniform and valise for camo waders and a shotgun. But then Elliott isn’t most women. She was trained in handling firearms early in life, growing up in Texas with her sharpshooter father Ron Kise, who she affectionately nicknames Captain Ron. “I primarily was raised by my father, who is my best friend in life,” she said. “He was an armed marksman in the Army and a captain. He always taught me things like that and I grew up knowing how to shoot and doing a lot of male-dominated sports.” Her father also instilled a love for retail in his headstrong daughter, however unintentionally. “I grew up in retail,” she said. “My father was in retail and he really wanted me to go into a different field, go be a doctor, go be a lawyer. While I did look at that as an interest, there’s just something about retail that was kind of in my blood, as I tell people.” She joined Arkansas-based Dillard’s department stores during college and, after graduating, began a whirlwind career that saw her move up the ranks quickly. Her first corporate assignment took her to Nashville, Tennessee then brought her to Little Rock 10 years ago. Then, a 2016 invitation by a co-worker to go duck hunting solidified her next great love. “My now-husband and I were discussing his love of duck hunting and he said, ‘Would you consider going duck hunting with me? I think this would be fun and maybe make my life more fun if you enjoyed this hobby with me,’” she said. “I said, ‘Sure. Let’s try it.’” In hindsight, Elliott probably would’ve fallen in love with the sport that day no matter where they went, but the fact that her maiden hunt was at one of the most exclusive clubs in the country didn’t hurt. That, plus she was able to share it with two of the people she loved most in the world. “My very first big hunt was really special because it was a Christmas gift to my father to bring him duck hunting with us,” she said. “That very special hunt was at Red Hill down in Stuttgart, which is (Dallas Cowboys owner) Jerry Jones’ duck club. A great friend of ours, Sheffield Nelson, who has been a duck hunter for years and that a lot of people know, had lined this up.” “That was our first hunt and it was successful and fun and I’ve done it ever since. It’s probably my favorite hobby; in fact, I think I love it more than my husband does actually.” 24 | 501 LIFE October 2020
Jacquelyn Elliott shows off the spoils of a good morning’s hunt. (Photos courtesy of J. Elliott) Since that day, Elliott has been a regular during duck season. She and her husband have found their favorite holes around Cotton Plant and Augusta, with occasional trips back to the Grand Prairie. In January, she even put her skills to the test by captaining a team in the Arkansas Duck Derby, a hunting contest benefiting the Conway Regional Health Foundation. “Some of our friends are on the board of Conway Regional and they had discussed it last year, their first
year. I had wanted to join last year, but Dean and I were out of town so I couldn’t do it,” she said. “When I saw it online this year, I told everybody I’m signing up. “My husband ended up being out of town again so he couldn’t do it and he said, ‘Are you still going to do it?’ I said, ‘Of course I’m going to do it. I’m going to pull together a team.’” The team, which included her father and fellow
The second-place Arkansas Duck Derby squad brings in their haul for scoring. L-R: Ron Kise, his daughter and the team captain Jacquelyn Elliott, John Reno and Todd Sears. Witnessing nature in all its finery - like this sunrise view from the blind - is something Elliott truly appreciates about the sport. hunters John Reno of Conway and Todd Sears of Little Rock, came in second. And while she said it was a great experience overall, Elliott’s nature won’t let her settle for runner-up. She’s already thinking about future events as the 2020 duck season approaches. “It was fun. I got to pick a great team,” she said. “The thing is, no matter if it’s a competition or not, it’s a competition to me. I’m one of the most competitive people.” Elliott was one of only two women in last year’s Duck Derby field and while she says the sport is growing among women, the woods aren’t exactly teeming with them. She said she’d like to see that change in the years to come. “I do hunt with a few other women,” she said. “Some of my friends have gone with us to the skeet or trap shooting range to learn and want to learn more and are just interested in (duck hunting). I think you will see more women get into the sport.”
DUCK HUNTING 101 Jacquelyn Elliott said she’d love for more women to get out and experience duck hunting. She offered the following advice for any newcomers, to have a safe and enjoyable experience.
Know your gun Safety is of paramount importance when dealing with any kind of hunting activity and that starts with understanding your firearm. “First and foremost is definitely gun safety, going to a gun range and understanding how to work and operate a gun,” she said. “The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has a great resource, hunters education, that teaches you all about hunting.”
Gear up right Hunting outfitters have steadily carried more female-specific clothes and gear and are more than happy to help the uninitiated get properly fitted.
“We go to Fort Thompson (in Sherwood) a lot because we’re friends with the owners,” Elliott said. “They are excellent; you go in and say, ‘What do I need?’ They will fit you right there for waders. They will show you what all you need. Mack’s Prairie Wings (in Stuttgart) is just as great.”
Make it social Learning a new skill is more fun when it’s shared by others. Plus, as a beginner, you’re likely to need some guidance from an experienced hunter while you get your bearings. “With duck hunting, I think one of my most favorite things about it is the people you meet. It’s a very social sport,” Elliott said. “It is something that is fun whether you’re doing it with a group of all of your guy friends, or your husband or with some of your girlfriends. I would just say find a friend and check it out.”
October 2020 501lifemag.com | 25
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NEIGHBORS couples
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Roy Lee and Alex Hurst with their children Kameron and Harlow.
Roy Lee Hurst
NATIVE OF: Hot Springs
EDUCATION: 2011 graduate of Lake Hamilton High School; 2015 Graduate of University of Central Arkansas bachelor in science degree with an emphasis in healthcare administration. 2019 Graduate of UAMS with a Master’s in Healthcare Administration. JOB: Walgreens management PARENTS: R.L and Sharon Hurst of Hot Springs HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF? I am always on the move looking for new adventures to enjoy with the family. Raising a son and a daughter bring next level enjoyment to each and every day living in the 501. Rain or shine I’m focused on making the most out of each and every day. HOBBIES/SPECIAL INTERESTS? I love going hiking at Petit Jean, playing basketball with my son and a good long run through Tucker Trail. MOST ENJOYED WEEKEND ACTIVITY? I love to get the entire family out on the water cruising Lake Hamilton looking at the lake homes. My wife grew up driving boats on the water so I can relax with her as the captain. 26 | 501 LIFE October 2020
HER
Alex Hurst
NATIVE OF: Hot Springs National Park
active members in the FUMC church family.
EDUCATION: 2011 Graduate of Lakeside High School
HOBBIES/SPECIAL INTEREST: My newest hobby is attending Glover Fitness in downtown Conway. I also love a shopping day and all things interior design.
Attended the University of Central Arkansas JOB: Owner of HipSway Boutique PARENTS: Rex and Amy Reagan of Hot Springs Most activities are centered around fundraisers or events that HipSway is participating in. Last year we were so happy to be a part of the Children’s Advocacy Alliance’s nonprofit event, Festival of Chairs. CHURCH ACTIVITIES: I grew up attending First United Methodist Church in Hot Springs. When we moved here, we enrolled our son in preschool at FUMC Early Childcare Center in Conway and we can’t wait to become
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF? Easy going and goal oriented. If I am set on something, I will do my best to make it happen. MOST ENJOYED WEEKEND ACTIVITY: Spending time with our kids, they are growing so fast! We love going to the lake and walking Tucker Creek Walking Trail. WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT LIVING IN THE 501? We love Arkansas! I love living in the 501, there are endless activities for all ages. It’s the best place to raise a family.
ð&#x;”–
HIM
THEM
RESIDENTS OF: Conway HOW WE MET: We knew each other from growing up in Hot Springs, but hadn’t seen each other in years. We were both home for the weekend from UCA and ran into each other at the Oaklawn horse races in 2014. Spent the entire day together and the rest is history!
WEDDING BELLS: April 28, 2017 at The Homestead at Williamson Estate in Pearcy. Best. Day. Ever. CHILDREN: Kameron Jack (4) Harlow James (1) FAMILY ACTIVITIES: We love going on the lake and spending our weekends outdoors. Our son loves a good movie night at home and experimenting with science projects!
Entertaining continued from Page 23 CHOCOLATE CHIP PUMPKIN BREAD 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 3/4 teaspoon salt 2 large eggs 3/4 cups granulated sugar 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree 1/2 cup oil 1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice 2/3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips Adjust oven rack to lower third position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray one 9 x 5 loaf pan OR a linking loaf pan that holds four 4 x 6 loaves with nonstick cooking spray for baking. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt together until combined. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar and brown sugar together until combined. Whisk in the pumpkin puree, oil, and orange juice. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix together using a rubber spatula. There will be a few lumps. Do not overmix. Gently fold in chocolate chips. Pour batter into the pan.
If using the 9 x 5 pan, bake 60-65 minutes. For the linking loaf pan, bake approximately 38 minutes. Loosely cover bread with foil halfway through if the top starts to brown too quickly. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Start testing 9 x 5 loaf at the 50-minute mark as all ovens vary. Allow bread to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before removing and slicing. An added bonus: Baking this bread makes your home smell heavenly! If you’re not a fan of pumpkin, please don’t let that stop you from trying this recipe. I get more requests for these pumpkin bars than anything else! So tender and moist. The cream cheese frosting sprinkled with toasted pecans just kicks it over the top! Canned pumpkin is a seasonal item at most grocery stores and therefore may be hard to come by. When I find it, I buy multiple cans because it has a long shelf life.
PUMPKIN BARS 4 large eggs 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar 1 cup vegetable oil 1 15-ounce can pumpkin 2 cups sifted all purpose flour 2 teaspoon baking powder 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda Icing: 1 3-ounce package cream cheese 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened 2 cups SIFTED confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth. Spread the batter in an UNGREASED 9 x 13 baking pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes. When a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, it is done. It is important that you let the bars cool completely before icing and sprinkling on the toasted pecans. NOTE: I prefer my bars to be thinner and bake mine in a 17 x 12 pan. I double the frosting recipe for this size pan.
Icing: Combine the softened cream cheese and softened butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the confectioner’s sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars. You can sprinkle with pecan pieces that have been toasted for four minutes at 350 degrees if desired. Enjoy! I hope this inspires you to light your fall candles, do a little fall decorating and create your own grazing board full of delicious fall nibbles! Happy fall from my family to yours! Follow me on Instagram @juliannessoutherntable for more cooking and decorating inspiration.
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October 2020 501lifemag.com | 27
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NEIGHBORS conway
28 | 501 LIFE October 2020
by Donna Lampkin Stephens Photo by Mike Kemp
After a breast cancer diagnosis in July 2019, Patty Poulter of Conway was just coming out of radiation treatments when COVID-19 hit the 501 and the rest of the United States in early 2020. But after being quarantined at home alone for five months because she was immuno-compromised, the University of Central Arkansas provost, 61, recently returned to her office in Wingo Hall. “Noon on March 17 is the day I walked away from this office,” Poulter said in midAugust. “I was cleared to come back Aug. 14.” At her one-year checkup 10 days later, she was declared cancer-free with a six-month follow-up. “I’m doing really well,” she said. “I had a few complications from the radiation. I was on a heavy steroid regimen this summer to address healing issues from the radiation, but my prognosis is excellent based on the science we have.” Poulter took the reins as UCA’s first female provost and executive vice president of academic affairs on July 1, 2018. Just over a year later, she was diagnosed with invasive lobular carcinoma and invasive ductal carcinoma after a routine mammogram. She underwent two lumpectomies and about five weeks of daily radiation treatments, which finished at Thanksgiving. “When I was first diagnosed, I thought, ‘OK, I’ll have surgery, figure out if I need chemo, have radiation and be done,’” she recalled. “I thought it would all be over by the end of September. I had no idea how long everything takes, how much healing is involved. “Here I am, a year later, and still dealing with some of the healing aspects and complications from surgery and treatment.” Poulter’s medical team included Conway Regional Medical Center, Baptist Medical Center in Little Rock and CARTI in Conway. “I could work every day,” she said of her treatment routine. “They made me the last radiation appointment of the day. I’d work all day, then get radiation, go home, and however I was able to collapse, on the couch or bed, I’d sleep.” After her treatments ended, her body began to heal. “After radiation, everything is continuing to break down for a while, and your body is trying to have these cells come back,” she said. “(Radiation) kills everything. Healthy cells can replicate and come back, but cancer cells can’t do that.” She said her ribs would be “forever brittle” on one side, and part of her lung is scarred from the treatment. She will take a daily pill to continue her treatment for at least five years. Poulter had been scheduled to travel to China on UCA business in December, but because of her treatment and recovery, she did not go.
“COVID hit in January, when we still weren’t sure what it was,” she said. “I was still coming out of radiation. It can take months to get your energy back, so I had all of that fatigue, and we started to realize this was something bigger than just a flu. We started a pandemic planning group in February. We knew we had to prepare.” Poulter said she worked 12-16 hours per day from home as most of the country went into lock-down and UCA pivoted to online teaching to finish the spring semester. All summer classes were also online. Fall classes began Aug. 20 with the campus prepared to switch to online learning again for the remainder of the semester should coronavirus numbers require it. Amy Hawkins, associate professor of public relations and director of UCA’s Center for Teaching Excellence, said she appreciated Poulter’s ongoing candor about her diagnosis, treatment and recovery. “There were days I could tell she was drained due to treatment and/or medication, but she soldiered on and kept us all focused on preparing for the fall semester as best as is humanly possible.” How did Poulter handle the quarantine months?
“
Music is a big part of who I am, and it was very soulfilling for me to have my music again. My cat didn’t seem to mind.
”
— UCA Provost Patty Poulter “From my UCA community, to my friend circle, to my neighbors, I always knew that folks were just a Zoom (or phone) call away,” she said. “Lots of FaceTime and Zoom — and letters. We love to write letters and send notes through the mail. “The hardest part for me was, I can usually travel to see family and friends in the summer, and I couldn’t do that. I haven’t seen my grandchildren (Simon, 6 and Holland, 4) or my daughters (Corey, who is completing her graduate studies in and working as a child therapist, particularly with victims of sexual assault and exploitation; and Annie, a professor of art) or my mom (Vivian Gaines, 85) since Christmas. “I think the best part is that we all knew we didn’t know a lot about the situation, and this is what we had to do. We had so much work in front of us to try to figure out. I didn’t sleep well often. But when I could, I would get out into the woods. I’d go hiking. I always have boots, poles and a backpack in my car, and off
I’d go.” Although many state parks were closed for a while, she found plenty of places to explore. “This is such an amazing state,” said Poulter, whose father, the late Lloyd Gaines, hailed from Walnut Ridge. “I went to the Ozarks, the Ouachitas, down to the Delta, all over. I’d photograph so many small towns, and I’d do what I called ‘my great cemetery tours’ and then I’d start researching who was there.” She said she found a headstone in Keo on the back step of an abandoned building and did an internet search for the family. On another jaunt she found the grave of a Union soldier. Her later research identified him as coming from Indiana and placed him at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, part of the Civil War’s Atlanta Campaign. “He met a woman and came to Arkansas and lived here his whole life,” she said of her Union soldier. “And I read — so, so, so much.” She had promised herself that once she finished radiation she would replace the piano she had given away when she moved to Conway, and she did. “Music is a big part of who I am, and it was very soul-filling for me to have my music again,” she said. “My cat didn’t seem to mind.” Cleo is a rescue who thinks she’s a dog, Poulter said. One of the personal casualties of COVID was her daughter Annie’s wedding, which was scheduled for May but postponed. Poulter, the first in her family to graduate from college, earned a bachelor’s degree in music education and a master’s in choral conducting from Eastern Illinois University. She taught music in public schools in Illinois and Minnesota for almost 10 years before returning to earn her doctorate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She then taught music education at Eastern Illinois before going into administration at EIU and then Kennesaw State. Poulter then came to UCA. Hawkins called Poulter’s leadership as provost “a breath of fresh air.” “She is transparent and authentic, warm and engaging, and compassionate toward faculty, staff, and students in all the campus community has faced in 2020,” she said. “I cannot imagine going through this pandemic without her leadership of Academic Affairs.” A year into her cancer journey, how is Poulter different? “I am more willing to accept help,” she said. “I was always willing to give help, but I didn’t want to feel like I was burdening anybody or appearing that I couldn’t do something on my own. I had to accept help. And in doing so, I don’t know that it made me kinder....I hope everything makes you kinder. It just made me feel, made me more aware, of how connected we are as human beings when we open up and help each other. “Sharing someone’s burden doesn’t mean your burden gets bigger. It’s just that the other’s burden gets smaller.” October 2020 501lifemag.com | 29
✎ “Light of the World,
Shine on Me!”
Song title recorded by England Dan and John Ford Coley, 1979)
Vivian Lawson Hogue A native of Conway, Vivian Lawson Hogue graduated from the University of Central Arkansas with a degree in art education. A retired teacher, she worked in the Conway School District for 23 years. She can be reached at vhogue@conwaycorp. net.
30 | 501 LIFE October 2020
Here we are in October, normally a yearly occurrence in which we look for more comfortable weather and breathtaking leaf color. We will likely have those; however, we
may still deal with a thing in the universe called a virus. We have them every year, thus the advisement to get flu shots. As living on this earth would have it, we can’t escape all things considered unsafe or unhealthy. Fortunately, a great number of us have avoided the current flu entirely, or contracted it and recovered with a bonus of a protective antibody. In reality, I have more fear for the safety and well-being of our
country’s foundation than of a passing virus. For their “well-being,” small children want hugs, furry or feathered pets, entertainment, activity, comfort, independence, but dependence! They want to know about God, nature, and why people have to follow rules. They want to have a nightlight, and see the sun come up on Christmas morning. Watch the light in their eyes when they learn something new! Actually, most
of these, with some additions through living life, match the wants of every age. Apply them to yourself and see! What we are needing most right now is some light so we can see what was, is and can be. It’s so gloomy in here! Media advertisements have a new pitch to convey their caring for the possible customer. Where they once shouted and gestured with unbounded exuberance, it is now more somber. By the time they are through, we’re reminded of our cheerless circumstances. In fact, they have run out of adjectives. Now, it is “during these ‘difficult’ (troubling, challenging, uncertain, stressful, hard, trying, or disturbing) times.” Light. What we need is light. Haley Robson, director of lighting for a Little Rock engineering firm, says, “Light is fascinating. It can kill germs! Ultraviolet light is harmful to our skin, but it kills germs. They are making LED lights now that are close enough to the UV spectrum that they kill germs, but are within the ‘Safe Spectrum’ that won’t hurt our skin or eyes. It is great to see that built into light fixtures used in healthcare. “Light regulates our circadian rhythm, or wake/sleep cycle. Having exposure to daylight actually triggers our brains to release serotonin in waking hours, then melatonin at night depending on the wave length for the time of day. If our sleep cycle is out of sync with nature, it can cause immune system issues, affecting our health
and well-being. There is a Bible scripture stating that ‘God is Light.’ (I John: 1:5) What we’ve learned about light takes that scripture to a whole new level of understanding.” All humans look forward to the things that make us happy through the five senses—seeing, hearing, touching, smelling and tasting. If we have the opportunity to experience them, we have a feeling of well-being temporarily or permanently. To others, such as prisoners of war, those with limiting physical or mental afflictions and even some isolated while quarantined, there is a lack of the benefits of well-being for their minds and bodies. For those of us who are able, we can help ourselves look in the right direction to improve our outlooks. We can ignore violent, gory, depressing and depraved movies, books and games. We can look for friends with healthy attitudes. We can take our minds off ourselves and give our attention to someone who needs it. We can put together a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle or start a family tree which is at the very least a 1000-person puzzle! One very well-known quote from a worldrenowned yearly best-selling book is, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think
WE KEEP EVERYTHING GOING.
about such things.” That would have been the apostle Paul, who stated and promoted those thoughts in Philippians 4:8. For someone who was hated and feared through his earlier despicable career as Saul, he found his literally blinding, attitudechanging light on the road to Damascus. The word “light” appears 272 times in the King James version of that bestseller. It would seem, then, that those references are provided to all of us to help find and travel down our own roads to Damascus during these “troubling,” (etc., etc.,) times.
The article in the September issue titled “Our Past is a Present” (page 30) contains an error in a cutline. It should read, “A diesel train approaches the Conway depot about 1974.” Thank you, reader, for your observation. We are flattered by your enjoyment of our magazine and for helping with our history!
Just like you.
You’re committed to being there for the people you care about, no matter what. We know the feeling. At Conway Corp, our team works tirelessly to make sure things are running smoothly – the big stuff, and all the little stuff – for everyone who calls Conway home. It’s simple, really: if our families need it, we’ve got it covered. Period.
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October 2020 501lifemag.com | 31
Renewal Ranch dedicates center Story and photos by Sonja J. Keith
Renewal Ranch recently thanked supporters and contributors at a dedication ceremony for the Restoration Center on the ministry’s Perry County campus. Renewal Ranch is a Christ-centered recovery program with operations in Houston (Perry County) and Conway. Residents learn through hundreds of hours of Bible study, classroom instruction and community service. In its decade of operation, the Ranch has returned more than 300 sober men to their families, with a mission of “Restoring Broken Lives through Christ.” The ministry broke ground on the Restoration Center in 2016. Renewal Ranch Executive Director James Loy recognized major contributors during the ceremony which are listed on a plaque to be displayed in the center: the Matthews Family Farm, Ronny and Janice Mobley, First Security Bank, Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas, Sunderland Foundation (Randy Vance), Bunny Adcock Family Foundation (Carol and Bunny Adcock), Winsupply of Conway (Bob Rigdon), Bailey Paint (David Bailey), Bailey Electric (Bob Bailey), WhitDavis Lumber (Alan Bettis), Nail Benders for Jesus (Charlie Zimmerman), Lynn Cain LLC, Southside Baptist Church at Damascus, Second Baptist Church in Conway, Family Life Bible Church in Conway and Fellowship Bible Church in Conway. Individuals and churches who sponsored bedrooms
Renewal Ranch recognized sponsors for the bedrooms in the new Restoration Center. On behalf of Second Baptist Church and Beast Feast, Glenn Crockett (center) accepted plaques from the Ranch’s Chase Moser, Bryce McGhee, James Loy and John Berry).
Debbie Allison accepts plaques for the bedrooms sponsored in memory of her son, Kyle Allison. 32 | 501 LIFE October 2020
Renewal Ranch Director of Marketing and Fundraising Bryce McGhee holds a plaque listing major contributors, who are pictured with members of the Renewal Ranch leadership team. at the center were also recognized. Plaques will be placed in the rooms that list the sponsors, which include Three Trees Cowboy Church, Family Life Bible Church/ Don Bingham Small Group, Woodland Heights Baptist Church in Conway, Springhill Baptist Church near Greenbrier, Second Baptist Church/Beast Feast, Southside Baptist Church, Kyle Allison’s Family and Central Baptist Church in Conway. Others providing support for beds at the Ranch were recognized: Alan Bettis (in memory of Barbara Bettis) and Russ Purvis (in memory of Boe Archer, Lillie Ann Archer, James Archer and Essie Archer). Others recognized at the dedication were: Ray Nabholz, NBMC – general contractor for the Restoration Center. Capital campaign chairs – Johnny Adams, Don Bingham and Libby Fulmer. Sound booth dedication – Named for Josh Kear by the Kear Family. Stage dedication – Named for Fellowship Bible Church. Teaching classroom dedication – Named for First Security Bank. Chapel area dedication – Named for Ronny and Janice Mobley. In 2020, Renewal Ranch has been awarded more than half a million dollars in grants for facility expansions as it continues to help men battling drug and alcohol addiction.
L-R: Renewal Ranch Executive Director James Loy, Bunny and Carol Adcock, First Security Bank’s Johnny Adams and Ranch board member Mark Ferguson.
The awards: • Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas grant sponsored by First Security Bank - $250,000 • First Security Bank matching grant - $50,000 • Bunny Adcock Family Foundation matching grant - $50,000 • Sunderland Foundation capital grant - $200,000 For more information on the Ranch or to make a donation, visit therenewalranch.org.
October 2020 501lifemag.com | 33
DESIGN
Angela Bates is a decorative product specialist at Sherwin-Williams in Conway and will soon have her bachelor of science in interior design later this year. When the 501 LIFE team decided to make a move to a new Downtown Conway location, we were fortunate enough to meet Angela and receive her assistance in designing our all new location. What brought you into the field of interior design and what training have you had so far? I am currently a senior at the University of Central Arkansas. I have always had a love for the relationship of humans and the spaces we occupy. The program has allowed me to expand my knowledge on the elements and principles of design as well as human based design. This is my last semester at the university where I will be studying Advanced Studio and Professional Practice. I will graduate this December. What's next for you? My current plan for after graduation is to continue my position at Sherwin-Williams. Eventually I would like to open my own practice in Faulkner County to continue to ease the stress many experience when designing/planning their future home or business. The 501 team is thrilled with the look 34 | 501 LIFE October 2020
of the new office. What gave you the idea for these colors for the new office space? I advised the selection of these colors for the new office to help create a calming and neutral place to conduct work in. Agreeable Grey is the perfect “Greige” wall color that allows for the want of a Grey without it being over bearing. The top boards were originally painted black so I wanted to help pick a color that would be a nice transition from the wall color to the ceiling rafters. Mega Greige was the perfect balance of contrast without it being too stark. The accent colors I suggested were Plum Brown and Composed. I loved the drama and richness the Plum Brown brought to the space. It also played off the darker tones in the existing wallpaper. Composed is a rich teal that brought just a touch of brightness and life to the space. I wanted to incorporate that color in the front wall and echo it in the back office. How did you create an actual 3D version of what the office would look like painted? We use multiple computer programs in the design program. The one I used for this project was Revit. I chose this program to be able to showcase the design selections in a 3D model.
You not only showed us the future colors of our office, but also gave us ideas for future décor. Yes! I suggested furniture placement to help give a natural flow of the office area. I was able to demonstrate the layout in Revit to show how they would correlate with the existing furniture and pieces that were to be brought in.
“
I was very honored to be able to help design the office space and represent not only UCA but SherwinWilliams too. It brings me joy to be able to take the stress off people feeling overwhelmed with design selections. I believe we created a beautiful and comfortable place to work.
”
— Angela Bates
October 2020 501lifemag.com | 35 OFFICE DESKS PROVIDED BY COUSINS’ OFFICE FURNITURE
SPECIAL FRIENDS
Animal adoptions surge Local animals transported to other states to fulfill demand
Dennis Wells says goodbye to some of the dogs he has brought to meet Alphadog Transport at its Conway stop. by Donna Lampkin Stephens
In the midst of so much bad news from the COVID-19 pandemic, there is much good news for animal rescues in the 501 and beyond. Adoptions of dogs and cats from local rescues have been through the roof. “Because everybody’s been at home, this is a really good time to bring a furry companion into their home,” said Berdie Eubank, a case manager for CLAWS (Cats’ Lives Are Worth Saving). Added Susan Shaddox of Last Chance Arkansas, a rescue based in Conway and Little Rock: “I just think people have more time to house-train and to take a walk and to have a friend. It’s kind of sad that it took this to get there.” According to the Washington Post, a “sudden surge in demand” for adoptable pets when the country shut down in March has continued and, in some places, there were not enough dogs and cats to fulfill that demand. Shelters and rescues reported low inventory — a wonderful problem for those working in animal welfare. Eubank said from March through August 2019, she aided the adoption of 28 cats and kittens and six of those went to New England adopters. In the same period in 2020, she has adopted 56 — 35 of those to New England. Shaddox reported similar numbers of dog adoptions. “We are probably adopting 30 a month more than we did before,” she said. “We’ve adopted a few around here, but mostly they’re in New England. And I have adopted more pit bulls than I ever have.” Lisa Hoyt of Dirt Road Rescues, based in Perry County, is down to seven dogs for adoption from a high of 40-something when she had multiple litters of puppies. “When we first went into quarantine, I had three pens of puppies, but we got them all out of here,” she said. “That was in spring. It’s slacked off a little bit now, but I’ve picked up several more. We’ve had a lot of good ones get adopted out.” 36 | 501 LIFE October 2020
L-R: Matt Bourdeau and Jeff O’Brien of Alphadog Transport get pets from their Conway stop settled in the back of a semitruck before resuming their trip. The demand for adoptable pets is far greater in New England because of strict spay and neuter laws there. Adoption fees pay for the rescues to go to the vet and to be microchipped. Several transport services take dogs and cats from the Central Arkansas area weekly to their new homes in the northeast. Conway Animal Welfare and the Little Rock Animal Village regularly send adoptable dogs to shelters in the Midwest through the ASPCA Relocation Program. According to aspca.org, the program “transports animals from shelters in areas of high homeless pet overpopulation to destination shelters, where there is a higher demand for adoptable animals.” Nearly 43,000 animals were relocated through ASPCA in 2019, up from 529 in 2014.
Hoyt said the entire adoption process had been easier since March. With just a Facebook or Instagram post, former adopters or their friends were reaching out to her to claim their new best friend. “I was getting them adopted before they were ready to go,” she said. “A lot of adopters were referred by people who’d adopted from me before.” Hoyt, who has worked in rescue for about seven years, said she generally adopts out 60 to 75 dogs a year. She has thrived by building personal relationships with those adopters. Shaddox, who has been working in rescue since 2004, said the recent months had been the easiest run of adoptions during those 16 years. Through the pandemic, LCA has also added to
Matt Boudeau of Alphadog Transport loads one of the Charleston dogs.
Dogs and cats have water provided and a safe crate as they head to their forever homes in New England on Alphadog Transport.
its foster list. The group has fosters all over central Arkansas — Conway, Little Rock, Greenbrier, Lonoke, Jacksonville. Short-term foster homes are a necessary part of the rescue equation. “We’ve got more fosters because people have the time to foster,” Shaddox said. “But we can always use more.” One thing all three women have been concerned about is making sure the pets are secure when their families return to work post-pandemic. “I do worry some about whether the novelty of the adoption will wear off after they go back to work, but for the most part, you have to take a leap of faith that the cat will earn a spot in their home and their heart, and they’ll make it work,” Eubank said. Shaddox and LCA prefer that puppies aren’t left alone all day while their families are at work. “But what I’ve seen is that so many people now are just going to keep working from home,” she said. “I just think it’s changed everything and now more people can have a dog.” Hoyt said most of her adopters have at least one
Mowgli with his forever mom after arriving in Connecticut via Alphadog Transport. (Photo courtesy of Gowtham Yenduri.) person in the household working from home. “We didn’t have a whole lot who thought they’d be going back full-time and gone all day,” she said. “I’m pretty picky with my screenings; we ask a lot of questions. Most of those referrals came from really good adopters who’ve come back the second time to adopt from me. When you get that kind of a referral, it’s a good thing. They all have been great with their dogs, and they wouldn’t recommend someone who wouldn’t do a good job.” While they and others have been on a good roll since March, all three organizations welcome help — volunteers, fosters, donations. For more information, or to help, visit: LastChanceAR.org, DirtRoadRescues.org orClawsCatRescue.org or on Facebook visit: Last Chance Arkansas, Dirt Road Rescues and CLAWS: Cats Lives Are Worth Saving. “It’s really good news in a time of bad news,” Shaddox said of the pandemic months. “I just think that really COVID helped people go back to basics, and what’s more basic than having a dog as your best friend?”
October 2020 501lifemag.com | 37
1 HEALTH
Partners boosting nurse retention
L-R: Angie Longing, Conway Regional Health System’s chief nursing officer; Susan L. Gatto, PhD, RN, UCA’s director of the School of Nursing; Megan Stewart and Kayla Young, UCA nursing students and participants in the Partnership for Nursing Excellence. (Mike Kemp photo) by Dwain Hebda
When the University of Central Arkansas and Conway Regional Health System formed the Partnership for Nursing Clinical Excellence a couple of years ago, the goal was to provide scholarships and work experiences that would retain more nurses in the local health care market. It’s a program that has paid immediate dividends according to Susan Gatto, director of the UCA School of Nursing. “We’re in our third round of students,” she said. “The first round, we only had three students because it was new and all that. Those three are employed at Conway Regional; they’ve been there a year and they’re still employed there and staying, which is exactly what we wanted. “The second year, we helped eight students who were all hired at Conway Regional. Currently, we have 16 students who are in school receiving (scholarship) assistance. That is just phenomenal! Conway Regional gets nurses, we get student scholarships. It’s perfect.” Nursing graduates do not lack employment opportunities these days. A nationwide shortage of nurses guarantees many can go wherever they want and have no trouble finding positions in hospitals, clinics and doctors’ offices. From the start, the UCAConway Regional partnership was designed to help retain more of this nursing talent locally. “We started having conversations around something that could be beneficial for both facilities,” said Angie Longing, chief nursing officer for Conway Regional Health System. “Of course for us, a pipeline 38 | 501 LIFE October 2020
of new nurses was certainly our top priority from the agreement. But it really was a group that came together and started trying to identify how it could mutually benefit both places.” Under the terms of the partnership, the program awards $2,500 in scholarship money per semester - $5,000 per year - to students as they complete the final four semesters of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the UCA School of Nursing. In exchange, the recipients commit to two years of employment at Conway Regional following graduation. Longing said the relationship with UCA students begins well before graduation which allows the prospective nurses time to acclimate to Conway Regional’s culture and work environment prior to their final job assignment. “What makes this appealing to scholarship recipients is the School of Nursing at UCA tries to make Conway Regional their primary clinical site. So, they can count on coming here for their nursing experience,” she said. “They start getting integrated into our culture and the things that we do in nursing over those two years of nursing school. “We also offer them patient care tech positions while they’re still in school. They’re automatically given a position with us and that’s another way of acclimating them to Conway Regional.” The two institutions have partnered on other projects in the past and UCA grads are well-represented throughout Conway Regional’s ranks, including Longing herself who earned her nursing degree there. Gatto, who was one of Longing’s college instructors, said this history of cooperative action is a big part of how the program came together and why it
has been so successful. “There’s a lot of potential here and it’s really exciting,” Gatto said. “It’s not that this idea is particularly unique; there are similar partnerships going on in the state. But what makes our partnership different is we’re not just stopping at money and scholarships. We’ve gone beyond that. “The hospital is applying for Magnet status and the things that we’ve done together are going to help Conway Regional achieve that. That’s wonderful. That’s national recognition that’s really difficult to get. Meanwhile, we’re looking for innovative ways to provide high-quality clinical experiences for our students. So, this spirit of innovation is what makes our partnerships different.” Longing said the community of Conway and the surrounding areas served by the hospital are among the primary beneficiaries of the program’s success. “In this day and age there is a shortage [of nurses] across the board,” she said. “Nurses are mobile; there’s been a lot of travel needs, especially during this time of COVID, where nurses will take an assignment at a very high rate of pay. It makes it very difficult for us to keep all of our positions filled. “That’s why it’s very important for us to have partnerships like this with a steady stream of nurses coming to us. And, it’s very important for us to be a best place to work so they want to stay with us. We were named the Best Place to Work the last three years in a row by Modern Healthcare Magazine and we work hard to maintain that culture. If you can retain a nurse after their first year in the workforce, it certainly helps your chances of keeping them for the long term.”
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1 HEALTH
Q&A
501 LIFE asked Unity Health Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Roddy Lochala, D.O., FAAFP, of Searcy, a series of questions about health and wellness exams that adults should not put off because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Lochala has been a Family Practice Physician for 19 years and has been CMO for two years. What are some of the wellness exams/tests that adults should not ignore? No one should delay getting his or her weight, blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol screenings done through a wellness exam. Individuals should have immunizations up to date. Routine screenings for mental health issues, including depression, should not be delayed. Mammograms for women and colonoscopies should never be put off. Anything that is a new need or a routine screening for a patient should be conducted as usual.
Do you know of situations where a patient delayed a wellness exam or help with pain/sickness because of COVID-19? Yes. Has this caused any permanent damage to their health? Yes. We have had several cases of patients hospitalized with conditions that had they sought medical care sooner, could have had better outcomes. However, their fear of COVID-19 motivated them to stay home and away from needed care.
For patients who are diabetics or cancer survivors, people with heart problems, or a stroke history, what advice would you give? These Arkansans need to have heightened awareness of their increased risk of a bad outcome from contracting COVID-19. They should adhere to the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) guidelines regarding COVID-19. These include handwashing, social distancing when possible, and wearing a mask. This vulnerable population should do a risk assessment for each activity outside of their home, meaning they should think through the risks associated with each interaction they have, before leaving home, and decide if going is worth the risk to their health.
Is Unity Health open to seeing patients at this time at the hospital and in their clinics? What steps are they taking to protect patients? Absolutely, we are open and seeing patients. Masks are mandatory for all Unity Health associates, their patients, and guests. We have hand-sanitizing stations throughout the health system. It is important to note that we recommend utilizing telemedicine when possible. Telemedicine provides an opportunity to help patients receive healthcare without leaving their homes in most cases. Telemedicine also minimizes the risk of contracting COVID-19. In short, Unity Health is taking all of the protective measures possible inside our walls, to protect patients when they come to us. However, more than that, we provide an alternative – the option to receive healthcare remotely when possible and appropriate with telemedicine.
40 | 501 LIFE October 2020
Unity Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Roddy Lochala offers valuable health advice for adults during COVID-19.
Any additional advice for readers? We are approaching flu season. It is going to be like many flu seasons of the past in some respects. However, this year, even more so than in the past, I encourage everyone to get a flu shot, as immunizations become available. I encourage everyone to be diligent about following ADH guidelines. In addition, Convalescent Plasma is an excellent way for Arkansans to help Arkansans. Convalescent Plasma has been given “Emergency Use Authorization” by the FDA as a treatment for COVID-19. Convalescent Plasma requires those who have recovered from COVID-19 to donate plasma. Anyone who has recovered from COVID-19 can visit https:// bio-linked.org/ to find out how to help his or her neighbors with COVID-19, by donating plasma.
Landmark gives $50,000 to UCA college Landmark PLC, Certified Public Accountants has given $50,000 to the University of Central Arkansas College of Business Enhancement Fund. The enhancement fund supports student programming, enhanced learning opportunities, as well as professional development opportunities for students, faculty, and staff in the College of Business. “This gift from Landmark makes our college stronger in a number of important ways,” said Michael B. Hargis, dean of the UCA College of Business. “Our students will have greater access to learning opportunities outside the classroom as well as enhanced professional development opportunities for students. Learning inside the classroom will improve as well, as our faculty will have more funding to attend professional development opportunities and additional training to ensure our curriculum remains current and rigorous.” Landmark is a full-service public accounting and business advisory firm with four offices throughout Arkansas in Little Rock, Rogers, Fort Smith and Russellville. In addition to the gift to support the UCA College of Business Enhancement Fund, Landmark supports the Department of Accounting through the Blake Payne Memorial Endowed Scholarship, available to junior and seniors majoring in accounting. The scholarship honors the memory of Payne, who was a UCA College of Business alumnus and worked at Landmark. The UCA College of Business has more than 1,600 undergraduate and graduate students. It offers 14 baccalaureate degrees, two master’s, one graduate certificate and one technical certificate across four academic departments and houses the state’s only insurance and risk management program. The UCA College of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Visit uca.edu/business for more information.
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October 2020 501lifemag.com | 41
This cheesecake will be a fall and holiday favorite for those who love peanut butter. (Mike Kemp photo)
42 | 501 LIFE October 2020
ENTERTAINING
�
Nothing says fall like peanuts For most of us, beginning at childhood we establish a love-relationship with peanut butter! Once we are assured there are no allergy challenges-the whole world of peanuts and peanut butter is opened up! The palate ranges from rich smooth or chunky peaDon Bingham nut butter to peanuts in the shell, to peanut Recognized throughout the butter cookies, peanut state as an accomplished chef, butter fudge and the Don Bingham has authored cookbooks, presented television eternal peanut butter programs and planned elaborate and jelly sandwich! events. The peanut plant probably originated in Peru or Brazil in South America, indicated by South American artisans making pottery in the shape of peanuts or decorated jars with peanuts as far back as 3,500 years ago. During the 1880’s, P.T. Barnum began selling roasted peanuts to the audiences at his circus performances, where the least expensive seats became known as “the peanut gallery.” Peanuts did not become a commercial crop until 1896 when George Washington Carver, ex-slave and chemist, began a series of agricultural experiments at Tuskegee Institute, Alabama. The South’s land had been depleted of vital soil nutrients by constant over-planting of cotton, and Carver proved that raising peanuts would revitalize the land by adding nitrogen to the soil. Carver eventually developed hundreds of products made from the lowly goober. Peanuts make a great snack, obviously, but they also make a great gift! Who would not like to receive a burlap bag as a survival kit - full of these rich - centuries old - culinary jewels called peanuts? Just to show due respect to this small roasted and salted wonder, I have included one of my favorite recipes for peanut butter cheesecake - the marriage of cheesecake and peanuts is one of the grandest encouragements we all can enjoy during the COVID-19 epidemic and for time to come! My hope is that you will enjoy this trophy recipe for many calories and carbs in your dessert future - and it will appear on your fall and holiday table as often as your diet will allow!'
PEANUT BUTTER CHEESECAKE Yield 12 servings
4 eight-ounce packages of cream cheese, softened 5 eggs, at room temperature 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar 1 cup creamy peanut butter 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 10 regular peanut butter cups, broken into small pieces Chocolate Crust (included below) Sour Cream Topping Beat the cream cheese in a mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the brown sugar, peanut butter, cream and vanilla, then mix until smooth. Fold in peanut butter cup pieces just before pouring into Chocolate Crust. Press heavy-duty foil tightly over the bottom and up the side of the springform pan to prevent leakage. Set the pan into a larger shallow pan. Pour enough hot water into the larger pan to come 1 inch up the side of the springform pan. Bake at 275 degrees for 1 1/4 hours or until firm and light brown. Spread with Sour Cream Topping. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove the springform pan from the oven and the water bath to a wire rack. Let cool for 1 hour. Chill, covered, in the refrigerator for 4 hours before serving.
CHOCOLATE CRUST 2 cups chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs 1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted Process the cookie crumbs and peanuts in a food processor until finely ground. Stir in the melted butter. Pat onto the bottom and up the side of an 11-inch springform pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
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SOUR CREAM TOPPING For Sour Cream Topping, combine 6 tablespoons sour cream and 1/2 cup sugar in a small bowl and mix well. Chill, covered, for 1 hour or longer before using.
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We’re your Shield. We’re your Shelter. ShelterInsurance.com October 2020 501lifemag.com | 43
1 HEALTH
Team approach
Cardiologist envisions best outcome for patients
Dr. Rimsha Hasan joined the Conway Regional Cardiovascular Clinic this summer. by John Patton
Rimsha Hasan, MD, is looking forward to a busy medical practice in Conway. An interventional cardiologist, Hasan wants “a practice that serves the needs of the community and focuses on quality care.” She adds, “I hope I am known as a physician who is accessible to patients and to physicians in the community, working as part of a team with other providers.” Today’s medicine is about a team approach and awareness is key, says Hasan. “The more we talk and work together, the better we can educate our patients and prevent long-term health consequences.” Hasan joined the Conway Regional Cardio44 | 501 LIFE October 2020
vascular Clinic on July 13. As an interventional cardiologist, she specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and management of diseases of the heart and blood vessels. Hasan helps patients manage a variety of conditions from hypertension, including life-threatening heart attacks, stable coronary disease, peripheral arterial disease, critical limb ischemia, congestive heart failure and irregular heart rhythms. Interventional cardiologists often perform procedures in the cardiac catheterization laboratory, such as coronary angiography, right heart Cath, peripheral angiography, balloon angioplasty, stent placement, pulmonary angiography, EKOS therapy for pulmonary embolism, closure of PFO (patent foramen ovale, an
opening that allows blood to bypass the lungs and go to the left atria of the heart) and ASD (atrial septal defect, a hole in the septum that separates the upper chambers of the heart). At Conway Regional Cardiovascular Clinic, she has joined Don Steely, MD, a highly experienced interventional cardiologist who has been caring for patients in the Conway area for more than 22 years. “Dr. Hasan is very personable and extremely capable,” Steely said. “She brings a sense of calm, combined with talent and competence, which makes her an excellent addition to the staff and a great fit with our team.” Hasan completed a residency in internal medicine at AtlantiCare Regional Medical
Center in Atlantic City, N.J. From there, she completed fellowship training in interventional cardiology and general cardiology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock. “I said I wanted to be a neurosurgeon at the age of 4, but I was destined to be a cardiologist instead,” said Hasan. She realized her calling to cardiac care during rotations in medical school. “It’s everything; the complexity, the urgency and the fact that there is immediate gratification. It gives you a mix of inpatient and outpatient care, and the opportunity to problem solve in both settings,” said Hasan, who describes herself as “a team player, honest, meticulous and aggressive with patient care.” In July, Hasan moved to Conway from Little Rock with her husband, Sohaib, and two children: 4-year-old daughter Minha and 1 ½-year-old son Azlaan. “The people here have been incredibly nice to me,” she said. Rimsha and Sohaib, who is preparing for a medical residency, enjoy nature and often take Minha on climbs at Pinnacle Mountain in Little Rock. “It has been a smooth transition. The office manager and cath lab manager, Dana (Costley) and Paula (Weatherley), have been super helpful. Matt Troup (Conway Regional’s president and CEO) and other hospital leaders are receptive and great to work with. Dr. Steely has been wonderful and is a talented colleague.” “We are thrilled to have Dr. Hasan join the Conway Regional medical staff,” said Troup.
“
I said I wanted to be a neurosurgeon at the age of 4, but I was destined to be a cardiologist instead. It’s everything; the complexity, the urgency and the fact that there is immediate gratification. It gives you a mix of inpatient and outpatient care, and the opportunity to problem solve in both settings.
”
— Dr. Rimsha Hasan “We are fortunate to have an outstanding hospital staff and medical community that are so supportive of new physicians,” he said, adding, “The atmosphere at Conway Regional, and in the Conway community in general, creates an advantage in recruiting talented physicians, such as Dr. Hasan.” While she enjoys caring for all patients, Hasan seeks to address some of the misconceptions surrounding women and heart disease. “Women’s heart health often gets misdi-
agnosed and that delays access to care,” said Hasan. “There is an under representation of women in all the cardiology data. The major misconception is that ‘it’s a man’s disease,’ which is not true. It’s a human disease and it can happen to anyone.” Hasan diagnoses patients based on a risk profile, irrespective of gender. “The focus should be on individual risks, rather than just dividing people into categories based on gender,” she said. The individual assessment includes comorbidities and social habits, including a sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise, smoking and a family history. “Some of the risk factors can be modified. Being connected with your community can improve lifestyles and contribute to a positive impact on a large scale.” Hasan offers a few words of advice for the public. “Don’t wait on symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath and back pain that is happening with exertion. These can be symptoms of a heart attack.” Hasan gives an example of a patient in her 40s who received a second heart stent. “The first time she did not recognize her symptoms. The second time, her chest was hurting and she knew what was going on and came in right away. She was revascularized within 60 minutes of presentation which helped save her heart muscle.” To schedule an appointment with Hasan, call 501.358.6905.
Community is EVERYTHING.
Grant Gordy knows all about our community. A native of Conway, and fourth generation of his family to call this home, Grant is a Wampus Cat to the core. He cares deeply about his hometown and wants to see it thrive. As the Conway president for First Community Bank, he is excited to bring our style of banking to town. We think you’ll be excited too. Call or drop by and let him show you what it looks like when a bank puts the community first.
CONWAY | 1089 Front Street | 501.764.9640
www.firstcommunity.net
October 2020 501lifemag.com | 45
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HOME
From memory to reality A family’s dream home takes life
Taylor and Zach Castleberry built their dream home. The wood floor made a little creak by the front door as Taylor carried a box of her stuffed animals out to the driveway to be loaded with all the other family belongings. She paused a moment and bounced a little on the squeaky floorboard, savoring the sound that had so often bid her adieu, welcomed her home and heralded friendly visitors. She had watched and helped as her parents spent their evenings and weekends painstakingly restoring the 1910 Victorian, making it comfortable Donna Benton and cozy, while being sure to leave the parts Donna Benton is a maker of that gave the home its custom home furnishings and character, like the creaky specializes in classic painted finishes for antique and vintage floorboard. All the work furniture. You can see her work that Taylor and her at WaterHouseMarket.com. family had put into the home made it hard for the 12-year-old to leave for the last time, especially knowing that it was destined to be demolished, leaving just an empty lot and a driveway to nothing. Her house was gone but it was still in Taylor’s heart. She sketched out a floorplan from memory and vowed to one day build a replica of her historic family home. As she dreamed about her future home, she gathered ideas, clipped photos from magazines and even began collecting sentimental art and furnishings. Over time, her dream home evolved as her taste seasoned and she discovered new ideas, 46 | 501 LIFE October 2020
L-R Spencer and Cameron perch on the stairs with piles of candy colored pumpkins. (Makenzie Evans photos) but she never stopped imagining and planning. In seventh grade, Taylor struck up a friendship with young Zach Castleberry. In high school they would explore on Zach’s family land, riding
on jeep trails and adventuring through the woods. The land had been in Zach’s family for generations. Zach’s grandpa used to practice his golf swing here by smacking balls into the woods. From time to
An open kitchen is a great place to gather for holidays, Sunday dinners or for no reason at all.
Eugene, the family dog, always gets in on the fun.
time they would find a stray golf ball, like an Easter egg hunt for family relics from the past. Over time Zach and Taylor started to feel their own connection with the land and make their own memories. Zach’s parents raised sheep on the property and his brother and cousin built homes there. Eventually Zach and Taylor decided they wanted to make their home there as well. By the time they got around to breaking ground, Zach and Taylor had a family of their own. Spencer and Cameron, a pair of sweet little gals, like exploring the woods and farm as much as their parents. Their dog, named Eugene that will jump higher than your head with eagerness when it’s time to take a walk. It was exciting for Taylor to see her vision come to life on these hallowed family grounds. The construction process was a family affair. Zach led the project with lots of help from friends and family. The girls even pitched in with Spencer in charge of picking up nails in the yard with a magnet and Cameron cheering them on from the Pack N’ Play and looking cute. Taylor hadn’t lost the vision for her forever home. The style had evolved a bit from her childhood 1910 Victorian, but what remained was the same atmosphere of warmth, family and community within the walls. Not just a place for her family to live but a place for her family to experience life: Porches for sipping tea with family and for kicking off boots after feeding the farm animals, a loft area just for the girls where they can have their own space to create, a spacious kitchen island where folks can gather over meal prep where everyone pitches in and open
Home continued on Page 48
501.295.3244
FOR RENT
LUXURY APARTMENT LIVING
501.328.2179
METRO SQUARE October 2020 501lifemag.com | 47
A perfectly cozy master bedroom.
Vaulted ceilings and an open floor plan make even small rooms seem spacious.
Home continued from Page 47 living spaces where the whole family can gather for holidays and special events, for Sunday dinner or for no reason at all. On move-in day, Taylor was thrilled with anticipation of the culmination of the lifelong dream of her forever home and the fruits of all the hard work that her family and friends had invested. When her mattress took flight en route and skidded to a stop in the middle of the highway, the excitement was only a distraction from the horror of the brown recluse spider infestation they had just discovered in the stored furniture that they were transporting to their new home. But it helped to temper the news that their refrigerator wouldn’t fit into its space in the cabinets. Just when Taylor thought real life was going to derail the magic of move-in day, snow began to fall. The upturned earth of the new construction site was blanketed with white and each of the giant picture windows framed an enchanted winter scene across this cherished family land, a brilliant reminder that a home is a place to weather life’s highs and lows and a place where this branch of the Castleberrys can make their own chapter of family history.
The kids get crafty making Halloween decorations. 48 | 501 LIFE October 2020
ENERGY SMART
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Celebrating public power National week recognizes non-profit electric utilities This October, Conway Corp is celebrating Public Power Week along with more than 2,000 other communityowned, not-for-profit electric utilities that collectively provide electricity to more than 48 million Americans. Public power puts the people of Conway first, and Public Power Beth Week gives us the chance Jimmerson to celebrate the reliable, A long-time Conway resident, affordable electricity Beth McCullough Jimmerson is Conway Corp provides the manager for marketing and communications for Conway to our community. Corp. She has a bachelor’s degree As one of only 15 from the University of Central public power providers in Arkansas and a master’s degree from the University of Arkansas. the state and 2,000 across She can be reached at beth. the nation, Conway jimmerson@conwaycorp.com. Corp is special. We have operated alongside our customers in Conway since 1929. We not only work for Conway, we are Conway. Knowing our community and its needs helps us keep homes, businesses and public places powered year-round. Our service is safe, reliable and affordable, and we take pride in serving our friends and neighbors. Conway benefits from public power including affordable energy costs, superior service, local control and reinvestment in the community. Local needs are considered when decisions are made about rates and services, power generation and green alternatives. Plus, public power revenues are reinvested into community programs and projects that are for the common good. We work hard to keep the lights on, and we work to keep rates low, invest in our local community and provide hometown jobs. Reliability is our number one job. Our crews work tirelessly to keep the power on and restore it quickly when outages occur. Through continued training and ongoing preventative care, we are prepared to act quickly and safely to restore power to Conway. We are the only utility in the state to be designated a platinum-level Reliable Public Power Provider by the American Public Power Association for demonstrating high proficiency in reliability, safety, workforce development and system improvement. Plus, our employees are dedicated and passionate about this community because it’s where they live too. As a public power provider, we also benefit from mutual aid agreements with other providers. Recently, our crews helped restore power to Jonesboro following tornado damage in March 2020. Should
a large outage occur, similar crews would travel to Conway to help restore power for our residents. We focus on providing affordable electric rates, and on a national average our rates are lower than industry competitors, saving money for citizens and businesses. We also consistently have the lowest residential rates in the state of Arkansas. Lower rates mean citizens have more available to spend on other goods and services which boosts the local economy. We aren’t motivated by profits to sell more power, so we also provide energy efficiency programs like energy audits and zero percent interest loans to benefit customers. Our revenues are reinvested into maintaining and upgrading our system’s substations, distribution lines and more so we’re able to safely deliver low-cost, reliable electricity. Keeping energy costs affordable serves our community’s long-term needs – and that’s what public power is all about. Conway Corp exists to serve the residents of Conway. We provide friendly, local service to customers. Customers can also call 24 hours a day, seven days a week and be connected to a customer service representative who is a local member of the community. We are responsive to customers’ needs and concerns and make customer service a priority. Recent data shows we keep the lights on 99.99 percent of the time, but when an outage does occur we restore power quickly and efficiently because we’re located in the community we serve. On average, our customers get electricity restored after an outage 103 minutes sooner than the national
average. We live here and have a vested interest in getting service restored as quickly and safely as possible. We’re accountable to our friends, neighbors and families. Conway Corp is dedicated to exceeding our customers’ expectations in producing and delivering safe, affordable, reliable, innovative and environmentally-sound utility and telecommunication services while enhancing the quality of life in our community. We believe in enhancing our city through community projects and educational opportunities. We were founded to support area education, and today we provide technology scholarships and more to our local schools and colleges. We invest in the community because we are the community. We’re invested in Conway, and so are our employees. We employ more than 250 local individuals who serve on local boards, participate with local charities, coach local youth sports teams and more. Each year, Conway Corp employees donate more than $35,000 to United Way. Our employees also hold an annual food drive for a local charity and participate in the Angel Tree program. As a public power utility, our loyalty is to our customers and our community. Public power is an American tradition that works, and we thank you for your support and for allowing us to serve you for more than 90 years. For more information about Conway Corp’s public power history in the community, visit ConwayCorp.com/who-we-are. October 2020 501lifemag.com | 49
AUTHORS IN THE 501
Small town produces award-winning author Writer David Jauss has written about life as an elderly nun, a war veteran, a foster child, a 16th century priest, a serial killer, a Russian dwarf, a disaffected teen, and a pitcher from the Dominican Republic. These are just some of the many characters he has created in his short stories and poems. Susan Jauss grew up in a small town in MinPeterson nesota. Even as a child, Susan Peterson holds a PhD in he enjoyed writing. education and taught at the University of Central His mother once Arkansas and Slippery Rock gave him a diary as a University in Pennsylvania. She retired in 2004 and now spends present and he filled her time doing artwork (painting it within a week. He and pottery). recalls that his favorite school assignment was using the 25 new vocabulary words in an original story each week. But in his mind, becoming a writer seemed unattainable since no “real” writers came from rural Minnesota. Instead, he aspired to become a high school English teacher and baseball coach. It wasn’t until he was in college that a professor noted his talent and told him that he should enter a graduate MFA creative writing program. Jauss followed that recommendation. After graduating from Southwest Minnesota State College, he continued his education at Syracuse University and the University of Iowa. After obtaining his degrees, Jauss, his wife and two children, moved to Little Rock in 1980 where he took a position at the University of Arkansas at
50 | 501 LIFE October 2020
Little Rock teaching creative writing and literature. There he remained, working with a diverse group of students until his retirement in 2014. During his 34 years of teaching, he was able to expand his own creative pursuits. Of his many publications, he feels his last two books of short stories may be the most gratifying since they are a culmination of his life’s work. They are titled "Glossolalia: New and Selected Stories" and "Nice People: New and Selected Stories II." Generally, his stories start with a detail or situ-
ation that he finds intriguing, then he continues to explore what makes people do what they do. As he writes, his stories may wend in unexpected directions. As a reviewer said, “Though human frailty darkens many of these tales, each shines with the multi-faceted complexity of real life.”
Both books have received high acclaim and many of the previously published stories have garnered literary notice, including: A Best American Short Stories award, the O. Henry Prize, two Pushcart Prizes and many more. Contemporary writers, including Wally Lamb and Andre Dubus III, have praised his talent. His other works include "Black Maps" and "Crimes of Passio" and two books of poems, "You Are Not Here" and "Improvising Rivers." His fiction, poetry and essays have appeared in an impressive list of magazines and anthologies and he has been an editor and served on editorial boards. He has also published books about the craft of writing. They include "On Writing Fiction" and "Words Overflown by Stars: Creative Writing Instruction" and "Insight from the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA Program." He continues to work in this acclaimed low-residency MFA in Writing Program, where he has taught since 1998. This model program has spawned over 75 other programs of this type, in which students work one-on-one with a mentor online and through email for most of the year then come together at the college for two weeks of intensive in-person instruction twice a year. Jauss has demonstrated that “real” writers can come from small, rural towns. Although he did not coach baseball, he instead coached hundreds of students on the craft of creative writing. And when speaking about former students who have achieved their own successes, he assumes the tone of a proud parent. Jauss and his wife Judy continue to live in Little Rock with their two dogs. He is putting finishing touches on another book of essays about writing fiction. A full list of his publications and other accomplishments appears at DavidJauss.com. His books may be purchased from Amazon and other online vendors as well as in local bookstores.
David Jauss writes short stories and poems and has published two books with high acclaim including "Glossolalia: New and Selected Stories" and "Nice People: New and Selected Stories II."
October 2020 501lifemag.com | 51
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Creative ways to keep kids active
Brittany Gilbert Brittany Gilbert is a former FACS teacher at Maumelle High School. She and her husband, Levi, have three children and live in Greenbrier. Brittany co-hosts The Deeply Rooted Homeschool, a podcast designed to encourage and equip homeschool families. Find out more at thedeeplyrootedhomeschool. com. She can also be reached at b.gilbert37@gmail.com.
Like so many things, kids’ activities and sports have taken a back seat in the current season. For a while, it was nice to have a break from all of the to-dos. After a while, it seems a lot of families are itching to get back to some activity. However, the world isn’t ready for “normal� yet, so whether you need some ideas for learning at home for kids or the whole family, there are lots of options to keep kids’ (and parents’) bodies and brains active.
Brain breaks
As a homeschool parent, brain breaks are necessary. Brain breaks allow kids to refocus and reenergize so they can return to a task. These can be relaxing or active, depending on what you need at the time. YouTube, Pinterest and Google have many activities. Some of my favorite go-to’s are to have my kids do physical activity such as jumping jacks or yoga-like stretches when I feel them getting antsy or inattentive.
Go Noodle This is one of my favorite resources for brain
52 | 501 LIFE October 2020
lot of times, I need it as their teacher just as much as they need it as a student. Sometimes we’re doing jumping jacks together or taking a break to go outside and take a walk. Get outside and get some Vitamin D!
Train as a family A pandemic doesn’t mean you can’t still grow in the fields that interest you. This season could be the one where your teen grows in his or her ability to run longer distances faster or catch the ball better. By throwing the ball around with dad in the backyard or at the park, maybe your child’s throwing arm gets stronger than ever. I know families taking Taekwondo classes together or help each other learn an instrument at home. Use the increased time together to learn something new together. breaks. We use it to tire our kids out or to help them with mindfulness. GoNoodle helped me teach my kids about belly breathing when they feel overwhelmed or stressed. I know a lot of elementary teachers who use this program in their classes with their students as well. If you feel like structured and intentional physical activity is missing for your kids, try out GoNoodle.
Exercise as a family It’s so important to teach your children the importance of health and wellness. Try bike rides or family walks, or pick up a new hobby that involves physical movement. Some of the brain breaks I’ve mentioned already include physical activity, and a
Find a local group There are so many special interest groups, from dance to martial arts, that just want to reopen their doors, and they want to keep their students safe. If you feel comfortable, check out some local groups and find out what safety and sanitation practices they have in place to keep kids safe. Our kids have been safely taking taekwondo classes for a few weeks now and I have been very impressed with the practices in place. Just because it’s a difficult season doesn’t mean we have to stop doing all of the things that we love, but we may need to get creative in how we continue. Don’t neglect setting goals and working hard to achieve them.
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đ&#x;”ż ♪đ&#x;’Ľ đ&#x;Ž¨ Don’t miss these wellness exams đ&#x;’Ą ☆$
Living in the midst of a pandemic is difficult and the difficulty is amplified when you have children you are worrying about. It is a constant mental struggle for parents trying to decide what is and is not safe in regard to their children. Should we take them inside a restaurant once in a while or is it Kellie too risky? Is it ok to take Bishop them shopping or should Kellie Bishop is a pediatric nurse we keep them out of practitioner at Central Arkansas stores? Can the friend Pediatrics in Conway. She lives they have been dying to in Plumerville with her husband, Greg, their son and two dogs. She see come over to play or obtained her bachelor’s degree should we refrain from in nursing at the University of Central Arkansas and her master’s socializing outside of our and doctorate degrees in pediatric family? These are just primary care at UAMS. a few of the countless questions parents are now asking themselves daily. Another question many parents are struggling with is when should I take my children to the doctor? This is an important one so let’s talk about it! Many parents fear that their children may catch COVID-19 or another terrible illness while at the pediatrician’s office so they are avoiding going at all. However, this has led to many children missing their very important well child exams and
These are uncertain times we live in and it is understandable that parents may be uneasy bringing their child into a doctor’s office. not receiving immunizations on time. Well child exams are a time for the healthcare provider to measure your child’s growth, make sure he or she is developing appropriately and meeting all milestones, and examine your child to ensure his or her body is functioning properly. It is also a great time to address any questions or concerns you may have about your children and their health and/or development. Many well child exams also include important immunizations that your child needs to prevent life-threatening diseases. The typical well child exam and immunization schedule is as follows. Keep in mind that there are circumstances when a child has missed immunizations, followed an alternate schedule, or received various vaccine combinations so immunizations may be due at any well child exam; this is just the typical schedule that we follow. Due to how quickly children grow and develop, it is essential to make sure your child is seen for these wellness exams. The only way to detect developmen-
tal delays is to assess for development at a well child exam and early intervention for any issues is crucial to ensure your child gets on track. These appointments are also when your child’s healthcare provider assesses for signs of potential chronic health issues such as high blood pressure or diabetes. Again, it is crucial to identify these things early to avoid future health problems. These are uncertain times we live in and it is understandable that parents may be uneasy bringing their child into a doctor’s office. However, the lifelong effects of things that may go undiagnosed if your child misses his or her well child exam are real. Additionally, if your children miss their immunizations, they are at risk of having one of the life-threatening and devastating diseases that can be prevented with the immunizations. So, while there are many uncertainties for parents in this time, whether or not to bring your children to their well child exams should not be one of them.
get f ra m e d at
Pa t t e r s o n E y e C a re
Child Wellness Schedule Wellness Exam Newborn 2 months 4 months 6 months 9 months 12 months 15 months 18 months 2 years 2.5 years Yearly check-up from 3-18
Immunizations 2 months 4 months 6 months 12 months 18 months
Ages 4, 11 and 16
2505 Donaghey, Ste 102 • Conway, AR
501.450.9900
pattersoneyecare.com
October 2020 501lifemag.com | 53
EDUCATION
Pulaski County Special School District adjusts schedule for student safety by Jessica Duff
The goal of Pulaski County Special School District has always been to provide equity and excellence in education to children in Pulaski County. While our goal has not changed, the method in which we achieve it adjusts to ensure the ongoing health and safety of students and staff. PCSSD administrators and stakeholders worked tirelessly during the summer months to shift our learning techniques to best fit our current climate. The District conducted surveys and received feedback from teachers, parents, community members, medical professionals and other stakeholders about concerns and desires for the 2020-2021 school year. The results of those surveys brought us to where we are today. PCSSD has allowed families to choose the best learning option for their children for the 2020-2021 school year: traditional, virtual, blended. Traditional learning students attend on-campus five days per week. Wednesdays are half-days with lunch provided. Virtual learning students learn remotely full-time using technology-based learning platforms. The students will not be on campus; however, they will have more flexibility with the pace of the instruction. These classes will be taught by PCSSD teachers using Schoology, Edgenuity and other resources. The online option is a semester commitment. Blended learning students will attend on-campus and remotely using an A and B day configuration. Students who are on the “A” day schedule will attend school on Monday and Tuesday with three days of remote learning. Students who are on the “B” day schedule will attend school on Thursday and Friday with three days of remote learning. Wednesday will be a virtual day for all blended students but they will be able to join their scheduled classes from home. Class offerings will continue as usual. Teachers will engage with students in person and remotely in realtime. There is no semester commitment. Students may transition back to the traditional learning schedule at mid-terms or at the end of the quarter. The implementation of these three separate paths allowed our District, schools and stakeholders to plan how to carry out the guidelines set forth for schools. Temperature screenings will be performed on all professional staff, students and visitors daily. Visitors will be limited to essential business only as approved by the administrator. Hand sanitizer stations are available in all common areas throughout the District. Students are encouraged not to share supplies. When sharing is necessary, supplies are sanitized after each use. Water fountains are not available. Students are encouraged to bring water each day. All professional staff are required to wear a mask and a shield when students are present. During phonics instruction, teachers may remove their 54 | 501 LIFE October 2020
Maumelle High School Band Director Kerry Blakemore encourages students and staff to “Mask Up!”
A Maumelle Middle School student adjusts to virtual learning at home.
mask, but the face shield must be kept on. Students in grades Pre-K through 12 are required to wear face coverings according to Arkansas Department of Health guidelines. Students may be allowed to remove face coverings for short periods of time when physical distancing can be achieved. All professional staff, students, and visitors observe physical distancing (6-12 feet) when possible. Classrooms, cafeterias, and other spaces have been rearranged to account for spacing recommendations. Meanwhile, all transportation professionals will wear face coverings during the transport of students. Students will have assigned seating on the bus and will be physically distanced when possible. Buses will be sanitized between routes. No matter the path chosen, each PCSSD student has been assigned a Chromebook for use this school year. The Chromebooks come already loaded with programs and appropriate safeguards to equip students with the necessary tools and equipment to achieve success this school year. District and school administrators will continue to monitor the impact COVID-19 is having on our communities, and will follow any and all updated guidelines set forth. It is the desire of the district to maintain a safe environment for all of our students while providing a rigorous academic experience where students are able to interact with their teachers daily. We look forward to seeing what the 2020-2021 school year will bring us. Every day in PCSSD, we are working to find solutions to continue to provide a quality education, equity and excellence to our students.
About PCSSD
Pulaski County Special School District spans more than 600 square miles in central Arkansas and requires highly skilled and passionate personnel to adapt educational policies and personalization to 25 schools. Every school is accredited by the Arkansas State Board of Education. PCSSD has served schools across Pulaski County since July 1927. PCSSD is committed to creating a nationally recognized school district that assures that all students achieve at their maximum potential through collaborative, supportive and continuous efforts of all stakeholders.
501.234.2000
Maumelle Middle School Principal Ryan Burgess smiles with and without a mask.
COMMITTED TO HEALTH & WELLNESS October 2020 501lifemag.com | 55
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COLUMNIST
Show up for the ones you love
A grandchild’s love is a special treasure and Lennox Lowry is encouraging her Grammie.
Meagan Lowry Meagan Lowry is a Texas native who has lived in the Natural State since 2009. She’s been married to her 501 born and bred husband, Zak, since 2012. Meagan owns her own business and works from home as a social media consultant for multiple companies.
My mom has taught me a lot over the years. She’s taught me to always hunt for a bargain, how to cook, and how to persevere through what we thought were hard times. She taught me what it means to be a strong woman, and how not to be a victim of circumstance. But I never knew that this last year would hold some of the hardest lessons she’d ever teach me. Our family has walked through some of the most life altering months that we’ve ever known, and we’ve seen the beauty that can coexist during them. After my mom’s breast cancer diagnosis in November 2019, she began to teach me simply by the way she chose to live and fight. She also taught me by the way she’s carried herself through the hardest days with resilience and grace, the kind of grace I hope to someday have. It hasn’t been without its moments of weakness, pain and heartache. Those things are part of the process too, but watching her
56 | 501 LIFE October 2020
Respecting the importance of social distancing, friends support Robin with signs.
wade through those things has taught me more about suffering than I have ever known. This time of suffering is growing us both. It’s changed us all. Our entire family, her entire support system of friends, it’s taught us all something about the fragility of life and also the leaps and bounds that have been made when it comes to fighting and curing breast cancer. The work of her doctors, nurses, and entire team has been remarkable, and not just for my mom, but for the others who have come before her and will come after. When I’ve asked mom what has meant the most to her during this time, her answer remains the same. She’s thankful for the prayers, the texts, the calls, and especially for the note she received from a local Arkansas friend who has a young daughter also battling cancer. Through circumstances we never saw coming, my mom has experienced deeper friendships even from those she’s never met. Back in March I wrote about how simply showing up for my mom was doing my best, and how we could all learn a lesson in showing up for those we love. I wrote about my mom losing her hair, and beginning the treatments that would play a part in saving her life. Now that she is through large portions of her treatments, I feel like I have a different perspective, because I’ve seen what it truly means for those who love my mom to serve her in the best way they know how. Sometimes it’s the simple things, even for those who are walking through great hardships, that leave the biggest impacts on someone’s life. I’ve seen the truth in that with my mom, and it’s a les-
L-R: Phillip and Robin Avance, who is valiantly battling breast cancer.
L-R: Brittani Haynes, Robin Avance, Meagan Lowry and Lennox Lowry.
son I’ll take with me for the rest of my life. October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month and for the very first time I’ll recognize and celebrate this month for my mom. I’ll wear my pink, I’ll run my race, I’ll proudly show up for her in any
way I can. My guess is you have someone to show up for too, so do it. Proudly. Boldly. Every Day. Because one day we may never hear “you have breast cancer” again. And that day can’t come soon enough.
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⅝OUTDOORS
Hiker’s club on the move
Taking a break from the trail, the OMH club swings their legs from the porch at “Granny’s House” near Ponca (Newton County) along the Buffalo River. by Donna Lampkin Stephens
Another of the casualties of COVID-19 is the Ouachita Mountain Hikers — but certainly not for long. The club’s Fall Hike Season was delayed, but hopes to begin Oct. 1. According to the club’s website, omhikers.club, the board will meet later in September to consider COVID case numbers in Arkansas and decide how to go forward. But whenever the hikes resume, people will be ready. “Our big mission, first, is to have fun and be outdoors,” said Joy Linker, the club president. “Number two is to give back. We’ve adopted a 10-mile stretch of the Ouachita Trail, which goes from Pinnacle Mountain to Oklahoma, and we keep that 10-mile stretch groomed.” The Ouachita Mountain Hikers group includes those of many different levels of hiking abilities. “We try to have something for everybody,” Linker said. “It becomes a wonderful group of friends. We’re some of the nicest people.” The club began in Hot Springs in 1986. Paula Wallace is the only one of the 20 founding members still active. Linker has been involved for 14 years. “I was an active runner, but those days went by, and I saw in the newspaper that the group was meeting that Saturday,” she said, explaining how she got involved. “I just love the people and the organization. The club goes everywhere.” 58 | 501 LIFE October 2020
The Ouachita Mountain Hiking Club members perch on a boulder on the Rim Trail at Mount Magazine.
Generally, from September until June, the club sponsors hikes of 10-12 miles on Thursdays and five-to-six miles on Saturdays. In addition to those regular hikes, there are three-day overnight events and week-long spring and summer getaways. Linker said the overnight hikes are very popular with 20-40 participants. Other hikes draw from 15-30 of the approximately 300 members. “Lots of people join for the two picnics and the Christmas party, events where we just get together,” Linker said. “Lots of the older hikers will still be members even though they don’t still hike.” The membership fee is $5 per year, which helps provide food for the social gatherings and Tshirts. COVID-19 has provided at least some good news. Because of the shortened spring and fall hike seasons, the 2019-20 memberships will be carried forward to 2020-21. According to the website, “It is important that we get out for some exercise during this time ... We are looking forward to the day our hiking family is back on the trails hiking together again. Until then, stay safe, stay healthy.” Linker said the club’s membership has expanded from Hot Springs, Arkansas and beyond, with several members coming from Louisiana and Texas, especially for those extended hikes to places such as the Smoky Mountains. “Our club is a resource for anybody that enjoys hiking,” she said, adding that the website is a treasure trove of tools and information. Members range in age from the 50s and beyond. “We’ve got hikers hiking on their own in their 70s, and we’ve got one that’s 80 and still hunts and hikes in Colorado,” Linker said. According to Linker, the best time to hike is the dead of winter when the leaves are off the trees. One of the group’s ways to give back is by helping with First Day Hikes on New Year’s Day at Lake Ouachita. The season ends, she joked, “when people say they’re getting chigger-bit and the snakes are out and it’s too hot.” Most of the hard-core members have served in every capacity among the club’s leadership. Linker, 69, originally from San Francisco, spent most of her life in Northern California and Connecticut before visiting friends in Hot Springs Village in 2005. “Our first night here we said, ‘This is where we want to be,’” she recalled. “I bought a house the next day and we moved here in December 2006 when we fully retired.” After the move, she got involved in the hiking club pretty quickly. “The first couple of years, you show up, get in a car, go someplace, get out and hike,” she said. “You didn’t know where you were--you just enjoyed the beauty. We go to every nook and cranny of Arkansas and surrounding states and it becomes an adventure. Then you become a leader.” She delights in telling the story of one of the group’s hikes at Petit Jean Mountain. “A Boy Scout group was coming up behind us and asked us, very politely, ‘Do you mind us going ahead of you?’ thinking that we’d be slow,” she said. “We just smiled and said, ‘Go ahead.’ A quarter-mile up the trail, the little kids are falling off and we passed them. “We may be slow, but we get there.” Visit omhikers.club or their facebook page, Ouachita Mountain Hikers, and ask to join the group for updates on upcoming hikes. October 2020 501lifemag.com | 59
Garland County: Tommy Freeman He lost his first bout. Not three weeks after his 16th birthday, in front of a hometown crowd, he lasted only four rounds against Billy Kennedy, two years his senior. His inauspicious debut on Feb. 9, 1920, hardly foreshadowed the winning and acclaim lying ahead. Tommy Freeman was eventually Dr. Robert to become not only one Reising of his era’s most successful boxers, but also one Dr. Robert Reising retired from the University of Central of only three undisputed Arkansas in 2013 after holding a world boxing champions variety of teaching, coaching and administrative posts during more born in Arkansas. than a half-century in education. Hot Springs was his His doctoral dissertation at Duke treated literature and sports. birthplace on Jan. 20, 1904, the oldest son of Flora Sangster and Hunter Freeman, a father with whom he often argued during adolescence. He ended his education before high school, left home, and tried his luck as a lumberjack, a job aiding in the development of a muscular body, small but strong. Finally, following a suggestion from ex-boxer Bob Sangster, his mother’s brother, he embarked upon a prize-fighting career. Only one other defeat marred his first 20 matches, most of them fought in the Lightweight division. Thereafter, however, Tommy moved up a weight class, to Welterweight, and with that change came a change of setting; he moved to venues outside his beloved hometown. Memphis, New Orleans
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Historic photos chronicle the life of the champion boxer. and Tampa all beckoned, and invariably triumphing, by 1924—at age 20—he was recognized as the Champion of the South. As he claimed victories he moved north, topping foes in Cleveland, Eerie and Boston, and on
Jan. 1, 1926, he made an impressive debut at the celebrated Madison Square Garden in New York City, pummeling contender Sammy Baker in seven rounds. But three months later, again at the Garden, he suffered a setback in a bloody loss to Joe Dundee,
501 LIFE is once again profiling noteworthy athletes, men and women who made their mark and are from the 501. The “Celebrating athletic excellence” series features one athlete from each of the 11 counties that this magazine covers. The 11 are representatives of the quality athletes found throughout Central Arkansas. This is the fourth of 11 installments in the fourth “Celebrating athletic excellence” series.
the next champion. Undaunted, he rebounded with an impressive multi-year streak, including a second win over Baker the same year and decisions, also in the Garden, over outstanding British boxer Harry Mason, once the British Lightweight Champion (1927.) And later, the Arkansas native defeated “Young” Jack Thompson, soon to claim the Welterweight title (1930). Finally, what he coveted most was within reach. On Sept. 30, 1930, in Cleveland he wrested the Welterweight championship from Thompson in a brutal bout. He and his countless fans, especially those in Arkansas, were ecstatic. Tommy had proven to be the world’s best. Not only was Tommy a champion fighter, he was a fighter’s champion. As the title holder, he fought eight times, including three exhibitions; he added three decisions and two knockouts to his resume’. But on April 14 of the following year, barely able to make weight, he yielded the match and
the title after 12 rounds. Never before had exhaustion forced him to concede. Nor was he ever to receive an invitation to regain the championship. He returned to the blistering pace of triumphs characterizing his first years, including the 11 contests immediately following the loss and an amazing 22 consecutive victories, with 11 knockouts, in 1935. Yet no opportunity appeared, and, finally, after registering 4 straight KO’s, he retired after a 10-round loss on April 11, 1938. Erratic record keeping does not permit certainty, but numerous authorities agree that during his 19 years in the ring, Tommy won or drew in ninety-percent of his bouts: 213 Fights, 173 Wins, 83 Wins by KO, 20 Draws and 20 losses. In 1,460 rounds, there is no hint that he was ever knocked out. Never one to be idle, he refereed a few boxing
matches upon retiring to his native city, followed by more than a year as a volunteer in the U.S Navy as a boxing instructor. For over 20 years thereafter, Tommy served in the Hot Springs Fire Department, where he once again proved to be, in his son’s words “tougher than Hades!” He was no ordinary firefighter, with a willingness to accept the most demanding chores of his danger-filled profession. He added to his popularity when he worked with World War II veteran “Sid” McMath to oust the corrupt Leo McLaughlin political machine in the late ‘40’s. A place on the Hot Springs Hall of Fame Sidewalk was hardly unexpected, nor was his 1967 induction into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, the first boxer to earn admission. In his final years, Tommy enjoyed multi-block strolls down Central Avenue in Hot Springs, waving and shouting “Hello!” while cordially receiving greetings and sensing the warmth and affection his native city held for him. On Feb. 25, 1986, Tommy died. Garland County and the 501 will forever be proud he sprang from their soil.
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✒
FAITH
Breathing life into being In this issue, our focus is on health and wellness, and you have probably been thinking of that topic for several months now. During the pandemic, many of us have found that we have time on our hands. Our options for entertainment, dining out and travel are greatly Mark McDonald restricted, so many of us have spent time streamMark McDonald, a Methodist ing shows. Even that has minister, has served churches in its limits and we look Northwest Arkansas, Booneville, Jacksonville, Batesville, and for ways to exercise, eat Conway. His family settled in healthier and a host of Faulkner County in the 1840s. He attended Hendrix College, where other activities to become he has served as trustee. He and healthier. his wife have six children. One of my experiments was to try some breathing techniques for relaxation. In James Neston’s recent book “Breath” he points out the ancient challenge to breathe more slowly and intentionally through our nose. He mentions several practices -- through prayers, sayings and mantras -that share a common rhythm and pattern of about 5 1/2 breaths per minute. Breathing at that rate brings people to a deeper sense of health and wellness. It has been found in many different traditions throughout hundreds of years of practice. More research led me to learn that it was common to Buddhism, Catholicism, Hinduism, Taoism, Native American spirituality and even yoga! Being an NCIS fan and believing in Gibb’s rule number 39 (“There’s no such thing as a coinci-
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dence.”), I must point out that the truly amazing part is not that all these cultures found the perfect rhythm to bring peace and relaxation. While that is notable, the most amazing part is that we have all been knit together in a way that allows us to do something as simple as breathe to return us to health and wholeness. Sometimes, we work hard to find health and wellness -- through diets, exercise, meditation, spiritual practices and more. While that can be helpful, I believe there is a deeper truth hidden within the simple practice of breathing in this tried and true rhythm. An ancient text comes to mind: “I give thanks to you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14).
What if health and wellness is not simply a challenge to make ourselves into a more healthy person? What if it was more about finding out how we were created -- fearfully and wonderfully -- and returning to the person we were born to be? Finding our rhythm, finding a holistic approach to living -and breathing into the rhythm of life. Not creating health and wellness, but returning to it. Over thousands of years, humanity has found a way of returning to health and wellness through a simple pattern of slow, steady breathing. Whether people recite an ancient mantra, repeat a yoga phrase, or pray the Ava Maria, we have found unity of purpose by breathing into the rhythm of life as it is intended to be.
October 2020 501lifemag.com | 63
A lasting legacy TRAVEL
Civilian Conservation Corps in the 501 During our period of social distancing, Jim and I took a drive on scenic Highway 7. We drove through the Ouachita National Forest in our “escape pod,” a.k.a. Toyota 4-Runner, and discovered an exhibit on the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp at Hollis. We had passed the exhibit many times Linda and had never taken the Henderson time to stop. On this day, no one Jim and Linda Henderson are lifelong residents of the 501. was at the exhibit, and They travel the 501 and other because it is the time for areas of Arkansas. Jim drives and hauls equipment. Linda takes decreasing our contact photographs of Arkansas. During with others, we decided their travels, they have gained appreciation and love for The to linger. Little is left Natural State. They have found from the mid-1930s the 501 has so much to offer for fun and beauty to photograph. camp except for interpretive signs, old building foundations, corner stones, sidewalks, trails and a chimney from the mess hall. A little further down the road is Iron Springs rest area that was built by the CCC and remains of the Jessieville camp. The Jessieville Camp site has deteriorated and the sign can no longer be read due to vandalism. The Jessieville site has a beautiful little creek, short trail and stone wall remaining. According to the interpretive signs, most of the men at the Hollis’ camp were rural farmers and sharecroppers from Arkansas and Missouri. The average young man had less than an eighth-grade education. Along with physical work, the men were able to participate in games and attend church services. They were able to go to dances and other social activities on weekends and holidays. Jim and I both felt like we were walking on hallowed ground after our visit and it inspired me to do a little research on how the CCC impacted our state. The Civilian Conservation Corps Act was passed by the US Congress to provide an economic break to
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young men and families during the Great Depression and to improve and develop the natural assets of the country. The CCC program was a part of the New Deal programs, and it was designed to meet the needs of American citizens who were suffering during the Depression. It was the brainchild of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and began in 1933. The program had two
a significant education. The most lasting legacy of the CCC in Arkansas was its work in developing and building our state parks. In the early 1930s, there were no developed state parks in Arkansas. Petit Jean, Mt. Nebo and Arkansas Post had been established in the 1920s, but the construction of state parks’ infrastructures had not yet been funded. One of the largest projects that the CCC took on in Arkansas was the construction of roads, bathhouses, boat docks, cabins, lodges, culverts, campgrounds, amphitheaters, picnic pavilions, stone dams and trails systems at many of Arkansas’ state parks. Other projects in Arkansas included efforts to prevent forest erosion, planting trees, building bridges, building fire towers, fighting forest fires, mapping public land, surveying timber, laying sod, building fences, establishing cattle operations, building roads within the National Forest and stabilizing pond and lake banks. As a part of each enrollee week, they received education opportunities. Each young man had up to
10 hours a week of education and vocational training to prepare them for life after their time at the CCC camp. Reading and math skills were taught. Arkansas camps also taught up-to-date farming techniques in an attempt to modernize farms. Other occupation skills were taught — wood working, masonry, auto mechanics, cooking, meat processing, bookkeeping skills and medical skills. Many of these men continued in these skills as an occupation. After the economy improved, many of these men who had received academic skills went to college. As America’s economy began to improve and with the onset of World War II, the CCC was no longer needed and the program ended in 1942. The CCC has had a lasting effect on America as well as Arkansas — cabins, roads, bridges, dams, walking trails, lodges and many other structures are still in use. The men who were enrollees in the CCC were provided economic support, but they provided generations to come a long-term legacy.
purposes: To provide employment to unemployed young men during the Great Depression and to accomplish work in the protection, improvement and development of the country’s natural resources. The Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior were in charge of planning jobs and provided supervisors and technicians for projects. The camps were organized and run in a military manner and were headed by US military officers. Each camp housed 200 men or enrollees. They were established in every state. In September 1933, there were 1,468 camps. By September 1935, there were 2,635 camps, and by January 1942 the number of young men enrolled in the CCC had declined to 800 because of the improving economy. During the time that the CCC was in operation in Arkansas, the 77 camps completed 106 projects. Enrollees in the CCC were called a variety of nicknames like “Roosevelt’s Tree Army,” “Tree Troopers,” “Soil Soldiers” and the “Three-Cs Boys.” The program provided food, clothing, shelter, education and recreation to each enrollee. Requirements to join were to be between 18-25 years old (later adjusted to 17-23), US citizens, of good moral character, out of school and in need of employment. The Department of Labor selected the young men through state agencies and welfare offices. Enrollees could volunteer for a six-month period and re-enroll for up to two years. They were paid $30 a month. A mandatory $25 was sent back to families of the men. The remaining $5 was kept by each man. They would put $1 into the company fund and they could buy $1 worth of coupons (twenty at five cents each) for the canteen. Their duties were assigned according to their age and physical condition. Arkansas had camps for SpanishAmerican War and World War I veterans. The national CCC was divided into nine districts. Arkansas was in District Seven, which had its headquarters in Omaha, NE. The local headquarters was in Little Rock, where the Arkansas commander made appointments as to where enrollees would work and the project that would be undertaken. Once young men were accepted into the program, they were sent to Camp Pike (now Camp Robinson) in North Little Rock to be evaluated and trained. Many of these men were malnourished, and few had October 2020 501lifemag.com | 65
đ&#x;‘Ľ
NEIGHBORS person of the month
Fountain of knowledge Local instructor brings unique perspective to health
Joel Fountain, with student Trace Wiley, is passionate about helping kids build self-confidence, focus and discipline through martial arts training and counseling. (Mike Kemp photo) Joel Fountain is not only the marketing manager for Thriveworks in Conway, he is also an Certified Martial Arts instructor at Toe2Toe Martial Arts. Surprisingly, you can find him at both of these locations under the same roof. Thriveworks is a local counseling practice that is part of a national therapy organization of counselors, psychologists and coaches. Some clients of the counseling practice are also part of the martial arts training. Joel began his training through American Taekwondo Association (ATA) and became a third degree black belt. “I learned through ATA how to be a leader and I am grateful at how it progressed my life.� Fountain describes himself as a pretty happy kid who was very light-hearted. However, as most children do, he sometimes struggled with bullies. Fountain credits Taekwondo for giving him confidence to handle situations without violence, a philosophy that he is passing on to students. “I obviously wasn’t looking for the bully to fight because I had these skills 66 | 501 LIFE October 2020
and could show maturity and not fight back.� His work today at Toe2Toe, which was started by Army veteran and life coach Curtiss Robinson, involves working with all ages, from 5-years-old to adults. “The main thing I love about being with this organization, and what sets us apart from other martial arts academies, is our work to give people the tools for self-defense,� says Fountain. The group does not focus on intricate forms or weapons. Fountains feels this method makes their training more applicable to real life situations. “What we do makes you feel more comfortable in your own shoes.� Speaking of being comfortable with yourself, Fountain believes the services at next-door’s Thriveworks can be equally important to anyone’s overall health. “I believe therapy and counseling can be invaluable, really to anyone, because sharing your experiences is the first step to healing. Thriveworks prides itself on providing a professional atmosphere where patients feel very secure. They leave knowing
their provider has their best interest at heart.� Fountain says it was an easy move to combine the counseling services with martial arts training. “When you combine therapy with personal training, you are improving your physical and mental health at the same time. It all coincides.� Being in both of these environments has led Fountain to research the psychology of teaching. “When I am interacting with my martial arts students, you aren’t thinking `this is a therapy session,’ but you learn to be aware of what motivates people or what their fears are and, as a teacher, we should be sensitive to all of these things.� Fountain has been known by many to be very empathetic with his students and they know that even when he is stern, to not be afraid. Fountain is especially proud that between both organizations, they are improving many kids’ self-confidence, focus and discipline. “We really are changing lives through martial arts and that is a blessing.�
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