ABOUT | August 2008

Local Graduates Make Jump to Medical School

a publication of SILVER PLATTER PRODUCTIONS, INC.

August 2008

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Out and ABOUT

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Graduates Make Jump to Medical School

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A Teacher and a Gentleman

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ABOUT our Cover

Photo by RC White

Jumping for joy at the completion of their undergraduate degrees, these five River Valley residents will begin pursuing their individual dreams of attending medical school.

This fall, Ian Goodman, Doug Eddy, Hailey Willbanks, Josh Callaway and Gary Berner will begin classes at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock. They discuss their plans, their mentors and their appreciation of the community in the story, Graduates Make Jump to Medical School beginning on page 8.

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ABOUT the River Valley

A Publication of Silver Platter Productions, Inc Vol. III, Issue 6 – August 2008

OWNER/PUBLISHER Nolan and Dianne Edwards Silver Platter Productions, Inc. Advertising Sales Melanie Conley Stephanie K. Young Dianne S. Edwards Graphic Design Chris Zimmerman Zim Creative Contributing Writers Kechia Bentley Dianna Qualls Jeannie Stone Contributing PhotographerS Steve Newby RC White Assistant to the Publisher Melissa Edwards

ABOUT… the River Valley

is locally owned and published for distribution by direct mail and targeted delivery to those interested in the Arkansas River Valley.

Subscriptions are available by sending $20 for one-year (10 issues) to: SPPI/ABOUT Magazine P.O. Box 10176 Russellville AR 72812

A PAGE FROM ___________________________________________________

The Editor’s Notebook Can it be August already? Where have the ‘lazy days of summer’ gone?

The associates of ABOUT Magazine enjoyed a brief hiatus this summer since our original production schedule allows us to skip publication in July. However, with the move into our new location in May, and the celebration of our second anniversary and Chamber ribbon cutting in June, we were seldom absent from work.

If you have not had a chance to visit our new office, located at 417 W. Parkway in the Green Train Car, please stop by during our regular hours, Tuesday through Thursday from 9 to 3. (And anytime you see our vehicles present, the doors will be open!) I’ve been tempted to hang a sign similar to one displayed in my grandfather’s shade-tree mechanic shop: “Open when we’re here; closed when we’re not!”

Special thanks goes to the Pope County EMS for their “loan” of the ambulance for our cover photo featuring five graduates making the jump into medical school. These talented, individuals, all graduates of Russellville High School, will be entering UAMS this fall. Don’t miss ‘Graduates Make Jump to Medical School” beginning on page 8.

Driving over the speed limit might earn you a speeding citation but the citation received by Arkansas State Trooper Corporal Blake Wilson earned national recognition. The 2008 Trooper of the Year humbly shares his story, giving attribution to those who helped remedy a crisis that netted national recognition for the Russellville resident. Don’t miss this story on page 12.

Planning a ‘stay-cation’ this summer? (‘Stay-cation’ is the new termed coined by those who either couldn’t afford or were unable to plan a summer vacation, choosing to ‘stay’ nearby, instead!)

If so you won’t want to miss “When Sunset and Sound Collide.” Staying at home has its benefits when you have only a short jaunt to a mini-outing atop Mt. Nebo. Sample the sights and sounds of ATU’s Brass Choir at the “Brass in the Clouds” concert Sept. 20th. See page 15.

Brian and Shirley Faulkner strive to make music fans out of everyone. Read page 16-17 to learn how their shared love of music has enriched our area.

How can barbecue sauce ‘pave the way to college?’ You’ll discover the answer by reading the Progressive Men’s Club story that starts on page 28.

On a final note, ABOUT Magazine has been mailing thousands of complimentary issues to readers in our surrounding fourcounty area since we began publication in July 2006. We hope you’ll take a moment to join our growing list of paid subscribers as we’ll reduce the number of complimentary, residential-mailed issues on Oct. 31.

Complimentary issues still will be available at designated drop locations and from our loyal advertisers.

To subscribe for home delivery, see pages 6 and 43 of this issue or stop by our office at 417 West Parkway. One year (10 issues) mailed to our readers is $20. The magazine makes a wonderful ‘gift from home’ for family or friends who have moved away. Your support is always appreciated!

School is right around the corner. Stock up on snacks and school supplies -- and don’t miss Kechia’s story, ‘Remember the Simple Supply Search’ or Dianna’s recipes, ‘Back to School, Already?

Stay cool (and I mean that literally!)

Dianne Edwards, Editor/Publisher

Material contained in this issue may not be copied or reproduced without written consent. Inquiries may be made by calling (479) 970-6628.

Office: 417 West Parkway Email: editor@aboutrvmag.com Postmaster: Please send address changes to: SPPI, P.O. Box 10176, Russellville AR 72812.

1310 West Main Suite 101 Russellville, AR 72801

P 479-967-3555 F 479-967-3556

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August 2008

Out and ABOUT Aug. 2-3: Tri-Peaks Motorcycle Show, Tucker Coliseum, ATU, Russellville. Live bands, competitions.

(479) 890-3007.

Aug. 3: Gallery Reception, Janet Donnangelo, ARV Arts Center, 1-3 pm (479) 968-2452.

Aug. 4: Farmer’s Market – 3-6 pm, Mondays thru Nov. 1; 320 W. C, Historic Missouri-Pacific Depot, Downtown Russellville.

Aug. 4-8: Ballet Summer Intensive Week, Russellville. Beg., Intermediate/ Advance, $80; Private available at additional fee. (479) 880-8830.

Aug. 5-7: Valley Voyage Through Time Day Camp, LDSP, (479) 967-5516.

Aug. 6: Farmer’s Market – Open 10-1 Wednesdays thru Nov. 1; Depot.

..so I says to him, “Why do we need someone tellin us how ta recycle?”

“Yep, yur right, we’ve done just fine without ‘em so far!”

Aug. 6: River Valley Business Expo, Tucker Coliseum, 10-6; (479) 968-2530. Admission: Free.

Aug. 7: Miracle Treat Day, raise funds for Children’s Miracle Network/Arkansas Children’s Hospital; DQ Grill & Chill, Russellville; info: (479) 264-5999.

Aug. 7: Sunset Cinema, LDSP, thirty minutes after dusk. Admission $1 for ages 12 and over; (479) 968-2530.

Introducing

Aug. 7-9: Bargains Galore on 64; yard sales, sidewalk sales, and flea markets from Fort Smith to Beebe; (888) 568-3552.

Regular readers of ABOUT Magazine should notice two new features that will begin occupying this page in future issues. The editorial cartoon (above) is the creation of Cliff Thomas, a talented illustrator whose work is familiar to many area residents. Thomas is owner of The Madd SIGNtist Inc., a commercial sign and graphics shop serving the River Valley for 12 years.

The purpose of the editorial cartoon featured each month will serve as our lighthearted attempt to prompt area residents to consider and discuss current issues that affect the Arkansas River Valley. This month’s featured illustration touches on the recycling issue being discussed fervently by interested parties and the newlyorganized citizen advocacy group. Information about their efforts is available by contacting advocate Carmen Stump at (479) 968-7884.

Our “Out and ABOUT” features will contain items of local interest to those who live, work and play in the Arkansas River Valley. To have your event included, please send the basic information and a daytime phone number via email to: editor@aboutrvmag.com or by fax to (866) 757-3282. Events will be posted as space allows.

Aug. 9: Farmer’s Market – Open 7 am until noon, Saturdays thru Nov. 1; Depot.

Bio: Cliff Thomas immigrated to this planet as a young boy and, finding it interesting, decided to stay. A graduate of Russellville High School, he now divides his time equally between a home in Russellville, and the verdant fields of his copious imagination. With Tracy, his wife of 21 years, and Summer, his daughter of 13, Cliff owns and operates The Madd SIGNtist Inc., a commercial sign and graphics shop serving the River Valley.

August 2008

Aug. 16: Pickin’ at the Depot, 4-10 pm; HMP Depot, Russellville; public invited to participate; Randy White, (479) 967-3065 or MSR, (479) 967-1437.

Aug. 20: “Forget-Me-Nots,” Alzheimer’s Support Group, 1 pm Arkansas Hospice. (479) 498-2050.

Sept. 5: Downtown Art Walk, Historic Downtown Russellville, 5-8 p.m. 967-1437.

To have your event included in the ABOUT Calendar of Events, email: editor@aboutrvmag.com or fax to (866) 757-3282. Deadline is the 15th of the month.

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AUGUST

ABOUT...the River Valley 7

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any in Russellville are bursting with pride over the news that four sons and a daughter of our hometown have been accepted to medical school this fall at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock.

Although there are no ticker-tape parades, medals of valor or elaborate ceremonies planned, homage is due Hailey Willbanks, Doug Eddy, Gary Berner, Ian Goodman and Josh Callaway for a job well done. Their story is made possible by nurturing families, dedicated schools, benevolent mentors and active churches. In essence, they represent the best of the River Valley.

Shared experiences

local graduates make jump to medical school FROM RUSSELLVILLE, WITH LOVE Story and Photos by Jeannie Stone Cover Photo by RC White

Although the five adults attended four different colleges in Arkansas, they all graduated with degrees in biology. Three of the members -- Wilbanks, Berner and Goodman -- graduated from Russellville High School in 2003, and Eddy and Calloway followed in 2004. The four young men grew up under the influence of Russellville First United Methodist Church; Wilbanks grew up right across the street at First Baptist Church.

As members of the Methodist youth group, Wilbanks, Berner and Goodman participated in at least one mission trip. Those trips to Mexico, through Casas por Cristos, granted them opportunities to build homes for the poor living outside the village of Juarez. Likewise, Calloway served on a medical mission team in college and spent two Christmas breaks repairing and building hospitals in Haiti. These experiences greatly expanded their scope of the human condition beyond the city limits of Russellville.

The material wealth of their own culture proved a stark contrast to the poverty they witnessed abroad.

“I realized how little happiness possessions bring us,” Goodman said. “These people were sitting on the floor of a shack with nothing but faith and each other, and they were happy,” Goodman said.

The memory of a child running to retrieve a bruised banana one of them had discarded in a trash can remained with them. That incident, plus others, has manifested into a common, global-world view.

“It sparked in me a desire to help people,” Eddy said.

“We went to help and teach, but in the end, we learned a lot more than they did,” Goodman added.

Closer to home, the students practiced their burgeoning philosophies through volunteer work. Eddy worked in the surgery waiting area of Washington Regional Medical Center.

Berner counseled kids after school through the Boys and Girls Club, served on the Volunteer Action Committee at college and performed community service through the Methodist Leadership Scholars program.

Calloway adopted a little brother through his four-year involvement with the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program at the University of Arkansas, and Wilbanks served as president of the college-level civic group Rotaract, donated her time with the River Valley Christian Clinic, and served on the board of the River Valley Shelter for Battered Women and Children.

The Mentors The five graduates

praised former high school teachers Max Mathis and John Lonon.

“Mr. Lonon’s anatomy and physiology classes really turned me on to biology,” Calloway said, “especially when we got to dissect the cats.”

Eddy agreed. It wasn’t after he had started into an engineering degree that he decided to change his course of study to reflect the admiration he had for Mr. Mathis and his enjoyment of that class.

“Mr. Mathis is definitely the reason I got so interested in biology,” Eddy said.

“I loved Mr. Mathis in high school. He just made biology fun,” Wilbanks added.

“Mr. Mathis and Mr. Lonon really influenced me in my decision to pursue biology,” Berner said. “They were my favorite teachers.”

“They were just great teachers and great guys,” Calloway concluded.

The men mentioned the devotion of their former youth minister Alan Johnson. “He was awesome,” Berber said. Johnson, who has since transferred out of state, mentored the young men in their spiritual journeys.

Spiritual mentoring was not limited to church staff members. “Dr. Berner was my confirmation mentor,” Calloway said.

Dr. Berner is the father of Gary Berner.

Although a busy practicing physician, the elder Berner found time to nurture a 12-year-old boy’s spiritual walk during the course of an entire school year.

Over the years, physicians in town opened their clinics and operating rooms for the benefit of the students. Eddy shadowed Dr. Steve Killingsworth -- an ear, nose and throat specialist -- during Christmas breaks.

Wilbanks worked for Dr. Robert May, an orthopedic surgeon, this past year. She assisted him in the clinic as well as in surgery.

Calloway worked a summer in the OB (obstetrics and gynecology) unit at St. Mary’s.

“All I did was hold open incisions for Dr. Owen Kelley, and I loved it,” he said. “Dr. Mark Brown was his teammate, and they worked so well together. They were both good to me.”

The Graduates Hailey Wilbanks is the daughter of Allen

and Bobra Wilbanks. Although her parents do not practice in the medical field, her aunt Carol Townsend is a nurse practitioner.

“She encouraged me,” Wilbanks said.

“But my whole family has been awesome in supporting me in pursuing my dream.”

Wilbanks, who graduated magna cum laude from the honors college at Arkansas Tech University, started out in pharmacy but changed her mind during her sophomore year.

“Family Practice holds the most interest for me because I would be able to do a little of everything, but pediatrics and obstetrics/ gynecology also appeals to me,” she said.

One thing she does know is that she wants to remain in Arkansas.

And that is music to the ears of the local medical community.

“Listen, that girl is a hard worker and a gogetter,” Lynn Calloway, a nurse practitioner for the River Valley Medical Clinic, said.

“We would be so lucky to attract her back home when she’s finished.”

When she is not working toward her career goal, Wilbanks can be found hanging out with her friends, riding her beloved horses or working out at the gym.

She will be moving to Little Rock early to participate in a pre-matriculation program prior to the start of classes. The program is intended to give incoming freshman medical students a “jump start” on medical school by offering pre-course

materials in the medical school curriculum and initiation to the campus, faculty and protocols and procedures.

Doug Eddy is the son of David, a local attorney, and Theresa Eddy. He has two brothers, Keith, 20, and Paul, 17 who, according to Eddy, haven’t shown any inclinations toward medicine. His mother works at Dardanelle Title Company, and, although his father is a lawyer and his grandfather is a retired judge, the pursuit of law never appealed to the quiet and polite young man.

Eddy was all set to study engineering in college, but the call to medicine intervened.

No specific field has caught his fancy, so he remains open to the various disciplines.

“My only real exposure was working with Dr. Killingsworth during my Christmas breaks,” he said, “and it was great.”

In his leisure time, Eddy enjoys canoeing, basketball, camping and his family. He enjoys the Arkansas outdoors, but is open to wherever his career takes him.

Eddy, who graduated with honors from the University of Arkansas, is enrolled in the pre-matriculation program and is anticipating his new academic life.

Gary Berner is the son of Dr. Dennis and Virginia Berner. His father is an internal medicine physician, and his mother is a former obstetric nurse practitioner turned Pope County school board member. His brother, Keith, 28, is a doctor of psychiatry and his brother, Dean, 27, is a musician in Nashville.

It is an understatement for Berner to claim he comes from a family of medical practitioners. He is the grandson of a pediatrician and the nephew of a pediatrician. He is the great-nephew of a family practitioner and of a medical economist who wrote the Medicare bill during the Kennedy administration.

Story continued on page 30

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ABOUT...the River Valley 9

Books on Wheels Story and Photos by Jeannie Stone

Bookmobile Coordinator Debbie Slone, left and Jackie Blaney prepare to shelve book returns in the Pope County Bookmobile.

“The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them.”

~ Mark Twain

Between 125 and 200 persons in Pope County utilize the services of the bookmobile each month, a rolling, ever-rotating library of 2,000 books of every description. If it weren’t for the 12½ ton truck, these patrons would not be able to enjoy the pleasure of reading. And the folks in Pope County support reading.

“Everyone is happy to see us coming,” bookmobile coordinator Debbie Slone said.

The new bookmobile, purchased over a year ago, has become an important link from the main library branch in Russellville to surrounding communities, nursing homes and several elementary schools which have no libraries of their own. In essence, the bookmobile serves as a mobile branch, traveling 100 miles each month.

Senator Sharon Trusty and Judge Jim Ed Gibson were the visionaries in securing state funds to cover the $130,000 cost of the new van. The bookmobile replaced another older vehicle which had been fashioned from a tool truck.

“The people in Pope County ought to be real proud,” Jackie Blaney, inter-library loan director said. Not many counties can afford a new van like ours.”

The Bookmobile features backup cameras and screen, a driver’s seat capable of swiveling around to face a check-out counter, a built in table for a laptop computer which links information from the main library, a wheelchair lift, slanted shelves for the books, a sky light, and built in seating for children.

While many libraries around the nation are cutting services and reducing operating hours, the Pope county library posted record numbers last year. According to head librarian Judy Mays, the figures for the first four months in 2008 showed a swell in patronage compared to the same months a year ago. The number of patrons increased by 1,500; checkouts increased by 6,000 items.

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August 2008

“One reason for the increase, I think, is that people are going green,” Blaney said.

People on a budget can surely save money by checking out movies, CDs, books on tape, and yes, bound books at the library.

While the uncertain economy might spell trouble for bookstores it serves as a catalyst for increased membership at the library.

The Pope County Library purchases new publications each month and accepts donations from benefactors, so patrons certainly stay abreast of new releases. Many of the donated books are earmarked for the Friends of the Library used book sales.

The summer reading program has also grown this year.

“The other night I looked over in the children’s area, and it was just packed,” Mays said. In fact, 100 young readers attended the program which featured a balloon performer.

Each branch hosts a program each week.

The Pope County Library serves branches in Dover, Atkins and Hector.

Slone makes sure to circulate the selections on the bookmobile, so that patrons have new choices. There are a couple of schools which receive rotating boxes of books Slone refreshes.

Although the bookmobile stops at several elementary schools, it is the nursing home visits that require a great deal of planning.

Besides carrying books, children’s books and audio books, the book ladies provide an hour-long program often playing Bingo with everyone having a chance to win.

“We always read a book or an old-time story,” Slone said. “They are always so appreciative.”

“When we go to the nursing homes it absolutely takes three employees, and sometimes, we could use more,” said Vonnie Muncey, administrative assistant and financial department head. “They need

a lot of assistance. We all look forward to it,” Muncey said. “We all vie for a position on the Bookmobile on those days.”

“But we have more fun than they do,” Slone said.

Slone was hired to drive the bookmobile because of her experience with the elderly and with children. She was a preschool teacher and, later, interim director for The Little Church at First United Methodist Church and a certified hospice volunteer with Arkansas Hospice Russellville.

“And those are the populations the bookmobile serves,” Blaney said.

She added, “Debbie has done a really super job. She is also in charge of maintenance for the bookmobile.”

Blaney shared that during a recent jaunt something started burning, and Slone took it right to the garage. It turned out one of the wires on the hydraulic seals had touched the heater.

Slone shook her head. “It’s always something.”

She and Blaney were visiting a school in Dover when the tornado sirens went off.

“We hid with the kids while the hail pounded the roof,” Blaney said.

The librarians are happy for the heater and for the air conditioner which the old van didn’t have.

“And we’re grateful for the heater on the floor, so the kids can sit down there and be comfortable,” Mays said.

“The biggest challenge to driving the van is the size,” Slone said. “You have to turn carefully or the books will fall off the shelves. And you have to remember how tall you are. I have a camera and screen when I back up, but Jackie is my set of eyes. I couldn’t maneuver without her.”

“Another concern is the scarcity of bathrooms,” Blaney said, and everybody

Haley Baird, 4, from Dover selects a book under the watchful eye of Bookmobile Coordinator Debbie Slone and Jackie Blaney.

laughed. Some of the stops are under very rural conditions. “There is only one store in Tilley, and it doesn’t have public restrooms.”

“We consider all requests for visits,” Muncey said. “That’s why we go to Tilley, Mt. Zion cemetery and Pleasant Grove.”

“There was a little boy in London who told me he couldn’t read a chapter book by himself, but he eventually checked one out,” Slone said. “The next time I saw him, he told me, ‘I read that book, and it was real good.’ He was grinning from ear to ear. That touched me.” n To find out more about the services offered through the Pope County Library or to request a bookmobile visit or to donate materials call (479) 968-4368; Hector, call (479) 284-0907; Dover, call 479-331-2173; or Atkins, call (479) 641-7904.

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ABOUT...the River Valley 11

Trooper Wilson Honored with National Citation

Story by Jeannie Stone • Photos by RC White Additional Photos Courtesy of Sherry Wilson

“Daddy, you’re hurting me!” a four-year-old girl cried out as her father, high on crystal meth, pressed his knife into her chest.

Cpl. Blake Wilson of Russellville cringed as he pleaded with the father to release the girl. Wilson did not leave the side of the truck until the situation ended peacefully ten hours later, with no serious injuries and the perpetrator in custody.

12 ABOUT...the River Valley

Because of his heroism, Trooper Wilson received the 2007 Arkansas State Trooper of the Year Award and the Valor Award. Nominated by his department, his actions have been heralded by the American Association of State Troopers who voted him the 2008 Trooper of the Year at its annual convention held recently in Charleston, South Carolina.

Wilson credited the team who worked on the scene that day with the successful outcome.

“The guy that went and got the ice water, the guys putting up the road blocks, the snipers waiting for hours, the Van Buren County Sheriff who tried to resolve the situation and decided he needed trained negotiators, the policeman from Damascus who tried reasoning with the man before I got on the scene, the family members who tried to influence the guy to give up -- every one of those people and more were doing their part so I could do mine,” he said. “It was truly a team effort.”

Sgt. Brian Davis of Ft. Smith also played an active part in the situation. When Wilson lunged into the cab of the truck and grabbed the man’s wrist, Davis, who had crawled on all fours to the side of the truck, leapt over Blake and an adult hostage and shocked the assailant in the neck with a Taser (a stun gun which fires electrified darts to stun and immobilize a person). For his actions, Davis received the 2007 Arkansas State Troopers’ Cross Award.

August 2008

Wilson, fifth generation born and raised in Pope County, was always interested in law enforcement and knew he wanted to become a state trooper by the time he was 15 years old.

“I knew I wanted to be a state trooper because I was impressed by the local troopers who looked so prestigious in their uniforms and cars,” he said.

Sherry Wilson, a teacher at Pottsville Middle School, is proud of her husband’s achievements. “We’ve been married 19 years, and I support him 100 percent. He works for a very professional organization, and he is very well trained. That makes me feel so much better.

“When I married him, I married into a huge family. We are very blessed in this community. There is a lot of support. We have people, out of the blue, that come up to him and tell him that they appreciate what he does for them. That type of support is getting more unusual in these times,” she said.

Blake Wilson, Jr., 15, is Wilson’s only child. Blake, a student at Pottsville High School, has never known anything other than the law enforcement family he was raised with.

His mother said, “When he was about two years ago, we had a heart to heart about why his daddy carried a gun every day. It used to be cool for him to ride to school in his father’s car, but he’s getting to the age when it’s not as cool as it used to be. But he’s really proud of his dad, and we are blessed he has some good friends.”

Wilson loves the variety in his day. “I like the excitement,” he said. “I’m actually witnessing headlines news a lot of times.”

Wilson explained that if there is a natural emergency, such as a tornado, state troopers are called from around the state to help.

“I may go to work at 8 a.m. and be in Little Rock at noon, and then be called to a different part of the state,” he said.

On the other hand, police work has more than its share of challenges.

“I don’t think the general public has a complete grasp as far as what police officers do,” Wilson said. “It’s not like on TV when you arrest a bank officer every day.

Two things are certain. My job is never the same as the day before, and police officers never see people at their best. Most of society doesn’t know about and doesn’t want to deal with the rough part of life we have to face every day.

“We’re dealing with wife beaters, drug addicts, hard core criminals; it’s hard to turn that off and have a normal family life,” he said. “That’s why there’s such a high rate of divorce in this line of work. It’s more stressful than it is physical.”

Wilson was attending a negotiations training when he received the call to respond last October.

August 2008

“I went straight from the barracks in Little Rock,” he said. As Team Leader for the Hostage and Negotiations Team, Wilson has completed 300 hours of classroom and scenario training taught by the FBI, the US Army and on the state level and remains at the ready with monthly drills. In a word, he was prepared.

Even so, “I prayed as I was driving to the scene,” he said. “I knew it could turn out really good or really bad. It was a calculated risk I felt I must take.”

Every situation presents unique challenges, and the thing that struck Wilson was the demeanor of the assailant.

“That guy only talked about going to jail one time during that whole episode.

Jail wasn’t what was on his mind. He had every little thing planned out. He was definitely suicidal.”

Wilson added, “People have the luxury of sitting in an air conditioned room deciding whether our actions, made in a split second, are justified. You know, police officers don’t have that luxury of hitting the rewind. We have to live by the decisions we make.

From what I see, we are all trying to do the right thing. We’re not supernatural; we’re just human.”

Three days after the hostage situation, the mother of the child who was also in the cab of that sweltering truck, apologized for not getting out of the car when her ex-

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husband tried to release her.

“I told her I respected her for her decision to stay and try and comfort the child,” he said. “Sure, for me, it would have been better when I dove into the cab of that truck to not have her in the way, but for the child, the fact that her mother stayed and didn’t abandon her will help her heal I’m sure. We all have to live by our decisions, and who can fault a mother for loving her child?”

“Our goal is to have the conflict end in a peaceful resolution,” Wilson said. “We don’t go there to kill somebody.”

A police officer faces his own death many times in his career, and a hero chooses to wear the uniform another day. n

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ABOUT...the River Valley 13

ABOUT

Family

Remember the

School Supply Search?

Story by Kechia Bentley Photo by Steve Newby

Please let me take a moment and express my deepest sympathy to all the mothers of elementary-age through middle-school-age children. You are, at this time, struggling to find all those items on your child’s school supply list. Those of you with a list should however consider yourself lucky because there are others out there simply struggling to find the list.

My very first column was about this very dilemma and I cannot help but think about the frustration so many of you will go through over the next couple of weeks. Hang in there is does get better; well, kind of.

Let me explain how it works when your child gets to 10th grade; Pay very close attention, it is a little tricky. It is very important if you know someone with a child going into 10th grade that they get this information.

The first thing to know is you will buy no supplies until after your child starts school. It will feel odd after all those years of sending them off to school loaded down with individually-labeled folders, crayons, markers and a pencil pouch, but just go with it. Trust me. They will survive the first day with just a pad of paper and a pencil. The tricky part will begin when they get home.

The first day, each of your student’s seven teachers will give your child a supply list for that class. Some teachers will have a printed list and some -- this is sooo bad for those of us with boys -- will want your child to copy down the supply list from the board.

Even worse is when they want your child to write it down as they read it aloud in class. This last technique has caused great frustration in the Bentley household. My children will write as few words as possible leaving out very important details, such as the size of the notebook or the number highlighters they need.

When asked these details by their mother, they become irritated. It is as if I should somehow just know even though I was nowhere near their classroom. God bless 14 ABOUT...the River Valley

the teachers who send home a printed list.

Now let’s break down the lists. It will appear that your child needs a separate notebook for every class. Don’t do it. As a matter of fact, some classes will tell you they need multiple 2” or 3” notebooks. Don’t do it. Only get the extra notebooks if they will receive extra credit for having them in class by the end of the first week.

Otherwise, do not buy all the requested notebooks. We ended this last year with nine unused notebooks.

Let me explain what I think is behind all these excessive notebooks. (And no, it is not a kick-back from the notebook companies as my husband has suggested.) It is the idea of making the students keep all their work organized by nine-week grading periods.

The intention is to grade these attempts at organization and responsibility. It sounds good on paper -- until the teacher realizes there are just not enough hours in the day to grade all 100+ notebooks. This leaves you, the “trying-really-hard-to-do-the-rightthing” parent with lots of empty notebooks.

Let me go back to “if you have it in by the end of the week you will receive extra credit” scenario. By the end of the week is often do-able. It is the teacher who says, “have it in by tomorrow and receive 100 extra credit points” that makes you want to pull out your hair.

I have to believe they have no idea what trauma they are placing on parent and child.

If they did, they would stop the madness.

Just picture other parents (like myself) who have multiple children in multiple schools. We also have multiple church events, sports events, work responsibilities, and occasionally in my house, we have something that looks like a family dinner.

On top of that, the schools have sent home two or three night’s worth of paperwork that needs to be filled out for each child.

I am going to digress a moment here and ask, ‘What is the deal with that?’ Is there not

some way to carry this information over from year to year? I mean if my child was not an American Indian last year I don’t think he will become one this year. Why do we fill out the same paperwork year after year?

Okay, now let me continue with the ‘nextday-extra-credit issue.’ Besides all the other complications to accomplishing this ‘next day bonus,’ is the complication that parents of elementary and middle school students have previously cleared the shelves of most of the required school supplies. For those of you new to this next phase of school supplies, just wait; you will be amazed at how cleared out everything is.

Here is my final bit of advice for those of you with children going into 10th grade or above: Unless your child really, really, really needs those extra credit points, don’t go.

Stay home and have a family dinner. (At my house, that means ordering take out.)

Put all those forms aside for another night.

They have never kicked a kid out of school for not having those forms completed the next day.

Take time to ask your child about their first day of school. If you have boys, you will only get three questions before they accuse you of trying to live their life -- so ask wisely.

Lastly, enjoy the simplicity of the high school supply list because the college list is just around the corner and that is a completely new ballgame. n August 2008

When

sunset and sound

Photo courtesy of Bill Kiehl

collide

With sounds orchestrated to amplify the spectacular sunsets found atop Mt. Nebo, area residents are invited to attend the 4th annual “Brass in the Clouds” performance by the Arkansas Tech University Brass Choir on Sept. 20. Chosen by audition, the 13 musicians comprising the band are mostly music education majors according to Dr. Gary Barrow, professor of music and conductor of the University Brass Choir for the past 24 years. The event is one of several performances that showcase the Department of Music’s talented brass performers, said Barrow.

Though the University Brass Choir was established by Robert Bright in 1963 and flourished under the instruction of previous conductor Volta Any Anders, the idea to host “Brass in the Clouds” occurred to Dr. Gary Barrow several years ago while driving near the Natural Bridge near Clinton. (Natural Bridge is a 100-ft sandstone formation off US Highway 65 actually used as a bridge during pioneer days.) Searching for a venue near the River Valley at which to host an outdoor performance, the selection of a Mt. Nebo seemed like a natural choice.

When approached with the idea, the Arkansas State Park staff at Mt. Nebo was thrilled. They were looking for events to offer at the State Park and the “Brass in the Clouds” seemed like an excellent pairing. Mt. Nebo Park Superintendent Mike Hall, whose daughter was a music student at ATU at the time, was pleased to participate in organizing and publicizing the first event in 2005. The park’s scenic beauty, coupled with the sounds of the Brass Choir, provides entertainment for park guests, campers and local residents, alike.

This year’s performance will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept.

20. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets upon which to sit. Band members bring their music stands “but Arkansas State Park is kind enough to supply the chairs for our musicians,” said Barrow.

“We’re always subject to the weather,” stressed Barrow. “We’ve always had a back-up plan, a ‘Plan B,’ to move to the large CCC covered pavilion, but fortunately, we’ve not had to do that – yet,” he added. “Brass in the Clouds is perhaps the group’s shortest concert of the season, lasting between 40 and 45 minutes and timed to end with sunset,” said Dr. Barrow. In addition to “Brass in the Clouds,” the musicians will participate in several in-service tours each year. A residency program allows Tech musicians to perform in both concert and clinic settings for public school students. They have performed at St. Mary’s and Subiaco Academy, which Dr. Barrow praises highly for both their scenic location and suburb acoustics.

The performance location at Sunset Point on Mt. Nebo is outstanding and beautifully scenic but the “acoustics can be kind of tricky,” Barrow added. Rising 1,850 ft. above sea level, the park often provides temperatures cooler than those found in the valley below.

For information, contact Dr. Barrow, at 967-4028. Details are available at arkansasstateparks.com/mtnebo (events and programs) or call Mt. Nebo State Park at (479) 229-3655. The annual Brass Fall Showcase will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 23, at Witherspoon Auditorium on the Tech campus. Admission is free and the public is encouraged to attend.

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ABOUT...the River Valley 15

Makin’ Music

Together

Photos and Story by Jeannie Stone

Brian and Shirley Faulkner play every day. They are music educators in the River Valley and strive to make music fans out of the young and old. Their shared love for making music has enriched countless children and adults in the area.

16 ABOUT...the River Valley

Brian graduated from Dover High School in 1982 and from Arkansas Tech University in 1987 with a bachelor of arts degree in early childhood education.

He is completing his dissertation for his doctoral degree in early childhood education from NOVA Southeastern University. He currently teaches online courses in early childhood education as an adjunct professor. Music runs through his veins.

Brian is also on the run teaching in-service classes to public school teachers around the state. He calls his business Makin’ Music and incorporates teaching music classes to special needs children as well as teaching general music classes to child care centers.

Brian offers services at three Friendship Community Care sites, KidsFirst, sponsored by UAMS in Morrilton; and Step by Step in Perry County.

“My kids will see and touch and blow on 40 plus instruments each year,” he said. His preschoolers learn how sound is made and how instruments work, and are even able to identify band instruments.

“They see stuff from all over the world,” he adds pointing to a silver Turkish drum, an African thumb piano, and an indigenous Australian wood instrument called a didgeridoo.

Brian is proud that his kids outperform other students on tasks relating to music when they mainstream into the kindergarten classroom. “And they are special needs kids,” he said.

Brian also founded and co-directs Common Ground, a local band known for playing oldies and contemporary Christian music. Because they have one of the largest sound systems in Arkansas, Common Ground helps many nonprofits with sound needs.

“Corporate sponsors paid for the sound system,” Brian said. “This community is awesome.” There are 15 members of the band, and they do not charge to perform. As always, however, donations are accepted.

August 2008

Rekindled love

Shirley answered the call to a career in music a little later in life. Growing up in St. James, Missouri, she always loved music.

Her participation in the school band and choir accompanied her church singing.

“My whole family was into music,” she said. “But my parents were simple people, and they didn’t talk about going to college after high school. They were good parents, just simple.”

Had it not been for meeting and marrying Brian, she might never have had the opportunity to rekindle her love of music.

“As the director of music at a local church, Brian was approached by church members wanting him to teach music to homeschoolers. I overheard them and thought what a great thing to do - take music to children who weren’t able to access it in the schools.

Brian and I sat down right after they left, and that’s when I decided I had to go to college.”

In 2003, Shirley graduated with a bachelor’s degree in music education from Arkansas Tech University and is working on completing her teaching certificate. In the meantime, she started the Arkansas Center for Music Education or ACME* and incorporated the organization as a nonprofit.

Her many projects, “my babies,” fit under this umbrella. (*Shirley’s logo for ACME is a brick with a musical note floating above it.)

As a student at Tech, Shirley started to sing with the Festival Chorale under the direction of Louis Welcher, a professor of music. Welcher resigned in 2005 due to health reasons, and Shirley approached the Board of Directors who agreed to give her a try at directing the choir.

“This is my fourth year trying,” she said with a laugh.

The Community Choir, as it is now known, offers the people of Russellville a bit

August 2008

of homegrown culture performing several times a year including a summer patriotic pops series and the much heralded Handel’s Messiah medley during the holidays.

“We are interested in securing an entire orchestra for the next Messiah,” Shirley said.

“For those type of expenses, we need funding. It takes a lot of people, who don’t make any money, a lot of effort to secure funding.”

The Choir is open to members who are at least 13 years old.

“There is no top (age) limit,” Shirley said, “We have several members in their seventies. We actually have professionallytrained musicians, and we have folks who can’t read a note,” she said. The choir also offers a scholarship, supplied by sponsors, for an accompanist through ATU. Besides teaching classes in general music education, voice and orchestra to homeschool students, she contracts with the Russellville School District to provide music for the students enrolled in the community-based instruction.

“I absolutely love it,” she said.

Her student’s disabilities ranged from autism and sensory processing issues to retardation and Down Syndrome.

Shirley shared a story on how wondrous music therapy can be.

“I had a severely delayed high school boy who wasn’t verbal, and, at first, he was very resistant to a new teacher. Pretty soon, he realized that I was the one who brought the music, so he would get excited to see me.

“Well, one day when I arrived, the tornado sirens were going off, and our class was ushered into a restroom. That boy didn’t know what all the commotion was about. All he knew was I was there, so it must be time to dance.

“Naturally, all 20 kids danced right there in that cramped bathroom until it was safe to come out.”

Brian had an equally satisfying experience with one of his students.

“One of my little two-year-old special needs students wasn’t performing for the therapist one day. They were trying to get her to walk. I had the other members of the class playing Jingle Bell Rock, and when she heard the music she got up and danced across the floor. We had, obviously, found her distraction.”

“Music is our gift to the community” When the Faulkners attended a graduation ceremony at the Adult Education Center in 1999, a 79-year-old lady was receiving her GED. But as she was crossing the stage, the couple noticed there was no music.

“How can you have a graduation without music?” Shirley asked.

The following year, the Faulkners were present as performers rather than observers. And, for the last eight years, a band comprised of volunteer community members has provided the music for the Russellville Adult Education graduation ceremony.

“Music is our gift to the community,” Brian said as he squeezed his wife’s hand. n For more information on joining the music, to secure services or to make a tax-deductible donation, call Brian or Shirley Faulkner at (479)968-8074 or log on to www.makinmusic. net. Photos of the Community Choir can be viewed at communityfestivalchorale.org.

ABOUT...the River Valley 17

A Teacher and a Gentleman Dr. Olin Cook Story and Photo by Jeannie Stone

Dr. Olin Cook only thought he was going to retire, and then former Governor Dale Bumpers called to ask for help.

“I was shocked,” Cook said humbly. Well, what was I going to do? I was honored. Of course, I said I would help.”

So, Cook accepted the appointment to the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the governing arm of the department he directed for an unprecedented 10-year run.

Education was the key to escape a hard life for Cook who was the eldest of three boys growing up on a farm in Preston, Miss. His father died suddenly when he was 9 years old.

“Thank God, we lived in a community with other family members. We farmed with another family until I was in junior high. When my brothers and I were old enough, my mother went to work. Our extended family made all the difference for us, but it was hard work.

“My wife and I both worked our way through college, so we know if anybody truly wants to go to school, they can,” Cook said.

Cook graduated with a bachelor of science in Education from Millsaps College in 1957 and a masters of education from Emory University in 1960. He obtained his doctorate in education from Auburn University in 1963 but he never truly left the classroom.

Once he moved to Atlanta, Ga., to pursue his post graduate education, Cook accepted a position as a high school math teacher.

“There is nothing I’ve enjoyed more in my life than those four years,” he said. “I loved the challenge of forging relationships,” Cook said, “and teaching is all about relationships. The right teacher can reach any child.”

Cook discussed the traits that make up a good teacher. One is to remain open-minded.

“Personality does get so much into teaching,” he said. “I remember, during my second year of teaching, an older teacher was talking in the lounge about this horrible student she had. It dawned on me that she was talking about one of my students, and I was so surprised because I didn’t have a bit of trouble from him. Obviously, there was a personality clash going on there.”

Cook shared another pearl of wisdom concerning teaching. “If they respect you, they will perform for you,” he said.

Colleges could certainly do more to prepare the new teachers for their actual assignments, according to Cook.

“Some things can’t really be taught, but we can strive to raise awareness of student’s special needs and, really, how to relate to students in the first place,” he said. “Schools need to be organized and offer pragmatic skills.

One of the methods of teaching he always favored was relating the studies to the students’ interests and hobbies.

“When I taught math, I had my students do projects. They loved it.

Getting the kids to love learning is half the battle. The whole point was to carry over what they had learned and apply the concepts in a real way,” he said. “It’s preferable to just having the students memorize facts.”

“I remember a physics teacher in the high school where I taught.

She was so frustrated because she was having trouble with her class understanding the lesson. She asked me to observe her teaching and August 2008

make suggestions. Well, she was up in front of the class teaching like crazy, and the kids weren’t paying attention.

“I don’t know why she had trouble relating to the kids. She was bright as she could be. It was too bad. She didn’t last in teaching.”

Cook is concerned with the state of education. He sees a shortage and lack of support for good teachers, students who are not mentored or motivated, and parents who aren’t shouldering more of the responsibility of encouraging their children to continue schooling.

“It is harder and harder to get people into teaching,” Cook admitted. “Teachers spend a lot of time dealing with paperwork and not actually teaching.

Milton Olin Cook, 75, is a native of Preston, Miss. He and Millicent, his wife of 51 years, are parents of two daughters – Kim Jones and Leslie Rhode; four grandchildren, Garrett and Connor Jones, and Anna and Philip Rhode.

Olin claims his mother, Rosie Cook, is his hero because she “always let me be my own person and encouraged me to reach further.

Cook enjoys tennis, gardening and working in the yard. He loves to read, especially biographies, autobiographies and books with a political bend. He believes the world would be a better place if: we really spent our energies in taking care of each other.

His goals include doing “everything I can to see my grandchildren do well in their education and be equipped for life.” Cook says he knew he wanted to be a teacher from the time he was in the 10th grade. And he’s always “wanted to play the piano.”

He admits he wouldn’t mind taking another cruise with Millicent, having enjoyed their first one a couple of years ago. Most people would be surprised to know that he’s “a very diverse person, and I like a lot of different things. I love musicals and we go to The Rep productions whenever we can.” His favorite musical is The Sound of Music.

ABOUT...the River Valley 19

“The salaries have increased, but there are so many other higher paying positions a teachers can enter which don’t have the headaches teaching presents.”

Don’t underestimate Cook‘s dedication.

The benefits of teaching far outweighed the hardships, and in his southern drawl, he articulated what he loves about the profession.

In addition to the relational aspects and the bond teachers build with their

students, Cook relished the opportunities to influence the coming generations.

Foremost on his mind, however, is the surprising lack of support teachers have these days.

“The first year is really hard for most teachers,” he said. “Normally, first-year teachers are assigned the hardest classes.

I know when I was new, I taught six class periods in a row -- half of the students had already failed math and were retaking the class. That’s not right.”

Cook contends that overloading a new teacher with problem students is a sure way to run off a teacher.

“Listen, being a teacher is a hard job.”

Cook asked, “How do we bring education to all students using the same standards?

As an administrator, that is the question we asked over and over. We’ve done a lot of improvement in Arkansas and, I think, in the whole country towards providing good education. A lot is left undone.”

The “No Child Left Behind” initiative has also concerned Cook.

“You know, you get to a point where you have too much testing and not enough teaching,” he said. “If I gave a math test, and half the class failed, I knew that I failed in teaching that component of our curriculum.

We’d go back and redo. Teachers need to be able to do the same thing I did. It only makes sense. Teachers also need help in reading those test results or else it’s all meaningless.”

Another source of concern, for Cook, is the atrocious rate of students not completing their college education. One cause, he suspects, is the inability to transfer credits from one college to another with ease. In fact, for his dissertation he explored the reasons people transfer from one major to another.

“Once students get to college, they come face to face with the requirements of their

Olin Cook during his first year at Arkansas Tech University as he appeared in this 1980 photo of ATU's yearbook publication, Agricola. Photo Courtesy of ATU

chosen field of study. Oftentimes, they had not been exposed to that profession before and were unprepared for the specific rigors necessary to work in that field,” he said.

Cook has long been concerned with the student retention rates in college.

For the 15 years he was associated with the Arkansas Department of Higher Education (five of those years he served as Assistant Director) and the 16 years he was employed at Arkansas Tech University (12 years as Executive Vice President and four years as Vice President for Academic Affairs), he has discussed the challenges of maintaining student retention with colleagues.

He is convinced a few simple steps would serve students well.

“Kids need a lot of mentoring, especially in

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how to use their time wisely,“ he said. “They have other temptations in college, even in high school, and they grossly mismanage their time.”

Cook is quick to point out that working on a farm did a lot to motivate him towards college. “And, all kids are not college material,” he said.

“We are, each of us, unique, and I think that‘s the way the Lord intended, but I think an immature kid might be a better student later if they worked for a year.

Even if they never went to college, they can enjoy a good life by working hard. You know, being happy is more important than making the big bucks.”

One of the main stumbling blocks students have to maneuver to stay enrolled is the cost of rising tuition.

“College costs have increased faster than any other cost of living expense. That includes groceries, utilities; I’ve seen the statistics, and it’s true. If you look at the books alone; I can’t even fathom how one book can cost $100, but that’s how much our young people are paying just for the privilege of going to school.”

Cook continued, “The state offers millions of dollars’ worth of scholarships every year, but parents need to understand that college is expensive, and they need to start saving money.

Parents want their child to have a free ride, but that is pretty rare. Millicent (his wife) and I started a college account when our kids were young. When she went back to work as an English teacher and then as a high school counselor, we saved her salary and invested it in our children’s futures.”

Cook suggests that some parents have forgotten how to save for college, and what an important lesson that teaches their children when they do manage to set

a little money aside here and there for the purposes of education.

“We want more than we need,” he said.

Community Contributor

Cook has greatly influenced the River Valley through his volunteer work. He has been a lifelong member of the Russellville Rotary Club, serving as club president and, on a statewide level, serving as both District Governor and director of the Rotary Student Exchange. Likewise, through his membership at Russellville First United Methodist Church, he has served as a Sunday school teacher, choir member and committee member as well as providing leadership for the Arkansas Methodist Church and serving as the Chairman of the Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministry.

A self-professed lover of colorful art, he lent his leadership to the River Valley Arts Center, serving on the board, as well as serving on the boards of the Russellville Area Chamber of Commerce, Friendship Community Care and the River Valley Shelter for Battered Women and Children.

“Through my work in office and serving in statewide capacities through Rotary International and the Methodist church, I literally knew people in every county of our state,” he said.

Cook relished his role as legislator nearly as much as teaching -- but not quite. The relationships he built during his seven years in the House of Representatives are what he considers to be the highlights of that time in office.

He admired many of his colleagues for their hard work but counts his early relationship with former senator Dale Bumpers as his most treasured. “He was a gentleman, a jewel, and he was so smart.”

Bumpers returned the compliment.

“Olin Cook remains one of the finest men I have ever had the privilege if knowing. He has the utmost integrity and a great intellect that can’t be underestimated.

“I still owe him a great debt of gratitude for the magnificent job he did for me and the state of Arkansas when I was governor. He was my first choice to lead the Department of Higher Education, and he never disappointed me or the people of Arkansas.” n

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ABOUT

Food

Back to School

Already?

ROLL IT UP

1 tortilla (flour, corn or wheat) Spread with cream cheese or Laughing Cow Light Spreadable cheese Top with sliced deli turkey or other favorite deli meat Add your favorite chopped, grated, or shredded veggies Roll it up, then wrap in plastic wrap.

PBJ ROLL

1 tortilla (flour, or wheat) Spread with you favorite peanut butter Top with your favorite jam, or jelly Omit jam or jelly and add sliced bananas or raisins Roll it up and then wrap in plastic wrap.

Story by Dianna Qualls For ABOUT Magazine

W

PBB SMOOTHIE

hen our son was an aspiring young student ‘backto-school’ meant - no more staying up all night and sleeping all day, no more using the excuse of “my brain is on vacation.” It did, however, mean our household would get back to something close to a routine.

As your home tries to settle into that “back-to-school frame of mind,” I hope you will find these recipes worth adding to your meal plans.

For Back-to-School Treats!

Cookies, Cakes • Casseroles-To-Go!

1 ripe banana, frozen chunked ½ c. skim milk or soy milk ¼ cup plain nonfat yogurt 1 ½ T. creamy, natural, peanut butter Put all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

Nutritional facts: 1 serving cal 325, fat 12.5g, sat fat 1.5g, chol 3g, carb 43g, pro 13g. Recipe from Foodnetwork.com.

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BIRDS IN A NEST

1 loaf of Italian bread, sliced into 1” diagonal slices Large egg for each slice of bread Salt and Pepper ½ c. grated cheese -- Parmesan, Romano, Cheddar, etc.

Olive oil Place a very large nonstick skillet over low heat. Add enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the skillet.

Using a round cookie cutter or knife cut out the center of the bread slices. Place a bread slice in the skillet, crack an egg into the center of the bread slice. Season the birds in their nests with salt and pepper and sprinkle a little cheese into each nest.

Gently turn the birds in their nests with a spatula and turn off the heat, let rest 5 minutes. Serve.

SAUSAGE, CHEESE BREAKFAST CUPS

4 oz. turkey sausage, browned and drained ½ green bell pepper, chopped ¼ onion, chopped 5 large eggs 1 can (12 oz) sliced mushrooms, drained ½ c. shredded, reduced fat Cheddar Cheese These egg “muffins” make a hearty breakfast that can be eaten on the run.

Make them ahead and warm them in the microwave for a fast breakfast treat.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 6-cup nonstick muffin pan with cooking spray.

In a medium nonstick skillet over mediumhigh heat, cook the sausage, pepper, and onion for 5 minutes, or until sausage is no longer pink. Spoon the mixture into a bowl and cool slightly.

Stir in the eggs and mushrooms. Evenly divide the mixture among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle with the cheese. Bake

for 20 minutes, or until muffin tests done.

Makes 6 muffins.

Nutrition Facts: per serving (1 muffin) 140 cal, 9g fat, 3g sat fat, 12g prot, 4g carb, 195mg chol, 400mg sod. (Turkey bacon or regular sausage are equally as tasty, but will change the nutritional facts.)

Lunch Box Ideas

Brown Bag or Lunch Box: There are three very important issues regarding lunch time for kids or adults. These are: nutritional value, lunch must travel well, and lunch must contain food that will be eaten and enjoyed.

Let your child pack their sandwich ingredients separately, then at lunch they can assemble the sandwich or eat separately.

Include something fun – a note, a sticker, cookies wrapped in colored plastic wrap and tied with ribbon, a picture of something fun you did together, a colorful napkin, etc.

A pre-assembled sandwich, cut into fun shapes with cookie cutters, will add interest to lunch time.

Nuts, dried fruits, chopped veggies, fresh fruits, nutrition bars or nutritious crackers are great additions to any lunch.

Freeze a bottle of water, wrap in a couple of paper towels, and place in a plastic bag.

By lunchtime the ice should be melted and ready to drink.

CHEWY PEANUT BARS

4 c. Wheaties cereal 1/3 c. salted dry-roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped 1/2 c. light corn syrup 1/3 c. packed brown sugar 1/4 c. peanut butter 3 T. semisweet chocolate chips

Tuck one of these bars into your loved ones’ lunches with a note reminding them how special they are to you.

Spray 9-inch square pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, mix cereal and peanuts.

In 2-qt. saucepan, heat corn syrup, brown sugar and peanut butter to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute.

Pour over cereal mixture, stirring to coat entire mixture. Press in pan.

In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips uncovered on High 30 seconds; stir. Continue microwaving 10 seconds at a time, stirring after each microwave time, until smooth.

Drizzle chocolate over bars. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until chocolate has hardened.

Yield: 24 bars. Recipe from Diabetic Cooking.

Nutritional Facts: 1 Bar: Calories 90 ; Total Fat 3g (Saturated Fat 0.5g); Cholesterol O mg; Sodium 75mg; Total Carbohydrate 14g, Dietary Fiber Og; Sugars 7g, Protein 2g.

Hey Mom What’s for Dinner?

UPSIDE-DOWN PIZZA CASSEROLE 1 ½ lb lean ground beef 1 (15 oz.) can Italian-style tomato sauce 1 ½ c. shredded mozzarella cheese 1 (10 oz.) pkg refrigerated biscuits

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet, cook beef until no longer pink, stirring frequently. Drain off fat. Stir in tomato sauce; heat through. Transfer mixture to a 2-qt rectangular baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese.

Flatten each biscuit with your hands; arrange the biscuits on top of the cheese.

Bake about 15 minutes or until biscuits are golden. Makes 5 servings.

Nutritional Facts Per serving: 642 cal, 41g fat, 116mg chol, 30g carb, 2 fiber, 38g pro.

Serve with a tossed salad and dinner is ready. Recipe from Rush Hour Dinners.

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ABOUT...the River Valley 23

GOLDEN CHICKEN WITH SPICY REFRIED BEANS

2 tsp. ground cumin 2 tsp. ground coriander 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper 1/4 tsp. kosher salt 1 lb. chicken tenders 3 tsp. canola oil, divided 1 small onion, chopped 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped 2 (15-oz) cans white beans, rinsed 3/4 c. canned diced tomatoes with green chiles or tomato salsa 1/4 c. shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar Combine cumin, coriander, pepper and salt in a medium bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat. Heat 2 tsp. oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the chicken and sauté until golden brown and just cooked through (2 to 4 min. per side).

Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tsp. oil to the pan. Add onion and jalapeno and cook until beginning to soften, (1 to 2 minutes).

Add beans, tomatoes (or salsa) and any accumulated juices from the chicken; cook, stirring often, until heated through, about 3 minutes. Transfer the bean mixture to a medium bowl and mash with a potato masher until creamy but still slightly chunky.

Stir in cheese. Serve with the chicken.

Serves 6. Recipe from EatingWell.com.

Nutritional Facts: per serving - cal 205, fat 5g, sat fat 1g, chol 48g, carb 26g, prot 26g.

Sweet Ideas SUPER EASY ICE CREAM SANDWICHES

1 pint strawberry Ice cream 1/2 c. chopped malted milk balls 12 soft chocolate, chocolate chip, or oatmeal cookies 6 T. fudge ice cream topping In a large bowl, stir ice cream with a wooden spoon to soften. Stir malted milk balls into ice cream.

It’s TOO HOT to Iron...

Spoon ice cream on the flat side of six of the cookies. Spread about 1 T. of fudge ice cream topping on flat side remaining six cookies. Place each cookie, fudge side down, on ice cream.

Wrap each ice cream sandwich in plastic wrap; freeze for 6 hours or until firm. Let stand about 10 minutes before eating.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe from Rush Hour Dinners.

Nutritional Facts: Per serving-. 677 cal., 53 g fat (21 g sat fat), 76mg chol. 559 mg sodium, 99 g carbo., 1 g fiber, 8 g pro.

“Years of Service”

25 New Watercolors

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Friday, August 15 5 til 8

CHOCOLATE CHIP PIE

26 reduced-fat chocolate chip cookies 1 c. fat-free milk 1 (9-oz.) graham cracker crust 1 (8-oz.) container frozen light whipped topping, thawed Dip 8 cookies in milk, and place in a single layer in crust. Top with 1/3 of whipped topping.

Dip 8 more cookies in milk, and place on top; spread with one-third of whipped top­ping.

Repeat layers with 8 more cookies dipped in milk, and remaining whipped topping.

Crumble 2 cookies, and sprinkle over pie.

Cover and chill 8 hours or freeze. Drizzle with chocolate syrup if desired, but remember this will change the nutritional facts.

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1 slice).

Recipe from Weight Watchers Magazine.

Nutritional Facts Per serving: Cal, 303 (38% from fat); fat, 12.8g (sat 5.7g); Pro, 3.1g; Carb, 45.7g.

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24 ABOUT...the River Valley

Images of the South, those Hot August Days

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Little Techster Kids Klub memberships available Children ages 5-12 can enjoy all of the excitement of Arkansas Tech University athletics for one low price by joining the Little Techster Kids Klub for 2008-09.

Registration is $10 and includes admission to every Arkansas Tech home football and basketball game during the 2008-09 academic school year, a Little Techster Kids Klub football, and opportunities during the year to meet Tech student-athletes and coaches. “This will be the second year for the Little Techster Kids Klub,� said Kelly Davis, director of corporate and athletic relations at Arkansas Tech. “We had a great response in 200708, and we are proud to offer this program to area youth again this year. Arkansas Tech sporting events are all about providing a family atmosphere at an affordable price, and the Little Techster Kids Klub is a great example of our commitment to those ideals.�

Little Techsters receive a membership card, which is their ticket to all home football and basketball games. McDonald’s of Russellville returns as the Little Techster Kids Klub sponsor for a second consecutive year. The Little Techsters Kids Klub registration brochure is available at www.athletics.atu.edu. “We could not do this without the partnership with Kristy and Brad Allen and the folks at McDonald’s of Russellville,� said Davis. “We are very grateful for their support.�

Arkansas Tech opens its 2008-09 home athletics schedule on Thursday, Aug. 28, by hosting Northeastern State University (Okla.) for a 7 p.m. football game at Thone Stadium at Buerkle Field. For more information, call (479) 968-0337.

Story by Sam Strasner, Arkansas Tech University

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August 2008

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ABOUT...the River Valley 25

1

ABOUT

... the Best Products 2

n 1 ATU Apparel J America; hooded sweat w/Felt Tackle Twill Letters, Carsman; Full embroidered long sleeve tee, sweatpants by Champion, worn by Nicole Robbins and Kaitlyn Weindel, students at ATU.

ATU Bookstore

209 West O Street • Russellville (479) 968-0255

3

n 2 The Latest Fall Fashions Pewter coat by Pretty Kensie.

III’s Company

203 N. Commerce • Downtown (479) 880-0224 n 3 GET READY FOR SCHOOL! Make sure your kids get enough sleep for school. Choose any finish and design on any of our twin beds. $598. Free Delivery!!

River Valley Furniture

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2609 E. Parkway Dr. • Russellville (479) 967-9984 www.RiverValleyFurniture.net n 4 New Products Just In by Woodwick Fusion Reed diffuser and dual note candle available in several fragrances.

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n 5 Willow Baskets Rectangular willow baskets with liners set with 6 by Tag. Beautiful Terracotta Vases to fit any room.

Rose Drug

3103 West Main Place, Russellville (479) 968-1323 n 6 Be hip and in style with Kavu Kavu purse- comes in a variety of colors and styles.

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7

Feltner’s Athletes’ Corner 2320 West Main • Russellville (479) 968-6464

n 7 Vera Bradley Fall Collection is Here Many patterns and styles to choose from!

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26 ABOUT...the River Valley

August 2008

8

ABOUT

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n 8 FREE GIFT Free Gift with any cosmetic purchase starting August 1, 2008 thru Fall.

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Merle Norman

City Mall, Russellville (479) 968-6690 n 9 The new look for him--Mountain

Khakis

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2320 West Main • Russellville (479) 968-6464

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n 10 Need more storage?

Add an Underbed Drawer Box with your new bed. $150. Free Delivery!!

River Valley Furniture

2609 E. Parkway Dr. • Russellville (479) 967-9984 www.RiverValleyFurniture.net n 11 Everything ATU 3 pack combo set of tee’s by J America, knit headgear by ML Caps featuring ATU Nerf football and basketball

ATU Bookstore

209 West O Street • Russellville (479) 968-0255 12

n 12 Introducing Big Sky Silver Inspired by nature, fashioned by hand.

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2149 E. Parkway, Russellville • (479) 890-6932 510 S. Rogers, Clarksville • (479) 705-8282 n 13 Children’s Bedroom Headquarters Sharing is fun with this bunk bed which can be separated into two twin beds. Choose your finish. $748. Free Delivery!!

River Valley Furniture 13

2609 E. Parkway Dr. • Russellville (479) 967-9984 www.RiverValleyFurniture.net n 14 RAZORBACK GEAR

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Collectors Gallery 14

August 2008

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ABOUT...the River Valley 27

Barbecue Sauce

Paves the Way to College Story and Photos by Jeannie Stone

U

nder the big oak trees at Old Post Park, a group of men fire up their barbecue grills. They perfect their award-winning barbecue chicken dinners, enabling the youth in the River Valley to further their education.

The River Valley Progressive Men’s Club is the group of men barbecue fans have come to love for their tasty chicken offered at ValleyFest, PickleFest, YellFest, and just about anywhere else folks congregate. The club is deeply committed to keeping the dreams of Dr. Martin Luther King alive by rewarding high school seniors, who epitomize his ideals, a little help in furthering their own dreams of attending college.

Every year, the club awards a minimum of $2,000 to seniors, with each receiving $500 toward college expenses. “We verify their enrollment before we cut the check,” member Stephen Pearson said. The club must follow regulations ascribed to their nonprofit standing.

“We are held accountable for all money we collect,” he said. “In fact, we just sent a member to a grant workshop to keep us aware of our requirements.”

“Between YellFest, PickleFest and the Autumn Ball, we raise about $12,000,” president James ‘Obie’ Woods said. “We couldn’t do it without the support of our families.”

“Actually, that’s how the Autumn Ball started. We wanted something for our wives and girlfriends, so they could dress up and have fun. It’s a fundraiser too, but it’s catered and everything. It’s held every November at the Hughes Center in Russellville, Colclough said.

The club also hosts the Martin Luther King Celebration Dinner at the Hughes Center. It is free to the public, and the evening is packed with entertainment and a guest speaker.

“One year, our guest speaker was Carmen White. She was the first person to receive a scholarship from us. She graduated from Baylor University, went to law school at Harvard and is an assistant district attorney in Dallas,” member Tony Pillow said.

28 ABOUT...the River Valley

August 2008

It is evident the men are proud of White’s accomplishments as well as the other young adults who have benefited from the club’s generosity. They have no trouble listing the students who are currently in school at Tech, UCA, U of A, but balk when asked how many they have sponsored.

“We’d have to do some research,” they concurred.

Member Derwin Gilkey adds, “Some of the kids have sent thank you notes.”

“And we’ve had several kids come back in town and help us at our barbecue events,” member Rick Colclough says.

Pearson agrees, “They don’t forget us.

They let us know how much we meant to them.”

“We work real hard. So far, we’ve never turned down any work opportunities. We’ve cooked at the Russellville and Dardanelle baseball games and the All-Star Tournament at Hickey Park, and we have cooked several years at the Special Olympics.

“Our wives prepare the decorations and desserts. They know how to place the settings at the table. They tell us we don’t know what we’re doing and to get out of the way, Woods says and laughs. “So, we go out and do our cooking thing.

And what a ‘cooking thing’ they do. At the 2008 ValleyFest, the group won second place in the Best Pork Ribs category, third place for the Secret BBQ Sauce category, first place in Best Kitchen, second place in Best Backyard Surprise, first place in Best Showmanship and Grand Champion for the third year in a row.

The club doesn’t only fund scholarships.

They contribute annually to the American Cancer Society, sponsor basketball teams at the Boys and Girls club, provide funds for

track meets and band camps for students unable to bear the financial costs, help with medical needs for young people whose families don’t have insurance coverage and provided funds which were used to purchase the Smart Boards, an interactive visual learning program at the Russellville Middle School.

“All it takes is an application with a submitted letter and a majority vote from our members,” president James ‘Obie’ Woods says.

A total of nineteen members belong to the club. “Anyone can join,” Woods said.

Currently, members represent Atkins, Russellville and Dardanelle. Some members are retired. Others work at Arkansas Nuclear One, Dow Chemicals, POM Industries and Hackney Ladish Manufacturing.

Of course, the Cunningham brothers, who own Cunningham Learning Center and BBQ on Highway 105 South in Atkins are members. Their restaurant is where the club meets at 7 p.m. every first Sunday evening of the month.

The club does accept tax-deductible donations. Pearson said, “We want to let everyone know that we put it all right back out there in the community. We don’t make anything off our meals. Our actual overhead is low because all the labor is free. Our only cost is food preparation. We all contribute out of our own pocket, and that’s is no secret.”

All the men laughed and agreed. But, don’t ask the apron-clad men to reveal the secret to their award-winning barbecue sauce.

Some things are best left, well, secret.

Additional information on The River Valley Progressive Men’s Club is available by contacting Obie Woods at (479) 229-2195.

We Were There For Your Grandparents

And We’ll be Here for You! Courtesy and Service SINCE 1958 Charles Oates and Dale Walker began C&D Drug Store with a very simple motto: “Courtesy and Service.” While much has changed since 1958, that motto still applies today.

Top Left: The River Valley Progressive Men’s Club rest at ValleyFest after performing their barbecue magic. (From left) Stephen Pearson, Rick Colclough, Richard Taylor, Tony Pillow, James ‘Obie’ Woods, president; and Derwin Gilkey.

121 North Commmerce

BOTTOM LEFT: Club members Tony Pillow, left, and James ‘Obie’ Woods (president) discuss the club and the trophies awarded for their barbecue at ValleyFest in Russellville.

in Beautiful Downtown Russellville WE DELIVER!

RIGHT: RV Progressive Men Richard Taylor, left, and Andy Hatley are all smiles as they clean after serving their famous barbecue dinner at YellFest in Dardanelle.

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ABOUT...the River Valley 29

Story continued on page 9

“It’s a mixture of Family Practice and all kinds of music, watching movies and With all this medical expertise brewing in Surgery,” he said. “The study of physiology traveling. Last summer, in fact, Calloway his blood, Berner admits he didn’t really think and the effects of air pressure on the human traveled to London with a group from about going into medicine until his junior body really interest me.” With this training, his school and studied at Oxford and year at Hendrix College. “It was really more Goodman will be a valuable addition to any Cambridge. The class which appealed to him most was Freedom of Speech. His a process of elimination,” he said. He admits emergency response team. that he was loading up in the biology courses It took a lot of praying for Goodman to parents were not surprised when their in college. “I was kind of preparing myself to make the decisions leading down this path. free-spirited son extended his stay in teach or go into forestry,” he said. “It wasn’t “My dad has really kind of pushed me away Great Britain and backpacked alone after until I signed up for the MCAT (medical from medicine a little bit,” he said. “He the classes dismissed. college admission test) in my junior year that wanted to protect me, and his concern was Calloway loves taking advantage of I decided to go all the way. I did have a lot of that there was so much stress inherent in the outdoors and wrote his senior thesis this career path. I prayed a lot, especially in on research he conducted on macrofamily influences,” he said and smiled.

Berner loves to read cowboy stories, my sophomore year, but I knew by the time I invertebrates in streams. He spent eight play soccer, basketball and tennis, play his was a junior that medicine was what I really weeks on Steele Creek collecting data.

“I grew up hunting, and I like anything wanted to do. guitar, canoe and hike.

He plans to join Bailey and Eddy in the “I grew up in a strong missions-minded outdoors,” he said. pre-matriculation program. Although, he family. I feel like I can impact others and He is an avid reader and admits, “I like to hasn’t decided which of the disciplines influence them because of my strong faith. I learn new things.” attracts him the most, he knows he won’t think I can make a difference,” she said.

Goodman loves soccer, hiking and floating, Waiting Game choose surgery.

Ian Goodman is the son of Dr. Robin and “and being an uncle,” he said and laughed.

During this all-too-brief period before Mona Goodman. His father is an emergency Josh Calloway is the son of Dr. Jody and classes begin, the incoming freshmen were room physician, and his mother is the Lynn Calloway. His father is an Obstetrician/ twittering with anticipation. They compared volunteer coordinator of the Manna House, Gynecologist as was his grandfather, and living arrangements in Little Rock. a community pantry and outreach mission of his mother is a nurse practitioner. He has “Will you be staying in the dorm?” “Nah, 1st UMC. He has an older brother, Justin, and three younger siblings; Zach, 19, Emily, 15, I’ve got an apartment.” “How about you?”

When asked if they had any concerns, two older sisters, Kerry and Jennifer. “Uncle” and Lizzy, 6.

“I call Lizzy ‘the wild woman’,” he said there was nervous laughter.

Ian also has twin 8 month old nephews.

Goodman immediately left for the Air with eyes twinkling. She, obviously, has her “Yeah, the material,” Calloway said. “I mean, it’s not going to be a piece of cake.”

Force’s Commissioned Officer Training after big brother wrapped around her little finger. graduating with honors from the University “He could just have easily chosen acting,” “The tests,” Berner groaned and shook his mother said of Calloway’s decision to his head. of Central Arkansas.

“The lack of sleep,” Eddy said, and they “We completed in five weeks what regular follow his father’s footsteps into medicine. recruits do in 13,“ he said. “We didn’t go to “The thing I love about Josh is that he all laughed. bed until after midnight and had to wear embraces it all. He loves life, and he accepts The Prognosis camo the whole time we were there, and it everybody.” was hot.” Goodman noted that the officers Calloway graduated with honors from the These caretakers of the world, ready to had to cover the same academics in that University of Arkansas and is unsure which embrace life and heal the sick are born of shortened period of time as well. “And the medical path he will take. our vibrant community of loving parents, “I just want to learn as much as I can, caring mentors and relevant schools and food was terrible.”

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30 ABOUT...the River Valley

August 2008

A Quilting Legacy As varied as the cloth of fabric that bind them, members of River Valley Quilters share a common bond – the love of quilting. With labors of love stitched into hundreds of quilts, members of the local quilting association gather to share their project ideas. Through a monthly “show and tell,” the ladies discuss their quilt designs and rekindle friendships with quilters of all experience levels. And, often, the group members have the joy of bestowing a hand-made quilt to someone who might not ever have the chance to receive one.

Recently a number of quilts were given to the Arkansas Sheriffs’ Ranch near Alma and to the Crisis Pregnancy Center in Russellville. The group participates in a charity project each year and selected these two groups as recipients. In the past, quilts have been given to Stella Manor Nursing Home, Shelter of Sunshine for Battered Children, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, the Arkansas Sheriffs’ Ranch, Crisis Pregnancy Center, and other similar organizations.

The handiwork of members of the local guild, the recent quilts were made possible because of a memorial donation made by the family of a former member and avid quilter, Marcia J. Clarke Sanders. Even beyond her death, quilt squares were pieced and machinequilted by present members into colorful, comfortable quilts that will bestow comfort to others and carry on Marcia’s legacy and love of quilting.

River Valley Quilters gather the third Thursday of each month at 9:30 a.m. at Central Presbyterian Church, located at 400 West Main in Russellville. A business session is followed by a planned program. General guild activities include “knots” or small groups meeting at member’s homes, an annual retreat weekend, a bi-annual weekend workshop, and occasional quilt shows.

Led by this year’s president and historian Linda Russenberger, new officers were elected and installed in June 2008. They include: Jo Ann Straight, vice president; Clarice Grace, secretary/program coordinator; Julie Daughtry, treasurer; Susan Bragg, Ways and Means chairperson; Dee Jones, newsletter, and Sandra Phillips, “Sunshine Gal.” River Valley Quilters is one of 20 member guilds of the Ozark Quilt Guilds Association.

In 1986, a group of ladies formed the River Valley Quilters after meeting informally the previous year. The seven charter members, who each paid 50 cents in dues, included Emily Echols, Inez Newton, Oma Hacksworth, Ruth Legan, Mary Taylor, Lucy Hall, Eva Cain, Louise Almand, Ann Wilkins, Jocelyn McKinney and Linda Bost. The group’s first quilt show was held in 1987 at Arkansas Tech. They participated in Tech’s prior event, Global Fest, and have hosted the annual Ozark Quilt Guild Congress in 1995 and 2006.

The purpose of the organization is to promote the appreciation of the rich heritage of the art of quilting and to enhance a member’s knowledge through sharing of skills and ideas.

It is their desire to “preserve the art of quilting for the future generations.” Membership is open to those with an interest in the working knowledge of quilting. Yearly dues are $15 and each member is issued a card which may entitle the member to fabric discounts and identifies them as a quilt member to other clubs. There are currently about 30 members.

For additional information, visit the club’s website at ozarkquiltguilds.com. Select River Valley Quilters or via email to: deequilter2@centurytel.net. Additional information is available by calling (479) 968-4096.

Story by Dianne Edwards

The late Marcia J. Clarke Sanders

Photos courtesy of RV Quilters

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ABOUT...the River Valley 31

Calling All Babysitters!

4

2

1

Summer is great time for families to spend more time together.

Kids and teenagers are able to sit around the pool or help out around the house, and, for some, summer time is the ideal time to make a little extra spending money for shopping trips or movie nights.

For many students, Junior High through College-age, one outlet that many still turn to for some extra spending money is babysitting.

Babysitting is still proving to be one of the most sought after parttime employment options for many youths and young adults in the River Valley. The flexible hours, extra income and experiences gained offer an appealing alternative to regular employment.

Recently, Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center and the Cooperative Extension Service sponsored the annual babysitting workshops, Safe Sitter. Held at Saint Mary’s Annex, approximately 50 pre-teens and teens from Pope and surrounding counties participated in the workshops held throughout the month of July.

During the program, students were exposed to a plethora of information preparing them for the profound responsibilities of caring for and protecting children.

“Safe Sitters is a great tool to teach anyone interested in childcare the basic fundamental tools of caring for children, as well as gives the participants great practice for learning professional skills,” stated Stephanie Beerman, Program Coordinator for Saint Mary’s and Site Coordinator for the Safe Sitter program. The Safe Sitter program was written by a pediatrician and is a medically accurate program that introduces students to the many aspects of babysitting.

Over a two-day period, students participated in a variety of activities. From making homemade play dough to learning how to assist a choking toddler or infant, each were given a variety of tools necessary to provide a safe and fun environment to the families they assist. Some of the topics discussed included “Babysitting as a Business”, “Childcare Essentials”, “Preventing Injuries”, “Behavior Management” and “Safety for the Sitter.”

Most Insurances Accepted

Joann’s

AFTER MASTECTOMY PRODUCTS

3

A certificate of course completion was handed out to each sitter and final group shots were taken before everyone parted for the last time.

Bradsha Picton of Russellville commented,” I was babysitting before I signed up and was very comfortable with the skills I had to offer. After taking the class and learning even more about babysitting, I definitely feel more prepared to handle any situation that may come up.”

Basic nutrition was introduced into this year’s curriculum through interactive snacks and mealtimes. Jeri Vangilder, Pope County extension agent for family and consumer sciences and head program instructor, addressed the topic of healthy eating choices and established a menu centered on a balanced diet. “Each meal was fun and interactive. We wanted to show students that cooking can be fun and entertaining for everyone and snacks can be quick while still maintaining nutritious value,” stated Vangilder.

Over the two-day course, many outside instructors shared their professional experiences skills with the students. Along with Jeri Vangilder other instructors included Alicia Vaughn, Pope County extension agent for 4H/Agriculture; Robbie Rye, Pope County 4H program assistant; Michelle White, RN. of Saint Mary’s Women’s & Children’s Services; Kelly Traylor, RN of Saint Mary’s Emergency Department; Linda Blasingame, RN and Clinical Educator of Saint Mary’s; Marshal Gattis, Paramedic/Education Coordinator of Pope County EMS; Officer Josh McMillian, Public Information Officer of the Russellville Police Department.

The Safe Sitter program has been offered annually throughout the summer. For more information about the next classes offered or about the program, please call 479-964-9355.

1) Marshal Gattis, Paramedic of Pope County EMS, discusses infant CPR techniques with the sitters. 2) Students received a “hands-on” lesson in making homemade play dough. 3) Students enjoyed the nutritious meals and snacks provided during the class. 4) Students pay close attention as Michelle White, RN of Saint Mary’s, goes over the basics on bathing and diapering an infant.

Goldmasters Jewelers

WILDFLOWER Senior Living

Seniors 55 and Older Invited to

Community Bingo

Feminine, Fashionable and Natural The perfect combination of comfort, style and design.

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1704 W. C Place • Russellville AR Call (479) 967-6494 for an appointment Joann Hays, Owner-Consultant

32 ABOUT...the River Valley

14,000 Sq. Ft. of Antiques, Collectibles & Jewelry 1519 S. Arkansas, Russellville

968-4653

Thursday, August 28 Held 2-3 p.m. the 4th Thursday of Each Month Door Prizes – Grand Prize – Refreshments

240 S. Inglewood Ave, Russellville

(479) 890-6709

August 2008

A Summer of Service While some River Valley teens are taking advantage of summer by sleeping in or lounging by the pool, the 46 “Volunteens” at Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center are sharing their time and talents with the hospital and community.

This summer’s Volunteen roster boasts a record number of participants. The teens, ranging from age 14 to 18, volunteer at the hospital a minimum of 4 to 5 hours each week, carrying out specific duties that aid staff, guests and patients throughout the hospital. Tasks may include escorting patients and visitors, carrying samples to the lab, delivering X-rays or assisting with hospitality and clerical needs. Many use the experience to learn more about the opportunities available in healthcare and to gain a better understanding of career choices they may be considering.

Darian Myers of Dover is a first-year Volunteen this summer.

“I thought it would be fun, and that it would teach me more about the medical field,” she said. Darian is considering becoming a pediatrician. “I’ve learned that you always have to be nice, and that you always have to be willing to do something different.”

Kia Byrd of Russellville is back for her second summer as a volunteen.

“By being a Volunteen, I have the ability to help take care of so many needs at the hospital. And I’ve learned that working in a hospital requires knowing how to communicate with others,” she said. Kia may become a medical research scientist.

Sarah Brixey of Atkins is in her third year of the program, and plans to get into healthcare as either a physician or pediatric nurse. She particularly enjoys escorting new mothers and their babies to the front entrance of the hospital upon discharge, an action shared by other volunteens. Sarah has found what she’s learned about patient information and privacy laws to be quite interesting.

Several current employees at Saint Mary’s served as Candy Stripers or Volunteens when they were in school. Jessica Carr, a Registered Nurse in the Emergency Department, served as a Volunteen when she was in junior high. Kathy Harris, admissions clerk for the hospital Rehabilitation Unit, began in 1972 as a Candy Striper.

“We wore a blue and white stripe skirt, a white blouse and white tennis shoes,” she recalled. “I wanted to be in the lab so that was where I started. In 1973 the supervisor asked me if I would like to actually work in the lab, so I began working everyday after school and on weekends. That was my start in the medical field.”

While the Candy Striper title and uniform have changed at Saint Mary’s, the concept and responsibilities remain the same.

“The knowledge and life skills these teens take with them are invaluable,” said Toni McKown, Volunteer Services Coordinator. “They gain confidence in themselves and get to experience the satisfaction of helping others.”

Participants in the Volunteen program are required to complete an application and provide two letters of reference, and must attend group orientation prior to beginning.

The 10-week summer session typically begins in June and runs through the first week of August. For more information on the Volunteen program or Saint Mary’s Volunteer Auxiliary, contact McKown at 479.968.2841, ext. 0.

(479) 284-4059

We Carry Gourmet Treats and Holistic Pet Foods

We Specialize in Cat Grooming!

August 2008

Looking for space? This 4 br, 2.5 bath w/2nd living area is just for you! Mls# 08-1397 Just $102,500.00! Call Libby now - 479-970-6778.

Libby Ashburn

Executive Broker, CRS, GRI lashburn@rivervalleyrealty.com www.rivervalleyrealty.com

Ofc. 498-2107 Cell. 970-6778 River Valley Realty, Inc

River Valley Realty, Inc 800 East Main • Russellville, AR 72801 800 East Main • Russellville, AR 72801

1 2

3 1) Kia Byrd, Sarah Brixey, Bradsha Picton, Brittany Gray, Brandi Young, Darian Myers, Angel Sawyer.

4

2) A record number of participants for 2008!

3) Kylea Davis, Allison Armstrong, Lauren East, Shannon Roberts, Heather East, Nicole McKellar, Brandi Young, Brannah Besancon, Jasmine Carter and Angel Sawyer.

4) Brittney Hillis and Rachel Brixey.

Bryan Fisher

Exclusive Agent Bryan Fisher Insurance Agency

Allstate Insurance Co. 2504 W. Main Ste G Russellville, AR 72801

Phone 479.890.0094 Email a007374@allstate.com

ABOUT...the River Valley 33

Kathleen Fullerton, Claire and Harvey Young and Paula Stamps

The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Quartet

Symphony Notes Events A performance by the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, a membership brunch, and an evening reception and silent auction are just a few of the events enjoyed this year by members and guests of the Russellville Symphony Guild.

In April, members and guests began an entertaining evening of dining and silentauction bidding during a reception at Lake Point Conference Center. Following the reception, attendees gathered at Witherspoon Auditorium on the campus of Arkansas Tech for a performance of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra.

A membership brunch, held in May at the home of Mrs. Sena Brown, allowed this year’s newly-elected officers and current members to greet prospective members.

Entertainment was provided by the ASO Quartet.

For information on the Guild, membership and upcoming events, call (479) 9678664 or (479) 967-1177.

Olin Cook, Myra and Gary Morris

Photos by Betty Snellings

Lisa Kirchner, Jo Ann Ownbey and Marie Biggers

Irene Edgar, Claire Young and Maree Lewis

Custom Designed with the Best of Best - Living room with fireplace. Study or formal dining. Large kitchen with island. 5 bed, 5 baths. Upstairs playroom. Game room with fireplace, kitchen and built-ins.

Hardwood flooring. Enjoy the views of the kidney shaped pool surrounded in flagstone from all levels of the back of the home.

Solid west coast cedar garage doors. Professionally landscaped with sprinkler system.

Mls 08-1174 $634,000

Kathy Price

Sales Associate, BSBA, GRI, CRS kprice@rivervalleyrealty.com www.rivervalleyrealty.com

Ofc. 498-2107 Cell. 970-7844 River Valley Realty, Inc

River Valley Realty, Inc 800 East Main • Russellville, AR 72801 800 East Main • Russellville, AR 72801

34 ABOUT...the River Valley

www.DWJstudio.com • www.myspace.com/dwjstudio dancewithjoy@suddenlink.net

“Life’s A Dance, You Learn As You Go”

479-968-1620 • 479-264-7287 August 2008

Plan Now to Pay for Your Child’s Education Most people look back on their college years with great fondness — and many look ahead to their children’s education with some fear.

With costs so high, how can I afford to send my kids to college?

According to the 2005-2006 College Board numbers, a college education currently averages over $5,491 a year at a four-year public college, and nearly $21,235 a year at a four-year private school. Looking at the Ivy League? Four years of tuition, fees, and room and board can now cost $125,000 at elite schools like Harvard and Yale. And costs keep rising. Your children deserve the enriching experience of higher education, and you can help finance it.

Prepay Tuition -- Some state universities have set up innovative programs where college expenses may be made in installments over many years, prior to attending the school. This may be a convenient way to meet expenses, but it takes the choice of school away from your child. What if your child does not want to attend a state university? This could pose a problem.

Borrowing -- These days, most people borrow at least a portion of the money needed to cover college expenses. You’ll want your children to look for student loans with special lower rates and repayment terms for college. However, repaying a large loan for many years after graduation can be a burden for recent graduates. Tapping into your 401(k) plan may be an option, but you’ll want to take a loan rather than a withdrawal to avoid tax consequences. Of course, a loan will impede the potential growth of your retirement nest egg.

Financial Aid -- There are billions of dollars available each year in scholarships, grants, and work-study programs. Financial aid

August 2008

to middle income families may be tough to come by, but it’s worth contacting your child’s high school and prospective college financial aid offices to see if you’re eligible.

Coverdell Education Savings Accounts -- Currently, you may contribute up to $2000 (depending on taxpayer’s income) to a Coverdell Education Savings Accounts (previously known as an Educational IRAs) each year for each child. The previous limit was $500. Although the contributions are not tax deductible, this money will grow on a tax-deferred basis, and can be used for “qualified higher educational expenses” incurred prior to age 30. Distributions used to pay qualified education expenses are excludable from income taxes. The Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) phase-out limit range for a single taxpayer is $95,000 and $190,000 for a married couple filing jointly. Limited contributions are allowed for incomes of $110, 000 and $220,000, respectively.

Additionally, it should be noted that distributions from traditional and Roth IRAs that are used to pay “qualified higher education expenses” of the taxpayer, his or her spouse, children or grandchildren are not subject to the IRS 10% penalty imposed on premature distributions (before age 59 ½).

Start Saving Now! Ensure that your children will have that opportunity to learn, to grow, to graduate from a fine university.

Start accumulating funds today and one day you may be standing proud at their graduation ceremony.

Editor’s Note: This article courtesy of Tim Martin, LUTCF, ARPC, Registered Representative NYLIFE Securities LLC, (479) 9689595. Additional opportunities may apply. See agent for complete disclosure. Similar articles, when corresponding to predetermined magazine content, will be accepted for consideration. ABOUT Magazine, SPPI, or their associates do not endorse or recommend specific investments or investment corporations. Material provided is deemed of interest to the general readership.

ABOUT...the River Valley 35

BUSINESS EXPO Set For August 6th

And the winner is . . .

Carol Harvell (center) of Russellville receives a $100 Gift Certificate from Megan Meredith, manager of PattiCakes Bakery in Russellville, as the winner of a recent promotion sponsored by ABOUT Magazine and the Russellville Downtown Association. Also pictured is Stephanie Young (left), ABOUT Advertising Associate, who assisted in coordinating the promotion.

Carol registered for the Summer Shopping Spree at PattiCakes Bakery and may choose to spend her gift certificate at any of the following participant locations: C&D Drug Store, Joshua’s Jewelry, Mullen Team Sports, PattiCakes, Peters Family Living, Rendezvous, Stoby’s Restaurant, Sweeden Florist, The Nicholson Group, and IIIs Company. Readers are encouraged to read future issues of ABOUT Magazine for similar promotional opportunities.

Dalton

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We Cater to Cowards

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36 ABOUT...the River Valley

The Russellville Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its fifth annual Business Expo on Wednesday, Aug. 6, at Tucker Coliseum on the Arkansas Tech campus. The Expo provides an opportunity for area residents to learn more about local businesses.

Approximately 100+ area businesses will be represented. The event will be held from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. and admission is free. The Expo’s theme is “Let the Games Begin” An addition to this year’s event will be an Expo luncheon featuring Walt Coleman, an executive with Coleman Dairy who has 19 years experience as a referee with the National Football League. Cost of the luncheon is $25 for Chamber members and $50 for non-members.

For more information on the Business Expo and the Expo luncheon, call the Russellville Area Chamber of Commerce at 968-2530.

A.G. Edwards Is Now With Wachovia For 26 years we have proudly served the investors of Russellville. Although we will now be known as Wachovia Securities, our core values remain the same … putting the needs of our clients first.

ADMIT ONE

to anywhere you want to go!

It is our pledge to honor and respect the relationship between our Financial Advisors and their clients. We will continue to listen to our clients and create personalized investment plans to meet their needs.

Our name may have changed, but our commitment to Russellville-area investors has not.

Chuck Gordon Financial Advisor Vice President - Investments Shawn Gordon Financial Advisor 701 West Main Russellville, AR 72801 479-968-5554

Wachovia Securities, LLC, Member SIPC, is a registered broker-dealer and a separate nonbank affiliate of Wachovia Corporation. ©2008 Wachovia Securities, LLC [24778-v1-0252] A1232-0709

August 2008

You’re invited!

CANADA’S ATLANTIC COAST

Departs Sept. 25, 2008 Call for availability! - Don’t miss the ocean air and maritime culture of the N. Atlantic. Includes Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswich and more!

SOUTHERN CHARM HOLIDAY

Departs Nov. 30, 2008 – 6 Day Tour – Revel in the hospitality and rich history of Georgia and South Carolina’s best – Historic Charleston, Boone Hall Plantation, Beaufort, & Savannah.

ITALIAN LAKES AND GREEK ISLANDS

May 2009 – 12-Day Tour – Breathtaking beauty, rich cultures of northern Italy, Greece and Croatia abound on this cruise through the Eastern Mediterranean. Tour Milan, Como, Bari the island playgrounds of Santorini, Mykonos and Corfu. Travel to Dubrovnik, then sail to Venice.

PACIFIC NW AND CALIFORNIA

July 2009 – 8-Day Tour – Lush County and city life of the Pacific Northwest. Cruise the Rogue River and visit Redwood National Park, Mt. St. Helens, San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge and see the Victorian architecture of Eureka.

DISCOVER SCOTLAND

September 2009 – 10-Day Tour – A pastoral wonderland, rolling hills, sea-sprayed islands, ancient castles. Tour Edinburgh, St. Andrews, Pitlochry, Dunrobin Castle, Lock Ness, Isle of Skye, travel by ferry to Orkney Islands – many more sites to see!

SAN ANTONIO GETAWAY

December 2009 – (5-Day Tour) – Referred to as the “American Venice,” sidewalk cafes, architecture, beautiful river centerpiece. See The Alamo, Aztec Theater, Mission San Jose, TexMex Cooking Class and create wonderful holiday memories!

Diabetes kills one American every three minutes and is the sixth leading cause of death reported in the U.S.* Today, 94 million people are affected worldwide including more than 18 million Americans who have diabetes. Another 5.2 million remain undiagnosed. The most severe type of the disease is called Type 1 or Juvenile Diabetes which generally strikes in childhood but lasts a lifetime.

Area residents soon will have an opportunity to “take steps” in the fight against diabetes by supporting area walkers participating in the “Walk to Cure Diabetes” on September 13 at the University of Arkansas.

Borrowing from the “One Fish, Two Fish…” theme of Dr. Seuss, this year’s theme is “One Step, Two Step, Three Step, CURE!” Others including Cheryl Pledger of Clarksville, will be joined by their family of “Jo-lly Walkers” as walkers raise funds to help find a cure. Both of Cheryl’s children, John and Holly, were diagnosed with juvenile diabetes a number of years ago and the family walked as a team in last year’s event.

“Tax-deductible contributions in support of our family are welcome and easy to do by visiting the JDRF’s website at jdrf.org,” said Cheryl. Checks payable to the JDRF may be mailed to: The Jo-lly Walkers,” 2149 E. Parkway, Russellville AR 72802. Information is also available by calling (479) 774-1346.

ATU Travel

Alumni and Friends of Arkansas Tech For additional information, please contact Dana Moseley, Office of Gift Planning, (479) 964-0532

“Inspirations is a place where I feel accepted just as I am.”

Assisting Seniors Adults in Handling Life’s Changes.

*Statistics from the American Diabetes Association.

Bethany’s Design Center

now offers all of these fine lines of furniture: • Hooker Furniture • Massoud Sofas & Chairs • Lexington Furniture • Barcalounger Classic Recliners • Lea Children’s Furniture

• American Drew • Pulaski Furniture • Window Blinds • Specialty Rugs • Home Accessories

• Counseling Groups & Group Activities • Transportation Provided • Morning and Afternoon Programs • FREE Screening If you or a loved one has had recent changes in life that make things difficult to handle, call today.

(479) 229-6192

Call Cheryl for your in-home consultation!

6 Months - Same As Cash - No Payments

~ Quality You Can Afford ~ Cheryl Davis Interior Design Consultant

August 2008

Bethany’s Design Center

407 North Arkansas, Russellville • 968-6807

O UTPATIE N T C O UN S E LI NG CENTER

River Valley Medical Center 311 Union St. • Dardanelle, AR

ABOUT...the River Valley 37

A Hundred Cast in Call for Photos by Steve Newby

Based on the book by Thomas Meehan and the popular Tribune Media Service Comic Strip, Little Orphan Annie, the local theater production of “Annie’ was a huge hit according to local attendees. Dubbed at “one of the best live performances (one) has ever seen,” actress Emma Pitts took center stage in the production’s lead role.

With a live orchestra conducted by well-known musical director Ken Futterer, and Dr. Ardith Morris as director, the cast included approximately 50 “scenestealing” children and a classic villainess the audience “loved to hate.” More than 100 cast members – all residents of the Arkansas River Valley – were involved in the six summer performances held in Witherspoon Auditorium on the campus of Arkansas Tech University.

Additional information about future theatrical opportunities are available by contacting the Arkansas River Valley Arts Center, 1001 East B St, Russellville or by calling (479) 968-2452.

JA Wraps Up Reading Program

ARKANSAS RIVER VALLEY

Arts Center

The Junior Auxiliary of Russellville provided more than 70 volunteer hours to assist with the summer reading program held at the Russellville JA member Kate Riggs assists a student Library this summer. Member checked in the during the summer reading program. children, recorded the number of books read and handed out rewards each week.

As preparations begin for the new school year, JA members are working on two projects to help local students. “Project School Supplies” provides supplies for children in the Russellville School District (K-5) who do not have the funds for necessary items.

Because of the generosity of Burris Office Supply and the Russellville community, Junior Auxiliary is able to provide school supplies to more than 550 children this year.

The supply kits will be assembled by the members and provided to the schools in August.

Additional funds are provided to the Russellville Middle School, Junior High and High School to provide supplies for students as requested by school counselors.

“Backpacks for Commodities” is another Junior Auxiliary project. Each member provides a backpack in August which is used to furnish food for students at Sequoyah.

Each year JA members provide approximately 50 backpacks for this project.

Junior Auxiliary represents a serious endeavor on the part of women to be active and constructive community participants and to assume leadership roles in meeting community needs. Junior Auxiliary is a national non-profit organization that encourages members to render charitable services which are beneficial to the general public, with particular emphasis on children.

For more information, contact Dani Martin, public relations chair, at 970-3338 or via email at dmartin101@gmail.com.

“We’re Not Comfortable Until You Are!”

A non-profit organization funded through private donations, memberships, grants and fundraisers

Membership Application

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P.O. Box 2112 1001 East B St. • Russellville, AR 72811 artscenter@centurytel.net www.arvartscenter.org • (479) 968-2452

ABOUT...the River Valley 39

Huge Selection of Bridal Sets and Bands Custom Designs Available

J shua’s Fine Jewelry

310 West Main, Downtown Russellville

(479) 968-3117

FormalAffairs 479-890-9557

479-890-BOW-K (2695)

10am-5pm M-F • 10am-3pm Saturday or by appointment

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ABOUT

Mouths of Babes Out of the

It is often said that children are wise beyond their years. They are most assuredly a great source of joy. They have an uncanny way of accepting and loving that adults often do not possess. Isn’t is wonderful that they can still remind us of what love means?

The following is a collection of comments from children ages 4 to 8. Their response to “what is love” is broader and deeper than many could imagine. For those approaching marriage, and for those who have been married longer than they can remember, we offer these ‘words of wisdom.’

want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss.”

“Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.”

“Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.”

“During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn’t scared anymore.”

“You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it.

But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.”

“When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That’s love.”

“When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.”

“Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.”

“Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.”

“Love is when you kiss all the time.

Then when you get tired of kissing, you still

Dresses of all Styles!

“Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.”

“If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.”

“Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.”

“Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.”

“I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.”

“Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn’t think it’s gross.”

“You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.” n

Beauty Doesn’t Get Any Easier Than This Now Open The AVON Store 20 Herring Cove - Home features custom arches, formal dining room, split bedroom, wonderful back patio/ porch, large back yard. Like new. $194,900 mls 08-1117

121 East Harrell Drive Suite 1 • Russellville, AR 72802 (Located between Dixie Cafe & Cracker Barrel)

40 ABOUT...the River Valley

Boyd Osborne 1512 West Main Russellville, AR Cell: 970-0244 bosborne@cgoodin.com

Products in Stock, Don’t Wait for Orders Earn Extra Money … Ask us How Tracy Richmond Owner

1509 East Main, Ste. 9, Russellville 479-968-AVON ~ Tues.-Sat. 11-6 August 2008

Weddings –Friday, August 1–

Jessica Elaine Teaff and Christopher Horton

–Saturday, August 2–

Suzanne Moudy and Nick Fisher

Jessica Volrath and Josh Hamblen

–Friday, August 8–

Brittany Baranovic and Steven Wade

–Saturday, August 16–

Elizabeth France and Brian McCue Stepfanie Hamrick and Kyle Jones Jessica Cheatham and Jonathan Clark

–Saturday, August 30– Kati Mason and Josh Porter

–Saturday, September 6–

Brooke Russell and Justin Myrick

Melanie Massanelli and Kit Brown

–Saturday, September 13– Stephanie Yoshida and Chris Barnes

–Saturday, September 20– Wendy Pickens and Ian McKinney

–Saturday, September 27– Brooke George and John Fletcher

–Saturday, October 25– Loree McKnight and Jarrod Charleson

Calendar listings of engagement, wedding and anniversary announcements on the pages of each issue of ABOUT … the River Valley are available at no charge. They may be submitted to: ABOUT Magazine, P.O. Box 10176, Russellville AR 72812 or sent via email to: editor@aboutrvmag.com. A phone number must be included for verification.

Deadline to include information in the next issue of ABOUT Magazine is the 15th of each month preceding publication.

Note: Additional bridal listings compliments of Millyn’s, Front Street, Dardanelle.

It’s All For You

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“Elopement,” “Intimate and Personal” and “Marriage & Honeymoon” Packages Available

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August 2008

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ABOUT...the River Valley 41

Sandy Thompson and Velda Williams

Vintage Lunch and Launch

Virgil Herring

Story courtesy of Saint Mary’s Photos courtesy of Royalty Tours

Lake Ouachita was the destination for guests with Saint Mary’s Vintage Club and Royalty Tours’ most recent “Let’s Do Lunch” excursion. Around thirty travelers gathered at Saint Mary’s on the morning of June 10, where they boarded a Royalty Tours luxury motor coach and headed south on scenic Highway 7 to Hot Springs Village.

Lunch was top priority upon arrival. Guests enjoyed delicious fare in an elegant country club dining room, with a spectacular view of the golf course. After a leisurely meal, it was back to the bus for a jaunt over to Lake Ouachita State Park Marina. Along the way, travelers enjoyed more beautiful Arkansas scenery and donned their complimentary sailor caps in preparation for a lake cruise.

Park Interpreter Keith Covington was Captain for the day.

“He was great,” said traveler Dianne Rose. “He was so knowledgeable, and truly seemed to enjoy being with us.”

Covington guided his crew on a two-hour tour of Lake Ouachita, educating the group on the history, geology and wildlife found in and around Arkansas’ largest lake. Andi Pierce, another guest with the tour, commented on the natural beauty.

“It rained on us some early in the day,” she said, “but after about 20 minutes out on the boat it cleared off and was gorgeous.” Mid-way through the tour, Covington pulled the boat up to one of the many lake islands, where his passengers explored a bit, took pictures and searched for shells and fossils.

The motor coach arrived back in Russellville shortly after 5 p.m. Many guests on this outing travel every month on the Vintage Club and Royalty Tours “Let’s Do Lunch” day trips, and are already looking forward to upcoming visits to Wiederkehr Wine Cellars, Gilliam Farms in Judsonia and Graceland.

The annual “Mystery Tour” is also coming up in October.

The destination remains a mystery until you arrive! For more information, call Royalty Tours at (479) 890-6774.

Travel with Royalty Tours is not exclusive to Saint Mary’s Vintage members, but membership does have its advantages. Through the Vintage program, Saint Mary’s provides River Valley seniors with health and wellness information as well as social and travel opportunities.

Joining Vintage Club is easy.

Call (479) 964-9355 for information and an application.

There is a one-time joining fee of $15 per person or $25 per married couple, but the fun benefits and opportunities to form new friendships are priceless.

Park Intepreter Keith Covington with his crew.

Shirley Laymon takes command.

Waiting to launch.

Guests donned their sailor hats en route to boarding their boat.

Frances Henderson and Berniece Hovezak take a break on an island stop.

Karen Castleberry and Dianne Rose

ABOU Your T Needs BUSINESS DIRECTORY BOW K’S FLOWERS & MORE Fresh & Silk Arrangements, Plants, Balloon Bouquets, Weddings, Gourmet Food Network, Free Delivery to Hospitals & Funeral Homes Kristin (Keaster) McNulty, Owner 121 E. Harrell Drive, Russellville (479) 890-BOWK (2695) E.M.T. GUTTERWORKS We specialize in the installation of seamless gutters. Free Estimates!

Mark Signor (owner) P. (479) 331-4140 • C. (479) 880-6759 MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION Specializing in acute and clinic care.

Very competitive rates. Your patient’s care is our number one priority.

River Valley Medical Transcription (479) 858-2708 or (479) 967-4899

For More ABOUT the People You Know....

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Complimentary Subscriptions End October 31, 2008.

Join Our Growing List of Subscribers Send $20 check or money order for a One-Year Subscription (10 Issues) to:

ABOUT Magazine P.O. Box 10176 Russellville, AR 72812-0176 If this is a gift subscription, include the recipient’s name and address. Call 479.970.6628 for information.

Poppa Wheelies Bicycle Shop Sales and service, tune-ups, flat fixes, custom builds, race info, etc.

Over 300 Golf Discs in Stock!

217 N. Denver, Downtown Russellville P. (479) 890-6665 SKY Designs Custom design your special baby gift!

From diaper cakes to pacifier holders.

We can coordinate by theme and color. spk.young@hotmail.com (479) 970-2213 Tint World Auto Glass & Tint We specialize in auto glass intallation & window tinting. Lifetime guarantee against bubbling or peeling. 20 years experience.

Bobby & Robin Looper (owners) 1700 South Arkansas, Russellville P. (479) 890-9532

Be the first service professional that comes to mind when your prospective customer needs a product or service you provide. Have your business or service included in the next issue of ABOUT … the River Valley, contact Melanie Conley at (479) 967-4899.

August 2008

ABOUT...the River Valley 43