Butterfield LIFE July + August 2023

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF BUTTERFIELD TRAIL VILLAGE

MARKETING

Kelly Syer

Director of Marketing

Leann Pacheco Sales Counselor

From the CEO

During his career, Nat King Cole famously crooned about the “lazy-hazy-crazy days of summer.” Around Butterfield, it’s indeed summer – but we’re definitely not in lazy mode. In early June we officially began our long-anticipated Special Care Center remodel project, so campus is especially busy as we manage the logistics of serving our resident patients while simultaneously clearing the way for construction. I am especially grateful to the healthcare staff members who are shouldering any day-to-day challenges with the usual grace and positivity our memory care residents deserve and expect. The end result will be well worth the temporary disruptions and we look forward to providing a look at the finished product later this year.

PROGRAMS

Riki Stamps

Director of Programs & Events

Michael Burks

Asst. Director of Programs & Events

RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION

2023 Council Members

Jerry Rose, President

Doug Prichard, Vice President

Frances Sego, Secretary

Ellis Melton, Past President

Grace Babcock, Liz Brantley, Marian Catron, Roy Clinton, Vernon Collins, Marvin Higginbottom, Rick Roessler, Nina Simmons

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Robert (Bob) Kelly, President

Will Clark, Vice President

David (Dave) Williams, Treasurer

Dr. Kim Chapman, Secretary

Lance Brewer, Chuck Culver, LeRoy Duell, Dr. Michael Holloman, Mark McNair, Bill Mitchell, Chuck Nickle, Wulfran Polonius, Beth Vaughan-Wrobel

1923 East Joyce Boulevard Fayetteville, AR 72703

Main: (479) 442-7220

Marketing: (479) 695-8056 butterfieldtrailvillage.org

Butterfield LIFE may not be reproduced in whole or in part without permission from the publisher. Butterfield LIFE is published by Butterfield Trail Village. Contents © 2023. All rights reserved.

Produced by DOXA / VANTAGE doxavantage.com

Opened in 1986, Butterfield Trail Village is a locally governed 501(c)(3) non-profit retirement community. As Northwest Arkansas’ only comprehensive Life Plan Retirement Community, BTV offers active older adults worry-free living that is secure, independent and fulfilling – and the freedom to enjoy plentiful activities both inside and outside the Village.

Until then, we have plenty of great things to share in this issue. Our cover story highlights Gaye Cypert, a BTV resident who is well known and respected throughout the region for her trailblazing spirit and enormous impact on women’s health. In addition to telling her story, she kindly opened her home for our Living Spaces feature – a frequent gathering place for family and friends. You’ll learn about Tavon Daniels, our BTV dining room manager who has been a friendly, valued member of the Butterfield team for ten years – as well as get an introduction to two of our newest residents, Dale and Linda Batson.

Look for a story about our newest exercise class that is based on a surprising yet effective way for seniors to get fit, taught by local wellness expert and University of Arkansas professor emeritus Dr. Ed Mink. You’ll find an update on the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences (UAMS) Clinic located at Butterfield and how the newest class of the Northwest campus resident physicians will support the health of our Village.

We’ll take you outside of Butterfield to find out what Opera in the Ozarks has planned for its 2023 season, tempt you with great programming and events right here on campus – and even provide a brief snippet of regional history, compliments of the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History.

Here’s to your health and plenty of summer celebrations,

Quintin Trammell Chief Executive Officer

Quintin Trammell CEO

Dave Marks Move-In Coordinator

Elise Lorene Administrative Assistant

Gaye Cypert is an optimist, an adventurer, a romantic, an advocate, a teacher, a caregiver and a survivor. She married her high school sweetheart, Jim Cypert, in 1956. Over the next 64 years together, they poured time and energy into the community that raised and nurtured them.

He was everything she wanted: thoughtful, kind and generous, with a great sense of humor. After his death in 2020, she’s navigating this next chapter, spending lots of time with friends and family who live nearby. “I’m happy with the life I've had; I really am,” she said.

Gaye was born in Booneville, her parents’ hometown, but the family soon moved to Fayetteville. In 1939, when Gaye was 4, her dad bought a dry cleaning business based in Springdale and they relocated there.

She and her younger sister, Joyce Roberts, enjoyed growing up in the 1940s and ’50s in what was still a small town. They moved to the high, dry climate of New Mexico for one year to help with Joyce’s asthma. Gaye liked to tap dance, took drama classes and was in high school plays, clubs and student

GAYE CYPERT

Advocating for Women’s Health

council. She was drum major for the Springdale High School band and taught baton twirling in high school and college.

The family was active in church, and she remembers her mother volunteering and helping others. Her mom, who’d been a teacher, was a good cook and skilled seamstress, making all their clothes including Gaye’s formals and wedding gown.

A PARTNERSHIP BEGINS

The former Gaye Warren first met Jim Cypert at the only tennis courts in town, at Springdale First United Methodist Church. They also attended high school together — him a year older — and they soon began dating. He was the class of 1952 president.

At the University of Arkansas, he was in Sigma Nu fraternity, and she was in Zeta Tau Alpha sorority and chosen as the Sigma Nu Sweetheart one year. Gaye worked hard and graduated from college at age 20 with a bachelor’s degree in education. By then, Jim was already in law school at the U of A, after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in business.

Words by Michelle Parks | Photos by Stephen Ironside

On Valentine’s Day 1956, he picked her up at the Zeta Tau Alpha house and drove her to the cross atop Mount Sequoyah to propose. They married that August and honeymooned in New Orleans. They soon moved into their first apartment, a walk-up in a home between Central United Methodist Church and Washington Elementary, where Gaye began teaching first grade, making $176 a month.

Law school was interrupted by the U.S. Army, when Jim served on active duty and then in the Reserves. After college, Jim opened his own law practice in Springdale, but within a few months joined Crouch, Jones, and Blair Law Firm. He became senior partner and practiced for 56 years in the same location.

Gaye taught public elementary school children in Fayetteville and Springdale, as well as in a private kindergarten. Once their daughters came along — Julie in 1959 and Jamie in 1962 — she stayed home to raise them and was very involved with their activities. A bonus was that the girls’ grandparents all were nearby.

Jim and Gaye loved to dance and play bridge, and the entire family are big Razorback fans — most of them U of A alumni. They also both felt the importance of giving back, and they volunteered in leadership positions for many organizations. He taught a Sunday school class for 50 years and served on boards such as the Chamber of Commerce and the United Way. They both served on several nonprofit boards. Another cause would soon become priority for Gaye.

FACING LIFE’S BIGGEST CHALLENGE

Their daughters were grown and out of college when Gaye was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987. She’d gone in at 49 for a baseline mammogram, which was clear. At her regular OB/ GYN appointment at 51, her doctor recommended annual mammograms. That screening showed cancer in her breasts that also had spread to her lymph nodes.

“That was kind of the dark ages of breast cancer. Nobody would say the word,” Gaye said. With no oncologist in this region, she went to Dallas, where

one of her daughters lived, for extensive surgery, treatment and reconstruction. She was in the hospital nearly a week for her mastectomy.

Not long after her treatment, she began visiting breast cancer patients — in hospital rooms, doctor’s offices and homes. The women could see that someone had survived and was healthy. “That was so rewarding, and I met women I would never have known.”

Gaye and two other women started the area’s first support group. “We started finding other survivors, which was not easy to do because nobody wanted to talk about it,” she said. “Women wanted to share with others and hadn’t had that opportunity.” Race for the Cure, the fundraiser for breast cancer support and research, had started in Dallas in 1983. Considering it a great tool to raise awareness, Gaye worked with others to bring it to Northwest Arkansas. It was the first sanctioned 5K race in the area.

Then Gaye joined with Johnelle Hunt and Sarah Faitak to start the Ozark chapter of the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Gaye served as the first Komen board president; they soon hired a director. The Race for the Cure became easier to manage through the local Komen chapter, she said, and race participation reached 18,000 one year. Local companies generously supported the cause, and she and other volunteers also raised funds.

One-fourth of the funds went to research, while three-fourths of the funds supported local services. Grants went to organizations and facilities that provided breast care, treatment and education. As awareness increased, so did the rate of mammograms in the region. Now 87, Gaye still gets one every year.

Today, she’s concerned that younger women are being diagnosed, many mothers of small children. But the health care and treatments are the best they’ve been. “The statistics are much better, and early diagnosis is the key,” she said.

THE JOYS OF FAMILY

When their daughters were young, the family traveled extensively across the country and into

You need your faith to get you through tough times. And I've had a lot more happy times than sad times, a lot more, thanks to my wonderful family.

Canada, meeting new people and trying local cuisines. They shared a Winnebago motor home, with two of Jimmy’s law partners, and went to historical sites, beaches and national parks.

Once their daughters were in college, Gaye got into the travel business, and she organized group travel of all sizes. She and Jim also traveled to China, Russia, Scandinavia, and all of Europe. They enjoyed the riverboat trips in France and taking the train from Switzerland to many European locales. They did an African safari and then sailed to the Seychelles archipelago in the Indian Ocean. Jim took thousands of photos all along the way, and they’d relive the trips later through slides on their home projector.

When she and Jim lived in Springdale, they often entertained to spend time with their friends, and she did much of the cooking. The family frequented Mary Maestri’s in Tontitown for special occasions and family meals. And she’s regularly baking, including cinnamon rolls and hot rolls, and reading cookbooks.

In her galley kitchen, she enjoys creating and modifying recipes. Each of her six grandchildren has a favorite cookie, and they used to help her bake those when they were young. Now, she often bakes for her great-grandchildren — but healthier versions of the recipes. She’ll substitute applesauce for sugar and some whole wheat flour for all-purpose, or make muffins with carrots and zucchinis or apples, coconut and nuts.

FINDING CONNECTION AT BTV

When Jim retired in 2015, they decided to downsize and move to BTV, where Gaye’s mother had lived. They knew many residents when they arrived and enjoyed the overall friendly atmosphere. They started in an apartment, then moved to a Village Home, where they redid the master bath to make it accessible.

Jim had essential tremors for years that worsened. He first used a walker, then a wheelchair. Eventually, they moved him to BTV’s Health Care Center. Her heart broken, Gaye spent much of her days

and weekends there with him, until they shut down access in early 2020 due to the pandemic. For eight months, she visited him three times a day, and they could only have conversations through the window. Still, she feels fortunate they were living at BTV for the stages of care offered. Then, in November 2020 Jim died from COVID-19.

Gaye has continued on, with the support of family and friends, and so many good memories. The family still gathers each May on Jim’s birthday to make the milkshakes he was famous for, with the great-grandchildren taking orders and prepping ingredients. And they typically get together every other week in Gaye’s home.

At BTV, Gaye represents the Village Homes on the Health Care Committee and has served on the Foundation Board. She’s proud of the fairly new UAMS clinic on site that serves residents. She also likes many services: that the mowing and landscaping are taken care of, and house cleaning comes every other week.

Tai Chi classes, guided hikes, walking on the nearby Razorback Greenway trail or around the neighborhood keep Gaye active. From her living room, she does the exercise programs available on Butterfield's in-house cable channel. She enjoys hot tea each morning and regularly watches the news, PBS, History Channel and Jeopardy!

Gaye considers her ability to adjust, many longtime friends and steadfast faith among her strengths. “You need your faith to get you through tough times. And I've had a lot more happy times than sad times, a lot more, thanks to my wonderful family.”

Dale and Linda Batson Anniversaries

When did you move to Butterfield?

We moved to Butterfield May 4, 2023. We were in the Carriage Club for over four years and when the option became available for us to take a one bedroom while remaining on the list waiting for a two bedroom, we decided to make the move. We had already sold our homes and had previously started downsizing – so, this move was easy for us. We selected a cute one bedroom with a lovely balcony and peaceful view which we love!

Where are you from and when did you meet?

Linda is from San Jose, California. She grew up there but spent five years in Fayetteville during her junior high and high school years. She later returned to Fayetteville where she married and attended the University of Arkansas, receiving a Master of Education. Dale was born and raised in nearby Lincoln, Arkansas. He also attended the U of A, ultimately earning his Master of Science in Operations Research. We met after we had both already retired, and were introduced while playing bridge! We have been together for over 6 years, and married for 3 1⁄₂ years.

What did you do before retirement?

Linda worked as a third grade and sixth grade teacher at Happy Hollow Elementary in the Fayetteville Public Schools. She taught there for 27 years, and all of her three children were able to attend Happy Hollow with her. It was like her home away from home! Dale served in the Navy and Army National Guard. His career highlight was working as a computer programmer for Lockheed Martin in Ft. Worth, Texas.

Do you have children and grandchildren?

Linda raised three sons, and two of them still live in Fayetteville. She has two grandchildren.

Why did you choose Butterfield?

We had the opportunity to first look at Butterfield during a Christmas Open House. The atmosphere, environment, location and amenities got us to thinking of BTV as a possible permanent retirement residence. We joined the Carriage Club, started participating in events and became convinced we were making the right choice! And here we are!

New Neighbors

Recent Village Move-Ins

Martha

Joan Johnson

Barbara Justiss

Linda and Dale Batson

David and Janee Crotts

Bob and Diane Shaw

Dale and Linda Batson

Tavon Daniels: Dining Room Manager

Never underestimate the power of a familiar, encouraging, friendly face. That’s one of the things most mentioned by Butterfield residents when asked why they value life in the Village – but the very same thing is important to BTV employees, too. One of those especially kind faces belongs to Dining Room Manager Tavon Daniels, recognized by his customary gentle smile and quiet demeanor.

Tavon joined the Butterfield team in August 2013, after his brother had also taken a job in dining services. Over the span of those ten years, he says practically all of his local family members have worked for Butterfield at some point. What keeps him dedicated to his job, though, is that key ingredient of familiarity – what he considers the priceless benefit of coming in each day to support the hundreds of people he has grown to care for and who clearly care about him. “They’re like family,” he said. “In most restaurant and dining services-type jobs, you’re serving different people all the time. Here at Butterfield you get to know everyone on a personal level, you hear about their ups and downs. People don’t just come and go. Everyone cares about each other.”

Tavon’s first role on campus was as a dining room server, which was also his very first real job. Over the span of about five years, he learned all about front of house foodservice operations while also getting to know all of the BTV residents. When Director of Dining Services

Memo Vaca was hired, Tavon was encouraged to apply for a newlycreated dining room manager role, promptly leading to a deserved promotion. He appreciates the schedule he is able to work since the dining hours at Butterfield allow him to be home relatively early each night, especially for a service industry role.

To some degree, Tavon credits his enjoyment of and appreciation for the older generation he supports at Butterfield to the very close relationship he had with his two grandmothers. Family is extremely

important him, and he comes from a large extended family with lots of cousins in Northwest Arkansas and in Kansas City – where he lived from kindergarten through fourth grade.

That love of family has taken on even greater meaning in the past year, when Tavon became a first-time father to son, Kyson. In keeping with Tavon’s truly remarkable family connection to BTV, he met his wife of four years, Jessica Bode…you guessed it…at Butterfield! The Fayetteville couple is enjoying parenthood immensely, and Tavon says Kyson is the most easy-going baby you could ever hope to raise. Not shy about sharing pictures of his little boy, Tavon has residents regularly asking to see how Kyson is growing and thriving – dispensing encouragement and valuable been-there-done-that advice like so many proud grandparents.

When asked what is special about working at a place like Butterfield, Tavon says his conversations and interactions with residents are what make his role so rewarding. “I love how people’s faces light up when I remember their preferences. And, my favorite days are when we host big events – it’s fun to see how excited our residents get about the special occasions and all the great food we plan for them.”

Tavon Daniels

-Tavon Daniels

“...it’s fun to see how excited our residents get about the special occasions and all the great food we plan for them.”

Featured Village Events

COMING IN JULY

JULY 21 | 7 PM

PERFORMANCE HALL

Ozark Ballet Theater Presents: Excerpts from Vadim Fedotov’s Snow White

Ozark Ballet Theater, NWA’s only nonprofit professional classical ballet school, will present excerpts from their recent production of Vadim Fedotov’s Snow White. Choreographed by worldfamous Ukrainian choreographer Vadim Fedotov, this production debuted regionally in April, and this will be the LAST chance to see this production this year! Butterfield will be treated to famous scenes from the timeless story in a new, refreshing format which features professional ballet artists dancing alongside advanced students from Ozark Ballet Theater's academy. Ozark Ballet Theater offers vocational classical ballet training with a mission of making dance more accessible to students of all ages. Offering year-round training, their teachers are the most prolific producers of professional productions and professional dancers in the region.

COMING IN AUGUST

AUGUST

23-24 | 7 PM

PERFORMANCE HALL

BTV Stage Series Presents: World-Renowned Stradivarius Violinist Natasha Korsakova

JULY 28 | 6:30 PM PERFORMANCE HALL

Old World Folk Music Concert Tour

Join us for a unique Old World Folk Music concert featuring Mark and Theresa Bentley – experts in Baroque guitar, ukulele, mandolin and Italian triple harp. They will first showcase ancient European music played on replicas of 1500’s instruments, along with storytelling about the instruments and music. Then the Bentleys will perform folk music from around the world, ending with Spanish music and a flamenco dance by Tamara Carson of the Kansas City School of Ballet faculty.

This evening’s concert will evoke magnitude, beauty and grace as violinist and author Natasha Korsakova takes our stage. She has appeared in many of the world’s most prestigious concert halls in Italy, Austria, Iceland, Switzerland, Taiwan, Canada, the Netherlands, Germany, Mexico, the United States and more. The Swiss-based violinist speaks five languages and is a coveted guest for national and international music festivals and concert events. “Artist of the Year” in Chile and in Italy, she performed in the presence of the Italian State President. Korsakova has authored three crime novels, Deadly Sonata, Roman Finale and her latest release, Di Bernardo.

A complimentary private performance will be held for residents and Carriage Club Members on Thursday, August 23 – and a ticketed public performance on Friday, August 24. Please email rstamps@btvillage.org for ticket information.

VILLAGE SNAPSHOTS

BTV Spring Jazz Fest

Eureka Springs History Presentation at CS Bank

Denim & Diamonds Dinner Dance

Circle of Life Employee Cookout

Village Tours Presents: 11 Days in Greece

Dromborg Castle Tour

Gaye Cypert’s Village Home

Warm, airy and inviting are the first impressions for visitors who step into this comfortable residence, a perfect reflection of the person who lives within its walls.

Retirement in the Village has in no way diminished Gaye's love of cooking. Her galley kitchen is in regular use, where she enjoys baking and generously sharing the tasty results.

The traditional dining room is a fitting introduction to Gaye's home, because she is a born host who loves to gather others to share a meal or celebrate special occasions.

Calming blues with subtle touches of color adorn the natural light-filled primary bedroom. Winters are extra cozy with the benefit of a fireplace and comfortable reading and TV viewing spot.

One of Gaye's favorite spots is her writing desk with a window view. This space helps her stay organized and keep up with the many community activities she actively supports.

Family is central to Gaye's life, evidenced by the many smiling faces that decorate her walls to keep her feeling connected.

Any overnight guest is very lucky to stay in this beautifully appointed room with its serene colors and textures, plus a nearby full bath.

Summer Sip & Dip

A fun social get-together doesn’t have to mean hours of preparation. Invite a few friends to join you for a casual Summer Sip & Dip, and encourage everyone to bring a favorite sharable dip recipe. Healthy or decadent – even when considering dietary restrictions – there are so many delicious options everyone can enjoy when feasting on “dips for dinner!” These simple, dippable recipes and a bright, summery cocktail may just inspire you.

RUBY RED ELDERFLOWER SPRITZ

Makes two cocktails

TANGY CORN SALSA

Serves 6-8

EXTRA-EASY MEDITERRANEAN BAKED FETA

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

5 oz. Ruby Red grapefruit juice (no sugar added)

2 oz. gin

1 oz. elderflower liqueur (recommend St-Germain®)

1/2 oz. simple syrup

1 can grapefruit seltzer

Grapefruit peel for garnish (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Place ice in cocktail shaker. Add all ingredients except seltzer and shake until well chilled.

Strain mixture into a martini or coupe glass. Top with seltzer; more seltzer will result in a less sweet drink.

Garnish with strips of grapefruit peel, if desired.

by “Grapefruit

INGREDIENTS

2 9-oz. packages frozen corn (recommend Green Giant® Honey Roasted Sweet Corn)

1/4 cup pickled jalapenos, finely chopped

1/2 medium sweet onion, diced Juice of 2 fresh limes Cilantro leaves to preferred taste, chopped (optional)

Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Thaw frozen corn in medium bowl.

Add onion, jalapenos and cilantro, if desired. Squeeze lime juice over mixture and stir to combine. Salt as needed. Serve with chips or as a topping for tacos or grilled meats.

Inspired by “Fire-Roasted Corn Salsa” recipe found on thehelpfulgf.com.

INGREDIENTS

8 oz. block of feta cheese

10 oz. cherry tomatoes

Olive oil, for drizzling

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

2 tbsp. honey (recommend Mike’s Hot Honey® for a touch of spiciness)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 450° degrees. Place block of feta into the center of a small oven-safe dish and surround with cherry tomatoes. Drizzle feta and tomatoes with olive oil, then sprinkle spices evenly over the top. Cover with dish lid or foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake an additional 10 minutes, making sure tomatoes have begun to burst and release their juices. Drizzle hot ingredients with honey and serve warm with crackers or toasted bread.

Inspired by “Baked Feta Dip” recipe found on thecleaneatingcouple.com.

Inspired

Elderflower Spritz” recipe found on eatingwell.com.

Healing and Learning Go Hand-in-Hand at BTV

It takes some excellent partnerships to ensure Butterfield is able to offer outstanding services directly on its campus. One of those relationships is with the Northwest Regional Campus of the University of Arkansas Medical School, and the benefits clearly flow two ways for both organizations.

Lead physician Dr. Larry Wright, an internist and geriatrician, and internist Dr. William Swindell provide convenient primary healthcare services to BTV residents, Carriage Club members and staff through a clinic located in the heart of the Commons building. In addition, internal medicine resident physicians who are currently studying on the UAMS campus in Fayetteville are assigned rotations at Butterfield.

We caught up with Dr. Wright, who serves as associate director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program in addition to seeing his patients in the UAMS Clinic at BTV, to learn how the medical school’s residency program is evolving.

LIFE: How are rotations for the Internal Medicine residency program changing for the new class of UAMS resident doctors?

DR. WRIGHT: In addition to the two resident physicians assigned to the UAMS Clinic at BTV, there will be an extra resident assigned specifically to the Health Care Center and the Special Care Center. That extra resident will cover all patient care in both of the longterm-care units for two consecutive weeks at a time. Another change is that a much smaller pool of resident physicians will come to the BTV clinic – a total of eight residents will rotate in two at a time for two weeks at a time. Each of the two-person teams is then scheduled to return to the BTV clinic six weeks later. Over the span of a year, each individual resident physician assigned to Butterfield will be on site for a total of six two-week blocks, or twelve weeks total.

The primary reason for changing how the schedule is managed is to provide a continuity in the patient care learning experience for each of the UAMS resident physicians. When a BTV clinic patient is scheduled for follow-up appointments, there is much greater likelihood of setting the next appointment with the same resident or another with whom the patient is already familiar.

How does the changing rotation schedule impact the UAMS Clinic at Butterfield Trail Village?

The resident physicians assigned to a rotation in the BTV clinic should no longer experience interruptions related to patient care in the Health Care Center and the Special Care Center. Since the BTV clinic resident physicians won’t be called upon to participate in rounds in the long-term-care setting, they will have more available clinic appointment slots to accommodate independent living patients, Carriage Club members and BTV staff members. The new schedule will allow BTV folks to get to know the clinic resident physicians much better since each will be on the campus multiple times a year.

How does gaining experience at the Butterfield UAMS Clinic directly benefit UAMS resident physicians?

Our resident physicians in training benefit immensely through interaction with Butterfield patients. They have the opportunity to participate in the care of very well older adults who are active and healthy – even into their 90s – as well as patients with complex medical conditions. In addition, they learn firsthand the potential and the limitations aging brings for so many older adults. Also important is the encouragement these doctors in training receive from people at BTV during a very stressful but meaningful time in their lives. This is deeply appreciated by the resident physicians and by their faculty.

Dr. Larry Wright

Opera in the Ozarks Welcomes Top Singers from Across Nation

Presenting 22 Performances through July 21 in Eureka Springs

Plus Special Broadway Cabaret in Fayetteville on July 13

Opera in the Ozarks, the summer music festival and prominent opera training program, proudly presents its 2023 Summer Season, including dozens of exciting performances and musical events across NWA. The season continues through July 21 with mainstage performances at Inspiration Point, 16311 Hwy. 62 West, five miles west of Eureka Springs.

The season features a talented cast of singers and professional musicians from across the nation. Together, under the direction of Artistic Director Thomas Cockrell, they will perform 22 fully staged and costumed opera performances, including three Sunday matinees in July.

“Our singers, orchestra, and staff come from all over the world to bring these operas to our unique corner of the Ozarks,” says Nancy Preis, Opera in the Ozarks General Director. Now in its 72nd season, this year’s “Farm Fresh Opera” repertoire includes three exceptional operas: Donizetti’s Elixir of Love, Copland's The Tender Land, and Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld

“Each of the featured operas this season takes place on a farm or in a small town in a rural area, thus the 'Farm Fresh’ theme,” Preis explains. “And in a nod to our location, we have relocated Donizetti’s Elixir of Love to Eureka Springs. Orpheus and Eurydice also will live in the same area, although in a different time.”

Originally, Donizetti’s heartwarming comedy Elixir of Love was set in a quaint Italian village, but it could work just about anywhere, and in any time when one could believe in the power of a substance that might incite romance. The setting is Eureka Springs, about 1904, where the poor farm boy Nemorino is besotted with wealthy landowner Adina, who ignores him.

The travelling quack Dr. Dulcamara arrives with the solution: a love potion which works wonders!

In Offenbach’s comic operetta Orpheus in the Underworld, the mythical story of Orpheus is told through irreverent parody and scathing satire, and farcical twists abound. Orpheus and Eurydice, though married to each other, are amicably living separate lives, each blissfully occupied with a new lover.

And in Copland's only full-length opera, The Tender Land tells a coming-of-age tale of a young woman on a Midwestern farm in the 1930s, who is caught between the smothering expectations of her family and her dreams of life and love beyond the borders of her rural town.

The three mainstage productions are performed on a rotating basis, with evening shows at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 3 p.m., as follows:

Elixir of Love – July 1, 5, 9, 12, 15, 21

Orpheus in the Underworld – July 2, 6, 8, 14, 19

The Tender Land – July 3, 7, 11, 16, 20

Beyond the mainstage performances in Eureka Springs, audiences will also enjoy the always exciting Broadway Cabaret in Fayetteville on July 13 at Mount Sequoyah (7pm), which will include heavy hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. This special cabaret performance will feature a variety of popular songs from Broadway shows, performed by members of the Opera in the Ozarks company.

Single tickets to mainstage opera performances range in price from $25 to $30 depending on seat selection. Tickets for the Fayetteville cabaret are $50. Tickets may be purchased online at opera.org, or by calling the box office at (479) 253-8595

“Our singers, orchestra, and staff come from all over the world to bring these operas to our unique corner of the Ozarks.”

– Nancy Preis

Images from Opera in the Ozarks Past Seasons

A Little Night Music, from the 2022 Season

Be a Part of Theatre Magic!

Walton Arts Center volunteers are a dedicated group of individuals who commit their time, talents and resources to maintaining the arts in our community. At Walton Arts Center we strive to provide the highest quality live theater available through diverse programming, accessible costs and many educational performances that reach thousands of students in our region - and our volunteer program is essential to making theater magic happen every single day!

Our amazing corps of volunteers are involved in every aspect of the work at Walton Arts Center – helping in the administrative office, box office, the Friends lounge, ushering in the hall and more. The volunteers say that a major perk of volunteering at Walton Arts Center is that it is so much fun! Who wouldn’t want to wear their PJs to work at The Polar Express screening?

Volunteering isn’t all work and no play. There is an incredible sense of community that is established inside and outside of the performance hall. Friendships are formed as volunteers work alongside each other in a supportive and creative environment. Many volunteers cite social opportunities as their favorite part of being a volunteer. According to five-year volunteers and married

couple MariAnne and Jerry Retallick, “It really is about the group of volunteers and staff that you work with – this is a positive place. With the patrons too, they leave laughing, having had a great experience.”

We are grateful to have a dedicated corps of volunteers that are involved in every aspect of our operation, and we love to show our appreciation with lots of perks. The complimentary ticket program allows volunteers to track hours and work up to receiving tickets to shows presented at the venue, often including access to the lounge.

As a thank you for our volunteers, we host an annual volunteer appreciation night, complete with a party and awards. The fun doesn’t stop there. The volunteer team gets together and does things throughout the year in the community, including karaoke and trivia nights, concerts at Gulley Park, happy hour at Boston Mountain Brewery, nature hikes, Lights of the Ozarks, a night at Arvest Ballpark and even backstage tours at the Walmart AMP.

Volunteering is a great way to support the arts, meet serviceminded individuals and get involved in the community. Anyone interested in volunteering can visit waltonartscenter.org/volunteer

By Grace Lindquist, Walton Arts Center

Donations/Memorials

Sandra Brooks

Ron and Polly Hanson in memory of Judy Schatzman

Marolyn Fields in memory of Wilma Samuel

Earlene Henry in memory of Doris Layne

David Gay and Gary Thornton in memory of Paulette Collins

Beth Vaughan-Wrobel in memory of Paulette Collins, Mavis Dobbyn, and Judy Schatzman

Health Care/Special Care Remodel/Sensory Garden Fund

Joyce Windhorn in memory of Harris Sonnenberg

Susan Rieff in memory of Wilma Samuel and Paulette Collins

Ned and Cathy Irving in memory of Paulette Collins

Dick and Anne Booth in memory of Paulette Collins

Carolyn Hierholzer in memory of Paulette Collins

Carol Sonnenberg in memory of Paulette Collins

Diane Modisette in memory of Paulette Collins

Barbara Brannan in memory of Paulette Collins

Rick and Janet Roessler in memory of Harris Sonnenberg and Paulette Collins

Charles Labahn and Janadah Labahn Sartin in memory of Paulette Collins

River Farm Hunting Club in memory of Paulette Collins

Linda Pinkerton in memory of Marilyn Herald, Paulette Collins, and Judy Schatzman

R. Terry and Joann McFerran Mount in memory of Jack Lejeune and Annabel Claypool

Music and Performance Fund

Ruth Ann Rowden in memory of Paulette Collins

Nick and Jerilyn Nicholson in memory of Harris Sonnenberg

Scholarship Fund

Kay Brewer in memory of Judy Schatzman

Tracie Karr in memory of Judy Schatzman

Dick and Ann Booth in memory of Judy Schatzman

Beautification Fund

Nick and Jerilyn Nicholson in memory of Judy Schatzman

Garden Fund

Doris Schuldt in honor of Richard Wharry

Moving Made Easy

Virginia Wilson

Pauline Whitaker

The Family of Wilma Samuel

The Foundation is grateful for the gifts received between April 14th and June 1st from the following Donors.

Humble Ozark Stone Transformed into National Rock Star

The announcement sent Arkansans buzzing. For years, local newspapers published progress reports from way up yonder about the Washington National Monument Society's plans to build a structure in the nation’s capital in tribute to the first U.S. president. In 1849, the news became more interesting. Arkansas, along with the nation’s other 29 states, was invited to provide a block of stone with its name clearly engraved on it to be laid within the walls of the National Monument.

Peter Beller and brothers William, Samuel and Elijah Harp, who all lived in what is now the Marble Falls community between Harrison and Jasper in Newton County, secured a contract to produce the requested 2-by-4-foot stone. A block, reported then to be marble, was broken loose from a mountain. Power tools were only a fantasy as the men hand-drilled and wedged the stone into shape in the presence of onlookers, who dealt a barrage of unsolicited advice and comments, perhaps because the block was simple in design.

With no forklifts, bulldozers or tractor-trailer rigs, the next task was moving the ton-heavy block. It was somehow heaved atop a sledge and dragged by a team of oxen through 60 miles of rugged Ozark terrain. Different accounts place it arriving at

Clarksville, near the Arkansas River, as well as Van Buren. Needless to say, the unsolicited critiques of the stone’s workmanship continued in the Van Buren newspaper.

"The best judges pronounce the marble of a superior quality, although the workmanship and polish may not compete with marble finished in the older states," a journalist with no byline wrote. The stone was then placed on the P. Pennywit steamboat, which headed to New Orleans, and was then transferred to a sailboat that carried it to the Potomac River basin for its arrival to Washington D.C. The block can be viewed on the 30-foot level of the monument by ascending the structure’s staircase.

A few years later, the city of Little Rock and the Masonic Grand Lodge of Arkansas each contributed stones to the monument. But the one from Newton County was Arkansas’ first, and motorists can find a slight likeness to Arkansas’ first block in the Washington Monument on a marker placed by the Newton County Historical Society on Arkansas Highway 7 near Marble Falls.

And is the stone marble? Apparently not. The National Park Service, which oversees the Washington Monument, lists it as being …limestone.

Sandra Cox Birchfield, Shiloh Museum of Ozark History

Marble Falls, Arkansas

Arkansas Stone block laid within the Washington National Monument

Washington Monument

Perfecting a solid upper cut and working on fast footwork may seem like unusual ways for seniors to stay fit, but boxing for exercise is a proven option for strengthening and conditioning the entire body at any age. When taught in a group setting, participants throw lots of air punches – combined with bodyweight exercises and a bit of speed training – and the results are both fun and effective.

The Village’s Well-Being Program strives to stay fresh and inspiring for people at all fitness levels, and the already dynamic class lineup has a knockout addition in the form of Butterfield Boxing sessions. University of Arkansas’ highly trained and enormously respected Dr. Ed Mink has joined the fitness team to teach these brand-new classes.

Boxing Pulls No Punches When It Comes to Improving Senior Fitness Benefits from Boxing as Exercise

Dr. Mink has promoted and taught wellness for more than 30 years. He practices and is an advocate for Mindful Movement, a program focused on tapping into inner peace, positive mindset and self-healing. Also an Aikido instructor and yoga practitioner, Dr. Mink brings a lifetime of experience and unmatched enthusiasm to his classes. His engaging, interactive and experiential techniques introduce participants to empowering boxing drills, incorporating a blend of soft and dynamic moves designed to improve balance and coordination while building strength and endurance.

Butterfield Boxing classes meet each Wednesday and Friday at 9:30 a.m. in the Convocation Room. Questions? Contact Director of Well-Being Jennifer Neill at jneill@btvillage.org or text (479) 313-4097.

By increasing heart rate, blood flow, and lung capacity, boxing helps improve cardio vascular health and reduces risk of heart disease and stroke.

Total-body boxing workouts can increase strength and muscle mass, leading to better mobility, balance and coordination that can all become problematic with age.

The speed and intensity of boxing workouts can increase as stamina and dexterity improve. Participants are fully in control of how much they choose to push themselves.

Even boxing with an imaginary opponent improves hand-eye coordination and may actually improve ongoing alertness. Boxing can help increase bone density over time, lowering the risk of osteoporosis.

Thousands of Parkinson’s patients regularly participate in boxing training to help manage the disease, routinely experiencing improvement in overall function and quality of life.

Brain sharpening and better mental health are surprising outcomes from boxing workouts. Learning good form and technique forces the brain to stay a step ahead of the body, and the neuroprotective effect can decrease age-related cognitive decline. At the same time, boxing can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression while it increases self-confidence and self-esteem – all of which adds up to a one-two punch for feeling good.