Eye On Independence September 2015

EyeIndependence On www.eyeonmag.com

A Savory History The Family Reunion Getting Enough ZZZZZZs A Publication of Meadowland Media, Inc.

September 2015

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In This Issue 6/ Editor’s Note Gotta Run

8/ Batesville Area Arts Council 9/ DownTown Guide 12/ Cover Story

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A Savory History

16/ Tales Of a Transplanted Fashionista Swing Time

19/ Your Health

Getting Enough ZZZs

20/ Feature

Progress and Winter Preparations

22/ Smith’s Verdict **** Collateral

24/ Things To Do 25/ Notes from the Clearing Alien

26/ Faces 30/ The Myopic Life

The Family Reunion

38/ Experiencing God in the Everyday Worshipping a Homeless Man

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Kacey Clare Burge received her Master’s degree in Professional Writing from Chatham University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 2011.

Relocating to Tampa, Florida proffered the opportunity to write for a Southwest Florida lifestyles magazine. Her outstanding work won her the attention of editors and readers alike, prompting her to be featured in REAL Magazine as a contributing copy writer and editor.

She has also done work as a debt content writer for a financial advice website and had a successful freelance career for several years. Kacey spends most of her free time with her husband and three rescue dogs, enjoying the outdoors and exploring what the state of Arkansas has to offer.

Kristi Price is on staff with Fellowship Bible Church of Batesville as Ministry Coordinator. She enjoys conversations about community and connection, and she loves small town living. Kristi is married and mother to three children.

Tanner Smith is a native of Manila, Arkansas. He has written movie reviews for the T Tauri Galaxy (www.ttauri.org/galaxy) for several years and is a five year veteran of the T Tauri Movie Camp. He has made a number of films, ranging from horror to documentary, and has won awards in filmmaking and screenwriting.

Chad Grigsby is a 32 year old native of Tennessee but now calls Arkansas home. He is the Pastor for Teaching & Shepherding at the Compass Church. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary.

He is married to Jessica and they have one son, Ezra.

Meet Your Writers...

Leigh Keller is a high school guidance counselor and colorguard instructor at Batesville High School. She is the director of the BHS Glass Slipper Project. Leigh lives in Batesville with her son, Cole, and a pack of dogs.

Alisa R. Lancaster is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse with the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences (UAMS) North Central office and serves as faculty for the UAMS College of Nursing. She has been with the UAMS system since 1994. Alisa earned her Master’s and two post Master’s certificates in Advanced Practice Nursing from UAMS. She is passionate about the health and wellness of others. Alisa is married to Scott Lancaster, General Counsel for Bad Boy Mowers, Inc. and its affiliated companies.

Together, they have four children, two daughter-in-laws, five grandchildren, and two very spoiled puppies.

Guest Writer Eye On Independence received the 2012 Innovative Project award, which is presented to an agency or organization for outstanding, innovative, continuous or effective coverage of literacy issues, resulting in positive change or improvement.

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September 201

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Visit us @

MeadowLand Media, Inc. P. O. Box 196, Grubbs, AR 72431 870.503.1150 kthomas@eyeonmag.com PUBLISHER: Kimberlee Thomas Associate EDITOR: Joseph Thomas

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The Family Reu

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ZZZZZZ Getting Enough A Publication

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of Meadowla

Cover Photography by Robert O. Seat Cover Design by Joseph Thomas

www.eyeonmag.com

Eye On Independence is a publication of MeadowLand Media, Incorporated. Editorial, advertising and general business information can be obtained by calling (870) 503-1150 or emailing Kimberlee Thomas at kthomas@eyeonmag.com. Mailing address: P. O. Box 196, Grubbs, AR 72431.

Opinions expressed in articles or advertisements, unless otherwise noted, do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Publisher or the staff. Every effort has been made to ensure that all information presented in this issue is accurate and neither MeadowLand Media or it any of its staff is responsible for omissions or information that has been misrepresented to the magazine. Copyright © 2010 MeadowLand Media, Incorporated.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without the permission in writing from the Publisher.

All pictorial material reproduced in this book has been accepted on the condition that it is reproduced with the knowledge and prior consent of the photographer concerned. As such, MeadowLand Media, Incorporated, is not responsible for any infringement of copyright or otherwise arising out of publication thereof.

THIS PUBLICATION IS PRODUCED BY:

A Savory History

Autumn Hunter obtained a Wildlife Biology degree from Arkansas Tech University. She worked in a number of zoo organizations training birds of prey for educational performances. Currently, Autumn works for North Arkansas College as an Educational Talent Search (ETS) Counselor hosted at UACCB. The E.T.S. program is a national student assistance TRIO program. Autumn does college preparation workshops each month at Cave City, Midland, and Pangburn highschools.

MANAGING EDITOR: Joseph Thomas ADVERTISING: Kimberlee Thomas Creative Director : Joseph Thomas

AD DESIGN Department: Kimberlee Thomas Joseph Thomas PROOFING Department: Joseph Thomas Kimberlee Thomas Staff PHOTOGRAPHERS: Kimberlee Thomas Joseph Thomas Robert O. Seat PRINTING COMPANY: Rockwell Publishing

For advertising, distribution, or editorial contribution, contact Kimberlee Thomas, 870.503.1150, kthomas@eyeonmag.com.

Editor’s Note Gotta Run

Joseph Thomas

photo by Robert O. Seat

In weather like this, I gotta run. I run most days of every week now, but in this cool atmosphere, I feel the need to be out in it. We spend too much time driving back and forth, so it helps me to re-ground punching the pavement and gravel. We hope this issue is finding you and yours doing well.

Thank you for joining us yet again, we have much in store for you. I am fortunate to have had a sit down with Myra Looney Wood for this month’s Cover on her Savory passion. Autumn Hunter brings us the last installment on her Step Forward series and we want to thank her for her involvement in such a worthy endeavor. There are other

unspoken heros in this community, we hope to expose them all eventually.

Tanner Smith reviews Collateral, Kristi Price talks Family Reunion, Leigh Keller finds time to swing and Chad Grigsby speaks of following a homeless man. Alisa R. Lancaster gives tips on how to get better ZZZs, Nelson Barnett shares the glory of pesto, Susan and Tom Johnson talk fungus, Judy Pest shares an upcoming filmfest fundraiser and so much more, so give a look for yourself and come get some custard at the Chill Factory on Main Street in between articles...and find your new favorite.

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The Side Street Steppers

Judy Pest The Side Street Steppers to Perform at the Ozark Foothills FilmFest Annual Fundraiser.

Ozark Foothills FilmFest, Inc. will hold its annual fundraising event on Saturday, September 12 at 2:00 PM. Proceeds from “Steppin’ Out with the Side Street Steppers” will support the annual Ozark Foothills FilmFest and the annual T Tauri Movie Camp, a summer artist residency project offering video production workshops for kids and teens. The event will take place at Elizabeth’s Restaurant, 231 E. Main Street in Batesville.

The highlight of the event is a performance by the Side Street Steppers from Memphis, Tennessee. The Steppers have released three CDs and maintain a robust touring schedule throughout the Memphis area. Christian Stanfield, a founding member and the driving force of the four piece band explains, “People are always asking us what kind of music we play, and I am usually at a loss to sum up the wide range of our styles and traditions in a single word or short phrase…We needed a term that handily defined what we do and whom we represent, and thus ‘Vintage Music.’ Vintage Music is old music, but not 6 Eye On Independence - A Community of Character.

just any old music. Vintage Music is timeless, as exciting to listen to today as it was when first performed. We give you blues, jazz, country, hokum, jug band, fiddle tunes and more. This is the music of America, of all the people who have come and gone and contributed a verse to our national song. Collectively, it tells the story of who we are and where we have been—what we have endured and how we got through.”

“The Steppers don’t just play the fool out of their banjos, banjo-ukuleles, and tricked-out washboards. They build their instruments from scratch and know them intimately. Shows almost always include percussive folk dancing, some burlesque, and the kind of entendre-laden, tent-show humor that made your great-grandaddy spit his dentures.” --Chris Davis, The Memphis Flyer Tickets for “Steppin’ Out” are $25 in advance, $30 at the door. They can be purchased at Elizabeth’s Restaurant or through the mail by emailing ozarkfilm@wildblue.net or calling 870-251-1189. Appetizers and drinks are included.

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United Way Stuff the Bus and Best Foot Forward Complete Allison Phelps

The third annual “Stuff the Bus” and second annual “Best Foot Forward” campaigns are complete, and thanks to the community and our partners, it was a rousing success. Citizens Bank helped United Way start “Stuff the Bus” in 2013 as the lead sponsor of the event and has helped it grow each year. This year was a huge success, over eighty volunteers from across our community came together to help us collect over 8,500 school supplies ranging from crayons, glue sticks, pens, pencils, notebook paper, markers, facial tissue, spiral notebooks, folders, binders, erasers, backpacks and more. Last year, the Wood Family Dealerships teamed up with United Way to add “Best Foot Forward” to the event, an initiative geared towards providing athletic shoes to students in need.

This year, with contributions from The Wood Family Dealerships, The John Hermann Hickman Foundation and The Rotary Club of Batesville and the community we were able to purchase 336 pairs of athletic shoes for students in need. “Our United Way has a small staff of two, so we rely heavily on the community to help us with our work. Our corporate sponsors and the local media are very important to the success of this program as they provide advertising and coverage of the event that we would not otherwise have. They really help us get the word out and encourage our community to give back,” Allison Phelps, Executive Director of United Way said. “Most of the school supplies we receive are collected on the day of the event from the shoppers at Wal-Mart and most of the shoes are purchased in a bulk order at a discounted rate from Wal-Mart. This year thanks to our corporate sponsors, volunteers and the community, “Stuff the Bus” and “Best Foot Forward” was a success and we look forward to expanding our sponsorships next year and being able to provide more

supplies and shoes for kids in need.”

The school supplies and athletic shoes were sorted, divided and distributed to the schools in our area, including Batesville, Cave City, Cedar Ridge, Midland and Southside School Districts. The local school counselors and teachers will identify the students in need and distribute the supplies and shoes to those who need them the most. “I was so proud and overwhelmed by the number of volunteers that showed up to make this event a success. I was especially proud of the students who see the need for this campaign and showed up to help. The school districts really showed up for us, including the Cheerleaders, Prancers, Student Council, Key Club, Beta Club, 4H from across Independence County and Cave City, and many others,” Phelps said of the turnout. United Way wants to thank all partners, sponsors, more than eighty volunteers of all ages and all the shoppers who generously donated items to ensure children were ready for school. N

BACC Director of Grant Writing & Communications Receives GPA International Conference Scholarship Danell Hetrick

Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce (BACC) Director of Grant Writing & Communications Danell Hetrick has received a Grant Professionals Foundation scholarship to attend the Grant Professionals Association (GPA) International Conference in November.

The GPA International Conference is the premier comprehensive professional development conference for professionals in all areas of grantsmanship. It is the only international professional development conference of its kind. This year’s conference will be held in St. Louis, Missouri.

Hetrick said of the award, “I was truly thrilled when I received the award announcement. The GPA International Conference is a fantastic professional development opportunity, and I am excited to get to learn from some of the

world’s elite grant professionals. I am honored that the Grant Professionals Foundation Scholarship Committee selected my application.”

The Grant Professionals Foundation touches the lives of people in our communities by ensuring that resources are available to train, credential and advocate for those grant professionals serving not-for-profit organizations who secure the funding necessary to serve the needs of our most vulnerable neighbors.

In 2015, the Grant Professionals Foundation will distribute nearly $20,000 in scholarships and sponsorships that support professional development through national membership in the Grant Professionals Association, national and regional conferences, and credentialing through the Grant Professionals Certification Institute.

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Shoebox

Mamie Cuzzort It isn’t Christmas yet, but the Operation Christmas Child elves are hard at work planning a Shoebox Summit for September 10th at 6:30 pm.

This fun and informative event will be held at the First Baptist Church Anex at 6th & Main Street and will feature a guest speaker, Alina Massey from Romania.

Abandoned in a hospital as an infant, Alina’s story was transformed when she received a shoebox as a teenager. The box was filled with necessities and toys from a kind soul. The power of a simple gift from caring strangers has been demonstrated many times again and again in the 100 million boxes sent to war torn and impoverished children over the past 20 years.

If you would like to change a child’s story one shoebox at a time, come and learn how at this event on September 10th. Everyone is welcome.

Operation Christmas Child is a ministry of Samaritans Purse. For more information, visit www. operationchristmaschild.org.

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September 2015 11

Eye On Cover Story A Savory History Joseph Thomas

In our work with the magazines, Kimberlee and I have met so many wonderful people doing very interesting things besides the wonderful work they do in the community. I’ve met Myra Wood on several occasions and have found her to be so vibrant and passionate about life, such a great counterpart to her other half, Scott Wood. It was indeed a pleasure to catch up with her recently about the latest passion in her life, Savory Roasters.

Never hearing of Savory, Wood quickly filled me in on the history and I was astonished to find that the history of this American dish-ware was yet to be fully told. I felt as though I was getting to witness the writing of a history as my host placed the puzzled history in front of me as she has pieced it together. There are still unanswered questions that she is researching and pulling together for a second edition of her book, “Savory Secrets”, just published in December of 2014.

Wood found and bought her first Savory in 1981 at the Memphis Flea Market for fifteen dollars, which was a big deal for her at the time. This Savory is now named The Memphis Belle, as all of the vintage dishes have revealed themselves to her in one way or another. Wood was offered several times that amount twice before she left the market that day and knew she had something special. When she ran across another one recently, she thought it a great gift for her family members for Christmas. Her goal was to buy one for every household in the family that Christmas. It may not sound like much of a challenge until you realize how many different locations she had to shop in order to find enough wares to fill that particular bill. She credits her daughter, Mary Wood Cox for helping her in this endearing endeavor. Also, Wood’s travel for work was voluminous at the time and she made it a priority to visit every antique shop she could find. And then, well, it became a bit of a hobby; finding the tarnished pieces and scouring each into a beloved part of the collection. To date, Wood has rescued about 80 Savorys from their antique store shelves and purged them of their visibly layered years. Savorys were touted for their easy cleaning and were meant to only be cleaned on the inside where the food was cooked. This might sound curious, but considering Savory Roasters were first introduced to consumers in the very late 1800’s, you can imagine how much harder it was at the time to get warm water and soap ready to wash such a dish. Not having ever had to draw water from a well or gather it from a creek, I can only try to image the harsh realities of such a task on a regular basis.

That is part of the charm that is so alluring to Wood, she feels a sense of “true Americana” and traditions of a “simpler time of home cooking”, as she says in her first book. “Savory Secrets” is an endearing endeavor in itself.

Wood tells of her shopping experiences and tells us where these fine ladies were found and who for. There are images 12 Eye On Independence - A Community of Character.

of each and photos of Savory recipes and family photos that further tell the story and reveal the grounding this author has received.

Part of this history is the purpose of the Savory, to cook a dish once that could feed a family twice. You can cook a whole meal in the dinnerware and warm up any leftovers in them as well. It is meant for easy cleaning with no corners to scrape. It was an attempt to ease the work of housewives in need of some easements in their life. Now, it is a beautiful historic reminder of a more engaged time when everyone sat together and talked over every meal; a time many of us long for often. I am anxious to learn the yet undiscovered story that Myra Looney Wood will soon tell in her continuing series of “Savory Secrets”. I am thankful for Wood’s time and her willingness to share her love for this worthy project. Wood’s recipe books and SAVORYs are on sale at Arkansas Antiques,off highway 167 in front of Terry’s Modern Builders. They are open Thursday Saturday 10:00 to 5:00 and Sundays 1:00 - 5:00. Her small green cabinet holds the selection of SAVORYs, limited due to space.Myra will accept messages on Facebook at Myra’s Savory Secrets and is eager to help anyone find their own Savory Secret. N

Beef Bourguignon in Libbvy Oconomowac.

Roast & vegeatables in Mable Mathey.

Pork loin & veggies cooked in Indiana McDowell.

Chicken, rice, broccli, carrots in Mable Mathey.

The same chicken, rice, broccli and carrots after.

neck pain back pain herniated disc numbness headaches sciatica shoulder pain knee pain hip pain degenerative disc disease scoliosis weight loss neck pain back pain herniated disc numbness weight loss sciatica shoulder pain knee pain hip pain degenerative disc disease scoliosis weight loss neck pain back pain herniated disc numbness headaches sciatica shoulder pain knee pain hip pain degenerative disc disease scoliosis weight loss neck pain back pain herniated disc numbness headaches sciatica shoulder pain knee pain hip pain “GET WELL, STAY WELL.� degenerative disc disease scoliosis weight loss ( 8 7 0 ) 5 6 9 4 9 0 9 920 Harrison St., Suite A Batesville, AR neck pain back pain herniated disc numbness September 2015 13

World War II veteran James Pettus named Water Carnival Parade grand marshal Laura Cornett James “Pete” Pettus accepted an invitation to serve as the grand marshal for the 2015 White River Water Carnival Parade, according to Dale Cole, First Community Bank’s chief executive officer and chairman of the board.

“We are extremely honored to bring Mr. Pettus and his wife, Rose, to Batesville,” Cole said before the parade.

“He is a member of a generation of Americans who were willing to make unimaginable sacrifices to preserve freedom and peace. The world owes a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid to him, his colleagues and the men and women who have served in our military before and after him.

If any one of us could have half the influence on the lives of others that Mr. Pettus has had, we could be proud in knowing that we had made the world a better place.”

A native of Flat River, Mo., just south of St. Louis, Pettus was only 18 when he was drafted in July 1943. He was assigned to the 42nd (Rainbow) Division, serving as an infantryman and later as a squad leader. By Christmas Eve 1944, at age 19, Pettus was fighting on the front line, where he lost many of his friends, narrowly escaping death, himself. For

his service, Pettus was awarded the Bronze Star and several other medals.

The veterans of World War II changed the course of a generation, the effects of which can never be fully comprehended. Over the years, Pettus has met some of those whose lives were impacted by the Rainbow Division, among them Danny Fisher, who was only 15 when he was freed from the Dachau concentration camp. After the war, Fisher moved to the United States and became a doctor. Pettus also learned that Ella Weider, the mother-in-law of Sen. Joe Lieberman, was one of 32,000 rescued from Dachau. Pettus was among 35 members of the Rainbow Division honored at a reception by the Lieberman family in 2004.

After the war, Pettus got a degree in geology from Washington University in St. Louis and worked for the St. Joe Lead Co. for 30 years.

He has two children, Benjamin James Pettus and Leann Lane.

Pettus served as grand marshal of the White River Water Carnival parade Saturday, Aug. 29, at Riverside Park on Chaney Drive. Honorary marshals were Cornelius Burrow, Dr. Robert Craig, George Bentz and B.L. Brown.

A dinner honoring Pettus and the

associate grand marshals was held Thursday, Aug. 27, at the Barnett Building downtown.

Many websites detail the history of the 42nd Infantry Division’s participation in World War II, including www.rainbowvets.org/wwii.

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James “Pete” Pettus

Central Magnet Academic Coach, Angela Adams and 5-6 grade literacy teacher, Alison Baxter discuss students and the new programs for the upcoming year.

Central Magnet STEM teacher, Glenita Anderson fills her HOFNOD(hooked on fishing not on drugs) fish tank in preparation for the students return.

DEPOT DAYS FESTIVAL "Dedicated to the early history of Rock 'n' Roll"

SEPT 262015 TH

FRONT STREET DOWNTOWN NEWPORT, AR

Schedule of Events 9:30 a.m.

Lion’s Club Auction

12:45 p.m.

Opening Ceremonies

Presentation of the Colors – NHS ROTC

ADMFREE ISSIO

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National Anthem – Brenda Wilson 1:00 p.m.

The Jimmy Dunham Family (Rockin’ Gospel)

2:00 p.m.

Zyndall Raney Band (Bluesy Country Rock)

3:00 p.m.

J. R. Rogers and The Allstars (Smokin’ Piano Rock)

4:00 p.m.

Ace Cannon (Sax in the City!)

5:00 p.m.

Sonny Burgess and The Pacers – (Rock ‘n’ Roll Pioneers)

6:00 p.m.

Tim Crouch & Band (Genuine Article, Arkansas Bluegrass)

7:15 p.m.

Martin McDaniel (Nashville Newcomers)

8:45 p.m.

Ricochet (#1 Hitmakers)

Children's Activities, Crafts, Food, Vendors, BBQ Contest. For more information go to www.depotdays.org or contact Julie Allen, director@newportarchamber.org, 870-523-3618

Jackson County’s Highway 67 Rock ‘n’ Roll Museum Second and Hazel Streets, Downtown Newport, Arkansas Open Weekdays 8:00 to 5:00 Will be Open from Noon to 4:00 During Depot Days, September 26

“Paid For With A Combination Of State Matching Funds And Ozark Gateway Funds” visit www.ozarkgateway.com to plan your next vacation

Tales Of a Transplanted Fashionista

Swing Time Leigh Keller

In my household, we basically live outside from March-October (November if it is mild), and one of the buying points for my home was the sunroom. I love taking my coffee there in the mornings, and watching the world go by from my porch swing. My brother, wild cousins, and I grew up playing outside every day, drinking from the water hose and simply enjoying our mild Southern weather. The same is true for my own little man, who spends many hours per day exploring the outdoors with his daddy (as I write this we just got back from a fishing trip at the creek where I narrowly avoided stepping on a gigantic water moccasin...so back to the porch I go), drinking from the hose and playing with his pack of dogs. So I am always looking for additions to our outdoor life, that can make being outdoors a little more comfy for us.

I remember the day it happened. I was perusing the aisles at one of my favorite antique malls downtown and came upon a gorgeous swing bed so fabulous it kind of made my heart flutter. I took a thousand pictures and filed it away under “things I have to have in my life immediately”. I sent lots of those pictures to Allen and he said what most men say “I could make you one of those, it would be pretty easy”. I kind of figured it would never happen (much like the dining room paint, the dresser that is partially built, and I could go on, you all feel my struggle), so when he started asking me what color wood I wanted, what stain I wanted, if I wanted it hanging in my sunroom or mounted in the ground, I was a little in shock.

One week later, my new favorite spot in the yard was complete, so, of course, being a social media native, I posted a picture to my instagram. The response was immediate from my friends and colleagues, wanting to know how they could get one, if they could order one, and if they could bring themselves to my backyard to try mine out (the answer is always yes there. We have an open door policy for friends, human and furry, and we always provide snacks). Allen is one of those people who can look at a picture of anything and build it, and I am pretty handy with a drill and paintbrush, so

Mon - Thur 10am to 10pm Fri & Sat 10am to 11pm Sunday 11am to 9pm

60 Batesville Blvd.

870-569-4894

away we went. I have a perfect shop for building and painting (and a couple of great fans and comfy seats for my little boss to supervise my work), and four orders to immediately fill. Our first order went to a dear friend with a giant backyard. Of course while we were installing it while Cole looked on, corndog in hand, it began to rain and pour.

The orders began to come in, simply from me sharing a picture of mine, and the few we had made for friends. Our most recent one, and my most treasured one so far, is from the bedposts of my bed when I was in second grade. I remember coming home that day, and my parents had a “princess canopy bed” for me.

I have managed to hold on to most of those pieces of furniture for years (one is lost that I left behind in Fayetteville years ago, much to my deep regret, in my less sentimental days), and my daddy had kept the headboard and footboard. We were easily able to add some scrap lumber and make that into a bench for my sunroom. Add Cole’s old crib mattress, and a treasured quilt of my Grandma Cole’s, and I have a piece I will love forever.

To us our beds are less about having huge orders and more about building relationships with people and giving them handmade pieces they will also cherish and hand down to their children. I like to think that everything we make comes with a little bit of love (and has been product tested by Cole, who is a little rough on furniture), and we hope you will think of my little

carpenter when you relax on your porch.

You can order your own Keller Swing Bed by messaging me directly via our Instagram page @ kellerswingbeds, or emailing me at leigh.keller@ batesvilleschools.org .

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Bark in the Park Sue Augustus

The Humane Society of Independence County is hosting its 7th annual “Bark in the Park” Doggie Celebration from noon until 3 p.m. Sunday September 13th centered around the Amphitheater at Riverside Park in Batesville. This FUNdraiser is always fun for people and the dogs that own them, and even raises a little money and shelter items for our homeless pets. As always, there will be the ever popular “Running of the Weenies”, the Batesville High School FBLA will again conduct the always crowd pleasing “Best Dog” competitions (categories will be announced in the coming weeks), we will have Puppy Races—yours, or borrow a shelter puppy (lots of fun and know the puppies enjoy it!!)

During the day, pets and people can enjoy other activities, including the Rent-A-Puppy booth, Clean Plate Competition for dogs that LOVE to eat, Look-a-Like for pups and their people, Over/Under/Through/Around for dogs looking for a challenge, contests to test your dogs “obedience” skills, “Fetch and Catch” activities, agility equipment, and then reward yourself (and maybe your furry friend) with grilled hamburgers, chips and a beverage!

We will also have bake sale items to top it off!

For more information about contests or general information please call (870) 307-5305, (870) 613-3045 or the shelter at 870-793-0090.

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“...my most treasured one so far, is from the bedposts of my bed when I was in second grade.”

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The Glory of Pesto Nelson Barnett

Pesto is one of the highlights of our summer. I always grow lots of basil, and Sandy always makes a nice supply of Basil Pesto for summer suppers and for freezing so we can enjoy it the year around. Basil Pesto is our favorite, but cooks are experimenting with all sorts of new and interesting variations including substituting arugula, kale or other greens that might stir your imagination and taste buds. The basic recipe calls for pine nuts which are very expensive. Sandy has substituted toasted walnuts. We have not tried them, but an interesting new flavor might come from using pecans, peanuts, cashews or even pistachio nuts. I don’t think there is a much better summer supper than pasta with pesto, sliced fresh tomatoes, and a good home made French bread—or from Wal-Mart which does well on bread, too. Following is the recipe: Ingredients: 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves 2 cloves garlic (home grown if you’ve got it) 1/4 cup pine nuts 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino or Parmesan cheese

Directions: Combine the basil, garlic and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper. If using immediately, add all the remaining oil and pulse until smooth. Transfer the pesto to a large serving bowl and mix with the cheese. If freezing, transfer to an air-tight container and drizzle remaining oil over the top. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and stir in cheese.

Copyright 2003 Television Food Network, G. P. All rights reserved Recipe courtesy of Food Network Kitchens, 2015 Television Food Network, G. P. All Rights Reserved.

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Your Health

Getting Enough ZZZs Alisa R. Lancaster

Leonardo da Vinci said that “A well spent day brings happy sleep.” But, for so many people, young and old, sleep doesn’t come easily. Sleep is important for everyone as it impacts our daily interactions and productivity.

Insomnia is one of the most frequent health complaints brought to health care providers. Sufficient sleep is vital to good health. So, how do we know if we are getting enough sleep? How can we improve our sleep patterns if we aren’t?

One noticeable symptom of sleep deprivation is daytime drowsiness. Other signs may include poor memory, trouble making decisions, motor skills are off making you clumsy, emotions become erratic, immune system is suppressed, visual and skin disturbances, etc.

Chronic sleep deprivation has been shown to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and depression.

There’s truth in the need for “beauty sleep”. A clinical trial in Ohio found that skin recovery was 30% higher in individuals who got the recommended amount of sleep. Fewer hours of sleep will lead to an increase in acne and a decrease in collagen production resulting in more wrinkles. A lack of sleep can reduce your fat cells’ response to insulin by 30%. Insulin is needed in the regulation of metabolism and any disruption will lead to diabetes. The impact on obesity is interesting and isn’t only because you have more hours to eat, but that if your brain isn’t getting the energy from sleep it needs, it will try to get it from food. The brain will increase the production of ghrelin that makes your body crave fatty and sugary foods, as well as interfering with leptin that handles satiety.

So, what can you do to improve your sleep habits? The most important impact is to have a regular sleep and wake routine ALL days of the week with a relaxing bedtime

ritual. According to the National Institutes of Health, an adult needs seven to nine hours of sleep, teenagers nine to 10 hours, school aged children should get a minimum of 10 hours, preschool children 11-12 hours, and newborns need 16-18 hours. Adequate exposure to sunlight promotes the wake-sleep cycle so spend some time outdoors each day. Avoid taking a nap during the day as it disturbs patterns of sleep. Stimulants, such as caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol too close to bedtime will slow the onset of sleep. Schedule vigorous exercise for in the morning or afternoon, not before bedtime. Yoga or another relaxing activity will help promote a restful state. Large quantities of food close to bedtime are also disruptive. Avoid heated discussions or conflict prior to bedtime and try postpone worrying and brainstorming.

Associate your bed with sleep and refrain from using it to watch TV, read, etc.

Create a comfortable, cool room for sleep by setting your nighttime thermostat to 65-68 degrees. Consider the use of room darkening shades, earplugs, and/or a fan for white noise. Refrain from watching TV as that stimulants the mind. If you use an electronic device for reading, get one this is not backlit. Take a warm bath, listen to soft music, and visualize a peaceful, restful place before bed. If you wake up and are awake for more than 15 minutes, get out of bed and try doing a quiet, nonstimulating activity. If you do get up during the night, try to keep the light to a minimum. Light suppresses melatonin which is a hormone that promotes a healthy sleep. Try moving your clock out of sight so you don’t wake up and become anxious over how little time you have left to sleep, etc.

For more information visit www.cdc.gov/features/ sleep. N

Two UACCB Students Awarded Scholarships to University of Arkansas at Fayetteville Hannah Keller

Two University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville students were recently awarded the Independence County Arkansas Alumni Chapter’s Scholarship to the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.

Each student received $500 to help with the cost of their education.

Jennifer Theos and Hannah Stroud both earned their associate of arts in general education degree from UACCB. Theos, a Memphis native, said Arkansas was where she belonged. She will use her scholarship to help with tuition

costs at Fayetteville where she is pursuing her bachelor’s degree in horticulture, landscape and turf sciences. She is minoring in agricultural business and anticipates she will graduate in May 2017.

Stroud is a Batesville native. She said the scholarship she received will help her pay for textbooks for her classes at Fayetteville. She is studying psychology and hopes to be the on-call psychologist for a children’s hospital after she graduates.

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Eye On Feature Progress and Winter Preparations

Autumn Hunter

I had really hoped the funding would have been raised and the house would have been selected by the time I submitted this fourth and final feature for Eye On Independence, but we still lack part of the funding.

We were selected for a 3:1 matching grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas thanks to a generous donation from First Community Bank. The total is now $24,000 of our estimated $35,000 startup capital! We have discussed and looked at houses that would suit our need but continue to explore all possibilities.

After speaking at a Rotary meeting, our non-profit has been suggested for a Rotary grant. Mr. Carter Ford, State Farm Agent and Rotary President-Elect, has taken a leadership role in researching the grant for us.

Also, we have submitted a letter of intent (LOI) to the Arkansas Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation (WRF).

They have accepted our letter and have invited us to fill out an application. The foundation may decide to award all, none, or some portion of the requested funds. This funding source could also potentially become a reoccurring grant. On the website I learned, “The review and selection process takes an average of six to twelve months from the time the completed LOI and related documents are received. Grant seekers are encouraged to begin the application process at least six to twelve months before the proposed funding would go into effect.” They are currently funding four bold goals for Arkansas. One strategic goal is to reduce the number of Arkansas families living below 200 percent of the federal poverty line. We believe “A Step Forward” would be a good candidate for that initiative. WRF Board of Directors next quarterly meeting is in September.

“A Step Forward” also had the privilege to be invited to Welcome Week at Lyon College campus on August 19th. It was a non-profit and church fair where entering freshman students could learn about local organizations and find a place to get involved and make a difference in their communities. I had an opportunity to talk about service projects with a Lyon freshman mentor, Scott Roulier. A day of service for Lyon students is set for Tuesday, October 20th. We hope to build long lasting partnerships with Lyon students and keep their fresh ideas involved in community efforts.

When I began writing these features in June, I had a subject in mind for this last article. Jaysun Brnich with the “River Giver”, shared with me a successful idea that has long been implemented in his hometown of Newport News, Virginia. Each church takes a three day rotation suppling food and overnight staff in their facility to be open to the public for a warming station during the coldest months of the year. A van moves the cots from one church to another. In Batesville, the First United Methodist Church on Main Street 20 Eye On Independence - A Community of Character.

open the doors of their Grammar House on nights when the temperature is below freezing. I applaud their dedication and their leadership in addressing this area of need that has long been overlooked in our area. We are currently in talks with the Ethel O. Miller Historical Preservation Association about the use of their gymnasium on the corner of 9th and Oak Street as a warming station this winter. The initial meeting with board member Mr. Ralph Grant, the River Giver team and myself was very positive. One location ensures easy access, allows other organizations without facilities to participate and eliminates the need to move cots. This solution still rotates the volunteers but not the people needing shelter. Additionally, the American Red Cross may be able to loan cots and coverings to keep people warm during the brutal temperatures. Securing the facility and the supplies will not be a problem; however, if we as a community are going to address these human service needs, we must come out of our houses and out of our comfort zones and be willing to give of ourselves to build relationships.

If you have family or friends who love you, a roof over your head, and some food on the table; you are richer than you think. Please give back to those who don’t. Call me with any ideas or suggestions you have on a homeless shelter, volunteering for a warming station, sponsoring a fundraiser or just to provide more contacts to resources we may be unaware of. I truly believe all small efforts can make a very large impact. I believe you can make a difference too. Will you? 870-612-2168 N

Autumn Hunter at Lyon College talking to students about volunteer opportunities for A Step Forward at Welcome Week.

The Fungus AmongUs Susan and Tom Johnson

We are currently experiencing a lot of fungus, mildew and mold on everything from plants to buildings. The usual preventive action is to allow for air movement, grow resistant plants and control weeds and insects, generally keeping plant foliage as dry as possible. So what to do when it rains “all the time” and it is too muddy to get in and care for our favorite plants when prevention fails.

The conditions that allow fungi to develop are dry foliage in the presence of high humidity, low light and moderate temperatures.

Mold is generally fuzy in appearance and tends to be orange, brown, pink, purple or black. Mildew is identified as powdery or Downey and starts out grayish or white changing to yellowish brown to black as the infection increases and ages. These are both forms of fungi, of which there seem to an infinite number. Some are plant species specific while others are not so choosy.

There are a number of organic and non organic fungicides on the market. All provide greater or lesser control, even when following the manufacturer’s directions. READ AND FOLLOW MANUFACTURE’S DIRECTIONS for best results. There is not a fungicide that kills all fungi, therefore it is recommended that a variety of different fungicides be used. There are also a number of home made recipes for fungicides. All the information reviewed cautioned that many fungicides can

be phytotoxic, may burn leaves or damage fruit depending on the time of day it was applied, age of polant material and fruit and presence and type of vectors. Many articles recommended application in the evening and when the temperature is less than 85 degrees.

Some home recipes are as follow: 1. Spray leaves with a mixture of milk in one part to water in nine parts late in the day.

2. Spray leaves with three tablespoons potassium bicarbonate, three tablespoons vegetable oil, 1/2 teaspoon pure soap (Castile) in a gallon of water.

3. Spray leaves with one tablespoon soda, one teaspoon dormant oil, 1/2 teaspoon pure soap in a gallon of water.

Works best before bud break. Less effective later.

4. Bordeaux Mix (copper and lime) tends to burn leaves and is harmful to pets and humans, so is no longer recommended.

5. Spray leaves with one tablespoon white vinegar per quart of water of 2-3 tablespoons cider vinegar per gallon of water.

Begin applying fungicides before bud break on roses, fruit trees, berries and other susceptible plants.

Manufacturer’s directions instruct to apply from every 10 days to 3 weeks, while many of the articles on home remedy and organic fungicides recommend every 7 to 10 days.

Bottom line in the use of fungicides is know what you are trying to kill and choose one that will not harm the plant further.

N September 2015 21

Smith’s Verdict ****

Collateral

Reviewed by Tanner Smith “Collateral” is a thriller that works as film art, a case of casting-against-type, and an experimental genre picture. It’s a chillingly entertaining film that is trickier than you might expect, but intriguing enough to follow along with.

The film’s two lead actors are Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx and they both play against type. Cruise surprisingly plays the villain—a contract killer named Vincent who kills without mercy or remorse; he figures that out of more than a million people in Los Angeles, what’s a few dead bodies going to matter? Foxx, usually displaying comedic talents, plays the straight-arrow hero—an L.A. cab driver named Max who on one crazy night winds up as collateral for Vincent. Both actors do great work, playing against the usual types that they’re accustomed to, and playing off of each other.

Here’s the premise—Vincent hails a cab in L.A. and as luck would have it, he gets Max’s. Vincent needs Max to make five stops for him, which Max doesn’t agree to… until Vincent brings $600 into the mix. But Max finds out too late that Vincent isn’t out selling real estate for the night. On Vincent’s first stop, a dead body—killed

by Vincent—drops on Max’s cab from four stories up.

“I think he’s dead,” Max exclaims, frightened. “Good guess,” Vincent states before inspecting the body. Pause.

Max nervously asks, “You killed him?” Vincent puts it straight, “No. I shot him—the bullets and the fall killed him.”

Now Max is taken hostage by this sophisticated, psychotic hitman for four more stops. He’ll get paid if they both survive the night. Max doesn’t want to go through with assisting a killer, but he has no choice. Vincent is smart, alert, violent, and extremely dangerous. He kills and goes on, and doesn’t care about anybody in this city. Max keeps trying to stop Vincent, with no luck. Even when Max tries to get away, Vincent is always one step ahead of him. The next time he pulls something like this, he could be dead. How can he stop him?

The two men are paired together for most of the movie, but this is not a buddy movie. The two are talking about what’s happening and what’s going on with each other’s lives at this point, and yet they’re still at odds with each other, even if they don’t want to admit it. The conversations are quite fascinating in how Vincent can see through Max’s talk—Max is always talking about opening a limo company, even though he’s been driving a cab for twelve years. He’s a dreamer, and not necessarily a doer. And of course, there’s the issue at hand that comes into the conversations, and that’s wellhandled as well—tense and vague.

Tom Cruise is disturbingly convincing as Vincent and his character is given more dimensions than you might expect. He brings a lot more to the role of antagonist than just playing the bad guy. He is a killer, 22 Eye On Independence - A Community of Character.

don’t get me wrong. But he’s interesting in the way that he has his own perceptions of life and humanity and isn’t afraid to let anyone know it. He knows what he’s doing is murder, but he doesn’t care and he doesn’t feel guilty. He just thinks it won’t matter in the slightest, as long as he is not caught. Without giving anything away, his final scene, the payoff for this character, shows an enormous amount of gravity.

Even though Jamie Foxx was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar, this is really his character’s story. He is the lead—we’re with him to the very end.

Jamie Foxx has been known for his comedic roles in TV and movies (including “Booty Call”) and his work here is a pleasant surprise, showing a great deal of unexpected dramatic range and depth with his performance.

Throughout the movie, we’re rooting for him to survive this crazy night.

(My guess is that the Academy had already nominated Foxx for Best Actor for his starring role in “Ray,” which he did win for, and didn’t want to forget that he was in something else of note that year.)

I’ve gone on enough about the unique premise and great acting by the two leads. Michael Mann, who loves to bring style to his projects, directed “Collateral.” Here, he has the unique visual style that makes the night seem bright and Los Angeles come alive. Los Angeles feels

like a character in itself, which shows that Mann really knows this city at night. Sure, it looks nice during the day, but note how mysterious and somewhat beautiful and bright the city looks at night.

There’s also a great deal of humanity in the other characters of the screenplay, written by Stuart Beattie.

For example, in an opening scene, taking place before the madness, we see Max pick up an attractive fare—a lawyer, played by Jada Pinkett Smith—and they have a real conversation with each other; not just small talk.

It’s a sweet scene and it’s carried over later in the movie as Vincent gives Max some advice about his love life, after seeing the woman’s phone number. And she does become an important asset to the film’s climax, without giving too much away. And there’s a light-comic scene in which Max is forced to visit his ill mother (Irma P. Hall) in the hospital, with Vincent accompanying him. The mother embarrasses Vincent with stories about Max, but her dialogue is also revealing in developing further Max’s character traits.

My favorite is a nightclub owner (played by Barry Shabaka Henley) who meets Vincent and Max and shares a memory he had when Miles Davis came into the

club one night. He tells the story with such warmth that we hope nothing bad happens to this person, and we’d like to know more about him. Max feels the same way, smiling as he tells the story, and Vincent actually fools us into thinking that nothing bad is going to happen.

But no—this is the nightclub owner’s final night. Max can’t believe it, and neither can we.

This shows that “Collateral” is a thriller that is more about the characters than about the actual plot. Cruise and Foxx’s characters come alive and the supporting characters are interesting as well. We don’t just wait for the big climax to come along so that they can all shoot each other. Situations happen to these characters— mostly with a purpose, sometimes without. And that’s what make “Collateral” as great as it is.

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Listen Online: www.kbapfm.org Phone: 501-203-6953

September 2015 23

Things To Do

All Over Independence

Batesville Motor Speedway Gates open at 5:30 p.m. Hot laps begin at 7:30 p.m. and races start at 8 p.m. September 4, 5, 11, 12, 17 and 18 are all race days. The Speedway is a great treat and always an exciting time.

Old Country Church Homecoming Style Singing There is a Pre-Show at 6 p.m. with the show beginning at 7 p.m. Saturday, September 19 at the West Baptist Church on 1100 N. Central Avenue in Batesville.

Southside HIPPY Program The Southside HIPPY Program is now enrolling 3 and 4 year old children. To participate in this free Kindergarten readiness program, call 870-251-4024. A love of learning begins at home.

Hutchinson Community Center Available The Hutchinson Mountain Community Center at 3370 Camp Tahkodah Road is available for rent by contacting Lea Barber at 870-612-4718.

Alzheimer’s Arkansas Caregiver Support Group of Batesville As a caregiver, family member or friend of someone who lives with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia or another memory loss disorder, there may be times when you feel overwhelmed or frustrated.

The Caregiver Support Group of Batesville provides an opportunity for you to talk with others who really understand what you are going through, others who know just how you feel.

Please join us every second Thursday at 5:45 p.m. in the WRMC Josephine Raye Rogers Women’s Center Conference Center. Contact Deanna Green at 443.651.9686 for more information.

Digital Photography Sept 24-Oct 15, 6:00-8:00 p.m. $50 Instructor Jim Krause, co-owner of a local art business, will teach students the basic functions of a Digital SingleLens Reflex (DSLR) camera. Get away from the camera’s auto functions and move into using the manual functions of the digital camera. Bring to class a digital camera with an SLR body and lens, the camera’s user manual and a journal for taking notes. Thursdays, 4 sessions, UACCB location, TBA. For more information or to register, contact 870-612-2082 or email katrina.stevens@uaccb.edu.

Eat to Live: Recapturing Your Health with Food 24 Eye On Independence - A Community of Character.

Sept 26, 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. $20 With more education and sophistication, we have become, as a population, much less healthy. How has that happened? The deck is stacked against us with a broken food industry that encourages all the wrong habits and bombards us with misleading and inaccurate advertising. Instead of sustaining our good health, the way we eat has sadly contributed to chronic illness and our declining health. We all think we know what we should be eating - but do we really know, and do we do it? You will leave this class with workable solutions for better eating habits to take back control of your and your family’s health. The time to do it is now! Daniel Liscio instructor. UACCB Main Campus Bldg, 240. For more information or to register, contact 870-612-2082 or email katrina.stevens@uaccb.edu.

Basic Outdoor Survival Sept 26, 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $32 Dan Nash, a professional mountain guide, will teach Phase 1 of survival training. Training includes instruction on survival kits, the psychology of survival, shelter, water, fire and preparation for rescue. Classroom and field exercises include fire starting, water filtration and shelter construction. Bring a water bottle or container, two bandanas and a steel or magnesium fire striker. Field exercises to be held outdoors, rain or shine. Up to two minors (under 18) may attend the class for $5 each but must be accompanied by a parent or guardian over 18 years of age. UACCB Nursing Allied Health Bldg, 902. To learn more about Dan’s classes, visit www.hikingtheozarks.com. To register, contact 870612-2082 or email katrina.stevens@uaccb.edu.

Intermediate Survival Sept 26, 1:00-5:00 p.m. $32 Dan Nash, a professional mountain guide, will teach Phase 2 of survival training. Training and field exercises include an overview of the Basic Survival Class followed by instruction in wilderness first-aid, orienteering, collecting wild edibles, the use of snares, dead falls, fish traps and surviving harsh weather environments. Adults (18 and up) need to bring a pocket knife and 3 feet of string. Field exercises to be held outdoors, rain or shine. Up to two minors (under 18) may attend the class for $5 each but must be accompanied by a parent or guardian over 18 years of age.

UACCB Nursing Allied Health Bldg, 902. To learn more about Dan’s classes, visit www.hikingtheozarks.com. To register, contact 870-612-2082 or email katrina.stevens@uaccb.edu.

Cake Decorating Sept 28-Oct 19, 6:00-8:00 p.m. $40+ Julie Gosser, owner of Julie’s Piece of Cake, will teach the fundamentals of basic cake decorating. Using buttercream icing, you will learn to ice and smooth cakes and ice and fill cupcakes. You will drop flowers, make stars, rosettes, shell and bead border, a shaggy mum, regular roses, ribbon roses, leaves, piping, writing and more. Deadline to register: September 14. Supply fee $80, payable to instructor on first night of class. Mondays, 4 sessions, UACCB Fine Arts, 603.

For more information or to register, contact 870-612-2082 or email katrina.stevens@uaccb.edu.

Notes from the Clearing

Alien

Joseph Thomas

Lyon College Faculty Exhibition August 24 - September 18, 2015, Opening Reception and Artist Talk: Thursday, September 3, 5-7 pm.

The Lyon College Kresge Gallery to open the 2015-2016 season with the Faculty Exhibition, featuring work from Associate Professor of Art, Dustyn Bork, and newlyappointed Artist in Residence, Sarah Martin, who will also teach several courses at the College this year. The exhibition opens on Monday, August 24 and will remain in the gallery until Friday, September 18. The Kresge Gallery is located in the historic Alphin building on the Lyon College campus, and is open to the public from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m, Monday through Friday. N

I breathe my lungs full and ride the thoughts of streaming consciousness that babble through my skull with a relentlessness that I can only categorize as being awake. I ponder the idea of being alien. Are we alien to the insects that fill our lives with buzzing and swatting? Do we seem alien to the animals that we hunt or unfortunately catch crossing the road? Do they think we are as dumb as we think them? When a bird frets and mourns over a dead loved one, do we really think that is not the same as us at the turn of a loved one falling out of this world? Do we have more to learn? Most assuredly. I think once we stop learning, we have stopped allowing ourselves to believe we are not perfect.

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Faces Carter Ford State Farm Agency won a Pinnacle Award. Agent Samantha Wilson aceepted.

Pillars Josephine Raye Rogers and Bob Carius were on hand.

Centennial Bank also won a Pinnacle Award and it was accepted by Cassandra Skelton.

Emma Lou Hedden was awarded the Award of Excellence.

Brenda Henley, left, receives the Guardian Angel Award.

Citizens Bank President Phil Baldwin accepted the Industry of the Year Award on behalf of Citizen’s Bank, as well as accepting a number of others awards.

A group shot of local happy faces at the Awards Reception.

The Marty Lehman Presidents Award was accepted by Deanna Green.

Independence County 4H received the Community Service Award.

United Way Hosts 2015 Annual Awards Reception Allison Phelps

United Way of North Central Arkansas hosted its annual awards reception on Thursday, July 23 in the Maxfield Room of Edward Commons on the Lyon College Campus. United Way celebrated those in our community that choose to give back on Thursday evening at the United Way Annual Awards Reception. United Way’s mantra is GIVE. ADVOCATE. VOLUNTEER. LIVE UNITED. and the group of individuals that were honored do just that.

United Way launched its annual campaign in August and concluded the campaign at the end of June, through 26 Eye On Independence - A Community of Character.

corporate giving, workplace campaigns, pillar pledges, individual giving and support of our United Way initiatives; we raised $313,417.62 to support our community. Allison Phelps, Executive Director said, “Thanks to the people in this room and countless others, the money we raised allowed over twenty-five thousand individuals to receive direct services and our impact reach is over two hundred and thirty thousand impressions. We are so thankful for the hard work, dedication and generosity of those who support our mission and goal.”

Personal leadership giving, The United Way Pillar’s Club, reached a campaign record high with one hundred and sixteen individuals pledging more than $500 annually.

82 Bronze Pledges - $500 - $999 annually 22 Silver Pledges - $1,000 - $1,4999 annually 6 Golf Pledges - $1,500 – $1,999 annually 4 Platinum Pledges - $2,000 - $9,999 annually 1 Tocqueville Society Member - $10,000 or more annually Award recipients are as follows: Award of Excellence: This award is given to the person who has shown him or herself to be wholly committed to the cause of a member agency and have proven that commitment by outstanding work done at and for the agency. This year we received several nominations, but the person receiving the award stood out among all others. Over the years this individual has volunteered in all aspects of this member agency, from founding member to maintaining the books. She currently volunteers twice per week at the agency during regular business hours and helps afterhours with preparatory work. She is constantly recruiting volunteers and encouraging others to join their cause. This year’s Award of Excellence goes to Emma Lou Hedden for her dedication to Batesville Help & Hope.

Spirit Award: This award is reserved for individuals whose spirit symbolizes the meaning of our campaign. I mentioned earlier that one of the most important aspects of our Workplace Campaigns is the campaign coordinators who ensure that each pledge card is returned and then fulfilled. Without a champion that advocates the true meaning of our campaign, we couldn’t begin to reach the levels of success that we see from this workplace campaign year after year. This individual has been instrumental for the past six years in promoting United Way within her workplace and being one of our top performing workplace campaigns. It is with great pleasure that we extend the Spirit Award to Linda Cooper, with FutureFuel Chemical Company.

Guardian Angel Award: This award is presented to an individual who exemplifies the United Way mission and is an advocate for children in our community. This individual contributed so many volunteer hours during our Stuff the Bus/Best Foot Forward Campaign that our office was unable to keep count. Being that this project relies most heavily upon volunteers, the countless hours of sorting, checking and re-checking, and distribution that this individual provided is priceless. This year’s Guardian Angel Award goes to Brenda Henley for her outstanding service to our organization.

Community Service Award: The Community Service Award is presented each year to an individual or group of individuals who exemplify the ideas of the United Way by devoting him or herself to outstanding community service.

This group’s commitment to Community Service extends far beyond their dedication to United Way and it is with great pleasure that we present the Community Service Award to the Independence County 4H. Pinnacle Awards: The next set of awards honor our

businesses and organizations that conduct a workplace campaign with 100% employee participation. These businesses embody the idea that we are stronger together than alone and that united we can do great things. We have 5 Pinnacle Award recipients, which is another record high for our campaign.

Carter Ford State Farm Centennial Bank Citizens Bank Independence County Senior Citizens Center Kenny Allen State Farm Industry of the Year: This is a travelling trophy that is presented to the industry which gives the highest per capita gift during the annual campaign. The business that received the award this year not only has the highest per capita, but they are also the highest grossing workplace campaign for our United Way. It is with great pleasure that we return the Industry of the Year trophy to Citizens Bank.

Leader of the Year Award: At last year’s campaign, Deanna announced that we had just received our first member of Tocqueville Society. This year, we would like to honor his commitment not only to our United Way but to United Way Worldwide as well. This person is a member of the United Way Worldwide Board of Directors , serves as the Treasurer, and has helped our United Way develop relationships with other United Way professionals across the country that are vital to helping our organization grow and prosper. We are proud to name Phil Baldwin the 2015 United Way Leader of the Year.

President’s Award: Each year we honor the past President of the United Way Board of Directors for their outstanding service to the organization. The 2015 Presidents Award goes to Marty Lehman and was accepted

by Deanna Green on her behalf.

The United Way Board of Directors would like to extend a bold “Thank You” to each person who had a part in making the 2014-2015 campaign a success. Because of the hard work and generosity of our donors and volunteers, United Way was able to renew all of the Community Partners for 2015 and add two new partnerships for 2016. The 2016 Funded Partners are: American Red Cross; Batesville Help & Hope, Inc.; CASA of the 16th Judicial District; Childcare Aware of North Central Arkansas; The Community School, Inc.; Diamond Girl Scouts; Family Violence Prevention, Inc.; Independence County 4H; Independence County Senior Citizens Center; Legal Aid of Arkansas; NADC Senior Citizens Program (Izard, Sharp and Stone Counties); Ozark Foothills Literacy Project; Quapaw Area Boy Scouts; United Way Emergency Assistance; United Way Success By 6 We are able to award funding to these agencies each year based off of the success of our campaign. The United Way campaign year will begin once again in September in support of our community and the partner agencies listed above. If you would like more information about becoming a donor, volunteer or partner agency, please contact the United Way office at 870-793-5991 or by email at info@ LiveUnitedNCA.org. N

September 2015 27

Smart Thoughts Janet Smart

damage because of your actions.

THE BENEFITS OF RENTERS INSURANCE Even if you don’t own a home, you probably own a great deal more than you think. Consider all of your furniture, electronics, clothing and appliances. Also include any jewelry, collectibles, books or musical instruments you own. Now consider how much it would cost to replace all of these items if you had to do so. Doesn’t seem like such a small number, does it? Imagine you are having a cookout, and a guest trips on the stairs while attending. Could you cover their medical bills if need be? What happens if something leaks in your apartment, and ends up damaging you’re a neighbor’s unit? How would you pay for those damages? The answer is renters insurance.

Renters insurance is very similar to homeowners insurance, in that it helps cover you and your property.

The landlord’s insurance policy on the rental unit typically covers the building structure itself, while protecting your property is your responsibility. Renters insurance and what it covers can vary, but in general it covers personal property, personal liability, property damage to others, additional living expenses and medical payments to others. What your policy covers depends on the coverage limits you select.

Here are some of the benefits renters can gain from purchasing renters insurance: Fire and theft protection If your apartment or rental home becomes damaged in a fire or other peril named in your policy, your renters policy can help to repair or replace your possessions. Likewise, if your residence is broken into, your renters insurance policy can pay to repair or replace listed items that are damaged or taken. Additionally, renters insurance policies typically provide loss of use coverage, which can help pay your expenses if you have to relocate for repairs. Here’s a tip: Create an inventory of your belongings. Include furniture, clothing, books, electronics, appliances, etc. along with its estimated value. Take photos of your belongings, and keep track of credit card statements — keeping a current list will make it easier should you have to file an insurance claim.

Protection from damage you may cause Renters insurance covers more than just your property. For example, if you accidentally ride your bike into a parked car, your policy can cover that, and pay for the losses of people who are injured or suffer property

Protection from liability claims Like to entertain? Ever get a package delivered? Renters insurance can provide liability protection, which covers injury to another person while on your property. So, if you’re sued because someone is injured while at your residence or because you or someone covered under your policy accidentally injure someone, renters insurance can provide liability coverage for legal costs and the settlement of the injury claim up to your limits.

Affordable protection Many renters assume their belongings will be covered by their landlord’s policy if something should happen. Your landlord’s insurance policy will not cover your losses due to theft or damage. Renters insurance covers your personal property, and even covers you from liability claims while you’re renting. Also, if your rented home ever needs serious repairs, and you’re unable to live there, it also covers the reasonable and necessary increase in living expenses (housing, food, etc.) you may incur from a covered loss.

While there’s no law requiring you to purchase a policy when renting, to help protect you now and your future it is important to purchase renters insurance.

Make the call and purchase renters insurance. It is an inexpensive way to protect your property from damage or loss, and can help you rebuild your life should you experience a loss. Call me today to get the coverage you want to protect both yourself and your belongings.

Sources: homeproperties.com; realestate.msn.com; smartmoney. com; zillow.com

Toi McMullen interacts with John Ed Smith, Auxiliary President of WRMC, at Toi’s Welcome Reception on July 31st inside WRMC. Toi was named Director of Volunteers of WRMC on July 30th.

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The Myopic Life

The Family Reunion Kristi Price

My very large family came together last month for our fourth annual Shrable family reunion in Bethesda.

And of course, I gleaned a lesson from it that I think is worth sharing. If you follow my column, you know that vision, volunteering, and community are my heartbeat.

I find my lessons everywhere – even within my own family (they are always “delighted” when they see themselves in print, by the way.)

Our original family reunion vision was simple – find an inexpensive, restful locale in which to assemble close to 100 people for three days. Eat a lot of food. Visit and laugh. Done.

Our first two reunions were a delight. There was no stress, no itinerary, and lots to eat. Young, distant cousins forged new friendships. Stories were swapped, recipes were shared. We snapped a few pictures and went on our merry way, joyfully anticipating the next year’s retreat.

And then came the success of The Picture.

During our 2nd reunion, we assembled everyone on the lawn and snapped a massive group picture. It was a little blurry, but we enjoyed looking at the sheer magnitude of so many people in one tight-knit family. This inspired additional thinking for the next year’s picture, for which came The Shirt. For the 3rd reunion, we pre-planned a group shirt everyone would wear in the picture, and also planned for additional small group/family-unit picture taking. This was so successful that it inspired a New Shirt for the 4th reunion: my grandmother wore a tie-die shirt, and each of her 9 children and their families chose one of 9 different colors out of this shirt for their family

branches. This sounds simple enough, but it just goes to show how even an innocuous, innocent idea can derail the train.

As the group photographer, I especially felt the stress of getting The Picture just right. In fact, there was a lot of stress surrounding The Picture that I had not experienced in prior years. From choosing distinct shirt colors, to fussing with family placement, timing the picture, sun angle, who was arriving late or leaving early, and especially figuring out how to not wear out my elderly grandmother, there became much discussion of The Picture. Almost too much.

And here is the point: When you set out to build any kind of business, community group, non-profit, or even family reunion, don’t forget the heart of the original vision. The original vision is what drew the particular event or structure together in the first place.

In my example, our simple gathering of people we love and food we enjoy was really enough. However, we let the unexpected success of The Picture begin to take precedence and edge out the simplicity of the gathering itself. Everything became geared around it and not around the original vision of what we were doing.

As your organization evolves and begins to roll down the path, make sure you haven’t rolled onto side paths that aren’t really in line with the original vision.

Sometimes such side ventures can eat a hole straight through the heart of your vision, even if they make for a good picture. Be wise!

N

We would like to thank Adam Curtwright for the many kind words he shared at the Chill Factory ribbon cutting June 18. He also spoke about the momentum of new business on Main Street and how excited we all are about the future progress of Downtown Batesville.

Scott Wood Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM ribbon cutting.

30 Eye On Independence - A Community of Character.

Row Lake to be Stocked for Kid’s Fishing Derby Nicole Stroud

The Batesville Kiwanis Club will host its annual free Kids Fishing Derby the Saturday before Labor Day. The derby is set for Saturday, September 5, from 7:00 to 10:00 a.m. Kids ages 4 to 15 are invited to fish at Row Lake at Fitzhugh Park in Batesville. Sign up begins at 6:00 am and will continue until the event ends.

Five hundred fish are being stocked by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. AGFC stocks fish large enough to catch for fishing derbies throughout the state.

The fishing derby program provides excellent fishing activities and good educational opportunities. Fish are stocked from five state hatcheries.

The goal is for every child to reel in a fish. To to reach this goal, the Kiwanis Club is switching back to the earthworms that worked well in 2013.There will be prizes awarded for fish with tags, and Dairy Queen treats for consolation prizes.

Kiwanis is collecting used fishing poles, tackle, or other gear, which is refurbished for those that do not have equipment. Drop off donations to Give-a-Pole at Triangle Sports in Southside, down the road from Triangle Café, or at Life Plus, 50 Industrial Drive, Batesville.

Kiwanis impacts the world one child at a time. Any age and any occupation can become a member of Kiwanis.

Children and young adults can participate in one of twelve area service clubs. K-Kids is designated for elementary school children, Builder’s Club for middle school, Key Club for high school, and CKI for college students. Adults can join the Batesville Kiwanis Club, which includes a satellite group that meets in the evenings. For more information about the club, visit batesvillekiwanis.org. For more information about the fishing derby, contact Norman Seymore at norman.seymore@lifeplus.com. N

It Takes A Village To Raise A Chile Black Tie Benefit Event Raquel Biervliet

Small & Hip Children’s Boutique invites you to this black tie fundraiser in support of New Life Children’s Home. This event will be held Friday, September 18 on the 3rd floor of the Barnett Bulding at 267 East Main Street in Historic Downtown Batesville. Tickets are $20 per person for a 6 p.m. Fashion Show and Silent Auction, heavy hors d’oevres by Natalie’s Restaurant, music and dancing with DJ Carmona. Donations are welcome and all proceeds go towards the home. Contact number is 870-613-0336. N

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Cottage Cafe ribbon cutting image, where the food delights.

September 2015 31

Creating Memories (870)793-8287 / 2401 Harrison Street Batesville, Arkansas www.jonathanssnejewelry.net

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SEPTEMBER 1-25 . Tues & Thurs 6-8:30 pm: WEB DESIGN with SHAWN HOEFER This month long workshop, also part of our Business of Craft series, will guide you through the process of creating your own functional website that can be easily maintained. Requirements are minimal… Basic computer skills, a credit card or Paypal account to register domain names, a digital camera along with some pieces of your work to photograph – (smartphone cameras are acceptable), and a Wi-Fi enabled laptop, notebook, or netbook that will hold a charge for at least an hour.

You will be provided with a flash drive containing the majority of the software needed. Location: Ozarka College . Tuition: $275 . 8 21/2 hour classes September 2-4 . 6:00 - 9:00 PM . PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY with ED ALEXANDER Part of the Arkansas Craft School’s Business of Craft series, this course is designed to instruct craft artisans in taking professional photographs of their own work. The quality of the photograph is equally important to the quality of the artwork itself, and a professional portfolio is a must for presenting art for submission to art shows, galleries, and publications. This workshop will cover, setting and backgrounds, correct lighting and use of flash, detail photographs, color correction, processing and transferring to CD. Individual instruction will be provided for applying the appropriate techniques for each student’s specific artwork. Location: Ozarka College . Tuition: $100.

September 4-6: BEGINNING WEAVING ON A FOUR HARNESS LOOM with CYNTHIA COX Try your hand your wall using colorful patterns and weaving a twill color gamp.... the best tool for studying color and pattern interactions in the weaver’s world.

Cynthia Cox considers weaving “warm and inviting”. She loves it for its texture, color, pattern, usefulness, uselessness, fashion and fun. She began weaving 34 years ago on a rigid heddle loom. Then moved to a floor loom, to refining her techniques, allow more intricate patterns and finer yarns. Cynthia is a member of the NW Arkansas Hand weavers Guild and the Arkansas Craft Guild. She exhibits and sells her work throughout Arkansas and surrounding states. . Location: TBA in Mountain View . Materials fee: $35 . Tuition: $250.00 .

September 11-13: INTRODUCTION TO WOODTURNING with KIP POWERS If you have ever wanted to learn to turn wood on a lathe, then here is a workshop for you! This introduction to woodturning will cover the equipment, tools, safety, and techniques used in the art of woodturning. By warming up with a simple spindle project, students will prepare to then move on to turning bowls and plates.

Kip Powers is the founder and past president of Stateline Woodturners, a chapter of the AAW. This

award-winning turner is known primarily for his small to moderate scale one-off turnings, usually from domestic American woods . Location: Arkansas Craft School . Materials fee: $10$25 . Tuition: $250 .

September 16 – 18: NATURAL EDGE BOWLS AND VESSELS with GENE SPARLING Explore how to make various styles of natural edge bowls, pots, and vessels – from regular natural edge open bowls to enclosed pot forms – from green logs, on the lathe.

Gene Sparling is a professional wood turning artist who lives in, and has a studio and gallery in the Ouachita Mountains, just outside Hot Springs National Park Arkansas. He creates wooden furniture, sculpture, and turned bowls, which include dough bowls, and bowls which appear to be elliptical in shape. His work is sold throughout Arkansas and neighboring states. . Location: Arkansas Craft School . Materials fee: $25$40 . Tuition: $250 N Lucia Vinograd (Executive Director) (870) 269-8397

Independence County Recycle Center

We Recycle:

Plastic Bottles Steel Cans Aluminum Cans Cardboard Newspaper Glass Magazines

870 793 8892 110 Environmental Drive Batesville, AR Call to receive your FREE RECYCLING BIN today!

Daylight Donuts ribbon cutting, another great place for yummy treats.

Compass Church Groundbreaking.

Integrated Therapy Services ribbon cutting.

Batesville Montesorri School ribbon cutting.

Art Gallery 246: Family Portrait Bruce Oakley

They are as different as the tools, techniques, and even titles of their creations: delicate watercolor, bold oils, smooth pastels, precise pen and ink, molded clay, folded paper, turned wood, quilted fabric, “Rainy Day in Krakow,” “Majestic Forest,” “Joy,” “Negative Balance,” “Kitty Cat.” Yet they form a family, united by similar sensibilities, keen eyes, and skilled hands. And this family has a new home: Art Gallery 246, opened in August at 243 East Main in Batesville. It was a short move from their original namesake home across the street at 246 East Main.

Of course, behind every family’s short move there’s a long story, and it usually begins with a bedrock character or two — a matriarch or perhaps fellow travelers tossed together exploring a new path in the wide world.

So it is with Art Gallery 246 and its prime movers, Aline McCracken and Trish Boylan. These two ladies have been a big part of Batesville’s arts community for decades. They had key roles in forming the Batesville Area Arts Council. The gallery even enjoyed shared space through that affiliation when the council moved into its own new digs in 2014 and acquired the former Heuer’s Shoe Store building. This branch of the family headed in a little different direction, though, and so the gallery has split off to stand on its own.

That intrepid spirit shines through every chat with McCracken and Boylan — and it informs their art and activities.

McCracken is a longtime art teacher and lifelong artist,

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34 Eye On Independence - A Community of Character.

a round-cheeked lady with a bit of a fairy godmother aspect, the twinkle in her eye belying a strong will and feistiness.

Her surprising connections run from ZZTop’s Billy Gibbons to the late Barney Sellers, well-known photographer for the Memphis Commercial Appeal who retired in Batesville and captured thousands of regional images in Barney’s Barns and Rural Scenes. She has shared her love of art with students from kindergarten to college since the early 1960s, and most Batesville art students since the ‘80s have passed through her classroom door.

Educated at Memphis College of Art, the University of Mississippi (when James Meredith integrated the law school and Barney Sellers was on related photo assignment there), the University of Bridgeport (Connecticut), and Queens University in Canada, McCracken has made her mark in culture and social justice wherever she has been.

She has founded arts collectives and shops near university communities and led rights marches wherever circumstances demanded. She’s been so many places at key moments that she says, “I’m like the lady Forrest Gump. Billy Gibbons was at our house for Christmas parties a couple of years.”

In Batesville, McCracken is among artists who came together in the Heuer’s space and became known as the Friday painter’s group. They shared a need for quiet work among kindred spirits, with several of them survivors of cancer or family loss. Trish Boylan’s sister-in-law, Sheila Boylan Parsons Talley (she paints as Sheila Parsons), started the group, and it grew in time to an art collective offering emotional support and therapy through shared experience and creativity. Different people, one growing family.

The collective became the gallery, but as the number of pieces and the mission to provide therapeutic support and teaching workspace grew, the fit with the arts council faltered.

Enter Sherry Goforth Landers, a street photographer who worked with Barney Sellers, serving as his driver and learning from the master in his later years. She is a Lyon College arts alum who produces paintings, photographs, and crafts at GoforthArts by Sherry. She began displaying work at the gallery in 2014. She remembers she “met Aline and Trish in the ‘80s and they scared me to death and I didn’t come back until last year.” She was then a fledgling artist looking for advice and critiques. The wisdom that so daunted her in those early days is now the advantage of Art Gallery 246: “There’s a lot of knowledge in this facility here, and it’s knowledge we’d like the young artists to have. Here, you’ve always got family. We won’t do it for you, but we’ll show you how.”

“And we do it kindly,” Boylan is quick to point out.

As these passionate ladies put their heads together early this year to figure out how to continue their mission, they realized their limitations. McCracken and Boylan are retired with some of the health issues that come with longevity, even in a life well-lived. Goforth herself is on disability, which limits her activity and income. Nevertheless, Goforth agreed to be the officer of the new enterprise — the strongest available member to lead the “family business.” Goforth — what better name for a leader of a group striking out on their own, unsure of where to go and just how and what to do?

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As they cast about to find their way, this family’s connections paid dividends. David Thompson, a downtown property owner and merchant active in Batesville’s revitalization, happens to be a former high school student of McCracken’s. The Impulse clothing shop was moving out of his building at 243 East Main, and he agreed to work with the art gallery to provide a large space to serve its display, teaching, and production needs. A call went out for volunteers to clean, convert, and paint the building, while Goforth worked on the paperwork to form the limited liability corporation.

The core principle is that same support and therapy behind the Friday afternoon group, Goforth says: “If we can keep this open where all the new artists can come through here and we can help them get started, then people will be aware of all the good artists we have” in the region and throughout Arkansas. “Besides display space we have work areas and plans for classes — scheduled to start in September,” she says.

Art Gallery 246 was officially incorporated August 1, with a soft opening that Saturday and a grand opening as a proud new member of the Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce on August 22. Mayor Rick Elumbaugh cut the ribbon and the arts family offered door prizes, welcomed children by offering refreshments and a magic show, and invited adults to join in a music jam session and a silent auction.

Preparations for the big day had begun in June, with artists who would be renting display space and friends of Main Street’s revitalization volunteering their time to refurbish the building. So much work went into it: Lots of painting — that other kind — from floor to ceiling and even the front doors; rebuilt shelving, new hanging tracks and pegboard racks; some electrical and plumbing repair.

Goforth and the gallery board are also all volunteers, with the new business running on a shoestring while investigating a shift to non-profit status. Space rental and a portion of art sales will go back into the costs of renting and running the building, covering expenses for supplies and classes, and continuing to build and support the Arkansas arts community.

“People who are in this are people who needed a place to show,” Boylan notes. As a world traveler who has been a longtime observer and leading participant in the local creative scene, she has praise for the talent here: “Batesville is not your basic Arkansas small town — we have the colleges and a

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lot of sophistication.”

Artistic talent is one thing, but running a business is another, and there will be challenges and likely even family squabbles.

When Goforth agreed to be gallery president, she says she realized there’s “gotta be somebody who cares” to make final decisions and get things done. “We have a good group of artists, just they each have their own opinions,” she says, identifying one of her challenges.

“It’s like herding cats to keep artists organized,” says feisty fairy godmother McCracken.

And the art family is growing. Deborah Davidson is among the dynamic artists who stepped in to prepare the space. She’s self-taught, painting the horses and other animals she loves and works with day in and day out, but also finding time to explore color and form in the less earthy and more ethereal in a series of studies in bubbles of light.

There’s Stanley M. Cole, known to most as “Mr. Cole” or “Mike.” He signs his paintings simply “Cole.” He paints living scenes of places he’s never been from photographs uncovered wherever he may find them, and also enjoys painting wood panels of mules. He’s long been a friendly fixture walking or riding his bike up and down Main Street, and now he has a place to share his stories, paint his scenes, and help put smiles on faces downtown.

The kindly uncle, the busy rancher, the street photographer, the comrades and followers of Barney Sellers, the civil rights marcher, the world traveler — they’re all here somewhere, sharing special glimpses of whatever might be “out there.”

“Art people are the ones who shape and mold,” McCracken says. “We’re proud of this place and we’re proud of the work we’ve put into it. We hope it’s going to be good for Batesville.

“We’re celebrating diversity. We want artists to feel they have a home.”

Home is where your vision is, and Goforth invites artists and art lovers to come explore Art Gallery 246: “We’re still looking for artists, we still have space left — going to pack it in until we can’t get any more and get as many artists as we can fit in.”

“We see the world differently,” she promises.

The differences make for great art — and a strong family.

N September 2015 35

Career coach helps students get their future on track Hannah Sturch

Jennifer Shaw was recently hired as the career coach Counselor Lisa Rich. Shaw’s duties will extend from for Southside High School. The career coach position helping seniors submit college applications to locating is a partnership between the Southside school district scholarships and even, according to Shaw, “providing and the University of Arkansas Community College at support to students who may not receive academic Batesville. support at home.”

Shaw will be employed by UACCB but will spend “My goal is to remove any barriers that students most of her time on the Southside campus. She will may have so they can go to college or a vocational help students succeed in their junior high and high school,” Shaw said. school academic track, as well as Goals for the career coach are to prepare them for the next step after increase financial aid applications by receiving their diploma. Shaw, who students; increase the college going interned at Southside last fall for rate of graduating students; increase her undergraduate degree, is pleased graduation rate; increase Smart to begin working with students and Core enrollment; and reduce course helping them “find their life stories.” remediation.

“It’s important we help students Shaw hopes to enroll more get a step ahead by providing more students in Smart Core, which begins opportunities to them,” Shaw said. “I in the eighth and ninth grades to put am extremely excited to be here.” students on a course track to better The career coach position is prepare them for college curriculum. funded by a grant designed to provide Shaw is ready to start counseling career coaches to school districts, students in the upcoming school year. and Shaw will work with students “This is a great way to improve our in the eighth-12th grades working shaw, jennifer community,” she said. N directly with Southside High School

36 Eye On Independence - A Community of Character.

UACCB Welcomes Hannah Keller to Staff Hannah Sturch

The University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville welcomes Hannah Keller to its staff as the new assistant to the chancellor.

Keller’s duties will consist of working in media relations, social media, administrative duties and event coordination.

Keller has a background in media relations that spans 11 years and holds a bachelor’s degree in news editorial journalism from Arkansas State University. Before working in higher education, she worked in journalism, ranging from reporting to photography to graphic design. She is currently working on her master’s in public administration from ASU and plans to graduate next spring.

Keller is happy to be given the opportunity to work at UACCB. “UACCB is a very well respected system,” Keller said. “I myself was a student at UACCB and took a full summer of courses there while working on my bachelor’s at ASU Jonesboro.

I got to know the campus’ environment. It has a super friendly, very helpful, home-town feel. Everyone is just ready to jump on board and do what they can to help you out. I enjoyed that and wanted to be a part of that.”

Keller is a Batesville native and has one son, David, who will begin first grade this school year. She is a member of the Chinquapin Church of Christ in Bethesda and

communications director for the Eagle Mountain Magnet PTO Board. Keller also still does freelance reporting and photography.

N

Hannah Keller

Kristen Davis wins cruise Hannah Sturch Kristen Davis of Batesville has won the five-day, fournight custom cruise that First Community Bank used to promote its social media launch, according to Dale Cole, the bank’s president and chief executive officer.

The bank asked participants to like and share its Facebook page, and when they commented on why they love First Community Bank, they were entered into the drawing.

The drawing took place Aug. 14 at First Community Bank’s 18th-anniversary reception. Davis’ name was

drawn from hundreds of entries.

“I was thrilled to receive the email from Laura Cornett, First Community Bank’s marketing director, telling me that I had won the cruise giveaway,” Davis said. “First Community Bank is always doing things to show their appreciation for their customers and the community.”

Davis, a Batesville native, works at Eagle Mountain Magnet Elementary School. She and her husband, John, have two daughters, Kameron, 7; and Marley, who was born on July 11 of this year. N

Batesville Completes Prospect Readiness Education Program Danell Hetrick Batesville has successfully completed the requirements for the Arkansas Economic Development Commission’s Prospect Readiness Education Program (PREP).

PREP offers communities hands-on training in all aspects of the economic development prospect visit. The program provides local economic development teams with the necessary training and resources to properly prepare for, execute, and follow up on prospect visits to their respective communities. To date, 14 Arkansas communities have completed the program.

Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Crystal Johnson said of the certification: “Independence County, Batesville, and the Batesville Area Chamber are serious about economic development, and we are excited to be one of just 14 communities in Arkansas that can apply PREP toward our economic prosperity. Our certification timing is perfect because of the recent IMPACT Independence County developments. The Chamber is anxious to apply what we have learned through PREP with the future IMPACT Committees.”

Through PREP, community leaders in Batesville have:

Promoted teambuilding and cohesion among community leadership that will have a role in the siteselection process for future economic growth.

Enabled the community to be better prepared for future prospect visits.

Provided tools and resources necessary to help make Batesville more competitive during the site selection process, particularly the site visit.

Encouraged its local leaders to be more proactive in the site selection process by developing local incentive programs.

Learned about the site selection process from start to finish.

Developed comprehensible and achievable strategies that can be used during local site visits.

For more information about the Prospect Readiness Education Program or the City of Batesville’s PREP completion, contact Scott Hardin, AEDC Communications Director, at (501) 682-7306 or shardin@arkansasedc.com.

N September 2015 37

Experiencing God in the Everyday Worshipping a Homeless Man Pastor Chad Grigsby

“And Jesus said to them, ‘Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head’.” (Matthew 8:20 ESV) A theology is growing around the world at a rapid pace. It has especially grown in places where poverty is more prevalent. The basic premise is this: “God wants to bless you. He wants to give you success in business. He wants to give you health, wealth, and prosperity. All you have to do is have faith and it can be yours.” The growth of this theology is not just growing in third world countries but has also taken root in the U.S. Preachers are filling arena-sized churches spreading a similar message and usually have pervasive TV ministries.

But it’s verses like these in Matthew 8:20 (and many others for that matter) that blow a huge whole in this type of thinking, preaching, and living. What’s more, these words come straight from the mouth of our Savior! And if something doesn’t apply to Jesus, why would we think that it could ever apply to us? According to Matthew 8:20, we worship a homeless man. What makes us think that God primary aim in our lives is to give us lots of stuff?

Now, I’m not saying that having stuff is wrong. Nor am I saying that we shouldn’t want to be healthy. Surely those are good things! But to make good things ultimate things is going way off what Jesus lived and died for.

When we begin to worship the creation over the creator we have missed something.

In fact, the more faithful that Jesus was to God the more that God seemed intent to crush him. Jesus obeyed God every step of his life and it ended up getting him crucified. Did Jesus lack faith? Was he not believing God’s best for him? Was he not claiming the promises of God enough to receive God’s blessing instead of God’s condemnation?

See, this health, wealth, and prosperity gospel is no gospel at all. If it doesn’t apply to Jesus, it can’t apply to us. This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t expect to receive blessings from God. We should! In fact, God has given us every blessing possible in his son Jesus. It’s just our definition of being blessed often doesn’t match his.

Consider what Jesus says in Matthew 5.

And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 38 Eye On Independence - A Community of Character.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:2-12 ESV) The world values wealth, power, position, retaliation, and treasures on this earth. The call to be a disciple of Jesus is much different. Jesus values poverty, weakness, service, forgiveness, and treasures of another world. The good news is not more of what got us in this terrible situation to begin with. The good news is that we have a King unlike any other king that has ever lived.

His kingdom comes with different values. That’s good news because we need someone who can save us from ourselves, not enable us to love the wrong things.

The good news is that Jesus came to take our condemnation so that we could be made right with God, not so that we could simply be blessed by God physically and financially.

Which gospel do you believe? N

First Community Bank celebrates billion-dollar milestone Laura Cornett

First Community Bank has reached $1 billion in assets, according to Dale Cole, the bank’s chairman and chief executive officer. Locally owned and managed, First Community Bank opened August 4, 1997, with 14 employees, the backing of 153 shareholders and $3.5 million in capital.

“This is a milestone that we have looked forward to achieving for a long time,” Cole said. “We actually hit the billion in assets on July 31, 2015. Seeing that $1,000,000,000 number on our financials was significant to me, and a very important day in the history of the bank. When the numbers started getting close, we asked our employees to email their prediction of when we might hit the big day. Suzy Oakley actually predicted the correct day, which happened to be just four days prior to the bank’s 18th anniversary.”

“When we opened our doors 18 years ago, our customers embraced First Community Bank because of our commitment to the communities we serve,” Cole said.

“Although we are growing continuously, we have never strayed from our commitment. We know that the level of success we now enjoy is all because of the support we have received from our customers, investors, employees and directors. When you bank with First Community Bank, you are making an investment in your community.”

The bank will celebrate the billion-dollar achievement with employees participating in a balloon release at each of the bank’s 17 locations at 7:30 a.m. Friday, September 4. N

Next Main Street Farmers Market September 5 and 19th Only Jean Larson

The Main Street Farmers Market took a break August 22nd and the 29th.

For September, the Market will be open the first and third Saturdays, September 5th and 19th, not every Saturday as planned. Due to the difficult weather this Spring and Summer, local farmers are struggling with their crops. “The wet, cool spring with very heavy rains followed by the intense heat we experienced in July has really affected the farmers in this whole region,” said Cheryl Anderson, of Garden Girl Farm Fresh Produce and More in Pleasant Plains.

Look for early apples at the September markets as the first crops are coming in as well as tomatoes, peppers and the last of the okra. Clark Farm, Mahan Farm, and Garden Girl have planted for cool weather crops already and will bring lettuces, radishes, japanese turnips, kale and other greens to the October Markets. And Lonnie Clark is pleased with how his pumpkin crop is looking and will be selling cooking and carving pumpkins at the October Markets as well.

Garden Girl Farm Fresh Produce and More will be at the September Markets, Saturday September 5 and 19th with produce, 100% grass fed beef and pasture raised chicken and pork, local cheeses, jams and Harvest Fresh vinegars.

Downtown Pie Company, Brood Farm, and HomeMadeHome will all be at the September Markets selling delicious individual pies, handmade goatmilk soaps and lotions, fresh eggs, and handcrafted spoons. And 2 local artists will be selling pottery and paintings.

Live music and children’s activities are scheduled for both September Market Days. Check the Main Street Batesville Facebook page for all Market events. For more information on Batesville’s Main Street Farmers Market please contact Market Manager, Jean Larson, at 208-869-1445 or email her at jeallo16@gmail.com.

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BATESVILLE’S MAIN STREET

ARMERS FMARKET MAIN STREET POCKET PARK • 8 AM - NOON

Every Sat. (July, Aug., & Sept.) • 1st & 3rd Sat. (Sept. &- Nov.)

Contact Jean Larson, Market Manager, at (208) 869-1445 or jeallo16@gmail.com for booth space information.

Check out Main Street Batesville’s Facebook page for updates

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American Floor Care--------------------- 10 Anytime Fitness-------------------------- 29 Autry’s------------------------------------ 10 Back In Time Antiques------------------- 9 Bad Boy Mowers------------------------- 18 Batesville Poultry Equipment, Inc.------ 29 Batesville Spine & Health Solutions----- 13 Batesville Title Services----------------- 10 Carlee’s Crown Shop--------------------- 3 Chill Factory------------------------------ 9 Coldwell Banker Choice Realty---------- 6 CustomEyes Vision Care of Newport---- 25 Depot Days------------------------------- 15 DownTown Guide------------------------ 9 DQ Grill & Chill--------------------------- 4 Eagle Pest ------------------------------- 25 Elizabeth’s Restaurant & Catering------- 9 Etta’s Attic-------------------------------- 10 First Community Bank------------------- 2 Flowers Baking Company---------------- 17 He Delivers------------------------------- 9 Independence County Recycling Center-33 Janet Smart Farmers Insurance Agency-29 Jonathan’s Fine Jewelry----------------- 32 Kallsnick, Inc.---------------------------- 4 KBAP 88.1 FM---------------------------- 3 KBAP 88.1 FM---------------------------- 23 KBAP 88.1 FM---------------------------- 35 Kent’s Firestone-------------------------- 36 Main Street Farmers Market------------- 39 Mark Martin Kia-------------------------- 11 Merchants and Planters Bank----------- 34 Mexican Mamas-------------------------- 29 NADT Dance Academy------------------- 11 Natalies Restaurant and Catering------- 13 Newark Furniture, Flowers and More--- 29 Ozark Foothills FilmFest Fundraiser----- 33 Purdy’s Flowers and Gifts---------------- 31 Robert O. Seat Photography------------ 21 Smart Thoughts-------------------------- 28 Southern Tire Mart----------------------- 23 State Farm Agent, Carter Ford---------- 3 Studio Salon----------------------------- 10 The Batesville Chamber of Commerce-- 39 The Property Shoppe-------------------- 3 Thompson’s Jewelry--------------------- 9 Thompson’s Jewelry--------------------- 29 U. S. Pizza-------------------------------- 16 Virtue Boutique-------------------------- 10 Welcome To Independence-------------- 29 White River Health System-------------- 22 Wood Family Dealership----------------- 40 Wood-Lawn Heights---------------------- 17

Classic Car Show • KWOZ Live Radio Broadcast Lunch by John 3:16 Ministries • Bounce Houses for the kids!

Contests, prizes, and much much more!

870.793.8400

1674 BATESVILLE BLVD. BATESVILLE, AR 72501

870.793.8450

1676 BATESVILLE BLVD. BATESVILLE, AR 72501