Eureka!

MAGAZINE

IN THIS ISSUE:

PLUS:

• CALENDAR OF EVENTS

• RESTAURANT LIST

• FEATURED VISITOR

• TURPENTINE CREEK WILDLIFE REFUGE EXPANSION

• WHERE SHOULD YOU GO TODAY?

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Hello, and welcome to Eureka Springs!

Maybe we’re a little biased, but few places are more beautiful in April than Eureka Springs. The flowers are blooming, the trees are green again and there are plenty of things to see and do in town.

We like to say there’s something for everyone to enjoy in Eureka Springs, and that’s certainly true this month.

Music lovers can check out the Ozark Mountain Soul Music Festival and Eclipse Watching Party that starts April 4 and continues through April 8 at The Farm Campground. On April 7, there’s the Moonlight Before Eclipse Concert at The Auditorium, and Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs will perform at The Aud on April 26. There’s also plenty of live music on tap at venues all around town.

Eureka Springs is known far and wide for its welcoming spirit and its diversity. We’ll celebrate that spirit this month with Spring Diversity Weekend starting April 5. In this issue, we’re honoring our town’s diversity by sharing three Eureka Springs love stories. Each of those stories is a little different but they all center on one universal truth: Love is love.

This issue also features Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge. The refuge’s mission is to rescue and save big cats and other animals who can no longer live in the wild because of the actions of humans. The refuge is expanding and recently welcomed 33 new animal residents from Carole Baskin’s Big Cat Rescue. If you’re an animal lover, don’t miss a chance to visit Turpentine Creek!

Of course, the Eclipse is coming! The event itself will happen on the afternoon of April 8, but Eureka Springs has a whole slew of activities planned, highlighted by the “Total Eclipse of the Park” celebration that day in Lake Leatherwood City Park. There will also be special performances of The Great Passion Play on April 7 and 8, and before that there’s the play’s first annual trail run on April 6.

Is anyone tired yet? Well, we’re just getting started. Later on in April, there’s the annual UFO Conference, the Arkansas State Chili Championship in Holiday Island, Carving in the Ozarks, the Eureka Springs Yoga Retreat, Yards and Yards of Yard Sales and the Ozarks Chorale Concert.

But all those events aren’t the only thing our town has to offer. There’s also plenty of opportunity to just relax, breathe a little mountain air and enjoy the natural beauty of Eureka Springs. And if all that rest and relaxation makes you hungry, we’ve got you covered there, too. From quick and casual to fine dining, you can find it in Eureka Springs.

We only have one request. While you’re here, be sure to browse our local shops and art galleries. Eureka Springs is full of amazing and talented people and nothing makes us happier than to see our visitors support those incredible folks.

Thanks again for visiting Eureka Springs. We hope you enjoy your stay, and hurry back!

— Scott Loftis, Publisher

Here, we can just be

Bradley Tate-Greene and Marcus Tate-Greene

It all started with one word. Marcus Tate-Greene sent Bradley Tate-Greene a simple message on a dating app on April 6, 2016, and they had their first date at church two days later.

“I think I said, ‘Hey,’ and that was it,” Marcus recalls after closing time in their restaurant, Sugar & Crumbs Cafe.

They both initially had the same reservation about dating — Brad is 12 years older than Marcus, and they weren’t sure about starting a relationship with an age gap. But when they first met that day in church, they knew they were meant to be together. Brad mentions that Marcus was 45 minutes late to church, describing their correspondence before Marcus arrived.

“He texted me and said, ‘Do you think the people in the church will be upset if I’m late?’ ” Brad says, a twinkle in his eye. “And I said, ‘They might not be upset, but Jesus is not going to be happy with you.’ ”

They break into laugher, a long sustaining laugh that ends with tears in their eyes. The laughter is contagious, and you decide that they spend a lot of their time laughing together. When he can finally talk, Marcus explains why he was so late.

“I kept changing my outfit. I was like, ‘I’m willing to be late, but I have to look perfect for this first live meeting with this guy,’ ” Marcus says, shooting a playful look toward Brad. “Don’t fret you know I looked good!”

When you ask if Brad remembers what Marcus was wearing that day, he doesn’t hesitate to answer.

“It was a white shirt and tight blue jeans,” Brad says. “When I saw him, I was like, ‘OK, I’m in trouble.’ And then he smiled, and I knew I was done for.”

Marcus is usually very confident you can tell by the way he carries himself, his shoulders tall and that vibrant smile always ready to make an appearance. He wasn’t so confident that day, though.

“When we were sitting in the service together this has never happened in my entire life I was shaking, and it was because I was like, ‘I think this guy is really it.’ I was nervous.” “I was laughing on the inside,” Brad says. “I have never had anybody shake that bad next to me.”

By the end of the church service, they agreed to become boyfriends. They were serious from the very beginning, and Brad asked Marcus to marry him at their favorite restaurant on June 4, 2016. As Brad describes the proposal, you can hear Marcus sniffle.

“That still makes me tear up thinking about it,” he says, wiping his eyes.

Brad moved to Atlanta to live with Marcus in October 2016. They married on March 1, 2017 – after jumping over a few hurdles. Marcus tears up again as Brad tells the story — they went to one courthouse, Brad says, and were told that they would not receive a permit to get married. So they had to go to a courthouse in another county to receive their permit. “It took a while,” Brad says. “We had to drive back and forth, and I thought it wasn’t going to happen. It was nice when it did.”

Brad discovered Eureka Springs when he was searching

for LGBTQ-friendly vacation destinations in 2020. It was a hard year for Marcus, who worked as a teacher during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eureka Springs was at the top of the list, so they packed their bags and headed to Arkansas.

“We loved being out at Lake Leatherwood and enjoying nature,” Brad says. “And, of course, everywhere we ate was so good.”

“Local Flavor, oh my God!” Marcus gushes. “Local Flavor is amazing.”

“We probably ate there at least three times every time we were here,” Brad says.

They visited Eureka Springs three times between 2020 and 2023. On their last visit, they were burned out from working in restaurant management. They were getting ready to leave town, Brad remembers, and stopped by Mud Street Café to say goodbye to waitress Margo.

“I told her, ‘Margo, if I could find a restaurant in this town, I would buy it and I would not leave,’ ” Brad says.

That’s when John Speed, who owned Hillside Eats & Sweets, stopped by for breakfast. Margo sat John right next to Brad and Marcus. John looked over at Margo and said, “I still haven’t sold my restaurant.”

“And Margo says, ‘I have a feeling you’ll sell it in the next two weeks,’ ” Brad says. “She knew what the hell she was doing sitting him next to us.”

Within a week, they bought the restaurant and renamed it Eureka Eats & Treats. One year later, they opened their sister restaurant, Sugar & Crumbs Café. Owning businesses in Eureka Springs is an absolute dream, Brad says. He describes how thankful he feels to employ locals and contribute to the local economy, both through the restaurants and his position on the Eureka Springs City Advertising and Promotion Commission.

“I get to vote on things that help the city grow it’s not just for me, it’s for the entire community. I want everybody here to succeed and thrive,” Brad says.

What makes Eureka Springs so special, Brad says, is how accepting everyone is.

“All my life, wherever I’ve lived, I’ve felt like it’s hard to fit in or be accepted,” Brad says.

Marcus agrees.

“There’s times when we’re coming from Eureka Live and it clicks that we live here. I remember when we were working our asses off in Mississippi and wishing we could be here, and now we are and it doesn’t even feel real sometimes,” Marcus says.

In Eureka Springs, Marcus says, you can walk down the street at night and not worry about being harassed because of your sexual orientation or skin color.

“We can be ourselves as a couple. Before we moved here, there were places we’d go and turn heads everywhere and we got used to it,” Marcus says. “But sometimes, I don’t want to have to think about being me. I want to just be. I feel like here, we can just be.”

Tears fill his eyes as he continues, “That’s what makes me so emotional. We can just be and it’s beautiful.”

APRIL 2024 EVENTS IN EUREKA SPRINGS!

April 04-08

Ozark Mountain Soul Music Festival and Eclipse Watching Party

Check out some great music at the Farm Campground at 1 Blue Heron Lane, focusing primarily on Americana Roots, along with a variety of vendors and activities. Event tickets include primitive camping. And while you’re there, watch the solar eclipse!

April 05-07

Spring Diversity Weekend

The LGBTQ+ community and friends celebrate in Eureka Springs. For more information and a schedule of events visit www.outineureka.com

April 06

1st Annual Passion Play Trail Run

The Great Passion Play in Eureka Springs will host the 1st Annual Passion Play Trail Run as part of the play’s celebration of the total eclipse that will occur on Monday, April 8.

This event will be run on the amazing Great Passion Play Trails that are a part of the Oz Trail System of Northwest Arkansas. Runners will get to experience all the aspects of the Passion Play grounds including “Running to Jesus” with all runners passing by the Christ of the Ozarks Statue, experiencing parts of The Holy Land Tour and miles of amazing nature and scenery. The four distances are designed to have something for everyone — Fun Run, 5k Trail Run, 5 Mile Trail Run, and Half Marathon Trail Run. All finishers will get a cast finishers medal when completing the run. Aid stations will be located on each course and refreshments and snacks at the finish line.

Included for all participants will be a pair of eclipse glasses and a ticket to see The Great Passion Play (a $35 value) that is redeemable anytime in 2024.

For more information, visit GreatPassionPlay.org

April 07-08

Great Passion Play Eclipse Shows

Join the Great Passion Play for special performances starting at 7:30 p.m. each night.

April 07

Moonlight Before Eclipse Concert

This unique concert at the Aud (from 7-9:00 pm) promises a magical evening with a carefully curated selection of songs inspired by the celestial dance of the moon and sun, a prelude to the April 8 solar eclipse.

April 08

Nearly Total Eclipse of the Park

Join the fun at historic Lake Leatherwood City Park for the Nearly Total Eclipse of the Park experience, from noon to 5 p.m. Relax in the park and wait for the spectacular solar eclipse that will take place at approximately 1:52 p.m. and last for more than four minutes. NASA-approved, ISO-certified eclipse glasses will be available for a donation.

April 12-14

Ozark Mountain UFO Conference

The 36th annual Ozark Mountain UFO Conference (held this year at the Best Western Inn of the Ozarks) continues the timehonored tradition created by the late Lou Farish and continued by Dolores Cannon and Ozark Mountain Publishing of sharing thought-provoking new information about other beings, realities and worlds around us. For more information, visit www.OzarkUFOConference.com

April 18-21

Springtime in the Ozarks

The 47th Annual Springtime in the Ozarks Annual AA Conference. Visit www.SpringtimeInTheOzarks.com for more

APRIL 2024 EVENTS IN EUREKA SPRINGS! information.

April 20

8th Annual Arkansas State Chili Championship

From 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Holiday Island Country Club, chili cooks from around the country will compete for $3,000 in prize money in four categories: Red Chili, Green Chili, Homestyle and People’s Choice.

The winners will get to compete in the World Chili Championship Cookoff in Myrtle Beach, S.C., in September, where the Red Chili Champion wins $15,000.

April 26-28

Eureka Springs Yoga Retreat

Join us in downtown Eureka Springs for the third annual Yoga Retreat hosted by Spa 1905 at the Basin Park Hotel.

Immerse yourself in a weekend of self-care and renewal in a tucked away resort town known for healing. The weekend will include yoga classes and workshops from an incredible line-up of teachers from Eureka Springs and beyond. Enjoy an intentional weekend full of connection, inner work, and lovely surprises to help you relax and unwind. Throughout the weekend, you’ll have the chance to connect with like-minded individuals, engage in meaningful discussions, and embark on a journey of self-discovery. Our carefully curated program also includes a variety of activities designed to delight your senses and enhance your overall experience.

For more information, visit www.BasinPark.com or email crescentactivities@gmail.com.

April 26

Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs

Mike Campbell and the Dirty Knobs will be performing live

at the Eureka Springs Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at Tickets.ThunderTix.com

April 26-27

Carving in the Ozarks

The 19th annual Carving in the Ozarks chainsaw carving festival (held at CS Bank on 152 E. Van Buren) brings together some of the most talented carvers from around the country (and even some international talent) to showcase their skills and compete for cash prizes. This festival brings the art and mastery of chainsaw carving to a family-friendly festival. Throughout the festival, you and your family will be able to watch as raw logs are transformed into stunning works of art right before your eyes. Whether you’re a fan of bears, eagles or other wildlife, you’ll find something to admire among the many pieces on display. But the festival isn’t just about the finished carvings – it’s also an opportunity to help support some local organizations through a live auction held at 4 p.m. Saturday, April 27. The proceeds from the auction will go toward helping area food pantries and to the Eureka Springs High School Skills Lab. Unable to stay for the auction? Many of the carvers come with ready-made inventory, ready to pack up and take home with you!

April 26-28

Yards and Yards of Yard Sales

There will be bargains galore at the annual citywide event. Maps will be available online and at the Chamber of Commerce.

April 28

Ozarks Chorale Spring Concert

Join Eureka Springs’ community choir, The Ozarks Chorale at the Aud (from 7-9:00 pm), in a celebration of Springtime!

Advocating for Love and Acceptance

David and Ethan Avanzino met on a camping trip in 2017, and David wasn’t supposed to be there. Ethan explains that he organized the camping trip for a group of transgender people after they worked hard to advocate against the bathroom bill in Texas — a bill that aimed to prevent trans people from using the bathroom that aligned with their gender identity.

Sitting on the porch of their business, Wanderoo Lodge &

Gravel Bar, Ethan says he coordinated the camping trip to give everyone a space to relax and feel safe.

“I had asked the campground not to say anything about what was going on, just due to privacy and safety concerns,” Ethan says.

So when David called the campground and asked if anything was happening that weekend, they said no. David showed up anyway, Ethan says, and saw 30 people hanging

David and Ethan Avanzino

out on a Friday. They met on a Saturday when David was in the swimming pool and Ethan was sitting on a lounge chair.

“I see him walk up and I’m like, ‘OK, he’s really cute,’ ” David remembers. “He sits in his chair on the deck and that millennial’s got to be on his phone all the time. I waited until his eyes diverted and we locked eyes.”

David got out of the pool and introduced himself to Ethan, and they were together from that day forward. Ethan lovingly recalls their conversation that day, saying they realized they had a lot of mutual friends and were regulars at the same bar.

“We spent most of the day on Saturday just talking and it ended up being one of the more intimate conversations I’ve ever had with somebody, and I thought, ‘You know, I’ve got to take a chance on this guy,’ ” Ethan says.

They have a lot of the same values, Ethan says, which was very important to him.

“We believe in fundraising and philanthropy work,” Ethan says. “We love being engaged with our community and doing advocacy work.”

There was no way he could date somebody who wasn’t OK with advocacy work, Ethan says. Ethan opens up about his journey as a transgender man, saying he came out in 2015. He worked for Southwest Airlines at the time, Ethan says, and he still does today.

“I was the first person to transition on the job at the corporate campus and stay on the same team throughout my transition, so the people I work with today are the same people I worked with prior to my transition,” Ethan explains. “I really had the ideal story as far as transitioning goes, so I used my privilege to advocate for those who don’t have the ideal story who do lose their jobs, who get kicked out of their homes.”

“That’s one of the things I love about him the most,” David says, and you can feel their love for each other across the table you’re sharing. “He puts himself out there so others can learn and grow and develop.”

“I was like, ‘OK, you don’t mind me being public and out there and not being shy about my story? Let’s do this,’” Ethan says.

They had a courthouse wedding in 2018, Ethan says, and were supposed to have a wedding ceremony on April 3, 2020.

“That obviously did not happen,” Ethan says, alluding to the COVID-19 pandemic. “We ended up having our ceremony at Thorncrown Chapel in November 2020.”

One of Ethan’s friends invited them to visit Eureka Springs in 2018, and David was skeptical. He didn’t know much about Arkansas, David says, but he did know it was very politically conservative. They ended up visiting on Diversity Weekend and quickly realized that Eureka Springs is nothing like other cities in Arkansas.

“We were walking downtown holding hands and this guy in an old beat-up truck stops beside us and we’re thinking, ‘Here it comes, some sort of harassment,’” David remembers. “And he rolled his window down and said, ‘Welcome to town, boys!’ And he rolled his window back up and drove away.”

Recounting this story, David and Ethan share a hearty

laugh. You can’t help but laugh, too. It’s the most accurate description of Eureka Springs you can imagine a place full of pleasant surprises, where love and acceptance fill every hill and grotto.

They lived together in Dallas and it has a very large gay population, David says, but there were still places where a same-sex couple couldn’t walk hand-in-hand without harassment. They kept visiting Eureka Springs in the following two years, seeking the acceptance they found in the Ozarks. Eventually, they bought a vacation home.

“Then, of course, COVID hit and they told him to go home for a week and it turned into two weeks and it turned into months and eventually, they made him a permanent remote employee,” David says.

They decided to move to Eureka Springs permanently, and it wasn’t long before opportunity presented itself to them. David remembers sitting on the front porch having a cup of coffee in August 2020 when he saw that Wanderoo Lodge and Gravel Bar was for sale. They put in an offer and bounced back and forth on details, David says, until the hotel became theirs. “We started renovating and adding all kinds of live music and events,” David says. “We added live regional music almost five nights a week, so it became a big hit with locals. In the wintertime, the locals pretty much keep us open.”

When you ask what they love most about Eureka Springs, they have a lot to say.

“Everybody just kind of gets along, even though they have their own differences. In Dallas, everyone is so polarized,” David says. “Here, you have your polarizing moments but not nearly like you do in Dallas.”

Ethan says the city is a treasure trove for outdoor enthusiasts.

“The mountains it’s beautiful up here. Outdoor activities, whether it’s hiking or kayaking, are right there,” Ethan says. “It’s right at the tip of your fingers. You want to go hiking? You just go.”

Ethan says he’s thankful they’ve continued their advocacy in Eureka Springs. They co-founded a nonprofit called Safe to Be, David says, to provide housing for homeless LGBTQ people. “We just announced we partnered with ECHO Village with more to come,” David says. “We’ve always been about providing housing to people who need it. We’ve always been about giving back to the community and doing what we can for other local nonprofits.”

They keep busy between their business and advocacy work, but their life isn’t serious all the time. Ethan’s eyes light up as he describes how much David loves telling dad jokes. “He’ll save them all day and be real inconspicuous. We’ll have dinner and after an hour or so, get ready to watch some TV and he’ll just walk into the bedroom and say his dad joke,” Ethan laughs. “It’s not like I hear a joke and tell you the joke. He waits. He sits on it. I’m like, ‘Did you just come up with that?’ and he says, “No, I heard it earlier today.’”

“We do tell each other stupid jokes,” David says. “We laugh until we have fits of laughter.”

FEATURED VISITOR:

Isabella Salmon

Where are you from?

Isabella: Conway, Arkansas

What brought you to Eureka Springs?

Isabella: I’m here for spring break with my friends. I go to school at University of Central Arkansas.

What’s your favorite thing you’ve eaten in town?

Isabella: We haven’t eaten yet. We just got here but we’re about to go to Mud Street Café and get some coffees, and we’re really excited about that.

What’s it like walking through downtown?

Isabella: It’s very homey feeling and I feel like I’ve known this place for a very long time even though I just got here.

Can you describe Eureka Springs in three words?

Isabella: Personable, warm and welcoming

Finding Love after Loss

Ashley Wellman, Rebel Miles Howard and daughter, Reagan

Ashley Wellman met her late husband, Buddy Wellman, at the University of Florida and he stood by her side as she got her doctorate. Standing next to a larger-than-life skeleton at Dr. Wellman’s Oddities Shop – the store she owns with her husband, Rebel Miles Howard – Ashley describes how Buddy supported her move to Texas in 2018, where she was due to start teaching criminology at Texas Christian University.

“The day before I started my new career at Texas Christian, he passed away from a pulmonary embolism. It was completely unexpected,” Ashley says. “My daughter, Reagan, was 4 and he died in front of us at our home.”

At that moment, everything she knew about herself came crashing down. She was no longer a wife. She would no longer have Buddy’s support being a mom.

“Even as a professor, I thought, ‘OK, my name means

something in this world,’” Ashley says. “But when I started trying to dive back into my criminology career, Buddy wasn’t there. So a lot of that joy and passion was gone, because my partner was missing.”

One of her friends suggested that she should do something special for Reagan to grieve and heal, like writing a book.

“I thought, ‘I study murder. I don’t need to be writing a children’s book,’ ” Ashley laughs. “But it literally came to me over the course of a few weeks.”

Her first children’s book, “The Girl Who Dances with Skeletons: My Friend Fresno,” features a main character based on Reagan. She wrote the book thinking it would be “this crazy, creative whim,” and then another friend gave her a challenge.

“My friend said, ‘If you have the courage, you would quit your job as a professor and chase your creative dream,’ ” Ashley

says. “And that’s what brought me to Eureka Springs in 2021.”

She opened her store, aMUSEd Fine Art & Extraordinary Books, and bought an 18,000-square-foot church in Berryville intending to turn it into a studio for writers and artists. That’s when she met Rebel.

“I hired a young man named Rebel Howard to do construction there, because it needed a lot of renovations,” Ashley says. “And over the course of several months, we partnered creatively on building that church out and I figured out that I probably loved him and we started dating at the very beginning of 2022.”

“We were just friends,” Rebel says, and you can tell he’s being cheeky.

“I told him I’d only be his friend, and he said, ‘I’ll pretend I can be your friend,’ ” Ashley says. “It was history after that.”

You ask Rebel if he fell in love with Ashley the moment he met her, and he responds emphatically.

“Absolutely. I’d never met anybody like her before,” Rebel says. “I walked in and she introduced herself, and it was a big hug right off the bat. She hugs everybody good hugs.”

You take him at his word, but Ashley hugs you before you leave and you realize how right he was. Her hugs are tight, warm and personal. She makes you feel like she really cares about you, and she doesn’t stop hugging until you pull away.

“When she first hugged me, I was a little startled,” Rebel laughs. “I was like, ‘Ok, I’m hugging my client.’ She took me around the building, showed me her ideas and I couldn’t get enough of her.”

He decided immediately that he was going to ask Ashley out when the job was done.

“I was trying to be brave and smart about it,” Rebel says. “But obviously it happened sooner than that. I’m impatient.”

Today, the church is on the market. Ashley explains that they are in a different phase of their life. They married on Nov. 11, 2022, and she is 12 weeks along with their new baby.

“We want a safe, cute home with a nursery,” Ashley said. “We prayed really hard and said, ‘If you want to grow our family, show us.’ And we were pregnant two weeks later. It’s crazy cool.”

Ashley’s eyes sparkle as she describes her love for Rebel. Rebel supports her dreams and loves Reagan as his own, Ashley says.

“And he honors the love and support Buddy gave me. Buddy isn’t out of our lives,” Ashley says. “Buddy is a very active part of our lives, because he loved us. I think I’m a better wife and mom because he loved me, and Rebel’s been a beautiful source of keeping him alive in our home.”

She glances lovingly at Rebel and says they’ve both been through so much in their lives. That’s what makes them better partners, she says. Rebel describes the loss, hurt and betrayal he’s experienced in the past.

“Before meeting Ashley, I never would have dreamed I’d be happily in love and married,” Rebel says.

Rebel has lived in Carroll County his entire life. His family goes way back, he says, all the way to the start of Eureka Springs.

“You can go back and see how my family helped in building

the Basin and the Crescent,” Rebel says. “I’ve got a lot of history here.”

He loves being part of the Eureka Springs community, Rebel says, because it’s OK to be different.

“I’ve always and I feel like I’m growing all the time in this way — loved everybody. I enjoy anybody’s company,” Rebel says. “I don’t judge what people are doing in their personal lives. If you want to be different, we celebrate that here.”

Ashley says she and Rebel are people of faith, and they are raising their family with those values. Rebel has four biological daughters, Ashley explains, but he always says he has five daughters. Reagan is his daughter, Rebel says.

“I moved to Eureka because I wanted my daughter to know everyone. I want her to see different races, different political stances, different sexual orientations, because that makes you a stronger, more well-rounded person when you can sit at a table with everyone and love them and listen to them,” Ashley says.

She and Rebel make an unlikely pair with some of their friends in Eureka Springs, but Ashley thinks they have a lot in common.

“We have so much to share and learn from each other. I want to learn. I’m a constant learner,” Ashley says. “For me, that includes humanity, too. You want to be around people who aren’t exactly like you so you can be better.”

The moral message behind her children’s books always comes back to love and kindness, Ashley says.

“If that’s what I’m sharing with my little readers, we’re going to walk that walk, too,” she says. “I’m not just going to say I love people. I’m going to show my kids that’s what you do.”

People see Rebel as a big, burly guy, Ashley says, but he’s just a teddy bear. “His heart is so pure, and he wants to share and love just like everybody else,” she says.

Their love story is about change, she says.

“If you asked who I was the day before my husband died, I would have told you, ‘I’m Dr. Ashley Wellman. I’m a criminologist,’ ” she says. “And the day he died, none of that mattered. Now, I’m a woman of faith. I’m a wife. I’m a mom. I’m a children’s book author who shares a message of love and acceptance.”

Rebel thanks Ashley for changing him for the better. She has taken him out of his box, he says, and he’s been excited about it every step of the way.

“She introduced me to new foods and I flew on a plane for the first time. I’d never been to a big city, so she took me to New York,” Rebel says. “I learned I love Broadway, so our favorite thing to do together is go see our shows at the Walton Arts Center. I love theatre. It’s my favorite thing.”

“Who would’ve thought?” Ashley asks, her smile beaming. “He’s this farm-boy who’s rocking and rolling with Hamilton and Wicked.”

What she loves most about Rebel, Ashley says, is that he says yes to everything even when he’s nervous or scared. Rebel says it’s not that hard when Ashley’s the one encouraging him to try something new.

“She inspires me,” he says.

WILD SIDE

WILDLIFE REFUGE

Alot can happen in a year, and that’s certainly true when you’re in the business of rescuing big cats. Since last September, Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge has taken in 33 new animal residents from Big Cat Rescue in Florida.

“Our population has grown considerably over the last year,” said marketing director Cheryl King.

King said these new residents include six tigers, 18 bobcats, two savannah cats, two caracals and five African servals. A caracal is an African cat, King explained, that looks kind of like a lynx with a long tuft at the end of their ears.

“They’re beautiful, but they don’t belong in America,” she said. “They’re very exotic-looking, but their coloring is very much like a puma. They have almost a rust reddish color and bright gold eyes.”

The first six tigers came to the refuge in September 2023, and the remaining animals arrived in early October.

“We prioritized them so they would have an opportunity to develop their winter coats before the cold weather set in,” King said. “These tigers had never been in a cold climate. We wanted to get them here early to let them acclimate and settle in, which they have. They’ve settled in beautifully.”

When the new animals arrived, King said, the Refuge partnered with Explore.org to install four live webcams that operate 24 hours a day.

“You can watch Max, Aria, Jasmine and Duchess,” King said. “Those are four tigers that came from Big Cat Rescue.”

To accommodate the new animals, King said, the refuge has created a new 14.2acre section of the facility called Freedom Field that will serve as the site for additional habitats. That area isn’t available to tour yet, King said, but it will be in the future.

“Follow along on social media and our website for updates on when we begin adding the Freedom Field tour,” King said.

Today, King said, the Refuge has 110 animal residents. That’s not the only change that’s occurred recently. King said the fefuge just finished paving the bear tunnel.

“So when you come in now, all the way from the gift shop back to the bears, that’s now a nice, paved surface so it’s very mobile-friendly for those that might be

mobility-challenged,” King said.

Founder Tanya Smith said she’s amazed at how far the Rrefuge has come over the years, and it’s only getting better each and every day.

“It’s pretty exciting where we’re heading in the future, because where we are now is just a steppingstone to where we’re going,” Smith said.

Future facility improvements include a new visitor center and gift shop, Smith said. Smith called the refuge “a retirement center for animals,” explaining that many of the big cats that have been kept in residential homes can no longer live in the wild. She said that’s exactly why big cat rescues exist: to provide a home for animals that can no longer live in their

natural habitat because of the actions of humans.

“It would be nice in my lifetime if we didn’t have to rescue big cats,” Smith said. “It might not be in my lifetime, but I hope it will be in my children’s lifetime.”

King thanked everyone who has donated to the refuge over the years.

“We’re just so grateful to have our donors. We consider them to be part of our pride family,” King said. “We aren’t just a sanctuary for the animals — we’re a sanctuary for the people who care about them.”

King continued, “We’re grateful to have such a large extended family out there that’s so passionate about the animals. We wouldn’t be here without their support.”

FAMILY FUN

BLUE SPRING HERITAGE CENTER

1537 County Road 210 479-253-9244

OPERA IN THE OZARKS

16311 US Highway 62 479-253-8595

OZARK MOUNTAIN ZIPLINES

15927 Arkansas Highway 187 479-363-6699

BLACK BASS LAKE TRAILS

Black Bass Lake, Oil Spring Road 479-253-2866

HISTORIC TRAM TOUR

137 W. Van Buren 479-244-5116

INTRIGUE THEATER

80 Mountain St. 855-446-8744

ESNA RAILWAY

299 N. Main St. 479-253-9623

HOLIDAY ISLAND MARINA

124 Woodsdale Drive, Holiday Island 479-265-7040

HISS/LE INDOOR PISTOL RANGE

6 Parkcliff Drive, Holiday Island 479-341-2005

GAMEMAKERS

28 Spring St. 479-265-7000

ESCAPE ROOM 13

13 N. Main St. 479-308-8624

DOWNTOWN-N-UNDERGROUND

3 Spring St., Eureka Springs (844) 537-8687

EUREKA SPRINGS HISTORIC MUSEUM

95 S. Main St. 479-253-9417

TURPENTINE CREEK WILDLIFE REFUGE

239 Turpentine Creek Lane 479-253-5841

EUREKA SPRINGS ZIPLINE

2250 Arkansas Highway 23 479-363-8111

ONYX CAVE

338 Onyx Cave Lane 479-253-9321

TURTLE BACK RIDGE FAMILY FUN PARK

3173 E. Van Buren 479-265-7090

THE GREAT PASSION PLAY

935 Passion Play Road 479-253-9200

EUREKA SPRINGS

BREWERY DISC PARK

96 Ridgeview Road 479-363-6066

COSMIC CAVERN

6386 Arkansas Highway 21, Berryville 870 749-2298

ARTISTS & GALLERIES

ADVENTURE ART

128 Spring St. 479-981-1447

aMUSEd FINE ART & EXTRARDINARY BOOKS

44 Spring St. 850-221-3801

ART COLONY

185 N. Main St. 479-981-2626

BREWS

2 Pine St. 479-244-1663

CHEROKEE MOUNTAIN GALLERY

5307 U.S. Highway 62 East 479-253-5353

CURATED GALLERY & GIFTS

67 Spring St. 479-239-3456

EURE’KAN ART STUDIO & SHOP

150 N. Main St. 479-253-0928

EUREKA SPRINGS BREWERY

96 Ridgeview Road 479-363-6066

EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN

6 S. Main St.

FIRE OM EARTH ART STUDIO & RETREAT CENTER

872 Mill Hollow Road 479-244-6273

IRIS AT THE BASIN PARK

8 Spring St. 479-253-9494

J. FOSTER ART/PHOTO

GALLERY & STUDIO

217 N. Main, Unit B 479-244-7179

J.A. NELSON GALLERY

37 Spring St. (upper level) 479-253-4314

MUSE

12 S. Main St.

NEW WORLD DRUMS

6 Commerce Drive

479-221-3801

PARADISE POTTERY

320 County Road 210 479-253-1547

PHYL ARTE ART STUDIO

AND GALLERY

164 N. Main St. 480-386-6745

QUICKSILVER ART / FINE CRAFT GALLERY

73 Spring St. 479-253-6745

REGALIA HANDMADE CLOTHING STUDIO/SHOWROOM

16 White St. 479-253-2202

SATORI ARTS

2 Pine St.

SACRED ART CENTER

Great Passion Play Grounds 800-882-7529

SACRED EARTH GALLERY

15845 U.S. Highway 62 West 479-253-7644

SERENDIPITY AT THE CRESCENT

75 Prospect Ave 479-253-2769

SHAKEDOWN GALLERY

84 Spring St. 479-307-6017

STATTON GALLERY AND MADISON’S GARDEN

137 Spring St. 479-363-6848 and 817-903-3301

STUDIO 34

34 Main St., Eureka Springs

STUDIO 62

335 W. Van Buren 479-363-9209

TREEHOUSE GIFT SHOP

165 W. Van Buren 479-253-8667

WILSON & WILSON FOLK ART

23 Spring St. 479-253-5105

ZARKS GALLERY

81 Spring St. 479-253-2626

VINTAGE/ANTIQUES/THRIFT

EUREKA WEST ANTIQUES

15677 US Highway 62 479-239-4020

MISS KITTY’S THRIFT SHOP

1 Parkcliff Drive, Holiday Island 479-239-2085

THE NINES

9 White St.

VINTAGE JEWELRY

82 Spring St. 479-253-5022

EUREKA VINTAGE

164 W. Van Buren 479-981-0758

GOOD SHEPHERD THRIFT STORE

124 W. Van Buren 479-253-9115

OLD SALE BARN

65 Stadium Road

479-253-5388

DUST & RUST

2043 E. Van Buren

ROMI’S VINTAGE

2054 E. Van Buren 479-925-5625

HOBBIES & HOMESTEAD

2100 E. Van Buren 479-265-7006

BLUE JAR ANTIQUE MARKET

3022 E. Van Buren 479-363-6824

ECHO THRIFT STORE

4004 E. Van Buren 479-253-5888

WONDERLAND ANTIQUES

6981 U.S. Highway 62 West 479-244-0943

GOOD SHEPHERD THRIFT STORE (BERRYVILLE)

602 US-62 Spur, Berryville 870-423-2870

BIZ-Z-BEE SUPER FLEA

366A Arkansas Highway 21, Berryville 870-929-6600 All