WINC June 2019

JUNE 2019

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The Road Less Traveled: Celebrating Nontraditional Dads

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Non-Traditional DADS

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FAITH

MAJESTIC MAMA

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G-DADDY’s KITCHEN

HOMETOWN HERO

A LOOK BACK

Publisher Kelly Sublett

PUBLISHER’S LETTER Anyone else hearing “School’s Out for Summer” playing on a loop in their heads?

I know I am, and it’s glorious!

And looking forward to vacations and family reunions is something to celebrate!

June is a great month to take a deep breath and gear up for sun and pool time.

Maybe this rain will tinker out, finally. The only thing is making sure we have enough sunscreen and bug spray moving forward.

Mosquito abatement is on the top of my priority list this summer!

This month, we also get to honor our dads and father figures, and WINC Magazine’s cover writer Melissa Gates has found some amazing dads who do things a little differently on the day to day.

That’s a good story to tell, I think. Family dynamics are so different for all of us, and highlighting the non-traditional dads in our lives is important.

This month, I wanted to draw some attention to Nana’s Kitchen. Many times, it is the men in our lives who operate the kitchens in our homes. This was true for my dad. Growing up, Dad would always be the one to tie any family get together with food. If I had a friend coming home with me from college, it was Dad who made sure we had snacks and favorite dishes and desserts. When During my college years, Dad would send homemade cookies a couple of times a month for me to share with my homesick friends.

When all of us kids and grandkids come over, the first question is always, “What is Mike cooking?” My sister would call every Sunday when she was out of the house, asking what big lunch Dad had planned, just so she could be there in spirit. It was tradition and nostalgic, too. That is why I chose my dad for this month’s feature. And I encourage more readers to submit the men in their lives for this monthly feature any time throughout the year.

June 12 is National Jerky Day, and so my dad made his famous jerky recipe to share.

He made enough for me to bring into the office, and it was a hit here, too.

I encourage all of you, dear readers, to honor those men who stood up for you when times were tough; who fought the monsters under the bed; who hovered in the living room when that first boy came over to watch a movie; who guided you through life changes even as adults; and who gave you an example to follow — one you could be proud of.

We honor those who have gone and those who are just beginning their journey of fatherhood.

We honor those who may not have been related at all — maybe a coach or a pastor — who made themselves a key part of your lives.

Readers of this month’s magazine will get a glimpse of faith in fatherhood and father/son businesses that have stood the test of time. WINC is glad to say “Happy Father’s Day” to each and every one of you!

Also this month, our Look Back column will feature writer Cindy Beckman’s father, who had a literal role in “Building Conway.”

So, hug your men this month. Let them know how important they are. I have much love for my own husband who has been such a good daddy to our children. He’s not perfect (no one is). But in our family, Cody is the one who shows his children what love really looks like. Maybe it is more intuitive for women to naturally have love so it isn’t questioned as much, I guess. But for a man to be present and willing to participate in the lives of his wife and children and lead them spiritually is certainly what love looks like.

Kelly

Contributing Writers Jeanette Anderton Hilary Andrews Cindy Beckman Andrea Champlin Eden Corley Melissa Gates – Cover Story Marisa Hicks Kelly Sublett Photographers Ron Beckman Andrea Champlin Lulu Photography – Cover Story Kelly Sublett Art Director Jay Prince Advertising Sales Director Lisa Licht Advertising Sales Executives Kelly Booy Crystal Geraldson Leigh Anne Gray Editorial Board Cindy Beckman Andrea Champlin Eden Corley Melissa Gates Lisa Licht Kelly Sublett

Questions or Comments?

Call (501) 327-6621 e-mail: ksublett@thecabin.net or write to: 1121 Front Street, Conway, AR, 72032 www.womensinc.net

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The Road Less Traveled:

Celebrating Nontraditional Dads

by Melissa Gates, photos by LuLu Photography There’s no doubt Dads are important; all Dads and all types of dads. But what’s more challenging than a non-traditional dad? This month we celebrate each and every one of them. We love you military dads. We love you dads who lose all inhibitions cheering your kids on at a sporting event. We also love you PTO grandpas who are at the elementary school every week; because grandpas are very much father figures.

Thirty-eight-year-old Lieutenant Colonel Josh Powers is a military dad. In charge of the ROTC program at UCA; he’s not only dad to Libby, 4, and Nate, 7, but to dozens of cadets.

“The biggest reason I wanted to lead ROTC was for the opportunity to mentor and develop the junior leaders of our military,” Josh says. “The proudest moments in the program come from the growth and maturing of the cadets. The highlight of this is when they raise their right hand and take the oath of office to commission as officers in the United States Army.”

The Powers family has lived all over the United States following Josh’s career. They’ve lived in Savannah, Georgia; twice in Hawaii; and in California.

Powers says his children are unfazed by his military accomplishments and call his uniform his “work costume.” But he loves the perks that come with being a military dad.

“One of the biggest advantages is the ability to move around and expose my kids and family to new places and new cultures,” he says. “Meeting new 6 WINC. | June 2019

Arthur Ingram, Kaiya and Kaeden womensinc.net 7

Jeremy Miller and Falyn, Gatlyn, Addie and Evie people and seeing new places helps them grow and adapt to changing environments and have new experiences. The military also provides great benefits and healthcare which has been critical for Nate’s development and care since he was born with Spina Bifida.“ Josh admits while the Army has been great to them, there are certainly challenges to being a military dad, too.

“Some of the challenges are the separations due to deployments or training exercises. The transient nature of assignments is a challenge especially when it comes to continuity of healthcare for Nate,” Josh says.

Even though Powers is also an Army helicopter pilot his most proud moments are not made in the air; but rather in his own home.

He says, “Being dad to my kids means playing super hero one minute, and having a tea party the next. They have very different interests but it’s fun to see them find common ground and work out their differences.”

Powers says his ideal Father’s Day would be spent going on a long run early in the morning, then taking his family to brunch, relaxing and playing at the pool with the kids, then having a pizza and movie night.

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Thirty-nine-year-old Arthur Ingram is the ultimate “cheer dad!”

And he’s very well known for it around town. His 11-year-old boy/girl twins are way into competitive cheerleading. Some say Ingram is even way more into competitive cheer than his twins are. He can frequently be found standing at the front door at cheer practice selling bed sheets or chocolate; throwing all he’s got into the current cheer fundraiser. He’s also known as quite the comedian and an incredibly devoted father.

“I love the connection I share with my kids. They are goofy and smart and adventurous. They are the absolute best parts of my wife and me,” Arthur says. “I love time spent with them doing the most, or absolutely nothing at all.”

Ingram, who has worked at Acxiom for 19 years, says, “One of the things that hasn’t changed about my kids (Kaeden and Kaiya) as they age is their delight in seeing me when I come home.

Whether it be picking them up from practice or coming home from a business trip; their faces light up.”

I asked Arthur from one twin parent to another (my boy/girl twins are 8), what his biggest challenge is as a father.

He says, “OMG, where do I start??!! They are expensive! They always want or need something, and for a cheapskate like me that’s nerve wracking! But the biggest challenge might be the

Josh Powers, Libby and Nate bickering. I think it’s part of any sibling relationship but it drives me bonkers.”

Arthur’s daughter started cheer when she was 4 years old. His son entered the world of cheer by accident.

“My daughter had like three hours of cheer practice a week and my son was full of energy. He had a hard time sitting in the lobby while we waited,” Arthur says. “So we put him a tumbling class and he took off. Cheer Force Arkansas has been great for my kids. They teach so much more than just cheer. They instill life lessons that are useful in other branches of life.”

Arthur says the practice schedule, fundraising, and travel to competitions is intense. But once they chose to commit; they fully committed.

“We’re doing it 100 percent. So, we tap grandparents, godparents, and Facebook friends (hey y’all!) for fundraisers. And once we’ve tapped everyone we know, we find others to tap,” he says.

But he wouldn’t change it for the world; his children are his world.

“My kids literally give me life. So, when I’m tired or run down or have had the longest day, when I make it to my house and my kids hear the garage door open they come find me (as long as my

son isn’t engaged in a killer Fortnite game). I find my strength in them, they’re my reason for going on,” he says. “It’s easy to keep going when I know their future is at the finish line.”

Thirty-seven-year-old Jeremy Miller is also a non-traditional dad. He stays home and raises the kids while his wife pursues a medical career as a nurse practitioner. They have four precious kiddos; Falyn, 8, Addie, 5, Gatlyn, 5, and Evie, 2. Jeremy and wife Krystine made the decision for him to stay home once child care costs for four little ones “got ridiculous.”

“We were paying $1,200 per month in childcare. It was cheaper for me to work less and stay home with the kids than pay childcare expenses,” Jeremy says. “The added bonus is we have more time together as a family. It was the best decision we have ever made!”

He admits there are times when it’s “awkward” being the dad at home; but he wouldn’t change it for the world.

“It’s funny being one of the few dads on a field trip or at school functions; trying to keep up with the house, trying to dress girls, and do their hair,” he says. womensinc.net 9

Jeremy’s favorite part about being a dad is being able to pass his knowledge onto his children. One of kids’ favorite parts about him being at home is he sometimes serves as a nail salon client.

“One of the funniest stories is when the girls painted my toes and I totally forgot about them being painted until we went to the lake and went swimming with extended family,” he says. “All

my brothers laughed so hard because I had bright pink and blue toenails!”

Jeremy walked me through an average day in their house: “wake up, cook breakfast, walk Falyn to school, play with the kids, run errands, fix lunch, lay them down for naps, clean up the kitchen.

Later we pick up Falyn from school, prepare dinner, give the kids baths, read stories, say prayers, then lay them down for bed.”

Whew, I’m exhausted just hearing about it!

Jeremy says his ideal Father’s Day would not be an escape from the craziness, or enjoying some quiet time; instead he’d want to spend it with his precious family at home cooking his specialty beef ribs, watching the kids play in the yard.

Happy Father’s Day to you; and all the father figures in Central Arkansas!

Melissa Gates has been telling stories in Faulkner County for more than a decade. She has interviewed a wide variety of interesting people from U.S. Presidents to rock stars, and countless community leaders. After growing up in the Midwest, she is thrilled to call Conway home, alongside her husband and three kids.

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Nana’s DY G-DAD

by Kelly Sublett

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G-Daddy: Making Memories, Bringing Family Together Publisher’s Note: Nana’s Kitchen is a well-loved feature of this “That’s how my mother did it. She would cook plenty of magazine.This month, we have chosen my own father to honor on this biscuits at breakfast and have enough left over for a snack in the Father’s Day edition and to get the ball rolling for all the male “Nanas” afternoon with a little jelly.” out there who love to cook to be featured anytime! If you know a His mother Muriel was a hard-working woman by all accounts great Nana or Papa or even a favorite aunt who has a recipe you who cooked every meal for four boys and her husband in want to share with the world, nominate between plowing farmland and her (or him) by emailing ksublett@ milking cows in rural Indiana. thecabin.net.

“I don’t know how she had time to do everything she did,” Mike Mike Ferguson stands 6-foot, says. “Between taking care of two 4-inches tall, and in a small kitchen of my brothers (who had physical at his home in Conway, there disabilities), doing her time on the is no room for anyone else — carpool, working the farm plowing except maybe the constant flux of and planting … there was never a grandchildren in and out, snatching lack of work to be done.” treats he’s stashed away in the So when a young boy asked for overflowing pantry or that line the oatmeal cookies, her response was shelves of his refrigerator. He allows “Here’s a recipe. Figure it out.” that.

“So I’ve been cooking since I He admittedly doesn’t “love” to cook, but he does love the could work the stove,” Mike recalls. “I guess 8 or 9 years old. She expectation that his orchestration and planning of family meals is handed me that recipe on the box, and I just said, ‘show’s over!’ the one thing that gets everyone together regularly.

I’ve been cooking ever since. Once I did that, it wasn’t anything to “I like kids in the house,” he says. “I like it when the whole cook what I wanted. I watched her cook a lot.” house is full and everyone is there. And I always cooked up more The growing young man and formidable athlete figured out he than we were able to eat because there’s enough for snacks later. would always have enough to eat if he cooked it himself.

“I read a lot of recipes for jerky, and I knew I could make it cheaper, so I just tested it out and this one stuck.”

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“I learned how to fry chicken, make a roast — the best roast was Mother’s — pork chops … I can make biscuits, but not like she did,” he says. “Pies were my favorite. That was THE thing she could make better than anything else and I never saw her look at a recipe. I loved her cherry pie.”

And Mike still makes pies, sometimes baking five or six for holidays to accommodate the favorite tastes of his three kids and four grandchildren who lovingly call him “G-Daddy.”.

“I started cooking for others after college,” he says. “I had a place of my own and couldn’t afford to go out. I did it so we would have something to eat!”

Mike moved from the small town of Roanne, Indiana, to attend college at the University of Arkansas at Monticello on a football scholarship where he met his wife, Gwen. He became a coach and the couple moved to South Carolina for a time before returning to Osceola, Arkansas, in the early 1970s. By 1978, the couple was back in Monticello and had three children. They eventually moved to Houston, Texas, where he continued to coach until he got his Master’s Degree in administration.

“My wife always had meals ready when I was coaching,” he says. “But after I got out of coaching and became an elementary assistant principal, I had more time to cook. Changing jobs allowed me to cook more.”

And marrying a true Southern woman, she fed him “cow food,” he laughs. Fried okra, fried squash and purple hull peas were new and delicious.

“The one thing I miss from Indiana are the fried tenderloins,” he explains. “They were pork chops with no bone that were beaten flat — like a chicken fried steak but pork. I miss those and a cold root beer!”

In the more than 20 years as a principal, Mike made sure his teachers were always well fed, creating special potlucks and “cake Mondays.”

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“Some of the other principals had candy in their offices and I didn’t want that,” he laughs. “So I would bake four cakes on a Sunday and bring them in on Mondays for the teachers to have with their coffee. They liked that a lot!

“Once a month, we had a potluck and I didn’t want to be the ‘guy who brought the ketchup,’ so I always tried to find something special to make, especially dessert or pie.”

Mike has “tons of cookbooks,” mostly because he likes to read them. He experiments and whenever there is a request for a dish, he finds one to amend. Taste of Home cookbooks are his favorite, he admits, because the recipes are easy and quick and use few ingredients. Now, he finds recipes online he likes to try and the cookbooks are boxed up in storage for the most part.

“I’m getting older and cutting carbs,” he says. “I can find a lot of things I like online nowadays.”

Over his 70-plus years, Mike says the best memories were family reunions when everyone brought homemade dishes to share.

“There were always a lot of different choices. Back then, they were always bringing their best special occasion food — not like church when they bring a bucket of KFC,” he laughs. “I remember coconut cake, deviled eggs and fried chicken.”

Now, all the children and grandchildren request his special beef jerky. He made the recipe up himself and regularly prepares baggies for those snatching a snack.

“I read a lot of recipes for jerky, and I knew I could make it cheaper, so I just tested it out and this one stuck,” Mike says. “It goes quick!”

If you know a favorite family cook and would like to nominate them for a feature, please email ksublett@thecabin.net.

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Chronicles of a Project Fail

By Andrea Champlin

This project started with high hopes and ended with a crash in my dining room.

As I was standing in my dining room with my jaw on the floor looking at broken glass, I was thinking what in the world am I going to do now? I have a deadline and I don’t have time to do another project.

I’d just spent about eight hours over several days working on a mirror that is now in several pieces.

This mirror had already overcome a major problem and just when I thought the worst had already happened, the worst actually did happen. I’m pretty good, but even I can’t salvage a broken mirror.

This project started out with me trying to antique a mirror. I’ve been thinking about trying this for a few years, ever since I saw some of the fabulous antique mirrors in Versailles. Now, I know that I can’t fully

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replicate a mirror from Versailles, but I thought I might be able to get the feel of a large antique mirror.

So I bought all of the supplies, and all of the safety equipment, and spent a few hours researching online the best way to do this project. Things started off pretty well. I used a mirror that I’ve had for about 15 years that either needed a facelift or to find a new home. I took off the frame and used paint thinner on the back of the mirror to get the black backing off.

The next step used muriatic acid, and this is stuff you don’t want to mess around with.

I’m including a picture of me in my safety gear just so you get an idea of how much the stuff freaked me out. Even when I was done using it and came in the house, I still felt like my skin was melting off and my lungs we’re burning.

Yes, maybe I’m being a little

dramatic, but I have a 10-year-old girl in my house, and I know drama.

So I thought things were going quite welI. I scraped all of the backing off the mirror and sprayed just the tiniest bit (I thought) of muriatic acid on the back. This is just supposed to create a few clear spots in the mirror where I can re-paint it black to get the antique look. Well, I did something wrong and more than a few spots came off the back of my mirror. The entire mirror came off and I was left with nothing but a sheet of glass! Uh oh.

Definitely not what I wanted to happen. But I’m an optimist. I’m sure I can salvage this mirror, um, piece of glass.

So I went to my local craft store and bought mirror finish paint. I used that along with some gold, black, and a little bit

a green (just for fun) to make a new mirror. And I must say, I didn’t think it was too bad. I could already envision it above the fireplace in my living room. I just had to put the mirror back together and hang it up there! No problem.

Well, as I was getting the mirror back into the frame, something happened that I could not recover from. I broke the mirror. I still can’t believe I did it. There’s no coming back from that one.

So normally I give you a supply list and tell you what to do in a DIY, but I’m going to call this one a GBI (Go Buy It).

Just don’t do it. Stay away from the paint thinner. Especially stay away from the muriatic acid. Just buy an antique mirror if you want one. That’s what I’m going to do, because there is zero chance I’m trying this again.

Andrea Champlin is a Conway transplant with a new appreciation for toads and mythical creatures. She’s a wife, mom of three, and likes to create pretty things all while trying to get the mom thing right. Andrea can usually be found toting her kids around or planning their next trip, but always with paint on her hands.

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The Calm During t One day my husband and I were standing in the garage, finishing the loose ends of a conversation, when I looked past his face at a peripheral black blur behind him on the wall. As the blur came into focus I realized it was the most enormous tarantula I’d ever seen. Instantly my voice stopped working, clearly having been sucked out of my body by the tarantula’s evil vortex. All I could do was moan and point and race into the house, leaving my husband standing there confused as he scanned the area to determine what threat I was alluding to. I heard him audibly wince when he realized what it was. He came inside to calm me down before waging the impending battle, and I found words: “Shoot it.”

I must have said it over and over, and then I burst into tears. That’s right; I sobbed and yelled “Get the gun” because there was an arachnid in our house and, as far as I’m concerned, an intruder is an intruder. He quickly explained why he would not shoot a hole into our wall, and promptly evicted our unwelcome guest.

The man is merciful but just. I’ve felt safe from spiders ever since.

Indulge me for a moment while I describe a person you do not want to be with when there’s a fire. She is likely to freeze while standing in a house that might burn down. She stops understanding her native tongue and doesn’t respond when you give gentle commands like “If there is anything in here you want to keep then grab it and go.” She will just stare at you when you tell her to move the cars so they don’t catch fire and blow up, or gather the pets and take them across the street. She does not have it all together and she is in sheer panic. There are no firefighters around; you live in a rural community and await the volunteer crew to arrive, which can take some time. Flames are just 20 feet from your back door, fire crawling across the grass, heat almost unbearable. It is at this point in our scene when my husband grabs our garden hose, turns it on, and walks toward the fire, climbs the fence, and begins spraying everything in its

path to keep it from spreading. My hero. At just 23 years old, I looked at that man standing at the top of a fence that must have been scalding with radiant heat and thought “He would make an incredible father.”.

I’ll never forget the time my husband asked “Are you sure you didn’t just pee on yourself?” when I yelled from the other room that my water had broken. He was rounding our fouryear-old up because, after hours of my insisting that it was just false labor, I decided to go get checked at the hospital. I had walked and swayed through hours of contractions, so when my body finally let me know that it was go time, I panicked. All of the sudden I couldn’t get in the car fast enough and was sure I would be one of those people who gives birth in her car. After a rush to the hospital, being wheeled into a delivery room still wearing my own clothes, and not a drop of relief from waves of excruciating pain, I looked into the big brown eyes on the man I call my husband and thought “Look how capable this guy is!”. If you didn’t know any better, you would swear he was a professional labor partner, and you’d never believe me when I tried to convince you that he mistook amniotic fluid for urine only an hour before! I can’t get the image of his face out of my mind, big brown eyes full of peace, comfort, faith that I could do what needed to be done, love for the vessel and the precious content inside.

He won’t remain calm when my four year old throws an epic tantrum about wearing a princess dress to softball practice. He won’t remain calm when the dog eats the seat off his lawnmower.

He won’t remain calm when the baby cries for the entire hour while mom, and the milk, is at the gym. But when our little girl grows up and her faith is shaken by the death of a loved one, he will hold her hand and offer peace. When that baby becomes a man with a family and loses his job, he will offer prayer and the reminder of where the real Treasures are found. When his wife

“But when that little girl grows up and her faith is shaken by the death of a loved one, he will hold her hand and offer peace.”

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the Storm struggles to bear the weight of emptiness as her babies grow and move away, he will whisk her off to a romantic place and kiss all that emptiness away. And just as he will not let me hang a single picture frame without using a level to ensure balance, he will not grow weary in his efforts to recenter his family. He will keep our tires aired up, our grass mowed down, and our heads bowed in prayer.

If you watch television or access social media, you will find an abundance of humorous anecdotes about the variance between the capabilities of women and men. I have guffawed a few times, myself, about the fact that when my husband gets a sinus infection it’s nearly apocalyptic. We all have our strengths, and he hasn’t mastered the battle between his immune system and the evils who wage war against it just yet. However, I can see his path to fatherhood and it began long before I ever chose him. It was sewn into him, thread by thread, since he was a little boy looking up to grown men. As he read the words of his

by Melissa West

Heavenly Father, he learned of sacrifice, patience, long-suffering, forgiveness, compassion, loyalty, faith, and courage. My husband’s servant-heart has mirrored the love of Jesus to his family more times than we could count. He loves the mother of his children, just as God commanded him to do, and that love will be the glue that holds our family together as he leads us toward Eternity.

And when that sinus infection rears its ugly head again, and my patience with it has worn thin, I pray I will remember all the times he has been our calm in the real storms.

Melissa West is a God-follower, middle-school science teacher, wife, and mother.

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Hey Bud – This One’s for You About this time last year, I wrote an article for Winc entitled, Hey Bubba.Watch This.

In that article I talked about some of the rather dumb things that guys do (or try to do, anyway) and blamed them primarily on testosterone. When I was doing my research, I was surprised to learn that testosterone levels begin to decline in men starting around the age of 30. We men tend to make snide remarks about the effects of declining estrogen levels in women but it’s not so funny when we are dealing with declining testosterone levels.

Guys tend to ignore a lot of different health issues – we think we’re bulletproof. It took the research scientists at Pfizer laboratories and their breakthrough discovery of the little blue pill to get most men to darken the doors of their doctor’s office. While we are on that subject, Smith Family Pharmacy has generic Viagra® and, more recently, generic Cialis® available at a very affordable price. So, the once very expensive, almost budget-breaking treatment for erectile disfunction is now quite inexpensive. Give us a call for more details.

That’s not the primary topic for this article, though.

There’s a joke about a man who goes to the doctor complaining that he sees spots.

The receptionist asks, “Have you ever seen a doctor?” and he replies, “No. Just the spots.”

While that may be humorous, it reveals a sad truth. Men are much less likely than women to look after their health and see physicians. They’re 25 percent less likely to have visited a health-care provider in the

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past year and almost 40 percent more likely to have skipped recommended cholesterol screenings, according to the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Sadly, it seems that nagging from women is the main reason men ever go to the doctor at all.

Let’s briefly cover some of the most common health issues facing men today and why they contribute to historically shorter life expectancy compared to women. All of these might be altered if we guys would seek medical attention and not downplay the severity of symptoms.

It should come as no surprise that heart disease is the leading cause of death in both men and women. However, men tend to develop it earlier in life than women and according to the CDC, 1 out of every 4 men has some form of heart disease and are 50% more likely to die from it than are women.

Eating healthy foods, being physically active, and knowing your numbers such as blood pressure and cholesterol can decrease your risk of heart disease.

Stroke comes in at number 2. The incidence rate of stroke is 1.25 times greater in men than in women, according to the American Stroke Association. Up to half of all strokes are preventable. High blood pressure, a major risk factor for stroke, can be controlled by partnering with your physician.

Cancer, specifically, prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in American men.

In the United States, 1 out of every 9 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime. That means 11% of all men in this country will develop prostate cancer.

That is pretty darn close to the 12% risk of breast cancer in women, and I dare say a statistically larger number of women will have regular screenings for that than we male counterparts will for prostate cancer.

It is the second leading type of cancer death in men after lung cancer. This disease is definitely treatable if found early. Lung cancer could easily have been listed as number 3 because it is the leading cancer killer among men in the US. According to the CDC, an astonishing 90% of lung cancer cases are caused by cigarette smoking. To put it bluntly, I believe in the 3-S rule: StopSmoking-Stupid!

Suicide. There are so many more that I could list, but suicide is a huge problem for both men and women. Statistically, more women attempt suicide than men, but more men actually commit suicide. Depression and suicidal thoughts are far more common than we’d like to admit and there is absolutely no reason to be ashamed if this applies to you.

Please, don’t become another statistic for any of the above. Man up and go see your doctor.

David Smith is the owner and chief pharmacist at Smith Family Pharmacy where he works with his wife Shirley and staff. He graduated from the UAMS College of Pharmacy in 1974 and has been taking care of people in the Conway and surrounding areas for more than 44 years. He loves spending time with family and is No1POP to 5 wonderful grandchildren.

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TOWN E M HO

HERO

Hometown Hero Seth Henry

by Kelly Sublett From the Publisher: In March,World War II veteran Seth Henry sent a letter to the editor of the Log Cabin Democrat asking if anyone in Faulkner County could remember him. He turned 100 years old on March 13.The Log Cabin posted Mr. Henry’s note on Facebook, and within just a couple of days, the post was seen by 30,000 people, had 350 shares and nearly 150 comments.

Folks commented happy birthday greetings, but also began relaying messages of possible familial relationships.The Log Cabin coordinated with the assisted living facility where Mr. Henry resides and he began receiving cards and letters within the week. According to his daughter, Martha Davis, Mr. Henry was “overjoyed.”WINC Magazine has chosen Mr. Henry as this month’s Hometown Hero, not only for his service to our country, but his love for his childhood community.The following was provided by Ms. Davis.

To send notes to Mr. Henry: Seth Henry 3505 Boone Road Apt. 203 Benton, AR 72015

Seth Henry, a native of Faulkner County, celebrated his 100th birthday on March 13, 2019. He was born to Grover Cleveland (Cleve) and Alice Brown Henry in the community of Mt.Vernon. He had three siblings, Hubert, G.C. and Mary Lou Henry Protho.

When recalling his early years, he remarked that “there were no utilities when I was growing up in Mt.Vernon. Some of the wagon trails had ditches pulled, and they rearranged the mud occasionally. I spent a lot of time picking cotton with my parents and siblings. We had 30 acres of corn and 30 acres of cotton. I planted every row while walking behind a mule or horse, but it was good training for life. The first five years of my schooling was at Garland Springs in a one-room schoolhouse. We walked 1 1/2 miles to get there. After that, I went to Mt.Vernon schools and graduated there in 1937.”

Seth went on to attend Arkansas State Teachers College at Conway for two years, but then came the rumblings of World War II. His National Guard unit at college was

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The picture above shows Seth’s great-grandchildren. Left to right are Ava McGraw, Colin Frisby, Lucas Campbell, Madie Cross, Seth Henry, Aidan Frisby, Wyatt Cross, Emma McGraw, and Joshua Cross. Not picture is Jillian Cross. (Taken at 100th birthday party.) mobilized immediately before Christmas, 1940, and he became a member of the 153rd infantry. His unit trained at Camp Robinson in North Little Rock, and then went to Washington state.

During the war, he was stationed in the Aleutian Islands chain near Alaska as part of a labor battalion. When asked about what memory stood out most from the war, Seth said “we invaded Kiska Island, and I was so happy that the Japanese had already gone, although I was assigned to guard two prisoners in the stockade. I’m not sure if they had been moved there from another location, or were somehow left behind. By transfer, I barely missed the Battle of the Bulge, where most of my previous unit was killed.”

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Seth attended officer candidate school at Ft. Benning, Georgia, and was commissioned a second lieutenant.

After he returned from the war, Seth told his distant cousin, Ola Heffington, also a Mt.Vernon native, that “I’m ready for a wife.”

Ola’s roommate happened to be a beautiful young lady named Clara Bacheller, who was working at Camp Robinson as the colonel’s stenographer at the time. Ola introduced her to Seth, and she became the love of his life.

They were married in Little Rock on Oct. 27, 1946. Their marriage last 66 years until she passed in 2013.

Seth finished college in 1950, receiving a bachelor of science degree in agriculture from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. In l955, the family moved to

Stuttgart, where he began work as a research assistant at U of A Rice Research and Extension Center. He conducted a variety of experiments, including rice, oat, soybean and Lespedeza breeding, weed control, diseases in rice, and mosquito control research.

His knowledge and love of plants carried over to become a life-long hobby. Recalling when he first became interested in plants, he said ”probably when I was a boy, growing up in Enola. Mother liked flowers and I did too.”

The garden at his home held a wife expanse of flower beds, trees, shrubbery and ferns. He enjoyed using his knowledge to help others with landscaping, including the Arkansas County Agricultural Museum, several area schools, his church, and many friends. He was a founding member of the Arkansas County Master Gardeners group, which was started in 1985.

An avid reader, he also enjoyed doing bookbinding for local schools.

Seth and Clara were active members of First Baptist Church of Stuttgart, where he served as a deacon and on various committees through the years. He also served as a leader of the Royal Ambassador’s, a group which spiritually molded young men to be leaders in the church.

They are the parents of two daughters, Mary Alice McGraw(Tracy) of Stuttgart and Martha Davis(Tom) of Benton. They have five grandchildren and nine greatgrandchildren.

When asked for his life motto, he said “nobody is perfect, but everybody should try. I do march to the beat of a different drummer!”

Seth enjoys staying current with local and national news, reading, and keeping up with the activities of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He currently resides at Mt. Carmel Community Assisted Living, where he was recently honored with a 100th birthday celebration attended by many family and friends.

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ADVERTISEMENT

SMITH FORD:

A Family Legacy of Service and Quality Continues

Kenne (left) and Sam Ketcheside, father and son, 4th and 5th generations of Smith Ford.

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Smith Ford is now serving the Faulkner County area under the fifth generation of Smiths! Samuel Gatlin Smith founded Smith Ford in 1916, and now Sam Ketcheside and Cate Ketcheside-McConnell, the great great-grandchildren of the founder, work alongside the Smith Family!

WINC Magazine had a chance to sit down with Kenne Ketcheside, General Manager, and ask a few questions about the family business and what continues to “drive” their success: What founding principles are still honored today?

Kenne paraphrased his father-in-law by saying,“There is always time to do it right the second time. . .or in other words, slow down and do it right the first time.” Kenne also mentioned, “Put yourself in your customer’s shoes. . .or car!”

Mr. Ketcheside also mentioned that the biggest change he has seen in our community over the generations has been the home computer and now mobile technology!

The change has overarchingly been a great evolution for the business. 80% of the time the technology and knowledge that customers have at their fingertips is a positive for the business! The family value of “Be fair and do the right thing!” has integrated itself nicely into the business affairs!

When asked how he deals with work conflict, Kenne stated, “Just listen and work through it. . . everyone wants to be heard.” Speaking of being heard. . Kenne ended the meeting by stating that one of the most difficult parts of his job is convincing his family that he is right. . . always in regards to pleasing his customers!

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Down Under

with the Family

by Andrea Champlin

We hadn’t planned on taking the kids to Australia for spring break, but when you’re presented with an amazing flight deal to Sydney, you dust off the kid’s passports and pack your bags.

Honestly, Australia hadn’t even been on our radar for two reasons: the expense and the length of the flight. We had a seventeen hour direct flight from Houston to Sydney, and honestly, it wasn’t that bad, even with children ages 6, 8, and 10.

They all handled it so well! You just put on your compression socks and deal with it. If you want to see everything we used on our long flight, you can go to my blog at TheMajesticMama.com.

We arrived in Sydney at 7 in the morning, so we had the full day ahead of us. The first thing we had to get used to was the steering wheel being on the opposite side of the car. We got to our AirBNB using Uber and my husband tried to jump in the driver’s seat, and then he realized there was a steering wheel there!

We stayed in downtown Sydney in an area called The Rocks.

This was the first section of Sydney that was settled by the

British when it was used as a penal colony. It was a ten minute walk from the main tourist areas with the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House.

Our first morning was spent walking around The Rocks and to the Circular Quay. We saw the bridge, the opera house, and then walked to the Royal Botanic Gardens. This took the whole day! It was a beautiful walk with so many new sights. Whenever you see something iconic like the Sydney Opera House, it always takes your breath away little bit, or it does for me anyway. We got back to our house at 5:30. My 8-year-old son, Andrew, suggested we lie down and “rest our legs” for a little bit. We all woke up twelve hours later!

The Blue Mountains and Featherdale Park Our second full day in Sydney was a small group tour of the Blue Mountains and Featherdale Wildlife Park. I thought the meeting time of 6:55 might be a problem, but we were all up

and ready to go! We even got to the meeting point (a hotel two blocks away) early!

This was an amazing tour. Our guide was a professional that had been giving tours for 20 years. We were on a small, 16 passenger van, and our first stop was the Blue Mountains. After trying some Australian donuts and going to the overlook to see the magnificent Three Sisters rock formation, we got back on the bus and headed to Scenic World.

At an overlook with the famous Three Sisters rock formation behind us.

At Scenic World we got on the Scenic Skyway, which has a partial glass floor and takes you over the ancient ravines. Next was the Scenic Cableway which took us down to a 2.4 kilometer walk through a Jurassic rainforest. I must say, seeing the same type of rainforest that was around during the time of the dinosaurs was pretty cool. I almost expected a tyranosaurus rex to come out the jungle. After our walk through the rainforest, we

got on the steepest cable car in the world (on rails that used to haul coal) to head back up the mountain.

This was a short tour and great for getting an overview of the Blue Mountains. I’m sure you could spend a lot more time exploring, but it was perfect for us. We went to another scenic overlook before stopping for lunch and heading to Featherdale Wildlife Park.

With our small tour group. Our guide said this was an unusual tour group for him, because everyone was from North America.

The star of the show at Featherdale Wildlife Park are the koalas. They’re just as cute as they look in photos. Sydney is in the state of New South Wales, and there is a state law that does not allow tourists to hold koalas. This is not true everywhere in Australia, but here you’re only allowed to pet the cute little guys in Sydney. We also saw kangaroos, dingoes, crocodiles, wombats, a cassowary, and little penguins! I had no idea that Australia was home to penguins!

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Cockatoo Island and Manly Beach One of the neat things about Sydney is that you have to take a ferry to get a lot of places. Cockatoo Island is one of them. It was used as a penal colony and you can tour the remains of the cells on the island. We took the audio tour and let’s just say that those held on Cockatoo Island did not have a pleasant existence. The island was later used to build ships.

Next we took another ferry to Manly Beach. The walk from the ferry to the beach was filled with shops and restaurants. It was a very lively scene and reminded me a little bit of California.

The was a strong current the day we went, so the children didn’t do much swimming, but did manage to dig a huge hole in the sand that filled with water that they went “swimming” in.

The Rocks Market Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday there is a market in The Rocks. We went Friday and Sunday we liked it so much. There

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were so many local artists and fun things to see. We enjoyed walking around and spending hours watching the people and chatting with vendors.

SEA LIFE Aquarium We went to the aquarium on a Saturday, which maybe wasn’t our best decision, because it was very crowded, but it was still wonderful. We even found Nemo! We opted to do a private fish feeding tour and a glass bottom boat tour. So we were in the crowds of the aquarium for about an hour and then we met our tour guide. My kids loved feeding the fish!

The glass bottom boat tour was given over a manmade coral.

We saw sharks, rays, and sea turtles. There’s also a diving option where you can go diving with sharks, but the minimum age is 14 on that one, so we had to skip it. We finished our tour through the rest of the aquarium and ended with the Penguin Expedition ride.

Sydney Fish Market I’ve been to the fish market in Seattle, but this was crazy! There were so many people! It was a very lively place and it was fascinating to walk around and see all of the seafood for sale there. We stopped in a restaurant and ordered a sampler platter and tried to taste as much as we could.

Bondi Beach A trip to Sydney wouldn’t be complete without visiting the famous Bondi (pronounced Bond-eye) Beach. We didn’t get in the water this time but we had dinner at the Bondi Icebergs Club. There were beautiful views of Bondi Beach and we saw the Bondi Baths pool. This pool is filled with waves from the ocean and they clean the seaweed out once week.

Australia is a great first international trip for children, despite the long flight over.

The people are friendly and there are so many things to do. We were only able to see Sydney this time, but Australia is huge and there are so many options. This trip went so well, we’re already planning our next international adventure as a family.

Andrea Champlin is a Conway transplant with a new appreciation for toads and mythical creatures. She’s a wife, mom of three, and likes to create pretty things all while trying to get the mom thing right. Andrea can usually be found toting her kids around or planning their next trip, but always with paint on her hands.

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WISH Closet

by Hilary Andrews

In September 2018, Central Baptist College requested, and received, $100,000 from Conway Corporation.

The endowed scholarship was for CBC’s WISH (Women in Support of Hope) Program, formed to provide scholarships to under-served women in the community and to provide them with an opportunity to attend college.

Sancy Faulk, CBC’s vice president for advancement said the WISH program spawned from a “women’s giving circle,” a place where those in the local community came together to help other women.

“A woman’s education can change more than just her life — it can vastly impact her children, parents and other members of her family,” Faulk told the Log Cabin Democrat recently. “Education has the power to foster generational change in the life of a family, catalyze others to make changes in their lives and serves to give women tools which make them more confident parents, employees, and citizens.”

She said the WISH Circle exists to “give the gift of higher education” to women who would not otherwise have that opportunity.

Faulk said the group prayed and dreamed about a women’s initiative at CBC for years.

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“After several conversations and focus groups with women in our community, the WISH Circle began to take shape and was officially launched in November 2017,” she said.

To date, three scholarships to women enrolled in CBC’s PACE (Professional Adult College Education) Program have been given out but Faulk said the group is also working to launch a mentorship program in 2019, open to WISH scholarship recipients and to women in PACE. “The first WISH scholarship recipient will graduate in May 2019, in just a couple of months,” she said. “We are so excited to celebrate this first for the WISH Circle.”

Faulk said one of three three scholarship recipients was referred to them through a local non-profit agency.

“That is the model we would like to follow in the future,” she said.

“The goal of this meeting is to inform nonprofit leaders about the opportunities available through the WISH Circle,” Faulk said.

“Nonprofit leaders who serve women were welcome to attend.

In addition, Faulk said CBC also offers the Women United Career Closet, a collaborative effort between the United Way of Central Arkansas, the Salvation Army, the Women’s Shelter of Central Arkansas, the WISH Circle and Y107.

“The WISH Circle conducted a clothing drive in late 2018,” she said. “We are currently working to get all of the clothing inventoried, tagged and moved over to the space that has been provided by the Salvation Army.”

As for feedback, Faulk said she thinks the women donating to the closet are thankful for a dedicated place to give both professional and career clothing and accessories.

“They are also excited that women who need these items will be able to access them very soon,” she said.

As for how soon, Faulk said they hope to have the closet ready for use by partner agencies shortly “The Women United Career Closet is a great example of agencies within our community partnering together to provide a meaningful service for women in our community,” Faulk said. “Each agency provides a part of what is needed to make this program successful. I can’t wait to see what other collaborative efforts come about in the future.”

She said the WISH Circle overall has evolved into something that all are excited about but for CBC especially, it’s another program that furthers the mission of the institution.

“Central Baptist College is committed to transforming lives through education that integrates Christian faith and academic excellence in a Christ-centered environment,” Faulk said. “The WISH Circle exists to foster transformational change in the lives of women by providing a means to achieve higher education.”

For the women involved, she said, it’s more than just donating money to provide a scholarship or clothes.

“It is about truly impacting the lives of women and being able to walk alongside them during their journey … whether that means helping them choose a job interview outfit from the [career closet,] proofing a resume, or offering words and prayers of encouragement to stick it out in a class when things get tough,” Faulk said.

What makes it different than other programs, she said, is the fact that it gives other women in the community the ability to come along side and support other women and make a true impact in their lives.

For more information contact Amy Reed, CBC Director of Development and WISH Circle Steering Committee Chair, at areed@cbc.edu.

‘It is about truly impacting the lives of women and being able to walk alongside them during their journey.”

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Conversations with a

Jennifer and Thad McCracken Occupations: Thad is the head men’s basketball coach at Hendrix College & Assistant Athletic Director and Jenn is the Director of Wellness Programs at Hendrix College.

Children: The couple has two children, Kaden (Kade), 9, and Kamden (Kam), 6.

Hometowns: Thad is originally from Bedford, Indiana, and Jenn is from Frankfort, Kentucky.

Something people would be surprised to learn about you?: Thad won a steak eating contest by finishing a 47 oz steak, baked potato, and salad in 17 minutes. Jenn got a hole-in-one during a golf tournament while she was in college.

What’s the last music you listened to as a family while driving? Clayton Anderson...one of Thad’s high school friends who is currently recording in Nashville.

What’s your guilty pleasure? Both: Tuesday nights at Tios with our friends.

What’s the one thing in your home you want to get rid of but that your spouse won’t allow? Thad: Big picture of a cow hanging in our kitchen. Jenn: Old t-shirts that he currently uses as rags. We have millions!

Who is your favorite animated character? Both: The Incredibles What are you most passionate about? Both: Helping kids in need.

What is the furthest you’ve been from home and why?

Thad: I went to Italy and coached a Hendrix team in the summer of 2010. Jenn: San Juan Puerto Rico for a college golf tournament when I played for Eastern Kentucky University.

Do you prefer mountains or the beach? Both: Beach!

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Who do you most admire? Thad: Coach Cliff Garrison Jenn: My Mamaw Which is your favorite restaurant in town? Both: Too many to chose!

Is your family more Elvis or Beatles? Both: Beatles Who is the better driver? Thad and Jenn: both say themselves haha Who is the calmest? Both: Thad What is your family’s favorite hobby? Both: Golfing in the summer Where do you go to church? Both: Conway’s First Baptist What is your favorite memory as a family? Both: Riding Expedition Everest on our first trip to Disney.

Cody Sublett is a native to Faulkner County. He is a local business owner and enjoys sharing the personalities of the people he meets. Whether it is another small business owner or a family he has had the pleasure of working for, the Cadron Creek Craftsman is happy to share a little bit about the people who make Central Arkansas unique and diverse.

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A Look Back...

Antioch Baptist Church, once located on the northeast corner of South Boulevard and Davis Street, built a new sanctuary during 1972-73. As students at Sallie Cone Elementary across the street, my brother and I were allowed to ride home with Dad that year instead of riding the bus. Photo Credit: Cindy Beckman

Leaving a Legacy

by Cindy Beckman Happy Father’s Day! With this month’s focus on fathers, I’d like to take a moment to recognize and honor the legacy that my Dad, Eddie Burnett, has created during his lifetime of building. Here’s a look back at the imprint he made on Conway and my life.

My Dad was a commercial superintendent for 30-plus years, overseeing the construction of many commercial and public buildings in the area. Each one seemed almost part of the family by the time we watched them “grow up.” We still keep tabs on them today!

In addition to the numerous buildings, Dad also helped “grow up” numerous young carpenters over the years who worked on his jobs. He still keeps tabs on them too, just as if they were his own kids. These “hands” still come by to visit Dad, reminiscing about those memorable days working with him.

Dad began his construction career in the millwork shop at Nabholz Construction but later went to work for Starkey 40 WINC. | June 2019

Construction, a company started by my uncles in 1960. He worked for Starkey for 25 years, building anything from residential to commercial.

While I don’t remember much about the earlier builds— like the St. Joseph Rectory or the Peace Lutheran Church, I do remember the construction of the new Antioch Baptist Church sanctuary on South Boulevard. That was the year I got to walk across the street from my elementary school and ride home with Dad instead of taking the school bus home.

I also remember the construction of the First Baptist Church Chapel and Sunday school rooms on Ash Street.

Later, as a teen, I was part of the large youth group that met there every Wednesday night.

When I was in junior high, Dad drove to Beebe every day to oversee the construction of the large and unusually shaped Fine Arts Center on the ASU Beebe campus. When I was in high school, he traveled to Fairfield Bay every day, supervising the construction of the Fairfield Bay Convention

Dad supervised the construction of UCA’s new Irby Hall in 1992-1993 after the old Irby Hall, which held the training school, was removed. In the summer of 1993, my husband and I, both teachers who often took summer jobs, helped Dad with the final cleanup of the building to get it ready for fall classes. Dad also supervised the construction of six other buildings at UCA during those years.

Photo Credit: Ron Beckman

In 1986, Dad and I spent the summer building my parents a new house. The recently completed house is shown here. Photo Credit: Cindy Beckman

Center. He drove those long miles every day just to make sure he was home with us each night.

While I was in college at UCA, Dad oversaw the construction of the first elevators in Old Main and the Student Center.

Elevators were being retrofitted in many buildings at the time to make them handicapped accessible. It was somehow comforting to see my Dad working on a job site as I crossed campus each day.

After I graduated and began teaching, Dad went to work for Cone Construction and spent even more time at UCA. He oversaw the remodeling of Bernard Hall and Torreyson Library, then supervised the south addition to Herrin Hall. He also oversaw the construction of the new Irby Hall, Laney Hall and the Physical Therapy Building. My husband Ron and I worked with him one summer, helping with the final cleanup of Irby Hall.

The last major construction project Dad supervised before he retired was the First Security Bank building on Old Morrilton Highway. When I stop there today, veteran bank employees still reminisce fondly about when Dad was overseeing the construction of the building and they were working at the nearby temporary facility.

In retirement, Dad still occasionally oversees construction projects. He facilitated the construction a new sanctuary for his church, Pleasant Valley Baptist Church south of Wooster, and more recently, helped with the construction of the church’s new activity center.

Out of all the construction projects Dad has overseen, however, the build that brings back my fondest memories took place in the summer of 1986. I had just finished my first year of teaching and moved home to help him build a new home for himself.

Every morning we cranked up the volume so we could hear the top country hits of the 1980s on KSSN as we worked.

“Everything that glitters is not gold” blared out numerous times a day! I held elevation sticks and tape measures while Dad laid out the house. We hauled and shoveled sand and dirt for the foundation then I helped him frame the new house up.

Together, we watched subcontractors lay brick, nail roofing, and hang and finish sheetrock. Dad built the cabinets and installed the trim work. I kept the place cleaned up and painted…and painted.

It had to be one of the best and most memorable summers of my life.

Eddie Burnett is one of the good guys, leaving a legacy through his work, the young “hands” he’s mentored and his own children.

Happy Father’s Day Dad! We love you!

Cindy Beckman is a local freelance writer. She writes A Look Back, a weekly Tuesday column; A Look Forward, a bi-monthly Sunday column; and the daily Yesterdays column for the Log Cabin. She has also authored several local history books and articles. She may be reached at beckman@windstream.net

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Sparking Joy to Sell Your Home

by Morgan Jessup Tidwell If you don’t know or haven’t at very least heard of Marie Kondo then I can only assume the obvious…. that you live under a rock. But just in case you are an under- rock dweller I’ll fill you in. Marie Kondo is the “it girl” when cleaning out and organizing your home or office space. Her entire process is based on one question, “does it spark joy”? Simple enough, right? We think so and in order to get your home ready to sell (be it now or in the future) we’ve adopted Marie’s method to help give your home a small but very impactful face lift.

Let’s play a game. I’m going to say a word and you tell me the first thing that comes to your mind. Ready? Your word is, “Spring”. As an Arkansan your first thought was likely “allergies” and understandably so. However, the word we were looking for is “cleaning”. Spring cleaning is never at the top of anyone’s fun list but with a little guidance and a possible return on investment you may just enjoy Spring cleaning this year. Below are six home organization ideas that will help to “spark joy” for you as well as the potential value of your property.

1) Boost Bathroom Storage Capacity On average, minor bathroom remodeling projects see a 102% return at resale. I’d say that’s worth the elbow grease, wouldn’t you? So, what do we mean when saying “minor” repairs? Minor repairs such as cleaning out bathroom cupboards and tossing anything out of date and keeping only what you actually use (fact: women are the worst at product hoarding) are simple examples that will make a big difference. Other things such as mounting shelves on the wall to store towels or placing a cabinet above the toilet to add storage space not only makes an aesthetic difference but will also make your morning routine much smoother.

2) Upgrade Your Laundry Room It’s time to sort through all those socks without matches.

Side note: This, in my opinion, is one of life’s greatest unsolved mysteries. WHERE DO THE SOCKS GO???? We can put a man on the moon but no one can tell me where the matches to all the socks have gone?!?! It’s insane!! But getting back on track…

Get your laundry room organized with cubies and cabinets for things like your iron, detergent, dryer sheets, etc. Also, install a hanging rack to hang- dry garments. Another good tip is to use a divided hamper to sort dirty clothes. All of these small touches will make things look amazing as well as simplify your life.

3)Fully Utilize your Basement or Attic The average basement and/or attic remodel can see an estimated 60% to 70% return on investment. Most people can’t even tell you much less remember everything they have stored away in their basement or attic. If you think about it, going through everything deciding if it “sparks joy” or not could be kind of fun. Who knows what all you’ll find that you’ve forgotten??

After sorting through and deciding what stays and what goes you’ll now need to organize the space in such a way that it is most functional for you and your family, roommates, etc. To do this you may want to again, install cabinet space or maybe even set up a table to create a craft room. Basements and attics are great spaces for game rooms, media rooms or even play rooms for the kids.

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4)Customize Your Closets A well-equipped closet can be a major draw for buyers-the average return on a closet remodel is 57%. But not only that, when surveyed, homeowners gave their closet remodel a (to put it in Kondo terms) “Joy Score” of 10 out of 10. We start this process by letting go of the dream that we will one day fit back in to those size negative 8 pants we used to fit in to when we were 13 years old and get rid of them.You cannot tell me that looking at pants that make you feel so much bigger than you actually are every day brings you any joy at all, because I won’t believe you. So, let em go and ship em out!! After the weeding of the wardrobe is finished it is now time to designate spaces for each type of clothing. Hang long dresses on the tall rack along with pants and long sweaters. Hang sleeveless tops together, short sleeve tops together and so on. Some people even go to the point of color coordinating their closets and to them I say, “you amaze me more than you will ever know”… but those folks are just on a whole other level. I’m organizing in hopes of surviving my day but if you have the energy to color coordinate then more power to ya!!

Closets include accessories.You’ll need drawer space for jewelry and hooks for hats and handbags. Once you “Kondo” your closet you’ll not only love it, you’ll want to hang out in it all the time!

5)Install Built-in Bookcases and Cabinets By now I’m sure you’re catching on to the recurring theme here and that is cabinets.Visually appealing storage space is a huge draw when talking about buyers. By visually appealing I mean it looks so nice and clean on the outside which in turn gives you the luxury to be your unorganized mess of a self behind those pretty cabinet doors and no one will ever know. We are talking win, win situation. If you have the option of installing built in cabinets or shelves then always keep in mind that in order to attract a wide variety of potential buyers, standard sizes and finishes will always be your best bet.

6)Equip Your Garage Here is a rule of thumb you can use when deciding when it’s time to clean out the garage. If you aren’t using your garage to park your car(s) because it has too much other stuff being stored, that would be the time to consider a “Kondo” day or weekend. As with the basement, attic, laundry room, closet and bathroom you will need to start going through and gaging the “Joy” each and every item brings you. Once you’ve established the keeping pile from the trash pile you can then start your organizing process again by designating space to all items.You can do this by installing cabinets!! You totally didn’t see that coming did you?? But it is just so true. Organized storage is a huge part of attracting buyers and also making your day to day processes and routines so much easier!

If you are in the market to sell or even considering selling in the distant future and you’d like more information on getting your home ready to sell then give ERA TEAM Real Estate a call!! We would love to help you “Spark Joy”.

501.327.6731 www.erateamrealestate.com

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Celebrating Our #1 In 2018, Conway Regional was named #1 in Central Arkansas for Medical Excellence in Overall Hospital Care*, among 50+ other awards. While we’re proud of our awards, our team is driven by something more: you.

Our #1 priority is and will always be you, the patient, and that’s the #1 worth celebrating. *CareChex® — an information service of Quantros, Inc.