SCRUMPTIOUS - FEBRUARY 2021

®

SCRUMPTIOUS

february 2021 DoSouthMagazine.com

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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february

Contents 04 05 16

What’s New Letter from Catherine

10

Get Bookish:

Special Feature:

February Recommendations

Women in Business

30

Valentine DIY:

Special Delivery

56

Special Feature:

Wedding Guide

{COMMUNITY}

06

Nonprofit Spotlight:

Bost, Inc.

08 11

{ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT }

Project Zero Shop Local

{PEOPLE}

12 34 38

I Will Follow

Victoria Covington

48

Catching Fish on the Fly

{FICTION}

52

Baby Doll Magic

The Cowgirl Way: LeAnn Hart

Making Her Mark:

{TASTE}

42 44 46 47

{OUTDOORS}

The King of Mardi Gras Ultimate Cheesecake So Berry Nice Hello, Sweetheart

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

OUR COVER

Image Credit: Lenakov Shutterstock

04

what's new

FOLLOW US Send comments and suggestions and advertising inquiries to catherine@dosouthmagazine.com.

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LOVE Share your favorite photo to catherine@dosouthmagazine.com and it could be featured in an upcoming issue of Do South® Magazine!

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Letter from Catherine

I

BLESSED

I count myself as blessed. Even during the middle of a pandemic and when the political divide in our country has never been greater. In spite of it all, I mindfully continue to count my blessings, no matter how big or small. I find when I am feeling most stressed and overwhelmed, I always feel better when I shift my attention away from negativity and find something to be thankful for.

This February I am thankful to bring you stories of hope, heart, and resilience! You’ll meet five adorable siblings, longing for their forever home! LeAnn Hart, wife, mother, Christian, entrepreneur, survivor, shares how God moved her to tell her story on a grand stage, and what she hopes her message brings to others.

I fell in love with the story of Paul Scott and Rebel Hays, cross-country runners from West Fork High School, who run seemingly as one; even though only Rebel has sight to see the course before them. And finally, Victoria Covington. A fifteen-year-old aspiring artist from Batesville, who weighed a little over one pound at birth, proves from art to training animals to baking, there is nothing she can’t do.

I am very proud to present our inaugural Women in Business feature, spotlighting several

FEBRUARY 2021 OWNER - PUBLISHER - EDITOR Catherine Frederick COPY EDITING Charity Chambers GRAPHIC DESIGN Artifex 323 – Jessica Meadors CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Jade Graves, Dwain Hebda CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jeanni Brosius, Scott Faldon, Catherine Frederick, Dwain Hebda, Sara Putman, Liesel Schmidt, Janna Wilson ADVERTISING INFORMATION Catherine Frederick I 479.782.1500 catherine@dosouthmagazine.com

local business owners, professionals, and companies who represent the leading role women have taken in the River Valley!

We’re also bringing you three deliciously sweet recipes, an adorable Valentine DIY, a fantastic story on how to catch fish on the fly, book recommendations, our nonprofit spotlight, and of course, our annual Wedding Guide! Now, sit back and enjoy this beautiful issue of Do South® Magazine. Remember to take a deep breath and count your

FOLLOW US ©2021 Read Chair Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without the permission of the copyright owner. Opinions contained in Do South ® are exclusively those of the writers and do not represent those of Read Chair Publishing, LLC. as a whole or its affiliates. Any correspondence to including photography, becomes the property of Read Chair Publishing, LLC. Do South ® reserves the right to edit content and images. Printed in the U.S.A. | ISSN 2373-1893

blessings one by one – I can’t wait to see you in March!

Catherine Frederick Owner/Publisher/Editor

catherine@dosouthmagazine.com

Annual subscriptions are $36 (12 months), within the contiguous United States. Subscribe at DoSouthMagazine.com or mail check to 4300 Rogers Avenue, Suite 20-110, Fort Smith, AR, 72903. Single issues are available upon request.

Inquiries or address changes, call 479.782.1500.

To reserve this free space for your charitable nonprofit organization, email: catherine@dosouthmagazine.com.

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18 06

community community

Nonprofit Spotlight

DS: How did Bost come to be?

words Catherine Frederick with Jeanne Hill, Director of Marketing & Fundraising

was of a like mind and created the school.

The Bost School for Exceptional Children was created when parents of disabled children knew that their children could do MORE than what was expected of them. With the appropriate education and training, they could lead full, independent lives. They approached Dr. Roger Bost, a local pediatrician, who

DS: Who does Bost serve, and in what ways?

Bost serves individuals of all ages with intellectual and developmental disabilities and mental health needs. To a large degree, the services are customizable to the individual and dependent on their personal goals and levels of independence.

With Bost, there are opportunities for growth, learning, and great independence throughout the individual’s life.

DS: Tell us how Bost’s mission impacts our community.

Without Bost in the community, many people would be without the support they

Bost was founded in 1959 by local pediatrician Dr. Roger B. Bost. Bost is a nonprofit organization providing services and support in Arkansas to

need to do things you and I might take for granted, such as finding employment, housing, navigating medical appointments, shopping, etc. Bost’s impact is far beyond those enrolled in our services, extending to families, educators, healthcare workers, and employers. We are indeed here in this community for a lifetime.

nearly 1,000 individuals with intellectual

DS: How can our community get involved and support Bost?

and developmental disabilities and

Think of Bost when you have an open position in your business that might be a

mental health needs. By working

good fit for one of our adults who have been training to work in the community.

together with our community partners,

Think about BOST if you have a friend that is looking for employment. Think of Bost

we can improve the individual's overall

if you have some children’s books or gently used clothing you no longer need. Think

health, which promotes a higher

of Bost when someone asks about the good things in our community or if you see

level of independence. Do South

®

an individual with disabilities in need of help. Be an ambassador for Bost!

reached out to Jeanne Hill, Director of Marketing & Fundraising, to learn more.

DS: Also, are there any immediate needs or upcoming events you would like to share with our readers?

The 19th Annual Grape Escapes, A Vine Affair will be held virtually this year, for

5812 Remington Circle Fort Smith, Arkansas 479.478.5600 bost.org

the first time! The virtual event takes place Friday, March 5 at 6 pm; watch the show with us online at: 1cau.se/auz! While this is a significant change from our typical event, we are working extremely hard to make it great for our partners and attendees. The platform we have chosen will allow us to put on a show for our attendees while still hearing from local restaurants, caterers, and the wineries and distributors you have come to know and love. We will even have our auction, a wine pull, and other fun things while allowing our generous supporters to fund critical services and supports for the individuals served by Bost.

Next month, we’ll showcase another worthy charity in our area free of charge. If you have a nonprofit you’d like to see recognized, email us at catherine@dosouthmagazine.com.

2021 will be a Grape Escapes like we have never seen! We fervently hope and will be planning to bring Grape Escapes back in the ballroom in March 2022. Those we serve still need us, and we still need YOU!

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community community

We know we

have some great sibling

when he accomplishes something. He tries really

groups on the Heart Gallery, but this bunch – they

hard to keep up with his older brothers, too! He

are something special! Big sister Kaliyah is very

loves toys like action figures, and he is very proud

intelligent and eager to learn – she is a math and

of his room and his clothes. He says thank you and

reading whiz! She has great people skills, and she

he is very appreciative for his age. The youngest is

is very observant…not much gets past her! Kaliyah

Kyjara, and she is already so smart and engaging!

likes sports (especially basketball), dancing, and

She loves anything princess-related and is quite

drawing. Her brother Kanii is laid back and he is

the girlie-girl! She is a big fan of snuggles and

very observant like his sister. He can be quiet at

loves to be held. We could just go on and on

times but warms up quickly. He is very loving, and

about these siblings. They truly are a remarkable

he wants to take on the big brother role. Middle

bunch. And they will do well in almost any kind

child Kiiyjay is shy at first, but he is opinionated,

of home – two parents, a single parent, pets,

curious, and a little bit of a worrier. He loves

other siblings…they just need a family to belong

outdoor activities, playing with his brother while

to and be a part of again. Don’t let the size

pretending to be Black Panther, and drawing.

of this group scare you away! We have tons

Kylan is young but he is coming into his own and

of supports and help we can provide along the

showing a fantastic personality. He likes to play

way. If you want to learn more about these great

with his siblings, and he is very proud of himself

kiddos, please let us know!

In partnership with Project Zero and the Arkansas Heart Gallery, each month Do South® will feature a waiting child, or sibling group, in foster care in Arkansas. To inquire about these incredible children, please visit theprojectzero.org.

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community

Kyjara, Kylan, Kiiyjay, Kanii, and Kaliyah Ages: 1, 4, 5, 7, 12 IMAGE courtesy Ashley Carson

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community entertainment

Get BOOKISH

Enjoy these four must-read books from our friends at Bookish, Fort Smith, Arkansas’s only independently-owned bookstore. Shop hours: Monday 11am-4pm, Tuesday - Friday 10am-6pm and Saturday 10am-4pm. Need curbside delivery?

Call 479.434.2917 or email orders@bookishfs.com.

Jack

Vesper Flights

The Wrong Family

by Marilynne Robinson

by Helen Macdonald

by Tarryn Fisher

Robinson returns to her mythical town of Gilead, Iowa, for another illuminating novel that forces readers to question religion and our place in the world. In the story, John Ames Boughton, the son of a Presbyterian minister, and Della Miles, who is also the child of a preacher, fall in love.

Their fondness for each other is only complicated by the interracial romance that defines it. Robinson highlights the complexity of American life through her characters while they mirror our present day.

Simply put, this is a collection of essays highlighting the human connection to the natural world, but if you’re familiar with Macdonald, you know it is so much more. This collection features some of her best essays and several new ones. While the subject might be watching tens of thousands of cranes in Hungary or the trials of owning an ostrich farm, Macdonald's tapestry of par t memoir, par t nature writing, weaves in themes of memory, loss, love, and time.

Fisher’s newest suspense thriller is full of twists and turns. When Juno, a retired therapist who wants to live out her days in relative peace, moves in with Winnie and Nigel Crouch, things seem to be as perfect on the inside as they are on the outside. However, bad things happen when you overhear secrets you weren’t supposed to hear. Very quickly, Juno’s retirement becomes a nightmare. Just when you think it couldn’t get any worse for poor Juno, her own wicked and dark secrets are revealed.

February Recommendations courtesy Sara Putman, Bookish

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Memoirs and Misinformation

by Jim Carrey and Dana Vachon Labeled semiautobiographical, this novel by actor Jim Carrey is wildly eccentric. It’s autobiographical in the sense that the main character is a privileged aging actor named Jim Carrey, but that’s where the parallels stop. At its core, it is a satirical look at Hollywood and privilege, but it is a smar tly done book with appearances by every actor and actress in Hollywood along with aliens. It is exactly what you would expect from Carrey, pretentious and bombastic, but somehow profound.

shop

Love Is…Shopping Local! words Catherine Frederick imageS Jade Graves Photography and courtesy vendors

We are a little bit in love with all our fabulous finds! Whether you’re shopping for your sweetie pie, or treating yourself, you can’t go wrong when you keep it local!

Baileys Strawberries & Cream Limited Edition, Scrumptious Salted Caramel, Almande™ Gluten and Dairy Free Almond Milk Liqueur, and Red Velvet Georgetown Cupcake Irish Cream Liqueur

Hearts On Fire Signature Heart Pendant Available in Three Sizes, 18kt Yellow, White and Rose Gold Protect Your Hearing Aids from Moisture with the PerfectDry Lux

JOHN MAYS JEWELERS 479.452.2140

CENTER FOR HEARING 479.785.3277

IN GOOD SPIRITS 479.434.6604

Eyewear by Lindberg

DR. STEVEN B. STILES OPTOMETRY 479.452.2020

Lux Fragrances Heart Shaped Dough Bowl Candles

BLACK BISON COFFEE COMPANY 479.551.2880

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Core Brewery Scarlet Letter Handcrafted Spiked Seltzer, Baileys Red Velvet Georgetown Cupcake Irish Cream Liqueur, Red Door Handcrafted Highland Gin, Mr. Moody’s Red Blend Potion, Boulevard Brewing Co. Berry Noir Sour Ale with Mixed Berries

SODIE’S WINE & SPIRITS 479.783.8013

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people

The Cowgirl Way LeAnn Hart

words Dwain Hebda images courtesy Ashley Pigg Photography

“I’ve always wanted to be a cowgirl,” she says. “I think a cowgirl is a caregiver in the most well-rounded sense of the word. We are caregivers.

It’s a selfless lifestyle because it’s not about you, it’s about taking care of what’s around you, whether it’s in your house or on your land.”

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people

DESPITE GRAY SKIES AND THE THREAT OF RAIN ,

It may have taken a while to find her cowgirl groove –

the annual Women’s Retreat at this rural cowboy church is

something she lives today on her Oklahoma spread as

packed to the rafters. Every seat of every row is full of the

completely and authentically as anyone ever has – but that

women smart enough to sign up early; the waiting list of

spirit has always been a part of her. No matter what phase

those not as fortunate runs close to a hundred.

of life she was living, the tragic or the triumphant, she did it with a cowgirl’s plainspoken grit, tougher-than-leather guts,

Here, the women revel in the chance to spend a little time

pride in the work, humility before the Almighty.

outside of farm work, day jobs and the weightiness of family life. Mostly they love being together sharing the experiences

Not everything came all at once, of course. The beginnings

that haunt them, the hopes they cling to, the hurts they’re

were modest, both spiritually and materialistically, but laid

bearing. It’s a community that makes sisters out of strangers.

the foundation for what was to come. “I grew up on a dairy farm. I grew up working,” says LeAnn. “My parents lived a

LeAnn Hart loves groups like this, not just because it’s

hard life. My dad had multiple jobs; as a kid I can remember

helped her build a thriving motivational speaking career, but

him working offshore, to pipefitting, to pipe lining, to

because no matter where she appears, she’s at home. The

working on the dairy. And that dairy farm kind of wrecked

kind of home where you can give your testimony about the

our family because it wasn’t Mom’s idea, it was Dad’s idea.

story of your life and the sorrow of your shortcomings and

And it wasn’t easy.”

still be embraced.

It wasn’t long before LeAnn’s life went from one kind of “God said to me, ‘I’m going to need you to be still,’” she

hard to another, from rising at 2:30 a.m. to work alongside

tells her rapt audience. “He said, ‘I just need you to be

her father to struggling to relate to her mother when her

obedient and I’m going to uphold my end. I know that

parents divorced.

every day you’re going to walk through these moments of feeling like a failure, but just give it to me. Keep peeling

“I walked for a long time in a very lonely way,” she says. “I

off that whatever. Let me have that old skin.’”

saw things through the perspective of my dad’s eyes because

There are a lot of titles that can rightfully and accurately be assigned to LeAnn Hart – wife, mother, Christian, entrepreneur, survivor. And while she answers to all of them, there’s one that hits a particularly sweet note in her ear. Always has, all the way back to her Louisiana beginnings.

“I’ve always wanted to be a cowgirl,” she says. “I think a cowgirl is a caregiver in the most well-rounded sense of the word.

We are caregivers. It’s a selfless lifestyle because it’s not about you, it’s about taking care of what’s around you, whether it’s in your house or on your land.”

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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people

that’s who I was closer to as a kid. But as I got older and

“So, I never had a problem leaving that lifestyle. I did make

I developed into a teenager and into a young woman, I

it in that world because I was getting paid to do what I loved

started to see the difficulties that Mama went through and

to do. And if you’re getting paid to do what you love to do,

what she needed.”

you’ve done it. It may not be on the level of Reba [McIntire], but even God says there was only one Reba.”

“I went through some moments where she was so angry at me that she couldn’t express herself well, but she was never

LeAnn and her husband, now-retired professional bull

really angry at me, it was just the situation.”

rider J.W. Hart, formally met around the Dollywood phase.

Despite their common interest in the Western lifestyle and

One constant in her life, LeAnn could always sing and at

similarly meager upbringings, it was an unlikely pairing, set

eighteen, she auditioned for Dollywood. She made the cut

up by mutual friends.

and was even awarded the prized number “Coat of Many Colors” over older, more seasoned vocalists. After a couple

“I had been in a relationship with a bull rider for three years

of years, she moved to Nashville under the guise of taking

before that. We broke up and I was like, ‘No more bull riders.

the next step in her musical career. Something just didn’t fit.

Love you guys, but no,’” she says. “J.W. and I had known each other for a couple years at that point. I always thought he was

"Everybody around me was like, ‘We want to see you on the

a jerk. Oh, he was such a jerk and so cocky! But that weekend,

Grand Ole Opry.’ That was never really my plan,” she says.

that cockiness was attractive, and something sparked.”

The resulting marriage has brought the highest highs and lowest lows. J.W. and LeAnn were crazy about each other but expressed their affection differently. It was a jarring difference that took some getting used to.

"He’s not the most finesse person with his words and my love language is words. His love language is time and he’s very jealous of that whenever he doesn’t get time with me,” she says. “He’s definitely toughened me up in a lot of areas where I have kind of softened him and strengthened him in a lot of areas.”

The hardest, LeAnn says readily, were the babies that were lost. The couple suffered multiple miscarriages which was emotionally devastating to them as individuals and hammered at the foundation of their relationship.

“That really wrecked me. And it was wrecking J.W. out because I was looking through my eyes. I wasn’t looking at his perspective and how it affected him. And, he wasn’t looking at it through me,” she says. “We were both just looking in the mirror saying, ‘I am so insignificant. I am just a failure.’ And we weren’t talking about it because we were just so ate up with trying to accomplish the goal. Have the baby, do this, win this battle, get this title.”

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

people

“It’s like learning to drive a truck. You just look at the end

for others, the easier things become, from strengthening her

of the truck when you’re first learning, instead of everything

bonds with her husband, to accepting her miscarriages to

around you. Before you know it, PawPaw is saying, ‘You’d

stepping into the role of foster and adoptive mom to six kids.

better get back on the road.’ That was really for four years, in a nutshell, where I was at. I was depressed and I threw that

“I have always been told my whole life that God never

on J.W. not really thinking. We just weren’t communicating.”

wastes anything,” she says. “I’ve gotten better over the years of just letting God have those things, those thirteen

The sorrow and self-loathing brought on dalliances on both

babies and taking my hand off of my marriage, taking my

sides, never physical, but just enough emotional flirtation to

hand off of my kids. I’m still working at it, still just coming

hurt the other. More than once, LeAnn would wonder openly

to a place where this is not even about us. There’s no good

if the marriage would survive, even as LeAnn the cowgirl

in me without God.”

fought like hell to hold on.

“You have to grow into the fact that you’re in covenant with one another,” she says. “You’re kind of in this bubble together. You can fight all you want to, but it’s just going to get worse if you don’t fight for each other and fight toward being on the same journey with one another.”

“And that’s an everyday process. If I’m going to treat somebody the way that I want to be treated, then I’m going to have to respond the way that I want to be responded to and not just the way that I want to respond because I’m in a bad mood or he didn’t tell me what I wanted to hear.”

Right in the middle of this domestic turmoil, God tapped LeAnn on the shoulder to start telling her story, a public speaking ministry that’s grown from one local church to multiple gigs across several states. She holds nothing back from these speeches, hoping to give others a roadmap to discovering the strength of their inner cowgirl, fortified by grace.

“Public speaking was very intimidating at first, because you could feel the uncomfortable judgment all over the room.

And then there was compassion all over the room,” she says.

“There’s no freedom without forgiveness. The only thing that I had to give was what God had given me and that was forgiveness. I crave for people to take their eyes off of things and to allow themselves to just have the eyes of Christ for just a minute.”

LeAnn is the first to admit she doesn’t yet have everything figured out or down pat. But she’s equally aware how the

Find LeAnn at leannhartministries.com.

more she trustingly wraps herself in the grace she prescribes

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15

2021 WOMEN in BUSINESS special feature PRESENTED BY

WORDS Dwain Hebda and Catherine Frederick some interviews have been edited for length and clarity

What do a realtor, an audiologist, a jeweler, and a plastic surgeon have in common? They are just a few of the outstanding local women we are proud to highlight in our inaugural Women in Business special feature, saluting select business owners, professionals, and companies representing the leading role women have taken in the River Valley.

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A r k a n sas Co l l e g e s o f H e a lt h E d u c at i o n & A r k a n sas Co l l e g e o f O s t e o pat h i c M e d i c i n e There has never been a better time to be a woman in the health

during medical school. These medical professionals are in equally

care fields. That's the assessment of faculty at Arkansas Colleges of

high demand in the marketplace, says Donna Shipley, MD, assistant

Health Education and Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine.

professor of Family Medicine.

The Fort Smith institutions of higher learning are two of the fastest"The field is wide open to women, from nurses to techs to

growing medical schools in the region.

physicians, as COVID has underscored the need for more health “Our class make-up is about fifty percent men and fifty percent

care professionals in general,” she says. “In our area, we continue

women,” says Leslie Ziegler, MD, assistant professor of Internal

to have a shortage of trained medical assistants, nurses, mid-levels

Medicine. “By comparison, I was in medical school in the 1990s. My

and physicians. In fact, Dr. Ziegler and I are the only two full-time

class was comprised of about one-quarter to one-third women.”

female physicians in the entire clinical medicine department, not because of a lack of willingness to hire, but because female doctors

Women are not only more numerous in the field, they are also

are in high demand.”

successful, with many gaining residency interviews from prestigious institutions such as the Cleveland Clinic and Georgetown. This

“As one of our female students Hannah Clark stated, ‘No one considers

is due in part to mentorship and other support afforded students

us second best anymore.’”

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In the course of building her seven-year-old business, Artifex 323 Design, Van Buren, Arkansas-based Jessica Meadors has made a name for herself in the field of graphic design, web creation and marketing.

Along the way, she’s also served clients by creating eye-catching designs for printed apparel. In 2019, she decided to harness that same creativity toward her own line of tees, sweatshirts and other clothing for women. Alabaster Apparel Co., an apparel company she launched with her mother, was born.

“I think the secret to success in business, and what sets me apart, stems from creativity and work ethic,” she says. “I was taught the value of hard work from my family, and I always do what it takes to make the client happy.”

“Creativity is something not everyone has, or they’re too close to a problem to solve it creatively.

JESSICA MEADORS Artifex 323 Design Alabaster Apparel Co.

That's where I come in; I listen to what the customer needs and then apply my creativity to deliver that solution.”

As a successful entrepreneur and mother, Jessica has learned the secret to happiness in life is maintaining balance. “‘Keep Balance’ is my family’s motto. It’s so important to my life, I’ve even tattooed it on my body – twice,” she says. “It is a constant reminder to keep your priorities in order: God is most important, family next. If anything should slip ahead of those two things, I need to rearrange, and something needs to change. In business and in life, if you build your balance around the right things, good will follow.”

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than 270 branches in Arkansas, Kansas,

collectively share perspectives, ideas and

Missouri and Oklahoma through a group

solutions on ways to enhance the associate

of 14 locally managed banks, each with its

and customer experience. One of the

own board and management team. Serving

groups is named WOW, which stands for

customers in more than 135 communities,

Women of Work.

with extended weekday banking hours at

A r v e s t Ba n k The story of Arvest is one of commitment

many

locations, Arvest’s

banking

Arvest strives not just to employ women

services include loans, deposits, treasury

– who make up more than 60 percent of

management, credit cards, mortgage loans

our workforce – but to empower them. We

and mortgage servicing. Additionally, wealth

hope that is apparent in many ways, from

management, investment and insurance

the women who occupy our Chief Financial

products and services are offered through

Officer, Chief Risk Officer, Chief Compliance

Arvest Wealth Management.

Officer and Chief People Officer roles to our inclusion on Forbes magazine’s 2018 list

started by our Northwest Arkansas founders in 1961, an intense dedication to focusing on

Arvest also is committed to its associates,

of “America’s Best Employers for Women.”

the customer.

evidenced in part by the recent formation of

Arvest also is proud to support entities such

Associate Impact Groups. The groups are

as Do South® Magazine, which this month is

assets

designed to provide the underrepresented

recognizing the contributions of women in

exceeding $20 billion and operates more

demographics of associates an avenue to

our community.

Today,

Arvest

Bank

has

total

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Dr. Kelley Linton Center for Hearing Center for Hearing, established in 1998, is a specialty medical clinic any community would be proud to call its own. Here, skilled medical professionals improve the quality of life for their patients, from children to seniors, through hearing treatment.

“Audiology is a very rewarding field, and many people aren't aware of everything that we do,” says Dr. Kelley Linton, board certified audiologist and former adjunct professor at UAMS in Little Rock who co-founded the Center for Hearing. “We treat all types of hearing and balance problems, and work with every age population. We often work in industry, verifying companies are OSHA compliant and protecting workers from hazardous noise.”

Kelley earned her doctor of audiology degree from the University of Florida in Gainesville and is a fellow of the American Academy of Audiology. She’s also a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve, attached to Public Health Command. As the leader of this thriving practice, Kelley is particularly proud of her staff, which has propelled Center for Hearing to six straight Best Audiologist and Best Hearing Aid Center rankings by the Times Record’s Community Choice Awards.

“We are constantly striving to maintain a team of employees that provide the highest-quality patient care in an environment that is both comfortable and welcoming,” Kelley says. “We listen to what our patients say and offer cutting edge solutions for their hearing needs.”

“During the pandemic we were forced to develop new avenues for delivering care. We did so via telehealth and curbside care, in service to our patients.”

When she’s not calling the Hogs or spending time with her family, Kelley is a volunteer audiologist for the Good Samaritan Clinic in Fort Smith and part of annual medical mission teams traveling to Honduras and Peru to evaluate and treat those in need.

She says the opportunities are particularly robust for women in certain health care specialties, audiology being foremost among them.

“Women excel in critical areas of health care including patient care, technology, administration, and counseling,” she says. “Audiology encompasses all of these areas; therefore, women are leaders in this field.”

“There is an amazing world of opportunity for anyone who is willing to work hard and stay focused on the goal,” she adds by way of advice. “Don't get distracted by competition, shiny objects or what others say. Take your idea, make a plan and then work every day to execute it.”

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Ann K. Passmore, M.D. | F.A.C.S. pas s m o r e p l as t i c s u r g e r y If there’s one thing that nearly twenty-five years in practice has taught Dr. Ann Passmore, it’s the value of setting ambitious goals, operating with fearlessness and compassion and embracing constant self-improvement. It’s a formula for personal and professional success she readily advocates for others.

"Work hard, set an example and be a leader,” she says by way of advice to other entrepreneurs.

“Dedication, I think, is one of the biggest things. Compassion. Those are things that have all worked well for me in the world of surgery.”

Ann has more than just a catchy slogan to show for her years in practice. This summer, when many small businesses were reeling from the effects of the pandemic, she realized a long-held dream of opening her own clinic. It’s an accomplishment decades in the making, built one satisfied patient at a time.

“In my business especially, you’ve got to be a good listener and you’ve got to love what you do,” she says. "A lot of my patients are female so I can empathize with them, but I’ve also got a lot of guys who are patients and it’s just because I’m a good listener.”

“I love my patients. People remark all the time that I put in long days. My days aren’t long, I wish I could have more hours in the day, I love it that much. And my expertise is supported by my knowledgeable and well-trained staff who I also love.”

A Fort Smith product, Ann began her service to her hometown with Cooper Clinic, a tenure that lasted twenty years. From there she spent three years with Mercy Clinic before hanging out her own shingle in 2020. Every patient she served in that time became a calling card for change in the industry.

“Surgery, in the past, was a man’s world,” she says. “I never felt like I needed to work harder because I was a woman, I just needed to work hard because I’m a surgeon and it’s what my patients deserved. I always took being a good role model very seriously and I still do.”

Asked if she held to any personal motto, Ann doesn’t miss a beat. “Two words: carpe diem, seize the day,” she says. “I love it, it’s perfect. Life is too short; you’ve got to just go forward with what you want to do or become. You’ve got to do it.”

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Justina Johnson Ow n e r / P r i n c i pa l B r o k e r

Erica Bankston Ow n e r / C r e at i v e D i r e c to r T h e H e r i ta g e G r o u p R e a l E s tat e Co .

Honesty, integrity and a never say die attitude are all driving elements of the powerhouse tandem of Justina Johnson and Erica Bankston. Staying true to these fundamental values, the pair launched their own real estate firm, The Heritage Group, in 2019.

“Erica and I work so well together as partners because we share the same mindset of people over everything,” Justina says. “We will always strive to maintain relationships over numbers in everything that we do.” “Exactly, our vision from Day One has been to emphasize collaboration instead of competition,” Erica adds. “The real estate industry has a reputation for being cutthroat, even within a brokerage. Our heart is to continue to build a team where the culture is supportive, and the relationships extend even outside of our brand.”

Finding one’s niche in the hyper-competitive world of real estate comes down to the ability to overcome sometimes-steep obstacles. Justina says one of the foremost challenges for any woman in the generally male-dominated industry is to be taken seriously, even though attitudes are changing.

“In the years past, it was often assumed that women in real estate were using the industry as part-time work or more of a side hustle,” she says. “Now, women have more than shown that we are among the top in the industry and are some of the most influential in the profession.”

Women had ample opportunity to prove their mettle in 2020, as the pandemic forced the real estate industry to be more resourceful and more creative than at any other time in order to serve clients. “No question, this year has challenged both men and women to adapt to a new dynamic at both work and home,” Justina says. “This year has also given us pause to revisit and sometimes realign the way business is being conducted.”

As for those who would follow in their footsteps, the successful business partners recommend leveraging resources while moving to your own beat.

“Surround yourself with people who know more than you and challenge you to grow. You will avoid so many mistakes if you are not afraid to ask questions and learn from others,” Erica says.

“Set goals, keep your big vision in front of you and be willing to do things that you are afraid of, like risking judgement from your peers. The most successful people aren’t doing what everyone else is doing. No risk, no reward.”

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True family-owned businesses are becoming

expertise and impeccable customer service

more of a rarity in this day and age, which

since the business opened its doors in 1999.

alone makes John Mays Jewelers of Fort Smith a special place. But as Kathryn Mays

“We are firm believers that education and

attests, it's the people behind the name that

learning all we can about our field and the

truly make the difference.

evolving changes in the industry will help us be successful,” she says. But while product

Kathryn Mays J o h n M ay s Jewelers

“Focusing on the things you know and love

and design knowledge are what brings

about the industry helps you tap into your

customers in, Kathryn says genuine caring

passion and drive,” she says. “Remembering

and respect are what keeps them coming

why you got started is what feeds the fire

back. It’s a principle that she’s lived by her

that pushes you to be your best.”

entire career.

The company has always prided itself on

“Success in business and life comes down

featuring flawless quality jewelry from the

to really simple things,” she says. “Focus on

most revered names in the industry, striving

the things you know and love, be kind and

to find the most exclusive treasures and

respectful to others and value their opinions.

unique gifts available. Kathryn embodies

It takes all of us working together to make

this philosophy, wowing customers with her

this world a better place.”

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nicole swanson E R C D I R E C TO R O F O P E R AT I O N S T H E H U B AT P R OV I D E N C E Ask Nicole Swanson the secret to her longevity in the male-dominated world of real estate development and the twenty-nine-year industry veteran’s response is direct and succinct.

“A servant heart, a desire to provide quality living options and taking advantage of opportunities to learn and show leadership,” she says. “That’s why I am here today.”

Nicole’s co-workers at The HUB at Providence, the game-changing mixed-use development for which she is vice president of operations, are more effusive about her skillset. Kathy Coleman, director of design and marketing, is one of them.

“I have seen the good, the bad, the great and the ugly in this business. One of the things I admire is a person willing to give our company one hundred and ten percent effort, like Nicole does,” Kathy says. “Pick up trash, sweep, clean a bathroom, do whatever it takes. That’s the secret to success in this business and that’s who Nicole is.”

Nicole’s career began humbly enough, but her work ethic and an attitude toward constant improvement has helped her rise steadily through the ranks of ERC, parent company of The HUB. “I started with ERC in November 1992 as a courier, making deliveries and pick-ups,” she says. “Since then, I have worked in every department that our company has and that allowed me to have a global view of the many facets associated with ERC as a whole.”

By example and by direct mentorship, Nicole has also helped develop others to be their best. “When I came onboard fulltime, Nicole could have been intimidated by me or just let me flounder, but she didn’t,” Kathy says. “Instead, she was the very epitome of a leader, from drawing on her years of expertise to answer all of my questions down to teaching me the copy machine. She took the time to invest in me because ultimately, it made the team successful.

That’s what good leaders do.”

Today, the team behind The HUB represents the most experienced and skilled professionals anywhere, showcasing the development’s innovative work-live-play environment and serving residential and business clients alike with the highest in amenities and customer service.

“The HUB represents an entirely new concept in real estate development in this market,” Nicole says. “It’s been exciting to be a part of such an innovative project, something that will serve the region and allow Fort Smith to stand apart from the field for years to come.”

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diy

Special Delivery words and images Janna Wilson

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diy

alentine’s Day is an opportunity to show your love, indulge in sinful sweets and pen a special sentiment to your honey.

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t cherish a heartfelt love note from time to time. As a Valentine tradition, I try to make the day special and significant for my whole family. This year, I’ve created oversized, keepsake Valentines inspired by a version I saw at Pottery Barn Kids. This felt project is easy enough that children can help. Make them extra unique with personalization. You can add notes, treats and gifts to the pockets.

Materials: • (4) Stiff felt sheets (12 x 18) for envelope • Contrasting colors of felt for embellishments • Needle and embroidery floss (contrasting color) • Ribbon for hanging (optional) • Embellishments (trims, ric-rac, ribbon, ruffles, lace) • Velcro or a button • Basic crafting tools: pencil, ruler, scissors, pinking/scallop shears • Pattern: download our patterns at DoSouthMagazine.com.

Flaps Front

Back

Envelope Pieces

Assemble

1

Trim felt sheet to 12” x 15” (save scrap pieces for embellishing).

2

Use our downloadable patterns (or make your own) and trace two flaps.

3

Use the flap pattern to cut away the opening for the envelope back.

4

Measure 5" from straight edge of flap pieces and make a horizontal fold.

5

Sandwich the flap pieces between the rectangle pieces and tack lightly with hot glue if you will be adding decorative trim (permanent gluing will be done at the end).

6

Use pattern to trace scallop trim from a contrasting color of felt. Tack these between the layers with glue.

(This step takes some patience but the final look is worth the extra effort.)

TIP: Use premade pom trims, ric-rac or lace to design unique styles for each of your Valentines and save time in the process. Look for rosettes, hearts and fun buttons as well. Glittered fun foam is perfect for creating the 3-dimensional heart stamps like mine.

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Embellish 7

8

Stitch along flap edges and side edges with at least a ¼” running stitch with embroidery floss. Pre-mark the dots with a fine-point pen to help keep these stitches spaced consistently.

If you want to add a hanger, tack a bit of ribbon between the layers. Securely glue all layers together with hot glue.

9

Embellish front side of envelope with hand-cut pieces (stamp with heart, child’s name, etc.) to create the look of a real piece of mail.

10

Attach a bit of Velcro for a closure, or use a button if desired.

NOTE: I cut the names out of black adhesive vinyl with my digital cutting machine (Silhouette Portrait).

You could also purchase sticker letters or trace and cut names out of scrap felt.

Deliver this BIG Valentine filled with love notes and small gift items to your sweeties. Use these lovelies as GIANT place cards to decorate a fun Valentine tablescape. However you deliver these large letters, your loved ones will definitely feel the love!

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Cross-country running isn’t the most spectator-friendly sport.

Unlike football or basketball where the action plays out in front of you, cross-country is for most a blur of humanity, Paul and Rebel

I WILL FOLLOW WASHINGTON COUNTY ATHLETES SHARE SPECIAL BOND words Dwain Hebda IMAGEs LouAnn Hays and Nhi Blanset

over in an instant. Pick your spot on the course and wait for the herd to gallop by.

But over the past few seasons, West Fork High School boosters and competitors alike have been treated to an inspiring sight at these meets. Among the Tiger runners comes a lean Asian boy, his black hair bobbing with his cadence. And right in front of him, a lightning-quick lad keeping a spirted pace.

The two are conjoined by a guide rope, and the younger boy never stops talking.

“Right turn coming up here,” he tells his companion.

“There’s some gravel on the ground.”

Meet Paul Scott, West Fork freshman, and Rebel Hays his fourth-grade guide runner. The two athletes, who ran

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people

together during the fall cross-country season, interact as

other people, they were not very experienced runners.

if of one mind and body; even though only one, Rebel, has

They were just doing their best to jog side-by-side with

sight for both of them.

them in the races.

“He uses a rope to guide me. He also uses speech. What

“Having run for the U of A, when I ran with Jenna, she

direction he pulls, I follow,” Paul says. “He’s easy to trust,

was able to reach her fullest potential from the beginning.

really, because it’s really hard to trust someone that you

But anybody else that ran with them probably ran too slow

don’t know. Just like, if you crash into something with full

with them because they were scared they were going to

speed, it doesn’t feel that good.”

hurt them. Eventually, we were able to get some more experienced runners.”

“We walk the course first before every meet to find a hole or to lean right or left or straddle this or sprint this,” Rebel

Little did Tiffany know that waiting in the wings was a

explains. “There was a dip in the conference meet with

youngster tailor-made for the assignment of guide runner.

some water and I told him to run through it; there was a

Rebel’s cousin was on Tiffany’s team and was one of the

stump, I told him to pick his feet up.”

volunteer guide runners. When she told him what they were doing in practice, he immediately told his mother it

Blind runners are not unheard of, even in Arkansas sanctioned

was something he wanted to do.

high school competitions. In fact, Paul isn’t even the only one in his family of four adopted children to run – his older brother

Rebel’s mother, LouAnn, was all for it in theory but seeing

Timothy, also in high school, and his two older sisters Rosanna

as how Rebel was a first grader at the time, she didn’t see

and Jenna, now in college, also ran for West Fork with the help

how he could guide run for high schoolers. Not that Rebel

of a guide runner. In fact, it was the girls who first approached

is your garden variety runner to begin with.

West Fork’s track and cross-country coach Tiffany Surber with “I’ve been running since I was three-and-a-half or four,

the request to compete.

I don’t know,” Rebel says casually. “I don‘t know what “In 2014, I was approached one day by the Scott family,”

made me want to try it. I mean, I just like running.

she says. “They knocked on my door and asked me if they could join my team. I was like, well I definitely want to make it happen. However, I’d never dealt with anybody that was visually impaired, students or athletes. I said I’d do what I can to make it happen and where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

Tiffany’s phone call to the Arkansas Activities Association yielded the requisite information: Blind runners can compete with a guide wearing a bright jersey to identify them and a guide rope. The school’s superintendent gave his stamp of approval and the girls were welcomed to the Tiger squad with open arms. At first, Tiffany had volunteers assist in practice while she and another adult runner handled guide running during meets.

“It took time to figure that out. In the beginning, we would just match them up with anybody that could jog with them,” says Tiffany, a former standout steeplechaser with the University of Arkansas. “When I matched them up with DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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“My first race was a race for the school in kindergarten.

They did a race called the Cow Patty and the PE coaches encouraged a lot of people to run. I tried it and one of my other cousins ran it with me the first time and it was really fun. I liked it ever since.”

The following season, Tiffany was again in need of guides and she reached out to LouAnn, a science teacher and crosscountry coach in her own right at Ramey Junior High School in Fayetteville. Rebel, now a seasoned second grader, got the call to help.

“Rebel won our Fun Run one year as a first grader. I was like, wow, this kid’s talented,” Tiffany says. “When he

“The first time you ever see them, you’re overwhelmed with

started out [guide running] in second grade, he didn’t do

emotion. I cried,” LouAnn says. “As a parent I’m always

all of Paul’s races. He did a few. But by this time last year he

proud, but it was more about thinking about helping Paul

started doing all of them and then this year, he became the

become successful. You lose the sense of being proud just

main guide runner for Paul, which is awesome. The more

of your own kid as you’re focused on helping Paul. I’m

you bond with that person, the easier it is, because you

proud of them both.”

understand their pace, you understand their stride and you Both boys have grand aspirations – Paul wants to major

start to work together better.”

in computer science in college and Rebel wants to be an As the duo got more comfortable with each other through

underwater welder after a career in the NFL and winning

training, Paul’s times began to come down.

an Olympic gold medal. For now, he’ll have to settle for helping his friend chase his dream, even as he waits to be

“I had a personal record I was trying for, doing a 5K in

old enough to run for his own junior high. Which is just fine

under twenty-one minutes and I was really happy when we

with them.

made that record,” Paul says. “And next year, I want to “My sister has a disability, she was in a car wreck when

achieve it in under nineteen minutes.”

she was younger and has a wheelchair, but she can still do Paul and Rebel also got to help the Tigers hoist a second-

stuff,” Rebel says. “I really think even though people have

place team trophy at the 2020 3A State meet, both athletes

disabilities, that doesn’t mean you can’t be friends.”

mugging for the camera as the good buddies they have “I feel really good because I achieved. I managed to finish

become outside of running.

the race. I feel that our team is very good because we work “The team has given Paul his only real social outlet,” says

together,” Paul says. “I want people to see us and learn

Velleta Scott, Paul's mother. “Rebel and he have a special

that everybody deserves a chance. Multiple chances, matter

relationship, but even the other kids, you know, they joke

of fact.”

with him and he’s part of the team. They still include him and that’s pretty much his way of belonging here at school.

It’s really been a positive influence.”

See Paul and Rebel in action here: https://www.nbcnews.com/ nightly-news/video/blind-cross-country-athlete-and-running-guides-lasting-bond-96799301971.

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Victoria Covington

Making Her Mark words Jeanni Brosius IMAGEs courtesy Jessie Covington

Even though it was a cloudy afternoon, sunlight poured

in

through

the

windows

of

Victoria

Covington’s art studio at her home in Batesville, Arkansas. Paintings were stacked and leaning against the walls, and each one had a story. As the fifteen-year-old artist stood at her easel putting the finishing touches on a painting of three black sheep, she talked about what inspires her. Kitty Dog, her service dog, laid close by poised to alert her if a seizure was imminent.

“I started painting when I was nine,” Victoria said.

“I was diagnosed with epilepsy, and I was depressed and started art classes as therapy.”

Her art helped with the depression and helped her recover from the exhaustion of her seizures.

“I didn’t think I was good at it,” she said about her

“She is an inspiration to me. I told her that I think she’s at the point where she doesn’t need me anymore.”

Jeanette Emerson of Emerson Art School said about her student.

painting. “My art teacher said, ‘Holy cow! You’re good!’ And I got an offer on one of my paintings. I was so amazed, and it’s grown from there.”

She had her first art show at age eleven, and she made enough money on the sale of her work that she decided to invest in four acres of land. She later sold that land and bought a mobile home with the intention of becoming a landlady. She said she wanted to be that twelve-year-old who owned property. She ultimately decided not to rent her mobile home, which is near her parent’s house and uses it as a giant “she shed.”

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“She is an inspiration to me,” Jeanette Emerson of Emerson Art School said about her student. “I told her that I think she’s at the point where she doesn’t need me anymore.”

Jeanette, who has been teaching art for more than thirty years, said Victoria’s art is large and colorful.

“She has a following,” Jeanette said. “As soon as she puts one up, people come and buy it.”

All her paintings are one of a kind, and inspiration comes in many forms to her. It may be a car, an animal, a tornado or Star Wars that triggers that inspiration, but whatever it is, she paints it with passion.

“I like to paint abstract the best,” she said. “My first painting I sold was hanging in my dining room. My mom was so upset that I sold it.”

“It was mine!” says her mom, Jessie Covington, smiling. “She sells art out from under me.”

Weighing only a little more than a pound at birth, Victoria had her heart surgery at two days old. She stayed in the hospital for three months before she was able to come home. Jessie said Victoria has many issues resulting in being born so prematurely.

“She has epilepsy, chronic daily migraines and arthritis,” Jessie said about her daughter. “They told us that she probably wouldn’t be able to hear very well and that we needed to teach her sign language.”

“I usually get on crutches and hobble around for a few days when my arthritis bothers me, then it calms down,” Victoria chimed in.

Although she hears fine now, she still knows American Sign Language as well as speaks Polish.

The homeschooled teenager is not only a prolific painter, but she also plays multiple instruments; is certified to train service dogs; takes care of nine birds (along with several chickens); has a toothless, skateboard-riding gecko; a cat; a hermit crab and she even trained Lydia, one of her rescue chickens, to play a song on the piano.

Lydia, who later was discovered to be a boy, had fallen off a truck en route to the chicken processing plant, and Victoria rescued him. Lydia would peck at Victoria’s fingers as she played notes on the piano. So, after she put stickers in different shapes on the DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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keys, Lydia began pecking at the various shapes to play the

When she opens her closet doors, Victoria has a collection of

tune he had been taught. Victoria is now training Obi-Wan

antique outfits from several eras and a hat to go with anything.

(another chicken named after Obi-Wan Kenobi of Star Wars) to be friendly. She loves her chickens so much that they often

“I’m a hat girl – I like me some hats,” Victoria said with a

come inside. When her chickens do come in the house, they

bright smile. “I have a hat for every occasion because you

wear diapers, of course.

just need one.”

“Can you believe they make chicken diapers?” Jessie said

When asked what she plans to do when she grows up,

with a laugh.

without missing a beat, Victoria said she wants to keep painting and train dogs.

The love between this mother and daughter is evident as Jessie gushes over her daughter’s talent, beauty and kindness.

“I expect she’s going to go really far,” Jeanette said about

Victoria’s future in art. “I’ve had lots and lots of students

Victoria has frequent requests for commissioned paintings.

over the years, and she is one of those who eats it up and

One of those requests came from her neighbor, whom she

wants to learn.”

lovingly refers to as Uncle Jim. He asked her to paint his 1970s Volkswagen Bug. Victoria said she spent hours in a hot, smelly

Brittany Bennett is one of Victoria’s regular clients. Brittany

garage painting colorful psychedelic images all over the car.

has several of Victoria’s paintings throughout her home and

Uncle Jim was so pleased with her work that he turned around

office. She said she has also purchased some as gifts.

and presented Victoria the car for her fifteenth birthday.

“We have seven masterpieces painted by sweet Victoria, and In addition to painting and training birds, Victoria is also

they bring a smile to anyone who sees them,” Brittany said.

certified to train therapy dogs, one of which she is currently

training. She loves to read devotionals and Harry Potter and

As Victoria put her trademark “VC” on the bottom corner

is a big Star Wars fan. She is also learning to bake.

of the now finished painting of the three black sheep, Jessie showed off the freshly baked, from scratch, cinnamon rolls

Jessie said Victoria is an old soul who enjoys vintage clothing

that Victoria had recently taken out of the oven, proving

and hats, baking and hosting tea parties.

there’s nothing Victoria Covington can’t do.

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Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler!

words Catherine Frederick recipe courtesy Stacey Little, SouthernBite.com IMAGEs Jeromy Price DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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I’D SEEN KING CAKES BEFORE AT BAKERIES

but never attempted to make one. And to be

honest, I didn’t know they were anything more than a cake with a plastic baby baked inside that you eat during Mardi Gras – the cake, not the baby.

I love to bake, so when I found this recipe over on our friend Stacey Little’s website, SouthernBite.com; I had to try it. It was too simple not to! I did do a little research and found out this is more than just a cake – it's tradition.

The Southern tradition of the king cake is heavily associated with Mardi Gras, which some call Carnival.

French and Spanish colonists first brought the king cake to the South, but king cake parties and celebrations originated in French Louisiana back in the eighteenth century. The traditional king cake is a ring of twisted cinnamon-roll style dough topped with sugar or icing in purple, yellow, and green, with a hidden trinket in the dough. Then, sometime in 1972, a small bakery in Picayune, Mississippi, started adding fillings. Bam! Consider yourself informed.

No matter the recipe or the filling, one thing remains the same. The custom of adding the trinket (some use a plastic or porcelain baby while others use a plastic gold coin). Whoever receives the piece of cake with the trinket must provide the next king cake or host the next Mardi Gras party.

You could labor over an authentic king cake recipe that’s way more involved, but for those who want to experience a little Mardi Gras tradition in no time flat, this recipe is for you!

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

° 2 17-ounce cans of jumbo cinnamon rolls with icing (5 rolls per can)

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray Bundt or tube pan with non-stick

° 2 ounces cream cheese ° sugar sprinkles in purple, yellow, and green ° plastic baby (check the party section at your local shops)

cooking spray. Open your cinnamon rolls and set aside icing for later. Line bottom of pan with rolls. You may have to squeeze them in there. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cinnamon rolls are no longer gooey. Turn out onto platter to cool. Mix icing with 2 ounces of softened cream cheese.

Once the rolls are cool, spread icing on top and decorate with alternating sugar sprinkles in purple, yellow, and green. Don’t forget to add your trinket!

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Ultimate Cheesecake

recipe adapted sallysbakingaddiction IMAGEs Anna Shepulova/Shutterstock

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INGREDIENTS

METHOD

FOR THE CRUST

Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat

° 1 ¾ cups graham cracker crumbs (about 15 full sheet graham crackers) °

cup unsalted butter, melted

° ¼ cup granulated sugar ° ½ teaspoon kosher salt FOR THE CHEESECAKE ° 4 (8 ounce) blocks cream cheese, softened to room temperature ° 1 cup granulated sugar ° ½ cup sour cream, room temperature

oven to 350°F. Double wrap bottom of a nine-inch springform pan with foil. Seal it tightly so water from the water bath does not get into the pan.

Crust: Place graham crackers into a food processor or blender, pulse to fine crumbs. Place crumbs in a medium bowl and add sugar, salt, and melted butter, stir to combine. Mixture will resemble grains of sand. Pack mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of springform pan. Bake crust for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove, set aside while you prepare the filling.

Filling: Cream together sugar and cream cheese until smooth using a mixer on medium-high speed. With mixer on low, add

° 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

sour cream, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and juice and mix on

° 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

low speed until combined. Add eggs one at a time and mix

° 1 teaspoon lemon zest

on low after each until just mixed, do not overmix! Pour filling over the crust and spread evenly.

° 3 large eggs, room temperature Set up water bath: Set springform pan with foil wrapped FOR THE TOPPING

around bottom onto a larger pan and pour very hot (boiling)

° fresh strawberries, sliced

water into the pan until ¾ deep, make sure water is not higher

TIPS

than the foil.

Bake 60-70 minutes or until the edges are set, but the center is still jiggly. If during baking, you see the top browning too quickly, tent with foil halfway through baking time. Turn off

- Pre-bake the crust

oven and open door slightly. Leave cheesecake in oven in the

- Room temperature ingredients

water bath for one hour. Remove and allow to cool at room

- Don’t overmix eggs or batter

temperature for at least one hour, then cover and place in

- Bake in a water bath - Don’t open oven during baking unless adding the foil tent - Don’t overbake - Allow to chill

refrigerator for at least five hours or overnight.

Release the sides of the springform pan before slicing. Slice fresh strawberries and arrange on top of cheesecake as desired.

If not serving the entire cheesecake, only place strawberries on the portions to be served to ensure freshness. For perfect slices, wipe knife clean and dip into warm water between cutting each piece. Cover and store leftover cheesecake in the refrigerator for up to five days.

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taste

So Berry Nice Recipe Adapted theflavorbender.com image Alena_Kos/Shutterstock

ingredients ° 1 package brownie mix ° 1 box vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix ° 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ° 2 cups whole milk ° ½ cup sour cream ° fresh strawberries ° fresh mint, optional garnish ° chocolate shavings, garnish

method Prepare

brownies

according

to

package directions. Once cool, cut into cubes. Combine pudding mix, vanilla, milk and sour cream with electric mixer on medium speed until soft pudding forms. Assemble by alternating pudding mixture, strawberries and brownies in a clear glass. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with mint

and

chocolate

shavings

before serving if desired.

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taste

47

Hello, Sweetheart Recipe adapted picturethisrecipe.com image Zulfiska /Shutterstock

ingredients ° 1⁄2 ounce peach schnapps ° 1 1⁄2 ounces vodka ° 1⁄2 ounce amaretto ° 3 ounces cranberry juice ° strawberries, garnish ° red sanding sugar, optional

method Rim glass with sanding sugar if desired. Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake to combine, chill, then strain into glass.

Garnish with a strawberry.

Please drink responsibly.

Never drink and drive.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

48

outdoors

words Scott Faldon

While most people let their fishing rods gather dust through

most versatile pick as it’s light enough to use for catching

the winter, it’s the perfect time to go trout fishing in our

smaller fish like perch or bluegills but stout enough for

region. It’s also a great time to learn how to fly fish. While

larger trout or smallmouth bass.

some people can be intimidated when they watch a skilled fly fisherman at work, the technique is not difficult to learn. In a

Along with the rod and reel, you’ll need backing, fly line,

short time, you can be catching fish on the fly.

leader and some tippet. The backing goes on the reel first and is used to fill the arbor. It also is extremely strong as it

Of course, you’ll first need a rod and reel. Most

allows you to fight a fish that runs farther than your actual

manufacturers

matched

fly line. Fly line attaches to the backing and is matched

combinations and are ready to fish right out of the

offer

kits

with

perfectly

to the weight of the rod. After that comes a clear leader,

package. Fly rods are classified by weight with smaller

which helps hide the line from the fish. Finally, a piece of

numbers being the lightest. A 6-weight rod is usually the

tippet is added, and your fly is tied to it.

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outdoors

The knowledgeable staff at your local fly shop can help you choose the right rod and reel and line. They can also help you with the basics of casting. Unlike fishing with conventional tackle, you aren’t actually casting the fly. It’s too light for that, so you’re actually casting the line itself.

But remember, it’s not that difficult. In the simplest terms, imagine a watch face with the angler facing to the left. The angler will quickly raise the rod tip to 2 o’clock, pause, then quickly move it to the 10 o’clock position. That will cause the line to shoot forward toward the target in the water.

“The best way to learn to cast is to take some casting lessons from an experienced angler,” BJ Heilman, avid fly angler and gear manager at The Woodsman Company, said. “Also, hire a guide the first few times when you go. They can help improve your casting and teach you how to read the water for where the fish are located. Guides are a great way to learn when you’re starting out.”

Fly fishing has been a passion for decades of Bryan Dobbins, owner of The Woodsman. He agrees a good fly fishing guide can help beginners make quick improvements. “My thing has always been to say, ‘A good guide will help straighten out the learning curve,’” Dobbins said. As with any new hobby, practice time will be vital. Your backyard can be a perfect venue for grooving your muscle memory with a fly rod. But Dobbins insists beginners don’t need to worry if their cast isn’t that good – the main thing is have fun with it.

“Once you get the equipment, you can catch fish immediately,” Dobbins said. “But after that you’ll spend the rest of your life learning different aspects of the sport like controlling your cast or mending the drift of your fly. That can be a never-ending process. But we have guys who are champion fly casters who struggle to catch fish and expert anglers who can’t cast that well.”

Of course, you’ll need flies to catch anything. While local guides can give insight to what the trout are biting, old standbys like San Juan Worms and Wooly Buggers have caught millions of trout over the years. Bring a selection of flies in various patterns and experiment until you find the one the trout can’t resist. That’s the tackle portion of your checklist for fly fishing. But you’ll need some more accessories to make it an enjoyable day on the water.

If you’re planning on getting in the water, you’ll need a good pair of waders. They will keep you dry and warm, plus the soles on the DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

49

50

outdoors

boots will help you maintain your balance on any slick rocks in the river. A net is important when landing a trout – especially for catch-and-release fishing. A rubber net is easier on the fish than an old-fashioned nylon or rope net.

A pair of forceps or small needle-nosed pliers will help you

WINTERTIME TROUT FISHING LOCATIONS

remove the hook from the trout’s mouth. Nippers (similar

(Local)

to fingernail clippers) will make it easier for you to clip your

• Wells Lake

tippet when you need to change flies and to remove the

• Torraine Lake

tag end of the knot. Polarized sunglasses will help you see

• Carol Ann Cross Park

down into the crystal-clear water of most trout streams and

• Van Buren Municipal Pond

protect your eyes from the sun bouncing off the water.

Finally, warm clothing is a must. Layers are the key, as is avoiding cotton which retains water and won’t keep you

(Road Trips)

warm if it gets wet. Don’t forget to pack some extras to

• The White River

leave in the car – just in case you get really, really wet.

• The Norfork River • The Little Red River

Once you’ve got the basic casting technique down and

• The Spring River

your kit sorted, where do you go to catch a wintertime trout around here? Your options are only limited by how

• Dry Run Creek (limited to children and physically disabled anglers)

far you’re willing to drive. Within a few hours of Fort

• Lower Illinois (Oklahoma)

Smith, you’ll find some of the best trout fishing in the nation. The Little Red River produced the world record for a brown trout (40 pounds, 4 ounces) in 1992 and held

• Roaring River State Park (Missouri) • Beaver’s Bend State Park (Oklahoma)

it until 2009. In 2015, a 38-pound, 7-ounce trout was caught on the White River near Cotter. Just across the border in Missouri, their state record was broken twice 6-ounce fish now holding the record.

WINTERTIME TROUT FISHING NEEDS

But you don’t have to drive that far to catch trout this

• Fly rod and reel with backing

in 2019 on Lake Taneycomo at Branson with a 40-pound,

time of year. Wells Lake, Torraine Lake, Carol Ann Cross Park Lake and the Van Buren Municipal Lake are regularly stocked with rainbow trout by the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission during the winter.

• Line and leader • Extra tippet • Flies • Net • Forceps or needle-nose pliers

Planning your next outdoor adventure? Visit The Woodsman Company in Fort Smith, Arkansas for all your adventure needs!

5609 Rogers Ave, Suite D, Fort Smith, Arkansas 479.452.3559 | thewoodsmancompany.com

• Waders and boots • Warm clothing (with extras in the car – just in case you get wet)

• Fishing license with trout stamp • Phone or camera to take photos of your catch

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DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

52

fiction

BABY DOLL MAGIC words Liesel Schmidt image New Africa/Shutterstock

My grandparents’ love story was like many from their time:

There was an end to the love that withered marriage, even

They met and married quickly, never considering the many

while the two people in it stayed. But my mother grew up

things that could go wrong after they exchanged their vows.

determined to have a different kind of marriage than she’d

They got along well and believed that love would be enough

seen around her, one that had true love, real love, the type

to see them through whatever came their way, even in the

of love that was selfless and enduring.

most challenging times. And in those moments—sometimes even years—when the love seemed lost, they soldiered on,

Unfortunately, it was finding that kind of love that was

never considering the alternative, always faithful to “Til death

the hard part. And then, when she least expected it, she

do us part” because it was expected.

met my father.

The children they raised, however, didn’t quite have the

Their romance found its unlikely beginning in the park,

same stories. There was divorce and infidelity and separation.

under the shade of an oak tree. It sounded so picturesque

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

fiction

to hear her tell the story of how she met the man who

after he released the toy. His bottom hovered only inches

would be her first true love, the young soul who seemed

above the floor, his tiny little plaid shorts bunched up

to understand and appreciate her more than anyone else

above skinned knees. Blue eyes sparkled mischievously in a

she had ever encountered. And when she’d first met the

chubby little face flushed from the exertion of play, while

handsome young officer wearing his dress uniform, she’d

straw-colored whispers of hair fell across his forehead.

been struck by his serious demeanor, his straight bearing,

Julie would have guessed him to be somewhere around

and the respectful way he spoke to her. He was unlike

two years old.

anyone she’d ever known. She’d felt almost immediately The tiny boy smiled again and giggled gleefully, rising from

that he would change her life forever.

his crouch to run back to a toy box in the corner of the Six months later, they were married in that same park,

room. He leaned over the side of the plastic crate, nearly

surrounded by blooming magnolia trees with only the

falling in as he rifled its contents, searching for something

pastor and a handful of friends to witness it all.

known only to him. His tiny shoes kicked the air happily.

He reemerged, his chubby, dimpled fist wrapped around

Six months after that, my father waved goodbye to my

the thigh of a baby doll whose plastic body was dressed

mother as he headed off to Saudi Arabia at the start of

in nothing but a ragged disposable diaper. The boy looked

Operation Desert Shield.

at the doll in his hands, raising it so that he held it rightside up, clutching the baby to his chest. He stood there a

It was the last time they ever saw each other.

moment, smiling sweetly, and took off at a run in Julie’s direction, his body bouncing madly with the awkward gait

*******

of a toddler.

The air in the waiting room had that strange, sterile,

Another squeal of delight escaped him as he neared, and

stale smell that doctors’ waiting rooms always have. That

finally, he slowed, stopping directly in front of her, his

indefinable, unmistakable scent that seems to be found

small form mere inches away. Julie thought for a moment

nowhere else in nature. It was a smell that, today, was

that he might crawl into her lap.

making it extremely difficult for Julie to breathe.

Instead, he looked up at her, his bright blue eyes meeting She tried to ignore it, to concentrate on the outdated,

hers. Still holding the baby doll, his hands reached out

dog-eared magazine that seemed to have taken up

toward her and gently placed the doll in her lap. His cheeks

permanent residency on the scarred wooden coffee table

swelled as his smile broadened, and he leaned closer. The

in the middle of the room. Words and pictures blurred

little boy’s tiny hand fluttered forward until it rested,

together in front of her eyes as she tried to breathe.

feather light, on the flat surface of Julie’s abdomen. He stilled, his eyes growing large and solemn.

In, out. In, out.

The chairs arranged around the perimeter of the small room were mostly unoccupied except for a few mothers with tiny children who had their focus swallowed as completely as juice from a brightly colored sippy cup. A shiny yellow plastic dump truck skittered across the worn industrial carpeting, stopping only when one of its oversized front wheels met the toe of her shiny red ballet shoe. She looked up, startled, to see the sheepish grin of a little boy. He crouched beside the table, a plump arm still outstretched

Everything in the room stopped and slipped away, leaving only Julie and the little boy. There were no sounds aside from her heartbeat and measured breaths.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

53

54

fiction

In, out. In, out.

Julie blinked through her tears to see the bewildered face of the young woman who stood before her, reaching out

The big blue eyes blinked.

for the boy sitting on her lap. The mother's blonde hair swept back in a ponytail, her son’s blue eyes mirrored her

“Baby.” It was a tiny word whispered by a small stranger, but

own. Julie noticed that the woman’s belly had the telltale

it made Julie’s heart stop. The tiny boy in the waiting room

swell of early pregnancy.

could have never known the gravity of that one word.

“Is he yours?” Julie asked, swiping at the unwelcome Baby.

moisture on her cheeks.

For him, it was a newly-learned sound associated with the

“Yes, he is. I’m so sorry,” the woman replied, her voice

shape and form of the toy he had just presented to Julie.

a mixture of annoyance and embarrassment. There was

He had no concept of the ache in Julie’s heart as she sat

worry there, too––the worry of a mother who loved her

alone in the waiting room of the doctor’s office, no clue

child and feared for his safety.

of the newly-formed life growing in her belly.

“He likes to run off. I swear, he’ll just run up to anybody and No one knew.

start jabbering.” She shook her head, a frown darkening her lovely face. “Michael, come on now and leave this poor

Not even she knew for sure. Not yet. Jack had been gone

girl alone,” she instructed, taking her son’s little body in

for just over two months when they had come with the

her arms. “I’m sorry he bothered you,” she said again.

news, the words they spoke to her as she stood in the cramped living room of their tiny apartment, drowning her

Julie watched as the woman turned away. Looking down

in an ache that seemed impossible to survive.

at the ring on her finger, she wished the man who had once worn its mate could be there for all the days to come.

But now, the tiny boy's bright blue eyes seemed to know something no one else could.

In, out. In, out.

Baby.

I miss you, Jack. You’re supposed to be here for this.

The little boy’s bright eyes searched hers, growing wide as

She closed her eyes and pictured his smiling face,

his grin wavered. Those eyes, though, never left her face

suddenly

as he reached up and crawled into her lap. A small giggle

changed her life forever.

realizing

slipped past his lips as he buried his face in her chest, and his chubby arms wrapped around her neck. Julie could smell the sweet scent of his skin, could feel his entire body move with each breath he took.

In, out. In, out.

“Michael, what are you doing? You know better than to run off like that,” a voice scolded.

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that

she’d

been

right––he

had

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