Refuge - January 2020

®

REFUGE

January 2020 DoSouthMagazine.com

02

january

Contents 04 08

Pet Adoption:

3 Girls Animal Rescue

14 16 46

Publisher’s Letter

Health: Make 2020 Amazing Tips: Refresh Your Home

{TASTE}

42 43 44

Greek Cucumber Walnut Bites

48 51

Thrill of the Chill Mount Magazine State Park

The Calendar: January Get Bookish

Cider Rum Punch

Nonprofit Spotlight

{PEOPLE}

18 22 26 34

{FICTION }

52

From the Rubble

Banana Bread Overnight Oats

Fan Mail & Contest

{COMMUNITY }

11 12

30 Home 38 Let Go, and Let God

{ T R AV E L }

Shop Local

{ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT}

06 07 10

{ FA I T H }

Resolute Babes A Cool Change The Rescuers Paws in Prison

To Serve and Purrtect DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

{SPECIAL FEATURE }

56

Health & Wellness Guide

OUR COVER Image: Ian Keefe

04

Letter from Catherine

JANUARY 2020 OWNER - PUBLISHER - EDITOR Catherine Frederick COPY EDITING Charity Chambers GRAPHIC DESIGN Artifex 323 – Jessica Meadors

Happy & Well As we set off into this new decade, we refocus on what we want our future selves to be like. We take a look back and contemplate what we accomplished, and what’s been left undone, all while giving ourselves ample grace. January is a time to start anew! Time passes all too quickly and so much can happen during the course of a year, so as we set our new year’s resolutions, we need to give ourselves room to be human, grow and change.

I am so proud of the growth of our community over the past year and am very excited to see what this new year will bring! New businesses will open, existing businesses will grow, ordinary neighbors will do extraordinary things, non-profits will continue to serve, and Do South ® will be there for it all, sharing their stories and celebrating right alongside. Thank you for being here, for showering Do South® with your love and support – I am so very thankful for each and every one of you.

Welcome to 2020 – let’s do this!

Catherine Frederick

Owner/Publisher/Editor

catherine@dosouthmagazine.com

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Amy Adams CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Jade Graves CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Alicia Agent, Jennifer Battles, Catherine Frederick, Dwain Hebda, Sarah Phillips-Burger, Sara Putnam, Liesel Schmidt, Jessica Sowards, Stoney Stamper, Katherine Stewart ADVERTISING INFORMATION Catherine Frederick I 479.782.1500 catherine@dosouthmagazine.com Amy Adams | 479.926.1234 amy@dosouthmagazine.com ©2020 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

FOLLOW US 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.

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

FAN MAIL Send comments and suggestions to catherine@dosouthmagazine.com.

Hats Off! This monthly magazine somehow collects all the things we need to know in this area's activities and provides fun and informative stories and ideas! Hats off to Do South®!

~ Jack J. Local Flavor Always enjoy this magazine and its local flavor!

~ Catherine G. Quality Publication Quality publication, fresh look & feel. Great articles & photography... I look forward to getting it each month.

~ Branden S.

UP NEXT She said yes! Let the planning begin. Don’t miss our 6th annual Wedding Guide, coming in February. It’s filled with local experts who stand at the ready to help turn the day you’ve spent your life dreaming of, into a picture-perfect reality.

CONTEST (Deadline is January 15) Go to dosouthmagazine.com, click on our “Contests” button at the top of the

CALENDAR CALENDAR CALENDAR CALENDAR

calendar

page. All who enter will be subscribed to our mailing list. Please see rules and policies on our Contests page!

DO SOUTH® MAGAZINE

Love picking up a copy of Do South® Magazine? Enter to win this month’s contest and you could have it delivered every month for an entire year, right to your door!

CODE: DO SOUTH

CONGRATS Congrats to our contest winner from December!

Kopper Kettle Candies: Nanci Irgens DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

THE THE THE THE

06

calendar

JANUARY 2020

Core Public House

January 31: Harlem Globetrotters Pushing

Fort Smith, AR

the Limits World Tour

ACCA LIVE!

January 7,14,21,28: Xtreme Bingo

Fort Smith, AR January 16: Jason Ricci & The Bad Kind Basin Park Hotel Eureka Springs, AR January 16 – 19: Ozark Mountain Music Festival 2020 Boondocks Fort Smith, AR January 3: Danny Richmond Band January 18: Chris Cash Music Bricktown Brewery Fort Smith, AR All shows: 7:30-10:30pm January 3: Jon Dooly January 10: The Rain Kings January 17: Flash 1/17 January 24: Gary Hutchison January 31: Mark Albertson Cherokee Casino & Hotel Roland Roland, OK January 15: Arctic Blast T-Shirt Giveaway Free t-shirt to the first 500 One Star Rewards guests January 20: Pay Off, Day Off Kiosk Game Play the kiosk game for a chance at rewards play or up to $2500 January 31: Drew Parker, free concert in the Lee Creek Tavern

at the Pub

The Majestic Fort Smith, AR

Downtown Fort Smith

January 24: Dial Up 90’s Tribute Band

Fort Smith, AR January 20: Celebrate the Dream

The Blue Lion

MLK Day Parade

Fort Smith, AR January 30: UAFS Music Faculty Showcase

Fort Smith Brewing Company

Uncork’d

Fort Smith, AR

Fort Smith, AR

January 11: Meanest Chili Cookoff

January 3-4: Rocky Jones

January 25 – 26: The Brewery Comedy Tour

January 10: Hwy 124 January 17: Jon Dooly

Fort Smith Convention

January 18: Luke Ford

Center

January 24: Truckstop Poets

Fort Smith, AR

January 25: Phil Brown

January 7: Christmas Honors Wreath

January 27: Prisoner Wine Dinner

Pick Up & Storage

January 31- Allison Grace Band

January 10: Girls Night Out January 25: Battle of the Fort Volleyball

United States Marshals

Tournament

Museum Fort Smith, AR

Fort Smith Coffee Co.

January 3: USMM Winter Camp

Fort Smith, AR January 5,12, 19,26: Sunday Night Coffee

Walton Arts Center

& Trivia with Rham

Fayetteville, AR January 10: Jessie Cook

Robinson Center

January 12: Piff the Magic Dragon

Little Rock, AR

January 16: Amy Raye

January 1-18: Wicked

January 18: Arkansas Film Makers Showcase January 25: A Year with Frog and Toad

Simmons Bank Arena

January 30: Piano Battle

Little Rock, AR

January 31: Fred Hersh Trio

January 16: PJ Masks Save the Day Live January 23: Miranda Lambert

Western Arkansas Ballet

Wildcard Tour

Fort Smith, AR

January 25: Winter Jam Tour

January 18: Tutu Run 5K & Quarter

Spectacular 2020

Marathon

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08

pets

A New Home for the New Year F

F

Louise F

F

Renee F

Storm

Vanna F

Cherish

Phoebe

3 Girls Animal Rescue is a foster-only rescue, so there is no facility. All animals are currently in foster homes being socialized and cared for by loving families. All animals are spayed or neutered, up-to-date on vaccinations, and heartworm negative. 3 Girls is run completely by volunteers and operates solely on public donations.

CONTACT: Angela Meek 479.883.2240 • Mitzi Burkhart 479.651.4445 www.facebook.com/3GirlsAnimalRescue • threegirlsanimalrescue@outlook.com Each month, Do South® donates this page to local and regional nonprofit animal shelters. If you work with a shelter and would like to reserve this space, please email editors@dosouthmagazine.com.

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entertainment

Get

BOOKISH Recommendations and image courtesy Bookish

Five must-read book recommendations from our friends at Bookish, Fort Smith, Arkansas’s only independently owned book store.

The Fountains of Silence

by Ruta Sepetys Madrid, 1957: Daniel Matheson and his family arrive in Spain hoping to connect to his mother’s mother country. Daniel is the son of an oil tycoon and a photographer, and when fate brings him to Ana he is forced to make difficult decisions to protect those he loves.

The Starless Sea

Conviction

by Erin Morgenstern

by Denise Mina

This labyrinth of a tale is told through Morgenstern’s fantastical prose and imagination. As Zachary Ezra Rawlins uncovers a mysterious book in the campus library, he is swept into a world of pirates, ballrooms, mystery and romance.

Lovers of true crime and podcasts will love Mina’s newest book.

When Anna’s husband comes downstairs with a startling announcement, her seemingly normal day explodes into something unforgettable. Mina artfully weaves together the mundane with the necessities of modern life to create something playful and intriguing.

The Dearly Beloved

by Cara Wall Wall’s novel follows the lives of Charles and Lily, James and Nan in 1963 Greenwich Village.

While the couples are in love, there is conflict bubbling between them.

How can Charles join the ministry and be in love with Lily, someone who claims there is no God, at the same time?

Can Nan’s devotion to her faith be what saves James. Wall poses the questions that a culture needs to discuss, questions that are deeply personal and universal at the same time.

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The Current

by Tim Johnston Johnston’s book begins in the dead of winter outside a small Minnesota town (the perfect setting for this time of year!).

Two women are found downriver: one drowned, the other still alive at the scene.

As the news breaks, it becomes clear that it was no accident and the killer may still be among them. Johnston’s pacing is perfect and his language exquisite.

community

Nonprofit Spotlight

DS: How did Good Samaritan Clinic come to be?

words Catherine Frederick with Patti Kimbrough, Executive Director, Good Samaritan Clinic

from St. John’s Church – created Good Samaritan Clinic in partnership with St.

A local group of concerned individuals recognized our community was growing and unemployment rates and local poverty levels were on the rise. In 2003, in an effort to help those in need, Dr. Kemal Kutait, a retired family practitioner, and Ramona Roberts, a veteran real estate professional, as well as Father Wright John’s Episcopal Church and volunteers from St. Paul’s Methodist Church.

DS: Tell us about the mission of Good Samaritan Clinic.

Our mission is to improve the health in our region by providing access to compassionate, quality healthcare. We envision a community in which neighbors work together giving their time, talent, and resources to ensure everyone has the opportunity to live a healthy, productive life.

Good Samaritan Clinic is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization providing quality healthcare access to all individuals in the Arkansas River Valley, regardless of their ability to pay. They bring together informed individuals who give their time, expertise, and financial support to ensure an expansive network of providers is available to those in need of medical services. Do South® reached out to Patti Kimbrough, Executive Director, to learn more.

DS: Who does Good Samaritan serve and in what ways?

The Good Samaritan Clinic serves our neighbors in need of basic medical care.

Our clinic sees patients who do not have insurance, we are 100 percent a charitable clinic. We charge a small co-payment ($10-$35), never to exceed $35, and no one is ever turned away for inability to pay. We also offer dental, vision and counseling services by appointment. We are fortunate to have support from Mercy Hospital and Baptist Health (Sparks) as both hospitals believe in our mission and how it can improve health and quality of life in our region while providing continuity of care. The clinic serves over 5,000 patients per year.

DS: How can our community get involved and support Good Samaritan Clinic?

Monetary donations are always appreciated, but things like copy paper, hygiene items, shampoo, soap, towels, wash cloths, detergent, and bleach are needed. We are always in need of volunteers from doctors and nurses to someone to do filing,

Good Samaritan Clinic 615 North B Street Fort Smith, Arkansas, 72901 479.783.0233 goodsamaritanfs.com

pull charts, cleaning, even lawn care.

DS: Are there any upcoming events our readers should know about?

We are currently planning our 4th Annual Best Night of the Year Friend-Raiser hosted by our very own Good Samaritan Board of Directors! We are going to “Let Our Love Flow” with the Bellamy Brothers on Friday, April 24th at the Kay Rodgers Park Expo Center in Fort Smith. We just launched our “sweetheart deal” that will run through February 14, 2020, tickets may be purchased for

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.

$75 each which includes an all-inclusive ticket, with beverages, food, auction, mechanical bull, wine toss and more! The attire is western/casual and will be so much fun. Tickets, tables and corporate sponsorships are available now. #IAMGOODSAM! ARE YOU?

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community

DS: How old are you?

Pawfficer Fuzz: 18 weeks.

DS: What breed are you?

Pawfficer Fuzz: Siameze mix.

DS: What made you want to join the police force?

Pawfficer Fuzz: The dezire to prrrtect and serve!

DS: Are there any other members of your family in law enforcement?

Pawfficer Fuzz: Not in my immediate family but I feel a kinship with other pawfficerz across the nation. I also look at Pawfficer Donut az a great mentor. Pawfficer Donut works for the Troy, Michigan Police Department.

DS: What makes being part of the Fort Smith PD so great?

Pawfficer Fuzz: I like how they strive to protect the peoplez, especially our children and seniorz.

Children need to know that police are their friendz. They’re not there just to “take bad people to jail.” We’re here to help you when you’re in trouble.

TO SERVE & PURRTECT Pawfficer Fuzz has officially joined the force!

He’ll be on pawtrol, keeping residents safe and encouraging everyone to give a home to furry friends in need. Do South ® caught up with Pawfficer Fuzz to find out more!

And don’t get me started on the mean peoplez who try to scam seniorz. My fellow officerz like to spread awareness about all the dastardly schemez these criminalz cook up to protect any vulnerable population we can.

That also includez my fellow furry friendz who don’t have homez. Did you know you can adopt a kitty like me from Jen’s Kitty Rehab, Kitties and Kanines, or any area animal shelter, and we make great family memberz?

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community

Mayor McGill

DS: What is your favorite job?

DS: What is your wish for the new year?

Pawfficer Fuzz: I love to inspect electronics and give purrrz

Pawfficer Fuzz: To spread more pawsitivity about our

to my co-workerz when they’re having a stressful day. I

community. And help everyone be a little more pawsitive

also love to vizit preschoolz and make new friendz.

about each other.

DS: What is your biggest challenge?

DS: What is your favorite treat?

Pawfficer Fuzz: I’ve been told I get distracted pretty eazy.

Pawfficer Fuzz: Greeniez, of course.

I wonder what this button doez //////////////////////////////////.

What were we talkin’ about again? Oh yes, subtraction. I

DS: Do you have any special talents?

like math.

Pawfficer Fuzz: I can jump really high and chew on power cordz when no one iz looking. But they ujually are.

DS: What do you like to do after a hard day at work?

DS: Who is your hero?

Pawfficer Fuzz: Sleeps and have piggyback ridez on Coco’z

Pawfficer Fuzz: The women and men of the Fort Smith

back. She’z my partner’z cat.

Police Department and their familiez for loving and serving this community and the sacrifices they make to do it every

DS: What is your proudest moment so far?

day.

Pawfficer Fuzz: Seeing what good little boyz and girlz we have in Fort Smith and how comfortable they are coming

Jen’s Kitty Rehab, Glidewell Distributing, Lyons Plumbing

up to an officer. If I help with that in any way, it makes

and Custom Design, and Eastside Animal Hospital for

me a proud kitty.

making it possible for me to do my job.

DS: What do you hope to bring to the community?

And whoever invented plastic trashbags. I like how they

Pawfficer Fuzz: Awareness for how they can lead safer

that either. You won’t tell anyone, will you?

sound when I’m chewing on them. I’m not supposed to do

livez, help people and furrballz in need, and promote responsible pet ownership.

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shop

All Things New - All Things Local! words Catherine Frederick imageS Jade Graves Photography and courtesy vendors

Microsonic® Sleep Plugs, Swim Plugs and Customs for Earbud Use

CENTER FOR HEARING 479.785.3277

Pulido-Walker Cabernet Sauvignon, Orin Swift Cellars Slander Pinot Noir, Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

IN GOOD SPIRITS 479.434.6604

Hobo Leather Travel Bag, Shoulder Bag, and Wristlet Clutch

JENNIFER’S GIFT SHOP BAPTIST HEALTH-FORT SMITH 479.441.4221

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shop

It’s a new year and time to refresh. Visit our local shops and discover unique gift items for those you love and must-have gift items just for you!

Swig Life™ Cups, Dorda Double Chocolate Liqueur, Ron Con Horchata Colina Colada, Adelaide’s Dreamsicle™ Cream Liqueur

SODIE’S WINE & SPIRITS 479.783.8013

Face a Face Sunglasses

DR. STEVEN B. STILES OPTOMETRY 479.452.2020

Hayley Paige by Hearts On Fire Love Code “Mrs” Ring with Pink Sapphire Accents, Available in 18kt. Rose, Yellow and White Gold, $790.00

JOHN MAYS JEWELERS 479.452.2140

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health

MAKE 2020 AMAZING HOW TO FIND THE TIME TO REACH YOUR HEALTH GOALS IN THE NEW YEAR WORds and images courtesy Alicia Agent, Manager Marketing Communications Baptist Health – Fort Smith

Don Ridgley

Whether it’s inches, pounds or pant sizes, we all have ways to measure our success when it comes to health and weight loss. But Don Ridgley, manager of Marvin Altman Fitness Center at Baptist Health-Fort Smith, says when it comes to reaching your health goals the best unit of measurement is time.

“Just do the time,” Don said. “Don’t worry as much about a number on a scale. Just look at your calendar and create an exercise schedule that fits your life.”

Don says exercise doesn’t have to take place in the gym.

Any form of activity that elevates your heart rate, such as walking, running or exercises that use your own body weight like push-ups, are a great way to incorporate activity into your routine. The most important part is setting an attainable goal with a realistic schedule so you can stick to it.

Susan Coon

He recommends at least three days a week of aerobic activity and strength training to improve cardiovascular and bone health as you age. The type of workout isn’t as important, Don says. Just find something you enjoy and will make time for. Wearable devices and mobile apps are great ways to track your progress and stay motivated.

Don earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Arkansas Tech University in Wellness Management and has been DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

health

with Marvin Altman Fitness Center for twenty-five years.

worked out for thirty minutes at the gym on Monday, but

He and a team of athletic trainers and fitness instructors

can’t make it Wednesday, it’s fine. Find another activity that

are able to customize individual workouts for members, as

you can fit into your day so that you’re staying on track.”

well as lead classes for a wide variety of interests. Some of the classes include senior chair yoga, Pilates, circuit

Don suggests putting your workout on your calendar like you

training, water aerobics, and SEALFIT boot camp.

would a doctor’s appointment, a meeting at work, or lunch with a friend. Make it a priority and make time for yourself.

One of the newer classes, POUND, is taught by certified fitness instructor Susan Coon. The class is a combination of

“Your ultimate goal should be better health and a better

cardio and strength training that utilizes exhilarating music

quality of life as you age and the best way to do that

and lightweight drumsticks. Susan added it to the curriculum

is by staying active,” Don said. “By doing so, you’ll be

as a way to stay current with changing fitness trends.

able to recover better from illness and injury and reap the benefits of good health later in life.”

“Fitness has changed so much over the last several years,” she said. “People aren’t just members of one gym anymore.

They’re seeking new levels of fun and fitness, so it’s important for us as fitness instructors to continue our education so we can provide a safe, exciting and effective workout.”

Susan has been an instructor at Marvin Altman Fitness Center for 30 years, but her POUND class is celebrating a year of staying physically and mentally fit this month.

She takes pride in helping participants find their inner “rock star,” as the class transforms drumming into an exhilarating workout and live concert, according to Susan.

“It’s the best workout in the shortest amount of time,” she said. “Each song is 2-4 minutes and you’re working your brain and your body, improving your focus and relieving stress. We get loud and have fun. It’s addicting.”

In addition to fitness classes for all levels, the fitness center also offers an indoor swimming pool, a sauna and a “Kid Zone” which is free to members. The fitness center offers a variety of student, professional and military discounts. It also partners with insurance companies who offer free or discounted gym memberships to make exercise and a healthy lifestyle more accessible to those in the River Valley.

Even if your schedule doesn’t always allow for one of the many daytime or evening classes offered at the fitness center, Don says taking a walk outside or on their indoor track is a good way to stick to your commitment.

Marvin Altman Fitness Center 810 Lexington Avenue, Fort Smith, AR 72901 479.441.5469 baptist-health.com

“It’s okay to be flexible in your routine,” he said. “If you DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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people

Resolute Babes WORDs Catherine Frederick

It’s that time of year again, when we set our resolutions for the new year. Work out more, eat healthier, make time for self-care – it can be a daunting task for adults, but not for these local kindergartners! Read on as they share their adorable New Year’s resolutions for 2020. Special thanks to the kindergarten teachers at Woods Elementary!

MRS. WHEELER'S KINDERGARTEN CLASS

"I will sleep." ~ Gray S.

"I will eat chocolate." ~ Emma A.

"I will be Super Girl." ~ Karen G.

"I will be Batman." ~ Brian G.

"I will be a kind friend." ~ Norah B.

"I will eat chocolate." ~ Giana S.

MRS. WASHINGTON’S KINDERGARTEN CLASS “I want to learn how to listen to my parents.” ~ Bonnie B.

“I want to go to the beach every day.” ~ Charlie S. “I want to go to North Carolina.” ~ Haleina C.

“I want to do the big monkey bars.” ~ Brixton M. DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

“I want to get better at hanging upside down.” ~ Lillian V.

people

MRS. SCHWARTZ’S KINDERGARTEN CLASS “I want to spend more time with my family.” ~ Bella R.

“I will keep going to ballet every Thursday in the new year.” ~ Selah D.

“I will be happy all the time and be kind.” ~ Cadence W.

“My mom works really hard, so I am going to try to turn the shower on by myself to help her.” ~ Hayes L.

“I will work on tidying up her room more often to help my mommy.” ~ Lillian C.

“I want to stay home and watch my phone.” ~ Jonah F.

“I will spread kindness and be a friend.” ~ Parker L.

“I want to help people every day.” ~ Tony T. “I want to help friends every day.” ~ Abigail V.

“I want my mom and dad to make more money.” ~ Sally Beth P.

“I will play outside more.” ~ Charleigh W.

“I want to treat others kind and help my mom do stuff. I love when my mom lets me have snacks and popsicles.” ~ Emma K.

“I love my mommy and when she takes a shower I will put the water on for her.” ~ Poppy R.

“I will work out more so I can get stronger.” ~ Atlas J. “I want to exercise more so I can be stronger.” ~ Saylor M.

“I want to teach people how to dance faster and better.” ~ Ava W.

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“I want to work on earning my Dojo points in class to get more prizes.” ~ Hadley H.

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people

MRS. SMITH’S KINDERGARTEN CLASS

“I will never be tardy to school.” ~ Alan C.

“Be kind to my family.” ~ Ella V.

“I will be nice to my parents.” ~ Emmett B.

“I am going to eat my vegetables.” ~ Liam A. “In 2020, I will be nice to everybody!” ~ Isaac V.

“I will eat all my vegetables and what my mom makes me.” ~ Brock M. “I will be nice to my family.” ~ Lydia C.

“Give presents.” ~ Nathan B.

“I will make my daddy a cake.” ~ Crystal L.

“I want to hug my mom.” ~ Joey S.

“I will always be kind to the school.” ~ Owen C.

“Watch tv and play with toys.” ~ Nixon J.

“I will never smoke.” ~ Ryland J.

“I promise I will do my work.” ~ Jackson C.

“I am going to clean my room.” ~ Ryker M.

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people

A COOL CHANGE

Fort Smith Family Sets Sail on a Grand Adventure

words Dwain Hebda IMAGEs courtesy Susan and Clay Pruitt and Greg Hartman Photography

Ten years ago

next December, Susan and Clay Pruitt

lost their infant daughter, Lily, the youngest of their three

life illuminated things they wanted to do and revved their urgency to get them done.

children. Then, with the grief from that loss still throbbing in their minds, Susan was diagnosed with genetic BRCA2

“We just had a lot of things that happened to us that really

breast cancer, a battle from which she emerged victorious

showed life was short and that we needed to make the

six years ago.

most of the opportunities that we have and the time that we have with our children and families,” Susan says.

It’s amazing what happens when mortality rests its hand on your shoulder for that long in that short a span of time. For

Determined not to let any more time pass them by,

the Pruitts, having ringside seats to the tenuous fragility of

the family set about doing the grand adventures that

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people

many people talk about but never actually accomplish. One of the more audacious of these must-dos cast off this month, with the family embarking on a six-month sailing voyage in the Virgin Islands. During that time the family will live on a boat, dropping and pulling anchor as they please.

“We had been talking about this dream of pulling the boys out of school and homeschooling them and showing them the world. We want to show them there’s more beyond Fort Smith, Arkansas,” Susan says. “We were going to sell everything and live on a boat, but we compromised because that wasn’t everybody’s dream in our family. We said let’s try this for six months and see what this looks like.”

OK, the elephant in the room – that at first blush this sounds a little nuts, even dangerous – is something even the Pruitts readily acknowledge. But talk with them a while and you find yourself coming around to their way of thinking, particularly considering the couple’s two teenage sons – Denver, age sixteen and Hudson, age thirteen – are soon to be mired in high school activities then moving on with their lives, effectively closing the window of opportunity for such a voyage forever.

“Our day-in and day-out lifestyle is very busy,” Susan says. “We both work and Clay travels a lot and our kids are busy. We’re not really living.

We’re just working. Sometimes I feel that way.

“Our lifestyles are so crazy busy that I feel like we are missing out on precious moments in life. I also realize my kids are at an age where they will be gone very soon and if I don’t make these memories with them now it probably never will happen.”

The couple also shares a firm belief that while the boys will be homeschooled while at sea, what they will glean from their books and homework is but a fraction of their overall education.

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Clay and Susan Pruitt

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people

“I hope that the voyage builds their confidence to realize that they can do more than they even believe they’re capable of doing,” Clay says. “I hope that it gives them a broader mind for the world and people in general. I hope it makes their heart open to all cultures and lets them see that although where we live is amazing, not everybody lives the way we do and the way we live isn’t always the best way.”

The family members are by no means landlubbers, having taken sailing vacations for ten years with friends Kevin and Elizabeth King. Among the trips they’ve taken either as a couple or along with the boys are sailing Croatia, the British Virgin Islands, Spanish Virgin Islands, Leeward Islands, Exuma Islands off Nassau the Bahamas and Canada via the San Juan and Orca Islands around Pugent Sound.

Each trip improved their confidence and helped them map out the details of the grand adventure that was to come. The trips also underscored the certifications they needed to make such a voyage possible, of which boat handling was just one part.

“Being on a boat and sailing it on your own, knowing how to sail the boat, is just a small portion of what you truly have to know,” Clay said. “You have to be a diesel mechanic. You have to be an electrician. You have to be a plumber. You have to be a weatherman.

“We spent time at Annapolis, Maryland, at the U.S. Boat Show’s Cruisers University and we learned diesel engine repair, electrical repair. We wanted to try to create a toolbelt so if something happens, we’ll be able to have the skillset to fix the things that go wrong.”

Everyone in the family has a role to play. The boys have plenty of set chores to perform onboard in addition to their schoolwork. Susan also intends to get them involved with service work while on the voyage, calling that another integral part of the kids’ maturation.

“One of the things we want to do while we travel is find ways that we can also serve the communities that DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

people

we’re in,” she says. “When we were in Puerto Rico, we

within easy sight of land. Still, no skipper worth the name

were doing hurricane damage relief; in the Exumas they

can ever take the sea lightly.

spent time at the sea turtle refuge learning how plastic waste impacts the ocean and can cause harm to wildlife.”

But then, that’s why they call it an adventure.

Susan, who works for Ronald McDonald House Charities,

“I’m very excited but I’m also very nervous,” Clay said. “You

and Clay, who owns his own video production company, CP

have a lot of questions and scenarios that come into your

Pruitt Productions, also plan to chronicle their six months'

mind that you wonder, ‘How are we going to deal with

worth of adventures on social media.

this?’ or ‘How are we going to deal with that?’

“We’re hoping people will be able to follow us on Instagram

“I think just knowing that no matter what comes out of

or YouTube,” Susan said. “A lot of people think that it’s

it that this is going to be something that our family will

just a big vacation, just fun and relaxing. But as a sailor

always remember for better or for worse is something.

you know that there’s so much more than that. It will be

I think it’s something that will change us in one way or

challenging on our whole family.

another when we return. I hope that spirit of adventure stays with us and we continue to explore the world as we

“It will not be easy at all times and I know that is where

go on and maybe in new ways.”

the anxiety and the fear come into play. But at the same time, I know that it will refine us and make us overall better people after this. And, hopefully a closer family, even though we are already a close family.”

In truth, the Pruitts really don’t know everything to expect, but just have to trust that they have thought far enough ahead to allow for most contingencies.

Their route doesn’t lead them into open blue water for extended periods; instead, most of their sailing will be

FOLLOW THE ADVENTURE Follow the Pruitts on their upcoming adventure via social media.

YOUTUBE: Tales From A Passport INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK: talesfromapassport WEBSITE/BLOG: talesfromapassport.com

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people

B

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Peggy McMullen

THE RESCUERS

Spock

WORDs Liesel Schmidt images courtesy 3 Girls Animal Rescue, Peggy McMullen and Pawzatively Canine

Based on the billions of dollars that people spend on their

“I've always had a strong love of animals, and I grew up in

pets, it’s pretty clear that they hold a special place in our

a home where we always had both dogs and cats—all of

hearts. Blinged out collars, pet carriers that look like designer

which were strays. As a teenager, I brought home homeless

handbags, chef-crafted food…we give our pets everything

animals, and throughout my entire adult life, I’ve had multiple

imaginable and more, thinking of them like family members

pets,” says Peggy McMullen, who owned and operated a

and making their lives as happy as possible.

grooming/boarding shop for fifteen years before retiring in 2018. Naturally, because her love of animals was more than

Unfortunately, not all pets are so lucky. Some pets are abused,

just a professional interest, she became associated with

neglected, abandoned—or worse. These helpless creatures are

several local rescue organizations by offering to groom their

left without hope, sometimes having to make their way on the

severely neglected dogs to save them the expense, which led

streets, sometimes ending up in shelters and facing a horrible

to fostering them. “I had the space, since I had a boarding

fate. But there truly is hope, when people open their hearts.

area where I could keep them until they were adopted or

And for the wonderful people who keep organizations like 3

transported, and I've now fostered dozens of litters of puppies

Girls Animal Rescue and Pawzatively Canine, Inc. running, the

as well as adult dogs, bottle fed so many kittens I've lost

hearts are overflowing with love and hope and help for the

count, and rescued multiple animals on my own,” she says.

animals that so desperately need it.

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people

Retirement from the shop could have meant the end of fostering, but for McMullen, it was just the beginning of an even greater level of involvement in the mission to save these helpless animals. “It’s who I am, not just something I do; so, after I retired in 2018, I began reaching out to help individuals who had dogs and cats that needed to be re-homed,” McMullen explains. “Since I had a huge following of fellow animal lovers and rescuers on Facebook, I was able to make

I’ve seen far too many homeless puppies and

the connections to help find homes.”

dogs that could not

And thus began the start of her work with 3 Girls Animal

advocate for themselves

Rescue, an organization founded in 2014 by Angela Meek and Mitzi Burkhart whose primary mission was saving dogs from the seven city pounds in LeFlore County, Oklahoma. As the organization grew, they realized the need for a separate intake coordinator for cats—a role now filled by Peggy, who started

and felt compelled to assist in saving them.

her journey with them on a very literal journey. “I was helping with a dog and her pups and needed to find a rescue that could transport them. I was given the suggestion to contact Mitzi Burkhart with 3 Girls Animal Rescue and was informed that they had a transport set to go to Minnesota, but no one to drive it,” Peggy recalls. “My husband and I agreed to drive the transport, and that began my work with 3 Girls Animal Rescue.” Since taking on her position as intake coordinator for cats, she has been able to save the lives of nearly 200 cats and help them find loving homes.

Sharing that level of passion for finding loving homes for animals, Donna Sullivan was inspired to create her own nonprofit, Pawzatively Canine, Inc., in 2015, using her long history of independently rescuing dogs and cats as the foundation for her newly minted organization. “I’ve seen far too many homeless puppies and dogs that could not advocate for themselves and felt compelled to assist in saving them,” Donna says of the reason she started the nonprofit. “There are too many abandoned dogs in our rural areas like our river bottoms, country back roads, and cemeteries, and I wanted to make a difference in the lives of these innocent puppies and dogs. I accomplish this by enlisting the help of individuals who share my vision, and that’s the basis of what we’re doing here at Pawzatively Canine.”

As a retiree, Sullivan could focus on hobbies or other interests to fill her time, but the passion she feels for her mission is far too great. “Our area is full of homeless pets that need a DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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safe haven that offers them food, water, shelter, and routine

gratification when you witness the change in their personality

veterinary care,” she says. “Many are left behind when their

and even their appearance as they settle into a home where

owners move or are simply dumped in rural areas to fend for

they feel safe and happy. For a lot of these animals, this may be

themselves. We are the only hope they have to survive—never

the first time they have ever felt that feeling.”

mind thrive or become a loving member of a family. To help reduce this problem and aid in educating the public on the

For these rescued animals, that feeling may not be something

importance of spaying and neutering as well as responsible

they can express in words we understand, but it’s one

pet ownership, we participate in many local events.”

they show us through the only way they know how: their unconditional love and loyalty. Oh, and the kisses. Don’t

In addition to being President and Founder of Pawzatively

forget the kisses.

Canine, Donna is also a former Vice President of Companion Terriers for Veterans and boasts a robust menagerie of pets in her own household. “We have five dogs and two cats, along with the numerous puppies and dogs I foster,” she says.

And while the name of the organization might suggest that

View available pets on 3 Girls Animal Rescue and Pawzatively Canine’s Facebook page!

they work solely with dogs, Sullivan and her team are equal opportunity animal lovers. “We do help other species when we can and have rescued, vetted, and placed several kittens, cats, and even a pot belly pig,” she says proudly.

And such work is certainly something to be proud of, as these big-hearted women and the organizations they represent are truly making a difference—both in the lives of the animals they rescue as well as in the lives of the people who offer their homes as a new place of hope. “Each year, millions of animals are

3 Girls Animal Rescue 28871 N. Side Lane, Poteau, OK, 74953 3girlsanimalrescue.org

Pawzatively Canine, Inc. P.O. Box 554, Mulberry, AR 72947 pcidogrescue@gmail.com pawzativelycanine.org

euthanized due to the lack of homes,” says Peggy. “Adopting one of these shelter pets brings such a sense of fulfillment and

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faith

Home Words Jessica Sowards image Rangizzz / Shutterstock

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I

faith

It’s been six years since I first met my home. One cold January

the house came into view, in an impulsive instant, I pulled in.

afternoon at the very start of 2014, my dad called me and asked me to give him a ride to the automotive shop on the

It was a foreclosure, listed by HUD. I’d never heard of purchasing

other side of town to pick up his truck. I’d just laid my kids

houses like that. I didn’t know the foreclosure market of

down for their nap. My house was a mess, with the Christmas

government-flipped houses even existed until that day. The

decorations only halfway packed into the attic. I stood in my

sun broke through the clouds as I explored that property. The

bedroom with my phone to my ear and heard the request that

house was small but the acres were lovely. Before I knew it,

I knew would rearrange my afternoon plans. Wishing that I

I was planning the placement for the chicken coop and the

hadn’t answered the phone, I sighed. “Yeah,” I said, “just

garden. I was assessing the fencing and outbuildings, I was

give me half an hour. I’ll have to get the kids up.”

calling my husband and asking him to meet me there.

I did get them up. I layered on the 4-ply appropriate winter attire for small boys and we piled into the car, picked up my dad and headed on our way.

At the time, my husband Jeremiah, was working in youth ministry at a local church. We rented the house I’d grown up in from my dad, a 4-bedroom rancher on a quiet suburban street. I lived five minutes from the grocery store and grew plants in pots on my porch. In the mornings, I walked my older sons to school, a block away from our house. It was a sweet life, but I had a burning dream in my heart.

I wanted a farm. I dreamed of a house in the country with acres that stretched out underneath a starry night sky.

Before that day, we’d completely given up hope on a country house and a hobby farm, thinking we’d wait until our kids were older and money wasn’t so tight. We put an offer in on that house that very evening. I barely slept all night, pouring over Google images of the property. My heart was alive with hope and I felt a measure of excitement that overwhelmed me.

I dreamed of having chickens in the yard and a sprawling garden that could fill my pantry shelves with canned goods.

The next morning, our offer was denied. Another offer had

I desired to milk goats and raise our own meat. I wanted it

been accepted just fifteen minutes before ours came through.

so badly that I would cry sometimes when faced with the

We did not get the house with the red barn.

impossibility of the thing. I learned patience because there was no other option but to wait.

I was devastated. All my plans were like a flash in a pan. When they burned out, I was left standing in my suburban living

On our drive to the shop, my dad and I passed a house for

room in bleak January, surrounded by Christmas décor that

sale. It had a red barn so, naturally, I craned my neck to see it.

mocked me with its untimely joy. Jeremiah tried to console me, but I wouldn’t hear it. I felt foolish for even believing I

“You should look at it, see how much it is,” my dad said,

could have my farm at all. I swore I wouldn’t even think of a

nodding to the house.

farm for years, that I certainly wouldn’t be bold enough to try to obtain one.

“Can’t afford it,” I quickly replied.

Jeremiah, however, was thrilled. Since we first started “You don’t know,” he said, “You haven’t even looked.”

dating, I’d been dragging him to farm properties. He’d go along, listen to my planning, endure the limitless and ever-

I changed the subject and we didn’t talk about the house with

changing fashion of my dreaming. He'd nod and smile and

the red barn again. I dropped him off and headed home. I didn’t

say, “Someday. Yes, eventually.”

even think of turning into that driveway until I came upon it. As DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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faith

Something about the foreclosure market excited him though.

enough to want it. I’m very bad at the resolve to stay hard

Maybe it simply brought purchasing a home and land into the

hearted, though. And while Jeremiah dreamed, I looked at

realm of possibility. Maybe the challenge of a fixer-upper sung

the house and prayed. I prayed until the fear chipped off and

to his inner handyman. I don’t know, but whatever it was

the hardness softened just enough to let the idea of a farm

caused him to dig deeper when I gave up.

breathe and live again.

He found me in bed a couple of days after the offer fell

When he made it back to the car, he said, “I want to buy

through. It was late at night and he touched my shoulder with

this house.”

ginger excitement and handed me a piece of paper with a listing. “It’s further out of town than the other property,”

I shrugged, as coldly as I could manage and said “Fine, try. But

he’d whispered. “There’s no barn that I can see and there’s

I doubt it happens.”

less land but the house is big and it’s really cheap.”

I write this article in front of the fireplace in my newly remodeled basement. My home is no longer the neglected

“No,” I said. “I don’t want it.”

foreclosure she was when we first found her. She has been “We’re going to see it in the morning,” he responded.

loved back to life. She has witnessed the growth of our family, the flourishing of our marriage and the birth of the farm that

We did. My heart was too fearful to open up so I said I hated

now spreads out before her.

it, but Jeremiah was sold. He has a way of seeing what isn’t there yet. When I looked on a house that needed 20k in

She isn’t perfect or fancy, but she has been exactly what we

repairs, he saw it complete. When I looked at land with no

needed. Every January, I remember when we found her, how

fences or barns, he saw it inhabited by animals and gardens,

I was too afraid of disappointment to even see her potential.

fulfilling our needs.

I remember the process of negotiations and escrow and the precarious months that followed that January day. I

It’d been six years since I first met my house. On a cold January

remember signing the papers and becoming homeowners,

afternoon, right after a tremendous disappointment, I sat in

and all the work that came after.

my parked car in her driveway with my arms crossed waiting on my husband who had been exploring the property for an

In January, when it is too cold to work outside and the fireplace

hour. I was absolutely determined that we would not purchase

calls my name, I am especially thankful for this home of mine.

this house, that I would not even for a moment be vulnerable

She has been a good friend, and we have loved her well.

To watch Jessica’s garden tours, visit her YouTube channel, Roots and Refuge.

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A R KA N SAS PAWS I N P R I S O N

Who’s Rescuing Who? WORDs and images Dwain Hebda SPECIAL THANKS TO THE ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

L

ashawnda Macon shakes her head at the harlequin knucklehead lolling at her feet. Tito, a Great Dane mix with a heart as big as

his paws, has grown tired of waiting for class to start, taking it out on his cobalt blue leash.

“They always give me the big dogs,” she says, pulling the leash out of Tito’s jaws, a move that only inspires him to take it again, delighted at the impromptu tug-of-war. But what Lashawnda gives up in size, she makes up for in voice and with a sharp, “Mama said no!” Tito releases the leash and looks pitifully at his trainer. In prison, everyone walks the line.

Antics and all, Tito is a crowd favorite here at the Hawkins Unit in Wrightsville and he’s not the only one. The other dogs seated with their inmate trainers for today’s Paws in Prison session all, in turn, get their share of attention and fuss, too. It’s a session everyone in the room – human and canine – looks forward to.

“All of them are different,” said inmate Angela Fisher of Jacksonville.

“Every single dog I get I say, ‘I cannot love another dog as much as I do this one.’ But another one comes in that needs me and I just fall in love all over again.”

Her current pup, Layla, is a sparky little multi-colored number with bright eyes. During the class, the fluffer demonstrates its mastery of commands, eyes locked with hers.

“Whenever I first came to prison I was going through a lot of mental problems. I became a cutter,” Angela says softly. “When I came to this unit, I was here for a couple years and they brought the dogs. Since I’ve been in the dog program it has just helped me so much. When I’m sad, I just grab ahold of the dog. I can love on the dog.”

Dina Tyler, communications director for the Arkansas Department of Correction, has spent enough time here to know the dogs and their

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handlers on sight, moving among them like a den mother.

dogs are then put up for adoption through rescue agencies and

There are plenty in the system who live up to the worst

the inmates take on another hound.

stereotypes, but this Paws in Prison group – and ones like it at facilities across the state – represents something different,

“At this point we’re over 1,400 dogs. It won’t be long before

something hopeful.

we get to 1,500 that we have put through the program and have been adopted,” Dina says. “To be honest, most of those

“We take dogs that are from shelters, usually high-kill shelters,

dogs wouldn’t be alive.”

and many of these dogs have been overlooked because they’re large, or because they’re black, or because they’re not

Like everything on the inside, taking part in the training

small, cute and fluffy,” she says. “They’ve been overlooked,

program is a privilege, contingent upon following the rules.

passed by and their chances of being euthanized run higher.

Paws in Prison training does not replace inmates’ work detail and entails day-to-day care of the animal. These extra

“We train them so they have their basic commands down and

responsibilities have a rehabilitative effect on participants,

it gives them an edge. You take a dog that has been passed

says Billy Inman, deputy warden.

over and you give the dog skills, suddenly that dog becomes a champion in people’s eyes."

“It gives the ladies something to care for,” he says. “Most women are caregivers, so it provides them a purpose and it

Paws in Prison came to Arkansas in December 2011, and today

provides them an opportunity to provide care in the way they

operates in six detention centers around the state with another

need to. It probably helps with our behavior issues; it helps

coming online soon. Two inmates are assigned per animal and

in the barracks in general. There are some folks who don’t feel

the pooches live full-time with their trainers inside prison walls

comfortable around them, but most folks love dogs.

for the eight to ten weeks it takes to complete training. The

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“They’re also taking responsibility for this animal and it’s an

the dog, they sent us out this way and we were back there

extra thing that they do. That’s probably not been a part of

waiting like, what do you want us to do with the dog? It

their past, where they’ve taken responsibility for extra things. I

was pretty cool though.”

think it does give them a sense of giving back. Plus, for some of them it may provide them skills they can use once they get out.

Tracy, who estimates she trained over one hundred dogs between

Some of our trainers are long-term inmates and it gives them

the start of the program and her release in 2016, knows well the

hope and purpose and that’s important.”

mutual benefit that the hounds and the inmates share.

It’s not hard to see where that purpose has taken root. Angela

“I think a big part of it is that you do relate to them,” she says.

describes her dream for opening a dog training facility once

“They were locked up basically just like we are and we’re giving

she’s released and several former inmates, like Tracy Owen,

them another chance. It was also giving us a way that we could

have found a fresh start at the end of a training leash. Tracy

kind of feel like we were making up for the wrongs we had done.

was among the initial group of Paws in Prison trainers at Wrightsville and is now a partner in a successful dog training

“Plus, there’s no affection in prison. Even if you lose somebody,

business, has a line of training treats and volunteers to

hugging, they can write you up for that. There’s no contact. So

oversee Paws in Prison programs in various Arkansas units.

now all of a sudden you have this animal you can love on and you can brush it and it shows you affection and you can tell it

“The first eight of us were selected by the warden,” she

anything and it doesn’t tell anybody else and cause a whole

recalls. “He called us all in and we thought it was a joke.

bunch of mess.”

There’s no way they’re going to let us have a dog in prison.

We just didn’t believe it.

Even after her release, Tracy found salvation in dogs. Most people don’t understand the challenge of re-entry and the

“When they brought the dogs, we didn’t know what to do

PTSD that comes from long-term incarceration. Tracy coped

with them. It was so funny; we were in here, they gave us

using a service dog when her environment became too much

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and the walls started closing in. Watching the inmates take their dogs through their paces, it's not hard to imagine one of these pups doing the same.

“It saves everybody’s life, the inmate’s, the dog’s,” Tracy says, a faraway look in her eye. “And (training’s) a passion.

If you are good at it and it’s really in you, you can’t imagine doing something else.”

Victoria

Vander

Schilden,

executive

director

of

the

Arkansas Paws in Prison Foundation and the Paws in Prison coordinator for the Department of Correction, says she’s seen remarkable things come from the program.

“There are studies that have been done where the number of health incident reports go down with inmates who are participating in prison dog programs,” she said. “We actually had one inmate who was in a wheelchair and in order to get in the program he started working out and doing his physical therapy and he got up out of the wheelchair so that he could become a trainer.

"This program gives me a reason to get up and get dressed and act like I’m supposed to act in here and follow the rules, because if I don’t then they’re going to take this dog away from me,” says Mary Monte, thirty years into a life sentence. "It just makes me a better person in here. It makes me want to do right.

“After all these years, I still sit on my bed and I say, ‘God, you love me this much that I have a dog in prison.’ I get to go outside and spend time, sometimes by myself, with a dog.

You’re never by yourself in prison. It’s a blessing."

“I definitely think it helps from a mental standpoint. I’d also say it brings a sense of normalcy to an environment that is not normal whatsoever. And it teaches them responsibility, which is a huge thing for when they get out.”

The newest Paws in Prison is coming soon to the medium security women’s unit in Newport, a milestone Victoria’s been working toward for years. The very mention of it brings a smile to her face.

“We’ve been working to get the funds in order to make sure that once we open it, we can keep it up and running,” she said. “I think we’ve finally gotten to the point where

HOW TO HELP Paws in Prison is always in need of monetary donations and supplies to help keep the animals comfortable and the program going. Dog crates, blankets, food, treats, toys and other items are greatly appreciated and tax deductible.

Donate to the program online via their Facebook page or through PayPal at paypal.com/us/fundraiser/ charity/1582652. You can also mail a check to Arkansas Paws in Prison, 6814 Princeton Pike, Pine Bluff, AR, 71602.

we’re going to open it up next year.”

Looking on from the sidelines, one can’t help but be impressed to the point of forgetting about the crimes the inmates have committed, some of them violent. This too is

Donate supplies via the group’s Amazon WishList: amzn. to/36n27p3. And finally, support the program through Amazon Smile when making other purchases at smile. amazon.com/ch/46-2878307.

a core benefit of the program, giving society a way to see a real person and not just a jumpsuit and a dossier of poor decisions. And, most importantly, to help the inmate see something more, too.

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To view PIP graduate dogs awaiting forever families and their adopting agencies, visit adc.arkansas.gov/ available-dogs.

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faith

LETand GO LET GOD words Stoney Stamper IMAGEs April Stamper

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April Stamper

faith

I

I’ve always been a very strong-willed person.

food, or medicine, have my wounds cleaned,

From the time I was just a little boy, I always

or to go to the bathroom, I was completely

felt like there was nothing I couldn’t do, and

dependent on her. That was quite the shock

there was nothing I was afraid of. That kind

to my system. And I fell into a depression

of attitude is bound to go awry from time to

that was as deep and dark as I would ever

time because no one is invincible. That sort of

know. The generally outgoing, funny, over-

bravado is going to lead to some cuts, bruises

the-top man I had once been was gone. The

and maybe some broken bones – in my case,

happiness I had found with my wife and

lots of broken bones – but it never slowed me

daughters had slipped away.

down. I’d pick myself up, dust myself off, and get right back to it. I gave my poor parents

What I feel most guilty about, and will likely

plenty of gray hairs, no doubt. But secretly, I

never forgive myself for, was not only had I

think my dad liked it. I was all boy.

allowed my own happiness to be taken from me, but I had caused it to be taken from April

Some people may call that kind of attitude

and our kids. Part of me realizes now that I had

arrogance, but I prefer to say I’m confident.

no control over what happened that day in the

Definitely, confident. Although my wife may

truck, but another part of me realizes that my

say I straddle that border between arrogance

depression had spread across the house. I was

and confidence pretty closely.

angry and I wasn’t fun to be around.

But on a rainy day in November of 2017,

Looking back, I realize was so selfish, to

my brazen confidence was shaken to the

think that I was the only one that was going

core. As I said, no one is invincible, and

through this hard time.

on this cold, miserable day, that point was

eyes, or thought about anyone other than

driven home with certainty. I had a bad car

myself, I would have seen the pain and

accident. I won’t go into details of the wreck,

sadness in all of theirs. Looking back now,

but I will say that what happened that day

I see it. And that just breaks my heart. I’m

led to a broken hip, arm, knee, and back. It

supposed to be the head of our household.

led to countless surgeries, hip replacement,

I’m supposed to protect them from hurt and

and memory loss for a year after the wreck.

pain, not be the cause of it. But that’s exactly

All of this before my fortieth birthday.

what I had done. It began to cause issues

Had I opened my

in our marriage, and it began to affect my For someone that’s lived his whole life as

relationships with my daughters.

an overly confident and overly independent person, this was without a doubt the most

One day, April came to sit on the bed where

earth-shattering thing I would ever endure. It

I lay with my leg elevated, most likely with a

felt like even though I lived, a big part of me

scowl on my face. I could see the hesitation

died that day in the front seat of my truck. That

on her face, but I knew she had something

may seem melodramatic, but that’s how I felt.

to say. She told me, “I know you’re sad. I

The man who thought himself indestructible

know that you’re depressed and angry. But

was now completely dependent on doctors,

we need you. We need you back. I need you

nurses, his wife, and daughters.

back. You’re trying to fix this by yourself, but you can’t. You can’t fix this. You’ve got to

When I was released from the hospital, my

quit trying to fix this yourself. You’ve got to

wife April became my lifeline. If I needed

give it to God. He’s our only hope.”

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faith

Because I was in the depths of this depression, and angry

our bed, with my steadfast partner, asking me, begging me,

at the world, I admit when she called me out like this, I got

to ask God for help. And then I remember that hard talk I

angry at her. How could she say something like this to me?

had with God that day. I remember promising I would turn

She wasn’t the one lying here crippled and in pain. How

over all my problems to Him. And I’ve kept that promise.

unfair! But then I began to think about what their life had

And, so has He.

become, what I had allowed it to become. And I made a decision that day.

Not long ago, April sent me something she had seen on social media, and it said, “Let Go, Let God.” And those

I knew our life could not go on the way it had been. I

are the perfect words for our life. Actually, I think they are

knew I had to be different, but I also knew April was right,

the perfect words for anyone’s life. Had I not made the

I couldn’t do it on my own. I’d been trying that for over a

commitment that day, I don’t believe that my family would

year, and it obviously wasn’t working. I had one of the most

be in the place we are at this moment. I’m certain of it. I

unfiltered talks with God I had ever had. I made a conscious

set out to find the man I once was, but instead, I became a

effort to become the man I was before that awful day. I

better man than I ever thought possible. Because, finally, I

learned that God will always help you, if you’re willing to

let go, and I let God.

accept it. But I also learned that He won’t do it for you. You have to make the effort.

The Stamper Family

Every single day, you have to make a conscious choice to be a better person. Every morning, I have to remind myself that everything could have gone differently that day. That my life is a gift. As a matter of fact, I believe even though it was the worst day of my family’s life, that it turned out to be a blessing. Because today, we are closer than we have ever been. Don’t get me wrong, I still have my days that I struggle with pain. I still have days where I feel sorry for myself, and where I may question why the wreck happened. But I go back to that day, sitting on

Stoney Stamper Stoney Stamper is the best-selling author of My First Rodeo: How Three

Daughters, One Wife, and a Herd of Others Are Making Me a Better Dad (WaterBrook) and author of the popular parenting blog The Daddy Diaries. He and his wife, April, have three daughters and live in Oklahoma, where they are heavily involved in agriculture and raise and show a variety of animals.

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taste

SHOW YOUR Heart SOME LOVE WORDS and IMAGES courtesy Family Features

While heart disease is a leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States, many of the risk factors associated with the condition can be controlled with dietary and lifestyle changes. By centering your meals on better-for-you ingredients and recipes, you can show your heart some extra love.

Consider walnuts, which are a heart-healthy food certified by the American Heart Association. More than twenty-five years of research shows walnuts may play a key role in heart health. In fact, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved one of the first qualified health claims for a whole food, finding

that eating 1.5 ounces of walnuts per day as part of a low-saturated fat and low-cholesterol diet while not increasing caloric intake may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

Additionally, walnuts are the only nut significantly high in omega-3s, with 2.5 grams of alpha-linolenic acid per ounce. Walnuts can add this essential nutrient to dishes like these American Heart Association Heart-Check Mark certified recipes for Greek Cucumber Walnut Bites and Banana Bread Overnight Oats. Find more information and hearthealthy recipes at walnuts.org/heart-health.

GREEK CUCUMBER WALNUT BITES Recipe courtesy Beth Stark, RDN, LDN on behalf of the California Walnut Board

Prep time: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Servings: 6

° ½ cup walnuts, chopped ° 1 English cucumber, ends trimmed

(about 14 ounces)

° ½ cup roasted red pepper hummus ° ½ cup reduced-fat crumbled feta cheese ° 5 cherry tomatoes, quartered

METHOD Preheat oven to 350 F. On small baking sheet, arrange walnuts evenly. Bake 8 minutes, checking frequently, until toasted. Slice cucumber crosswise into 3/4-inch thick slices.

Using small spoon, gently scoop out and discard center of each cucumber slice, leaving bottom and sides intact.

In small bowl, stir 6 Tablespoons chopped walnuts and hummus. Spoon walnut-hummus mixture into each cucumber slice and top with reserved chopped walnuts, feta cheese and quartered tomatoes.

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taste

BANANA BREAD OVERNIGHT OATS Recipe courtesy Crowded Kitchen on behalf of the California Walnut Board

Prep time: 15 minutes Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

° 3 ripe bananas, sliced

In large container with lid, add sliced

° 2 cups old-fashioned oats

bananas. Use potato masher or fork

° 1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

to mash bananas until smooth. Add oats, cinnamon, salt, vanilla, half of the

° ½ teaspoon salt

chopped walnuts, maple syrup and milk.

° 1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine thoroughly and refrigerate

° ¾ cup chopped California

walnuts, divided

° 1 Tbsp. maple syrup ° 3 cups skim milk

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overnight.

To serve, divide among four canning jars or glass containers with lids. Top each with remaining walnuts before serving.

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taste

CIDER RUM PUNCH Recipe adapted Sarah Phillips-Burger image Julia Metkalova/Shutterstock

INGREDIENTS ° 1 gallon unfiltered apple cider ° 1 ½ cups spiced rum (omit for non-alcoholic version) ° 1 large orange, cut into ¼” slices ° apple slices (garnish) ° peel and juice from one lemon ° 1” ginger root, sliced ° 3 cinnamon sticks ° ¼ cup brown sugar ° 4 star anise ° 1 Tablespoon whole cloves ° 1 Tablespoon whole allspice

METHOD Place apple cider, orange slices, brown sugar, lemon juice and peel, cinnamon sticks, star anise, whole cloves, whole allspice and ginger root in a large Dutch oven. Boil, then reduce and simmer for 2-3 hours. Add rum. Remove fruit and spices, garnish with apple slices or star anise, serve!

NOTE: Make it in the crock pot! Add all ingredients except rum, cook on low for 2-3 hours. Add rum, serve.

Please drink responsibly. Never drink and drive.

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lifestyle

5 Tips to REFRESH Your Home in the New Year Feature courtesy Family Features words courtesy all® IMAGEs courtesy Getty Images

Each new year gives you the chance to reset and start new routines.

When you’re considering new approaches to healthy living – whether eliminating or adding habits to improve your daily life – beginning with your home is an

It’s practically impossible to get excited

SIMPLIFY YOUR LAUNDRY ROUTINE

about a fresh start when you’re surrounded

Whether it’s the frustration of having no

by last year’s junk. Make decluttering and

clean laundry or never-ending baskets filled

purging unnecessary items a top priority

with clothes that need folding, laundry is

for your refresh. Clear counters and tables

evaluating how you can

an area where nearly every home can use a

to create more inviting surfaces and force

refresh. Start with the basics to make laundry

make updates that create

yourself to assess which items are worth

easy and quick. A streamlined laundry system

a positive space for you

keeping. Get rid of items you don’t need

starts with the right tools for the job, such

and all that the new year

by donating, selling or disposing them.

as all® Mighty Pacs®, which are available

Tackle piles of things you’ve carelessly

in several varieties with different benefits

tossed aside and find (or create) purposeful

and contain single doses of detergent that

places for them to belong.

release while inside your machine, so you

optimal choice.

Your living environment has a strong influence on your life, and it’s worth

will bring. Consider these ideas to refresh your home and simplify your

START BY DECLUTTERING

can simply toss one in and start the load. If

housecleaning routine

you have sensitive skin, try all® Free Clear,

so you can spend more

the No. 1 recommended detergent brand by

time focusing on your

dermatologists, allergists and pediatricians

goals this year.

for sensitive skin.

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lifestyle

CREATE A FITNESS SPACE

RECONFIGURE YOUR FURNITURE

ADD GREENERY

One way to stay committed to a new workout regimen is to create a place

A full-fledged renovation may not be in

an ideal time to hone your green thumb

where you enjoy spending time. Even

the cards (or budget), but you can give

but adding a few plants can make your

if you don’t have a room to dedicate to

your living space a quick facelift by simply

home feel more inviting and chase away

fitness, you can make a fitness corner

rearranging the furniture. Beyond simple

the cold weather blues. Plants can also

feel more intentional and less like an

aesthetic changes, think about how you

help serve as a natural air purifying

afterthought with some simple changes.

can make better use of natural light and

system; they absorb carbon dioxide

If possible, locate your fitness area near

improve traffic patterns. You might also

to help stimulate their growth and

a window so you can soak up the energy

eliminate extra pieces if the space feels

are believed to absorb a host of other

of natural light. Clear away unnecessary

overcrowded

airborne pollutants.

items and make room for the equipment

functional items that add storage or

or floor space you need. Add inspiring

seating from other rooms in the house.

or

consider

The middle of winter may not seem like

borrowing

For more ideas to simplify your routine this year, visit all-laundry.com.

posters or make frames to hold your current workout guide. Add storage for hand weights, resistance bands and other small equipment to create your own home gym.

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travel

Petit Jean

Lake Ouachita Vista Trail

Thrill of the Chill: Winter Hiking in Arkansas words Katherine Stewart images Arkansas.com and The Arkansas Department of Tourism

Winter might not be the ideal season to splash around in Arkansas’s many beautiful lakes and rivers, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy The Natural State during the brief cold snap separating fall from spring. One of the best ways to experience the outdoors during winter is on foot, and the reasons for this are as Hot Springs

numerous and varied as snowflakes. Cooler temperatures invite you to tackle a trail you might avoid in summer for fear of melting away, and with highs sometimes reaching the 60s, even a more laid-back pace won’t require uncomfortable bundling up.

Another creature comfort of a winter hike is the absence of one creature in particular: the mosquito. While you might see a couple here and there on warmer winter days, it’ll be nothing like that horde that darkened your otherwise perfect camping trip a few summers back. You also don’t have to

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travel

Mount Nebo

worry about snakes, chiggers, or ticks! The views go on

Petit Jean State Park

for miles, which makes it a great time to watch wildlife.

One of the best things about this park in Morrilton is the

Look for animal tracks in the mud or snow and see how

sheer number and variety of trails it offers. And what

many you can identify.

makes it perfect in the winter are the 33 cabins available throughout the park, all of which have wood-burning

But even more enticing than the physical advantages of

fireplaces and one of which even includes a hot tub. If

hiking in winter is the chance to witness how the cold

you’ve got a weekend to spend, establish base camp in a

transforms the landscape: the fine filigree of ice-glazed

cabin and set out to explore as many trails as you can. And

branches and frosted grasses, the dazzling white of snow-

if you can only do one, don’t miss the Cedar Falls Trail,

blanketed mountains, the delicate rim of ice around a

whose 95-foot column of water is even more resplendent

pond. The sounds beckon as well, from the quiet of an

framed in white.

uncrowded trail to the songs of wintering sparrows, warblers, finches and kinglets. Interested in a guided

The Lake Ouachita Vista Trail

hike? Park interpreters can give you an insider tour and

Roughly 45 miles of hiking trails wind along the southern

help connect you to the outdoors in meaningful ways!

shore of Lake Ouachita near Mt. Ida. The trail was built

Here are a few of our favorite places to hike during this

in sections and meanders through the Ouachita National

time of year.

Forest with spurs providing lake vistas. The trail was

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travel

created with a specific goal in mind: as a means for people to enjoy the beauty of Lake Ouachita without being in or on the water, which makes it a perfect place to visit when watersports are unseasonable.

Hot Springs National Park This park is home to more than 25 miles of hiking trails that lead to scenic vistas and to destinations like the Hot Springs Mountain Tower, which offers an aerial view of downtown Hot Springs and the surrounding Ouachita National Forest. The park is also home to Bathhouse Row—the perfect place to relax and warm up after a chilly day of hiking.

Cane Creek

Mount Nebo State Park On a clear day, you can see 100 miles of spectacular panoramic views spread out over the Arkansas River Valley from the top of Mount Nebo State Park in Dardanelle. In the winter, when trees have lost their leaves, it’s even easier to see views such as the 1830s water route of the Trail of Tears and the 34,000-acre Lake Dardanelle from all of the park’s 14 miles of hiking trails. In cooler months, a stay in a cozy cabin and a hike on the 3.5-mile Rim Trail of Mount Nebo can keep you warm.

Cane Creek State Park At this park in Star City, visitors can explore two of Arkansas’s distinct natural settings—the rolling terrain of

Village Creek

the West Gulf Coastal Plain and the alluvial lands of the Arkansas Delta. It is here that the two geographic areas meet. On the 15.5-mile Cane Creek Lake Trail, hikers travel through a maze of small creeks that etch their way across the steeply sloping ridges of a thick forest; as the hike progresses, the trail bends around to open views of a lake filled with tall snags and cypress trees.

Village Creek State Park Located along the rolling terrain of geologically unusual Crowley’s Ridge, this park in Wynne offers seven miles of trails, ranging in difficulty from easy to moderate. History buffs will enjoy the 2.25-mile Military Road Trail, which

TIPS: Winter in the Outdoors • Check weather conditions and also the wind chill before heading out.

• Drink plenty of fluids. Hydration is just as important in the winter as in the summer.

• Dress in layers. The first layer should be material that draws heat away from your body.

• Wear a hat, or if you’re wearing a helmet, wear a headband.

preserves a remaining portion of the historic Trail of Tears.

Also known as the Memphis to Little Rock Road, the pass was completed in 1829 and provided the first improved route between Little Rock and Memphis.

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travel

MOUNT MAGAZINE words and images courtesy Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism

At the peak of the state park experience is Mount Magazine, Arkansas’s highest point at 2,753 feet. People come for the sweeping views alone, but there is much to see and do from this unique spot. Mount Magazine State Park is a place of relaxation, exploration, and nature study. It is a destination for outdoor sports and extreme adventures with mountain biking, horseback riding, back-packing, and ATV riding. Mount Magazine is the state park system’s most dramatic location for technical rock climbing, and it’s one of only two parks to offer hang gliding launch areas. Scenic overlooks, hiking trails, picnic area, pavilion, and visitor center with gift shop add to the amenities. A wide variety of programs led by park interpreters highlights the mountain’s natural diversity.

The Lodge at Mount Magazine features sixty guest rooms, Skycrest Restaurant, a conference center, business center, heated indoor swimming pool, fitness center, and game room. From its setting on the mountain’s south bluff, the lodge offers breathtaking views of the Petit Jean River Valley and Blue Mountain Lake in the distance. The beautiful setting and firstclass facilities make the lodge a top choice for romantic getaways, weddings, conferences, and corporate retreats. The conference space can be divided into three meeting rooms or opened up for banquet-style seating for up to 192 people. Skycrest Restaurant seats up to 125. Thirteen cabins share the same view as the lodge.

Choose from one, two, and three-bedroom options with fully equipped kitchens, fireplaces, and covered decks with outdoor hot tubs. There are also eighteen campsites on the mountain (two Class AAA and sixteen Class AA with tent only options).

For more information about Mount Magazine State Park and the other fifty-one state parks, visit arkansasstateparks.com.

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51

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fiction

From the

Rubble

Fiction Sarah Phillips-Burger image Konoplytska

A

Andrea never imagined going back there, to the place

places she lived, friends she knew, her part-time job during

where so many painful things happened to her. Yet, here

college, and how she met his father. She chronicled her

she was, loading up her car, getting ready to go with her

career changes and the deaths of family members. She

son, all for a school report.

talked about having Jack (this part he titled “Best Day of Her Life”) and the move they made to be closer to her mom.

“You should pick your dad,” she said two weeks ago when Jack came home and announced the project that

Using the pictures and all the information she relayed to

instructed him to give a complete life history on a family

him, Jack began his outline. Then yesterday, he came to

member of his choosing.

her. “I’m almost done, but I think I’m missing some stuff.”

“But I want to do the paper on you,” Jack replied, his blue

“What stuff?”

eyes pleading behind long, dark lashes. It was the same look he gave her when asking for an extra chocolate chip

“I don’t have any information from before you were ten,

cookie when he was small. Even at sixteen, it still worked

other than the year that you were born.”

on her every time. So, over the next week, they sat at the kitchen table every night, Jack taking notes as Andrea

Andrea stopped her dishwashing and turned to him. “I

flipped through old photo albums and recounted the most

was adopted when I was ten.”

important events of her life.

“Right, but that doesn’t mean that’s when your life began.”

Jack asked questions along the way like, “What was your favorite subject in school?” and “What year did

“No, it doesn’t, but I don’t see how anything before then

you graduate?” and “Who was your favorite band?” As

would be relevant to your report.”

the pages in her album turned, she recalled the different

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fiction

Jack leaned forward, placing his elbows on the bar, clasping

As she drove south on the interstate, Jack once again took

his hands, “Mom, I know it wasn’t easy when you were a kid.”

notes as she began her tale of woe. Her birth mother, Patricia, was only seventeen when she brought Andrea into the world. She never knew who her father was, and

“No, it wasn’t.”

she suspected that Patricia did not either.

“But what I know about you now is that you are strong.

You’re the strongest person I know. And you don’t get

The never-ending line of brown trees zipped by as she told

that way by having an easy life.”

her son about the physical and emotional abuse that she suffered and of Patricia’s drug use. Andrea was left alone for days at a time, never knowing when her mother would

“I know.”

return. She watched Sesame Street in the mornings, fed herself and, when she got scared, hid under her bed. She

“So, it is a part of you. It is relevant.”

got herself to school every day, though. She loved reading Andrea placed her elbows on the bar, cupped her face in

and math. Both subjects managed to take her mind off of

her hands and looked at her son. “You’re a smart kid, you

her home life. Once, when her mother had been gone for

know that?”

almost a week, she ran out of food.

He shrugged, and a small grin appeared on his face.

With no money or means to buy more, she stuffed extra bread into her sweater pockets at school to save for later.

“I don’t mind telling you about that part of my life. But I

Her teacher saw her do it and questioned her. After that, a

don’t have any pictures to show you.”

woman showed up at the school and took her to a doctor, and then drove her to her aunt’s home, a woman she did

“Maybe we can go there,” Jack suggested. “That way you

not know. In fact, neither of them knew the other existed.

can show me where you lived and went to school. We can Andrea occasionally paused to weave in and out of traffic

go tomorrow.”

as they passed through larger cities, pressing further on to their destination. She noticed that her hands ached

“Go there?”

from gripping the steering wheel, and so she loosened her grasp as she stretched her neck and took deep breaths.

“Yeah.”

Jack was no longer taking notes. She had his full attention “Don’t you have a game or something else school-related

and so, she carried on.

to do?”

Her aunt, the woman she now calls Mom, was the complete opposite of Patricia. “She hugged me all the time, made

Jack grinned, shaking his head, “Nope.”

cookies for me to eat after school, and she giggled a lot.”

With no more excuses, Andrea said, “Well then I guess we’re going on a road trip tomorrow.”

“She still does,” Jack smiled.

That Saturday morning was cold and windy. Even the

“She bought me a kitten and painted my room pink. She

“Don’t Give Up” signs that sprinkled her neighborhood

helped me with my homework, and we took long walks

seemed to tremble right along with them as they waved

together,” Andrea smiled. “But at first I didn’t trust her.

goodbye to her husband who stood in the driveway.

I didn’t understand that this was how it should be. She

Andrea did not get much sleep the night before. She

never yelled at me, even when I messed up. She would

dreamt of being in her old house, getting lost as she

just say, ‘It’s okay, I still love you.’ She cherished me, and

moved from room to room, unable to find her way out.

slowly, I learned how to be cherished.”

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fiction

Andrea thought about the “Don’t Give Up” signs. “She

Jack froze and looked at her.

always told me to keep moving forward, and that’s what I have tried to do.”

“The metaphorical kind,” Andrea said, laughing and shaking her head.

“So, you just went on with your life and didn’t let your past affect you?” Jack asked.

They rounded the corner and Andrea saw the two oak trees that once framed the house like pillars. They were

“It affects you, whether you want it to or not,” she said as

larger now, but broken, crooked and bare. The air stilled

she thought of her life-long battle with anxiety and the hours

when she looked past the trees and saw what was left of

and hours she spent in therapy. “Trauma has to be dealt with

the little house that held so many bad memories. There

or else it will just keep coming back to haunt you.” Andrea

was only a pile of bricks and splintered grey wood, barely

turned her blinker on and exited the interstate.

recognizable under what looked like a decade’s worth of dead leaves. The house had collapsed in on itself. Andrea

“You don’t need the GPS?” Jack asked.

didn’t know what to expect when she imagined herself here again, but this pile of rubble wasn’t it.

“No, I remember.” That tiny plot of dirt was seared into her brain, branded forever, impossible to forget. She

“Whoa,” said Jack.

drove, passing rundown businesses, trailer parks, and a small post office, taking deep breaths with every turn. She

“I know,” she agreed.

pointed out her elementary school and the house where her best friend lived.

They stood for a few minutes; Andrea did not want to go any farther off the driveway due to the mess of grass and

“Where is Patricia now?”

weeds that now overtook the yard.

“No clue. Apparently, she never came back.”Andrea slowed

“Mom?”

her car to find the right driveway, and then recognized the red mailbox where she stood and waited for the school

“Yeah, baby?”

bus as a child.

“If this place holds so many bad memories, why are you “So, is that why you became a therapist?”

smiling?”

“There are a lot of people out there that have had to live

Andrea’s smile intensified. “That house crumbled, but I’m

through bad things, things you can’t even imagine. I was

still here.”

lucky. I had a lot of help throughout my life and that made all the difference for me. So, if I can help other people, I will.”

They stood for a minute more, Jack taking pictures with his phone. The wind picked back up, blowing the naked

The dirt driveway was almost overgrown with tall grass

trees as waves of air flowed over the tall grass and through

and untrimmed bushes. Eventually, they reached an

Andrea’s hair. She turned her face toward the sun and

impasse, a fallen tree that kept them from driving any

closed her eyes, taking one last deep breath.

farther. They had to walk the rest of the way.

I’m still here.

“It’s creepy out here,” Jack said as he jumped the tree.

“Yeah, well, there are a lot of ghosts.”

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HEALTH AND WELLNESS

HEALTH AND WELLNESS It’s a new decade! Time for change, a fresh start, time for you to focus on you and your family’s well-being. And Do South ® is here to help.

In the following pages, you’ll discover local professionals who are experts at helping you look your best, eat better, focus on self-care, and take care of any health concerns you may have. So, take a deep

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breath, 2020 may just be your best year yet!

Have you noticed that you tire more easily than you used to?

The cause might be associated with hearing loss. When you have hearing loss, you have to concentrate much harder just to understand what you're hearing. Add in a little background noise and the whole listening process can be exhausting. If you're having to read lips or interpret facial or body expressions in order to understand everyday conversations, it may be time to schedule a hearing evaluation. Our audiologists have the education and training to help you hear your best while reducing the effects of hearing fatigue.

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HEALTH AND WELLNESS

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