TOGETHER - NOVEMBER 2020

®

TOGETHER

NOVEMBER 2020 DoSouthMagazine.com

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november

Contents 05 12

Publisher’s Letter Pet Adoption:

06

Nonprofit Spotlight:

Almost Home Shelter & Rescue

Antioch for Youth & Family

Shop Local

10

Teacher Spotlight

13 38

Special Feature:

Local Guide to Non-Profits

{PEOPLE}

What's New

14 18 22

Get Bookish: November

{ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT}

04 08

{COMMUNITY}

Smooth Jazz: Jasmine Williams Favorite Son: John McIntosh

34

Scrap Paper Hearts Part II

{TASTE}

30 31 32 33

Mini Apple Pies Mini Pecan Pies Mini Pumpkin Pies Pumpkin Spiced White Russian

Coloring Outside the Lines: Gwen Mason

Recommendations

26

{FICTION}

OUR COVER Image Credit: Jens Ackermann/ Shutterstock

Magic Man: Maxwell Blade

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what's new

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

Highly Recommend The magazine is well designed and is all about local everything… I would highly recommend advertising with Do South® as it reaches thousands of potential customers and clients. ~ Michael R.

Fun and Informative Their magazine is beautiful. Fun and informative, really enjoy reading them. ~ Cheryl N.

CONTEST (Deadline is November 13) Go to dosouthmagazine.com, click on “Contest” at the top of the page. All who enter will be subscribed to our mailing list. Please see rules and policies on our Contest page!

DO SOUTH® DELIVERED

Love Do South®? Here is your chance to have it delivered right to your door!

Two lucky readers will win a full, one-year subscription to Do South®! Visit our website at DoSouthMagazine.com to enter! CODE: DOSOUTH CONGRATULATIONS Congrats to our contest winners from October!

One-year subscription to Do South®: Tiffany Daws and Janet Stephens Gift Cards: Jeff’s Clubhouse: Liz Atwell | El Zarape: Amanda Norris

EVENTS November 7: 13th Annual Black Tie Bingo (Drive-Through Edition) Fort Smith Public Library | fortsmithlibrary.org November 7 & 8: Arkansas Holiday Market Kay Rodgers Park, Fort Smith | arholidaymarket.com November 11: The Beatles vs Stones - A Musical Showdown The Majestic, Fort Smith | majesticfortsmith.com November 22: Sugar Plum Fairy Tea Western Arkansas Ballet, Fort Smith | waballet.org

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Letter from Catherine

T

BLESSED

The days are getting shorter. Darkness creeps into the light much earlier than just a week before. Leaves of crimson, rust and gold crunch and break apart beneath my feet. I fall in love with this time of year over and over again.

This month we have much to fall in love with right here in our pages. Jasmine Williams, a lover of food and an amazingly talented chef at local restaurant Uncork’d, shares her passion for cooking and her mission to put Fort Smith on the food map. You’ll also meet the incredibly gifted Gwen Mason. Armed with a unique business idea and a heart full of faith, she brings us Colorscapes Bible Journaling. Learn more beginning on page 22.

As we could all use a little escape from reality, I bring you Maxwell Blade. Originally from Fort Smith, he now calls Hot Springs, Arkansas home. You’ll find him on stage at Maxwell Blade’s Theatre of Magic levitating furniture, causing things to disappear and eliciting an immense amount of wonder that fascinates his audiences.

And finally, John McIntosh. We met over twenty years ago during an advertising meeting.

Shortly after, he offered me a job at his advertising firm, The McIntosh Group, and as they say,

NOVEMBER 2020 OWNER - PUBLISHER - EDITOR Catherine Frederick COPY EDITING Charity Chambers GRAPHIC DESIGN Artifex 323 – Jessica Meadors CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Jennifer Burchett, Jade Graves CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Catherine Frederick, Dwain Hebda, Sara Putman, Liesel Schmidt ADVERTISING INFORMATION Catherine Frederick I 479.782.1500 catherine@dosouthmagazine.com

the rest is history. Almost everything I know about advertising, I learned from John. As grateful as I am, I am most blessed by his friendship. John has done more for Fort Smith than most

FOLLOW US

realize. He does so not for recognition, but for the love of our great city and the arts. That's simply who he is at his core. There are not enough pages to recount all his accomplishments, but I am proud to highlight just a few beginning on page 18.

Among all these amazing people – one thing binds them – they either hail from Fort Smith, or now call it home, and that’s a beautiful thing. With all that’s going on in the world today it’s easy to get distracted from the beauty, peace and goodness all around. Take a walk around your neighborhood. Stop in the new shop on the corner. Relish in the sights and sounds – it’s good for the soul. Be kind to one another – I’ll see you in December!

©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

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.

Catherine Frederick

Owner/Publisher/Editor

catherine@dosouthmagazine.com

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

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community community

Nonprofit Spotlight words Catherine Frederick with Charlotte Tidwell, Executive Director and Founder Pastor, Antioch for Youth and Family

DS: In what ways does Antioch for Youth and Family support our communities?

Over ten thousand children in Fort Smith public schools, one-in-four of our senior and disabled population, and well over six hundred veterans and their families, often go day to day unsure of their next meal. We provide farm-to-fork nutritional support through garden-based learning to children at the Antioch Discovery Garden, deliver fresh fruits and vegetables to as many as eight thousand students a month, maintain a ten thousand square foot community pantry for anyone to visit, encourage smart food choices and instruct teens and adults how to cook healthy meals on a budget, outreach to those most at-risk, host children in low-income nursing homes to comfort and interact with the most fragile among us, and advocate on a local, state and national level. Antioch works closely with the Urban Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and partners with the Arkansas College of Health Education, The Guidance Center and local leaders to not only make Fort

Antioch for Youth and Family, an

Smith hunger-free but also to become a trauma-informed care community. Antioch

all-volunteer nonprofit effort, serves

supports the community with $2.5M in nutritious food support.

Western Arkansas with community partnerships. Antioch is a million meal

DS: How is Antioch for Youth and Family assisting our community during the COVID-19 pandemic?

provider to over twenty five thousand

We are serving families via a drive-thru with virtually contactless service. We

people monthly in a community where

host a weekly drive-thru event to get fresh produce, dairy and proteins to about

one-in-five people are food insecure.

four thousand people. We “drop and go” to low-income housing and schools

Senior and Veterans Mobile Pantries

and we began a “drop and knock” program for high-risk families. Partnering

solutions through persistence and

deliver food to low income elderly, disabled persons and struggling families who have served our country. Do South® reached out to Charlotte Tidwell, Founder and Executive Director, to learn more.

1420 North 32nd Street Fort Smith, AR 72904 479.459.0669 antiochyouthfamily.org

with The Guidance Center and Fort Smith Police Department, we advocate for mental health services and to assure any threat of domestic violence due to food insecurity be quickly quelled. We now consistently serve more than twenty-five thousand people monthly and over one-third of those have never sought food assistance before.

DS: What is the greatest hurdle Antioch for Youth and Family faces rising from COVID-19?

Funding and volunteers. We are an all-volunteer organization and the supply of those willing to assist is falling shorter than the demand for help. We are able to keep food cost just below ten cents a pound, but with annual distributions exceeding 1.5M pounds, the cost is dramatic, and that’s before taking into account transportation, insurance and other overhead costs.

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.

DS: How can members of our community who would like to volunteer or make a financial donation do so? Also, are there any upcoming events our readers should know about?

Volunteers are welcome weekdays 9 to 5 or call for more information. Food and fund drives are always appreciated. To make a financial donation, please use our website, or a gift may be sent to PO Box 1571, Fort Smith, AR 72902-1571.

November 21st will mark the 8th Annual Antioch in the Park at Thanksgiving event. The event provides food for over ten thousand people!

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community entertainment

Get BOOKISH November Recommendations courtesy Sara Putman, Bookish

The Last Story of Mina Lee

Transcendent Kingdom

by Nancy Jooyoun Kim

by Yaa Gyasi

Margot Lee is twenty-six years old and has a complicated relationship with her mother. When Mina, her mom, stops answering her phone, Margot drives back down to her childhood home in Koreatown, Los Angeles.

When she finds her dead mother, the investigation uncovers just how little she knew her. Shifting between Mina’s first year in Los Angeles and Margot’s search for answers, this heartfelt generational novel will reveal the fragility of our most important relationships.

This is a story of Ghanian immigrants to Alabama. Gifty is a scientist who is studying addiction, and through eloquent flashbacks, we get vignettes of the family’s tragedies through faith, science, depression, and grief.

This is a gorgeous follow-up to her awards-winning debut, Homegoing.

Enjoy these five 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.

This Tender Land

Vapors

by William Kent Krueger

by David Hill

This voyage down the Mississippi with four orphans contains everything you need in a coming-of-age story.

When Odie O’ Banion and his brother steal away from the Lincoln Indian School, they take with them a very special little girl and a mute Indian. With nothing but wit and lessons to learn along the way, the four friends find out the truth about each other just in time to save their necks time and again.

Hill writes of Hot Springs, Arkansas in its heyday. Gamblers, corrupt politicians, prostitutes, and mobsters were able to get away with anything they wanted to. Hill tells the story of the rise of Hot Springs in three voices: Hazel Hill, his grandmother; Dane Harris, manager of The Vapors; and Owney Madden, a political powerhouse.

Hill begins to track the boom of the city in the 1930s and follows it into the 60s.

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We Are All Good People Here

by Susan Rebecca White Eve Whalen is a product of old money in Atlanta, Georgia, and she is paired with Daniella Gold as roommates at Belmont College in the fall of 1962. They become friends, but Daniella’s Jewish father keeps her questioning how much she can fit in.

Through the lens of two girls searching for themselves, readers relive the systemic injustices of the South and see how differently they view the world.

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community

Do SouthŽ has joined forces with Bookish, our area’s only

TEACHER

SPOTLIGHT MRS. RACHEL PATTON

independent bookstore, in an effort to shine the spotlight on deserving teachers in our community! Local teachers complete the form and wish list online and then books from their wish list can be purchased from Bookish at a twenty percent discount by anyone wanting to show their support! Each month, we will feature a local teacher doing great things for area children. This month, we are proud to introduce you to Rachel Patton, a teacher at Greenwood High School, in Greenwood, Arkansas. To all teachers, we love you and thank you for all you do!

Tell us about your teaching journey.

How long have you been a teacher?

Where have you taught? What grades and subjects do you teach?

This is my fourth year teaching at Greenwood High School.

I am a non-traditional teacher with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and minor in Biology who went back to school for a Master of Arts in Teaching and later a Special Education Endorsement. The first three years of my career at GHS, I served as a Special Education Teacher in both English and Biology classrooms. Because my son displayed characteristics of dyslexia, I was drawn to and attended professional development that taught me more about dyslexia. When the opportunity presented itself, I became the dyslexia interventionist for grades 7th through 12th. I am very pleased to be the teacher that will help improve their reading abilities and confidence as well as to show them their strengths in creativity.

GREENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL GREENWOOD, ARKANSAS

What do you like about being a teacher?

I could say so much to answer this one question! I could say because I have always loved school since I was a child due to the structure and consistency that was provided. I could say I love learning. I could explain how I love sports and watching

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community

the students excel at what they do best. I will say this, I feel like when I meet a new person and I say, “I am a teacher at Greenwood High School,� it is a turning point in our conversation. Instantly, it feels like they look and think differently about me. I used to get nervous to even say it or feel like I was bragging about it. I held being a teacher to the same standard as a doctor or nurse. While

T S I L H S I W

I would prefer to have a classroom set of eight books, but I will be pleased with anything!

that may or may not be true, I feel like teaching is a very rewarding career. At the end of the day, all of the hard work is worth it knowing that I make a difference. Every day brings a new set of

(8) - Unwind by Neal Shusterman

(8) - Dry by Neal Shusterman

challenges and to-do lists. I am so grateful for all of the wonderful and positive relationships I have made with students, coworkers, and within the community.

What is your biggest concern about entering into the 2020 school year?

My biggest concern about entering this school

(8) - Refugee or Grenade

by Alan Gratz

(8) - Underwater

by Marisa Reichardt

year was technology. I had a few different teachers and administrators that taught me a lot about technology before the school year began to help me feel more prepared. Now, I am able to use several applications such as Google Classroom, Screencastify, and School Status, Zoom, Remind, and Gmail on a daily basis. I have been challenged to find effective strategies to actively engage students both in the classroom and online.

(8) - If There's No r Tomorrow by Jennife t ou ntr me Ar

Teachers, we encourage you to complete the short form and add your wish list! You can find the form at Bookishfs.com, on their Facebook page, and at DoSouthMagazine.com.

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(8) - The Lightning Thief

by Rick Riordan

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pets

Thankful for a Family M

M

King

F

Bolt M

M

Lark

Blush F

Rascal

Tootsie

Almost Home Shelter & Rescue 3390 Pointer Trail East - Van Buren, AR | Tom Hill 479.414.3781 | Almost Home Shelter and Rescue is a 501C-3 nonprofit all volunteer staffed facility. They work in partnership with Van Buren Animal Control to find loving, forever homes for the dogs in their care. All dogs will be spayed or neutered and up to date on vaccines when adopted. Please consider adopting or fostering one of their sweet pets.

Each month, Do SouthÂŽ 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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shop

We Love Local words Catherine Frederick imageS Jade Graves Photography and courtesy vendors

Show your support for local businesses when you shop small this season! With the holidays just weeks away, you’re sure to find exactly what you’re looking for at a great price, and close to home.

Explore local shops and be sure to tell them Do South® sent you!

Seasonal Ale, Wines, Whiskey, and Liqueur

SODIE’S WINE & SPIRITS 479.783.8013

Gorgeous and Colorful Dinnerware Featuring Handcrafted Charm

DR. STEVEN B. STILES OPTOMETRY

JENNIFER’S GIFT SHOP BAPTIST HEALTH FORT SMITH

479.452.2020

479.441.4221

Robert Marc NYC Sunglasses

Lux Fragrance Fall Chai Tea 3-Wick Dough Bowl Candles

THE BLACK BISON COMPANY 479.551.2880

Hearts On Fire Aerial Regal Diamond Earrings, Available in Three Sizes, 18kt White, Yellow and Rose Gold

JOHN MAYS JEWELERS 479.452.2140

Barrel Strength Texas Bourbon Whiskey, Coffee Bourbon, Small Batch Texas Bourbon Whiskey from Devil’s River

SoundGear Phantom, Bluetooth® Compatible and Rechargeable Hearing Protection and Enhancement Device, by Starkey Hearing Technology

IN GOOD SPIRITS

CENTER FOR HEARING

479.434.6604

479.785.3277

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people

Jasmine (Jazz) Williams

SMOOTH Jazz words Dwain Hebda IMAGEs Jade Graves Photography

AS MUCH AS CHEF JAZZ LOVES FOOD and for as much

“She definitely wants to cook,” says Jazz. “Her main job that

as she represents the new generation of chefs leading Fort

she wants to be is a veterinarian, but she does love the kitchen.

Smith into exciting new directions, it’s quite possible that

She watches the same shows that I do, probably more.

she’s not even the biggest foodie in her family.

“One time, I was cooking asparagus and she was like, ‘Mom, That title may very well go to her ten-year-old daughter, Laila.

you’re overcrowding the pan.’ I said, ‘You know what? Just

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go do your work.’ And then I took some

“At Uncork’d, they give me a lot of

asparagus out. I was like, I did not want

freedom to do certain things. So, every

her to know that she was so correct.”

week, I actually have a special to where I’m able to do, basically, whatever. I’m

Jazz half laughs, half rolls her eyes over

really, really into the history of the food

the culinary monster she’s raising, the

of African Americans. I try to learn my

child who once sniffed at not being

history and food is my interest.”

able to get a burger cooked medium at McDonald’s or who for her birthday

Chef Jazz (a nickname derived from her

dinner requested lamb steak. It is, after

given name Jasmine Williams) split her

all, a family thing, the latest in a long

time growing up between Arkansas and

line of women in her family for whom

California. She attended Fresno State

food is their art form, their gift.

for her undergrad and began at the Art Institute in Hollywood for culinary

Even in her role today, as Executive

school but dropped out to care for her

Chef at Uncork’d in Fort Smith, she sees

mother. A job at a local restaurant and

her kitchen crew as family (which they

subsequent gigs at food trucks picked

are to each other, grill cook Victoria

up her education where the classroom

Prescott and her mother, Kimberly Bell).

left off, and then some.

“It’s a whole family affair,” Jazz says.

“I got into this restaurant called Urban

“It’s funny. Some days, I’m listening to

Plate in San Diego,” she says. “That’s

them and I’m like, well, I’m going to

where I learned farm-to-table, cooking

go cook over here and I’m going to let

everything from scratch. And then just

them deal with their stuff.”

going through food truck circuits out there, I learned the cuisines and working

Chef Jazz loves these interactions,

in smaller spaces and everything.”

these family bonds if you will, as essential as the spice she sprinkles into

Along the way, Jazz learned to love

her inspired creations. A food nerd to

the adrenaline-fueled environment of

a fault, she’s spent years on the West

cooking commercially, from busy lunch

Coast, in culinary school and burying

rushes to the culinary choreography

her nose in many books on cooking

required in a food truck. She still uses

and food heritage. She expresses that

what she learned there to run a tight

accumulated knowledge and creativity

ship in the Uncork’d kitchen, where

with the people around her, both

she’s been since it opened.

customers and staff.

“I’m actually calmer the busier we get.

“I had a chef who told me to get this

I feel like it comes down to me; if I’m

dictionary; The Food Dictionary,” she says.

calm, everybody else will be calm,” she

“He was like, ‘Go through everything in

said. "It never made sense to me to

there and learn what you can.’ So, I read

freak out or to throw stuff or get angry

that and I started getting more and more

like they show chefs on TV. It’s just not

books and I would just read.

for me. My thing is, if I go into a walk-in [freezer] and cry, if I scream or yell, I’m DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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still going to have tickets up there. The orders will not go away. I cannot cry the food to-go. For me, I’m like, ‘Alright, let’s pick it up. Let’s get it.’

“But also, I’m on them; even on our slow days, I want that food to go out as quick as it can. I want you to have that same fire in you when we have one person in that restaurant as when it’s really busy. I am on them about that.”

Coming back to Northwest Arkansas after years in California, Jazz found it shocking how much had changed in the time she’d been away.

“It was amazing, to me,” she says. “It was nice that I was able to see events take place, food festivals. Shoot, all of the breweries that we have in Arkansas, like, I had no clue that we had so many breweries in this state. It was just really nice to see.”

“The stuff that I had in California, I could totally bring here, Jazz finally made her way back home, determined to inspire

all of the different fish. Every week, I have a different fish.

similar growth in the food industry of her hometown as she

This one time, I had shark, but I put it with Alfredo. I grilled

had seen in other regions of the state.

the shark and people would probably not normally eat shark, but people love Alfredo. You can’t go wrong with

“We still don’t have a lot brunch or some of that stuff in Fort

Alfredo. That turned people on to eating the shark. Now,

Smith, but it is in Fayetteville. That’s why I am trying to bring

they’re starting to trust that every week, they know there’s

it in,” she says. “We have brunch that’s been picking up at

going to be something different.”

Uncork’d a lot, like almost double the business, now.”

Chef Jazz knows a culinary tradition isn’t built overnight, Jazz isn’t just focused on expanding the time of meals

but she is excited about what’s starting to take root in spots

but their content as well to move the local culinary scene

all over town. She’s proud to be a part of a movement that,

forward. From new twists on old favorites to completely new

she hopes, puts Fort Smith on the food map right alongside

concepts, diners have been treated to the full range of her

its neighbors to the north.

creativity in the kitchen.

"When I moved back, I noticed a lot of people leave Fort Smith “A couple weeks ago, I did blackened catfish, right? It’s

to go have a good time. So, my goal is to make it to where

something that a lot of people know, but I did it in a cleaner

people come to Fort Smith just to have Uncork’d, just to try

way, in a really nice way,” she says. “I just try to show

it,” she said. “Fort Smith is an amazing city and my goal is for

people how I can bring in stuff that people are used to

people to come here, see Fort Smith, and eat at Uncork’d and

from home, but also try to introduce different things. I had

just have a different experience. That’s the ultimate.”

a special with pesto grits a couple of weeks ago and I was a little scared. I was like, ‘Aw man. I’m really adding basil pesto to grits? It’s probably blasphemy to some people.’

People actually liked it and they ate it, and they are starting to actually trust it.

Experience Chef Jazz’s cooking for yourself at Uncork’d.

5501 Phoenix Avenue, Fort Smith, Arkansas 479.434.5000 | uncorkthefort.com

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people

Favorite Son

Arkansas is a state of civic pride. People remember where they came from and speak of these places with a particular note ringing in their voices. Asked about their hometown, people proudly recite the high school mascot, relay the local attractions and recommend what café serves the best pecan pie.

John McIntosh is one such person; a local boy who couldn’t wait to get out of town to go to college, but who quickly returned and has for decades sought to improve and promote Fort Smith. Even today, in the embrace of retirement from the marketing firm he founded and ran, he gushes about his hometown in ways that puts the Chamber of Commerce to shame.

“I was born in ‘47, grew up in the ‘50s and ‘60s; it was a great time to grow up here. Life was good,” he said. “A funny thing, it was one of those things where I couldn’t wait to get out of town, but once I was out of town and got married and had a kid it looked like a pretty good place to come back to.”

That‘s exactly what John and his wife Judi did, migrating back to Fort Smith to live, work and raise their four children. With each passing year, their roots deepened and their fondness for the place grew, even as the community went through the economic ups and downs that came with changing times.

John McIntosh

“I think Fort Smith can be described as rising above,” he says. “We have had a lot of shock and a lot of economic challenges that have happened in Fort Smith. It’s an ebb and flow.

It’s easy to get discouraged, but you know words Dwain Hebda IMAGEs Jade Graves Photography

what? As a ball player, as long as there was time on the clock, we were giving it everything we could give it. And I see Fort Smith that way.

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people

“There’s no quit in Fort Smith. There’s so much community

“It was interesting for me how The Unexpected came

support in this town to make sure that everything goes

about. It was on a whim,” McIntosh said. “I have to give

well. It just continues to inspire me.”

credit to Steve Clark and his vision; he had seen what happened in other communities around the country that

McIntosh harnessed that inspiration into bringing new artistic

brought international art in. And we asked ourselves, ‘Why

features to town and with that, new venues and amenities. For

don’t we do this? Who’s keeping us from doing this?’”

example, he was a key figure in the development of the Fort Smith Riverfront which today stands as one important pillar of

McIntosh didn’t just like the idea; he was willing to take

McIntosh’s legacy of community development.

the concept to local building owners to sell them on the idea of allowing the project to paint a mural on the side

“Back in the mid ‘90s I was the chairman of the Riverfront

of their building.

Development Task Force. This was before the development of anything on the Riverfront, including the amphitheater,”

“They would say, ‘Okay, what’s the mural going to be

he said. “It precluded the first penny sales tax, which went

about? What is it going to look like?’ My answer was, ‘It’s

to development of the Riverfront, the convention center and

going to be an international artist interpretation of our

the library system. Steering that committee in the mid ‘90s

community and of our area,’” he says. “They would look

really stimulated me and showed me how to be effectively

at me like I was crazy. Probably I was, but it shows you the

involved and it carried over ever since.”

acceptance this community has for doing something new.

The venues that grew out of that experience also allowed

“Anyway, of all the building owners I talked to in five

other events to grow, such as the city’s Riverfront Blues and

years, I had about two turn downs. I expected the batting

Peacemaker music festivals, which have benefited greatly

average to be much lower than that.”

from the Riverfront infrastructure. “[The Blues Festival] was really a stimulus to the development of the Riverfront back in the ‘90s,” he says.

“The Blues Festival cannot claim all the credit for that, but it was certainly helpful to show the citizens of Fort Smith what we could do on the Riverfront and that there’s real economic development driven by the arts.”

As substantial a project as that was,

McIntosh

was

just

getting

warmed up in his quest to turn Fort Smith into a hub of artistic activity.

Looking for a means to enhance that reputation in a big way a few years back, McIntosh was one of the first enthusiastic backers of a radical new idea dubbed The Unexpected which sought to create public art in the form of murals.

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people

Today, The Unexpected is not only one of the most ambitious

Smith a little differently. How can you not see Fort Smith a

public art projects in Arkansas, it’s widely credited with

little differently with thirty-five pieces of public art scattered

providing the blueprint for other communities to organize

around town? That creates a lot of conversation and it says

public art. This is particularly true for murals which can now

something about us.”

be found in cities and towns all over The Natural State.

Now in his seventies, McIntosh continues to push for new “In the past five years we’ve created thirty-five pieces of

and better things to promote his beloved hometown. Most

public art in downtown Fort Smith and it’s primarily from

notably, he sits on the board of the new River Valley Film

bringing artists from all over the globe to Fort Smith,”

Society which will host the city’s first film festival next

McIntosh says. “It’s created a very artist-friendly community

summer. He's also tinkering with rebranding the live music

here, which was the goal of The Unexpected. It’s allowed

scene, as it emerges from being shut down during COVID-

our community and surrounding areas to see art that they

19. Even as he does so, he’s always looking to what’s next.

would not otherwise have the opportunity to see.”

“First and foremost is the completion of the U.S. Marshals McIntosh said the effort is more than something nice to

Museum. It’s a tall order but it will be done,” he said. “The

do; it pays specific dividends for Fort Smith from boosting

second is, we have to make the most of what we have. I

tourism to improving quality of life for permanent residents.

don’t think we’ve been really good about that. We need to promote ourselves more and differently in the future. The

“There are so many opportunities to socialize and enjoy

market has changed and I think the pandemic is going to

the arts in Fort Smith that I think we often overlook because

change the market even more.

we just don’t talk about it very much,” he said. “Fort Smith has a healthy art community. We are so blessed to have

“I think people will stay closer to home for their trips

the Wingate Art and Design building at the University of

and their stay-cations. I think we need to concentrate on

Arkansas Fort Smith and the regional art museum downtown.

promoting the things that bring people to town and that’s

Those are two very impressive galleries and museums. And

the entertainment value, the arts value of downtown and

we have to give a shout out to the Wingate Foundation who

the Riverfront. It’s time we got back to the basics and start

in large part made those possible with their gifts.

raising our hand and say, ‘Hey, not only is this a great place to live, it’s a great place to be entertained. Come spend a

“People around the state and around the country see Fort

weekend with us and let us show you what we have.’”

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people

Coloring Outside the Lines Gwen Mason

Words Liesel Schmidt image courtesy Gwen Mason, Colorscapes Bible Journaling

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. - Colossians 3:17 Those are the words that Gwen Mason tries to live by, words that inspire her each day as she works to make the Bible more accessible—and more personal—to people who are seeking a deeper connection with their faith.

The Bible has been in print for more than six centuries and is the most published and most widely read piece of written word in the world. It’s also one that bears much interpretation and has survived much scrutiny, in the end always emerging as a text that inspires faith beyond explanation and a reverence for words that, while ancient in their origin, still apply to all our lives. It is in finding those connections and hearing the lessons it teaches with the heart and not just the head that give the Bible its greatest influence, and that is one of the very things that Bible journaling aims to do.

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people

“At its core, Bible journaling is simply a creative response

COVID-19, leaving her wondering how she could use her

to studying the Word of God. It transforms the way you

skills in a way that could impact others and would also be a

engage with Scripture,” says Gwen, the newly minted owner

legitimate source of income. “I was struck with this thought

of Colorscapes Bible Journaling in Fort Smith. “Everyone

and this amazing desire to teach people something that has

is capable of Bible journaling—you don't need a ton of

transformed me and changed my life,” Gwen says. “I realized

creativity. Experts have proven that the more ways you take

that this was a time I could dedicate the remaining years of

in a subject, the more it will stay with you. Some learn by

my career to others in a new teaching format that moved

hearing, seeing, or doing; Bible journaling covers all three

from education to inspiration. I have always been a lover of

of those. You read and hear the Scripture, you observe it,

arts, crafts, and sewing; so being able to use my creativity to

you study it, and many even act on it by serving others;

do something new seemed perfect.”

but being inspired by Scripture and drawing it takes your understanding of it to a whole new level. In Matthew 19:14,

That something new was Bible journaling, which Gwen

Jesus says: ‘Come unto Me as little children, for the Kingdom

has been doing personally for the past three years. “When

of Heaven belongs to such as these.’ What could be more

I started, I could never have imagined the impact it would

child-like than hearing God speak to you through the words

have on my spiritual walk with my Heavenly Father,” Gwen

of the Bible and sitting down to spend time with Him while

contends. “Through journaling, I was no longer just reading

drawing Him a picture?”

Scripture—I was also meditating, observing, and listening to what I had read. With this came more one-on-one time with

It’s a unique idea for a business, but also an inspired one—

the Lord. I was inspired, intrigued, and actually drawing the

especially at a time in Gwen’s life when she was searching

ways in which Scripture pertained to my daily life.”

for a new direction. A teacher for twenty-five years with a focus on Special Education for the last decade, she was

Building on that experience, Gwen decided to create her

suddenly faced with joblessness at the end of May due to

very own Bible journaling business and open a physical

Gwen Mason

Colorscapes Studio

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people

location in Forth Smith, which had its grand opening in

new business in the midst of a pandemic. I've had friends

October. Like any good businesswoman, she’s filling a hole

and loved ones worry that I'd be discouraged if things

in the market, as there isn’t a space dedicated solely to

didn't turn out as I had hoped. My response to that is this:

Bible journaling anywhere else in the area. “You can find

Yes, these are hard times for our country; yes, there is a

art studios and crafting classes, but there are no journaling

pandemic. But schools have started back, businesses have

studios,” Gwen notes.

opened up, and people are looking for something. They are searching for inspiration and encouragement after months

“Before COVID, our local craft store and Christian

and months of being homebound. They can find that in our

bookstore would hold an occasional class, but even those

loving, encouraging atmosphere.”

were never regular or offered on a weekly basis. People have really started to love Bible journaling—Pinterest

Tough as getting a firm toehold might be, Gwen has high

is full of photos of Bible journaling pages, and there are

hopes for the future of Colorscapes, as the Bible journaling

thousands of journalers on social media—so various stores

class she previously taught at her church saw great response

and websites all sell items to Bible journal, yet there have

from the women who attended. “They loved it and were

been no journaling studios.”

really inspired. The fellowship was amazing, and that’s what I want people to have when they come to Colorscapes. It’s

Colorscapes offers a safe, fun, inspirational atmosphere

my greatest desire that everyone who comes to a class or

where people can enroll in weekly classes and journal in their

visits my website leaves blessed,” she says.

Bibles with assistance from Gwen, and surrounded by friends old and new. Supplies are provided for students to use and

While journaling might have a largely female audience,

try out before they invest in something that they may not

Gwen’s goal is to appeal to men and women as well as people

enjoy using or may not be quite what they’re looking for.

of all ages. “This is for anyone who wants to grow deeper

The classes also offer the opportunity to learn journaling

in God's Word,” she says firmly. “We do NOT teach doctrine

techniques with an instructor—something that anyone

on any level—we are all just individuals who love the Word

unfamiliar with journaling will greatly appreciate.

of God and want to allow it to speak to us individually.”

And what it speaks is a powerful message brought to life in

In all reality, starting a new business—especially a brick-and-

bold colors and vibrant pictures that prove that childlike faith

mortar one—during a pandemic is a risk. Even so, Gwen

abides the deepest.

relied on her faith and followed the prompting she felt in her heart as she took the steps to open the studio, first creating a website that offers printable materials and kits for learning to journal and posting blogs to inspire budding journalers in addition to creating instructional videos for those who can’t attend classes.

“Starting a business is not an overnight success,” Gwen says. “It takes months of blood, sweat, and tears. You have high and low moments, and there are times when you wonder if what you’re planning to do can really be successful. I’ve wondered if others would be as inspired by journaling as I have been. I've had months of sleepless nights thinking about what needed to be done and how I was going to accomplish it. I can't even count how many times I thought, What if?

It's extremely scary to start a

Colorscapes Bible Journaling 2120 S. Waldron Road in Fort Smith, Arkansas colorscapesjournaling.com | 479.459.3629

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entertainment

Magic Man

Maxwell Blade

Words Dwain Hebda images courtesy Brian G. Wilson Photography

IT’S SATURDAY NIGHT in Hot Springs and Arkansas’s

Suddenly, the lights go down, the overture rises and for the

entertainment hub is buzzing, if not quite at capacity, at

seven thousand-one hundred-and-seventh time, Maxwell

least enough to make you feel the new excitement that has

Blade takes the stage. Over the course of the next two hours

come into downtown in recent years. Aromas from nearby

he’s working, but it’s clear he’s at home.

restaurants fill the air, a stream of cars and motorcycles glides by and bright lights pour out of bathhouse and bar.

*******

Smack in the middle of it is the historic Malco Theatre, home

“I will never stop performing. It’s just what I do.”

to Maxwell Blade’s Theatre of Magic. The old girl looks good these days, thanks to nearly $1 million spent in renovations

Maxwell Blade reclines in a front-row seat during an off-day.

a few years back. Inside, the payoff from that investment is

His trademark mane about his shoulders still yells rock-

immediately apparent; the Malco is stunning and contains

and-roll, but outside the spotlight he is soft-spoken and

surprises around every corner, from the pocket bar to the

self-deferential, his voice barely cutting through the darkness

original staircase mural to the main auditorium chock-full of

of the main theater, which feels a lot bigger empty.

theatrical and multi-media technology.

When you tell him he doesn’t fit either the wacky magical A full house is defined differently in the era of social

madman or the brooding tortured-soul wizard you’d

distanced seating charts, but that’s what’s on hand for the

imagined, he laughs.

family-friendly show. Nearby, a local family chats about the number of times they’ve been back to see performances

“After all these years, my character and myself have gelled

while a couple of rows over, newlyweds gaze lovingly over

and morphed into this person. It’s not really a character, it’s

popcorn. Sprinkled throughout are youngsters of all ages,

just me,” he says. “I do feel like, once the adrenaline pumps

each here ready to be amazed.

and you come out onstage, you do become a different DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

entertainment

person. A character, in some aspects. But I keep in touch

itself, he delights in blending the shiny and new with the

with me all the time.

tried-and-true.

“I’m not trying to be this mysterious guy who wouldn’t go out

“I’m not a magician’s magician where I try to fool all of the

and meet you before the show. I meet people all of the time

magicians. I’m an entertainer,” he says. “You have to be an

and I love that. But onstage, I’m a bit more charismatic and

entertainer to hold people’s attention for two hours.”

outspoken. And I have fun; I’m having as much fun as you are, if not more some nights, because I feed off the audience.

Music and magic are as inseparable to Maxwell’s act as it is to his heritage. Before he became an illusionist, he was a keyboard

“I think with all performers, you can be too egotistical, too

player in the 1980s band Exit 5 that became Shark Avenue. The

cocky and arrogant, where you don’t greet people or are not

band cut some albums and toured before going their separate

kind to people. I just never saw the sense in that. These people

ways. Maxwell’s way was magic, but not only did he not leave

pay to see you. I get real with them, and they love that.”

music behind, it’s very much part of what he does today.

Maxwell caught the magic bug growing up in Fort Smith

“I’ll get the routines in my head. And then, I begin the

when he saw a magician on television. He promptly

process of picking or writing the music,” he says. “I’m

borrowed some books on magic from the local library and

looking through tracks or soundtracks or movie tracks, and

was so immediately obsessed, he refused to return the

the minute I hear it, that’s it. That is it. I don’t use elevator

books so as not to let others learn how to do the tricks.

music. I use the good stuff.”

He’s unabashed about this youthful larceny, even pointing out those very books which he keeps onstage as a set piece.

The show is a well-oiled delight. Furniture levitates, hollow tubes placed on an empty table produce bottle after bottle of

The volumes are just one small artifact in a collection of

wine, assistants disappear and reappear with mind-bending

entertainment and historical oddities he’s collected over

efficiency. For all but two tricks, Maxwell is the hub of the

decades in show business. Many are on display throughout

magic wheel, chatting up the audience, playing songs by his

the building and some await enshrinement in a forthcoming

idol Elton John (with whom he got to share the stage) and

on-premises curiosities museum. Not unlike the magic show

looking for all the world like a man who loves what he’s doing.

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entertainment

“We’ve tried to make it a fun show, a family-oriented show,”

in progress; Maxwell has plans for preserving the chilling

he says. “It’s not a kiddie show; I tell people, ‘You’re going

entryway as a testament to the struggle for equality.

to have as much fun as the kids, if not more so.’

Arguably the most fascinating part of the house is the fifty“This is my favorite show that I’ve produced, but we decided

seat close-up magic room, which Maxwell calls his “COVID

at this point that we’re going to pull about two-thirds of it

project.” Delightfully eerie with a small stage that allows

out and start over. Some of these props I’ve been performing

for close inspection of the performance, it gives Maxwell a

with for so many years, I need to challenge myself a bit.”

different kind of venue to share the history and lore of the magician’s art.

***** “We all go back to the roots of magic,” he says. “Some of One would think after bringing the Malco back to life that

these props, the way they were done, the secrets, have been

Maxwell would’ve had enough challenges to last a lifetime.

around for one hundred years. It’s important that we let the

Built in 1910 as the Princess Theatre and rebuilt after a

audience know, hey, this is a classic piece of magic. I do a bit

devastating fire in 1934, the former movie house hosted

in my show where I do classic pieces of magic given to me by

various entertainment through the years including traveling

my mentors and we talk about that.”

vaudeville acts that likely featured magicians.

Even with this long artistic heritage, much has changed for Maxwell’s show played here in the 1990s before moving to

the showman from Sebastian County over the decades, a

a smaller venue up the street in 2012. Four years later, the

painful divorce and a salvific bout with rehab among them.

building changed hands and the new owner invited him to

He talks freely about such scars in his act, further connecting

come home. To this day, he can’t believe how things have

with audiences. He thinks simultaneously about slowing

come full circle.

down and expanding the theater’s roster of entertainment once COVID-19 tapers. The future is bright.

“I passed by this building every day and I wished, I prayed, I hoped and put the good word out that I’d like to have this

“For me, the theater, even now that it’s new and fresh,

theater back,” he says. “It was a very difficult time in my life,

still has that old feel. You tie them together,” he says. “I

I must tell you. Years later, I get a call from Rick Williams,

think it’s important that you do that. Say you’re in Vegas in

who bought the building. He said, ‘You need to be here. This

a brand-new, shiny theater and the props are all glitzy and

is your legacy. Let’s see what we can do.’”

glam and that’s that. This is a little bit different and you know and feel it as soon as you walk in. People aren’t sure

What followed was fourteen months of work and about

what to expect and that’s part of the surprise.

eight hundred thousand dollars in repairs and upgrades.

The work was exhausting, made more so by the slabs of

“I’ll tell you, probably ninety percent of the folks that come

structural concrete throughout the building, thick enough

in are just going to sit back, relax and enjoy the magic and

that the theater was a designated bomb shelter in the 1950s

not worry about how it’s done. Some of them will go, ‘It’s

and 1960s.

driving me crazy, man. I’ll pay you. How much you want?’

You can’t give me enough money to tell you how it’s done.

A tour of the place—from the bowels of the basement to a

Once I do that, it’s going to steal the magic from you.”

hidden door off the balcony leading to a former love-andbooze nest Maxwell converted into an apartment—reveals living, breathing Hot Springs history. Sobering, in one respect: the surviving “Colored” entrance from the building’s days as a segregated theater, in service from 1929 to 1964. It, like other parts of the huge structure, is a renovation work

Maxwell Blade Theatre of Magic 817 Central Avenue, Hot Springs, AR 501.623.6200 | maxwellblade.com

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taste

MINI

Apple

PIES

INGREDIENTS (makes 12 mini pies)

• ¼ cup granulated sugar

• 1 homemade pie crust

• ½ teaspoon lemon juice

(see link for Catherine’s Favorite

• 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pie Crust recipe) or use 2 storebought crusts

• 2 ½ cups apples, chopped small (I use a mix of Granny Smith

and Honeycrisp)

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg • salt, just a dash

• 1 Tablespoon butter, melted

METHOD Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray each well of a standard size 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out into a 12-inch circle. Use a 3-inch cookie cutter or a glass and cut out 12 circles. Place dough into each muffin tin, making sure that the dough comes about halfway up the sides. Place the tin and extra dough in the refrigerator while you make the filling.

Combine apples, lemon juice, butter, salt, sugar, flour, cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg. Take the muffin pan out of the refrigerator and add about 2-3 Tablespoons to each of the muffin wells, making sure the filling does NOT come up over the edges of the dough.

IF USING: Grab the leftover dough from the refrigerator and cut out the strips for the tops of the pies. Place them on top of each pie.

Bake 15-20 minutes or until crust begins to brown and filling is bubbly.

Remove from oven and let cool for about 10-15 minutes. Gently run a knife around the outer crust to loosen. Remove the pies from the tin and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Catherine’s Favorite Pie Crust: dosouthmagazine.com/catherines-favorite-pie-crust-recipe/ recipe Catherine Frederick images usmee/Shutterstock

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

taste

MINI

Pecan

PIES

31

INGREDIENTS (makes 12 mini pies)

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 homemade pie crust

• 1 ½ Tablespoons unsalted

(see link for Catherine’s Favorite

butter, melted

• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Pie Crust recipe) or use 2 storebought crusts

• / cup light corn syrup • 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

• ½ cup pecans, chopped • salt, just a pinch

• ¼ cup brown sugar

METHOD Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray each well of a standard size 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out into a 12-inch circle. Use a 3-inch cookie cutter or a glass and cut out 12 circles. Place dough into each muffin tin, making sure that the dough comes about halfway up the sides. Place the tin in the refrigerator while you make the filling.

Combine corn syrup, granulated sugar, salt, brown sugar, melted butter, egg, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl, then stir in the chopped pecans.

Take the muffin pan out of the refrigerator and add about 1 ½ Tablespoons to each of the muffin wells, making sure the filling does NOT come up over the edges of the dough. The filling will expand as it cooks.

Bake for 25 minutes or until filling is no longer jiggly. Remove from oven and let cool for about 10-15 minutes. Gently run a knife around the outer crust to loosen. Remove the pies from the tin and place on a wire rack to cool completely. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream if desired!

Catherine’s Favorite Pie Crust: dosouthmagazine.com/catherines-favorite-pie-crust-recipe/

recipe Catherine Frederick images JeniFoto/Shutterstock

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taste

MINI

Pumpkin

PIES

INGREDIENTS (makes 12 mini pies)

• 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar

• 1 homemade pie crust

• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

(see link for Catherine’s Favorite

• ground clove, just a pinch

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pie Crust recipe) or use 2 storebought crusts

• 1 cup pure pumpkin puree • ½ cup heavy cream

• ¼ teaspoon sea salt • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 egg • ¼ cup brown sugar

METHOD Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray each well of a standard size 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out into 12-inch circles. Use a 3-inch cookie cutter or a glass and cut out 24 circles. Gently press dough into each muffin tin, making sure that the dough comes up over the sides of the wells. Place the tin in the refrigerator while you make the filling.

Combine pumpkin puree, heavy cream, egg, sugars, pumpkin pie spice, ground clove, cinnamon, salt and vanilla. Take the muffin pan out of the refrigerator and add about 1 ½ Tablespoons of filling to each of the wells.

The filling will expand as it cooks. Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the centers are set and crust begins to lightly brown – do not overbake. Remove from oven, let cool for about 10-15 minutes.

Gently run a knife around the outer crust to loosen. Remove pies from the tins and place on a wire rack to cool completely. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon if desired!

Catherine’s Favorite Pie Crust: dosouthmagazine.com/catherines-favorite-pie-crust-recipe/

recipe Catherine Frederick images JeniFoto/Shutterstock

DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

taste

Pumpkin Spiced

white russian INGREDIENTS METHOD Recipe Catherine Frederick image Rimma Bondarenko/ Shutterstock

° 3 oz. vodka

Combine rim ingredients on a small plate.

° 3 oz. pumpkin spice coffee creamer

Twist the glass rim in a bit of Kahlua, then dip

° 1 ½ oz. Kahlua

into graham cracker mixture. Combine vodka, creamer, and Kahlua in a cocktail tin filled with

° large marshmallows (optional garnish)

ice. Shake until chilled, pour into glass. Lightly

° cinnamon stick (optional garnish)

char large marshmallows and the end of a

for the rim

cinnamon stick. Add marshmallows to glass and

° 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

top with cinnamon stick if desired.

° 1 teaspoon brown sugar

Please drink responsibly. Never drink and drive.

° 3 Tablespoons graham crackers, crushed to a powder DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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fiction

SCRAP PAPER HEARTS words Liesel Schmidt image Africa Studio/Shutterstock

THE FINALE This is the finale of a two-part fictional story. Part one was

Sophie made it through those next few months somehow.

featured in our October issue.

The funeral and the accident reports and the police

Because of that one day,

reports. There were stacks of unopened sympathy cards that one horrible moment,

that she wanted to burn—she wanted to smell the smoke

Sophie’s mother would never be there to hold her when

and watch the flames writhe in their hot red, orange and

she needed comforting, never be there to listen, never be

yellow dance. She wanted to burn away all the pain. She

there to see her fall in love or walk down the aisle. There

knew it would always be there, though, forever tattooed

would never be any more laughter or the beautiful sound

on her heart. And her life would never be the same, never

of her mother’s voice.

resemble the life she’d been living before that phone call.

Still, she’d learned to move past it, to box it up and put it

Never.

in a drawer, safe from sight.

It was ironic how closely related never and forever had

Until that day. The drawer was upended, the box ripped

become in her mind.

open and spilled. And all it had taken was one little piece DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

fiction

of paper, words written two years before by the mother

“You remember my name,” Charlie said, obviously pleased.

she no longer had. By the mother who had been stolen

“Do you mind if I sit?”

from her.

“No, no. Not at all.” Sophie closed her book and uncurled herself, straightening in the overstuffed chair so that her feet reached the floor.

*******

Charlie crossed in front of her to take a seat in the next “I see that Sophie drinks coffee,” a vaguely familiar voice

chair, adjusting the legs of his pants as he sat. The man

said.

certainly knew how to dress. He was wearing well-cut jeans and a French blue button down, the sleeves rolled up

Sophie was sitting in the corner of the Starbucks near her

on his forearms and the tails un-tucked. A white tee-shirt

apartment, curled up with her legs pulled under her as she

peeked out from the neck, which was unbuttoned to the

read the book she’d picked out at the library that morning.

second button. Noticeably absent was the baseball cap

So far, she wasn’t impressed with either the writing or

he’d been wearing the last time Sophie had seen him, and

the plot line, but she wasn’t quite ready to give up on

she now noticed that he had light brown hair cut neatly

it. It was a Saturday, early afternoon, but she’d already

and close to his scalp. Charlie may have been staring down

been there long enough to amass a collection of crumpled

the barrel at forty, but he wore it well.

napkins along with her empty porcelain coffee cup and “So, what are you reading?” he asked, noting the book

French press.

that now lay, face down, on the arm of Sophie’s chair.

S h e lo o k e d u p fro m h e r b o o k to s e e C h a r lie , th e m a n s h e ’d m e t a t th e p a r k . It h a d b e e n m o re th a n a m o n th s in c e th a t d a y , b u t s h e s till re c o g n iz e d h im ; a n d h e o b v io u s ly re m e m b e re d h e r. T h e n a g a in , w h o w o u ld b e a b le to fo rg e t a s tra n g e y o u n g w o m a n th e y ’d p u s h e d o n a s w in g s e t?

It was a casual question between two ordinary people, a man and a woman who could have been meeting for the first time, purely by chance. It was a question that held no indication of any awkwardness or judgment by its presenter, merely interest in this small aspect of her life.

To Sophie, it was an outstretched hand, a gentle offer of friendship from someone who seemed to understand a need she had never expressed. She smiled sweetly and reached for the hand, wondering where it might lead her.

*******

Sophie felt herself smile uncertainly, not sure whether she was glad to see him again or if she should be humiliated

Charlie and Sophie had been dating for two months

at how unstable he’d seen her. He probably thought she

before she told him all the details of her mother’s death.

was insane.

He’d listened quietly as she recounted the ordeal—the arrangements and decisions she’d had to make, the

“Yes, Sophie drinks coffee. And obviously you do as well,”

loneliness she’d felt. The anger and hatred she’d struggled

she replied, nodding to indicate the paper cup he held in

with. Her mother—so lovely and generous and vibrant—

his hand. “It’s nice to see you again, Charlie.” He didn’t

was gone, while the man who’d been involved in the

need to know that she wasn’t sure she meant it.

accident walked around unscathed.

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fiction

He’d asked her what she knew about the man––if she knew

than mere friendship. Friendship and respect had grown

who he was or where he was. If she’d tried to contact him

into love, the kind of love she knew she could depend on.

since her mother’s death. Sophie shook her head, tears pooling in her eyes and stinging the back of her throat.

It was the kind of love her parents had shared, once upon a time. Not that Sophie remembered it firsthand. Sophie’s

“I don’t know anything, really. They told me afterwards—

father had died of leukemia before her fifth birthday, but

what happened, how it happened. But I still feel like I

she had vague recollections of happy trips to the zoo,

don’t know anything. I know his name. I even met him—I

falling asleep in her father’s arms as she listened to the

could barely look him in the eye, but I met him. I met

rumble of his voice rising from his chest while he sang in

him long enough for everything official to be taken care

church, the security she felt when he held her tiny hand

of and reports to be filed. Officially, it wasn’t his fault.

in his. Her mother had been his steadfast companion

Officially, it was no one’s fault.” She swallowed the lump

through his illness, nursing him as he worsened, keeping

that seemed to be closing her airway, the bitterness that

his spirits up even when things were bleak. Family time

was building.

never suffered, and story books were read every night to both the ailing man in the bed and the little girl curled up

“Officially,” she said again dully. Such a hollow word.

beside him, while Rosemary Watson’s heart swelled with

“But she’s still gone, and he’s still here.” Sophie shook her

love and pain.

head again and looked down at her hands, resting limply in her lap. Hands with long fingers like her mother’s.

Sophie’s mother had raised her alone, never tiring of telling her stories about her father and what a wonderful man he’d

Charlie swallowed thickly and reached out a hand,

been. Rosemary seemed to draw her own strength from the

crooking his index finger just under her chin. He tilted her

stories, reminders of times with a man who had loved her

face up so that her eyes met his—eyes that were moist

passionately even when his body failed him. As the years

and glistening with the sheen of tears. When he spoke, his

passed and Sophie grew into an adult, the woman who had

voice was hushed and husky with emotion.

been her mother also became her friend—her best friend, really. An irreplaceable part of her life.

“What if part of her was still here?”

The accident had taken both her mother and her best Sophie looked at him, puzzled by the question. “What do

friend, leaving her with a deeper hole than she would

you mean?”

have ever imagined. A hole that she feared would never be filled.

Slowly taking her hand in his, Charlie brought their entwined hands to his chest.

But in this tragedy, she had been given a gift—a man who loved her with his whole heart, a heart that had loved her

“Here, Sophie. Right here.”

for her whole life and always would.

And suddenly she understood. The scar she had asked him

Don’t forget I love you!

about, the heart he had been given after a tragic accident.

Sophie searched Charlie’s eyes, wondering why he hadn’t told her. Why he had kept such a secret. He had become, in the past two months, a best friend. A confidante. More than that, she felt a connection to him that went deeper

Read part one of Scrap Paper Hearts , in our October issue.

Find it at DoSouthMagazine.com/Fiction.

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GIVE FROM THE HEART

The River Valley is home to many amazing non-profit organizations doing the most good to serve our community and we know you place great priority on giving back, be it of your time, your service, or your finances.

It is our hope that our Do SouthÂŽ Guide to Local Non-Profits will serve to further each of their missions and allow you to discover just how you and your family can get involved and pledge your support to the organizations that are near and dear to your heart. They need us now, more than ever!

LOCAL NON-PROFITS

Aspsf.org 479.927.1402 Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund (ASPSF) creates life-changing opportunities for impoverished single-parent families. By providing financial assistance and personal/ professional development opportunities, ASPSF helps single parents complete a career-focused degree or skilled trade wages so that they can proudly support their family on their own. Their achievement shapes the educational and career aspirations of the next generation. With access to education, the entire family begins to see opportunities where none seemed to exist before. ASPSF is helping to break the cycle of poverty, one family at a time. You can help ASPSF provide life-changing scholarships to thousands of single parents.

Learn more at aspsf.org.

By shopping at your local ReStore, you are helping to build homes in your community for your neighbors in need.

Habitat for Humanity has placed over one hundred families in new homes in the River Valley and money spent in our ReStore will help us to continue that mission. You can also support our affiliate by donating used appliances, building supplies, etc. to the ReStore. During December each year, we offer our fundraising Gift Wrap Center to the public.

Wrapping gifts raises funds to build more homes. Your support helps us help others!

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certification and secure employment at family-supporting

421 Towson Avenue, Fort Smith, Arkansas HabitatFS.org 479.783.2766

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LOCAL NON-PROFITS

LOCAL NON-PROFITS

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LOCAL NON-PROFITS DO SOUTHÂŽ MAGAZINE

104 North 13th, Van Buren, Arkansas Art-Ed.org 479.474.7767

3015 South 14th Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas FSChildrensShelter.org 479.783.0018

The Center for Art and Education is a nonprofit organization

In 1997, the Fort Smith Children’s Shelter welcomed its first

located at 104 North 13th in Van Buren, Arkansas. Our

five children. Twenty-three years later, the FSCS has provided

mission is to provide art experiences to the community. We

a safe haven to over 4,300 abused and neglected children

believe arts education is an essential component of everyday

and young adults in foster care. Our mission is to be a safe

life for all ages. The arts enhance student performance

and stable home that provides long-term, evidence-based,

introducing skills that are essential for success: creativity,

trauma-informed, resident-centered and family-focused care

critical thinking, and communication. For adults, arts can

to youth in foster care who exhibit emotional and behavioral

be a relief, an opportunity to re-activate, strengthen and

challenges due to neglect and/or abuse. Their needs for food,

increase an existential joy. Currently, our biggest need is for

clothing, shelter, transportation, tutoring, life skills, and social

donations to maintain programming and develop programs

opportunities are provided. In addition, they receive therapy

for our new state-of-the-art facility opening in 2022. Please

and emotional support to grow, heal, and transition into a

consider supporting our mission by making a donation

traditional home environment. Please support our children by

online or call CAE at 479-474-7767.

making a financial donation to the Children’s Shelter.

LOCAL NON-PROFITS

1421 South Dallas Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas FSChildrensShelter.org/get-real-24 479.242.3163

615 North B Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas GoodSamaritanFS.com 479.783.0233

GetREAL24 is the Fort Smith Children’s Shelter’s independent Our mission is to improve the health in our region by

We aim to give youth “aging out” of care a place to live

providing access to compassionate, quality healthcare and

independently among their peers while obtaining life skills

we have proudly served the uninsured and underinsured in

necessary to break the cycle of dysfunction and become

the River Valley area for over seventeen years. We provide

successful, contributing members of society. GR24 seeks

medical and vision care, limited dental care and counseling

support from the community through volunteers who serve

services for adult patients, and children by appointment (the

as sponsor families or mentors—helping create positive

clinic is closed on Fridays). Walk-in patients are seen for basic

relationships and a social safety net of support. Help is also

medical care and we offer extended hours every Tuesday

needed from volunteers that have a special skill or talent that

until 8pm. Visit us online or call 479.783.0233. As a 501c3

could be taught in a life skills class. In addition, internships,

charitable clinic, one hundred percent of our funds stay local.

shadowing, job training and career opportunities from the

You may not need us, but we are certain you know someone

community are also needed.

who does. Call us today! #iamgoodsam Are you?

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living program for youth in foster care ages 18 and older.

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LOCAL NON-PROFITS

P.O. Box 11828, Fort Smith, Arkansas ManesAndMiracles.org 479.970.8351

The Gregory Kistler Treatment Center began in 1978 as a

Manes & Miracles offers equine-assisted therapy to children

place of hope and caring assistance, a place for children to

with special needs. Our vision is to serve adults and Veterans

reach high, and for families to reach out and find peace of

as well. With the help of a horse, this unique tool provides

mind. The Kistler Center began as an out-patient facility

a treatment for Physical, Occupational, Speech, and

providing occupational, physical, and speech therapies for

Psychological therapy. Lawanda reports "Angel (age 11)

children. Today, we also provide Community Employment

couldn't even hold her head up when she started and after

Support waiver services for both children and adults. This

six months of equine-assisted therapy, she was walking forty

program gives individuals choice and opportunity to live,

steps in a gait trainer." As a nonprofit organization we rely

play, and work in the home and community. In addition,

heavily on the generosity of caring individuals. Volunteer

we are now a provider of autism waiver services. This is

opportunities are available and if you feel led, your financial

a statewide intensive program for young children with a

gift of any amount is appreciated. Thank you for your kind

confirmed diagnosis of autism. The Kistler Center ― we’re

heart and helping others achieve a brighter future.

LOCAL NON-PROFITS

3304 South M Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas KistlerCenter.org 479.785.4677

here for you just like family!

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LOCAL NON-PROFITS

1205 South Albert Pike, Fort Smith, Arkansas ProjectCompassionInc.com 479.783.2273

5521 Ellsworth Road, Fort Smith, Arkansas TheCALLinArkansas.org 479.353.0767

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Project Compassion, Inc. is a Fort Smith based nonprofit founded in 1972 by the late Gloria White. Her mission to bring

The CALL works with local churches to recruit, train and

joy, companionship, and enhanced quality of life to nursing

support foster and adoptive parents to provide homes for

home residents remains the heartbeat of the organization

the over six hundred thirty children and youth in foster care

today. Volunteers visit one-on-one with residents, accompany

in Crawford and Sebastian Counties. Since our founding

them to activities, and encourage them to maintain interest

in 2007, over 7,500 families attended our Informational

in people and events. We offer music, pet therapy, fidget

Meetings and our families have cared for 18,000 children and

blankets, calls and cards. Our Hearts of Gold program provides

youth statewide. Check out our Facebook page or website

Christmas gifts of warm clothing to residents without friends

for more details, and to see dates and locations of upcoming

and family. We are a United Way agency serving twenty-six

events. We are completely funded through donations of

nursing homes. We partner with businesses, schools, churches,

time, money and in-kind items. If you’d like to help us serve

and civic organizations. Visit our website to volunteer, donate,

the children and youth in our area, email Emily Treadaway,

be a friend, and get connected!

County Coordinator at etreadaway@thecallinarkansas.org.

LOCAL NON-PROFITS

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LOCAL NON-PROFITS

120 North 13th Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas UnitedWayFortSmith.org 479.782.1311

301 N. 6th Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas SalvationArmyFS.org 479.783.6145

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Nearly every aspect of operations for United Way and The Salvation Army provides housing & homeless services

its

Community

Partner

Agencies

has

been

shaken.

as well as hunger relief through food boxes and our Red

Organizations have had to find new ways to provide their

Shield Diner. We also provide Christmas assistance including

services following Covid-19 restrictions. Revenues shrank,

the Angel Tree, youth camps, disaster relief services, elderly

but expenses did not go away. We need your donations

services, utility assistance and much more. But this year,

now more than ever. Fundraising event cancellations

due to Covid, the need is even greater while restrictions are

have cost our agencies over half a million dollars in 2020.

preventing us from placing as many Red Kettles, our number

You can make a difference by donating to United Way of

one fundraiser, in the community. To sustain operations

Fort Smith Area. Making a donation is as easy as texting

in the River Valley, we’re relying on virtual donations and

“unitedway20” to 41444 or online at unitedwayfortsmith.

we’re kicking it off with a Virtual Red Kettle Ball on Nov.

org. One hundred percent of your donations will stay local.

5. Learn more at SalvationArmyFS.org and please consider

You can also view our Holiday Giving Guide for additional

giving this Christmas season.

ways to help our agencies this holiday season.

Read Chair Publishing, LLC 4300 Rogers Avenue, Suite 20-110 Fort Smith, AR 72903