66th Wedding Anniversary : Otto & Ruth Oberhelman married August 25, 1942

Otto and Ruth Oberhelman of Bella Vista will celebrate their 66th wedding anniversary Aug. 25. They were married Aug. 25, 1942, in Oak Park, Ill. The wedding party was moved to Illinois from the couple’s hometown of Manhattan, Kan., because Otto had just started his career with the General Electric Company. The couple have four children, Susan Hill and husband John of Missouri Valley, Iowa, Robert Oberhelman and wife Colleen of Lee’s Summit, Mo., Steven Oberhelman and wife Laurie of College Station, Texas, and Janet Troutner and husband Forest of Centerton. They have 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Otto and Ruth will celebrate their marriage milestone with family at Thanksgiving time. - Wednesday, August 20, 2008

50th Wedding Anniversary : Gerald & Jean Holcomb married August 24, 1958

Gerald and Jean Holcomb of Bella Vista will celebrate their golden wedding anniversary Aug. 24. The couple were united in marriage Aug. 24, 1958, at the Methodist Church in Coffey, Mo. The Holcombs have four children, Tony Holcomb, Lois Holcomb, Steve Holcomb and wife Stephanie, and Brad Holcomb and wife Angela. They have seven grandchildren, Stephanie Atkins, Steven Holcomb, Lindsey Holcomb, Sydney Holcomb, Derrick Holcomb, Connor Holcomb and Morgan Holcomb ; and a great-grandson, Nicholas Atkins. The couple’s children and their spouses hosted a 50th celebration Aug. 2 at Great Wolf Lodge in Kansas City, Kan. A trip to Germany is planned for next spring. - Wednesday, August 20, 2008

BV band welcomes guest artist

Guest artist Sarah Manasreh will appear with the Bella Vista Community Concert Band for a free show at 7 p.m. Aug. 26 at Blowing Springs Park. A clarinetist, Manasreh will perform “Concertino for Clarinet, Op. 26” by Karl Maria von Weber. Manasreh, who resides in Fayetteville, has been teaching and performing for the past 15 years. She has studied and performed internationally. In addition to the concertino, the community band will play a medley of gypsy melodies, Mary Poppins highlights, In the Miller Mood Medley and more. A picnic supper will be available from 5 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. for $7 per person. Concertgoers should bring lawn chairs. Organizers are expecting a large crowd and encourage music lovers to arrive early. Manasreh will be available after the performance to visit with young student musicians. - Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Singing Men entering second season

SPRINGDALE — The Singing Men of Arkansas will soon begin its second season of recruitment, practice and performance. This past semester, the Singing Men presented four performances in northwest Arkansas and one in Hot Springs. Several engagements have already been booked for the new semester. Evening practices are held weekly at George Junior High School in Springdale. The chorus is comprised of 36 men, but the group hopes to expand that number this semester. Audition information may be obtained by calling business manager Will Pruett at (479) 582-3665, or visit www.singingmen ofarkansas.org. - Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Mark your calendar for events in northwest Arkansas

Thursday, Aug. 21 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The public is invited to explore health care options at a free health fair at Frisco Station Mall in Rogers. The Community Blood Bank of the Ozarks will be conducting a blood drive during the fair, in addition to offering free blood pressure checks. - Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Tasty fare helps make Frisco fest a success

From Staff Reports

ROGERS — The aroma leads many people straight to First and Poplar streets. That’s where they find a barbecue pit lined with Whitey’s Frisco Chicken sizzling over the coals. The chicken, and the volunteers who cook it and sell it, play a big roll in the success of Frisco Festival, which is set for Aug. 22 and 23 in historic downtown Rogers. “The festival would not be the same without the chicken,” acknowledged Marge Wolf, president of Main Street Rogers, the sponsoring organization. “We are always grateful to the folks from Regions Bank who not only sponsor Frisco Chicken, the bank’s employees spend the entire festival selling it.” Festival organizers plan on selling 1,800 chicken halves this year for $3 a half or two for $5. Proceeds benefit the festival. The chicken, provided by Tyson Foods, will be available near the barbecue pit in Frisco Park on First Street. Chicken isn’t the only food available, festival coordinator Sara Mason noted. An old-time ice-cream social will be held Friday and Saturday at First - Wednesday, August 20, 2008

CLUBS

Genealogical Society The Northwest Arkansas Genealogical Society will meet Monday, Aug. 25, at 6 p.m. in the Bentonville Public Library, 405 S. Main. Bob Fancher will present a program on the 1857 Utah Mountain Meadows Massacre. The families killed all came from northwest Arkansas. They were migrating to California under the leadership of Captain Alexander Fancher, a cattle farmer who had lived in Benton County. Fancher will present the society a collection of books and materials focused on the history of the massacre. The public is invited. VFW Post 9063 Auxiliary The ladies of the Robert M. - Wednesday, August 20, 2008

LIBRARY EVENTS

TV raffle Bella Vista Library will begin selling raffle tickets Wednesday, Aug. 20, for a 26-inch RCA LCD/HD television that has been donated by Sam’s Club in Bentonville. - Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Chorus making plans for holiday ‘USO’ show

SPRINGDALE — Members of the ArkAppella Show Chorus’ Christmas Show committee gathered Aug. 12 to begin planning for the extravaganza. The show is scheduled for Dec. 14 at the Jones Center for Families chapel in Springdale. The theme will be “A Salute to Christmas USO.” All women in northwest Arkansas are invited to be a part of the show by singing Christmas songs on stage with the chorus. Practice for those interested will be each Monday, beginning Sept. 14, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at First Christian Church in Springdale. ArkAppella is a women’s a cappella, fourpart harmony chorus. To learn more, visit the Web at www.myspace.com/arkappellashowchorus. - Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Writers workshop slated Sept. 20

SILOAM SPRINGS — Siloam Springs Writers will present their annual workshop from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Sept. 20 at the city’s new senior activity center, 750 Heritage Court. Carol Russell, a published author from Ft. Scott, Kan., will serve as the prose teacher and judge in the morning session. The afternoon session will focus on poetry. The teacher and judge will be Dana Watson, a high school English teacher from Siloam Springs. Admission is $5 per person, which includes a luncheon and an entry for the inspirational poem at the door. The public is welcome. - Wednesday, August 20, 2008