Northwest Arkansas FACES
Posted on Sunday, July 20, 2008
Slamons honored for volunteer service Bernadette Slamons of Fayetteville was recently honored by the We Care Foundation, sponsors of Camp Dream Street, for her 18 years of volunteer service to children. She was awarded the Foundation's Flower of Hope pin, which symbolizes Slamons's dedication to the Foundation's mission: "The We Care Foundation is dedicated to enriching and improving the lives of children with cancer, hemophilia, sickle cell anemia and AIDS through a variety of therapeutic programs, including Camp Dream Street."
Big Brothers, Big Sisters needed Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Arkansas, along with the Donald W. Reynolds Boys & Girls Club of Fayetteville, was awarded a federal grant last year to provide mentors to children with an incarcerated parent. Funds from this grant assist in providing mentors (Bigs ) to children (Littles ) in Washington County. As a requirement of the grant, 33 youth between the ages of 6 and 14 will be matched in Washington County this year.
There are currently 16 children matched and 12 more waiting to go through this program, which requires a parent or guardian currently in state or federal prison. Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Boys & Girls Club of Fayetteville are seeking mentors to dedicate 3-4 hours a month of their time in a one-on-one mentoring relationship with one of these children. The need for mentors is urgent as all 33 of these matches are required to be made by Sept. 30. Mentors of both genders are needed, but there is a stronger need for males, since most of the children on the waiting list are boys. For details about Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Arkansas, or to learn how you can enroll your child or volunteer, call the Springdale office at 756-5683.
Fayetteville student attending Girls Nation Rebecca Lindsey is one of 96 young women selected from across the country to attend the 62 nd American Legion Auxiliary Girls Nation in Washington, D. C., continuing through Saturday. She is one of two "senators"who will represent Arkansas Girls State at the premier leadership conference.
The American Legion Auxiliary sponsors the Girls Nation and Girls State programs to teach high school students following their junior year how government and the political process work on the local, state and national levels. Each summer about 17, 000 young women participate in Girls State sessions. Only two girls from each state were chosen to participate in Girls Nation.
During the course of a week, the girls will organize political parties, submit bills and resolutions, participate in senate sessions, hold a national convention and even elect a president and vice president at the 4-H Center in Chevy Chase, Foundation. Md. Other highlights will include visits to the Pentagon, Arlington National Cemetery, the White House and Capitol Hill to meet with their representatives. Lindsey will return to Fayetteville High School to complete her senior year and to share her leadership and experiences with her classmates. She is the daughter of Jewel Lindsey. Circle of Life benefits from bike ride Circle of Life Hospice received a $ 1, 600 check July 10 from Markets Unlimited and Cox Electric. The check presentation took place at Circle of Life Hospice in Springdale. The proceeds came from the Second Annual "Ride for The Ride," which was held June 14 at Markets Unlimited in Springdale. This was Circle of Life's first year as beneficiary from this event.
The ride took 75 bikers through a 100-mile course and featured games, door prizes, food, a silent auction and live music provided by Smooth Woody Band. Shane Crawford of The Ride magazine volunteered his time as master of ceremonies for the event. Area riders honored Circle of Life nurses and staff and the memories of loved ones.
Long earns Eagle Scout rank Boy Scout Troop No. 116 announced that David Long of Fayetteville has earned the rank of Eagle Scout. Long is the son of Melanie and Scout Master Gordon Long. He first joined Boy Scouting with troop No. 102 under the direction of Scout Master Lewis Vann and then with his father. David later joined troop No. 116 and worked with Scout Masters Tom Weishaar and Eric Heil.
Long was inducted into the Order of the Arrow and completed the Triple Crown Award by attending all three BSA high adventure camps: Philmont, Sea Base and Boundary Waters. David has also earned 27 merit badges, six more than the required 21.
For his Eagle Scout project, David worked with the U. S. Forest Service to renovate the campsites at Shores Lake near Mulberry. He organized his troop, logging more than 190 volunteer hours to refurbish picnic tables, grills and fire rings. David plans to major in mechanical engineering and minor in German at the University of Arkansas this fall.
New leaders in Dance Coalition Eric Sims has been elected as Dance Coalition board president to replace incumbent Sally Ashcraft. Sims, who is a graduate of the University of Arkansas business college and a professional recruiter for Tyson Foods, began his office July 1. Jena Barber is the new executive director for Dance Coalition whose position is provided in part by the Arkansas Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts within the Expansion Arts Program. Barber, an Arkansas native, brings several years of public relations, media and nonprofit experience to Dance Coalition.
Dance Coalition is a nonprofit group of local artists who have been creating and presenting new and original choreography in the Northwest Arkansas community since 1996. They are the only cooperative of choreographers in the state of Arkansas. For details about the Dance Coalition and how to become involved as a choreographer, donor or volunteer, call 422-6132, or go to www. dancecoalition. com.
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