July 2026

Hearts for Service

Standing on the ferry, I looked across New York Harbor and saw the size and grandeur of Lady Liberty, and my eyes grew misty. On another trip, I witnessed the solemn Changing of the Guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington, Virginia, and felt a deeper appreciation for our military. And at the recent Operation Red, White, and Brave Gala, my patriotism was stirred again as I was reminded that freedom isn’t free.

Happy 250th birthday to my country, the greatest country in the world! What an exciting year to be an American! As Publisher Jeremy Higginbotham and I planned this issue, we were determined to highlight people with a heart for service because we believe that America is great because her people have a heart for others. This is part of our nation’s Christian heritage, and many examples of selfless service were easy to find in Central Arkansas.

In this edition, you will meet Bonnie Laycock, who has led 31 mission trips to Guatemala. Her team builds stoves in homes with dirt floors, and she recalls that families react the same way every time: They cannot believe that Americans who do not know them would come to help.

Back home in the 501, Darlene Millard started her dream job as a 4-H agent in Pulaski County and never left the program. She rose through the ranks to lead Arkansas’ 4-H Youth Development program. Since she retired, Millard has been a volunteer and donor to the program, which affects about 130,000 youth annually.

Our cover features recently retired Little Rock Police Chief Heath Helton, who faithfully served the public for more than 30 years. We’re excited to bring you an exclusive interview with him written by KD Reep.

Photographer Makenzie Evans captured smiles and gorgeous blooms during the Master Gardeners’ (MG) annual conference hosted by the Faulkner County MG (FCMG) program. Our Person of the Month is Robin Trent, who was named FC Master Gardener of the Year, as well as the Arkansas State Master Gardener of the Year. Robin and 3,450 volunteers across Arkansas work in both cold and heat to create beauty enjoyed by their communities.

Our state teems with great people, as does our nation. 501 LIFE Magazine is sharing the good news of Central Arkansas each month, inspiring readers to serve others. May this milestone birthday grow your desire to be active in your corner of the world and to share your time and talents for the betterment of your city, state and country.

Happy 250th, America,

501 LIFE would like to thank our advertising partners.

Arkansas Asset Builders, 51

Arkansas Farm Bureau, 42

Barksdale Federal Credit Union, 8

Bledsoe Chiropractic, 29

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Cabot Chamber of Commerce, 9

Centennial Bank, 33

City of North Little Rock Event Center, 12

Community Service Inc., 77

Conway Corp, 53

Conway Regional Health System, 79

Conway Regional Rehab, 75

Diamond Pools, 65

Downtown Conway, 68-69

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Executive Home Care, 17

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First Security Bank, 80

Hartman Animal Hospital, 41

Harwood, Ott & Fisher, PA, 68

Heritage Living Center, 5

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Karen Ferguson, 20

KAT Country 98.9 & 92.5, 61

Kilwins Little Rock, 63

Martin Luther King Jr. Commission, 39

Methodist Family Health, 66

MSC Eye Associates, 57

Oaklawn Hot Springs, 15 Ott Insurance, 77

Plant Outlet, 64

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Reynolds Performance Hall, 24

Ronald McDonald House Charities, 19

Salem Place, 34

Shelter Insurance, 61

Superior Health & Rehab, 2

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Texas Roadhouse, 27

The Smith Conway, 47

UACCM, 45 UCA, 73

UCA Public Appearances, 24

Unity Health, 3

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Velda Lueders, 62

Y107.1, BIG 92.7 & Kat Country, 61

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AMERICAN ICONS

George, Abe, Martin, Marilyn and more... they all agree. Good News is Worth Reading

There’s nothing more patriotic than having truly historic Central Arkansas stories delivered right to you with a subscription to 501 LIFE.

Kelli Reep is the owner of Flywrite Communications, the premier public relations agency of Mabelvale, Ark. She also is the director of communications for Methodist Family Health, a complete continuum of care for Arkansas children and their families. She enjoys napping as much as possible, reading and eating pie.

John Patton has 35 years of experience as a journalist, freelance writer, and health care marketing specialist in Central Arkansas. Retiring after 20 years with the Conway Regional Health System Marketing Team, John and his wife, Tina, make their home in North Little Rock, where he enjoys volunteerism and supporting local music.

Tammy Keith worked in newspapers, including the Log Cabin Democrat and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, for 38 years. The ASU graduate is a 12-time Arkansas Press Women Professional Communications winner and three-time national winner. Her biggest honor is being Mimi to her granddaughter, Kennedy.

DRUM CORPS INTERNATIONAL

JULY 11 • LITTLE ROCK

Feel the energy of world-class marching music as elite drum corps bring booming brass, precision percussion and colorful visual performances to War Memorial Stadium for a powerful night of competition.

PETER PAN GOES WRONG

JULY 23-25 • SEARCY

A trip to Neverland turns wildly funny when Searcy Summer Dinner Theatre presents this fast-paced comedy filled with flying mishaps, backstage chaos and a classic story gone hilariously off course.

DUDE PERFECT: SQUAD GAMES TOUR

JULY 12 • NORTH LITTLE ROCK

Trick shots, comedy, competitions and big crowd energy come together when Dude Perfect brings its family-friendly Squad Games Tour to Simmons Bank Arena for a night built for all ages.

CHRISTMAS IN JULY

JULY 24-25 • CABOT

Get a jump-start on holiday cheer with two days of festive summer fun in Cabot. Local businesses will offer treats, giveaways, prizes and plenty of reasons to shop close to home.

NIGHT OWL PAINTING

JULY 17 • PERRYVILLE

Spend an evening under the trees at Lake Sylvia Recreation Area learning about owls and their habitats, then create an owl-themed painting inspired by these mysterious nighttime hunters.

ST. JOSEPH SCHOOL BAZAAR

JULY 31-AUG. 1 • CONWAY

A beloved Conway tradition returns with food, games, raffles and family fun. The annual St. Joseph School Bazaar brings generations together while supporting the school community.

Headed

RED, WHITE AND BRAVE

First Service Bank creates a patriotic evening with a powerful purpose

American pride and camaraderie were in the air at the fourth annual Operation Red, White, and Brave (ORWB) Gala hosted on June 11 at Legacy Acres in Conway by the ORWB Foundation. The foundation is an outreach of First Service Bank.

“Our mission is to celebrate and assist those who have served or are currently serving, along with their loved ones,” said Rebecca Grumbles Barnard, board chair of the foundation. “We understand that needs arise, and we want to help wherever we can.”

The ORWB Gala welcomed community members, dignitaries and businesses from across Arkansas to honor and support those who have dedicated their lives to serving. The room was elegantly draped in red, white and blue bunting, and flags from the Army, Air Force, Space Force, Marines and Coast Guard were on display. The program focused on gratitude, connection and continuing the mission of giving back.

Throughout the evening, guests heard powerful stories from veterans and active service members who shared firsthand experiences and the impact ORWB has had in their lives. A speaker panel responded to questions posed by emcee Lt. Col. William B. Phillips II. The panel included First Service Bank President and CEO Tom Grumbles; Brig. Gen. Olen “Chad” Bridges; Sharri Briley, who is the widow of Chief Warrant Officer 3 Donovan Lee

Briley; retired Col. Phillip Lipsmeyer; veteran Floyd Brantley, who is 100 and served in three wars; and Lt. Col. James Holifield. The program began with the Pledge of Allegiance, led by Halley Hackett, Grumbles’ young granddaughter, and Katie Patrom sang a beautiful rendition of the national anthem. Brantley led the invocation. On a large screen, a moving video testimonial about a family currently receiving support from the ORWB Foundation was played. Also, each veteran in the room stood as Donald Brazile sang the military branch songs medley. At the end of the evening, Conway Fireman Stewart Wilcox played a bagpipe tribute of “Amazing Grace.”

Donations to ORWB are welcome throughout the year. “Your donations directly support veterans and their families,” said Robin Grumbles Hackett, CEO of First Service Bank. “Plus, the bank will match every contribution dollar for dollar, doubling the impact.”

Founded in 2020, ORWB reflects one of First Service Bank’s core values: patriotism. The initiative began with an ambitious goal — to raise $80,000 to build a home for a veteran. Since then, ORWB has broadened its mission to support more veterans and active military members in need. To learn more or make a donation, visit firstservicebank.com and click on the ORWB tab.

FREEDOM REMEMBERED

Historian Ronnie A. Nichols shares the stories of Black Civil War soldiers and previews his upcoming book at the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History

“When history speaks, we must hear...”

— Ronnie A. Nichols

History felt personal on June 4 as guests gathered at the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History in Little Rock for an evening with author, artist and historian Ronnie A. Nichols.

Through conversation, art and storytelling, the event honored Nichols’ lifelong work preserving the stories of Black soldiers who served during the Civil War. The evening centered on a fireside chat hosted by Essence Magazine Editor Mikki Taylor and a book signing tied to Nichols’ upcoming release, “Freedom! Lest We Forget.”

Nichols is one of the foremost authorities on America’s Civil War and the important role African American soldiers played in it. A novelist and Civil War artist, he uses his work to explore history, identity, service and remembrance. His work has been featured in U.S. News & World Report, Civil War Times and other publications. He also contributed his historical expertise to the set as a technical advisor on the Academy Award-winning film “Glory,” starring Denzel Washington.

A native of Little Rock, Nichols is a graduate of Central High School and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He holds a master’s degree in fine arts from Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles. He has also served as director of audience development at the Arkansas Arts Center and was hired by President Bill Clinton as the director of the Delta Cultural Center in Helena.

In 2014, Nichols curated the exhibition “Freedom! Oh Freedom! Arkansas People of African Descent and the Civil War: 1861-1866” at the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center in Little Rock. The exhibit used artifacts from national parks, local museums and Nichols’ personal collection to tell the story and illustrate the importance of African American participation in the Civil War locally.

The event highlighted the importance of preserving personal and cultural history through written narrative, visual art and community conservation. Guests heard Nichols reflect on his research, his artwork and the importance of remembering the men whose service helped shape the nation, even though their stories have too often been overlooked.

Entrepreneurs had a chance to shine on May 21 at the 7th Annual Women’s Business Showcase hosted by the Women’s Leadership Network from noon until 8 p.m. at the Conway Expo Center.

The event marked a significant milestone for the organization, tripling the number of vendors from previous years to feature more than 150 women-led brands and nonprofits.

Nearly 900 guests attended the showcase, which lasted from noon until 8 p.m. The highenergy expo provided a platform for a diverse range of entrepreneurs to showcase products such as jewelry, candles, and books, as well as professional services such as healthcare, consulting, and catering.

Attendees also enjoyed live demonstrations, upbeat music, food trucks and good vibes.

Dr. Shaneil Ealy, executive director of

WLN, expressed her pride in the event’s impact on the entrepreneurial community.

“It was exhilarating to see so many women stepping out, some for the first time, to share their passions and their talents with the community,” she said.

Ealy noted that, beyond shopping and networking with the public, the connection among the business owners themselves was a highlight. “The vendors always say the networking among other vendors is almost as fulfilling and impactful to them as selling their products. To have this space where women can be empowered and inspired is what we do.” In addition to business growth, the showcase emphasized community support. Attendees also contributed to a community drive, donating feminine hygiene products to support local women in need.

A LIFE IN DOG YEARS

Devil Dog alumni celebrate 25 years of golden reunions.

School spirit and a love for county and country were in the air on June 13 at Devil Dog Arena in Morrilton when more than 400 alumni gathered. For 25 years, South Conway County School District schoolmates have looked forward to an annual class reunion where they swap stories of high school pranks, dances, first kisses and lifelong memories.

In 2001, three women planned the first Devil Dogs 50-and-over reunion. Phyllis Scroggin McKiuin, Class of 1962, Barbara Turner Young, Class of 1959, and Eadie Wood, Class of 1950, worked to contact former classmates, and 51 people showed up. The highly anticipated reunion has grown every year since, and 412 people attended last month, which is the largest crowd so far.

This year’s reunion coincided with the 200th anniversary of Conway County and America’s 250th birthday. Students who participated in the EAST program at Morrilton High School this year created a slideshow about the history of schools in Conway County, which was enjoyed during lunch.

A PLACE FOR HOPE

Panda Cares Center of Hope partners with Boys & Girls Club to create space for a brighter future.

The staff and volunteers at the Boys & Girls Club of Faulkner County celebrated the ribboncutting of the new Panda Cares Center of Hope on June 17, marking an exciting addition to the club’s mission of helping local youth learn, grow and thrive.

The center was made possible by a $45,000 grant from Panda Express’ Panda Cares Foundation. The funding was used to create a dedicated space designed to support education, personal growth and positive development for Boys & Girls Club members.

The new Center of Hope is part of a national partnership between Panda Cares and Boys & Girls Clubs of America to provide welcoming spaces where young people can strengthen academic and life skills. At the Faulkner County club, the grant will also enhance existing education programs by providing additional resources, support and opportunities for students.

The space will help members focus on learning, explore new interests and build confidence as they prepare for the future. For the staff and volunteers who serve local youth each day, the ribbon-cutting represented more than a new room. It was a celebration of continued investment in the children and families of Faulkner County.

Through the Panda Cares Center of Hope, the Boys & Girls Club of Faulkner County will continue creating opportunities for young people to dream big, work hard and build bright futures.

THE MONTH

EDWARD F. “SUG”& JOANN PRIVETT MCMILLEN

WOOSTER

Painting by Faye Hedera

“Sug” McMillen passed away on June 18, 2026, before publication.

HIS STORY:

I am outgoing, the life of the party, a team builder and a team player. I love people!

Grady Bono (Faulkner County).

Greenbrier High School graduate, class of 1947. Teletype Training Program, New York City. I was the only person in the state with the training, and I was called to other cities to work on machinery when it

I was a farmer and worked for the International Shoe Co. After completing the Teletype Training Program, I worked as a linotype operator and a display advertising sales representative at the Log Cabin Democrat for 37 years before retiring. I also worked as a typesetter for Conway Printing and the Arkansas Gazette.

When I was younger, I loved hunting quail and deer, fishing, gardening and raising Black Creek beagles.

COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS: When I was mayor of Wooster from 1999 to 2007, I was part of an effort to bring Greers Ferry Water to the local cities in Faulkner County. I worked with other mayors, elected officials (local, state and federal) and citizens and helped build a great team. Greenbrier Mayor Melton Cotton and I flew to Washington, D.C., and testified before a congressional committee, which eventually resulted in receiving grants and loans necessary to build the infrastructure to acquire a quality, dependable water supply for our citizens. The growth we are experiencing now would not be possible if that had not been accomplished through the establishment of Central Arkansas Water as we know it.

I received the Certificate of Appreciation for 25 years of service on the Greenbrier School Board and was named Wooster Citizen

ARE THERE OTHER SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS YOU ACCOMPLISHED FOR YOUR COMMUNITY? Developing the Wooster City Park. We successfully built a local team, including, but not limited to, Marie Wilson, Gary Arnett, the Wooster City Council (and many others), who procured land and developed the much-needed and utilized

HER STORY:

I’m very maternally minded. My dad was killed in an accident when I was 13, so, being the oldest of four girls, I helped my mom (Neta Privett) raise my three sisters. I love children! Before I got too old, I really enjoyed preparing meals for family and friends. I loved making our sons’ favorite dessert for their birthdays. I loved (and miss) cooking for large groups during holidays. Another family gathering annually is what we call Corn Day. Putting corn in the freezer is hot work, however, so good in the winter months.

NATIVE OF: I was born at Damascus (Faulkner/Van Buren County line) in the front bedroom where we lived. Our family moved to Michigan when I was 4 years old. So, my entire elementary education was in Flint, Michigan. We moved back to Damascus when I was 13. I graduated from Southside High School, class of 1949.

CHILDREN: We have three sons: R.L. “Dickey” McMillen, who passed away in 2023, Donald “Donny” McMillen, and Douglas “Doug” McMillen.

EDUCATION: B.S.E. in English literature from the University of Central Arkansas and a master’s degree in information science from the University of Oklahoma.

WORK: Arkansas Revenue Office and Hendrix College reference librarian, retired 1995.

COMMUNITY & CHURCH ACTIVITIES: I worship with Christians at a congregation that meets at Martinville (Faulkner County); the building sits on land donated by my grandfather almost 100 years ago. I was a member of a community-based ladies organization called Road Runners, and I helped hold elections in Union and Clifton townships for more than 60 years.

HONORS: The first graduating class from Southside High School was made up of six girls, one of whom was my mom. One of the Alumni Board projects I helped with was a framed picture of the first graduating class, which now hangs in the high school. I’m very proud of that. And I was named Distinguished Alumnus in 2021.

When I was younger, I enjoyed sewing and quilting, and I even tried my hand at painting and poetry/writing.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT LIVING IN THE 501? So many thoughts go through my mind. The quality of life in Faulkner County continues to improve. Being close to Conway is great: three colleges, job opportunities, shopping, hospitals, great local schools, beautiful streams and natural beauty.

e met at a party at a friend’s home. Post-war (late 1940s) for most rural Arkansawyers (my favored word to replace Arkansan) was, at best, basic, practical and mostly poor, especially in my case with the loss of my dad. Dating was so much different then. For the most part, automobiles were few, so when you were invited to a party, it was “if I can find a ride.” And that, in and of itself, was an adventure and somewhat exciting as to who might show up. And you just paired up with someone and maybe even held hands. And that’s what we called “a date.”

Sug’s best friend was my “date” one week. The week following, guess who got there early? When my date from the last week showed up, Sug and I were holding hands. He asked, “Are y’all together?”

That proved to be providential, and we continued to stay in touch if Sug could borrow someone’s farm truck to drive the 15-ish miles to Damascus. My widowed mom did not approve. We lived across the street from Coffee Dan’s, a combination CITGO service station and coffee shop that also served sandwiches and pies. Mom saw Sug park and go inside. She walked across the street and confronted the young suitor. According to reliable sources (the owner, Dan Diapert), you could have heard a pin drop; then mom said, “Don’t come back to see JoAnn!” Sources said that as soon as mom left, a roar of laughter began and continued for quite some time. Everyone in Coffee Dan’s clearly got the message, except one!

Mom’s sister, my Aunt Tress, made my wedding dress, called a local preacher, made my wedding cake, and we were married in her home in Morrilton (Conway County) on May 21, 1949 — 77 years ago. Our love for each other only intensifies as we approach the end of our

serving up KINDNESS

Chef Jill McCollum carries forward a family legacy of food, hospitality and quiet generosity

By Rita Halter Thomas • Photos by Makenzie Evans

Some acts of kindness are subtle, easy to miss and often involve food. A paid-for lunch, help loading groceries, encouraging notes, or some other small gesture can mean more than anyone expects, and often costs little or nothing.

Chef Jill McCollum grew up seeing that kindness firsthand. Once, her dad greeted a father and son working a flower bed together, then came back with a box of donut holes. It took five minutes, but the boy still remembers it. To McCollum, that’s hospitality. It’s simple, thoughtful and lingers long after the meal or moment ends.

It’s clear that cooking is a favorite way she serves others. She runs a successful catering business, but that doesn’t compare to the joy she feels cooking for those she loves. In a family group text, which she jokes seems to grow weekly, McCollum announces what’s for dinner and waits for replies. Along with her husband, a nephew living with them, and her son and future daughter-in-law next door, meals naturally bring everyone together.

“I do it all,” she laughed. “They just ask what time.” She genuinely loves feeding people. “Cooking for others is a blessing to show love. It’s one of the things I really enjoy.”

With a full catering kitchen just steps from her home, McCollum often walks back and forth for ingredients. She jokes that one trip usually turns into five, but she wouldn’t trade it. “Sometimes the hardest thing is just deciding what to cook,” she said. That’s a relatable problem.

Fortunately, she shares some delicious July dishes that capture the flavors of an Arkansas summer. They are simple, fresh, rooted in local ingredients and perfectly patriotic for a semiquincentennial celebration.

Continued on page 25

Her rosemary pork tenderloin, a popular catering item, is seasoned with herbs from the garden her husband tends. “I don’t have a green thumb, but my husband does,” she said. “I pick out what I want, and he takes care of it for me.” She loves rosemary for its earthy, savory flavor that doesn’t overpower.

Okra is a Southern staple, but McCollum pan-grills the pods whole to preserve texture while adding a nice, smoky finish. “If you cut it, it gets slimy,” she explained. It’s also a healthier alternative to a traditional fried dish.

Her fruited rice dressing comes from her parents’ cookbook that was published decades ago. Well-known to 501 LIFE readers, her parents are the late Chef Don Bingham and his sweetheart, Nancy. The sweet-and-savory dish uses Arkansas-grown Riceland rice mixed with dried fruit. It’s a family favorite and celebrates the state’s agricultural roots.

For dessert, McCollum highlights a strawberryand-cream summer pie layered with sweetened cream cheese and topped with local berries. “This time of year, you can get great Cabot strawberries or locally grown ones,” she said. “It really brings the pie up a notch.”

Her most patriotic dish is the America the Beautiful Cake, a red, white and blue three-layer dessert, also from her parents’ cookbook. McCollum once baked 50 individual versions for a scholarship gala for Central Baptist College. “We paraded out to ‘The Star-Spangled Banner,’ each table getting its own cake,” she recalled. “It was super emotional and really neat.”

While McCollum’s food feeds crowds, her quiet gestures feed hearts. “I like to do small random acts of kindness, but I’m very discreet about it,” she said.

Her father modeled that same quiet generosity, and she carries it forward. “The little boy still talks about it,” she said of the donut-hole story. “He’s never forgotten how my dad came back with those donut holes.”

In this season of gathering and celebration, McCollum reminds us that service can be simple, steady and offered with love, much like a homecooked meal shared around a crowded table.

Fruited RICE DRESSING

Made with Riceland rice produced in Arkansas

2 cups converted rice 4 cups chicken broth

1 stick butter 1/4 cup lemon juice 1/2 cup raisins 1/2 cup dried apricots 1/2 cup onions

Note: The raisins and apricots can be substituted for a dried fruit mix.

Bring chicken broth, butter and lemon juice to a boil and then add other ingredients. Cook over medium heat for about 1/2 hour, or until rice is tender.

Whole

ROASTED OKRA

Made with Arkansas-grown okra.

1 pound fresh whole okra 1/4 cup melted butter

1 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning

Place okra in a mixing bowl, toss okra in melted butter and Cajun seasoning.

Roasting Option 1: Place the okra on a cooking sheet and bake in the oven at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until the okra produces a good color.

Roasting Option 2: Place okra on a preheated grill until charred, about 2 minutes per side.

Rosemary PORK TENDERLOIN

2 whole, or 3/4 pound, pork tenderloins salt and black pepper

2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary 1/2 cup water

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place pork tenderloins in an oven-safe dish. Sprinkle salt, pepper and rosemary on pork. Cover and bake for about 1.5 hours or until pork reaches 145 degrees.

Strawberry- and- Cream SUMMER PIE

Made with Arkansas-grown strawberries

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 cup water

1 small package strawberry gelatin

1 pint fresh strawberries

1 10-inch pie shell, cooked and cooled

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Dairy whipping cream

Cook sugar, cornstarch and water until thick, stir in gelatin. Let cool completely but not set up. Pour fresh strawberries into cooled liquid. Mix cream cheese with powdered sugar. The amount of sugar may vary depending on the sweetness of the strawberries. Spread on bottom of pie shell; pour in strawberry mixture and refrigerate. Serve with whipping cream. Serves 6-8.

Red, White and Blue BUTTERMILK CAKE

Made with Arkansas-grown strawberries

3 cups granulated sugar

2 sticks margarine or butter

5 eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

1 cup buttermilk

1/4 tsp. baking soda dissolved in 1 Tbsp. hot water

2 tsp. vanilla

Food coloring

Cream sugar and margarine, then add eggs, one at a time. Add flour (sifted with salt) and buttermilk. Beat well; add soda and vanilla. Divide batter into three portions. Keep 1/3 of your batter white, add 2 Tbsp. blue food coloring to 1/3 of batter, then add 2 Tbsp. red food coloring to the final 1/3 batter. Pour each into greased 9-inch cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes.

Icing

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

1 tsp. vanilla extract

4 cups confectioners’ sugar

2 Tbsp. milk

Beat together butter, shortening, and vanilla with an electric mixer in a large bowl until creamy. Blend in confectioners’ sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in milk; continue mixing until the icing is light and fluffy. Store icing covered until ready to use.

Publisher’s Note:

For many years, Chef Don Bingham brought his talent, warmth and unmistakable joy to the pages of 501 LIFE.

This month, it is especially meaningful to share a story featuring his daughter, Chef Jill McCollum, as she carries forward a family legacy of food, hospitality and kindness — one thoughtful meal at a time.

Recently retired Little Rock Police Chief Heath

reflects on 30 years of protecting the community he calls home.

By

After 30 years with the Little Rock Police Department, Chief Heath Helton retired in May from a profession that allows him to protect the community he has called home his entire life. From a young patrol officer working midnight shifts downtown to becoming the city’s chief of police, his journey reflects a steadfast commitment to service, leadership and community.

Born and raised in southwest Little Rock, Helton graduated from J.A. Fair High School in 1991 before joining the Army Reserve. Coming from a family with a long tradition of military service, he understood early the importance of serving others.

He enrolled at what is now the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Although he initially considered medical school, Helton realized his passion was helping people in a different way. “I really wanted to help people,” he said. “I wanted to serve my community.”

A college friend suggested law enforcement, and the idea would shape the next three decades of his life. Helton began his career as a patrol officer in downtown Little Rock. Early on, a lieutenant asked what he hoped to accomplish. “I told him I wanted to be chief one day,” Helton said.

Though some laughed at the ambitious goal, he never lost sight of it. Guided by mentors and long-range planning, he steadily

climbed the ranks. He was promoted to sergeant in 2003, lieutenant in 2011, captain in 2015, assistant chief in 2022 and chief of police later that same year. When Helton assumed leadership of the department, he focused on rebuilding trust and strengthening connections. His vision centered on three principles represented by the acronym CPR: communication, professionalism and relationships.

As chief, he regularly attended community meetings and sought opportunities to hear directly from residents. He believed trust was built through genuine conversations and meaningful relationships. “I wasn’t there just to talk,” he said. “I wanted to hear what people had to say.”

That leadership style earned him respect throughout the department and the community. Maj. Cody Miller, who first met Helton at the police academy 18 years ago, said the retiring chief has had a lasting impact on his life and career.

Continued on page 38

“Heath Helton and I have taken many pictures together over the years in front of the LRPD backdrop, celebrating milestones throughout our careers. Today, we took our last official photo together as he prepares to retire.

Thank you for 18 years of mentorship, leadership, and friendship. Congratulations on your well-earned retirement. I hope you get the opportunity to spend some well-deserved time with your family before beginning the next chapter of your professional journey.

Enjoy retirement, Chief. You’ve earned it!”

“STARTING OUT AS A LITTLE ROCK POLICE OFFICER WAS THE PRIVILEGE OF A LIFETIME, AND HAVING THE ABILITY TO SERVE AS CHIEF WAS MORE THAN I EVER EXPECTED.”

— Chief Helton

MORE WORDS OF PRAISE FOR CHIEF HELTON AND HIS SERVICE TO CENTRAL ARKANSAS

Andre Dyer

Assistant Police Chief, Little Rock Police Department (LRPD)

Heath Helton is a giant in this game. He brought light to a place filled with blind spots. He gave realistic views and created values within the department that were lost. His leadership style was one of showing grace when needed, delivering results quickly and taking care of those who served the community members of Little Rock. He is very knowledgeable about the profession and all that it entails. Chief Helton’s presence will be missed within and outside of these walls.

Officer Anthony Withers

LRPD

Heath Helton had a very positive impact on my career. During my recruit school, he motivated us to always do our best and work together as a team. After graduation, he continued to send me training opportunities and classes that would make me a better officer. He also was responsible for facilitating my return to the training academy to teach a new group of recruits. I have had the opportunity to know him and work for him throughout my career, and it has been a blessing to do so.

Debra D. Pitts

LRPD

Chief Helton was truly a man who strived for excellence and was deeply committed to seeing the department grow and move in the right direction. His dedication to this organization was unmatched. There were times when it seemed he spent more hours serving this department than he did with his own family. His commitment, leadership, and vision will leave a lasting impact on all of us.

Officer Thomas Yelland

LRPD | Special Operations

Chief Helton was my first supervisor … and he is my mentor and a lifelong friend. I recall the first transfer with responsibility he gave me in August of 2016. [As quartermaster at the training division,] I would be responsible for spending annually about $1.5-$2 million in the uniform and equipment budget. On day three, … he told me, “… Be confident in your decision-making — I trust you.” He is a great leader and even better family friend.

He also pioneered a new LRPD Search and Rescue K9 program in 2026 that we use to find those with autism, dementia and Alzheimer’s when they wander away from their familiar surroundings.

chief heath heLton AT A GLANCE:

HOMETOWN: Southwest Little Rock

FAMILY: Married to Carmen Helton, a sergeant and public information officer with the North Little Rock Police Department; father of four children.

MILITARY SERVICE: Army Reserve

EDUCATION: Graduate of J.A. Fair High School (1991); attended the University of Arkansas at Little Rock

LAW ENFORCEMENT CAREER : 30 years with the Little Rock Police Department

CAREER PATH: Patrol Officer; Sergeant (2003); Lieutenant (2011); Captain (2015); Assistant Chief (2022); Chief of Police (2022)

LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY: CPR — Communication, Professionalism and Relationships

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Special Olympics Arkansas supporter and volunteer

PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT: Serving as chief of police in the city where he was born and raised

FUTURE PLANS: Spending more time with family, strengthening his faith and continuing to serve the community in new ways.

“I met Chief Helton at the police academy, and I have admired him ever since,” Miller said. “He is an outstanding leader, and his dedication to the department is unmatched. He serves as both a mentor and friend to me, and I am extremely proud of what he has accomplished.”

While his professional accomplishments are significant, Helton is quick to credit his family for helping him succeed. His wife, Carmen, a sergeant and public information officer with the North Little Rock Police Department, has been one of his greatest supporters. The couple met through their involvement with Special Olympics Arkansas, an organization they continue to support. “Carmen is my rock in this whole thing,” Helton said. “I don’t think I would have been as successful as I was without her.”

As retirement begins, he looks forward to spending more time with family, strengthening his faith and supporting his son. He also plans to remain active in the community and continue serving others in new ways.

Looking back, Helton considers his career a blessing. “Starting out as a Little Rock police officer was the privilege of a lifetime, and having the ability to serve as chief was more than I ever expected,” he said.

“The best place to talk with God is in a deer stand.”

Behind every spreadsheet is a story that affects real people. Growing up with an accountant for a father, Greg Rogers learned that when it comes to numbers, integrity is the most important part of the equation.

As Chief Fiscal Officer for the Arkansas Department of Education, Rogers oversees more than half of the state’s budget while ensuring taxpayer dollars are used wisely to support Arkansas’ schools.

“Our state budget is more complicated than most people will ever know,” Rogers said. “There are countless moving parts that make it work, and I’m proud to help steward it. My job may not be as glamorous as some others, but it’s far more rewarding.”

By taking the time to visit campuses across the state, Rogers has seen firsthand the impact of his work on Arkansans.

“The most rewarding parts of my job are when something we put in place comes to fruition, and we get to see students reaping the benefits,” Rogers said. “I’m honored to play a small part in that by ensuring the funding is there.”

Humble and grounded, Rogers is quick to credit his team for Arkansas’ progress. “The people I work with are the best part of my job,” Rogers said. “They are some of the best and brightest I’ve ever worked with. They make my job easier, and they make me look good.”

Service extends beyond his day job. For nearly six years, Rogers has served as an alderman on the Haskell City Council, helping guide one of the 501’s fastest-growing communities.

Outside the office, Rogers enjoys life with Katie and his son, Zane. In his free time, you will likely find him at the Oaklawn Jockey Club, indulging in what he calls ‘a different type of number crunching,’ or in the woods during deer season.

Despite nearly three decades in public service, Rogers believes there is more work to be done. “Arkansas is a national leader in school finance,” Rogers said. “Other states call us wanting to replicate what we do because we’re doing something special. I’m committed to serving Arkansans for a few more years. After that, I’m sure the next chapter will include more days on the water and in a deer stand.”

Contact Greg Rogers at 501.682.4256 or email Greg.Rogers@ade.arkansas.gov.

PET OF THE MONTH

Easy Does It

The Arkansas State Capitol’s first K9 officer, Easy, combines explosive-detection skills with a friendly face.

By KD Reep • Photos by Makenzie Evans

Most visitors to the Arkansas State Capitol notice Easy long before they realize she’s working.

The energetic black Labrador retriever greets people with a wagging tail, bright eyes and a friendly personality. Employees stop to say hello. Visitors ask to pet her. Some Capitol staff members even seek her out during stressful days for a quick dose of comfort and encouragement.

What many don’t realize is that Easy is also making history.

At just 18 months old, Easy is the first K9 officer in the history of the Arkansas State Capitol Police and serves as a specialized weapons detection dog responsible for helping protect one of the state’s most important public spaces.

“One of my goals when I became secretary of state was to make the Capitol safer for everyone who works here and everyone who visits,” said Arkansas Secretary of State Cole Jester. As he explored ways to strengthen Capitol security, he traveled to Pennsylvania to observe a canine detection program that was successfully using specially trained dogs to enhance public safety.

“We found that using a detection dog was both the most cost-efficient and effective way to help ensure that Capitol staff, Arkansans and visitors feel safe and secure at their State Capitol,” Jester said. With funding provided through a grant from the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office, the Capitol launched the program and welcomed Easy to Arkansas. Easy’s journey began in Hungary, where she received specialized training before coming to Arkansas for additional work with Von Klein Stein Working Dogs, a nationally recognized training facility. There she was paired with Arkansas State Police Officer Angelo Aldrighetti, who has been her partner since.

“Easy lives with me, so we’re together all the time,” he said. “We come to work

together every day, and we’re partners both on and off duty.” Most mornings begin with training exercises designed to keep Easy’s skills sharp. Aldrighetti places training scents throughout the Capitol building and grounds, then works alongside Easy as she searches for them.

“We train every day,” he said. “That keeps her focused and helps make sure she’s ready whenever she’s needed.”

Easy’s primary responsibility is detecting odors associated with explosive devices. She routinely patrols both the interior and exterior of the Capitol grounds and is called upon to inspect suspicious or unidentified packages delivered to the building.

Unlike many Capitol employees, Easy never has to attend meetings or spend time behind a desk.

“She’s always working,” Aldrighetti said with a smile. “Even when people think she’s just being friendly, she’s still monitoring her environment and doing exactly what she’s trained to do.”

That constant vigilance helps Capitol Police maintain a balance between security and accessibility.

“We want people to feel welcome when they visit their Capitol,” Jester said. “Easy allows us to provide an additional layer of security while maintaining that welcoming atmosphere.”

While Easy takes her responsibilities seriously, she’s still very much a young Labrador retriever.

Her affectionate personality has made her something of a celebrity around the Capitol, where employees often stop by just to say hello. For many, Easy has become more than a security asset. She has become part of the Capitol family. Aldrighetti says that’s one of the things that makes her special.

“People love seeing her,” he said. “She helps brighten their day while helping keep them safe.”

a life in Full clover

Darlene Zeh Millard turned a childhood in 4-H into a lifetime of helping Arkansas youth grow.

By Judy Riley • Photos by Makenzie Evans

Darlene Zeh Millard was a shy child, one of three daughters born and raised on a farm north of Rogers in Benton County. That little girl would ultimately lead the largest youth organization in the state, the Arkansas 4-H program.

The impetus that brought her to this career was her own involvement in 4-H Club work, the youth outreach of the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture (UADA). Since 1914, when land grant institutions were founded, Arkansas has always had a strong 4-H program. Four-H clubs were created to provide training for youth to educate their parents on better farming and rural living practices.

This youth organization has at its core a group of adult volunteers who provide opportunities for youth through projects and activities ranging from cows to STEM focus, aerospace, cooking, leadership and healthy living. For 4-H members, it’s all about in-depth study of a particular subject, then applying their skills by competing among peers with talks, demonstrations, recording books, speeches or being part of a judging team. Millard took advantage of every opportunity 4-H gave her. She met new people, competed in numerous activities and participated in trips out of state, all of which broadened her horizons. She gives credit to her County Extension agents and volunteer leaders for encouraging her. As she overcame her shyness, a career working with youth seemed logical. For Millard, it was a calling, and she is still at it 65 years later as a volunteer.

She began work with the Pulaski County Extension Service with UADA as a 4-H agent, her dream job. Life was good until it wasn’t. At age 26, Millard was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. The treatment involved surgery to remove a tumor that engulfed her right facial nerve. That nerve was severed, leaving partial facial paralysis. “Because of training and experiences in 4-H, I knew that appearance does not change abilities. My own family, my church family, my Extension Service family, all stood beside me. I have no doubt in my mind that without my 4-H background, I would not have survived the cancer journey. The self-confidence gained through 4-H was a lifeline,” she said.

Continued on page 44

Undaunted, Millard moved up in her career to become a youth education specialist, serving agents and youth statewide. She would, while continuing her work, get her Master of Science from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and her Ph.D. in family and consumer sciences from Texas Woman’s University in Denton. Working full-time and traveling to Denton on her vacation days was no easy task. Millard was encouraged by her parents, especially her dad, who had the most respect for education. He had to drop out of high school to support his mother and two siblings when his dad died. He always wanted his daughters to be able to support themselves. He regarded the faculty at UADA and extension agents with great respect.

In 2002, Millard became the Extension Service’s assistant director of 4-H youth development, overseeing a staff of 15 that created and delivered programs for more than 15,000 young people. Her high standards and deep commitment to youth inspired strong support from her team, many of whom still speak of her with admiration. “Darlene sees potential in people, in the Vines Arkansas 4-H Center, and in 4-H as a whole, and she finds ways to help that potential grow. She helped me understand that leadership is not about the leader, but about removing obstacles for those who follow and continue serving through 4-H,” said Shannon Caldwell, program director for the center.

“Darlene is an excellent leader and supervisor,” said J.J. Pitman, current director of the Vines Center. “She set a high bar for her staff. I am attempting to follow her lead as an administrator. She led by example, allowing people to utilize their strengths while supporting them. She used the reins only when necessary.”

Millard has received numerous awards throughout her career. The most prestigious was being named to the National 4-H Hall of Fame in 2020. Other noteworthy awards include Friend of Arkansas 4-H, Emerald Society of Donors, 4-H Alumni of the Year, National Agricultural Alumni Development Volunteer Service, and Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural Food and Life Sciences Outstanding Alumni.

Even though she officially retired in 2009, her service to 4-H continues as a volunteer. Millard currently serves as vice president and finance chair of the Arkansas 4-H Foundation, the nonprofit that owns the Vines Center and provides financial backing for the 4-H program. When asked why she stays so heavily involved, she concluded, “Four-H has been a part of my life for 65 years. I believe there is no other youth organization that makes a positive impact on youth as does 4-H. I firmly believe that young people need opportunities to develop their talents. By staying involved through the foundation, I feel like I can still pay back a bit of what I gained from 4-H.”

Millard’s impact is best summed up by her former colleague and fellow foundation Board Member Mike Klumpp. “Throughout her life and career, Darlene has been a true servant leader,” he said. “She focuses on empowering others, always lifting them up to reach their full potential. She has made a significant difference in the lives of hundreds of youth and adults throughout Arkansas and beyond.”

What a life of service, indeed!

“The Vines Center was a dream of Mr. C.A. Vines and through his vision it became home for Arkansas 4-H members. 4-H was transformational in my life . The center represents a positive future for the youth in Arkansas. Donating time and resources to ensure this future is my way to pay it back.”

— Darlene Millard

Where Good Things Grow

Master Gardeners’ State conference celebrates the volunteers whose work helps communities, families and the environment flourish

By Carol Rolf • Photos by Makenzie Evans

As Master Gardeners gathered for the 2026 Arkansas state conference in June, “Gardening for Good” was highlighted. Faulkner County hosted the event June 2-4 at the Conway Expo and Event Center, along with tours of public and private gardens.

“Our focus on planning the conference was to show gardening is good … good for individuals, the community and the environment,” said Krista Quinn, Faulkner County extension agent for horticulture with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture which sponsors the Faulkner County Master Gardeners (FCMG). Quinn is their local advisor. “A lot of the educational sessions were related to these topics as well.”

The hosts were brimming with expectations and working to pull every weed and fertilize every bloom, despite unpredictable rain showers in the days leading up to the conference. It was last held in Faulkner County more than two decades ago. FCMG registered 499 people. “Our goal was 500,” Quinn said, laughing. “I think we exceeded that number on June 2, which was our awards night, when many Master Gardeners (MG) brought guests.

“The conference moves around the state and we were asked to host,” Quinn said. “We’ve worked on this for about two years, and 121 members volunteered their time. This is a way to give back to the state Extension Service,” Quinn said. “Master Gardeners enjoy getting together. We learn from each other. It’s fun to

feature Faulkner County and see the many garden tours and feature our projects.”

Quinn said the local group did not sponsor its annual plant sale this year to plan for the state conference. Funds from the plant sale are normally used for scholarships. “The plant sale is always our biggest fundraiser,” she said. “So we had to look for ways to fund the conference. We had many sponsors and attendees did pay a registration fee and secured their own lodging.”

“I am so impressed with our Master Gardeners,” Quinn said. “They really put their time and energy in making this an amazing event.”

She refers to the local Master Gardeners as “horticulturaltrained volunteers.” “Master Gardeners extend research-based information through demonstration and educational programs using horticulture best practices, strengthening communities and families throughout Arkansas,” Quinn said.

Last year, FCMG contributed 9,967 community service hours and 8,693 continuing education hours, according to Quinn. The value of this community service, provided by 246 Master Gardeners, amounted to $694,652. They worked on several community landscaping projects, including the Faulkner County Courthouse and Museum, five public libraries and the Cooperative Extension Office.

They also sponsor two demonstration gardens in Conway, including Legacy Gardens at 110 Amity Road and the library’s vegetable garden at the Conway branch. Additionally, they sponsored four outreach projects, including youth education, community outreach, the Faulkner County Fair and Faulkner County Master Gardener training.

Quinn said the first FCMG class completed training in October 1996, which means 2026 is the 30th anniversary of the local program. The state program was started in 1988 by Janet B. Carson of Little Rock, emeritus horticulture specialist, University of Arkansas. It began in four counties — Garland, Jefferson, Pulaski and Saline — with 40 members. It is now in 65 counties with more than 3,400 volunteers.

Carson was among the first Master Gardeners to attend one of the garden tours on June 3 at the Conway home of Dee Dee Allen. “It’s nice to be a tourist,” she said, smiling. “Faulkner County is doing an amazing job as host of the state conference. This garden is lovely.”

Sara Jordan and Cindy Strauss, both of Little Rock and past presidents of the Pulaski County Master Gardeners organization, were found at the cottage-style home of Ouida Wright, Faulkner County Master Gardener of the Year in 2009. “Faulkner County has done a fabulous job with the conference,” Jordan said. “Everything is just beautiful and the people are so friendly.”

Strauss said they started the morning garden tour at Hendrix Village and then crossed Harkrider Street to the Wright home. “I’ve been coming to these tours for 10 years,” she said, looking at Wright’s shade garden. “This has to be among the most favorite gardens I’ve seen.”

Robin Trent serves as president of the FCMG. “It’s been an honor to host the state conference,” she said. “Faulkner County has pulled out all the stops in anticipation of this event. We had top-notch speakers,” she said. “We had wonderful vendors and many garden tours, which were optional for the attendees. They had to pay extra for the tours. We had a bus that held 50 people and took them to the various gardens. There were morning and afternoon tours.”

Faulkner County Master Gardeners receiving both local and state recognition were Robin Trent, who was named 2025 Faulkner County Master Gardener of the Year as well as the Arkansas Master Gardener of the Year; Krista Quinn, 2025 Faulkner County Extension Agent of the Year as well as Arkansas Extension Agent of the Year; and the Urban Farm Project, under the direction of Shawn Standley, which was named 2025 Business Friend of Faulkner County Master Gardeners as well as Arkansas Business Friend of the Year.

Other award-winners from the 501 are Sheila McLarty of Hot Springs (Garland County), Mimi Cox Mentor of the Year; Ric Bentz of Hot Springs, Individual Friend of Master Gardeners; and Gardening with Master Gardeners in Pulaski County, Christy Bolling, chair, and Joellen Beard, assistant chair, Excellence in Education. Additionally, Serinity Simmons of Judsonia (White County) received a $2,000 Janet B. Carson High School Senior Scholarship; Simmons will be an agricultural education major at Arkansas State University at Beebe. And the Park Magnet Elementary School in Garland County was named a County Sanctioned Project recipient by the County 76 advisory group for Arkansas Master Gardeners.

Despite the loss of possible scholarship funds from the plant sale, FCMG awarded five $2,000 scholarships for the 202627 school year. They include Haley Carter of Greenbrier, a junior agriculture education major at Southern Arkansas University (SAU); Anna Whitley of Greenbrier, a third-year student pursuing a degree in landscape architecture at the University of Arkansas; Haden Richardson of Mayflower, a junior majoring in agricultural education and communications at the U of A; Luke DeSalvo of Morrilton, who will major in agriculture business at SAU this fall; and Abby Ralston of Enola, who will attend Arkansas State University at Beebe in the fall semester and then transfer to A-State in Jonesboro to finish a degree in agricultural education.

The Ouida Garden

Arkansas Master Gardeners welcomed the shade-garden tour at Ouida Wright’s home in Conway. Lush oakleaf hydrangeas, ferns, coleus and tropicals line the winding paths around her twostory, Southern-style home.

LeGacy Gardens

This sun-loving garden is open year-round to visitors and is located near Antioch Church in Conway. The tour groups viewed daylilies, roses, coneflowers and other pollinator plants that butterflies and bees adore.

The shOckLey Garden

Master Gardeners discovered surprises around each bend of Carol Shockley’s sun garden in Conway. She has nestled birdbaths, statues and bird feeders among roses, lilies, poppies, foxgloves, coneflowers and more.

“WE LOVE PEOPLE. And we do their taxes.”

— Joyia Yorgey, Executive Director

Arkansas Asset Builders has been helping individuals and families navigate one of life’s most intimidating financial tasks for nearly a decade: filing taxes. But according to Executive Director Joyia Yorgey, the organization’s mission has always been about much more than numbers.

Founded in July 2016, Arkansas Asset Builders grew from Yorgey’s desire to serve her new community after relocating to Conway. Having previously volunteered with other Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) programs, she quickly discovered that Conway residents lacked access to free tax-filing help.

“I founded Arkansas Asset Builders to empower our community to thrive by providing access to free tax help for hardworking families and opportunities for volunteers to use their professional skills in service to their hardworking neighbors,” Yorgey said.

What began with 13 volunteers preparing 154 tax returns in a single Conway location has grown into a regional effort. In 2022, the organization prepared 443 returns. This year alone, 37 volunteers helped taxpayers in Conway, Searcy, Little Rock and across the state file 839 tax returns at no cost.

Arkansas Asset Builders has become known for providing high-quality tax assistance as a partner in the IRS VITA program, which maintains a remarkable 99 percent return accuracy rate nationwide. Local VITA clients consistently praise the professionalism, expertise and compassion demonstrated by Arkansas Asset Builders’ volunteers.

“Our amazing volunteers are at the heart of what we are able to offer to the community,” said Yorgey. “We are always looking for individuals who share our vision for financial empowerment and want to join our team of tax-season volunteers or lead a financial literacy workshop.”

While tax preparation may seem technical, volunteers often find themselves listening to stories of hardship, loss, health challenges and financial struggles. In response, they provide more than completed tax returns — they offer guidance, resources and encouragement.

For Yorgey, the long-term relationships that Arkansas Asset Builders has grown over the years are the organization’s greatest accomplishment. “As our clients come back year after year, we get to walk beside them through major personal and financial life changes,” she said. “It is a privilege to have their trust and to provide service with compassion and dignity.”

Looking ahead, Arkansas Asset Builders is celebrating its 10th anniversary by raising $10,000 to expand free access to high-quality tax prep and financial education. Community members can support the mission through donations or by volunteering. “Partnerships with local businesses and organizations are also instrumental in providing the needed resources, spaces and people to deliver our programs, ” said Yorgey.

As the nonprofit enters its next decade, one thing remains unchanged: a commitment to serving people with dignity, compassion and practical help when they need it most.

This Is About Drought

The current water curtailment is the result of historic drought conditions and reduced rainfall, not because Conway has run out of water or because of community growth. In fact, Conway Corp’s water sales have remained relatively stable over the past decade, growing less than 1 percent annually on average. Water usage in 2025 was actually lower than in both 2023 and 2024, and industrial water sales today remain below levels seen several years ago. The challenge facing Conway today is simple: Brewer Lake is not receiving enough rainfall to replenish water supplies at normal rates. This is a temporary situation driven by weather conditions, and conservation efforts help protect the community’s water resources until rainfall returns to normal levels.

Conservation Takes Everyone

The curtailment request applies to everyone — residential customers, businesses, industries and institutions. Since issuing the voluntary curtailment request, Conway Corp employees have worked directly with major water users throughout the community to identify additional conservation opportunities. Those conservation efforts have led to meaningful reductions in demand, with some industrial customers reducing water usage by more than 30%. Those efforts, combined with voluntary conservation from thousands of residential customers, are making a measurable difference. The good news is that small changes add up quickly when an entire community participates.

Planning for the Future

While drought conditions have created immediate challenges, Conway Corp has spent decades preparing for the community’s long-term water needs. Many of the infrastructure projects

For nearly 100 years, Conway Corp has provided safe, reliable water service to the community, and that commitment remains unchanged.

Conway residents rely on today were planned and built by previous generations. Employees are continuing that same commitment by investing in projects designed to serve Conway for decades to come.

Over the next five years, Conway Corp expects to invest more than $75 million in water system improvements, including:

• Expanding the Roger Q Mills Jr. Water Treatment Plant to increase treatment capacity to 32 million gallons per day.

• Constructing a second raw water line from Brewer Lake to Conway.

• Replacing and upgrading aging water infrastructure throughout the city.

• Developing additional long-term water supply partnerships for the region.

Conway Corp is also working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and regional partners on future water supply projects that could benefit more than 161,000 people across Central Arkansas. These projects are not reactions to the current drought. They are part of long-range plans that have been in development for years and are designed to ensure Conway has reliable water service for future generations.

A Temporary Challenge

Water projects take years — and often decades — to plan and construct. Fortunately, Conway Corp’s long-term planning has positioned the community well to navigate today’s challenges. The current curtailment is temporary and intended to help preserve water resources while drought conditions persist. Conway Corp continues to monitor lake levels, rainfall and customer demand daily and will adjust restrictions as conditions improve.

Until meaningful rainfall returns, every gallon conserved helps. By working together and making small adjustments today, Conway residents and businesses can help protect one of our community’s most important resources and ensure it remains available for generations to come. For more information, visit ConwayCorp.com/Curtailment.

ISmall Steps HUGe MILESTONES

Local nonprofit helps children grow, learn and reach goals at their own pace

By John Patton • Photos by Makenzie Evans

magine a young couple learning their baby was not expected to live after 14 weeks of pregnancy. And if their baby survived, she would be born prematurely with developmental delays.

Ashley and Stephen Hay of Conway spent six agonizing weeks “living at UAMS” while Leah’s life signs were scrutinized during the pregnancy. Then, they celebrated her birth only to face another challenging six and a half months in neonatal intensive care. Once again, they celebrated as Leah came home, followed by numerous other challenges, including where to turn for the therapy and overall care Leah was going to need after they eventually returned to work.

In the end, they decided on Milestones Services Inc. The program is within walking distance of their home in downtown Conway, and the staff gave them a sense of assurance and compassion. Formerly the Faulkner County Day School, Milestones provides early intervention for children from birth to 5 years of age who have a developmental delay or are at risk of having one due to medical conditions. Milestones also offers childcare spots for typically developing children through the childcare voucher program and for parents paying a weekly tuition.

A year after enrollment, the Hays’ trust in Milestones was rewarded as Leah began reaching her goals. The toddler learned to independently walk with her walker, eat and drink by mouth, and tested out of speech therapy. “Trusting a facility with Leah was an immeasurable stressor followed by an incredible success with Milestones,” Ashley said.

“Milestones truly is a special place that we entrust to teach and push Leah to learn new skills and developmental milestones,” she said. “The program provided Leah with goals through therapy and developmental education so she can be the best version of herself.”

The mother added that the facility’s early and after-care hours fit the family’s work schedules and that she appreciated that the organization includes children without developmental delays in the same classrooms as children with developmental delays.

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Executive Director Randy Ohlde explained the Milestones’ philosophy surrounding interaction between the two groups of children. “Children with delays are going to work harder on those skills in the classroom when they learn with their peers,” he said.

There are benefits for the typically developing children. “The interaction also teaches typically developing kids that someone who looks or speaks differently from them is still a child who likes to play,” said Ohlde. “Children from birth to 5 don’t have prejudice. They love on each other. Unconditional love is so critical in early childhood development. We love them and they feel safe.

“In any given classroom, we could have a child who is visually impaired, a child with autism, a child with Down syndrome and a typically developing child playing together at the same time.”

About 30 percent of Milestones’ enrollment comprises typically developing children who often act as role models in classrooms. In addition to day care services, parents are drawn to the kindergarten preparedness program.

The kindergarten preparedness program began in 2023 when Ohlde brough kindergarten teacher Judy Lewis out of retirement to evaluate individual children and work with them one-on-one to create lesson plans to challenge them to reach their full potential. She evaluates each child three times per year to track progress and reviews the findings with parents.

“He offered me a position that I could not refuse. I absolutely love working with 4-year-olds,” Lewis said. “The delight on their faces is so heartwarming when they learn something new. I try to relate to them in a childlike manner, and when I see them at Walmart, they run up and hug me.”

Parents, like the Hays, also have a pivotal role. In addition to providing annual reviews on each child’s progress, teachers and leaders try to engage parents by providing tips to stimulate learning at home, Ohlde said. They encourage them to read with their children because when parents give their children extra work, it helps the child develop.

The Hays are invested in Milestones to the point where Stephen will be joining the Board of Directors in the next fiscal year. One of the main focuses of the board is to increase community awareness of the program’s services and lengthy history in Faulkner County.

Although Milestones is a licensed EIDT (Early Intervention Day Treatment) program serving more than 100 families in Faulkner County every year, many people know little about it. Someone once told Ohlde that Milestones is the “best-kept secret in Conway. You guys have been here forever, but no one knows who you are.”

It was established as the Faulkner County Day School in 1961 in the basement of a Methodist church by a retired teacher. The name was changed to Milestones in 2017 after the program’s mission narrowed to focus on children from birth to 5 years old.

Keeping Milestones running — with services like transportation for children across Faulkner County and nutritious meals — takes creativity, tireless effort, strong community support and a mix of funding from Medicaid, DHS, United Way of Central Arkansas, private tuition and other public and private sources.

The organization also relies on its major fundraising event, Bingo and Barbecue, which is in its third year. The Hays invite readers to join them at the event, which will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 24, at St. Joseph’s Spiritan Center in Conway. Tickets can be purchased and donations can be made by visiting milestonesconway.org.

Kindergarten Readiness Coordinator Judy Lewis works with Jonah on fine motor skills and handeye coordination using tongs and a counting manipulatives to foster essential math skills and encourage hands-on exploration. The kindergarten preparedness program began in 2023, when kindergarten teacher Judy Lewis came out of retirement work with children one-on-one to help them reach their full potential.

the path of a patriot

Air Force veteran John Penrod cares for the flags that stand watch over Arkansas heroes

By Donna Lampkin Stephens •

“Patriotism lives in the heart of Air Force veteran John Penrod.”

— Andrea Fisher, Founder/President of Hearts of our Heroes, LLC

It’s probably not a coincidence that John Penrod was born on Flag Day. On June 14, the Air Force veteran turned 84. He is largely responsible for caring for the flags at the Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery in North Little Rock.

“There’s a lot of history in my family as far as veterans go,” said Penrod, who grew up in a small town in Ohio but settled in Little Rock in 1966. “My father was in the Army Air Corps during World War II. His brother was in the Army. One of my brothers was in the Navy and one was in the Air Force. My brother-in-law retired from the Air Force as a pilot. He was shot down in Korea.”

His son-in-law, Donovan Briley, was killed in Somalia in 1993 when the Black Hawk helicopter he was co-piloting was shot down over Mogadishu. The mission was chronicled in the 2001 movie “Black Hawk Down.” It was one of the deadliest single episodes of U.S. combat since the Vietnam War.

“So I have a soft spot in my heart for veterans,” Penrod said. He was stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base in the early 1960s, where he worked on aircraft radios. He transferred from LRAFB to a base in Ohio, where he was discharged after four years of service and married a woman he’d met in Little Rock. The couple returned to the 501; he retired from IBM after 35 years. Betty Penrod died in 2024.

About seven years ago, he saw a Facebook post about volunteers putting American flags on graves at the Veterans Cemetery in advance of Memorial Day. “I thought, ‘That’s going to be a good thing to do,’” he remembered. “That’s how it all started.”

So he joined the volunteers to help put out the flags. “But when we took them up (after Memorial Day), we got to noticing some of the flags were kind of ratty,” he remembered. “I volunteered to help repair the flags. I’d bring them home and work on them, and it mushroomed from there.

“My problem now is every time I go out there, I see something else I’d like to do.”

Along the way, he joined the Arkansas Veterans Cemetery Foundation and became more involved. He said that when he started, the organization placed 77 3-by-5-foot flags on 14-foot poles along the street. “We dug them out of cobwebs and put them

up for Memorial Day, and I got the bright idea that it looked so good I went to the director of (veterans) cemeteries in Arkansas and said, ‘Would you object if we left these up all the time?’ He thought it was a good idea.

“Then I got another bright idea. There’s a pavilion in the cemetery where they hold services, and I thought it would be nice if those flags would go all the way down to that pavilion. It ends up [that] we’ve now got 148 flags on the street year-round.”

Andrea Fisher, founder and president of the nonprofit Hearts of our Heroes, said Penrod’s vision had changed the cemetery for the better.

“With his determination, his vision came true, and the sight is truly breathtaking — 148 beautiful red, white and blue flags line the road winding through the cemetery, standing watch over our fallen heroes,” she said. “John did most of the work by hand, measuring the holes and distance between poles, digging each hole to place the pipes without damaging the irrigation lines, cut and cleaned the poles and attached and placed the flags.”

Besides the more permanent big flags, the foundation and its volunteers place smaller individual flags on graves and columbaria for Memorial Day and Veterans Day. For Memorial Day this year, the total was 9,769 — about 475 more than for Veterans Day 2025. Fisher said Penrod preps, repairs and coordinates it all. “The amount of time he has dedicated and continues to dedicate to the cemetery and those who serve is unmeasurable,” she said.

Christmas wreaths are also placed during the holidays. “With all of our volunteers, we put out 9,000 wreaths in two-and-a-half hours,” Penrod said. “Volunteers are a big part of what we do. The North Little Rock Lions Club has been a tremendous help with that.”

He said the foundation relies strictly on donations. “Those flags are getting where they’re not cheap, and the wind blows quite a bit out there, and some of those flags get beat up pretty bad,” he said. “We have to replace them when they get tattered.”

For Penrod, his service continues to be a labor of love. “I’ve found something I really enjoy doing,” he said. “It’s for a good cause.”

To donate or for more information, visit veterans.arkansas.gov/ cemetery-nlr-1.

Willis Hudlin

By David Grimes

Known for his ability to make important decisions under pressure, a young man from Oklahoma played for the Little Rock Travelers during World War II while also serving as a flight instructor in the Army Air Forces.

noticed. In 1926, he made his major league debut with the Cleveland Indians at the age of 20. Three years later, he came face-to-face with his hero. On Aug. 11, 1929, Babe Ruth, now a slugger with the New York Yankees, became the first player in major league baseball history to hit 500 home runs. Hudlin was the pitcher who gave up that milestone homer, but he still won the game as Cleveland prevailed 6-5.

In 1940, Hudlin became one of only a handful of MLB players in history to appear on four different teams in the same season. He began the year with the Indians, then moved to the Washington Senators, then to the New York Giants, and finally to the St. Louis Browns. That was so long ago that all those teams have either changed mascots or relocated to new cities.

Hudlin finished his major league career with a record of 158–156, with 155 complete games. He accumulated 11 shutouts and 31 saves. His 158 wins currently rank 234th in MLB history. He was a good-hitting pitcher, recording a .201 batting average with 180 hits, 76 runs, five home runs, 69 RBI and 52 walks. Hudlin also helped himself as an excellent fielder, leading American League pitchers once in putouts, twice in assists, and four times in double plays turned. His 54 career double plays turned by a pitcher rank 24th in major league history. Hudlin was selected as one of the Indians’ top 100 all-time players as part of the team’s 100th anniversary celebration in 2001. He retired after that 1940 season and moved to Hot Springs to run a chicken ranch and a set of tourist cottages on Lake Hamilton. But baseball drew him back in, and he served in a variety of roles throughout the decade with the Little Rock Travelers, now the Arkansas Travelers. After pitching for the team in 1941, Hudlin added managerial duties the following season, leading the Travs to the 1942 Southern Association pennant as a player-manager.

His leadership and talents extended beyond the diamond. A licensed pilot, Hudlin served as a flight instructor in the Army Air Forces during World War II. During the 1943 baseball season, he would come home on the weekends to pitch for the Travelers. That year, he also became a part-owner of the club. In 1944, he was still pitching, and pitching well, for the Travelers at the age of 38. Late in the season, the St. Louis Browns (now the Baltimore Orioles) bought Hudlin’s contract, and he made one final big-league appearance.

After again serving as a player-manager for the Travs in 1945 and 1946, Hudlin sold his interest in the team. In 1946, he convinced the team’s management to renovate Traveler Field, adding box seat areas and increasing overall seating capacity in anticipation of the post-World War II boom. He returned to manage them one final season in 1952. Traveler Field was renamed Ray Winder Field in 1966.

Hudlin later served as a pitching coach for the Detroit Tigers and a scout for the New York Yankees while working as a building contractor in Little Rock. He died in 2002 in Little Rock at the age of 96 and was interred in Hazelhurst, Mississippi.

The Arkansas Travelers are celebrating 125 years of baseball this summer. They play at DickeyStephens Park in North Little Rock, which is a beautiful stadium. Go catch a game and remember Willis Hudlin — a great pitcher, team owner and veteran — while you are there.

BACKYARD

By Brett Battle

With summer here, we find ourselves spending more time in the backyard. Pools and grills have become the gathering place of families and friends.

It is also the gathering place of our Arkansas nemesis, the mosquito. I want to share some things you can do to help prevent those annoying mosquitoes from ruining your outdoor fun and it begins with a multi-layered plan. Mosquito larvae take roughly four to five days to mature, so we must be constantly diligent. The first thing to do is make sure you have no areas of standing water, no dishes, no wet areas and no trash or compost lying around.

There are numerous plants that help repel mosquitoes, but realize they need to be close to you and in pretty good numbers. A 6-inch mosquito plant is not going to do much to repel the pest; however, an assortment of citronella plants and lemon grass are the strongest deterrents. Other plants that will provide some deterrent are marigolds, catnip, lavender, rosemary and lemon balm. These scents bother mosquitoes.

Another good deterrent is to have an outdoor fan. Mosquitoes are weak fliers, and a fan at your seating area prevents them from landing. You also have the option of chemical treatments such as spraying your skin or having a yard service spray your shrub and lawn areas regularly to eliminate breeding. Chemical lanterns can also be effective.

Whatever your process, just be diligent and use a multifaceted approach to enjoy summer family time without the annoying buzzing in your ear.

Refresh annual color and pots

Another wonderful thing about our backyard pools and grills is keeping colorful pots and landscapes looking good. Early spring annuals can start to look a little weary at this time. So to freshen them up and keep the color in our yard looking great, there are a few maintenance tasks we can do.

First, if some plants are looking bad, just pull those few and replace them with some great hot summer annuals like lantana, pentas, vinca, zinnias, sweet potato vines and many flowering perennials. Also, it is a great time to hit them with a good fertilizer. Liquid Miracle-Gro boosts greenery, and a super bloom will enhance flowering for a great, quick spruce up. But they only last about seven days, so add some granulated time-release fertilizer with a good high middle number. This is phosphorus, and it is what plants need to bloom more heavily. It will last a good 90 days and keep them healthy through the fall.

Lastly, if some of the plants are starting to look a little leggy or straggly, give them a good pruning. Cutting them back will force new, thicker growth, which in turn creates more blooms. Annuals grow back quickly, so don’t be scared to cut them.

Add personality outdoors

One last thing that will enhance your outdoor experience is creating fun little areas with statuary or other yard art, like wind chimes, bird baths or rain chains. Another very popular yard art item today is the kinetic wind spinner. These come in all shapes and sizes, and many have multiple layers that spin in opposite directions.

Arkansas summers can be hot and a little annoying with our summer pests. But if we stay diligent and creative, we can win the battle. Furthermore, if you spend a lot of time outside, it is far more enjoyable to be in a space you have personalized. So be creative, have fun and make your space special.

YOUTH OF THE MONTH Lilian Chumbley

Pulaski Academy senior Lilian Chumbley finds her voice through painting

By KD Reep • Photos by Makenzie Evans

The first clues that Lilian Chumbley would become a talented artist began with My Little Pony. Lilian, 17, and the daughter of Tao and Robert Chumbley, was “totally obsessed” with the toy when she was 5, according to her mom. “One day, she proudly showed me a collection of drawings featuring dresses she had designed for her ponies. I was amazed by her creativity and artistic ability, even then. Looking back, that was one of the first signs of the talented artist she would become,” Mrs. Chumbley said.

With her senior year at Pulaski Academy on the horizon, Lilian looks forward to learning more skills. She cannot pinpoint when she first thought about becoming an artist because the drive and desire to create have always been there. “I’ve always considered myself an artist, but I didn’t realize I wanted to pursue art professionally until my sophomore year of high school,” she said. “Discovering painting expanded my view of what art could be and inspired me to explore new creative outlets beyond drawing.”

Lilian’s family includes musicians, pianists, vocalists, quilters and crafters — creative people in many different ways, Mrs. Chumbley said.

“We aren’t entirely sure where her talent for drawing and painting originated, but she does share some traits with my father, an engineer who is both artistic and highly analytical. Like him, she’s gifted in both art and math, which is a rare combination and one reason architecture has been discussed as a possible career path. Whatever the source of her talent, she was raised in an environment where creativity was celebrated, and that encouragement helped her develop and refine her abilities from a young age.”

Three years ago, the family even relocated from a small town in New Mexico so their three children could attend Pulaski Academy. “While there were many factors behind that decision, one was that Lilian’s artistic ability had reached a point where

she needed more resources, mentorship and opportunities that simply weren’t available to us there. Watching her growth these past three years has only reinforced that it was the right decision,” Mrs. Chumbley said.

Lilian started with sketches and digital drawing but now her favorite medium is acrylic on canvas. Her acrylic-on-canvas painting “Bee-autiful” won second place in the Wildlife of Arkansas Student Art Competition, 10th-grade division, and was displayed at the state Capitol. That same painting also earned the Pulaski Academy President’s Award and will forever be displayed in the school.

Though her talent has led to many awards, what means the most to Lilian is the growth she has experienced at Pulaski Academy. “Looking back at where I started and seeing how much I’ve improved in both my technique and creativity is something I’m incredibly proud of,” she said.

Lauren Kinder, chair of the Pulaski Academy Visual Arts Department, said Lilian has a depth of curiosity and eagerness to learn. “I’ve worked as an art educator for over 20 years now, and there is always a tell in a student who will pursue art seriously, albeit in some shape or form, throughout their lives,” she said. “It isn’t talent or excellence that tells me that I am working with an exceptional artist; it is their desire and drive to create. It is a joy to watch her work; she can spend hours completely focused on a rendering or a painting. She works in silence, captivated by her vision and her desire to make beauty.”

Lilian plans to pursue an art-centered career and hopes to attend the Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia. Her work can be viewed on Instagram at the account @lilianchumbleystudios, where she occasionally sells original pieces. Her website, linked on her Instagram under Project Palette, offers prints and merchandise featuring her artwork.

The Tiny Toads Tour is a self-guided public art and history tour of Conway’s key historic landmarks, many of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Fashioned by artist Calvin Stinger, 11 bronze toad sculptures are mounted on pedestals outside significant places that celebrate Conway’s rich history in a fun way.

The stops are within walking distance, making it easy to explore on foot.

Rogers Plaza – Gateway to downtown, site of Conway Station (1871).

Grummer-Massey Hardware Building – 1022 Oak St.

Halter Building – 1117 Oak St.

Frauenthal & Schwarz Building – 824 Front St.

Railroad Depot Site – 1200 Main St.

Faulkner County Jail & Library – 801 Locust Ave.

Goad Brothers Café & Bakery Building – 1304 Oak St.

Farmers State Bank Building – 1001 Front St.

Smith Auto Co. Showroom – 1020 Front St.

East Side Community at MLK Square – 1110 Spencer St. Golden Drag Café – 1151 Markham St.

Conway was developed around the railroad depot in 1871. Asa P. Robinson, chief engineer of the Little Rock–Fort Smith Railroad, deeded land for the depot and platted the surrounding area as Conway Station, which became the county seat in 1873 and was incorporated in 1875. The city’s designation as a National Historic District in 2010 brought federal and state recognition and incentives. The Tiny Toads Tour was commissioned by the City of Conway Planning and Development Department and follows a route through downtown Conway’s Commercial Historic District (1879–1960 period) and highlights more than 70 contributing buildings.

Take the self-guided walking tour by following the toad markers on the official brochure that can be picked up at the Chamber of Commerce. Most stops are within downtown Conway. This is one of the best times to take the tour, but plan for heat and bring water.

Forest of Hope Family Peace Center brings coordinated support to domestic violence survivors

By Donna Lampkin Stephens • Photos by Clay Sutton

With the June opening of the Forest of Hope Family Peace Center in Little Rock, victims of domestic violence in the 501 and beyond have a warm, welcoming place to help navigate one of the worst experiences of their lives.

Housing multiple critical services under one roof “to provide a coordinated, survivor-centered approach to safety, healing and long-term stability,” the Women & Children First center is the only one of its kind in the state.

In escaping domestic violence, the average victim must navigate more than 20 different agencies, including police, prosecutors, legal aid, counseling, medical care, employment services and housing advocates, in order to build a new life.

“Each (agency) is a spot where they can turn around and go back because it’s so hard to get out (of the violence),” Daniel Robinson, co-chair of WCF’s Campaign of Courage fundraising campaign, said during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 28. “Domestic violence is a community problem, and this is going to be a community solution.”

WCF is Arkansas’ largest and longest-running domestic violence shelter, having served survivors for more than 45 years.

Angela McGraw, CEO, said, “This (shelter) is for the person who doesn’t know where to go when everything falls apart. If you are a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking or stalking, you are welcome.”

The new center, which replaces the previous one on Main Street in Little Rock, will include 132 beds for women, children and men (up from the previous WCF shelter’s 54), with pet kennels so that victims of abuse don’t have to choose between their safety and their furry family members. It will open in phases: 75 beds in Year 1, an additional 25 in Year 2, and another 32 in Year 3.

Ultimately, it will encompass nearly 59,000 square feet. The $24 million Campaign of Courage is ongoing.

More than 22 partner agencies housed in the center enable services to be delivered within days rather than weeks. McGraw said each partnership is structured based on the specific services provided and the agency’s operational needs. “The space and resources provided are tailored to the role each partner agency

plays within the center and the services they provide to survivors,” she said.

WCF has helped victims from every county in the state. McGraw said all victims from across Arkansas and the nation are welcome. Valerie Williams, who grew up in domestic violence in Texas and “lived in fear every day” until her mother escaped to Little Rock with her two siblings, is chair of Voices of Hope Arkansas. According to wcfarkansas.org, the Voices Survivor Advocacy Network is a program of Alliance for Hope International, a nationwide network of domestic and sexual violence survivors who advocate for abuse victims in crisis, educate the public and support Family Justice Centers and Family Peace Centers across the country.

“We have the lived experience and have walked through the pain and suffering in the belief that there was a better option for women in Arkansas,” Williams told the crowd gathered for the ribbon cutting. “Every survivor deserves dignity. When survivors lead, the community grows stronger.”

Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr. called the project “a true model of coordinated services” between municipal and community partners.

McGraw said this model could help reduce homicides. In Little Rock in 2025, there were 44 domestic violence homicides. “When survivors are supported, these stories don’t have to end that way,” she said. “They end in survival. We’re opening not just a building, but access, safety and a door for survival.”

Lonny Bumpous of Conway, superintendent of the approximately 15-month building project for Nabholz Construction, said he wouldn’t have missed the ribbon-cutting.

“What I like about my job is seeing everybody’s dreams come to fruition,” he said. “During construction, their dreams become mine.”

This is one dream everyone can share.

For more information, visit wcfarkansas.org. Those in crisis can call the hotline at 501.376.3219 or 1.800.332.4443. The Family Peace Center is located at 9009 Dailey Drive in Little Rock.

Arkansas is considered among the leading states for domestic violence

Survivors are 75 percent more likely to be killed when leaving the relationship

Only 3 percent of victims ever reach a shelter

37.3 percent of women experience intimatepartner violence

Domestic violence is the leading cause of emergency-room visits

Children exposed to violence are 15 times more likely to be abused

51 percent of teens who witness domestic violence will engage in similar relationships

Her Part in Victory

Marie Hiegel Pinter’s service reflected a new era for women in the military

By Vivian Lawson Hogue

In America’s Second World War, our military system experienced changes from World War I, other than war machinery, battle techniques and materiel. There was also that thing called “patriotism” that held the country together for four to six years. There was also a distinct change in personnel as well, with the introduction and acceptance of women into military ranks.

Where women had primarily served as nurses and secretaries during World War I, they became part of the war effort in 1942 through a branch of the United States Naval Reserve called Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service, or WAVES. A second branch was the Women’s Army Corps, or WACs, which was the women’s branch of the United States Army. It achieved active-duty status in 1943. These approximately 186,000 women enabled more men to take on combat duty and demonstrated that women could perform essential military tasks. Conway was one of only a few WAC training centers in the nation, with its headquarters located at Arkansas State Teachers College (now University of Central Arkansas).

Marie Hiegel Pinter (1920-2015) of Conway would become an enlistee for the WAVES in 1944. Marie was born to “Jake” and Catherine (Moix) Hiegel in 1920, making them the parents of six children, five boys and one girl. Jake was the owner of Hiegel Lumber Co., once located on Oak Street. Marie was a graduate of Conway’s St. Joseph High School and Mount Mary College in Madison, Wisconsin, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in mathematics. She became a bookkeeper and would later serve as an observer for the U.S. Weather Bureau in Dayton, Ohio.

In an interview with Nancy Mitchell for our Faulkner County Historical Society journal in 1992, Marie recalled hearing of the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941: “I was at home listening to the news. I was shocked.” She added that everyone did with less to help with the war cause. Consumers would eventually be issued rationing books limiting the purchases of many everyday items. Her family had to use their car less to conserve gasoline, and everyone was limited to two pairs of shoes per year. Tires couldn’t be purchased, and drives were held to collect scrap metal for war equipment and cooking grease for chemical processes.

“After arriving back in Little Rock in 1944, I passed a Navy Recruiting Office and on impulse went in to ‘inquire,’” Marie said. “I was immediately swept into a whirlwind of interviews with papers signed and processed. The next morning, I returned to be sworn in! I wanted to help the war effort and had a sincere desire to do something to fight the evil forces of Hitler, Mussolini and Hirohito.”

From that point, she and other new enlistees would take a train to New York for naval training. After boot camp, she was sent to Aerographers School Training in New Jersey, where she studied meteorology. And

picture this, if you will: There were 15 female WAVES, 30 male Marines and 300 male sailors. “We had nice officers and we all got along,” she said. “Some of the older officers had trouble accepting women in the service, and one of the officers would say, in jest, ‘Hiegel, you’re a good man.’

“After graduation, our unit, with a few exceptions, was assigned to naval communications (intelligence) Sec. GYP-7 (TOP SECRET) in Washington, D.C.,” Marie said. “We were attached to a unit attempting to break Japanese code on weather information. Data was sent in a series of five- or six-digit numbers, with each number carrying a definite meaning. The thinking was that aerographers would recognize the pattern of numbers containing pertinent weather information.”

The Japanese had stationed lone weather observers on many small islands dotting the Pacific. They were given a bag of rice, a radio and a code book. According to a pre-arranged schedule, the numbers in their clear message were added to or subtracted from the numbers of a certain line on a certain page of a code book and the resulting numbers were radioed back to Japan. Our radio operators could intercept these radio messages, which had to be decoded.

The only codes the Japanese were unable to break were messages sent by some of Navajo Code Talkers serving with the Marines! At the Battle of Iwo Jima, Major Howard Connor of the 5th Marine Division had six Navajo code talkers who sent messages in their native language. “Were it not for the Navajos, the Marines would never have taken Iwo Jima,” he said.

Marie kept many memories of her career in Washington. “I was in Washington when President Roosevelt died, and I caught a glimpse of the caisson followed by the riderless horse going down Pennsylvania Avenue,” she said. “I was also there when President Truman announced the Japanese surrender. Another memory was seeing Gen. Eisenhower’s parade when he returned from the war.”

Marie was to hold varied memories and experiences that most American women did not have then, including the joyous, hysterical mobs celebrating on Washington’s Pennsylvania Avenue. The families who had lost one or more members had both pride and unfathomable grief, but held gratitude for the time to heal. The wounded in mind, body and spirit felt the same.

There have been wars since time began, and the scriptures say they will continue. For many countries, it is over one person or entity wanting personal power. For America, it is to keep our freedoms and safety as declared in our Declaration of Independence and assured in the United States Constitution. Let it be known that ours is “the land of the FREE and the home of the BRAVE” and is worth any effort to defend it for all.

In March 1943, Conway was one of only a few Women’s Army Corps training centers in the nation, with its headquarters located at Arkansas State Teachers College (now University of Central Arkansas). The approximately 186,000 women enabled more men to take on combat duty and demonstrated that women could perform essential military tasks.

a clear calling

How Bonnie Laycock’s faith-inspired mission has helped thousands of Guatemalan families breathe easier while building relationships that last a lifetime.

By Tammy Keith • Photos by Makenzie Evans

Asmall, 11-year-old Guatemalan boy stood up to thank Bonnie Laycock of Conway and her team for building their family a stove, crying so hard he could barely speak.

“He was gulping for air and talking in Spanish, and he was saying he was so grateful because now his family wouldn’t have to breathe all that smoke and his mother wouldn’t be so sick. And he just wanted to say thank you so much for their new stove and how it’s going to make life so much better for them. And of course, we’re listening, all just crying, too,” Laycock said.

The 75-year-old has led 31 mission trips to build stoves for the Mayan people in Guatemala with the United Methodist Church (UMC), including four with her church, First UMC in Conway. Stove Builders of Guatemala is a part of the national organization, although any denomination is welcome to go.

Laycock is the reason the national project started. “I’m reluctant to say that because I’ve always told people it was just God’s vision, and he used me to do it. I was just following where I was being led,” she said.

The project started in 2011 when she and her husband, Steve, lived in Wichita, Kansas, where she was director of missions for the UMC before moving to Conway nine years ago. “It was just a project of the Methodist church I was part of — me going down there with a couple of teams, learning Spanish and realizing, ‘Hey,

they need help; they could use a stove,’” she said.

The United Methodist Church has built 3,000 stoves since then. Service is practically in Laycock’s DNA. She grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, watching her mother do mission work through the UMC. “I wanted to go down to the poor sections of Cincinnati and work somehow down there. So, I look back, and I think I was just born with this desire,” she said.

She started going on mission trips within the United States in the early 1970s with Steve. She’s been on mission trips to 33 developing countries since then.

“But before this thing about Guatemala came up, I saw there was a United Methodist missionary couple just outside Mexico City that was having a dedication ceremony for a program they had developed,” called appropriate technology for Third World countries. “They had figured out all these different ways that the poor in Mexico could help themselves if somebody in their village was just taught how to do different things,” she said.

One was a stove that vented smoke out of people’s tiny homes and used far less firewood than cooking on the ground over an open fire. Laycock said lung disease kills more women in Guatemala than anything else.

She went to the dedication in Mexico and was impressed, so she took a church team back to Mexico to learn about building the stoves.

“I learned over the years [that] everywhere in this world needs help. But the big difference with stove builders is that we’re teaching them to help themselves, and as long as we can keep sending money down, they’re building stoves when we’re not there.’

— Bonnie Laycock

“You’re changing their lives forever, because they know that they’re going to be so much healthier because they have been cooking on a bonfire in their house on the floor, which is mostly dirt with no windows in a tiny room. And I’ve stepped into some of those houses; they keep fires going all day long because they’re usually cooking all day long, and there is so much smoke I can’t even go in there,” she said.

The mission teams find young men in the villages who become the expert stove builders, so they can continue to teach villagers after Laycock and the teams leave. The Guatemalan families contribute $20 of 100 cost to build the stoves. They also do hands-on work, such as packing the dirt inside the stacked fire brick.

Guatemalan families “react the same every single time. Because, first of all, they cannot believe that as Americans who don’t know them, and most people that go down had never been to Guatemala before, why would you even come and help us, is what they’re thinking,” she said.

When a stove is finished, they pray. “We call it blessing the stove, and everybody puts their hands on the stove, the family members and the team members that built it,” she said. “On our last trip, we had Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, Episcopal. They [Guatemalans] love it; I love that, too, because it shows them that, hey, we’re all in this together, you know. We all worship the same God.”

Sarah Coker of Conway, who was on Laycock’s stove-building team, said when she thinks of her friend, she thinks of the hymn “Here I Am, Lord.” “In it, we sing, ‘I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart.’

“Bonnie responds to this call wholeheartedly, in every sense of the word. She leads because she loves to do so, and she loves the people she serves, her neighbors and children of God. She does all this with humor and common sense. What a blessing she is to all of us.”

Laycock said she decided when she led a team to Guatemala in March that it might be her last.

“I have felt like, OK, it’s time for me to move on. Well, I’ve learned never to say never,” she said, laughing.

“I learned over the years [that] everywhere in this world needs help. But the big difference with stove builders is that we’re teaching them to help themselves, and as long as we can keep sending money down, they’re building stoves when we’re not there,” she said. “As much as it changes their lives, there isn’t a person who comes back to the United States who hasn’t said, ‘It’s changed my life more than it has ever changed theirs.’ You get to know them, and you’re in their homes.”

Because they’re not just building stoves; they’re building relationships.

A FREE PRESS, A STRONGER ARKANSAS

Winthrop Rockefeller Institute hosts a community conversation on local news and civic health

The Winthrop Rockefeller Institute hosted members of the press and the public from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on June 12 at its scenic Petit Jean Mountain campus. The Press and Community Convening brought together journalists, community members and civic leaders for a day of discussion.

“The Institute has spent the last two years listening and gathering information from Arkansans on how we can work together to expand access to local news and information, build connections, and increase the civic health of our communities,” Institute Director of Programs Liz Lundeen said.

KD Reep represented 501 LIFE and Flywrite Communications at the event. “It was intriguing to hear what writers, editors, publishers and members of the community had to say about the state of newspaper journalism in Arkansas. Hearing diverse voices gave many pause to understand how and why each of these points of view came to be.”

PERSON OF THE MONTH

ROBIN TRENT CONWAY

Photo by Makenzie Evans

HOMETOWN: I’m a Conway native — born, raised and currently residing in Conway!

FAMILY: My husband, Tyler, and our dog and cat, Otto and Rip Anthony, respectively.

EDUCATION: I graduated from Greenbrier High School in 2005 and attended college at the University of Central Arkansas, graduating with a Bachelor of Business Administration in 2009.

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES: I’ve been serving the community as a Faulkner County Master Gardener (FCMG) since 2020.

WORK: I work as a full-time manager at Maurices here in Conway. This past May marked my 21-year anniversary with Maurices.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: While working at Maurices, I’ve earned district and regional sales performance awards, but my most meaningful accomplishments are Faulkner County Master Gardener honors. In 2021, I was named FCMG’s Rookie of the Year. This past March, I was honored to have earned the Faulkner County Master Gardener of the Year award. In June, I was awarded the Arkansas State Master Gardener of the Year award. I have held positions on the FCMG board since 2024 and am serving as FCMG president this year.

WHY MASTER GARDENERS? A big reason behind signing up was a need for personal enrichment. After 20+ years at Maurices, I realized that opportunities for further growth were limited unless I stepped into a store leader position, which I wasn’t interested in. So I started looking for growth opportunities outside of work. My hobbies and interests led me to the MG program. I had seen a FCMG recruitment posting that read, “Play in the dirt with friends! Train to be a Master Gardener,” and I thought, “That looks like a good fit for me, I’m going to be a Master Gardener!”

HOW WAS THE STATE CONFERENCE? I served as the chairperson for the Master Gardener State Conference Garden Tours

Committee. Tours of local gardens were offered to conference attendees as part of the state conference package. During the conference, we FCMGs were doing a little bit of everything! I continued working with the Garden Tours Committee, set and cleared tables during meals, worked with the decoration team and worked as a floating volunteer. Suffice it to say, FCMG volunteers should’ve brought our sleeping bags to the expo center because we LIVED there during the MG State Conference.

COMMUNITY PET PROJECT? I enjoy volunteering at all of our FCMG Project Gardens, but the Faulkner County Museum Gardens have my heart! I have volunteered with the Museum Gardens Committee since becoming a MG in 2020, serving as chairperson in 2024 and 2025 and co-chairing this year. The mission of the Museum Gardens is to provide an outdoor educational space — a living classroom! The gardens feature a blend of historic plantings, an herb garden, drought-tolerant natives, and birdfriendly plantings.

THREE FAVORITE PLANTS? Only three?! That’s no fun! Rattlesnake master is a definite favorite! It’s native to Arkansas, pollinators love it, and it has quite the whimsical-looking blooms. We have rattlesnake master growing in several of our FCMG project gardens. Zinnias will always hold a special place in my heart; they are the flowers of my childhood. Growing up, Momma and Daddy grew a bed of zinnias every summer, and Momma always kept a sweet little bouquet of her cut zinnias on the kitchen table. Going over to Momma’s and Daddy’s during the summer as an adult is much the same (as far as zinnias go, at least). My favorite tree earns the last spot: the wild honey locust! The trunk of a wild honey locust is covered in extremely sharp, absolutely LETHAL-looking thorns. It is thought that the thorns are an evolutionary adaptation stemming from a time when megafauna roamed the earth — built-in protection to keep giant ground sloths and the like from destroying branches, or the whole tree for that matter, while they fed on bark and branches.