AMAZING. Just amazing. I continue to marvel at the contributions and qualities of the people who receive citizenship awards at the annual chamber of commerce banquet.
I sometimes mention the names of persons of long ago who helped form this community and its residents, and it occurs to me that future generations will remember these persons for the exact same reasons:
Man of the Year Alfred Neeley has served more than 30 years on the volunteer fire department; he was the first citizen who was asked to lead the Sheriff’s Reserve. He has been on the board of directors of the Howard Children’s Center for longer than memory permits. Many, many other contributions. Congratulations and thanks, Alfred.
Woman of the Year Jodi King can sometimes be seen jogging along streets and roads, and that in itself is an amazing accomplishment considering all that she does. She’s chairperson of the county Farm Bureau Women’s Committee, an active bunch that serves the organization and makes sure that needy children get fed. She’s the county chairman of The Call, which supports foster children and foster families. Want more? She and husband Pace are previous winners of the Farm Family of the Year award. She’s in PEO and active in her church. Congratulations and thanks, Jodi.
Orange and Black Education award winner Julie Rhodes probably knows more graduating seniors at area schools than anyone else. That’s because of her job at UA Cossatot. She’s active on many area boards and committees, and has served on the chamber board. Congratulations and thanks, Julie.
Above and Beyond award recipient Deb Kinkade has been a fixture in promoting and forming this community for many years — from her desk at Regions Bank and out of the chamber office. She was the first female chamber president here, has served in economic development, and on the city park commission. Well, we could easily run out of room trying to list the ways she has helped form this community. It is appropriate that she is the first person to receive this award. Congratulations and thanks, Deb.
Community Hero award recipient Woody Futrell was correctly described as a moving force behind-the-scenes of parks, schools, athletics, law enforcement and many other areas that affect our lives. Did I mention generous? Congratulations and thank you, Woody.
Community Hero award recipient Charlie Hubbard will always be the Voice of the Scrappers. He was recognized for doing radio broadcasts for football, and other sports, for 40 years in which time he attended maybe 500 Scrapper games all over Arkansas. But, please, Charlie, tell us the score from time-to-time. Congratulations and thanks. And don’t be so hard on those referees.
It was wonderful that the chamber recognized the late Floyd Clark, Jr., who was the complete servant and leader in the community, at his church and in everything he touched. In my memory he will always be the lanky fellow in the Uncle Sam costume.
Thanks also to the men and women who are now serving, or who previously served, on the chamber board. In a day in which many service organizations are on the wane, it is very important for a community to have the continuity of active organizations.
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THROWING FOOD AWAY. According to an article in the online publication for Dollar Shave Club, many consumers throw away food too soon because they are guided by the ‘sell by’ date stamped on the product. Well, they are talking about me.
The article said that the date is really for the grocer, and also to protect the reputation of the aforementioned vendor and suppliers.
Worldwide, about 1/3 of food is thrown away or wasted mostly because of erroneous understanding of the ‘sell by’ date. Produce is the first to go into the trash.
Some foods DO go bad quicker than others. The publication notes some realistic throwaway dates:
Meat: One to three days beyond the “sell by” date.
Dairy: One week beyond the “sell by” date.
Eggs: One month beyond the “sell by” date.
Bread: One week (or two to three weeks in the fridge) beyond the “sell by” date.
So, maybe my eggs WERE a bit old. The ‘sell by’ date was July 2016.
The BEST judge, according to the article, is your own nose.
If in doubt, feed the food to a friend. If he gets sick, throw it out.
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THINGS I LEARNED from opening email: ‘OLD’ is when you are cautioned to slow down by the doctor instead of by the police
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WORD GAMES. The twins: Now and Forever. For some reason they’re not in a hurry. They do not worry about the past. It occurs to me that this is yet another inspiring ‘Revelation’ dealing in some form or fashion with age. Form or Fashion — more twins?
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HE SAID: “Every revolutionary idea seems to evoke three stages of reaction. They may be summed up by the phrases: 1- It’s completely impossible. 2- It’s possible, but it’s not worth doing. 3- I said it was a good idea all along.” Arthur C. Clarke, science fiction writer
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SHE SAID: “I’m an athlete and I’m black, and a lot of black athletes go broke. I do not want to become a statistic, so maybe I overcompensate. But I’m paranoid. Oprah told me a long time ago, ‘You sign every check. Never let anyone sign any checks.’ Serena Williams, tennis champion
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SWEET DREAMS, Baby
