82 Years of Progress 1921-2003 Volume 4 Issue 11 Published monthly by the Clarksville-Johnson County Chamber of Commerce November 2003 Holiday Activities The holiday season will officially begin on the weekend of November 15th & 16th with the Merchants Christmas Open House Saturday all day and Sunday 1-5 p.m. Then on Friday, November 28th the Merchants will hold their Annual Early Bird Sale from 7:00 - 10:00 a.m. The Christmas Lighting Ceremony will be held on Monday, November 24th at 6:30 p.m. at the Johnson County Court House. The program scheduled for the evening will include musical entertainment by area school children. The community will also be invited to participate in several Christmas Carols lead by County Judge Mike Jacobs. The grand finale will be when the count down begins to turn the Holiday Lights on at the Spadra Bridge and Court House. Then Clarksville Mayor Billy Helms, Grand Marshal, will lead the Annual Christmas Parade "Home For the Holidays" slated for Saturday, December 6th at 6:30 p.m. The parade route will travel down Main Street to the Rogers intersection. Anyone wishing to enter the parade should contact the Chamber office at 754-2340 for a line up number. If you are entering a float and want to be judged please tell the Chamber staff that the entry is for judging. Categories for judging are: Business/Industry and Nonprofit. Deadline for entry is Thursday, December 4th at 4:00 p.m. Immediately following the parade, Santa will be visiting with children of all ages at the Court House and handing out bags of candy. Area merchants and individuals are also invited to enter the "Tour of Lights" contest, which consists of three categories: Business/Industry, Residential and Nonprofit. Deadline to enter the Lighting contest is Monday, December 1st at 4:00 p.m. Interested parties may enter by contacting the Chamber office. Certificates of Award will be given for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in the parade and lighting contests. Chamber co-op advertising businesses are: Alltime Family Fitness * Ann's * Antiques Plus * Arkansas Cycle Works * Bank of the Ozarks * Bean Furniture * CJ's Garden Cuisine * Clarksville Super Center * Coldwell Banker * David Clair Photography * Daylight Donuts * Fair Store * Family Shoe Store * Hardgrave Photography * Johnson Chevrolet * Johnson County Title * Julie's Perks * Kelly Rental's * Marilyn's * National Home Center * Ozark Cellular * Rose Drug * Sexton Furniture * Sonic Drive-Inn * Stillwell Furniture * Teeter's Drug Store/Gretchen's * The Catfish House * Wal-Mart Supercenter * Woodard Carpet & Design Christmas Angels 2003 University of the Ozarks Women representative Diana McCormick has announced that The 2003 Christmas Angels application period will be Monday, October 13th through Friday, November 14th. Families who need assistance should go to the Arkansas Department of Human Services office on Rogers Street. Christmas Angel gifts will be distributed on December 15 and 16th at the Johnson County Fair Building between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Select an Angel/s available this year at the following locations: Clarksville Insurance Agency, Baldor Electric, Bright Harvest Sweet Potato Company, Clarksville Refrigerated Lines, Coldwell Banker Ken Stall & Associates, First Security Bank, Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, Mid-South Roller Company, Sara Lee Hosiery, Simmons Bank, Tyson Foods, Wal-Mart Distribution Center, Wal-Mart Supercenter, Whitson-Morgan Motor Company, University of the Ozarks, Rotary Club, Kut Hut, and Lamar City Hall. Instructions for those who plan to purchase gifts for one of these special Christmas Angels are as follows: 1. Place the Christmas Angel in a bag with the gifts for that Angel and/or attach the Christmas Angel to the bag. Please do not wrap gifts. 2. All gifts should be returned to the business no later than December 8th. 3. Cash Donations will also be accepted by the U of O Women to help purchase gifts for angels who are not selected from area trees. Each year hundreds of dollars are needed to make sure that all Christmas Angels in Johnson County are provided for. Checks should be made to the U of O Women, % University of the Ozarks, 415 N. College, Clarksville, AR 72830. For more information call U of O Women, Diana McCormick, at 979-1415.   Meet Your New Board Members Next Month Clarksville-Johnson County Chamber of Commerce - 2003 Executive Committee Lee White - President Matt Wylie - 1st Vice President Freeman Wish - 2nd Vice President Ken Golden - Sec/Treasurer Adele Jacobs - Immediate Past President Government/Schools Judge Mike Jacobs - Johnson County Mayor Billy Helms - Clarksville Mayor Glenda Caldwell - Knoxville Beverly Wagner - Lamar Dr. Rick Niece - Schools Board of Directors Chris Allen --- Sara Lee Hosiery Steve Burch --- Century 21 Billy Dickerson --- OK/Harvest Foods Dorinda Edmisten --- Ozark Rape Crisis Center Steve Fisher --- AR River Valley Dentistry Bliss Hicky --- Regions Bank Robbie Jackson --- East Mt. Zion Trinity Baptist Janice Joyce --- Bank of the Ozarks Betty Killough --- Tyson Foods, Inc. Carol Martin --- Individual Jim Pat Mills --- Mills Oil Company Robbi Mooney ---Mid South Roller Max Slaughter --- Johnson Chevrolet David Taylor --- Individual Harve Taylor --- Individual Denton Tumbleson --- Simmons First Bank Darrell Williams --- University of the Ozarks Freeman Wish --- Mazzio's Pizza Executive Director Vicki Lyons Chamber Staff Karen Johnson Ramona Cogan (479) 754-2340 Fax (479) 754-4923 Email: cjccofc@cswnet.com New & Renewing Members *Julie's Perks * Welcome New Members Calendar of Events ARVTPR Meeting - November 4th 10:00 a.m.; Lake Dardanelle State Park Fraternal Order of the Eagles Regular Meetings - Mondays 7:00 p.m.; Chamber Tourism Meeting - November 5th 10:00 a.m.; Chamber Johnson County Community Foundation Meeting - November 5th Noon at U of O Talent Committee Meeting - November 6th 9:00 a.m.; Chamber Ambassadors Monthly Meeting - November 7th Noon Luncheon at Helen's Kitchen 8th Annual Junior Auxiliary Chili Supper - November 7th Clarksville Junior High School Cafeteria 5-7 pm. Tickets $5 for adults, $2.50 for children 6 & under Veteran's Appreciation Day Parade - November 8th Main Street 10:00 a.m. Chamber closed in Observance of Veteran's Day - November 11th County Compact ADED Meeting - November 12th Chamber 10:00 a.m. Christmas Merchant's Open House - November 15th & 16th All day Saturday, Sunday 1-5 p.m. Leadership Johnson County- November 18th Chamber 8:15 a.m. Chamber Membership Luncheon - November 19th Noon U of O Seay Student Center Central Business District Committee Meeting - November 25th; Chamber at Noon Resource Alliance of Johnson County - November 26th Emerald Dragon at Noon Merchant's Early Bird Sale - November 28th Area Businesses 7 a.m. Christmas Parade - December 6th Main Street 6:30 p.m. (Home for the Holidays theme) Veteran's Day Parade Dan Dunson, with the American Legion Post #22, has notified the Chamber that the annual Veteran's Appreciation Day & Parade will be Saturday, November 8th. Festivities will begin with the Parade down Main Street at 10:00 a.m., featuring the Antique Military Vehicles, and continue throughout the day at the Legion Hut on Sevier Street with a stage program, a free Chili Lunch at noon with entertainment, and games and prizes from 2:00-4:00 p.m. Parade participants are needed; if you would like to enter call 754-5636 and everyone make plans to attend. Arts Cooperative A subcommittee of the Central Business District Development Committee is working on an exciting idea. We are exploring the creation of an Artists' Cooperative/Fine Arts Guild for area artists and have a great location downtown if details can be worked out. Your help is needed. The first step is identifying those artists who might be interested in a place to display, sell, or teach their arts, in a space/lease sharing arrangement. Artists working in any medium - oils, watercolors, sculpture, stained glass, art woodwork, or others - are asked to call the Chamber office. Also, there is a real need for art framing service. Chamber members are asked to help by calling in the names of artists we can contact. The next step will be an open meeting with area artists to survey potential interest. Friends and patrons of the arts are also invited to help in planning and execution of this project, which will serve to showcase the work of area artists, help bring tourists to our area and new life to our downtown, and enhance the quality of life for all residents. Please call 754-2340 or stop by the Chamber office at 101 N. Johnson Street as soon as possible with names or suggestions, if you would like to help. Spadra Creek Project Receives Grant On Thursday, October 16th, 2003 the Spadra Creek Project received a $7,000 grant from Arkansas Game & Fish Stream Team. Jim Ahlert presented Mayor Billy Helms with the check while members from the Central Business District Committee looked on. Pictured are Sondra McKelvey, Jim Ahlert, Tom Cogan, Vicki Lyons, Steve Fisher, Mayor Helms, Chris Kupper-landscape architect, and Jim Pat Mills. Jim Pat Mills, Cpt. John Jenkins, commander of the 239th Engineer Company, Arkansas National Guard and 1st Sgt. Paul Ahrens. Picture courtesy of Sue Parks & Johnson County Graphic 239th Family Support Group The families of our local National Guard unit, the 239th Engineer Company, have formed a support group that included the Send-Off Celebration that was held last Saturday evening at Metheny Field. Support Group Chairperson Caitlin Robinson and the ladies of the Steering Committee worked diligently decorating on Saturday - first outside, then inside when the rain started, and moving it back outside when the sky cleared. Approximately 80 Johnson County residents are involved in the mobilization. Jim Pat Mills, Governor appointed Commissioner of the Arkansas State Veterans Commission and Board of Directors appointed Group Trustee for the 239th Family Support Group, has a primary job to raise funds, and to date has raised over $5,000. The goal of $15,000 will be used for emergency funds to help the families left behind while their spouse has been deployed. Clarksville Light & Water, Arkansas Western Gas and Wal-Mart Distribution Center will be assisting as needed with utility, grocery and supplies help. The families of these men as well as Jim Pat Mills is most grateful and proud of the help received to date. If you or your business would like to make a donation, please make your tax deductible donation check payable to the 239th Family Support Group and mail to Jim Pat Mills, Group Trustee, PO Box 547, Clarksville, AR 72830. Business Spanish Class The University of the Ozarks Community Service Program will present a Spanish for Business class for the community during the spring semester. The class will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays from January 12 to May 6 and includes 48 hours of instruction. An enrollment fee of $225 includes all course materials. A deposit of $100 is due by December 10. For more information or to enroll in the class, please contact Ginny Sain at 979-1346. Hideaway Meadows Bed & Breakfast Ribbon Cutting Front row: Leon & Nova Bates, Linda & Calvin Mason (owners), Vicki Lyons and Little Mister Johnson County Austin Hency. Back row: Sherry Boen, Bliss Hicky, Cindy Herron, Hattie Curtis, Carol Warren, Ron Collins and Stacy Nowotny. There is a new business in Clarksville - Hideaway Meadows Bed & Breakfast. Owners Linda & Calvin Mason have built a log cabin B&B that is not only beautiful and comfortable, it has great atmosphere. If you haven't been out to see them, it is worth a visit! Sales Tax Receipts 2002/2003 Comparison January-September 2003 January-September 2002 % 2003 Increase YTD % of Total Income 2003 Johnson County $740,693.06 $705,904.61 4.9% 50.8% Clarksville  $492,509.87 $472,214.04 4.3% 33.7% Lamar $90,833.86 $86,563.40 4.8% 6.3% Coal Hill $64,257.73 $61,236.72 4.8% 4.4% Hartman $38,259.55 $36,460.61 4.8% 2.6% Knoxville $32,802.90 $31,260.70 4.8% 2.2% Total 2003 $1,459,356.97 $1,393,640.08 4.7% Pictured above is Greg Moe with the U.S. Corps of Engineers, presenting Vicki with a Certificate of Appreciation to the Chamber for being beneficial to the success of the Annual Mobility Impaired Deer Hunts. The 18th Annual Clarksville-Johnson County Chamber of Commerce Talent Show is slated for Saturday, December 13th at the Walton Fine Art Center on the U of O Campus. Preliminaries will begin at 8:30 a.m. and Finals at 7:00 p.m. Tickets for the entire day are $6.00 and are now available at the Chamber of Commerce office at 101 N. Johnson. For additional information or an application for the talent contest you may go to the Chamber website at www.clarksvillearchamber.com or contact the Chamber office at 479-754-2340.