Chamber Logo

Chamber New
83 Years of Progress 1921-2004

Volume 8 Issue 5

Published monthly by the Clarksville-Johnson County Chamber of Commerce

May 2006

"Arkansas Heritage Month"

May 2006 is Arkansas Heritage Month. This year's theme is "Arkansas Arts, Discover our Treasures".


Arkansas enjoys a vast wealth of natural and cultural resources. Its physical beauty, musical influences, folk arts, social and political history all make for a colorful and unique heritage worth celebrating. That's why the department of Arkansas Heritage sets aside the month of May each year as a time for Arkansans to recognize and apprecitate their heritage. Arkansas Heritage Month is an opportunity to highlight a particular aspect of our state's history or defining features.
There are many ways to participate in Arkansas Heritage Month. A Heritage Month event might be a nature walk, research project, pictorial display, museum exhibit, festival or concert. To make it easier for more communities and organizations to showcase their heritage, grants are available to help them develop meaningful Heritage Month events and programs in their area. The Heritage Month grant process opens each year in November, with grants awarded in February for Heritage Month events to be held in May. Grant awards can be up to $5,000 for a qualifying event. For more information about this grant program, e-mail randy@arkansasheritage.org.
The Department of Arkansas Heritage helps promote all Heritage Month events on the web site, in the Storyline newsletter and in Heritage Month marketing efforts.
For more information about Heritage Month and how you can get involved, e-mail info@arkansasheritage.com.


"Oark Heritage Day"

Oark, Arkansas would like to invite you to join them on May 20, 2006, on the Oark School Campus, in this State wide celebration. This will be the 4th year Oark has celebrated heritage Day and the event has grown each year. Many events are already planned and include the following: a museum civil war reenactment, photo contest and demonstrations of homemaking crafts such as quilt making, churning butter, soap, bread, candles and jelly making, just to name a few. There will be entertainment, games and contests for the entire family.
The celebrated Ozark folk duo "Still on the Hill" will be there to entertain us as well as the "Karr's". See what happens when our talented sutdents take over the stage.

PIC "Still on the Hill"



Some of the art featured will be from Art Waves the Clarksville Area Art Guild, Micki Nelson with Mystic Mountain Metals, Rebecca Holden with Rebecca Holden Studios, Kathy Henry, and Katheryn Cresswell..
.
For rules on the photography and art contest, call Audrey Farmer or Barbara Sampley at (479) 292-3353 or the Clarksville-Johnson Co. Chamber of Commerce at (479) 754-2340. All entries need to be dropped off at the Oark Public School or the Chamber by Tuesday, May 16th.
All entries will be judged Wednesday, May 17th. The ribbons and prizes will be exhibited on the entries May 20th at the Heritage Day events.
We are offering booth space for individuals and clubs to demonstrate and sell their own crafts. Space for food and drink concession stands is also available. Booth space is free
PIC Of Indians

Hurvie Lewis Chrisum, also know as "He Who See's the Hidden" or "Fire Panther" and wife Mary Lucille Bargan Chrisum, also known as "Running Spirit" or "Spring Flower", lives in the heart of the Ozark Mountains. They have a sweat lodge where families and thier people go to pray. Hurvie is known as a Cherokee missoinary & ceremoniest.

"Tourism Week"
PIC

Welcome to See America Week/See Arkansas Week The Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism is working to make this year's See America Week/See Arkansas Week a success. In 2005, we had a record year, hosting nearly 22 million visitors in our state! As Arkansans, we have a true appreciation for the natural beauty of our state, and we enjoy sharing it with others. Tourism is one of our state's largest industries, bringing in approximately $4 billion dollars annually over the past five years. So, See America Week provides the perfect opportunity for us to express our appreciation to the Arkansas travelers who have made this growth possible!

The 23rd Annual See America Week/See Arkansas Week is May 13-21, 2006, and Arkansas's Tourist Appreciation Day is Monday, May 15th.

We are proud of Arkansas and want to share that pride with our visitors! This Web site gives you all of the information you need to host a Tourist Appreciation event in your own area. If you do not already have an event planned, ideas and suggestions are provided here for your consideration. If you already have an event planned, you can find fun facts to share with those who attend.

The Arkansas River Valley Tri-Peaks Region will have a booth set up at the Tourist Appreciation Day trade show in the Little Rock Market on May 15th from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm.
We will be having a drawing for a gift basket that day. If you would like to donate anything from your business to include in the gift basket, please let us know and we'll be glad to come by and pick it up.
This will be a day to appreciate the tourists who make our jobs possible. If you have any questions, feel free to give us a call at 754-2340

THANK YOU!
~Clakrsville-Johnson Co. Chamber of Commerce

"FRAUD SEMINAR"
May 9, 2006
First Security Bank's Community Room
8:30 - 12:30
Speaker: Edward J. McMillan

About ED:

Ed is a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Association Executive and has spent his entire career in not-for-profit financial management, having served as the Controller of the national office of Associated Builders and Contractors and as the Finance and Membership Director of the American Correctional Association.

He left management in 1993 when the United States Chamber of Commerce named him Faculty Chair for Finance for their Institutes for Organization Management program. He also speaks regularly for the American Society of Association Executives, the International Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus, the American Chamber of Commerce Executives, the American Bar Association and the American Institute of CPAs.

Ed has authored five books on not-for-profit-financial management:

Model Accounting and Financial Policies and Procedures
Budgeting and Financial Management
Essential Accounting , Tax and Reporting Requirements
Fringe Benefit Programs for Not-For-Profit Organizations
Fraud and Embezzlement: How it Happens and How to Avoid it A Guide for Not-for-Profit Organizations

A grant through the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas and First Security Bank to the Clarksville-Johnson County Development Foundation will fund this seminar. This course is free, but individuals planning to attend will have to register with the Chamber.

"CONGRATULATIONS"

Wal-Mart DC came in as the 5th largest Fundraising Team in the State of Arkansas for 2005 at the CMN Miracle Day Awards Ceremony. They raised $29,968.36.
Awesome Job guys!!!!!

ART WAVES-CLARKSVILLE ART GUILD
OFFERING CLASSES

Gourd Art & Decorating ~ May 4th, 11th, & 18th

MOSAIC GLASS WORKSHOP

Instructor Lynn Brooks will be giving a Mosaic Glass workshop on Tuesdays may 16, 23rd & 30th. This class will be involved in making a small (8X10) frame project and then a large window project. These projects are very similar to traditional stained glass pieces. Registration cost includes glass for projects and glass nippers. Students will provide goggles, glass cutter and 8x10 wood frame with glass. The large windows may be provided by students of purchased from Lynn for $5.00. This class will be held at Brenda Bain's classroom from 6-9 pm. Registration cost is $75.00.

For more information on these workshops or any other questions, call Jim Reasoner at (479) 754-2399

 

WELCOME NEW MEMBER


College Coffee House
Ron Leonard
117 S. College Avenue
Clarksville, AR 72830
479-754-5282

Date
Event
Time
2

Tri-Peaks Board of Directors

10:00 am
6
Gospel Concert-Faith Community Foursquare Church - 705-0516
6:00 pm
9

FRAUD SEMINAR - Call Chamber to Register

8:30 am - 12:30 pm
10

Ambassadors

11:00 am
10

HEALTH FAIR - Marvin Vinson Center

8:00 am - 3:30 pm
12
RELAY FOR LIFE- CHS Metheny Track  
13
Master Gardners Plant Sale - The Chamber
8:00 am
17

Development Foundation

3:00 pm
20

OARK HERITAGE DAY

Oark Schools

24

Resource Alliance

12:00 pm
24

Leadership Advisory Committee

3:30 pm
26

Last Day of School - Clarksville

29
CHAMBER CLOSED Memorial Day

"NRA Grant"
Clarksville-Johnson County Development Foundation
PIC
The Clarksville-Johnson County Development Foundation received notice that the NRA Foundation will be funding the Johnson County Youth Gun Safety program for the 2nd year in a row.
On April 19, 2006, local NRA Representative, David Pyron, and the State Funding committee Secretary for the NRA, Michael Nevins, presented Vicki Lyons with a check for $1,000. These funds will be used to continue the Johnson County Youth Gun Safety program, which will be carried out by the Clarksville-Johnson County Development Foundation in poartnership with The River Valley Sportsman Club.




"ACE Grant"
Johnson County Judge Mike Jacobs (left) and Clarksville-Johnson Co. Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Vicki Lyons display a check for $1,50 for the Arkansas Department of Economic Development Ace Energy Efficiency Grant Program. The check, part of $7,500 received over the last two years from the program, will be used to offset part of the cost of replacing the windows in the Johnson County Courthouse.

PIC
Arkansas' first annual Alpaca Show
was presented in April 2006 at the Foothills Arena north of Clarksville. The Alpaca, considered to be the llama's fuzzy cousin, originates for the Andes Mountain areas of south America. The animals have been domesticated for more than 5,000 years and are bred worldwide for their soft fleece. Alpaca ranchers from 11 states attended the show bringing with them 195 Alpacas. These gentle animals are about 36 inches tall, weigh about 150 pounds and have a lifespan of about 20 years.
~article by The Courier

Exclusive Insurance Benefits
Package for Chamber Members

For the last few years many of our chamber members have requested us to find a group health policy that could be purchased through the Chamber of Commerce. Until 2001 when the state legislature passed a law that made it possible for small businesses to purchase insurance in this manner it was not legal. Then when they did pass the law, no insurance agency was able to quote a price. In the fall of 2004 QualChoice put a package together for the North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce who has exclusive right to the program. Therefore, many of the Chambers of Commerce in Arkansas has signed up under the "CAP" program. We signed a contract this last fall and at that time notified you of this new service. Also, right after we signed the "CAP" contract, one of our member insurance agents brought an indemnity insurance program through Semetra Select to our attention. The Chamber Board of Directors felt this program was a good policy that would work hand-in-hand with the QualChoice policy, or could be a stand alone policy.

If you are interested in one of the chamber's discounted group policies please contact one of our local chamber member agents who has been trained and registered to sell QualChoice: Clarksville Insurance Agency or Neal Douglas, 479-754-3473; Group "W" Insurance, Shawn West, 479-754-2339; Knight Insurance & Investment Services, Nathan Knight, 479-754-1164; Phil Taylor Insurance Agency, Phil Taylor, 479-754-2616. At the present time the only insurance agent who sells Semetra Select is: Knight Insurance.

If you have any questions please feel free to call the Chamber at 479-754-2340.

MAY QUOTE

"There was never yet an uninteresting life. Such a thing is an impossibility. Inside of the dullest exterior there is a drama, a comedy, and a tragedy."

-Mark Twain


The Chamber of Commerce Member of the Month
April 2006

 

UNIVERSITY OF THE OZARKS


172ND Graduation Ceremony
Saturday, May 13 at 10:30 am
Former U.S. Senator Dale Bumpers will serve as the keynote speaker during the University of the Ozarks' 2006 commencement Ceremony

"Local Organization brings Attention to Johnson County"

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) presented the 2006 NVFC Fire Prevention Award to dayna Hilton during the NVFC's spring meeting in Washington, DC. As Public Fire and Safety educator with Johnson County Rural Fire District #1 in Clarksville, Arkansas, Ms. Hilton serves as volunteer coordinator for her department's exemplary Fire Corps program. She was recognized during an awards ceremony on April 7th for her dedication to keep her community fire-safe.
-National Volunteer Fire Council Newsletter

In recent years, Arkansas has ranked at or near the top of the national listings of states with the most deaths due to fire. Dayna recently told Dispatch, The quarterly newletter of the national Volunteer Fire Council, that they are trying to "break that cycle by promoting prevention through education."

To accomplish this goal, Johnson County RFD #1 partnered with the University of Ozark to train sixty students to teach fire safety to children and adults. The students, who are all members of the University's chapter of Phi Beta Lambda, make-up the department's Fire Corp. program and they spread their message of fire prevention to the community through fire safety presentations at local elementary schools, community events and other forums, including presentations for their peers at the University. The group has been credited with bringing about a 34% decrease in residential fire-related property loss between 2004 and 2005.



"Foothills Arena "

AATRC Team Roping ~ May 13th & 14th @ 8:00 am
Heartland Barrel Race ~ May 19th @ 6:00 pm
Heartland Barrel Race
~ May 20th @ 8:00am exb, 12:00 race
Heartland Barrel Race ~ May 21st @ 12:00 neen


"HURLEY'S"

Miniature Horse Show ~ May 6th @ 9:30 am
Westark Horse Show ~ May 13th @ 10:00 am
Arklahoma Cutting ~ May 20 @ 9:00 am


4-D Barrel Race
Pope County Fair Grounds in Russellville, AR
May 5th @ Exh. 6:00 pm/Jackpot 8:00 pm
$500 added
Fundraiser for Arkansas High School Rodeo Association

$40 entry fee/$4 exhibition
If you have a barrel horses for sale, bring tham to advertise in exhibition. Bring info about horse and it will be announced when you Exb.
Call before you haul if raining (479)968-6325 or 979-5992 or 479-497-2688 or 479-530-6532


Executive Director
Vicki Lyons

Chamber Staff
Wynette Holland
Sue Williams
(479) 754-2340
Fax (479) 754-4923
Email:
cjccofc@centurytel.net
Website:
www.clarksvillearchamber.com


Clarksville-Johnson County Chamber of Commerce
101 North Johnson Street
Clarksville, Arkansas 72830
Phone 479-754-2340
Fax 479-754-4923



2006

Executive Committee
Darrell Williams