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WOMEN’S INC.By Women, For Women, About Women of Central Arkansas

Linda LinnWomen in Business

Diamond Achievement Award winner

Linda Linn is such a deserving winner of the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce’s first Women in Business Diamond Achieve-ment Award. She has been dedicated to her

family’s business and served our community in so many ways over the years. I cannot think of a more deserving winner, and we are honored to feature her this month. Congratulations Linda!

We are so fortunate to have Conway Regional’s Rehabilitation Hospital in our community. For years, patients who were in need of acute rehab were leaving Faulkner County to receive these services. But these patients can be served right here in our own state-of-the-art rehab facility. Check out the photos on p. 12 of the therapy room and gym avail-able at this facility.

Pasta Grill is our featured downtown business this month. Owners Wesley and Suzanne Hall are committed to bringing delicious food, a great atmosphere and excellent customer service to their customers in this new downtown restaurant. This restaurant is a must! It really is a beautiful dining experience, complete with some of the best food Conway has to offer — huge portions and reason-able prices. Bring your appetite, and be ready to take home a to-go box!

Finally, this month our Homes section features the beautiful outdoor space at the home of Jim and Fran Bailey of Conway and highlights of the “Best Of 2012.”

Until Next Month,

WOMEN’S INC.EditorLori Quinn

Creative DirectorStewart Cole

Contributing WritersRachel Parker DickersonAngie HowardDr. Patricia KnottAndrea LennonJill McCollumSusan O’KeefeJennifer Stanley

Chief PhotographerBrandy Strain

Contributing PhotographersSara BlackLaura DerdenCourtney SpradlinGerald WashingtonLindsey Faith Watson

Retail Advertising Sales ManagerRhonda Overbey

Advertising CoordinatorsJackie BlackLeah Brown

Advertising SalesSarah AllenTara MallettJesica TalbertBetsey Willbanks

Advertising ArtistsJay PrinceKellie McAnulty

Editorial Advisory BoardNicolle FletcherHaley Crafton FowlerBeverly FreileyMary HarlanBecky HarrisNancy JacksonHelen LockhartVelda LuedersCandace MeeksMisty MorseCarol PattyLori RossMary Margaret SatterfieldTraci Kennedy SmithKatherine ThomasonStefanie Holt VannJessica Zimmerman

Women’s Inc. is published by the Log Cabin Democrat.

Questions or Comments?Call (501) 327-6621, e-mail: [email protected] or write to P.O. Box 969, Conway, AR, 72033

www.womensinc.net

Welcome, 2013!

4 WOMEN’S INC. / JANUARY 2013 WWW.WOMENSINC.NET 5

Women’s Inc. would like to honor a central Arkansas woman with a New Year, New You makeover prize package.

Tell us whey your nominee deserves to be pampered. Send nominations and photos to [email protected], check us out on facebook or drop off nominations at Log Cabin Democrat, 1111 Main St., Ste. 102.

contents

features columns

events

6 Cover StoryLinda Linn earns Chamber’s inaugural

Diamond Achievement Award.

11 Feature StoryConway Regional Rehabilitation Hospital fills

void in Conway community.

16 Downtown

Pasta Grill: Newest Italian destination.

20 FoodHealthy and good.

24 Shopping

Bath & body / beauty & bling.

28 Homes

Bailey back yard: An outdoor retreat.

30 Homes

Best of 2012.

38 CommunityProgress is helping out man’s best friend.

9 Green

New year’s resolution time again!

by Angie Howard

10 Book Review

Tom Franklin’s ‘Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter’

review by Susan O’Keefe

14 Spirituality

What are you afraid of?

by Andrea Lennon

15 Finance

Tips for the upcoming tax season

by Donna Stephens, CPA and staff

26 Beauty

New year, new you from head to toe

by Annie Worley

27 Life

A new year — a new opportunity

by Fran Scroggins

37 Appearance

You, younger

by Susan Isom

34 Chamber Women in Business Event

35 Studio Skin Open House

36 Andrea Lennon Book Signing

36 The Village at Hendrix Christmas Tour of

Homes

16



C O V E R S T O R Y


By Jennifer StanleyPhotos by Brandy Strain

The Conway Area Chamber of Commerce presented its inaugural Women in Business Awards on Dec. 4 at the University of Central Arkansas. The awards are a new business event created to celebrate female leadership in Central Arkansas and were implemented to honor individuals who have excelled in leadership and community service and who have inspired others both personally and professionally.

While five women received Outstanding Women in Business Awards, Linda Linn was the proud recipient of the prestigious Diamond Achievement Award for 2012. This award recognizes an individual who has inspired and empowered many generations of women and who has a positive impact on those in her profession and in her community. The Chamber accepted award nominations from the community, and a panel of chamber executives out-side the state reviewed the nominations and selected the recipients.

Linda is a co-owner of Linn’s Auto, Inc., where she has been employed since the busi-ness opened in 1965 and an active partner since 1985. Married to Danny Linn since June 1965, the couple has two beautiful daughters, Susan McCoy, married to Ric, and Christy Priester, married to Eric. They also have five grandchildren: Raegan Moore, Andrew and Nicolas Priester and Kavanagh and Rileigh McCoy. Their daughters are also partners in the

COURTNEY SPRADLIN PHOTO

Linda Linn earns Chamber’s inaugural

Diamond Achievement Award

Danny Linn, Christy Priester, Reagan Moore, Linda Linn and Susan McCoy at the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce’s Women in Business event.


family business, which offers auto parts and sales and is located in Conway. Linn’s employs 31 employees — after a tumultuous year and a change in a major contract. “We aren’t the same business we used to be, but we’ve always been good at customer service, so we rebuilt and reorganized the business to what it is today. It’s been a new experience. Our good reputa-tion followed us, and things are going very well,” she said.

Of her nomination, Linda said, “I was honestly overwhelmed and surprised to be included in the awards. I didn’t expect anything, and I didn’t write a speech. I was just honored to be included in that group.”

Of advancing to win the Diamond Award, she humbly stated, “When they called my name, I felt so undeserving because I didn’t do all of that by myself. Danny and I have been partners in work and life for 48 years. We both grew up on dairy farms, and we knew how to work. Susan and Christy joined the business in the early 2000s as well and have also been true partners, so I don’t feel like I’ve accomplished everything myself.”

Linda’s positive attitude and selflessness also led to a desire to give back to the community, citing gratitude to the people of Conway as a motivator. As such, her local philanthropic involvement has been extensive.

“Danny and I have always felt like we needed to give back to the community since it has always been so good to us. I have served as the United Way Campaign chair, served on the Conway Chamber of Commerce Board and served as its chair in 2000. I have also served on the boards of the Boys and Girls Club of Faulkner County, the Conway Symphony

Orchestra and the Conway Regional Foundation and helped to organize and serve as chair of the Conway Christian School Foundation Board. I also served as a founding board member of the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas in 1998 and as a board member from 1998-2003. I am also a member of the Conway Com-mittee of 100 and served on the Blue Ribbon Com-mittee for Conway in 2011. I currently serve on the UCA Business Advisory Committee, the Bookcase for Every Child committee and have served on two fundraising committees for Bethlehem House and the Boys and Girls Club and the Arkansans for Jobs and Affordable Energy Committee in 2012, which was a Rally against the Severance Tax on Natural Gas,” said

Linda. She can now add Women in Business Diamond

Award Recipient to her plethora of roles and ac-complishments. In addition to the cachet of the award, she received a black diamond, “C”-adorned necklace, which was provided for the awards by Fletcher Smith’s Jewelers of Conway. “It’s beautiful, and Fletcher did a great job. I had it on the next day and went to their store and told him how gorgeous it is. It really goes with everything, and I love it,” Linda said. She added, “I’m just really overwhelmed, honored and humbled. Conway is so fortunate to have the women we’ve got; we have so much talent, and we should count our blessings for that.”

Danny and Linda Linn have been partners in work and life for more than 48 years.

Both of the Linn’s daughters, Christy (standing) and Susan (seated), work in the family business.


By Angie Howard

I don’t know about you, but I’ve already been scoping out possibilities of resolving to make myself a better person this year. Here’s my short list:

•Editingmyhabitofsaying,“Oh,Shoot!”nearlyeverytimeIgetfrustrated, because a certain three-year-old mini-me has picked up this less

than lovely phrase and uses it upwards of 20 times a day.•Organizingthesilverwarewhenloadingitintothedishwasher—aresolu-

tion suggestion from my genuinely sweet husband, who informed me several months ago as we were putting the dishes away together that in our 12 years of marriage, my inability to keep dirty forks paired with forks, knives with knives, and spoons with spoons in the utensil basket has nearly driven him insane. I just smiled and said, “Oh, Shoot! ... I’m sorry,” while visualizing in my mind the 5,346 pairs of his socks I’ve silently picked up off the floor in those same 12 years of marriage.

•GivingupthecopiousamountsofcaffeinatedDietCokesIconsumeona daily basis. Actually, upon second thought, I have scratched this one off the 2013 resolution list. I am a work-from-home, homeschooling mother of four precious children under the age of 10. Caffeine is how I stay awake and abuzz the 20.5 hours straight that are necessary to get all that needs to be done, done.

So for me, resolutions in 2013 amount to nixing the “Oh, shoot!” saying and focusing on dishwasher cutlery organization to preserve my beloved’s sanity.

Have you had a chance to think about your resolution for the new year yet? If not, I would love to offer a fun little suggestion:

“Merry Christmas, happy new year ... our new larger recycle bins are here!”This would be the perfect time for any of you Conway residents who might

not already have a blue bin at your home to jump on board as your 2013 resolu-tion to recycle!

A new shipment of nearly 600 96-gallon recycle bins recently arrived at our department and are just waiting to be adopted out to loving homes that will feed them regularly and walk them to the curb once a week!

Currently, 68% of Conway residents have a recycling blue bin at their home. We would love to see the remaining 32% of our neighbors join the Monday citywide recycling routes and participate in our free, curbside and co-mingled (no sorting of recyclables necessary, all recyclable items go in your blue bin) program!

If you would like to resolve to recycle, it could not be more simple! Just call the Conway Sanitation Department at (501) 450-6155 or visit the

“Contact Us” link on our website, www.conwaysanitation.org, to provide us with your address and our staff will deliver your blue cart to your home, at absolutely no charge.

Items that are recyclable through our co-mingled program include: Office paper and newspaper, cardboard, small household plastic containers,

aluminum and steel cans, magazines, clean Styrofoam and plastic shopping sacks.

Glass can also be recycled but it requires a separate glass recycling bin (which we also provide for free upon request, inquire for details by phone or email).

So now we are all set with our 2013 resolutions to become better people, right? Me with my edited mommy mouth and organized utensil basket, my husband who has now vowed to be more vigilant at assisting his socks to the laundry basket in 2013 ... and most exciting of all, hopefully some of you as our newest recycle bin recipients!

Happy new year to you all! Remember, resolve to recycle in 2013!

Angie Howard is a wife and mother of three. She is recycling coordinator for the city of Conway and the Faulkner County

Solid Waste District. Angie can be reached at [email protected].

New year’s resolution time again!

G R E E N


B O O K R E V I E W

‘Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter’ by Tom Franklin

Susan O’Keefe is a wife to Jack, mother to four children, and eager to face the crazy, awesome,

fun things God delivers daily. She and her family recently moved to Oxford, Mississippi,

where Susan will continue to read and review, instruct fitness classes, and embark on this next

adventure in life.

By Susan O’Keefe

It’s the late 1970s. An unlikely friendship is budding between two rural Mississippi boys, one black and one white. One of them is athletic and well-liked. The other reads horror novels and has no friends. Fast forward 20 years and “Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter” opens.

Award-winning author Tom Franklin receives high acclaim for his part-thriller, part-love story, part-observation of a downtrodden people. One of the previously mentioned boys, a main character of the story, earned his way to college at the University of Mississippi and eventually served as the town constable/sheriff (City Hall prefers constable. He prefers sheriff.). The other boy stayed behind and endured scorning eyes of a judgmental town.

As the story unfolds, a pretty teenage girl is miss-ing. Folks begin talking, remembering two decades ago when a similar crime rocked their comfortable, cotton candy world.

Larry and Silas shared the same mean-spirited father, but each had their own mother. Neither boy knew this biological bridge existed until well into their adult years. Race separated them physically, but Silas’ choices separated them even more.

Our book club categorized both mothers as victims, but for different reasons. Larry’s mother was brow beaten and crushed in spirit by her husband, Carl. She lived in a Mississippi generation that said “yes, sir” to her husband without any thought given to her own wants and needs.

Silas’ mother, also a victim, had no choice, but to succumb to Carl’s sexual advances. She lived on his property in a shanty. Therefore, in Carl’s eyes, she was his property as well. Silas sensed the effect his mother’s beauty had on men. He also knew she used it to survive. One day, he would use similar means, just to survive. Our members extended empathy toward Alice Walker, a woman described as having starved from loneliness. Did she lack courage, or did she just choose to exercise it quietly?

To say it was unlikely for Larry to have a date in high school would be an understatement. He was an oddball. He was the loner. He was the outcast. But Franklin orchestrates a captivating and chilling tale. Larry’s lone date sets the story in motion. He picks up a neighbor girl, known as pretty white trash, and is supposed to take her to the drive-in. His mother has prepped him, cramming cotillion-like lessons into a formica dinner table lecture. Carl, for once, actually shows a hint of generosity, and fattens his son’s wallet. Larry is more excited than a Mississippi man on opening day of deer season.

Date night changes Larry’s life forever. The girl begs Larry to drive her to meet another boy. It’s a set-up. She’s using Larry to sneak out with another beau. Unbeknownst to Larry, that beau is his buddy from the woods. Only wanting to make his date happy, Larry obliges. He drops her off at a secret meeting with plans to rendezvous just before curfew. Larry’s right on time in the middle of the dusty road, even a few minutes early. But the clock ticks, and the girl never shows. Ever.

Mississippi meanness and condemning comments push Larry and his family further into an ostracizing orbit. The truth lies hidden. Their lives are nearly frozen in time. As the author says, “The land has a way of covering the wrongs of people.” Two decades pass, and it seems history may be repeating itself. The very ghosts that haunt the country dark of this rural Southern town know all the secrets. In the final pages of the story, the secrets reveal themselves, most of them anyway.


By Dr. Patricia Knott

In 2004, Conway could boast of a lot of things, in-cluding its local acute care medical services provided by Conway Regional Medical Center. The town had restaurants, department and furniture stores, nursing homes with skilled nursing facilities, out-patient therapy centers, a newspaper office, physician clinics with multiple specialties, reputable colleges and excellent schools. But Conway did not have an acute inpatient rehabilitation facility. Little Rock had a couple, and North Little Rock had one. Even Sher-wood and Jacksonville had theirs. Patients requir-ing acute rehab in Conway were leaving family and friends to spend time in one of those facilities out of town, working on their strength and functional skills in hopes of returning to the Conway community after a devastating illness, surgery or injury. Well, that all changed when Conway Regional Rehabilita-tion Hospital opened its doors to receive patients in December 2004.

The idea for an acute rehabilitation hospital was conceived by the leadership of Conway Regional

F E AT U R E S T O R Y

Conway Regional Rehabilitation Hospital fills void in Conway community

From left, Chris Huselton (director of therapy), Vanessa Vorhease (administrative assistant) , Sherry Gann (administrator), Patricia Knott (medical director), Shelley Daigle (director of nursing) and Marilyn Powell (clinical coordinator). Not pictured: Elizabeth Goforth (case manager) and Catherin Gatlin ( social worker).


Medical Center, and when they approached the medical staff for a joint venture opportunity, many of them wanted to invest in the future of rehab in Conway.

What is an acute rehabilitation hospital and how does it differ from the skilled nursing facilities that are prevalent in Conway? For starters, an acute reha-bilitation hospital is just that — a hospital. It pro-vides care to a special population of patients, young and old, who, through illness or injury, have suffered a decline in functional skills, including the inability to walk. Most of these patients are able to return to

the community and home with family after a short stay of 10-12 days. On average, 71% of the hospital’s patients return home. Patients can be admitted from home, their physician’s office, an emergency room or the hospital. The hospital has nurse screeners avail-able throughout the Little Rock and surrounding Faulkner County areas to evaluate patients for admis-sion. A skilled nursing facility (SNF) on the other hand is not a hospital but is usually a unit within a nursing home. A patient has to spend at least three days in an acute care hospital before they can be admitted into a skilled unit.

Conway Regional Rehabilitation Hospital is a 26-bed unit where the medical director and primary admitting doctor are board-certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation. The physician must round on the patients no less than three days per week, and in fact, averages five days a week and provides 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week medi-cal coverage. All patients are seen by the physician within 24 hours of admission. The medical director works with an interdisciplinary team which consists of licensed therapists (occupational therapists, physi-cal therapists, speech and recreational therapists),


nurses, social work, case management and dietary, all of whom are interactive with one another throughout the day. All therapy is provided by the therapists. While nurses and aides provide none of the therapy, they do reinforce the training provided by the therapists and provide 24-hour nursing care. The director of nursing is a certified rehabilitation nurse specialist.

Acute rehabilitation hospitals are mandated to provide three hours of therapy per day at a minimum of five days per week. This contributes to the short length of stay. SNFs do not operate under this same mandate and can give as little as 30 minutes a day, though some provide up to two hours or slightly more. Physicians in a SNF are not mandated to round on the patient as often as three days per week. The direct nursing care hours differ as well. CRRH nurses provide eight and a half hours direct nursing care per patient day and have 24 hours RN nursing oversight. SNF(s) on the other hand provide two and a half to four hours per patient day of direct nursing care and are only mandated to have eight hours of RN nursing oversight in a 24-hour period.

One of the greatest assets Conway Regional Rehabilitation Hospital (CRRH) has is its adminis-trator, Sherry Gann. Gann has 20 years of experience in nursing and received her degree from Baptist School of Nursing in Little Rock. All of her nursing experience has been in acute rehab, other than the short period of time she ran a small SNF. She heads the Central Arkansas chapter of the Association of Rehab Nurses. Her knowledge and expertise has guided the hospital onto a path of excellence, and her excitement for quality care has inspired those who work with her.

“Conway is very fortunate to have an acute inpatient rehabilitation hospital in our commu-nity,” Gann said. “Research shows that patients who receive acute inpatient rehabilitation have better outcomes, shorter lengths of stay and an increase in discharge to the community. In the time I have been at Conway Regional Rehabilitation Hospital, I have seen an increase in the number of patients we see from other areas of the state who want to come to our facility to be closer to family members. I see this facility continuing to grow in the future with the new Medicare/Medicaid regulations and the need to decrease re-admissions back to the acute care hospi-tals. CRRH has some very experienced staff, and Dr. Knott is one of the best physiatrists (rehab specialist) I have worked with in the years of my experience.”

Lieutenant Robert (Bob) Berry who heads the criminal investigation division of the Conway Police Department, is grateful that Conway has an acute rehabilitation hospital. When he suffered a stroke several years ago, his doctor referred him to CRRH.

“Being at the rehab hospital has meant the world to me,” Berry said. “ The people there are the great-est people to work with. I don’t think I would be where I am today if I had not gone there after I had my stroke. They used their skills to help improve my function, and I was able to return to the police force. I made friends among the staff that I remain in contact with to this day.”

Conway Regional Rehabilitation Hospital fulfilled a need in Conway — for patients, families and physi-cians. Its staff has enjoyed serving the community and hopes to continue providing excellent rehabilita-tion care far into the future.


What are you afraid of?By Andrea Lennon

Recently the Lord put His spotlight on a few areas in my life where I experience feelings of fear. A few of these areas include fear of rejection, fear of failure and fear of the unknown. To be honest, none of these

fears surprised me. Like you, I continually need to grow in my relationship with the Lord by further applying His Word to my daily life. What did surprise me was the way my fears inhibited me from living the life Jesus calls me to live. Let me share one example with you.

I had the opportunity to travel with a group of friends to sing at a church. One thing that you may not know about me is that I have a fear of singing in front of people, especially singing by myself. This may seem strange since I stand in front of people and talk; but for me, there is something different about sing-ing. My friends know about my fear of singing and have never pushed me. One night when we were at rehearsal, one of the ladies who had a solo was not able to attend. That night, for the first time, I sang her solo. It was difficult, but I survived. The next practice I sang the solo again. This time the solo was easier. My voice was stronger, and I did not feel like I was going to hyperventilate. Still I had no plans of singing in front of “real” people. A few days prior to the event, the original soloist had to cancel. You can imagine my surprise. My immediate reaction? “I am NOT singing the solo!”

As our group drove to the event, we did not know who was going to sing the solo. I was afraid. I did not know if I could sing by myself. However, I did not want to miss the opportunity to step out in faith and obey God if He was calling me to sing. I decided that I would give the solo a try during sound check. Unfortunately, we arrived at the church too late and missed our sound check. I was out of time. I had to make a decision. So with five minutes to spare, I told my friends, “I will sing the solo.” Lots of praying was already taking place in my heart; but once I committed to the solo, my prayer life became very intense.

Our group took the stage and sang the first three songs. I knew “my” song was next. I started to feel my legs shake, my hands tremble, and suddenly it became very difficult to breath. I kept praying. “Lord, help me!” I knew that I would not make it through the song unless the congregation knew what was going

on in my life. So, unscripted and unplanned, I told the congre-gation that I had never sung a solo and that no matter how it sounded, I wanted them to hear the powerful words of the song. The music began, and I started to sing. I wish I could tell you that my first solo experience was a “home run.” But I cannot. My voice was shaky and the word “painful” describes how I felt about the experience.

After our group finished singing, we sat down. I really wanted to disappear. I was embarrassed, and I felt like I had been an embarrassment to my friends. The service concluded and everyone moved to the fellowship hall for a meal. The entire time I wanted to find the nearest exit.

In the weeks that followed my solo, I thought about the experience. I asked the Lord to teach me. I had no idea what He wanted me to learn. Maybe He wanted me to learn that I am not a soloist. I would certainly agree with Him on that! However, the more I prayed and thought about the experience, the more I realized an interesting truth. As disappointed as I was that I did not sound great on my solo, I would have been more disap-pointed with myself if I had stopped short of singing it. What I mean is this: the fact that I sang the solo was a success. It was a big victory in my life! I had trouble grasping this truth because I was so caught up in viewing the experience as a failure.

God’s Word teaches that God defines success differently than we do. We often define success as hitting a “home run,” whereas God defines success as obedience no matter the perceived out-come. (One example of this principle is found in Acts 13:13-52.)

As you enter 2013, let me ask you this, “What are you afraid of?” This year do not measure success in that area of your life based on worldly outcomes. Rather measure success based on obedience to God and His Word. When you do, you will experi-ence freedom over your greatest fears as you live a life of total abandon to Jesus.

Andrea Lennon lives in Conway, Arkansas, with her husband, Jay, and sons, Jake and Andrew. Andrea ministers to the

women of Arkansas through a speaking and writing ministry called True Vine Ministry. To learn more about this ministry,

access Andrea’s website at www.andrealennon.net.

S P I R I T U A L I T Y


Tips for the upcoming tax seasonBy Donna Stephens, CPA and staff

As the holiday season comes to a close, we are all reminded of a daunting task ahead of us ... filing our taxes. While this may be the last thing

you want to think about, there are some things you can do to help you have a successful tax year. Here are a few tips and suggestions to make life easier for you and your tax advisor.

• Start Early. It is always a good idea to get started on your tax preparation as soon as pos-sible. Trust us, you would much rather have your tax preparer working on your return in February, while their minds are still fresh, than in April, when they are sleep deprived and running on fumes. If you know that you will need your tax return for a refinancing, loans, financial aid, etc., this is especially important.

• Open all of your mail during January and February. This may seem like a weird request, but many times tax documents come in envelopes that look like junk mail, so it is a good practice to open all of your mail and glance at it so that you don’t throw away a document that will be needed to file your taxes.

• Make a list of all of the income sources you had for the year. List your employers, any interest or dividend income you may have, busi-ness income and other miscellaneous income and check off the items when you receive documents in the mail. This will help you to know what you are missing and if you need to contact any issuer for this information.

• Use your tax organizer. If your tax advisor sends you a tax organizer each year, be sure to look through it. This is a very useful tool for you and your tax preparer. It will remind you of all items you had last year or anything that may have changed for this year. Be sure to review your personal and bank information and make any changes as needed.

n ITEMS THAT ARE FREqUENTLY FORGOTTEN BY THE TAxPAYER

•RealEstateandPersonalPropertyTaxes•CharitableContributions•2012EstimatedTaxPayments• Make a list of any questions you have. Tax

issues are complicated, and you may have ques-tions that you need to ask your tax advisor. It is a good idea to write these questions down as you think of them so that when you meet with your advisor, you won’t forget anything. Remember, tax laws are constantly changing and apply dif-ferently to different situations. Always ask your tax advisor any questions you may have rather than resorting to hearsay, television or Internet articles.

• Did you receive any correspondence from the IRS or State? Oftentimes the IRS will send out letters regarding penalties assessed, adjustments to tax refunds or payments due, etc. Your tax advisor needs to know this information. Make sure you get a copy of the correspondence to your advisor as soon as possible.

• Return your tax advisor’s phone calls and emails. If your tax advisor has contacted you, they probably need additional information from you to complete your return. The faster you respond to them, the quicker your return can be finished.

• New Medicare Tax. For 2013 there is a new Medicare tax of 3.8% on unearned in-come for married taxpayers making more than $250,000 and single taxpayers making more than $200,000. If you fall into this category and have large amounts of interest, dividends, capital gains or other investment income, you will want to consult with your tax advisor in 2013.

Preparing your taxes may seem intimidating, but by following these guidelines, you can cer-tainly alleviate much of the stress associated with tax preparation. Happy filing!

F I N A N C E


D O W N T O W N

Suzanne and Wesley Hall, owners of Conway’s newest downtown restaurant, Pasta Grill.


By Rachel Parker DickersonPhotos by Brandy Strain

Wesley and Suzanne Hall of Russellville never planned to go into the res-taurant business, but several eateries later, they found themselves in Conway.

The owners of Pasta Grill opened downtown Conway’s newest Italian res-taurant after an extensive bit of remodeling to the building on Front Street. No doubt, local patrons were thrilled to see a familiar space so completely made over, but for the Hall family, it was par for the course. Suzanne Hall explained how the couple has come to open half a dozen restaurants in less than 10 years.

The couple met and married while in college. They graduated in 1994 — she with a degree in criminal law, he with a degree in business. At the time, a friend of a friend, David Bubbus (owner of David’s Burgers in Conway), approached them about buying a restaurant he had opened in Russellville.

“We lived in Little Rock. I wasn’t even sure where Russellville was,” Suzanne said. “Wes met David. Neither of us had worked in a restaurant before. He wanted to do it, and we bought it just like that.”

Italian Gardens, the couple’s first restaurant, did very well, she said. They

Downtown’s newest Italian destination


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Much attention to detail has been placed on the beautiful decor and atmosphere at Pasta Grill.


revamped the menu and the décor to make it their own, and after six years, someone came along and wanted to buy it. That happened several more times.

“We never are looking to sell; it just happens that way,” Suzanne said. “People just show up. But my husband loves that — finding a building that looks like nothing and turning it into something thriving. He’s always ready for the next challenge. I’m supportive of that because he knows what he’s doing. We work as a team. It’s hard to work with your spouse every day, and to be able to work as a team is really a gift. I’m really thankful for that.”

The Halls opened restaurants in Temple, Texas; Bates-ville; Clarksville and Searcy before coming to Conway.

“Every time we sold a restaurant, God would open a door to open one in another town, and every single thing would fall into place. It’s just amazing,” Suzanne said. “We’ve always thought about Conway, but other things have come up. We like Conway a lot, and we love this restaurant. It’s a really neat location, and we’re thankful to be here.

“One thing is this building ... how could you mess it up? The walls and the ceilings and the bones of this building ... it’s just beautiful. We love Conway. There’s so many people here we absolutely love that have been so kind to us.”

She said one difference between Conway and the other lo-cations where they have opened restaurants is that Conway has many more options for dining.

“It’s been a new experience finding out how we let people know we’re here. It’s been well-received. We have wait-ing lists every Friday and Saturday night. It’s been a real blessing. It’s one of those times you want to say thanks to Conway for responding the way they have. People have given us ideas and compliments and input, and we’re really grateful.”

Suzanne said one of the most popular items on the menu is the shrimp and grits. They also have a savory cheesecake that has been very popular, she said. The restaurant also serves prime rib, steaks, pasta, salad and desserts, all made in-house.

She concluded, “Wes and I love what we do. In Conway, more than any other restaurant, we complete each other. We work together as a team. It’s obvious that this is what God has called us to do, and we’re happy doing it right now.”

SUBM

ITTE

D P

HO

TOS


F O O D

&


By Chef Jill McCollum, CCPhotos by Lindsey Faith Watson

We’ve all heard the warning: Even if they taste really good, go easy on the cheeseburgers, sausage, fried foods, pastries and ice cream. These foods are high in saturated fat, which can raise your blood cholesterol to dangerous levels.

Eat foods high in fiber. There are two types of fiber: solu-ble and insoluble. Soluble fiber helps lower cholesterol, and insoluble fiber helps keep you regular. An apple actually has both types of fiber — soluble fiber in the pulp and insoluble fiber in the skin. So what other foods are high in soluble fiber and can help lower your cholesterol?

Eat a variety of grain products, such as oatmeal, bread, rice bran, barley and pasta. Go for three to five servings per day, opting for whole grains.

Mom was right about eating your fruits and veggies. Make sure that you get a variety of different types — and aim for five or more servings per day

Beans and peas are small but potent. They have soluble fiber, so they can be your ally in the fight against cholesterol. Sometimes it’s fine to be nutty and seedy. Nuts and seeds can help lower your cholesterol. However, remember to only eat them in limited amounts.

Eating meat is OK, but choose lean meats and skinless poultry — and don’t overdo it. Eat no more than six ounces per day.

When cooking, try to use unsaturated vegetable oils. These include canola, corn, olive, safflower, sunflower and soybean oils.

Healthy

Good

Chef Jill McCollum, CC is the Caterer and Food Service Director for Central

Baptist College. Jill is the owner of Jill McCollum Catering in Conway. She can

be reached at [email protected] or (501) 730-4422


Fish Tacos with Crunchy Corn Dressing

1 cup corn½ cup diced red onion½ cup diced red bell pepper1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped1 lime, zested and juiced2 tablespoons sour cream2 tablespoons cayenne pepper1 tablespoon ground black pepper2 tablespoons salt6 (4 ounce) tilapia fillets2 tablespoons olive oil12 corn tortillas, warmed

Preheat grill for high heat. In a medium bowl, mix corn, red onion, red bell pepper and cilantro. Stir in lime juice and zest. In a small bowl, combine cayenne pepper, ground black pepper and salt. Brush each fillet with olive oil, and sprinkle with spices. Arrange fillets on grill grate, and cook for 3 minutes per side. For each fish taco, top two corn tortillas with fish, sour cream and corn dressing.

Fresh Tomato Salsa3 tomatoes, chopped½ cup finely diced onion1 fresh jalapeno diced½ cup chopped fresh cilantro1 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons lime juice

In a medium bowl, stir together tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, salt and lime juice. Chill for one hour in the refrigerator before serving.

Fresh Baked Tortillas8 flour tortillas½ stick melted butter (or substitute butter spray for a healthier alternative)Salt/pepper

Cut tortillas in triangles; brush butter and salt and pepper on tortillas. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until brown.


WWW.WOMENSINC.NET 25

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Jean Baptiste Hand soap and hand lotion by Niven Morgan

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Shelley Kyle assorted bath and body products $20-$35

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Niven Morgan bath and body products $24-$30

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Red, rose and white pearl bracelets with Swarovski crystals by Honora

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Cross earrings $10Cross bracelet $14Cross necklace $8

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Lenny and Eva Leather bracelet and sentiment (Marilyn saying)

$42 (for both)Julio Designs cross bracelet $24

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Leather and crystal watch $25Crystal crown iPhone 4 case $28

Available at Branch Out


By Annie Worley, RN/Injectable specialist

How many new year’s resolutions have we all made, then three or four weeks down the road thrown them by the wayside? This year make one that can make you look and feel better — one that can actually be achieved!

We all start our day by looking in the mirror. What we see in that mirror often dictates our self esteem and overall mood and outlook on the day. What if someone told you this could be greatly improved in a few minutes with no downtime? Well, it can! Here are a few ways this can happen.

BOTOXWe have all heard about Botox. Many times Botox gets a bad rap. When mentioned, the

image of the over-injected, unnatural-appearing housewives we see on TV come to mind. This is not the desired result. In my personal experience the desired outcome of proper Botox and other fillers is a natural, softer-looking you. You still look like yourself — only better and more rested.

Botox, when used in proper doses, temporarily relaxes the muscles that cause certain creases and wrinkles. When the muscles are relaxed, the lines and wrinkles become less ap-parent. Botox is used to treat glabellar lines (the “worry” lines between the eyes), crows feet and forehead lines. The results of Botox usually last about three-four months, at which time the treatment can be repeated in order to maintain results.

Another use for Botox is severe underarm sweating (called hyperhydrosis). This condition can interfere with daily activities, ruin your clothing and be very embarrassing. Botox is now FDA approved for treatment of severe underarm sweating and lasts seven months or more. People usually notice a significant decrease in underarm sweating in three-four weeks. The procedure is completed within 10-15 minutes with very little discomfort.

DERMAL FILLERSAs we age, our skin loses elastin and collagen, which causes our skin to have less volume

and have more fine lines and wrinkles. One of the main causes of our faces appearing older is volume loss. Injectable dermal fillers can replace this volume loss, resulting in a fuller, more youthful-appearing face.

Juvederm is a filler made from hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is made naturally by the human body. It is vital for skin, bone, muscle and joint health. This is used cosmetically to replace lost volume in order to fill lines and wrinkles.

Injectable fillers can plump thin lips, enhance shallow contours, soften creases and ap-prove the appearance of some scars caused from acne or injury, resulting in a smoother, fuller, more youthful-appearing face. These results typically last nine-12 months or longer.

Another type of filler available called Radiesse, works by increasing our skin’s collagen. Aging skin loses collagen which causes the skin to appear thinner, leading to lines, wrinkles and folds. When Radiesse is injected, it not only adds volume to the skin, it also stimulates collagen production in our own skin, creating longer-lasting results.

ASCLERAAsclera is a prescription medication used to treat unwanted spider veins on your legs.

This procedure is done by injecting the medication directly into the spider vein. The pro-cedure can be completed in about 30 minutes with very little discomfort. Sun exposure and vigorous exercise are to be avoided for 48 hours after injections. Veins disappear in as little as 4 weeks.

This is a new year! It’s time to take the same “you” and make a new and improved you from head to toe!

For a free consultation, come see Annie Worley, RN at Studio Skin and Co., at 1016 Oak st in Conway, or call (501) 358-4653.

New year, new you from head to toe

B E A U T Y

Annie Worley, RN graduated from Baptist School of Nursing in 1997. She worked for a plastic surgeon for 5 years in which time she gained extensive experience in injectables including Botox, Juvederm, Radiesse, and spider vein injections. She has been

injecting for 6 years in which time she has attended numerous trainings on injection techniques. In the fall of 2010 she attended the advanced palate training which is the highest level of training that is available to nurse injectors. Please contact Annie Worley,

RN at Studio Skin in Conway (501)358-4653


A new year — a new opportunityBy Fran Scroggins

As we approach this holiday season and all the joy that it brings to our minds and our hearts, we are met with the realities of the tragedies of life. I was deeply affected, as probably were many of

you, by the teachers and young children who were shot at the school in Connecticut. It hit especially close since my grand-daughter is in kindergarten, as were many of those children.

Others were killed in a shopping mall as they did their Christmas shopping very near the site where I have twice attended a seminar on child abuse. In that situation, a happy situation was again turned into tragedy.

Many others are unable to enjoy this holiday season as their homes and many — if not all — of their possessions were swept away by Hurricane Sandy. They are barely surviving in their homes or shelters and certainly limited in their ability to enjoy the season as they had likely planned only a few months previously.

So how does all this affect us? Hopefully in the new year we can not only recognize ourselves and needing improve-ment with the many new year’s resolutions we all make. Those certainly are important, and many of us should work harder to continue on those to lose weight and learn to live a healthier lifestyle. Exercising more is also important given the current state of the health of many of our citizens.

There is something that I think is more important and should be an area of concentration for all of us. Although this may seem stupid, we should teach our children and grand-children the difference between right and wrong. Let them know that the world in general expects them to do the right things and to act appropriately as do we. This includes not teaching our children to lie when it is convenient for us.

Another thing is to teach our children to respect others. Respect for others and others’ property is something that does not exist in many places in our country. We should teach our children to respect their teachers by respecting them ourselves. Challenging the teacher in front of all the children and showing our lack of respect for the teacher teaches the children that they do not have to have respect for them.

Respect persons in authority, such as law enforcement of-ficers. There are bad officers in the world just as there are bad

persons in every walk of life. But the law enforcement officers and firefighters put their lives on the line daily for us, and they deserve our respect. Listen to the songs your children want to hear and play. Do not let them listen to songs which belittle others or encourage them to shoot pigs (law enforce-ment officers). Learning proper respect will eliminate many of the problems seen with violence in our country.

Respect our flag. Teach your children the pledge of al-legiance and lobby to have children recite it in schools again. Teach your children respect for the flag. Stand when the “Star Spangled Banner” is sung and the flag is displayed.

Respect for the military personnel who put their lives on the line for us each and every day, which allows us the free-doms we possess, cannot be over-stressed. Teach your children by helping with care packages for the military or helping their families when they are deployed. Pray for the safety of these persons with your children.

Teach your children and grandchildren the value of work. In our zeal to make our children’s lives easier than ours, many baby boomers failed to do a good job teaching our children the value of work and instilling in them a good work ethic. Remember the best way to teach is to let your children see you.

Volunteer and become a mentor. We can be mentors and volunteer at programs and schools and help children learn from our many experiences. Let us help them not make some of our mistakes.

As I read through this article. let me say that I do not see that everything is hopeless or doomed. I see us having many opportunities to make our world better. We live in a land of many opportunities, and we have many freedoms not avail-able to many in this world. As we make ourselves a “New Me” in 2013, let’s also make us a better world in 2013.

Happy New Year!

L I F E

Fran Scroggins is a graduate of the Bowen School of Law at UALR. She has been practicing law in Conway since 1996.

Voted Best Attorney in Faulkner County by readers of the Log Cabin Democrat, Fran resides in Conway with her husband of

nearly 35 years.They have five children.


H O M E S


By Jennifer StanleyPhotos by Courtney Spradlin

The West Conway home of Jim and Fran Bailey sits on two acres and boasts a backyard oasis. When the couple moved into their home two years ago, the backyard consisted of a pool and a concrete slab that formerly held a gazebo. The Baileys viewed this as a blank canvas, and the transformation began. “The home has been a work in progress, but we are really enjoying it,” Fran said.

To date, they have added a rock fireplace, a pergola and a stained concrete walkway that leads to the pool. They have also extensively landscaped several areas of the large yard. The overall effect of the fireplace and pergola is impressive; even more incredible is the fact they were built completely by Jim. “My husband built the pergola and the fireplace. He started on this as a spring project the year after we moved in,” Fran said.

Jim extended the concrete, nearly doubling its size. He then constructed the fireplace and hearth, which are made completely of rock. From there, he added the oversized pergola, which was also completely hand-constructed. “This was entirely his project. He came home from work and did this in the evenings and on weekends; it was his therapy, and it was a labor of love,” Fran said. The Baileys have included a comfortable seating area within the pergola for relaxation and for entertaining.

Fran added the iron chandeliers to the pergola and the rustic lanterns on the hearth and on the actual fireplace. The floor of the pergola is porce-lain tile, which was installed by Bill Clements and Mickey Cox. “So far, we have been able to enjoy the fireplace in all seasons,” she said. The family will undoubtedly continue to do so for years to come.

OUTDOORRETREAT

‘LABOR OF LOVE’ PROVIDESEXQUISITE ENTERTAINMENT AREA

B A I L E Y B A C K YA R D

Jim and Fran Bailey


H O M E S

BEST OF 2012

Holland kitchen // Beautiful countertops finish off the custom cabinetry.

Harrison home.

MAY: Pippenpost neighborhood living room.

Sherman Oaks outdoor patio.


Gullic kitchen. Berry home.

Berry home.


Butler home // This home in The Village at Hendrix boasts an open floor plan with several conversation areas.

Harrison home // Granite countertops rest on the knotty birch cabinetry in this new kitchen. The room is finished with a coffered ceiling.

D I R E C T O R Y O F S E R V I C E S


Zimmerman home // Sophie, the Zimmerman’s dog, poses front and center on the tall work table, which is the focal point in the art room.

Shipp home.Gilbert home // The Gilbert’s home has lots of charm and is dressed for every season.


CHAMBER’S WOMEN IN BUSINESS EVENT

Christy Hockaday and Marianne Welch Nancy Strain, Jackie Strain-Mahar, Brandy Strain-Dayer Sarah Allen, Betsey Willbanks, Jesica Talbert

Shelia Whitmore, Linda Tyler, Stacia Adams, Lori Ross, Amy ReedLibbi Whitehurst, Jami Smith, Leah Ashby

Cami Bradley, Charlotte Green, Becky Hutchins, Vickie Clements

Debbie Lewis, Traci Smith, Nada Stirratt, Tamera HartCate Ketcheside and Candace Meeks Rhonda Overbey, Haley Fowler, Elizabeth Parsley

Jan Spann and Lauralee McCool

Jana Hiland, Christy Priester, Reagan Moore, Susan McCoy

Kim Williams, Lindsay Wygal, Laura Grimes, Mary Satterfield


Amanda Mulhearn and Tabitha BealCatlin Williams and Nancy Thessing Hannah Dorsy and Beth Yockey

Kim Gullic, Morgan LaCour

Rhonda Aist and Paige Revis

Brooke Allen and Tonya McDaniel

Mary Ann Smith, Bonita Manning

Jami Swartz, Cathy Potter, Carol Hutchins Shannon Cook, Shelley Youngblood, Amanda Bright

Mary Goodwin, Shari Hoover, Leah Ashby

Donya Soden, Annie Worley, Angela Jackson

STUDIO SKIN OPEN HOUSE


ANDREA LENNON BOOK SIGNING

VILLAGE AT HENDRIX CHRISTMAS TOUR OF HOMES

Andrea Lennon with her mother, Sandra Morris, and sister, Shannon Still

Kim Gullic, Holli Caughern, Janet Dance, Andrea Lennon, Donna Seal, Jenifer Kendrick

Sue Riner and Becky YoungAnnabeth Jackson, Lindsey Davenport, Rachel Johnston

It made perfect sense: A community and company that believe in the impor-tance of a sense of home came together to help create a home for those who need it most. The Village at Hendrix was proud to partner with Bethlehem House to bring Conway a spectacular Holiday Tour of Homes, which ran from Nov. 30 to Dec. 2. The goal was to help Bethlehem House get closer to the end of its $1.3 million capital cam-paign to raise funds for a new facility.

Visitors bought tickets to the tour, and both The J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation of Tulsa, Okla., and The Windgate Foundation of Siloam Springs, Ark., offered 1-to-1 match-ing grants — meaning every purchase

was tripled in fundraising value. In addition, The Modern Woodmen of America donated $2,500 toward the challenge. Proceeds raised after match-ing grants totaled $26,500.

Bethlehem House, Conway’s only shelter for the homeless, was chosen as the beneficiary by the group of hom-eowners, who enjoyed sprucing up their homes for the holidays. Homes at The Village at Hendrix are known for their signature blend of modern amenities and classic Southern architectural style.

“Rallying others behind a cause like this seemed like a perfect way to kick off the holiday season,” said Beth Tyler, Director of Marketing and Sales for The Village at Hendrix. “As a community,

we felt this was a crucial moment in this campaign. The new facility will make a big difference for so many families.”

Since opening its doors in October 1991, Bethlehem House has been guided by a mission to encourage, equip and motivate the more than 200 homeless individuals and families of Faulkner County to take the necessary steps to change their life situations.

According to The National Center on Family Homelessness, the larg-est growing homeless population is families with children. Each year, Bethlehem House shelters an average of 90 homeless men, women and children and serves more than 20,000 meals to

the homeless and hungry. Volunteers and staff operate out of an early 1900’s Victorian home at 930 Faulkner St., and two additional rental properties.

The new modern, sustainable shelter will offer accommodations for 35 residents and 10 staff members in one facility, including an emergency shelter space, a modern kitchen for efficient food preparation, dining space for residents plus the 15-20 hungry people who come for dinner on a given night, a spacious playroom for children and space for life-skills training.

For information about this event or to learn how to support Bethlehem House, contact: Lesley S. Turner (501) 348-7210, [email protected].

Tour of Homes raises funds to build new homeless shelterDonna Evans photos


By Susan Isom

Most of us wish we could slow down the effects aging has on our looks — and maybe even get a few years back in the process. Well, it’s a new year and a great time to think about taking advantage of better ways to ward

off the signs of aging.Waging the war against premature or naturally-aging skin is a full-

time job that starts from the day we are born. Many women in their 20s and 30s now realize the significance of early anti-aging techniques and strategies. In your 20s, it seems as if skincare is easy. Wash, mois-turize and slap on some sunscreen (on occasion). In your 30s, you start to think, “I wish I took better care of my skin in my 20s,” and in your 40s you think, “I need to start globbing on moisturizer and retinol ... then it’s Botox here I come.

“Your skin is the main thing that shows your age,” warned Dr. Oz. Therefore, if you want to defy your age and look younger, you have to take good care of your skin. “The first step to younger-looking skin is to get rid of brown spots and minimize crow’s feet. This alone will take years off the appearance of aging skin.”

Here are a few ways to look years younger:

1. BOTOX INJECTIONSBotox is the 21st century’s magic wand against aging. In one ap-

pointment, without great expense, pain, surgical intervention or the possibility of scarring, this revolutionary anti-aging treatment can take 20 years off your face. Unlike many wrinkle treatments (specifi-cally chemical peels and some laser skin resurfacing), patients can return to work that day. The purified protein from the injection goes to work immediately on the facial muscles that are causing wrinkles. You will begin to notice visible improvements over the next month.

2. DERMAL FILLEROther affective products in the war against aging are dermal fill-

ers. These fillers are used as a component of gels which are used for injection under the skin. The fillers replace the loss of collagen as they are dissolved within the body. Their ability to reduce or eliminate wrinkles is highly effective, and they are safe to use for most all people. Did you know that there are really three effects of wrinkle filling? When we inject any filler, we stretch the skin and fool the

body into thinking it has gained weight — and it needs to grow the skin — and so it makes more of its own collagen. And, when filler is injected into the skin, it stiffens it. And stiffer skin doesn’t wrinkle as easily. When I inject these miracle substances into wrinkles, we see an immediate effect — most people say “WOW” by the time they leave the office.

3. LASER RESURFACING Fraxel® is proven laser technology that can help reverse the visible

effects of aging, naturally helping you look as young as you feel. With Fraxel, change isn’t drastic or scary — it’s you, just younger. It is non-invasive to provide a wide array of treatment options to address many forms of aging, customized to each patient’s needs and concerns, many requiring minimal recovery time. It’s the perfect solution for people who want their skin to look younger, but don’t want to look plastic or fake and can’t afford a lot of time away from work or their social life.

4. SKINCARE There’s a good chance that you’ve gone to bed more than once with

makeup still on your face. If you’re trying to look younger and pre-serve your skin, it’s essential to wash your face each night before going to sleep. Believe it or not, you will actually wake up looking more tired than if you had washed your face. There’s no point in moisturiz-ing or using anti-aging or anti-acne products on your skin if you don’t have a clean palette to work with. Also, over washing your face can be just as damaging as not doing it at all. Many people have the concept that skin needs to be squeaky clean, but that means it’s been stripped of its protective barrier. We must recondition ourselves on what clean skin means, which is dewy but not tight.

Having met thousands of older women through the years, first impression doesn’t tell you a thing. Some of these women have had incredible lives and careers and still have a great sense of humor and a lot of intellect, regardless of how many wrinkles they own. Loving the skin your in is always the greater choice — whether you are 16 or 60.

Susan Isom, Clinical Esthetician, is the owner of EL/Clinical Esthetics. Established in Conway for 21 years, Susan and her highly trained

staff offer a full range of cosmetic procedures. She is certified to inject Botox and cosmetic filler from the makers of Botox cosmetics, i.e.

Allergen. Please call 501-329-SKIN or visit elclinical.com

You, youngerA P P E A R A N C E

38 WOMEN’S INC. / JANUARY 2013

C O M M U N I T Y

By Rachel Parker Dickerson

Friends of the Conway Animal Shelter continues its mission to improve quality of life for shelter animals by raising funds and donating items and services not afforded by the city’s budget.

Members of the charitable effort reported that by providing foster homes, raising funds for surgeries and supporting adoptions, Friends of the Con-way Animal Shelter has helped lower the rate of animal euthanasia at the shelter significantly. Shona Osborne, who has served as director of the Conway Animal Shelter for almost 10 years, said that rate is at an all-time low.

“Without (Friends of the Conway Animal Shelter), the adoption rate would be significantly lower. More animals would be euthanized due to illness, includ-ing heartworm disease and from injuries they have — everything from broken legs, broken hips and eye surgery.

She noted while the population in the county continues to increase and the animal shelter’s intake continues to increase, the euthanasia rate keeps going down. In October 2012, the shelter had its lowest rate ever, she said.

“We’ve never had this low of a euthanasia rate in the 10 years I’ve been at the shelter,” she said.

Abhishek Bhardwaj of Conway, secretary to the board for Friends of the Conway Animal Shelter, said he became involved with the organization seven years ago because “I was new to town and looking to do things I liked. I like animals in general. I think they’re better people than people. All the animals end up at the shelter because of something humans do.”

He noted he adopted a yellow lab, Mason, for whom Friends provided funds for an operation to fix a broken hip.

The organization also works with the shelter to help adopt animals out to the east coast states that do not have animal overpopulation. Shelter animals have to be kept out of the shelter for 10 to 14 days before they can be transported out of state, and Friends also helps by fostering animals during this quarantine period.

Teressa Houston of Conway, a board member, said, “Over the last two years, I have fostered probably 50 dogs from Conway. I have five right now.”

Houston also helps with a new assessment pro-gram at the shelter to determine which dogs are ter-ritorial with food and possessions. Susan Shaddox of Last Chance Arkansas, another animal welfare group, told the board that temperament testing for dogs can help families know which shelter dogs are a good

fit for families with small children. She said about two thirds of the dogs at the Conway Animal Shelter passed. Dogs that did not pass the test are not con-sidered dangerous, board members noted; just more likely to nip if a child touches their food or toys.

Chris quinn, president of Friends of the Conway Animal shelter, said one of the organization’s goals is to convince Faulkner County residents to spay or neuter their pets.

“I’ve always been a huge animal advocate,” she said. “I rescued a golden retriever in 1989 and put him in animal assisted therapy at Children’s Hospital. If we could just make a dent in the animal population, we can make a difference, and we can by spaying and neutering.”

Vickie Crutchfield of Mayflower, a member of the board, said, “I’ve been picking up cats and dogs for 21 years, and I begged (quinn) to let me be a member on this board because I wanted a Faulkner County shelter. I really wanted to work on that. Conway Animal Shelter has been such a blessing. It’s going to be a model if we ever get the Faulkner County one going. I think it’s so important.”

Friends of the Conway Animal Shelter has two major fundraisers — an annual pet calendar, which is available for sale now, and the Chase Race and Paws event in March.

Progress is helping out man’s best friend

38 WOMEN’S INC. / JANUARY 2013

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