Local notes

WINDOW DISPLAY CONTEST

The Rogers Historical Museum announces the second annual Downtown Rogers Window Display Contest. This year’s theme is “Spring in the Ozarks”.

The museum’s annual Window Display Contest in the Downtown Rogers commercial district is a tribute to a springtime tradition in our city’s past taken from the Apple Blossom Festivals days in the 1920s. These annual spring festivals hosted in Rogers were a grand celebration of the apple industry in Northwest Arkansas. They also provided a way to showcase the beauty of Arkansas in springtime and the prosperity and economic progress of a growing region.

In the festival’s hey-day, many Rogers merchants joined in the celebrations by decorating their storefront window displays with apples, apple blossoms and other spring-related motifs. It is in the spirit of this historic tradition that the museum was inspired to sponsor our Window Display Contest.

Online voting for the contest is open to the public from May 10-31. The winner will receive a $500 Visa gift card and will be announced on the Museum’s Facebook and Instagram on June 1 during the Museum’s Family Day event.

Information: rogershistoricalmuseum.org/window-contest.

RED CROSS

During National Volunteer Month in April, the American Red Cross asks donors to help protect the blood supply by making and keeping blood donation appointments in the weeks ahead. Donors of all blood types — especially type O blood donors and those giving platelets — are needed now to keep the blood supply strong enough to support critical patient care this spring.

The Red Cross depends on thousands of volunteer blood donors to collect about 12,000 blood donations every single day. With no substitute for blood and no way to manufacture it, volunteer donors are essential in transfusion care. Blood drives and donation centers also depend on the generosity and valuable time of those who make it possible for the Red Cross to help people in need.

Those who come to give April 8-28, 2024, will receive a $10 e-gift card to a merchant of choice, plus be automatically entered to win a $7,000 gift card. There will be two lucky winners. See redcrossblood. org/spring for details.

Information: redcrossblood.org.

YOUTH AMBASSADORS

A shout-out to young people who are aspirational change-makers is wanted in a new youth-led initiative to help address high rates of illiteracy within the community.

The Youth Ambassador role in Fayetteville provides a young person with a platform to advocate and talk about the falling rates of reading skills and create increased community education and awareness about the vital importance of foundational literacy skills for lifelong benefits.

Nearly 60% of children from low-income backgrounds don’t own a single book and struggle to read. The World Literacy Foundation is seeking nominations for young people aged 15-25 in Fayetteville to apply to become a local voice for literacy.

Registration for the Youth Ambassador Program is now available. The 4-month youth leadership development initiative will provide training and support, plus connection to 600 other young people around the world.

Information: worldliteracyfoundation.org or email ambassador@worldliteracyfoundation.org.

ARKANSAS WILD

Explore the beauty of the Little Red River and the story of the only self-sustaining wild trout population in Arkansas Wild: The Story of Trout Tourism on the Little Red River at a special screening hosted by the Arkansas Cinema Society (ACS) on April 20 at Thaden School in Bentonville. The event is part of ACS’s Venture Film Series, which celebrates outdoor recreation and conservation. Director Benjamin Garner will be on-hand for a Q+A after the screening. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m. Admission is free, but registration is required. Register at arkansascinemasociety. org/programs/arkansaswild-the-story-of-trout-tourism-on-the-little-red-river.

Arkansas Wild is a captivating documentary delving into the intersection of tourism impact and conservation challenges along the river. Dr. Benjamin Garner, filmmaker and Associate Marketing Professor at the University of Central Arkansas, returns to his hometown of Searcy to showcase the untamed splendor and recreational treasures of the river. Garner’s exploration features insightful interviews with key figures such as Deputy Director of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Ben Batten; local fly-fishing aficionados Jamie and Kati Rouse; University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff fisheries biologist Dr. Steve Lochmann; and the dedicated team at Lindsey’s Fly Fishing Resort in Heber Springs. Through their perspectives, Garner illuminates the critical need to preserve and protect this invaluable ecosystem.

Nestled in the picturesque Ozark Mountains, the Little Red River is a renowned tail water stemming from the completion of the Greers Ferry Dam in 1962. The river’s trout legacy began in the 1960s with the introduction of trout species, followed by a significant milestone in the 1970s when Dave Whitlock and the Arkansas Fly Fishers planted the first brown trout eggs at Cow Shoals. Since then, the Little Red has emerged as a global hot spot for anglers seeking to reel in world-class brown trout. However, local guides and seasoned anglers have noted a concerning trend over the past two decades. They report a decline in the presence of larger trout compared to the abundant sightings experienced during the vibrant angling eras of the 1980s and ’90s.

The film premiered on Arkansas PBS on April 11.

Information: arkansascinemasociety.org.

ASN HONORS AWARD NOMINATIONS

Join the celebration at Arkansas Support Network where they throw confetti for those who champion inclusion in our community. It’s time to roll out the red carpet for the 2024 Honors Award Celebration! Nominations are now open.

The Arkansas Support Network Honors Award Celebration is an annual recognition of individuals and organizations in our community who excellently create and sustain inclusionary spaces for individuals with disabilities and their families. To do so, we rely solely on the insight and feedback of the ASN Family for each award recognition.

Review award links at the website to submit nominees for consideration in these categories: Reagan Excellence in Education Award, Jeff Nolte Outstanding Parent Advocate Award, Ryan Sutton/Martin Lovelace-Chandler Self Advocate Award, Employer Recognition Award, Community Distinction Award, Volunteer Recognition Award, Linda Andrews Above and Beyond Employee of the Year Award, The Keith Vire Throwing Starfish Award, Champions of Social Justice Award and Pam Biesiot Memorial Scholarship Application.

Nominate an individual or organization that actively welcomes and supports people with disabilities and their families using the link below before the curtain closes on Friday, May 10.

Information: supports. org. Nominations link is under the events tab.

EARTH DAY EVENT

A fun, family-friendly immersive conversation on environmental awareness and activism with local author Dana Klisanin will take place from 1-3 p.m. April 21 at Pearl’s Books, 8 E. Center St. in Fayetteville in honor of Earth Day.

As part of her event, Klisanin will host a “future-thinking” writing workshop where young people will write a message, sending a message of hope to the future, and place it in a time capsule together.

Featured by Forbes as one of the world’s top female futurists, Dana’s multifaceted career spans from pioneering work in conscious media to global environmental advocacy. As CEO of Evolutionary Guidance Media and Founder of ReWilding: Lab, she’s a bridge between innovative strategies and global well-being.

Now, Dana introduces Future Hack the inaugural book in the “Chronicles of G.A.I.A.” series. The series speaks to environmental activism, education, and empowering the next generation. The kid heroes in this innovative series are recruited by the Global Anticipatory Intelligence Agency (aka: G.A.I.A.) to work on behalf of our fragile planet. The novel encourages middle-grade students to think about their futures and champion the planet.

Information: facebook. com/events/295353256929– 527.

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