Gravette Lions Club hears two guest speakers
GRAVETTE — Members of the Gravette Lions Club heard two guest speakers at their regular meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 15, at the Billy V. Hall Senior Activity and Wellness Center. Speakers were Gravette Mayor Kurt Maddox and Norm Moyer of Conway, past district governor of Arkansas Lions Club and state and district coordinator of the Lions Youth Exchange Program.
Mayor Maddox explained that he had just come from the groundbreaking at Hiwasse for the last two projects on the Bella Vista Bypass. Work has begun, he said, on a 2.5 mile section from Hiwasse to the Missouri state line and a single-point urban interchange which will replace the current roundabout at Interstate 49 and Highway 71 in Bentonville. When completed, the bypass is expected to relieve traffic congestion in the area and lead to considerable growth for
Gravette and Hiwasse. He noted that three of the exits from the bypass will be inside the Gravette city limits.
Maddox told the group about plans for building a
Casey’s General Store and an O’Reilly’s business in Gravette and an animal clinic and an RV storage facility in Hiwasse. He also gave an update on projects completed with bond money. He noted that most projects were completed as planned except for a change that was made at Pop Allum Park to build soccer fields rather than additional baseball fields.
Maddox said that the city has received $2.76 million in grants and donations during his time in office. A desire to help residents get healthier has been evidenced by a $1.19 expenditure for new sidewalks. He related the case of a local resident who was diagnosed with heart problems after beginning to walk on Gravette’s new trails and speculated that might have saved his life.
Moyer spoke to the club about the Lions Youth Exchange Program. He read a quote that said, “The first objective of Lionism is to create and foster a spirit of understanding among the peoples of the world” and said that the Youth Exchange Program is designed to further that objective within the teenage group. The YEP was authorized by the Lions Club International board of directors in early 1961. Students from other countries are brought in to a family setting in the United States and U.S. students are sent abroad in an effort to broaden their perspective by helping them learn how people in other countries live. Exchange visits are for a period of four to six weeks.
Moyer stressed that protecting our youth is very important today and emphasized that much communication goes on between countries in the program. He urged the Gravette club to sponsor exchange students or at least help promote the program. He encouraged Lions Club members to go greet arriving exchange students at the airport, along with members of the host families and invite them to attend club meetings.
Moyer said he has interested students from Belgium, Turkey and India and he is responsible for finding host families.
He left applications for students and for host families with club president Al Blair and asked for help in finding prospects in the area. He said he would like to create an international camp in Arkansas where exchange students could meet each year. He encouraged local Lions to obtain and read the Exchange Youth Handbook, as well as the handbooks for sponsoring clubs, host clubs and host families to better educate themselves about the program.
During the business meeting, Lions discussed plans for the upcoming Lions Live and Learn Day event Saturday, Nov. 7, at the Gravette Civic Center. All speakers have been confirmed and promotion and scheduling are continuing. The Lions Club also will participate with a trunk or treat booth in the community fall festival Saturday, Oct. 26, at Ozarks Community Hospital.