39 items found for ""
- Entrepreneur Stories
Tap the story to read the entire article!
- The Story Of Daisy's Lunchbox
By Jennifer Webb “Her passion for serving people and cooking fabulous food makes Daisy’s Lunchbox an unforgettable dining experience.” Daisy had known all along, Suzanne realized, with a sinking feeling in her stomach and an ache in her heart, like she had never felt before. She looked at her two-year-old son, Alex, lying in the hospital bed. His leg was in a cast because he had broken it a few weeks before. Now, back in the hospital, the doctor told her that he had brain cancer, he was legally blind, and he probably only had six months to live. Legally blind? She and her husband, Mark, had no idea. They thought he was a bit accident-prone, but part of that came from being a two-year-old boy. Brain cancer? Six months to live? It was a lot for a mom to take in, but she knew that God would see them through. Thinking back to how, Daisy, her mother’s collie dog behaved, it all made sense now. Daisy was very protective of young Alex. If someone new came, Daisy would get between the new person and Alex. She even dragged him back by his diaper once when he almost wandered off the large porch. Suzanne and Mark both had well-paying jobs, but Suzanne promptly quit when Alex got sick. She dedicated herself to taking him to the doctor and caring for him. She and Mark both prayed fervently for healing of their small son. He went into remission but faced his first brain surgery at the age of four. “We can operate,” the surgeon told her, “but there’s a 50/50 chance that he might end up like a vegetable.” Their plan was to cut open a hole in his skull and cut out all the cancerous tumors that they could. To seal it up, they would use a titanium plate and screws. Suzanne and Mark took a step of faith and agreed to the surgery. It would give their son a fighting chance. They prayed over the surgeon before he took Alex back to begin the eight-hour surgery. It was a fight, but after the surgery and rounds of chemo, Alex was pronounced in remission. They warned them that it could come back at any time. Alex grew and attended preschool at the School for the Blind in Little Rock. Then the cancer came back with a vengeance when he was six. It played out much the same as before. They prayed over the surgeon, he removed the metal plate in Alex’s skull and cut out all the cancer they could. Doctors told them that Alex would likely be in ICU for a week, but by the third day, he was in the playroom at Children’s Hospital. Suzanne and Mark discussed options after Alex was declared in remission again at the age of seven. They decided to move to Searcy and enter him into Westside Elementary for first grade. Suzanne was a basket case, but the teacher told her that he would be fine and called her every day with a report. Alex learned to be quite independent and thrived in public school. They had all sorts of goals for their little boy who they were originally told had only six months to live. First, it was to see him through elementary school. He passed with flying colors. But there was sadness along with celebration. When Alex was seven and declared in remission for the last time, faithful Daisy died. The whole family was there. “Someday,” Suzanne thought, “when I get my restaurant, I’m going to call it Daisy’s Lunchbox.” She didn’t know how she knew that she would eventually have a restaurant; it was just a dream that she and Mark shared. They didn’t know if it would be a cafe or bed and breakfast, but they both knew it was a dream that God laid on their hearts. Now she had a name. Suzanne continued to stay home, first with Alex and then with his younger brother, Ben. She always loved to cook. Sometimes she would bake cinnamon rolls or bread and sell it on the side. Cooking filled her with memories of her own childhood, sitting on the counter or standing on a stool helping her grandmother cook. She loved coming up with her own kitchen creations and sharing them with people. The boys grew, Alex graduated not only from high school but from Harding University. He developed a love of travel, cooking, and people, making friends easily wherever he went. Ben thrived as well. While at church one day in 2014, the pastor played a movie clip from the movie “Frozen” as part of his message, and she and Mark looked at each other and said, “It’s time.” She had helped a friend open and run a restaurant in Cabot and was confident that she had the knowledge and the skills to run a restaurant. Daisy’s Lunchbox first opened in a tiny corner of a warehouse by the Bee’s Knees. The inspector said it was the smallest commercial kitchen he had ever inspected. They poured their life savings into the restaurant, buying equipment and tools. They made it work for eleven months. But cramped quarters proved too much and after 11 months, Suzanne made the hard choice to shut down. It may have felt like God was pulling the plug on their dream of a restaurant, but he was opening a bigger door. They started looking for a building . . . and found one in downtown Searcy just two weeks later. They leased it for two years before making the leap to purchase it. She took all her equipment with her and began Daisy’s Lunchbox at its present location. Daisy’s Lunchbox features homemade food; many featured items are family favorites. The meatloaf is Mark’s recipe; the poppyseed chicken is like her grandmother used to make. The cornbread stuffing that everyone says tastes like their grandmother’s is Suzanne’s own recipe that she perfected herself. She makes all the bread and her famous cinnamon rolls from scratch. If you order a sandwich, it’s served on Suzannes’ homemade bread. If you order a cake with buttercream icing, there’s not a drop of Crisco in the icing. All these “from scratch with no shortcuts” recipes have earned her five “Best of the Best” awards. “The Lord keeps bringing new people in and continues to bless us.” - Suzanne Raiford, Owner, Daisy’s Lunchbox She and her 12 employees start every morning early with a huddle and a shared scripture. She tries to bring joy and encouragement to them, like our Lord does for us. She is quick to extort their talents. Among her employees, she has a cake decorator, a couple of bakers, and two trained chefs. Though she has tried to update the restaurant, her customers are adamant that they want to keep their favorites on the menu. They don’t want “fancy,” but they love the welcoming environment and delicious food. Some regulars come in daily or weekly, and Suzanne loves getting to know them and their families. Her passion for serving people and cooking fabulous food makes Daisy’s Lunchbox an unforgettable dining experience. Read the full issue below.
- Recognizing Corporal Matt Easley
By Jennifer Webb Photos by Searcy Living Photography Matt Easley hung up the phone as a thrill shot through him. His dream job at the Searcy Police Department had openings! He loved his patrol job at the Newport police department, but the hours left him little time to spend with his wife, Breanne, and their newborn twin girls. He went to work for the Newport Police Department in 2013 after graduating from ASU with his Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and had been there for 4 years. But lately, stress had been getting to him and it was time for a change. With the new additions to his family, the timing was perfect. He had always wanted to work at the Searcy Police Department. He was already very familiar with Searcy, having worked in town since he was 16. He started in December 2017 with 12-hour shifts that allowed him to spend more time with his family. He stopped worrying about promotions and shifted his focus to what he needed to do to be the best officer possible. “Searcy is a very community-oriented Police department.” - Cpl. Matt Easley The job became fun again. He started going to training and soaking up the knowledge like a sponge. Each new thing he learned gave him a different perspective and helped him to be a better officer. Most years, he logs over 100 hours in continuing education and has been a training officer for over four years. When his girls were around four, one of his twins had just been diagnosed with autism. It shifted how he and Breanne viewed the world as they learned what strategies to use to nurture and educate her. She always wanted to know why before she complied with directions. Both of his grandparents had been diagnosed with dementia. What might happen in a different situation if one of them was not in a nursing home, but instead out wandering the streets and a police officer started demanding answers to questions they were currently incapable of answering? Could the situation potentially escalate or would it be better to slow down and take time? What about someone with autism, that has to know why before they comply with directions? He knew from his time on the small police force at Newport that it was way easier to talk someone into handcuffs than to restrain them by force. Was there a better way to respond to people who react differently? Talking people down and intervening in crisis situations could lead to people getting life-changing help and escaping the cycle of going in and out of jail. It also fit with the basics of his jujutsu training - restraining someone with the least amount of force without hurting them. Talking people down was the least possible amount of force. “If you can talk someone into handcuffs instead of having to fight or chase them, it’s a lot easier on everybody and they are a lot more likely to talk to you later on. If you tase people or throw them down they are not very fond of talking to you.” -Cpl. Matt Easley He took his training out on patrol and the more he approached being a patrol officer with compassion, listening, and respect, the more positive results he saw. For example, if he had to arrest someone at a business his approach had a drastic impact on how it went and the willingness of the people to interact with him again. He could go in, abruptly serve the arrest warrant, haul the subject out the front door, and put them in his police car. Or, he could discreetly walk in, talk to the suspect, tell him he was there to serve the arrest warrant, explain the situation to their boss, then peacefully put handcuffs on and discreetly walk them out the back door. His approach had a huge impact on the suspect’s willingness and cooperation. He also started building a positive relationship with the suspect and the business owner. In one scenario, the suspect likely ends up fired. In the other, the suspect may end up promoted when showing maturity, responsibility, and dignity in dealing with the arrest warrant. Cpl. Easley is now certified to teach crisis intervention and de-escalation. He was also instrumental in starting the Searcy Police Department crisis negotiation team, which springs into action in hostage situations or a threat to human life. A new crisis intervention team is in the works for the near future. Crisis intervention addresses mental health or behavioral crises. A team is currently undergoing training and Cpl. Easley and Sgt. Tillett will be instructors for training in this area of the state with the Arkansas Academy. Though he has held the rank of corporal for some time, Cpl. Easley recently moved from patrol to criminal investigation squad. He is excited to rise to the challenges of learning to approach his job from a detective’s perspective. He greets each challenge as an opportunity to better himself and to become the best officer he can be. In his home life, his twin girls are rapidly growing elementary students and he gives himself wholly to being Dad to them and husband to Breanne. He likes to unwind with fishing, with competitive ju-jitsu training, and relaxing with his family. In the summer, they can often be found swimming both at the Searcy Swim Center and in the lake at Heber. The girls are fascinated by aquariums, so they make it a point to put an aquarium on their vacation lists when possible. They often visit one of Searcy’s many parks or take turns singing on their karaoke machine at home. For Cpl. Matt Easley, it’s time well spent. They are his ultimate reason for doing everything he does to help keep the City of Searcy safe. “He greets each challenge as an opportunity to better himself and to become the best officer he can be.” Read the full issue below.
- Issue 1 2025 Answers
Across 4 AESTHETICS 7 RESTAURANT Down 1 RESTORE 2 NAME 3 STOTTS 5 HOME 6 RING Riddles 1 Three Square Meals Per Day 2 Working Overtime 3 Center Of Gravity
- Searcy Living Issue 1 2025
Download the issue here!
- A Cool Solution For A Hot Habitat
By Jennifer Webb “Habitat for Humanity is an organization that tries to take care of the community. This was the community’s chance to give something back to Habitat.” It was supposed to be another scorcher - A high of 97 with a heat index of 113 F. Even though it was early morning, Rick could already feel the humidity. It was so thick you could almost swim through it. He watched as the volunteers arrived, many carrying their own personal fans. Many of them were retired, but they were tough. They weren’t going to let the heat get in the way. The Habitat for Humanity ReStore would open early again today and close an hour earlier - a concession for the heat. By afternoon, Rick knew that sweat would be pouring off everyone and those fans would blow 100-degree air on their owners. Some days were hotter in the store than outside. “I’d donate a kidney if we could get some air conditioning in here!” one spunky volunteer joked with him. That started him and the Habitat for Humanity board thinking; they had just signed another five year lease on the building. Blessed with such a fantastic location, perhaps it was time to consider upgrading the building that houses the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. One section of the building already had central heat and air, but the other, more warehouse-type part where the cash register is located, did not. The tall ceilings, big garage doors, skylights, and poor insulation meant that installing central heat and air would be a massive undertaking. It was also likely to be quite cost-prohibitive. With Habitat, all the funds raised in the ReStore support their mission - to provide low-cost housing to low-income families. With a space as big as they had, they were looking at nearly the cost of building a house to get the central heat and air installed. Still, as hot as it was getting, something had to give. Rick gave in and called Adam Hart for advice. Adam has supported Habitat For Humanity for almost 20 years and seems to always have a good solution to a challenge or issue they’re facing. After reviewing the situation, Adam connected Habitat with Justin Dodson of Dodson Heat and Air. Justin came to take a look and then he got busy calling his suppliers. Clairday Electric agreed to wire the HVAC units. Habitat for Humanity is an organization that tries to take care of the community. This was the community’s chance to give something back to Habitat. Rick and the Habitat for Humanity Board were shocked when they got the quote, in the best possible way! With everyone donating and pitching in, the estimated cost was only one-third of what they thought it would be. Habitat did what they could themselves - sealing off skylights, insulating the huge garage doors, and the community filled in the gaps. The warehouse section lost a lot of illumination after the skylights were closed off, giving it a cave-like feel. Stokes Electric took care of that; their electricians contacted a local electrical supply house to obtain nine new light fixtures and other materials. I-DO Rental provided scissor lifts so the workers could safely access the high ceiling on the HVAC and lighting installations. The extra insulation on the seven large garage doors added about 50 extra pounds to each, but Andy Sills and his technicians at Garage Door Services made all the necessary adjustments to ensure they were safe. The Habitat ReStore stayed open the entire time during the process. Now when you go in, you are met with a blast of cool air in the summertime instead of hot. It’s a much more pleasant experience for shoppers, donors, and volunteers. Shoppers can linger and look to their hearts’ content. Volunteers can spend comfortable hours supporting a mission they believe in, that gives back to the community. Habitat’s official mission - to provide affordable housing to low-income families - is only the beginning of what they do. Consider this hypothetical situation: A single Mom who has two kids and makes $15/hour applies for a Habitat house. They accept her application on the condition that she will put in 300 hours of “sweat equity” and agree to make a monthly 0% interest mortgage payment until the cost of building the house is repaid. Friends and family can work 10% of those sweat equity hours for her, but the rest, she must spend working on her own house or volunteering in the Habitat ReStore. She sees all the volunteers that come and work on the house. She works alongside the people who have donated their time and materials to make this seemingly impossible dream happen for her. She makes connections and builds relationships with them. Now she has other people who become friends, and her support network enlarges. Now, she has people to call when she needs a hand with the kids and grandmotherly influences who give her much-needed advice and encouragement. She meets other families who have children the same age as hers. They tell her how someone can get a two-year nursing degree to earn double her current wage. Right now, that’s not possible, because so much of her money is going to rent and simply surviving. But she’s also going to classes that teach her how to care for her house with basic maintenance and money management classes, and she starts to see hope for a better life. When the house is completed and she moves in, the people and the relationships stay in her life. Now that she’s not paying almost half of her salary for rent and utilities, she can afford to go back to school and get that nursing degree. The kids are doing well in school because of the newfound stability, and she has a renewed sense of confidence and self-worth. In providing affordable housing, Habitat for Humanity helps her take the steps to improve the lives of her family. The focus of Habitat’s mission is not simply the construction of homes, but the development and empowerment of people and communities. Habitat has an interest in the people involved in its ministry, both the owners of Habitat fir Humanity homes and those involved with homeowners in the construction of those homes. The organization seeks to break down barriers and form partnerships among people from all walks of life; relationships are the most important thing Habitat builds. Every time you donate, volunteer, or shop at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, that’s what you’re supporting. Along with the new central heat and air unit, that’s what makes Habitat for Humanity ReStore such a cool place to support. To find out more about White County’s Habitat for Humanity, please visit www.habitatwhiteco.org/restore.html . Read the full issue below.
- Searcy Living Christmas Catalog 2024
Download the issue here!
- Searcy Living Issue 5 2024
Download the issue here!
- Issue 5 2024 Answers
Across 3. GIFTS 5. COINS 7. THEORY 8. BAKING Down 1. MOTTO 2. FIRST 4. GARY 6. IDEA Riddles Pie In The Sky Robin Hood Time To Go
- Guess & Company: Christmas At The Warehouse
By Jennifer Webb Paul Guess turned in his resignation. He was done moving. He had moved seven times with the pharmaceutical company, advancing his career, but no more. He was tired of being away from his family. Now was the time for a new beginning. He was no stranger to hard work. He started working at his family’s dairy bar in Des Arc as a 7th grader. His parents taught each of their four children what it took to be an entrepreneur. The economy was down in 2012, but he had a theory he wanted to test out - If you offer a quality product at a fair price, can you succeed? His first store in Searcy called “Deck the Halls, Y’all” proved that the answer was YES! “Why don’t you start importing?” His brother asked him. Paul didn’t know anything about that kind of business, but with determination, he learned all he could. His journey took him to Harvard University and all around the world. He traveled to meet each family-owned factory he thought about buying from, went to trade shows, and made all the contacts he could, and surrounded himself with the best artists in the world. He learned his strengths, but more importantly, he learned his weaknesses and surrounded himself with people who excelled in those areas. He expanded his business as he could financially afford it and bought the Lux fragrances and candle factory. He relocated the factory from Marble Falls, TX to Des Arc, AR - his hometown. That’s when he began importing and designing a line called “Deck the Halls, Y’all” after his first store in Searcy. Each year, the line would have overstocks, and he took to his personal Facebook page, saying, “Hey Des Arc, we have overstocks. Come get them!” People would line up in front of the candle factory. “I want to go into business with you,” Paul’s older brother told him. “I may be the baby of the family,” Paul told his brother who was 9.5 years his senior, “but I’m not a dumb baby." “No, seriously,” his brother insisted. “Let’s start this spring. I’ll front the money if you’ll do the hiring and the displays.” The following year, they set up a tent in the parking lot of the candle factory, and people lined up. At that point in 2015, Paul knew there was something to his philosophy of offering quality products to customers at a fair price. He knew they needed to expand, and the old Van Heusen shirt factory was sitting vacant in town. He easily obtained permission from the Industrial Development Commission. When Paul walked into the 60,000 sq ft building with no bathrooms and a leaky roof he wondered just what he had gotten himself into. The only social media page he had was his own personal page, but they managed to set up 10,000 sq ft in Christmas displays with two cash registers. Opening day was a nightmare. “Don’t get in the way of a woman and a Christmas sale,” Paul told his Mom at the end of the day. “I don’t know if I ever want to see another Christmas ornament ever again.” And he meant it. Momma Guess knew a distress call when she heard it and within hours, the Guess family ladies showed up in force. His mom, sisters, and sister-in-law worked into the night reconfiguring the layout and moving things to accommodate a better flow of traffic. They made what they had work, focusing on giving their customers not only great products for fair prices but also a fantastic shopping experience. The next day was much more successful and that is how the largest Christmas warehouse in the south started. “I just want people to be able to come and experience a wonderland where they can truly forget about trials and tribulations of everyday life - forget about their worries and spend time with their family, and friends. I want them to enjoy what we have here. That’s most important to me. If I don’t ever accomplish anything else, I’m satisfied.” - Paul Guess, Owner of Guess and Company Christmas Warehouse Not only is Paul Guess motivated by wanting to offer quality products at fair prices and giving each customer the best possible shopping experience, but he views his business as an opportunity to give back to the community. Current events in his personal life usually drive his donations. For example, he gave to the American Heart Association the year that he suffered a heart attack, and the American Cancer Society when a family member was diagnosed with the disease. He’s also given back to his community in the form of a gift to the Des Arc Chamber of Commerce. He also looks for ways to give back in non-monetary ways. He employs at least 50+ high school students each year with the philosophy that “We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen.” He expects them to both look and act the part, helping them to develop valuable professional skills. Behind the scenes, he also looks to employ people that he feels need a second chance. He firmly believes that anyone can choose what they achieve in life and tells them that anyone can bloom where they are planted - right here in small-town Arkansas. “You can do anything you choose in life. It’s all about your mindset and how you choose to lead yourself and others.” -Paul Guess, Owner Guess and Company He takes the lessons of responsibility, how to interact with the public, and how to make money and hopes to pass them on to the next generation through the people that he employs. He feels that one of his God-given gifts is the ability to tap into other people’s strengths and help them maximize their potential. You can visit him any time during the year at guessncompany.com
- Searcy Living Issue 4 2024
Download the issue here!
- It Begins And Ends With Honoring God
By Jennifer Webb “‘Then David said to Goliath, you come at me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord God almighty...’ - this is the mentality that we have to have as we go out there and attack our opponent today. Together, with your brothers, with passion, with great love for one another.” — Coach Paul Simmons, Head Coach, Harding Bison Football “Yes, SIR!” the team enthusiastically chorused back. Honor God. Brotherhood. Warrior Mentality. Loyalty. Finish. Each young man felt it in his heart. Their goal was not to win, but to go out and fight for their brothers, on their field, in front of their people. Each had the heart of a fierce warrior and the gentle soul of a child of God. They were tough and driven but also tender in their love for God and in the love that comes with the brotherhood that defines the Harding University Bisons. “The biggest thing for us is that we’re going to continue to honor God. That’s been our goal every season and it will be our goal this upcoming season.” – Jhalen Spicer, Runningback Harding Bison Football Player This attitude begins on the first day of fall camp when they define their goals. Most football programs talk about winning games. They talk about winning in life. They spend the entire first day simply addressing the question, “ How can we do everything in our power to have the very best culture in all of college football?” What does that mean? How do we measure it? The answer starts and ends with trying to honor God in all things. “As Coaches, how do we Honor God with the way that we treat our young men and speak life into them?” – Coach Paul Simmons, Head Coach, Harding Bison Football What do they believe Honors God? Toughness, accountability, work ethic, loyalty, humility, passion, love for one another – the message is that all of these things Honor God and they have control over how they do all of these things. This makes for a culture of young men who can be counted on to consistently come through and the mentality is that coming through for their brothers today will help prepare them to come through as Christian husbands and fathers in the days to come. It looks like being loyal. In a sport where loyalty tends to be fickle - players “move up” or switch schools for a better position or scholarship, coaches take promotions and bigger paychecks, the players and coaches at Harding are committed to staying for the long haul. After winning a national championship and having an undefeated 15-0 season, the Bisons did not lose a single player or coach. Passion also honors God, especially when it’s done with a humble spirit. Humility and college athletics do not often go together, but doing things with a grateful spirit honors God. Humility and gratitude are very powerful themes within this special brotherhood. When players walk in the locker room, they do so not thinking about their own goals or stats. They walk in thinking about what they can do today to make the guys around them better. Their idea of leadership is that “Leaders eat last.” Leaders should lead by serving others and by putting the needs of others before themselves. The term “washing feet” is a very familiar term surrounding Harding football. “The beautiful part of that is when you do all those things well - when you lead, serve, wash feet, emphasize humbleness and you let love dictate the way you carry yourself, the scoreboard tends to takes care of itself. The wins come as a great by product of that special culture.” – Paul Simmons, Head Coach, Harding Bison Football In order to love your brother, you have to know who he is. You need to spend time with him, talk with him, get to know him, find out what he deals with, and what makes him the person he is. “Harding football has blessed my life tremendously, just in the way of being around guys who push me to be better more than anything. The best friends in my life that I’ve made have come from Harding football. It’s special to be able to do something with this culture.” – Will Fitzhugh, Fullback, Harding Football Player Coach Simmons very intentionally encourages his players to get to know one another. Going over to Coach and Kimberly Simmons’s house is a common occurrence. Kimberly prepares a meal, and the guys gather around the table eating and visiting with one another. They lounge in their living room, and lift their voices in song for player-led devotionals. This snapshot of the culture of Bison football culture is consistent with all of the football coaches that serve on this staff. The coaches are very aware that many of the young men under their leadership have never really seen what a Christ-focused home really looks like. The responsibility to model that well is taken extremely seriously by the entire staff and the role of the coaches’ wives as they love on these young men is crucial to the mission of Harding football. When you attend practice, the coaches’ wives and kids are often there. Harding Bison football is a whole family affair. They take an annual lake trip where they all go to Heber and jump off the cliffs into the lake. The guys overcome their fears of jumping in from high rocks, and they get the opportunity to support and encourage one another. They also just hang out - playing volleyball, and being silly. The whole team goes camping together and on float trips, making memories that last a lifetime. “If we fail when modeling authentic Christian manhood, then the rest of it was a waste of time. If our players win a national championship, and they graduate with a 4.0 GPA but as coaches, we failed to model how a Christian man is supposed to treat his wife and raise his children, then we have greatly failed indeed.” – Coach Paul Simmons, Head Coach, Harding Bison Football The guys come from diverse backgrounds. Some come from single-parent homes, some come from intact homes, some come from homes that are broken in many ways. They come from different states and in some cases, different countries. But what matters in this brotherhood is what’s inside. They are all brothers in Christ no matter the color of their skin or their backgrounds. They find a place where they belong with strong male Christian role models who care about them and are not afraid to tell them that they love them. “The greatest motivator in the world is not anger, fear, or hate, it is love. We want to be love-driven. I want my players to hear that I love them a ridiculous amount of times.” – Coach Paul Simmons, Head Coach, Harding Bison Football For Coach Simmons, the ultimate success is not a championship title, perfect score, or any game-related stat. Ultimate success is a knock on the door ten years later and finding a former player at his door with his wife and kids, wanting to let him know that his coaching had a lasting impact on their lives – wanting to tell him that they are a better husband, father and Christian servant because of the time that they spent with Harding football. If the coaching staff can have this lifelong impact and because of Harding football many more people can come to know the Lord, that’s the real win! For the Harding Bisons that’s their real secret to success - it starts and ends with honoring God and with loving others. “One of the best things about this place is that it goes outside of football. Every couple of weeks we go over to the coach’s house to eat. We share a meal and play with his kid, watch a game on TV, and just hang out together. It’s so cool to be together outside of football and the relationships grow. Every Wednesday night we have football church together. We meet in Coach Simmons’ house a lot of times. His wife fixes snacks and we open up the Bible and get into it and each other’s lives. Those things more than anything have been special.” – Will Fitzhugh, Fullback, Harding Bison Football Player “We care about winning and losing, but what we care about more than anything is having the best culture we can possibly have. When you’re part of a group that does things the right way, winning comes with that. Our focus is on being the best teammates and leaders that we can possibly be. What’s so special about Harding is that we just want to play together, work together, and encourage one another. We love seeing each other succeed. One of the biggest things about what makes our culture so special is that selflessness comes with it.” – Will Fitzhugh, Fullback, Harding Bison Football Player “A lot of cultures have the brotherhood as part of their mantra, but with Harding it’s real; it’s not something to sell to recruits. When you’re a part of this team you’re a part of a family. That comes with everything that being a part of a family entails. We rejoice together and celebrate our successes together but we also fail together. We are one with each other. That’s what a brotherhood really is. It shows throughout the season because when we are facing the best defense in the nation and the offense is having a hard time moving the ball, a family is going to pull together. They are going to hunker down and do the things it takes to pull out a win. It’s a blessing to be a part of a culture where entitlement is the last thing you see. Each player has a deeper role from the best player on the team to the guy that only walks on during practice.” – Jhalen Spicer, Runningback, Harding Bison Football Player “These guys are pushing me to be better in every aspect of life. I know these guys I came in here with are going to be my friends for the rest of my life. If I need something or if they need something from me, it doesn’t matter what time period of our lives it is, we’re going to be there for one another. I know that my teammates have my back and they know that I have their back. That’s more than just the football field. The football field is just a small time period of our lives. We know that we’re going to be there for each other throughout our lives.” – Will Fitzhugh, Fullback, Harding Bison Football Player “The coaches have us over all the time. Their wives are always cooking for us and making us desserts. On some of the games the moms get together and bake all types of cookies. The coaches are just as invested in the brotherhood as the players.” – Jhalen Spicer, Runningback, Harding Bison Football Player “We’ll remember games and moments of games, but the times that will stick with us and impact us the most are when we are together in the coaches’ homes or in the dorms. Those are the things that have impacted me most and really helped shape me into the man that I am today.” – Will Fitzhugh, Fullback, Harding Bison Football Player Read the full issue below.