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

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

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By Clay Beason Plot F Row 23 Grave 19, Colleville-sur-Mer (by the sea), France. Emotions can creep up and overcome you when you least expect them. That happened to me at the Normandy American Cemetery on May 21, 2024. I had planned this small-group France trip for over a year. It would be the third year in a row to do a similar itinerary.  I was excited to have someone I worked with 25 years ago and his wife on this trip with me, along with another couple that had traveled with me before to Greece & Italy, and four individuals in their 80s. I did not know these last four, but I knew that two of them had served in the military - one in the Navy and one in the Army.  When we were granted a special wreath-laying ceremony at the Normandy American Cemetery, Mr. Robert “Herky” Hardison (retired Navy) and Mr. John Myhr (retired Army) were the obvious choices to participate in the ceremony. While doing research before this trip, I went to the courthouse in downtown Searcy to look at the memorial to those from White County who had served and paid the ultimate sacrifice with their lives in World War I, World War II, and the Korean War.  Since we would be focusing mostly on World War II during our time in France, I took pictures of those names.  Every name has a story.  I tried to find out as much as I could on several of the individuals.  I found out that some are laid to rest in Searcy, some in Bald Knob, in Pangburn, and other places in and around White County.  But I also found that several are laid to rest in Europe.  And at least one is resting in the Normandy American Cemetery in France. Plot F Row 23 Grave 19, Colleville-sur-Mer (by the sea), France.  This is the final resting place for Private Troylee M Bedwell.  Private Bedwell is from White County, Arkansas.  He was a member of the 300th Engineer Combat Battalion in the U.S. Army.  He was killed in action on June 21, 1944.  He received the Purple Heart, a distinguished military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those wounded or killed while serving in the U.S. armed forces.  This is what I could find on Private Bedwell.  But I know he has more to his story, and I am confident he helped the Allies ultimately be successful in this horrible war. He died at a younger age than my daughter and her fiance. Perspective. Herky is 86 years old and played football at the Naval Academy in the 1950s. Mr. Myhr is 80 years old, was in the Army, and was involved in the Vietnam conflict. I’m thankful to count them as friends after this trip. And I’m so thankful for their service to our country.  Due to preparations for the 80th-anniversary event at the Normandy Cemetery on June 6, the wreath-laying ceremony was slightly adjusted during our visit.  We were able to lay the wreath we had purchased (with a banner reading “Love From NC, TN, AR” - where our tour members are from) at a wall honoring over 1500 individuals whose remains have not yet been found or identified (“The Wall of the Missing”).  We chose to honor another individual from the 300th Engineer Combat Battalion, Technician Fifth Grade Cecil Hurst, also from Arkansas.  Maybe these two young men knew each other.  Just before Mr. Hardison and Mr. Myhr laid the wreath on the Wall of the Missing, the cemetery played the Star-Spangled Banner for us.  Just after the wreath found its resting spot, Taps was played.  As I looked at Mr. Hardison and Mr. Myhr (and as I thought about Private Bedwell and Mr. Hurst), I wondered what was going through their minds.  How many times had they heard this?  How many friends had they lost in war?  After the last trumpet note faded out, there was a moment of silence.  Except for the birds chirping, you could have heard a pin drop.  There was not a dry eye in our group. After this, we watched as Mr. Hardison and Mr. Myhr were escorted by a representative from the cemetery to the resting spot for Private Bedwell.  They rubbed sand from Omaha Beach (which lies just below the cemetery) on the white cross of Mr. Bedwell.  The crosses are white with white lettering etched in them.  When sand is rubbed on them (and then cleaned off), the sand remains in the etchings and the now dark letters really stand out.  They also placed an American flag and a French flag at the grave.  Later, we were given these two flags.  I brought them home to Arkansas in hopes of giving them to a member of the Bedwell family.  I will never forget this experience. Thank you, Private Bedwell.  Thank you, Mr. Hurst.  Thank you, Mr. Hardison.  Thank you, Mr. Myhr.  I am proud to be an American! I’ll end with a short quote from General John J. Pershing that is on Private Bedwell’s memorial certificate: “Time will not dim the glory of their deeds.” If anyone has any knowledge of the Bedwell family, please get in contact with me. I would love to give them these flags that flew over the grave in Normandy. Next small-group tour of Normandy: May 20-29, 2025. If interested, visit www.TCBtours.com Read the full issue below.

By Jennifer Webb It was almost time. Keith Ferren put his hand in the aquarium and took out his snake, Maximus, that everyone calls “Max” for short. The snake seemed to know he was about to be on duty and curled happily around Keith’s hand. Officer Ferren stepped outside the door to his office into the empty hallway. *BEEEEEEEEP* An annoyingly loud bell sounded, doors opened, and kids flooded into the halls. The volume level instantly went up as their conversations filled the air. “Hey Max!” one kid stopped to talk for a minute and run his hand over the snake’s smooth scales, smiling up at Officer Ferren. Max performed his duties admirably - breaking the ice, serving as a conversation piece, and helping spark interactions with the kids. Since Keith got Max as a baby in 2021, when he was serving as the School Resource Officer (SRO) at Southwest Middle School, the snake became very familiar with being handled. Cpl. Keith Ferren chatted easily with the kids, encouraging them, asking how their day was going, joking around, and generally letting them know he cared. The kids didn’t know he had been newly promoted to Corporal; they were just happy that he had “moved up” with them to their new school. The kids were the best thing about serving as an SRO. He was committed to doing his best to keep them safe, and hopefully, being a positive influence in their lives. “Serving as an SRO is fulfilling in a different way than most positions. I get to interact with students and get a lot of feedback instantly. One of the greatest things is when I see a student five years later and they still know the secret handshake or phrase I said often. It’s a reminder that they were listening, even if I didn’t know it at the time.” - Cpl. Keith Ferren, School Resource Officer, Ahlf Junior High School In a few short minutes, the crowd around him and Max dispersed. The kids were back in their classrooms before the bell rang again. Officer Ferren went back inside his office and put Max away, thinking to himself. It was funny that at one point he said he never wanted an SRO position and now he was devoted to it. He started off with the Searcy Police Department as auxiliary and was hired to a full-time position in May 2015. He was able to put his skills to use that he had learned in the service with the 189th Airlift Wing, Arkansas Air National Guard/US Air Force as Security Forces “military police” in England, Iraq, Korea, and Spain. He worked as a patrolman with the Searcy Police Department for four years before getting the opportunity to serve as SRO with Searcy Schools. “I’ll give it two years,” he said to himself in 2019. That would give his daughter, Ally, time to graduate from high school. Now, five years later, he says that the decision to serve as SRO is one of the best decisions he’s ever made. His primary responsibility is ensuring the safety of the kids. Each day, he walks over five and a half miles, directing traffic in the mornings and afternoons, and checking all the doors to make sure everyone in the building belongs there. As a matter of procedure, all visitors must stop by the office to get a name badge. In case of emergencies or crisis—whether they make the news or are personal—he is there to provide a safe space for the kids. Additionally, he serves as a D.A.R.E. instructor, teaching Drug Abuse Recognition Education. This program focuses on healthy decision-making and encourages students to live safe and healthy lives. He loves visiting classrooms and interacting with the kids. Cpl. Ferren is on duty during school hours and attends as many games and tournaments as possible. This not only supports the kids and makes them feel safe but also allows him to meet and interact with parents and the community. As an endurance sport athlete, he understands the dedication and practice time that student-athletes commit to. During the summer, he spends his time training or working on patrol at the police department. One of his favorite roles there is on the Crisis Negotiation Team. To be able to resolve a conflict without force by using communication and listening skills is a satisfying challenge that easily applies to his role as SRO. In his personal life, Keith’s an accomplished runner and cyclist. He has completed bike tours up to 100 miles and multiple 50k runs, marathons, half marathons, 10ks, and 5ks. His ultimate goal is an ambitious 100k run. He also loves coming home to his beautiful wife, Mary. For the past 25 years, she’s been his safe space. They love going camping and just spending time together. “As stressful as this job is, I would describe our marriage as ‘Peace’.” - Cpl. Keith Ferren, School Resource Officer, Ahlf Junior High School Their children, Ally and Jacob, continue to be a big part of their lives. Ally is now in her senior year of college pursuing an agriculture degree, and Jacob and his wife, Rachel, both work at Children’s Hospital. Cpl. Ferren is proud to be a part of the SRO team serving Searcy Schools. For him, there is no better position than right in the middle of the most satisfying job he’s ever worked. Read the full issue below.

Across 2. MISSILES 4. LAST 5. ONE 6. SUNSHINE Down 1. BIBLE 2. MAX 3. IDEAS 5. OMAHA Riddles 1. Right Under The Nose 2. First Edition 3. Tall Order

Unity Health saving lives one heart at a time By Jennifer Webb Photos by Searcy Living Photography Jacque set her alarm before she went to bed at cheer camp. She was a high school junior, and she wanted to be sure she was up in time for the next day. When her alarm went off the next morning, that was the last thing she remembered. All the other girls were clustered around her, concern all over their faces. She felt foggy and confused. Why was everyone staring at her? “You had a seizure and were out of it,” one of the girls told her. That explained all the looks of concern and the crowd. They called her grandparents, who were closest to the cheer camp, and her parents. Both came quickly and took her to the hospital. They weren’t exactly sure what happened but shortly thereafter, it happened again. They diagnosed her with a seizure disorder. Since it occurred while she was talking on the phone, they hypothesized that the phone call might have been a trigger and told the teenage girl to stay off her phone. The EEG, which is the tracing of the electrical waves of the brain, had been normal, but it was the best cause they could ascertain. After a third episode, they started Jacque on a medication for seizures called Keppra. She took the Keppra for a while but couldn’t tell that it was doing any good. She stopped taking it (and thank goodness she did). Time went on, and she could go six months or more without having a spell. She started noticing that they were much more likely when she was startled. She graduated, married Austin Thomas, the love of her life, and they welcomed the birth of a beautiful baby boy. Jacque was now in her twenties and living a life she had always dreamed of, but there was always a fear in the back of her mind of the seizures. There was still no good answer as to what was causing them. One came while she was at the house alone with the baby. She felt foggy and couldn’t remember things. Baby? Why was there a baby in the house? Was it her sister’s baby? It must be her sister’s baby. Austin . . . where was Austin? She called him. “Where are you, Austin?” she asked. Her voice sounded abnormal to him. “I’m at work. Are you ok?” he asked. “Oh, ok,” she replied, still sounding dazed. “I just couldn’t remember when you left for work.” It slowly started to come back to her. The baby . . . that was HER baby crying, not her sister’s! She must have had another seizure. The next one came when Austin was home. Again, she heard the baby cry, but she knew by this time that she needed to get up slowly and not rush. She got up and started to walk, but then fell out on the floor with another seizure. “Jacque was now in her twenties and living a life she had always dreamed of, but there was always a fear in the back of her mind of the seizures.” Austin watched in horror, waiting for it to end, but it seemed to go on and on. She was still unresponsive. Then he realized she wasn’t breathing! Did his young wife just die in front of him? He called 911 and sprang into action, starting chest compressions and CPR. He wasn’t going to lose her if he could help it! Breathing into her mouth, compressing her chest, and desperately praying to God, it seemed like an eternity, but EMS arrived, and he was able to step back. He called her dad and stepmom. They had to shock her heart multiple times. She was in an atypical rhythm. It didn’t seem real. He could NOT lose his precious wife. She started breathing again, and they loaded her up in the ambulance to rush her to the emergency department. Her stepmom came and got the baby, and her dad accompanied them to the hospital. They kept her in a medically induced coma hooked up to all sorts of wires and beeping machines. The EKG, which is the tracing of heartbeats and the heart’s electrical signals, showed a prolonged QT interval. Her heart muscle was taking longer to contract and relax than usual, affecting her heart rhythm. Could this have something to do with her seizures? When they took her out of the medically induced coma, she knew her husband and could talk to her dad, but every six hours seemed to be a “reset.” She was confused. She didn’t know where she was and couldn’t remember what had happened. They started to worry about what the seizures might have done to her brain. They still could not find any apparent cause and were about to move her to the medical floor when she had another episode. She was still hooked up to all the monitors so they were able to record exactly what happened in her body when she had a seizure. “She no longer has to live her life in fear of having a seizure in the middle of whatever she’s doing.” Cardiologist Dr. Katherine Durham, looked at the data. There had to be a clue somewhere and some way to help this young mother. Those were “Torsades de Pointes,” a specific type of atypical heart rhythm that can lead to sudden cardiac death. Jacque had “Long QT syndrome.” The problem was not in her brain but in her heart! Patients with Long QT syndrome can develop atypical heart rhythms. They don’t get the blood flow to the brain that they need, and if it lasts long enough, it causes death. That’s what had been causing Jacque’s seizures! She had an atypical electrical circuit in her heart. With that vital piece of information in hand, the next step was finding out how to treat it. The first thing she did was thank God for revealing the problem and that Jacque had stopped the Keppra medication, which could have made the QT interval worse. Dr. Durham ordered another medication called propranolol which helps lower the occurrence of the Torsades de Pointes. That helped some, but for most patients, the ultimate treatment was to put in a defibrillator. Since Jacque was so young, it wasn’t an ideal solution to have leads that live in the heart and have to be changed out. She consulted her partner, Dr. Eric Robinson, who does all the implanting of devices at Unity Health and he consulted electrophysiologist, Dr. Tom Wallace at St. Vincent’s. An electrophysiologist is a specialized cardiologist who can be thought of as an “electrician of the heart.” They came up with a solution and put in a defibrillator but outside of her heart. The leads sit in the center of her chest but don’t live in her heart. That’s her life insurance policy. If the device detects that she has an atypical rhythm, it first tries to pace her out of it, and if that doesn’t work, it will shock her. No more waiting for EMS to come while doing CPR. The device will get her heart back to its regular rhythm. Jacque now lives a fairly normal life. The propranolol has worked beautifully and so far, she has not had to be shocked. She no longer has to live her life in fear of having a seizure in the middle of whatever she’s doing. She can drive and hold her son (who is now a healthy 3-year-old). She’s not scared of being alone with him. Before, she was always scared - scared to go to sleep at night, afraid to be alone, afraid that a seizure would strike if she got startled. Since there are different types of Long QT syndrome, she opted to go through genetic testing, along with her son. Hers is inherited, so she wondered if she had passed it to her son. He does not have the genetic markers for the disease. She has Type 2 Long QT syndrome which is often triggered by something that startles a person - a phone ring, a baby crying, an alarm, anything. Many people don’t know they have Long QT syndrome, and it has been suggested that it might account for sudden unexplained faintings, seizures, and deaths. According to the National Library of Medicine, it is estimated to account for 12% of SIDS deaths in infants. Jacque is a survivor, and she has been blessed with a tremendously supportive family. She is an advocate for genetic screening of infants that could detect Long QT syndrome. She hopes that sharing her story of being a young lady living a good life with heart disease will inspire and educate others. Dr. Katherine Durham Read the full issue below.

Across 4. RED 5. FLYING 7. GREATEST Down 1. HARDING 2. JIMMIES 3. BORZOI 6. HENSON 8. EKG Riddles 1. Coffee Break 2. Excuse Me 3. An Afterthought

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By Jennifer Webb Photos by Searcy Living Photography Officer Cruz Dillard had been training for this. He could feel the adrenaline pumping in his veins, but he had it under control. He was hyper-focused on the task at hand. It had started off ordinary enough, but here he was with his team in the middle of Beebe Capps, traffic whizzing past on both sides. The plan had been to serve an arrest warrant, but the suspect left his home. When the suspect began returning home, he did a U-turn in the middle of the road, heading away from his house. They loaded up into the SWAT van and locked him up in the middle of traffic. It was tense, but no one got hurt and the suspect was apprehended safely. Moments like this captured the excitement he thought he would have when he joined the SRT at the Searcy Police Department. Police work was in his blood. Growing up, his mom, Laurel, worked in law enforcement, first as a dispatcher, then as an officer in 1999, and as a detective with the Searcy Police Department since 2003. After he graduated from Searcy High School in 2016, he went to Ohio for a year to pursue other career fields but found it was not for him. He came home to Searcy, secure in the knowledge that law enforcement was the right professional route for him. His wife’s cousin worked as a sergeant for the Newport correctional facility and got him hired on when he turned 20. It wasn’t where he wanted to be, but it got his foot in the door. He worked there for two and a half years, but when an opening at the Searcy Police Department came up, he jumped. He loved being able to supervise others at the correctional facility but knew that ultimately, he wanted to join his mom, and stepdad, Adam Sexton, at the Searcy Police Department. Not long after his sister, Alyson Slaughter, also joined in the “family business.” Cruz’s career may just be getting started, but he’s found one he loves with the Searcy Police. D shift feels like an extended family. He looks forward to the Sunday “family dinners” where everyone working that day sits down and shares a meal. It allows them to talk and get to know one another. They are not just coworkers but friends, as well. “D Shift works well together. It’s never really mattered who came to the shift; we look after each other and have each other’s backs on anything and everything. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you are; we’ll treat you like family.” - Patrolman Cruz Dillard He currently serves as a patrolman on D shift under Corporal Brian Fritts and is a member of the SRT (Special Response Team) and loves everything about it. Cruz loves that each day is different and knew from the moment he started with the Searcy Police Department, he wanted to be a part of the SRT. He believes that his greatest strength is his adaptability and willingness to learn. Ultimately, his goal is to work his way up from patrolman to chief of police, so he anticipates a long career with Searcy PD. He and his wife, Nakiah, have been married for four years. On the weekends he’s off, they can be found riding their motorcycles with the Titan Chapter of the Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club based out of Jacksonville. He rides a 2014 Heritage Softtail, and she rides a 2019 Can-Am Spyder. They raise money for different charitable causes such as scholarships, Christmas 4 Kids, and other organizations that benefit kids and the community. They sponsor events such as trap shooting competitions, gun raffles, car and bike shows, carwashes, and chili cookoffs to fundraise. One of his most memorable charitable events was getting to participate in “Christmas with a Cop.” An underprivileged boy was given a budget of $100 to spend on toys for himself for Christmas. Cruz accompanied him as they went through the toy store and helped him decide which toys to spend his money on. The boy’s enthusiasm was infectious, and the joy in his heart lasted long after the event. For Officer Cruz Dillard, being a police officer is not just a career, it’s a calling. He looks forward to learning everything he can to do it better and to eventually being in a place where he can pass that knowledge on to others. Read the full issue below.

Guest Contributor Arkansas History Day is an educational program that is part of National History Day, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. 6-12th grade students learn a love of history and boost research skills, working on a project that aligns with Arkansas literacy standards. History Day students compete in one of five categories. There are interpretive exhibits similar to science fairs, 10-minute documentary films, historical websites, research papers, and dramatic performances. Projects can be done individually or in a group. Winners from area school contests sent their top six projects per type to a Regional Competition hosted at Harding University. NHD Arkansas holds six regional contests in February and March and the state contest in April. From the state contest about 60 student winners are competitively selected to attend the national contest in June, outside Washington D.C. There they compete against the other 50 states, US Territories, and several countries. Years ago, students in advanced history at AHLF were part of History Day, but few in the building remember that. The program was restarted last year and is led by Melanie Barker. Those who know Mrs. Barker know her energy and love for History. Those close to her also know how competitive she is. She has volunteered her time Thursdays after school to help students with their projects. She was also enrolled in a National History Day Historical Argumentation Series in the fall to increase her skills. Last year she had two students who went to Nationals, and this year she aimed to expand that number. About 3500 Arkansas students started the project, and by the time winners at State were announced, that number had gone down to 60 students, meaning about 98% don’t make it to Nationals. Many schools are from wealthier areas, and some have done the project for decades. Her students knew there would be strong competition, but they also knew they had a dedicated coach and cheerleader in their corner in the form of Mrs. Barker. She is driven and helps the students believe in themselves. This year she has six students who qualified for Nationals, which means 10% of the Arkansas delegation are Mrs. Barker’s students. One of her students said of the win over some of the usual powerhouses, “They have all the money and resources, but they don’t have a Mrs. Barker.” Her dedication to students was recognized last year when she won the program’s Best New Teacher Award for the State. Mrs. Barker is still working to help students improve their projects for Nationals. Student winners can receive a $600 travel grant from AR Heritage, but that will not cover the full cost, so Mrs. Barker is also working to secure donations to match those funds. The future of History Day at AHLF Junior High is strong in her capable, competitive, and loving hands. Read the full issue below.

By Jennifer Webb “Hey Calm!” She shouted across the room as the young man and his friend made their way down the hallway. He didn’t hear her, so she raised her voice again. This time, he turned, recognizing the voice and searching for her. When he saw her, sitting on the couch in the far corner of the lobby, his face lit up, and he came to her in bounding leaps, not quite running. “There you are!” he told her. “I was hoping to see you today!” he said with a grin stretching from one ear to the other. His friend, Coulee, behind him, wore a matching grin. “Sit down here on the couch and take a picture with me,” she told him. Unquestioning, both young men sat down and Calm put his arm around her with friendly affection, sporting a thumbs-up on the other side of her shoulder. After a brief exchange, he told her with obvious enthusiasm, “I’m going to go play ping-pong!” “Ok, I’ll be there in a minute,” she replied. It may sound like an unusual scene with an 84-year-old lady, who comes twice a week to Keller Hall to play ping-pong with the college kids, but then again, Pat Rice is no ordinary 84-year-old lady. You might think she’d be out of place in such a setting, but to the Harding students, she’s a steadfast adult figure whom they all love. As the college students pass the ping-pong room, she calls to them saying, “Hey! You want to play some ping-pong?” Its followed by, “What’s your name? Where are you from?” It gives many of the students from out of state an instant feeling of belonging. It doesn’t matter how good you are; she welcomes all skill levels. She’s a patient teacher, but also a worthy opponent and a good sport in wins, as well as losses. She, David Goff, Sherrill Bennet, Milo Hadwin, and a few other senior friends frequent the ping-pong room on Monday and Thursday afternoons. The young men who reside in the hall have come to think of her as “one of them,” even persuading her to pose with them in the 2019 yearbook picture for the residence hall. She loves God, ping-pong, swimming, and young people. It’s a good way for her to stay young and connect all four. Mrs. Rice is the former director of Harding’s Student Health Services and a former nurse. She and her friends have won seven medals at the Senior Olympics in Hot Springs, five of which were gold. But as much fun as she has with ping-pong, she will be the first to tell you that the real treasure is the relationships she forms with the students. Certain students stand out to her, such as Rysper, who asked her for a swimming lesson. “Have you ever been swimming before?” Mrs. Rice asked her. “Only once, and I just stayed on the steps,” Rysper replied clinging tight to the handrail of the pool. Pat knew she had her work cut out for her. Rysper was terrified of the water! They started with blowing bubbles in the water, gradually getting Rysper more comfortable, until she could put her whole face in. By the end of the 90-minute lesson, Rysper could shove off and swim herself about five feet. “Well,” Pat thought to herself, “I guess that’s more than she could do before.” But Rysper was beside herself with excitement and glee. “I have wanted to be baptized for two years now,” she confided with shining eyes, “but I couldn’t because I was so scared of the water. Now I can!” Pat was there the following Sunday to watch, humbled at how God had used her in this young lady’s story without her realizing it at the time. There was another student named Easton, who tried to beat her at ping- pong for six years. She made him work for it. When he finally did, she had a shirt custom made for him that said, “Keller Dorm Ping-Pong. Easton defeats Mrs. Rice” including the winning score and date. Aiichiro (from Japan) spent twelve Christmases and several summers with her and her husband, Guilford. He was shy at first and barely talked, but Mrs. Rice is a very hard person to be quiet around! She made him talk, and when he went back to school after the first Christmas break, she told him, “Tell them you got candy, games, clothes.” “. . . and vocabulary,” he quickly added. “That was most important!” Her husband, Guilford, also taught him how to drive a car so he could get his driver’s license. Aiichiro went on to get a doctorate in biochemistry and is now a research scientist in Boston. These are just a few of the many students who she remembers fondly. She knows each of their names, where they are from, their majors, and ping-pong game by ping-pong game builds relationships with them. She’s an adult they know is in their corner to encourage them, guide them, and support them. They keep her young, challenge her to stay in good shape physically, keep her mind active and her heart full. As much as she cares about their friendship, they care about hers as well. Read the full issue below.