AT OUR BEST

Museum rolls out Rockwell exhibition

United Way bags bucks for books

Life Styles Inc.’s 25th annual Celebration of Possibilities luncheon saw more than 400 supporters join the group March 6 at the Springdale Holiday Inn.

Sara Smith, a Life Styles client, and her mother, Sharron Chinn, shared with us her experiences of being able to move from agroup home to her own apartment.

Sara told us, “I am still amazed every day at the possibilities that are out there for me,” because she’s a part of Life Styles.

The luncheon also is a time to recognize community partners who help further the mission of the nonprofit organization that serves individuals with disabilities, helping them become as independent as they can be. This year’s honorees were: Employer of the Year - Best Buy Volunteer of the Year - Robin Du-Planti Volunteer Group of the Year - Sue Van Bebber, Janet Hixson and Karen Kimbro Buell Distinguished Service Award - Russell Kelley Carol Hart Visionary Award - Sue Van Bebber.

Bags for Books bagged more than $15,000 for books for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library on March 7 at the Springdale Holiday Inn. The first-year event was hosted by Altrusa and United Way of Northwest Arkansas. The luncheon included live and silent purse auctions.

Keynote speaker was Justin Minkel, who teaches second and third grades at Jones Elementary School in Springdale and has been recognized as the Arkansas State Teacher of the Year and a Milken Educator. He told us about the impact of getting books to children in his classroom through a program he started.

The Imagination Library program provides enrolled children in Benton, Washington and Madison counties with one book per month from birth to 5 years old.

Among those picking up purses to provide books were Jill Darling, Karen Robbins, Penny Storms, Kay Riazzi, Becky Wood, Chelsey Baker and Elizabeth Weathers.

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art hosted the Director’s Reception and preview of “American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell” on March 7. The traveling exhibition will be at the Bentonville museum through May 27.

Works in the exhibition include the iconic “Triple Self Portrait,” “Girl at Mirror,” “Going and Coming” and “The Art Critic.”

Those on hand to roll out the Rockwell exhibition included Alice Walton, Lynne and Jim Walton, Marilyn Bogle, Avis Bailey, Johnny Mike Walker, Jamie and Buddy Philpot, Jane and Dave Gearhart, Diane and Mark Simmons, Debi and Galen Havner, Boyce Billingsley, Valorie and Randy Lawson, Rhonda and Harrison French and Nan and Julian Stewart.

Columnist Carin Schoppmeyer can be reached by email at [email protected].

Northwest Profile, Pages 37 on 03/24/2013

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