Northwest Arkansas Regional Chambers of Commerce and the NorthWest Arkansas Community College Foundation hosted a reception May 9 at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale in honor of Becky Paneitz as she retires after a decade as president of the Bentonville-based community college.
Paneitz’s belief that the college should serve the region led her to work closely with each of the chambers during her tenure and establish additional college learning centersin Springdale, Farmington, Bella Vista and Rogers.
The learning centers in Washington County are in leased space at The Jones Center and Farmington High School, but the collegewill announce at a community celebration Wednesday plans for a permanent location in Springdale.
In the past 10 years, credit student enrollment increased from nearly 5,000 in 2003 to about 8,500 in fall 2012 with about 40 percent of students coming from Washington County.
Those gathering at the goodbye reception included Lynne and Jim Walton, Betsy Phillips, Dick Trammel, Philip Taldo, Joe Spivey, Denise Garner, Mike Luttrell, Valorie Lawson and Ed Clifford.
American Heart Association supporters kicked off the warm weather season by donning seersucker, linen, chiffon and other summertime fabrics in pastel colors for the organization’s Return to Southampton Heart Ball on May 11 at the John Q. Hammons Center in Rogers. The Southampton theme was futher carried out by a boardwalk complete with games of chance at the beginning of the benefit.
More than 900 guests helped the group net a record-setting $490,000. The local fundraiser is one of 195 galas around the country that last year raised $56 million to pay for research, education and community outreach for the Heart Association.
Alicia and Ryan Funa shared with us about their now 8-month-old daughter Aubrey who was born with a heart defect and had open heart surgery when she was just 10 days old. The Funas credit American Heart Association-funded research that led to the testing and procedures that give Aubrey the opportunity for a healthy life.
Tate Stevens, winner of the X Factor in December, performed a mini-concert that evening. The country artist’s self-titled album was released in April.
Also part of the evening was the presentation of 30 American Heart Association Sweethearts. Sweethearts are high school sophomore girls who spent the past year learning about heart healthy lifestyles and volunteering in our community. Applications for the 2014 class of Sweethearts are being accepted through June 3.
Those helping the Heart Association Return to Southampton included Allison and Scott Salmon, Laresa and Dan McKay, Holly and Jim Breach, Suzy and Chuck Fehlig, Mechelle and Jack Sinclair, honorary Heart Ball chairmen, and Leslie and Ashley Buchanan, honorary chairmen of the May 10, 2014, Heart Ball.
Columnist Carin Schoppmeyer can be reached by email at [email protected].
Northwest Profile, Pages 33 on 05/26/2013