GRAHAM NAMED DEMOCRAT OF YEAR
Benton County Democrats awarded the Democrat of the year award to Grimsley Graham, a retired high school teacher and a recent Democratic candidate for State House of Representatives, District 94.
A Marine Corps veteran and a 40-year member of the Rogers community, Gra ham is a volunteer driver for Meals on Wheels and served as an elder and director of education at the First Presbyterian Church in Rogers. He also leads a stream team for the Beaver Watershed Alliance
Grimsley is an active member of both the Arkansas Democratic Party of Benton County and Benton County Democrats. He is an advocate for improving the public education system, re forming the criminal justice system, treating veterans with respect and defending civil rights.
LIVESTOCK EXHIBITORS IN PURPLE CIRCLE CLUB
Abigale Kelly of Springdale and Levi Weaver of West Fork were inducted Oct. 29 into the Arkansas Purple Circle Club. The Purple Circle Club is an awards program recognizing junior livestock exhibitors who earned championship honors at the Arkansas State Fair. It is sponsored by Arkansas Farm Bureau.
Kelly showed the grand champion Cotswold ram at the fair. Weaver had the grand champion Hampshire ram, grand champion Hampshire ewe, grand champion Southdown ram, grand champion Southdown ewe and the junior breeding sheep showmanship.
MAIN ATTAINS EAGLE SCOUT
bridge and walkways along several fairways of the Waxhaws Disc Golf Course at Walker Park in Fayetteville.
CLIENT REMAINS
DEBT-FREE
Credit Counseling of Arkansas named Carmen Harmon of Rogers as the 2016 debt-free client of the year. She is a single mother of three children who went through a divorce that sent her finances into a downward spiral. In the years following the divorce, she had run up $82,000 of credit-card debt. She also bought a home, but was unable to sell her previous home, so she was making two monthly mortgage payments. The resulting financial stress also gave her a high level of anxiety.
By July 2011, she made an appointment to see CCOA’s Bentonville financial counselor Mark Jones, who assessed her financial situation, and they created a budget. CCOA’s debt-management program, lowered her balances and interest rate averages, allowing her to repy her debt in full and earn a highger credit score.
During the 56 months Harmon was on the program, her counselor helped her with other various financial issues, including cost-efficient ways to obtain a car for one of her oldest children, finding affordable ways to get her children through college and more.
LIBRARY HONORS
OUTSTANDING SERVICE
The Bentonville Library Foundation hosted “Booked for the Evening” on Oct. 27 at Tavola Trattoria restaurant to celebrate the lbrary’s 10th anniversary on Main Street. In honor of the occasion, Bentonville Public Library, Bentonville Library Foundation and the Friends of the Bentonville Library presented inaugural library service awards.
The Bentonville Library Foundation presented the outstanding advocate award to Brenda Compton. Compton served four terms as president of the Friends of the Library from 2004-2007 and 2012-2015. Compton was also a charter board member of the Bentonville Library Foundation when it formed in 2003. She also served as part-time development director for the Foundation for over four years.
The Bentonville Public Library presented the distinguished service award to Mary Baggett. Baggett served the citizens of Bentonville in various capacities for more than 40 years. In 1972, she was the first woman elected to the Bentonville City Council. In 2000, she was reelected and served until 2014. Baggett was employed at Bentonville Public Library from 1974 to 1986. Baggett was a charter member and vice president of the Bentonville Library Foundation, later serving on the advisory board for the foundation.
The Friends of the Bentonville Library presented the Best Friend award to Emily Douglas. Douglas was a dedicated member of the library advisory board, serving from 2002-2008. She served as the Friends’ secretary from 2007 to 2014. Douglas has been an active library supporter and Friends’ supporter and volunteer.
NURSE EARNS
FLIGHT WINGS
Andrew Chaffin of Springdale recently earned his first patient flight wings. Chaffin began working for the Springdale Air Evac base in August 2016, and worked as a nurse in the emergency room prior to becoming a flight nurse.
Flight nurse Annette Williams said Chaffin participated in the Air Evac fellowship program, which allows aspiring medical crew members who do not have the required experience to be hired immediately to train with the nurses and paramedics at the base.
Spencer Main of Fayetteville, a member of Boy Scout Troop 116, attained the rank of Eagle Scout on Oct. 22. For his service project, he built a