(Above) Fred and JW pose for Photo

(Above) Lots of VW’s

(Above) More VW’s

(Above) Even more VW’s

(Above) Lots of VW’s and Tents

(Above) Volkswegen cars trucks and buses

(Above) Fred and JW visit

(Above) Wall to Wall VW’s

Museum to Offer Day Camp

Old Independence Regional Museum is excited to offer a fun and educational day camp based on the museum’s newest exhibit “Living off the Land – Season by Season.”  “Eat it up, wear it out, make it do, or go without” was a saying used by early settlers that works well to describe the theme of this camp experience.  Campers will explore what life was like on the Arkansas frontier, what it meant to live off the land in a time when families depended on the environment to meet many of their needs.  “We really want the campers to experience work and play on the Arkansas frontier.  The hands-on activities we have planned will really give them a sense of what life was like for children their age nearly 200 years ago” said Amanda Nikkel, Education and Volunteer Coordinator.

Candles were the main source of light, other than sun light, on the frontier.  But where did these candles come from?  Local beekeepers will speak about the art and science of bee keeping and how the candle wax was extracted.  Supplying a family with enough candles to last through the dark winter months was a chore that often fell to children in the early fall.  Campers will have the opportunity to dip their own candles and make a punch tin lantern to hold them. Some of the other planned activities are:  spinning, weaving, dyeing, identifying native plants and animal tracks, ice cream making, and daily chores of 19th century children.

“On each Friday, during day camp, we will focus on 19th century toys and games.  Campers will have the opportunity to make their own marbles, find out what a thaumatrope is, and take part in rolling hoop relay races and the Game of Graces.Those are just a few of fun activities that we have planned.” states Nikkel. Lunch on Friday will be a “dinner on the ground” and will be supplied by the museum.

“There was so much interest and our camp was so successful last year that we have decided to offer two camps this year”, said Nikkel.   “The first camp will be Tuesday, July 21 – Friday, July 24 and is designed for rising 3rd and 4th graders.  The second camp is for rising 5th and 6th and will be Tuesday, July 18 – Friday, July 31.  Both camps will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day.”  The museum requires at least 10 children to sign up in order to hold the camp, and class size is limited to the first 30 registrants.  Campers should bring a sack lunch Tuesday – Thursday.  Each day the museum will provide a historic dessert.  Contact April White or Amanda Nikkel at 793-2121 to register.  The deadline to register is Wednesday, July 1, 2009.

Old Independence serves a 12-county area:  Baxter, Cleburne, Fulton, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Marion, Poinsett, Sharp, Stone, White, and Woodruff.  Parts of these present-day counties comprised the original Independence County in 1820s Arkansas territory.

The museum is located at 380 South 9th street, between Boswell and Vine Streets in Batesville.

Ozark Foothills FilmFest Issues 2010 Call for Entries

New Entry Category Will Showcase Work by College Filmmakers

Ozark Foothills FilmFest is currently accepting submissions for the 9th annual festival, set for March 24-28, 2010 in Batesville, Arkansas.  The festival is non-competitive.  Entries are accepted in three categories:

OFFICIAL SELECTION.  Narrative or documentary films forty minutes or longer in length.  Six to eight Official Selections are screened during the festival.

INDIE FILM SHOWCASE.  Narrative, documentary, animated, or experimental films less than an hour in length.  Showcase films are screened in groups organized by genre or subject.  A minimum of four showcases are scheduled during the festival.

COLLEGE STUDENT FILM SHOWCASE. This new category recognizes the quality and diversity of work being created by students in college film programs.

Filmmakers whose work is chosen as an OFFICIAL SELECTION will be invited to attend the festival to present and discuss their work; lodging and travel expenses will be provided.  Special consideration is given to filmmakers from Arkansas and neighboring states.  Filmmakers age 18 and under are urged to submit their work to the organization’s annual T Tauri Youth Film Festival, www.ttauri.org.

Submissions must be on DVD and accompanied by a non-refundable $10 entry fee.  Films will not be returned unless sufficient return postage is provided.  A complete entry form is available at www.ozarkfoothillsfilmfest.org.  All entries must be received by January 1, 2010.  Mail entries to Ozark Foothills FilmFest, 195 Peel Road, Locust Grove, AR 72550.  Filmmakers will be notified of selection by January 1, 2010. For additional information call 870-251-1189, or email ozarkfilm@wildblue.net.

(Above) KFFB on location at Golden Living Center Heber Springs

(Above) Dale and the Girls from the 50′s

(Above) Folks gather for fellowship

(Above) Folks gather for food

(Above) Folks Gather for Fun

(Above) Folks gather around for the special day

(Above) Fun for All

Hula Hoop

(Above) Hugs for everyone

(Above) Rich, Fred and Allen take a break for a picture

Summer reading isn’t just for kids.  Special programs and activities are planned for adults, too.  Check the website for information on the SRC Kick-Off Celebration at the Museum of Discovery, book clubs and other great activities all summer long.  Visit your branch today.

Get registered for Summer Reading Club so you don’t miss anything.  Interesting and fun activities for children and teens are free. Stop in at your nearest branch or download the registration form online at www.cals.org and bring it to your branch beginning May 26 and get the schedule of programs.

T Tauri Films to Be Broadcast on AETN and Screened at the Little Rock
Film Festival

Two films made by area teens in T Tauri filmmaking workshops have been
selected for the AETN Student Selects project. Southern Fried Saturdays
will be broadcast on AETN on Sunday afternoon, May 31, at 2:00 p.m. It
will also be shown at the Little Rock Film festival on Saturday, May 16,
at 2:00 p.m. Southern Fried Saturdays was created in the 2007-2008 T
Tauri/APPLE Project workshop by Rachel Braim of Locust Grove, Hannah
McGough of Floral, and Whitney Hembrey of Newark. The film looks at the
filmmakers’ views of their communities, their lives, and their futures.
Nicki Newburger and Bob Pest served as advisors. Southern Fried
Saturdays has screened at the T Tauri Film Festival and the Indie
Memphis Film Festival.

The Power of a Small Community will be webcast over the internet at
www.aetn.org/studentselects. The film was created in the 2008 summer T
Tauri Movie Camp at the Arkansas Sheriffs’ Youth Ranch. The film
discusses the importance of the Bethesda Volunteer Fire Department to
that community and the many ways the community supports the department.
It was created by Ellae Paul, Robert Paul, and Sol Allard-all residents
at the ranch-along with Daniel Brantley of Plano, Texas; Andrew McMurry
of Roland, Arkansas, and Matthew McMurry of Little Rock. Tom Hansell was
the lead advisor, with assistance from teen mentors Angela Wagster of
Batesville and Harrison Wilkinson of North Carolina. The Power of a
Small Community has screened at the T Tauri Film Festival and the Indie
Memphis Film Festival.

Both films and a number of other workshop projects are also available
for viewing at www.ttauri.org/galaxy/do.html. The 5th annual T Tauri
Youth Film Festival and Movie Camp takes place July 20 through August 1
in Batesville. Workshops for kids and teens entering grades 3 through 12
include Community Documentary, Script to Screen, Camcorder Fundamentals,
and Hand-Drawn Animation. For complete information visit www.ttauri.org
or call 870-251-1189.

The T Tauri Film Festival and Movie Camp is the youth division of Ozark
Foothills FilmFest, Inc., a 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit founded in
2001 and headquartered in Locust Grove. Support for the
T Tauri initiative is provided by the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation,
First Community Bank, the Arkansas Arts Council, the Independence County
Quorum Court Recreation Fund, Lyon College, UACCB, and the Arkansas
Sheriffs’ Youth Ranch.

Van Buren County Community Band in Concert!

The Van Buren County Community Band will perform a Memorial Day concert on 25 May at 6:30 pm in Morgan Park in Downtown Clinton.  Come show your support for all who have served our country and join in the singing of special songs.  Bring a picnic dinner, lawn chair or blankets and join us for a great evening of music!

Title: Fairfield Bay Animal Protection League\’s \”Used Treasure\’s\” sale
Description: The Fairfield Bay Animal Protection League\’s \”Used Treasure\’s\” sale will be held at the V.F.W. on Hwy. 330, FFB, on Friday, May 29th from 8A.M. to 4P.M. and on Saturday, May 30th from 8A.M. to 2P.M. To donate merchandise for this event, call any of the following: Gene @ 884-4167. Skip @ 884-4858, Pat or Tippy @ 884-3028, Tom @ 884-7568, Larry @ 884-6424, Lenore @ 884-6166 or Janice @ 253-2480.
Start Date: 2009-05-29
End Date: 2009-05-30

ALL ARKANSAS LAKES OPEN MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

Arkansas lake resorts and marinas, and many campgrounds and launching ramps, are open for business Memorial Day weekend.

Although some campgrounds and boat ramps across the state have closed because of recent heavy rains, many remain open.

Visitors are encouraged to take advantage of the favorable weekend weather forecast and call ahead to their travel destinations to check conditions.

“This is a big, big weekend for Arkansas tourism,” said Montine McNulty, executive director of the Arkansas Hospitality Association. “Please go out, have fun and enjoy Arkansas’s parks, lakes and rivers. We encourage guests to call ahead to these areas for details on individual water levels.”

For special notices regarding parks, lake resort areas and other recreational areas, visit Arkansas.com or ArkansasStateParks.com.

“Scouting Out Arkansas History”

Workshop for Boy and Girl Scouts to be held at

Old Independence Regional Museum

Old Independence Regional Museum will present a special program for Boy and Girl Scouts on Monday, June 29th from 9:30 to 12:30.  Through hands-on demonstrations, crafts and traditional games, scouts between the ages of 6 and 12 will learn about life on the Arkansas frontier.  They will make several take-home craft items, and those who complete the workshop will be awarded a limited edition, custom designed Old Independence patch.  The fee for the workshop will be $5.00.  Registration is required and the workshop is limited to 100 individuals.

“We developed this workshop at the suggestion of one of our volunteers. It is designed to provide Scouts with a fun way to learn about history and to experience what life was like for children on the Arkansas Frontier,” states Amanda Nikkel the Volunteer/Education Coordinator for the Museum.  Nikkel goes on to say that Scouts who participate in the workshop will be given a check list of 8 or 9 “Frontier Tasks”, and they will travel through the Museum’s exhibits and out onto the side lawn in order to complete all the activities.  Only after Scouts have completed all their “Tasks” will they receive their patches.

Museum volunteers and staff will lead the workshop and some of the “Frontier Tasks” include:  Chores, Quill Pen Writing, Candle-Making, Butter Churning, Dyeing Fabric, Spinning Wool, and more.  Old-Fashioned games, like the “Game of Graces” and the Rolling Hoop, will be played outside, weather permitting.  Nikkel says, “This workshop provides an opportunity for today’s scouts to have some of the real experiences that children of a similar age would have had on the Arkansas frontier around 200 years ago.”

Nikkel goes on to say that during this workshop “children will learn by doing, so that when they are studying history and read about something like spinning they can say “I’ve done that”.

Old Independence Regional Museum, located at 380 South Ninth Street in Batesville is non-profit institution serving 12-counties in north central Arkansas.   The Museum is open Tuesday-Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and from 1:30 to 4 p.m. on Sundays.  Regular admission is $3.00 for adults, $2.00 for seniors and $1.00 for children.   The museum also offers a variety of specialized tours and workshops, day camps, family days, and other programs.  The full schedule of 2009 events can be found at the museum’s website www.oirm.org. The museum is located at 380 South 9th street, between Boswell and Vine Streets in Batesville.  The Museum’s Gift Shop is open to the public and has an extensive collection of books, historical reproductions and gift items related to local history and culture for all ages.   Call 870-793-2121 for more information.