N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 8N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 8

Martin Greer’s Candiesn Lake Fort Smith State Park

n The ongoing fight to keep electricity affordable

34 RURAL ARKANSAS 2 RURAL ARKANSAS

6 Martin Greer’s Candies

10 Lake Fort Smith State Park

The Cover

A family affair: Martin Greer’s Candies are made in the old world tradition. The family is pictured above, they are: Uriah (left), Martin, Jeanette and Joshua, with some of the 84 varieties of candy they make at their factory near Gateway. Martin sculpted the bear using 30 lbs. of white chocolate.

Arkansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc.

Features

Volume LXII, Number 1, November 2008

An official publication of

I n s i d e t h i s i s s u e

Contact InformationEditorial & Advertising Offices:

One Cooperative WayLittle Rock, ARMailing Address:

P.O. Box 510Little Rock, AR 72203E-mail: ocox@aecc.com

(501) 570-2200

Periodicals postage paid at Little Rock, AR and at additional mailing offices.Postmaster: Send address changes to:

Rural Arkansas P.O. Box 510, Little Rock, AR 72203Members: Please send name of your

cooperative with mailing label.Subscription Price:

$7.00 per year for non-members

Member ofArkansas Press Association

Acceptance of advertising by Rural Arkansas does not imply endorsement of the product or services

advertised by the publisher or the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas.

Gary C. Voigt, President/CEO

Ouida H. CoxEditor

Rae RinehartAdministrative Assistant

Dixie RogersGraphic Designer

Officers Chairman Larry Hellums Blytheville Vice Charles Burdine Chairman Vendor Secretary Ronald Moore Hamburg Treasurer Jim Parrish Trumann

Photographic & Art CreditsCover Ouida Cox

6-9 Uriah & Martin Greer Ouida Cox 10-12 A. C Haralson Ouida Cox 19 Gerald Klingman 30 David Verucchi 32 Butterball 40 Farm Bureau

Departments

Comments . . . . . . . . . . . 3

News briefs . . . . . . . . . . 4

Capitol Buzz . . . . . . . . . 20

Doug Rye Says . . . . . . . 22

Past-Time . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Family favorites . . . . . . 30

Reflections . . . . . . . . . . 34

Crossword puzzle . . . . 38

Calendar of events . . . . 46

18 Money tips Energy scams 19 Strawberry Bush

28 Mentoring scholars named

32 Thanksgiving upgrade

36 Walk your way to good health 40 Kirkseys win Farmer of the Year

42 The ongoing fight to keep electricity affordable

NOVEMBER 2008

com

ments

3

Pressure is mounting in Congress to do something about climate change. And while political debates in Washington, D.C., may seem far away, the outcome will have a direct impact on our cooperatives – and on you, the cooperative member and other electric consumers.

Climate change is but one aspect of a looming energy crisis created by increasing demand and decreasing capacity to meet that demand. Experts now say some areas of the country will be short of power within one or two years.

And yet energy supply isn’t an issue our elected representatives are spending much time considering. These forces, the desire by government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions quickly and the growing demand for power by consumers, are about to collide.

Some people say we can meet demand through efficiency and renewable energy. The reality is we need all the efficiency and renewable energy we can get, but that will not be enough.

To avert an energy crisis, the federal government must exercise true leadership, the same leadership that got Americans to the moon in the 1960s. Without that leadership – without a sound, responsible plan – government risks not only the reliability of our electric system, but literally the ability of many Americans to be able to afford to pay their electric bills.

We, as electric cooperative members and constituents, must call on elected officials to provide this leadership. That’s why the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas encourage you to contact your elected officials.

Now. You don’t need to be an energy expert to ask questions. Asking questions helps find the answers to solve the

problem of balancing climate change goals with keeping your lights on and your electric bills affordable. Right now, members of Congress, as well as state elected officials, are hearing from many interest groups who

have ideas about how to address climate change. No one is talking to consumers, however. To make things easy, there is a Web site that will send an e-mail for you. Go to www.ourenergy.coop and plug in

your address. There you’ll be able to ask a series of questions to your representatives in Washington. We are kicking this effort off with a basic but critical question: What are they doing to make sure we’ll have the power we need in the future? You can also ask about technology and affordability.

Far too often questions don’t get asked by policymakers until plans go wrong. The Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas believe it makes sense to know the answers before the laws are passed. You can help your elected officials and yourself by having this conversation.

The electric bill you save will be your own.

What are they doing to make sure we’ll have the power we need in the future?

4 RURAL ARKANSAS

new

s brief

s of

the

mont

h Can your fridge handle Thanksgiving?Your turkey – and your family – won’t be the

only ones who get stuffed this Thanksgiving. Your refrigerator and freezer will be stuffed before and after the big meal.

With all that extra use, it pays to make sure your cold appliances are up to snuff before cooking time rolls around.

If you’re one of the many homeowners whose refrigerators are more than 10 years old, you’re paying more than you have to for electricity.

That aging appliance may still keep food cold, but it’s doing so at a cost. New Energy Star refrigerators gobble at least 15 percent less energy than federal standards require, and 40 percent less than models sold just seven years ago, according to the Department of Energy.

When you shop for a refrigerator or freezer, read the EnergyGuide label that you’ll see in the store. It tells you how many kilowatt-hours of electricity the unit will consume in a year. The smaller the number, the better.

And opt for a refrigerator with a freezer on the bottom or the top; side-by-side designs burn more energy. Also, stand-alone, chest-style freezers are usually better insulated than upright models.

10 ways to save energy – and money – this winterNo money for new windows and thicker insulation? Here are 10 cheap and easy ways to shave your energy use this

winter-without feeling cold:

1. Turn on your ceiling fan – yes, in the winter. Switch the direction of the fan blades (just flip the switch on the fan’s base into the “winter” position), and run the unit slowly. It will circulate the warm air that rises to your ceiling and make you feel warmer while you’re in the room.

2. Add weatherstripping or caulk around windows and doors to keep warm air from leaking out and cold air from sneaking in.

3. Rearrange your furniture. Move it away from heating vents. Push your most frequently used furniture away from exterior walls, which can feel colder than interior walls.

4. Install a programmable thermostat. Turning back your thermostat by 10 to 15 degrees for eight hours a day can save you up to 15 percent on heat.

5. Open drapes and blinds every day to let the warm sun in. Close them when it gets dark.

6. Repair leaks in your ductwork’s seams and joints with a duct-sealing compound.

7. Wear a sweater so you can lower the thermostat a few degrees. You can save 1 percent on your heating bill for every degree you drop the heat.

8. Close the vents and doors in unused rooms.

9. Replace burned-out light bulbs with compact fluorescent lights. CFLs use 75 percent less energy than incandes-cent bulbs.

10. Switch to cold water for washing clothes and dishes.

NOVEMBER 2008

• The domestic turkey is descended from wild turkeys originally native to Southern Ontario, parts of the U.S. and Mexico. The turkey was tamed by the American Indian in Mexico and taken to Europe by Spanish conquistadors early in the 16th century. By 1524, the turkey is known to have reached England and by 1558 it was becoming popular at banquets in England and throughout Europe. When English settlers came to North America, they brought the domesticated turkey back and used it as breeding stock with native wild turkeys.

• When it comes to turkey consumed per person, Israel leads the world; just over 34 pounds a year. And they don’t even have Thanksgiving.

• Special cells allow sailfish to change colors quickly—from silver to bronze to black—which may help confuse their prey.

• At 11 a.m. on November 11th in 1918, World War 1 ceased. On November 11th many still bow their heads in remembrance of the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

• Kate Smith first introduced Irving Berlin’s song, “God Bless America,” on Armistice Day (now Veteran’s Day) November 11, 1938, at the New York’s World Fair. Berlin gave all royalties from the very popular song to the scouts. It became Kate Smith’s signature song after “When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain.”

• A cough releases an explosive charge of air that moves at speeds of up to 60 m.p.h.

• Money isn’t made of paper—it’s made out of linen.

• A newborn kangaroo is about one inch in length. An adult kangaroo can leap over 30 feet in one bound.

• On average, a woman utters around 7,000 words a day while a man uses just over 2,000.

• “He can compress the most words into the smallest idea of any man I know.” – Abraham Lincoln

5

Trivia new

s briefs o

f the month

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . Reduce heat loss with energy-efficient damper

Wood-burning fireplaces can make you feel warm and toasty while the fire is lit, but they suck the heat right out of your room.

If you’re not ready to trade your inefficient wood-burning fireplace with a decorative electric model, at least replace the damper.

Traditional “throat” dampers, made of cast iron and located where the flue meets the fireplace, can degrade over time. Even brand-new ones let some air leak out because of their metal-to-metal seals.

New damper designs are more energy efficient. These dampers are located on top of the chimney and create a tighter seal with a rubber gasket. Many are made out of materials that resist the rusting and warping of traditional dampers.

They operate with a handle connected to a chain that runs the length of the chimney. Because they are located on the top of the chimney, they eliminate the need for an additional chimney cap.

No matter what kind of damper your fireplace has, seal it off if you don’t use it anymore. Spread caulk and insert a rigid piece of insulation into the chimney to block all heat loss.

Next hybrid car: the plug-in modelOut-of-whack gas prices are making the hybrid car a fast favorite because it

doesn’t rely on gasoline alone.In fact, hybrid electric cars have two power sources: a conventional internal

combustion engine plus a battery attached to an electric motor. The electric motor works in tandem with the engine to power the car, but also can function as a generator that produces energy to recharge the battery.

Hybrids get better gas mileage and produce fewer emissions than conven-tional cars.

The next generation of hybrids is expected to save drivers even more.Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, or PHEVs, operate much like today’s

hybrids, but each has a battery that the driver can recharge using 110-volt electricity at home.

On the road, the PHEV operates mostly on electric power, saving its combustion engine for backup on long trips.

When PHEVs hit the market – probably around 2010 – they could make a dent in the country’s collective gasoline bill. And drivers can recharge their cars overnight, when demand for electricity typically is at its lowest-so it won’t place added strain on electric utilities.

6 RURAL ARKANSAS

By Jan Fielder Ziegler“We make it with butter.” He says this in perfect rhythm, whisking what

resembles a wooden boat paddle around and around through the bubbly mixture in the oversize copper kettle. Those five simple words reveal a great deal about this unique and successful business in a most unlikely location, a remote stretch of Hwy 62 just a few hundred feet from the Missouri border in Northwest Arkansas. This is a three-generation craft—an art, some would say—that brings a smile to the faces of loyal customers who stop by, often en route to or from Branson, Missouri, or to those who more often order from their distant computers. Martin Greer, his wife Jeanette, and sons Uriah and Joshua, along with one employee, Kira, are the “we” of this equation. The “making” part is an all-inclusive verb, because the Greers melt, cook, stir, beat, pull, cut, dip and wrap their product on-site the old-fashioned way, but always using the best fresh ingredients. And the “it”—that would be the unforgettable, incredibly delicious candy—84 varieties in all—that entice the

Martin Greer’s CandiesA CAndy MAking HeritAge

The candy and gift shop is located about two miles east of Gateway on Hwy. 62.

Assorted chocolates – a perfect gift for the chocolate lover.

Neat home with candy kitchen and gift shop in back.

NOVEMBER 2008 7

Continued on next page

Martin Greer’s Candies

defenseless customer. All thoughts of calorie-counting, weigh-ins, health food diets and such tend to melt away when the mounds of cream-filled cordials, stacks of almond toffee, towers of fresh fudge, rows of apples dipped in creamy caramel, platters of pralines, trays of chocolate-dipped strawberries, and boxes of white, medium and dark chocolate turtles beckon from their artistically arranged display cases.

And just in case the voice of reason tries to break the spell of the magic and heavenly aroma wafting though the air in the Greer’s neat, attractive candy and gift shop, the customer doesn’t stand a chance of resisting after gazing through the special observation window into the kitchen, where Martin Greer, or son Uriah stands pouring up yet another batch.

When Martin Greer says, “We make candy like they did one hundred years ago,” he knows what he is saying. He is a part of a candy-making tradition that spans more than that length of time, adding the fifty-four years he has been making candy with the fifty-four years of candy-making of his father before him. “My dad started making candy in Texarkana 1925,” Greer said. “He worked for ten years for two brothers, making candy there.” By now a skilled candy maker in his own right, Greer’s father started his own candy business, “M. L. Greer and Son Candy Co.” in Childress, Texas, in 1939. “He taught me to spoon test caramel. That’s hard to teach somebody. When we made peanut brittle, he’d say, ‘Can’t you feel that sugar break? Can’t you hear those peanuts talking to you?’ But today,” Greer said with a laugh and apology to the old ways, “there are a few differences, though not in the critical ingredients. But I am teaching my son to use a $350 candy thermometer, even a laser thermometer to test the cooling candy when it’s poured up.”

Martin Greer and his family hold firmly to his father’s admonition, hand-written on a note taped to a cabinet in the kitchen area: “Follow the recipe faithfully.” This they do, carefully measuring the sugar, cream, and butter with each batch, whether a thirty-pound batch of fudge or a batch of divinity. But, he adds, “thanks to Jeanette’s flair and suggestions, we are always trying something new.”

Take your pick from caramel-coated apples.

Left: Martin Greer mixing up Divinity.

Below: Pouring peanut brittle onto the marble working surface.

The old recipes are their mainstay, however, with most candy recipes passed down from the senior Greer. “Our fudge recipe dates to the 1820s,” Martin Greer said, “and most of the others date to the Civil War era.” Other non-negotiable elements include buying only the best ingredients, including pure fruit purees or real fruit preserves, obtained locally as much as possible, and keeping the temperature in the cold room at Gateway 60-65 degrees year round. It all adds up to quality candy, and that is the “main concern” for Greer.

Greer, who holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Arkansas, is a retired educator, having spent 39 years teaching from Kindergarten to graduate school level, as well as serving as a principal for a few years. Most of his life he taught art, and has even written a sort of guide book for beginning art teachers. He remembers his father tended to look at his passion for art as worthwhile, but not necessarily something that would keep the family fed. “He’d say, ‘Son, you’ve got to make a living. You can make a living making candy.’”

The elder Greer was right, at least to an extent. Martin Greer was able to work his way through college with the candy-making

8 RURAL ARKANSAS

Valentine display with cold room window in background.

NOVEMBER 2008 9

skills passed on by his father. In those days, he made all the candy the family sold at Silver Dollar City. Today, the sweet products his family so painstakingly makes are sold almost exclusively in the shop and online (www.martingreerscandies.com), with a few outlets in the region, in Rogers, Siloam Springs, and Ozark. Peak seasons for the candy maker are at Christmas and Valentine’s Day, when boxes ranging from one-fourth pound to seven pounds, selling from $5.50 to $160, are sold and shipped literally all over the country, as well as internationally, to Hong Kong, Scotland and Venezuela, for example. He advertises the product by underwriting programming on AETN, by radio spots, billboards and other signage, but much of the sales result from returning satisfied customers, affirming the candies’ high quality. He points out that making candy as his family does is not something that can be duplicated on a mass scale.

“You just have to love to do it,” Greer said, “because you’re not going to get rich doing this.” The business presently funds one outside employee, and pays a modest salary to Uriah, but Greer and his wife do not pay themselves. Instead, everything “goes back into the business,” he explained. “All the equipment is very expensive, and if I had to replace what I have, it would be very hard to do. So in a way, this is a dying art, because small candy makers really can’t afford to get into this business,” he said.

But son Uriah will do his part to keep the art alive. Taught by his dad, and by extension, by a grandfather he never knew, Uriah is an integral part

of the operation, an operation he plans to continue even while attending Northwest Arkansas Community College in nearby Rogers, and then at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and ultimately, Springfield Bible College. He is learning everything his father can teach him, things like “how not to cook the egg whites when making divinity.” In typical 17-year-old fashion, Uriah is a late sleeper, whereas his father is in the shop by early morning. But that all works great, since Jeanette is a night person, and tends to work late. “It’s like we have three overlapping shifts, early, mid-day, and late,” Greer explains, “but at times we all work together at the same time. We are definitely not a one-man show.”

Even nine-year-old Joshua does his part—“he greets customers with a smile and a sample,” Greer said. After that, there’s not a chance a visitor will leave empty-handed.

The Greer’s shop and home are served by Carroll Electric.

Above: Cooking caramel.

Left: Pulling taffy on their vintage taffy machine.

10 RURAL ARKANSAS

Looking for a neat place to go? The new version of Lake Fort Smith State Park near Mountainburg is up and running. The park closed in January 2002 to be relocated to a new site due to the combining of Lake Fort Smith and Lake Shepherd Springs into a single, 1,400-acre reservoir to provide additional water storage for the Fort Smith, Arkansas, municipal water supply. Located on the western side of the enlarged lake and featuring all new construc-tion, the new park is a showcase offering improved facilities and scenic views of the lake and the surrounding Boston Mountain Range of the Ozark Mountains from its picturesque valley setting. This $22 million makeover serves as a gateway of adventure in this section of the state. Choose from a wide range of outdoor activities including camping, fishing kayaking, swimming, hiking, backpacking, mountain biking and nature study.

Lake Fort Smith State Park

NOVEMBER 2008

Park programs are offered throughout the year by the park’s interpretive staff. Sporting all new facilities, the 259-acre park features 30 campsites (20 Class

AAA with water/50 amp electric/sewer and 10 Class B sites with water/30 amp electric); a group lodge with great room and kitchenette that can accommodate 32 persons (16 in each wing); picnic sites, a pavilion; marina with boat rentals; double lane boat launch ramp; and 2,660-square-foot swimming pool with adjacent wading pool and a splash pad.

The pool’s 2,251-square-foot bathhouse features changing areas, lockers, a snack bar and office. The park also includes an 8,000 square-foot visitor center with exhibit gallery, a meeting/classroom, gift shop, a patio featuring an outdoor wood-burning fireplace with a view of the lake and other support facilities. Here visitors can watch a film about the history of the park.

For backpackers, there is a trail marking the western end of the Ozarks Highland Trail. The 165-mile trail has its western trailhead at the park. This trail, heralded as one of the most scenic in the nation, begins at the lake then enters the Ozark National Forest where it takes the hiker across hills and hollows, crevices, bluffs and past numerous waterfalls.

11

Behind the Visitor Center is a beautifully wooded area with walking paths. The patio has an outdoor fireplace.

Left: The park offers fishing, kayaking, hiking, a boat ramp and covered pavilion.

Above: The Visitors Center is a state-of-the-art facility with modern class/meeting rooms.

The 165-mile Highland Trail has a trailhead at the park.

Continued on next page

Above: The group lodge accommodates up to 32 people and offers a kitchen and counselor room.

Below: The park has an Olympic-size swimming pool that features a bathhouse – complete with changing rooms, snack bar and lockers.

When this connection is completed, the backpacker will be able to walk from the state park, across the National Forest through several wilderness areas, and along the Buffalo River.

This park has an interesting history. It dates back to the 1830s when settlers came up the Frog Bayou and landed in the fertile valley. The park first opened in the 1936, developed by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) as a Fort Smith city park. The area became a popular state park in 1973. The new park is designed to evoke the WPA style of the original. The park is located 8 miles north of Mountainburg on U.S. 71, or take Exit #29 off I-540 at Mountainburg. For information: Phone 479-369-2469; or E-mail lakefortsmith@arkansas.com

12 RURAL ARKANSAS

The gift shop has a complete collection of Audubon Birds.

Park Interpreter Jay Schneider with turtle.

Inside the Visitor Center are displays like a covered wagon and replica of the spring that drew visitors to the valley.

NOVEMBER 2008 13

home freeUnited-Bilt Homes builds every home from scratch using the finest materials and craftsmanship. Choose from over 30 original home plans or supply your own. And with our easy financing, you’re practically home free!Combine your land, our home plans, top-quality construction and affordable financing for the perfect recipe for your new home.

Tour our model homes today!Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Harrison, Jonesboro, Little Rock & Texarkana

www.ubh.com1.800.756.2506

with approved credit

The Highland

Zero down100% financing

No payments for 6 months!

WWW.STEELDIRECT.COM • 1-877-STEEL07

©2007 SteelDirect.com All Rights Reserved.

NEED A STEEL BUILDING?BUY IT D IRECT.BUY YOUR STEEL BUILDING DIRECT FROM A PROVEN MANUFACTURER. VISIT STEELDIRECT.COM TODAY.

INSTANT ONLINE PRICING

46968 Rural AR.indd 1 11/12/07 2:33:48 PM

Poultry Farm ers Save 35% On Your Yearly Propane Costs*

1-866-877-3626 www.ag-tite.com

* Based upon the 2005 Auburn University test by Jim Donald.

Broiler Houses Pullet Houses Ag Buildings Metal Buildings

Barn Foam Bio Sealants Canister Sealants Can Sealants

14 RURAL ARKANSAS

Because your health or your child’s health is in such poor condition that you are un-

able to work

SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITYmay be your answer if a physical or mental condi-tion prevents you from working. Unfortunately,

many people are unaware of the financial and medical assistance available to them through the

Social Security Disability Program. For a FREE phone consultation and informative

brochure, call 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK

1-888-350-1247ASSOCIATION OF

DISABILITY ADVOCATES, INC.

DO YOU NEED MONEY...

NOVEMBER 2008 15

4705

CR

E

Prices Good thru Nov. 30, ‘08

Benton 1209 Military Rd.

Ft. Smith 1801 South Zero

Hot Springs 1831 Albert Pike

MATERIAL PACKAGE INCLUDES:• 36" walk door • 9' x 7' steelinsulated garage door(s)• 10’ 4 1/4” side walls

PACKAGE INCLUDES:• Galvanized metal siding.• 8' sidewalls (10', 12' & 14' also available).

Other OptionsAvailable!

OTHEROPTIONS

AVAILABLEMATERIAL PACKAGE INCLUDES:• Engineered design truss system for interiorspace uninterrupted by poles• 36" pre-hung steel walk door• Treated splashboard & poles • National® manufacturing door hardware • 10' sliding doors • painted metal siding• Skylights • weather vane • bird blocking• Complete plans

30' X 40'

FREE ESTIMATES for custom pole barn sizes!

shown w/optional wainscot.

shown w/ optional wainscot.

for more information dial 1 800 66-BARNS!

SIZE YOU BUILD WE BUILD18' x 30' 555900* 717900

10' sidewall 4288189

24' x 30' 636900* 852900

10' sidewall 4288825

30' x 40' 913900* 1273900

10'4-1/2" sidewall 7164734

30' x 50' 1058900* 1508900

10'4-1/2" sidewall 7188832

40' x 60' 1716900* 2436900

10' sidewall 4676201

SIZE YOU BUILD WE BUILD18' x 30' 549900* 711900

4121364

24' x 30' 694900* 9109004121521

30' x 40' 892900* 12529007190135/27

SIZE YOU BUILD WE BUILD18' x 30' 261900* 423900

3635109

24' x 30' 345900* 5619003645579

30' x 40' 549900* 9099003646197

30' x 50' 614900* 10649003647567

18' X 30'

30' X 40' DELUXE SUBURBANPOLE GARAGE PACKAGES

*Building package prices are approximate and may vary due to daily changes in commodity market conditions.Free estimates on complete or partial building packages are available. Customers should check local buildingcodes before starting building projects. The building packages illustrated are suggested designs and plans are

available at Sutherlands store locations.

* 10’ sidewalls

*

*

24' X 30'

MATERIAL PACKAGEINCLUDES:• Vinyl siding • Fiberglass

shingles • Studs 16" o.c. • 12" Overhang onsides• Aluminum windows • 9' x 7' Steel insulated garage door(s) • 36" Prehung steelentry door • Treated sill plate• Complete plans

DELUXE CIMARRON GARAGE PACKAGES

SIZE YOU BUILD WE BUILD12' x 20' 351900* 471900

6678114

14' x 24' 424900* 592900

6678197

24' x 24' 613900* 901900

6678353

24' x 30' 705900* 1065900

6678437

24' x 36' 763900* 1195900

6678031

1 800 66-BARNS!DELUXE SUBURBAN POLE

BUILDING PACKAGES

24' X 30' DELUXE SUBURBANPOLE GARAGE PACKAGES

TRADITIONAL FARMLAND BUILDING PACKAGES

16 RURAL ARKANSAS

Members Arkansas

MITCHELL PLAN

NICHOLS PLAN Now Serving Central Arkansas

We want to be theBUILDER OF CHOICEfor your new home!�Most Credit Approved within 24 hours� 100% Financing with No Money Down W.A.C.� Land Pay-Off and Closing Cost can be Included� All Homes Custom Built on Your Property�Over 50 Plans to Choose from Starting as low as $50 per sq. ft. under Roof� Slab or Pier and Beam Construction� Select all of Your Colors, Interior and Exterior�Average Construction Time is 18 to 20 Weeks� 100% Complete and Ready to Move Into� 1-Year Builder’s WarrantyNow Included in the Cost of All Homes:• Appliance Package Included • Most Plans have Garage Included• Energy Package • Heat Pump System • Vinyl Windows (Low E Gas)

3825 Mt. Carmel Rd.Bryant AR, 72022MAIN OFFICE: 800-379-2090 or 501-315-2022Fax: 501-778-3909WEB SITE: www.arfoundationhomes.comEMAIL: info@arfoundationhomes.com SUBJECT: Info

HalfPageAD:HalfPageAd 7/10/08 11:11 AM Page 1

Call Toll Free 1-800-831-3837 Call for a free quote and brochure.

Visit our website.

323 South Main St. Dumas, Arkansas 71639www.smithsteelinc.com

frame construction. Painted 26 guage roof and wall panels feature a 25 year finish warranty. Bare Galvalume Plus® features a 20 year sub-strate warranty. Quality assurance is built into each building package. Unlike other “cookie cutter” type buildings, our buildings are custom designed to meet your specific needs. Smith Steel’s staff stands ready to serve you like no other supplier, both before and after the sale.

Simply the Best Building for the Best Price!

SMITH STEEL, INC.METAL BUILDING SYSTEMS

ARKANSAS OWNED AND OPERATED

SERVING ARKANSAS & MIDDLE SOUTH SINCE 1950

NOVEMBER 2008 17

Pressed Pillings To Refusal

DuraSteel Piers

Piers To Stable Clay

Hay/Machinery Storage40' x 72' x 14' $16,529(Front sidewall opens for access)

Includes—

LibertyA BlueScope Steel CompanyBUILDING SYSTEMS

LibertyA BlueScope Steel CompanyBUILDING SYSTEMS

™

™

50323.Liberty.EletricCoOp.2.125x4.875.indd 1 9/4/08 11:21:50 AM

18 RURAL ARKANSAS

Money tips for all agesYou may be thinking hard about taking care of your cash right now.

It’s a perfect time to start practicing financial habits that will serve you well for the rest of your life, regardless of your financial situation or the state of the economy. And because some of the strategies you’d use to reach your goals when you’re 25 are different from the ones you’d use at 65, check out Money Tips for All Ages, free from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Federal Citizen Information Center.

Age is just a number when it comes to some financial advice. Old or young, you want to look for ways to keep banking costs down, maintain a good credit record, keep track of your spending, set short-term and long-term financial goals, and avoid fraud. And there are tips in this brochure to help you do all these things.

But sometimes age does matter. Let’s say you’re in your middle years and are considering buying a house or need to save for retirement. You’ll want to manage your mortgage and explore IRA and 401(k) retirement accounts. Maybe you have children. Teach your teen about saving money and spending it wisely by talking about how you handle your own money. If you’re a newlywed, talk candidly with your spouse about your finances and your shared financial goals for the future. Perhaps you’re a financial caregiver for an elderly relative. Know where to find important papers before an emergency arises and take precautions to protect that person against fraud. You’ll find more helpful suggestions for many stages of your life in Money Tips for All Ages.

Dealing with money usually isn’t fun, so take advantage of the extra motivation you may be feeling. A little time spent now putting good habits in place and reading Money Tips for All Ages could mean a load off your mind in the future.

To get your copy, send your name and address to Money Tips for All Ages, Pueblo, Colorado 81009, or visit www.pueblo.gsa.gov/re/n80moneytips.htm

The devices could not be simpler – a small gray box that plugs into an electrical outlet in the home. The accompanying advertising insisted that these products, costing up to $300, could shrink electric bills by 10 percent and reduce energy consumption by 25 percent. In times of rising energy prices, who wouldn’t want to try them?

In May 2008, the Texas Office of Attorney General took legal action against the firm offering what it called the Xpower Energy Saver or Mega Power Saver, which sell for $200 and $300, respectively. A lab at the University of Texas at Austin tested the units and concluded that they could not live up to their promises.

In addition, the lab revealed that the products are, in reality, ordinary capacitors. Capacitors are regularly used by electricians, and they can be purchased for less than $20.

Electric cooperatives warn consumers to beware of such claims.

“When energy prices go up, people get flooded with ads about gadgets and gizmos that claim to save money,”

comments Heidi Smith, director of public relations at Tideland Electric Membership Corporation in Pantego, N.C. “We urge people to check with their local electric cooperative first before they buy these products.”

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) also warns consumers to be careful about marketers or home-improve-ment contractors aggressively trying to sell energy-saving products. According to the agency, consumers should look carefully and check independent information – such as from state or local consumer protection offices like the Better Business Bureau-about companies selling such items.

“Don’t fall for high-pressure sales pitches from contractors or door-to-door sales people,” says the FTC.

Smith reminds consumers of the role that electric co-ops can play in helping them to lower energy costs.

“Your electric cooperative is your advocate,” she concludes. “We are here to help you make sense of energy-savings claims and also help you find real ways to save on your electric bill, such as through free energy audits.”

Money Tips for All AgesYour Finances at Different Stages of Life

Money Tips for All AgesYour Finances at Different Stages of Life

F E D E R A L D E P O S I T I N S U R A N C E C O R P O R A T I O N

Ideas for…Any Age or StageTeensYoung AdultsNewlywedsPeople at MidlifeTeaching Our KidsBefore You RetireAfter You RetireFinancial CaregiversCoping After Changes

SPECIAL EDITION

Don’t get burned by energy scams

NOVEMBER 2008 19

Strawberry Bush

The Strawberry Bush (Euonymus americanus) is a member of the bittersweet family that grows in a 6- to 8-foot tall slender-stemmed, deciduous shrub in shady moist locations in the southeastern states and as far north as southern New York. Five-petaled, star-shaped greenish flowers about a quarter-inch across appear scattered about the branches in late spring after the leaves have appeared. Though attractive up close, they’re too small to be effective from a distance.

In September, inflated three- to five-lobed warty, pinkish-red capsules up to three-fourths inch across and dangling on slender peduncles begin popping open to display the pea-sized bright orange-red berries inside. The common names, strawberry bush, American spindletree and hearts-a-bustin’, come from the showy fruit display, which is quite attractive on heavy-laden bushes.

Strawberry bush is a good shrub for naturalizing in out of the way locations in the garden. It will grow in full shade or part sun but afternoon sun should be avoided. It does best in areas with some summertime moisture and is often found in the wild alongside streams. It’s good companion plant with other shady woodlanders such as spicebush or witch hazel. It reseeds freely in moist locations and is a favorite of browsing deer.

Like other Euonymus, it’s susceptible to scale, but the insect doesn’t do as much damage as is found on the evergreen species.

– Gerald Klingaman

20 RURAL ARKANSAS

Last month, Gov. Mike Beebe hosted an important event designed to boost Arkansas’ economy – Arkansas Works 2008: The Governor’s Summit on Education and Economic Development. The Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas were pleased to help sponsor this important program.

Gov. Beebe and leaders from business and education across the state participated in this program. It provided the opportunity for these leaders to sit down together to discuss topics of interest to their communities and the state. The goal – to make Arkansas a better place to live, learn and work.

In a letter to participants Gov. Beebe wrote that American writer Alvin Toffler, “correctly predicted that the 21st-century definition of education would have to adapt to a new reality – that 12 years of school, combined with a work ethic, and a strong back, would no longer guarantee a middle-class lifestyle. The economy that our schools were created to support is gone because the new economy demands more skilled workers.”

The Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas share Gov. Beebe’s goal. In fact, commitment to community is one of the seven principles of our business model. Because we are locally based, member-owned businesses we have a strong stake in the economies of our communi-ties and state. And we know well that a strong economy needs reliable, low-cost electricity in order to grow and thrive. For more than 70 years, we’ve been providing reliable, low-cost power to Arkansans and we plan on doing that for decades to come. It won’t be easy, though, with rising fuel costs and with certain interest groups seeking to place moratoriums on coal-fired generation.

There is no doubt that our nation’s economy is in a downturn and there is much anxiety and fear related to that. But these are exactly the times when we must pull together to seek new solutions; to put aside our differ-ences and find new ways to bring jobs to Arkansas and

to support existing companies. Educators and business-men need to communicate so we can provide workers with the skills and training needed for today’s business world.

I was especially impressed by the participants and leaders of the Arkansas Works program. They repre-sent some of the best and brightest our fine state has to offer. Co-chairs of Arkansas Works 2008 included Claiborne Deming, president and chief executive offi-cer of Murphy Oil Company; Dr. Les Wyatt, president, Arkansas State University System; and Sen. Elect Joyce Elliot, an education activist and former school teacher.

Also speaking to summit attendees was Thomas F. “Mack” McLarty III, president of McLarty Associates, an international advisory firm. McLarty was White House chief of staff for President Bill Clinton. In addi-tion, directors of several state agencies, including the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services, the Arkansas Department of Education and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, gave presentations as part of a “State of the State” report.

We also got to hear from Roy Romer, former governor of Colorado. Romer discussed his days as superinten-dent of schools for the Los Angeles Unified School District, a post he held prior to becoming governor. As superintendent, he advocated ambitious literacy and math plans that included computer-based learning programs and teacher training. As a result, test scores improved greatly.

At the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas, we applaud Arkansas Works 2008 and are excited about the fruits it will bear. We look forward to working with Gov. Beebe and the other leaders of our state to bring new jobs and new prosperity to the Natural State. By working together, we are confident that we will get through the hard times and move on to brighter days.

Cooperatives support Arkansas Works 2008

If you have an issue that you would like Carmie to address, mail it to: P.O. Box 194208, Little Rock, AR 72219-4208 or e-mail chenry@aeci.com

NOVEMBER 2008 21

DO NOT READ THIS ADUnless you want to save money.

Consolidate your bills – Be debt Free!FiXed Rates – Refinance your a.R.M.! Purchase a Home!

SOUTHERN TRUST MORTgagEWe serve all of arkansas and oklahoma.

Call Toll Free: 1-866-901-7783Fort Smith/Van Buren: 479-242-5626

Visit our Web site at: www.SouthernTrustMtg.comEmail us at: southerntrustbm@aol.com

Example Payments with Southern Trust Mortgage$40,000 payment = $252.83$60,000 payment = $379.24$80,000 payment = $505.65

$100,000 payment = $632.07Examples only, based on 6.5% interest at 360 months. Interest rates and loan amounts vary.

Quality at a competitive priceFREE customized materials bid

24’-60’ spans in stockComplete Technical Support from Owners

ADAMS TRUSS, INC.12425 Collins Road • Gentry, AR 72734 (800) 228-9221

www.adamstruss.com • Closed Saturday & Sunday

noW looKinG FoR ContRaCtoRs in YoUR aRea

30 x 50 x 10One Walk-in DoorOne Slider or Overhead

1-877-203-8704FAX: 479-638-1200

Office Hours8 am to 6 pm Monday through Saturday

Located in the Arkansas River Valley

WWW.BNBPOSTFRAME.COM

Energy Efficiency Commandment No. 1 ...continued

22 RURAL ARKANSAS

With air infiltration being such a major energy problem you surely didn’t think the

topic could be covered in one column, did you? As I often say in seminars, the three most important items in energy efficiency are: 1) air infiltration, 2) air infiltration, 3) air infiltration.

Now that you have seen this in writing, you probably will never forget it. Remember, if the cold air doesn’t get in your house this winter, it doesn’t take much fuel to heat your house.

When we perform a blower door test in a house it is absolutely amazing how many places air can and does come into a house. If a pull-down attic stairway is located inside the house, it is always an energy hog. It never seals tightly at the ceiling and both hot and cold air can enter the house at that location. In many houses, the heating and cooling thermometer is located near the energy hog. On a cold winter day, the poor old thermostat doesn’t know what to do. It doesn’t really know if it is in the house or the attic. Solution: Seal it, seal it, seal it. Installation of an Attic Tent (www.attictent.com) or an Energy Guardian kit (www.essnrg.com) is a great answer to that problem.

Many older homes have what we call whole-house attic fans. Hot and cold air pour into the house through the fan’s louvers in the ceiling. The co-ops’ makeover home had both the pull-down stairway and attic fan in the hallway. And, yes, the thermostat was within six feet of both. Talk about a confused thermostat. Actually, there are very few days when such a fan is beneficial. Our preference is to simply remove the fan and louvers and finish the ceiling. However, a very simple solution is to install a sealed, insulated cover on the ceiling, attached to the louvers. Such a unit is custom-made for your particular size fan (www.eciwinc.com). It only takes a few minutes to install and you can still use the fan when desired.

If you can’t remove the fan, you can build a box out of foam board and mastic tape. Simply cut the foam board to fit and seal tightly with the mastic tape. Then place it over the fan unit. It is inexpensive, easy to install and very effective.

O.K. now. No, we aren’t finished yet. Just think with me for a moment. Where are some other places where air can come into your home? Think of it this way. Anywhere an ant can get in, air can get in. Here are a few major problem areas:

• Where your wall touches your slab.

• Cracks between the wood framing in your home’s walls.

• Around electrical receptacles and light switches in your house, even on interior walls. (When the north wind is blowing, go feel the electrical outlets and switches on your north wall.)

• Holes and leaks around your sink plumbing. To heck with the ants, sometimes a mouse can get through these holes.

• Gas and fireplace flues.

• Recessed can lights that are not IC-rated. Between 3 and 10 cubic feet per minute of air will pass through one of these lights. A typical plastic garbage bag is 3 cubic feet. So that means that three garbage bags full of air can leak out of one of those lights every minute.

• The return air system of your heating/cooling unit. In the average house, gigantic amounts of air enter though this system.

So how are you going to stop the cold air from penetrating your home this winter? The solution is mostly labor and a little bit of material. Now, say this with me. “Caulk it. Caulk it. Caulk it.” For big holes, such as those under the sink, simply use expandable foam. For the smaller cracks, use a clear siliconized caulk. For electrical outlets and light switches, install the insulated foam gaskets and childproof plug inserts. Installing cellulose insulation in your attic will also help reduce air infiltration from your attic space. These products can be purchased at most home centers. There are also professionals who can test your home and correct the problems. The surest way to find the leaks is through a blower door test, which reveals where all the air leaks are, even those you can’t see.

cut

your

uti

lity

bill

s D o u g R y e says ...

NOVEMBER 2008 23

Past-TimeHistorical notes from the files of Rural Arkansas

20 years ago v November 1988

26 RURAL ARKANSAS

NOVEMBER 2008 27

30’ x 40’ x 10’ ........... $7,895

40’ x 60’ x 12’ ............ $13,987

60’ x 100’ x 14’ .......... $31,984

We are committed to providing the finest-quality steel buildings at the

lowest possible price. Call for a FREE quote today!

1 . 8 0 0 . 6 4 3 . 5 5 5 5www.heritagebuildings.com

!GARAGE SPECIAL!Wood or Metal Buildings

Pole Barns - BIG DiscountsQuality Garage Builders

METAL ROOFS &POLE BARN HOMES1-800-787-5778

ADVANTAGESTEEL BUILDINGS

Quality Buildings at Affordable Prices

1.877.657.8335www.advantagestee lbui ldings .com

30' x 50' x 10' .................. $8,80640' x 60' x 12' .................. $12,56550' x 75' x 14' ................. $18,96680' x 120' x 16' (M-1).......... $44,986

Minis - 30' x 100' with 20 10' x 15' units - $14,740

Along These Lines, CO, FL & Iowa2.25 x 2

DR® LEAF AND LAWN VACUUM

UNSTOPPABLE POWER Collect and shred acres of leaves, pine cones, pine needles, grass clippings, nuts.

HUGE CAPACITY Exclusive shredding action reducesdebris 10:1, for more vacuuming and less unloading.

BUILT TO LAST Beefy steel frame, large hoses, hard shell collector, commercial engine options.

Call Toll-Free

1-877-201-5033Go OnlineDRleafvac.com

Put an end to fall cleanup hassle with a DR® LEAF andLAWN VACUUM. No other is built stronger or lasts longer.

Find out more.See it in action.GET A FREE CATALOG & DVD!6-MONTH RISK-FREE TRIAL

Try it at home and then decide.

LEAVES NOTHING IN ITS PATH.EXCEPT THE COMPETITION.

63625X:L0126 (4 1-2 x 4 7-8) 10/1/08 3:09 PM Page 1

40’ x 50’ x 10’ = $11,81140’ x 60’ x 12’ = $13,10650’ x 100’ x 12’ = $23,56460’ x 80’ x 14’ = $23,738

100’ x 150’ x 14’ = $64,153ALL SIZES MINI-STORAGE!

1-800-509-4949www.accessiblebui ldings.com

28 RURAL ARKANSAS

Five freshmen entering the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences (SAFHS) have been designated Mentoring Scholars and are receiving scholarships provided by the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas Mentoring Scholars Program.

Three recipients are Pine Bluff High School graduates and two are graduates of Dollarway High School. Recipients, their high schools and majors are as follows:

Steven Anderson, Pine Bluff, regulatory science-environ-mental biology

Jazmine Garner, Pine Bluff, agricultural businessDanalynn Hart, Dollarway, agricultural businessJalyndria Murry, Pine Bluff, agricultural businessKacy Wright, Dollarway, regulatory science-environmental

biologyMentoring scholarships of $1,000 are payable directly to

the students who receive them as $100 monthly stipends.The Mentoring Scholars Program seeks to encourage

students to stay in Arkansas and become community leaders. Scholars are paired with SAFHS faculty members in their degree interest as they participate in a faculty-student mentorship. Students receive academic and social support and engage in academic related research and professional development activities under the supervision of their faculty mentor.

Since the program began in 1998, the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas has funded 60 Mentoring Scholars who must meet the following criteria:

• Be a graduating senior with an ACT score of 18 or above and a GPA of 2.5 or above

• Be accepted for enrollment at UAPB• Be seeking a degree in a SAFHS degree program• Be registered to voteHigh school students interested in UAPB or Mentoring

Scholarships should contact Dr. Linda Okiror, SAFHS assistant dean, at (870) 575-8538 or okirorl@uapb.edu.

Five SAFHS Mentoring Scholars named

The 2008-2009 Mentoring Scholars and mentors are (row 1, l-r) Jazmine Garner; Jalyndria Murry and Kacy Wright; (row 2, l-r) Dr. Tracy Dunbar, interim chair, department of agriculture; Alicia Farmer, instructor; Steven Anderson; Danalynn Hart; Shannon Hendrix, instructor; Dr. Jaheon Koo, assistant professor, food science; and Dr. Linda Okiror, SAFHS assistant dean.

The Tri-County Community Coalition (TCCC), which includes Jefferson, Lincoln and Grant counties, has been awarded a $203,859.45 grant from Heifer International. The grant will augment community gardens, working with experts, place livestock with participants and institute a Farm-to-School Program. Under this program, participating farmers, working with experts, will develop marketing strategy to sell direct to the consumer and to schools for the school lunch program. Heifer International’s grant is in keeping with the Heifer Pass-It-On philosophy. The livestock pass-on will be the first female offspring, along with hands-on training and technical assistance for the care of the animal and the development of marketing plans. The Community Gardens pass-on is in the form of education, knowledge and training in production practices. The training gift will be passed on by each member who agrees to give back 40 volunteer hours of mentoring new members throughout a year after receiving training. If you reside in a TCCC county and would like to participate call 870-575-7237.

TCCC has received a $203,859.45 three-year grant from Heifer International. Elaine Eckert, vice president of TCCC and a Master Gardener, accepts a check from Michael Ashanti (right), Arkansas field coordinator with Heifer International. With Eckert and Ashanti is Stephan Walker, president of TCCC, a Jefferson County farmer and Extension associate, who will administer the grant.

TCCC gets $203,859 grant

NOVEMBER 2008 29

IT’S EASY TO SEEWHO’S BEEN NAUGHTYAND WHO’S BEEN VERY,

VERY, VERY NICE.

IT’S EASY TO SEEWHO’S BEEN NAUGHTYAND WHO’S BEEN VERY,

VERY, VERY NICE.

Henry Golden Boy Lever ActionAvailable in .22 LR, .22 Magnum, & .17 HMRGuns & Ammo Rifle of the Year (2001)

Henry Big Boy .44 Magnum

Henry Golden Boy .22 LR / .22 Mag / .17 HMR

Henry U.S. Survival .22 LR

Henry Acu-Bolt .22 LR / .22 Magnum / .17 HMR

Thousands of Henry rifles will be found under Christmas treesacross America this holiday season. Why? Henrys perform beautifully,are handsomely styled, have the smoothest actions and bear the greathistorical name of Henry. Last but not least, they are affordably pricedso decent, hard-working Americans who love the shooting sports willfind them readily affordable.

For absolute reliability and accuracy, nothing beats the flawlessfunction of a Henry. The age old virtues of quality are evident in everyrifle that leaves our plant. Every part is made in America. Each rifle isengineered with features that many competitors often charge twice theprice for.

As a family owned business, our customer service is second tonone. We will do everything to guarantee your complete satisfaction.If you’re fortunate enough to receive aHenry, make sure you’re sitting downbefore opening the box. You may faintfrom the unsurpassed joy of owningyour very own Henry.

For a FREE color catalogvisit www.henry-guns.com/832or call Toll Free (877) 499-1832

7 x 10 :Layout 1 9/22/08 2:31 PM Page 1

30 RURAL ARKANSAS

fam

ily f

avorite

s

Leigh Verucchi grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, which is reflected in her choices of recipes. Married to David Verucchi, a board member of Ozarks Electric, for 18 years, they live in his home town of Springdale. They have three children, Evan 14, Nic 13 and Elle 7, and stay busy with their activities. Leigh says, “I try hard to remember each day is a gift—don’t sweat the small stuff. Therefore, my home is always a wreck, but there’s always a meal on the table.”

Recipes from Leigh’s kitchen

STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD

Place oil, onion, vinegar, sugar, mustard and salt in blender, process until sugar is dissolved. Add poppy seed and process just to mix in seeds. Drizzle with dressing and toss just before serving.

EASY CORN APPETIZER OR SIDE DISH

Can be cooked in the microwave or crock pot. Mix all ingredients into a microwave safe dish or crock pot, heat thoroughly. Serve with chips or as a side for Bar B Q, good and easy!

CORN DIP

Mix first eight ingredients together. Make dressing by combining next six ingredients, combine all together. This recipe does not require exact measurements or all of the spicy items. Serves well with tortilla chips. Always a hit at a party or cookout.

TAMALE SOUP - STOVE TOP OR CROCK POT!

Brown beef, sauté onion and pepper. Add stewed tomatoes, beans, corn and broth; simmer 1 hour stove top or all day in the crock pot. Stir in tamale pieces and juice 15 minutes before serving.

POTATO CASSEROLE

Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Boil water; add hash browns, cook 5 minutes and drain. Cook instant potatoes (both packets) according to directions on box. Soften butter and cream cheese in microwave. Mix hash browns, instant potatoes, butter mixture, cheese, sour cream, salts and pepper. Bake in greased casserole 35-45 minutes. Sprinkle fried onions on top and cook for 5 minutes more.

ITALIAN MEATLOAF

In a large bowl mix the first five ingredients by hand. Place half the mixture in a 9x5 inch loaf pan. Place half the mozzarella, all the mushrooms and half the sauce on top. Place the other half of the meat mixture on top and finish off the remaining mozzarella and sauce. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. The last 5 minutes top with provolone. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Serves 6 to 8.

SPINACH ARTICHOKE CASSEROLE

Sauté onion in butter; cook spinach as directed and drain. Combine onion, spinach and remaining ingredients into a 1 1/2 quart dish bake at 350 uncovered for 30 minutes until thoroughly heated.

CRAWFISH PIE

Sauté all vegetables in butter; add soup, tomato sauce, crawfish and parsley, cook 10 minutes on low. Turn off heat and add remaining items, stir. Place pie crust into pie plate, add crawfish mixture into the crust place the other crust on top and poke holes in the top crust. Bake 1 1/2 hours in a 350 oven.

CRAWFISH TORTELLINI

Prepare noodles according to the package. Sauté onion and garlic in butter; add parsley then stir in the flour. Slowly stir in whipping cream, cheese and crawfish tails. Add noodles, cover and cook in a 350 oven for 45 minutes until hot and bubbly.

CHERRIED CORNISH HENS

Cook wild rice as directed. Make a pocket in each Cornish hen half by inserting a knife between the skin and meat. Fill each pocket with 2 tablespoons of wild rice. Sprinkle Tony’s seasoning over the hens and cover them with the chili sauce. Bake at 300 covered for 1 hour. Drain the excess fat. Drain cherry juice into a saucepan. Add wine, corn starch, and sugar. Cook over low heat stirring until thick then add the cherries. Mix and pour over hens, continue to cook at 300 one hour longer basting them occasionally. Serve over a bed of wild rice.

1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup chopped onion or 1 teaspoon dried minced 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons cider vinegar 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon ground mustard 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoons poppy seed 8 cups baby spinach leaves Sliced strawberries Cashew pieces

1 block of cream cheese 1 can white corn, drained 1 can yellow corn, drained 1 can Rotel, drain 1/2 the juice

1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 cans white shoe peg sweet corn 1-2 tomatoes, diced 1 jalapeno, seeded then diced 3 green onions, chopped 1/2 cup purple onion, chopped 4 oz. can green chilies, chopped

1/3 cup cilantro 1/4 cup red pepper, chopped 1/2 cup olive oil 1/3 cup red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon cumin Salt Pepper

1 lb. ground beef 1 med. onion, chopped 1 green pepper, chopped 2 14 oz. cans stewed tomatoes 2 16 oz. cans pinto beans

1 15 oz. can creamed corn 1 10 oz. can beef broth, undiluted 2 15 oz. cans tamales cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cups water 4 cups frozen hash browns 2 packets butter/herb instant potatoes 4 oz. cream cheese 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

1 stick butter 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 2 cups fried onions

1 lb. ground beef 1 lb. Italian sausage, casing removed 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs 1/2 cup onion, chopped 2 large eggs

16 oz. spaghetti sauce 1 cup mozzarella cheese 6 oz. fresh mushrooms, optional 4 slices provolone cheese

1 med. onion, chopped 1/2 cup margarine 2 10 oz. pkgs. frozen spinach 1 16 oz. can artichoke hearts, quartered and drained

2 tablespoons flour 1 8 oz. pkg. sour cream 4 oz. softened cream cheese 1/2 cup parmesan cheese Salt and pepper to taste

1 lg. onion, chopped 1/4 cup green onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1/2 bell pepper, chopped 2 stalks celery, chopped fine 1 stick butter or margarine 1 can cream of celery soup 4 tablespoons tomato sauce 1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup Progresso seasoned bread crumbs 1 lb. frozen crawfish tails, thawed, chop 1/2 the package 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon red pepper 1 pkg. ready made pie crusts

1 lb. frozen crawfish tails, thawed 2 pods garlic 1 med. onion, chopped 1 stick butter or margarine

1 1/2 pints whipping cream 1/2 cup parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons flour 2 tablespoons parsley 1 pkg. tortellini noodles

4 Cornish hens, halved Tony’s seasoning salt Heinz chili sauce Uncle Ben’s wild rice, original

1/2 cup brown sugar 1 can bing cherries, water based 2 tablespoons corn starch 1/4 cup white wine

NOVEMBER 2008 31

.

The Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas have long been

committed to reaching out to the communities we serve. We believe our member-owners should be well

informed about the issues that impact the use of electricity

in our daily lives.

One of the most effective ways for us to inform is through the

Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas’ Speaker’s Bureau.

Topics Include:Carbon Cap and Trade

Climate Change I Energy EfficiencyGreen Power I Renewable Energy Youth Tour to Washington, D.C.

And More!

Call Sandy Trantham at 501-570-2294 or log on to

www.ecark.org/newsroom/speakers for more information.

Call on your neighbors at the Electric Cooperatives

of Arkansas to address a relevant issue

at your next program.

May we have a word with you?

Never have to buy fuel — oil, gas, kerosene, wood — ever again!Your Benefits with Hydro-Sil:■ Zone controlled heating cost with Hydro-Sil■ No service contracts. Lifetime warranty.■ Safe, complete peace of mind■ Clean, no fumes, environmentally safe■ U.L. listed■ No furnaces, ducts, or chimneys■ Preassembled — ready to use■ Portable (110V) or permanent (220V)■ Whole house heating or single room

Contact ustoday forinfo and

FREE catalog!

Hydro-Sil is a high performance individual room heating system that allows you to control your home heating cost by replacing oldand inefficient heating. It can replace or supplement your electric heat, gas or oilfurnace and woodstoves. A one-time purchase that will last a lifetime: inside the heater is a sealed copper chamber filled with a harmless silicone fluid designed for heat retention qualities. The fluid is quickly heated by a varying amount of micro-managed proportional power. This exclusive technology greatly increases energy efficiencies.

Lifetime Warranty

Name_______________________________________

Address_____________________________________

City_____________________________ St_________

Zip___________ Phone________________________

MasterCard, Visa or Discover Account Information:

Acct #______________________________________

Expiration Date_______________________________

220 VOLT PERMANENT

Approx. Area to Heat

Discount Price S&H Qty.

8’ 2000 w 250-300 sf $319 $256’ 1500 w 180-250 sf $289 $255’ 1250 w 130-180 sf $259 $254’ 1000 w 100-130 sf $239 $183’ 750 w 75-100 sf $189 $182’ 500 w 50-75 sf $169 $18Thermostats – Call for options & exact heater needed.

110 VOLT PORTABLES(Thermostat included.)

Discount Price S&H Qty.

5’ Hydro-Max 750-1500 w $229 $253’ 750 w – Silicone $179 $18Heavy-Duty 240v $329 $25

Total Amount

Check ■ MasterCard ■ Visa ■ Discover

1-800-627-9276www.hydrosil.com

Hydro-Sil, P.O. Box 662, Fort Mill, SC 29715

H3O

F

Citrus, Mustard & Herb Infused Turkey

1/2 cup (1 stick) softened unsalted butter 3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon 3 tablespoons chopped fresh marjoram 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage 1 tablespoon lemon zest 1 tablespoon orange zest 2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 turkey (14 to 16 lb.), thawed if frozen

Note: If fresh herbs are not available, substitute 1 teaspoon dried herbs for each tablespoon of fresh.1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Combine butter, herbs, zests, mustard, salt and pepper in work bowl of blender or food processor; cover. Process until well blended.2. Remove neck and giblets from body and neck cavities of turkey. Reserve giblets for stuffing recipe. Drain juices from turkey and dry turkey with paper towels. Turn wings back to hold neck skin against back of turkey.3. Remove butter mixture from blender. Carefully work fingers under skin on breast of turkey. Place half the butter mixture under breast area. Rub remaining butter mixture over breast and legs of turkey.4. Place turkey, breast side up, on a flat rack in a shallow baking pan. Roast turkey approxi-mately 1-1/2 hours. Then, cover breast and top of drumsticks loosely with foil to prevent overbrowning.5. Roast turkey another 1-1/2 hours, or until meat thermometer reaches 180°F when inserted into the deepest part of the thigh.6. Let turkey stand 15 minutes before carving.

Sautéed Leek, Giblet & Bulgur Wheat Dressing

12 oz. chopped thick-sliced hickory smoked bacon 3 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 cups sliced leeks

32 RURAL ARKANSAS

butter mixture until tender-crisp, about 5 to 7 minutes. 6. Combine cooked vegetables, breads, bulgur wheat, cooked giblets, parsley, herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and cooked bacon in large bowl. Gradually pour in chicken broth, mixing until all ingredients are moist.7. Place mixture in well greased 4-quart baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Cranberry Pumpkin Crumble Cheesecake

SquaresCRUST: 2 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs 1 cup chopped pecans 2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1/2 cup melted butter 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamonCHEESECAKE: 4 packages (8 oz) softened

cream cheese 1 cup sugar 3 tablespoons flour 1 cup sour cream 1 cup canned pumpkin 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice 1 teaspoon vanilla 4 eggs 1 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with foil, with ends extending over sides of pan. 2. For crust, combine crumbs, nuts, sugar and butter; mix well. Firmly press 3 cups of mixture onto bottom of prepared baking pan. Set aside remaining 1 cup while preparing cheesecake.3. For cheesecake, mix cream cheese, sugar and flour in large bowl of electric mixer on medium speed until blended, about 2 minutes. While mixing, add sour cream, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed until just blended. Fold in cranberries. Pour cheesecake batter over crust. 4. Sprinkle remaining crust mixture over top of cheesecake. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool completely on wire rack.5. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Lift cheesecake from pan, using foil edges. Cut into 16 pieces. Store leftover cheese-cake in refrigerator.

2 cups chopped celery root 1 1/2 cups chopped parsnips 8 cups whole grain bread, cubed and toasted 4 cups country white bread, cubed and toasted 2 cups cooked bulgur wheat Giblets from turkey, cooked and chopped 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 3 cups chicken broth or reserved broth from giblets

Note: If fresh herbs are not available, substitute 1 teaspoon dried herbs for each tablespoon of fresh.1. Preheat oven to 350°F.2. Place neck, heart, gizzard, water to cover, salt and pepper to taste in large saucepan. (Reserve the liver for later use or discard.) Bring just to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover. 3. Simmer 1-1/2 hours, adding the liver, if desired, for the last 30 minutes of the cooking time. Strain stock; cover and refrigerate until ready to use in stuffing mixture. Remove meat from the neck; discard bones. Finely chop neck meat, heart, gizzard and liver, if using; cover and refrigerate until ready to use.4. Cook bacon in a large saucepan on medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon, leaving bacon fat in pan. Drain bacon on paper toweling. Add butter to bacon fat.5. Sauté leek, celery root and parsnips in bacon-

1013⁄16

1013⁄16

101⁄2

101⁄2

103⁄4

103⁄4

107⁄8

107⁄8

81⁄4

81⁄4

8 8

81⁄8

81⁄8

77⁄8

77⁄ 8

73⁄4

73⁄4

75⁄8

75⁄8

83⁄8

83⁄8

81⁄4 8

81⁄8

77⁄8

73⁄4

75⁄8

83⁄8

81⁄48

81⁄8

77⁄873⁄4

75⁄8

83⁄8

107⁄8

107⁄8

101⁄2

101⁄2

1013⁄16

1013⁄16

103⁄4

103⁄4

RESERVATION APPLICATIONTHE BRADFORD EXCHANGE_______________________________________9345 Mi lwaukee Avenue · N i les , IL 60714-1393

YES. Please reserve the “Grandma’s Gift Diamond

Pendant” for me as described in this announcement.

01_B_I = 7x10 Master_Installment

LIMITED-TIME OFFER

*Plus $8.98 shipping and service.Sales subject to product availability andorder acceptance.

©2008 BGE 01-04638-001-BIG8

Signature ____________________________________

Mr. Mrs. Ms.__________________________________Name (Please Print Clearly)

Address _____________________________________

City ________________________________________

State__________________ Zip __________________

01-04638-001-E02491

Shown actual size

Hand-set with anexquisitely beautifulsolitaire diamond

�

Finely hand-crafted in solid sterling silver with rich

24K-gold-plated accents

�

Arrives in anattractive

keepsake case withthe touching

“Grandma’s Gift”poem.

The relationship between a grandmother and granddaughter is like

no other, filled with love, happiness shared, and bright hopes for

the future. Now, celebrate this cherished bond with the

“Grandma’s Gift Diamond Pendant.”

Finely hand-crafted in solid sterling silver, our “Grandma’s Gift

Diamond Pendant” is an exclusive design. Like a precious package

tied with a ribbon and bow, it is an exquisite reminder

of a love that truly is a gift. A sparkling genuine diamond adds

beauty and value, and the pendant is finished with a delicate 18"

solid sterling silver chain.

Exceptional ValueComplete with a Certificate of Authenticity and special keepsakecase with “Grandma’s Gift” poem, it’s a remarkable value at $119*,payable in 4 installments of $29.75. To reserve yours, backed byour 120-day guarantee, send no money now; just mail theReservation Application today! Or, call us toll free, today, at

A Brilliant-cut Solitaire Diamond ... Shimmering Sterling Silver ... and Rich 24K Gold

1-866-768-

6517, 24

hours a day,

7 days a

week, for

guaranteed

holiday

delivery!†

†We must receive your initial payment by 12/19/08 to guaranteeChristmas delivery. Call toll free

today 1-866-768-6517, 24 hours aday, 7 days a week.

Thanksgiving Upgrade

NOVEMBER 2008

33

1013⁄16

1013⁄16

101⁄2

101⁄2

103⁄4

103⁄4

107⁄8

107⁄8

81⁄4

81⁄4

8 8

81⁄8

81⁄8

77⁄8

77⁄ 8

73⁄4

73⁄4

75⁄8

75⁄8

83⁄8

83⁄8

81⁄4 8

81⁄8

77⁄8

73⁄4

75⁄8

83⁄8

81⁄48

81⁄8

77⁄873⁄4

75⁄8

83⁄8

107⁄8

107⁄8

101⁄2

101⁄2

1013⁄16

1013⁄16

103⁄4

103⁄4

RESERVATION APPLICATIONTHE BRADFORD EXCHANGE_______________________________________9345 Mi lwaukee Avenue · N i les , IL 60714-1393

YES. Please reserve the “Grandma’s Gift Diamond

Pendant” for me as described in this announcement.

01_B_I = 7x10 Master_Installment

LIMITED-TIME OFFER

*Plus $8.98 shipping and service.Sales subject to product availability andorder acceptance.

©2008 BGE 01-04638-001-BIG8

Signature ____________________________________

Mr. Mrs. Ms.__________________________________Name (Please Print Clearly)

Address _____________________________________

City ________________________________________

State__________________ Zip __________________

01-04638-001-E02491

Shown actual size

Hand-set with anexquisitely beautifulsolitaire diamond

�

Finely hand-crafted in solid sterling silver with rich

24K-gold-plated accents

�

Arrives in anattractive

keepsake case withthe touching

“Grandma’s Gift”poem.

The relationship between a grandmother and granddaughter is like

no other, filled with love, happiness shared, and bright hopes for

the future. Now, celebrate this cherished bond with the

“Grandma’s Gift Diamond Pendant.”

Finely hand-crafted in solid sterling silver, our “Grandma’s Gift

Diamond Pendant” is an exclusive design. Like a precious package

tied with a ribbon and bow, it is an exquisite reminder

of a love that truly is a gift. A sparkling genuine diamond adds

beauty and value, and the pendant is finished with a delicate 18"

solid sterling silver chain.

Exceptional ValueComplete with a Certificate of Authenticity and special keepsakecase with “Grandma’s Gift” poem, it’s a remarkable value at $119*,payable in 4 installments of $29.75. To reserve yours, backed byour 120-day guarantee, send no money now; just mail theReservation Application today! Or, call us toll free, today, at

A Brilliant-cut Solitaire Diamond ... Shimmering Sterling Silver ... and Rich 24K Gold

1-866-768-

6517, 24

hours a day,

7 days a

week, for

guaranteed

holiday

delivery!†

†We must receive your initial payment by 12/19/08 to guaranteeChristmas delivery. Call toll free

today 1-866-768-6517, 24 hours aday, 7 days a week.

Thanksgiving Upgrade

34 RURAL ARKANSAS

Far left: “Happy Fall Y’all” farmers, Payton and Jacob Hibbs – Sevier County

Near left: Katie and Charles Jackson with an array of fall produce – Kim Motherwell, Fayetteville

Far left: Reese playing in the fall leaves – Sherron Shuffield, Fayetteville Royal

Near left: Blanka loves autumn time – Sandra Baker-Lague, Mountain Home

Below: Adeline ‘Callin them hogs!” Anita Caldwell, Clarksville

ReflectionsNovember scenes in Rural Arkansas

I WANT MY HOME TO BE

_______________________________________ .

877-2-MUELLER www.MuellerInc.com

Coming home to a Mueller metal roof is always a pleasure, thanks to its

exceptional beauty and durability. With so many colors to choose from, you

can be certain that your roof will be a perfect match for your home. And with

limited paint warranties up to 30 years, you’ll enjoy peace of mind for decades.

Whatever you want your home to be, let Mueller help make it happen.

my favorite place to come back to

Far left: Keelee with Mom’s wakeboard helmet on her head – Kleesha Windle, Blytheville

Near left: John David Baxter of Weona picking cotton

Far left: Trey Davis “The corn is about ready to harvest.” – E.H. Hatley III, Trumann

Near left: Alice amid the tall cotton – Danny Blankenship, Cardwell, Mo

NOVEMBER 2008 35

I WANT MY HOME TO BE

_______________________________________ .

877-2-MUELLER www.MuellerInc.com

Coming home to a Mueller metal roof is always a pleasure, thanks to its

exceptional beauty and durability. With so many colors to choose from, you

can be certain that your roof will be a perfect match for your home. And with

limited paint warranties up to 30 years, you’ll enjoy peace of mind for decades.

Whatever you want your home to be, let Mueller help make it happen.

my favorite place to come back to

36 RURAL ARKANSAS

GRAVETTE

METAL SALESSteel Building Supplies and Components

Hay Barns • Commercial Buildings • Large Shops

Custom steel Buildings & i Beam trusses availaBle

30x75x16“red iron Hay Barn special”all steel i-Beam

Construction26 ga. metal

$8,960 plus tax, delivery

FREE ESTIMATES!2 miles south of Gravette, AR • Right on Hwy 59

479-787-5784 • gravettemetalsales.com

1-800-297-3157M - F 8-5 • Sat. by appointment

*Prices may change without notice

VISA MASTERCARD

ALL SteeL CLeAR SpAn

tRuSS24 x 30 x 8$5,600

• Residential & Com-mercial Roofing

• Mini Storage units

• Insulation

• Doors in Stock

• Steel purlings

ReD IROn SHOpALL SteeL40 x 50 x 12$13,835

Other sizes available

Building Special32 x 40 x 10

$4,750 steel truss

Health notesWalk your way to good health

How many times have you started an exercise program only to lose interest or give up after a few months (or even weeks or days)? The secret of success is to find the exercise you enjoy, something that doesn’t take a long time to learn, something you will not grow weary or bored from. The ideal exercise program won’t cause you injury or cost a fortune. It should be one that you can always do alone or share with friends or family, an indoor-outdoor, all-season activity. Of course, you also want it to be substantial. Exercise should build endurance, burn calories and strengthen bones, lungs and heart.

Too good to be true? More than 36 million adult Americans have already found such an exercise and are out there four to six days a week enhancing their health by walking.

Walking truly can be exercise. Studies have shown jogging a mile in 8-1/2 minutes burns about the same number of calories as walking the same mile in 12 minutes. Walking strengthens, shapes and tones almost all parts of the body and can be an effective way to lose weight. It has also been linked to longer life expectancy.

The important thing about walking is to do it regularly and to keep a good pace. Walking at a casual pace of two miles per hour for 10 minutes a day may be a wise way to start, but try your best to work up to three and a half miles per hour by the end of the first month. You may then gradually increase your pace and time to 30-minute walks, four or more times a week.

A good way to check to see if you are overexerting yourself is to take the talk test: If you cannot carry on a conversa-tion without becoming breathless, you are going too fast. As with any exercise program, talk with your doctor before beginning and take particular caution if you are recovering from surgery or a heart attack.

THE PHONE CONNECTION •BeenDisconnected? •OweaBigbill? •NoCreditCheck! •NoDepositRequired!

$39.95 per month / unlimited local callsFREE100minuteslongdistance

eachmonth.1-877-375-2255

Licensed by Arkansas/Oklahoma/Florida/Missouri Public Service Commission

BASICBASICBASICBASICBASICDENTURESDENTURESDENTURESDENTURESDENTURES

(Set)$295

BASICBASICBASICBASICBASICCROWNCROWNCROWNCROWNCROWN

(Unit)$425

DENTALCENTERS

MID-AMERICA DENTAL &HEARING CENTER-HIGHWAY

1050 W. Hayward DriveMt. Vernon, MO 657121-800-354-1905

MID-AMERICA DENTAL &HEARING CENTER-LOOP

558 Mt. Vernon Blvd.Mt. Vernon, MO 657121-800-372-4554

”Our Best...For Less...In a Day”

Dr. Hildreth & Associates2 Locations:

Whitening • Partials •General DentistryDelta Dental Insurance Delta Dental Insurance Delta Dental Insurance Delta Dental Insurance Delta Dental Insurance Accepted

CareCreditCareCreditCareCreditCareCreditCareCredit® Financing Now Available!

Notice: The following dentists in this practice are not licensed in Missouri as specialistsin the advertised dental specialty of Prosthetics: Dr. Hildreth & Associates.Notice: The following dentists in this practice are not licensed in Missouri as specialistsin the advertised dental specialty of Prosthetics: Dr. Hildreth & Associates.

www.midamericadental.comwww.midamericadental.com

NOVEMBER 2008 37

Here are some tips for the beginning walker:

Dress for success Get a good pair of lightweight shoes

made of leather, canvas or nylon mesh that are flexible and have plenty of cushioning and arch support. These materials will allow your feet to “breathe.” Make sure there is a fourth to a half-inch of space between the longest toe and the tip of the shoe. Ask the salesperson at a sports or shoe store for help.

Wear lighter clothing than usual because walking generates body heat. Layers of clothes are best so that you can adjust as you warm up.

Warm upBefore each walk, make sure you

warm up by stretching or walking slowly the first five minutes of the walk.

Keeping it up Recruit walking partners. Most

people have better luck sticking to a walking program if they get into the habit of walking daily. Planning to exercise at the same time each day will help to start a routine that you will stick with. Keep a log of when, how far and how long your walks are. Check distances by driving your walking routes.

Exercise is essential for good health. It takes some time and effort to have an active life, but it doesn’t have to be drudgery. Find an exercise you like and stick to it. If it’s walking, start today.

CARING CASKETS

SAVING YOU MONEY

ON CASKETS, URNS and MONUMENTSDelivering to all funeral homes • Prepurchase plans

Entering our 11th year of Business1-888-443-6414 • Call for brochure

CaskEts madE in thE U.s.a.www.caringcaskets.com

28 S. College, Suite 17, Fayetteville, AR 72701

ASK ABOUT A FAMILY FUNERAL PLANNING GUIDE PACKET

$885$35/Mo w.a.c.0 down

Sky-blue

$6,89500

$13,65000

$5,150.00

38 RURAL ARKANSAS

cro

ssw

ord

puz

zle

October Puzzle

4

www.stilwell-const.com

Mobile Home Roof Problems?

PERMANENT STEEL RE-ROOFSOLVES THE PROBLEM!

26 and 29 Gauge Steel in 10 Colors2” and 3” Insulation

12” Overhangs

LIFETIME WARRANTY

Serving Arkansas

CUSTOM STEEL ROOFING1-877-230-6874

GARDenInG pRODuCtSMUSCADINES half-dollar size mus-cadines and blackberries. 200 varieties fruits, nuts, and berries. Free color catalog. Ison’s Nursery, PO Box 190, Brooks, GA 30205, 800-733-0324.

NOVEMBER 2008 39

Confused with all the options? We clarify Medicare! Is your drug plan premium increasing? Is your Medicare supplement premium increasing? We may be able to help lower your premiums!

New information for 2009 Medicare changes now available.

Not endorsed by Medicare or any other government agency.

Over 25 years of service!

Are you on Medicare?Are you on Medicare?

Call today for a free no-obligation consultation! 800.627.2828, press 0 Drennan Insurance Marketing, Inc. “An Arkansas licensed insurance agency”

Call TodayFor Your Free

Quote!

C.J.’s Barn BuildersSpeCIAL

30 x 50 x 10Includes all Material,

Construction & DeliveryGalvalume metal put on with screws

One pre-hung doorOne 10’ or 12’ sliding door6 skylites, factory trusses

One year warranty on labor and materialsColor and other sizes available

Call and ask for our brochure

1-877-710-72978:00 to 5:00 Mon. - Fri.

Mossy Oak Properties Investment Realty

& Auction Company(870) 574-2371 Office

(870) 574-2375 Faxmstone@mossyoakproperties.com

Are you looking to sell your property?

We specialize in all types of real estate auctions.

Auction Lic. #2126

40 RURAL ARKANSAS

Surrounded by forests while living and working in a remote rural area with few natural farming resources, hard working fourth generation Arkansas farmer Brian Kirksey has been selected as the overall winner of the 2008 Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year award.

Kirksey operates a plant nursery near the town of Amity. He raises ornamental and landscape plants outside and in 20 greenhouses for sale to his wholesale customers. In addition, he raises horses, beef cattle, hay and pine trees on his family’s 305-acre farm.

J. Thomas Ryan, president of Swisher International, Inc., of Jacksonville, Fla., announced Kirksey as the winner while speaking at the Willie B. Withers Sunbelt Expo Luncheon held during the opening day of the 2008 Sunbelt Ag Expo farm show in Moultrie, Ga.

Swisher International and the Sunbelt Expo have sponsored the award for the past 19 years. Kirksey is the first overall winner to come from Arkansas.

“Brian Kirksey and his family represent the best of American agriculture,” said Ryan. “They are outstanding family farmers who contribute to their state, their community and to the agricultural industry. They truly represent excellence in agricultural production. Our company and our Swisher Sweets cigar brand are honored to recognize this family’s many accomplishments.”

“I am very honored to have been selected for this award,” said Kirksey. “I am especially humbled after meeting and getting to know the other nine state winners. They are all outstanding farmers and leaders, all with supportive, loving families, and I am pleased to be honored along with them.”

Brian Kirksey is a member of the board of directors of South Central Arkansas Electric Cooperative. The Kirkseys of Alpine were honored as the 2007 Arkansas Farm Family of the year (Rural Arkansas—January 2008).

Kirksey was selected for the honor by a panel of judges who personally evaluated the farming operations of ten state winners from the Southeast before selecting Kirksey. These state winners come from the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

They were impressed with the hard work Kirksey and his family have put into their horticulture business, and how they started it and built it with little in the way of initial resources. The judges were also impressed with the level of community service performed by Kirksey.

His wife, Nan, has been a local school board member and currently works as a traveling teacher for children with special education needs. Their daughter, Kathryn, attends Henderson State University and their son, John Brian, is an eighth grade

student. The family has been a strong supporter of local FFA and the entire family enjoys horse riding.

As the Southeastern Farmer of the Year, Kirksey will receive a $14,000 cash award from Swisher

International. He will also receive the use of a tractor of his choice for a year from Massey Ferguson North America and other gifts.

Arkansan Brian Kirksey named Swisher Sweets/ Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year for 2008

The Kirskey family (from left), Kathryn, 19, dad

Brian, 13-year-old John Brian, and mom Nan, with their Farm Family of the Year plaque.

NOVEMBER 2008 41

TLC

Proud National Sponsor of Safe Electricity

Failure to notice power lines can be a deadly oversight. Hundreds are killed or injured eachyear when their equipment makescontact with overhead lines.

Teach everyone to look up when working around power lines. Look up and live.

Things we see everyday

FADEoften

from view

Teach what you know.Learn what you need to.Care enough to share it.

Jennifer TaylorAcross Arkansas and across the country, most folks are being squeezed by

increasing prices. It isn’t just those living on fixed or lower incomes feeling the pinch. From the grocery store register to the gas pump, most folks are struggling with increasing prices.

Escalating costs for fuel, including coal and natural gas, and power plant construction materials like steel, concrete, and copper, are pressuring electric cooperatives as well. Co-ops remain committed to providing safe, affordable, and reliable electric power. But as prices for the basics continue to rise, affordability will be at risk if elected officials don’t advocate for sound solutions that protect consumers.

“This is the biggest consumer challenge electric cooperatives have faced since the inception of the rural electrification program,” says Glenn English, CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). “And all of this is happening before the implementation of any climate change policy. Curbing greenhouse gas emissions from power plants while ensuring that our nation’s power needs are met must include a blend of energy efficiency programs, advanced clean coal, nuclear, natural gas, and renewable generation sources.”

Across the country, electric co-ops are stepping up to the challenge to keep electricity affordable in the face of what has become an industry-wide “perfect storm.” In looking out for their members, electric co-ops lead the utility industry in implementing energy efficiency programs and supplying power from renewable energy and other technologies still in development.

“Co-ops are on the cutting edge when it comes to testing and deploying new technologies, such as carbon capture and storage, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and advanced meter reading devices,” notes John Holt, NRECA senior principal for generation & fuel. “Electric cooperatives are also recognized industry leaders in promoting energy efficiency to help consumer-members reduce electricity consumption and save money.”

But there is no simple, single solution to tackling our nation’s energy challenge, and even exciting new technologies like renewable energy resources aren’t a silver bullet. For example, to fully utilize the potential of renewable energy, at least 30,000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines (230 kV and greater) will need to be constructed to move energy generated at remote wind farms and other facilities to urban load centers. This will cost billions alone.

Siting and erecting transmission towers has long been a struggle, explains Revis James, director of the Energy Assessment Center at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), a Palo Alto, Calif.-based non-profit consortium whose members include electric co-ops. “Planning and permitting approvals take many years and run a gauntlet of not only federal, state, and local governments but also citizen and environmental activists. Even building

The Ongoing Fight to Keep Electricity Affordable and Reliable

NOVEMBER 2008 43

75 miles of transmission line poses a big challenge because of NIMBY [Not In My Backyard].”

“While renewable generation sources are good assets and help address climate change, too much focus on them short-changes attention from how we’re going to address the greater generation capacity crunch facing the country,” suggests Holt.

According to the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), which oversees the reliability of the bulk power grid covering the United States, electricity use nationwide will grow more than twice as fast as committed power generation resources over the next 10 years. Unless additional power plants are brought into service quickly, NERC predicts that many parts of the country could fall below targeted capacity margins within two or three years, setting the stage for frequent brownouts and blackouts.

Nearly half of electricity generation in our nation comes from coal-fired power plants. But mounting pressures to lower greenhouse gas emissions have made it more difficult and costly to build these facilities. As a result, natural gas has become the “bridge” fuel of choice for keeping the lights on, at least until new low-emissions technologies are developed on a large scale.

Natural gas plants are usually smaller than coal-fired or nuclear plants; can be built faster; and typically face less

public opposition than other power generation options, making them a convenient alternative. But natural gas also has its drawbacks.

The price of natural gas has tripled since 2002 and jumped 93 percent since August 2007. Price fluctuations combined with limited domestic reserves and a greater reliance on imports make natural gas highly volatile. As more natural gas is used for electricity, electric bills are likely to increase as well.

With so many variables at play, the future of safe, affordable, and reliable electricity will depend on public policy decisions made by elected officials. Will Congress adopt quick-fix legislation that drives electricity bills up so high people are forced to use less, or will it take a more long-term, sustainable path by investing in new technologies that provide long-term solutions to energy concerns?

For all who pay electric bills every month, including those struggling to make ends meet, like some members, allowing American know-how to tackle the problem seems like the obvious solution.

Sources: National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Electric Power Research Institute, North American Electric Reliability Corporation

44 RURAL ARKANSAS

REGAIN & MAINTAIN GOOD HEALTH!! Given complete, totally balanced nutrition, the human body is capable of incredible healing & exceptional performance. Buy patented nutrition products retail or wholesale from Jack & Linda Gilbert, Independent Reliv Distributors. 888-NO BOSS 4 ME. 888-662-6774.

Bulls for Sale: November 16, 2008 at Green Springs Performance Tested Bull Sale, Nevada, Mo. 100 bulls, 9 breeds. Buy with confidence, backed by real time performance measurements. 90% of the bulls have individual feed efficiency data. Call 417-465-2240 for catalogs and details. www.greenspringsbulltest.com

LOG HOME RESOURCE CENTER We sell Log Houses. Anything you can dream we can make happen! We have everything you need to plan, build, preserve, remodel, restore and furnish your dream log home. Books, Tools, Sawmills, Logs, Beams, Log Siding, Lighting, Teak Furniture, Log Furniture, Outdoor Swings, Doors, Intarsia Art, Log Furniture Making Tools and Plans, CHRISTMAS GIFTS and much more. If we don’t have what you’re looking for we will get it for you. We are a stocking distributor of SASHCO LOG PRODUCTS. Call or come by if you have a dream or just need advice. Greenbrier, AR loghomeresources.com or 800-441-1564

SPIRAL STAIRS, custom built, all steel, top quality workmanship, good prices. In business since 1971, brochure, some in stock, 479-451-8110, Pea Ridge, AR. www.braysiron.com

Poultry

AMERICA’S OLDEST & LARGEST RARE BREED HATCHERY. Quality and satisfaction since 1917. Over 140 varieties of Baby Chicks, Bantams, Turkeys, Guineas, Peafowl, Game Birds, Waterfowl, Also Eggs, Incubators, Books, Equipment and Medications. Your #1 Supplier for Eggs, Meat and Exhibitions Poultry. BEAUTIFUL FREE COLOR CATALOG. Call 1-800-456-3280 (24 Hours A Day) Murray McMurray Hatchery C 124, Webster City, Iowa 50595-0458 WEBSITE: http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com

Miscellaneous

AVON 1-800-411-6323 Earn extra income. Many options. Independent Representative.

WATKINS since 1868. Top ten home business. 350 products everyone uses. Start under $40.00. Free catalog packet 1-800-352-5213

Become an Ordained Minister, Correspondence study. Founded in 1988. Free info. Ministers for Christ Outreach, 7549 West Cactus #104-207, Peoria, Arizona 85381 http:www.ordination.org

NEW! GROW EXPENSIVE PLANTS, 2000% PROFIT, Earn to $50,000, free information. GROWBIZ, Box 3738-AR 11, COOKEVILLE, TN 38502, www.growbiz-abco.com

Put your old movies, slides or photos on videotape or DVD. Call 888-609-9778 or visit my website www.transferguy.com

“Representatives needed. Start your own home-based Avon business for just $10. Benefits available. Call Angela – 888-878-0174.”

Nightly or weekly vacation rentals - RUSTIC two-story CABINS in the Ozark Mountains at Gilbert. Great for group gatherings. Call 870-688-9189 for brochure. www.buffaloriverbendcabins.com

www.hillsncreeks.com your link to North America’s Outdoor world WWW.HILLSNCREEKS.COM outdoor stories and tips from you to you WWW.HILLSNCREEKS.COM go see

PREPARE FOR WINTER NOW with an energy audit by Arkansas Home Energy Solutions. Ask our CMC Energy Certified Auditor for details about an onsite inspection and personalized Home Energy Tune-Up report by calling 870-403-6253. Watch your energy bills go down while your comfort goes up!

AMERICAN INSTITUTE Bachelor Degree In The Bible Lands And Culture A Must For Pastors 1-800-617-6205

For Sale

BLUEBERRIES. Big plants with big berries, $15 each, includes shipping. Northern and Southern Highbush varieties. More sizes and good deals in our free catalog. Highlander Nursery, PO Box 177, Pettigrew, AR 72752 (888) 282-3705 or (479) 677-2300

The Farm MarketPer Word, One Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1.34Per Word, Six Times at 1.06. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $6.39MINIMUM: $26.93 for one time; $127.55 for six ads at six times rate.WORDS IN CAPITALS: $1.78 per word.DEADLINE: All advertising must be in by the 10th of the month preceding publication. Prepaid only.

SUSPENDERS WITH PATENTED “NO-SLIP” FREE CATALOG (800) 700-4515 OR www.suspenders.com

USED PORTABLE SAWMILLS! Buy/Sell. Call Sawmill Exchange 1-800-459-2148, 208-969-0007, www.sawmillexchange.com

PLAY GOSPEL SONGS BY EAR. Piano, keyboard. 10 easy lessons $12.95. “Learn Gospel Music.” Cording, runs, fills-$12.95. Both $24. Davidson, 6727RA Metcalf, Shawnee Mission, Kansas 66204.

Registered Black Beef Makers, Simmental, Angus, Sim-Angus. Bred for Calving ease. Extra Weaning Weights. Tommie and Margaret Williams 479-637-3710 Cell 479-637-6949

PERSONALIZED etched rocks, slate signs, pet memorials, and glass. Visit our web site at www.setinstonellc.com

THE SMALL COW for large or small acreage, registered Irish Dexters. Naturally small, not miniature. Good milk & meat. 870-496-2406

OUTSIDE WOOD HEATER $1545.00, forced air system, houses, mobiles, shops, cheap shipping, easy install. Ozark, MO. www.heatbywood.com 417-581-7755

BRANGUS BULLS. Registered, gentle, with small birthweights. Good EPD’s for growth and milk. Raised on forage. Serviceable age and ready to work. Hatfield Brangus, Bentonville, AR. Home-479-273-3921 Cell-479-531-2605

Irish Dexter and Dexter/Jersey cross for small Homestead Milk and Beef. 903-748-9104

INDIVIDUAL HOMESEWAGE TREATMENT

SINGULAIR®

by NORWECO

FREE ESTIMATES

ODORFREE

501-517-7198CLEAR FLOW

CABOT, AR

PARSONS DISTRIBUTING, INC.P.O. Box 1524

Mountain View, AR 72560Call 870-269-2102 for more details.

25-year warranty

NOVEMBER 2008 45

Please send me the Complete 2-CoinSet of Uncirculated Sacagawea Dollars

for the special price of $2.95 – regularly $8.95, plus FreeShipping (limit 5 sets). Also send my FREE Uncirculated2008 Alaska Quarter (one per customer, please).

�YES!�

ORDERS MUST BE RECEIVED WITHIN 30 DAYS

Number of Sets (limit 5): ____________

Total Cost at $2.95 per set: $ ____________

Shipping & Handling: $ ____________

Total Amount: $ ____________

FREE!

Name ________________________________________________

Address ______________________________________________

City____________________ State _____ Zip________________

E-Mail________________________________________________

Please send coupon with payment to:

Dept. 9AR4031309 Mt. Eustis RoadLittleton NH 03561-3737

America’s Favorite Coin Source • TRUSTED SINCE 1945

Special Offer for New Customers Only

Method of payment:� Check payable to Littleton Coin Co. � VISA � MasterCard � American Express � Discover Network

Card No. Exp. Date _______ /_______

Please print your complete name and address clearly

2 Genuine 2008 Sacagawea DollarsNever Released for Circulation!

LittletonCoin.com/specials

©20

08 L

CC

, LL

C

To date, the U.S. Mint has not released the official 2008Sacagawea dollars for circulation. Struck only for collectors inrecent years, these “golden” dollars were quickly snapped up!

Complete 2008 Uncirculated Set!This complete 2-coin set of official Sacagawea dollars is notavailable directly from the U.S. Mint! But fortunately, Littleton canoffer you a complete 2008 Philadelphia & Denver Mint set ofbrilliant Uncirculated coins for just $2.95! A special savings of67%! With no single coins issued, this is the only way you can getthis important set (limit 5). Order yours today, and you’ll alsoreceive the Uncirculated 2008 Alaska Quarter – absolutely FREE!Plus, get FREE shipping to your home.

You’ll also receive our fully illustrated catalog, plus otherfascinating selections from our Free Examination Coins-on-Approval Service, from which you may purchase any or none ofthe coins – return balance in 15 days – with option to cancel atany time. Order now – before these prized coins vanish forever!Complete Uncirculated Set of 2008 Sacagawea Dollars!

• Not released in 2008 for circulation

• America’s largest regular-issue coins

• In brilliant Uncirculatedcondition

• SAVE 67% off the regularprice!

Sealed in Littleton’s exclusive Showpak® display holder

45-Day Money Back Guarantee of Satisfaction

Order now andalso receive

the NEW Uncirculated 2008 AlaskaQuarter – absolutely FREE!

FREE!

9AR403 7 x 4.875:9AR403 7 X 4.875 9/15/08 1:36 PM Page 1

Mobile HomeOwners: ROOf King

Mobile Home Super insulated

Roof Over Systems

40 Year Warrantyfactory Direct from

Roof King

1-800-748-0645www.roofking.net

STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION (Required by 39 U.S.C. 3685). Title of Publication: Rural Arkansas. Publication

No.: 0048878X. Date of filing: September 22, 2008. Frequency of issue: Monthly. No. of issues published annually: 12. Annual subscription price

$7.00. Complete mailing address of known office of publication: One Cooperative Way, Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas 72209. Full names

and complete mailing address of publisher, editor and managing editor. Publisher: Arkansas Electric Cooperatives, Incorporated, One Cooperative

Way, P.O. Box 194208, Little Rock, Arkansas 72219-4208. Editor: Ouida H. Cox, P.O. Box 510, Little Rock, Arkansas 72203-0510. Managing

editor: Same. Owner: Arkansas Electric Cooperatives, Incorporated, One Cooperative Way, Little Rock, Arkansas 72209, P.O. Box 194208, Little

Rock, AR 72219-4208, which is composed of the following membership: Arkansas Valley Electric Cooperative Corp., Ozark, Ark.; Ashley-Chicot

Electric Cooperative, Inc., Hamburg, Ark.; C. & L. Electric Cooperative Corp., Star City, Ark.; Carroll Electric Cooperative Corp., Berryville, Ark.;

Clay County Electric Cooperative Corp., Corning, Ark.; Craighead Electric Cooperative Corp., Jonesboro, Ark.; Farmers Electric Cooperative Corp.,

Newport, Ark.; First Electric Cooperative Corp., Jacksonville, Ark.; Mississippi County Electric Cooperative, Inc., Blytheville, Ark.; North Arkansas

Electric Cooperative Inc., Salem, Ark.; Ouachita Electric Cooperative Corp., Camden, Ark.; Ozarks Electric Cooperative Corp., Fayetteville, Ark.; Petit

Jean Electric Cooperative Corp., Clinton, Ark.; Rich Mountain Electric Cooperative Inc., Mena, Ark.; South Central Electric Cooperative, Arkadelphia,

Ark.; Southwest Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corp., Texarkana, Ark.; Woodruff Electric Cooperative Corp., Forrest City, Ark. Known bondholders,

mortgagees and other security holders owning or holding 1 percent or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages or other securities: None. For

completion by nonprofit organization authorized to mail at special rates (Section 423.12 DMM only). The purpose, function and nonprofit status of

this organization and the exempt status for Federal income tax purposes has not changed during the preceding 12 months.

ACTUAL NO.

COPIES OF SINGLE

AVERAGE NO. COPIES ISSUE PUBLISHED

EACH ISSUE DURING NEAREST TO

PRECEDING 12 MONTHS FILING DATE

Total No. Copies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367,011 370,337

Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors and counter sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0

Mail Subscription . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363,111 366,410

Total Paid Circulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363,111 366,410

Free. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 950 977

Total Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364,061 367,387

Office Use, Left Over, Unaccounted, Spoiled After Printing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,950 2,950

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367,011 370,337

Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 99

I certify that the statements made by me above are correct and complete. Ouida H. Cox, Editor.Rates figured on monthly cost for female non-tobacco users

Issue ages through 90

NOVEMBER 2008

Dec 1:Hot Springs Village 501-915-8822Benton 501-551-1100Cherokee Village 870-257-3241(1-24) Rogers 479-936-5487Salem 870-895-5565Texarkana 870-774-2120(1-20) Fort Smith 479-784-2368(1-24) Russellville 479-747-1778(1-30) North Little Rock 501-753-7307(1-30) Sherwood 501-835-8909

Dec 2:Monticello 870-367-6741Nashville 870-845-7405

Dec 4:El Dorado 870-863-6113Fordyce 870-352-3520Fort Smith 479-242-7464Hamburg 870-853-8345Magnolia 870-235-4000Prescott 870-887-2101Russellville 479-968-1272Stamps 870-904-8015(4-7) Conway 501-450-1495

Dec 5:Booneville 479-675-3811Eureka Springs 800-638-7352Forrest City 870-633-1651Fort Smith 479-242-7464Mena 479-394-8355Mountain Home 870-425-5111(5-6) Russellville 479-331-3593(5-6) Table Rock Lake 417-779-2030(5-7) Fayetteville 479-443-5600Little Rock 870-269-3897(5-20) Rogers 479-925-1743

Dec 6:Hoxie 870-886-2742Ash Flat 870-994-7325Batesville 870-793-2121Bentonville 479-254-0254Booneville 479-675-2666Conway 501-269-1066

De Queen 870-584-3225Harrison 870-741-2659Helena-West Helena 870-827-6341Jacksonville 501-982-1511Morrilton 501-727-5441Mtn. View 888-678-2859Piggott 870-598-3167Pocahontas 870-892-3956Van Buren 479-410-3026Washington 870-983-2684Wynne 870-238-9406(6-13) Colt 870-633-7588

Dec 6-7: 100th Anniversary of Battlefield Park Prairie Grove, 479-846-2990

Dec 7:Newport 870-523-2143Scott 501-961-1409Springdale 479-750-8165

Dec 11: Picture the Past Archeology film & Lecture, Morrilton, 501-727-6219

Dec 13: Second Saturday Chef’s Series, Morrilton, 501-727-6220

Dec 13:Caraway 870-482-3716Monticello 870-367-6741Ozark 479-667-2525Hardy 870-856-3811Washington 870-983-2684

Dec 19:(19-20) Stamps 870-533-4861

Dec 20:Dardanelle 479-229-3655Prescott 870-887-2101

Dec 24:Maynard 870-647-2701

Calendar of EventsCalendar of EventsCHRISTMAS LIGHTING, PARADES, OPEN HOUSES, CRAFTS AND FESTIVALS

NOVEMBER 2008 47

CONTRACTOR ANDCOMMERICAL

CHARGE ACCOUNTS0000 000000 0

ShawFor All Your Home NeedsFor All Your Home Needs

0123 4567 8901 2345 6789

FINANCING FOR UP TO 60 MONTHS AT COMPETITIVE RATES.

* ON ANY NATIONAL CARD PURCHASE IF PAID WITHIN 12 MONTHS. SEE STORE FOR DETAILS. APPLY TODAY - USE IT TODAY. Not all items are stocked in all locations, but any item may be purchased at any of our stores. Allow 5-7 days for intercompany delivery. Availability subject to quantities on hand. Prices are subject to change. (11/08)

12 Months No Payment & No Interest*

www.nhci.com

Over 3000 In StockFeaturing: Shaw, Sphinx By Oriental

Weavers, Capel & Lifestyles UNLIMITED SPECIAL ORDER

SELECTIONS ALSO AVAILABLE 100% LONG FIBER WOOL HAND-TUFTED RUGS MADE EXCLUSIVELY FOR NATIONAL HOME CENTERS!

YOUR CHOICE OF THREE STYLES

5x8 $299 | 8x11 $699A. LS-RM35 5x8 #51085 8x11 #51086 B. LS-RM3 5x8 #59923 8x11 #59942C. LS-RJ8 5x8 #59907 8x11 #59975

PAYMENTS & INTEREST*

UNTIL NOVEMBER 2009ZERO 0

LARGEST SELECTION OF IN-STOCK

AREA RUGS IN ARKANSAS!

A

B C

IT’S TIME TO COME TOGETHER AND CHANGE OUR FUTURE.

We have an energy challenge, America.

When it comes to finding solutions, we must meet climate change goals

while keeping costs down and electricity available. America needs

a plan. Immediately. Because we all know that our energy needs keep

on growing—every day.

Now is the time to have a candid conversation with your elected officials.

Together, we can find answers and take action.

Start the conversation today at www.ourenergy.coop.

IT’S TIME TO COME TOGETHER AND CHANGE OUR FUTURE.

We have an energy challenge, America.

When it comes to finding solutions, we must meet climate change goals

while keeping costs down and electricity available. America needs

a plan. Immediately. Because we all know that our energy needs keep

on growing—every day.

Now is the time to have a candid conversation with your elected officials.

Together, we can find answers and take action.

Start the conversation today at www.ourenergy.coop.

IT’S TIME TO COME TOGETHER AND CHANGE OUR FUTURE.

We have an energy challenge, America.

When it comes to finding solutions, we must meet climate change goals

while keeping costs down and electricity available. America needs

a plan. Immediately. Because we all know that our energy needs keep

on growing—every day.

Now is the time to have a candid conversation with your elected officials.

Together, we can find answers and take action.

Start the conversation today at www.ourenergy.coop.