Article By Megan Hecox
Bobby Polk and Christian Hutchins are two ordinary guys who selflessly set out to help their community by hosting basketball tournaments for local causes. The duo own and operate Top Dog Tournaments, where 100% of the proceeds made gets donated.
On June 9, a 3 on 3 basketball tournament was held at the Mansfield Middle School gym and ended up raking in over $600. The donation was given to Coach Keith Dake and the basketball program with the idea to purchase team basketball shoes. In return, hopefully relieving some of the stress associated with fundraising from the coaching staff, parents, and students in the program.
When asked his thoughts about this generous donation, Dake replied “Individuals and acts such as this are what truly make any program, school or community successful. When you have community members willing to step up and help in such a way, the kids see that support and it makes them work that much harder to not disappoint those same people for their hard work and sacrifice. We honestly can’t thank them enough for everything they have done.”
Polk and Hutchins can be found on their Facebook page, Top Dog Tournaments. Their hopes are to increase sponsors and continue to grow participation numbers for many years to come.
Dribbling for Donations
WES Have Summer All Sewed Up
By Tammy Moore Teague
The Scott County Extension Homemakers project group, Busy Hands, worked with Waldron Elementary School students during their summer school session.
The class was limited to six students, and each were paired up with an adult experienced in sewing. The classes spanned three days, on June 12, 13 and 19. Busy Hands provided the sewing machines. Four of those machines were purchased with a grant from Arkansas Extension Homemakers Council, aimed at teaching young people how to sew.
The students were provided with all needed materials including pre-cut fabric. The students were given daily instructions, and the project lasted three days.
Students participating in the project were Ragean Long, Logan Long, Kenny Slagle Nailea Brunner, Hannah McDonald and Eli Connelly. Extension Homemakers who assisted the youth were Reita Plummer, Lynn Landon, Leann Forrest, Tommi Parrish, Donnie Skeen, Jerry Skeen, Jeff Brown, Bernice Wood and Betty Overturf.
CASA in Need of Volunteers
By Tammy Moore Teague
Being a light to a child in their darkest hour is what volunteers for CASA of Sebastian County are called to do. Training classes are beginning soon, and the advocate group needs volunteers.
“CASA is a program where trained court appointed volunteers represent the best interest of an abused or neglected child for whom a placement is being determined by the juvenile court. A CASA volunteer acts as a fact finder of the child’s best interest, providing a judge with valuable information on the child to help the court make a sound decision about the child’s future.”
It takes 10-12 hours per month to become an advocate. As a volunteer, you can help a child who is in foster care through no fault of their own. Be a light of hope! Training classes for Sebastian County will begin August 7, at 5:30 p.m. For more information, please call the CASA office at 479-785-4171.
Hearing Set in Potter Case
By Tammy Moore Teague
The next hearing in the Fred Potter case is set for Thursday, July 12 at 10 a.m. That hearing is set to take place at the Scott County Courthouse in Waldron.
Judge David McCormick will decide if Potter’s niece, Cassandra Holmes, should be awarded attorney fees. Additionally, will consider Potter’s current contempt charges.
“He cannot produce a Stradivarius, gold bullion bars and other items that don’t exist,” said nephew, Allen Potter. “It’s a mystery that the niece does not have to prove these items existed,” he added.
Fraud charges against Holmes were filed last week in a Crawford County Court. A date for that hearing has not been set.
Service Dog Provides Veteran with New “Leash” on Life (p. 2)
**Editors note: Resident Press is publishing this two part feature story on Shilo Schluterman and her service dog Javelin. You can read part one here.
Part 2 of 2
By Tammy Moore Teague
As Shilo Schluterman began researching K9s for Warriors, she initially felt unsure. “I wasn’t a dog person so I wasn’t sure it would be something for me,” she explained. Even so, she decided to go ahead with the application process.
K9s for Warriors is the nations largest provider of service dogs to military veterans. They help those who are suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury and/or sexual trauma as a result of military service. This Florida based non-profit organization pairs up warriors with K9 service dogs. These dogs are pulled from shelters and screened by an evaluator. Candidates then undergo genetic testing, which reveals any predisposed hereditary conditions. The dog must be at least 30″ height in order to provide some physical assistance, if needed, to the handler. Lastly, they must be food motivated but not aggressive.
Fourteen months passed, but the wait was well worth it as she finally got to meet the lab/hound mix, Javelin. “When you are broken there are plenty of opportunities to say Lord, what are you teaching me?” Schluterman explained. God was about to reveal Himself in an amazing way! “The dog is a gift from God to me,” Schluterman explained. “He’s the physical embodiment that reminds me that God knew I needed a friend.”
Javie, as she lovingly calls him, was pulled from a shelter in South Carolina where he had been found on the side of the road. At the time he was only three months old. A year and a half later, he found his way into the arms of his new handler, and the pair have been inseparable ever since. In fact, it’s been three years to the date that the duo teamed up.
She recalled a terrifying event that happened one year after Javie came into her life. “He got bit by a rattlesnake. We rushed him to the vet, but they didn’t keep anti-venom on hand so they sent us to Northwest Arkansas.” Shaken, all Schluterman could do was pray that Javie would survive. God was again faithful, and Javie recovered. What’s more, K9s for Warriors paid for the costly treatment.
This K9 and Warrior team are extraordinary together. Javie alerts Schluterman to people coming towards her, thereby eliminating that anxiety. “I know he has my back,” she stated. He is trained to alert her by putting his paw on her, give her a nudge with his snout or even express a low moan. He will, on command, sit at her side, front or back and provide a barrier between her and the unknown. Javie’s training was sponsored by Bayer, who contributed $20,000. She demonstrated how he assists her when her weakened left side collapses. Amazingly, he stood near her in a broad stance, providing Schluterman with a study pull up. Her loyal companion goes everywhere with her.
Schluterman’s family have also embraced the loving K9. Husband, Walter Schluterman, plans to retire October 1 from the Air National Guard 188th Wing after 35 years of service. The Schluterman’s have four sons and two grandsons, Fisher and Kyson. Kaleb Schluterman, 24, is currently serving in Iraq. Korey Schluterman is married to Christina and reside in Huntington. He is employed as an Assistant Manager at Cv’s in Mansfield. Colton Schluterman is in tech school at Good Fellow Air Force Base in Texas. Kya, the youngest, attends Subiaco Academy. The family is active in their church, New Life in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
She continues to look to the future just as she has grown from her past. She is preparing for her last semester of school at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, AR. Schluterman will graduate in December with her degree in Psychology. Upon graduation, she plans to explore opportunities to assist refugees. “I’m praying about it,” she concluded. “I want to help women, children and families.” No matter what the future holds, no doubt Javie will be at her side each step of the way!
If you are interested in learning more about the K9s for Warrior program, or some of the corporations who help sponsor the training of these service dogs, you can visit their homepage.
Need help learning how you can get assistance in paying for a service dog?
Farmers Bank Donates Little League Scoreboard
By Tammy Moore Teague
Far more time than anyone in the Hackett Little League can remember, the scoreboard at the ballfield never worked. That’s why it was so exciting, and very appreciated when Farmers Bank donated a new one.
The sign arrived June 18, and is ready for baseball/softball season. Nick Holbert, the Baseball Commissioner, said building the teams is a work in progress.
There are two leagues, the Suburban League and the River Valley League. The Suburban League includes t-ball players from Lavaca, Hackett, Mansfield and Hartford. The River Valley League’s players are ages 8-15 and are from Charleston, Booneville, Hackett, County Line, Paris, Magazine, Mansfield and Lavaca.
ASP to Launch Speed Enforcement Week
By Tammy Moore Teague
It’s being dubbed, “Obey the Sign or Pay the Fine.” It is the Arkansas State Police’s week long campaign planned to target speeders. The effort is scheduled to begin on Monday, July 16 and continue through Sunday, July 22.
“Speeding leads to death on our roadways,” said Colonel Bill Bryant, Director of the Arkansas State Police and the Governor’s Highway Safety Representative. “Higher speeds reduce a driver’s ability to steer safely around other vehicles, roadway hazards and unexpected highway exits or directions.”
According to the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration more than 9,500 lives were lost in high speed crashes in the US in 2015.
Troopers will be joined by other law enforcement throughout the campaign to keep an eye out for speeders. The goal is save lives and make drivers aware that no excuses are acceptable.
Mayor with Heart Dubs Mansfield the Volunteer City
By Tammy Moore Teague
July 19 will mark the first 90 days in office for Mansfield’s Mayor, Mike Gipson. I was privileged to sit down and talk to him about the city’s progress since he took over and also about his plans for the future.
“I love my community and my school,” summed Gipson. And, if you have ever spoken with Gipson, you know that is an undeniable truth. It is no wonder then why he has been able to make so much progress in such little time. Gipson serves humbly and has a servant’s heart.
One of the top concerns as he took office was the multiple violations with the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality. All those violations, Gipson reported, have now been resolved. City employee Tony Gregory has been working on his licensure as a class two waste water operator. ADEQ requires a class three operator, but has given the city leeway until Gregory can complete the schooling. One of the biggest complaints of townspeople has been the fowl smell. Citizens can now breathe a sigh of relief, however, as that too has been resolved.
Gipson said his job has been easy because of the good people he works with. “I have the best job,” he said. “The people I work with and the citizens of this town have been so good to support me.” Gipson has made it a point to get out into the community and visit. This is, according to Gipson, his favorite part of the job. With all the support, and volunteers that Gipson has had assisting him, he suggested our town take on the nickname, “The Volunteer City.”
He was hard pressed to express any difficulties that he’s faced in these past three months. “I think it’s all this paperwork,” he said jokingly. He does his job with such great compassion that he finds it difficult to tell others no. There are of course the usual complaints of unkept yards and loose, barking dogs. Those phone calls come to Gipson at all hours of the day and night, he takes it all in stride. What’s more, he does it with a servant’s heart, saving the city the cost of a mayor’s salary.
He has high hopes for the city’s future. He is concerned, however, for the lack of available emergency medical responders. In turn, he noted that he would like to one day see Mansfield have their own ambulance service.
Additionally, he is in the process of addressing issues with the city streets. A representative with the Arkansas Department of Transportation plans to meet with Gipson on August 15 to survey needed repairs.
Gipson has already hosted several fun and exciting events, and plans to continue in hopes of involving more of the community. In August, there will be a fishing derby open to kids 15 and under. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission plans to stock the Mansfield City Lake with 400 catchable size catfish. In September, the city will host the annual Bluegrass Festival at Mansfield City Lake Park. In November, the mayor is planning a city wide dinner, which will be open to those who have lived in Mansfield for 50 or more years. Lastly, in December, he hopes to have a tree lighting event and business sponsored displays in the park.
With the town moving in a positive direction, many citizens are wondering if he will seek election. “I’m retired,” he contended. He, however, never fully expressed his interest nor did he deny his intention to run. Time will tell!
We give our town, and our mayor an A+!
Service Dog Provides Veteran with New “Leash” on Life
**Editors note: Resident Press is publishing this two part feature story on Shilo Schluterman and her service dog Javelin.
Part 1 of 2
By Tammy Moore Teague
Imagine if you will spending a decade and a half in service to your country and being deployed all over the world, only to return home to face the most terrifying battle of all. That battle is within yourself, your mind. It affects every aspect of your life and leaves you paralyzed with fear. This was a reality for Hartford resident and Veteran Shilo Schluterman, who suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Schluterman, a member of the Air National Guard 188th Wing, returned home from Afgahnistan in 2012. She said she didn’t feel like her emotions varied from any other service member returning home from deployment. “I felt uncomfortable, sort of hyper-alert when I first came home but I really thought it would pass. I didn’t know anything was really wrong.”
It wasn’t until Schluterman and her family attended the Hartford Christmas parade that she realized something wasn’t right. “I heard sirens going off,” she recalled. Her thoughts and actions following that moment are obscure from her memory. She does, however, remember trying to convince her husband that they were under attack and that no one realized what was happening. Her husband, Walter, lovingly consoled his wife, convincing her to come out from underneath the bushes behind the bank where she had sought shelter. Schluterman knew she would have normally never left her nieces standing in the crowd unattended. “That’s when I knew something was wrong. I realized I couldn’t trust my own mind. That scared me very badly.”
Schluterman sought help from the clinic at the Fort Smith VA. In January of 2013, she was hospitalized at the Fayetteville VA and diagnosed with PTSD. It was then doctors recommended Schluterman undergo a nine week therapeutic program in Tampa, Florida. This intense program subjects the veteran to prolonged exposure therapy in hopes of desensitizing the brain. Throughout the program patients are monitored closely. “There is a high rate of suicide during or right after treatment,” Schluterman added.
She herself was battling thoughts of suicide. “I called out to God, I just wanted to die.” Schluterman was in a dark, emotional place. “I wouldn’t even leave my house.” Her family grieved as they witnessed her struggling. Her son recalled an incident where he stood at the front door verifying who he was to his armed mother on the other side. “At this time I was on about 14 different medications,” she explained.
Horrific events remain embedded in Schluterman’s memory, even to this day. “I didn’t want to be that female soldier that everyone talked about because someone had to leave their post to come and help me.” Tearfully, she recalled traumatic events that unfolded during a deployment to Afghanistan. Schluterman would work her shift as a production controller, and walk approximately one mile to her residence. Because of the conex housing set up, she would pass through an area of third country national service workers. The USAF staff sergeant found herself without a wingman, and subjected to the foreigners stalking, scoffing, groping and bullying. “They would follow me, step on my feet, grab at me and block me from getting through.”
The battle within herself wasn’t all she was fighting, she was also fighting for her job. A medical transition team had begun processing her retirement. “I didn’t want to retire, I wanted to continue my military career.” Schluterman felt everything she loved slipping away, however God had not turned a deaf ear to Schluterman’s cry for help.
One day an acquaintance, Tracy Cravey, showed up on Schluterman’s doorstep. She was there to deliver an important and life changing message. “God told me to reach out to you.” Schluterman, whose fear and anxiety kept her homebound, began to draw spiritual strength and encouragement from Cravey. Within a month she began participating in Cravey’s ongoing Bible Study. These days yielded strength for Schluterman as she prepared to undergo PE therapy in Tampa.
Following the grueling sessions, Schluterman became involved in a church’s small group program called “Freedom”. The goal of the curriculum was to learn to overcome things that inhibit a close relationship with Christ. Schluterman emerged from the impactful course, reducing her medications from 14 down to eight.
Meanwhile, Schluterman’s psychiatrist had suggested she look beyond traditional medication for help. The program was K-9 for Warriors, and the more research Schluterman did, the more interested she became. “I suggested it to my transition leader, who also had positive things to say about it.” The decision to apply for the program would ultimately become a pivotal point for Schluterman’s future.
In part 2 we will continue the inspiring feature story of Schluterman, K-9 for Warriors and service dog Javelin.
Upward Bound Recognizes Outstanding MHS Students
By Tammy Moore Teague
Two Mansfield High School students participating in the University of Arkansas Fort Smith Upward Bound Classic program have been recognized as outstanding uprising students. Dillon Hines was named outstanding uprising junior and Lillian Buccella was named outstanding uprising sophomore.
The university has offered this service to almost 200 students since the program began in 2003. It provides high school students with the necessary skills and inspiration to continue on to higher education. Upward Bound Classic targets motivated students who meet academic guidelines. The collegiate program offers students from all over the River Valley the opportunity to excel. It does, however, require dedication as students must give up five weeks of their summer in order to participate. Congratulations to Hines and Buccella for this outstanding recognition!