Volume 5 Issue 9 Published monthly by the Arkansas River Valley Tri - Peaks Region April 2008     Henry Award Winners Honored at Governor’s Conference Pat Hays North Little Rock Mayor Patrick Henry Hays was recognized as the Tourism Person of the Year at the 2008 Henry Award ceremony, which concluded the 34th annual Arkansas Governor’s Conference on Tourism held March 9-11 in Rogers.The Henry Awards honor individuals and organizations that have made important contributions to the state’s tourism industry in the preceding year. The awards have been a feature of the Governor’s Conference since their debut in 1981. The awards are named for Henri de Tonti, founder of Arkansas Post in 1686, who is often hailed as the first “Arkansas Traveler.” Janie Glover of Fort Smith and Marvin Peterson of Eureka Springs were inducted into the Tourism Hall of Fame. Other recipients for 2008 include: Media Support Award: Today’s THV Channel 11, Little Rock Bootstrap Award: Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, Eureka Springs Arkansas Heritage Award: Lakeport Plantation/the Sam E. Angel Family, Lake Village Grand Old Classic Special Event Award: Four States Fair and Rodeo, Texarkana Outstanding Volunteer Service Award: Bill Ott, Eureka Springs Community Tourism Development Award: Russellville Advertising and Promotion Commission The Natural State Award: Crater of Diamonds State Park, Murfreesboro Tourism Special Achievement Award: Bikes, Blues and BBQ, Fayetteville Crystal Awards for special achievement in the tourism industry were awarded to Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock and the Moro Big Pine Wildlife Management Area located between El Dorado and Hampton. For more information on the awards, call Donna Perrin at 501-682-5240 or donna.perrin@arkansas.gov    pARTy in the Park April 26, 2008 Russellville City Park With a combination of visual and performing arts, pARTy in the Park: An Art Round-Up will create a day full of fun, entertainment and visual excitement for the whole family. Plans are to fill Russellville City Park with special activities for all ages and abilities from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. There is no admission charge and many of the activities are free. Art Escapes Spring 2008 April 17-20, 2008 Winthrop Rockefeller Institute, Petit Jean Mountain A three-day Art Escape awaits you at the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute on Petit Jean Mountain. Art Escapes offers you a special environment for a creatively intense art workshop. Workshops offered this spring include Watercolor Painting with Richard Stephens, Plein-Air Oil Painting with Bruce Peil, and Figure Painting with Stephen Cefalo. All skill levels are welcome! Register before April 2, 2008. AHA Recognizes Stars of the Industry The Arkansas Hospitality Association recently bestowed Stars of the Industry Awards to outstanding service providers at its eighth annual recognition program. The Hospitality Manager of the Year was Paul Warren of the Texarkana Welcome Center. The Silver Cup was awarded to Maureen and Gary Fancher, owners of Sodie’s Fountain and Grill at Flippin. Franz Viertbauer, general manager of the Arlington Hotel in Hot Springs, received the Golden Key, John Sproles, Community Bakery general manager, was honored with Salut Au Restaurateur. Hall of Fame inductees included Buddy Coleman of Coleman Dairy; Sam Culpepper of the Culpepper Co.; Joe David Rice, state tourism director; and Robert Swann with Murry’s Dinner Playhouse.   Attention Festival & Event Producers   Since 1985 the Southeast Tourism Society has published the Top 20 Events publication. Through a nomination process, the society chooses the Top 20 events going on in the Southeast for each month of the year, and publishes this list of winners quarterly. This publication is sent to over 300 newspapers, magazines, radio stations, TV stations, and others, as well as 125 AAA publications. The combined circulation runs into the millions. Current Top 20 Events are listed online at http://southeasttourism.org/top20/top20_janmar08.html. Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism is now a member of the Southeast Tourism Society. As a result, festivals and events in Arkansas may be submitted for the Top 20 Events publication, if they meet the following requirements set forth by the Southeast Tourism Society. * 1,000 in attendance * 3rd year in existence * Payment of $10 nomination fee per event Top 20 Events strongly encourages you to strengthen your nomination by providing supporting material such as: * Photos * Posters * Brochures * Press Releases * News Clippings * Volunteer Programs Deadlines for Applications: Event Occurring In: October/November/December 2008 January/February/March 2009 April/May/June 2009 July/August/September 2009 October/November/December 2009 Submit by: April 10, 2008 July 11, 2008 October 10, 2008 January 9, 2009 May 8, 2009 If you would like to nominate your event, contact the Tourism Development Section at 501-682-5240 or email Kristine.puckett@arkansas.gov      Centerville Dragway April 5th 1st Saturday Night 5-11 p.m.    April 6th $1,000 Win Points Bracket S/P & N0/E  April 12th  S/L TNT Street Radial 5-11 p.m.  April 19th S/L TNT/Corvette/ Street EFI      April 20th Bracket Points & Team Race April 26th  S/L TNT/ Truck Radial 5-11 p.m. For more information contact the folks at Centerville (479) 576-4001 www.centervilledragway.com       New Nonprofit Annual Report Due August 1, 2008 In an effort to update records, the Business and Commercial Services Division is collecting annual reports from all nonprofit corporations in Arkansas. Act 569 of 2007 requires all nonprofit corporations to file an annual report which must include the name of the corporation; corporation’s jurisdiction; name and address of the corporation’s registered agent; address of the corporation’s principal office; names of the corporation’s principal officers, and names and addresses of the corporation’s directors. This annual report, for the 2007 reporting year, will be due by August 1 each year. The first annual report, for the 2007 reporting year, will be due August 1, 2008. The Business and Commercial Services Division requests immediate information regarding a current address and contact person. To help us update addresses on current nonprofit entities, nonprofits should immediately submit contact names and addresses by email to corporations@sos.arkansas.gov, by mail to Business and Commercial Services, Arkansas Secretary of State, State Capitol, Little Rock, AR 72201, or by fax to 501-682-3437. The nonprofit annual report form is available online at www.sos.arkansas.gov. You may download and mail it, or you may request a blank form by mail. Questions may be directed to the above contacts, or by phone at 501-682-3409 or toll free at 1-888-233-0325. The report does not require a monetary fee, and the first report is due August 1, 2008.   Hiking Trails in Arkansas Getting back to nature is a popular pastime, and hiking in Arkansas is a great way to experience the beauty and majesty of the Natural State. Outdoor enthusiasts will find Arkansas trails designed for day hiking, and those preferring extended excursions will enjoy backpacking trails typically found in the Ozark Highlands and the Ouachita National Recreation areas. One of Arkansas’ newest landmarks is the Big Dam Bridge, part of the Arkansas River Trail, which spans the Arkansas River from Murray Lock and Dam in Little Rock to Cooks Landing in North Little Rock. For locations and descriptions of many of Arkansas’ other 250 hiking trails, check out the Arkansas trail locator map. Some trails are legendary among mountain bikers. There are also many equestrian facilities and guided horse trails in Arkansas. And for underground adventures, Arkansas has 13 caves to explore. * For information regarding pets on hiking trails, please contact the appropriate agency for the trail you are interested in. Each agency has their own regulations regarding pets. Contact information can be found with each listing. Reprinted from Arkansas’ website   Applications Now Available for Summer Arts Camp Petit Jean Mountain— Arkansas high school students with a knack for the arts have the opportunity to enhance and explore their talents at the second annual Envision U summer arts camp. “Envision U: A Creative Camp Experience” is a free, one-week, residential, interdisciplinary arts camp organized by the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute of the University of Arkansas System. This year’s camp will be held July 27 to Aug. 2 at the Rockefeller Institute on Petit Jean Mountain near Morrilton. Envision U aims to provide select high school students from across Arkansas the chance to experience an intense, creative environment in which personal talents can be discovered and developed.The camp is particularly focused on providing this type of creative experience to students who have demonstrated some artistic talents but have not had many opportunities to explore or develop their talents. All Arkansas high school students currently enrolled in 9th, 10th or 11th grades are eligible to apply for Envision U 2008. The application deadline is April 15. To learn more about Envision U or to download an application form, visit the “Arts” page at www.uawri.org and then click on the “Envision U” link.   Schedule of Events 4/5— Evening in the Woods @ Mt. Magazine State Park 4/8— ARVTPR Board of Directors meeting, 10 am @ Lake Dardanelle State Park 4/10— Senior Naturalist Spring Fling @ Mt. Magazine State Park 4/10 Picture the Past: an Archeology Film & Lecture Series @ Winthrop Rockefeller Institute 4/17-20— Art Escapes Spring @ Winthrop Rockefeller Institute (Register before April 2nd!) 4/19— Star Party @ Mt. Nebo State Park 4/24— 16th Annual Taste of the Valley @ Historic Train Depot in downtown Russellville 4/25-26— 24th Annual Cowie International Amateur Wine Competition in Paris 4/25-27— Wildflower Weekend @ Petit Jean State Park 4/26— Mountain Memories @ Mt. Magazine State Park 4/26— pARTy in the Park @ the Russellville City Park     Quote of the Month Difficulties mastered are opportunities won…Winston Churchill Tri-Peaks Board of Directors   President: Vicki Lyons- Johnson Co. 1st Vice President: Buddy Hoelzeman- Conway Co. Secretary/Treasurer: Betty LaGrone- Pope Co. Wally Scherrey- Conway Co. Karen Hofford- Conway Co. Baxter Sudduth- Conway Co. Carol Martin- Johnson Co. Regina Olson- Johnson Co. Nancy Rogers- Johnson Co. Bro. Mel Stinson- Logan Co. Becky Bariola- Logan Co. Lynn Wright- Logan Co. Doug Brandon- Perry Co. Bill Greene- Perry Co. Ron Knost- Pope Co. Andy Thomas- Pope Co. Lou Vitale- Pope Co. Patty Styles- Yell Co. Carole Tackett- Yell Co. Mike Hall- Yell Co. Please Note: The next Tri-Peaks Board of Directors meeting will be held Tuesday, April 8th, 10:00 a.m. at Lake Dardanelle State Park. These meetings are open to the public. Tri-Peaks Members   New & Renewing Members American Realty, Inc. America's Best Value Inn & Suites Arkansas River Valley Arts Center Arkansas State Parks Arkansas Tech University Arkansas Valley Farmers Assoc. *Arvest Bank of Clarksville Arkwest Communications, Inc. (formerly Yell Co. Telephone) Best Western Inn-Russellville Best Western Sherwood Inn- Clarksville The Copper Outlet Catfish "N' Centerville Dragway, Inc. Chamberlyne Country Club Chambers Bank Chart Bank City of Atkins City of Morrilton City of Paris City of Perryville City of Russellville Clarksville-Johnson Co. Chamber of Commerce Coffee Creek Resort & RV Park Collector's Gallery Comfort Inn-Clarksville Comfort Inn-Russellville Conway Co. Wholesale Beer Dist. Cranford Johnson Robinson Woods Cyber Creek Design Danville Area Chamber of Commerce Dardanelle Chamber of Commerce Days Inn Morrilton Dixie Cafe' First Electric Cooperative Fairfield Inn & Suites Feltner's Whattaburger First National Bank-Paris First Security Bank-Clarksville Frannie's Cabin in the Ozarks Great Arkansas Pig Out Hampton Inn-Clarksville Hampton Inn-Russellville Heifer International Lake Dardanelle State Park Liberty Bank Morrilton Area Chamber of Commerce Mt. Magazine State Park Mt. Nebo State Park Museum of Automobiles Oppelo Flea Market Ozark Advertising & Tourism *Ozark Inn & Suites Paris Area Chamber of Commerce Perry County Perry County Economic Development Corp Petit Jean Meats Petit Jean Mountain Petting Zoo & Trail Rides Petit Jean State Park Post Familie Vineyards & Winery Regions Bank-Clarksville Regions Bank-Russellville Riverfront Antiques & Galleries Russellville APC Russellville Area Chamber of Commerce Russellville Boys & Girls Club Russellville Marina Boat Repair & Cabins Satterfield Oil Company Savanah's Riverfront Cafe' Spadra Marina Stoby's Subiaco Abbey & Coury House Super 8 Motel-Morrilton Super 8- Russellville The Grapevine Restaurant The Winthrop Rockefeller Center TJ's Country Store University of AR Community College-Morrilton U.S. Forest Service-Clarksville U.S. Forest Service-Russellville U.S. Forest Service Mt. Magazine Ranger Dist. United Country All Star Real Estate University of AR Division of Continuing Ed-Fayetteville University of the Ozarks-Clarksville Wiederkehr Wine Cellars Williams Junction Grocery Yell County Mt. Magazine State Park Committee Yesterday's Restaurant & Bar Betty Selman Charles Gordon Russell Lyons Ron Knost Lou Vitale * Denotes New Member   Our Mission Statement— The continued improvement of the economy of the region through the promotion of increased travel and tourism and the continuous development of the tourism product.