Yes ma'am, I worked there.

I worked for the local ARC for over 16 years. (If you know me, you know what that stands for.)

I was laid off in 1996. I worked in just about every position at ARC.
From calling in blood donors; working in the mail room – printing a million + “learn to swim” applications;
to the safety office – signing up class participants and teaching or scheduling volunteer teachers for first aid/CPR and swimming courses;
then on to the public information office – working fund raisers and designing brochures and reports;
until finally I was the assistant to the chapter manager – which was really a great job, too.

I really loved working there. The volunteers were down to earth and real. I even got to work a disaster during my last year. It was very hard work, but very rewarding as well. The feeling you get when you help someone who has just lost everything they own is - impossible to describe. It’s a good feeling with a LOT of sadness surrounding the feeling.

The disaster I worked was the 1996 Ft. Smith Tornado. The twister leveled a couple of neighborhoods just outside of town. A child was killed, many were injured and many homes were destroyed.

I just cannot imagine going through something like that. Those poor people were left without anything. Everything they owned was strewn from Ft. Smith to Ozark. As a volunteer, I interviewed the displaced to try and determine their immediate needs. It was so sad. Some, who barely had anything to begin with, had nothing now. And they were just so grateful to get a mop, broom and a bucket.

I really miss my old friends from the ARC. They (the volunteers) really are a great group of people.

Hey! It's Not HOT!

Well, it's now August. And, unlike all our other Augusts this one is really great. It started out HOT, but last week through the weekend, (my weekend ended Monday,) it has really been very comfortable.

That's just one of the many reasons I so love my Arkansas. Just when you think you've got the weather figured out - Arkansas will make you love her all over again.

This morning is great. I almost needed a light jacket (IN ARKANSAS, IN AUGUST.) That is so unheard of. Usually, by this time of the year, we are always inside, in the AC, dreading to have to go outside, for any reason. The humidity alone is enough to keep the faint of heart from leaving their cool home.

We usually have those sultry summer nights. It's probably almost like a rain forest when the humidity rises on those days that are 100+. I know many people who cannot live in Arkansas because of it.

For instance, Tim's Aunt - who comes from West Texas. She and Uncle Mike moved here from Big Spring - many years ago. She was so miserable and voiced her dislike of Arkansas regularly. (This attitude was from someone who lived in a desert.) She constantly longed for her - flat, no trees, disgusting water, arid and hot - beloved West Texas. Finally, he had heard enough, he packed her up and took her home. He passed away several years later; she and their son are still in West Texas.

So we'll enjoy this cool August for a while. I'm sure the summer is not through with us yet. But, I'm hoping for an early - long fall season this year.