An Arkies Musings

March 26th is Purple Day.  Purple is the color associated with Relay For Life.  I have been a Relay For Life volunteer for nine years.  But Purple Day is not associated with Relay For Life.  Purple Day is the global day of epilepsy awareness .  People around the world are asked to wear purple on March 26 and encourage others to do the same. Epilepsy affects over 50 million people worldwide. That's more than multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and Parkinson's disease combined. Here are some facts about epilepsy. It’s estimated that 1 in 100 people have epilepsy There are approximately 2.2 million Americans living with epilepsy. Epilepsy is NOT contagious. Epilepsy is NOT a disease. Epilepsy is NOT a psychological disorder. There is currently no “cure” for epilepsy. For more than half of people with epilepsy, medication will control their seizures. Additionally, some children will outgrow their epilepsy and some adu...

In a previous post titled Zion , I told the story of my wife's great great grandmother who crossed the U.S. in 1856 pulling a handcart in the Willie Handcart Company.  I recently found articles from 1907 and 1908 that were published in the Salt Lake Herald about the Willie Handcart Company. Captain J. G. Willie's Or, the Fourth Handcart Company of 1856.  Published in the Salt Lake Herald, December 15,1907 and Jan 5, 1908. Although Captain J. G. Willie's company left Iowa Hill, Ia., some fourteen or sixteen days ahead of ours, Martin's company, with the middle of July weather, and which they made good use of—and all possible haste to Florence or Winterquarters [Winter Quarters], Neb., and got away from there with only a few days rest, losing no time from there to Fort Kearney, and realizing the value of the good weather and the date that they should reach and pass Fort Larimie [Laramie]; yet before reaching the latter landmark on those dreary plains, they seemed f...

On March 21, the Bearcats For A Cure Relay For Life Team held the first annual Bearcat Purple Relay 5k.  Team Captain Keeley Jones organized the event.  Keeley and her team set up early in the morning at Mena High School where the start/finish line was located. Race day registration was held from 6:30 to 7:30 A.M. with the race starting at 8:00.  The race participants really got into the spirit dressing in purple.  There was even had a a goat that participated.   Keeley announced the start of the race at 8:00 A.M. and the runners headed off on the 5k course. The race was a big success with lots of community participation.   The Bearcats For A Cure team raised over $3,000 for the Relay For Life of Polk County.  

This coming Sunday, March 22,  is World Water Day . World Water Day is an international day of observance and action to draw attention to the plight of almost one billion people world wide that lack access to clean, safe drinking water.  World Water Day is a way of focusing on how important freshwater is to humanity. We all need water. For most people in the world, it's not as easy as turning a tap. It takes 5 gallons of water for all of our daily needs—basic hygiene, household chores, and what we consume! Most people around the world do not have access to 5 gallons of freshwater a day, yet the average American uses over 70 gallons per day. I looked at my last water bill, and with the two of us we each used 90 gallons per day. I never think very much about our water except when I pay the bill.  I found some statistics that made me realize how fortunate I am.  Seven hundred eighty million  people do not have access to clean water an...

One of the most loved children’s books of the last century is The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper.  The National Education Association named the book one of its "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children”.  The story is used to teach children the value of optimism and hard work. If you have read the book you will remember that the little train broke down and the cargo headed to the boys and girls on the other side of the mountain was not going to make it there. The train asked Shiny New Engine to pull it over the mountain but he said, “that’s not what I do”.  Then the train asked Big Strong Engine to pull it over the mountain but he said,  “I have no time for the likes of you”. The train asked the Little Blue Engine to help. “I’m not very big”, said the Little Blue Engine.  “They use me only for switching trains in the yard.  I have never been over the mountain.” Then The Little Blue Engine hitched herself to the little train.  She tug...