Six in Sixty
We moved to Bella Vista during the Summer of 2019, and each Spring saw that there was a Six in Sixty clean up alongside Highway 71/Bella Vista Way. While I always loved the idea behind it, our family schedule always had a conflict on the day it was going to be held. Kids, amiright?
But this year the stars aligned and our family was able to participate.
We bundled up, headed to Allen’s right at 10am and already saw volunteers in brightly colored vests working in their designated areas. We grabbed our gear, picked our section, and went to get to work. Ryan and I brought two of our three kids with us (the third having a previous engagement), and I was a little bit worried that our time picking up trash was going to be filled with complaining. And you know what? No one complained once. The kids were happy to help, and we had a contest to see who found the most interesting trash (Tallulah found a glittery gold Christmas bow, and Jonas found an empty box of spicy ramen).
After we filled our bags and cleaned our area, we headed back to the Allen’s lot to turn our gear in and grabbed some lunch (provided by Steve Morrow and the team at Allen’s).
Events like these, the dream of Tim Pschierer, Chris Taylor, and Steven Bourke, are exactly the types of things that make Bella Vista special. Hundreds of people came together on a chilly Spring morning to make their Community just a little bit better. Six in Sixty and Pick the Town Green are easy ways to serve your Community, and I’m so proud them.
If you’re able to join in at the next event, you’ll be welcomed with open arms. I hope to see you there!
Murals at BVPL
On Wednesday, April 5th I had the opportunity to attend the mural unveiling at the Bella Vista Public Library.
Artist Graham Edwards, a Bella Vista resident, created two beautiful murals for the outside of the Library. When the Library Director, Suzanne Adams, was shown the initial ideas for the murals, she said it was an immediate yes. Graham’s work can be found around Northwest Arkansas at places like the Railyard Park in Downtown Rogers, the skate park in Rogers, and the Meteor Guitar Gallery in Downtown Bentonville. I’m so glad that we have some of his pieces easily accessible in Bella Vista for us all to enjoy!
Graham drew inspiration from the nature that surrounds Bella Vista, and selected to highlight a hummingbird in one mural, and a bee on a dogwood bloom in another. During the question and answer portion, he let us know about the process of creating the murals and that he primarily uses spray paint. I don’t know about you, but that made his pieces even more incredible to me.
Swing by the Bella Vista Public Library (at 11 Dickens Place) to see the murals. While you’re there, you can pop inside to see a mural by Bella Vista resident Paige Dirksen in the Children’s section. Outside you can view a mosaic by Bella Vista resident Stevie Stevens and a metal sculpture by Fayetteville artists Alex Cogbill and Paul Siebenthal.
You can see more of Graham’s work at https://www.grahamedwardsart.com/