George Washington event rescheduled
The 20th annual George Washington Birthday Luncheon was postponed from Feb. 20 due to the inclement weather. The event will now be held March 12 at the Hot Springs Country Club. Seating will begin at 11 a.m. and the luncheon starts at 11:30 a.m.
Historian Carl Flowers will discuss “George Washington: an instrument in the hands of Providence,” according to a news release.
The GWL Committee will contact individuals who paid the $35 fee to determine if they want a refund or will attend. Details: Chairman Peggy Vandenberg at arkpooky@yahoo.com.
Art League announces March events
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The Pine Bluff Art League will present several upcoming events.
The art league is hosting an exhibition depicting Landscapes & Abstracts in the East wing of the Donald Reynolds Community Services Center, 211 W. Third Ave. The league invites the community to view the display through March 31, according to a news release.
The league’s monthly meeting will be held from 2-4 p.m. Sunday at the Reynolds center. Artist and writer Monica McGee “MoKasso” will present a hands-on painting party. Members and the public may bring their supplies or use league-provided materials. Details: themokassoexperience.com.
The league will hold a solo photography exhibition titled “The Art of Nature” by African American and art league artist Glenda Reeves at the Reynolds Center starting with a free opening reception from 5-6:30 p.m. March 6. The reception is open to the community. The exhibition will remain on view through April 30.
Reeves’ journey into photography started when she was gifted with a Brownie camera, a cardboard box camera with a convex-concave lens, at the age of 11. She has documented family and social gatherings, a slice of life within the community of Jefferson County, and local natural landmarks.
Reeves is the mother of Anthony Reeves, a federal judge in Felton, Del. She is a retired kindergarten teacher, having taught 30 years.
Art league members are asked to pick up their artwork in the atrium of the Reynolds center to make room for Reeves’ exhibition.
Art league annual membership dues are $40 until March 15. Artists can send checks to Pine Bluff Art League, Donald W. Reynolds Community Services Center, 211 W. Third Ave., Box 8, Pine Bluff, AR 71601. Details: pbal.org or mediapinebluffartleague@gmail.com.
Behavioral center sets awards dinner
Southeast Arkansas Behavioral Healthcare System will present its first Mental Health Advocacy Awards Dinner at the Pine Bluff Country Club at 6 p.m. April 12.
The program will honor leading mental health advocates from the five Arkansas counties served by SABHS, according to a news release.
“This year’s honorees work every day with a commitment to bettering the lives of Arkansans around them,” said Sherrie James, president/CEO of SABHS. “It is only appropriate that we set aside one evening to recognize and show our appreciation to them.”
HONOREES
Noel “Bud” Bryant, a lawyer from Jefferson County, will accept the Lifetime Achievement Award for his selfless service as a lawyer assisting clients during difficult life events, including general practice, litigation, personal injury law, domestic relations law, business law, construction law, probate law, estate planning law, real estate law and family law. Bryant served as the SABHS board chair for 28 years, according to the release.
Kymara Seals represents Jefferson County as a member of the Arkansas Public Policy Panel, which seeks to advance social and economic justice through respect for human dignity, diversity, empowerment and an inclusive, fair and transparent political process. After losing her son to suicide, she established the D’Andre Seals Foundation for Suicide Prevention and Awareness which has helped many in-crisis young people and their families, according to the release.
Judge B. Park Eldridge Jr. from Arkansas County will be acknowledged for his work as district court judge in Division 1 of the 16th Judicial District, which serves Brinkley, Clarendon, DeWitt, Gillett, Holly Grove, St. Charles, and Stuttgart. He has organized DWI specialty courts with the goal of identifying addiction before a person’s actions lead to felonies then matching needs with resources.
Britt Talent, the honoree from Cleveland County, has been owner and publisher of the Cleveland County Herald since 2002. A resident of Rison since 1992, Talent has been committed to bettering his community. Talent engages in several activities that benefit Cleveland County, including Cleveland County Cares, a charitable organization that provides Christmas gifts for children in need, according to the release.
Misti Douthit, an advanced practice registered nurse, is the honoree from Grant County. She is the primary provider of services at Baptist Health Family Clinic–Sheridan, which recently opened. She is a native of Southaven, Miss., and has practiced medicine for 15 years after receiving her education through the University of Memphis family nurse practitioner program.
Felicia Cobb from Lincoln County represents the Arkansas Department of Human Services, specializing in caring for Arkansans of all ages and ensuring places like child care centers and nursing homes are safe. She seeks to maintain the safety net for the most vulnerable Arkansans.
The dinner will be prepared by award-winning executive Chef Jamie McAfee and his staff.
The gala is also planned as a recurring annual fundraiser, according to the release.
Tickets are $100 each. Sponsorships are Gold, $5,000; Silver, $2,500; and Bronze, $1,000. Each level includes a designated number of tickets. Details: https://sabhs.org/m-dinner.html.