Welcome to Calico Rock!…On the Banks of the Beautiful White River

In light of the Holiday season, I went looking for something special to share.  I found the complete words to “Over the River” which I thought fitting for our little town.  I hope you enjoy reading the full and complete piece, and that it invokes memories for all who read it.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Over the River

(Thanksgiving Day)

Over the river and through the wood
To Grandmother’s house we go.
The horse knows the way
To carry the sleigh
Through white and drifted snow.

Over the river and through the wood
Oh, how the wind does blow!
It stings the toes
And bites the nose,
As over the ground we go.

Over the river and through the wood
To have a first-rate play.
Hear the bells ring,
Ting-a-ling-ling!
Hurrah forThanksgiving Day!

Over the river and through the wood,
Trot fast, my dapple gray!
Spring over the ground
Like a hunting hound,
For this is Thanksgiving Day.

Over the river and through the wood,
And straight through the barnyard gate.
We seem to go
Extremely slow~
It is so hard to wait!

Over the river and through the wood~
Now Grandmother’s cap I spy!
Hurrah for fun!
Is the pudding done?
Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!

By Linda Maria Child

The response to the Calico Rock/Pineville Chamber of Commerce Yard Sale has been amazing! Now is the time to clean out closets, wash the outgrown clothes and drag out the old furniture for the sale Sept. 9, 10 & 11. Most of us can use the extra money. Finding what we need at bargain prices will help too. Of course, these sales are getting to be popular all over the country, so a lot of tourists will be coming to enjoy the beautiful drive and to shop.

In past years, participation has included the communities of Hardy, Cherokee Village, Salem, Pineville, Calico Rock, Norfork, Salesville, Jordan, Oxford, Horseshoe Bend, and Ash Flat and all points in between. Churches and other groups with parking lots will be offering space and doing their own fundraising but you’re welcome to just set up on your own property, or share with neighbors. Sellers from outside this area may still participate by reserving a spot in either Rand or Earl King Park by calling Gloria Gushue at the Chamber of Commerce, 870 297-2149. Individuals and organizations planning to hold a sale should also contact Gloria Gushue with their location information. Based upon the information received, a map with more detailed information will be provided to shoppers the week prior to the sale. The maps will be available at the Chamber office and several other locations. Or you can also check it out at the website www.calicorock.us. Take advantage of this great opportunity to “drive a little, enjoy the scenery, save a lot!”

Calico Rock is one of the loveliest places in the world to visit, and the trip here is just as lovely, no matter which direction you come from!  If you are coming from the Mountain Home Area, you will travel down Hwy 5 south to the “Y” at Salesville.  You can take either route and reach Calico Rock.  If you go Right, you will pass through Norfork Arkansas and the Historic Wolf House and the confluence of the Norfork and White Rivers; meander along scenic hwy 5 through the Ozark foothills and arrive in Calico Rock to be greeted by friendly faces, great food, shopping, fishing, touring, and history.  If you go Left, you will follow Hwy 177 down to the White River riverside park and campground, the Norfork National Fish Hatchery, Dry Run Creek, and the Norfork Dam.  You can visit Lake Norfork at Quarry Park or Jordan Landing.  Further on you will see the beauty of the high hills and deep valleys.  You will turn Right onto Hwy 223 and travel through Pineville, AR and then arrive on the West end of Calico Rock at the intersection of Hwy 223 and Hwy 56, near the Convenience Stores, Post Office, Banks, and the Dollar and Grocery Stores.  If you keep following Hwy 56 you will be able to make a full circle back to Hwy 5 and off home.  This route is great for a day trip, or a stop on your longer journey.

The Calico Rock/Pineville Chamber of Commerce met today at City Hall at Noon.  We had a great turnout, and covered a lot of ground!  At the close of the meeting, President Ric Moser asked us to go around the room and each person share what they would like the Chamber to accomplish this year.  Everyone at the meeting had great comments and ideas, and the prevailing opinion is that we need unity and focus to achieve common community goals.  So, I put it to you:  If you are a member of the community, get involved!  Let’s continue to make our area a great place to live and an excellent place to visit!  If you are thinking of visiting, come right in–We’d love to have you here!  There is great fishing, exquisite views, excellent lodging, fine dining and old fashioned home cookin’.  There are friendly smiles, intriguing history and unforgettable hospitality awaiting you!

What is QUESTERS?

The Questers, an international study organization was
founded in April, 1944, by Jessie Elizabeth Bardens.
Its major objectives are:
–TO STIMULATE AN APPRECIATION OF ANTIQUES
AND THEIR COLLECTION, and
–TO ENCOURAGE THE PRESERVATION & RESTORA-
TION of HISTORICAL LANDMARKS.

The motivating principles of the organization are found in
the words of its founder:
“Antiques are part of human history, a tangible
record of the things of everyday living. A fascinating
hobby, the study of Antiques gives the most pleasure
to those who strive to learn all they can about where,
when, why and how  they were made. Through dis-
covery and knowledge of Antiques, we may bring
the past to life and profit by the experiences of
previous generations.”  Jessie Elizabeth Bardens

Chapters are formed by people who share an interest
in the aims of the QUESTERS! Are YOU interested?
Do you have FRIENDS WHO LOVE ANTIQUES?
Please BRING THEM & COME to a gathering,
Tuesday,12 April 2011 at the Calico Rock Museum
9:00 a.m. that morning
or 7:00 p.m. that evening.
The morning group will hear a brief presentation, participate
in an informative discussion meeting, and have a walking
tour of the newly relocated Museum in the Rand Building
on Main Street. The evening group will have only the briefing
and participate in the discussion meeting. For more information
about the QUESTERS visit www.Questers1944.org or
locally contact Dorothy Sanders 870/368-3637 or
Beth Peck Cooper 501/374-3272.
Looking forward to seeing you at the Calico Rock Museum!

Only one month left until Calico Rock’s Riverfest!  I just wanted to pop in and let everyone know that the application form for the Community Medical Center Sponsored 5k run, which will be held on April 30th in conjunction with Riverfest is now available here! This year’s event is going to be excellent, with everyone in town working hard and working TOGETHER to make it so.

I was so proud of us for our combined efforts during the 1-A State Tournament for which our community rightly earned a great deal of praise, and I know that this event will also be an undeniable success!  If you have a little time to spare to help with the festivities, contact us or call the Calico Rock Visitor’s Center at (870) 297-4129 to see where you are needed.  I promise that help is ALWAYS needed and greatly appreciated!

Just a word to let you know; First….excellent job on the banquet, we look forward to working with the chamber in the years to come.
We will have our ambulance (Ozark EMS) stationed at the Riverfest and the tractor pulls this year. I will have extra crews on hand around the park to take care of any emergency should it arise. Dean Hudson had asked tonight at the banquet if we were going to be at Riverfest and I assured him we would and wanted to convey that assurance to the chamber as well.
I will have a promotional booth set up where the people of Calico Rock will be able to look my ambulance and other equipment over and get information about our services. I also intend to hold a “Teddy Bear Clinic” to help familarize children and parents with the EMS system in general.
We are trying to run emergency calls in the city of Calico to provide timely care for our citizens and would like all the help that you can give us in promoting our business.
Thank you in advance for any support you can give.

Ozark EMS
Locally owned in Calico Rock
Leon Cheatham NREMT-P / Owner
291-1898

I’m happy to say that our 2011 Annual membership banquet was quite a success!  We met at 6:00 p.m. at Brookfall’s Restaurant on Highway 5 North of Calico Rock.  We had an excellent turn-out, and fantastic food and fellowship.  The new Chamber officers and board members have been voted upon, as well as updates to the Chamber By-Laws.  Our 2011 membership roster is shaping up nicely, and it looks to be a great year ahead!  After dinner, Gene Lockie of Cedar Ridge RV Park presented departing President Dale Ivy with a token of appreciation for his service in the form of an engraved gavel.  After that, the Business and Ambassador of the year recipients were announced.  Carolyn Jeffery was awarded the honor of ambassador of the year, and White River Cafe’ (owned by Rebecca Greenwood) took home the award for Business of the Year.  What a great evening!  I am looking forward to working with each of you this year as we forge ahead in our mission.  Welcome, newcomers, to our organization!  We look forward to making you a part of the fun!

Kimberly B. Williamson

Blogging is not new. I am not new. Blogging and I haven’t known each other too long, however, but we are getting along pretty well so far. That said, please allow me to welcome you all to the first post of the Calico Rock Chamber of Commerce Weblog! I expect to enlist many others to subscribe and post here, and hopefully we can gain some more knowledge from each other, and have a little fun along the way! If you are coming to the Chamber Membership Banquet tonight at Brookfall’s at 6:00 p.m. the you are in for a real treat! The food is great, and the people are wonderful. What a great opportunity to get together and make new friends, or catch up with old ones. Hope to see you there!