On the first Friday evening of every month, the West Fork Friday Night Follies take place in the Library Hall at 210 Garfield, right next to the West Fork Library. The event is sponsored by the Friends of the West Fork Library. This opportunity of a community joining together for music, talent, and laughter seems unique and rare these days. The first Folly was on Valentine’s Day 2014. 2/14/2014 It was the brainchild of West Fork resident, Steve Winkler, who also coined the name Friday Night Follies! Advised, Mary Brinks, a member of Friends of the Library. Frances Harderson, a local musician, was the MC until Jan. 2015, when Mary Brinks, took over that role. The Follies offers an open mic venue for those who want to perform before a small audience according to Mary Brinks. ” Any age and any level of expertise is welcome,” Brinks added, There are several different types of performances according to Brinks. “Some sing, play an instrument, read poetry, play piano, or even tell family-friendly stories. ” This exceptional evening of light-hearted, family-friendly entertainment is open to everyone. Adults pay $3 each at the door. Proceeds benefit the Hall, to pay utilities and other bills. The next Folly will be held February 9th at 6:30- 9 PM. Concessions are always for sale, added Brinks. Brinks advised interested parties may contact her for more info on participation. 479 601-2040

Old Fashioned Family Fun!

Mary Brinks on Autohharp

Glen Wilson

Fances Harderson on guitar

Issue 2, February 2018

Why Not Café

Please check the website www.westforkwhistler.com for updated

menu’s and hours.

Support the West Fork Library.

Join or renew your membership

to the Friends of the West Fork

Library

Annual craft Fair coming to Town: Benefits to American cancer Society

On March 10th, 2018, a craft and vendor fair will be hosted in our Community Center building on 222 Webber St. in West Fork. This will be the 5th annual fair benefiting the American Cancer Society and put on by Amber Freeman and her co planner Brooke Shadrick. ‘The first fair was in April 2014, planned in less than a month’, advises Freeman. Freeman is herself, a cancer survivor, she was officially in remission as of March 6th, 2014, only a month before planning the first vendor/craft fair. In 2015 the fair had over 40 vendors and was a bit too crowded, says Freeman ” it was a great fair in 2016, as we had 28 vendors.” She advised. One very unique thing we started in 2016 was ” leave your hand on cancer”. Survivors place a hand print on cloth in the awareness color of the cancer they have survived. They then sign it and add their diagnosis date. Freeman says “Most things we do in purple, as that is the color of awareness of ALL cancer.” They are currently seeking silent auction items for the fair. advised Freeman. They will be taking vendor applications until January 26th, offered Freeman. All booth rentals donations and the $1 entry donation for buyers go to support the American Cancer Society. Freeman advises, ‘ The American Cancer Society is near to my heart, not just because of my own diagnosis. In 2013 I was diagnosised with Hodgkins Lymphoma Stage 2 Bulky unfavorable, I had a softball size tumor in my chest. But my family members have suffered too.” Freeman says, her Maternal grandmother lost her battle with cancer, AML Luekemia, in 2014. She also was never able to meet her maternal Grandfather as cancer stole him when her Mother was only eleven years old. In addition Freeman says her paternal Grandmother is a cancer survivor too. Freeman says,” I was a volunteer for the American Cancer Society five years before I received my own diagnosis.” Freeman has felt the affects first hand, of the loss of a loved one taken too soon by the cruel hand of cancer. Freeman says, after her diagnosis, she never thought she would be able to be a mother. But today, she is the proud mom of a son, McKinley, 19 mos. The American Cancer Society, according to their website www.cancer.org, says donations help save lives and are used to fund groundbreaking research and vital services. Freeman says, she hopes 2018 will be the best year yet for a great craft fair. If you are interesting in being a vendor, ap-plications are on her facebook page https://www.facebook.com/WFCraftFair/. Silent auction items can be donated by contacting Amber at 479 806-2222 or to email at WashCoRelay@gmail.com

Craft Fair 2017

Page 2

So as a child, admittedly, that was more then a few decades ago… I loved Dear ABBY. I always read Dear Abby in the morning paper. It was conversation at the table. “Oh listen to this one….” I really felt that Dear Abby, was a smart adult. A rare thing in my then youthful opinion! Recently a West Fork resident, approached me with the idea… she could do a Dear Abby, column for our West Fork Whistler. After some review and discus-sion, we have accepted an Ask Amy column!! Any question will be ok, all may not be printed. But

answers may be on the website! Hopefully, our read-

ers will find this column interesting, thought provoking

and engaging! Website: www.westforkwhistler.com

ASK AMY!!!

The Arkansas Municipal League congratulated Misty Caudle, West Fork Council member on maintaining her status as a Certified Municipal Official through the League's voluntary certified continuing education program!

The certified municipal league members were honored at the Muncipal League's 2018 Winter Conference held January 10-12 in Fort Smith. Nu-merous Municipal Officials,representing local cities and towns across the state completed 21 hours of study in subjects such as City budgets, Person-nel management, Methods of Effective Leadership and more. In order to maintain certification, city officials must complete 6 hours of continuing education each year.

Misty Caudle is the first City Official from West Fork to receive and maintain this certification.

Caudle, advises 'I love this community and strive to do the best job I can. I want to be a servant to this community and I feel being a council member is an important job! I want to take advantage of any education available to me." Add's Caudle.

The Arkansas Muncipal League is a service and advocacy organization for the municipalities of Arkansas. The League offers it's program's and ser-vices to 500 cities in and towns in Arkansas. It was created in 1934

to assist cities with information and representation in Public affairs.

'Classes and certification are available to any city volunteer or paid offi-cial,' offered Caudle.

Caudle says, she has been a West Fork City Council member for Ward 2 for

10 years!. "Never appointed, she added, always elected! "

Page 3 Misty Caudle Earns Municipal League Certification! As someone

else’s drinking

upsetting you?

Alanon meets at

Library Hall

Thursday 3:pm

Newcomer’s

welcome.

Call Kathy 479 263-7407

for more info

Page 4

West Fork Resident has Big Plans for the Old Super Foods Building

Long time resident Gary Culp purchased the old Super Foods building and the surrounding land in September 2016. Culp says he moved to West Fork in 1955.

He has lived a lot of life and done a lot of things since 1955, but West Fork is home.

Culp saw big possibilities with this space. For starters, Culp, could house Freedom through Faith Foundation, a non profit he had already established, to benefit Military Personnel and their families. He also thought it would make a fantastic place to house West Fork Historical Museum, a dream he hatched in 2010, to keep West Fork history alive. In addition he could have space in the building to add other community beneficial businesses. Culp says, he hopes to add a GYM to the space along with a multi-purpose area for community use.

Culp says; As a retired Air Force Colonel, he is passionate about veteran's and veteran concerns. Freedom in Faith Foundation also offers help for Law Enforcement, Fire Fighters and First Responders along with their families, widows or orphans.

"I was there in Washington D.C. in September 11, 2001", Culp advised. He says, he saw first hand the great sacrifice of those people whose job it is to protect us all. He knew the role well, himself.

Culp relates, his desire to give back something to all those who sacrifice so much.

The Super Foods building is the headquarters for Freedom through Faith Foundation, along with another veteran assistance program, NWA Veteran Coalition, advised Culp. The space is be-ing used to store house hold items that will benefit operation RE-BOOT thru the NWA Veteran Coalition. The program has already helped 538 local vets with housing and household items assis-tance, according to Culp.

Some of the area will be used for small business also, Culp ad-vised. He says local resident Beverly Carter has already rented space for a Family Resale Clothing shop to open in March. Culp says, his vision for the space offers much to the community to include cultural, art and music venues. He also hopes to add an indoor opportunity for crafts or fresh farm sales, such as honey, mushrooms, veggies etc. Repairs and bringing this large space up to date with necessary amenities, have taken a while, adds Culp. New HVAC, a roof, guttering, and bathroom modifications, will enrich the buildings desirability for use by the public. Culp says he has also added se-cure storage options at the back of the building. And will have space available to rent out. Culp advises that the acreage around the building is currently for sale, and listed by Newlin Realty. For more info contact Gary Culp at 479 839-2696.

West Fork Animal Advocates was started in 2017. Work continues to try and help animals in West Fork.

West Fork does have a licensing program for dogs. Owner's in the city limits need to pay for licenses for their dog at City Hall.

Fees are as follows: $5 one year for animals with proof of rabies shot and proof of Spay or Neuter . $20 proof of rabies shot, but not altered. If a pet has proof of a 3 year rabies and is altered cost is $10 for 3 years.

The benefit if they are wearing a tag, they can be identified thru City Hall.

Members of facebook page , west fork - a little bit of everything , can continue to share lost or found pets. This facebook page has been instru-mental in getting several animals back home.

West Fork Animal Advocates also has a facebook page. In addition facebook page, Lost & Found pets,NWA is a great option to search for a lost pet or find the owners of a pet.

Micro-chipping remains a top method of recovery of a lost pet.

According to the Home Again website, the technology of a pet microchip is simple and safe. The brilliance of a microchip implant is its simplicity.

No bigger than a grain of rice, a pet microchip is a radio-frequency identification transponder made up of just a few components encased within a slender capsule of bioglass, which is used extensively for implants in both humans and animals. Some microchips have anti-migration features to ensure capsules stay in place by bonding with the tissue under the animal’s skin.

• A microchip’s sole function is to store a unique ID number that is used to retrieve a pet parent’s contact information—it differs from a Global Positioning System, which is used for tracking, and requires a power source such as a battery.

• When a microchip scanner is passed over the skin of a micro-chipped pet, the implanted microchip emits an RF (radio frequency) signal. The scanner reads the microchip’s unique ID code. The microchip registry is called, and the registry company uses the ID number to retrieve the pet parent’s contact information from the pet recovery database.

You can't see it, or run your fingers over a dog's neck and find it. But almost all vet's have a scanner and will check free of charge. In addition our West Fork City Hall has one too.

Recently West Fork Animal Advocates took in a small dog, and she had a micro chip. The Chip lead to Denver, Colorado. This sweet little dog was

lost 2 years ago in Denver. It remains a mystery how she got to West Fork, Arkansas. Can you imagine the surprise to receive a phone call saying

this sweet little dog was found after 2 years?!

West Fork Animal Advocates news

Page 5

West Fork Planning Commission, lost two members this month including it’s

chair, Scott Oliver. This leaves three open seats on the commission.

Mayor Heath Caudle, says, “With the growth being seen in NWA right now,

it’s clear, West Fork is in the path of development. It’s so important as a city

we plan for this growth.”

If you are interested in helping to maintain healthy growth in West Fork con-

sider joining the Planning Commission. Currently the meetings are once a

month on the 3rd Thursday at 6:30 pm. At City Hall. Interested applicants can

Page 6

January is Friends of the Library's Membership Renewal Month.

According to Jane Bryant, member and past president of the Friends of the West Fork Library, " The First Christian Church deeded the building at 210 Garfield to Friends of the West Fork Library in December, 2013."

The building was named Library Hall.

.FOL have been able to raise funds to benefit the old building, advises Bryant. Many projects have turned the church into a delightful small ven-ue for many wonderful community gatherings. It is currently used twice weekly for Yoga, Alanon meetings, book sales and monthly for the West Fork Follies, bible studies, and square dancing. In addition Washington County Master Gardener's, book reading for local authors have all been able to utilize the space. This old church has a new life and is quite a community asset.

Bryant says that Patty Baker was the first FOL president and over saw the initial renovation of the building. The building now has an ADA accessi-ble bathroom, a catering kitchen, and new tables and chairs that seat up to 35 comfortably.

The mission of FOL is to promote literacy in West Fork and extend the services that our local library provides. Bryant advises that " FOL works closely with our most capable librarian, John Riley, to provide summer reading programs for the youth of West Fork and other activities."

FOL was originally started in 1999, according to the West Fork Library website, which also says that the group has raised over $50000, to benefit the West Fork Library

The FOL appreciates the support of the WF community with all the fund raising activities thru out the year. Funds go to maintain the Hall and to the library to purchase books and materials. Membership is only $5 per individual and $10 per family on an annual basis. Applications to be a member or to renew, can be found at the library or on the facebook page West Fork- Little bit of Everything.

Eula Lichty, current FOL president advised that an upcoming planned project is an expansion to our current West Fork Library. Lichty, states that work will soon begin on the project.

For 14 years Jimmie Thomas has been teaching Yoga in West Fork! Classes are Mon. and Wed. 5:15 -6:15 at the Library Hall 210 Garfield in West Fork. Thomas advises," the first class is free, and new participants don't need to bring any-thing. After that it's $5 a class."

Beginners are welcome, says Thomas, " out of shape and over weight, just come on!" invites Thomas! For more info contact Jimmie at 479 263-0206.

Yoga in West Fork