Garland Yates of Mobilizing Communities, and consultant for Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, enjoyed a recent visit to Leslie along with RCA staff. Garland was able to visit with Revitalization Project Leader Talitha Hardin and Arts & Heritage Focus Group Leader Adrienne LaFargue as well as some of the business owners in Leslie.
Garland Yates visits with local leaders
Laurie Gross offloads merchandise for her store, Old Mercantile Antiques on Main Street. In the background, the sign and building of a new business is visible, John K. Carr Realty.
Mary Smith from Audubon Arkansas met with Leslie 6th grade students in November 2008 to find out what they think is special about their town. Following are pictures by Mary and quotes from the students. Click below to view the presentation.
Talitha Hardin and Lene Sutterfield attended leadership training provided by Garland Yates at Monticello. Talitha shared some lessons learned along the way with Leslie’s Revitalization Project.
Lavina, Lene, and Talitha
Visit Leslie’s facebook page at facebook.com/lesliearkansas
Caught “doing good”…..a group of volunteers were caught in the act….cleaning up water pipe damage at the Ozark Heritage and Arts Center recently in preparation for the upcoming concert. A big thank you to Searcy County Chamber of Commerce for the help and support of OHAC.
Tuesday, March 2 A group including local gardeners, master gardeners, City Beautification group members and Brad Runsick of Searcy County Extension Office met to discuss doing a landscape gardening project at the City Park. Soil samples have been sent off for testing. If you would like to be involved in this project, call Brenda Lewis or Peggy Massey to add your name. Next meeting will be set in early April after soil testing results are received. A fundraiser was set for March 27 to fund the project.
Friday, March 5 Simmons First National Bank announced that 9 branch banks will close in June and Leslie is on the list. Events such as this make it even more important for Leslie community members to work together to preserve and enhance their town.
Monday, March 8 Leslie Area Merchants Association met and made plans relating to promotion of Leslie.
Tuesday, March 9 Voters in the city of Leslie approved a measure to reallocate the one-cent sales tax. Formerly the entire one cent tax went to the Volunteer Fire Department. Now 75 percent of the tax will go to City General Fund and 25 percent will go to the VFD. A representative of North West Arkansas Economic Development Commission explained that there are about seven different grant opportunities available to rural fire departments. If all the grant opportunities are explored, this action could ultimately result in additional funding to Leslie and the VFD.
Saturday, March 13 at 7:30 pm Ozark Heritage Arts Center will host “Second Saturday Music”. The featured house band is “In Cahoots.” Please come and show your support of OHAC and local musicians!
Monday, March 15 at 7 pm Wiley’s Cove Lodge 524 F&AM meets at Lodge Hall on Oak St. (3rd Monday of each month)
Saturday, March 27 at 8:30am American Legion Post 131 meets for breakfast with meeting starting at 9 a.m. (4th Saturday of each month)
Saturday, March 27 at 7-9:30pm Bingo Fundraiser at the Leslie School Cafeteria to fund the city park landscaping project. Any donation of prizes, baked goods, or cash(!) will be appreciated.
Monday, April 12 at 6pm. The Leslie Area Merchants Association will meet at the Leslie Community Center.
Monday, April 19 at 7 pm Wiley’s Cove Lodge 524 F&AM meets at Lodge Hall on Oak St. (3rd Monday of each month)
Saturday, April 24 10am-2pm. Pre-market seed and plant sale. The Farmers and Craft Market will officially open in May for the season.
Saturday, April 24 at 8:30 am American Legion Post 131 meets for breakfast with meeting starting at 9 am. (4th Saturday of each month)
Rural Community Alliance staff collaborated with the Leslie Survey Committee, city officials, and residents to produce a Community Assessment. Click the link below to view the document consisting of 23 slides.
Built in 1907 as a residence, Killebrew House is beautifully restored as a Bed & Breakfast
A worker is "pointing" the bricks at the bakery.
Another Main Street restoration project underway.
A beautiful corner building restoration recently completed.
Wagon rides give the youngsters a taste of the old days.
City Park, complete with Nativity, was decorated by City Beautfication Focus Group under the direction of Peggy Massey.
Santa & Mrs. Claus
Christmas craft fair
Ryan, Karen, and Adrienne chat at the craft fair.
Live nativity at the Methodist Church.
More wagon rides...
James White with Peggy Massey as she adjusts lights.
Leslie merchants welcome visitors with cookies and a smile. Fifteen merchants held open house with hot drinks, refreshments, and special discounts.
Thumbs up to Peggy Massey and the City Beautification Focus Group for their efforts in making the park festive for the Christmas season. Peggy has spearheaded this project for years. Thanks, Peggy, for making Leslie sparkle for many years.
Everyone is invited to attend Leslie’s Old Fashioned Christmas celebration on Saturday, December 5.
Sponsored by the Leslie Area Merchants Association, Arts & Heritage Focus Group, City Beautification Focus Group, & the Leslie Homecoming Committee. Check out the schedule below.
Visions of Sugar Plums
Dec. 5th 2pm-7pm
Leslie, AR
Scheduled Events
*Santa in the Park 2pm-3pm-Sponsored by Simmons First
*Literacy Council Book Reading 2pm-5pm
*Christmas Crafts Fair 2pm-7pm
*Wagon Rides 3pm-?
*Live Music 3:30pm-?
*Live Nativity Scene 5pm-7pm
Contests & Games
*Arts & Heritage raffle drawing, 6:30
*Punch-card game drawing, 6:35
*Decorating Contest Winners announced 6:45
Participating Merchants
*Leslie Café, open till 8pm. (Shrimp dinner $7.25)
*Antique Mall
*Old Mercantile Antiques-open house, refreshments
*Lewis Grocery
*Cove Creek Emporium-sale, open house, refreshments
*Smith’s Citgo
*Derickson’s Lumber-door prizes, sale, refreshments
*Misty’s Conoco
*Killebrew House-refreshments, music
*Pine Grove Trails
*L.A. Salon-sale, open house, refreshments
*National Yellow Pages Direct
*Exotic Cuts-open house, refreshments, sale
*Junk Store
*Country Flowers & Gifts-refreshments, sale, open house
* Simmons First
*Serenity Farm Bread (Bakery), Free Cookies
*Skylark Café-free gourmet hot cocoa