Boxing Fundraiser Planned for the Fall to Benefit the Arkansas Rice Depot

New member and Catholic High Freshman, Patrick Serven, is already at work on his Start Something Project. He has adopted the Arkansas Rice Depot’s theme for the year, “Fight Hunger – Join the fight to end hunger in our state!”

Patrick, a sports enthusiast who is learning to box at StraightRight Boxing in Little Rock, is planning a black-tie, invitation only boxing event for later in the fall. He is working with Kevin Lightburn, a trainer and owner at StraightRight.

In addition to the boxing matches, he is planning to hold a silent auction at the event. The theme for the items will be sports related.

He is shown here with Tom Denniston at Fort Thompson in North Little Rock who donated a Remmington bullet board valued at $150, and with Joe Clark at Ozark Outdoor Supply who gave a $50 gift certificate.

The money raised at the event will be donated to Food For Kids, a Rice Depot Program that furnishes backpacks filled with a take-home, kid-friendly meal each day and on weekends for students who have no food at home. Arkansas has the highest number of children who face hunger daily in the U.S. The Depot currently feeds more than 28,000 Arkansas students in over 600 schools.

Patrick’s goal is to raise $2000 to adopt a NLR school and feed 40 kids for a year.

Any readers who know of sources of money or auction items are asked to contact council director Jan Scholl at 834-3784.

Council Members Help Kick Off United Way's Live United Campaign

Council members Mattie Thacker, Sydney Venable, Maha Madani, Alia Madani, Emma Purifoy and her mom Emma, helped kick off the 2010 United Way
Live United Campaign with a flash mob performance in the River Market on Saturday, August 21.

About 50 dancers of all ages entertained surprised River Market shoppers and helped send the message that "Underneath everything we are, everything we do, we are all people...connected, interdependent, united. And when we reach out a hand to one, we influence the condition of all....That's what it means to LIVE UNITED. It takes everyone in the community working together to create a brighter future." The campaign begins September 1st and money raised will fund area non-profits.

Council Members Help with Grand Opening of Family Housing at Our House

Members Mattie Thacker and Maha Madani held a benefit bake sale to earn money to buy bedding for the newly refurbished family housing building at Our House Shelter for the Working Homeless. Thirty bedspread were donated to furnish the twin beds that were donated by the local chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers. The newly remodeled facility will house 13 homeless families and children - between 30 and 38 people on any given day. Families can live in the shelter for up to two years. During this time they must find full time employment and save 75% of their earnings. The children receive free child care. Parents receive workforce training and adult basic education. Mattie has worked with Our House for the last two years as a volunteer and as a fundraiser. She and Lydia Jou partnered earlier on a project called Loving Linens and presented Our House with 87 pairs of twin bedding for the single housing facility. They were recently honored for a grant they received from Scholastic Magazine for $2500 to pay for the children's field trips at the summer program.

Mattie and Maha served as greeters at the grand opening on August 9. They are pictured above with Our House Director, Georgia Mjarten.

Council Member Attends FBI Youth Academy

On August 12 Council member Grant Strobel attended the FBI Teen Academy hosted by Little Rock FBI’s Field Office Community Outreach Program. The academy is designed to promote an educational experience that will provide students with valuable leadership training and a greater understanding of the FBI.
The Teen Academy was comprised of top-notch students from a variety of high schools in the state of Arkansas. Any Arkansas school could nominate 2 individuals, but only 25 were selected statewide. Qualifications were for the participant to have completed their freshman year, have a GPA of 3.0, possess qualities of leadership, scholastic achievement and be good citizens. Nominees had to write an essay of 250 words expressing their interest in the program and how it will enhance their future.
Grant is a 10th grader at East Campus.

Council Travelers Return from Korea

Ten North Little Rock high school and college students and two adult chaperones represented North Little Rock as delegates to our Sister City Homestay Program in Uiwang City, South Korea, July 27-August 7, 2010. This is the 10th year for this highly successful program which alternates homestay exchange programs in the summer.
The delegates stayed in family homes arranged by the Uiwang City government officials just as they do when the South Koreans visit North Little Rock. They experienced many unique customs, foods, and social settings completely different from their own. They visited museums, an amusement park, the beach, the mountains, an archery range, temples, went to the DMZ, had cooking lessons, and took part in a talent show.

Council members Tazonio Anderson, Connor Ratliff, Jessica Soule, Grant Stroble, and Grant DePoyster were delegates. They were accompanied by Grant's dad, Michael Stroble.

Lamanpalooza!

Fourteen NLR Council members volunteered at Laman Library's Lamanpalooza. The four hour event featured free food, drinks, entertainment - a flash mob appearance and Trout Fishing in America - and lots of games and prizes for the kids.

Pictured above are Luke Wallace and new member Sam Scott. Below are Justin Joyce and Kenderick Scorza.

Sister City Program Takes Wings

Ten North Little Rock high school and college students and two adult chaperones are representing North Little Rock as delegates to our Sister City Homestay Program in Uiwang City, South Korea, July 27-August 7, 2010. This is the 10th year for this highly successful program which alternates homestay exchange programs in the summer. Nine excited delegates left from Little Rock Airport this morning, and the remaining three will fly out in the morning (Wednesday). The delegates were all supposed to leave this morning, but were split up due to flight delays and overbooking of potential overseas flights.

The delegates will stay in family homes arranged by the Uiwang City government officials just as they do when the South Koreans visit North Little Rock. They will experience many unique customs, foods, and social settings completely different from their own.

The Sister City program started back in 1998 when Mayor Patrick Henry Hays began exploring the possibilities of starting a sister city relationship with Uiwang City at the urging of Grand Master H.U. Lee, founder of the American Taekwondo Association and North Little Rock Korean businessman Steve Im. The agreement was finalized in 2000, and includes a youth homestay program along with efforts pledged to build cultural understanding and to further strengthen intercultural and international knowledge and to expand our foreign partnerships. Economic development and investment opportunities are also goals of the program.

The delegates are traveling under a sister city agreement signed July, 1999, between Mayor Kang, of Uiwang City, South Korea, and Mayor Patrick Henry Hays of North Little Rock, Arkansas.

Several of the delegates were NLRMYC members this past school year. Delegates pictured are from left: Ian Kerr, Derick Dailey, Paula Storeygard , Elizabeth Harris, Connor Ratliff (MYC), Allison Storeygard, Tazonio Anderson (MYC), Jessica Soule (MYC), Mitchell Ratliff, Michael Strobel, and Grant Strobel (MYC). Not pictured: Grant DePoyster (MYC).

For more information about the program or information on starting a sister city program, contact Margaret Powell, Director of Community Relations and Sister City Program Director, 340-5305 or email at mpowell@northlittlerock.ar.gov.