GRAVETTE--Ryan Neal was the guest speaker for the Gravette Lions Club's regular meeting on Tuesday, March 5.
Neal, from Rogers, graduated from the University of Arkansas in 2005 with a degree in crop, soil, and environmental science and later earned a master's degree in business administration. He has served as a horticulture agent for the Benton County Extension Service since 2017. He also raises blueberries and some blackberries on his family's "pick-your-own" berry farm.
Neal told club members and guests that all 75 counties in Arkansas have a county extension office. His work deals mainly with horticulture issues, and his fellow Extension agent, Johnny Gunsaulis, works with livestock issues. He told the group about his work with the Master Gardener program and said he also works with 4-H. He explained that certified Master Gardeners must put in 40 hours of volunteer gardening work during the year, and they do work in an acre garden behind Helping Hands in Bentonville, a garden in Bella Vista, a garden that supports the Mercy food pantry, and other beautification projects around the county. One of the 4-H clubs he works with is a unique club that operates underwater robots.
Neal met with Lions Club president Jeff Davis before the meeting to inspect the area in Hillcrest Cemetery, which the club plants and maintains. He gave suggestions for flower varieties that might do well in that garden area. He mentioned that daffodils are naturalized here, and hydrangeas tolerate shade well. He said that Encore azaleas and some rose varieties are both pretty heat tolerant. He also suggested defining the paths in the area with gravel so that visitors would be more likely to use the paths rather than walk into the planted areas.
Club member and second vice district governor Linda Damron opened the meeting with prayer, and club tail twister Sue Rice shared several tips for those going through tough times. Club treasurer Al Blair gave the treasurer's report, and club president Davis reported receiving a thank you for the club's recent donation to the Lions Club International Foundation.
A possible new service project was discussed and some members said they would like for the club to organize a foosball tournament in the near future at the club's human foosball court in Pop Allum Park.
Club members filled out forms to report their work on recent service projects and it was reported there were no new requests for eyeglasses or eye exams. Vision screenings will resume when the club's camera returns from being repaired.
Several upcoming events were announced, including highway cleanup on April 6, state convention on April 29 and 30 in Clarksville, White Cane Day on April 26, and Lions Worldwide Induction Day on April 27. The Gravette club has two new members who will be inducted on April 27 and hopes to recruit even more before that date.
The Gravette Lions Club meets at 12:30 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at the Billy V. Hall Senior Activity Center. The club's next regular meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 19.
Susan Holland/Westside Eagle Observer
Ryan Neal speaks to members and guests of the Gravette Lions Club at their regular meeting on Tuesday, March 5. Neal has been a horticulture agent for the Benton County Extension Service since 2017. He talked about his work with Master Gardeners and with 4-H clubs and gave suggestions for suitable plantings for the garden project area the club maintains at Hillcrest Cemetery.