Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Rick Smith Named Gurdon's Top Citizen Of 2001

TOP CITIZEN - Rick Smith, former mayor of Gurdon, was named the citizen of the year for 2001 at the annual Gurdon Chamber of Commerce Banquet.

Gurdon's Citizen of the Year and Teacher of the Year were named at the annual Gurdon Chamber of Commerce Banquet, Tuesday, April 3.

Former Gurdon Mayor Rick Smith was honored as the top citizen, while Carolyn Kuhn took the teacher honors.

It was an interesting year Y2K, according to Phil Robken, emcee, opening with a snowstorm, followed by a drought and ending with two ice storms.

The Chamber, he said, serves as the focal point of the community and is involved in many activities. It works to make Gurdon a better place.

After Robken's opening remarks, Anita Cabe introduced the featured speaker, Dr. Johnnie Roebuck, Professor of Education at Henderson State University and Dean of Graduate Students. She is also the author of two books.

Roebuck spoke of "passion for communities," saying Gurdon is a wonderful place to call home as it is a unique community.

From 1985-90 Roebuck worked with the Gurdon School District as director of special education, where she experienced thoughtful, committed people who changed the lives of the children they worked with.

She had the opportunity to see how the education and community leaders worked with young people, and asked them what kept the spirit of giving alive.

The response was a simple one. She was told all young people should be treated as if they will be in charge of us should we check into a nursing home.

Many things, she said, set Gurdon apart from other communities. The city provides a vital center for people to work and live, learn and play.

There was a time when Highway 67 was the mother road of Arkansas, and it is still a viable link for travel in the state. This highway has now been designated as the "Highway of Hope".

One of the unchanging things about Gurdon, she said, is how those who come through the town are treated like old friends, and are made welcome and to feel like family.

"I felt this when I worked here," she said. "This family of friends creates positive energy. This is a community of solutions."

Residents in Gurdon continue the tradition set forth by the Caddo Indians who hunted and fished these same woods and rivers.

A century ago, Roebuck said, 98 percent of the people lived on farms, with 2 percent living in towns. This has reversed, though with 98 percent of the people now living in towns and 2 percent being on the farm.

Additionally, she said, more and more people are looking to move to smaller communities, such as Gurdon, where community spirit is too important to become obsolete.

"Gurdon's way of live is coveted," she said. "You need to be proud of your history."

Part of this history, she said, is in its leadership in various areas. "Ninety percent of leadership is showing up, and Gurdon people show up. You show up because you care and are a community of leaders."

Young people, she said, feel the communal experience in Gurdon, often returning after graduating college, as Gurdon is where they feel safe and comfortable.

Roebuck talked of people juggling five balls: work, family, friends, health and spirit. She called work the rubber ball as it bounces back. The other four, though, she said, are made of glass.

Should the balls of family, friends, health and spirit be dropped, she said, they will be damaged and are never the same.

From Roebuck's speech, it was on to the awards.

Leonard Gills, Gurdon High School principal, presented the Teacher of the Year Award, saying it was fitting the recipient wasn't on hand, as she was in Washington, D.C. with the Close Up students.

Kuhn has taught in Gurdon for 28 years, always Social Studies.

The award was accepted by her husband, David.

Robken presented the Citizen of the Year Award to Smith.

He said Smith could be called the citizen of the decade for all he's done for Gurdon.Listing some of Smith's accomplishments, Robken said the recipient helped get Gurdon named as an Arkansas Community of Excellence, renovated City Hall, helped get the area by Gurdon High School annexed into the city limits, upgraded city equipment and improved the park.

"This honor is deserved and a long time in coming," Robken said.

"I've always said I couldn't be surprised," Smith said, "but I am now. I appreciate this more than you know, it means a lot."

A lot of people, he said, helped make the award possible, with the progress being made because of dedicated city employees.

Cabe was surprised when she was named Chamber Member of the Year.

"This wasn't on the plaques I ordered," she said.

She thanked everyone for the opportunity to work with the community and told the packed house at the GHS cafetorium there will be an auditorium built on campus one way or another.