Progressive Men’s Club cooks up college money
By Jeannie Stone
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LITTLE ROCK — For 20 years, several men in the River Valley have fired up their grills and perfected their award-winning barbecue chicken to help support area youth.
The River Valley Progressive Men’s Club, which meets in Atkins, has become known for its barbecue. The dinners are sold at ValleyFest, Picklefest, Yell Fest and just about anywhere else people congregate.
The men are committed to keeping the dreams of Dr. Martin Luther King alive by awarding money for higher education to high school seniors who epitomize King’s ideals.
Every year the club awards at least $2,000 to seniors, each receiving $500 toward college expenses.
“We verify their enrollment before we cut the check,” member Stephen Pearson of Russellville said. The club must follow regulations ascribed to its nonprofit standing. “We are held accountable for all money we collect,” he said. “In fact, we just sent our member Rick Colclough to a grant workshop to keep us aware of our requirements.”
President James “Oboe” Woods of Dardanelle said, “Between Yell Fest, Picklefest and the Autumn Ball, weraise about $12,000. We couldn’t do it without the support of our families.
“Actually, that’s how the Autumn Ball started. We wanted something for our wives and girlfriends, so they could dress up and have fun. It’s a fundraiser, too, but it’s catered and everything.” It’s held annually in November at the Hughes Center in Russellville.
The club also hosts the Martin Luther King Celebration Dinner at the Hughes Center. It is free to the public, and the evening is packed with entertainment and a guest speaker.
“One year, our guest speaker was Carmen White. She was the first person to receive a scholarship from us. She graduated from Baylor, went to law school at Harvard and is an assistant district attorney in Dallas,” said member Tony Pillow of Russellville.
Member Derwin Gilkey, also of Russellville, added, “Some of the kids have sent thank-you notes.”
Rick Colclough of Russellville said, “And we’ve had several kids come backin town and help us at our barbecue events.”
Pearson said, “They don’t forget us. They let us know how much we meant to them.”
Woods said it’s a hard-working group. “So far, we’ve never turned down any work opportunities. We’ve cooked at the Russellville and Dardanelle baseball games and the all-star tournament at Hickey Park, and we have cooked several years at the Special Olympics. Our wives prepare the decorations and desserts. They know how to place the settings at the table. They tell us we don’t know what we’re doing and to get out of the way,” Woods said, laughing. “So, we go out and do our cooking thing.”
And cooking is definitely their thing. At the 2008 ValleyFest, they won second place in the Best Pork Ribs category, third place for the Secret BBQ Sauce category, first place in Best Kitchen, second in Best Backyard Surprise, first in Best Showmanship and Grand Champion for the third year in a row.
The club doesn’t fund only scholarships. They’ve contributed to the American Cancer Society every year,sponsored basketball teams at the Boys and Girls Club, provided funds for track meets and band camps for students unable to bear the financial costs, helped with medical needs for folks who didn’t have insurance coverage and provided funds that were used to purchase the SmartBoards, an interactive visual-learning program at the Russellville Middle School. “All it takes is an application with a submitted letter and a majority vote from our members,” Pearson said.
The club now has 19 members.
“Anyone can join,” Woods said. Current members represent the Atkins, Russellville and Dardanelle areas. The club meets at 7 p.m. the first Sunday of each month at the Cunningham Learning Center and BBQ in Atkins.The club also accepts tax-deductible donations.
“We want to let everyone know that we put it all right back out there in the community,” Pearson said. “We don’t make anything off our meals. Our actual overhead is low, because all the labor is free. Our only cost is food preparation. We all contribute out of our own pocket, and that’s no secret.”
The other laughed and agreed. But, don’t ask the apron-clad men to reveal the secret to their award-winning barbecue sauce - they’re not telling. For more information on the River Valley Progressive Men’s Club, call Woods at (479) 229-2195.
This article was published Thursday, June 19, 2008.
River Valley Ozark, Pages 63, 68 on 06/19/2008
