As a youngster coming through Prairie Grove en route to visit an aunt and uncle at Strickler the Battlefield fascinated me but experiencing the community was something never dreamed about.
Even the name of the town has always held a certain mystique for one raised on the fringes of the mountains along Montana's western prairie. Part of the reason I have been able to live here is a capacity to appreciate an expanse of prairie across northwest Arkansas, the heart of which lies in Prairie Grove. Knowing the town and how to get to Prairie Grove without a map from more than 1,200 miles away is one thing, but developing a sense of value residents place on their community is reaching a whole new level.
One way to gauge the heartbeat of a community is by paying heed to what people say when they leave and equally by what folks reveal that attracts them to want to come and reside in Prairie Grove; and also by how a community honors the memory of its dead. The first clue this is a special place was bittersweet. The year was 2011 while covering a first-ever football game at Tiger Den Stadium. Prior to kickoff there was a more important order of business that had to be taken care of as a community gathered in support of the high school football team. Cheerleaders gripped clusters of pink balloons numbering in the hundreds. Every member of the varsity decked out in black and gold battle armor eager for competition on the gridiron sported pink socks and the yard markers were painted pink. Balloons were released in memory of a lifelong Prairie Grove resident, who passed too soon, at age 35, days before. This scenario repeated with a green color theme in memory of long-time Tiger coach and athletic director Mike Green last September.
When beloved former baseball coach Mitch Cameron resigned in May to take over a 7A program at Rogers Heritage he couldn't leave without acknowledging the community.
"The town, they treated me like family. This was a great place to start my career," Cameron said. "They were as good as gold. I will miss the kids, the administration and the community."
The school board received several similarly-worded resignations recently. One addressed junior high principal Reba Holmes thanking her for what she's done for teachers and for making the 2014-2015 school year a good experience for staff. Co-principals Brenda Clark and Jonathan Warren were mentioned in a separate letter, "I have enjoyed all of my years here at Prairie Grove. The teachers and staff have become like family to me. I will miss everyone here. It has been such a blessing to be a part of Prairie Grove." The goodbye described Prairie Grove Elementary as an awesome school, thanking the principals for investing in teachers and children.
Two notable arrivals in the community have also recently occurred with Tommy Roy coming over from Shiloh Christian High School at Springdale and baseball coach Chris Mileham coming from Fayetteville. Roy is a Shiloh graduate, who led his alumnus to a 2013 state championship in 5A girls soccer, no small achievement. In his acceptance speech, Roy recalled attending a basketball game two years ago at Prairie Grove with the Tigers playing host to Shiloh Christian and telling his wife Prairie Grove is a place he could see himself settling down in for the rest of his life, perhaps a bit of real-life foreshadowing in his timeline.
Mileham echoed that statement in an interview after being introduced to the Prairie Grove school board on July 20. During his past tenure coaching American Legion baseball at Fayetteville, Mileham said he always had about three Prairie Grove boys on the team and would come over to watch them compete in high school football and baseball games.
"It [the community of Prairie Grove] is a huge attraction for my family," Mileham said, explaining he and his wife, Julie, a Fayetteville native, are wanting to put down roots in which to nurture their 22-month-old daughter, Lanie.
"We're looking for a home here currently," Mileham said. "We're in it for the long haul."
A genuine sense of community is thriving within the hearts of Prairie Grove residents.
MARK HUMPHREY IS A REPORTER FOR THE ENTERPRISE-LEADER.
Editorial on 07/29/2015