front&center: Nancy Orr

4-H leader inspires others through work with children, county

By Amy Widner

LITTLE ROCK — Nancy Orr of Ash Flat doesn't say no.

If there's a community activity or project in Sharp

County, chances are she's involved.

"They just ask me, and I do," Orr said.

She doesn't say no today, and she didn't say no 40

years ago when she first became a leader for the Sharp

County Ruff Riders 4-H Club. Since then she's touched

innumerable lives, mentoring children by teaching them

to work with horses.

"The county extension agent 40 years ago called me

and asked me to do it," Orr said. "I said, 'Why, I don't

know anything about being a leader.' And he said, 'Oh,

you can do it.' And I did, and I'm still at it." Orr makes her service sound simple, but the list of

behind-the-scenes organizing she's done and helping

hands she's lent speaks for itself. Recurring themes on

that list are horses and children.

Orr lives on a 400-acre farm outside Ash Flat with

her husband, Dan. They have worked together for 47

years at their business, Ozark Title Company, in Ash

Flat. On the farm, they have cattle, ducks and chickens,

along with 13 horses. She's a little embarrassed that two

people would have so many, but they're an obvious joy

in her life - a joy she gets to share with young people

through her 4-H club.

"It's just a pleasure to see those kids come in here

and see them blossom, just like a flower," Orr said. "They

learn about animals and the responsibility of caring

for them, and then those competitions and the public

speaking competitions teach them so much as well."According to a biography written by staff at the Sharp County Cooperative Extension Office, Orr is a woman who "has dedicated her life to the youth of our county." Sharp County Extension Agent Joe Moore said she is a patient, conscientious woman who wants to see a real change in the lives of children. That's what he has grown to like about her in his 18 years of working with her through 4-H, he said.

"We tried to count up all the kids that Nancy's worked with, and we lost count fast," Moore said. "It's been hundreds and hundreds of kids. It's to the point now that it's become a generational type thing with families where she's finished with one generation and moved on to the next: moms, dads, sons, daughters, grandkids.

Parents who did 4-H with Nancy now want their kids in her club, and that speaks a lot in itself - that they seek her out." 4-H is obviously an activity that takes up much of Orr's time - Moore said she can have horse shows every weekend. But another look at her activities reveals a dedication to countywide development. She reorganized and was president of the Spring River Area Chamber of Commerce (Ash Flat, Cherokee Village, Hardy and Highland) for two years, 2006 and 2007, at a time when it needed a little extra help. From all accounts, Orr helped get the Chamber back on its feet. She is also on the Sharp County Economic Development Committee.

"I would just like to see our area grow and to welcome new businesses because we have so much to offer here,"Orr said. "There's the hunting; and the good, clean air; good schools; and now White River Medical Center has the North Complex here, which is great for everyone, and I'm on the board with that."

She's not only on the board but helped raise money for the project. She's on the Ozarka College Foundation Board of Directors and the North Central Arkansas District Fair Boards. She has been on the Sharp County Fair Board for 40 years - mostly as the secretary/treasurer, but she also helps with its horse show.

She was on an Ash Flat Historical Society committee that wrote and in 1998 published a 724-page book on the history of the town.The book's sale proceeds were donated to buy benches for the Veterans Memorial in Ash Flat and signs for county cemeteries. She just finished and submitted an article on Ash Flat for the Encyclopedia of Arkansas (www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net). Orr oversees all of Ash Flat's cemeteries. She is chairwoman of the Ash Flat Christmas parade committee and used to fill the same position in Hardy.

With so much going on, it would seem like Orr is doing enough. But she does more, friends say. She serves as an inspiration - both intentionally and unintentionally.

Moore pointed to the community service projects Orr does with her 4-H kids. They visit a nursing home, take up collections for a food pantry, do a Christmas toy drive for Arkansas Children's Hospital and help with annual Chamber, Farm Bureau, Kiwanis and county fair events - just to name the very tip of the iceberg.

"She pushes those kids not to think of themselves but of others who might be in need," Moore said.

Fellow community servant Beth McEntire-Bess has known Orr for 30 years and worked with her on several projects. She is blown away by Orr's energy and willingness to work with young people. Want to see who Orr has inspired? Look no further thanherself, Bess said.

"Truly her energy, her laugh, her smile, her helpfulness in whatever she gets involved in is infectious; it's contagious; and she has been a great influence in my life and a lot of kids' lives," Bess said. "You can still tell the ones she's worked with, because they take those lessons with them always."

Others will continue to be exposed to those lessons for a while yet to come, because right now Orr sees a lot of the same in her future.

"I just want to keep on going, doing what I can to make our area better and better," Orr said.

- awidner@ arkansasonline.commatter of

fact

Birth date: Nov. 4

Occupation: Secretary, abstracter

Family includes: Husband, Dan

Hobbies: Horses, fairs and crafts

Most people don't know I'm: From Nebraska

I cannot live without: Life on the farm

What makes me mad: People not doing what

they sayThe person I admire most: My husband, Dan My favorite memory is: My wonderful childhood The world would be a better place if: People thought of others and not just themselves Favorite quote: Lord, grant the me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change and change the things I can My goals for the future: To try to make our community an even better place to live

Three Rivers, Pages 115, 119 on 09/21/2008