Patricia's Blog for March 2008

March, 29, 2008

Saturday 1:00 pm and here I sit at my breakfast table working on – you got it spreadsheets and e-mails. I started last night and have continued the process today. My phone continues to ring with calls from friends. The calls started a few days ago... friends from mainly Memphis and North West Arkansas... calling mainly wanting to know if I am going crazy yet??!! And to tell me that they are still coming to help me tournament week. These friends are professional super duper volunteers. They work! They possess a “can do attitude” that is contagious! I am so lucky to have such wonderful friends in my life. For example: Debby is taking a week’s vacation to travel from Memphis to be here to do whatever I need her to do (thank you!). We fought breast cancer together so I believe we will forever be there for the other one when needed. Missy & Tammy (my former Chamber Chick girlfriends) from NWA will join the festivities for a few days. Laura (my best friend since 3rd grade) and her family will be volunteering together. Ron is planning to cook on the course during the pro-ams (he is the best chef). Pete is a trooper and the ultimate volunteer. Amanda (my daughter) is also my friend. She has had the benefit of working events since she was born – so she is a pro. I can’t wait till she arrives tournament week. Of course, my brother Jeff is my friend, too. He will be here in full force. Watch out... he is playing in the pro-am...

It will be fun to introduce this cast of characters to my new Fort Smith friends like Diane, Luann, Allison, Pam, Kevin and Randy to name a few who are working now to bring about an eventful 2008 Fort Smith Classic. Thank God for friends!!! I am so appreciative of their show of support. Making friends is a definite side effect to volunteering at the Classic. Join the fun – make friends while making a difference. Sign-up today as a 2008 volunteer!

March 28, 2008

I have to say, I am really looking forward to this week-end. It has been a tough week! The flu bug bit me while in Lafayette. “Suck it up” has taken on a whole new meaning to me. Being out of town and sick is no fun, especially while you are trying to be all professional with a new group of colleagues. It was good to return home to Fort Smith. The excitement in the tournament office, at the country club and expressed during the fabulously attended chairman’s meeting has given me back much of my missing energy.

We are on the real count down to tournament week. ONLY 37 more days. Within those days we will need to move into our temporary tournament offices, sell the few remaining sponsorships left – then collect the dollars pledged, produce acres of signage, sign-up a thousand volunteers, verify a ton of details, produce a multi-faceted radio-thing, host a sponsors’ breakfast and answer a million phone calls. Sound like fun? Well it is because I get to be around the most awesome group of Classic people. If you aren’t involved in some capacity, you are missing out! I challenge you to become a Classic Champion. Become a volunteer, join the sponsorship roster or just say a prayer for the safety and sanity of all of us who are working to make this community a better place.

March 21, 2008

Today is Good Friday and it is finally spring in Fort Smith, Arkansas – I am so happy to see the sun shine! I did hear a promising news report that said that they are projecting that April and May will be the driest in years. Sounds like the sun will indeed be shining tournament week! God is good. This whole week has been full of goodness! It was good to see the board of directors at their monthly meeting; the marketing committee meetings are better than good; the decorations crew has a good plan with loads of details and even a budget for their expenses; it is always good to hear a sponsor say yes and the operations team has the trailers on the back lot at Hardscrabble Country Club lookin’ good! It is good to be alive and playing a part in pulling together an experience that builds memories and enhances our community. I hope everyone that reads my blog is planning to participate in some way. You will have a good time at the 2008 Fort Smith Classic. Ya’ll come ya hear….

March 18, 2008

It has rained all night and all day. I have been in and out of the office all day... picking up printing to be proofed, calling on a new potential sponsor, going to the post office, trying to recruit professional support in the first aid area and meeting with US Foods to plan the food order for the volunteers, caddies, and concessions. And, what a challenging day to have our trailers arrive at Hardscrabble Country Club. Yuck!!! I hate it for the operations volunteers. They are soaked to the bone. Poor Daelene has had to reschedule so many people, twice now. But, I know the sun will shine again soon. I have to believe that it will rain now so it will be nothing but great weather for Tournament week which starts in just 48 days. I am tired. I should go work out but I think I will just go home, cook some soup, crawl up on the couch and watch 'Dancing with the Stars'. Tomorrow will be another busy day in the Tournament office and I want to be rested and ready!

March 17, 2008

It is Monday and our best made plans for the week are under major reconstruction. We were expecting to “move into” Hardscrabble Country Club today….but the 60 mile an hour winds in Oklahoma has stopped the transport of our office trailers today. Ya gotta love event planning to do this kind of work because it seems that plan B, C or D are the ones that finally come together. If plan A goes without a hitch, you are lucky! As we regroup and rearrange the week, the excitement associated builds. It gets crazy sometimes but if it was easy then it just won’t be as rewarding or as fun. Call me twisted but I like the challenge and thankfully so does the tournament staff.

March 16, 2008

Working with Joe Dickinson and Frank Thomas, Pro-Am co-chairmen, determining gift items & ideas for the pro-am participants has been absolutely a blast. And they are only getting started! I can’t totally spill the beans but one of the new additions will involve a little.... SHOPPING SPREE. We only have a few pro-am teams left. If you are interested, call the tournament office today. (479) 782-3410.

March 15, 2008

Weekends are a time for me to write, read, rest and reflect. As I re-read the story that ran in the Times Record this week, I once again zero in on the word wrinkles in the sub-headline. I am still laughing – even though at first when I saw it on Friday morning written just above my picture I was not laughing. WRINKLES... what is all that about I wondered? So Lacey googled the definition.

1) a small ridge or furrow especially when formed on a surface by the shrinking or contraction of a smooth substance – specifically: one in the skin especially when due to age, worry, or fatigue.

Oh my goodness does that definition really apply to me? After some quick soul searching, I determined, yes it does just a bit. Thankfully, I am alive to even continue the aging process. Worry – not so much – I do think over ideas and decisions – worry not really. Worry is a waste of positive energy and since fatigue comes with the ramping up towards tournament week, I just can’t use up any precious energy especially at my ripe old age on worry. God has a plan even for the Fort Smith Classic and as long as I let Him be in charge of my life – why worry.

2) method, technique – a change in customary procedure or method. Something new or different – Innovation.

Now I like this definition of wrinkle and after talking to the publisher, editor, sports editor and Eric the writer who selected the word wrinkle... I have decided to believe that that was the definition intended.

Anyone close to the heart beat of the 2008 Fort Smith Classic will tell you that this definition is ever present in the planning of this year’s tournament week.

After a good night's rest, I have decided to embrace the word wrinkle like never before for both definitions. Any if you have wrinkles, I hope you join me in loving them, too. Our wrinkles should remind us of the many life experiences we have had the privilege to live. My wrinkles represent challenges I have overcome, non-profits I have helped, a wonderful daughter I have raised... all while laughing a whole bunch along the way. Wrinkles and wisdom for some people go hand in hand. Wrinkles represent the journey to reaching a vantage point in life that can position a person for enhanced decision making skills. Wrinkles are really smile lines that reflect a person’s spirit. I love to laugh and to make people laugh. So the laugh was on me Friday all day long and I must say I am happy to have provided such joy to so many. But... get ready... I am planning more humorous moments. You know what they say about pay backs....

March 14, 2008

This was a wonderful week of new developments and highlights! Media Day was a hit!!! Sixty-two people attended. Members of the media where hosted by top executives from the Classic’s 5 Charity Partners, Board Members and the greatest marketing committee any organization would be privileged to work with. Hardscrabble Country Club is a beautiful setting for any event but Chef totally out did himself with the menu. The food was fabulous. I am ready for seconds. The program was timely, informative, and exciting thanks to the audio-visual effects showcasing the Fort Smith Classic’s new dvd and website. Thank you Keith Cline, 5 Star Productions & Kevin Coney, Stephens Media. The big moment came when Kelly Zega, announced Ricky Skaggs as the headliner for the Cox Concert, …… the crowd went wild. A successful event does not just happen. They are constructed to ultimately accomplish a pre-determined goal. Several meetings and acres of conversations with tons of people over several weeks when into the development of the day. I am please to say thanks to the many people who played their part well – Media Day 2008 was a champion event.

VIEWER COMMENT: I met Patricia in Oct. of 2006 when her brother gave my daughter, Chloe, a ride in his truck along with Patricia's niece and mutual friends, the Stems, so the girls could do some serious trick-or-treating. I was so impressed with her personality and energy. I meant to keep in touch with her but let the hectic schedule of life with three daughters squelch that intention. I just want to let her know that I am so glad she is involved with the Fort Smith Classic and that she looks beautiful on the website and in the newspaper. I wish her all the best and I want to let her know that my youngest, Chloe, is now involved with golf and The First Tee. Thank you. I would love to hear from Patricia if she has a spare moment. :) Lisa McKim

March 10, 2008

You should see my calendar! I am not sure there is a minute that is unscheduled this week. So if I am slow in calling or e-mailing back, I will respond as soon as I can. Thank goodness the sunlight is lasting longer each day. Gotta run to a meeting with Tommie Sheridan from Nationwide Tour and Pam Carter the Classic’s Volunteer Chairman. Tomorrow I will be meeting with tons of people mainly. We will be going over all the details to the operations set-up and tournament competition. Only 56 days away from tournament week. Yikes there is a lot to do!!!

March 6, 2008

It is SNOWING! 2 months from now, we will have enjoyed the first day of tournament competition. Hard to believe. Today, the office enjoyed seeing our charity partners. They each left with their arms full of Great Get Away sweepstakes tickets. Please support them as they hit the streets to sell sell sell sweepstakes tickets made possible by two new-to-the-Classic corporate partners who understand and embrace charitable organizations. I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with Valerie Morris (Harrah’s Entertainment) & Joe Williams (Pinnacle Airlines) for many years. Numerous non-profits in the Mid-South area have benefited from their personal and professional generosities. After sharing with them the story of The Fort Smith Classic and its philanthropic focus, they quickly agreed to get involved. I am fortunate to have worked with them in the past and am so excited to share with them the community of caring people I have met in Fort Smith, Arkansas!

March 5, 2008

The Tournament Team has been Rockin’ & Rollin’ this week…… Thankfully, sponsorships are being confirmed and volunteers are coming into the office daily. It is 6:00 pm and Daelene and I are still hard at it in the office. But we are having fun building an infrastructure that will serve the Classic for years to come. The days are getting longer in more ways than one which means spring is just around the corner and so is the beginning of Tournament week. ONLY 60 days left before the official start of the Fort Smith Classic. Gotta run……more to do…..I am preparing for 2 conference calls and 5 meetings tomorrow & 4 on Friday. I need roller skates!!!

March 3, 2008

This has been a most eventful day! There have been meetings and discussion about Operations logistics, Pro-Am packages, Media Day luncheon, and Sponsorship details. Many things have come together today, thankfully!! The biggest answer to prayer was the phone call from Mark Rumsey. He delivered the good news that Zero Mountain would be returning as the Volunteer Uniform Sponsor. Thank you Mark for making the 2008 golf shirts possible for the hundreds of volunteers who will be giving their time to make the Fort Smith Classic a marquee community event.

March 2, 2008

For the past several days, I have been missing in action from writing on my blog – sorry. I have been fighting this terrible flu bug for 3 weeks. Unfortunately, it really knocked the wind out of my sails last week…..like I have time for the flu!!!!!!
This week-end, I regrouped and developed for this coming week a written outline (“to do” lists) for the tournament staff to champion. Thankfully, Daelene & Lacey join me in being committed to the multitude of tasks ahead of us as we quickly approach tournament week. If you want to HELP, I invite you to join us during this crazy busy but fun and rewarding time. Call the Tournament Office to volunteer.
(479) 782-3410