Rallying to keep post office closure brought community group together

The headline in my hometown newspaper, The Newton County Times, a few months ago was "Mt. Judea Alliance mission:  Advocate for community and rural way of life."  It's a feel-good story about a group in my home county, but no where does the story use the word rural or otherwise suggest precisely what is distinctly rural about what the community group is doing or protecting.  

Here's the story, for which there is no link on the newspaper's website: 

The Mt. Judea Area Allieance never does anything political nor takes a position on issues.  "Except that's how we started," laughed Beth Ardapple, of the Cave Creek community. 

Ardapple is a member of the Alliance and she spoke about the organization during the April 25 meeting of Community Matters, a coalition of non-profit organizations serving the residents of Newton County.  The meeting was held at the Jasper First Baptist Church.  Each month a member organization is asked to present itself to the group. 

The Mt. Judea Area Alliance originally formed in 2011 when community residents joined together to successfully fight the U.S. Postal SErvice's plan to close rural post offices including the one at Mr. Judea.  Ardapple said she delved into the history of the organization and found documentation noting that residents had written and sent 192 letters to a postal manager asking that ht epost office be spared.  It worked.  

It was a positive experience and community members continued to meet and address issue of local relevance and importance.  It came up with a mission to be an advocate of the community and the rual way of life.  Early leaders included the late Donna Dodson and teh late Sharon Pierce. Anita Hudson, Ima Jean Freeman, Bertie Wells and Ardapple continue to be the core group.  It has about ten active members today. 

Projects have involved community beautification, a mini senior center, street music and dancing, back to school breakfasts for teachers and staff, summer learning camps, participation in the Arkansas Quilt Trail and helps offer community service hours to area students. 

The most successful project was the initiation in the county of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.  Wells, a former school librarian, took it on as personal project. 

It grew and was adopted into the programs offered through the Newton County Library.  Library Director Kenya Windel reported later in the meeting that Newton County was recently recognized by the state organization for the county's volume of memberships.  About 90% of Newton County children are enrolled. 

"That was a one-woman show," said Ardapple.  She was determined that all children aged birth through 5 could get a free book every month from the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.  

"That's kind of the way we work.  If somebody has something they are interested in doing, everybody says that's fine and if they want to join us, they join in."

Current projects are the annual Heritage Days held at the Mt. Judea School and the annual community yard sale also on the school grounds.  This year's yard sale is scheduled for Saturday, May 4.

The only time these events were suspended was during the pandemic.

The group maintains a blessing box at the Mercantile.  There is also a little free library in the old post office building. 

The Alliance also provide some amenities for the visitors who came to Mt. Judea to watch the April 8 solar eclipse.  

Members have also recently taken on the restoration of the Sam Davis Cemetery.  Davis is the historical figure behind Sam's Throne the local geological and historic landmark just outside Mt. Judea.