LITTLE ROCK — The Ryan Mondy D.A.S.H. Memorial Scholarship through Arkansas Community Foundation (ARCF) was awarded recently to Harrison High School graduate Amanda "Mandi" Batson.

The scholarship fund was established at ARCF last year by Andrea and Christopher Mondy of Pea Ridge in memory of their son who passed away at the age of 7 from a rare form of cancer. The scholarship's name is an acronym for one of Ryan Mondy's favorite sayings: "Doing Anything Supportive Helps." It benefits students whose lives have been touched by cancer.

Batson was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia in 2005 and battled the disease throughout her high school career. Despite the debilitating effects of her disease and course of treatment, she took advanced placement courses, was active in Spanish Club and National Honor Society and was the first-chair snare drummer in the Harrison High School band.

In remission since 2007, Batson plans to attend Lyon

Yard of the Season

A "Yard of the Season" contest is being sponsored by the Women's Business Association, which met for their monthly meeting at the Arvest Bank to discuss upcoming projects.

Applications for the fall yard nominations can be College in Batesville in the fall and eventually hopes to become a pediatric oncologist so she can help other children and teens fight cancer.

She said: "The nurses and doctors I connected most with were the ones who had had cancer themselves; they knew what I was going through with the chemotherapy and treatment."

Christopher Mondy said, "Ryan never faced a challenge he didn't give 110 percent, and Amanda expressed the same motivation. She didn't let her cancer stop her from finishing school and going on to college."

Arkansas Community Foundation has the capacity to engage communities in a thoughtful exploration of critical issues and can help assemble the resources to implement solutions. Arkansas' statewide community foundation has more than $100 million in assets and has provided more than $70 million in grants since it began operation in 1976. Contributions to ARCF, its funds and any of its 26 local offices are fully tax deductible.

picked up at Arvest Bank, Farmers Insurance or Pea Ridge City Hall. Application deadline is Monday, Oct. 19. Winner will receive a $50 gift certificate from The Ground Up Nursery and a "Fall Yard Of The Season" sign to be placed in their yard.

Community, Pages 6 on 09/30/2009