Out of My Mind: Many hands make the work light

— Autumn in the Ozarks is beautiful; truly, it’s my favorite time of year.

I clearly remember driving north from northwest Louisiana into the hardwood forests of Arkansas to see the fall foliage in the 1970s.

Later, in 1980, I moved to northwest Arkansas where the hillsides are replete with brilliant reds, oranges and yellows of the oaks, hickories, walnuts.

And Autumn in Pea Ridge country just wouldn’t be the same without the annual Pea Ridge Mule Jump.

I fondly remember my first mule jump, although it doesn’t exactly “count” in the enumeration of the annual event. The first event I attended was in 1985 and was a fall festival. It was on the school grounds on the downtown corner of North Curtis Avenue and Pickens Street and was an incredible amount of fun.

Being a city girl, I’d not seen mules jump nor coon dogs tree a racoon. It was engaging to watch the farmers coax (or curse) their mules over the jump. Eachman, and mule, had his own style.

As the years have passed, there have been different sponsors, different participants, different sites for the event. But, some things haven’t changed. It still takes community support and participation to put on the event, which continues to grow.

In Pea Ridge, often the old is beautifully wrapped up in the new. Third- and fourth-generation family members participate in traditions wrapped up in the old ways.

People attending the mule jump still see old friends and make new friends. New relationships are formed.

And, the mules - small and large, light colored and dark - continue to bray and balk and jump to the delight of the crowds.

The Pea Ridge Mule Jumphas become entwined in the color of fall in Pea Ridge.

It, like the story of the pea vine and the Battle of Pea Ridge, help form the fabric of this community so rich with character and caring people.

This year’s Mule Jump is over, but work will begin anew to prepare for the 25th annual event. The men and women who comprise the committee welcome new workers.

As in many projects run by volunteers, a few people do much of the work. It’s been said that 10 percent of the people do 90 percent of the work.

My great-grandmother used to say: “Many hands make the work light.”

The more people who help, the less each individual person has to do.

Volunteers are renovating the new library building.

And more volunteers are welcome.

There are many, many opportunities in town to volunteer. There are city projects and many sport organizations.

A former City Council member once said: “I think every one should be required to serve one term on either the Council or the School Board.”

It’s sad to realize that we live in a nation where we have a voice, a vote, and many people don’t vote, don’t register to vote and don’t run for office when vacancies are announced.

Find a place to be of service and help to make the work light for those already in service.

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Editor’s note: Annette Beard is the managing editor of The Times of Northeast Benton County, chosen the best small weekly newspaper in Arkansas three years in a row. A native of Louisiana, she moved to northwest Arkansas in 1980 to work for the Benton County Daily Record. She has nine children, four sons-in-law, four grandsons and a granddaughter. She can be reached at [email protected].

The opinions of the writer are her own, and are not nec essarily those of The Times.

Opinion, Pages 4 on 10/24/2012