Representing Rural Rural Community Alliance

Dirk Merle was born in Columbus, Ohio, to a military family. He lived much of his life abroad and throughout the USA. Following in his father’s footsteps, he served in the US ARMY in both the 82nd Airborne Division and the 18th Airborne Corps.

He has a bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management from Arkansas Tech University and a Masters in Business Administration from the Jack Welch Management Institute, holding a Welch honors distinction. He studied Financial Management from Cornell University and Product Management from the Kellogg School of Business at Northwestern University.

Merle’s worked in the food industry in various capacities over the last 25 years. He is the former President and Chief Executive Officer of Value-Added Products Cooperative and currently serves as Director of Product Development, Sales, & Category Management for Olympia Foods in Chicago where he travels bi-weekly to work from his office there.

Dirk has served Searcy County as a past member of the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and won a 2020 Spirit of Searcy County Award from the Chamber.  He also earned the 2019 Arkansas Trails Volunteer of the Year award.

Dirk resides in Tilly with his wife, Chris.  He and his wife are avid cyclists, helping to organize the annual Pedestal Rock & Lick Fork Rides for the Witts Springs Community Voices Non-Profit. As a cycling adventurer, he’s one of fewer than 100 cyclists who’ve ever finished the prestigious Arkansas High Country Race (which travels through Searcy County), a 1000+ mile un-supported race through the Ozarks and Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas. He’s also one of a handful of cyclists to complete the Ozark Grinder Trail, a route that travels through Searcy County and portions of Newton, Stone, Pope, and Van Buren Counties.

Dirk Merle is passionate about his Searcy County life and loves exploring Searcy County and sharing his experiences on social media. 

Dorothy Singleton is no stranger to rural advocacy. Once serving as the Lead Organizer for Rural Community Alliance, Singleton has always been keen on "lifting as you climb," recognizing the importance of bringing young people into the work to continue the fight for a just and thriving rural Arkansas. Retired, Singleton is continuing to volunteer in her community. Tune in for a rich conversation with one of the founders of Rural Community Alliance

On this episode, we had an opportunity to have a conversation with Dr. Kellee Mitchell Farris. Take a listen as she shares her journey of coming back home to serve and the pure love and care that she has for her community.
Dr. Kellee Mitchell Farris has been on the staff at Lee County Cooperative Clinic since 2010. However, her time at LCCC dates back to her childhood. Her father, Dr. L.C. Mitchell, moved his family to Marianna in 1976 to be the Dentist at the Clinic. So, Dr. Farris has strong ties not only to the community, but to the Clinic. She has over 25 years of experience in health care and holds a Ph.D. in Public Health. She also has Master Certificates from Johns Hopkins University in Healthcare Data Analytics and in Population Health. Dr. Farris began her career at LCCC as the Depression Care Manager and later became the Quality Improvement Coordinator helping LCCC reach Level 3 PCMH Recognition in 2017. While working in the QI Coordinator role, LCCC was able to be awarded several grants and awards for achievement. Since becoming CEO in 2018, Dr. Farris has led the LCCC in receiving the 2019 Governor’s Quality Award and celebrating 50 years of service while having one of the most profitable years to that date. Most notably, Dr. Farris has helped lead the way in the Clinic’s recent groundbreaking of a new 20,000 square foot facility. This facility is more than double the size of the current facility and will be the focal point for what Dr. Farris calls the “Lee County Cooperative Clinic Campus”. Dr. Farris has developed a plan for the 16-acre campus to include a women’s health clinic, pediatric clinic, a program offering clinical rotations for medical students, and housing a wellness/fitness center. Dr. Farris wants to ensure that the community has direct access to quality primary and specialty care without having to travel outside of Eastern Arkansas. Dr. Farris was named the 2019 Community Leader of the Year by the School of Religious Studies, the 2020 Jack Geiger Vision Award recipient by the Community Health Centers of Arkansas, and in 2022 was named one of 5 finalists for the Best CEO by the Arkansas Times. In 2020, Dr. Farris was appointed to the NACHC Quality Improvement Advisory Board. Being a native of Marianna aids in Dr. Farris being able to work with the culturally diverse population. She is very active in the community. She recently ran for elected office in her district, with plans to run again and continue to advocate for hercommunity. She is a volunteer for the Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund, Rotary, Arkansas Colorectal Cancer Consortium, a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., is a youth mentor, and volunteers for countless other community projects. Dr. Farris has twochildren, Lawton (12) and Klein (28).

Lee County Cooperative Clinic (LCCC) was established by a group of community leaders in 1969 in response to the desperate need for basic health care services for a community struggling with poverty, malnutrition, and insurmountable health care barriers. As the first Federally Qualified Health Center in Arkansas and one of the first in the United Stated, LCCC has provided comprehensive primary and preventative medical and dental care services to the most vulnerable populations. LCCC has grown from one small clinic to a comprehensive primary care delivery system comprised of four clinic sites and a mobile unit that provide medical, dental, and pharmacy services in a three-county area in eastern Arkansas - Lee, Phillips, and St. Francis Counties. LCCC prides itself in offering complementary services (case management, remote patient monitoring, health education, transportation, and Chronic Care Management) to its patients to ensure the “whole” patient is treated. LCCC is continuously looking for programs and strategic partnerships that will help achieve this vision.

Join us for our new series featuring individuals recognized as Champions of Rural Arkansas this summer by Rural Community Alliance. First up is Andy McCutcheon from St. Joe. Andy McCutcheon is currently a member of the Ozark Mountain
School Board, Vice President of the Searcy County Cattlemen’s Association, and the President of St Joe Futures, a non-profit organization founded to promote stability and growth in the St Joe School and community.  Previously, he served as the President of the Searcy County Cattlemen’s Association for six years, Chairman and County Representative on the Head Start Policy Council for three years.  He served 20 years on active duty in the United States Air Force, retiring as a Master Sergeant in 2008.  McCutcheon currently owns and operates McCutcheon Limousin Farms in St Joe, Arkansas, with his wife Cheryl, who is also a retired Air Force Master Sergeant, and grandson Masen.

Since 2011, Mayor Talitha Hardin has secured over $1.5 million for infrastructure improvement projects in Leslie. Hardin is currently running for the Mayor of Leslie seat once again to continue building on all she's been able to accomplish for the town that she loves and calls home. Hardin credits the help of former RCA staff and board members, Renee Carr and Lavina Grandon, with helping kickstart the town's revitalization.

Kristin Higgins, Program Associate with UA System Division of Agriculture | Cooperative Extension Service, joins us to discuss the 2022 November Election Ballot Issues. Kristin gives a breakdown of each issue and what a vote for or against would mean for Arkansans. 
On Nov. 8, 2022, Arkansans have four constitutional amendments to decide in the general election. The Cooperative Extension Service provides voters with neutral, research-based information on all of the statewide ballot proposals. See the links below for voter education provided by the Extension.

2022 Voter Guide: https://www.uaex.uada.edu/business-communities/voter-education/docs/2022-Arkansas-Ballot-Issue-Voter-Guide.pdf
Arkansas Ballot Issues: https://www.uaex.uada.edu/business-communities/voter-education/state-ballot-issues.aspx
Issue 1: https://www.uaex.uada.edu/business-communities/voter-education/docs/Issue-1-Arkansas-Ballot-2022.pdf
Issue 2: https://www.uaex.uada.edu/business-communities/voter-education/docs/Issue-2-Arkansas-Ballot-2022.pdf
Issue 3: https://www.uaex.uada.edu/business-communities/voter-education/docs/Issue-3-Arkansas-Ballot-2022.pdf
Issue 4: https://www.uaex.uada.edu/business-communities/voter-education/docs/Issue-4-Arkansas-Ballot-2022.pdf