The Old Independence Regional Museum is very pleased to announce the return of one of our most popular speakers, Dr. Brooks Blevins, the Noel Boyd Professor of Ozark Studies at Missouri State University. His talk is scheduled for Sunday afternoon, October 6 at 2 PM at the museum, 380 South 9th Street in Batesville. Dr. Blevins will discuss his latest work, History of the Ozarks, Vol. 2: The Conflicted Ozarks, detailing the history of the region during the Civil War and Reconstruction.
Dr. Blevins is acclaimed as one of the premier historians of the Ozark region and its culture. His works are commended by numerous sources for their attention to historical detail combined with the energetic nature of this skilled storyteller.
Dr. Blevins earned a bachelor’s degree with high honors from Lyon college, and both masters and Ph.D. from Auburn University. His professional career includes teaching positions at Lyon, Mississippi State U. at Meridian, Ozarka College, and his current role at Missouri State. He is the author of seven books including historical texts about the Ozarks and those depicting life and exploits of Ozarkers. He has also authored numerous articles and collaborated in editing two additional books.
His book will be available for purchase at the museum on the date of his talk while supplies last.
Please join us for this entertaining presentation interspersing historical information with humorous anecdotes.
Cathy Drew is a lifelong resident of the region that she loves to promote. She was born in downtown Batesville in the late ’60s, located in one of the eight counties she now enjoys encouraging people to visit.
Drew became associated with the Ozark Gateway Region in 1990 while working at the ad agency (The Media Market Inc.). The agency handled marketing for the regional association, where she and her co-workers produced an annual tabloid publication. She began working as the Ozark Gateway Region director in June 2000.
After Drew became director, she took the region to the next level by helping the tourism organization create a new website and moved it from the old newspaper paper tabloid publication to a color magazine format. She helped open a visitor center for the Ozark Gateway, allowing visitors to pick up information from the entire state 24/7. Over the years, Drew has helped the organization meet new marketing goals, such as in- and out-of-state marketing, assuring that all 100,000 copies of their magazines are distributed each year.
In 2016, she assisted in creating the first Ozark Gateway Region Golf Classic. The tournament continues to grow each year, allowing the organization to expand its co-op program and helping each county have dedicated promotion. Drew stays busy at Ozark Gateway as the ad sales manager, magazine editor, day-to-day office operations, trade show representative, and magazine distribution representative, all while ensuring that the region is represented all over Arkansas and southern Missouri.
Drew was featured in several local and statewide publications over the years, as well as the 1997 cover of the Ozark Gateway Region tabloid, along with her then 4-year-old son, Jon. She has received several awards, such as the Batesville Rotarian of the Year in 2010 and a three-time Paul Harris Fellow.
She also has served as an Independence County election commissioner for several years. She now serves as their co-election coordinator, helping with behind-the-scenes management of voting equipment, day-to-day election deadlines, and poll worker training.
Drew is Batesville Rotary Club Past President, and is the Rotary Clubs’ current membership chair.
In March of 2018, Drew was honored with induction into the Arkansas Tourism Hall of Fame for her many years of dedicated service to the tourism industry.