Welcome to the VEBF August newsletter!

Well, the “dog days” of summer are here, after a seemingly endless amount of rain during the spring months. But all that rain then is giving us a benefit now, in the form of plush, green trees and adequate water levels in our lakes. And I’d prefer warmer days over colder ones anytime. 

Here at the Village Employees Benefit Fund, your Board has been busy regardless of the weather. I have several items to report that will bring you up to date. We added a new board member at the July meeting: retired Hot Springs Village Chief of Police Ricky Middleton has agreed to serve on the board. Ricky was employed by the POA for just over 42 years and has been a recipient of cash appreciation gifts from the VEBF. He brings a wealth of experience to our board, and we look forward to working with him. A more complete bio is available on our website.  

We are in the beginning stages preparing for our annual fall fundraising campaign. We will be working on renewing the pledges from our many local business sponsors, the donation letter that will be sent to every Village address, and our print and radio advertisements.

And I was invited by our General Manager, Kelly Hale, to make a short presentation to the Board of Directors at their monthly meeting on July 19. He is behind our efforts 100% and believes that the bonus your donations provide to our hourly workers is helpful in the POA’s efforts to attract and retain employees. 



I came to a realization while preparing the speech, that “nothing happens in Hot Springs Village until a POA employee comes to work.” That may seem a little over the top, but when you think about it, no game of golf is played, no concert is performed, and nothing is maintained until a POA employee shows up and gets to work. 

It’s really that simple, isn’t it? And why wouldn’t we want to “say thanks” with a year-end bonus to the folks who help make Hot Springs Village one of the best places to live in the whole country? That theme may be central to this year’s promotional efforts. I’ll have a better handle on that for the September newsletter. 

Thank you for your support!

John Chapman - President, VEBF 

Nothing happens in Hot Springs Village until a POA employee comes to work. 

With your help the VEBF supports those who support us in Hot Springs Village.

Thank you to each HSV POA Staff Member for all that you do.

We All Appreciate You!

90% of donations received are used for our worker’s year-end appreciation gifts.

Meet Charles Wisenhunt, Coronado Golf Course Spray Technician

Charles has been an employee of the HSV golf department for a total of 14 years. He worked at Cortez Golf Course as a seasonal for one year and then transferred to Isabella Golf Course full-time for four years.

After a brief departure from the POA, Charles returned to work for Coronado Golf Course where he has spent the last nine years, furthering his title to Spray Technician for the last three years.

He also serves as a volunteer firefighter for the Hot Springs Fire Department.

Charles is well known for his hard work and dependability, always the first to get to work and the last to leave, and eager to do what it takes to get the job well done. He is an asset to the POA. We are fortunate to have him at Coronado Golf Course.

"Thank you, Charles, for all you do!" - VEBF

Meet Ginger George, Development and Contracts Supervisor for the Code Enforcement Department

Ginger was an independent photographer prior to coming to the POA. She is from the Fountain Lake area. She began her POA career in Member Services as a Member Services Representative two years ago. 

Ginger was promoted to Administrative Assistant in Code Enforcement for a short time, then she was a Contract and Procurement Specialist for an even shorter time, and now is the Development and Contracts Supervisor. 

Ginger uses the generous VEBF annual cash gift to buy gifts for her children each Christmas. She has been very thankful for the thoughtfulness of VEBF and the members' to POA employees.  

"Thank you, Ginger, for all you do!" - VEBF

NAME: Bill Butterworth         

SPOUSE’S NAME: Kay

WE MOVED HERE FROM: Houston, TX

MY HOBBIES OR INTERESTS ARE: Family, golf, and patriotic politics

WHAT WAS YOUR PROFESSIONAL OCCUPATION BEFORE YOU RETIRED? US Navy Pilot for 21 years and then a Commercial Airline Pilot

WHAT PERSONAL OR PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT(S) ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF? Being selected to be the Commanding Officer of a US Navy Fighter Squadron.

MY BIGGEST SOURCE OF INSPIRATION CAME FROM: My wife and fellow Naval Aviators.

PEOPLE WOULD BE MOST SURPRISED TO LEARN ABOUT ME THAT: That I am still here :).

WHAT APPEALS TO YOU ABOUT THE VEBF, AND SERVING AS A BOARD MEMBER? The opportunity to make a difference in my chosen community.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO A VILLAGE RESIDENT WHO THINKS A CONTRIBUTION TO THE VEBF IS NOT NECESSARY? Do you want to cut the grass on the golf courses, fix a pothole on a road, take your household trash to the county dump, work in the water plant, take care of the grinders in our yards, handle the multitude of questions and issues that daily come in from the residents of our wonderful community? Please support those who take care of all those tasks so you can enjoy our nirvana.

When you’re a front-line worker, “Thank You” means a lot. 

The people who work hard every day to make sure everything in Hot Springs Village – from the East Gate to the West Gate – is well-cared for and maintained, are the hard-working hourly employees of the POA. They are the line staff, workers who groom your golf courses, collect your trash, maintain your roads and buildings, pump water into your homes, operate your wonderful facilities, patrol your streets, extinguish your fires, and yes, process your sewage.  

Let’s show our appreciation for a job well done! Your donation will ensure that our POA employees are supported with emergency funds and continuing education all year long plus holiday monies at the end of each year.

You can mail your donation check to Village Employees Benefit Fund, P.O. Box 8503, Hot Springs Village, AR 71910 or donate via secure credit card, CLICK HERE. 

Help us help those who serve our community!

Donations are appreciated all year long.

Hot Springs Village Employees Benefit Fund was established on September 22, 1999, to receive and disburse appreciation funds contributed by the property owners of Hot Springs Village, Arkansas.

These funds are for the benefit and support of all qualified POA employees (excluding Top Management) as defined in the by-laws.

Our intent is to demonstrate the recognition, appreciation, and respect that our property owners and others have for all those who work to support and maintain Hot Springs Village.