The Road to Economic RecoveryOMNI-NWACC 2-12-09

SC 114-E NWACC Student Center

Group of Participants

Edrene McKay

History Professor and Faculty Advisor to OMNI-NWACC,Host of MeetingBella Vista, AR

Al HittHost of Inaugural

Meeting, NW Arkansas Team

for Change,Lowell, AR

Gladys TiffanyPresident of the OMNI

Center for Peace, Justice, and Ecology,

Fayetteville, AR

Mark DillardStudent and

member of OMNI-NWACC’s Executive

Committee,Bentonville, AR

Barbara RademacherMath Professor andCNN Videographer

Bob FiskParticipant from

Rogers, AR

Bill WilliamsCo-Owner of the Inn at Bella Vista

Gwen Millager

Participant from Rogers, AR

Craig CrowderStudent from

Lowell, AR

Carole WestbyParticipant from Bella Vista, AR

Chris DelacruzParticipant from Bentonville, AR

Jessica LongStudent from

Springdale, AR

AlexStratigakis

Math Professor and Participant from Rogers, AR

Beverly Williams

Co-Owner of the Inn at Bella Vista

Carly StortsParticipant from Fayetteville, AR

Summary of Meeting In a series of lively discussions, participants

examined the stimulus plan and came up with several ideas to reduce unemployment in the area, including: Start-up businesses Community gardens Workshops for the unemployed

An online Jobs! web site, set up by Bill Williams for job seekers and employers, already has been implemented: http://jobs.bubbaplanet.com/.

• Bonnie O'Boyle, a healthcare professional who could not attend the meeting, summarized the sentiments of many in the group when she wrote about the significance of the new leadership in Washington, which inspired this meeting: "...the inauguration of Barack Obama means a New Beginning for our country, in which we will return to our status as a beacon of hope unto the world."

Concluding Sentiments