Women of Distinction, Girl Scout noted for leadership and service

Barbara Helm, Kay Johnson and Cindy Remler were formally honored Thursday night (Jan. 29) as the 2009 Women of Distinction by The Girls Scouts and its The Women of Distinction Committee.

The event was held at the Golden Living (formerly Beverly Enterprises) corporate headquarters in Fort Smith. Girl Scouts from troops 4055, 4075, 4127 and 4350 participated in the event. Maggie Lewis Rice, a senior city planner with the city of Fort Smith, served as the emcee.

Also recognized was Monica Hughart, the 2009 Girl Scout of Distinction. Hughart, who has been a Girl Scout for 13 years, is a senior at Greenwood High School, and is the daughter of Renae and David Hughart. The award comes with a $1,000 scholarship, which Hughart plans to use to attend Arkansas State University in Jonesboro.

HELM
Barbara Helm grew up in Midwest City, Okla., and earned a nursing degree from Oklahoma Baptist University, and masters nursing degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She and her husband, Michael, moved to Fort Smith in 1977. She has served on the boards of numerous community organizations, including the Community Services Clearinghouse and the Good Samaritan Clinic. She has two adult children, Heather and Brad.

JOHNSON
Kay Johnson is the superintendent of the Greenwood Public School system. She earned a bachelor’s degree in 1977 from the College of the Ozarks (now University of the Ozarks) in Clarksville and began teaching in the Greenwood school system. Also, she has worked as the elementary principal and superintendent at County Line Public Schools, and the director of the Western Arkansas Technical Center at what was then Westark College. Kay and husband Don have two adult sons, Lee and Brad, who are physicians.

REMLER
Cindy Remler grew up in Fort Smith and has worked for 27 years as the city clerk for the city of Fort Smith. She was first hired by the city in 1973 as a switchboard operator, and has also worked in the city’s finance and engineering departments. In her role as city clerk, she has twice served as president of the Arkansas City Clerks, Recorders & Treasurers Association. She is a charter member of the Fort Smith Chapter of Altrusa International and is one of the most active volunteers for and former board member of the Sebastian County Humane Society. She was married for more than 16 years to the late Jack Remler.