Arc Isle on Lake Hamilton, located at 203 Lookout Point, has been continuously overseen by groups of volunteers since it first opened in 1947 with the mission of benefiting community youths at no cost.
Originally, Arc Isle worked closely with the American Red Cross and used its lake access to teach hundreds of local children how to swim.
Now, 74 years later, the goal of the current 10 volunteer board members remains the same: Making the lake available to the children of the community.
Currently, the board is made up of the following community members: President Tom Harst, Vice President Andy Meyers, Secretary and Treasurer Fred Leonard, Jackie Harrelson, Joe Giompoletti, John Nuernberger, Ron Kelsay, Marianne Chartrand, Ric Poole and Bob Koch.
The board works to keep the property in shipshape. Some of the newer renovations include removing two walls on the interior to open the space more, adding a heating and air conditioning system, repainting and rewiring the electricity.
To fund its upkeep, the board encourages community events to be held at Arc Isle, using the rental proceeds to keep it free for local nonprofit youth groups to use.
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Some examples of events held at Arc Isle in the past include weddings, memorials, business groups, reunions, gender reveals, baby showers, birthday parties and rehearsal dinners.
"We've got a big variety of groups from every walk of life, really," Nuernberger said. "There are not a lot of places on the lake you can rent if you want to have a get together; or you will pay a fortune if you go to one of the hotels or something like that."
Leonard said they try to keep the rental pricing as reasonable as possible.
In return, the board is able to allow free events for nonprofit youth groups such as Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America, the YMCA, day care activities, church youth groups and even a fishing tournament hosted regularly for the Ouachita Children's Center by Oaklawn Rotary Club.
"We really would like to build on the number of young people who use the facility," Leonard said.
The interior of Arc Isle holds about 100 people, and has restrooms and a full kitchen. The exterior has a large lawn that has volleyball, baggo, tetherball and swimming access to Lake Hamilton.
To book an event at Arc Isle, call or email Harst at 501-520-5713, or [email protected].
"We're just ready to serve and ready to welcome everybody to come use it," Chartrand said.
Now, in 2021, the Arc Isle Board of Directors' efforts and initiative mimic those of past board members who kept up the property.
The following is an excerpt from an article published July 1, 1979, by Edna Home in The Sentinel-Record:
"With the awarding on Friday of certificates to approximately 500 youngsters completing this year's Red Cross swimming and lifesaving instruction classes at Arc Isle on Lake Hamilton, Charles Weidman, president of the Red Cross chapter, announced a drive to raise $2,000 needed to defray the expense of renovating and modernizing the building, docks, and for other mandatory improvements.
"Mrs. James W. Chesnutt, chairperson for the drive, and Jim Moreland, who heads an ad hoc committee for the project, joined Weidman in appealing to those countless hundreds of Garland County residents, now adults who, along with their children, have benefited through the swim program over the years, to help in raising the necessary funds.
"'We want to preserve Arc Isle so it may be used by future generations,' said Mrs. Chesnutt.
"Moreland, who has been a resident of Hot Springs for 25 years, is in firm belief that 'Arc Isle occupies a very dear spot in people's hearts, especially those who, in their childhood, learned to swim there, I feel sure they will support our efforts.'
"'Arc Isle needs the support of the community and we believe the people will respond to our needs,' said Weidman.
"As Moreland expressed it: 'We want to preserve it for the future of our children, our grandchildren and their children.'"
