Yes, dear readers, it's that time of year when local and area denizens enjoy a plethora of recreational activities -- swimming, fishing, hiking, tennis, golf and baseball.
Speaking of America's pastime, we lead off today's digit doings lineup with a "Thumbs-up" to the Arkansas Razorbacks for giving their fans a season to remember.
Coach Dave Van Horn's top-ranked team won its first-ever SEC Tournament championship and was the No. 1 overall seed in the baseball Regionals and Super Regionals.
The UofA ultimately lost its three-game series with the North Carolina Wolfpack and won't go to the 2021 Men's College World Series at Omaha, but it has earned more cheers than jeers.
By the same token, here's a "Thumbs-up" to three high school seniors who scored on some double plays of their own by getting their diplomas while also earning associate degrees at National Park College.
Congratulations to Jessica Gobel and Alina Hendrix of Mountain Pine High School and Jordan Lyle of Lakeside High School for getting a head start on their college educations,
This ambitious trio surely has a keen eye on the future.
While we're on the subject of winning ways, here's a "Thumbs-up" to Mimi Reagler and Natalie Comstock, Hot Springs Junior Academy ninth-graders, for coming out on top of the 2021 GoMap Twenty-One competition sponsored by the EAST Geospatial Support Team at CAST and rewarding the use of the ArcGIS platform.
The talented duo collaborated to complete "an impressive amount of ArcGIS online, coordinate with local leadership, and then build several interactive maps of the Northwoods Trails system near Hot Springs. Their ArcGIS StoryMaps, web maps, and ArcGIS Hub website share these impressive mountain bike trails with the rest of the world."
We send out an appreciative "Thumbs-up" to the Cooper-Anthony Mercy Child Advocacy Center for recently giving child abuse victims an enjoyable camping experience.
Last week's CHAMP (Children Healing from Abuse with Maximum Potential) Camp at First Lutheran Church, 105 Village Road, offered free learning programs and an abundance of fun activities from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day and "helped build connections between campers and staff and reinforce what clients have learned in therapy."
Our thanks indeed to Holly Heer, development coordinator for CAMCAC, and all of the center assistants and volunteers.
Meanwhile, best wishes and "Thumbs-up" to the 43 Garland County students selected for Our Promise Cancer Resources' Young Men of Distinction honors.
Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors are urged each year to apply for the community service programs that "educate them on cancer treatment, fundraising, and volunteerism."
Through their participation in the program, these young men not only acquire a greater understanding of cancer treatment options, but also see the importance of "giving back" to the community in ways that assist patients and their families.
Conversely, here is a "Thumbs-down" to the "Shopping Cart Shirkers" whose penchant for not returning these conveyances to a store's inside rack and leaving them to litter parking lots seems especially egregious when warmer weather arrives.
Thus, these abandoned carts are left to roll around, block vehicle spaces, and just make it harder on business employees who are charged with retrieving them throughout the day.
The Thumbs Column appears in The Sentinel-Record on the first and third Wednesday of each month. The newspaper welcomes' readers comments and suggestions, which should be submitted in writing with a name and home telephone number for verification purposes. This information is kept confidential.