If you haven’t seen the film, “Wicked,” you should. Every community needs an Elphaba Thropp. And Lynita Langley-Ware fits the bill for Greenbrier. Elphaba was born an “unnatural” shade of green, which presented some very obvious challenges. She was bullied, neglected, overlooked, misunderstood, used, and ridiculed. Instead of becoming bitter, she cultivated resilience, courage, and compassion, standing up for those that were being persecuted, marginalized, and silenced. As the outcast hero, Elphaba rejects the chance for great power and wealth to help the less fortunate citizens of Oz. This same spirit of selflessness is embodied by Lynita, our own Greenbrier hero, who truly deserves the title of “Volunteer of the Year.”

For the past eight years, Lynita has dedicated countless hours to the Greenbrier Band Boosters, from serving nachos and prepping pork butts to stocking sodas and popping popcorn. What began as occasional shifts in the concession stand during football season quickly grew into much more. Lynita took on the role of chair for the Band Feeding Committee, organizing meals for 125 students and four band directors for every away game and marching contest. Over the past seven years, she has also served on the Senior Night Committee, coordinating flowers and buttons for graduates. During her first two years on the Senior Banner Committee, she raised the funds for the banners, organized photo shoots, and managed the design and printing of the banners. Lynita also served as treasurer for six years and, more recently, has worked every Monday, Thursday, and Friday night during the football season, and served as the Friday night concessions manager for three years—an impressive commitment of at least 15 games per year.

When I asked Lynita how many hours she’s volunteered with the Band Boosters, she humbly responded, “Too many to count.” Not one to shy away from math, I asked her to break it down for me—and the result was staggering. By my estimation, Lynita has spent over 1,200 hours volunteering with the Band Boosters, all while balancing her job at the Faulkner County Museum and fulfilling her responsibilities as a daughter, wife, and mother. And that doesn’t even include her other volunteer work. This year, she also accomplished the monumental task of registering the Band Boosters as an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Before her work with the Band Boosters, Lynita spent 10 years dedicating herself to Destination Imagination (DI), leading teams and taking two of them to the global finals—an extraordinary achievement that involved countless hours of work, fundraising, and commitment.

You might think that Lynita enjoys a well-earned break during the summer, but that’s not the case. Every May, she spends two weeks of her vacation assisting Dr. Duncan McKinnon, Associate Professor of Anthropology at UCA, with his archaeological field school. Together, they teach excavation, mapping, and site survey skills on various archaeological sites throughout Arkansas, including Camp Halsey, a CCC camp in Faulkner County, and Davidsonville State Park (home of Old Davidsonville). Lynita also participates in cemetery surveys, documenting historic cemeteries by photographing, mapping, and completing forms for each tombstone. She’s worked on about five cemeteries in Faulkner County so far, including a year-long project at McNew Cemetery in Centerville. “That fall, I was running the concession stand and documenting the cemetery at the same time,” she shared.

As if that weren’t enough, Lynita’s contributions to our community extend to the annual Art Jam festival. When I reached out to her in late 2020 with the idea of hosting a free arts festival to raise funds for a scholarship, Lynita was immediately on board. Her encouragement was instrumental in making the event a reality. The success of our first Art Jam spurred the creation of the Greenbrier Area Arts Council (GAAC), which became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2022. Through the GAAC, Lynita has played a vital role, serving as treasurer for three years and supporting art camps for kids, adult art classes, and various community events.

Lynita’s fundraising expertise was also crucial when the Faulkner County Museum faced a budget shortfall this year. With the museum’s funding largely dependent on voluntary taxes—funds that have dwindled over time—Lynita spearheaded a fundraising and marketing campaign. She reached out to friends and volunteers, wrote grants, made phone calls, posted on social media, bought a billboard, and spoke to civic groups. Thanks to her tireless efforts and the work of many volunteers, the county has granted the museum an extension to raise the remaining funds, and I’m confident she will succeed. Over the course of her career, Lynita has written 36 successful grants, bringing in $114,835 for exhibits, programs, restoration work, and archival preservation.

Lynita recently reflected on her 24 years at the Faulkner County Museum: “I’ve spoken to thousands of people about our amazing museum and Faulkner County’s rich history. I’ve dressed in funny costumes, cooked hundreds of biscuits, portrayed a tavern wench (IYKYK), an early pioneer, driven in a parade twice, appeared on TV, and been in the newspaper countless times—all to further the museum’s mission. Along the way, I’ve made dozens of wonderful friends, and I couldn’t have done half of this without the dedicated museum volunteers who are now my family.”

On a more personal level, Lynita has a deep compassion for those in need. She has repeatedly suggested starting a community food pantry and has even considered using her minivan to deliver food to underserved areas in Faulkner County. She’s also expressed concern for children at school who may not be the brightest, richest, most athletic, or most creative. Lynita’s spirit of compassion and her genuine concern for others continually inspire me to be a better, less selfish person.

Her dedication to our community should inspire us all to preserve spaces where history lives on and create spaces for the arts to thrive, a world where everyone feels included, regardless of their background, personal preferences, or financial status. Let’s take inspiration from Lynita and Elphaba and work to foster a sense of belonging in our community, where people are seen for who they truly are, and are not judged by their differences or appearance. Like Elphaba, Lynita’s story is “to be continued,” and I, for one, cannot wait to see what she does next!

Lynita Langley-Ware has been the director of the Faulkner County Museum, since 2001. She grew up in the Republican community of Greenbrier, Arkansas, and has a background in anthropology, holding a BA from the University of Arkansas, an MA from the University of Alberta, Canada, and a Masters in Museum Studies from The George Washington University. She is a member of several professional organizations, including the Arkansas Archaeological Society and the Society for Historical Archaeology. She also serves as an ad-hoc member of the Faulkner County Historical Society and is a founding member of the Greenbrier Area Arts Council. Lynita lives on her family dairy farm in Greenbrier with her husband, Phil, and their two children. She enjoys gardening, weaving, quilting, creating beaded jewelry, upcycling thrifted clothing, and cooking for her family in her spare time.