Carla Youngblood Award

The Friends of the Berryville Library presented the Carla Youngblood Community Spirit Award to longtime resident David Bell during a recent event at his local church.

The award was started in 2019 to honor Carla Youngblood for her years of service to the community through her work at the Berryville Library. This award is intended to shine a light on others who tirelessly give their time and talent, often with little or no recognition, to make Berryville a better place to live, work or play.

Bell has been selected as the recipient of this award for the last half of 2024. Bell grew up in Fort Smith and attended the University of Arkansas, where he met the love of his life, Berryville native Mary Ann Sellick. David and Mary Ann married and, in the early 1980s, moved to Berryville, where they raised their three children, Robert, John and Emily.

David and Mary Ann purchased Braswell’s Printing Company just off the square in Berryville in the early 1990s and sold it when David’s wife became ill and needed his full attention. David took pride in caring for his wife, taking her to appointments and any place she needed to go. But what he loved the most was being available to take her to the places that made her smile.

During his tenure in Berryville, Bell has used his many talents to capture moments behind a lens. He loves riding his motorcycle to unique places and eating good food along the way. He also has always had a passion for writing. In addition to taking photos and writing articles for the Carroll County News, Bell captured the beautiful scenery of the Ozarks for his readers as the editor and chief photographer for Cruise the Ozarks. He even wrote a book on the stories of his motorcycle travels.

His daughter Emily Bell Bolton says, “My dad is a jack of all trades, and he never meets a stranger. He has had some recent health issues, and I’ve enjoyed the privilege of driving him to his appointments and jamming out to some great ’70s music on our trip while laughing the entire way. These times with my dad are so special and it warms my heart to see him receive an award of this magnitude. He has always been humble about his journey in life and all he has accomplished. His work is truly behind the scenes, and I am so proud of him.”

David is a longtime member of the First Christian Church in Berryville, serving as the music leader for over 20 years. His daughter remembers fondly the time he had shoulder surgery and still led the music with only one arm.

David’s latest adventure is restoring and remodeling a cabin on their family land. He is looking forward to living on the land that meant so much to him and his wife for so many years.

David received a certificate and a complimentary one-year membership to the Friends of the Library. In addition, his name will be engraved on the perpetual plaque that hangs prominently at the library and the Friends will donate $50 in his honor to the charity of his choice.

If you are interested in nominating someone you know who works tirelessly behind the scenes to make Berryville a better place or would like to become a member of the Friends of the Berryville Library, contact the library at 870-423-2323 or stop by 104 Spring St. in Berryville.