Large scissors slicing through a blue ribbon marked the dedication of the Billie Harty Dining Room at Williams Baptist College. The ribbon cutting, held Friday, Sept. 19, represented the official opening of the updated and expanded Williams cafeteria, which was completed in August.

The 2,100 square foot addition is named for Billie Harty, late wife of N.B. Harty of Dexter, Mo. A gift from N.B. Harty funded a major share of the $1 million project.

The student dining area was added to the southwest side of the cafeteria, where it adjoins the existing Sulcer Dining Room. The completed facility is now capable of seating 250 people comfortably.

“The Billie Harty Dining Room is already providing much needed space for our growing number of students,” said WBC president, Dr. Tom Jones. “We are so grateful to Mr. Harty and his obedience to the Lord to help support this cafeteria project. Honoring his dear wife’s memory through such a nicely constructed dining hall is a very special thing for us to be able to do.”

“We were also glad to share in this occasion with our board of trustees, who were on campus for our first meeting of the new academic year,” Jones added.

Brackett-Krennerich Architects of Jonesboro designed the expansion, and Clark General Contractors of Walnut Ridge handled construction.

Williams is a four-year, liberal arts college at Walnut Ridge.

Cutting the Ribbon. Left to right: Hailey Thompson (junior from Pine Bluff, Ark.), Dr. Walter Norvell (associate professor of Christian ministries), Kathy Bradley (executive assistant, Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce), Jeff Herron (Brackett-Krennerich Architects), Dennis Owens (Fresh Ideas), C.L. Clark (Clark General Contractors), Maria Tolbert Chamberlain (associate of Harty family), Dr. Tom Jones (WBC president), John Harty, (nephew of N.B. Harty), Sue Lee, (daughter of N.B. Harty), James Miller (chairman of WBC board of trustees), Tim Scott (director, Randolph County Chamber of Commerce) and Mike Dixon (junior from Paragould, Ark.).