In the wake of the tragedy that claimed the lives of Clinton and Cristen Brink at Devil’s Den State Park this summer, the city of Prairie Grove has come together in a powerful show of support for the couple’s daughters.
Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41, were found dead on a hiking trail at the park on July 6 while hiking with their two youngest daughters, who were not injured. Arkansas State Police arrested a suspect in the crime on July 20, and he is being held on two counts of capital murder.
The family had only recently moved to Prairie Grove, just 10 days before the tragedy. Though they were new to town, their extended family had roots in the area. As the heartbreaking news spread, residents began asking how they could help.
“I’ve always said this is important for people to know—the Brink family never truly asked me for anything,” said Prairie Grove Mayor David Faulk. “It was the community that started asking, ‘What are we going to do?’”
That question sparked a grassroots effort, and Faulk reached out to some of Prairie Grove’s most well-known community members for help. Among them were the “Bean Boys,” a group known for cooking massive batches of brown beans at local events, and Bernice Headrick, known as the “Pie Lady,” who has baked and given away thousands of pies over the years.
With help from local businesses like Tyson, Lewis Automotive and Coca-Cola, the team organized a large-scale benefit event featuring drive-through meals, live music, and both silent and live auctions. The event drew an estimated 2,000 people, Faulk said. “We had over 120 auction items. Some were grouped together, but we had everything from Yeti coolers and kayaks to signed memorabilia from the St. Louis Cardinals.”
The event included a free meal prepared by community group the “Bean Boys” (pictured above) and homemade pies from Bernice Headrick, a.k.a. the “Pie Lady.”
The generosity poured in. “We didn’t charge for the food,” Faulk said. “But people would pull up, get a meal that might normally cost $10, and drop in a $20, $50 or even $100 bill. That’s just the kind of people we have here.”
In total, the event raised $47,000, with an additional $9,000 already collected in a local bank account, bringing the total to $56,000 for the Brink daughters.
The support extended far beyond Prairie Grove. Donations and messages of encouragement came from across the region.
“I had a lady from Mountain Home call me,” Faulk said. “She makes jewelry—bracelets, chains, things like that—and she mailed them to us just to be part of what was happening. She said she was proud of what we were doing. That meant a lot.”
For Faulk, the experience was a powerful reminder of what community truly means.
“It makes me feel amazing,” he said. “Especially in politics, you often see the negative, on social media, in the news. But this? This was pure good. It reminded me of who we really are.”
“This is a great reminder that goodness is still in our world,” he added. “When you give people a reason to come together, not only do they come together, they unify. It’s just wonderful, wonderful humanity when you can see it up close.”
