QUOTE OF THE DAY – No one has ever become poor by giving. Anne Frank
TERRAL ANNUAL EASTER EGG HUNT – Our annual Easter Egg Hunt will be on Saturday,
March 31st at the Terral Indians Baseball Field at 12:00 p.m. noon. Registration will begin at 11:00 a.m. There will be three groups: Walking to three, four to six and seven to nine years old. Make plans to come enjoy the fun. Prizes will be given to the most eggs in each category and eggs will be marked for prizes. The Terral Volunteer Fire Department will be hiding the eggs for us again this year. Hope to see ya there!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU – Valton Gambill will celebrate on the 18th. Robert Reed will have cake on the 20th. Clinton Smith will blow out candles on the 22nd.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY – Clayton and Addison will celebrate on the 25th.
COMMUNITY PRAYER LIST – Tony Rodriguez, Brenda Bryant, Archie Fulton, Scotty Day,
Tom Baysinger, Sue Linton, Martin Villarreal, Sr., Joe Martin, Adam White, Mary Loo Duke, Florita Villarreal, Glen Martin, Robert Harnois, Esther Grimes, Marie Pollan, Virginia Tanner,
Darlene Hall, T.K. Delaney, Manuel Villarreal, Shana Reed and our military stationed around the world. May God Keep you in His loving care.
Spring is officially here, and, plants and trees are really beginning to show their awesome beauty around here. I went over to my peach tree (I think) and wanted to smell the blooms to see if there was an odor to their blooms. There is. There was also a honey bee headed into one of the blooms that I was about to stick close to my nose. I let him have it. We also still have those bugs that look like lady bugs, around town in great numbers. I’ve seen them in peoples homes as well as outside. They are some sort of a Japanese beetle, from what I’ve heard. I do believe they will bite a person, if you are so inclined to pick them up to hold them.
We were blessed with a little bit of rain after church service was over Sunday afternoon. It began a very fine mist as I was going to church at about 9:15am and wound up raining before the sun came out and displayed its’ beauty Sunday afternoon. We welcome any and all precipitation around here. We are still in great need of precipitation. We are in a burn ban, so, be very careful if you strike a match outside your home or in pastures or fields around Jefferson county.
I went to Duncan Saturday afternoon and while I was there, it began to get really cloudy late in the afternoon. It began raining there as I was leaving out around 5:00 in the early evening. We weren’t as fortunate to have been blessed by that same rain system.
This Saturday is the food bank distribution at 10:00am. Also at 1:00 in the park there will be the Easter egg hunt.
Joe Turner is in the Jefferson County Hospital for a little while. Prayers for him as he is in the healing process and for Fern as she travels daily to be with him. Wayne Harrison, Linda’s husband, is in need of our prayers as he recuperates from having had surgery to repair an aneurism. They were unable to make the repair as he sustained a heart attack during his surgical procedure. Linda says that he is doing much better now, though. That is good to hear.
I haven’t spoken about the casino in Terral, since they opened. Brionna, Jim, and I went up there to check it out on the night they opened on March 1. None of us got back what we put into the machines. That seemed to be what was happening with everyone we spoke to that went that day. There has been one lucky individual that got quite a jackpot of nearly $1 million.
The Ryan Family Clinic hosted a party for Brenda Johnson last Friday, as she is nearing her retirement this month. I am not sure if Brenda is looking forward to this occasion or dreading it since all she has ever done in her life is work. Bless her as she begins a new chapter in her life. Her kids and grandkids and siblings will keep her busy, I’ll bet.
Kim’s news for this week:
I enjoy talking to Ron and Traci, I do. Especially about their pet rooster, LaRae.
What a blessed week, I can’t complain. Praise God for the rain.
Everyone have a blessed week. Keep praying for rain and for each other and have a Happy Palm Sunday this coming weekend.
The Waurika Fire fighters will be on March the 31st at the Waurika Football field. Registration will start at 1:30 and the hunt begins at 2:00. The age group will start from walking to 3, 4 to 7, and ages 8 to 12. As always there will be prizes, and free hot dogs.
The Waurika Ministerial Alliance will once again host Holy Week lunches and devotions during the week before Easter. This year’s Holy Week will take place March 26th through the 30th and will take place at the United Methodist church at the corner of D and Pine streets. Lunches and devotions will be held Monday through Thursday from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm.
On Monday lunch will be provided by First Baptist Church and a devotion given by Pastor Bryce Bohot.
Tuesday the Christian Church will host the meal as Pastor Curtis Plant will bring the message.
Wednesday the Cross Brand Church will host the meal as Pastor Bob Waitman brings the Word.
Thursday will be the last lunch gathering for the week. The meal will be provided by the Assembly of God Church and Pastor Raymond Mayfield will give the devotion.
On Friday the 30th there will not be a lunch gathering but there will be a community wide Good Friday service hosted by the United Methodist Church. The service will begin at 6:00 pm. Pastor Adam Brinson will bring the message and a meal will be provided by the Methodist Church following the service.
We invite everyone to attend this week’s events as we prepare to celebrate the resurrection of Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All events are free of charge and there will be an offering taken up on Friday evening to support the ministerial alliance and all they do for our community.
Seventy-four students were recently honored at Red River Technology Center for their selection into the National Technical Honor Society. The students were recognized during an induction ceremony held Tuesday, March 13 at the Tech Center.
Students were nominated by their instructors based on the following criteria: students must have a 90 percent grade average in their CareerTech program; must have no grade less than a “C” on their high school transcript and/or a 3.0 grade point average; must be a member of a CareerTech student organization; and must have 90 percent attendance in their CareerTech program; and an instructor recommendation giving consideration to class participation, leadership and character.
She has been practicing medicine for thirty-four years. Twenty-seven of those years were spent at the Ryan Health Clinic now known as Ryan Family Care clinic.
Friends and family gathered at the Ryan Family Care clinic Friday afternoon to wish her a happy retirement.
Jefferson County Hospital Administrator presented her with a framed picture of Duncan Regional Hospital that also featured service medals for her many years of dedication.
Brenda reminisced about the early days when Dr. Stout would come by the hospital where she and her sister were working just to give them instructions in how to stitch up a patient.
Last Thursday, March 15, citizens joined at the Waurika Depot to attend the “Let’s Talk Waurika” program sponsored by the Waurika Sorosis Club.
Several leaders from the community addressed those in attendance and answered questions about the future of Waurika.
Waurika is still gaining momentum from the successes from last year and the development of new businesses in the area.
Thursday evening at the Waurika was a spirited event that informed the public on what is happening in the county.
Here is a list of those who addressed the audience:
State Senator Chris Kidd,
Jefferson County Hospital: President, Richard Gillespie,
City of Waurika – Jacob Eck,
Waurika Public Schools – Superintendent Roxie Terry, Principal Cody Simmons, Principal Nat Lunn,
Waurika Police Chief Gary Whittington,
Sheriff Jeremie Wilson,
County Commissioner Bryce Bohot,
NRCS – Sandra Nobile,
OSU Extension – Leland McDaniel,
Jefferson County Food Pantry – Adam Brinson,
Waurika Development Trust – Roy Bartling,
Chamber of commerce – Jon Waid.
Jon Waid – Waurika Chamber of Commerce President
Sen. Chris Kidd arrived and informed the public of what is happening at the State Senate. He reported that their have been six votes to fund education and thus far all six have failed. He said he coveted everyone’s prayers and will continue to work for the citizens of Jefferson County and Oklahoma.
Oklahoma State Senator Chris Kidd
High School Principal Nat Lunn spoke highly of the kids in middle school who came up from Waurika Elementary. He thanked Cody for all his hard work. He also thanked the faculty and staff of the middle and high school for all their hard work.
Waurika Elementary School Principal Cody Simmons
Sheriff Wilson said he had recently hired a full-time CLEET certified officer/instructor to educate students about drugs at the elementary schools. He also stated that crime was down in the county. Some of that may be due to the many reserves he has he said. He went on to say that the biggest asset he has is the people in the community who report crimes to the sheriff’s office. He recognized the dispatchers and thanked them for keeping situations calm.
Sheriff Jeremie Wilson
Waurika Police Chief thanked everyone for their support. He has served in Waurika for the past nine years and looks forward to many more. He encouraged citizens to contact his department if they ever needed anything.
Commissioner Bryce Bohot talked about new bridges and the deteriorating condition of the courthouse building. He says that most counties have twenty plus insufficient bridges.
OSU Extension Agent spoke about youth programs like 4H. He says it’s more than just showing animals. He also talked about fire-ant control. His office helps farmers with soil and cattle and anything related to agriculture.
Waurika Development Trust – Roy Bartling talked about the new Disc Golf Course coming to Waurika and talked about reclaiming the old city swimming pool just north of far west Broadway as a skate park. He introduced Gary Duncan. Gary is in the process of contacting vets about returning to the area and retiring.
Roy Bartling – Waurika Development Trust
Jeffco Helping Hands Food Pantry was represented by Rev. Adam Brinson.
Adam referred to Matthew 25 and talked about being passionate to help those in need. He said you never know when you may find yourself in need.
A year go Jefferson county was considered a food desert until the food pantry opened.
Currently the pantry serves more than one hundred and thirty families and households. Eighty-four of these families have children.
It cost between $400 and $500 per month to feed those who utilize those services.
The Waurika Housing is remodeling the facility where the food pantry is housed. Once the remodelling is complete shoppers will be able to pick out their food rather than just pickup an already packaged box. Adam expressed deep gratitude for Kimberly Gholson and the housing allowing the food pantry to use the housing facility.
Those who are in need of food can visit the food pantry on the second and fourth Friday of the month.
The next available time for pickup will be this Friday.
Before closing his speech, Adam thanked area churches and individuals for their generous donations.
Do you ever wonder how much rainfall you received from a recent thunderstorm? How about snowfall during a winter storm? If so, an important volunteer weather observing program needs your help! The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow network, or CoCoRaHS, is looking for new volunteers across Oklahoma. The grassroots effort is part of a growing national network of observers with the goal of providing a high density precipitation network that will supplement existing observations such as those collected by the Oklahoma Mesonet.
Scientists in Colorado created CoCoRaHS in 1998 in response to a devastating flash flood that occurred in Ft. Collins, Colorado. In July of 1997, a thunderstorm produced about a foot of rain in only a few hours, while other portions of the city received only modest rainfall. The resulting flooding caught some by surprise, so CoCoRaHS was developed to better observe these localized extreme precipitation events. As more volunteers participated across the country, rain, snow, and hail maps were produced for every storm. These maps showed fascinating local patterns that were of great interest to scientists, decision makers, and the public.
In Oklahoma, we are no stranger to severe weather. In the past few years alone, the state has experienced record flooding, damaging hail, drought, and ice storms. More volunteer observers are needed to accurately map these extreme events as well as the day-to-day precipitation patterns across the state. In addition to reporting precipitation, observers now have the option to report drought impacts and these important observations are included into the National Integrated Drought Information System.
Participating in CoCoRaHS is fun and easy and thousands of volunteers—young and old—are documenting the size, intensity, and duration of storms across the country. The process only takes a few minutes and the data are immediately accessible online to everyone including the National Weather Service, water managers, agricultural groups, and the public. For more information about CoCoRaHS or if you are interested in participating, please visit www.cocorahs.org.
Waurika Fire Dept. is taking applications for all kids ages 2-17 to run for this year’s Waurika Rattlesnake Hunt King and Queen. For more information contact Ashley Taylor at 940-704-3092.
