Check It Out
2019 photos for 2nd Quarter Newsletter
Around Town
The volunteer fire department held a Monterrey dinner for residents of Elk City. It was delicious as usual. The Last BINGO followed. BINGO will not be held during the summer but will restart in the fall.
The Community Building is slowly being remodeled. A new cement handicap parking area is poured. The outside of the senior library is ready. The inside of the library and community building need finished. The handicap access-able restrooms, closets have 2 x 4 outlined, the heating and air conditioning is installed and the Electric is updated.
The Easter Egg Hunt held at the ball field had lots of children hunting eggs. Even the Easter Bunny was seen.
A couple of Elk City Girls, Bogle and Rolling, were part of the basketball team that won the SEK Championship
Carson Lodge is serving their 4th Sunday Breakfast each month till October
Lots of Elk City Kids graduating this year from Elk Valley, Longton, Independence, Fredonia
Elk City had a city wide garage sale June 1st, quite well attended both hosting and buying. City wide clean up followed the next we
The Elk River has been over the banks since end of last May, several roads are closed due to the high water. These Pelicans are feeding on a flooded wheat field. 2019 photos for 2nd Quarter Newsletter
Independence School District served sack lunches to kids all summer at the First Christian Church.
Elk City PRIDE
ELK CITY PRIDE RECEIVES GRANT
Elk City PRIDE has received the VIP Grant (Volunteers Impact PRIDE) from Kansas PRIDE, Inc. in the amount of $ 6,743.00. It’s a process began in July of 2018 by applying as a PRIDE Committee to become a Community of Excellence, which required a lot of paperwork. Due to the many past, present and future projects PRIDE of Elk City was awarded the honor of Community of Excellence. This in turn enabled us to apply for the VIP grant the committee agreed to help fund the cemetery work she and crew are doing to purchase markers, flags for vets, masons
and first responders that are buried in the Oak Hill Cemetery.
The review committee felt that we had an excellent application addressing all criteria with a great chance for success and the funds will impact our community in the long term as we work toward our goal.
PRIDE also sponsored the Yard of the Month through the summer months
Elk City Library has lots of books for people to read and they sponsored a kids story hour this summer
Alumni Banquet
Alumni Banquet was held Saturday May 25, Memorial Day Weekend. Master of ceremony was Mike Eddington, toastmaster, class roll call, was Ron Newkirk. There was a nice crowd of alumni attending, despite the nasty weather. Francie Hughes came the farthest from Tucson, Arizona. This year was wet, all lakes and reservoirs in the area were flooded, some roads closed and some flooding. A nice crowd was in attendance it was small due to weather. A band played country music as entertainment and dance music where couples did the two step. A good supper was served, smoked beef and pulled pork, potato salad, cold slaw, baked beans, and cake for desert. Lots and lots of visiting was enjoyed.
Memorial Day
Memorial Day was wet and flooding, the rain poured cats and dogs early in the morning on Memorial Day. When the rain quit Avenue of Flags were put up on poles, Veterans were given a flag at their gravestones marking that they had gone to war.The program was presented by the ministers of Elk City, with speeches, music honoring the veterans, ending with taps.
Easter In Elk City
Saturday April 20th was a beautiful day for families and friends to gather at the ballfield/park for the annual Community Easter Egg Hunt. After Pastor Terry opened the hunt with a prayer, the kids were turned loose! Thanks to all the helpers for their work in making the day a success for so many children and adults. They stuffed 3,000 plastic eggs with candy and pocket change, not to mention all the whistles, bubbles, sunglasses, frisbees and etc. hidden in the grass Thanks to Two Squirrels for their donation of hot dogs and chips. After lunch there were games and activities for the children. The famous Easter Bunny made a stop.
Church News
Church of the Nazarene had good old southern gospel music by the "Abundance Quartet" in April and Easter Celebration Sunday. Show a movie at the ball park each month. Held Vacation Bible School in August
The United Methodist Church doings: Lenten Bible Study, Pot Luck and Special Workshop After Worship, Palm Sunday Celebration and Easter Sunday Celebration
The United Methodist Church and the First Christian Church held Vacation Bible School in June with average 25 kids attending.
Receives Award
Game Warden Brandon Sanders Recognized PRATT – February 20, 2019, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism’s (KDWPT) Law Enforcement Division held their annual awards banquet to honor and recognize Officer’s actions and accomplishments in the previous calendar year. The event was held at the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center in Yoder, where numerous Game Wardens were recognized for their
efforts – including Montgomery County Game Warden, Brandon Sanders. Brandon was recognized this year with two awards – an Award of Merit, and the Richard Harrold Memorial Award for Investigations.
Tid Bits by Jane
May
Happy Spring! Everything is blooming, gardens are planted, flowers are bringing beauty to flower beds! But do we remember a year ago, Snow on April 7th, sure made the daffodils look sad! But we forget last year or the year before when it comes to weather. The farmers sure haven’t planted much corn. The ground temperature needs to be 50 or the seeds will be damaged. My soil thermometer measured the temps at 40 deg. 1-2” down on the 10th. Just when the week looks like it will be warm, there’s another cold front and cooler temps coming for the weekend. I can’t get enthused about buying plants early in April and then have to cover them up. By mid-April I’m playing in the dirt, the temps were 63 deg. Many of the plants need 70 deg. to germinate. Farmers have the corn planted by mid-April, litters of kitties being born, birds are singing, noses are running, eyes are watering and the wind is Blowing and smoke fills the air. The firemen/women were called out so much last year, a much needed break was welcomed. There didn’t seem to be as much uncontrolled burning this spring, maybe too wet!
I celebrated 60 years of living in April and 38 years of marriage. My son and wife fixed me lunch, while I held my granddaughter!!
They also cooked us supper, with my brother’s and my dad. Planting corn this time of the year 38 yr. ago, if it was now, the date wouldn’t have worked! Due to a very windy, rainy storm, we were able to go to town and celebrate, which my idea was to hit the greenhouses for plants and Steve buying lunch. T’was a good day. His idea would have been farming. 😊 reports of 3+” to only 2/10ths. This month I learned so much at coffee shop! It’s amazing the vast amount of knowledge around Joe’s table. What I can share that I learned this month: There was a time when 60 seemed so OLD! It sure doesn't now.
June
Memorial weekend was beautiful, very wet, but the rains had stopped for the morning and the flags were able to fly in the breeze. We appreciated Pastor Randy Beeman organizing and Pastor Terry Marta delivering the message in the absence of Pastor Adam Davidson at the cemetery and also leading the singing. We all miss the VFW ritual, but it was a wonderful ceremony. Ellie aand son Trenton
played taps. Remember those who gave their lives. The rains of almost 20” or 30” in a 30-60 day period, I realize everyone has their own
measurements, but regardless, it RAINED AND RAINED. The flood waters of Toronto, Fall River, Elk City, Oologha Reservoirs and the Neosho,
Verdigris & Arkansas rivers almost equaled the flood of May 2007. The lakes were full and water ran over the ER Spillway of the Elk City Reservoir for several weeks, holding back the flood waters of the Elk River south and west of Elk City. We were able to drive thru the water west of town after a couple weeks, but the water on the fields lasted several more weeks. The water south of town stayed up much longer covering the road. When the water finally receded, the roads were muddy and the farmers had their wish. They were working day and
night to plant soybeans before the ground dried out, which didn’t take long and they were wanting a rain. Which they got in the amounts of .2 to 9” in one rain and 1.5 to 5” in another. So once again the water is over the roads, the fields and the spillway! As wheat harvest and bean planting continues into July for some farmers, others just want the water to go down. The corn, that didn’t go underwater is tasseling and could sure use a rain, not to mention the little bean sprouts trying to push thru the hard dirt. I’m hoping my tame blackberries will be good and I’ve already picked zucchinis. The fried ones were sure good!!! I’m dealing with zucchini bugs, about 6 bugs to every zuc! They are one of THE WORST pests! The gardens have suffered from too much rain and not enough sun, especially if the garden was in a low-lying area! Some of my tomato plants look great and others haven’t grown at all, same with peppers. The cabbage, cucumber and green bean crop is good.
Don’t forget the Freedom Celebration on June 30th put on by the Nazarene, Methodist and Christian Churches. Should be a great time for all and thanks to Thaddeus for setting up the fireworks show with all the wonderful donations from the community. Joe is quite the armadillo trapper. Daniel Boone might have to share in the armadillo profits. 😊 Vacation Bible School was this month at 1st Christian Church, a good time had by approx. 25 kids.
Two young men were very lucky the 20th of June when their vehicles collided at the Two Squirrels/160 Hwy intersection. Both young men were both wearing seat belts and their airbags deployed. I think they must have had the arms of Jesus around them too.
I love my flowers and sharing pictures. I had a friend tell me she took the blooms personally on her flowers, as if the flowers are blooming just for her. There are some flowers I just can’t keep going and it’s sad if I try and they die, so I just don’t plant them.
Sometimes no matter what you do, they just aren’t going to bloom or even live. Then there is that plant you can’t give up on, you just know it’s going to grow if you give it more time. Or the ones that didn’t come up last year, but there they are this year in full of bloom. Flowers are like people, sometimes no matter what you do, that friendship isn’t going to bloom or out of nowhere here there they are, like
they’ve never been gone. Choose the flowers that are compatible with your climate, your soil and that like you. Yes, plants like us or not, just like people. And if they aren’t going to grow and flourish, pull them out with the weeds and move on. There’s another one that will grow and flourish and bloom just for you! What I learned this month: Life is short and you never know when it’s the last day. Get out of your recliner, enjoy life, enjoy your family, visit your friends often, EXERCISE, Pray, go to church and clean out your closets so your kids don’t have too!
Dodson Marion “Dale” age 76, passed away January 12, graduated from Elk City School, buried in Oak Hill Cemetery
NewtonJuanita Rachel (McCarty), 91, passed away March 17th, graduated from Elk City HS, burial in Oak Hill Cemetery
Bowers Clarence E. Jr age 68,died April 6th graduated from Elk City HS, burial Oak Hill Cemetery
HarveyLinda Sue age 72, died May 29th