From The Pages Of The Ponca City News, Sunday, December
28, 1997
LOCAL
City Calendar
Middle School Students Adopt an Acre
'Old West Night' Set To Help Boy Scouts
Beanie Baby Auction Aids Literacy Council
Native American Leadership Program Beginning at NOC
Outstanding Citizens Nominations Due at Chamber Office by Jan. 9
Hams Sponsor Amateur Radio Licensing Class
DEATHS
James R. Turner
William Calvin Gray
Marjorie Ann Cordell
Bonnie L. Stanley
Albert B. Endicott
Benton F. Hand
Services Pending
Larry S. Lambert
NEWS BRIEFS
LIFESTYLES
N. Y. Commonwealth Nurtured Kay County Health Center
January Wedding Planned
Engagement is Announced
Chambers Married 50 Years
Ponca City Happenings
Bits and Pieces
Anytime
Today
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
November 28-January 5
December 7-31
January 8
January 9
January 13
January 17
January 19
January 20
January 23
January 30
January 31
February 5
February 7
February 10
April 13
June 8
Make a difference! Chug a can of strawberry-banana, pineapple peach, papaya mango, passion fruit, orange or juava juice and you have helped protect five square feet of endangered Latin American rain forest.
Through a marketing partnership with Mistic Brands, the Nature Conservancy's Adopt An Acre program receives 10 cents per case from sales of Mistic Brand Rain Forest Nectars. To help with the program, Ponca City Middle School social studies students have decided to sell rain forest juices to help protect some of our planets most fragile ecosystems.
This year's Nature Conservancy Adopt An Acre program supports the Pantanal of Brazil. Almost 10 times the size of the Florida Everglades National Park, the Pantanal is the world's largest continuous freshwater wetlands system. Grasslands, forests, lagoons and marshes provide one of the world's most productive wildlife habitats. More than 650 species of birds have been identified. (That number is as many as in the U.S. and Canada combined!)
Scientists have been gathering evidence that the Pantanal is under extreme threat from human activity, such as increased farming and mining, as well as overfishing and poaching. Nature Conservancy has joined with the Ecotropica Foundation of Brazil to purchase land to expand the park and wildlife habitats.
The Tracker, Pioneer, Lion, Explorer and Eagle Teams at Ponca City Middle School have each pledged to adopt one acre of the Pantanal through the sale of juices. After staking out one square acre, Tracker students discovered that their adopted area is slightly smaller than a football field. Students must drink over 8,000 cans to adopt an additional acre jointly with Mistic Company. So far the students have polished off nearly 1,000 cans.
The Will Rogers Council of the Boy Scouts of America announced recently it will sponsor "A Night in the Old West" on Jan. 10, 1998, to kick off the 50th Anniversary of the Council.
The evening entertainment will be held at the Poncan Theatre, in Ponca City beginning at 7:30 p.m. It will feature three well-known area western performers, including local balladeer Les Gilliam, humorist and storyteller Sky Shivers, with Miss Kitty, the mediocre trick dog; and Will Rogers portrayer Gene McFall.
Council Scout Executive Chuck Rager said tickets for the evening fund raiser are available through the Will Rogers Council Service Center. Tickets for the performance are $8. Boy Scouts and children under 12 are free.
"Proceeds from the sale of tickets will help support Scouting throughout the eight counties of the Will Rogers Council," he said.
"We encourage everyone to join us in supporting local Scouting and have a great evening of fun and entertainment at the same time."
Ponca City's Gilliam is known as "The Oklahoma Balladeer" and is a native of Gene Autry, Okla., and is regarded as one of the most talented country/western entertainers in Oklahoma and at Branson, Mo. His latest CD is titled "Western Country" and features classic cowboy songs plus original material including a meaningful patriotic song "What's Right with America."
Growing up in southern Oklahoma, western poet-storyteller Shivers became a seasoned performer - regaling his audiences with true stories and tall tales about colorful cowboy life. He has appeared at the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, the Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa, the National Cowboy Symposium in Lubbock, Texas, and the Western Heritage Classic in Abilene, Texas. Shivers also hosts a cowboy talk show on the OASIS radio network for 13 stations in three states. Appearing with Shivers will be Miss Kitty, the mediocre trick dog.
McFall has performed as Will Rogers in 43 states since 1982 and has toured with James Whitmore as his understudy in, "Will Rogers U.S.A." A native Kentuckian, he has appeared in several motion pictures and on television in "All in the Family," "Benson" and "Archie Bunker's Place."
McFall portrayed Rogers from ages 27-55 in Oklahoma Educational Television Authority's highly acclaimed 1989 centennial mini-series "Oklahoma Passage." He was artist-in-residence at the Will Rogers Memorial in Claremore, in 1991.
BSA's Will Rogers Council was chartered in 1948 following the merger of Cimarron Valley Council of Stillwater and the Northern Oklahoma Council of Ponca City.
Tickets may be ordered by calling the Will Rogers Council Service Center in Ponca City at (580)765-6669 or 1-800-478-2563. Visa and Mastercard are accepted.
By KATHY ZEHR
News Staff Writer
The 60-plus Ponca City Area Literacy Council volunteers, trustees, board members and Director Barbara Brown was pleasantly surprised by a sizable donation to their operating fund in the amount of $9,608 recently. Even more surprising was the method by which the funds were obtained, says Brown.
Jean and Jerry Brace, owners of Brace Books and More, were able to obtain eight of the newly released purple bear Ty Beanie Babies named "Princess" in memory of Princess Di. The Braces decided to offer the new Beanie Baby releases to the highest bidders in a silent auction at the book store and donate the proceeds to The Literacy Council program.
"One hundred and thirty four bids were received during the eight day auction in December and the top eight bids for the 'Princess' totaled $9,608.57," said Jean Brace. The top bid came in at $4,000.
"The total amount bid by the top eight interested collectors was beyond our wildest dreams," said Brown. "This generous donation from Brace Books will enable the Council to improve and expand their services."
"Jean and Jerry Brace were very generous to have donated the entire proceeds to the Ponca City Area Literacy Council, so we can continue our mission of providing free tutoring in reading, math and English as a second language to area residents," she continued.
The Literacy Council has been active in the Ponca City area for 12 years and has provided tutors for more than 1,500 area residents. In 1996 the Council helped 175 students improve their reading and math skills.
The Council is also always in need of volunteer tutors to work with students one-on-one for about two hours per week. A tutor training workshop will be offered in January and the Council encourages all who would like to help someone learn to read to attend.
For more information call the PCALC office at 767-0351.
TONKAWA - Tribal Leadership, Tribal Planning and Native American Culture are courses offered during the Spring semester at Northern Oklahoma College's new Native American Leadership program.
"The courses are part of an on-going initiative says Dr. Carol Conner, co-director of the program. Oklahoma's 39 tribes hire over 10,000 employees, administer health and social services for nearly half a million citizens, and positively impact local economies in 67 of Oklahoma's counties.
The innovative new degree program at NOC allows both current and future tribal employees to learn and improve upon job information and skills. Employees can greatly improve their effectiveness through this course of study, the only one of its' kind, according to Dr. Conner.
Many tribal jobs require specific information about laws, grants and policies. The Native American Leadership degree program will result in graduates exceptionally well trained for the tribal environment.
"George Tallchief, former chief and president of the Osage Nation, will teach Tribal Leadership at Red Rock this spring," said Dr. Joe Conner. "His knowledge and experience will be shared in a weekly course which will be invaluable to current and future leaders." The Red Rock location is in response to a request from the Otoe-Missouria and Ponca tribes to make the program highly accessible.
Other course offerings this Spring on the Northern Oklahoma College campus will teach the basics of grant writing and community assessment (Tribal Planning) as well as the state of Native American culture past and present.
The Tribal Governance Certification program is another program designed to improve tribal leadership. Enrollment is being taken now with current tribal council members. Five one day courses beginning in January will lead to the certification, according to Gladys Haikey, training coordinator.
Tribes interested in the Native American Leadership program can access the courses through ITV, due to technological capabilities of NOC. Contact the Native American Leadership program at (918) 793-7361 or (580) 628-6358.
Nominations are open for both the Outstanding Citizen Award, and the Community Service award which are presented annually at the Ponca City Area Chamber of Commerce Banquet, according to Cheryl Fletcher, chairman.
The forms may be picked up at the Ponca City Area Chamber of Commerce for those wishing to make a nomination. The deadline for nominations is Jan. 9, 1998 at 5 p.m. Nominations may come from within the committee or from the community.
Criteria for the Outstanding Citizen is that the person must be a member of the Chamber and currently residing in the Ponca City area. The recipient should have achieved significant general recognition as an outstanding community leader, not limited to the year in which the award is made.
The person should be recognized as having made significant contributions to the community in more than one endeavor. The current chairman and staff of the Chamber, elected public officials including, City, County, State or Federal will not be considered for selection. Last year's recipient Danny Head will make the presentation at the banquet.
Community Service
The Community Service Award established last year is designed to honor people who have made significant contributions to the community during the last few years.
This award is designed to acknowledge the hard work of individuals or those who have made distinguished accomplishments over a short period of time. Sue Boettcher was the first person to receive the award. The presentation was made at the 1997 banquet.
The Kay County Amateur Radio Club and the Oklahoma Independent Amateur Radio Club will again sponsor an Amateur (Ham) Radio licensing class in 1998. The course will cover the curriculum for the Technician Class license which does not require knowledge of the International Morse Code. The last class period will be an official examination session.
The class will be 7-9 p.m. Mondays Jan. 12-Feb. 23 at the Conoco Fourth Street Clubhouse, 1500 South Fourth. Class size is limited to 20 and those attending from Ponca City should pre-enroll with Mark Byard, 580-762-1966.
Each student or family should purchase "Now You're Talking."
The cost is $20 and is available at Radio Shack. There is no fee for the
class. A testing session fee of $6.35 will be needed Feb. 23. The testing
session is provided by the Kay County Amateur Radio Club Volunteer Examiner
Team.
DEATHS
BLACKWELL - James R. Turner, longtime Blackwell resident, died early Friday morning, Dec. 26, 1997, at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Wichita, Kan. He was 50.
The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Monday at the Roberts and Son Funeral Home, Blackwell, with the Rev. Robert Johnson of The Tabernacle Church officiating. Burial will be in the Blackwell Cemetery with members of the Blackwell American Legion and the VFW conducting the Flag ceremony.
James R. Turner was born Dec. 15, 1947, in Blackwell, the son of James O. and Sarah F. (Sanders) Turner. He grew up in Blackwell and Ponca City and graduated from Ponca City High School. Turner served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, where he attained the rank of Sergeant and received the Purple Heart Medal. He was honorably discharged on Feb. 24, 1972.
He was married to Donna Evelyn Diedrich on July 1, 1983, in Blackwell, where they established their first home. He was employed by ConAgra for seven years, then moved to Columbia, Ill., where he worked as a miller for U.S. Durum. Three years later the family returned to live in Blackwell. Turner was forced to retire on Jan. 1, 1997, due to ill health.
Survivors, all of Blackwell, include his wife, Donna E. Turner of the home; one daughter, Shannon Turner; his parents, James O. and Sarah F. Turner; three sisters, Joetta L. Wood, Joyce F. Matthews and Judy D. Gregson; and two brothers, Danny L. and George E. Turner.
He was preceded in death by one daughter, Lora Kay Turner; one son, Derek James Turner; and one brother, Ogletha D. Turner.
Casket bearers will be Donny Hall, Benny Turner, Jack McGuire, Danny LaBlue, Mike Daly, and Larry Hall.
Memorial contributions may be made in Mr. Turner's name to the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Cancer Research, c/o Roberts and Son Funeral Home, 120 West Padon, Blackwell, OK 74631.
ARKANSAS CITY, Kan. - William Calvin "Bill" Gray, longtime Arkansas City resident died Wednesday, Dec. 24, 1997, at the South Central Kansas Regional Medical Center. He was 72.
The funeral was held at 10:30 a.m. Dec. 27, at the Hillcrest Bible Baptist Church in Arkansas City. Burial was in Mount Olivett Cemetery in Green City, Mo., under the direction of Rindt/Erdman Funeral Home, Arkansas City.
William Calvin "Bill" Gray was born March 27, 1925, in Sullivan County, Mo., the son of Frank Ray and Nellie May (Martin) Gray. He grew up and received his education in the Green City, Mo., area, graduating from Green City High School. During World War II he served in the U.S. Navy from 1943 to 1947 as a Seaman 3rd Class.
He was married to Evelyn Lorene McNabb on Aug. 19, 1947, and the couple farmed in the Green City, Mo., area. They later moved to Arkansas City, where Gray was employed at the John Morrell (Rodeo) meat packing plant and the Montgomery Elevator Company. Lorene Gray preceded him in death in 1979.
He was married to Billie (Dooley) Gates on Dec. 31, 1980, in Arkansas City. Gray was a member of the Hillcrest Bible Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Billie, of the home; one son Jerry of Welcome, N.C.; two stepsons, Steve Gates and Mark Gates; one brother, R. Donald Gray of Yucca Valley, Calif.; two sisters, Doris Leonard of Green City, Mo., and Ruth Fern Taylor of Wheaton, Mo.; and numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. In addition to his first wife and his parents he was preceded in death by one daughter, Twila Rae; and two sisters, Dorothy Helen and Francis Marie Gray.
Marjorie Ann (DeWitt) Cordell, former Ponca City resident died Monday evening, Dec. 22, 1997, at St. Mary's Corwin Hospital in Pueblo, Colo. She was 53.
No public service is planned by the family. A private family service will be held at a later date. Arrangements are under the direction of Grace Memorial Chapel, Ponca City.
Marjorie Ann (DeWitt) Cordell was born March 17, 1944, at Temple, Texas, the daughter of Royce J. and Elizabeth O. (White) DeWitt. She graduated from Ponca City High School in 1962 and attended Bethany Nazarene College and the Blackwell School of Nursing.
She was married to Mitch Cordell and the couple made their home in Pueblo, Colo. Mrs. Cordell had worked as a Licensed Practical Nurse. She was a member of the New Hope Compassionate Ministries in Pueblo, and had also taught Sunday School Classes for children for several years. Mrs. Cordell enjoyed ceramics and spending time with children.
Survivors include her husband, Mitch, of the home; her mother, Elizabeth DeWitt, Ponca City; three daughters, Edie Frankenfield of Houston, Texas, Connie McGugan and Jackie Baca, both of Ponca City; one brother, Bernie DeWitt of Oklahoma City; and 13 nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her father.
SOUTHGATE, Calif. - Bonnie L. (Gauger) Stanley, former Ponca City area resident, died Wednesday, Dec. 24, 1997, at an extended care facility in Southgate, Calif. She was 83.
The funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 30, at the Allen-English-Estrada Funeral Home in Bell Gardens, Calif., with the Rev. Jack Showers officiating. Burial will be in the Park Lawn Cemetery in Bell Gardens.
Bonnie L. (Gauger) Stanley was born Dec. 20, 1914, in Clinton, the daughter of Charles Richard and Etta Elizabeth (Upchurch) Gauger Sr. She attended Clinton and Ponca City area schools before moving to California as a young adult.
She was married to Dale C. Stanley on Oct. 8, 1940, in Los Angles, Calif., and they made their home in the Southgate area of California. Mrs. Stanley was a homemaker. She also enjoyed designing and decorating cakes, which she sold from her home. She attended the Baptist Church.
Survivors include one son, Dale C. Stanley Jr. of Cerritos, Calif.; one sister, Neva Thompson of Ponca City; two grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews in the Ponca City area. She was preceded in death by her husband in 1986; her parents; and five brothers, Leroy, Glen A., Raymond, Harold, and Charles "Curly" Gauger.
ARKANSAS CITY, Kan. - Albert B. Endicott, brother of Melvin Endicott of Ponca City, died Friday, Dec. 26, 1997, at the South Central Kansas Regional Medical City in Arkansas City, Kan. He was 73.
The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. today, Dec. 28, at the Hawks Funeral Home in Arkansas City. Burial will be in Parker Cemetery in Arkansas City.
Albert B. Endicott was born Nov. 20, 1924, in Arkansas City, Kan., the son of Fred L. and Golden Wollard Endicott. He grew up in the Maple City, Kan., area and attended schools in Arkansas City. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II.
He was married to Bonnie Guilinger on Oct. 27, 1946, at the First Baptist Church in Arkansas City. He was a member of the Spencer Ralston VFW Post 1254 and the Ducks Unlimited.
Survivors include three sons, Edward Endicott of Memphis, Tenn., Grant Endicott of Arkansas City, and Arlen of the home in Arkansas City; two daughters, Jeanne Waldorf of Arkansas City and Shirley Shaver of August, Kan.; two brothers, Melvin Endicott of Ponca City and Don Endicott of Hurst, Texas; 12 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife on March 31, 1965; his parents; and one brother, Arthur Endicott.
AMES - Benton F. Hand, father of Rodney Hand of Ponca City, died Friday, Dec. 26, 1997, at Integris Bass Baptist Health Center in Enid. He was 90.
The funeral is set for 2 p.m. Monday at the Henninger-Allen Funeral Home Chapel in Enid with the Rev. John Jameison officiating. Burial will follow in the Ames (Okla.) Cemetery.
Benton F. Hand was born Oct. 14, 1907, at Neodesha, Kan., the son of Frank A. and Bertha (Michael) Hand. He graduated from high school at Ames, Okla.
He was married to Grace Williamson on June 27, 1932, in Fairview. The couple had celebrated 65 years of marriage in June. They made their home and farmed southeast of Ames until retirement in 1972.
Survivors include his wife, Grace, of the home in Ames; one daughter, Shirley Munkers of Clearwater, Kan.; two sons, Keith Hand of Beltsville, Md., and Rodney Hand of Ponca City; nine grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by an infant son; his parents; one sister and three brothers.
Memorial may be made to the Ames Fire Department, Ames, OK 73718.
Larry Shields Lambert, son of Janie and Al Lambert, 1024 Riviera Drive,
died early this morning, Dec. 27, 1997, at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center.
He was 21. Arrangements are pending with Trout Funeral Home.
NEWS BRIEFS
New Year's - The YMCA Midnight Swim Party and Lock-In will be New Year's Eve, Dec. 31, 8 p.m.-8 a.m., Jan. 1, 1998, for ages 6-12. There is a limited enrollment. Call the YMCA, 765-5417, for more information.
Senior Dance - There will be a seniors dance from 7 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, New Year's Eve, at the V.F.W., located on East Prospect Avenue in Ponca City. The Sunshine Playboys will be providing music for the young at heart. Bring snacks and have a good time dancing and eating.
Rhoda Young - A gathering honoring Rhoda Young will be held today, 3-5 p.m., at First Presbyterian Church, Fourteenth Street and East Grand Avenue. The Presbyterian congregation is hosting the event. Mrs. Young is the wife of the now deceased Rev. Dr. Arthur C. Young. She shared in his ministry to the Presbyterian church and community since 1955 and brought her own "unique" gifts and talents to the area. Rhoda is moving to Columbia, Mo. to reside near a son, the Rev. Dr. William A. Young.
Vandalism - At 8:31 a.m. Friday a resident in the 1000 block of North Sunset Street reported that Christmas decorations had been vandalized.
Accident - An accident at Fourteenth Street and South Avenue was reported to police at 10:47 a.m. Friday. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
False Alarm - At 10:57 a.m. Friday all Ponca City Fire Department units responded to a reported fire in the 400 block of Fairview Avenue. However it was not a fire, but something in the furnace.
Grease Fire - A resident in the 400 block of South Peachtree Street reported a grease fire at 11:22 a.m. Friday. One Ponca City Fire Department unit responded however the fire was already extinguished.
Arrest - At 11:44 a.m. Friday police arrested a 28-year-old man on a city warrant for petit larceny and tampering with public utilities.
Minor Accident - A minor accident in the 1100 block of East Prospect Avenue was reported at 12:11 p.m. Friday.
Break-In - At 12:17 p.m. Friday a business in the 300 block of North First Street reported to police that someone had tried to break into one of their vehicles. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Burglary - A vehicle burglary in the 300 block of North First Street was reported to police at 1:32 p.m. Friday. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Arrest - Police arrested a 31-year-old man at 2:49 p.m. Friday on a city warrant.
Arrest - At 3:07 p.m. Friday a 54-year-old man was arrested for trespassing from the 1100 block of South Avenue.
Vandalism - A resident in the 700 block of East Central Avenue reported to police at 3:08 p.m. Friday that their residence had been broken into. An officer was assigned and destruction of private property report was taken.
Missing Vehicle - A resident in the 400 block of Jane Street reported that a vehicle was missing from the 2000 block of Jane Street. Someone was suppose to fix the vehicle and failed to return it.
Towing - At 3:36 p.m. Friday police had a vehicle towed from Fourteenth Street and Edwards Avenue for a 48 hour violation.
Hit and Run - A hit and run accident that occurred on Dec. 19 in 1700 block of Richway Drive was reported to police at 3:39 p.m. Friday.
Arrest - Police arrested a 33-year-old man at 3:40 p.m. Friday from North Birch Street for domestic assault and battery.
Vandalism - At 3:56 p.m. Friday police were advised of vehicle vandalism in the 200 block of North Palm Street. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Arrest - A 22-year-old man was arrested at 3:56 p.m. Friday from Fourteenth Street and Edwards Avenue on a city warrant for failure to appear.
Hit and Run - At 4:27 p.m. Friday police were advised of a hit and run accident that occurred at North Union Street and Overbrook Avenue. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Stolen Vehicle - At 4:32 p.m. Friday a man in the 800 block of North Elm Street reported that a vehicle was stolen one mile west on Highway 60. He was referred to Kay County Sheriff Office.
Break-In - A house in the 100 block of South Elm Street was reportedly broken into at 4:45 p.m. An officer was assigned and a second degree burglary report was taken.
Accident - At 5:43 p.m. Friday police were notified of a two vehicle non-injury accident at North Union Street and Prospect Avenue. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Assault - At 5:58 p.m. Friday police were called to Citgo, 200 East Highland Avenue, for an assault. A report was taken.
Burglary - At 6:51 p.m. Friday a resident in the 200 block of South Lincoln Street reported a burglary of the residence. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Juvenile Arrest - At 8:24 p.m. Friday a 15-year-old boy was arrested from Wal-Mart, 1101 East Prospect Avenue, for shoplifting.
Fire - At 8:28 p.m. Friday Ponca City Fire Department units extinguished a small fire at the American Legion Children's Home, 1300 Summers Place.
Accident - At 8:34 p.m. Friday a two vehicle accident in the 1100 block of East Prospect Avenue was reported. An officer was assigned a report was taken.
Hit and Run - A hit and run accident was reported to police at 11:59 p.m. Friday in the 100 block of Whitworth Avenue. An officer was assigned and report was taken.
Vandalism - At 12:01 a.m. Saturday a woman in the 900 block of East Grand Avenue reported to police that someone had come into her home and vandalized it. An assault and battery report was taken.
Stolen Vehicle - At 12:05 a.m. Saturday a man reported to police that his vehicle was stolen from a business in the 700 block of North Fourteenth Street. A report was taken.
Assault Victim - At 2:17 a.m. Saturday a man was reportedly being
treated for injuries sustained in an assault which occurred on North Fifth
Street. The victim had a broken jaw however no report was taken.
LIFESTYLES
By LOUISE ABERCROMBIE
News Staff Writer
As strange as it may seem the funding for the construction of the Kay County Health Center came through a grant from the Commonwealth Fund of New York.
Although the building was constructed in 1951, work on a health center for the county for prevention of disease began much earlier, according to Norma Prescott, 2001 Medowbrook. Mrs. Prescott was a member of the board of trustees, whose names are enshrined on the bronze plaque in the foyer of the building at 1201 East Hartford.
Milk Ordinance
The first preventive health type measure that took place in Kay County was setting regular sanitary standards with a milk ordinance. Later, Dr. Schakleford who was a leader at the state health level, came to Ponca City to see Dr. C.W. Arrendell and also contacted Mrs. Prescott to tell them of a pilot program by the Commonwealth Fund of New York. The organization wished to build a health center in Oklahoma and Dr. Schakleford revealed that Kay County was being considered for the grant.
Mrs. Prescott and others had worked with Dr. Arrendell to get the City Commission to pass the milk ordinance. She recalls, with others, visiting outlying dairies to get their cooperation.
As a result of this work with the milk ordinance Kay County was given the opportunity for the grant for the county health facility, according to Mrs. Prescott. She said the health department was a "gift" from the Commonwealth Fund.
Common Wealth Fund
The Commonwealth Fund was a philanthropic foundation interested in public health, which helped with the organization of the Kay County Health Department in 1942, and which continued to subsidize the health unit's budget for the first six years of its existence.
There was much groundwork that had to be laid as there was quite a lot of opposition to the idea of a preventative medicine facility - most of it came from the medical community. Mrs. Prescott noted that at that time there wasn't much preventative medicine and there certainly weren't any federal programs such as are available these days.
The group promoting the project, including Mayor W. W. Vance, made trips to Tonkawa, Newkirk, Braman and Blackwell to promote the idea of a health center.
This action was as early as 1942. The clinic began in an upstairs building east of First National Bank. The Commonwealth, which funded the operation at the beginning staffed the clinic with a director, nurses, two sanitarians and others. The first director sent out by the Commonwealth of New York was J. H. Kinnerman.
By 1951 a building was funded partly by the Commonwealth Fund at a cost of $80,000, while federal funds (Hill-Burton Act) contributed $99,000 for a total of $179,000.
Cornelius J. Davis, New York architect with the Commonwealth Fund, drew up the plans for the health center and the Robertson Construction Company of Ponca City did the building.
City Gave Land
The City of Ponca City gave the land (valued at $20,000) and the state supplied $25,000 for X-ray equipment and other materials. The building is located on a triangle shaped section of land directly southwest of St. Joseph Regional Medical Center.
The Ponca City Garden Club sponsored and financed the landscaping and plotting of the site. The Jaycee Jaynes presented a bronze wall plaque commemorating the building.
Dr. N. H. Cooper was the director of the Kay County Health Department at the time of construction. The final inspection of the building project was by C. J. Davis of the Rogers Butler architects' firm, New York. George Kester of Oklahoma City, in construction for the state health department and as a representative of the state and federal government, also approved the new health center.
The center, in the beginning, was governed by a non-political board of trustees composed of citizens from over the county. The board was to be responsible for the maintenance and operation of the building through the annual budget of the Kay County Health department.
Those named on the commemorative plaque were C. W. Arrendell, chairman; Mrs. Tressa Burger Austbo; Harper Baughman; James Burger; O. C. Campbell; W. J. Casemore; Mrs. Dillard Clark; Dale Fuller; Mrs. Oscar Merrell; Mrs. Harold Prescott; David Ross; C. Wayne Stevens; and W. W. Vance.
The Board of City Commissioners included Harper Baughman, mayor; T. R. Boggess and Lawrence S. Cannon. Kay County Commissioners were Dale Fuller, chairman; Roy Bain, and W. H. Casey.
Also listed were Grady Matthews, M.D., state Commissioner of Health; N. H. Cooper, M.D., director, Kay County Health Department.
Current Operation
Mike O'Connor is the administrative director for the Kay County Heath Department. The department currently employees 22 and services the entire Kay County area.
The budget is about $600,000 and the funds come from Kay County and federal funds administered through the state.
A variety of services are provided include family planning, the WIC program which provides nutrition for pregnant women and also for children. there is a "well-baby" program, speech and hearing disorder program for children up to 18, and immunization programs.
The consumer protection program deals with the environment and also for sanitary inspections for restaurants and swimming pools and also deals with cases involving animals with rabies.
Announcement is being made of the engagement and approaching marriage of Maya Christina Salazar and Llew Morgan Brown. The bride-elect is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Brad Sneed of Ponca City and Mr. and Mrs. Juan Salazar of Wichita, Kan. Brown is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Bill Brown of Shidler.
The couple extends an open invitation to family and friends to attend the 2 p.m. ceremony Jan. 10 at the Glad Tidings Assembly of God Church, located at Highway 60 and Victory in Osage County.
The bride-elect is a graduate of Ponca City High School and the future bridegroom is a graduate of Shidler High School. Grandparents of the bride-to-be are Mr. and Mrs. Richard O. Rhynard of Ponca City, Cecil Sneed of Denver, Colo. and Mrs. Julia Salazar of Wichita, Kan. Grandparents of the prospective bridegroom are Irma Hendricksen of Washington and Mr. and Mrs. Russell Brown of Virginia.
A 2 p.m. ceremony Jan. 24 at the Connor Chapel Church, 945 South Twelfth, is being planned by Mandy Lee Holder and Marvin (Monty) David Selvey.
Miss Holder is the daughter of James and Lawana Holder of Blackwell and Linda and Tony Johnston of Ponca City. Selvey is the son of Louise A. Selvey of Ponca City and the late Marvin J. Selvey.
The future bride has attended Blackwell High School and is employed at Westminster Village. Selvey is a 1988 Ponca City High School graduate and is employed at Air System Components.
Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Chambers, 2304 El Camino, are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary today. Wayne Chambers and the former Mildred Kathleen McNutt were married on Dec. 28, 1947 at First Christian Church in Hobart.
Several months after graduation from Oklahoma A&M the couple moved to Ponca City where Mr. Chambers began work in the Accounting Department of Conoco's Refining/Marketing Division. He worked for Conoco for 34 years, retiring in 1984. Mrs. Chambers taught Oklahoma History at East Junior High School for 24 years before retiring in 1990. They are members of First Lutheran Church.
Mr. and Mrs. Chambers celebrated their anniversary last month with a trip to England, Scotland and Wales. They will celebrate this week with a family dinner hosted by their children: Don and Micki Albert of Wichita, Kan., Charlie and Melanie Gomez, Jesse, Nathan, Karri, Shannon and Ryan, also of Wichita, and David and Anne-Marie Webster, Brian and Steven of Ponca City.
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Rhoda Young
A gathering honoring Rhoda Young will be held today, 3-5 p.m., at First
Presbyterian Church, Fourteenth and Grand. The Presbyterian congregation
is hosting the event. Mrs. Young is the wife of the now deceased Rev. Dr.
Arthur C. Young. She shared in his ministry to the Presbyterian church and
community since 1955 and brought her own "unique" gifts and talents
to the area. Rhoda is moving to Columbia, Mo. to reside near a son, the
Rev. Dr. William A. Young.