WHEELER Dealers enjoyed music at Winfield's Island Park by the Winfield Municipal Band.
A rainy spring has caused many lakes in Oklahoma and Kansas to flood, so members of the Wheeler Dealers Camping Club became creative moving the July campout last week to Napawalla Park in Oxford, KS hosted by Cecil and Linda Sparks.

Members from Ponca City and Bartlesville arrived over a three-day period selecting their sites across from the pavilion rented by the group for gatherings.

Thursday several of the women went into Winfield, KS for shopping at Eagles Nest, an upscale resale shop operated by a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to providing local classes, clothing, household goods, and financial assistance to families in need. Wheeler Dealers members found

THE OLD MILL in Oxford, KS was once a working mill. Now it's a restaurant open at noon Sundays and is run by area high school students.
lots of bargains with a sack sale that started that day. Returning to Oxford, they drove by the Old Mill and found a local vegetable stand where they purchased fresh tomatoes, potatoes, squash and onions to be used Saturday evening during the potluck supper. Thursday evening the group walked to a nearby Mexican restaurant for dinner.

“We like to support the small communities and the businesses in them,” said Linda Sparks. “Our group searches them out for food, shopping and events.”

Club members found a local coffee shop, Wildcat Coffee in Oxford and Friday morning members walked to it for breakfast.

WHEELER DEALER members ate lunch Sunday at the Old Mill in Oxford, KS. Students from the local high school run the restaurant buying the food, preparing the set weekly menu, cooking, cleaning and serving customers.
Friday evening the group drove to Winfield for dinner at Shindigs Bar & Grill. Located in a former railroad station, Shindigs is an informal, classic, industrial-rustic restaurant right next to the railroad tracks serving hamburgers, steaks, salads and pastas. When the train comes by you can buy beer for $2 and several members took advantage of it. Dinner was followed by a summer concert in nearby Island Park by the Winfield Municipal Band.

Saturday morning the group headed west to nearby Wellington, KS for the 119th Kansas Wheat Festival. The men left early for breakfast at the VFW followed by the 36th Annual Antique

FIRE STARTERS made with egg cartons, wood shavings and wax are made by members from left to right, Mike McHale, Jon Tippin, Clarice and Randi Olsen, and Cecil Sparks.
Rod and Classic Car Show in Sellers Park. The women went shopping at The Beehive Quilt Shop and Bee Creative Toys followed by a stop for a late buffet breakfast at No. 7 Coffee House and toured the National Depression Glass Museum. The morning culminated with the Wheat Capital Quilt Show at the Middle School where Wheeler Dealer members voted for their favorite quilts in various categories..

Saturday evening the group gathered in the campground pavilion for potluck supper. The meal included various main courses, salads and desserts prepared by Wheeler Dealers members. This was followed by the monthly business meeting and discussion of upcoming

JON AND KATHY Tippin brought their new puppy Jack on his first Wheeler Dealers campout to Oxford, KS. campouts at Fall River, KS; Bear Creek at Kaw Lake, OK; and Beaver Lake, AR.

Wheeler Dealer monthly campouts are held weekends from March to November with only lunch or breakfast gathering in February and a special Christmas Party in December. Members can make their own reservations at many of the Corps lakes through recreation.gov, the Corps of Engineers reservation service. Oklahoma State Parks reservations are made through gocampok.com.

Current members are from Bartlesville and Ponca City. However, anyone from northern Oklahoma or southern Kansas is invited to join.

Persons interested in joining or knowing more should contact Cecil, president, at 580-767-0170 in Ponca City or Joe, secretary, at 918-333-1714 in Bartlesville.