Guymon, Oklahoma

          It’s been a really busy week and feeling my age. Or maybe I’m feeling my weight … whichever it is, I could use a Saturday off! But we have ONE MORE Farmers Market on Sat., Oct. 1. Thank goodness it is going to open at 10 am rather than the normal 8. It’s the market for the folks that have been complaining about not wanting to get up early on Saturday. Or maybe it’s for the vendors that are cold getting all packed up and set up on these cooler mornings. Or maybe it’s so it will be at a time when you can come to the market and the car show. Or maybe it’s for Main Street Guymon Director’s feeling their age. Whatever the reason, we hope you’ll be there!

          Farmers Market is a Main Street Guymon event that is sponsored by Linda Hill Crop Insurance. We like to make it possible for home bakers, gardeners, and crafters to be able to have a time they can sell … at the same time reminding folks that downtown is busy and a good place to be.

          We will have, for the first time, hand woven on a large floor loom rugs and placemats by David and Susan Renno of Sunray, Texas. They make their wares using a variety of materials such as old jeans, fabric, yarn, afghan salvage and more. Might be well worth the trip to go see what they have happening!

          The same day is the TCEC Art Show and Contest where artists have the chance to take home $500 in Main Bucks (that they can use in over 25 Main Street Guymon businesses). The Art Show is part of the Meet Me at the Market events and TCEC does a fabulous job on this show. If you’re a local artist, check out the contest on TCEC’s website.

          There are lots of other places you might want to be coming up.

          Fall Garden Tour is Thur., Sept. 29 from 9 am to 2 pm in Guymon, Optima, and Goodwell. You can tour Helm’s Nursery, Boo’s Pumpkin Patch, Dianna Brown’s garden, and OPSU Tour and Luncheon. Call 580-338-7300 for more information and for tickets.

          Blues, Bacon, and Beer is October 1 in Guymon in the evening. That afternoon is the OPSU Homecoming football game. Broken Rock Ranch has Seth Ward in concert that night, too.

          Pumpkins in the Park, one of the favorite events of the year for kids, is Oct. 3. This event is done by PTCI and TCEC and you can find out more on their websites and facebook pages.

          Oklahoma Panhandle Partners is a group that aids families who have someone going through cancer treatments. They have helped many a family in the Panhandle. You can help them help others by attending their Fall Party on Oct. 6 at Broken Rock Ranch, 6 pm.

          And don’t forget to get your reservations in for the Charcuterie Board Class that Main Street Guymon is putting on Oct. 8 from 6 to 8 pm. The cost is $65 a person and the board and food is provided, you just need to bring your knife and something to drink. Call 580-338-6246 for reservations.

          See you on the bricks!

          Today is a day filled with blessings.

At noon the Main Street Guymon Board meets for their monthly meeting. Each month I am bowled over by the work these caring, wonderful people do for our community as volunteers. They all have busy, filled lives and still find the time to give time for programs, events, and projects. I love these guys … and many who were board members in the past that still work through the committees (we have a two – term limit for the board), giving and giving and giving.

Then in the early afternoon, the opportunity to visit with a couple of Main Streeters that want to know more about the director’s position will be coming in. I love that we have people interested in learning more and might apply for the job! It is the prayer of myself and the board that the right person come forward and I firmly believe it will happen. I so hope we have someone that will come in and tackle some of those things that I have been ignoring for way tooooo long!

After that meeting, is the grand finale for the day … interviewing the Fiesta King and Queen candidates. There are many this year and their application forms look wonderful. This is one of my favorite days of the year. Meeting and visiting with these high school seniors who are such good students, caring family members, and just good all – around humans makes me smile. And makes me know Guymon is in good hands for our future.

Whether it is through our Guymon Rotary, Fiesta King and Queen interviews, or working with the community clean-up (by the way, we have that on Sat., Sept. 17, from 10 – noon if you want to help out) volunteers, I see some great humans coming up here in our community. Life is good.

Here are some things that are coming up. Call me at 580-338-6246 if you want to know more information about these events.

• Sept. 17, Farmers Market, 8-noon
• Sept. 17, Meet Me at the Market Dog Parade, 10 am
• Sept. 17, Community Clean-Up, 10-noon, meet at Main Street Guymon office
• Sept. 17, Wirtz Open House for 55 years of business, 11-2 (burgers served)
• Sept. 18, Guymon Fiesta, 4-8 at 5^th and Main on the street
• Sept. 23, Craft for a Cause, 6:30 at Urban Bru Kitchen
• Sept. 24, Charity 5K Fun Run, sign up 7 am
• Sept. 24, Farmers Market, 8-noon
• Sept. 24, Meet Me at the Market Salsa Contest and Pumpkin Decorating Contest, 10 am
• Sept. 24, Golden Mesa Charity Golf Tournament

Fun times in Guymon just around the corner.

          See you on the bricks!

          OPSU Men’s Soccer players came out and worked two hours during the Community Clean-Up on Sept. 17. Those young men can get a lot of work done in two hours. They were picking up litter around town, along the highway, at Thompson Park, and helping the Guymon Lions and Guymon Rotary Club members paint the train shed, ticket booth, and fix some of the benches. It was a great morning for Guymon.

          The athletes were interesting to visit with because they have so many from other countries. Hearing their accents and having a moment to learn a little bit about them was fun. I need to find reasons to meet with them again. Probably ought to go to some of their games! Helping with the clean-up, we had players from Brazil, Canada, England, Germany, Honduras, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Zimbabwe. That means there were team members from Africa, Asia, Central America, Europe, North America, and South America. They will have a great lesson on geography just by conversations with their teammates.

          We are thankful to their coaches and to the players for helping us keep our town clean.

          The next day we had OPSU Baseball players that helped with the Guymon Fiesta from set up to tear down. These men were also kind and generous, helpful and fun. They, too, had great attitudes and were willing to help in whatever way we needed.

          Seems that I’ll be going to some baseball games, too. More coaches and players to be beholding to.

          Life just gets better when you’re volunteering and help people out. You get to meet people like these young athletes. More fun. More interesting. And you sleep better because you’re so darn tired!!!!

          Thank you to all who helped with the Guymon Community Clean-Up. If you want to help, we have another crew working on Sat., Sept. 24 from 10 to noon and you can certainly come and join us! Or do some on your own, cleaning up where you choose. Maybe your own alley. Or that spot that you always notice needs a little help … be that help!

          And thank you to all the sponsors, donors, vendors, and volunteers that made Guymon Fiesta a success. Soila Medina and her family are superheroes. Soila has been the Fiesta chairman since she was 18 years old. Amazing woman. Graceful woman. Wonderful lady.

          Thank you to all who came out and enjoyed the Fiesta. Whether you came to see the Alma Folklorica perform, ride the mechanical bull, or get some of that delicious food … we love you all!

          We appreciate everyone that made this weekend awesome.

          Glad we saw you on the bricks.

          The Guymon Fiesta committee is working hard to get ready for the Sun., Sept. 18 event. This has been taking place since 1997. To be able to celebrate a part of our Panhandle heritage is fun and … delicious. Yes, the food vendors are the most popular part of Fiesta. Whether it’s a food truck or a church group, the dishes are exceptional. And the choices are great.

          This area has long had a Hispanic influence, from the Spanish explorer Coronado, to being a part of Mexico territory, to today with a population that includes Mexicans, Cubans, Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, people from all the countries of South America … we have a great reason to celebrate this part of our heritage.

          And a fiesta is colorful, musical, and fun. This all makes it a good time to come down to the Guymon Fiesta on the 18^th … for the food and to see the Alma Folklorica Dancers who have been a part of the Fiesta for many years. It is always fun to see what regions are represented by folk dances this year. And what students are a part of this wonderful Guymon tradition.

          The Fiesta is always in September, a time when schools are getting settled and sports teams are finding their starters. Parents and grandparents are traveling to cross country meets, football, and volleyball games. It’s a good time to be yelling for your favorite teams and enjoying the visit with who you’re sitting next to at the game.

          Farmers Market is at its height now. The fresh produce is in full production. And we have the Pickle Contest at Guymon’s Farmers Market on Sept. 10. Then the Dog Parade is Sept. 17 (oh, this is fun … come and watch) followed by the Salsa Contest on Sept. 24 and the Pumpkin Decorating Contest also on Sept. 24. The businesses that bring these to the Market are Helm’s Garden Shop, State Farm Insurance, PTCI, and BOP. Then the first Saturday in October is the Art Contest, brought to the market by TCEC. Great times!

          Saturday the 17^th of September is a full day that starts with the Farmers Market at 8 am, the Dog Parade at the Market at 10 am, also a Community Clean-Up from 10 am to noon (want to help?), and then Wirtz Lumber from 11 – 2 pm, and an OPSU football game at 6 pm. There is probably much more happening, so enjoy the fall weather and be a part of something fun and good that day!

          Wirtz Lumber’s 55 – years in business celebration is on Sept. 17, including prize giveaways, hamburgers, and bouncy house from 11 am to 2 pm.

          Be sure to mark Sept. 23 as the Bank of the Panhandle Craft for a Cause at Urban Bru Kitchen, 118 NW 6^th Street, starting at 6:30 pm. The craft evening will benefit the OPSU Images Club. You must be 21 years or older to be a part of this evening.

          And I hear the Guymon Community Theatre has a production coming up October 6!

          Take part. Somebody would love to see you there!

Famous Okie information: Christopher Bell, born Dec. 16, 1994, in Norman, Okla., is an American professional stock car racing and Toyota Racing Development driver.  He is the 2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion.

Good habits: Clean out your car regularly.

Made me laugh: Don’t own so much clutter that you will be relieved to see your house catch fire. ~Wendell Berry

See you on the bricks, soon! Stay safe.

A person of positive action works to make something better, to help people, to make a difference in their community. Our electric company, TCEC, is accepting nominations of people you know who are doing this very thing right here in our area. It is called “Who Powers You.”

TCEC’s facebook page says, “Who Powers You? It’s often volunteers. Concern for community is one of TCEC’s founding principles. Our Who Powers You program recognizes volunteers.” You have until Sept. 30 to nominate someone who makes a difference in your community. Go to www.tcec.coop/wpy to do your nomination. Each person can only make one nomination.

This is a program honoring those who do something. Those who help people, make places better, and break some sweat making our community, our world a better place.

Another such program recently recognized two Guymon folks. Shelby Red Corn with Herbel Real Estate and Justin Barrett with Golden Mesa Casino were named to Oklahoma’s NexGen Under 30 List. The committee for this award encourages Oklahomans to “nominate innovative, creative – thinking, and inspiring young individuals who push the boundaries beyond their years, who are worthy of winning the award.”

We have many people here who are doing good things. They are in our community service organizations, our churches, our clubs, our schools, and in our neighborhoods. Take the time today to thank someone that you know makes life better.

Not everyone is considerate and appreciates those who are working hard. I read where someone wrote this review about a restraurant … and the restaurant’s response: “Don’t bother calling for take out. They put you on hold and never come back.” They response from the owner was, “Sorry for your inconvenience. The server taking your order had a seizure while doing so and couldn’t complete the process. When you showed up to retrieve your order and it was not ready, even though there was an ambulance in front of the restaurant and we were tending to the medical emergency at hand, we offered to complete your order at that time. I am sorry that you declined and chose to complain in a public forum.”

Complaining / being critical is not getting something done.

Another gem that I read pertains to the many coaches who volunteer for your kids sports. “Reminders from your child: I’m a kid, it’s just a game, my coach is a volunteer, the officials are humans, no college scholarships will be handed out today.”

Those coaches giving of their time and patience are the winners … not the critical folks in the stands.

Our award winners come in all sizes, ages, and colors. They have many different skills, but some of the best ones are their energy, their kindness, and their willingness to help. Reading a scholarship application a couple weeks ago from a young college student, these words have stuck in my mind, “I dream of a Church that has people who are obviously people of Christ. People who love the Lord and those around them. People who humbly help others. People who willingly offer forgiveness. People looking forward to how God can use them.”

Drop the mic. Enough said.

See you on the bricks!

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Charlie Christian was an American swing and jazz guitarist considered father of jazz guitar.

Christian was a key figure in the development of bebop and cool jazz. He gained national exposure as a member of the Benny Goodman Sextet and Orchestra from August 1939 to June 1941. His single-string technique, combined with amplification, helped bring the guitar out of the rhythm section and into the forefront as a solo instrument. He was called the best improvisational talent of the swing era.

In 2006 Oklahoma City renamed a street in its Bricktown entertainment district “Charlie Christian Avenue”. Born in Texas on July 29, 1916, Christian moved to Oklahoma City when he was a small child. His parents were musicians. Their father, Clarence Henry was struck blind by fever, and in order to support the family he and the boys worked as buskers. He would have them lead him into the better neighborhoods, where they would perform for cash or goods. When Charles was old enough to go along, he first entertained by dancing. Later he learned to play the guitar.

Charlie attended Douglass School in Oklahoma City, where he was further encouraged in music by an instructor, Zelia N. Breaux. Christian was one of many musicians who jammed along the city’s “Deep Deuce” section on NE Second Street.

After many years of touring with the world’s best musicians, Christian died on Mar. 2, 1942.

Music trivia: Most American car horns honk in the key of F.

More music trivia: The group Lynyrd Skynyrd is named after Leonard Skinner, an annoying gym coach some of the band members had in high school, who supposedly had them expelled for having long hair.

Continuing music trivia: The band Three Dog Night’s name is derived from an Australian Aboriginal custom of sleeping with a dog for warmth during cold nights. The colder the night, the more dogs.

Just interesting: “Auld Lang Syne” translates to “times gone by.”

Music humor: What do you call a musical insect? A humbug.

Why did the fish make such a good musician? He knew his scales.

What is the most musical part of your body? Your nose, you can blow it and pick it.

Profound: Sometimes music is the only medicine the heart and soul needs.

See you on the bricks!

Good morning. It’s a warm summer morning and Fall is getting closer and closer. Looking forward to the Fall. Then we have the cool mornings at the Farmers Market, pumpkin patch for the kids, football games, and kids on a regular schedule again. Life is good.

Speaking about football and the good life, most coaches will tell you the team member who is the most coachable (listens to the coach and works to do what the coach asks) is far more valuable than the team member who has lots of God – given talent but won’t listen. Seems this is true in life, too.

A friend shared a list last weekend that put it all in perspective. The list is titled “10 Things that Require Zero Talent.” The list reads:

• Being on time
• Making an effort
• Being high energy
• Having a positive attitude
• Being passionate
• Using good body language
• Being coachable
• Doing a little extra
• Being prepared
• Having a strong work ethic.

Those are some of the most important things we can each aspire to have. These make up the best employees. The best co-workers. The best friends. The family members you love seeing. The best teammates. The best humans.

Last Sunday four of the Alma Folklorica Alumni met and played some cards with members of this year’s high school dance troupe. It’s fun to get to know the young ones and to help encourage them. And it’s really fun to beat them in cards. Each of the Alma needs to remember that their year dancing the traditional Mexican folkloric dances as a troupe will be better if they all work to follow the ten things listed above. I know they have some good mentors from the alumni who are here in town. My hat goes off to Maritsa Barrios, Selina Gaucin, Neriedy Medina, and Maribel Mesta. That Maritsa worked Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with Teri Mora organizing all the dance costumes … carrying boxes up and down stairs and ladders and everything. They are AWESOME!

This month I have a training in Yukon with Oklahoma Main Street and I will strive to be better at each of these things! Which ones are you going to work on?

Aug. 27 will be the first OPSU home football game at 6 pm. Our Aggie Families are getting ready for the season!

Sept. 3 is Labor Day and I wish you all a happy and restful holiday.

See you on the bricks.

Charles Arthur Floyd, nicknamed Pretty Boy Floyd, was an American bank robber born in Georgia on Feb. 3, 1904. His family moved to Akins, Okla., in 1911, where he grew up. He was arrested at age 18 after he stole $3.50 from a local post office. Three years later, he was arrested for a payroll robbery on Sept. 16, 1925, in St. Louis and was sentenced to five years in prison. He served three and a half years before being granted parole.

Floyd entered into partnerships with criminals in the Kansas City underworld after his parole. He committed a series of bank robberies over the next several years, and it was during this period that he acquired the nickname “Pretty Boy.” Orville Drake gave him the name because he would wear a white button – up dress shirt and slacks to work in the oil fields. According to one account, a payroll master whom Floyd had robbed described him as “a pretty boy with apple cheeks.”

In 1929, Floyd was wanted in numerous cases. He was arrested in Akron, Ohio in 1930, and charged with the murder of an Akron police officer. He was later that same year convicted of a Sylvania Ohio Bank Robbery and sentenced to 12 – 15 years in Ohio State penitentiary, but escaped.

Floyd was a suspect in the deaths of Kansas City brothers Wally and Boll Ash who were rum – runners, found dead in a burning car on Mar. 25, 1931. Members of his gang killed Patrolman R. H. Castner of Bowling Green, Ohio on April 23. On July 22, Floyd killed federal agent Curtis C. Burke in Kansas City.

Former sheriff Erv Kelley of McIntosh County, Okla., was killed while trying to arrest Floyd on April 7, 1932. In November, three members of Floyd’s gang attempted to rob the Farmers and Merchants Bank in Boley, Okla. Despite his life of crime, Floyd was viewed positively by the general public.

The FBI named Floyd “Public Enemy No. 1” on July 23, 1934, following the death of John Dillinger. Local police and FBI agents led by Melvin Purvis shot Floyd on Oct. 22, 1934, in a corn field in East Liverpool, Ohio. 

Floyd’s body was embalmed in East Liverpool, Ohio and then sent to Oklahoma, where it was placed on public display in Sallisaw. His funeral was attended by between 20,000 and 40,000 people and remains the largest funeral in Oklahoma history. He was buried in Atkins, Okla.

Without a doubt, Oklahoma has a colorful history.

Take good care of yourself: Make it a point to keep your dentist appointments. Your oral health can have an impact on thigs that are happening on other parts of your body, like your heart and lungs. If you don’t have a dentist, PCHC has a dental clinic in Hooker with Dr. David Jones in place and ready to see you. If the cost of dental health is difficult for your family, they do have a sliding payment scale that you can ask them to tell you more. The PCHC dental office phone number is 580-652-3601.

Made me laugh: “I always advise people never to give advice.” ~P.G. Wodehouse.

See you on the bricks!

There are so many people that seem to just waste oxygen, taking breaths to say things and nobody is listening. Taking up time and oxygen. And then you have those unexpected places where you hear something that just touches your heart and makes you smile.

Recently my daughter and her family took a little vacay to Red River, NM. During that time they rode a ski chair lift (she, her husband, and their two-year-old daughter, Zimmy). The sun was shining, but there were a few drops of rain coming down on them.

“What color is the rain?” Lisa asked her daughter.

“I don’t know,” says Zim. “Maybe it’s sparkle.”

“That is the best!” Lisa tells Zim.

“Yeah, it’s raining on me,” Zim continues to tell. “It’s on my leg. It’s GLITTER!”

 Rain and sun makes sparkle and glitter. So true.Another true thing I recently read, written by Donna Ashworth, says …

“There will always be someone in this life who just doesn’t like you, no matter how hard you try to please them.

“There will always be something that you say, or do, which causes offence or division. Whether you meant to or not.

“There will always be someone who finds fault in you, your life, or your words. You may never find out why, please don’t waste your precious time trying to. You can’t be everyone’s cup of tea.

“Then there will be those who like you on impact. A little fizz of energy that passes between you. Silently, unseen, bonding. Those people will not only like you, but they will like you fiercely. They are your people.

“Whatever spare time you have, spend it on them. You can’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but you can be someone’s first sip of a cold drink on a sunny day… Or a warming hot chocolate when you come in from the rain or the pop of a long -awaited champagne cork or a stiff shot of tequila when things go awry.

“Find your people, love them hard.”

Zimmy, who says rain is the color of sparkle is one of my people.

I hope you have a chance to be with one of your people today.

See you on the bricks.

          Reading the Rotary magazine issue for July 2022, a story about a former International Rotary President really touched my heart.

          The article, entititled “Heart and Soul” says “In 1958, Bhichae Rattakul became a charter member of the Rotary Club of Dhonburi, the second Rotary club of Thailand. He later admitted, that, at first, he was merely ‘a Rotarian on paper, but not a Rotarian in spirit. Rotary was not yet in my heart.’

          “All that changed when, at his club president’s request, he reluctantly agreed to accompany a group of fatherless boys to the beach. One of the children latched on to Rattakul, and when the day ended, both the Rotarian and the boy found it difficult to say goodbye.

          “’Since it was dark outside, no one could see my tears when suddenly he hugged me and whispered, ‘I wish you were my dad,’ Rattakul said when recounting the story years later. ‘All it took was one little boy to awaken the heart of a selfish man. I understood then what it meant to be a Rotarian.’”

          We need to look beyond ourselves. Especially on those days when you feel inclined to hold a pity party for yourself and invite all your friends and everyone else you see. Look pat yourself. See the people who are doing good. Be encouraged by them. Look at those who have it much worse than yourself and rather than waste time and energy feeling sorry for yourself, do something the help them in their pain. Write a card to someone to make them smile. Encourage and support someone. Be a beacon, not one who snuffs the light out.

          It’s not easy, but it’s not hard, either. Work to help at least one person each day and you might find that, in turn, you make your world better, too. Your help can be given from your time or your pocket. Whatever you choose. Whatever is easiest for you. There are several organizations in our community that are working to make this a better place to live and work. If you don’t know how you can help, come by the Main Street Guymon office at 116 NE 5^th Street in Guymon and we can visit.

          Maybe you are needing to get some exercise in and you can combine that with doing some community trash clean-up. That would be awesome. Or maybe you like to cook and would like to help someway while cooking. Maybe you’re feeling a little lonesome … the nursing home residents love to have company. There are ways you can give.

          See you on the bricks!