November 27, 2021 Issue, Page 1 of 10

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Serving Western Oklahoma Since 1901 Saturday, November 27, 2021 Weekend Edition Christmas Basket Donations needed The Elk City Christmas Basket, sponsored by the Elk City Ministerial Alliance has begun it’s Christmas Basket fund raising drive for the 2021 Christmas season. This program was begun in the > NEW! & wt eee cass eto mid 1930's during the Great ys Depression by Paul Wade the late editor of the Elk City Above, pre- Daily News and continued by packaged meals his son, the late Larry Wade. for families in It has continued to provide need. Far left, food items for approximately Joanna Wood 85 years to people in need at Christmas time. This is pos- and a Oklahoma sible thanks to the generosity Regional Food of individuals in the Elk City Bank driver. Left, area. Help, Inc., Board Each year approximately President Eleisa $14,000 is needed to provide Church helps un- baskets for 300 to 350 fami- load food. Courtesy lies in the area. Due to a lack received yet. We have also re- photos. of sufficient funds over the ceived a large donation from past few years, the reserve an anonymous donor which is Help, Inc., reminds citizens that food resources have dwindled to a point that the program is in danger of not being as robust not matching, and the amount will be posted at a later date with other donations given by supplements are available for those in need as it has in previous years. ‘Through a matching donation fund, which matches dona- individuals. We also gladly accept do- nations from businesses and Charity group seeks new executive director tions given through churches by the end of November, do- nations have been received organizations that wish to sup- port this worthwhile endeavor. Donations may be dropped By Shonda Little the 1990s. for $1600 which with a match off at the Elk City Chamber of For the last decade, Anthes has been a regular volunteer at Elk of $1600 makes $3200. How- Commerce in the old First As the holiday season and cold winter months approach, City’s Help, Inc. Immediately, she believed in the mission of help- ever, many churches have See Basket page 2. Help, Inc., board member and volunteer Cheerie Anthes says that ing Beckham County's food insecure residents. not reported on their funds the organization knows that local families are falling upon hard “Help was in the old building in those days,” Anthes recount- times. “A lot of people think if they are getting help from another food pantry or are getting food stamps that they cannot get food ed. “Now we are in the old National Guard Armory. Our address is 609 West Avenue E.” ‘Through her long years of service, Anthes has witnessed the PSO presents numbers of monthly recipients rise and fall. However, since the rebate checks to from us,” Anthes said. “That is not the case. Because we do not provide a full 30 days of food, our clients should get that help Covid-19 pandemic, the oilfield slowdown, and now inflation from somewhere else if they qualify. Help is in our name, and it is struck the local economy, she says they have seen a spike in citi- why every volunteer, board member, and donor is involved in this zens that Help, Inc., services. work. We do not want you to go without food.” “Our numbers are inclining again,” Anthes explained. “Before Anthes, a Texas native, lived an adventurous life with her the pandemic, we had been servicing about 350 families a month. The City ofElk City family through her husband's oilfield career. At one point, they It hit, and we shot up to about 500 families, sometimes more. even lived in South America. None of the places they called home ‘Then the unemployment payments started, and we saw our beckoned their hearts quite like Elk City when they relocated in See Help page 2. "Celebrate the hunt, hang your trophies on the wall and let the meat fill your freezer." Moran Taxidermy is open for business during hectic hunting season ‘The son of Richard and Marisa Moran, Kasen graduated from Elk City High School in 2020. His father currently serves as the Elk City Intermediate School principal. For as long as he can remember, Kasen has been a hunter. The Jove of the sport is interwoven into his fondest childhood memo- Mike Hixson presents two checks to Mayor Nick Archer. ries. Staff photo by D’Ann Brasuell. “Well, ma’am, hunting is something that my grandpa taught my On Friday Mike Hixson with the Public Service Company of dad to love. They both then carried that on to me. I did my hunt- Oklahoma (PSO) presented Mayor Nick Archer with two re- er’s safety course when I was five years old. When I say that I have bate checks for upgrading lighting at the Elk City Carnegie been hunting for my whole life, mean almost my whole life, it’s Library, located at 221 W. Broadway and at the Elk City Civic my very favorite thing to do,” Kasen explained. Center located at 1016 Airport Industrial. Within the Moran family, education is as high of a priority as. ‘The City of Elk City receiveda $926.00 rebate check for the li- hunting. Kasen is currently enrolled at Southwestern Oklahoma brary upgrades and a $1,110.00 rebate check for the upgrades. State University in Weatherford, majoring in agriculture educa- made at the Civic Center. tion. PSO offers a variety of additional energy efficiency rebates for When asked what he plans to do with that degree, he joked, residential and business customers. Business: “Honestly, ma’am, I would like to be a taxidermist. That's what I Energy Efficiency Rebates: take advantage of rebates for rou- plan to do with my agriculture degree,” he explained. tine upgrades such as lighting, HVAC, commercial kitchen Although he had already been around hunting for most of his life, equipment and other site-specific custom measures. Kasen still attended the Adventure Bound School of Taxidermy Peak Performers: Get rewarded for reducing electricity use Hunting is Kasen Moran’s favorite hobby outside of in Okay, Oklahoma, in the summer of 2020. during times of high demand. “It is a 13 day, one-on-one class. The course I took focused on Residential: taxidermy. Courtesy photo. whitetail deer, but you can pretty well do other animals like an- Multiple Upgrades: Perform three efficiency upgrades and earn telope, elk, and mule deer from that. It was a great experience,” up to $5,000. By Shonda Little Single Upgrade: Perform home improvements one at a time to Kasen recalled. In Elk City, the Moran last name is well known. earn rebates. Hailing from a long-time family clan of teachers, 19-year-old After completing the course, the specialized instructor sent him home with the needed tools for taxidermy and deer processing. New Homes: Energy efficiency rebates for new home construc- Kasen Moran is making his own mark as a taxidermist and game tion. processor. See Taxidermy page 2. You can visit PowerForwardWithPSO.com to learn more. Weather Vol. 119, No. 95 Mail delivery View online TN. scenorrew 63/40 75 cents, 10 pgs. 580.225.3000 elkcityoknews.com