October 26, 2022 Issue, Page 1 of 8

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=a] Spooky Halloween Tips Inside! | hk ———— Serving Western Oklahoma Wednesday, October 26, 2022 Weekday Editi {en v |,ia4 Elk City Band Tradition Rolls On Pictured are Head Band Director Tim DeWitt with the junior drum majors Gus Ayala. They are with the donation from City Manager Tom Ivestor used this marching season. Staff photo by Sheryl Ponce. By Sheryl Ponce Plumlee Honored at Arrowhead Center For the last 40 years the Elk City Band has received straight ones in the OSSAA Regional Marching Contest. This 41st year they again accomplished the feat, which will set them up to win Sweepstakes in the spring. By Sheryl Ponce getting into fights, and working hard on his ranch. He even talk- “Sweepstakes is a yearlong quest. It is awarded in the spring ed about his principal giving his swats for what he was doing out- after the state concert competition. You must have earned su- Master Sergeant Earl Plumlee appeared at Elk City’s Arrow- side of school on the weekends. Plumlee recognized his father perior in marching band. You have to have a superior in concert and family for giving him a strong military background. head Activity Center on Friday afternoon for a special dedication band and sight-reading performances,” head band director Tim ceremony. He was a Medal of Honor recipient for his heroic ac- “As I grew up and left and kind of was successful in life, I tions on August 28th, 2013, in Ghazni Province in Afghanistan. think [left here and was very successful. Everything I attempted DeWitt said. The 2000 graduate of Merritt High School was also honored at to do, whatever I set my mind to, to be involved in, I always ex- He continued to say that all of the judges were impressed by his alma mater earlier that day. ceeded the standards of whatever unit or tasks that was at hand. their performance, although DeWitt may have seen faults that Arrowhead director Matt Bradshaw welcomed the crowd to the judges did not notice. the center and introduced the Elk City Intermediate School Hon- I say most of the credit for me being able to do that is out here “I told the kids that I will always be their harshest critic. I or Choir who sang “It’s a Grand Ole Flag.” (western Oklahoma), trying to keep me out of trouble working will never let good enough stand as potential. I see lots of po- Then Elk City Mayor Nick Archer also welcomed the guests ona ranch and in the oilfield,” he said. tential that’s just not tapped yet. But I look around the room, and honoree. He introduced Lieutenant Colonel Brian Horvath, Plumlee told the story of the battle that landed him the Med- and they are here on a Friday. It’s after four o'clock and look Oklahoma City Recruiting Battalion Commander, to the podium. al of Honor and the day he talked to the President of the United at my band room. And the practice rooms are full of kids on a “T've been able to spend five days now with Master Sergeant States. He seemed like a regular Merritt kid who went above and Friday afternoon. That's big; it’s a blessing,” he said. Earl Plumlee, getting to know him, getting to hear the story, and beyond in one extra ordinary battle to save others. His story was DeWitt is trying to grow an All-State culture where the kids getting to ask silly questions. But what’s been awesome about full of humor anda little sarcasm as he described being left with are driven to succeed. He said that they usually cater to the this week, I think, is coming home and getting a chance to see two bullets among the enemy's advances. middle ground, but he and his team of directors want the kids this community and the people that are here. It starts to make The local hero made his story of being wounded and watch- to strive for the gold. the story of who Earl totally turned into make a bunch more ing others fall to their enemy's efforts seem like what he did was “T really have tried to make a push to feed that top 20 per- sense. As we look at this show, as we think about the future, as not heroic at all. He was humble in his talk and described the cent of the band students, and I’mseeing that start to take hold. we do the things that we do, I challenge you to always enjoy the journey. Have a sense of gratitude for who is around you, and events as a soldier who was eager to take the enemy out. Plumlee More students are picking up lessons, and I have high school seemed to leave the audience a strong sense of pride for their kids that are picking up lessons with our younger kids. We are what has bound you, no matter where you go in the world, and hometown hero who left everything on that battle ground, de- no matter what you accomplish. Always remember that there is fending itlike it was his own backyard. trying to go all the way through the cycle,” DeWitt explained. someone at home that will welcome you back and enjoy seeing Making the Honor Band is a reward, but he wants the re- After his talk, Bradshaw asked him some more personal ques- ward to be enjoying the music. It is a gift and a skill set that he you,” Horvath said as he welcomed Plumlee to speak. tions about what advise he would give young people. Plumlee’s Plumlee talked about growing up in western Oklahoma and answer was to see the world. says everybody can do. attending high school at Merritt. He admitted to being ADHD, “It’s a beautiful thing, It really is that these kids are starting See Plumlee page 2. to want to do more. They want to get better; they want to be competitive. There are a lot of good things happening that are competitive within the group,” he said. At the high school level, they are working toward the next. competition. In talking about marching band, DeWitt said that there is a lot to think about while on the field. Some kids play well, but their feet don’t work as well, while others are good at marching and don't play as well. “Ultimately, the kids who really starts to play well in march- ing season are the kids who really enjoy it. We work at it every single day. There wasn’t a rehearsal this season that we didn’t step forward. We didn’t have any rehearsals where we stepped backwards. We were improving on everything,” he added. In teaching the students a new marching piece, DeWitt said that they break it down to movement in 16 counts or corre- spond with four measures. They would go over those four mea- sures again and again. “Let's play it again. Play it again. Now, close your eyes, play By Sheryl Ponce first of the year. City Manager, ent is that I think we can prep it again. Okay, that’s the music you're going to play while we Tom Ivester told the City Com- a lot the day of, and not feel move from here to here. Okay, now let's get the next real chart. ‘The longer the Arrowhead missioners in their last meet- the burden to make to-go-or- And we go four measures at a time, sometimes two measures at Center has been open the more der items. I think it will be a ing that he will return with a a time. That’s how we piece together a seven-minute show is 16 people have made their way price schedule to be approved strength because then it’s not Matt Bradshaw counts at a time,” he said. into the 56,000 square foot before the first of the year. the long lines. What 1 don’t ‘They are currently looking at the music for next year, put- facility. Director of the activi- Bradshaw said they are also want is my team thinking they plained. ting together ideas as a team. ty center, Matt Bradshaw, has working on putting together have to make sandwiches that ‘They will have the smooth- “I think everything factors in to choosing the concept. There been busy working out the a food menu. They were able are ordered. We can make sal- ie machine and a few specialty is stuff we really like, but it's beneath what they can do. There is kinks, putting together a staff, to purchase equipment from ads. I don’t want a line of 30 coffees, but not more than four the new stuff that we really, really, really like, and we don’t have and managing tours. The cen- Major Bean and are looking at people waiting for coffee here. or five. He sees their strength all the horses to pull that off. So we have to find just the right ter is located just west of Ack- what to have available for the ‘That's not what we are doing. being in convenience. Once fit with what we’re expecting to have the next year. Who are our ley Park and is now open from public. If we can think ahead, make they set the hours the snack strongest players, and who are our weakest players? We've got 7am. to7 p.m. “We are thinking it should sandwiches and keep them bar will be open, he will have ‘The cost to enter isfreeand be fresh grab and go. Where warm to expedite the service, the health inspectors come in See Band page 2. will remain that way until the I’m trying to be a little differ- _ it will be better,” Bradshaw ex- See Arrowhead page 2. View online UHH er Weather 70 / 46 Vol. 120, No. 84 75 cents, 8 pgs. Mail delivery 580.225.3000 elkcityoknews.com