May 27, 2023 Issue, Page 23 of 32

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lil r Cheyenne Arapaho Plan Mental Health KAYAK & SUP RENTAL Awareness Day 2 —$. sore ACKLEY PARK By Sheryl Ponce owen Soweto ppv ete an acon. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and the Preven- tion Department of the Cheyenne Arapaho Tribes Dept of eb odeenbelas Health have put together a Mental Wellness Day that will © racrrauevent lh ple wd et an done take place on May 31st, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the First © ‘emote eumranmroote SCG Gel prorat © mrmaioa ines. Church of the Nazarene, which is located at 822 W. 6th St. in ree ese nt an cd Reta app Elk City. The event is to bring awareness of the 988 mental — ws + Omi health line, and bring information to the area members of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes. stevie “Our programs are the native tribal response called Na- oct Sota tive Connections and the 988 tribal responses. We partnered ira tera, Syn ttt nes together to come up with a series of outreach events that Baretca atnes feature the mental health services that our community pro- vides. And to do that, we came up with the idea of having Sic SO minutes mental wellness days, which we do every Wednesday around our tribal community. On May 31st, we chose Elk City as a location because it is the furthest point west for our mem- bers,” Zachary Blackowl, Community Outreach Coordinator, By Sheryl Ponce “End Rental’ in the app. explained. ‘The rules that are posted on the locker include not to leave ‘They will be serving lunch and have various agencies and Several months ago the Elk City Commissioners voted to valuables in the locker, a person must be 18-years or older to use information available for all who attend. In addition, there contract with a company to place kayak rentals at Ackley Park. the equipment, there is a maximum of one person in a boat, al- will be raffles and other give aways during the event. ‘There are four now available to rent at the lighthouse pond lo- cohol is strictly prohibited, anda life jacket must always be worn. “We are trying to get the word out about the 988 suicide cated in Ackley Park West. They are in a locked cage and can be Some of the safety tips for usinga kayak include checking the or the mental health line. We are trying to get information accessed through a phone app, either on Google Play or through weather before renting. Check for lightning, rain, or high winds out on mental health services, and we are partnering with the Apple Store. The cost is $9 Per 30 minutes. prior to embarking on an outing. Stay out of the way of other other tribal programs that offer services related to mental ‘The first step is to download the Rent.Fun app and create an boats. Although there are only four available to rent, the pond is health. We actually have a partnership with Red Rock Behav- account. Then scan a QR code that is located on the locked cage. small so take other boaters into consideration. Take a means of ioral Health. ‘They are partnering with us and sending out a Once that is completed guests can inspect the kayak, paddle, and mobile behavioral health specialist that is assisting our men- life jacket for damages, then enjoy a paddle ride. Once the ride is communication, such as a cell phone in a plastic bag, and always completed, return the equipment to the same locker, and select See Kayaks 2. See Mental Health page 2. Newcomer to Elk City Plays Blind State of Oklahoma Woman in ‘Wait Until Dark’ Route 66 Assoc. By Sheryl Ponce ‘The suspense thriller, “Wait Until Dark,” is about a recently Speaks to WOHS blinded housewife who unknowingly has a doll filled with drugs By Sheryl Ponce and was conned into helping a criminal. She launches a counter- attack with the help of a neighbor girl. A newcomer to Elk City, ‘The Western Oklahoma Historical Society held their regu- Sierra Duke, will be playing the blinded Susy in the Red Carpet lar monthly meeting Monday, May 22nd, at 11 a.m., in the Community Theatre’s production of the play. Western Technology Center in Elk City. The meeting was Duke and her husband Alex Duke grew up in western Oklaho- called to order by President Judy Haught, and the invocation ma but moved to Boulder, Colorado during COVID. They recently was given by Doug Haught. The minutes were approved, as returned to the area, in Elk City. They saw the RCCT’s production was the treasurer's report. of “Barefoot in the Park,” and because she has a background in Haught then called for committee reports, beginning theatre, decided to audition for the role. with the Farm and Ranch Committee given by Jim Coffey. He “I grew up doing sports heavily, and due to some health prob- asked for help moving items from the Farm and Ranch Mu- lems, I just stopped doing that in high school. I couldn’t do that seum to be disposed because they are in poor repair. The next anymore, so I started doing theater. This was in Texas (Wichita report was the Blacksmith Shop, but chairman Cory Spieker Falls), and it is competitive. We did one-act plays every year, so I was not present. Randy Haggard said that there was a black- started doing that. A couple years into high school, I started dip- smith meeting there three weeks ago with about seven in at- ping my toes into community theater where I met my husband,” tendance. Duke said. ‘The General Store was the next committee reported on Her first production was “Godspell” and followed by “Fran- by Haggard, who said that the surveillance system was in his kenstein.” Duke graduated from high school and went on to col- truck and would be installed by the city employees. Kenneth lege in Dallas. She trained there and then worked professionally Hart, co-chair of the flea market was present to report that he as an actress for a little less than a year. is having health issues, and he will need to resign from doing “I mostly did theater and commercial stuff that I could get. the flea market. He pointed out that Beverly Jordan has been Sierra Duke See Newcomer page 2. See WOHS page 2. Weather Vol. 120, No. 45 Mail delivery View online AEM, eather 83 / 75 cents, 10 pgs. 580.225.3000 elkcityoknews.com