Christmas in July is just around the corner

26^th Annual FOSS LAKE CHRISTMAS IN JULY Festival

A SALUTE TO VETERANS AND CURRENT MILITARY

The following announcement was provided by Neva Pyatt

It is time to mark your calendars for the 26^th Annual Foss Lake Christmas in July Festival, July 8^th and 9^th, 2016.  This event is planned for the entire family!  Friday, July 9th all the vendors will be in place by 1:00 with the opening ceremony at 6pm at the Main Stage, north of the Marina on Cedar Point, where our Veterans and current Military will be honored. The Altus AFB Honor Guards will present the colors. The Cheyenne Community Choir, directed by Casey King, will present a medley of patriotic music.

This year there will be a Bike Show following the Veterans program, where Foss Lake Association will match the proceeds from the entry fees and that will go to the VA Center in Clinton.   Come and show your support and appreciation for the men and women who have given their time and service to provide a free country in which we can reside!

This year we have a very special ceremony on Friday evening at 7:30 where the Boy Scouts, Western Plains District, will have a “Flag Retiring Ceremony”.  That ceremony will take place on Cedar Point, north of the Marina. If you have a flag you want to retire contact Bryce Murphy at 580-774-8480.

Next up, J W Lane and County Road X will be bringing a free concert on the Main stage from 8-11pm.  Bring a lawn chair or a blanket and enjoy the music and the evening. Friday will also be a good time to go thru the vendors who will have jewelry, t-shirts, crafts and of course, great food. And, the kids always love the rides offered by the carnival including a zip-line and a slip and slide.  These vendors are going to set up Friday and stay until late Saturday night, so come out and see all the fun things that they have to offer.

Another new event this year is the “Dam Color Run 2016”  starting at 7:00 at the Foss State Park office.  The run is organized by the non-profit group “Project Snip and Stitch” with the proceeds benefitting Project Snip and Stitch and the Foss Lake Association. For additional information go to their Facebook page or register for the run at active.com.   Project Snip and Stitch is a low-cost spay/neuter clinic in Western Oklahoma. Call them at 580-323-0752 for more information.

Registration begins at 9:00 Saturday morning at the Foss State Park Office for a poker run which will benefit the Veterans Center in Clinton.  Register for $20. High hand will receive at least $500. Last bike out is at 10:00 and last bike is in at 2:00. Gardner Guns donated a pistol to help raise additional funds for the Veterans.  Tickets will be $10.   Contact Cindy Hunnicutt at 580-445-4450 or Willaim Morrison at 580-821-0990. 

The Foss Lake Little King and Queen Pageant will is at 10:30 in the Main Stage area,.  Entry forms are available at Broadway Babies, Stage and Carousel Connection in Elk City, the Pink Zebra in Clinton, B & K Bait House and the Park office at Foss Lake.  Come and cheer for these little ones as they take the stage.

The Gospel Music Jamboree will be in the Main stage area at 6 pm, Saturday, featuring April and Zach Gaddis from Weatherford.  They will sharing from their new album, “From A to Z” . 

The 9 hole Disc Golf Course will be open the entire weekend and is a great way for the family to have fun. The festival will close with a spectacular fireworks display at dusk Saturday night wrapping up the 26^th Annual Christmas in July Festival.

This event is sponsored by many area companies and businesses each year and organized by dedicated volunteers. Please support our sponsors when you have the opportunity and thank the volunteers who come and help. If you would like to help please contact Neva at 580-497-6217, Joe at 580-497-6130 or Eric at B & K Bait House – 580-592-4518.  

Foss Lake Association contributes to many projects around the lake.  One of the ways the Association helped was with the purchase of a Side-scan sonar for Foss Lake. This piece of equipment helped solve two 40 year old disappearance cases. Your donation at the entrance to the festival is greatly appreciated and will go towards other projects around the lake and camp grounds.

The water levels are up and every doc is open, so, bring your boat, camper, tent, family and friends to the 26^th Annual Foss Lake Christmas in July Festival, July 8^th and 9th.  This promises to be a fun-filled weekend with events for everyone to enjoy. You can now reserve camping spots at Foss State Park by going to gocampok.com.  Reservations must be made 5 days in advance.  Foss Lake is located between Elk City and Clinton, North of Foss Oklahoma.  Take I-40 to exit 53, go north on Hwy. 44 about 6 ½ miles to highway 73 west.  Go a few 100 yards west and on the right you will see the Foss Lake sign.  Follow the signs toward the Marina.

See you at Foss Lake July 9^th and 10^th.

Crazy for Color Fun Run is tomorrow morning

Crazy for Color has come to Burns Flat America!

That sounds great, but I have no idea what it is.  It is a 5K (3.1 mile) fun run that kicks off at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow.  The registration and check-in begin at 9:00 a.m at the city pool which is located at 102 Sooner Drive in Burns Flat, Oklahoma.

So what’s the Crazy for Color part?

Throughout the course, race participants will experience color splash zones.  Yes, people will be splashing color on you.  You might want to wear glasses and something white.

Runners and walkers of all ages are welcome.  Yes, you can bring your stroller, and yes the color is nontoxic and will wash off.

Now here is the big question:  Why?  

Why would anyone hold a crazy run like this?

It is to raise money for the Parks and Recreation Committee for future improvements to our community.  If you haven’t noticed, baseball fields have been improved and the town has a new skate park.  The Parks and Recreation folks have ignited the pride in long-term members of our community and want to make Burns Flat a great place to live and raise a family.

This Crazy for Color 5K run is a fun way to raise some money.  Entry fee is $25 and may be paid at the town hall or at registration.

Crazy for Color

5K Fun Run

Burns Flat City Pool

Saturday - 18 June 2016

9:00 a.m. – Registration

10:00 a.m. – Race Starts

Entry Fee - $25

Come and have some fun for a very good cause!

Pool News for adults

Do you wish that you could have a little time at the pool but don't want to be in the middle of 200 screaming and splashing kids? 

Would you like to get in a little exercise?

There are two options available at the Burns Flat Pool.  Check with the pool for prices and packages but you will find them quite reasonable.

Check out these adult-only activities for the summer.

Adult Only Swim (18+) – Tuesdays and Thursdays 6:30-8:00 p.m.

Water Walking/Lap Swimming (18+) – Tuesday through Saturday 8:00 a.m. through 11:00 a.m.

Big Yard Sale for a Great Cause begins Thursday

The town-wide yard sale does not officially begin until this Saturday, but nobody told the Cumberland Presbyterian youth that.  They are holding a yard sale at 323 Suwannee in Burns Flat beginning this Thursday and continuing through Saturday. 

Why a 3-day sale?

The answer is because they have too much to sell in one day.

Why should I go to this yard sale?

The answer is that these sales help send elementary youth to church camp this July.  Camp is a place where many transformations take place but it costs $300 per child to go to camp.  It is expensive but well worth it.

So what are those who can’t afford it to do?  Raise money!  Selling hotdogs at Atwoods, silent auctions, and yes—a 3-day yard sale helps these youth earn their way to camp.

These youth belong to the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Burns Flat, Oklahoma.  You may have seen them handing out Gospels of John or blue wrist-bands that say:  God loves you – Love one another.  This week they need a little boost to get them to camp.

Donations are being accepted now.  The sale begins on Thursday morning at 8:00 a.m.  Donate something that you don’t need anymore.  Buy something that you can’t live without.  Send a kid to camp!

Yard Sale

Thursday, Friday, & Saturday

9-11 June 2016

323 Suwannee

Burns Flat, Oklahoma 73624

Chewy Tuesdays is Underway!

Chewy Tuesdays kicked off its 6^th summer season today—Tuesday, 7 June 2016.  What is Chewy Tuesdays?

It is a ministry of the Burns Flat Cumberland Presbyterian Church conducted on every Tuesday in June and July to feed children in Burns Flat.  This year the ministry has expanded to include Dill City.  It is more than a food ministry.  It is a chance to tell children that God loves them.  Children do not heart that simple message enough.

Among the kid-friendly lunch fare are hot dogs, ham and cheese sandwiches, and the long time favorite—peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  There are some simple sides to go with this meal delivered in a decorated paper bag but among them the most valued is fresh fruit.

Fruit is something that many children simple do not get in the course of the summer.  Prices have precluded many families from purchasing grapes and bananas and even apples.  Regardless of the main course, each meal always includes fruit.

Ministry members have been contacting families that they know have children that might enjoy the Tuesday lunch but so many just don’t know about Chewy Tuesdays.   The only requirement to receive the meals is that the parents contact the church or the ministry leader, Don Foust and report any food allergies for any of the children receiving meals.  It’s just that simple.  Income level does not matter.  Every child needs to be told that God loves them, so it is important that the children are present to receive the meals. 

Ministry members also appreciate a phone call if the children will be out of town on any given Tuesday.  If you would like your children to receive these meals and this wonderful reminder of God’s love, please contact Don Foust:  (580) 660-6666.  If you would like to help support this ministry, you may contact Don or the church at (580) 562-4706.  If you can’t participate directly but would like to donate, please make your check out to CPC and put Chewy Tuesdays in the “for” line. 

The  Cumberland Presbyterian Church is located at 205 State Highway 44 in Burns Flat, Oklahoma.  The mailing address is PO Box 8, Burns Flat, Oklahoma 73624.  The church motto is God’s Love in Action!

Back to Beyond the Pallet--Tom is signing books again!

He’s back!

What?  Who is back???

Western Oklahoma author Tom Spence, will be selling and signing his books at Beyond the Pallet  in  Elk City, Oklahoma on Saturday, 23 April 2016 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.  Tom signed books here once before just as the new business opened.  He’s back signing books and enjoying the pleasant atmosphere and wonderful fare of this revitalized establishment.  Beyond the Pallet is located at 103 South Main Street in Elk City. 

Tom will have a variety of books published by Tate Publishing.  Two of the most hard-hitting books, especially for those in western Oklahoma, are Throw Away Kids and PoMo Poverty.  In these companion selections, Tom goes beyond identifying society’s problems; he brings us to solutions that don’t wait on the government to fix or ignore the problems.

Since Tom was last at Beyond the Pallet, he has published two books/scripts with fast moving dialogue where people actually talk about important things.  Defense mechanisms get turned off and people really talk.  The first involves two women trapped in an elevator and is titled Going Up.  The second book involves two men who meet weekly and is based entirely in conversation.  The title is simply, The Conversation.

Tom is an ordained minister in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the pastor of the congregation in Burns Flat, Oklahoma. 

As a pastor, he returned this past summer from his second trip to Africa to train pastors and church leaders in Kenya and Uganda.  He has served as moderator of the Red River Presbytery but perhaps is best known as the guy who gives out wristbands that read:  GOD LOVES YOU – LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

He is a retired U.S. Marine Corps officer that served in all four Marine Divisions, including a tour training reservists.  He has served in Iraq and Kuwait, Japan, aboard Marine bases on the east and west coasts of the United States, and has a substantial amount of service afloat.  His final tour was as a program manager in charge of maintenance and modifications of Marine Corps ground training systems and simulators around the globe.

Tom served as both student and instructor at the Marine Corps Base, Quantico, Virginia—the Crossroads of the Corps, and proudly boasts that he successfully avoided a tour in the Pentagon for his entire career.  Tom wrote two books specifically about the Marine Corps.  The first was a first person collection of observations and anecdotes titled Sea Stories.  The other was Christianity for Marines.

Please join Tom on 23 April 2016, buy a few books, and get a cup of coffee  or something delicious at Beyond the Pallet, and enjoy a Saturday afternoon in this fine establishment.

Book Signing by Tom Spence

Beyond the Pallet

 103 S. Main Street, Elk City

2:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Book Signing set for 23 April at Beyond the Pallet

Western Oklahoma author Tom Spence, will be selling and signing his books at Beyond the Pallet in  Elk City Oklahoma on Saturday, 23 April 2016 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.  Beyond the Pallet is located at 103 South Main. 

Tom will have a variety of books published by Tate Publishing.  Two of the most hard-hitting books, especially for those in western Oklahoma,  are Throw Away Kids and PoMo Poverty.  In these companion selections, Tom goes beyond identifying society’s problems; he brings us to solutions that don’t wait on the government to fix or ignore the problems.

Tom is an ordained minister in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the pastor of the congregation in Burns Flat, Oklahoma. 

As a pastor, he returned this past summer from his second trip to Africa to train pastors and church leaders in Kenya and Uganda.  He has served as moderator of the Red River Presbytery but perhaps is best known as the guy who gives out wristbands that read:  GOD LOVES YOU – LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

He is a retired U.S. Marine Corps officer that served in all four Marine Divisions, including a tour training reservists.  He has served in Iraq and Kuwait, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, aboard Marine bases on the east and west coasts of the United States, and has a substantial amount of service afloat.  His final tour was as a program manager in charge of maintenance and modifications of Marine Corps ground training systems and simulators around the globe.

Tom served as both student and instructor at the Marine Corps Base, Quantico, Virginia—the Crossroads of the Corps, and proudly boasts that he successfully avoided a tour in the Pentagon for his entire career.  Tom wrote two books specifically about the Marine Corps.  The first was a first person collection of observations and anecdotes titled Sea Stories.  The other was Christianity for Marines.

Tom will also have with him, two unique books with fast moving dialogue where two men—The Conversation—and two women—Going Up—drop their defense mechanisms and actually talk about important things.

Please join Tom on Saturday 23 April 2016, buy a few books, and get a cup of coffee  or something to eat at the District House in this wonderful area just made for people who like to enjoy a Saturday afternoon.

Book Signing by Tom Spence

Beyond the Pallet

 103 S. Main, Elk City, Oklahoma

23 April 2016

2:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Just over a week ago, 9 ladies from Tom's high school class surprised him at a book signing in downtown Oklahoma City.

Tom was ordained as a Cumberland Presbyterian minister in 2010.

Tom in Kuwait City with the United Nations after Desert Storm.