Would you help if it cost you absolutely nothing?

Would you give us the rest of the year?

What?

Would you give us the rest of the year as your Amazon.com designated charity?  It doesn’t cost you anything extra.  A small percentage of your purchase goes to the charity that you select when you are a part of Amazon Smile.

Your purchase price does not go up.  Amazon just donates a little to the Western Oklahoma Family Care Center when you take a few moments to select us.  It may be just a little but if we can get everyone that we know who uses Amazon and knows our good works to select us, then it will add up to something that will produce good fruit for this wonderful ministry of mercy as we help those who need help the most.

Follow this link and help us help others at no cost to you.  If you don’t think you are helping anyone, then change to another organization in a few months.  I am certain that you will like what we are doing and want to continue.  Again, I remind you, this doesn’t cost you anything but it helps us help those in need.

If you think that this might just be the greatest thing since sliced bread or the latest smart phone model, then share it with everyone.  We can make a big difference with many very small contributions.

https://smile.amazon.com/ch/26-1284785

Calling all volunteers this Saturday!

Looking for a short term volunteer opportunity?  We need labor, muscle, smarts, tools, and great attitudes to converge at Christi’s at 10 am this Saturday.  You heard that we were fixing some things.  We need to move furniture and merchandise, do some painting, and a few things that we don’t even know need done until we get started.

We need volunteers who can move things large and small, disassemble, clean, paint, take out trash, put down drop cloths or just pitch in where needed.  We need people with tools or people without tools who can do some grunt work.  We are calling for volunteers.

If you have wanted to be a part of this wonderful ministry, now is the time to gather with board members and volunteers and help us move towards our grand reopening at Christi’s.

10 am

Saturday, 8 October 2016

Christi’s Bazaar

110 S. Main Street

Elk City, Oklahoma

If you can’t make it exactly at 10, stop by as soon as you can.  Having a second and third wave of help would be fantastic.

Election officials warn of e-mail phishing scam

Leah Jones of the Washita County Election Board released the following advisory concerning phishing scams associated with local election board look alike emails.

Election officials warn of e-mail phishing scam

 

(Oklahoma City) – Oklahoma State Election Board officials are warning voters to be cautious after multiple Oklahomans reported receiving phishing e-mails designed to look like communications from state or county election boards.

 

The e-mails indicate the recipient’s voter information has been changed or is in need of verification and contain a link to a malicious website.

 

Do not open links from any e-mail sent unsolicited from someone claiming to be an election official. All communications regarding changes in voter information or the need to verify registration information are sent by U.S. mail and not through e-mail.

 

People can verify their registration information, access other important information and contact the Oklahoma State Election Board at http://elections.ok.gov. The election board responds to e-mails sent through a web form on its website. Those responses will always be from someone with an elections.ok.gov e-mail address and will not be sent unless you have provided your e-mail in an effort to contact the agency.

 

Military and overseas voters may receive e-mail from a no-reply address ending in okelections.us, however all replies are sent directly to the appropriate county election board’s e-mail address.

 

Voters who are unsure of the authenticity of an e-mail claiming to be from the Oklahoma State Election Board or their county election board should contact the state election board at (405) 521-2391 to verify whether the communication is legitimate.

 

Those who receive phishing e-mails should report them to the Federal Trade Commission at spam@uce.gov and/or the Anti-Phishing Working Group at reportphishing@antiphishing.org.

Backpack Ministry Helps 101 Local Children

The generosity of the Burns Flat-Dill City community reached 101 children this year with a full complement of school supplies.  This Monday, the Cumberland Presbyterian Church gave out 98 backpacks to children of families that needed a little extra help this year.  Another 3 were helped the next day.  If annual patterns hold true, a few more will come seeking assistance over the next two weeks.

How does this all come together?  First the Cumberland Presbyterian Church budgets $1000, then the Vacation Bible School dedicates its offering to the Backpack Ministry, and then local businesses and individuals are led to add to that amount.  In the end, every child that came for supplies was given a new backpack and a grade specific bag—and sometimes tub—full of supplies.

While the economy may still be a little rocky in these parts, generosity still prevails among those who remain.  The Burns Flat Cumberland Presbyterian Church wishes to thank all donors and helpers.  We have once again been blessed to be a blessing!



... A little post script.  As of 15 August 2016, the number of children helped was 105.

Welcome to the Burns Flat News

This is the Burns Flat News.  That's right, the metropolis of Burns Flat, Oklahoma has its own newspaper.  You might say that it is a periodical as it is published periodically.



It is mostly for keeping up with what is about to happen in the small community but occasionally, it also offers a venue for events past.  Check it out.  Subscribe or follow or set the feed for your site to receive these occasional articles.


Is it all the news that's fit to print?  No, but all that is printed is fit to read.

Backpack Ministry kicks off in Burns Flat – Dill City

For the past decade, the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Burns Flat, Oklahoma has helped needy children with school supplies.  The church consistently helps between 75 and 100 children.

This year, the church plans once again to help all of the local elementary children who need supplies but can’t afford them.

Concurrently, the church is asking the community to respond to this need with money, supplies, and other gifts-in-kind.

The Cumberland Presbyterian Church offerings taken up at Vacation Bible School were dedicated to purchasing school supplies.  If historical trends continue, several individuals in the community will find Pastor Tom sometime over the next two weeks and give him a donation for this much-needed ministry.

The Cumberland Presbyterian Church will also take up special offerings over the next two weeks to support this ministry.  Historically, it costs about $50 to outfit a child with supplies.  That means that the need is $5,000.

Registration to receive supplies will be held from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday 3 August 2016.  Dates and times for issue will be provided at that time.

Parents must come in person to register.  There are no “qualifying conditions” to receive supplies for households with children enrolled in the Burns Flat – Dill City School System.  All are reminded that these are not “free supplies” available for the taking, but supplies for those who need them and cannot afford them.  Parents are asked not to register for supplies just because there is no charge, but to assist the ministry in stretching the supplies and funds available to those who need them most.

Groups and individuals desiring to donate to this local ministry may stop by the Cumberland Presbyterian Church or mail checks to CPC, Box 8, Burns Flat, OK 73624.  Please note “Backpack Ministry” in the for line of the check.

The church is located at 205 State Highway 44 in Burns Flat.  That is immediately north and east of the town’s only traffic light.

Frequently Needed Supplies

Crayons (both 48 and 24 count)

Colored pencils

Large bottle of Elmer’s Glue

Jumbo Glue Sticks

Markers

Pencils (#2) Box

Pencils (#2) Box of pre-sharpened

Washable Classic Colors Markers (Box)

Water colors

Disinfecting wipes

Blunt tip scissors

Fiskar sharp-pointed scissors

Kindermat

Pyatt updates community on the Projects of the Foss Lake Association

In addition to announcing this year's Christmas in July, Neva Pyatt also provided an update on what the Foss Lake Association has been doing and plans to do.  Her update follows:

Annual Events

Organize and manage the Christmas in July Festival each year, which honors our Veterans and Military and Provide a huge fireworks display * Participate in the Annual Easter Egg Hunt at the Lake by furnishing money for the prize eggs.

This Year

Provided feed for the Buffalo * Paid for material to extend boat ramps during drout *

Paid for a track hoe to clean up the silt around the boat ramps

Previous and Ongoing Projects

Monetary support for the Veteran’s Center Comfort room in Clinton * Helped purchase of a Sonar GPS 360 degree depth finder, which solved a 40 year mystery involving 2 cars and several missing people. It is capable of locating victims in the event of an accident on the water * Support the Boy Scouts life vest lending program and added one on the north side * Planted willow trees around the lake to prevent erosion on the banks * Placed approximately 700 cedar trees in the lake for fish habitat * Worked with game department to restock the fish in the lake * Helped with planting of aquatic vegetation in the lake for fish habitat * Improved and expanded boat trailer parking at Sandy Beach * Furnished help and paid a percentage on the new main dock * Worked with Foss State Park and others in getting storm sirens at the lake * Helped with two new docks for Foss Lake * Stripped the lanes at the Marina boat ramp * Paid for feed for the buffalo * Bought hand held radios for the F.L.A.P. workers

New Projects in Planning Stage

Lake side I.D. emergency and cove I.D. signage with solar strobe lights

New Playground Equipment * Tornado Shelter * Additional RV hook-ups & better electrical services * Continued improvement & monitoring of docking facilities