Archived News 2012

December 21, 2012 - NEW YEARS EVE EVENT AT THE SENIOR CENTER

The Monday pot-luck on the 31st of December will become a celebration of the dawning new year. Eva Williams announced Friday that, while there will be no scheduled events on Monday's Christmas Eve at the Senior Center, the follow week's Monday pot-luck will take place. Occurring on December 31st, the pot-luck becomes a New Year's Eve party. The published calendar, declaring No Scheduled Events has been revised and members with email addresses have been notified. Eva said that she hopes everyone who gets word of the change will pass the information on to others who do not get the email note. She said the evening follows the schedule of the usual Monday night, starting at 5 pm and eating at 6 pm with games, visiting, and watching New Years events of TV from the Middle-East and Europe. Attendees should bring the usual side dishes and desserts. Emphisis will be on those foods traditionally consumed on New Year's Day.

December 18, 2012 - A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL AT CHRISTMAS PARTY

With Christmas carols setting the mood for the night, thirty-seven seniors participated in a joyful and fun evening at the senior center. Meeting together at 5 pm, they brought $5.00 gifts and Christmas foods. While most of those attending were enjoying their delicious pot-luck snacks, Ray Koehn sang Christmas carols with some seniors joining in, following the lyrics on two large-screen television sets. After eating and singing, the seniors enjoyed a fun Dirty Santa distribution of gifts. The Dirty Santa procedures allow participants to select previously distributed gifts from their current recipients rather than taking a chance on an wrapped, unknown gift. While every senior did not get exactly the gift they wanted, a good many did.

December 14, 2012 - LINE-DANCE LESSONS AT FRIDAY DANCE TO END

Cheryl-Ann Foley and Rick Cliburn announced at the beginning of the Friday Dance that, with tonight's class, they are suspending their line-dance lessons. "it has been quite hectic for Rick and me to get off work, sometime well after 5, and make it to our houses, change clothes, and get our things together for the lesson." Cheryl-Ann told Tom Spears. "We have enjoyed being able to offer our time since July, hoping that the line dancing would either bring in lots of new people to enjoy the Old Country band or at least to get some of the regulars to join in the activity. That hasn't happened." The couple are starting new classes at the Great Plains Technical Center and at Cameron University, obligating a lot of their time. She added, "We will still come out to dance. We love the band." The Old Country band is taking the last two weeks of the year off and will return to the Legion Building on the first Friday of January, 2013. Rick Hill, leader of the band, invited everyone to their performance at the Duncan Senior Citizens Center on New Year's Eve.

November 26, 2012 - CHRISTMAS PARTY ANNOUNCED

As the members enjoyed the evening's pot-luck supper last evening, Eva Williams announced the date for the annual Christmas Party, Monday, December 17. Taking the place of the regular Monday night pot luck, the food to be brought by members will be Christmas-type foods: hors d'oervres, desserts, dips and chips, and things. The regular meeting time will be observed. In addition to the regular dominoes and table games, Ray Koehn will lead revelers in carols. After singing a Dirty Santa gift exchange will take place. Eva asked that those in attendance call others who might be interested in coming to the party.

November 12, 2012 - DIRECTOR OF ASCOG/AAA DETAILS FUTURE

Ken Jones, Director of ASCOG's Area Agency on Aging, briefed member of the center today, about the future of seniors' programs in Comanche Country and the eight county area that ASCOG serves. "Federal money is tight this year and in the foreseeable future." Ken announced. "While the state funding is steady, right now, the places where state monies are needed are increasing, resulting in less funds being available for current needs of each site." He continued, "With sites like the Apache Nutrition Site and other senior centers becoming independent of their county nutrition programs and taking on their own nutrition programs, our CENA funds must be redirected to support those initiatives." The result is that the Wichita Mountains Area Senior Center and other centers that have been independent will see less money available for their annual grants. The lack of ASCOG/AAA funding will require the center to generate funds to support its ongoing programs or cut back on the programs and services the center offers its members. At the conclusion of his formal remarks, Ken said that volunteers are being sought to fill two missions of his organization: people for the seniors' Ombudsman's Program, and and folks to provide health insurance counseling to seniors. People wanting more information and members who want to discuss senior support, programs, and agencies can contact him at 580-252-0595.

November 12, 2012 - THANKSGIVING POTLUCK SUPPER, MONDAY, NOV 12

The annual Thanksgiving potluck supper is scheduled for tonight, Monday, November 12, announced center president, Eva Williams. "The meal will include the traditional Turkey and dressing, ham, yam, and all the fixings." She said, describing what member volunteers indicated they would be bringing to the feast. "We are unsure how many people will attend the pot luch this evening, but usually the word about special meals gets around and a good many folks show up." Eva continued. "Leftovers from the meal are normally abundant, though, so we intend to carefully preserve everything and offer the same meal at the AAA Disability and Aging briefing that Ken Jones is presenting tomorrow." All seniors and their guests are invited to the pot-luck supper and to Tuesday's briefing.

November 7, 2012 - ASCOG AAA DISABILITY AND AGING PRESENTATION

The Future of Disability and Aging will be the topic of a presentation by Ken Jones, the Director of the ASCOG Area Agency on Aging, on Tuesday, November 13. While the topic sounds like Ken will predict how old one will soon be and the state of your infirmities when and if one reaches that age, that is not the case. The subject of his talk, which starts at 11 am, centers on the ASCOG AAA programs, services and facilities now and to be available for seniors in this area, the effects of the current federal and local funding shortfalls on local seniors, and how the future looks from the AAA perspective. Anyone interested in these matters are encouraged to attend. Ken will be around after his presentation to answer group or individual questions. Lunch will be served. Normal Tuesday activites at the center will not be interrupted.

November 3, 2012 - DANCE NIGHT ATTENDANCE DISCUSSED, QUILT DRAWING SET

Center Music Nights are continuing through the rest of the year, even during the hiatus of the last-Friday-of-the-month jam session. Two bands are scheduled to take the stage on November and December Fridays and alternate Thursdays. Over the long term, however, attendance will determine the fate of the center music program. "We are not especially concerned about the number of people coming out to our recent Friday dances." Said Rick Hill, band leader for Old Country, said recently. "Because, as the word gets out about the music, we think the numbers will improve." With only forty-seven attending the Friday Country Dance on November 2 and thirty folks at the Killin' Time dance on Thursday, center spokesman, Tom Spears told a small group of regular attendees, "We sure hope that the bands will stay with us until the count improves." Jim Law, with the Killin' Time band, has said that the members of their band just enjoys playing together and having people come and listen and dance and enjoy the music makes the amount the band earns a minor consideration. The goal that the center has set, along with both hands, is an average of one hundred participants per dance night.

Louretta Borsos announced Friday night that the current Quilt Raffle will end on Friday, December 14, at breaktime of the Old Country band. The winner of the quilt will be called that night and informed, and the center will coordinate when the quilt can be picked up, if the winner is not in attendance at the dance.

October 27, 2012 - SEVENTY-THREE AT LAST COUNTRY MUSIC JAM OF YEAR

The last An Evening of Country Music jam session brought 73 enthusiastic and dance-eager patrons to the Legion Building Friday night. With very dance-able and easy-to-listen-to music from the start and delicious (though a bit smaller) burgers, the crowd enjoyed the

entire evening. As 9 pm, the usual time that the crowd has dwindled and the musicians have tired, Jim Law asked if the folks wanted another rotation of the volunteer musicians. A round of cheers and applause from the still-large crowd greeted the suggestion, and the musicians smiled at the invitation. Jim and Alice Law have organized the musical portion of the jam session since its inception in February, 2010, bringing exceptionally talented country musicians to the senior center the last Friday of the first ten months of the year.

October 20, 2012 - CENTER DANCE ACTIVITIES INTEREST MANY

The first of what promises to be a successful venture into a Thursday night dance program drew 27 people to the Legion Building, all exclaiming that the Killin' Time band gave an outstandingly professional performance worthy of any stage. "The music was more than justold country tunes, masterfully performed, it included both pop and rock songs from the 1950's. it was a really fun evening. I hope the word gets around that this is the place to go on Thursday nights." related one regular fan of the Legion Building dance program. Then on Friday night, the Old Country band played to 73 enthusiastic dancers, satisfying the line dancers with several tunes during the night as well as all others with country and rock music from the '50's and '60's.

October 18, 2012 - KILLIN' TIME BAND PLAYS FIRST PUBLIC PERFORMANCE TONIGHT

The Killin' Time oldies country band plays for the first time since its having been organized tonight in the ballroom at the Legion Building. Composed of eight musicians who have enjoyed jamming together for several years, the band brings together a couple of lead guitars, a rhythm guitar, a fiddle, base, drums, an alto sax, and a vocalist. Killin' Time will play at the Legion Building on the first and third Thursdays from 6* to 10 pm. Their music has been enjoyed by local folks for the past seven months as they formed the mainstay of the volunteer musicians who play at the center's An Evening of Country Music on the last Friday of each month. Hoping that their previous efforts at the center will have built a nucleus of a local audience which will grow as the word spreads about their Thursday night gig.... The arrangement between the band and the center is a new one. Lacking volunteers to open the building and take care of the temprature and lights and coffee and other refreshments and collecting the gate and dividing the receipts, the band and their spouses have become members of the center. They will perform all of the volunteer tasks needed to make the ballroom ready and secure the building at the end of the performance.

* Change from 7 pm because the newsguy misunderstood info from the band!

October 3, 2012 - ASCOG CENA GRANT FUNDS ONLY UTILITIES FOR CENTER

Tight state economy settles hard upon the operation of the Wichita Mountains Area Senior Citizens Center. Center President Eva Williams announced today that the 2013 CENA grant will only fund the projected utility (electricity, gas, and water) costs for the Legion Building. She stated that the normal allowance for food, food preparation, cleaning and maintenance products, and other normal operating expenses which have been routinely included in past years' grants will not be available for this year's operating costs. The lack of funding is not unique to this center, as all other senior citizens centers in the region are also affected to various degrees. Eva said that the center directors will meet next week to discuss the full impact of the grant on the center budget and programs. Date and time of the meeting will be posted and members of the center will be invited to voice their opinions and recommendations. The directors will complete a detailed review of the income expected from the fundraisers, dance nights, participant donations, and Legion Building public-use income, and compare that with the anticipated costs of those activities and the expense of the senior programs and then adjust center plans for the rest of this fiscal year which ends on June 30, 2013. "Every effort," Eva said, "will be made to minimize the impact of the budget shortfall on

September 29, 2012 - ADDITIONAL DANCE NIGHT STARTS IN OCTOBER

Killin' Time, a new country band, will begin twice-a-month appearances at the Legion Building starting in October. Alice Law announced last night that several of the musicians who regularly play at the center's An Evening of Country Music have formed the band and will introduce Killin' Time to the public on Thursday, October 18th at 7 pm in the Legion Building ballroom. The group have been jamming in Norman and Lawton for several months, with some members playing together for years. Alice said that the idea of forming a band started several months ago, but has been delayed by some health issues. Those now resolved, the band is serious about becoming a commercial success. The names and musical backgrounds of the band's members will be included here in a more formal announcement is made by the band.

September 22, 2012 - GOAT HEAD STICKER ERADICATION SEEMS TO BE WORKING

The first phase of getting rid of goat heads around the Legion Building is proving successful. August and September is the prime months when the noxious "sticker" vine proliferates,

bursting with blooms that turn into the four-sectioned seeds that when dry, break apart, and become the bane of bare feet, paws of pets and other animals, and bicycle tires. On July 8, Tom Spears brought a small vial of puncture-vine weevils nestled in goat head plants that he had purchased from a site on the Internet to the building and spread the tiny insects out among the newly sprouted goat heads and waited to observe the results. (Top picture shows new seed during the July weevil release) The packet Tom used said that it contained vine weevils and seed weevils, the first to eat and wither the goat head vines and the other to lay eggs on the surface of the maturing sticker resulting in the seeds being eaten from the inside. As the growing season comes to

an end, Tom has gone out to study the plants and see if the weevils have worked as advertised. As the lower picture shows, the stickers have not developed as they had in previous seasons, the vines are stunted and dying, and, when a seed are broken apart, a live weevil can be found eating away at the heart of the burr. The success of part two of the goat head eradication program will not be known until next Summer when the first Goat head seeds of the season show that the weevil has successfully over-wintered in south central Oklahoma and have again attacked the new plants.

September 20, 2012 - WORKDAY DRAWS SIX WORKERS ON THURSDAY

With the Legion Building Ballroom being used on Saturday for a wedding reception and a good cleaning having not been done for a couple of months, the center leads declared Thursday, September 20, as a cleaning day. Five able-bodied members; Alon Williams, Clarence (Skip) Shaak, Thelmer Hutchenson, and Kenny Hilliary, started stacking chairs on tables and sweeping and mopping floors with Tom Spears joining them around ten fifteen cleaning commodes and urinals. Leaving the portion of the ballroom being used for a basket-weaving class, the group finished up in time to enjoy several games of dominoes before Dorothy Range and Eva word called lunch being ready.

BASKET WEAVERS THREAD THROUGH THIRD SESSION

Dorothy Range describes the first two basket-weaving classes:

1) We survived - the first basket weaving class, that is..... and we all had fun, too!! There was mumbling from the students at time; there was spilled water and scissors mishap. The mantra of the day could be heard around the table -- over, under, over, under, over, under... But most importantly the instructor, Barbara Kessler, and her aide, Nancy Anderson, were eager to return for the second class. Thank you WMASC for the provided materials and the hours

of fellowship.2) The second basket-weaving class went very well. Our baskets now have sides and are

shaping up nicely. There was spilled water and the over, under, over, under chant was still prevalent around the table. Our instructor, Barbara Kessler, and her aide, Nancy Anderson, assured us that our baskets could be finished during the next class. < Additional Pictures>

September 17, 2012 - TWENTY FLU SHOTS GIVEN AT THE LEGION BUILDING

Flu shots were administered at the Center at the senior center from 5 to 7 pm Monday evening, after brief panic earlier in the day. Publicity for the event had been disseminated, the calendar showing flu shots had been distributed through the Internet and available at center activities for the past several weeks. Rick Hill, leader of the Old Country band, made several announcements at Friday night's dance. So it was too late to call it off when the folks who were going to give the shots, Walgreen's Pharmacy in Lawton, called saying they could not make the date because the person giving the shot "went into labor last night." Bob Dishman to the rescue. Bob, a retired pharmacist and frequent participant in Thursday's Tai Chi exercise activity, volunteered to bring his friend, Harry Aucoin, a fellow pharmacist; a box of sharp needles; a bag full of immunization flasks; and someone to take Medicare information. They arrived at 4:30, as promised, and immunized 19 senior citizens against this year's viral strain.

September 11, 2012 - THE STORY OF THE POOL BALLS

After a busy July, when several different groups had use of the Legion Building, the seniors discovered that the pool table was bereft of its set of pool balls. An investigation failed to determine when the balls left the building. (Actually the five ball had been missing for the prior two months, so whoever made off with the pool balls is missing that little orb. Just as the seniors had decided to replace the 5-ball, the entire set needed replacement.) Toward the end of August, Edgar McCrackin, while arranging to use the Legion Building for the annual McCrackin Family Reunion, said that some of his crowd would want to play pool. When he found out that the pool ball set was missing, he volunteered that he had some pool balls "out back" that he would bring to the reunion and "leave here for you all to have." Of the thirty-six pool balls that Edgar left after the reunion, there was one complete set, one set with the seven and nine balls missing, and six other balls, with a rack to boot. Then on Tuesday, Bob Dishman and Lonnie Fuson, two denizens of the Thursday activities and not knowing that some old, used pool balls now resides on the green table top, brought a brand new set of pool balls, just purchased from Big 5 Sporting Goods, and donated the set to the center. From a dearth to a surplus, the center is grateful to the generous folk of the community.

September 7, 2012 - WATER LEAK NEAR LEGION BUILDING FIXED

When Cecil Gardner, center treasurer, called Wednesday night saying that the water bill for the month was over $200.00, it was obvious a water leak, suspected for two months as the water usage crept higher, had to be located and fixed. Not surprisingly, the small area of Legion Park that was lush with grass and weed growth while the rest of the park had browned and withered as the summer's drought wicked the last of the moisture from other vegetation. Alon Williams, Clarence Shaak, Leo Whitley, and Tom Spears brought their picks and shovels and dug in search of escaping water. At the two-and-half-foot level, the yard-radius chasm revealed a PVC pipe, a leaking "T" joint, and an old repair job that had been improperly completed. When the seniors took responsibility for the site in 2011, there were tales of a serious leak that the Legionaries had repaired years ago, twice. The volunteers decided that the second repair had also failed with Investigation revealing that the people making the repair had not put glue on the junctions between of the PVC "T" and the pipe they had inserted into the piece. Over time the pipe had worked out of the "T" allowing the leak. Leo completed a new repair of the most serious leaking joint, this time using PVC glue. The other two connections still need to be glued, for they both continue to seep. That job was delayed until next week.

September 6, 2012 - FIRST BASKET WEAVING CLASS SUCCESSFUL

Members who signed up for the basket-weaving class were very satisfied with the first session on Thursday. The product of the day was woven reeds that will form the bottom of their first basket. Next week, the reeds will be soaked and formed into the sides of the baskets. Photographs will be available after the next class.

August 25, 2012 - DISAPPOINTING SIZE CROWD HAS INORDINATE FUN!

The music was the reason of the evening for the comparatively small number who came to the Legion Building on Friday night. The dance floor was full for every tune, and smiles danced on everyone's lips. Most of the line dance class stayed on for the main event and practiced what they had learned during the 6:15 to 6:45 instruction during the short break and when the music beckoned. While the Old Country band was disappointed with the number attending, Rick Hill, the leader of the band, expressed joy with the enthusiasm of the dancers.

August 13, 2012 - THE OLD KITCHEN RANGE COOKS AGAIN FOR THE CENTER

After a severe cleaning, repair, conversion to natural gas, and repainting, the commercial gas range that the senior center bought in the 1980's, used for 15 or so years, and sold under duress in 2008, is back in the Legion Building kitchen. RRR Restaurant Supply accomplished all the renovation work over the last several months, delivered the range today, and connected it to the building gas supply. The arrival of the old range was cheered by the few remaining members who, for two years in the early 1980's, strung colored berry seeds into necklaces and sold the product of their work to raise funds to purchase the propane-outfitted range for the center, then located in the old superintendence's house at the Lawton Water Purification Plant at Medicine Park. The two-oven range satisfied all the cooking and baking needs for the center until the building was condemned to make way for the water plant enlargement in 2000. The range then sat in storage for seven years, and as the center began to prepare to move into its new home at the almost-complete Medicine Park Community Center, the Medicine Park Town Council gave the edict that their new building would be totally electric. The range, suddenly and sadly excess to the center's needs, was sold for a paltry sum to The Master's Kitchen, a new restaurant in Medicine Park. After a year of providing gourmet vittles to local folks, the restaurant became a Mexican food restaurant under new management. When the Mexican food place closed, the range was claimed by Medicine Park as payment to their revolving account for high-risk loans to small businesses, and it again sat in storage, this time in the open, under a shed. That is when the town asked the center if the center would like their range back. Clogged with years of grease and dirt and grim, the range was hauled to RRR Restaurant Supply for its salvation. Welcome back, stalwart and familiar friend.

August 12, 2012 - 111 INDIAN TACO FANS SHOW UP WITHOUT PROPER GUIDANCE

Fearing that the signs he has been putting at the road sides on the second Saturday of each month, directing the errant, the hungry, and the curious to the Legion Building for the Indian Taco Sale would be confiscated by zealous highway right-of-way enforcement, Tom Spears did not journey out on Saturday morning with signs in hand. In spite of the absence of the wooden placards to lead the way, one-hundred-and-eleven bought and enjoyed the Native American treat, prepared so ably by Cecil Gardner and the several center volunteers. Perhaps their coming was due to past pleasurable experience at the Legion Building or they saw the notice in the newspapers. Perhaps someone speaking of the Indian Taco caused the urgency that they, too, must enjoy the marvelous morsel. Whatever the cause, they came in an almost record number to partake without a highway sign to guide them. While no Indian Taco Sale signs have disappeared in the two-and-a-half years the Indian taco sale has been going on, Tom has experienced the recent odd vanishing of road-side signs announcing the Friday Night Country Dance, and, wishing the center to avoid a citation from the Oklahoma Highway Department for continued flagrant violation of the many laws prohibiting such things has chosen to keep event signs on the grounds of Legion Park.

August 6, 2012 - COUNTY GIVE APPROVAL FOR LEGION FIELD BASEBALL USE

The Legion Field use agreement between the Senior Center and the Lawton Roughnecks Baseball Club was approved today by the Comanche County Board of Commissioners. The agreement will be signed in the near future, but the coaches and volunteers of the club will begin, when the summer's heat allows, to repair and prepare the two baseball fields for next season, which begins in April, 2013. The field, the fences, and the facilities, unused for several years, need significant work to make the area usable and the fields playable.

August 1, 2012 - SHELVES BEING CONSTRUCTED FOR QUILTING ROOM

One of the few complaints that have come from the ladies who meet on Tuesdays for

the quilting bee is the lack of shelves to store their material, swatches, and supplies. Leo Whitley started today to qualm that complaint. Tuesday, he brought the components and tools necessary to build a set of selves with 12 24hx24wx18d cubbyholes. The shelving unit will occupy the whole of the west wall of the sewing room, satisfying the activity's in-room storage needs. To this time the material has been kept in the back storage area in places that are hard to access and difficult to keep from being covered with dust and grime. The shelves when completely assembled will be varnished with a pecan stain to blend in with the ambiance of the sewing room.

July 28, 2012 - NINETY-FIVE COUNTRY MUSIC LOVERS EAT 75 BURGERS

It was a great night at the Legion Building on Friday, July 27th, for lovers of country music. The band stand was packed with outstanding talent, and it overflowed along the edge of the dance floor. Jim and Alice Law welcomed players and singers who had not been at the last-Friday jam session and cheered the return of several Norman country jammers who have found a prominent place on the ballroom stage. Jack Walbrick, leader of the Cooperton Saturday night dance band, the Wichita Valley Boys, was center stage, as he has been since the center started An Evening of Country Music in February, 2010. Old Country band keyboardist, Red Travis, and fiddler, Ben Lawson, came over from Duncan to participate, adding another dimension to the Friday night jam and, hopefully, encouraging members of the audience to come out to the Old Country performances. Also, the first time for a reed instrument (if you don't count the harmonica as a reed instrument) at the jam, (dang it, I didn't get his name! Someone please send me a note with that information) skillfully added a swing element to the music, playing the saxophone. Ray Keohn added his spectacular voice to the jam session for the first time. Singing along with his little magic box for several months at the center's Indian Taco Sale, Ray is a welcome and familiar voice and sight as a member at the Legion Building. Several of the appreciative audience arrived at the Legion Building after the kitchen closed, missing the delicious burger-in-a-basket feast that was served from 5 until 7:30 pm. Jim Law, though, added another round for each of the musicians to perform, extending the music for the evening to ten pm; an hour beyond the normal quitting time.

July 18, 2012 - GREASE TRAP FINALLY CLEAN

The grease trap was cleaned last when the kitchen was moved from the Community Center too the Legion Building in June of 2011. Leo Whitley, who has been reminding the board that the trap needs to be cleaned every six months or so to keep grease out of the sewage pipes, came to the Legion Building this morning ready to finally do the deed himself as he and Tom Spears had done in 2011. After he had removed the heavy lid this morning, Leo dipped the solidified fats and putrid liquids from the trap to a 5-gallon bucket while Tom, who was at the center to prepare for the Goathead Project, carried the bucketsful of foul liquid to the lagoon. Leo and Tom agreed that the grease trap would be cleaned next in December after six months of use, not after a full year.

July 15, 2012 - WEEKEND EVENTS DRAW GOOD CROWDS

Old Country band playing at Friday's Dance Night brought a record crowd of almost 80 people, with the first timers wondering why they hadn't been coming to such a joyful and energetic happening. Cheryl-Ann and Rick's first Line-Dance Class, conducted as the band was setting up, proved popular, with 15 learners swinging around the dance floor. The instruction itself bring additional people to the Legion Building.

The Indian Taco Sale Saturday Morning started slowly, but the constant arrival of guests seeking the grand experience of a perfect Indian taco resulted in the total number of 92 enjoying the meal. With the melodious voice of Ray Koehn singing traditional country songs accompanied by his little magic box, sated diners at the Legion Building declared the day, "perfect."

July 10, 2012 - THEATER-QUALITY POPCORN AT FRIDAY DANCE NIGHT!

Popcorn, along with chips and sweet rolls and soft drinks, has been offered to those attending the Old Country's Friday Dance Night. First, packaged popcorn proved to be both distasteful and expensive. The center turned to fresh popped corn for the second Old Country performance, using a large pot, bottled popping corn, and vegetable oil. The result wasn't too bad, and a lot of popcorn was eaten. Two weeks ago, center personnel found too little corn in the bottle and no fresh vegetable oil. The emergency fix was to dip used oil from the deep fryer and pour in several bags of microwave popcorn in to the stove-top popping vessel. The result, though served, proved to produce a very low quality of corn in terms of taste, crispness, and noisomeness. Several dance and popcorn fans were less than happy. To the rescue, dance fan, Anita Brockwell, stepped up, donating a commercial popcorn popper and commercial popcorn to the center, teaching the designated popping volunteer, and promising to continue to provide popcorn as long as the center provides tasteful, fresh, and palatable popcorn for the dancers at the center. The center expresses thanks to Anita Brockwell!

July 9, 2012 - CHERYL-ANN ANNOUNCES FREE LINE-DANCE CLASS

"Everyone can benefit from the movements, the discipline, and the fun of line dancing." Cheryl-Ann Fogle announced at the Friday Country Dance. "Rick and I have been hoping to find a way to increase the number of people participating when Old Country band plays a line-dance tune. We figure a short class before the dance starts might spur interest." With that Cheryl-Ann outlined her plan. She and Rick will teach a short class from 6:15 to 6:45 for free to anyone who wants to come early and learn the steps. Old Country usually plays one line-dance number during each of their two sessions.

July 1, 2012 - LAWTON ROUGHNECKS TO USE LEGION FIELD FOR BASEBALL

Representatives of the Lawton Roughnecks Baseball Club, Randy Norris and Matt Grieve, met with center officials, Alon Williams and Tom Spears, recently to conclude an agreement on the rehabilitation and reactivation of Legion Field, on the southern end of Legion Park cleared area. The Roughnecks, playing in the Tri-County League, will begin immediately to mow and prepare the playing surface of the baseball diamond, repair the fences, backstops, and dugouts, arrange for the return of electricity and water to the fields, and construct a snack stand (and possibly, ladies' and men's latrines) on the cement hardstand behind home plate. Over the next several months they will prepare the north (softball) field for play. The 2013 league play begins in April of next year, and the Roughnecks intend to have all work on the Legion sports complex completed. The baseball club's agreement with the Wichita Mountains Area Senior Citizen Association was sanctioned by the Chairman of the Comanche County Commission and gives total management of the specified area to the Roughnecks with very general oversight and no costs the association.

June 29, 2012 - EIGHTY-THREE THRILLED BY AN EVENING OF COUNTRY MUSIC

Some drawn by burgers-in-a-basket and others expecting pleasing music played by local musicians, a crowd of 83 thoroughly enjoyed a surprisingly professional quality musical evening. Several musicians, who are or have been members of commercial bands, came from Norman to jam with Jack Walbrick and Jim and Alice Law and the other regulars. For the first time, a drummer brought his instruments, providing a very danceable beat. The musicians, responding to the applause and mood of the audience, played late, and the audience stayed to the end. The performers left the Legion Building looking forward to the last Friday of July when they will play together again. The evening was enjoyed by all.

June 22, 2012 - SIXTY FANS COME TO DANCE, LISTEN TO OLD COUNTRY

A few more country music fans showed up at the Legion Building on Friday night to enjoy the wonderful traditional country (and a little bit of rock 'n' roll) music played by the Old Country band. From 52 the previous Friday to 60 last night, the band was pleased with the enthusiasm of the dancers and those who came just to listen. Several of those there, new to the Legion Building and the Dance Program, said they would return and would encourage others to support the program.

VOLUNTEERS INSTALL TWO BOOTHS IN BALL ROOM

Alon Williams and Tom Spears pulled tools and supplies together Friday to install the two booths recently uninstalled from the Medicine Park Community Center. The removing of the booths from the Community Center had caused some damage to the the benches, requiring significant repair before the installing could be accomplished. The two booths were a popular addition after Alon and Tom installed them at the Community Center four years ago, used by members and visitors who wanted to visit with some privacy, away from the noise of center activities. The booth benches were donated to the center by David Lott, and the counter-lever table tops were purchased with funds from the Town of Medicine Park.

June 12, 2012 - CHANGES IN THE BALLROOM; SOFT DRINKS, BOOTHS

"There is just insufficient income from the machine to let us leave it here." Advised the man from the 7up distributorship last week. So they came on Tuesday and removed the soft drink dispenser. Center officials considered ways to provide soft drinks for patrons who do not want the other liquids the center makes available, like coffee, iced tea, and powder-mixed drinks. Suggestions included keeping canned beverages in the refrigerator, available on an "honor box" payment system or selling them over the counter.... "Which will create another volunteer job." Eva retorted with a smile. With the beverage machines gone, another fixture for the north wall was delivered. The two-booth seating arrangement, left at the Medicine Park Community Center in the move a year ago, has been declared not needed and in the way by the Park management. The seniors have eagerly welcomed the addition of the booths in the ballroom. Volunteers will be installing the booths in the next week or two.

June 9, 2012 - INDIAN TACOS ATTRACT 103 EAGER EATERS

With the soothing tones of Ray Koehn's singing setting a serene dining room, a steady flow of Indian Taco seekers enjoyed their Indian tacos and stayed on to enjoy the wonderful music. Center members encouraged the music lovers to return on Friday for the center's dance program. Many of the visitors had not been to the Legion Building since it was entrusted to the center seniors to serve the public and the area seniors. Everyone seemed to thoroughly enjoy their experience.

June 8, 2012 - FRIDAY DANCE ATTENDANCE STILL SHORT OF GOAL

"We need to average a hundred folks paying the $5.00 entry fee to adequately pay the band for their talent, their dedication, and their trip from Duncan." Tom Spears told a group of center supporters, "We only had 52 people here tonight." The band has assured that they will stay with their schedule, playing their music at the Legion Building each Friday night, to give the Friday Dance program to grow. All who attended tonight were enthusiastic about the music, the large dance floor, and the center's efforts to establish a viable seniors program. Old Country will play again on Friday, June 15th.

June 3, 2012 - GERONIMO VOLUNTEERS ATTACK OVERGROWN PARK

Ray Hunt and other volunteers from Geronimo came up I-44 with Ray's new tractor and brush hog and his lawn tractor and finished the most difficult task they had started on Saturday, mowing most of the overgrown Legion Park acres. The first full mowing of the season was especially rigorous because abundant spring rains and volunteers' schedules and health issues had delayed the process long enough for the grasses and weeds to become large and tough. Tom Spears assured Ray that future effort on the acreage would bring additional help and equipment and that the center wouldn't let the get so far out of hand before the next outside work day. Ray and his crew a bun worked from 7 am until around 3 pm on Saturday and returned at 7 Sunday, finishing the job at 2 pm. The center is scheduling other volunteers to rim the grasses and weeds against the building and around the trees nearby some time this coming week.

Jun 2, 2012 - FRIDAY'S DANCE CROWD LARGER, BUT STILL DISAPPOINTING

The fifty-one dancers and country music fans gathered in the ballroom of the Legion Building last night, enjoying the beautifully presented talent of the Old Country band. Both the center and the band, while heartened by the enthusiastic attitude of those present were unhappy with the the number attending. Old Country keyboardist, Red Travis, told Tom Spears that they were going to "....hang in there and try to build an acceptable crowd, but with less than a hundred folks paying to get in, we just cannot keep driving all that distance." The band comes from Duncan and that area.

May 26, 2012 - SEVENTY FOLKS FIND FUN AT COUNTRY MUSIC SHOW

The beginning of the Memorial Day weekend seems to have pared the gathering some for the May fundraiser, An Evening of Country Music, while rousting out a premium number of musicians and singers to the show. The tables were not especially crowded when the music began, because of the seventy people who signed in, seven were volunteers working in the