December 13, 2019 Issue, Page 1 of 10

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y Serving ». Western Oklahoma 4 Since 1901 Weekend Edition New Elk City coach ready to revive football program Dave Meadows is the Board approves new varsity football new board coach at Elk City High member, coach School. Meadows has been coaching for By Don Munsch, Editor 48 years, with 40 of Risa Hayes, right, was at the ceremony Mon- The EIk City Public those years as a head day afternoon at Great Plains Regional Medi- Schools board approved coach. Staff photo by cal Center in Elk City in which a caring cradle a new school board mem- Don Munsch. was dedicated to her son, Brayden Conner ber and a new high school Hayes, and her brother, Rance Blake Ridling, varsity football coach at its meeting Monday. both of whom were stillbirths. She posed her Melanie Randle was ap- with husband Arron and sons Hayden, left, proved to take the vacant and Conner. Staff photo by Don Munsch. School Board Seat #3. Jim Hospital receives Blevins held the seat until resigning last month. He By Don Munsch, Editor Jet them know I know where they are as a left the board because of Caring Cradle Dave Meadows steps into the Elk City team. I’ve seen them play for two years. I’ve a move out of thedistrict High School football program with an im- been to a lot of the practices. I’ve even met boundaries. pressive resume. with them a time or two and spoken to them. By Don Munsch, Editor The district approved He won three state championships in Clin- They’re ready to go to the next level, the Randle after spending ton — 1978, 1982 and 1984 — and one state next step, and the only way to get there is to Risa Hayes got choked up talking about her son Brayden. more than an hour in an ex- title in Garden City, Kansas, in 1999. He has go to work. So we’re going to go to work.” Hayes, a Sentinel native who now lives in Banner, dis- ecutive session, when the been a coach for 48 years — a head football Meadows said the school will begin a cussed her son, who was a stillborn baby in March 2018. She worked to raise money for a Caring Cradle that was donated board also, according to coach for 40 years — and has an overall re- “very intense” weight program that will be the agenda, could discuss cord of 307-147 and a playoff record of 44- held year-round. to Great Plains Regional Medical Center in Elk City in a cer- hiring new employees and emony Monday afternoon. She formed a fundraising effort 24. He played football at Oklahoma State. “Our strength is going to increase dramati- Superintendent Rick Gar- Now he is in charge of an Elk City pro- cally,” he said. “The [players’] confidence in that garnered more than $11,000 to pay for two cradles — one tison’s evaluation and con- at GPRMC and one for Alliance Health Clinton. gram that made the playoffs in 2017 but has themselves and their teammates is going to tract. The board approved gone 0-10 the last two seasons. increase dramatically as that happens. We’re Hayes said it was “awesome” to see the fundraiser come hiring Dave Meadows as “['m excited for the opportunity, but re- going to begin to pay the price that it takes to fruition. Elk City High School’s ally I’m excited to have the kids that we're to be good.” “Tt was so much fun to watch, too, just all the people that new varsity football coach going to have,” he said Wednesday morning He said he plans to bring in former Elk came together and donated,” she sad after the ceremony. and Katelyn Day as a new during an interview in the athletic office at City Athletic Director Bill Weatherly to be “And all of the people were excited about it, not just us.” special education teacher. Elk City High School. Meadows lives in Elk the team’s defensive coordinator. Meadows A Caring Cradle is a cooling bassinet that preserves a baby Randle said Tuesday City and retired from the Katy school district and Weatherly coached together for 12 years so the family has more time to say goodbye in the event ofa she has one child in high in Texas in 2017. in Kansas, and Meadows said he and Weath- stillbirth or infant loss, said Catie MacDonald, a member of school and two grandchil- He said he has watched Elk City players erly are “almost brothers.” Meadows said the Jaxon Kade Foundation board, in a Facebook message dren in the school system and said they are ready to go from where the search is on to find an offensive coordi- and previously reported by the News. The foundation began now and that she wanted to they are now to the next level. nator. He is interviewing current ECHS staff as a way to help grieving families by providing the Caring be part of the board. “And I’m just excited about it and I feel members to gauge whether they will remain Cradles and bereavement resources. “T just feel like I need good about it and it’s going to be fun getting on staff. He has gotten to know coaches in to know what’s coming Hayes said her family were able to spend nearly a day with from point A to point B,” he said. the last two years. into our school system and Brayden, and they didn’t have a Caring Cradle at the hospi- His starting date is the first Monday after “If we kept every coach on staff, I'd feel have knowledge of that,” tal she was at. The cradles, which look like a regular bassi- Christmas. He knows there’s lot of work good about it,” he said, adding that whether she said. net, allow up to three days with the baby. ahead of him, but he expects the program to that happens remains to be seen. Meadows replaces Todd “As she was saying, time is a precious gift,” said Brittany Beer, who resigned from have success soon. At ECHS, he plans to employ an I-forma- Martin, founder of the Jaxon Kade Foundation who lives See Board page 2. “Well, we’re just going to go to work,” tion scheme for the Elk offense. On the de See Cradle page 2. he said. “I’ve already met with the team and See New coach page 2. Toy charity helps 75 families By Don Munsch, Editor Sandy Hageman wanted to leave a legacy. That desire to leave imprint on the world became Sandy's Santas. “T had gotten really sick at one time, and I wasn’t sure whether it was going to be a good outcome,” she said. “And I guess I wondered what people would say after I was gone, and I decided I want them to say I was a giving person. I want to them to say I worked hard to give to other people.” So she started Sandy’s Santas, a 501c3 charity that pro- A fire that burned the Team Chip Tae Kwon vides school supplies for school backpack programs, with the group’s other mission centering on providing Christmas Do building Tuesday afternoon in the 1400 toys to children in need, which the charity did Dec. 7 at a block of South Randall Avenue remains under banquet room at the Clarion Inn in Elk City. investigation, said Billy Sizemore, assistant Qualifying parents could drop by and pick up gifts for fire chief for the Elk City Fire Department. No their children. The charity served Elk City, Sayre, Erick and injuries occurred. Two people in the build- Canute — places from which donations came. Volunteers ing escaped unharmed. The main part of the and board members were at the toy giveaway, which served fire occurred in the hot water heater area. 75 children this year. That figure was up from 40 last year. Shari Coon, right, helps a recipient at the The insurance company also is investigating. See Charity page 2, Sandy’s Santas toy distribution on Dec. 7 in Submitted photo by Eddie Holland. Elk City. Staff photo by Don Munsch. «QUENT Weather tomorrow 3 / 32 Vol. 117, No. 100 75 cents, 10 pgs. Mail delivery 580.225.3000 View online elkcityoknews.com