April 4, 2020 Issue, Page 2 of 8

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Page 2 The Elk City News, Elk City, Oklahoma Saturday, April 4, 2020 is very grateful to every- ship and partnership in the The United Way, The Amer- down blood drives across Round Town Hutch’s one who donated to help a years to come.” make a difference in their ican Cancer Society and the the state, Hutch’s is setting Sometimes the iconic red Alzheimer’s Association. up mobile blood drives at the Current events have communities,” the release buckets come out at other “One thing we do in June Hutch’s located across from Continued from page 1. is The Walk to End Al- been cancelled. Before stated, times of the year. the Walmart store in Elk all donations,” Linda zheimer’s,” Linda Hutchin- “We re very fortunate and “The Salvation Army will City. The blood drives be- planning a visit please con- Hutchinson said. grateful to have such great call us during the summer, son said. gan on Tuesdays starting on tact the establishment to With Hutchinson’s match- “It’s an unfortunate dis- ambassadors in the commu- like when there was the fire March 24 and will continue ing donations, $10,000 was ease, and it affects so many see if the event you planned nity who continue to assist by Woodward, and we will the next two Tuesdays, April on attending has been donated to The Salvation put the buckets out, when- people, and there needs to be 7 and April 14. There will The Salvation Army each Army at the beginning of year with fundraising and ever there’s a bigger need more research done.” be two bloodmobiles there rescheduled. 2020. donations,” said Josh Capps, for whatever reason,” Linda Hutch’s hopes its partici- from noon to 6 p.m. The In a news release, the Sal- divisional director of service Hutchinson said. “We like pation with charitable or- Oklahoma Blood Institute vation Army said the pro- ganizations will influence Please remember to wash extensions for the Salvation that to be an ongoing rela- other people to contribute as asks for donors to please call gram has been “extremely Army, in the news release. tionship with them.” and make an appointment to your hands regularly and well. successful.” “We look forward to the Hutch’s is involved with practice social distancing. “The — Salvation Army continued working relation- several charities, including “[ hope the community help keep everyone safe and would get behind us and healthy during this uncertain time. Call 1-877-340-8777 be changed during hospital help our donations continue or go to yourbloodinstitute. GPRMC “well prepared for this situ- case was not unexpected, as GPRMC staff members are infectious diseases,” the re- lease stated. GPRMC’s visitation poli- stay. “Patient safety is always to grow,” Linda Hutchin- org to make an appointment. son said. “It’s something we OBI senior account manager Continued from page 1. ation and continue to oper- cies changed recently in paramount in the protection aren’t going to stop doing. self-isolation and appro- It’s even more important Emma Meyer said the blood ate under rigorous infection order to further protect pa- of our patients, visitors and priate protocols have been control procedures. The tients and healthcare work- staff,” the release stated. now to get involved.” drive scheduled for First implemented in accordance In response to the CO- Baptist Church in Elk City Infection control team at ers. No visitors will be per- “You can protect yourself with the OSDH and the Cen- VID-19 pandemic shutting was canceled, GPRMC is using a combina- mitted into the facility, the from transmission of the vi- ters for Disease Control and Filing Prevention, with the OSDH tion of best practices to help release stated rus by washing your hands open in Beckham County coordinating all aspects of ensure that any virus does The only exceptions will often, avoiding close contact this year. care for this particular in- not spread to other patients, be: with others, staying home For more election related dividual, the release stated. healthcare workers or the * One parent or legal if sick, covering coughs Continued from page 1. information, call the Coun- The man who contracted the community.” guardian of the patient who and sneezes and cleaning offices will file with the ty Election Board at 580- virus in Beckham County is This protocol includes is a minor. and disinfecting frequently Secretary of the County described as a male in his having protective equip- * Obstetric patients, who touched surfaces daily.” Election Board. County 928-3314, or visit the State 40s, according to a release ment and isolation areas to may have one support per- For more information, go clerk, court clerk, county Election Board’s website from the Southwest Okla- protect staff and others from son to accompany them. to the Centers for Disease sheriff and county commis- at —_https://www.elections. homa region office of the airborne exposure to COV- * If a single, approved des- Control and Prevention web- sioner District No. 2 are ok.gov. OSDH. ID-19, the release stated. ignated visitor meets an ex- site at cde.gov/ncov or the District board The hospital’s release said “Further, our clinicians ception, this individual must Oklahoma State Department it was important for the com- train year-round to respond be determined at the time of of Health website at https:// munity to remember that this to any potential outbreaks of hospitalization and may not coronavirus. health.ok.gov/. website on a daily basis, meeting to Distance That’s just nothing to them. It’s the parents who aren’t Garrison said, so people are be held via used to the technology side well-informed on what it Continued from page 1. him questions, he will send of it or communicating via email or text or electroni- is going on, especially if a been excelling in this situ- his inquiries to Garrison, family has multiple children on different campuses. To teleconference ation. Garrison also lauded and “his team and him are cally. But thus far, it’s been campus cooks, already all over it,” Storm great.” “Tf there’s been an unsung said. Garrison said the district find the FAQs, access elkci- ‘wants to ensure it is commu- The North Fork of Red meeting can call 781-448- hero in this situation so far, “By the time I hear about tyschools.com and then click it’s those folks preparing it, it’s already resolved and nicating effectively on how River Conservation District 4145 at 9:30 a.m. and use the those meals and delivering taken care of,” Storm said. campuses deliver lunches on the particular campus and board meeting on Monday PIN 37992 and listen in. those meals,” he said. “It has been new for the par- and conduct the backpack find and click on COVID-19 will be held via a teleconfer- The district said it is im- Brandon Storm, Elk City ents more so than the kids. program. Parents will come Info on the menu bar at the ence among board members portant to take this action Public Schools board presi- This is just a walk in the to the elementary to pick up top of the page. because of the evolving CO- VID-19 crisis, according to in order to support efforts dent, commended the dis- park for them. They seem backpacks starting Monday. trict response in preparing to love it, to be able to do The district will post fre- The academic year ends a district news release. to reduce the impact of the for distance learning. When [learning] on the Chrome- quently asked questions May 8 for Elk City Public District officials said the spread of COVID-19 in the people in the public ask books and laptops and iPads. from each campus on its Schools. teleconference is allowed community, and the district because of the passing of said it thanks people for an emergency bill, Senate tual option, we are in the their understanding. District Some teachers will use some Teachers this past week Bill 661, which temporarily process of wiring our mid- platforms that they have al- were in the building as little “Your safety and that of authorizes teleconferencing dle school and high school ready used. as possible, because the dis- our employees in this crisis and videoconferencing for student parking lots with “We have told our teach- Continued from page 1. Wi-Fi so the students and or ers to have all of their les- trict is limiting access. They board meetings. is our first priority,” the re- access their assignments, parents could actually drive sons for the week uploaded spent time doing lessons People interested in the lease stated. lessons, resources and vid- to the parking lot and have by 9 o’clock Monday morn- at home to be loaded on to Rick Mincher eos of the teacher and all internet access,” she said. ing, and then the students Google Classroom. those things through Google “Tf the student does not have will have until Sunday eve- Coffman said parents Classroom,” she said earlier internet access or devices ning about 10 o'clock to turn Rick Mincher, 63, passed this week. “At our elemen- and does not want that op- those in,” Coffman said. should contact teachers if away on Monday, March 9, tary, teachers are in the pro- tion, then of course, we will A whole week was given they have concerns, and 2020 at Riverbend Hospital cess of getting that set up and have a paper packet version so that students and their email addresses for the cam- in Springfield Oregon. Rick’s then we will later this week that they can do their assign- families have more flexibil- family has decided there will puses can be found online at be a Celebration ofLife barbe- release the Google Class- ments that way.” ity, especially if there is just room codes to the parents the district’s website. The cue held in June. She said the district will one device in the home and so the parents will be able to format for emails is the per- Rick was born on February focus on essential skills and there are multiple students 20, 1957 in Elk City, Okla- get into those classrooms.” skills that students need in and or if the parents are son’s last name then a dot homa, to Melvin and Betty At the other levels, edu- order to be successful when working and a child is at a and then first name and then Mincher. He was the baby cators are already using they move on to the next daycare. @elkcityschools.com, or of the family, with three old- Google Classroom, so stu- grade the next year, she said. “We are going to try to be doe.john@elkcityschools. er sisters, Sherry, Judy and of puns lives on in his children dents are familiar with that, Teachers also will set up vir- very flexible with our fami- Joyce. Rick graduated from Coffman said. tual hours, at least twice a lies and our students because com. [John Doe is an exam- Riddle High School in Riddle, and grandchildren. He worked “The teachers = who week, in which they can be we know we are all in dif- ple and not a real teacher. Oregon. He was a beloved hard to provide for his family, weren’t using it now have a accessible to students, who ferent situations,” Coffman husband and father. He is sur- and it is a standing joke that Counselors will be available Classroom set up,” she said. might need face-to-face in- said. “The purpose of this is vived by his wife, Mischelle, Rick always found or made a The link can be found here: teraction or explanation. All for the kids to stay connected for outreach services during his daughter Melissa and her friend wherever he went. His https://classroom.google. this time, Coffman said. husband Anthony Garcia, generous spirit brought joy to teachers will be available by to the school and to stay con- “This is an unprecedented, his son, Chris and his wife, a lot of lives and his loss will com. For students who have contact through their school nected to their teachers and Melody, their son, Aidan, and internet access but not a de- stressful time for everyone weigh heavy on his family and emails, Coffman said. just to keep their skills fresh. many extended grandchildren, friends. vice, the district will check In the Google Classroom, Itis not to be a stressful situ- involved,” Coffman said. nieces, nephews, loving fam- out devices to them on Fri- teachers can record them- ation for parents or students. ily and friends. Services in care of Ma- “Don’t hesitate to reach jor Family Funeral Home in day. selves teaching and then We're already in that type Rick loved to laugh and was “Tf they do not have a de- load the video along with of situation just because of out to our counselors. They astoryteller, who never missed Springfield. Visit majorfami- vice and internet but would other materials, which are what’s going on. That’s not will be working from home an opportunity to tell a joke. lyfuneralhome.com to sign the still like to go with that vir- accessible by students 24-7. our intent at all.” also.” His sense of humor and love online guest book. Send obituaries to obits @ ecdailynews.com