July 10, 2021 Issue, Page 1 of 10

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Saturday, July 10, 2021 Weekend Edition Beckham County Sheriff’s Office is investigating of a Meet the world right at home: Elk City’s Museum Docent President says the 2019-20 fiscal year. volunteers benefit from Rt. 66’s world travelers $17.2 million figure is with in Erick five months ago and that the child’s information was put into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons By Shonda Little where, we love having standbys," Garrison added. American history, particularly related to the places where she For generations of Elk Citians, Carla Garrison has been her- has lived, has been a lifelong passion of Garrison's. Growing up alded as a beloved teacher. She dedicated decades of her life edu- in tiny Norfolk, Massachusetts, she tiptoed through some of the were not released by our office - regarding a NAMUS entry cating students in the elementary school and later at the junior areas most associated with our earliest patriots. high. However, her reputation for love of literature, history and "I grew up in a house that was built in the 1600s," Garrison volunteering often precedes her. The district recounted. could "Now, at notime the findit was built, it must have been Now, twenty years into her service as a docent at the Elk City amongst the fanciest of homes of that time. Three hundred years Museum Complex, she is encouraging others to reap the numer- later, when my siblings and I were being raised in it, it didn't feel ous rewards of greeting the vast travelers of America's Mother that way. But, it was full of things that would make my imagi- Road into the National Rt. 66 Museum. nation run wild. At that time, having a book in your hand was "Have you ever had the opportunity to visit with people from the fiscal year ended. He everything. I spent a lot of time thinking about the people who Department of Human Services officials are working with other states and countries, continents?" Garrison asked. "If you lived there before me. There was an old pump in the kitchen, are at the National Rt. 66 Museum, you will. Many people are and we had an outhouse. My father bought my mother a huge Hunt, payroll/insurance traveling 'The Mother to the current fiscalRoad,' or old Rt. 66 from Chicago to L.A., year, but to Las Vegas or the Grand Canyon or headed east from Santa iron stove so she wouldn't have to use the old brick stove. It was heated with a fireplace, and there were small baking places in the Father’s Day winner 48 years, with 40 of Monica, California." continues, and a final walls that would have served as an oven when it was built. That Garrison touts her time volunteering at the museum's drug didn't feel fancy in the 1940s, but when it was built, it would have Troy Kirby was the winner of the Father’s Day spe- store as a unique opportunity to have the world at her fingertips, been. There was a hidden room that was originally built to hide cial in partnership with Galleria Furniture in Elk City. though she is a mere mile from her home. And Garrison is no colonial children from Indian attacks. One time Dad was redo- Troy is pictured with his daughter, Kyra Albright stranger to world travels. From her New England upbringing to ing an area and found a hole where you could shoot outside the and granddaughter, Kambra Potter with his new reclin- her husband's Navy service to opening her home to three foreign house. My head was always in a book. These details in the house er. Photo courtesy of Kyra Albright. exchange students, she has always been open to adventurously and living in an area rich in America's early history developed my Later on Tuesday on the sheriff’s office FB page, Manning opening her horizons. deep love for the American story." said sheriff’s officials had found documents that confirmed She believes others can relish in the joy of cultural exchange In the early 1970s, Garrison fell in love with her husband, through the docents’ program. Ron. flawless, and that doesn’t "I started doing this when I retired from teaching school "Ron always makes a funny joke about how he met me be- about twenty years ago," Garrison explained. "I don't think a lot cause he says the way that we met doesn't sound much like a of people realize how many people that we have come to Elk City Navy man," Garrison laughed. "In truth, we met at a church func- from all corners of the world, and many of them eagerly visit the tion. He had come to visit a friend who was in the Navy, and we museum complex to learn about Elk City. When you volunteer hit it off." satisfied that the circumstances through which he came to your time at the museum, you have the opportunity to teach Ron's father had beentonin–the1978, Air 1982 Force,and 1984 which – and took his one state family these travelers about our beloved town. Our story is different around the country and world. Eventually, that lead to Altus Air than the communities 200 miles east of here and 200 miles west. Force Base. been a coach for 48 years – a head football It gives you the chance to tell of Elk City's pioneering past while "I was already a teacher coachin for 40 Massachusetts when years – and haswe married.re an overall also learning about their homelands. I can't tell you how reward- Something I thought was peculiar was I needed more education cord of 307-147 and a playoff record of 44- ing it is to tell someone from another country with a different hours to become a teacher 24.in HeOklahoma. So I decided played football I might at Oklahoma as State. “Our strength is going to increase dramati culture about our rich history. And, in return, they share their well get my master's. We were moving out here so Ron could go cally,” he said. “The [players’] confidence in stories with you. It is a mutual benefit. You never know who will to Southwestern Oklahoma State University and get his mas- walk through those doors, so every single day is different." ter's degree in education. After he finished, we went back east Garrison typically schedules the docents for three-hour vol- to teach. He wasn't really liking that. While we were out here in unteer shifts. "Also, if you cannot commit to doing a certain day every- See Museum page 2. during an interview in the athletic office at Officials in Beckham County have cut nearly $1 million from their estimated budget this year, with the final approval of the 2019-20 fiscal year budget coming in the Loyal city employee celebrated Ivonne, Vanessa Contreras and Mayelis of Okie Bal- loons & Deco with some of the pieces they have designed Cheryl Sipes has dedicated 40 years to the2019-20 and isbudget constructed. search The accident Stafftheir at on to find photo an Occurred weekly by meeting Burgundy offensive coordi just after over to the state by the first of October. Monday. The fina Lee Hanrahan. 6 p.m. in a hay field 3 New business wants Cain tried to repair something under his 1986 Ford F350 Elk City’s City Hall to inflate the fun at excise board gives the final approval and signs off on it His starting date is the first Monday after have worked. I may be one of it is also our home.” the longest here, but every- When Sipes was hired on ter department, too,” Sipes our first“Then recalled. phaseIofwent the to CAPS the your events Hartman, Beckham Beckham County County Sheriff’s Clerk. Office, Carter Fire, Elk City Fire, County officials said in April that changes in the budget one else stays for years. Very July 6, 1981, she had recently building department. From few have only been here for completed a secretarial course there, I went to accounting tion Byscheme for the Burgundy LeeElk offense. On the de Hanrahan a year or two because people at Southwestern Oklahoma and payroll. Then, when the come and never quit. The pay State University in Weather- city clerk’s position was open “A birthday is not complete without balloons,” Vanessa Con- is good, the benefits are nice, ford. She had graduated from in 1993, I was moved to that treras,The county owner cutBalloons of Okie $998,696&from Deco,its budget,The declares. Hartman passion said that but that’s not it. Every day is Hollis High School in 1978. position.” different, and you get to help Elk City had not been on her In her forty years of ser- she has for the art of balloons is evident as she describes the joy your neighbors and commu- agenda until a classmate en- vice, Sipes has witnessed tre- and happiness that she has seen her creations inspire in others. department Originally or every from official gives Venezuela, theirexplained Contreras estimate of how what she nity. It is engaging without be- couraged her to apply to work mendous technological ad- they’re needing for the year,” Hartman said. “The excise ing challenging. I mean, we do for the city. vancements. and her husband moved to Hong Kong in 2011 where they both face challenges, but it is never “After I had finished at “When I first started out, worked for a trading company before moving to Florida in 2017. could stay on the floor the something that breaks you SWOSU, I went back home we had machines that were so It was there that she realized that the COVID-19 pandemic had Cheryl Sipes because we have such a good to Hollis and worked for the big that they took up an entire created an opportunity to turn her passion into a business “as people searched for a way to be there without being there and a.m.and team with Hot supportHash and We newspaper for a short stint. desk. They were called posting system. have it set up to where no one My friend called me and told machines. Then we eventually celebrate “Wetheir don’t know loved those ones figures while yet,” she remaining said. socially “We’reCon- distant,” kind By Shonda Little person takes on the brunt of me I should go in for an in- got the big, bulky machines treras explained. any one task. We share in all terview. I didn’t really know that kind of had green let- It was around the same time that her husband was offered a year before and current year figures and help the county When examining the ros- we do. Working like that with anyone in Elk City, but I took ters. We graduated from that job in Elk City which he accepted. Contreras shares, “He fell in ter of the City of Elk City’s these people for so long has that leap of faith and applied. to computers that had small love with the city and with the people.” So they moved to Elk City “But we’ve made 20 percent cuts; some offices employees, one commonality made them more than my co- I moved here as a single lady, monitors with big CPUs. Now from Florida with their two children: 4-and-a-half-year-old son jumps out — longevity of em- workers. They are my family. not knowing much about the they are compact. We have Sebastian and two-year-old daughter Miranda. They were joined A fire that burned the Team ployment. WeChip Tae for are there Kwon each other town I was moving to,” Sipes seen the technology evolve shortly afterwards get those by Contreras’s final figures mother from them, it’sand kindherofsister and her wait and Do building Tuesday afternoon Cheryl Sipes, who was cel- when in newthe 1400are born, recounted. babies to where people can pay from family. Contreras says, “I love to be raising my kids here where we ebrated for her 40th year of through sickness and when A year after Sipes relocated a definite their phones. date But, the has forcity sethe have Commissioners been welcomed gave well, we their have final made approval many for the friends.” figures service on July 6, says that loved ones die. We try to lis- to Elk City, she met her future always made sure that we were It was in December of last year that Contreras decided to turn shefire knows the reason that em- community husband, Edwin. The couple onfirst weekend our in November. her passion and experience, including over ten years of twisting chief for the Elk City ten Fire to what Department.the No top of training,” she ployees happily give decades of wants inbecause we live here, paired in June of 1983. He, said. (probably known to most as balloon animals) into a business here injuries occurred. Two people the build there, at least one account in there,” Hartman said. their life to the job. too.main That’s part the biggest in Oklahoma and started the paperwork side of the company but ing escaped unharmed. The of thething to too, works for the City of Elk As city clerk, Sipes oversees “This is really the best place know about people working for City as the water department numerous tasks. it wasn’t until January of this year that Okie Balloons started Hartman could not provide an exact figure. The public fire occurred in the hot water heater area. to work,” Sipes gushed. “I can- the city — we want the city 75 children this $12,130. to supervisor. year. That figure was up from 40 last year. booking events. Contreras, her husband who helps with The insurance company also is investigating. not think of a better place to be a good place to live because See Sipes page 2. “I started out in the wa- See Balloons page 2. Weather Vol. Vol. 117,119, No.No. 54 53 Mail delivery Home delivery Viewonline View online tomorrow 87 / 64 99/70 75 cents, 12 pgs.pgs. 75 cents, 10 580.225.3000 580.225.3000 elkcityoknews.com elkcityoknews.com