October 13, 2021 Issue, Page 1 of 10

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Serving Western Oklahoma Weekday Edition Dog adoptions waived through month of October Find your new best friend Homecoming Court: Homecoming King and Queen Day- lan Thompson and Delaja Martin. Staff photos by Burgundy Lee Hanrahan, By Burgundy Lee Hanrahan make sure that the two students were involved and also as a way to send them and their teammates off to regionals. The Friday af- Elk City’s Homecoming was held on Friday, Oct. 8 and like usual, ternoon pep rally found the junior class the winners of the spirit the celebration was a week-long affair. The ever-popular spirit stick and class yells. week consisted of: Monday: ‘Merica Monday; Tuesday: Anything ‘Thursday, Oct. 7, the senior class held a fundraising Homecom- but a backpack; Wednesday: Decades Day; Thursday: Frat/Soror- ing Block Party/citywide pep rally that lasted from 6 p.m. until 8 ity Day and Friday: Extreme Brown and White. p.m. in downtown Elk City. The event featured food, games and ‘The Homecoming Court, announced Monday, Oct. 4 was as fol- appearances by the band, cheerleaders, flag twirlers and of course lows: Catch Geno, Jordan Williford, Shae Jackson, Carson Price, the football team. Delaja Martin, Daylan Thompson, Hannah White, Mason Price, A special Homecoming tailgate featuring Blue Mountain Smoke Danni Sotille, Drake Hughes, Hailey Buie, Cooper Patton, Tucker and Brown’s Grill took place outside the stadium on Friday, Oct. 8 Garza, Taylor Sullivan, Kit Hunter and Campbell Garbarino. before the Homecoming Ceremony commenced at 6:30 p.m. with ‘The school found themselves in a bit of a pickle as far as pep as- DayDay Thompson and Delaja Martin being crowned King and semblies go: their regularly scheduled pep assembly was held on Queen, Friday afternoon as planned, but this year two members of their ‘The icing on cake that was Homecoming Week was the Elks’ 31 - Homecoming Court had softball regionals at the same time so 8 win over Chickasha. they decided to have another pep rally on Wednesday in order to See more photos page 10. Boomer is seen here with his new mom. Boomer found his forever home as part of the Elk City Animal Shelter’s 580 Threads, unique downtown “Clear the Shelter” event that is happening through the month of October. Courtesy photo. boutique owned by Brittini Flowers, By Burgundy Lee Hanrahan moving to old Paul Jones Drug building anonymous is paying the adoption fees for any and all dogs ‘The Elk City Animal Shelter is beyond grateful and excited to announce that a very generous donor who wishes to remain that are adopted during the month of October. Khelsea Ris- By Burgundy Lee Hanrahan designs have gained sucha following over the past six years that inger, shelter office manager, shares that the donor, who has last month at the 48th Annual Fall Festival, 580 held what they adopted from the shelter in the past, approached them with October is National Women’s Small Business Month and The called “Flannel Festival” which featured somewhere between Elk City News wants to celebrate the Boss Babes that keep our 150 to 200 of the upcycled shirts and they sold every single one, the idea because they “wanted to do something nice” for their community going! So this month we'll be featuring some awe- something that Flowers says has never happened before. birthday. inspiring women who have forged their path and made their Soon, 580 will be able to offer even more merchandise for Risinger says that since the “Clear the Shelter” event began mark in the small business world. their customers to fall in love with; after a few years in the It’s going on five years now that Brittini Flowers has owned space at 109 South Main Street in Elk City, Flowers recently on Oct. 5, they've had five pups find their forever homes. She 580 Threads, affectionately known by many as simply 580, a announced on Facebook that 580 Threads will be moving to the also shares that they've had people call saying that they heard boutique located in downtown Elk City that touts the slogan building that was vacated by Paul Jones Drug back in July. Flow- about the event and asking if they can come down and take “for rebels, hippies and babes.” However, 580 is hardly Flowers’ ers says that the new location, which should be open by mid to a look which both the staff and the dogs are always excited first foray in small business; her parents owned a restaurant late November depending on how everything goes (she and her about because “We love new people. The dogs love new faces, when she was a kid (some Elk City residents may remember Old husband will be doing a lot of the renovations themselves, as Glory) and she was a partner for the first two years that local they did with the current building), will give her and her em- they get tired of seeing our faces,” she laughed. Risinger ex- antique store Rust Revival was open; She's also had a craft busi- ployees a lot more room to work with. plained that with shelter/adoption activity picking up, they've ness. Flowers admits that while she is “doing it [owning a small While Flowers has seemingly made her mark in the small started holding meet and greets in the side yard so that the business] differently” than she has been able to witness with business world, she does say that sometimes in the clothing/ canines can be in an area that’s more quiet so that everyone say, her parents, that seeing others involved in small business boutique industry it can feel like you're not taken seriously or does make doing it herself more accessible. that sometimes people treat you patronizingly, asking things can be a little less rambunctious and get to know each other Of course that experience doesn’t mean that building 580 like “how's your little business doing?” However, she shares, “I and “sniff each other out.” into what it is today was easy; Flowers shares that she started will say from my own experience and from my friends, because With the shelter having been full earlier in the week and at the boutique with waitressing tips, explaining, “I have no formal I'm friends with everybody down here, that the women that run education. My motto is ‘hustle like the underdog.’ When 580 these things are bosses. They handle stuff and they’re bringing least a few dogs coming into the shelter every week (they be- was at the old locationI literally worked at the store from ten in good amounts of money. People don’t realize andI think come available for adoption after a hold of at least three days), to five and then went to work at Prairiefire at night. I had my that's the number one thing when people get into this busi- Risinger says that that makes this first time gift of waived daughter with me at the store during the day and then my hus- ness, is that they think ‘oh, I’m just going to be dressing cute adoption fees all the more exciting. She also shares that while band watched my daughter at night. I made it work, you know?” and picking out clothes’ and it’s not like that. I actually don’t Flowers says that she decided to open 580 Threads because get to do that half the time. Most of the time I'm in leggings the cats are not included this time, they remain hopeful that even though she’s never traditionally been into fashion, she in the back office doing paperwork, keeping things organized, in the future others might wish to sponsor similar adoption likes how one can express themselves with clothing and, ‘I feel ordering; I have three employees so I’m juggling their schedules. events. “This is just the beginning. It’s gonna snowball from like we have a pretty unique style that wasn’t around here. Plus, ‘There's a lot of work and planning and everything that goes here,” she exclaimed with excitement and optimism. people always liked what I wore because I make things like my into it if you're successful.” The small business owner says that flannels and we screen print our shirts and things like that.” another important thing to have in owning a small business is Flowers also shares that while the aesthetic and style (she says passion, “you just got to have passion. If you have passion, you You can check the shelter’s Facebook page for information along with the flannels, 580 Threads is well known for their can do anything. Like, you can literally have any job ever; I feel about (and videos of some) adoptable dogs, call the shelter at band shirts) that she and 580 boast “isn’t really a thing around like I could do any job because if I'm into it, I'm passionate. I feel here,” the community loves and supports it and so she finds like if you just are passionate and relate to people then they'll (680)225-7222 or stop by 1022 South Main Monday through herself with customers from all walks of life. Those customers support you.” Friday from 9 a.m. to4 p.m. are loyal, too. Flowers says that the flannels she thrifts and re- See 580 page 2. tuummamimyy = Weather Weather 77/49 Vol. 119, No. 82 75 cents, 10 pgs. Mail delivery 580.225.3000 View online elkcityoknews.com