June 14, 2023 Issue, Page 1 of 8

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Serving Western Oklahoma Since 1901 GPRMC Names Heimer Nurse By Sheryl Ponce of the Year there. Ivester also talked about the $2.5 million that will be allocat- Last week City Manager Tom Ivester sat down to talk about ed to building the new fire station. the latest happenings in Elk City. The first and at the top of the “What a difference that is going to make in the plans. We list is the new Aquatic Center opening. He said that by the time (commissioners) didn’t know about that. When we were making By Sheryl Ponce this story comes out, two of the three pools will be open. The the decision whether to move forward with the vote (CAPPs 2) or deep-water pool is not finished, but he hopes it will be finished not, we didn’t want to move forward with the vote if it was going Two years ago, Kandi Heimer started her career in labor by July 4th. and delivery at Great Plains Regional Medical Center and to take us $25 million to build a new fire station and we only got was recently named their Nurse of the Year. She graduated “We had two inspections - one was with the Department seven. So can we do it for seven? The architects said that at best, from Western Oklahoma State College, Elk City campus, in of Labor and the other one was the Department of Health. We you can only estimate the cost right now, which is going to be May of 2021 with her associate in science degree and achiev- passed both. It will cost $5 each, and two and under are free. You really hard,” Ivester said. ing her RN. can reserve tables for parties, but not the entire pool,” he said. With building costs and supply availability it was going to be “Tve worked at AT&T, and that is all I knew. Justin Ivester went on to say that there will be seven lifeguards on difficult to predict, but they felt like they could get one built with (Heimer, her husband) let me quit my job and go back to duty, and there will be three slides in the two open pools. There $7 million. With the extra $2.5 million that Representative Nick school. It was just a blessing in disguise. I was so tired of will be a construction fence that separates the deep-water pool Archer was able to secure for the city, it will make a huge differ- what I was doing, and I wanted to be a nurse since I was a from the other two that will be open so construction can contin- little girl. I needed to do that. I had no time for family and ence. work, so he said, ‘Quit your job. It’s going to be fine’ We ue. The other pool will have a rock-climbing wall, a cliff jump, and “What this means is instead of us penny-pinching for a fire struggled for two years, but we did it,” Heimer explained. a punch line. station, we're going to get a nice five bay fire station. One hun- She went to school during COVID, therefore, she did not ‘There will be five lifeguards at the main pool, and two sta- dred percent of the funds will go towards the fire station. It is a get to do rotations in the hospital but did what was called tioned in the deep end. Additionally, there will be pool atten- game changer really. That is all Nick (Archer). He came through. preceptorship. That was in her last six weeks of college. dants. Ivester explained that a pool attendant could do things “It is your final jaunt through your last semester, and like monitor the slides. In total there will be 23 total employees See Talks page 2. you do six weeks with an RN, shadowing them. I shadowed Gabria Lindenfesler. I worked in labor and delivery for six weeks, and I fell in love with it. thought I was committed to First Block Party and Route 66 the ER. I never would have thought I would work in women's health, but I fell in love with it,” she continued. Heimer credits Miranda Cummings for giving her the opportunity to continue to work in the department. She said that it usually takes a long time for a nurse to earn their way Festival Kicked Off Summer Activities into labor and delivery. “The families are the best part of the job. I think getting to connect with them is the reason I like it so much. I suf- fered with infertility for a long time. I didn’t thinkI was ever going to be able to be amom. Having gone through that and suffering losses, I am able to be empathetic and understand that sometimes there are hard days we have up there. I think also I appreciate the miracle that it really is,” Heimer said, She also described the feeling of being able to see the look on the parents’ faces when they realize that they just became parents. She especially appreciates the first-time parents who are in awe of the miracle of their new baby. Nurse of the Year is voted on by other nurses and the tech staff. Directors nominate candidates, and then the staff votes on who deserves the Nurse Excellence Award for the year. “When they announced the award, they said that I give my all to my patients all the time. I love that I can make a dif- ference in these people's lives, especially with our new par- By Sheryl Ponce At 3:45 p.m. on Saturday the winners of the car show were ents that come in. They feel so helpless and clueless. A lot of announced. Those included the Pre ‘50s Cars: First place - #50 people don’t have the luxury of having a big family to help at Last weekend the first Block Party of the summer was held Eric Shelton’s 1937 Ford Coupe, Second Place - #25 Joe Nunes’ home. [like to give them as much knowledge as I can before at the north end of Ackley Park in conjunction with the annual 1937 Chevy Sedan; '50-'60 Cars: First Place - #43 Johnny Smith's they leave and an extra hand while I'm there,” she said. Route 66 Festival. This was the first year for the festival to be 1955 Chevy 210 Post, Second Place - #46 Jane Londagin’s 1957 In the future Heimer plans on returning to school to be- held outside of downtown Elk City. Due to the hot days and lack Red Ford T Bird; '61-'75 Cars: First Place #47 Bob Basler’s 1871 come a breastfeeding consultant ora midwife later down the of shade, the decision was made to make the move to the park. Chevy Chevelle, Second Place - #52 Patricia Snider's 1970 Ford road. She said that it would be after her children are grown. ‘There seemed to be more vendors and people at both events. Mustang Mach I; "75 - Late Models: First Place #37 Phil and Ta- She would also like to eventually become a nurse practitioner Even the early morning rain did not keep cars or people at home. mara Malone's 2023 Black Corvette, Second Place Dennis Keyes in women’s health. Bondi Bowls, Brown's Grill, Abby’s Authentic Mexican Food, LLC, 2023 Chevy Corvette, White. Btchn Fried Rice, @heavens kitchen, KT Mini Donuts, Legacy ‘The Custom Cars winner in First Place was #45 Randy See GPRMC page 2. Bank of Elk City, and Kona Ice of Stillwater/Elk City were there for both events. See Activities page 2. Vol. 120, No. 50 View online «AQUA Weather tomorrow ‘71 75 cents, 8 pgs. Mail delivery 580.225.3000 elkcityoknews.com