August 5, 2023 Issue, Page 1 of 10

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y v. Serving ‘ m. _ Western Oklahoma | CB sincexso1 Weekend Edition ECHS Alumni Reunion Kicks Off for Classes through 2003 rN z, re Photo by Teri Cher- Elk City Alumni Bestow Heritage Award ics The Elk City Alumni Association and Foundation an- 7 Ps - nounced that for the first time in six years, they will be giv- 3 a) : ing the prestigious Big Elk Heritage Award to Linda Cook. She will be honored with the award because of the 40 years of hard By Sheryl Ponce available. Transportation will be provided by the new ECPS work and dedication she has given to the association and Elk buses. Sign-up during registration to see the specific departure City Schools. It is reunion weekend, and alumni have begun to descend times. The golf scramble registration will be from 11:30 a.m. to “Linda has been our ‘go-to-person’ for everything, She is on Elk City to reunite, remember, and celebrate Elk City High 12:30 p.m. with a1 p.m. T-time on Friday. Contact Alex Alvarez, very dependable and takes her job seriously, This is nota job to. School traditions. Welcome over 700 alumni to hometown Elk 580-225-3556, or Rick Nagle, 580-799-0926, for more informa- her; it is a ‘Labor of Love.’ I have been very fortunate to work City. The event will take place at the Civic Center and kick off tion about the golf scramble. with her and to call her my friend,” Gene Smith, Chairman of Friday at 11 a.m., where registration will take place. The current ECHS Foundation Board members are Gene the ECHS Alumni Foundation said. Friday from 7 p.m. to midnight there will be a Fun Photo Smith, Basil Weatherly, Linda Vaught Cook, Lisa Knight Nagle, Cook assumed the position of secretary and board member Booth to record this special event with friends. Slim Pickens will Rick Nagle, Angie Cook Blackmon, and Rick Rainey. Because of when her predecessor, Fern Cook stepped aside. Since then, be performing both Friday and Saturday nights. There will be Covid, and the cancellation of the 2020 Tri-Annual Reunion, she has faithfully discharged those same duties. She will be class pictures for every class on Saturday. Both nights will host their scholarship funds are down. Alumni are being encouraged stepping down after this year’s reunion. Her duties are going an evening of dining, dancing, and visiting. Food will be pro- to donate to the 501C3 fund. Any amount will help. to be turned over to her daughter, Angie Blackmon. vided by Fred's Steakhouse. Cook graduated from ECHS in 1966 and has been happily Tours of the high school, field house, and museum will be See More Photos page 7. married to Paul Edward Cook (1963 ECHS graduate) for 57 years. They raised their children in Elk City. They have one son, Jamey Cook, Class of '88, who is married to Beth. They also Cancelled Concert Blesses First Assembly have twin daughters, Angie Cook Blackmon, Class of 91, who is married to Johnny, and Lorie Cook, Class of 91. Linda and See Award page 2. of God with Uganda's ‘Solid Rock Tour’ Stigmas’ Inhibit Substance Use Disorder Help By Sheryl Ponce Addiction and recovery are seemingly estranged for many people who have a history of what is now called substance use disorder. Substance Use Disorder is a brain disease. The effects can be biological, psychological, social, and spiritual. Some of the solutions must focus on these areas as well. Ac- cording to Steve Berry, ICADC, Western Oklahoma Opioid Prevention Coalition Coordinator, people stigmatize things that they fear. This has been a survival process for humanity for ages, and there is a connection between that survival in- stinct and barriers to getting help in the fight against opioid use disorder. ‘The area of substance use disorder is complex, with a plethora of causes, prevention, and treatment. Berry’s exper- By Sheryl Ponce cert. They saw our church from the highway and called to ask if tise in this area is expansive. He has dedicated his profession they could come. I did quick research and invited them to per- and life to helping others who are still in them disorder but Pastor of First Assembly of God, Kevin Akins, got a call from form Sunday night,” Akins said. is now focusing more on the prevention aspect. He is work- the Christian organization, Imani Milele Choir, last week with a ‘There were 22 students and 12 adults in the group, all of ing on the opioid abatement litigation and working within proposition to come to their church to put on a concert. Akins whom were from Uganda. They travel on a seven-month tour communities on the issues facing those with substance use took down the information to verify their legitimacy, and he from March to Sept. across the United States. disorders. found out that they are a Christian organization that helps rescue “This is a tour. They get churches, or anyone who wants to, to and educate orphaned children in Uganda. doa free will offering. There are no ticket sales. It’s just a free will He continued to say that “In trying to make sense of an “They (Imani Milele Choir) have a home base here in the offering, and they also have merchandise from Uganda that they out-of-control life, people may have that idea that they are United States in Florida. They teach these kids and train these sell. They bring information about students that you can person- not a good person. A good person would not act or live this kids for a year, and then they bring a small part of the group over ally sponsor,” Akins continued. way, therefore, the behaviors and the perceptions of him/ here (USA). The choir is a large choir, they have 250 students in ‘The group provided information about the schools they are herself cannot exist at the same time. Dishonesty about the the choir. They bring a smaller group to the United States to per- building, as well as the student sponsorships. The members of behaviors, including minimizing, denial, blaming, or excuse form,” Akins explained. the choir were from ten-years- old to 14, and after the tour they making often result.” The inability to live in the way we want ‘The whole purpose of the choir is to tour America and raise will be returning to school in Uganda. is evidence of the psychological aspect of SUD. money for the schools in Uganda. They are building bigger schools “They have to practice for a year and prepare for a year before “It is stigmatizing. We, People with substance use dis- for the poor and underprivileged orphan kids so they can go to they get permission to come on this tour. Some of them still do school without paying. order (SUD), in trying to make sense of a life that is out of “They were traveling down I-40, and they had a cancelled con- See Tour page 2. See Stigmas page 8. Weather vy, Vol. 120, No. 63 Mail delivery View online LATO | Rnorrow 7/68 75 cents, 10 pgs. 580.225.3000 elkcityoknews.com