December 13, 2023 Issue, Page 1 of 8

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Serving Western Oklahoma Wednesday, December 13, 2023 New Board Saves Miss Elk City/ Queen of the West Competitions Elk City and Miss Queen of the West competitions. The Miss Elk City Teen will be girls from the age of 13 years old to 17 years old, while the Miss Elk City age group is from 17 years old to 28 years old, which is the same for the Miss Queen of the West. “There are 16 girls competing in the categories. They changed the competitions to the interview, an onstage question, the ac- tivewear, the talent, and evening gown. There will be five certified judges who will be coming,” Varnell said. Lake Carpenter will be serving as the emcee for the event. ‘The 2023 Miss Queen of the West Mackenzie McIntyre will be Mary Kindle and Jason Cornelius performing. Sponsors for the competition include Troy Jones, Pedro's Mexican Grill, Holiday Inn Express, Hylton’s Flowers, Crowning Around, Tres Jolie, Elk City Walmart, Elk City’s Rotary Club, The Vogue Boutique, and the Elk City Newspaper. Red Rock BHS Held Co-director, Abigail Chitwood, is an associate professor of S Abigail Chitwood : Rylee Varnell biology at Southwestern Christian University in Bethany and a graduate research assistant at the University of Central Oklaho- Open House to Celebrate the New ma. She earned her Master of Science in Biology from UCO and By Sheryl Ponce Bachelor of Science in Biology from Southern Nazarene Univer- sity. She excels in public speaking, microbiology lab techniques, university level teaching, laboratory research, reverse-transcrip- Urgent Recovery In October, a new Miss Elk City/Queen of the West board was established to carry on the Miss Elk City/Queen ofthe West pag- tion polymerase chain reactions, DNA/RNA extraction and puri- eant in Elk City. Heading up the new board are co-directors, Elk fication, leadership, microscopy, communication, field research, City’s Rylee Varnell and Oklahoma City’s Abigail Chitwood. Other board members are Dena Chitwood, Oklahoma City, who serves bacterial culturing, agarose gel electrophoresis, and RNA isola- tion. Center as the judge chairman and Tiffany Regan, Elk City, who is the pro- Co-director, Varnell teaches language arts at the Elk City In- By Sheryl Ponce duction chairman. termediate School. She earned her Master of Educational Lead- ‘The team scrambled to organize and continue the pageant that ership from Southeastern Oklahoma State University and her ‘The Elk City location of Red Rock BHS invited the public is part of the Miss Oklahoma and Miss America organizations. Bachelorof Business Administration from Northeastern Oklaho- to attend their open house to celebrate the opening of their ma State University, and her Associate of Science from Western The local competition will be held in the Kelli O'Hara Performing Oklahoma State College. She attended Southwestern Technology new Urgent Recovery Center ‘Thursday, Dec. 8th, from 10 Arts Center, located on North Pioneer, Saturday, Dec. 16th, at 6 a.m, to 11 a.m., with an Elk City Chamber of Commerce rib- Center where she studied biomedical sciences, and she graduated p.m. Tickets may be purchased at The Vogue Boutique or email bon cutting at 10:30 that morning. Prior to the ribbon cut- [email protected]. from Navajo High School in 2014. She also taught at Sayre Pub- ting several dignitaries who came in for the occasion spoke ‘This year they have added a Miss Elk City Teen to the Miss See Board page 2 to the crowd that gathered for the event. ‘The first to speak was Kelli Williams, the Regional Pro- gram Director, who welcomed everyone, offered refresh- ments, and a tour of the facility. She introduced Jason Cor- nelius, the Director of Outpatient Services, who was the next to speak. “We are thrilled to be here today. We appreciate all of you coming to share this event and bringing the urgent recovery center to the people in Elk City and the surrounding commu- nities. Red Rock, a federally designated certified community health clinic, will be celebrating 50 years of providing high quality services to Oklahomans, and we have been serving Western Oklahoma for over 20 years. We modernized the fa- cility in 2016 and once again remodeled this year to add the new Urgent Recovery Center to meet the growing needs of Wy our communities,” Cornelius began. Angela Nichols Isabella Butcher Kayla Peeler He went on to say that Urgent Recovery Centers (URC) work like health emergency departments. Adults who are in acute mental health or substance crisis will be able to stabi- Butcher's talent will be a vocal accomplishments include be- lize and get back to their families. performance of “Right Hand ing in the Top 500 Dr. Pepper “In most cases, people stay less than 24 hours in the URC, Man.” She has been the wor- Games, and recipient of two but if needed, Red Rock can provide a higher level of care in ship leader in three different Army Achievement Medals. churches since the age of three, Caitlynn Osborn our crisis centers. The theme of our URC’s was created by our and she has coached tumbling She is currently a manager own COO, Dr. Wana Ellison. The center's team of experts will for four years. at Sonic Drive-In and wants to be standing by to wrap around the person with individual- Angela Nichols be a writer in the future. Her ized assessment and care. This team includes psychiatrists, She is a 2023 graduate of Community Service Initiative APNS, therapists, nurses, mental health techs, case manag- SWOSU, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Communication. She is “Neverland Home.” She will ers, recovery support specialists and their leader is Kelli Wil- be performing “Burn” from liams, the Southwest Regional Program Director,” Cornelius is pursuing a marketing com- “Hamilton.” Some of Osborn’s munications director position continued. accomplishments include be- to orchestrate high-impact ing a semifinalist of Dr. Pepper A person can come into the URC by bringing themselves branding. Her Community games for five years, and she in, Other means include by a family member, law enforce- Megan Bradley Service Initiative is “Light the has worked in many fundrais- ment, referred by a community stakeholder or by the mobile Way: Giving Children a Chance ers for foster care in Kingfish- crisis team. They are available 24 hours a day, seven days a to Thrive.” Nichols will be per- forming “I Have Nothing” by er. week, for 365 days a year. They will be responding to crisis. Kayla Peeler Miss Elk City Whitney Houston. She de- veloped a Christmas t-shirt majoringShe is a junior at SWOSU through the 988-response team. ‘The next to talk was Bonnie Campo, Director of Public fundraiser that generated over tion. She in English Educa- Relations with the Department of Mental Health. She has $1,100 in proceeds, and she or- a master’splans on obtaining candidate bio’s ganized school clubs to donate counseling, degree She is in school currently been traveling across the state with Red Rock's open houses at other locations. Megan Bradley the national anthem at the items and funds for Thanksgiv- ‘A sophomore at SWOSU, OKC Dodger’s game. ing, including turkeys. working parttime as a caregiv- “L want to say that the Oklahoma Department of Mental er for two children, and even- Health and Substance Abuse partners know the community she is working on a Bachelor's Isabella Butcher Niki Martin Degree in Multimedia Jour- A 19-year-old from Elk She is currently the assis- tually, she wants to become so well, and the outreach you all do each and every day is so. nalism. She also is working City, who is currently working tant manager of Sonic Drive- a high school counselor. Her appreciated. I believe this makes three openings in the past parttime at the Bank of West- at The Vogue Boutique, where in, a Sgt. In the National Community Service Imitative few months, and this marks an unwavering commitment to ern Oklahoma. Her goal is to she models, helps customers, Guard, a nationally registered is “Be the Change.” For her tal- providing assessable high quality mental health and sub- become a sideline reporter. and prepares videos for pub- EMT, and she is pursuing a ent, Peeler will be singing “All I stance abuse services to individuals throughout our state's Her community service initia~ lishing. She is attending SWO- bachelor’s degree in criminal Ask,” by Adele. Some of her ac- SU, majoring in health science, studies. She wants to become complishments include being our collaboration that is aimed at broadening access to vital tive is CH.A.N.G.E.: Hunger in Oklahoma. Some of Brad- and plans on continuing in the a general manager for Sonic, named the 2021 Valedictorian mental health and substance abuse services across Oklaho- ley’s accomplishments include medical field to help other with as well as retire with the Na- of Sentinel High School, Recip- OMTA Piano State Qualifier, their injuries. Her Communi- tional Guard. Her Communi- ient; Ambassador/Presidential See Recovery page 2. One-Act-All-State Qualifier, ty Service Initiative is “More ty Service Initiative is “Be the Leadership Team, and Miss Al- and she was selected to sing Than Physical Appearance.” Influence.” Some of Martin's tus 2023 8 IM 13151 Weather tomorrow 133 Vol. 120, No.101 75 cents, 8 pgs. Mail delivery 580.225.3000 View online elkcityoknews.com