May 4, 2024 Issue, Page 1 of 5

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Serving Western Oklahoma Since 1901 GPRMC Hosts Chamber Breakfast Club Red Carpet Community Theatre Board of Director Cody Crow talks Mike Sparks gi about the upcoming productions. Pictured are Elk City City Manager Tom Ivester, Mayor Cory S| r, Senator Brent Howard, Representative Nick Archer, Executive Director of the Okla- homa Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics Grayson Ardies, and Aerospace and Aeronautics Commissioner Jim Putnam. Groundbreaking Ceremony Brings Corey Lively, CEO of Great Community Relations Manager Plains Regional Medical Center, from Oklahoma Natural Gas, Local and State Support serves as host of the Chamber Breakfast, Ryan Sproul introduces himself to the Chamber. By Sheryl Ponce By Sheryl Ponce Association, doing business as Great Plains Regional The quarterly Elk City Medical Center. That's what Last week the Department Chamber of Commerces makes us unique?’ Lively be- of Aerospace and Aeronautics Breakfast Club was held n, held a groundbreaking cer- Wed, April 24th, at 7:30 He continued to say that emony for the new Elk City am., in Great Plains Re- Dr. Michael Shadid from airport terminal. The existing gional Medical Center, Oklahoma City came to Elk terminal was standing room who hosted the event. The City to take care of patients only with support from com- emcee for the meeting was for the hospital. They asked munity members, state legisla- Basil Weatherly, who wel- the co op members to pay a tures, and city officials, The Ex- comed everyone, gave the little extra to build a hospi- ecutive Director of the agency, invocation, and led the flag tal, and in return all of those Grayson Ardies, along with salute. He then introduced members would have free Sandra Shelton, Government GPRMC CEO Corey Lively, healthcare. Lively said that Relations and Communica- tions Manager; Katelyn Wade, who updated the chamber this hospital was the birth- Marketing and Outreach Co- members about the history place of managed care in the of the hospital. United States. When it be- ordinator; Michelle Bouziden, Senior Project and Grants “We're unique. Werea one gan they sold shares of stock ofa kind in the nation. Over for the hospital, but as it sits Manager; Chris Wadsworth, 80 years ago, the Farmers today, there are still about Chief of Staff; and Commis- Union Co Op, and so ex- 425 shares outstanding. To- sioner Jim Putnam attended the ceremony. Additionally, actly what you're thinking, a day the shares do not have a co op. As we sit today we are monetary value. Craig Smith, Representative still the Farmers Union Co “Every year in October Marshall, Senator Brent How- Op. Its called the Farmers ard, and Representative Nick Union Cooperative Hospital See CHAMBER page 2 Archer were there. Ardies served as the master of ceremony and was the first to talk about the new project. He said that if it were not for the state legislature, the termi- Family Fun Night Planned nal and hangar would not have been possible. He also gave for Chamber Members credit to Elk City’s City Man- ager Tom Ivester for his lead- Bobby Southard, Chairman of the By Sheryl Ponce Bank will be passing out ership in getting the project off Advisory Board for the Elk City free ice cream. Not only the ground, Airport. Elk City Chamber of will chamber members en- Pictured are Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics Commissioner Jim “At tthe end oflast session, the to fruition. At the first part of Putnam. Commerce is calling all joy the free evening, but the legislature graced us with $11 June, after learning ofthe bud- chamber members and public is also invited to join million of additional appro- get passing, we reached out to the visionary leadership to Elk City received $2.1 mil- their families to go to Ack- the fun. priations to put into aviation four Oklahoma communities, come on this challenge with us lion toward building a new ley Park on Thursday, May The refurbished — car- infrastructure across the state thinking ifI got one, I was go- because it’ not a regular day in hangar, $2.7 million for the 9th, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., ousel will be up and run- of Oklahoma. Nick Archer is ingto be happyto doaterminal our history that we're able to terminal project, along with for a night of free activi- ning. This is one of the few one of our state's key champi- building, But I got three, and I go from the third week of June funds for the utilities which ties. This annual event is wooden carousels left in the ons to aviation aerospace and was shocked that in probably deciding that we're going to do came to $5.3 million invest- the way the chamber thanks state and the United States. in trying to grow his town, his a two weeks timeframe, those this project to get the design ment in the community. Not their members for support Along with carousel rides, community, his district here in three communities stepped done and turning to get bids all of the funds came from the throughout the year. the train, and miniature golf western Oklahoma, also repre- up. This terminal building is out to get grants approved and state, but there were matching All of the rides will be will be open and running. sent America,’ Ardies began. out the door here less than 12 dollars from federal partners, open and free. Addition- Mark next Thursday to “Traditionally, an infra- the new front door for the city of Elk City. I just want to say months later. It is probably the as well as local dollars. ally, they will be serving run out to the park for an structure project takes many thank you to Tom for having fastest we've ever done a proj- free snow cones, and Legacy evening of fun. months, many years to come ect in aviation history.” See CEREMONY page 3 8 | 04879 MN, Weather tomorrow 4 /63 Vol. 120, No. 19 75 cents, Mail delivery 580.225 3000 View online elkcityoknews.com