March 29, 2025 Issue, Page 3 of 12

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NEWS The Elk City News SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 2025 • 3 Newly remodeled chapel in the Whinery Funeral Services and Crematory building on Country Club. Whinery. They made it a WHINERY lot easier than what they Continued from page 1 thought it was going to be, and in some small way they it to my father (Brad Whin- ery) in the early 80s. Dad helped a family though a horrible time in their life. Keep Oklahoma Beautiful and purchased the one in Elk Whinery deals with the City, and we also had a cre- stress of working in the Oklahoma Route 66 Association Meet mation service in Oklahoma business through his hobby, City,” Whinery said. which is flying. When he is By Sheryl Ponce T-shirts. DEQ, which are only of- Chris and Kaylynn Whin- in an airplane, he is able to Other topics covered fered to affiliates in good ery branched out on their block out the noise and pay A group of area residents during the luncheon in- standing. One program that own in 2020, at the loca- attention to the instruments. had lunch with Evelyn cluded Keep Route 66 Clean is offered includes Paint tion on 3rd St., which was a Maintaining his Christian Schaefer, Executive Director grants; how to sign up to Oklahoma Beautiful which full-service funeral home. beliefs, as well as the ability Chris Whinery of Keep Oklahoma Beauti- become a KOB affiliate; and started in 2005, with more They did traditional burials to fly, seems to keep Whin- ful (KOB), Maeve Phillips, the benefits of having a KOB than 150 community groups and cremations. Since then, ery on a path to help others. prepare to say goodbye to Program Manager with membership. Affiliate mem- receiving free paint and sup- he purchased the funer- Whinery purchased one of their loved ones. KOB, and Taylor Atkins, Af- bers are the only ones who plies to revitalize buildings. al home located at 403 W. the most efficient crematory Being the third genera- filiate Coordinator of KOB can receive grants and pro- Another program is the Country Club. He renovated machines in the business. He tion in the funeral business, at Janices’ Café located on grams. Great American Cleanup the building and added on, is in contact with the com- Whinery learned a lot about South Main Street on Feb. There are over 50 affiliates which is a clean-up that that included a crematory. pany in Florida while it is in the trade from his grand- 27th. Kathy Schones of the in rural communities, as runs from March 1st to May The number of cremations use, and if the opacity of the father, A.L. Whinery. The Oklahoma Route 66 As- well as urban cities through- 31st. Projects could include seemed to have increased, exhaust going out goes over meticulous perfection that sociation coordinated the out Oklahoma. Any person, planting trees and flowers, not only locally, but across ten percent, an alarm goes Chris takes when prepar- meeting where those in at- organization, or municipali- cleaning litter and beautify- the nation and world. Whin- off. If there is a malfunction ing a loved one, he relates tendance learned about the ty that wants to improve the ing the community. For 15 ery believes that people may the machine will stop. back to his grandfather. It KOB programs and benefits. aesthetic, environmental, years the KOB has partic- see it as a greener disposi- Not only did he spare no was A.L. Whinery that en- One program that was ex- and sustainable quality of ipated from 77 Oklahoma tion. He has also found that expense with the crema- couraged Chris to venture plained throughout the lun- life in the community can counties. it is 50/50 for those who take tory, he also put in a state out on his own and open cheon was the Great Amer- become an affiliate. The af- OG&E has a microgrant, the ashes verses those who of the art music system in his own funeral home. It has ican Cleanup (GAC), They filiates are able to attend where Canute was able to bury their loved ones. the chapel. He added more surpassed all of his expecta- learned that Oklahoma workshops and events, as receive power equipment, According to Whinery, square footage for the added tions. residents are able to request well as learn about the best and that the community got the hardest part about the equipment and office. Effi- Chris is the son of Brad supplies from the program practices, environmental to keep free. business is the way it has ciency has been the key to all and Glenda Whinery, and to conduct a “clean up” in programs, and ways to make To register to be an affil- progressed throughout his of the renovations Whinery grandson to A.L. and Dala their communities, The sup- the community cleaner and iate to go online to www. career. He has found that made to the building. Whinery. He has two sons, plies would include gloves, greener. keepoklahomabeautiful. as he gets older, his matu- Whinery’s pride in the fu- Kyron and Keaton Whinery. trash bags, and bright yel- Grants are sponsored by com/wo-we-are/kob-affiia- rity has helped him getting neral business is what has The Whinery staff in- low vests to make volun- Oklahoma Department of tion/ or contact Schones at through difficult situations brought him to venture into cludes Scott Ferrell, Tara teers more visible, as well as Transportation as well as [email protected]. and cases. the new building, one in Shockley, Cindy Perry, Russ The best part of the busi- which his parents originally Eitenmiller, Denise Eiten- built. He also takes pride in miller, Jerry Smith, Dana ness is hearing a family say they made it through a dif- ficult situation because of providing a comforting ex- perience for families as they Gifford, Rob Crews, Emily Cantwell, and Kelley Jones. Washita Chapter of NSDAR Meets The Café Clinton was the We as a military, as a na- for his submission in this meeting site for the Washita tion, sent men and women program. Service for Vet- Chapter NSDAR on March off into harm’s way. When erans—Womack stated that ROTARY 10, 2025. Regent Kay Hagerman they did not come home, it’s that fulfillment of that war- the chapter will be assisting at the Clinton Veteran Cen- Continued from page 1 with Chaplain Roberta Fa- rior ethos to never leave a ter on April 12. riss open the meeting with fallen comrade behind. We Women’s Issues—Farris that is different, but Tosh the DAR opening ritual. are the embodiment of that spoke on the 19 Amend- said it will be more like ac- The Pledge of Allegiance, moral promise of searching ment, granting women tual miniature golf. One hole The American’s Creed, The for, finding, hopefully iden- the right to vote”. Patri- has a ramp, which is a two- Preamble to the Constitu- tifying remains for the pur- ot Records—Lu Eisler part hole that shoots toward tion, Salute to the Okla- pose of repatriating them to and Doris Minor have water. homa Flag and a Patriotic their families.” indexed 10,000 names. “It is a 42-par course, song was conducted by the To learn more about the Doris Minor took the mem- which is a little bit trickier members. Defense POW/MIA ac- bers back to the 2nd Virgin- than the last one. If you have The President General’s counting, go to dpaa.mil. ia Convention at St. John’s been able to go by, you can Message was given by Doris Committee reports: Church in Richmond Vir- see that it has been totally Minor as she shared the ex- American Indian—Virgin- ginia on March 23, 1775. transformed. Previously, it citement of the “remarkable ia Reid told about a Navajo The meeting was to was just flat and wonderful, progress being made on the woman that had been in- convince the American but we had the opportunity restoration of Memorial strumental in creating an colonists that they need- to spend time on it. It is very Marnie Tosh Constitutional Hall. “English-Navajo medical ed to seek freedom from intricate, and they have done This historic building, a dictionary to help doctors the British Empire. Pat- a fantastic job on it,” she con- Texas,” Tosh explained. They’ll repaint the course it- cornerstone of our heritage, and patients communicate, rick Henry’s immortal tinued. The other project Tosh self. We also have booked the had not seen a full resto- educate people about tuber- speech “Give Me Liberty or All of the boulders on the talked about was the ren- Thunder Basketball Camp ration since its completion culosis and worked tireless- Give Me Death” was giv- course are carved out of con- ovation of the skate park. again. That is scheduled for in 1910.” ly to improve the health and en by Kathryn Harrison. crete, as are the logs. Rod- She said that the Leadership July 22,” Tosh noted. In the National Defense welfare of the Navajo tribe”. Marci Grant led the group ney Cloud is completing the Class Eleven is taking on this The Kade Davis camp is Report, Ellena Womack DAR Good Citizen— in the Daughter’s Pledge landscaping. His crews are project. Tosh said that the also scheduled for the Ar- spoke on the JPAC (for- Honorary State Regent and the meeting was closed. delivering rock, and Mary’s city is sandblasting all the rowhead Center. Tosh said merly called POW/MIA). Nancy Lisle announced that Members present: Car- Bloomers are providing all ramps, and it will be rede- she is working to have a Changes since 2009 have 14 certificates will be given ol Ann Batterton, Roberta the plants for the course. signed to coordinate with the volleyball camp. She add- merged and improved. out at the May conference Diggs, Luanne Eisler, Ro- Louis Martinez is contract- Thunder Court next to it. ed, “Youth sports help team Funding has increased, for the DAR Good Citizen betha Fariss, Marci Grant, ing the clubhouse pavilion. “Some of the other excit- building and confidence, and the Department of De- Program and Scholarship Regent Kay Hagerman, It is a single sloped roof that ing things worth mention- which are key factors in de- fense Technology (DPAA) Contest. Kathryn Harrison, Hon- mimics the Arrowhead Cen- ing is that theThunder Court veloping leaders or those has improved, outside There has been 14 sub- orary State Regent Nancy ter. is set to be refinished either who could be the next lead- agencies in our country and missions for the Scholar- Lisle, April Miller, Doris “The Leadership Class late this summer or early ers in the community,” she in other are involved in the ships from our area also. Minor, Virginia Reid, Linda Nine from the Chamber next spring. They have a new said. searches. A brief descrip- Luke Zybock of Corn Bi- Stewart, Vera Williamson made this part of their proj- partnership, and so they’re Tosh fielded questions tion was given as to describe ble Academy will receive a and Ellena Womack. ect. They have secured all the coming around, putting a from the Rotarians, and then the DPAA’s mission…..” certificate, pin and check sponsorships to be able to new logo on the bottom of it. the meeting adjourned. have some theme items. We have larger than life theme items coming. The pop bot- tle and the whale are already Administrative Assistant Needed – Hybrid Role here. Those were previously purchased before I started Jason Tripps Consulting seeks a detail-oriented Administrative helping with the project. The Assistant to support daily operations. other items include the Ca- dillac cars, the St Louis Arch, Part-time | $500 weekly | 20–25 hrs/week | Mon–Fri | Hybrid. Tulsa Golden Driller, and the Wig Wam Motel. Those Apply now! [email protected] or text 213-935-0504 are all actually being built by Smash Designs out of Alvin,