Thank you to Elizabeth Lau and Jessica Martinez for painting the activities for children at the Pocket Park on Main Street. Another thanks goes to Julie Bivin, Town Talk volunteer, for recruiting these two ladies. It is beginning to take shape. We appreciate Pete Sawatzky for letting us use this piece of property to make an area where kids can take a break, read a book or play a game. We plan on having a couple of small picnic tables on the property for kids to enjoy. We will also be asking you soon to bring your children to place their handprint on the cinderblock wall. It’s just another fun addition for Main Street brought to you by Town Talk volunteers.
Don’t our flowerpots look beautiful on Main Street? Thank you to all businesses, classes and families who have chosen to sponsor a pot. Thank you, also, to Lyndon Patton of Patton’s Produce and Andrea Flatt and Cathy Terry of Unique OK for planting the flowers and fertilizing them and to C’Anne Smalley for planting the flowerpots at Ed. Smalley Centennial Park. I think the secret ingredient has been the fertilizer. Our flowers have grown bigger and faster this year.
Stroud Drug has a nice big display window that greets customers as they enter the drugstore. They always have it decorated for every occasion and it is a nice addition to Main Street. I’m sure Alicia Brown has a big hand in the decorating. It is always so full and festive that every time I enter the store, I notice something different. It is great when business owners take pride in their buildings.
We are still working to get the mini-golf course up and running. John Stobaugh picked up our fence and is hoping to have it installed soon. As soon as that happens, we can put a weed control cover fabric down and begin placing the golf course holes. I’m hoping you’ll notice some good progress over the next couple of weeks.
Speaking of mini-golf, Chandler’s new Route 66 Bowl is now open. Owner Sid Hayes did an outstanding job on the building, both inside and outside. The decorations are over-the-top amazing. It’s as nice a venue as you would find in either the Tulsa or Oklahoma City area.
Lincoln County is lucky to have such a first-rate entertainment for young and old alike right here in our neighborhood. Of course, I wish it were smack dab in the middle of Stroud but I’m happy for Chandler and all the other business/building projects taking place there. There is a lot going on in our county.
Helen Arrington is one of my sweet friends who is currently in the hospital. She is one of our Prairie Point residents and a very active resident at that, lending her talents to making many items such as necklaces to sell for fundraisers. We became friends when she signed up for the Stroud “Shirt of the Month” club when I was employed by the City. Many times I would see her after she moved into Prairie Point wearing one of those shirts. She would always tell me how much she loved them. Helen is also a veteran and so we had that connection, too. Town Talk and I want to send out get-well wishes to Helen and hope she is back home in Stroud soon!
It’s always nice when more streets get repaired in Stroud. I know City Manager Bob Pearman and his crew are strategically working towards getting them in shape. Fourth Street and 11th Avenue are just a couple of the latest to receive improvements. Let’s all try to be patient as the City works it way through these repairs. I hear many people say they are keeping their fingers crossed that Ninth and Tenth Street, heading to our elementary school, are on the list soon.
I say this every month but it is hard to believe you are reading July’s first newspaper and that next weekend we will be celebrating the 4th of July. Be sure and check out all our local merchants and restaurants for your holiday needs. They appreciate your business, I know. It’s your choice where to shop and we thank you for choosing to shop local………….first!