I’m writing to you today, Monday, from Grapevine, Texas. Do you think that makes me a “roving reporter?”
I’m attending the National Championship Sports Baseball World Series to watch Gideon play with his traveling team. He hit a hard one today over the fence for a home run and this association makes sure you take home some bling if you hit a homer.
He had two more land right at the fence for a couple of doubles, but I was so hoping he’d hit three over the fence because I’m sure Lincoln and August would want to strut around in his new “bling”, and then he’d have plenty to go around.
My mom pulled a muscle in her back two weeks ago and couldn’t come with me to these games. She is doing much better but when she pulled the muscle her first words were “I want to go to Grapevine.”
Even though she is much improved she wasn’t quite ready for a road trip. Unique Market owner Andrea Thompson made the trip with me, and we scoured downtown Grapevine for ideas for new merchandise for Stroud and new display ideas for our local businesses.
If you want to pick Andrea’s brain for new ideas, give her a call or stop by the store. Also, through the Oklahoma Department of Commerce you may receive help with store displays and merchandising through their Main Street program. Even though we are not a designated “Main Street Program” we are a Route 66 community so that assistance is available to our local businesses.
As I’ve mentioned to you before, as you are traveling around this summer on vacation, stay on the lookout for great ideas you find that we could implement in Stroud and then share them with me. We are always looking for great ideas!
Thank you to everyone who came out and supported Putt Putt Kicks on Route 66 this week. Last summer we tried to run the course with volunteers, but it didn’t work out as well as we had hoped.
This year we have actual “employee volunteers.” I call them that because Town Talk pays them a small salary for volunteering to help us at the course.
Our wonderful club house attendants this year are Kathryn Thornton, Pam Hunt and Jessica Martinez and our substitute -attendants are Sharon Mitchell, Kalah Summers and the ever-handsome Trystan Baker.
We had golfers Thursday, Friday and Sunday so we were very pleased. Town Talk built this course with the help of many volunteers as a ser- vice to our community.
It is “not-for-profit”, but we do need to take in enough income to pay our club house attendants and the utility bills.
When I ask you to shop local and dine local, now I’m adding play minimini golf locally, too, so that we may keep it open.
T-shirts which regularly sell for $20 are available for a mere $10 if you stop by and say you read about it in the local newspaper.
The Stroud Chamber of Commerce is bringing back the mid-summer 5K this year, 2023 Mid-Summer Madness.
It will be held on Saturday, July 8th. The race begins at 7:30 a.m. and there is a 1-mile walk option. If you register before June 24th, you will receive a free t-shirt.
You can register up until the day of the race, but you won’t receive a free t-shirt after the deadline.
Sponsors for this event are Mint Turbines, Lincoln County Health Department/ TSET, RCB Bank, Attorney Jim Hodgens and Central Oklahoma Telephone Company. Don’t forget to sign up today!
Starting next week on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:00 a.m. there will be a community walk that starts at Ed. Smalley Centennial Park.
This is sponsored by the Stroud Regional Medical Center. Show up and get your “walk on!”
First United Methodist Church will be hosting their Vacation Bible School program Monday June 26th through Friday June 30th from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Sac & Fox Nation will have an evening swim at their pool on Friday June 23rd from 8:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. They encourage everyone to come out and have a great time.
Thank you to John Owens for the lovely mural he painted on Pete Sawatzky’s storage container at the pocket park on Main Street.
Thank you to Pete for allowing us to turn that empty space into a fun area for the kiddos. Great things happen when we work together.
Today, June 22nd would have been my Uncle Bobby Gene Walker’s 89th birthday. Bobby was a graduate of Stroud High School in 1953 and was president of his senior class.
The late Bill Brown, former owner of the Stroud American, was Bobby’s friend and classmate. Time marches on but we always remember those who paved the way for us.
Remember to shop local, dine local and play putt-putt local.
All would be appreciated!
Have a great week and thank you for continuing to shop local……first!