August Update

PHOENIX CIRCLE FOUNDATION continues to make strides toward the goal of bringing arts and other educational opportunities to our community.  We want to thank all of our Art Patrons - teachers, parents, friends, and business people who are supporting our efforts to open an Arts Center in Watonga with your donations and attendance at our fundraising events. We are trying to use our GOFUNDME campaign to reach out to a wider audience of philanthropists and hope all of our facebook friends will share those posts.  We also want to thank the Red Carpet Country tourism association, their board of directors and members, for their encouragement and ideas for how the Arts Center can bring more people to our downtown.

Earlier this month Whirlwind Winery hosted a live music concert by Dylan Stewart of Ringling, OK. Dylan has played at the Chaparral Retreat and said he enjoys the small, intimate audience. We had a good crowd;  Dylan played for tips and we brought in some $$ for Phoenix Circle Foundation.  Brad sold a few bottles of wine for visitors to take home.  It was a special evening of entertainment and fellowship.  

This past weekend was the Blaine County Free Fair.  Though it was smaller than in past years, it was exciting to see the 4-H kids' art projects and all of the other exhibits. I didn't enter anything in the Fair this year.  There was a great Barn Quilt workshop at the Foley Building on Saturday,  led by Lynda Latta from Arnett, OK  (Ellis County).  Lynda is a fellow board member of the Red Carpet Country tourism association and is spreading the idea of Watonga being part of a "Quilt Trail".  As she and I visited at the recent Tourism Conference, she suggested that our Arts Center would be a great place to host future barn quilt workshops, once our doors are open.  Lynda has also talked to our Chamber of Commerce director and to Terri Crawford, head librarian, about putting up barn quilt squares in the vacant lot on east Main Street, where a building was recently demolished. Painting Barn Quilt squares could be an arts project for older 4-H Club members. I will be attending a Rural Development Seminar in October in Woodward for training.

Speaking of the Oklahoma Tourism Conference held this month in Enid, OK ... we had great speakers who shared ideas on how small towns like Watonga can "reinvent" themselves to attract more tourism dollars without giving up their history, culture, and "small town" identity.  I was also given information by Jeanette Nance from Keep Oklahoma Beautiful about grants they have available, and one in particular that could help us with the renovation costs for the building at 111 E. Main Street.  I'm sending in our application today!!

I helped out at the Whirlwind Winery this past Saturday and we were busy all day with people from OKC, Duncan, Bethany, Winfield KS, and other visitors who came to the area to visit Roman Nose State Park or to stay at the Chaparral Retreat. As the representative for Blaine County on a state tourism board, I have to disagree with a local resident's comment that "people [tourists] only come to Watonga and the Park to camp and fish". Every visitor we had on Saturday asked "what else is there to do in Watonga?" This town has a rich history, like the TB Ferguson Home and Museum, we can share with tourists.  Two couples said they were going over to El Rancho Grande for dinner, and another couple said they were going to the Lodge to eat.  I try to keep a supply of "WELCOME TO WATONGA" rack cards on the stand at the Winery and on Saturday ended up giving away almost all that we had on hand!

Phoenix Circle Foundation gave out over $200 in school supplies this month, and still had more requests.  We didn't promote the school supply giveaway as much this year as in years past because we noticed several other "school supply drives" being promoted. We will continue that mission next year and maybe start a little earlier to let families know that supplies will be available.  

Carla Burdick, executive director of Red Carpet Country tourism association, is going to be the program at Kiwanis this coming Wednesday.