Thursday, June 11, 2020

Mid-year Update on Phoenix Circle Foundation


June 10, 2020 
Dear Friends, 
 
It’s the middle of the year and we’ve already accomplished much, thanks to your past support.    
Last summer we held our first Community Art Club in June and July.  The art center was open on Saturday afternoons after our local library closed, for children to come experience and experiment with art using the supplies we provided.  We still do not have a heat & air conditioning system in the building but we used a generator to operate fans so we were able to maintain a comfortable temperature in the building for the participants.  Everyone who came had a good time and created something to take home.  We are putting together an arts segment for the Kiwanis summer youth program this year, keeping in mind the social distancing and other precautions we all need to follow to stay safe and well. 
We held free house concerts throughout last year and through March of 2020, and were able to pay each musician a stipend of $100 for performing. Between tips and the stipend, the musicians left happy and the audience was entertained by some awesome and diverse singer/songwriters and poets.  Although we have had to cancel the remaining live concerts we had scheduled for 2020, we continue to promote the virtual shows put on by our alumni and hope to reschedule live concerts in 2021, including a Simon and Garfunkel Tribute show by the group called “Whitherward”.  HOWEVER, a former resident of Watonga is coming to town in late June to visit family and friends and we're hoping to get him to read some of his writings (he calls it 'motorcycle poetry') and play guitar.  The show will be held at another friend's house, the Rook Mansion.  Information will be posted on Facebook pages when details are lined up.  Check the BLAINE COUNTY CALENDAR group page. 

This year we awarded a $250 scholarship to an art student from Canton High School who is eager to continue her photography.  She won first place in photography at the Woodward Student Arts show in 2019.  During the school year she used a camera provided by the Canton high school, and told us she’d like to have a camera of her own. We hope to exhibit some of her work at the Watonga ArtWorks gallery when we have it open on a full-time basis. 
Our organization is especially excited to have been named as Affiliate of the Year by the statewide organization KEEP OKLAHOMA BEAUTIFUL at their annual Environmental Excellence Ceremony at the end of 2019.  Our organization was selected from among cities, nonprofit organizations, and volunteer groups from
across the state of Oklahoma.  For more information, see their website at www.keepoklahomabeautiful.com.  
This year we participated in the Great American Cleanup and were able to round up local volunteers for two projects – a “stay-at-home” cleanup and a day of walking the right-of-way of a portion of the main highway that goes through town, Clarence Nash Blvd., to pick up trash and recyclables.  For both projects, we observed the COVID19 safety guidelines, wore face masks provided by Mercy Hospital and encouraged small groups and 6-ft distancing from one another.  For the home projects, we provided individuals with trash bags, hand sanitizer, bottles of water provided by Pioneer Telephone Cooperative, and gloves with instructions to pick up trash around their neighborhood and take a photo of their trash haul for our report to Keep Oklahoma Beautiful.
Last summer we established a “teaching garden” with the help of a grant from Keep Oklahoma Beautiful, and had a few volunteers come help set up the space and edibles including tomatoes, yellow squash, bell peppers, and basil.  We have already planted this summer’s garden and are well on the way to gathering the fruits and vegetables.  Every resident of Watonga and civic groups (4H, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts etc.) are invited and encouraged to come out to the garden to volunteer and take home some of the harvest.  The majority of the fresh produce is donated to persons in need.  Don't know how much of a harvest we'll have since the grasshoppers are already out in full force this year due to the dry weather! 
It is at this time of year that we ask for your financial support of our organization to sustain the many programs and projects we bring to our community to enhance the lives of those who live here and visitors to our area.  As you can see, our organization is giving back to our community in many ways as we work with other nonprofit groups, civic organizations, teachers, businesses, and individuals.     A donation from you in any amount will allow us to continue bringing arts education and experiences, environmental beautification, health and wellness, and music programs to our area through 2020 and into 2021. Our primary financial need this year is a solar energy system for the Watonga ArtWorks building, which we are putting all of our 2020 donations toward. 
Thanks to all of our friends and supporters for your consideration and love. Keep up on all of our activities and events on our Facebook pages, PHOENIX CIRCLE FOUNDATION, OKLAHOMA HOUSE CONCERTS, and WATONGA ARTWORKS; and the Facebook group page, Blaine County Calendar. 
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Linda Barrett, Program Director, by phone or email.
 Linda Barrett, Secretary/Program Director
Current Board of Directors:               Andrew J. Barrett
                                                                Mary Larson
                                                                Linda Barrett
                                                                Stacy Shirley