TO)--The Closing ceremony for “The One” featuring the Christ Tree, will be Thursday in the Grand Ballroom of the stride Bank Center beginning at 5:00 p.m. The Ceremony will begin with music from world-renowned fiddler, and Enid native, Kyle Dillingham and his band. There will be several speakers making brief comments, additional music from Taylor Fussell and Jackson Anderson, and conclude tree-side with The One’s Grand Marshall Dr. Lyntel Murphy turning off the lights.
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BD)--Yet another good reason to donate blood. Blood donors will know more about the status of their immunity to COVID-19 thanks to a new antibody testing method offered by the Oklahoma Blood Institute. The new testing is offered through January 31. Individual results will help donors understand their bodies’ immune response, whether those antibodies come from natural infection or the vaccine and boosters. Previously, Oklahoma Blood Institute’s ability to test for donors’ COVID exposure was limited to a detectable immune response from prior infection. The improved method will also detect if an individual has antibodies from receipt of a COVID-19 vaccine. The testing is free to all donors as a regular part of the donation process.
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HI)--Enid’s downtown ice skating rink wrapped up its second season on Sunday. Natalie Rapp, executive director of Main Street Enid said Holidays on Ice had to close for the equivalent of a week throughout the season due to weather, but still hosted around 10,000 visitors since it opened on Nov. 20. The ice skating rink saw skaters from the Enid area and all across the region, especially during The One Enid’s Christ Tree and Enid Lights Up the Plains, which had tens of thousands of attendees in 2021. Rapp said Holidays on Ice will be back next year, with a larger ice skating rink and more outdoor Christmas lights. Holiday on Ice was brought to Enid by a partnership between Stride Bank Center and MSE, with Williams Media Group as the title sponsor.
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CC)—The Enid Mayor and Board of Commissioners will meet today. During their Study Session, commissioners are scheduled to discuss the Emergency Home Repair and Rental Rehabilitation Program and other topics. During the Regular Meeting, the commission will address a number of consent and other items. The Study Session will be held at 5:00 this afternoon, followed by the Regular Meeting at 6:30. Both will be held in Council Chambers of the City Administration Building on West Garriott and will be open to the public.
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BR)--Bull riding is coming to the Chisholm Trail Expo Center, presented by Ultimate Challenge Productions and Stride Bank Center. The event will consist of a long round of 30 bull riders, followed by a short round featuring the top 10 contestants. All money earned at this event will go toward the PRCA point standings and the chance for these bull riders to compete at the PRCA World Finals in Las Vegas in December and the Xtreme Bulls World Finals in Washington Labor Day Weekend. Tickets for the March 19th event will go on sale Friday, through the Stride Bank Center. Ticket prices range from $20 to $35.
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KC)--Local students are being encouraged to participate in this month’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Celebration. High school students in Enid are being invited to write a letter to the late civil rights movement leader on how they think his famous “I Have a Dream” speech delivered in 1963 has affected the United States. The theme of this year’s celebration, “We Are America.” Students as young as pre-kindergarten age also can submit poems and posters for the holiday commission’s annual awards. Contest entries are due by 5:00 p.m. Jan. 7 to either the Enid High School library or the city administration building, at 401 W. Garriott. Letters should be typed and no longer than 500 words, while poems should be at least 10 lines long. Posters should be original, drawn by the child, no smaller than letter-sized and no larger than 18 by 24 inches. Student name, organization/school, teacher/sponsor and grade, as well as if a child is special needs should be taken into consideration, should be included on the back of the entry. Awards will be presented at the end of the holiday commission’s week of celebrating King’s birthday, during a ceremony Jan. 15 at Stride Bank Center. The long-held march in honor of King will begin at 1:30 p.m. outside Stride Bank Center, at 301 S. Independence. The program and dinner will begin inside at 2:00 p.m., with inspirational speakers, music and contest and diversity awards. Food will be provided by the event center. The event would be free and open to the public.
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