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Italian Pasta Salad

By
Emily LeBaron
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This issue of Now Serving is another one pan, ten-minute meal, with just six ingredients! Served hot or cold, this recipe’s ingredients are interchangeable to suit your family’s taste! The freshness of the selected ingredients is great for any season, or diet! This recipe is also in my family’s regular rotation, asked for by young and old alike! Personalize to your needs and enjoy!

Italian Pasta Salad

Serves 6

1 container of cherry tomatoes

1 package of fresh broccoli florets

16 oz package of pre-grilled chicken, thawed or ready to serve

8oz of Italian salad dressing

12 oz box of your favorite pasta- bowties or rotini for example

Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil to cook the noodles and broccoli.

As the noodles and broccoli cook, about 7 minutes, combine remaining ingredients into a large bowl and mix well.

Drain the noodles and broccoli, add to the bowl of remaining mixed ingredients, and toss to mix. Add more Italian dressing to season to your taste, top with shredded Parmesan, and enjoy!

Now Serving, Italian Pasta Salad!

Get in the Game

By
Robert Faulk
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In 2019, Enid High Teacher Chris Parker saw the explosion of school-based video game leagues across the country and decided to start an after-school E-Sports program for Enid High students interested in competing in leagues and tournaments. Four years later, that after school club has turned into an official 7th hour athletic activity and boasts more than 30 kids competing in up to 8 different video game titles each semester.

Current Head Coach Mitchell Wright gives a lot of credit to Parker for starting the program, but especially for applying for, and receiving, a $65,000 grant that has decked out the “practice room” with top-of-the-line gaming computers, monitors, controllers, and VR headsets that allow the team to compete.

Enid High currently competes in the Oklahoma E-Sports League (OESL), which includes over 120 schools from around the state. Each semester is a “season”, and each season has approximately 10 weeks of competition. Before each season, the OESL member schools are polled on what games they would like to compete in, and approximately 8 per season are selected. Once the titles are officially selected, Coach Wright asks who would like to compete in which title. Of course, some titles are more popular than others, but, interestingly, some of the titles that are very popular in general (like Fortnite), are not the most popular to compete in, for reasons such as the competition format or the way the game plays. 

Through practice and general interest, Coach Wright chooses who gets to compete in which title. Each game title “team” has anywhere from 1-5 players, depending on format, and the OESL is divided into Champions (Varsity), Challengers (Junior Varsity) and Contenders (Middle School) for their weekly league competitions. Based on the results of the weekly matchups during league play, the teams are seated for an end of season tournament. The initial rounds of the tournament are played remotely but culminate in the final rounds being held in person in either OKC or Tulsa.

Enid High had a team in most of the eight titles this last fall, but they made the playoffs in Overwatch 2, Rocket League Trio, Guilty Gear, and Super Smash Bros. The Super Smash Bros team made it all the way to the in-person state tournament and finished in the top 24.

Senior Blake Allen, part of the Rocket League Team, really loves being a part of E-Sports. “I was sick for about 3 years starting my freshman year, so I couldn’t really play football or any other contact sport, so I think having an E-Sports team here is really cool. Lots of colleges are giving scholarships now, and if you are really good, you can make millions of dollars, just like other pro sports. While it may not be the same as hitting someone in football, you still have to have physical coordination and endurance to be able to excel at these games. It’s not just a walk in the park.” said Blake.

Senior Justin Wiederkehr also touts the benefits of joining the E-Sports team. “I was really shy before I joined the team, but now I feel like I am more outgoing and have a great group of teammates and friends I can talk to and play games with. It has forced me to be a better communicator and really gotten me out of my shell,” he said.

Even though the program is only a few years old, it has shown signs of success from both alumni and the middle school squads as well. Lakin Avants (Class of ‘22) is currently a nationally ranked member of Oklahoma University’s League of Legends team and the middle school programs have won some tournaments.

Under the watchful eye of Waller Middle School Coach Glynn Mitchell, the Waller team won the Middle School Championship in Rocket League last year and took second in the state in Fortnite: Zone Wars and 3rd in Rocket League this year. Not to be outdone, Emerson’s Fortnite team was 3rd and Longfellow’s Rocket League was 4th.

Coach Wright says the future is bright for the Enid High team and is excited about hosting a Super Smash Bros Open Tournament in the competition gym in April where he hopes the home team will have done well. He is especially appreciative of the Enid High administration and athletic department for all the support they have given to make the program a 7th hour sport and successful. Game on! 

ENID OUTLAWS BASKETBALL TEAM HOSTS MEDIA DAY ON FEBRUARY 27TH, 2024

By
Local Contributors
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ENID, OKLAHOMA – The Enid Outlaws professional basketball team is thrilled to announce their upcoming Media Day event, scheduled to take place on February 27th at 2:00 PM at the Stride Bank Center. As the team gears up for their highly anticipated fourth season, this event offers an exclusive opportunity for the media to get behind-the-scenes access to players, coaches, and exciting insights into what’s in store for Season Four.

The Enid Outlaws, an affiliate of The Basketball League (TBL), are dedicated to providing a
world-class professional basketball experience to the community, fans, and business partners. With a commitment to delivering affordable and quality family entertainment, the team strives to engage with local communities through school and group appearances, youth camps, clinics, and support for non-profit organizations.

The season kicks off on March 17th at 2:00 PM at the Stride Bank Center with the Enid Outlaws’ home opener against the Wichita Skykings. Prior to the season opener, fans can catch an exhibition game on February 25th at 3:00 PM, also at the Stride Bank Center.

“We’re excited to invite fans and media to our Media Day event as we prepare to embark on our fourth season,” said Cheri Edwards, Operations Director of the Enid Outlaws. “It’s a chance for everyone to get a glimpse of the hard work and dedication our players and coaches have put into preparing for the upcoming season.”

The Enid Outlaws are also currently seeking season sponsors and are available for
appearances at civic groups, businesses, schools, and events. For those interested in booking the team for an appearance, please reach out for more information. For more information about the Enid Outlaws and their upcoming season, visit enidoutlaws.com or follow them on social media.

About Enid Outlaws
The Enid Outlaws are a professional basketball team based in Enid, Oklahoma, and are a proud affiliate of The Basketball League (TBL). Dedicated to providing affordable and quality family entertainment, the Enid Outlaws aim to engage with local communities while offering players opportunities for education and career advancement in basketball.

PARK AVENUE THRIFT ACCEPTING 2024 GRANT APPLICATIONS

By
Press Releases
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[Enid, OK] – Park Avenue Thrift is accepting grant applications from nonprofit organizations and schools who serve Enid and offer quality-of-life benefits to our community for its 2024 spring grant cycle. Applications are due by March 31, 2024.

Park Avenue Thrift is an Oklahoma 501(c)(3) that exists to strengthen the Enid community and serve others by collecting donations, running a top-notch thrift store, and giving the proceeds to Enid nonprofits that invest in quality-of-life initiatives.

“2023 was an incredible year for Park Avenue Thrift and our community,” said Stela Jantzen, Park Avenue Thrift Executive Director. “We were able to give more to organizations thanks to the record-breaking support from our community through shopping and donations. We also reached the $4 million milestone of dollars given back to nonprofits, classrooms, and events in Enid since 2007.”

In 2023, Park Avenue Thrift gave $473,189.79 to 37 different organizations including: 4RKids, Atelier, Bennie’s Barn, Blue Star Mothers, Boy Scouts of America, Care Campus, Chautauqua Council of Enid, Chisholm Elementary, Chisholm High School, Chisholm Robotics Club, Enid Arts Council, Enid Public Library, Enid Running Club, Enid SOS, Enid SPCA, Enid Symphony Association, Fling at the Springs, FLY Film Festival, Garfield County Master Gardeners, McKinley Elementary, Gaslight Theatre, Hedges Regional Speech and Hearing Center, Leonardo’s Children’s Museum, Loaves and Fishes, Lifelong Learning Institute, Lincoln Academy, Main Street Enid, Northern Oklahoma College, Northwestern Oklahoma State University, Old Paws

Rescue Ranch, PFLAG Enid, RSVP of Enid, SCL Foundation, Waller Middle School, Woodring Wall of Honor, Youth and Family Services, and YWCA of Enid. Each of these organizations or projects help fulfill Park Avenue’s mission of providing funding to improve Enid’s Quality of Life.

Additionally, Park Avenue sponsored several events at a total of $24,662 in 2023. Park Avenue gave $31,697.24 towards 91 different Enid and Chisholm Public School classroom projects through DonorsChoose and issued $6,027.87 through vouchers with 24 different PAT Voucher Program Partners.

In total Park Avenue Thrift gave back $541,279.28 in 2023 which brings their total giving since 2007 to $4,308,245.87.

If a nonprofit organization or school you belong to or know needs funding assistance for programming or projects this year, please consider applying for a PAT grant. Park Avenue focuses on funding visual and/or performing arts, education, environmental sustainability, and projects that keep Enid unique and a place where people want to be. Please visit their website at www.parkavenuethrift.org and click Community Giving to view and print the grant application.

Young Adult Book Review: The Do-Over

By
Chloe Fuksa
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Author: Lynn Painter
Reviewed by Chloe Fuksa

Looking for a cute young adult book for Valentine’s Day? Author Lynn Painter has you covered. Released in paperback in November 2023, The Do-Over is a fun romantic comedy with a hefty dose of Groundhog Day and a dash of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off thrown in too.

Emilie Hornby is certainly flying high: she’s on track to be valedictorian, she’s going to attend a prestigious academy in the summer, and she’s dating the smartest guy in school. But when Valentine’s Day rolls around, not only does she total her car in the snow, she is disinvited to the summer program on a technicality and she catches her boyfriend cheating on her. Emilie wakes up the next morning, expecting a fresh start, to put it all behind her, only to discover that she has to relive the horrible day again. And again. And again.

As the time loop continues and she’s at her wits’ end trying to change things for the better, she decides to instead just have a Day Of No Consequences. As she and Nick, a distant, surly classmate, have an unforgettable skip day around their city, Emilie realizes that maybe she doesn’t have to do things just to please other people. She can loosen up a bit and do what makes her happy too. And maybe that boyfriend who checked all her boxes, who was perfect on paper, isn’t the right fit after all.

I didn’t think The Do-Over was quite as good as Painter’s Better than the Movies ­– this one had some plot holes and wasn’t as crisp in the writing – but nevertheless, it is very funny and entertaining. The romance is clean, and the book ends with a cheesy, adorable scene with Emilie and Nick and their friends.

Visit us in Sunset Plaza or call 580-297-5089 to get your copy of The Do-Over today!

Ken Rapp – Local Legend

By
Blake Reese
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Ken Rapp has 4 siblings, and he was born in St. Louis, MO. He grew up in Genevieve, MO, and he graduated from the University of Missouri in 1975 with a degree in physical education. He then moved to Enid and became the Aquatic Director at The Denny Price Family YMCA of Enid. In 1976, he met his wife, Sherry, at the YMCA, which is where they both worked. They went on to get married in 1978, and they had 4 children, Casey, Tyree, Natalie, and Cody. In 1966, he served as a day camp director, a sports director, and a fitness director. He quit in 1980 for the oil boom, and he worked as a land man for six years whilst also serving on the YMCA board. After the oil boom went bust, he applied to be the executive director of the YMCA, and he was hired in 1986.

During his time at the YMCA, the facility underwent a major renovation. In 2001, they added an addition to the aquatic complex, and they added new locker rooms. They also added a gymnasium and playground equipment. A new lobby, office complex, and expanded workout areas were added in 2008. As a result of his amazing work with the YMCA, Mayor Shewey declared December 11th, 2017, as “Ken Rapp Day.”

Since retirement, Ken has been an avid volunteer for Main Street Enid. You can find him downtown just about anytime a volunteer opportunity comes up. His impact on Enid is evident, and that’s exactly what makes Ken a local legend.

Adult Book Review: The Seven Year Slip

By
Chloe Fuksa
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Author: Ashley Poston
Reviewed by Chloe Fuksa

Because this February has both Valentine’s Day and a Leap Day, what better month to read a time-travelling romantic comedy? The Seven Year Slip is author Ashley Poston most recent release, from June 2023. Her prior book was a Good Morning America book club pick, and this one has been getting just as much attention as well.

Clementine is a book publicist in New York City and has recently moved in to the apartment left to her by her beloved aunt. Analea had always said the apartment was magical, but Clementine only fully believes it when a mysterious – and wildly handsome – man shows up in her living room and claims that it’s seven years earlier. Iwan and Clementine discover very quickly that they have great chemistry, but when Clementine returns to her apartment every day, she never knows if she will be entering it in the past, with Iwan, or in the here and now, alone. When present-day Iwan decides to publish a cookbook, his and Clementine’s paths cross again, and the timing just might finally be right for them.

The Seven Year Slip is a really cute love story, and the secondary characters are all so great they deserve a book of their own – not to mention all the mouth-watering descriptions of food throughout too. My one complaint with the book is the rather atrocious editing. The author, for example, uses the exact same phrase – “learning about the birthmark on his clavicle and the scars on his fingers that kissed one too many knives” – twice in the span of 2 pages. That’s not something you just happen to accidently write twice! That being said though, if you are a more forgiving reader than myself, just happy for an escape to a magical NYC apartment, you’ll certainly be just fine sitting back and enjoying.

Visit us in Sunset Plaza or call 580-297-5089 to get your copy of The Seven Year Slip today!

Lasting Donations

By
Local Contributors
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Author: Megan Lavicky

The ESPCA is currently seeking donations to add new kitty kennels to the intake room. If you would like to help with this special project that will be a lasting opportunity for the comfort and care of cats coming into the ESPCA, you can donate at enidspca.org. You can add a note that that’s where you’d like your donation to go. You can also take your donation by the ESPCA office or mail it to 1116 Overland Trail, Enid, Oklahoma 73703. Say hi to some of the kitties while you are there. They love visitors. The ESPCA kitty models pictured are Gus and Alias.

Rudy is a 1.5-year-old possible Springer/Lab mix. He was transferred to the ESPCA by a partner agency after his unhoused owner decided to surrender him. Rudy has been a wonderful kennel resident and hopes for a real forever home. He’s been very well-socialized, walks well on the lead, and doesn’t want to make a mess in his area. He can be pretty vocal to get your attention. See this handsome boy in the ESPCA kennels and submit your application at enidspca.org.

Can you believe little cutie Sweet Pea is still waiting for her forever home? Sweet Pea is a 3-year-old Boxer mix, and this is what her foster mom has to say about her:

“She has been doing so well! She has had the opportunity to meet so many people and dogs as I’ve been taking her all over with me. She hasn’t met a stranger yet! She is a bit shy at first, but as soon as she gets an ounce of attention, she is set! She’s been making friends with all sorts of dogs at the dog park, including some smaller ones through the fence! She has learned “sit” and is starting to learn “shake”. She is so gentle with snacks. Although she’ll sit and watch for a bit while I’m cooking, she usually will just put herself to bed and doesn’t whine. She’s barked maybe five times the whole time I’ve had her, usually excited ones when she sees another dog; other than that, she is so quiet!”

If you are interested in meeting or adopting Sweet Pea, you can submit an application at enidspca.org. 

If you’d like to volunteer with the ESPCA animals, sign up at enidspca.org/volunteer and walk a dog or read to a kitty. There are lots of ways to help.

Fowlco Outfitters

By
Dalen McVay
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Hello sportsmen and sportswomen! Who loves to hunt waterfowl? While I seemingly can’t blow a duck/goose call for squat, I’ve determined my best avenue is to bring along a buddy who can. Luckily, I run around with a few fellas I truly believe were given a duck call as opposed to a pacifier as a baby. That’s a quick introduction to today’s topic, because my new friend was gracious enough to provide me with plenty of information, and I can assure you the information he shares will be worth more to you than my babble.

I was introduced to Josh by a mutual friend, and Josh and “FOWLCO” had a problem. What problem, you ask? They had several industrial freezers full to the brim with fully processed, shrink wrapped, individually labeled ducks and geese. The problem is it was early in the season and him and his crews were killing dozens and dozens of ducks/geese per day with nowhere to put them. I reckon I have a reputation of trying to help others from time to time and know a few people, so voila, I got the call. I met them at the FOWLCO headquarters and, needless to say, I was blown away. I knew who they were and where they were located, but WOW this place is top notch. Everything from the lodge, the Sitka clothing for sale, the rooms, bar area, 5-stand shooting area, etc. are absolutely top of the line. As soon as I saw the freezers and knew what I was working with, I made a few calls. You’ll be glad to hear that the ducks/geese are all now being distributed to non-profit organizations here in NW Oklahoma, free of charge. I can’t even imagine how many were in the freezer when I looked, (I took 80 but didn’t make even a dent in one freezer) but I can assure you there are lots of disadvantaged folks eating some mighty fine cuisine during hunting season. Anyway, on to the good stuff. Be sure to check out www.fowlcooutfitters.com!

February Letter from the Coeditor

By
Blake Reese
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As we approach February, I feel so much lighter now that we’re through the holidays and that first month of the new year. However, February isn’t a time for relaxation just yet. With February comes Valentine’s Day, and whether you’re single and dreading it or taken and eagerly anticipating it, its presence is definitely known. From the shelves of the stores to the romance that engulfs the month, love is definitely in the air. So, in the spirit of love, we chose to talk about how to “survive” love. Love is an absolutely beautiful experience that’s unique to each and every person, and that’s why what works for some won’t work for others. With that in mind, we interviewed three couples and a divorced couple to get their takes on how to “survive” love because it isn’t always romance and honeymoons – it’s also hard work. As you celebrate that special someone in your life this month, remember to be kind because this holiday can be harder on some than it is on others. And from us here at Enid Monthly, Happy Valentine’s Day!

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