Good morning, good morning, good morning, and welcome, welcome, welcome
in his time. Now for our community connection right here on K one,
the one you trust, mister Wishall is here with us and you're from Mary
mart The outrage among other things, because you're all over the place, Well,
I try to be. I'll tell you what. We have probably picked
the best day to get this kicked off here. We knew that was going
to happen. Yeah, yeah, we planned this weeks ago. So because
you can plan so appropriately in Oklahoma for the weather, right, Yeah,
you get all four things in one day if you play it exactly. But
mistery, it's cold outside and there are youngsters who don't have the appropriate covering.
Yes, that's correct. So this is our third year to do this.
We teamed up with Salvation Army and doing a code drive. So that's
our third annual. We've grown it each year. The first year we had
a little around three hundred. Last year, a little over six hundred.
This year, close to one thousand requests. So the need is there.
Now we're not asking folks to go through your closets. We're giving new right
from the factory, brand new, brand new. The kiddos deserve the best.
We've already purchased the coats, but we're still trying to fundraise, yeah,
because the need has grown so significantly. We added Osage Hills last year
and then this year we added Dewey, so again that helped with the numbers,
but the need is still there, so we're trying to do a little
more fundraising because we want to continue this because it's obviously very important. Now
you get a great deal every year. I don't know who you're doing business
with, but they're saints because they're giving you brand new coats at cost,
maybe sometimes a little bit below costs. Yes, and these are nice,
big like shelf coat. Yeah, puffy puffy coats with the hood on them.
The Knights of Columbus we did purchase. They have a coat drive or
a coat facility. Not sure the internal workings of that, but they help
donated a few cases to us and we purchase from them. And we also
purchased from a nonprofit out of Oklahoma City. Well nice, tell you what,
I've been a night before. They have fun doing that. Yees,
handa door, They just smile. They don't ask for thanks, They did
you begin. They're always willing to help, that's for sure. Barnsbell Community
Foundation has helped Truity and then of course we're members of the Barswoo Regional United
Way, so they've helped. And this is part of our clothing program that
we're funded with from the United Way. But we do also are back to
school clothing. So we don't have one hundred percent of the funds, but
we try to raise more money to meet the guy. How do we do
this? I mean, right now, we've identified the problem. They're cold
kids, yes, and we've got coach to go out and we need a
little bit more to kind of get the bills paid and everything else like that.
How do we help you help them? So we're taking the money through
the Salvation Army website. It's kind of long. It's give dot Salvation Army
Aoka dot org, forward slash give or you can mil a check to one
on one North buc at Salvation Army, Okay, and they're handling the fun
side of it. You can always send a check to Mary Martha peeterbox three
fourteen. We'll make sure to put it where it needs to be. But
so, like I said, we're still trying to raise some money to help
and to also help for seed money for next year as well. Okay,
how much do you need. Well, we spend close to fifteen thousand on
coats. Oh my goodness. Okay, yeah, so we we have a
good, good bulk of it, but we're still a little short on the
case we do we need the cherry on top. The reason I'm asking about
this because there are folks who haven't made up their mind at this stage in
time. You know, they're getting ready to do their taxes, and they're
they do their giving at this stage of the game. And if you know
there's someone who's feeling the need to be generous to do something great with the
community, this is something to consider, right And it's a Tangi product.
And the kids they're they're in need. Like I said, so we're we
haven't gotten them in yet because we're a little backed up because we did order
so many. They should be here within the next week or two. And
then we'll send out a message to all the families that ordered and we'll do
two evening pick up at the drive through at Mary Martha Wow, identifying cold
kids and families in need. That's it's kind of a hard thing because there's
a lot of pride involved in our community. But you can't let your children
go cold. You can't. And they're the future. There are future,
and they're so important. But we have worked with the counselors that Dewey and
os Chill's and Bartlesville Sarah Row specifically, and she's helped organize this and we
just couldn't do it without them. It's just been a big teamwork process.
But it definitely it pays off and those kiddos to have a new coat,
they're they're so deserving of that. So I remember three years ago, it
might have been three years ago, you and a lady from Salve game in
here and you told me the story about how this idea got hatched. And
had you not showed up at a United Way meeting right and just say how
you doing this might not be happening. Yep. We just have great partner
agencies, but in the community and the collaboration, it's it's huge. It's
one of the things that we really pride ourselves on and we all have the
same goal in mind. We all do different things, you know, Food
Salvation Army does different things, all the different agencies, but we all have
the same mission in mind, so we're always happy to work together. Happy
hearts, that's right, Happy hearts Now. Mary Martha Outreach is out on
the west side of town, over by United Grocery and the Phillips Plant and
Research Center, and it's a big blue building. It is you can't really
miss it, no you no, you can't. And it's and it's thereby
design because we don't want people to miss it. Right now, Your mission
there is a little bit different than the coach. This is a fru it
is our main Our main goal is to feed people. So we feed people
daily Monday through Wednesday, and we feed on average anywhere from two hundred and
twenty five. We've had days of three hundred and so we're very busy.
But we also have the mission for Clothing and Crisis, so that's a that's
a big piece of us as well, the mission as well. Absolutely absolutely,
Now, mister you learned something the hard way. It took COVID to
do it, but you found a more efficient way to get people's needs met
as they visit you. There were a few good things that came out of
COVID, believe it or not. Eventually when I said that, but yeah,
we did, we're doing the drive through. We did. We implemented
that during COVID to be able to have a drive through contact free food distribution,
and it was so efficient. The clients loved it, the volunteers loved
it, and we've kept it. So we do. We we like to
have them roll their windows down and chat with them, because that was we
really loved to visit with our clients. So that was kind of hard,
which we were all adjusting to that during COVID where you couldn't really have as
many personal one on one conversations. So we encourage people. They still come
inside to shop for clothing and to sign up for services, but so we
definitely encourage them to roll down their window and chat with us. Now,
oh that's good, that is great. Now the codes here, they're coming
here in just a matter of days. Yes, But what we do want
them paid for, and we do have the bulk of it taken care of.
We just need a few extra dollars here to ensure that everything's good,
everything's solid, and we're in good shape. If we could raise at least
four thousand more, I would be a happy camper. Well, well,
we're putting the word out right now there you go. I put a target
on it. Okay, very good, and we'll have a new story that's
going to go out all over the place here in a little bit. And
of course people are going to be watching the video that we're making here with
Facebook Live, and some of you are watching live. And you know,
if that's something that you think is going to be the best way to spend
your dollars for helping, this is probably I could say one of the best.
It is. Those kiddos get so excited and we get nice coats again
in pretty colors. They're not just a simple windbreaker. They're very nice,
warm coats that on days like today they need. So hopefully we get them
here soon. We actually saw these things in action when it got ridly cold
about it eight years ago. Those first year. Yes, those kids were
ever so thankful. We always try to Our goal is to always have them
out before fall break, which fall break was a little early this year,
and then again with the excessive quantity, it kind of held things back.
But we need them, we need them quick. So yeah, it's time.
But I would say within the next two weeks that we'll be able to
do a distribution and get those delivered. I like the way that this works
out because these kids can go to school with a new coat that fits them,
it's absolutely warm. They have to worry about holes in it. They
don't have to worry about a previous order. You don't worry about somebody going.
Yes, they take pride in it. They again, they deserve it.
Yeah, you're just kids, absolutely, just kids for little blessings,
and we need to treat that way. They sure are, they sure are
now. Mary Martha Outreach is a part of Catholic Charity. We are We're
Catholic Charities Fastern Oklahoma, and so we've been there coming up on twenty five
years. We've been part of Catholic Charities for coming up on six years now.
So it's been a good collaboration and we definitely love our community and love
our other partner agencies. So it's just it's it's for a good cause,
but also does your heart good. It does your heart good. I'm missy,
I tell you you're you're one of the more active people I've seen around
town. Do you ever take a break because it seems like, yeah,
I try, I try. I do stay on my toes quite a bit,
but I can be lazy. If I have a good thirty minutes.
If I need to be well, pray for thirty minutes for missy. But
you know one other thing, you do something in the with the running people.
I call them the running people because I'm a watching people. That's right,
me too, That's why I MC Yes. But Shamrock the Villa,
it's coming up March ninth, and registration is open. Yes, it's open
already. Yes, So folks, if you're looking to kind of get the
winter rushed off and really get things rolling, that's the that's the time to
do it. And prior to that, we're doing on December twenty second,
our first annual Day of Blessings, we're going to provide our clients. We're
going to open registration I believe the fourth of December, but we're looking for
other partner agencies and nonprofits throughout the community to set up a booth so our
clients can come and see what all opportunities we have in the community. And
so not like a job fair, but an agency fair basically on the day
of Blessings, and we won't have the drive through open that day. It's
going to be very personal and provide a very nice Christmas dinner. All that
is great that it's on the twenty second, twenty second of December. Reach
out to me up there at Mary Martha on the phone at nine one eight
three three seven three seven zero three or email me at m Wishall at CCEOK
dot org and we'll get a booth set up and we would love to have
as many agencies there as we can get. So, oh, that is
great. Volunteers to hint, you know what, we were only going to
talk about a couple of things, but all in there we've got we've got
so many great things going on, that's right. But Mary Martha Outreach and
also Salvation Army, you're going together on these coats. Now, if you
go to the Salvation Army website or Mary Martha's website or Facebook page, you'll
probably find those links. Yeah, we'll make sure to post the links.
I believe they are posted there, but yeah we can. Or like I
said, just if you want to drop a drop a check in the mail,
that's right, we'll take it. I'll come get it if you need
me. I'll do a special pick up while she's out doing ten thou what's
ten THOUSANDE on there. That's right, no big deal, but that is
really cool. That is really cool, Mary Martha outreach of been in the
community for almost a decade now, right, Well the building, the building,
yeah there, I believe since two thousand and five, the building since
twenty five years. Twenty five, yes, yes, so well established.
Okay for my time, as they say, but good to know. I
got to crush up on my history. That's right. Come on, I'm
getting with the program. But right now, we do ask that if you
do have a spare ten, twenty or thirty or even a thousand, it's
just burning a hole in your pocket. Twenty dollars will buy a coat.
Twenty dollars will buy a coat. That's about. We'll tell little donations as
far as no donation is too little, down to twenty dollars will buy a
child of coats. It's all meaningful, that's right. Every dollar hands a
name. So this went on to be a This went out to be a
name for a kid. That's right, all right. I want to thank
you for being with us here today and sharing with is the coat drive and
of course the need to make sure that we have enough funds to make this
all work, and also remember on the twenty second, we're going to have
a very special day of blessing I think, and you contact Mary Martha Outreach
and contact Misty if you wish as well in order to get some more information
on that. And when that gets closer, we'll be talking a little bit
more about that on the radio and we'll let people know more about that.
That's right, so much, so much, so so much so many irons
in the fire, irons, but they're very good. Irony. Hey,
thanks for being with you, Thanks for having me. All right, folks,
we've got our news coming up in just a moment right here on K
one, the one you trust going to take a look at your weather.
Coming up here shortly with Alan Crone our Taste of Winter