OKC-area events, news: Mayors Christmas Party in Yukon;
Mayor’s Christmas party kicks off a wonderful December
YUKON — Mayor Selby's Christmas Party and Essay Contest winner announcement for Kids will be 9:30 a.m. Dec. 3, at the Dale Robertson Center, State Highway 66 and Yukon Parkway. This years essay subject is “What Christmas Means to Me.” The top 3 winners in each division will be announced and have a chance to read their essay to the crowd.
Following the essay contest will be a performance by the Lakeview Elementary Choir, who will usher in the opening of the Christmas Party from 10 a.m. to noon. The children will be able to meet Santa and Mrs. Claus, plus many other Christmas characters. There will be face painters, snacks, crafts, music, letters to Santa and fun Christmas-themed games.
To learn more about Yukon’s best, go to www.yukonok.gov or call 405-350-8937.
Poultry farms regional conservation partnership program
The Oklahoma Conservation Commission and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced sign-up dates for the Neighborhood Solutions to Natural Resources Concerns Project, Neighbors Helping Neighbors. The sign-up period will close Dec. 15.
The conservation project will focus on the poultry growing areas of eastern Oklahoma and will primarily work directly between poultry growers and their immediate neighbors. Landowners that either own a poultry farm or land adjacent to one in the counties of Adair, Cherokee, Craig, Delaware, Haskell, Le Flore, Mayes, McIntosh, Muskogee, Ottawa or Sequoyah may be eligible.
Some of the natural resource concerns that can be addressed through the program are odor and dust, water quality and light pollution. For more information, contact Jeri Fleming at jeri.fleming@grda.com or 405-334-6343.
Abuse survivor shares story of healing
The CARE Center met their goal of raising funds for programming to support victims of child abuse at the annual Stand Up For Kids luncheon this year.
More than 200 attendees heard from Kayley, a survivor of abuse who visited the CARE Center at a young age. They provided a welcoming, calming space for Kayley to be heard while she worked with Oklahoma City investigators.
The organization has an adult education program teaching them to recognize the signs of child abuse and how to make a report to the OKDHS Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline. The child education program, ROAR, teaches children ages 4-8 about body safety and how to speak up to protect themselves. Since 2017, The CARE Center has educated more than 50,000 children about protecting their bodies.
For more information about CARE, go to https://carecenter-okc.org/.
Mental Health Association Oklahoma named champion
Mental Health Association Oklahoma (MHAOK) has been named as the 2022 Bank of America Neighborhood Champion for their work in the Oklahoma City community removing economic barriers and advancing mental healthcare and economic opportunity.
MHAOK will receive $50,000 in grant funding to strengthen their leadership team and support several of their outreach programs, including the Street Outreach and Rapid Response team, Peer Recovery Support Services, and the Community Health and Wellness street medicine team.
“Our mission to help Oklahomans wherever they are is both broad in scope, and deep in complexity, and our services have never been more in need,” said Terri White, CEO for the Mental Health Association. “The support from business leaders in our community like Bank of America is vital to the success of our mission."
“We understand that nonprofits who are on the ground, working directly with those most in need are best equipped to address the wide range of challenges facing Oklahomans,” said Tony Shinn, president, Bank of America Oklahoma City.
For more information on community resources and mental health services, call 405-943-3700.
Yukon Ice Rink Returns to Christmas in the Park
YUKON — The Yukon Ice Rink is located at the Santa Express Train station, on the north side of Chisholm Trail Park, and runs through Jan. 2.
One of the most special things about this ice-skating rink is that it consists of real ice. Many modern outdoor ice-skating rinks are made of synthetic ice.
General admission to skate is $13, or $11 with a Military ID. Admission is $10 for those without a skate rental or for children under 5. Hours are 3 to 9 p.m. Monday to Thursday; from 3 to 10 p.m. Friday; from noon to 10 p.m. Saturday; and from noon to 9 p.m. Sunday.
For more information,, call 405-354-8442, 405-350-8937 or go to www.yukonok.gov/ChristmasinthePark.
To be considered for this column, please email news and events with photos two weeks in advance to DLindauer@Oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma City metro-area happenings: News and events
