Helping People. Changing Lives. Serving Eastern Oklahoma ...

1 Volume 8, Issue 10 - January, 2010. KI BOIS News Helping people . Changing Lives. Serving Eastern Oklahoma Since 1968. 2009 Top Ten Stories 10. KI BOIS Community Action LeFlore County moves to 204 Wall Street in Poteau. 9. KATS expands routes into Coweta. 8. Community Action Turns still keeping our Promise! 7. KATS Driver Terry Williams takes first place at the 20th Annual Bus Roadeo in place winner was Redonia Bowers and 4th place went to Sharon Arnett. 6. KI BOIS Community Action has two new Certified Community Action Professionals Doylene Knowlton and Jan Garner. 5. KI BOIS Community Action Board Chair Gene Bass and Head Start Financial Officer Alice Walker walked away with top honors at the Oklahoma Community Action Annual Service Awards Banquet in OKC.

2 Bass won the 2009 Volunteer of the Year Award and Walker the Guy Davis Leadership Award. 4. Feeding America a joint partnership between KI BOIS Commu- nity Action and Wal stomachs instead of landfills. 3. Highland Park in Heavener a 30 single family home tax credit project built as a rent to own development. 2. Mary Griffith Home was dedicated and four young la- dies now call it home. Mary Griffith was a former KI BOIS employee who lost her battle with cancer. 1. KI BOIS Community Action receives American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds in the amount of $5,478, Page 2 KI BOIS NEWS. From the Desk of the Executive Director / CEO Calendar of Events I am very pleased at the accomplishments that this agency achieved in 2009.

3 I would like to take this opportunity to thank all board members, employees, and volun- January 2010. teers for their efforts to improve the quality of life for our low-income clients. KI BOIS Community Action In addition to our normal activities we are preparing for our annual office agency audit. We are working hard to reduce the economic impact on closed our budgets and our low-income clients caused by the current federal Monday, financial crisis. January STARTING THE NEW YEAR RIGHT IN 2010: 18th in ob- Supervisors and staff; Questions to ask yourself: servance of Martin Lu- What can I do to improve my performance? ther King Am I a team player? Carroll Huggins Day.

4 Do I use the terms I, me, and my when referring to the things we accomplish? KI BOIS Community Action Am I a gossip, whiner, griper, or complainer? How can I change my attitude? Board Meeting Thursday, January 28th, 6:30 Supervisors Test: KI BOIS Administrative If you had to cut back your program 20% today who would you lay off? first, second, Building. third, fourth, . State-wide Point of Time Who can you absolutely not do without? Have you told them lately how much you a Homeless Count , Thursday appreciate them? January 28th. Event spon- We are looking forward to new opportunities and challenges that 2010 will bring. sored by HUD. Happy New Year! Homebuyer Education Workshop, Saturday, Febru- R.

5 Carroll Huggins, CCAP ary 6th, 9:00 - 3:00, Executive Director/CEO KI BOIS Administrative Of- fice. Call (918) 967-3325 for more details. Free Income Tax Preparation KI BOIS News is published monthly by If your income is less than $50,000 and you have a KI BOIS Community Action Foundation, Inc. basic income tax return, KI BOIS Community Action 200 Southeast A Street Box 727. will prepare your income taxes for FREE!!! Stigler, OK 74462. 918-967-3325. KI BOIS will have the following income tax 800-299-4479. preparation sites available January15th - April 15th, 2010. R. Carroll Huggins for your 2009 income tax preparation. Executive Director / CEO. Tom Marlatt Associate Director / CFO.

6 Wilburton: 918-465-3381 Larry Hall, Associate Director / COO. McAlester: 918-423-3525. KI BOIS Community Action Poteau: 918-647-3267 Board of Directors Gene Bass, Board Chairperson Stigler: 918-967-3325 Farmer Wann, 1st VP. John Cook, 2nd VP. Heavener Head Start: 918-653-2004 Kenneth Monroe, Jan Coplen, Parliamentarian Hartshorne Champ Hodgens Estates: 918-429-9999 Kay Box, Editor Call your nearest KI BOIS Community Action location to make an appointment. 918-967-3325, Ext. 131. KI BOIS News Page 3. Salvation Army Hits New Pinnacle of Giving .. The Salvation Army bells have tolled for the last time for the 2009. Christmas season in Haskell and Latimer County and again volunteers and individuals have been more than generous.

7 Red Oak Head Start students entertain at the Living in The annual kettle drive of the Latimer Coalition Open House. Latimer County Service Unit for the Salvation Army was very success- Living In Latimer ful. Thanks to the overwhelming help and support of the staff, volunteers, The Living in Latimer Coalition held their annual and the community the contributions Open House /Membership drive on November 10, 2009 totaled $10, According to at the Choctaw Community Center in Wilburton. The KI BOIS Community Action Latimer focus of this year's meeting was on childhood obesity/ County Claudia Jeffrey, The eco- nutrition. Keeping with the theme, the KI BOIS Com- nomic situation in our county is suf- munity Action Red Oak Head Start accompanied by fering, sales tax revenue is down, and teachers, Sheri Isabel and Cambry Garner, presented a many families are struggling and in part of their curriculum, "I am moving, I am learning.

8 " need of support. The generosity of In addition, the Choctaw Nation Salad Sisters per- our community will enable us to assist formed a skit emphasizing healthy eating. OSU Exten- many of these families throughout the sion representative Danette Russell, set up a booth with coming year. The spirit of volunteer- nutrition information and a display showing the ism and giving is alive and well in amount of sugar contained in popular soft drinks and Latimer County and for that we are juices. Lunch was served to the 50 persons in atten- thankful.. dance. Four people were lucky winners of door prizes The sentiments were the same in Who could refuse a face like that? donated by Curves of Wilburton and the Choctaw Na- Haskell County according to Coordi- Madison Kay Wood of Alvin, TX.

9 Tion. Healthy cookbooks, fitness CD's, trail mix snack nator Kay Box. Even in today's bags, and other information was distributed to all who did her part to help Granna, Kay economic situation many staff, busi- attended. Box, ring the bell. nesses, and individuals volunteered their time and due to their volunteer efforts and gen- erosity of individuals do- Through the nations were up. We had a total of $7, col- Eyes of a lected.. Child All of the money will stay in the county from which it was collected. Saturday, January 23, 2010 There are no administra- Kiamichi Technology Center tive or operating expenses 1509 S. McKenna, Poteau paid out of kettle funds so 8:00 am - 3:00 pm - Cost: $20 100% of this money will be used to help families in Hosted By: need.

10 Southeastern Child Care Resource & Referral, If you have questions or would like information Smart Start Kiamichi Country, on Salvation Army, please & Choctaw Nation Child Care Assistance contact Claudia - Latimer County Service Unit at VITA / CAPilot Coordinator Amy Fair, son, For More Information contact CCR&R at 918-465-3381 or Kay - Christian, and husband, Steve, donating their or email Haskell County Service time and energy to ring the Salvation Army Unit at 918-967-3325. Bell in Wilburton. Page 4 KI BOIS NEWS. MIS News and Computer Tips The new decade brings changes to the MIS department. Over the past year, we have realized the need for a MIS representative in the Pittsburg county area on a regular basis.