www.BigFive.org Page 1

News from the Executive Director

Welcome to the Second Edition of the Big Five Newsletter! In this edition, you can discover the numerous activities and services Big Five is providing to our communities including Head Start, Public Transportation and Aging Services to name a few. I would also like to remind everyone of our annual training conference to be held July 24-27 at the Ardmore Convention Center. This is the one time each year that all our 300+ employees from the various programs and communities across the state come together at one location to receive crucial training on best practices. Our newsletter is a work in progress and please do not hesitate to email me with any suggestions for future editions. For more information about our services, activities and employment opportunities, visit us on the web at www.bigfive.org and don't forget to like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/bigfivecommunityservices/. Always Remember We are Big Five! We are here to serve! Regards, Kent Watson Executive Director

Big Five Community Services, Inc.

1502 N. 1st Ave.

Durant, OK 74701

(580) 924-5331

Kent Watson

Executive Director

Helping Our Community Today Have a Brighter Tomorrow

Big Five's mission statement - We exist to

strengthen the educational, social, and economic

well-being of individuals and families as they move

toward independence and self-sufficiency.

January—March 2017

Quarterly Newsletter April —June 2017

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April—June, 2017, we have served

• Chore Program —64

• Emergency Assistance –76

• Family Caregiver Support—

35 Assessments and 15 Reassessments

• Head Start Children—1,113

(Quarterly average April—June Head Start)

• Health Promotion—24

• Homemaker Program —121

• Outreach Program—166

• RX for Oklahoma Program

Prescription Applications—17

Ordered Medications—443

• Senior Medical Transit—55

• Transit Rides—29,419

• Weatherization—9

JULY

4—Closed- Independence Day

8– Back 2 School—School Supply Drive

at Wal-Mart in Durant

24-27—Big Five Annual Conf.-Ardmore

All Offices Closed

AUGUST

5—Turning Point Coalition Back 2

School Event—Durant

9—Board of Directors’ Mtg.—Coalgate

12-Ardmore Literacy Day

28-31—Community Action Partnership

Conf.—Philadelphia, PA

SEPTEMBER

4—Closed– Labor Day

13— Board of Directors’ Mtg.—Marietta

20-22— OKACAA Fall Conference OKC

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Bryan Hotel—Dennis Huggins Apartments

The Bryan Hotel-Dennis Huggins Apartments

in Durant, Oklahoma won the Citation of Merit

Award. Big Five, Strategic Realty, DH Housing

Limited Partnership, and The Hill Firm were

selected to receive the 2017 State Historic

Preservation Officer’s Citation of Merit Award.

Allen Leaird accepted the award at the

presentation in Oklahoma City on June 8,

2017.

The Big Five office in Durant has a SORTS bus

parked in front of the building to Fill The Bus with

School Supplies. On the 24th of June the Turning

Point Coalition gathered to do a push for the

school supplies. The Back 2 School bash will be

held in Durant on August 5.

For more information on the event you can follow

Bryan County - Back 2 School Bash on Facebook.

Fill The Bus with School Supplies

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United Way Fundraiser

United Way Fundraiser at Bill Haddock Center in Durant. Thank you to everyone that came and

made the day successful! Also, thank you to Indian Nation Wholesale, Green Spray, and

Wal-Mart for donating items to make this day possible.

Thank you to EJ Ironworks in Carter

County for donating food to the Big Five

food bank. Families will now benefit from

your generous donation. If you would

like to donate

to one of the

Big Five food

banks, please

contact one of

our local

offices.

Food Bank Donation OKACAA Spring Conference

The Oklahoma Community Action Agency

(OKACAA) Spring Conference was held in

Oklahoma City April 20—22, 2017. The

conference is a great training tool for all of the

community action agencies. The picture to the

right is the Big Five

Weatherization team:

Pictured left to right

Steve Dollarhide, Su-

pervisor Skip Dam-

ron and Stan Ingram.

The Weatherization Assistance Program enables low-income families to

reduce their energy bills by making their homes more energy efficient. The

Weatherization program uses the latest in techniques to weatherize homes.

Call your local Big Five office to see if you qualify to have your house

weatherized.

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Clinton and Weatherford

Head Start centers

received books from

Public Service Company

of Oklahoma. Thank you

Public Service Company!

Pictured left to right: Diane

Hacker, Kellie Temple, Jennifer

Parks, and Michael Hixsom.

Head Start Receives Books

Head Start Regional Office Visit

Pictured to left to right: Michael

Hixson, Adelina Orozco, Ms. G,

Herminia Sifuentes, and Angela

Arney.

Big Five Head Start recently had a visit from Cobena

Arthur from the Dallas Region VI Office. Mr. Arthur had a

chance to visit Head Start Centers in Holdenville, Ada, as

well as Bill Haddock Center and Jackie Watson Child

Development Center in Durant. During the visits, he had

an opportunity to visit with Center Directors, Family

Advocates, classroom

teachers, and admin-

istrative staff about

our Head Start

program. At the con-

clusion of the three

day visit, Mr. Arthur

was very complemen-

tary of our Head Start

program, Head Start

centers and staff.

Head Start Parents

Did you know that you can

receive Big Five alerts for your

specific county? You can

receive emails or texts by

signing up online at

www.bigfive.org. Scroll down to

Enotes Notification Center on

the right side of the page. Fill in

your name, email address,

phone number and select the

county you are located in.

www.BigFive.org Page 6

This year the National Head Start Association Con-

ference was held in Chicago, Illinois. The conference

had over 100 general sessions available. Several Big

Five Head Start employees attended the conference.

The picture to

the left is

Donna Marie

Hicks and

Charlotte

Reeves. They

are hugging the

Head Start

mascots at the

conference.

The next pic-

ture is one of

the speakers at

the conference.

The Southern Oklahoma Partners Ser-

vice Day was held in Ardmore on April

20th. Kevin Stinson, Donna Pound and

Kent Watson attended the event.

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Big Five Head Start held its annual Literacy and Parent Involvement Banquet on the 5th of

May at the SOSU Ballroom in Durant, Oklahoma. The children with the most books read to

them were: London Martin -- Healdton Bull Pup / Child Care Center, Marlee Burr - Washing-

ton Irving / 4 year old, Camilla Holdridge - Okemah 4 Year Old Class, and Hanna Sweet -Ada

2 – 3 year old Class. The parent that read the most pages was Cassandra Cunningham –

parent at JWCDC 4 Year Old #2. The staff that read the most pages was Marcie Smith –

teacher at JWCDC 4 year old #1.

Parent Involvement - The parent that volunteered the most number of hours in the classroom

was selected from each county. Alisha Black was Parent Volunteer for Pontotoc County.

Calie Bolin was Parent Volunteer for Coal County.

Head Start Volunteer of the Year 2016 – 2017 went to Candace Maxey.

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Prepare your child for success in school. Head Start is a FREE preschool program for

children ages 3 and 4. Head Start also meets the needs of special populations, including children

with disabilities. Big Five serves the following counties with Head Start: Blaine, Bryan, Canadian,

Carter, Cimarron, Coal, Custer, Ellis, Garfield, Grant, Hughes, Kingfisher, Love, Major, Okfuskee,

Pontotoc, Texas, Woods, and Woodward. Apply online at www.BigFive.org or call one of the en-

rollment centers below.

Boise City

(580) 544-2114

Clinton

(580) 323-8181

Durant

(580) 924-7404

Enid

(580) 234-5656

Guymon

(580) 338-6624

Hennessey

(405) 853-4664

Holdenville

(405) 379-2000

Kingfisher

(405) 375-5571

Watonga

(580) 623-5401

Weatherford

(580) 774-5137

Woodward

(580) 254-2227

Yukon

(405) 350-3180

Alva Head Start children dressed as story

book characters for the day. Teachers

pictured: Kathi Jenlink, Aleta Nolan and

Constance Melton.

www.BigFive.org Page 9

Management from the Transportation team attended

the Community Transportation Association of America

Conference in Detroit, Michigan June 10-15. There

were dozens of training sessions, workshops and net-

working events at the conference. Allen Leaird, the

Transportation Direc-

tor, and Tanya

Gleghorn, the Assis-

tant Transportation

Director, attended the

conference. The far

photo to the right was

one of the speakers

that was present at

the conference.

The Magnolia Festival was held

this year June 1-3, 2017. The

event was a great tool to

distribute promotional items for all

Big Five programs. There was a

great

turnout

for the

Magno-

lia Fes-

tival

this

year!

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Head Start Annual Fish-a-Thon!!!

Big Five Head Start held its annual Fish-a-Thon April 17-27, 2017.

Head Start classrooms from Bryan, Carter, Coal, Love and Pontotoc

counties attended. Head Start families had the opportunity to spend

the day outside fishing, playing games and interacting with other Head

Start families. A sandwich buffet was provided and along with wonder-

ful memories.

Head Start would like to thank the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife for assisting with this event.

A special thank you goes out to Mr. & Mrs. Huebsch for allowing Head Start to use their farm to

host this event.

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Head Start Fish-a-Thon Photos Continued

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BIG FIVE COMMUNITY SERVICES, INC. IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Community Services Love County—PT - Maintenance/Custodian - Marietta

Maintenance/Custodian - 7 County Area

Please refer to the website at www.BigFive.org for the most

current job openings and the detailed job descriptions.

Transportation—SORTS Bryan County - PT- Flex Van Driver - Durant

Carter County - PT-Flex Van Driver - Ardmore

Coal County - PT-Flex Van Driver - Coalgate

Love County - PT-Flex Van Driver - Marietta

Head Start All Head Start Locations - Substitute Teacher(s)

Blaine County - Cook Aide - Watonga Head Start - 12 Month Position

Bryan County - Family Advocate - Durant

Bryan County - Teacher Aide - Durant BHC

Canadian County - Teacher Aide PT - Mustang Head Start

Carter County - Certified Teacher - Zaneis Head Start

Carter County - Family Advocate – Ardmore

Custer County - Teacher Aide - Clinton Head Start

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BIG FIVE COMMUNITY SERVICES, INC. IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Head Start—continued Garfield County - Certified Teacher - Enid Park Place Head Start

Garfield County - Education Specialist

Garfield County - Teacher Aide - Enid Park Place Head Start

Garfield County - Teacher Aide - Part Time - Enid Park Place Head Start

Garfield County - Cook - Enid Head Start

Garfield County - Family Advocate – Enid\

Grant County - Early Head Start Teacher - Medford Head Start

Grant County - Cook Aide - Medford Head Start - 12 Month Position

Hughes County - Certified Teacher - Holdenville Head Start

Kingfisher County - Certified Teacher – Hennessey

Kingfisher County - Family Advocate

Okfuskee County - Receptionist/Secretary – Weleetka

Pontotoc County - Teacher Aide - Ada Head Start

Woodward County - Family Advocate - Woodward and Shattuck Head Starts

Woodward County - Certified Teacher - Woodward Head Start

Woodward County - Teacher Aide - Full Time - Woodward Head Start

Woodward County - Cook Aide - Woodward Head Start

Woodward County - Early Head Start Teacher - Woodward Head Start

Woodward County - Teacher Aide - Part Time - Woodward Head Start

Please refer to the website at www.BigFive.org for the most

current job openings and the detailed job descriptions.