This deer story has a great ending. It was sent along to me by George Palmer, who, along with his wife Shirley, resides in the McLoud area.
“Last Wednesday (Sept. 2), about dark, I went to check on my baby chicks. I heard a thrashing noise toward the area of the woods. As I walked toward the sound, I saw eyes shining in the woods in two different directions. I then noticed a tree branch moving. When I got closer, I saw that a deer was caught in the fence and could not get free.
“Because of the darkness, I couldn’t tell what size the deer was, but it was voicing great displeasure. I didn’t know what to do, but I know that a deer’s hooves are sharp and can hurt a person. That person could be me. I went back to the house to get a flashlight and, of course, a camera. I expected that by the time I returned, the deer would be free. Well, the deer wasn’t free and I could see that it was a baby deer, a fawn.
“I went back to the shed and asked my wife, Shirley, to come with me to hold the flashlight. She was afraid, and she asked me what to do if the deer broke free and tried to attack her. I told her to carry a stick with her so, like her former boyfriends, she could ‘beat them off with a stick’ if she had to. I tried to get the deer free by spreading the wire with my hands, but the wire was twisted too much.
“I went back to the shed and got some wire cutters and a pry bar. I tried to use the pry bar to spread the wire, but it was just too tight. I then cut the wire, which was difficult because the wire was thick. The deer took off in a flash toward one of the places I had observed eyes in the woods. It seemed to be just fine.
“The deer come to our field to eat the apples that fall from the tree. I wish I had taken a video so you could hear the sounds that the fawn made.
“I couldn’t believe such loud and strange sounds could come from a baby animal.
“As I turned to head back toward the house in the deepening darkness, Shirley was about 50 yards away and traveling fast with my flashlight. I called and got her to stop so I could see where to walk also.
“And so it goes, down on the farm, at the edge of the Milky Way.
“Another day, another adventure.”
•••
The annual “March for Babies” is drawing closer. It’s scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 26 in Woodland Veterans Memorial Park. “Helping babies be born healthy is vital to the hope and future of Shawnee,” said Kim Rawls, Arvest Bank, 2009 March committee member. “One day, all babies will be born healthy, but we’re going to have to walk to get there.”
She said walkers will be provided breakfast courtesy of Sonic, Dave’s Donuts and Hiland. There will be activities for kids. Door prizes will be provided as well. It is not too late to join the walk for healthy babies. Please contact any of the local committee members with questions.
Sponsors for the walk are First United Bank, First National Bank, Vision Bank, Shawnee Medical Center Clinic, Bancfirst, Arvest Bank, Unity Health Center, Pottawatomie Telephone, Exxon Mobil and Citizen Potawatomi Nation.
Local committee members are Peggy Rider with Bancfirst, Molly Weaver with First National Bank, Kim Steen with Shawnee Medical Center Clinic and Kim Rawls with Arvest Bank.
Ambassador child is Jagger “Jag” Allen Shirey, son of Brian and Cassandra Shirey of Tecumseh.
•••
Sustainable Shawnee has scheduled its second annual Fall Harvest Dinner for Tuesday, Sept. 29. It will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Emmanuel Episcopal Church Parish Hall.
Tickets are $25 each, with student tickets $10. They can be purchased at Go Computers, 6 W. Main Street. The number is 275-0140.
Sustainable Shawnee officials said everything for the dinner is locally-grown produce and meat that comes from within 100 miles of Shawnee, and most will come from within Pottawatomie County.
Shawna Turner, a member of the organization, said “We’d like people to consider the value of eating locally as much as possible not only because we’re investing in our own farmers and ranchers but also the food is healthy and tastes better. It’s a win-win for everyone.”
She pointed out Sustainable Shawnee has been involved in several community projects, among them a grant awarded this spring for water conservation education in Shawnee.
“We will implement the program targeting fourth graders specifically and the general public about making wise water decisions in their daily lives in March 2010,” she said.
“We have also received a grant from the Junior Service League of Shawnee to begin an event recycling program in Shawnee. We conducted recycling programs at the SYSA baseball park this summer, the Wine Festival and most recently, Spotlight on OBU. We are also working with elementary science classrooms to assist with field trips focused on alternative energy and efficiency and other sustainability issues.”
All proceeds from the dinner will support these and other programs in the community. “We hope to raise awareness about eating locally, supporting our farmers and ranchers, and generally, preparing healthy, tasty meals for our families,” Turner explained.Entertainment for the evening will be provided by the Felix Blues Band.
•••
Barbara Smith, here in Shawnee, said POW/MIA Recognition Day will be held 7 p.m. at Shawnee VFW Post No. 1317, 811 E. MacArthur Friday, Sept. 18. Post and Auxiliary members are requested to attend. All POWs are invited.
POW/MIA Recognition Day honors the commitments and the sacrifices made by our nation’s prisoners of war and those who are still missing in action.
National POW/MIA Recognition Day is one of the six days specified by law on which the black POW/MIA flag shall be flown over facilities and cemeteries, post offices and military installations.
•••
If you have ideas or something of interest for this column, call 214-3922 or e-mail michael.mccormick@news-star.com. Include name and phone number for contact purposes.
SHAWNEE, Okla. —
