"Library Gift, Underground Tunnels, and Neighbors on the Edge!"

Trivia Question❓

Oklahoma is home to the longest drivable stretch of Route 66. How many miles does it cover?

Answer at the bottom of the newsletter

Welcome to a Simpler Way of Living

There’s a quiet wisdom tucked inside the way our grandparents lived — a steady rhythm built on faith, simplicity, and common sense. This week’s featured video takes us back to those old homemaking habits: stocked pantries, cozy homes, careful budgets, handwritten letters, and the kind of hospitality that didn’t require perfection… just a warm heart and a clean kitchen table.

It’s a gentle reminder that the best parts of the past aren’t gone. They’re waiting to be picked up again. And maybe, in a world that feels too fast and too loud, these simple routines are exactly what our homes — and our families — could use right now.

I hope you truly enjoy this week's newsletter.

“Before we jump into the week’s local stories, here’s a look at something many of you will appreciate — a return to the simple homemaking habits our grandparents lived by.”

“Old Habits Worth Bringing Back”

Community Corner

LOCAL HAPPENINGS THIS WEEK

Noodles & Numbers – Monday, Nov. 17 at 5 PM
There’s something special about a warm bowl of pasta on a cold November evening — especially when it’s served with a side of good company. Woodward’s bringing folks together with food, laughter, and a few rounds of bingo at 1610 2nd Street. Simple fun. The kind that reminds us why community matters.

Fargo-Gage AG Boosters Fundraiser – Tuesday, Nov. 16 at 11 AM
Homemade turkey dinners. Neighbors gathered in a school cafeteria. Funds raised the old-fashioned way — by folks who show up when it counts. If you want to support students and enjoy a good meal, head over to Fargo, OK.

Pink Friday at The Feathered Nest – Friday, Nov. 21 at 10 AM
Seiling’s sweetest little shop is celebrating local makers with homemade treats, cozy goods, and some early holiday cheer. It’s a gentle way to support local women, local dreams, and the heartbeat of small-town business life.

Open Mic Night – Thursday, Nov. 20 at 6 PM
There’s courage in stepping up to a microphone. And there’s grace in listening. Come cheer on local talent at 209 S. Main Street in Mooreland. You never know who might surprise you.

Comedy Weekend – Friday & Saturday, Nov. 21–22
Longshots Bar & Grill is hosting some much-needed laughter. Two shows, one stage, and a reminder that joy is worth scheduling on purpose.

Wynoka Community Sunshiner Dinner – Saturday, Nov. 22 at 6 PM
Nothing beats a hometown dinner shared with neighbors. Held at Wynoka High School, this Sunshiner gathering is built on food, fellowship, and the quiet goodness of people staying connected.

Black Friday Sale Event – Nov. 18–21
Before the holiday rush fully hits, there’s a local Black Friday sale running at 2728 Williams Ave. Shop small. Shop early. And keep those dollars close to home.

Woodward Public Library Receives $10,000 Gift from Carnegie Corporation

Woodward Public Library has received a remarkable $10,000 gift from the Carnegie Corporation, echoing the original donation by Andrew Carnegie that helped found the library in 1917.

Now located at 1500 Main Street, the library continues its legacy as a cornerstone for community learning and connection.

Director Connie Terry, who started as a part-time worker and has served 46 years, expressed deep appreciation, highlighting how such support strengthens the library’s mission.

The funds will enhance collections, upgrade technology, and launch new community programs.

Upcoming events like the Morning Book Club and Unwind & Unravel craft sessions invite residents to get involved.

From the Coterie Club’s first $200 fundraiser in 1899 to today, community backing remains central.

This generous donation secures a vibrant future for the library and all who depend on its resources.

Give a Pet a Home

A Quiet Cat Named Chai, Waiting for One Gentle Home

There’s a small senior cat sitting in a clean kennel over at WOOF Pet Rescue. Her name is Chai. She doesn’t make much noise. She doesn’t demand attention. She simply watches the room with calm eyes, as if she’s waiting for someone patient and kind to notice her.

Chai has lived long enough to know what she likes — peace, routine, and a home where she can be the only pet. She’s past the climbing-curtains stage. Past the sprinting-through-the-house stage. What she wants now is simple: a warm lap, a quiet corner, and a person who enjoys steady companionship.

The folks at WOOF say she’d be perfect for a senior — someone who understands the gentle rhythm of slow mornings and soft evenings. Someone who wants something to care for, but not something that will wear them out. Chai offers presence, not chaos. Comfort, not commotion.

And sometimes that’s exactly what a heart needs.

If you or someone you love has room for a calm friend with a lot of love left to give, Chai might be the blessing you didn’t know you were missing. Every pet deserves a soft landing. Maybe yours is the home she’s been waiting for.

Sometimes the quietest companions fill the largest spaces in our lives.
“A righteous man regards the life of his animal.” – Proverbs 12:10

Quote Of The Day

"Success is never final, failure is never fatal. It's courage that counts." - John Wooden

Uncovering the Mystery: Woodward's Underground Tunnels - Fact or Fiction?

I wasn’t proud of what we did, but if it keeps anyone from making the same mistake, it’s worth telling.

In the summer of 1983, when the old States Hotel in Woodward still stood empty and haunted by rumors, I was a curious seventeen-year-old.

Local kids whispered about a secret tunnel hidden beneath the brothel.

One night, my friend Travis and I found it—an entrance behind a rusted water heater.

We crept through the damp, eerie passage and discovered a dust-covered chair facing the wall, with women’s heels perched beside it.

Soon, the air turned icy, the flashlight flickered, and we heard slow, deliberate footsteps—like high heels echoing in the dark.

A shadow moved toward us. We ran, terrified.

Travis moved away weeks later, haunted by ghostly whispers.

If you ever find yourself in that basement—don’t move the drywall. And if you hear heels in the dark, don’t look back.

Some legends are warnings with teeth, right here in Woodward.

Homemaking Throwback

Interesting Facts

Oklahoma has the largest concentration of man-made lakes in the United States, with over 200 lakes created by dams.

The official state meal of Oklahoma includes fried okra, cornbread, barbecue pork, and pecan pie.

The capital city of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, is actually the largest city in terms of land area in the United States, covering over 600 square miles.

Woodward History Spotlight

Nineteen Neighbors Who Chose to Try

In the fall of 1963, long after the sun had set over Western Oklahoma, a small group of men and women filed into a Woodward classroom. They weren’t teenagers chasing freedom on four wheels. They were adults — some tired from shift work, some raising families, some nervous to start something new. But they came anyway. Nineteen of them. Ready to learn how to drive with confidence.

The course was simple on paper. A partnership between the Woodward public schools, the Junior Chamber of Commerce, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. But anyone who’s ever tried to learn something as an adult knows it’s never just about the lesson. It’s about courage.

These nineteen neighbors sat shoulder to shoulder while Trooper McCulary and Lt. Morris taught the rules of the road. Real officers. Real stories. Real wisdom. They didn’t just talk about turn signals and stopping distances — they talked about responsibility, safety, and looking out for the folks who share the road with you.

And these adults listened. Took notes. Asked questions. Showed up for every session. They didn’t do it for applause. They didn’t do it for certificates. They did it for their families, their futures, and the simple dignity of improving themselves.

In a world where we often celebrate the flashy and the loud, it’s good to remember moments like this — when ordinary people in an ordinary town made an extraordinary choice: to grow.

Woodward has always been built by people like that. People who don’t quit. People who humble themselves enough to be students again. People who make our community stronger simply by choosing to be better than they were yesterday.

Growth begins the moment you decide to try.
“The heart of the wise makes knowledge its pursuit.” – Proverbs 18:15

For the Handymen

Closing Thoughts

As we wrap up this week’s newsletter, I hope something in these pages — a memory from our town’s past, a story of a neighbor doing good, a bit of old-fashioned wisdom — brought a little peace to your day. Life moves fast, and it’s easy to forget that the things which matter most are usually small: a tidy home, a handwritten note, a shared meal, a friendly hello, a quiet act of kindness.

Woodward is full of people who still believe in those things. People who show up for one another. People who hold onto faith when the world around them feels unsteady. People who remember the lessons our grandparents tried so hard to pass down.

Thank you for being part of this community — for reading, sharing, and caring.

May your week ahead be calm, blessed, and full of the simple joys that make home feel like home.

Until next Sunday — stay well, stay steady, and keep doing the small things that matter.

Love,

Matt West

Editor of Woodward Shoutouts

💡 Answer to Trivia Question:

400 miles