Wildfire donations, eclipse show, poetry month among this week's community news
Education Credit Union Foundation donates to wildfire relief efforts
Education Credit Union Foundation (ECU Foundation) announced this week a $29,000 donation to assist organizations in Borger, Fritch, and Stinnett in their wildfire relief efforts. $20,000 will be donated to the Hutchinson County United Way and $3,000 will be donated to each of the volunteer fire departments in Borger, Fritch, and Stinnett.
“The Texas Panhandle is a region that takes care of its own, and we are happy to be able to support these organizations in a time when many of our friends and neighbors need the extra help. We wish these types of things didn’t happen, but we count ourselves lucky to live in a part of the world where we help each other,” said executive director, Matt Morgan.
“Education Credit Union formed this independent, nonprofit organization to increase the support we can give to our community. Our ability to adapt and respond to community needs as they arise is an added benefit of the Foundation.” said ECU CEO and ECU Foundation Board Chair, Marcus Smith.
For more information, visit https://www.ecu-foundation.org .
Kwahadi seeking summer cast for 'Song of the Eagle'
Youth from Amarillo and area communities, who are currently in the 5th grade through 11th grade, are invited to become a member of the co-ed cast of the summer production of Song of the Eagle.
Training for the cast begins Sunday, April 7, from 2 to 4:30 p.m., at the Kwahadi Museum located at 9151 I-40 East in Amarillo. The cast will perform on Saturday nights in June and July. For information, call 806-654-4890.
Come experience the teamwork and energy of performing for visitors from near and far - give it a try; you’ll be glad you did.
DHDC shows special theater show for the upcoming solar eclipse
The Don Harrington Discovery Center has begun showing a planetarium show titled "Totality Over Texas" about the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in their Space Theater leading up to the celestial event.
Available in Spanish in addition to English, this planetarium show covers the history of eclipses, the science behind them, scientific discoveries made in relation to eclipses, and future eclipse events predicted to happen. The planetarium show was created by the Houston Museum of Natural Science with support from Buc-ee’s.
"Totality Over Texas" can be seen in English at DHDC’s Space Theater at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. The Spanish version of the theater show can be seen at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Space theater shows are included in DHDC admission or membership.
DHDC is also hosting a viewing party for the Total Solar Eclipse on April 8, 2024. Reaching totality at 1:40 pm, Amarillo will see close to 87% of the sun covered by the moon. This is a celestial event that won’t happen again until 2045. DHDC will be open to the public from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm on Monday, April 8, and have educational programming happening throughout the day related to the eclipse. The public is invited to join their viewing party, which starts at 1 p.m. and features food trucks, the chance to explore DHDC’s exhibits, and the opportunity to see a rare celestial event while learning about the science behind it from their enthusiastic staff.
The viewing party will be included in regular DHDC admission or membership, and no special tickets or reservations are required.
Eclipse-viewing glasses are required to view the eclipse, as it is a safety hazard to stare at the sun without any protective equipment. Eclipse-viewing glasses have a special solar filter on them that allows viewers to see the moon as it passes over the sun without being blinded by sunlight. Available for purchase in the DHDC gift shop prior to the Total Solar Eclipse, DHDC was one of the last businesses in Amarillo that was selling eclipse-viewing glasses during the 2023 Annular Solar Eclipse.
Follow DHDC on Facebook and Instagram for more information on their community programs. Information can be found on their website as well.
MPO policy committee to meet April 11
The Amarillo Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Committee will hold its next meeting on Thursday, April 11 at 1:30 p.m. in room 105 of Amarillo City Hall.
The public will be permitted to offer public comments as provided by the agenda and as permitted by the presiding officer during the meeting. Agenda items include: discuss and consider Category 7 & 9 project oversight process,discuss and consider approval of priority list for Category 7 & 9 Projects, discuss and consider a revision to the FY2024 Unified Planning Work Program, discuss and consider a resolution to adopt the 2025-2028 TIP, and update on current construction projects.
Friends of the Amarillo Public Library Book Sale begins April 12
The first Friends of the Amarillo Public Library Book Sale of 2024 will be held next weekend.
The Friends Sale is brown bag style; patrons can fill a grocery-size bag with books and media and pay $7.50 per bag, or three bags for $20. Patrons can bring their own reusable (not paper) shopping bags to save even more, with the cost at $7 each, or three for $18.
Summer Reading Club vouchers may be redeemed at the sale, which takes place at the Downtown Library, located at 413 SE 4th Ave. in Amarillo.
The sale begins Friday, April 12, with an After Hours – Friends Only day from 6:30 to 9 p.m. The 2024 Friends Memberships will be available for purchase and cost $10 for individuals and $25 for families. The sale opens to the public Saturday, with hours from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
On Sunday, April 14, from 2 to 6 p.m., the Discount Bag Day will have prices at $5 per bag or $4.50 for reusable bags.
DHDC celebrates DEAR Day by inviting guests to Storytime in their pj’s
The Don Harrington Discovery Center (DHDC) is participating in National Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) Day on Friday, April 12, with public programming included in general admission or DHDC membership.
DHDC will host storytimes every other hour and encourages guest to snuggle up in their two reading nooks and discover a new story or rediscover an old favorite.
Their goal is to help promote literacy in the community. Providing a hands-on, collaborative space for visitors at all learning levels and educational interests is a major part of the literacy initiatives and elements that the Don Harrington Discovery Center has started. With the opening of their exhibit, the Literacy Corner, a reading nook in the second story of their "Discover Through Time" exhibit, and their weekly program Storytime at DHDC, DHDC has been purposeful in working toward this goal.
Follow DHDC on Facebook and Instagram for more information on their community programs. Information can be found on their website as well.
Ascension Academy to hold scavenger hunt April 14
Ascension Academy will host a city-wide scavenger hunt that will be fun for the whole family. This event is open to anyone in the community. The Cardinal Road Rally will occur on Sunday, April 14, at 3 p.m. at the Ascension Academy school gym, located at 9301 Ascension Parkway.
Participants will work as a team to solve puzzles, answer Amarillo trivia questions, and submit photos and videos for points. Creative submissions will receive bonus points. Prizes will be awarded to the team with the most points, any team that completes all the challenges, and the team with the most creative photo and video submissions.
Registration is now open at ascensionacademy.kindful.com/?campaign=1295701 and is $100 for a team of up to 4 participants.
The funds raised at the Cardinal Road Rally will go toward the Annual Fund, which covers travel expenses for Ascension Academy students to participate in upcoming TAPPS state golf, track and field, and academic competitions. Inquiries about Ascension Academy or the Cardinal Road Rally should be directed to Development Director Cassie Montgomery at 806-382-1211.
For more information about Ascension Academy, visit AscensionAcademy.org .
WT Collegiate Farm Bureau to host special livestock show for students with disabilities
CANYON — West Texas A&M University’s Collegiate Farm Bureau will host a stock show designed for students with disabilities. Beyond the Barn will run from 10 a.m. to noon April 27 in the Bain Event Center in WT’s Agricultural Sciences Complex on Russel Long Boulevard in the northeast corner of the Canyon campus.
Registration for the free event begins at 9 a.m.
“Our mission with Beyond the Barn is to advocate for agriculture, provide a unique experience, and create an inclusive community where individuals of all abilities thrive,” said Eli Weisensee, CFB media coordinator and a junior agribusiness major from Limon, Colorado. “Through our stock show and educational booths, we celebrate agriculture’s unity, the Panhandle’s diversity and the joy of connection.”
Students with any disability will be paired with WT students to show the livestock, and educational booths will provide the students additional information on various areas of the agriculture industry.
The student members of Collegiate Farm Bureau said they look at the stock show as a way to show their gratitude to the community.
“Beyond The Barn is a way we can give back while teaching the importance of agriculture,” Weisensee said. “Showing livestock is a fun and exciting experience, and we know that not everyone has this experience. Beyond the Barn allows everyone to engage firsthand with this an amazing activity in a fun and safe environment.”
Parents or guardians should accompany the students. The students will get a free T-shirt and lunch during the event. To sign up, visit apps.ideal-logic.com/wtamureg. For information, email WTFarmBureau@gmail.com.
Amarillo Public Library celebrates National Poetry Month in April
Created in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets, National Poetry Month is now the largest literary celebration in the world, with tens of millions of poets, readers, librarians, students, teachers, booksellers, and publishers taking part each April in the effort to share poetry and celebrate the vital role of poets and poetry in our culture and shared human experience.
In celebration of the month, the Amarillo Public Library will have on hand its extensive selection of poetry books for all ages available at each location, as well as several planned events for National Poetry Month.
Words that Remain: Celebrate National Poetry Month with the Northwest Branch, 6100 SW 9th, by taking part in this ongoing Blackout Poetry project throughout April. Blackout or Erasure Poetry is the art of marking out most of the words on a page to create an entirely new work of art and poetry. It’s also a great way to enhance critical thinking and develop wordplay skills. Book pages and markers will be supplied - all that's needed is creativity. Creations can be shared on social media using the hashtag #APLBlackout .
Magnetic Poetics: Self-Made Stanzas: (Teen program): magnetic poetry is a creative writing activity where poets creatively arrange individual words into poetry. In this program, participants can create their own magnetic poetry sets. Magnets and printed words will be provided, but participants can also use colored pens to create a set as unique as they are. The event will be held Tuesday, April 23 at 5:30 p.m. at the Downtown Library, 413 SE 4th.
Poetry Reading with Tess Taylor: On Thursday, April 25 at noon, the Downtown Library, 413 SE 4th, will host a lunchtime poetry reading. You are welcome to bring your own lunch or enjoy refreshments provided by Friends of the Amarillo Public Library. The doors will open at noon, and the program will begin at 12:30 p.m. Taylor’s body of work deals with place, ecology, memory, and cultural reckoning. She has published five celebrated poetry collections including "The Misremembered World," "The Forage House," "Last West: Roadsongs for Dorothea Lange," and "Rift Zone," one of the Boston Globe’s best books of 2020. Her book "Work & Days" was one of the New York Times best poetry books of 2016, and her work as a cultural critic appears in in Harper’s Magazine, The Atlantic, The Kenyon Review, Poetry, Tin House, The Times Literary Supplement, CNN, and The New York Times. In fall of 2023 she published her first full length poetry anthology: "Leaning Toward Light: Poems for Gardens and the Hands that Tend Them," a collection of contemporary gardening poems, for an era of climate crisis.
In addition, the Amarillo Public Library maintains two Story Walks to allow kids and families to enjoy two healthy things at the same time: reading and a nice walk. The stories change every four to six weeks. You can scan a QR code on your phone to listen to the story at either location. At Medi-Park, you can read "Little White Duck" by Walt Whippo, and the Amarillo Zoo's Story Walk features "'Twas the Day Before Zoo Day" by Catherine Ipcizade.
Stewarding Our Aquifer Field Day set for April 16
Farmers, ranchers, Master Naturalists, agency personnel, educators, and the interested public are invited to attend the next Stewarding Our Aquifer Field Day (SOA) presented by Ogallala Commons (www.ogallalacommons.org) on Tuesday, April 16 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Wildcat Bluff Discovery Center, located at 2301 N. Soncy Rd in Amarillo.
The purpose of the educational event is to provide information about management practices that can reduce groundwater depletion in the region, improve recharge of the Ogallala Aquifer, as well as assist in the transition from irrigated agriculture to rainfed agriculture.
“This field day will serve as a follow-up to our recent Stewarding Our Water Future Conference,” notes Dr. Darryl Birkenfeld, Ogallala Commons Deputy Director. “A couple of sessions on streambed restoration introduced our attendees to some innovative ideas about how human management can mimic the work that beavers historically carried out on streams and tributaries of the Great Plains. Beaver habitat caused stream flows to meander through landscapes more slowly, creating enhanced vegetation, while improving the water cycle and increasing groundwater recharge.”
Doors open at 9 a.m. at the Classroom at Wildcat Bluff Discovery Center with registration and snacks. The opening presentation at 9:30 a.m. will be a History and Overview of Wildcat Bluff Discovery Center by Kyle Hadley, Director of Exhibits and Facilities, Don Harrington Discovery Center. The following presentation will be conducted via a Zoom recording, with a presentation entitled "Long-Term Impacts of Natural Infrastructure in Dryland Streams (NIDS): Lessons from the Southwest” offered by Laura Norman, Ph.D., Supervisory Research Physical Scientist, US Geological Survey, Tucson, AZ.
After a short break, Warren Thetford (Projects Coordinator) and Will Masters (Executive Director), both representing Ogallala Life Conservation, Inc., will present, “It’s the Rain You Keep - NIDS in the Texas Panhandle.” The due will outline their work of establishing natural structures along tributaries of the Canadian River, to combat streambed incising, and to revegetate stream banks while rehydrating adjoining landscapes along the streambed.
At 11:45 a.m., lunch will be served, and then at 12:20 p.m., the group departs for a field tour to view some of the 80-100 leaky weir structures that have been installed along West Amarillo Creek on the Wildcat Bluff Discovery Center property.
Registration for the event is $30 per person (which includes the cost of lunch and snacks). To register and pay online, please click on this link: https://bit.ly/4an4fx4 Otherwise, please contact Darryl Birkenfeld, Deputy Director, Ogallala Commons to register for the event (darryl@ogallalacommons.org or by phone at 806-945-2255). Registration can be paid at the door.
The SOA Field Day is sponsored by Ogallala Commons and its partners: Ogallala Life Conservation, Inc., Wildcat Bluff Discovery Center, the Horizon Foundation, and High Plains Water District.
WT’s Texas Poets’ Corner salutes student poets, historians at spring event
CANYON — Student poets and historians were honored March 28 at the annual Texas Poets’ Corner spring event. Poetry awards were given to Debany Arciniega-Saenz, a senior public relations, advertising and applied communication major from Lovington, New Mexico, for “Friendship Is a Beacon in the Storm,” and Abigail Baker, a sophomore pre-nursing major from Perryton, for “A Sunflower’s Ambition.” Both students read their poems at the March 28 event.
History awards were given to Gabriel Martinez, a graduate student in history from Hereford, for “Colonias in the Texas Panhandle: Housing that Binds,” and Chloe Danielle Barham, a graduate student in history from Amarillo, for “Forgotten History, Remembered Stories: The Asian Diaspora of the Texas High Plains After World War II.” Both gave summary readings of their papers at the event, as well.
The Texas Poets’ Corner was established in 2003 in WT’s Cornette Library. In 2021, it was bequeathed a $2.8 million estate gift by the late Dr. Jenny Lind Porter Scott, a former Texas Poet Laureate and WT assistant professor of English.
Amarillo Parks and Recreation Department hosting Independence Day +1 Event with fireworks, drone show, more
The City of Amarillo Parks and Recreation Department, in collaboration with Outdoor Amarillo, is hosting a unique Fourth of July-themed event for the Amarillo community – the Independence Day +1 Fireworks and Drone Show. Independence Day +1 is free to the public.
Outdoor Amarillo, a non-profit organization, is partnering with the parks department to promote outdoor recreation and community engagement. The event begins at 4:30 p.m. on July 5 at John Stiff Park and will continue throughout the evening.
Free festivities include:
Concerts: A live performance by a local band and a headliner – with announcements coming.
Beer Garden A variety of beverages will be available - must be 21 or older to enter.
Food Trucks: A diverse selection of culinary delights from Amarillo's finest food trucks.
Fun Zone for Kids: Children can enjoy the dedicated fun zone complete with games and activities.
Fireworks and Drone Show: A breathtaking display of fireworks and cutting-edge drone technology will light up the night, commemorating the spirit of independence.
Sponsorships are available for this historic Amarillo event. Sponsors can showcase commitment to the community and ensure success of this inaugural event. For sponsorship information, contact Outdoor Amarillo by email at info@outdooramarillo.org . For food truck information, contact the parks department at (806) 378-3036 or by email at contact@amarilloparks.org . Also for more information, contact City of Amarillo Media Relations Manager David Henry at (806) 378-5219 or by email at David.Henry@amarillo.gov .
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo area Our Town briefs for the week of April 7, 2024
