and Businesses
In 1948, after several pasture and roadside fires had gone out of control and destroyed valuable hay crops or barns and fences, the men of Nuyaka met and decided to do the best they could to cut down this property loss. Undoubtedly the suggestion for undertaking this project came from the lessons and facts learned in a Veterans Agricultural Training Class held in the Nuyaka Gym. Other community citizens besides the veterans were becoming alarmed, and they, too, volunteered their help.
The first Fire Chief was Bill Spears, who had the enthusiasm and the willingness to work of his fire crew but very little else. The first fire fighting was done with cattle spraying rigs, which held small amounts of water and wet funny sacks swung against the fire by those who did not own cattle spraying equipment.
Desperately needing a larger tank and a regular fire-fighting rig, Marcel Lefebvre, the Civil Defense Director, helped the group find and buy a 1943 model surplus fuel truck. The Clark Trucking Co. of Morris volunteered its help and sent a very large vehicle to Oklahoma City to load and bring the tank truck of Okmulgee where it was unloaded at the Diesel Department of Okmulgee Tech. Here, Voyd Self, Diesel Instructor, allowed the Nuyaka men to use his heavy equipment in making the necessary changes and repairs to the truck. Most of the repair parts came from Nuyaka farmers who never throw any spare parts away. After 100 feet of one-inch fire hose had been bought and attached to a fire nozzle, the Highway Department donated a siren, and this truck was ready to go. Even before owning this fire truck, Nuyaka men, especially in the fall of the year, have stayed alert for the ringing of the telephone, telling them of �Fire out of control. Hurry.�
This service the Nuyaka women have usually assumed. While the Veterans Training Class was still meeting, Elizabeth Beidleman, daughter of Joe Beidleman began to play �mother hen� to the group. Halfway through each session, she would appear with brad, lunchmeat, cookies, candy and soft drinks. Then, she became the first �telephone girl� in taking messages concerning fires and then relaying them out to all the volunteers. Soon, however, after the organization was more involved other women volunteered to help Elizabeth with this alerting of firefighters.
After years of use, the water pump on this first truck completely wore out, but Katherine Chandler came to the rescue. She wrote an article on this Nuyaka volunteer work and suggested that help might be forthcoming. And it came! People, who did not even live in this area, read her story in the Okmulgee Times and contributed. Some whose homes had been saved, whose hay crop had been protected, and whose fencing did not have to be replaced, sent checks for that service. You see, the Nuyaka Fire Department never charges for all the work it does � it�s just the neighborly thing to do. So money began to roll in.
While finances were being raised, the fire fighters went back temporarily to cattle sprayers and wet sacks. Bean suppers, with Buddy Allen and his Band unselfishly furnishing the entertainment, were held. 4-H Club members held money-raising projects. The Dripping Springs Home Demonstration Club held chicken dinners, quilt raffles, and evenings full of games. Within two years tow thousand dollars was raised, and with an equal grant from the government they began hunting for a new fire truck.
One was found that the Forestry Service would donate. It needed a great deal of work done on it, but merchants gave discounts on parts and farmers brought in other parts. So, one truck was back in service. But hardly had it made its first fire run before the raising of more money began again.
The sum of money needed was raised again and another truck was secured. This one, too, need much work done on it. Dickie Melton completely rebuilt the transmission, and Truman McCall and Bill Spears assembled the water system for the one thousand gallon water tank. Glen and Wilson Cypert spent hours on the engine. But, finally, a second fire truck was ready for use.
More money raised, plus another grant, and a smaller truck was acquired and a thirty-foot by sixty foot metal housing was put up, large enough to house the three trucks now owned by the volunteer fire department with enough space left for a working area.
Twenty-five fore calls were answered just last year. Besides fighting large fires which threaten home, barns, hundreds of bales of hay, cattle, and fences, the Nuyaka Volunteer Fire Department has, for a number of years, fire-guarded both sides of the highway from the Lake Okmulgee area to past the site of the Hugh Smith Ranch.
May we all in the Nuyaka community be more like Elbert McCall, who, when the project began almost forty years ago, was even then entirely too old to swing a wet sack or kick down burning brush. But, Elbert really wanted to be part of this endeavor. So, he announced that, old as he was, he could still carry money. So, at every meeting, in would walk Elbert McCall, with dollar bills sticking out from between his fingers where he�d put them after he had talked neighbors and stranger out of them.
At this time in 1983, each truck has been completely converted to fire fighting. Each one has been equipped with valves that will allow the large tanks, if the water should be exhausted, to be re-filled from a farm pond or the nearest source of water.
The officers at that time were: Fire Chief � Jimmy Couch; Asst. Fire Chief � Glen Cypert; Board Member: Dickie Melton, Joe Comer, Lloyd Salyer, and Truman McCall. Secretary/Treasurer � Georgia Martin.
Home Demonstration Club of Nuyaka
Front: May Howard, Mrs. Bob Bess, Oakla Spears, Olive Taylor, Mrs. W.F. Garrison, Ruth Mount, Mrs. Ed Wiles.
Back: Hazel Sowder, Mrs. Elva Jones, Mrs. Gillie Tanksley, Home Demonstration Agent, Johnny Logan, Ruth Ledbetter, Mrs. H.F. Mulanax, Ruth Hampton, and Helen Bryant.
Officers
President � Jessie Sims
Secretary � Hazel Sowder
Exhibit Chairman � Ruth Hampton
Vice President � May Howard
Reporter � Ruth Mount
Organized in 1946, this organization made up of Nuyaka women who are most interested in the betterment of Nuyaka School and their community, has always responded willingly to any need for its services.
Its first project was the improving of the school lunchroom. The lunchroom was moved to a larger room, which was cleaned and painted. Tables and chairs were repaired and refinished. A silver and tea towel shower was given. Merchants in Okmulgee graciously donated items, which were auctioned off. With the proceeds from this affair, a new refrigerator and better cooking utensils were bought. Bertha Lesley, May Howard, and Almira Stanley were in charge of this project.
Along with its interest in school projects, the club has carried out all home demonstration work. In 1947, 2000 pounds of meat was frozen, 1900 jars of fruit and vegetables canned, and thirty-five dresses made. Eight rooms in members� homes were refinished and refurnished. Hazel Sowder, Ruth Mount, and Oakla Spears attended the tailoring class held in Okmulgee.
Nuyaka�s Second Home Demonstration Club � Dripping Springs Club
Nuyaka�s first home demonstration club, Know Your Neighbors Club, existed in active service for many years, then, like the churches and businesses during the depression years, lack of membership because of the shifting about of population caused this once very progressive and very helpful club to discontinue its meetings.
Years passed before another club was considered, but, in 1978, when Nuyaka area had changed so much and so many new people started moving in and building good homes, the urge to set up some kind of a social organization that could also help the community began to be felt. It was the time of the year for the hear drive and a small group of women came together to discuss this drive and to have coffee with their hostess, Betty Anderson. Such a delightful afternoon everyone had that is was decided that Nuyaka needed another organization, both for fund and friendship and also for helpfulness to their neighbors and themselves. So, since Betty had taken the first step, not realizing what the result would be, she was asked to serve as leader until regular officers could be chosen.
The next meeting had seven women present, and the third meeting had eight. But they decided to start with this small but interested group and elect officers. Yvonne Brownfield was elected President, Betty Anderson � Vice President, Carol McAfee � Secretary and Treasurer, and Berthal Ennis � Reporter. The name Dripping Spring was chosen because Okmulgee�s new lake bearing that name was so near the homes of many of the members. It was not long before the fair that fall, but, when the time came, the members had a full exhibit, with nine blue ribbons, four red ribbons, and three white ones.
They did not hesitate to plunge in to help with any problem of their community. When, for several years money had to be raised and much work had to be done to secure for Nuyaka and effective fire-fighting system, these women and their friends played a very large part in the success of this endeavor. Then, when a county-wide plan was conceived to mark all the rural roads at each intersection with correct land markings so that ambulances, fire trucks and other emergency vehicles could more easily and quickly find where they were needed, the Dripping Springs Club worked to raise the very large amount of money required for this vast project, and, then, when the money was on hand, they worked very conscientiously to see that all markings were accurate and that no one was missed.
The Dripping Springs Club is growing. Some members who have joined since the first few meetings are: Gale Chennett, Mae Roberts, Kay Chandler, Jessie Sims, Cindy Atwell, Sheldon Cypert, Irene McVeigh, Sharon Davis, and Lucille Cypert.
Ennis Real Estate Company - 918-756-1912
Nuyaka Creek Winery - 918-756-8485 or www.nuyakacreek.com
Nuyaka Store (aka Nuyaka Mall) - 918-756-8485
Monogramming by Nancy - 918-756-3465
McAfee's Concrete Service - 918-756-7990
Chuck's Photo - 918-756-7628
Bud's Quality Guttering - 918-756-5390
Glamor Rama (hair salon) - 918-756-9229
Nuyaka Rural Water - 918-756-1721