Children and adults alike participate in the first-ever Stigler Autism Awareness Walk April 27 at Roye Park.
Staff photo by Wendy Smith

_________________________________________________________

Doctor Bear coloring contest winners at the Haskell County Healthy Living Expo

McKinlee Myers of McCurtain Schools is the first grade county-wide winner in the Haskell County coloring contest.

By Karen West Sanchez
Staff Writer
At 9 a.m. Friday morning, head over to the courthouse for the annual Healthy Living Expo, where more than 30 vendors will be on hand offering freebies, food and fun. Vendors will be offering information on quitting smoking, healthy eating and living habits and blood pressure tests and finger sticks. Compassion Home Care will be cooking hotdogs and the Kiamichi Technology Center will be offering snowcones.
Be sure to stop by the registration booth when you first arrive and sign in, get a bag to fill with freebies, a free T-shirt and get a raffle ticket. Drawings will be held every hour at the top of the hour for door prizes — at 10, 11, 12 and 1 p.m. You must be present to win.
Don't forget — this year's event will be completely tobacco free. That means not only is smoking prohibited, but dipping is prohibited as well. Please do not use any tobacco products at the Expo. (more on this story in this week's Stigler News Sentinel)

Support for families affected by autism

Submitted photo
Michael Polk finds his own way of coping with all the people and noise at the walk.

By Karen West Sanchez
Staff Writer
It was a first in Stigler, a first step to raise awareness of autism and the impact it makes on our community on a daily basis.
The first-ever Autism Awareness Walk was held April 27 at Roye Park in Stigler. The walk raised more than $1,600 to help support the programs of Autism Oklahoma.
A support group for parents with children who have special needs, with an emphasis on autism and ADHD, meets at the Stigler Public Library every Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. The group also has a Facebook group page called "Support for Parents of Children with Special Needs." (more on this story in this week's Stigler News Sentinel)