FREDERICK - Felisha Crawford, executive director of the Frederick Chamber of Commerce, said the organization had a very good year in 2019 and sees a great year for 2020. Thanks goes to continued plans for successful annual events, along with with retention of existing Chamber members - and the addition of new members.
Ms. Crawford said that 2019 saw the 40th-anniversary celebration of one of Frederick’s largest industries, Henniges Automotive. The company manufactures automotive parts at a plant in the city’s industrial park adjacent to the Frederick Regional Airport, southeast of the city. She also reported that a number of new businesses started last year, including Main Street Nutrition and Granna’s LLC Main Street Nutrition, which is a smoothie and juice bar at 100 North Main, across Grand Avenue from the Chamber office to the north.
Granna’s LLC moved from Bessie, Okla., to Frederick last year. It is located inside the former Alco discount store building on North Main next to Frederick Pharmacy. Granna’s makes frozen meals that are delivered to customers such as senior nutrition centers (including two sites in Frederick), airlines and hospitals. Last year ended with the Chamber-sponsored Christ-mas Parade along Grand Avenue downtown on Dec. 20. Crawford said that during the event approximately $2,600 in Chamber Bucks, redeemable at local merchants, were given away.
“The weather was perfect for the parade,” she said. Ms. Crawford said the Oklahoma Free Will Riders will be pedaling their bicycles through Frederick with an overnight stay on May 31. The ride is scheduled to start earlier that day in Vernon, Texas, with a stop in Medicine Park on June 1 as part of the week-long ride that will conclude June 8 at Arkansas City, Kan. The Free Riders previously stopped in Frederick for an overnight visit in 2015.
“They named Frederick as the Best Host City that year for the second time,” she said. “We’re hoping for a third honor when they return.” One of the Chamber’s largest events each year is Frederick’s Fantastic Oyster Fry, which is set for March 7 at the Prather Brown Center Cafeteria, 211 S. 13th. This will be the 31st year for the event to be held in Frederick; previously it was held in nearby Mani- tou each year since the early 1950s. Oysters served during the fry are of the freshwater variety and are sourced from Port Lavaca, Texas, on the Gulf Coast.
“We serve close to 1,000 people each year from Oklahoma, Texas and other states, and receive a lot of support from the community,” Crawford said. A crafts show will be held in conjunction with the Oyster Fry at the Frederick Middle School gym, located next door to the Prather Brown Center. Other annual events held in Frederick each year and sponsored or supported by the Chamber of Commerce include the Abernathy Boys Celebration in June, the Arts N Action Festival in September on the Tillman County Courthouse square, the Cotton Festival and Chili Cook-Off on the courthouse square in Novem- ber. A Girls on Main Street event in November will involve various local merchants and will include a $100 drawing in Chamber Bucks.
The World War II Airborne Demonstration Team’s Infantry School is scheduled in April, and Jump School sessions in July and October, at the historic Frederick Army Airfield adjacent to Frederick Regional Airport. And scheduled in December are “Breakfast with Santa” and the Christmas Parade.
ABOUT FELISHA CRAWFORD
Felisha Crawford, a Frederick native and graduate of Frederick High School, is now in her fifth year as executive director of the Chamber of Commerce. She previously worked in the radiology department at Tillman County Memorial Hospital for about a year until the hospital closed in 2016, joining the Chamber shortly thereafter.
“I have learned a lot more about Frederick than I knew before,” she said of her years with the Chamber of Commerce and contacts with the community. “It strengthened my opinion about small communities and how good they are for their residents. I’m proud of our town.” Ms. Crawford’s husband, Ben, works in the family’s business, Craw- ford Abstract. They have one daughter, Delia, who is a junior at Frederick High School.