TACO sale went well, repairs ongoing

Tahlequah Daily Press (OK)

May 08-- May 8--COOKSON -- A call for help from the Tenkiller Area Community Organization appears to have been answered after the nonprofit organization was hit by a Nov. 30, 2018 tornado.

With the electricity lost to TACO's main building, vendor sites, and outdoor stage, the group needed funds to repair damages. After TACO ran into complications with its insurance provider, it made it a mission to collect enough funds through a benefit market sale to repair its community site.

Cindy Ballew, TACO president, said its recent sale went well.

"We had a lot left over, but we had the best money-wise sale that we've had," said Ballew. "We beat the estate sale in the income for it. So that part was good."

The market sale offered items like antique furniture, clothes, books, workout equipment and more. Ballew said the event brought in people from all around.

"One lady was from Texas," she said. "She was visiting for a family reunion and her daughter was from Arkansas. They were tickled to come up there. We had our normal people we're used to seeing, but we had visitors that I think must have gotten the news."

TACO also received a few cash donations from people who had heard about the storm damage.

For many in the area, TACO's community building is a familiar hub. It often rents out its facilities for community dinners, annual holiday celebrations, and Zumba classes. For one individual, family history played a role in a donation. Ballew said a TACO member received a phone call from a friend with a $1,000 donation.

"Her son's the IT specialist at the Cherokee Casino in Tulsa and he insisted that he was going to write TACO a check for $1,000, and he's going to twist his rich cousin's arms to donate also, because they rent the building for a family reunion every other year on Thanksgiving Day," she said. "So he was sorry to hear about all the trouble."

TACO also received help from locals, as a patron offered the use of a backhoe and tractor box blade to repair damages to the grounds. Garland Eden also offered to donate dirt to fill up the large hole created after tree trunks were ripped from the ground at TACO facility.

"He offered to give us three or four -- whatever we needed -- dump truck loads of dirt," Ballew said. "He'd drive dirt out there and not charge TACO for it."

Although the group has been accepting donations, TACO will also be donating its leftover merchandise to other nonprofit organizations "to help others," said Ballew.

As for the insurance complications, TACO has sent requests via the Oklahoma Insurance Department to its provider, asking that the $8,400 the group spent in the past two years be returned. Ballew said she's not sure if it will help, "but we don't know if we don't try."

"We're pretty close to having enough to fix the stage," said Ballew. "We're having to redo the deck because it got wet and we didn't cover it with a tarp or anything. So that's extra cost on the plywood. But if these other donations come in, we'll have more than enough, and then we turn around and June 3 is when the insurance is due, so we'll be making payments again for insurance for the Jubilee."

This year, June 14-15 will mark TACO's 44th annual Cookson Jubilee, where music, food, crafts and game vendors are enjoyed by its visitors. Local artist Doc Fell & Co. will be among the performers.

Get involved

Vendors interested in setting up shop at the Cookson Jubilee may email [email protected] or contact Cindy Ballew at 918-931-7811. TACO can hold up to 16 arts and crafts vendors inside its community building. Because repairs are still being made to the electrical circuit outdoors, TACO is not sure how many outdoor vendors it will be able to host, but those interested can contact Ballew for more details.

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