Kiwanis Club marches into spring activities

Weather in Oklahoma is usually unpredictable, but March weather seems especially tricky, bouncing from winter to spring to winter in a single day. Also with March weather comes Kiwanis spring activities and honors for city and county young people.

The Kiwanis Durant High School Senior of the Month for March is Eduardo Becerra. Mr. Becerra maintains a 3.2 grade point average. He is a member of DHS Key Club and has attended Key Club District 8 LedCon. Eduardo is also a member of the Business and Professional Association and Skills USA for Kiamichi Technological Center.

Some of his favorite community activities include volunteering at Washington Irving Elementary School’s Hot Dog Howdy. Becerra also donates his time and effort for many projects with his church, Saint William’s Catholic Church in Durant.

After graduation, Eduardo plans to attend Kiamichi Vocational Center to study computer information technology.

Mr. Becerra will now be considered for Kiwanis DHS Senior of the Year and a $1,000 scholarship. Attending the ceremony to present him with a certificate and a gift card, were his parents Benito and Silvia Becerra and DHS Key Club sponsor, Alicia Farley.

Kiwanis Bryan County Senior for the Month of march is Ryleigh Pierce from Silo High School. With a 4.05 GPA, Pierce is a four-year member of the Superintendent’s Honor Roll and thus was named to the National Honor Society.Ryleigh attends Murray State College concurrently with her high school studies. Pierce has placed second in Word at curriculum contests both at Murray State College and Southeastern Oklahoma State University.

In addition to her academic honors, she was named Mix 91.6 Athlete of the Month, has played fours years of varsity basketball, has served as basketball team captain, and has run varsity track for two years.

Ryleigh’s community benefits from her dedication. Ms. Pierce has been an elementary school mentor and church youth leader as well as Vacation Bible School worker. She has volunteered for many fundraisers such as TEAM Gage, Kick Cancer, Rebel Nutrition, and Angel Tree organizer and shopper.

Her future plans include a college major in the medical field to help special needs children. Ryleigh has been awarded a lacrosse scholarship to Drury University. She believes herself to be accomplished academically but also in real world activities. “I am ready to conquer the world. I am not perfect, but I try.”

Ryleigh was presented a certificate and gift card. She joins all this year’s scholars in competition for Kiwanis Bryan County Senior of the Year and a $1,000 scholarship. Ms. Pierce was joined for the presentation by her parents, Justin and Karyn Pierce, and Silo ISD counselor, Stormy Willis.

Other recognition was given to two deserving Kiwanians, Betty Clay and Angela Pierce. Kiwanis Lt. Gov. Jim Smith of Division 8 gave them the Outstanding Women in Kiwanis award.

Kiwanis program speakers focused primarily on spring events. Mark Mesiti-Miller, chairman of the board for Durant Sustainability Coalition, spoke of their mission to “educate and to energize people to take actions toward a more sustainable community.” Board members are secretary Ryan Jones, treasurer Jeremy Spence, Donna Murphy, and Tracy Hart. Their goal is to help Durant become an even better community and to plan for future growth.

Last December the group invited citizens to “take a walk” along primary city and residential streets. These hikes revealed broken and missing sidewalks, none of which are ADA acceptable. Walkability is one major goal for a better community.

Patterned after the approach of Strong Towns, a nonprofit organization founded by Charles Marohn, this coalition plans community events and meetings to mobilization meaningful improvements in Durant. Future dates to remember are those for Durant Main Street Workshops like Learn and Explore meetings. The first one was April 15 and a second sequel meeting “Discuss and Decide” will be on May 6, 2:00 PM and 5:30 PM. Both meetings will be held at the Donald W. Reynolds Community Center.

An even more impactful spring event was featured by Richard Ezell, Durant Emergency Management Director. The 2024 solar eclipse required much more preparation than obtaining solar eclipse viewing glasses. Oklahoma state, county, and city officials are predicting a surge of 70,000 extra viewers to migrate into southeastern Oklahoma. The economic impact could generate $7.4 million per day. Emergency management teams have been preparing for the crisis effects that could happen with so many people in concentrated areas. Two lane roads, weak cell service, limited health care facilities and staff, and few gas stations and grocery stores could present emergency situations quickly.

Ezell urged residents in this part of the state to be proactive by filling gas tanks and buying groceries and medicines several days before this epic event.

Spring in Oklahoma also means severe thunderstorms and tornadoes and Durant Emergency Management Director Richard Ezell spoke to Kiwanis and he praised the addition of the new “eye in the sky” radar system atop a Cardinal Glass tower. This radar scanner enhances the coverage from Norman’s storm center. On a clear day, the new radar equipment can reach 300 miles; coverage on a rainy day is eighty-five miles.

This is also tax season. Bryan County Treasurer Prudy Sullivan-Holt explained the responsibilities of her office. Bryan County growth means the accounts Ms. Holt manages has grown to thirteen. County taxes are determined by a county assessment every four years. Individual county taxes are determined by a home’s taxable value and the mill rate of the school district in which the owners reside. No county taxes are allotted for county road construction or maintenance. State funds are allocated for roads.

Tribal land is considered federal land. Native tribes do contribute “payment in lieu of” monies to contribute to the county. Some industries new to the county are given tax exempt status for a prescribed amount of time as an incentive for locating here. When the allotted time expires, the industry will begin paying taxes.

For each speaker, Kiwanis club donates to their international Project Eliminate. Each donation saves fifteen lives from neonatal tetanus.

To conclude Kiwanis activities in March was the long-standing tradition of the Kiwanis Easter Egg Hunt held the Saturday before Easter. In rain or shine, youngsters gather at Billy Miller Park to seek colorful eggs filled with candy. This year each Kiwanian was asked to bring ten dozen stuffed eggs. Durant High School Key Club aided in preparation for this activity. Their sponsor is Alicia Farley. Approximately 200 children gathered to dash for prizes and candy. Six bicycles were given to the fortunate golden egg winners.

If you would like to help the children of the world and of Bryan County, visit a club meeting, every Wednesday, noon, at Roma Italian restaurant.