Durant Kiwanis Club completed a busy year serving the students of Durant and of Bryan County. The school year culminated the season activities of Kiwanis Terrific Kids monthly at each DISD elementary school, Durant High School Senior of the Month and Durant High School Senior of the Year ($1,000 scholarship), Bryan County Senior of the Month and Bryan County Senior of the Year ($1,000 scholarship), two Spiritual Aims Scholarships ($1,000 each), Kiwanis Easter Egg Hunt, a $2,500 scholarship to Oklahoma Shakespearean Festival Children’s Theatre Workshop, and sponsorship of Durant High School Key Club to attend Key Club DCon training. All of these activities and more are funded through the annual Kiwanis Pancake Day.
Although involvement with students takes a hiatus during the summer, Kiwanis is still actively hosting weekly speakers and planning for the next school term. Leading the June speakers was Lt. Jesse West of the Bryan County Sheriff’s Office. Lt. West has served through many capacities such as hospital chaplain, jail ministry worker, officer reserve training attendee, and School Resource Officer for Durant Independent School District at Northwest Heights Elementary School and currently Durant High School.
There are five School Resource Officers on DISD campuses. Lt. West sees his role as helping students feel comfortable around a police officer. Students come to see policemen in their daily lives and not only “when they are in trouble.” The familiarity works both ways. A large impact is also made for law enforcement by making connections with children. Lt. West believes his main job is to be an intervention at schools for safety, to be a presence. He feels “schools should be a safe place.”
Also working with young people was Kiwanis speaker Mark Swearengin. Swearengin is board president of People First Industries of Bryan County. Fellow board members include Betty Clay, Joe Barrett, and Kay Parham. Originally named Sheltered Workshop Opportunities, the agency was founded in 1978 to assist and to support challenged clients in finding work opportunities. PFI staff and board members emphasize the many benefits of employment such as developing social skills and teaching a work ethic. Currently PFI has 40 clients and 73 staff members.
The latest opportunity for PFI clients is Integration Station restaurant in downtown Durant’s Plaza. The major goal here is for these young people to interact with the public. The Durant Main Street group selected Integration Station as Small Business of the Year. Program manager is Kendra Ibarra, and assistant is Shannon Walker. Job opportunities at all levels are available to the clients.
Integration Station offers sandwiches, salads, and homemade desserts as well as a daily special. The restaurant is open from 10:00AM to 2:00PM. In addition, the Station is available for special events, reunions, and club meetings. Client art work and crafts are on display for sale.
June’s final guest speaker was Durant’s new City Manager, Pam Polk. Ms. Polk is a former Durant resident and has two sons living here, Dr. Jason Carper and Chaz Polk. She is a graduate of Southeastern Oklahoma State University where she worked in the business office and achieved hours in concentrated studies in Small Business.
City Manager Polk began her career in city governments as City Clerk in Mangrum, OK. She later became city manager in Collinsville OK where she remained for nineteen years. Although moving to Durant only three months ago, She already appreciates all the city employees.
Her goals for Durant include partnerships with civic groups like Kiwanis to improve the lives of Durant’s youngest citizens, the children. She plans improvements in city parks such as modern playground equipment at Durant Dixon Park. Another aspiration is to improve exposure for our city to highlight all the benefits Durant has to offer. One such event is the summer Durant Sports Festival.
A new Economic Director has been named, Kathy Moore. Our City Manager believes it is vital to retain established businesses and to give them the recognition they deserve. At the same time new businesses must be developed. Former barriers to development and business expansion such as building permits must be streamlined to make city government run more smoothly.
Ms. Polk does realize that challenges to city growth do exist. Street improvements and sufficient water resources are paramount in developing the city economy. Her plan to meet these challenges includes applying for grants to help defray costs. In closing, City Manager Polk expressed that she “likes local government because changes are more visible, even if slow.”
As with all noon speakers, Kiwanis makes a donation for each speaker to Kiwanis International Project Eliminate, fighting neonatal tetanus. Each donation saves fifteen lives.
Kiwanis meets at noon every Wednesday at Roma Italian Restaurant in downtown Durant. Come for the delicious rolls and for fellowship.
