Bryan County Oklahoma Home and Community Education (OHCE) members were recognized for their accomplishments and dedication during the County meeting’s OHCE Awards Program held in February.
The award recipients were: Jana Turner, OHCE Rookie of the Year; Donna Collins, OHCE Member of the Year, and Frances Speers, Heart of OHCE Member.
Soon after retirement, Turner joined OHCE. She retired as a Nutrition Education Assistant for the Oklahoma Cooperative Education Service’s Community Nutrition Education Program teaching nutrition classes in the Bryan County schools and for adults.
Turner volunteered and taught a County OHCE Leaders Lesson on how to make sour dough bread. She is well known for her bread making skills. Sustainable Durant invited her to speak at a community event. Her presentation was titled “Baking for the County Fair” to encourage persons to enter baked goods in the County Free Fair. She also promoted the fair’s Best of Wheat bread contest and a salsa and cookie contest sponsored by OHCE. She volunteered many hours during Bryan County Free Fair assisting with the baked goods division.
Turner served on the County’s OHCE scholarship committee and OHCE Week’s celebration event’s decorating committees. She even recruited a new OHCE member.
In 2018 after attending her first OHCE meeting, Collins soon joined OHCE and became an active member in her local Calera group and the County. She currently serves as Treasurer for her local club and County club. Previously she held the office of Secretary for both groups for four years.
She has served on many community service project committees and even co-chaired. For two years, she co-chaired the construction of a quilt for the County’s annual Quilt Raffle Scholarship Fundraiser. She even pieced both quilt tops.
Collins is always eager and happy to assist. She volunteered teaching Adult Beginners Sewing Classes for the Library’s Health Literacy Program. This is her second year she has helped with this OHCE membership recruitment project. She volunteered over 40 hours at this year’s County Free Fair by helping check- in, display and release fair exhibits. She overseen the fair’s special salsa and cookie contests sponsored by OHCE.
Speers has been an active OHCE member for sixteen years. For fifteen years, she has served as the Chaplain for her local and County clubs. Each month, we are gifted with Frances’s spiritual uplifting devotion and prayer.
For four years, she served as the chairperson for our County’s OHCE community service project to collect donated items placed in Community Blessing Boxes. Monthly, she encouraged members to donate items as needed, such as lap blankets, gloves, socks, caps for the cold winter months, male and female hygiene items, and nonperishable snacks and foods. Frances even delivered the donated items to the nine blessing boxes sites with the help of your family members Speers helped run the County OHCE Country Store during the County Free Fair, an OHCE scholarship fundraiser. She made several items for the OHCE store, such as fabric microwave bowls, pillowcases, bag storage holders, and embroidery towel sets. She volunteered many hours manning the store and helping with fair assignments as needed.
“We are truly best to have these three dedicated ladies as Bryan County OHCE members,” said Tommie M. James, Bryan County OHCE Advisor. “They all do so many good deeds in their communities and for our County OHCE organization.”
As the County OHCE award winners they are nominated for district awards to be announced at the Southeast District OHCE Meeting.
The purpose of the Oklahoma Home and Community Education (OHCE) is to strengthen individuals, families and communities through education, leadership development and action, in cooperation with affiliated county and local groups. OHCE offers members opportunities for leadership development and participation in community service and program education, leadership and community service.
