Oklahoma Neighbors Honored at State Conference

The Oklahoma Neighborhood Conference 2002, sponsored by the Council of Neighborhoods honored outstanding community volunteers at the Biltmore Hotel in Oklahoma City on August 23, 2002. The conference is held each year to provide training workshops to neighborhood watch associations and their partners in law enforcement and city government.
Recipients, recognized for their extraordinary service to the neighborhoods that they live in, were chosen from around the state of Oklahoma.

Inducted into the Oklahoma Neighborhood Hall of Fame, the highest award given at the conference, was Wess and Cathryn Young of Tulsa Oklahoma. Wes and Cathryn have spent their retirement years giving birth to the preservation and revitalization of Tulsa's first historic district and its neighborhood association. After 22 years of neighborhood work, they are still active and impacting neighborhoods in Tulsa.

Honorable Mention went to Mrs. Edith Shoals also of Tulsa. Ten years ago Mrs. Shoals daughter was shot to death while talking to her mother on the phone. Since that time she has founded an organization called Families of Murdered Children for the children who have had a family member murdered. Through her tireless efforts she is teaching these children to be strong and confident and to overcome the tragedies in their lives. Miss Edith as she is called has negotiated an abandoned building and a swimming pool for her community. While all of this has put a terrible strain on Miss Edith's finances, she will not stop with what she feels the Lord would have her do for her community.

Honorable Mention also went to Carl Sullivan of Oklahoma City, past president and currently vice president of Parkview Neighborhood Association. Mr. Sullivan has been active in organizing neighborhoods throughout Oklahoma City for over ten years. Immediately following the 1999 tornado he coordinated with law enforcement, fire department and military officials utilizing the association membership list that he maintained as president to determine who would be allowed access to the devastated neighborhood during "lock down". He has assisted 25 neighborhood associations publish their newsletter until they were able to do so on their own. Mr. Sullivan also serves on the Oklahoma City Maps oversight committee and other civic organizations.

Neighborhood Improvement Award was presented to Hampton Heights Neighborhood Watch of Ponca City, Oklahoma. Led by co-watch captains, Sandra Blanton and Donna Larrison, Hampton Heights is the perfect example of how a neighborhood can come together and reconnect a community. This organization has made their neighborhood a safe and clean place to call home. They recently cleaned the basement of a nearby Junior High School so it could be used as a storm shelter during times of emergency.

Honorable Mention goes to Miller neighborhood association of Oklahoma City. This group wrote grants, held yearly home and garden tours and other fund raising projects to fund their beautification program. Miller Neighborhood association adopted the old trolley track medians and have designed and landscaped them into wonderful yearlong perfection.

Neighborhood Partnership Award goes to Oklahoma Community Foundation of Oklahoma City for the Clean and Beautiful Schools Program. Partnering with OG+E, Oklahoma County Extension Master Gardeners, OKC Public Schools, Oklahoma Publishing Company, Neighborhood Associations, PTA members, students and maintenance personnel from Oklahoma City, Putnam City, Edmond, Deer Creek, Choctaw, Millwood and Western Heights Schools. Since its inception two and a half years ago, 68 elementary schools have participated in the program and nine middle and high schools have adopted the program and have received grants from Maragret Annis Boys Trust through the Oklahoma Community Foundation.

Honorable Mention goes to Brady Heights neighborhood Association of Tulsa Oklahoma. To develop and revitalize their neighborhood this group decided to build in-fill housing on the many vacant lots in their neighborhood. This hugely successful program meant building the first house themselves; using neighborhood labor and arranging a consortium of banks with donated plans they proved themselves. After the first home was completed the Brady heights Neighborhood Association partnered with the Home Builders association of Greater Tulsa, Tulsa development Authority, City of Tulsa, Fannie Mae, the Meta Fund, and Spirit bank. More recently Rebuilding Together, formerly, Christmas in April has joined the partnership. Three new homes have been built; proceeds will go for the restoration of older housing stock in the community.

Neighborhood Newsletter Award went to Rick Yeager of Edgewater-Lakepointe Neighborhood Association. Rick is recognized for publishing the most informative and interesting neighborhood newsletter consistently. While Newsletter editors work behind the scenes, commutation contributes mightily to the success of any neighborhood watch association. Rick Yeager has designed and maintains the neighborhood website in addition to writing a monthly newsletter.

Honorable Mention was awarded to Jeanie Ruedy of Cleveland Neighborhood Association of Oklahoma City and Brady Heights Neighborhood of Tulsa Oklahoma.

Senator Jim Reynolds, Oklahoma County Sheriff, John whetsel, Stan Greil, Rose State Collage and Sue DuCharme, President of the Council of Neighborhoods presented awards.