Congratulations to Purcell Police Sgt. Josh Van Oort for being honored as the top D.A.R.E. Officer in the entire State of Oklahoma.

I’ve had the occasion to see his work up close and personal and he does a fantastic job with the Purcell fifth grade kiddos.

Van Oort pours his heart and soul into the 10-week course and gets attached to the youngsters who go through his program.

He knows all the names and allows them to have a big pizza and soft drink bash on graduation day.

That day was marred this past year due to severe weather that blew through the area about the time of the event.

jdm

Thanks to Purcell Emergency Management Director Rachael Huey spearheading the project, and the generous donations of businesses in our area, every classroom in the entire district will be getting free trauma kits in case they are needed for what ever emergency might occur.

On top of the free kits, all Purcell teachers will receive training in the use of the kit.

Training will be provided by instructors from the Wadley’s EMS team.

Huey said the idea is spreading like wildfire with hopes it can be shared with all of southwest Oklahoma to make safer situations far and wide.

jdm

As of presstime Tuesday Aaron Criswell was continuing to tally up the earnings from last Saturday’s successful fund-raiser auto show at the Purcell City Lake.

Around 26 entries were judged in connection with the successful show.

jdm

Last Sunday for Father’s Day we smoked some ribs and experienced once again how smoke is a fly magnet.

The little buggers seemingly camp out right by the door you have to go through and make a bee-line into your house.

I think half of the flies in McClain County and even a couple of stinging insects passed through our kitchen that afternoon. We put quite a few miles on our fly swatter in the process of clearing the air.