Happy birthday to John Grady Gamble, Ruthie Powers, Tony Christian, Jeremiah Berger, Hannah Gulledge, Lilliana Roberts, Sherry McCray, Pam Beller, Sheri Enox, Alison Wells, Sondra Richards, Arveda Rollins, Rowan Ardery, Daniel Chavez, Tanner Clouse, Tony DiRienzo, Eduardo Reyes, Erika Romero, Regina Hayes, Kelly Lambdin, Brian Luna, Teresa Jones, Marison Franco and Collin Andrews.

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The City of Purcell Parks & Recreation Department, in partnership with the Heart of Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce and the Purcell Outreach Committee, announces the debut of a brand-new event: Purcell Lake Day—a celebration of trails, trucks and community spirit!

Taking place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Saturday, July 12, this exciting new event combines the best elements of two long-standing community favorites, Walk the Trail Day and Touch-A-Truck, into one unforgettable experience at beautiful Purcell Lake.

For more information contact the Purcell Parks at 405-527-7227.

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The Purcell Public Library will present “Kick-Start Kindergarten” Thursday, July 10, from 10-11 a.m. in the meeting room of the library.

Launch into learning and prepare for kindergarten! Discover activities and tips to boost the skills needed to thrive in school.

The program is designed for ages 4-5 and registration is required.

For more information call 405-527-5546 or register online at pioneerlibrarysystem.org.

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The Purcell Public Library will present “Sound of Music Interactive with Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma” Tuesday, July 15, from 4:30-5:30 p.m. at the Purcell Multi-Purpose Center.

Enjoy the songs, costumes, actors and the entertainment of Lyric Theatre’s The Sound of Music Interactive.

The cast will take the audience through a ‘best of’ journey of the musical The Sound of Music as well as educating about the the art of Musical Theatre.

The program is designed for ages 5-11 and registration is required.

This program is a part of the Summer Learning Challenge. Earn prizes, collect badges, and help our community reach 18 million minutes of learning by joining the Summer Learning Challenge today!

For more information call 405-527-5546 or register online at pioneerlibrarysystem.org.

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Purcell City Hall will be closed from 1-2 p.m. the first Wednesday of every month for training.

The offices will be closed Wednesday, August 6.

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This is a great recipe to fix during the hot summer months. You don’t have to turn on your oven!

Slow Cooker Ranch Barbecue Chicken

1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1-1/2 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons Hidden Valley® Original Ranch® Seasoning & Salad Dressing Mix Shaker

2 cups barbecue sauce

In the slow cooker, place the chicken, broth and 1 tablespoon of the seasoning mix.

Cook on high for 3–4 hours or low for 6–7 hours until the chicken is tender. Shred with two forks, drain excess liquid, and place back into the slow cooker.

Stir the remaining seasoning mix with the barbecue sauce and pour back over the chicken. Stir well and cook for another 45 minutes.

Serve warm on sandwiches, in tortillas or over rice or salad.