President Brett Matherly called the meeting to order.   Emmett Hudgins led the invocation. ROD Kim Benedict led the Club in the Pledge and the Four-Way Test.

 

Kim Benedict introduced her speaker for the day, Peggy Maher. She is the Director / CEO of the University Center of Southern Oklahoma.

 

Director Maher graduated from Dickson Schools and attended Oklahoma State University for her bachelor’s degree and master’s degrees.  She taught overseas, worked as the Director for the NASA Aerospace Education Services Project, and was a Senior Curriculum Specialist at Pearson.  She returned to Ardmore and previously served as the Interim Director of the University Center until her recent appointment as the permanent Director/CEO of the University Center. 

 

Director Maher shared some of her vision for the University Center.  The new nursing program via Langston University is now underway and more programs are planned for the future.  A Star Party was held this last year to introduce the University Center to more people.  UCSO receives about one tenth of the state funding that junior colleges receive so the only way to build facilities is for the money to be raised locally. 

 

A fund-raising campaign will commence in the near future to build an additional classroom building.  The first fundraiser will involve sponsoring individuals who will rappel down the side of the First Bank in Ardmore (June, 2019) 

 

President Brett Matherly called the meeting to order.   Emmett Hudgins led the invocation. President Matherly led the club in the Pledge and the Four-Way Test.  There was no Rotarian of the Day for today’s meeting.  President Matherly used the meeting time to conduct some Rotary business.

 

Kevin Howard presented an update on the Rotary Club of Ardmore’s signs that will be placed at various entrance points around the City of Ardmore.  There will be a sign by the old Polo’s location on Broadway, on Veteran’s Boulevard near the Red Roof Inn, on the North side of Highway 199 near the intersection with the truck bypass, and on 12^th Street near the Chick-Fil-A. 

 

The granite marker discovered at the former site of a Rotary park located at the 400 block of South Wheeler will be moved to the Greater Southwest Historical Museum if approved by its Board at its next meeting held at the end of this month.

 

President Matherly said that Paul Pitts is working on updates that will simplify some of the procedures outlined in the Club’s by-laws and they will be presented to the Club later on for members to review. 

 

President Matherly will be contacting potential candidates for open Club officer positions in the next few weeks. 

 

Our Club’s requirements for granting money to organizations will soon be formalized in a document that will be provided to potential grantees. The Club Foundation has approximately $12,000 available each year that can be given to area non-profits.  The Jefferson school project received $2,500.00 in December and the Club will give $5,000.00 to Ardmore Family Literacy at the next meeting.