March 8, 2025 Issue, Page 10 of 10

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10• SATURDAY, MARCH 8, 2025 The Elk City News OREA meeting of February 14, 2025 Decorations of Red and pink tine’s Day focused on the Histo- mentioned that 3,000 bills have bills pertaining to retirees going paper hearts greeted Oklahoma ry of this special day. There are been filed in the legislature. Sev- back to work. For more infor- Retired Educators for today’s many legends as to how Valen- eral bills affect current teachers as mation on the status of these or meeting. Retired teachers of tine’s Day became what it is today. well as retired teachers. other bills, go to www.okhouse. Beckham and nearby counties One popular theory is that the They range from banning cell gov and www.oksenate.gov. gathered at Elk City Methodist holiday is aptly named after Saint phones in school, possibly with Retired educators of Beckham/ Church at 10:30 a.m. on Valen- Valentine. The late scholar Jack exceptions, to straight party vot- Roger Mills Unit welcome all tine’s Day, February 14, 2025. B Oruch, A university of Kansas ing. Other bills include COLA retired educators in this area to President Linda Long welcomed English professor determined bills, Shell bills, Pension Board the next local, March 14 OREA members Hoyt Lewis, Suzanne that Geoffrey Chaucer, one of En- bill, increase amount of base meeting. The devotional will be Walker, Larry Long, Cindy Wood, gland’s great poets, was the first to pay for teachers, death benefit given by June and the program Glenda Ivins, Cathy Lewis, Judy connect love with St. Valentine in increase to $10,000, and health will be about Spring Gardening. Haught, June Lovelace, Stephanie his 14thcentury works. Cindy re- insurance benefit increase to The next OREA Board meeting is Malone, Tana Feldman, Sharon ferred members to inspirational $200--$210. Another bill would March 5. Gilliland, Janice Mollet, Gwen Biblical passages regarding love, change teachers to a defined con- Tana won the door prize. Linda Pasby, Brenda Quinn, Carla Gar- 1 John 4:19, 1 Corinthians 13:13 tribution plan, as well as three adjourned the meeting. Retired teachers get an update on Elk City from Mayor Cory Spieker. rison, Jan Attocknie and guest, and John 3:16. Elk City Mayor Cory Spieker. The minutes were approved June gave the invocation. and the treasurer’s report was ac- Judy led the Flag salutes. Mayor cepted. Suzanne reported on the Spieker presented the program. chapter’s OREA Scholarship . She He shared several plans of im- recommended awarding the $600 provement that are presently OREA scholarship to a first year keeping Elk City leaders busy. The teacher in Beckham/Roger Mills Mayor answered questions from County. retired teachers. His appreciation Carla made a motion to ap- and respect for his hometown prove, Jan seconded, the mo- was refreshing. tion passed. Glenda reported Having a February birthday, 71 members. Gwen reminded Cathy enjoyed hearing the mem- members to keep track of their bers sing the Happy Birthday volunteer hours. The categories song in beautiful harmony. for volunteering include Com- Cindy’s devotional on Valen- munity, Youth and OREA. Linda Western Technology Center staff poses at its annual Give Kids A Smile event, which is made possible by donations from Delta Dental of Oklahoma Foundation. Delta Dental of Oklahoma Foundation awards more than $12,000 in grants to Western Oklahoma programs Regional funding part of $3.5 million statewide grants to improve oral wellness ALTUS (March 4, 2025) – and screenings to under- OU Dental Hygiene Program’s homa offers Individual and The Delta Dental of Okla- served children in the region, community health projects in Family benefit plans designed homa Foundation recently improving their oral health Weatherford. to meet the needs of Oklaho- awarded more than $12,000 and futures.” $1,000 to Western Oklaho- mans outside the workplace. Cathy Lewis, Linda Long, Judy Haught, and Glenda Ivins. in grants to the Western Tech- This regional funding is ma State College to fund the For more information, vis- nology Center and Western part of a $3.5 million grant Delta Dental Reach Higher it DeltaDentalOK.org/Cov- MERRITT Oklahoma State College. package from the Delta Den- Scholarship for non-tradition- ersMe. These grants support den- tal of Oklahoma Foundation, al students entering dental-re- tal student scholarships and supporting programs that aim lated careers. DELTA DENTAL OF community health projects, to improve the oral health of To learn more about the OKLAHOMA helping to make oral health Oklahomans. Delta Dental of Oklahoma FOUNDATION care more accessible for Okla- “Delta Dental and our foun- Foundation, visit ddokfoun- DDOK established its Foun- homans who need it most. dation are proud to support dation.org. dation in 1998 to advance the “Thanks to the generous these grantees, and programs company’s not-for-profit mis- support of the Delta Dental and organizations through- DELTA DENTAL OF sion to improve the oral health Foundation of Oklahoma, out the state, that lower bar- OKLAHOMA of all Oklahomans. In addition we were able to provide over riers to dental care,” said John For over 50 years, Delta to its free dental care resourc- $200,000 in free dental care Gladden, chairman, president Dental of Oklahoma, the lead- es, the charitable organization to children and adults across and CEO of Delta Dental of ing provider of dental benefits provides grants and funds Western Oklahoma in 2024,” Oklahoma. “Their work helps in the state, has prioritized to free and low-cost clinics, said Tina Tuck, clinical assis- improve the health and overall and advanced the oral health awards scholarships to dental tant professor and site coordi- quality of life within our com- of millions of Oklahomans. students and proactively edu- nator at Western Technology munities.” Delta Dental of Oklahoma cates thousands of elementary Center. “This funding has al- Grants will directly fund (DDOK) serves more than children from across the state lowed us to offer essential pre- these local oral health initia- one million eligible members about proper oral hygiene ventive services for 15 years, tives: and more than 9,350 Okla- and dental disease prevention. including thousands of dental $11,260 to Western Tech- homa-headquartered com- For more information, vis- sealants, fluoride treatments nology Center for the WTC/ panies. 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