September 2022

Nolan laughs loudly as he plays catch with his therapist inside the colorful surroundings of the Oklahoma Pediatric Therapy Center.

The 14-year-old visits the center regularly with his grandmother, Loretta Cotton, who calls the OPTC a “true blessing.”

The OPTC opened its third location in El Reno earlier this year. Its founders describe it as a “faith-based” company that provides speech, occupational and physical therapy for children up to 18 years of age.

“Our mission is to serve Christ by providing pediatric therapy,” is the company motto.

The Great American Relay, which covers 3,446 miles, recently rolled through Canadian County. The 36-day, 668-stage event makes its way through 17 states and the District of Columbia.

It started in Santa Monica, Calif., and will end Oct. 16 at the World Trade Center in New York City.

El Reno’s Elks Lodge handed out 50 winter coats to children enrolled in the Cheyenne and Arapaho Head Start program earlier in September and planned to do the same this past week for 50 Head Start children attending Hillcrest Learning Center.

Joe Mogg of the Elks said the coats were purchased through a grant funded by the Elks Grand Lodge. Elks member Debbie Harrison wrote the successful grant.

The coat giveaway started in 2019 and was planned to be an annual event, but was interrupted by the COVID pandemic. The lodge resumed the program this year.

Saturday evening, the Historic Fort Reno Visitors Center and Museum will host a Spirit Walk. It will be the second such walk since COVID restrictions were lifted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the property the fort is situated on.

“It will be our second and last one this year,” said Debra Kaufman, Historic Fort Reno board president.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Three state representatives held an interim study before the House Children, Youth and Family Services Committee on Sept. 20 to examine options to support a more efficient foster care system while protecting the well-being of children in the program.

Reps. Brian Hill, R-Mustang, Dick Lowe, R-Amber, and Brad Boles, R-Marlow, requested Interim Study 22-074 following the overturning of Roe v. Wade in late June.

Louis Dorey was born in Poteau in 1933 to Cleo Mildred (Hunter) Dorey and Louis Joseph Dorey.

On Sept. 26, 2022, he passed away peacefully at the age of 89 years old.

Funeral services were held Friday, Sept. 30 at Evans and Miller Funeral Home, Tuttle.

When Mary Sue and Louis met through a mutual friend, she was living in Panama and he lived in Poteau.

The couple spent 47 years living in El Reno where they raised their children.