Oklahoma County Democrats Featured Content

Thank you, delegates of 2011 Convention

Marguerite McGuffin mleon82@msn.com — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 21:08:42 PST

I want to thank all the delegates of the 2011 County Convention for participating in the election process. Thank you for taking the time and effort to show up, getting there and putting everything together. We all took time away from our family, work and perhaps even our hobby in order to involve ourselves.

Now is the time for all of us to move ahead together. Please call me if you have any questions.

Marguerite Leon

Jon Robinson is no longer running for the position of State Treasurer

Pam Paul pam@okcountydemocrats.org — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 09:14:30 PST

Jon Robinson is no longer running for the position of State Treasurer.

Here is his announcement.

April 2, 2010

For the past three months, I have campaigned to be elected State Treasurer of Oklahoma. It has been a great experience and I must say I have a whole new respect for politicians and candidates.

As rewarding as the experience has been, I have not been able to earn the kind of support necessary to win. So my family, friends, and campaign staff all agree that it is the right time to put this effort behind and go on.

Thanks so much,

Jon Robinson

What's Ahead For US in 2010?

Pam Paul pam@okcountydemocrats.org — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 18:42:50 PST

Everything!

There is no doubt that 2010 is going to be packed with ways to Get Involved as we continue to offer Real Solutions for Our Fellow Oklahomans and we strive for Victory in November.

As we proceed into the new year we will continue our work building an organized, unified & electrified county party but we need each and every one of you to help. We can only reach "the masses" if we are "the masses" and it is going to take every Democrat possible to make this happen.

We know there is a lot to do and we understand the obstacles, but we will succeed by using our diversity, our talents and our energy to forge our way to meeting our expectations.

How can you help us solidify our party, help build winning campaigns & grow our organizing teams?

Join us on Tuesday, January 12 at 6:00pm at 4100 N Lincoln Blvd, OKC, to hear County Party reports, Committee reports, ideas/plans for our future and to begin working on or with the following:

OKC Martin Luther King JR Parade on January 18, 2010. We need walkers, and we need folks to invite walkers.

Medallion Dinner tasks for the upcoming event that is scheduled on 02/20/2010.

Work with our already formed Outreach, Education & Hospitality/Fundraising teams, or become a member of our upcoming Communications Team. Committee meetings meet at least once monthly and task work is ongoing.

If you cannot make the meeting on January 12, but wish to help you can contact the following:

MLK Parade: Bill, bill_sue_clifford@yahoo.com

Medallion Dinner: Marguerite, mleon82@msn.com

Outreach Committee: Ladonna, lhunt1234@att.net

Education Committee: Pam, pampaul@cox.net

Communications Committee: for now- Pam, pampaul@cox.net

We also want to remind you that there is no Luncheon this Friday, 01/08/2010. We will resume our speaker series on 01/15 with Representative Richard Morrissette as our speaker. Be sure to join us at noon at the Boulevard Cafeteria, 525 NW 11^th ST, OKC.

We have had many folks connect with us via the web site contact forms, if you have done so but have not received a proper response please let us know by hitting reply to this email.

We thank you for your support!

Oklahoma County Democrats

‘Deeds of Giving are the Foundation of the Democratic Party”

FORMER UCO FACULTY MEMBER ESTABLISHES ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP IN HONOR OF FATHER

Pam Paul pam@okcountydemocrats.org — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 08:32:54 PST

Former University of Central Oklahoma faculty member Dr. Thomas Guild recently established an endowed scholarship at Central to honor his father Dr. Carl H. Guild Jr.

The Dr. Carl H. Guild Jr. and Dr. Thomas E. Guild Endowed Scholarship, which reached full endowment last month, awards one student in the College of Business Administration or College of Liberal Arts who plans to pursue a career in law or public service.

Dr. Thomas Guild, a Central Professor Emeritus, taught at UCO from 1979 to 2006 in both the College of Liberal Arts and College of Business Administration. He credits his father with providing the necessary support to pursue his educational goals.

“My adoptive father, Dr. Carl H. Guild, Jr. was a big supporter of public education. He inspired me to earn my doctorate and supported my 27 year teaching career at UCO," said Guild.

"I thought it was only fitting to endow this scholarship as a tribute to him by supporting worthy students who plan careers in public service and/or law.”

The first recipients of the scholarship include Kane Cassil, a senior general business major from Oklahoma City, and Rainer Scarton, a junior business administration/ legal studies major from Edmond.

“The first two recipients of the scholarship are terrific people and I feel that they will be very successful. I hope the support from this scholarship helps pave their road to success,” said Guild.

Requirements for the $500 scholarship include: a full-time undergraduate student with at least a 3.0 GPA; sophomore, junior or senior standing; majoring in business or political science as well as planning to pursue a career in law or public service.

For more information, contact Judy Reyes-Henderson, development manager for the UCO College of Business Administration, at (405) 974-2763 or jreyeshenderson@uco.edu.

(end)

Cutline: University of Central Oklahoma senior Kane Cassil, accompanied by his father Ken Cassil (middle right), was the first to receive The Dr. Carl H. Guild Jr. and Dr. Thomas E. Guild Endowed Scholarship from scholarship creator Dr. Thomas Guild (far left) and Dr. Michael Shirley, dean of the College of Business Administration (far right).

OK County Democrats Want Meal Money Restored for Seniors

Pam Paul pam@okcountydemocrats.org — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:28:31 PST

At 3:00 pm today, October 29th, leaders of the Oklahoma County Democratic Party will hold a press conference in the State Capitol 4th floor Press Room regarding budget cuts made to senior nutrition programs in Oklahoma.

Speakers will include Al Lindley, Chair of the Oklahoma County Democratic Party, Don Hudman, Executive Director of Areawide Aging Agency and Tom Guild, Oklahoma County Democratic Party Secretary. Karen Thompson, Director of the Harrah Senior Center, will accompany a group of seniors from that site who feel strongly about supporting the press event this afternoon.

"This program is vitally important for those who attend the meal site and almost even more so to those who cannot. A hot meal and human contact once a day is so helpful to those who cannot get out. Over the years we have found homebound seniors in need of emergency help numerous times. The Harrah Center alone served 990 meals at the site and 395 hot homebound meals in September," stated Thompson, who has worked for the Oklahoma County Senior Nutrition Program (OCSNP) for nearly 14 years.

Because of a drop in state revenue, the state Department of Human Services implemented a budget cut to nutrition programs earlier in July. In late September, DHS announced a second budget cut of 30% or $7.4 million for the nutrition programs statewide. That money is used by area agencies on aging across the state to pay for senior nutrition centers and home-delivered meals.

For Immediate Release:

Thursday, October 29, 2009 Press Conference

Contact: Rep. Al Lindley - Chair, OK County Democratic Party 405-473-2128

Dr. Tom Guild - Sec, OK County Democratic Party 405-359-7920

Al Lindley, Oklahoma County Democratic Party Chair stated “During the 12 years I represented House District 93 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives I do not recall allowing any of Oklahoma's citizens to go hungry for any reason. Even in the toughest of budget times money was found within the DHS budget to guarantee that no senior citizen goes without food. DHS must search their budget for funds for remodeling and construction projects. State funds for nutrition programs that feed our seniors are matched by federal funds. It's simple, DHS management ought to look for the needed funds within the existing budget.”

"It's disastrous," said Don Hudman, Executive Director of the Areawide Aging Agency. "The situation has been caused by the poor economy and rising costs, although the actual cost to taxpayers is less than $5."

Other elected officials are encouraging Gov. Brad Henry and legislative leaders to return to the Capitol for a special session and look for other possible cuts to less vital programs.

“In my opinion, of all the government services we provide, one of the most vital is that which care for our elderly in the twilight of their life. Nutrition centers and their home-delivery services are invaluable to our most vulnerable seniors. They now face the very real prospect of going hungry as we approach the winter months,“ stated House MInority Leader Danny Morgan.

“The Democratic Party has a rich history of working to protect the most vulnerable among us. Seniors, particularly seniors who are on fixed incomes and struggling to survive, are virtually politically powerless. If there is any group that should be protected from budget cuts it is seniors who are hungry and dependent on government programs to maintain proper nutrition and health. We should use any available revenue source to restore the millions of dollars recently cut from the senior nutrition program,” stated Tom Guild Oklahoma County Democratic Party Secretary.

"To say what has happened is foolish is a huge and gross understatement," Hudman said. "It is my belief that the Legislature knew the situation and what it was going to be like and chose, in spite of that, to make tax cuts, which only hurt the populations we serve.”

“In a country as wealthy as ours, seniors should not go hungry when we have the resources to properly provide for their basic needs,” Guild said.

Without a special session, or intervention from Gov. Henry, the legislature cannot resolve this issue until it is brought back into the session in February of 2010.