By Conrad Dudderar
Staff Writer
Canadian County Commissioners made history last Friday morning in Yukon.
July 28 marked the first time Canadian County’s three elected commissioners hosted the Yukon Community Coffee, presented by the Yukon Chamber of Commerce.
Board Chairman Dave Anderson, the four-term District 2 commissioner from Mustang, thanked coffee-goers for welcoming someone from the rival community to Yukon’s weekly networking event.
A large crowd of Yukon-area business and community leaders attended last Friday’s coffee inside Trinity Baptist Church, 620 N Cemetery Road.
Trinity’s Senior Pastor Brian Mills led the invocation before the flag salute.
Chairman Anderson asked everyone to make plans to attend what he described as Canadian County’s “signature event.”
The 2023 Canadian County Free Fair, themed “Under the Big Top,” will be presented Aug. 23-26 at the Canadian County Expo & Event Center.
This will be the third time the $20 million fairgrounds’ venue, 3001 Jensen Road East in El Reno, has hosted Canadian County’s annual fair.
Attendance has more than doubled at the event since the move from the old fairgrounds’ site on N Country Club Road.
Anderson, who lives in Mustang, is serving his fourth term as Canadian County’s District 2 commissioner.
He was flanked at the Yukon coffee by first-year District 1 Commissioner Tom Manske, of Yukon; and first-year District 2 Commissioner Tracey Rider, of El Reno.
The commissioners thanked attendees for their support and talked about how proud they are to serve the citizens of Canadian County.
Manske and Rider were each elected in 2022 to their first, four-year term in office.
Other elected officials – such as Canadian County Sheriff Chris West, County Treasurer Jay Arnold, Associate District Judge Bob Hughey, District 60 State Rep. Rhonda Baker (R-Yukon), and Yukon Mayor Shelli Selby – attended last Friday morning’s Yukon Community Coffee.
Other attendees included Mustang Mayor Brian Grider, Trinity’s community outreach pastor and Together We Center director.
RODEO, LUNCHEON
During announcements, several Yukon FFA chapter officers and members – led by vocational agriculture advisor Dustin Beams – invited the group to come watch the upcoming Yukon FFA Rodeo.
The annual event, a fundraiser for Yukon’s FFA chapter, opened Friday night and continues Saturday night at the Yukon Roundup Club Arena, 600 E Main.
Gates open at 6:30 p.m. and the rodeo starts at 8 a.m. Tickets are $9 in advance and $10 at the gate; kids under 5 get in free.
Presented by Rockin’ R Pro Rodeo Company, the Yukon FFA Rodeo includes kids’ games and concessions.
Meanwhile, Yukon Chamber CEO Pam Shelton reminded the coffee klatch about Yukon’s 2023 New Teacher Luncheon.
This annual rite-of-passage for Yukon’s newly hired educators will be staged from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8 at Redstone Intermediate School, 11501 W Britton Road.
Businesses were asked to donate 175 “swag” items for canvas bags that will be presented to the new educators. Items were done by Friday, Aug. 4 at the Yukon Chamber office.
Next Tuesday’s luncheon will recognize teachers from Yukon Public Schools, Canadian Valley Technology Center, St. John Nepomuk Catholic Schools, Southwest Covenant Schools, and King’s Gate School.
