~Altus~
Altus, Oklahoma is a wonderful community and one that is only a little over an hour's drive away from us here in Burkburnett. I've known of Altus for nearly 40 years now because it was the first duty station that my brother-in-law Wes had after returning from Korea while he was in the Air Force. It ended up being the last base that he was stationed at, and in 1991 he retired as a Senior Master Sergeant from there. My sister Sherry was a teacher for Altus Public Schools with most of her over 42 years in education being spent at Roosevelt Elementary on Glenda Street.
From 1979 onward, Altus was their home. They knew that southwestern Oklahoma town and its people very well. There was no way that Sherry and I would ever get through the local United grocery store or Walmart without at least a couple of kids running up to her and saying......
During our four years of living here, Mike and I have enjoyed spending time in Altus. While Sherry and Wes were still alive, we made the trek over there at least a couple of times a month. We became acquainted with many of their friends and colleagues, finally putting a face to the names of people we had heard of for many years. After Sherry died in the summer of 2017 and Wes passed away a year ago in January of 2018, Mike and I had the chance to become even closer to them all. Both of us enjoyed meeting so many good folks and are glad to count them as our friends now as well.
In just 3 months more, Mike and I will move to our new home and life in Newkirk, Oklahoma. My guess is that the road shall never take us to Altus again. I have mixed emotions about that, mostly because of the ties we have there to Sherry and Wes. Those two are missed by us and every once in a while, I'd drive down Main Street there and remember all the places that we used to meet them at. It was a lovely time filled with the most precious of memories, but now we must move on.
February is Sherry's birthday month and so my students at Grandfield have been doing a project called "Mrs. St. Clair's 12 days of kindness". Each day between February 1st and Sherry's 72nd birthday on February 13th, they are looking for acts of kindness around them at home and in the community. They record what they see on Valentine hearts and bring them back to school to share with the others. Our bulletin board will hopefully have more than 120 hearts when we are through.
Last week as I was readying the materials for the project, I thought about how much Sherry and Wes loved Altus. I wanted to do something that would remind those Jackson County folks of how much kindness mattered to the St. Clair's, and how they could pass along that kindness to others as well. I came up with a plan, borrowed from the Christmas activity of one of the young boys in my classroom, and this week that idea will be set into motion. The "Sherry Sent Me" traveling plate was mailed to one of Sherry's friends who happens to be a teacher at her old school. That sweet and kind woman will know what to do with it as she starts it on the journey through Altus, Oklahoma.
If you receive the "Sherry Sent Me" traveling plate here is what I would be thankful for you to do.
~Think of someone you would like to pass it on to. It doesn't have to be someone who knew Sherry or Wes, but in the Altus community more than likely they might have.
~Fill the plate with some type of treat. It doesn't have to be homemade. When I mailed the treat to Jammie, one of Sherry's dear friends and the person who will start this process going, I simply enclosed some money and asked her to buy some cookies for her students to enjoy. What you choose to put on the plate is not the real message anyway. Your kindness is.
~Deliver them with a copy of this blogpost and when they ask why, just say "Sherry Sent Me".
~Please encourage them each to keep it going! If you would, please take a picture of your part in it and if someone knew Sherry and Wes, please let me know. Your pictures can be emailed to prenfro@grandfield.k12.ok.us and my students will keep track of where the plate is at the time. We are going to turn this project of kindness and benevolence into a social studies life lesson, one my favorite kinds of lessons to teach.
Thank you Altus, Oklahoma for the being the home of my sister and brother-in-law. It's been a pleasure to visit you and meet your people. Even though our paths will not likely ever cross again, at least for this one time they most surely did, and you know what?
I'm glad!
These awesome Oklahoma children gave the plate its proper send off from school on Friday. We cannot wait to see where it will go!
From 1979 onward, Altus was their home. They knew that southwestern Oklahoma town and its people very well. There was no way that Sherry and I would ever get through the local United grocery store or Walmart without at least a couple of kids running up to her and saying......
"Momma look! It's Mrs. St. Clair!"I was a witness to many an impromptu parent-teacher conference in the produce aisle or beside the clearance table with parents who stopped to visit and ask how their kids were doing in her class. Sherry always had good things to say about her students, always making parents aware of the great things that were happening first and adding what improvements could be made last. They loved her and she loved them.
During our four years of living here, Mike and I have enjoyed spending time in Altus. While Sherry and Wes were still alive, we made the trek over there at least a couple of times a month. We became acquainted with many of their friends and colleagues, finally putting a face to the names of people we had heard of for many years. After Sherry died in the summer of 2017 and Wes passed away a year ago in January of 2018, Mike and I had the chance to become even closer to them all. Both of us enjoyed meeting so many good folks and are glad to count them as our friends now as well.
In just 3 months more, Mike and I will move to our new home and life in Newkirk, Oklahoma. My guess is that the road shall never take us to Altus again. I have mixed emotions about that, mostly because of the ties we have there to Sherry and Wes. Those two are missed by us and every once in a while, I'd drive down Main Street there and remember all the places that we used to meet them at. It was a lovely time filled with the most precious of memories, but now we must move on.
February is Sherry's birthday month and so my students at Grandfield have been doing a project called "Mrs. St. Clair's 12 days of kindness". Each day between February 1st and Sherry's 72nd birthday on February 13th, they are looking for acts of kindness around them at home and in the community. They record what they see on Valentine hearts and bring them back to school to share with the others. Our bulletin board will hopefully have more than 120 hearts when we are through.
Last week as I was readying the materials for the project, I thought about how much Sherry and Wes loved Altus. I wanted to do something that would remind those Jackson County folks of how much kindness mattered to the St. Clair's, and how they could pass along that kindness to others as well. I came up with a plan, borrowed from the Christmas activity of one of the young boys in my classroom, and this week that idea will be set into motion. The "Sherry Sent Me" traveling plate was mailed to one of Sherry's friends who happens to be a teacher at her old school. That sweet and kind woman will know what to do with it as she starts it on the journey through Altus, Oklahoma.
If you receive the "Sherry Sent Me" traveling plate here is what I would be thankful for you to do.
~Think of someone you would like to pass it on to. It doesn't have to be someone who knew Sherry or Wes, but in the Altus community more than likely they might have.
~Fill the plate with some type of treat. It doesn't have to be homemade. When I mailed the treat to Jammie, one of Sherry's dear friends and the person who will start this process going, I simply enclosed some money and asked her to buy some cookies for her students to enjoy. What you choose to put on the plate is not the real message anyway. Your kindness is.
~Deliver them with a copy of this blogpost and when they ask why, just say "Sherry Sent Me".
~Please encourage them each to keep it going! If you would, please take a picture of your part in it and if someone knew Sherry and Wes, please let me know. Your pictures can be emailed to prenfro@grandfield.k12.ok.us and my students will keep track of where the plate is at the time. We are going to turn this project of kindness and benevolence into a social studies life lesson, one my favorite kinds of lessons to teach.
Thank you Altus, Oklahoma for the being the home of my sister and brother-in-law. It's been a pleasure to visit you and meet your people. Even though our paths will not likely ever cross again, at least for this one time they most surely did, and you know what?
I'm glad!
These awesome Oklahoma children gave the plate its proper send off from school on Friday. We cannot wait to see where it will go!
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