If it is happening in Webbers Falls, you can bet Norma Griffith will either be involved or is coordinating the event.
“I enjoy staying busy and the best way I’ve found to do that is to be involved in my community,” Griffith said.
Griffith is a clerk for the Webbers Falls City Hall. Her duties, in addition to answering the phone and taking care of the daily business of the municipality, also includes helping the water department clerk whom she shares the office with.
“We just share all the duties,” she said.
She also attends all city meetings when they are held and records the minutes from those meetings, along with many other duties which come her way.
Griffith has been working for the town since April 2021. After she began working for the town, she was approached by several residents who said they would like to see the return of the Christmas parade.
“The town used to have an annual Christmas parade but they began having the Historic Downtown Christmas and didn’t have the parade anymore. I thought, ‘Well, a parade wouldn’t be that hard to do.’ So we got the word out and just told the people we were going to have one and if anyone wanted to be in the parade, they could just show up and line up. We’ve been doing it ever since. The people love it. We have the school band, fire trucks, kids, Santa and it turns into a pretty good little parade,” she said.
The annual Webbers Falls Christmas parade will be held beginning at 10 a.m. on Dec. 9.
“We usually hold it on the same day as Gore. Their’s is at 11 a.m. and ours will be at 10 a.m. so people will have time to get to theirs,” she said.
In addition, the Historic Downtown Webbers Falls event which will include vendors and other activities will be held on Dec. 16. Griffith said the Webbers Falls Chamber of Commerce oversees the event.
Griffith is also active in the Webbers Falls Booster Club which raises money not only for the ball teams but provides scholarships.
She also cooks a meal for the youth every Wednesday night at the First Baptist Church in Webbers Falls. She said during the flood in 2019, she and her husband, Sam, helped those whose homes had been destroyed by doing anything that was needed to be done.
Griffith said she was born in the small community of Norwood near Fort Gibson. Her family moved to Webbers Falls when she was five and she has been there ever since. She and Sam have raised three children who are ages 21, 19 and 17.
“Our youngest is still at home and he will be graduating from high school next year,” she said.
Griffith said the couple has always made Webbers Falls their home.
“We love it here. I don’t ever see us living anywhere else. I love the small town atmosphere. I guess it’s why I try to help my community where I can. I don’t really have any hobbies. If I don’t have anything to do, I will go find something to do in my community,” she said.
“My husband is also usually there helping me when I’m working on something,” she said.
“Sometimes he tells me, ‘Quit sticking wood in my fire!’” she said laughing.
