Lois Fullbright, age 102, and the founding member of the Akins OHCE Group, received a 60-year certificate for her continuous membership in the Oklahoma Home and Community Education Group (OHCE), an affiliate of the Oklahoma State University Extension Program.

Presenting Fullbright with the honor were Donna Jamison, Sequoyah County’s OHCE President, Janis Risley, Sequoyah County Family Consumer Science Educator, and Mildred Taylor, OHCE State President. Fullbright’s children, Alfred Fullbright and Dennis and Rita Fullbright, were also in attendance.

In 1963, there were several local groups in the county and meetings were held in the homes of the members. At that time, they were called Extension Homemakers.

Fullbright lived in the Akins area, but the closest group was at Badger Lee, which was seven miles away. Having never learned to drive, her husband had to take her to meetings.

She decided to organize a group at Akins called Akins Country Girls. These meetings were held in the Fullbright home until she and her husband moved into Sallisaw. After that the meetings were held in one of the old county fair buildings near the rodeo arena, and Country Girls was dropped from the group name.

Due to health reasons, Fullbright has been unable to attend meetings for the past 20 years, but she faithfully pays her membership dues each year. After each monthly meeting, one of the OHCE members delivers a hot meal and a sack of fruit, and stays for a visit. Fullbright says she looks forward to the visit more than the fruit.

Akins OHCE meetings are held at 10 a.m. on the second Thursday of each month at the Sequoyah County Fair Grounds. Anyone interested in joining the group or wanting to organize another group is asked to contact the County Extension Office at 918-775-4838.