(Cushing, Okla.) It was a great evening at the Cushing-Drumright Elk’s Lodge on Thursday as the Cushing Chamber of Commerce and Industry held its annual meeting. Highlights included recognition of the Lifetime Achievement Award recipients Bill and Vera Candler.
Bill,Sr. and his wife Vera have lived in Cushing for the past 56 years. It was the grocery business that brought the Candlers to Cushing in 1957 when Bill became the first manager of the Safeway Store. In 1965, the Candlers opened their own store – Bill’s EZ Out. In 1982, they started a new venture – originally named Jeanie’s Ice Account – now known as E-Z Ice.
Bill and Vera were high school sweethearts and married on Dec. 5, 1946 in Okmulgee, Okla. Their children, Bill, Jr., Judy Candler Bauckman and Cathy Candler Pritchard were raised in Cushing. The couple also has 6 grandchildren, all boys, and 12 great grandchildren, three boys and nine girls.
The Candlers are members of the Cushing First Assembly of God Church and Bill also served on the Cushing Board of Education. Successful in business, as well as being good community partners, Bill and Vera Candler are the Cushing Lifetime Achievement Award honorees for 2013.
Chase Candler, grandson, told KUSH, “It was an honor to be able to be with them last night. Thank you to everyone that was there and to the Cushing Chamber of Commerce. You don’t even know how much it meant to them to be honored in that way by a community that they have loved and respected for so many years.”
Other awards went to Larry Brewer of Matrix as Volunteer of the Year and Fechner Pump and Supply as Business of the Year.
Outgoing Chamber President Linda Lee gave a review of 2013 as well as an emotional thank you to Chamber director Brent Thompson, Assistant Tracy Caulfield, Chamber Board members and her husband for their understanding and help during her term as President. “It’s been a difficult year personally,” Lee said, “I want to publicly thank you all.”
New President Megan Crumpton presented Lee with a commemorative plaque/gavel and thanked her for her service. Crumpton spoke about her vision and focus for 2014 and her theme “Improving Business and Enriching Lives.” One of her main goals is to address the lack of housing in Cushing. “We are losing people to other communities because there is so little housing available in Cushing,” she said. “I’m passionate about this issue.” She also talked about the Pipeline Interpretive Center project currently in its early stages. “If not now – when?” she asked. OSU has been contracted to do a feasibility study later this month or early February. The Chamber has been in contact with Doug and Jayn Carson about obtaining the old train depot in downtown Cushing to house the Pipeline Interpretive Center. The time-frame for the project is expected to be 3 – 5 years.
Crumpton also spoke about volunteerism and its value to the Chamber, the community and even personally. “Volunteering is a great way to get to know fellow Chamber members as well as a great way to network.”
The Cushing Chamber of Commerce 87th annual meeting was held Thursday, Jan. 16, 2014 at the Cushing/Drumright Elks Lodge. The Chamber of Commerce 2014 Board of Directors are:
Officers: Mega Crumpton – President; Linda K. Lee – Immediate Past President; Lori Toland – VP Finance; Heather Brennan – VP Program of Work
Board of Directors: Sean Kelly, Denny Bond, Joe Kennedy, Marian Gilkerson, Dana Jones, Bill Crow, Larry Brewer, Don Steer, Lisa Cooper, Roshani Patel, Koln Knight – Ex-Officio, Steve Spears – Ex-Officio, Brent Thompson – Executive Director and Tracy Caulfield, Administrative Assistant.
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