EDMOND — Citizens Caring for Children receives Opportunities for Children iFund grant

OKLAHOMA CITY — Citizens Caring for Children announced it has received a $15,000 Opportunities for Children iFund grant from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation.

The grant will be used to help the Citizens Caring for Children’s Mentor Program provide positive role models to children living in foster care. The goal of the Mentor Program is to re-establish trust and stability most foster children have lost.

Citizens Caring for Children began the Mentor Program in 1992.

“This grant from the Oklahoma City Foundation will allow us to nourish current and create new mentor relationships between children living in foster care and compassionate adult role models,” said Amy Mitchell, executive director of Citizens Caring for Children. “We believe that it is through mentor relationships that lives of foster children are changed for this generation and future generations.”

Through the Mentor Program, the mentor works one-on-one with a foster child, sharing with them the value of education, and together they lay a foundation for success. Citizens Caring for Children believes a mentor provides friendship, support, and guidance, which helps develop self-esteem and confidence.

For more information, visit www.citizenscaringforchildren.org or call 753-4099.



Hudiburg Toyota to award $5,000 to an Oklahoma nonprofit

OKLAHOMA CITY — Hudiburg Toyota, together with the Toyota Dealer Match Program, will provide a $5,000 donation on July 30 to one nonprofit organization in Oklahoma as a part of its “$5000 WINaway” Campaign.

The winner will be chosen from organizations who receive votes from the public. Voting is currently taking place on Hudiburg Toyota’s Facebook page. Hudiburg Toyota launched its promotion in May and more than 70 organizations have been nominated. The 10 organizations with the most votes by July 25 will become finalists in the campaign, and on July 30 Hudiburg Toyota will chose one organization as the winner.

In order to be eligible, all nonprofits are required to be IRS-recognized 501 (C) (3) organizations and must support the state of Oklahoma and its communities. National organizations with at least one branch in Oklahoma are also eligible to be nominated.

A voting guide and all other campaign details can be found on the Hudiburg Toyota Facebook page at www.facebook.com/hudiburgtoyota.

Senior financial, legal matters ‘talk’

Touchmark at Coffee Creek, 2801 Shortgrass Rd., is hosting a 90-minute “Coffee Talk” discussion on financial and legal matters for seniors at 9:30 a.m. July 15. At no cost to the public, the discussion will feature four Edmond business owners:

• Trey Dixon, of Dixon Financial Group LLC, “Financial Planning for the Days Ahead.”

• Bryon Will, attorney at law, “Wills, Trusts and Such.”

• Amber Bergerson, owner of Senior Transitions, “Now … What Do I Do with All My Stuff?”

• Brian and Lesley Thomas, with The Professionals Real Estate Group at Keller Williams, “Time to get moving.”

Those wishing to attend are asked to RSVP by 4 p.m. July 13 by calling 340-1975. For more information, visit www.TouchmarkEdmond.com.

 

Give a buck for a bike

Every year, hundreds of at-risk and low-income children dream of having a bike of their own for Christmas, and The Salvation Army Central Oklahoma Area Command’s Women’s Auxiliary is asking the community’s help to fulfill that dream.

The Women’s Auxiliary and its community partners work to raise funds to provide a bike to every child who asks for one during The Salvation Army Christmas Distribution and Angel Tree Program.

Throughout July, small red kettles will be located at 67 businesses throughout the metro to collect dollars for the sixth annual Buck$ 4 Bikes campaign. Area businesses also help make holiday dreams come true. The public is invited donate at the Salvation Army Kettle at the various businesses throughout Oklahoma City. All funds donated will go directly to buying new bikes for children in Oklahoma City metro area this Christmas.

Kettles can be found at Arvest Bank locations; Al’s Bicycles locations; BancFirst locations in Nicoma Park, Jones, Harrah, Del City and I-240 at Sooner Road; First National Bank of Midwest City; J’s Hallmark; Spirit Bank locations; Schlegel Bicycle; Pro Bike; The Bicycle Store; Bike One; Del Rancho in Midwest City; Bandana Red’s in Choctaw; Sun & Ski Sports; Twid’s Sporting Goods; Tinker YMCA; Wheeler Dealer Bicycle Store; Homeland located on N.W. 122nd St.; Paris Plaza 66; The Buzz Coffee Shop and Tinker Tag Agency.

Other business locations include Advanced Chiropractic, Audio Recovery, Comtec Security, Fellers-Snider Law, Goddard School, Jasco Products, JGV Engineering, L3Communication, Liberty Mutual, Pace Butler Corporation, ReMax Realtors on Wilshire and David Hoffhines State Farm Agency.

For those wishing to donate bikes, only new bikes can be accepted. Bikes can be dropped off or donations can be mailed to: The Salvation Army, 311 S.W. Fifth St., Oklahoma City, OK 73109. For more information about Buck$ 4 Bikes, contact Heide Brandes at The Salvation Army at 623-0665 or D’Anna Pulliam at 408-5457.

Auditions open for Edmond Youth Chorus

Chorus director and former Edmond Teacher of the Year, Leah McDonald, is planning music and performances for the 2011-12 Edmond Youth Chorus. The staff at the Fine Arts Institute sponsors the chorus. Jan Bruce will continue as the accompanist.

The Edmond Youth Chorus offers students in fourth through seventh grades an opportunity to sing in an honor chorus with performances from September through April. Auditions will be  July 27 from 9:30-11:30 a.m., Aug. 2 from 4-6 p.m., Aug. 16 from 6:30-7:30 a.m. or Aug. 25 from 5-7 p.m. at the Fine Arts Institute, 27 E. Edwards. Singers do not need to have anything prepared for the auditions.

Chorus tuition is $360 for the 8-month commitment with a 10 percent discount if paid by Aug. 29. Two $180 payments can be made in August and January. There is a discount for siblings. Also a uniform and T-shirt must be purchased.

Call 340-4481 for more information or go to edmondfinearts.com.