In Lawton, and all across Oklahoma, a pretty special time is coming up. 2007 marks the state’s centennial year. As rich and diverse as its heritage is, Oklahoma lines up as one of the younger entries into these United States.

I can’t help but get a chuckle over the fact that we’re also living up to our nickname – the Sooners. Like those that couldn’t wait for the Land Run and got a jump on staking claims, the official centennial celebration actually kicked off November 9 of this year with activities up in Tulsa.

The whole state will be hopping like a ho’ down for the next twelve months as concerts, art exhibits, parades, re-enactments and much more take place.

You may have even noticed on TV in Macy's annual Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City – New York City! – the state’s centennial float, “Oklahoma Rising.” Then on the West Coast, our state will proudly have two floats in the always beautiful Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year’s Day, 2007. ‘Wish my mother Mohota could have been around long enough to see that. She never missed tuning in to the Rose parade (while she cooked up a pot of black-eyed peas for good luck in the coming year), and she was mighty proud to be a lifelong Oklahoman. And that’s the attitude of those of us who are here feel, through and through.

What a great state! And we get to tell the world about it in the year ahead. There are many events coming up in big towns and small in Southwest Oklahoma.

For any of you out-of-staters reading, I can tell you without doubt that 2007 will be a fantastic time to visit Oklahoma’s lakes, mountains, sand dunes, forest trails, cities, museums, galleries, concert halls, theatres and festivals. For those of you lucky enough to already be here, this will be a wonderful opportunity for family reunions and visiting your own backyard.

There is an Oklahoma Centennial Commission; in Lawton it’s headed up by Billie Whipp, who is also in charge of the city’s Arts and Humanities Council, http://www.cityof.lawton.ok.us/lahc/index.htm.

Also, check out the Lawton-Fort Sill Chamber of Commerce site at http://lawtonfortsillchamber.com/.

Another good contact in Southwest Oklahoma is Lawtonka Media & Creative’s David C. Lott, dlott@lawtonka.com.