OACD State Meeting 2013 Wrap-up

The 75th Annual State Meeting of the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts: Conservation - don't let it be Gone with the Wind.

Kim Farber elected first woman association president. Meeting ended early due to weather.

Kim Farber, incoming OACD president, presented Joe Parker, outgoing president, with a gavel plaque memento.

Rt. Rev. Stephen Charleston announced an upcoming series of inter-faith days of prayer for rain.

(See bottom of this page for links to photos from the OACD Annual State Meeting 2013.)

The 75th Annual State Meeting of the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts (OACD) began on Sunday, Feb. 24, and was scheduled to run until just before noon on Tuesday, Feb. 26, but was ended early due to impending weather. OACD ended the meeting at the close of the Monday afternoon sessions at approximately 3:30 p.m. Weather reports predicating blizzard conditions for much of the state, particularly the northwest, motivated the early ending. A reception and awards banquet scheduled for Monday evening and all Tuesday sessions were cancelled as many participants departed to attempt to return home before travel became more difficult. More than 320 people initially registered for the meeting but by the Monday luncheon the crowd had dwindled to 225 and many were anxious to return to their homes all across the state.

During the meeting, Kim Farber of Drummond, Okla., was elected as the first woman to become president of the association. Farber serves on the board of directors of the Garfield County Conservation District and has served on the OACD board of directors for several years, first as Area I director, representing northwest Oklahoma, and then as vice president. She replaces Joe Parker of Talala, Okla., who had served the limit of two one-year consecutive terms. Parker is a member of the Rogers County Conservation District board of directors.

The Rt. Rev. Stephen Charleston, Episcopal Bishop and Professor of Native American Ministries at Oklahoma City University's St. Paul School of Theology was the keynote speaker at the Monday morning general session. His theme was "Tending the Garden: Finding What We're Called to Do." As rain continued outside the conference center and across much of the state, Charleston said "As welcome as this rain is, it is not going to end the drought that the state has been suffering." With the drought projected to continue through the spring and with the threat of a growing water crisis, the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts (OACD), the Oklahoma Conference of Churches and the Whole Creation Community, a ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma, jointly announced a call for all Oklahomans of faith to come together for a series of Interfaith Days of Prayer for Rain in the coming months and for all Oklahomans to have a meaningful conversation about our stewardship of the State’s water resources. The joint call for prayers for rain will focus on a series of events beginning this spring with state-wide activities to be scheduled for Earth Day on April 22 and on Wednesday, May 1, during Conservation Stewardship Week with follow up events planned for June 26 and September 18. Local churches and other faith groups will also be encouraged to partner with their local conservation districts to plan events in their communities. All of these events will include not only prayer services for rain, but also information and conversations about water conservation and natural resource stewardship.

“All of us as Oklahomans need to come together to look for guidance and help during this drought,” Bishop Charleston said. “We should pray for rain and pray for the wisdom to use our water wisely when it comes.”

Photos from the OACD Annual State Meeting

Sunday

• Youth and NRCS Partners Awards
• Conservation Family Game Night

Monday

• Morning General Session,
• Luncheon Speakers and Awards
• OACD Director Service Awards
• OACDE Employee Service Awards