It has been a busy week for the Friends of the Ferguson, with several important activities coming up in November and December. On Oct. 27, your Friends of the Ferguson Home board of directors met to discuss next year’s activities to include in a grant proposal submitted to the Oklahoma Historical Society. We planned something relating to the Fergusons of interest to the schools and community for almost every month. Hopefully we will receive some funding.
Second, we kept alive the Ferguson tradition they established in Guthrie of inviting the public to participate in a fall gathering. This year it consisted of two activities. On Thursday, Oct. 30, the Friends had a truck at the Trunk or Treat at Huff Lorang Park. The model of the Ferguson was lit with pumpkin lights, and we gave out antique style candy attached to invitations to visit the Ferguson. Then on Friday afternoon, we invited costumed guests to walk across the Ferguson Mansion porch, which is being prepared for painting. We treated them to a similar antique type candy treat.
Two activities are quickly approaching in November. As part of celebrating National Native American History month, Roy and Janine Espy have worked with the Plains Collective Cheyenne-Arapaho group to meet at the Ferguson Home and to have an art show of a local native American artist, Gordon Yellowman and author Dee Cordry. This will occur 1-3 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 13. The public is welcome to share this special time. Of course, our regular hours are 12-4 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, Saturday (10 a.m.-4 p.m.) and Sunday (2-4 p.m.)
On Friday, November 14, the Friends have invited area high school seniors (who are becoming eligible to vote) to take part in the Ferguson Good Government Symposium. Elected officials will explain their responsibilities as school board, city council, eight county officials as well as our state representative and senator and U.S. Representative Lucas or two U.S. Senators for Oklahoma. We will need some mid-morning homemade treats (cookies or snack bar) for the 10 a.m. break. It is a long day of 13 speakers, but highly educational. We hope that the students will serve in these elected offices in the future or serve on volunteer committees serving these elected offices.