After checking on a date where there were no scheduled OU and OSU home games, the Saturday, Sept. 21, date was chosen for the ninth annual Hennessey Wine & Chocolate Festival.

The decision was made by the Hennessey United Association board of directors at their Feb. 21 meeting.

Board member Wes Hardin, who came up with the fundraiser idea almost 10 years ago, will continue to chair the event. In addition to his family’s oilfield business, they also own Vernost Wine Co. that opened in 2014 because of their wine-making hobby.

Interested wine vendors should contact Hardin (405-853-0115) for a table.

Other United board members at the February meeting were Dagan Hardin (president), Barb Walter (vice president), Tammy Henderson (treasurer), Cathy Howard (secretary), Stacy Cline, Scott Hajek and Jack Quirk.

Also present was local preservationist Richard Simunek.

Board members absent were Teresa Oliver and Kaden Mitchell.

Legacy Fund

A progress report on setting up the Hennessey Legacy Fund was given by Legacy Fund Foundation co-chairs Hajek and Cline. They are finalizing plans and will make them public soon.

That foundation decided last month to sign with the Cherokee Strip Community Development Foundation in Enid to handle the Hennessey Legacy Fund. The non-profit foundation was started by United to establish an endowment for community projects.

Other members of the foundation are Henderson, Wes Hardin and Jack Choate III. All are HHS graduates and all are members of United except Choate.

Blood Drive March 21

United had agreed to co-sponsor a March 21 Blood Drive with the Oklahoma Blood Institute, and Carly Farmer with OBI was a guest at the meeting.

She told the board that the goal was to have 24 blood donors at the 2-7 p.m. drive that will be at the Event Center. She said OBI would provide juice and snacks for donors along with a free t-shirt.

Farmer gave the group posters, flyers and table cards to distribute, and asked that they also donate blood that day and urge others to give.

Red Carpet Night April 11

Howard, chairman of United’s Red Carpet Night, helped the board finalize plans for the 7 p.m. event to honor local members, volunteers of clubs and teachers. The annual event will be held Thursday, April 11, in the Ortman Auditorium at the public library.

Groups who plan to honor someone should contact Howard (405-853-6212) so they will be listed on the printed program.

Other Business

Carla Burdick with Red Carpet Country was a guest at the meeting. She talked about the town’s centerfold ad in Red Carpet’s annual publication of events in the area. Quirk said she needed to talk with Tiffany Tillman, town administrator, since the town paid for the ad from hotel/motel tax funds.

Mitchell, who is the board’s HHS student member, will tell about his experience as a page for Sen. Chuck Hall, R-Perry, at United’s March 21 meeting.

Howard said Mitchell is also up for consideration to represent Hennessey at Oklahoma Boys State.