25-GALLON DONOR – Roy Fisher of Loyal, here surrounded by nurses at the Oklahoma Blood Institute at Enid, received a pin and a gift bag when he donated his 25th gallon of blood products last week. Fisher donates platelets, which are provided primarily to cancer patients, and require a longer donation process. Fisher began giving blood and blood platelets in 1997 when he was living in California and he continued the process when he returned home to Kingfi sher County. Last week’s platelet donation was his 200th. Asked about his motivation to make the frequent trips to the blood institute, Fisher remarked, “I just like to save lives.”

KINGFISHER COUNTY high school seniors got a glimpse of life in the real world recently at the Reality Check program coordinated by OSU Extension educator Lindy Peterman. Each senior was given a career and a “paycheck” and then tasked with visiting booths manned by local business people to acquire basic necessities like housing, transportation, insurance, food and utilities. Students who made it through with at least some “cash” still in their bank accounts were rewarded with Payday candybars. In the top left photo, Mellissa Farrar and Jessica Lee, from left, of LuGreg Trucking explain the ins and outs of vehicle insurance to Okarche High School students Bryce Hansen, Latham Black, Jase Highfi ll, Michael Dunkin and Tori Jo Spomer. At right, Chris Foster and Ulanda Tiller of The Foster Co. and Robin Green of Century 21 explan how to obtain housing to OHS seniors Jaycee Taylor and Jacob Hendrickson.