OHCE celebrates 97 years of community service in Tulsa with blanket-making event

Oklahoma Home and Community Education (OHCE) is marking 97 years of community service with a celebration and a new project to support vulnerable children in Tulsa.

Q&A: “What is OHCE?”

“Well, Oklahoma Home and Community Education has been around a long time,” said Deborah McIntyre with OHCE.

“We were formed in Tulsa County in 1928, May 1928. They were formerly known as Home Demonstration Clubs, and we partner with the OSU Extension Office. They teach us how to manage our home, cook nutritious meals, plant environmentally friendly gardens, and all kinds of information to help us run our house and help the community,” she said. “But our favorite part of our job, of our groups, is our community service programs that we have. We’re 70 members strong in five groups in Tulsa County, and we have a variety of community service projects that we do across the county, just to name a few,” McIntyre added.

“We do Christmas gifts for the Tulsa County Emergency Shelter. We have done hospice, for hospice we've done fidget quilts... Food drives for the local food banks and feminine hygiene products and diapers for a local women's shelter.”

Q&A: “How has OHCE impacted the Tulsa community?”

“Back in 2024, we actually donated $26,000 towards OSU and our community,” said Stacey Jones with OSU Extension.

“And we also had 8,500 hours that actually translated into over a quarter of a million dollars into our community.”

Q&A: “What’s happening for OHCE Week and the 97th birthday?”

“We do. It’s our birthday. It’s our 97th birthday, May 5th. And from 1 to 3, we’ll be celebrating our birthday,” Jones said.

“And as part of that event, we are making quilts and blankets for Child Advocacy Network, CAN. And so that’s our project for that event. We’re going to have fun. We’re going to have food. But we’re also going to be working on these blankets for CAN.”

Q&A: “How can people get involved?”

“So you can show up on May the 5th from 1 to 3 p.m. at the OSU Extension Center, which is at 4116 East 15th Street,” Jones said.

“And please RSVP by the telephone number, which is 918-746-3706.”