DDD honored

The Duncan Banner

DUNCAN Mon, May 12 2008

— It’s been a long process for Dream Duncan’s Destiny, but its community-improvement efforts haven’t been overlooked.
DDD will receive an award during the Oklahoma Community Institute Conference, which will be Tuesday and Wednesday in Midwest City.
OCI helped the Duncan community organize DDD through seminars and leadership training courses.
Jessika McDonnell, Duncan Visitors and Convention Bureau director, said, “Because they do this all over the state, I think they were impressed with our ideas and the goals we set.”
McDonnell said DDD’s endeavors have been successful since the organization’s inception in 2006.
The Duncan group has been working on various aspects of the community to improve the status of life and increase tourism, she said. The residents have split up into sub-committees to focus on specific projects in the community.
Bringing in more hotels and restaurants are among the things the tourism sub-committee has been working toward.
At least one hotel will be coming to Duncan this year, and a bed and breakfast has also joined the city’s business market.
“We’ve been identifying needs,” McDonnell said.
So far, no restaurants have been brought to Duncan, but she said it’s only a matter of time.
“It’s something we’re still working on,” she said.
In addition to the award, DDD will also receive $2,000, she said. This money will be used toward programming and increasing tourism in Duncan.
DDD will be one of only two groups in Oklahoma to be recognized by OCI during the conference. The other city to be recognized for its community-improvement initiative is the Buffalo Theatre and Community Centre in Buffalo.
Awards will be given to both organizations Tuesday during a celebration dinner.
Aside from the awards ceremony, the OCI Conference will also feature guest speakers and sessions to help interested Oklahomans upgrade their leadership skills.
McDonnell said she thought the conference would be a beneficial opportunity for members of the Duncan community to become more involved in the inner workings of community improvement and to enhance their leadership abilities.
“I think if people are wanting to make a difference in the community, this would be a good thing to attend,” she said.