THEGOODSTUFF:

#Thegoodstuff: free family fun on the fourth!

The story of Drover Hills Golf Course is exactly why I started writing #TheGoodStuff. Not long ago, the future of Chickasha’s golf course looked pretty bleak. The previous owners were seriously exploring the idea of turning the land into a housing development. For a lot of communities, that would have been the end of the story: another golf course lost, another green space gone. Chickasha chose a different path. Instead of watching the course disappear, the City of Chickasha stepped in and purchased the property. That decision bought time, but more importantly, it opened the door for the Community to reimagine what this course could be. A group of local business leaders came together, raised money, and formed a nonprofit called the Chickasha Golf Foundation. Their vision wasn’t just to save a golf course; it was to create a youth-focused golf experience that would serve both young and old, beginner and seasoned player. They now lease the land from the City and have thrown the doors open wide. The course is open to the public and has been given a new name with deep local meaning: Drover Hills Golf Course, a tribute to Chickasha’s history and to the USAO Drovers. While Drover Hills is new in name, it’s rich in tradition. Golf on that land dates back to 1915. In 1928, it first hosted the Washita Valley tournament, which is recognized as the oldest golf tournament in the state of Oklahoma. That’s nearly a century of memories, competition, and Community on those fairways. Instead of bulldozing that history, Drover Hills is embracing it, honoring the past while building something new for the future. The Chickasha Golf Foundation hasn’t stopped at just mowing greens and keeping the course alive. They’ve already raised enough in donations to build the Orville Moody Practice Facility, dedicated to helping young people learn the game. Orville “Sarge” Moody’s story is woven into this place. He grew up right here, helping his dad take care of the course. In 1969, he went on to win the U.S. Open, one of golf’s greatest championships. From Chickasha to the top of the golf world…proof that big dreams can begin on small-town grass. Now, kids in Chickasha can practice at a facility that carries his name, on the same ground where his story started. Ask around town, and you’ll hear the same thing…”Drover Hills is in the best shape anyone can remember.” Fairways are greener, greens are cleaner, and there’s a renewed sense of pride in the place. That doesn’t just happen. It’s the result of people who care deeply about their community and are willing to show up, roll up their sleeves, and do the work, and that story starts with Cary DeHart. As Cary has taken a break from his role as CEO of Willowbrook, he’s chosen to spend his time volunteering to run the course. His commitment to serve, quiet, steady, and genuine, has been contagious. People see his example and want to be part of it. Leaders like Pete Bush and many others have followed suit, investing their time, energy, and resources because they believe Chickasha’s young people deserve a place to learn the game, build confidence, and belong. Next week, Drover Hills is going to host a fundraiser dinner called “Legacy and Links.” It will be held on Thursday, July 2 nd and they will share their Mission and Vision for the course. This is perfect timing as the Washita Valley Golf Tournament will start the next day. Call the course to reserve your spot for the dinner or the tournament or both. This is just another example of Community leaders stepping up to share #TheGoodStuff! 

Growing up in Chickasha in the 1970s was a pretty special time. Downtown was hopping with retail and Chickasha had recently been recognized as an All American City by the National Civic League. For a kid coming of age here, it felt like the center of the world. My first job was Downtown at the old Dixie Department Store. Back then, you could walk downtown on a Saturday and see people on every block, every storefront lit up and busy. It was a fun time to be here, and an even better time to be a kid with a front-row seat to a community that believed in itself. At the center of my world was my dad. To me, he was simply my hero. To most everyone else, he was their driver’s ed teacher, their VICA sponsor, or the assistant principal at Chickasha High School. A lot of you reading this may have sat in his classroom, ridden in the driver’s ed car with your white-knuckle grip on the steering wheel, or visited with him in the hallways at CHS. His name was John P. Cowan. Forty years ago, just days before Father’s Day, my hero passed away from heart problems. It’s hard to believe it has been that long. Anniversaries like that have a way of making you look back, not just on the person you lost, but on the place and the people who helped shape you. As I reflect on growing up here, and on what called me back home in 2020, it’s easy to see my dad’s fingerprints all over that decision. He cast a big shadow, not in the sense of something to get out from under, but as a place of protection and purpose to stand within. Any time I’m having a rough day, I drive down the street named after him after he passed away. Thank you to then Mayor Charlie Furguson for making that street dedication happen. He was a husband and a father, but he was also something else… he was invested in this town. He believed in Chickasha, in its kids, in its future. Whether it was teaching teenagers how to parallel park, helping students in VICA learn skills that would carry them into careers, or serving as assistant principal at the high school, he poured himself into this community. He understood that building a life wasn’t just about taking care of your own household, it was also about taking care of your hometown. This past Sunday, the Chamber hosted a Flag Day celebration in Downtown Chickasha, just half a block from where I worked my very first job. That event, full of flags, families, and familiar faces was held as part of our ongoing effort to honor the 25th anniversary of Chickasha being recognized as an All American City and America’s 250 th birthday. Standing there, so close to where my working life began, watching our community gather in celebration of our country and our town, I couldn’t help but think about him, and about all the fathers who came before us. As we celebrate Father’s Day in Chickasha, I want to say thank you to all the incredible fathers in our community today. Those raising kids, coaching teams, leading classrooms, running businesses, volunteering at church, and showing up in a thousand quiet ways that may never make the paper but absolutely make a difference. And I especially want to thank my father, John P. Cowan, for standing up so many years ago and casting a shadow that I am honored to stand in today. His example is one of the main reasons I came back home. The older I get, the more clearly I see that the best way I can honor him is to try, in my own small way, to do for today’s Chickasha what he did for mine. The truth is, those fathers from Chickasha’s past, men like my dad and so many others whose names you could add to this list are still impacting our community today. Their influence lives on in the lives they touched, the students they taught, the values they modeled, and the love they had for this town. This Father’s Day, as you fire up the grill, make a phone call, visit a grave, or look at an old photograph, I hope you’ll take a moment to think about the fathers and father-figures who helped make Chickasha the place we’re proud to call home. We are, in many ways, still walking in their shadow which helps us appreciate #TheGoodStuff!

The Lion King Jr. will be performed at the Chickasha Community Theater June 19 th through the 28 th . Fifty four members of the cast will come out this Sunday at the Chamber’s Flag Day celebration to sing “You’re a Grand Ole Flag” which is perfect for the nature of the celebration. I have to admit that the movie “The Lion King” will always be one of my all-time favorites. It came out when my kids were young and we watched it a million times on VHS (yes I’m that old). One of my favorite lines from that movie was when Mufasa’s spirit came to Simba and told him to “remember who you are.” Back in 1971, Chickasha was named an All American City by the National Civic League, one of only a few rural towns in Oklahoma to ever receive that recognition. That wasn’t an accident. It was a reflection of what still makes this place special today: neighbors who show up, a Main Street that matters, and a Community that takes pride in its country and its hometown at the same time. We have a chance to live that out together this weekend as we “remember who we are.” The Chickasha Chamber is inviting everyone to come Downtown in front of the Community Theater at 2 p.m. this Sunday, dressed in your most patriotic red, white, and blue, and be part of our “Chamber Challenge ” with other Communities all over Oklahoma. This is about more than a photo op. It’s about showing that Chickasha is still that All American City at heart, proud of our country, proud of our town, and proud to stand together. Here’s what you can expect: Chamber Challenge Gathering Join your friends and neighbors as we help Chickasha shine in a statewide Flag Day challenge. Prizes from the Chief Drive In We’ll be giving away movie passes and concession vouchers from the Chief Drive In to see the movie “Top Gun” on June 15 th . Small-town summer nights don’t get much better than a fun night enjoying a Drive In movie and some popcorn. Free Snow Cones Cool off with a free snow cone while you visit with folks and enjoy the afternoon, courtesy of Express Personnel. Tommy Franks Traveling Museum Explore the Tommy Franks traveling museum, a hands-on way to connect with our nation’s military history and the people who have served. Flyover from Chickasha Wings Look to the sky for a flyover from Mitch with Chickasha Wings, a stirring reminder of both our local talent and national pride. Patriotic Performances by 54 kids from the cast of “Lion King Jr” Kids from the cast at the Chickasha Community Theater will be performing “You’re a Grand Ole Flag” because teaching the next generation to love their country and their hometown starts with moments just like this. So, dig out your red, white, and blue, grab your family and friends, and meet us Downtown this Sunday at 2 p.m . If you are a veteran or active duty military, check out the Chamber’s Facebook page for local businesses offering you a discount on Flag Day. Let’s show Oklahoma and remind ourselves that we “remember who we are,” Chickasha…an All American City that is full of #TheGoodStuff! 

George Jones asked that question in 1985 about country music legends, the ones who blazed the trail, set the standard, and left the stage a little better than they found it. Lately, that old song has been stuck in my head for a different reason. Chickasha has been losing some of its giants. This past week, we said goodbye to one of them: John Grote. And it’s got me thinking a lot about leadership, legacy, and the people whose names don’t always make the current headlines, but whose fingerprints are all over the community we enjoy today. John moved to Chickasha in the 1970s with a big job and an even bigger task: opening Delta Faucet here. That wasn’t just a business decision; it was a community-changing moment. Jobs. Families. Growth. Stability. Confidence. Those things don’t just happen because a company hangs a sign on a building. They happen because there’s someone willing to shoulder the responsibility, make the tough calls, and believe in a town enough to invest their time and talent in it. That was John. He could have simply done his job and gone home. Instead, he chose to put down roots. He didn’t just work in Chickasha; he became part of Chickasha. Over time, that commitment led him to serve first the voluntary position of Chamber Chairman, then later as the full time position of President of the Chamber of Commerce, where his focus shifted from one company to the entire business community. He championed the idea that when Chickasha’s businesses do well, Chickasha’s families do well. Leaders like John didn’t see their roles as temporary assignments. They saw them as responsibilities: to employees, to neighbors, to the next generation. They were builders in every sense of the word: building factories, building organizations, building trust. I was blessed a couple of years ago to have coffee with John. I got to ask questions and hear stories of events back in the 80’s and 90’s. I got to hear how our Community faced challenges and then overcame them. He was a wealth of information and a joy to listen to about his time leading the Chamber. That brings me back to George Jones’ question: “Who’s gonna fill their shoes?” Not just who will sit in their offices or hold their titles, but, who will show up early and stay late when no one’s watching? Who will say yes to serving on the board, chairing the fundraiser, or mentoring the next wave of leaders? Who will look at Chickasha not as a place they live for a while, but as a place they’re willing to invest in for a lifetime? We talk a lot about the future…about growth, opportunity, and potential. But the future doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built on the hard work, determination, and quiet sacrifices of people like John Grote and so many others who came before us. Thank you John for fillin’ those shoes decades ago, because of people like you, today we get to enjoy #TheGoodStuff!

Now that school is out and Summer is here, what is there to do in Chickasha? I hear this a lot and certainly see it a lot on social media. “There’s nothing to do” or there’s nothing for kids to do.” That may have been the case in the past, but not in Chickasha 2026. Let’s start with kids. Now there’s not just the pool at Shannon Spring Park, but there is another one open to the public at Drover Hills Golf Course. Sure there’s a small fee to swim, but that pretty much goes to the high school students that are hired to be life guards. With the Thunder in the NBA playoffs, don’t forget about the Thunder Court at Washita Valley Park. It just got a new paint job last summer and like all our City parks it’s free to enjoy. Going back to Drover Hills, there are also basketball, tennis and pickleball courts there too. Drover Hills is very focused on helping youth learn the game and they just built the new Orville Moody practice facility. Give them a call for hours and special offer for youths. Jungle Ice offers all kinds of fun for kids, from put-put to video games and incredible snow cones, they have it all. Also don’t miss the library’s special summer programs, especially the ones showcasing America 250! So what can the adults do this summer in Chickasha. First of all go to visitchickasha.com for a listing of events, with so many to choose from, there really is something for everyone. Legends Pubhouse always has an incredible line up of live music. What a great venue to catch a touring national artist right here in our Community! The Chief Drive In offers a slice of Americana that makes us the envy of most other towns in Oklahoma. They are one of the few places in the entire state that offer the drive in movie experience. There are so many special events coming up this summer in our town, it’s amazing to see all the activities. The City of Chickasha will be providing free family fun with the Wings and Wheels Airshow on June 6th. The Chickasha Area Arts Council is adding a downtown arts festival that day to give the over 5,000 visitors who attend the Air show something to do in the afternoon that day. The Chickasha Community Theater will showcase some incredible kids during the performance of “The Lion King Jr” later on in June. There will also be a list of patriotic events during the Chamber’s Festival of Freedom that will run through July 4th weekend. You can check all that out on the Chamber’s website or social media pages. There is no doubt that I have accidently missed mentioning some stuff. That also makes my point of all that is going on. Our town is growing with new residents, new businesses but also a new level of excitement when it comes to things to do. It’s going to be a GREAT summer in Chickasha, get out and enjoy all #TheGoodStuff!

Don’t take my word for it, just listen to what Oklahoma Lt. Governor said on his recent Town Hall here in Chickasha. When people think about “economic development,” they often picture industrial parks, big factories, and glass office buildings. But at a recent town hall in Chickasha, Oklahoma Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell reminded us of something both simple and powerful: “Tourism is the front door for economic development.” He came to Chickasha to talk specifically about the impact of tourism in rural Oklahoma and he used our town as a positive example. That alone is worth celebrating. Pinnell praised Chickasha for leaning into what makes us unique. He highlighted the now-famous Leg Lamp as more than just a quirky roadside attraction; it’s a conversation starter, a photo op, and a reason for people to pull off the highway and into our downtown. Those visitors buy gas, grab lunch, maybe do a little shopping and sometimes, they come back. He also recognized the efforts of Visit Chickasha, (the Tourism arm of the EDC)which has brought home multiple Redbud Awards in recent years. Those awards are Oklahoma’s top honors in tourism, and they don’t happen by accident. They’re the result of people here who believe Chickasha is worth showcasing and are willing to put in the hours to prove it. The Lt. Governor specifically pointed to two events that have become anchors for our local tourism economy: The nationally recognized Festival of Light, which transforms our community into a holiday destination and draws families from across the state and beyond, and The Oklahoma Food Truck Championship, which not only fills our streets with incredible food, but when showcased with the Rock Island Arts Festival and Rock Island Ride, showcases our Community to thousands of people every fall. Both events start as experiences and memories made with kids, dates, and friends. But behind the scenes, they’re also engines of economic activity. They bring in sales tax revenue, help local businesses thrive, and introduce first-time visitors to Chickasha. Some of those visitors eventually become repeat customers, new residents, or even investors. That’s the heart of Pinnell’s message. When people visit a place and love it, they start to imagine themselves in it. That’s why tourism really is the front door. You don’t land a new business or convince a family to move here without them first walking through that door and seeing something worth coming back for. In rural Oklahoma, this matters even more. We don’t always have the sheer size or resources of a big city. What we do have is character, creativity, Community, and a willingness to work together. Chickasha’s tourism success—recognized at the state level—is proof that when we invest in what makes us special, the rest can follow. That’s #TheGoodStuff this week: a reminder that our festivals, landmarks, and homegrown events aren’t just fun…they’re a strategy. And thanks to the work of the many volunteers and sponsors, our front door is wide open. 

Freedom, Fireworks, and a Town That Believes in Itself  If you ever start to doubt whether small-town America still knows how to come together, spend the Fourth of July in Chickasha. In years past , the Chickasha Festival of Freedom made Shannon Springs Park a place to celebrate the 4 th by watching fireworks, but that was about it. This year will be noticeably different! It’s always nice to count on a good fireworks show the night of the 4 th , but as we see more and more momentum here in Chickasha, it seems like the time is right to do more. Especially with this being the 250 the birthday of America. So here comes more! This year the Festival of Freedom will be six weeks of fun patriotic events, starting Memorial weekend and running through July 4 th weekend. Flag dedications, Air Shows, Arts Festivals, shop local programs, educational seminars at our Library, Flag Day challenges and of course Fireworks. We will conclude the Festival of Freedom with the LARGEST Fireworks show in the history of Chickasha! As we recruit new businesses and new housing additions to our Community, we have to be able to answer the question: Why Chickasha? Celebrating our Country’s 250 th Birthday, while supporting local businesses and “painting” our town Red, White and Blue helps brand us as a town with conservative values, spirit in our Community and Pride in our Country. Other towns may claim that as our identity, but we are putting it out on display for everyone to see. Check out the Festival of Freedom Facebook page and there is also a link on the Chamber’s website to all the activity. Fly an American Flag at your house and your business. Attend some of the fun events and be thankful every day we live in the land of the Free because that’s #TheGoodStuff!