Dear Editor,
With the holiday season upon us, I wanted to remind the residents of our community that in 1996 STARS were adopted by the Chamber of Commerce for our community theme symbol.
Gene Dougherty designed the downtown cluster of stars that grace the lamp posts and Holiday Lighting produced them. We sold 28 inch steel rod powdered coated 50 light STAR decorations to residents and businesses as a fund raiser to pay for the downtown decorations. It was hoped that every home and business would display a star and they did.
Again, it is hoped that our community will remember and continue to display a star or many stars in your home or business this year when decorating.
Let’s keep Tonkawa alive as the “Shining Star of Northern Oklahoma”
Thanks to all and Merry Christmas,
Melinda Glasgow, Chamber of Commerce , Tourism Committee Member
History of Tonkawa’s Star Theme
When the Tonkawa Chamber of Commerce and the City of Tonkawa jointly purchased the new three star cluster of the downtown light poles in 1996 the retail committee of the chamber was in charge of the christmas celebration downtown and it was decided that tonkawa’s theme should be STARS. At the time, the group also started a campaign to sell stars to residents and businesses promoting the local theme. The single star was designed by Holiday lighting for Tonkawa.
The following are themes from past years: 1996, O Starry Night; 1997, Stars over Tonkawa; 1998, Tonkawa, A shining star; 1999, shooting stars for the Millennium; and 2000, Stars all around Tonkawa.
It was hoped that the committees through the years would encourage the comunity to carry on the star theme with every home in Tonkawa displaying a star.
“We want our community to be known as the ‘Shining Star of Northern Oklahoma,’” Mrs. Glasgow said.
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