Clinic decorated for tour

Rhonda Cochran, regional director of the Cherokee Nation Three Rivers Health Clinic in Muskogee, is very excited about being a part of the Christmas Home Tour on Dec. 5 and 6, according to a media release. The tour benefits the local nonprofit Kelly B. Todd Cerebral Palsy and Neuromuscular Center.

The floor of the large atrium with its seven-point star in Terrazzo tile represents the seven Cherokee tribes and the huge columns represent the original Women’s Seminary in Tahlequah. This area is decorated with large Christmas trees and will be the area where refreshments are served on the tour. The Cherokee Youth Choir will provide Christmas music.

All of the walls in the public areas of the building showcase original paintings and restored and enlarged photographs of the period the Cherokees call “The Golden Age.” This was the era when the Cherokee Women’s Seminary was opened in 1851.

Cochran said that since the center opened in February 2008, they have added more than 10,000 new patient charts. The clinic provides services to any Native American that has a Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood or tribal membership of any tribe either at no charge or with use of insurance if available.

Some of the services provided are physical therapy, dental and eye care, behavioral health services, community health, public nursing, dieticians, primary care and pediatrics and a drive-through pharmacy. The pharmacy uses robotics to fill prescriptions. Pharmacy Tech Jeanice Admire said she keys the prescription into a computer and the robotics fill the prescription with the correct medication, counts the pills, puts them in a bottle, labels it with the patient information, screws the lid on and drops it into the correct A-to-Z bin for distribution.

The center also has a large meeting room used for classes and clinics and that the University of Oklahoma and Northeastern State University students come to for training. Cochran said that they are anxious to let the public use this room for meetings, reunions, and even a wedding has been held there.

Staff will be on hand during the tour to answer questions and give guided tours.

“Each department is decorated by staff in their own area and they are very secretive about their themes,” Cochran said.

Every office on the first and second floor will be decorated. The registration area has chosen “Candy Land” as their theme while the physical therapy department is doing an “Old Bakery” scene and the dental area will be a “Winter Wonderland.”

Visitors are requested to enter the building through the south door. Tickets may be purchased at the door and the first “Artists and Angels” Christmas ornament also will be on sale.



If you go

WHAT: Christmas Home Tour.

WHEN: 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 5 and 6.

HOMES ON TOUR:

• Bobby and Theresa Brown, 2319 N. Country Club Road.

• Doug and Ronia Davison, 3110 North St.

• Steve and Sharla Radanovich, 2704 Buford.

• Tim and Debbie Greener, 1313 Out of Bounds Drive.

• Three Rivers Health Center, 1001 S. 41st Street East.

TICKETS: $10 and available at Bebb’s Flowers, Economy Pharmacy East and West, Haley and Loyd Jewelry, I’m a Basket Case, Just Imagine Decorating, Rustic Elegance and Viva’s.

BENEFITS: Kelly B. Todd Cerebral Palsy and Neuromuscular Center.

INFORMATION: Donna Taylor, 683-6600.

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