It is hard to believe that September is already upon us. The summer heat will soon be coming to an end, and the crispness of fall will fill the morning air. Hopefully, and prayerfully, we all hope rain will accompany the season, to bring relief to our parched land. Some of that came as the remnants of Isaac moved in our direction. Our trees need a good deep soaking. I was thrilled to see several vendors at our Farmer’s Market this past Thursday. While conditions have kept most vendors away throughout most of the summer, this past Thursday was full of activity, at the location at Langston Park, across from the library. The offer to use the park, throughout the fall season, will remain open. All vendors are invited to bring their fruits, vegetables, plants, foodstuffs, and other new items to the park, each Thursday, from 3 to 7 p.m., and set up their stands, and/or canopies. There is no vendor or booth fee to do so. It’s just a great chance for our community to share its bounty, one-with-another. If you haven’t tried one of Martha Brown’s pies lately, you owe it to yourself to stop by and get one...or several.

We finished out August at Fajita Rita’s this past Thursday with our Weekly Chamber Luncheon there. Present were Mike and Valerie Ferguson, Mark Young, Justin Young, Rhonda Lee, Sue Edwards, my wife Kathy, and myself. We thank Rene and Maria Corral for their great Mexican food, and hospitality. I am really excited to move the luncheon to our new location, for the month of September, at Abner’s BBQ. Abner Miller has opened up the restaurant that formerly was Badlands Smokehouse, at the North end of Lee Street, for lunch and dinner, Tuesday through Saturday. We will hold our Weekly Chamber Luncheon there, each Thursday, at 11:30 a.m., for the month of September. Several of our luncheon regulars have already been to the new eatery and have given it great reviews. Mark Young says they have the best ribs he’s ever eaten. Knowing how much Mark loves ribs, that is quite the endorsement. Come join us and see for yourself.

And finally, a “shout out” for the Fort Gibson Community Bedlam Blood Drive, scheduled for Sept. 6, at City Hall, from 2 to 6 p.m. Each donor will receive their choice of a free OSU or OU blood donor T-shirt, along with a chance to win a pair of tickets to the 2012 Bedlam football game. Or, you can forgo the T-shirt, and the Oklahoma Blood Institute will donate a monetary donation of similar value, to the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals-locally. John Armitage, President and CEO of the Oklahoma Blood Institute, says... “Someone needs blood every two seconds, that is why we are asking everyone to show community spirit, through blood donation, along with their Oklahoma school pride this football season.”

They are especially in need of O-negative type blood, which is rare in itself (9 percent), but can also be used in any emergency situation when blood type is not known. Since I have O-negative, I pledge my support to give blood on Sept. 6 ... come join me in this great community effort.