The Best is Yet to Come

It's been a little over 1 year now since I realized my hometown was dying. Someone had taken pictures of Deer Creek and posted them in a Facebook group for Ghost towns in Oklahoma. Located away from major cities and opportunities, with a population of about 70 and dwindling, they were right. The town that Deer Creek is connected to and shares a school system with, Lamont, had also been quickly fading. Across both towns there were dilapidated houses, junked out yards, overgrown trees, closed commercial buildings, empty houses that were livable but neglected. Families were jumping ship and going to nearby towns. People were losing hope. But there were a few people who gave me hope.

When everyone else had given up on Deer Creek, Brittany Webster and her family re-opened the Deer Creek Mercantile. Originally created in 1899 and closed for about 25 years, the Webster family undertook major facility renovations. With inspiring marketing efforts, they have grown a tremendous following and created a unique shopping experience that draws visitors from all over Oklahoma and even further.

While other businesses were closing their doors in Lamont, Katherine Muegge and her dad, Chad Muegge, opened a remarkable steakhouse that has been featured on Discover Oklahoma and also attracts crowds from far and wide.

Sarah Aldrich, with the help of her family, created Rustic Roots - one of the best pumpkin patches and corn mazes in Oklahoma. Complete with petting zoo, local honey, all in a tradition-rich, family farm environment; she offers one of those most authentic experiences in Oklahoma Agritourism.

With the hope that these pioneers created, it was time to get involved. We talked with community leaders, asked community members what needs should be prioritized, and got to work in a grassroots style effort. Through these efforts, Koinonia Tou Elpis was born, a non-profit through which our small community, and maybe someday other rural communities, can once again have hope for a brighter tomorrow. We have been able to make noteworthy transformations in the town of Deer Creek through clean up days, funding and coordinating the demolition of 5 dilapidated houses, as well as providing a brand new Pavilion in the Lamont park. Members of our board have trimmed and removed dozens of trees in both towns, including one large tree that was asked to be removed near the Pavilion, which was then carved into a beautiful Eagle in honor of our school's mascot. In the last 12 months, members of our board have contributed to remodeling 4 houses in Deer Creek, improving 8 in Lamont, and constructing 1 new commercial building in Deer Creek from the ground up that will include 3 businesses and 2 large apartments.

Through our board members efforts and and the efforts of so many other community members too numerous to recognize in our little towns, we have once again found hope. We have found inspiration and see the promise of more change on the horizon. For so many small Oklahoma communities, the future grows dimmer each year, with memories of yesteryear being the only thing left to hold onto. But for the Deer Creek-Lamont community, the best is yet to come. Please consider supporting our cause with a donation that is tax exempt, 100% used for improvements (all board members are volunteer), and every donation opens up bigger and brighter opportunities for a community that many gave up on.