Credit Union House of Oklahoma
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
6:00 p.m.
631 E. Hill Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
Improving Lives for 50 Years: An Evening of Celebration and Recognition is a DCCCA event to recognize our past, embrace our present, and empower our future. Together, we can continue to meet the challenges ahead and create a brighter tomorrow for everyone.
This gathering will feature delicious hors d’oeuvres, raffle, networking opportunities, brief remarks from our team, and will provide recognition to outstanding partners in the community as we celebrate 50 years of Improving Lives.
Dressy attire
Honorees:
Champion of Prevention: Sunnie Jamerson
Champion of Mental Health: Aetna OK, Medicaid Implementation & Training
Champion of Community Safety: Oklahoma City Public Schools
Event Sponsors:
Keynote Speaker:
Gail Box
Gail Box started the Austin Box “12” Foundation in honor of her son Austin who died May 19, 2011 from a prescription drug overdose. “IRON SHARPENS IRON AS ONE MAN SHARPENS ANOTHER.” When Austin Box died, he was wearing a wristband quoting this scripture from Proverbs 27:17. The Austin Box “12” Foundation has adopted a variation of that idea, “Sharpen Each Other,” as their mission and founding principle. Gail shares Austin’s story across Oklahoma to bring awareness to this epidemic of drug overdose deaths.
“Austin took responsibility for his own choices, so I don’t share his story to make any excuses on his behalf. He would want us to use his story to help Sharpen Each Other.” An Informed community is the only way to slow and eventually stop this epidemic, and lead to better representation and legislation at local, state and national levels. You have an opportunity and a responsibility to keep yourself and your community safe. We must Sharpen Each Other, every single day.
“Austin was 14 when he suffered his first major injury: a stress fracture in his back. At the time, he was playing basketball, football and baseball at a high level. This was the beginning of chronic pain that he suffered for the rest of his life. After high school, he joined the OU football team, where he continued to struggle with injuries: a knee surgery and an elbow surgery. His last injury – a ruptured disc in his back – occurred at the beginning of the 2010 football season. This injury, I believe, is what set in motion his abuse of prescription drugs. Austin was originally given a limited supply of prescription pain medication, but it proved insufficient. Austin found what he thought was the answer to managing the pain: self-medicating and abusing his prescription. Austin began to suffer in silence as the drugs led him down a road of false comfort and delayed pain. Austin took responsibility for his own choices, so I don’t share his story to make any excuses on his behalf. He would want us to use his story to help Sharpen Each Other.”