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  • Duncan Public Schools Superintendent Sherry Labyer introduced long time DPS employee Cham Pham as Someone You Should Know at the Chamber Breakfast Thursday morning. Rebeka Rutledge/The Duncan Banner

    Chamber hosts first Breakfast of season
September 8, 2012

Chamber hosts first Breakfast of season

Tam Pham named 'Someone you should Know'

Rebeka Rutledge The Duncan Banner

DUNCAN — Loisdawn Jones and Blaine Smith, emcees for Duncan Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Chamber Breakfast Thursday, had their hands full keeping the first breakfast of the season on time with all the community events that needed announcing.

Many announcers had a difficult time keeping to their three or one minute allotted time slot due to the amount of information they needed to share. Only Sherry Labyer, superintendent of Duncan Public Schools, who announced the Someone You Should Know was allowed to shirk the time restraint.

“This person was responsible for the old Duncan Middle School looking so good, he even had the restrooms smelling good,” said Labyer, as she announced longtime DPS employee Tam Pham. “Our employees love him and he is a blessing in my life and in Duncan schools.”

Pham, who came to the U.S. in the early 80s, got his citizenship soon after and joined the DPS staff 28 years ago, has spent his time making the schools gleam from the inside out and making sure classrooms are always ready for both teachers and students.

Labyer shared that as soon after his work at school ended, he and his wife mowed lawns from 4 p.m. to sundown and on the weekends. His reason being so that his children could go to college and be debt free.

“He now has three children with college degrees with no debt,” said Labyer.

Smith reminded the large crowd to recommend to the Chamber anyone they know of that maybe isn’t well known to the community but adds a lot to Duncan and who should be brought to the forefront so the may be given gratitude and recognition.

Included in the several short announcements made by various leaders were Western Fall Fest events including the Wine’n, CTAC concert and Vintage Day that will take place Sept. 14-16, United Way Kickoff Sept. 15, Humane Society’s Spaygetti Luncheon Sept. 28 and Duncan Little Theatre’s “Dixie Swim Club” performance Sept. 15.

There were three of the actresses involved in the play in attendance, who gave the audience a sneak preview of the act. Ticket funds for their performance at 6:30 p.m. next Saturday at the Simmons Center goes to help send them to their next big competition.

Darren Coats with the Oklahoma Blood Institute announced a blood drive at Duncan Regional Hospital from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 17. He expressed gratitude to the community for its school and hospital blood drives and pushed for one hosted by the community.

“It’s great that the schools have so many because it teaches the students the value of donating blood,” said Coats. “I would like to see more community involvement with blood drives.”

Sponsors for this breakfast were Arvest and Western Fall Fest, both of which had door prizes that were given through a drawing and a fun game.

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