This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
Vision gone Grand Local family provides unique recreation area at Higher Purpose Park


OOKING out now over the manicured lawn and the sparkling pond, it is difficult to imagine that it hasn’t always been this way. Animals graze contentedly in the pasture. Neat structures dot the landscape, bounded by white pipe fence. You’d never know that, not long ago, this 10-acre tract was nothing more than a thicket. A thorough search of the overgrown tangle during those not-so-proud days would have revealed a few scattered, rusty remnants of an RV park long forgotten by time. Even then, Denise Glenn and husband Roger saw the potential for something more here. Their 50-acre farm adjoined the property to the west. They could look out across the pasture from their home or drive past the lot and be daily reminded of the possibilities that existed. Denise is a certified grant writer and Oklahoma class- room teacher. She has an extensive background in the marketing profession, is working toward achieving a CNA certification and also volunteers her time as a tutor. Roger, meanwhile, is a resident engineer for Oklahoma City- based Monte R. Lee & Com- pany. His firm specializes in


L


fiber optic design for the telecommunications industry. “We’ve lived up the road since 2004. This property used to be an RV park and then it changed hands to an individual who had exotic animals,” Denise explained. “The place eventually fell into receivership and got tied up. We’d been waiting about five years. We knew we wanted it.”


While they may not have known at the time exactly what the future held, the Glenns knew something good lay ahead for this little parcel of land.


“I think we wanted it mainly because it adjoined our land and we really didn’t want to see another RV park going in,” Denise laughed.


And then one fateful day back in August 2010, all the pieces fell into place.


4 Northeast Connection


“Out of the blue we get a phone call from our attorney that this property was going to be sold on the courthouse steps the next day,” said Denise. The Glenns, along with Denise’s parents Jarvis and Bobbie Dawson, made the trip to Jay and marched up the courthouse steps on a mission.


Fun and fellowship is the name of the game at Higher Purpose Park!


“My parents wanted to go in with us on the property so they flew up from Norman and we were able to buy it right there on the courthouse steps,” Denise said. Making the neglected property presentable was no small feat. The Glenns, along with eight-year-old son Joshua, went right to work. They spent months, laboring tirelessly to reverse years of deterioration. “It was an eyesore, to be honest with you,” said Denise. “A lot of people didn’t even know there was a pond here because the place was so overgrown. We just started cleaning things up. There was a lot of mowing, brush re- moval, fixing fence, painting— it was a job, I tell you.” An 1,800 square-foot multi-purpose building was renovated by Denise’s father, who is also a contractor. The structure now houses an office, meeting room, game room and storage.


The Glenns called reinforcements in to help them rescue several animals abandoned by the previous owner. Among the critters were four Heritage turkeys, which have since taken up residence with the Glenns. “They were walking down the road looking for food so we gave ‘em some food and they never left,” Denise chuckled.


Last spring, the Glenn’s hosted a local youth event. There were games, fishing and fun.


Said Denise: “Even though activities at that time were limited, it just hit us that this was it. We have to do something here for kids. We didn’t have a name or even


(continued next page)


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148  |  Page 149  |  Page 150  |  Page 151  |  Page 152  |  Page 153  |  Page 154  |  Page 155  |  Page 156  |  Page 157  |  Page 158  |  Page 159  |  Page 160  |  Page 161  |  Page 162  |  Page 163  |  Page 164  |  Page 165  |  Page 166  |  Page 167  |  Page 168  |  Page 169  |  Page 170  |  Page 171  |  Page 172  |  Page 173  |  Page 174  |  Page 175  |  Page 176  |  Page 177  |  Page 178