Heavener senior pages for me last week in OKC
Sean Miller, a senior at Heavener High School, paged for Rep. Rick West, R-Heavener, last week in the Oklahoma House of Representatives at the State Capitol.
House pages run messages to legislators while they are in the chamber debating policy and voting on measures, and they help in their Capitol offices. Pages also participate in a mock session, in which they learn legislative procedure and how to write legislation.
“Sean is an exceptional and talented young man who was a joy to be around,” West said. “He was interested in the process of governing, and asked a lot of great questions. I know he’ll do well in his future.”
Sean is the son of Sabrina Dyer and Tim Miller. He plans to go to attend college at the University of Arkansas and to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist.
His community service projects include mission trips to St. Louis each summer and fall to which he brings clothes and food to children in need. He also plays music at a nursing home. His hobbies include playing piano, guitar, drums and bass guitar as well as golf and reading. Extracurricular activities include being in the band and in drama at school as well as a member of Student Council. He is a class officer and the president of the National Honor Society.
Sean is an Oklahoma Academic Scholar and an Oklahoma Academic All-Stater.
Last week on the House Floor, I presented a resolution sending heartfelt remembrances to the families of those killed in the terrorist bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995.
As I’ve noted many times during my service in the Legislature, I had seven friends and coworkers who worked alongside me in the United States Department of Agriculture veterinary services office who were killed that day: Olan Bloomer, gim Boles, Peggy Clark, Dick Cummings, Adele Higginbottom, Carol Khalil and Rheta Long.
I will never let an anniversary of this date go by without remembering those I was so close to as well as the 161 other men, women and children who lost their lives that day and the hundreds more who were injured.
I also recognized local, state and federal law enforcement officials and first responders, as well as the thousands of volunteers who rushed to help in the aftermath of what was one of the worst terrorist attacks ever to occur on United States’ soil — until 9/11, it was the worst terrorist attacks in our country. These heroes truly set what came to be known as the Oklahoma Standard.
Through the building of the Oklahoma City National Memorial and the rebuilding of a new federal building, we showed the world we will not be cowed by the cowardly acts of terrorists.
Joining me in the House for the presentation of this resolution was g.D. Strong, director of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. In 1995, Strong was employed by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, which was next door to the Murrah Building. The board was holding a meeting the morning of the bombing, the recording of which is played for visitors to the Memorial.
Strong recounted how he was just a young man at the time of the bombing, but how he learned that day the true value of life and the true meaning of selfless sacrificial service.
I also was joined by Gene Brown, director of the Oklahoma State Firefighters Museum, who was working at The Village Fire Department the day of the bombing. He was called to help in emergency rescue efforts. Brown told me how firefighters are trained to help in emergencies, but the bombing was so beyond the scope of what anyone had been trained to do. He said the true heroes of the day were not the firefighters, however, but those selfless Oklahomans who came from all across the state to bring food and water and anything else the firefighters might need during the entire time they worked to clear the bombing site.
It was an honor to have both of these men in the House with me.
On a final note, I did not draw an opponent in this year’s election, so I will be serving House District 3 for another two years. This is truly an incredible honor.
Remember to listen to me on KPRV Radio at 7:30 a.m. every Thursday for my legislative update.
As always, if I can help you with anything, feel free to call my Capitol office at (405) 5577413 or e-mail me at rick.west@okhouse.gov.
West serves District 3 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. His district includes part of LeFlore County.