OKDHS-OIG Employees Share Christmas Spirit with Elderly

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OKLAHOMA CAPITOL --Residents of Del City’s Grace Living Center will be reminded of the Christmas holidays all year, thanks in part to employees of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG).

Many of the OKDHS-OIG employees are part of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 159.  Last fall, the group decided to buy gifts for residents who may not otherwise receive anything.

“I was directed to the facility in Del City,” said OIG Agent Rick McCoy.  “A high percentage of the folks living there have very little, if any, family intervention.  So we thought this would be a nice gesture to make sure everyone was remembered at Christmas.”

McCoy said retired OIG supervisor Sherri Compton bought lap throws, wrapping each blanket individually, and then placing a name tag on each of the 54 gifts. 

“We took the gifts to the Activity Director just before Christmas,” McCoy said, “and they distributed them to the residents during the center’s Christmas party on December 25th.  We thought by giving them lap throws, it would help keep them warm year-round.”

Members of the FOP Lodge 159 consist of OKDHS-OIG personnel, including Tony Bryan, Inspector General;  George Tipton, Chief Agent and Lodge Trustee; John Guyton, Lodge President; Rick McCoy, Lodge Chaplin; Sherri Compton, Lodge Secretary and many other OIG Investigative Agents. Other Law Enforcement Agencies represented in FOP Lodge 159 are the ABLE Commission, the OSBI, and the OU Health Sciences Center Police, among others.

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OKDHS employees from the Office of Inspector General meet to deliver gifts to residents of Del City’s Grace Living Center.