Spreading the Love:
Center of Family Love Celebrates 25 Years 

By Ray Dyer
The Sooner Catholic

OKARCHE — In October the Center of Family Love celebrated its 25th anniversary. Jim O’Brien, executive director for the CFL, called the celebration a grand affair.

As Gov. George Nigh, who served as the celebration’s master of ceremonies, introduced Archbishop Beltran he suggested The Center of Family Love would never again experience financial problems thanks to the generosity of the archbishop. Nigh said Archbishop Beltran was going to make a very sizable donation, one that would take care of all expenses for the CFL.

O’Brien said as Archbishop Beltran made his way to the podium a sly grin crept across his face.

“The archbishop fired right back,” O’Brien said, “he said sure enough, the statement by former Governor Nigh was true, especially since Governor Nigh had agreed to match dollar for dollar the gift made by the archbishop.

“They had everyone laughing, it was a lot of fun,” O’Brien said.

While the archbishop and the former governor had the anniversary crowd laughing, it is O’Brien who many credit with returning the smiles to the faces of those who live and work at the Center of Family Love, as well as those who provide much-needed support.

On the job for a little more than a year, O’Brien faced some very tough decisions when he arrived in Okarche. The financial picture was less than bleak and the attitude among employees as well as residents wasn’t exactly what the founding Knights of Columbus had envisioned when the Center of Family Love first opened in 1981. Because of a state budget shortfall a few years earlier, Center of Family Love residents were no longer working at jobs that had given them a great sense of accomplishment and fulfillment. The once-thriving CFL greenhouse had been shuttered and several satellite businesses operated by the CFL were brought to a standstill. Now, instead of getting up every morning and looking forward to a day of work and accomplishment, residents were left to wander the halls. It was not a healthy environment.

O’Brien, with the help of dedicated CFL staff, some on the job for years, others newly on board, began to bring back the jobs. The Kristy Wittrock Memorial Horticulture Center was reopened and now is in full bloom. CFL residents under the guidance of greenhouse director Liz Cox carefully tend to flowers and plants. An expansion of the bindery shop will mean another 10 to 12 jobs for Center of Family Love residents. A contract to supply the state of Oklahoma with three-ring binders has led to the purchase of an additional bindery machine. And now, instead of doing stretching exercises and dancing in a blah and colorless gymnasium, CFL residents can look up at the walls and seed colorful and exciting images of Elvis, Marilyn Monroe and Laurel and Hardy as well as a number of larger than life characters.  The murals are the work of professor Bob Palmer of the University of Central Oklahoma and his art students.

A special newspaper section produced by the Okarche Chieftain paid tribute to the Center of Family Love on this its 25th anniversary. O’Brien said the Okarche community also deserves a big pat on the back. A few years ago, Okarche residents gathered up their high school prom gowns, suits and tuxedos and presented them to the CFL residents. Now, each spring a formal dance is held.

Others helping to celebrate the Center of Family Love 25th anniversary were Sen. Tom Coburn, Donna Nigh and Jose Jimenez, state deputy of the Knights of Columbus, along with about 300 other supporters.