Connell Branan, National President of American Mothers Inc., welcomes  Carrie Leonard and Shelly Soliz to her home. Leonard is the 2012 Young Mother of the Year. Soliz is president of the American Mothers of Oklahoma.  (Photo by David Faytinger).

Cliff Branan, Kathy Walker and Stewart Meyers talk at the party. (Photo by Helen Ford Wallace).

Connell Branan, American Mothers Inc., national president, was hostess for a party honoring Oklahoma’s 2012 Mother of the Year, Kathy Walker, and Oklahoma’s 2012 Young Mother of the Year, Carrie Leonard.

  Also honored were Mothers of Achievement Connie Fox, Connie Jones and Mautra Jones.

At the party were Russ Walker, Cliff Branan, Marilyn Meade, Susan Dobson, Lela and Mark Sullivan, Miki and Jim Farris, Barbara and Ralph Thompson, Ryan Leonard, Irene Castilow, Shelly Soliz, Dorothy Hammert, Sandy and Stewart Meyers, Nancy and Tim Leonard, Polly Nichols, Carol Troy, Karen Browne, Cynda Ottaway, Katherine Buxton, Coe London, Jody and John Gooden, Stacy Kline, Pam Kanaly, Marilyn and Leonard Sullivan.

Lela Sullivan, Russ Walker and Shelly Soliz enjoy the event. (Photo by Helen Ford Wallace).

Kathy Walker and her mother, Rosemary Scalpone, were at the party. Kathy is Oklahoma Mother of the Year. (Photo by Helen Ford Wallace).

Connell Branan, new President of the American Mothers  Inc., and Sherri Boyd, President of Oklahoma Mothers, talk on Parties Extra!

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Connell Branan talks on Parties Extra! about American Mothers Inc. and the upcoming events with the Oklahoma Mother of the Year and the Oklahoma Young Mother of Year.

Irene Costilow, Lt. Gov. Jari Askins, Sherri Boyd, Connell Branan were at the luncheon. (Photo by David Faytinger).

The Oklahoma Chapter of American Mothers Inc. members sponsored a luncheon and it was held at Quail Creek Golf and Country Club.

Nine “Mothers of Merit” were introduced and presented a gift. They are candidates for the 2010 Mother of the Year and Young Mother. A panel of judges will choose the winners and they will be announced in a ceremony at the State Capitol in April. They will attend the National Mother of the Year and Young Mother of the Year convention in New York City.

The honorees were Shelly Cline, Oklahoma City; Stacy Ruth Cline, Hennessey; Amy Groeschel, Edmond; Ricki Lea Moore,Lexington, Young Mothers of Merit, and Barbara Brou, Oklahoma City; Dorothy J. Cartmill, Oklahoma City; Mary Cutter, Oklahoma City;  Pam Kanaly, Edmond, and Julie Wilson, Broken Arrow, Mothers of Merit.

On the program were Sherri Boyd, Lt. Gov. Jari Askins, Connell Branan, Irene Costilow, Shelly Soliz.

Hostesses for lunch were Branan,  Boyd, Costilow, Karen Mayfield, Soliz, Lela Sullivan, Rebecca Thompson.

Kimberly Wright, current National Young Mother of the Year, and Connell Branan, former National Young Mother of the Year,  were at a tea this summer in Oklahoma City. (Photo by Helen Ford Wallace).

To nominate Oklahoma Mother of the Year and Young Mother of the Year, contact Irene Costilow with the Oklahoma Association of American Mothers. Deadline is Nov. 15th. Her email address is irene47@cox.net.

To qualify for Mother of the Year, the nominees’ children must be over 18 years old and the Young Mother’s children under be under the age of 18. Other qualifications are listed at www.americanmothers.org.

The national organization, American Mothers Inc., is a non-profit group that recognizes the invaluable contribution mothers make to the future success and happiness of their children and society and the headquarters is in Washington, D.C. Members of the group annually select the National Mother of the Year and Young Mother from candidates throughout the United States.

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SUMMER TEA FOR KIMBERLY WRIGHT

Kimberly Wright and Connell Branan were at the Summer Tea. (Photos by Helen Ford Wallace).

National Mothers of the Year and Oklahoma Mothers of the Year got together for a Summer Tea on June 10th in the home of Lela Sullivan.  Hostesses were Sullivan, Connell Branan and Sherri Boyd.

Kimberly Wright, Las Vegas, Nev., 2009 National Young Mother of the Year, was in town and Branan, who is on the board for American Mothers Inc. and a former National Young Mother herself,  wanted everyone to meet her.

Wright was born in Hominy, Ok., and is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma.

Guests included the special moms and friends. Among them were Karen Browne, Barbara Thompson, Shelly Soliz, Irene Costilow, Barbara Beeler,  Bobbie Burbridge Lane, Polly Nichols, Debby Dudman, Marilyn Meade and Dorothy Hammert.

Barbara Thompson and Lela Sullivan talk at the party.

Bobbie Burbridge Lane and Dorothy Hammert.