1. Destination Murray County Amy Cowley, Tourism Development Assistant Debbie Sharp, Extension Educator Wes Lee, Extension Educator Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service Murray County

2. Background ► Strategic Plan for Sustainable Tourism and Economic Development in Murray County ► Struggle to identify and address critical issues ► Several groups who share the common goal of increased tourism ► Bring these groups together through the Initiative for the Future of Rural Oklahoma

3. Partnership ► A formal partnership has been established between the Murray County Extension Office, the Murray County Industrial Authority (MCIA) and the Arbuckle Mountain Area Tourism Association (AMATA) for the next three years, to combine efforts for tourism development projects.

4. Advisory Board ► Select individuals from Chambers of Commerce, Cities and the original grant team members ► We host quarterly noon meetings in order to brainstorm for the next quarter

5. Goals ► Set up and equip an office in the Murray County Rural Economic and Workforce Development Center and hire Tourism Development Assistant ► Organize a planning retreat for community leaders across the county to begin bonding ► Develop a plan for coordination of efforts to educate our entire county on the importance of tourism dollars

6. Goals ► Coordination of an ongoing series of seminars related to customer service ► Develop and implement a training program for developing new leaders in the county ► Document and evaluate the results of the project

7. Our Mission ► To enhance tourism in Murray County through education, promotion and coordination of efforts related to tourism as an economic development industry

8. Activities ► Civic Club Programs ► Murray County Tourism Summit ► Murray County Committees ► Oklahoma PRIDE ► Leadership Murray County ► The Murray County Messenger

9. Civic Club and Chamber Programs ► Sulphur Rotary ► Sulphur Kiwanis ► Murray County Kiwanis ► Davis Kiwanis ► Sulphur Chamber of Commerce ► Davis Chamber of Commerce

10. Tourism Summit ► Purpose—the first step in the Initiative project to pull the two communities in the county together as one. ► Participants—select individuals throughout the county. ► Plans for another group gathering

11. Tourism Summit

13. Committees ► Murray County Tourism Task Force  Long range planning for Murray County  Members ► Murray County Beautification Committee  Clean up the county  Signage  Members ► Lodging Fee

14. Oklahoma PRIDE ► Murray County PRIDE ► Publicity Items ► Graduates ► Plans for future classes

15. Leadership Murray County Southern Oklahoma Technology Center ► Purpose—identify and motivate emerging leaders through development of their potential for community leadership ► Assistance to program coordinator  Logo  Notebooks ► Class I  Application process  Members

16. Leadership Murray County

17. The Murray County Messenger ► A county-wide newsletter ► Cooperative effort between the OSU Extension Office and the Sulphur and Davis Chambers of Commerce ► Mailed and E-mailed quarterly to all chamber members ► Columns and calendars

18. Challenges and Lessons Learned ► Difficult time gaining “buy in” for the PRIDE training ► Experiencing “Burn-out” within the committees ► Trying to recruit new faces to the projects and activities that have developed through the Initiative project.

19. What’s Next for Murray County? ► Continue the PRIDE training throughout the county ► Continue the Leadership Murray County class ► Continue work on the Long Range Plan

20. A word from our residents ► “This has been an excellent project. We are really getting where we need to be. This grant has brought together the entire county and I hope we can continue the same progress for several years,” said Dub Moore, President, 1 st National Bank of Davis.

21. A word from our residents ► “We have made progress in bringing the county together as one to work for a common goal,” said Phil Key, President, Sulphur Community Bank.