Ong, McGill and Minner to receive Governor's Arts Awards.

Jan. 3—Muskogee civic leader Ann Barker Ong has a reason to support and promote the arts.

"It's a normal part of my day to think what am I doing today that could help," Ong said. "I believe it is through the arts we learn what it is to be human. I believe it's an important part of education of every person."

Oklahoma Arts Council will recognize Ong's commitment to the arts when they present her with a Governor's Arts Award later this month. The award recognizes "longtime leadership and significant contributions to the arts," according to a media release.

Two other area women also are to receive Governor's Arts Awards in their categories:

—Muskogee High School speech and theater teacher Penny McGill is to receive an Arts in Education Award, which recognizes "outstanding leadership and service in the arts benefiting youth and/or arts in education.

—Blues musician Selby Minner is to receive a Community Service Award for "significant contributions to the arts in specific Oklahoma communities in the areas of leadership and volunteerism."

Award recipients will be honored at a ceremony and reception Jan. 30.

Ong said she has supported the arts in Muskogee "in various and sundry ways."

Her most recent projects included helping to get statues of country legend Merle Haggard and lawman Bass Reeves to be erected in Muskogee. She was on the committee that selected the sculptor of the Reeves statue at Three Rivers Museum. Both statues are to be completed within the year.

Ong is on the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame board and served on Muskogee Little Theatre board for a number of years. She co-chaired the fundraising committee to build MLT's new building in 2016.

She also has been active in the Muskogee Arts Council and has received several civic awards, including the Soroptimist Women of Distinction and Greater Muskogee Area Chamber of Commerce "Okie from Muskogee" Award.

McGill said receiving the Arts in Education award has left her speechless.

"It's an honor for your work to be recognized," she said. "It's not that I did it for the awards. But to have people think highly enough of me to nominate me, and to be accepted, and all the people who helped me get the award is really impressive. I really feel good."

In addition to teaching speech and theater at MHS, McGill also is director of MLT's annual Youth Theater Camp.

McGill said arts in education "balances out everything."

"Instead of calling it an elective, I call it an enrichment class," she said. "Everything you do in all those other classes is enriched through the arts."

Minner, one of four recipients of the community service award, said the award validates her work at the Down Home Blues Club in Rentiesville.

"What we are doing here is working to keep this music alive," Minner said, adding that her late husband, bluesman D.C. Minner, received the award many years ago.

Selby Minner said she seeks to preserve blues music by teaching blues guitar to young people.

"I'll be teaching in Muskogee at the American Legion starting the middle of this month, every Wednesday," she said.

She said the Oklahoma Blues Hall of Fame, which she and her husband established in 2004, "honors the elders," who influenced blues music in Oklahoma.

Minner credited the Oklahoma Arts Council for helping to build and promote the Dusk til Dawn Blues Festival each Labor Day weekend.

"They are the ones who have been on board with this festival since the second year, and help me find the musicians," she said.