Lee Ackley Wins Spirit of Texoma Award

LEE ACKLEY IS A SECOND GENERATION AIR FORCE PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT... EVEN WITH 22 YEARS IN THE MILITARY.
 HE CONTINUES CARING FOR PATIENTS THESE DAYS AT THE IOWA PARK CLINIC.
 WE HONOR LEE AS OUR SPIRIT OF TEXOMA AWARD WINNER FOR WHAT HE DOES INSIDE AND OUTSIDE  THE HEALTHCARE FACILITY.
 WHILE SERVING HIS FIRST TOUR IN THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE LEE ACKLEY BEGAN SERVING HIS COMMUNITY AS WELL... AS  A BOY SCOUT LEADER.

 Lee Ackley says, "I think God has put me in a position where I am able to help and it is our responsibility to do that, so I do."

 STILL TO THIS DAY WHEN IT COMES TIME FOR SUMMER CAMP LEE IS THERE FOR THE SCOUTS.
 
Ackley: "I try and do physicals, I don't like to charge for scout physicals.  I don't think any scout should have to not get to go to summer camp because they can't afford a scout physical."

  OVER THE LAST 27 YEARS LEE HAS DONE MORE THAN 2000 FREE PHYSICALS... MAKING SURE THESE KIDS DON'T MISS OUT ON AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN LESSONS ON THE TRAIL AND IN LIFE.

Ackley: "All it takes is one kid, whether it takes 20 years to get there or not, one kid to walk up to you and say you really made a difference and I really appreciate everything you did and it is worth while."

 LEE HAS BEEN THERE WITH THE SCOUTS STEP FOR STEP FOR YEARS.
 FROM TREKS IN THE PHILMONT SCOUT RANCH IN NEW MEXICO...

Ackley: "It is 117 mile treks, for ten days with a backpack over mountain ranges."

 TO CAMPING, COOKOUTS AND EVEN NAPPING IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS.
 LEE SAYS ALONG THE WAY HE HAS SEEN HUNDREDS OF BOYS LEARN LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND RESPONSIBILITY.

Ackley: "If you don't take it with you when you've got a backpack yourself 117 miles in the middle of nowhere you don't get it.  It is not like you can go to the corner store and pick it up, so it takes planning and it takes tenacity for them to get out there on a trail with a pack on their back without giving up and quitting."

 THOSE SAME LESSONS ARE ONES HE HAS WORKED HARD TO INSTILL IN HIS OWN CHILDREN AS WELL.
 HIS SON IS OFTEN BY HIS SIDE DURING BOY SCOUT OUTINGS AND HE RECENTLY TOOK A TREK WITH HIS DAUGHTER.
 BOTH OF HIS KIDS HAVE HAD QUITE A TREK THROUGH LIFE THEMSELVES.
 THEY WERE LEE AND HIS WIFE'S FIRST FOSTER CHILDREN YEARS AGO.

Ackley: "My current two children were our first placement and it kind of stuck and we contiued fostering after that and then for about a couple of years and we adopted our two children and never looked back."

 LEE ENCOURAGES OTHERS TO LOOK INTO GIVING A CHILD THAT SAME CHANCE.

Ackley: "To make that difference in someone's life is worth it a hundred times over."

 LEE HAS MADE THAT DIFFERENCE FOR HIS OWN KIDS... HUNDREDS OF SCOUTS HE'S MENTORED IN THE WILDERNESS... AND ALL THE FOLKS HE'S HELPED RIGHT HERE AT HOME.

Ackley: "It's not that hard to find things to do to help your community and if the need is there and you have the ability you should be helping out period, I truly believe that." 

 A BELIEF HE'S LIVED BY SINCE HE SIGNED UP TO SERVE AND STARTED SHARING HIS SPIRIT OF TEXOMA.
 LEE ALSO SERVES AS THE MEDICAL TEAM LEADER AT TEXOMA COWBOY CHURCH.
 HE SAYS HE HELPS PUT COWBOYS BACK TOGETHER WHEN THEY HIT THE DIRT DURING RODEOS OR PLAY DAYS.
 OWENS AND BRUMLEY FUNERAL HOMES CONGRATULATE LEE ON HIS AWARD!
 IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE LIKE LEE WHO TRULY DESERVES THE SPIRT OF TEXOMA AWARD PLEASE NOMINATE THEM NOW!