12-06-2025
Pay It 4Ward: Librarian fills shelves with joy for Stillwater students
PAYNE COUNTY, Okla. (KFOR) – Earlier this year, Stillwater was devastated by wildfires.
More than fifty homes in Payne County were destroyed, and among them was the home of a very special librarian.
When the flames swept through the Crosswinds neighborhood in Stillwater, fire incinerated ten houses on one street, including the home of a loyal educator.
'During the wildfires in March, her house burned down, and she wasn't even home when it happened,' said Morganne Clyburn. 'It was really sad, and she had a hard time dealing with all of the things that they lost.'
Clyburn's co-worker, Dana Cox, runs the library at Stillwater Public Schools' Sangre Ridge Elementary.
Oklahoma woman provides community joy through faith and service
'It takes a strong and resilient person to go through such a devastating loss and continue to be a light and inspiration to her students and all of those around her,' said First Fidelity Banker Ryan Baxter 'On behalf of First Fidelity Bank, I'd like to present $400 to pay it forward.'
Cox excels at all the customary librarian duties; she pours into the students in many different ways, including regular knitting lessons.
'Here at Sangre, we know every student by name in need,' said principal Cami Patzkowski. 'And I truly feel like Miss Dana does that. She gets to know the kids in the library. She knows what they like.'
Dana Cox was nominated for the Pay It 4Ward award by fellow librarian Morganne Clyburn.
'She always has a smile on her face,' Clyburn said. 'She's one of those people that, we could ask her to do anything.'
News 4 and First Fidelity Bank surprised Cox in the library.
'I love this staff, just the community, where they have been so kind to me and so generous to our family,' said Cox. 'I love these kids. It's hard to have a bad day when you're with these children because they make you smile and they love you no matter what.'
Cox is also a two-time breast cancer survivor.
'When you have people who love you and you have Jesus, you can get through anything.'
At Sangre Ridge Elementary School, they call the library a place of joy, and it is, because the librarian at the helm is a person of joy, spreading love and inspiring acceptance in all who come here to read and to learn.
Pay it 4Ward is sponsored by First Fidelity 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
