The Durant Area Chamber of Commerce’s centennial celebration is in full swing with many events to be held within the coming weeks and months.

The Durant chamber was formed May 9, 1910, and its centennial celebration began Jan. 9.

Chamber Executive Director Janet Reed is pleased with the events so far and the ones that are planned.

“We are very fortunate: Everything has fit like a glove for the 2010 centennial,” Reed said.

The event has coincided with the Jan. 9 opening of the Journey Stories Exhibit from the Smithsonian Institution at the Three Valley Museum in downtown Durant.

Historians have been speaking on significant historical events Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. at the Upper Crust. Tuesday, Dennis Miles is scheduled to speak about the Armstrong Academy, and on Thursday, Kate Plunkett will discuss the history of Carpenter’s Bluff Bridge.

“Anyone interested in history needs to come to these lectures because the information in them has just been phenomenal,” Reed said. “It’s a wonderful thing to have people in the community who can share these things. It’s really amazing the amount of knowledge that these people have.”

These will continue through Feb. 18 and beginning March 11, the chamber will have guest speakers through Aug. 31.

Anyone who has information or artifacts about the past 100 years is encouraged to contact the chamber. Any artifacts donated will be properly archived.

The chamber is participating in the opening of the new Choctaw Casino and Resort Feb. 9, a facility that Reed said will be the largest employer in Durant under one roof. The resort is expected to have approximately 1,000 employees.

“We’re just so excited to be a part of that, to celebrate the successes of the Choctaw Nation as they open one of these properties, Reed said.

Events scheduled later in the year include “Draggin’ Main” on May 20, June 17, July 15, Aug. 19 and Sept. 16.

“Tight Shoe Day” will be held Aug. 7. This was a day years ago when residents came to town on the first or last part of the month to buy supplies.

“They called it ‘tight shoe day’ because everyone wore their Sunday best — their newest shoes,” Reed said.

Historical reenactments are planned for that day.

“Harvest Day,” scheduled Oct. 23, will be for activities related to agricultural that strengthened Durant.

The chamber is seeking sponsors for the centennial activities. The diamond sponsorship package costs $5,000 and will include two tables at the centennial banquet, recognition on all chamber centennial advertising and promotionals, a special placing of the donor’s logo in the time capsule to be buried at the finale of the centennial celebration and a centennial brick to be placed around the base of the time capsule.

The ruby sponsorship package costs $2,500 and includes one table at the banquet, recognition in selected advertising and promotionals, placing of company logo in the time capsule and a centennial brick at the base of the capsule.

The sapphire sponsorship costs $1,000 and includes four tickets to the banquet, recognition in selected advertising and promotionals, placement of company logo in the time capsule and a centennial brick around the base of the capsule.

There are also contributing sponsor packages in amounts of $750, $500 and $250.

According to Reed, all funds from sponsors will go toward centennial events.

“In order to make this a memorable centennial, we are soliciting sponsors,” Reed said. “It’s going to be a great year.”