Betsy (Goff) Willman Anderson

Betsy (Goff) Willman Anderson celebrated her 100th birthday in Pawnee. In Tulsa, Betsy graduated Class of 1939 from Central High, attended TU, was a member of 1st Baptist & Parkview Baptist Churches, Chi Omega Sorority & volunteered at Gilcrease Museum. She says anything fattening is her favorite food!

Louise (Noels) Green

Louise (Noels) Green of Tulsa was born December 16, 1919. She was a lifelong educator, teacher and counselor in McAlester & stayed very actively involved in the Beebe Chapel CME Church, L’Ouverture High School Alumni & American Legion Post 250. Louise’s life advice: “Education. History. Treat people the way you want to be treated!”

WWII Veteran Paul Romanello

WWII Veteran Paul Romanello of Tulsa having 100th birthday fun with him family and friends. He was a man before his time, never said an unkind word about anyone, loves people and was always the center of attention with his good looks and charming magnetic personality. His words of wisdom are to enjoy your family and life to the fullest! Thank you for your service!

KNOW A CENTENARIAN?
If you know of a Centenarian you would like to honor, please visit
http://centenariansok.com/ and download, complete and submit our form. One of our team members will contact you directly with the next steps.

Story by Joyce Clark, Executive Director – Saint Ann Retirement Center

Winter is here. Sometimes that means power outages. Tornadoes and other events during the year can also impact utilities, travel, and access to needed items. Take steps now to ensure you have the knowledge, fuel, and supplies to stay warm and thrive without electricity. Pooling resources and gathering with others is an economical way to have access to more supplies and assistance. An added benefit is that more people in a small space helps generate heat. Outlined below is a sample list of things you may want to maintain in your home at all times.

EMERGENCY SUPPLIES TO STAY WARM DURING A POWER OUTAGE
Backup power for the most important needs. A generator, backup battery bank, charging station, or inverter can be incredibly helpful during a power outage. If you have critical medical equipment, it may be a necessity. Solar options come in various sizes and qualities.
Lighting – Items such as glow in the dark sticks, solar lights, flashlights, headlamp, or an old-fashioned oil lantern. Outdoor solar walkway lights are an affordable & easy light source. Just place them outside or in a sunny window during the day & use by night.

• Extra batteries. Rechargeable batteries with charger.
  Bottled water
  Hand, foot, & body warmers
  Back-up supply of essential medications & personal care products
  Extra oxygen tanks &/or battery power
  Extra blankets &/or zero-degree sleeping bag. Wool & down blankets are the warmest.
  Cot or blow-up mattress
  First aid manual & supplies
  Cooking source. Outdoor grill or camping stove, special designed indoor cook stove.
  Hand held radio or communication tool
  Solar, rechargeable, or battery operated radio
  Non-perishable food that does not require cooking or refrigeration
  If you have a cooking source, items like canned soups, chili, stews, & instant noodles are easy hot meals to keep in stock. Beverages such as decaffeinated coffee, tea, cocoa, hot lemonade, hot Tang, & apple cider will help keep you warm & hydrated. Avoid caffeine & alcohol because they can have an adverse effect.
  Manual can opener
  Power banks to charge phones & smaller items
  Layered clothing. Gloves & head covering. Down or wool coat.
  Heat activated fan to blow warm air from fireplace or alternative heat source. This helps keep the room warm & less heat rising to the ceiling.
  Emergency heating used properly. Fireplace & stocked wood, candles, terra cotta clay pot / tea candle heater. Mr. Buddy indoor propane heater. Be sure to keep a working carbon monoxide detector and fire extinguisher nearby.
  Propane or appropriate fuel. Wood for fireplace.
  Fire extinguisher, smoke detector, & carbon monoxide detector
  Matches & lighters
  Self-protection. This can be as simple as a can of wasp spray that can be used from 12 feet away. Sprayed into a person’s eyes, wasp spray can be very painful & stop or slow down an attacker.
  Small 2-3 person tent or a larger one if your emergency plan includes more people.
  Tarps, plastic sheeting, sheets, cardboard, towels, wide painter’s tape, or items to stop window & door drafts.
  Puzzles, games, & things to do
  If water or the well pump is not working, a 5-gallon bucket with plastic trash bags can be used for a toilet. Purchase a seat in advance or make one by cutting a slit in a pool noodle & sliding it on the bucket rim.
  Tools to turn off water if pipes freeze
  If the refrigerator is not working, put ice or snow in a clothes washing machine with your refrigerated or frozen food. The ice will conveniently drain away as it melts.

TIPS TO KEEP WARM DURING A WINTER POWER LOSS

DRESS APPROPRIATELY TO RETAIN BODY HEAT

• Dressing in layers is one of the best ways to stay warm. Wear items that can be easily taken off or on as the temperature changes. It is important to be comfortably warm, but not sweat. Moisture can wick heat away from your body.
• Protect your extremities. Keep your hands and feet covered and warm. The human body responds to cold by drawing the warm blood supply back into its core as a survival mechanism. This puts your hands and feet at risk for frostbite.
• Cover your head. Keep your head covered to prevent precious heat from escaping out the top.
• Dress warmly from the start. It is easier to stay warm than to get warm once you are cold.

PREVENT HEAT LOSS IN YOUR HOME
If there is potential the power will be off for an extended time, take action to keep the cold out and retain heat inside of your home.

• Block entry points for cold air. Take a look around and identify places where cold air enters your home. Block cold airflow by rolling up towels or blankets and stuffing under doors. Use wide painter’s tape to seal leaks around doors and windows. Avoid duct tape, which can damage paint. Common cold air entry points include:
  Gaps around doors & windows
  Kitchen exhaust fan
  Dryer vent
  External wall outlets & switches
  Furnace, water heater vents, & cold air returns
  Fireplace flue damper or chimney
  Cover windows. Insulating windows can make a tremendous difference in your home’s inner temperature. Start by closing curtains and blinds. Further insulate by taping plastic sheeting over the window, cutting cardboard to place against the window, or even draping an extra blanket over the top of the curtain rod.

CREATE A WARM SPACE

• If the cold is potentially dangerous, you can make a small warmer area to stay in until power is restored.
  Confine activity to one selected living area. A smart approach is to condense living and sleeping to one general area of the home. This enables you to use alternative heat sources in a smaller area and conserve fuel. Choose a space that makes the most sense. Is there a room with a wood burning stove, fireplace, or even a south facing window that can provide radiant heat during the daytime? A room on the south side of the home is often warmer than a room on the north side. Basements will be warmer than the main floor during the winter. Shut all the doors or block off areas by hanging blankets, sheets, or plastic. Confine alternative heating to this one space. Be sure to maintain a working carbon monoxide detector. If anyone starts to feel headachy or sick, stop using alternative heating immediately and get fresh air.
• Set up an indoor tent. Putting up a small tent inside your designated living area will help create additional warmth. A tent provides some extra insulation to retain heat. You can create a makeshift tent by placing blankets over the top of a table or bunk bed. Body heat and any source of warmth is more contained and effective in a small area like a tent. Protect your pet and generate more warmth by keeping it in your warm spot with you.

DRINK WARM LIQUIDS AND EAT HOT FOODS
Drinking warm liquids can be comforting and help the body maintain temperature. Hydration is important to preventing hypothermia and your body needs calories to create heat. Always keep the pantry stocked with bottled water and easy-to-prepare shelf stable foods and beverages.
Cooking during a power outage can be accomplished with the correct equipment and/or back-up power source. Be very careful not to create deadly carbon monoxide or start a fire. Outdoor grills and camping stoves are a safe way to prepare meals and boil water outside. Be sure to keep a fire extinguisher and sufficient propane or fuel in supply.

GET SOCIAL AND BE ACTIVE
Two people keep a space warmer than one. Three is even better. Pooling resources and having company during a power outage can be advantageous. Shared supplies and a helping hand could be life-saving. Spending time interacting with others and playing games helps keep spirits up and time pass faster.

Moving around will help you stay warmer. Twenty minutes of mild exercise can keep a person warm for an hour. It is important to exercise moderately and not break a sweat. Sweating will wick the heat way from your body and cool you.

HEAT SOURCE OPTIONS
It is best to prepare alternative heat sources in advance and have them on hand if needed. Potential sources of heat are all around. Huddle up with friends, family, or pets under a blanket to stay warmer.

• Dry rock or brick warmer. High density objects such as rock, concrete, brick, and tile can be used as thermal mass. Put the item near a heat source and it will retain the heat after the heater has been turned off. Cooler items are great for tucking in bed to keep you warm. Make sure any rock is completely dry before heating or it could explode.
• Hand, foot, and body warmers. Options include rechargeable, butane, and disposable warmers. They all provide instant warmth. Many will last for 8 to 12 hours.
• Hot water bottle warmers. To create a small water heater, simply heat water and fill a container. You can use a traditional hot water bottle or any water-tight container like a mason jar.
• Rice bag warmer. These are helpful if you can use a microwave powered by a backup generator or other source. Make flannel bags filled with dry rice or corn. Heat them in the microwave and then use them as a hand, body, or bed warmer. Your pets will love them too.
• Indoor emergency space heating. There is a significant risk of carbon monoxide poisoning with some backup heat sources. It is important to use one that is rated for indoor use. Mr. Buddy Propane Heater is a popular choice. The VESTA Self-Powered Indoor Space Heater & Stove is another helpful and affordable devise. It is powered by canned heat or Safe Heat and can be used as a heater or cooker. Candles can be used for warmth, light, and even cooking. A terracotta pot heater made with a tea candle and clay pot is a simple system that many people recommend.

Joyce Clark is the Executive Director of Saint Ann Assisted and Independent Living in
Oklahoma City. Saint Ann is an affordable and fun community that has new levels of care, including short-term respite stay. The home is a ministry of The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and people of all faiths love living at Saint Ann. Call Lisa at (405) 721-0747 Ext. #322 for more information about assisted or independent living https://www.saintannretirementcenter.com/.

By Eddie Roach

As the new year begins, VillagesOKC reflects on a very rewarding 2022 and looks forward to an even bigger and better 2023.
VillagesOKC was established in 2018 as a plan founded on relationships rather than transactions. Like many small towns in Oklahoma, here like-minded members can trust the connections to valuable resources, education and programming. Membership allows for personal responsibility while Empowering Independence for mature adults to age well – in the way they choose.
The combination of internal leadership and external visibility has raised awareness and opportunities for VillagesOKC. Yet its three core values remain unchanged:
* LEARN (growing the brain at any age)
* PLAN (for the bumps in life)
* SERVE (helping others is life-giving)
Highlights of 2022 accomplishments:
LEARN:
* Offered monthly iPhone and iPad technology support
* Participated in monthly Town Hall Lectures
* Held six-week Brain Health Academy
* Continued 12-month Senior Living Truth Series as educational partners
PLAN:
* Updated the Gathering Information for Transitions (GIFT) workbook and expanded the number of facilitators
* Made GIFT registration, scheduling and payment available online
* Videoed GIFT testimonials for informational sharing
* Piloted one-hour workshops for Medical Power of Attorney and Advance Directive
SERVE:
* Launched the Veteran Initiative with pinning of 350 veterans at the Oklahoma History Center
* Expanded Caregiver Ambassadors to 18 faith communities
* Grew an exciting monthly women’s coffee
* Expanded partnership with NewView Oklahoma
* Established partnership with OKC Friday Newspaper, Oklahoma Warriors Honor Flight and Force50 Foundation
In 2023, VillagesOKC will begin LifeSkills Academy, expand The GIFT and Power of Attorney Workshops, expand the Veterans Initiative, double the number of Church and Synagogue connections, and double the VillagesOKC Advisory Board.
VillagesOKC is becoming the magnet, the trusted one source for senior connections in greater Oklahoma City.
To learn more about VillagesOKC, go to their website: https://www.villagesokc.org/ or call (405) 990-6637.

By Nick Thomas

With a new 400+ page autobiography recently published, Bill Mumy’s “Danger Will Robinson: The Full Mumy – A Memoir” is crammed with fascinating facts and stories recalling his long acting and musical career (see www.NCPBooks.com).
“‘Lost in Space’ is definitely covered and certainly Will Robinson is the character most people identify with me,” said Mumy from Los Angeles. But despite the book’s title, the author examines much more than just the galaxy-wandering Robinson family.
Riveted to his own family’s black and white television screen of the late 50s, 4-year-old Billy longed to emulate his favorite TV adventurers such as Superman, the Lone Ranger, and Zorro, even breaking a leg after leaping fearlessly off his bed in full crusader mode and landing hard unlike his more nimble black-capped hero. But he carried that enthusiasm into his youthful acting career that would soon flourish.
Ironically, Mumy ended up working alongside his Zorro idol – Guy Williams – who would play space dad to the adventurous boy astronaut who ‘saved the day’ on many occasions beginning with the first season of “Lost in Space” in 1965.
Riding high on the success of earlier roles in popular 60s series such as “The Twilight Zone” and “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” 1965 proved a particularly good year for little Billy, not yet a teenager, that included guest-starring roles in beloved TV classics such as “I Dream of Jeannie,” “Bewitched,” and “The Munsters.”
That year, the young actor also portrayed a key character in the Twentieth Century Fox film “Dear Brigitte” starring Jimmy Stewart.
“(He) was the best overall artist I ever worked with,” recalled Mumy. “He truly was a wonderful man and showed me how you strive to be a good actor and to treat your coworkers well. The vast majority of actors and directors I worked with as a child were very happy with me because I always knew my lines and got things done quickly.”
While he experienced few professional ‘horror stories’ during his career, an exception was Alfred Hitchcock who terrified 7-year-old Billy on the set of “Alfred Hitchcock Presents.” Mumy says the director apparently whispered in his ear during a scene to stop shuffling about or he would nail his feet to the floor!
Beyond acting, Mumy has worn many hats including those of musician, singer, songwriter, author, and voice actor (see www.billmumy.com), but still recognizes the nostalgic value “Lost in Space” has for fans who grew up in the 60s. It’s hardly surprising, therefore, that Mumy included the name of his plucky young space adventurer in the new book’s title.
“Every child has a gift and mine from an early age was being able to easily memorize a script and deliver the dialogue believably,” he says. “I loved being little superhero Will Robinson. As a child actor, he was everything I ever wanted to be.”
Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery, Ala, and has written features, columns, and interviews for numerous magazines and newspapers. See www.getnickt.org.

For a full list of events/details visit: www.okhistory.org/calendar/ohs

History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip January 7, 2023, 11 a.m.–3 p.m.|Recurring Event. Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, 507 South 4th Street Enid, OK 73701. History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip takes place throughout the year on the first and third Saturday of each month, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. On those days, the historic buildings in the Humphrey Heritage Village at Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center (CSRHC) come to life with reenactors. These folks dressed in period clothing will have you convinced you have stepped back in time to 1893! Sit at school desks while lessons are taught at the Turkey Creek one-room schoolhouse, hear a pioneer tale from those tending their shops, and watch as craftsmen and women work their trades. For more information, please call the CSRHC at 580-237-1907
“Architecture of the Capitol” presentation by Trait Thompson January 7, 2023, 1 p.m.–2 p.m. Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive Oklahoma City, OK 73105. On Saturday, January 7, from 1 to 2 p.m., learn more about the restoration of the Oklahoma State Capitol and the architectural design behind it from Oklahoma Historical Society Executive Director Trait Thompson. He will make a presentation, sharing his insights about the Oklahoma Capitol Restoration Project. Before becoming director of the Oklahoma Historical Society, Thompson was the project manager of the Oklahoma Capitol Restoration Project. Share his specialized knowledge of the history of the Oklahoma State Capitol and how this monumental restoration project was achieved. This discussion will take place in the Clark and Kay Musser Learning Lab on the first floor of the Oklahoma History Center. Free with admission to the Oklahoma History Center. Call 405-522-0765 for more information.

Quilting workshop with Martha Ray January 14, 2023, 9 a.m.–11 a.m.|Recurring Event. Sod House Museum, 4628 State Highway 8 near Aline, OK 73716. The Quilting workshop with Martha Ray meets on the second Saturday of each month from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Sod House Museum at a cost of $5 per person. Martha Ray teaches how to create appliqué designs, traditional block patterns, original designs, crazy quilts, landscape designs, and paper piecing. New members of any skill level are always encouraged to attend! Share in the happy exchange of shared skills, fun, and camaraderie, door prizes, refreshments, discussions, and quilt patterns, along with old-fashioned bed turnings at the next meeting of the Quilting workshop. Proceeds directly fund Sod House Museum renovations. The Sod House Museum is operated by the Oklahoma Historical Society, the museum is located southeast of Aline on State Highway 8. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. For more information call 580-463-2441 or email sodhouse@okhistory.org.
“Researching Legal Documents” presentation by Dr. Le’Shawn Turner January 14, 2023, 12 p.m.–2 p.m. Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive Oklahoma City, OK 73105. Dr. Le’Shawn Turner, the reference librarian for the Oklahoma City University School of Law will guide non-lawyers on the process of researching legal sources effectively. This class will be beneficial to college students, genealogists, and people with specific research interests. OHS Archival Collections Manager Mallory Covington will also share the various legal materials of the Eleanor and John Kirkpatrick Research Center in the Oklahoma History Center where the class will take place. This class is free with registration.

Modern Wall Hangings workshop January 14, 2023, 1 p.m.–4 p.m. Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive Oklahoma City, OK 73105. On Saturday, learn the art of weaving while creating a modern piece of wall art to take home! The hands-on program for ages 12 and up will teach about various types of fibers, basic techniques, and historic practices of weaving. The cost of the make-and-take modern wall-hanging workshop will be $40 for members and $50 for nonmembers. All materials are included in the class cost. Registration is required and is limited to 15 participants. The workshop will be taking place in Classrooms A and B on the first floor of the Oklahoma History Center.
Museum OKademy volunteer training class and lecture January 21, 2023, 9 a.m.–11 a.m. Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, 507 South 4th Street Enid, OK 73701. The Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center (CSRHC) will host a six-session Museum OKademy course in 2023 to train volunteers and provide lectures on history. The classes will be held at 9 and 10 a.m., beginning on Saturday, January 21, and concluding on Saturday, April 1. The six-part lecture/workshop series, Museum OKademy, will be led by Jake Krumwiede (Executive Director), Neal Matherne (Director of Education), and CSRHC staff. These classes are aimed at both prospective volunteers and other adult learners who wish to broaden their knowledge base about the history of our area and the materials from which we learn. Reserve by emailing neal.matherne@history.ok.gov for more information. Attendance is limited so please contact us as soon as possible. Classes are free with regular museum admission. CSRHC members always visit free.
Museum After Dark: Village Sounds featuring singer/songwriter duo Desi and Cody January 27, 2023, 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, 507 South 4th Street Enid, OK 73701. The Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center is hosting the Tulsa-based musical duo, Desi and Cody on Friday, January 27 from 7 to 9 p.m. for Village Sounds, a part of the center’s “Museum After Dark” programming. Desi & Cody, a Tulsa-based singer-songwriter duo, focus their music on life and experiences in Oklahoma. The group’s performance at the Heritage Center will be a two-hour acoustic set. “Museum After Dark: Village Sounds” events are intimate listening experiences held at the Village Church on the grounds of the Humphrey Heritage Village at CSRHC. This series explores the Oklahoma story from the perspective of musicians and songwriters from our state who are authentic interpreters of the past. The concert is included with the cost of admission to the CSRHC. Members of the CSRHC or the Oklahoma Historical Society always visit the center for free. This event is made possible through the financial support of CSRHC’s community partner, Park Avenue Thrift. For more information about this series, please call 580-237-1907.
Introduction to Botanical Embroidery January 28, 2023, 1 p.m.–4 p.m. Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive Oklahoma City, OK 73105. On Saturday, January 28, from 1 to 4 p.m. join Oklahoma embroidery artist Lacey Plana as she leads this introductory class full of botanical inspiration. She will teach guests to stitch a vibrant Oklahoma-inspired bouquet of Oklahoma roses, firewheels, and yarrows. This is a great class to learn or brush up on embroidery basics such as how to create a variety of stitches and how to transfer your favorite designs onto fabric. Many stitches will be demonstrated, including the back stitch, French knots, woven wheel stitch, seed stitch, and single/detached chain stitch. The cost is $45 for Oklahoma Historical Society members and $55 for non-members. The class will take place in the Clark and Kay Musser Learning Lab on the first floor of the Oklahoma History Center. Each person taking part in the class will receive a pattern of the design, a stitch guide, and take home their botanical embroidery creations. All materials are included in the class cost. Ages 12+. Registration is limited to 15.
“On a Great Battlefield: The History of Gettysburg National Military Park, 1863–2022” presentation by Dr. Jennifer Murray January 28, 2023, 1 p.m.–2:30 p.m. Honey Springs Battlefield, 423159 E 1030 Road Checotah, OK 74426. On Saturday, January 28, from 1 to 2:30 p.m., Dr. Jennifer Murray author and teaching associate professor at Oklahoma State University (OSU) will present a history of the Gettysburg National Military Park at the Honey Springs Visitor Center. Dr. Jennifer M. Murray is a military historian, with a specialization in the American Civil War at OSU. Murray’s most recent publication On a Great Battlefield: The Making, Management, and Memory of Gettysburg National Military Park, 1933–2013 (2014, University of Tennessee Press). Dr. Murray’s program explores the landscape of the infamous battlefield and the first preservation and commemorative efforts of the Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association and the US War Department. Her main focus is the history of the Gettysburg battlefield in the 20th century, during the administrative era of the National Park Service (1933–present). In her words: “The history of the Gettysburg battlefield underscores the complicated relationship between race and reunion, public and private interests, between preservation theories and utilitarian uses, between the National Park Service and the American people, and between fact and fiction.” Murray is also the author of The Civil War Begins (2012). For more information regarding the presentation and Honey Springs Battlefield, please email honeysprings@okhistory.org or adam.lynn@history.ok.gov or call 918-617-7125.
Antique Doll exhibit opens February 1, 2023. Fred and Addie Drummond Home, 305 North Price Avenue Hominy, OK 74035. The Fred and Addie Drummond Home in Hominy will host an exhibit of antique dolls throughout the month of February. Beginning on Wednesday, February 1, and ending on Sunday, February 26, this exhibit is sure to delight doll collectors and doll lovers alike. The exhibit will feature a wide array of German-made dolls, including dolls by Armand Marseille, Kestner, and Koppelsdorf. There also will be a large group of china and porcelain dolls. During your visit, you are encouraged to tour the rest of the beautiful, historic Drummond Home. The three-story, Victorian-style house was built in 1905 and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The antique doll exhibit is included with the regular admission fee. Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors ages 62 and older, $4 for students, and free for children five and under. As always, OHS members receive free admission. Regular hours of operation are Wednesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. For more information, please call 918-885-2374. The Fred and Addie Drummond Home is located at 305 North Price Avenue in Hominy.
Christmas Open House December 10, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Sod House Museum, 4628 State Highway 8 near Aline, OK 73716. The Sod House Museum’s Christmas Open House will be held on Saturday, December 10, from 1–3 p.m. Enjoy the holidays in Oklahoma’s only remaining sod house that will be decorated for the season in the style of a traditional 1890s Pioneer Christmas.
Photos with Santa at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum December 10, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.|Recurring Event. Will Rogers Memorial Museum, 1720 West Will Rogers Boulevard Claremore, OK 74017. The Heritage Gallery at Will Rogers Memorial Museum will be the perfect backdrop for Photos with Santa on Saturday, December 3, and Saturday, December 10, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bring your family and your camera to take beautiful family pictures with Santa. Admission is free to take photos. For more information, please visit willrogers.com or call 918-341-0719.
Christmas Open House Hunter’s Home, 19479 East Murrell Home Road Park Hill, OK 74451. On Sunday, December 11, from 1 to 4 p.m., Hunter’s Home will host its annual Christmas Open House. Visitors will see the home and general store decorated for the holiday season and will enjoy cider and snacks while sitting around a roaring fire. For more information, please call 918-456-2751.
Holiday Candlelight Tours December 15, 4 p.m.–8 p.m.|Recurring Event . Hunter’s Home, 19479 East Murrell Home Road Park Hill, OK 74451. Oklahoma’s only remaining pre-Civil War plantation home will host five nights of candlelight tours in December. The tours of Hunter’s Home will take place from Tuesday, December 13, through Saturday, December 17, from 4–8 p.m. each day. The 177-year-old home will be decorated in a Victorian holiday style. Period Christmas decorations and candlelight will adorn the home’s lavish parlor, sitting room, and dining room. Costumed reenactors will share the history of the home. For more information please call 918-456-2751.
December Bake Day and Gingerbread Decorations Fort Gibson Historic Site, 907 North Garrison Avenue Fort Gibson, OK 74434. Visit Fort Gibson Historic Site for a special holiday-themed bake day on Saturday, December 17, at 10 a.m. Fresh bread and batches of giant gingerbread men will be baked in the historic Fort Gibson ovens just in time for the holidays! Fresh batches of each will be ready at noon and again at 3 p.m. Gingerbread men will be ready for decorations throughout the day starting at 11 a.m.
History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip December 17, 11 a.m.–3 p.m.|Recurring Event. Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, 507 South 4th Street Enid, OK 73701. Step back in time and experience life in the Cherokee Outlet during History Alive! on the Cherokee Strip at the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center in Enid. On the first and third Saturday of each month, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the historic buildings in the Humphrey Heritage Village come alive with reenactors who are tending their shops, working their trades, or socializing at the Village Church.
“Shut the Door! Barns in Oklahoma: The Significance of Barns in the Oklahoma Cultural Landscape” webinar December 27, 6 p.m. The State Historic Preservation Office is hosting a webinar series entitled “Shut the Door! Barns in Oklahoma,” featuring presenters who specialize in barn history, construction, and restoration. On Tuesday, December 27, the topic will be “The Significance of Barns in the Oklahoma Cultural Landscape.” This December webinar will be the last of the 2022 series. These presentations will be held on the last Tuesday of every other month, beginning at 6 p.m.
Movie Night featuring Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) December 30, 6 p.m.–9 p.m. Will Rogers Memorial Museum, 1720 West Will Rogers Boulevard Claremore, OK 74017. Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore will host a Movie Night featuring the film Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) in its theater on Friday, December 30, at 7 p.m. “Horsing Around with Will” will take place from 6 to 7 p.m., during which families can enjoy activities and crafts relating to the movie’s theme. Guests can enjoy free admission, popcorn, and drinks while watching the film. Seating is limited, so early arrival is suggested.
Observing with NASA Smithsonian exhibit kiosk closes December 31. Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive Oklahoma City, OK 73105. Observing With NASA, an authentic data experience with astronomical imaging will be on display at the Oklahoma History Center (OHC) until December 31, 2022. This exhibit kiosk from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory engages visitors in the art and science of NASA imagery. Observing With NASA offers an introduction to the tools, data, and skills that NASA space scientists and data visualization experts use to create the images of deep space objects that we all know and love.

Her record may not equal the NCAA basketball coach of the same name, but Stillwater High School’s “Coach K” left an enduring legacy of her own.
In addition to the example she set for her former students and basketball players, Kendra Kilpatrick’s legacy includes helping fund research aimed at breast cancer – the disease that took her life on Nov. 26. She was 36.
Stillwater students last week presented the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation with a check for $13,489.52 in Kilpatrick’s honor, all raised during their bake sales, T-shirt sales and other fundraisers comprising the school’s annual “Pink Out” week. Every dollar will go directly to cancer research at OMRF.
“Coach K was beloved by everyone,” said her friend and fellow teacher, Jody Webber, who advises the student group that leads Pink Out efforts. “She was a lover of students – of all people, really – and you felt that love from her.”
Following the check presentation, students met with OMRF cancer researchers, including Jake Kirkland, Ph.D., who joined OMRF from Stanford University. Kirkland’s research focuses on a chemotherapy called doxorubicin, better known as the “red devil” for its toll on the patient’s body.
“About half of patients with breast cancer seem to respond to doxorubicin. My goal is to better determine who it will help and who it won’t,” Kirkland said. “If we know that, we can avoid putting women through unnecessary suffering caused by the drug.”
Stillwater senior Bess Glenn said the visit to OMRF was a valuable learning experience.
“I really enjoyed learning about all that OMRF does and how our Pink Out Week donations make a difference. The passion and knowledge the scientists shared was inspiring,” said Glenn.
Since designating OMRF as the beneficiary of their fundraising efforts in 2011, the Stillwater community has raised more than $114,000 for the foundation’s scientists.
“We are so grateful to Stillwater High School’s students, their families, and the teachers and staff who put in an incredible amount of work to raise these funds,” said Katherine Jackson, OMRF’s donor relations coordinator. “This kind of consistent support is critical for our researchers to continue their life-changing work on this terrible disease.”
Work at OMRF has led to an experimental drug called OKN-007, which is undergoing clinical trials at the OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center and a dozen other sites around the U.S. to treat patients with glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer. The drug has also shown promise in diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), a fast-growing pediatric brain cancer.
Donations like those honoring Kilpatrick make such discoveries possible, and that, said Webber, is part of her legacy.
“This is part of what helps her to live on,” Webber said.

Jay Snider of Cyril, Oklahoma, has been appointed by Governor J. Kevin Stitt to serve as the 2023-2024 Oklahoma State Poet Laureate. Snider is an award-winning cowboy poet and recording artist who has appeared at national and regional events. He is widely recognized in the Oklahoma cowboy poetry community and is a frequent contributor to programs presented by the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center in Duncan, Oklahoma.
“It is an honor to appoint Jay Snider as the 2023-2024 Oklahoma State Poet Laureate,” said Governor Stitt. “Jay is a creative and talented Oklahoman, who has combined his love for our state and western heritage with his passion for poetry, and I look forward to this cowboy poet carrying on Oklahoma’s tradition and sharing his talent across the state.”
Oklahoma Arts Council Executive Director Amber Sharples said, “Oklahomans everywhere will connect with Jay’s poetry and stories as someone who fully embodies the spirit of the American West and cowboy way of life. Jay has received numerous recognitions throughout his years of writing, recording, and presenting poetry, but perhaps most compelling is how highly he came recommended by many people across the state. We look forward to working with Jay as we offer funding to schools and organizations interested in bringing the Oklahoma State Poet Laureate to their community.”
“It is an extreme honor to have been considered for the appointment of Oklahoma Poet Laureate,” said Snider. “The great state of Oklahoma has a rich history, and much of our heritage has been passed down through generations as oral history and through the writings of great authors. I have been fascinated by the storytellers of the past, the “Old Timers,” if you will. I felt the need to listen to those stories and hopefully keep them alive. Often, when the ‘Old Timers’ are gone, the stories are gone. Poetry has helped keep the old stories alive. Through the Oklahoma Poet Laureate position, I can continue to promote all types of poetry and storytelling in the great state of Oklahoma.”
Among national and regional events featuring Snider, he has appeared at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Nevada, the Texas Cowboy Poetry Gathering, the Arizona Cowboy Poets Gathering, and the Cochise Cowboy Poetry and Music Gathering. Snider was a featured poet at the Red Steagall Cowboy Gathering for many years. In 2001, he was chosen by CowboyPoetry.com as their fifth Lariat Laureate—awarded to poets whose work celebrates and preserves stories honoring Western heritage and the work of ranching and rural life. In 2006, Snider earned Cowboy Poetry Recording of the Year from the Academy of Western Artists for his CD, “Of Horses and Men.” In 2008, he was recognized as Cowboy Poet of the Year by the Academy of Western Artists. His latest album, “The Old Tried and True,” is a compilation of his favorite poems written by cowboy poets of the past.
Born and raised in a ranching and rodeo family in southwestern Oklahoma, Snider rodeoed as a young man. He currently stays busy raising ranch horses and cattle and taking part in team roping.
The tradition of officials conferring poets laureate to make public appearances and promote a greater appreciation of poetry originated hundreds of years ago. A United States Poet Laureate is appointed by the Librarian of Congress—Tulsa resident Joy Harjo, the first Native American and Oklahoman to hold the position, recently completed an unprecedented third term as U.S. Poet Laureate. Oklahoma’s poets laureate tradition dates back to 1923. The appointment of an Oklahoma State Poet Laureate by the Governor of Oklahoma was codified into state law in 1994. The statute calls for an appointment every two years. Joe Kreger of Tonkawa served as the 2021-2022 poet laureate.
The Oklahoma Arts Council serves on behalf of the Office of the Governor to solicit and facilitate recommendations for the honorary position. The agency supports the work of the Oklahoma State Poet Laureate by promoting their work and making grants available to eligible entities to present readings and programs featuring the laureate. Organizations and schools interested in presenting Snider can learn more at https://arts.ok.gov/.

Hospitals Helping Patients Quit (HHPQ), an Oklahoma Hospital Association (OHA) initiative, recognized 11 hospitals and clinic partners at OHA’s recent Connect 22 annual conference that have achieved notable benchmarks in reducing tobacco use in Oklahoma. These visionary hospitals and clinics have implemented a permanent and standard best-practice protocol for identifying, counseling, and referring individuals to the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline (OTH) for coaching support and nicotine replacement therapy.
OHA recognized these hospital leaders for achieving notable benchmarks in clinical tobacco treatment:

Helpline Referrals 100-499
Great Plains Regional Medical Center, Elk City – 100 referrals

McAlester Regional Health Center – 150 referrals
Cedar Ridge Behavioral Hospital, Oklahoma City– 275 referrals

Helpline Referrals 500-999

AllianceHealth Ponca City – 500 referrals

Stillwater Medical Center – 600 referrals
INTEGRIS Health Edmond – 600 referrals

Helpline Referrals 1000-1999
OU Health, Oklahoma City – 1,000 referrals

Comanche County Memorial Hospital, Lawton – 1,100 referrals

Helpline Referrals 2000 or more

SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital – Oklahoma City – 2,850 referrals

Chickasaw Nation Medical Center, Ada – 5,000 referrals

INTEGRIS Outpatient Clinics – 8,600 referrals
Through effective, health care provider-driven tobacco treatment services, HHPQ partner hospitals and clinics have referred 55,000 patients to the OTH, resulting in an estimated 39,000 years of life saved and $19.5 million dollars in reduced health care costs as well as personal spending on tobacco products.
The Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) supports OHA’s Hospitals Helping Patients Quit and the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline. For more information the HHPQ initiative, go to https://www.okoha.com/hhpq. For information on the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline,
http://okhelpline.com.

Legend Senior Living announced that it will be taking over management of Lionwood Independent Living on December 1, 2022. Merrill Gardens, of Seattle, WA was the prior management company. With headquarters in Wichita, KS, Legend Senior Living owns and operates 43 senior living residences in six states. Lionwood, at 12525 N. Pennsylvania Ave., will be Legend’s ninth community in Oklahoma and its fourth exclusively Independent Living residence.
“The Legend mission to serve seniors makes Lionwood a great addition to our Oklahoma family,” said Matt Buchanan, Legend’s Executive Vice President, in making the announcement. “We will bring to Lionwood the Legend concept of Vibrant Independent Living and Life Enrichment, emphasizing an active, social lifestyle and holistic wellness.”
As with other Legend residences, Lionwood Independent Living will remain a pets-welcome residence and retain a comprehensive list of amenities and services: 24-hour staff, chef-prepared meals, an Emergency Response System, included home maintenance, weekly housekeeping, on-site religious services, commons areas and lounges, transportation, game rooms, a beauty salon, and a library.
“Whether an existing building or new construction, we look for locations that are near hospitals, restaurants, shopping, and other attractions important to an active lifestyle,” said Buchanan. “The Lionwood community is a good fit because of its convenient location, long-standingreputation, great staff, and attractive updates to the property. We look forward to welcoming Lionwood residents and associates to the Legend family.”