Journey back to the age of dinosaurs with the Zoo’s new DINO SAFARI experience to discover the world’s largest, most life-like animatronic prehistoric creatures.

Dinosaurs are back at the OKC Zoo! The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden presents DINO SAFARI, a new immersive experience featuring life-sized, scientifically accurate animatronic dinosaurs that demonstrate movement and sounds like the prehistoric giants that once roamed the planet. Explore DINO SAFARI located in the Zoo’s lush, 6-acre pollinator garden along the Lakeside to see several dinosaurs come to life through 15 one-of-a-kind animatronic displays and 8 skeleton replicas in a COVID safer setting.
These amazingly life-like creations were created by Jurassic Park advisor “Dino Don” Lessem’s company Dino Don Inc., the premiere maker of robot animals in the world. DINO SAFARI is open to the public now through Sunday, October 31, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. Entry into DINO SAFARI is the cost of general Zoo admission plus, $5 per person for ZOOfriends members and $6 per person for nonmembers. Children 2 and under are free and do not require tickets for entry into DINO SAFARI.
“Animal fans of all ages are drawn to dinosaurs so we are thrilled to bring this unique opportunity to the Zoo,” said Dwight Lawson, OKC Zoo’s executive director/CEO. “We hope to foster our guests’ natural curiosity and interest to learn more about these prehistoric wonders of the past while connecting them to our incredible animal family today.”
Learn how dinosaurs evolved over time and where they roamed as you encounter the fascinating creatures of DINO SAFARI. Stand next to one of the most popular predators of the late Cretaceous era, the Tyrannosaurus Rex, get an up-close look at a massive Woolly mammoth from the Pleistocene era as also referred to as the Great Ice Age and gaze at the 42-foot wingspan of a Tropeognathaus! Guests will also learn how the OKC Zoo is working with Tinker Air Force Base and the University of Oklahoma to help fight the extinction of Oklahoma’s beloved lizard, the horny toad, also known as the Texas horned lizard, through educational displays setup near the DINO SAFARI gift shop.
Trek over to the newly, renovated Dino Bites, located next to the pollinator garden, for a selection of tasty favorites including turkey legs, chicken nuggets, hot dog and churros. Shop for the ultimate dinosaur souvenirs at the DINO SAFARI gift shop and discover a vast selection of unique toys and gifts, apparel for both children and adults, plush, children’s books and more.
Additionally, guests can purchase exclusive DINO SAFARI OKC Zoo conservation wristbands. Choose from four limited-edition animal designs – Tyrannosaurus Rex, Triceratops, a raptor and Texas horned lizard – available for $2/each in the Guest Services office and stroller window located in the entry plaza. The Zoo’s collectible, conservation wristbands benefit the Zoo’s local and global conservation efforts with 100 percent of sales going to Round Up for Conservation.
DINO SAFARI TICKET OPTIONS
Bring on the big fun, purchase a single-day DINO SAFARI Adventure Ticket with unlimited walks through DINO SAFARI, unlimited lorikeet feedings, unlimited carousel and Elephant Express tram rides plus, general admission to the Zoo for $31/adult and $28/child and senior. ZOOfriends members can take advantage of a dino-mite deal and purchase the Zoo’s DINO SAFARI Adventure Season Pass for unlimited admission to DINO SAFARI through October 31, along with lorikeet feedings, carousel rides and a souvenir Zoo Key. DINO SAFARI Adventure Season Passes range from $35 to $200. Must be a current member to purchase season passes.
DINO-RIFFIC BIRTHDAY PACKAGES
Surprise your kiddo with a dino-mite birthday party! Young explorers can try their hand at the fossil dig to excavate rare dinosaur “bones” just like a real paleontologist. With the Zoo’s exclusive DINO SAFARI birthday package, your child’s special day is sure to be memorable.

by Greg Schwem

Purely for my own entertainment, and perhaps out of boredom while standing in grocery checkout lines, I find myself peering into fellow shoppers’ carts and trying to imagine their life stories.
For example: the guy last week whose cart contained a jumbo pack of diapers and a 12-pack of beer. Was he a stay-at-home dad eager, I mean, REALLY eager, to reward himself when his wife returned from a business trip? Was he the lifelong single uncle who thought, “How difficult can this baby-sitting thing be?” Or something in between?
Earlier this month there was an attractive woman, mid-30s, purchasing a laxative and a large bouquet of flowers. What was her deal? Did she seek something pleasant to look at while the laxative did its due diligence? Did she feel the need to fill her house with fragrance for obvious reasons? Was her digestive system keeping her from her love of gardening? The possibilities were endless.
If grocery cart analysis is your idea of fun, then you really must rent a storage unit. Or simply hang out at a storage facility.
I recently moved from a four-bedroom house into a one-bedroom apartment, a process that required more preplanning and coordination than invading a hostile country. Upon realizing I would not be able to secure my new building’s loading dock on the same day my movers emptied my home, I was forced to secure, for a month, one of those sterile, garage-like structures that people rent for one of three reasons:
1. Like me, they are in transition between residences
2. They are having difficulty downsizing or, worse, have a serious hoarding addiction
3. They are looking to dispose of evidence from the crime they just committed
Whatever their intentions, I found myself making multiple trips to my unit, not only to drop off or retrieve items, but just to observe others doing the same thing so I could imagine what prompted them to pay monthly fees for what started as empty space.
On my first visit, after unloading 15 boxes from a rickety cart into my unit, and realizing months of physical therapy was in my near future, I exited the elevator to find a gentleman with two items on his cart: a truck tire and an electronic piano keyboard.
My mind did not even know where to begin.
Was he part of a musical group called “Spare Automotive Parts”? It was plausible. Or was there a disabled tour bus stranded somewhere, and this guy was elected to find a replacement tire while ditching the one that had just run over a sharp object? That seemed far-fetched; why take the keyboard on this mission? Also, that task seemed more suited for the bass player.
I longed to ask his intentions, but I chose to remain silent. Nobody in a storage facility wants to chat, because nobody in a storage facility is in a pleasant mood. Moving is an arduous task unless you just won the lottery, have elected to take your winnings in hundred-dollar bills and have a distrust of banks.
On my next trip, this time to OPEN all the boxes until I found some documents I had inadvertently packed, I shared an elevator with a couple whose cart contained two paintings and an industrial sized bag of dog food. I’m no art aficionado, so I couldn’t critique the paintings’ subject matter or artistic styles. I chose to focus on the dog food.
Were these two planning to paint a ravenous canine? Or did they just need something to keep their own pet occupied while they plied their craft? Judging from the size of the bag, the latter scenario meant the pair were notoriously slow painters.
Perhaps they weren’t artists at all but merely art collectors. I imagined the couple, their dog between them, gazing at their latest purchase in the foyer of their expensive home. They would celebrate with a succulent dinner of red wine, two steaks cooked medium well and grain free kibble, The only thing lacking would be music.
I know of a keyboard player who could fit the bill. Although he may need transportation.
(Greg Schwem is a corporate stand-up comedian and author of two books: “Text Me If You’re Breathing: Observations, Frustrations and Life Lessons From a Low-Tech Dad” and the recently released “The Road To Success Goes Through the Salad Bar: A Pile of BS From a Corporate Comedian,” available at https://www.amazon.com/. Visit Greg on the web at https://www.gregschwem.com/.
You’ve enjoyed reading, and laughing at, Greg Schwem’s monthly humor columns in Senior Living News. But did you know Greg is also a nationally touring stand-up comedian? And he loves to make audiences laugh about the joys, and frustrations, of growing older. Watch the clip and, if you’d like Greg to perform at your senior center or senior event, contact him through his website at https://www.gregschwem.com/)

The Antelope Party
by Eric John Meyer Directed by Jesse Jou October 12-22, 2023. “The Rust Belt Ponies Meet-Up Group for Adult Fans of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic” gather weekly to visit Equestria—a land of enchantment aka Ben’s apartment in rural Pennsylvania.
Looking for Tiger Lily
Written and Performed by Anthony Hudson November 16-18, 2023. Starring Anthony Hudson – the human vessel for Portland’s premiere drag clown Carla Rossi – LOOKING FOR TIGER LILY utilizes song, dance, drag, and video to put a queer spin on the ancestral tradition of storytelling.
Under The Radar: On The Road
In Association with The Public Theater January 25-28, 2024. OKC Rep’s annual collaboration with The Public Theater in New York brings a show directly from the NYC festival to Oklahoma City.
Vietgone
by Qui Nguyen, Directed by Nikki DiLorento February 29 – March 9, 2024. An all-American love story about two very new Americans. It’s 1975. Saigon has fallen. He lost his wife. She lost her fiancé.
Of a Mind: Oklahoma City
Created by Kelly Kerwin, Emily Zemba, and Listen&Breathe, Movement Direction by Hui Cha Poos May 9 – June 2, 2024. Put on your headphones and join OKC Rep for a remount of OF A MIND: OKLAHOMA CITY, the audio-guided theatrical walking tour that originally delighted audiences in Spring 2022.
For more information visit: https://www.okcrep.org/season

On Friday, June 10, from 7 to 9 p.m. the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center (CSRHC) in Enid will present “Museum After Dark: Village Sounds” featuring singer/songwriter Stacey Sanders. The Village Church on the grounds of the Humphrey Heritage Village will be transformed for the evening into an intimate listening room for the musician to share songs and stories. The CSRHC will remain open for the duration, so visitors can also explore our shared history at their leisure.
Museums are honest, authentic interpreters of the past, using pieces of historic evidence as a guide. Musicians are also storytellers, also telling honest, authentic stories about the world around us. “Museum After Dark: Village Sounds” at the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center is a chance to explore our story in Oklahoma from the perspective of different songwriters from our state.
As Sanders’s song “Government Issue” suggests, “I was a Desert Strike baby conceived in 1964.” He indeed was born in 1965 in Blackwell. His family relocated frequently to other states and Germany due to his father’s military service until they settled in Enid in 1976. Sanders then started playing acoustic guitar and penning songs during his teens. He cut his teeth on the sounds of James Taylor, Dan Fogelberg, Neil Young and other acoustic musicians he would aspire to become. Sanders unapologetically shies away from love songs and prefers telling gritty, earthy stories. Many of his songs are based on true-life experiences while others are whimsical, wild tales. He resides in Enid with his wife, Kay, and their dog, Jane.
The concert is free with 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 our community partner, Park Avenue Thrift. The Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center is located at 507 S. Fourth Street in Enid. For more information, please call 580-237-1907 or visit www.csrhc.org.
The Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center is a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society. The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit www.okhistory.org.

Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a bill on that enhances requirements for health care providers who perform mammograms to notify patients about their test results. The measure is part of Oklahoma’s ongoing efforts to fight breast cancer.
Known as Nancy’s Law, the legislation is named for Nancy Simpson of Edmond, who lost her life to breast cancer in 2018 at the age of 69. The law focuses on dense breast tissue, which can interfere with efforts to detect breast cancer.
“Mammograms are vital tools for detecting breast cancer,” said Sen. Adam Pugh (R), Edmond, who co-authored the bill. “But for some women, they may not tell the whole story. Nancy’s Law will equip those women with the knowledge they need to take charge of their health and, in some cases, save their lives.”
Dense breast tissue affects as many as half of all women and can obscure basic mammography scans, making cancer more difficult to detect. Under existing Oklahoma law, if a patient is found to have dense breast tissue, when she receives her mammography results, the health care facility that performed the mammogram must advise the patient of this fact and provide information on additional testing options.
The new legislation requires those mammography results and notification to be emailed to the patient if she so elects.
“Our wives, mothers, sisters and daughters depend on breast screening to detect cancer,” said the bill’s co-author Rep. Lewis Moore (R), Arcadia. “This new measure will give more Oklahoma women the chance to live their lives cancer-free.”
Simpson worked for 30 years as a laboratory technician at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, searching for effective ways to control fats that play a major role in heart disease and stroke.
Although she underwent yearly mammograms, Simpson’s dense breast tissue hid her cancer until doctors discovered it at stage 4, when it was too advanced to respond to treatment. At the end of her life, she wrote a letter to Pugh and Moore that served as the catalyst for the new legislation.
“Nancy dedicated her career to helping make discoveries to benefit people she would never know,” said OMRF President Stephen Prescott, M.D. “Even in the fight for her own life, she did what she could to ensure that future generations of women could take control of their own breast health and live longer.”
“We are so grateful to Sen. Pugh and his staff for what they’ve done in Nancy’s memory,” said John Simpson. “Nancy was a caring, empathetic person. She would love knowing that Nancy’s Law will save lives.”
“This law is a major step for women’s health in Oklahoma,” said Stitt. “It ensures that all women can take advantage of advances in breast cancer detection and treatment that can spell the difference between life and death.”
Nancy’s Law will take effect Nov. 1.

The Koontz family never takes a Father’s Day for granted after nearly losing their patriarch last year. Keith Koontz of Wichita, Kansas was having urination issues and just wasn’t feeling well when he finally went to the doctor. Come to find out, his kidneys were failing – and he was put on dialysis. “Dialysis is no joke,” he admits. “I would go in three times a week for four hours each. It was time consuming and could be painful. Things got a little better when they put me on home dialysis, but it was hard to lug around heavy boxes of fluid anytime we tried to go camping.”
An avid camper for many years, Koontz had no idea his hobby would play a role in saving his life. “When it became clear that I needed a transplant, my physicians said I was lucky that I was in such good shape. I attribute that to camping.”
But at the age of 81, he wondered if transplantation was even an option for him. “Some transplant centers will not transplant someone over the age of 80,” Koontz states. “That was one of the deciding factors for why we chose INTEGRIS Health.
I wasn’t done living yet, and they were willing to give me a second chance.”
E.N. Scott Samara, M.D., is the surgical director of the Nazih Zuhdi Kidney Transplant program at INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City. “It’s our transplant center’s philosophy to not look a patient’s chronologic age, age in years, but to look at how the patient looks physically and mentally. Mr. Koontz is an active, vibrant man with an overall good health status and we felt he was well deserving of transplant for continued quality of life.”
The Koontz clan is a tight knit group. Keith’s sister and all five of his children offered to give him one of their kidneys. They all went through the application process, but it was Kenny Koontz of Norman, Okla., the baby of the family, who was a perfect match. “Any one of us would have done it for him,” says Kenny. “I just happened to be the best candidate.”
The transplant took place on Jan. 11, 2021. It was a complete success – but the story doesn’t end there.
As fate would have it, the surgeons who performed the transplant on Keith and Kenny Koontz – were a father and son duo as well. E.N. Scott Samara, M.D., is the senior and Shea Samara, M.D., is the son. Both are transplant surgeons at the Nazih Zuhdi Transplant Institute. “What are the odds?” asks Keith Koontz. “When we tell our story to people, they don’t believe us at first. But then they think it’s amazing when they realize we’re being serious.”
Kenny Koontz gets choked up when he thinks about it. “The son took my kidney and handed it to his father, who in turn put it into my father. It’s more than a coincidence to me, it’s a connection. One we won’t forget for the rest of our lives.”
“As transplant surgeons, we always feel blessed to be able to help people. One father and son pair helping another father and son pair was truly special,” admits Shea Samara. “My dad and I have been blessed to have been able to work together for the past 15 years and we truly cherish every moment together.”
The Koontz family hopes to help others by sharing their story. They say life is too precious to be taken for granted. “Never take a Father’s Day for granted,” advises Kenny. “You never know when or if it will be the last one you get to spend together.”
Keith Koontz agrees. He is camping again and just celebrated his 64th wedding anniversary with his wife, Beverly. He says they have lived a blessed life thanks to the Man Upstairs. He calls these next years his ‘bonus’ years – and says he will live each of them to the fullest.

https://www.thecarlstone.com/

Story by Darl Devault, Contributing Editor

The Santa Market Craft Show November 19-20 at State Fair Park has evolved the last dozen years into Oklahoma City’s premiere free two-day showcase for Christmas themed creations, benefiting the Alzheimer’s Association of Oklahoma.
As one of Oklahoma’s largest free nonprofit arts and craft shows, the 12th annual festive shopping experience will fill the Pavilion and Centennial Buildings with more than 180 carefully chosen creative vendors. It features free admission, free parking, a silent auction and more from 9 to 4 Friday and Saturday.
Visitors are encouraged to bring their children to get their free photos taken with Santa Claus at Oklahoma City’s most prestigious Christmas market each year.
Shoppers are treated to a variety of home decor, homemade arts and crafts, boutique and holiday items, jewelry, children’s clothes, and food goodies. Free shopping bags sponsored by local businesses will be given to the first 1,000 visitors.
Joan Clarke, along with Molly and Megan Nye began the event in 2010 after Joan’s husband died of Alzheimer’s in 2007. It has been a labor of love attracting many volunteers to help showcase the wares of the many high-quality vendors, who see it as an opportunity to support a local charity addressing one of America’s most difficult diseases.
“Molly and I had been selling items at craft shows for years and we decided to start our own event. We booked a small room in a hotel and started out with 17 vendors,” Clark said. “By the time our third year began, we realized how much work putting on a quality show involves, so we decided to make it a fundraiser. Molly immediately suggested Alzheimer’s since I lost my husband to the terrible disease.”
“Our excellent vendors are what make this show what it is each year. We are one big family, everyone helps promote the show, advertise, and find new merchants. They donate to our cause, both monetarily and with their products, even though it’s totally voluntary,” Clark said. “They help with set up, clean up and everything in between. We have 3 vendors that have been with us all 12 years. Countless more that have been with us 5, 8, even 10 years. One vendor named it ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’ and it truly is.”
Even while spreading out over two buildings now, the organizers limit the number of crafters assigned space. Clarke says It is not about turning away new vendors, it is about only allowing a limited number of each type of vendor. They wish they could take everyone, but having a variety makes for a much better shopping experience and the merchants have a much better chance of success.
The event is now at the point where longtime merchants who display clamor to be back each year. This means the shoppers have high quality choices because the theme of the show is providing the highest quality Christmas theme material for their customers.
Clarke says some of the merchants see the event as an opportunity to make sure one of their favorite charities receive as much as possible from their craft world and from them personally.
Vendors write personal checks to the Alzheimer’s Association when the Santa Market rolls around, Clarke said. They also donate some of their hand-painted ornaments, clothing, pet items, artwork, wood working, signs, candles and more to the Alzheimer’s auction and Alzheimer’s booth at the event.
The 12th year means the Santa Market folks also supported the annual Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s which occurred October 23 in downtown OKC. The Santa Market fielded a team for the walk, captained by Janie Biggs, with 11 members this year who raised $8,512 by the day of the walk.
Taking place many different dates and locations, it is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. The Walk in OKC was one of the top 30 in the nation in 2020.
“We are so grateful to the Clarke and Nye families who have used their creativity and passion to end Alzheimer’s to create such an amazing craft event,” said Jessica N. Hogner, OKC Alzheimer’s Walk Manager. “The Santa Market is not only responsible for raising more than $177,000 these last 11 years, but also helping spread awareness about Alzheimer’s Disease and the free services the Alzheimer’s Association provides.” Contact Joan at thesantamarket@gmail.com .