By Marise Boehs

INSPIRE was giving free blood pressure checks.

Cody Metscher, Clinical Liason, said INSPIRE comes monthly to HLN to give No Charge blood pressure checks to persons wanting them.

For more information:
www.inspirehospital.com

Liz Barfield, Founder, Better Bites, was in the Center’s kitchen
preparing tasty snacks.

Better Bites offers locally made, well-balanced individually portioned meals to fit any lifestyle and nutritional goals.

www.betterbitesbylizb.com

Mark Cope, Nerve Renewal, talks to attendees about neuropathy pain.

Nerve Renewal offers long-term relief from chronic nerve pain and numbness with advanced therapy for peripheral, diabetic, and chemotherapy-induced neuropathy pain.

Nerve Renewal has offices across the Metro as well as in Shawnee, Stillwater and Broken Arrow.

To find a Nerve Renewal office near you and for more information about threatments available, check out their website at www.nerverenewalnow.com

Ryan Adkins, Nutritional Health Coach, Natural Grocers, talks with an attendee. Natural Grocers offers free Nutritional Health Coaching Sessions. For more information or to find a store near you, log on to www.naturalgrocers.com

Lezley Bell, CaptionCall, talks with attendees about the service they offer – a phone that displays large, easy-to-read text that automatically captions your conversation. The sevice and phone are no cost to you. For more information, email Lezley at lbell2@sorenson.com or call her at 580-302-4283.

ABOUT HEALTHY LIVING NORMAN
The mission of Healthy Living Norman is to promote the health and well-being of adults aged 50 and older by providing opportunities for physical activity, social engagement, and lifelong learning at the Adult Wellness and Education Center.

CENTER AMENITIES
Warm Indoor Saltwater Pool
Demonstration Kitchen
Fitness Center
Land and Water Fitness Classes
Health Screenings
Seminars and Events
Billiards
Indoor Walking Track
Outdoor Pickleball Courts
Fireplace and Lounge Area
Small Gathering Spaces
Art and Educational Classes

CLASSES  The center offers a variety of art and craft classes.

Fitness classes include water exercise as well as land exercises like yoga, pilates, tia chi, aerobics and line dancing or belly dancing.

Check out the entire list and  schedule of classes at www.healthylivingnorman.com

The annual Oklahoma Czech Festival returns to Yukon, Oklahoma on Saturday, October 5, 2024, bringing a day full of celebration and cultural activities. The festival will kick off with a vibrant parade at 10 a.m. on Main Street, featuring a colorful array of floats, costumes, and performances that honor the rich Czech heritage of the community.
This year’s festival introduces a reimagined Pivo Garden, also known as a beer garden, where visitors can enjoy traditional Czech dinners and beverages available for purchase. Adjacent to the Pivo Garden, Oklahoma Czech, Inc. will host live Czech performances with authentic folks singing and dancing, providing attendees with an immersive experience into the unique cultural traditions of the Czech community.
“Sharing Czech culture and heritage with our community is what drives the Oklahoma Czech Festival,” said Kim Rex, president of Oklahoma Czech, Inc. “2024’s Festival is shaping up to be one of the best as we make changes to improve accessibility, walkability, and safety, all while sharing Czech traditions and culture.”
To enhance accessibility and walkability, the 2024 festival has relocated the carnival portion of the festival to the north side of Main Street. This change also addresses safety concerns, allowing for a more enjoyable experience for all attendees.
Returning to the festival is the beloved arts and crafts show, featuring more than 150 artisans and crafters selling handmade products. From traditional Czech crafts to contemporary creations, there will be something for everyone to enjoy.
The Oklahoma Czech Festival is a family-friendly event celebrating the heritage and traditions of the Czech community in Oklahoma. Since 1966, Oklahoma Czechs, Inc. has hosted the Oklahoma Czech Festival to preserve and share the customs and heritage the Czech and Slovak immigrants brought from their homeland. Yukon is proudly known as the Czech Capitol of Oklahoma and celebrates its rich culture throughout the year. For more information, visit
https://www.czechfestivaloklahoma.com.

Launches aircraft on the flight deck of USS Ronald Reagan

Courtesy Megan Brown, Navy Office of Community Outreach

Lt. Drew Wofford, right, from Oklahoma City, and Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) Airman Dylan Lekniskas, from Vero Beach, Florida, launch a C-2A Greyhound, attached to the Fleet Logistics Squadron (VRC) 30 Det. 5, on the flight deck of the U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), in the Philippine Sea, Nov. 18. VRC 30 is one of only two carrier-qualified logistics support squadrons, providing supplies, personnel, and logistics support to Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 5. Ronald Reagan, the flagship of CSG 5, provides a combat-ready force that protects and defends the United States, and supports alliances, partnerships and collective maritime interests in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Dallas A. Snider)

Don’t Give Up

This is not the world we grew up in, or even the world we knew for much of our lives. If my informal poll of friends and acquaintances is correct, we don’t like it much. The current state of the world has taken an emotional, physical and social toll on us. This isn’t the retirement we planned.
I hear:
We’re too trusting and it gets us into trouble when we fall for scams coming to us via phone, email and the internet, and resulting in identity theft and loss of money.
The pandemic locked many of us away, and we haven’t surfaced yet because COVID is still out there, as well as the annual flu and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) this winter. Staying home seems to be the safest way to avoid it all.
And there’s the television news. Some of us have started only watching the first five minutes to catch the weather and then turn to a different channel to avoid the political scene and crime reporting, some of which unfortunately is happening in our own areas. Channels showing reruns of retro programs are getting a lot of our attention now.
No, we don’t like it much, and some of us wonder if we’re sliding into depression.
But there are ways to regain some of what we’ve lost, and a trip to our physician might be the best first step. Go, and tell him or her what’s going on with you. A simple blood test might point to a change in diet that could help how you feel.
At the same time, he might know of some community resources, even if it’s having meals delivered.
Reconnect with friendships that matter (even if it’s on the phone), ask if the library delivers books, become a pet foster parent, look for senior exercise videos on YouTube, etc.
Don’t Give Up.

by Darl DeVault

Bicycling is experiencing a resurgence lately because it provides a fun, healthy way to spend time outdoors while riders keep a safe social distance from others. Seniors might consider the comfortable modern Fat Bikes that will bring back memories of bicycles in the 1960s.
Modern fat tire bikes, or Fat Bikes as they are called, are off-road bicycles providing seniors comfortable and smooth riding because of the oversized tires, no matter where they ride. The elderly appreciates these bicycles because they are designed so the rider maintains an upright position with no strain on their back. The handlebars are straight, again easing pressure on the back by not requiring a crouching position over the bike.
Seniors who cycle or want to start riding again might want to test ride a Trek Fat Bike. It is a cross between a light-weight racing bike, with its multi-speed gearing, and a balloon-tired “paperboy” bike of the 1950s.
Many seniors are riding more now because the activity can slow down the progression of aging, deterioration in muscle mass, and much more, according to many medical studies.
Remember your first balloon-tired bike? These new fat tires are almost three times bigger than those balloon tires, which expands regular 2-to- 2.25-inch mountain bike tires to a whopping, comfortable, cruising 4-5 inches. With all that squishy rubber under you, comfort rules the day.
These bikes have the best kind of frames for a senior, the step-through design. This enables the rider to get on and off the bicycle easily. It will perform well during your regular commute or a Sunday country ride. The choice of more gears is generally helpful. If you have a lot of climbing to do and prefer easy pedaling with more revolutions and less resistance for each pedal stroke, the gears provide that option.
With these big tires you achieve a floating sensation when riding along. Fat Bikes are a lot of fun and come with a built-in smile factor – you cannot help but grin to yourself if you like to bicycle.
These Fat Bikes have everything, as manufacturers are now putting real engineering and design technology into them. Racing-bicycle metallurgy, extremely light but strong, means the design allows the Fat tires to dampen road shock and provide stability over rough terrain.
Here is my recent off-road test. I took a Fat Bike off the pavement and up a nearby berm to test the fun.
The added buoyancy of plenty of air between the rim and the ground meant it was simply a matter of powering through the uneven terrain.
My first pass…. I started up the steeply sloping hillside only to discover about two-thirds of the way up that it was sandy soil. The loose soil quickly brought my speed down. When I noticed I was not making good progress I simply applied more power.
I continued my climb. What a feeling, I was on top of the world! I was in control and staying upright while climbing over difficult and uneven terrain.
It made all the difference in the world to my confidence to know that I had climbed the steepest area without using all the gearing available.
The length of the wheelbase, because of extra-size tires, alone adds a dimension of stability. Forget the huge contact patch with the ground; the longer wheelbase gives your ride a squish not available any other way. It seems to even some obstacles out without effort from the rider.
Senior riders can opt for significantly lower tire pressure. Think 15 or 10 psi, or even lower still. This gives the tire some significant squish, and that play translates to more rubber conforming to the trail for serious grip.
I rode back and forth on top of the berm several times, finding new routes, weaving in and out of the trees and around obstacles. I could cut back against the hill and accelerate to support my balance after going around bushes.
I was proud of being able to handle the bike in such tight quarters. I took on harder terrain, happy to come shooting out of the underbrush into the open unscathed.
So far, so good. Now it was time to ride down. I felt I was in control… that I could use the disc brakes and if necessary, the whole rear tire in slowing down. Coming down was a pleasure, the control of the bike suddenly became all mine again. Slaloming on the 4-inch fat tires was a breeze.
I felt I had more control over the bike descending than at any other time, especially with the longer wheelbase. I knew that if I kept my center of gravity low and the bike centered beneath me, those sturdy fat tires could take any punishment. This confidence allowed me to steer right where I wanted it to go.
While Fat Biking over changing terrain takes coordination, and quickness, it gives the cyclist the elation of triumphing over unpredictable conditions and challenges. Finally, it instills a “can-do” attitude that is as comfortable as a bicycle can get.
If you ride, please buy a helmet, and wear it. Today’s helmets are adjustable and comfortable to wear while the air flow through the vents keep your head cool.
Senior cyclists owning the new-generation Fat Bike can also try out what they term Gravel Rides, taking backcountry unpaved scenic routes on their new contraptions.
Imagine a bicycle with bigger than a paperboy balloon tires by two and a half times taking the tension off major joints, and you have the start of what you might find as the inspiration to cycle more.

Died During the December Attack on Pearl Harbor

Robert Thomas Stout was in El Reno, Oklahoma on Feb. 27, 1920 and enlisted at Denver, Colorado as a Seaman Apprentice.
Robert reached the rank of Fire Controlman 3rd Class (FC3c) with duties included operating, maintaining, inspecting and repairing the weapons control systems used on combat ships. He also operated range finders, optical fire control equipment, repaired electrical firing circuits and manned fire control stations in action.
Robert’s Duty Stations included the USS Oklahoma in April, 1941 until death, USS Rigel in 1940, Elementary Fire Controlman School in 1940 at San Diego, USS Oklahoma in 1939 and the Naval Training Station Great Lakes, IL in 1939.
Awards and decorations included the Purple Heart Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, American Defense Service Medal (Fleet Clasp), Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (Bronze Star) and the World War II Victory Medal.
Robert Thomas Stout, Fire Controlman 3rd Class died during the Dec. 7 attack on Pearl Harbor, will be buried in the Cottonwood, Cemetery, 20499 1st Street, Cottonwood, California on September 15.
Families of Sailors that died in the Pearl Harbor attack are offered a choice to either have the family member re-interred at NMCP, or choose an alternate location, such as a veterans’, private family site, or Arlington National Cemetery. Navy Mortuary, a branch within Navy Casualty, will coordinate the movement of remains, which typically arrive a couple days prior to the burial.

csibleyinsures@gmail.com