Every month, RSVP of Central Oklahoma volunteers put together Project Red, White & Blue gift bags to be given to older veterans throughout Oklahoma and Cleveland Counties.
A single line from the insert included in the bag says it all. “Freedom isn’t free…Thank you Veterans!” From toothbrushes to socks, snacks to tissues, Project Red, White & Blue allows older adult RSVP volunteers in the community to express their thanks to veterans for serving and protecting.
RSVP of Central Oklahoma, Inc. is part of the Corporation for National and Community Service and a United Way partner agency. Thanks to the Kirkaptrick Family Fund, RSVP volunteers are able to assemble these bags and have them delivered to deserving older veterans throughout our community.
Kim Sanders is an RSVP volunteer who delivers the bags and is able to see firsthand the impact Project Red, White and Blue has.
“When I deliver the bags, they’re so excited to get them. There are useful items in the bag that people have thoughtfully prepared and they really appreciate them,” Sanders said.
The gesture may seem simple, but for a veteran to know that someone took the time to create a bag full of useful goods and to deliver it to them can mean the world.
“It is so nice to be thought of and appreciated. I live alone and on a fixed income. This bag has so many items that I don’t have to go out and purchase. RSVP has always been so wonderful to me. I truly appreciate this thoughtful gift,” World War II veteran Don Weaver said.
RSVP of Central Oklahoma, Inc. enriches the lives of older adults by connecting them with meaningful and rewarding community volunteer opportunities. Since 1973, their vision has been for older adults to continue to live a life full of purpose and meaning.

What are you hoping for this year? AllianceHealth Midwest Hospital Volunteer Services

I’m hoping the country comes together this year and there’s not so much division and meanness. Mary Boutin

Another trip to Scandinavia. The last one was out of this world! Lucy Dinberg

I’m just wishing for the best for my grandkids growing up. Kay Rogers

Personally, I pray everyday for a better attitude and stronger faith. Terry Wilkinson

Oklahoma Artist Harold Stevenson to be recognized by Oklahoma Legislature

Photography and Text by Terry “Travels with Terry” Zinn [email protected]
Past President: International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association http://realtraveladventures.com/author/zinn/
www.new.okveterannews.com – www.martinitravels.com

Octogenarian, Harold Stevenson will be honored with a Legislative proclamation and reception at the Oklahoma State Capitol on the afternoon of April 19 followed by a public reception.
At press time details are being formulated but for more information you may contact Melodye Blancett, at [email protected] or me at [email protected], with the subject line being “Harold Stevenson.”
This recognition comes as a result of decades of exhibitions with Harold’s studios ranging from Paris, to Idabel Oklahoma, Key West, and Wainscott, New York. As a native from Idabel Oklahoma, he now has returned to his beloved community as an example of the circle of life. He returned to his childhood home on Avenue A and subsequently passed it on to his nephew who built him a cabin in the Idabel woods.
In a 1998 Persimmon Hill Magazine interview by M.J. Van Deventer, she writes: “Harold Stevenson was drawing and using colors even before he learned to write his name. “I invented painting all by myself,” he says. Today, he is considered an iconoclast, an uncompromising artist who listened only to his own voice and paints the subjects that bring him the greatest pleasure.”
Harold says, “I was very precocious and by nature, I became very gregarious. There’s no such thing as a stranger to me.” At the age of twelve he opened his own studio in downtown Idabel. “Other kids my age were delivering papers or milk. But I had an art studio in the middle of town. I actually sold my paintings. I made my own job.”
Born on March 11, 1929 in Idabel and growing up in Idabel Harold was readily accepted by his neighbors when he asked to paint their portraits which later resulted in a larger than life exhibition of his works titled, The Great Society. With encouragement from the founder of the Oklahoma Art Center in Oklahoma City, Nan Sheets, Harold received education from the University of Oklahoma in 1947, Mexico City College, and studied under Yasuo Kuniyoshi and Max Schallinger.
Decades later his larger than life portraits were accepted into the Fred Jones Junior Museum of Art’s permanent collection accompanied with a monumental exhibition. The Museum recently accepted a collection of Harold’s paintings from longtime friend, Buddy Dugan, from his San Francisco’s home collection.
Besides the Fred Jones Junior Museum of Art collection, his works are also in the permanent collection of New York’s Whitney Museum, the Guggenheim, and the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. Besides other exhibitions his reclining panoramic portrait, inspired by actor Sal Mineo, is in the Guggenheim. Of note was his huge painting of Spanish bullfighter, El Cordobes, when it was hung from the Eiffel Tower. Harold is best known for his large canvas paintings, some ranging from six feet by ten feet.
Harold’s contemporaries and acquaintances include artists; Marcel du Champs, Jackson Pollack, Andy Warhol, Poteet Victory and philanthropist Peggy Guggenheim where he visited her at her Venice palazzo. He has been described as one of the art worlds living icons with work that spans almost seven decades. He is part of a generation that was once classified by a 1962 art show in New York City as the “New Realists.”
With an avid interest in classical history Harold Stevenson’s subject matter includes realistic depiction of classical subjects, Oklahoma cowboys, native Americans, landscapes and an admiration of the human form.
In coming back to his home in Idabel, Harold reflects: “There a providence that ties all these generations together. You cannot see the thread or the links that bind life together. But it is curious to me that in the last cycle of my life I would come back to this – my roots. It is a great reward for me to still be a local. I’m an armchair relic of the past, living in the house in which I was born.”
Harold continues from the 1998 interview. “But gradually I’m becoming a part of the current generation of Idabel people. I’m very interested in knowing the next generation. I have a new following. And it is very flattering.”

Dear Savvy Senior,

When my father passed away a few months ago we had him cremated, but are now wondering what to do with his ashes. My sister and I would like to do something celebratory for his life, but aren’t sure what to do. Any suggestions?

No Instructions Left

Dear No,
If your dad didn’t leave any final instructions on what to do with his cremated remains (ashes), you have a wide array of choices. They can be kept, buried or scattered in a variety of ways and in many locations. Here are some different options to help you decide.
Keep Close By: For many people, keeping the ashes of their deceased love one close by provides a feeling of comfort. If you fit into this category, you could keep his ashes in an urn on the mantel or in a cabinet, or you could also scatter some of them into your lawn or garden, shake them into a backyard pond or dig a hole and bury them. Another possible option is eco-friendly urns (like UrnaBios.com or EterniTrees.com) that contain a seed that grows into a tree or plant after being buried.
Cemetery Options: If you want your dad’s final resting place to be at a cemetery, you have several choices depending on how much you’re willing to spend. With most cemeteries, you can either bury his ashes in a plot, or place them in cremation monument, a mausoleum, or a cemetery building called a columbarium.
Scatter Them: If you want to scatter his ashes, to help you chose an appropriate location, think about what your dad would have liked. For example, did he have a favorite fishing spot, camping area, golf course, beach or park that held a special meaning? These are all possibilities, but be aware to that if you choose to scatter his ashes in a public location or on private land, you’ll need get permission from the management, local government or the land owner.
National parks, for example, require you to have a permit before you scatter ashes. If you wish to dispose of them at sea, the Environmental Protection Agency asks you be at least three miles from shore. Beach scatterings are also illegal in some states, including California, but are rarely enforced. And many public areas, like Central Park and Disneyland prohibit scattering ashes too, as do most professional and college sports stadiums.
Untraditional Methods: If you want to do something truly unique with his ashes, you have many choices here too, but they can get pricy ranging from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. Here are several to consider.
Scattering by air: This free-spirited option lets you spread your dad’s ashes into the sky so the particles can be taken by the wind. To do this, you could hire a private plane, helicopter or hot air balloon service, or use a balloon scattering service like EternalAscent.com or Mesoloft.com. Or, you could even send his ashes into outer space with ElysiumSpace.com.
Scattering by sea: If your dad loved the water, there are many businesses that offer ash scattering services at sea, especially close to coastal areas, or you could rent a boat and do it yourself. There are also companies like EternalReefs.com that offer reef memorials so your dad’s ashes can rest on the ocean floor.
Ashes to keepsakes: If you want a keepsake of your dad, you can also turn some of his ashes into a wide variety of memorabilia, such as: diamonds (see LifeGem.com or DNA2Diamonds.com); jewelry or other handcrafted glass items (ArtFromAshes.com and Memorials.com); vinyl records (Andvinyly.com); gun ammunition (MyHolySmoke.com); or an hourglass urn (InTheLightUrns.com).
Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

by Sheila Kennedy-Stewart, MSN, RN, CMSRN

As many nurses know today, the hospitals remain full. Unit nurses are faced with taking additional patient loads and emergency departments are over run and holding admitted patients due to no unit bed availability. Throughput comes to a standstill.
Throughput is a number one strategic priority of Integris Southwest Medical Center. Improving patient throughput by setting high goals, ensuring the goals are transparent to all the organization and meeting these goals in a timely manner are priorities of Leadership for this institution. Recently, Leadership of this hospital was not just merely voicing support – but was putting these goals into action.
With the ER holding sixteen patients to be admitted and less than a handful of rooms available for seeing new emergent patients, the leaders of Patient Care Services and the Emergency Department acted. With no additional nursing staff to open and staff an overflow unit, leadership of both these departments opened the floor with themselves as floor staff. This is True Nursing Leadership.
Kim Brewer, Patient Care Services Manager; Kelly Savas, House Supervisor; Tela Brown, Emergency Department Director; Jacob Lovell, Emergency Department Manager; and Todd Hendricks, Emergency Department Team Lead opened the overflow medical unit and began receiving patients from the ED. Within a few hours, ten patients had been admitted to the floor, assessed and orders initiated or continued for the quality care of these patients.
This is leading by example in its highest form. These nursing leaders are transformational leaders who exemplify our nursing philosophy. Integris Southwest is fortunate to have this caliber of nursing leadership in the ranks. Kudos!

by Mike Lee, Staff Writer

The Veraden is a new senior living center in Edmond offering independent living, assisted living and memory care, said Anita Kelley, Veraden spokeswoman. Assisted living with memory care has a separate community.
Residents are offered opportunities to engage in healthy lifestyles through nutrition and socializing with their peers. Residents particularly like the cityscape area of The Veraden that is among hills and trees.
“We have an underground tornado shelter with a theatre, cafe and activity room with a fitness center and a certified trainer,” she said. The trainer leads exercises and demonstrates the proper use of equipment.
“We have fitness equipment accompanied by elliptical training, a treadmill and free weights,” Kelley said.
Amenities at The Veraden include a heated swimming pool and hot tub. The second floor has a high-purpose room designed for snacks and a happy hour. Billiards and poker are available.
“In the assisted living, they can use those areas as well. They also have two activity areas,” Kelley said. “But one thing that makes our assisted living unique is we even have two bedroom apartments. A lot of assisted livings don’t have that.”
Kelly said she loves that The Veraden hires according to what is needed for care.
“We don’t say we’ve got five residents so we need one person. If we have five residents with a lot of needs and a lot of care, they we’re going to hire more of a team.” “So our care associates help with bathing, dressing, and delivering medications. They are all certified nurse aides, certified med aides. Then we have an RN over the program and an LPN. So we’re covered Sunday through Saturday.”
Tonya Hodges serves as director of The Veraden. Hodges has been a licensed practical nurse for 10 years and began her career in senior communities.
“Once seniors are in your heart, you don’t go anywhere,” Hodges said. “It’s your calling. People have asked me over the years, ‘What is your dream job?’ This is my dream job.”
“I wake up every day looking forward to changing their lives.”
Enriching the lives of residents is the staff’s goal at The Veraden. In doing so, the residents change the lives of The Veraden staff for the better, Hodges said.
“I love that we’re taking care of history,” Hodges continued. “We have war veterans and folks who have made a difference in this community.”
A heart for caring is a hallmark of the care staff, Hodges said. That is a quality The Veraden looks for when hiring for senior care, she said.
The Veraden offers 142 apartments, but they already have a lot of residents. When coming to The Veraden, prospective residents have needs to be met.
Some of them have found it more difficult to cook for one person at home or to go pick up groceries. They may have begun skipping meals.
“So with nutrition they want activity. They know they’re sitting too much. They haven’t been getting up and moving enough,” Kelley said.
Some of the people looking for a retirement community realize they have been watching television more than they once did.
Socialization at The Veraden is helpful when having a friend to share a cup of coffee or attend a poetry class.
Kelley said she is impressed by the extra mile the care team has gone to please the residents.
“One lady loves spaghetti so we went and got spaghetti for her,” Kelley said. “They went for an assessment in a different community and found that her apartment, especially around her chair in her apartment was real dirty, so they cleaned the carpet for her around the chair so it would be more comfortable for her and she could move here.
“They just see things that we don’t always see and spot things. I really appreciate that about them.”
On a recent weekend when an ice storm was in the forecast, the care team spent the night at The Veraden to make sure people received their medicine. The director of memory care spent the entire weekend with residents.
“That’s really going above and beyond,” she said.
One of the residents told Kelly she had made a lot of promises before he moved to The Veraden.
“He said, ‘I just want you to know you have gone above and beyond my expectations,’” Kelley said. “I thought that was the best compliment. “Another lady said, ‘This is the best business decision I have ever made.’”
Hodges said if they can change the lives of one senior every day, success has been made.
“Memory care is my passion, and it’s changing the moments, not the days, of our memory care residents,” she said. “I feel that we do that here. Our program is top-notch.
“I just got off the phone with a family. She said, ‘You’ve exceeded everything I ever thought you would be doing for my sister.’ It’s just changing their lives and changing the lives of their families.”

story and photos by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

Twice every day, Larry Jernigan, 68, renews his lease on life, working out at The Station at Central Park in Moore.
It’s a gift he gives himself and one his Medicare plan pays for.
“Why not do it when you’ve got it?” said Jernigan, who played football and wrestled at Blackwell High School growing up. “(The Station) is beautiful and the equipment is awesome. I like this walking track up here, especially in the winter. The walking track outside is going to be nice in the spring.
“The aquatics is great, too.”
The Station at Central Park is one of a long list of health facilities in the metro that participate in the Silver Sneakers program which gives free facility access to those age 54 and up.
Stuart Drake is the sales and rental coordinator for The Station. He said the facility has been trying for half a year to get Silver Sneakers certified.
“It’s a good opportunity for us because it brings in a lot more people who wouldn’t be able to afford a pass here,” Drake says. “It’s an opportunity for people to be part of our facility and to take classes with other people. They love the facility because it’s new, it’s clean … and it’s not too busy.”
“From 9 to about 10:30 a.m. they’re about 75 percent of the population that’s here.”
Since December, more than 60 seniors have signed up for the program through The Station.
Silver Sneakers participants get full access to equipment, facilities and the various instructor-led fitness classes offered at The Station.
Hailey Donaldson is one of those instructors and sees the power exercise gives seniors.
“Age should never be a barrier to your health and fitness,” Donaldson said. “I love that Silver Sneakers encourages seniors to keep moving and keep their health a priority.”
NATIONAL REACH
For millions of older adults, the path to improved well-being starts with SilverSneakers Fitness. Founded in 1992 by Mary Swanson, SilverSneakers has been helping its members take charge of their health for more than 24 years by partnering with health plans to provide convenient access to a comprehensive fitness solution.
The program provides access to fitness and wellness facilities, proprietary and group exercise classes led by certified instructors, online resources, social events and a support network of other participants across the nation.
Participants have access to more than 13,000 fitness and wellness centers across the country,.
REAL BENEFITS
According to the SilverSneakers Annual Participation Survey, 84 percent of participants complete moderate to vigorous aerobic activity three or more times per week, a testament to the program’s ability to engage members in their own well-being.
Additionally, 94 percent of participants state that they are in good or excellent health, and 90 percent report more energy to accomplish daily activities.
Members also utilize preventative care more often, are admitted to the hospital less, and have lower overall healthcare costs.
In addition to the physical benefits, SilverSneakers improves mental and emotional well-being through social events, access to health resources and educational seminars and program camaraderie – which keeps members coming back.
In fact, 73 percent of participants attend class with a friend and 49 percent say other members help motivate them to exercise.
Drake said once more seniors enroll he plans on offering more social events to keep seniors engaged between workouts.
During his working years Jernigan spent 18 years as a BNSF Railroad track foreman.
He built and rebuilt the tracks sitting less than 100 yards away from The Station.
“I followed the project as it developed and it just got to be so nice looking that me and my oldest son came in to check it out,” Jernigan said. “Come to find out they accepted Silver Sneakers.”
The Station is a $26.2 million venture approved by Moore residents opened in 2016. Some 53,000 square feet of workout space is situated on the 51-acre site. A 45,000-square-foot aquatic facility is located next door allowing lap swim, classes as well as slides, a kiddie pool and a lazy river.
“My body feels a lot better,” Jernigan said. “Being retired for several years I had to drive myself into doing something but it’s a lot easier when you’ve got people around. You see them doing it and you want to do it, too.”
Currently, one in five older adults is eligible for a SilverSneakers Fitness benefit through the nation’s leading Medicare Advantage health plans, Medicare Supplement carriers and group retiree plans.
You can check your eligibility today by calling toll-free 1-888-423-4632, calling The Station locally at 405-793-5090 or go online to silversneakers.com.

by Bobby Anderson
Staff Writer

Steven Lee came through Will Rogers World Airport in 2013 looking for a USO to volunteer with and found the YMCA Military Welcome Center instead.
He volunteered then and there and six months later the job of director was his.
Today he and some 70 volunteers – many of them ex-servicemen and women – provide a space to hang out, a bit of food for the journey, and more often than not, an ear willing to listen for military members and their families traveling the globe.
SMALL BEGINNINGS
The first military welcome center at Will Rogers was started by the Blue Star Mothers in 2007 with 15 volunteers.
A single table held juice and sandwiches.
“They were quickly overwhelmed so the YMCA stepped in,” Lee said.
Today, the Welcome Center offers a restful and relaxing atmosphere for traveling military members from all branches, active or retired. The center provides refreshment, internet access, long-distance phone service, stamps and stationery, games and hi-definition satellite TV on a big screen.
The MWC is a collaboration between four entities: the City of Oklahoma City, Will Rogers World Airport, the Armed Services YMCA, and the Earlywine Park YMCA.
The center operates primarily with the help of volunteers and community donations. The caring volunteers strive to provide a home-like atmosphere for the travelers, and vendors such as Pepsi Bottling Group and BOINGO, provide drinks and internet access.
And the center gets a workout.
Some 31,000 people went through last year from those heading out to basic training to entire troop movements that got delayed.
Lee said the center spends about $3,500 a month in pizza alone to feed hungry military travelers.
FIRST TIME THROUGH
Buses arrive every day at 6:30 a.m., 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. for those heading to basic training at Ft. Sill.
It’s the volunteers’ job to get those soldiers lined out and ready to go.
“They have no idea what they’re getting into and they’re all nervous,” said Lee, a former MP who retired from the Army in 1997. “When I brief them I always start out saying ‘Who’s nervous about going to basic training?’ I’ll get one or two hands go up.”
“Then I ask ‘Who’s lying to me?’ The rest of the hands go up. I’ve got 20 years in the Army so I try to ease their fears and the way to get through basic training.”
A PROPER WELCOME
Lee’s volunteers range from ex-service members to those who just want to give back and show their respect for those who serve.
“I have one lady that when she was a single mother in Houston the YMCA never refused her son to play in sports even though she might not have been able to afford it,” Lee said. “She wants to give back.”
“There’s a big variety and a lot of reasons.”
Bob Cohoon spent 22 years in the Army, retiring as a First Sergeant.
After driving a bus at the Oklahoma City VA Hospital, Cohoon decided to volunteer at the welcome center. “It’s altogether different,” Cohoon said of how servicemen and women are welcomed home today. “When I got out we still had the draft so it was a different military. Today these kids are volunteering for different reasons.”
“When I came back from Vietnam we were called baby killers. (Ironically) my job over there for nine months was running a POW hospital and all we did was take care of the enemy.”
Gene Allen was originally drafted for the Korean War. He spent two years in the Army at Ft. Bliss, Texas before eventually settling in for 28 years in the Air National Guard.
“I’ve always enjoyed the military and I remember being a draftee and I remember what that was like,” Allen said. “It’s satisfying to give them a little encouragement.”
Allen tries to ease nerves as best he can. He remembers what it was like being away from home for the first time and going into the unknown.
The way he sees it, volunteering at the welcome center is a way to help the next generation of soldiers.
Cohoon says he gets something out of it, too.
“It keeps me young really,” he laughed.
Lee said the goal in the future is to open the center 24 hours a day.
Some days the center sees one or two visitors. Other days several families pass through waiting for their loved ones to arrive.
And some days entire units are stuck in the airport awaiting transport.
“It’s feast or famine,” Lee says. “But our sole mission is to give them a nice place to wait for onward transportation.”

Leroy Burdine, a resident of The Fountains at Canterbury in Oklahoma City, celebrated his 90th birthday with a festive commemoration, thanks to a party thrown in his honor by The Fountains at Canterbury staff and the Oklahoma City Thunder Girls.
Birthday party attendees enjoyed a visit from two of the Oklahoma City Thunder Girls, Stephanie and Addie. The Thunder Girls signed posters, posed for photos with residents and shared stories about their time with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The celebration also featured music and a smorgasbord including chicken wings donated by Buffalo Wild Wings, cupcakes, fresh fruit and more. Residents and staff joined together for a collective rendition of “Happy Birthday to You” and took turns giving Leroy their best wishes.

Sunbeam Family Services recently honored its volunteers at the organization’s volunteer appreciation luncheon and named its inaugural Volunteer of the Year, Ray of Sunshine and Community Partner award recipients.
Friends of Sunbeam, an auxiliary volunteer group that started in 2003, was named Volunteer of the Year. Friends of Sunbeam meets monthly with the Sunbeam staff where they learn of the organization’s program needs. The group puts together baskets for senior adults who are leaving Sunbeam’s senior emergency shelter to move into their new homes. They also recognize birthdays of children in the foster care program, host the annual Foster Care Easter egg hunt and Oklahoma City Educare book fairs where they also serve as reading buddies.
Catherine Divis received Sunbeam’s Ray of Sunshine Award. This award is presented to a new volunteer who has had significant impact on Sunbeam programs for one to three years. Divis, an employee of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oklahoma, is a member of the Beacons, Sunbeam’s young professionals’ board, which she helped to launch and now serves as President. Over the last three years, Catherine has invested herself as a volunteer in Sunbeam’s foster care child care events, the OKC Educare carnival, the organization’s Christmas store, and also serves as a liaison on the Sunbeam Board of Directors. In addition, she helps to recruit other volunteers for the organization.
Sunbeam named Junior League of Oklahoma City as its Community Partner of the Year. Sunbeam and Junior League have a long-standing relationship dating back to the 1940s when the group operated daycares for Sunbeam so that mothers could go to work and also helped to raise funds to create and support the work of the Child Guidance Clinic. Today, Junior League members lead Family Fitness Night at OKC Educare once a month allowing students and parents the opportunity to participate in activities that build and reinforce healthful eating habits, physical fitness and connection with family and community.
Last year approximately 2,130 hours were served by more than 700 volunteers to help support children, families and seniors in Sunbeam programs. To learn more about volunteering with Sunbeam, contact Taprina Milburn, Volunteer Manager, at 405.609.1755 or email [email protected].
Founded in 1907, Sunbeam Family Services is one of Oklahoma’s longest serving nonprofits, providing people of all ages with help, hope and the opportunity to succeed through early childhood, counseling, foster care and senior services. To learn more, visit www.sunbeamfamilyservices.org or follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.