Patty Stevens

(Right) 100 years old. Patty Kelly Stevens, born in 1924 in Honolulu, Hawaii, was captured by Japanese soldiers in 1941 and interned in Manila until freed by U.S. troops at 20. She co-authored Waiting for America to share her story and proudly flies the U.S. flag, reminding all to “Honor Your Country!” We celebrate her resilience and love for her nation.

Helen Nigh

(Left) 100 years old. Meet Helen Nigh of Tulsa. She had a career as a commercial artist and her artwork is still in use for the Enid Christmas in July poster. Helen also painted a mural of animals in the Pediatric ward at St. Mary’s Hospital in Enid. She loves chocolate and Christmas is her favorite holiday. Helen’s words of wisdom to us today are: Never Close the Door.

Beulah Jones

(Right) 100 years old. Beulah (Underwood) Jones of Pawnee, born November 3, 1924, dedicated 40 years to hospital maintenance and community service. A devoted homemaker, she loved gospel music, quilting, and with Christmas being her cherished holiday, strengthening family ties. Her advice: “Nurture health through walking, balanced eating, and diligence; and cherish joy.”

Dottie Pennington

(Right) 100 years old. Dottie (Dorothy) Pennington of Tulsa celebrated her 100th birthday with lots of her favorite color – Pink – attire, balloons, cake and more! She was married to a US Air Force Lt. Colonel and moved often to bases around the world. Her extended family calls her Mama Dottie and tells great stories of visiting her on summer vacations. She sang them to sleep with her favorite hymn, Jesus Loves Me. Dottie’s words of wisdom for us today are: Always be Truthful.

By Marise Boehs

This Christmas marks the thirty-eighth annual Norman Christmas Day Community Dinner, which is held at the Norman High School Commons cafeteria and is coordinated by the Paula M. and Bob D. Magarian Norman Christmas Day Community Dinner Foundation, Inc.

This free, traditional Christmas dinner, which is open to everyone, and delivers over 300 meals to residents who are shut-ins. On average, 2000 meals are served through dine in and carry out.

The Dinner is held on Christmas Day from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Guests are greeted and served by 300 volunteers. There is a large toy room where children walk through and select what they want. Gloves, caps for children and adults, socks, scarves, and adult grooming items are distributed by our volunteers. Santa is there to take pictures with the children and hand out candy while a local band plays Christmas songs to bring joy to the families. Through the years, for some families, this is their only Christmas. Banks, businesses, and private donations along with 300 volunteers make the dinner possible.

But it hasn’t always been so. In 1987, the Magarian family of six, got together with a few caring individuals and together they organized a free community Christmas Dinner to benefit those who were alone, or those who were unable to prepare a Christmas meal.

“On Christmas Eve 1987 we had the church all set for the dinner. It was decorated and the women of St. Michaels had prepared the food. Toys were in place. It was all arranged and I went home,” said Bob Magarian.

“The next morning I woke up early to the worst ice storm in the history of Norman to date. It was horrible. Ice was hanging from everything. Trees where down,” he continued, “But I started for the church. It took me a long time to get there. It was 5am when I arrived and Howard Moore, my right hand man, was the only one there. He was heating up the roasters.”

But the day did not go smoothly. The bus sent to the designated pickup spots only had one rider and then the bus caught fire. So the men from St. Michaels got in their cars and drove, sliding and dodging fallen limbs, around Norman.

In the end, 20 people came and 24 volunteers served them. “One family with children told me if it wasn’t for that dinner they would have not had Christmas because he had been laid off from his job two weeks earlier,” Magarian said. Thus the Annual Christmas Dinner was decided. In 2017 the Magarian family lost their only son, Bob Dwight, unexpectedly, and in 2020 their oldest daughter, Paula Marie, from brain cancer.

The family decided in 2021 to honor their memory by establishling the “Paula M. and Bob D. Magarian Norman Christmas Day Community Dinner Foundation, Inc.”

story and photo by
Van Mitchell, Staff Writer

Sherri Law, a disabled U.S. Army veteran, believes in giving back to help others.
Her late daughter Sicily Whatley embodied that trait every day, and Law is carrying on that commitment via a blanket drive helping the Homeless Alliance of Oklahoma City.
Whatley died Aug. 19, 2023, at age 39, due to prolonged untreated blood pressure.
“It was very unexpected,” Law said.
Whatley, who worked at Homeless Alliance of Oklahoma City, left behind three children.
“She really enjoyed working with the homeless,” Law said. “Her death was traumatic for her children and for me. I wanted to do something in her memory because she was so well-liked at the Homeless Alliance. Last year we did a blanket drive and just friends and family donated blankets to the Homeless Alliance.”
Law said she was determined to make the blanket drive an annual event.
“It’s just a way to give back, to pay it forward, to do something for someone less fortunate than ourselves,” she said. “We’ve gotten over 100 blankets, and we’re partnering this year with BrightStar Care of Oklahoma City, and Hope for the Future, which is a non-profit for children who have been removed from the home. We’re going to present them to the Homeless Alliance Dec. 3 at 11 a.m.”
Law said she wanted her grandchildren to learn from grief.
“They were going through such horrible, intense grief. They couldn’t seem to get past the fact that they had lost their mom,” she said. “I wanted them to see that even though you are going through something like this, that there are people worse off than us who don’t have a home, that don’t have a bed to sleep in and that don’t have food on the table. Let’s try to get out of this valley that we are in emotionally and give back.”
Law believes her daughter would be proud of her family’s efforts.
“I think she’s up there smiling. I’m sure she would’ve never thought that her family would come together and do something like that in her memory,” Law said. “I really think that she would just have the biggest smile on her face.”
Law said the Homeless Alliance is appreciative of her family efforts.
“I try to accommodate what their needs are,” she said. “They send us thank you letters. They’re very grateful.”
The Homeless Alliance operates a multi-agency homeless resource campus with access to multiple nonprofit and government agencies providing services including health clinics, veteran services, budgeting and legal assistance. The campus also includes Oklahoma City’s only low-barrier Day Shelter which serves breakfast and lunch, offers showers, mail service, lockers, phones, computers, a pet kennel and access to classes and other service providers. The Homeless Alliance also has a street outreach team which goes out into the community to find people and connect them with services and operates four low-barrier employment programs including the Curbside Chronicle, Curbside Flowers, Sasquatch Shaved Ice, and Curbside Apparel.
Each year, Oklahoma City takes one day to count and survey people who are experiencing homelessness. The intention is to provide a snapshot of homelessness in Oklahoma City, of both the number of people and their characteristics. A large team of community volunteers from more than 25 organizations surveyed people in emergency homeless shelters, transitional housing facilities, hot meal sites, crisis facilities, encampments, and various street locations.
In 2024, there were a total of 1,838 “countable” people who were experiencing homelessness in Oklahoma City on the night of the Point in Time count.
Law works at the Homeless Alliance Winter Shelter located at 1724 NW 4th Street, which is open Nov. 1-March 31.
“The shelter opens at 4 p.m. and they give them a warm bed, a blanket, and a meal,” she said. “We can hold 270 people, but when the temperature drops below 32 degrees, we don’t turn anyone away.”
As a disabled veteran, Law receives home healthcare from BrightStar Care of Edmond/Oklahoma City, via her VA benefits.
“Because of some health issues, I do have to have a home care health aid, which the VA provides for me because it’s medically needed,” she said. “I’m able to use my motorized wheelchair, and that’s how I’m successful on the job.”
Law said faith has helped guide her through her military experience, as well as the loss of her daughter, and led her to a job at the Homeless Alliance.
“I do believe in God, and I do believe He is still on the throne. He still hears prayers,” she said. “I applied for a job there and got it. I’m working. They all remembered Sicily. They loved my story. I am very grateful for this experience to work and honor my daughter.”
For more information about donating blankets to the Homeless Alliance call (405) 415-8410 or visit www.homelessalliance.org.

By Nick Thomas

‘Tis the season when television channels bombard us with round-the-clock Christmas movies while radio stations across the country add festive tunes to their daily playlists. In the latter case, one divisive ditty has been traditionally considered naughty or nice.
Elmo Shropshire didn’t write “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer,” but he’s been singing the jolly jingle with the not-so-jolly lyrics since first hearing it in Lake Tahoe in the late 70s. The song was released in 1979 and credited to duo Elmo & Patsy, with Elmo’s then-wife Patsy Trigg.
Turning 88 this year, Shropshire (known also as “Dr. Elmo”) is a competitive distance runner, too, gathering several national and world titles in his 80s. He still performs music and for several years has traveled to the East Coast in November/December with a group of musicians called The Holiday Express presenting shows at soup kitchens, hospitals, and schools for kids with special needs, where they also distribute food and gifts.
While he readily acknowledges that not everyone is a fan of his now-classic Christmas song, audiences would probably riot if he didn’t include the novelty ballad – a catchy tune wrapped around witty and admittedly macabre lyrics, featuring Shropshire’s distinctive raspy voice.
“I had no musical background or sang before moving out to California in the 60s,” said Shropshire, a Kentucky native and graduate of Auburn University’s veterinary college, and now lives in Novato, north of San Francisco.
After graduating from Auburn, he worked with horses at racetracks around New York, then moved to the West Coast after a trip to San Francisco and later opened an animal clinic in the Bay Area. He soon became interested in bluegrass music, learning to play the banjo and began performing with Patsy, although the couple later divorced in the 80s. Shropshire even hosted a bluegrass radio show recorded from his boarding house.
When songwriter Randy Brooks played his reindeer song for the couple when they were all stranded in a Lake Tahoe hotel due to bad weather in 1978, Shropshire knew he wanted to record his own version.

“I just made this funny Christmas recording as a gag and a friend took it to a radio station and they started playing it,” he recalled. “People began calling in to say they loved it, but so did others who hated it. After that first Christmas, I thought that would be the end of it. But every Christmas the stations would play it again. Unbeknownst to me, they were copying the song on cassettes, and radio stations began playing it all over the country in the early 80s.”
Shropshire knew he had a hit. In 1983, he sold his vet clinic and used $30,000 to produce a video of the song with one modification: “Grandma survives in the video!” he said. “And I played grandma and grandpa.” Patsy played Cousin Mel.
The original video currently has over 15 million YouTube views (see
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgIwLeASnkw), while the song has sold millions of units over the years in various formats – vinyl, cassette, CD, digital, and ringtones.
“It’s impossible to tell the exact number because it’s been used so much and on so many different albums and online recordings,” said Pam Wendell, Shropshire’s wife since 2000. But the royalties keep coming anytime his version is used – in movies, TV shows, and even a plush toy reindeer that plays the song.
While Shropshire has recorded many other songs including various versions of his ‘grandma’ theme – “The Ballot of Grandma” and “Grandma’s Killer Fruitcake” – he takes the controversy of the original in his stride.
“It’s just wonderful to have a hit song, even if you only have one,” he says. “I never thought I could still be making a living from it. It’s just one of those things you could never predict.”
And for those of you grinches who still can’t warm up to a Christmas novelty song about a granny taken out by a hit-and-run reindeer, just be grateful her encounter wasn’t with a John Deere.
That really could have been gruesome.
Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery, Ala., and has written features, columns, and interviews for many newspapers and magazines. See https://www.getnickt.org.

story and photos by
Nick Thomas

With over 90 miles of trails weaving through the area, Oklahoma City’s numerous parks are a haven for walkers, joggers, and hikers alike. While the green urban spaces invite exploration of the hidden gems and points of interest throughout the city, one must-see landmark for visitors – day or night – is the iconic Skydance Bridge.
Arriving late in the afternoon, we parked on SW Second Street before heading south on foot through Scissortail Park, named after Oklahoma’s state bird – the scissor-tailed flycatcher. Our destination was the 380-foot-long pedestrian Skydance Bridge that spans I-40 and connects the north (40-acre) and south (30-acre) portions of the park. Opened in 2012, the state bird also inspired the bridge’s design with its striking V-shaped steel sculpture towering nearly 200 feet above the walkway, resembling the flycatcher’s distinctive forked tail feathers.

After admiring the bridge, we continued through the park and surrounding area waiting for sunset since the bridge is especially stunning when lit by LED lights during the evening. But there was no shortage of dazzling sights to fill the remaining daylight hours, including a walk around a lake with surrounding trees teeming with colorful chirping birds. Rental pedal boats, canoes, and kayaks glided slowly over the water as their occupants absorbed the relaxing view dominated by Oklahoma City’s tallest building. The sleek 50-story Devon Tower, also completed in 2012, is a skyline scene stealer with its reflective glass exterior. The Vast Restaurant occupies the top two floors offering both meals “sourced from local producers” and spectacular views of the city.
Myriad Botanical Gardens, just a couple of blocks north of the park off Reno Street, was intriguing. Since originally conceived by city leaders in the late 1960s, the 17-acre plot most recently underwent an $11 million renovation in 2022 and features immaculate landscaping, a children’s garden, a restaurant area, fountains, sculptures, and the dazzling Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory encased in a shell of over 3,000 translucent acrylic panels housing an impressive exotic plant collection.
The “Taking Flight: Light as a Feather” art piece, installed 2 years ago at the north end of Scissortail Park, was a delightful surprise find. The 6-ton 31-foot-tall metal sculpture is the artist’s vision of a delicately curved feather gently floating earthward. Stunning any time – and especially at night when fiber optic lights illuminate its intricate details – the sculpture truly comes to life just prior to sunset when we happened to walk past. As the sun hung in the darkening sky behind the sculpture, its dying rays filtered through the figure highlighting the steel bars comprising the feather’s ribs, offering an inspiring picture-perfect moment we were lucky to experience.
For many visitors, however, the star of Scissortail Park will be the illuminated Skydance Bridge straddling the busy Interstate below. The remotely controlled lights, programmable for holidays and special events, displayed a vibrant deep blue glow during our visit, dramatically highlighting the structure’s sweeping design. But the color varies from night to night. When viewed from the bridge’s south end and set against the backdrop of city lights, it was the perfect conclusion to our 2-mile urban nature walk around Oklahoma City.

Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery in Alabama and has written features, columns, and interviews for many newspapers and magazines. His hiking column describes short trails, hikes, and walks from around the country that seniors might enjoy while traveling.
Visit www.ItsAWonderfulHike.com.

story by Van Mitchell, Staff Writer

Historic authenticity meets holiday festivity during A Territorial Christmas Celebration, an annual tradition for over 35 years in Guthrie.
From a costumed Christmas parade to Victorian home tours, this celebration immerses visitors in the city’s lively Territorial period.
The 2024 edition of Guthrie’s Territorial Christmas Celebration spans three weekends Nov. 30, Dec. 7 and Dec. 14.
The first event was a Gatlin Brothers Christmas and Country concert on Friday, Nov. 29 at 7 p.m. at Guthrie’s Scottish Rite Temple. Doors opened at 6 p.m.
Opening Night kicked off Saturday, Nov. 30 at 6 p.m. with the Territorial Christmas Parade.
The parade started at the Scottish Rite Temple, led by the Territorial Governor candidates. From there, a promenade of illuminated cars, trucks, dune buggies, and even be-lighted people went west along Oklahoma Avenue, which included an appearance by Santa Claus.
The parade ended at the State Capital Publishing Museum and was immediately followed by the Territorial Governor ceremonies.
The Guthrie Territorial Christmas Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3), operates the yearly Celebrations.
Each year Guthrie’s Territorial Christmas Foundation nominates a few citizens to run for Territorial Governor and Junior Governor. Votes are sold for $1 each, and candidates compete to buy their way to the title.
After the parade on the steps of Guthrie’s Post Office, this year’s Territorial Governor and Junior Governor was announced and the lighting of the Territorial Christmas tree.
This year’s celebration includes the “Territorial Tots: Baby Governor Photo Contest.”
Unlike the Territorial Governor and Junior Territorial Governor campaigns and activities, this is purely an online contest for Guthrie babies to dress in their Victorian best and claim the honor of Territorial Tot!
Voters had until Nov. 27, to vote for their favorite tot by donating online! You can find the name and age of each little one under their photo.
All proceeds are funded for Guthrie’s Territorial Christmas Celebrations: Opening Night, Victorian Walks, and Distinctive Homes Tour.
The Distinctive Homes Tour offers you an opportunity for an exclusive look inside some of Guthrie’s most impressive homes and historic buildings that are specially selected by Guthrie’s Territorial Christmas and are dressed up for the holiday season.
According to the GTCC Facebook page “The tour is our largest fundraiser and, as such, we only invite the best and most beautiful homes in Guthrie to participate!”
This year’s Homes Tour is Dec. 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $20 each.
Proof of purchase is required for entry into the homes/buildings.
Reserve your tickets online for pickup on the day of the event, or purchase in person on Dec. 7 between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Guthrie City Hall located at 101 N 2nd Street.
Guthrie’s Territorial Christmas Victorian Walks will be held Saturday Dec. 7 and Saturday Dec. 14.
During Guthrie’s Victorian Walk Evenings, visitors will step back into the Victorian era with carolers in early-1900s dress and decorated store windows complete with re-enactors depicting Victorian-era Guthrie. Participants can enjoy treats from peanut vendors lining the downtown streets.
Guthrie’s Christmas Market will open three weekends at 117 E Oklahoma Avenue on the corner of Wentz and Oklahoma Avenue with vendors and food trucks.
The Christmas Market will be open Saturday, Nov. 30 from noon to 6 p.m.; and Saturday, Dec. 7 and Saturday Dec. 14 from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Over 30 years, 1,000 performances, and 150,000 patrons “A Territorial Christmas Carol” is back in this reimagining of Dickens’ classic tale at Guthrie’s Pollard Theatre.
The show runs Nov. 22 through Dec. 22.
As a not-for-profit organization, the Pollard Theatre’s mission is to produce meaningful, entertaining, and diverse theatre within the City of Guthrie and the greater state of Oklahoma. Honoring the legacy of the Guthrie Arts and Humanities Council, their work strives to engage and inspire audiences within their community and beyond.
“These events are so special because our downtown absolutely comes to life with visions of times gone past,” Economic Development Director Shawnda Rooney said. “The Victorian talent along the street closures and the Victorian talent that make up all of the live windows create such a magical atmosphere for visitors and locals alike.”
For more information about Guthrie’s Territorial Christmas Celebration visit www.guthriesterritorialchristmas.com or visit www.thepollard.org

NEAR ALINE, Okla. – The Sod House Quilters are stepping in to celebrate and commemorate the 130th anniversary of the Sod House the “quilted way.” Christmas trees throughout the museum will be decorated with quilt blocks such as log cabins, yo-yos, four patches, stars and Christmas tree blocks. The Sod House itself will have seasonal decorations on display.
“A Quilter’s Christmas” open house will be on Saturday, December 14, from 1-3 p.m. The Friends of the Sod House Museum will celebrate this milestone with cookies and cider and door prizes. Visitors can buy raffle tickets for a queen-sized quilt with the theme of “Chickadees and Trees,” made by the Sod House Quilters. Tickets are $2 each, three for $5 and 6 for $10. Tickets can be purchased by visiting the museum or calling 580-463-2441.
The Silver Strings and Friends musical group will share their love of music with guests at the Christmas Open House. They will play folk, traditional Christmas music, gospel, country and unusual instrument music throughout the day. As part of the celebration, the audience will be encouraged to join in during the musical presentation.
The museum is located southeast of Aline on State Highway 8. It is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

By Marilyn Olson,
VillagesOKC Executive Director

Carissa Burns, 22, will be a December graduate of Southern Nazarene University with a bachelor of science degree in psychology. As part of her study, she completed a three-month practicum with VillagesOKC, learning about active older adults and the many connection opportunities VillagesOKC provides.
Admittedly reluctant at first, Burns finished the practicum with an enlightened understanding of the realities of positive aging. She said initially she had hoped to work with middle-aged adults, but working with older adults has been rewarding.
“I’ve never worked with just older adults,” Burns said. “Never attended nonprofit events before. Never done any real volunteering. Working with Marilyn and the others has really changed my perception.”
She supported the VillagesOKC team at a Senior LifeSkills Learning workshop and the daylong Positive Aging: Inflammation workshop. In addition, she volunteered to help register and check-in participants at the Second Half Expo, which was attended by 1,675 people and more than 100 exhibitors.
“Our goal was to expose her to as much of the 50+ world as possible,” said Executive Director Marilyn Olson. In addition to supporting team member projects, she was given books to read and videos to watch. Books included Being Mortal by Atul Gawande and The Mindful Body by Ellen J. Langer.
Burns’ goal is to become a clinical therapist after she earns her master’s degree. This was her second practicum. The first was at Bethany High School working with students with learning disabilities.
She said her early reluctance was because she wasn’t sure the practicum at VillagesOKC would give her the experience she needed for her psychology degree. However, after talking with Olson and her practicum advisor Dr. Delilah Joiner Martin, Program Director Family Studies & Gerontology, they came up with plans on how to get her the experience she needed.
“I have learned so much from my time with VillagesOKC. It’s knowledge that I’ll be able to use as I work toward my career goal,” Burns said.
During the practicum, Burns has continued a full course load at SNU, participated with the track team and worked two part-time jobs. She has worked at the Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club for the past four years. She also works three days a week in the fitness center at Expand Energy, the former Chesapeake Energy.
She is a graduate of Bethany High School and ran track all four years, finishing first in 4A State in the 100 meter sprint and second in the 200 meters. From an athletic family, both her parents are personal trainers. Her dad, Dutch Burns, is a track coach at Southwestern Christian University. Her mother, Denise Penczak Burns, is a personal trainer and Pilates instructor.
Olson said working with Burns has been rewarding and she hopes to continue the connection.
“We love being able to influence and encourage younger adults so they have role models for aging with vitality and purpose,” she said.

Dr. Daniela Yuschenkoff earned American College of Zoological Medicine board certification as zoological medicine specialist.

The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is proud to announce Dr. Daniela Yuschenkoff is the third member of the Zoo’s veterinary medicine team to earn the prestigious title of Diplomate of the American College of Zoological Medicine (DACZM). There are only about 300 board-certified zoological medicine specialists in the world, and Oklahoma now has six.
“We are very excited to welcome Daniela into the American College of Zoological Medicine,” said Dr. Jennifer D’Agostino, the Zoo’s Chief Animal Programs Officer and ACZM vice president. “This distinction is a testament to all of her training and hard work and we are thrilled that we have another Board Certified Specialist in Zoological Medicine™ on the OKC Zoo vet team.”
Associate Veterinarian Yuschenkoff joins D’Agostino and Dr. Gretchen Cole, the Zoo’s Director of Veterinary Services, as diplomates of the ACZM.
“This is the highest level of certification for a zoo veterinarian,” Yuschenkoff said. “As soon as I knew I wanted to be a zoo vet, this has been my ultimate goal.”
It’s an intense certification program requiring years of veterinary schooling, internship, and residency, culminating in a comprehensive two-day exam.
“It’s a very rigorous process,” she said. “It’s been three years of compiling and organizing information, and six weeks of intense study just cramming all that material in my head before the test. It’s been my goal for more than nine years of my veterinary training, and now that I’ve achieved it, I’m very excited to continue growing, learning, and improving for the sake of our animal family.”
Having three ACZM diplomates at the OKC Zoo indicates the Zoo’s animal family is receiving the best possible veterinary care available, Yuschenkoff said.
In addition to exemplary training, being a diplomate also opens doors for communication and collaboration between veterinarians.
“The zoo veterinarian group is a very small community, but it’s a close-knit community,” she said. “When we’re up against a problem we don’t know how to solve, we can reach out to each other, across specialties, to get the help we need to provide the best care possible for the animals at the Zoo.” Yuschenkoff detailed the amount of intense study and training necessary to complete her certification in a blog at www.okczoo.org.
Guests have the opportunity to view animal exams and procedures at the OKC Zoo’s state-of-the-art Joan Kirkpatrick Animal Hospital and watch the Zoo’s expert veterinary care team in action. Scheduled animal exams are posted on the Zoo’s Facebook page and Instagram stories, and are dependent upon animal participation or other emergencies.
Spend the most wonderful time of the year with OKC ZOO SAFARI LIGHTS, open nightly through January 1, 2025. The Oklahoma City Zoo is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily with the last entry no later than 4 p.m. The Zoo will be closed to the public during the daytime on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day as well as Tuesdays and Wednesdays from December 3 through February 5, 2025.
Purchase advance Zoo admission tickets at okczoo.org/tickets and avoid the entry lines. Located at the crossroads of I-44 and I-35, the OKC Zoo is a proud member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the American Alliance of Museums, and Oklahoma City’s Adventure District. Zoo admission is $16 for adults and $13 for children ages 3-11 and seniors ages 65 and over. Children two and under are admitted free. Membership has its perks! As a ZOOfriends member of the Oklahoma City Zoo, enjoy free admission all year-long, plus many additional benefits and discounts. You will also be supporting the Zoo’s animal family, education programming and conservation initiatives both locally and globally. Join or renew today at www.okczoo.org/membership.

Stay connected with the Zoo on Facebook, X, Instagram, Linktree and TikTok, and by visiting our blog stories. To learn more about Zoo happenings, call (405) 424-3344 or visit https://www.okczoo.org.

Story and Photo by Matt Neil

As Oklahoma’s Best Real Estate Planner, I have had the privilege of working with clients at various stages of their lives. Working with seniors, I’ve seen firsthand how important it is for people to find the right home that truly suits their needs, especially as they transition into a new stage of life. One housing option that is particularly appealing is a single-level home with included lawn-care, located in a tight-knit community. There are so many benefits to this type of living arrangement, especially for older adults who are looking to simplify their lives while still enjoying home ownership. Let me share with you why this can be such a smart and fulfilling choice.
1. Ease of living and accessibility: One of the most obvious advantages of a single-level home is its accessibility. As we get older, the idea of climbing stairs multiple times a day becomes less appealing, and in some cases, it’s no longer practical. A single-level home eliminates that concern entirely. Everything you need is on one floor—no stairs, no strain, just convenience. Whether it’s moving around the home with ease, or thinking ahead about mobility in the future, single-level living provides the peace of mind that comes with knowing you can stay in your home comfortably for many years to come.
2. Low maintenance, More Enjoyment: Another major perk is having lawn care included. For many older adults, the upkeep of a yard can become overwhelming—especially in Oklahoma’s unpredictable weather. While you might still enjoy the sight of a beautifully manicured lawn or garden, the physical work it takes to maintain it can be exhausting and sometimes even dangerous in the summer heat or spring storms. Having lawn care included means you can enjoy the benefits of a well-kept yard without any of the hassle. You’ll have more time and energy to spend on hobbies, family, or simply relaxing in your own outdoor space without worrying about mowing or edging. Often these communities will allow you to manage your own flower beds, so you can still exercise your green thumb and enjoy a small bit of gardening.
3. Community Connection: A neighborhood that has under 50 homes creates a perfect balance between privacy and community. It’s large enough to offer variety in your neighbors, but small enough that you can truly get to know the people around you. This sense of community is incredibly important as we age. Whether it’s sharing a cup of coffee in the morning, organizing a neighborhood gathering, or simply having neighbors who look out for one another, these communities foster a sense of security and belonging that is deeply comforting. You’re not just moving into a house — you’re joining a supportive and friendly community, and that’s something you can’t put a price on.
4. Peace and Quiet: Smaller neighborhoods tend to be quieter and more peaceful, which can make all the difference in your day-to-day life. Without the constant hustle and bustle of heavy traffic, you can enjoy peaceful mornings on your porch, take leisurely walks around the neighborhood, or simply relax in your yard. It can be a wonderful environment for those seeking calm and comfort.
5. Security and Safety: Smaller neighborhoods often foster a stronger sense of security. Neighbors tend to look out for one another, and it’s easier to notice unfamiliar activity, which can be reassuring. Additionally, many communities that cater to older adults may offer extra safety features, such as gated entrances or neighborhood watch programs, adding to that peace of mind.
6. Predictable Costs: Finally, when lawn care and potentially other exterior maintenance are handled by your homeowner’s association (HOA), it’s one less thing to budget for or worry about. Predictable monthly or annual fees help you manage your expenses better, without the worry of unexpected yard maintenance costs. This financial stability is a big advantage for many seniors living on fixed incomes.
In conclusion, owning a single-level home with included lawn care in a small neighborhood provides numerous advantages for seniors. It offers ease, comfort, community, and the ability to enjoy your home without the stress of maintenance. If this sounds like something that could improve your quality of life, I’d be happy to help you explore the possibilities and find a home that fits your needs perfectly. Give us, your certified Real Estate Planner, a call at 405-757-9980 or email at [email protected]
Matt Neill is a realtor who has lived in Oklahoma over 17 years and enjoys spending time with his family, reading, and cheering on the OKC Thunder.