COVID-19 Oklahoma Test Results

*Includes 22 hospitalizations in pediatric beds.
**Focus, Rehabilitation and Tribal Facilities numbers are not assigned to a specific region as their patient populations reside across the state. Information provided through survey of Oklahoma hospitals as reported to HHS as of the time of this report. Response rate affects data. Facilities may update previously reported information as necessary.
Data Source: Acute Disease Service, Oklahoma State Department of Health. *As of 2021-09-28 at 7:00 a.m.

Photography and Text by Terry “Travels with Terry” Zinn [email protected]

While we are still feeling travel is an uncertainty, I have found my arm chair reminiscences of past travels a comfort and a possibility for the future. A trip to relive and see Nashville through the eyes of Disney Travel is a pleasant escape.
Many seniors find that a packaged tour offers the best in time and treasure management. A package tour is pre designed to offer the ease of small group travel and the expert knowledge of the highlights of a particular itinerary. Package tours take the worry out of exploration, as the operators know the area offered and the fastest way to experience the survey of an area. For first time visitors, it gives an over view of the best of the area, and if the traveler finds that time at an attraction is not enough, it is a good reference point for a follow up visit. As you can tell, I find an expert package tour is a convenient holiday experience.
Adventures By Disney is a group tour offering. Disney does it right, whether it’s movies, theme parks or group tours. I experienced Nashville the Disney way, with many insider and backstage visits not available to other tours and certainly not by solo travelers. Several years ago I visited Nashville, but with my tour with Adventures By Disney, I have a complete Nashville experience with many Disney extras that are memorable, educational and fun. Every day our energized and informative tour guides, Kelley and Paola, offered extras and surprises that got us spoiled as we visited from venue to venue. Just when you thought the venue or day was complete we’d hear our guides say, “And then there’s more!”
The Hermitage, located near Nashville, was the home of President Andrew Jackson. Adventures By Disney arranged for Andrew and his wife to greet our bus, and welcome us at the traditional entry to the homestead, which is not offered for other visitors. We had an after-hours visit, complete with a guided grounds and house tour, and then there was more. We had a period dance instruction with Andrew and his wife joining in, as others in the group enjoyed wine and vintage Andrew Jackson bourbon. And then there was more. We had a hands on instruction in simple biscuit making by expert, Maryann Byrd, and then enjoyed our creations baked just for us at a catered sit down dinner in an a joining air conditioned venue. Walking back in the dark to the bus we were all more than satisfied as our departure was enhanced with a spectacle of fireflies.
Nashville has added notoriety with the popular ABC television drama of the same name. Disney enhanced our Nashville adventure with a bus tour of filming locations, and a very special private concert luncheon at the famed Blue Bird Cafe. The essence of Nashville’s established and rising performers was exhibited by the intimate hour long plus performances by Leslie Satcher and Walker Hayes. We were all moved by the stories they told that inspired the creation of the songs they sang for us. This example of sincerity and the universal experiences of life, is the real Nashville sound. The clear and rhythmic songs were true examples of craft being raised to the level of performance art. Beyond the flash and country glamour of Nashville, the Blue Bird Cafe experience reaffirms the essence of America’s indigenous music.
A visit to Music City would not be complete without a tour of the historical Ryman auditorium and of course Disney gave us a special private tour and a chance to stand on that stage which was inhabited by the founders of country music. We entered through the stage door entrance in an alley adjacent to a bar/lounge famous as a haunt of music pioneers. And while the Ryman is a must, the new Grand Ole Opry venue is as impressive when you are able to visit the famous back stage dressing rooms, and wall of fame. But there was more!
We had a pre-show dinner in the broadcast studio where many Nashville shows were filmed which included the sound stage where the popular Hee Haw show was once produced. A catered sit down meal with wine was only briefly interrupted when instruction in line dancing was included. And to top off all of this VIP experience, we had VIP seating at that nights Grand Ole Opry show, with a special treat for me, hearing a couple of songs by Vince Gill, a fellow Oklahoman.
The more continued with hands on poster making at Hatch Show Print, a mock station ID recording at the legendary WSM 650 AM radio station, admission to the expansive Country Music Hall of Fame, and a private visit to Music Row’s RCA Studio B recording studio where Elvis along with other legendary artists, recorded their songs beginning in 1957. We were entertained with insider stories, and with many rehearsals under our belts, we recorded our own group singing a well-known Elvis favorite, and was later presented with our own special CD of our performance.
All along our days of adventures all admission charges were taken care of by our hosts as were most meal times. We ate at Merchants’ Restaurant where we customized our own BBQ sauce, and had breakfast at popular Puckett’s Grocery. There was even a little free time for us to explore downtown Nashville sights on our own. I took this opportunity to reserve my spot for lunch at the Southern Steak and Oyster restaurant, and then took a stroll up to the historic Hermitage Hotel and the Capitol Grille, where I took in a beverage and tales of this famous watering hole.
If you couldn’t tell I was impressed with the services and thoughtfulness of the Adventures By Disney experience. Some tours are for adults only while most welcome the whole family. Documents and itineraries are sent to you well in advance of your departure and should you have added questions they are easily answered by phone from your personal travel concierge. Besides state-side destinations, the company offers tours overseas and cruises as well. Tempt your travel lust by exploring: https://www.adventuresbydisney.com.

Mr. Terry Zinn – Travel Editor
Past President: International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association
3110 N.W. 15 Street – Oklahoma City, OK 73107
https://realtraveladventures.com/?s=terry+zinn
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www.martinitravels.com

The Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum is proud to host its annual quilt show during the entire month of October. The exhibit is open during normal hours of operation and there is no charge to see the special exhibit. The beautiful works of art on display include both heirloom quilts and modern quilts. The Cimarron Valley Quilt Guild and Pawnee Bill Quilt Guild members are instrumental in putting together this yearly event.
The Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum is located at 1141 Pawnee Bill Road in Pawnee. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday and Monday 1 to 4 p.m. For more information about the quilt show or other programs, please call 918-762-2513 or email [email protected].
The Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum 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.

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Visit the Henry and Anna Overholser Mansion this October for the History and Haunts after-hours tour! These evening tours of the historic home will take place October 2, October 9 and October 15. All tours will begin at 7 p.m. with a brief introduction in the carriage house followed by a tour of the mansion in its nighttime splendor. Guests will learn the history of the home and its former occupants, and discover why some say they are still roaming the halls! The tour will allow time for guests to explore the historic home on their own. Tickets are $20 per person and are now available for purchase on the Preservation Oklahoma website, www.preservationok.org/shop. The History and Haunts tours will be limited to 25 guests per night, masks are required and tickets are nonrefundable.
Preservation Oklahoma, Incorporated, is the state’s only private, nonprofit membership organization that is dedicated to promoting, supporting and coordinating historic preservation activities throughout the state. Preservation Oklahoma’s mission is to promote preservation statewide. Founded in 1992, Preservation Oklahoma is a statewide partner with the National Trust for Historic Preservation and works on joint projects with the Oklahoma Historical Society, State Historic Preservation Office. More information can be found at www.preservationok.org. The Overholser Mansion is an affiliate 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.

story and photo by Vicki Jenkins, Staff Writer

Jenna Waddell is a flight nurse, flying out of Air Evac Lifeteam in Ada, Oklahoma. She has been a nurse for almost six years now and has been flying for a year and seven months. “I always wanted to work in the medical field, ever since I was a child. I truly believe it is a calling for me to serve others. Growing up, my dad, now a 100% disabled combat veteran Navy SEAL, would sometimes come home from deployment with an injury. I would help him in any way that I could. After a traumatic parachuting accident that almost amputated his right leg, I knew for sure that I was supposed to go into trauma and emergency medicine. I grew up taking care of others, so it is only natural for me to be a nurse. It’s in my bones. No pun intended,” Jenna said with a smile.
“Being a flight nurse is the best job in the whole world,” Jenna said. “I don’t just have one favorite thing about my job but the ones that stand out are: 1. The amount of autonomy that I have in the air. I do not have to ask a physician for orders. It is me and my partner making critical life or death decisions. 2. We are held to a higher standard as clinicians with an enhanced scope of practice. The requirements, certifications and education needed are next level and we are expected to know our stuff. 3. I take care of patients in a helicopter.”
Jenna got her first degree at Baylor University in Health and Human Science. “I initially was going to be a physical therapist. During my senior year at Baylor, I was completing my clinical nurse in an inpatient setting for physical therapy school admission. During that rotation, I was working alongside other nurses. I watched as they worked tirelessly to provide the best care for their patients. I knew right then that was going to become a nurse. I applied last minute into UCO’s Nursing program after graduation from Baylor. I went through the fast track nursing program at Oklahoma City University Kramer School of Nursing. I did not realize that nursing had so many specialties and opportunities. After doing more research about the profession, I never looked back,” Jenna said.
To qualify for a flight nurse, more training is needed. “You must have 3-5 years of critical care experience, have BLS, ACLS, PALS, PHTLS, PHNRP, an advanced certification such as TNCC and an advanced nursing certification to include either CFRN, CCRN, or CEN. After being accepted into the new role as a flight nurse, there is a six month orientation/training process,” Jenna explained. “During those six months, you have to attend and pass three regional intensives which test you on your knowledge and skill set during any quizzes and stimulations. There are four flight nurses, four flight paramedics, and four pilots at each base,” Jenna added.
Jenna’s flight flies out of Ada, Oklahoma, working 24 hours on, 24 hours off each week. She works in the trauma bay at the hospital during her week off. “I truly experience the best of the nursing world-in air and on the ground.”
“Our service area is 75 nautical miles from the base in Ada, Oklahoma. However, we have found ourselves in many states across the Midwest and southeastern regions to include Kansas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas.”
At the base, Air Evac Lifeteam 26 in Ada, there were seventy-four flights this past month, the most in the state of Oklahoma.
What are some of the qualities of a good flight nurse? “Compassion, hard-working, detail-oriented, empathetic, being a strong, patient advocate, an effective communicator, a leader but also a team player,” Jenna said.
Asking Jenna if she had received any awards or recognitions, she replied, “I received honors for grades all through undergrad and nursing school including Cum Laude, the honor society for nurses, President’s List, Dean’s List, a Base Recognition Award, etc. I volunteered at Habitat for Humanity and the Humane Society.”
When Jenna is not working she enjoys spending her time, running, cycling, Body Pump and CrossFit, etc. Jenna likes to travel and spend time outdoors, whether it be hiking, boating, camping, kayaking and scuba surfing. She enjoys walking Bentley, her Australian Shepherd mix. Jenna also likes to read and play the violin.
Summing up Jenna’s life in three words, she replied, “Faith, adventure and ambition.”
For more information visit: www.lifeteam.net.

Idaho artist, Cary Schwarz, will join some of the finest traditional cowboy artists for the 23rd Annual Traditional Cowboy Arts Exhibition and Sale at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, October 1-2, 2021.
Showcasing the best of saddlemaking, bit and spur making, silversmithing and rawhide braiding from the members of the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association, the exhibition will open to the public Friday, October 1, 2021, and the sale will take place on October 2. All pieces will remain on exhibit and available for purchase at the Museum through January 2, 2022. The sale will take place on October 2.
Each year the TCAA exhibition gives Schwarz the opportunity to reflect on his journey as a founding member. From the very earliest conversations about what would become the TCAA, to the elaborate education programs of today, it’s been a tremendous journey. Before the founding of the association, Schwarz would stumble into his peers and mentors in the saddle business every few years. Now he interacts with them on a weekly basis, offering a depth of support and advice to one another. To view the catalog, visit TCAA (nationalcowboymuseum.org). To sponsor the event or place a proxy bid for art, visit nationalcowboymuseum.org/tcaa. Proxy service is also available by contacting Trent Riley at (405) 839-7097 or [email protected].

Story by Darl Devault, Contributing Editor

In his sermons and in person Terry Hill, pastor of the Canadian County Cowboy Church in Yukon, tells his congregation and this writer our church is in a good place. He says things are better than ever because God is sending them more good people.
The board recently has been kicking around the idea they may need to expand the non-denominational Cowboy Church on East Main, on property donated by the Yukon Round-Up Club in 2013.
“You do not have to be a cowboy to worship with us,” Hill said. “We just want our visitors to know we are not overly formal in our dress and our fellowship includes many who are not cowboys or wear cowboy hats.” (story continues below)

Hill is grateful for all the new people seeking fellowship in God’s name who are attending the church since it shut down for eight weeks during the height of the COVID-19 surge in the area.
He wonders if the availability of their extensive online ministry is attracting more people to come in person. He thinks some of his early congregation members are watching the sermons online.
The ministry streams services both on YouTube and Facebook.
Hill shares a story about how he got back to his roots as a cowboy and pastor during their eight-week shutdown for COVID-19. He and his wife Evelyn took their video camera down to the Holy City of the Wichitas in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, northwest of Lawton. He was inspired to record his sermon on the 66-acre area that looks much like Israel during Biblical times. A few weeks later, trying to change this up, Hill did his sermon on horseback in his round pen. These sermons can be found in the church’s Web site archives.
The church has a practical ministry giving away Cowboy Bibles and Bibles for all ages to whomever wants one. The church supports local, state and foreign ministries. Hill say their mission is “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ: Galatians 6:2.”
Every Sunday the service begins with the presentation of the American and Christian flags. The congregation stands with hats removed as they sing God Bless America, followed by their theme song, Yes Lord, We Will Ride with You.
Another direct service to the flock is providing spiral notebooks on each row for the recording of prayer requests or a praise report if God has done something for members. The church prays over the needs expressed in the requests later in the service.
Again Church websites have become the new front doors of any church. Before visitors step inside the church itself, they can get a sense of the community and determine if they would belong. When a church streams its services online, it invites potential newcomers to join the service from afar to see how the sermon resonates with them.
Pastor Hill credits streaming for bringing many new families to the church within a few months. He happily says streaming “has been a huge success and we hope to have even more families join.”
Hill thinks the congregation attends services on Sunday and then some watch the archived stream later to deepen their understanding of that week’s lesson.
Founded in 1947, the Yukon Round Up Club owned the 13 acres now the church campus. The rodeo arena still emphasizes the cowboy heritage with club’s name part of the original metal archway over the road leading to the arena. The church has made the venue a part of the ministry, offering community events.
On Sunday mornings, CCCC kicks off their services at 550 E. Main Street with fellowship, coffee and doughnuts at 9 a.m.
Sunday school classes for all ages start at 9:30 a.m. The church service begins at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday evenings they serve a fellowship dinner from 5:30pm to 6:30pm for a voluntary donation. Bible study classes for all ages begin at 7 pm.
They now offer a LIVING FREE class, small group sessions for those who need inner healing and help to stay away from life controlling problems.
Hill, owner of El Reno Steel, along with his wife Evelyn, founded the church in 2010.
“We welcome you to our weekly Cowboy Church Service, where hats are welcome but not required,” Hill said. “We pray you will be blessed as we worship and fellowship in the “Cowboy Way”.”
For more information on this “Cowboy Ministry”, find them on Facebook and YouTube or visit: www.canadiancountycowboychurch.com.

Story by Darl Devault, Contributing Editor

Senior citizens will be celebrated with free admission to the fairgrounds on their special day with events from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sept. 22 at the south end of the Modern Living Building at the Oklahoma State Fair.
All seniors ages 55 or older are invited to enjoy the “Under the Big Top” themed event for activities, entertainment, exhibits, prizes and health screenings designed especially for the golden ager.
“We are very excited to be planning the Fair and Senior Day. New for the 2021 Senior Day event is Mike Black as Elvis!” said Robyn Hicks, Fair Special Programs & Events manager. “Since January, our volunteer Senior Day committee has been hard at work planning an excellent event for Oklahoma Seniors 55 and over. We look forward to having both a successful Senior Day and Fair.”
Black, who will sing Elvis songs at 5:30 p.m., is from Choctaw after growing up in Midwest City. During his long career he has opened concerts for major acts Percy Sledge, Eddie Raven, The Grass Roots, Three Dog Night and Blood, Sweat and Tears. (story continues below)

Later he will appear outside at 7:30 p.m. during the Elvis Extravaganza at the Chickasaw Country Entertainment Stage. Black will compete with other powerful Elvis impersonators in a regional contest to allow one to go on to the National Championship in Las Vegas. Black has won this regional several times.
Activities planned for the day include a robust lineup of free health screenings: Blood Pressure Screenings • Blood Sugar Screenings • Pain Management Assessment • Vein Testing • Depression and Memory Screenings, and Diabetic Foot Screenings.
Flu Shots, Pneumonia, Bone Density, B12 shots will be offered by Passport Health with a cost incurred for all shots. Please have your insurance card if it covers your shots.
The event offers seniors Door Prizes (Registration: Session 1: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Session 2: 1 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. & Session 3: 3:30 – 6 p.m.) Pick up your ticket at the prize table for a chance to win one of many donated gifts. There will be multiple drawings in the morning, the early afternoon and then again during the late afternoon. Each session’s tickets will be discarded after the end of their respective time. Please register again for both afternoon door prize sessions. Please check the winner board during each session.
The day will also feature a Photo Booth and 22 senior health and recreation exhibitors.
A full listing of what goes on “Under the Big Top” is available online at senior-day-event-detailed-schedule-8-11.pdf (okstatefair.com)
The Oklahoma Senior Games demonstration area will be there on Senior Day and for the whole run of the Fair.
This year the Games will offer special strength testing for seniors at their Senior Fitness booth
Tests will include arm strength (pushups), leg strength (globet squats), abdominal strength (forearm plank), and balance.
The largest interactive demonstration court for seniors is one of the fastest growing recreational sports, Pickleball. It is now widely embraced by seniors for its great health outcomes.
Pickleball is a recreational paddle sport for all ages and skill levels. Grandparents who welcome the opportunity to try new fitness outlets can play with their grandkids to stay active.
Whether seniors are looking for a way to exercise or want to be challenged at a competitive level, there is a place in the pickleball community.
Volunteers are needed help support the large Senior Games area from September 16 to the 26. By volunteering, helpers earn a free fair ticket, T-shirt and close-in free parking. Schedule shifts at its signup website:
www.signupgenius.com/go/9040a4da4a628aa8-oklahoma1
The organizers are counting on the warm hospitality and strong sense of community spirt our citizens have shown as volunteers to allow the state to thrive.
“Our volunteers are a major part of how and why our state has proven itself as a great place to compete in senior games each year,” volunteer coordinator Regina Stewart said. “We have grown to offer more games because of the time and energy Oklahomans who do not compete have invested in offering the Games to those who do compete.”
Seniors can enter at gates 1, 2, 6, or 10 to catch one of the free trams which begin running at 10 a.m. Trams can stop at Gate 3 or by the fountain on General Pershing Blvd to drop you off as they are the closest drop-off points to the building. Electric and manual wheelchairs are available for rent inside Gates 1/2, 6 & 9, while supplies last. Free coffee and snacks will be on offer at 10 a.m. until they are gone.
To view the schedule of activities

Story and photos by Darl DeVault and Richard Mills

For a decade, actor Mark Harmon, star of the CBS action drama “NCIS” provided the spark needed to propel The Children’s Center Rehabilitation Hospital in Bethany to a fundraising goal. He and his famous friends sustained a 16-year charity mission in the area raising more than $1 million through the “Pitch in for Kids” baseball charity game, bowling competition and auction.
Locally, Dr. Michael Wright of the Oklahoma Sports Science and Orthopedics (OSSO) was friends with Harmon during his time in San Bernardino. He participated in baseball charity games Harmon organized. Moving to Oklahoma City in 1998, Wright soon connected with The Children’s Center. (story continues below)

Wright then called Harmon to invite him and his charity team “the Bombers” to consider The Children’s Center as a fundraising stop on a several-city tour the team did each summer.
The Bombers played the OSSO Healthcare Network Outlaws, a team of physicians and staff members of the medical organization. Each year OSSO served as the primary sponsor and producer of this premier fundraising event.
The relationship with The Children’s Center began in 2001. The event was a rousing success. The team made the hospital its focus each year for that decade.
“It’s humbling to look back and see the positive impact Mark Harmon, the Bombers charity baseball team and the OSSO baseball team had on fundraising and raising our hospital’s visibility in the community,” said Albert Gray, executive chairman of the board at The Children’s Center Rehabilitation Hospital.
The first time Harmon visited The Children’s Center, patients greeted him at the door with excitement. At the time, the hospital only had a complex care unit with 100 inpatient beds. Harmon toured the facility, where the patients played baseball with him in the hospital gym. The children used toys to mark the bases and enjoyed their time with Harmon.
It was evident Harmon empathized with the patients, so raising money for this hospital was an easy decision. He saw the need and understood the hospital relied on private contributions from organizations and individuals to provide continued pediatric and rehabilitative care.
Although a career actor, Harmon is no stranger to competitive athletics. He was the UCLA Bruins’ starting quarterback in 1972 and 1973. The National Football Foundation gave him their award for All-Round Excellence in 1973.
For the 10 years Harmon and his friends helped the Children’s Center, they hosted a bowling competition and auction on Friday night for sponsors and hospital employees. On Saturday, the group staged a charity baseball game at the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in the afternoon before the minor league night game. Harmon was gracious in signing autographs while posing for photos with fans at the events.
The Bombers team of Harmon’s Hollywood industry friends and former star MLB players made the trip from southern California each year. Harmon’s college roommate and now his agent Barry Axelrod was the Bombers’ manager and often late-inning pitcher. Hollywood super producer Frank Marshall and MLB veterans Wally Joyner (first base) and Cy Young winning pitcher Rick Sutcliffe (now an ESPN broadcaster) accompanied Harmon each year. Other teammates included Mark Heydorff, Peter Dubrawski, John Sciarra, Steve Klausen, Ed Galigher, Brad Lyman, Jim Peterson, Deacon Nauslar, team historian and catcher Don Manning. Most years Scott Wedman, Rusty Van Dam, Scott Wedman, Bruce Walton, MLB veteran Mickey Hatcher and long-time player coach Chuck Olsen rounded out the team.
Often, local sports stars, celebrities and media members played for the OSSO team against the Bombers in the seven-inning game.
Harmon, the Bombers and OSSO raised $1 million through their annual fundraiser. This sustained the hospital in raising the remaining $9 million needed for a new Pediatric Medical Rehabilitation Unit. This unit added 20 additional inpatient beds, providing short-term care for children and teenagers needing rehabilitation after an injury or illness.
Many of the staff and supporters of The Children’s Center are certain God brought Harmon and the Bombers to Bethany each year.
The grateful management and staff at The Children’s Center wish Harmon a resounding Happy Birthday on his 70th birthday September 2nd. They are proud he and his friends played a key role in the legacy of helping children and teens heal and thrive, as the hospital has expanded to treat more patients since then.
Exciting recent developments at the hospital, with more than 700 employees, include the opening of a community compounding pharmacy. In keeping with the Bombers’ efforts, the hospital opened a state-of-the-art Adaptive Recreation and Fine Arts Center. They are working to open an adaptive ballfield for patients and the community later this year.
These new facilities expand the hospital’s reach into the surrounding community. It will offer children with differing abilities opportunities to participate in therapies, arts, and recreational activities.
“Harmon and his team truly had a heart for our patients, and the fact that we are weeks away from completing construction on our own ballfield speaks to the impact they had through their charity baseball game. We are forever grateful,” Gray said.
After finishing the fundraising drive for the hospital, Harmon and his group moved their philanthropic efforts to other children’s concerns locally for six more years before Dr. Wright moved his practice to Lake Havasu City, Ariz.
Revamped, it became the Mark Harmon Celebrity Weekend. Each year the team took part in a bowling event and a baseball game or golf event to raise funds for children related non-profits supported by the OK Kidz Charities Foundation.

Story by Darl DeVault contributing editor

What does nationally successful comedian Greg Schwem, 58, do when he hears a return performance at Tellico Village in Loudon, Tenn. set for October sold out in two hours? Realizing the power of comedy is important to his burgeoning senior audience Schwem looks at his busy national schedule and calls back to offer to do a second show because he wants to accommodate his fans.
“I’ve already written my opening line,” Schwem said. “Rather than say, ‘How many of you saw me last time?’ I’m going to say, ‘How many of you can’t remember if you saw me last time?”
Schwem has been writing a nationally syndicated comedy column appearing in Senior News and Living since 2010. Now that he has joined the active senior demographic, he realized it was time to start talking humorously about his own senior “experiences” as opposed to just writing about them. (story continues below)

Schwem joins a famous Oklahoman who realized he needed to include senior humor in his routine when Will Rogers quipped “When you are dissatisfied (with aging) and would like to go back to youth, think of Algebra.”
Schwem is grateful to his audiences as he secures more bookings speaking to this demographic. He has generated a good amount of interest with bookings at Sun City Austin, Texas and the Forest CC in Fort Myers, Fla. for next year. Many fans are joining the legion of Schwem devotees because they can watch his online videos of his national performances on his website www.gregschwem.com and via his social media channels. His followers have howled as Schwem recounts his battle with a kidney stone, the embarrassing sounds he emits during yoga classes and seniors who are building massive houses as opposed to downsizing.
“Why do you need a wine cellar?” he asked a recent audience. “At some point in your life, the only thing in your house that should be aging is you!”
Already hugely successful as a comedian writing and performing customized routines for some of our nation’s largest corporations, Schwem is enjoying the opportunity to add seniors to his national schedule. He says he is delighted seniors are such great laughers; they inspire him to write new routines to tickle their funny bone.
He has been writing comedy at the national level for many years. His column appears in the Chicago Tribune’s web edition and more than 25 other newspapers and periodicals around the world.
The Illinois native left a promising career as a broadcast journalist in 1989 to pursue his love of standup comedy. After several years traveling the country working comedy clubs, Schwem transitioned into providing humorous keynote presentations for the corporate market.
“I realized I had a knack for writing customized material about individual companies, whether it was making them laugh about their products or just their culture,” Schwem said last month. “It can be tricky; there is a very fine line when having fun with a company’s employees, so I am careful to make the business community laugh while also praising its work.”
Over the past 20 years, Greg’s corporate clients have included Microsoft, Cisco, IBM, Southwest Airlines, McDonald’s and even the CIA. “If I can get America’s covert intelligence agency to laugh at itself, I think I am doing pretty good,” Schwem said.
And now seniors are squarely in his sights for humor. “It is such a joy to watch people who are clearly enjoying their golden years be entertained, and laughter is a big part of that,” Schwem said. “Since I am 58, I realized performing in front of active seniors would allow me to continue doing what I love. People love to laugh at their aches and pains and other issues associated with aging and I’m no different.”
He shared a joke in our interview that fits here: “I’m now playing Pickleball. The game begins with everybody meeting at the net and revealing what physical ailment drove them to play Pickleball.”
His humor reaches out from his audience to the communities they live in.
“Florida retirement communities always seem to contain an animal’s name in the title. And yet you never see that animal in the community. I stayed with a friend who lived in Panther Crossing. Trust me, any panther who attempted a crossing would have been nailed by a golf cart.”
Finally, knowing his audience is suffering from assorted maladies, he is happy to share his own.
“I threw out my back pulling weeds. I tore my retina shoveling snow,” he said. “At this point, I’m only two seasonal injuries from laying on the couch for the entire year.”
Schwem has booked dates at several Del Webb communities and now seeks out active retirement communities near the sites of corporate dates where he is to perform, “In February, I’m doing a date in Fort Myers, Fla. for a metals association and, the next night, I’ll be performing for 200 active seniors 10 minutes away. I hope I can keep the audiences straight,” Schwem quips.
Greg Schwem is a monthly columnist for Oklahoma’s Senior News and Living.