AARP Oklahoma presented House Majority Leader Tammy West (R—District 84) and Senate Appropriations Chairman Roger Thompson (R—District 8) with the 2024 Champion for Family Caregivers Award at the Capitol on Monday. Leader West and Senator Thompson were recognized for their leadership in improving the lives of older Oklahomans and championing the Caring for Caregivers Act, which created a state tax credit for Oklahoma family caregivers up to $3,000.
“The Caring for Caregivers Act helps offset costs and helps keep spouses, aging parents, or other loved ones at home instead of in costly taxpayer-funded nursing homes,” said AARP Oklahoma State Director Sean Voskuhl.
According to AARP’s Valuing the Invaluable report, Oklahoma’s 490,000 family caregivers provide a staggering $6.6 billion in unpaid care.
“While caregiving is decidedly a labor of love, it also has a real financial cost,” Voskuhl said. “Leader West and Senator Thompson understand the sacrifices family caregivers make and fought for the nation’s first comprehensive tax credit for family caregivers.”
Family caregivers spend about 20 percent of their income caring for their loved ones— more than $7,200 annually. Visit aarp.org/OKCaregiverTaxCredit

On Friday, 21 June and Saturday, 22 June, the Oklahoma City Veterans Affairs Health Care System (OKC VA HCS) partners with resources to kick-off the Summer PACT Act VET-Fest. This 2-day event will bring Norman-area Veterans resources and provide eligible Veterans and family members VA healthcare education, toxic exposure screening and an understanding of what the VA healthcare can offer and assisting Veterans with the VA benefits processes.
The full name of the recent legislation passed is called the Sergeant First Class (SFC) Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act and was signed into law on August 10, 2022. The PACT Act is one of the largest expansions of Veteran health care programs and benefits. The PACT Act will benefit millions of Veterans spanning generations of service members from World War II, Vietnam, Gulf War and more recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. If you served between conflicts, don’t be afraid to come in and find out if you qualify. While serving, if Veterans were exposed to toxins (such as agent orange, burn pits, burning oil fields, asbestos, etc.), they-and their survivors-should qualify for benefits.
The OKC VA is hosting this 2-day Summer VET Fest to roll out PACT Act resources and provide VA assistance such as eligibility teams, VA ID Cards, medical experts to provide toxic exposure screening (TES), file claims with the Muskogee Benefits Office, or with the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs or other Veteran Service Organizations present.
On Friday, 21 June and Saturday, 22 June, 2024, Norman-area Veterans are encouraged to come to the Norman Reserve Center, located at 4000 Thunderbird Street, Norman, OK, 73069 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. If you are unable to attend, please stay connected to the OKC VA Facebook page to stay plugged into the upcoming PACT Act events. If you are a Veteran in the Oklahoma City catchment area and you cannot attend the Norman, OK event, don’t worry, the OKC VA has multiple PACT Act Community Engagements throughout the year. If you can’t make this event, come out to one of our outreach events near you. The OKC VA wants to help Veterans get started in their VA healthcare journey and the Veterans Benefits Association wants to help you file claims. You don’t want to miss out on the PACT Act assistance before it is too late.

Story and photo by Van Mitchell, Staff Writer

Don Conry and his sister Kathleen Conry have both been involved in serving others, but had done so from different cities.
Don, 80, had been involved with Mobile Meals in Dallas, and Kathleen, 77, was involved with her church in Manhattan, New York.
For the past three months, the siblings teamed together to serve meals for the Logan County Council on Aging in Guthrie.
Logan County Council on Aging is a non-profit organization that assists the Logan County Aging Service with funds for home-bound meals and bus purchases for its transportation program.
“I was involved in the Meals on Wheels in Dallas, not as much as I am today, but one or two times a week for maybe half a year,” Don said. “And when we moved up here to Guthrie, I would always bring my dog over here to Highland Park to walk. One day I saw the (Logan County Council on Aging) building and I came in and I found out they were doing Meals on Wheels. And I said, “Do you need any help? They said, “Yes, can you come one day a week?” Now, I do it five days a week because they’re really hurting for volunteers.”
Kathleen added “I’m a member of a church there, which is where I started doing a lot of volunteer work through our winter clothing closet and other kinds of missions for people in Manhattan. When Don and (wife) Lawana moved here, it was the obvious place to come visit when I got tired of New York. So, that’s happened a few times, and I’ve been here for three months this stint. That’s why we teamed up to do the weekly runs to all of our clients here for Logan County Council on Aging, which is great.”
Kathleen and Don grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, where their father was a surgeon and an obstetrician, and their mother was a tap dancer. Their parents had five children.
“They met under extraordinary circumstances in Nebraska,” Kathleen said. “He was from Iowa; she was from Cleveland. She happened to be there and he happened to be going to medical school. There was this terrible accident. My mother was in the hospital and he was the attending surgeon in the ER. That’s how they met, fell in love, and nature took over.”
Don graduated college from Miami of Ohio with a business degree. He was also a member of the Navy ROTC. He is a Vietnam War veteran.
“I got a commission when I graduated and went back to Cleveland after I got out of college,” he said. “I got my orders, and they shipped me over to the Philippines, and got aboard my ship off the coast of Vietnam. I was in the Vietnam War (serving) in communications.”
After the war, Don returned to Cleveland, and got a job with Polaroid Corporation, where he worked for 15 years. His first posting was in Oklahoma City.
“This was my first job assignment. They sent me to be the Polaroid rep for the whole state of Oklahoma, and the panhandle of Texas, and a little bit of Arkansas,” he said. “I was the Polaroid rep here for five years, and married my wife, Lawana, who’s from Ardmore. And, then when I was transferred to Dallas. We lived for about 49 years in the same house in Plano, Texas.”
Don and his wife moved to Guthrie to be closer to their niece and her family.
“About four years ago, we found a house here that we liked,” he said. “We have a niece named Robin who has lived here for about seven or eight years, and she always wanted us to move up. We wanted to have a relative that could be close to us as we get older.”
Kathleen graduated from high school in 1966. She said her parents instilled the importance of music/theater in their children.
“I sort of got the mantle,” she said. “I went to ballet class when I was five. Tap class, jazz class, piano lessons. Don is a really good pianist. We have a lot of musical background.”
Kathleen said the allure of theater moved her to New York City.
“By the time I graduated from high school, I didn’t consider myself a good enough student to last through college, but I knew I had enough experience and had skills, I had a skill set for musical theater to go to Broadway,” she said. “I moved to New York in 1966 and I was on Broadway in 1968, did two Broadway shows, and hundreds of other shows. I then became a choreographer and a director. I retired 14 years ago. I still live in New York City. I have stayed in theater my whole life, even in retirement, I stay involved by doing a lot of mentoring.”
Kathleen and Don grew up in a Cleveland neighborhood called Clifton Park, that included residents Vernon Stouffer, owner of Stouffer’s, and members of the Glidden (Paint) family.
The siblings later moved to an upscale apartment complex called “the Winton Place,” where one of their neighbors was George Steinbrenner, owner of the New York Yankees.
“He was always extremely kind and just gracious,” Kathleen said.
Don and Kathleen said that they are doing more than just delivering meals. They are helping others, which is a lesson they learned from their parents.
“This is a wonderful ministry,” Don said. “So many people need help and they need to engage with somebody every day. Kathy and I do more than just delivering meals. We meet people that have needs, and we try to help them.”
Kathleen concurred.
“I think we learned from our parents post-World War II and being raised in an upper middle class neighborhood that you can’t just enjoy success. If you have any kind of good health, monetary success or career success, you have to give back. If you don’t give back, it’s kind of a waste of your energy.”

Dear Savvy Senior, Next month I am moving to a different state so I can be near my daughter and grandkids. Do I need to notify Social Security and Medicare about the move?
Relocating Grandma

Dear Relocating,
Yes, if you’re a Social Security and Medicare recipient you definitely need to let these Federal agencies know when and where you move so there are no hiccups in your benefits or coverage. Here’s what you should know.
How to Update Your Info.
If you’re receiving Social Security retirement, survivors or disability benefits, it’s required that you notify the Social Security Administration when you move to ensure your deposits continue and you avoid disruptions.
You’ll need to provide them your new mailing address so they can deliver important documents to you like your annual SSA-1099 tax form. And if you’re switching banks or credit unions, you’ll need to update your direct deposit information by providing your new financial institution’s routing number and account number.
If you’re a Medicare beneficiary, they too need your new mailing address so bills, correspondence, your Medicare Summary Notice and other statements can go to the right address.
You can update both your Social Security and Medicare contact information online by simply using the “My Profile” tab in your personal “my Social Security” account at SSA.gov/myaccount. If you don’t have an account, you can create one online for free in just a few minutes.
Or, if you need some help or don’t have internet access, you can call Social Security at 800-772-1213, or visit your local Social Security office and they will make the changes for you.
Medicare Private Plans
You also need to know that if you’re enrolled in original Medicare, you can move anywhere within the United States without losing coverage. But if you have Part D prescription drug coverage or a Medicare Advantage plan from a private health insurance company, and you move out of the plan’s service area, you’ll have to switch plans or you’ll face losing coverage.
Part D service areas typically are statewide or can extend to parts of neighboring states, while Medicare Advantage plans’ service areas vary by county.
Moving out of a plan’s service area qualifies you for a special enrollment period (SEP) of at least two months to get a new plan. You may also qualify if you move within your plan’s service area and it offers options different from what you had. The enrollment timing depends on when you notify the plan.
If you tell your plan before you move, your chance to switch plans begins the month before the month you move and continues for two full months after you move. If you tell your plan after you move, your chance to switch plans begins the month you tell your plan, plus two more full months.
To shop for new Part D and Medicare Advantage plans in your new area, use the Medicare Plan Finder tool at https://www.medicare.gov/plan-compare.
You can also switch Part D or Medicare Advantage plans during open enrollment, which runs each year from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7 for coverage starting Jan. 1.
Medigap Plans
If you’re enrolled in original Medicare and have a Medigap supplemental policy you usually don’t have to switch plans if you move, but you do need to notify your provider. Some insurers let you keep the rate based on the state where you originally applied for Medigap. Others may change your premiums to coincide with their coverage in a different zip code.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit https://savvysenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

By Marilyn Olson, Executive Director, VillagesOKC

VillagesOKC is inviting adults of all ages to join them in a fundraiser at Topgolf Oklahoma City, a premier entertainment destination in the metro. The event will be on April 18 from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm at 13313 Pawnee Dr.
“This is more than just your average golf tournament,” said Amy Shirola, VillagesOKC Administration and Finance Director. “It’s a great way to get together with friends and raise money for VillagesOKC.
We are a 501c3 nonprofit, and 80% of our operating budget is from donations. We want to continue giving stellar educational opportunities with great speakers, consulting with those who are in the middle of a major life transition or crisis, and connecting the 50+ population in the Oklahoma City metro with valuable resources.”
Cost is a $100 each for a six-person team; single-player registration is $125. Dinner is included. There will be a raffle going on all evening for great prizes and a Hole-In-One Contest where players can take a shot at a hole-in-1 for $10,000.
Shirola said there are sponsor opportunities also. Sponsorships range from $500 to $15,000.
“There are six sponsorship levels to choose from with various promotional opportunities,” she said. “Whether you choose to be a Putter Sponsor or Hole-in-One Sponsor, we sincerely appreciate your sponsorship of our Topgolf tournament.”
In 2023, VillagesOKC made 2,507 connections at its events for older adults. The goal is to increase that number significantly in 2024.
“Join us for a night out with friends and a delicious dinner while supporting our mission of empowering adults to age with vitality and purpose,” Shirola said.
Registration and sponsorship details are available at
https://villagesokc.org/top-golf-tournament/ or by calling (405) 990-6637.
Topgolf showcases a dartboard type driving range with golf balls that are tracked electronically and a scorecard that is updated automatically. Concentric circles mark the score for the session, and closer to the bulls-eye gets a higher score.
The fundraiser will use Top Contender Game Play rules. Here is how the Topgolf website describes this play:
• Choose 8 or 12 shots per player. Players rotate every 4 shots.
• Hit the glowing targets for double points.
• Aim closer to the center of each target for maximum points.
• Hit the glowing target that is furthest in the distance for maximum points.

“Get a hole-in-1 while you are playing Top Contender, and you can go home with up to $750 cash,” Shirola said. “The winning team will take home a cash prize.”

Visit: https://villagesokc.org/

Forrest Landis

(Right) 100 years old. WWII Veteran Forrest Landis of Tulsa joined the Navy right out of high school. His ship the SS Kendrick, a destroyer, was hit by a torpedo in the Mediterranean Sea & returned to the US for repair. He was awarded several Medals. He worked as a research chemist until his retirement.

Barbee Ann Brown

(Left) 100 years old. Barbee Ann Brown of Tulsa celebrated with lots of family and friends. Barbee and her husband Jack married on her birthday in 1943. She attended Will Rogers High School and the University of Tulsa. Barbee has been a member of Memorial Baptist Church for 68 years and PEO service group for over 50 years!

Bill Lavel Stanfield

(Right) 100 years old. Bill Lavel Stanfield of Tulsa was born February 29, 1924. He enlisted in the Army at age 16 & served in WWII, Korea & Vietnam with the Company A-160th Engineer Combat Platoon. During WWII, he served in the Pacific Theatre, Hawaii, European Theatre, France and Germany & England, Normandy.

Sidney Horn

(Right) 100 years old. Sidney Horn of Sand Springs will be 101 on May 10 so we celebrated today and honored her as a Centenarian! She wore one of her special hats. Sidney told me she once had a collection of about 30 hats and wore one every Sunday to church.

If you know of a Centenarian you would like to honor visit Centenarians of Oklahoma
https://centenariansok.com/

Stephanie Clements has joined Mercy as vice president and chief nursing officer at Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City. She will also serve as community chief nursing officer with strategic oversight over nursing at Mercy hospitals across Oklahoma.
Nearly 2,400 nursing co-workers serve in Mercy facilities across Oklahoma, which represents 32% of Mercy’s workforce in the Sooner State.
“We are really excited to welcome Stephanie to this important role because of her clear connection to our mission and Mercy heritage and her strong background in helping organizations excel,” said Betty Jo Rocchio, chief nurse executive at Mercy. “She brings the lens of an evidence-based bedside nurse into every operational and strategic decision she makes.”
Clements comes to Mercy from Baylor Scott & White Surgical Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas where she previously served as CEO and chief nursing officer.
Clements began her career in health care as a registered nurse and worked in a variety of medical specialties including labor and delivery, outpatient infusion, perioperative services, neonatal intensive care unit and medical surgical nursing. She has held every nursing position from floor nurse to charge nurse, and house supervisor to unit manager.
“The future is bright for health care in Oklahoma, and I am grateful to join Mercy at such an exciting time,” said Clements. “I’m so impressed with our Mercy nurses and their dedication to excellence. They are committed to delivering high quality care while also thinking outside of the box to advocate for the patients they serve. Nurses provide the framework around which care is delivered, and I believe our nurses honor that responsibility in all they do.”

Seaman 2nd Class Raymond Boynton was born May 3, 1922 in Grandville, Michigan and served aboard USS Oklahoma during the Dec. 7 attack on Pearl Harbor, was buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) in Hawaii on March 20.
In 1941, Seaman Apprentice through Seaman 1st Class encompassed Sailors who were being trained in the basic skills of seamanship. After attaining Seaman First Class, Sailors would be trained in, and assigned to, their unique operational specialties. Duties included knowledge of naval drill duties, knots, steering and signaling, standing watches and gunnery duties.
Promotions included Apprentice Seaman upon enlistment and Seaman 2nd Class: Oct. 12, 1940.
Duty Station were USS Oklahoma (BB-37): 09/13/1940 and Naval Training Station, Great Lakes, IL: 09/10/1940 and Awards and Decorations included the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal (with Fleet Clasp), American Campaign Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal (with Bronze Star) and the World War II Victory Medal.
Duty Stations were: USS Oklahoma (BB 37): 03/29/1940 and Naval Training Station Norfolk, VA: 12/15/1939.
Promotions include: Apprentice Seaman upon enlistment and Seaman 2nd Class: 04/14/1940

The Oklahoma Historical Society and State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) are pleased to announce the National Register of Historic Places designation for the following properties in Oklahoma. The National Register of Historic Places is our nation’s official list of properties significant in our past.

Jackson County – Altus Junior College Library, 221 N. Park Ln., Altus

The Altus Junior College Library, designed by architect William Appleby, was completed in 1969. This modern movement building is significant in the area of education for its association with President Johnson’s Great Society legislation. As a politician and former educator who came of age during the New Deal Era of the 1930s, Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) believed in the combined forces of education and “an activist government.” Accordingly, LBJ’s Great Society legislation emphasized opportunity through education as “the government’s secret weapon in the fight against poverty and unemployment.” The library building was constructed in 1968-1969 using a 1967 federal grant under the Higher Education Facilities Act.
The nomination was prepared through a grant from the Oklahoma City Foundation for Architecture titled the “Lynne Rostochil National Register Nomination Grant Program.” The grant program was established in memory of Lynne Rostochil, an architectural historian and photographer who, in her lifetime, passionately advocated for and diligently recorded Oklahoma’s rich architectural heritage.

Tulsa County – Charles and Bertha Blevins House, 1838 N. Norfolk Ave., Tulsa

The Charles and Bertha Blevins House is an excellent example of a property associated with Black Heritage and Civil Rights history, as it embodies the efforts to promote voter registration and participation in Oklahoma’s elections prior to the passage of the 1964 federal Civil Rights Act. Involvement in local civic and political organizations by the house’s owners, Charles and Bertha Blevins, contributed to the economic and social development of the Black community in north Tulsa during the mid-twentieth century. Most notably, the house served as a polling place for nearby residents, making voting more accessible and secure for Black Tulsans.
Listing in the National Register of Historic Places is an honorific designation that provides recognition, limited protection and, in some cases, financial incentives for these important properties. The SHPO identifies, evaluates and nominates properties for this special designation.
The State Historic Preservation Office 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 https://www.okhistory.org.