story and photo by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

It’s all fun in the sun when you’re young.
But as you start to age all that exposure to the sun can begin to take its toll, resulting in blemishes and forms of skin cancer.
That’s where Dr. Elise Brantley and Scissortail Dermatology come in.
Brantley is a board-certified dermatologist who has been practicing since 2009.
Her practice focus is evaluation and treatment of growths of the skin with emphasis on detecting and treating skin cancer.
She is a native Oklahoman from Broken Arrow.
After graduating high school from the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics she attended the University of Tulsa for undergraduate studies.
She received her medical degree from the University of Oklahoma and completed her residency training at the University of Cincinnati where she served as chief resident.
While her husband was completing additional training in orthopedics she served on the faculty of both the University of Cincinnati and Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia before returning to Oklahoma.
She has been serving the Oklahoma City metro area for nearly 10 years.
She started Scissortail Dermatology this past September to better serve her patients.
“Over the years I’ve accumulated a practice of people who have had years of chronic sun exposure and a high rate of skin cancer development,” Brantley said. “Many of them are elderly because skin cancers come from years and years of sun exposure. It’s basically insult after insult after insult.”
Years of data have taught us about the harmful effects of the sun’s rays. Unfortunately, for many, that information wasn’t available when they needed it the most.
“We didn’t know then what we know now so when they were younger they were accumulating damage that no one had any idea how dangerous it was,” Brantley said. “Luckily, now, we have a lot more knowledge about how the sun’s rays cause damage but back then people just burned and kept going.”
Brantley has heard stories of patients trying to get sun tans when they were younger. Baby oil, Crisco, aluminum foil, iodine were just a few of the concoctions people thought might help them tan.
The wisdom of trying to get a “base tan” before the summer is also one that Brantley says is a myth. Base tans do not protect from sun damage or skin cancers.
Brantley educates her patients so they can become more knowledgeable about what to look out for.
She focuses on prevention and protection from the sun as well as skin cancer detection and treatment.
“It’s never a bad idea to come in and get a full body skin check from head to toe, at least for a start,” Brantley said. “We can look at your overall risk factors, your history and personal history and even clues from your skin as to how much sun damage you’ve already accumulated.”
“From there we can determine how often you should come in and we can go over how to detect things on your own.”
Three main types of skin cancer exist and some may have genetic components.
Non-melanoma skin cancers include basal cell and squamous cell cancers.
Melanomas are the quicker, more dangerous forms that – if left untreated – can become fatal.
“Those can take off within only a few weeks for the more aggressive ones,” Brantley said. “Anytime you have a brown spot or black spot that is not part of your normal skin that you don’t recognize or is behaving differently you definitely should come get that checked out sooner rather than later.”
“It doesn’t mean it’s melanoma. There’s a whole category of things that are benign that look similar but are hard to tell unless you are trained.”
It’s never too late to hedge your bet against skin cancer. Seeking shade and not being out in the hottest part of the days from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. are recommended.
There is more SPF protective clothing now than ever before including hats and shirts.
Sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher is also a great idea, reapplied every two hours.
Brantley notes that seniors are also at a higher risk of damage as they age, particularly if they spend more time in the sun.
“The more you are in the sun the less effective your immune system is at fighting off skin cancer,” said Brantley, who also noted the benefits of getting Vitamin D from the sun can as readily be achieved through vitamin supplements. “If you are immune-compromised you can start growing more and more skin cancers as your system gets weaker.”
Keeping a watchful eye over her patients is something that brings her immense joy.
“It’s very satisfying how you can get to know someone young and develop a relationship and know these patients over years and years. I love that once you get established with patients you build that relationship and it’s a privilege to get to know someone throughout their entire life. It’s very much a part of who a patient is, not just what their skin looks like.”
You can visit Dr. Brantley at one of her two OKC offices, Collier Skin Cancer Center, 3030 NW 149th St, or 401 SW 80th St, Bldg D, Ste 101. You can make an appointment by calling (405) 562-6222 or visiting her website at www.scissortaildermatology.com

By Nick Thomas

Actors Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth were married in 1974. Or was it 1976? Actually, it was both! The pair tied the knot when their “Days of Our Lives” characters (Doug and Julie) married two years after the couple wed in real life.
Some 50 years and a collective 5,000 episodes later, the Emmy Award-winning stars of the perennial NBC daytime soap opera are still together both on-screen and off. They recently produced a website, Secrets of Soap Opera Lovers, explaining how the two have lived, loved, and worked together for five decades (see www.soapoperasecrets.com).
“Our grandson, David Samuel, came up with the idea,” explained Bill from the couple’s home in Los Angeles. “He had been divorced and wanted to know the secrets for our long and happy marriage.”
“So we wrote them down for him and he suggested we share them with others on the Internet,” added Susan.
Their secrets, a collection of personal tips for building a successful long-term relationship, include singing and dancing together, saying I love you every day, keeping promises, and supporting your partner’s dreams. Another involves kissing, an activity their TV characters frequently embrace. The couple’s first kiss – on-screen and in real life – was in a premarital episode airing on July 23, 1970.
“That’s our number one secret,” noted Bill. “Give your lover a kiss first thing in the morning and the last thing at night.”
“We have love scenes on the screen, so naturally we have to rehearse them at home,” added Susan as Bill laughed in the background. “We need to practice a lot – we have to perfect them!”
On the website, Bill and Susan explain their secrets in a series of short videos filmed in the couple’s living room, each reinforced by an illustrative clip of their characters from the show.
“We chose scenes from ‘Days of Our Lives’ that demonstrate the point we make in each video,” said Susan.
Bill, who is 96, and Susan, 78, expect their characters to continue displaying on-screen affection through 2022 and beyond.
“The show is produced five days a week and they used to shoot day-for-day, but now they shoot eight episodes in five days,” explained Susan. “Bill and I have been working about four to seven times a month which is plenty right now.”
In addition to their daytime soap duties, both Bill and Susan have each appeared (separately) in a dozen feature films, as well as numerous TV movies, series, and theatrical productions throughout their careers. Bill even enjoyed a smash hit in the 50s singing “The Ballard of Davy Crockett,” outselling versions by Fess Parker and Tennessee Ernie Ford.
“We recorded it on the first take in one day,” recalled Bill. “I still get a royalty check each year for about $3,000. So someone must still be buying it!”
Long-time fans of “Days of Our Lives” are still buying the love that Bill and Susan’s characters share on-screen.
“It’s not Shakespeare, but the writers continue to make Doug and Julie fresh as the times change and as we age,” said Susan. “We haven’t even thought about stopping. Old actors don’t retire, they just lose their agents!” This iconic daytime TV couple, however, can expect to retain their management for quite some time.
“It’s been hard work for many years, but we still love it,” she adds. “We’re proud to be producing a quality product as the matriarch and patriarch of the show.”
Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery, in Alabama, and has written features, columns, and interviews for numerous magazines and newspapers. See www.tinseltowntalks.com.

In a year of full returns in-person and across theaters, deadCenter Film and Norman Music Festival are proud to partner on Thursday, April 28, at Sooner Theatre in announcing finalists for the inaugural Oklahoma Music Video Award in advance of the 22nd annual deadCenter Film Festival, taking place June 9 – 12. The award finalists will be presented at 7 p.m. during opening night of the music festival, which will run through Saturday, April 30 in Norman and precede an evening of programming merging music and movies.
The 22nd annual deadCenter Film Festival will take place June 9 – 12 in venues across downtown Oklahoma City. This inaugural partnership merges the schedule kick-off of the deadCenter Film Festival, in its first full in-theater run since 2019, with NMF, returning to full three-day operations after being one of the first metro area festivals to cancel in 2020, subsequently canceling the event again in 2021 due to the pandemic.
“One of my favorite things about Oklahoma is the way organizations work together to bring unique experiences to our state,” said deadCenter Film’s director of festival and operations, Miranda Patton. “Our partnership with the Norman Music Festival is undeniably one of those great partnerships. I am beyond excited about our upcoming event, the Music Video award, and future opportunities to celebrate music and film together.”
Immediately following the announcement of music video finalists, deadCenter Film will offer a screening of the documentary feature “Skating Polly: Ugly Pop” about the Oklahoma-bred, now West Coastbased, band Skating Polly, which was winner of the film festival’s Audience Award in 2021. The evening will feature a Q&A with director Henry Mortensen after the screening and a performance by Skating Polly, a trio of siblings known for memorable, genre-shattering versatility for more than a decade.
“We are just thrilled to be able to partner with a tremendous organization like deadCenter Film Festival on the inaugural Oklahoma Video Music award. Being able to overlap our brands and extend our message to broader audiences on each other’s behalf is the kind of collaboration that benefits our state, undoubtedly,” Shari Jackson, Norman Music Festival’s executive director said. “Being able to make this presentation with Skating Polly in attendance is the cherry on the top. On behalf of our board of directors, I can certainly say that we look forward to future collaborations with deadCenter Film Festival.” For more information visit: https://www.deadcenterfilm.org/

Dear Savvy Senior,

Can you recommend any businesses or services that specialize in helping seniors downsize and relocate? I need to find some help moving my mother from her four-bedroom home – where she’s lived for nearly 50 years – to an apartment near me. Overwhelmed Daughter

Overwhelmed Daughter Solo Ager

Dear Overwhelmed,
The process of downsizing and moving to a new home is a big job for anyone, but it can be especially overwhelming for seniors who are moving from a long-time residence filled with decade’s worth of stuff and a lifetime of memories. Fortunately, there’s a specialized service available today that can help make your mom’s move a lot easier for her, and for you.
Senior Move Manager
To help your mom get packed up and moved into her new home, you should consider hiring a “senior move manager.” These are trained organizers (they are not moving companies) who assist older people with the challenges of relocating and can minimize the stress of this major transition by doing most of the work for you.
A senior move manager can help your mom pare down her belongings, decide what to take and what to dispose of, recommend charities for donations and help sell her unwanted items. They can even create a customized floor plan of her new home so your mom can visualize where her belongings will fit.
Senior move managers can also get estimates from moving companies, oversee the movers, arrange the move date, supervise the packing and unpacking and help set up her new home, have the house cleaned and just about anything you need related to her move.
If you want to do some of the work yourself, you can pick and choose only the services you want. For example, you may only want a move manager’s help with downsizing and selling excess furniture and unwanted belongings but plan on doing the actual packing and moving yourself.
The cost of working with a senior move manager will vary depending on where you live, the services you want and size of the move, but you can expect to pay somewhere between $60 and $125 per hour or more, not including the cost of movers.
How to Find One
To locate a senior move manager in your area, visit the National Association of Senior Move Managers website at NASMM.org or call 877-606-2766. The NASMM is a trade association with an accreditation program that requires its members to abide by a strict code of ethics that ensures integrity. They currently have around 1,000 members across the U.S.
You can also search at Caring Transitions (CaringTransitions.com), which is the largest senior relocation and transition services franchised company in the U.S. They currently have nearly 200 franchises throughout the country.
But, before you hire one, be sure you ask for references from previous clients and check them, and check with the Better Business Bureau too. Also find out how many moves they have actually managed and get a written list of services and fees. And make sure they’re insured and bonded.
If you can’t find a senior move manager in your area, another option is to hire a certified professional organizer who specializes in downsizing and relocating. To find one, check the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals, which has a searchable database on its website at NAPO.net.

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

OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center, located on the OU Health Sciences Center campus in Oklahoma City, recently marked more than a decade of delivering the most advanced, research-driven, comprehensive care for patients facing the challenges of a cancer diagnosis. Dedicated on June 30, 2011, Stephenson Cancer Center opened to patient care three weeks later.
A $12-million gift made in 2010 by Tulsa residents Charles and Peggy Stephenson, longtime supporters of the University of Oklahoma, capped a $50-million private fundraising campaign. Theirs was the largest single donation to the Health Sciences Center at the time. In 2019, the Stephenson Family Foundation presented a transformative $20 million gift to expand the center’s research mission. Extending the impact of the Stephenson’s generosity, the cancer center committed to raise an additional $20 million, dedicated to the discovery of new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer. The philanthropic support of the Stephenson family served to sustain momentum that helped secure the cancer center’s designation as a National Institutes of Health (NCI) Cancer Center in 2018.
NCI designation became a specific goal for Stephenson Cancer Center in 2001, when the Oklahoma State Legislature approved House Bill 1072. Passed with bipartisan support, the bill called upon the university to create a comprehensive cancer center to provide leadership in cancer treatment, research and outreach. Further, the overarching goal was to achieve national recognition as an NCI-designated cancer center. Over the past decade, more than $400 million has been committed to the support and ongoing development of the cancer center, making it the largest public-private biosciences initiative in Oklahoma history.
Stephenson Cancer Center is the only NCI-designated center in Oklahoma. NCI designation belongs to only an elite group of cancer centers representing the top 2% of centers in the United States. Then and now, the cancer center demonstrates an unprecedented commitment to fighting cancer through improved treatment, clinical research, support programs and education.
Robert Mannel, M.D., Stephenson Cancer Center director, emphasized what it means to have such a resource in the state. “Cancer is the greatest challenge of modern-day medicine, possessing an intimidating force to irrevocably alter the lives of patients and their families. Cancer touches all of us, with one of two Oklahoma men and one in three Oklahoma women getting a cancer diagnosis during their lifetime. Stephenson Cancer Center’s vision is to eliminate cancer in Oklahoma and beyond. Its mission is to provide patient-centered, research-driven multidisciplinary cancer care. Such care is available in Oklahoma at Stephenson Cancer Center.”
The presence of this unparalleled resource for the utmost in compassionate patient care makes it possible to offer a broad range of latest-generation therapies and research-driven clinical trials. Further, it allows patients to access world-class care close to home, eliminating the necessity of travel beyond state borders. This invaluable benefit preserves patients’ vital networks of physical, mental and emotional support found in family, friends and spiritual communities.
“We’re keenly focused on research-driven patient care that provides access to tomorrow’s therapies today. It is research that drives us toward a future reality in which the burden of cancer is reduced or eliminated,” said Mannel. “Here, we have harnessed the resources that will one day help to defeat this adversary, which has taken such a toll on families across the globe. Stephenson Cancer Center is an inspiring model of what we can accomplish as Oklahomans united for such a compelling cause.”
Mannel explained that the cancer center’s mission-critical components include recruitment of NCI-funded researchers and the education and superior training of oncology health professionals. “These strategies are part of the battle plan to defeat cancer.”

Governor Kevin Stitt nominates current interim commissioner of health for commissioner position

Thursday Governor Kevin Stitt nominated Keith Reed the Commissioner of Health for the state of Oklahoma. Reed has been with the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) for 20 years, serving in various positions throughout the agency.
Reed has been serving as OSDH’s interim Commissioner of Health since October 22, 2021.
“I am honored to be nominated by Governor Stitt for consideration as Oklahoma’s next Commissioner of Health,” said Keith Reed, current interim commissioner of health. “I am proud to work alongside professionals that are truly dedicated to improving the lives of their neighbors. I look forward to the potential to serve in this capacity and continuing the transformation of OSDH, as it strengthens internally to ultimately be more responsive and a better partner for Oklahomans.”
Reed was born and raised in Monroe, Oklahoma located in Le Flore County.
“I often draw on my upbringing in a smaller Oklahoma community when thinking about the needs of Oklahomans that OSDH has the responsibility for meeting,” said Reed.
Reed has his Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Oklahoma’s Northeastern State University and possesses a Master of Public Health Degree (MPH) from the University of Oklahoma. Further, he is Certified in Public Health through the National Board of Public Health Examiners.
In addition to his public health career, Reed is a Colonel in the Oklahoma Air National Guard, serving multiple tours in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. He is currently assigned as Commander, 137th Special Operations Medical Group, Will Rogers Air National Guard Base, Oklahoma City.
“Keith Reed has done an exceptional job as interim commissioner of health and will continue to serve Oklahomans well in this permanent capacity,” said Gov. Stitt. “Keith has a proven track record of success, and he is the right person to lead the Oklahoma State Department of Health into the future.”
Before Reed is officially named as the Commissioner of Health, the senate must confirm his appointment.
The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) protects and improves public health through its system of local health services and strategies focused on preventing disease. OSDH provides technical support and guidance to 68 county health departments in Oklahoma, as well as guidance and consultation to the two independent city-county health departments in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Learn more at Oklahoma.gov/health.

Oklahoma Trails is home for new female river otter, Hazel.

Guests visiting the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden will have an opportunity to see its newest animal family member, Hazel, a female North American river otter. Hazel, 1, recently arrived at the OKC Zoo from Potter Park Zoo in Lansing, Michigan, and can be seen at the Zoo’s river otter habitat in the Big Rivers building at Oklahoma Trails. The recommendation for Hazel to relocate to the OKC Zoo came from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan® (SSP) for North American river otters. AZA’s SSP programs are cooperatively managed programs created to oversee species populations within AZA accredited zoos and aquariums.
“It’s always exciting to connect guests to a new member of our animal family,” said Tyler Boyd, the Oklahoma City Zoo’s curator of carnivores. “Hazel is settling in nicely and becoming familiar with her new habitat space. At this time, she is our only river otter but we are working with the AZA’s SSP program for river otters to find her a companion.”
Located throughout North America and Canada, river otters are classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as stable, meaning that their population in the wild is not in immediate danger of decline. River otters are just one of 13 different otter species found globally. River otters are known for their long slender bodies with short legs and their excellent swimming abilities. Adult otters can vary greatly in size, growing to about 2.5 to 5 feet and weighing between 10 and 30 pounds. A carnivorous species, river otters eat fish, frogs, crayfish, turtles and even some small mammals. They hunt either alone or in pairs but can also forage on land for insects and small mammals.
You “otter” make your way to the OKC Zoo to see Hazel! The Oklahoma City Zoo is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily with the last entry no later than 4 p.m. Purchase advance tickets for general admission at www.okczoo.org/tickets. 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, Oklahoma City’s Adventure District and an Adventure Road partner. Regular admission is $12 for adults and $9 for children ages 3-11 and seniors ages 65 and over. Children two and under are admitted free.
Stay connected with the Zoo on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linktree and TikTok, and by visiting our blog stories. To learn more about Zoo happenings, call (405) 424-3344 or visit okczoo.org.

After a major fall, metro senior credits physical therapy with helping her regain independence

Equine lovers can’t imagine life without horses. Carol Peake or Piedmont is one of them, but a fall in the stables meant she had to pull back the reins on riding and she worried she might never ride again.
Peak has ridden horses since childhood. After another of countless rides, she was putting her riding gear away when it happened. A saddle strap wasn’t properly secured, leaving the loop in line with her foot.
“When I turned around to walk off that loop was around my ankle,” Peake recalled. “It yanked my foot out from under me and I crashed to the ground right here on the concrete.”
Her husband was nearby and heard her holler. He rushed to her side and called for help. Peake was rushed to the hospital where they found she had broken the ball off her hip and fractured her femur. She required surgery to repair the damage. Weeks later, she was back home, in pain and barely able to bend at the hit. She wondered how she would be able to ride again. That was when Peake started working with Dr. Alex Maxwell, a physical therapist at Valir Physical Therapy in Piedmont.
“She came in, day one, and knew, ‘I want to get this pain under control,’ and then, right after that, ‘I want to get on a horse as soon as I possibly can,’” Maxwell said.
“Mostly I wanted my life back,” Peake explained, but she knew she had a long way to go.
“She was very unsteady, and she was pretty nervy about standing on one leg, which you have to be on one leg to get into a stirrup and swing your leg over the horse,” Maxwell said.
Peake was upfront with Dr. Maxwell, telling him on her first day about her determination to get back in the saddle.
Knowing her goals, Maxwell tailored her therapy in ways that would help her reach that goal of returning to riding. They focused on exercises that would target specific muscles, strengthening her body in ways that would help her someday get back on a horse again.
“We find those things they want to do, and we make sure we are addressing them through our modalities and treatments,” Maxwell said.
Peake was determined to get better. She pushed through day after day. With Maxwell’s help and encouragement, she began to see improvement — her pain became more manageable, and her strength increased. Nine months later, she reached her goal, climbing back in the saddle for the first time since her injury.
“It was exhilarating,” she said of that moment.
Peake continues to ride regularly. She does need a little help getting into the saddle, though she’s getting closer to doing it on her own. Meantime, she continues to work on strength and range of motion in her hip with the help of the team at Valir PT. She knows without them riding could easily have become a thing of the past.
“Being able to talk about something for weeks and weeks and train for it in here and then actually get to see her go and do it, it was an opportunity that I really appreciated her giving me,” Maxwell said.
Interestingly, Peake says the help she got through physical therapy brought other positives, helping her to enjoy time once again in her garden.

Story by Darl DeVault, Contributing Editor

Sometimes known as a Grand Activity, grandparents often help their grandkids explore new activities outdoors when they share leisure experiences.
Organizers say Oklahoma City RIVERSPORT provides such an opportunity in several locations, providing kayak lessons and rentals so grandkids and grandparents can share the healthy outdoors together.
The Oklahoma River in downtown Oklahoma City is a boon to recreational kayaking in the Boathouse District. Access these outdoor amenities at 725 S. Lincoln Blvd., located just south of Bricktown’s Bass Pro Shop. Organizers rent equipment and provide quick land-based lessons to instill confidence in newfound on-the-water kayaking skills to paddlers. Instruction is vital in steering these boats to a safe and fun adventure. This extends past those interested in kayaking to various paddle sports such as stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) and whitewater kayaking with more training.
Sitting in the boat on the water, it’s easy to feel how kayaking can rekindle a connection with Mother Nature. The craft glides across the river’s surface with each paddle stroke at your pace and effort rate. The retirement privileged will easily keep pace with the young’uns or your companions. Your efforts may entice you to become a senior kayaker and more avid outdoor enthusiast.
This popular water sport affords paddlers an up-close-and-personal view of the river and the wildlife along waterways – cranes, geese, ducks, and the fish in the river. Wide, lightweight plastic touring boats and flatwater kayaks (also called recreational kayaks) make this possible.
A new generation of wider constructed, safer flatwater kayaks featuring easy dynamic control is fueling a paddlesport explosion. These smaller boats’ control and balance make for the perfect outing with grandkids.
Paddleboarding is standing on a wide “surf” board. You use a long, angled paddle to move leisurely through the water. Ages 8+ can paddle solo, while ages 5+ can SUP with an adult. SUP is included in the RIVERSPORT day and season passes, or you can rent a board by the hour. All participants must wear a personal floatation device (lifejacket also called PFD), which is provided.
SUP is available in the Boathouse District and via RIVERSPORT Flat Tide at Lake Overholser and Lake Hefner.
Downtown in the Boathouse District, grandparents can rent kayaks and SUPs or purchase a RIVERSPORT day pass for a whole day of fun and adventure.
“The Lake Overholser Boathouse and the Stinchcomb Wildlife Refuge are hidden treasures in Oklahoma City,” said Elizabeth Laurent, spokesperson for RIVERSPORT. “It’s a great place for grandparents and grandkids to spend time away from digital distractions and get back to nature.”
RIVERSPORT’s Lake Overholser Boathouse is located on the east shore of Lake Overholser, 12 miles west, and offers hourly kayak and SUP rentals. It features the North Canadian River, which winds through the Stinchcomb Wildlife Refuge north of the lake. The Refuge is one of the best places to kayak in central Oklahoma. Quiet waterways are a great place to learn the basics.
Grandparents can easily share some fun time on the water with their grandkids as they enjoy kayaking by renting one for a few hours. RIVERSPORT Flat Tide puts you on the water in kayaks and paddleboards at the northeast corner of Lake Overholser near the Route 66 Bridge on the weekends. This Spring, the Oklahoma City Water Trust upgraded the parking lot near the Route 66 Bridge with a new gravel surface. This widening and replacing of the earthen surface make it available to about 60 cars.
Kayaker Michael Jones from Edmond left this five-star review of the Stinchcomb portion on the alltrials.com website on March 19, 2022. You can track his paddle excursion: Stinchcomb Wildlife Refuge: East Trail – Oklahoma | AllTrails: Beautiful day to kayak. The water was fairly calm. Busy on the river but not overly so. Went from the boathouse north, under bridges then up the west channel to the river. Not a lot of wildlife but heavier boat traffic is probably why. Went north on the river to near the turnpike. The water got shallow, so I headed back. Nice 3-hour workout.
Once a grandparent uses the on-the-water activities for a bonding session with their grandkids, the kids are sure to look around and see all the other opportunities RIVERSPORT has to offer. RIVERSPORT in the Boathouse District offers a wide variety of land-based activities, including a six-story adventure course, high-speed slides, climbing, bicycling, whitewater rafting, tubing, surfing and indoor skiing. RIVERSPORT also offers coached rowing and canoe/kayak programs for youth through high school age and masters (adult) athletes.
To learn more about RIVERSPORT, visit www.riversportokc.org online or email info@riversportokc.org.

Today, the Social Security Administration released its first Equity Action Plan, supporting President Biden’s whole-of-government equity agenda to advance equity, civil rights, racial justice, and equal opportunity for all.
On January 20, 2021, The President signed an Executive Order, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. The Executive Order requires all Federal agencies “to pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all, including people of color and other people who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality.”
“Social Security’s programs touch the lives of nearly every American, providing income security for the diverse populations we serve, including people facing barriers, people with disabilities, people who are widowed, retirees, and their families,” said Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting Commissioner of Social Security. “Systemic barriers may prevent people who need our programs the most from accessing them. Our Equity Action Plan will help to reduce these barriers and ensure people have access to our services.”
Social Security’s Equity Action Plan includes:
* Increasing collection of race and ethnicity data to help understand whether programs are equitably serving applicants and beneficiaries,
* Revising policies and practices to expand options for service delivery, Ensuring equitable access for unrepresented claimants in the disability application process,
* Decreasing burdens for people who identify as gender diverse or transgender in the Social Security number card application process, and
* Increasing access to research grant programs for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Serving Institutions and procurement opportunities for small and disadvantaged businesses.
To learn more about the actions outlined in the Equity Action Plan, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/open/materials/SSA-EO-13985-Equity-Action-Plan.pdf. For more information about efforts to redress systemic barriers in policies and programs to advance equity for all, visit www.whitehouse.gov/equity.