Thursday, October 16, 2025

OMRF discovery unravels complexity of wound healing

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OMRF scientist Lorin Olson, Ph.D.

When a fresh wound occurs, cells rush to produce collagen, which aids healing. But sometimes this process goes awry, resulting in one of two extremes: insufficient healing or excessive scar tissue.
Thanks to a recent discovery at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, researchers now have a better grasp on the cause.
“It’s a delicate balance,” said OMRF scientist Lorin Olson, Ph.D., who led the study published this month in the journal Cell Reports. “Everything must work just right for proper wound healing to take place.”
Olson’s lab focused on a protein signal called platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and cells called fibroblasts, which create collagen to form scar tissue. Several days later, these cells morph into a different cell type called myofibroblasts, which pull the wound’s edges together, essentially closing it.
Working with researchers from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Olson’s team discovered that PDGF controls this transition from one cell type into another and that optimal healing requires precise amounts of the protein signal.
“This paper focuses on wounds in the skin, but the same principles apply to injuries in other tissue or organs,” Olson said, “because in every injury, cells respond by migrating toward the damage.”
Too much PDGF results in wounds full of fibroblasts but no myofibroblasts, causing excessive scar tissue. In contrast, without sufficient PDGF, there aren’t enough fibroblasts to create collagen, and wounds fester.
Those chronic wounds cause significant medical and financial issues for millions of Americans. One common example is in people with diabetes. Poor circulation and nerve damage caused by the disease can lead to chronic foot ulcers, potentially requiring amputation. A 2018 University of Southern California analysis found that chronic wound treatment accounted for up to $96.8 billion in annual Medicare costs.
“Wound healing happens so routinely that we tend to take it for granted,” said Lijun Xia, M.D., Ph.D., chair of OMRF’s Cardiovascular Biology Research Program. “Dr. Olson has dedicated his career to better understanding the inner workings of this complex process. His discovery gets us closer to solutions for cases where a wound refuses to heal properly.”
Olson has taken these findings to delve into the cause of keloids – thick, often permanent, raised scars that most frequently form on the earlobes, shoulders, chest and cheeks of people of African and Asian descent. However, he said this discovery has far broader relevance.
“We’re studying PDGF signaling in conditions like atherosclerosis, where deadly plaque builds up in arteries, as well as cancer,” Olson said. “So if we better understand how it works, we can apply that knowledge to many other health conditions.”
Olson’s research is supported by National Institutes of Health grants R01-AR070235 and R01-AR073828, the Oklahoma Center for Adult Stem Cell Research, a program of TSET, and the Presbyterian Health Foundation.

Neuropathy Clinic Renewing Quality of Life for Oklahoma Seniors

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Nerve Renewal Neuropathy Clinic is located at 3705 NW 63rd Street, Suite 101 in Oklahoma City. Pictured left to right; Tim Bales, Owner; Glenn Cope, Chief Operating Officer; Lea Scoglietti, Nurse Practitioner; Lisa Smith, Personal Service Representative; Kirstein Montoya, Medical Assistant, and Krystal Kerry, Medical Assistant.

Story and photo Van Mitchell, Contributing Writer

An estimated 20 million Americans are living with chronic pain due to neuropathy

At Nerve Renewal Neuropathy Clinic located at 3705 NW 63rd Street, Suite 101 in Oklahoma City, they help Oklahomans renew their quality of life through proven nerve pain treatments that provide safe and effective relief.
Clinic hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
“At Nerve Renewal, we are on a mission to help Oklahomans renew their quality of life through established nerve pain treatments that provide safe and effective relief,” said Tim Bales, owner of Nerve Renewal Neuropathy Clinic. “Our prominent clients are seniors. They have some sort of pain, mainly neuropathy, and they are looking for some kind of relief from that pain or more feeling in their extremities.”
Peripheral Neuropathy is a disorder of the peripheral nerves, which connect the spinal cord to the muscles, skin, and internal organs in our bodies.
Neuropathy usually affects the hands and feet, and causes weakness, numbness, tingling and pain.
Patients may also report burning sensations, leg cramps, loss of balance, muscle weakness, and sensitivity to touch.
Neuropathy may come and go, progress over time, or even become severe and debilitating. Left untreated, it can lead to the loss of fingers, toes, and even limbs.
Each year, over 86,000 Americans undergo amputations as a result of uncontrolled neuropathy. However, if diagnosed early, peripheral neuropathy can often be treated.
Bales said while there is no cure for neuropathy, over 80 percent of patients report a significant reduction in pain after treatments. They can also enjoy better sleep due to reduced pain and recover more quickly from knee and hip surgery.
“Rather than masking your pain with medication, that can cause very undesirable side effects, as well as creating a long-term dependence on them, our staff of medical professionals will address the symptoms of neuropathy at the source with a non-invasive, drug-free form of therapy that combines injections of pharmaceutical-grade nutrient blend with electroanalgesia to provide relief from your symptoms,” he said. “Usually, treatments take between 16 and 24 treatments. Those vitamin injections really help the healing.”
Neuropathy has many different causes. The most common metabolic cause are patients with diabetes. Nearly 60 percent of all patients with diabetes develop neuropathy. This can commonly present as pain, numbness, swelling, burning, tingling, sleepless nights, balance issues.
Other causes of neuropathy include: chemotherapy, alcoholism, drugs/prescription medications; battlefield toxins, industrial toxins, vitamin deficiencies, acute physical trauma, and post-surgical pain.
Traditional neuropathy treatments, such as surgery and strong pain medications, can have a severe impact on patients’ long-term health.
Bales said Nerve Renewal Neuropathy Clinic takes a different approach, using established Electroanalgesia (EA) treatments to reduce pain without the drawbacks of invasive procedures or addictive medications.
EA works by delivering exact dosages of electrical stimulation to peripheral nerves. These high frequencies can decrease the ability of the affected nerves to transmit pain, which brings relief and healing. There is no opioid drowsiness, addiction concerns, or side effects.
“This non-evasive, drug-free form of technology is one of the oldest and most documented forms of medical science,” said Glenn Cope, Chief Operating Officer with Nerve Renewal Neuropathy Clinic. “Patients don’t feel trapped by pain. They are able to move and get exercise, leading to healthier outcomes for all other medical treatments.”
Cope said controlled research studies have shown that most patients find long-term relief from neuropathy after receiving Nerve Renewal Neuropathy Clinic’s specific treatment.
Bales said once the initial treatment is completed, patients then return every two weeks for follow-up care.
“Once you get to that threshold, there is maintenance,” he said. “You come back every two weeks, and it (helps) keep you where you are.”
Bales said their customers have requested adding Friday openings to their clinic hours, and he said that is something they are considering.
Cope said they are opening several other Nerve Renewal Neuropathy Clinics throughout the Oklahoma City metropolitan area.
“They (patients) aren’t crazy about driving a long way so we are building additional locations so it will be easier for them to get to places in town closer to them,” Cope said. “We are doing southwest Oklahoma City, just south of Oklahoma City Community College, Midwest City and Norman.”
Bales said the treatments are covered by most insurances.
“These established treatments are covered by Medicare, Medicaid, VA, and most medical insurance companies, so you can focus on enjoying life again,” he said.
For more information about Nerve Renewal Neuropathy Clinic call (405) 495-9270 or visit www.nerverenewalnow.com.

Quarterback Pledges Donations to OK Children’s Hospital

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General Booty, recently-signed OU Sooner quarterback.

As college athletes across the country begin taking advantage of the Supreme Court’s June 2021 ruling allowing Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals, a newly-signed OU Sooner quarterback is dedicating a percentage of his earnings to Oklahoma Children’s Hospital OU Health.
General Booty, who comes to Norman after playing at Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas, recently notified Oklahoma Children’s Hospital of his support.
“My family has been a really good example to me my whole life, and we talked about the importance of giving back,” Booty said. “I have a special place in my heart for kids, so after my visit there, I knew Oklahoma Children’s Hospital would be where my support would go.”
Booty, a third-generation football player, is originally from Shreveport, Louisiana. His father, Abram Booty, is a former Louisiana State University wide receiver, his uncle, Josh Booty, is a former LSU and NFL quarterback and his other uncle, John David Booty, was a USC quarterback and Rose Bowl MVP during Pete Carroll’s coaching leadership.
“General is a great kid, with a big heart and full of faith,” said his father. “He knew Oklahoma Children’s Hospital could benefit from the partnership and made the decision to provide that support on his own.”
Booty’s family moved quite a bit while he was growing up and he attended four different high schools, including two in California and two in Texas, finishing his high school career at Allen, which is in the Dallas area. After high school, the quarterback played for Tyler Junior College, where he caught the eye of OU scouts. After a visit to Norman, he knew this was where he wanted to play.
Recently, the 20-year-old quarterback paid a visit to some Oklahoma Children’s Hospital patients.
“We have some young football fans going through health issues no one – let alone a child – should have to go through,” said Jon Hayes, hospital president. “Seeing the kids faces light up when General stopped by to hang out with them for a while was a great way to take their minds off where they are. We are delighted to not just have General supporting us through his merchandise sales, but just becoming engrained in what we do here. We can’t wait to see what he does on the football field.”
Booty is unveiling a website where fans can purchase shirts, hats and other memorabilia featuring his name, number and his brand “MTJN,” which stands for More Than Just a Name. “I have a unique name, but I’m also a good player,” Booty said. “That’s the connection … Oklahoma Children’s Hospital is more than a name. They are the best at what they do.
“I’m looking forward to coming back and hanging out with more of the kids … whether that means throwing a football around or doing arts and crafts.”
To purchase General Booty merchandise, go to mtjn.org.
For more information about Oklahoma Children’s Hospital visit oklahomachildrens.org.

Off-Duty INTEGRIS Health Nurse Saves the Life

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Shyanne Brandon, B.S.N., RN, stands with Pamela Satchell – Story and photo by INTEGRIS Health.

Sometimes your guardian angel appears in the form of an off-duty nurse. At least that is what Pamela Satchell believes after an INTEGRIS Health Miami Hospital nurse saved her life.
Shyanne Brandon, B.S.N., RN, was recently honored by INTEGRIS Health Miami Hospital Chief Executive Jonas Rabel for the life-saving measures she performed while attending as a guest at an employee appreciation event hosted by the Miami Nation’s Prairie Sun and Prairie Moon Casinos.
“Day in and day out, our caregivers report to work knowing that patients and their families are counting on us,” said Rabel. “Shyanne’s quick response to a medical crisis outside the walls of our hospital is a true example of heroism and her dedication to caring for our community, no matter where she might be.”
As food and beverage manager of the casinos, Satchell was assigned the task of checking-in employees and handing out t-shirts. After several hours in the hot July sun, she decided to go for a swim to cool off, and that is when things went awry.
“The only memory I have is going down the slide, landing in the water and then feeling like I was pulled under,” Satchell said. “I came up and told the lifeguard I needed help. That is really all that I can remember.”
Brandon witnessed the near-drowning and, without hesitation, began administering medical aid, which included checking for a pulse, rolling Satchell to her side, expelling water and continuing life-saving measures until emergency medical services arrived to transport Satchell to the hospital.
“As I helped pull Pam out of the water, I did a quick scene check and realized I was the only one around that could help,” said Brandon. “My training with INTEGRIS Health prepared me, and God truly overcame me with a sense of calm and clarity. I could hear all these people around me scared and worried, but I stayed calm. I can only say God truly was with me at that moment.”
Satchell spent two days in the hospital but is expected to make a full recovery. Weeks later, she was reunited with Brandon on the day hospital leadership presented her with an award for her off-duty heroism.
“Shyanne will always be my personal angel,” she added. “What a blessing to have someone like her at the right place and time.”
For more information about INTEGRIS Health visit: https://integrisok.com/

A Thousand Concerts and Counting

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John Carpenter poses with a poster of one of his favorite music festivals he attended in Oklahoma.
Grateful Dead Skull & Roses album cover, released on September 24, 1971, on Warner Bros. Records, their second live double album.

Story and photos by Darl Devault, Contributing Editor

Fifty years ago, John Carpenter, 67, was attending his last year of high school and most major rock’n’roll concerts available in Oklahoma as an immense fan of live performances, going on to attend more than 1,000.
From Midwest City High School, he went on to Oscar Rose Junior College on a wrestling scholarship. He continued attending many major concerts at the zenith of what many consider the most productive era of rock’n’roll music.
Soon arena shows and music videos changed the way young people were entertained, as live performances were enhanced with showmanship.
For Carpenter, it was about the music. Those five years, 1970-1975, were some of the most iconic in rock’n’roll history, including the release of the most famous song ever recorded in the rock’n’roll genre, Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven,” selling 37 million copies since 1971.
In 1970 Carpenter bought his first copy of “Rolling Stone Magazine” as a MCHS sophomore. “It had articles about Bob Dylan, the Beatles, and the Rolling Stones that gave me a window to a world that I was missing, and I loved it,” Carpenter said. “I sent my money off for a year’s subscription, which cost $8, and I soon learned about all these new artists and groups, including one from California, the Grateful Dead.”
Not that he’s competitive about it, but local music historians could easily describe Carpenter’s status as one of the most dedicated rock’n’roll fans of the last 50 years. He has averaged 20 (yes, 20) concerts a year. Married in 1979, he and his wife Jo often attend shows together.
The list of the concerts he has witnessed is so long it is easier to list the four that got away. He missed seeing Jimi Hendrix in May of 1970 because he was 15 and could not find a ride to Norman that Friday night. He missed the first two Led Zeppelin concerts because of no car and no ride and says he is still puzzled about how he missed seeing Led Zeppelin in 1977.
And then there were Oklahoma State Fairgrounds Arena concerts that came with a bonus, like first seeing the Eagles in 1972 as an opening. “I recognized the song they were performing as a new hit on the radio, “Take It Easy!” The single had been out a little over a month,” Carpenter said in a recent interview. “I watched the “new group” in action. I think it was Don Henley who was wearing an OU football jersey. I was just over two weeks out of high school, but I could tell these guys were really good. Their 50-minute set ended way too fast for us before British sensation Jethro Tull took the stage.”
Carpenter can relive that special night through the magic of YouTube. “Someone in the crowd taped the Eagles’ portion of the concert that night and recently posted it on YouTube,” Carpenter said. “Listening to it 50 years later, it is like I am back at the beginning of all that major concert going.”
He made the trip to a Rolling Stones concert on June 24th in Ft. Worth, where he saw his favorite group on their Rolling Stones American Tour 1972, which also included Canada. He says he could get tickets only because that tour was so successful the Stones added a second show.
But in Oklahoma City, later in 1972, he became a diehard fan of his favorite all-time supergroup. “The Grateful Dead were to play at the Civic Center, probably the best acoustics in Oklahoma,” Carpenter said. “When a second concert was added for November 15th, we got outstanding tickets near the front of the concert hall.”
His third world-class concert of the year swept him away. “The Grateful Dead with Jerry Garcia took the stage without fanfare, and we were off. They played two long sets that night, with the standout for me being the almost half-hour jam on their classic “Playing in the Band,” Carpenter said. “During that show, with such great acoustics, I became a Deadhead for life.”
Hundreds of concerts, hundreds of artists later, in 2022, Carpenter still thinks about the Grateful Dead, especially since he saw them play at the Oklahoma City Fairgrounds Arena again almost a year after that eventful night. “As the years went by, I continued to follow the Grateful Dead and watched them become an icon in American popular culture,” Carpenter said.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in Sociology at Oklahoma State University and became a distinguished Probation and Parole officer. He capped his 24-year career as the Sentencing Guideline Specialist for the Western District of Oklahoma. He has been retirement privileged since 2011 and has become a well-known yoga and spin teacher in the Oklahoma City area.
Today he will share with you all the complications of modern ticketing where you can think that you’re buying a ticket at one price only to find that the price is two or three times higher when it’s time to pay. Still, the genuinely dedicated will put up with that because, as Carpenter will tell you, nothing beats hearing the live performance version of talented artists’ songs.
When he thinks about what keepsake is his favorite from all those concerts, he thinks about Garcia. Never one to follow the band from city to city as some fans did, he says he is devoted. “Although he died in 1995 of a heart attack, their records and music continue to sell,” Carpenter said. “Jerry (Garcia) remains as popular as ever and is even revered by younger generations of music fans who never had the privilege as I did of seeing him in concert. I am grateful to rock’n’roll music to have experienced this phenomenon myself.”
Speaking with Carpenter about Oklahoma being the crossroads of America and touring musicians, he not only gives you answers but opens your eyes to more questions, more ideas, more perspectives and more wonder about Oklahoma’s place in rock’n’roll history. When you hear Carpenter speak with a high school friend his age, another strong concertgoer, Barbie Garrison, you realize his nearly encyclopedic knowledge of rock’n’roll history.
“My Facebook friends asked me about specific artists I have seen, so I wrote narratives about what was going on in my life when I went to specific concerts and what kind of performance it was,” Carpenter said. “This recent writing has sparked my realization of how profoundly concert going has affected my life.”
“Concert going helped me create a whole different circle of friends and provided at times a much-needed release from the stress of being a college athlete and on throughout my life working with offenders on parole or probation,” Carpenter said. “Being a fresh diversion each time, many concerts were so startlingly creative, with high-quality musicians and their voices and their harmonizing and the brilliance of their words and poems set to music. Rock and Roll music will never die.”

OKLAHOMA HISTORY: September 2022 Events

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For a full list of events/details visit: www.okhistory.org/calendar/ohs

Working America: A Sam Comen Photography Exhibition opens Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, 507 South 4th Street Enid, OK 73701. Thursday, September 1, 2022. Artist Sam Comen presents a series of portraits of American immigrants and first-generation Americans at work in the small, skilled trades as icons of the American experience.

Drummond Heirlooms exhibit opens (all month) Fred and Addie Drummond Home, 305 North Price Avenue Hominy, OK 74035. September 1st Family heirlooms belonging to the Drummond family will be on display for the entire month at the Victorian-style home they built in 1905.

“Musket Demo Day” living history program September 9-10, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Fort Gibson Historic Site, 907 North Garrison Avenue Fort Gibson, OK 74434. Fort Gibson Historic Site will host a living history program based on the history of musket firearms and musket demonstrations. This program will run from 10 a.m. to noon and again from 1 to 3 p.m.

Quilting workshop with Martha Ray September 10, 9 a.m.–11 a.m. Sod House Museum, 4628 State Highway 8 Aline, OK 73716. Workshop will take place from 9 to 11 a.m. with instructor Martha Ray, and the cost is $5 per person.

Tuesday Tunes at the Mansion featuring Hunter Thomas September 13, 6 p.m.–8 p.m. Henry and Anna Overholser Mansion, 405 NW 15th Street Oklahoma City, OK 73103. Preservation Oklahoma, Inc. will be hosting a series of relaxed free summer concerts featuring local musician Hunter Thomas.

“Traveling by Keelboat” living history program September 16-17, 10 a.m. Fort Gibson Historic Site, 907 North Garrison Avenue Fort Gibson, OK 74434. On Friday, September 16, and Saturday, September 17, join the staff and volunteers at Fort Gibson Historic Site as they demonstrate the operations of a keelboat during a special riverside living history program. The tours will run at 10 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. on both days.

Will’s Cowboy Trader Days at the Ranch September 17, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.|Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch, 9501 East 380 Road Oologah, OK 74053 Third Saturday of the month through October, make the trip to the Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch in Oologah to take part in Will’s Cowboy Trader Days. See locally handcrafted and homemade items, saddles, cowboy hats, tack, boots, and a variety of work created by local artisans. Admission is FREE.

“A Long Walk in the Sun: Mexican-American War Days” September 17, 10 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Fort Towson Historic Site, HC 63, Box 1580 Fort Towson, OK 74735. FTHS will be host in mid-September. This event will feature an encampment set in the time period of the Mexican-American War, educational presentations, and opportunities to interact with experts.

“History of Masonic Temples in Oklahoma” by T. S. Akers September 17, 1 p.m.–2 p.m. Honey Springs Battlefield, 423159 E 1030 Road Checotah, OK 74426. A presentation by T. S. Akers. Akers, a historian of Freemasonry in Oklahoma, will discuss the establishment and architecture.

“Candles on Post” living history program” On Friday, September 23, and Saturday, September 24, from 10 a.m. to noon, and again from 1-3 p.m., the last September living history program will focus on the use of candles. Watch a candle-making demonstration in the palisade kitchens while learning about the differences between candles made of beeswax and those made of tallow. In candle making, wick preparation is the key to longer burning candles, and the use of herbs and scents was a 19th-century way of keeping pests.
educational presentations, and opportunities to interact with experts.

Movie Night featuring Animal Crackers (1930) September 24, 6 p.m.–9 p.m. Will Rogers Memorial Museum, 1720 West Will Rogers Boulevard Claremore, OK 74017. Animal Crackers (1930) will be featured in the theater. “Horsing Around with Will” will take place from 6 to 7 p.m. Enjoy activities and crafts relating to the movie.

“Americana: A Musical Tour of the USA” featuring Jonas Nordwall September 26, 7 p.m.–8:30 p.m. Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive Oklahoma City, OK 73105. The fall performance of the Kilgen Organ series will feature organist Jonas Nordwall, presenting musical selections that follow the theme “Americana: A Musical Tour of the USA.”

Hearing Loss Association is not all serious stuff

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By Ron Hendricks, Hearing Loss Association of America Central Oklahoma Chapter

Hearing Loss Association of America Central Oklahoma Chapter (HLAA COC) is not all serious stuff. We have fun too. Our summer bingo party brought out a large crown for Bingo, Prizes and Pizza and August is cold. At least the ice cream at the Annual Ice Cream Social is cold. The social is the traditional kick-off of the new season of monthly Educational Seminars held by HLAA COC. Seminars have speakers of interest to the hearing loss community – subjects like technology, research, training, tips & tricks. All helpful to those with hearing loss and those who love ‘em. Speakers/programs for the fall include Shelley Gladden, Oklahoma Able Tech discussing technology, October we host Dr. Sarah Newman delving into research being done by Hearts for Hearing. In November Dr. Kopke with the Hough Ear Institute will talk about their research in hair regrowth that will possibly restore hearing. December, ‘ya-all come for the annual Christmas Party. The Ice Cream Social is also the time when we introduce the scholarship winners who are; Boyd Robertson, Josie Burns, Charles Brady IV.
HLAA COC’s educational seminars are captioned so you can see the conversation as well as hear it. Now there is also a hearing loop system to be used with the telecoil in your hearing aid AND we zoom the meeting too. Seminars are held monthly on the third Thursday, 11:30-1PM. The public is invited as there is no entry fee.
We have a lot of activities but our main mission here is to “Open the world of communication to people with hearing loss by providing information, education, support, and advocacy.” for more information visit our website, www.OklahomaHearingLoss.org.

Clark Takes Reins at Saint Ann Retirement Center

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Joyce Clark, Executive Director of Saint Ann Retirement Center in Oklahoma City.

“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” – Mark Twain. If you ask Joyce Clark about her life’s purpose, she lights up with enthusiasm and gratitude for a career well spent. Until recently, Clark was the CEO and owner of Achievis Senior Living Associates. She has been a trailblazer in Oklahoma’s senior living sector. Clark developed and opened six assisted and memory care communities in the state. All of them have thrived and made significant profits for their owners. “Most importantly,” said Clark, “each of the homes have blessed people with great care, helping hand services, and rewarding jobs.” During the past 26 years, Joyce has traveled the nation assisting long-term care providers with strategic planning, feasibility analysis, marketing, budgeting, and other consulting. “If I should die today, I would go knowing my work improved the lives of thousands of people,” said Clark.
Last year Joyce left her company behind and took the reins at Saint Ann Retirement Center. She is the Executive Director of the independent and assisted living campus and its attached convent. It is the perfect spot for someone who has spent two decades guiding senior living owners and operators to success. “I have always admired Saint Ann Retirement Center and viewed it as a premiere option for assisted and independent living,” said Clark. “It is the most fun and friendly place I have ever been.”
Saint Ann Retirement Center is a ministry of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Catholics love Saint Ann for its daily Mass and related amenities but people of all faiths are welcome and happy with the center’s many attractions. Amenities include savory meals, 24-hour concierge, paid utilities, free wifi and basic cable television, chauffer rides to appointments and shopping, full-time Chaplin, and more. Life enrichment calendars are packed with things to do ranging from art, choir, parties, interesting speakers, and games to concerts, dancing, and exercise classes. Additional levels of care were just added to the assisted living service menu. Around the clock staff are available there to assist with personal care and medication administration.
“People often tell us they are surprised Saint Ann does not charge an expensive buy-in fee to live here,” said Clark. “Residents pay a simple all-inclusive monthly rent.” “It’s affordable and only a month-to-month commitment.”
This year is Saint Ann’s 20th anniversary, which has been celebrated with a fair, talent showcase, volleyball tournament and luau, big band dance, reception, and an anniversary Mass with Archbishop Coakley and Archbishop Beltran. On November 12, Saint Ann is planning a craft show and Fall festival for residents and the public.
Saint Ann’s location on Britton Road between Rockwell and Council appeals to people from all regions of the state. A nursing home with the same name is conveniently located next door but is not owned or operated by the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City.
Joyce Clark added: “I have dedicated my professional life to creating facilities that focus on the well-being of their residents, families, and employees.” “Saint Ann Retirement Center exemplifies that philosophy and I am so fortunate to be a part of this exceptional ministry.”
For more information about Saint Ann Retirement Center, visit https://www.saintannretirementcenter.com/

 

Savvy Senior: Deciding What to Do in Retirement

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Dear Savvy Senior, I just turned 62 and am financially prepared for retirement, but I’m less certain about how to spend my time after leaving work. Can you recommend some resources or tools that can help me with this? — Feeling Lost

Dear Lost:
This is a great question! Many people, when asked what they want to do when they retire, will say they want a mix of travel, play and meaningful work. Specifics, however, tend to be few and far between. But planning how to fill your time in retirement is just as important as the financial planning aspect. Here are some resources that can help.
Online Tools
A good starting point to figuring out what you want to do in retirement is at LifeReimagined.aarp.org. This is an AARP website (you don’t have to be a member to use it) that can help you rediscover what truly matters to you and focus on what you really want to do. It offers a variety of free online exercises and programs that will hopefully spark some ideas and give you inspiration.
Encore.org is another good resource that helps people who are seeking work that matters in the second half of life. Click on “Resources” on the menu bar and download their free Encore Guide, and consider purchasing a copy of their “Encore Career Handbook” (available at Amazon.com or BN.com for $10.50) by Marci Alboher, which is excellent.
Also check out the free E-book called “The Age for Change,” which can help answer the question: “What now?” You can download this at ComingOfAge.org.
And, if you’ve never taken a personality test before, this too can be a good tool to help you figure out what type of activities or work you’d like to do. A good option for this is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator assessment, which you can take online at MBTIcomplete.com for $50.
Personalized Guidance
If you want personalized help, you can also get one-on-one guidance from a retirement or life planning coach. Some resources that can help you here include LifePlanningForYou.com, which has a free exercise called EVOKE to help identify a path that might suit you best in later life, and provides a directory to registered life planners to help guide you.
Also see: RetirementOptions.com, which will connect you with a retirement coach who will give you an assessment to help reveal your attitudes and opinions about work, family life, relationships, leisure time and more. And the LifePlanningNetwork.org, which is a group of professionals and organizations that help people navigate the second half of life. You can also find life and retirement coaching at the International Coach Federation at CoachFederation.org.
Coaching sessions typically range from $75 to $300 or more, and usually require four to six sessions to get the most out of the process.
Other Resources
If you’re primarily interested in volunteering, finding a retirement job or even starting a business when you retire, there are lots of resources that can help here too.
For volunteering, PointsOfLight.org, VolunteerMatch.org and SeniorCorps.gov and help you search for opportunities, or even create one on your own.
To look for job ideas, sites like RetirementJobs.com, Workforce50.com and RetiredBrains.com list thousands of jobs nationwide from companies that are actively seeking older workers. FlexJobs.com can help you find good work-at-home jobs. CoolWorks.com and BackDoorJobs.com are great for locating seasonal or summer jobs in great places. Or to search for freelance opportunities in a wide variety of areas, there’s Elance.com and Guru.com.
And if you’re interested in starting a new business, the U.S. Small Business Administration offers tips, tools and free online courses to entrepreneurs that are 50 and older at SBA.gov/content/50-entrepreneurs, as does the nonprofit association Score at Score.org.

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.

October fundraiser to benefit State Capital Publishing Museum restoration efforts

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The State Capital Publishing Museum in Guthrie will play host to “A Night for the Museum” fundraiser featuring a live and silent auctions and entertainment, will be held Thursday, Oct. 13. Proceeds from the event go towards restoring the historic building that was built in 1902.
Lynn Bilodeau, CEO of Guthrie Tomorrow Coalition stands outside the State Capital Publishing Museum in Guthrie. Bilodeau volunteers his time to help with the restoration efforts for the historic building.

Story and photos by Van Mitchell, contributing writer

“A Night for the Museum” fundraiser featuring live and silent auctions and entertainment, will be held Thursday, Oct. 13 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the State Capital Publishing Museum, located at 301 West Harrison in Guthrie.
Proceeds from the event will go towards restoration efforts of the historic building that was built in 1902 and served as home to Oklahoma’s first newspaper.
The fundraiser will include Hors d’oeuvres, music by Justin Echols, Auctioneer Barrett Bray, and keynote speakers Dr. Bob Blackburn and Trait Thompson, the former and current Executive Director of the Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS).
Reserve tickets can be purchased by visiting www.publishingmuseum.org
“We are going to have some really cool auction items including a photo safari trip to South Africa,” said Lynn Bilodeau, CEO of Guthrie Tomorrow Coalition, Inc., dba/State Capital Publishing Museum, which was created to acquire, restore, renovate, preserve, maintain, and recognize the historical significance of the building. “My wife Sherri and I took that trip in 2017, and it really is a trip of a lifetime. There will also be a lot of raffle items as well.”
Bilodeau hopes to exceed the $93,000 raised from their 2021 museum fundraiser, and said the fundraiser will be an opportunity to show off some of their restoration efforts.
“We are going to be able to show off four of the windows on the first floor that will be fully restored,” he said. “We wanted to show off some progress.”
The State Capital Publishing Museum building is on the National Register of Historic Places. It was here on Nov. 16, 1907, that President Theodore Roosevelt sent a teletype message congratulating Oklahoma Indian Territory for becoming the 46th state in the Union.
“Not only is this building the tangible representation of Oklahoma’s early history, it also represents a time when our forebears built for beauty and for the ages,” Trait Thompson said in a press release. “Nobody builds like this anymore because it is too expensive and time consuming. This building is worth preserving because once it’s gone, we will never see anything like it again.”
The building was constructed in 1902 from a design by Belgian architect Joseph Foucart, the first professional architect in Oklahoma Territory.
The building “is more than bricks and mortar,” Bob Blackburn said in a press release.
“It’s an example of important pre-statehood architecture, and the site where so much Oklahoma Territory history was documented,” he said.
The building was the home of the turn-of-the-20th-century State Capital newspaper and was a museum for years until it fell into disrepair.
In 2012 the building’s boiler broke down and was deemed irreparable, and the museum closed.
Bilodeau said after some shifting in state government, the State of Oklahoma almost forced OHS to sell the building to a developer with plans to convert the building into affordable senior housing by using low-income housing tax credits.
Fearing that much of the rich history of the building would be lost forever, concerned citizens from all over the state of Oklahoma began a concerted effort to stop the conversion.
A coalition of private citizens, City Council, the Guthrie Chamber of Commerce and others successfully negotiated a deal which allowed the current owner (/dba The State Capital Publishing Museum) to take title to the property, along with the historical contents, on June 27, 2018 from the OHS.
As part of that deal, The State Capital Publishing Museum has committed to spend (in dollars or fair-market labor) a minimum of $262,000 towards repairing, preserving and restoring the building by June 27, 2023. This amount was agreed upon based on two assessments of the building’s current worth.
Bilodeau said the State Capital Publishing Museum Board outlined a plan of action to assist with execution of restoration and renovation of the building, which is estimated to cost $10 million.
“We want to do modern HVAC in the building,” he said. “We want it to be a four-season facility. We want an external elevator on the first floor on the west side of the building that would access all of the floors, and we would be ADA compliant. It will also serve as a fire escape.”
Bilodeau said they hope to renovate some of the building’s upper floors into office/meeting space.
“We would also be able to rent it out to offset the maintenance of the building,” he said. “We are going to have to find other sources of fundraising besides a fundraiser.”
Bilodeau said he wants the museum restored so future generations can learn about its place in Oklahoma history.
“We want to have at least one field trip during the school year,” he said. “They can see what their ancestors had to do to get something into print.”
Bilodeau and his wife Sherri have become very involved in their Guthrie community, and are both involved with the museum fundraising efforts.
“Sherri and I live next door to that building,” he said. “Our house and that building were built at the exact same time. I feel a kinship to the building because of that.”
For more information about the State Capital Publishing Museum call (405) 282-4123.

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