story and photos by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

On Sundays strangers gather at New Heights Baptist Church on the city’s south side and sing their praises to the Lord.
But each Monday night, Capitol Hill alumni get together at New Heights to sing in praise of Albert “Ozzie” Ossenkop.
Randy Parsons directs Ozzie’s Capitol Hill Alumni Choir, a group composed solely of individuals taught by the local choral legend.
Members are either Ossenkop’s former students, their spouses or those he taught in church choirs.
Membership is by audition only and encompasses Capitol Hill students from 1963 to 1972.
“But we all auditioned 50 or 60 years ago,” Parsons laughed. “Ozzie was a great showman, a great choral director and taught us not only the love of music but he loved all of us.
“He made us feel special.”
The choir started after a couple of large reunions honoring their former director. Hundreds of students came out of the woodwork for those.
Ossenkop taught for 34 years and passed in 2011 at the age of 89.
During the later years, the group gathered each Christmas to serenade him at Legend at Rivendell.
“Many of the choir stayed in touch and would come to visit and still consider him like a father,” Parsons said. “As he aged our love for him probably increased because we could care for him a little bit like he cared for us.”
But when Ossenkop passed there was a void.
A couple of alumni got the idea of gathering members to sing for the lighting of the Stockyards Christmas tree.
“That’s what got us started and now we are the official choir of Stockyards City and we sing every year at the lighting,” he said. “We figured if we were going to do this let’s do this with the songs Ozzie taught us.”
The choir doesn’t just sing, it performs Ossenkop’s original arrangements he taught back in high school.
This will be the fourth season for Ozzie’s Capitol Hill Alumni Choir, which performs around 14 shows yearly.
In late August, the group performed at the Capitol Hill Alumni Association Annual Banquet.
One of Ossenkop’s students made it all the way. Tenor Chris Merritt has performed all over the world from Carnegie Hall to London’s Royal Opera House.
Ossenkop took his choirs all over as well. Disneyland, Montreal, San Antonio – Ossenkop’s choirs toured performing his annual Musical Extravaganza, a collection of show tunes he arranged.
Member Cheryl Tolsen was part of Ossenkop’s last choir. Coincidentally, her mother was in Ossenkop’s first choir.
“The alto doesn’t fall far from the tree,” Parsons joked.
On Monday nights you’ll find Kathy Perkins, Class of 1968, accompanying the choir on piano the same way she did in high school.
Following Labor Day, Parsons said the group will look to add more members. Anyone who was taught by Ossenkop is welcome to join this month to begin work on the group’s Christmas performances.
Carol Netherton (Class of 68) serves as the group’s secretary and treasurer.
“He was just full of vitality and vivaciousness,” she remembered. “I don’t know anybody who didn’t like him. He was like a father to so many.”
Alana Stephens (Class of 69) described her mentor as ‘“a big old teddy bear.” Seeing Ossenkop each morning at 7:25 a.m. was always a treat.
“He really was interested in all of us kids,” Stephens said. “He wasn’t just a teacher.”
Ossenkop’s expectations were straightforward: no smoking, no drinking, be an A+ person.
Even decades later, when Ossenkop would see one of his students he could tell them what voice part they sang and even remembered details about their families. “One teacher’s influence has been multiplied over all these years and is still being multiplied,” Parsons said. “Nobody pays these people to come. They have to put up with me but they come week after week, year after year. We enjoy each other but our main motivation is we want to honor the guy that started it all.”
Ossenkop left an indelible mark on every member of the choir.
Juanita Gasaway (Class of 1968) still has two pictures of Ossenkop on her cell phone. The first is of him holding her first son in 1970. The second was Ossenkop holding her son’s son in 2010.
“He had a heart of gold,” Gasaway said.

Women’s Veterans Monument Sets the Standard for Honoring America’s Best

Story and photos by Darl Devault, Feature Writer

With the privilege and opportunity approaching of honoring all military service on upcoming Veterans Day more than 300,000 women have volunteered to serve our country in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The little known Del City monument created as America’s only inclusive bronze monument honoring women veterans patriotically illustrates this pride.
Dedicated in 2014, this Women’s Veterans Monument honoring the two million women who have served and are serving in the armed forces is our nation’s first inclusive-of-all-services tribute.
Sculpted by Luther, Okla. artist Joel Randell, the monument honors women who today make up 16 percent of the enlisted forces, and 18 percent of the officer corp.
In the years since its unveiling, this first-of-its-kind public art has engaged the art community. Oklahoma’s most famous illustrator and fine art painter, Mike Wimmer, sought out the monument as a visitor.
“Joel Randell celebrates the poise, dignity and strength of the women serving in our armed forces,” Wimmer said recently. “Its patriotic expression of figurative realism gives honor to the women who stand up with uncommon valor to serve and protect their nation, community and family. He captured every figurative detail in meticulously representing and honoring the achievements of real women in their chosen branch of military service.”
The polished black granite monument depicts five bronze slightly-larger-than-life uniformed Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard women.
It also features an Oklahoma Army National Guard uniformed woman speaking with a little girl inquiring when she can serve. The mother and daughter are sitting at a reflecting pool before the mother’s departure to serve her country.
The centerpiece is the servicewomen in intricately-correct dress uniforms and caps. They are facing outward in a circle, holding hands. Planners said this represents the strength and unity between them to form a symbol of strength and purpose around a flagpole with a large American flag.
An all-woman committee of eight veterans guided the artist during the $1.5 million project, spending three years planning the monument.
The women, who had attained all levels of military rank and responsibility, designed the overall look and paid attention to the greatest detail. They made sure their service uniform depictions could pass any critical dress inspection a fellow veteran might make of the bronze statues.
Oklahomans SSgt Laurel “Chip” Chambers, MSgt Barbara L. Curry, Capt. Jennifer Grant, Sp4 Linda Kiselburgh, SMSgt Deborah L. McQuillar, AZCS Carolyn Mischke, SSgt Dorothy Rimbold and Lt. Col. Julie Wende served on the committee.
The monument stands in Patriot Park, the site of several veterans’ memorials and monuments and a Veterans Day ceremony each year opposite the Del City Community Center just off I-35. In 1995 the city built the first monument to honor all of Del City’s war dead since World War II. A Fallen Soldier Battle Cross honors veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. A Blue Star Mothers Memorial joined the Vietnam War artwork and soldier mausoleum in 2011.
This newest monument—to those who take the oath to serve their country, allows Del City citizens and leaders to make a strong statement that women veterans deserve honors. This monument says ladies do their share—from the initial historical commitment to provide support, to the now dangerous duty of combat. The folks from this small city next to Tinker AFB celebrate the patriotism that binds them to the goal, keeping America free.
By depicting a youth conversing with a role model, the monument also conveys the multigenerational relationship between women who have served and now younger generations.
With owner John Free Jr., supervising, The Bronze Horse Foundry in Pawhuska, Okla., cast the monument’s bronze figures.
“These seven patriotic figures in one masterpiece are really something,” Free said after installing the statues. “People really like that the artist researched these subjects so strongly for accuracy, because this bronze art is going to stand here forever.”
One Lawton, Okla. combat veteran saw firsthand how a fellow female soldier made the ultimate sacrifice in combat.
Eleanor McDaniel, 67, a veteran of Operation Desert Storm/Desert Shield as the first Comanche woman to serve in U.S. combat as the highest-decorated Comanche woman recalled Army Spec. Lori Ann Piestewa. Piestewa, a Hopi, died after an ambush in March 2003 in Iraq.
Piestewa was the first Native American woman killed in combat on foreign soil. McDaniel said the monument honors the sacrifices of all military women, whether in combat or during peacetime.
“This monument is well deserved and long overdue,” McDaniel said in 2014. “Other communities should follow the example. Recognition of this magnitude for our women in the military is uncommon, but many extraordinary women have served and deserve that recognition. I am deeply grateful to the people of Del City and all those that made it possible to recognize and honor the service and sacrifice of all the women of the U.S. military.”
Arizona’s government renamed Squaw Peak in the Phoenix Mountains as Piestewa Peak in 2008 and renamed the freeway that passes nearby in her honor.

Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a bill on that enhances requirements for health care providers who perform mammograms to notify patients about their test results. The measure is part of Oklahoma’s ongoing efforts to fight breast cancer.
Known as Nancy’s Law, the legislation is named for Nancy Simpson of Edmond, who lost her life to breast cancer in 2018 at the age of 69. The law focuses on dense breast tissue, which can interfere with efforts to detect breast cancer.
“Mammograms are vital tools for detecting breast cancer,” said Sen. Adam Pugh (R), Edmond, who co-authored the bill. “But for some women, they may not tell the whole story. Nancy’s Law will equip those women with the knowledge they need to take charge of their health and, in some cases, save their lives.”
Dense breast tissue affects as many as half of all women and can obscure basic mammography scans, making cancer more difficult to detect. Under existing Oklahoma law, if a patient is found to have dense breast tissue, when she receives her mammography results, the health care facility that performed the mammogram must advise the patient of this fact and provide information on additional testing options.
The new legislation requires those mammography results and notification to be emailed to the patient if she so elects.
“Our wives, mothers, sisters and daughters depend on breast screening to detect cancer,” said the bill’s co-author Rep. Lewis Moore (R), Arcadia. “This new measure will give more Oklahoma women the chance to live their lives cancer-free.”
Simpson worked for 30 years as a laboratory technician at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, searching for effective ways to control fats that play a major role in heart disease and stroke.
Although she underwent yearly mammograms, Simpson’s dense breast tissue hid her cancer until doctors discovered it at stage 4, when it was too advanced to respond to treatment. At the end of her life, she wrote a letter to Pugh and Moore that served as the catalyst for the new legislation.
“Nancy dedicated her career to helping make discoveries to benefit people she would never know,” said OMRF President Stephen Prescott, M.D. “Even in the fight for her own life, she did what she could to ensure that future generations of women could take control of their own breast health and live longer.”
“We are so grateful to Sen. Pugh and his staff for what they’ve done in Nancy’s memory,” said John Simpson. “Nancy was a caring, empathetic person. She would love knowing that Nancy’s Law will save lives.”
“This law is a major step for women’s health in Oklahoma,” said Stitt. “It ensures that all women can take advantage of advances in breast cancer detection and treatment that can spell the difference between life and death.”
Nancy’s Law will take effect Nov. 1.

by Dr. C.V Ramana

What is osteoporosis?
It is the “weakening” or “softening” of bones.
Bone consists of a framework or matrix of collagen and other soft tissue elements. It is then “hardened” by deposition of calcium mineral into the matrix. We think of bone as being a “static” component of the body, but this is not true. Bone is constantly formed and broken down throughout our life as the result of a complex interplay of dueling hormones, health, diet, and activity. In childhood and young adulthood, bone growth is faster than breakdown. People generally reach peak bone mass in their late 20’s. After that, bone breakdown tends to be faster than new bone formation. When calcium is taken out of mature (or fully formed) bone and not replaced, the frame left behind is soft or weak, and easily susceptible to fracture.
Why is calcium needed in the body?
Calcium is an important mineral in the body – it is vital to the formation and strengthening of our bones, but also plays an important role in the function of muscles and nerves as well as innumerable biochemical reactions in the body. Calcium is transported throughout the body dissolved in blood, and so, available to all of our organs and tissues in carrying out their functions. The amount of calcium in the blood is tightly regulated by hormones released into the bloodstream from the thyroid and parathyroid glands (located below the Adam’s Apple), pituitary gland (in the brain), as well as the adrenal glands and kidneys.
Our bones serve as a massive reservoir of calcium that can be tapped when calcium levels in the blood are low due to inadequate dietary intake, inadequate levels of vitamin D in our bodies, or the wrong form of vitamin D due to inadequate exposure to sunlight, or as a result of some medications.
How to know if you have osteoporosis?
Unfortunately, this is a “silent disease” and does not become symptomatic until a bone is fractured, or the back becomes kyphotic (stooped) due to slow collapse of multiple vertebra in the upper spine.
How to find out if you have osteoporosis?
Sometimes the diagnosis may be suggested based on the appearance of bones on x-rays or CT scans that you may have for other reasons. The most reliable way, though, is through a test called DEXA which measures Bone Mineral Density (BMD) in various bones in the body.
Blood tests to determine the level of Calcium, Vitamin D, calcitonin and parathyroid hormone can also be helpful, especially in planning treatment.
Risk factors for developing osteoporosis
Factors that can be modified
* Lifestyle – inactive lifestyle or extended bedrest
* Smoking
* Alcohol consumption
* Inadequate dietary intake
* Sex hormones – abnormal absence of menstrual periods or menopause with low estrogen in women, and low testosterone in men
* Medications – long term use of steroids, some seizure medications
Factors that cannot be modified
* Sex – women are more prone to develop this than men
* Age – bone mass decreases in everyone after the late 20’s
* Body size – small boned women are more likely to develop osteoporosis]
Ethnicity – Caucasian and Asian women have a higher likelihood, though African American and Hispanic women are also at high risk.
* Heredity – people whose parents have osteoporosis have an increased likelihood
How can it be treated?
* Smoking cessation
* Decrease alcohol consumption
* Lifestyle modification – weight bearing exercises such as walking, jogging, hiking, climbing stairs, playing tennis and dancing are all good. Resistance exercises such as weight lifting or weight training machines are good
* Increase dietary intake of calcium and vitamin D
* Recommended levels – calcium – more than 1000 mg/day after the age of 30, and 1200 mg/day for women after the age of 50. Vitamin D – more than 600 IU/day for adults up to age 70, and 800 IU/day for men and women beyond the age of 70.
Medications
* Supplemental calcium and Vitamin D
* Prescription medications that work in a variety of ways to interfere with the rates of bone formation and breakdown balance
* Bisphosphonates (which bind to calcium for deposition in bone)
* Estrogen and estrogen analogues
* Estrogen receptor modifiers
* Calcitonin – hormone
* Parathyroid hormone blocker
Who can treat Osteoporosis?
A primary healthcare provider should be contacted for diagnosis and development of a treatment plan. In some cases, they may refer to a specialist for the treatment. Specialists can include endocrinologists, rheumatologists, and women’s health specialists such as an Ob/Gyn.
Dr. C.V Ramana is a vascular and interventional radiologist with more than 20 years of practice experience. He has expertise in all areas of vascular and interventional radiology. Dr. Ramana has a Ph. D from Yale University and MD from CWRU in Cleveland, Ohio where he subsequently completed his fellowship in Vascular and Interventional Radiology at the Cleveland Clinic. https://naadihealthcare.com/

1 NW 64th Street 73116 Oklahoma City, OK Phone: (405) 608-8884

My favorites are the foliage colors and of course the temperature and the weather.

Rosa Knight

I can work in my garden again and there’s no mosquitoes.

Melanie Wright

The coolness and the Oklahoma State Fair.

June Cavendish

OU football and tailgating.

Vicki Bailey

by Valerie Pautsch, OU Medicine

Tara Dominguez didn’t fit the profile, if there is one. She was young, with no personal or family history of cancer, and with none of the “usual” risk factors. The diagnosis – cervical cancer – was shocking.
It was early in 2016, and a routine pap smear revealed an abnormal growth. A subsequent biopsy with Dominguez’ regular obstetrician-gynecologist determined cancer was present. “I asked where I should go for treatment – thinking I might be headed to Houston or New York. When I found out there was a cutting-edge cancer center right here in Oklahoma City, it really put my mind at ease,” Dominguez recalls.
Her doctor referred her at once to Katherine Moxley, M.D., Stephenson Cancer Center gynecologic oncologist.
As a pharmacist, Dominguez had a healthcare background and her education was science-heavy. With that perspective, she familiarized herself with treatment guidelines. She understood the drugs and what therapy entailed. She asked myriad questions and gained a thorough understanding of what she was facing.
“I got in to see Dr. Moxley right away. When I met her, she already had a plan and I was scheduled for surgery within a month,” Dominguez said.
Dominguez had what was believed to be a fairly early-stage cervical cancer. According to Moxley, the imaging studies looked normal, but did not tell the whole story. Initially, surgery was the primary treatment, and in 85 percent of cases, surgery would have been enough. Unfortunately, Dominguez defied these odds. Pathology identified high-risk characteristics requiring more aggressive treatment.
Dominguez came to Moxley and Stephenson Cancer Center hoping to participate in a clinical trial that used less-aggressive treatment approaches aimed at preserving fertility. But from the beginning, her options began to dwindle.
“We learned the tumor wasn’t confined to cervix,” Moxley said. “Chemotherapy combined with radiation became the next course of treatment, with radiation being the larger component.”
Dominguez was no longer eligible for the fertility-sparing treatments she had hoped for, but became a candidate for a different trial focused on chemo radiation with chemotherapy. Newly married, Dominguez began to see one of her dreams – motherhood – slipping away. Moxley began to work through options that would enable Dominguez and her husband to become parents on the other side of treatment and recovery. Moxley said the physician’s primary goal for patients is to keep them whole, alive and undamaged.
“So,” Moxley said, “the next question became, ‘How can we ensure your ability to have children?’ The answer took Donimguez through infertility treatments, and once they had viable embryos, she came back for surgery.”
For Moxley, it felt as if each meeting was another occasion in which she had to deliver a new and different piece of bad news. “These findings were exceedingly uncommon, and it was astounding that they all happened to Tara. Repeatedly, I had to say, ‘…..but there’s something different, something more or something else.’”
An avid runner before diagnosis, Dominguez competed in cross country events throughout high school. Later she started running 5Ks and 10Ks, then advanced to running a dozen or more half-marathons each year. Here too, Dominguez faced another significant loss in the life she had known.
“After surgery I couldn’t run of course, but more than that, I was advised that radiation treatment would probably mean the end of running altogether,” Dominguez said. Now a cancer survivor, Dominguez also has become a runner again, thanks in large part to Moxley’s steadfast encouragement. Recovering from treatment, Dominguez and Moxley both completed the 2017 Go Girl Run. “Dr. Moxley stayed after the race to cross the finish line with me,” she said. “It was a new start to this new chapter, returning to being able to run.”
Dominguez has completed five half-marathons this year. She will participate in the Outpace Cancer Race 10K event on Oct. 6, with Moxley once again as her running partner.
“We seek to cure cancer, but also, enable individuals to return to those things that inspire their passions,” Moxley said.
Though the physician/patient relationship is first defined by professionalism, cancer treatment introduces a different dynamic. For Moxley and Dominguez, appointments were frequent and spanned an entire year. “Discussions about life and health are intensely personal. During that time, I came to know Tara as a person, as well as a patient. You can’t really treat someone for a long-term condition if you don’t know their lives,” Moxley said. “Cancer is like ‘slow trauma.’ You walk through it with the patient as an advocate.”
As if experiencing a kind of mutual grace, the conversations seemed to follow a pattern with Moxley’s refrain, “I’m so sorry,” and Dominguez’ response, “Well, this is what we have before us, and I know you’re going to do the best thing for me.”
Moxley described Dominguez as incredibly stoic and strong, meeting each new challenge with courage and determination. “Tara came through therapy beautifully, and her long-term prognosis is excellent. Aggressive treatment was crucial.”
At Stephenson, Dominguez said she found one of the best treatment facilities in the nation. “I received the best care possible from amazing doctors – the best minds from across the country – and incredible staff. All that – and not having to travel for treatment, having friends, family and a complete support network right here…I already had obstacles in my mind, but these were no longer obstacles I had to cross.”
Dominguez underwent chemotherapy and radiation treatment spanning nearly four months. She credits radiation oncologist Spencer Thompson, M.D., and his staff for making her feel so much at home and so confident of the care she received.
Dominguez said her experience with cancer in some ways mirrors the effort of being a runner. “There are days you’re going to have setbacks, but you’ll also experience great joy and success.”
To register for the Outpace Cancer Race 5 or 10K event on Oct. 6, go to outpacecancer.com.

OGE Energy Corp. will join forces with United Way of Central Oklahoma during its annual fundraising campaign to double new, first-time company contributions.
“United Way agencies provide such valuable services to our communities, and we’re only as strong as the communities we serve,” said Sean Trauschke, chairman, President and CEO of OGE Energy Corp. “We identified this as a way to help support and grow the missions of these agencies where we live and work.”
This opportunity comes at a critical time as United Way of Central Oklahoma begins fundraising efforts for 57 local nonprofits, serving hundreds of thousands of clients each year who need us more than ever. The gift will help Partner Agencies serve more central Oklahomans by providing life-saving services to those in need.
“OGE Energy Corp. is known for giving back in big ways, and we are truly grateful that they thought of United Way – that says a lot about the caring nature of their organization,” said Debby Hampton, United Way of Central Oklahoma president and CEO. “It takes all of us to make this a more compassionate community, and OGE’s support is one of the big puzzle pieces that makes that possible throughout central Oklahoma.”
Donations may be made online at unitedwayokc.org or by giving through your workplace campaign.
About United Way of Central Oklahoma
United Way of Central Oklahoma researches human needs within the communities of central Oklahoma and directs resources to accountable health and human services agencies to meet those needs by improving the health, safety, education and economic well-being of its most vulnerable citizens. For more information about United Way of Central Oklahoma, please visit unitedwayokc.org or call (405) 236-8441.

Photography and Text by Terry “Travels with Terry” Zinn t4z@aol.com

The annual Governor’s Buffalo Roundup in South Dakota had been on my Bucket list for some time. I have always been attracted to the American Bison and am always in awe when in the presence of that intimidating, powerful symbol of America’s western frontier.
A few year’s ago I attended the September Governor’s Buffalo Roundup held in South Dakota. Next year the roundup date is September 25. The annual roundup in Custer State Park includes: an art show, pancake feed Saturday & Sunday mornings, continuous entertainment under the big top, annual buffalo chili cook-off, living history recreations, authentic chuck wagon cookout, state park tours, and of course the roundup itself, when over 1,000 bison are gathered together for inoculations and sale. The wildlife spectacle held in the hills of Custer State Park is an annual event for hundreds of bison enthusiasts. The sight of these brown beauties running into the corrals is a sampling of western lore not easily duplicated.
Custer State park, (www.custerresorts.com/index.php) is one of the largest in the nation, has four state lodges with restaurants, and is accessible to horseback riding and hiking. Seventy-one thousand acres of natural beauty and adventure await you in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota. Situated 25 miles south of Rapid City; Custer Resorts is within 25 miles of Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Crazy Horse Memorial, Windcave National Park and Jewel Cave National Monument. As this was my first visit to South Dakota, I explored a few more locales, and found that South Dakota has a lot to offer in the way of diverse landscapes, man made wonders and historic western towns, caught in the 21st century yet suspended with a portion of its pioneer roots.
The splendor of Mount Rushmore is not to be underestimated. (www.mtrushmore.net) One would think that after seeing this image a hundred times in the media that its emotional impact upon viewing in person would be lessened, but it’s not. The mountain itself was originally named after Charles E. Rushmore, a New York lawyer investigating mining claims in the Black Hills in 1885. Sculptor, Gutzon Borglum chose this mountain due to its height (5700’ above sea level), the soft grainy consistency of the granite, and the fact that it catches the sun for the greatest part of the day. The visitor center complete with movie theaters, gift shop, parking garage, snack bar, avenue of states, and event venues, is a boon for the visitor. If you stay for the formal evening lighting program, be forewarned that this is an over the top patriotic celebration of America. I found it enlightening, while talking with some international viewers, that this type of program, that is extolling the virtues of their native land in video and live presentations, would not be tolerated in Europe.
Deadwood South Dakota is a town steeped in history and mystery, but alive today as it ever was. (www.deadwood.org)
The entire city of Deadwood is a national historic landmark. In Deadwood you can ponder the truth at the foot of Wild Bill’s grave in Mount Moriah cemetery (along with Calamity Jane’s), tour Adams Museum and House, pan for gold at the Broken Boot Mine, choose from various guided tours, or take a self-guided walking tour into the past that puts the Wild West into perspective. You may even run into an incarnation of Will Bill himself, either at the number 10 saloon or on horseback inspecting main street. And there’s plenty of casinos for your gaming pleasure along with some fine eateries. One such is Kevin Costner’s Diamond Lil’s, where I had a pleasant Martini during sunset over main street. Costner’s Memorabilia and costumes from his films are on display throughout the dining room, and if that was not enough finery, the top floor hosts a fine dining restaurant complete with piano and beveled glass décor.
Deadwood is full of surprises such as Costner’s founded and funded Museum of the Tatanka (Buffalo) Museum right outside of town. Even with expert Lakota interpreters, displays of costumes worn in “Dances With Wolves”, and historic explanatory panels, the best part of Tatanka is the monumental 17 part sculpture of an Indian hunt near a buffalo jump. With wafts of movie theme music and the rustling of Dakota grass, this hill top venue is the pride of South Dakota, itself. Hats off and congratulations to Kevin Costner for giving back to America with the preservation and inspiration found at Tatanka: Story of the Bison interpretive Center and Sculpture. (For more information visit www.storyofthebison.com)
The badlands is another South Dakota wonder.(www.nps.gov/badl/index.htm) Roaming among the many outcroppings of natural time sculptured stone you are transported to another world. Containing the world’s richest Oligocene epoch fossil beds, dating 37-28 million years old, the evolutionary stories of mammals such as the horse and rhinoceros arise from the 244,000 acres of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles, and spires.
The privately funded Crazy Horse memorial, is indeed a large undertaking and one that started in 1948 and will continue for many more decades. The memorial is more than a carved mountain but also is a Native American museum and artist’s gallery, along with an institution giving scholarships to Native Americans wishing to continue their education. This is certainly a part of Americana where young children can return as adults and see its slow but steady progress. At certain times it’s possible to take tours to the arm of Crazy Horse and feel its immensity. (www.crazyhorsememorial.org)
There are many more treasures to this part of South Dakota including: the towns of Hill City with its Black Hills Bronze works, Black Hills mining museum, the Mickleson Bicycle Trail, the town of Keystone with its Big Thunder Gold Mine tour, the Rushmore Borglum story, and the most delicious meal of my trip at Powder Lodge House. So you can see, South Dakota is more than its most famous resident, Mount Rushmore. www.travelsouthdakota.com

Mr. Terry Zinn – Travel Editor
Past President: International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association
http://realtraveladventures.com/author/zinn/
www.okveterannews.com – www.martinitravels.com

About one in five licensed drivers in the United States is over the age of 65. Driving is one of the last points of independence some seniors have to give up. This makes it difficult when a family has to have the conversation with an elderly loved one about whether or not it is safe for them to continue driving.
“It is a major life change,” said Faye Beam, coordinator for the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) of Central Oklahoma’s Provide A Ride (PAR) program.
Provide-A-Ride is a free medical transportation program for seniors who are no longer able to drive to doctor’s appointments. Volunteers pick up seniors, take them to their appointments, wait with them, and return them home. Currently, volunteers take PAR clients to more than 300 physicians in the Oklahoma City metro area.
“I receive calls often from children concerned about their elderly parents driving,” Beam said. “All families face similar scenarios. Children become caregivers for their parents, and they worry about their well-being and safety.”
Some of the red flags Beam hears from family members about their elderly parents and driving include: parents getting lost, vision problems at night, easily distracted while driving, developing fear related to driving, or unable to keep up with the expenses of owning a vehicle.
Beam wants families to know that PAR can be a reliable, safe alternative form of transportation for their loved one and encourages family members to have their loved one call and talk with her about the program.
“I always try to make clients feel at ease and comfortable and in charge of scheduling their transportation to medical appointments,” she said.
As with new things, the PAR clients get used to their new form of transportation and most make friends with the volunteer drivers, Beam said.
“They have interesting conversations, and many look forward to the time spent with their Provide-A-Ride drivers,” Beam said.
Beam suggests taking gentle baby steps with elderly parents about the subject of driving.
“Give mom and dad time to think about giving up their vehicle,” she said.
Currently, the PAR program has 683 active clients and 55 volunteer drivers. Volunteer drivers choose their schedules and receive free supplemental liability insurance coverage and mileage reimbursement. If you would like more information for a loved one who can no longer drive or if you would like to sign up to be a volunteer driver, contact Faye Beam at 405.605.3110 or email her at faye.beam@rsvpokc.org.

Dear Savvy Senior, How much does cremation cost and how can I find a good deal in my area? I would like to get a simple, basic cremation that doesn’t cost me, or my family, a lot of money. Frugal Senior

Dear Frugal,
Cremation costs can vary widely. Depending on your location, the provider and the services you request, cremation can range anywhere from $500 to $7,500 or more. But that’s a lot cheaper than a full-service funeral and cemetery burial that averages nearly $11,000 today. Here are some tips to help you get a good deal.
Shop Around
Because prices can vary sharply by provider, the best way to get a good price on a simple “no frills” cremation is to call several funeral homes in your area (most funeral homes provide cremation services) and compare prices.
When you call, ask them specifically how much they charge for a “direct cremation,” which is the basic option and the least expensive. With direct cremation, there’s no embalming, formal viewing or funeral. It only includes the essentials: picking up the body, completing the required paperwork, the cremation itself and providing ashes to the family.
If your family wants to have a memorial service, they can have it at home or your place of worship after the cremation, in the presence of your remains.
If you want additional services beyond what a direct cremation offers, ask the funeral home for an itemized price list that covers the other service costs, so you know exactly what you’re getting. All providers are required by law to provide this.
To locate nearby funeral homes, look in your local yellow pages, or Google “cremation” or “funeral” followed by your city and state. You can also get good information online at Parting.com, which lets you compare prices from funeral providers in your area based on what you want.
Or, if you need more help contact your nearby funeral consumer alliance program (see Funerals.org/local-fca or call 802-865-8300 for contact information). These are volunteer groups located in most regions around the country that offer a wide range of information and prices on local funeral and cremation providers.
Pricey Urns
The urn is an item you need to be aware of that can drive up cremation costs. Funeral home urns usually cost around $100 to $300, but you aren’t required to get one.
Most funeral homes initially place ashes in a plastic bag that is inserted into a thick cardboard box. The box is all you need if you intend to have your ashes scattered. But if you want something to display, you can probably find a nice urn or comparable container online. Walmart.com and Amazon.com for example, sells urns for under $50. Or, you may want to use an old cookie jar or container you have around the house instead of a traditional urn.
Free Cremation
Another option you may want to consider that provides free cremation is to donate your body to a university medical facility. After using your body for research, they will cremate your remains for free (some programs may charge a small fee to transport your body to their facility), and either bury or scatter your ashes in a local cemetery or return them to your family, usually within a year or two.
To find a medical school near you that accepts body donations, the University of Florida maintains a directory at Anatbd.acb.med.ufl.edu/usprograms.
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.