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

Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial, Inc., the non-profit 501c-3 organization that oversees the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial, started a project two years ago to have wreaths placed during the Christmas holiday season on all graves of Oklahoma’s fallen law enforcement officers. During the research to locate the graves of Oklahoma’s fallen officers it was found that the final resting place of just over one hundred of the over eight hundred fallen officers was unknown.
Most of the unknown burial sites are those of Deputy U.S. Marshals, their posses or guards, or tribal law enforcement officers who died before Oklahoma statehood. Over forty percent of all the Deputy U.S. Marshals who have died in the line of duty in the United States died in what is now the state of Oklahoma and are honored on the state’s law enforcement memorial.
The memorial organization ordered a new granite stone, and it was recently placed just south of the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial plaza. This beautiful new granite stone is in honor of all the fallen officers whose final resting place is unknown.
A wreath will be placed at the new stone in mid-December during the annual Wreaths for the Fallen ceremony.
The Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial is the oldest state memorial honoring its fallen officers in the United States and was dedicated May 15, 1969. The non-profit memorial organization is totally funded by donations.
The memorial is located on the west grounds of the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety Headquarters, 3600 M. L. King Avenue in Oklahoma City.
For more information on these officers or the other over eight hundred officers who have died in the line of duty in Oklahoma go to the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial website at www.oklemem.com.

By Nick Thomas

If you were a child growing up during the 1960s and a fan of sci-fi television of the day, the nostalgic value of shows like “Lost in Space” can’t be overstated. Cast members Bill Mumy and Angela Cartwright recognize the connection many seniors may have to the series and have updated and expanded their 2015 “Lost (and Found) in Space” book into a new volume, released September 14 (see www.NCPBooks.com).
“The new book is now 350 pages and contains over 900 photographs,” said Bill Mumy, who played plucky junior astronaut Will Robinson in the series, from his home in Los Angeles. “The original was largely a scrapbook with a few captions, but this one contains a lot more stories about the show as well as the intertwining lives of Angela and me who have remained friends for over 50 years. Much of the credit for the expanded book goes to (the late producer, director, and screenwriter) Kevin Burns.”
Angela Cartwright (the show’s genial and imaginative space-teen Penny Robinson) says Burns called her after acquiring the CBS photo archives of the show.
“We were planning to update the book with maybe 50 additional pages, but it ended up so much more with all these never-before-seen photos,” she explained from her Los Angeles art studio. “Bill and I got on the phone and began writing down all the personal memories the photos brought back.”
“I was 10 when the show began,” recalled Bill. “Angela and I were at school together for 4 years, we went through puberty together, we became each other’s first loves, traveled the world together, and went on to have our own families. So it’s both a book on ‘Lost in Space’ and our long friendship.”
Why the show, and science fiction in general, remains so popular with audiences is no mystery to Mumy. “Sci-fi is just a canvass for the imagination. And because our show had children, kids watching could relate to those characters and go along on the space adventures with us each week.”
After the 3-season show ended in 1968, Mumy and Cartwright continued to act including cameos in the new Netflix “Lost in Space” series. But both have enjoyed successful careers beyond the screen in other artistic areas. Mumy is a respected musician and singer/songwriter (see www.billmumy.com) while Cartwright is a noted photographer and painter (see www.angelacartwrightstudio.com). However, the pair never distanced themselves from the iconic sci-fi series.
“The props, the cast, the stories – I loved every minute working on the show,” recalled Bill. “We’ve been living through a hard time on this planet lately, so a little nostalgia can take you back to a happy time. ‘Lost in Space’ even inspired people to go into the space program.”
“When we visited NASA to watch the Discovery liftoff, an experience I’ll never forget, that’s what technicians told us,” added Angela. “We just made this little show but it really captured the imagination of the youth of the day. Now, people in their 50s and 60s have introduced it to their children and grandchildren. In 30 or 40 years when we’re all no longer around, there will probably be new generations still watching it with fond memories. So we’re grateful for the fans and hope the book brings back a snippet of their childhood.”
And as the stars have aged, so have their fans. “That’s a special connection we have with them,” noted Angela. “They’ve even been very forgiving about my white hair!”
“We’ve told our story and told it honestly,” said Bill. “‘Lost in Space’ just makes people happy.”
Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery, Ala., and has written features, columns, and interviews for numerous magazines and newspapers. See www.getnickt.org.

story and photo by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

Jerry Almufleh still remembers getting out of school in the afternoons and heading to the dialysis center to sit with his grandmother while she received dialysis.
There would be good days and there would be bad days while Almufleh watched his loved one go through renal failure.
And he always wished there was something more he could do to make things easier.
“Doing that, sometimes three days a week, I got intrigued. I wanted to learn more and I built relationships with the nurses and the doctors,” he said.
Eventually, that curiosity would be rewarded at age 19 with a job on the dialysis unit. Positions in long-term care, home healthcare and hospice would follow, but his driving focus was always helping make life easier for those battling health issues.
That’s why he and his wife, Alison, started SilverLeaf, a cannabis and CBD dispensary that takes a person-centered approach to making everyday life better.
The passage of State Question 788 in 2018 paved the way for medical marijuana in Oklahoma.
For more than two years Oklahomans have turned to the licensed and regulated industry for treatment of a variety of conditions.
But while new stores seemingly pop up every week, none have taken an approach like SilverLeaf. (story continues below)

“I would love to see this model flourish because we hear the testimonials. Not only the medicine, because we know what we’re looking for but just the experience overall,” Jerry said. “Really all it is is to treat people like they’re humans, empathize, sympathize with them, listen to them and always do your very best. That’s where we’re getting a lot of the trust.”
Customers coming to SilverLeaf are greeted by their first name. It’s just the tip of the iceberg as Jerry and his wife take the time to find out exactly what their client needs are.
“I get to help them in a more natural way,” said Alison who previously worked in admissions in long-term care. “Working in long-term care you see the downgrade, someone come in and decline. But being there every day they become part of your family.”
“Now when I get to be with the patients they walk in and they’re happier.”
Cannabis enjoys the distinction as one of the oldest cultivated crops in the world, dating back several thousand years.
But the discovery of its vast medicinal purposes has only occurred in the last half-century.
“It’s hard to believe that just the last 60 years we got it right,” Alison said. “We’re finally figuring it out.”
SilverLeaf operates more like a clinic than a store.
Having spent the better part of their lives working with seniors, both Jerry and Alison know the importance of establishing trust especially when it comes to helping customers who are struggling with chronic issues.
Jerry estimates more than 60 percent of his time is spent in teaching.
“The education is understanding the background of whatever diseases they’re battling, understanding the side effects and the pros and cons,” said Jerry, who frequently provides presentations to independent and assisted living facilities. “This is not what they were taught back in the day. The main message we want to get out is there is a more natural, safer way.”
In the realm of constant pain or anxiety, there’s little argument now that cannabinoids provide safe, natural symptom relief.
“(Constant pain) shouldn’t have to be that way. What quality of life is that,” Jerry asked. “We have a passion for seniors. I feel seniors should live their life to the fullest to the last day. They shouldn’t have to succumb to sedation and seclusion.”
Silverleaf Dispensary specializes in senior care and dosing. It is very important that you know the correct delivery methods and dosage to consume, that’s why Silverleaf is a Certified Cannacian and can walk you through the process of obtaining optimal health through CBD and Cannabis.
The working relationship between Almufleh and physicians often results in customers being able to decrease dosages or even go off of pharmaceutical medications entirely.
In some instances, evening prescription medications designed to sedate patients for the purpose of sleep can be replaced by quality CBD products.
“We understand we may be ahead of our time in terms of (medical marijuana),” Jerry said. “It’s now that we’re starting to see those poles shift. We have a whole demographic counting on us.”
“There needs to be an atmosphere and a place where people can come down and truly get what they need instead of being rushed through dispensaries like cattle,” he said. “We feel like we needed to develop that place and here we are.”
For more information visit: https://silverleaf-ok.com or go by and say hello at 5300 North Meridian Avenue Suite 12 in Oklahoma City.

story and photo by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

Most people choose the jobs they want to pursue.
For Christina Sibley, the job chose her.
Christina has been a healthcare provider for more than 20 years. She’s taught medical assisting and phlebotomy.
She’s worked in doctor’s offices, labs, hospitals and home care, always with a passion for her patients.
But it was a suggestion from husband, Steven, that brought it all together.
“I feel like God put me on the Earth for a reason,” she said. “I have a specific set of skills, experience and education that allow me to do things for people, they have put me in a unique position to be able to do things for people that others just don’t have the ability to do.”
Christina and her husband own and operate Sibley Insures.
Actually, it’s more than that.
They live it.
An average of 10,000 people age into Medicare each day. (story continues below)

Licensed Health insurance producers in Oklahoma and Kansas, serving OKC, Tulsa, and beyond, the Sibleys are a wealth of information when it comes to making one of the most important healthcare decisions most of us will ever face.
And that yearly decision is fast approaching.
The last few months of the year the Sibleys’ business goes into overdrive with Medicare enrollment beginning October 15 and running through December 7.
“A broker, like myself, is someone contracted with multiple carriers so they aren’t beholden to a specific carrier and they’re not trying to fit someone into the only tool they have,” Christina explained of what she does. “A broker is able to find the right tool for the client and their specific needs.”
“You would be surprised at how many people who are on Medicare, and have been for a long time, who don’t understand how it works. They’ve never really been given a good education.”
That’s the “what” when it comes to Sibley Insures.
The “why” runs deeper.
Christina Sibley tears up when she talks about her grandmother, whom she was able to care for in her final few years.
“She was a widow, a homemaker her whole life, whose husband died at a young age unexpectedly,” she said. “She lived on a very low income and had significant health issues. I watched her struggle for a long time, especially with paying for medications.”
Planning on going to school to become a physician’s assistant, Christina fell in love with gerontology (the study of aging issues), largely because of the experiences with her grandmother.
“My desired patients were going to be geriatric patients. That’s who I love. That’s who I love to work with,” she said. “When Steve suggested I go into insurance I was not interested at all.”
“She thought I was nuts,” Steve said with a laugh. “When she found out about Medicare and what she could do for seniors it was like the lightbulb came on. These were not only the people she wanted to serve but as an educator she was able to use her experience and skills to truly make a difference.”
Behind her the whole way is Steve, who brings 15 years of financial services expertise and 36 years of military service to the business.
She’s always had a passion for education.
“The best part of what I do now … I can spend two or three hours with somebody and really get to know them, help them understand so they can make their own choices,” she said. “As an educator you have to be able to break complex things down into something people can relate to.”
With Covid 19 restrictions ongoing, many seminars and educational opportunities to help seniors make an informed decision will likely not occur this year throughout the industry.
“That has been in the back of my mind but my clients, the people who are already with me, understand they have access to me all year,” she said. “They’re used to ‘Hey, I have a question. I’m going to call Christina.’”
She said “this year, in particular, there are many tools available to meet and enroll virtually, if that’s someone’s preference.”
In person or on the phone, Christina has always prided herself on being accessible to her clients and the people who are referred to her by her clients.
Answering a question, or giving her opinion – it’s always about the client.
“One of my favorite sayings is do the right thing for the sake of the right thing,” she said. “Just do the right thing for people, it’s that simple. I decided early on that I was going to do it that way, period. I’ll either be successful at it or I won’t be, but I’ll do it in a way that I can look at myself in the mirror each day and be happy with what I do.” Visit: https://www.sibleyinsures.com

Story by James Coburn, Staff Writer

Cori Roney helps patients live their lives as happy as they can be.
Her career as a registered nurse comforts lives as the director of nursing at St. Ann’s Skilled Nursing & Therapy, located in Oklahoma City.
There are many opportunities to learn about a myriad of modalities in patient care at St. Ann’s.
“One is their personalities, just like you get to know about your friends — what they like and what they dislike. Their ups and downs, what helps them relax. So even if I’m having a bad day, you still have your family here and they can bring you out of it. It ups your spirits because they are here.”
Her grandfather was in a nursing home. So, she empathizes with families on their journey into long-term care. It helps her to take pride in her work knowing families can take comfort in knowing their loved one is safe and secure when living at home is no longer the best option in care.
Roney began her career as a licensed practical nurse after graduating from the Western Technology Center in Burns Flat. She later graduated from Oklahoma City Community College with a nursing degree. She started in home health and progressed into wound care. Her RN license brought her to a totally skilled facility. She worked at a hospital but wanted to get to know her patients better so she ventured into a skilled rehab facility where she could see patients improve with smiles on their faces when returning home.
Teamwork is a story of success at St. Ann’s Skilled Nursing & Therapy. She accepted her new career challenge at St. Ann’s in January of 2020. A lot of the staff were new last year when the COVID pandemic emerged throughout Oklahoma. Roney is grateful to work where nurses radiate a caring spirit about the residents.
How St. Ann’s nursing staff responded to the pandemic touched Roney’s heart with grace. Families have been very supportive throughout all of life’s challenges. They are like family, too. Life is more of a celebration at St. Ann’s.
“We have birthdays, and our staff will go buy them birthday presents of what patients like. They enjoy seeing them happy,” she said. “Our nurses are really compassionate, and you can’t teach compassion. It’s a natural personality trait. It’s easy to train somebody their skills, but not to have compassion.”
Roney recalls a patient who had COVID. She had spent a month hospitalized and it was touch-and-go regarding her survival. The woman returned to St. Ann’s and is stronger than ever. Seeing someone’s health overcome dark struggles is one of the reasons to be a nurse, Roney said,
“Something that has changed my life, my perspective while being at this facility is the support that we have gotten from our families in the community during the hard times,” she continued.
The past year represents one thread of a career that flourished while helping others. As a child she would watch TV shows about medicine. The nurses portrayed seemed so awesome. She earned her CNA license when in high school. It was a natural fit for a teenager who enjoyed making other people feel better.
“I just like taking care of people. If I can make their day better, I feel like I’ve done my job,” she explained.
She has a lot of praise for certified nurse aides. They are the hardest workers, Roney said.
Having been a CNA deepened her understanding of the dignity of life. Being a nurse means more than taking care of a patient, she said. Patients are people with individualized needs.
“Some people prefer to have their hair fixed, smell good and to wear nice clothes,” she said. “That’s their preference and it is a dignity. Most of the geriatrics, when they grew up, they dressed to impress all the time.
That has helped me as a nurse when looking at the smaller things.”
Small things like wearing glasses, how residents rest in bed matter to them. And Roney said if she didn’t start out as a CNA that she might have missed that.
About 50 percent of CNAs become nurses at St. Ann’s, Roney said. But some of them don’t.
“They love what they do. That’s their calling.”
St. Ann’s offers a nursing scholarship through the Bridges program. Each employee also has an educational fund with options that Bridges will pay for.
“That’s what I feel like is really good about this facility is we’re home-grown and we like to grow people.”
For more information visit: www.stannsok.com.

The Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum is proud to host its annual quilt show during the entire month of October. The exhibit is open during normal hours of operation and there is no charge to see the special exhibit. The beautiful works of art on display include both heirloom quilts and modern quilts. The Cimarron Valley Quilt Guild and Pawnee Bill Quilt Guild members are instrumental in putting together this yearly event.
The Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum is located at 1141 Pawnee Bill Road in Pawnee. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday and Monday 1 to 4 p.m. For more information about the quilt show or other programs, please call 918-762-2513 or email pawneebill@okhistory.org.
The Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum is a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society. The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit www.okhistory.org.

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

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

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

COVID-19 Oklahoma Test Results

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

Visit the Henry and Anna Overholser Mansion this October for the History and Haunts after-hours tour! These evening tours of the historic home will take place October 2, October 9 and October 15. All tours will begin at 7 p.m. with a brief introduction in the carriage house followed by a tour of the mansion in its nighttime splendor. Guests will learn the history of the home and its former occupants, and discover why some say they are still roaming the halls! The tour will allow time for guests to explore the historic home on their own. Tickets are $20 per person and are now available for purchase on the Preservation Oklahoma website, www.preservationok.org/shop. The History and Haunts tours will be limited to 25 guests per night, masks are required and tickets are nonrefundable.
Preservation Oklahoma, Incorporated, is the state’s only private, nonprofit membership organization that is dedicated to promoting, supporting and coordinating historic preservation activities throughout the state. Preservation Oklahoma’s mission is to promote preservation statewide. Founded in 1992, Preservation Oklahoma is a statewide partner with the National Trust for Historic Preservation and works on joint projects with the Oklahoma Historical Society, State Historic Preservation Office. More information can be found at www.preservationok.org. The Overholser Mansion is an affiliate of the Oklahoma Historical Society. The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit www.okhistory.org.