Story and photos by Darl DeVault, Contributing Editor

After 30 years of working at the national headquarters of an Oklahoma City-based insurance company, Jeanise Jones could see a pleasant retirement peeking over the horizon. With a pension ahead and a growing 401(k) retirement account, Jones’s future seemed secure—until suddenly it was not.
Her position at the insurance company abruptly ended in 2018, six years before her planned retirement. She eventually transitioned to a receptionist position at a metro counseling center until COVID-19 squelched her new start early in 2020. By summer of last year, Jones was out of work and wondering what else could go wrong.
Then lightning struck—and only in the best sense of the word. By late fall 2020, she was being praised for her role in Sacha Baron Cohen’s feature-length film Borat Subsequent Moviefilm. She was also giving phone interviews to overseas reporters and soon had a six-figure sum in a personal GoFundMe account.
The improbably series of events began with a phone call from Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church, where Jones regularly attended and volunteered as an usher. Knowing Jones was out of a job, the caller asked if she was available for a day or two of work on a documentary.
“The film producers said they were looking for a grandmother-type for a foreign documentary,” said Jones, who fit the bill with six grandchildren of her own. “I wasn’t sure I wanted to do it. They said I probably wouldn’t even see it in the United States.”
It did not sound like much money, but at the time Jones needed anything she could get. She drove to Guthrie, where she thought she would continue interviewing for a part in the documentary. But her unassuming, forthright manner quickly won over the movie producers, and she was taken to a local residence to meet the zany Borat from Kazakhstan (played by English actor and producer Sasha Baron Cohen) and his alleged 14-year-old daughter Tutar (played by 24-year-old Bulgarian actress Maria Bakalova).
Unknown to Jones at the time, the supposed documentary was actually a “mockumentary,” the second of Cohen’s hilarious, risque productions since 2006. Just like a number of those who would appear in the production, Jones was unaware she was being duped. Cohen’s Borat movies are a takeoff on the old Candid Camera gag, but with a strange twist of Kazakh humor.
She was told that Borat had brought his daughter Tutar to America to find a mature, rich husband after certain cosmetic enhancements were made to the teenager. Jones’s role would be to mentor her for a short while. Jones was shocked by the low self-esteem shown by the compliant Tutar and the girl’s acceptance of her abusive father’s plans.
“But I let her know that she didn’t have to change herself to please anyone,” Jones recounted. “I told her, ‘Girl, you’re way too young for the cosmetic changes your dad wants, and you don’t want to be married to some old man anyway.’”
Although completely unaware she was being set up, Jones’s refusal to support father Borat’s schemes and her motherly attempts to rescue Tutar became an audience highlight of the movie. Sometimes actors can steal a scene when the genuineness of their empathy in their performance outshines the script.
Who knows if her honest advice changed the direction of the film as it evolved, being written by seven screenwriters? One thing is certain, it was the young Bakalova playing Tutar who garnered the lion’s share of the critical acclaim from the movie including an Academy Award nomination.
Borat did not receive any nominations for his over-the-top performance.
Jones was asked to appear in a couple of more scenes in the production, one of which took her to Washington, D. C. She was paid $3,600 for all her work, plus expenses for her travels. Still looking for employment when the movie was released in fall 2020, she was taken aback when a cousin called to ask her about her appearance in the comedy production.
“He told me I was in a movie that was about to be released on Amazon Prime,” Jones said. “I said, ‘Movie? What movie?’”
Her heartwarming efforts to help the abused Tutar won her a big following on Twitter when the movie was straight-to-streaming distributed. Recognizing the viewers’ outpouring of affection for Jones, Cohen donated $100,000 to her church last fall.
Great for her church, but not much help to the out-of-work Jones. In gratitude and as a way to help her benefit more from the movie, her pastor, Rev. Derrick Scobey, set up a GoFundMe web page for her. The site pointed out that she had been out of work during the pandemic. Money poured in from around the globe.
Jones is certainly grateful for her sizable GoFundMe account, but retirement is now just ahead, and the money in the fund might not be enough. “Maybe lightning will strike one more time,” Jones said with a laugh, “and I can get a good job for a few more years.”

Windsor, Southwestern, and Midwest City locations are part of national rollout

Senior adults in Oklahoma City will soon have access to three innovative primary care health centers focused on meeting the needs of the medically underserved.
ArchWell Health is a new healthcare company providing an advanced model of holistic primary healthcare services to Medicare-eligible seniors with the Oklahoma City-area locations among the first in a planned national rollout.
The initial Oklahoma City area center to open is located at 4629 NW 23rd (Windsor) in Oklahoma City. A grand opening will be held Wednesday, October 20. The next day, Thursday, October 21, a grand opening will be held at the ArchWell Health center located at 7313 S. Western Ave. in Oklahoma City.
The third center is scheduled to open at 6951 Southeast 15th Street in Midwest City in November.
The Oklahoma City area centers are among the first in the United States to be opened by ArchWell Health. The company will be opening centers in several states this fall.
The centers establish state-of-the-art neighborhood healthcare centers featuring an advanced, senior-focused care model.
The company’s goal is to provide seniors access to excellent healthcare and healthy living options, irrespective of their economic situation. ArchWell Health centers will focus on providing comprehensive primary care for seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans, with the goal of enabling members to live healthier lives by offering them a higher level of care and a more positive experience.
Dr. Michael Lipp, Chief Medical Officer, said ArchWell Health’s centers in the Oklahoma City area will provide a more comprehensive level of care than the traditional primary care model, including transportation to and from the center, 24-hour service, access to same-day appointments, specialty and ancillary services, social workers, nutritionists, and more.
Each center’s doctors will have significantly fewer patients than the current national average, ensuring they have more time with each patient to solve their individual health challenges. The doctors and their care teams are specifically trained to care for seniors, who have more challenging health conditions than the general population, and a higher rate of chronic conditions. Patients at ArchWell Health will receive care that is well coordinated, as compared to the fragmented care that many seniors experience today.
“Seniors often have complex medical and social needs, and our approach to care addresses each patient individually and holistically,” Dr. Lipp said. “The centers will be a safe place for seniors to connect socially and participate in activities such as exercise classes. We know how important social connection and staying active can be to leading a healthy life. We conducted extensive research in markets nationally, and we found a real need for these holistic services in the Oklahoma City area.”
ArchWell Health’s plan has been developed by a highly skilled management team with deep and broad healthcare experience in both provider and payor services.
Carl Whitmer, Co-Founder and CEO said seniors experience better outcomes through greater continuity of care and a more thorough assessment of acute, chronic, and social determinant health needs.
“The healthcare needs of the senior population are often multi-faceted, so our goal is to establish long-term relationships to monitor and respond to physical and emotional needs for achieving the best quality of life,” Whitmer said. “ArchWell Health’s primary care doctors caring for our patients will be supported by social, nutritional, and behavioral health services in each center.”
ArchWell Health will add hundreds of employees by year end 2021, increasing to more than 1,400 by end of 2023 as additional centers open.
Whitmer noted that with the growing senior population Medicare expenditures continue to strain federal spending, and there is a growing need for focused and cost-effective care of aging Americans.
“There are approximately 70 million Medicare beneficiaries today, and about 10,000 Baby Boomers join the ranks of Medicare eligibility every day,” Whitmer said. “Medicare beneficiaries account for approximately 20 percent of national healthcare spending today, and this percentage is expected to increase.”
He said the Company’s strategy of locating in underserved communities will help to deliver care where it is needed most. ArchWell Health intends to engage seniors in the communities where they live. Outreach teams will be active at community events and work with community groups, senior organizations, religious organizations like churches, and other organizations to reach seniors in need. In addition, ArchWell Health advisory boards will work together will local community members, including church leaders, aldermen, business leaders and community groups to identify the challenges common to seniors in a local area. Dr. Lipp closed with, “We are thrilled to be bringing together a team of excellent, caring primary care providers to begin serving our patients in our communities.”
To find out more visit archwellhealth.com.

By Nick Thomas

Best known for her extensive television career that includes starring roles in shows such as “Falcon Crest,” “Castle,” and “Dharma and Greg,” Susan Sullivan is always keen to offer advice to others and that includes sharing with seniors her family’s experience with health issues.
“Exercise!” she declared from her home in Los Angeles. “I’m 78, and about 5 years ago Connell (her longtime partner) was suffering from back issues and we began a program of high-intensity interval training. A lot of our health issues were relieved. The benefits to strength, memory, balance, and overall well-being from exercise are well-known. Of course, the difficulty is staying with it and I find the mantra ‘just show up’ helps. I know this sounds simplistic, but a little self-talk is encouraging. You see, I am also giving rather annoying advice to myself on a daily basis.”
Her passion to counsel was highlighted on-screen earlier this year in “What Friends Do (#Expendables),” a story she wrote and acted in with several longtime friends and veteran colleagues for Smartphone Theatre, a livestream digital performance platform presented via Zoom and created during the early pandemic months (free to watch at www.smartphonetheatre.com).
During the 25 min story, the characters (portrayed by Sullivan, plus Kathryn Leigh Scott, Mitchell Ryan, and David Selby) banter back and forth with Sullivan’s art-imitating-life character offering advice aplenty.
“I wrote this play about being a senior and getting back into life,” she explained. “Like many people, I wasn’t working after the pandemic hit and was faced with two choices. Part of my brain told me to just collapse into myself – stay home, sleep late, and reread my favorite books. But another part urged me to remain engaged with friends and to keep my mind active. Fortunately, I listened to myself. And trust me, I don’t always.”
Her experience with the Smartphone Theatre production inspired Sullivan to continue writing, delving into a personal issue many will recognize.
“My father was an alcoholic and I’ll be doing an upcoming Zoom monologue about our relationship,” she said. “He comes back as a dog to give me advice – obviously a family trait!”
Her hope, she says, is to encourage people to explore difficult relationships they have with others, including parents.
“While we should acknowledge our parents for their positive role in our lives, very often we need to forgive a parent for what they didn’t give us. Has the relationship enriched you or has it created an obstacle for you? Even people in their 70s and 80s may be still unable to forgive the shortcomings of a parent, a sibling, or even a slight from a former boss. Perhaps my story will encourage others to write their own and release some resentments, the biggest killers of love. Let them go. Oh, there I go again.”
With Thanksgiving approaching, I asked Susan if her own holiday memories of growing up were difficult.
“Our family holidays were usually chaotic,” she admitted. “So, there aren’t a lot of good memories to share. But I will share what gets me up in the morning if you want to hear it.” Naturally, I did.
“It’s basically three things,” she began. “I need to have something to do, something to love, and something to hope for. These, and a good cup of coffee, allow me to show up and get on with the extraordinary business of being alive!”
Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery, in Alabama, and has written features, columns, and interviews for numerous magazines and newspapers. See www.getnickt.org.

*Includes 19 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 2021-10-27 at 7:00 a.m.

Dear Savvy Senior,

Can you recommend any resources that offer help to family caregivers? I’ve been taking care of my 86-year-old mother and could use some help. Burned-Out Brenda

Dear Brenda,
Caring for an aging parent or other loved one over a period of time can be very challenging both physically and mentally. Fortunately, there are a number of tips and services you can turn to that can help lighten the load. Here are several to consider.
Assemble a care team: A good first step is to put together a network of people including family, friends and even neighbors that you can call on to help out when you can’t be there or need a break.
Tap local services: Many communities offer a range of free or subsidized services that help seniors and caregivers by providing things like home delivered meals, transportation, senior companion services and more. Call 211 to find out what’s available in your community, or call AARP’s caregiving resource center (877-333-5885), which provides referrals to local resources.
Use respite: Respite services can provide short-term care to your mom so you can take some time off. To locate services in your area, try the ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center at ARCHrespite.org.
Hire in-home help: You may want to consider hiring a part-time home-care aide that can help with things like preparing meals, housekeeping or personal care. Costs can run anywhere from $12 to $30 an hour depending on where you live and the qualification of the aide. To find help through an agency, use Medicare’s search tool Medicare.gov/care-compare. Or to find someone on your own, which is a more affordable way to go, try websites like Care.com or CareLinx.com.
Use financial tools: If you’re handling your mom’s finances, you can make things easier by arranging direct deposit for her income sources and set up automatic payments for her utilities and other routine bills. Also, consider setting up your mom’s online banking service at her bank so you can pay her other bills and monitor her account anytime. If you want or need help, there are professional daily money managers (see AADMM.com to locate someone) that can do it for you. They charge between $60 and $150 per hour.
Also, if your mom is lower-income use BenefitsCheckup.org, a free, confidential website that will help you locate financial assistance programs that can help pay for her medications, utilities, health care, and other needs.
Get insurance help: If you have questions about what Medicare or Medicaid covers, or about long-term care, your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) provides free counseling on all these issues. Call 877-839-2675 or visit ShiptaCenter.org to locate a nearby counselor.
You can also get help at Medicare.gov or by calling 800-633-4227, and through the Medicare Rights Center, which staffs a helpline at 800-333-4114.
Tap other resources: There are a number of other organizations you can draw on for additional information like the Family Care Alliance (Caregiver.org/family-care-navigator), which provides a state-by-state listing of caregiving programs and services; Caring.com, which offers caregiving advice, senior housing information and online support groups; the Alzheimer’s Association (ALZ.org/care), which provides information unique to the challenges of dementia caregivers; and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (www.caregiver.va.gov), which offers caregiver support services to veterans and even spouses of veterans.
And, if you happen to be sharing care responsibilities with others, sites like LotsaHelpingHands.com and CaringBridge.org can help you coordinate together.
Take care of yourself: Make your own health a priority. Being a caregiver is a big job that can cause emotional and physical stress and lead to illness and depression. The only way you can provide the care your mother needs is to make sure you stay healthy.
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.

The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) released the following statement in response to the recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve booster shots of the Moderna and Janssen (Johnson and Johnson) COVID-19 vaccines for certain individuals, including residents and health care workers in long term care.
The following statement is attributable to Dr. David Gifford, chief medical officer of AHCA/NCAL:
“Once again, we appreciate the FDA and CDC for thoroughly examining the data and following the science to help protect Americans, including our nation’s most vulnerable, from COVID-19. All long term care residents and staff members will now be eligible to receive a booster shot thanks to these expanded recommendations. Additionally, the ability to mix-and-match vaccines for the booster dose will make it easier for long term care facilities to swiftly access these vaccines for their residents and staff.
“The rollout of the Pfizer booster shot has gone incredibly well in long term care, and we are confident that adding Moderna and Johnson and Johnson into the mix will catapult our efforts. We appreciate the partnership of federal and state governments as well as long term care pharmacies and other vaccine providers to make these vaccination efforts in nursing homes and assisted living communities efficient and successful.”

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

When you think of visiting Georgia you may only think of the big towns like Atlanta or Augusta, but there are other fascinating towns if you can make the time to travel by car which produces your own unique road trip.
Atlanta does have a lot to offer and I have to say I am impressed with my overnight stay at the Westin Peach Tree Plaza Hotel (http://www.westinpeachtreeplazaatlanta.com/), with its downtown location, comfy rooms and an impressive observation deck on the 73 floor, capped off with a cocktail lounge and The Sundial Restaurant on adjoining floors. During the cocktail hour I enjoyed their Bar 73 New Georgia Peach Martini ($14) of Grey Goose, Peach Schnapps and Amaretto, to accompany a small Caesar salad ($9). The rotating cocktail lounge is a combination of exhilaration and relaxation with incomparable views of Atlanta.
Augusta (http://www.visitaugusta.com/) offers the historic yet quirky Partridge Inn which was the center of tourist attention of 1889 to 1930. After a recent renovation following many more previous additions, the Partridge Inn sits on “the hill,” as a testament to time and travelers of all seasons. A cocktail or light supper out on the verandah offers a tranquil and southern elegant evening. And while Augusta’s funky, The Bees Knees Restaurant is known for its variety of Tapas, I delighted in my first chicken and waffles. Among many attractions, Augusta offers for your education and enjoyment; the Canal National Heritage area, the Museum of History with a special exhibit of home town musician, James Brown, and an historic downtown with its Haunted Pillar. Touching or moving it may result in a death.
Escape to Statesboro (www.visitstatesboroga.com) where you will find a banquet size meal served in family style elegance complete with ghosts stories in the Historic Beaver House Restaurant (http://www.thebeaverhouserestaurant.com) at 121 South Main Street.
The home dates back to 1911 and has an antebellum charm but in a real family residence, where room sizes are small but portions are large. The Traditional Boarding House Dinner served on Friday and Saturdays offers exceptional Prime Rib and Fried Fantail Shrimp which is served along with a plethora of homemade sides. And if you need a sweet desert or more, try the Cotton Patch Bakery and Deli for more homemade madness. If you are in a shopping mode on certain days take in the Main Street Farmers market and the nearby comic memorabilia shop, that brings out the kid in us all.
Statesboro is also home of legendary entertainer Emma Kelly. She was called by song writer Johnny Mercer as the lady of ten thousand songs, She is featured in a chapter in the book “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,” and I was privilege to have sat in on a couple of her cocktail lounge performances in Savanah in past years. It was a life affirming joy to see that Statesboro renamed a theater in her honor before she past. (http://www.averittcenterforthearts.org)
You may think you are in Europe when you stay at the Hotel Indigo in Athens, Georgia. The rooms are equipped with modern amenities, and light switches that may take a little exploration for you to work. This modern design and the hotel’s LEED Gold Certified property of sustainability, fits perfectly with Athens being the host to the University of Georgia.
As one might expect of a university town, Athens has upscale dining as I experienced at The Five & Ten Restaurant where I had a pre fix dinner of Smoked Kielbasa with artichokes, radicchio, fermented sunchoke, sorghum gastrique with sunflower seeds, and an entrée of Glazed Lamb Shoulder with pickled blueberries, hakurei turnips, fennel, smoked pecans and onion broth. A red wine of Minerviois, Chateau D’Oupia, from Languedoc, France 2012 accompanied the meal before the desert of Panna Cotta with pecan sandie thumbprint and pickled peaches. All was impeccably served and while the Lamb was delicious the Panna Cotta was ecstasy! And the true test of fine dining is a properly prepared Martini, which Five & Ten poured to my satisfaction.
Besides the Georgia Museum of Art, artistic delights should be consumed at a number of other eateries, including The Place, Creature Comforts Brewery and the roof top of the Georgia Theatre at Phickles Pickles serving Fried Chicken Skins and Pimento Cheese made with goat cheese. Yum!
Albany, Georgia (http://www.albany.ga.us) has the Ray Charles Plaza complete with a bronze of the entertainer and his piano at Riverfront Park, the Welcome Center in the old bridge house of the Flint River, the Civil Rights Institute and the new Flint River Aquarium. Albany is home to eight golf course and a number of entertainers including, Ray Stevens, Luke Bryan and American Idol Winner, Phillip Phillips.
To round out your road trip a stop in Washington (www.historyofwilkes.org) will be a surprise you will not forget with its quaint town square, row upon row of architectural house gems, and the Washington Historical Museum in a home built in 1835, and today serves as a reminder of the past to understand the future of Wilkes County.
When in Georgia think about taking in one of these under sung locales.

Mr. Terry Zinn – Travel Editor
Past President: International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association
3110 N.W. 15 Street – Oklahoma City, OK 73107
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The Original Rodeo Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum continues the 65-year tradition of honoring rodeo’s greatest athletes after a year-long delay.

Since 1955, the Rodeo Hall of Fame has been dedicated to honoring and memorializing the legacy of great performers in rodeo and its related professions. Induction into this prestigious hall of fame is one of the highest honors that can be bestowed on an honoree. The RHS Board of Directors reviews each nominee thoroughly and annually selects a slate of nominees.
Inductees will be honored during the annual Rodeo Hall of Fame Weekend, November 12 – 13, 2021, with induction into the renowned Rodeo Hall of Fame. The 2020 Rodeo Hall of Fame inductees as well as the Tad Lucas Memorial Award and Ben Johnson Memorial Award recipients were announced in August 2020, but were delayed in hosting the “Rodeo Weekend” ceremonies.
“After a year of waiting, we’re so glad to welcome everyone back in person for Rodeo Weekend,” said Natalie Shirley, Museum President and CEO. “These deserving honorees are finally getting the moment they deserve for their formal induction into the storied Rodeo Hall of Fame.”
Chosen via popular vote by RHS membership, the Rodeo Hall of Fame Class of 2020 in both the Living and Deceased categories includes:
LIVING
* Ricky Bolin
* Bobby W. “Hooter” Brown
* Richard Neale “Tuff” Hedeman
* Cody Lambert
* Jerome Robinson
* Bobby and Sid Steiner (father and son)
DECEASED
* John (1887 – 1973) and Thomas (1915 – 1981) Rhodes (father and son)
* Jim W. Snively (1911 – 1998)

Each year, the family of trick-riding legend Tad Lucas bestows the Tad Lucas Memorial Award upon a living female whose actions promote the values represented by Tad Lucas; the Ben Johnson Memorial Award winner is chosen by committee each year to honor a living individual who represents the Western lifestyle as exemplified by screen and rodeo legend Ben Johnson. The Tad Lucas Memorial Award honoree of 2020 is Pat North Ommert, while the Ben Johnson Memorial Award honoree is Carl Nafzger.
The Rodeo Hall of Fame Class of 2020 is stocked with a truly impressive lineup of rodeo greats. Following is biographical information on each inductee:
RICKY BOLIN was born November 24, 1958, in Dallas, Texas, and competed from 1975 – 1989. A high school bull-riding champion at 15, Bolin competed professionally primarily as a bull rider from 1975 – 1989. He qualified for the Texas Circuit in bull riding from 1978 – 1989, becoming the Texas Circuit Bull Riding Champion in 1988. Bolin qualified for the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in 1978, 1979, 1983 and 1985, and was one of the first rodeo athletes to receive a major sponsorship with Coors Beer Distributing in Temple, Texas. Selected for the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Ring of Honor in 2017, Bolin lives in Sunnyvale, Texas, with his wife, Melanie.
BOBBY “HOOTER” BROWN was born January 1, 1952, in Amarillo, Texas, and competed in all three roughstock events and steer wrestling from 1970 – 1991. Brown went to the NFR 11 years in the saddle bronc event, becoming Reserve Champion in 1982 and taking third place in 1983. He held the highest-marked saddle bronc ride at Cheyenne for 25 years and won the $50,000 at Calgary the first year it was given. One of the Budweiser Six Pack Team, the first to be sponsored by a corporation and Texas Circuit Saddle Bronc Champion twice, today Brown is a corporate pilot who volunteers his time to fly surgeons and organs where needed for organ transplants. He lives in Newcastle, Oklahoma.
RICHARD “TUFF” HEDEMAN was born in El Paso, Texas, on March 2, 1963. He began bull riding, team roping and winning All-Around titles while in high school, and was on the Sul Ross University championship team in 1982, competing in team roping, steer wrestling, bull riding and bronc riding. Hedeman competed professionally from 1983 – 1998 in bull riding and qualified 11 years for the NFR. He was the World Champion Bull Rider in 1986, 1989 and 1991, and won the NFR Average in 1987 and 1989. A PBR co-founder and its president from 1992 – 2004, Hedeman was Bull Riders Only World Champion in 1993, PBR ProDivision Champion and World Champion in 1995 and the first bull riding millionaire. He lives in Morgan Mill, Texas.
CODY LAMBERT was born December 2, 1961, in Artesia, New Mexico. A saddle bronc, bull riding, calf roping and team roping cowboy, he won the Men’s All-Around at the 1982 National Collegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) Finals. Lambert qualified for the NFR in saddle bronc competition in 1981, 1990 and 1991 and in bull riding in 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992 and 1993. Lambert was a PBR co-founder and went to the PBR Finals in 1994, 1995 and 1996. A Texas Circuit Finals Champion twice in bull riding, twice in saddle bronc and three years as the All-Around, Lambert designed the protective vest for rodeo in 1992. Chosen for the PBR Ring of Honor, today Lambert ranches near Bowie, Texas.
JEROME ROBINSON was born October 16, 1947, in Ogallala, Nebraska. A bull riding, steer wrestling, bareback riding and team tying participant, Robinson made the top 10 in bull riding during college, then joined the Rodeo Cowboys Association (RCA, today the PRCA) in 1969 and competed until 1982, qualifying for the NFR a total of 11 times. As an RCA bull-riding director, Robinson developed the PROCOM system, which vastly improved the system for entering rodeos, and was on the committee to build the PRCA’s facility and hall of fame at Colorado Springs, Colorado. As production manager for the PRCA Winston Tour, he took rodeos to Finland, Japan, France and Venezuela.
BOBBY AND SID STEINER are the third and fourth generation of legendary rodeo producers Buck and his son Tommy of Steiner Rodeo Company. Bobby was born November 27, 1951, and son, Sid, December 8, 1974, in Austin, Texas. Bobby competed as a bull rider and bareback rider from 1968 – 1973, qualifying for the NFR three years and becoming the 1973 RCA World Champion Bull Rider. Bobby is a PBR Ring of Honor recipient. Sid competed as a steer wrestler from 1995 – 2002, when he became the PRCA Steer Wrestling World Champion. Sid received the nickname “Sid Rock” during his career due to his rebellious nature and showmanship, qualities he received from his father, Bobby. Both Bobby and Sid presently ranch near Austin, Texas.
JOHN AND THOMAS RHODES were father and son who both excelled in roping events. John was born on October 3, 1887, and died November 25, 1973. Thomas was born July 24, 1915, and died September 15, 1981. Both were born in Arizona and became cattle ranchers there. John competed from 1919 – 1968 and Thomas from 1933 – 1960. John was a 1936 and 1938 World Champion Team Roper, a 1944 Champion Steer Roper and a 1947 Champion Team Tyer. He is known for innovating healing from the right side in team roping, and was instrumental in founding the Tucson, Arizona, rodeo. Thomas was a World Champion Steer Roper in 1943, Champion Team Roper in 1944 and World Champion Team Tyer in 1945 and 1946.
JIM SNIVELY was born September 17, 1911, in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, and was a top calf roper from 1935 until the 1950s when he began excelling in steer roping, too. Winner of the Calgary Stampede calf roping in 1951, he was among the top 10 steer ropers in the RCA from 1952 – 1962. Snively was the World Steer Roping Champion of the Rodeo Association of America (later changed to the International Rodeo Association) in 1954 and winner of the RCA Steer Roping Championship in 1956. He was the Reserve RCA Steer Roping Champion in 1952 and 1958, and in 1959 he won the Steer Roping Average at the first-ever NFR with 170.4 seconds on six head. Snively died September 18, 1998.
The 2020 recipients of the Tad Lucas Memorial Award and Ben Johnson Memorial Award are also highly regarded members of the Western community:
Tad Lucas Memorial Award 2020 honoree PAT NORTH OMMERT was born October 12, 1929, in Bell, California. From 1941 – 1962 Ommert wowed audiences coast to coast with her trick riding, Roman riding and specialty acts while appearing at venues such as the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Rodeo, Madison Square Garden, Boston Garden and Bobby Estes’ Wild West Show in Mexico City, to name a few. In 1969 Ommert was a Rancho California Horsemen’s Association founding leader, with a mission to develop a network of safe equestrian trails for future generations. A National Cowgirl Hall of Fame inductee, Ommert and her veterinarian husband, Will, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the California Professional Horsemen’s Association.
Ben Johnson Memorial Award 2020 honoree CARL NAFZGER was born August 29, 1941, in Plainview, Texas. During a 12-year bull-riding career, Nafzger qualified for the NFR three times in three consecutive years. After retiring from bull riding in 1972, Nafzger focused his energies on horse training and soon found success in that arena as well. Nafzger has trained three champion horses — Unbridled, Banshee Breeze and Street Sense — and has won the Kentucky Derby twice (1990 and 2007). Recipient of the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer in 1990, Nafzger is a member of the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame, Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, Texas Horse Racing Hall of Fame, Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame and the PBR Ring of Honor.
Rodeo Hall of Fame inductees, along with the Tad Lucas Memorial Award and Ben Johnson Memorial Award honorees, are recognized each fall during Rodeo Hall of Fame Weekend, which includes an Induction Ceremony and Champions’ Dinner as well as an Inductee Panel Discussion, the Rope ‘N’ Ride Cocktail Reception, live and silent auctions to benefit RHS and other festivities.
Visit nationalcowboymuseum.org/rhs for schedules and information regarding Rodeo Hall of Fame Weekend.

As part of a commitment to the health and wellbeing of anyone who walks through the door of a Mercy facility, Mercy’s team is now 100% vaccinated, or have received a religious or medical exemption and will undergo rigorous masking and protective equipment protocols and frequent testing.
“By requiring all co-workers to be vaccinated, we are making sure anyone who walks through any door of any Mercy facility is better protected from COVID-19,” said Dr. John Mohart, Mercy’s chief clinical officer and senior vice president. “What we all know is that when you visit a doctor’s office or hospital, you’re often already compromised in some way – whether it’s a cold or cancer or diabetes. That makes it even more urgent for us to make sure Mercy does everything possible to protect our patients, visitors and co-workers. It’s our responsibility as a health care organization to make our spaces as safe as possible. We take that responsibility very seriously.”
As of today, Oct. 28, all current and future Mercy co-workers are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have an approved medical or religious exemption. Mercy announced the vaccination requirement in July, giving co-workers more than three months to meet this standard. On Oct. 1, any co-worker who had not been vaccinated or received an approved exemption was placed on a 28-day unpaid suspension with full benefits and given the opportunity to follow the policy. “We have done everything possible to assist our co-workers in doing the right thing for our communities and for each other,” said Dr. Jeff Ciaramita, Mercy’s chief physician executive and senior vice president. “Ultimately, it was their decision. Like the flu shot, which is also required, we know this is the only decision for a health care organization.”
Five-year-old Lottie Gross of Oklahoma City was born with a congenital heart defect, has had 23 operations and multiple hospitalizations for respiratory illnesses. Pediatrician Dr. Scott Melson at Mercy Clinic Primary Care – North Portland has been her physician since she was a baby.
“Our family is extremely careful when it comes to limiting exposure to protect our little girl’s health,” said Rachel Gross, Lottie’s mom. “It’s been almost two years and we are still isolating and only gathering with vaccinated friends and family. It brings a huge sense of relief to know her health care team is vaccinated and that her doctor’s office is a safe place to bring her.”
Of more than 40,000 co-workers across Mercy’s four state region, less than 2% made the decision to remain unvaccinated. Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City has around 3,000 co-workers and 98% chose to get vaccinated or received an approved exemption.“This was a difficult decision, and we knew we’d lose some co-workers in the process, but we simply believe it’s the right thing to do,” said Jim Gebhart, president of Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City. “Patients come to us to get better, not to catch an illness. Our communities trust Mercy to do the right thing and to take care of them. We’ve seen firsthand what COVID-19 does to people and, as health care workers, we have to be a part of doing everything in our power to prevent the spread in our hospitals and clinics where we live.”
In making COVID vaccines a requirement, Mercy joins many other health care organizations and companies across the country who mutually recognize COVID vaccination serves the common good, protects patients and is crucial to safeguarding public health.
“When you come to a Mercy facility, you can feel confident you’re safe,” Dr. Ciaramita added. “Virtually all of our co-workers have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19, making it highly unlikely that our co-workers would spread the virus. Everyone wants to return to some kind of normalcy after the world has been turned upside down by this pandemic. This is a step in the right direction that we hope others continue to follow.”

The Oklahoma Order of the Eastern Star recently marked 20 consecutive years of giving to the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation with a donation of $7,937.92. The gift brings Eastern Star’s total contributions to more than $400,000 since designating OMRF as its charitable beneficiary in 2002.
Eastern Star designated its latest donation for research in neurological conditions, heart disease and cystic fibrosis at the Oklahoma City-based nonprofit. Previous gifts have funded research on cancer, lupus, multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s.
The group presented its 2021 donation to OMRF Vice President of Development Penny Voss this month during its annual conference at the Scottish Rite Masonic Temple in Guthrie.
“Eastern Star has been a dedicated and faithful partner to OMRF,” Voss said. “Each year, their gifts go directly to medical research. We are thankful for their continued support of our scientists who work every day to help more live longer, healthier lives.”
The Order of the Eastern Star, with headquarters in Washington, D.C., is a worldwide fraternal organization with chapters in 46 states and several foreign countries. It is dedicated to furthering charity, education, fraternity and science. It is part of the family of Masonry, similar to Shriners and Scottish Rite.
Eastern Star members support OMRF through individual donations and statewide events such as golf tournaments, auctions and marches, plus memorials to loved ones. The Oklahoma chapter, established in 1909, has 6,000 members and groups in 74 cities and towns.