Andrew Saul, Commissioner of Social Security, and Gail S. Ennis, the Inspector General for the Social Security Administration, announce the launch of a dedicated online form at www.oig.ssa.gov to receive reports from the public of Social Security-related scams. These scams—in which fraudulent callers mislead victims into making cash or gift card payments to avoid arrest for purported Social Security number problems—skyrocketed over the past year to become the #1 type of fraud reported to the Federal Trade Commission and the Social Security Administration.
To combat these scams, Social Security and the OIG will use the new online form to capture data that will be analyzed for trends and commonalities. The OIG will use the data to identify investigative leads, which could help identify criminal entities or individuals participating in or facilitating the scams. Ultimately, these efforts are expected to disrupt the scammers, help reduce this type of fraud, and reduce the number of victims.
“We are taking action to raise awareness and prevent scammers from harming Americans,” Commissioner Saul said. “I am deeply troubled that our country has not been able to stop these crooks from deceiving some of the most vulnerable members of our society.”
Commissioner Saul and Inspector General Ennis encourage the public to use the new online form to report Social Security phone scams including robocalls and live callers, as well as email, text, and in-person scams. The form allows people to create a unique Personal Identification Number (PIN), so if OIG contacts a person about their report, they will know the call is legitimate.
“Awareness is our best hope to thwart the scammers,” said Inspector General Ennis. “Tell your friends and family about them and report them to us when you receive them, but most importantly, just hang up and ignore the calls.”
Social Security employees do occasionally contact people–generally those who have ongoing business with the agency–by telephone for business purposes. However, Social Security employees will never threaten a person, or promise a Social Security benefit approval, or increase, in exchange for information or money. In those cases, the call is fraudulent and people should just hang up.
Generally, the agency mainly calls people who have recently applied for a Social Security benefit, someone who is already receiving payments and requires an update to their record, or a person who has requested a phone call from the agency. If a person is not in one of these situations, they normally would not receive a call from the agency.
Social Security will not:
* Tell you that your Social Security number has been suspended.
* Contact you to demand an immediate payment.
* Ask you for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
* Require a specific means of debt repayment, like a prepaid debit card, a retail gift card, or cash.
* Demand that you pay a Social Security debt without the ability to appeal the amount you owe.
* Promise a Social Security benefit approval, or increase, in exchange for information or money.
If there is a problem with a person’s Social Security number or record, in most cases Social Security will mail a letter. If a person needs to submit payments to Social Security, the agency will send a letter with instructions and payment options. People should never provide information or payment over the phone or Internet unless they are certain of who is receiving it.
The Social Security OIG will also continue to take reports of fraud, waste, and abuse in Social Security’s programs and operations. A separate online form for those reports remains available at their website.

www.harborchase.com

by Greg Schwem

I’m normally a big fan of people who challenge large corporations or establishments over what they see as violations of their personal rights. Many of those people have appeared in this column and I have delighted in their stories that end with them, to use an impolite term, “sticking it to the man.”
Which brings us to the case of Nick and Claudia Simonis.
As widely reported by various news organizations, the San Antonio couple recently received a warning from their homeowner’s association after placing Christmas decorations in their front yard on Nov. 1. The association insisted that was too early and the couple should Santa-ize their home, according to the letter, “closer to the holiday season” without specifically defining what that day was.
To which I reply, I wholeheartedly agree with the homeowner’s association.
I’m sorry Simonis family, but I can’t help you on this one. Had you just installed flickering lights on your bushes and your home’s exterior, you and the association probably could have peacefully co-existed. But it was the large, inflatable snowman in your front yard that drew the association’s ire. That’s kind of hard to miss if you’re a rules enforcer. You may as well just speed past a stopped school bus driven by an off-duty police officer.
The Simonises had a plausible explanation for their decorative hastiness; Claudia is expecting a baby on Christmas Day. Should that due date come early, tasks like home decoration would certainly take a back seat to other priorities. Sleep, for example.
Every year my wife and I rehash the “when should we decorate?” discussion. I insist that no decorating should occur pre-Thanksgiving. My wife insists I should watch not the calendar, but the weather forecast, taking advantage of whatever warm day Mother Nature throws Chicago’s way. Considering my hometown has already been the victim of snowfall, an ice storm and single digit wind chills, I may have missed that opportunity.
But temperatures are forecast for the mid-50s on Thursday, a week before Thanksgiving. Do I break my rule for the privilege of decorating my house wearing just a light jacket? I recently returned from a business trip to find some of my neighbors were better weather prognosticators than I, as they had stealthily decorated prior to the cold snap. I hate them all equally.
What the Simonises failed to realize is that there is a difference between putting up decorations and actually turning them on. An inflatable snowman could easily be deflated, correct? Why not just leave Frosty in a melted state on your front lawn and then, whenever your association deems to be the appropriate time, flip a switch and watch it roar to life?
Heck, I have a neighbor who does this on a daily basis with an inflatable Santa and his reindeer. True, during the day, it looks like Blitzen and company had a horrific encounter with an 18-wheeler, but the savings in electricity far outweighs any trauma suffered by neighborhood children.
My wife and I once discussed installing lights on a giant spruce in our back yard and leaving the strands on the branches year-round. Every Thanksgiving night we would plug in an extension cord and, Merry Christmas! How easy would that be?
Plenty easy, and also plenty fatal to our tree, according to our landscaper, once we ran the idea past him.
Each year I vow to tone down the decorating at my house, as my fear of ladders, along with my aching back, intensifies. And yet, with every strand of lights I string on the outdoor trees, I find myself saying, “As long as I’m out here, I can do one more.”
So Simonises, I agree that a festively decorated house is a great way to embrace the holiday spirit. But for now, channel your energies towards that new baby. You’re responsible for teaching it everything.
Including the art of compromise with a Scrooge-like homeowner’s association.
Greg Schwem is a corporate stand-up comedian and author of two books: “Text Me If You’re Breathing: Observations, Frustrations and Life Lessons From a Low-Tech Dad” and the recently released “The Road To Success Goes Through the Salad Bar: A Pile of BS From a Corporate Comedian,” available at Amazon.com. Visit Greg on the web at www.gregschwem.com.)

www.comfortkeepers.com

Photography and Text by Terry “Travels with Terry” Zinn [email protected]

The Holidays are times for comfort and joy. One such tradition is coming back again to experience Oklahoma City Universities Christmas Dance show, “Home for the Holidays.” I have seen it several times and am always overwhelm by the talent, hard work and inventive nature of this performance art. Besides the fact that you are witnessing the dance stars of tomorrow, it’s just plain fun and life affirming.
The Broadway-style dance spectacular, Home for the Holidays – is a Gift of American Dance, as Oklahoma City University’s American Spirit Dance Company presents a “few of its favorite things” and a whole lot more, wrapped in a fast-paced show of beautiful kicklines, spirited tap, and fun-filled and playful musical theatre dance.
Directed by Jo Rowan, dance chair at Oklahoma City University’s Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Entertainment, Home for the Holidays runs from Dec. 5 through 8 in Oklahoma City University’s Kirkpatrick Auditorium, at 2501 N. Blackwelder Ave. Jo Rowan is an American treasure. Not to be overlooked is Dean John Bedford for his behind the scene direction and oversight for the quality of production.
“Home for the Holidays is Christmas magic, a joyful season’s greeting to share with the entire family,” Rowan said. “There’s no need to buy a plane ticket to New York City — our performers are Broadway bound. Enjoy these future Broadway dancers while they are still performing in OKC! The show is a slick and fast-paced as anything you would see on the professional stage.” And this author whole heatedly agrees.
Home for the Holidays has become a yearly tradition for families across the state, and beyond, as the vision of the American Spirit Dance Company’s nationally respected faculty/choreographers combines with the premier talent of the nation’s best-trained dancers to create an experience fit for the lights of Broadway.
Dynamic rhythms and explosive choreography bring Toy Soldiers to life, while fast tapping feet and a very special guest, Tony the Pony, take you for an unforgettable sleigh ride. Little Chip, a darling singing and dancing chipmunk, is making his debut caroling with the triple-threat McNutt Squirrel Family Singers to share their holiday cheer. There will be breathtaking contemporary ballet featuring intricate partnering, and the American Spirit Starettes will treat you to a brand new kickline.
There’s Santa and his workshop filled with fun-loving elves. There are beautiful ladies and handsome men sharing the joy of the holiday season. A call for Peace on Earth followed by a beautiful choral performance of “Silent Night” and a stunning, and imaginative nativity with Mary, Joseph, angels, and a pageant of the three kings and their retinue provide an uplifting and inspirational reminder of the true meaning of Christmas.
Dancers in the American Spirit Dance Company hail from Oklahoma City University’s Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Entertainment, the nation’s premiere musical theatre dance program that has been ranked the No. 1 BFA dance program in the nation by OnStage. This destination collegiate program has alumni credits in nearly 90 Broadway productions and has produced 50 Radio City Rockettes and counting. No wonder Playbill ranked Oklahoma City University among this year’s “Top 10 Most Represented Colleges on Broadway.”
Next year, you might see senior Bond Bourquien at Radio City, but this year she will be dancing in Home for the Holidays as a Starette. Bond said, “The Starettes are kicking off this holiday season with a precise, high energy number that includes iconic moves inspired by the Radio City Rockettes™. It is such a treat to be able to work with Professor Vincent Sandoval who was a performer and also an assistant director and choreographer for the Rockettes™. Expect to see great style, poise and many eye-high kicks.”
Senior Thomas Olson appeared as Tony the Pony in his first Home for the Holidays. This year, he is leading man for “Swingle Bells”, where Tony features his four-legged hoofing. “Working with choreographer Professor Tiffany Warford has been a full-circle experience as her dances are high energy and exude excitement,” Olson said. As an aspiring choreographer, Olson watched Tony’s character develop in rehearsals, and is prepared “to see the joy on families’ faces as Tony will steal their hearts.”
Matthew Schouten, senior, describes Professor Tye Love’s original contemporary ballet, “Somewhere in My Memory” as a whimsical dance displaying exquisite technique and intricate partnering, all while reminiscing in fond memories of holidays past.”
Anthony Giandiletti Jr., shares; “ Home for the Holidays is my favorite production each year, because there is something for everyone. It’s a family friendly show that celebrates time spent with loved ones and spreading holiday joy to our community. This year, we are bringing back some of my favorite dances as well as adding a whole new lineup that will get audience members dancing in their seats.” Anthony feels a dynamic and beautiful a cappella version of “Silent Night” with over 25 vocally talented dancers and a breathtaking nativity scene to “Star of Wonder” will touch the spiritual side of the audience. “The beautiful music, hazy lighting and intricate costumes make you feel encompassed in a whole different world.”
There is no reservation in me saying that this celebration of the season is a tribute to the joyous talent, touching sincerity and exuberance of youth through dance. If you have never seen, or if this is your annual tradition, Home for the Holidays is a must. No worry if this reading is near the performance dates, as the Kirkpatrick Auditorium is a very large facility, and there usually is always one or two seats available at curtain time, for procrastinators. Of course prime seating is available on a reserved seat basis.
Home for the Holidays is set for 8 p.m. Dec. 5, 6, and 7, and 2 p.m. Dec. 7 and 8 in the Kirkpatrick Auditorium on the Oklahoma City University campus. Tickets are $29 and can be purchased by calling 405-208-5227 or visiting www.okcu.edu/tickets . $18 tickets are available for groups of 8 or more.

Mr. Terry Zinn – Travel Editor
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3110 N.W. 15 Street – Oklahoma City, OK 73107
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Conservation research aims to improve survival rates of threatened Texas horned lizards reintroduced to the wild

The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is partnering with the Sam Noble Museum at the University of Oklahoma to help save one of the state’s most iconic species: the horny toad. Formally known as the Texas horned lizard, this species – once a common sight across much of the state – has become increasingly rare as its habitat has been lost and fragmented due to urbanization and other factors. A National Science Foundation-funded study underway at the OKC Zoo’s Lizard Lab is exploring how to improve survival rates of lizards raised in human care when they are reintroduced into the wild. The research is also examining how the gut bacteria in populations in human care compares to that in wild populations.
Samuel Eliades, a third-year ecology and evolutionary biology Ph.D. student at the University of Oklahoma and researcher at the Sam Noble Museum, is leading the project. Eliades has been assisting in Texas horned lizard tracking and population monitoring at Tinker Air Force Base for two years. Inspired by this field research, he has received $40,000 in funding support from the National Science Foundation INTERN program to study the species with the assistance of his advisor and museum curator Dr. Cameron Siler.
“Horny toads in Oklahoma are in the midst of a silent extinction,” Eliades said. “This was a species so common that – until they started vanishing – no one bothered to study them. We are still playing catch up to try to understand this complex and interesting lizard.”
The goal of this research project is two-fold. First, to establish a head start program at the Lizard Lab raising Texas horned lizards and releasing them back into the wild so that they have a greater chance of survival. Second, Eliades will study their gut bacteria and compare those samples to bacteria from Texas horned lizards in the wild. This stool sample analysis will provide a better understanding of how being raised in human care influences these animals and, in turn, can better prepare the lizards for survival in the wild following release.
Eliades’ research at the Zoo’s Lizard Lab will be overseen by Rebecca Snyder, OKC Zoo curator of conservation and science, and Brad Lock, OKC Zoo curator of herpetology.
As a conservation organization, the OKC Zoo is committed to preserving wildlife and wild places,” Snyder said. “In addition to the study being done on-site at the Lizard Lab to help Texas horned lizards, Zoo staff regularly volunteer their time in the field assisting our conservation partners with research on wild populations of this species and others.”
This summer, Eliades oversaw the collection of a group of 35 Texas horned lizard eggs from Tinker. Once hatched, these will mature at the Zoo under his watchful eye for about a year before they are released. Once back in the wild, Zoo staff and researchers from the University of Oklahoma will continue to monitor the head start lizards as part of the Tinker population. In the immediate future, this research will bolster the Texas horned lizard population on Tinker Air Force Base. In the long term, the hope is to expand this program to assist wild Texas horned lizard populations across the state. Researchers also hope to better understand the beneficial and harmful bacteria that Texas horned lizards have in their guts and find ways to ensure the animals are as healthy as possible before released back into native habitats.
Although the OKC Zoo Lizard Lab is located behind-the-scenes and is not accessible to guests, visitors can support the Zoo’s conservation efforts by rounding up to the nearest dollar at any of point of sale. Guests can also show their support by purchasing colorful new conservation wristbands for $2. The entire amount goes to support the Zoo’s Round Up for Conservation. The Zoo will continue to share updates on the Lizard Lab through social media.

For many of us, lack of sleep, elevated stress and increased travel are as much a part of the holidays as turkey and stuffing or hanging stockings over the fireplace. So how can you set yourself—and your loved ones—up for a healthy holiday season?
1. Get your flu shot
Flu season has arrived, but it’s not too late to get your vaccination.
“The U.S. flu season doesn’t fully hit its stride until December,” said OMRF President Stephen Prescott, M.D. “But the sooner you vaccinate, the more time your body has to build immunity so you are primed and ready.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that last year’s flu outbreak affected up to 43 million Americans and resulted in, or contributed to, between 36,000 and 61,200 deaths. “Even though the flu shot isn’t perfect, it’s still your best chance to avoid this potentially deadly virus,” said OMRF immunologist Eliza Chakravarty, M.D.
2. Count sheep
Studies show that people who get eight hours of sleep are three times less likely to catch colds than those who average fewer than seven hours.
Sleep deprivation also causes stress hormones like cortisol to rise, signaling the body to go into fat-storage mode by slowing your metabolism. And when you’re sleepy, you eat more, which can put you on a slippery slope with all the extra treats around this time of year.
3. Hand-y advice
Think of all the hands will you shake at holiday parties and how many surfaces you will touch at the airport. Touch your mouth, nose, food or face, and you’re susceptible to the bacteria and viruses you just picked up.
“The more germs you come in contact with, the greater the risk of catching a cold, the flu or other illnesses,” said Prescott. “But there’s a simple defense: Wash your hands often.”
Good old soap and water work best, but hand sanitizer helps in a pinch.
4. Fit in fitness
A great way to neutralize the some negative holiday effects is to stay active.
“Too often, taking a little time off is the start of falling away from your exercise program entirely,” said Prescott.
Exercise does more than help avoid weight gain. “Even light exercise can lower blood pressure, strengthen bones and improve your mood,” he said. “It also decreases the risk of catching a cold or the flu. And who wants to be sick during the holidays?”

www.legendseniorliving.com

by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

Far too many people are living with a pulse but not a purpose.
It’s something that drives Marilyn Olson and the idea behind VillagesOKC.org.
“What we do is connect people who want to be active and live with a purpose,” the executive director of VillagesOKC.org said.
Olson’s background is extensive, helping open 10 retirement communities in multiple states.
“Each of use in VillagesOKC.org has learned a few things in the decades of our life and together we share what we’ve learned,” she said. “One day I said to my husband ‘it would be a real shame to wake up dead one morning and not having shared some of these things.”
A PLAN, NOT A PLACE
“What we’re learning is 100 is the new reality. More and more people are living until 100,” Olson explained. “And most people are only planning til 80 so what are you going to do with those other 20 years that God gives you?”
“Our plan is to live long and die short, not live and then slowly die. And you can have some control over that.”
Mounting research is showing that you can improve your risk of Alzheimer’s by up to 60 percent by simply making lifestyle changes.
“The problem is doing that is very difficult,” Olson said. “Villages gather people together and says ‘Let’s do this together.’”
“It’s peer pressure with love.”
That’s where Villages come in.
First of all, this Village is not an actual village. It is not a real estate development or a retirement community. It is a group of like-minded people in a geographic area who come together and develop the resources they will need to age comfortably in their own homes.
Villages bring services to people rather than moving people to services – neighbors helping neighbors create networks of support and reduced-cost professional services.
WHAT IS THE VILLAGE MOVEMENT?
Across the nation the village movement is an innovative grassroots organization which has emerged in the last decade providing support services for community-dwelling older adults.
The village movement is one of the most viable options to let our society cope with the upcoming “Revolution Aging.”
The revolution is due to the unprecedented number of seniors in America over 55. This number is growing by 10,000 per day. This number is many times greater than the number of available retirement communities or assisted living communities available or even planned. Thus has developed another option – aging in place in one’s own home.
Beacon Hill, the first village, came to birth in Boston, Massachusetts. Others have cropped up all over the nation.
Now it’s Oklahoma City’s turn.
“There are villages all over the nation,” Olson said. “It just depends on what the people want. This is not my idea. I just agreed to initiate it because that’s what I’m supposed to do. This is my calling right now.
“The end result is really up the people and what God orchestrates.”
Locally, the group celebrated its one year “Village-versary” and launch of VillagesOKC.org Pickleball as a new way for Village members to stay active and participate in one of the fastest-growing sports in the U.S.
Being active and productive is a way of life.
That’s why Olson helped with the recent Christian Women of Oklahoma City Bazaar. Her involvement began last year.
“Powerful testimonies of God’s goodness, encouragement and new friends,” Olson said of her first experience.
Seventy-seven years ago, a group of Oklahoma City Christian women gathered in a home for a few hours of fellowship.
Little did they know that first coffee klatch would spark lifelong friendships for several generations of Christian women in Oklahoma City and change the lives of countless others.
Those meetings are still going on, although the increased numbers have moved the meetings outside of members’ homes and into the Quail Creek Country Club.
And the centerpiece has become a bazaar that raises thousands of dollars for needy Oklahoma charities.
This October event was one of the group’s best ever.

www.arborhouseliving.com

Fred Millard, Jr., of Holdenville, has been featured by National Geographic and the Smithsonian Magazine for his extensive contributions to the freshwater turtle industry. But this time, he is in the spotlight for a vastly different record: his 25-pound, 2-ounce sweet potato.
Millard, who is turning 80 in December, has been gardening all his life. For more than 40 years now, he has aimed to grow his sweet potatoes bigger than the year before, and he even issued a steep dare for friends and family members.
“I’ll challenge anyone to a catfish supper if they can grow a bigger sweet potato than me,” said Millard. “Otherwise, they have to buy me one!”
However, that is a tough challenge to step into—Millard has only been beaten twice in more than forty years.
When asked if he aims to beat state and world records with his sweet potatoes, he said his only goal is to be a tad bigger than his competition for that year.
The Great Pumpkin Commonwealth, which records not only record-breaking pumpkins but also other vegetables, has been contacted to see if Millard’s sweet potato breaks Oklahoma records and we are awaiting confirmation.
“A sweet potato this big doesn’t require much peeling and you get quadruple the ‘good stuff’,” Millard said.
Millard and his wife, Caroline, plan to cut this sweet potato and can it—just like they do all of their sweet potatoes.
But with this one, there will be plenty to share. He said they will have to cut it with a saw and will save some for Caroline’s famous sweet potato casserole for Thanksgiving and Christmas and share the rest with Hughes County neighbors.

Mercy has again expanded services in Edmond with the addition of a new emergency department and primary care clinic. The new facility is now open just south of the original facility on Mercy’s Edmond I-35 campus.
Mercy broke ground on the $30 million, 49,000-square-foot building in January 2018. The facility is two levels. The first level ER is an extension of Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City’s emergency department and features 11 exam rooms, ultrasound, imaging services, full laboratory services, an infectious disease isolation room and a generator that allows the facility to run on full power in the event of an outage.
Fifteen emergency medicine physicians, 20 nurses and several support staff will take shifts serving patients around-the-clock. Patient care will be streamlined thanks to the ER’s modern design and dedicated, in-house lab and imaging services.
On the second floor, Mercy Clinic will have 16 primary care providers including family medicine and pediatrics.
Dr. Jesse Campbell serves as chief administrative officer for Mercy Clinic and has seen patients as a primary care physician at Edmond I-35 since the first building opened in 2014.
“We have had multiple patients come into our I-35 facility looking for an emergency room,” said Dr. Campbell. “I can’t tell you how many times we’ve had to call an ambulance to take those patients to an emergency department, ultimately delaying their care. Now, we’ll be able to take those patients downstairs from the primary care clinic or across the parking lot from the specialty care clinic building for the appropriate, convenient care they need.”
Through Mercy’s comprehensive electronic health record, care team members at the new Mercy Edmond I-35 facility will have immediate access to patient records, electronically creating a seamless experience for current Mercy patients.
“Over the last two years, we know most Edmond residents have visited a Mercy hospital or clinic,” said Jim Gebhart, president of Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City and regional strategy officer. “By expanding our Edmond I-35 campus, we are now able to serve even more people and make a significant impact in our growing community.”
The original Edmond I-35 facility features an outpatient surgery center, imaging, laboratory, specialty physician offices, a first-of-its-kind wellness center and Mercy Sports Performance powered by EXOS.
The new Mercy Edmond I-35 facility is located at 2301 W. I-35 Frontage Road in Edmond.

story and photo by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

The spirit of Christmas is alive and well.
At least it is when Jerry Chrisope steps into a room.
Chrisope is a member of the International Brotherhood of Real Bearded Santas.
He’s one of thousands of individuals across the country dedicated to bringing the magic of Santa Claus to young and old.
“Even adults light up,” Chrisope said. “I used to travel a lot before I retired. I could walk through an airport and turn around the corner and see people’s faces light up. It takes them back.”
“It’s not just children.”
Chrisope went to his first Santa School in 2009.
“You cover costuming, makeup, voice, entrances, exits, all kinds of things,” he said.
SANTA ALL YEAR
Noshave November lasts for Chrisope through December before he takes off about half his beard and then starts growing it out in July.
Chrisope has mastered the look so much he’s routinely identified as St. Nick while he’s out and about – especially at the Oklahoma CIty Zoo where he works.
When kids question him he always points to “Jerry” on his nametag and brings a finger to his lips.
“I tell them it’s a great place to see who’s being naughty or nice,” he said with a chuckle. “I have a card I give them that says ‘I met Santa’ on one side with my picture.”
His card also has instructions for kids to follow about how to stay on the “nice” list including always looking for the best in people and always keeping Christmas in your heart.
CRUNCH TIME
Chrisope’s Santa season starts in the middle of November. The recent Santa Market at the Oklahoma City Fairgrounds was his first event this year.
Chrisope says he’s the atypical Santa when it comes to working – typically doing between 30 and 40 events per year.
He will be at the airport the week before Christmas this year so Santa can greet travelers coming and going.
Do you have much home time in December?
“Mrs. Claus is shaking her head ‘No,’” Chrisope said with a laugh and his wife of 56 years, Sharon, looking on behind him. “She likes it. She has her own persona.”
The two team up for home events for larger families. Songs are song, stories are told and photos posed for along with the traditional giving of gifts.
The job can be grueling.
“Take your typical mall Santa,” Chrisope began. “Let’s say on a conservative effort he only sees 400 children in a day – but he can see three times that. Let’s say each child weighs 10 pounds so that’s 4,000 pounds he’s lifted onto his lap and off again.”
“Many of the santas can’t do that so they use workarounds – chairs, have the parents do it – because nobody can do that day in and day out for an entire season.”
He maintains three formal suits – one used for events that includes pets so he can prevent a reaction from children with allergies.
There’s travel, setup, and being constantly aware that all eyes are on him whether he’s in the suit or not. That means no drinking, no smoking, no foul language and always looking for the best in others especially when he puts on the crushed, red velvet suit
“There’s a lot more to it than putting on a red suit, sitting down and saying ‘What do you want?’” he said.
MARCH 15, 270 AD
Chrisope’s Oklahoma Driver’s license shows he’s passed his 78th birthday. But his St. Nicholas of Myra driver’s license dates him a bit more.
Christian Bishop St. Nicholas, who used his inheritance from his deceased parents to help the sick and poor, is widely believed to be the foundation for the modern day Santa Claus.
Maintaining the energy level is the hardest part of Chrisope’s role. Nobody wants a “flat” Santa.
“Learning how to keep children happy without destroying the magic,” he says as the hardest part of Santa to master.
Chrisope’s business card includes ways to reach Santa when he’s on his sleigh and when he’s home at the North Pole.
This time of year you’ll find members of his organization busy on their Facebook pages trying to cover all the requests for Santa to appear at an event in person.
And just like good ole’ St. Nick that’s how Santa makes it everywhere seemingly all at once.

http://www.crawfordcares.com