The Oklahoma History Center Museum will have pieces of silver service from the USS Oklahoma on display starting Monday, November 27, to commemorate the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The complete set consists of 55 pieces. Only select pieces will be available for public view.
On December 7, 1941, the USS Oklahoma was one of eight battleships docked at the Pearl Harbor Naval Base in Honolulu, Hawaii, when it came under attack by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service. The USS Oklahoma suffered 429 casualties, and the battleship capsized due to multiple torpedo strikes.
The tradition of creating presentation silver sets for American warships of the “first rank” began with the USS Maine in the late 1890s. Continuing this tradition, the Oklahoma Legislature appropriated $7,500 in 1913 to create a silver service to express the state’s pride in having a new battleship named for the state. It was designed by Walter Dean of Oklahoma City and executed by Gorham Silversmiths of New York. The USS Oklahoma was christened on March 23, 1914, and the service was presented to the ship at that time. The service was used on the battleship from 1914 until 1941 but was removed before the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and stored at the Puget Sound Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington. In 1946 after World War II, the Oklahoma Historical Society appointed a committee to find the silver service and return it to the state. In 1947 the U.S. Navy loaned the silver service to the Oklahoma Historical Society. After thorough polishing and repair, it went on public display.
The Oklahoma History Center is located at 800 Nazih Zuhdi Dr. in Oklahoma City. It is open to the public Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Please call 405-522-0765 or visit https://www.okhistory.org/historycenter/ for admission costs and group rates.
Anna Covey, Community Liaison with VIPcare, which helped sponsor a veteran’s resource fair in November in Guthrie.Mark Cope with Nerve Renewal was one of the vendors that participated in the November veteran resource fair in Guthrie.
Story and photos by Van Mitchell, staff writer
Anna Covey, Community Liaison with VIPcare, said pop-up resource fairs like the one held for veterans Nov. 16 at the American Legion LeBron Post 58 in Guthrie allow them to learn more about both VA benefits and community resources and benefits available to them, including value-based healthcare.
VIPcare and Senior News and Living sponsored the Guthrie event, and more resource fairs are planned for 2024.
“VIPcare is committed to delivering compassionate and preventive healthcare, a standard that our veterans rightfully deserve,” Covey said. “This level of exceptional healthcare is something everyone should have access to.” Covey explained that VIPcare specializes in primary care for individuals 65 and older. They accept most Medicare Advantage plans and work personally with insurance plans to ensure military families receive the coverage they need and deserve.
“We believe in better healthcare as opposed to ‘sick care,’” Covey said. “VIPcare eliminates potential healthcare burdens by offering same-day appointments and transportation assistance to and from appointments. Because our doctors only see an average of 12 to 15 patients a day instead of the industry standard of 25 to 35, they’re able to spend more time with patients, sometimes up to 30 minutes. This allows for a different mindset and a different way of providing care. At VIPcare, it’s about time. More time with the patient. More time to care.”
Steven Sibley, Senior News & Living Account Executive and Retired/Disabled Veteran, said he was approached by VIP Care about co-sponsoring community-based resource fairs.
“This is all about partnering with our advertisers, bringing their services and resources to the communities where they serve and our readers live,” he said. “We also brought in representatives from the VA, the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs, and invited several of Guthrie’s local resource providers, like the Chamber and a veteran owner barbershop. They were all excited to participate.”
Steve Gentling, Guthrie’s Mayor, a veteran and post member himself remarked, “Events like this is great. Bringing these resources to the communities where veterans live is the best way to not only educate them, but it also shows them how much we care and honor their sacrifices.”
Mark Cope with Nerve Renewal attended the Guthrie event, and said veterans currently make up 5 to 10 percent of their patient load. He said attending resource fairs allows veterans to learn about Nerve Renewal services.
“With the VA we are in the process of educating their doctors about our services,” he said. “Once we have an opportunity to inform them about this treatment option, the numbers of our veteran patients should increase.”
Cope said Nerve Renewal treatments are FDA-approved.
“We are using a drug-free treatment which involves electrical stimulation combined with a vitamin B-12 complex nutrient blend,” he said. “We’re utilizing equipment to depolarize the nerve cell membrane, which basically shuts the nerve signal down. While that is happening, the nerve is open to receive nutrients from the Vitamin-B injection. What we’re doing is nourishing those nerves.”
Cope said another aspect of the treatment is when they turn the nerve signal off, it sorts of resets the brain and the nerves so they are not firing as much, reducing nerve pain during the treatment.
“We find about 80 percent of our patients have lasting relief when they complete the entire treatment program,” he said. “If a veteran has been diagnosed with neuropathy, they simply need to request a community referral from their VA primary care provider or neurologist, tell them about Nerve Renewal and that they want to come to us for treatment. I think that resource fairs are great for educating veterans about all the different services that are available to them.”
Kim Vincent, the Post Adjutant, was thankful for all who attended and supported the event.
“We were honored to host so many resource providers, and see so many veterans and family members”, she said. “This has been a vision for quite some time, so when Steve Sibley and I first met a few weeks ago, he acted quickly to pull it off. I am beyond thankful for his work and professionalism in doing so.”
Sibley, a Medicare Product Specialist for Veterans, who co-owns Sibley Insures with his wife, said he was pleased with the turnout at the Guthrie Veteran Resource Fair.
“We had 22 resource providers and probably twice that many veterans and their spouses,” he said.
For more information about Nerve Renewal visit https://nerverenewalnow.com/.
For more information about VIP Care visit https://getvipcare.com/oklahoma/.
For more information about Senior News and Living visit https://okveterannews.com/.
For more information about Sibley Insures visit https://www.sibleyinsures.com/
Eddie Mulle is an actor and artist, providing artwork for the Kitty Feral books.
By Nick Thomas
If reading bedtime stories to the grandkids is a cherished family tradition, Eddie Muller has an unusual tale to share this holiday season: a gritty feline sleuth searches for a stolen artifact while encountering a host of seedy underground characters prowling through a shadowy urban setting.
If that sounds like the plot from 1940s film noir cinema, you’re no dope. In his first published children’s book, “Kitty Feral and the Case of the Marshmallow Monkey,” the Turner Classic Movies host has channeled his film noir expertise onto the pages of a new book for kids aged 4 and up.
Toning down the traditionally dark stylized themes from early crime fiction thrillers was a no-brainer for Muller https://www.eddiemuller.com/ and Running Press Kids publishers https://www.runningpress.com/. The result is a cute mystery tale with animal characters that cleverly reference popular classic noir films, including one of the best from 1941.
“‘The Maltese Falcon’ seemed a perfect template,” said Muller from his home in the San Francisco Bay Area. “Film noir themes revolve around the most diabolical and dastardly motivations that are not suitable for a children’s book. But many are detective stories, so the idea of a simple quest, like a treasure hunt, seemed adaptable for kids.”
Just like private detective Sam Spade’s search for the precious ‘Falcon’ statuette, Kitty Feral pursues a stolen artifact (a Marshmallow Monkey) and along the way, interacts with some interesting characters, driving the plot. (Kitty is also on a mission to locate kidnapped crime-fighting partner Mitch the Mutt).
When originally approached by (co-author) Jessica Schmidt with the idea, Muller says he jumped at the opportunity provided the artwork would emulate the style of classic noir film. Drawn by Forrest Burdett in glorious noir-ish black-and-white and distinctively skewed viewer angles, the Oregon-based artist added a splash of vivid blue highlights to Kitty who roams the dark alleys, deserted city rooftops, and eerie waterfront in search of a missing Marshmallow Monkey – a stolen sweet treat.
While obviously aimed at children, adults familiar with classic movies will enjoy the subtle references to noir films. For instance, Kitty begins the search at the Acme Book Shop – similar (but naturally less risqué) to a Humphrey Bogart scene right out of 1946’s “The Big Sleep.”
A dockside warehouse image captures a scene from “99 River Street,” a theater marquee acknowledges producer Val Lewton’s “Leopard Man,” and there are plenty of obvious references to “On the Waterfront,” “Casablanca,” “Shakedown,” and “The Postman Always Rings Twice.”
As for the book’s cast of supporting characters, rotund owl boss Casper Nighthawk and sleazy Wilmer the Weasel represent villainous Kasper Gutman (Sydney Greenstreet) and Wilmer Cook (Elisha Cook Jr.) from “The Maltese Falcon.” Sinister leather-clad Johnny Gila is distinctly reptilian, a nod to William Talman’s title role in 1953’s “The Hitch-hiker.” “People have said he looked like a Gila monster,” notes Muller. And speaking of “Perry Mason” actors, there’s even a character representing Raymond Burr’s villainous roles (but we’ll leave that one for readers to uncover!).
As for Kitty, the character is modeled after actress Ella Raines, especially her sultry role in 1944’s “The Phantom Lady,” even though Muller doesn’t formally acknowledge Kitty’s gender in the pages.
“Kitty was clearly inspired by Raines – a smart, independent woman intent on solving a crime herself in the film, not the typical femme fatale character,” explained Muller. As a bonus, if reading the story to kids, grandparents can test the youngsters’ powers of observation by asking if they can spot something intentionally omitted from the artist’s images of Kitty!
Of course, most of the book’s film references will be beyond young readers, but Muller thinks adults reading the story to their little ones will enjoy opening up a monochromatic world not usually seen on cellphones, laptops, or while gaming. And, perhaps, some may even come to appreciate the screen imagery in classic films enjoyed by their parents and grandparents.
“Since the book came out, I’ve attended film festivals that lasted several days and people told me they were buying the book for their grandkids,” recalls Muller. “They’ve returned a second day, reporting they read it to them and that the kids loved it. So that’s really gratifying.”
Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery, in Alabama, and has written features, columns, and interviews for numerous magazines and newspapers. See https://www.getnickt.org/.
Daily Living Centers Offer Veterans Opportunities For Social Engagement, Volunteer Events
Veterans Leon and Guy at the VA Living in Norman for their SHINE veteran service project, posing next to a bucket of bingo cards because they tag team bingo games at the Bethany center.DLC President and CEO, Amanda Dirmeyer, creating Veterans Day cards for veteran organizations in the community.
Story by Van Mitchel, Staff Writer
Daily Living Centers Inc, a nonprofit Adult Day Service Provider that serves adults with developmental disabilities, senior adults, and veterans, based in Oklahoma City, previously celebrated Veterans Day in a meaningful way- giving back to their community.
Each Daily Living Centers location completed a service project to serve local veterans. DLC is a proud member of SHINE, Start Helping Impacted Neighbors Everywhere, a volunteer program created by Oklahoma County Commissioner, Brian Maughan.
The Bethany Center created thank you cards to give to the VA Living Center in Norman. The Bethany participants and staff had a cookie and punch party with the veterans at the VA Home in Norman while dropping off the cards.
The South Oklahoma City Center visited the OKC VFW, located at 4605 South Pennsylvania, to decorate for Veteran’s Day.
“Citizens for SHINE (Start Helping Impacted Neighborhoods Everywhere) encourages non-profits and businesses to recognize their employees, participants, or residents volunteer efforts. It is great to see members of Daily Living Centers giving back through SHINE. Every bit of litter pick-up, every flower planted, and every hour invested in a better community pays dividends for us all, stated County Commissioner Brian Maughan.”
In 2021, Daily Living Centers joined the Citizens for SHINE Program. Since then, their participants have completed over 60,000 volunteer hours.
“We have a volunteer SHINE program, and a lot of our veterans are a part of that where they can give back to the center or the community,” said Amanda Dirmeyer, Daily Living Centers President & CEO. “They can volunteer here in the center where some of them just help with rolling out the silverware or preparing for activities, or we actually will go out and clean up a park or maybe stock shelves at a food pantry. We have a Navy veteran who even started a choir here.”
Dirmeyer said Daily Living Centers is grateful to serve participants from all walks of life and to be able to meet their individual needs.
Since 1974, Daily Living Centers (DLC) has provided rest and hope for caregivers. They are Oklahoma’s first and leading non-profit adult day provider for senior adults and adults with disabilities ages 18 and older. There are three locations that offer nonresidential affordable day services for over 200 participants 246 days a year in an environment that enhances mind, body, and spirit. While attending DLC, “participants” enjoy healthy meals, exercise programs, socialization, activities, and outings that meet their individual needs.
Dirmeyer said they have a fleet of vehicles including limos and wheelchair accessible vans that provide door-to-door transportation and medical rides.
She said many of the participants have physical and/or mental limitations or suffer from isolation and depression.
Common diagnoses found in those DLC serve include dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, stroke, traumatic brain injury, autism, Down Syndrome, and other developmental disabilities. Caregivers often say that DLC services are “lifesaving.”
“Our populations are adults with developmental disabilities as well as senior adults,” Dirmeyer said. “We feel it is important for caregivers to know that veterans can attend our centers through VA funding. They need to be established with the VA and have a VA physician who will provide a consult in order to start attending a DLC center.”
Dirmeyer said DLC offers meals, exercise and art therapy, as wells as help with personal care if anyone needs assistance in the restroom or bathing services.
“We have breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack every day. A variety of different types of exercise classes are offered including chair Zumba, yoga, cycle classes, and more,” she said. “We do a lot with music therapy and art therapy. Our participants, they’re very creative, and so we can do things with painting, crafts, and puzzles. Games and reminiscing activities are great to stimulate the mind. Weekly community outings are planned for each center which include libraries, parks, museums, and big events such as the circus.”
Dirmeyer said the VA will pay for veterans to attend DLC.
“A lot of people are not aware that the VA will pay for our services, and they’re able to come here,” she said. “They build friendships and meet with other veterans and swap stories. It’s beneficial for them because we recognize them for their service.”
Dirmeyer said she has a passion working to help seniors.
“My passion has always been to work with seniors, and I’ve been in the senior healthcare field for about 22 years now,” she said. “My biggest goal is to spread the word everywhere because this service is so vital, especially to caregivers.”
For more information regarding Daily Living Center’s services, contact Ragan Franklin at (405) 792-2401 or visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/dailylivingcenters
OK, China, you win. You’ve successfully infiltrated my TikTok and, in turn, my movements and my dreams. Happy?
I didn’t want to believe it. In fact, I laughed when Montana Governor Greg Gianforte signed legislation banning TikTok from mobile devices in that state, a move that will take effect Jan. 1 but is expected to be challenged in court. I laughed because I’ve been to parts of Montana where there is literally nothing to do except watch videos of wedding pranks gone awry and 30-minute Instant Pot recipes. Ban TikTok in San Diego. It’s 75 and sunny there every day. Residents should be able to find something else to do.
The first inkling I had that TikTok was watching me occurred this summer in Alaska. I’d been planning a day hike in Skagway, a panhandle town popular with cruise ship passengers. Nothing too strenuous, I texted Mike, a friend who had visited Skagway multiple times and knew the trails. Just a path I could traverse solo without getting lost. That happened once, doubling my 5-mile hike in the process.
He offered suggestions and, that morning, I prepared to tackle Lower Dewey Lake, although “tackle” may be overstating things.
“That’s the easy hike,” Mike said.
While eating breakfast I was casually scrolling TikTok, where, for the first time since I joined the platform, I was greeted by video after video of hikers.
Being chased by bears.
I have to hand it to TikTok; at least the videos offered some variety. I saw black bears, brown bears, grizzly bears, momma bears protecting cubs and daddy bears that just looked ravenous. The only thing they had in common is that all were staring at, and advancing on, hikers too stupid to do anything other than record the encounters with their iPhones.
“Don’t move, kids. Honey, don’t make a sound,” I heard one assumed husband and father say as he zoomed in on a furry beast.
“Don’t move, kids?” What kind of a vacation comes with that command? And what would happen if the wife did make a sound, like saying, “I knew marrying this idiot was a bad idea,” under her breath?
I elected to hike the trial anyway, but happily followed any sign that said “shortcut” or a synonym thereof. I completed the hike in about 30 minutes, but it was not without pain. My neck was very sore from constantly turning around to see what species of bear was following me.
A month later I dreamed I was eating dinner with Taylor Swift.
It was a quick dream; I remember we were dining al fresco and sushi was the main course. The dream also included me recounting the dinner to a friend, who demanded proof. Sadly, all of the videos I shot during our meal were of sushi. But I could hear Taylor’s voice in the background.
“That enough proof?” I asked my skeptical friend.
The dream went poof instantly, as dreams often do. I don’t even know if Taylor ordered extra wasabi, offered to pay the check, or had me beaten up by the football dude she is currently dating. What I do know is that, the following morning, my TikTok feed was full of everything Taylor Swift.
There was live concert footage from her Eras tour, Taylor singing at 11 years old, Taylor watching the boyfriend catch passes while wearing his jersey. Until now not a single Taylor Swift video had permeated my feed. Suddenly, I couldn’t get rid of her.
I am beginning to think TikTok doubles as my crystal ball or Ouija board. Perhaps I should consult it before venturing out, for it seems to know what potentially awaits me.
Which is why, as I write this column in a Los Angeles hotel room, I am afraid to leave the premises.
For, according to TikTok, I will either find myself at a gender reveal, or encounter an abandoned dog and her puppies.
Neither sounds particularly appealing. I may just have an Uber driver take me to San Diego.
(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 https://www.amazon.com/. Visit Greg on the web at https://www.gregschwem.com/.
You’ve enjoyed reading, and laughing at, Greg Schwem’s monthly humor columns in Senior Living News. But did you know Greg is also a nationally touring stand-up comedian? And he loves to make audiences laugh about the joys, and frustrations, of growing older. Watch the clip and, if you’d like Greg to perform at your senior center or senior event, contact him through his website at https://www.gregschwem.com/)
With the help of Valir physical therapist Taylor Marcum, Emily Rogec fights back against a rare and debilitating disease – so rare it impacts only one in every 50,000 Americans.
Oklahoma woman battles a rare and debilitating disease
Story and photo by Jake Strickbine, contributing writer
We tend to take for granted things — things like our ability to walk or to tie our own shoes — until we can no longer do those things.
Emily Rogec lives that reality, and she is grateful for every movement she can still make.
Diagnosed at just six years old with a rare disorder that attacks the nervous system, the Purcell woman was in a wheelchair by 12. Friedrich’s Ataxia is so rare it impacts only one in every 50,000 people in this country.
“It’s progressive,” said Tracy Weidman, Emily’s mom. “It doesn’t just affect her walking. It’s her hands. It’s her throat. It’s her heart. It’s anything that’s muscle.”
The odds may be stacked against her, but Emily is now 27 and proves every day that she is a fighter. Emily has also found a powerful ally in Taylor Marcum, a physical therapist at Valir PT in Purcell.
“Emily’s disease affects the nervous system. So, it affects her physically, but mentally, she is sharp as a tack and witty,” Marcum explained.
Marcum admits she had not heard of Friedrich’s Ataxia before meeting Emily, but she has worked to learn more about the condition. Using that knowledge, Marcum has developed a program to help Emily retain movement.
“I think it helps with my core and a little bit with strength,” Emily said with great effort. Even the ability to talk is impacted by her disease.
Using her knowledge and skills as a physical therapist, Marcum targets specific areas of the body to help Emily maintain as much independence as possible. Her mom has seen the positive changes firsthand.
“Physically, she can hold things better,” said Weidman. “When we’re working with her hands, when I need to pick her up to transfer her, her muscles are working a little bit better. It just kind of gives her a better quality of life.”
In addition to helping with strength and movement, physical therapy helps target the pain Emily experiences as a result of sitting in a wheelchair all day.
Emily believes the team at Valir and the work they are doing together is making a difference.
“It helps my muscles contract a lot and I do think my arms are getting a little bit stronger with some of the exercises we do,” she said.
Each small gain is a big victory against a debilitating disease.
“I think for us to be able to help her in any way, shape or form that we can, whether it’s sitting more upright in her wheelchair or getting stronger – anything we can do to improve her quality of life is just a reward for everyone,” Marcum said.
Although there is no cure for Friedrich’s Ataxia, with the help of the team at Valir PT in Purcell, Emily plans to do all she can to fight back. And she remains grateful for every movement she can still make.
RIVERMONT INDEPENDENT LIVING IN NORMAN ANNOUNCES THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS SERVED REACHES 999 … 1,000!
Rivermont Independent Living, a residence of Legend Senior
Living®, announced today that the number of residents who have made the community their home has reached 1,000. Residents 999 and 1,000 are husband and wife, Bill and JoAnn Oliver, so they share the title. Legend Senior Living, headquartered in Wichita, KS, owns and operates over 50 Legend and Windsor residences in six states.
The Olivers are lifelong Oklahoma residents who have been married for 66 years. They have two children, three grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. Bill worked for the U.S. Postal Service at various places in Oklahoma, performing training. They settled in Norman when the postal training center opened here.
“What we like most about Rivermont is the atmosphere and the people,” said Bill. “All the people are accepting of others that come in. The food is good! And we enjoy the ability to sit outside and enjoy the outdoors.”
Joann cites going out to eat as their favorite activity and appreciates the Rivermont location, out of the hustle and bustle of the metro area but close to many good places to eat and things to do.
Plus, easy highway access takes them straight up the road to their church, the Alameda Church of Christ.
“We’re so happy to have Bill and Joann at Rivermont,” said Residence Director Rita Myers. “And we’re proud to have served many older adults with the Legend trademark of vibrant independent living. The Olivers make the most of it!”
“Our daughter was a big influence in our choice of Rivermont, and we’re so glad we chose so well,” said Joann. The Olivers have been avid travelers throughout Europe and Colorado on many off-roading and skiing adventures. Living at Rivermont allows them to maintain their active lifestyle minus the home maintenance.
Rivermont Independent Living is located at 800 Canadian Trails Dr, Norman, Oklahoma 73072.
Legend Senior Living® is a privately held senior housing and services company based in Wichita, Kansas. Legend grows the number of properties it owns and operates every year, now numbering more than 50 – independent living, assisted living, memory care, and personal care – in Florida, Colorado, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania.
