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Where are they now? Ashleigh Twist Local Sandite
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Index Sandite Chatter Letter from Mayor Mike Senior in the Spotlight March Sandwich Recipe Sand Springs Sports Update Charles Page: Life Before Oklahoma Where are they now: Ashleigh Twist OmniTRAX: James Tilton On the Scene 74063 Being a Sandite with James Tilton Sandites in Service: SS Fire Department Memory Lane: Discoveryland
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We are adding to our We Are Sand Springs staff. That's right! We are hiring an Account Executive to join our team at Myers Marketing Management. This individual will be traveling around NE Oklahoma promoting Sand Springs and managing accounts. We are looking for someone with enthusiasm that will add great things to our office.
We are so grateful of our town!
Please visit: www.WeAreSandSprings.com for our current job openings! Get to know the people of We Are Sand Springs: Donald Myers is a Sand Springs transplant. Born in Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii and raised in Orlando Florida. He attended Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, OK where he met his wife, Danielle Myers. After graduating from Southern Nazarene University with his bachelors in Psychology, he started with We Are Sand Springs as a website designer.
Danielle Myers
We're Hiring
Donald now handles all of the graphic design, website design, logo design and basically any other kind of design you can think of at We Are Sand Springs. If you have any questions or are interested in what he does you can contact him at: Donald@WeAreSandSprings.com. In his free time, Donald enjoys reading, playing with his two beautiful daughters and watching all kinds of movies.
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Send us a letter or email: 20 W. 2nd Street Sand Springs, OK 74063 info@wearesandsprings.com 918-521-1810
#wearesandsprings @wearesandsprings
March 2017
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You may be asking yourself what Sandite Chatter is, if you follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/WeAreSandSprings) you have probably seen us post our Sandite Chatter image! Sandite Chatter is a way for us to ask Sandites questions about Sand Springs! We will ask questions such as: What is your favorite restaurant in Sand Springs? If you could have any businesses come to our town, what would you choose?
It is a fun way for us to see what everyone thinks about certain topics and our town! We have posted some questions on our Facebook page, but soon you will find the We Are Sand Springs staff hitting the street to ask you these questions! You can see us at the Herbal Affair, Chillin & Grillin, walking around Walmart or just walking around the town! We will be on the hunt for some Sandites to answer some questions! We can’t wait to hear the Sandite Chatter! If you have any ideas of some good questions email them to info@wearesandsprings.com Sincerely, Allison
March 2017 | WeAreSandSprings.com 5
A recap on probably the best race I have ever watched, raced by our very own Cheyenne Walden. It's after six o'clock on a Saturday evening May the 7" 2016, it's been in the low 80's all afternoon, sunny with a light breeze, the sun has gone behind a large mass of clouds, we walk across the track to the infield for the Girls 1600 meter race, do most of the talking as we approach the heating area. Last race sis, to which Cheyenne says I'm racing for third, with a questioning look, whatever you say, is my response. She says she is tired and ready to go home. Your just one mile from going home. We been up for over 12 hours and she has ran three miles at a 5:30 pace or faster. She ran an 800 leg of the 3200 relay at a PR pace of 2:14 then won the 3200 with an 11 flat, took 3" in the 800 meter with a 2:21. So now She go's at the mile to qualify for 4 events at state. First girl in Sandite history to do so, give her my last encouraging words as we separate and she moves to the heating area, don't allow myself to think anything but positive thoughts. It's time. They move out on to the track and take their places. Cheyenne is in lane 7, the plan is to go out fast through the first turn so she can move to the inside after the turn and there is 5 of the best 6 in the State here. I look at her as she steps up to the line, she has her hand on her watch leaning in to the start, the fatigue has left her eyes and those blue steel eyes are now focused.
6 WeAreSandSprings.com | March 2017
Her race face is on, everything else in the world is now somewhere else, it's Show Time. Runners to your mark....and the gun goes off, and so do the runners. Cheyenne puts the pedal to the metal with intent, the first goal is to get out quick and get to the inside, and she does so with perfection. Moving to the inside after the first turn with a good meter of space between herself and the next four runners, and they close that space as the girls move down the back stretch, rounding the number two turn there is a tight pack of five girls with Cheyenne at the inside at the front, right where she likes to be and should be. Coming up the home stretch they are tight and in perfect cadence step for step. Yell out her split, 1:16, and tell her to breath and stay loose, if she hears there's no response. I know she heard, the people in the top row heard. But we both know no response is necessary, just execution. Rounding the first turn of the 2" lap nothing has changed from the home stretch, still tight and stride for stride. As they go down the back stretch of lap two with Cheyenne on the inside and 8 inches ahead of the others. Round number 2 turn and in to the home stretch finishing lap two. I look at the pack as yell out Cheyenne's split 2:41 she no longer is racing for third. She is running this race to win, but the girls are all four there and every bodies looking hunger, into the number one turn of lap three and the lead four have moved out a little more, there's four at the front, five and six have fallen back almost two meters. Down the back stretch Cheyenne is still where she needs to be but it's still any bodies race. I'm sure every bodies thinking it's going to come down to the kick as they round number two turn and come into the home stretch. Still inside and out front as they come by the finish line and yell out her split 4:05 and tell her it's time to go get out there. There's
a wisp of a grin at the corners of her mouth as she gives mean abbreviated nod, which is more response than I've ever gotten at this point in any race, lam encouraged They round number one turn to start the last lap and Cheyenne is upping the ante , and everyone is trying to answer. She pulls ahead on the back stretch by less than a meter, but by the time they enter number two turn the pack is back to its tight four. Coming out of number two turn everybody hammers down but Cheyenne was noticeably first to go, she sets the pace and pulls away, inches at first then in the last 50 meters she pulls more ahead, by the looks on all their faces I can see there's not going to be any one at her shoulder when she crosses the finish line. She crosses the finish a meter or two ahead and Wins. The first four girls take a few steps after they finish and spread out, hands on knees looking at the ground gathering oxygen. I walk out to Cheyenne as she stands up with that grin on her face, and there's hugs all around. I even got one. As congratulate her I'm thinking, I've just been a small part of a big history. To Cool. I give her, her time 5:17. As she moves out to congratulate everyone else and welcome the last runners in. The Owasso coach walks up to me and asks if she ever gets tired? I said yea she's tired, she just never quiets. He said they thought they had a chance seeing she had ran three races already, but not so, if I had of been in his shoes would have thought the same thing. She once again has surprised us all. The depth of her spirit is amazing. The little Indian pony has once again surprised all the thoroughbreds. Cheyenne, you put the fire out I'll call in the dogs......... let's go home, it's been a great hunt.
To read more about Cheyenne Walden, check out our Senior in the Spotlight article on page 8.
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SIS
Senior in the Spotlight
S E N I O R
Senior in the Spotlight highlights a handful of amazing Sandite Seniors that have truly made a point to get the most out of their High School education and experiences. We are proud to feature these amazing students!
in the
SPOTLIGHT The most decorated runner in Oklahoma is from right here in Sand Springs. Cheyenne Walden holds four individual state cross country titles, making her only the fifth female runner and only the sixth runner in Oklahoma high school history to accomplish such a feat. She holds records all over the place, and most of her current records beat her previous records. But it is perhaps her passion for the sport of running and sportsmanship in general that are her most outstanding qualities. Walden’s family moved to Sand Springs from Cleveland when she was in ninth grade. At that time, she had never run competitively before. She met Charles Page High
School cross country coach Chris Corbin and runner Morgan Long at
“When she wins, she hands out water bottles to runners coming in behind her, hugs them, all of that,” -Mike Burdge the Bedlam 5K in Tulsa’s Blue Dome district in 2013. They introduced her to the sport of cross country, and
she joined the Sand Springs team. Walden finished her first one-mile cross country race in Enid in second place, but she’s won every race she’s entered in Oklahoma since then. Sand Springs Mayor and Charles Page High School cross country coach Mike Burdge said Walden’s impressive level of focus is one of the things that sets her apart from other runners. Burdge said he first noticed her focus level at practice when the cross country team members were running. Walden’s mother happened to pass by on the opposite side of the road Cheyenne was running on, and she was so focused on her run that she didn’t even notice.
SIS
Cheyanne Walden - Cross Country "What's amazine about Cheyenne is her impressive focus,” Burdge said. “She didn’t even see her mom pass her.” Walden’s accomplishments in cross country are truly exceptional. In addition to a nearly perfect running career, setting numerous records and being only the sixth runner in Oklahoma high school history to hold four individual state titles, Walden won the Gatorade Girls Cross Country State Runner of the Year award four years in a row. She also finished 34th at the Nike Cross Country Nationals Final. Despite all of that, Walden said her proudest accomplishment is being a part of the first Sand Springs cross country team in history to go to state. Sportsmanship comes naturally to her. “When she wins, she hands out water bottles to runners coming in behind her, hugs them, all of that,” Burdge said. She said she loves working with youth cross country runners in Sand Springs. Walden volunteers at the cross country summer program every year. “All the kids love her and know her,” Burdge said. Although running is her passion, she also enjoys rock climbing, babysitting, swimming at the lake and volunteering. Walden has committed to
join Oklahoma State University’s cross country program next year. She hopes to become the top freshman runner in the Big XII conference and make the national
cross country team. She also aspires to compete in the 2020 Olympics. Beyond all of that, Walden’s goal is to be an elementary school physical education teacher, so she can inspire children to love sports and healthy living and to dream big. “It’s just exceptional to overcome all that she’s overcome...she’s an amazing individual,” Burdge said. From all of us here at We Are Sand Springs, congratulations, Cheyenne, and best wishes for the future!
March 2017 | WeAreSandSprings.com 9
RCP
Year of the Sandwich
- Broccoli - Olive Oil - Salt - Pepper - Butter
- Bread - Cheddar Cheese
- Broccoli - Olive Oil - Eggs - Garlic Powder
- Salt - Pepper - Milk - Provolone - Bread
- Broccoli - Pickles - Garlic - Siracha - Olive Oil
- French Bread - Mayo - Fried Onions
Roasted Broccoli Sandwich Ingredients: Broccoli Florets (one head each sandwich) Olive Oil Salt Pepper Chile Flakes Red Pepper Hoagie Provolone Cheese Directions: Toss broccoli florets with olive oil, salt, pepper, and chile flakes. Take the florets and roast on a baking or cookie sheet. While the broccoli is roasting, chop red peppers and set aside. Slice a hoagie or your favorite type of bread in half lengthwise and drizzle with olive oil. Put the florets on the bottom half and top with provolone cheese. Slide the open sandwich in the oven just long enough for the cheese to melt. Top with the peppers and enjoy! See www.WeAreSandSprings.com for photo-credits.
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March 2017 | WeAreSandSprings.com 13
Sand Springs Chamber Event
Taster Kits $10 adults $5 kids
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Raffle tickets $5 ea or $5 for $20 April 8th 10a 10a— —4p
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March 2017 | WeAreSandSprings.com 15
SAND S BASE March 2 vs NOAH
Head Coach: Bill Hutson
March 4 @ Sapulpa March 6 vs Enid March 7 @ Enid March 9 - Best of West Tourn. March 20 @ Moore March 21 vs Moore March 24-25 - Bartlesville Tourn. March 27 @ Bixby March 28 vs Bixby
Sandite baseball season is about to start and We Are Sand Springs couldn't be more excited! The Sandite Varsity baseball season will start on Thursday, March 2nd at the Sand Springs High School Baseball Field located by Angus Valley Elementary School. The first
March 31 vs Sapulpa April 1 vs Memorial
SAND S CHE Basketball
PRINGS BALL April 3 @ Muskogee pitch will be thrown at 5:00pm, make sure you grab some consessions and a April 4 vs Muskogee good seat! April 6-8 - Bixby Broken Arrow Tourn. We hope to see the community come April 10 vs Union out and support the Sandite Varsity April 11 @ Union baseball team this season. Here is the April 14 @ Broken Arrow season's schedule and it is packed full April 17 @ Bartlesville of great games. We are ready for April 18 vs Bartlesville some Sandite Baseball! April 20 @ Cascia Hall April 24 @ Owasso April 25 vs Owasso April 27 @ NOAH April 28 @ Booker T.
PRINGS EER Head Coach: Carrie Schlehuber
The Charles Page High School Varsity Cheerleading team finished their year by competing at the NCA Senior & Junior High School National Championship January 21 and 22 in Dallas, Texas. 2017-2018 high school cheerleading tryouts are Monday through Thursday, March 6-9.
Go Sandites!
18 WeAreSandSprings.com | March 2017
SSH
Charles Page: Life Before Oklahoma
C
harles Page was born in 1860 near Stevens Point, Wisconsin, a small pioneer town. He lived on a farm with his parents, James and Mary Page, and his younger brother, Edwin, until he was 11. This was a time and place where people struggled to provide the necessities of life, but Page’s father, a strong Scotsman and Presbyterian, was able to provide enough food from his farm to support five families of women and children whose husbands and fathers were in the Union Army during the Civil War. This profoundly influenced a young Charles Page. Page’s mother also had a heart for service - she helped neighbors in cases of illness, birth or death; and she even had an album filled with daguerreotypes of herself and the infants she had assisted into the world. Sadly, Page’s father died in 1871 when Charles Page was only 11 years old. His older siblings were all living on their own by that time, leaving 11-year-old Page to support his mother and younger brother. Charles Page comforted his disheartened mother with declarations that foreshadowed his future: “Mother, don’t cry. Wait until I get to be a man! I will take care of you and you won’t have to work and I will take care of all other mothers and poor boys and girls, too!” Page’s mother desired for her children to have the best education the area afforded, and for a time the Page family even boarded the area school’s one teacher, Miss Marcia Morrison. However, Charles Page was forced to leave school early to support his mother and younger brother. He resumed his studies in his early adult life under a private tutor. Page worked a string of jobs as a teenager and young adult. He stayed in Wisconsin at first, working at the Wisconsin Railroad and clerking at a general store, followed by jobs as a police chief and a detective for the Pinkerton National Detective Agency. During this time, Page frequently interacted with people who were down on their luck and resolved to do everything he could to help others who were down on their luck in the future. Page worked in logging, mining, real estate and oil drilling in Washington, British Columbia, Colorado and Michigan. When he was logging in the northern states, Page helped cut down huge timbers and helped the other men of the camp drive teams of oxen dragging the heavy logs to the Mississippi River’s edge, where the logs were floated down to St. Louis and sold to saw mills. Page’s mining endeavors allowed him to make his investments in real estate and oil drilling. He continued to send money to his mother until her death in 1891, and he made his way to Indian Territory in search of oil just after the turn of the century. Check our website, wearesandsprings.com, to find links to the sources used for this story to learn more about Charles Page. March 2017 | WeAreSandSprings.com 19
WTN
Where are they now?
D
id you know a Sandite is competing in the Mrs. United States pageant this year? That’s right, our very own Ashleigh Twist, Mrs. Oklahoma United States, will be representing Oklahoma and Sand Springs on a national level this July. Twist moved to Sand Springs when she was a sophomore in high school. She had Mr. Cooper’s leadership class that year, and when a student asked him what it meant to be a Sandite, his reply stuck with her. “He said a Sandite is the person you want to be, and I’ve always remembered that,” Twist said. As a former volleyball player, Twist has a passion for sports,
health and fitness, and she volunteered with organizations including the Special Olympics when she was in high school and college. She described herself as a tomboy for most of her life - not the glamorous pageant queen people might imagine. Twist played volleyball at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond her freshman year of college, but unfortunately a devastating injury that year left her unable to continue playing. This, however, is what led her to the pageant world. Twist began looking for scholarship opportunities through UCO and discovered the Miss UCO pageant. She entered the pageant and won enough money to pay for the rest of
WTN
Ashleigh Twist - Mrs. Oklahoma certified through the American College of Sports Medicine as an Exercise Physiologist. An advocate for healthy living, Twist works daily to help her clients, friends, family and coworkers achieve a happy and healthy lifestyle. Twist also advocates for civic engagement in her personal and professional life. She is currently organizing a program that would allow the finance department at her office to take a work day to volunteer with the Special Olympics. Her program “Primary School Patriots” teaches school children the meaning of patriotism and breaks down the Pledge of Allegiance so the children can understand what it really means when they say it. She also has a new platform program in the works called “Commit to be Fit,” which focuses on wellness for the mind, body and soul. An aspect of this program would be tailored to students, but it would also have an aspect for teachers. She hopes to offer a free Boot Camp fitness class to Sand Springs Public Schools teachers after school. Twist hopes to show Sand Springs youth that they can accomplish anything they set their minds to, and she wants to be someone they can look up to. She is thankful for the support she’s received from the community. “To me, that’s [Sand Springs is] home - I love my community,” Twist said. “Having the support of Sand Springs is like having the support of my family.” Twist will represent Oklahoma in the Mrs. United States pageant in July. She would be happy to speak at any schools or events coming up. Contact her if you are interested in having her speak at your event. that semester of school, and eventually graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in kinesiology, exercise fitness management. But she also found a new way to pursue her passions. “There’s so much more to pageantry that I fell in love with,” Twist said. “It’s not just crowns and pretty dresses - it’s so much more than that.” Some of the things that Ashleigh fell in love with about pageants, and that the pageant organizations that she’s involved with focus on, include community service, interviews and public speaking. She said as the face and voice of a community, pageant winners have the opportunity to bring awareness to volunteer work. “It’s what you make of it - community service projects are huge,” Twist said. Twist has been involved with the American Heart Association, the Oklahoma Breast Care Center, the VA hospital in Oklahoma City (through her platform Serving Our Veterans, Serving Those Who Served Us), Soles 4 Souls, and Special Olympics and Domestic Violence Intervention Services events, among others. Twist lives in Sand Springs with her husband, Daniel - a Sand Springs police officer and member of the Army National Guard - and their four-month-old baby girl, Ryleigh Hayden. “This right here [my family] is the reason I’m competing,” Twist said. She is a financial analyst for Verizon Business in Tulsa and is March 2017 | WeAreSandSprings.com 21
OMN
OMNITRAX: James Tilton on the Scene
J
ames Tilton was recently named the General Manager of Sand Springs Railway and is responsible for all of the railroad and transload operations. Tilton was brought in by OmniTRAX Inc. as the Transload Operations Manager in 2014, just after the shortline company purchased the railway. He takes pride and initiative when it comes to implementing safety policies for the variety of equipment and duties his team is responsible for. In addition to his new general manager role, he also is assisting the company’s Industrial Development team in the demolition and redevelopment of the recently acquired property previously known as Gerdau Steel Mill (now known as Sheffield Crossing). “We are very excited and have big plans for the property that will bring a variety of opportunities for Sand Springs and the surrounding communities,” Tilton said. In addition, Tilton recently took a seat on the Sand Springs Board of Directors. Tilton has been invaluable in helping increase business at the Transload facilities while improving customer service for 22 WeAreSandSprings.com | March 2017
OmniTRAX’s existing transload customers. In 2016, Tilton assisted in coordinating a 50car unit train of steel coils and the startup of a multi-customer lumber transload operation, which is operated within the Sheffield Crossing property. Tilton said that he enjoys the diversity of working for OmniTRAX and that there are always new challenges to overcome. “No two days are ever the same,” he said. “One day I may be putting together an operation plan for an upcoming project or out talking with new prospects or existing customers, and the next day I am out unloading railcars or assisting with the development of new properties.” Tilton enjoys family lake trips with his wife, Ashley, and two daughters: 5-year-old McKinley and 2-year-old Maci. He said his favorite thing to do is take his daughters out to their favorite park and then to Baskin Robbins for their favorite rainbow ice cream. He also enjoys hunting, fishing, cooking out, going to the gym with his wife and reading to his daughters, and you can occasionally find him playing kitchen
and dress-up with his little girls. Tilton has a great team spirit and is always willing to help others. “Most importantly I enjoy the teamwork and ownership that we all share at OmniTRAX,” Tilton said. “As a team, we are always pushing to do greater and become better.” James Tilton is truly bringing big things to Sand Springs - join us in thanking him and OmniTRAX Inc. for the development and growth they are bringing to our city!
How to be a Sandite on $74.63 with James Tilton. We set out on a beautiful afternoon around Sand Springs with OmniTRAX's very own James Tilton. James is the new General Manager of the Sand Springs Railway and was gracious enough to let us take him around town. We started our afternoon at Rib Crib in Sand Springs right off Wekiwa Rd. We were both hungry so we ordered their famous Crib-seasoned Cheese Fries. These fries are a staple in our family and we think James agrees, they are incredible. Soon our meal came and we ate until we couldn't anymore. Stuffed, the bill came and we proceeded to the parking lot where our BBQ-coma's were in full effect. We then proceeded to our next stop in Sand Springs. The Canyons at Blackjack Ridge is a wonderful course that is talked about all over Oklahoma, let alone Sand Springs. While we didn't have a tee time this late in the day, we did stop into the store to have a look around. Ultimately we decided that a gift card for a weekend tee time would be a wonderful way to spend the remainder of the $74.63.
So James will have the opportunity to come back to The Canyons at Blackjack Ridge for a weekend morning of beautiful sunshine and pristine greens. We want to thank James for coming with us on our March edition of 74063 and for bringing so much more to the community of Sand Springs. We hope you enjoyed a full stomach courtesy of Rib Crib and you will enjoy your weekend fun at The Canyons at Blackjack Ridge.
$34.63 Good Eats @ Rib Crib +$40.00 Golf @ The Canyons at Blackjack Ridge $74.63 Sandite
Have an idea for 74063? Let us know: info@wearesandsprings.com March 2017 | WeAreSandSprings.com 23
Visit www.WeAreSandSprings.com for spring break ideas around Sand Springs. Have yourself a little "Staycation"
Sand Springs First Annual Prom Dress Drive When: Now through April 10th Where: 3402 S. 113th West Ave or 20 W. 2nd Street Sand Springs, OK 74063
24 WeAreSandSprings.com | March 2017
Who: We Are Sand Springs and River Stone Clearners For: Benefitting Sand Springs Sandites
CAL
Sand Springs: Calendar of Events March SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY 1
5
6 Sand Springs Chamber Open Forum
THURSDAY 2
7 8 Ticket Sales Begin: Really Big Easter Basket Drawing
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
3 4 BoyScout Troop Keystone Ancient 507: Mulch Arrives Forest Open Hike
9 Tulsa Home and Garden Show
10 Tulsa Home and Garden Show
11 Tulsa Home and Garden Show
CASEtime FREE Movie Spring Break
12 Tulsa Home and Garden Show
13 Spring Break (SS Public Schools)
14 Spring Break (SS Public Schools)
15 Spring Break (SS Public Schools)
16 Spring Break (SS Public Schools)
17 Spring Break (SS Public Schools)
DAYLIGHT SAVINGS: START
Salvation Army: Summer Day Camp Registration
19
20 21 First Day of Spring
22
23
24
26
27
29
30
31
18 Keystone Ancient Forest Open Hike
Daylight Savings Begins! March 12th
St. Patrick's Day
28
25 Keystone Ancient Forest Open Hike
So remember to set your clocks forward one hour!
April SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY 1 April Fool's Day Keystone Ancient Forest Open Hike
2
3 Sand Springs Chamber Open Forum
4
5
9
10
11 12 Drawing: Really Big Easter Basket
16 Easter Sunday
17 Easter Monday
18
19
Helicopter Egg Drop - CTM
6
7 Chillin & Grillin
8 Chillin & Grillin
CASEtime FREE Movie
Keystone Ancient Forest Open Hike
13
14 Good Friday
15 Keystone Ancient Forest Open Hike
20 SSCT: Annie Get Your Gun - PAC
21 SSCT: Annie Get Your Gun - PAC
22 SSCT: Annie Get Your Gun - PAC Herbal Affair Earth Day
23 SSCT: Annie Get Your Gun - PAC
24 25 Administrative Professionals Day
30 SSCT: Annie Get Your Gun - PAC
Go to www.WeAreSandSprings.com and
26
27 SSCT: Annie Get Your Gun - PAC
28 SSCT: Annie Get Your Gun - PAC
29 SSCT: Annie Get Your Gun - PAC
National Arbor Day
Keystone Ancient Forest Open Hike
/WeAreSandSprings for a complete listing of local events.
April is Parkinson's Awareness Month Show your support by wearing purple and donating to a Parkinson's research study. March 2017 | WeAreSandSprings.com 25
SSFD
SS Fire Department The Sand Springs Fire Department (SSFD) is an integral part of keeping our community safe and responding to emergency situations.
There are currently 32 full-time, unionized Sand Springs firefighters “on the line,” which means they are always available to respond to calls. There are three more in the administration building - the fire chief, deputy fire chief and fire marshall. Although fighting fires is a huge part of the job, these brave men and women respond to all kinds of calls and are often a last resort when people in emergency situations don’t know who else to call. “We get a tremendous amount of medical emergency calls,” said Fire Chief Mike Wood. “And despite what people might believe, we do get cats out of trees every now and then.” Like most fire departments in the U.S., basic EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) training is a requirement to even apply to be a Sand Springs firefighter, Wood said. Applicants are put through rigorous testing, including a written exam, physical agility test and interview process. The Sand Springs fire stations are always occupied, so they include areas of living quarters. This is an important consideration as the SSFD is preparing to move its downtown station and administrative office to the OmniTRAX-purchased steel mill site. “We have guys here 24/7, 365,” Wood said. “[The station] takes a lot more wear than people normally think about.” Wood said the department is in the design process for its new station at the steel mill site. They are working very closely with the architect hired for the project.
“It’s an everyday process,” Wood said. The new station and administration office at the steel mill site will be part of a unique public safety area - the police department, 911 call center and municipal courts are also relocating there. SSFD also has plans to either completely remodel or completely relocate the Southside station, currently located at 41st Street and Highway 97 behind QuikTrip. Wood said this station was built in the 1960s and has undergone multiple additions over the years, and it has some issues that need to be fixed. Although being a firefighter far from an easy job, Wood said he’s had many memorable and rewarding experiences over the years, whether it be saving an animal or saving a human. He also enjoys working with students at Sand Springs schools. “Public education in schools is just as rewarding,” Wood said. He recalled a particular experience years ago when a young couple brought their four-month-old baby to the station, panicked because the baby had stopped breathing. It turned out the baby had gotten choked, but Wood and some of the other firefighters at the station at the time were able to get her unchoked and breathing again. The couple came back later on to thank the firefighters for their help and sent the station a thank you note and some pictures of their little girl. “This job always has its moments,” Wood said. If you have a fire or find yourself in an emergency situation and don’t know who to call, call 911. For non-emergency situations, you can call the Fire Department at 918-245-8777. 26 WeAreSandSprings.com | March 2017
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any Oklahomans have fond memories of visiting Discoveryland here in Sand Springs to see the musical “Oklahoma!” over the summer. Discoveryland, “The National Home of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!” used to attract crowds from all over the country. Tour buses of people would often come through Sand Springs over the summer and stop for an evening at Discoveryland. Discoveryland is an outdoor amphitheater surrounded by a large, campground-like property. The entire property was made to look like an early 1900s, pre-statehood town. There were little shops and food carts with friendly in-character hospitality staff ready to serve and to help out anyone who asked. Discoveryland is the name of the actual property, but its claim to fame was the production of the musical “Oklahoma!” every summer for almost 40 years. An evening spent at Discoveryland didn’t mean just watching the show. There was a dinner, dessert, pre-show and lots of other activities before the musical even began. Gates opened around 5 p.m., the pre-show started at 7:30 p.m. and the show started at 8 p.m. The show was almost three hours long, so guests didn’t head home until after 11 p.m. One of the things that was special about the “Oklahoma!” show at Discoveryland was that it was appealing to all kinds of people, even those who didn’t traditionally enjoy theater. The show features song, dance and romance, but it also has comedy, gunslinging cowboys and live horses! It was more than just the show, too. When patrons entered Discoveryland, they were immediately greeted by “Oklahoma!” characters. Before the show, guests could
have a barbecue dinner and berries & cream dessert. Wagons and buggies rolled around, and children could play games. The preshow was authentic Native American dancing. It truly was not just a show, but an experience. Tirita Montross, owner of Miss Tirita’s Dance & Performing Arts Studio, worked at Discoveryland dancing in the “Oklahoma!” show over the summer for many years in the 1990s, and worked up the show’s ranks to eventually become the company manager, an assistant director and the show’s choreographer. She said it was a combination of factors that made “Oklahoma!” shows at Discoveryland so special. “It’s the ambiance of sitting underneath the stars and Oklahoma sky, and it’s the musical “Oklahoma!” in Oklahoma, in an outdoor theater,” Montross said. Discoveryland opened in 1976. The first show to run at Discoveryland was not “Oklahoma!” but was a version of “Oklahoma!” called “Dust on the Petticoat.” “Oklahoma!” however, is what made Discoveryland memorable for so many. The show “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” was put on in addition to “Oklahoma!” for a few seasons in an effort to draw more guests.
With an outdoor production such as “Oklahoma!” there are many special considerations that do not apply to traditional, indoor stage shows. For example, horses carried wagons in from the woods around the stage onto the stage, so the stage manager had to have wranglers on hand to help with the horses. There was also the issue of rain - in Oklahoma it often rains for March 2017 | WeAreSandSprings.com 29
Continued...
10 or 15 minutes then clears, but the actors and actresses were
rarely stopped in Sand Springs. Tirita credits the rising popularity of nearby Branson, Missouri, as a tour bus destination as one of the reasons the buses eventually stopped coming to Discoveryland. When the show began, there were 50 to 60 people in the cast. But that number slowly decreased to about 20 in the last few years of its run. The lead characters in “Oklahoma!” were always unionized actors and actresses in the beginning of its run, and many other cast members were professional actors, actresses, singers, and dancers or were at least in a theater, music or dance program in college. In later years, the majority of the smaller cast were high school or college students.
Many of the actors and actresses in “Oklahoma!” continued careers in theater. Stephanie Edwards Govich owns a dance studio in Norman, and Matt Govich performed on Broadway and is involved in theater in Oklahoma City and Norman. Travis Dixon is a working actor in Los Angeles. Jason Hargrove is a singer and songwriter in Nashville. Mark Frie is the executive director of the new Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center (and is a friend of Kristen Chenoweth). Greg White is a musical theatre professor at the University of Central Oklahoma. Jennifer Baker, a former Laurey, is the director of Sooner Theatre in Norman. Kellie CoffeyKoch won Top New Female Vocalist at the Academy of Country Music awards in 2003. And of course, Tirita Montross owns Miss Tirita’s dance studio here in Sand Springs. “I bet if you asked 90 percent of the cast, even hospitality, they would say they loved their summers at Discoveryland,” Montross said. A large of portion of Discoveryland’s guests came from tour buses. In the 1980s, there would be 10 or 12 tour buses stop at the show six nights a week. “There would just be busloads and busloads of people coming in, and they’d be there from 5 to after 11,” Montross said. Sadly, toward the end of the show’s run in 2011, tour buses
When Montross started working at Discoveryland, the summer season ran from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend, and there was a show every night of the week except Sunday. The season slowly shortened over the years - first to only four shows a week, then to only weekends. “In its heyday, it was awesome,” Montross said. Discoveryland officially closed in 2014, and the owners put it up for sale. Its reasons for closing are largely unknown, though smaller crowds and rising temperatures are possible factors. Discoveryland has new owners as of April 2016. Co-owner Jen Wells said the property was listed for sale online, and she was impressed by its acreage. The property is now a family recreation area - guests can come ride their four-wheelers or dirt bikes anytime or just get outside for a bit. “Hawgtoberfest,” and music and motorcycles event, was held at Discoveryland this past October, and Wells is hoping to start a summer concert series in the amphitheater in the future. A springs music festival is in the works, too. They are planning an Easter egg drop for April 15 this year and already have thousands of eggs to drop. Anyone is welcome to attend. For more information, visit the new Discoveryland website at http://discoverylandok.com/.
then dealing with a wet stage. “It was never boring,” Montross said. It was also very hot most years. It would often get up to 110 degrees in July and August during the shows. The cast members had speakers in their dressing rooms so they could hear what was happening on stage while cooling off in between their scenes. The people in the show became very close from spending so much time together at rehearsals and performances. Many cast members are still good friends, and there were even a few marriages between cast members, including Stephanie Edwards, a former dancer, and Matt Govich, a former Curly.
We can’t wait to hear what your answers will be to some of the interesting questions we have up our sleeves! If you have any ideas of some good questions email them to info@wearesandsprings.com See more info on page 5. 30 WeAreSandSprings.com | March 2017
It's that time of year, spring break is upon us and that means road trips to sunny beaches or just up the road to the local lake. If you want to make sure your vehicle makes it to your destination, go through this short checklist before hitting the road. 1. Tire Tread - Be sure to check your tire tread before you head out the driveway. If you take a penny and see Lincoln's head then you need to get some new tires. Also look for uneven wear on the tires that might suggest a need for a tire rotation. 2. Tire Pressure - No one likes to be stuck on the highway with a flat tire. Be proactive and make sure there isn't a slow leak in your tires before you leave. 3. Check Oil - With the number of miles we put on our vehicles we always need to keep an eye on our oil levels and viscosity. 4. A/C Check - Just swing on by for an A/C check. After all, the summer heat is on it's way and there's no reason to get stuck on the highway with no A/C.
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