bmonthly July 2025

VICTOR CASEY CHARLES ALLCOTT

Ignite Adams PARC Announces Partnership with Specialty Providers

At Ignite Adams PARC, our team partners with renowned local providers to provide worldclass therapy treatments and technology to get our patients active and back to their lives as soon as possible. Specialty services and programs include treatment and recovery plans in Orthopedic Rehabilitation, Stroke Recovery, Cardiac Care, Pulmonary Rehab, Wound Care & Infection Management, Renal Disease and Palliative Care.

We are pleased to introduce the exceptionally trained and highly skilled team of medical professionals who provide a continuum of care for our guests as they transition from the acute hospital setting to Ignite Adams PARC for their post-acute rehabilitation. Our newest partnership with these providers will allow for Ignite Adams PARC to continue to be at the forefront of healthcare as this esteemed team provides daily and weekly support to our clinical and therapy team to guide our guests’ recovery and treatment plans.

Thomas Loafman, APRN-CNP Cardiology Specialist

Tyler Woods, APRN-CNP, CWS Wound Specialist

Georjane Woodburn, APRN, FNP Pain Management Specialist

Samantha Nunn, APRN-CNP NP to Medical Director

Dr. Robyn Lovitt-Fry, MD Medical Director

Rebecca Rhone, APRN-CNP, CWS Wound Specialist

Travis Buchanan, PA-C Pain Management Specialist

upfront

Welcome to July, friends, and the 249th year of the United States. While a war was ongoing and our founding fathers were trying to establish a country, we will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence next year, which made America what it is today, and next year will be 250 years of the greatest country ever. Yes, we as a country we have seen our setbacks, we have seen many wars, including our war here, which was the Civil War, in which we lost over 685,000 men and women. As the years have gone by and we as a country have been through the hardest times, I can tell you that since being born in 1969 we as a country are blessed and have so much freedom and liberty. I always say if you don’t like it here, there are at least 173 or more countries around the world that will accept you. This is my upfront, and I will say it like this. I have traveled to 13 countries in my lifetime, and the worst day of my life would be to be there, then in our paradise, which we call the USA. If I had lived there in one of those thirteen countries, because those 13 countries were just vacation spots, not Europe, or the Middle East, or Africa, so on, with the Upfront!

Christy and I want to congratulate the Facebook Winner’s Choice, Lisa Smith, on her amazing picture designed by artist Marilyn King, and it is called “Under the Tree of Life.” Lisa won hands down on this amazing picture and had the most votes, and we want to congratulate her for this amazing picture of our beautiful city. A quick fact is that this Bison was funded by Diane and Kenneth Adams. Both of our families have been lifelong friends of this great couple, and the history of the Adams family in what they have done for our city of Bartleville can not be understated. Thank You!

It took a little longer for the judges to select the cover but it was so

close on voting that we had to send it out again. This years winner of the judges choice is Heather Murphree with her fantastic view of the vintage cars with the Phillips Tower and the Adams building in the background. Congratulations Heather and to all who entered this years contest. We love doing this contest every July and to show off our great city to all of readers. This years contest was seen over 30,000 times and we had votes in 47 states and 4 countries around the world.

This July Christy and I will be celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary so as you probably knew I was going to write something. I did and I called it “A million little Miracles” Christy and I have known each other now for 40 years first meeting in 1985. That was the first of many miracles I can honestly say have happened to me. Just turning 16 years old and coming to a new city and state I didnt know very many people but the day I first met Christy changed it all for me and the love I have never for her after all these years. What is really ironic is the McPhails and the Dutcher her maiden name have know each other since the early 1950s and went to school with each other. Who would known of that 35 years later me and Christy would start dating. A miracle in would say.

We are all miracles and we need to treasure this life we have on this earth and your family and friends because we are really just here for a short time. If we all look at ourselves and the people we are around go help make a difference in someones life. I once herd someone say if you grab a hand full of sand on a beach each piece of sand represents probably the years you have but as you look down the beach all the sand you see represents eternity. Where will your eternity be? For us it will be in Heaven and we continue this great journey we started in 1985. Happy Anniversaary baby. SImply yours, Keith

Volume XVI Issue VII

Bartlesville Monthly Magazine is published by ENGEL

PUBLISHING

New office located in the B the Light Mission 219 North Virginia Avenue, Bartlesville, Oklahoma 74003 www.bartlesvillemonthly.com facebook.com/bartlesvillemonthly

Publisher Brian Engel brian@bartlesvillemonthly.com

Graphics Engel Publishing matt@engelpublishing.com

Director of Sales & Marketing Keith McPhail keith@bartlesvillemonthly.com

Community Liaison Christy McPhail christy@bartlesvillemonthly.com

Project Manager Andrea Whitchurch andrea@bartlesvillemonthly.com

Administration Shelley Greene Stewart

Delivery and Distribution Dewayne Engel Calendar/Social Media calendar@bartlesvillemonthly.com

Contributing

Writers

Debbie Neece, Kay Little, Kelly Hurd Jay Hastings, Brent Taylor, Keith McPhail Jay Webster, Mike Tupa, Lori Just Miriam Walker, Joe Todd, Joe Colaw

Contributing Photographers

Bartlesville Photo Studio,Michael Bryan Bartlesville Area History Museum Mike Tupa, Brett Price

Kids Calendar

Jessica Smith

ABOUT THE COVER

Our residents captured the beauty of Bartlesville in our July Cover Contest. This photo was from our winner, Heather Murphree!

Creative concept by Keith and Christy McPhail

Design by Engel Publishing

We live, work, and play in Bartlesville, and we’re proud to serve our neighbors with integrity

Experienced, Honest, Local

Bob Pomeroy

by Lori Just

Bob Pomeroy’s story starts in a quiet Bartlesville neighborhood through a decades-long career at Phillips Petroleum and back to the community that shaped him. Along the way, he faced challenges, survived a plane crash and found a true calling in giving back — proving that sometimes the best legacy is simply being a good friend and a steadfast neighbor.

Born in 1942, Bob spent his early years on the 1500 block of South Oak, an area that later became known as the Bellmeade addition developed around 1945 and was the place to live at the time.

“Both of my parents worked but even so, we never had a key to the house—it was never locked,” he recalled. “Summers were spent outdoors playing with friends from dawn until dusk. We’d be gone all day just playing with friends, only coming home when it was time for dinner. It was a wonderful free kind of life. Bartlesville has a small-town charm and tight-knit community which made an idyllic place to grow up.”

His educational journey began at McKinley School, as Jane Phillips Elementary had not yet been built. He transitioned to Jane Phillips in second grade and continued through fifth grade.

“Then we moved just north of where Highways 60 and 75 intersect—back then, that was practically out in the country,” he said.

For sixth grade, he attended Limestone School, a rural school at the time.

“I often joked that I was the only kid who didn’t milk cows before showing up,” he laughed.

He went on to Central and graduated from College High School in 1960. Despite modest means, he never considered his family poor.

“My family never had a lot, but we never went hungry either. I never once thought of us as poor—we had a great life.”

His mother worked as a secretary at Phillips Petroleum for many years while his father was a painting contractor who managed a crew that handled both residential and commercial projects.

He had two brothers—Dave, who was close in age, and Jimmy, who was eight years younger and sadly passed away a few years ago.

“Dave and I were inseparable growing up—same friends, same sports, same school,” he reflected. “Jimmy, being quite a bit younger, was part of the family but not really part of the same phase of life. That said, as we all got older and had families, our children were close, and our family remained tight knit.”

After high school, Bob attended the University of Oklahoma but struggled academically.

“I did a terrific job of flunking out,” he admitted.

He returned to Bartlesville and worked at Phillips for about 10 months before realizing the need for a more serious approach to

education. He transferred to Oklahoma State University but faced similar challenges.

“Eventually, my dad said he was done paying for college and I wasn’t in a position to continue on my own,” he said.

In 1963, he went to work full time for Phillips Petroleum in the mailroom, then moved to the Research Center and worked in the plastics lab. In 1967, seeking something different, he signed up for a broadcast school in Houston. However, financial constraints led him to reconsider.

“I went down to Houston to find work to support myself during school,” he explained. “I got job offers but none that paid enough to make it work.”

On his last day in Houston, he visited the Phillips office there and landed a job running one of their company service stations. He ended up loving it. He kept telling himself he’d attend broadcast school in six months, but life had other plans. He ran the Phillips stations in Houston for over three years, then went through their marketing school and was promoted to a sales role.

He met his wife Nita at their apartment complex pool and married in November 1971 before moving back to Bartlesville in December. His sons Mike and Scott were born here. In 1977, he transferred the family to San Jose to sell plastics for Phillips Chemical. His territory was enormous with 11 states and half of Canada. He was on the road constantly, often only home on weekends.

In 1981, he was on an Air California flight that crash-landed at Orange County Airport. The plane broke in half, caught fire and there were injuries but miraculously, no fatalities.

“I genuinely thought I was going to die and prayed for my two boys during the crash,” he reflected. “That experience changed me deeply. For a while afterward, I had to work through the fear of flying, particularly during landings.”

In May 1981, the family moved again to Kansas City with Phillips Chemical where he worked in plastics sales for four years.

In 1985, he got the opportunity to return to marketing, his real passion, and they moved back to Bartlesville, where he eventually retired in 2002 after 39 years with the company.

After retiring, Phillips brought him back in a contract role. For the last 10 years of his working life, he served as Director of Sponsorships and oversaw sports sponsorships for Big 12 basketball and baseball as well as partnerships with schools like the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University and Oral Roberts University. He also worked on the company’s NASCAR sponsorship. During that time, he met and worked with some incredible coaches, athletes and broadcasters like Dick Vitale and Richard Petty.

Unfortunately, Bob and Nita divorced in 1992. Nita later moved to San Antonio. A couple of years later, he reconnected with Karen Ware, someone he had briefly dated back in the late ’60s. They were together exclusively for 28 years, though they never married or lived together. She was a big part of his life and active in all his community work. Sadly, Karen passed away in 2022 from double pneumonia and Bob still misses her deeply.

He once read Lee Iacocca’s autobiography, a man who developed the Ford Mustang and later revived Chrysler, and the Iacocca said life had three phases: learning, earning and returning.

“That idea stuck with me,” he said. “I love Bartlesville, and I knew this is where I wanted to retire. I’d been blessed, and I knew I had to give back. I’ve never been wealthy, but I am fortunate enough to be able to give back not just financially, but with my time and energy too.”

Since retiring, he served on many nonprofit boards including the YMCA, Samaritan Counseling Center, Bartlesville Community Foundation, Hillcrest Country Club, Rogers State University Foundation and 30 years with the Boy Scouts.

A lifelong advocate for youth and sports, Pomeroy played a central role in launching the Bartlesville Sports Commission (BSC) in 2007 alongside a group of community leaders. Their mission was to inspire young athletes, generate enthusiasm for regional events and bring lasting economic benefits to the Bartlesville area through sports.

Almost immediately, the BSC made a bold move by bidding to host the Lone Star Conference basketball tournament in 2008. To their surprise, the bid was successful, and Bob was appointed tournament chairman. When the conference later moved its tournament due to member realignments, he did not let momentum fade. Instead, he reached out to the newly formed Great American Conference (GAC) and personally invited their commissioner to Bartlesville.

“He stayed at my house,” he recalled. “We talked through what they needed and how we could make it happen.” Within a week, the BSC and GAC signed a three-year deal to bring both the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments to Bartlesville.

The partnership far exceeded expectations. Bartlesville went on to host the GAC tournaments for nine straight years with Bob chairing everyone. In total, he led 13 collegiate basketball championships in the city, helping generate more than $25 million in economic impact. In 2011, Bob became chairman of the BSC, a role he held until stepping down in 2022.

Bob had a knack for making things happen and for getting

others on board.

“I found that if you explain the need and show people the good these organizations are doing, especially in a town like Bartlesville, they step up,” he said. “This is a very generous community.”

That mindset also led him to help raise funds for the Paths to Independence school, which serves autistic children.

“Once people understood the incredible work happening there, they were all in. It just takes communication.”

He’s a firm believer that nonprofits, no matter how established, can’t ever stop telling their story. These days, he’s scaled back but looks back on that time with gratitude an believes he made a positive impact.

That impact didn’t go unnoticed. He received the Outstanding Citizen Award from the Bartlesville Chamber of Commerce in 2013. Then a year later he was named “Citizen of the Year” by the Examiner-Enterprise. The following year, he received the United Way Spirit Award and a “Making a Difference” honor from the Oklahoma Legislature. Most recently, the Bartlesville Sports Commission inducted him into its Athletic Hall of Fame.

“Every one of those awards blew me away. I was so honored and honestly a little surprised,” he said. “But I think that’s the right reaction to have.”

So how would he like to be remembered?

“I hope people remember me as someone who gave back,” he said. “Not because I had to, but because I wanted to. You don’t have to be rich to make a difference. Everyone has a skill set. Mine happened to be organizing and getting people involved and I thank God for that.”

Above all, Bob said he’s been blessed with something more valuable than any title or recognition which he says is amazing friends.

“That’s what I’d want people to remember me for is that I tried to be a good friend,” he added. “And as a result, I’ve had a lot of really good friends. I never take that for granted.”

He also knows the power of simply being a good listener.

“Most of the time, people just need someone to hear them. If you let them talk it out, they usually figure it out on their own.”

When he’s not volunteering or catching up with friends, Bob spends his time golfing. He likes to share he has shot his age ten times and has had nine hole-in-ones. He also walks daily.

“Since 2020, I started walking just to get out of the house,” he added. “I’ve averaged over 10 miles a day since then. I do some of my best thinking out there.”

Both of his sons are doing well. His youngest, Scotty, works for ESPN and lives in Fort Worth. He’s getting married in September. His oldest, Mike, lives in Marlboro, New York with his wife and their 15-year-old son.

“When your kids are happy,” he said, “life is good.”

At the end of the day, Bob’s not about the spotlight or big titles, he’s about being a good friend and helping where he can. From launching local sports tournaments to serving on countless nonprofit boards, he poured his energy into making Bartlesville a better place for everyone. And judging by the lives he touched and the impact he made, that’s exactly the legacy he’ll leave behind.

People’s Choice Winner Lisa Smith

Ali Veach

Ashlyn Deason

Ali Veach

Betty Kaye

Betty Kaye

Dennis Waterman

Dennis Waterman

Dennis Waterman

Dondi Henry

Heather Murphree

Greg Wheat

Heather Murphree

Heather Murphree

James Wareham

James Wareham

Jeff Jones

Jeff Jones

Landon Cochran

Jeff Jones

Landon Cochran

Landon Cochran

Lisa Smith

Lisa Smith

Lisa Smith

Todd Edwards

Troy Thomas

Troy Thomas

Troy Thomas

On the Rock Ministries

by Kay Little, Little History Adventures

“All the way back in 1998, Ken and Sandy Dossett, founders and co-directors of On The Rock Ministries, had a dream along with a group of dedicated youth and adults who wanted to see unchurched kids and teens come into a life-saving, life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ. That dream became On the Rock Ministries, which has grown from one building with one employee and a few volunteers to a multi-site ministry with a staff of dozens. Ken, a former Methodist youth minister, and Sandy, an educator of educators, have used their gifts, talents, and passions to honor Jesus in and through their ministry and vocational callings,” according to ontherockministries.com.

Ken was able to obtain an old warehouse, the former location of Millstead Van Lines, 1939-1975, from owners Pat and Louise Roark, who caught Ken’s vision. They have been on the board and very much involved in the ministry.

The Dossetts and friends, which included many teens, started gutting the building and building their dream. They were incorporated as a 501(c)3 in March 1998. Ken assembled a board of several local couples and Gordon Banks, a former wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys. Gordon has been a longtime supporter of OTR. The board continually prayed and worked to raise money to continue building, so they could be debt free.

The Summer of 1998, the adult and teen boards, along with two new interns, prepared for the first Rockfest. Unfortunately, Rockfest had to be held outside because the construction was not finished. Several local bands played, including my son’s band, the Punk Hunks. Gordon Banks gave a powerful message to the 400 people in which he said, “Don’t despise small buildings.”

Throughout the summer and into October, the high school program, Summit, was held outdoors. When the weather became too cold, local pastor, Jason Elmore, offered his church’s facilities.

Much rejoicing happened in February 1999 when Summit was able to meet indoors and in May, the only indoor skate park in Bartlesville and one of the oldest in Oklahoma, opened.

By 2000, the Coffee House opened with a small stage. 2010 was another exciting year. Sandy saw a need for tutoring and drug preventive curriculum in their after-school programs. Ken is the dreamer and builder; Sandy is the teacher and preacher. Sandy is considered Ken’s ‘right hand woman.’ According to Christine Dossett, director of Operations, Youth Staff Director and Summit Co-Director, “Ken and Sandy work well together and complement each other.”

In 2011, the ministry tripled the size of their property, with a mini-gym, extended patio with outdoor activities and a new computer lab. The latest growth, in 2023, is the occupation of The Creamery, another empty historic building in downtown Bartlesville. For more information about this, see the article in the March 2025 BMonthly issue.

On The Rock Ministries includes programs for elementary, middle school and high school. Their purpose is to funnel kids into churches by inviting youth pastors to participate. The mission is: Belong, Believe, Become. Christine emphasizes, “This is where you can come and belong.”

According to the staff, “God can take our broken lives and our hopeless situations and work miracles. We don’t think God is finished with us yet, and so we continue to press on.”

Edward Jones Financial Advisor

Garret Parr Named Among Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors

“I became an Edward Jones financial advisor to help the people in my community feel confident in their financial lives and secure about their future,” Parr said. “It’s challenging but fulfilling work, and now to receive this kind of statewide recognition is a highlight in my career. I thank my branch team for their unwavering support and our clients for putting their trust in us. My priority is to work one-on-one with our clients to make a positive difference in their lives,” Parr said. “It’s a wonderful source of pride to be recognized by Forbes for the specific aspects of our work that they measure.”

To compile the rankings, SHOOK® Research analysts conducted individual interviews with nominees. Criteria that determined the final list included industry experience, best practices, compliance records and assets under care.

Edward Jones is a leading North American financial services firm with more than 20,000 financial advisors. The firm serves more than 9 million clients with a total of $2.2 trillion in client assets under care as of Dec. 31, 2024. Edward Jones’ purpose is to partner for positive impact to improve the lives of its clients and colleagues, and together, better our communities and society. Through the dedication of the firm’s approximately 55,000 associates and our branch presence in 68% of U.S. counties and most Canadian provinces and territories, the firm is committed to helping more people achieve financially what is most important to them. The Edward Jones website is at www.edwardjones.com, and its recruiting website is www.careers.edwardjones.com. Member SIPC.

Daniel Sprick, View from Colorado National Monument, 2025, oil on board, 60 x 60 in.

Tucker Smith, A West Wind, 2025, oil, 18 x 20 in.

Walter T. Matia, Talkin’ ’bout My Girl, 2021, bronze, 36 x 10 x 6 in.

100 Years of Woolaroc Iconic Preserve Set to Celebrate Centennial

by Kevin Hoch, CEO, Frank Phillips Foundation

Westward expansion began in the early 1800s after Thomas Jefferson negotiated a treaty with France in which the United States paid $15 million for the Louisiana Territory. This included over 800,000 square miles of land west of the Mississippi River –doubling the size of our young nation. However, there was an additional cost to this progress and development – many native species were pushed to the brink of extinction in certain parts of the country.

This included the buffalo. As early as the 1830s, the Osage were having to travel farther West for their annual hunt as the buffalo’s population dwindled in eastern Oklahoma. Frank was initially inspired by his friends, such as the Miller Brothers and Pawnee Bill, who began rescuing the buffalo and providing sanctuary on their vast properties to resurrect their population numbers in the region. When construction began on over 13 miles of fencing at Uncle Frank’s ranch in 1925, his intentions were clear – to create a wildlife preserve and expand on these noble efforts. In early 1926, 120 buffalo arrived via train at the Okesa train depot from Fort Pierre, South Dakota. Overnight, Frank’s early ranch became home to one of the largest private buffalo herds in the country. Frank knew this was just the start of something very special. In the early years, he introduced many additional species to his sprawling property in the rolling Osage Hills. This included, but was not limited to, deer, elk, water buffalo, antelope, zebras, camels, ostriches, turkeys, quail, and peacocks.

As you can imagine, it was a mighty task for his ranch personnel to effectively manage them all. There were stressful years, when despite their best efforts, losses were immense due to disease and climate. The early years of the Great Depression only compounded these challenges, as Frank demanded that the operation be run as lean as possible given economic uncertainties. Fortunately, the economy eventually rebounded, and Phillips Petroleum Company came out of the Great Depression stronger than ever.

Beyond the exotic species, the ranch also housed dairy cows, chickens, goats, and horses, which made the property quite self-sufficient in those years. Since Frank never learned

how to drive, he spent many evenings riding his favorite horses around Woolaroc – taking in the therapeutic sights and sounds of his tranquil property. As Frank grew older, he began to ponder what the future would hold for Woolaroc. At one point, he seriously considered donating it back to the state to operate. While his political clout was sizeable, the overhead expenses of operating the property would have been a tough selling point for a young state with limited funds. Instead, he established the Frank Phillips Foundation, Inc. in 1937 and set up an initial endowment through the proceeds of selling off some of the acreage. Its mission has remained the same – to preserve the history of the West, educate, and entertain. Keep in mind, this decision was 13 years prior to his death and very proactive, as his health was still quite robust. It speaks volumes and showcases Frank’s forward-thinking philosophy, which he applied not only to his business endeavors, but also to his personal pursuits. Over the years, the emphasis on exotic wildlife has considerably diminished – with a focus on stewarding species that can thrive in the region’s climate. Of course, the most notable of these species being our buffalo, elk, Sika deer, Fallow deer, Himalayan tahr, and water buffalo, just to name a few. Thanks to the incredible vision of Frank Phillips, Woolaroc has been a leader in wildlife conservation for the past century.

JULY CALENDAR SPONSORED BY

Freedom Fest

6PM; Sooner Park Dewey 4th of July in the Park 6PM; Don Tyler Park

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat 7PM; The Center

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat 7PM; The Center

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat 2PM; The Center

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat 2PM; The Center

Sizzlin Summer Series: Cinema Under the Stars

7PM; Tower Center at Unity Square

Camp Woolaroc (ages 9-11)

8AM; Woolaroc The Camp runs two days, through July 18.

YMCA Tri in July

All Day; Sooner Park

Every Tues in July

Price Tower Exterior and The Center Tour

2PM; Price Tower

Saturdays in July

Farmers Market

8AM; Downtown Bartlesville

All Month

Woolaroc Animal Barn 10AM; Woolaroc

July 7-11

Art Camp (Grades 1st-6th)

All Day; Bartlesville Art Association

July 14-18

Art Camp (Grades 1st-6th)

Bartlesville Art Association

Every Friday & Saturday in July

Phillip Petroleum 10AM; Phillips Museum

July 7-9

OKWU Soccer Summer Development Camp 2 9AM; OKWU Soccer Fields

July 26-28

OKWU Women’s Elite Basketball Camp All Day; OKWU Gym

July 28-30

OKWU Individual Basketball Camp (Ages 4-10) 9AM; OKWU Gym

July 30-31

OKWU Men’s Basketball Select Prospect Camp All Day; OKWU Gym

Know

Every Monday

5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

FREE Beginning Spanish Class

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue

Every Monday

6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

FREE Intermediate Spanish Class Bartlesville Public Library 600 S. Johnstone Avenue

May 1–July 7

8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Bartlesville Area History Museum Presents “Our Culinary Past” BAHM, 401 S. Johnstone Avenue, Bartlesville

Every Tuesday

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Price Tower Exterior and The Center Tour

JULY EVENTS CALENDAR

Every Tuesday

5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Bartlesville Public Library ELL

Conversation Class

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue, Literacy Office

Every Tuesday through Saturday

6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Bartlesville Kiddie Park Open for summer season

Kiddie Park, 205 N. Cherokee Avenue, Bartlesville

Every Tuesday

6:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m.

Bartlesville Public Library ELL

Conversation Class Casa Hispana, 3850 Frank Phillips Blvd., Bartlesville

Every Wednesday

6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. and

Every Thursday

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

FREE Citizenship Classes

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue

Every Thursday

7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Crossing 2nd Trivia in the Garage Crossing Second, 215 E 2nd Street, Bartlesville

Every Thursday

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Bartlesville Public Library ELL Conversation Class

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue, Literacy Office

Every Friday

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Tai Chi with Dixie at Unity Square Tower Center at Unity Square, 300 SE Adams Blvd, Bartlesville

Every Saturday

8:00 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.

Bartlesville Area Farmers Market Frank Phillips Park

Every Saturday

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Price Tower Exterior and The Center Tour

Every Saturday

8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

History and Haunts at the Dewey Hotel

Contact Dewey Hotel Museum, 801 N Delaware St., Dewey

Every Saturday & Sunday

8:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.

Crossing Second Karaoke Dance Party Crossing 2nd, 215 E. 2nd Street

Tues, July 1

6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Johnstone Irregulars Book Club

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S Johnstone Ave.

7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Make It So: Speculative Fiction Book Club

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue, Room B

Fri, July 4

5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Freedom Fest hosted by Kiwanis Club of Bartlesville

Sooner Park, Madison Blvd South of Tuxedo Blvd.

6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Dewey 4th of July in the Park

Don Tyler Park, Osage (Hwy 75) & Durham, Dewey

Fri-Sat, July 4 – 5

Dewey Hotel Museum July 4-5

Celebration

Dewey Hotel, 801 N Delaware St, Dewey

Tues, July 8

2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. and/or 6:00 p.m.

– 8:00 p.m.

Bartlesville Public Library Adult Craft Class

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue, Room C

5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Stained Glass Workshop Okie Stained Glass, 137 SE Washington, Bartlesville

Thurs-Fri, July 10-11

7:00 p.m. – Open

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor DreamcoatChildren’s Musical Theater

Bartlesville Community Center (Lyon Gallery) 300 SE Adams Blvd.

Sat-Sun, July 12-13

2:00 p.m. – Open

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor DreamcoatChildren’s Musical Theater

Bartlesville Community Center (Lyon Gallery) 300 SE Adams Blvd.

Sat, July 12

Visit Dewey Second Saturday Dewey Downtown Boutique and Antique Merchants

10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Tallgrass Doll Club Monthly Meeting

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Ave.

10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Bartlesville & Beyond Boutique Marketplace

Tuxedo Lions Club Community Center, 2900 Tuxedo Blvd.

Mon-Tues, July 14-15

9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Woolaroc’s Camp (Ages 6-8) Woolaroc, 1925 Woolaroc Ranch Road, Bartlesville

Tues, July 15

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Paint for a Purpose Boots and Brushes, 322 S Johnstone Ave, Bartlesville

6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Bartlesville Public Library, 10 Things to Consider Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue, Room C

Thurs-Fri, July 17-18

9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Camp Woolaroc (Ages 9-11) Woolaroc, 1925 Woolaroc Ranch Road, Bartlesville

Thurs, July 17

2:00 p.m. - Open

Lego Story Building with Lego Master Tim Hutching Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue, Room A

4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Veterans Social Hour hosted by Together with Veterans Crossing 2nd, 215 E 2nd St, Bartlesville

Fri, July 18

9:00 p.m. –11 :00 p.m.

Sizzlin’ Summer Series Concerts & Movie Nights

Unity Square, 300 SE Adams Blvd, Bartlesville

Sat, July 19

8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

YMCA - Tri in July - Sprint Triathlon Sooner Park Pool, 420 SE Madison Blvd, Bartlesville

8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Bruin Bunny Bash!

BHS Agricultural Building, 2950 S Shawnee, Bartlesville

10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Monthly Lego Club at the Library Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue, Room A

4:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Mix and Mingle Bingo with Journey Home

Washington County Fairgrounds, 1109 N Delaware Street, Dewey

Mon-Fri, July 21 – 31 Camp

9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Children’s Musical Theatre, Willy Wonka KIDS Camp (Ages 6-16)

Children’s Musical Theatre

If My People Pray

by Pastor Joe Colaw

“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority…”

1 Timothy 2:1–2 (NIV84)

If you take a walk through Washington, D.C., you’ll notice something unusual. Etched into stone above government buildings and carved into marble memorials are the fingerprints of faith. “In God We Trust” is more than a motto—it’s a memory. A memory of men and women who knew that if a nation is to stand tall, it must first kneel low.

But in today’s distracted world, we often forget to kneel.

The apostle Paul didn’t forget. Writing to young Timothy, he didn’t just suggest prayer, he urged it. For everyone. Especially for leaders. Why? Because prayer invites peace. And peace paves the way for godliness.

We are called to pray—not just for our families or churches, but for the soul of our nation.

The story is told of the sweltering summer (kind of like Oklahoma hot) of 1787, delegates gathered in Philadelphia to draft a Constitution. Tensions ran high, debates grew heated, and progress stalled. The room felt heavy—with more questions than answers, more conflict than clarity.

Then Benjamin Franklin stood and declared; “In this situation of this Assembly, groping as it were in the dark … have we not thought of humbly applying to the Father of Lights to illuminate our understanding? … Our prayers, sir, were heard and they were graciously answered.”

So what did they do? They paused. They prayed. They sought God’s wisdom. And that moment of unity, humility, and divine appeal transformed their gathering. What began in darkness ended with a foundational light.

No wonder “In God we Trust” is etched into stone above government buildings and carved into marble memorials as the foundational fingerprints of faith.

Leaders should pray because, in so doing…

1. They humbly recognize dependence on God . Franklin reminded his peers they couldn’t do this alone. Leaders today need to recognize this truth. Our prayers echo that same truth: we lean on God, not just ourselves.

2. They welcome divine direction for national decisions . Those founding statesmen opened the door for God to guide

the destiny of a nation. Prayer shapes more than hearts—it shapes history. It is vital to recognize the Divine power that is greater than us and seek that guidance.

3. They bind us together in hope . Franklin’s invitation to pray united rival delegates in a common cause— to believe God could do more than humans imagine. There has always been a struggle of partisan ideas, the struggle will likely continue. We need God’s Divine insight, understanding and wisdom to bind us together with a hope that is greater than our fears and differences.

What should we do?

• Pause intentionally. Just as Franklin called for prayer, we too can invite intentional prayer into our families, workplaces, and communities, especially in times of decision.

• Pray for leaders by name . The President and His cabinet no matter which partisan side they sit. The holy scripture, The Bible, instructs us to pray for those who govern over us. (1 Timothy 2:1-2), The Congress, The Judicial system, Governors, State Legislators, Mayors, City Counsels, and School Boards. Ask for wisdom (James 1:5), courage (Psalm 112:6), and integrity (Proverbs 31:8–9).

• Trust God with what we cannot . No matter how polarized our nation may be, prayer reminds us we belong to God, He is our creator and we belong to Him not just earthly powers.

A Prayer for Our Nation

Heavenly Father, We come today as America’s beneficiariesand stewards, much like those framers in 1787. We know our own light is dim—but Yours is steadfast. Grant our leaders wisdom from above. Open hearts and minds to Your guiding truth. Bring us together with the things that can bond us in unity. Father, may these prayers, not just in halls of power, but in homes across our land be heard and answered, as You once illuminated the Constitutional Convention. We entrust our future to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“If my people… will humble themselves and pray… then will I hear from heaven and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV84)

When leaders bring their uncertainty to God, and the people follow, the course of history can change. May the light of prayer burn again in our national life. Let us be bold enough to kneel.

Get Aboard the Bartlesville Bus

As early as 1907, Bartlesville’s public transportation needs were served by Albert Harrington’s livery and taxi cab. Of course, at that time, the automobile was barely a whisper, so horse or buggy were modes of transport. As the popularity of automobiles arrived in Bartlesville, blacksmiths and livery stables transitioned to auto sales and repair. Then, the Bartlesville Interurban Railway was the transportation workhorse from 1908–1920.

The Interurban Railroad gave eager travelers a mode of transportation north to Dewey, through the suburb of Tuxedo, throughout Bartlesville and west to the Bartlesville’s three smelter operations. Then, just as the Interurban faded into the sunset, the Bartlesville bus became the shining star at the hands of Maynard Angwin and Raymond Hilligoss.

In 1933, Missouri born, Maynard Angwin graduated from Kansas State Teacher’s College, now recognized as Pittsburg State University. Maynard was a member of the student newspaper staff, tasked with writing an article about the last passenger ride on the Joplin and Pittsburg Interurban. The article sparked

by Debbie Neece

his pursuit of finding a mode of transportation to replace the Interurban. That June, he and his brother, Hugh “Gordon” Angwin, established the Gordon Transit Company (1933-1952), the first bus line to serve Pittsburg, KS.

Gordon and Maynard served as president and vice-president of Gordon Transit. They began business with four drivers and two 17-passenger buses, gradually increasing their assets to eight buses and 17 employees by 1940. Since Pittsburg was home, Maynard was highly supportive of Pittsburg State University and often offered his buses as P.S.U. athletic transportation. They also owned and operated the Rapid Transit Company of Lawrence, and shared ownership of the Saline Transit Company.

Kansas born, Raymond Hilligoss graduated Baxter Springs high school and attended Kansas State College, graduating in 1937 with a B.S. in Industrial Arts. He joined Skelly Oil Company in Tulsa as an assistant director of automotive maintenance for two years and then obtained an automotive engineering degree at O.S.U. In 1944, Hilligoss

came to Bartlesville and joined in partnership with Maynard Angwin in the Bartlesville Bus Company. Hilligoss co-owned and operated the bus service for ten years, before joining Phillips Petroleum Co. as a lubricating engineer.

Angwin and Hilligoss started the Bartlesville Bus Company on October 2, 1944. The bus company headquartered temporarily at the Crescent Auto Company, corner of Second and Cherokee, until securing their permanent location at 101 North Dewey. The all-weather Bartlesville bus line began with three 27-passenger Ford transit buses, equipped with all-leather upholstered seats and maximized safety features. Initially, the buses carried a creamsicle paint scheme; the buses were painted white with stripes of cream on the body center and the bottom of the bus was painted orange. In addition, the two buses that ran the Johnstone–Junior College Route were named “Wildcat and Cub,” while the “Chief” ran the East-West Routes.

Within a year, two additional buses were added. “Want a little jingle in your pocket?” When the Bartlesville Bus Company added a new bus to their fleet, the company celebrated the event by encouraging the public to “name the bus” with the winner receiving a $25 reward. Over the course of business, some of the buses were named the Sooner, Owl, Squaw, Papoose, Bartian and more.

The buses circulated 16 hours per day with 33 stops to serve every corner of Bartlesville, the community of Tuxedo, and Dewey. Each bus had a forward-facing name plate according to the route the bus served: East-West Route, Johnstone–Jr. College Route, Dewey–Tuxedo Route. In 1947, a new bus route was added to service the Belle Meade and Sunset additions. The Belle Meade/ Sunset Route was eliminated due to poor road conditions, causing the bus to often sink deep in sticky black mud, which drastically altered route schedules.

The buses stopped at 10 area schools, 13 churches, as well as the Civic Center/City Library (6th Street and Johnstone Ave.),

Ave.), City Hall (4th Street and Dewey Ave.), Washington County Memorial Hospital (3rd Street and Delaware Ave.), Y.M.C.A. and Y.W.C.A. (400 block of Johnstone Ave.), Bartlesville Chamber of Commerce (121 W. 3rd Street), Central Fire Department (601 S. Johnstone Ave.), and the Westside Fire Station (1101 W. 3rd Street). Adult city fares were 10¢ cash, 2 tokens (15¢) or 14 tickets for $1.00;

Children – 10¢ cash, 2 tokens (15¢) or 22 tickets for $1.00. Adult Dewey fares were 20¢ cash or 12 tickets for $2.00; Children – 20¢ cash or 12 tickets for $1.00.

In 1950, Maynard Angwin purchased the Jack Cherry Insurance Agency in Pittsburg, KS, that eventually became known as Angwin-Ryan-Stanley Inc. He served as president of the Pittsburg Insurance Board and Kansas Association of Independent Insurance Agents; and passed away March 1980.

The Bartlesville Bus line operated from 1944-1956, having grown to a fleet of 11 city buses and a workforce of 21 employees by 1951. In 1954, a red flag waved as the Bus Company declared they would discontinue bus service in Bartlesville and Dewey on January 15, 1955. Public reaction was uproar, sending City officials and the Chamber of Commerce scrambling to save the business.

Tommy Granger was employed at the Bartlesville Bus Company from 1947-1956; at that time, he became a partner in the Bus Company with Ray Hilligoss. The company continued to struggled to make a profit. They shuttered the business February 29, 1956, with 10 operating buses on the books. Granger then worked with his brother, Bert, at Granger Electric.

Did You Know?

Between 1923–1927, Charles Taylor of the Yellow Cab Company, who was the first to put in a bus service to Pawhuska, and later establish the line to Dewey, went into partnership with H.P. Smith of the Union Auto Transit Company of Tulsa. They ran seven passenger buses from Bartlesville to Tulsa and returned. Service was modified for weekends as needed. The cars ran on a schedule which began each day at 6:30 a.m. and the last bus left Bartlesville at 11:00 p.m. During this timeframe, Highway 75 was Silver Lake Road south through Ochelata, Ramona and Collinsville. On September 1927, a special bus excursion from Bartlesville transported Bartians to Chicago’s Soldier Field to watch the Jack Dempsey – Gene Tunney fight with a fare of $30..

Now You Know *

CHAMBER GALA AND AWARDS

The Architectural Legacy of Nelson Brackin

When birth begins your dash of life, it’s up to you to create memories and friends as quickly as possible because we know not when the door closes on our expiration. Nelson Brackin’s dash was full...from his three daughters, to his architectural accomplishments, to his huge friend and knowledge base.

I met Nelson when he visited Bartlesville in 2019 and he graciously allowed me to interview him for more than two hours at the Price Tower. I was newly enthralled with the work of Bruce Goff and studying about Joe Price’s bachelor pad, Shin’enKan, in order to write the July 2019 feature for you. Nelson was a wealth of first-hand knowledge about Shin’enKan and other Goff architecture in Bartlesville. Since that interview, he has been more than a friend; he has been a very insightful mentor. That seems like a coincidence since Nelson’s first introduction to Goff was much like our meeting.

In 1972, Nelson’s Auburn University architecture professor, Robert Faust, told him stories about Bruce Goff and Nelson was intrigued. So, while driving through Tyler, Texas on his way back to college, Nelson bravely called Goff, who invited him to stop by the next morning. Nelson expected a brief conversation but received a six-and-a-half-hour visit of music, lunch at Luby’s cafeteria, and extensive architecture discussion. Nelson said, “When you listened to music with Bruce Goff, the music is not in the background, you’re a hundred percent involved in music or whatever the topic is at hand.” Nelson drove all night to get back to college for class, hanging on Goff’s every word and looking forward to his next Goff encounter.

In the mid-70s, Nelson apprenticed with Goff for threeand-a-half-years at Tyler and, during that time, he helped create the art glass windows incorporated into Joe Price’s Shin’enKan home.

by Debbie Neece

It was Nelson who encouraged me to contact other well-known architects to further my research. In my humble opinion, who was I to invade the space of these architectural giants like Bart Prince. However, Nelson spoke of them as his personal friends and I was warmly greeted.

Nelson returned to northeastern Oklahoma many times to visit Goff’s architectural accomplishments and their residents, many of which he knew by first name. He came to Bartlesville the end of October 2024 and we enjoyed breakfast and conversation. Perhaps he wanted to visit our great collection of Goff contributions one more time.

Then, May 28, I received a message that Nelson had entered hospice care....his dash was almost complete. In the morning hours of June 8, Nelson Brackin’s dash expired. As close as we had become, I can comfortably say, he selected that day to gain his wings; June 8 is the shared birthday of Frank Lloyd Wright and Bruce Goff, just 37-years apart. Now, these three highly talented and architecturally devoted men forever share a date in common; two at the beginning of their dash and the third for closing his dash.

Goff’s philosophy of architecture was of no “conventional beginning, middle or end” but of a continual present. We have been blessed by the continual presents/ gifts left by these three architectural geniuses.

Christy, Keith and Nelson

Debbie Neece with Nelson

A Million Little Miracles

by Keith McPhail

It’s 1:30 in the morning on June 19th and just days before we go to print. For the last two months, I knew this day was coming. This story is for July and specifically the 23rd of July - Christy and my 20th anniversary. This story is special to me, and I call it “A Million Little Miracles .”

What is the definition of a miracle? A miracle is defined as an extraordinary event that is attributed to a supernatural cause, often involving divine intervention or a deviation from the known laws of nature. It is typically perceived as a wonder or marvel, surpassing human or natural powers and often carrying a deeper spiritual or symbolic meaning. Did you know the odds of you, me, and us being born are 1 in 400 trillion! That doesn’t make sense to me! But what

that means is we are all miracles. What are the odds that we are all here and living and making a difference? I have written many stories about our beginnings, our marriage, our struggles, our losses and heartaches. I have also written about the blessings and miracles that have come to us and our family.

What are the odds that before the internet and dating websites that my mom would meet a man from Bartlesville, Oklahoma when we lived in Arkansas. In 1985, they married, and from that day my mom and her four kids moved to a different state and city. That was the start of many miracles that would happen in my life. There were many miracles before that day in June like surviving incredible beatings by my step dad and surviving a horrific accident that would take one person’s life at the age of 18. God made a miracle right there because I was thrown out of that truck and walked away with bruises and cuts. I realized then that God had many more miracles for me. One miracle is when n a warm June evening in 1985, I would meet this beautiful, blonde girl in McDonald’s parking lot. When I first saw her parked at the right, I immediately told my brother Kevin “YOU HAVE TO DRIVE AROUND AGAIN BECAUSE I NEED TO MAKE SURE SHE WAS REAL!” I saw the most beautiful girl I

have ever seen in my life. She still is. Even today when I look at her, she melts me and consumes my heart!

I turned 56 earlier this June and have had Christy in my life for the past 40 years. The McPhails and the Dutcher family, which is Christy’s maiden name, have known each other since the early 1950s. My stepdad, Ken McPhail, was two years older than Christy’s dad, Del. It is crazy to think that for 35 years our families were connected before I moved to Bartlesville. I legally changed my last name from Jones to McPhail in 1989. Christy and I became friends in 1985, but really, what happened is we became best friends…soulmates. There was not a day that I didn’t want to see her, talk to her, and look into her beautiful puppy dog eyes. Being by her side would just make time stand still. I was a 16-year-old boy who knew very few kids after moving to Bartlesville when the next miracle came. Christy let this kid from Arkansas sweep her off her feet. She was one of the most popular girls in school and every boy wanted to date her. The miracle here is that she said no to all of the other boys and said yes to me. We started dating for over a year in high school. The day we first met and when we first kissed was the biggest miracle. Think about it…what are the odds of the miracle that happened in 1985? I believe that God planned this miracle to save my life.

to align to receive this blessing?! The biggest miracle was Grace was the lifeline that kept the miracle of Christy and me going. For 15 months, I struggled with my cocaine addiction and almost lost everything. The miracle that we had Grace bonded us. I hope Grace reads this story one day and knows that she was one of the biggest reasons that Christy continued to hope in us and me, even though she had the divorce papers written up. She had just enough belief in me, her best friend, to give me one more chance. I am brought to tears when I see her because of her love for me and our family.

After 18 years of being apart, both of our lives changed. One day she walked into my real estate office after my divorce and in the midst of her divorce. The friendship we first had all those years before never changed! A year after her divorce and over 19 years of being apart we started dating again. We were 35 old years old when we married and brought our blended families together. We each had 3 kids who we were so blessed to have. Then here’s the next miracle… Grace! How many stars had

After 40 years of knowing each other, we have 20 of those years as husband and wife. What can I say? She has had my heart since 1985, and I have never fallen out of love with her. Through the 18 years of being a part…she was always on my mind and in my heart. You need to know that before our love, she was my best friend. I believe that is what matters in a relationship… friendship. Having a friend who you can turn to and bring your defeats and victories to is amazing. What are the odds of being born and meeting the person who not only completes you but fills all the cracks in your soul? That person for me is Christy. She’s the one who stepped in front of Jesus and prayed to save a life, and that life was mine. We know GOD can move mountains, but this 36-year-old woman with 6 kids and one on the way stood her ground and never gave up on me or us. I never expect a person to understand the heartache and the storms we went through and how life broke us down. It’s ok if you don’t understand. When you’re in the flesh and the truth, you try to pull yourself out of HELL. When I reached for the ledge and as my fingers began to slip, there she was with a hand up. She doesn’t let go and she doesn’t give up! When everyone gave up on me, she believed in me and she continued to stand beside me - even as mad as she was at my actions. Her faith was still there and so were the million little miracles that God put in her heart.

Come on now. 99% of all wives would have given up on me because of all the crap I was doing. For 15 months of the first 2 years of our marriage, I was a fallen soul and a drug addict. There were times she probably wanted to give up, but again, that was one of “A Million Little Miracles .” This July 23rd, we will celebrate 20 years of marriage. Even after losing Tyler at the age of 17, her firstborn child, she continued to keep that beacon of light that has touched so many lives. From the McDonald’s parking lot way back in 1985 until now, look at how many miracles have happened in our lives. We are all miracles. For me, it’s all of our kids and now six grandbabies. Happy Anniversary, Christy! My love for you after all these years and what we have achieved is simply a miracle!

Say What??

Unexpected Journeys Make the Best Stories!

by Kelly Hurd

One night a gal pal called and said, “Hey friend, Hank Thompson’s Brazos Valley Boys are playing at Cain’s. I have tickets. Want to go?”

At first, I told her no, but after my daughter (who was eavesdropping on the conversation) urged me to let myself do something fun, I said, “Ok.”

It was a nostalgic night. The music was big band western swing and you don’t get a better venue or dance floor than you’ll find at Cain’s in Tulsa. To top off the evening, I even got to go up on stage with the band and get my picture taken!

That was back in 2021and I had no idea what was going to come a few years down the road.

Shortly after the 2024 Pawhuska Western Swing Festival , my phone rang one day and it was Morey Sullivan , director of the Brazos Valley Boys , asking if I would consider designing a new logo for the band. He had seen my work promoting the Pawhuska festival and liked it well enough to seek out my services.

Ummm, my answer didn’t take long…

“I’d be honored to,” was my reply.

It was another nostalgic moment for me. Growing up my dad loved country music, and I remember Hank Thompson records playing on the stereo in the living room at our house. I laughed as I thought to myself, “who would have ever guessed I would be getting a call from the Brazos Valley Boys?!!”

From that connection, a few months following their new logo design, I was blessed to have Morey as my guest on an episode of the Calling to the Good podcast – and was surprised to find out that he had once lived in Bartlesville! Who knew?!

But here’s the kicker – I was to receive yet another call - one that widened my eyes, sparked my creativity, and tickled my heart.

“This may set you back,” Morey began, “and catch you off-guard.”

Immediately my mind went to racing. “Oh no,” I thought.

“What if something is wrong with their logo, or what if he doesn’t like his podcast episode…”

I panicked as my mind dove into various other negative

scenarios.

But never in my wildest dreams would I ever have imagined that he would say what he said next.

“I’d like you to consider being our booking agent,” he stated.

What ?!? My heart began to laugh and dance a little.

Immediately the thought came to my mind of what it would sound like to hear my grandchildren talking one day after I’m not here anymore, “Did you know Pigeon was once a booking agent for Hank Thompson’s Brazos Valley Boys?” Oh, I loved that thought!

You see, it’s my goal to write an interesting story with my life. One I don’t mind re-reading in the quiet places of my mind here and now - and one that hopefully my kids and grandkids will enjoy in the long run. I want to leave them fun memories. I’d like to be remembered for generating a smile or two.

As I thought it over through the weekend, I decided that yes, this would be a fun twist in the story, and I accepted the offer to add booking agent to my autobiography – just to keep everyone on their toes.

So, for your next festival or event, if you would like big band western swing brought to you by the legendary Brazos Valley Boys under the direction of Morey Sullivan, give Kelly Hurd a call or email her at BrazosValleyBoysBooking@ Gmail.com! She’ll be happy to make that happen for you.

I’ll leave you with a thought intended to be a blessing.

In your life, may the mundane give way to twists and turns that take you down unexpected trails of adventure which make your toes tap, your hands clap, and your fingers snap. Put on your thinking cap - and intentionally leave a redemptive story for those who will be telling it one day. Life may sure enough deal you tragedy, but you can most positively turn it into legacy – always dare to dream again. Glad to have you On the Road with me this month!

The Championship

by Mike Tupa

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”

— Mother Teresa

A tiny ripple set in motion more than 65 years ago in Bartlesville by baseball coach Joseph Glenn Winget has spurred a perpetual ridges of waves growing into a larger circle that engulfs each passing year with new memories, new hopes, new challenges and new players.

It was in 1959 when Winget organized the first July Fourth Memorial Tournament at Bartlesville Municipal Athletic Field.

From that simple beginning, the tourney has become an anticipated annual staple in Bartlesville, an event that ties together family generations from great-grandparents to their youngest descendants.

This year marks the 66th Annual Winget Memorial Baseball spectacle, set for July 3-6. In addition to the name, two other things have changed since Winget kicked off the tourney — the venue has been renamed Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium and the host Bartlesville team has twice changed names, known currently as the Bartlesville Doenges Toyota Indians.

Other than that those cosmetic tweaks, the tourney is pretty much the same as it was in 1959 — the co centric core of the circle remains unchanged — fiercely competitive baseball between teams of high school or young college-aged players that are struggling for the championship.

During the first three days, the teams will jockey in pool play to try to qualify for the Final Four. The last day will wrap up with two semifinal games followed by the championship showdown.

This year’s multi-state field includes 10 teams: Texas — Burkburnett; Missouri — Branson, Springfield Kickapoo and

Springfield Hillcrest; Arkansas — Bryant, Fort Smith and Mountain Home; and Oklahoma — Bartlesville Indians, Oklahoma Mudcats and Southern Elevation. The Mudcats are the defending champion and have been to the final for three straight years.

Four or five games a day will be played on Rigdon Field inside Doenges Stadium.

The only two teams that have played in each of the previous 65 Winget tourneys are Bartlesville and Springfield Hillcrest. Bartlesville has won the tourney 18 times — but only three times the past 26 years (2003, 2016, 2018).

The primary question among Bartlesville fans — Will this be the year the Indians scrap back to the top spot?

The Winget is not a throw-back to a better time. It is not a reminder of what baseball used to be. It is not a time capsule transporting people back for a few hours to the wonder of the ballpark, listening to the buzz of the crowd, smelling the succulent aroma — saliva gratis — of fat barbecued hot dogs and feeling the caressing fingers of summer breezes seeking shade under the giant umbrella of the grandstand.

The Winget is real. It is 2025. It is a vibrant showcase of baseball as it should be played — not just for proud families in the stands, not for NIL or any other kind of monetary pay-off, not just for the few scouts that might dot the population of the crowd. The Winget brings out the best of diamond athletes — camaraderie for each other and their communities, the love of the battle, the joy of playing, the celebration of young legs, lungs, arms, movement and energy, the commitment to coaches, honoring the baseball tradition in one’s family and the quest for excellence.

To sum it up, the Winget is all about the young men that play the game and their coaches. All other appendages — such as the crowd, the concessions, the announcing, the scoreboard keeping,

the umpiring and other support functions — revolve around that core purpose.

It all started with Glenn, who served in the Navy in World War II. Many years later, he became head coach of the Bartlesville American Legion Baseball team. In 1959, Glenn organized the first July Fourth tournament as a fun holiday activity that might keep more people in town rather than risking car crashes and deaths on the overcrowded highways. Winget repeated the tournament in 1960 and 1961.

But later in the summer of 1961, the results of acute leukemia claimed the life of this quiet hero.

He was 42 years old.

Within a year or two, organizers remained the tournament in his honor. Other than 1963, it has been played every year since 1959. Massive rain storms and blistering temperatures have done their best to pound the event into submission. But other than the flood of 2007 — which washed away the tourney on its third day — it has always been played to some conclusion and a winner crowned.

There have been many all-night sessions due to rain delays but the tourney has soldiered on. It has been hit by tragedy of a more serious kind. In 1967 Winget’s son Harold, a former Bartlesville player, passed away while fighting in South Vietnam. He was 24 years old and had achieved the rank of First Lieutenant.

The deaths of Glenn and Harold — and scores of other devoted Winget tourney followers now departed, such as former organist Belva Hively, former superfan Gene Stapleton, former team sponsor Bill Doenges, former head coaches/managers Tug Baughn and Al Solenberger, former coach Vic Baginski, former public announcer Mike Sauter, former radio broadcaster Adam Hooper, former chief umpire Jim Perry, former player and coach Spence Rigdon, former Braves sponsor Joe Edwards, former superfans George and Nola Meese, former player and proud fan Kenneth Dunlap, superfan Carolee Krase, and many, many others — have helped sanctified the tourney.

But the real honor is not only has the tourney survived — it has thrived. It is as strong and as meaningful and as competitive and as magical as the first pitch of the first game back in 1959.

As said earlier, the spotlight of the Winget tourney is the young men who go to battle — not in fatigues, helmets and carrying guns, but in uniforms, caps, cleats and carrying bats and gloves.

The memories are thick for them.

“I think Legion was a bigger deal than high school back then,” recalled Rick Johnson, an Indians’ player in the latter 1970s. “The Winget was really special. We had a lot of good teams, not only from Oklahoma but out of state as well. It was very competitive. Being the July Fourth weekend it was very festive. ... Playing in front of a full house, that was fun. My last year in 1978 we beat Alton, Ill., 1-0, in the championship game. If I remember right Stan Baughn doubled off the left-center wall for the only run.”

Former player Trent Radebaugh recalled blasting a grand slam in the Winget, “One of the furthest (homers) I hit. ... I remember it ending up in the woods behind the parking lot. ... I just remember the Winget was kind of in the middle of the season and I was excited playing with teammates.”

Radebaugh — who in a regular season game in 1997 in Ponca City belted three homers and a triple and drove in 12 runs — recalls also bonding with teammates such as Micah Siemers, Jacky Manning, Eric Rolfs, John Whitworth and others during Winget games.

“Great players get the most out of their teammates,” he added.

John Pannell — who is the current manager/head coach of the Indians in 2025 — recalled a Winget memory from his playing days.

“We were in the championship against Enid and Joel Estes led off with a drive to left field. ... Joel flew to second for a double to set the tone. Chad Stanley sacrificed him over and I grounded out to second to drive him home.”

Pannell also recalled a Winget moment during his early coaching days.

“Lincoln Kent got hit in the back with a pitch and the ump called a foul ball,” Pannell said. “Vince Vincent was the home plate ump and we got into it. Lincoln had a welt on his back. ... On the next pitch Lincoln smoked a double off the wall. We ended beating them (Springfield Hillcrest) in that game.”

Pannell recalls the huge home crowds at the Winget and “people going crazy on base hits. ... It still gives me goose bumps to think of it.”

Stan Walton won more than 400 games as the Indians’ head coach/manager from 1989 to 1999, and served for many years before that as an assistant coach.

“I think the one (Winget memory) that stands out the most was when I was an assistant,” he said. “There was a rain delay and John Hart hits one over the light pole in left field to put us in the lead. ... Kenny Jackson then comes in and closes the game out.”

He also recalled a Winget championship game when the Indians were trying to win their first Winget title in several years.

With runners on third and second, Walton called for a double squeeze play with Stanley at the plate, in a 0-0 game. Both runners scored, including Mark Cramer from second base.

After the Indians took the lead, “Lance Silva came in and slammed the door,” Walton said. “We had won and broken the Winget curse.”

Whether this year’s Indians might carry the team back to the top will be decided within the next few days on the field.

Either way, the Winget will add another wave to its circle of tradition. The little ripple started by Glenn continues to grow.

Peter Johnson ... And His Army Service in Iraq

by Joe Todd

Peter Johnson was born 1965 in Winfield, IL. The family moved to California when he was five and he grew up in Glendora, CA, graduating high school in 1984. He attended Wheaton College near Chicago and applied for an Army ROTC Scholarship to pay for his college. He was commissioned to the Army in 1988 and received his degree in Biology in 1989. He was sent to Fort Knox, KY for Officer’s Basic in Armor. He was trained how to be a tank platoon leader and all aspects of tactics, logistics and tank gunnery. His group trained on the M-60 and M-1 Abrams Tand. The tank had a crew of four; commander, driver, gunner and loader. Officer’s Basic lasted three and a half months; then, he went to the Army Ranger School at Fort Benning and Dahlonega, Georgia and several other locations. He said the Ranger School was a leadership school in infantry tactics. The Ranger School was rough. June 12, 1990, he reported to Fort Hood, TX, assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division in the 32nd Armor.

Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in August and his unit was deployed October 1990. His unit flew from the U.S. to Dharan, Saudi Arabia, where they lived in a tent city until their equipment arrived, then moved out into the desert where they received all new tanks and equipment. The United Nations told Saddam he had to be out of Kuwait by 15 January 1991. The 1st Cavalry Division headed north toward the Kuwait border, being very obvious so Saddam could see them send troops south. As the Iraqis moved south, they were to be hit on the flanks by U.S. and Allied Forces. There were so many Iraqi soldiers trying to surrender that it was difficult to process the POWs and provide food and water. While they were moving north, Peter looked left and right and all he could see were convoys of tanks and Bradley’s heading for Iraq. His unit had several firefights with the Iraqis and ended up near Basra, Iraq. The war lasted from

24 February to 28 February, when the cease fire was signed. After Desert Storm, all the equipment had to be cleaned and they deployed back to Fort Hood. While in Saudi Arabia, they were quarantined from the local people because Arabia is a Muslim country.

Peter was a new lieutenant when he went to Saudi Arabi and returned very appreciative of what we have in America. His commitment with ROTC was up and he considered joining the Special Forces, but he was getting married. He left the Army and being raised in a Christian home, he went to the Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA. The seminary lasted three or four years and he applied to rejoin the Army as a chaplain. He was accepted and assigned to Fort Stewart, GA with the 4th Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment as battalion chaplain. He said, “To prepare soldiers with the aspect of being spiritually fit to fight. It is more than just physical, more than just emotional or mental. There is also spiritual dynamic to be separated from family, to be in austere combat situations, to have the resiliency, physically, emotionally, mentally and also spiritually to deal with that. That is a large part of what I was doing.”

He was at Fort Stewart on 9-11 and was alert and ready to go to war. He deployed to Kuwait in 2002 with the 3rd Infantry Division from Fort Stewart. They had desert maneuvers and he was no longer Armor but ministering to the soldiers, providing religious services and advising commanders in religion and morale. They moved into Iraq and engaged the Iraqi military; and being a chaplain, he had to carry a weapon. They made the run to Baghdad and took what is now known at the Green Zone.

Peter was in Iraq nine months, then deployed back to Fort Stewart. He retired from the Army in 2019 and came to Bartlesville as pastor at the Hope Presbyterian Church.

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Casa Manana

...The House of Tomorrow

by Kay Little, Little History Adventures

“Imagine a strictly modern home-a living room with two fireplaces, a bedroom, a kitchen, a pantry, a toilet, a bath, two closets, a porch, a patio-built in nineteen days at a cost of $1,000.00! For the larger family try to imagine a home with one great living room, with wood-burning fireplace; a kitchen, with porch; two bedrooms, with closets; a complete bath, a Spanishstyle patio, enough use of glass-brick to distinguish the place by breaking its lines-a house that requires no insurance, is weatherproof, termite proof, soundproof, a house where the annual heating bill is cut in half, with a roof that never need be rebuilt, a coat of paint over all that never need be replaced, a home with great steel and glass doors and windows, fireproof throughout, leak proofed from above; a beautiful home that is so simply constructed a man could build it himself-at a cost of, perhaps, $2,000.00.” (ExaminerEnterprise, October 6, 1940.)

These two homes were built on the Tyler-Erwin Farm, south of Bartlesville, in 1941. The larger one was built by Don Tyler and the smaller one by his son, John. These two homes were built with the help of the farm hands, using cement from the Tyler’s business, Dewey Portland Cement. The homes were built in less than thirty days.

According to Don Tyler’s granddaughter, Jane, he had a real fondness of the Mexican influence on southwest culture and design. The house had images of sombreros, cactus and Mexican scenes. In fact, he named it Casa Manana, House of Tomorrow.

Don Tyler was an entrepreneur. He experimented with the idea of building an all-cement house by building about 25 buildings. With each new build, he learned something new, working out the bugs, as he would say. After he worked out all the bugs, he started working on the homes on his ranch. After they started putting the roof on, they ran into some more ‘bugs.’

Throughout the build, they learned better how to lay a cement roof. They all hoped to help future research with all their mistakes.

According to Don, “They will be there 50 years from now. There will have been no depreciation.” Unfortunately, one of the homes has been demolished and the other one has not been occupied for time. However, Don Tyler, a son of John and grandson of the first Don Tyler, has built a cement home on the property, where he and his wife live.

Mr. Tyler continued to experiment at the cement plant. He really felt he was helping the public with his different uses of cement. He even allowed the public to tour his new homes and to see his papers showing the construction and costs. Don hoped people would take advantage of building their own less expensive cement homes. Of course, this helped his business, Dewey Portland Cement.

The Tyler family has been dedicated to giving back to the community, a trait Don Tyler’s granddaughter, Christy Dutcher McPhail, and her husband Keith McPhail, continue to this day.

Splash Club Turns 75

Challenging Tomorrow’s Leaders, Building Lifelong Champions

Splash Club is celebrating their 75th Anniversary in Bartlesville this year. Alumni, past and present families, and all supporters are invited to attend a special celebration August 29 -30. The event includes a silent auction, a “just for fun swim meet”, a picnic at Woolaroc and welcomes special guest Rowdy Gaines. Rowdy is a three-time Olympic gold medalist and a U.S. and International Hall of Famer.

Since 1950, Splash Club has operated out of the Phillips 66 Aquatics Center. The program was founded under, then, Phillips Recreation Director Bud Browning and local swim coach Ken Treadway. Their swim lesson program starts working with kids as young as the age of 3. These lifesaving swim lessons are open to the public and help to build young swimmers’ confidence in the water and progresses through four stages.

“A child is 78 percent less likely to drown if they are exposed to swim lessons,” said Executive Director and Head Coach, Chad Englehart. “We have a lot of pride in helping to save lives of children in our community on top of improving their general health and wellness. It’s the only sport you can continue with at any age.”

Once a child has completed the lessons, they can choose to be involved with the team after the age of 6. Right now, Splash Club has 100 competitive swimmers that tend to be the best in the state.

“We continue to win, and outperform, in the Senior Division at State,” added Englehart. “We’re competing against teams that are 2-3 times larger than us, so to win state titles is

impressive. It shows that every child on the team gets the most of their talent and instruction; both tied to our Splash Club program.”

The club continues to make big waves in the community by also boosting economic impact from hosting competitions and building students’ grit and confidence in and out of the pool.

“These kids have outstanding grit to persevere and handle life’s ups and downs,” said Englehart. “Through these practices and meets, they learn how to bounce back from adversity and failure. We try to be the guiding light to make a positive impact on these kids’ lives.”

To learn more about the anniversary event or to purchase tickets, visit SplashClub75.eventbrite.com.

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Tri County Tech

Green Country Free Clinic Legacy Lives On

When the doors of Green Country Free Clinic closed after 33 years of service, it could have been the end of a story. Instead, it became the beginning of something even more powerful. The Bartlesville Community Foundation (BCF) has officially moved into its new home at 321 SE Delaware, the former location of Green Country Free Dental Clinic.

The purchase, finalized in August 2024 marks a significant milestone in BCF’s ongoing commitment to service, community, and sustainability. What makes this even better is that investing in this property was so much more than a transaction. This new space not only reflects the dedication of the BCF’s first 25 years of impact but also serves as a launchpad for the next 25 years and beyond, reinforcing its dedication to strengthening the community for generations to come.

Through the generosity of the E.H. “Ted” and Melody Lyon Foundation and community donors, BCF was able to transform the dental clinic into a space that will help continue facilitating meaningful collaborations, elevate impactful philanthropy, and sustain a lasting legacy. For over three decades, the Green Country Free Clinic (GCFC) was a beacon of hope for uninsured and underserved individuals. Under the leadership of Mrs. Cindra Pribil, the clinic provided free medical care, health education, and compassionate support to thousands.

As healthcare demands grew, so did the clinic’s role in the community. After 33 years of unwavering service, the clinic’s board made the difficult decision to close its doors. To ensure their mission endured, they established the Mrs. Cindra L. Pribil RN Nursing Scholarship through the Tri County Tech Foundation. “This endowment represents the dedication and passion our team has poured into this community over the years,” said Mrs. Cindra Pribil, RN, former Director of Green Country Free Clinic. “I am deeply honored to have my name associated with a scholarship that will continue to support and uplift future generations of nurses, ensuring that our mission of improved healthcare continues.”

This seamless transition from clinic to foundation ensures Mrs. Pribil’s healing mission continues in a new form. The sale of the Green Country Free Dental Clinic fulfilled a commitment by GCFC to build a one-million dollar endowment with the

Tri County Tech Foundation to continue improving healthcare access. Named in honor of Mrs. Pribil, this endowment plays a crucial role in the Foundation’s stability, helping meet the increasing demand for student financial assistance.

“The Green Country Free Clinic’s generous endowment in Mrs. Pribil’s name will have a lasting impact for generations. We are forever grateful to Mrs. Pribil and the Clinic Board for their inspiring generosity,” said Kim Smith, Tri County Tech Chief Administrative Officer & Foundation Executive Director.

Tri County Tech Foundation, an agency fund managed by BCF, is working toward an endowment goal of $5 million to ensure that students can pursue their education without financial barriers. The Cindra Pribil RN, Nursing Scholarship Fund will provide annual scholarships equal to 5% of the total donation, ensuring a perpetual stream of funding that guarantees access to education for future healthcare professionals. Endowments are vital to the growth and sustainability of foundations like Tri County Tech Foundation. BCF oversees endowments and funds for over 30 local agencies, including Tri County Tech Foundation, safeguarding assets and ensuring funds remain true to their intended purpose while generating a reliable annual income for the agency.

“This transaction has not only honored Mrs. Pribil’s remarkable legacy but also strengthened both the Tri County Tech Foundation and BCF,” said Laura Jensen, Executive Director of BCF. “We are thrilled to be a part of such a meaningful transition - one that will honor and benefit the community for years to come.” As BCF settles into its new Delaware Avenue home and Tri County Tech Foundation grows its scholarship program, both organizations are positioned to amplify their impact. The question isn’t just what these foundations have accomplished, but what the next generation of healthcare professionals they support will achieve for Bartlesville and beyond.

To learn more about the Cindra Pribil RN Scholarship Fund, Tri County Tech Foundation, or Bartlesville Community Foundation, please visit TriCountyTech.edu/Foundation or BartlesvilleCF.org.

by Jay Webster

I love words.

A word aptly spoken is more than just poetry; it is a revelation sung in harmony that vibrates through our chest cavity, enters our heart, and finally elevates like incense into our brains.

Today, there’s a word that is eluding me, though. Maybe you can help.

I’m looking for a word that describes an experience I often find myself in, where I am thinking of my daughter and her life beyond me (or past me), and I consider (sometimes with a degree of panic) the inheritance I have left her. It feels like a sort of pre-nostalgia. So, I need a word that has all the warmth of nostalgia but for things that haven’t happened yet.

When I think of this endowment that I would give my daughter, it’s really a series of life hacks. But they have so much value because of what it costs to learn them and the riches they can add to a life. You probably have a list like this. Let’s see if we have any of the same hacks. This is part of my list of “Things I Wish I Could Give You.”

01) Above all else, guard your heart. Everything begins here. When a heart is hardened, it’s nearly impossible to love fully or be fully loved in return. Inspiration is harder to sense. We struggle to rest completely, to laugh freely, even to mourn wholly. In short, it’s difficult to live fully.

It requires determination and awareness to protect your heart.

The harshness of the world around us can cloud your vision. The trap of self-focus may suffocate you, especially when it leads to self-hate. Unchecked hate, judgment, and unforgiveness can choke the life out of you. So above all else, guard your heart.

02) Get comfortable with being wrong. There are two kinds of people in this world: those who own their mistakes and those who blame. We can’t fix, change, or heal what we can’t face.

Being wrong can be the beginning of learning, of the future, of bigger and more wonderful worlds. The moment we acknowledged that the world wasn’t flat, a whole universe opened up to us. That’s the value of being wrong: it makes room for change, for healing… for hope.

03) DON’T GIVE YOURSELF AWAY. The world around you will demand your attention, your outrage, your allegiance, and passion. You’re not required to give it. Not everything is your fight. Not everything is your cause. Some people, places, or things simply have not earned the right to possess your energy or focus. So don’t give it away.

04) SHIELD YOUR MIND. Your mind has a door. Just because a thought drops by doesn’t mean you have to let it in. It’s OK to say no. Vet your thoughts. Do they add life or take it away? Do they align with what we know and profess to be true? Do they still make sense if you say them out loud…to other humans?

Most ideas seem brilliant in the dark echo chamber of our minds. Consider your thoughts (especially the recurring ones). They’re not all winners (or truthful). The quicker we turn out unhealthy thoughts (even repeatedly), the easier it is. When we delay…they move in, sleep on our couch, and start eating our Cheetos.

05) SEE OTHERS. One of life’s great joys is seeing the good in someone and actually expressing what you see. If you pause and reflect for a moment, you can probably recall a time in your childhood when someone told you - you’re so good at… reading, math, art, running, being a friend, making people laugh. That moment changed how you perceived yourself.

Well, we possess that same power. It’s impactful whether you’re eight or eighty-eight. No one has ever been told they are good at something (kindness, hospitality, making people feel comfortable…) and responded by saying, “Thank you. I guess I’ll stop now.” No, they are encouraged to do more. When we tell others the good we see in them, we help grow the good.

06) ALL LIFE IS GOD-BREATHED. It’s no secret that Oklahoma is the bedazzled belt buckle of America’s Bible Belt. As part of the Christian tradition, we believe that all life is Godbreathed. That we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” And that God has been fully aware of us even before one of our days came to be. If we hold these truths, then that is how we should approach every living being: the bank teller, the barista, the Walmart worker, the politician (on the other side of the aisle), the homeless, the immigrant, the foreigner.

There is no sliding scale for the value of human life. Each of us possesses the same divine, radiant breath of God.

07) GRATITUDE IS A GIFT. I learned something about myself a while back. I have a near-fatal flaw: envy. It’s almost

impossible for me to see someone or meet someone without thinking: It must be nice to be built like that, drive that, live in that, earn that, accomplish that, be funny like that, smell like that, travel like that…you get the idea.

Among the many challenges that envy presents is that it rarely allows you to appreciate what you do have. I sometimes get so distracted by the want, I don’t celebrate (let alone enjoy) the have. To me, gratitude is the polar opposite of envy. It is a celebration of our haves. It creates an awareness of the goodness we possess. Maybe even the thought that we, our lives, and our possessions, might be the envy of others.

08) DON’T TELL ME YOU LOVE ME. All you need is love… All I need is the air that I breathe and to love you… Love will keep us together… We love to sing about love, make movies about love, create art about love, wear t-shirts printed with love, and even “preach” about love. However, the actual act of loving (for most of us) is much more difficult than a song.

When we poll people across the world, love ranks as our highest value. But is it really? Is that how I am living? The reality is, love is easy to say and much harder to do. Loving the lovely comes naturally. Loving… well, the others… that’s the part that defines us. As the band Extreme will tell you, More than words is all you have to do to make it real.

09) FEAR NEVER RUNS OUT. It’s been my experience that fear never says, “enough.” When I am anxious about something, and then that thing passes, I have never heard fear say, “OK, I guess we’re done here.” No, fear just moves on to the next most captivating, exhausting thing to distract me with. Fear never runs out. It’s a perpetual opportunist. (Just like envy.) To free yourself from the habit of fear is to partner with joy (and ultimately with peace).

10) MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU. In my lifetime, I have become exceedingly good at being wrong. Wrong about politics. Wrong about religion. Wrong in my assumptions (about history, motives, people…). So, for me, having a stable foundation of truth that has been tested over time is essential. I need a force that is greater than I am, wiser than I am, ever revealing while remaining ever constant. Spiritual truths help me because even though they are thousands of years old, the nature of humanity does not change, and so the relevance of these truths does not change. That has made them more than a stabilizing force in my life; they are an active agent of change and growth.

Well, how did we do? If you make your list, do we have anything in common? Tell me about it when we see each other on the street.

Until then, keep doing the good you can do. Cheers, friends.

Bless the Beasts & Children

by Brent Taylor

Karen and I spent an evening at Kiddie Park recently. Some of the rides from my childhood are still operating. What an uplifting place. It exists for one reason. To make children laugh and smile. And if you are becoming a little jaded and cynical, one can find some form of comfort and balm for the soul here while sharing a cup of soft serve ice cream with your granddaughters.

It’s easy to lose your idealism these days, and to long for a time when the news seemed trustworthy, if not in fact, at least in perception. I’m a Cronkite guy. Once Walter left us, I didn’t know where to turn. There’s a sense that something foundational is gone—something steady that once helped me make sense of the world.

The news still gets to me, and I deal with it by a denial that softens the blow of what is happening in a bifurcated political landscape. But, after all the angst of the evening news, there is still this good earth, the moon, the stars, and every now and then, a blue sky. My granddaughter runs to me, putting her head between my knees. She calls out, “Bubs, up,” and I lift her, kiss her cheek, and stroke her curls. “You’re beautiful,” I tell her, “I love you.”

I’ve gone soft in my later years. I step around spiders. Haven’t killed a snake in decades. And occasionally, I look at a moment or thing or creature and offer a blessing. It might be a dog or a child or a neighbor. I don’t know if it helps the thing I bless, but it is good for me. I’ve even blessed the tomatoes in Karen’s garden.

Blessing is one of those words that, for many, is used without much thought. The idea is to shower God’s grace on the subject so that it will have an abundant life. But what if we truly stopped to consider the power in it? Why can’t we bless more of the world around us? Why not Red Tailed Hawks and Black Billed Magpie? Or the cat that torments me daily?

On a recent Friday afternoon, I heard three girls talking on the sidewalk outside my office. They opened the door and entered the lobby. All the staff had gone home for the day. I

listened, waiting on someone to ask if anyone was around, but nothing. Then, I heard the rustling of cellophane. There is a candy bowl on the reception desk. After some footsteps and more candy rustles, they snuck out the door without speaking. I glanced out my window and they were sitting criss-cross applesauce on the sidewalk, enjoying candy and quietly chatting like three regal high culture ladies sipping wine on the deck of a cruise ship. I thought, “Well, bless them. I have no idea what they are up to, but bless them.”

These little blessings are reminders of the beauty in the simplest moments. And speaking of blessings, my wife and I are celebrating forty years of marriage today. What a blessing to love someone, to share morning coffee, grandchildren, a garden, our faith in God. To put my arms around you, and know there is still love. There is music and dancing and eating from the same plate. There’s still the joy of seeing moments like when our daughter Lauren made a 3-point basket at the end of the game to beat the buzzer, making her team only lose 57-3, and going crazy like we had won. When we find blessings in moments of loss, life is worthwhile, no matter how badly we are losing.

Yes, Mr. Cronkite, though we suffer, we are blessed. Through all the hardships we face, we still find blessings in the smallest moments. And each morning I awake not thinking of all the things that are wrong with the world, but what is possible. So many things to do and say and create, so much to love, to hold onto, to bless the beasts, the children, and the world.

These small blessings are reminders of the beauty in the simplest moments. And they lead me to think of what James Matthew Wilson says so well: “Be promiscuous with the sign of the cross. Let the shadow of your hand pass over everything, until all of creation, good in its being, has been raised up and consecrated by our thanksgiving and become a fit participant in a new heaven and a new earth.”

B the Light Update: Leave the Struggle

The Steps You Can Take to Leave the Struggle Behind

by Miriam Walker

Welcome to July, as our summer really begins to heat up!

June was a tough month for our neighbors on the streets of Bartlesville. The skies dumped more than enough water to be certain, and each time it presented additional challenges for those that are unhoused. Additionally, numerous storm surges and flying debris created hazardous conditions throughout Bartlesville. Proper shelter is critical for our unhoused neighbors, and we’ll continue to move forward in helping them leave homelessness behind. Storms will visit everyone both literally and figuratively, and we will continue to be here for our unhoused friends through all of their storms. How we journey with those who have been broken, speaks louder than how we walk with those who are great.

We’ve been busy at B the Light, and should be getting word very soon now, regarding the fire prevention requirements that we’ve put into place. The safety of our clients and our volunteers is of the utmost importance, and as painstakingly as it may seem to us and to those waiting, the delay is well worth it.

One of the highlights of the Mission are the meeting rooms, designed to help our residents with obtaining the tools needed to succeed. Many of the unhoused neighbors we share our city with are not interested in staying at B the Light full time. For whatever reason, and there may be many reasons, they are not willing to change their situations even with our help.

their situation.

Moving forward doesn’t always mean leaving homelessness in that very second, but getting closer towards the direction of being housed and on the right track. The work needing to be done is multifaceted, and if the work isn’t done first, sure, we can put an unhoused person into a house. Unfortunately, they will struggle much like they were struggling before, and they will lose that house in very short order. We offer steps towards ending the struggle. B the Light has made sure that we will be available for all who are struggling. We’d love for all of them to enter our program, but that’s just not the reality of what will happen.

Be the Light has been busy hosting different community groups in our very large community room. FOR THOSE THAT DID NOT KNOW, we have an event space that is available by donation. This room can be set up by our volunteers, or different groups can come set up according to their needs. The flexibility of using our community room will remain even after we are open.

In June we hosted The Bartlesville Ladies Connection, as guest speaker Caroline Castleberry shared with everyone in attendance. The luncheon and fashion show was followed by a tour of B the Light, and that offered a unique win/win scenario. Word of mouth will always be the most valuable way to share what we do here at the Mission.

So remember, B the Light is available for hosting your next game night, meeting, small group, or just about anything else you can think of. Tours can be taken before or after your event.

Some of our volunteers and board members know many of the struggles that the homeless face, because we’ve dealt with some of the same issues. Whether dealing with life’s tragedies or addictions, we know full well that “wanting to change” does not happen with the snap of a finger, and that’s okay. Our meeting rooms are for anyone who needs help getting resources to better

We’d like to thank East Cross Church for purchasing the lockers for all of our residents. Along with help from the volunteers from Truity Credit Union, they were also assembled and are in place for our residents. Thank you both!

We are still filling our volunteer roster, as we will be open 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Additionally, we are also seeking to fill more unique roles within our program. Please reach out to enquire if volunteering at B the Light is right for you!

BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR OPEN HOUSE DATES! Please contact us if you’d like to volunteer, host your next event, or take a tour of B the Light Mission!

See you next month! Stay cool this summer!

FRIDAY | JULY 18 | 9-11 PM

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The First 4th of July in IT

by Jay Hastings

Oklahoma City was founded on April 22, 1889, the day the Oklahoma Land run began. The town was formed over 400 acres and became home to 5,000 people overnight.

As quick as June of 1889, a committee was formed to organize a huge celebration to recognize the Independence Day holiday. Primary goals were to secure reduced railroad fares into Oklahoma City, obviously a plan to bring even more settlers into the area, and to secure land on the east side of town in the area now known as Bricktown, with plans to build a baseball diamond and horse track.

By the end of June, planning for the celebration was nearly complete. Members of the Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Caddo Nations had been “recruited” by the Darlington Agency and the Department of Interior gave permission for more than 200 tribal members to leave the reservations to attend the event.

A parade route was planned through the city and a list of activities for the three-day event included horse racing, horsemanship, sack racing, Indian dances, infantry drills, a baseball game, and a gun tournament.

The Oklahoma Gazette noted, “This will be the first grand excursion to Oklahoma”.

However, less than two months later, the event was described by the same paper as “the Fall of Babylon”, dubbed as such after the grandstand at the horse track collapsed on the first day. The incident occurred around 3:00 in the afternoon, killing one boy and injuring several other spectators.

The initial excitement of the Land Run less than three months earlier had quickly faded. The July 4th celebration was intended to resurrect attention on and attraction to the area, with crowds of 20,000 people expected. However, with the tragedy of the first day and any number of other factors, it fell well short of expectations.

Attracting 10,000 folks as a railroad stop following the Land Run, Guthrie had been identified as the capital of the Oklahoma Territory. With statehood in 1907, it formally became the State’s first capital town. Just a few years later, in 1910, the capital was moved to Oklahoma City, as it remains today.

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