January 2025

EnidMONTHLY A FREE PUBLICATION | JANUARY 2025

Families

by Birth, Found,and Chosen In Honor of Global Family Day, Enid Families Talk About What Family Means to Them

2 | JANUARY 2025 | ENID MONTHLY

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EMME HUGHES Emme Hughes was born in Enid, Oklahoma, and she attended St. Joe’s Catholic School before transferring to Chisholm High School, which is where she graduated from in 2020.

She has lived in Enid her whole life, and she has a very close family, which includes her two dogs who are like children to her. She’s the owner and operator of EH Metal Works, and she started it right out of high school. Her Grandpa, Ted Shepard, owned many fabricating and welding businesses throughout his entrepreneurial career, and Emme spent a lot of time hanging out with her Papa at his shop.

Her time with her Papa ended up shaping her career choice.

Emme is currently involved with the Junior Welfare League, Enid AM Too AMBUCS, and Enid Women in Business. As the owner of EH Metal Works, she has worked on many projects and with many entrepreneurs in Enid. For example, the

Walking Trail here in Enid has metal art displayed along the trail that allows for seating and reading, and that was orchestrated by Emme. But that’s not all, she has also designed signs for businesses, large decorative fences, fountains, equipment for local restaurants, and more. Her Mom, Angie, states, “Emme lives in the best of both worlds. She can shop and dress up and then run to the shop and put the welding helmet on all while wearing lipstick. Some call her a modern day ‘Rosie the Riveter.’” She continues with, “If she hasn’t done it before, she will figure it out one way or another, which is something she also learned from her beloved Papa.”

Emme is a local legend for many different reasons. For one, she is a young female in a male dominated industry, and she joined that industry right out of high school.

Her Mom states, “Emme stands out because ev-

erything she does is out of the ordinary, and she is always true to herself.”

Emme is focused, driven, charitable, and kind, and she continues to thrive in a male dominated industry despite all of the obstacles. At the age of 22, she has already made her mark in the community, and for that, in addition to the many other things she does and is, she is truly a Local Legend.

ENID MONTHLY | JANUARY 2025 | 3

EnidMONTHLY JANUARY 2025 | VOL. 6 • NO. 1

LOCAL LEGENDS..........................

Emme Hughes

3 MOMENTUMHQ..................... 18 #Goals

4 AGING MATTERS.....................20 8 Winter Safety Tips for Older Adults DOWNING'S DOODLES................. 4 THE LAW OF THE LAND........... 22 Hunters in the Know Take a Doe COVER STORY.............................6 Families by Birth, Found, and Chosen PRIDE OF THE PLAINS............. 24 Mental Toughness + Super Defense CHILDREN'S BOOK REVIEW........ 11 = Wins LETTER FROM THE EDITOR...........

Why Not?

CROSSWORD PUZZLE...............

New Year Togetherness ADULT BOOK REVIEW..............

Meditations for Mortals

LIFE................................ 26 11 REClosing Time....Common Fees

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12 ENID'S E-VENTS...................... 28 FOCUS ON HEALTH.................. 14 St. Mary's Regionl Medical Center...

Your Health Hub for Northwest NOW SERVING!....................... 32 Oklahoma SUDOKU PUZZLES...................

Jambalaya

TEEN SCENE............................

Broken Stride

16 Publisher: Robert R. Faulk Editor: Blake Reese Designer: April Burgess-Prenzlow

109 E. Randolph, Enid OK 73701 405.826.0418

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For ad placement, specifications and rates, call: Robert R. Faulk @ 405.826.0418 or robert@enidmonthly.com Blake Reese @ 316.719.0849 or advertising@enidmonthly.com

Enid Monthly is a monthly publication by Enid Monthly, LLC serving Enid and Garfield County. Enid Monthly is free to the public. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Enid Monthly is not responsible for the care and/or return of unsolicited manuscripts, artwork, photography, books, or any other material that is submitted for possible publication.

4 | JANUARY 2025 | ENID MONTHLY

LETTER from the EDITOR

“New year, new me,” is how that saying goes, right? As 2025 makes its debut, a New Year norm for many is setting goals, reflecting, and planning for the year ahead. Whether BL A K E R EESE you’re making a budget, setting deadlines, or planning changes, recognize the fact that you made it through another year! And no matter what may be on your list, the overall theme and message for most is self-improvement! Self-improvement can mean and include many different things, whether you’re choosing to focus on fitness, finances, the future, or an often-overlooked topic/area, family! Family and support systems are undoubtedly a contributing factor to our own self-improvement because let’s face it, many of us wouldn’t be who we are or what we are if it weren’t for family. After all, it takes a village, and I think that phrase is applicable to every chapter of life. In honor of Global Family Day, which is a day of peace and sharing, we chose to highlight a couple of families here in Enid to discuss what family means to them. The overall message associated with the day of observance is starting the New Year with a positive message of unity! So, whether your family is biological or chosen, those bonds and relationships deserve recognition and appreciation! As you make your goals and look ahead at the New Year, be sure to include your family on your list, whether your goal is to be more intentional with them, appreciative of them, or thankful for them, we can undoubtedly find time to give to those who give to us. And on behalf of us here at Enid Monthly, Happy New Year! We hope 2025 is nothing but good to you!

Editor, Enid Monthly

Blake Reese

ENID MONTHLY | JANUARY 2025 | 5

Families

BY

A L I TA F E E K

J

by Birth, Found,and Chosen

In Honor of Global Family Day, Enid Families Talk About What Family Means to Them

anuary 1st often follows a well-worn template: parties, fireworks, and a midnight countdown. And don’t forget the annual flurry of well-meant resolutions to do better in the New Year.

But did you know that the first of January is also Global Family Day, which is meant to celebrate unity and peace among the global families of which we are all a part? And if there were an international standing for community-building, Enid would surely be at the very top.

Our community is comprised of many different groups, and we have some remarkable networks of families by birth and families found and forged. Some, such as those at Vance Air Force Base, are large. Others, such as those at Brody Electric, are small. And there are countless in between, such as the folks at Enid CrossFit and downtown’s Family Martial Arts.

A Seat at the Table

The hardest part of interviewing longtime Enid residents Brody and Jhona Ronistal was finding them. Tucked away in a building on Enid’s east side, their business, Brody Ronistal Electric, is the very definition of a family-owned operation. Once you step inside, their offices are warm and inviting, and it’s common to hear the laughter of children.

Brody and Jhona, better known as “Icky” and “Nona,” explained that the road to their present-day business was long and winding—but ultimately worth it.

A former employee of KC Electric, Brody started the company in 2012. Ever since, they have performed a variety of residential and commercial electrical services for the Enid community. One of their unique specialties is electrical services for food processing. “I’ve done food processing since I started my career 27 years ago,” recalled Brody. They pride themselves on quality workmanship, and they were even recruited to help an Oklahoma business when it expanded and opened operations in North Carolina.

While Brody Electric is a respected presence in the Enid business community, what makes their story special is their family. Married for almost 22 years, Brody and Jhona have solid roots in Oklahoma. They have lived here as long as they can remember, as far back as their great-grandparents, if not farther. Their blended family of 7 children were raised here in Enid, most still live in the area, and many of them have worked or currently work for the business. While the original kids are grown, there are 9 grandchildren (and a handful of bonus grandchildren!) who call Brody and Jhona by “Icky” and “Nona.”

“They say you can’t choose your family,” said Jhona, but her own family proves otherwise, showing that family can come in lots of different ways. “You can keep the ones you were born with, but it doesn’t have to stop there…it’s not traditional at all,” she continued. When their children were growing up, it was important to both Brody and Jhona that their home always be a safe space for any kids who might need it. “No matter where we were at,” Jhona explained, “we were the safe place for a lot of kids.”

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Brooke is the wife of Col. Charles Throckmorton IV, commander of the 71st Flying Training Wing at Vance. They have an adult daughter and a son still in high school, and the family has been stationed all over the country. She has seen firsthand the incredible support that military families can give each other. Once when they were stationed at Dover AFB in Delaware, Brooke remembered that “We had a young spouse that was diagnosed with cancer. There were spouses taking her to appointments and just going and sitting with her.” Unfortunately, she passed away, but the memory of seeing “the whole squadron come together and support them through months of being sick definitely sticks with me a lot,” said Brooke.

Near or far, those people bonds stick with you. According to Rachel Estep, president of the Vance Spouses Club, it is difficult when you move to a new location and the first thing you’re asked at school enrollment is “Who is your emergency contact?” But eventually “it all falls into place, and you build those connections and those bonds with other families that are going through the same hardships as you. And over time, that family just grows and grows, and those connections grow.”

Vance has a direct connection with the next group highlighted in this story, Enid CrossFit. The bottom line is that at Icky and Nona’s house, there’s always a seat for everybody, both literally and figuratively. One of the most special expressions of their commitment to family (beside the nursery they built into the business offices) is their home dining table. Made by Brody himself, the table is modular and is actually comprised of 6 smaller tables. Jhona explained, “The idea is when we pass away, each one of our kids gets a set.” Be it now or in the future, nobody gets left out: everyone has a place.

Everyone's Related

At Vance Air Force Base, people come and go like clockwork regularly. Student pilots graduate every few weeks, and as with all bases, active-duty personnel are only here for a limited amount of time.

Nevertheless, people at Vance do what they do at every other military base: become each other’s families away from home. From playgroups to squadron potlucks to welcoming new babies, Vance folks have found many ways to create a supportive environment where families can thrive. Being at Vance has some built-in advantages when it comes to community support. Its ties with the City of Enid are famously strong, as Brooke Throckmorton explained that “the mayor and his wife attend pretty much every graduation on base and every graduation dinner…they’re such a community support.”

ENID MONTHLY | JANUARY 2025 | 7

It is co-owned by three women, Brittany Thompson, Jenni Dickson, and Geri Veilleux, who was most recently a pilot at Vance, where she was officially known as Major Geri ‘Gerald’ Veilleux. Geri is one of countless Air Force members who have joined Enid CrossFit throughout the years. The gym is incredibly supportive of its Vance people, attending pilots’ final Vance flights and also showing up at the “drop nights” of student pilots (where students find out their next assignment). According to Brittany, “It’s our favorite thing to do—we go to all the drop nights. Our chant when someone drops is ‘Four more years!’” That means they cheer extra hard when a student gets assigned to stay on Vance; it means they can keep coming to CrossFit for another four years!

It’s not all fun and games, though.

Like all families, the Enid CrossFit gang supports their own when times are tough. Brittany recounted that last year, someone was diagnosed with cancer. “We had a member donate a quarter of a beef, and everybody bought tickets, and we donated all that money to her.” Happily, that person is now a cancer survivor. There was another member who was less fortunate, and who passed away after having a heart attack outside the gym. “We attended the funeral and did things for the family. And every year we do a tribute workout for him on his birthday,” said Brittany.

Chosen Family

Each woman has a day job, and keeping Enid CrossFit running is a labor of love. In a plain metal building on the feeder road of Van Buren, this group has created something special.

Whether you’re taking a morning class with Lamar, who is incredibly friendly and chill, or doing the Bootcamp evening sessions with Brittany, you will feel the energy when you walk in the door. Somehow, they’ve created a unique vibe that combines “We’re here to work!” with “We want to be your friend!” You have perhaps seen online memes that half-jokingly declare that 8 | JANUARY 2025 | ENID MONTHLY

“CrossFit is not a cult.” And they are right: it’s not a cult. It’s a family — or at least, the one in Enid is.

Finally, to show that everyone and everything truly is related, one of Enid CrossFit’s instructors is a gentleman by the name of Justin Deal.

Justin is an affable individual who enjoys teaching, good humor, and is always ready to crack a geeky reference (usually Lord of the Rings). Justin also happens to be a black belt in karate, and he is an instructor at downtown Enid’s Family Martial Arts. The studio opened in 2018 and has thrived ever since.

The fact that ‘family’ is in the name is no accident.

Owner Alex Evers, a fifth-degree black belt, said that the main reason they used ‘family’ was to truly convey “our values and our culture…our goal is for students to learn life skills while they’re having a good time…It’s not about who’s going to be the next biggest MMA fighter.

The skills are important, but so is focus, confidence, discipline, and social skills.”

Like Enid CrossFit, Family Martial Arts is “more than a transaction,” according to Alex. This applies both to staff and clients. As a small business owner, Alex strives to take care of the staff, saying, “I want them to be able to pay for a family. I want them to have a retirement account.” Since only 51.2% of small businesses in the United States offer health insurance, it is truly remarkable that staff at Family Martial Arts are indeed offered both healthcare and retirement options.

At the end of the day, life at Family Martial Arts is about the people who walk through the door. “We’re based on ENID MONTHLY | JANUARY 2025 | 9

on his viewing experiences as the father of young children, he said, “One thing…I feel like movies like Kung Fu Panda, Ninja Turtles, and Karate Kid get right is that it’s not about who’s the toughest person. When I watch Kung Fu Panda, they’re talking about character development the whole time.”

The crews at both Family Martial Arts and Enid CrossFit take a great deal of pride in being more than just a place to learn karate or do some burpees. As CrossFit’s Brittany said, “It’s not just a gym, right? You get accountability, you get friendships, and we celebrate marriages and birthdays!” And if all this sounds great to you, but you’re just not into martial arts or box jumps, Enid’s got you covered. Family Martial Arts and Enid CrossFit are just two places of many in town that have created supportive, family-like environments. From other gyms with close-knit members, to church groups, to the dedicated knitting groups at Cozy Corner Knits, there are plenty of options for anyone seeking to get plugged into the community. families,” said Alex. That includes welcoming parents and siblings who may wish to try martial arts after seeing Junior enjoying it, but it’s also more. Alex said, “We’ll go to kids’ plays sometimes. We get invites to birthdays. Kids bring us Christmas presents.” And when a kid earns something such as Enid Star Student of the Month, Alex said that “we put that on our Facebook page and say ‘Hey, congratulations!’ It’s all very family oriented.”

When we asked Alex if he could think of one thing that pop culture gets right about martial arts, he did not hesitate to answer. Drawing

10 | JANUARY 2025 | ENID MONTHLY

By some measures, Enid’s population may appear to be somewhat monolithic; there is a lot of farmland, most people like to eat meat, and everyone and their brother drives a Ford F-150. But the truth is that we are like any other town in the United States. People from every conceivable walk of life live, work, and play here. They are our friends and neighbors: in short, they are us. And at the end of the day, one of the wonderful, incredible, terrific things about Enid is that we are made up of families of all kinds.

Children's Book Review

Reviewed by Chloe Fuksa, Putnam Six Bookstore

Why Not?

Author: Kobi Yamada Even if you don’t know the name Kobi Yamada, odds are good that you may have seen his bestselling debut book: What Do You Do with an Idea? He has continued to publish more fantastic children’s books since then, and his latest, Why Not?, was released in June 2024.

In the book, a young child and a small fox set out on an adventure, traversing all kinds of different worlds and making friends with jellyfish, otters, and more. The text is full of positive, encouraging words – “Discover the world’s wonders and know you are one of them too” – and the illustrations by Gabriella Barouch are superb as well. Every time I re-read the book, I notice some new detail in the background.

Puzzle Answers on Page 25

Even though Why Not? is a children’s picture book, it feels like it could be gifted to someone at any age.

It would fit for a graduation or a new job or any new chapter in life. The message inside is timeless. For kids specifically, I think it would be a perfect bedtime story.

The words are beautiful, the illustrations are soft and subtle – it feels like being wrapped in a warm, cozy, uplifting blanket of a book. But no matter your age, the question remains: why can it not be you who makes a difference in this world?

Visit us in Sunset Plaza or call 580-297-5089 to get your copy of Why Not? today!

ENID MONTHLY | JANUARY 2025 | 11

Adult Book Review

Reviewed by Chloe Fuksa, Putnam Six Bookstore

Meditations for Mortals Author: Oliver Burkeman

Over the years, I find that I’ve gotten on and off the self-help train a lot. When I graduated school, for example, and was searching for purpose and inspiration, I devoured self-help books. Then, at other times, I thought they were, frankly, hogwash. What drew me to Oliver Burkeman’s new book, Meditations for Mortals, though, was two-fold. First, it’s the start of a new year, so naturally it’s a good time to reflect and to make some changes. The second reason is that Burkeman’s prior book was titled Four Thousand Weeks, for the average person’s lifespan, and while I haven’t read it yet, I was instantly intrigued by this author.

get to it, not before. Make a done list, rather than to-do. Accept that life will never be problem-free, no matter how old you get.

Meditations for Mortals is certainly different than many other self-help books, but I really appreciated its practicality. Now, I read the book in one or two sittings, and it got to be a little much. I would recommend taking it a chapter or a section at a time, like the author suggests, just in order to make it easier to reflect on. Not every chapter will resonate with every person, either, but I did think overall it was an interesting book with realistic takeaways. A perfect New Year’s book!

In Meditations for Mortals, Burkeman structures the book around a four-week schedule, with one chapter for each day. I don’t think any of the chapters were longer than five or six pages too, so it’s convenient and easy to stick with. It seems a little counter-intuitive, but the book focuses on our imperfections. For instance, we cannot anticipate every single possibility at every fork in the road, we will never fully tackle our todo lists, and we will never be entirely in control of our lives. So how can Visit us in Sunset Plaza or call 580-297-5089 to get your copy of we turn these limitations into positives then? Cross a bridge when you Meditations for Mortals today!

EASY SUDOKU

12 | JANUARY 2025 | ENID MONTHLY

HARD SUDOKU

Puzzle Answers on Page 25

ENID MONTHLY | JANUARY 2025 | 13

FOCUS

ON

Wellness News from

St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center…Your Health Hub for Northwest Oklahoma

neighbors. We employ highly-skilled physicians at our hospital who provide primary care as well as multiple specialties, including Cardiovascular Services, Neuroscience and Spine Services, Orthopedics, Women’s Health, Behavioral Health, Emergency Medicine, Outpatient Oncology Services, Robotic Surgery, Nephrology, Pulmonology, Urology, ENT, Podiatry and Physical Rehabilitation.

We continue to deliver quality healthcare services that patients recFor over 100 years, St. Mary’s Medical Center has been serving the ommend, physicians prefer and employees are proud of. We are honcommunities of Northwest Oklahoma. We understand how important it ored to be your Health Hub of Northwest Oklahoma, so you can remain is to remain close to home for your healthcare needs. close to home for your healthcare needs.

Being recognized as a top performer in quality with our Leapfrog A It continues to be our privilege to care for you and your family. We score and Best-in-State Hospital 2024 by Newsweek Statista demon- thank you for your trust and appreciate you making St. Mary’s Regional strates our priority in delivering the best medical care available.

Medical Center your hospital of choice.

“We recognize that you have options for your healthcare needs, and that is why it is so important for us to continue educating patients about the quality, compassionate healthcare that we offer here in Northwest Oklahoma,” said St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center CEO Rex Van Meter. “We are committed to offering you advanced technology and best practices close to home.”

St. Mary’s is proud of its robust service lines that are comparable to those offered in the larger hospitals, but with a close-to-home, compassionate approach to care for our community and our surrounding 14 | JANUARY 2025 | ENID MONTHLY

For more information, call 580-233-6100 or visit stmarysregional. com.

St. Mary's Regional Medical Center 305 South 5th Street, Enid, OK 73701 580-233-6100 Physicians are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center. The hospital shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by independent practitioners. For language assistance, disability accommodations and the nondiscrimination notice, visit our website.

ENID MONTHLY | JANUARY 2025 | 15

BY

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Teen SCENE

Broken Stride

career, but I still had a lot of work to do. I was set to run division-one cross-country at one of the top schools in the United States, if I placed first at the state meet.

I had a plan b, just in case the unthinkable happened. I was a fairly smart student with straight A’s and a schedule full of Advanced Placement and Honors classes. My father had always given me the idea of becoming an attorney just like him. This has always stayed in the back of my mind, but I was going to become a nationally known, college, cross-country runner. I have trained my whole life for it and have poured everything I have into being the first to cross that line.

It was late October, the leaves were changing colors, the air was chilly and crisp, and the ground was dry and dull. I had just finished my team's regional meet with an amazing personal record. My best time yet by far! My coach encouraged me saying “You’re peaking at the right time, Sophia.” My teammates were enthusiastic, joyful, and happy about my accomplishments. I was ready to crush the State Meet and finally get a title. But life can change in the blink of an eye.

I don't remember too much about the accident. One minute I was driving home, late, from a football game, the next, a drunk driver’s brights in my eyes. Everything went dark. I startlingly awoke to find myself in a hospital room with my parents holding my hand. Their eyes were puffy and bloodshot; I had never seen them like this. They immediately said I had been in a severe accident with another car. I did not hear them the first time they told me because every inch of my body was screaming in pain. The doctors came soon after I woke up and Broken Stride told me my situation could have been much worse. It did not feel like it I never expected it to end like this. My senior season was gone, though. My knees and shins were shattered, ribs broken, and stitches just like that. All of my hard work was out the door, and my ego was up and down my side like threading on my jerseys. I could not care crushed. Let me start from the beginning. I’ve always been a great less about my injuries though, I only wanted to know if I would ever runner, from the time my parents first put me in a running club at 6 be able to run again. Then came the words that would crush my heart. years old to my high school cross country season. I loved the feeling “You will be able to walk in a handful of months after physical therapy, of my feet pounding on the earth and the rhythm my breath made with but no guarantees on running.” I burst into tears. My escape from realeach step. I was praised for being number three in my state but wasn’t ity, heart and soul, the one thing I loved and my everything, ripped out at the top spot I had worked for my whole life. “First female runner to from underneath me in an instant. ever place at the state meet from Enid High,” read the headlines of every local newspaper in my small town. The attention was everything My teammates, best friends, and coaches came every day to check I had ever dreamed of. It was like this every year of my high school in on me. They brought lots of gifts and flowers as well as good comHey, y'all, and welcome back to Teen Scene in Enid Monthly. This past November, I was tasked with writing a short story for my NOC Composition class about anything you could think of, with the addition of one phrase that my class chose. Our phrase was “I never expected it to end like this.” I wanted to share my story with you, and I hope you enjoy it!!

16 | JANUARY 2025 | ENID MONTHLY

pany and positive, refreshing words. They would say the season was not the same without me and that they were running for me. I needed every nice thing I could get because physical therapy was exhausting mentally, physically, and emotionally. My therapist was very kind, but she did not sugarcoat anything. She told me these next few months are going to be extremely difficult and one of the biggest challenges I would ever face. I was prepared to take on this challenge as I would in tough races. Every step felt like a knife was being stabbed into me, and every movement felt like fire shooting through my body, but with each step, I was also just another inch closer to being able to walk. I could not even think about how long it would be before I would start running again.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. The state meet came quickly, but I tried not to think about it. My teammates placed well. I was really only thinking about what I would have accomplished though. I tried to be happy for them, and it was hard, but how could I not be proud of my biggest support system? I was able to come home a week after the state championship and continue my therapy at home. I slowly was able to start going on walks with the assistance of my dog, Elsa. Then I worked my way to a slow jog. It was painful, but I was close to being able to fully stride my legs to a run. My body was not close to the same as it was months ago, but I did not think it would ever be. My senior year ended quickly and without the state title I worked so hard for, but something more important replaced it. I did not just survive the accident, but everything that came to follow. The disappointment, the pain, and the feeling of being lost. While I may never

get back to being the incredibly talented runner I once was, I realized that was not what defined me. What mattered were the obstacles I had overcome. I would keep running, even if it was not to my full potential, for as long as my legs would let me. Years later, when being sworn into the State Bar Association, I reflected on the dedication I spent on running in high school, the lessons I learned to overcome my injuries, and how I transferred that effort into my future career. While it was not in the original plan, my new dream had come true. _______________

Thank you for reading my short story. I hope you liked it!! If you have any questions, comments, or ideas for upcoming articles email me at tweensceneenid@gmail.com. See you next month!!

ENID MONTHLY | JANUARY 2025 | 17

#Goals

Ready or not, the new year is here! After the hustle and bustle of the holidays, it’s easy to get caught up in the relief of a slow start to a new year. Take the time to refresh, but also take advantage of this time to set up your goals. January is the time for small businesses and entrepreneurs to collect their end of year financial statements and get ready to prepare taxes. It’s not the most fun part of business, but take advantage of this process by examining your Profit & Loss Statement from last year and even the year before. Better yet, look at it for each quarter. Do you notice times where your income wasn’t quite as good as you thought it had been? What about your expense reporting? Evaluate to see if that connection of low income correlates with not spending enough money on marketing and advertising. Make a goal for this year to invest more dollars into marketing yourself so that income doesn’t drop, and your business can continue to grow. This is one example of something to look for, but there is so much more you will see and learn about how your business has been running if you take the time to review the financials.

While you're making goals for the new year, momentumHQ would love to make your list for your business to utilize our space, whether it’s co-working for a day on our First Free Friday each month, attending one of our networking events, or trying out a spin on our bicycle desk to burn calories while you work! We love to meet new people and find ways to help them meet their goals, professionally and personally.

1909 W. Owen K. Garriott | 580-599-1939 communitymanager@momentumHQ.org 18 | JANUARY 2025 | ENID MONTHLY

meetUP Speed Dating is back!

If you’re curious how the first Speed Dating event went in October, let us clear it up for you. It had a GREAT turnout, and the feedback provided by the participants has helped us further develop the event to keep it going. Age groups have been created and dating events will be happening more regularly this year. Spots are limited, so stay in the loop by following us on Facebook and register for your date at momentumHQ.org!

mHQ Member Highlights Cory Boehs: Kool Foam Kool Foam is a successful, established business in Enid that specializes in spray foam insulation services in northwest Oklahoma. Cory has a team and a warehouse building but became a co-working member recently to increase his productivity between job sites with the improved focus that the atmosphere at momentumHQ provides.

Indian Hills Plaza Business Spotlight Model Nails Make self-care a goal for 2025 and start off with a mani and pedi at Model Nails. In fact, you can tackle more than one goal by working at momentumHQ before heading to get your nails done. Bam! That’s a great start to the new year.

ENID MONTHLY | JANUARY 2025 | 19

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Aging Matters

8 Winter Safety Tips for Older Adults Winter can be an especially challenging time for seniors.

Here are 8 easy tips to help older adults stay safe and warm during the cold winter months.

ercises such as leg lifts, sit-to-stands, and using light arm weights (soup cans will work). These light activities will go a long way to keeping fitter (and warmer) during winter months.

5. Keep your kitchen and medicines stocked Winter weather can make it difficult to get to the grocery store, and it could even prevent meals from being delivered to your home.

It’s important to keep your kitchen stocked with at least one week’s 1. Use space heat- worth of food and water. There should also be an abundance of non-perers with caution ishable food that does not require any cooking or refrigeration in case The allure of a you lose power. Make sure to have a manual can opener available in space heater can be case of outages. hard to resist. But these devices are It’s also a good idea to make sure you have an adequate supply of the cause of a majority of fatal house fires. Choose a heater with safety your prescriptions and over-the-counter meds before a storm hits. features including auto shut-off and keep the area around it free from clutter.

6. Keep warm at home Older adults lose body heat much more quickly than younger people.

2. Eat a healthy winter diet Hypothermia can happen right in the safety of your home and sets in Older adults spend more time indoors during the winter months, gradually so often goes unnoticed until it’s too late. See inset for tips which can lead to a Vitamin D deficiency. To reduce this risk, eat a for staying warm at home. wintertime diet rich with milk, orange juice, cheese, egg yolks, grains, and seafood. And stay hydrated! Drink lots of water, broth, and other 7. Keep an emergency kit healthy liquids.

It’s a good idea to keep a winter emergency kit on hand in case a power outage causes you to lose heat or lights. At minimum, include 3. Take fall precautions a flashlight and radio with extra batteries, hand warmers, first aid supFalls are common among older adults and can lead to more seri- plies, and a lighter. And make sure someone close to you has an extra ous health complications. Seniors should wear shoes with non-skid key to your home. soles that offer the necessary amount of traction for winter conditions.

Wear slippers with bottom traction when indoors.

8. Stay connected Winter is a time for seasonal depression, thanks to fewer daylight Avoid going outside until snow and ice have been cleared from walk- hours and decreased social interaction. Depression can cause malnuways and avoid going out after dark when re-freezing is more likely to trition and affect your mental health. occur. Wipe the feet of walking devices such as walkers and canes to prevent moisture from coming indoors.

During winter months, take advantage of opportunities to stay connected with friends and family, as social interaction has been shown to 4. Keep moving combat depression.

Colder weather often keeps elders indoors and inactive which can lead to muscle loss, depression, and increased fall risk. Get up and Set up a daily check-in time with a friend or family member, or even walk around your home several times each day. Practice light chair ex- consider some senior-friendly video calling technology.

20 | JANUARY 2025 | ENID MONTHLY

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Hunters in the Know Take a Doe

To me, being a hunter is also being a wildlife manager at the same time. Population control has its benefit in several different ways.

Think of it this way: a shorter rut will help the bucks live through it and grow bigger antlers, so they don’t have so many does to breed.

Ag depredation is another advantage as well as perhaps fewer auto/ deer collisions. Speaking of, I typically hit 2 or 3 deer a year with my pickup. As such, I bought a grill guard 3 years ago and haven’t hit a deer since. Funny how that works.

If you weren’t aware, you can legally (with license, of course) kill 8 does a year. Six can be taken during the regular season, and then 2 more can be taken during the antlerless holiday season. Think about how much money you’ll save at the grocery store when you kill several does, and if you are like me, you’ll eat backstraps/sticks/sausage for days. I know of a fella that makes cranberry/jalapeno/cheddar sausage, and it’s perhaps the greatest sausage ever. If you are local, maybe you’ve tried it, and if not, maybe I’ll save you a slice. . .

Now go get that bow and take a doe!

Greetings from the blind, friends! As I sit here typing notes on my iPad waiting for a giant buck to walk out (ok not really, I type this as I should be working), I’m reminded of the quote “Hunters in the Know take a doe.” If your lease is like mine, you’ll have what seems like 100 does cruising around throughout the day. I literally have had over a dozen at my feeder at the same time. While we all are waiting for the Boone & Crockett club buck to appear, we need to be more cognizant of alleviating the overabundance of does.

As of the writing of this article, Garfield County sits at 1,073 deer checked in. Of that, 616 have been antlered deer. Think of all of the does you’ve seen, and then try to figure in your head the percentages of does/bucks you’ve seen and realize that over 60% of deer actually taken are antlered.

22 | JANUARY 2025 | ENID MONTHLY

ENID MONTHLY | JANUARY 2025 | 23

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Mental Toughness + Super Defense = Wins When selecting the newest head coach for the Enid High Basketball team, if you wanted experience, it would have been hard to find someone with more experience than forty-six-year Coach Russ Gilmore. He has coached in four different states and several levels of basketball, including stints as head coach at Pryor Creek and Guthrie here in Oklahoma. Gilmore had retired in South Texas, but after a couple of years, he found that he missed coaching and being around young people. He felt that he still had something left to give to a program and wanted to make an impact on kids’ lives, so he started reaching out, and here he is in Enid, Oklahoma.

who has made an impact with not only his size but his skills as well.

“Cashton Mathis has really helped us in the post, even as a freshman,” Gilmore says. He continues with “He has good feet, good hands, and a nice touch around the basket, and it doesn’t hurt he’s the tallest we have for now. We have some help in that department on the way, though, I think.”

Even in a rebuilding year, these kids are working hard and putting it all out there on the Court, and they would love the support of the community at their future games.

Coach Gilmore was somewhat familiar with Enid, so he had an idea that he’d be walking into a program that had some athletes who needed some direction, and that’s what he found in the first days of practice.

With only three Seniors on the 10–11-man Varsity team, they are young and slightly inexperienced, at least in a competitive 6A environment.

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Gilmore is excited that they have a lot of room for improvement and believes he really has something they can build with, and he believes that they can only get better. While they have struggled to find wins, playing their tough schedule has given him an opportunity to see what he has on the team and the chance for the boys to show what they can be. “These tough games can only make us better,” he says. And while the wins haven’t come as quickly as anyone would like, Gilmore believes that the morale is still high and the kids are having fun, and as the season goes on, the improvement will be obvious.

The strengths of the team are athleticism and defense so far, but they have struggled finishing at the rim and shooting the ball. The coach believes that shots will start dropping a little more as the young guys get more experience dealing with the pace and physicality of the talented teams they play.

While he’d like to single out every player, he credits Senior Zyire Allen, a Point Guard, and Junior Julian Jenkins as being some of the strong leaders on the team. “Zyire exudes confidence, which probably comes from having played for a lot of minutes. He’s vocal on the court and gets the kids going,” Gilmore says.

Another struggle this team has is matching up size wise with other large schools, which is why Gilmore is quick to point out a freshman 24 | JANUARY 2025 | ENID MONTHLY

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Closing Time….

Common Fees Associated with Selling Your Home

If you're monitoring the value of your home so you can sell it and reap taxes must also be up to date for sellers before they hand over keys to a worthwhile profit, don’t forget to factor in the closing costs for sellers the buyer. in the sale price.

Title fees Title fees are another to remember when you sell real esA typical seller often estimates that the sale price could be $250,000, tate. In Oklahoma, the buyers and sellers typically split the title fees as which could pay off a $100,000 home loan and reap a $150,000 prof- part of closing costs. The owner’s title insurance protects buyers and it. But before you start counting your profits and debating the size of lenders if there are problems with the title in a real estate deal. the down payment for your next home, it is important to calculate the closing costs paid by the seller. Closing costs for sellers of real estate Attorney fees If you have your own attorney representing you at the vary from location to location, but as the seller, you can expect to pay settlement of your real estate sale, the seller may have to pay attorney anywhere from 6% to 10% of the home’s sale price in closing costs at fees as part of closing costs. In some areas, the buyer pays the attorney settlement. This won’t be cash out of the seller’s pocket; instead, it fees; in others, the seller pays. These services include the title opinion, will be deducted from the profit on your home—UNLESS you are sell- which outlines conditions and requirements to be resolved, as needed, ing with very low equity on your mortgage. In this case, sellers may prior to the sale. need to bring a little cash to the table to satisfy your lender—and some closing costs may Seller costs One of the more significant be held in escrow. Addressed below are the closing costs for sellers at settlement is the most common and consistent closing costs. commission for the real estate agents inThere are others, which is why it is important volved in the transaction. Commission stanto work closely with your realtor and lending dards can vary from state to state and among professionals. brokerages. There are no federal or state laws that set commission rates—meaning the Loan payoff costs Most home sellers often commission can be negotiable. In most casseek out a sales price for their home that will es, it is important to work with a realtor that is pay off their mortgage and satisfy their lendfamiliar with the market in your area and can ers. Your mortgage payoff balance will often discuss options on the best way for you to sell be a little higher than the remaining balance your house. on your mortgage. This is because of lenders’ prorated interest on the mortgage. In some Additional closing costs for sellers Addicases, your lender may require you to pay a prepayment penalty for tional closing costs for sellers of real estate include liens or judgments paying off your mortgage loan before the end of the term. If you have against the property, unpaid homeowners home association dues, proa home equity loan or line of credit, in addition to your mortgage, the rated property taxes, escrow fees, and homeowners’ association dues lender will require this to be paid in full at settlement as part of closing included up to the settlement date. These closing costs for a home sale costs for the seller. BE SURE to talk to your lender about what will be are separate from what buyers pay at closing. Depending on the real required to pay off the mortgage to get the most accurate picture of estate contract, closing costs may also include termite inspection and closing costs. remediation, if necessary, home warranty premium for buyers, and repair bills or a credit to buyers for repairs for items found during a home Transfer taxes or recording fees Transfer taxes, recording fees, and inspection. property taxes are key parts of a seller’s closing costs. Transfer taxes are the taxes imposed by your state or local government to transfer the Before selling your home, be sure you have a complete picture of the title from the seller to the buyer. Transfer taxes are part of the closing charges involved in selling a home so you can make the best decision costs for sellers. Along with transfer taxes and transfer feeds, property on how to move forward.

26 | JANUARY 2025 | ENID MONTHLY

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s ' d i n E E-vents January Events

JANUARY 1 – 4 Holidays on Ice in Downtown Enid (400 S. Independence) Enid’s real ice, outdoor ice skating rink.

9 pm Emo Rave RED (302 E. Maple) 9:30 pm Karaoke Enid Axe (104 N. Independence)

6 pm – 12 am The One: Bright Lights The One Campus (150 W. Park) JANUARY 1 – 5 BAT Express and Mini BAT (400 S. Independence) Army truck and barrel train decorated for Christmas and giving rides.

JANUARY 2 11 am – 12 pm Veterans Coffee Social OK Military History Exhibit (4125 W. Owen K. Garriott) 2:30 – 4:30 Taylor Swift Eras Afterparty (Youth and Teens) Enid Public Library (102 E. Maine) 4:30 – 5:30 D&D (Teens) Enid Public Library (102 E. Maine) 5 – 8 pm Enid Geeks Game Night Springhill Suites Marriott (5815 KL Dr.) 6 – 8 pm Trivia Enid Brewing Co. and Eatery (126 S. Independence)

7:30 pm Singo Settlers Brewing Co. (202 E Randolph)

JANUARY 5 12 pm Baby/Toddler Rave!

RED (302 E. Maple) Family Friendly!

JANUARY 8 3:15 – 4:15 pm Sensory-Friendly Family Day Spirit Express (3104 N. Van Buren) 5:30 pm OSU Alumni Association Meeting Enid Brewing Co. (126 S. Independence)

JANUARY 3 6 pm Live Music: Larry Newsom Enid Brewing Co. (126 S. Independence) JANUARY 4 9 am – 11 am Cardboard Build Enid Public Library (102 E. Maine)

JANUARY 6 10 am – 11 am Baby Time Enid Public Library (102 E. Maine)

11 am-3 pm History Alive!

Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center (507 S. 4th St.) Re-enactment characters portray life at the time of the Cherokee Strip Land Run of 1893

JANUARY 7 6:30 pm Trivia Enid Axe (104 N. Independence)

1 pm – 2 pm Teen Book Club (Coraline) Enid Public Library (102 E. Maine)

28 | JANUARY 2025 | ENID MONTHLY

7 pm NOC-Enid Monthly Planetarium Show NOC-Enid Planetarium (Maine & Hedges)

7:30 pm Trivia Settlers Brewery (202 E. Randolph) JANUARY 9 5 – 8 pm Enid Geeks Game Night Springhill Suites Marriott (5815 KL Dr.) 6 – 8 pm Trivia Enid Brewing Co. (126 S. Independence)

7:30 pm Singo Settlers Brewing Co. (202 E. Randolph)

9 pm Glow in the Dark/ Blacklight Party RED (302 E. Maple)

JANUARY 9 – 11 Basketball: Enid High New Year’s Classic EHS Gymnasium (611 W. Wabash)

9 pm Live Music: Drakon The Spot Sports Pub (417 N. Grand)

JANUARY 10 – 11 Friday 9 am – 6 pm, Saturday 9 am – 5 pm KNID Agrifest Chisholm Trail Expo Center (111 W Purdue) Northwest Oklahoma’s largest farm show!

JANUARY 10 6 pm Live Music: Sean Gallagher Enid Brewing Co. (126 S. Independence) JANUARY 11 1 pm – 2 pm Teen Creative Writing Club Enid Public Library (102 E. Maine)

9:30 pm Karaoke Enid Axe (104 N. Independence) JANUARY 14 4 – 6 pm Sensory-Friendly Family Night Leonardo’s Children’s Museum (200 E. Maple) 6:30 pm Trivia Enid Axe (104 N. Independence) JANUARY 15 7:30 pm Trivia Settlers Brewery (202 E. Randolph)

ENID MONTHLY | JANUARY 2025 | 29

If you would like a free listing for your event, please email robert@enidmonthly.com by the 5th of the month PRIOR to your event! Events are as accurate as possible as of print date. Please see VisitEnid.org for any updates/changes, or scan this QR code.

JANUARY 16 11 am – 12 pm Veterans Coffee Social OK Military History Exhibit (4125 W. Owen K. Garriott)

JANUARY 18 10:00 – 10:30am Caffeinated Co-Pilots Music and Dance Enid Public Library (102 E. Maine)

6 – 8 pm Trivia Enid Brewing Co. (126 S. Independence)

11 am – 3 pm History Alive!

Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center (507 S. 4th St.) Re-enactment characters portray life at the time of the Cherokee Strip Land Run of 1893

7:30 pm Singo Settlers Brewing Co. (202 E. Randolph)

7 pm Live Music: Robert Allen Moose Lodge (302 E. Purdue)

JANUARY 17 – 19 7:30 pm Friday & Saturday, 2 pm Sunday Live Theater: “Pride & Prejudice” Gaslight Theatre (221 N Independence)

9 pm Live Music: Knight Ryder The Spot Sports Pub (417 N. Grand)

5 – 8 pm Enid Geeks Game Night Springhill Suites Marriott (5815 KL Dr.)

JANUARY 17 6 pm Live Music: Lane Haas Enid Brewing Co. (126 S. Independence)

9 pm Hogwarts Party!

RED (302 E. Maple) 9:30 pm Karaoke Enid Axe (104 N. Independence) JANUARY 20 5 – 8 pm Sensory-Friendly Family Night Enid Axe (104 N. Independence) JANUARY 21 6:30 pm Trivia Enid Axe (104 N. Independence)

30 | JANUARY 2025 | ENID MONTHLY

JANUARY 28 6:30 pm Trivia Enid Axe (104 N. Independence) JANUARY 29 7:30 pm Trivia Settlers Brewery (202 E. Randolph) JANUARY 22 Trivia 7:30 pm Settlers Brewery (202 E. Randolph) JANUARY 23 5 – 8 pm Enid Geeks Game Night Springhill Suites Marriott (5815 KL Dr.) 6 – 8 pm Trivia Enid Brewing Co. (126 S Independence) 7:30 pm Singo Settlers Brewing Co. (202 E. Randolph) JANUARY 24 6 pm Live Music: Kaylee Junghanns Enid Brewing Co. (126 S. Independence) 7 pm Comedian AJ Wilkerson Stride Bank Center (302 S. Grand) Mature Audience Recommended

JANUARY 24 – 25 7:30 pm Live Theater: “Pride & Prejudice” Gaslight Theatre (221 N. Independence) JANUARY 25 7 pm Live Music: Bobby Bennett Band Moose Lodge (302 E. Purdue) 9 pm Neon Disco Party RED (302 E. Maple) 9:30 pm Karaoke Enid Axe (104 N. Independence)

JANUARY 30 5 – 8 pm Enid Geeks Game Night Springhill Suites Marriott (5815 KL Dr.) 6 pm Tipsy Artist Class Springhill Suites (5815 KL Dr.) PRE-Registration Required at tipsyartist.com

6 – 8 pm Trivia Enid Brewing Co. and Eatery (126 S. Independence) 7:30 pm Singo Settlers Brewing Co. (202 E. Randolph) JANUARY 31 Basketball: Skordle Basketball Festival Stride Bank Center (302 S .Grand) 6 pm Live Music: Mitch Hayes Enid Brewing Co. (126 S. Independence)

ENID MONTHLY | JANUARY 2025 | 31

NOW SERVING! BY

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Hello friends! January can be a difficult month. The holidays are over, and we're in the middle of winter.

What better way to warm yourself than with an easy, hearty, body and soul warming meal? This month's Now Serving is a warm jambalaya, with the heat level being adjustable. Just want an easy, tasty meal?

Prepare as follows. Want the heat? Add an extra jalapeno, or even a serrano or two, or up the cayenne pepper powder. This recipe serves up to 6.

Now serving, Jambalaya!

Jambalaya Serves up to 6 Ingredients • • • • • • • • • • • • •

4 tbsp olive oil, divided 2 ribs of celery, chopped 1 medium red onion, diced 3 small bell peppers, combination of red, green, yellow, or orange, chopped 1 jalapeno, cored, seeded, and diced 4 cloves of garlic, pressed or minced Salt and pepper 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces One 14oz pkg Smoked sausage, sliced 3 cups chicken broth One 28oz can crushed tomatoes 2 cups long grain rice Homemade Cajun spice blend (see below)

• 1 lb raw shrimp, thawed, deveined, and tail removed • 1 + 1/4 cup okra (optional) • Optional garnishes- sliced green onions and fresh parsley leaves • Cajun spice blend• 1 tsp paprika • 1 + 1/2 tsp sea salt • 1 tsp pepper • 1 tsp dried oregano • 1/4 tsp dried thyme • 1/2 tsp garlic powder • 1/2 tsp onion powder • 1 tsp cayenne pepper (more or less depending on level of spice desired) • 2 bay leaves, if desired

Directions 1. In a large heavy pan with a lid, add two tbsp of olive oil. Add in the celery, bell pepper, onion, jalapeno, and garlic. Sauté the veggies over medium-high heat until tender, approximately four minutes.

2. Meanwhile, sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Add another two tbsp of olive oil to pan with veggies. Fold in the chicken and smoked sausage. Continue to sauté everything until the chicken is almost cooked and no longer pink.

3. Add in the chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, rice, and Cajun seasoning blend. Mix with a wooden spoon to combine all ingredients. Add bay leaves. Cover the pan and lower heat to medium-low. Allow the jambalaya to simmer until the rice is fully cooked and tender, stirring every 5 minutes to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning. Cook for about 25 minutes.

4. Fold in the shrimp and okra. Cover again and allow the shrimp to cook. Once done, remove the bay leaves. Do a taste test and see if you would like any additional salt, pepper, or cayenne pepper.

5. Serve and garnish with green onions and parsley.

32 | JANUARY 2025 | ENID MONTHLY

from the staff of the Enid Monthly!

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