JESSICA SOLES
This month’s Local Legend is Jessica Soles, who works at 4RKids, an organization that is dedicated to advancing opportunities for youth and adults with developmen-
tal disabilities right here in Enid. In her position, Jessica serves as Retail Manager for the Mini Golf and 2nd Story Gift Shop. Located on Overland Trail, the golf and gift shop raise much-needed funds for 4RKids, and Jessica oversees them both.
Originally hailing from the upper Midwest, Jessica has worked at 4RKids since 2021. Coming from a background in retail, working at 4RKids was a new avenue for Jessica. 4RKids has a unique mission, and the environment is one where Jessica’s talents and skills have been able to shine. According to Executive Director Rachel McVay, a large part of what drew Jessica to 4RKids was the mission and being able to help people. McVay said that Jessica “really enjoys working with the clients that we have.” Jessica excels at building relationships with the clients, always encouraging and helping them to “learn new job skills” and work to the very best of their capabilities.
Not only does Jessica manage the retail side of 4RKids, but she also represents the organization in the community. Jessica regularly appears at Enid Chamber
of Commerce events, and she has also been invited to speak at the Enid AM Ambucs civic club. McVay said that Jessica “does networking for us…when new businesses come to town to help them know who we are and how we can maybe support them…she definitely has a charitable heart.”
Like everyone featured in this column, Jessica would never call herself a Local Legend. In truth, though, that sense of humility and genuine selfless nature are the qualities that make her one. McVay said, “Jessica is a workhorse. She will put in tons of hours to make sure something is completed, and she doesn’t ever ask for credit or want recognition. She just wants to do a really good job and then fly under the radar.”
When you take your kids (or just yourself!) to play mini golf, they might want to grab some popcorn or maybe a snow cone. When you visit the 2nd Story Gift Shop, you will see all the artfully arranged home décor items, shirts, and many other neat things. And when you eat that tasty snow cone or purchase that trendy tumbler, you can smile, knowing that everything is made possible thanks to a wonderful team of 4RKids clients and their phenomenal team leader, Jessica Soles. And that’s truly what makes her this month’s Local Legend.
BLAK E REESE
And just like that, summer is coming to an end! Forgive me if I seem a bit excited, I’m eagerly anticipating the cooler days… However, with August comes back to school, back to work, and back to life. Whether you’re preparing your kids for school, yourself for work, or whatever else that life demands of you, it’s safe to say that none of us are a stranger to failure, especially around this busy time of the year. National Failures Day is August 15th, so for this month’s cover story, we chose to discuss failures and what that may look like right here in Enid and in our day to day lives. We’ve all heard the phrase “April showers bring May flowers,” and most of us have had our own interpretations and feelings about that phrase. However, the fact of the matter is that without lows, there would be no highs, and without failures, there would be no success. As Jeremy Hise stated in the cover story, “Failure is not a stop sign!” No matter how defeating failing may feel, everything happens for a reason. When failing, the important thing to remember is don’t repeat the same mistakes – learning from your failures is what will amount to success. Failure is a part of life. Even the people you look up to in this world have failed, so the next time you’re feeling down and like a failure, keep in mind the only way to go from a low place is up.
BY A LITA FEEK
FAILURE STOP SIGN IS NOT A
ENID LOCALS SHARE WHAT FAILURE LOOKS LIKE TO THEM AND HOW THEY OVERCAME IT
It was Thomas Edison who famously said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Edison’s pithy quote reflects a quintessentially American perspective—that at its most basic, failure can be nothing more than a steppingstone on the road to success. In more modern times, American business leaders, such as the late Steve Jobs, speak openly about failures and how they ultimately lead to success. In the United States, we celebrate National Failures Day on August 15. It is a little-known holiday but a fascinating one because who among us hasn’t experienced failure at one point or another?
Here in Enid, most of us are not famous inventors or business leaders. But one thing is clear: like the Edisons and Jobs of the world, we can learn from our mistakes and setbacks. And we can use what we learn to move forward and get one step closer to success. Whatever “success” might look like—baking a cake, taking a
test, starting a business, or recovering from a mistake at work—the simple truth is that people want to succeed. But it is not always an easy process, so to learn more, we recently sat down with several professionals right here in Enid to get their insights on using setbacks as tools to achieve success.
OVERCOMING ORGANIZATIONAL SETBACKS
Local business owner Kristin Campbell knows a thing or two about overcoming hardships. When she opened Connected Wellness in 2017, there were no guarantees on whether the Enid community would embrace holistic healing and natural paths to wellness. “There were a lot of fears that I had to overcome in my own mindset—like, is this really going to work?” said Kristin. The gamble paid
off, and since then, she and a dedicated team of practitioners have served Enid residents with a variety of therapies such as reiki and acupressure.
One of Kristin’s favorite ways to help clients is through life coaching. No two clients are the same, and the coaching process is completely customizable. Kristin explained, “What you may come in here for and what you may need is different than the four other clients that I worked with today. So, that’s really the beauty of it, meeting people exactly where they are. There’s no cookie cutter approach.”
When Covid hit, Kristin had to adjust. Like businesses everywhere, she found herself asking, “Are we going to be able to keep going?” In the turbulence of 2020, Kristin had to dig deep and “just kind of buckle down and make it happen.” She credits two things with making this possible. One was the tangible, critical financial planning that allowed her to keep the business afloat. But equally critical was the intangible sense of purpose and mission that drove her to open Connected Wellness in the first place. For Kristin, finding a way forward was a matter of both hard work and mindset.
Another individual who knows about finding a way forward is Kelli Osburn, Executive Director at Making a Difference (MAD). Nestled in the shadow of the majestic Bivins Chapel on the campus of Northern Oklahoma College, MAD is a dedicated group of professional counselors who are making a big difference in Enid. They help people through several different avenues: private counseling, programs for children and youth, and services for college students. It is “a pretty well-rounded organization at this point,” said MAD Ex-
ecutive Director Kelli Osburn, who said that the client base ranges in age from young children to senior citizens.
Back in 2012, MAD was struggling to find a permanent home. The road was not an easy one: deals fell through, and finances were challenging. Looking back, Kelli said, “It was heartbreaking. I was done, and [former director] Justin—there were periods when he was done. I kept pushing us forward, and there were times that he kept pushing us forward.” Eventually MAD secured their current location at NOC, and they officially opened their doors in the new space in November 2023. It was a win for MAD, but it has also been a win for NOC. Students at the college can see MAD staff, and counselor Brittany Juliano does campus presentations on topics such as dating violence.
IT TAKES A VILLAGE
If you have ever been a student in a classroom, you know that it’s not always a walk in the park. From middle school math to college English, there are going to be times when things just don’t work as planned. For students at Northern Oklahoma College, located at the east end of Enid, bumps in the road do not mean the end of the road, thanks to NOC’s robust support system. Vice President of NOC Enid, Jeremy Hise, shared how the college helps students who are encountering difficulties, saying that “First of all, we need to identify what’s the challenge. You know, are you going to class? If the answer to that is ‘No,’ then I’ve got a good idea of where to start. We try to look at the situation and analyze what is the challenge because until you can identify the challenge, it’s difficult to come up with a successful path forward.”
NOC has a whole team of staff and faculty who are ready to help the struggling student, and one thing that Jeremy and his colleagues try to do is ensure that students actually know that help exists. Hise described their approach to incoming first-year students
as “You have a team of people here who are willing to help you, and if you don’t know, you have to be willing to ask. And that’s what we try to instill in them. Hopefully…they will take away that there are people here that care about you and want you to be successful and are willing to help you.”
A core theme throughout our conversation is that learning and overcoming challenges is not just about the classroom. Jeremy stressed that for students, instructors want to instill the message that “This is about lifelong learning…. in the process of learning college algebra, which you may or may not ever use again in your life, we’re still developing critical thinking skills that are going to be transferrable to other aspects of your life.”
One story that Jeremy proudly related was that of Hector Ramirez. “One of the first young men that I ever coached… he had his baseball cleats held together with duct tape,” recalled Jeremy. “He was the first person in his family to have ever gone to college, and now he has his doctorate and is a superintendent—I
mean, I’ve got goosebumps telling you about it!” Hector went from duct tape to a doctorate, a living testament to his own hard work and the support of professors and coaches at NOC.
Staff at MAD also work hard to help clients develop their own systems of support, whether it is through improving interpersonal relationships or connecting with community-based resources. “When I was down, Justin picked me up…and we are constantly trying to link up clients to some type of social support system, because really, that support is just invaluable,” explained Kelli.
One way that MAD accomplishes this goal is through its signature program, the Micro Learning Center. The Learning Center supports students who are engaged in home-based learning through Epic Charter Schools, Enid Public Schools, or the curriculum of their choice. The program is intentionally kept small and cultivates a personalized learning environment, serving students who can benefit from a bit of extra guidance. Not only does MAD offer a structured, sensory-friendly environment for students to do their schoolwork, they also strive to equip youth with the tools of resilience. “We do field trips. We have music lessons and will have art lessons starting in the fall….it is an atmosphere where these students are able to develop friends and interact. These kids are able to develop that social support system in a very small environment with just a small number of kids, and I think it's been hugely beneficial,” said Kelli. Helping kids and others forge their social support network is one of
the core goals at MAD, and the supportive environment has been successful. Kelli reported that “I think every single student passed all their classes for this last full semester that we did…and we got three of them to graduation, two of which were not planning to graduate at all.”
TEACHING PEOPLE TO FISH
You have probably heard the saying, “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.” In their own unique ways, everyone we spoke with integrated that theme through their work. The idea is that by equipping people with the tools to work through setbacks and learn from mistakes, they are being set up for success down the road.
Regardless of whether they are working with children, senior citizens, or college students, the overall goal at MAD is empowering people with the tools to overcome whatever challenges they might encounter. “It’s not like resilience is something we’re just born with,” said Brittany. “I don’t know how many times I’ve sat across from people that have just been knocked down in
their lives, and we just say, ‘Okay, and what were your successes in that? You got knocked down a lot, but man, look what you’re doing today.’ And we just keep pushing that forward.”
This sentiment was echoed by Jeremy, who works in administration but also has a background in baseball coaching and classroom teaching. He has always worked to instill resilience in his students, saying that “Learning how to deal with failure and learning how to overcome and persevere and have some resilience—that’s an important part of this whole process…it goes beyond a classroom. It goes beyond just a playing field.” You can fail at something—indeed, at some point in their lives, everyone on earth has probably failed at one thing or another—but it’s what you do with that failure that counts. To that end, one thing that Jeremy has always tried to make clear to his student-athletes is that “Failure is not a stop sign!”
Like Brittany at MAD, Kristin also strives to give clients the tools to help themselves. She emphasizes that one of her favorite strategies to teach clients is something she calls the “Six Points of Power.” Essentially, it is a series of cognitive steps a person can take that equips them to reframe their struggles into manageable chunks. Starting with how a person thinks about themselves and expanding to their relationships with other people, Kristin said that it is a good process that “gives people different ideas, different ways to think about something, different ways to communicate in their key relationships in life, and different ways to promote work-life balance.”
COMMUNITY
If you are reading this and are left wondering how you can apply some of this to your own life, start small. Explore some of the many ways to get involved in the Enid community; there is something for almost every interest. Enid has performing arts organizations (Enid Symphony Orchestra, Gaslight Theatre); community service groups (AMBUCS, Loaves & Fishes, Enid Street Outreach Services); regional heritage (Cherokee Strip Heritage Museum, Main Street Enid); rescue organizations (ESPCA, Animal Welfare); and educational (Enid Public Library, Leonardo’s Children’s Museum). These and many other opportunities exist right here in town, and they all accept volunteers. Not only do these organizations strengthen the community as a whole, but for those who volunteer with them, they offer a great way to forge interpersonal relationships and strengthen social ties.
Finally, if you are reading this and thinking that you or someone you know might benefit from a little supportive boost in life, please do not be afraid to reach out. Mistakes and setbacks are a fundamental part of life, but fortunately for Enid residents, there are many resources available to help them navigate turbulent waters. According to Google, there are over 20 businesses and organizations right here in Enid that offer some kind of counseling services. To this end, Kelli explained that sometimes there is a bit of misapprehension surrounding the idea of professional counseling. “Don’t let the stigma of mental health stop you from reaching out to a counselor. Therapy does not [mean that] you’re crazy,” she wanted to reassure readers. “You don’t have to be in therapy for your whole life but have [therapy for] those seasons where it’s just a little more difficult… you can move through it with a healthy perspective rather than getting stuck.”
FOCUS ON Wellness News from
Head Back to School Healthy: Vaccinating Kids and Teens
The start of school is an exciting time of year for students and families. As students go back to school, it is important that they are up to date on their immunizations.
Rebecca D. Lewis, DO, FACOFP, family medicine physician with St. Mary’s Physician Associates, talks about the importance of vaccines and the ones that should be given prior to the beginning of school.
Why are vaccinations important?
Vaccinations protect students from diseases and help keep them healthy. Ontime vaccinations help provide immunity before children are exposed to potentially life-threatening diseases. Vaccines are tested to ensure that they are safe and effective for children to receive at the recommended ages.
What vaccinations does my child require?
• School age: kindergarten vaccinations for ages 4-6 include: DTap (which is diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis [whooping cough] booster), polio and 2nd doses of MMRV or measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (chickenpox).
• Prior to entering 7th grade or for ages 11-12: Tdap (tetanus booster and pertussis) and first dose of Meningitis vaccination (MenACWY).
• Ages 11-16: eligible for HPV vaccination (Gardasil). The second dose of meningitis (MenACWY) and the first dose of a second meningitis vaccine (MenB) are available at 16 and highly recommended for any child that will be in a large group situation such as staying in dorms, and team sports.
• Annual flu vaccinations are important and typically available September of each year.
• Please talk to your child’s physician about the vaccinations that are recommended for your child.
What are the recommendations for the COVID vaccine for children?
For the best protection, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends COVID-19 vaccines for everyone 6 months and older. A COVID-19 vaccine and booster, updated to the most common strain of the virus that causes COVID-19, might prevent your child from getting the COVID-19 virus or becoming seriously ill or hospitalized due to COVID-19. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine can help your child more safely participate in sports and other group activities too.
Does insurance cover vaccinations?
Most insurances cover scheduled vaccinations. If you don’t have health insurance, or if it does not cover vaccines, there are programs that may offer financial help.
To make an appointment with a St. Mary’s Physician Associates provider online, visit stmarysphysicianassociates.com. For physician referral assistance, call 580-599-6391.
For language assistance, disability accommodations and the nondiscrimination notice, visit our website.
Rebecca D. Lewis, DO, FACOFP
Teen SCENE
BYSOP H I A FAULK Youth Leadership Greater Enid Summer Camp - Part 2
Hey Y’all!! And welcome back to part 2 (of 3) of my YOUTH LGE Summer Camp series!!
I hope you enjoyed Part 1, and if I haven’t convinced you to encourage you or your teen to apply for YLGE yet, then I hope after reading this, you will! Let’s get started!
Day 2 started with grubbing on an amazing breakfast at Barnstormers at Woodfring Airport. One of my favorite things about camp was the amazing meals we received for all 3 meals of the day. We had a special guest speaker talk to us over breakfast about financial literacy. We learned about the specifics of credit & debit cards, bank accounts, budgeting, and lots more. Now I know that might sound boring, but it was genuinely so educational, and I came out of it knowing so much more about finances than I would probably ever learn in school.
After breakfast, the airport owner talked to us about how he got to the position of ownership and a little bit about the planes and customers. Then, we went to tour ASIC, where a bunch of employees fix up crashed airplanes or just do some repairs and painting. We watched them cut through the metals with a fascinating and expensive water saw. We then took a trip across town to the famous Vance Air Force Base. I have
toured the base multiple times, so most of the opportunities we got to do and see I’d already done and saw, BUT all of my classmates really enjoyed the whole experience since it was their first time. We got to do flight simulators and test our instincts by being blindfolded and spun in a chair having to guess which way we were spinning. One of my peers and I got to do another simulation where we sat in the nose of an airplane, and as it spun, we had to “fly” it by only seeing our flight map and screen. It was an awesome experience. They invited us to eat lunch at the clubhouse on base, which had very tasty food, and we had great conversations with a few of the trainees.
it so much. I have a big soft spot for less fortunate children, and the way they help these kids makes me so happy.
After Y&FS, we went a little bit outside of town to an amazing place called “Benny’s Barn”. What they do is horse therapy and teach kids and adults how to ride horses. Horse therapy helps disabled and abused people get better and more comfortable with everyday life. While riding a horse, you go through a lot of everyday motions. Benny’s also holds soccer tournaments for the kids to have a safe space, with others like them, to have fun and be normal! I loved coming here and seeing all of the beautiful horses and the opportunities they give to our community.
Our last stop was GSP Health. This stop was very short because I feel like there was not much for us to do at a clinic, but the new building was very pretty, and it was nice, clean, and a good stop before dinner.
After that exciting tour, we got to see the BTS of EPD and EFD. At the EPD, they have a shooting simulator that the deputies practice on with realistic guns powered by air, and we all got to try it!! I didn’t do very well because my reaction time is terrible, but it was really cool.
Our first non-profit of the day was Youth & Family Services. We got a complete tour of the building and even the living area, which was one of my favorite things from the whole camp. What they do really inspired me, and I loved
To end our night, we had an Etiquette Dinner at the Country Club. We learned so much - like how to sit in your chair properly, which utensils to use, how to cut steak the right way, the rules of the table, and so much more. The food was 10/10 and 100% my favorite meal all week. It included 4 courses and a delicious and refreshing Shirley Temple.
Thank You for reading this month's article. I hope you enjoyed it. If I still haven’t convinced you about YLGE, then come back next month for the last part of this series. It is my duty and mission for all of you who are eligible to apply!! I hope you have an amazing August!! Bye for now <33
Adult Book Review
Reviewed by Chloe Fuksa, Putnam Six Bookstore
The Secret Hours
Author: Mick Herron
If you’ve ever wondered, yes, booksellers are human – we fall into reading slumps too. Lately I just haven’t been as motivated to pick up a book or stick with one. So, I turned to my tried-and-true remedy to break out of the rut: a spy thriller. The Secret Hours, by author Mick Herron, is out this month in paperback and is part-standalone, part-prequel in the Slough House series. While it doesn’t have the short, snappy chapters that I had in mind, the opening scene is certainly a thrilling enough hook and the deeply dry humor kept me going throughout.
The Secret Hours has two timelines, one of present day MI5 in Britain and one of Berlin shortly after the Wall came down. In the first, two civil servants have been tasked with Monochrome, an inquiry to find any misconduct in the Secret Service’s history. The mission seems to be going nowhere at all until someone anonymously leaks an important case file. When a witness is called to testify, she recounts what happened in Berlin all those years ago, when an agent’s cover was blown and an operation went very wrong.
In typical fashion, this spy thriller is full of code names and secret identities and falsified records. I felt a little lost for much of the book, meeting all the different characters but having no clue how they were connected. Readers’ patience will be rewarded by the end, though, because it’s brilliant when all the pieces come together. Herron has created such a sharp, entertaining world with the most memorable characters, and I’m really excited now to go back and start the series from the beginning.
Visit us in Sunset Plaza or call 580-297-5089 to get your copy of The Secret Hours today!
EASY SUDOKU HARD SUDOKU
Young Adult Book Review
Reviewed by Chloe Fuksa, Putnam Six Bookstore
City Spies
Author: James Ponti
I know I have previously reviewed Spy School by Stuart Gibbs, so this month I turned to the other popular series in the genre: City Spies, by James Ponti. The first book in this series came out in 2020 and is suited for children aged 8-12. Whereas Spy School takes place in the realm of the CIA, City Spies involves the MI6 program in Britain.
Sara is a twelve-year-old girl living in a foster home in Brooklyn when she gets arrested for hacking into the NYC juvenile justice system. She is just about to be sentenced to juvie when a secret agent recruits her to instead join his team – at a castle in Scotland! There, she meets four other kids like herself, each with a different specialty. Kat, for
instance, is a genius at cryptography, while Rio is a master at sleight-of-hand skills. Their first mission together is to protect an asset who is headlining a youth summit in Paris. When two people are found dead in the river, though, and a vial of a deadly virus goes missing shortly before the conference, the team must act quickly to protect everyone in attendance.
While I thought all the characters were fantastic and the friendships that develop between each of them were beautiful, I did think the final climactic scenes were a little weak, a little too lite on the action. But I could see where that would happen in the first book of a series, where the characters need to be developed and the foundation needs to be established. It was still a very enjoyable read though, and a really quick read at that, so I would definitely be intrigued enough to read the next book in the series and see where the characters travel to next!
Visit us in Sunset Plaza or call 580-297-5089 to get your copy of City Spies today!
Coming Attractions
Rising Voices
One of Enid’s cultural gems is the Enid Symphony Orchestra. While the ESO has been around in one form or another since 1905, it was just last year that they celebrated their “Silver Season,” which marked the 25th anniversary of the renovation of the Joan Allen Symphony Hall. As the orchestra heads into the 2024-2025 season, aptly named “Rising Voices,” the series promises to be an epic one. There are six main shows planned between September 2024 and April 2025, with the Edward Jones “Harvest Wine” series taking place in August.
The August schedule consists of four smaller, intimate shows designed to showcase individual artists. Executive Director Victoria ‘Tori’ Moreira said, “The cool thing about Harvest Wine is it’s not usually classical music,” and this year’s slate promises to deliver a fun, eclectic range of music. Artists scheduled to perform include a local indie folk singer-songwriter, a jazz trio, a Broadway cabaret duo, and an opera tenor.
Kicking off the official start of the season is the September 14th concert, which will highlight women composers, including Lili Boulanger, Vítězslava Kaprálová, and Florence Price. “We’re calling it ‘Rising Voices’ because the composers of this concert, a lot of them were women who died very young, and it makes you wonder what kinds of songs they would have written had they lived longer,” explained Moreira.
Guests are encouraged to bring their young ones to the October show, which will feature Prokofiev’s beloved classic Peter and the Wolf, along with Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite. The Sunday after Thanksgiving, the symphony will perform its traditional holiday concert, this year featuring vocalist Joan Allison, who “specializes in jazz, blues, music
from the 40s and 50s…we’re going to be doing a bunch of holiday hits that she’s going to sing with the orchestra,” said Moreira.
In February, audiences will be treated to a romantic concert that includes the Carmen Fantasy and the Romeo & Juliet Suite, with flutist Juliana Overmier at the helm. Finally, the season will conclude on April 12, with a concert aptly named “Transcendence.” The performance will feature Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 and Roger Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis.
Now in her second year as Executive Director, Moeira is looking forward to the road ahead for ESO. She and Artistic Director Douglas Newell are especially excited about continuing to forge relationships with other organizations in Enid. Last year, for example, ESO worked with Enid Public Schools in bringing Carnegie Hall’s “Link Up” program to elementary students. ESO also hosted a group from Leonardo’s Children’s Museum, where “we had them come in, and we’d play a bunch of toy instruments, and it was awesome,” said Moeira. This year, she and Newell wanted to figure out how to do something in connection with animals, and so at the October concert, ESO will be hosting the Enid SPCA. “We’re doing an adoption event with the SPCA in our parking lot the morning of the concert, because it’s all animal themed!”
Moeira encourages everyone to come experience the ESO. “We really want these concerts to be an experience, an evening out. Our box office and bar open at 6:30. People can check in for concerts and have a drink, and then the concerts start at 7:30, and they’re about an hour long. And then we have the reception afterwards.” Season and individual tickets are available at the Enid Symphony office or at www.enidsymphony.org
Life is Back in Session
As August rolls around, it marks the beginning of the end of summer. Kids gear up for a new year of school, sports, and other extracurricular activities. Parents get back into a routine of a consistent schedule for work-life balance (cue taxi mode!) Corporations tend to increase marketing efforts and set tall goals for third quarter initiatives. People, in general, regain a sense of control over their lives as fall approaches to complete their annual ambitions before the year ends in the upcoming months. So, why not use this time to utilize momentumHQ as a tool to help connect these dots for your business? Take advantage of our summer deal by joining with a member fee of $50 in August!
The Flex Space at momentumHQ is the perfect space to host a large event, class, or training session as you regroup your business’s fall goals. One of our members has hosted a series of classes teaching skills on website development and SEO strategies. Other members have created a monthly networking group: The Working Women Breakfast Club. A Business Book Club
was introduced in July and will be held on the third Thursday of each month in this space. On August 23rd, we will host a Friday Night Football Ladies Night: a basic introduction to America’s game for women who want to learn more about the sport. This class will highlight the positions of all players and general rules of the game for moms, grandmas, and wives to better understand what it is that makes this game so exciting each fall. Tailgate finger foods will be provided and those who attend are encouraged to wear their favorite team apparel. Register at www.momentumHQ.org today for a chance to win door prizes!
Do you have an idea of a group you’d like to begin? Maybe a class you’d like to host monthly or quarterly? Let momentumHQ provide a space for your sessions as well as marketing to help spread the word! Learn more at www.momentumHQ.org or drop in at 1909 W. Owen K. Garriott.
mHQ Member Highlights
This company’s home office is based in Moore, OK. The recent storms created an opportunity for them to expand into the northwest region of our state, and they found their Enid office at momentumHQ was a perfect fit for their business. As a roofing contractor, their staff is primarily in the field, but their project managers needed a place to call “office” to conduct necessary paperwork and coordinate professional phone calls with insurance companies for their clients. momentumHQ was able to fill that need by providing desks to fit their 3 project managers in a shared office space at an affordable rate where they can conduct their business successfully.
Indian Hills Plaza Business Spotlight
Midwest Music is ready to help your student prepare their instrument for the upcoming school year. Whether your student is new to band or orchestra and needs to purchase their instrument to start practicing right away or if your child already has an instrument in need of repair or tuning, Midwest Music is the best place to fill your musical needs. Located at the west end of the shopping center, stop in and let the professionals get you set up for the new school year!
Ricochet Roofing
Pride Summer School PLAINS of the “Live the Creed"
Summer Camp
While lots of students are at the swimming pool, or on vacation, several Enid High Athletic teams ventured out of state to attend team camps to get better, bond, and have some fun.
Football
Coach Cameron Conder took the Enid High Football Team to Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas in June. “We took about 70 guys up there to a college camp, which they were really excited about. We thought it would be good to get them away from the local camps and see some other teams we don’t usually see (and keep some teams from seeing us),” said Conder. “Also, we thought an overnight camp would be cool so the team could get a little taste of university life, staying in the dorms and eating in the cafeteria. Some of our kids are getting recruited by Emporia too, so it was good to get them in front of their coaches so they could see a little bit more of them. It was a great experience. We haven’t been on a team camp like this in several years, so we really appreciate the booster club making it happen for us.”
Volleyball
For first year head coach Valerie Francisco, getting the kids to camp was not only about improvement in the varsity team, but the program overall. “This is the first year we have been able to take the whole team, including the freshmen and JV, and 29 girls attended,” said Francisco. “We are really trying to build the program, and it was really cool to see the team bonding that happened, especially between the seniors and the younger kids.”
The camp they attended was at Wichita State University and had about 30 other teams participate. The team stayed two nights in a nearby hotel and was paid for by fundraising the team did. “The camp really wore the girls out. In the morning, we watched drills set up by the college coaches and teams, and then we went off to practice them on our own. The coaches would come by and offer tips and make sure
we were doing them correctly, then we scrimmaged in the afternoon. We split up into 3 teams for the scrimmages, and each team got about 12 matches over the three days. It was also cool that some college coaches got to see the girls compete, which has led at least one college (Friends University) to attend our scrimmages. It was an awesome experience and got me really excited for the season since we got to see our new offense in action. We have the ability to be really good!” said Fransisco.
Cross Country
Cross Country Coach Justin DeClerck’s desire to take the team to camp was born out of getting to go to camp as an individual when he ran in high school. “I got to go to camps when I was in high school, but not as a team. I really wanted to give the kids the opportunity to do it during high school as a team.” Seventeen from the boy’s team and one from the girl’s team were able to go to University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, Arkansas. DeClerck was not named the girls coach until the school year ended so did not have as much time to encourage and recruit girls to the camp this year. “If I had six months to plan like I did for the boys, we would have had a lot more girls go,” says DeClerck, “but we still wanted to give them the opportunity.”
The four-day camp consisted of running, of course, but also a lot of classroom time that focused on different topics such as nutrition, training, recruiting, biomechanics of running, and how many opportunities are out there, not just D-1.
“By getting away, having fun, and team building, we accomplished all that I wanted to and am really glad we went,” said DeClerck.
BYMOLLY NICHOLAS
RE al Life
Home Maintenance… A Little Goes a Long Way
Whether you're new to homeownership or you're a seasoned pro looking to sharpen your skills, these tasks are worth getting to know. While you might already be familiar with a few of these home improvement projects, whether resetting a breaker or changing an air filter, others might be new to you. In fact, you might not even realize some of the items on this list should be maintained (sorry in advance for changing your weekend plans).
Stop a Running Toilet – Over time, a toilet's water line may begin to run continuously, leading to higher water usage. To fix a running toilet, start by determining why the toilet is running. The problem could be due to an overflow tube that's too short, the water level could be set too high, the flush valve chain could be too short, the flapper could be worn or warped, or the flush and fill valves could need replacing.
Reset a Tripped Breaker – To reset a breaker, locate your electrical panel and identify the tripped breaker. It will be the breaker with a
switch that isn't fully on. To reset the tripped breaker, move the switch fully to the "off" position, then return it to the "on" position.
Clean a Dryer Vent – Better Homes and Gardens reports that according to US Fire Administration, clothes dryers cause about 2,900 house fires each year, and about a third of those result from a failure to clean the dryer. One task in particular that is often forgotten is to clean the dryer vent. This essential home maintenance task should be completed at least once each year.
Change/Clean HVAC Filters – Depending on the type of filter, your HVAC filter could need replacing every 30 days. Additionally, if you have pets, that number could reduce to every 20 days. To keep your HVAC system running efficiently all year long, check your filter guides to see how often to replace them. And if your HVAC system utilizes reusable filters, be sure to clean them as recommended.
Replace a Shattered Lightbulb – Sure, everyone knows how to change a lightbulb, but what about a broken bulb? Sometimes, old lightbulbs separate from their bases, while others simply shatter. You can safely remove the threaded portion by turning off the power at the breaker and unscrewing it using needle-nose pliers.
Other tasks that require a bit more instruction, but are equally important to maintaining your home, include repairing loose door hinges, snaking a drain, changing door locks, checking and maintaining your HVAC system on a regular basis, cleaning the guttering, and repairing and replacing window screens.
A little effort goes a long way with these simple maintenance tasks. In addition, following these easy suggestions will help mitigate costly repairs and keep your home looking and functioning as it should.
CROSSWORD PUZZLE FOUND ON PAGE 17
PUZZLE ANSWERS
EASY
SUDOKU FOUND ON PAGE 16
HARD SUDOKU FOUND ON PAGE 16
AUGUST 1
11 am – 12 pm
Veterans Coffee Social
OK Military History Exhibit (4125 W. Owen K Garriott)
5 – 8 pm
Enid Geeks Game Night
Springhill Suites Marriott (5815 KL Dr.)
6 – 8 pm
Trivia
Enid Brewing Co. (126 S. Independence)
7 pm
NOC Enid Planetarium
Show
NOC Enid Mackie Planetarium
7:30 pm
Singo
Settlers Brewing Co. (202 E. Randolph)
AUGUST 2
FREE Coworking Day & Open House
Momentum HQ (1909 W. Garriott)
2 pm – Close
Grand Opening
The Spot Sports Pub (417 N. Grand)
Prize Drawings, Giveaways, A Fuego Food Truck, Hidden Agenda @ 9 pm
6 – 9 pm
First Friday Downtown Enid
6 – 9 pm
Backpack Giveaway
Block Party RED (302 E. Maple)
Dunk tanks, food trucks, sno cones, face painting and more!
6 pm
Live Music: Scott Ryan & The Devilish Folk
Enid Brewing Co. (126 S. Independence)
AUGUST 3 – 4
Saturday: 10 am-6 pm
Sunday: 10 am-4 pm
Enid Comic Con
Stride Bank Center (302 S. Grand)
AUGUST 3
8 am
23rd Annual Warrior
Golf Tournament
Benefiting Tiffani Gallagher Pheasant Run Golf Course (1702 Club House Dr.)
8 am – 12 pm
Rowdy Stickhorse Farmers Market Rowdy Stickhorse (626 S. Hoover)
11 am – 3 pm
History Alive! Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center (507 S. 4th St.)
Enid's Enid's E-vents E-ventsE-vents
August Events
2 – 4 pm
Doggie Dip
Champlin Swimming Pool (400 W. Cherokee)
6:30 – 10:30 pm
Main Street Enid Awards & 30th Anniversary Bash
Stride Bank Center
Grand Ballroom (301 S. Independence)
7 pm
Live Music: Knight Ryder
Chicarro’s Happy’s Place (3030 N. Grand)
7:30 pm
Auto Racing at Enid Speedway: Sooner Late Model Series
Enid Speedway (312 E. Oxford)
9 pm
Throwback to the 90’s Theme Party RED (302 E. Maple)
9:30 pm
Karaoke
Enid Axe (104 N. Independence)
9:30 pm
Live Music: Treske feat.
VenomStayDrippin
Club Icon (120 W. Randolph)
AUGUST 6
6:30 pm
Trivia
Enid Axe (104 N. Independence)
6 – 8 pm
Trivia
Enid Brewing Co. (126 S. Independence)
7:30 pm
Singo
Settlers Brewing Co. (202 E. Randolph)
AUGUST 9
8:30 am
Working Women
Breakfast Club
7 pm
Live Music: Riley
Jantzen
Enid Symphony Center (301 W. Broadway)
AUGUST 7
3:15 pm – 4:15 pm
Sensory-Friendly
Family Day
Spirit Express (3104 N. Van Buren, Bldg. B)
7:30 pm
Trivia
Settlers Brewing Co. (202 E. Randolph)
AUGUST 8
5 – 8 pm
Enid Geeks Game Night
Springhill Suites Marriott (5815 KL Dr.)
Momentum HQ (1909 W. Garriott)
6 pm
Live Music: Larry Newsom
Enid Brewing Co. (126 S. Independence)
7 – 9 pm
Live Music: Gus Burns
Cherokee Strip Regional
Heritage Center (507 S 4th St.)
9 pm
Live Music: Backstage Pass
RED (302 E. Maple)
AUGUST 10
8 am – 12 pm
Rowdy Stickhorse
Farmers Market
Rowdy Stickhorse (626 S. Hoover)
8 am – 12 pm
Mo’s Market
Downtown Waukomis (121 S. Main)
9 am – 12 pm
Enid Cars & Coffee Blazes BBQ (1002 W. Willow)
10 am – 2 pm
Sunset Plaza Second Saturday
Sunset Plaza (610 S. Cleveland)
10 am – 5 pm
Back to School Bash
Leonardo’s Children’s Museum (200 E. Maple)
10 am – 12 pm
Pink Party (A Barbie Inspired Event)
Gathered Event Rentals (223 S. 30th)
$25 per kid, Cowgirl Meet and Greet, Photo Ops, Cupcakes and Bounce Houses!
6:30 pm
Martial Combat League
Stride Bank Center (302 S. Grand)
7 pm
Live Music: Robert Allen
Chicarro’s Happy’s Place (3030 N. Grand)
8 pm
Live Music: Dually Noted
Moose Lodge (302 E. Purdue)
9:30 pm
Karaoke
Enid Axe (104 N. Independence)
AUGUST 13
4 – 6 pm
Sensory-Friendly
Family Nights
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.
7:30 pm
Turpin Tunes
Gaslight Theatre (221 N. Independence)
AUGUST 16 – 18
2 – 4 pm
6:45 – 9 pm
Marquis Crossing Ladies Society’s First Attempt at Murder
Leonardo’s Children’s Museum (200 E. Maple)
6:30 pm
Trivia
Enid Axe (104 N. Independence)
7 pm
Live Music: Chazlen
Rock Jazz Trio
Enid Symphony Center (301 W. Broadway)
AUGUST 14
7:30 pm
Trivia
Settlers Brewing Co. (202 E. Randolph)
AUGUST 15
11 am – 12 pm
Veterans Coffee Social
OK Military History Exhibit (4125 W. Owen K Garriott)
12 pm
Business Book Club led by Drew Ritchie
Momentum HQ (1909 W. Garriott)
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)
RLC Family Center (215 S. Cleveland)
6 pm
Live Music: Stacey Sanders
Enid Brewing Co. (126 S. Independence)
7:30 pm
Jeff Dunham: Still Not
Canceled
Stride Bank Center (302 S. Grand)
AUGUST 16
9 pm
Live Music: All Town RED (302 E. Maple)
AUGUST 17
7:30 am – 10 am
Woodring Regional Airport Breakfast Fly-In
Woodring Regional Airport (1026 S. 66th)
8 am – 12 pm
Rowdy Stickhorse
Farmers Market
Rowdy Stickhorse (626 S. Hoover)
11 am – 3 pm
History Alive!
Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center (507 S. 4th St.)
6 – 9 pm
Back to School
State Jam
Jerry Allen Memorial Skate Park (124 N. 5th St.)
7 pm
DJ Dance w/Dale
Moose Lodge (302 E. Purdue)
9 pm
Live Music: Van Damage RED (302 E. Maple)
9:30 pm
Karaoke
Enid Axe (104 N. Independence)
AUGUST 19
5 – 8 pm
Sensory-Friendly
Family Night
Enid Axe (104 N. Independence)
AUGUST 20
6:30 pm
Trivia
Enid Axe (104 N. Independence)
7 pm
Live Music: Connie
Cronley & John Hamill
Enid Symphony Center (301 W. Broadway)
AUGUST 21
7:30 pm
Trivia
Settlers Brewing Co. (202 E. Randolph)
AUGUST 22
5 – 8 pm
Enid Geeks Game Night
Springhill Suites Marriott (5815 KL Dr.)
6:30 pm
Enid Charity Ball
Oakwood Country Club (1601 N Oakwood)
7 pm
Live Music: Brett Payne
Enid Symphony Center (301 W. Broadway)
8 pm
Live Music: Shiloh Band
Moose Lodge (302 E. Purdue)
6 – 8 pm
Trivia
Enid Brewing Co. (126 S. Independence)
7:30 pm
Singo
Settlers Brewing Co. (202 E. Randolph)
AUGUST 23
6 pm
Live Music: Ben Blankenship
Enid Brewing Co. (126 S. Independence)
6 pm
Friday Night Football
Ladies Night Momentum HQ (1909 W. Garriott)
8 pm
Live Music: Emily Hollingshed
The Cooker (710 Walker St.)
AUGUST 24
8 am – 12 pm
Rowdy Stickhorse
Famers Market
Rowdy Stickhorse (626 S. Hoover)
8 am – 1 pm
Plaza Market
Stride Bank Center (302 S. Grand)
7:30 pm
Singo
Settlers Brewing Co. (202 E. Randolph)
AUGUST 30
6 pm
Live Music: Jazz Daddies
Enid Brewing Co. (126 S. Independence)
9 pm
Live Music: Drakon RED (302 E. Maple)
9 pm
Hawaiian Luau Theme Party RED (302 E. Maple)
9:30 pm
Karaoke
Enid Axe (104 N. Independence)
AUGUST 26
4 pm – 6 pm
Happy Hour w/Happy Hour Marketing Momentum HQ (1909 W. Garriott)
AUGUST 27
6:30 pm
Trivia
Enid Axe (104 N. Independence)
AUGUST 28
7:30 pm
Trivia
Settlers Brewing Co. (202 E. Randolph)
AUGUST 29
5 – 8 pm
Enid Geeks Game Night
Springhill Suites Marriott (5815 KL Dr.)
6 – 8 pm
Trivia
Enid Brewing Co. (126 S. Independence)
AUGUST 31
8 am – 12 pm
Rowdy Stickhorse
Famers Market Rowdy Stickhorse (626 S. Hoover)
10 am – 5 pm
Leonardo’s 5th
Saturday: Da Vinci Day Leonardo’s Children’s Museum (200 E. Maple)
8:30 – 10 pm
Movie on Park Park Street Events Area (150 W. Park)
9 pm
All White Theme Party RED (302 E. Maple)
9:30 pm
Karaoke
Enid Axe (104 N. Independence)
BYDALE N MCVAY
THE LAW OF THE Land Game Warden of the Year
This article might come off a little biased towards Oklahoma game wardens, and if it does, it was intentional. Like police officers and fire fighters, I give these men and women all the kudos they deserve. I’ve always thought it must be a bit daunting for a warden to walk up on someone in a field knowing the majority of people they approach are likely toting a firearm. That said, I’ll give praise to Blake Cottrill (Garfield Co), Phillip Cottrill (Major Co), and Marshall Reigh (Grant Co.). These are all friends of mine and literally all guys I’d trust with about anything. They work long hours, and they work hard. More than anything, they all are of the opinion of trying to educate violators instead of simply issuing tickets.
Back to the premise of this article: Warden Reigh was just awarded “Game Warden of the Year” for the entire state. I know of no other person that likes to hunt/fish as much as him (and his wife and daughter). He mentions the best part of his job is spending time working with the public. He gets to spend his time outdoors, and he hopes to do more checking of compliance rather than writing tickets.
His father was the Payne County Warden beginning in 1976. They traveled all over the U.S. hunting and fishing, and he instilled the love of the outdoors in his children. Therein lies the love for the outdoors.
I did a ride along with Warden Reigh at Kaw Lake recently. We made what seemed like a million contacts, and for the most part, people were compliant and had the requisite boating regulations in order. He’s always told me he’d rather educate folks than simply write tickets for lesser violations. Funny story, when I first met Warden Cottrill (Philip, not Blake), he was the local warden. I shot a turkey and had drug it 100 yards to my truck to tag it. He was sure to inform me it needed to be tagged where it was shot as opposed to moving it prior to tagging it. I’ve hunted my whole life, but I reckon I wasn’t aware of that rule. Instead of giving me a fine, he let me know the regulations.
There are currently 118 wardens in the state, making it the 2nd largest law enforcement agency. You must have a bachelor’s degree with 16 hours of “upper level” science to apply. Game wardens are referred to by many as the “Swiss Army Knife of Law Enforcement”, which is certainly applicable. They handle not only law enforcement duties but answer questions all day (and sometimes night) about what someone can do/cannot do.
I’ve rambled long enough. My friend and the Grant County Warden, Reigh, just won this prestigious award out of over 100 wardens. I literally don’t know a more “down to earth” guy that loves his/her job more than he does. I don’t hate being a lawyer by any means, but I also don’t love my job like he does. Congrats pal.
BYEMILY L EBARON
Black Forest Stuffed Cupcakes & Surprise Brownies NOW SERVING!
Black Forest Stuffed Cupcakes
Makes 24
Ingredients
• 18.5 oz pkg chocolate cake mix (plus ingredients to make)
• 8 oz pkg softened cream cheese
• 20 oz can cherry pie filling, divided
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 1/2 cups Cool Whip or Reddi Whip
• 24 cupcake paper liners
Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Prepare cake mix as directed on box, set aside. In a separate bowl, mix softened cream cheese, sugar, and egg until well blended, set aside. Remove 3/4 cup of the pie filling and set aside for garnish.
Spoon 2 tbsp cake batter into each 24 paper lined muffin cups. Layer 1 tbsp cream cheese mixture on top of the cake batter and add 1 tsp cherry topping.
Cover each muffin cup with remaining cake batter.
Bake 20-25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Top each cupcake with a spoonful of Cool Whip or Reddi Whip and a tsp of the remaining pie filling just before serving.
Hello friends! This month, I’m going deep into my recipe vault, to back when I was just starting to get creative with box mixed cake and brownies. Adding ingredients to change things up from the same old same old and adding a new twist! The two recipes this month require a box cake mix and a brownie box mix. They were always a family favoritequick, easy, and delicious! Both of these recipes are made in a muffin tin, to make things even easier!
Now serving, Black Forest Stuffed Cupcakes and Surprise Brownies!
Surprise Brownies
Makes 12
Ingredients
• 20 oz pkg fudge brownie mix (with ingredients to prepare)
• Cooking spray
• Reddi Whip
• 12 Nilla wafer cookies
• 12 unwrapped Kraft caramels
Directions
Preheat oven to 350, and prepare brownie mix as directed and set aside.
Coat muffin tin with cooking spray.
Place 1 Nilla wafer at the bottom of each muffin cup. Spoon 3 tbsp brownie mix over each wafer. Place 1 caramel in the center of each brownie, topping with a small spoonful of batter. Bake brownies 22 minutes, cool for about 10, and then remove from tin and serve warm, topped with whipped cream. If serving cool, heat for 5 seconds in the microwave. Top with whipped cream.
Monthly wishes you a great 2024–2025 school year!
Enid
