Ponca City Monthly November 2022

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Letter from the Editor

When you’re raised in the country, you learn what it means to conduct a “controlled burn.” To most city folk, things that catch on fire are generally not a good thing. Burning is not allowed in city limits, because fire can be a very dangerous thing. Under the wrong conditions, fire is one of the most destructive elements on earth.

But in nature, out in the wild, most ecosystems benefit from periodic fires. Fire can clean out old debris, and make way for fresh new undergrowth. Farmers and land conservationists use controlled burns as a way to replenish prairies, forests and other natural habitats.

As a farm girl, I’ve taken part in many controlled burns. In order to do a controlled burn, you first need to develop your “burn plan.” This is a very involved process, but includes monitoring favorable conditions, outlining the burn area, notifying your local law enforcement/fire department and a myriad of other things that must be done to prepare for a safe controlled burn.

The most important thing to consider, is that conditions are favorable. There should be little to no wind. It shouldn’t be too dry. Some farmers will dig out areas to help control where a fire will burn, others will have a large tanker truck filled with water on hand to keep things in check.

My Dad always said, “don’t let the flames get too big. We want a nice, slow burn, so we can keep it under control.”

I think in many ways, life is similar. Fire in your life is change. Yes, change is hard, but it is also necessary. So often we resist change, and allow debris to build up over many years. We spend a lot of time putting out fires, trying to resist change from happening. When in reality, a controlled burn every once in a while, especially when conditions are favorable, is just what you need to clear out debris and make room for new growth in your life.

The Kay County Master Gardeners

Story by Kayley Spielbusch/Staff Writer

Photos by Shannon Mallory/ Agriculture Extension Educator with Kay County Extension Office

The Kay County Master Gardeners are volunteer horticultural experts certified through an Oklahoma State University extension program. Each master gardener attends a series of classes that train them to aid Kay County citizens with their gardening needs.

“The difference between a garden club and us is master gardeners go through a 10-class course,” said Shannon Mallory, OSU Agriculture Extension Educator.

Over 10 weeks, OSU agriculture professors and specialists come to Ponca City and teach 10 separate classes on different agricultural topics. Once completed, the master gardeners must complete 20 hours of continued education and volunteer hours per year to keep their certification. The OSU extension office provides multiple opportunities to fulfill these requirements, but they are not limited to OSU events.

Among the events they attend are trade shows and the Kansas State University’s virtual garden tours.

The Kay County master gardeners primarily educate the community on horticultural topics. The master gardeners host programs at various events in the county. They enjoy directing programs for children. One of the programs they

do is the dirt babies program, where they help children make nylon dirt babies that grow grass hair.

In addition, they participate in local events such as the Kay County Free Fair and the Ponca City Herb Festival. They’ve hosted presentations at the fair for children on subjects like the life cycle of butterflies. At the Herb Festival, they help children plant a plant in a paper cup to take home.

“We love that we get the chance to be hands-on in our community,” added Mallory.

Additionally, the master gardeners host their own event each fall. This has included a seminar or hands-on event, such as planting succulents with the community. Funds for the yearly event are earned with a fund-raiser.

Kay County isn’t the only Oklahoma county with master gardeners. Some counties, like Noble County, have a smaller group of master gardeners. Each county develops its own programming. Master gardeners in other counties go to homes in the community to consult on horticultural problems.

While an OSU extension office is in every county, not everyone has a master gardener program. One can be started but there has to be an educator to host it. Kay County has three educators: agriculture, horticulture, and family

and consumer sciences.

The Kay County master gardeners meet monthly at the Cann Gardens, where they also have a garden bed.

Mallory encourages anyone interested in the master gardening course to contact him, “We have a lot of fun with what we do.”

Shannon Mallory, Agriculture Extension Educator with Kay County Extension Office, can be reached at 580-362-3194. Visit extension.okstate.edu/county/kay for more information.

Kay County Master Gardener Fall Workshop held recently on October 4th - Master Gardeners and the public made baskets, and flower petals bookmarks. This event was free to the public through Kay County Master Gardener fundraising.

Bonding with PoHi Students

by Kendra Stolhand/Intern

As most Ponca City citizens are well aware, Ponca City Public Schools issued a 49.7 million dollar bond with the intent to “repair, renovate, and renew.” What does that look like for Ponca City High School students?

At the end of the 2021-22 school year, students said their goodbyes to the Commons floor. The Commons is one of two cafeterias used at PoHi. While construction lasted all summer, students still started their school year without flooring; construction was finally finished the week before Homecoming and looks amazing! Along with the new flooring, the school also replaced the Commons Basement with risers that allow more seating. The Commons now looks more welcoming!

The Retro, the second PoHi cafeteria that many graduates will remember, received new signs and TVs to display daily meal plans. The lines were also somewhat remodeled; students can now choose from the following lines in the Retro and Commons: Chix (serving chicken), the Bowls (taco bowls and nachos, with the other line serving chicken and rice or pasta), and Eat Muchos Tacos (serving all tacos), with On the Fly hopefully opening back up soon. Students now have a wider variety of meals with all of their favorite lines still open every day.

The biggest talk between students this year has been about the new bathrooms. PoHi has had the Howell bathrooms

gutted and rebuilt. These bathrooms now have an all-new interior, including gray brick walls and brand-new stall doors. They look and feel cleaner than before.

One major difference this year is the closing of the Anderson building. The Anderson building has been part of the school since its original construction. It had some leakage, as well as just being run down over time. Thanks to the bond issue, the Anderson is going to be completely rebuilt to become a STEM building!

Construction started in early October. The doors of the Anderson have come to a

“I honestly like it and it feels cleaner than it was before. I think just a change is nice,” senior Xara Robertson stated. However, the Commons is not the only cafeteria looking fresh!

close until further notice.

In terms of fine arts, new things are coming their way. The Concert Hall will soon undergo a few changes, which will include three classrooms attached to the back hallway. This addition will finally finish the dream that the Ponca voters approved in 2015. Ponca City will be capable of hosting large regional or statewide competitions. Wildcat Orchestra, Band, and Chorale are all patiently awaiting the day they can move their classes to the Concert Hall!

Sports will soon look different as well. The tennis team from both the high school, as well as middle school, practice on the city’s nine courts. Fourteen courts are needed to host competitions and events. Ponca hopes to add those five courts and start hosting competitions for our tennis Wildcats. Baseball and Softball are changing things up as well. Baseball will be brought up to a 6A standard with a new entryway, a ticket booth, and a new roof deck.

New restrooms and visitor dressing rooms will be added as well. Softball will have a new awning over their bleachers. The Wildcats are still waiting for construction to take place. But until then, the teams are working hard during their on/off-season and anticipating the day construction starts.

A few new non-bond-related changes at the high school have also happened, like the parking lot and security updates. The Wildcat student parking lot received a makeover this summer with new paint. Seniors were given the option to paint their parking spots, and some students went all out! PoHi’s new security plan started in late August. Students and staff now must carry their IDs at all times to ensure the safety of our Wildcats.

The bond issue passed with an overwhelming majority, and those changes are beginning to take shape. The changes and renovations are happening, students are excited, and the future is looking bright for our beloved Ponca City High School and the entire Ponca City Public School system.

Cherokee Strip Golf Classic

A Sweet Success

THANK

Pioneer Technology Center, Bruce & Jana Colgate, Chelsea McConnell, Chip Huston Nick White, LA Boiler Works, Peter & Jamie Sinton, Dei Rossi, Lindsay Manufacturing, Ponca City Real Estate, Community National Bank, Ryan Austin, Grand Flowers, Valoyce Musgrove, Mark & Jayne Detten, Hillcrest Country Club, Hainzinger Family, Russ Didlake KW Select, Kelly Johnson, Alan Hager, and to all the generous bidders & buyers

Thank you to the donors for the ladies' golf tournament goody bags, lunch, raffles, & gift certificates: Carl & Brenda Renfro, Oscar & Essie's, Dorada, 7Clans Casino, Bronze Bar Boutique, Village Screen Print, Aesthetic State of Mind, Patterson Company, Bob Hurley, Equity Bank, Stolhand Wells Group, Plaza Wine & Spirits, Philo Solutions, Farha Wholesale, Rock N Brews Casino Brace Books &

Dentistry, RCB Bank, First National Bank of OK, Cherokee Strip Credit Union, Bowers Trucking, Deanna Cummings, 4F Construction, El Portillo, Titan Title,

Lowe's, Tyndall

Rentals, Liles & Co , Redland s Office Solutions, State Beauty Supply, Cast Iron Co, My Media Matters, Rikki's Market, Danny s BBQ Starbucks

Osage Casino Enrique s Mexican Restaurant Completely Quilted and Okie So Creations

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2 E V E N T W A S A H U G E S U C C E S S

H A N K Y O U T O S O M A N Y S P O N S O R S & P E O P L E T H A T M A D E T H I S P O S S I B L E !

New

Pioneer Technology Center, Tiffany LeClair, Chad Winslow Casey McClaskey, and the 125+

Cookshack, Paul Muehlberg, Terron Liles & OPC Foundation, Big Fork Ranch, Theresa Sacket, Chef Jeff Denton

Northcutt, Clark, Oldfield & Jech Counselors at Law

Shelley Koster

Hospice of North Central Oklahoma

Celebrates National Hospice Month and 40 Years Providing Service

Story contributed by Wendy Stobbe, Chief Executive Officer | Photos by Lauren Renee’ Photography

In 1981 a group of concerned citizens and volunteers gathered to discuss a possible “workshop” for the community in dealing with death and dying. From that group emerged the idea of starting a hospice for Ponca City. Rev. Bruce & Illa Zellmer, ministers at the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Ponca City, along with nurse Claudia Barnes, began to host meetings and went to Bartlesville, Oklahoma, for training from the first hospice created in Oklahoma, Jane Phillips Hospice. In April of 1982, a committee was organized, a working board was elected, a training program was initiated and Hospice of Ponca City Incorporated became an organization. Bruce Zellmer, L. Rus Howard and Judi Owens were the incorporators of the corporation that was created called “Hospice of Ponca City Incorporated” with the additional board members of Joyce Johnson, Sharon Lingane and Sally Stimpson. The first and second patients were admitted at the end of 1982 and died in early 1983. Hospice of Ponca City was certified as a state of Oklahoma hospice organization with the Oklahoma State Department of Health in 1982. In 2004, the name was amended to Hospice of North Central Oklahoma, Inc. (HNCO),

to better delineate the service area, which is approximately 50 miles from Ponca City. Through the years the hospice office has been located in various places around Ponca City starting in the Plaza building on North 14th Street, the Royalty Building, Chamber of Commerce building and Chuona Plaza. In 2012, the Assembly of God building was purchased and through the very generous support of our community and donors, we raised money to renovate not only the space for hospice use but also to include the Carolyn Renfro Event Center.

November is National Hospice and Palliative Care month, and this year’s theme is “Meeting you where you are.” For the past 40 years, HNCO has helped provide interdisciplinary, supportive care to thousands of people, allowing them to spend their final months wherever they call home and surrounded by their loved ones. Our hospice team works alongside patients to create plans of care that will focus on pain management, comfort care, therapies and treatments that all center on the patient and his/her loved one’s goals and wishes. Care is delivered by an

interdisciplinary team of professionals that includes nurses, social workers, physicians, allied therapists, home health aides, chaplains, bereavement counselors and trained volunteers. HNCO is also extremely fortunate to have our own in-house Durable

HOSPICE

Myths About Hospice

There are many misconceptions about hospice, and patients and families often wait until the very end to call hospice for help. We encourage anyone to call hospice directly and ask for a consultative preadmission visit if they want to see when, and if, hospice is appropriate for themselves or a loved one. Although we have to get a doctor to confirm terminal diagnosis appropriate for hospice, anyone can call and ask for referral for hospice care or just in general call to ask questions.

Myth: Hospice means patients cannot live longer than six months or I have to be in the final stages of dying.

Fact: Patients may receive care for an unlimited amount of time, depending on the course of the illness. There is no fixed limit on the amount of time you can receive care as long as physical decline is evident.

Myth: Hospice means giving up on living, and I cannot see my doctor anymore.

Fact: Hospice’s goal is to assist patients in living their lives fully, managing pain and anxiety with emotional support. If patients improve or want to withdraw from hospice care at any time to change a treatment plan to seek curative treatment, they can do so. Also patients can continue to have their primary care doctor follow them throughout their hospice care.

Myth: Hospice is very expensive. I do not have a hospice benefit or insurance.

Fact: Medicare beneficiaries have a hospice benefit that will reimburse the hospice for your care. HNCO will take care of anyone regardless of whether they have a payer source or not.

Myth: I have to be homebound or in a facility for hospice care.

Fact: Patients do not have to be homebound, and in fact, we encourage patients to be as active as they feel comfortable doing so. Hospice can be provided wherever the patient resides, whether that be at a residence or in a nursing or skilled facility.

Medical Equipment warehouse. We are able to quickly provide changes in medical equipment as a patient progresses and has a higher level of need for medical equipment. Hospice care also provides emotional support and advice to help family members become confident caregivers and adjust to the future with grief support through counseling and support groups. In 2021, HNCO took care of 219 patients throughout six different counties in Northern Oklahoma. Our staff of 36 and over 40 volunteers are committed to valuing our professionalism in providing quality, compassionate and holistic care without discrimination, while always respecting an individual’s right to self-determination. Our hospice staff will tell you that they feel it is such a privilege to care for someone at end of life.

HNCO has taken care of hundreds of veterans, and last year was promoted to a Level 3 participant in the We Honor Veterans Program, which is a collaborative program with the Department of Veteran Affairs and

the National Hospice and Palliative Care organization. This program was designed to empower hospice organizations to meet the unique needs of American veterans and their families. We are committed to the programmatic recommendations for respectful inquiry, compassionate listening and grateful acknowledgment. On admission, our veteran patient is visited by our social services staff who reads a “Welcome home and thank you for your service” card that is left with the patient to be displayed where others can recognize he or she for his/her service. The patient is also given an American flag blanket. We also pair our hospice veteran volunteers with Veteran patients if companion visits are requested. Our hospice also participates in the local Veterans Day parade and has other partnerships with local agencies like the VFW and Veterans’ Landing.

Over the years, we have received donated medical equipment which has enabled us to offer our area citizens the ability to borrow medical

Veterans Day Parade

Donated medical equipment which has enabled us to offer our area citizens the ability to borrow medical equipment at no cost.

HOSPICE

equipment at no cost. When people have a surgery or injury, oftentimes they might need equipment for a few weeks to a few months while they are healing. Our most requested items are wheelchairs, crutches, walkers, bedside commodes, toilet seat risers, shower chairs or tub transfer benches. In 2021, we loaned over 553 pieces of equipment.

Our hospice volunteers are an integral part of our hospice team. Oftentimes our volunteers have utilized our hospice for a loved one and want to give of their time and talents to help others. The patient volunteers can provide companionship by visiting with patients, delivering flowers or staying with the patient while the caregiver runs errands, etc. Some volunteers prefer to help in the office by answering phones, doing clerical work, folding mailers or helping with fund-raising events. We also have very talented seamstress volunteers who sew the Memory Keeper Bags, Memory Bears and Quilts.

HNCO is committed to showing quality not only for the care and services we provide but also in the financial oversight and fiduciary responsibility for donations and funding provided to our organization. We are currently governed by a 14-member Board of Directors that represent Ponca City, Newkirk, Blackwell and Tonkawa. We have yearly financial reviews provided by a local accountant, as well as an independent audit completed every three years. In 2017, we wanted to show the highest quality by successfully achieving “Deemed Status” through the Joint Commission.

Deemed Status demonstrates that an organization not only meets but exceeds expectations for their particular area of expertise. Our eligible staff has also been working to achieve the National Certified Hospice and Palliative Care certifications, in addition to yearly continuing education. We also continue to score extremely high in quality measures as reflected in our caregiver survey scores and Medicare Hospice Compare online public database.

Through the generous support from donations and fund-raising events, we are able to take care of patients regardless of if they have a payer source. Although Medicare has a hospice benefit, some patients are not eligible for Medicare due to age and do not carry insurance or their insurance does not have a hospice benefit. We do not charge for any service provided here or any support or bereavement services provided. In 2020 and 2021 combined, we wrote off almost $100,000 in courtesy patient services. We are proud to serve this community as the only communityowned, nonprofit, freestanding

hospice. If you are interested in supporting hospice, general donations are always welcome or you can participate in one of our fund-raising events throughout the year.

The complexities of COVID-19 and the pandemic have continued to impact our daily lives, but I am proud of the courage and creativity of our staff who continue to find new ways of providing care to our patients. Thanks to our staff, volunteers and support from our community, we have continued with our commitment to providing the best quality endof-life care. We have been through an unprecedented few years, but we have emerged stronger and resilient in our mission of caring for every hospice patient and his/ her family. Thank you for allowing us the privilege to journey with you and your loved ones and for your continued support.

HOSPICE Continued from Page

The Gift of The Conoco Museum A Chat with Museum Director Carla O’Neill

Story by Chelsea McConnell/Staff Writer

The Conoco Museum was opened and gifted to our community during our Centennial in 2007. It was meant to memorialize Conoco and their brand as the company merged with Phillips. Our museum and the Phillips Museum in Bartlesville were created to honor the heritage of both companies. Both were small energy companies that grew into international energy companies.

Every aspect of the museum was thoughtfully considered by experts during the design process, from the lighting to the display cases and each area in between. The museum features seven key areas of interest. These areas explore the evolution of Conoco’s identity, the history of the refinery in Ponca City, generations of Conoco employees, Conoco’s spirit of innovation, industry breakthroughs achieved by the company and the

company’s award-winning marketing campaigns.

Director of the Conoco Museum, Carla O’Neill says, “This is more than just a job.” Much like those who started Conoco, O’Neill believes doing her job well takes passion and a strong work ethic. It’s clear from her point of view that having a love for our community and Conoco’s history has made her successful in this position, and in turn has created much success for the museum. O’Neill emphasizes that just like the Conoco company was about the people, her job is also about people.

O’Neill’s welcome letter in their museum brochure says this: “Welcome to the Conoco Museum. We hope that your visit today immerses you in the rich 127-year history, from the wildcat days of the Cherokee Outlet to the birth of this international energy empire. This world-class facility celebrates the success of Conoco, which was built not by just one person,

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but by thousands of employees bonded by old-fashioned practicality and sheer determination.

It is their stories that create the heritage that truly is the spirit of Conoco.”

Continental Oil Company was founded in 1875 in Utah by Isaac Blake. E.W. Marland came to Oklahoma in 1908 and made his first oil discovery in 1911, leading him to found Marland Oil Company. In 1929, Marland Oil merged with

Continental Oil Co. and became known as Conoco.

The Ponca City Refinery dates to 1918 and is one of the oldest refineries in the industry. It has employed countless Ponca Citians over the years and has been a great source of local pride. The refinery held the Conoco name until 2002 when the company merged with Phillips Petroleum Company. The Conoco Museum memorializes the impressive history of Conoco and its

profound impact on Ponca City and the world at large.

The museum runs a tight ship, with O’Neill as Director and one part-time assistant, Julie Mazurier. O’Neill sees the museum as a representation of Ponca City, and she’s well aware that newcomers are quick to place judgments on our community, good or bad. She and Mazurier are dedicated to keeping the museum looking its best. Neither are afraid to get their hands dirty to keep the place clean, whether it means picking up trash on the grounds around the facility or cleaning the bathrooms. Their goal is to exceed any expectations visitors may have of the museum and also Ponca City.

O’Neill says a favorite aspect of the job is interacting with the wide range of people who come to visit the museum. Many have ties to Conoco, usually a relative that worked for the company. Some are just passing through and stop when they see the sign. Her goal is to

give everyone the full experience. She wants guests to leave feeling absolutely amazed by the things they’ve seen and learned. Even when this involves going above and beyond. She shares this anecdote by way of explanation:

“I had one gentleman come here around 5:20 p.m. on a Friday. We close at 5 p.m. I’m sitting here getting my work done and he pulls up and he had California tags. He comes up to the door, then he goes back to his car. I go out there and I say, ‘Did you drive all the way from California to come see us?’

And he said, ‘Kind of.’ So I invited him in.’” Of course the gentleman tried to protest, but Carla couldn’t let him drive all this way just to be disappointed. The man was on a cross-country trip and the Conoco

Donated vintage postcard

Horse Drawn Tank Wagon

CONOCO Continued from Page

Museum was one of his planned stops along the way. By the end of his tour, Carla had him talked into spending the night in Ponca City so he could visit the Marland Mansion the next morning.

E.W. Marland believed in the power of advertising for his company. This is evidenced by the displays in the museum and the fact that Marland had an illustrator on staff. O’Neill sees the importance of marketing the museum and Ponca City as well. She has created countless marketing pieces to share with visitors that help educate them about Conoco’s history and all things tied to it. In recent years, she came across a pamphlet written by E.W. Marland titled “My Experience with the Money Trust”. Reading Marland’s story from his own pen is riveting for any history buff. In the piece, Marland tells his side of the story of

starting Marland Oil Company and how it eventually got taken from him. She recreated the pamphlet to share with visitors. The museum also partners with other tourist attractions in town by passing out their marketing materials as well. O’Neill always encourages visitors to stop by all our incredible local attractions.

Another, potentially unexpected, aspect of the job is that of historian. People often donate Conoco memorabilia to the museum. It falls upon O’Neill and her assistant to go through any donated items to determine if any of them are relevant to the Conoco brand. If so, they are sent to their Archivist to determine if placement in the museum is appropriate. Occasionally the museum receives boxes of items from someone who has stumbled across a treasure trove of old documents and photos. She has connected many family

members with long-lost or neverbefore-seen photos from donations of this nature. O’Neill’s been able to reunite a nephew with photos of his uncle who was president of Conoco at one time. She reunited a stepdaughter with photos of her stepdad. O’Neill has countless stories like this of items that, while not relevant to the museum, had a profound impact on the family member who received photos of a loved one from long ago.

The Conoco Museum is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. With well over 10,000 visitors per year, O’Neill and Mazurier are not only educating a lot of folks about Conoco’s history, but also having a profound effect on tourism in our community. After spending a short time there, it is evident that even if you think you know all about Conoco and our community’s history, there’s always more to learn.

“People leave and they love Ponca City, and they are blown away because of the attractions here.”

Marland Filling Station

CONOCO Continued from Page

Available for purchase at Whimsy, Brace Books or directly from Cindy. Also available online @ cindygrubb.com or in Cindy’s shop on Etsy.

Veterans’ Landing

Story by Theresa Sacket/Contributing Writer

Kay County is home to thousands of veterans. The Veterans’ Landing, founded by Randall “Bud” Coon, is here to meet veterans “where they are,” and to help with the transition to family and community life. Veteran’s Landing is Ponca City’s only peer-run drop-in center, and they provide a family-friendly, alcohol-free and drug-free environment. The goal of the Veterans’ Landing is to provide a broad range of counseling, outreach and referral services to eligible veterans and their families in order to help them make a satisfying post-war readjustment to civilian life. The family members of all veterans are eligible for Veterans’ Landing services.

Veterans’ Landing is kept in operation from donations of individuals and businesses that

believe in our mission. The Veterans’ Landing has a team of volunteers that show up to spend time with whoever walks through the doors. If you are in need of additional services, our volunteers help you get in contact with the necessary personnel. The current hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Our current location is at the Grand Central Court, downtown Ponca City at 122 E. Grand Ave., Suite 102.

If you’ve met Randall “Bud” Coon then you know his passion for veterans. It took a tragic event for Coon to realize he needed to do things differently and the vision for the Veterans’ Landing began. “The statistics say that 22 veterans take their life every day. Most of the time it does not sink in until it happens to someone you know,” said Coon.

As an Employment and Transitions Specialist, Coon works with the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs. One session changed his life forever. “At the end of a session, I told the veteran that I needed to help the next veteran; ‘Get them in and in Get them out.’ The veteran stood there with a lost look on his face. I still remember the clothes he was wearing. As an NCO in the United States military, I failed that soldier. I never picked up on the sign,” said Coon. “Tragically, the

veteran took his life three days later. I asked myself what can be done and how can this be stopped. I wanted to provide a place where a veteran can go and get help if he/she wants it – a place where you aren’t rushed and can build relationships with veterans,” he said.

“After years of doors being closed on me, I found an open door in 2018 and the Veterans’ Landing came to life,” said Coon. The Veterans’ Landing is a place for veterans and their families to be able to connect. They may just need to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee and talk to fellow veterans or they may need help with a benefit question, employment needs, housing and food.

We encourage the veterans that come through our doors to be involved in the community through local parades, planning Thanksgiving meals and participating in the presentation of flags during events. We also have monthly art classes available to veterans and their families.

How can you help?

Volunteer on-site, in our garden or during one of our special events. With more volunteers, we could expand our hours and serve more veterans. Donations are welcome and appreciated in any amount. Consider welcoming a veteran into your home for the holidays.

We greatly appreciate the support of our community and believe that Ponca City is the perfect location to provide a safe refuge for veterans in the Kay County area.

Opening on 4th St. (Previous Location) Randall “Bud” Coon with Representative Ken Luttrell

Monthly Art Classes

Fire & Life Safety Council

Story and Photos by Chelsea McConnell/Staff Writer

The Fire & Life Safety Council (FLSC) is a local nonprofit with the Mission “to promote fire prevention and life safety through education and events intended to improve the quality of life for all citizens in Kay County.” FLSC Secretary Teri Harris speaks passionately about the good the organization has been able to do in our community and beyond since she became involved several years ago. At the heart of this organization is a group of individuals who want to keep our community and its citizens safe. According to Harris, “Everything we do is free or almost free to the community.” Within the last few years, the items donated by the organization total well over $100,000, all to help make our community safer. Current Board members are Dereck Cassady, Jake Pierce, Bart Snyder, Teri Harris, Bret Smith, Gary Vap and David Hingtgen.

The group’s activities focus on the areas of fire prevention, safety and training. They provide additional services like free smoke detectors and batteries for the detectors to anyone who needs them. They also have a Car Seat Safety program that involves annual technician trainings, free

and/or reduced car seats for the public, and safety check events for the public to ensure all car seats are correctly installed, and children are safely secured in their car seats.

For years the organization worked toward getting a fire training facility in Ponca City. This project finally came to fruition when the group was able to make a gift to Pioneer Technology Center (PTC) in 2019. The FLSC donated $75,000 to Pioneer Tech to help fund construction of the Emergency Services Training Center on the PTC Campus. According to PTC’s website, “The building was designed specifically to meet the training needs of firefighters, law enforcement, as well as industrial safety for North Central Oklahoma. The tower stands at 44 feet tall and can simulate fires in houses and apartments, as well as training for search and rescue. The 18,425 square foot facility has two burn rooms, 10 rappelling points, eight staircases, a confined space trainer and 26 movable partitions.” The Council was thrilled to be a part of such an important addition to PTC’s campus that will help train our emergency responders for years to come. With 18 paid and volunteer fire service agencies in our region, this

2022 All Fired Up Sponsors include

Platinum Sponsor:

Osage Casino

Gold Sponsors: Boettcher Devinney Ingle Wicker Phillips 66

Ponca City Firefighters Local 2479

Silver Sponsors:

AllianceHealth Ponca City

Baskin & Hadley Financial Services

Kyler Construction Group

Rick Scott Construction Bob Hurley Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep and Ram

Bronze Sponsors:

Custom Mechanical Equipment

Cross Oil Company

Dorada Poultry LC Evans & Associates

Grace Memorial Chapel Heather Cannon Honda Homer Nicholson Auction & Real Estate

Larry Murphy Insurance Agency

Martin, Jean & Jackson

Ponca City Noon AMBUCS

Winterrowd Talley Architects Inc.

Friends of Fire Safety

Craig Poet, Wells Fargo Advisors

Cruises and More First National Bank of Oklahoma Michele Baskin, Shelter Insurance Ponca City

Edward Jones Offices

Sapphire Business Service

Simunek Equipment

Stuteville Chevrolet Buick GMC

Vap Family Farm Vortex Alley Brewing

Additional thanks for the 2022 event go out to A+ Printing, Bart Snyder, Bret and Kay Smith, Cookshack BBQ, Danny Head, Dave and Donna Hingtgen, Dereck Cassady, Hallie Godbehere, Jake Pierce, Jeff and Karen McClelland, Kay County News Cow, Larry Nixon, Lindsay Manufacturing, Pioneer Woman

Mercantile, Ponca City News, Rikki’s Market, Sterling Broadcasting, Team Radio, Travis and Teri Harris and Wentz Golf Course.

training facility is a vital and necessary component to the safety of our community.

The FLSC has also made several other donations in the last few years to help purchase equipment for our emergency personnel.

The group purchased two AED (Automated External Defibrillator) trainers, as well as 16 adult and 16 pediatric mannequins for the Ponca City Fire Department in 2015. AED devices are used to help patients experiencing cardiac arrest. They can analyze the heart’s rhythm and also deliver electrical shock to help a person’s heart start beating again. Together, the mannequins and the AED trainers are a vital component of CPR Trainings.

FLSC partnered with Phillips 66, each spending $7,500, to purchase auto extraction tools for our emergency personnel to use for practice. Practice with these types of tools better prepares our responders to deal with emergency situations in the moment. FLSC partnered with Pioneer Tech and Phillips 66 to purchase a Simulated Health Mannequin.

Each group put $12,000 toward the purchase of the mannequin. Harris explains how it works, “This simulated mannequin is connected to an iPad and a computer. It simulates all these different things you can tell it to do to give someone hands-on practice. You can simulate many medical situations [so they can] truly problem solve in the moment.”

Recently, FLSC donated a LUCAS Chest Compression device to one of our Ponca City Fire Ambulances. With a price tag of $15,000, this device was a big win for our emergency

responders. Harris explains how this device works, “It’s a device that you can fit over a patient in cardiac arrest and it performs the chest compressions. It does consistent regular compressions and frees up your paramedic or your medic to do other things.” Every second counts in an emergency situation. It’s clear to understand how having the LUCAS device will help our emergency responders.

In August, the Council hosted their annual fund-raiser, All Fired Up. This steak grilling competition takes place on the first Saturday in August each year. In recent years, the event has been held at Osage Casino. The Casino sponsors the event at the Platinum Level. Three firefighter teams compete, each trying to out-grill the others. Attendees get 1/3 of a steak from each team and vote on their favorites to

Simulator manikin in use

Brown Owner

determine the winner. FLSC includes an auction every other year as an additional means of fund-raising. Only 250 tickets are sold each year to this

mouthwatering event! Harris and the rest of the Board are incredibly thankful for the community’s support of their annual fund-raiser. It is their sponsors, donors and volunteers that make the whole event possible.

Longtime Board member Bret Smith speaks to the history of the organization and his role over the years. “I was recruited by David Vanbuskirk and Chief Millikan to join the Council as the Public School representative for the PC Fire Advisory Council. The purpose of the organization was fire prevention through education. Too many youth were setting fires either to see what would happen or by ignorance because of the lack of knowledge. Consequently homes burned, children were horribly burned and some lost their lives. My involvement meant children would get the knowledge they needed, as well as parents, concerning fire safety and prevention. This is what the Council meant to me, saving lives of children. We had many public officials and business persons join us, help get us to a not-for-profit

status and began raising money for curriculum, equipment for our fire fighters and other life safety professionals. We later renamed our organization the PC Fire & Life Safety Council due to the expanded focus to life safety, not just fire prevention.” Today the organization has dropped the “Ponca City” from their name and committed themselves to helping all of Kay County.

Most don’t ever want to have to call on emergency personnel, because it means you’re in a scary situation. It is comforting to know that in Ponca City and the surrounding areas, our emergency responders are being given so many opportunities to excel in such a critical workplace. The projects, donations, trainings and safety checks done by the FLSC affect our community’s safety in ways we will never truly be able to measure.

FLSC partners with the Fire Department to host a coloring contest during Fire Safety Week each year. One winning student from each grade gets his/her artwork placed on a signal box. This project is a partnership with Ponca City Main Street as well.

“The purpose of the organization was fire prevention through education. Too many youth were setting fires either to see what would happen or by ignorance because of the lack of knowledge. Consequently homes burned, children were horribly burned and some lost their lives.”

All Fired Up Fundraiser

All Fired Up Fundraiser

Booths for Cookoff

“The Daughter of Dawn”

Film Screening at the Poncan Theatre on Nov. 6

Story by Jennifer Lynch/Pioneer Women Museum Director

On Sunday, Nov. 6, at 2 p.m., the Pioneer Woman Museum and Statue will host a film screening of “The Daughter of Dawn” at the Poncan Theatre, located at 104 E. Grand Ave. in Ponca City. Rather than a set ticket price, patrons are encouraged to give a donation as admission to the screening.

The program begins at 2 p.m. with an introduction of the film by Jeff Moore, executive director of the Oklahoma Historical Society’s OKPOP Museum in Tulsa. The screening will commence at 2:30 p.m., followed by a question-andanswer time with the audience.

The beautifully filmed drama features romantic rivalry, bison hunts, village scenes, dances, deceit, tests of courage and handto-hand combat. The cast of more than 300 Kiowa and Comanche actors brought their own teepee, horses, clothing and traditions to the set, making “The Daughter of Dawn” fascinating to film fans and students of indigenous history and culture.

After screening only a handful of times when it was made in 1920, “The Daughter of Dawn” disappeared without a trace. For almost 90 years it was considered lost – until it was rediscovered by the Oklahoma Historical Society. Now beautifully restored and with a new orchestral score, the film is an astonishing revelation.

The screening is free, but watch for the opportunity to reserve a seat on the Poncan Theatre’s website at poncantheatre.org

or by calling 580-765-0943. The historic Poncan Theatre, first opened in 1927, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

The Pioneer Woman Museum and Statue is a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society. The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications, the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit www. okhistory.org.

4D Ultrasound is on the Way!

New Downtown Mural Comes to Central Fare

“Poncan Pattern” painted by Thomas Marcus

Story By Everett Brazil, III/Staff Writer

Jim’s Jumbo Burgers is nestled on the south side of downtown Ponca City, tucked away across the street from City Central just two blocks south of Grand Avenue. Traveling down Fourth Street, the north side of the building displays an Indigenous mural representing the art of local tribes in the area. That mural only covers half of the side of the building, or at least it once did, as the whole side is now completed, and Thomas Marcus has stepped in to fill in the now-finished space, covering the whole facade with Native designs.

On a warm late summer afternoon, he is seen painting the side of the building, which is only his latest mural.

“I’m starting a Poncan ribbon pattern that traditionally goes on Poncan women’s skirts,” he said.

His family is fully of the Poncan culture, with strong ties to the Ponca City community. His grandmother was born and raised in Ponca City, but would

relocate to Phoenix, Arizona, where Marcus grew up and still resides. She returned home to Ponca City following retirement.

“She lived in Arizona for 30 years and started her family, but moved back home in 1998,” he said.

“Growing up, I spent all my summers here, so I’m pretty familiar with Ponca City.”

He glances toward the design he has just started, a design that is authentically Poncan in culture, but also a part of his own family.

“My grandmother made the design many years ago, and she specifically made the design for my great-grandmother, and my great-grandmother turned it into an actual dress,” he said.

The two designs on the wall differ from each other, but that isn’t stopping Marcus from fleshing out his design and merging them into one whole, coherent pattern.

“I’m adding to the blank spaces and filling in the rest of the wall,” he said.

It is only the latest of many outdoor art projects he has created across the United States, spanning many decades and many cities, to beautify public spaces.

On a picnic table outside of the brick building lays a collection of spray paint cans in a variety of colors, which Marcus uses for his skills.

“I started painting in spray paint in the early 1990s,” he said. “My background was as a graffiti artist in Phoenix. I’ve been painting on a large scale for many years.”

He started painting on that larger scale about 15-20 years ago, he said, spreading his love of public art from coast to coast, from Phoenix and Los Angeles in the West, and back East to New Orleans, Chicago, Miami, New York City and Philadelphia. Now, he is at home in Ponca City.

“They were all fairly different, but they all maintained my style, which is very intricate, very interwoven,” he said. “It’s a style of painting I’ve developed over two decades.”

He chose Ponca City not just because of his family’s connection, but also because it’s a Poncan design and he felt it wouldn’t be right any place else.

“For me, it was important to be able to have the chance to paint the Poncan pattern in Ponca City, because it wouldn’t make much sense to paint it in Phoenix, because there is no (Poncan) culture in Phoenix,” he said. “Phoenix has its own Native American traditions.”

Painting the wall murals starts with an idea, an image in his mind that reflects specific cultural ideas of the community. Artists should also take into consideration their artistic idea to find the right wall size.

“The process is first understanding the size of the wall you’re working with,” he said. “Most artists have these ideas stored in the back of their minds. I already had the design in my sketchbook, and all I needed was a wall. I got lucky.”

Finding that perfect wall takes work, and it must have the best surface for the mural, but also the right size to fully represent that idea.

“Ideally, most artists would prefer smooth surfaces, not too many obstacles, but every artist is different,” he said. “This wall doesn’t have a smooth surface, but I don’t have to worry about grooves as the spray paint covers the wall.”

Larger cities provide more surfaces than smaller communities like Ponca City, but there are still places that can be adorned with public art.

“I’m used to painting in larger cities, and I’ll try to find the biggest wall,” he said concerning the best canvas.

Marcus’ style is in such a way that it will be noticed by the public, which is the point of the art in the first place.

“I’ll make it have abstract, bright colors,” he said.

Using spray paint for mural painting has its own risks, especially with aerosols that are known to cause brain damage, but there are protections that can be taken for personal health concerns.

“If anyone is using spray paint, I recommend a respirator. Some people are way more sensitive (to the paint) than others,” he said.

“It can be a health hazard if someone is sensitive, but once it’s dry, it’s harmless.”

There has been an interest in public art in recent years, especially in murals, and

many artists are seemingly trying their own hand in the art form. Marcus offers a few ideas on how to get involved.

“The first step is finding a large enough space to do your first mural, even if it’s a fence, or a piece of plywood, and (get) a feel for painting on a bigger space; it’s all about repetitive changes, your thinking process, using your whole body, making great motions,” he said.

There is a special community behind murals and public art, a way to bring beauty to brighten the community.

“Mural culture is now a large part of a lot of community culture. Having colors on an abandoned wall gives life to some places that may have been forgotten about,” he said.

As for Marcus, it is a satisfying craft, one that brings peace as he seeks to add a new image to a fading wall, all with a can of spray paint.

“For me, it is a bit of an adrenaline rush, but it makes me happy,” he said, “I’ll take wall painting over any other art that I do, hands down.”

Ice on the Plaza

Ice Rink Coming to Downtown Ponca City for the Holiday Season

Story By Everett Brazil, III/Staff Writer

The Holiday Season is only weeks away, and soon the community will be adorned with glittering lights and festive tinsel hanging from Christmas trees, and an overwhelming holiday spirit felt throughout the town. The season will be more festive this year, as a new ice-skating rink is set to open downtown, bringing a new joy to the community to build up that holiday spirit leading up to the season.

The ice-skating rink will be located at the Veterans Plaza, 323 E. Grand, and the opening will coincide with the lighting of the Christmas tree in front of City Hall.

The rink is a project of Ponca City Main Street (PCMS), an effort to bring something new to the community, bring people out and keep them shopping locally.

“Our main goal is to make sure our Downtown District is succeeding, and that includes making sure there are people downtown, shopping at our boutiques, eating in our restaurants,” said Lori Henderson, Chairperson for the ice-skating rink committee. “It is important that this is downtown, because we’re PCMS.”

Getting people into the boutiques and restaurants takes creative ideas, which the iceskating rink certainly is, a novel, new concept for PCMS.

“We had talked about the idea of an ice rink before, when we came across the Hometown Grant,” said Chelsi Hendrickson, PCMS Board President. “We thought it’d be the perfect fit.”

The Hometown Grant is a community grant through the T-Mobile wireless provider, designed for smaller communities like Ponca City that may have difficulty finding that funding.

“T-Mobile is doing the Hometown Grant, and that grant focuses on communities

with a population of 50,000 and under, and those particular grants are very hard to come by,” Henderson said. “We wanted to see if we could get money. Nonprofits are starving, and any chance we can get to proceed with our goal as best we can, we’ll do that. We had to have a project realized before we applied.”

PCMS submitted the application in December of last year, complete with the details about the planned ice rink. The organization was one of 25 lucky recipients of the grant across the country, earning $50,000 all for applying. They received the good news just this past April.

It was not enough to fund the project, however, and other beneficiaries also contributed to the project from across the community.

“The City of Ponca City has given us $25,000, and Phillips 66 has as well. The startup cost is about $130,000,” Henderson said.

One may raise a question as to why an outdoor ice-skating rink would be brought to the Southern Plains of Oklahoma, especially when there are ones already available in other communities. To a certain degree, that was the point.

“Normally, we have to go somewhere like Oklahoma City,” said Maci Graves, PCMS director.

“I believe that this is a big-city attraction we’re bringing to Ponca City.”

Due to the Oklahoma climate, an outdoor ice rink, even in the holidays and winter months, may be difficult to operate, especially in a town the size of Ponca City. PCMS found a way around that problem, using a fake form of ice instead of standard water-based ice, which will have the added benefit of being available even in summer.

With the money raised so far, they have enough to purchase the needed equipment to operate it, including a trailer in which to store it, and transport rink items, like the skates.

As for the Veterans Plaza, it will not be negatively impacted, as protections will be in place to keep the Plaza intact.

“It’ll be on the Veterans Plaza, in front of the stage,” Henderson said. “We’re trying to protect the foundation underneath; taking precautions to make sure it is a lovely area for skating.”

The rink is expected to be set up Nov. 14, with Opening Night scheduled for Nov. 18 to coincide with Ponca City’s tree lighting at the City Hall. The tree lighting will be at 6:30 p.m., with the rink opening following.

“We’ll have the tree lighting, then people can walk down to the ice rink, and that’ll be the first night of operation,” Henderson said.

It will also be the inauguration of the Ice on the Plaza season, with nightly events scheduled through the end of the year.

While this project is a PCMS project, all members of the community are invited to participate, from Ponca City and Tonkawa in the south of Kay County to Blackwell, Newkirk and Braman in the north. It is hoped to bring the community together, a fun, family-friendly activity.

“This is for all ages, families, all demographics,” Hendrickson said.

It is also hoped to keep people at home in Ponca City and Kay County, and for those who have left, it may encourage people to return to their hometown.

“It is synthetic ice. There are panels that connect together so it won’t melt,” Henderson said. “Since it is synthetic ice, you could set up the rink in the middle of July, if you wanted.”

“Rural towns are struggling to keep the population from declining, and we wanted the rink to create good memories for families,” Henderson said. “If they had good memories to look back on, they might come back.”

They are also reaching out to other nonprofit organizations, as well as school groups for volunteering and fund-raising opportunities.

“We have support for other nonprofits in town, so they can sign up to volunteer with events,” Henderson said.

“They can also bring things to sell for the fund-raiser. There is something going on all the time at the rink.”

Businesses also have their own booth opportunities as well.

“If a business wants to host a booth, or giveaway, we’ve got plenty of ideas,” Henderson said.

A calendar of events can be found online to register and join activities.

There may be opportunities of expansion of the rink in the future, as well as different times of the year.

“Right now, with this being the first year, we’re trying to get a handle with the holiday season, so we’ll see what happens next,” Hendrickson said.

The Ice on the Plaza calendar can be found on the rink’s website, www.

iceontheplaza.com. Admission is $12 for adults; $10 for kids 12 and under; and $8 for military, veterans and seniors aged 65 and above. The admission includes taxes and skate rental.

In addition to Opening Night, there will also be Small Business Saturday and Penguins on the Plaza Nov. 26 and the Lighted Christmas Parade Dec. 2. The last day of the Ice on the Plaza season is Dec. 31.

“We’ll have other things going on some days, so people need to keep an eye on our Facebook page or website,” Henderson said.

As for the rink itself, it is simply a chance to celebrate Ponca City and bring people outdoors for the holiday season.

“We really want to make it a holiday tradition, get people downtown, get people in our businesses downtown,” Hendrickson said. “I think it’ll be a great attraction for Ponca City.”

For more information, visit downtownponcacity.com or scan the QR code for iceontheplaza.com.

FOOD CRUSHFOOD CRUSH

The Baker’s Table & Coffee House is located at 120 E. Grand Ave., Tonkawa. 580.823.7212

Hours:

Mon.-Fri.: 6:30 am-5:30 pm Sat.: 8 a.m.-1 pm

Follow The Baker’s Table on Facebook and at www.bakerstablecoffeehouse.com

With copper-colored tin ceilings and original red brick and wood floors, The Baker’s Table & Coffee House is the definition of what comes to mind when thinking of a quaint, cozy coffee joint. Books and magazines rest alongside brown leather sofas, inviting visitors to unwind. Opened in April 2022 in a building that originally housed a dry cleaner, owner and Tonkawa native Carol Sawyer set her sights on giving her community a warm, welcoming space specializing in homemade baked goods and delicious coffee, and she is succeeding.

Most items featured at Baker’s are 100% made from scratch. Many recipes have been passed down from the grandmothers of the bakers. The menu is ever evolving based on the season and on customer preferences. The knowledgeable staff at Baker’s thrives on small batch baking, ensuring maximum freshness of their offerings daily.

Sweet and spicy autumn flavors are everywhere and, with such widespread popularity, can be easy to pass over. Do not overlook the pumpkin cupcake with chai frosting. The consistency of this divine cupcake lies somewhere in between that of a dense brownie and light piece of sponge cake. It is thick enough to hold the

earthy sweetness of the pumpkin yet is not heavy. The chai buttercream frosting is loaded with familiar flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. The frosting is bold and sweet but does not overpower the mild, natural sugars of the pumpkin. The house-made cinnamon roll is dreamy for those obsessed with spirals of sticky goodness. The balance between the cinnamon, sugar and yeasty dough is exactly as it should be. The icing is ooey gooey and seeps into each crevice of the sweet roll. These rolls are generously sized, travel very well and pair perfectly with a cup of dark roast coffee.

Coffee culture is always changing, and the coffee does not take a backseat to the food at Baker’s. Sawyer has teamed up with Oklahoma roaster Zero Tolerance Coffee. Zero Tolerance is a veteranowned and operated coffee roaster based in Oklahoma City. She works with their team to create unique blends of single origin roasts specifically for The Baker’s Table. These distinctive coffee blends are available to purchase by the pound, whole bean or ground. Specialty coffee drinks are poured weekly and featured in-house.

Sometimes, deliciousness sneaks up on you from a small town. That’s exactly what The Baker’s Table has done. They’ve quietly entered the homegrown coffee scene with baked goods that envelop people in

comfort, making them feel like they’ve been a part of the landscape all along. Baker’s transports guests to what feels like a simpler place in time – hospitable with small-town vibes. And how lucky are we that those vibes, coffee and treats are all as lovely as ever? Happy Eating (and drinking)!

TOP

Mini

Fabulous,

All

When choosing a cognac, I would recommend a VS (Very Special) or VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale). These guarantee how long the cognac has been aged. Younger cognacs, such as VS, have more vibrant fruit aromas, whereas older eau-de-vie, such as VSOPs, are smoother. Again, it’s all about preference.

Cocktail OF THEMONTH

Mixed by Jill Rowe/Staff Writer

I often find myself hesitant to order a cocktail at a new bar or restaurant. I don’t consider myself a mixologist; in fact, I despise the term. But I do know that the key to a great cocktail is balance. I don’t want the bartender to “hook it up.” The classic Sidecar cocktail might lean excessively boozy or boring in the wrong hands. However, in the right hands and with the proper cognac, it can be pure joy in a drink.

The Sidecar likely evolved from a cocktail called the Brandy Crusta, a drink created in New Orleans by renowned bartender Joseph Santini in the 1850s. Brandy Crusta was created to try and enhance the flavor of the time’s traditional sour cocktail.

According to legend, during World War I, an American Army Captain would frequently ride to the bar in the sidecar of a friend’s motorcycle. He wanted a drink to warm him up before dinner one night, and cognac was the first thing that came to mind. However, it was deemed inappropriate for this early in the evening (apparently, they didn’t know about happy hour), so the bartender mixed it with Cointreau and lemon juice. As a result, the Sidecar was born.

While the legend never flat out says who created the drink, many believe it was pioneering barman Harry McElhone of Harry’s New York Bar in Paris. However, in his own ABC of Cocktails, he credits the drink’s invention to Pat McGarry, the bartender at Buck’s Club in London. Later, he turns around and takes recognition for creating the cocktail. Make up your mind, Harry.

It’s not just the Sidecar’s history that’s a source of contention; there are also disputes about the proportions of the drink’s ingredients. The French make the Sidecar with equal parts cognac, orange liqueur and lemon juice, whereas the British version uses two parts cognac to one part orange liqueur and lemon juice. My general rule of thumb when balancing cocktails is to use equal parts citrus to sugar. If a recipe calls for one ounce of lemon juice, typically one ounce of simple syrup or liqueur will balance the citrus nicely. If you prefer a sour drink, use less sugar to bring out the tartness of the citrus.

The wonderful thing about the complex ratios in this drink is that you can change it to match your preferences. Sweet, tart or strong … your choice. It reminds me of one of those choose-your-own ending books! As a child, I loved to read and reread those.

The Sidecar never fails to put you in a good mood with its distinct, sour flavor that highlights its agedspirit cognac. You can never go wrong with this reigning classic, no matter the occasion! Cheers!

Public Servant Series:

Keeping the Lights On!

Aaron Michaud and the Ponca City Energy Team

Story by Chelsea McConnell/Staff Writer Photos courtesy of Cindy Heidlage

Basketball coach Phil Jackson said, “The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.” It is clear after time spent with Aaron Michaud, Electrical Superintendent of Ponca City Energy, that he values a healthy corporate culture and respect for team members. This is one of the elements adding to the success of the Ponca City Energy (PCE) team.

Ponca City’s brick streets were first bathed in light in 1894. Our city’s first electric company was owned by J.J. McGraw. The City of Ponca City passed a bond and purchased the electric company less than 20 years later. Today, Ponca City Energy is your public power source since 1912 and is owned by the people it serves.

Our city’s electrical system covers approximately 200 square miles of territory, making it the largest electric municipality in the state, square mile wise. This territory, as described by Michaud is, “Much more than the city limits. Our territory runs to Kildare to the north and White Eagle to the south. We go all the way out to Kaw Lake to the east and Ranch Drive to the west.” PCE has 25 employees. Of these employees, there are 14 Lineworkers and 1 Lineworker Apprentice that maintain our electrical lines over those vast 200 square miles. All of the PCE lineworkers have attained their Journeyman’s license. PCE’s Apprentice is in the second year of the program on the way to receiving his Journeyman’s license. Within the 200 square miles, there

Aaron Michaud, Electrical Superintendent of Ponca City Energy

are over 16,000 electric meters, 20,000 power poles, 410 miles of overhead primary lines and 65 miles of underground primary lines. These numbers are evidence of a well-oiled, hardworking crew of individuals. Michaud is incredibly proud of the PCE team of lineworkers.

As a team, PCE also values the bigger picture and working together to help our city as a whole run more effectively. Michaud puts it like this, “We aid a lot of other city departments when they need help, whether it be hanging a flag or setting some poles for playground equipment for Parks & Rec. We help the Street Department quite a bit as well. Anytime a department needs us, we help other departments. We all work well together. Our owners are the citizens of Ponca City. We answer to them at the end of the day. It’s their support and the Commission’s support that gets us what we need to do our work.”

PCE also aids the city and the community financially as well. “We are one of the largest revenuegenerating departments. So we contribute heavily to the general fund,” Michaud says. They also donate to many causes and organizations, including many Ponca City athletics groups and many nonprofits. On top of financial donations, employees often get together to participate in festivals like Goblins on Grand and other community events. “We enjoy

being out there in the public eye and supporting the public because that’s what makes us a community. And, and if you don’t support the community, you just don’t have a community,” Michaud states.

As Superintendent, Michaud takes care of day-today operations, as well as management of the lineworkers and the apprentice. Part of his job involves setting jobs up for new electrical lines to be installed.

“If a customer calls and they want to put a new service in, I’m the one to go meet with them in the field. We’ll stake out if there needs to be any poles. If there’s any aid to construction or contracts that need to be written, I’ll draw those up. I basically do the work from meeting the customer to getting it set up for the crews to go out there and complete the work.” PCE gets multiple calls like this each day. Sometimes the jobs involve new construction, and sometimes they involve upgrades to existing lines.

The team also tests poles each year in order to ensure they’re being replaced as needed. An outside contractor comes in annually to test a random selection of poles. His feedback gives PCE the information they need to replace damaged poles. By doing this, they are able to mitigate future hazards. With over 20,000 poles in the system, maintenance is vital to running a smooth operation. Michaud and PCE staff also participate annually in the

MESO (Municipal Electric Systems of Oklahoma) Lineworkers’ Rodeo. The event was held recently in Edmond on Sept. 21-22. This year was Michaud’s 12th year to judge the competition. Joining him as judges were Keenen Pappan, Jared Evans and Gary Goodno. PCE had one three-man team with members Tomas Alvarez, Chris Crain and Austin Fry. Tomas Alvarez took 1st in the Hurtman Rescue, Speed Climb and Mutual Aid. Chris Crain took

“We’re fortunate, because in my opinion, we probably have some of the best linemen in the state and that’s what allows us to get as much done as we can with the low number of staff that we have. They’re really good guys. They work safely. They work efficiently. They know the jobs really well. So, we’ve been blessed in that aspect.”

MESO (Municipal Electric Systems of Oklahoma) Lineworkers’ Rodeo

MESO (Municipal Electric Systems of Oklahoma) Lineworkers’ Rodeo

2nd in the Hurtman Rescue and 3rd in the Speed Climb. Michaud is proud of the PCE team. “Our team always does phenomenally well. They’re a great bunch of guys that compete hard, and they work hard at it.” Last year PCE’s Rodeo team took 2nd place in the Hurtman Rescue at the National Competition, an incredible feat according to Michaud. “It is pretty cool because we’re competing against municipalities with literally thousands of employees and millions of customers.” The events the team takes place in replicate the hard work they are doing daily on the job. To win, they must complete each task with the utmost precision and speed while also being perfectly safe. Their performance in these events speaks to their expertise on the job.

Each year the location of the state rodeo changes as it rotates around the state. Ponca City has hosted the state rodeo twice in

recent years. The annual rodeo is a great opportunity for lineworkers across the state to get to know one another. Ponca City is one of many communities across the state that signs a Mutual Aid agreement with MESO annually. Under this agreement, PCE will help other towns in the event of a crisis or great need in their community. For example, if Edmond is hit with a bad storm that passes Ponca City by, our team members can step in and help them get their systems back up and running. Because the agreement is mutual, other cities extend the same courtesy to our community in times of need.

They say “Teamwork makes the dream work.” It’s a cliché because it’s true. The team at Ponca City Energy works hard across our city and across the state. These men and women are just part of what makes our community such a great place to live.

Larry & Stephanie Klinger

MESO (Municipal Electric Systems of Oklahoma) Lineworkers’ Rodeo: Tomas Alvarez, Austin Fry and Chris Cain

A Matter of Life and Death

Story by Marlys Cervantes/Contributing Writer

Many of you have likely sat through a CPR training at work and halfway listened to the instructions, or half-heartedly followed the directions on the mannequin when practicing the skill. That’s me. Well, it was me … before Sept. 4, 2022, when I received a call from my dear friend Terri Harris at about 4:45 in the morning.

The American Heart Association develops science-based guidelines for CPR, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, that are used as emergency lifesaving procedures performed when the heart stops beating. Immediate CPR can triple the chances of survival after cardiac arrest. AHA explains that every year 350,000 people die from cardiac arrest in the United States.

On the early morning of Sunday, Sept. 4, Travis Harris was not one of those 350,000 people. Travis serves as the

Chief of the Kildare Volunteer Fire Department, so it’s no surprise that he’s trained in CPR and numerous emergency skills. However, his wife Teri happens to be trained as a member of the Emergency Response Team at Phillips 66, where she’s received training to be a registered Emergency Medical Responder.

Until that early morning, however, her skills had all been book learning and the hands-on training offered. But it was exactly this training that the

paramedics who later came and the doctors and nurses who worked on Travis at the ER said saved his life. The thing is, the chest compressions must circulate oxygenated blood for the individual who has experienced cardiac arrest to remain alive.

For the compressions to work the patient must be on a hard surface, so Teri’s first chore was moving Travis from the bed to the floor. If you know them, Travis is no small man, and this was not easy. Sheer adrenaline was needed to help Teri make that happen. Then, she said she knows her method wasn’t perfect, but it was enough — enough to keep the circulation occurring in his body until the first responders arrived. She bought Travis the time he needed to survive until more help made it. Teri kept doing as many compressions as she could as hard as she could — through panic and tears. She knew she couldn’t stop. She did not want to be a widow at 54. She didn’t

want her happily-ever-after to end on that morning.

Her group of friends didn’t want that for her either. We remember when Travis proposed — before church in all his firefighting gear. It was a beautiful moment that we’ll all remember forever. Then they went in one of his older firetrucks from their wedding ceremony to the reception. They’ve worked together ever since at fund-raising activities for the department. His work has

always been part of their relationship, and they’d both devoted so much of their lives to work before finally finding one another. It just couldn’t end yet.

When we met for breakfast after this experience, someone mentioned you can just think about the song “Stayin’ Alive” as you do the compressions to keep yourself moving quickly enough. Our friend Deborah Layton, with her crazy sense of humor, said, “Or you can use ‘Another One Bites the Dust.’” We all laughed after giving her a funny look, but Travis said, “Whatever works is fine with me!” We definitely agreed with him about that.

The CPR has been critical, but an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) had to also be used on Travis twice to get his heart beating again — once when the first responders arrived on the scene and once on the way to the hospital. These are devices that are often kept at businesses, gyms and many other locations, and it is a good idea for individuals to be trained about how to use them as well as knowing CPR.

For the Harrises, their family home is 5 miles north of the airport, so it was 12 minutes before the paramedics arrived. Compressions were critical for survival, and Travis would not have survived without them. We simply must be more prepared on our own to buy time needed for our loved ones and others in circumstances such as these. We never know what may get in the way of timely arrival on highways and streets when a crew is trying to reach us.

On the American Heart Association website, it keeps it simple for us in two steps. It says: 1) Call 9-1-1 (or send someone to do that), 2) Push hard and fast in the center of the chest. However, another point Teri wants to make about the panic that sets in when this occurs to someone you love is, “You can’t just practice the CPR. Practice dialing that phone.”

When our group of friends met with her the first time after Travis was home, and we all knew he was going to be okay, one of the main parts of the experience Teri wanted to stress was what a difficult time she had dialing 9-1-1 on her phone. She had never

considered practicing waking up and immediately attempting to do that. You can’t call that number on a whim, but maybe we can practice a different one. Practice dialing your 3-digit area code when you first wake up with your alarm and are still very sleepy. Something. This needs to be made easier rather than it being the hard part of what you are going to have to do if in this situation.

In speaking with the EMS division at the Ponca City Fire Department, they indicated there hadn’t been much interest in CPR training lately, even without the certification, which they used to offer. However, when we discussed the recent events and upcoming article, we agreed that interest may go up and offerings begin again for groups who just want to know the basic skill without certification.

Pioneer Technology Center offers a three-hour certification course two times each semester (fall, spring, summer) for interested individuals. The course teaches adult, child and infant CPR and AED use according to the American Heart Association’s techniques. Certification is valid for two years, at which time a person must recertify if they would like their card to remain current. However, as we know it’s the skillset that’s most important in an emergency for most of us.

The Journal of the American Heart Association’s 2017 report stated that fewer than 6% of those who suffer cardiac arrest outside of the hospital survived, and only about 24% of those suffering one in the hospital survived. An American Heart Association 2022 update doesn’t appear much better, stating that even after actively stressing CPR training and AED availability, nearly 90% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests are fatal.

There are miracles all around this particular story. Teri was awake when Travis’ cardiac arrest happened. She woke up, looked at her phone for the time, and then heard the horrific, ragged sounds he made — and then heard him go quiet and knew something was horribly wrong. Would she have fully woken up if she hadn’t already been awake? Who knows. What we do all agree about now is that knowing this skill may be more important than any of us can imagine.

Travis was in pain afterward, but it was from the injured ribs from the chest compressions. They hurt when he coughed, a reminder of the tough love his sweetheart had for him during his time of need, I’d say.

I don’t know about you, but I’m going to set up my training during a department meeting with our Paramedic Program staff at Cowley College. I cannot imagine if someone close to me has cardiac arrest without my being prepared.

Teri says, “The minutes you could give your loved one in crisis could be the difference between life and death.”

Get that CPR training, practice dialing that phone in a panic situation, sing what you will — Bee Gees, Queen or something else. Let’s carry on with life.

PONCA CITY MAIN STREET OFFICE

City Central • 400 E. Central Suite 201G 580-763-8082

OUR MISSION is to serve Ponca City and its citizens by promoting quality of life through the revitalization of downtown.

Our Vision is to make downtown the heart of our community! Our Transformation Strategies are Arts & Entertainment and Community Connection.

by Lorrie Layton

BOOK REVIEW

Attack of the Black Rectangles

by Amy Sarig King

In the town where Mac Delaney lives, everything is perfect – at least, that’s what the adults say. There’s no crime in their perfect little town … or Halloween … or junk food, or bad thoughts. They don’t even use bad words, like “cancer or death or sex or donut.” Most of this can be attributed to Ms. Laura Samuel Sett, a local sixth-grade teacher whose self-professed mission is “to protect all of us from the ugly world.”

Let me introduce you to Mac. Mac is a sixth-grader who has been raised to speak the truth and to give others grace. He’s really smart and despises being lied to – especially by grown-ups who think they don’t have to be honest with children. Mac’s dad is an excellent example of that type of adult. He has serious anger issues and lies to Mac if the truth is inconvenient. This is terribly confusing for Mac because he hates how his dad treats him, but he still loves his dad – and he’s afraid he’s doomed to grow up to be just like his dad. Luckily Mac has an amazing mom and grandfather.

When Mac’s lit circle chooses to read The Devil’s Arithmetic by Jane Yolen, Mac and his friends are shocked to discover that someone has blacked out certain words

and phrases in their books – and not just their copies, but every copy in their classroom. The kids recognize this for what it is – censorship. They do their research and meet with the principal regarding their concerns. That accomplishes nothing, so they hold protests to raise the town’s awareness and get permission to speak to the school board. Mac also emails the author, Jane Yolen, about the black rectangles in their books.

I hope you read Attack of the Black Rectangles. It’s one of the best books I’ve read in a very long time.

Stittsworth,

Stittsworth,

REVIEW

Review By: Lorrie Layton

by Lawrence J. Hogan

Author Lawrence J. Hogan was a man of many talents: an attorney, a law professor, and a congressman. For 10 years, he served our country as a member of the FBI. In the early 1950s, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover charged Hogan with analyzing all the FBI files associated with the Osage murders and writing a summary for a possible movie that never happened. In 1998, Hogan published The Osage Indian Murders, a thorough review of the crimes committed against the Osage.

Hogan begins by giving the reader a basic understanding of the history and culture of the Osage Indians, followed by an explanation of how the Osages were relegated to reservations. The discovery of oil on their land had a major impact on the Osage way of life. Besides advancing them from a poor tribe to the richest people in the world, it drew all types of criminals to the area. The reader is then introduced to each murdered Osage, along with the major

swindlers, assassins, bootleggers, and the self-proclaimed King of the Osage Hills.

The tribal elders of the Osage tribe realized that their people had been much happier when they were poor. Wealth had not been a blessing for them. The elders formally requested help from the United States government. The Bureau of Investigation (now the FBI) assigned Special Agents to the case that had knowledge of frontier life and Indians. These agents quickly determined that citizens were afraid to speak with the agents and, moreover, most lawyers, politicians, and law enforcement officers were not to be trusted.

For the remainder of the book, Hogan follows the FBI’s investigation (along with their successful use of undercover agents), the arrests, and ensuing trials. The Osage Indian Murders is a truly informative read.

by Patrick Jordan

BY BRACE BOOKS & MORE

The Osage Indian Murders: The True Story of a Multiple Murder Plot to Acquire the Estates of Wealthy Osage Tribe Members

Kaw Nation Celebrates

Vision Statement:

The future of the Kaw Nation is some thing that I hold close to my heart, for all the Kaw Citizens. An expan sion of our land base would further strengthen the Kaw Nation’s ability to develop a future business plan on many different levels. The businesses built, could provide more services for the Citizens and represent the Sovereignty we hold as a Tribal Nation.

To preserve the Nation’s future, we must take care of our elders, while teaching our children to reflect on the past to build into the present to protect our future. The language, culture and traditional preservation is of utmost importance not only for me, but for the Kaw Nation as a whole. If we don’t have these respected values for all these, we have nothing.

Kaw Nation stands strong, as we did in our past and will forever be as strong within our future.

Wíblahan, Kimberly Jenkins, Kaw Nation Chair

Story by Adam Leaming, Ponca City Public Schools / Contributing Writer

My sister and brother-in-law live in the suburbs of Boston, MA. Each fall she sends me pictures of how the changing seasons drastically alter the landscape there. I remember visiting Boston to see her and thinking how it truly is a beautiful city full of activity. One of my fond est memories was trying to decipher their public transit system to get my family to Fenway Park for a ball game after a day of walking along the Freedom Trail.

At first glance, I was completely overwhelmed with the options of available transportation. Buses, trains, Ubers, and Lyfts were all avail able. We decided to be adventurous and take the subway. However, determining which subway train was going to get us as close as pos sible to Fenway Park proved more challenging than initially thought.

As I thought about our upcoming general election in Oklahoma, I remembered this memory. Like any public transportation system in any large city, it can be confusing for outsiders. Public transportation by its nature has predetermined destinations on each of its routes. While that destination may appeal to many it rarely gets you exactly where you would like to go. Every election is similar in this regard. Each name on that ballot is like a different subway train that will take you to various destinations. Only you know the final destination you want to go, but you know you need to ride a subway train to get you as close as possible.

Our general election ballot is going to be littered with names, ques tions, positions that will sound confusing. But you will know your destination you want to go when you step into your polling booth. Which subway train on the ballot is going to get you close to your visions for our state’s future?

No one candidate is perfect, I’ve seen enough ads that would have me believe either person is out to get me and my family, or how each candidate is the next best thing to sliced bread. But I do know the destination I would like to see our state reach.

My challenge for you is to determine what values you think are most important to your state’s future. Then find the candidate(s) you think can get you closer to that future. Pick your subway train, knowing full well that one train may not get you exactly there, but it will get you closer to your destination.

It’s no secret that there are many possible “destinations” on this November ballot. The best thing for our state would be for the true will of Oklahoma’s future be determined by the most voters in Oklahoma history. Please get out to vote on November 8th and I hope you find yourself arriving closer to your destination.

KAY COUNTY EVENTSKAY COUNTY EVENTS

November 4

Ponca City Main Street’s Ladies Night

Grand Avenue

5-8 PM

Merchants all over the district plan amazing deals and shopping opportunities for customers with trunk shows, gifts with purchase, special sales and a variety of other unique offerings for our local ladies.

November 5

26th Annual Veterans Day Celebration

100 block East Grand PONCA CITY

10:45 AM

The annual Ponca City Veterans Day Parade will also include plenty of fun events and entertainment options for the whole family. Join us for a Big Celebration at War Memorial Park immediately after the parade.

November 5

2022 Holiday Craft Fair RecPlex

8AM - 4PM

The RecPlex Holiday Craft Fair is back this year. The event will be held in the basketball gym at the Ponca City RecPlex, 1604 West Grand.

November 6

“Daughter of Dawn” ScreeningPoncan Theatre

2 PM, Presentation

Movie begins at 2:30PM

The Pioneer Woman Museum and Statue will host a film screening of “The Daughter of Dawn” at the Poncan Theatre, located at 104 E. Grand Ave. in Ponca City. Rather than a set ticket price, patrons are encouraged to give a donation as admission to the screening.

November 8

Dar Williams Project / PCMS Fall Mixer City Central 5PM-7PM

In partnership with the City of Ponca City, please join Ponca City Main Street during our Fall Mixer networking event for an evening of education and entertainment by Dar Williams. This event is free of charge and open to the public. Ms. Williams has been described as one of America’s very best singer-songwriters. She travels around the country performing and speaking on topics such as one’s own ability to achieve power and resilience, revitalization of small communities and embracing historic preservation and local culture. She is recognized as an author, educator and urban planning expert. We are very excited and fortunate for her to be in Ponca City!

November 7

Thanksgiving Dinner & Holiday Market

Pioneer Technology Center 9AM-2PM

The PTC Holiday Market supports the CareerTech Student Organization fund which helps students with competition monetary needs as well as travel to these conferences.

November 18

Christmas Tree Lighting & Ice on the Plaza Grand Opening Celebration 6:30PM

Ponca City’s Tree Lighting at City Hall will be at 6:30pm. The Ice on the Plaza Rink opening is immediately following at Veteran’s Plaza.

November 19

Ponca Young Employee’s Dine and Donate

Frasier’s Restaurant 7AM-5PM

Eat at Frazier’s and 10% of all proceeds will go to support The Mission, a nonprofit that helps feed the poor and homeless in Ponca City.

November 23

Festival of Angels Lights On 6PM-10PM

Enjoy a dazzling light display through Thursday, Dec. 30. Other light displays are located at Cann Gardens and the grounds of the Pioneer Woman Museum.

November 26

Ponca City Main Street Presents Small Business Saturday ALL DAY Penguins on the Plaza 1-3PM

Many downtown shops participate in this nationwide annual event. With our growing downtown retail options, shoppers will find gifts for everyone on their list. This year, a group of special guests will be making an appearance at the Ice on the Plaza. Come between 1-3PM to sneak a peek of Penguins from Tanganyika park!

December 2

Lighted Christmas Parade Downtown Ponca City 6PM

The annual Christmas Open House Weekend gets kicked off each year on the first Friday in December with the Lighted Parade hosted by the City of Ponca City and Parks & Recreation. The Lighted Parade kicks off at 6:00 p.m. Local businesses, clubs and organizations participate in the parade.

December 2

Lutheran Christmas Market

First Lutheran School Gymnasium 7 PM

Join us for our 11th annual Christmas Market Oklahoma! Find treasures of all kinds, participate in our traditional cookie walk, have lunch, enjoy entertainment, and so much more!

N. 14th

762-1854

Trout Funeral Home & Crematory and One Warm Coat®

Sharing Warmth One Coat At A Time

Story contributed by Preston Childress/ Trout Funeral Home and Crematory

Trout Funeral Home & Crematory is hosting a coat drive to collect clean gently worn or new coats between October 24 and November 18, during normal business hours 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Monday-Friday at 505 W. Grand Ave. Area residents are invited to make a difference in our local community by donating to the coat drive and helping Trout Funeral Home reach their goal of collecting 100 coats and $250.

“We are excited about our upcoming One Warm Coat drive and invite the community to participate and support our efforts. The need for shelter from the elements, like food and clean water, is especially urgent now. Due to the economic crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the poverty rate in 2020 increased for the first time in 5 years. Currently 37 million Americans are living at or below the poverty level and struggling to afford basic necessities. All of the coats we collect will be distributed through My Favorite Things, 207 E Grand Ave, Ponca City, after the coat drive ends. This insures the coats stay in our community and help our neighbors stay warm this winter,” said Coat Drive Ambassador and local resident, Preston Childress.

Last year, more than 400,000 coats were distributed across the United States to children and adults in need through One Warm Coat’s Coat Drive Program. “We’re grateful to our

volunteer Coat Drive Ambassadors like Trout Funeral Home & Crematory. It’s because of our incredible volunteers that so many coats are saved from landfills and given a second life protecting our neighbors in need. Thanks to Trout Funeral Home & Crematory’s efforts, many people in this community will be warm this winter,” said Beth W. Amodio, President and CEO of One Warm Coat.

About One Warm Coat

One Warm Coat is a national cloudbased nonprofit organization that provides free coats to children and adults in need, while promoting volunteerism and environmental sustainability. Over the past 30 years, One Warm Coat has facilitated more than 43,000 coat drives, collecting 7.3 million coats that have been distributed through 1,400 nonprofit partners across all 50 states. Individuals and organizations can get involved by donating coats, holding coat drives, and making financial donations. Every $1 donated warms 1 person. One Warm Coat believes in each person’s right to shelter from the elements and is committed to sharing warmth, without discrimination, one coat at a time.

Backyard Gardener

Getting ready for the Holidays

November Edition:

Story and Photos by Kat Long / Contributing Writer

You’ve planted some fall crops (or not) and are keeping them alive (or not). Both are completely acceptable after the summer of “no, I will not grow for you.” Kind of like planting a bunch of two-year-olds and expecting them to do what we want them to do. Moms in the audience will get this, I promise. Growing aside, we are now entering the time of year I like to call “paying it forward”; otherwise known as Christmas. Now,

you don’t have to give the best gifts (but most gardeners do because we are thoughtful like that) AND you don’t have to get everyone a gift (but most of us do because we identify strongly with the red-suited, bearded guy).

You see where this is going.

If you are the gardener/grower/person who deals with the plants the best you can, hand this article to your friends, significant other or spouse now. You can read this article in January. Here is why: some of these things you will want to go out and buy for yourself. Immediately. This will leave those that love you flabbergasted and annoyed that you have

bought all the best Christmas gifts for yourself, leaving them no alternative but to resort to Lowe’s and Amazon cards as gifts. Of course, if this is your evil plan, then keep reading and let the season of self-giving commence.

Seeds

Whether you are a seed saver, seed collector or know that your gardening friend/family person loves all the seeds, you can’t go wrong with unusual seeds as gifts. It’s like a dare for your gardener: Could you grow it? Will it grow in Oklahoma? Would other people be very jealous/ envious if I did manage to grow this plant? All are valid reasons to plant a seed. Seed catalogs like Baker Creek, found at RareSeeds.com, have their 2023 seed collections already on the website, so feel free to order.

If you are a seed saver and want to share the bounty, check out this gardener’s little seed saving kit at uncommongoods.com. Fill with some of your favorite seeds and gift away. Great wildflower seed mixes can be found at edenbrothers.com; Johnston Seed Company is located in Enid and has great grass, cover crop and clover seeds, johnstonseed. com.

Seed catalogs are always fun for stocking stuffers. Companies like Territorial Seed

Company, Baker Creek Heirloom Seed, Gurneys and Southern Exposure Seed Exchange all have seed catalogs that can be requested in the mail: some for a small price; others are free.

Another fun gifty is the square-foot gardening template. This cool little tool helps space those seeds correctly so they don’t overcrowd each other and helps with long row spacing like carrots, salad greens or radishes. It comes with a handy dandy garden planting guide as well.

Clippers

Every gardener needs a great set of clippers. This is a recommendation, as most people have their favorites, but these are my favorite clippers: Felco Pruning Shears, made in Switzerland. Now, hear me out. They fit your hand well; are easy to take apart and clean; cut decent size stems and branches;

and, if taken care of, last forever. I have somehow lost mine (hint, hint) in the wilds of the yard. Or I may have taken them with me on a project and left them somewhere. Whatever the case may be, they have left my material plan. If you absolutely want a U.S. brand, the Barnel 7” Lightweight Pruner is another option. The ergonomic handle is not for everyone, but someone with arthritis or hand challenges might appreciate this design.

Propagation

As most gardeners and plant lovers know, it is much easier (and less expensive) to divide a plant to make more plants than starting from seed or buying a plant from a store. To that end, this cute little propagation stand, which is both attractive and useful, might make a

great gift. Go one step further and collect cuttings from friends and family to add to the gift. Since I have cuttings in all kinds of water bottles, cups and mugs, this little stand with glass water holders is truly a beautiful addition to my collection (hint, hint). If you know someone crafty with the woodworking tools, you could thrift glass containers and have said crafty person make a custom shelf to hold them. I am thinking wood pallets might make great base wood for this project as well. And we are starting gift gathering early, so take advantage of the month of November to prepare your gifts, especially homemade ones.

Homemade Gifts

Gifts made by friends and family are always welcome under my tree. Those gifts signify that this gift getter is worth the time and effort it took to make that gift. Or buy that gift from an artisan – because homemade and artistmade gifts are not cheap to make or to buy. There is time and thought put into each one. These gifts have meaning and care, which during the holiday season is a pretty good gift to give or get. So, make those egg aprons for your chicken friend; get that T-shirt quilt finished for Christmas; bake that loaf of bread and gift it with a jar of local honey. We all have talents and can give from them. And we all know artists and creators who would love to sell us their wares.

Magazine Subscriptions

Hear me out on these. Not just any magazine – and for heaven’s sake, no Sports Illustrated or Vogue. We are talking Mother Earth Living, Fine Gardening, Amateur Gardening, Garden & Gun (you know who you are) and Garden Culture are all magazines most gardeners would enjoy a subscription to for at least a year. Taking the subscription idea a little further, do some research on Home & Garden shows in your area, both local and regional. For instance, Tulsa and Oklahoma City both have spring garden shows for which a person could very easily make a homemade gift certificate and follow up with tickets when they become available. Follow thru is important here, so if you need to be in the moment, stick with the magazine subscription or tickets that can be purchased as a gift.

There are The Backyard Gardener gift recommendations for 2022; Christmas or otherwise. Homemade coupons for cleaning out flower beds, mulching, weed pulling and overall yard help are great for young kids (or older kids) to give the favorite gardener in their life. Throw in mowing, trimming or weed eating coupons, and you might just be finished Christmas shopping early this year. Leaves you more time for, you guessed it, Happy Gardening.

Get Fit!

KERA KESTER

Cons

a. It is a simple sugar that provides empty calories for the body. Empty calories have high caloric density for very low nutritional value. And yes, unfortunately simple sugars can contribute to excess body fat in multiple ways.

goals. The answer is not always as simple as cutting out drinking altogether. So, when it comes to staying fit, plus engaging in social or business events that may call for a drink or two, … how does alcohol fit into the equation?

First, let’s start with the pros and cons of the mental and physical effects alcohol can cause depending on the level of consumption.

b. It affects how your body metabolizes nutrients. When you consume alcohol, your body burns through the alcohol as a fuel source while glucose (sugar) from carbs and lipids (fats) become used and stored as adipose tissue (or fat). This means, that the carbs and fats you’ve consumed aren’t burned through fat oxidation like they normally would be, as your body processes and deals with the alcohol first.

c. It can cause liver damage, birth defects and addiction.

d. It affects digestion and levels of hormones in the body, like testosterone. Testosterone

plays a major role in muscle formation and fat-burning capabilities. Testosterone also impacts sleep, which causes hormonal imbalances in hunger, satiety and energy storage. Furthermore, it impairs the body’s ability to recover post-workout.

e. It impairs judgment calls. The risks of impaired judgment do not just stop at dangerous situations or devastating accidents. For example, it can easily put someone hundreds of calories over their daily needs as one may give into the sugar and fat cravings that alcohol can prompt or impulsively grab one drink after another. To put it in perspective, just one 12-oz. can of beer has roughly 155 calories and just a 5-oz. glass of wine can have up to 125 calories. Include drinks that have mixers, like fruit juice or soda, and the calories go up even more.

Interesting fact: Alcohol is linked to 20% increased risk of mouth and throat cancer.

Pros

a. Raises “good” HDL (highdensity lipoprotein) cholesterol in your bloodstream. Good HDL absorbs cholesterol and carries it back to the liver to be flushed out by the body. This can lower risk of heart disease and stroke.

b. Red wine may reduce risk of heart disease.

c. Decreases blood pressure

d. Lowers fibrinogen. Fibrinogen is a substance that contributes to blood clots.

e. Alcohol may reduce insulin resistance, fighting main symptoms of diabetes.

The call of whether you’d like to cut out drinking completely or keep it to a specific degree is your own. If you decide that alcohol will remain in your diet, I do want to suggest a couple of safeguards to reduce the risks. I’m going to start out with the most important one!

• Drink it in moderation!

This will help you stay within your

caloric goals and avoid any pitfalls for your body composition goals. There are some recommendations that one can go by to judge where the line may be. For instance, NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) recommends staying under 15 units per week and under 5 units per sitting. One unit of alcohol can include drinks such as 12 fluid oz. of regular beers that contain 5% alcohol or 5 fluid oz. of wine that contains 12% alcohol.

• Choose low-calorie options. For example, 1.5 oz. of distilled 80-proof vodka or 1.5 oz. of tequila is roughly 100 calories. There are even some finds that are as little as 55 calories like Budweiser Select 55.

• Have a form of accountability in place.

Especially when drinking at social events or alone!

Enjoy your life and time on this earth while keeping efforts to take care of your body a priority! A good or successful time doesn’t have to include drinking. However, if you have a drink or two, you shouldn’t be left to feel a dark hole of guilt or shame. May Thanksgiving serve as a reminder to always keep uplifting thoughts of thankfulness and gratitude at the forefront of our minds and in our hearts. As always, I wish you nothing but the best and look forward to hearing from many of you. Happy November and have an AMAZING Thanksgiving!

people, but

myself am included in that.

a level from 1-10 of how annoyed I am by people, I’m constantly at a 7. On a scale from 1-10 of how annoying I am, I’m always at an 8.5. I am easily the most annoying person I’ve ever met. And sometimes, it’s like an out-of-body experience. Like I’ll see myself acting a fool and think to myself “Yikes, why are you like this?” When I’m picking a fight with my husband because he didn’t read my mind and get me Reese’s Cups when he stopped at the gas station even though we’ve been together for nearly 15 years and should know I always want Reese’s Cups, I know I’m being unreasonable, I know I should shut up, but I just don’t have the ability nor the willpower to. I get on my kids’ nerves too, because they regularly, very kindly, say to me, “Mom, do you mind not talking for a while, please” and it doesn’t even offend me because I get it; I want a break from me too sometimes. Don’t ever invite me to a movie because I 100% will talk

through it and ask you a bunch of questions about what’s going on, even though it’s your first time seeing the movie, and you can’t possibly know the answer to them. Doesn’t matter. I’ll still do it. I sometimes wonder how anyone has ever been interested in me romantically or as a friend, but here I am with a husband and at least 1½ friends. But the thing I do that annoys me the most about me is that no matter what, I’m going to cry. Sad? Cry. Happy? Bawl. Overwhelmed? Sob. Angry? Tears. See a baby animal? Weep. See someone fall? Depending on their age, I’m either crying with laughter or sadness, but either way, I’m crying. See a service dog? I’ll absolutely lose it (they work so hard). I could never be a lawyer. If I even get an inkling that someone is mad at me or is going to argue with me, immediate tears. One time I pulled a prank on my sister and told her they were demolishing the Marland Mansion, and like an idiot, she fell for it and was outraged and wanted to organize a protest and make pick et signs, and it was the funniest thing ever, and I laughed so hard that I literally sobbed for nearly an hour to the point I thought I was going to vomit. So anyways, if you’re worried that you’re the annoying one in your friend group, fear not; I am, and likely always will be, the most annoying.

Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry sauce, the perfect tangy accompaniment to a rich Thanksgiving meal. This sweet and tangy sauce is so simple to make and takes less than 15 minutes. Ditch the canned stuff this year and give this homemade Thanksgiving staple a try!

Directions

cranberries, orange zest, sugar, water and spices

set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 7-10 minutes or until the sugar is dissolved and the cranberries are softened. Add in the reserved 1/2 cup of cranberries and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes. Transfer cranberry sauce to a bowl and allow to come to room temperature.

in the fridge for at least 4 hours.

Recipe and Photos by Paul Muehlberg / Contributing Writer

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1

• Ponca City Business Council will meet at 8 a.m. at the Chamber Office

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3

• Education and Workforce Development Committee will meet at 4 p.m. at the Chamber Office

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5

• Santa Buck Giveaway Starts!

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9

• 36th Ponca City Leadership Session

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10

• Kindness Meeting at the Rusty Barrell Lounge

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11

• Office Closed for Veteran’s Day

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14

• Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at 2 p.m. for Keller Williams Select, located at 777 Legacy Trail

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15

• Ambassador Committee will meet at 8 a.m. at the Chamber Office

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16

• Finance and Executive Committee will meet at 11 a.m. at the Chamber Office

• Customer Service Training at 6 p.m. for the Cherokee Strip Credit Union Employees

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17

• Tourism Bureau will meet at 9 a.m. at the Chamber Office

• Community Development Committee will meet at 10 a.m. at the Chamber Office

• Business after Hours from 5 – 7 p.m. hosted by Osage Casino

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18

• Ponca Politics Committee will meet at 11 a.m. in the McFadden Room at City Hall

• Ponca Politics Forum at noon in the Commission Chambers. This forum is on Kay County Government

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22

• Chamber Board will meet at 11 a.m. at the Chamber Office

THURSDAY & FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24-25

• Office Closed for Thanksgiving

Kids Say the Darndest Things

“Cut That Sucker Up and Make a Pumpkin Pie Out of It”

Story by Hayley Harrison / Staff Writer

I think for most of us, fall typically brings forth feelings of nostalgic warmth. Images of plaid, pumpkins, perfectly tinted leaves and glorious seven-day forecasts are brought to the forefront of our brains. Our senses come alive at the thought of sipping PSLs (that’s short for pumpkin spice lattes, for my nonbasic friends reading this) on our sofa, while wearing our treasured sweatshirts and watching our favorite fall “classics” on television. We can practically taste the five-star soup that is bubbling up in our crockpots and smell the Food Network-worthy treats that are rising up in our ovens – and sharing these coveted fall moments with our angelic children. That just puts it overthe-top!

(I hope by this point I have adequately set the scene for my ideal fall day, because it was on one such day that I shared a moment with my oldest daughter that I will never forget.)

I had just picked her up from school, and we were heading home to devour our secret stash of Halloween candy (Honey, if you are reading this, I’m so sorry you had to find out this way) and binge-watch a show of her choosing. She chose “Spookley the Square Pumpkin” as her first “watch,” and if you are unfamiliar with our good friend, Spookley, it is my distinct pleasure to introduce you.

So basically, Spookley is a very kind and friendly pumpkin living in the pumpkin patch of a farm. He is everything a noble pumpkin should be, except for one thing – he is square instead of round (I know the shock you all must be feeling now). As we all know, being different as a child (or in this particular case, pumpkin) is far from easy. It is unfortunately true that kids can be cruel, so I found this to be the perfect opportunity to preach to my daughter about the necessary value of always being inclusive and kind to others, even if we view them as different than ourselves.

playground (pumpkin patch). I felt pretty satisfied with myself for the life lesson that I so obviously taught her, and gave myself a pat on the back for a parenting job well done. I let her finish the rest of the movie in peace, and when it ended I decided to affirm my superior parenting skills by asking her one final question. “We would be friends with Spookley, wouldn’t we?” I casually asked as I was grabbing another handful of miniature KitKats. It was at this

I went on and on, drawing parallels between the pumpkin characters on TV and the children that we all once were on the