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Meet Oklahomaâ€™s Oldest Lady | Pastor Now a Shadow of Former Self

JANUARY 18 Vol. 14 Number 11

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CONTENTS

JANUARY 2018

Publisher

Okie Icon Media

Managing Editor

David Dinsmore

Advertising Sales

Brad Carter

Creative Direction

Kelsey Walker & Fawn Wilson-Olivarez

Cover Photo

David Dinsmore

Writers

Jamie Bergsten

Andrea Beck

David Dinsmore

Kelsey Lambert

Ann McDonald

Angela Rowland

Cindy Stober

Thresa Swadley

FEATURES 8 Couple Grows Choral Programs Through Enthusiasm and High Expectations 11 CPN Museum Brimming with New Exhibits, Tech Three Years After Flood 15 Meet Oklahomaâ€™s Oldest Lady 18 Salesman Turns Business into Blessing Helping Haitian Water Project 22 How to Protect Your Skin in Winter 24 Volunteers Help Provide Free Tax Assistance to Oklahoma Taxpayers

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6 KEEP THE CHANGE 6 NUTRITION 101 20 SONIC CONTEST 21 SHAWNEE HISTORY 30 ART GUIDE

Volume 14, Number 11 Shawnee Outlook is a publication of Okie Icon Media. ÂŠ 2018 Okie Icon Media

Articles and advertisements in Shawnee Outlook do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the magazine or Okie Icon Media. Okie Icon Media does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. The acceptance of advertising by Shawnee Outlook does not constitute endorsement of products, services, political candidates/parties or information. We do not knowingly present any product or service that is fraudulent or misleading in nature. Shawnee Outlook assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials.

27 Pastor Now a Shadow of His Former Self After Sermon Series 29 Future Tense: Penning a Passion

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KEEP THE CHANGE

Planning a Budget for the New Year

Quality Fuel Worth the Price

Lately, I’ve been referring often to the idea of planning ahead. Now would be a good time to sit down with your budget – and if you don’t have one, make it a resolution to start one – and begin planning for the year ahead.

Our community is growing. Economic development is great for the most part, but it can also have its pitfalls. Every time I see a fast food restaurant, I think, “There’s another battle to fight.” There are more and more food options that make it harder for us to stay on the right track. We often complain about not having extra money to spend on a gym membership, running shoes, fresh fruits and vegetables. But we continue to make these unhealthy purchases, and they keep building. The old saying “you get what you pay for” is so very true and has few exceptions when it comes to food. If you can buy five sandwiches for $5, do you think that it is quality fuel for your body? Either the sandwiches are so small that they could all fit between two slices of bread, or the nutritional value is so poor that they have to give you more to make it worth the money, though I would argue it’s not at any price. I know many of us are really working hard to make this community a healthier and happier place for generations to come. To make this a reality, we need to stick together as a community and really try hard to “Get to a Healthier Place.” We can’t just speak about it. We have to act on it. We can do this in part by cooking more at home, buying local produce and supporting local businesses and groups like The Blue Zones Project. To be clear, there is nothing wrong with eating out a couple of times a month. We have several wonderful, local, family-owned restaurants in Shawnee. Restaurants are even becoming Blue Zonescertified. When we put our money where our heart is, it provides positive results in the community. In fact, that is going to be my New Year’s resolution. I resolve to support local businesses that aren’t local simply because of their location, but because they are owned by and employ local residents who have a history of contributions to our community. Many of us grab breakfast on the way to work or after dropping kids off at school. When we start our morning off with foods loaded in saturated fat and sodium and provide us hardly any fiber and nutrients, we are not giving our body the fuel it needs to run its best for the day. This breakfast is pretty quick to make and provides many nutrients, so skip that fast food breakfast today and give this a go.

If you’re using a budgeting software, maybe it has a goals feature. My favorite YNAB does. If you’re not already using a specific software, I highly recommend it. If you do not have the ability to access financial software, you can use always a notebook and a calculator. Now, think about your upcoming expenses. Now that Christmas is a full year away, think about how much you typically spend at Christmas – consider gifts, extra food, travel and postage. Add it all up. And then divide that number by 11. You’ll want to have the amount ready by the end of November, so you’ll be geared up by December. That’s how much to save each month between now and then. A bonus to doing this is that you could actually start spending that money immediately in preparation for Christmas – so if you find the perfect gift for someone between now and December, you can pull that money from the Christmas budget you already started. Do a similar process for birthdays. Consider all the birthdays and parties you’ll need to prepare for this year and consider how to break that cost up. Other categories with set goals might be vacations, vehicle registration (it happens every year), software subscriptions like Amazon Prime, etc. Such expenses, when split up through the year seem much more manageable. Also consider funding other categories without specific goals but that you know will come up at some point – vehicle and home maintenance, clothing, etc. Set aside a little every month, so when an expense comes you’re better prepared. Here’s to a happy and financially stable new year. If you’d like to read more about my frugal journey, scan the QR code to visit my blog on the topic!

Angela Rowland is an OBU graduate and a stay-at-home mother of four. She enjoys finding new ways to stretch the paycheck and even posts some of her favorite tips and deals on her blog (steadfaststeward.blogspot.com)

NUTRITION 101

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Andrea Beck, a Registered Dietitian and Certified Personal Trainer, received her Master’s in Nutrition and Dietetics from UCO in Edmond. She offers her nutrition consulting services, personal training and strongHER workouts through Anytime Fitness Shawnee. Andrea offers personalized meal plans and workout plans. Andrea specializes in weight loss, running, childhood obesity, pregnancy health and diabetes. Andrea is an active member of Junior Service League and her church, Life Church. For nutrition or exercise questions, you can contact Andrea at andrea.beck@anytimefitness.com

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Couple Grows Choral Programs Through Enthusiasm and High Expectations On Oct. 30, 2017, four buses pulled out of the Shawnee High School parking lot filled with 200 middle school and high sc hool choir members to travel to the Little Dixie choral competition where SHS choirs received second place overall, and the SMS choirs received an excellent rating. This is very different from a few years ago when the high school mixed choir had an average of 20 students. At the heart of the program’s newfound success is Justin and Melissa Lee. They met as music education majors at Oklahoma Baptist University and are now partners in marriage, parenthood and work. Melissa began teaching in the SMS choral program in 2013, and Justin joined the SHS staff in 2015. The pair said it is easy to work together with Melissa accompanying Justin’s choirs and Justin frequently working with the eighth grade choir to ease their transition to the SHS choral program. “We understand each other well,” Justin said. “It will be hard in the future if there is a time when I need to begin working with someone else.” Melissa added, “Justin keeps me accountable. I know that he has high expectations when my students reach the high school.” When Justin began teaching at SHS in 2015, there were 50 students in the choral program and only two periods of his day were occupied with choral classes, he said. He spent the rest of the day teaching five general music classes. Today, with more than 115 students in the high school choirs, his workload has flipped: he spends five periods of his day teaching choirs and two periods teaching music appreciation classes. Likewise, Melissa has seen growth in the middle school choirs. When she began teaching at SMS in 2013, the eighth graders had experienced a new teacher every year of their SMS choir experience. “I had to build trust with the students,” Melissa said. “In contrast, they 8

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by Thresa Swadley

Shawnee High School and Shawnee Middle School choral programs have experienced growth in attendance and dynamics – including the addition of a show choir last year – since coming under the direction of Justin and Melissa Lee. Photo by Thresa Swadley

Melissa and Justin Lee

now hang out in my choir room and bring their friends into choir because they think it is so much fun.” Both teachers said they are excited that each year the sound and discipline of the choirs is improving. “Choir causes students that are used to going all of the time and being on technology to slow down and be in the moment,” Melissa said. “They have to be quiet and listen to each other and work as a team.” The newest addition to the high school choral program is the show choir that Justin began during the 2016-2017 academic year. It was not only the first year for the students to

participate in a show choir but also Justin’s. “I learned a lot last year,” he said. “I reached out to other teachers with successful show choir programs around the state, and they have helped me begin the program in Shawnee.” One goal of this choir is to have the students out in the community, and they have now participated in two of Shawnee’s Christmas parades, Justin said. The cost to run a successful choral program costs approximately $20,000$25,000 per year. Both Justin and Melissa said the supportive Shawnee Public School administration makes running the choral programs possible. The groups do have to conduct some fundraisers to meet expenses, which enables talented students to participate without financial hardship for their families. Shawnee’s choral program is unique in that it does not charge its students $300-$1,800 per year to participate in choir. Another positive for the choir program is the upcoming addition and renovation of the music building at the high school, the Lees said. This will be very helpful for a program that is consistently growing. The new choir room will have risers and will be set up

acoustically to meet the needs of the choral groups. They currently meet in a room set up for instrumental groups, and the room is too small for the number of students coming into the program. Both Justin and Melissa are proud that Shawnee is arriving as a contender at regional and state contests, but they look forward to the day when Shawnee choirs are expected to do great things because of their outstanding reputation. “I want expectations to be high for Shawnee choirs, just as it has been for the band and our sports teams,” Justin said.

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CPN Museum Brimming with New Exhibits, Tech Three Years After Flood by David Dinsmore

The Citizen Potawatomi Nation Cultural Heritage Center museum will host an opening event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 20 to celebrate its three-year return from the effects of a flood that struck its exhibits in March 2014. Photos submitted

For the first time in nearly three years, the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Cultural Heritage Center museum will be opening its exhibits to visitors on Jan. 20. The museum was about 70 percent through renovations thanks to a grant it had received when on March 31, 2014 flooding in the area devastated its old and new features. “We had to start again at ground zero,” director Kelli Mosteller said. The floodwaters brought destruction, but they also created an opportunity for the museum to pursue directions that were not feasible previously. Mosteller said the terms of the grant that helped fund the renovations at the time came with some stipulations, but the flood allowed Citizen Potawatomi Nation officials to create and implement ideas they had for the Cultural Heritage Center that they couldn’t have otherwise. After clean-up and initial construction began on the rebuilding of the museum, planners “went to the drawing board and made a wish list” of what they wanted to see in the final product, Mosteller said.

They began the process of hiring an exhibit design firm with experience in creating fixtures for museums. They landed on Atlas Fine Art Service, a Native American-owned organization with experience in opening six museums including the Institute of American Indian Arts Museum in Santa Fe, N.M., but it was also important for planners to be able to draw on the talents of local staff members to help bring the ideas to life to ensure the museum was unique to the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. “That’s everything for us,” Mosteller said. “(It is) not a true cultural center if tribal members don’t have their fingerprints on it.” The museum’s new design blends a few different styles used by other institutions that tells the story of the nation through traditional, digital and interactive methods, Mosteller said. The multimedia approach to storytelling helps make sure people of all ages and backgrounds can engage with what the museum has to offer and come away with a better understanding of the cultural elements that have shaped the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. “The thought that visitors of the museum will

> www.shawneeoutlook.com

continued from page 11

leave knowing more than when they arrived is exciting,” graphic artist Tony DeLonais said. “I feel like I contributed to keeping our Potawatomi history and culture alive, and that is a great feeling.” Visitors to the museum will journey through 10 distinct areas that paint different parts of the picture that makes up the tribe’s culture and history, Mosteller said. Technology and traditional museum design help bring to life aspects of Potawatomi culture – such as overlaying the tribe’s constellations over their Greek and Roman counterparts – and span the nation’s history from its roots, its days in the Wabash River valley in Indiana and through the Potawatomi Trail of Death that brought the tribes to Kansas and beyond. “I am big fan of ancient lore from any culture, so any exhibit that involves pre-history storytelling has my interest,” said Shawn Barfield, audio and video production manager. “I might be a bit biased since I worked on it, but section two is my favorite section of the museum since it covers the Potawatomi creation story.” Though the initial disaster did allow the museum to retool and redesign its exhibits and offerings in a way that fit the vision of its leaders, Mosteller said it was a solid year and a half before most of the staff could see the silver lining surrounding the flood.

THE FIFTH ELEMENT 16 e main

•

CURIOS WHIMSIES

The project required the coordination of seven departments under Citizen Potawatomi Nation operations along with more than five outside contractors, said Mosteller, who came to the museum seven years ago directly from her work as graduate student. Undertaking such a logistically complicated project was not something she saw in her future when pursuing her academic goals, but now that she has been able to get feedback from those who have toured the museum as it approached completion, she has been able to see

the benefits of the tedious meetings and scheduling involved in reopening the doors. “It really does make the finished product something we can be proud of,” Mosteller said. The museum will host a special opening event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Jan. 20 with goodie bags available for the first few hundred visitors, officials said. It will also host a festival June 28July 1 to help resume the pre-flood flow of foot traffic through the Cultural Heritage Center. Until then, Mosteller and her staff are working with teachers, schools, tourism officials and other groups to arrange field trips and other events to help get the word out and inspire a new generation of students who were very young when the flood hit. “It is satisfying to know that the work I put into the museum will be enjoyed by patrons for years to come,” Barfield said. “Additionally I personally enjoy learning about various cultures. Working with a Cultural Heritage Center feels very natural for me, like I have found myself. Working in the arts for long term promotion of a large culture is about as good as it gets for me.” The Cultural Heritage Center’s new exhibits will be free and open to the public. More information is available at potawatomiheritage.com or by calling 405-878-5830.

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Meet Oklahoma’s Oldest Lady

Submitted by Visit Shawnee

Shawnee’s Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art is home to the only ancient Egyptian mummies in Oklahoma. Tutu, one of the resident mummies, was kind enough to answer some questions for us. Tutu, how old are you? Records weren’t really kept well back in my day, but I am about 2,400 years old. You look great for being more than 2,000 years old. What was your life like before you became a mummy? I was wealthy and had a great life. I had at least one child and lived to be in my 40s, which was a long full life in my day. Can you tell us about the mummification process and its significance to ancient Egyptians? Back in my time, we believed that you would need your body in the afterlife. Therefore, it was important that it be preserved. Mummification was a process that took well over 100 days to complete. My brain was removed and then discarded as we didn’t think it was an important organ. My internal organs were removed, dried, wrapped in linen and then placed back inside my body. My body was dried with salt and then wrapped in hundreds of yards of linen bandages. In my time, people would save linen their entire life so that it could be used to mummify them after they died. Besides the mummy, what could you expect to find in an ancient Egyptian tomb? I would have had everything I needed in the afterlife in my tomb. Some things would be real, like food and jewelry. Other things like servants would be representational. The amount of wealth

you had in life determined how much you would have with you in your tomb. I heard that you used to terrify freshmen at St. Gregory’s University. Many years ago, the museum was in the main building at St. Gregory’s University. My sister mummy and I were sometimes used as pranks to scare the students. It was great fun. I’m too old for that now. What was it like having an MRI Scan done? I think going to St. Anthony Shawnee Hospital for my CT scan was one of the coolest things ever. I had been there in the early 1990s, but the technology is so much more advanced now. A company from Fort Worth sent three art moving experts to help get me there. It’s hard for me to believe that I’m a work of art. I was taken there in a climate controlled container and even had an escort from the Shawnee

police department. It really made me and my sister mummy feel important. There were news stories about the event all around the country. The radiology staff at the St. Anthony Shawnee Hospital were the best and did a full report of the results. Scientists at the Akhmim Mummy Studies Consortium are still studying the data from the scan. It turns out that there are a lot of mummies from my time and place in Egypt in museums all over the world. I’m one of the first to have this level of imaging. For many years, I will be the baseline of information as the other mummies are studied. That means if a mummy similar to me in Europe or Egypt or anywhere in the world has a CT scan, scientists will compare the results with me. Isn’t Shawnee a wonderful place? Visitors can see Tutu and other artifacts from all over the world at the Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art located at 1900 W. MacArthur Dr. For more information, visit our website VisitShawnee.com.

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Salesman Turns Business into Blessing Helping Haitian Water Project

by David Dinsmore

For Andy Dyke, what began as securing a lucrative bid for his company turned into an even more rewarding volunteer experience for himself. The Shawnee High School graduate has worked for more than a decade as a retail sales representative for www. pondliner.com, an online business that specializes in water gardening equipment and lining for large water containments. Early in 2017, Dyke was pitching his company to Apostolic Christian HarvestCall – which is the outreach arm of Apostolic Christian Church of America – for a project they had in southern Haiti. “One of these customers I was talking to was trying to narrow down a company that could produce a large liner for a reservoir down in Haiti,” Dyke said. “I put a bid in back in February or something like that, and we just had talks for several months.” During all those business transaction talks during the spring of 2017, the 41-year-old Dyke mentioned to HarvestCall’s Chris Huber that he would be available to do some volunteer work. Huber took him up on the offer. “As I was selling them all the materials, I let Chris know if they needed any volunteers to let me know, and that I would be happy to help,” said Dyke, who is also a graduate of University of Central Oklahoma. “I think it was around April when he sent me an email and asked me if I was serious about volunteering. I responded of course I was. I will do it. I just felt that I could help.” Dyke wasn’t unfamiliar with volunteer work. After graduating high school, he took part in a Methodist mission trip to war-torn Bosnia in 1995. Then in 2005, he and a group of his close friends opted to help for six months with clean up efforts in Louisiana following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. But before Dyke could lend a help18

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Local sales rep for pondliner.com Andy Dyke (inset) lent his time and effort to a church group client that helped restore a water reservoir serving a hospital near Bonne Fin, Haiti. Photos submitted

ing hand with the Haiti project, he had to come up with a solution for the reservoir. “The bid was for a 150-by-250-foot pond essentially,” Dyke said. “Our liners only go up to 50-by-100 (feet) so you have to piece them together and connect liner to liner. “When I told my Firestone rep (Paul Amos) what we were doing he asked, ‘Andy, have you or Chris ever done this before?’ I was like ‘no,’ and so he said that we all needed to have a one-on-one interactive session.” Dyke, Amos and Huber held several meetings about executing the actual setup, how they were going to line, how to connect the liners, etc. The project would see them replace the liners that had been placed in the reservoir by a missionary group back in the 1970s. Dyke said the reservoir was originally constructed to bypass a natural spring, and the water from the reservoir drains down a 50- to 60-degree slope of a mountain. From there the water goes into generators that help power the electricity for Hospital Lumiere, a 120-bed primary care facility located in the village of Bonne Fin. After the original start date was

postponed from June to late August, Dyke arrived in Haiti on August 26 and was amazed by the work he witnessed. The project’s maintenance facility director and 30 local Haitian volunteers did the majority of the manual work, which included the removal of the rocks from the reservoir and building a two-foot anchor trench around the perimeter. He was also impressed with how they dealt with rain issues. “We called them the Haitian Pump,” Dyke said. “They had bucket brigades just scooping out water, and they would pass it down to another guy and another guy and finally last

guy would dump it down the hill. It was incredible to witness that.” Dyke’s time in Haiti lasted a little more than a week as the reservoir project was completed, and he returned back home to Oklahoma shortly after Labor Day. Yet, even though his time in Haiti was brief, Dyke said he was inspired and grateful for the experience. “It makes you truly appreciate all the selfless people that are out there that are doing this volunteer work, and all those people down in Haiti that are there working at that hospital,” Dyke said. “It was a blessing to be part of this project.”

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SHAWNEE HISTORY

Movie Stars Made Local Appearances During Nationwide Promo Efforts in 1950s

by Ann McDonald

Imagine movie stars driving through Oklahoma and stopping in Shawnee for a visit. While several well-known actors have appeared here over the years, there was a time when Hollywood folks made “personal appearance junkets” celebrating the Golden Jubilee of American Movie Theaters. In the 1951 and ‘52, Shawnee was on the state’s eastern circuit and enjoyed stopovers by some well-known actors and some just starting their careers. A plane loaded with movie people landed in Oklahoma City, had lunch with Governor and Mrs. Johnson Murray and then fanned out across the state on predetermined stopping points. Shawnee was on the eastern route, which stretched from to Miami and Durant. In October 1952, local fans were treated to glimpses of Western star, Charles Starratt, comedian Roscoe Ates and starlet Virginia Gibson. A crowd gathered in front of the Municipal Auditorium to meet the celebrities and hope for autographs. Starratt starred as the “Durango Kid.” He appeared in his trademark black mask, which confused some youngsters who thought he was the Lone Ranger. He told fans he loved making cowboy movies and gave onlookers a thrill when he fired off his six-gun. Ates was often cast as the stuttering sidekick. He was also a musician and got his start in Oklahoma as a fiddler accompanying silent films, then he performed with the broom fiddle in tabloid shows all over the state. After World War I, Ates broke into the world of vaudeville and eventually the moving pictures.

THE YEAR OF THE ABUNDANT LIFE

Comedian Roscoe Ates, left, and movie star Chill Wills were among performers who visited Shawnee. Photo submitted

Miss Gibson was new to movies when she visited Shawnee but went on to appear in highly regarded musicals such as “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” “Funny Face” and was one of the stars of the TV show, “Your Hit Parade.” Five months later, a second group of screen performers visited Shawnee. Virginia Hall, Irene Martin and Chill Wills presented a short program inside the Municipal Auditorium, which was broadcast on KGFF. In his familiar greeting and acting as master of ceremonies, Wills called to the crowd, “Hello, cousins!” Wills career began in 1929 as the voice of Francis the Talking Mule then worked in musicals like “Meet Me in St. Louis,” Westerns like “McLintock!” and dramas like “The Yearling.” He eventually played

in more than 100 movies and TV shows. Miss Hall was seen in several TV series including “Schlitz Playhouse,” as was Miss Martin. Irene Martin also had some minor movie roles. As they were introduced, the young starlets praised the friendliness of Oklahomans. The three attended a luncheon at the Aldridge Hotel before leaving for Oklahoma City to fly back to California. The tours were a nationwide effort to promote movies and to let the public see the “stars” as just ordinary working people, such as themselves. Wills defended Hollywood folks as being fine citizens, pointing out he and his wife had been married 25 years. Frank Little and Johnny Jones, local theater executives, were co-sponsors of the Shawnee visits.

Were they tears of joy? Not exactly.

Fred was afraid his life would go back to the way it used to be. He had found a more fulfilling way of living and was Peter Senge, coauthor of the book Presence, shares a appalled at the thought of losing it. story of a man whose life was transformed. Fred was told that he was very ill with only a few months to live. Fred's Jesus came to seek and save those dead in trespasses life underwent a profound change and he became a differ- and sins. And to offer them even more, HIS ABUNDANT ent man who embraced life and he chose to LIVE the one LIFE. he had with PURPOSE and POWER . What if this year we decided to stop dying or just existing Fred decided to stop doing everything that wasn't essen- and began to live, really live the life JESUS has made tial, that wasn't important. Eventually, Fred was talked possible. into going for a second opinion. This new diagnosis was totally different. Fred was very sick but the disease could HE LEADS ME IN PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR be cured. Fred was overwhelmed and wept profusely. HIS NAMES SAKE.

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How to Protect Your Skin in Winter Our skin faces a lot of fibers, which are warm but can irchallenges when the temritate your skin. If you opt for these peratures drop. Icy cold wind, items, put a layer of a natural madry indoor heat and hot showterial such as cotton between your ers can leave the skin on your skin and the irritant material. face, hands and body irritat• If you spend a lot of time outed and flaky. side, you need to bundle up to stay “This time of year, it’s eswarm but also to protect your skin. pecially important to protect Dr. Eric Reding Limit the amount of skin exposed to your skin, keeping it healthy and moisturthe cold air and wind by wearing coats, ized,” said Dr. Eric Reding, dermatologist at scarves, hats and gloves. St. Anthony Shawnee Physicians. “Our skin • Don’t forget to wear your sunscreen in is the body’s largest organ, and therefore winter. Ultraviolet exposure occurs even should be treated with care.” in winter and on cloudy days. Also, if Dr. Reding offers some tips for keeping we do get snow, the UV is magnified by your skin healthy throughout the winter reflection from the snow. Use a facial months: moisturizer and lip balm with sunscreen. • Apply moisturizer frequently. Be sure • Keep drinking water. During the winterto apply it as soon as possible after time, we tend to want to drink something bathing or washing your hands. Thicker warm like coffee or hot tea. However, cofmoisturizers like creams and ointments fee and tea are not enough to keep our work better than thinner ones like lobodies hydrated, we still need to drink tions. For your hands, it’s best if you can the recommended daily amount of water. carry some hand cream with you and apWhen we are dehydrated on the inside, it ply it throughout the day. also shows on the outside, which is on • Skip the long, hot shower or baths. Proour skin. longed exposure to hot water breaks • For inside your house, consider running down the protective oils on the skin, a humidifier. Humidifiers add moisture leaving it tight and dry. When bathing, back to the air, which adds moisture to limit the time to 5-10 minutes and use the skin and helps prevent a breakdown warm, rather than hot, water. Also use a of the skin barrier. mild cleansing product to help prevent “No matter what season it is, establishover-drying your skin during the winter ing and maintaining a comprehensive skin months. care regimen is vital for healthy skin,” Red• Consider wearing non-irritating fab- ing said. rics. Some sweaters, scarves and other To schedule an appointment with Dr. clothes are made of wool and synthetic Reding, please call 405-273-5801.

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Volunteers Help Provide Free Tax Assistance to Oklahoma Taxpayers Shirley Raymond has spent the last 30 years answering tax questions. For nearly half of that time, she has done so on her own time and dime as a volunteer with the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Program, which is one of the nonprofits able to provide free assistance to taxpayers. The Internal Revenue Service provides grants to fund two major aid programs – Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and Tax Counseling for the Elderly. Volunteers receive IRS certification to provide help in preparing tax returns for those who meet the qualifications of each of the programs. VITA exists to provide free tax help to people who generally make $54,000 or less per year, according to the IRS website. It can also help those with disabilities or limited English-speaking ability. IRS-certified volunteers provide free basic income tax return preparation with electronic filing to qualified individuals. TCE can help “all taxpayers, particularly those who are 60 years of age and older, specializing in questions about pensions and retirement-related issues unique to seniors,” according to the IRS website. Often, these volunteers are retirees with experience or an interest in tax preparation who also understand the unique dynamics of older taxpayers. The AARP Foundation’s program falls under the category of the latter program, but the IRS and Oklahoma Tax Commission also maintains a list of sites that offer VITA services around the state. Officials said the list will not be final until the end of this month. Raymond first got involved with tax assistance programs during her days as an employee of the IRS, she said. She worked with the volunteer programs for 17 years there before retiring in 2005. She will be going into her 13th year working with the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Program this season. “It is an absolutely wonderful program,” said Raymond, who is now the district coordinator for this area. “You’re really helping people.” There are 318 volunteers in Raymond’s service area, which is roughly the Oklahoma City metro area and its surrounding counties, she said. They man different sites at churches, community centers, libraries and other host locations throughout tax season to help people who bring in their documents to complete their tax return. Volunteers undergo the certification course when they first join the program, and returning 24

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by David Dinsmore

Photo illustration by David Dinsmore

volunteers come in for a refresher course each year to make sure they understand any tax law and software changes, Raymond said. This might be quite a task in 2019 when the tax bill that passed recently takes effect, but this year it should be a pretty standard brush-up class for experienced volunteers. Last year, volunteers in Oklahoma were able to help more than 28,000 people prepare their tax returns, Raymond said. Most people who come in for assistance do so because of a recent life change that affects their tax status or simply because they do not feel confident in preparing their own taxes. Volunteers try to make sure to take on returns that are simple in nature – such as individuals and families – but Raymond said they tend to steer away from tax preparation for businesses, organizations or those with a lot of investment income. “We don’t want to put out a bad return,” Raymond said. The IRS suggests bringing the following to a VITA or TCE site: • Proof of identification (photo ID) • Social Security cards for you, your spouse and dependents • An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) assignment letter may be substituted for you, your spouse and your dependents if you do not have a Social Security number • Proof of foreign status, if applying for an ITIN • Birth dates for you, your spouse and dependents on the tax return • Wage and earning statements (Form W-2, W-2G,

1099-R,1099-Misc) from all employers • Interest and dividend statements from banks (Forms 1099) • Health Insurance Exemption Certificate, if received • A copy of last year’s federal and state returns, if available • Proof of bank account routing and account numbers for direct deposit such as a blank check • To file taxes electronically on a married-filing-joint tax return, both spouses must be present to sign the required forms • Total paid for daycare provider and the daycare provider’s tax identifying number such as their Social Security number or business Employer Identification Number • Forms 1095-A, B and C, Health Coverage Statements • Copies of income transcripts from IRS and state, if applicable For its part, the AARP program tries to keep its site locations and times consistent from year to year, but changes in the number of volunteers and their schedules does cause some fluctuation, Raymond said. The IRS website has a tool that helps taxpayers find the nearest VITA, TCE or AARP Foundation site near them. Log on to “IRS.gov/individuals/ free-tax-return-preparation-for-you-by-volunteers” toward the end of the month for links that can help identify a location. “There’s nothing more gratifying than helping someone who couldn’t do it themselves,” Raymond said. “People are extremely grateful.”

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MENTAL HEALTH

Community Plays a Role in Helping Treat Mental Health, Substance Use Disorders by Cindy Stober Like many communities, Shawnee has its share of folks suffering substance use and mental health disorders. How is our community dealing with these issues? For many years, these disorders were hidden and shameful as people were locked away in mental institutions and forgotten. As time progressed, institutions were closed down for a variety of reasons, and the public was faced with considering how they would deal with those afflicted with these conditions. Outpatient treatment became more available as the severely mentally ill began living in the communities. Stigma and judgment of persons dealing with mental illness and substance use disorders has been present forever, but they have become more accepted as chronic disorders may be addressed through treatment programs. Shawnee has a variety of providers doing amazing work with persons dealing with substance use and mental health disorders. There is always a need for more funding, more education and understanding. These disorders range from beginning stages to severe. When treated early there is a greater likelihood of success and maintenance. All persons living in a community are affected one way or another by substance use and mental health disorders. These illnesses can be very difficult to understand. It may be frustrating to see those afflicted unable to change. It can appear that they are unwilling to do so when the truth they may be unable. No one grows up planning to be mentally ill or an addict. Shawnee has an array of treatment providers available. There are professionals in private practice and agencies that serve those with little or no insurance. Shawneeâ€™s medical community is well-versed in dealing with mental illness and making appropriate referrals. There are court programs that are treatment-focused and offer those that have had encounters with the law an opportunity to obtain the help they need to get on the path of recovery

and success. I believe one of the primary strengths of this community is the people. Shawnee has a diverse group of caring individuals, businesses, organizations and faith-based programs that support people on their individual journey of recovery. Employers are hiring people and giving them a chance. Individuals reach out through mentoring, faith-based programs and family ties to offer support, encouragement, resources and friendship. Love is always more productive than shame, hate, disgrace and judgment. I have witnessed a substantial number of folks experience a total life change due to the goodness of supportive, helpful, loving people and organizations. The community of Shawnee has pulled together and gained strength with programs like Community Renewal, Avedis Foundation, Neighboring 101, Community Market and Family Promise to name a few. Blue Zones arrived thanks to the Avedis Foundation and brought new energy about health and wellness. There are community events going on regularly â€“ sometimes several at the same time. There is a variety of opportunity be involved in the community. There are creative, innovative and effective opportunities for people wanting recovery and to be a part of the community. Shawnee has an excellent drug court program that gives parents and individuals a chance to stay out of prison and put their lives together. Prison is not the answer for these disorders. Most people in prison suffer with a primary diagnosis of mental health and substance use disorders as well as trauma. Gateway to Prevention and Recovery is one the primary providers for drug court services. The bottom line is that this community has its share of people with untreated disorders of the brain. This community has chosen to work toward helping and accepting rather than judging and shutting folks out. I am proud to be a part of the solution in Shawnee.

Cindy Stober has been working in the behavioral health and addiction treatment field for over 15 years. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Licensed Drug and Alcohol Counselor and is the Clinical Director for Gateway to Prevention and Recovery in Shawnee, Stillwater, Chandler and Seminole. She is a Nationally Certified Compulsive Gambling Counselor II. Cindy is a graduate of the National Council for Behavioral Health Leadership Program. 26

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Pastor Now a Shadow of His Former Self After Sermon Series by Jamie Bergsten

Sometimes it’s hard to practice what you preach. Think about doctors and nurses who smoke, coaches whose health prevents them from running a single lap and law enforcement officers who drive recklessly. It happens. But for local pastor Clint Dawkins, one of his own sermons changed his life, and now he’s showing people all over the area that resolutions can be followed. Dawkins is about to begin his 23rd year in ministry at Sharon Baptist Church at 19002 Gordon Cooper Dr. between Shawnee and Tecumseh. Just over a year ago, he preached a sermon series about the fruits of the spirit – such as love, patience and faithfulness to name a few – on Wednesday nights. “When I got to self control, I was hit by friendly fire,” he said. “I was convicted that my eating habits were out of control, and at the end of the message I told the church that I was going to make some changes.” In November 2015, he did just that. With a starting weight of 300 pounds, he prayed about what he was about to undertake, because “I had absolutely no idea what I was doing.” He developed a plan based on the fruits of the spirit to change his eating habits. “I didn’t want to be on a diet,” Dawkins said. “I wanted to change my lifestyle, so I knew I had to do something I could live with for life.” Step one involved totally replacing one meal a day with an apple and exercising portion control in his other eating, Dawkins said. After three months, he’d lost 50 pounds. Unfortunately, he broke his foot after that, and two surgeries followed. Once he was weight-bearing again, he began to get intentional in June 2016. His new plan limited food intake to 1,200-1,800 calories a day, including a protein shake breakfast, romaine salad lunch and supper of “whatever – I just used portion control.” He stayed away from a lot of bread and actually

Sharon Baptist Church pastor Clint Dawkins lost more than 130 pounds after preaching a message of self control last year. Photos submitte

hasn’t had a hamburger in over a year. “There’s no reason except that I love them too much,” Dawkins said. “You’ve got to know your weaknesses.” Other changes have helped as well. Dawkins eats mostly a plant-based diet, including baked squash or zucchini and steamed green beans or asparagus – all with salt and pepper but no oil. He only drinks water now and doesn’t do cheat days. “How do you cheat on the fruit of the spirit, self-control?” he said. “I really eat what I want but try to do so in moderation, controlling portion sizes as much as possible. What worked for me may not work for others, except for praying and allowing God to guide your steps and appetite.” His success, however, can’t be denied. By November 2016, Dawkins said he’d lost 115 pounds and as of this writing, he’d lost 135. His shirt size has gone from 3XL to medium and his pant size from 42 to 32. His weight loss journey has been as much spiritual as physical, Dawkins said. He typically works 12-16 hours a day starting at 5 a.m., and though he doesn’t follow a regular exercise routine, he leads a very active life. He not only works at the church, makes hospital and nursing home visits, sees shutins and attends church events, but he also drives a daily bus route for Grove School. Dawkins said his church, family and friends have also been instrumental in his weight loss. “They’ve been supportive and understanding during the process,” he said. “The ladies of the church weren’t offended when I’d pass on their desserts.” The positive effects of his lifestyle change are abundant. He said he has more energy, no longer needs a CPAP machine to sleep, wants to exercise, looks healthier and isn’t retaining fluid in his ankles. When the weather is good, his goal is to ride his road bike three hours – or about 60 miles – per week.

If there’s been a downside, Dawkins said, it’s the cost of a new wardrobe. “Since I was still losing weight, I refused to buy clothes on the way down,” he said. “It became quite comical to see me in public. I wore athletic shorts under my pants in case of a wardrobe malfunction. I decided to purchase suits when I hit 190 pounds. Since I’ve lost more weight since then, my suits are a little big.” As he’s gotten to the goal he’d set for himself, he’s now learning the balancing act of adding calories back into his diet while maintaining the eating lifestyle he adopted. He admits too that he eats out much less often than he did before. His success led him to speak at a Blue Zones event, where he talked about his lifestyle change and weight loss. Since then, Dawkins said several people have sought his advice or shared with him that they’ve begun a weight loss journey that was inspired at least in part by his success. “I want to give a plug about the Blue Zone initiative too,” Dawkins said. “The diet they promote is basically what I did. I didn’t know about it yet when I started, but after doing some research I’ve discovered the similarities.” Dawkins was born in Prague but spent most of his youth in Tishomingo, where he graduated from high school in 1985. He attended Murray State College, where he “met Jesus and my wife at the Baptist Student Union.” He and April married in 1987 and have two daughters, Haley and Caitlyn. He enrolled at OBU in 1990 and graduated in January 1993. He’s since served as the pastor at First Baptist Church in Sparks and now at Sharon Baptist. “The key for me was the change in the way I viewed food,” Dawkins said. “Food is fuel. That helped me as much as anything. In 2018, I want to continue to eat and live healthy. I want my life to make an impact for God’s kingdom as much as possible.” www.shawneeoutlook.com

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Future Tense: Penning a Passion Each month during the school year, “Future Tense” will feature student writers sharing something they enjoy about the community – whether they are temporary visitors at Oklahoma Baptist University or lifelong residents. When I came to Oklahoma Baptist University as a freshman in 2014, I was already somewhat familiar with the Shawnee area, because I grew up about 45 minutes away. Yet, the town I had known as a kid had evolved into a city by the time I moved here and proved to be full of things to discover. One of the first assignments I was given in my English composition class was to write a profile essay featuring a local place or event. The professor handed out a list of suggestions, and one quickly caught my eye: a poetry reading held on the third Thursday of every month at a local restaurant, Benedict Street Marketplace. Throughout high school I had dabbled with writing poetry, but I didn’t know it was something regular people did. I thought writing poetry – and especially reading it in front of other people – was reserved for real poets, such as people who published books and won awards. I was certain I would be out of place, but I was intrigued. I chose it for my profile. I went to the third Thursday poetry reading for the first time with a carful of people that I didn’t know. We sat at a table in the back by the door because we got there a few minutes

Everyone was welcomed, and no one was judged. This was a community of acceptance. The people who populated that room were not the coffee-sipping, beaniewearing hipsters I had been expecting. late, and someone came up and asked if any of us were planning to read. Everyone at the table was a senior and a lot braver than I was. They signed up to read poems they had printed out and brought with them, but all I had was a few drafts typed into the notes app on my phone, and no one had ever heard my poetry before. I didn’t put my name on the list. One by one, each person got up and read their work, and I was embarrassed that I had been too scared to sign up. Everyone was welcomed, and no one was judged. This was a community of acceptance. The people who populated that room were not the coffee-sipping, beaniewearing hipsters I had been expecting. I was the youngest person in the room, and the oldest was upwards of 80. It was a hodgepodge group of people drinking wine they had brought with them and listening to each other

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of friends and strangers alike. I’ve volunteered at a local elementary school – teaching poetry to first graders – and taught a creative writing workshop to middle and high school students. In May 2018, I will graduate with my bachelor’s degree in creative writing. I hope to keep finding ways to share my passion for writing with others and to help kids discover that same passion within themselves. If I hadn’t gone to the third Thursday poetry reading at Benedict Street Marketplace, I never would have discovered the rich writing community that is growing in Shawnee. I hope others find a poem or story or song inside themselves there on a Thursday night, and I hope they find the courage to share it with the world.

Kelsey Lambert is a senior creative writing major at OBU.

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talk about life. That night changed the way I thought about poetry and how I thought about community. Poetry can be about a 7-Eleven bathroom, or it can be about heartbreak. It can be about anything, because it’s about life. And community can be found wherever people gather to enjoy each other’s company. Because of the third Thursday poetry reading, I realized that writing was something I could love unashamedly. The next semester, I took an introduction to fiction writing class and discovered a passion I never would have otherwise. In the three years since then, I’ve taken hours of classes in poetry and fiction, written dozens of poems and countless short stories, had my work read by Oklahoma’s poet laureate, published my work in my school’s literary journal and read it aloud in front

by Kelsey Lambert

Reverend Amy Busse, Pastor & Alice Sanders, Music Director. HAPPY HOUR 4 PM - 7 PM $ 2.50 Bottles

120 N. Broadway, Shawnee, 405-275-1084 United in Faith. United in Service. United in Love. www.shawneeoutlook.com

ART GUIDE

January Arts Events Begin the New Year by reading some good books. Join the Shawnee Book Discussion Group at Shawnee Library at 101 N. Philadelphia from 7-8 p.m. on the first Thursday of the month. Books are available for checkout at the Information Desk in the library.

17. Register: pioneer.libnet.info/ events.

Studio 112 and a half will host two openings this month. The first, “Unframed,” will be on Jan. 6 and the second will be on Feb. 3 featuring the art of Joel Carmichael. Both events will be from 6:30-9:30 p.m. with refreshments.

Cowboy poet, Ron Wallace, will be the featured poet for the third Thursday poetry night that meets at Benedict Street Market. The group will meet at 7 p.m. on Jan. 18.

Ready to craft for Valentine’s Day? Tecumseh Public Library is hosting a class to make a “Love” hanging sign out of burlap and wood. The class is for adults from 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Jan. 9. Create ceramic pots, boxes and bowls with John Bartos. The classes are for ages 7-18 at the Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art from Jan. 9 to Feb. 6. Register: www.mgmoa.org. “iViva Glart! Grow a Learner through Art” at Shawnee Public Library from 9:15-10 a.m. on Jan. 9. The bilingual program puts early literacy skills into practice through art play. This program is for babies, children through the age of 5 and their caregivers. All materials provided. Sign your teen up for a photography class at the Tecumseh Public Library from 4-5 p.m. on Jan.

Children and teens have the opportunity to learn African drumming at the Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art from Jan. 18 to Feb. 8. Register: www.mgmoa.org/asa-class.

Grand Casino will present ASIA featuring John Payne on Jan. 19. Tickets: www.grandboxoffice.com. Make your way to Main Street for the January Block Party from 6-9 p.m. on Jan. 19. The Arts@317 will showcase live music from Katie Carmichael and pottery demonstrations by Tony Litherland. Check out the other galleries and businesses that will remain open late for the monthly event. Purchase your tickets now for the Newsboys United Tour concert on May 6 at Firelake Arena. Tickets: www.firelakearena.com. Do not miss the Saints and Sinners II exhibit at the Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art. This is a continuation of the 2016 exhibit with more saints and their stories. Artists will include Jacob Frey and Nicholas Le Sueur. The exhibit will run through Jan. 28.

Thresa Swadley is a freelance cellist/teacher who has been active in the Shawnee Arts Community for 20 years. She is a member of the OBU/ Shawnee Community Orchestra and is a Suzukicertified cello teacher. Please contact her if you know of an upcoming arts event. Email: tswadley@sbcglobal.net.

www.shawneeoutlook.com

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