Shawnee Outlook

Saddle Up! | Official-ly Retiring

ALL ABOARD JULY 17

Vol. 14 Number 5

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CONTENTS

JULY 2017

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

13 7 Local Opportunities to Saddle Up Abound 9 New TV Series Takes a ‘Grand’ View of Oklahoma

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10 Therapists Help em-PWR! Parkinson Patients Through Exercise

14 Shawnee Little Theater Celebrates 50th Anniversary 18 Going on the Rails with a LOCO Train

Aaron McDonald

Ann McDonald

Angela Rowland

Thresa Swadley

Dr. Frank Wu

Distribution

The Shawnee Outlook is delivered FREE

by direct mail to 25,000 homes and

businesses.

Contact Us

PO Box 1365 Shawnee, OK 74802 E-mail: info@shawneeoutlook.com

To Advertise call Brad at (405) 445-3033.

DEPARTMENTS 6 KEEP THE CHANGE 6 NUTRITION 101 20 SONIC CONTEST 21 SHAWNEE HISTORY

23 Plan Ahead for Travel Health

26 MENTAL HEALTH

25 Grant Gives New Hope to Shelter for Domestic Violence Victims

30 ART GUIDE

29 OKC Energy FC Kicks It with Shawnee Soccer Association

David Dinsmore

FEATURES

13 Official-ly Retiring Umpire Dishes on 39 Years Behind the Plate

Volume 14, Number 5 Shawnee Outlook is a publication of Okie Icon Media. © 2017 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.

communityrenewal.org To RSVP for our monthly info lunch, email maile@communityrenewel.org Info lunches held every second Wednesday.

www.shawneeoutlook.com

5

KEEP THE CHANGE

Birthdays Without the Blow-Out It’s birthday season in our house – which falls right in the middle of Mother’s and Father’s Day with an anniversary thrown in – so there are many gifts and celebrations to be had. Honestly, our budget often suffers, but here are some ways I’ve found to soften the blow.

• Gifts – I work on gathering gifts for months before events. When I see a sale or clearance on something one of our kids would like, I snag it and save it for the next appropriate gift-giving situation. I have gifts stashed all over our bedroom (don’t tell!). We also use an Amazon credit card (wisely, and paid off monthly, of course!) to save up points to use on future Amazon purchases. Those points, coupled with gift cards earned through reward sites, such as Swagbucks.com and MyPoints.com, really help with gift purchasing throughout the year.

• Outings – To save on going out to celebrate, I typically use Groupon or coupons from individual restaurants or locations often found through subscribing to company emails. These subscriptions also include bonus savings, particularly for birthdays! For my son’s birthday, I’ve already received free pancakes from IHOP, a free treat at Barnes & Noble and a coupon for Toys ‘R Us. He’s so excited about all of these things, and I’m excited they’re free! You can do a Google search for lists of birthday freebies to be found! Also, don’t forget about the Hornbeck Theatre on Bell St, which is a great family outing for a great price year-round!

• Stay Home! – Birthdays don’t have to mean spending money. You can give thoughtful hand-made gifts (like a scrapbook!), enjoy the celebrant’s favorite homecooked meal and declare a family game night. The important thing is making your loved one feel special on his or her day!

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)

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NUTRITION 101 How to Set Up a Super-Set Workout With respect to exercise, you may have heard the term “super-set.” This simply means pairing two exercises together. Super-sets are a great way to get better results in less time, reducing the amount of rest between sets burns more calories. For example, instead of resting for a few minutes in between bicep curls, substitute a different muscle group exercise for rest. Each muscle group still gets a rest because you’re super-setting different muscles. Blood flow to the working muscle is increased between sets by stressing another muscle group. Setting up an exercise plan to work opposing muscle groups is called an antagonist super-set. An antagonist muscle is “a muscle that relaxes while another contracts.” Examples are chest and back, quads and hamstrings, biceps and triceps.

The following are some examples of super-set workouts — 10 Pushups, 15 Back rows: Alternate for 3 sets and then rest for 1-2 minutes. 15 Leg extensions, 15 Leg curls: Alternate for 3 sets and then rest for 1-2 minutes. 15 Bicep curls, 15 Overhead triceps extension: Alternate for 3 sets and then rest for 1-2 minutes.

Exercises can be done with or without weight depending on your fitness level. The speed in which you complete the super-set is up to you as well, but keep in mind that less rest means more calories burned as your heart rate will stay at an elevated level. If just starting out, begin slowly and pay more attention to form. Please let me know if you need any guidance with your training. Below is a great summer recipe to get in a lot of nutrition in your snacks.

Quinoa Fruit Salad Summertime calls for fruit salad with tons of fresh fruit. I just love this time of year. Playing outside, being in the sun, cookouts and more fresh local produce. You can enjoy this fruit salad as part of your breakfast or have it ready to go in your refrigerator when it is snack time.

Ingredients: ½ cup cooked quinoa ½ cup blueberries 1 cups sliced strawberries 1 orange, peeled and chopped into chunks 1 mango, peeled and chopped into chunks

2 kiwis, peeled and sliced 2 cups fresh pineapple, chopped into chunks Juice from one lime 2 Tbsp. honey

Directions Cook quinoa according to package directions. Cool to room temperature. Combine fruit in a serving bowl. Add quinoa and toss. Mix together lime juice with the honey. When ready to serve, pour over fruit and toss together.

Nutrition Information Makes: 5 cups; 1 cup each Calories: 150 Fat: 1g Saturated Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 3mg Carbohydrates: 32g Fiber: 5g Protein: 4g Nutrition 101: I get a lot of questions about quinoa. How do you say it? What exactly is it?

Where do I buy it? Why should I eat it? The correct pronunciation is “keen-wah”. The Food Network describes quinoa as a “seed that originated thousands of years ago in the Andes Mountains”. It is treasured because of its nutritive value and its nutty flavor. Quinoa has more protein than any other grain or seed and offers a complete protein, meaning it contains all the essential amino acids our bodies can’t make on their own. Calcium, lysine, B vitamins and iron are also found in quinoa.

Quinoa can be found in most grocery stores and health food stores near specialty rices, beans and other grains. Go ahead and finally give quinoa a try, and you just might be pleasantly surprised.

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

Local Opportunities to Saddle Up Abound

by Aaron McDonald

Winston Churchill said, “There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.”

Those that find themselves inspired to ride, own or work with horses after this month’s International Finals Youth Rodeo events might agree and can find plenty of local opportunities to do so. The rodeo – now in its 25th year – will ride into town July 9-14 at the Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Center at 1700 W Independence St. Those who work locally with horses every day, like founder and executive director of Shawnee’s C-Bar Horsemanship Charla Story, also believe Churchill was right.

“It’s about making a connection with another living creature, learning how to talk to a horse, how to touch a horse and how they think and communicate,” Story said.

Riding on and caring for a horse can be much more beneficial to a person’s general health than most people realize, Story said. There are obvious benefits such as core and leg strength, but there are also other less obvious benefits.

Story – a Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) Master Level Instructor and Clinician, a Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH) Certified Instructor and CHA State Representative for Oklahoma – founded C-Bar in 2000 with the purpose and mission to “make a significant difference in the lives of others through educational and therapeutic horsemanship programs,” she said.

C-Bar offers many therapeutic programs that have a proven track record of success in helping better the lives of the participants, Story said. Through those programs, they are able to help participants attain greater balance, muscle strength, coordination, range of motion and improved respiration and circulation.

“The mother-in-law of one of our board members was confined to a wheelchair and told she would never walk again,” Story said. “Through our physical therapy program, along with other (occupational) therapy programs, not only is she now walking, but she is one of our volunteers.”

C-Bar Horsemanship also offers general horsemanship classes. All participants regardless of skill level are instructed in the proper way to communicate with a horse in order to build and maintain proper boundaries and trust with their horse, Story said. This method not only teaches new riders about the basic care of a horse and how to approach, saddle and mount a horse, but also teaches basic first aid and how to school and condition the horse as an athlete.

Charla Story oversees the horsemanship and therapeutic programs at C-Bar Horsemanship in Shawnee.

Aaron McDonald/Shawnee Outlook

“Horses can get soured out just like we can,” Story said. “A horse has an attention span, despite their great intelligence, of a toddler. You have to be in the moment.”

When a horse is not treated correctly its wellbeing can deteriorate quickly, as 1 Day Ranch founder and director Maeghan Olsen knows all too well. Olsen’s ranch takes in horses, small livestock and canines for rescue and rehabilitation after animal welfare entities seize them from abusive and neglectful situations or when submitted by an owner who can no longer provide the level of care needed.

“Some of them are good owners, good people who want to do the right thing for their animals,” Olsen said.

Olsen’s 1 Day Ranch takes in horses of all varieties – from show horses with career-ending injuries to those found in slaughter sales – and pours its resources into them to get them back to health and happiness, she said. They continue their work strictly through donations and the work of volunteers – many of whom are not horse experts but merely have an interest to be around the animals.

Those with a fledgling interest in horses who are not sure whether to sign up for riding lessons or purchase one of their own can put in some time at rescue and rehabilitation organizations like 1 Day Ranch to draw from the knowledge of people like Olsen, who has been riding horses since she was five years old, she said.

“It’s not easy work to bring them back (to health), but lots of times it’s very basic,” Olsen said. “It’s proper food, proper medical and then they can thrive.”

If after working with horses and learning about their care needs someone decides they want to try their hand at ownership, adoption is a great way to go, Olsen said.

“If people are interested in looking for a new horse, I always recommend checking with rescue programs,” Olsen said. “We will have papered, amazing horses here sometimes that know more than most horses I’ve known.

“You’d be shocked at what ends up here.”

Even those with experience being around the animals should consider signing up for instructed riding lessons if planning on saddling their new horses, Olsen said. It’s not something people should try to learn on the internet.

“No matter if you are needing therapeutic or standard riding classes, the most important thing is to find someone who is certified to give those lessons,” Story said. “You really need to find someone who knows what they are doing so that it is as safe as possible.”

C-Bar Horsemanship offers fall and spring classes that are 10 weeks in length. Contact CBar Horsemanship via cbarhorsemanship.org or by calling 405-627-4919.

For volunteer, donation and adoption information, visit 1dayranch.org or call 405-2261946. www.shawneeoutlook.com

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New TV Series Takes a ‘Grand’ View of Oklahoma

by David Dinsmore

Oklahomans might know they belong to the land, but TV personality Will Schwab wants to show off why the land they belong to is grand.

That’s the idea behind his show, “Oklahoma Grand,” which will air one episode per month for the next six months starting in July.

“Oklahoma Grand” hit the OETA airwaves first in 2015, but Schwab has been putting together more episodes that will tell the stories of people behind such projects like the B1 bomber overhaul at Tinker Air Force Base and what it takes to care for a collection of ancient biblical manuscripts owned by the Green family of Hobby Lobby fame.

Schwab relocated to Shawnee from Southern California with his wife in 2006 to be closer to family she had here and to build one of their own, he said.

“We wanted to move out here to raise our kids with fresh air and less people,” Schwab said.

Before leaving the West Coast, the Schwabs had become fans of “California’s Gold,” a public television show that followed host Huell Howser as he explored little known aspects of the state’s history, culture and people. Schwab began looking around his new state and realized there were also a lot of undiscovered or little known stories.

Howser had a history of working on human interest projects for news stations but wanted to tell more in-depth positive stories than the one or two minutes allotted in the average newscast, Schwab said. During 316 episodes over 21 years he explored topics and places the average Californian might never see or discover for themselves using a simple and informal interview format.

Schwab – who had a background in TV production in California – contacted a producer there to find out what it took to put together “California’s Gold,” he said Afterward he grabbed a microphone and set off to tell a story for his pilot episode and drum up some sponsorship support that would allow him to continue finding new ways to demonstrate what makes the state so grand, Schwab said. He first touched on the people who help preserve and bring to life the 1889 Territorial Schoolhouse in Edmond, which paints a picture of what life was like at the time of the construction and operation of what is believed to be the first school built in Oklahoma.

“I want to talk to people about what they know and love,” Schwab said.

Schwab was no stranger to appearing in front of the camera, he said. Though he changed job fields away from TV when he came to Oklahoma,

Will Schwab’s (left) TV show “Oklahoma Grand” will have a six-month run on OETA starting this month featuring little known stories about the state’s history, culture, projects and attractions.

Photo submitted

he began auditioning and getting parts in local commercials for companies like Aire Serv and Window World of Oklahoma City.

Even with his experience in front and behind the camera, Schwab began looking at bringing in area professionals that could add production value and editing quality to “Oklahoma Grand,” he said. He contacted Mark Bauske and Benny Christensen with Producers Playhouse in Oklahoma City to help complete the show.

“The whole point is to show off the subject,” Bauske said. “A lot of people don’t know these things are here.”

After the initial airing in 2015, Schwab and Bauske discussed filming six months worth of episodes to keep “Oklahoma Grand” in front of audiences in the state and boost the show’s profile for viewers and potential sponsors, Schwab said.

Schwab wants to bring out all of the things that make Oklahoma a great place to live, he said, but he also wants to show viewers a side of the state that is new and surprising.

“One of things I love about my job is getting to peek inside the workings of businesses and events that the average person might not ever see,” Christensen wrote in an email. “I find

people and their interests fascinating, so I would like to see (‘Oklahoma Grand’) become sort of like the ‘How It’s Made’ series. Showcasing the people who make these things happen.”

For instance, one upcoming episode focuses on the people involved in the B1 bomber overhaul process, which gives viewers the chance to catch a glimpse into a security-sensitive setting they might not otherwise get to see, Schwab said. The episode also gives a face to the multimillion dollar project.

“The guys working on it are our neighbors,” Schwab said.

No matter who he is interviewing or what topic they are discussing, Schwab aims to make the people and their love of the subject one of the central themes of the stories, he said.

“Everybody has a passion for something,” Schwab said. “One of the reasons I want to do this is because it could be contagious.

“People could find an interest or love for something they didn’t know they have.”

The episodes will air at the end of each month starting 4 p.m. July 28. They will run on OETA’s dedicated Oklahoma channel on broadcast 13.2.

Check provider listings for channel number and times or visit facebook.com/oklahomagrand. www.shawneeoutlook.com

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Therapists Help em-PWR! Parkinson Patients Through Exercise Class Many people might understand the benefits of exercise, but for most it is hardly a day at the beach.

So when physical therapist Jason Gates started up “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” by The Beach Boys on a Friday afternoon to start his class, it might not have masked that the participants were there to work hard.

Yet there was more to this class than simply getting in shape; the participants were there to help improve their bodies’ daily functions and combat some of the complications that come with living with Parkinson’s Disease.

Two years ago, a Parkinson’s patient’s family member approached the owner of Action Physical Therapy in Shawnee Katie Landes about a program called PWR! Moves, an initiative put in place by the Parkinson Wellness Recovery, Gates said. Gates had started working there about that time and discussed with Landes the idea of bringing the exercise-focused program to the community.

A grant provided to the Parkinson Foundation of Oklahoma by the Avedis Foundation went toward starting a local Parkinson’s support group and to provide PWR! training for a physical therapist, Gates said. The money also helped provide training for a speech therapist to undergo training through the Parkinson Voice Project’s Speak Out! Program.

In March 2016, Gates returned from PWR! training in Cleveland to begin treating Parkinson’s patients at Action Physical Therapy’s offices at 2506 N Harrison St, he said.

“With that, part of the plan is to provide physical therapy, at least a place where a person can train with a physical therapist, but then after that have a place that is in the community that they can continue on doing exercise,” Gates said.

“So we finally ended up starting the exercise class in August of last year.”

The class meets weekly at 1:30 p.m. Fridays at Anytime Fitness at 1601 N Kickapoo St. with a few exceptions, Gates said.

Some of the problems facing Parkinson’s patients include stiffness in the limbs and body, balance issues, posture support and stability and difficulty walking, Gates said. The program incorporates four basic exercises that target the muscles and other support structures in the body that the disease affects.

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by David Dinsmore

Members of the PWR! Moves exercise class led by a team from Action Physical Therapy look to combat physical Photo by Mindy Ragan Wood symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease

For instance, participants can perform the moves in slow, rhythmic efforts to help them complete the exercises fluidly and counteract rigidity, or they can take a bigger and faster approach to combat some of the slowness of movement that is one of the primary ways Parkinson’s disease affects patients, according to information from the Parkinson Wellness Recovery. Trainers can also lead patients through a combination of the moves in succession to help maintain coordination with everyday tasks like taking off a seat belt and getting out of the car.

Patients can perform variations of the moves from several different positions to work assorted parts of the body, Gates said. Each position provides its own benefits in strengthening and supporting parts affected by the disease.

Every Parkinson’s patient has their own struggles, so being able to perform exercises that include a variety of movements is helpful, said Betty Peck, a class participant.

“Anybody that has Parkinson’s knows it is unique to them,” Peck said. “You try to do your thing to stay ahead of it.”

Peck had been attending sessions with a group in Oklahoma City before the support group, speech therapy group and exercise class started up in Shawnee last year, she said. Hav-

ing the local emotional support in addition to the physical assistance offered by these groups and classes can make all the difference.

“Sometimes we talk about the worst thing about having Parkinson’s, and other times we talk about things we overcome and share what helped us,” Peck said. “It’s a great place to go … it is a generous offer to have that.”

Exercise can work in conjunction with medications meant to treat the motor-related symptoms a Parkinson’s patient might experience, but some research has shown it also can alleviate some of the emotional issues Parkinson patients face, Gates said.

In addition to leading the classes Gates and his staff also encourage participants to perform an exercise program at home, especially those who first came to him to receive physical therapy in a clinical setting, he said.

“It’s great to be able to work with these people, because you aren’t just treating a knee or an ankle. You are treating the whole person,” Gates said. “To be able to see those people light up and say ‘Oh, I can get better’ or ‘There is just more than Parkinson’s Disease,’ it feels good to be able to empower them to be able to do something like exercise to help counter those symptoms they deal with on a daily basis.”

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Official-ly Retiring:

Umpire Dishes on 39 Years Behind the Plate Considering the success of Shawnee’s high school baseball team, one might think those players would be the most photographed subjects on the local diamond.

Judging from social media, however, that assumption may be wrong. Scores of fans and players have posed with a retiring umpire this season as she winds down her career, and Wanda Anderson couldn’t be happier about getting to pose for pictures with “her kids”.

Anderson – a Shawnee native who works as a reset specialist for Sprouts – began her officiating career in an unusual way, she said. Back in 1978, she was living with Jim and Reba Sparks in the South Rock Creek area, and Reba was coaching her son Jay’s baseball team.

One night the umpire didn’t show up for a game, so Reba Sparks pointed to Anderson and said, “Get back there. You can handle this.”

Anderson took the challenge, admitting that she didn’t know back then that 39 years later she’d still enjoy it.

“I saw an opportunity,” Anderson said. “I got to be a part of the sport I loved and mentor to the young ones.”

And mentor she has. Anderson spent a few years calling adult softball before switching to T-ball and kids’ baseball and softball.

“I wanted to work with youth,” she said. “It was something I’d seen my older sister Janie do for years and thought, ‘Now it’s my time,’ and just maybe one day these young ones will be able to look up to me.”

Over the years Anderson has encouraged countless youth as they’ve learned their respective sports. In fact, she’s proud to say she’s called games for several second and third generations, meaning that she umped for a child who played, grew up and had children or grandchildren who played as well.

“I don’t have any kids of my own,” she said.

“In reality I have hundreds of kids, ranging from newborns to adults. Many of them have called me Aunt Wanda since we met. Their families have invited me to dinner, to stay in their homes, to holiday functions. I feel like they’re my kids because their parents have been pleasant enough to share them with me. I appreciate each and every one of them.”

Officiating youth sports isn’t always easy, of course, and Anderson said she knows this well.

“When I started, umpires didn’t have shin

Wanda Anderson will hang up the umpiring hat she first donned in 1978

guards or chest protectors,” Anderson said.

“What you had was a face mask and a big black balloon that you held in one hand to protect you. I umpired a few years before the gear we wear now was available.”

She also pointed out a shift in the mindset of youth sports officials from focusing on kids and mentoring them to being just a job.

“I think some of them forget why we’re out there,” Anderson said. “Some treat it only like work, and that’s not how it was for me.”

Anderson said she also encouraged parents to be mindful of their role in their children’s athletic lives and to not be too critical.

“So many parents forget that their kids are four, five, maybe ten years old,” she said. “They aren’t signing scholarships or pro contracts.”

When asked what it takes to be a good umpire, Anderson suggested, “Not only do officials need to know the rules for each age division, but they must show respect to the coaches, kids, and parents. The respect for an umpire starts on the field; then when you’re off the field, they’ll respect you as well. You’ve also got to hustle to the plays…. and have very thick skin.”

Memorable moments fill her career, including umpiring her nephew Fred Sears, great nephew Trenton, niece Dana Hunter and great nieces Devan and Erin, she said.

“Calling for the (South Rock Creek) boys that were three-peat state champions at Shawnee

by Jamie Bergsten

Photo by Workingman Photo

High School was also special – Tanner Sparks, AJ Barron, Jake Taylor and Scout Cawvey,” she said.

Anderson remembered Cole Capps from Dale catching at a young age and asking her to share her sunflower seeds just so he could spit them around her shoes and hear them crunch when she moved, she said. She also related one special moment before a game when youngster Mercedes Glenn, from a wheelchair, was watching her brother patiently from behind the fence.

“I asked her if she’d like to get on the field, hit the ball and run the bases, and I’ll never forget the look on her face,” Anderson said. “Coaches brought her a new game ball, she hit it off the tee and around the bases we went with her clapping and grinning the whole way. As soon as we touched home plate, they gave her the ball and a trophy, and she just kept thanking us.”

Anderson won’t venture too far from the youth sports scene. She’s going to work as a commissioner for Babe Ruth Softball of Oklahoma and eventually Cal Ripken Baseball.

“I’m so pleased that I’ve had the privilege of umpiring so many kids from this area who are now standout high school athletes, college players or simply great parents who’ve shared their kids with me over the years, just as their parents did with them,” Anderson said. “Just seeing the looks on the kids’ faces when they catch a ball or get a good hit has meant a lot to me.” www.shawneeoutlook.com

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Shawnee Little Theater Celebrates 50th Anniversary

by Thresa Swadley

Shawnee Little Theater is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a reunion weekend and an upcoming season that caters to patrons of all ages.

SLT began in the summer of 1967. Ronny Jones and Carol Cutlip returned to Shawnee from their freshman year of college wanting an opportunity to be in a play as they had been during their years at Shawnee High School. They approached Pat Snider who taught theater at the high school and asked her to help them produce a play. Snider replied, “Let’s not just do a play, lets start a little theater.”

Within three weeks of the three talking about starting the theater, the group held auditions, rehearsed and presented the British farce “See How They Run.” They performed the show in the Episcopal Church’s parish hall and did it in the round so that they did not have to build a lot of scenery, Jones said.The group sold tickets and the Shawnee Jaycees underwrote the play for $200.

“We worked day and night to put on this first show,” Jones said. “There was no lighting so we built poles with clip lights on top.”

The group also received an outpouring of community support from organizations such as OG&E providing the extra wiring needed for the lights and the Shawnee News Star giving them publicity.

The three continued to meet on weekends during the next six months to organize the theater. SLT produced plays using various venues which included the top floor of the Federal National Bank Building.

SLT’s first complete season of four plays took place in 1969 when the group was given the house at 624 N Broadway. The venue seated 80-85 patrons for each show.

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To commemorate SLT’s 50 years, the group will hold a reunion weekend with a reception on July 7, a dinner and show on July 8 and an open house on July 9. The variety show will feature cast members performing their roles from several past productions.

SLT remained in the Broadway venue until 1975 when the building was sold and the organization began fundraising for the current building. SLT performed its first play in its current location in 1976.

For many, SLT has been a family project.

SLT board president Rebecca Fry first became involved with the company in 1995 when her daughter performed in the play “Hans Christian Anderson,” she said. Fry began volunteering by working the house as an usher and then returned with her daughter to audition for “The Music Man.” Since then, Fry’s entire family has been involved with the theater, building sets, performing and doing whatever needs to be done, she said.

“My entire family loves theater,” she said.

Shawnee Little Theater has put on shows for all ages for 50 years.

Photos submitted

To commemorate SLT’s 50 years, the group will hold a reunion weekend with a reception on July 7, a dinner and show on July 8 and an open house on July 9. The variety show will feature cast members performing their roles from several past productions.

“The reunion is for anyone that has ever performed at SLT, volunteered at SLT or attended productions at SLT,” said Bob Wendland, the coordinator for the gala.

In addition to the reunion, SLT’s 50th anniversary season will feature crowd-pleasing favorites and also revive some shows from the past.

The season will open with Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” and close with the Rogers and Hammerstein musical “Oklahoma!” In addition to the musicals, SLT will present the plays “Almost Maine” and “The Lion in Winter,” which was performed in the 1978-79 season.

Even though many attend SLT for entertainment, Fry said she sees the theater as a way to change lives.

“Shawnee is a richer commu-

nity because of the theater and the shows we produce,” Fry said. “Good theater will change lives through seeing things through a character’s eyes; it should make people think.”

Looking towards the future, SLT wants to continue to expand theater education, Fry said.

“We are always looking for ways to expand education and want to capitalize on doing more productions for children,” Fry said.

This spring, children from the Early Childhood Center were able to attend special productions of “Annie Get Your Gun.” The theater also hosts a bi-annual two-week summer camp for children, where those attending do everything from building sets to performing in the production.

“There are still lots of people that do not know who we are at SLT,” Jones said. “We are all volunteers and no one is paid for what they do.

“This has been the key for success for SLT, as no other community theater in Oklahoma functions solely with volunteers.”

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the FireLake Fireflight

Balloon Festival will offer three days of balloon glows, balloon launches and rides, and family friendly entertainment in Shawnee, Oklahoma.

Come and watch twenty balloons fill the sky, bal catch quality live entertainment, and experience some of Oklahoma’s best vendors and food trucks.

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17

Going on the Rails on a LOCO Train

by David Dinsmore

Members of the LOCO train club ride more than one mile of track on five acres featuring bridges and an 80-foot tunnel.

Photos by David Dinsmore

Bob Bates grew up watching his older brother gathering Lionel Train sets before starting a model train collection of his own.

Years later when he discovered the Locomotive Operators of Central Oklahoma, however, his perspective changed.

“A lot of the guys who are in the club here started out as model railroaders,” said Bob Bates, who has been a member of LOCO for more than 10 years. “Once I came out here and started driving them, I thought ‘To heck with that.’”

LOCO sits on about five acres featuring an outdoor railroad with more than a mile of track winding through woods, across bridges and inside an 80-foot tunnel. Throughout the year members meet at the club’s grounds at 29626 Lake Drive south of I-40 between the McLoud and Harrah/ Newalla exits to operate their 1/8th scale trains and share their love of riding the rails with their families, private parties and the public.

“You’re outside, you’re in the air, there’s a variety of scenery out here, something’s different every 15-20 feet that you go along,” club member Joseph Fawcett said.

Fawcett – whose grandfather worked for the railroad and who was also the childhood recipient of iconic railroad sets around the Christmas tree – said the club got its start when it purchased the property from a man who had set up a small loop of track on his land.

Today, the club has about 20 full-time mem18

www.shawneeoutlook.com

bers plus about a few associate members who live 75 or more miles from the club’s location, Fawcett said, and it is always looking to add to its ranks.

The club hosts a “public run day” from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on the first Sunday of every month during which anyone can come out and ride the trains through the station and around every twist and turn of the track. The grounds offer a picnic area and gazebo where families can enjoy lunch while watching or between train rides.

“Taking kids for rides is what we really enjoy out here,” said Fawcett, who added that the club has hosted events for groups like preschool classes during which kids received their own ticket to hand to the conductor as they climbed aboard for a ride.

Additionally, the club offers birthday and other party packages for groups to come out and enjoy a private tour of all the LOCO railroad has to offer.

Oftentimes people that come out for the public run or a private event can’t believe the club and its offerings have been out there for nearly 30 years and they have never heard of it, Fawcett said. Some even get a membership so they and their families can come “play trains” whenever they want.

While the public gets to experience the trains offered by the club that the state has come and inspected, club members maintain a variety of other engines, cars and more for their and other

members’ use, Fawcett said. Younger member families especially like bringing out their kids to not only be a passenger but also learn to drive the trains safely and properly.

“It’s fun to ride them, but it’s also fun to operate them,” Fawcett said. “With the kids actually driving the trains around, it’s something that the entire family enjoys.”

In some ways the club itself acts like a family unit, Fawcett said. One Saturday per month any available member pitches in to perform maintenance, do some grounds-keeping and perform other tasks to keep the railroad rolling, and afterwards they will sit down to have dinner together and share their thoughts on club matters and beyond.

“Whether about trains or not, it’s just a good social group out here,” Fawcett said.

LOCO also opens a lot of possibilities for those interested in building their own operational 1/8th scale train, Bates said.

“The good ones will cost almost as much as a car,” Bates said.

Some of the members have professional and personal mechanical experience and share tools and knowledge with others working on these train-building projects, Fawcett said, but these types of skills are not crucial for membership in the group. Other group members pitch in with their own skills, such as using design experience to put together the club’s website.

“Everybody has worth out here to us,” Fawcett said.

The club’s activities from driving the trains to pitching in for the work day can also be a learning experience for kids that participate, said club president Shana Hibler, whose nine-year-old son Braden Hibler has helped on work days and learned what it takes to keep an operation like LOCO on the rails.

“We wanted him to learn that in order for him to enjoy that or for other kids to enjoy that kind of thing, somebody has to do the work on the property,” Hibler said.

Passing on their knowledge and experience to the next generation of train lovers is also one of the big appeals for members of the club, Hibler said.

“We give the kids the opportunity to work and excel out here,” Fawcett said. “Even if a person has no (train-related) skills when they become a member, we’ll actually teach them how to do this type of stuff.

“To tell you the truth, a lot of times family activities aren’t what they used to be. You come out here, you’re doing something with your kids … that’s more than just sitting in front of the TV with an Xbox or something.”

Admission for the public run days is free, and donations are appreciated and go toward adding and maintaining LOCO’s railroad.

Directions, party packages and membership details are available at locotrains.org or by calling 405277-0032.

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SHAWNEE HISTORY

History of Municipal Pool Runs Deep in Shawnee

by Ann McDonald

Likely the first settlers onto what became Pottawatomie County, and probably the earlier inhabitants, sought places to enjoy water activities once summer came.

It was easy in those early days, with the North Canadian River bordering the area on two sides. As the town grew and became more citified other, more civilized places to swim were offered.

Benson Park was built south of town in 1907. It began with boating and picnicking and featured an opera house. But by 1912 it was determined that the public preferred a place for indoor swimming.

The opera house was converted to a “natatorium,” or indoor swimming pool. That park with the pool disappeared by the early 1930s.

Shawnee was one of the recipients of a fund created by Oklahoma oil man, Frank Reed, to build children’s wading pools. Constructed in Woodland Park the formal opening was in June 1930.

Folks were also frequenting Ozark Park on south Beard Street at the river crossing.

During the Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt developed government programs to help those out of work and communities needing civic upgrades. Shawnee was the recipient of many of those plans including a county court house, municipal auditorium, football stadium, city reservoir, schools and dozens of other projects. One that many citizens were excited about: a spacious swimming pool.

It was a busy time in Shawnee. Through 1935 and 1936 companies and individuals were working on still-standing structures.

Woodland Park was transformed as the court house and auditorium joined the junior high building and the library. One of the last on the list was the swimming pool.

Built for $50,000 it was just north of the wading pool in the park and included a beautiful bath house constructed of local stone. By August 1936, it was complete.

However, due to the drought and oppressive heat in Shawnee – a record temperature of 114 was reported – water usage was restricted. The city was still using wells so the pool couldn’t be filled, but rains came and the city’s water resources were then coming from the new lake.

On Memorial Day of 1937 Shawnee swimmers finally got to enjoy their fine new pool.

For many years it was the most popular place in town.

On July 4, 1944, over 1,000 customers registered, including officer candidates from the Shawnee Navy base who took their swimming training there early in the morning.

In 1954 the pool was remodeled, putting in a filter system so it was no longer necessary to drain it once a week to be cleaned. Other upgrades were made over the years but finally the 70-plus year old pool faced a complete overhaul.

It no longer met EPA regulations, there were leaks underneath and the equipment was antiquated.

It was closed while citizens banded together to see what could be done.

Should it be “retired” or were there ways to save it completely or partially?

Resources from the city of Shawnee were not available to build a water playground but enough people and foundations stepped up to take on the $3 million project so it would become a reality. Some of the old structure would remain, including a renovated stone bath house and also the “deep end” for divers.

A new “aquatic center,” to be known as Shawnee Splash Park, would be made up of new innovative water events.

Local folks who had “grown up” at the municipal pool over the years were satisfied with the plans and quickly jumped in with donations. Three years ago the beautiful attraction opened and has been extremely popular among the great-grandkids of those Shawnee folks who first dipped into the water at the pool in Woodland Park. www.shawneeoutlook.com

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Summer travel season is accidents can happen anyin full swing, and many famiwhere. It’s important for peolies are taking to the road or ple to ask their insurer what air to enjoy both near and far their benefits are when they vacation destinations. But are out of the area. You may nothing spoils a vacation want to ask what kind of outmore than injury or illness. of-pocket costs may be asso“When people go on vaca- Dr. Frank Wu ciated with emergency care if tion, they tend to focus on you need it or if there are any things like reserving hotels and plan- pre-authorization costs if hospitalization ning their activities,” said Dr. Frank Wu, is needed. Also, ask about availability of family practice physician at St. Anthony network providers in the area in which Shawnee Physicians. “Most of us don’t you are vacationing. Contacting your ingive much thought to questions like, surer is especially important if traveling ‘Does my insurance plan provide cover- overseas. The Centers for Disease Conage if I become ill or injured in another trol and Prevention encourages overseas state or country?’ That’s why we encour- travelers to ask what’s excluded from age people to take a health care inven- their policy, such as risky activities. It is tory before they depart.” recommended to inquire about whether A successful trip always starts with a the plan includes coverage for emerlittle pre-planning. The same can be said gency evacuations to the U.S. and prefor your travel health. existing medical conditions. It is also a “Proper planning and precautions can good idea to check your hotel amenities. help ensure a healthy vacation for every Certain hotels can accommodate urgent traveler hitting the roads and skies this care needs and provide an on-site or onsummer,” Dr. Wu said. call physician.

All health preparations for your vaca• Visit your healthcare provider. tion should be discussed with your doc- Before your trip, it is always a good idea tor, but practicing these simple tips on to get a checkup, determine if you are health conscious packing can help to up-to-date on vaccinations and obtain ensure you travel safely this summer. any additional CDC-recommended vacci• Pack a travel health kit. The kit nations for the area you are traveling to. should include prescription medicines Along with packing for your health you usually take, but consider packing needs, don’t forget the other essentials your over-the-counter (OTC) medicines such as sunscreen, insect repellant, as well. Band-Aids, anti-diarrhea medi- antibacterial wipes and hand sanitizer. cine, motion sickness tablets and hydro- Also, don’t forget about your feet; wear cortisone cream just to name a few. Look comfortable shoes and consider packat your and your family’s general OTC ing blister pads or moleskin to help treat needs and include them in your travel blisters. health kit.

“A vacation is a time to unwind, and • List of prescription medica- see new places and try new things,” Dr. tions. Keep a current list of prescription Wu said. “Try to maintain a healthy diet, medications and take the medications but splurging a little is OK.” in a carry-on just in case your luggage Dr. Wu suggested that you think about gets lost. Along with your prescriptions what you eat and drink while traveling. consider including the names and phone Being on vacation takes you away from numbers of all your health care provid- your normal routine, so you may have ers. to work harder to stay hydrated and eat • Ensure you’re covered. Whether healthy food options; but, with a little you are traveling in the United States or planning and knowing your options, you abroad, it is always a good idea to check can have safe and healthy travels. with your health insurance company and To make an appointment with Dr. Wu, see what your coverage is. Illness and please call 405-273-5801. www.shawneeoutlook.com

23

24

www.shawneeoutlook.com

Grant Gives New Hope to Shelter for Domestic Violence Victims It started with a phone call.

Tiffany Barrett contacted the Citizen Potawatomi Nation to ask if it would be possible to donate some of her children’s clothing, she said. After running across a few children wearing some of the items she donated, she realized she could do more.

Barrett started as a volunteer with Citizen Potawatomi Nation’s domestic violence program, she said, which offered services to help those looking to escape relationships find resources to gain independence.

“I wanted to know that I was trying to help people, helping the nation, showing the community that there are programs that can help people get away from that way of life,” Barrett said.

Almost nine years later, she will oversee the full-time opening of the program’s House of Hope shelter this month, said Barrett, who is the director.

The program has had an emergency shelter since 2016, but full-time staffing was a challenge and scheduling staff for when victims needed it was difficult, according to a press release from the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. Now the nation’s of Tribal Self-Governance Office has secured a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Justice for more than $899,000 to staff the shelter full time.

“It wasn’t expected,” Barrett said. “I always told them the one thing I wanted for the program before I quit, retired or was fired was a building to take it to that next step.”

Prior to the opening of the shelter, the program’s staff consisted of five full-time employees, Barrett said. She will now be overseeing a staff of 20 as they work to keep the shelter available around the clock.

Ashley May will be working with each woman and child that comes through the shelter as a family unit and individually, she said, and she is hopeful about the kind of help having the shelter will provide.

“I know this is going to have a huge impact on our community,” said May, who has worked with House of Hope for four years and now has the title of domestic violence adult and child advocate.

“People don’t realize how much (domestic abuse) is out there sometimes.”

The program began in 1998 as a way to offer services for anyone looking to escape abusive relationships in Pottawatomie, Cleveland and Oklahoma counties, Barrett said. The House of Hope was able to provide services like transportation, utility

House of Hope director Tiffany Barrett inside the victims and family shelter.

payments, money for education, counseling services, relocation assistance and some transitional housing that was comprised of a duplex.

This shelter by contrast can house four singles and three families at the same time for up to 30 days, according to the press release. The grant will also provide some funding for other transitional housing assistance, food, wardrobe and fuel costs.

In the short term, Barrett and the staff will not be meeting the shelter’s capacity, she said.

“We want to be able to open the doors and they stay open,” Barrett said. “When we open, we are going to start small so we can work out any kinks along the way.”

House of Hope staff toured area shelters and spoke to others out of state, Barrett said. They gleaned ideas from other tribes at conferences who also operate shelters for victims of domestic violence, and they brought all the ideas back that they thought would work with their clients.

Yet they also wanted to add touches of their own by offering cultural elements like bead working, art therapy, sweat lodge access and smudge kits for purification and cleansing, Barrett said.

They also provided recreational activities like table tennis, foosball, a piano, exercise equipment and a reading corner – built by local Girl Scouts who stocked it with donated books.

“We’re really trying to be different from all the other shelters,” Barrett said.

As expected with this type of work, security is a priority for House of Hope’s shelter, Barrett said. In addition to security cameras monitoring

by David Dinsmore

Photo submitted

the premises and inside the common living and laundry areas, House of Hope has also made an arrangement with local police to ensure regular sweeps near the undisclosed area of the shelter.

The shelter will not simply be an institutional facility designed just for utility, Barrett said. The staff made great efforts to create a warm, inviting environment in which domestic abuse victims and their families can relax and occupy their bodies and minds.

For instance, the single arrangements in most shelters incorporate bunk beds to help increase bed space without occupying floor space, Barrett said, but that is not the direction House of Hope wanted to go.

“At home, most women at home do not sleep on a bunk bed,” Barrett said. “It’s their house … it’s their home for how many ever days they stay. We want them to be comfortable in their living situation as much as they can be.”

Though the shelter will just be for women and their children, anyone can take advantage of House of Hope’s other ongoing services, Barrett said. The program is federally funded so is not limited to any specific gender or ethnicity and help can be reached at 405-275-3176 or 1-800-7997233.

Hiring was taking place last month for the new shelter, but Barrett encouraged anyone interested in working there to check out firelakejobs. com. Those interested in volunteer opportunities or who need help can call 405-275-3176 or visit cpnhouseofhope.com. www.shawneeoutlook.com

25

MENTAL HEALTH

Childhood Trauma at the Center of Many Problems Via information provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Kaiser Permanente It is not an easy thing talking or reading about bad experiences that have happened and do happen to some people as children, but every community must understand and offer help with the realities faced by its citizens who have lived through these.

A well-known study conducted in the mid-1990s linked what it called “adverse childhood experiences” with later life health and well-being issues.

The term ACE became the acronym for these experiences that comprises all types of abuse, neglect and other traumatic experiences that occur to individuals under the age of 18.

The ACE study took place at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and looked at data from 17,000 Health Maintenance Organization members who completed studies about their childhood experiences.

The study showed definitive ties between adverse childhood experiences and risky behavior, psychological issue, serious illness and the leading causes of death.

People who suffer early childhood neglect and abuse get sick more often throughout their lives with more serious illness than the average population, according to the study.

They become more prone to addiction and more likely to suffer with mental illness.

People with high amounts of abuse and neglect as children often die 20 years sooner than their peers, the study found.

Childhood trauma is often at the center of many problems like domestic violence, incarceration and family dysfunction among many others.

Those with adverse childhood experiences or those close to them can take a simple survey to determine if experiences when they were younger might be having an impact on their lives today.

Prior to your 18th birthday:

Did a parent or other adult in the household often or very often swear at you, insult you, put you down or humiliate you? Or act in a way that made you afraid that you might be physically hurt?

Did a parent or other adult in the household often or very often push, grab, slap or throw something at you? Or ever hit you so hard that you had marks or were injured?

Did an adult or person at least five years older than you ever touch or fondle you or have you touch their body in a sexual way? Or attempt or actually have intercourse with you?

Did you often or very often feel that no one in your family loved you or thought you were important or special? Or your family didn’t look out for each other, feel close to each other or support each other?

Did you often or very often feel that you didn’t have enough to eat, had to wear dirty clothes and had no one to protect you? Or your parents were too drunk or high to take care of you or take you to the doctor if you needed it?

Were your parents ever separated or divorced?

Was your mother or stepmother often or very often pushed, grabbed, slapped or had something thrown at her? Or sometimes, often or very often kicked, bitten, hit with a fist or hit with something hard? Or ever repeatedly hit over at least a few minutes or threatened with a gun or knife?

Did you live with anyone who was a problem drinker or alcoholic, or who used street drugs?

Was a household member depressed or mentally ill, or did a household member attempt suicide?

Did a household member go to prison?

Now add one point for each of your “Yes” answers. This is your ACE score.

The CDC recommends people with a score of at least 4 consult with a professional trained in trauma and who understands the ACE study to understand how these childhood experiences may be having a negative impact on them or someone they love. For local help and information, contact Gateway to Prevention and Recovery at 405-273-1170.

Cindy Stober, LPC, LADC, NCGCII, 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 and has been providing services for problem gamblers and their families for over 10 years. Cindy is active in her professional development and is a graduate of the National Council for Behavioral Health Leadership Program.

26

www.shawneeoutlook.com

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Angels for Animals

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Located at the intersection of 177 & Acme Rd., behind DC Cake Appeal and Conoco

AFA is for sale and will be closing at the end of June if not purchased. The current owner is moving out of state.

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Surgeries performed Wednesday & some Saturdays. 8:30am-3pm

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Hearing Health Care is now accepting new patients.

Dr. Susan Hamilton, Au.D. Call today to schedule your appointment with Shawnee’s ONLY team of full-time audiologists hear4life.com

AUDIOLOGY AND HEARING AIDS

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OKC Energy FC Kicks It with Shawnee Soccer Association Hustle and have fun.

That’s the message Michelle Tucker passes along to her two kids when they take to the pitch – a term used mostly internationally for soccer fields.

It’s the same lesson she learned during her time in shin guards from about the age of seven years through high school.

Likewise 10-year-old Sosie Tucker started playing soccer in the under-8 group of the Shawnee Soccer Association. At the time, she enjoyed getting out there with her friends, but with time and training over the last few years she has figured out how to do more than chase the ball with every other kid playing in the match.

“I’ve learned that it’s a lot about teamwork,” Sosie said.

Sosie plays midfield, which means she is often involved in plays in both the offensive and defensive ends, she said. It requires her to keep track of her surroundings and where the play is developing in relation to her teammates and competitors so she can communicate to everyone how best to execute and create scoring opportunities.

When those chances come – typically for forwards more often than other positions – those are the best parts of the game, Sosie said.

“Your first goal is always the most memorable,” Sosie said.

Even though the game is very similar as when Michelle was playing as a kid and on the varsity team at her high school in the Moore area, the ability for her kids to watch and learn more about soccer on a global scale is much different than when she was playing, she said.

“It’s a lot more accessible now,” Michelle said. “It’s awesome that it’s grown as it has.”

Sosie said she and her brother Croix Tucker have been able to watch live professional soccer close to home by attending matches featuring OKC Energy FC, which had representatives at the Shawnee Soccer Association’s awards banquet event early last month.

Communities having access to professional soccer players not only to watch but also from whom to receive instruction has also boosted the talent and knowledge level of the game in cities across the U.S., said Coady Andrews, a defender playing with OKC Energy FC. “Every generation grows on the knowledge of the previous generations,” said Andrews, who

Members of the OKC Energy FC organization attended the awards banquet event

also dedicates his time in the Oklahoma City metro area to provide recreational coaching to those looking to improve their game.

The quality of coaching is the key to players developing into competitive soccer players at higher levels, said coach Daniel DeSouza, who will be moving into the soccer coach role at Shawnee High School and who has also helped with coaching with the Shawnee Soccer Association.

“It all depends on what kind of coaching that kids are getting at a young level,” said DeSouza, who grew up learning and playing around the world in soccer hotspots like England and Ghana. “It’s always about teaching them to do things in the right way.”

DeSouza has coached off and on in Oklahoma during his 30-year career, and he said the interest in soccer among the general public here between then and now has “grown exponentially.” Kids have been dedicating themselves to perfecting their fundamentals to emulate the players they now see on TV to up their game, and they are willing to put in the time to do so.

“There’s so much work that goes into it,” De-

by David Dinsmore

Photo submitted

Souza said.

While support for the men’s and women’s national teams has always been a factor for U.S. soccer, there is increasing interest in the domestic games through local support of professional teams to the country’s top-tier Major League Soccer, Andrews said. The U.S. is also turning out younger talent that is having an impact on international club leagues like Britain’s Premier League and Spain’s La Liga.

Now with more kids able to watch these overseas leagues featuring the best players from all over the world competing weekly and not just every four years during the World Cup, Andrews said the future for soccer both on a local and national level is always getting brighter.

“It’s going to keep getting more and more competitive,” Andrews said.

Michelle’s time on the pitch left her with lessons she still considers important today, especially when it comes to hard work and perseverance, she said.

“Your best might be different every day, but you have to go out and leave it all out there every time,” Michelle said. www.shawneeoutlook.com

29

ART GUIDE

July Arts Events

OVER

500,000

Purchase your tickets for the Shawnee Little Theater 50th Reunion, July 7, 8 and 9. While you are on the website remember to buy your season tickets for 201718. This is a season you will not want to miss! Tickets: http://www. shawneelittletheatre.com.

Enrollments in CareerTech programs statewide, with students earning professional credentials in health care, robotics, graphic design, masonry,

Want to improve your photography skills? Register for Capture the World in Photos at the Shawnee Public Library on July 10.

Get tips for capturing the world around you with your camera and learn how to use free online photo editing programs to enhance your digital photos. Register: http:// pioneer.libnet.info/events.

pre-engineering, welding, fabrication and other highly skilled careers needed to keep Oklahoma’s workforce moving forward.

Let’s get to work.

“I’ve got a Feelin’” you will want to purchase your tickets to hear country music star John Anderson at Firelake Grand Casino on July 14. Tickets: http://www. grandresor tok .com/enter tainment.

Enjoy the music of junior high and senior high musicians at the closing concert of OBU’s All State Chorus Workshop. The choirs comprised of approximately 300 student musicians will perform at 11 a.m. on July 15 in Raley Chapel.

The concerts are free and open to the public.

160

The Shawnee Public Library will host the concert “A Better World with Boulevard Brass” at the Celebration of Life Park dur-

$

MILLION

Butthese thesedevelopments developmentsaren’t aren’tgoing goingto tobuild buildthemselves. themselves.ItIttakes takesaaskilled skilledworkforce workforceto tobring bringbig bigideas ideasto tolife, life,and andOklahoma’s Oklahoma’s But newconstruction constructionand andeconomic economicdevelopment developmentprojects projectsare areno nodifferent. different.Graphic Graphicdesigners, designers,fabricators, fabricators,welders, welders,crane craneoperators, operators, new masons,hospitality hospitalityand andrestaurant restaurantprofessionals, professionals,engineers engineers— —they’re they’reall allneeded neededto tobuild buildaabusiness businessstructure structurefrom fromthe theground ground masons, up.But Butwe wearen’t aren’tjust justbuilding buildingbuildings; buildings;new newinfrastructure, infrastructure,aadiversified diversifiedeconomy, economy,and andpower powerfor forOklahoma’s Oklahoma’seconomic economicengine engine up.

WWW.GCTECH.EDU | 405.273.7493 areall allpart partof ofthe theblueprint. blueprint. are

30

www.shawneeoutlook.com

If you need a break from the heat during the Downtown Block Party 6-9 p.m. on July 21, stop in for live music at the Arts @ 317.

They will begin the evening with Celtic music by Rose Rock, and finish the evening with local young musicians.

Adults of all ages are invited to Shawnee Senior Center for Artistic Visions with Valerie Reese Martin. The classes are 1-3 p.m. on Fridays. All supplies are provided.

Call 405-878-1528.

Studio 112 and a half will feature Oklahoma artists Jasmine Jones and Gayla Abel Hollis during the month of July. Jasmine is an Oklahoma native and has earned one of two Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition’s 2017 Student Awards of Excellence. Gayla Abel Hollis lives in the Arbuckle Mountains and her painting, “Buffalo of Unity,” is in the permanent collection at the Chickasaw Cultural Center.

Mabee Gerrer Museum of Art continues its summer programs: Primary Partners (ages 3-6), Creative Arts Camp (ages 5-13), and the Teen Art Clinic (ages 13-18).

Register at www.mgmoa.org/education.

X1,000,000 X1,000,000

Thetotal totalvalue valueof of1,901 1,901contracts contractsthe theOklahoma OklahomaBid BidAssistance AssistanceNetwork Networkhas hashelped helped800 800Oklahoma Oklahomacompanies companiessecure. secure.

The

POWERING OKLAHOMA’S OKLAHOMA’S ECONOMY. ECONOMY. POWERING

ing the Downtown Block Party 6-9 p.m. on July 21. Enjoy live music and the art galleries and businesses that will be open late for the monthly celebration.

OKCAREERTECH.ORG || 405.377.2000 405.377.2000 || 800.522.5810 800.522.5810 OKCAREERTECH.ORG

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 teaches cello to all ages and levels. Please contact her if you know of an upcoming arts event. Email: tswadley@sbcglobal.net.

ENHANCED ICU

at St. Anthony Shawnee Hospital

The West Tower, a three-story addition to St. Anthony Shawnee Hospital, is the new home to many specialty services for St. Anthony patients, including an enhanced intensive care unit (ICU).

Located on the third floor, the ICU is comprised of 16 rooms. Every room is designed with full bathrooms and showers, and each features designated areas for family and nursing care. In addition, the ICU design allows staff to be more attentive to patient needs, with nursing pods between every two rooms.

St. Anthony Shawnee’s goal is to create a healing environment for our physicians and staff to work side by side and provide exceptional care to the patients needing the highest intensity of care.

Expanded services. Sophisticated facilities. Exceptional care.

1102 W. MacArthur in Shawnee stanthonyshawnee.com

www.shawneeoutlook.com

31

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