Shawnee Outlook

IFYR Back In The Saddle | City Honors Tom Terry

JULY 21

Vol. 18 Number 5

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CONTENTS

JULY 2021

27

9

Publisher

Okie Icon Media

Managing Editor

David Dinsmore

Advertising Sales

Brad Carter

Creative Direction

Kelsey Walker & Fawn Wilson-Olivarez

Writers

Andrea Beck Jamie Bergsten David Dinsmore Brandon Dyer Jon Greenwood Ann McDonald Angela Rowland Carmen Wolf

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

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

FEATURES 9

Junior Lifeguard Program Grad Now Full-Time Guard At Shawnee Splash This Summer

DEPARTMENTS 6 KEEP THE CHANGE 6 NUTRITION 101

11

Art Of The Matter: At The Beach

13

Over the Fence: New Growth From Old Scars

25 SHAWNEE HISTORY

14

Engage With Learning This Summer At The Library

29 THE BRIGHT SPOT

18

Groov'in Records Spins Online Success Into Local Store For Music Lovers

21

IFYR Back In The Saddle In 2021

26

Get To Know Gateway's CEO

27

City Honors Tom Terry For Contributions In Beautifying, Serving Community

24 SONIC CONTEST

30 CALENDAR Volume 18, Number 5 Shawnee Outlook is a publication of Okie Icon Media. © 2021 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.

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KEEP THE CHANGE

NUTRITION 101

3 Culprits Behind Bone Weakening

Dress For Less O L 1 ooking to update your child’s wardrobe (or your own) as you look toward the fall? Now is a great time to get started. As stores gear up for fall, summer items should already be on the clearance rack. Living in Oklahoma, we know short-sleeved shirts, shorts and flowy fabrics can carry us well into the “autumn” months, so start looking there now.

What you can’t find on clearance look for elsewhere.

Sporting goods stores like Dunham’s typically offer great prices on many clothing items. Discount stores like TJ Maxx and Ross are also great places to find quality items at a more affordable price. TJ Maxx offers a credit card that allows you to earn rewards on your purchases and shop new releases early on the website.

If credit cards aren’t your thing, but you like a good discount, consider the Target RedCard – they offer both credit and debit options. These cards come with additional perks, such as five percent off every purchase made at Target (even clearance) and free two-day shipping with most online orders, so you don’t even have to trek out of Shawnee. All of these perks make it easy to grab some decent deals on clothing.

Finally, if you’re an Amazon Prime member, look into Prime Wardrobe. There is a wide selection of clothing on their website that you can have shipped to you with a seven-day “try on” period – you only pay for what you keep and return the rest free of charge. And, again, if you’re not afraid of a credit card, the Amazon credit card gives you five percent cash back on every Amazon purchase.

Remember, though, that the most sustainable clothing is what’s already in your closet. Be sure to only buy what you need, and you’ll be sure to save.

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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ften we talk about how to make our bones stronger but don’t really think about what is making them weaker in the first place.

Certain dietary habits can exacerbate the loss of bone mass, leading to weaker, more brittle bones. Here are three foods to avoid for maintaining bone health.

Soft drinks. When talking about pop, this includes diet as well. Both diet and regular pops are high in phosphoric acids, which pulls calcium out of our bones. Pop has many reasons to not be in our diet and tying it into our bone health is just another reason.

Table salt. Over-consuming table salt can also cause calcium loss and further weaken the bones with time.

Americans have been over-salting their food for some time, but when talking about too much salt, we are usually talking about heart health. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting sodium to 2,300 milligrams a day, but most Americans get at least 4,000 milligrams a day.

Excessive caffeine. When going overboard on the caffeine, it can begin leaching calcium from our bones.

Limiting caffeine intake to 300 milligrams a day can keep bone loss under control. For reference, an 8 oz cup of black coffee has around 96 mg of caffeine and an 8 oz cup of green tea has around 28 mg.

As we age, we become more aware of the importance of bone health. Maybe there is one area you could focus on – pop intake, salt on food or the caffeine consumption in a day.

2 3

No Bake Energy Balls I have shared a similar recipe like this one a long time ago, but this is the kind of recipe that is fun to play around with. My kids actually enjoyed making this one with me. These were perfect in the car for the summer road trip we took.

Ingredients: 1 cup old-fashioned oats 2/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut ½ cup almond butter ½ cup ground flaxseed

½ cup dark chocolate chunks 1/3 cup honey 1 Tbsp chia seeds 1 tsp vanilla

Directions: Stir all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl until thoroughly combined. Chill the bowl with ingredients in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours. Roll into balls. Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week or make a large batch and freeze for up to three months.

Makes: 20 energy ball Serving size: 2 energy balls each Calories: 277 Total Fat: 17g Saturated Fat: 6g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 9mg Carbohydrates: 29g Dietary Fiber: 6g Protein: 5g Nutrition 101: Many people talk about needing something quick to eat. These could either be used as a quick grab in the morning out the door or as an easy midday snack. By making them in a large batch and freezing them, you will save yourself a lot of time in the future. My two young children loved these as well, which was helpful if they also needed something quick and yummy to grab. When we think of something quick, it doesn’t have to be something out of a cereal box or from a drive-through.

Andrea Beck, a registered dietitian and personal trainer, received her master’s degree in nutrition and dietetics from the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond. She offers personal training through an online class and nutrition services through SSM Health St. Anthony in Shawnee. For inquiries, you can contact her at Andrea.beck1@ ssmhealth.com or through her Facebook page, Nutrition and Exercise 101 with Andrea.

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Olivia Stevenson, 16, is working as a lifeguard this summer at Shawnee Splash after participating in several years of junior lifeguard courses offered as part of the Splash’s comprehensive swim lesson program aimed at developing skills from ages six months through teens.

Photo submitted

B

efore she took the stand as a lifeguard this summer, 16-year-old Olivia Stevenson had already built her skills through the junior lifeguarding program available from Shawnee Splash.

Shawnee Splash offers a comprehensive program to help young swimmers build their skills and confidence. The earliest levels begin as young as six months old and gradually advance as swimmers master the abilities taught at each level. The final level – deemed junior lifeguarding – goes beyond individual swimming ability and incorporates skills like inwater and backboard rescues.

Before joining the junior lifeguarding class, Stevenson had been part of the swim team at the YMCA in Shawnee and had been swimming since about age five. She started participating in the junior lifeguarding program after hearing about it from her Girl Scout leader, who was one of the first teachers in the aquatic program. When Stevenson heard about it, she got excited that she would still get to be involved

Junior Lifeguard Program Grad Now Full-Time Guard At Shawnee Splash This Summer

by David Dinsmore

in some sort of water activity after she decided to no longer participate in the swim team.

“Being in the water is a great feeling, because there's not a lot you have to focus on,” said Stevenson, who added that as a highstrung individual that she likes having an outlet where she can put some of that energy.

“It gives you a lot of time to think.”

What she found in junior lifeguarding, however, went beyond just spending more time in the water.

“The first year, I was really surprised that we learned CPR,” Stevenson said. “So I've known CPR since I was seven or eight, and it is a great skill to have.”

She also found opportunities to apply these skills in a practical sense when she was with friends and family at the pool. She would use portions of the training that she received from junior lifeguarding courses to keep her loved ones safe around the water.

Junior lifeguarding also gave her the opportunity to become an even more confident

swimmer through the various tests and drills during the class. For instance, one challenge had participants swim across a pool while attached to a 50-pound brick. This not only improved the students’ physical abilities in the water but also mental toughness that it takes to complete a difficult task. This latter aspect of the training is something that Stevenson sees as an asset applicable to future jobs and career paths.

Training and working as a lifeguard has also improved her multitasking skills as she has learned to interact with swimmers and pool visitors while also still keeping her eye on situations developing in the pools and making sure people stay safe.

“I definitely had to train myself to do that,” Stevenson said. “I didn't always have the best attention span growing up, but now I can focus really well.

“You really have to build up your confidence. It's really an intense job, and you always have to stay alert.”

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The routines and protocols can be strict for lifeguards, but they are necessary to make sure everyone performs at peak level to keep swimmers safe. It is these aspects and demands of being a lifeguard that she sees as useful in other walks of life.

“Being able to multitask will be very helpful in a career,” Stevenson said. “(Lifeguard experience) can help you get ready for any situation where you have to focus on the task at hand.”

In the short-term, participating in the junior lifeguarding courses made the job training portion of becoming a full-time lifeguard with Shawnee Splash a little easier because she had developed her abilities during the junior lifeguarding program, Stevenson said. Each year, those with more experience would receive more difficult challenges during the courses, such as using the backboards used by lifeguards during emergency situations. She was about 11 or 12 the first time she started training with those devices.

“I feel like it has made me more equal than I thought I would be,” Stevenson sai.d “I thought I would be a total beginner who would not be able to do anything at all, but I feel like I am more reliable and more knowledgeable because I've done all the junior lifeguarding classes.

I have an idea of what to do and how to do it more than if I had not taken the classes.”

Still, Stevenson said she has been able to learn much from more experienced lifeguards who have worked summers at the Splash and other settings.

“Everyone has been really nice and has been happy to answer any questions that I have had,” she said.

One of the things that she has learned a lot about as a full-time lifeguard is the amount of teamwork it takes to keep visitors safe while at Shawnee Splash. Though there were teamwork aspects to the junior lifeguarding classes, it is an essential component to their everyday work at the pool when patrons are present. They hold regular in-services to help develop and improve

JULY

team bonding, and Stevenson said she has really enjoyed working with her fellow lifeguards this summer.

Stevenson got to see the importance of this collaboration during her first week on duty when she had to jump into the pool to help save somebody near the bottom of the slides.

She alerted her fellow lifeguards that she was responding to the situation using the set whistle signal and letting them know that she would need assistance. Those who respond in those moments must do so quickly while carrying equipment like the 60 pound backboard and 20 pound defibrillator along with first aid supplies.

“You are trained to recognize the situation, and you go,” Stevenson said. “Junior lifeguarding has definitely helped me learn to recognize situations a little quicker than if I had started from scratch.”

Her favorite aspect of the job so far has been getting to know her fellow lifeguards and the visitors at Shawnee Splash that she has gotten to interact with while on duty. She has received many thanks from people whom she is there to help keep safe.

At the end of June, Stevenson earned rec-

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ognition as the lifeguard of the week because of her positive outlook and the way she conducts herself while on duty. She was also told she earned that recognition partly because she volunteered to come in on her day off and give breaks to the lifeguards who were working doubles that day.

“I came in and took over some of their stands for about 30 minutes so some of them could run and get food,” she said. “It was a long hot day, so even being able to take 30 minutes is a godsend.”

One of the tricks that she has learned to help her deal with the intense nature and schedule of working as a lifeguard – not to mention the exhaustion that comes from being in the heat all day – is to get as much rest and hydration as possible on her off days. This means lots of water and naps, which are welcome rewards. Even while on duty, hydration is highly stressed by the Shawnee Splash leadership.

“Hydration helps focus,” Stevenson said.

Stevenson – who will be a junior this year – plans on continuing being a full-time lifeguard in the summer through at least the rest of her high school career.

“It's something to do in the summer so I'm not cooped up at home,” Stevenson said. “It's great exercise ... and it pays better than most jobs that 16-year-olds get in the summer. It's been great.”

Stevenson would encourage any young swimming enthusiasts to look into taking the junior lifeguarding courses.

“It's just a great investment,” she said. “You don't even have to become a lifeguard. Just having the CPR skills or being able to jump in and save someone when there's not a lifeguard around or learning first aid, these are skills you can use not just as a lifeguard but as a person if anyone is ever in need.”

For more information about swim lessons and the junior lifeguard program, call (405) 273-0700.

“Summer Afternoon” by Alfred Bricher is part of the Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art’s collection and is an example of how beach and oceanfront vistas have inspired artists for centuries.

Art of the Matter:

At The Beach Submitted by Carmen Wolf, MGMoA Board Member

I

t’s July, and that means vacation time.

The weather is warm, and school is out. What better time to take a trip to the beach? We don’t have to actually go to the beach; we can bring the beach to us with this whimsical project.

The beach is a very popular destination for vacations, but it wasn’t always that way. The beach and ocean were considered scary and dangerous until the late 1700s. People were afraid of sea monsters, pirates, people from other lands and dangerous wilderness. Stories from the past had talked about all the perils connected to oceans and water.

This all changed when European countries started industrializing and people moved from the country into the cities. The cities became very crowded and full of disease. At that time, people didn’t know as much about germs or how important sanitation was to prevent themselves from getting sick. It started with wealthy Europeans looking for a place to find fresh air and open space to heal their ailments. This was more prevalent in England, which had embraced factories and industry earlier than the rest of Europe. This left the cities crowded, smelly and dirty.

Soon, authors started talking about the healing benefits of the beach and ocean waters, and people travelled in droves to escape the hot, smelly, dirty cities.

Many artists followed, and the ocean and beach

Here is an example of the kind of beach-inspired art project people can try at home this summer.

became a very popular subject for paintings and drawings. The Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art has a beautiful painting in the permanent gallery called “Summer Afternoon” by Alfred Bricher. It shows people from long ago enjoying the water and beach with their families. The Mabee-Gerrer has free admission this summer, so now is a perfect time to visit and see this beautiful painting.

Our art project this month is to go to the beach.

Think about what you would see if you put your head under the water and looked around. What kind of creatures, plants and maybe even monsters might lurk? This project can be done in many different ways, so be creative.

We will start with a background. You can use a piece of colored paper or take a piece of white paper and paint the background. In the sample, I used white paper and painted the water and sand with watercolor paint.

Now the fun begins. When you close your eyes

and imagine your watery scene, what do you see swimming around? Maybe some fish, an octopus, a shark, a mermaid or even a sea monster. What kinds of things will you see in the sand, such as some seaweed, lots of shells, a crab or maybe the wreck of a pirate ship?

Now that you have some ideas, let’s get busy making them. The sample is full of ideas, because I wanted to show the different types of images you can use. Some of the seashells were made with pastels, colored pencils and markers on paper. Some of the fish were traced on colored paper and then embellished with colored pencil and marker, and I found a fish sticker I wanted to include. The diving helmet, seahorse and red coral were images I found as free clip art online. And don’t forget to add a little bling if you want. If you are looking for images online, be sure to have the permission of your parent or guardian beforehand.

Once you have your images created, it’s time to cut them out and place them on your background.

Try out a few different arrangements until it feels right for you. Then get some glue and start gluing.

I can’t wait to see your creation! Be sure to take a picture and post it to Instagram and use the hashtag #MGMOAart for us all to enjoy.

Scan this code to visit the Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art’s athome project page.

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The Stories of Shawnee.

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Over the Fence:

New Growth From Old Scars 13

days.

That’s how long it took for temperatures to finally climb above freezing back in February of this year in Oklahoma. Folks were without power for multiple days. Pipes were freezing and bursting. Families struggled to stay warm. This stretch of icy cold snapped 40-year-old records. Eventually, on February 20, the temperature rose above freezing, and before long, our balmy forecasts of 40 degree days felt like a heat wave.

Best I could tell, Oklahomans did what Oklahomans do. We checked on each other. We shared our resources.

Neighbors with adequate transportation were making grocery runs for those that weren’t able to get out on the ice. Friends with plumbing skills were helping to repair broken pipes.

Others were lending a hand to clear downed tree limbs. We seemed like ourselves again. Despite two weeks of isolation, frustration and challenges, we displayed a collective resilience we have come to expect as Oklahomans.

We take pride in this virtue we all seem to share. The unfortunate truth, however, is that it only exists because we tend to see our share of troubles.

Troubles we would all rather avoid.

Fortunately, there is a silver lining in our suffering. We are afforded the opportunity to grow. In fact, I would argue it’s the only way we grow.

Before long, signs of spring began to emerge. Daffodils and forsythia led the way followed by irises and tulips.

Redbuds that had shed their leaves in the fall joined the celebration with

Brandon Dyer

their stunning blooms. It doesn’t happen all at once, of course. There is a rhythm to it that allows nature’s emerging instruments of spring each their own solo.

But not everything. Not this year.

February’s cold snap proved to be too much for certain shrubs and trees in our area. Hawthorns and nandinas took a pretty hard hit. Many species of crepe myrtles did as well. Ours are mostly regrowing from their roots, fortunately. What I am most concerned about, however, is our beautiful, mature live oak. It is right next to our back patio and provides welcomed shade almost year round, only shedding its leaves briefly in the spring before blooming out again. Many branches are dead or dying. Others are fighting to hold to their diminished leaf production. I have yet to give up hope, though, because the trunk is

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still full of life. New growth is filling out rapidly and looks quite healthy.

But the tree, should it survive, is likely to never look the same. Instead, it will have a story to tell, forever changed by its experiences.

You don’t have to know your way around a flower garden or stand in the shade of a beautiful live oak to know that we all carry our share of scars.

By Brandon Dyer, Executive Director of Community Renewal of Pottawatomie County

Yet, we are still here. Our experiences often change us even though it may take us a lifetime to understand why, but each challenging season of life affords an opportunity to grow. For that, we have a story to tell. It is in the sharing of these stories and the beauty found therein that we offer up our solo, leaving our mark on the landscape of life.

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13

Engage With Learning This Summer At The Library

Submitted by the Pioneer Library System

S

ummer at the library may not look quite the same as past years, but the mission for Pioneer Library System and its Summer Learning Challenge hasn’t changed.

A mission of inspiring innovation, engagement and learning continues this summer and into the future as the library adapts to its communities’ needs. Children, teens and adults all can find safe and enriching activities to be part of during the Summer Learning Challenge, which runs through August 15.

While many activities continue in a virtual setting, the Pioneer Library System has resumed outdoor program opportunities at its branches as of June 1, so keep an eye out for upcoming inperson program offerings. Some of the features being offered locally include: The Tecumseh Public Library goes on the road for weekly Story Times at Slick Humphrey Park, taking place at 11 a.m. on Monday mornings. Engage with activities and also check out the Story Walk that runs alongside the walking trail that wraps its way around the park.

McLoud also has added a Story Walk that makes its way around the walking trail at Veteran’s Park. Stories at each of the areas will be changed out periodically so there regularly are new tales to engage with.

The libraries’ meeting rooms again are available to be reserved for events. Contact the McLoud library at (405) 788-4132, the Shawnee library at (405) 275-6353, the Tecumseh library at (405) 598-5955, or go online to www.pioneerlibrarysystem.org/rooms for more information.

It's clear there’s a level of fun and entertainment that goes into summer activities offered

Photo submitted

by the library, but the literal name change the library has made from “Summer Reading” to “Summer Learning” indicates the shift in mentality from being just about books to the wellrounded experience that is available.

These aren’t new concepts. For years, summer library activities have pushed the value to young readers in avoiding the “summer slide” associated with several months out of school.

The American Library Association looks at summer slide as a factor in both math and read-

ing skills for students, particularly in students younger than high school age. A 2016 report conducted by YALSA, the Young Adult Library Services Association division of ALA, stresses the important role libraries can play during time students are out of school.

“This is a call to action for libraries to broaden their focus beyond reading activities, especially during the summer months,” reads part of the ALA report. “Reading is an important element of summer learning, but the integration of activi-

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ties that (are) focused on learning overall creates stronger high-quality opportunities to mitigate the summer slide that many families living in poverty face.”

The Collaborative Summer Learning Program, a cooperative effort of libraries developing and implementing summer efforts in libraries, provides guidelines for goals for young readers in multiple age groups, with one of its targets being the summer slide. CSLP defines goals for these groups – Early Literacy, Children, Teens, and Adults. For example, for new readers, establishing selfconfidence, building an early love of books and making the library a community destination for young children and their families are among CSLP’s stated goals.

How does all that translate to readers in local communities? PLS has set goals for activities through Summer Learning Tracks for all ages of customers.

Some activities are as simple as creating a picture or written review of a book to learning how to speak “Pirate” from the Mango Languages database offered for card holders. And many activities, like undertaking a nature scavenger hunt, can be undertaken by the whole family.

But while the concepts aren’t new, the delivery methods have been altered over time, particularly in the past year due to the Covid-19 pandemic and its aftermath. Even as the world and libraries along with it slowly begin to move more toward full pre-pandemic service models, some elements have been changed.

“We have a lot of students who have been staring at screen for hours a day every day for months for school,” said Aaron Pence, computer training center manager at Norman Public Library Central. “We’re looking for things that they can do to get away from those screens and really doing things.”

That’s the idea behind this summer’s series “Nailed It! Teen STEAM Edition” and a corresponding program “Made It! Kids STEAM Edition” for ages 8 to 12.

Participants will receive physical kits for each activity, with topics ranging from gardening to cooking to basic engineering concepts. Each series will run during June and July.

These programs aren’t put together at random but actually draw their inspiration from the “Oklahoma Works” list of the most critical occupations supporting the state’s economy. Many of the participants already are of working age and all are, or soon will be, looking toward a career path, and the library is giving them exposure to many popular and successful ones from this spark.

Readers of all ages can contribute to the library system’s goal of six million minutes learning this summer. When that goal is met, the Pioneer Library System Foundation and the Pioneer Library System will make a donation of books to local health departments in Cleveland, McClain and Pottawatomie counties.

Similar post-summer donations have taken place the past two years and have put thousands of books in the hands of young children throughout the library’s service area.

Participants in all age groups also are eligible for prize incentives which will include Lego and technology-centered kits for children, a drone for a teen winner and a Fitbit Inspire workout monitor for an adult participant.

However, the bigger prize comes in what’s gained moving forward through experiences and expanded knowledge.

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Groov'in Records Spins Online Success Into Local Store For Music Lovers

by David Dinsmore

W

hen the doors of Groov’in Records opened at 722 E. Independence, it was like coming home for Rick Weston, who owns and runs the shop with his wife Alisha Weston.

“So I grew up around records pretty much.

I'm literally almost raised in a record shop. My grandfather had a record shop in the late 60s in Watsonville, California,” Weston said. “My uncle had a record shop in Los Angeles which is actually still running today under different management.”

This love of music – particularly his fascination with vinyl recordings – did not stay contained within the walls of his family members’ record stores.

“Growing up, I was always the house DJ, so I was always a kid that was pulling out the records and playing them,” Weston said.

Even as an adult, much of Weston's work has centered around music. He worked for 18 years as a freelance music journalist, even operating his own publication at one point. He also held Jobs and other various record stores and music shops.

Weston developed a love of movies and be18

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gan creating visual art as well. When Alisha and he met, they discovered they shared a lot of the same interests.

As other recorded formats became more common – such as cassette tapes and CDs – followed by the rise in digital music, records became harder to find. That factor and the pursuit of other interests slowed the Westons down in terms of seeking and collecting new records. A more widespread resurgence in vinyl interest about a decade ago coincided with Westons return to record collecting.

“I started going back and buying an album here and there, and then sort of going back into what we called the rabbit hole,” Weston said.

“Then I pulled my wife into it.”

Looking at the collection they had put together and understanding the "thrill of the hunt" that record collectors share, it became apparent that they should look into opening their own record shop.

They started Groov’in Records as an online store last year, but they knew they wanted to open a physical location and Shawnee once the timing made sense.

Though the response to the coronavirus pandemic delayed a lot of business pursuits, all the time the people were spending at home benefited the vinyl industry, Weston said. Demand for vinyl records increased exponentially as they witnessed not only through sales from their own shop but what they were hearing from their distributors and others who work in the market.

They eventually found a home at 722 E. Independence in the Plaza East complex and opened the doors to Groov’in Records in March, which offers a wide variety of vinyl albums new and used along with other movie and pop culture-related collectibles. Weston loves to stock rare and surprising selections because he understands the elation that vinyl collectors experience when they run across that special sought-after album.

“There's a soul to a vinyl record,” Weston said.

“We really like seeing people getting reconnected with albums. I mean, one of my favorite things in the shop is watching people when they're looking through records, and – I see it – they'll pull out a record and I’ll hear that audible gasp as they hold it up.”

The selection offered at Groov’in Records covers a dynamic range of genres and eras. They feature new albums and reissues in addition to albums bought from personal collections.

When it comes to used albums they buy from collectors, Weston said they are selective about the quality of the records they purchase.

Some chain stores have begun offering vinyl albums, but these are not curated to the extent the Westons are able to incorporate at Groov’in Records. For instance, they know how much the demand for Christmas albums increases as the holiday season approaches, so they have already begun pursuing building up their inventory of holiday favorites.

Though the increased appetite for vinyl records may be more visible in larger, urban markets, the Westons have seen how it has extended to rural areas where they have regular customers who shop their online store. Now with a physical location for Groov’in Records, vinyl enthusiasts can pursue their hobby closer to home.

“People have just been really ecstatic,” said Weston, who added the shop went through 30-40 percent of its inventory in the first week or two they opened. “They don't have to drive to Norman or Oklahoma City now to buy vinyl records.”

The Westons bring in new items every week and use social media to post some of the stranger, more offbeat items that arrive to keep things fresh for new and returning customers.

The Westons have entered into this venture at the right time according to the research they conducted prior to opening the store and having worked it in for a year.

“The music industry is having this problem where they can't actually keep up with the demand for vinyl,” Weston said. “The pressing plants can't keep up with it. There are some releases that might not come out until March of next year.”

Collecting is only one of the factors that lead modern consumers to buy music on vinyl. Many do it because of the superior sound quality and experience that comes with listening to vinyl records, Weston said. People will pick up a record of their favorite album they have on CD or digitally and come back and tell him that they not only rediscovered songs they used to skip in other formats but also heard new layers and elements in a song they did not realize was there due to a variety of factors that go into processing music when presented digitally.

“The sound with vinyl records is unmatched,” Weston said.

There are even levels of quality amid albums pressed in different times and locations. Experienced vinyl collectors often are not just looking for a certain album but a specific pressing of that album from one era or place. Weston said the variants that come with vinyl have also become a big deal for some people, such as albums that offer different colors or designs on the vinyl itself. Some albums have even been infused with liquid and other materials for a different visual component.

The Westons have also found ways to incorporate their love of movies and art into Groov’in Records. They share a passion in particular for 1980s-era sci-fi, fantasy and horror films, and they offer items covering these and other pop culture genres.

Kids who visit the shop are often drawn to the classic Nintendo collectibles or Funko figurines on display. They also display their own and other local art at Groov’in Records.

“We just really want to have a shop that has something for everyone,” Weston said.

For more information, visit the store, call (405) 432-5021, check out groovinrecordsok.com or follow @groovinrecords on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Groov’in Records at 722 E. Independence in the Plaza East complex opened its doors in March after beginning as an online store last year. They offer a wide range of new and used vinyl records, movie collectibles, local art and pop culture memorabilia.

Photos by David Dinsmore

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NOTICE JULY 2021 3601 N Harrison, Shawnee, OK

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IFYR Back In The Saddle In 2021

by David Dinsmore

A

fter almost two years in the stalls, the International Finals Youth Rodeo will ride again starting July 11 and galloping through July 16 at the Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Center.

“I know what this event means to people,” said Dale Yerigan, event director of the IFYR this year who serves year-round as the general manager of the sanctioning International Professional Rodeo Association. “I'm very glad that we are able to have it for the kids’ sake.”

The rodeo features high school-age participants competing in a list of events comprised of cowgirls barrel racing, cowgirls pole bending, cowgirls breakaway roping, cowgirls goat tying, team roping, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, bull riding, saddle bronc riding and bareback riding. Events run simultaneously in three arenas during each performance.

The weeklong festivities will also incorporate the Miss Teen Rodeo USA pageant 2-5 p.m. July 15 at the Historic Ritz Theatre at 10 W. Main St. downtown.

This year's rodeo will feature about 700 ro-

deo contestants and about 1,100 entries as some will compete in multiple events, which will be a good turnout given the uncertainty not only stemming from last year’s cancellation but the months leading up to the event that came with the response to the coronavirus pandemic. With so many events being canceled last year and still so many events up in the air even as late as spring 2021, making a commitment to participate might have been difficult for some who had to travel considerable distances.

There was a lot of disappointment from participants, parents, planners and volunteers when it was announced that the 2020 Rodeo would not take place, Yerigan said, but most understood the reasons behind it.

“They do look forward to coming here every July,” he added. “It is a tradition.”

Though his first experience with taking the reins of IFYR started in the weeks leading up to the 2019 rodeo – with this year being his first full year as director – Yerigan has watched it grow from the days of its inception as a board member with the IPRA when representatives

from the Heart of Oklahoma Expo first proposed creating their own youth rodeo event. Prior to IFYR, Shawnee had hosted national high school finals, but that was not an event the city could make part of its annual event offerings.

“It was a great event to the community, but its normal pattern is that it moves around every couple of years,” Yerigan said. “Those here in Shawnee really liked what it brought to the community … so they came up with the idea of creating a large youth rodeo that would be Shawnee’s own and stay right here every year.”

The IPRA agreed to get involved in helping promote and provide a standard set of rules and other resources to help put on an event of this magnitude, Yerigan said, but it has become something more than what they originally envisioned.

“I can honestly say, sitting in that room that day, I personally would ever have dreamed that it would grow into what it has,,” Yerigan said. “I don't think many of us did.”

Overall, participation and attendance have grown over the years with some ebbs and flows, www.shawneeoutlook.com

21

The International Finals Youth Rodeo has featured thousands of the best high school rodeo competitors during its nearly 30-year history and returns in 2021 after a COVID-19-related cancellation last summer.

Photo submitted

but the largest event featured about 1,000 participants placing about 1,600 entries to compete in various events during the rodeo.

“It has become a very prestigious staple in the rodeo industry,” Yerigan said. “These kids will not only cherish these experiences that they have here, but for the winners this will be something that follows them for the rest of their careers.

“When someone is putting their bios together in the future it will say ‘IFYR champion’ if they are one of the winners here.”

Last year’s COVID-19-related cancellation, however, did disrupt some participants’ journey and led to some difficult choices for this year’s rodeo planners, Yerigan said. The discussion whether to host the 2021 rodeo began last December when the state of Oklahoma was entering its highest COVID-19 infection rates and hospitalizations. They began reaching out to long-time sponsors such as Cinch clothing and Ram Trucks’s rodeo program to see if there was interest or willingness to get behind the 2021 IFYR. 22

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The decision was made to delay the opening of entries from the beginning of April to the beginning of May to give local and state officials more time to decide if or when protocols put in place in response to the coronavirus pandemic would be lifted enough to make hosting IFYR a feasible task. The entry deadline was set as June 25.

The most difficult decision in planning this year's rodeo came in not extending last year's seniors another year of eligibility, Yerigan said.

Planners underwent a great amount of deliberation when discussing this, but the implications of whether it would impact future eligibility extensions for current underclassmen and how competing against last year's seniors who would be college-aged adults at this event would affect the called it a “who's who” of rodeo as nearly every person who is competing at a high professional level of competition.

“In some of the events, physical maturity is level in rodeo now came through the IFYR when an advantage,” said Yerigan, who has been a ro- they were in high school.

“It’s a real testament to the quality of the deo competitor and administrator for much of his life. “You could have 19-year-olds come back and event,” Yerigan said.

IFYR also brings in college rodeo coaches lookcompete against freshmen in high school. Trying to weigh it all out, we made the difficult decision ing for recruits to fill out their team, which opens to move forward and stick with 9th through 12th the door for standout participants and adds another layer of excitement to the competition. This grade high schoolers.”

After almost 30 years of IFYR competition, will not only help the competitors advance their 2700has N Kickapoo Hours: rodeo skills and career but also provide them an Yerigan enjoyed seeing the next generation OK 74804 - Fri 08:00 AM-06:30 to PMextend their education. opportunity comeShawnee, as former competitors are nowMon bringing (405) 585-2907 Sat 09:00 AM-02:30 PMlike Yerigan – who have gotten For people their kids and even grandparents are coming that store6963@theupsstore.com Sun Closed to know many of the participants, parents and once brought their own kids to the event. Yerigan theupsstorelocal.com/6963

grandparents during a long rodeo career – this year's event will have extra special meaning as a type of reunion after not seeing each other for more than a year.

“It'll be good to have the fellowship and get everyone back together and renew those friendships,” he said.

For rodeo fans in the Shawnee community, IFYR has provided a great way to see the stars of the future in their own backyard, Yerigan said.

Many of those who come to this event will soon be featured in the large rodeo events that travel across the country and make their way onto television.

“If you had the chance to go watch Peyton Manning play football in high school, you would always remember that and cherish that,” Yerigan said. “(Rodeo fans) will get that kind of opportunity here in Shawnee.”

One of the most overlooked elements of IFYR every year is the nearly 400 community members who show up annually to help run the event and make it a success.

“Local people here in this community take their vacations from work to come out every year to work with us,” Yerigan said. “They do it to give back to their community, and I always want to give thanks to all those volunteers.”

For a schedule of events and information, visit IFYR.com.

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SHAWNEE HISTORY

Fire Fighting In Shawnee Improves As Technology, Training Evolves During City's Early Days

By Ann McDonald, Courtesy Pott Co Historical Society Member

F

ires in businesses and homes are not as prevalent today as they were in Shawnee’s early days.

Buildings are fireproof, and fire departments are highly trained and have the latest in equipment. City fire codes as well as methods of heating and cooking are less dangerous with strict rules to protect citizens.

But after 1891 – when the area where Shawnee was eventually developed as a city – there have been many memorable fires. Old timers could tell about the fires at the Rock Island shops, Shawnee Mills or the high school. Since those days, there’s been property destroyed by fires but not many on the scale as it was in the early days.

A volunteer fire department was first organized in 1892 on a volunteer basis with equipment consisting of an old hand-reel and hose. Three years later, the young city managed a partially paid organization and equipped it with a team of horses that pulled 2,000 feet of hose on a discarded furniture cart.

Any fire in those days meant building and property were likely to be a total loss. The intent was to save lives and keep the blaze from spreading.

Insurance rates were eating up business profits. After suffering several large downtown fires, a bond issue for $100,000 to develop a modern fire department was offered to citizens.

Buildings that had recently burned included the Pottawatomie Building at 130 N. Broadway, which housed

the Elks Club, Shawnee Gas and Electric Co., a grocery store, a druggist and several doctors’ offices. Not long after that disastrous blaze, the Norwood Hotel – one of Shawnee’s finer places to stay – caught fire, but the fire department was able to keep it at minimal damage. After that, it wasn’t difficult to get Shawnee voters to pass the bond issue.

In 1925, the Central Station on 9th Street was upgraded and a substation was built in the south part of town on Beard Street purposely to protect the railroad shops and grain mills. Another was built on the far east side on Main Street as that area of town continued to be developed with housing.

And still another was built on the far northern edge on Park Street not far from Woodrow Wilson School.

Four 110-horsepower AmericanLaFrance fire trucks – three of which had special motor-driven pumps – were purchased. They had a connection that forced 750 gallons of water each minute through a fire hose and could throw it 100 feet in the air. A ladder truck with a 75-foot aerial was also part of the equipment.

Shawnee was growing and housing additions were stretching away from the center of downtown. By 1930, all citizens and their homes and businesses could be protected by the upgraded Shawnee Fire Department. All alarms went in at the Central Station, which then notified the station closest to the address. The truck at that station as

The east side fire station at 1223 E. Main remained in service for about sixty years in Shawnee Photo submitted

well as the one from the Central Station answered the call.

It wasn’t long before the service as well as the cost of the insurance showed Shawnee citizens that their passage of the bond issue had been money well spent. Over time, the substations changed locations as the borders of the town also changed. As late as the early 1990s, those on the 1200 block on East Main and the 500 block on South Beard were still in service, but the one on North Park had been

replaced by a station on MacArthur.

Eventually the Main Street and Beard Street stations were also eliminated, and there’s now one on Bryan serving the east side of town. With the up-to-date equipment, well-trained firefighters and strict regulations for businesses and homeowners about their property, a total fire disaster is rare. They’re not eliminated, but with the City of Shawnee keeping up with the protection of their citizens, there is less worry.

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25

GATEWAY TO PREVENTION

Submitted by Gateway to Prevention and Recovery

Get To Know Gateway's CEO

G

ateway to Prevention and Recovery, Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving individuals and families who have been affected by addiction and mental health disorders. In December 2020, the venerable Sallie Mclaughlin – one of Gateway’s founding members and CEO of 35 years – passed the torch of hope and healing to Jon Greenwood. In this article, Jon answers questions that speak to his values, work experience, and vision for Gateway’s future.

Q. What are some of the defining experiences that have made you who you are today?

• Growing up in Guatemala. This allowed me to experience and live in a different culture. As a child growing up there, I didn’t realize what an incredible opportunity this was and how it would impact my adult life. The many experiences have helped mold how I view other people and cultures. I can appreciate and learn from others and not be afraid of something that looks, sounds or feels different than what I am “comfortable” with.

• Family. I am very fortunate to have parents and siblings that have always been willing to show love and encouragement. They have challenged and supported me and also provided accountability for my actions. The values and faith that my parents raised me with continue to help guide me today. My wife loves, challenges, supports, encourages and stretches me daily. She helps me to be realistic but also continues to foster and encourage my ideas. My two boys have helped me to learn what it means to really love others. Watching them treat others with respect and kindness, sticking up for the underdog, being willing to share and give what they have to others and doing all this from a place of genuine care and love is humbling. I learn from them daily.

• Community. No matter where I have lived, I have been fortunate enough to have people, in addition to family, be willing to invest in me. As a child, there were teachers, neighbors, church members and others who were committed to my growth and development. As an adult, it is very humbling and empowering to experience my community investing in the Greenwood family.

Q. Describe your work experience in the prevention field.

• From January 2001-2004, Gateway hired me as the community youth coordinator. When the grant ended, I moved to the Regional Prevention Coordinator (RPC) Program as a prevention specialist. Finally in 2015, I became the director of prevention where I served until December 2020.

• We live in a society where many of our resources go to addressing the symptoms and consequences of certain behaviors rather than the root issues associated with those behaviors. Prevention work maintains a proactive approach and collaborates with individuals and community partners to find solutions that prevent health disparities from occurring in the first place.

• I believe that my experience in Prevention serves as a firm foundation and guide for the impact I hope to have as CEO. I am committed and practiced in building relationships with national, state and local community partners. I have also seen the necessity of making sure that local people are involved in solving local problems and that continued buy-in and support is fostered by giving space to participation and collaboration.

Q. What excites you most about Gateway’s future?

• The need for our services is greater now than it has ever been. The purchase of our beautiful new property on West 45th Street and our Capital Campaign to complete the new facility and expand our programs will enable Gateway to provide more innovative, impactful, inclusive and invaluable prevention, treatment and wellness services to more people in our Pottawatomie, Seminole and Lincoln counties as well as our other partnering communities. How amazing that we get to be a piece of extending hope and healing.

If you would like to connect with Jon Greenwood, you are welcome to email him at jgreenwood@gatewaytoprevention.org. If you would like to learn more about how you can support these exciting next steps, please visit our website at gatewaytoprevention.org and click the link titled “donate.”

If you or someone you know needs additional support and treatment for their substance use, please call (405) 273-1170 ext. 0.

Jon Greenwood has worked at Gateway for 20 years where he worked in the field of prevention and most recently transitioned into the role of executive director. He graduated from Oklahoma Baptist University in 1994. He is married to Melanne, who is a principal, and they have two sons, Parker and Payton. Their family has lived in the Shawnee area for close to 30 years.

26

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Call Brad at (405) 445-3033

City Honors Tom Terry For Contributions In Beautifying, Serving Community

by Jamie Bergsten

W

hen your hometown names a day in your honor, it’s pretty safe to say you’ve made your mark on the community.

If that recognition stretches into an entire week, your impact must be truly significant.

Such is the case with local resident Tom Terry, who was recently celebrated with his own mayoral proclamation and surprise reception. After years of service to Shawnee and its entities, Terry has now earned the distinction of his own calendar time with June 28July 3, 2021 recognized as “Tom Terry Week” in Shawnee. In accordance with that, local residents were encouraged to spend time in local parks, doing clean-up work and restoration.

With the help of the local Blue Zones Project of Pottawatomie County and Shawnee Mall, city organizers were able to put together an evening event for Terry on June 26. Originally scheduled to be held outdoors downtown, the reception was moved to the Shawnee Public Library due to inclement weather. Nevertheless, a large group was assembled to honor Terry and his volunteer work to beautify our community.

Mayor Ed Bolt kicked off the program by revealing that his own home’s location comes with a stressor of sorts.

“There’s pressure there for me to keep our lawn up, since we live across the street from Tom,” Bolt joked.

That’s because Terry has long been known as the local “gardening guru” and “plant professional” in this area.

Terry, who just turned 91 on July 3, is still very active in giving landscaping advice to many and organizing a variety of beautification projects in Shawnee’s public spaces.

Terry related during his own comments portion that evening that he’d recently gotten a call from a resident seeking assistance.

“A woman needed some ideas for what to do in her backyard. I told her, ‘Well, I may not be able to help much now. I’ll be 91 next week,’ and the lady responded with, ‘Well, I’m 97, so….”

Tom Terry, 91, received not only a mayoral proclamation but an entire week in his name dedicated to sprucing up the city’s greenspaces, which is only one of many ways Terry has served the Shawnee community.

Photos by Jamie Bergsten

That story, one of many, was met with laughter from the crowd.

The look of downtown Shawnee has always been important to Terry.

Before the state’s centennial celebration, city leaders organized the addition of several decorative horse statues around town and those areas were to include landscaping. Terry said that the mayor at the time needed the local gardening committee to step in and help with keeping up the plots around the horses as well as green spaces in downtown.

In 2007, under Mayor Chuck Mills, the park at Main and Broadway streets was named in Terry’s honor, as a result of his work to landscape and beautify Shawnee. A new sign was recently added at that location to reflect the honor.

Terry was born and raised in Canton, Texas, graduating from Canton High School and Baylor University, where he obtained a bachelor of business administration degree. He later did graduate study at the University of Texas and served in the U.S. Army.

In 1967, he joined the staff at Oklahoma Baptist University and be-

came a fixture on that campus, serving in a variety of capacities including interim president.

As current university head Dr. David Whitlock noted, Terry has also received “nearly every award that OBU can give. Ninety years? I can’t wait to see what he does in the next 90 years.

Tom is a man who loves the Lord, OBU and the city of Shawnee.”

Truly, Terry has served our community in a variety of ways. He’s been president of the Shawnee Lions Club, Shawnee Camp Fire Youth, Shawnee

United Way, Pioneer Library Board and Pottawatomie County Historical Society. He was also a longtime trustee of the former Shawnee Regional Hospital.

Terry took the master gardener course in 1998 when it was first offered in town and has been very involved with the Shawnee Beautification Committee. He is currently the Multi-County Master Gardener Association president.

“Tom loves to work in the background and quietly serves in many roles. He’s a gem!” said Carla Smith, horticulture educator at Pottawatomie County OSU Extension Service.

Terry, a faithful member of University Baptist Church, was also recognized at the reception by his pastor, Justin Dunn, for the work he continues to do in their congregation.

“He has served as a deacon, choir member, children’s choir accompanist, substitute organist and as the primary caretaker of the church’s courtyard landscaping,” Dunn said. “He also taught preschool Sunday school for over 30 years.”

Referencing Matthew 5:16, Dunn said of Terry, “Tom, you’re a light that points beyond itself.”

“One of the delights of all of this is the people I’ve met and gotten to work with,” Terry said.

No doubt, those who have and worked with Tom Terry feel the same way about him.

Come, be a part of our church family!

WORSHIP SERVICE SUNDAY’S 10:00 AM in person with Covid-19 precautions or watch Live on FB and also on YouTube.

ST. JOHN LUTHERAN CHURCH

3610 N. Union Ave., Shawnee www.stjohnshawnee.org 405-273-1539

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THE BRIGHT SPOT

Amid the bad news and bickering out there, sometimes it’s nice to read a little encouragement. The Bright Spot is a space to share some inspiration or reassurance with the community through poetry or prose. If you have an idea or something to brighten someone’s day, submit it to editor@shawneeoutlook.com.

Just Like Old Times?

By Kay Vance

I don't want a taste of the old times; no reruns of sweet times past. After all, we only live in "now." Yes, there is a precious treasury of memories we should call to mind – for comfort, for hope, for laughter. But most memories, like dreams, begin to fade with time. Yet, we still live in "now."

Jesus met folks in their moment. He always offered a better Way forward. He still offers us a better Way forward every day. "Follow Me," He says. What more could we want? We always face choices. Good and evil are always present.

We don't want a wrong path, no matter how alluring. Sin always leads to death.

So guide us, Holy Spirit, today and every day.

You are welcome in this place! Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, we pray.

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CALENDAR

Upcoming Events July: Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art will host weeklong creative arts camps featuring a wide variety of themes, techniques and media. Information: mgmoa.org and (405) 878-5300 July 3-Aug. 29: The Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art will present the special exhibition, “Interesting Times: The Art of Honoré Daumier,” which looks at the artist’s satirical works that explore themes of corruption, ineptitude and class divides that are still relevant today. Daumier’s satires seen through a modern lens are very timely and relevant. The exhibition is presented by the Art Dealers Association of America along with the Oklahoma Arts Council, Allied Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, Avedis Foundation and Mr. and Mrs. R.J. Wissinger Memorial Fund. Information: mgmoa.org and (405) 878-5300

SHOP LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED • NEW & USED VINYL RECORDS • ENTERTAINMENT MEMORABILIA • NOSTALGIC NOVELTY GIFT ITEMS • LICENSED HORROR, TV MOVIE & MUSIC CHARACTER ITEMS

We also d buy use ! records 722 E. Independence St. Suite H Shawnee, OK 74804 405-432-5021 www.groovinrecordsok.com

HOURS: Sunday 12-6PM Monday Closed Tues - Sat 10AM-7PM 30

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Come get your on with us!

July 11-16: The International Finals Youth Rodeo rides back into town in all its glory with events including cowgirls barrel racing, cowgirls pole bending, cowgirls breakaway roping, cowgirls goat tying, team roping, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, bull riding, saddle bronc riding and bareback riding. Events run simultaneously in three arenas at the Heart of Oklahoma Expo Center at 1700 W. Independence. Information: ifyr.com and (405) 275-7020 July 16: July’s Block pARTy at the Arts @317 will feature Sandra Wilkins, Sherri Heath and Dorthy Randall. All of these ladies are authors from the Meeker area and will be doing book signings. Sandra is also an artist and will be showing her paintings.

This is a come-and-go format between 5:30-8:30 p.m.

July 16: The Pott. Co. Meet Up will host Shawnee's Epic Battle of the Bands at the VFW Post #1317 at 811 E MacArthur. Doors open at 7 p.m. Information: facebook.com/ Pottmeetup July 17: Friends of the Shawnee Public Library will have a one-day book sale on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the patio of the Shawnee Public Library at 101 N. Philadelphia. Hardbacks will cost $1, soft covers will be for sale for 50 cents, and customers can fill a bag for just $5. All proceeds go to support the library and library programs. For more information, contact Trisha at trishajoan@gmail.com

July 17: The City of 5 Nations Downtown Auto Show & Shine will happen 8 a.m.-12 p.m. downtown. The second annual show and shine car show will feature a $500 cash prize to best of show plus other awards and giveaways. More details and events will be added soon.

July 17: The Gathering Place Coffee Co. will host a Main Street Market event as a time to connect small businesses that they love with new and awesome people from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. and It will feature artists, local farms selling produce and so much more. Information: instagram.com/mainstreetmarket. shawnee July 23-25: The Grand Casino will host the OK Cornhole State Championship at 777 Grand Casino Blvd. Information: facebook.com/Oklahomacornhole July 24: The Historic Ritz Theater at 10 W Main St will play host to A Night of Comedy featuring Matt Ferrell with Andrew Rose starting at 7 p.m. Tickets at ticketstorm.com. Information: facebook. com/theritzofshawnee Aug. 6: The United Way of Pottawatomie County will splash into campaign season with a fun summer swimming bash at Shawnee Splash at 101 W. Highland St. Participants can meet partner agencies, enjoy food trucks and an evening of family fun. Wristbands are $10 for adults and $5 for children. Information: unitedwaypottco.org or (405) 273-4012 Aug. 6-8: The Slamboree Truck, Car, & Bike Show will roar into The Grand Casino at 777 Grand Casino Blvd. with the goal of not only hosting the biggest car, truck and motorcycle show in the Midwest but also becoming one of the biggest contributors to Toys for Tots and other various charities in the Midwest.

Information: thebigshowok.com Aug. 13-14: The FireLake Fireflight Balloon Festival offers two days of balloon glows, balloon launches and rides in a family-friendly entertainment. Information: firelakeballoonfest.com If you know of any events you would like to see featured, email editor@ shawneeoutlook.com.

We express our gratitude for our dedicated team of healthcare providers for continuing to work and see patients during these difficult times.

We commend our teams willingness to keep seeing patients as their need arises and that we are able to provide both Home Health care and Hospice throughout the COVID crisis.

Enriching the lives of our patients and their families every day.

Heartland Home Health Care • Accredited by Accreditation Commission for Health Care • All RN On Call Staff • Home Care Elite 2004 - 2016 • Best of Shawnee Award 2016, 2017 and 2019

Phone 405-214-6441

Heartland Hospice Services • SHP Best Hospice Caregiver Satisfaction Superior Performer Award 2016, 2017 and 2018 • All RN On Call Staff • Volunteer Program Supports Families and Veterans • Bereavement Programs open to the public year round

Phone 405-214-6442

heartlandhomehealth.com/Shawnee heartlandhospice.com/Shawnee www.shawneeoutlook.com

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