19th Street Magazine October 2019

Family Tradition

Haunt Old Town

Veteran of the Month

Dewayne East

Moore High’s AD

Natural Athlete

LEADER OF THE

Speed D

October | CONTENTS 2019

08 by Kaylee Campbell Haunt Old Town

Annual event born from family tradition.

12 by Bill Moakley

The Right Type

Clinton High School grad finds key to service.

16 by Kaylee Campbell

Little Bit of Munich

Das Boot Camp, Royal Bavaria to celebrate Octoberfest Norman style.

20 by Sharla Bardin

Manufacturing Day

Moore Norman Technology Center making impact on students and industry.

24 by Roxanne Avery

Taking Care of Family

Clients special to Shelter Insurance agent.

ISSUE 10 - VOLUME 2 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mark Doescher

MANAGING EDITOR

Chip Minty

SENIOR EDITOR

Lindsay Cuomo

PHOTOGRAPHY

Mark Doescher

CONTRIBUTORS

Roxanne Avery | Sharla Bardin Kaylee Campbell | Lindsay Cuomo Chelsey Kraft | Steve Marshall Bill Moakley | Chris Plank

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES

Tracie Gray - tracie@sportstalk1400.com Trevor Laffoon - trevor@sportstalk1400.com Perry Spencer - perry@sportstalk1400.com Jess Haralson - jess@sportstalk1400.com

PUBLISHER Randy Laffoon

28 by Steve Marshall

Natural Athlete

Moore High athletic director born to compete.

32by Chelsey Kraft

Maid to Help

Moore cleaning business assisting cancer patients with free services.

36 by Chris Plank

Leader of the Speed D Kenneth Murray leads the revamped Sooner defense.

44 by Lindsay Cuomo

Paint the Town Pink

Norman Regional Health Foundation is on a mission to promote Breast Cancer Awareness.

4 | October 2019

SportsTalk Media 2020 E. Alameda Norman, Oklahoma 73071 Phone: (405) 321-1400 E-mail: editor@boydstreet.com Copyright Š SportsTalk Media Any articles, artwork or graphics created by SportsTalk Media or its contributors are sole property of SportsTalk Media and cannot be reproduced for any reason without permission. Any opinions expressed in SportsTalk are not necessarily that of SportsTalk management.

COM M U N I T Y

BY: KAYLEE CAMPBELL

Annual Event Born from Family Tradition

A

bout 20 years ago, John Ireland’s youngest daughter asked him for help with a Halloween project.

She was only 5 or 6 years old at the time, he said.

Other children were getting ready for Halloween parties at school, and she didn’t want to be left out, so she asked if he had anything that she could do, Ireland said. One thing led to another, and Halloween night with the Ireland family would never be the same.

Ireland, who owns John M. Ireland & Son Funeral Home and Chapel, located in Old Town Moore, gathered up some scary props for the project, and they were off and running on an adventure that continues to this day.

He and his daughter continued working on their Halloween scenes in the family’s garage for years, adding to their collection every Halloween.

The collection has included a skeleton bride riding an antique funeral sleigh, a giant jack-in-a-box, an ambulance cot, a broken casket, an old, wrecked hearse, an old limousine and a fake electric chair, among others.

“Our house was known as the Halloween house,” Ireland said. “Kids would line up around the block to get candy from our house.”

The City of Moore got wind of Ireland’s stockpile of decorations and asked if he would be willing to donating them, and once again, he agreed.

Today, the Ireland kids are grown-up 8 | October 2019

and their family’s Halloween tradition has become an annual feature of Haunt Old Town, a family-friendly street fair in the historic business district of Downtown Moore.

In the early years of Haunt Old Town, Ireland’s display operated using two gas-powered generators. Eventually, the display outgrew its power source, and the city stepped in to provide the electricity.

Like the Ireland display, Haunt Old Town has grown over the years, as well.

Today, the event draws an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 attendees, Ireland said.

The entire community gets into the Halloween spirit. Local businesses, merchants, churches and other groups set up some 80 exhibitor booths and participants in full costume hand out scads of candy.

In addition to trick-or-treating, the event also has food trucks, inflatables, games and music.

Haunt Old Town will be on Oct. 26, from 4 to 7 p.m., along Main St. and Broadway Ave. Kelly Johnson, manager of Moore Custom Monuments, got involved with Haunt Old Town as a participant several years ago, and now she spearheads the event for the Old Town Merchants Association.

“It’s just always a good time throughout the whole perimeter of Old Town,” she said. “It’s like a carnival. It’s going on in all directions. Everybody has something to do no matter which direction they go.” – 19SM

COM M U N I T Y

BY: BILL MOAKLEY

The Right Type

Clinton High School Grad Finds Key to Service

PRESENTED BY

E

ldon “Dewayne” East probably had no idea the typing courses he took at Clinton High School would alter the course of his life.

After graduating from CHS in 1949, and with the Korean War underway, East figured he’d be drafted for service. Wanting to serve in the Air Force rather than the Army, East enlisted and headed to basic training in San Antonio, where he trained as a mechanic, but never practiced that craft.

“The third night I was in England, I was writing some letters home, and I was using a typewriter because I had taken two years of typing in high school,” East said. “An officer came over and said, ‘do you know how to type?’ I said yes sir. He told me to report to personnel in the morning.”

East did as he was told, and as it turned out, he was the only man in the entire squadron who could type, and stacks of correspondences and reports were waiting to be processed.

East would spend three years in the personnel unit of the 66th Air Rescue Squadron at Manston Royal Air Force Base.

When his service ended, the danger did not. He came back to the states aboard the General Rose with 4,000 fellow troops.

Just off the coast of New Jersey, the ship was caught up in Hurricane Hazel.

“If you didn’t get in your bunk and hold on to the edges, you were getting thrown on the floor,” East said. “It was rough. It 12 | October 2019

took us a whole day to dock.”

Upon returning stateside, East went west to La Habra, Calif. to visit an uncle who encouraged him to look for work in the Los Angeles area. East liked the area and was soon hired by Union 76, and the oil company put him in charge of an offshore production platform near Huntington Beach in Southern California.

“I’d never been on one,” he said. “I didn’t know how I’d do, but I was in charge of it for three years, so I must have done well.”

East returned to land to oversee four drilling sites in an oil field that wound its way through the Los Angeles basin. He was then asked to manage and improve the performance of a hundred low-performing wells, and East eventually brought them back to full capacity. He then transferred to a position closer to his home in Orange County, where he retired after 37 years of service.

In addition to finding a career in the L.A. area, East also met his wife, Sherene.

They were married 35 years and enjoyed spending time together on cruises and ballroom dancing.

“She was a beautiful woman, and we had a lot of fun together,” East said.

His love of dancing first developed back in England when he figured out ballroom dancing was popular among the English.

East would go on to become an accomplished dancer.

“I went into the most beautiful ballroom I’d ever seen in my life in Manchester, and I asked this young lady if she’d like to dance, and she said yes,” East recalled. “I was taking her back to her table and she said, ‘for an American, you sure dance well.’ That was a pretty good compliment.”

While East learned a new skill in England, when he left to return to the states, another skill was still missing among members of his squadron.

“When I shipped out, I was still the only one in the squadron that could type,” East said. “I took typing in high school because my dad told me too. It changed my whole life.” - 19SM

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COM M U N I T Y

BY: KAYLEE CAMPBELL

Little Bit of Munich

F

Das Boot Camp, Royal Bavaria to Celebrate Octoberfest Norman Style

or most Normanites, October is all about college football. But for Andy and Laura Gmeiner, owners of Norman’s traditional German eateries Das Boot Camp and Royal Bavaria, October is also about honoring more than 200 years of Bavarian tradition, Oktoberfest.

On the other hand, Oktoberfest got its start in 1810 as a royal wedding celebration. Today, the Munich-based festival draws some six million visitors from around the globe, earning it the title of world’s largest folk festival, according to the event’s official website.

Born and raised in Munich, Germany, Chef Andy Gmeiner is one of only 67 certified Master Chefs in the United States, and he has made his home in Norman. Although he didn’t take ownership of Royal Bavaria until 2008, Andy Gmeiner has been involved with the dinner-only restaurant since it openned in 1994.

While others around the world may travel to Germany this time of year, most people in Norman prefer to stick closer to home during football season.

Fortunately, the Gmeiners understand the Norman community’s October dilemma, so each year, they bring Octoberfest to Das Boot Camp at the corner of Main and Crawford in downtown Norman.

“He literally is the mastermind behind everything,” Laura Gmeiner said. “He is the chef, he wrote all the recipes, he even brews the beer.”

The couple opened Das Boot Camp in 2012 to provide people with a place to enjoy German food, football and family all in one spot, and not just at dinnertime.

16 | October 2019

Not only can customers count on them to have the big game on the big screens, Das Boot Camp offers authentic Oktoberfest favorites, including rotisserie chicken, giant pretzels and, of course, beer.

“In Germany, people go to Oktoberfest to get the rotisserie chicken because it’s a spitfire rotisserie,” Laura Gmeiner said.

“They don’t traditionally have that yearround. That’s an Oktoberfest special.”

Das Boot Camp’s rotisserie chicken is styled after the immensely popular dish served at the festival. The large pretzels are imported directly from Oktoberfest.

And the signature Oktoberfest beer, well, that’s brewed by Royal Bavaria according to German purity laws, meaning that the flavor profiles are derived directly from natural ingredients.

Royal Bavaria’s Oktoberfest beer is an American-style Märzen with a long German history.

“I love our Oktoberfest because it’s an amber and you can get that nice, roasted-nut flavor on it, but it’s not bitter and you get a nice smooth finish,” Laura Gmeiner said. “It’s not too heavy and not too light — you can really taste the flavors in it.”

The Royal Bavaria restaurant, brewery and fenced-in beergarten is located on

Sooner Road, just north of Norman, and it features free live music events on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Both restaurants are family-friendly, and patrons may even get a surprise visit from the Gmeiner’s daughters, who occasionally like to help their parents by ensuring that customers are enjoying themselves.

“If they’re here, they’ll come talk to tables and ask how they’re doing,” Laura Gmiener said. “Our youngest used to get dropped off here, and one day, I looked around and didn’t see her. She had plopped herself at a table with customers and was having a great old conversation with them. She just pulled a chair up and sat down.”

Because of their traditional German style, Das Boot Camp and Royal Bavaria’s commitment to serving good food, craft beer, live music, a cozy family atmosphere and football have made them a Norman staple. – BSM

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COM M U N I T Y

BY: SHARLA BARDIN

Manufac turing Day

Moore Norman Technology Center Making Impact on Students and Industry

A

myriad of jobs exist now in the manufacturing field, and millions more will be needed over the next decade.

The employment opportunities and training programs available in manufacturing will be highlighted this month during the annual “Manufacturing Day” activities at Moore Norman Technology Center.

“Manufacturing Day” activities take place nationally and internationally to raise awareness of the field, jobs available and the valuable role that manufacturing plays in the local, national and global economy, according to the Manufacturing Institute.

The center is hosting an event on Oct. 2 where visitors can tour manufacturing programs and learn about customized training. Guests include representatives with the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance and business partners from Moore, Norman and south Oklahoma City.

Other activities at the center include sharing information with students about the jobs available within manufacturing, said Traci Saor, adult programs coordinator at the center.

20 | October 2019

Saor’s work includes coordinating shortterm programs for adults in manufacturing and construction trades, where they can take classes for job retraining or advancement or to learn new skills to find work in those industries.

“In a fairly short time, they can receive solid job skills that make them employment ready,” Saor said.

And the job prospects are positive.

“I’ve got tons of companies who are looking for employees in these areas,” Saor said.

In the manufacturing field, for example, the demand for a skilled workforce will continue to increase.

During the next decade, 4.6 million manufacturing jobs will likely be needed, and 2.4 million are expected to go unfilled due to a skills gap, according to information from the National Association of Manufacturers website.

Moore Norman Technology Center’s manufacturing programs also give students the opportunity to work with upto-date technology and equipment.

Computer numeric controlled equipment (CNC) is precision machinery that cuts, grinds or drills into material. CNC machinists work with machinery to produce parts and tools from metal, plastic or other materials.

Tracy Jones, instructor in CNC Precision Machining, is thrilled with the equipment available to students in the new CNC Machining Shop at the Franklin Road campus. Improvements include more space and new machines.

These enhancements were part of a 10year, $60 million bond issue approved in 2016 by voters in the Norman and Moore school districts.

Jones said he’s grateful for the investment that voters have made in the center and he said the improvements to the shop help enrich student learning in the CNC machining field.

Jones instructs adults and high school students. He also teaches a lab class for mechanical and industrial engineering

students from the University of Oklahoma. He’s had students in the program who have found jobs working with everything from aircraft parts to artificial hearts.

“When they leave here, these folks are going out making good livings for themselves,” he said.

He believes a strength of the program is the training and equipment that is offered for students. The knowledge they gain can help minimize the learning curve when they start new jobs and maximize their potential.

“It’s opening so many more doors for them,” he said. “They come in being able to start at a higher level of production, of quality, of being able to do better from the start.”

For more information about the technology center’s manufacturing programs and training, visit www.mntc.edu. – 19SM

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Taking Care of Family

Clients Special to Shelter Insurance Agent

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inny Freeman knows what the weather is like in central Oklahoma because she lives here. And that’s important to her clients, so she can give them the right coverage, at the right price.

As a Shelter Insurance agent for the last 38 years, Freeman makes sure her clients receive all eligible discounts and outstanding customer service.

“This has been an absolute great career for me,” Freeman said. “I have loved every minute of it because I feel like helping people is just so rewarding. I also love our Moore community and being a part of it.”

Freeman said her clients are her family and that’s how she treats them.

“They are wonderful,” she said. “Insurance is a relationship with your agent and your company and Shelter is a wonderful company. I have worked through an unknown number of tornadoes in Moore and get to see the value of what I do, it is amazing. I can’t tell you what a special relationship it is.”

Freeman said it is important for people to make sure they compare their coverages, so they know exactly what their policy covers.

24 | October 2019

“Make sure you go over that with your agent so you are familiar before something happens or you may have an unexpected negative surprise. I also think buying insurance service directly with an agent is important. You don’t get the same service online that you get from an agent.”

Shelter Insurance Company is a mutual insurance company that focuses on auto, property, business and life insurance. Founded in 1946 as a subsidiary of the Missouri Farmers Association, it became known as MFA Mutual Insurance Company. The Shelter name came from the company’s slogan, “M.F.A. is your Shield of Shelter.”

In 1981, the name changed to Shelter Insurance Company and the company headquarters remains today in Columbia, Mo. Freeman offers a free insurance review service to help determine what services you need. Call her to schedule a review at 794-0423 or by email at gfreeman@ shelterinsurance.com. Her office is located at 504 Tower Drive in Moore. – 19SM

S P O RT S

BY: STEVE MARSHALL

Natural Athlete

PRESENTED BY

U

Moore High Athletic Director Born to Compete

nlike most kids, Moore High School Athletic Director Chad Mashburn always knew what he wanted to do when he grew up. He played football, basketball and ran track in school, and even played ball and ran in college, knowing all along that when his days as an athlete were over, he would be a coach.

“I grew up in Idabel, playing football and basketball mostly and also running track up until the ninth grade.”

Mashburn played on some good football teams while at Idabel and on a basketball team that made it to “The Big House” in 1992.

From there, Mashburn played football and ran track at Harding University in Searcy, Ark. He also ran track and was on a national qualifying relay team that competed at nationals in California, and he worked in the program as a 28 | October 2019

graduate assistant.

“Growing up, I always knew that I wanted to be coach,” Mashburn said.

“I knew I wanted to be around athletics and teach and I thought I would be a head football coach.”

Mashburn’s first coaching gig turned out to be at Ouachita Christian School in Monroe, La., where he was an assistant football coach, a pee-wee football coach and a junior high basketball and track coach.

“Track was never really a big deal to me, I enjoyed running when I competed, but I never thought I would do anything with it,” he said. “I always thought I would be a head football coach, and lo and behold three years later, I’m the head track coach at Ouachita and then four years after that, I’m moving to Moore, Oklahoma to be the head track coach at Moore High School with

the additional responsibility of being the coach for ninth grade football.”

Mashburn held that position from 2005 to 2012 when he became the athletic director at Moore High School, and he expresses appreciation to some of the coaches along the way that believed in him and gave him opportunities to excel and advance.

“Bill Bays was the first coach to give me a football coaching gig here in Oklahoma,” he said. “I was helping out with the wide receivers, and I was the head track coach, so I had to prove myself and move up the ladder, and I remain very thankful for the opportunity he gave me.”

Mashburn also remembers coaching under the late Scott Myers.

“Scott did an amazing job. I feel so fortunate to have known him and some other amazing coaches at that particular time.”

It’s also somewhat ironic that past mentors and now their children continue to play an important role in his profession.

“Kind of a neat story is that our current football coach here at Moore is Brad Hill, his dad Bruce, was my head football coach in high school,” Mashburn said.

“He was an outstanding coach and he had a definite impact on my career.”

“When we brought Brad on board, it just made sense because I knew what kind of individual we were getting. As a coach, as a person, he was somebody that was going to take care of the kids and treat them fairly. He would evaluate and mentor them to provide each kid the best opportunity to win,” he said. “It’s paid off for us, things are going really good around here right now.”

During his years at Moore High School, Masburn has enjoyed success as the head track coach, finishing as the state runner-up in 2009 and while serving as the athletic director, Moore was the state runner-up in track and softball.

“It’s been a great opportunity to help build a culture of competitiveness and the belief that we can win here at Moore.” – 19SM

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COM M U N I T Y

BY: CHELSEY KRAFT

M aid to H el p

Moore Cleaning Business Assisting Cancer Patients with Free Services

T

wo years ago, John Ryan’s wife, Patsy was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. The cancer diagnosis was further complicated with a chromosome disorder, and Patsy spent more than 130 days in the hospital.

During her stay, John tried to keep their house clean, but since he is “getting a little older” at 72 years old, he decided he could do better by paying for a service than do it himself. After talking with a few companies, he came across Maid OK, located in Moore, and learned about its involvement with Cleaning for a Reason.

Cleaning for a Reason is a nonprofit organization that partners with maid organizations to provide two free housing cleanings to women who are undergoing cancer treatments. According to the organization’s website, cleaning businesses across the United States and Canada have volunteered to clean the homes of more than 30,000 women since 2006.

One of the local businesses that works with the organization is Maid OK, which first participated in December 2016 and has since helped about 30 women, said Owner Lisa D’Amico.

She first heard of the Cleaning for a Reason program when a customer called and asked if Maid OK offered it or something similar. That’s when they decided to get involved.

“Cancer is a horrible disease for patients to endure, and it can disrupt the lives of so many friends, family and loved ones,” D’Amico said. “We love having an opportunity to help these women who are struggling and fight32 | October 2019

ing for their lives.”

For John and Patsy, who live in Yukon, the two free cleanings from Maid OK were “absolutely wonderful,” and that every little bit helps, especially when their hospital bill surpassed $5 million.

“We started out with a couple of deep cleanings, especially right when Patsy was getting ready to come home from the hospital,” John said. “We had to have the house as absolutely spotless as possible because leukemia kills your immune system. They have just done a wonderful job, and we have them in the house every other week now and plan to continue that for a long time.”

John added that the Maid OK employees are very friendly, upbeat and are always smiling when they come to clean.

The company has also been responsive to his and Patsy’s needs, specifically making sure that anyone who cleans their home has had a flu shot to help prevent Patsy from catching the illness, which could be fatal for her.

“Patsy is now officially in remission; however, this type of disease can and usually does come back at some point, so we’re doing everything we can to keep the house as clean as we can, and Maid OK is a major factor in this,” John said. “We couldn’t have kept her healthy or helped her recover unless we had them here helping to keep the house clean.”

Women who are interested in utilizing the Cleaning for a Reason resources can go to cleaningforareason.org to fill out a form or find participating maid services in their area. – 19SM

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LEADER OF THE

Speed D On and off the field, in life and in sport, Murray has led with not only his words but his actions.

“You always learn something being a young guy. Being called into (a leader36 | October 2019

ship) role at a young age, a lot of people say it’s uncommon but I prayed for it,” Murray said. “Now, going into this year, I’m able to use those things to be more vocal, to better understand and identify when we’re in a certain position. I’ve learned a lot about what needs to be said and what needs to be done.”

Leadership was engrained in Murray from an early age and those life lessons helped to mold him into the man he is today.

THE FAMILY EFFECT “My family is everything, they are my why,” Murray said. “They are why I keep

Photos by: Mark Doescher

A

leader is defined as a person who leads or commands a group. As the Oklahoma defense looks to forge a new identity under a new defensive coordinator with a new scheme, there has been one constant. That constant is the intensity, drive, passion and most importantly the leadership of the junior linebacker and second year team captain, Kenneth Murray.

going. When times get tough, I sit back and think about them. That’s been the center for me.”

Murray grew up the son of a preacher in Missouri City, Texas. At the age of 10, his life changed when his family changed grew by three, pushing him into one of his first leadership positions.

Murray and his younger sister, Kimberly, welcomed Nya, who was six years old at the time, along with Leonard and James, two special needs boys who needed constant assistance. Neither Leonard nor James can speak or walk on their own.

“Our house was always the helpful house,” Murray said of his family home growing up. “They were supposed to stay for three days that turned into months.

It was put on my parents’ heart by God to bring the kids in to our family. When your parents tell you that God has put it on their heart, you don’t question it.”

Murray took on the role of big brother and began helping out.

“We had not planned to foster nor had we given any thought to adopting. But as time went on … we became this one big family that was five children instead of two,” said Kenneth’s mom, Dianne Murray. “Kenneth was a big man who could carry the boys up the stairs and help with baths. All the things that need to be done to oversee their care, he was there. He does it with joy not because he has to do it but because he wants to.”

Murray simply did what came naturally.

He led.

“As a kid when they came into our life, it was so much work that I had to do to help my mom and dad. My parents couldn’t do it alone,” Murray remembered. “My sister and I had to grow up fast because they needed our help to take care of them and I feel like it helped us in the long run especially my sister and I because it helped us gain a lot and I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

A TRUE LIFESAVER Whether it is at home, in the locker room,

19th STREET MAGAZINE | 37

or even in a potentially life-threatening situation, Murray has shown an uncanny ability to lead.

On a drive home from church on July 7, Murray was surprised after a car swerved in front of his and stopped in the middle of the road. The driver ran to assist a woman who was on the ground, bleeding from her head and another woman was frantically screaming trying to draw attention. Murray got out of his car and hurried to the scene. He then noticed both women were deaf.

“She looked like she was dead to be honest,” Murray recalled at Big 12 Media Days this summer. “Immediately going through my head was to start CPR. So, I had my girlfriend call 911.”

Grinch, Murray is playing faster and freer. The new system has been an almost perfect mesh with Murray’s skill set and he can feel it on game days.

“Overall I just feel so prepared,” Murray said. “I feel like coach Odom put me in a position to play fast. Coach Grinch put us in a position to play fast.”

“He’s got a rare blend of size, speed and athleticism… and he wants to be coached,” Odom said. “He is hungry for knowledge and he wants to get better each and every time he steps foot on the field.”

Murray performed CPR for several minutes.

Murray was again elected as a team captain for the second straight season. While his leadership expands beyond the football field and the linebacker room, he has made a huge impact on the young core of linebackers.

“We got her back, got her breathing. We got her to the point where she was blinking a little bit.”

“(Kenneth Murray)’s really like my big brother,” fellow inside linebacker Deshaun White said.

Kenneth Murray Sr. told the OU Daily that he didn’t hear of his son’s heroic story until almost two weeks later.

“Being able to be there for him is something that I’ve enjoyed doing and I’m excited about where he is at,” Murray said.

“I’m excited to see him play. I’m excited to play with him. I know for sure when I get out there, he’s going to be one of those guys that has my back.”

“I’m wondering why he didn’t tell me,” Murray Sr. said. “That’s kind of the way he is. He just does things and keeps moving. He’s not looking for any glory or anything of that nature.”

His new inside linebacker coach Brian Odom was surprised that there was not a bigger deal made of the life-saving actions.

“When that happened, I asked him about it and he brushed it off like it was no big deal,” Odom said. “To me, you saved a person’s life, that is a big deal! But, for some reason after he told me, it didn’t surprise me. That’s the kind of guy that he is.”

BUILDING SOMETHING SPECIAL Murray led the Sooners in tackles last season, averaging 11.1 tackles per game, a mark that ranked him 13th in the country and second in the conference. Heading into his junior season, he was selected as the Big 12 pre-season Defensive Player of the Year.

Under new defensive coordinator Alex 40 | October 2019

The two have built a bond that has helped build a foundation for the defense but it all started with Murray’s leadership.

“I think Kenneth is one of those guys who is respected by every man in that locker room,” said Grinch. “I give him a lot of credit in terms of his buy-in. From that standpoint, he has been a tremendous leader for us.”

BE THE FIFTH The ultimate award for any linebacker in college football is the Butkus award, which was created in 1985. The Sooners have four Butkus awards. Brian Bosworth won the first two. Rocky Calmus captured it in 2001. Current Sooner Radio Network analyst and afternoon co-host of the Rush on SportsTalk 1400, Teddy Lehman won the award in 2003.

Murray respects the tradition and the history associated with the linebacker position at OU and wants to add his name to

the list of some of the greatest Sooners of all-time. Murray has challenged himself to “Be the 5th.” His eye black and wrist tape have “Be the 5th” written on them and his social media feeds include the hashtag.

“That’s something me and coach Odom talked about as soon as he got here, the way that the inside backer position has been played in the past and the greats we had before,” Murray said. “I want to get me a Butkus.”

Murray has not been shy about asking for advice and insight from legends like Lehman and Lehman has been impressed with what he has seen so far this season.

“In years past, he’s been too flat and the guy cuts back inside him and goes for a gain,” Lehman said. “Now, he has a much better pursuit angle and is able to make the plays.”

More than anything, Lehman hammered home a point that is consistently connected to Murray, his work ethic and will to be the best.

“He’s got a ton of ability, maybe his best asset is that he wants to be great and he’s willing to put the work in to do it,” Lehman said. “He’s a sponge. As soon as Brian Odom came in and they started working together. He has been relentless in his pursuit to take any coaching he can and it has been a game changer for him. He looks fantastic and he’s only going to get better.”

Change has been constant for Murray during his football career. Murray was projected to play outside linebacker at Oklahoma, after playing in the secondary a majority of his career. After being shifted inside, it took some time to adjust but he finally seems comfortable.

“It’s been unique… I don’t make any excuses.” Murray said. “I’m attacking everyday trying to get better. I can’t say it hasn’t been fun. I’ve been enjoying the process, trying to get better every day.”

They say change is inevitable, but one thing is for sure, the Sooners can count on Murray to provide leadership, on and off the gridiron.– 19SM

Say Boo to the Flu! Join Norman Regional and Moore Pediatrics for a free family flu clinic Saturday, November 2, 9 a.m. to noon (while supplies last).

This walk-in clinic will offer free flu shots for both adults and children (ages 6 months and up).

Free Family Flu Clinic Saturday, November 2 9 a.m. – Noon : While supplies last Norman Regional Moore Conference Center 700 S. Telephone Road Presented by: Norman Regional Health Foundation

NormanRegional.com

NOW OPEN! Visit Our New Location At SW 104th & I-44!

The 5-Day Clean Car Guarantee Is Now Available In South Oklahoma City!

Okie Express Auto Wash is pleased to announce that our newest location at SW 104th & I-44 in front of Walmart is NOW OPEN! Our drive through automatic tunnel means you never have to get out of your vehicle to get it sparkling clean. We can wash and wax your car in about 3 minutes and our vacuums are always FREE with any wash purchase. Come see why we are the metro’s best!

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BY: LINDSAY CUOMO

Paint the Town Pink

Norman Regional Health Foundation is on a Mission to Promote Breast Cancer Awareness

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reast cancer is indiscriminate, touching the lives of many Normanites.

According to Breastcancer.org, one in eight women will face a diagnosis during her lifetime. In the U.S., there will be an estimated 260,000 new cases diagnosed in women and an estimated 2,600 diagnosed in men in 2019 alone.

“It happens even if there is no family history of the disease,” shared Cindy Barghols, supervisor of Norman Regional’s Breast Care Center.

Those statistics are more than just numbers; they are someone’s spouse, parent, sibling, someone’s friend and each October, in communities across the country, a pink light shines to remind us all of the importance of regular screenings, and for the need for cutting-edge research to find a cure.

“Breast health is all over media during the month of October, however, it’s something that every woman should have on her calendar once a year, every year,” encouraged Barghols. “Women are often busy taking care of others and tend to overlook their own health care so we just want to kindly nudge them to stay on track with all opportunities to take care of themselves.”

“Ignoring it or delaying your care is not going to make (a diagnosis) go away,” Barghols added. “Find it, report it, get it diag44 | October 2019

nosed and treat it. (Breast cancer) is a road bump – not a roadblock. An early diagnosis can be treated and will increase (the) chance of surviving the disease.”

In an effort to encourage and inform Normanites of the screenings and cancer care options available within the Norman Regional Health System, representatives with Norman Regional Health Foundation are planning an entire month of fun activities to share with the community.

“Last year, we started our Paint the Town Pink initiative for several reasons: to raise awareness for early screenings, to showcase the health system’s programs and services as well as to raise funds to support cancer patient care in the Norman Regional service area,” Erin Barnhart shared, the foundation’s executive director.

The focus in 2018 was centered internally and through social media but this year, the foundation is ready to increase the scale of Paint the Town Pink and reach out into all of Norman and the surrounding communities.

Lights around town will go pink, at Legacy Park, along Main Street and at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art. Families can purchase a pink flag to represent breast cancer or white flag to represent other cancers to honor or memorialize their loved ones “We’ll be at events throughout the month with Paint the Town Pink buttons, gar-

den flags and educational pieces as well,” Barnhart said.

Organizers will host a paint party, Rose’ & Roses, on Oct. 21, instructed by Tim Kenney and on Oct. 22, the foundation is asking Normanites to wear pink.

“Oct. 22 is our Pink Out Day,” Barnhart said.

“So wherever you are or wherever you go, wear pink to show your support.”

They will also host a Tranquil Tuesday yoga event on Pink Out Day that is free and open to the public at 4:30 p.m. on OU’s South Oval.

Amidst all the fun planned, Barnhart says the foundation wants the focus to be on cancer care and prevention.

“Our key focus is to let people know what is available to them,” she explained, including shining a light on cancer support groups, Norman Regional’s Resource Center and other services, many of which are supported by the efforts of the Norman Regional Health Foundation.

The funds raised from the Paint the Town Pink campaign will go into the foundation’s Cancer Care Fund to enhance the care within the health system, but not just for breast cancer patients.

The foundation recently purchased eight infusion chairs for the oncology clinic.

These chairs offer comforts for patients receiving infusions, which for many patients can take hours. The foundation also funds the purchase of prostheses and bras for mastectomy patients and skin cream to help soothe the effects of radiation therapy.

“The cream is expensive but it is one product our healers recommend to help soothe the skin. Through the foundation’s funding, staff is able to distribute the cream free of charge to any patient,” Barnhart said.

To learn more about this year’s Paint the Town Pink campaign and how to get involved, visit NRHFoundation.org. You can also text NRHFPink to 71777 to make a donation. – 19SM