Vol. 35, No

By Channing Rutherford, Medicare and Tax Assistance Program Supervisor

Most Medicare beneficiaries are surprised to learn that Medicare does not pay for long-term custodial care expenses such as assisted living, nursing home care or full-time home health assistance. There are, however, certain circumstances where Medicare will cover these expenses.

For Medicare to cover skilled nursing facilities, you must first spend three medically necessary inpatient days in the hospital for a related illness or injury. Upon release from the hospital, your doctor must certify that inpatient skilled nursing care is necessary to maintain or improve your current condition and prescribe daily skilled care (such as intravenous fluids or physical therapy) which is not practical to receive in your home. Under Original Medicare, you pay nothing for skilled nursing care for the first 20 days of each benefit period. For days 21-100, you would be responsible for a coinsurance amount per day. After day 100, Medicare pays nothing and you are fully responsible for all costs. If you have an Advantage Medicare plan, sometimes the three-day hospital stay is not required. Check with your plan for their specific coverage details.

Original Medicare will cover home health services under Part A and/or Part B. Medicare covers medically- necessary part-time or intermittent skilled nursing care, and/or physical therapy, speech-language pathology services or continued occupational therapy. A doctor or other healthcare provider must see you face-to-face before certifying that you are homebound and need home health services. A doctor or other provider must order your care, and a Medicare-certified home health agency must provide it. Home health services may also include social services, part-time or intermittent home health aide services, durable medical equipment and medical supplies for use at home. Medicare will only pay for a home health aide if you need skilled nursing or therapy services. You pay nothing for covered home health services. However, for Medicare-covered durable medical equipment, you must pay 20% of the Medicareapproved amount. The Part B deductible applies. If you have additional questions about coverage details under Original Medicare, visit www.Medicare.gov or call (800) 633-4227 toll-free.

All Medicare Advantage Plans must provide at least the same level of home healthcare coverage as Original Medicare, but they may impose different rules, restrictions and costs. Depending on your specific plan, you may need to: • Get care from a Home Health Agency that contracts with your plan (in-network). • Request prior authorization or a referral before receiving home healthcare. • Pay a copayment for your care (Original Medicare fully covers home health). If you need information about the costs and coverage rules for home healthcare, or if you are experiencing problems, contact your Medicare Advantage Plan.

The IRS has extended the 2020 tax filing season until May 17, 2021, and LIFE’s Tax Assistance Program (TAP) has extended its hours to meet the need. If you are age 60 or older, and your household income is $57,000 a year or less, TAP can file your taxes for FREE!

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BY LINDSAY MORRISSCOTT SHEPHERD

"I’ve got gadgets and gizmos a-plenty I’ve got whozits and whatzits galore. You want thingamabobs? I’ve got 20…" 'The Little Mermaid'

As a kid, did you gobble up PEZ candies and treasure the fun containers they came in? PEZ containers seem to be available with just about any animated character or celebrity depicted on the flip-top of its dispensers. LIFE Senior Services Board Member Scott Shepherd’s unintended collection of PEZ dispensers has grown over the years to more than 300. Shepherd began acquiring PEZ when his daughter was young. “PEZ were one of those impulse buys at the checkout that seemed to always jump in the cart,” he said. “Before long, we had accumulated quite a few, and before long, the collection became mine.” PEZ candies started in the 1920s in Austria, originally marketed as a smoking substitute. The candies were sold in metal tins and later flip-top dispensers. When they were introduced in the United States in the 1950s, sales were poor for what were then plain dispensers. PEZ reinvented itself with the nowfamiliar three-dimensional heads atop the dispensers. The company also introduced more flavors that would appeal to children, and sales took off. Over the years, Shepherd said PEZ dispensers became common gifts under the Christmas tree and in his stocking. When he started displaying them, he received even more as gifts from friends. Now he has more than 300 different types. A few years ago, Shepherd and his wife were driving through Connecticut and noticed a sign for the PEZ Museum. “I think I gasped,” he said. “I had never heard of the PEZ Museum.” The PEZ Visitor Center is located at the factory in Orange, Connecticut, where 65 million PEZ dispensers are produced every year. Shepherd says the favorite dispensers in his collection are the band KISS, the Disney princesses and the presidents of the United States.

continued on page 16

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Cynthia Marcoux is an artist working at Philbrook Museum whose colored pencil drawings are featured in local galleries. It was a natural fit, then, when her large toy collection became part of the Tulsa Treasures exhibit at Philbrook in the summer of 2020.

“I started collecting old toys as models for drawings, but then once you have two or three of something, it kind of turns into a collection,” Marcoux said. Some of Marcoux’s toys have been with her since childhood, including original early ‘60s Barbies, Kens and Midges, plus all of their clothes and accessories.

“How could anyone ever get rid of things like that?” Marcoux asked.

A great deal of her toy collection has been acquired through trips to flea markets and estate sales. Since she uses toys to inspire her drawings, she is sometimes on the hunt for a particular item. “If I have a specific idea for a drawing and need a particular item, I’ll look on eBay or other online auctions, but finding something at a flea market that you didn’t know you need is lots more fun,” she said. Some of her favorite pieces include a taxidermied penguin, a Star Trek pinball machine, a 1940s ventriloquist dummy and a Tom Corbett space cadet uniform that perfectly fit a little boy mannequin she just happened to have. For Christmas a couple of years ago, a friend gave her an old amusement park scooter car reputedly from Bell’s Amusement Park.

Can you recall that one toy you always wished for as a child but never received? Marcoux gets a thrill when she finds something she either had or coveted as a child. “Last year, I came across an old Water Wiggle, which was something that you would attach to the hose to make it jump all over. It probably smashed a lot of kids in the face, which is why they fell out of favor, but I’ve got one now!”

Over a lifetime, Joe Land has personally acquired more than 1,000 autographs of famous sports figures. It all started when Land worked at the Tulsa Baseball Card Store in the early ‘80s. He met several noteworthy athletes at shows that the store hosted at the Tulsa Convention Center, including guests such as Mickey Mantle, Stan Musial and Larry Sanders. Before the era of the cell phone “selfie,” autographs were proof that a person had met a celebrity. Some of his treasured autographs are from unforgettable interactions he had with Willie Mays, Bob Gibson, Arnold Palmer, Whitey Herzog, Tommy Lasorda and Johnny Logan. One of Land’s favorite items in his collection is a replica Olympic torch signed by Muhammad Ali. “He told me, ‘Stay cool, man,’” Land recalled. Land’s collection is tied to an art form he has perfected over the years, he said. “It is a wild hobby. I compared it to hunting and fishing because there is that rush of trying to get an autograph.” For example, if Land was trying to get an athlete’s autograph at a golf tournament, he knew to wait until the athlete had walked three strides before sticking out the item for an autograph. Many of his autographs were acquired at Southern Hills Country Club. Nowadays, Land’s hobby takes place mostly at Oklahoma City Thunder games, where he enjoys teaching the younger generation the art of getting the autograph. “I teach them proper etiquette – to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you.’ I tell them to remember to keep your pen cap on so your pen isn’t as dry as dirt.” Land said Kevin Durant is one of the nicest athletes he has ever met. He knew Durant was a big Washington Redskins fan, so he brought the former Thunder star a Redskins 1950s era bobblehead and gave it to him once before a game. “Durant said, ‘You don’t have to do this.’ He would always take his time to interact with the fans,” Land said.

Brenda Belshe’s collection of Frankoma pottery happened somewhat by accident. Growing up in Sapulpa, she was well-acquainted with Frankoma pottery, which was made in Sapulpa from local clay. However, for a good portion of her life, Belshe had no interest in the pottery. “I had always considered Frankoma pottery to be heavy dishes that chipped too quickly,” she said. An estate sale in the ‘90s was pivotal in altering Belshe’s interests. She spotted a card table with a sign that said, “Dogs: $1.” A blue, unmarked clay dog caught her eye, and she bought it. She eventually found out the piece was Frankoma Pottery, and she sold it for $300. Since that time, Belshe has become an expert at buying and selling Frankoma pottery and helping others do so. Her husband, Tom, joined in the hobby, and they rent a sales table at the Tulsa Flea Market once a month. “I’m the person that people call when they’re looking for something,” she said. She has spent an extensive amount of time learning about the pieces. She even helped a lifelong collector sell more than 200 cases of pottery. While Belshe mostly enjoys the buying and selling process, she has a collection of some favorite items that she has kept over the years. As a member of the Cherokee Nation, she cherishes the Frankoma Indian masks and dancing Indian chief sculptures. Since Frankoma makes items in so many different colors, her goal is to collect a chief in every color. Other prized pieces include a rare tiki bowl and Council Fire, a piece by Orville Knight that features the faces of Indian chiefs. Belshe has created two Facebook pages to help people who are interested in Frankoma pottery. Frankoma Treasures Available is for those interested in buying and selling, while Frankoma Pottery Fans is for education purposes and functions as a digital show and tell.

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Tulsa Historical Society & Museum

Photo courtesy of Tulsa Historical Society & Museum

The schoolhouse replica at Prairie Song Pioneer Village Museum with authentic period furnishings.

Photo courtesy of www.TravelOK.org

Har-Ber Village has many interactive exhibits such as weaving.

Photo courtesy of Har-Bervillage.com "The Guns of Hollywood Made Famous" exhibit at the J.M. Davis Arms & Historical Museum.

Prairie Song Pioneer Village, located east of Dewey, features 32 hand-hewn log buildings and recreates an Old West town from the second half of the 19th century. The replica frontier community boasts a two-story saloon, schoolhouse, train depot, general store, jail and chapel – each complete with authentic period furnishings. Many are locally acquired items from the late 1800s. Adding to the authentic Old West atmosphere are cattle that can be seen grazing nearby. The entire village is a scratch-built project of Kenneth and Marilyn Tate and sits on land allocated to Marilyn's Cherokee grandmother. It started as one building Kenneth raised on his working ranch and grew one structure at a time. Marilyn says the village has been a passion for both of them. "He did the buildings and I did the furnishings," she said. "It's a must-see for people, adults, and kids, to have an opportunity to use their imaginations." "Everybody's got something where they throw their money away," Kenneth said in a 2008 interview. "I'm building a town." The site also hosts special events like Western Days and weddings.

Har-Ber Village sits on the eastern shore of Grand Lake O' The Cherokees in Grove. Established by Harvey (Har) and Bernice (Ber) Jones, it welcomed its first visitors in 1968. Folks can step back in time while exploring more than two dozen period structures and buildings. Nearly 100 exhibits recreate a timeline from 1850 through the 1920s. Half of the village is composed of antique collections, such as the popular display depicting the evolution of the telephone. Interactive exhibits abound, such as one where visitors can try their hand at mining for their own minerals, gems and arrowheads. Weaving and nature activity workshops are also popular. The grounds include a chapel and picnic pavilion which have hosted weddings and receptions. A two-mile nature trail is nearby, and the view of Grand Lake is one of the most remarkable features of Har-Ber Village.

For more information on museum admittance, pricing and days of operation, visit the museum websites or call ahead.

The Tulsa Historical Society & Museum is a good example of a place where history is brought to life both indoors and outdoors. Its eight galleries occupy a structure originally built as the Travis Mansion in 1919 that was renovated extensively in 2007. The museum's exhibits have included "Fashionably Tulsa" featuring early 20th century dresses, hats, shoes and accessories from the Janis Updike Walker Collection. Another exhibit, titled "Tribune: The Story of a Newspaper," documents the history of the landmark news source. The museum has 200,000 photographs, books, maps and other artifacts of Tulsa history. Its online collection of digital photos is available for research or just nostalgic browsing. Visitors can stroll through the vintage gardens where objects of historical importance are found, including the Five Moons bronze sculptures depicting Oklahoma's five internationally renowned Native American ballerinas. The museum conducts walking tours of downtown Tulsa and has hosted Chautauqua education programs. The museum also has a traveling exhibit about the Greenwood area and Tulsa Race Massacre. Director of Exhibits Maggie Brown points out many of the museum's exhibits have focused on Tulsa decade by decade. "We aim to share a lot of stories of the past, personal stories," she said. "Every person who walks in the door finds something meaningful to them."

The J.M. Davis Arms and Historical Museum in Claremore has the largest privately held firearms collection in the world. Davis was a local businessman and collector who decked out his Mason Hotel with firearms and memorabilia. Over time his expansive collection grew in fame. By 1965 he joined with the state of Oklahoma on plans to secure a permanent home for his trove. In 1969, a 40,000-square-foot museum was completed two blocks north of the Mason Hotel. Although Davis died in 1973 and the old hotel was torn down in 1986, his vast collection continues to amaze visitors at its new home. A Walker Bulldog tank greets visitors as they park and enter the museum. Once indoors, visitors will see just about every type of firearm made, including flintlocks, a Gatling gun, firearms of the Old West and weapons from almost every war. The collection even includes BB guns and a Buck Rogers toy ray gun. Curator Jason Schubert points out the museum has 11,000 pieces. "It shows up close a tool man has used for centuries to provide food and safety for his family and safety for his country," he said of the museum's historic significance. The collection also includes swords and knives, arrowheads, World War 1 posters, beer steins and John Rogers statuary.

One work of art visitors to the Sand Springs Cultural and Historical Museum find impressive is the building itself. Dedicated in 1930 as a library to honor Sand Springs founder and philanthropist Charles Page, the structure transitioned to a full-time museum in 2001.

The public is invited to watch as artist Carlos Barboza paints this large-scale mural on the exterior of The Museum Broken Arrow during the first three weeks of May. The museum is located at 400 S. Main St. in Broken Arrow.

Photo courtesy of The Museum Broken Arrow

The building, designed by Otis Floyd Johnson, arises from a hillside in downtown Sand Springs north of a statue of Page. The classic example of Art Deco architecture has bronze doors, lamps and fixtures, and marble walls and floors. Spacious windows climb to a 40-foot ceiling.

The town's unique history fills the east gallery with displays telling the story of Page's children's home for orphans and colony for widowed mothers and their children. Also showcased are artifacts from Sand Springs' days as a leading regional industrial hub, along with items linked to the Sand Springs railway and lake park. Past exhibits in the rotating west and north galleries include the art of George Rodrigue and Ed Galloway, World War II and the Civil War, tools through the years and classic toys and lunch boxes.

The Museum Broken Arrow captures the unique story of this Muscogee Creek settlement which evolved into an agricultural hub and then a thriving metropolitan community. Located near the site of the original Katy train depot, the three-story museum is being adorned by artist Carlos Barboza with a sweeping mural depicting the diverse heritage of Broken Arrow. Visitors can expect to see him creating the artwork during the first three weeks of May. Once inside, visitors enter the Barbara Brown Kimbrough Exhibit Hall where they enjoy rotating presentations such as Rachel Rose's "Lake Valley.” The second floor brings the town's history to life with permanent exhibits, including a full-size cabin complete with period furnishings dating from 1861. The Rooster Days, Muscogee Creek Tribal display, Old Town Hall Jail and Railroad Depot are detailed exhibits recreating the past. The third floor offers rental space with a scenic view of downtown Broken Arrow. Executive Director Julie Brown points out the museum incorporates multi-media for many of its exhibits and uses audio guides to supplement in-person tours. "Some people say we're a hidden treasure, but we don't want to be hidden anymore," she said.

The Sand Springs Cultural and Historical Museum is housed in the former Page Memorial Library. The building was dedicated in 1930 and is a beautiful example of classic Art Deco architecture.

Photo courtesy of www.wearesandsprings.com

Special events include a Spring Gardening Festival May 15, working blacksmiths on Father’s Day weekend, Annual Pioneer Days September 24-26, Haunted History Hayrides in October and Santa’s Ozark Mountain Village in December.

The world’s largest private collection of firearms on Route 66 in historic downtown Claremore.

Located in the historic Travis Mansion, THSM is focused on building, preserving and presenting collections of Tulsa history with eight rotating exhibit galleries featuring stories from Tulsa past.

Located in downtown Broken Arrow, The Museum Broken Arrow’s mission is to keep history alive and bring the community together to explore it. During early May, watch artist Carlos Barboza paint a large-scale mural on the building. Other May events include a stained-glass mosaic exhibit.

This recreated Old West Town features a saloon, post office, general store, jail and more. Call for escorted and unescorted tours and reservations. The attraction was built and operated to preserve and honor the heritage of pioneers, cowboys and Native American cultures of Oklahoma.

This museum is located in the historic Art Deco Page Memorial Library Building constructed in 1929 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Shuttle service is available for adults 55 and up or disabled. Drivers will pick you up, safely transport you to your appointment, then wait and take you home. LIFE Senior Services’ transportation service is funded by the Indian Nations Council of Governments (INCOG) and the Federal Transit Coronavirus Response and Relief Appropriations Act of 2021.

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Advertising in LIFE’s Vintage Newsmagazine associates your company with these qualities and puts your message in front of LIFE’s diverse audience.

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BY JULIE WENGER WATSON

May is “Older Americans Month,” and the theme for 2021 is “Communities of Strength.” According to the Administration for Community Living, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, this month’s focus is on celebrating the strength of older adults, with special emphasis on the power of connection and engagement in building strong communities. This theme is particularly appropriate for our own community as we commemorate the centennial of the 1921 Race Massacre. One hundred years after one of the worst incidents of racial violence in U.S. history, Tulsa is still coming to terms with its difficult and complicated past. We’re a community seeking reconciliation, healing and understanding with the hope of building a better future for all of its members.

In the early 1900s, Tulsa’s Greenwood neighborhood was home to a thriving business district known as “Black Wall Street,” one of the most commercially successful and affluent Black communities in the country. Greenwood was also home to the majority of the city’s Black residents. All of that changed overnight on May 31, 1921, when one of the deadliest episodes of racial violence this country has ever experienced devastated the area. More than 1,400 homes and businesses were burned to the ground, leaving some 10,000 people homeless and an estimated 300 individuals (mostly Black residents) dead. The massacre began during Memorial Day weekend after 19-year-old Dick Rowland, a Black shoeshiner, was accused of assaulting Sarah Page, a 17-year-old white elevator operator, at the Drexel Building in downtown Tulsa. Rowland was taken into custody, and rumors of a lynching began to circulate. A confrontation took place between a group of Black men who had offered to help guard Rowland and a larger group of white men. Members of both groups were armed, and 12 men were killed in the brawl that ensued. This incident lit the fuse for the violence and destruction that followed. White rioters rampaged through Greenwood that night and the next morning, killing residents and burning and looting stores and homes. Thirty-five city blocks lay in charred ruins. Following the destruction of the Tulsa Race Massacre, Greenwood was totally rebuilt and became prosperous once more. Most Tulsans grew up oblivious to this horrific chapter in the city’s history. In 1997, the Oklahoma State Legislature authorized what is now called the 1921 Race Massacre Commission, which researched the events of the Tulsa Race Massacre and submitted a report of its findings and recommendations in 2001. While much has been done in recent years to raise awareness, promote understanding and strive for reconciliation around the events that took place in this city a century ago, the work is ongoing. This year’s centennial commemoration is an opportunity to strengthen our community as we move forward into the next 100 years.

“We’re still fighting many of the same battles today, in our country and in our city." AFRICAN-AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER AT TULSA’S RUDISILL REGIONAL LIBRARY – Alicia Latimer

Alicia Latimer is the manager and coordinator for the African-American Resource Center at Tulsa’s Rudisill Regional Library. She’s been with the library for 15 years, and she’s also a member of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission. Rudisill’s Resource Center has an extensive collection of material that documents and honors Black American experiences, culture and history. This year, the library is offering a range of programming, both virtual and in-person, focused on the Centennial.

continued on page 24

BY DEE DUREN, MANAGING EDITOR

When Phil Armstrong moved to Tulsa in 1997, he was shocked to discover he knew more about the Tulsa Race Massacre than people who were born and raised here. He spent a semester studying the history of Black Wall Street as a college student in Ohio.

Now project director for the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission, Armstrong is overseeing the construction of Greenwood Rising, the history museum located in the heart of the Greenwood District. The museum will honor the legacy of Black Wall Street and provide a starting point for locals and tourists to experience the past. “Greenwood Rising will be a catalyst for a number of things,” he said, “for telling the full history of this vibrant community of Black entrepreneurs at the turn of the century. To talk about how Greenwood came to be and to look at the entire scope of Black Americans in Oklahoma – prior to the massacre and then postmassacre.”

Crews are working long hours to open the museum to the public on June 2, but its impact on the city will last much longer. Visitors to Greenwood Rising will learn about the massacre and the resilience of survivors and their descendants. A final exhibit called "The Journey to Reconciliation" will encourage discussions about the current state of race relations and what each of us can do to help. “All of this history leads to a healing place,” Armstrong said. “Let’s get to the heart of why we think the way we think about people who are not like us, to really get on this path to racial healing. Greenwood Rising is going to change peoples’ hearts and minds.”

Project Director of the 1921 Race Massacre Centennial Commission

Interested in knowing more about the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre? This month is full of opportunities to learn and participate. For an overview of activities, visit www.tulsa2021.org/events.

The Tulsa Library has organized numerous events this month, both in-person and virtual. Noted Tulsa writer Clifton Taulbert, author of “Eight Habits of the Heart: Embracing the Values that Build Strong Communities,” will participate by Zoom in a Community Read Event, entitled “Friendship Mattered Then! Friendship Matters Now!”

Magic City Books will host a virtual author visit on May 4 with Jewell Parker Rhodes in celebration of the reissue of her novel, “Magic City."

Gathering Place will host this free two-night event featuring national Gospel artists and local community choirs.

The conference offers both an in-person and virtual option. Speakers include Pulitzer Prize-winning Journalist Isabel Wilkerson, author of the book “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent,” and Cornel West, a professor and philosopher.

The parade begins at 11 a.m. in Tulsa’s Greenwood District and is hosted by the Greenwood Art Project with Color Me True.

Tulsa’s new Black Wall Street History Center, will hold its official unveiling and dedication on June 2. This state-of-the-art facility will honor the legacy of Tulsa’s Black Wall Street before and after the Race Massacre of 1921.

Actor and Director Tim Reid and author Clifton Taulbert will host the event.

This event is a multi-genre experience featuring the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra that uses the power of music to unite and heal the greater Tulsa community. 24 LIFE’s Vintage Newsmagazine | May 2021

“When you look at the community at large, there's reconcilation work to be done. We need to deal with that today." – Dr. Dewayne Dickens

continued from page 23

“I’m very proud to be working with the 1921 Race Massacre Commission to do the work to make sure that education goes on,” Latimer said. “The library has many, many resources about what happened in 1921. I’m very proud that we’re saying, ‘We did this thing. It was wrong. I want to know what happened.’ It’s important that it’s talked about so we can work through it so that nothing like that happens again.”

Reconciliation is generally understood to mean a “restoration of friendly relations,” “to bring into agreement or harmony,” or “making consistent or compatible.” This process, in all its definitions, is especially important when talking about the Tulsa Race Massacre. “We’re looking to the past in order to understand the future,” said Dr. Dewayne Dickens, a board member of Tulsa’s John Hope Franklin Center for Reconciliation (JHFC) and Director of Culturally Responsive Practices at Tulsa Community College. The JHFC will host its 12th annual Reconciliation in America National Symposium May 26-29. The virtual and inperson event features keynote speakers from several different disciplines and attracts participants from across the globe. The title of this year’s symposium is “The Future of Tulsa’s Past: The Centennial of the Tulsa Race Massacre and Beyond.” Dickens hopes the Symposium, as well as the events planned around the Centennial, will help spark positive change in our community. “If people are coming to these events saying, ‘I want my participation in the 100-year commemoration to change me, to help me find direction, to help me help others find direction, to help me connect with others so that we can move toward a more just future,’ then change will happen,” he said. Dickens said even though people are now more informed about the events of 1921, the need for reconciliation continues. “I’m going to emphasize reconciliation work. Not necessarily reconciling with the descendants of the survivors, which needs to happen, but that’s a totally separate issue,” he said. “When you look at the community at large, there’s reconciliation work to be done. When you look at the families who suffered a loss, there’s reconciliation work. We need to deal with that today. The city and the general community need to look for tangible, concrete ways of creating reconciliation for that loss.” This month, Tulsa has a unique opportunity to reflect, listen and learn during the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial. It’s also a chance to grow stronger as a community in the years to come, but it will take work. “We’re still fighting many of the same battles today, in our country and in our city,” said Latimer. “There are the same divisions, the same misunderstandings, the same failure to really come together with people who aren’t like us. It’s all based on something that happened generations ago that people haven’t even really stopped to examine in their own minds. ‘Why am I feeling that? Why do I think that? Is that really true?’”

In tough times, communities find strength in people – and people find strength in their communities. In the past year, we’ve seen this time and again in Tulsa as friends, neighbors and businesses have found new ways to support each other. In our community, older adults are a key source of this strength. Through their experiences, successes, and difficulties, they have built resilience that helps them to face new challenges. When communities tap into this, they become stronger too. Each May, the Administration for Community Living leads the celebration of Older Americans Month (OAM). This year’s theme is Communities of Strength, recognizing the important role older adults play in fostering the connection and engagement that build strong, resilient communities. Strength is built and shown not only by bold acts, but also small ones of day-to-day life: a conversation shared with a friend, working in the garden, trying a new recipe or taking time for a cup of tea on a busy day. And when we share these activities with others – even virtually or by telling about the experience later – we help them build resilience too.

This year, LIFE Senior Services will celebrate OAM by encouraging community members to share their experiences. Together, we can find strength – and create a stronger future. When people of different ages, backgrounds, abilities, and talents share experiences – through action, story, or service – we help build strong communities. And that’s something to celebrate! Please join LIFE Senior Services in strengthening our community – tell us some of the ways you help and are helped on our Facebook page.

1. LOOK FOR JOY IN THE EVERYDAY – Celebrate small moments and ordinary pleasures by taking time to recognize them. Start a gratitude journal and share it with others via social media, or call a friend or family member to share a happy moment or to say thank you. acl.gov/oam2. REACH OUT TO NEIGHBORS – Even if you can’t get together in person right now, you can still connect with your neighbors. Leave a small gift on their doorstep, offer to help with outdoor chores, or deliver a home-cooked meal. 3. BUILD NEW SKILLS – Learning something new allows us to practice overcoming challenges. Take an art course online or try a socially distanced outdoor movement class to enjoy learning with others in your community. Have a skill to share? Find an opportunity to teach someone, even casually. 4. SHARE YOUR STORY – There’s a reason storytelling is a time-honored activity. Hearing how others experience the world helps us grow. Interviewing family, friends, and neighbors can open up new conversations and strengthen our connections.

BY DEE DUREN, MANAGING EDITOR

Does your heart beat a little faster when you drive by a garage or estate sale sign? Do you plan your road trips around antique store hours? If so, you may be a collector!

Oklahoma is fortunate to have ample antique and collectible shops to keep the most avid collector busy year-round. Even if you haven’t started up a collection of Victorian hat pins or Depression glass, you might be surprised at how much fun it is to roam the tables at the Tulsa Flea Market or stop at the shops that dot Main Streets in many northeastern Oklahoma towns. “I don’t know what this is, but I think I need it,” one young man said as he checked out an eclectic booth at Jenks’ popular River City Trading Post. The dealer who had stocked the shelves had an eye for toys with a 1950s toy kitchen and a host of plastic figures ready to take on the galaxy. That’s the thing about multi-dealer malls – you never know what you’ll find, and you might be surprised at who is doing the shopping. Yes, there are the expected middle-aged or older couples and singletons reminiscing about Aunt Kay’s Pyrex dishes they wish they still had. Sharp-eyed eBay experts are hoping to find an underpriced treasure “in the wild.” But you’re just as likely to find teens in search of classic vinyl and obsolete electronics. Here’s an introductory guide to “junking,” or roaming the shelves at antiques and collectibles stores for second-hand goods. If you’re new to the hobby, it may help save you time and effort. If you’re an experienced junker, you can see whether you agree with the categories.

The top tier in the junking world is where you’ll find items that were made when the oldest of us were young or considerably earlier. Smaller stores may focus on a particular era while the larger malls rent out booth space to many different dealers. Antique stores are great places to learn about the objects people have made and valued over the years. Dealers usually have a good idea about the value of items they are selling. When shopping for antiques, however, knowledge is your best protection against overpaying or buying reproductions.

3024 E. 15th St. • Tulsa (918) 582-2897

4810 E. 11th St. • Tulsa (918) 834-7577

422 W. Will Rogers Blvd. • Claremore (918) 341-4838

2720 S. 32nd St. • Muskogee (918) 687-8600

A large, multi-dealer shop with around 60 dealers, this mall has a great selection of art, pottery, glass, jewelry, military, sports items and holiday treasures. Shoppers will also find dealers that specialize in Frankoma pottery and other collectibles once made in the Sooner state. The one-story space is easy to navigate with Brookside restaurants just a short drive away.

This charming shop is set in a small strip mall that also houses one of Tulsa’s best hardware stores and P.J.’s Sandwich Shoppe. Though you won’t find row after row of dealers, you’ll see beautiful objects from the 18th to early 20th century to add to your collection or gift to a friend. Some of their specialties are American and European art glass, porcelain and ceramics.

Jenks is a fun stop on any collector’s shopping tour, and Miss McGillicutty’s is located in a booming and accessible downtown. Find antiques from around 60 dealers in a historic building that has surprises around every corner. You’ll find the usual home items plus dealers who specialize in Native American artifacts, fishing lures and furniture.

Though getting to this shop involves a little driving, it’s a chance to visit Cowboy country and the college town of Stillwater. You’ll find more than 60 dealers in a two-story building that was once an Opera House. The store generally has a wide selection of American antiques, primitives, furniture and, of course, sports memorabilia.

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Oklahoma’s premier senior event features exhibitors that promote health and safety, active aging and retirement lifestyles and interests.

The senior stage will feature News On 6 anchor Lori Fullbright emceeing the day’s entertainment, activities and presentations. Plus, Assistance League of Tulsa will present a fashion show.

Other highlights will include a free shredding truck and an Rx TakeBack event with the Coalition Against Prescription and Substance Abuse of Tulsa (CAPSAT).

Follow LIFE Senior Services on Facebook for video outreach, news, local events and resources for seniors. Find the following content and more at www.facebook.com/LIFESeniorServices during May.

Join Sarah, LIFE’s lead case manager for SeniorLine, Fridays at 2 p.m. Sarah enjoys connecting with and encouraging LIFE followers while sharing tips on senior living, family caregiving and senior resources.

Thanks to a grant from the Oklahoma Arts Council, LIFE Senior Services invites you to take part in its first ever Writers’ Symposium. LIFE CEO Eileen Bradshaw will share details about the symposium including featured authors and the writing contest that will go along with the series. Events will be held both in-person for a limited number of people and virtually via LIFE’s Facebook page.

This first installment of LIFE’s Writers’ Symposium features Connie Cronley, columnist for LIFE’s Vintage Newsmagazine and TulsaPeople. Her latest book, “A Life on Fire,” is the biography of Kate Barnard, a fiery political activist during Oklahoma’s early statehood days. Cronley will share “Stories from Real Life,” about how writers draw material from their life experiences. The event is made possible through a grant from the Oklahoma Arts Council. It will be live at Legacy Plaza for a limited number of people, but open to all via LIFE’s Facebook page.

Meet the newest member of the LIFE PACE medical staff and learn about the Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) approach to healthcare. IDTs are considered ideal for geriatric patients who typically have complex, chronic health conditions. The approach is proven to offer more personalized, holistic care, resulting in improved health outcomes and independence in older adults. To register, please contact Carol Carter at ccarter@LIFEseniorservices.org or 918-664-9000, ext. 1219.

May is both Older Americans Month and Mental Health month. Karen Orsi, director of the Oklahoma Mental Health and Aging Coalition, will discuss ways to successfully support both mental and physical health, and how the two go hand-in-hand.

Antique and collectibles shops allow dealers to bring in more items that are considered “vintage” or even relatively new. While you’ll still see objects from days long past, you may also find decorator items that were on the shelves of retail stores in the last few years. Some dealers also sell new lines of chalk paint or candles, crafts and kitsch. The great thing about collectibles shops is that there’s something for everyone. If your shopping partner isn't enthusiastic about antiques, they may be excited to find a new line of contemporary jewelry or homegrown pecans. And who knows – you might find a treasure the dealer thinks is new that you know is rare and valuable.

Be sure to check out the ‘60s mural on the north exterior wall of this shop. It reflects the freewheeling spirit of that decade that inspired both The Doors’ song and the store’s name.

21 E. 2nd St. • Sand Springs (918) 514-0370

121 N. Main St. • Sand Springs (918) 245-6884

121 N. Main St. • Sand Springs (918) 245-6884

15325 S. Memorial Dr. • Bixby (918) 364-2555

Be prepared to spend some time at this mall – it’s large, with around 300 vendors. Fortunately, there are resting spots scattered throughout the store and candy and baked goods that can fuel your progress. If an item has ever been sold by a retailer, you just might find it here. Dealers bring in antiques, garage sale finds, homegrown art and handmade linens, with one booth dedicated “solely” to cowboy boots.

Denise and Matt Johnson own and operate two shops in Broken Arrow that are easy stops on your antiquing run. Shoppers will find a broad array of vintage objects and furniture plus an assortment of brands that are distributed from the stores that might be of interest, including gifts and cosmetics.

Love Me Two Times is a very accessible and upbeat place to hunt for antiques, collectibles, vintage clothing and more. Baby Boomers will find vintage items from their childhoods and older items their parents or grandparents owned. The wide aisles were set up with older shoppers in mind, according to owner Michael Easter. If you have an interest in collecting succulents, you will find a large selection upon entering the store.

The Tulsa Flea Market has been a Saturday shopping tradition since 1972. The family-owned and operated flea market attracts vendors from Oklahoma and surrounding states. Regular items include antiques, collectibles, primitives, furniture, jewelry, books and crafts. You may also go home with fresh produce, local honey or a delicious dessert. Check their Facebook page or website as the exact building location varies depending on other indoor events at the fairgrounds. The flea market takes an occasional break but will return Saturday, May 15.