bmonthly April 2025

upfront

Welcome to April, friends, and our annual “Best of Pets Issue.” I want to say Happy Anniversary! It’s been 8 years since we started with Bartlesville Monthly magazine. I changed the name to bmonthly six years ago along with the whole look and feel of the magazine. I will get into the history of all that at the end of this Upfront. We want to say congratulations to Cleo - this year’s Facebook People’s Choice winner. What a beautiful dog! This year’s contest, as it has over the years, continues to grow and become so popular. I love numbers and this year’s contest did not disappoint. We had 100 pets this year in the contest, and all 100 pets signed up in less than two hours. We had over 70,000 people view the pets in all 50 states and 4 countries. The photos were shared over 400 times and we had a total of over 10,000 votes for these beautiful pets. We love that because it brings eyeballs to Bartlesville. For a lot of these owners, these pets are like their kids. Thank you so much for making this another successful year, and thank you for joining in on all the fun. This year’s judges’ winner is Dale! What a cutie he is. He actually came in second place in the People’s Choice voting. When we sent the judges the top 12 pets, Dale came in first with 7 of the 9 judges voting for him for 2025’s cover winner. Congratulations, Dale! Thank you, Oklahoma Wesleyan University, for letting us photograph the cover shot at this beautiful university campus.

Back in April of 2017, Christy and I were pulling back from the magazine we started in Joplin, Missouri called “Best of Joplin.” This magazine was basically a coupon magazine that we mailed out to homes in Joplin. Brian Engel helped us start it in 2015 when Charles and Amber Colaw were building their first gym in Joplin. This was the first time Christy and I had worked together as husband and wife. It was a 90 minute drive everyday one way, and we did this for two years. If you go back to that time, we were struggling as a couple, and this is where I believe God had a plan for us. In those two years, we learned to listen, to work together, and to trust God. When the mountains seemed too tall and our faith was small, we put our heads down and made the best of it for a little over two years. It was hard, but I know we both put everything into that little 22 page magazine. After 2 years, we knew it was time to sell it and walk away…it was a loss but what a blessing.

January of 2017 was our last “Best of Joplin.” Three months later Brian came to us and said he’d just bought a magazine called Bartlesville

Monthly. He asked us if we wanted to sell advertising for his new magazine. It was 34 pages; 2000 magazines were printed a month; and 1200 magazines were left over each month. Brian with his business savvy believed he could turn this magazine around. He hired us in April of 2017, and the rest is history. By June of 2017 I started writing this page…the Upfront. We started adding pages and writing stories people wanted to read. Both of our families’ roots run deep in this city. Every month we started changing the look and feel of the magazine. We kept increasing the number of drop sites and the number of magazines we printed. We rarely had any magazines left in the racks. Each year we kept growing. There was one employee who was an editor for us. We started writing stories on the history of this great city. The editor told us that the magazine had too many stories on history and no one was going to read it. We put our heads down, and Brian gave us the freedom to write and take over the magazine editorially. That editor no longer works for us, and today bmonthy magazine has over 20,000 readers each month. The magazine is between 68 to 80 pages each month. We have subscriptions in 24 states across the country. When we started, we had 14,000 followers on Facebook, and today we have 29,000 followers in all 50 states and 11 countries across the world. We are the largest media in Bartlesville, and we are the only standing magazine in this area. For eight years this month, we have been sharing the history of the people and places that make Bartlesville and the surrounding area so special.

We want to say thank you, first of all, to Brian for giving us this opportunity and the freedom to put out what we think is the best city magazine in the state. We have some of the best writers who make this magazine so good. We want to say thank you to Shelley Greene Stewart for taking care of behind the scenes things and Debbie Neece for her passion for our history. We thank them both for being the backbone of this magazine and for their love for us. Thank you to all of our advertisers who have trusted and believed in our vision. Your advertising makes this magazine a free publication for everyone to enjoy. 85% of our advertisers have been with us for over six years, and that is very special to us. Without you, there is no bmonthly magazine. We pray for another 8 years and for the opportunity to keep telling the stories of our great city.

Happy Birthday Christy on April 8th! God bless each of you for picking up bmonthly. Keith and Christy

Volume XVI Issue IV

Bartlesville Monthly Magazine is published by ENGEL PUBLISHING

New office located in the B the Light Mission 219 North Virginia Avenue, Bartlesville, Oklahoma 74003 www.bartlesvillemonthly.com facebook.com/bartlesvillemonthly

Publisher Brian Engel brian@bartlesvillemonthly.com

Graphics Engel Publishing matt@engelpublishing.com

Director of Sales & Marketing Keith McPhail keith@bartlesvillemonthly.com

Community Liaison Christy McPhail christy@bartlesvillemonthly.com

Project Manager

Andrea Whitchurch andrea@bartlesvillemonthly.com

Administration Shelley Greene Stewart

Delivery and Distribution

Dewayne Engel Calendar/Social Media calendar@bartlesvillemonthly.com

Contributing Writers

Debbie Neece, Kay Little, Kelly Hurd Jay Hastings, Brent Taylor, Keith McPhail Jay Webster, Abigail SIngrey Mike Tupa, Lori Just, Miriam Walker, Joe Todd

Contributing Photographers

Mike Tupa, Debbie Neece Bartlesville Area History Mus Avery Osborne, Keith McPhail, Mark Blummer

Kids Calendar

Jessica Smith

ABOUT THE COVER

Meet Dale, this winner of our Best of the Pets 2025 Contest. Photo by Chance Franks.

Creative concept by Keith and Christy McPhail

Design by Engel Publishing

Ignite Adams PARC Announces Partnership with Specialty Providers

At Ignite Adams PARC, our team partners with renowned local providers to provide worldclass therapy treatments and technology to get our patients active and back to their lives as soon as possible. Specialty services and programs include treatment and recovery plans in Orthopedic Rehabilitation, Stroke Recovery, Cardiac Care, Pulmonary Rehab, Wound Care & Infection Management, Renal Disease and Palliative Care.

We are pleased to introduce the exceptionally trained and highly skilled team of medical professionals who provide a continuum of care for our guests as they transition from the acute hospital setting to Ignite Adams PARC for their post-acute rehabilitation. Our newest partnership with these providers will allow for Ignite Adams PARC to continue to be at the forefront of healthcare as this esteemed team provides daily and weekly support to our clinical and therapy team to guide our guests’ recovery and treatment plans.

Thomas Loafman, APRN-CNP Cardiology Specialist

Tyler Woods, APRN-CNP, CWS Wound Specialist

Georjane Woodburn, APRN, FNP Pain Management Specialist

Samantha Nunn, APRN-CNP NP to Medical Director

Dr. Robyn Lovitt-Fry, MD Medical Director

Rebecca Rhone, APRN-CNP, CWS Wound Specialist

Travis Buchanan, PA-C Pain Management Specialist

Sherri Smith

A

Journey of Faith & Service at Agapé Mission

by Lori Just

Sherri Smith’s path to co-founding the Agapé Mission on the westside of Bartlesville is one shaped by faith, community and a relentless commitment to helping those in need. Her journey is a testament to the power of listening to God’s calling and stepping into the unknown with nothing but trust and determination.

“I’ve been involved in the community for years, and I’ve always been passionate about giving back,” Sherri started. “But I never imagined that I’d be the one leading a mission to serve meals and provide support to those struggling.”

Her story began in the late 1990s, when Sherri had been volunteering in Bartlesville for several years. The old mission in town, known as “The Bridge,” had closed, leaving a significant gap in the services provided to those in need. Sherri knew there was a need but didn’t know where to start. It was during a casual lunch with her then First Assembly Church pastor, Bill Brummett, and his wife that the idea of opening a mission was born.

“We talked for two hours that day,” Sherri recalled. “And by the end of it, I was preparing to make a presentation to the church board to open a feeding mission. The board and the church accepted it, and I was on staff starting January 2000.”

When she took the reins as Executive Director those 25 years ago, Sherri faced daunting challenges. The building at 309 S. Bucy was in disrepair, with parts of the roof missing and ceilings falling in. They had no furniture and an old, broken ice maker and freezer. Yet, within two weeks, everything they needed was provided—miraculously, even the silverware. They began serving two meals a day, starting with just 10 people, but quickly grew to serve 250 to 350 meals a day.

“It was a leap of faith from the start,” Sherri reflected. “We

didn’t have much, but we had the faith that God would provide, and He did. We started small, but we had big dreams.”

Although Sherri’s professional background wasn’t in food service, she quickly adapted. She had previously worked as a commodity broker, a banker and in mortgage lending, but she had hoped to do something different. But her love for cooking, instilled by her grandmother, became her guiding light in this new endeavor.

“I never cooked for large groups before,” she admitted. “But I had a wonderful helper in Naomi Reeder, a lady from the church who had worked in the school cafeteria for 24 years. She was my right hand for the first few years.”

In those early days, Sherri didn’t just serve meals; she served hope and a sense of belonging. But after 18 years the need for more space became undeniable. With rising gas prices and the growing number of meals being served, their small space was no longer adequate. It took Sherri four and a half years to raise the necessary funds for a new building, and just as construction began, prices soared, necessitating an additional $140,000 in funding.

“We kept pushing forward,” Sherri said. “Six months after moving into our new building in October 2018, just a half mile away from our old building, we were debt-free. That was a major milestone for us.”

Today, Agapé Mission at 555 SW. Cass Ave. provides much more than meals. It has become a vital resource in the Bartlesville

and surrounding communities in Washington County, offering wraparound services that go beyond food. The mission serves prepared meals Monday through Friday and runs a “Food for Kids” program, providing 600 to 650 sacks of food each week for children at risk of going hungry over the weekends, during the school year. This is all done by a handful of full and part-time employees and about 1,000 rotating volunteers.

“I’m so blessed to have an incredible staff of seven that genuinely loves and cares for everyone we serve,” she added. “They’ve poured into these people, offering smiles, kindness and support, showing that we truly care about them. It’s not just a place to eat—it’s about demonstrating Christ’s love in a tangible way. I always remind people of a quote from John Maxwell: ‘People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.’ Once they see that you genuinely care, they’re more open to receiving something meaningful from you. Until then, they’re not really interested in hearing it”

The name Agapé Mission came from Reeder when her and her husband, Louis, attended Sherri’s church, which was originally First Assembly Church and later became Spirit Church.

“Before her husband passed away from cancer, he was in the heating and air profession,” she explained. “They started a fund at the church called the Agapé Fund. The money for Agapé Mission came from that fund, and it helped support us for the first 14 months. The word ‘Agapé’ means God’s unconditional love, so it really couldn’t have been a better name. Of course, being Oklahomans, some people mispronounce it, and I’d have to explain that it’s a Greek word. But we are first in the directory!”

Sherri is deeply moved by the impact Agapé has had on the community over the years. “We’ve seen people from all walks of life—some facing situational poverty due to job loss or illness, others who are homeless and many seniors living on fixed incomes,” she shared. “We’ve had so many success stories. One that stands out is a homeless man who we helped through drug court. He volunteered over 1,200 hours at Agapé, and now he has a roof over his head and is in a much better place.”

Sherri’s commitment to Agapé is rooted in her own personal journey. She was 39 when she started the mission, and now, at 64, she continues to pour her heart and soul into the cause.

She was born in Shawnee, Oklahoma, and lived there until she was nine. When her grandparents retired, her parents moved the family to Grove, right on the lake. She went through school there and graduated from Grove High School. After that, she moved to Bartlesville when her oldest son’s dad got a job at Phillips, where

she’s been ever since—over 40 years now.

“I’ve been through a lot,” she said. “I have three grown kids, four grandkids, and we tragically lost my oldest grandson in a car accident last June. My husband, Mike, has faced his own health struggles, including two artificial knees that became infected, leading to sepsis. He’s still recovering and is now in a wheelchair. It’s been a tough few years, but we’re making it through.”

Despite the challenges she’s faced in her personal and professional life, Sherri remains steadfast in her mission. She credits much of Agapé’s success to the unwavering support of the Bartlesville community.

“We have an incredible community,” she said. “The people here are so giving and caring. Without their help, we wouldn’t be where we are today. We are supported as an Bartlesville Regional United Way agency as well as by many community churches and civic groups.”

Outside of running Agapé, Sherri remains active in the community, serving on the Unsheltered Task Force with the City of Bartlesville and the B the Light board. She has also served on the board of the food bank in Tulsa and continues to take courses with the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits to continue growing in her role as a leader. Sherri also does all the grant writing for Agapé as well.

So, what does the future hold for Sherri and Agapé Mission?

“I’ll probably continue until Jesus comes,” she said with a smile. “Even if I slow down, I don’t think I’ll ever completely step away. I’ll always be involved in some way.”

When asked about her hobbies, Sherri shares a love for crafting and, of course, cooking. Her husband, Mike, is passionate about golf, and though he can’t play now, he still holds onto the hope that he will one day return to the sport.

Reflecting on her incredible journey, Sherri concluded, “It’s been a faith-building experience. We’ve seen lives transformed, and we’ve always strived to show God’s love through our actions. It’s amazing to see how many people have been impacted, and how many have come back to give, volunteer, or share their stories of how Agapé helped them get back on their feet.”

For Sherri, it’s not just about serving meals—it’s about making a difference in people’s lives and showing them that they are seen, valued and loved. Agapé Mission has truly become a beacon of hope in Bartlesville, thanks to her tireless dedication and the strength of the community around her.

MOLLY

BARON

CARTER REIGN

ALROW

BAILEY JEAN

BLUE

JUBILEE

BEAU

CASH

ATHENA

BILBO BAGGINS

CATRICK

CHARLIE

DALE

DOT

CHARLEY

CLOVER

DEXTER EUGENE

CHIP

DARCY

DOTTIE

CLEO

DEEBO

EDDIE

ELSIE

FRANKLIN GYPSY

ELLIE

FRANKIE

GRACIE GIRL

FINN

GIDGET

HAYZEL LOU

FINLEY BO

GOOSEY GIRL

HOLLY BERRY

JARVIS

KRISPY

LUCA

JAKE

JOSIE MAE

LOUIE

JAX

LIL BIT

LUCKY

JOHN HENRY HOLIDAY

LINCOLN

LUCY

LUDO

MAX

MISS GABBY

LUCY

MAVERICK

MINA

MAGGIE

MELVIN

MORIARTY

MASERATI

MILO

MUFFIN

OAKLEY

PEANUT QUAKE

MYA

PAM BEESLY PUMPKIN

OREO

PIGLET

REGGIE

OSAGE

POTATO

REMI

ROCKY BEAR

SAVANNAH

SLOANE

ROCKY & COOPER

SADIE

SIERRA

ROGER

SEVEN SNOOPY

RUBY

SIENNA TAIRN

TOBY

TROUBLE

WILLA JEAN

TIGER

TRAVIS

WALLIE

TOFFEE

VIOLET

WILLOW

TOMMY TOM

VIOLET

XADEN

Best of the Pets 2025

XENA

YUKI

ZEKE

Dewey Portland’s Community Spirit

by Debbie Neece

The economy of the City of Dewey was greatly influenced by the Dewey Portland Cement Company for nearly 60 years. Frank and Herbert Tyler organized the industrial giant in 1906 and many area residents became life-time employees at the plant because the Tylers worked to combine business with community spirit.

In leaner times, the employees partook in a company commissary/grocery store with general merchandise/groceries at cost with payroll deduction options. Initially installed in February 1920, the employee participation proved enlargement was needed to accommodate a butcher and seven clerks. However, the structure was struck by lightning mid-August 1927 and deemed a total loss.

At the peak of production, Dewey Portland produced about 4,800,000 sacks of Portland Cement annually; and, when the profit margin allowed, the Tyler family shared the wealth in the form of bonus checks. In 1927, approximately 223 faithful employees shared in bonusses amounting to $22,000 ($400,000 in current funds) with life insurance and home financing options.

In 1928, a 60’x100’ concrete and brick Dewey Portland Community Building was built at Eighth and Creek with an auditorium, stage, kitchen and dining room. Later that year, the Dewey Portland co-recreational and athletic building was opened with a gymnasium, showers, games, billiards and study rooms, providing ample space for wrestling, boxing, basketball and volleyball. The institution compared to Bartlesville’s Y.M.C.A.

Dewey had a plethora of entertainment options; among them, a 20-piece Dewey Portland Mexican Band which performed at various events, including dance parties at the Community Building. Martin Munoz was musically inclined and asked the band director what instrument he needed to play to join the band. The director suggested a saxophone and history began.

The dances brought young folks from near and far to dance the night away and among those in attendance was Miss Santos Elias, her sisters and their father, Felipe Elias, from Pawhuska. Soon after, a courting began and Martin and Santos wed in 1931. The generations that followed included our Rosie Munoz-Swindell, Maria Swindell-Gus and Maria’s two sons.

Although the band experienced some turnover during their approximate five years, these members have been identified: Angel Arroyo (Director), Savino Martinez, Jose Cardenas, Angel Sanbrano, Luis Murguia, Frank Martinez, Tomas Villareal, Francisco Macias, Martin Munoz, E. Vargas, Pablo Barajas, Andres Rizo, Angel Servin, Francisco Gaiten, Jesus Victoria, Guadelupe Chavez, Alfonso Vargas, Cayetano Sanbrano, Jose Enriquez, Cayetano Guebara, Everet Macias, Mike Magana, Frank Barajas, John Sabrano, Remigio Vargas, Mike Lazaro and Jose Vargas.

Dewey Portland also had a String Band under the direction of Chester Wright, which performed a two-hour broadcast for Pitcher’s KGGF Radio in 1929. And, the Dewey Portland Employees Association sponsored a twilight baseball league and bowling league.

During WWII, Don Tyler created a 20-acre Victory Garden to help feed the employees and their families; all who worked the garden were paid in vegetables. After WWII, the Employees Association gathered nearly 500 books of various subject matters and created the Dewey Portland Library at Eighth and Creek. It was this organizing effort that evolved into the Herbert F. Tyler Memorial Library in 1958 at Eighth and Shawnee.

Don Tyler retired in 1953; and, in December 1960, Eighth Street was renamed Don Tyler Avenue. After 60 years of operation, the Dewey Portland Cement Company closed September 1965, leaving a legacy of community spirit.

(Thank-you, Rosie for your help!)

MAY 10 • 6PM

APRIL CALENDAR SPONSORED BY

OKWU Baseball vs Evangel 2PM; OKWU Baseball fields

Bruin Varsity Baseball vs Norman 4:30PM; Doenges Stadium

Bruin Varsity Slow Pitch Softball vs Pryor

5PM; Bruin Softball fields

Bruin Varsity Baseball vs Booker T Washington 5PM; Doenges Stadium

Artful Day in the Ville

6PM; Bartlesville Art Association

OKWU Softball vs York

3PM; OKWU Softball fields

Bruin Varsity Baseball vs Muskogee

6PM; Doenges Stadium

OKWU Softball vs Friends University

2PM; OKWU Softball fields

Bruin Varsity Baseball vs Muskogee

6PM; Doenges Stadium

Bruin Varsity Lady Soccer vs Muskogee

6PM; Custar Stadium

Bruin Varsity Baseball vs Broken Arrow

1 3 4 11 19 21 22 24 25 26 12 14 15 17 18 7 8 5

Bruin Varsity Boys Soccer vs Muskogee

8PM; Custar Stadium

6PM; Doenges Stadium

A Minkus Gala

7:30PM; The Center

Delaware Tribe of Indians Springs

Gathering Easter Egg Hunt

12PM; Delaware Tribe of Indians Complex

A Minkus Gala

1PM; The Center

Bruin Varsity Slow Pitch Softball vs Preston

5PM; Bruin Softball fields

Bruin Varsity Lady Soccer vs Bixby

6PM; Custar Stadium

Bruin Varsity Boys Soccer vs Bixby

8PM; Custar Stadium

Bruin Varsity Slow

Pitch Softball vs Broken Arrow

5PM; Bruin Softball fields

Bruins of the Year –2025

5:30PM; Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium

Good Friday; No School

Bruin Varsity Baseball vs Coweta

5PM; Doenges Stadium

Easter Festivities

9:30AM; Frank Phillips Historic Home

OKWU Baseball vs Kansas Wesleyan

12PM; OKWU Baseball fields

OKWU Softball vs Sterling

1PM; OKWU Softball fields

Bruin Varsity Baseball vs Bixby

6PM; Doenges Stadium

Bruin Varsity Lady Soccer vs Broken Arrow

6PM; Custar Stadium

Bruin Varsity Boys Soccer vs Broken Arrow

8PM; Custar Stadium

Bruin Varsity Baseball vs Collinsville

6PM; Doenges Stadium

OKWU Baseball vs Ottawa 12PM; Doenges Stadium

OKWU Softball vs Dallas Christian 2PM; OKWU Softball fields

Light It Up Blue 5K and Fun Run

8AM; 4620 E Frank Phillips

1

Every Monday

5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

FREE Beginning Spanish Class

APRIL EVENTS CALENDAR

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue

6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

FREE Intermediate Spanish Class

Bartlesville Public Library 600 S. Johnstone Avenue

Every Tuesday

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Price Tower Exterior and The Center Tour

Contact Visit Bartlesville, 300 SE Adams Blvd.

Every Wednesday

6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

FREE Citizenship Classes

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue

Every Thursday

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

FREE Citizenship Classes

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue

7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Crossing 2nd Trivia in the Garage

Crossing Second, 215 E 2nd Street, Bartlesville

Every Saturday

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Price Tower Exterior and The Center Tour

Contact Visit Bartlesville, 300 SE Adams Blvd.

8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

History and Haunts at the Dewey Hotel

Contact Dewey Hotel Museum, 801 N Delaware St., Dewey

8:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.

Crossing 2nd Karaoke Dance Party

Crossing Second, 215 E 2nd Street

Every Sunday

8:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.

Crossing 2nd Karaoke Dance Party

Crossing Second, 215 E 2nd Street, Bartlesville

Tues, April 1

12:00 p.m. – 1 p.m.

In the Kitchen with Susan at the Bartlesville Public Library

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue

6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.  Johnstone Irregulars Book Club

Bartlesville Public Library,600 S Johnstone Avenue

7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Make It So: Speculative Fiction Book Club

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S Johnstone Avenue

Thurs, April 3

4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Bartlesville Public Schools

Education Hall of Fame

Bartlesville Community Center, 300 SE Adams Blvd.

Fri, April 4

5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

BINGO BASH benefiting WCSPCA

Bartlesville Community Center, 300 SE Adams Blvd.

6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Artful Day in the Ville - Art Walk

Bartlesville Art Association, 217 S Comanche Avenue

Sat, April 5

11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Time Travelers Indoor Market

Washington Park Mall, 2350 SE Washington Blvd., Suite 320

7:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.

The Rivercross Ramblers Are Back at NineteenOEight!

NineteenOEight, 311 ½ S. Dewey Avenue

7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Haydn’s Creation presented by Bartlesville Chorale

Bartlesville Community Center, 300 SE Adams Blvd.

Sun, April 6

12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Time Travelers Indoor Market

Washington Park Mall, 2350 SE Washington Blvd., Suite 320

Tues, April 8

2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Bartlesville Public Library Adult Craft Class

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue

6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Bartlesville Public Library Adult Craft Class

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue

Thurs–Sat, April 10–12

10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. daily

Woolaroc Spring Traders

Encampment

Woolaroc, 1925 Woolaroc Ranch Road, Highway 123

Fri, April 11

6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Murder Mystery Dinner at NinteenOEight

Nineteen0Eight, 311 ½ S. Dewey Avenue

7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

Bartlesville Civic Ballet, A Minkus Gala – Ballet

Bartlesville Community Center, 300 SE Adams Blvd.

Sat, April 12

Visit Dewey Second Saturday Downtown Dewey Merchants

10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Bartlesville & Beyond Boutique Marketplace

Tuxedo Lions Club, 2900 Tuxedo Blvd.

1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Bartlesville Civic Ballet, A Minkus Gala – Ballet

Bartlesville Community Center, 300 SE Adams Blvd.

1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

“Art 101” Cold Wax & Oil Painting with Instructor Lori Roll

Bartlesville Art Association, 217 S. Comanche Avenue

Tues, April 15

6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Bartlesville Public Library 10 Things to Consider

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue

Thurs, April 17

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Fast, Fresh & Fabulous with Chef Hilary

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S Johnstone Avenue

Fri, April 18

5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Mighty Me Annual Disability Easter Egg Hunt City Church, 4222 Rice Creek Road

Sat, April 19

9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

4th Annual Bike and Car Show

Humble Road Church, 304 S Seminole Avenue

9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Frank Phillips Home Easter Festivities

Frank Phillips Home, 1107 Cherokee Avenue

10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Monthly Lego Club at the Library

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue

Tues, April 22

2:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Bartlesville Public Library Creative Crafting Club

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue

Fri, April 25

5:15 p.m. – Open

Mini Golf Tournament hosted by the Beckett Hope Foundation

Sooner Junior Miniature Golf Course, 146 S Madison Blvd.

Fri–Sun, April 25, 26, 27

3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Bartlesville High School Musical, Les Misérables

Bartlesville High School Fine Arts Center, 1700 Hillcrest Drive

Sat, April 26

12:00 p.m. – Open

The Harley Party Poker Run

Bartlesville Harley Davidson, 231 NE Washington Blvd.

1:00 p.m. – Open

The Harley Party Cornhole Classic Boys & Girls Clubs of Bartlesville, 918 W. 5th Street

1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Purse-n-ali-tea 2025

Bartlesville First Church, 4715 Price Road

3:00 p.m. – Open

2025 Light It Up Blue 5K and Fun Run

Paths to Independence, 4620 E. Frank Phillips Blvd.

6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

15th Annual Harley Party

Benefiting the Boys & Girls Clubs Boys & Girls Club of Bartlesville

I still haven't heard back about my lab results from weeks ago… What if something is wrong?

I’ve called my clinic 3 times and left messages, but no one calls me back!

Oh! It’s Dr. Sherrock… ‘Hi, this is Dr. Sherrock, do you have time to go over your lab results?’"

From Heartbreak to Hope

... A Journey through Infertility

by Greg Wheat

For many, the journey of infertility is a hidden struggle, a battle fought silently in the shadows of despair. My wife Janell and I embarked on a decade-long quest to start a family, filled with heartache and unwavering hope. As we faced mounting medical bills and the agony of countless doctor visits, a recurring theme emerged—adoption. While I didn’t oppose the idea, in those moments, it felt like a detour from what I believed was God’s intended path for us.

One fateful day during a time of prayer, I sensed God whispering to me, assuring me that our prayers of having children of our own were being heard and that an answer was on the horizon. When I shared this message with Janell, her tears flowed—a blend of hope and relief enveloped her heart. Together, we began seeing specialists, embarking on fertility treatments. Each month, Janell’s excitement would bloom, only to be met with crushing disappointment when her hopes were dashed. I held her tightly during those moments, her cries echoing my own heartache. “I thought you said God was going to bless us,” she would plead. I clung to my faith, repeating our mantra: “I don’t know when, but I know God will.”

As the years passed, the pain deepened. Watching others who effortlessly had children felt like salt in an open wound. Janell struggled with the apparent injustice of it all, wondering if God loved them more than us. In those moments, I gently reminded her that God’s love is unconditional and to hold on to the promise I believed He had spoken into my heart years prior.

After a ten-year journey, God answered our prayers and blessed us with our beautiful daughter, Kylie. But the desire to expand our family continued to grow, and we prayed fervently for another child—a son to continue our family’s legacy. One day, while praying, I heard God once again reassuring me: ‘Don’t mistake what seems overdue as being overlooked.’ I believed this promise, but as time wore on, doubt began to creep in. ‘Not now doesn’t mean not ever,’ I would reassure Janell, as we held on to faith.

As the years passed, we did our best to forge ahead. Janell finally became pregnant with twins, and joy surged through our hearts. But then came the heart-wrenching news: one of the embryos had not survived. Our joy faded into sorrow, but we remained steadfast in prayer for the child still growing.

The journey took another alarming turn when Janell developed a severe infection, requiring hospitalization and the delivery of our baby several months prematurely. I felt helpless standing by her side while our baby boy was fighting for his life

in the NICU. Pressing my palms against the glass, I saw feeding tubes, oxygen tubes, and heart-lung monitors all connected to my little boy. With tears flowing down my face, I whispered to him, ‘You’re strong, you can do this. Fight.’ After a long battle, the day finally came when we could bring Kyston home. Our hearts swelled with gratitude as we held him tightly, aware of how fragile life can be.

I often reflect on our journey—the silent cries we had poured into the dark, the relentless faith that had spurred us on, and the whispered promises from God that marked our path. Through this entire experience, I’ve learned some invaluable truths about perseverance.

Life’s challenges can sometimes feel overwhelming—rough, rocky, and towering like the tallest mountain. These struggles will test you—your strength, your faith, and your resolve. In my view, there are three essential things to have in life: God, grit, and good people. With God, all things are possible—believe that you can overcome any struggle you face. With grit, keep moving forward, even if you have to crawl. Never give up! It’s also vital to surround yourself with people who will stand by your side through it all, offering encouragement and support. Don’t try to face your challenges alone. Reach out to those who genuinely have your best interest at heart—those who will lift you up, someone you can lean on when needed, and who will help you across the finish line if they have to.

Torpedo Switch

by Debbie Neece

Washington and Osage Counties have been no strangers to oil production. The Foster family held a 1.5 million acre “blanket lease” with the Osage Tribe between 1896-1916; the Nellie Johnstone No. 1 oilwell erupted in 1897; and Frank and L.E. Phillips brought in the Anna Anderson oilwell in northwestern Washington County in 1905, which laid the path for Phillips Petroleum Company. What did they have in common? The wells were completed by pouring a liquid nitroglycerine “torpedo” charge into the well and then dropping a “go-devil” dart to explode the charge. This process resulted in fracturing the oil-bearing rock formations deep within the earth, erupting a shower of black gold.

Nitroglycerine was a dangerous and often deadly catalyst. As early as 1895, the Bartlesville Magnet newspaper reported a group of coon hunters built a warming fire too close to some nitroglycerine and they “were blown to pieces.” Also, a U.S. deputy marshal mistook a jug of nitroglycerine for a jug of bootleg whiskey. He smashed the jug with a sledge hammer and is now “visiting heavenly relatives and friends.”

The product was so dangerous that Ramona placed an ordinance prohibiting the handling of nitroglycerine in the town

limits. In addition, Bartlesville Ordinance No. 103, published March 22, 1906, stated: From and after the passage of this ordinance, it shall be unlawful for any person or corporation or the servants and employees of any person or corporation to introduce into the corporate limits of the city of Bartlesville or to store therein nitroglycerine in any quantity whatsoever. Furthermore, it shall be unlawful to manufacture nitroglycerine within the corporate limits of the city of Bartlesville, Indian Territory.

In 1904, the Kansas Torpedo Company, Western Torpedo Company and American Glycerin Company established offices in Bartlesville with services to include tree removal, bridge excavation, and artesian water and oil well discovery. However, their storage and manufacture operations were miles from city limits or county residents.

In 1899, Bartlesville’s National Hotel was built at the northwest corner of Johnstone Avenue and Third Street. A year later, a name change recognized the two-story wooden structure as the Right Way Hotel. The Right Way Hotel never slept, boasting it as the headquarters of fortune seekers like Frank Phillips, Harry Sinclair, H.V. Foster, George Getty and son, J. Paul Getty. In 1904, the three-story brick Right Way Annex was built, bringing an additional seventy guest rooms for the oilfield workers who operated the wells 24/7. It has been said the Right Way Hotel and 1904 Annex had revolving doors where beds were always warm; as one worker headed back to the oilfield, another was seeking slumber in his replacement. The 1904 Building continued to serve as lodging under the name Avaneda Hotel for over forty years (1919-1962).

Residents became accustomed to being startled from their slumber by earth quaking, window shattering explosions; however, while some people complained insistently, most saw the nuisance as a necessity. In the fall of 1916, a transport wagon belonging to the Eastern Nitroglycerine Company was “blown to atoms” causing the loss of one life and thousands of dollars in property damage. Then, February 1917, the American Torpedo Company plant, located three miles southwest of Bartlesville at Torpedo Switch, along the Katy railroad, was left in splinters with one man fatally injured and a large section of the Katy tracks heavily mangled. Several hundred quarts of nitroglycerine detonated, leaving nothing but a deep crevasse in the ground and a few toothpicks littering the area.

A gruesome newspaper headliner happened January 16, 1919. It took a mighty foolish man to handle the snake venom called nitroglycerine; reportedly, most handlers calmed their nerves with liquid courage before working with cans of liquid death. Ray Litchfield, Herbert Singleton and Roy Anderson were well aware of the dangers involved in handling nitroglycerine. They knew eventually all nitro plants blew up, leaving nothing behind. Singleton was the “maker and shooter,” while Anderson was the stockman.

The sun was about to set about 5:30, when 520 quarts of nitroglycerine at the Torpedo Switch American Glycerin Company plant exploded, sending debris into the western sky and setting the sunset ablaze. Night fell too quickly to access the complete damage. As the morning sun peeked over the eastern horizon, Bartlesville’s undertaker, E.E. Early arrived onsite where he located minuscule remains and a coat. Pieces of debris hung from the shredded trees and the hill was littered with wood splinters and boiler parts; although the Katy railroad was spared damage. Tucked strategically under the ridge of a hill was the nitro storage holding 3,070 quarts of explosive material which was also spared, as was the life of Litchfield, who sailed air-born twenty-feet.

This was the first of three 1919 earth rattling explosions that claimed lives and destroyed property, yet the practice continued. After the January explosion, Albert Brolliar and Cal Sexton replaced the employee losses, charged with reconstruction of the site. The pair salvaged pieces from the previous plant explosion and were cleaning a nitrator for reuse. Unfortunately, they were unaware crystalized nitroglycerine had formed on the equipment and they struck the nitrator with a hammer to loosen damaged lead coils. The resulting February 24th explosion claimed their lives instantly and sent others to the hospital. On June 18th, John Kern and G.F. Nichols were mixing nitroglycerine and witnessed a spark. Their feet rapidly carried them to safety as the building exploded in their wake; both escaped with minor burns.

Shooting oilwells with nitroglycerine essentially ended in the late 20th century as safer, more effective, methods of hydraulic fracking were developed. Oklahoma’s first commercially fractured oilwell took place in 1949, about 12 miles east of Duncan.

Did You Know?

When Bartlesville’s Cooper & Mill Brewery opened in 2020, one of their most popular brews was called Torpedo Switch to honor Bartlesville’s dangerous past. The name was shortened to Switch and continues to be available in the C&M taproom, Sterling’s Grill, Palace Rooms and Hillcrest Country Club. Also, since 2022, Michael Coates and Terry Woods have operated the Torpedo Switch Emergency Outfitting and Screen-Printing west of Bartlesville…at Torpedo Switch. Check them out at www.torpedoswitchoutfitters.com.

Now You Know *

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A Legacy of Dance Melissa Zervas Hahne’s Full Circle Moment

by Abigail Singrey

When Melissa Zervas Hahne took her first ballet class at three, she had no idea she would one day help shape the future of the Bartlesville Civic Ballet. But she knows the impact of mentorship and inspiration. Under the guidance of dance teacher Charlotte Lyke, she learned the fundamentals of ballet. However, it was the arrival of guest artists Soili Arvola and Leo Ahonen that truly ignited her passion for dance.

“Watching (Arvola) dance and demonstrate for us, really made me realize that (professional ballet) was something I could do, too,” Hahne said.

As a teenager, she danced in “Coppélia” alongside Arvola and Ahonen, then traveled with them to Washington, D.C., to perform in the same ballet at age 18, her first professional experience. Although she originally planned to major in ballet at Texas Christian University, she switched to kinesiology to allow a broader educational focus while still dancing with the TCU company, something no longer allowed to non-ballet majors.

“In a sense, I was able to have my cake and eat it, too,” Hahne said.

Rather than following the traditional path of joining a dance company after college, Hahne chose the flexibility of freelance work to maintain a better work-life balance. After relocating to Phoenix, she founded Southwest Ballet Theatre and established a dance program at Trivium Classical Academy. In 2019, she and her family moved to California, but she planned to commute back to Arizona to continue leading her company. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, travel restrictions made this difficult, and the Arizona program ultimately hired a local director. Meanwhile, dance programs in California remained closed. At the same time, Bartlesville Civic Ballet lost its artistic director. In a conversation with her mother, who was still involved with the organization, Hahne learned the company was struggling and uncertain about its future—facing the real possibility of shutting down.

“It was like a light bulb,” Hahne said. “I said, ‘I could set the ballet for Soili (Arvola), since she wasn’t traveling.’ . . . It was a very natural transition into artistic directorship.”

For Hahne, returning to the ballet program was a fullcircle moment—she had grown up in it and remained deeply connected to the community. Since taking the lead, she has expanded the program, adding a fall production. Hahne personally teaches the choreography for each ballet, while her staff oversees rehearsals. She returns at least once a month to fine-tune the performances, a process she describes as “adjust and set.”

“It’s a dream job, because (Bartlesville Civic Ballet) is fifty years old,” Hahne said. “It’s a well-oiled machine . . . We have a world class stage, costumes, and every ballet we do, we have a repertoire that we draw from.”

Since joining, Hahne has been dedicated to elevating the dancers’ skill levels. She began with “The Wizard of Oz,” using it as a unifying production to bring the company together. Next came “Arvola’s Dracula,” where she challenged the dancers with demanding professional choreography to sharpen their technique. By the time they performed “The Nutcracker,” their technical growth was evident—not only had they reached new levels of skill, but they also filled every available costume, marking a milestone for the company.

Now, she and her staff, along with the dancers, are hard at work preparing for their spring ballet—a production that blends three classical masterpieces: “Paquita,” “La Bayadère,” and “Don Quixote.” The ballet will open with the renowned Kingdom of the Shades scene from “La Bayadère,” a sequence often hailed as one of the most iconic moments in classical ballet.

“It is one of the most breathtaking scenes to watch these dancers all in white descending against a dark background. And they do an incredible amount of arabesques,” Hahne said.

It will be a moment not to be missed.

A Minkus Gala will be performed at 7:30 p.m. on April 11 and at 1 p.m. on April 12. Find more information at https:// bartlesvillecivicballet.com.

Dave Alexander

From the Saddle to the Symphony Hall

by Kelly Hurd

It was like a Willie Nelson song as I was On the Road Again – but this road trip took me down a path that led to recording studios, historic dance halls, and to back road ranches of some of Western Swing’s most notables.

Ride along with me down the road to one, in particular.

It was a foggy morning as I pulled through the ranch gate and up to a personal recording studio behind the home of four-time Grammy nominee, Dave Alexander.

Dave walked out and greeted me with a friendly smile, dressed in blue jeans and a cowboy hat, then invited me into the house to meet his wife, Sherri, over a cup of coffee.

Now, Dave is not just any Western Swing picker… he is a multi-instrumentalist, performer, and composer who has gained national notoriety as well as performed with greats like Willie Nelson, George Strait, Asleep at the Wheel, Dwight Yoakum, and Lyle Lovett – just to name a few.

But what has really set Dave apart in my eyes came through the trials and tribulations heaped upon performers during the Covid epidemic.

When everyone was sheltering in place, those who made their living performing for large audiences suddenly found themselves with the red carpet pulled right out from under them.

Dave shared with me during our visit how the pandemic season became a time of inner reflection about life and its priorities. During the Covid crisis, Dave’s wife lost both her parents and Dave withdrew intentionally from public contact so he could care for his mother without fear of exposing her to the pandemic.

“I spent a lot of time on a tractor,” he said, “just thinking.”

“I didn’t realize how much what I did - was who I was,” Dave reflected.

But as in so many painful experiences in life, something beautiful emerged on the other side. Dave Alexander reached deep within himself and began to create something he had dabbled with, but to which he had never fully given himself.

“I had to do something to keep me from going crazy,” he said.

In the isolation, Dave began to write out Western Swing music, composing it for an orchestra.

In years past, Dave had the opportunity to bring many former members of Bob Wills’ famous Texas Playboys into his own band – The Legends of Western Swing – in which they performed as the house band at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo for over a decade. So, with Western Swing echoing in his band-leader heart, Dave began to take the timeless light-heartedness of Bob’s music and began to compose those same melodies for a symphony orchestra performance – and broadened his horizons from band leader to conductor.

During isolation, Dave was creating a sound that would again draw crowds to enjoy Western Swing music while lifting the spirits of a world that had been isolated for far too long. What Bob Wills did in the dance halls during the 1940s, Dave Alexander would now do in the post-pandemic era –at the symphony – and he has called his composition “From the Saddle to Symphony Hall.”

I like that! It resonates with me.

Before you hop out, I hope this back-road journey has inspired your heart to dream again. Maybe you’ve found yourself somewhat isolated, going through something in which you feel alone. Be encouraged, my friend, that your best days are yet to come and be bold and brave enough to reach down within yourself and create your own form of beauty that will inspire others.

It’s called a testimony that can shake the gates of hell and break the chains of loneliness – but - you just can’t get one of those without the test.

Thanks for going On the Road with me this month, I sure enjoyed your company – and if you’d like to hear the full conversation I had with Dave Alexander, subscribe to the Calling to the Good podcast on most major podcast platforms. This episode is called “From the Saddle to the Symphony,” and it’s a good one!

Also, if you would like to have “From the Saddle to Symphony Hall ” performed at your local symphony, check out DaveAlexanderMusic.com.

#UntilNextTime

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Dream Big

by Mike Jerry Tupa

From what region of the heart do big dreams — even miraculous dreams — arise?

Where does the refusal to quit — even when quitting seems the only way out — come from?

Former boxing warrior Jack Dempsey perhaps put it best: “A champion is one who gets up with he can’t.”

In the world of sports there is a special group of champions — a group known as pro baseball players.

The distance from boyhood to full-time ballplayer seems an impossible quest. Only the most valiant, the grittiest, the most determined — often with a bit of luck or fortuitous timing — complete that path from tousled-hair Tee-baller to the Elysium of the diamond elite.

Many boys from Bartlesville and Dewey made the grade — far too many to mention here.

Bartlesville High School graduate Jakob Hall is the most recent. The right-handed pitcher is battling this spring to earn a playing spot as a rookie in the Minnesota Twins’ organization.

Within the past three or four decades, Mike Yearout and Curtis Shaw both advanced to AAA ball in their respective organizations.

Following are summaries of a few other Bartlesville area high school baseball products that scrapped through pain and frustration to earn their time in that coveted spotlight which is a mixture of the glowing magic from childhood dreams and sunlight of carefully-crafted promise.

RUSS MCGINNIS

June 3, 1992.

That was the day 29-year-old Russ McGinnis became a Major League Baseball rookie. Six grueling years — at times tumultuous — of minor league wars had prepared the Bartlesville Sooner High graduate to step into the Big Show.

Boasting an impressive presence at 6-foot-3, 225 pounds, McGinnis reached base twice in three plate appearances and played catcher in his debut.

That season he would hit four doubles in 14 games and would be considered the second-best receiver in the organization behind Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez.

McGinnis played three games in 1995 for the Kansas City Royals before retiring. He had been drafted in the 14th round of the 1985 draft by the Milwaukee Brewers.

CARSON LARUE

LaRue helped lead Dewey High to 35 wins and the state runner-up status in 2014.

Following a record-setting year at Cowley (Kan.) College — in which he set records for season strikeouts (133), single-game strikeouts (15) and innings pitched (102.1) and recorded

an 11-1 record with a 2.45 earned run average — the right-handed throwing LaRue attracted the attention of the Houston Astros.

They selected him in the 14th round (427th) of the 2016 draft. He spent four years in the minors (2016-19) before missing 2020 due to the sports lockdown. He came back in 2021 to play AAA ball. But injury cut short his season and his opportunity with Houston.

His minor league numbers with Houston included a 26-23 record, 4.27 ERA, 2 complete games, 2 shutouts, and 314 strikeouts in 368.2 innings.s

JAMES TEAGUE

Bartlesville High grade Teague helped Arkansas made a powerful push in 2016 to the College World Series.

The Baltimore Orioles then selected him in the 37th round of the 2016 draft — making him a longshot to get to the bigs.

But Teague came oh, so close — and might have made it had he decided to step away in 2019 due to marriage and a desire to finish law school.

His career numbers as a right-handed reliever included a 6-5 record, 4.16 ERA, 13 saves, 71.1 innings, 88 strikeouts.

In the spring of 2018 he was assigned to the Orioles for spring training games, recorded three saves and a 2.45 ERA in 7.1 innings, with seven strikeouts and one walk.

He now lives in Fayetteville, Ark., along with his family, which includes two children.

TIM PUGH

Pugh fashioned by far the most successful post-high school baseball career by a Bartlesville graduate.

He pitched for the Cincinnati Reds from 1992 into 1996 and spent part of a season with Kansas City and with Detroit.

Among his biggest pro highlight, in 1993 he snapped off a one-hitter against the San Diego Padres. He struck out four and walked four in 109 pitches. The Reds won, 8-0.

In his senior high school season, Pugh starred on Bartlesville High’s 1985 state championship team. He also was considered as one of the best baseball pitchers in Oklahoma State history.

Metasha Spaulding-Olson

... Remembering Her Army Service

by Joe Todd

Metasha SpauldingOlson (note married name is Olson) was born in Bartlesville in 1973. She joined the 486th Civil Affairs Battalion in the Army Reserves in 1990 and was sent to Fort Jackson, SC for Basic Training. She felt experienced in the Basic skills since she was raised on a farm and played Army with her brothers.

She had never thought about going into a combat zone until Desert Storm. Some unit members were called to active duty and shipped to Arabia, while she was in the unit six years and was activated for Bosnia. She thought our involvement in Bosnia’s long religious war was futile, but realized if we didn’t participate, it may be like a stone thrown in a river, rippling the water back to us, which would eventually become our problem.

in Bosnia

and childhood vaccinations. Visiting the orphanages helped with her homesickness while uplifting the moral of both the team and children.

The majority of the local people were glad the U.S. military were there; however, understandably, on occasionally a person expressed they did not want them in their country.

The 486th was sent to Fort Bragg for training for they might need in a combat situation. They left Fort Bragg and flew to Bermuda, the Azores and landed in Italy where they spent the night. The next day, they flew into Taszar, Hungary, where they were issued equipment and flew to Tuzla, Bosnia. Metasha was assigned to the Public Health Team at the Blue Factory, the 21st Combat Support Hospital. Bombed out village clinics were being rebuilt and her team supervised the rebuilding efforts while working with the Non-Government Organizations onsite to help the people. Beyond the materials donated to the hospitals, they were tasked with obtaining funding to purchase new equipment for the newly constructed buildings. They also tried to get help with healthcare for individuals who had been blinded or who became amputees due to combat. They found an orphanage where they administered healthcare

She witnessed orphans in the streets, ranging from two to eight years, very dirty, just running and playing in the streets. This greatly bothered her. Metasha said she thought the problem in Bosnia was that they have been fighting for centuries and it had become a way of life. One interpreter gave her the history of the area dating back to the year 700 BC and stated the Bosnians had always been at war. The people have been living on the same land for generations, only to have someone come in and take their land, forcing them to move to a new area. In her head, Metasha couldn’t see a clear solution until one interpreter told her that the Americans have been in Bosnia for seven months and, in those seven months, there has been peace. However, when the Americans leave, war will return; but, at least the Bosnians have experienced peace for seven months.

Metasha came home a changed person. She doesn’t take the United States for granted anymore. “We live in a country where we can make changes and have freedom of speech. In Bosnia, the people have no way to change anything.” She said what she saw was not all good, but it was a good experience.

Gary Reheis From the Origins of Computers to Volunteer Coordinator

by Kay Little, Little History Adventures

In 1979, a new Phillips building was added to the Bartlesville downtown skyline. This building had very few windows and many of us wondered why. We soon found out it was the home of the IT department, where all the big computers were operated.

I recently visited with Gary Reheis, who was one of the early Phillips computer gurus. Gary is from Douglass, Kansas and graduated from Wichita State University in 1966. Within two weeks of graduation, Gary married his high school sweetheart, Carolyn, went on a honeymoon and started a 35-year career at Phillips as a technical programmer in the Engineering, Operations and Analysis Division. This department was in the Adams building, on the 10th floor and later the Card Programmed Calculator was located on the 8th floor freight elevator lobby.

Gary shared some stories with me of some of the men who worked in the early days of Phillips computers. Kevin Dennis shared on behalf of his father, Erick Dennis. “When Phillips bought the first mainframe, they needed to develop a programming team to support it and they sent out a math aptitude test to all employees interested in joining the new computer group.” Erick was one of those people. The entire system originally cost $2.5 million and the operators treated the mainframe like royalty and the cleanliness around it was like an operating room.

The Computing Department was formed in the fall of 1957 with Myron Johnson as manager and all electronic computers were transferred to the new department. According

to Russell Shelton, who is 101 years old, the demand for mathematics majors grew quite a bit because the demand for programmers exploded. He also mentioned that this opened a new profession for women where they were accepted as equals.

As the years went by, there was a growing demand for more space. The result was the construction of a separate facility just for the computers. The IT building opened in 1979. They made the move during one weekend. Gary oversaw moving the mainframe to the new building. They had to shut everything down during the move. Everything went well until one of the contract movers accidentally hit the emergency power off button. The consequence was several hours spent to get all the machines working again.

One exciting event was the Y2K scare. The IT department realized they were going to have to convert old systems, replace some and spend a lot of time and money to get ready for 2000. At 12:01 a.m. on January 1, the employees celebrated a glitch-free move into the new millennium!

During the 1990’s, many of the large terminals were replaced with PC’s on each desk, and the mainframes replaced by server networks. This made it easier for the employees to do their job. As Gary said, “Today there is more technology in our cell phones than was in the whole IT department.”

Gary has been an avid golfer, and after his retirement as IT Director, he became the Volunteer Coordinator at the Adams Golf Course. He is very involved in working with the crew as they remodel the course. He is providing a bridge on #18 and helps take care of #16.

The Reheis family established the Reheis Family Emerald Scholarship Endowment to help provide scholarships for students to attend Tri County Tech. As Gary said, “We are deeply committed to the mission of the Tri County Tech Foundation. We hope to further this mission and make a lasting impact on the community.”

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Protect Your Heart

by Abigail Singrey

Heart month may be over, but protecting your heart is something that should never go out of season. American Heart Month was first proclaimed in February 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson, to raise awareness about heart disease—the leading cause of death in the United States. The initiative was championed by the American Heart Association, which had been working since 1924 to combat cardiovascular diseases through research, education, and advocacy.

The movement gained further momentum in 2004 when the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute launched the Go Red for Women campaign to spotlight heart disease in women, which was often overlooked in medical research.

“It’s important to care for the hearts of the women in our lives,” Dr. Anderson Mehrle, a cardiologist at Ascension St. John Jane Phillips Medical Center, said. “Often, they’re the caregivers, and don’t take the time they need to take care of their own health. The symptoms can be more subtle, too.”

February remains an important time for organizations, healthcare professionals, and communities to promote cardiovascular health and raise awareness about heart disease prevention through education and lifestyle changes. At Jane Phillips, Dr. Mehrle, Dr. Gary Dykstra, and Dr. Todd Thomas recently delivered their annual heart health talk to a well-attended local audience. They shared insights on advancements in treating atrial fibrillation and offered practical tips for maintaining a healthy heart. However, they emphasized that heart health isn’t just a focus for one month—it’s a lifelong commitment built through daily choices.

Omega-3 fatty acids (think foods like fish or walnuts) and antioxidants (think berries, apples, spinach and broccoli), and whole grains helps lower cholesterol and blood pressure, while fatty foods increase the likelihood of future heart problems. Avoiding processed foods and preservatives is key as well.

“No matter what stage of life, think about the food you eat and what fuel you give your body, because your body will use it,” Dr. Mehrle said. “The closer to ‘farm to table’ you can get, the better for your heart.”

It’s also important to take steps to prevent blood clots. A person is most at risk during a long car ride, when recovering from a surgery or illness or when dehydrated. The family medical history can play a role as well. Staying hydrated, moving as much as possible during medical recovery and wearing compression socks can all help. However, if a person notices a hot, painful, swollen leg, it’s important to seek immediate medical attention, as that can be a sign of deep vein thrombosis, or blood clots in the veins of the legs. These clots, if left untreated, can travel through the body to the lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism. Early treatment for a blood clot includes blood thinners or surgical procedures to remove the clot.

In the event of a heart issue, new procedures can be performed through the St. John network to help lengthen life and prevent problems. For instance, The Watchman is a simple, minimally invasive way to help prevent strokes in people with non-valvular AFib. AFib causes an irregular heartbeat, which can lead to blood clots forming in a small pouch in the heart called the left atrial appendage (LAA). If those clots travel to the brain, they can cause a stroke. The Watchman procedure places a tiny device inside the LAA to seal it off, preventing clots and reducing stroke risk.

For those who missed the talk, the doctors shared their key insights with B Monthly Magazine. They stressed that keeping your heart healthy starts with simple daily habits. Regular exercise—like walking, swimming, or cycling—keeps your heart strong. Managing stress, getting enough sleep, and avoiding smoking or excessive alcohol also play a big role. However, most importantly, eating a balanced diet rich in

For those who have been on blood thinners long-term, another procedure called ablation can help them no longer need to take the medicine. By causing tiny scars on the heart tissue that cause irregular beats, ablation can help restore a regular heart rhythm.

To help keep your heart healthy, it’s important to get regular check-ups with your primary care doctor, who can help diagnose any potential problems and refer you to a cardiologist, if needed. After all, you only have one heart!

Find more information at https://healthcare.ascension.org/.

Arvest Bank...

Partnering with Mary Martha Outreach to Feed the Hungry

by Stevie Williams, VP Marketing Manager, Arvest Bank Bartlesville Region

For the past 14 years, Arvest Bank’s Million Meals campaign has been nourishing our community in partnership with Mary Martha Outreach. The annual Million Meals campaign is a two-month initiative to raise money to help local communities and raise awareness about food insecurity. “Many of our closest friends or neighbors struggle each day with the unknown of their next meal,” says Mary Martha Outreach executive director Misty Wishall. “This is where Arvest comes in. Each year they are focused on helping us meet the need to feed the hungry.”

Since the Million Meals initiative began in 2011, Arvest Bank in Bartlesville has supported Mary Martha Outreach as its local food partner. The Bartlesville nonprofit, a Catholic Charities organization, offers a food pantry, clothing center, and crisis response.

If you have ever needed assistance from Mary Martha Outreach, you have not only received the vital necessities but also the kindness and care that goes into each food bag, beautifully displayed clothing item or emergency need. Even witnessing the amazing organization and ballet-like choreography that the volunteers orchestrate with love on any given day is extraordinary!

“We all have our daily struggles, but to not know when you will eat next, or feed your children next, is a struggle no one should bear,” says Wishall. “Our mission, daily, is to help provide a sense of security for those in need. When I say it takes a village, it truly does. We couldn’t make this happen without our volunteers, our community and our donors. Arvest is truly a partner. They work so hard with their Million Meals campaign and they have been a direct source of feeding those in the greatest need. A thank you to Arvest seems inadequate with what they do.”

The Million Meals campaign takes place annually from April through May to help food partners meet the increased need during the summer months when many children don’t have the benefit of free meals at their schools. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Oklahoma ranked 5 th among the most food-insecure states in the nation based on average rates from 2021-2023. Right here in Washington County, 13.6% of us face food insecurity. When you look at children facing food insecurity, those numbers are even higher, at 19.5%.

Last year, Arvest Bank presented Marty Martha Outreach

with a check for $13,550. Those funds included donations from the bank, its associates, and the community through fundraising efforts. Donations are made through local fundraisers at each Arvest branch in Bartlesville and Dewey or through the Arvest Go mobile app.

“The Million Meals campaign isn’t just about fighting hunger, it’s about investing in the strength of our neighborhoods and ensuring that every person has the chance to thrive,” said David Nickel, Arvest Bank local president. “Mary Martha Outreach is an exceptional partner in that they offer our community members those same opportunities. We’re excited to come together once again as a community to raise funds for Mary Martha Outreach and make a difference in the lives of our neighbors. Every dollar donated provides an opportunity to change a life and create a better future for all.”

Arvest Bank plans weekly fundraisers in Bartlesville and Dewey, with all funds going directly to Mary Martha Outreach. Fundraisers include bake sales at all branches, an Egg My Yard Easter fundraiser, a silent auction the week of April 21-25 at the Arvest Eastside branch, and more.

Donations can be made at any of the branch and drive-thru locations in Bartlesville and Dewey. Every dollar donated in the Bartlesville area goes directly to Mary Martha Outreach.

For more information, please contact Stevie Williams, VP, Marketing Manager of Arvest – Bartlesville Region at (918) 3373435 or swilliams7@arvest.com. Additional information about Million Meals can also be found at arvest.com/millionmeals.

A Summer Camp for Everyone

GRADES 3-4 GRADES 5-6 GRADES 7-9

Join us this summer for our annual STEAM Summer Camp at Tri County Tech! STEAM Summer Camp is a fun-filled, week-long day camp for kids currently enrolled in grades 3-9. Lunch, morning & afternoon snacks, and a t-shirt are provided. Visit our website for a list of camp themes, and register today! Scan the QR Code to Register!

*will attend all camp themes JUNE 9 - JUNE 13, 2025 8:30am – 3:30pm *will attend two camp themes JUNE 16 - JUNE 20, 2025 8:30am – 3:30pm *will attend two camp themes JUNE 2 - JUNE 6, 2025 8:30am – 3:30pm

Truitt’s Racing Fever

by Debbie Neece

Pawhuska born Odey Marion Eugene Truitt was better known to family and friends as Sonny Eugene. His family moved to Bartlesville when he was six-months old. In 1949, nine-year-old Sonny Truitt was the 18th Washington County polio patient and was taken to St. John’s Hospital in Tulsa. He survived and graduated from College High School in 1958. After high school, he worked for Ray DeMeritt Roofing for a minute, Wilcox Safety Shop for 11 years; then two years at Town and Country Motors in Bartlesville.

In 1970, he opened his own business, Truitt’s Brake and Alignment Service at 1514 SW Frank Phillips Blvd (1971-1975), before moving to 1315 W. Hensley Blvd. (1976-present). His son, Ronnie joined him in the business after graduation in 1976 and after Sonny passed away in 2006, the business torch passed to Ronnie Truitt.

“All work and no play makes Sonny a dull boy” and when the Truitt’s play, they play hard. It takes a lot of grit to strap into a race car or mount a Harley motorcycle with the tunnel vision of victory before you and danger as your passenger. The stands are filled with spectators shifting in their seats in anticipation, then the race begins with the waving of a flag, spectators screaming at their favorite driver, leaving them hoarse at the end of the evening. Oh, that manly rivalry.

Sonny Truitt had no fear. He donned his white superman race suit and climbed behind the wheel, pedal to the metal, dirt clods flying, trying not to be the one eating dirt but sailing in the fresh air to victory. Accepting second place was considered first looser and not an option.

Insert: “Sonny Truitt in his 1931 Ford Coupe with 1967 Plymouth engine turned in the best time in the Modified Class of 19.5 seconds. Sonny is a veteran at Lakeside Speedway with five years driving experience. At 31-yearold, he is sponsored by Perry & Son Contractors, Town and Country Motors and Pennington Hills Gulf Service Station.”

There is something exhilarating about dirt track racing. Names like Gary Brown, Harold Todd, Bud Purkey, Ted Bacon, Ed Neely and Sonny Truitt loaded their trailers with their pride and joy cars and all the tools and parts needed to “take it to the track.” Whether racing at Joplin, Enid, Tulsa, Wichita, Hutchinson, Fort Smith or right here at the Tuxedo racetrack, racing was an incurable bloodborne illness. It was a topsy-turvy wreck at Lakeside Speedway in Dewey that resulted in a back injury and put the whoa on his racing career.

Sonny was also a member of the “Throttle Twisters” motorcycle club of Bartlesville and raced his Harley at bi-weekly motorcycle races, often carrying home the first-place trophy. Neighbors were thankful he finally took his Harley to the dirt track and quit practicing up and down their alleys.

Truitt’s Brake and Alignment is still at their ole faithful location 1315 W. Hensley Blvd. and managed by third generation Truitts, Ronnie’s sons, Ryan and Todd. In addition, the racing fever is alive and strong in its fourth generation with Ronnie’s grandchildren, Hudsyn and Masyn, taking the wheel. In addition, Truitt’s Speed Shop opened in 2023 to keep everything tip-top-tuned.

by Jay Webster

I am fond of a personal axiom: “You can pretty much do anything as long as you have a finish line.”

In other words, we can endure a great deal of discomfort, inconvenience or even hardship when we know it’s only temporary. But what happens when there is no foreseeable end in sight? Well, sometimes, that’s where the dragons can live.

That’s when many of us have to ask, “Why persist?”

In 1995 two kids returned home from the University of Oklahoma, diplomas in one hand and student loan bills in the other. In between, though, was a heart full of dreams. A year later, fueled by the ambitions that only youth can sustain,

they started a film and video production company in a city that, at the time, had no demand for such a business. Every waking moment not spent recording recitals and weddings or producing corporate videos was devoted to rehearsing our plans to take over the world.

Years passed, and many of the arrows we shot at the stars have since fallen back to Earth. Not everything, not most things, turned out the way we planned back in 1996 (or in 2006 or…). My wife and I are creative, passionate people by nature - and even worse when you put us together - so what do you do when your dreams and aspirations yield different results than you expected or thought you wanted?

We can all find ourselves in this place.

You wanted kids or a family, and that didn’t happen. You wanted a career far different than the one you are in. Your health or physicality isn’t what you hoped for. The person you were supposed to grow old with isn’t here. The nation you grew up with is missing in action, maybe never to return. Your life looks nothing like the one you set out for. Somehow, you got written out of the fantastic script you had for your life. And your ship not only didn’t come in…it sank somewhere at sea.

So, why do we persist?

Why continue in creativity if you’ve outlived your dreams? Why continue in passion, love, or hope if those seeds didn’t sprout? Why keep believing and striving for a better community, state, or country when there is so much resistance and all that you’ve hoped for can so easily be cut down by others? Why persist?

My wife, Ann-Janette, and I had this conversation (again) recently. Here’s what we came to.

We persist in part because it is who we are. Each morning, I show up at the office, and my first task of the day (on many days) is to write. It’s not easy. It’s a discipline. I write material that I know will eventually be read by tens of tens of people. But I enjoy lasso-ing my thoughts into something intelligible. I appreciate the conversations they begin with myself and many of you. I like who I am more as someone who creates (books, videos, stories, landscaping, pictures, desserts, whatever). And I’ve also realized that maybe one percent of creators ever achieve what we consider to be success (money, notoriety, acknowledgment…). Does that mean the other ninety-nine percent should quit, and what they do has no value?

We persist because by doing so, we honor inspiration itself. My wife, as most of you know, is a singer-songwriter. Our mantra has been that as long as you hear a melody or lyrics, you should do something with them; you should act on them because it’s a gift. Not everyone receives inspiration. If you have ever lived in an inspiration desert, you know I’m right. So, if you feel moved to do something good for someone - to meet a need, to solve a problem, to feed the hungry, to plant a garden…whatever it is…take action. Persist even when you’re fatigued because it is the imagination, the idea that fuels us. And when we act on these things, it’s like an invitation: I have finished my plate, and I would like more, please.

We persist because we know there are others. We are connected hand in hand with people who are also fighting the good fight—people who draw strength from knowing they are not alone in the trenches of decency, love, respect, and kindness. They are not alone at the gym, in AA, volunteering, or in any other pursuit. If we give up, what happens to them?

We persist because we know that no season lasts forever. Tides change, and the truth will not always be denied. In fact, the greater the darkness, the more piercing even the smallest light becomes. Don’t believe me? Walk into your kitchen in the middle of the night and see how the tiniest LED light on your

coffee maker, fridge, or microwave can illuminate the entire space. You are no different. You are that light in a room filled with negativity, ugliness, fear, and hopelessness. I read it somewhere, but it’s true: we should “let this little light shine.” Now more than ever, this is no time to cower or quit. And even as light simply exists, it shines by its very nature—this is our task. Not always forcefully (as we generally understand force) but persistently, hopefully, and confidently… knowing that light will always illuminate.

To be sure, every one of us gets tired. Sometimes, your light seems more like a flicker than a torch, but it’s not snuffed out. Fatigue, frustration, and even despair can be natural byproducts of caring. So, if ten percent is all we can give today, that’s OK. Give it. And keep giving. The fruit of that giving will strengthen you and revive you so you can give more.

As we’ve said before, no one defaults to a great life or a happily-ever-after. It’s a thousand choices. Probably more. And those choices come when we are tired and when we want to give up and give in. (Those are the most important ones, actually). So we choose.

We persist to survive because it is who we are. To quit would be a kind of death—a death of our hearts and our souls.

Other than all that, persisting really isn’t all that important.

Don’t give up on who you are. We need you now more than ever. Persist in kindness, humility, and hospitality. Continue sharing songs and stories. Maintain good humor and bright smiles. Keep resisting the darkness. It matters.

Thanks for being one of the tens of tens of readers this month. It means a great deal to me that we get to have these little conversations. I hope it helped. I promise to try again next month.

Until then, find ways to do good, my friends. Cheers.

Redeeming Beelzebub

by Brent Taylor

We have a cat I call Beelzebub. Not her given name, but one I feel she has earned, based on the trail of destruction imprinted on our household furnishings and her penchant for gluttony, which is, after all, what ole Beelzebub was known for. Apparently, Beelzy ate all of his coworkers’ lunches—even though they were owner labeled. For that, he was unceremoniously kicked out of heaven and now awaits judgment. But maybe I’m being too hard on our gluttonous cat. She did have a tough start in life.

Caney was named for the spot she was found by my wife, Karen, who is a sucker for those in distress. Caney was on the shoulder of Highway 75 on the Caney River bridge, a tiny ball of fur—parched and starving. Abandoned, she sought refuge on the freeway. Karen brought her home with the promise that she would be nursed to health and adopted by another household, not ours, although I doubted it.

We don’t really get along that well. I think it has to do with the money I’ve spent replacing cat-scratched furniture. It is hard for me to call her by her given name. She doesn’t speak English, so perhaps it isn’t as evil as it sounds to call her Beelzebub. Although words do matter, especially the names we call one another. Words carry old and new meanings.

To me, Beelzebub no longer means the Prince of Darkness. The name has morphed to mean a plump cat with a penchant for household destruction. In recent years, my wife’s name has also morphed. The name Karen is an epithet for a type of hectoring white woman, assured of her status and not hesitant in calling down authority upon trivial moments and transgressions. The name Karen sat atop lists of names from 1941 until 1965, ranking third behind the marvelous Mary and laudable Lisa. This means many Karens today are in their fifties or sixties—like my wife.

“Alas, ubiquity rendered Karen generic, an emblem of conformity, granting her the safety of being thoroughly average. By 2020, its usage, already in severe decline before its hijacking as a term of mockery, had fallen to pre-

Depression levels.” (Ligaya Mishan, “March of the Karens,” NYT, Aug. 12, 2021)

As the cat is to me, my wife is Beelzebub to some—not because of her character, but because of the name she was given in 1963. Names are often imposed upon us. Wouldn’t it be nice if the names we call others were not impositions, but rather true. We long to hear our name. To be who we really are, not what others perceive us to be from cliches and memes. Our hearts long for our true names to be known and spoken. Technology and AI shout our so-called names as if there is intimacy. My app suggested that I speak and the television would play what I said. It gave an example: “Ask to play romantic movies with Meryl Streep.” I thought, Out of Africa, based on the writings of Isak Dinesen, who wrote under the pseudonym, Karen Blixen. Meryl Streep played Blixen opposite Robert Redford. Late in the story, Karen Blixen is leaving Africa and gives a cherished compass to her loyal Somali headman, Farah. She tells him the compass is dear to her and has helped her find her way. Throughout the movie, Farah addresses her only with a Swahili term of endearment, Msabu, meaning madam. As she boards the train to leave, Karen looks back at Farah and says, “I want to hear you say my name.”

Farah replies, “You are Karen, Msabu.”

Someday, I will make my peace with Beelzebub. And we will walk together in green pastures without rancor or fear of damage and retribution. Like the Lord says in Psalm 50: “All the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird on the mountains, and all the animals of the field are mine.” Caney, according to the Psalmist, a cat once redeemed on a bridge in the stifling Oklahoma heat, is known to the Lord and Karen. One day, Caney will speak to me. She will say, “I want to hear you say my name.” And I will say, “You are Caney, Msabu, rescued from the river by Karen. Eat all you want, this is your home.”

Are We Open Yet? We Have Been Open!

by Miriam Walker

Welcome to spring! Now that the long winter has passed, we are putting the final touches on our preparations for opening B the Light full time. The generosity shown during the winter has carried on right into the spring. We’d like to thank those that have partnered with us to make sure we’re prepared for day one.

Paul’s Wrecker service towed our box truck to Tri County Tech; NO CHARGE, and the students there repaired it for us, also for no charge. Thank you! This was a huge blessing and will benefit the Mission greatly.

Sometimes it’s the littlest ones in our community that make the biggest impact. The children that were affected by last spring’s tornado raised $500 for the Mission, and the kids from Jane Phillips 4th grade class raised $50 and made Valentines for the Mission. Thanks guys! What an amazing lesson of generosity to show our children, and at such an early age.

Our young adults from Oklahoma Wesleyan University have become a weekly staple at the Mission. This is an amazing group of young adults, and it’s exciting to see that they already have a heart for those less fortunate than themselves. The work they do is often heavy lifting and trust me, the muscles are needed! We are so grateful for every one of these college students.

We’d like to thank 5 Below here in Bartlesville, for all the donations. They brought the Mission four and a half pallets of good items that we’ll be using for our guests. We are grateful for the partnership with Karen Wood, Drug Court Coordinator, who connects individuals seeking meaningful ways to give back. Whether through donations like bottled water or other practical support, their generosity is appreciated.

At B the Light, when we see one of our neighbors struggling, we know that they weren’t always in the predicament they are in now. We’ve all had times of struggle at some point, and life’s reservoir of cruelties hits some harder than others - but it always hits. We see those struggling as a human being first, before we ever see what they might be going through.

Life is crazy, it’s often complicated, and it can be messy. But if we’re going to love people the way we’re instructed to love them, the way that God loves us, then we have to be willing to step into their mess. We are all connected through the common thread of humanity, and at the Mission we start by loving the human being first.

One of the groups that are phenomenal at seeing the human need is First Church of the Nazarene. THANK YOU SO MUCH! During their most recent work day, they helped to clean and

organize the donations that continue to arrive on a daily basis.

The most asked question these days seems to be, when will we be open? The short answer is soon. We are in the final stages of safety device installation and certification. Once completed, we can go back to the city for their final approval.

While we’ve worked through all the state and city guidelines, we’ve been serving the city’s homeless population. We’ve been open, providing emergency shelter since we were first blessed with the building in 2022.

We have continued to provide emergency services in the form of emergency shelter in extreme temperatures, food, clothing, blankets, and reconnection with family members. All these services are being accomplished behind the scenes while we work through the regulatory requirements we have faced.

One could say, in a real sense, we’ve been open for three years. We just haven’t stepped into our full potential yet.

The second most asked question is,l, why is it taking so long to become fully operational? The time involved for all regulatory and city approvals is far more involved than anyone could have imagined.

We were completely blessed to receive this building. However, a building that is 60 years old comes not only as a blessing, but also with many responsibilities and challenges. The history of the city’s zinc plant goes back to the early 1900’s. Downtown Bartlesville and much of its west side sits in the middle of a huge National Zinc Overlay District. (A Superfund site.) As such, any building use changes proposed must deal with the consequences of that era. When B The Light wanted to change the building’s use from an office complex to a homeless and transitional housing center for the city, it included many additional steps for safety and security for the residents, volunteers and visitors. For the last eighteen months, we have been working with the State’s Department of Environmental Quality to ensure our building is safe for residential occupancy.

Last December we accomplished that and were released to serve the city. We are now finalizing the various requirements the city has placed before us. Safety and security are critical factors in housing the homeless. It takes time, but we are very close to becoming the premier poverty reduction and homelessness resolution center, that we envisioned when we first were offered this building.

So stick with us Bartlesville, the finish line is in site!

See you next month!

White Flags for Momma

by Miriam Walker

God, please don’t let my daughter die, and please bring her back home to me. I cried out to God to rescue my daughter from a life that had become consumed with abusive relationships and the worst kinds of addictions. If I could have surrendered for her, this momma would have done it one hundred times over.

In 2016, leaving her three babies and Oklahoma behind, the broken thing on the inside of my daughter kept her running. Drowning in her addictions and engulfed in another abusive relationship, she was left abandoned on the side of the highway in the middle of San Diego, California.

And I couldn’t breathe. My lungs were filled with air, but now I was drowning.

It’s Monday, March 10, 2025, and I’m sitting across from one of the strongest women I’ve met since being here in Bartlesville. Angelia Maynard is a co-business owner, a believer, an overcomerand she’s a momma.

Angelia’s life nearly ended as soon as it began, and it was because of her grandmother that she survived. While dropping off some groceries for her daughter and 2 week old Angelia, her grandmother found signs of drug use, a very sick baby, and no momma. It would be decades before Angelia saw her mother again.

Despite a near tragic beginning, being raised by her grandparents, her life was pretty good. From two weeks to 21 years old, Angelia was accustomed to all the things any girl would want or need growing up - except the one thing nobody else could give her; the love of a momma.

I felt my throat get tight and my heart raced. The similarities between the woman sitting in front of me and my daughter was nearly too much to handle.

And if something is lost, can it ever be found again?

As Angelia got older, she found herself in an abusive relationship and before long, she became a mother herself. She now had two children. She began experimenting with drugs, but nothing very serious at first. Things intensified after losing her beloved grandmother. The closest she’d ever come to having a momma, and now she was gone.

To make matters worse, Angelia was kicked out of the only home she’d ever known by her grandmother’s family. She and her husband, along with their two children went to live with friends. Not long after arriving, they discovered it was a dope house. The methamphetamine use began, and it didn’t stop for two weeks straight.

The dark poison of addiction attached itself to the young mother, and the couple lost their three kids to DHS custody. The possibility and the impossibility of getting clean was waging war inside of her mind, but the broken parts that needed the numbing were winning the battle. Angelia eventually got her children back, but during a violent altercation with her abusive husband, her baby was hit. Her husband was sent to jail but soon after, she bailed him out. Angelia’s children were taken again, but this time it was for good - they were adopted.

Angelia had her fourth child and shortly thereafter, by some twist of fate, she reconnected with the mother that had abandoned her over two decades ago. She was hopeful that there could be a relationship, and deep down that’s what she wanted. But deeper

down than that, was the hurt and grief that had slowly begun to break her into a million pieces on the inside. Her babies were gone.

She wanted to die, and so that is what she set out to do. Angelia got a belt, she got a chair, and she wrapped that belt around her neck and stood up on the chair to hang herself. Her baby began to cry, and in doing so, Gage saved her life. His name is Gage, and his cries changed the trajectory of his momma’s life forever.

Her mother and her baby’s father had her committed to Vinita, and shortly after she was in the Wagoner Mental Hospital. It was there that she met her husband Derrick. The two fell in love and eventually moved to Bartlesville where they were married. Derrick had his own past struggles with drugs, and the two of them began using meth. It was when Angelia began using the needle however, that things took the worst turn of all. They were violent with each other, and they were unfaithful to each other. One violent attack landed Angelia in the hospital and Derrick in jail. With Derrick gone, she tried very hard to stay clean but it was no use.

Waving the white flag of surrender is probably the most courageous thing an addict could do. It’s not a sign of weakness, but the cry for help that God had been waiting for all along. Angelia waved that white flag of surrender and eventually got back together with Derrick, who by now had been freed from jail, and from drugs. Their new beginnings flourished at Get Real Ministries, where Rando and Shiloh Gamble gave them the love, help and guidance they needed to start on a better path.

Something was still missing. A mother doesn’t stop being one just because her children are gone. The ache on the inside of Angelia was still there. All of her children had been adopted, and so it seemed like an impossible road to travel down, and one that could end in more heartache.

But a momma that knows how to get a prayer through, knows that God can make the impossible- possible. We’re the ones that yell into the air on bike rides so that He’ll hear us loud and clear. We’re the mothers that cry into our pillow hoping that God heard us, again, and again.

God saved Angelia Maynard on more occasions than one, and He heard her cries deep into the night - and He saw that white flag of surrender.

And then God did the one thing that Angelia wanted most, the one thing she prayed for. She got her boys back. B.J. and Gage came home to their momma.

Mothers of daughters and their sons, God has heard every prayer you ever prayed regarding your babies, every single prayer. They are our sons and our beautiful daughters…

“Sometimes they break so beautiful, and you know you’re not the only one. You’re not a curse, you’re not too much, you are needed here, you are enough, and nothing’s gonna hold you down for long.” Joe Keogh

Three years ago my daughter raised her own white flag of surrender, and God freed her from every addiction that had tried to kill her.

And in the summer of 2023, she came home to her momma…

“SWING INTO SPRING”

Luke Christianson

FRIDAY | MAY 16 | 7-9 PM

“WORLD FARE”

Something Steel Band

Experience culturally diverse artisans, dances, cuisine, and music

FRIDAY | JUNE 13 | 7-9 PM

“CINEMA UNDER THE STARS”

“The Outsiders”

FRIDAY | JULY 18 | 9-11 PM

“CINEMA UNDER THE STARS”

“The Parent Trap” FRIDAY | AUGUST 15 | 9-11 PM

DJ Chase; BHS Drumline w/ Pom/Cheer/Color Guard

THURSDAY | OCTOBER 9 | 6-7:30 PM

The OKC Memorial & Museum

by Jay Hastings

This month marks 30 years since the largest act of domestic terrorism was perpetrated not just on our country, but our state. On April 19, 1995, at 9:02a, 168 people were killed in a bombing at the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. Nearly 700 more were injured, and our state was changed forever. What evil intended for harm, the people of Oklahoma not only weathered, but showed the nation – even the world –what it means to be Oklahoma Strong.

In the months following the bombing, then-OKC Mayor Ron Norick appointed a task force to consider ways to commemorate the incident and its impact. The task force submitted a report in March 1999, which included a mission statement calling for creation of a memorial “to remember those who were killed, those who survived, and those changed forever”.

In September 1996, the task force transitioned into the Oklahoma City National Memorial through establishment as a 501(c)(3) entity. Committees were formed and included survivors of the bombing, families of those killed, and first responders and volunteers who’d helped with rescue and recovery efforts. The Outdoor Symbolic Memorial was dedicated by President Bill Clinton on the fifth anniversary of the bombing in 2000. Less than a year later, President George W. Bush dedicated the original Memorial Museum on Presidents’ Day, 2001.

The museum has undergone expansion and remodel over the years, most recently in 2017. My wife and I recently spent a day on site, and encourage others to do the same. The experience is immersive, including an entire timeline, beginning with an audio recording of a Water Resource Board meeting that began promptly at 9:00a in a nearby building the day of the bombing. The blast is captured on the recording.

Several other artifacts and pieces of evidence are exhibited in the museum, including the get-away car used to leave the area of the Murrah Building and an audio recording of Trooper Charlie Hanger, who arrested the then-unidentified bomber for traffic offenses. The museum also includes an educational setting for school and other groups as well as the Gallery of Honor. The gallery, set aside in a separate room, includes photographs of and items relevant to all 168 people killed, provided by their families and other loved ones.

Outside, on what was then 5th Street, a reflection pool and 168 chairs, each etched with name of a person killed, are positioned between the Gates of Time. The gates, 9:01 to the east and 9:03 to the west, frame the moment of the bombing, representative of the innocence before the attack and the healing that began immediately thereafter.

There are many other attractions in the

outdoor space of the memorial. An elm tree that withstood the blast, now known as The Survivor Tree, is more than 100 years old and stands taller than any other point on the grounds.

One of the things that struck me the most is the chain link fence along the western edge of the property. Fencing was initially established soon after the blast to preserve the site in the midst of ongoing rescue, recovery, and investigation, as well as to protect others from the instability of the structure and surrounding area. However, nearly immediately, the fence transformed into a makeshift memorial with folks leaving notes, pictures, and a variety of mementos to honor those killed and otherwise impacted. Many of those early items were secured for preservation in the museum archives. Others things remain on the fence today, and continue to be added even now.

The mission statement of the memorial and museum concludes with, “May all who leave here know the impact of violence. May this memorial offer comfort, strength, peace, hope, and serenity.” For my wife and me, that mission is accomplished. We will always remember, and we will remain Oklahoma Strong.

FINANCIAL LITERACY