Community Spirit Spring 2016

Vote June 28th!

Contents

Spring 2016 PUBLISHER & editor Tom McCloud

FEATURES

CREATIVE Director Ben Allen

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Tom McCloud, Randy Cowell, Deniece Adsit, Justin Cowell, Danny Cahill

OK Mozart Rooster Days and The Rose District I lived to Praise About It - Royal Aills Finishing the Game with Courage - Henry Migliore Ph.D. Private Christian Schools Justin Cowell Clear-Tone Senate Race District 45 Tulsa Mayoral Race

COLUMNS 22 36 38

Danny Cahill, The Biggest Loser Healthy Smiles Dentistry Mother’s Day - Deniece Adsit

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ACT Financial Services Michelle Hammons, Creativity Playbook

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Claims by advertisers and the opinions of writers within this publication do not necessarily represent the views of Community Spirit Magazine or its publisher, Equipment Publications, Inc. Philippians 2:1-2 “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.”

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utting the OK back in OK Mozart has been a challenging mission for Executive Director Randy Thompson. With the local economic downtown in the oil industry, and in trying to keep the festival within budget -- something that hadn't been done for a long time -- Thompson has made extremely tough business decisions, called “brave” by some, that allowed the festival to continue to celebrate music and still bring talented musicians to Oklahoma. Not only will the festival focus more on Oklahoma music, but in “righting the ship” financially, Dr. Thompson has managed to make musical lemonade out of lemons through breaking with tradition and bringing festival expenditures into alignment with income. Dr. Thompson has embraced the arts in Oklahoma by shifting the focus of the festival to celebrating the finest classical musicians – and the arts in general -- that Oklahoma has to offer and bringing in guest artist and crossover musicians to join in on the fun. Make no mistake, though, 2016 will be a pivotal one for the festival.

For the past 31 years, OK Mozart has brought in the Amici New York orchestra – an orchestra comprised of New York area musicians created exclusively for the OK Mozart festival. Various artistic directors and conductors have worked at the festival throughout its history -- most recently Constantine Kitsopoulos.

The relationship with Amici New York and the conductors and artistic directors has historically been mutually beneficial and Bartlesville has welcomed these musicians and conductors with open arms. Unfortunately, with the downturn of the economy and the loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars of corporate sponsorships, Dr. Thompson made the difficult and painful decision – with the full support of OKM’s board of directors -- to take the OK Mozart festival in its new direction, one that focuses on gathering and celebrating the finest classical musicians that Oklahoma has to offer.

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Dr. Thompson states that, “31 years ago, Oklahoma didn’t have a symphony. Now, Oklahoma’s orchestras and symphonies include some of the highest caliber musical talent coming from around the world.” OK Mozart’s Marketing & Public Relations Director Lizabeth Rolfson adds, “Having started just after last year's festival, I did not have the privilege of working with Amici or Constantine but have heard nothing but wonderful praise about them and the past 31 years they've been associated with the OKM festival. I did, however, join the team in time to help facilitate the new direction we've taken. Oklahoma now boasts a level of professional musicianship that we are extremely proud of and are excited to bring as much talent as we can from across the state to participate in the annual festival here in Bartlesville.”

Indeed, the OK Mozart festival is entering a new phase embracing local musicians as well as inviting internationally renowned musicians and crossover artists to join the festival. For 2016, OK Mozart presents Simply Three as the crossover artist. Ties to New York will never be fully severed – the OK Mozart festival will continue to cherish and honor the festival’s origins and past by hosting legendary New York jazz artist Catherine Russell and pianist AnneMarie McDermott in 2016. Other festival highlights will include Miró Quartet, Brightmusic Chamber Ensemble, clarinetist David Carter and conductors Daniel Hege, Andres Franco and Lauren Green. Thompson explains “Change takes time. You have to have a plan and then implement it sequentially. We had hoped to make the changes much slower than we have but the arts organizations throughout Oklahoma have embraced our new focus and have been wonderfully supportive. There is much to celebrate here in Oklahoma and the OK Mozart festival will still be great – maybe even better!”

This year, the festival is also doubling the chamber music offerings which will be held at Ambler Hall – the new acoustic traditional chamber music type of venue, recently constructed, that has been selected as a finalist for an architectural award through Oklahoma Main Street, an Oklahoma Department of Commerce initiative. For classical music aficionados who would love to experience chamber music in the type of environment for which the music was made – Ambler Hall will be a special treat.

The OK Mozart festival is also expanding its Especially For Kids events to include puppet shows from Stone Lion Puppet Theater from Kansas City, a pirate named Armando, educational activities at the Bartlesville Public Library and daily prize drawings and giveaways for children who attend events.

Part of the fun is that, with changes, the festival will hold new attractions each year while always keeping some kind of connection with New York to

pay homage to the festival's roots through musical selection or guest artists. Thompson’s actions enable the festival to continue to grow in new directions based on how the musical and arts communities throughout the state change over time. The festival will be a reflection of the past and a celebration of the future. While many other classical music festivals have folded in the recent past, Thompson is determined to create an environment where this won’t happen to one of Oklahoma’s most beloved festivals.

Incidentally, the gathering of some of the best musicians and music Oklahoma has to offer is being replicated with art as well.

The Tulsa Girls Art School will be showing and selling work during the 2016 festival, and tentative agreements are being made with the OSU Gardiner Art Gallery for 2017 and a verbal agreement has been reached with the Philbrook Art Museum for 2018.

Another first for OKM includes working with the local PBS broadcast television station OETA in underwriting some of the programming available to the public as well as donating thousands of dollars of season tickets to supporters of OETA through their annual fundraising festival in March. Oklahoma is a state that supports its arts and nonprofit organizations and OK Mozart is pleased and privileged to work in conjunction with OETA to support PBS programming and provide tickets to people in areas of the state that may not have been able to attend the festival in the past.

With all the change, OK Mozart’s mission has remained constant: to bring the highest quality of professional music and cultural experiences to the citizens of Oklahoma. By expanding children's offerings and appealing to more young families this year, OK Mozart endeavors to bring more cultural knowledge and classical music exposure to the youth throughout Oklahoma, but especially for the smaller communities surrounding Bartlesville that gather for the week-long event. The festival is changing but it remains a cultural treasure, beloved by many, and is worthy of a visit this June 11-18.

The staff of OK MOZART invites you to a fun-packed week of classic entertainment!

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hink you have “been there, done that in Broken Arrow?

Think again. What once was a historic, but quiet little town is quickly turning into a terrific place for shopping, dining and entertainment for the entire family. The folks in Broken Arrow know how to have fun.

Start with the Rooster Days Festival on May 12-14. It is the 85th year for the event which brings thousands to town from all over Oklahoma. Recognized as the “Oldest Running Festival in Oklahoma,” Rooster Days started in 1931 when there was a thriving poultry industry in the one-time rural community. As the story goes, a single rooster wasn’t worth much at the butcher, but in mass quantity the butchers were willing to take them. So, some marketing-minded city father decided to establish a “rooster day,” giving farmers a reason to come to town and giving the town a reason to throw a big party. Eighty-five years later, folks leave their roosters at home, but wouldn’t miss the fun of the party.

There’s something for everyone this year, from live entertainment, the annual Rooster Days Parade, Delicious Food Offerings, Wine Garden, Carnival Rides and the Rooster Days Market Place.

The full lineup of fun family events is presented by TTCU the Credit Union, the Broken Arrow Chamber of Commerce and the Broken Arrow Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“This festival is really representative of our community,” according to April Sailsbury, Broken Arrow Chamber of Commerce senior vice president. “It has endured, changed and grown over the past 85 years into an event the entire community supports, enjoys and takes pride in.”

A full slate of music is again set for this year’s Rooster Days. The headlining acts are The Eric Himan Band, performing Friday night and The Fabulous Mid Life Crisis Band performing Saturday night on the Rooster Days Entertainment stage. The festival will also feature local favorite Empire, along with a number of other bands and performance groups.

This year’s festival will feature exciting new changes to the layout that include the closure of Main Street in front of Central Park and on-site parking. The Festival will run Thursday, May 12th 4pm-10pm, Friday, May 13th 4pm-11pm and Saturday, May 14th 10am-11pm.

Wanna go for a run? For a second year the Rooster Days Run will take place Saturday, May 7th the weekend prior the Rooster Days Festival at the Broken Arrow Chisolm Trail South Park. It features a 1 Mile Fun Run, 5K and 15K. The 21st Annual Rooster Egg Hunt will Kick-Off on Monday, May 2nd.

For more information about 2016 Rooster Days, visit www.roosterdays.com or call the Broken Arrow Chamber at 918-251-1518.

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Shops are springing up including places like Dana Jones Art Gallery, Furniture Design Solutions, Fleet Feet, and a home décor, clothing and jewelry place called 1907 Fashion. Soon, others will be added such as American Hatfield, Cheri Ann's Trattoria, Hillary's Boutique and Hops & Hangers.

The Rose District is Growing!

Come Check it Out! You don’t have to wait until Rooster Days to enjoy the shopping, entertainment and fun of Broken Arrow’s expanding “Rose District.”

When the city was just forming, early civic leaders saw the need to beautify the city’s original landscape of sparse prairie land and called on residents to adorn it with bushes, trees and flowers. Rose bushes were a popular choice and soon travelers nicknamed Broken Arrow the “City of Roses.”

Today, civic leaders are once again transforming the landscape by reviving the historic downtown area to breathe new life into the heart of Broken Arrow and return it to a gathering place for all residents.

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Rose bushes were a popular choice and soon travelers nicknamed Broken Arrow the “City of Roses.”

While you are shopping, you will want to enjoy the district’s great restaurants including Andolini’s, Fiesta Mambo, Nouveau – Atelier de Chocolat, Romeo’s Espresso Café, In the Raw, Main Street Tavern and Franklin’s Pork & Barrel.

By summer, The Rose District will also include a unique interactive fountain located in the Rose District Pavilion just south of The Museum Broken Arrow at 400 S. Main.

Officials say the fountain will have outdoor bench seating for folks needing a break or to eat lunch. The fountain could be programmed to offer different visual water displays.

Grab some friends and head to Broken Arrow. Whether it is during Rooster Days or any day you just want some fun, Broken Arrow has lots to offer.

anything out of the ordinary, so he gave me some pain meds and sent me home.

A few days later I didn’t feel any better and the pain was intensifying. At times the pain was so intense it would literally stop me in my tracks. I wasn’t too alarmed because I thought the medication would work and the pain would soon disappear.

The next Sunday I had to go on a business trip to Washington DC. Six months earlier I had been hired as the General Manager for RSU Public TV. The meeting in DC was an industry meeting with other general managers who can offer advice an ideas as it pertains to public television. On Monday some of us played a round of golf. After the round I returned to the hotel took a shower and laid down as dinner was only a short time away. A few hours later when it was time to get ready I literally could not move. My back was as stiff as a board and the pain was as sharp as if a knife was in my back. Luckily for me there was a hospital ER across the street from the hotel. I asked the front desk if they could somehow get me there.

“Within a span of 72 hours my kidneys had shut down and my liver was next.”

Lived To

Praise About It! Royal Aills

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o you ever wonder why things happen the way they do?

People come and go in your life. Friends and family move to other cities, and your kids marry then they have their own kids. Your grandkids then have more kids. It’s all part of the cycle of life! The bible has a lot to say about. There is a time to be born, a time to die, a time to plant and a time to harvest. A few years ago my life's cycle almost ended due to a really bad infection, but what came out of it was an encounter with God that showed me just how much He loves me.

In July of 2013, I had just finished helping a very close friend of mine move to a new apartment. It was hard work, but there were no scrapes or bruises. The next day I felt sick, as if I was coming down with a summer time cold. I thought maybe I could shake it off, but a few days later after complaining of back pain, I went to the doctor. The pain was not isolated in a particular area but it seemed to be all over my back. The doctor thought maybe I had pulled a muscle. He took an x-ray then said he could not find

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The ER doctor thought maybe I was passing a kidney stone which seemed reasonable to me as I had passed one before, but this pain was different. They ran an MRI but it did not show anything definitive. So, that doctor also gave me some pain medication and sent me back to the hotel. The medication got me through the rest of my meetings, but it was a very difficult week.

When I arrived back in Tulsa I immediately went to my doctor.

By this time the meds were not helping much and the pain seemed to be constant and lasting longer. My doctor thought I had a blood clot on the lungs because that could mimic the back pain I was describing, so he sent me to St. Francis South Emergency Room.

The ER doctors did another MRI and again and it showed nothing out of the ordinary. By now the pain would hit unexpectedly and my body would tense up to the point where I was physically shaking. A couple of hours later after the doctor gave me a concoction of pain meds that seemed to help me calm down. Eventually he admitted he was not sure what was causing the pain and that there was nothing more he could do. You can imagine how frustrating that was. I needed relief but could not find a solution. So he sent me home with a prescription of new medication and a very confused look on his face. Walking out of the hospital that evening was the last thing I remember.

I woke up one afternoon, unsure of where I was, or why I was there. I could tell I was in a hospital but where, and most importantly, why? My wife, Karen, started catching me up on the recent events that had unfolded in my life. About four days after leaving the ER at St Francis South I could not take the pain any longer so I checked myself into St. Francis South hospital. The Doctors could not identify the cause of the pain and within 24 hours my white cell count had increased to the point that I now had pneumonia. She said from that moment my life expectancy went downhill fast.

Within a span of 72 hours my kidneys had shut down and my liver was next. My body had ballooned to twice my normal size

and the amount of antibiotics they were giving me could kill a horse. They had given me so much morphine I was literally out of my mind, I began to hallucinate and talk to people that was not even in the room. Finally, an Infectious disease doctor from South Africa, who was on his last day of rotation, looked at my chart. He told the doctor to move me to St Francis on Yale, there I could get the help I needed that would save my life.

Everyone agreed but there was a problem, all beds were full.

So the doctors told Karen I would have to stay the night and hope that a bed becomes available that next day, but the doctors were not sure if I would survive the night. The next day a bed did come open and I was moved to St. Frances on Yale. There a team of doctors lead by Dr. Mode, a Urologist, took my case over. Once he reviewed my charts, he knew that I had pneumonia and that it had turned into a very bad case of staph that settled in my right lung.

Not sure if you know this, but most cases of staph infection result in death! So my future looked very dim. Karen said Dr. Mode explained to her that I was far past the point of no return. The only thing he could do was to have the surgeon go in and see if he could remove the infection, but even then the doctors were not sure if that would work, or if I would even survive the surgery. The only thing Dr. Mode was certain of was if they did not operate, I would die. Karen instructed him to get me into surgery as soon as possible. However, there was another problem, no surgery rooms were available.

Karen explained that again I had to wait. This time somehow schedules were changed and the next morning I went in for surgery. Later that evening, my family gathered with friends to pray for me. Keep in mind that at this point, I was very much comatose. Pastor Sharon Daugherty was called and informed that my prognosis was dim. She came to my bedside to pray. Then she began to sing songs of praise. My spirit man took over and I began to sing along out loud. I don’t remember any of this, but close friends and family said I was smiling and raising my hands in praise to God. To me it’s amazing how your spirit man can rise up, and how it knows what to do and how to pray.

The next morning, I went into surgery, the surgeon found my right lung was encased from the infection. The surgeon removed over a pint of this gelatin like substance, BUT most importantly I survived the surgery. Immediately following surgery, I was placed on a ventilator machine. It was then the Doctors told Karen that I would be on the ventilator for at least a week and would need to stay in the hospital for up to 30 days after that to recover.

To everyone’s surprise, I was off the ventilator within 24 hours and that is when I woke up. My healing progress was quick and within three additional days the doctors had released me to go home. There I would rest and recover.

What’s important for me is that I lived Psalm 23. I had walked through the valley of the shadow of death. I can say I have no fear of evil or of death. God showed me His great love. In Deuteronomy 31:6, God says “I will not fail you or forsake you.” I know for a fact that He never left my side or abandoned me. I have friends in other parts of the country who told me they were praying for me and I literally felt the prayerful support of family and friends.

The experience I take from this is not one of disappointment as to WHY did this have to happen? But my confidence in God is so strong; I know He has my back and that I am living in green pastures.

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R. Henry Migliore, Ph.D.

Finishing the Game with Courage

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r. R Henry Migliore has always been healthy and strong.

This respected professor has written seventeen books, published in seven languages. He has made a life-long impact on countless students. They greet him with the utmost respect and honor for his knowledge and his loving spirit.

However, at 76 years old, Henry is up against some health issues which are causing him to increasingly rely on others. Armed with a battery of medical tests, doctors tell him he soon won’t be able to keep up his normal pace. “Growing older often has its limitations,” he quips.

“Henry believes there is strength and benefit to him being public about his health. “There are lots of people out there like me facing the same struggles, or possibly facing it along side a spouse or family member. I want them not to give up, but instead to make the most out of every day.”

But Henry knows where he is going. Holding fast to his Savior’s hand, he has no complaint. Nor is he embarrassed to share his story, for he sees it all part of his life’s journey.

“Never in my life have I faced such struggles, but the scriptures which I rely upon say that struggles make a better person out of you. I am open to the Lord’s calling in this stage of my life,” he said with confidence.

Henry believes there is strength and benefit to him being public about his health. “There are lots of people out there like me facing

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the same struggles, or possibly facing it along side a spouse or family member. I want them not to give up, but instead to make the most out of every day.”

Always teaching, he remains a testament to hard work. Quoting Buford, he reminds all who will listen that games are won or lost in the 4th Quarter and he is determined to make the most of every day. He has recently updated nine of his books, and presented four papers at the Christian Business Faculty Association at Regent University and is currently working with co-authors to update ten other academic articles.

Like Michael Jordan, playing the league one last time, he is committed to “going out in style.”

“It is not about ego. It is about passing on the knowledge. Oral Roberts always said that a man isn’t a success without a successor, so I am doing my best to make sure others can use the things God taught me. I am sharing as much as possible, giving away the copyrights to my materials so other authors can continue my work,” he explained.

Learning to adapt to his condition, he surrounds himself with what he calls, “An Army of Fifty,” people who take turns helping him.

Henry wonders if it was the concussions he had while playing high school and college athletics could have caused some of his problems. (Henry is a member of the Eastern Oklahoma State Athletic Hall of Fame and Eastern Alumni Hall of Fame.) But he says it was all worth it. Like all things in his life, the game had to be completed. Then, like now, he has always been willing to “play hurt” to finish the game.

Henry is not afraid of the future. Knowing whom he is serving and where he is going, he pushes on, understanding that he has already been promised the victory.

Dr. Migliore is President of Managing for Success. He served as the Dean of ORU’s School of Business from 1975 until 1987. He later served as Faculty Professor of Management at UCT/NSU and as adjunct professor for many other local and foreign universities.

He holds degrees from Eastern Oklahoma State University, St. Louis University and he completed his doctorate at the University of Arkansas. Henry belongs to the Academy of Management and Planning Executives Institute and is a senior member of the American Institute of Industrial Engineers.

www.henrymigliore.com

9 NEW BOOKS!

To Order Books Contact Dr. Migliore at hmigliore@aol.com

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Superintendent Brings Energy and Renewed Purpose To Mingo Valley Christian School

Dr. Chitwood speaks with Mingo Valley 11th graders between classes.

In 2014, Mingo Valley Christian School (MVCS) was making the same church-school-to-independent-Christian-school leap.

Chitwood’s experience with this caught the MVCS board’s attention. “He was the best choice for leading MVCS because of his godly character and relevant school leadership experience,” recalls Ed Thomas, the chairman of the board of directors.

Dr. Chitwood reads to Mingo Valley elementary students.

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r. Boyd Chitwood first sensed a call to ministry as a teenager, though it wasn’t initially clear to him what that ministry would look like. An academic at heart, he earned an undergraduate physics degree and headed to a theologically liberal seminary. “It was not an evangelical environment at all,” Chitwood recalls. “They were pursuing a version of faith that had little to do with historical Biblical Christianity. It helped me get a sense of the world’s thought leadership that those I might seek to influence would grow up into.”

He began to see that his ministry call might include combining his academic and spiritual pursuits. Landing in Little Rock, Arkansas, he joined the board of his church’s Christian K-12 school. “I became aware that my desire to bridge between the Church and the academic world didn’t have to happen only at the college level.

The formation of a Christ-centered worldview certainly was talked about in the thought life of a college student, but it was created in the life of a kindergartener, third grader, and eighth grader.”

Eventually, he became the school’s administrator, overseeing the school’s transition from a church-sponsored school to an independent Christian school. And during his 13-year tenure there, enrollment surged from 300 students to 1200, becoming a leading Christian school in the region.

“This is not someone else’s school, this is God’s school, and by His call this is our school, our mission.”

Chitwood saw MVCS’s new season as an independent Christian school as “an opportunity for a very fruitful time. This is not someone else’s school, this is God’s school, and by His call this is our school, our mission.” Now completing his second year as superintendent, Chitwood “has produced an unmistakable energy on campus,” says Thomas. Enrollment has increased, and the school looks expectantly toward the future, which will include a more permanent facility as its home. A father of four, Chitwood mentors parents in the monumental task of raising kids, penning a regular advice series to MVCS parents. “He reminds me that as a parent, my first calling is to submit to God’s loving authority and I am to teach my child to do the same,” says parent Amber Hermes.

MVCS parents and faculty are thankful for Dr. Chitwood’s leadership in this exciting new chapter of the school’s 40-year history.

As parent Laura Robinson says, “God truly blessed us when He placed Dr. Chitwood in our lives!”

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For Such a Time as This Augustine Christian Academy Assists Homeschool Families

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omeschooling is more popular than ever. The number of families homeschooling their kids has increased over 75 percent since 1999 and now represents around four percent of all kids nationwide. And according to researcher, Dr. Brian Ray, of The National Home Education Research Institute, we can expect “a notable surge in the number of children being homeschooled in the next five to ten years.” He predicts the increase because of the growing popularity of the practice and because of the impending second generation of homeschoolers.

With this in mind, why would a private Christian school set out to help homeschooling parents? It is a mindset which began in 1997, back when the Augustine Christian Academy was only an idea.

Kirk D. Post, founder and headmaster explained that some of the original leaders came from homeschooling backgrounds.

“We have had a respect for homeschoolers from the beginning.

Even though we were setting up a classical program that would cover everything from kindergarten through high school, we respected parents who were very actively involved with the education of their children. We started with the foundational idea that parents are responsible for the training of their children for life.”

But Mr. Post and other school leaders recognized that many home-

school kids search for ways to get plugged in socially. Many want to enjoy the social benefits of a school while only taking a specialized class or two. “We decided to provide an option for parents to enroll their 7th through 12th grade students in some of the classes, but not be full time. We decided to allow students who attend here for any number of classes to participate in all of the extra curricular activities that make up the culture of the school. That has been out model ever since. In these older grades, students can choose to take even just one class, yet be qualified to participate in all of the other school activities. Often, the part-time students become so comfortable and the parents learn to trust the school so much that their children end up attending full-time. Others stay and graduate with a homeschool diploma, just one of the school’s five diploma options.”

“We meet in the collegiate model, Monday/Wednesday/Fridays and Tuesday/Thursday. We have found that this is ideal for the homeschool community while it also prepares our students for what they will experience at the university level.”

The attitude from the homeschool community has been great.

“Parents enjoy the fact that we trust them, that we recognize them as educators. Secondly, that we give them choices and don’t dictate to them everything they have to do for their child. They look for a place that respects them as homeschool parents. They feel comfortable here. They say we recognize their authority as parents and give them opportunities without being suspect of everything they do. Our experience with homeschool families is that they are very serious about the work they do with their children. As we respect that, they respect our work as well,” explained Mr. Post.

Augustine Christian Academy is obviously not the only Christian school that accepts homeschool kids. However, Mr. Post believes what they offer is very unique because of the school’s culture and opportunities available at no additional cost. “Students pay per class, and it is more expensive (à la carte), but because there are so many things they can get involved in here, it is a good deal for them. In most co-ops, you must pay for each activity. Here, they can pay for taking just one class and be involved in such things as our Performing Arts and be part of our “House Culture.”

Augustine Christian Academy had 240 students enrolled for this next year, up from 216. Students come from as far as an hour’s drive to take advantage of the school’s unique classical approach to education and homeschool support.

Learn more about Augustine Christian Academy at www.acatulsa.org

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Growing Our Legacy - Victory Christian School

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ere at Victory Christian we are continuing to build on our foundation, expand our influence and grow our legacy.

In our Art program we have been blessed to have Ciaran Curtis and Nina Lange awarded with National Keys for their art and having their pieces displayed at Carnegie Hall. They make our list of National Key winners 11 in the past 5 years, 14 since 2003.

Our Athletic Department is thriving across all sports. In football we had our QB Keats Calhoon end his career number 2 All-Time in Oklahoma passing yards and saw our Golden Grad Linebacker JonMichael Terry receive a full ride to play at the University of Oklahoma for the Sooners. Our Basketball team made it to State for the 15th time, 6th in a row. Baseball and Girls soccer are positioned to make deep runs in the playoffs and we are preparing to renovate our Wight Room and Basketball Gym for the 2016-2017 school year.

This year Josh Braun and Morgan Sohl have been named National Merit Scholars. This has become the trend here at VC by having now 8 National Merit Scholars in the last 4 years.

These were just some of the awards and recognition that our students have earned this year a few areas of our High School. To start breaking down the levels of excellence that our Middle School and Elementary are achieving would take an entire issue.

We also sent over 200 students (6th-12th grade) on Mission Trips this spring break to Chicago, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Peru.

There are many places you can send your student to learn, to develop, to strive. There is not a place like Victory Christian that empowers and challenges students to build, to expand, to influence culture as an individual through their talent, with their passion, on and off their field or court like VC. Where is your student and family being called? Be ready to answer.

It’s A Good Day To Be A Conqueror.

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Regent Students Broaden Involvement and Impact

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egent Preparatory School students continue to expand their involvement in the community and throughout the state as the school focuses on a well-rounded, classical experience.

The student opportunities continue to diversify, providing students who have a variety of talents to find their place to participate. Fine arts programs now include band, choir, drama, and music with those students successfully competing with other schools around the state. Visual arts programs are available and this year’s musical entitled ‘Seussical’ (Mar 31 and Apr 1) is offering over 85 students, grammar and secondary levels, a chance to shine on stage together.

Regent’s athletics success is also on the rise. Most recently, the boys basketball team made it through the 96-team bracket to the state tournament and played in ‘The Big House,’ an experience they will never forget! Regent students also won individual state championships in tennis and cross-country this past year. Regent won the Class A Academic Bowl for the second year in a row as well, defeating a seasoned repeat state championship team. The state Beta Club Convention (a student service organization) gave students a chance to compete in oratory, English, poetry, creative writing, agriculture and more. Science Fairs, Declamation Contest, Senior Thesis, Student Council, and Math Counts are other areas that combine academics and competition and give Regent students an ability to achieve at high levels. These expanding activities allow Regent students who are enjoying the classical education offered by the school to utilize their God-given talents as they compete across the state.

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Regent Facilities set to Expand Regent’s growth throughout 16 years required new facilities.

Beginning in 2000 with 61 students, Regent now has a PreK-12 classical, Christian school with over 470 students. This growth has required space and God has faithfully led school decision-making throughout the years, providing a permanent campus on 26 acres at 86th and Memorial in 2006. In January of 2012, Regent opened a $3 million gymnasium, which allowed for growth in volleyball and basketball programming while assisting other athletic teams with space to practice, work out, and improve their competitive edge. That facility has played host to many volleyball tournaments and the OSSAA Regional Basketball Tournaments the past two years. It is an asset that has drawn the Regent community together in a unique way as they gather to compete and show hospitality to visiting schools. Regent joined OSSAA last year.

That decision, the growing enrollment, and the precarious ‘field rental’ challenge caused the Regent Board to consider the next step in campus development. Plans were drawn up that include a high school building and athletic fields that will allow additional competition to take place on campus. An $8.5 million capital campaign was launched in October 2014. With $3.2 million in current pledges, construction is set to begin very soon. The first phase will require the re-channeling of Haikey Creek which runs through the property. That will allow for the artificial turf football/soccer

field and natural turf baseball field to be installed. The second phase of the project includes the high school building which will house grades nine through twelve. It will also be the new home of the Fine Arts classrooms, including band, choir, and theatre.

The building is designed to provide a Socratic learning experience in the classrooms and will include a new library and Thesis room.

Regent seniors present a thesis in the spring which is the culmination of months of research and writing, designed to help them explore a social, moral, academic, spiritual, or political topics in great depth and deal with it from a biblical perspective. The building will face Memorial Drive and will ultimately include an arched stone façade giving the school a classical appearance.

Regent continues to provide students with a classical, Christian education, integrating biblical perspectives into each area of study.

The school graduates its fifth class of seniors in May and sends its graduates to state schools, Christian colleges, and Ivy League institutions. School facilities are a requirement for a growing population of talented students who seek to use their gifts to His glory.

For more information, please call 918-663-1002 or visit www.rpsok.org.

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lose your quit B Y

DANNY CAHILL

Dream Again

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hat happened to us as we grew older? Where did all of those dreams go? There is a Bible verse that says: “Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.” (Acts 2:17) Let me ask you? Why didn’t it say young men will dream dreams? Why not the sons and daughters? I believe it is because it gets harder to dream the older we get. But I believe wholeheartedly that those dreams are still there in your heart – waiting to be re-ignited and awakened. We may have just forgotten how to dream!

To be able to actually visualize what you want is an important step to attaining it! Before I was on The Biggest Loser, I had to actually believe it could happen. I had to see myself as a thin and in-shape man. This might seem easy to some of you, but imagine if you weighed 460 pounds and had a 69 ½ inch stomach – AND you were 39 years old! It seemed impossible. But deep down, I knew that it wasn’t! I held on to the hope that I could achieve that dream.

So I envisioned myself in shape; feeling and looking healthy again!

In fact, I carried a picture of myself at 17 years old, when I felt and looked like a champion!

Without that visualization, I might as well have hung it up. In fact, a few years before I had lost that vision – and I bought more life insurance for when I would die a morbidly obese man.

One day, I closed my eyes and pictured my dream. I was thin, healthy and I was involved in something that was helping people achieve their dreams. It involved music, experiential training, and my wife Darci was involved, too. It was exciting, yet scary, to dream again! Then I wrote an entry in my journal. I wrote this: “The things I need to do to achieve my dream: 1. Be a Joyful and Passionate man – 2. Lose the weight – and 3. Lose the debt. (2 & 3 can be achieved by winning The Biggest Loser!)” I signed and dated it, and the path to my dreams appeared! That was a year before I made it to the cast of The Biggest Loser, and I don’t believe it was a coincidence!

You see, while on The Biggest Loser, I not only won the show and $250,000, but I was Joyful and Passionate! I lost all of my weight, and I lost all of my debt! And what else happened? A

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dream of mine from my youth, writing music, was re-ignited!

Passion was breathed into me again, and in turn I wrote a song on the show called “Second Chance,” which has been played around the world and has given hope to many hopeless people! This old man dreamed dreams!

What is your dream? Can you Dream Again? We at The Journey Training know you can! One of our primary purposes is to re-ignite passion and dreams in people who may believe it’s simply too late!

In Arthur Greeno’s book, Dysfunctional Inspiration, He notates some amazing facts. A few are: • Tiger Woods was three years old when he shot 48 for 9 holes of golf.

• Mozart was 8 when he wrote his first symphony.

• Ralph Waldo Emerson was 14 when he enrolled at Harvard.

• Bill Gates was 19 when he co-founded Microsoft. Plato was 20 when he became a student of Socrates.

• S. Truett Cathy was 25 when he and his brother Ben first started the Dwarf House, later to become Chick-fil-A. • Joe DiMaggio was 26 when he hit safely in 56 consecutive games.

• William Shakespeare was 31 when he wrote Romeo & Juliet.

• Walt Disney was 55 when he opened Magic Kingdom.

• Dom Perignon was 60 when he first produced champagne.

• Michelangelo was 72 when he designed the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

• Frank Lloyd Wright was 91 when he completed his work on the Guggenheim Museum.

• Grandma Moses, America’s most well known folk artist, was in her 70’s before painting her first painting.

• Ichijifou Araya was 100 when he climbed Mount Fuji.

Still think you are too old to dream? Think again – and DREAM AGAIN! Find out about The Journey training at thejourneytraining.com.

Celebrity Attractions Brings JERSEY BOYS

BACK to Tulsa BY POPULAR DEMAND

TONY®, GRAMMY® AND OLIVIER AWARD-WINNING BEST MUSICAL NATIONAL TOUR RETURNS TO THE TULSA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER MAY 24-29

TICKETS ON SALE MONDAY, APRIL 11TH!

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ates have been announced for the Tulsa return engagement of the Tony®, Grammy® and Olivier Award-winning hit musical JERSEY BOYS, the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. The musical will make its much-anticipated return to the Tulsa Performing Arts Center May 24-29. Tickets go on sale Monday, April 11th.

JERSEY BOYS is the winner of the 2006 Best Musical Tony® Award, the 2006 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Show Album, the 2009 Olivier Award for Best New Musical and the 2010 Helpmann Award for Best Musical (Australia). The premiere engagement of JERSEY BOYS in Tulsa was an overwhelming success, seen by over 36,000 theatergoers and hailed as “sharply funny” with a “surprisingly rich story” by Tulsa World. JERSEY BOYS worldwide has been seen by over 22 million people (as of January, 2015).

JERSEY BOYS is the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons: Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi. This is the true story of how a group of blue-collar boys from the wrong side of the tracks became one of the biggest American pop music sensations of all time. They wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide - all before they were thirty. The show features all their hits including “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Oh What A Night,” “Walk Like A Man,” “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” and “Working My Way Back To You.” The JERSEY BOYS U.S. National Tour opened to rave reviews in San Francisco on December 1, 2006, and is still breaking house records in cities across North America. JERSEY BOYS is currently playing in New York; Las Vegas; London; and in cities across North America and the U.K. on National Tours.

The Original Broadway Cast Recording of JERSEY BOYS, produced by Bob Gaudio, was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The cast recording is available on Rhino Records. JERSEY BOYS: The Story of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons (Broadway Books) is the official handbook to the smash Broadway hit. Seasons Greetings: A JERSEY BOYS Christmas, a holiday CD featuring international cast members of JERSEY BOYS, produced by Bob Gaudio, is available on Rhino Records.

Presented by Celebrity Attractions, JERSEY BOYS returns to the Tulsa Performing Arts Center for eight performances, May 24-29. The performance schedule is Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets go on sale Monday, April 11th at 10 a.m. and may be purchased via phone 918.596.7111 or 800.364.7111, in person at the Tulsa PAC Box Office, or online at MyTicketOffice.com. JERSEY BOYS contains authentic “profane Jersey language” and is recommended for mature audiences.

Get social with Celebrity Attractions by becoming a fan on Facebook.com/BwayTULSA. Follow us at Twitter.com/BwayTULSA or catch a sneak peek of Jersey Boys at YouTube.com/

BwayTULSA. JERSEY BOYS is part of Celebrity Attractions’ 2015-2016 Broadway Season which concludes with 42ND STREET with a special add-on production of MAMMA MIA! Celebrity Attractions is proud to have KOTV-News on 6 and Tulsa World as sponsors for this amazing season.

For more information on JERSEY BOYS, go to www.JerseyBoysTour.com or www.CelebrityAttractions.com.

NOTE FROM PUBLISHER: JERSEY BOYS contains language and situational comedy that might be offensive to many of our readers. Although the music will have you singing all the way home, please be aware that we would definitely label the show… “For Mature Audiences.”

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Justin Cowell Discovering A Cooler, More Comfortable Approach to Financial Planning

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avings. Insurance. Interest Rates. Cash flow. Investments.

Such talk makes the average consumer’s head swim. Most would rather take a beating than talk about their finances with a complete stranger. So much so, that making that initial visit often gets pushed off into the future. “We will worry about that in our 40s,” many tell themselves.

But what if people would start the financial process in their twenties or thirties? “Their financial future will be hugely different,” says Justin Cowell, advisor at ACT Financial Services, Inc. “Many people put off seeking out counsel, because they think they need to have already accumulated sizeable amounts of assets before they start the process. That is a big mistake. Starting now is the key.”

“Honestly, it forces me to take a close look at myself as I work with others. My clients don’t have any reason to feel like they are being judged in any way. I am right there with them, sorting out the right balance to spending, savings, and financial protection. We really can learn to stay out of debt” At 31, with a wife and new baby, Justin brings a different perspective to the process. He speaks the language of the millennial and can personally relate to their challenges and aspirations. The result is an atmosphere as non-threatening as a dinner with friends, but as important as most anything you will ever do. Surrounded by an experienced team of financial specialists with over 100 years of experience, Justin is able to provide people, no matter their age, with the advice and tools needed to turn their average youngfamily budget into a life-changing senior portfolio. Justin enjoys working with young families because he relates to them so well, but he also loves the challenge and complexity of working with baby boomers that are just about to retire.

After years working as a worship minister, Justin now has discovered he has the ability to minister to people in a uniquely different way as they sit down together and customize a plan to conquer debt and build financial security.

Years ago, friends spoke into Justin’s life and told him he had a real talent to sing and lead others into a true worship experience. Even though he continues to still lead a bit here and there, he has found a new passion in sitting on the same side of the table with folks and helping them change their financial future. “It wasn’t anything I really sought out. It just became clear that I had been given the ability to do this and that it was something I could share,” he said.

Looking at his own family, Justin realizes how important it is that he protects them financially. That responsibility allows him to relate to clients instead of preach to them. “Honestly, it forces me to take a close look at myself as I work with others. My clients

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don’t have any reason to feel like they are being judged in any way.

I am right there with them, sorting out the right balance to spending, savings, and financial protection. We really can learn to stay out of debt,” he insisted.

Justin’s wife, Breanne and daughter, Lylah, are counting on him to help make the right financial decisions. His clients count on him as well. It is a responsibility he doesn’t take lightly.

Justin laughs as he recalls a band teacher who once told him that he didn’t have any rhythm. “It really inspired me to dig down deep and dive in to improve. In fact, I started playing the guitar, mainly to prove him wrong.” Justin went from playing in local coffee shops, to writing and recording some music and ultimately to leading worship, he learned that you get good at the things you pour your heart into doing. And now, as he passionately applies financial principles into making a difference in the financial lives of his clients, he realizes there are many ways to minister to the people around you. Helping them with their money just may be one of the more important ministries he can offer.

“People are so confused by of all of the conflicting financial information they are inundated with on a daily basis, but if I can come alongside them and bring some clarity to their lives in this one area, I know I’ve done my job.”

Been putting off the whole financial planning thing? Have a cup of coffee with Justin. Now, really is the right time to get started.

Justin Cowell is an Advisor at ACT Financial Services, Inc. He can be contacted at Office: 918-664-0081 Cell: 918-810-7239 • jcowell@htk.com

Clear-Tone Introduces Major Advancement in Hearing Aids

“This is Not Your Dad’s Hearing Aid”

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o you wear glasses or contacts? Maybe you have hit that magic stage of life when you suddenly discovered your arms were too short to read the fine print? So, what did you do about it? With only limited remorse, you marched down to purchase that first pair of reading glasses. After all, it is not a big deal, we all need them…right?

Well, what about your hearing? Why do we tend to think hearing is different than eyesight? We may not notice it at first and we may even learn to compensate for it, but just like needing glasses, most of us could use some “correction” in our hearing. After all, we may be missing the “fine print.”

Welcome to 2016. A mixture of technological breakthroughs in the last few years has allowed Clear-Tone to make major improvements in hearing devices. In fact, throw out every image you ever had of your dad or granddad’s bulky, squealing hearing aids. It is a whole new world.

“The reality is, the new devices will not make you look older. In fact, they probably won’t be visible at all.”

Just last month, Clear-Tone Hearing Aid Laboratories Inc. introduced new technology which will blow you away. Small, nearly invisible, ultra-light weight and comfortable, the new hearing aids allow you to forget any preconceived stigma you might have had about wearing a hearing aid. The reality is, the new devices will not make you look older. In fact, they probably won’t be visible at all.

Bluetooth and wireless advances allow today’s hearing devices to communicate from one ear to the other, instantly changing volumes and other levels to meet the challenges of your surroundings. Walk outside to loud traffic and the devices immediately and automatically adjust. When someone speaks from the back of the room instead of right in front of you, the devices instantly understand, changing auditory levels to allow you to hear everyone in the room. No more fiddling with your hearing aid. Put these on and forget them.

The new devices are also more durable than ever before. Protected from moisture by Clear-tone’s Moisture Protection System (MPS), they are practically maintenance free.

Jim and Mike Feeley, the founders of Clear-Tone have always dreamed of the day when they could deliver such a level of tech-

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nology, comfort and service. This year, many advances combined with their own patented improvements, all came together in a perfect storm of technology, allowing them to introduce truly the best hearing devices they have ever seen.

“Hearing aids are not just for older people anymore. People of all ages are discovering they can now take advantage of this technology to improve the quality of their hearing. We are seeing younger and younger clients,” Charley Feeley and Paul Jackson, Co-Directors of Operations said.

“But no matter who comes to see us, if they have a hearing loss, we are committed to help them. To meet everyone’s needs, we have designed different models with different price points so that everyone can take advantage of this exciting new technology,” he explained.

“We are committed to providing the best hearing care solutions in the world. For some, that is the quality of our products, for some, it is our service or delivery methods. It might be how we test someone or how we verify every fitting. It is our mission to develop the next generation hearing aid center.”

So what can this new technology do for you? Come in and get tested. You might be surprised at what you are missing.

an infant when the Holy Spirit was poured into my heart. When I was old enough to understand, I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and believe that the Holy Spirit continues to work in me as an adult. Although I try to live a Christian life by attending church, praying and reading the Bible, I know that I am only saved

by God’s grace because Jesus died on the cross for me.

Name the 3 most important issues you will attack during your first term. Financial transparency and accountability, teacher pay and criminal justice reform.

Lisa Kramer

www.votekramer.com Education: BSBA in Accounting, University of Tulsa (1990) Professional Experience: My professional experience includes seventeen years of diverse accounting experience including public and industry accounting.

Why are you running? I am running because I believe Oklahoma’s spending does not reflect the true priorities of its citizens, and as a result, core government services are not being funded adequately. If elected, I will work to reduce wasteful spending and to redirect funding to areas that will improve Oklahomans’ quality of life.

What uniquely qualifies you for this position? My financial knowledge and work experience will enable me to improve the state's budgeting process with the goal of more long term financial stability and increased efficiency and transparency. Serving on the Bixby School Board has given me substantial knowledge of school finance and education issues.

John "Craig" Murray www.MurrayforOKSenate.com

Education: Holmes Elementary School - Tulsa • Wright Jr. High School - Tulsa • Edison High School - Tulsa • Southeastern Oklahoma State University - Durant BA in Speech with a double minor in Journalism and Electronics

Professional Experience: Tulsa Police Officer - 1979 to 2014 35 1/2 years • Mounds Police Assistant Chief of Police 2014 - 2015 15 months

What is your biggest concern for Oklahoma and how will you use your skills to make it better? We Why are you running? I am running because I always knew must adopt a budgeting process that is collaborative, structurally sound and long-term in nature in order to provide adequate and stable funding for core services. I will use my skills to evaluate financial information, reduce wasteful spending and maximize available funds.

that if I ever had the chance to run for office after my retirement, it would be the perfect opportunity to allow me to continue to serve the citizens of this community as I have done for my entire 35 1/2 year career as a Tulsa Police Officer.

What church do you attend and how did you What uniquely qualifies you for this position? I am become a Christian? My family attends Kirk of the Hills Pres- qualified because I have devoted my entire career to serving the byterian Church. I have been a Christian since being baptized as

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citizens of this city and state. I have been actively involved in writ-

ing, promoting and supporting many bills designed to keep Oklahomans safe and I want to continue this because that is, and always has been my passion.

tion, and I am committed to ensuring that every student is best equipped to succeed.

Why are you running? I am frustrated with the direction we What is your biggest concern for Oklahoma and are heading in. It feels like our elected officials either do not listen how will you use your skills to make it better? My or lack common sense and experience to get us on the right track. biggest concern, after funding, is public trust and I have the experience in talking with people and working with them to find solutions and by bringing the right people together at the State Capital, this can be accomplished. Funding requires that all Oklahomans accept the need for better spending.

What church do you attend and how did you become a Christian? We attend First Baptist Church in Jenks.

I grew up going to Brookside Baptist Church in Tulsa with my family. My Dad's side of the family was Catholic and I had many opportunities, while growing up, to attend Mass with my Grandparents. It was attending church at Brookside and seeing people walk down the isle to accept the Lord and later getting Baptized that I realized at an early age that I wanted that in my life and as I got a little older I did just that and accepted the Lord into my life.

Name the 3 most important issues you will attack during your first term. (1) Public education needs a lot of work and is at the top of my list. (2) Prison overcrowding, early release and recidivism are taking a hard toll on Oklahomans. (3) The roads and highways in this state are seeing more vehicular traffic, making road maintenance difficult and burdensome.

What uniquely qualifies you for this position? Military Leadership 101, as well as the Golden Rule, requires leaders to do what is right for others first. Service above self. As a small business owner, economist, and military officer, I believe I can impact our legislature by fusing true Conservative principles with proven leadership to enact lasting change. We can do better than chronic budget deficits and Swiss cheese roads. I am proud to be an Oklahoman and am eager to make our Team #1.

What church do you attend and how did you become a Christian? A statesman should remain open-minded and pursue understanding across a breadth of subjects, including religion. From the Bible to the Quran to the Rigveda to other religious texts, I have purposed to familiarize myself with mankind’s deepest yearnings. I have found that Christianity is the only religion that allows a direct commune with our Creator and does so by relationship and not works, which are impossible. However, the reason I am a Christian is because of my dad. More than any stirring sermon or ancient text, he showed me true Christianity by the example he has set. I endeavor to set the same example to my 4 kids. My family and I are members of RiverOaks Presbyterian.

Name the 3 most important issues you will attack during your first term. (1) State Budget Deficit (2) Oklahoma’s Teacher Shortage (3) Oklahoma’s Road and Bridges.

Joe Newhouse www.joenewhouse.com

Education: I attended Broken Arrow Public Schools K-12 and spent my senior year in high school as an exchange student in Germany. Afterwards, I graduated from Georgetown University with a major in International Economics and later earned a Masters Degree from Chapman University. Additionally, I completed Navy Flight School and became a carrier jet pilot and later an instructor myself. I am grateful for the education, values, and teamwork my teachers and coaches have instilled in me while growing up in Oklahoma. As your state senator I recognize that to compete nationally and internationally our students need a first class educaC ommu n ity sp ir itma ga zin e.c om

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God. Luke 12:48 “to whom much is given, much will be required” Our family is grown and being retired I have the necessary time and resources to focus on the challenges facing the state I love.

What uniquely qualifies you for this position?

As a successful businessman and serving on boards for non-profits and trade organizations, I have developed skillsets that will be practical and beneficial as a legislator. My qualifications include a strong understanding of business, decisive leadership, mentoring, team building, working in a collaborative style and a common sense approach when solving problems.

What is your biggest concern for Oklahoma and how will you use your skills to make it better?

The size of government and financial condition of Oklahoma is my biggest concern. Education, infrastructure, public safety and human services are all struggling. During 46-years in business as a proven leader, I have learned how to manage large budget in difficult time, make hard decisions and lead teams that developed unique solutions to challenging problems.

Bob Jack

www.bobjack4ok.com

Education: Associates in Applied Sciences – College of DuPage Business and Management Classes – Tulsa Community College

Professional Experience: During the past 46 years I have worked in the Commercial Construction Industry. 35-years working as an electrical contractor and the past 11 years as a construction manager. I have held various leadership positions, most recently as Senior Vice President for Manhattan Construction. I have been exposed to all facets of business and possess a keen understanding of financial controls, job creation, regulations and accountability. As a business leader, I was fortunate to be involved in various organizations that benefit our state and communities. I am a graduate of Leadership Oklahoma, serve on non-profit boards and boards of trade and business organization, both locally and state-wide. The relationships I have built across the state and the experience I have gained as a successful businessman will be invaluable in serving as a state legislator.

Why are you running?

Oklahoma needs experienced businessmen and proven leaders to step forward and serve as Citizen Legislators and not those looking for a career politics. I have been blessed with talents, knowledge, time and it is expected I use them to benefits others and glorify

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What church do you attend and how did you become a Christian?

My wife of 41 years, Alexis and I attend Fellowship Bible Church I was truly blessed to be raised by Godly parents who taught us solid Biblical principles from an early age. At the age of 7 years old on the step of our home I turned my life over to Christ. My parents taught us by example through service to the church body and outreach to the lost and less fortunate. I have continued to serve in the same manner for over 60-years. As a member of the John 3:16 Mission Board of Directors, I am able to see how lives are transformed when Christ is the center of one’s life.

Name the 3 most important issues you will attack during your first term.

1. Provide business solutions to reduce costs and make government effective and efficient.

2. Work to improve the business environment with common sense solution that will allow businesses to thrive and create new jobs.

Red carpet, not red tape.

3. Develop a business strategy for education, focusing on student preparation to enter the Oklahoma workplace.

Dewey Bartlett

Board Member of Independent Petroleum Association of America Chairman of the Board of the Oklahoma Energy Resources Board

www.deweybartlett.com

Why are you running?

Education:

I am running to keep our city strong and focused on things like public safety, better infrastructure, and quality education. My efforts on public safety will result in hiring 160 new police officers, and all of them will be funded by reprioritizing our existing spending, so without a tax increase.

Bishop Kelley High School Regis University, B.S. Accounting Southern Methodist University, Masters of Business Administration in Finance

Professional Experience: 39th Mayor of Tulsa President of Keener Oil & Gas Company Former Tulsa City Councilman Basic Training Air National Guard – Colorado Buckley Air National Guard Base Cattle Ranch Manager Halliburton Services Landman for Beard Oil Company Landman and Co-Managing Partner for Keener Oil Company Managing Partner for Keener Oil Company Board Member of Tulsa Community College Foundation Executive Advisory Board Member University of Tulsa College of Business Administration Board Member of the Tulsa Airport Authority Board Member and Chairman of the American Red Cross/Tulsa Chapter

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What uniquely qualifies you for this position?

My unique qualification is a business background that I use every day as mayor. When I entered office I immediately addressed inefficiencies and overspending. I am now continuing to reorganize our budget to reflect better uses of your tax dollars. I understand steady leadership and sound financial management.

What is your biggest concern for Tulsa and as mayor, how will you use or continue to use your skills to make it better?

My biggest concern is quality education for our kids. Similar to my approach on public safety, I know I can improve education by making it the priority it should be locally. There is a tremendous opportunity to leverage resources we have in our public schools, community schools, and technical institutions.

What church do you attend and how did Name the 3 most important issues you will you become a Christian? attack during.

Growing up Catholic I came to Christ at an early age. It’s been a journey but I am so fortunate to have that grounding and grace in my life. My parish is the Church of Saint Mary. Victoria and I have also attended over 180 churches in Tulsa. We started the practice as an outreach to the community, but we kept attending because we have had some incredible experiences. People have prayed for us, we have felt the hand of God, and that has been so uplifting and given us the strength to keep moving forward, even in the most difficult of times.

I will continue to make education a local priority.

Tulsa will continue to outperform the world around us in job creation.

We will be a safer and stronger city.

"I will ensure Tulsa continues to be managed like a business, with reason, thoughtfulness, and fiscal responsibility."

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G.T. Bynum www.gtbynum.com Education: B.A., Villanova University

Professional Experience: Tulsa City Councilor, Managing Partner of Capitol Ventures, Aide to Senators Tom Coburn and Don Nickles, American Red Cross Spokesman, Senior Director for national real estate firm.

Why are you running?

I am running because it is time to unify Tulsa and work toward big goals that will make our city nationally competitive again. Our city used to do both, but in the recent past we’ve spent too much time coasting on past success. It is time to aim high again.

What uniquely qualifies you for this position?

I have a proven track record on the City Council of focusing on big goals and achieving them – including leading the largest street improvement program in Tulsa history, establishing the first Municipal Veterans Treatment Court in the United States, and creating the first City Rainy Day Fund in Oklahoma.

What is your biggest concern for Tulsa and as mayor, how will you use or continue to use your mer Mayor Robert LaFortune, has been my lifelong role model as someone who served God through his work in the community and skills to make it better?

Tulsans have fallen into the trap of competing with mid-level regional cities when the real competition for economic growth is national and international. As mayor, I will bring my proven ability as a coalition builder and problem solver to once again make Tulsa a national and international competitor.

What church do you attend and how did you become a Christian?

Our children are the 5th generation of my family to be members of Christ the King Parish in Tulsa. I was baptized as a Christian in infancy, but grew in my faith thanks to an education at Cascia Hall rooted in Church teachings and at Villanova University where I graduated with a concentration in ethics. My grandfather, for-

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that is what drew me to public service. I am still growing in my faith.

Name the 3 most important issues you will attack during.

1. Partner with local schools to make Tulsa the best place in Oklahoma to receive an education.

2. Modernize the working relationship between the City of Tulsa and Tulsa County to move past in-fighting and focus on value for the citizens.

3. Establish Tulsa as a national and international competitor in the market for job creation and retention.

Our Mouth is the Gateway to our Overall Health…

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ave you been feeling tired or rundown? Perhaps not experiencing that energy you once had? It may be your body working overtime fighting a painless, chronic infection that begins in the mouths of 80% of adults. You might want to think twice about missing that visit to see your dental hygienist. What we used to think of as a twice-a-year visit for a quick polish to make our teeth feel smooth and slick now could mean the difference between sickness and good health.

That visit to see our dental hygienist is no longer “just a cleaning”.

It is important to see your dentist and dental hygienist not only to check for cavities but also to make sure you have no signs of gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, which is an infection of the tissue and bone that surrounds and supports the teeth. It is caused by the overgrowth of the bacteria that is found in dental plaque. Bacteria in your mouth can travel to other parts of your body through your bloodstream with the potential to wreak havoc on other systems.

The Surgeon General reports that at least 80% of American adults have active gum disease in their mouth. This is a frightening statistic considering all of the studies that are proven to show the link between periodontal disease and our overall health.

Periodontal disease is marked by a state of chronic inflammation and infection that can affect other parts of our bodies. For instance, recent research suggests that gum disease has the potential to affect blood glucose control, which therefore increases the risk of developing diabetes.

Gum disease also poses a greater risk for heart disease or stroke.

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The inflammation associated with the gums leads to hardening of the arteries, which restricts blood flow that can affect the blood vessels to our heart or brain.

There is also a correlation with gum disease and rheumatoid arthritis. The more teeth that are lost increase the risk to develop this condition. Once again, the relationship is with the inflammation process associated with gum disease.

The list continues. Those with periodontal disease are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s. Studies suggest that when bacteria reach the brain, they may trigger an immune response, which in turn can kill brain cells.

Research also shows that there is an increased risk of cancer associated with periodontal disease. There is a correlation between the chronic state of inflammation and infection associated with gum disease and an increased rate of malignancy.

There is clear evidence that your mouth is the gateway to your overall health. Periodontal infection serves as a bacterial reservoir that may affect or contribute to other diseases.

Remember the importance of a healthy mouth and resist the urge to skip or postpone that next dental hygiene visit.

If you haven’t visited your dentist and hygienist recently, today is a good day to give them a call. And remember, it’s not “just a cleaning”, but it may be the appointment that helps you live a longer healthier life.

Healthy Smiles Family Dentistry is a general family practice that provides a multitude of dental services to all ages.

We have two locations serving the Tulsa and Claremore areas. Our offices are comprised of four female dentists who are known for providing dental services in the most comfortable and caring environment possible. Our office has the reputation of having the friendliest, most helpful staff around. We would be happy to address any of your dental concerns or questions you may have.

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The Gift of Motherhood

By Deniece Adsit, author of Lessons From the Journey, now available on Amazon.

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awn lay in bed struggling with the side effects of cancer and the latest round of treatment. It would take all her energy just to get out of bed. Until she remembered: Today is my daughter’s birthday! So she gathered all the stamina she could find and got up. She had to make a cake. Not just any cake – an Italian Cream, her daughter’s favorite. This is the dedication of someone who takes the gift of motherhood seriously. In the middle of her own personal crisis, she is able to set aside her needs to provide for those of her daughter. Soon her daughter would be grown and these opportunities would be gone. Her strength lasted just long enough to finish the cake. As she collapsed back into bed, she quietly gave God thanks for the strength to finish her baking, and prayed that her daughter would never know what this one act of love cost her.

Admiration for Dawn is unquestionable. But for every mother like Dawn, there’s another mother who struggles to make the admirable decision that never materializes. Maybe because there isn’t a perfect answer. We live in a sinful, broken world and the choices become as difficult as the road we are walking. When life presents two such choices, and neither of them are perfect, then what?

Suppose a woman looks at her 3-month-old baby boy and realizes if she doesn’t do something, he will die. As long as he is near her, his life is in danger. So she puts him in a basket and leaves him at a fire station, hoping someone will care for him by giving him the life she can’t. It would be so easy to judge the person who gives her child up knowing she can’t provide for him. Likewise, we judge a mother who is struggling to raise her child without adequate resources and ability. Each of these situations will have a lifelong impact on that child. For the one who is adopted, there can be a feeling of abandonment, while the one growing up in an environment of poverty may feel cheated out of a “normal” life.

We make the best decisions we can, with the information and ability we have. There aren’t any perfect answers.

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What about a mother who would give her child away, not once – but twice? There is no way God could be the grand master of such a travesty! Or could he? What if the child was left in a basket in the river, instead of a fire station? And what if that little boy was brought back to his mother, only to be given away again? Then we would be talking about Moses. The baby Moses is found and brought back to his own mother to nurse him. When the child is old enough to survive without his mother’s milk, she AGAIN gives him up to Pharoah’s daughter to become her child.

Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.” So the woman took the baby and nursed him. When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, “I drew him out of the water.” Exodus 2:9-10 NIV If there was ever a person entitled to feel abandoned, it would be Moses. Yet God honored those decisions – not perfect decisions, but decisions that were perfectly reasonable in a very imperfect world.

As we look at our own parenting styles, we find our harshest criticism directed at ourselves. We question our choices and fear the outcome of our decisions. God has given us these children as an extension of His kingdom. He has given us a set of skills and circumstances. Any decision we prayerfully make may seem right for a time. Later we may question even the best of choices. It was God who gave us this gift of motherhood. He designed us in His image – nurturing, caring, and loving, then He gave us a child. He called us “Mother” and commanded that we be honored, even in the difficult times.

Eventually we pass the age for raising children of our own. Our children have become adults and have started raising their families.

Our daughters have become mothers, and we smile when God blesses us with a new name – Grandmother.

ABOUT DENIECE Deniece has a passion to minister to women. You are going to grow to love her and the way she tells stories, always getting to the real heart of the matter.

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ife is made up of sequences. You walk before you run. You date before you get married (in most cultures). You put on your underwear before your pants. Unless you’re “Quailman” from the cartoon, Doug. Don’t be like Quailman.

Our financial world is no exception. Let me paint a picture for you. You’re 22 years old and you’ve just graduated college. The next step in the sequence is to find a job. You manage to land a job at XYZ Oil and Gas Company. You sit down with your employer’s HR person, and they tell you about all the cool benefits that your employer offers. You are intrigued by this thing called the 401(k) that if you save money, they will save money in this account for you too! So, as part of the sequence, you start saving as much as you can into your company’s 401(k), and you sit back and watch as the balance grows and grows. You meet your future spouse soon after you start your job and the two of you get married. Things could not be going better for you!

“81% of Americans have insufficient emergency savings (3 months of income in a liquid account).” hellowallet Fast forward a year. The economy isn’t doing so well. Oil prices are at 30-year lows which forces many companies to lay off thousands of people. What you have to realize is that as part of your employer’s sequence, you are one of those unfortunate folks.

This wasn’t supposed to be part of the sequence, but it interrupted YOUR sequence in a huge way. So, you get your pink slip and you think, “Hey, that’s ok!” I’ve got money in my 401(k) that I’ll pull from to pay my living expenses while I seek out another job. The only problem is that you now have to pay taxes and penalties to get

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the money out. So, you are forced to rely on a credit card, racking up debt, and you eventually are forced to take a job that you aren’t passionate about just to keep the lights on.

Nearly 50% of Americans expect to continue working to provide retirement income fundreference Imagine if you are in your 50’s and you do this! Let’s pretend that you withdraw $50,000 from your 401(k) to cover expenses while you are in-between jobs. You would only keep roughly $32,000 with nearly $18,000 going to taxes and early withdrawal penalties. Can you see the problem with this sequence?

So, humor me and let me paint another picture for you with a different outcome. You go to college, land a job, and the first thing you do is meet with your employer’s HR person. At this point, let’s pretend you changed your sequence. You consult your trusted financial advisor, and they advise you to delay participating in your employer’s 401(k). Instead, you start saving in a more accessible vehicle until you build up the right amount of cash in an emergency reserve. Then, you meet your future spouse and you get married. Life couldn’t be better.

25% expect their spouse to work to provide income during retirement fundreference

Fast forward a year. The economy isn’t doing so well. Oil prices are at 30-year lows which forces many companies to lay off thousands of people. You are one of those unfortunate folks. Aren’t you glad you didn’t have all of that money locked up in a box controlled by the U.S. government?

This article isn’t meant to attack 401(k)’s by any means. In fact, they can be a very useful tool when used in proper sequence.

Although there are many others areas to focus on, I chose this example, because this is one area of sequential imbalance that I believe most people can relate to. The fact of the matter is that 81% of Americans have insufficient emergency savings (3 months of income in a liquid account).

5% expect to rely on children or other family members? fundreference I have the opportunity to counsel many young and seasoned professionals alike on the power of proper financial sequence. It’s not magical, but it’s powerful. King Solomon, considered to be one of the wisest men to have ever lived, in Ecclesiastes 3:1 writes, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” (NIV) You see, without the proper sequence in place, you are relegated to follow someone else’s sequence which has the potential to sabotage your financial future. It could be people close to you, like family members, in-laws, or even friends. Or, it could be something much scarier, like, the government, financial institutions and corporations.

Just the other day I was sitting down with a client who is in his early 60’s, and he shared something with me that I’ll never forget.

He said, “I wish someone would have talked to me about this stuff when I was in my 20’s. I’d be so much further ahead.” Is it any

wonder why, according to a 2015 survey conducted by the Investment Company Institute, nearly 50% of Americans expect to continue working to provide retirement income? Not only that, would you believe 25% expect their spouse to work to provide income during retirement and 5% expect to rely on children or other family members?

So, maybe you are reading this article and you feel good about the direction you are heading financially. That’s great! I encourage you to take this opportunity to be the advocate for someone you know and love by sharing this information with them. If nothing else, it will hopefully keep you from being the 5% statistic that is relied upon to fund someone else’s retirement. Talk about a sequence killer.

This particular topic of proper sequence is one that I am extremely passionate about, and I would love the opportunity to buy you a cup of coffee or lunch so that we can meet each other.

Please feel free to call me at my office if you’d like to set up a time to talk more in depth about this topic! www.fundreference.com/articles/2015/1001362/retirement-savings-stats/ www.hellowallet.com/ladder www.hellowallet.com/research/retirement-breach-defined-contribution-plans/

Justin graduated with a Bachelor's of Science degree in Business Administration from John Brown University in 2007. After trying to break his way into the corporate sector, God instead opened a door for him in ministry. For nearly 6 years, Cowell was a Worship Pastor at one of Life.Church's satellite campuses.

Justin Cowell - Advisor ACT Financial Services, Inc. 4111 S. Darlington Ave., Ste. 800 Tulsa, OK 74135 O: 918-664-0081 C: 918-810-7239 jcowell@htk.com C ommu n ity sp ir itma ga zin e.c om

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[Neh. 2:18]

Let us rise up and build . . .

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Be intentional about your career It pays big life dividends in finding work you love.

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eflect for a moment on how you arrived at your current career path. Did you know from a young age what your vision for your life was or did you begin with a job and evolve when opportunities were presented to you? Do you find yourself feeling trapped in the wrong job or profession or do you love your work? Pondering these questions may reveal you have moved through your life, job or career with little intentional planning on the optimal types of work for yourself. Finding work you love can create great personal fulfillment for your life.

“51% of employees are considering looking for a new job (Workforce Plan panel, Gallup 2015). Other data suggests that number is above the 70% range, indicating the majority of workers are leaving their options open.”

Studies show the highest search rate when looking for a new job occurs on Mondays around 9am each week. 51% of employees are considering looking for a new job (Workforce Plan panel, Gallup 2015). Other data suggests that number is above the 70% range, indicating the majority of workers are leaving their options open.

Getting a job today involves the use of technology and a unique personal touch to successfully navigate job screenings, online application systems and recruiters. Social media has become an intricate part of the job search process. 80-90% of employers and job seekers leverage social media to find work. If you are job search-

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– Michelle Hammons, Creativity Playbook

ing, being intentional about how you live your life online through social media channels can have positive and negative implications you may want to consider before making that post.

There are generational viewpoints and values that influence each of our perspectives about work and career paths. With higher education costs soaring and job markets being squeezed with unemployment and under-employment, evaluating options and costs need be a strategic part of our life plan. Otherwise you may find yourself with a mound of student loan debt and no career to go with it. In 2015, the average US student loan debt was $35k, according to Direct Loans and Family Federal Education data. In January of 2015, Oklahoma had outstanding student loan debt of 12.5 billion dollars across 518k borrowers. You may need to take a close look at how to manage your higher education costs or you could be being paying off debt years into the future.

Many of us go through life working successfully, but never explore from an introspective viewpoint the type of work that best fits our creativity, strengths and style. Dan Miller, Best Selling Author of 48 Days to The Work You Love, has developed a practical application guide and program to take you through a personal self-discovery to find the work you love. This facilitated course is available in personal or group sessions. Call/text 918-850-5629 or email michelle@creativityplaybook.com to inquire about the next available dates for enrollment.

Michelle Hammons, Creativity Playbook www.creativityplaybook.com

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