ion Oklahoma Magazine February/March 2017

ionok.com

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

OCCC President Jerry Steward leads college through challenging times

Poteet Victory's celebrity abstract art Oklahoma pastor spends 40 days, nights on hiking trail Hilarie Blaney teachers manners Spring Break Adventures: Explore the state and see Clydesdales, sharks and dinosaurs

Lifestyle ‌ Culture ‌ Entertainment

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Oklahoma City Community College 2016-2017 Performing Arts Series Presents

Tuesday, March 21, 7:30

PM

OCCC Visual and Performing Arts Center Theater 7777 South May Avenue • www.occc.edu/pas tickets.occc.edu • Box Office 405-682-7579

Presenting sponsor: O NE

YR

publisher : Don Swift assistant : Joni Yeager editor : Tim Farley editiorial assistant : Darian Woolbright videographer : Jeremy Gossett director of photography : Michael Downes web site developer : Patrick Moore with Set Sail Media web site developer : Nina Jones, Data Design Inc. illustration : Rosemary Burke graphic design : Wendy Mills Advertising Sales Tina Layman

Photographers Jeremy Gossett Hugh Scott, Jr. Tracy Reece Jerry Hymer

Advertising Consultants Peter Preksto

Contributors fashion : Linda Miller art : Joy Reed Belt people : Peggy Gandy entertainment : Heide Brandes social issues : Robbie Robertson community : Lauren Wright contributing writer : Greg Horton contributing writer : M.A. Smith contributing writer : Mindy Wood contributing writer : Julie York

The Bestselling Book by Kent Frates

Oklahoma’s Most Notorious Cases Six cases that remain the talk of the courtroom Oklahoma has had more than its share of sensational legal battles with national ramifications, but for the first time in one volume, attorney/historian Kent Frates reveals the facts behind six cases that helped shape the history of the state—and the nation.

From bloody murders, to political scandal, to the horrific act of domestic terrorism known as the Oklahoma City Bombing, OKLAHOMA’S MOST NOTORIOUS CASES captures the stories, the times, and the import of these landmark trials.

Read the book that inspired the serial podcast We Will Always Remember (RealMysteries.us | weekly Feb. 12 to April 23) www.

Order now by visiting

OkMostNotoriousCases.com

or calling toll free 877.536.7634

Only

$24 Includes 16 pages of historic photos!

available at Full Circle Bookstore, OKC Best of Books, Edmond The Bookseller, Ardmore The Book Place, Broken Arrow and Barnes & Noble

12

COVER STORY

12

President Jerry Steward leads OCCC in challenging times

by Tim Farley

ART

22

Power and Prestige Exhibition at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

by M.J.Van Deventer

26

Poteet Victory: the PIcasso of Santa Fe

by M.J.Van Deventer

22

FASHION

34

Spring’s fashion statements

by Linda Miller

SPORTS

42 62

Oklahoma City Dodgers 2017 Schedule Oklahoma City Energy 2017 Schedule

COMMUNITY

59

8 ionOklahoma FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

School’s Mission is to Break Cycle of Incarceration

18

PEOPLE

18

Pioneer Woman Merchantile dishes it up

by Linda Miller

30

Taking a Hike on the Pacific Crest Trail with Ben Williams

by Tim Farley

46

Do Manners Matter? Hilarie Blaney knows they do

by M.J.Van Deventer

52

State couple selected for Steve Harvey TV Show Love Panel

LEADERSHIP

by Tim Farley

48 30

NextGen Leadership Oklahoma begins statewide Ambassador Network

REVIEWS

56

Beating the Odds in Oklahoma: Opening Doors by Tom Lindley

By James A. Lely

38

TRAVEL

38

Spring Break Advetures: Explore the state and see Clydesdales, sharks and dinosaurs

by Linda Miller

44

Flower Power Dallas Arboretum’s explosion of color

by Linda Miller

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 ionOklahoma 9

Publisher’s Note Welcome to ion Oklahoma Magazine. We are all about Oklahoma’s quality lifestyle…

“Like” us on facebook facebook.com/pages/ IonOklahoma-Online

follow us on twitter @IonOklahoma

people, culture, and entertainment.

Are you one of those people who get much of their daily information over the Internet on your computer and smart phone?

Ion Oklahoma www.ionok.com can be marked and become one of those “favorite newsentertainment websites” for you too. If you enjoy reading about many of Oklahoma’s success stories involving certain progress Oklahoma and its people are making then you will want to bookmark this publication.

On the ion website many of our subscribers like to preview the “Photo Galleries” section when our photographers go to certain social events and take several hundred party pic type photos of people at those events.

The “New on Ion” section of our website home page always will have a minimum of 10 current “Press Releases” with photos from many different companies and organizations in Oklahoma and from around the nation.

At ion Oklahoma we have made it easy for you to submit your events on our home page “Event Calendar that many daily visitors to the website like to access.

Each of the six printed editions of ion Oklahoma that are published annually also can be downloaded FREE and read at your convenience 24/7.

The Ion Oklahoma Online website has made it easy for our subscribers and loyal followers to share and post content with friends utilizing many different social media platforms.

Let us hear from you regarding any feature stories about Oklahoma as we are always looking for those success stories to share with our subscribers.

Sincerely, Don Swift Publisher ion Oklahoma Magazine

10 ionOklahoma FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

Oklahoma City Community College Cultural Programs Presents

Friday, March 31, 8:00

PM

OCCC Visual and Performing Arts Center Theater 7777 South May Avenue • www.occc.edu/pas tickets.occc.edu • Box Office 405-682-7579

President Jerry Steward leads OCCC through challenging times

COVER

BY TIM FARLEY

W

hen Jerry Steward arrives at work, he’s a happy man. He enjoys his job for the most part and he gets to hang out with young college students.

Steward is president of Oklahoma City Community College and has been in that position since July 2015.

During a lengthy one-on-one interview with ionok.com, Steward left no doubt he is enthusiastic about young people and their future. He likes helping college students who are struggling because he faced that same dilemma as a young man himself.

Whether it’s the development of a new mentorship program or the creation of an

12 ionOklahoma

DECEMBER 2016/JANUARY 2017

emergency student loan fund designed to help young adults in a pinch, Steward is pleased that he can contribute to their success.

“So many of our students live on the edge,” he said, referring to the emergency student loan fund. “Most of them are in fragile financial situations. A flat tire or a car battery issue can prevent them from attending class and we don’t want that.”

Labeled the Jerry and Tammy Steward Emergency Loan Fund, money will soon be available to help students through those tough moments. It’s an endowed fund that stands at $120,000 as earnings from the fund are used to help students.

“I know how it feels (to struggle) because I lived that in college,” Steward said. “It’s something we’ve wanted to do and we’ll make

PresidentJerry Steward visits with students during a recent recption.

repayment very easy at $5 or $10 a month. We don’t want students missing class because of a flat tire or an unpaid utility bill. We want them here getting an education.”

Steward’s passion to make life better for OCCC students also is visible with the mentorship program he established for young black men.

“By almost any measure, young black men need the most help. Whether you look at higher dropout rates or lower graduation rates, they need help. So, what we did was match incoming black males with successful adult mentors,” he explained.

The mentors meet with the student at least once a month, and sometimes more. The results are promising and show the program has a valid purpose. Before the mentor program, the young black male students who entered mentorship had an average GPA of 2.04. In one semester, the average GPA among those same students ballooned to 3.0.

“These young men are unbelievable,” Steward said.

“They look different. They conduct themselves different. They dress appropriately. They’re courteous and helpful. They are amazing young men who will one day change the face of this community.”

DECEMBER 2016/JANUARY 2017 ionOklahoma 13

Steward with student group of young black men involved in new mentoring program.

Working with this group of students has been a joy for Steward.

“They are truly a band of brothers,” he said. “They look after each other and they’re critical of each other if they get out of line. They come from very challenged backgrounds, but with the mentor program they will increase graduation rates.”

Although Steward enjoys the successes of the mentorship and emergency student loan fund, the longtime college administrator knows rough times await OCCC and higher education in general. State revenue is down, a revenue failure was recently declared and more financial cuts were made to colleges and universities statewide.

Before taking the president’s position, Steward worked as the college’s executive vice president, which made him fully informed of the challenges ahead.

His goals have been to increase academic success, particularly among minority students. He wants to increase the number of international students on campus, but all that takes money.

“The effect in reducing state funding had more impact on us here than on the two major research universities,” Steward said.

That was obvious when the college decided to close the iconic aquatics center, which had hosted statewide 14 ionOklahoma FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

events for several years.

“We simply couldn’t afford it,” Steward said.

But the reductions didn’t stop there.

The Arts Festival of Oklahoma, an annual event hosted by OCCC, was discontinued after 37 continuous years.

“We’ve had to diminish programs not only for the students but the entire community,” Steward said.

“We’ve weathered the storm the best we can.”

During that time, however, Steward and the board of regents decided to leave some staff positions unfilled and they reduced non-personnel spending.

“The legislature should have the responsibility to adequately fund students in higher education, but that opportunity is reduced when funding is cut. It hurts students and constituents.”

Looking forward, Steward is concerned about the college’s finances and the legislature’s willingness to increase state revenue streams. At the same time, he’s optimistic about the future of OCCC. That’s why the OCCC president, who served as a state lawmaker during the 1970s and 1980s, is embarking on a new mission to seek public and private grant money.

“We must renew our dedication to the students and the community,” Steward said. “We’ve already reduced programs and made personnel reductions. We’ve made

substantial cuts. We’ve cut the fat out. If we cut anymore, we’ll be cutting bone and muscle.”

In addition to a more aggressive fundraising campaign, Steward also wants to grow the college’s enrollment numbers.

“We’re planning new strategies to increase enrollment,” he said. “We will grow our way out of our present financial situation. If we don’t do that, we will slip into mediocrity. If we don’t take these actions, we’re going to lose our edge. I can assure you mediocrity is not going to occur at this college during my term as president.”

As far as Steward is concerned, his term as president is likely to last many more years.

“I have no thought about retiring,” he said. “I hope I’m allowed to serve the students and the community for years to come.”

One of Steward’s greatest daily joys is standing in front of the main building and greeting students. It’s also the place where he meets young people who are making personal sacrifices to gain an education.

At the beginning of the spring semester, Steward met a young man who appeared to be a working student

because of the way he was dressed. Steward struck up a conversation with the student and found out he awakens at 4 a.m. and walks two miles to a bus stop so he can be on a time for classes at OCCC. “The sacrifices that young man is making will create a better life for himself and his family,” Steward said.

Steward also recalled meeting a young woman who has four children and is a single parent. During their conversation, the woman told her story about spending 18 months to obtain her GED. She also informed Steward she would not be able to pursue a college education if not for OCCC’s child development center, which is designed to accommodate a student’s schedule.

“Students like this young woman are able to take their kids to the child development center during academic hours. The care is the highest quality and is nurturing,” he said. “It’s very, very inexpensive so our students can afford it.”

But now, Steward admitted, the child development center could be in danger of closing because of budget woes.

Steward believes the two students he met earlier this FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 ionOklahoma 15

Above, Oklahoma City Community College viewed from across the pond at dusk. Left, the Visual and Performing Arts Center host many events.

year are typical of those who attend OCCC. “That’s our student body. Fifty-five percent of our students are first generation college students. I see examples of those two students every day. They all have jobs, families, other responsibilities and I see them coming in from where they’ve been working. If you’re not inspired by the stories of those two students, you’re not inspirable.”

16 ionOklahoma FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

Steward beams like a proud father when he talks about the students who make those sacrifices, but he also is proud to talk about the college’s crown jewel theatre, which opened February 2014.

The theatre is the site of the college’s Performing Arts Series which draws performers from all over the world.

“So many come to our campus who wouldn’t have been here without it (theatre). It gives us an opportunity to talk with them about OCCC and fundraising,” Steward said.

A big event occurred last year when a remastered version of the iconic “Oklahoma!” played at the OCCC theatre. The star of the movie, Shirley Jones, attended the event along with former Oklahoma Gov. George Nigh and other statewide dignitaries.

“It was a great event. The theatre was full,” Steward said. n

PEOPLE

Left, Colorful cake platters at the Pioneer Woman Mercantile.

Below, Chandeliers and shoppers at the Pioneer Woman Mercantile in Pawhuska.

18 ion Oklahoma FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman. (Food Network photo)

BY LINDA MILLER Photos by Linda Miller

W

hen the Pioneer Woman Mercantile opened on Oct. 31, thousands of visitors from states near and far swarmed Pawhuska for weeks.

Crowds are more manageable now, especially during the week, making it the perfect time to visit before

summer vacationers set out on Pioneer Woman pilgrimages. And you know they will. Fans of Ree Drummond, the woman responsible for all this excitement, are a faithful group.

The popular blogger, television cooking show personality and author of cookbooks and children’s books and her rancher husband Ladd transformed an empty, historic building into a thriving tourist destination in this northern Oklahoma town.

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 ionOklahoma 19

Above, a wall advertisement for National Biscuit Co. was uncovered during the renovation.

Right, Ladd Drummond poses for a picture in the general store at the Mercantile.

The Merc, as she calls it, consists of a general store and restaurant/deli on the ground floor with a bakery and Drummond Ranch offices upstairs.

Visitors come for breakfast, lunch and dinner. For lemon squares and truffles, shopping and browsing.

And, of course, for a possible sighting of one or both Drummonds.

On an unusually warm day in mid-January, Ladd chatted and posed for photographs with several shoppers in the general store. He seemed in no hurry and said he comes to the office several times a week.

The office was completed first and from top to bottom, the Drummonds were sticklers for detail. During the four-year project, it was important to keep as much of the charm of the century old building as possible, including original brick walls, tin ceiling tiles and wood floors. It’s a huge space with lots of natural light and twinkling chandeliers.

The renovation revealed some happy surprises, including a large wall advertisement for National Biscuit Co. that was hiding behind thick plaster. It’s the 20 ionOklahoma FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

A table displays items for men.

perfect complement to the coffee counter on the ground floor.

Drummond’s recipes are wildly popular so it’s no surprise people line up to get a seat in the restaurant for a cowboy sized serving of chicken-fried steak or a steaming bowl of French onion soup. And let’s not forget those baked goodies upstairs.

But the general store has much to offer, too. Dishes and cake platters. Children’s toys and men’s novelties. Jewelry and clothing. Drummond Ranch and Mercantile signature merchandise. Pioneer Woman cookbooks and Drummond’s children’s books.

The Merc is at the corner of Main Street and Kihekah Ave., and it’s the busiest spot in town. You can’t miss it.

For more information, go to themercantile.com or thepioneerwoman.com. n

You can shop online easily – where they have categories for New Arrivals, Deli & Bakery, and the General Store. Plus there’s the Best Sellers, including fun items like Bacon or Pickle bandages, plastic wrap containers and nesting measuring cups.

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 ionOklahoma 21

ART Power and Prestige Exhibition at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

BY M. J.VAN DEVENTER Photography courtesy of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

I

mpressive Native American headdresses were one of the first “finds” when Eric Singleton joined the curatorial staff of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage three years ago.

Bears-Belly, donated by John Wayne in 1979.

22 ion Oklahoma FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

He had spent years researching the history of headdresses and war bonnets and was thrilled to discover so many in the museum’s vast archives.

That stellar collection was the catalyst for him to create an exhibition showcasing nine of those iconic Northern and Southern America Great Plains Native American treasures. Thirty-one headdresses had been given to the Museum by various sources through the years. Nine of those are now on view, through May 14 in the exhibition, “Power and Prestige: Headdresses of the American Plains.”

“We wanted to bring to light the fact these aren’t just war bonnets used in conflict. They were also used in ritual, dance and medicine ceremonials,” Singleton says.

As the museum’s curator of ethnology, he notes the exhibition also includes ledger art depicting Indian warriors and bonnets. Also featured are photographs and paintings of bonnets used in religious ceremonies as well as daily life. All the art and artifacts are attributed to the Blackfoot, Cheyenne-Arapaho, Crow, Kiowa, Lakota and Pawnee tribes.

Singleton says, “Feather headdresses are an iconic image of the American West. Yet, the truth behind

Eagle feather headdress

these emblematic items is more complex than the war bonnet would indicate. Going back centuries, headdresses have played an important role in both ritual and war and with many tribal varieties in style, use and design. Some resemble turbans featuring animals and eagle feathers.”

The distinctive “flared” style is the most recognizable

and commonly worn North American Great Plains bonnet, Singleton notes. “The eagle feathers are more rounded in the way they lay on the bonnet. They flare out more from the head. Visitors to the exhibition can easily see the distinction between the five different styles on display.”

These headdresses were seldom worn for everyday life.

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 ionOklahoma 23

Ringneck pheasant feather headdress

Split horn headdress

“These are power objects that were given to the wearer in a dream or vision. Headdresses were also a prestige object. Certain people had them or certain characteristics made them a prestige element,” Singleton says.

“Both men and women wore these headdresses,” he adds. “They were not just for chiefs. They were usually worn for a special occasion or a dance. As a power object, the wearer took on that supernatural power they believed they were given through a dream or vision.”

The headdress maker was revered in the Great Plains culture. He had usually been given the right to create these cultural artifacts in a vision or dream, depending on the unique culture of each tribe.

“There was no way to typecast the headdress maker,” Singleton states. “It was rare for a headdress maker to do anything else. Each tribe had its own view and ideology of its culture. Each had a different spin on emblems of war or ritual regalia. After the reservation period, these headdressses also became political emblems of the culture of Wild West Shows.”

Two of the exhibit’s pageant headdresses are on loan from Tulsa’s Gilcrease Museum and the Oklahoma 24 ionOklahoma FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

Historical Society in OKC. The Gilcrease headdress is from Gilcrease’s 288-piece collection of Joseph Henry Sharp’s Native American art and artifacts. Sharp was one of the Taos Society of Artists members. That headdress, a war trophy, was portrayed in Sharp’s 1894 painting, The Crow Warrior. The OHS war bonnet, Red Bird’s Headdress, was featured in a 1927 photograph by Edward S. Curtis, so noted for his portrayal of Native American life.

The exhibit also includes a children’s component.

“There are numerous touch items, discussions on ledger art and children-oriented projects to entice parents to bring their children to the museum,” Singleton notes.

“What I’ve tried to highlight in the exhibit is how these headdresses are spiritual and cultural items that deserve a level of respect similar to a Congressional Medal of Honor,” Singleton says. “No one would wear one of those without receiving that. The same should be said of these headdresses. The show highlights how wonderful and remarkable the Native American culture is and how much more there is to learn from them.” n

ART

Poteet Victory The Picasso of Santa Fe

BY M. J. VAN DEVENTER

A

s a child growing up in Idabel, Oklahoma, Poteet Victory remembers being “very precocious, always in trouble and always drawing — mostly horses.”

But age 15 was a major turning point in Poteet’s life. His mother showed Idabel artist Harold Stevenson her son’s drawings of a horse and Poteet’s life and future changed forever.

Stevenson asked Poteet to model for him for a series of paintings he was doing on Alexander the Great. For the next two summers, he modeled for Harold and continued to ride bulls and wild horses on the rodeo circuit.

“With Stevenson’s influence, everything just solidified within me,” Poteet recalled during an interview in his Canyon Road studio in Santa Fe, N.M. Stevenson, who once had studios in New York and Paris, is in his 90s and lives in a rustic cabin in his native Idabel. Poteet, 69, praises his mentor for the inspiration and guidance that led him to pursue contemporary art as a full-time career.

Today, Poteet’s brilliantly-colored abstract contemporary paintings are featured in galleries and private collections around the country and now, in Europe. He currently has a show on view at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art at the University of Oklahoma. In June, he will be a guest artist at the National Cowboy Museum’s Prix de West Invitational. He is the first contemporary abstract artist to show in the Prix de West.

Art critics have called Poteet “the Picasso of Santa Fe.” Dolly (top) and The Beatles (bottom) by Poteet Victory

26 ion Oklahoma FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

Poteet’s route to international attention was circuitous at best.

While attending OU, he sold shoes at Shepherd Mall in Oklahoma City.

He dropped out after his junior year and bought a one-way ticket to Maui, where he slept on the beach for two months before a trip to a laundromat changed his life course again.

He met a spiritual group that had been praying to find an artist to make T-shirt designs. “I designed one a day,” he recalls. Eventually he was so skilled at silk screening, he left Hawaii, moved to Dallas and formed “Divine Designs,” the first T-shirt company of its kind. He made T-shirts for Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Frito-Lay and Coca-Cola.

He eventually moved to New York to study at the Art Students League.

His mentor Stevenson got him a job there and Poteet thought: “These people are really good and I’ve got to get with it. I knew I had to rise to their level of competition. “ Through Stevenson, Poteet met Andy Warhol, an iconic artist so noted for his Campbell’s tomato soup can art.

“He was the first person I met in New York,” Poteet recalls. “I went straight to his brownstone after a taxi ride from the airport. Warhol recognized we live in a celebrityoriented society. Stevenson explained to me that Warhol’s paintings were a new form of art and told me, ‘You’ve got to keep after it.’

I promised him I would.”

But Poteet wanted to create his own style of art.

“I thought ‘why do what’s already been done before.’ I wanted to be the best at my own style,” he says.

Moons for Halcyon by Poteet Victory

Having met Warhol, and visited with the artists in his factory, Poteet was invited to socialize with other artists and socialites. With his Oklahoma accent and Native American values still intact, Poteet often surprised his new friends with his down-to-earth insights about life and art. He was in New York for eight years, returning to Oklahoma to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree at the University of Central Oklahoma in 1986.

Warhol’s fascination with celebrities was a catalyst for Poteet when he did his “Abbreviated Portrait Series.” Using the celebrity theme, he artistically profiled 15 well-known stars from actors to musicians in a colorful, minimalist style.

For instance, Marilyn Monroe became a white background for her famous white dress, a red square for her lipstick and a black dot for her beauty mark. The abstract painting is compelling, as is the rest of this unusual series. The modernistic paintings define such celebrities as Cher, Elvis Presley, Lucille Ball and others.

Poteet says, “The series does not focus on abstracting the image of a person but rather the ‘hint’ of that person in the mind’s eye. I continue to be astounded when I ask others what first comes to mind regarding a particular person. Consistently, their answer is exactly the same as mine: blue eyes for Paul Newman, red hair for Lucille Ball, an arched eyebrow for Jack Nicholson.”

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 ionOklahoma 27

Crucifixion by Poteet Victory

Poteet’s unique style is riveting and thought-provoking. Many paintings are inspired by his Native American heritage. His father was a mix of Cherokee-Choctaw ancestry.

His mother’s family had roots in the Cajun culture of Louisiana. His paternal grandmother was Willie Victory, a full blood CherokeeChoctaw who was an important influence on his life as a teenager.

She shared the family’s tribal history with him, providing insight into the dual cultures that colored his life, and now, his art. Born Robert Poteet, he later changed his name to Poteet Victory.

“I see things other people don’t see,” Poteet says. “I train myself to do that. I’m intrigued by how the brain stores and recalls images. I’m also fascinated with meditation and its advantages.”

While his compositions are fashioned of symbols, geometric shapes and abstractions, it is the brilliant neon-like colors and high gloss finishes that compel the viewer to peer into his work.

“A painting has to be beautiful the whole way through. I’m old school. A lot of art today is meaningless,” Poteet believes. “Art is what it is. It’s what you see. Did you see something that made you think deeper? There is joy for me in painting abstractly. If I can get my idea across for you, then that’s the point.”

In an interview with Southwest Art magazine, he said, “I want my work to touch the psyche of the viewer. With abstract images, it’s all about creating an illusion,

something like flashcards that speak to each individual in a different way.”

Some of his work features spiritual overtones.

“I want my work to touch the psyche of the viewer.

— Poteet Victory Of his technique he says, “I hardly ever touch a brush or a palette knife. I paint each painting four or five times. I paint, then sand, add resin, then paint, then

28 ionOklahoma FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

sand, which builds up depth. I can’t get that gloss effect with a brush.”

One painting may go through as many as 10 sandings. It takes four weeks to complete each painting.

Part of his technique is using bold contrasts in his art.

“I love the contrast of turquoise and red,” he adds. “I love working with reds. I put a bright against a dull. Black is often a foil for other colors in my work. My paintings are simple. The design and composition is easy. Making a stronger painting is the hard part. It has to be right. I just keep taking things out. When I sand a painting down, things pop out.”

“I could paint realism,” he laughs. Definitely an independent thinker, Poteet recalls a college art

Marilyn Monroe by Poteet Victory

class at OU. “I made a B in that class because I wouldn’t paint thumbnails. I survived it.”

When Poteet moved to Santa Fe in 1995, he worked as a bartender at Vanessie’s, a noted piano bar, while trying to eke out an existence as a struggling artist.

Three years later he was the most collected artist in Santa Fe. In his first show at the Contemporary Southwest Gallery, he sold 30 paintings and took commissions for 15 more.

“I never dreamed I could have a show like that,” he recalls.

In 2008, he and Chris McLarry bought the McLarry Modern Gallery near the entrance to Canyon Road, a winding street anchored by galleries that have become an international mecca for artists and collectors. Poteet paints in a small upstairs, light-filled studio and listens to classic rock while he’s painting. He welcomes walkin gallery visitors, readily taking time to share his views on his art.

“The first day we opened the gallery, it was snowing.

We did no advertising. A guy walked in and bought two of the biggest paintings I had for $70,000 each. You never know who is going to walk in the door.”

“Vidal Sassoon’s wife bought nine of my paintings in one day. That was a good day,” he smiles.

It also didn’t hurt that Allan Houser, the noted

Oklahoma Chiricahua-Apache artist, once encouraged people to buy Poteet’s art.

Poteet enjoys explaining one of his recent paintings, The Crucifixion. It portrays God looking down on the stormy turbulence of that horrific scene. He often takes an unusual perspective to tell his artistic story.

“As an artist, I can do whatever I want to,” Poteet states.

His art is revered in Oklahoma by numerous galleries and collectors. In 2007, he was featured in a 100-year anniversary of Oklahoma in a Bartlesville show. He was in stellar company with Allan Houser, Otto Decker, Joe Andoe, Harold Stevenson and David Sallie. His work also has been featured at the M. A. Doran Gallery in Tulsa and the Howell Gallery in Oklahoma City.

Recently,he painted a 20’ x 20’ painting of Dolly Parton in her coat of many colors as a benefit for her charity, the Make A Wish Foundation in Dallas.

“I do a lot for charity,” he notes.

With all his success as an artist, Poteet says one thing about him will never change.

“I’ll always be a cowboy at heart.” Although he recently shed his trademark beard, he’s never lost his southeastern Oklahoma accent. “I couldn’t lose it if I tried,” he laughed. n Cher by Poteet Victory

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 ionOklahoma 29

PEOPLE

The Black Eye Sierra Club.

30 ion Oklahoma FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

BY TIM FARLEY

B

en Williams crossed off one item from his bucket list by hiking 40 days through the mountainous and rugged Pacific Crest Trail that begins at the U.S.-Mexico border and ends in Canada.

Williams, a 64-year-old pastor in Shawnee, wasn’t tempted by the devil as Jesus Christ was when he spent 40 days and nights in the wilderness, but this preacher of the Good Word was tested in a variety of other ways.

In preparing for his adventure, Williams researched the hurdles he would encounter and he trained physically so he would be ready for the most grueling and exhausting test of his life.

“I wanted to step back, evaluate and refresh,” he said during an interview with Shawnee Outlook. “It had been my lifelong dream to do that (hike the Pacific Crest Trail).”

However, as Williams recalled his story, the journey was not always refreshing.

When Williams was in his mid-20s, he helped build 23 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail, which is 2,650 miles and winds through the mountains of California, Oregon and Washington before reaching its most northern point at the U.S.-Canada border.

Ben Williams shows off black eye from hiking accident.

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 ion Oklahoma 31

“Where I thought I would find water I didn’t. You can only live without water for three days. I finally found some.”

—Ben Williams

Beck Meadow Spring on the PCT

32 ionOklahoma FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

Williams acknowledged the book and subsequent movie titled “Wild” made him think about taking the 40-day journey. Along his hike, Williams kept a journal and eventually penned his own 106-page book entitled “Forty Days in the Wilderness.” So far, the book has been made available to friends and family only, the pastor and author said.

It turned out that the 40-day hike had three main themes: adventure, meeting “incredible” people from around the world and alone time with God. The adventuresome theme was obvious as a man nearing retirement set out by himself on a hike that eventually tested every part of him physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

As Williams recalled different parts of the trip and the people he met, he mentioned his time with Gary, a rocket scientist with NASA. Williams explained Gary oversees a program that deals with planets and stars.

“I remember him telling me we would be able to prove life exists on other planets in 20 years. And we also talked about God,” said Williams.

During their conversation, the two men talked about science and religion and whether the world was created by God or a natural process some refer to as the “big bang.” Gary, Williams said, is a self-professed agnostic.

“There was no conversion, but I planted the seed,” the pastor said.

“On this trip, I had 100 times the opportunity to talk to people outside the Christian faith than I do at home.”

Before his trip, Williams discovered Backpacker Magazine ranked the Pacific Crest Trail as one of the most beautiful in the nation.

“I couldn’t help think about God as I hiked,” he said.

Of course, there were other thoughts as well. For instance, finding water a few days into the trip was at the forefront of Williams’ mind.

“Where I thought I would find water I didn’t,” he recalled. “You can only live without water for three days. I finally found some.”

The first chapter of his book centers on his lack of water and his disappointment about not finding any at Kern River, a spot which he anticipated would be full of water. However, the disappointment didn’t last long. Williams finally discovered the liquid he needed at a “spring” near Beck Meadow, but it was hardly pure spring water. It turned out to be putrid with every bug imaginable gathered for a convention. aUsing a Sawyer Squeeze purification system, Williams was able to collect some water. He later discovered clear, crystal water later at another branch of the Kern River.

Williams tried to prepare himself for the extreme elevations he would ascend to, but nothing in Oklahoma can prepare a hiker for elevations from 6,000 to his highest of 13,200 feet above sea level.

“The air is so thin and I’m carrying 30 to 40 pounds in a backpack,” he said. “I totally underestimated the physical challenge.”

At times, he camped above 11,000 feet and would wake up feeling tired.

“With less oxygen, it was very challenging,” he recalled.

Then there were the rocks, which at times were high as one’s knees, Williams said.

At times, Williams would compare the hike to life’s lessons.

“You look at it like this is the chosen path in my life and you go where that path takes you,” he said. “But I found my destination and it was very rewarding. I did it. It was a great feeling.”

During the 40 days, Williams would leave the trail once a week to get cleaner water and Mexican food. Then, he would hit the dusty and rocky trail all over again.

His journey began Aug. 1, 2016 and ended on Sept. 10.

Williams is doubtful he’ll make that same type of trek again.

“My wife told me I can’t go that long again,” he said. “I might do a couple of days backpacking in Arkansas or I might start doing a week at a time.”

Willams also said loneliness was an obstacle for him.

“My wife shows up on every page in my journal,” he said, referencing the fact that he missed her.

In one journal entry, Williams wrote, “I have lost weight.

Maybe 10 pounds. Jeri (his wife) will be so inspired to cook and fatten me up.”

In his last journal entry, Williams wrote, “Day 41. “Driving south from Bishop along the Eastern Sierras. I remembered how small I felt looking up at those incredible, tall mountains the day before this journey began. I thought, ‘I touched you, long line of giants. I followed just a tiny line through the heart of you, but I did touch these giants in a small way.’” n FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 ionOklahoma 33

FASHION

Spring’s fashion

BY LINDA MILLER Photos from Worth New York

Spring can’t come fast enough.

Apologies to heavy sweaters, boots and coats, but many of us are eager for a new fashion season filled with lighter weight clothes, cheery stripes and bright colors.

Cindi Shelby of Worth New York shared the trends she thinks will get plenty of attention as the weather warms. First up, color.

Happily, there’s a huge range of color from pink and yellow to navy and khaki, Shelby said.

“Yellow is typically a color people think they can’t wear,” she said. “There are so many shades, so many that flatter and women need to figure out which one works for them. Yellow is just huge … from soft buttercup to neon bright.”

Pale yellow wrap blouse by Worth New York.

34 ion Oklahoma FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

Pink demands a share of the spotlight too.

“Typically pink is a color that every woman loves and looks good in, from soft petal pink to hot pink,” Shelby said. “Women just look pretty in pink, and there’s every shade of pink out there.”

Navy, a color that complements both yellow and pink, makes a case as a pretty substitute for black. Black and black and white always show up in the spring, but women who have never embraced navy are loving it, Shelby said.

“It’s softer, kind to the face,” she said. “It looks so fresh. I love navy mixed with Kelly green. It’s fun and fresh looking. And navy with pink is pretty.”

And while khaki doesn’t scream spring, that’s exactly what makes it such a welcome color. It’s unexpected and takes on a more feminine than military feel.

Other trends include fashion’s fascination with the shoulder. Off –the-shoulder styles continue, along with one-shoulder looks, cut-outs and “Flashdance” flashbacks with slouchy tops falling off the shoulder, Shelby said.

Sleeves also remain important. Last year’s flared sleeves aren’t going away, but look for slits, oversize poufs, huge cuffs and any other detail that makes a statement sleeve.

Other trends include ruffles, stripes, hoodies and track pants in luxurious fabrics, slogan T-shirts with empowering messages, patchwork, robe styles, strong shoulders and waist emphasis. n

36 ionOklahoma FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

TRAVEL

SPRING BREAK ADVENTURES

See dinosaur skeletons and more at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History in Norman.

38 ion Oklahoma FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

Explore the state and see Clydesdales, sharks and dinosaurs

BY LINDA MILLER

Where to go, what to do?

It’s the dilemma many parents wrestle with as they try to plan a getaway that will keep their children entertained during that much-anticipated event known as spring break – especially when snowy slopes, sandy beaches and Disney parks aren’t an option.

Sometimes it’s as easy as looking in your own backyard. Oklahoma offers first rate science, art, history, cultural, space and science museums, top-notch zoos; historic sites; an indoor aquarium; and caverns. Plan a day trip or criss-cross the state on a three-day excursion.

Here are a few places worth exploring that will appeal to both adults and children. Go to travelok.com for a comprehensive list of things to see and do in Oklahoma.

Express Clydesdales Stables, Yukon. These gentle giants are worth seeing in person. Each stands about 6 feet tall at the shoulders and weighs some 2,000 pounds with hooves the size of plates. The Clydesdale horses from Express have participated in numerous parades and special events across the country. When they’re not out working, they greet visitors at the ranch. And they love visitors.

The Clydesdale Barn is open six days a week and admission is free. Be sure to bring a camera. Everyone will want to pose with these magnificent and beautiful animals. There’s also a gift shop and Chisholm Trail exhibits. Information: expressclydesdales.com.

Oklahoma Aquarium, Jenks. Who’s up for a close encounter with a shark? Walk through the see-through tunnel and you’re surrounded by the largest bull sharks in captivity swimming above and beside you. But there’s more to see here.

Several galleries and some 200 exhibits showcase stingrays, seahorses, parrot fish, jelly fish, porcupine puffers, lion fish and eels, along with other marine and aquatic life. The new Sea Turtle Island will be open in time for spring break visitors who’ll see two 300-pound loggerhead sea turtles, reef sharks and other tropical fish in a 65,000-gallon tank. Visitors can experience ocean life from FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 ionOklahoma 39

The new Sea Turtle Island at Oklahoma Aquarium in Jenks will be open in time for spring break visitors.

three viewing levels, including an underwater observation station for children. Check the website for feeding and stingray touch times. Information: okaquarium.org.

Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, Norman. Meet Sauroposeidon proteles, the world’s tallest dinosaur and a native of Oklahoma. Its 40-foot-long neck and skull peek into the museum’s Great Hall to greet and entice visitors to explore further. Several neck bones were unearthed in southeast Oklahoma in 1994. It’s the first of many eye-opening encounters. The museum traces more than 500 million years of natural and cultural history with some 10 million

specimens and artifacts.

Permanent exhibit highlights include a walk through a limestone cave and the crushed skull of a nowextinct bison painted with a red zigzag pattern. At 10,000 years old, the museum says it’s the oldest painted object in North America.

Clydesdales are the center of attention at the Express Clydesdales Visitors go along on a Stables in Yukon. prehistoric voyage where whose 10 ½-foot skull holds the they can touch a large meteorite, watch two dinosaurs fight in “The Clash of the Guinness World Record as the world’s largest. n Titans” and then marvel at the fully Information: samnoblemuseum.ou.edu articulated skeleton of Pentaceratops,

40 ionOklahoma FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

Friday February 10, 2017 • 7:30 PM Saturday February 11, 2017 • 1:30 PM & 7:30 PM

Tuesday, Tuesday y,, March Mar Marcch 21,, 2017 • 7:30 0 PM

The U.S. Ar Army my Field Band ee Frre Jazz Ambassadors ert! c n o C Saturday, April 1, 2017 • 7:30 PM

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Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark | 2 S. Mickey Mantle Dr. | Oklahoma City, OK 73104 (405) 218-1000

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE TEAMS AMERICAN NORTHERN DIVISION

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TRAVEL

DALLAS ARBORETUM’S

BY LINDA MILLER

N

othing is prettier than a few spring flowers opening up to form a welcome burst of color to signal the start of a new season.

Magnify that by thousands and it becomes an annual event in Texas known as Dallas Blooms, scheduled Feb. 25 through April 9 at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden.

Named one of America’s best spring floral festivals by USA Today, Dallas Blooms is an explosion of color with more than 500,000 spring-blooming flowers that blanket the landscape.

Tulips are the first to appear, showing off their dazzling color and form and beckoning guests to slow down and enjoy the view.

“Dallas Blooms is the largest display of tulips in a public garden anywhere west of Holland,” said Mary Brinegar, Dallas Arboretum president and chief executive officer. “Later in the festival, thousands of azaleas and hundreds of Japanese cherry trees blossom, leaving breathtaking color at every turn. Guests are sure to have an unforgettable experience this spring in our world class garden.”

Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden presents Dallas Blooms Feb. 25 through April 9.

44 ion Oklahoma FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

EXPLOSION OF COLOR The event showcases 100 varieties of tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, pansies, violas, poppies and thousands of other spring-blooming annuals and perennials. Dallas Blooms will end on a colorful note with a mass flowering of the garden’s 3,000 azaleas that bloom during late April.

Flowers may be the center of attention, but other activities are planned during the spring celebration.

This year’s theme is Peace, Love and Flower Power and each weekend will highlight a different 1960s topic, incorporating headlines, music, TV, fad ands and fashion. Some of the events include a music festival, Ed Sullivan Show-Celebrity Weekend and Fashion Forward where guests can create flower wreaths, dress paper dolls and get henna tattoos.

A favorite spot at the Dallas Arboretum is the Rory Meyer Children’s Adventure Garden, a scientific museum without walls. It reopens Feb. 25, much to the delight of families who love its hands-on science.

For more information, go to dallasarboretum.org. n

PEOPLE

Hilarie Blaney knows they do

BY M. J. VAN DEVENTER

H

ilarie Blaney’s grandmothers were sticklers for good manners. So were her parents. As a child, she was privileged to take a “White Gloves and Party Manners” course. So it’s no surprise she is now a certified social and corporate business etiquette consultant.

Hilarie Blaney

“My parents and grandmother always explained to me ‘why’ we did things a certain way,” she says. “That created a picture for me to remember the rules of etiquette.”

Hilarie has been a banker for the past 39 years, following graduation from Oklahoma City University with a degree in business and finance, and, later a master’s degree in finance.

The banking industry has been her world since then, complemented by being an adjunct professor at OCU. “Banking gave me a guideline for how to present myself in a business setting from what to wear to table manners,” she says.

Are manners a lost art?

“Yes. I lived this experience,” she says. “Our lifestyles changed. Women went to work. Schedules changed. We stopped cooking and having family dinners together as we did in the 1950s. We picked up food. So the time we had to teach table manners wasn’t used. Our society has evolved from ‘Father Knows Best,’ a popular 1950s television show, to today’s lifestyle where women balance a career and family life,” Blaney notes.

46 ion Oklahoma FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

“Your handshake describes your personality and people don’t know what they are communicating with a bad handshake.

— Hilarie Blaney”

Banking might have remained Hilarie’s major career interest but 11 years ago she was invited to teach a class for Leadership Oklahoma City. As a Leadership Oklahoma City graduate, she taught corporate etiquette to the young professionals class, 25–40-year-old men and women who were striving toward leadership roles in their companies.

“I enjoyed teaching the class so much that I decided to be credible. I had to get certified as an etiquette consultant at the Protocol School of Washington. I chose to graduate from each of the certifications they provide: Corporate Etiquette, United States and International Protocol, and Business Image,” she says.

Her classmates in those programs were from all over the world — the security detail for the Crown Prince of Dubai, the Canadian Mounted Police and Chinese government executives. “We were all prepared to be protocol officers for the White House,” she recalls.

Blaney has been involved in the past two inaugural ceremonies for Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin. She served on the committee that staged these events, wrote the script, arranged seating and organized elected officials in a priority order. To her knowledge, she is the only Oklahoma protocol consultant who is not employed by the military or government.

She is certified to teach adults and young adult professionals who are going on job interviews as well as corporate executives who may just need a refresher course on business etiquette. She has taught classes at OKC’s Math and Science Academy.

As a manners observer, Blaney has had the opportunity to witness bad manners in many situations.

She believes one of the most crucial corporate faux pas is an improper handshake.

“Your handshake describes your personality and people don’t know what they are communicating with a bad handshake,” she believes.

Is there another manners offense rivaling a poor handshake?

“Bad table manners also include improperly cutting meat. There is a correct way to handle silverware,” she tells her corporate clients.

As a lifelong business executive with these closely held certificates and skills, Blaney says, “I’m proud of what I do and BancFirst has been very supportive of me. I’ve helped many companies do business in other countries with my international expertise on manners.

I’ve helped young professionals improve their skills for job opportunities or promotions and executives who want their employees to improve. I’d like to think I’ve made a difference in the lives of the people I’ve taught.”

Do good manners really matter?

For Blaney, they are the social barometer of the personal and corporate world we live in today. n

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 ionOklahoma 47

LEADERSHIP NextGen Leadership Oklahoma begins statewide Ambassador Network

S

omething historical happened at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City the evening of February 7, 2017. Twenty young leaders, mostly in their twenties and representing major communities across Oklahoma, met to began forming the first class of statewide ambassadors for the NextGen Leadership Oklahoma movement.

The mission of NextGen Leadership Oklahoma is to inspire and encourage the next generation of Oklahoma leaders to best utilize their talents and creative energy to improve Oklahoma’s families, workplaces, and

Power women.

48 ion Oklahoma FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

communities. The ultimate purpose is to make Oklahoma the state of choice for Millennials and future generations.

Don Swift, NextGen founder and publisher of ionOK magazine, challenged participants to lead a movement that will encourage NextGen Leaders between 20-39 to step up to leadership roles in their communities now.

The participants represented a cross section of organizations including communications, banking, investing, insurance, government, education, Tribal government, energy, music, construction, employment, entrepreneurship, accounting, public relations, and legal.

The NextGen ambassadors have two primary functions. First, they provide feedback and direction to

Susan Graham speaks to the group.

Clockwise from the top left: Tyler Laughlin Anna Raney Melissa Brevetti Garland presents Ryan Waters

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 ionOklahoma 49

Anna Raney.

NextGen organizers about what programs and services are the most relevant to younger leaders and their communities. Second, they provide a conduit of twoway communication between their communities and NextGen organizers to inform young leaders how to access NextGen services as they are available.

Swift told the group that ambassadors can help shape a statewide network of young leaders who can share resources and connect between communities to encourage and support each other’s local initiatives.

Most of the ambassadors have been recognized in one of six classes of NextGen Under 30 between 2011 and 2016. Others have attended NextGen Leadership Oklahoma events or have learned of the movement and offered their service to spreading NextGen’s reach across the state.

In addition to Swift, other organizers include, Garland McWatters of INPowered2 LEAD; Peter Preksto, director at Ruah TAO, Inc.; Brenda Jones Barwick, CEO of Jones PR, and Peter Vitali, financial advisor with Morgan Stanley.

Through the statewide NextGen Under 30 awards program, NextGen recognizes individuals between 20 and 29 who are having an impact in their

50 ionOklahoma FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

Dan Provo.

workplaces and communities. Nominations are now open for the NextGen Under 30 class of 2017.

Applications are due by August 25, 2017, http://www.nextgenunder30.com.

NextGen is organizing a statewide outreach into local communities through the “Dream It, Dare It, Do It Success Tour.” The Success Tour is an expanding series of local leadership events designed to connect young leaders (20-29) with current leaders in their area. The first Success Tour stop is in Edmond, OK, April 26. n

The NextGen Leadership Oklahoma

WHAT WHA AT IF? IF AND WHY Y NOT? NO SUCCESS TOUR TOUR Arrives in . . .

EDMOND, OK, April 26, 2017 Oaktree Golf & Country Club 700 West Country Club Drive, Edmond, OK 73025

9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

REGISTER NOW nextgenunder30.com

$49 Lunch included

Join the Millennial transformation in Oklahoma Make a diffffer ference in your community by engaging with local leaders and your NextGeneration of community leaders.

LISTENING THROUGH NEW EYES EXPLORING RING P PA ATTERNS, PERSPECTIVES & PERCEPTIONS

Communicating your world and understanding theirs, to unleash the creative energy in your home, your workplaces, s, and your communityy..

• Network with young community and professiosnal leaders in your area • Develop your leadership talents in an interactive leadership session • Interact with local decision makers during the Leader Circles

AGENDA 9:00 a.m. check in and networking 10:00 a.m. LEADER CIRCLES: casual conversations with prom prom-inent area business and community leaders to ask their perspectives and experience.

T om Friedemann, Friedemann Supt. Francis Tuttle Tom Tuttle Technology Technology Center, and 2017 board chair of Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce. (Education) Dr Dr.. John Wood, Wood, Guthrie city council, associate professor of political science, UCO. (Public service) Other mentors to be selected representing:

Local sponsor

Community service Business and economic development

Luncheon and featured presentation: 1:00 p.m. LEADERSHIP SESSION: Listening Through New Eyes-Communicating between your world and theirs. FaciliFacili tator: Garland McW atters, INPowered2 LEAD, Tulsa, Tulsa, OK McWatters, 4:00 p.m. adourn

For more information:

Success T Tour our Dir Director ector & Contac Contactt

Garland McWatters

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 ionOklahoma 51 972.762.3955 garland@inpower edtolead.com INPowered2 LEAD

PEOPLE

An Oklahoma couple from Yukon appeared on The Steve Harvey Show as part of a “love panel” that gives people tips on specific marital problems.

52 ion Oklahoma FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

State couple selected for Steve Harvey TV Show Love Panel

BY TIM FARLEY News Editor

T

roy and Denise Schroder are real estate agents by day, but in their spare time they go on national television and give “expert� marriage advice.

Troy Schroder, an Okarche native whose parents still live there, appeared with his wife on The Steve Harvey Show February 10th.

The Schroders are Yukon real estate agents.

Troy and Denise Schroder are from Yukon, Oklahoma.

Troy and Denise Schroder, far left, appear on The Steve Harvey Show in February.

Troy and Denise Scroder pause for photos backstage at The Steve Harvey Show in February.

They appeared as part of a “love panel” that gives people tips on specific marital problems. In the episode that aired on Friday, February 10, the Schroders gave a couple advice about dealing with a blended family. The Schroders have been married 12 years

and have raised five teenagers between them.

The best advice on blended families is to always stay united as a couple in front of the children, Denise Schroder said.

“You have to be unified in front of them. You might disagree behind closed

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doors but you have to remain arm-in-arm when they (children) see you,” she said.

During the Friday episode, viewers got to witness one couple struggling with discipline issues. One parent will not discipline the child, but the other will.

As far as love advice goes, Denise Schroder said her best thoughts are to be “completely supportive of your spouse.”

“You want to be with someone who will let you shine,” she said. “You want to be with someone who will let you be yourself. That’s what happened when I met Troy.”

Denise Schroder was on The Steve Harvey Show two months ago discussing how she and her husband deal with the dangers technology presents teenagers and ways to protect children from online predators.

Harvey commonly seeks real people to be part of a panel or focus group that provides insight for his guests.

The appearances on the Harvey show aren’t the first for the Schroder couple.

They’ve already been part of a House Hunters episode and will appear on another episode in six months.

The bright lights and cameras are not a problem for Denise, but Troy sometimes needs a little help, his wife said.

“I’m a drama geek so I’m kind of in my element,” she said. “Troy doesn’t like the camera like I do. He has to be pulled and prodded some.” n

REVIEW

Beating the Odds in Oklahoma Review of Opening Doors by Tom Lindley, Full Circle Press, 2016

BY JAMES A. LELY

O

klahoma is the 38th-poorest state in the USA, has the nation’s worst assets and savings rate, and is ranked No. 42 for hunger and food insecurity. Teen birth is also the worst, and the state is in 45th place for gender wage gap.

It can be a hardscrabble life for the 610,828 individuals living in poverty here, living with malnutrition, health issues, low education, drug and alcohol abuse and family violence.

This is a rural state, and nearly one in five of those living in rural areas live in poverty. The reasons for such poverty are many and complex, and no stereotype begins to scratch the surface of the issue. When an individual can overcome these challenges, all of us gain hope. When a person facing insurmountable odds can thrive, we gain courage, and we learn from their triumph.

Veteran reporter and editor Tom Lindley was encouraged by Full Circle Bookstore owner, Jim Tolbert, and Oklahoma banker and philanthropist Gene Rainbolt to write an encouraging book that will inspire all readers, especially the youth of Oklahoma, to fight courageously against the odds facing them.

He has written Opening Doors, profiling 13 Oklahomans whose stories will at times shock and dismay the reader and who have succeeded in defeating the challenges facing them and building rich and useful lives. In this video age, one can hope that the book is also offered as a filmed documentary, 56 ion Oklahoma FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

and in both media its stories will be shared throughout the state.

Some of the names will be familiar to readers, others are unsung heroes. Greg Burns, born with a crippling physical

condition, has become a painter, celebrated worldwide. Born in Enid as the 10th of 15 children of Cherokee, Scottish, and African-American ancestry, Grammy Award-winning Leona Mitchell sang for 18 seasons as a leading soprano. Miami Dolphins defensive lineman James Riley was “a child of the Oklahoma oil patch” overcame alcohol and drug addiction to begin a non-profit that helps thousands of others to overcome their own torment and addictions.

Brandy Carter’s profile is an especially dark and harrowing story, overcoming sexual abuse as a girl, addictions to drugs and alcohol, and time in prison, where she was untreated for an infection during pregnancy and suffered the loss of her baby.

Living in poverty with nine siblings and an alcoholic father, she was the nexus of all that can face a girl in that position, including poverty, sexual and physical abuse, drug use, unwed and teen pregnancy, and a high-school dropout.

Lindley writes, “Approximately 64% of the more than 2,800 women incarcerated in Oklahoma are imprisoned for nonviolent, primarily drug-related offenses. About 85% of them are mothers to an estimated 7,000 children, of which more than 4,000 are under the age of 18. These women and their children are irrevocably changed by imprisonment.”

Carter learned of Women in Recovery, an alternative to incarceration for nonviolent female offenders in Tulsa County who have alcohol and drug addictions. In 2011, she became a graduate of the program’s 12th class and is now able to be a good mother to her children and a productive member of society.

On June 30, 2016, Rodney Bivens retired as executive director of the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, which he founded 36 years earlier. In its first year of operation, the Regional Food Bank distributed 280,000 pounds of food to the community, an amount which is today distributed about every day and a half. Since its inception in 1980, the nonprofit has provided nearly 500 million meals for hungry Oklahomans.

Bivens’s father was an oil field roughneck who broke his neck and back in a car accident when Rodney was 10. His father taught him that “your handshake is your bond,” a motto to live by. The family barely survived as Oklahoma tenant farmers and lived, after the accident, on casseroles provided by generous neighbors. Years later, in the Army on the day that Robert Kennedy was assassinated, Bivens wrote to his mother that he wanted to return to Oklahoma to figure out how to serve the people of the state and make a difference.

A highlight of Opening Doors is his one-step-in-front-ofthe-other progress from collecting and distributing expired food from the back of an old pickup to the efficient and lifesaving organization that is today’s Regional Food Bank.

Bivens was never concerned with why someone is hungry, but he knew that the way out of poverty had to start with being able to feed oneself and one’s family.

No matter where a reader is positioned in life or society, Bivens’s story and all the stories in Opening Doors, help us understand our state and its challenges better—including the challenges we accept for ourselves. n

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COMMUNITY

School’s Mission is to Break Cycle of Incarceration The students at Little Light Christian School had a great deal to celebrate during Black History Month.

The free private elementary school enrolls children who have at least one parent who is or has been incarcerated. Most students at the school are African-American.

To keep the small, non-profit school tuition-free for the students, Little Light depends completely on donations. This year, students celebrated Black History Month with a program and luncheon for donors on February 16.

During the program, students presented a collaborative reading of the famous “I Have a Dream” speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. Students also sang two songs and performed a praise dance that they choreographed.

“All students need to understand the civil rights struggle that happened during the time of Dr. King and how he impacted the world by using purely peaceful methods. His faith and inspiration are timeless, and there are many lessons to be learned from the teachings of Dr. King,” said Robin Khoury, founder of Little Light Ministries and Principal of Little Light Christian School.

A donor pleased to pose with a Valentine’s day card.

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Above, donors sing along with the students.

Little Light Christian School was founded in 2012. Its mission is to break the cycle of incarceration by empowering, educating and encouraging children with incarcerated parents and their families. Little Light offers a full academic program as well as enrichment through fine arts, drama and dance for grades kindergarten through sixth. The school is tuition free, paid for by donations and grants.

As a way to say thank you to the donors, the students made each contributor a special Valentine. They were also involved in preparing some of the food for the luncheon.

The donors are part of the Dream Builders Society, Little Light’s own fraternity of supporters who have pledged to give at least $1,000 per year for five years. The group has committed to contribute approximately $65,000 this year. The Christian school receives no government dollars and enrolls children on a case-by-case basis. There is no charge for transportation to and from the school. Two healthy meals per day, snacks, and the children’s school supplies and books are provided as well.

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Below, students perform their program for donors.

A Dream Builder works with a student.

“These donations will help pay for operating expenses like electricity, teachers’ pay, meals, uniforms and curriculum,” Khoury said. “Little Light is all about breaking the cycle of incarceration in Oklahoma for children. Many children of incarcerated parents struggle with issues like depression, grief, anger, and ADHD. This is why they often struggle in school. According to statistics, they are seven times more likely to follow in their parents’ footsteps to incarceration by their 24th birthday. We are committed to breaking the cycle of generational incarceration for our students. One of the keys to doing this is education.”

For more information about Little Light Christian School or to make a donation, visit their web site at littlelightschool.org. n

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