ion Oklahoma November/December 2022

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

liTERATuRE

Welcome to ion Oklahoma Magazine. 2022 is near the end of our 12th anniversary in the publishing business of an online digital lifestyle magazine and news-entertainment website www.ionok.com. We are currently redesigning our website and will launch our newly updated website design at the end of January 2023.

ion Oklahoma Magazine has grown to more than 49,755 subscribers located primarily in four counties and 89 zip codes of central Oklahoma.

Our six printed editions published annually and can be downloaded FREE from our website or printed copies can be ordered on demand and mailed directly to your home or office.

It is and has been our mission as storytellers to share the stories about people and the continuous upward progress Oklahoma is making as a state.

In 2022, the NextGen Under 30 Award Recognition Program celebrated its 12th year Anniversary honored 390 young adults in 21 different career categories and from a total of 241 organizations, associations and companies. The idea of honoring talented young people between the ages of 18-30 in an effort to encourage them to follow their careers and dreams living in Oklahoma is our mission.

The cost of living is one of the most affordable states in the nation. The unemployment rate in Oklahoma is one of the lowest in the nation. The job opportunities for young tech entrepreneurs are plentiful.

in March 2022 when the NextGen Under 30 Kansas Award Recognition Program was endorsed by the Governor and Lt Governor of Kansas, the website was launched is doing quite well in receipt of more than 600 nominations and honored 204 very talented Kansans on December 2, 2022.

Also please visit www.uco.nextgentalksok.com and click on the Videos tab to view our University of Central Oklahoma and Edmond Oklahoma Community with 10 speakers sharing their 15 minute TALKS related to the theme “Enriching Equity …Illuminating Inclusion”.

The program was attended by a live in-person audience of UCO students and faculty, Edmond Chamber of Commerce members, Edmond Public School students and Edmond Rotary members. Also, this program was live streamed for all those not capable of attending in person.

NextGen TALKS Oklahoma was created and inspired by the very successful TEDx Talks media programs.

NextGen TALKS Oklahoma showcase the NOW, NEXT, and NEXTGEN Leaders in Oklahoma who want to share their experiences, successes and contributions in making Oklahoma a great state for everyone to live and follow their careers and dreams.

Also on November 4, 2022 the NextGen Under 30 Foundation hosted the inaugural 55 over 55 Inspiring Oklahomans Award Recognition Reception at the Oklahoma History Center. Many of the 2022 NextGen Under 30 Award Winners nominated more than 250 Oklahomans they admire and 55 were selected by the judges who are under 55. Please visit the website www.55over55.com to learn more about this award recognition and listing of the 2022 winners.

At ion Oklahoma Magazine we plan to publish many of the quality lifestyle stories from Oklahomans who are best representing the “Oklahoma Spirit.” We want to hear from you, our readers, and your stories, so please email your ideas, thoughts and success stories.

Sincerely,

Donald B. Swift, Publisher, www.ionok.com www.uco.nextgentalksok.com www.occc.nextgentallksok.com www.55over55.com

facebook.com/pages/IonOklahoma-Online Follow us on twitter @IonOklahoma

Sherri Coale ExChanging

paSSionS

BY TIM FARLEY

Retired Oklahoma basketball coach Sherri Coale went from one passion to another and she’s loving it.

Coale spent 25 years on college basketball’s biggest stage as the head women’s coach at the University of Oklahoma. Her teams won multiple Big 12 championships, qualified for 19 straight NCAA tournament appearances and earned their way into three Final Fours.

The Hall of Fame coach also had the privilege of coaching four All-Americans, 14 WNBA draft selections and many remarkable women who still stay in touch with the classy petite blonde from Healdton, OK, which is about 30 minutes north of the Red River.

Coale had the opportunity to participate in USA Basketball as an assistant coach in 2001 and as the head coach in the 2013 World University Games where the Americans defeated Russia on their home floor to bring home the gold.

Now, Coale is writing and she’s loving every minute of it. In fact, she’s written the book “Rooted to Rise,” which focuses on four elements of her life – family, teachers and coaches, mentors and diversified inhabitants.

The book, Coale writes on her website www.sherricoale.com, is a collection of essays about people, some who have achieved extraordinary worldly success and some who have led ordinary lives. But the stories, she says, are far less about what the people have done and “far more about who they are, or were, or always will be through the impact they had on those around them.”

“I really do believe that people leave bits and pieces of themselves in those they encounter along the way—from the collective small town I was raised in to the bright lights of the collegiate sports stage, a whole host of characters have impacted me in ways too many to list,” she said.

This is Coale’s first book, which she says is for everyone. Coale believes readers will recognize themselves somewhere along the way. There are many stories about basketball players and teams, along with stories about teachers, amazing children, and waymakers.

“Holding the book for the first time was surreal. I’m incredibly excited and also incredibly grateful to so many people for helping make it happen. I wrote it but it has taken a village to bring the book to fruition!” Coale said.

“Rooted to Rise” was a lifelong project that started with daily “nuggets” from her love of writing and her varied life experiences in the classroom as an English teacher and on the sidelines as a high school and college basketball coach.

Still, the book didn’t become reality until the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

“That’s when I thought it would be a good time to put all of these nuggets together and start writing. When you’re coaching and recruiting, there’s not a lot of excess time for that. I thought what I need internally is to sit down and write, but what I really needed to do was sit down and write recruiting letters,” she said.

Writing the book was a challenge, yet rewarding since

there are so many people who have interacted with Coale.

“No way is it exhaustive. These are just some of the characters who jumped out at me,” she recalled. “Putting them in order took a while.”

Coale was impacted by some of her teachers in southern Oklahoma, other high school basketball coaches and certainly by some of her college basketball colleagues.

When Coale walked away from basketball, she did so with intention, she writes on her website.

“Coaching was a beautiful, hard, rewarding, draining, amazing, fulfilling, incredible job that rarely felt like work,” she writes. “It was more fun than fun most days and I live

grateful for the journey. But the things are the list were calling.”

The one making the most racket, she notes, was “write.”

“A writing life may seem to lie somewhere on the other side of the moon from a life in athletics, but the two are scary similar in the things that they require,” she writes on the website. “They’re both ridiculously hard, even if they sometimes look easy. And the reward for either isn’t what you get at the end, it’s what you go through to get there. The process in both is the prize.”

After writing the “Rooted to Rise,” Coale was featured at several book signings including events in Norman, Edmond and Oklahoma City.

Coale also stays busy post-basketball with public speaking, consulting and a “lot of chasing my granddaughter around and around the room.”

She also plays tennis, works in the garden and typically can be found reading three or four books at a time. n

Daily Living Center participants SHINE with volunteerism

Documentary details success of oklahoma County program

BY TIM FARLEY

Participants in the Daily living Centers program are a shining example of community volunteerism.

During the past couple of years, DLC participants have eclipsed 15,000 volunteer hours by doing a variety of projects to help others. They are part of the Citizens for SHINE, which is operated by Oklahoma County and spearheaded by Oklahoma County Commissioner Brian Maughan. SHINE is an acronym for Start Helping Impacted Neighborhoods Everywhere.

DLC President .and Chief Executive Officer Jessica Clayton approached Maughan about implementing a volunteer program for the people who come to the Daily Living Center in Bethany each day. Clayton said she had witnessed the extraordinary success of the Students for SHINE and the Offenders for SHINE, which started 13 years ago. Offenders for SHINE was started as a way for youngsters accused of non-violent crimes to work off their sentence without being incarcerated.

As a result, judges often mandate that the youthful offenders complete community service through the SHINE program.

Since the Citizens for SHINE was started, participants at the Daily Living Centers in Bethany and Edmond are ecstatic about helping others in whatever ways their physical limitations will allow.

Daily Living Centers is the affordable, non-residential facility that support the health, nutritional and social needs of seniors and adults with disabilities ages 18-year-old and up. DLC provides an alternative to assisted living centers and nursing homes in a professionally staffed, group setting. DLC

has three centers with locations in Bethany, Edmond, and South Oklahoma City.

“The SHINE Program has helped us transform Daily Living Centers activities and programing to meet the individual needs of each participant. Volunteering through SHINE gives our participants tremendous joy. They find purpose in serving and giving back to the community,” Clayton said.

Volunteer work by Daily Living Centers participants includes:

• Creation of flower arrangements for Veterans graves on Memorial Day

• Decorate bags for Hotdogs for Homeless

• Make DLC bracelets and goodie bags for community leaders

• Clean up around the center and pull weeds in flower gardens

• Plant and water community gardens

• Pick up trash at parks

• Write thank you cards for hospital healthcare workers

• Volunteer at Skyline and Citizens Caring for Children

• Make blankets for past participants that have moved into long-term care.

• Hold toy, food, and coat drives

• Make poppies for the American Legion to hand out for donation on Veterans Day.

“We ask what they enjoy the most and they mention SHINE and the volunteerism and projects they get to do. It’s been pretty incredible,” said Clayton, who will join Maughan as his chief deputy in January. “Regardless of their disability or limitation, there’s always something they can do for SHINE.”

In one instance, Students for SHINE and Citizens for SHINE collaborated on a project to repurpose flowers that had been removed from cemeteries, turning them into bouquets and then placing them on grave sites belonging to military veterans at NE 36th and Martin Luther King.

“Many of the flowers were placed at graves of unknown soldiers,” Maughan said. “It was emotionally impactful. This multi-generational project displayed selfless acts on a hot and windy day. They were determined to persevere so these veterans would be honored. It was so awesome.”

Since Citizens for SHINE has been so successful at Daily Living Centers, Maughan anticipates the program will expand to wellness centers and nursing homes where older

Daily Living Center participants completing cemetery work.

residents and participants can volunteer their time for community projects.

“I never had the idea it (SHINE program) would be so big,” the commissioner said.

The Students for SHINE participants who volunteer for 100 hours or more are provided a distinguished graduate cord they can wear around their neck at high school graduation ceremonies.

“There’s a few who do more than 1,000 hours,” Maughan said.

A documentary about Oklahoma County’s SHINE program premiered Oct. 18 at the Oklahoma City Community College’s Visual Performing Arts Theater. SHINE, which started in 2010, has been recognized by Harvard University with its prestigious Bright Idea award. The documentary illustrates the impact the SHINE program has made, how it is empowering people and bettering communities. The documentary is entitled, “SHINE: An Enlightened Alternative.”

It profiles the unique alternative-sentencing program for low-level, non-violent offenders in use in Oklahoma County, which benefits both the community and the offenders. Judg-

es, district attorneys, public defenders, legislators, business owners, convicted criminals, and more share their views on this innovative program that has effectively reduced jail population and saved millions of taxpayer dollars. n

Revol uti oni z i ng Verti cal Farmi ng

Rhodes Farms LLC

CEO: MARCUS WASHINGTON

Marcus Washington has experience in the food and agriculture industries. He graduated from Oklahoma State University with a B.S and M.S in Food Science. With over three years of food safety experience, he is constantly learning about the food industry and providing innovative approaches to the world's toughest food challenges

A HEALTHY SNACK-FOOD ALTERNATIVE

Rhodes Farms LLC is a vertical farm start-up that specializes in producing fruit bars with four ingredients or less. Our fruit bars are meant for those on the go as the combination of dates and fruit provides an energy boost.

Flavors include Cherry Almonds & Dates, Apricot Almonds and Dates, Apricots, Apples, and Dates, and Blueberry, Apples, and Dates

Bars are available for purchase at just4bars.com

EVENTS

Downtown OKC Holiday Events

Dec 3 & 10 : automobile alley

CRUISE DOWN HISTORIC AUTOMOBILE ALLEY for the district’s holiday open house and experience its stunning light display during the 7th annual Lights On Broadway event! The fun returns in 2022 for two Saturdays this season: December 3rd and December 10th.

Each Saturday from 4-7pm, various retail shops and restaurants will feature buzz-worthy window displays, in addition to pop-up activities, special promotions, and giveaways. Attendees can also enjoy family-friendly programming along the sidewalks such as live music, balloon art, performances, photos with Santa Claus, and more.

nov 16

– Jan 29 : Myriad Botanical gardens

The Devon Ice Rink returns for its 11th season in the Myriad Botanical Gardens in 2022! Get ready for another great winter of outdoor ice skating at Downtown in December’s premier attraction. Skate across 5,500 square feet of real ice and indulge in seasonal food and beverage offerings.

Experience the magical, park-like atmosphere surrounded by the glittering lights of the Devon Ice Rink. ADMISSION

$14 per person, includes skate rentals

$9 per person if you bring your own skates

$9 per person for military Gardens Members skate for $10 includes skate rental Group Rate (10 or more guests) is $10 includes skates. Advanced reservation required for groups.

november – December Midtown District

Midtown businesses are coming together to offer festive opportunities to eat, drink, and be merry in their district this season. Beginning November 25th, 2022, make Midtown your destination for dining, holiday shopping, and general merriment with limited-time promotions and special holiday touches from one of your favorite local neighborhoods.

MERRY MiDToWn – SpEnD To Win LoCaL

nov 26 – Dec 24 :

Midtown

Make Midtown your destination for checking off your holiday gift shopping list.

Make a purchase at (5) Midtown Participating Shops to enter a drawing for prize packages.

HOW TO PLAY:

• Pick-up a Merry Midtown Spend to Win Local Card from any of the participating stores or Holiday Pop-up Shops. Make a purchase at participating shops and receive a sticker.

• Once you receive 5 stickers, fill out your information on the card and return to a participating business.

• Deadline to return your card is Saturday, December 24.

• Once you have finished a card, you can get a new one and start again. There are unlimited entries.

• Winners will be announced the first week of January 2023.

prize packages:

STaYCaTion

1-Night at Ambassador Hotel for 2 plus $50 dining credit

$50 Waffle Champion gift card

$50 R & J Lounge and Supper Club gift card

$20 Plant gift card

FooDiES DREaM nighT

Dinner in the Nonesuch Private Dining Room (up to 8 guests)

ULTiMaTE

DoUBLE DaTE nighT

$200 Barrios Fine Mexican Dishes gift card

Escape Room at Baker Street Escapes (up to 4 people)

FRiEnDS nighT oUT

Dinner at Fassler Hall or McNellie’s Irish Pub (Up to 8 guests, alcohol and gratuity not included) Bowling and shoe rentals for 2 hours at Dust Bowl Lanes and Lounge nEW YEaR, nEW ME

3-Private Sessions at Circ Pilates Studio

1-Month Unlimited Membership at Render Fitness Journal from Pear Street Books and Plants

1-Day Reset from Plant 2-Weeks Unlimited Membership at 405 Yoga

PARTICIPATING SHOPS: Barkeep Supply, Chirps and Cheers, Commonplace Books, Elemental Coffee, Floral and Hardy, mode., Nash Engineered Fashion, Nhu Avenue, Not Your Average Joe, Oak City Vintage, Opolis Clothing, Pear Street Books & Plants, Plant People, Sincerely Coffee Roasters, The Black Scintilla, The Laboratory.

Saints Santa Run

Dec 3 1000 N. Lee Ave.

Grab your costumes and running shoes, the Saints Santa Run is coming to Midtown on Saturday, December 3rd, 2022! Our family-friendly winter run is bringing all ages, and even pets, to downtown Oklahoma City for a festive 5K and costume contest. It is a great way to stay active and spread cheer during the holiday season!

Participate in the 5K Run/Walk or 1-Mile Fun Run and receive a commemorative Saints Santa Run t-shirt and finisher medal. All are invited to enjoy free activities like face painting and balloon art, complimentary snacks and drinks, holiday music and more at our start/finish line celebration on the SSM Health – St. Anthony Hospital campus.

Be sure to bring your kiddos (ages 8 and under) for the free Kids’ Dash, taking place just before the race!

It wouldn’t be the Saints Santa Run without a costume contest! Dress up like Santa or in your most festive holiday costume for a chance to win cash prizes immediately following the race. Post your photo on Facebook or Instagram and tag @downtownokc with hashtag #SaintsSantaRun for a chance to be included in our costume round-up.

Cue up our Saints Santa Run playlist and get ready to run!

5K RUn/WaLK

$25: Oct. 14 – Nov. 4 (early elf discount)

$35: Nov. 5 – Dec. 2

$40: Dec. 3 (day-of registration)

1-MiLE FUn RUn

$15: Oct. 14 – Nov. 4 (early elf discount)

$20: Nov. 5 – Dec. 2

$25: Dec. 3 (day-of registration)

KiDS’ DaSh

No cost! Just show up and run.

RaCE DaY SChEDULE

8:00am – Day-Of Registration, Packet Pick-Up & Festivities

8:45am – Kids’ Dash

9:00am – 1-Mile Fun Run/Walk

9:30am – 5K Run/Walk

10:15am – Race Results & Awards 10:30am – Costume Contest pRizES

Overall Man Race Winner: $100 Overall Woman Race Winner: $100 Overall Non-Binary Winner: $100 Best Santa Costume: $75 Best Non-Santa Costume: $75 Runner Up Santa Costume: $50 paCKET piCK Up

Drive-thru pick up at St. Anthony Hospital (9th Street Parking Lot – 500 NW 9th Street)

Friday, December 2nd, 11:00am – 1:00pm Walk-up pick up at OK Runner (708 N Broadway Ave.) Friday, December 2nd, 3:00pm – 7:00pm Race day on-site pick up at St. Anthony Hospital (East Entrance Parking Lot – 1099 N Walker Avenue)

Saturday, December 3rd, 8:00am to 9:00am

oKC

Ballet’s The nutcracker

Dec 10 – 11, Dec 15 – 18

Civic Center Music Hall

Oklahoma City Ballet’s traditional version of The Nutcracker has been enchanting audiences for decades, and this year will feature all new choreography by Acting Artistic Director Ryan Jolicoeur-Nye. Tchaikovsky’s spirited and familiar score

evokes warm childlike memories in the most glorious way as this colorful and extravagant ballet takes the stage once again this holiday season. This holiday treat will include students from the OKC Ballet Yvonne Chouteau School, plus live music from Canterbury Voices and the Oklahoma City Philharmonic.

oThER EvEnTS:

Red Earth Treefest

November 21 – December 29

oKC Broadway’s Mannheim Steamroller Christmas

November 22

oKCphil’s home alone in Concert

November 26

oKCphil’s Coming home for Christmas

December 2 – 3

First americans Museum

Winter holiday art Market

December 3 – 4

american Banjo Museum’s

Candy Cane Christmas

December 4

John Rex Light Up the holidays

December 5 – 23

The Melting pot’s Ugly Sweater Ladies night out December 6

Factory obscura’s annual March of the Trees December 17

Scissortail Lights Chanukah Celebration December 18

oKC Broadway’s a Magical Cirque Christmas

December 22 – 23

arts Council oKC’s opening night December 31

The Melting pot’s new Year’s Celebrations

December 31 – January 1

Holiday lights brighten landscape from Yukon to Chickasha

LOOKING fOR A LIGHT SHOw? Holiday lights are illuminating the landscape near and far with stunning displays that stretch across acres and acres.

In the metro area, Yukon’s Christmas in the Park is always a favorite. It’s open 6 to 11 p.m. nightly through New Year’s Day. Visitors can drive through the three miles of illuminated light displays in the inter-connected city parks –Yukon City Park, Freedom Trail and Chisholm Trail Park. More than 4.5 million twinkling lights and some 500 light displays. Visitors can drive, walk or ride the Santa Express Train.

Another popular favorite drive-though is the Midwest City Holiday Lights Spectacular Dec. 1 through Christmas night. It is the largest animated light display in a five-state region with more than 100 light displays. Standouts are a 118-foot Christmas tree lit with more than 9,000 LED lights, a tunnel of lights and Santa fly fishing in a 15-foot waterfall and elves working in a candy factory.

Downtown Oklahoma City shines during the holiday season, too. Stroll the Bricktown Canal or take in the twinkling view via a water taxi. Lights on Broadway once again offers Christmas displays from (L to R): Broken Arrow, Elk City-Christmas in the Park (3), Muskogee Christmas Castle, and Yukon Christmas Park.

a stunning light display along historic Automobile Alley. On Dec. 3 and Dec. 10 from 4 to 7 p.m., shops and restaurants go all out with window displays, pop-up activities, special promotions and giveaways. Sidewalks are filled with live music, performances and Santa. While in the area, check out the lights in Midtown, downtown and Deep Deuce. Want more? Head to the Chickasha Festival of Light in Shannon Springs Park. It’s about a 40-minute drive from Oklahoma City. The light display continues through Dec. 31

and has been recognized as one of the top 10 in the nation. It features more than 3.5 million twinkling lights, more than a hundred light scenes, animated displays and a light show synchronized to holiday tunes. The centerpiece is a 172-foot Christmas tree. There’s also ice skating, a ferris wheel and carousel, and carriage rides for a nominal cost. The park is open from 6 to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. n

Lights reflect on the water at the Chickasha festival of Light. Photo by Dean Images

EVENTS

301 W. reno Oklahoma City

December in the Gardens

The Myriad Botanical Gardens is one of Oklahoma City’s most beautiful and vibrant green spaces. Offering visitors a 15-acre, natural, escape in the heart of downtown, the Gardens are free and open to the public. Our spacious grounds feature seasonal activities and events such as spring bulb displays, concerts and movies, classes, annual children’s festivals and more.

Visit myriadgardens.org to register.

EvEnTS

Devon ice Rink Delayed opening

Opening Wednesday, November 16, 3-9pm

inasmuch Foundation Crystal Bridge Conservatory grand Re-opening

Celebrate the reopening of the Inasmuch Foundation Crystal Bridge Conservatory at Myriad Botanical Gardens November 18-20. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 9am-5pm and Sunday, 11am-5pm.

EXTENDED HOLIDAY HOURS: Starting Friday, November 25 open Fridays & Saturdays 9am-8pm. Exceptions: Saturday, December 10, 9am-5pm. Closing at 3pm on Christmas Eve, Saturday, December 24.

EVENTS:

• Grand Reopening Weekend Musical Entertainment

• Friday, November 18

11 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Hannah Helbig (Harpist)

• Saturday, November 19

10 a.m. -12 p.m.: Hannah Helbig (Harpist)

1-1:30 p.m.: Canterbury Voices

2-4 p.m.: Sam Kahre (Cellist)

• Sunday, November 20

12-2pm: Peter Markes (Violinist)

2:30-3pm: Canterbury Voices+ 3-4pm: Sam Kahre (Cellist)

(Photo by Doug Hoke)

grand opening performance harpist hannah helbig

• Friday, November 18 – 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Saturday, November 19 – 10 a.m. -12 p.m.

Hannah Helbig, a professional harpist living in Oklahoma City, has been playing the harp for 17 years. She has a lifetime of performance experience. An Oklahoma City University graduate in 2018 with a degree in Music Composition, she recently played in the Myriad Gardens at the Busker Street Fair.

OTHER PERFORMANCES:

• Saturday, November 19

10 a.m. -12 p.m.: Hannah Helbig (Harpist) 1-1:30 p.m.: Canterbury Voices 2-4 p.m.: Sam Kahre (Cellist)

• Sunday, November 20

12-2pm: Peter Markes (Violinist) 2:30-3pm: Canterbury Voices+ 3-4pm: Sam Kahre (Cellist)

new art Exhibit - Light in Leaf: Works by Kyndall Rainey now open Exhibit runs through December 30.

grand opening: potting Your own plant

• Friday, November 18, 1-4pm

• Saturday, November 19, 1-4pm

• Mango Room

• $12 for small pot, $15 large

Join us in a come-and-go event to celebrate the reopening of our Inasmuch Foundation Crystal Bridge Conservatory! We will be on site in our new Mango Room (that’s the classroom on the north side of the conservatory) potting up miniature plants to take home. Get specialized instruction on how to care for your new prize from the horticulture staff that takes care of all of the plants in our very own conservatory and gardens. Price varies according to size.

grand opening: Muffin & Friends

• Friday, November 18, 2 – 3 PM

• Discovery Room

• Donations Accepted

• No Preregistration Required

Parrots and frogs and gorillas…oh my? There are so many animals and insects living in the tropical rainforests AND the deserts, and you’ll be amazed at how they are adapted to survive in these unique habitats. Join us as we learn all about these creatures, and with eyes and ears open, we might just meet one of these very special animals in our own conservatory!

holiday Workshop: Evergreen Wreaths

• Saturday, December 3, 10am-12:30pm REGISTER

• Saturday, December 3, 1:30-4pm REGISTER

• Terrace Room

• M $45; NM $55

• Kaitlin Bacon, Director of Education

• Register by Tuesday, November 29

Design a fantastic, modern evergreen wreath in this seasonal, hands-on workshop. Specialized instruction will lead you to create a beautiful 18-22” wreath fit to adorn any holiday display. Evergreen wreaths are suited for indoor or outdoor displays.

while we make bright and tasty treats for them. We’ll create garlands and outdoor ornaments for the Children’s Garden and our own backyards.

passport to Tropical Santa Claus Weekend

• Saturday, December 3, 11am-6pm

• Sunday, December 4, 11am-6pm

• Cost to see Santa is admission of the Crystal Bridge.

• Polar Express, $5 to ride

Join us for Passport to Santa at Myriad Botanical Gardens in the newly renovated Inasmuch Foundation Crystal Bridge Conservatory! Saturday and Sunday, December 3rd and 4th from 11 am – 6 pm we will host Santa and a variety of holiday activities. Enjoy live holiday music as you decorate ornaments with Wine & Palette or have your face painted by OKC’s own, Kaleidoscope Arts. Take a train ride around the Myriad Gardens on the “Polar Express”, only $5. To visit with Santa, simply pay admission to the Crystal Bridge and head up to our Bromeliad Terrace. Inside you will find games, activities, and crafts highlighting holiday celebrations from around the world including Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and Christmas traditions from Europe, Mexico, and Australia. Purchase a “passport” at the front desk to participate for only $5.

Botanical Embroidery – Winter ornaments

• Sunday,December 4, 1 – 4 PM

• Terrace Room

• M $30; NM $35

• Chelsey Shimanek, Chirping Chickadee Embroidery

• Register by Wednesday, November 1

Wild Bird holiday Decorations

• Saturday, December 3, 1- 2pm

• Mango Room

• M $8; NM $10

• All Ages Welcome

• Register by Thursday, Dec 1

Learn about the best ways we can help birds during Winter

Learn a new skill or come for the fun as you work on your very own botanically-inspired hand embroidery piece. Designed with beginners in mind, you will be guided through essential stitches as you practice making your own sampler, finishing out the class with your very own completed set of winter ornaments. Tools, basic stitches, pattern transfer, and finishing techniques will all be covered. All supplies included.

gingerbread houses

• Saturday, December 17, 10 AM – noon

• Mango Room

• M $39; NM $45 • Register by Tuesday, December 13

Come decorate gingerbread houses while we listen to holiday music and talk about the Ginger root and the history of gingerbread. Structure, frosting, and candies for decorating all provided.

herbal Teas for Winter immunity

• Saturday, December 17, 1 – 2 PM

• Terrace Room

• M $12; NM $15

• Bradley Fowler, Children’s Garden Manager

MYRiaD in MoTion

Myriad in Motion: Yoga

• Tuesdays 6 pm and Saturdays, 9 am

• Bring a mat, water

• Location: Water Plaza Room

• Instructors from YMCA

Practicing yoga in the Gardens has the added benefit of connecting you with nature. The Gardens offer a space of beauty and tranquility to help relieve stress and quiet your mind. Classes are open to all levels, whether you are a beginner or an experienced yogi.

• Register by Thursday, December 15

Winter colds, the flu…no thank you! Whether you’re trying to avoid it or just wanting to feel better faster, herbal teas have been used for centuries to help strengthen and support our immune systems in their fight for our bodies. Join us in learning about specific herbs and their immune-boosting properties, tips and recipes, as well as making our own tea mixtures to take home and enjoy. guided gardens Tours

• Saturday, November 26, 10am

• FREE

• Stroller and wheelchair friendly, leashed dogs welcome

• Meet in the Visitor Lobby

Take a Guided Tour of the Gardens with the staff that knows the grounds best, our horticulture department. We’ll look at everything fall going into winter. You’ll learn more about the Gardens and get tips and be inspired for your home garden. Tours are every second Friday at 1pm and every last Saturday at 10am.

• Friday, December 9, 1pm

• Saturday, December 31, 10am

• Friday, January 13, 1pm Saturday, January 28, 10am

Myriad in Motion: FREE Tai Chi in the gardens

• Meet in the Water Plaza Room

• ALL Levels welcome; ages 16 years and above

Tai chi is a series of gentle physical exercises and stretches. Each posture flows into the next without pause, ensuring that your body is in constant motion. Tai chi is sometimes described as meditation in motion because it promotes serenity through gentle movements — connecting the mind and body. Thanks to our Myriad in Motion sponsors below we can now offer this class for free! Learn basic forms, slow and even movements along with proper breathing techniques. Instructed by Ling Miller. Wear comfortable clothes to move in and flat shoes for balancing on one foot. Chairs available upon request. n

Jan 10 (Tue) 8 PM Kansas Lawrence, KS

Jan 14 (Sat) 11 AM West Virginia Norman

Jan 18 (Wed) 8 PM Oklahoma State Stillwater, OK

Jan 21 (Sat) 3 PM Baylor Norman

Jan 24 (Tue) 7 PM TCU Fort Worth, TX

Jan 28 (Sat) 1 PM Alabama Norman

Feb 1 (Wed) 8 PM Oklahoma State Norman

Feb 4 (Sat) 7 PM West Virginia Morgantown, WV

Feb 8 (Wed) 8 PM Baylor Waco, TX

Feb 11 (Sat) 12 PM Kansas Norman

Feb 14 (Tue) 8 PM Kansas State Norman

Feb 18 (Sat) 1 PM Texas Austin, TX

Feb 21 (Tue) 8 PM Texas Tech Norman

Feb 25 (Sat) 11 AM Iowa State Ames, IA

Mar 1 (Wed) 7 PM Kansas State Manhattan, KS

Mar 4 (Sat) 2 PM TCU Norman

Mar 8 (Wed) TBD TBD Kansas City, MO

Jan 7, Sat 3:30 PM Rogers State Claremore, OK

Jan 12, Thu 7:30 PM Northwest Missouri

Jan 14, Sat 3:30 PM Missouri Western

Jan 21, Sat 3:30 PM Newman

EDMOND Hamilton Field House

EDMOND Hamilton Field House

EDMOND Hamilton Field House

Jan 26, Thu 7:30 PM Pittsburg State Pittsburg, KS

Jan 28, Sat 3:30 PM Missouri Southern Joplin, MO

Feb 2, Thu 7:30 PM Nebraska Kearney

Feb 4, Sat 3:30 PM Fort Hays State

EDMOND Hamilton Field House

EDMOND Hamilton Field House

Feb 11, Sat 3 PM at Washburn Topeka, KS

Feb 15, Wed 7:30 PM vs Rogers State

Feb 18, Sat 3:30 PM vs Northeastern State

EDMOND Hamilton Field House

EDMOND Hamilton Field House

Feb 23, Thu 7:30 PM at Northwest Missouri Maryville, MO

Feb 25, Sat 3:30 PM at Newman Wichita, KS

Mar 1 - 5 (Wed-Sun) TBD MIAA Postseason Tournament Kansas City, MO

CRYSTAL BRIDGE CONSERvATORY

Visitors will experience the centerpiece attraction of the Myriad botanical Gardens in a new way now that the inasmuch Foundation Crystal bridge Conservatory is open after extensive renovations for more than a year.

As go they go through the beautifully redesigned and accessible space, visitors will enjoy new features like a reflecting pool, new plant collections, overlook terraces and a new waterfall feature. Visitors will also find it easier to learn about the tropical plants in the conservatory – the space will include interpretative signage and exhibits and educational programming.

The new Myriad Gift Shop offers merchandise that reflects the Gardens’ mission of horticultural education and conservation. This tropical conservatory opened in 1988 and has always been a popular destination for the Gardens. Now visitors will get to rediscover its beauty.

Unique design

As the centerpiece of the Gardens, the Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory’s unique design has earned attention and praise in the architectural community. It is 224 feet long, 70 feet in diameter, and is covered by 3,028 sections of translucent, double-layered acrylic panels. The Conserva-

tory includes 13,000 square feet of plant display area in two distinct climates: the Tropical Wet Zone and the Tropical Dry Zone at the north end.

“The improvements planned for the Bridge will ensure that it is as world-class as the outdoor spaces in the Gardens,” said Maureen Heffernan, CEO of Myriad Gardens and Scissortail Park Foundations. “This more dynamic conservatory renovation takes full advantage of the major downtown development just south of the Gardens, including Scissortail Park, the Oklahoma City Convention Center and Omni Hotel. With new educational features planned for the conservatory, learning experiences will be enriched for all ages and contribute to the long-term financial sustainability of the Gardens.”

Funding for the project has been provided by Inasmuch Foundation, Devon Energy Corp., Chickasaw Nation, City of Oklahoma City, E.L. and Thelma Gaylord Foundation, Jean and David McLaughlin, Robert Glen Rapp Foundation, Rick Cooper and Donald Karchmer and Kirkpatrick Family Fund.

First Floor Layout

With all new flooring materials and pathway layouts, the renovated first floor of the Conservatory features a reworked waterfall, a new reflecting pool and redesigned plant groupings to aid in the interpretation and understanding of the critical role of plants in the world.

Two Floor Cascading Waterfall

A newly designed, two-level waterfall feature greets visitors as they enter the Conservatory with sounds of water cascading over natural stone. Tropical water plants are getting planted in the waterfall and in a small pool at the base. A new staircase has been built on the west side of the waterfall with a small lookout for visitors to enjoy the views as they walk up to the second level.

Cloud portal Sculpture

In contrast to the curving lines of the Conservatory, a striking vertical sculpture has been installed in the center of the main pathway to serve as a portal that divides the north and south ends of the space. Walking under it, visitors will experience beautifully framed views of the new waterfall at the south end and a reflecting pool at the north end.

Root Wall and Reflecting pool

The Root Wall on the north end of the Conservatory serves both form and function. In vascular plants, roots are the organ that supply water and nutrients for plant growth. While we don’t always see them, roots anchor plants to the ground. Here, the artistic depiction of roots serves an aesthetic purpose as well, covering the concrete anchoring wall near the staircase leading to the second level. At the base of the Root Wall is a reflecting pool that showcases exotic water lilies. This peaceful area offers places for visitors to pause and relax.

oculus gallery

Visitors can take a rest and enjoy views of the north end of Myriad Botanical Gardens from this second-floor gallery-like space featuring improved lighting and seating, rotating exhibits and ambient nature sounds. The view of the Myriad Botanical Gardens offers glimpses of the seasons.

Discovery Room

Children will have the opportunity to learn about the connection between plants and the many animals and insects that support the rainforest ecosystem with a stop in the second floor, interactive Discovery Room located on the second floor,

south end. Rotating hands-on activities will also be offered throughout the year.

Second Floor South Bromeliad Terrace

Bromeliads are fascinating plants that have adapted to survive and thrive with a diversity of other plants, insects and animal species. This overlook area is surrounded by a variety of bromeliad species and offers visitors the opportunity to enjoy the views while learning about plants. This terrace is on the south end of the Conservatory, adjacent to the new waterfall.

admission

• Adult: $10.50

• Military/Veterans: $9

• Student: $7

• Youth (5-17 years): $5.50

• Myriad Gardens Members: FREE

• Adult Group (10 or more): $9.50 per person. Reservations required. Email info@myriadgardens.org.

• Youth Group (10 or more; ages 4-17): $4 per person. Reservations required. Email info@myriadgardens.org.

Memberships

Memberships to the Myriad Botanical Gardens are encouraged and help sup-

port the Myriad Gardens Foundation. Members’ benefits have never been better! They range from free admission to the Crystal Bridge Conservatory and festivals such as Pumpkinville to discounts on classes, free rides on Mo’s Carousel and free admission to more than 300 botanical gardens throughout the US through the Reciprocal Program with the American Horticulture Society. Lists of the participating botanical gardens can be found at ahs.org. Contact member@myriadgardens.org.

• Individual: $45

• Duo: $65

• Family: $85

• Family Plus: $125 general hours

• Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Sunday, 1.m. to 5 p.m.

• Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. n

It’s a Wrap!

BY LINDA MILLER

Cold weather has arrived. Time to reach for a sweeping coat or a great jacket.

Topping the list of favorites this season are bomber and biker jackets, faux fur coats, leather and shearling jackets that stop at the waist, classic trench styles and quilted puffers. Plaid seems to be everywhere, along with leopard and pink.

“There are plenty of outerwear trends to choose from this year from colorful statement coats to fab faux fur trimmed

capes to reimagined reversible puffers,” said Cindi Shelby, local stylist for Pearl by Lela Rose. “So, for those of us who are a little obsessed with coats, there are some tough choices!”

When making your selection, she suggests keeping a few tips in mind. “While you want it to be current and stylish, think about the functionality and comfort level, too. If it doesn’t feel warm and wearable, then pass and

Designer Lela Rose in a Pearl by Lela Rose reversible puffer. fringe jacket by Pearl by Lela Rose.

keep looking for that cozy coat that speaks to you. After all, coats are an investment buy and will be with you for a long time.” n

Plaid cape with detachable faux fur collar by Pearl by Lela Rose, available from Cindi Shelby.

November/December 2022 ion Oklahoma 45

Designer Lela Rose in knit sleeve jacket by Pearl by Lela Rose.

National Park Service awards grant to Chickasaw Nation

BY KC COLE CHICKASAW NATION MEDIA AFFAIRS

The National Park Service awarded $50,000 to the Chickasaw Nation to fund a project titled “Rediscovering Fala’ Cha’a’.” The project seeks to rediscover the 17th and 18th-century archaeological site of the Chickasaw town of Osak Api’ hakshop Fala’ Cha’a’ (Chopped Shagbark hickories) in the Chickasaw homeland.

“We hope that this project will help to preserve, protect and interpret our cultural history and identity, and also reconnect our citizens, both elder and young, to Chickasaw heritage in the Homeland,” said Catie Hamilton, Chickasaw Nation cultural enhancement director. “We realize many Chickasaw people lack a connection to our cultural sites in the Homeland we were removed from 185 years ago.”

The Chickasaw Nation’s historic Homeland includes parts of present-day northern Mississippi, northwestern Alabama, western Tennessee and southwestern Kentucky. The Homeland is essential to the Chickasaw Nation and its ongoing efforts to interpret and share Chickasaw history and culture through preserving, protecting, interpreting and reconnecting to land, waterways and vital cultural and historical sites of Chickasaw ancestors.

“One of the most exciting features of our plan is to connect our elders with our young people so that our culture and language may be passed to future generations,” Hamilton said. “Our elders will provide stories from our pre-removal

past as we ask for cultural and traditional guidance in our search for the history of the Fala’ Cha’a’ settlement.”

The NPS awarded $537,005 in Tribal Heritage Grants to 11 projects across the country. These grants support the protection of First American cultures. This competitive grant program focuses on what First American communities are most concerned with protecting — oral histories, plant, and animal species important in tradition, sacred and historic places, and the establishment of tribal historic preservation offices.

“Rediscovering Fala’ Cha’a’” was funded through the Tribal Heritage Grant program under the Historic Preservation Fund, which is administered by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of Interior.

“These Tribal Heritage grants provide support for a variety of important projects that are critical to preserving unique cultural heritage and traditions for future generations,” said NPS Director Chuck Sams “The National Park Service is committed to working with Indigenous communities to expand partnerships, share knowledge and connect people with the traditions of the past.”

Other projects funded by these grants will locate and identify cultural resources, preserve historic properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and support comprehensive preservation planning, preserve oral history and cultural traditions. Others will provide training for building a historic preservation program and support cultural and historic preservation interpretation and education. n

The National Park Service awarded a $50,000 Tribal Heritage Grant to the Chickasaw Nation. with a long history of working together, the grant represents continued collaborations. Pictured are Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby, left, and Chickasaw National Recreation Area Superintendent and Chickasaw citizen Bill wright. Photo courtesy of Chickasaw Nation

Oklahoma City to Host New Rowing Event in 2024

Oklahoma City has been selected to host a new major rowing event expected to attract more than 5,000 athletes, officials and spectators to the boathouse District.

USRowing has announced it is combining two of its largest events, USRowing Club National Championships and USRowing Masters National Championships, into a single event in Oklahoma City in July 2024. The new USRowing RowFest Summer Championships will include 10 days of racing for masters and junior athletes from across the nation.

The event will be hosted by RIVERSPORT in the city’s Boathouse District with both day and night racing on the Oklahoma River.

“USRowing is embracing the idea of combining the best of rowing championships with a robust experience for athletes’ families,” said Mike Knopp, RIVERSSPORT executive director. “We saw the same idea expressed earlier this year when USA Freestyle Nationals chose Oklahoma City because they see our city as offering the full package – great com-

petition, great hospitality and a great family experience.”

The new USRowing event will allow rowers from across the country to experience Oklahoma City’s unique approach to racing including 500m OGE NightSprints. The Oklahoma River is the only sanctioned, permanently lighted rowing racecourse in the country. Having the event in the city’s Boathouse District also allows USRowing to include educational and social activities utilizing the district boathouse facilities.

“The people of Oklahoma City have built one of the greatest rowing venues in the world, and we are thrilled to host this exciting and innovative USRowing event in 2024,” said Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt. “We think our venue in the heart of America’s 20th-largest city offers a unique entertainment opportunity for those who come to participate. We know that our visitors will enjoy our unique attractions as well as the opportunity to experience our diverse and inclusive city, including the rich culture of our Native, Latino, Black and Vietnamese communities. We welcome America’s rowers to OKC!”

USRowing has also announced that RIVERSPORT’s Stars & Stripes Regatta held every July will become a USRowing regional masters championship and qualifier for national championships. USRowing already hosts Central Youth Rowing Championships in the Boathouse District every May. n

Burned at stake for her beliefs, 16th century woman subject of new book

Anne Askew endured incredible hate for being a woman who thought independently about her beliefs and was ultimately burned at the stake. Now, award-winning Oklahoma author Rilla Askew has written Anne’s story in a new historical novel entitled “Prize for the Fire.”

The Oklahoma author and University of Oklahoma associate professor of English recently signed books at Full Circle Bookstore, www.fullcirclebooks.com.

“Anne Askew is a real person, a young Englishwoman who was burned at the stake in 1546, the last year of Henry VIII’s reign,” Askew said. “She was a writer, an independent thinker, a woman of passionate faith and persistence. She defied the Tudor patriarchy, stood fast in her beliefs, and paid a high price for both. All these elements make her a fascinating character, but there are also parallels between Anne’s story and women’s lives today. So, although it’s a carefully researched historical novel, ‘Prize for the Fire’ also speaks to our current era.”

For the last 20 years, Askew has worked on-and-off on this novel. One might wonder if the author is related to her subject, but Askew said she is unaware of any relation.

Askew explained, “I became interested in Anne’s story because we share the same last name, but as I began to learn more about her, it was Anne Askew herself who inspired me to keep going. I read the account of her trials in ‘The Examinations of Anne Askew,’ learned that she sought a divorce from her abusive husband, moved to London, took back her own name, did so many things

by awarding-winning Oklahoma author

women were not allowed to do in Tudor England.”

Anne was one of the first female writers to compose in the English language. Askew portrays this significant historical figure by blending history and imagination.

“In the Tudor era, women’s lives were completely circumscribed by religion, social hierarchy, fathers, husbands, all the trappings of patriarchy and it was directly because of these forces that Anne suffered,” Askew continued, “When so many men tried to contain her and could not, they destroyed her. Telling Anne’s story in a way that’s compelling

for readers who don’t know her, and historically satisfying for readers who do, became my dominant purpose.”

Dana Meister, Full Circle Bookstore General Manager said, “Stories of women with such courage should be shouted from the rooftops! Under Askew’s talented storytelling, the tale of Anne Askew will take on new meaning and importance for people who have never heard of her before.”

Askew has held book signings for all of her books at Full Circle Bookstore and said she was delighted to be back for another. n

Museum curator spreads word about telecommunication history

BY TIM FARLEY

George Gibson never met Alexander Graham bell, but he’s certainly trying to preserve a semblance of the equipment and legacy the innovating pioneer created.

Gibson, curator of the Oklahoma Museum of Telephone History located at 111 Dean A. McGee, wants Oklahomans and out-of-town visitors to understand the background of the telecommunications industry. He’s also on a mission to help youngsters realize there were forms of telephones, equipment and companies that predated the cell phone industry.

Most people born after 1995 probably have never seen a rotary phone or a switchboard that transferred telephone calls from one destination to another, he said.

When a group of elementary-age students arrived at the museum for a field trip, one student asked Gibson if he knew “Mr. Bell.” Gibson laughed and told the student he never had the pleasure.

The museum is comprised of telephone equipment, switchboard operator mannequins, switchboards, telephone poles and wires, rotary and touchtone phones and much more.

“The museum allows people to see what it looked like decades ago,” Gibson said. “You can touch things, touch the old phones and listen to a dial tone. These types of things should be part of a student’s education. It’s part of

Oklahoma and American history.”

The museum exhibits belong to a group known as the Telephone Pioneers, people who retired from Southwestern Bell and related companies. Most of the equipment on display was brought to Oklahoma City from Dallas.

Unfortunately, the number of museum visitors has dwindled since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020.

“The number of people coming is very low,” Gibson said. “We do have some home-schooled students or people read about it on the web and they’ll come in, and we do get some downtown workers but that’s gone down with people working from home.”

The museum is open on Monday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free.

Only three other telephone museums exist in the United States, including the original Bell museum in Boston, MA. The others are in Portland, OR, and Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Gibson started his work with Southwestern Bell as an engineer in the early 1960s. During the summer of 1961, he moved temporarily to New York where he was instructed to write a data systems training for other employees. Later in his career, he was transferred to Cooperstown, N.Y., the site of the Baseball Hall of Fame. While working there, Gibson also played amateur baseball for the Cooperstown Indians which competed against other small-town teams. Gibson, a pitcher, played college baseball before beginning his career in the telecommunications industry.

Gibson, now 89, remains active in sports, playing tennis and golf regularly at The Greens Country Club in Oklahoma City. Gibson, who retired 35 years ago, reached the rank of vice president of network operations for Oklahoma and was assistant to the president for Southwestern Bell. His career also included moves to Arkansas and Missouri. n

NextGen Under 30 Launches 55 Over 55 Inspiring Oklahomans Awards Program

Oklahoma’s premier lifestyle, culture and entertainment magazine ionOklahoma recently launched a new initiative to recognize 55 Oklahomans who are at least 55 years of age and have impacted the quality of life for Oklahomans. The inaugural class of 55 Over 55 inspiring Oklahomans was honored at the program’s first award recognition event at the Oklahoma history Center and are listed at 55 Over 55 Winners.

“We received nearly 1,000 nominations of great Oklahomans, which is a testament to the many Oklahomans who have invested in the growth and shaping of Oklahoma,” said Don Swift, publisher of ionOklahoma.

“The response was so incredible that we will continue this program and look forward to recognizing more Oklahomans for their contributions in the coming years.”

The honorees represent every corner of the state and were selected based on how they made a difference and improved the quality of life for Oklahomans in many areas, such

as healthcare, technology, education, business, non-profits, engineering, aviation, agriculture, sports, manufacturing, arts, finance and many other industry sectors. All nominations were reviewed by seven judges statewide who are well-known leaders who give back to Oklahoma with their time, money and resources.

Honorees of the 55 Over 55 Inspiring Oklahomans award will participate in leadership training events and activities with NextGen Under 30 award recipients to help establish a continual collaboration of leadership between two generations.

“We have to pass on lessons learned as leaders to the next generation. Oklahoma has been very blessed with people who are dedicated and committed to improving the quality of life for all Oklahomans, and the best way to continue this momentum is to be deliberate in passing the torch to the next generation of leaders,” said Swift.

Each honoree was presented with a portrait at the award ceremony, and the portrait will be on display at the Oklahoma State Capitol for two weeks in January 2023. Throughout the year,

the 55 Over 55 Inspiring Oklahomans portraits will be on display at various museums and locations across the state. Nominations for next year’s class of 55 Over 55 Inspiring Oklahomans will open in January 2023 at 55 Over 55 Nominations. Nominations are open to anyone and selfnominations are welcomed. n