Integris Golf Classic raises $230K for cancer care

The INTEGRIS Health Foundation recently hosted the 36th Annual INTEGRIS Health Golf Classic at Oak Tree Golf and Country Club in Edmond. We are pleased to announce the event raised more than $230,000 for cancer care.

The funds will be used to enhance and expand the infusion programs at the INTEGRIS Health Cancer Institute.

The INTEGRIS Health Cancer Institute offers one of the foremost collections of physicians along with state-of-the-art comprehensive therapies for the diagnosis, treatment and survivorship of cancer patients. It is more than just a cancer treatment facility - it's a cancer treatment philosophy, focused on treating the whole person, not just the disease. We would like to thank our tournament sponsor, Anesthesia Medical Professionals, as well as all the other supporters, volunteers, caregivers and players who made this year’s Golf Classic such a success.

UCO learning program

OKA+ Schools gets help from Genesis group

Oklahoma A+ Schools Institute at the University of Central Oklahoma (OKA+ Schools) recently received a $50,000 grant from the Genesis Inspiration Foundation — part of the Genesis Motor America corporation. The grant will be used to support the initiatives of the program to provide youth arts education to schools across the state of Oklahoma.

OKA+ Schools works with schools to make learning more intuitive and fun. By integrating other academics with arts, they create an environment where every student can thrive. Schools in the OKA+ network have higher student achievement, fewer disciplinary referrals, better attendance and higher levels of parental involvement compared with other schools in the state.

“The Genesis Inspiration Foundation sees the value in what we do,” said Sandra Kent, executive director of OKA+ Schools Institute at UCO.

“We have been leaders in integrating arts education into curriculum for more than 20 years, and this grant will help us continue to advance our mission.”

The Genesis Inspiration Foundation is a nonprofit organization committed to connecting youth to the transformative power of the arts. Their mission is to improve educational outcomes by providing access to arts programs that engage and inspire children in under-resourced communities.

Since its inception in 2002, the OKA+ network has provided the state’s only research-based, whole school reform model and supports schools throughout the state that encourage creativity, innovation and critical thinking.

For more information about OKA+ Schools at UCO, visit www.okaplus.org or call 405-974-3779.

For more information about the Genesis Inspiration Foundation, visit genesisinspirationfoundation.org.

Benefits of volunteering

Debbie Scott, Gamma Zeta member, delivers an educational on the benefits of volunteerism not only to one’s community but also to oneself.

Volunteering allows a person to connect to the community and makes it a better place. Even helping out with the smallest tasks can make a real difference in the lives of people animals, and organizations in need. The principle of donating time and energy toward a greater cause benefits both community and volunteer. Volunteers help change the lives of those in the community as a social responsibility rather than receiving a financial reward.

Scott gave several reasons for volunteering: 1. gaining new skills 2. making new friends 3. mental and physical health and wellbeing 4. giving something back 5. improving one’s confidence

Epsilon Sigma Alpha, an international philanthropic organization, works with UR Special, No Boundaries, Boys’ Ranch Town, Salvation Army, and Free to Live as well as Oklahoma School for the Deaf and Oklahoma School for the Blind. Our national project is St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Oklahoma’s Epsilon Sigma Alpha’s 30 chapters donated a total of $1,017,731.61 last year to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

If interested in joining this energetic group of ladies, call Jacci Gantz 405-922-5954.