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Lt. Katie Sondag Firefighter & World Medalist Miss Oklahoma Berlin’s Buddies The Chicken Lady
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Buy a building. It will be fun, they said. No, no one really said that. A few years ago, after paying rent to the rent gods for nearly 20 years, I decided to buy a building for Back40 - it seemed like a solid bet. It was an exciting time. I found a nice one, of course, it had to be remodeled, We’re a design agency - we wanted a design-y space. The remodeling went well, the building came in on budget and on time. There was a sense of pride and accomplishment on moving day. We had individual offices, 2 conference rooms, an eat-in kitchen, and a big Back40 logo up on the front of the building. We had it going on. We were an in-house team producing digital marketing for our clients. Then 3 months later, Covid happened. And we sent everyone home to work remotely. And it hasn’t been the same since. So now I have a second address that I can get packages delivered to, a generous 3,000 square feet to keep all my work stuff, and spacious areas to grow office plants. Plus, I own 44 chairs (at last count). Over the last 2 years, we have had a couple of office dwellers return - but nearly everyone is on a remote or hybrid schedule. Office tours for new clients just aren’t what they used to be. “Over here, this is where the senior developers used to work.” Remote working was not a new concept for me or Back40 or my industry. Prior to the pandemic, we had remote team members - even ones who lived locally. Personally, I’m not loving this new normal. I enjoy being around creative designers and coders. It’s a big part of enjoying what I do. So, if you’d like to talk design or digital marketing, please come on by - there’s plenty of seating.
Dave Miller Publisher & Back40 Design President
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28 Features 8
Just East of Edmond
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Woodward Authentic Detroit Style Pizza
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The Paw-fect Match
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Fighting Fire with Fitness
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From Skits to a Screen Near You
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Miss Oklahoma: Megan Gold
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Farm Fresh and Fabulous Photography
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Business 22
Junk Platoon
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Infinite Care Homes
Columns 7
In Other Words with Dave
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Louise Tucker Jones
Cover photography by sundancephotographyokc.com ADVERTISING l 405-301-3926 l sales@edmondoutlook.com MAILED MONTHLY TO OVER 50,000 HOMES IN THE EDMOND AREA 1024 W Covell, Edmond, OK 73003 l 405-341-5599 l edmondoutlook.com l info@edmondoutlook.com July 2022 Volume 18, Number 7
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© 2022 Back40 Design, Inc.
PUBLISHER Dave Miller l CONTENT MANAGER Alison Miller l EDITOR Amber Plaksin l ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Laura Beam l GRAPHIC DESIGN Anne Richardson PHOTOGRAPHY Marshall Hawkins sundancephotographyokc.com l DISTRIBUTION Edmond Outlook is delivered FREE by direct-mail to over 50,000 Edmond area homes. Articles and advertisements in the Outlook do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the magazine or Back40 Design. Back40 Design does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. The acceptance of advertising by the Outlook does not constitute endorsement of the products, services or information. We do not knowingly present any product or service that is fraudulent or misleading in nature. The Outlook assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials.
LOCALLOOK
Just East of Edmond By Maggie Murdock Nichols Arcadia, Oklahoma is an iconic stop on Route 66. Traveling down Second Street from Edmond, beautiful Arcadia Lake punctuates the landscape and offers year-round recreation and adventure. Passing the resting longhorn cattle on a roadside ranch, you see a giant pop bottle on the horizon and know you’re nearing Arcadia. It’s a small town, only one square mile, but it’s jam-packed with attractions - and more on the way. Pop’s and the Round Barn are two iconic Mother Road sites that can be seen from the road and enjoyed by families. Pop’s 66 offers travelers a place to eat and rest with a full-service restaurant, gas station, and convenience store that sits below a towering pop bottle that illuminates in vibrant colors at night. With 700 different flavors of pop, you will always have something new to explore at Pop’s. The Round Barn is a mustsee architectural gem. The hardwood floor loft served as a dance hall and community gathering place, and the downstairs level is a gift shop and museum dedicated to Arcadia and Route 66 history. As a tribute to its history, live music is held inside the loft and under the elm tree on weekends with crafts and games for kids available on Saturdays. Farmer’s Market The Arcadia Farmer’s Market, in its fifth season, takes place under a pavilion every Saturday from May through October. A five-piece string band strums as shoppers browse local produce and products. Kids run back and forth from swings to a petting zoo with goats, lambs, bunnies, and a mini horse. 8
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Manager Jesse Waltrip and the group of owners envisioned the market not only being a stop for those traveling Route 66 but a place for the community to gather and make memories. Just east of the market, you’ll find the Arcadia Farmer’s Market General Store, which was opened due to the demand for local products extending beyond the weekly market. Here, products from the farmer’s market can be found on a daily basis along with other unique Oklahoma finds. The general store will soon expand. Jesse says, “We hope to make the market a one-stop-shop.” Chicken Shack Another Route 66 icon, Chicken Shack will soon cross the road from the north side of 66 to the south and relocate from Luther to Arcadia. The Chicken Shack will go from a meager 844 square feet to 14,000 square feet of space. The space in Arcadia offers a shack-style upgrade with a spacious field, a massive kitchen, a devoted takeout area, and plenty of parking. The design style will be a chic shack, but offer amenities like a climate-controlled dining room, reservations, and private party space. To top it all off, Chicken Shack also has a concert stage, a playground, and is dog friendly. Eddy Gochenour opened Chicken Shack in 2016 and looks forward to the move, “In my mind, Arcadia is the best square mile of Route 66.” Route 66 will celebrate its 100th Birthday in 2026. Arcadia is primed and ready for a continued influx of visitors from near and far.
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Woodward Authentic Detroit Style Pizza
FOODLOOK
By Laura Beam If you’ve been wondering where to find the most superb deep dish pizza, the answer is Detroit, MI. But thanks to two guys from Detroit who hated long, cold winters and moved to Oklahoma, you can now find this incredible pizza in Edmond. In March, Keith Kochan and Kyle Schultz opened Woodward Pizza at the Ice House in Downtown Edmond. Kochan says, “We chose Edmond because its downtown is on the leading edge of revitalization.” It hasn’t taken long for the co-owners’ combined pizzeria experience, corporate ingenuity, and drive to create authentic, Detroit-style pizza to catch on, in a big way. The rectangular pizza, or ‘square’ as they call it in Detroit, is thick but light and crispy in all the right places. High-grade Wisconsin cheese runs all the way to the edges, giving it that iconic caramelized bite.
Owners Kyle Schultz and Keith Kochan
Dough Done Right Knowing the importance of creating the perfect dough, and inspired by Buddy’s Pizza, ”the Godfather of Detroit pizza,” Kochan says, Schultz and Kochan spent two years perfecting their dough recipe. “We tried lots of versions of a dozen different flours before settling on a blend of two,” Schultz recalls. “From the double ovens at my house, we would make pizzas and share them with neighbors.” Along with helpful feedback, they certainly made many friends too. Who doesn’t want to live next door to the pizza guy?! “We make the dough like an artisan focaccia and it’s more than a 24-hour process,” Schultz reveals. Somewhere amid the mixing, hand-stretching, folding, proofing, balling, and rolling, something magical happens. Not only is the light, yeasty flavor outstanding, but the texture is a true masterpiece– deep but full of airy pockets, caramelized and crisped. They even add the sauce after the pizza comes out of the oven to keep the weight off the crust and maintain its airy appeal. Top That A dough this special deserves nothing but top-notch ingredients and cooking techniques. “We try to do everything a little differently so that the pizza comes up greater than the sum of its parts,” Schultz says. “We use raw, hand-pinched sausage to make it thin so it cooks all the way through and infuses the pizza with flavor,” he explains. Kochan says the most popular pizza is the Detroiter. “It features cup-shaped pepperonis that curl up in the oven and char slightly. Seasoned ricotta is piped on and fresh basil is added before cooking so it flavors the pizza as it cooks,” he describes. The second most popular item is the cheese pizza that customers use to build their own creations. The Trippple XXXtra Pepperoni is also a highlight, “which actually has four or five times more pepperoni than a regular pepperoni pizza,” Kochan comments. The extra mozzarella on this one is a cheese lover’s dream, too. Another menu favorite, Woodward’s breadsticks, are served with a delicious cream cheese garlic dip and are the perfect sidekick to your favorite draft beer, craft cocktail, or wine. Cruise in, Kick Back Named after Detroit’s famous Woodward Ave., where the epic, annual Woodward Dream Cruise automotive event takes place, Woodward Pizza sports fun signage and designs that transport a feel of the Motor City to Edmond. A cool, industrial mood finds friends gathering for drinks and moms hanging out while the kids play in the spacious courtyard of the Ice House development. A nostalgic mix of music videos from the 80s, 90s, and 2000s gives this urban hangout an entertaining blast from the past that leaves you humming all the way home with your leftover pizza. Visit Woodward Pizza at Edmond Ice House, 119 W. 2nd St., Ste 100, or woodwardpizza.com.
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FEATURELOOK
Teague with his service dog, Berlin
The Paw-fect Match
Service Dog Organization in Son’s Memory By Maria Veres Teague Niebrugge loved baseball cards, Harry Potter, and knock-knock jokes. Most of all he loved his service dog and best friend, Berlin. The Niebrugges recently founded Berlin’s Buddies in their son’s memory, with the goal of blessing other children with service dogs just as they were blessed. Searching for a Best Friend “Berlin was the single best thing we did as parents to impact Teague’s life,” says Teague’s mom, Joey. But the journey to bring Teague and Berlin together was far from easy. Growing up on a ranch, Teague was deeply connected to animals and decided in second grade that he wanted a service dog. He had lost his vision at age five, in what seemed at the time to be an unexplained fluke. Very few organizations place service dogs with children, but the Niebrugges found one that did, and Teague began a long training and qualification process. Then Teague started to struggle academically and behaviorally. The summer after fifth grade he had a seizure. He was eventually diagnosed with Batten Disease, a rare, incurable neurodegenerative disorder. Because of Teague’s terminal diagnosis, the service dog organization removed him from their program just a few months before he was set to be matched with a dog. Another organization also turned him down. A third one accepted him, but the wait to get a dog would take years. “We were crushed,” recalls Joey. 14
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That very day she saw a friend’s Facebook post about a local organization, Azani Pro Service Dogs. Owner Maddy Thomas had never trained a dog for a blind person, but she was confident they could do it. “Without her willingness to say yes to training a dog for a medically complex child, we would not have Berlin,” says Joey. Buddies for Life Berlin is a standard poodle, not the breed Joey had in mind. Maddy encouraged them to at least do a meet-and-greet, and Berlin’s calm, loving personality won them over. During their training together, Berlin learned to accompany Teague everywhere—school buses, classrooms, doctor’s appointments, even fast-food restaurants. He also learned wheelchair assistance and seizure alert skills. The dog became a full-fledged part of the family in February 2020. A month later Covid-19 hit. “Teague’s world got so much smaller,” says Joey. “Berlin was his whole world.” The idea for Berlin’s Buddies came to Joey late one night in November 2021, near the end of Teague’s life. “He could no longer talk, but he kept his hand on Berlin, who was always stretched out beside him in bed,” she says. “It felt right to try and help other kids find that same joy and peace, and to continue to spread a little of Teague around.” Sharing the Blessings Teague was a happy, adventurous kid, and his life was filled with many moments of grace. There was the doctor who helped
them bypass the nine-month wait to see a pediatric neurologist, then the perfect timing of their contact with Maddy Thomas of Azani. Teague and his family even got to fulfill his dream of visiting The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, thanks to a fundraising effort at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center where his cousin was a dentistry resident. “So many things happened in his life that we couldn’t have orchestrated if we tried,” says Joey. “We recognize that, and we feel blessed and grateful.” Through Berlin’s Buddies, they hope to give back some of what they’ve received. The Perfect Match Berlin’s Buddies has one dog about to be matched, named Potter, and another in training named Weasley. The organization welcomes applications from any child in need of a service dog and funds half the cost of training. Donations are welcome but are not tax-deductible at this time. Maddy Thomas of Azani provides the training and evaluates the scholarship recipients— the Niebrugges are not involved in the selection. Like his human family, Berlin continues to bless others even as he mourns Teague. He has retrained as a therapy dog and delights in offering unconditional love to everyone he meets at local hospitals, homeless shelters, and children’s group homes. “This is not a story we would have chosen to be a part of,” says Joey, “but we do the best we can to help others and move forward. We’ve had a lot of help along the way. We hope to honor Teague but also honor Berlin for the impact he’s had.” Visit Berlin’s Buddies on Facebook or Instagram. JULY 2022
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FEATURELOOK
Fighting Fires with Fitness By Maria Veres When Katie Sondag walked into her first CrossFit class, she had no idea she would one day rank among the best competitors in the world. In April 2022 the OKC firefighter took second place in the CrossFit Occupational Games, outperforming other women firefighters from across the globe. Stronger Every Day Katie went to that first class at the invitation of one of her firefighting mentors. Because CrossFit combines several forms of fitness, Katie found that it gave her the strength to excel at her physically demanding job, and offered her a chance to train for events. She also loved the competitive aspect of the class. Many CrossFit competitors are fulltime athletes or trainers, but people serving in professions like firefighting and law enforcement have to schedule their training around irregular work schedules. The Occupational Games were established to give these heroes a chance to shine. Out of a starting field of thousands, Katie was one of only 40 to advance to the finals in her division. She also participates in team CrossFit events. Unlike many other teams, everyone on her four-member team is a parent with a fulltime career. “I love the camaraderie,” she says. “I’ve got great coaches and a great team–a lot of people pushing each other every day. I love training almost as much as competition.” 18
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Finding a Calling A native of Oregon, Katie explored several sports while she was growing up. Despite being four inches below the usual height requirement, she rowed for four years on a scholarship at Oklahoma City University, where she earned a degree in kinesiology. But she wasn’t sure what she wanted her career focus to be. When her college roommate suggested they attend an EMT course, Katie was all in. That course included a ride-along with a firefighter. “I knew immediately that this was what I wanted to do,” says Katie. “I applied the next day.” Since joining the department, she has also become a state and nationally certified paramedic, continuing her family’s proud tradition of serving in healthcare. Leading the Way It was an adjustment coming from healthconscious Eugene, Oregon to Oklahoma, but Katie is encouraged by how much more fitness-focused the OKC area has become. She herself has been a part of that change, encouraging other firefighters to work out with her at every station where she has served. Not all of us can become world-class athletes, but Katie believes anyone can achieve better fitness. “Just start!” she says. “It can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. If you walk into a gym, no matter what size and shape you are, they’ll find a way to work with you.” She strives to model a healthy lifestyle for her two-year-old son. They go on outdoor adventures every day, and he loves to “work out” with the family. He even has his own set of kid-friendly dumbbells. “I want him to know he can do anything,” she says. Katie’s hopes for the future include rocking the team competition and improving her own fitness level. She intends to keep pushing her limits, becoming her best self for her family, her team, and herself. And she’ll be back at the Occupational Games in 2023, with a new goal. “Next year I plan to win it,” she says.
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FEATURELOOK
Tommy Woodard and Eddie James
The cast of Family Camp
Leigh-Allyn Baker
From Skits to a Screen Near You By Amy Dee Stephens As classmates and class clowns at Edmond Memorial High School in the late 1980s, Tommy Woodard and Eddie James could only have dreamed of starring in a movie together. Their first major motion picture, Family Camp, comes after 30 years of performing Christian comedy under the name Skit Guys. In the movie, two completely opposite families are paired together at church camp. The dads, played by Tommy and Eddie battle for the highly coveted camp trophy, while also fighting to keep their marriages together. “It’s a family-friendly comedy about how messy life can be,” Eddie said. “Most faithbased movies are dramas, but we believe that gut-busting laughter, not preachiness, can help people find hope and beauty within the mess.” The Oklahoma-based film, which opened in May, is playing in over 1,200 theaters nationwide, and doing well in California, Florida, and the midwest markets. Much of the movie was filmed in central Oklahoma, literally minutes from Tommy’s home in Edmond. Eddie, who lives in Texas, returned to his hometown for the filming. The church scenes were done at First Presbyterian in Edmond, but most of the camp setting was at Central Oklahoma Christian Camp in Guthrie. “Part of the movie takes place in a round yurt,” said Tommy. ”We didn’t even know they had a yurt at the camp in Guthrie. And it turns out they didn’t, until it was built for this movie.“ Tommy and Eddie have actually taken to sitting in theaters to observe crowd reactions. “A couple of times, my wife and I thought we would buy tickets and sneak into the back—but it was sold out,” Tommy said. “It’s super encouraging to be in your hometown and know so many people are behind you.” 20
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“Thank you to all our church and high school friends who are supporting Family Camp,” said Eddie. “We worked on this script for years, but every dream has its delays, difficulties, and dead ends. The screenplay was rejected, it was over-budget, and it wasn’t working. Finally, it took our Skit Guys teammates, Brian Cates and Rene Gutteridge, to come up with a fresh plotline.” “And the president of K-Love radio believed in our ministry and made it come together,” said Tommy. “The amount of support has been humbling. Even our drama teacher from high school, Mary Jane Bartley, came to the movie screening.” “We don’t really think of ourselves as actors—we’re just two buddies from high school that dream up funny ideas and live out our friendship on stage, and now, screen,” Eddie said. “The hardest part was filming out of sequence. We did all the serious stuff and the final scene within the first few days.” “In some ways, it was easier than doing our full-length stage skits, though,” Tommy said, “because we shot each scene like six times. The downside is that you don’t get the instant gratification from the audience, like you do in a live performance.” The Skit Guys are already working on their next movie—but don’t expect Family Camp II, yet. “We’re going to do something completely different,” Eddie said. “We don’t want to get caught in that Ernest Goes to Camp stereotype.” “It was our greatest dream come true to make a movie that can be enjoyed by eight-year-olds or eighty-year-olds,” Tommy said. “Making Family Camp was the funnest month of my Life.” For more information and videos go to skitguys.com.
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BIZLOOK
Junk Platoon By Maria Veres
When cleaning up and clearing out your extra stuff feels like a losing battle, it’s time to call in more troops. Junk Platoon is ready to serve you, handling cleanups of all types throughout Edmond and OKC. Free Quotes for Any Job “We can haul away anything that isn’t liquid or hazardous,” says Todd Temaat, who co-owns Junk Platoon with his wife Sherra. “We take care of everything from couches to refrigerators to yard debris.” They also offer wholeproperty cleanouts for attics, garages, apartments, and businesses.
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If you need help estimating the costs, Junk Platoon will come to your property and give you a quote at no charge. “The price will never go up after that, even if the load ends up taking more space than we thought,” says Todd. “But if it takes up less space, we’ll adjust the price downward.” All work is completed by Todd and his in-house team members. They offer same-day or next-day service for most jobs, and they will donate or recycle your items if requested. Serving Oklahomans and Veterans A 21-year Air Force veteran, Todd served at Tinker Air Force Base, and his four adult children all call the OKC area home. After living out of state for a few years, Todd and Sherra recently returned to Oklahoma to be closer to their family. “We love how veteranfriendly this area is,” says Todd. Junk Platoon’s mission consists of three pillars: To serve God, to delight
Todd Temaat and Justice Beck
customers, and to help veterans. They hire veterans whenever possible, and they offer a discount for all veterans or active-duty military members. Junk Platoon gladly serves business and residential customers across the metro area. To learn more or receive a free, no-obligation quote, contact Junk Platoon at 405-900-8387 or at their website, junkplatoon.com.
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Infinite Care Homes By Maria Veres When you can’t meet your aging loved one’s needs on your own, the next best choice is a home where they can be loved and cared for like family. Infinite Care Homes offers boutiquestyle, individualized assisted living care, overseen by a highly qualified medical team. Senior Care at Its Best Residents of Infinite Care Homes live in quiet family neighborhoods. Everyone has a private room, and no more than five people reside in the home at any time. Licensed caregivers are always on
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site, with a registered nurse on call 24/7. The homes meet all the same licensing requirements as larger facilities. The family-style setting allows each person’s needs and preferences to be honored. Residents enjoy homecooked meals, with their favorite dishes often appearing on the menu. Intergenerational activities are a key part of life at Infinite Care Homes. Children’s groups and family members are always welcome. Expert, Individualized Care Co-Owners Christine Hauck and Niaz Adu are native Oklahomans with many years of expertise in elder care. Christine is a nurse practitioner who can serve as the primary care provider for residents if they wish. Niaz is the licensed administrator of Infinite Care Homes and a registered nurse. Infinite Care Homes accepts long-term care insurance, and they also welcome private-pay patients. Unlike many larger facilities, they don’t have a tiered pricing structure. Residents can continue to
Negeen Sobhani Photography
BIZLOOK
Co-owners Niaz Adu and Christine Hauck
live there if their health needs increase, without a price increase. Niaz and Christine invite potential residents and their families to come for a tour any time. “Seeing the concept gives a better idea of what we offer,” says Niaz. “We provide an alternative for families who are looking for a smaller, more personal option.” To learn more or schedule a tour, go to infinitecarehomes.com or call 405-471-1947.
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ALOOKBACK
Weddings and Showers By Louise Tucker Jones Summer is definitely a popular time for weddings. Always has been. My son, Aaron and wife, Amy, had a lovely, summer wedding 28 years ago. So much fun! But today’s nuptials and wedding showers are quite different from the ones I grew up with. In fact, by today’s standard, the ceremonial vows my late husband and I shared might be considered a “destination wedding,” since it took place at an Army chapel just hours before Carl was deployed. And there were no “gift registries” when I got married. The ladies at my church and Carl’s church got together and gave me a wedding shower while Carl was overseas. Actually, you did
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register for one thing—china selection! I chose a beautiful earthenware pattern. My mother thought I should have chosen something fragile and fancy. I preferred practical and pretty. She also felt I should have chosen something less expensive, fearing I wouldn’t receive many of those dishes. I figured I might at least get two place settings just for Carl and me and that was fine. Surprise! I got most of that set (bought the rest later) and still use those dishes today. But most of our gifts consisted of towels, sheets, cookware, bowls and other essential items. After setting up our household in a small, furnished duplex, I was definitely thankful someone thought to purchase a can opener, hand mixer and flatware. Necessities! But some of my favorite items were not expensive in price. My mother and Carl’s mom saved a set of glassware from laundry detergent. Yep, a glass in each box. We had a set of 8 goblets, 8 tumblers, and 8 juice glasses. Silver leaf pattern. And a gift I especially held dear was a wedding ring quilt my grandmother made for us. I still have that beautiful, lovingly worn quilt on a stand near my bed.
Aaron & Amy’s wedding
Today, I actually appreciate online registries when purchasing a wedding gift, but I also hope the bride and groom have the fun of opening surprise gifts that were never on their list. And I definitely hope someone gifts them with a can opener! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Louise Tucker Jones is an award-winning author, inspirational speaker & founder of Wives With Heavenly Husbands, a support group for widows. LouiseTJ@cox.net or LouiseTuckerJones.com.
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FEATURELOOK
Miss Oklahoma: Megan Gold By Maggie Murdock Nichols On June 11th of 2022, Megan Gold was crowned Miss Oklahoma. Megan grew up in Edmond and attended Washington Irving Elementary School and Oklahoma Christian School. She graduated from the University of Oklahoma in May of 2021 with a degree in Meteorology and Broadcast Journalism. Megan has worked for various new stations throughout college and currently serves as a weekend meteorologist for News on 6 in Tulsa. A Place in the Spotlight Megan wasn’t always in pursuit of the stage. She laughs, “As a child, I was very shy. I couldn’t order for myself, I’d whisper to my mom what I wanted to eat.” Megan has a twin brother who is very outgoing and often, Megan let him take the lead. At age thirteen Megan competed in her first pageant. Megan has held the titles of Miss Frontier Country’s Outstanding Teen, Miss Edmond LibertyFest Teen, Miss Bethany, and Miss Bricktown. Megan found her place in competitions and was driven to keep going. When at a crossroads of deciding if she would compete again, she asked herself, “What would make thirteen-year-old me proud?” With this in mind, she gave Miss Oklahoma her all and came away with the crown. A rendition of “Dueling Banjos” on the flute wowed the crowd and judges at Miss Oklahoma. Megan began playing the flute in band in the 6th grade. Her talent is unique and the pizzazz she has when performing sets her apart.
Miss Bricktown Megan Gold was crowned Miss Oklahoma.
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Leigh Thompson Photography
The top five finalists: (l-r) Miss Oklahoma State Fair, Claire Grace; Miss Tulsa, Emily Faith; Miss Bricktown Megan Gold; Miss Oklahoma City, Mackenzie McIntyre; and Miss Edmond, Evelyn Smith.
Crowned for Service At the core of Miss Oklahoma is the value placed on service. Megan consulted former Miss Oklahomas and learned that while they may be the one wearing a crown, the title is all about serving others. Megan spent time volunteering for Edmond Mobile Meals and was inspired to pursue the title of Miss Oklahoma to further her mission of ending senior hunger. Megan also plans to use her platform to educate children across the state about weather and weather safety. When asked what backstage at a competition is like, Megan says, “I try to be ready early so I can help other contestants should they need a last minute hair fix or makeup touch up.” Helping others takes the focus off the pressure and calms Megan’s nerves. She says, “I love the time I spend with other contestants. We all became close friends. Moments before I was crowned, the remaining five of us joined hands and prayed backstage.” A wave of peace washed over Megan as she stood waiting to hear the outcome of the competition. After the crown was placed on her head, she began scanning the crowd looking for her mom, dad and twin brother - her biggest fans and supporters. Megan will represent Oklahoma in Miss America later this year. She is in early preparation stages, but for now is enjoying the aftermath of a dream fulfilled. Follow her journey on social media @MissAmericaOK.
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FEATURELOOK FEATURELOOK
Farm Fresh and Fabulous Photography By Amy Dee Stephens For more than a decade, Deborah Vivona has raised chickens at her home in Deer Creek. Although she had never raised livestock before, she was motivated by the fear of the ticks at her five-acre farm. After some research, chickens seemed like the solution for preventing tick-borne diseases, so Deborah bought a dozen chicks and simply followed the store’s recommendations. Safe to say, it worked. “Within six months, I had a nice little egg business going,” Deborah said. “I get enough eggs to sell to my neighbors and friends, and I keep my family well supplied. If I have a surplus, I sell them at the Conscious Co-op in Edmond.” Deborah named her company Land Run Chickens, in honor of her pioneer ancestors who settled in Enid during the Oklahoma Land Run. Consequently, Deborah was delighted when she learned that her great-great-grandmother from Sweden had hens and was called Grandma Chicken. “I like to think she’s smiling down on me from heaven,” Deborah said. Family Hobby Although Deborah’s eggs provide her with a steady food source, the chickens are more of a hobby than a business. “My chickens are pets with names. My ten grandchildren come over to help me gather the eggs, so it’s become a family hobby.” Because Deborah’s chickens are allowed to roam naturally, eating grass and bugs and drinking at her pond, they are considered free-range chickens. “I never use chemicals on my yard, so they are healthier than mass-produced chickens, and they have a deep-yellow yolk.” She now raises various breeds, which produce colored eggs ranging from blue to brown 30
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to white. Deborah finds it interesting that hens lay eggs six days a week and rest on the seventh day. “But that doesn’t necessarily fall on Sunday,” Deborah said with a laugh. The biggest challenge in raising chickens is keeping predators away. Deborah has lost chickens to raccoons, possums, hawks, owls, and neighborhood dogs that got loose. Her husband, Ross, who is a builder, has upgraded the hen house and fencing over the years to the point that it is very secure. Every night Deborah does a head count, and she even has them trained to go inside the coop if a storm is coming. “I use a ‘chick-chick-chick’ call and they come running and follow me inside. It’s like I’m their shepherd.” Getty Image Photographer Deborah’s talents extend far beyond the coop, with gardening, construction, and a serious eye for photography to her credit. An acclaimed Getty Image Photographer, her work can be seen in many publications including The Wall Street Journal, Europe, Budget Travel, and the cover of an Edmond phone book. Most notably, she has sold photographs to Target. “Target’s holiday ad on TV was my most exciting accomplishment, and the craziest, as it was my Pinterest pictures of Elf on the Shelf!” she laughs. Amid her chickening, gardening, and photography, Deborah says, “I like to think I inherited my ancestors’ interests and strengths. I love supporting our local farmers and tradespeople and I enjoy living the good life outdoors in Edmond, OK.”
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