Seven inducted into Women’s Hall of Fame

By Rose Lane Editor

Mo Anderson, Patricia Fennell, Kim Garrett Funk, Ann Felton Gilliland, Donna Grabow, Cathy Keating and Representative Freddy Harper Williams (posthumously) have been selected by the Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women (OCSW) to be inducted into the Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame (OWHOF).

NIchols Hills officials are planning a grand opening celebration on May 6 to commemorate the completion of Love Family Park, an 18-month, $1.5 million project that transformed five-acres of property into a beautifully-landscaped park along the north and east sides of Grand Boulevard between Huntington Avenue and Bedford Drive.

NHills residents invited to Grand Celebration for the opening of Love Family Park

By Eric Oesch Staff Writer

A Grand Celebration for the opening of the $1.5 million Love Family Park is scheduled for Saturday, May 6.

The event follows a massive 18-month project that transformed five-acres of property into a beautifully-landscaped park situated along the north and east sides of Grand Boulevard between Huntington Avenue and Bedford Drive.

The gift from the late Tom Love and his wife Judy is the largest ever given to Nichols Hills since it was incorporated 94 years ago.

“Work on the project is essentially complete,” Nichols Hills City Manager Shane

Pate told the City Council during its April meeting. “We still have a small ‘punch’ list to work through before our Grand Opening Celebration, but we are essentially ready.”

The new Love Family Park was designed by Landscape Architect Scott Howard, principal partner with HFSD Landscape Architecture, and features extensive landscaping including a shallow negative edge water pool, winding walking paths, park benches, low retaining walls of stone and gateway signage. Rudy Construction was hired as contractor for the project.

More than 50 trees were planted during

FRIDAY’s Dog of the Week

This is Annie, the 1-year-old Sheltie whose humans are long-time residents of Nichols Hills, Tommy and Kathryn Vaught. Annie loves walks and is especially good a catching her frisbee mid-air.

If Annie isn’t playing, she is waiting to play! She goes everywhere with us. Such a blessing.

Email Dog, Cat, Pet and Baby of the Week nominations with complete descriptions to rose@okcfriday.com.

this park transformation project, many of them donated by Pete Everest, owner of Whitetail Trees tree farm and chairman of the Nichols Hills Parks Commission.

Landscape architects worked to incorporate the new plantings alongside mature trees when designing the new park.

The Nichols Hills

Parks Commission consists of 31 volunteer members who oversee the maintenance of the city’s 31 parks. Each board member is assigned a park and manages its budget.

The city has plans to install public art in the park and has earmarked $25,000 for an art piece in this year’s

See PARK, Page 3

“Whether positively elevating the status of women and girls, opening new frontiers for women, or achievements in her professional work the 2023 class of OWHOF is special. We are honored to recognize these women with such a high honor for women of our great state,” said Commissioner and 2023 OWHOF Chair Emmalee Barresi.

To be eligible for the Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame, nominees must live in Oklahoma or be a former resident of Oklahoma. Inductees were nominated because they have made enduring contributions to women in the state of Oklahoma and beyond, Barresi said.

Her integrity and unending drive are touchstones that have made Mo Anderson, president, and CEO of Keller Williams, one of the most sought-after business leaders in the world. Her local community, charitable organizations, and ministries have been richly

See HOF, Page 2

Cyndi Munson, Lou Kerr to be honored

The Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women (OCSW) is to present the 2023 Guardian Awards to The Honorable Representative Cyndi Munson (Oklahoma City); the 2023 Kate Barnard Award to Seminole State College President Lana Reynolds (Seminole); and the Commission’s Lifetime Achievement Award to Lou Kerr (Oklahoma City), a nationally-renowned community philathropist and advocate for women.

See WOMEN, Page 7

Show House celebrates 50th anniversary

Since 1973, the Symphony Show House has been one of Oklahoma City’s most-anticipated spring events.

Now celebrating its 50th Anniversary, the Oklahoma City Philharmonic presents this year’s Show House May 6-21 at 6713 Grand Boulevard in Nichols Hills. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

“We are excited about the highly visible, fabulous location of this year’s house,” said Blossom Crews, OKCPHIL development director. “It was built in 1949, in Colonial Revival style, and is situated on a beautiful 1.25-acre estate. It has more than 2,000-square-feet of outdoor entertaining space, and the house itself retains many significant historical and original features.”

The designers selected for this year’s Show House have taken inspiration from the traditional style of the home, Crews said. Visitors can expect to see luxurious textures and sumptuous furnishings throughout the main house, and a bit of the unexpected in the 1,500-square-foot pool house.

See HOUSE, Page 3

Tricia is Upward Transitions honoree

On Friday, May 5, Upward Transitions is to honor Tricia Everest, Oklahoma secretary of public safety, at its annual American Tourist fundraising event hosted at Oklahoma City’s Historic Farmers Public Market. The annual fundraiser event supports Upward Transitions’ mission of preventing generational poverty in Oklahoma County through its Community

Outreach program and services.

“American Tourist is our premier, annual fundraiser to support our mission,” said Periann Pulliam, Upward Transitions CEO. “We are thrilled to honor Tricia Everest who has had a direct impact on streamlining our process of providing homeless services to our clients. She is the recipient of the 2023 Upward Transitions Inspiring Hope Award, which we will present to her at the event.”

Tricia currently is the Cabinet secretary of public See TRICIA, Page 3

From Page 1 blessed by her belief that a higher purpose of business is to give, care, and share. Her recent contributions to the Oklahoma Women’s Health Center at Mercy will provide additional rooms for labor and delivery and postpartum services, increasing the capacity for deliveries by 40 percent.

As founder and former CEO of the Latino Community Development Agency (LCDA) in Oklahoma City, Fennell has impacted the lives of countless Oklahomans. It began when the United Way saw the need to create an agency to serve the needs of the growing Hispanic population in Oklahoma. Under her leadership, she grew the agency to include 23 programs for the community and an annual budget of close to $3 million. Among the programs are high quality Pre-K, assistance to women and families experiencing domestic violence with youth programs and health services.

Recognizing the need to create a systemic change for services of victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault, elder abuse, child abuse, bullying and stalking, Funk created Palomar in 2016 through an extensive strategic plan- ning process, bringing together 47 federal, state, county, city and non-profit service agencies. DHS reported prior to Palomar that 90 percent of domestic violence cases led to children being placed in state care to determine the safe parent and after two years of working inside Palomar the number dropped below 10 percent.

In 2002, Gilliland became Chairman and CEO of Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit ecumenical Christian ministry which provides affordable housing to limitedincome families. After 35 years of empowering limited-income families to build brighter futures through affordable homeownership, the fruits of the organizations labor are visible in 18 communities, Habitat volunteers, staff and families have built more than 1,074 homes. Homeowners make their mortgage payments directly to Habitat, and those payments are then recycled to help build more homes for

Tricia

From Page 1 families in need.

Lifelong advocate for women, individuals and families, Grabow inspires through action, and her values include inspiration and determination. Forever the entrepreneur and teacher, in 1990 she opened Safenet Services, a state-of-the-art facility with 35 beds and space for counselors, advocates and visitation that serves survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking. Her drive to seek resources has provided services for over 4,000 Oklahomans. Safenet serves women in Rogers and Mayes counties.

A fourth-generation Oklahoman, Keating has focused much of her life in the non-profit community. While serving as First Lady of Oklahoma, she conceived and implemented a grounds management program for female inmates to learn a marketable job skill. She is a source of strength for Oklahoma and has a spirit of commitment in being involved with organizations providing social safety for the state of Oklahoma.

She serves as a trustee of the E.L. and Thelma Gaylord Foundation and chairman of Inasmuch Foundation’s Advisory Committee, continuing her family’s legacy of philanthropy while simultaneously crafting her own. Tricia focuses most of her time leading initiatives designed to help people find hope and purpose by creating pathways for stronger lives.

She plays an integral role as the founding chairman of Palomar, Oklahoma City’s Family Justice Center which removes barriers for abuse victims to access the services they need. Tricia was also the founding chairman of ReMerge, which diverts mothers from prison and empowers women to build healthy foundations for themselves and their children.

American Tourist is Upward Transitions’ largest annual growth, and education towards shaping the lives of women, girls, and families in Oklahoma. fundraising event. Each year, a themed destination transports guests to a travel location created through décor and attire for a night of fundraising to support the Upward Transitions’ Community Outreach program.

Elected in 1980 to the Oklahoma House of Representatives for District 99, Representative Williams served the people of greater Oklahoma City for five terms. Her most notable legislative accomplishment as author was passage of the state law that granted every Oklahoma woman over the age of 35 the opportunity for no-cost, annual mammogram screening. She also authored a bill allowing women to be recognized as “head of household” in Oklahoma.

The 2023 inductees add to the current 134 women who have been inducted into the OWHOF since 1983, after being established in 1982 by then-Gov. George Nigh.

The women are to be honored at the induction ceremony tonight at 5:30 pm in the Omni Hotel Five Moons Ballroom located at 100 Oklahoma City Blvd.

Upward Transitions themed this year’s event “Cinco de Mayo,” which features live and silent auctions, wine and jewelry pulls, a raffle, live music and dancing, client stories and an opportunity to learn more about the mission of Upward Transitions in Central Oklahoma.

All proceeds raised at the event allow Upward Transitions to serve those who are homeless or on the verge of becoming homeless by providing case management and stabilizing resources to meet basic needs. Upward Transitions is a private non-profit agency founded in 1925 and has served the Oklahoma County community for almost one hundred years. Upward Transitions supports community development and advocates for stranded, homeless, or impoverished Oklahomans

Family members Jordan Jordanov, Abby Bland, Bailey Bland, Lillie Jordanov, Cammie Jordanov, Annie Jordanov, Faye Norton, Ed Drew (birthday boy) and Molly and Mark Bland celebrate Ed’s 90th birthday.

PARK budget. A $200,000 Endowment Fund is to be used for park maintenance and upkeep. The city will maintain the park.

When announced in October of 2021, then-Mayor Peter Hoffman called the Love Family donation “an extraordinary act of philanthropy,” and said, “Nichols Hills is thrilled to have this beautiful new addition as it will add immeasurably to the quality of life for all or our residents. We are forever grateful to the Love Family for their unparalleled generosity.”

The park system along Grand Boulevard bisects the heart of the

From Page 1 city and is separated into individually named sections. The Love Family Park joins Woods Park, Redbud Classic Park, Grand Boulevard Park, and Evangeline Park when it is dedicated on May

Proceeds from the Show House benefit the OKCPHIL’s Education and Community Engagement programs.

“Our primary mission is providing inspiration and joy through orchestral music,” said Brent Hart, OKCPHIL executive eirector.

6. Tom Love passed away last month at the age of 85. He, along with wife Judy, founded the family-owned and operated network of more than 600 Love’s Travel Stops & Country stores with headquarters based in The Village.

In addition to this largest gift in the history of Nichols Hills, the Love family has been generous to many local and national organizations including Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, United Way, Catholic Charities, the ArchDiocese of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

“Our activities extend into the community, bringing students into the fold with our education programs, music competitions and ‘Spotlight School’ series. Our family-oriented Discovery concerts are a fun way to introduce children to the world of music.

“All of these programs and more are directly funded through proceeds from the Symphony okcphil.org along with more information programming.

State University and the University of Oklahoma.

Along with Love Family Park in Nichols Hills, the Love Family name legacy is to be carried on at the Love Family Women’s Center on the campus of Mercy Hospital in Oklahoma City and Science Museum Oklahoma’s new stateof-the-art Love’s Planetarium. The Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Dedication begins at 4 p.m. and features music from the UCO Jazz Composers Combo, food trucks and family activities including face painting and visits with Nichols Hills Fire and Police. Nichols Hills residents are to receive a personal invitation inserted into their utility bill. A rain date has been set for Saturday, May 13.