OKC FRIDAY Vol. 55 No. 31 • One Section • 14 pages • December 31, 2021
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Bachelors Club Christmas Ball nonprofit donations top $1 million Donations from the Bachelors Club of Oklahoma City to area nonprofit organizations over the last 75 years topped more than $1 million for the first time after the club’s 2021 Christmas Ball. This year, the Bachelors Club Foundation donated $25,000 to Special Care, Inc., to further its mission of serving children with and without special needs through year-round, early childhood education and specialized care. Each year, the Bachelors Club president selects the recipient. President Joshua Cohlmia selected Special Care because of his longtime involvement with the organization. He served on its teen board all four years of high school and as president his senior year. He is now a senior at the University of
Daisy Baker is escorted by Robert Denney.
Oklahoma. The donation to Special Care this year means the Bachelors Club’s Christmas Ball has raised more than $1,015,000 for the Oklahoma City community since the club started hosting it in 1945. Last year, the pandemic postponed the 75th anniversary celebration to this year. During the ball, according to longstand-
ing tradition, 16 debutantes were presented along with 22 escorts, who are Bachelors Club members. The Bachelors Club also honored past President Gerald L. Gamble with its highest award, the Walter Powell Award. The honor is traditionally given to an alumnus or another individual who has shown loyal support and exemplifies the ideals of the club. Gamble’s contributions to Oklahoma City’s business and philanthropic communities through the years are extensive. Gamble has been involved in commercial and industrial real estate in Oklahoma City for more than 50 years. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma, has a master’s degree from Stanford University
- Photos by Fran Kozakowski
Above: Bachelors Club President Joshua Cohlmia presents Special Care Co-Founder and Executive Director Pam Newby and Special Care Director of Marketing and Development Kelli Dupuy with $25,000 in proceeds from the Christmas Ball. At left: Cohlmia and Bachelors Club past President Gerald Gamble with the Walter Powell Award.
See BALL, Page 2
Year in Review: In 2021, Fridayland seeks a return to normalcy Compiled by Rose Lane Editor January Heritage Hall announced the appointment of Matthew Carolan as its next head of middle school, effective July 1. OKC FRIDAY honored Healthcare Heroes as its OKCityans of the Year.
The Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics (OSSM) announced it has been named Best Public High School as well as the Best High School for STEM in Oklahoma by Niche.com, a leading school ranking organization headquartered in Pittsburgh. Praise for the Fire Department opened a
Village City Council meeting as two residents recounted stories of helpful support they recently received from the department. February Quail Creek Bank announced the creation of a COVID-19 Health Care Workers Fund to support and recognize frontline
Mercy reaches fundraising goal Mercy Health Foundation reached its $40 million fundraising goal for the Love Family Women’s Center thanks to an early Christmas donation from a generous local family. Mark Davenport and his mother, Pat, together gave $1.5 million to close out the two-year campaign for the
women’s center project, the largest fundraising goal in Mercy’s nearly 200year history. “This women’s center project will have a direct, lifelong impact on our community,” said Mark Davenport, chairman of Quail Creek Bank. “Having a state-ofthe-art dedicated women’s center here in Oklahoma
City is a meaningful way my mom and I could honor my three sisters who died early in their lives. This project also allows us to invest in future generations of Oklahomans, including the youngest generation of Davenport girls, all four born at Mercy.”
workers at Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City. The fund provided a $550 cash gift to 470 health care workers at Mercy who have been directly involved in COVID-19 care during the pandemic. Four of the nine finalists for the Oklahoma City Public Schools Teacher of the Year were educators at
FRIDAY’s Dogs
Fridayland schools. Ed Ruscha: OKLA — the artist’s first solo exhibition in his home state — opened at the Oklahoma Contemporary. Ed Ruscha graduated from Northwest Classen. “Old’ Classen seniors were allowed to transfer and graduate from the “new school,” Northwest. See 2021, Page 3
of the Week
Sadie and Lexi are happy to pose with Santa for their first Christmas. They are loving sisters from the same liter. Their moms are Dale Armor (Lexi) and Machelle Wright (Sadie) who are the best of friends. These two fur babies love playdates and eating, sleeping and running in the backyard together. The two also love car rides, walking in the dog park and giving kisses. Send Pet and Baby of the Week nominations with complete descriptions to rose@okcfriday.com.
Sponsored by Paulette and Leo Kingston of WePayFast.com. See MERCY, Page 7