ADA HUB MARCH 2020

MARCH 2020 Vol. 10 Issue 5

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CONTENTS

adahub COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

FEATURES

Publisher Okie Icon Media

5 Ada Sunrise Rotary seeking

Managing Editor David Dinsmore

application for glass recycling machine

Featured Writer Sunnie Dawn Smith Ad Sales Brad Carter

6 Versatile artist finds

Art Direction Fawn Wilson-Olivarez

inspiration in ‘everyday things’

Photography Nicholas Geisler

8 Grants, ‘sweat equity’ help

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A PUBLICATION OF OKIE ICON MEDIA © COPYRIGHT 2020

MARCH 2020

organization make owning a home affordable for some

9 Greater Ada Swim Club

making waves among student athletes

10 Hop with a Cop

Eggstravaganza to provide family-friendly Easter egg hunt April 9

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Ada Sunrise Rotary seeking application for glass recycling machine

By Sunnie Dawn Smith

T

he Ada Sunrise Rotary is always looking for new ways to help Ada along with the world at large.

President of the Ada Sunrise Rotary Christine Pappas explained the mission of Rotary International as “service above self.” Because of this, they are a part of global programs attempting to eradicate polio, focusing on education for children and providing clean water and water sustainability.

On the local scale, they also have many other programs. One of their largest is the Back to School Basics program that provides 1,000 backpacks complete with school supplies to area children. This program has a budget of $25,000, which is provided by the proceeds of the Fireball Classic race held every year on July 4 at Wintersmith Park. They also have a pecan sale every Thanksgiving with proceeds going to Ada Senior Care Center. They even installed a little library in Glenwood Park with books for both kids and adults. People can feel free to take a book or leave a book.

One of their latest initiatives that speaks to both local and global issues is their purchase of a glass pulverizer, which can aid the community in glass recycling. They received a grant for $9,000 to purchase the pulverizer for the community.

While recycling is a global environmental issue, it is also a local concern, Pappas said. While it is better to reuse if possible, recycling is still infinitely better than just dumping things in the landfill.

“The best thing to do would be to reuse containers, but even if not, we need to minimize,” Pappas said. “The landfill is filling up, and it is more responsible to make our waste smaller.”

Some estimates indicate the landfill could be full within two years, and then the waste would have to be transported to transfer stations to transport elsewhere.

Not only would this not solve the problem of overflowing landfills, but it would most likely cost more for taxpayers.

Glass recycling, however, would reduce the amount of waste in a significant way.

Pappas says that the glass sand that is produced is 800% smaller than the actual bottles, and there can also be many different uses. However, because this program is

in its infancy, they are still trying to determine the best way to use the machine and the best uses for the glass sand that would be produced.

“We have bought the crusher but have not found a way to institute it for public use,” Pappas said.

There are many possibilities as far as use goes. It could be used in artistic, creative or landscaping endeavors, Pappas said. It could also have industrial or construction applications, or it could just be smaller.

At this moment Rotary leaders are “exploring our options and open to different ideas.” Pappas is applying for a grant this summer through the Oka’ Institute to do research on this subject.

One possible avenue could be using the pulverizer as “frack glass.” In 2018, Pappas won the award for Water Technology and Innovation at The Big Pitch Ada for this idea. The glass sand that is produced with this tool could be used to replace fracking sand. This could be a more environmentally sustainable option, especially considering the fact that right now these operations use sand that is mined, and sometimes there is a danger of digging too deep and contaminating the aquifer and its water supply. Recycling glass bottles into “frack glass” could serve two purposes. First, it could eliminate waste going to the landfill, and second, it could replace sand and protect the aquifer.

In addition to fracking, though, this glass sand could be used for construction fill or mixed with sand at quarries to make them last longer. It can also be used for sidewalk beds or concrete.

While Pappas would like for the community to be able to use the glass pulverizer, the Ada Sunrise Rotary also has to

Ada Sunrise Rotary president Christine Pappas has been seeking the best way to utilize the group’s glass pulverizer, which produces a sand that can have multiple uses while reducing the amount of waste entering the landfill.

PHOTO BY NICHOLAS GEISLER

come up with a good – and safe – model for them to do so. While the pulverizer does have many safety features, some are still worried. One possible idea would be to model it after the hazardous waste collection day and have a specific day for everyone to bring their glass to a central location where volunteers could process the glass bottles down to dust. While some cities have moved away from glass recycling, Pappas feels that this could be excellent for Ada. “This could be a paradigm changer,” Pappas said. “This could put Ada on the map in a good way. We are looking for success where other cities have abandoned the pursuit.” www.adahub.com • 5

Versatile artist finds inspiration in ‘everyday things’

By Sunnie Dawn Smith

S

Artist Cody Wilson sees the world through his own unique lens and never knows when something he sees will inspire him to create a new piece.

PHOTO BY NICHOLAS GEISLER

6 • www.adahub.com

ometimes the smallest encouragements can change the course of a person’s life. For Cody Wilson, it was praise for his artwork when he was a kid.

“When I was a kid I would occasionally be told my drawings were good, and I just rode that wave of validation to adulthood,” Wilson said.

Art wasn’t just a way for him to feel validated. It was a way for him to process the world around him as well as the world inside him.

Wilson started creating art as a kid after his dad taught him what he knew about drawing. His mother and father were both very encouraging about his talents from a very young age. Public school art programs, though, helped him further his skills and gave him the support he needed through his teenage years.

“I know that public school art programs directly kept me interested in art throughout my adolescence, and programs like Interscholastic Meets and OSAI helped me progress in high school,” Wilson said. “I didn't have many outlets for my emotional well-being, and school art programs gave me that space.”

As he moved into adulthood, though, art continued to be an outlet for him to deal with the world inside him. Even though art can be challenging – and sometimes fraught with frustration and failure – it is still a way for him to process things that he might not otherwise.

“It helps me communicate things

that I can't verbally or even emotionally, and (art) probably keeps me from being cranky,” Wilson said.

While art can help him bring order to his own thoughts and emotions, it is also a good way for him to process the world around him. In today’s society, people are bombarded with constant imagery.

Wilson filters that constant barrage of information through his own artwork, letting it become a part of a doodle or a drawing or a painting. He repurposes these images through his own unique lens.

“I may be on Amazon looking for a new pair of shoes and see a teapot that looks like it would make a good abstract figure painting,” Wilson said. “I catch myself reproducing everyday stuff the most in my doodles.”

In addition to finding inspiration in the common objects, Wilson also finds inspiration in the work of other artists.

While his earliest influences were Picasso and Van Gogh, in college he discovered the works of Egon Schiele, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Lucian Freud and Gustav Klimt.

However, his appreciation wasn’t limited to the artists in the history books. He also drew inspiration from his fellow students in the ECU Art Department. In fact, he was influenced by “every other student I was working with,” including Eliseo Casiano, Olen Cook and “this one guy with crazy hair.” He also looked to the students who had already graduated from the program, learning from their own work and experiences.

Taking some time off in the middle of pursuing his bachelor’s degree gave him multiple sets of artists to meet, work with and learn from.

Wilson primarily draws and paints. He likes doing figurative work but is starting to branch out into landscape painting. Interestingly, he never combines the two. If he is creating a portrait, the background is usually fantastical or abstract. Realistic landscape is left as landscape alone. He has been doing a few plein air watercolors but is looking forward to producing some larger scale landscape paintings in the future. His favorite thing, though, is live figure drawing, because of its unique challenges.

“I feel like drawing people is a mental workout,” Wilson said. “You are constantly struggling to reproduce the accurate proportions that every single person has ingrained in their visual memory.

Once you get past all the mental hurdles involved in solving that problem, you can hopefully zone out and accidentally get it right.”

Wilson is constantly producing art, partly to honor his parents that encouraged him so much in his childhood and

partly because he feels like it is a muscle that he has to work in order to grow as an artist. An example of this is a recent exhibition he had at Arbuckle Craft Coffee where he showed his work “365 Facebook Friends,” which was a year’s worth of sketches of his Facebook friends.

His work can be found online on Facebook and Instagram @codywilsonart, and he can be reached via email at codywilsonart@gmail.com. He is always taking commissions for drawings and paintings.

www.adahub.com • 7

Grants, ‘sweat equity’ help organization make owning a home affordable for some

By Sunnie Dawn Smith

T

ri-County Indian Nations Community Development Center is a hidden gem in Ada. While it is a program that is there to help the community, many have not heard about it or have any idea how they can help individuals with limited income build their own homes.

When Tri-County was started 16 years ago, they serviced only three counties: Pontotoc, Coal and Johnston. However, when the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development branch asked them to take on two more counties, they agreed and added Murray and Garvin to their area of service.

The program exists due to a grant from USDA Rural Development so families can own their own homes when they might not otherwise be able to do so. This program not only provides families with safe, secure housing, but it also dramatically improves their way of life. In some cases, the mortgage payment they have is less than the rent they were previously paying, and it is something that is theirs that they have put their own work into as well.

In addition to funding through USDA, they also have an Oklahoma Housing Financial Agency grant, which helps these families even more by lowering the cost of their building package to make their mortgage payments even more reasonable.

When someone wants to utilize this service, the first step is to visit the Tri-County office at 122 E. Main Street. While applications can be found online, it is best to visit the office, especially because there is a 8 • www.adahub.com

Tri-County Indian Nations Community Development Center identifies and guides limited income individuals and families through the process of building their own home via grants and “sweat equity” requirements that help them create something that is truly their own.

PHOTO BY NICHOLAS GEISLER.

small application fee in order to run the applicant’s credit – $15 for an individual or $20 for a couple.

They fill out a small application that allows Tri-County to determine whether or not the applicant is eligible for this service. Director Carolyn Hill said there are certain eligibility requirements before a formal application can be made. The applicant must be within county-specific income guidelines. They must also have enough income to afford their proposed mortgage payments and have an “acceptable credit history.” However, Hill also said that if someone has had credit issues in the past, it is still worth contacting them because they may be able to use utility bills in lieu of a credit score.

After the initial eligibility is confirmed, the formal application process can begin.

The team at Tri-County helps

the applicant put the application together and then email it to Stillwater. This is the loan qualification part of the process. If the applicant is approved for the loan, then the fun can begin.

The future homeowner comes into the office to pick the building package. There are three and four bedroom houses available with different floor plans to choose in each variety.

Every house also has two bathrooms and a two car garage.

The new homeowner also has many choices when it comes to customizing their house to make it uniquely theirs. They can choose up to three colors of paint, styles of custom cabins, the wood and stain used in the designs, doors, windows, shade of brick and shingles.

While making all of these choices helps the individual become truly invested in their own future home, they also

have to put in work as well. As part of the grant program, each family has to put in 750 hours of “sweat equity,” where they fulfill certain obligations as a future homeowner. They are responsible for painting the exterior and interior of the house as well as caulking the windows, cleaning up the outside during construction and cleaning up after the contractors on the inside. It doesn’t matter if it is the homeowner or other family and friends, but the 750 hours of work is a requirement for the program.

From beginning to end, the entire process could take a year or more depending on the weather, acquisition of land and how quickly the homeowner puts their own work in. Eventually, though, it is all finished, and Hill’s favorite moment comes when she gets to hand the keys to a family to move into their own home.

In order to make sure that these homeowners are successful, Tri-County also has them participate in a free homebuyer education session provided by the Chickasaw Nation. It informs the homeowner of important information like the construction process, life-long money management, financing with USDA Rural Development, the closing process, life as a homeowner, getting to know and taking care of homes and how to prevent foreclosure.

For more information, visit their Facebook page at TriCountyOK Community Development Corp or their website at www.tri-countyok.com. They are more than happy to answer any questions in person at their office or by phone at (580) 310-9300.

Greater Ada Swim Club making waves among student athletes

By Sunnie Dawn Smith

W

hen Gavin Carr was a year old, his parents put him in swim lessons with Donna Cox. He took lessons for three summers and was getting used to being in the water, but then they stopped going. However, when he was 10, his parents, neither of which can swim, decided that he really needed to learn, so they put him back in swim lessons at Wintersmith Pool.

They didn’t know which level to put him in, so they chose the second level. He did so well, though, that they moved him up to the third level before he graduated from swimming lessons. One of his friends told him that he should try out for the Greater Ada Swim Club, which is a competitive organization. He made the team on his first try and is now in his third year of swimming for them. This year, he made it to the state competition.

The GASC gives kids a chance to hone their swimming abilities and compete at swim meets, which can qualify them for district and even state competition.

There are two groups. Group one consists of kids ages 8-14 and is coached by Cox. Group two is for the high school kids and is coached by Meredith Roberts.

One of the interesting things about the high school swimmers is that this gives them a chance to compete for their own schools at swim meets. Even though Ada and Byng don’t have pools. – and thus can’t have an organized swim team – the athletes can train with the GASC and then compete against other high school swimmers around the state. This gives them opportunities they wouldn’t otherwise have.

While the athletes enjoy swimming, it is not all fun and games. Gavin’s mom Deborah Ann Carr said the swimmers practice four days a week at the East Central University Aquatic Center for an hour each day. They have to try out for the team to

The Greater Ada Swim Club provides training and competition opportunities for students whose individual schools may not be able to support a full swim program.

PHOTO BY NICHOLAS GEISLER

ensure that they are proficient enough in swimming but also to make sure that they can take direction and be coached. They aren’t there playing Marco Polo or splashing around; these students are there for the serious work of becoming the best swimmer they can by not only outswimming their teammates, but striving to beat their own best time.

While they love having the facility on the ECU campus, these swimmers are at a bit of a disadvantage when they go to competitions. The pool at ECU is 20 yards long while competition length is 25.

This training challenge does not deter the young athletes.Group one had five people qualify for regionals: Kale Fuller in four events, Gavin Carr in five events, Haven Leslie in two events, Cameron Goodwin in one event and Paisley Poe in one event.

Group two had seven qualify for regionals: Liam Nell in two events, Jaylen Miller in two events, Dominick Lowry in two events, Troy Linton in two events, Conner Berry in two events and Cameron Martin in one.

Of those who qualified for regionals, three in group one – Gavin Carr in one event, Haven Leslie in three events and Paisley Poe in three events – all qualified for the state championship meet. Three from group two also qualified for state, each in two events: Liam Nell, Jaylen Miller and Dominick Lowry. Of all those swimmers, two were in the top10. In the 11-year-old group, Haven Leslie placed fourth in one event, third in another and second in yet another. Paisley Poe won sixth in two different events 6th and medaled with a third place finish in the 50-yard freestyle.

While medals are nice, the most important thing for Cox is that the students try and perform their personal best. She loves seeing them improve throughout the year as their technique grows.

The club’s website states that it tries to “foster a positive environment through exciting and fun practices that develop good character, wellness and overall good health. Success is not measured by ribbons and medals but by good character and positive attitude.”

For more information visit their Facebook page or their website, sites.google. com/view/greater-ada-swim-club or call Cox at (580) 436-7865. www.adahub.com • 9

Hop with a Cop Eggstravaganza to provide family-friendly Easter egg hunt April 9

By Sunnie Dawn Smith

S

ince Shana Wood took over as president and CEO of the Ada Chamber of Commerce in September 2018, she has made it her mission to help the members of the chamber while also finding ways to help make the community a better place.

Wood came to the chamber after 11 years as senior account manager for the Oklahoma Blood Institute. While she loved her work there and had the opportunity to work with many institutions around Ada, travel was a large part of her job. With four daughters – each becoming increasingly involved in activities – it was time for her to be home, and there is no home for her other than Ada. When the position at the chamber opened, it was a perfect fit for what Wood was needing in her life as well as fitting in with her own passions, and Wood is passionate about Ada. “I live here, shop here; my girls go to school here,” Wood said. “This is home, and this was a perfect opportunity. I want it to be a place my girls love as much as I do.”

One of the things that Wood is trying to do is make sure that there are plenty of familyfriendly events that engage the community. A perfect opportunity for this came when CLEET (Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training) approached Wood about doing a community Easter egg hunt.

“They want their cadets to give back to the community,” Wood said.

The Hop with a Cop Eggstravaganza will start with registration at 5:30 p.m. on April 9 at the CLEET facility at 2401 Egypt Road. Kids can get 10 • www.adahub.com

CLEET along with local businesses will sponsor a community-wide Easter egg hunt event with registration starting at 5:30 p.m. on April 9 at the CLEET facility at 2401 Egypt Road.

PHOTO BY NICHOLAS GEISLER.

checked in with the appropriate wrist bands for their age group, and the hunt is scheduled to run from 6:30-7:30. There are three different age divisions in order to keep the competition fair: 0-3 years, 4-7 years and 8-12 years.

While it will, of course, be fun for kids to have a communitywide Easter egg hunt, it also gives them a chance to be around law enforcement officers. The CLEET cadets will be on hand, and the police cars will be lining the street with their lights on. The Easter Bunny is also going to make an appearance in a police car – hopefully in the front seat.

In addition to the egg hunt, many businesses in the Ada community are participating as well. Stampede Car Wash, which hasn’t opened yet, contacted Wood about being the presenting sponsor. Ada Nissan is providing free snow cones.

Coca-Cola is donating soft drinks, and Culligan is donating water. Ada Nissan and Hilltop Dodge are also sponsoring radio remotes at the Eggstravaganza.

There will also be free hot dogs.

This event gives the businesses in Ada a chance to give back to the community in a fun, family-friendly way, which isn’t surprising to Wood. She sees it every day in her interactions with local businesses.

“It is an exciting time for Ada,” Wood said. “This community is very giving and passionate about our community. They work well together for the betterment of Ada as a whole.”

CLEET is a member of the chamber of commerce but also does so much for the community by bringing in 400-500 cadets every year for training.

While they are participating in their 15 and a half week training, they live, eat and shop in Ada. The event is being organized

by CLEET but also by Leadership Ada, a 10-month program that has been around in Ada since the mid-1980s. Wood meets with her students once a month, and they focus on civic and community leadership.

Member businesses will send their employees to participate in this class in order to learn more about Ada and how they can help make it a better place.

While they have had many donations from local businesses, they are still in need of more candy and eggs or monetary donations to go toward the purchase of these items. While they would like to have all items

by March 23, they will still accept donations after.

For more information, contact Wood at (580) 332-2506 and be sure to like the Ada Chamber of Commerce and Shop Ada on Facebook.

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