Shawnee Outlook

the change

SPRING ORGANIZATION

It’s that time of year. If the cleaning bug has hit your house and motivated you to get organized, you’ve probably found that the organization market is a big-money business. If you’re not ready to invest in loading up your trunk with items from the Container Store, here are some tips.

• Reuse old containers. Chances are you may already have great organization tools ready to go to the trash. Shoeboxes have been photo storage for ages but can also be used to organize an underwear drawer or store toys on shelves. We use large plastic kitty litter tubs to store food for those same cats – it’s the perfect size and durability. Before you throw out sturdy boxes or plastic containers, consider where they can be used.

• Visit Dollar Tree, which has great organization and storage options on the cheap. Look for bins, trays,and clear storage boxes with lids – typically in the upgraded $5 section. Other good shopping spots for less expensive options with style are Ross and TJ Maxx. Look for drawer organizers, clear acrylic drawers and boxes and many other stylish options.

• Think outside the aisle. Make-up storage might be found in the hardware section in toolboxes or small organization drawers. Tubs to organize a fridge might be found in the laundry aisle. Be sure to check throughout the store to find storage options that will fit your needs.

• Don’t forget to thrift. Garage sales and thrift stores are great places to look for storage options. Again, don’t be afraid to think about alternate uses. A wine rack could hold hand towels in the bathroom. A desk organizer could hold make-up brushes. Magazine holders can also hold coloring books or paperback books that don’t sit happily on shelves. Happy cleaning.

Angela Rowland is an OBU graduate and a stay-at-home mother of four. She enjoys finding new ways to stretch the paycheck and share some of her favorite tips and deals.

SAD STATISTICS ABOUT AMERICAN EATING HABITS

Have you heard of the term “Standard American Diet” or SAD? This term is referring to our modern dietary pattern that is generally characterized by high intakes of pre-packaged foods, refined grains, red meat, processed meat, high sugar drinks, candy, sweets, fried foods, high fat dairy and high-fructose corn syrup. The SAD diet also refers to low intakes of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, pastureraised animal products, fish, nuts and seeds.

A 2010 report from the National Cancer Institute on the status of the American diet found that three out of four Americans don’t eat a single piece of fruit in a given day, and nearly nine out of ten don’t reach the minimum recommended daily intake of vegetables. On a weekly basis, 96 percent of Americans don’t reach the minimum for greens or beans (three servings a week for adults), 98 percent don’t reach the minimum for orange vegetables (two servings a week) and 99 percent don’t reach the minimum for whole grains (about three to four ounces a day).

In conclusion, the researchers wrote, “nearly the entire U.S. population consumes a diet that is not on par with recommendations. These findings add another piece to the rather disturbing picture that is emerging of a nation’s diet in crisis.”

It is up to us to change this for the generations to come. If this is how we are raising the next generation, they will continue to be diagnosed with heart disease, obesity and diabetes at young ages. The recipe below is a great way to introduce tuna into your and your loved ones’ diet.

Tuna Salad

Taking the basic tuna salad meal up a notch with cleaner ingredients, this is a quick meal great for an on-the-go lunch.

Ingredients:

1 can low-mercury tuna

1 Tbsp chipotle mayo with no added sugar ½ avocado

1 mini cucumber diced

1 tsp of dill (more if desired)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Add all ingredients together in one bowl and mix together until wellblended. Serve with an optional seed-based cracker and mini sweet peppers.

Nutritional Information per Serving: Makes 1 serving

Calories: 446 Total Fat: 28g Saturated Fat: 3.5g

Cholesterol: 77mg Sodium: 552mg Total Carbohydrates: 10.5g

Dietary Fiber: 7g Protein: 38.5g

Nutrition 101: Eating fish has significant benefits and is one of the healthiest proteins you can get. Vitamin D, selenium and omega-3s are all found in fatty fish. Multiple studies show eating fish high in omega-3 can help reduce heart disease, reduce inflammation and improve organ health. When choosing a canned fish, looking at the mercury level can be helpful, especially if you eat it often or are pregnant. Very high exposure to mercury can lead to fatigue, muscle weakness, dizziness and damage to organs. In 2001, the FDA came out with mercury-in-fish recommendations in relation to women who were pregnant and cautioned that they should avoid exposure to methylmercury. It’s now wellknown that there are negative effects on children if their mothers were exposed to high amounts during pregnancy. For these reasons, I buy a brand of tuna that actually tests for mercury in every tuna.

Andrea Beck, a registered dietitian and personal trainer, received her master’s degree in nutrition and dietetics from the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond. She offers personal training and nutrition education through an online platform, StrongHER. For inquiries, visit strongherwithandrea.com, or the Facebook page, Nutrition and Exercise 101 with Andrea.

Angela Rowland

EASTER EGGS

Artists Celebrate New Life During Spring

SUBMITTED BY DELAYNNA TRIM CURATOR OF COLLECTIONS MABEE-GERRER MUSEUM OF ART

Easter is April 9th this year. It moves around the calendar every year because Easter is based on a lunisolar calendar and falls on the first Sunday after the ecclesiastical full moon. That full moon occurs on or after March 21, so Easter can be anywhere between March 22 and April 25. In the Christian tradition, Easter celebrates Christ rising from the dead. Even if you don’t celebrate the religious holiday, many people celebrate Easter with egg hunts and family dinners.

How did bunnies and chicks get associated with Easter? With Easter being in spring, it is easy to look around farms and see that this is the time of year for baby animals. Some say the bunny came from the pagan festival for Eostre, a goddess of fertility whose symbol was a rabbit.

Do you decorate eggs for Easter? Did you know that the earliest decorated eggs have been found in South Africa and date back 60,000 years? Easter eggs date back to the 13th century. Many vegetables and other natural objects have been used to dye eggs. Red onions dye eggs red or lavender. Beets turn the eggs pink. Turmeric can be used for yellow. Cabbage can dye eggs blue. Mint or other leaves can be used for green dye.

Intricately decorated Easter eggs can be found in Eastern Europe in countries like Poland and the Ukraine. In Polish, Easter eggs are called “pisanki,” which means “to write.” Wax is carefully applied using one of two tools. A tiny funnel stylus — or “kistka” — is used to make fine lines, or a stylus with a rounded end is used to drip the wax onto the egg to create elongated teardrops. The egg is dyed and more wax is applied to create layers of color from light to dark. At each stage, the most recently dyed color is preserved by covering it with wax. After you are done, the remaining wax is heated and removed. Around the town of Łowicz in Central Poland, it is customary to glue cutouts made from colored paper onto the eggs.

For centuries, artists have used symbols of new life to signify springtime, such as this Russian lacquered egg featuring Church of the Exultation of the Holy Cross in Palekh.

The MGMoA has a collection of Russian lacquer boxes including one egg. The boxes and other shapes are made using a papier mâché process that is then lacquered. Miniature painting on papier mâché started in Russia in the late 18th century in the village of Danilkovo, not far from Moscow. To create the papier mâché boxes, thin sheets of cardboard are sliced, glued and pressed together. While the glue is still wet, they are wrapped around various forms, including rectangular, square, round or cylindrical. Eggs have long represented new life and are readily available in most parts of the world. Chicken eggs are most popular here in the US, but ostrich, duck or other bird eggs can also be decorated. Usually the eggs are either hard boiled or blown out — poking a small hole in the egg to pour the liquid out — before decorating.

Art Project: Design an Easter Egg

Scan this code to visit the Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art’s at-home project page.

Using crayons or markers design your egg. You can use one or many different colors. Is your design using geometric shapes like squares and triangles? Is it using designs like flowers?

For more ideas on decorating Easter eggs, visit mgmoa.org/art-projects.

Chickens painting by A.D. Greer

MEDIEVAL FAIR

Community Art Gallery Hosting Family Fun Fantasy Fair

April 29-30 At Mall

BY DAVID DINSMORE

The Secret Garden Medieval and Fantasy Fair last year started as a birthday party.

Scott Baird – curator and events coordinator for Community Art Gallery at the Shawnee Mall – wanted to find a way to have a placeholder show using the little-known garden space at the mall to host the event, which just happened to fall on his birthday.

“We just wanted to do something outside,” Baird said. Someone suggested a medieval and fantasy theme complete with a maypole, music and other attractions, and in the time since then, the idea has grown.

This year, Community Art Gallery has secured more than 40 vendors – with more possibly confirming closer to the event – for the second annual Secret Garden Medieval and Fantasy Fair happening April 29-30 on the north side of the Shawnee Mall.

The event will feature games for kids, artists, music, food, costumes, contests, demonstrations and more as a way to highlight talent locally and beyond in a family-fun environment, Baird said. They’ve secured experienced groups who lend their showmanship to help create the atmosphere at these types of events.

Community Art Gallery put out a call to vendors, craftspeople and artists along with medieval and fantasy-themed groups who lend their talents in costuming and pageantry to enhance the spectacle at events like these and received a lot of enthusiastic responses. As such, groups like the Society of Creative, anachronism, Lavara Gypsy Camp, Glomesdale Vikings, and the Silent Tide Sirens mermaids have made plans to attend and entertain attendees with fire dancers, card readers, warriors, belly dancing, magic tricks and more.

About a month prior to the event dates, Baird said he was fielding calls almost daily from new vendors and groups looking to attend.

“It’s going to be a little bit bigger than I was expecting,” he said.

There is a circuit of three similar events that happen in regular succession every year in Guthrie, Norman and Tulsa. Sebrina Lynam with Community Art Gallery said it makes sense in both timing and geography to host a fair in Shawnee

The second annual Secret Garden Medieval and Fantasy Fair will offer games, music, entertainment, artists, craftspeople, food and more April 29-30 on the north side of Shawnee Mall.

between the Norman and Tulsa events. She recently attended the Guthrie event and got excited about building something similar here.

“What I saw was amazing,” Lynam said. “We could let the kids go and adventure.”

The two big carnival game areas for kids and paint party are a few of the elements Baird said he is most excited to bring to the event in addition to the two costume contests. Planners organized the contests by age with a 12 and younger category and a 13 and older category.

In addition to providing a showcase for artists, the event can also showcase the types of people and entertainment Shawnee can offer to vendors coming from out of town, Baird said. In their interactions planning events locally or attending outside the Shawnee area, the Community Art Gallery staff have found

themselves having to defend the city’s honor from misconceptions about what it has to offer.

“There’s talent here, and there is fun here,” Lynam said. “And there are good people here.”

After the last few years, many people and groups are finding ways to come together to have some fun and remember what it feels like to be part of a vibrant community, Baird said. This can help dispel feelings that things are nothing but bleak due to disconnection among residents.

Baird also wants to showcase what the mall offers, including food offerings available at the mall that attendees can try at the event, he said. Community Art Gallery is proud to be part of the mall and what it offers Shawnee and the surrounding area.

“My goal is to show what Shawnee can do but also to bring some focus to the mall,” Baird said.

Organizers at Community Art Gallery feel so strongly about building this event that they are already getting a head start on next year to build on the momentum

they have with vendors and entertainment groups, Baird said. If they can put it on the calendar in advance, they can add even more to make it a good experience for the community.

“I’m looking forward to seeing everything coming together and watching the

crowds come through and feel the energy,” Baird said. “I love this town, and anything I can do to make it a little better, that’s all I want.”

For more information, call Community Art Gallery at (405) 432-7676 or visit their location inside Shawnee Mall. S

CULTURE BEARER

Artisan Represents Tribal Heritage With Jewelry Featured During NY Fashion Week

BY DAVID DINSMORE

When Bridgette Hoshont'omba began beadworking, she did not picture her pieces on display at a show during the spring New York Fashion Week.

A member of the Choctaw nation, she said beadwork was very integrated into her family's culture and provided a connection to the past with ancestors who used beadwork for various purposes. “I grew up seeing people beadwork pretty frequently,” she said. One of the primary influences of her beadworking came from her father, who crafted many pieces before passing away when Hoshont'omba was 14 years old. She grew up between California and Shawnee, and on one visit to her grandma in high school, they were going through some family mementos and found some beadwork projects that her dad had been working on when he passed away.

Unfortunately, she broke one of his medicine bags while admiring his work.

Hoshont'omba wanted to find somebody who could help repair it, but she was not sure who to ask or knew someone well enough with whom she could leave it. She was also worried about putting it in the mail to someone further away in case it got lost. A few years passed before she took it upon herself to learn the skills it would take to restore the heirloom. She started with flat stitch because it reminded her of sewing, and she received some support and materials from friends she knew online. She dedicated herself to the craft and quickly picked up the pace on some of her projects. Before long, Hoshont'omba served as a vendor in an exhibition at the First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City as part of the inaugural winter market. One customer seemed very interested in the pieces, but she had not brought enough money to pay for it, Hoshont'omba said. She enjoyed talking to the woman so much, she felt inclined to give her the piece. She learned later the customer was Henrietta Mann, a Cheyenne elder who played a role in the existence of the First Americans Museum.

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Bridgette Hoshont'omba began designing beadwork jewelry as a way to connect to her family's past, but her designs have since made it into various exhibitions, including on the runway at a show during New York Fashion Week this spring. — Photo submitted

“That moment was really big for me,” Hoshont'omba said.

She has received some mixed reviews up until that point, but Mann’s praise and support at that event bolstered her confidence and pushed her to continue beading. As she built up inventory, she began bringing her work to other events and gained a following online and in the area with her Issitohbi Designs brand.

Prior to doing beadwork, she had also worked in digital art online and had built a network there. She found out Canadian Indigenous fashion designer Scott Wabano was looking for jewelry to feature with their collection that would appear during New York Fashion Week this spring. Hoshont'omba sent an email saying she was interested in providing some pieces, and she received a yes from Wabano.

She got the details of what the designer wanted and began working on some pieces for them to select for the show. Due to some technical difficulties in communication, Hoshont'omba’s timeline to complete the pieces was shorter than she had hoped. With the delays in postal service between the US and Canada post-COVID, she was concerned about whether the pieces would reach Wabano in time to make the trip to New York. Fortunately, another Oklahoma Native designer, Lea McCormick, was going to be attending events there and was able to bring the pieces with her.

Two of the three pieces made it to the runway, but all the pieces were hits backstage, Hoshont'omba said. As of late March, Wabano was in the process of finalizing the sale of the pieces featured at the show during Fashion Week, and Hoshont'omba was excited to see who would be the buyer for her jewelry. There were several interested parties, and that once again reaffirmed her decision to pursue the work that started with her wanting to make a connection to her heritage.

Additionally, McCormick – who helped get the earrings to New York – liked the pieces so much that she also requested Hoshont'omba make 20 pieces for models to showcase at the fall New York Fashion Week this year.

Hoshont'omba has gone back-and-forth doing beadwork fulltime, she said. During the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, she did a lot more while at home. Right now, she is focused on

beading for the fall Fashion Week in addition to other local events while also attending college online full-time.

The designs and materials that she uses are not necessarily geared toward mass production, Hoshont'omba said. She’s very intentional about the quality of pieces that customers request, so they can take a little while to complete.

“I tend to focus on heirloom quality,” she said. “These are pieces that don’t use fake leather backing. They use hide backing and things like that.

“I want my pieces to be things that people hand down to other generations like my dad did with me.”

Some opportunities to wholesale with casinos and other tribal entities have presented themselves, and she is exploring those.

When she isn’t designing or creating, Hoshont'omba tries to find ways to use her craft to make an impact for individuals and to represent her culture. For instance, she designed accessories for her husband and herself for holiday parties at his work. These went beyond the standard jewelry that other attendees were wearing and led to some conversations about her work and the cultural influences.

“There is a value in our traditional designs and art forms,” she said. “I want them to see that in the same light as a major fashion brand.”

Hoshont'omba also wants to use the success she has found to inspire other designers and artisans – particularly those in the native community – to chase after those dreams. For her, having pieces that make it to the runway at New York Fashion Week proves what can be accomplished through dedication and a passion, even if it is secondary to another job.

“Don’t let what you’re doing hold you back from doing something that you really like or want to do,” she said.

Despite all she has accomplished, Hoshont'omba knows there is always more to learn. She has yet to fix her father‘s medicine bag because she has not mastered the type of beadwork needed to do it properly. She hopes to reach a point where she can undertake that particular type of project in order to help complete the circle.

For more information, call or text Hoshont'omba at (405) 757-4774, find her on Instagram @issitohbi, Issitohbi Designs on Facebook or visit issitohbi.com. S

HOMETOWN HERO Super

Bowl Champ Models Winning Performance, Character For Shawnee Students

BY DAVID DINSMORE

Thousands of people filed into Jim Thorpe Stadium buzzing with anticipation, but this wasn’t a typical Friday night crowd showing up to support the Shawnee Wolves.

A portion of the crowd – particularly the students – sported the Shawnee High School blue and white, but a majority of people rocked red and gold or crimson and cream. Despite the different team names represented by the fans, everyone gathered on that Saturday afternoon in March came to cheer for the same thing: hometown hero Creed Humphrey.

Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Shawnee Public Schools, City of Shawnee, Avedis Foundation, Community Renewal and a variety of local organizations put together a ceremony recognizing Humphrey’s role in helping the Kansas City Chiefs win Super Bowl LVII.

A day after arriving back in town from recording a segment for Saturday Night Live in New York, Humphrey returned to where it all began to receive honors from local officials like CPN Tribal Chairman John “Rocky” Barrett and Shawnee Mayor Ed Bolt along with family, coaches

and administrators who watched him develop his championship work ethic, talent and character as a local kid growing up in the community.

A student at Grove Public Schools and Shawnee High School, Humphrey’s performance on the field as a lineman for the Wolves earned him attention from top-flight college programs and a spot with the University of Oklahoma Sooners, where he earned Big 12 Lineman of the Year in 2019 and 2020. The Chiefs selected Humphrey in the second round as the 63rd overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, and the Pro Football

Writers Association added him to its All-Rookie Team after his first season.

This past season, Humphrey served as center on the offensive line alongside superstar tight end Travis Kelce and took on the responsibility of hiking the ball and protecting 2022 NFL and Super Bowl LVII MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes II – including the Chiefs’ no-sack Super Bowl win.

Despite the impressive résumé Humphrey has built in his young career, those at the ceremony who know him best more highly praised his character and off-field conduct as a model of success aspiring Shawnee athletes and students should reflect.

“In talking to his family in preparing for this event and all the folks who know (Humphrey), there was one standard that stood above every

other comment,” said city councilman Travis Flood, who served as master of ceremonies at the SHS event. “He is humble and kind. If there’s anything in this world that’s worth being known for, it is that through all of the hard work, all of the trials, everything it took for him to get where he is today, he has remained that same amazing, loving, kind, caring human that so many people love.”

Humphrey demonstrated this character after the ceremony ended as students flooded the edge of the stage looking for autographs and selfies that he gladly doled out while sharing some laughs and inspiration for about a half an hour.

“It truly means the world to me being from Shawnee helping set an example for these young kids around

this city,” Humphrey said. “It’s really a blessing that all of you came out today.”

Seeing one of their own succeed not only at the highest level of his profession but also exhibit humility can help give students an inspiration that excites Shawnee High School athletic director Dax Leone.

“It gives kids a vision and a hope,” Leone said. “(Humphrey) sat in these same stands and played on this same field as these kids. He probably had heroes he was looking up to that they are to him now. It shows anything is possible, and Shawnee is a really strong community.”

During the ceremony, Humphrey received a traditional blessing from Barrett as a CPN member along with a mayoral proclamation and a rare key

to the city honor from Bolt.

“At the risk of sounding like a mayor, I tell people all the time that Shawnee can go toe-to-toe with anybody,” Bolt said to the responsive crowd gathered at the stadium, highlighting the recent back-to-back state championships by the high school girls swim team and 5A division wrestling title by Logan Cash. “And we have our own Super Bowl champion.”

Additionally, Avedis president and CEO Kathy Laster announced that the foundation would donate 1,000 free passes to Shawnee Splash this summer to kids in the area in Humphrey’s name.

Humphrey accepted these honors and was quick to recognize in his speech how growing up among the people of Shawnee helped shape the man he has become.

“I have a lot of pride coming from this city, and I’m so happy when I can come back and see everybody and catch up on what’s happening,” Humphrey said.

Following the ceremony and unplanned autograph session, Humphrey gladly answered questions from local and state media members at a press conference at the high school a couple weeks after getting pursued by nationally recognized reporters and pundits for interviews following the Chiefs’ championship victory.

“Being out on that field today where I have so many memories, it was really cool,” Humphrey said. “This is where I’m from. This is where I was born and raised. Being able to represent my city on Sundays, it’s huge, and also being able to set an example for kids in this town that if they work hard, they’re in a spot where they can make it too.”

over the fence

THE HELPERS Finding Ways To Serve Others Better Than Blaming Them

BY BRANDON DYER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COMMUNITY RENEWAL OF POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY

ook for the helpers. There will always be helpers.”

The late Fred Rogers, a.k.a. Mr. Rogers, was asked in an interview what sort of effect he felt violence and tragedy on TV was having on children. He was very much opposed to this sort of thing being so accessible to young people. It would negatively impact their brain development, he believed. He recalled when he was a child that whenever there was a tragedy or catastrophe on television, whether real or made for TV, his mother always told him to look for the helpers. Helpers were always there, somewhere along the margins looking for an opportunity to intervene.

Do you know any helpers?

I sure do. I have a friend who loves to help people. His phone rings all the time from folks that need his help. A while back, there was a gentleman he had been helping who called him one evening. The man’s car had died on I-40, and he needed a jump start. My friend was with his kiddos and politely told the man that he couldn’t come help this time. He gave the man a few suggestions of who else he might try calling. When my friend hung up, his kids asked what the problem was. He explained that this man’s car had died and needed a jump, but he couldn’t help because he was with his children. The kids thought it was a silly explanation and said they should go help.

They did.

When they arrived, the car was on the shoulder. He pulled his truck around, grabbed his jumper cables and then proceeded to jumpstart the man’s car. Sure enough, it fired up, and the man was on his way.

However, just a few minutes later my friend’s phone rang again. The car had died again, but this time it was a more serious situation, because he was now stalled in a construction zone without a shoulder. His car was parked on the highway with nowhere to go.

My friend made his way to where the man was broken down. Drivers were honking and flying past the car. If the car didn’t get moved soon, something tragic could end up happening. My friend instructed the man to stay behind the

wheel, and he pushed the car backward about a half mile all the way back down the hill and safely out of danger.

When he told me this story, I told him it might be the dumbest thing he had ever done. How scary. Someone could have been seriously injured, but nevertheless, he acted when the moment called for it.

Life is messy and tragedies happen. Sometimes, we find ourselves in situations that we cannot escape on our own. Maybe it’s our own doing or perhaps someone else’s. Either way, life requires helpers. Sometimes, we need help. Sometimes, we are the help. The thing about being a helper is it doesn’t always require a heroic act. You don’t have to risk your life pushing a broken-down car down a busy interstate. It can be as simple as helping a neighbor move something heavy, checking their mail when they are gone or watching their kiddos so they can run to the store. Being a helper ought to be the most normal thing in the world.

Mr. Rogers urged news stations that were airing footage of tragedies to be certain that they also included footage of the helpers. The first responders. The firemen. The good Samaritans.

“If you look for the helpers, you’ll know that there’s hope,” he said.

Our world needs us to act when the moment calls for it. Will you be a helper?

Brandon Dyer

Waseem Ahmed, Owner of Kebabish Bites

3 WINNERS will be chosen at random from correct entry forms. Each WINNER will receive a $5 SONIC GIFT CERTIFICATE.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Unscramble the 4 scrambled SHAWNEE OUTLOOK Advertisers

2. Fill out this entry form and mail to: Shawnee Outlook P.O. Box 1365 Shawnee, OK 74802

3. Winners are announced in the next issue of the Shawnee Outlook.

4. If you are a winner, we’ll mail the gift certificate to the return address on your envelope. (Make sure you include one!)

PLACE TO BE

Despite Changes, Aldridge Hotel Still Serves Community

BY ANN MCDONALD, COURTESY POTT CO HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEMBER

nce Shawnee got started as a town, it quickly became one of the most prosperous communities in the state. As early as 1898, the town boasted at least two hotels and had grown to seven by 1901 then to nine four years later. And that didn’t include boarding houses.

As the town grew even more – especially as a home to railroads and the business they brought – leaders soon decided it was time to have a skyscraper that mirrored those in Oklahoma City. So in 1927, oil and hotel magnate Hilton Phillips notified city leaders that he was willing to build one if they could obtain the property.

Prices for downtown property had escalated as Shawnee grew, and the original $25,000 planned for purchasing the corner of 9th & Bell opposite the post office and next to the ACH Hospital proved to be inadequate. Seventy five citizens met in August of that year with Ralph Kumler as the chairmen. Additional funds were promised among those in attendance, and in September, the Home Building & Loan office that occupied the location was purchased and moved. Ground was broken for a 10-story hotel, which was to be like the Mayo Hotel in Tulsa.

Phillips was called a “Shawnee boy,” having lived in town several different times while developing building projects across the state. He was quoted as saying the hotel in Shawnee was important to him and he was proud that the city had come together to see that it happened.

Albon C. Davis was the architect, and the G.P. Carr Construction Co. had the job of bringing the hotel to life. Construction cost was $750,000. In February 1929, the “Pride of Shawnee” opened and was filling up with offices, such as the Chamber of Commerce. There was a cigar shop and a restaurant on the main

floor. The top floor ballroom was the place to have events. Conventions were soon calling for reservations. Banquets were popular for various organizations. At one time, there was even a symphony in the lobby to entertain guests. The title as the Hilton Phillips Hotel was shortlived. After a mere two years, it was sold to the Aldridge Hotel Company and has remained with that label since 1930. The name change didn’t affect the hotel as the premier place in Shawnee as a center of activity,whether housing a baseball team in town for games, visiting entertainers or political folks. It was a high class establishment with a restaurant and its own phone system. And at one time local radio station, KGFF, was one of the renters at the social hub of Shawnee.

Time, however, changes even hotels. By the 1970s and with the advancement of super highways and interstates, travelers looking for convenience were no longer likely to drive downtown for accommodations, and businesses moved to their own buildings. Owners tried renting rooms as apartments, but the Aldridge Hotel got behind on its water bill. City commissioners took free meals in the restaurant to compensate. Then in 1994, the government closed the building after finding asbestos in the boiler room.

Fortunately another company purchased the Aldridge, restored it and equipped it for senior citizen living. There are oneand two-bedroom apartments with all the normal amenities plus a community room with a big screen TV, games and bookshelves. In the basement are a barber shop, restaurant and a retail music store. Although it’s a far cry from the dreams of the early day citizens, the iconic Aldridge Hotel is still the center of Shawnee and recognized by old-timers and newcomers as well.

After opening in early 1929, the Aldridge Hotel served as the premier place to host events and businesses before undergoing changes and now serving as a senior living property. — Photo submitted

SOCIAL HOST

Addressing The Pink Elephant In The Room

BY DANIELLE MASON-RAINS

It is April, which means the return of the Pink Elephant campaign.

Originally launched about 10 years ago, the Pink Elephant campaign’s purpose is to address the importance of adults adhering to the state Social Host Law and refusing to provide alcohol or a place to drink for underage youth. The campaign — which relaunched in 2022 after a hiatus — is back and better than ever for 2023, including expansion to other communities in Pottawatomie County and crossing into Seminole County.

The campaign coincides with both prom season and National Alcohol Awareness Month, making it the perfect opportunity for parents to talk with their teens about the risks associated with underage drinking. There are infinite resources available to help guide these conversations, but here are a few misconceptions about underage drinking and the actual facts to get talks started.

MYTH: Alcohol is safer than other drugs for youth

FACT: Although alcohol may be more widely accepted in society, it can be just as harmful as other drugs. The brain is not fully developed until approximately the age of 25, and alcohol along with other drugs can impede that development. A teen’s brain is more vulnerable to alcohol than that of an adult and underage drinking can seriously hamper the learning process for adolescents. Additionally, underage drinking can lead to poor decision making, including drinking and driving, risky sexual behavior and other potentially harmful activities.

MYTH: It’s okay to drink alcohol before the age of 21

FACT: Underage drinking can lead to problems with alcohol later in life. Individuals who start drinking alcohol before the age of 15 are more likely to develop a drinking problem at some point in life than those who wait until the age of 21 or older. Also, all 50 states have a law prohibiting the consumption of alcohol for individuals under the age of 21. Violating the law can result in paying fines, community service or even jail time.

MYTH: Teens are going to drink anyway so it’s safer to supply the alcohol and the location to drink

FACT: It might seem difficult to believe, but the data shows that the majority of teens ages 12-20 have not had alcohol in the past 30 days. Because alcohol is such a socially acceptable drug, it might seem like “everyone is doing it,” but that is not necessarily true. While underage drinking is common, it is actually far from the norm.

Furthermore, it is against the law to provide not only alcohol but the location for underage drinking. Oklahoma has a statewide Social Host Law that prohibits adults, parents and even other minors from doing so. The law defines a social host as anyone who provides the location for underage drinking. Violators can be issued a $500 citation for a first offense with the potential for a felony for multiple offenses. Teens are not safer drinking at home, and it is against the law to do so.

MYTH: It is okay for parents to give their own teens alcohol.

FACT: Allowing teens to drink – whether they are your children or not – is a violation of the state social host law. Some adults think that allowing teens to drink at home under supervision is teaching them to drink “responsibly,” but there is no such thing as responsible underage drinking. It is biologically harmful for teens to consume alcohol and illegal for adults to provide it for them.

Use this month as an opportunity to talk to the teens in your life about the dangers of underage drinking and the long term implications of doing so. It’s never too early or too late to have that conversation. If you are unsure of where to start, you can find resources at gatewaytoprevention.org/events or follow us on Facebook at Drug Free Communities-Pott. County and Community Connection: Alcohol Awareness.

Danielle Mason-Rains works at Gateway to Prevention & Recovery as the Program Director for the Drug Free Communities grant in Pottawatomie County. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma.

Mason-Rains

April 8: Community Renewal's Easter Block Party will feature an egg hunt, music, inflatables, free food, face painting, games, prizes 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Boy Scout Park at 1400 E Main St. Many local non-profits will also be sharing information. Information: communityrenewal.org/home

April 8: Oklahoma's premier KISS & Van Halen tribute bands, Dressed to Kill and Next Halen, band together for a show at 7:30pm at Historic Ritz Theater at 10 W. Main St. Information: ritzshawnee.com

April 12: World renowned blues/rock icon and King of Strings Carvin Jones, voted one of the greatest blues guitarists of all time by Guitarist magazine, performs live at the Historic Ritz Theatre at 10 W. Main St. Information: ritzshawnee.com

April 13: Join Community Market for Taste of Spring to learn about the why behind what they do, tour the facility and enjoy a tasty lunch provided by the Lunch Box. They believe it takes a community to end hunger and want you to be a part of the work they are doing. Information: ourcommunitymarket.org

April 13-22: Celebrate Spring & Earth Day with a collection of events from Shawnee Parks & Recreation, including OG&E Tree Planting Earth Day 10 a.m.-12 p.m. on April 13 at the Shawnee Community Center at 804 S Park St.; Great American Cleanup/ ODOT Trash Off with supplies available at Shawnee Public Works from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. on April 15; Arbor Day with a mayoral proclamation at the commission Meeting at 6 p.m. on April 17; Earth Day Fun 10-12 p.m. on April 22 at Lions Club Park with a time of learning and activities that could get messy with some fun in the dirt. Information: 405-878-1528

April 14: Songwriter Night @ Music Unlimited will feature artist Scott Taylor and other Oklahoma songwriters 7-9 p.m. at 1109 W. Kickapoo Spur St. This live music event is free of charge and open to the public. Information: kevinhall8384@gmail.com

April 15: Matt Mann and The Shine Runners will deliver their brand of bluesy, boozy, two guitar rock sounds to the Historic Ritz Theatre at 8 p.m. Information: ritzshawnee.com

April 15: The Junior Service League will host its Ragin' Cajun event at 6:30 p.m. at the Grand Casino Event Center at 777 Grand

Casino Blvd. with a shrimp boil, live music and more. Information: jslshawnee.org

April 18: See the OBU/Shawnee Community Orchestra perform a mixture of standard and emerging repertoire for symphonic and string orchestra, blending light classical and popular music in concert at 7 p.m. at Oklahoma Baptist University’s iconic Raley Chapel. Information: okbu.edu/arts/music/ensembles/obu-shawnee-community-orchestra

April 20: Community Renewal in partnership with the City of Shawnee presents its monthly Rock the Block Party with free, family-friendly activities, live music, food trucks, retail vendors, adult beverages and more from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. located on Bell Ave between 9th and Main. Information: communityrenewal.org/ events/downtown-block-party

April 20: The Third Thursday Poetry Reading welcomes Jessica Simpson Isaacs, English professor at Seminole State College and winner of the 2015 Oklahoma Book Award for poetry, for her first collection, "Deep August." Isaacs has published in a number of journals and anthologies, is a member of the coordinating committee for the Woody Guthrie Poets and is the organizing director for the annual Howlers & Yawpers Creativity Symposium at Seminole State. After her 7 p.m. presentation, an open mic will be available for those attending to read their own or others' poetry. The Lunch Box will be open from 6 p.m. with drinks and desserts available.

April 21: The Arts @317 will host its own Block pARTy from 5:30-8:30 p.m. The featured artist will be John May, who makes rings, bells and other items out of coins and will be doing some demonstrations of his work throughout the evening. Also on display will be the work of more than 50 other artists. Information: (405) 659-8193

April 21-29: Shawnee Little Theatre presents Alfred Uhry's Pulitzer Prize winning play, “Driving Miss Daisy,” at its home at 1829 N. Airport Drive. Set in 1948 Atlanta, the play pairs an elderly stubborn White Southern widow with a Black chauffeur as her only means of transportation. With her prejudices broken down and against all odds, he becomes her best friend. This delicate drama explores the challenges of aging as the world keeps moving. Information: shawneelittletheatre.com >

April 22: Cargo Ranch will host the 8th Annual Cargo Classic 5K and one-mile fun run at 8:00 a.m. on a new USATF certified 5k course at 8895 Coker Road. After the run, there will be a breakfast provided to all participants. Information: runsignup. com/Race/OK/Shawnee/Cargoclassic

April 22: WEJ Productions presents a Theatre Show at The Ritz at 7 p.m. celebrating the classic hits from the 60s, 70s and 80s and benefitting Rose Rock Habitat for Humanity as they begin service in Pottawatomie County. Doors open at 7 p.m. at 10 W. Main. Information: ritzshawnee.com and givebutter.com/ritzshow

April 27-30: Oklahoma Baptist University's Theatre department presents “Steel Magnolias” live in Sarkeys Black Box Theatre. Information: okbu.edu/arts/theatre

April 28: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma Shawnee presents Bowl for Kids' Sake at 6 p.m. at the FireLake Bowling Center at 40945 Hardesty Road supporting its mentoring programs so more Littles can start on the path to their brightest possible futures. Southwest Regional Professional Bowlers Association players will add to the fun and help Shawnee raise funds to support local children and families. Information: BFKSShawnee.org

April 28: Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art will host its annual Off The Wall fundraiser at 6 p.m. at 1900 W MacArthur St. This fun, fast-paced fundraiser benefits the museum’s special exhibitions. Each time a ticket is drawn, a name is called and that person will have just 30 seconds to choose a piece of artwork “off the wall.” Information: mgmoa.org/off-the-wall

April 29: The Boy Scouts of America Fair will happen 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Center at 1700 W Independence St. Information: scouting.org

April 29: Cruising for the Kids is a 100+ mile blind motorcycle poker run benefitting Cops N Kids. Mix it up with the event’s first-ever scavenger hunt ride from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. starting at 2555 N Harrison Ave. Information: (405) 501-3357

April 29: The Lakeside Wedding Venue will host Something Old, Something New from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at 33001 Lake Road to help brides and planners find a vendor and some decor while enjoying something to eat, sip and more Information: facebook. com/lakesideweddingvenue

April 29: If you’ve been waiting for a show like this to come into your life, Foreigner will bring its catalog of hits to a concert starting at 8 p.m. at the Grand Casino Event Center at 777 Grand Casino Blvd. Information: grandboxoffice.com

April 29-30: Community Art Gallery will host the 2nd annual Secret Garden Medieval and Fantasy Fair on the north side of the Shawnee Mall. The medieval style fair features games, vendors, artists and more in addition to reenactors from the groups like Society of Creative, the anachronism, the Glomesdale Vikings and the Silent Tide Sirens mermaids. Information: (405) 432-7676

May 5: Relay for Life Pottawatomie County will help raise money for cancer research with an event 7-10 p.m. at the OBU Recreational and Wellness Center at 500 W. University. Teams will have events or sell food and other items the night of Relay to promote their team donations. Information: Search “Relay for Life Pottawatomie County” online

May 5: Songwriter Night @ Music Unlimited will feature The Marshall Family Band and other Oklahoma songwriters 7-9 p.m. at 1109 W. Kickapoo Spur St. This live music event is free of charge and open to the public. Information: kevinhall8384@gmail.com

May 6: OKC-based tribute band, Another Pink in the Floyd, makes their Shawnee debut with a show at 8 p.m. at the Historic Ritz Theatre at 10 W. Main St. Information: ritzshawnee.com

If you know of any events you would like to see featured, email editor@shawneeoutlook.com. S