Shawnee Outlook

keep the change

MAKE THE MOST OF 'SCRAPS'

Summer gardens are starting to blossom, and we’re all getting more fresh produce in our diets – even from the grocery store. But what do we do with all those “inedible parts?” Often the parts we toss out can actually be eaten and offer several nutritional benefits – helping us to maximize our resources and our health. Feel free to Google any of the items below for delicious tips and recipes*!

• Watermelon rinds – These leftovers of the quintessential summer fruit can be pickled for a tasty snack or simply tossed in your blender with other produce as a great addition to your next smoothie. I prefer to freeze them and use them in place of ice cubes in my smoothies.

• Banana peels – Did you know these could go straight into your next banana bread recipe? Simply freeze the bananas with peels on (cut the stems off first) and then thaw properly. The skins will be soft and pliable and are super easy to blend right into your batter. Or don’t thaw and toss it into your next smoothie –maybe with those watermelon rinds.

• Carrot greens – Toss these into a salad or pesto. Also, don’t worry about peeling your carrots before using them – that part can be eaten, too, if properly washed. And if you still have leftover carrot parts, freeze them for chicken broth.

• Chicken bones – The next time you get a rotisserie chicken, save those bones. Put them in the slow cooker with any leftover carrot, celery and onion pieces you’ve saved from other recipes and let it stew overnight for homemade chicken broth. I’ve heard the remains from those bones can then be ground for pet and/or plant food.

*Be sure to do your research before eating all your produce discards. Some – like rhubarb leaves – are actually toxic.

SOCIAL CONNECTION LINKED TO OVERALL HEALTH

We have talked a little in past articles about the brain-gut connection. When I am talking about this, I am mainly talking about how the gut affects the brain, but it works both ways. The brain can affect the gut as well. Our stress response system is directly connected to our immune system. When our body is in a chronic state of stress, it becomes its own worst enemy, disrupting the normal immune processes. Social isolation can actually make you more prone to illness. A study that Blue Zones posted even found that people who are socially isolated were 45 percent more likely to get sick with a common cold. The research went on to say that social connection strengthens our immune system, helps us recover from disease faster and may even lengthen our life.

Many things have been linked to a longer lifestyle with diet and exercise being at the forefront of the research, but the same type of research remarkably shows a 45 percent reduced risk of mortality just by your surroundings. Being in a good romantic relationship, having friends and being connected to your community were all a part of that statistic. Science is just beginning to understand how critical these relationships are to our gene expression, stress response, immune system, microbiome and even sleep. Whether finding a connection at a church, work, others with similar interest or joining in on community events, itt sounds like we should all find some way to connect with others.

Simple Shredded Chicken

The nice thing about this recipe is that it can be the base for so many different recipes. Whatever you are needing shredded chicken for, this is your recipe. Very simple and easy to follow.

Ingredients:

3 lbs chicken breast or thighs

1 cup no salt added chicken broth

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

Directions: Place chicken in the bottom of the crockpot. Pour broth and seasonings over chicken. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Remove chicken from the crockpot and shred with two forks.

Makes: 12 servings, 3 oz each

Nutritional Information per Serving:

Calories: 188 Total Fat: 4g Saturated Fat: 1g

Cholesterol: 96mg Sodium: 281mg Carbohydrates: 0g

Fiber: 0g Protein: 35g

Nutrition 101 Tip: Even walking intoin to part of your meal being ready is a huge help to your routine. I personally struggle most with the main part of the meal but feel like I have plenty of sides. When looking at a recipe, think about all the food groups that are needed to make it a balanced meal. This recipe provides your protein. You still need ½ a plate of veggies, fiber and a fat to make a full meal. If you don’t want to measure out your protein, remember the old trick of a serving of protein is about the size of a deck of cards.

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 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.

Angela Rowland

art of the matter

MUSEUM MYSTERY

Research Makes Royal Connection For Familiar Museum Painting

SUBMITTED BY DELAYNNA TRIM, CURATOR OF COLLECTIONS

MABEE-GERRER MUSEUM OF ART

Museums are not stuffy places filled with old stuff gathering dust. They are filled with kids’ voices from summer camps, laughter from families visiting their favorite pieces and sometimes quiet from someone just wanting to get away and view some beauty from timeless paintings to the beauty of nature.

There is constantly a flow of new artwork in the galleries as well. Artwork moves from collections storage onto exhibit and back into storage again. Because we want to inform visitors, there is constant research conducted on the pieces in a museum’s collection.

All of these scenarios are very true for the Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art. Even with a very small staff, things are constantly changing and improving.

I was recently conducting research on a painting and found out more than I expected.

The painting I was researching, “Mademoiselle de Clermont” by Pierre Gobert, has been in the MGMoA collection since 1979 when sisters Gatra and Patricia Miller donated the work in memory of their parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Moorer. While conducting research on Mademoiselle de Clermont and Pierre Gobert, I discovered that the woman in our painting is actually Charlotte Aglaé d'Orléans Mademoiselle de Valois.

Digging deeper, it also seems that this painting is inspired by a painting by Gobert and not actually painted by him as originally thought. I found a painting of Charlotte Aglaé d'Orléans by Gobert in the British Royal Collection. The MGMoA painting is definitely painted to look like the painting in the British Royal Collection. There is a long history of paintings composed after a well-known painting. Artists would copy a painting by another artist in order to perfect their own technique. Another possible explanation is that someone in the studio of Gobert painted the piece. Regardless of who painted it, this painting is still a much-loved part of the MGMoA collection.

So, who was Charlotte Aglaé d'Orléans? She was the third daughter of Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, and his wife Fran-

Recent research into the Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art’s “Mademoiselle de Clermont” by Pierre Gobert revealed a connection between the subject of the original painting and the family of France’s King Louis XIV.

çoise-Marie de Bourbon. Charlotte’s father was a nephew of King Louis XIV of France. She married Prince Francesco d'Este on Feb. 11, 1720. With her father-in-law’s death in 1737, her husband became Duke of Modena, and she became Duchess of Modena. She had 10 children. In 1759, she died in Paris at the Petit Luxembourg. Her heart was placed in the Church of Val-de-Grâce, but unfortunately, it was removed and lost during the French Revolution.

Even if you have been to the MGMoA before, make sure you read the labels because you never know what new information may have been discovered. The more information we find out about art and artifacts in the MGMoA collection, the better we are at providing a better picture of various times and cultures around the world.

Art Project

Supplies: paper and pencil

With International Portrait Day having just passed on June 23, let’s draw a portrait. You can use a mirror to draw a selfportrait – Rembrandt is famous for his self-portraits – or you can draw a friend or family member. Just ask them to sit still for you for a while so you can capture their image.

You don’t have to be exact either. Some portraits are wild and crazy like Picasso’s works. Add color to your portrait if you want.

For tips on how to draw a face, visit mgmoa.org/art-projects.

HEAR AND NOW

Audiologists Treat Hearing Concerns As Part Of Patients’ Overall Care

BY DAVID DINSMORE

Medical expert. Counselor. Tech support.

These are just a handful of roles an audiologist has to play while developing the right plan of treatment and support for their patients. For professionals like Dr. Kurt Kalies and Dr. Calyn Russ at Hearing Health Care Inc., it goes far beyond finding the right hearing aids.

For Russ, it is a matter of personal as well as professional experience. Born with normal hearing, doctors diagnosed her with progressive hearing loss at the age of 8. By the time she reached graduate school, she had gone through every stage along the spectrum of hearing loss and underwent cochlear implant surgery at the encouragement of one of her professors. Like some patients, she initially did not want to address her hearing loss and did not use her devices regularly, instead relying on other techniques like lip-reading in her daily life.

Her personal experience helps inform her approach to treating the patients who come to see her, even those struggling to accept what they are facing with their hearing.

“When patients come in, there’s a comfort level there knowing that … any degree of hearing loss, I’ve experienced it,” Russ said. “That helps patients maybe let their guard down. Some patients will come in because their spouse dragged them here, and they walk in kind of defeated. They know they have hearing loss, and they don’t really want to be here. Having someone who has been through it can help with that.”

Kalies also grew up exposed to hearing loss from an early age as his father practiced audiology and treated patients in Shawnee for decades. Originally enrolling

Audiologists

at Oklahoma State University to become an engineer, Kalies began to see not only what an impact his father had on patients through the practice he started but also all of the amazing innovations and technical improvements that devices and treatment methods were beginning to incorporate.

As he has taken over Hearing Health Care – located at 3954 N. Kickapoo Ave. suite 5 – from his father, Kalies has gotten to see the impact his own work has made in the lives of his patients.

“They want to improve their quality of life,” Kalies said. “That’s why they’re coming in here.”

Patients sometimes arrive at their appointment with the perception that they are there to get the right hearing aids to help them engage with the world around them, whether that means having conversations with loved ones, enjoying enter-

tainment or staying safe, but the tools and training employed by an audiologist aims to treat their hearing and ear issues in the context of their overall health.

“Somebody can walk in with the same hearing loss as someone else, but they have two completely different lifestyles,” Russ said. “They will have completely different needs and wants, different sensitivities

Audiologists work to build a picture of how a patient’s condition – and the environment that may be contributing to it –ties into their total well-being and possible links to other underlying conditions, Russ said. For instance, diabetics should pay extra attention to how they clean their ears as the skin inside can sometimes be more compromised and lead to infection that may not be a concern for other patients.

Some cancer treatments can also create hearing issues for patients, Kalies said, so

Dr. Calyn Russ and Dr. Kurt Kalies work with patients to evaluate their hearing and provide the highest levels of treatment and service for hearing aids and assistive devices through their full-service Hearing Health Care, Inc. practice located at 3954 N. Kickapoo Ave. suite 5. Call (405) 273-6203 or visit hear4life.com for appointments and information. — Photos by David Dinsmore

it is important for medical professionals like audiologists to make sure they are coordinating with oncologists and other specialists addressing the cancer when developing the right treatment and plan for the auditory concerns.

“We communicate with physicians and other health care providers trying to get them the care they need to try and undo some of the insidious effects that hearing loss has,” Kalies said.

From an examination standpoint, the tools and training available from audiologists also go beyond evaluating a patient only for the right device, Russ said. For instance, running a tympanometry test can tell them how well a patient’s eardrum moves, which helps inform what type of hearing loss they may be facing. They can use other tools like video otoscopy, acoustic reflex testing, otoacoustic emission testing, a variety of speech tests, reception evaluations and Real Ear measurements to ensure they get a complete picture of patients’ ear and hearing health.

“We spend a lot of our time counseling patients,” Russ said. “There’s so much we can do with the technology now, especially when it’s programmed correctly.”

Treatment can vary depending on whether the symptoms relate to the structure of the outer ear, middle ear, inner ear, nerves, bones, components and other factors and should match each patient’s individual needs. Some conditions may benefit more not from traditional hearing aids but rather bone-anchored devices or cochlear implants that require a surgical component.

“We evaluate the entire auditory system,” said Russ, who said earning a doctorate in audiology requires eight years of school to get ready to practice. “It’s not about finding out if you have hearing loss. It’s about finding what type of hearing loss you have, what is causing it and the degree of loss.”

Viewing ear and hearing health in the context of overall wellbeing helps the doctors at Hearing Health Care – which was the first AudigyCertified practice in Oklahoma for ranking in the top 3-5 percent of the hearing care industry for independence, competency and excellent care – approach their patients from not only the physical side but also how it impacts patients in other ways, Kalies said. Patients and their loved ones often overlook the psychological impacts of hearing loss, and that’s why audiologists undergo thorough training in this discipline to help provide counseling as part of their treatment plan.

Whether it’s acceptance or adaptation, Kalies said the counseling aspect of an audiologist’s job can include helping patients and their loved ones change their perspective from seeing hearing loss as an annoyance that can be easily fixed. Even after receiving devices and treatment, patients may still have hurdles to face in their daily life in the way that people who need a wheelchair can still operate in the world but need some additional consideration in aspects of life.

“It’s the only disability that people have where other people get mad at you for having it,” Russ said.

Additionally, there is emerging neurological evidence that shows those living with hearing loss experience a type of “rewiring” in their brain as they try to process the world around them without optimal use of their auditory senses, Kalies said.

The simple act of following a conversation with reduced hearing can put a strain on the mind that it can lead to increased cognitive decline, dementia, falls and short-term memory loss if not treated with appropriate amplification.

Establishing a baseline for their hearing and regular periodic testing can help patients identify early problems and allow audiologists to begin addressing conditions while they are mild, Kalies said. Like with heart disease, diabetes and other chronic conditions, the earlier doctors can intervene the better the longterm outcome is for a patient. Even those with good hearing would benefit from having a baseline test performed so they can see if there have been any changes down the road.

If doctors do identify a concern or issue and come up with the right method to help correct it, patients often require followup to ensure that they are getting the full benefit from it, Russ said. This sometimes means regular adjustment and programming of a patient’s devices or periodic evaluations to help patients adapt to their new dynamic.

Audiologists also address conditions that do not involve hearing, Russ said. One such concern is the vertigo patients experience when structures displaced in the ear canal can make it seem that the room is spinning. Patients will undergo bloodwork and other tests with their physicians before visiting an audiologist to see if an inner ear issue is the cause. Once identified, the fix is fairly simple and a matter of positioning at the office to help correct it.

Whether mild, severe or nonexistent, hearing loss and ear conditions require a personalized approach backed by knowledge and tools used by audiologists if patients are going to get the most from their options, Russ said.

“We’re not just going to tell patients whether they have hearing loss or not,” she said. “We’re going to try to determine what type of hearing loss you have and what solution we have for you.

“Don’t shy away from seeking help because you think your hearing is not bad enough or it’s too bad for help. There are so many solutions, and definitely, sooner is better than later.”

For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact Hearing Health Care, Inc. at (405) 273-6203 or visit hear4life.com. S

LIVING STRONG

Storm Couldn’t Stop Cancer Survivor Fitness Program At YMCA

BY DAVID DINSMORE

Cancer survivors are not strangers to adversity.

When the participants in the inaugural class of the Livestrong at the YMCA in Shawnee set out to complete the program earlier in the spring, they did not anticipate the roadblocks that nature would throw in their way via the April 19 storms. Yet on June 8, they celebrated their completion of the program with a graduation ceremony alongside LaDawn Hladik, the Shawnee YMCA’s health and wellness director who helped design and guide them through the journey

“This was their first time doing but you never would have been able to tell that,” said Heather Todd, who is living with stage four metastasized breast cancer and had contacted the Shawnee YMCA a few times before they started the program in which she participated after learning about it on the cancer-related Project 31 Facebook page. “They did a wonderful job.”

In 2007, the Livestrong Foundation

partnered with the YMCA of the USA to create Livestrong at the YMCA, a 12-week physical activity program designed to get cancer patients and survivors back on their feet. Working with researchers from Yale University and Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Livestrong conducted a research study that showed program participants experienced significant increases in physical activity, overall quality of life

The Shawnee YMCA graduated its first-ever Livestrong class on June 8 after completing a 12-week program designed to help improve physical, mental and emotional health of cancer survivors, despite an interruption due to the loss of the Y facility during the April 19 tornado. — Photo submitted

and fitness performance as well as decreases in cancer-related fatigue.

The program rolled out to YMCA locations to offer survivors free or low-cost customized exercise regimens catered to their individual needs from certified fitness instructors, according to information from Livestrong. The instructors are trained in cancer survivorship, post-rehabilitation exercise and supportive cancer care.

The Shawnee YMCA also received a grant from SSM Health to offer its Livestrong program for free to participants.

After selecting their candidates – all of whom in this class had beaten breast cancer –Hladik and YMCA assistant health and wellness coordinator Tate Mocabee evaluated how each performed in a variety of categories measuring endurance, flexibility and strength, such as a six-minute walk test, reach test, balance test, “backscratch” test, leg press and chest press. This provided a baseline to measure the participants’ progress at the end of the program. They also filled out a questionnaire to gauge their performance in daily tasks at the beginning.

“Fighting cancer leaves everyone in such a different place,” said Gayla Casey, a participant who beat breast cancer six years ago. “It was great to have those very strong women to talk to and encourage each other.

“Within a week or two, it was like a family,” Hladik and Mocabee met with the participants twice a week for the 12 weeks allotted for the program, working through activities customized to their needs to help improve the three elements of fitness they tested at the beginning.

“We created routines specifically designed to help each of them,” said Hladik, whose years of personal training experience helped her and Mocabee tailor their program. “It wasn’t just the standard, ‘Here’s this machine. Everybody do this.’”

For instance, Todd – who has spent her career as a physician assistant specializing in geriatric and primary care medicine – had previously broken her sternum, so the YMCA staff created a program that allowed her to undertake chest press exercises without too much structural stress.

The participants used bands, exercise balls, machines, free

weights and other resources at hand at the YMCA to work through the program.

“We might all do the same things, but we all would do it a little differently,” said Casey, who said one of the unanticipated benefits for her was learning how some of the exercise equipment she had seen for years as a YMCA member works for future reference.

One of the byproducts of the program came in encouraging and giving confidence for the participants to continue their fitness routine moving forward. Hladik said those with a 90 percent completion rate could possibly get a free year of YMCA membership.

For this first class, however, it wasn’t just their physical limits that presented a challenge to finishing the program. About halfway through their course, the tornado directly hit the YMCA’s 700 W. Saratoga facility and rendered it unusable for the foreseeable future. This required the participants and coordinators to pivot to find solutions to keep up their momentum.

“We had one who had to drop out because of the tornado, but otherwise we ended with a very high success rate,” said Hladik, who managed to host some sessions at her home prior to the YMCA’s temporary agreement with the fitness center on the campus of Oklahoma Baptist University on June 1. “We were only down a couple weeks, but they really missed each other in that time.”

Despite the unforeseen hurdles, Hladik said she was happy with the results displayed by the class.

“They all improved with their fitness and with their attitude,” she said. “It touched my heart when someone told me that they didn’t think they could do it.”

The results also contributed to a larger pool of data about the effectiveness of these programs for cancer survivors, Hladik said. YMCAs in the surrounding areas who also implemented their own Livestrong programs helped greatly with the recording and reporting requirements to help the overall program continue to evolve.

The class not only helped improve quality of life for the participants but also the coordinators, she said. The tornado left the YMCA staff reeling and unsure how to move forward.

“I had some really dark days after the tornado, feeling like I lost my purpose,” Hladik said. “Having them back and bringing them to my house and continuing was amazing.”

The graduation ceremony at First United Bank at 2675 N. Harrison did not mean the end of the road for the first-ever Shawnee participants. Gayla Casey, Barb Marrow, Iris Marrow, Kay Moulin, Pam Moulin and Todd can now help as ambassadors for the YMCA’s local Livestrong program.

“It really was a worthwhile investment,” said Todd, who gave an interview while on a road trip to Colorado to see a concert in late June.

Hladik said she is looking forward to seeing the impact they can have on future classes.

“It was so inspiring to see them graduate and complete the program,” she said. “The overall joy that they had and the strength they’ve gained from it both physically and mentally … it was truly exhilarating.”

The Livestrong Foundation and its programs provide support for cancer patients, survivors and their families by focusing on patient-centered care meant to treat them emotionally, physically and practically at the time when they need it.

Though the YMCA is still recovering from the damage sustained by its facilities during the storm, programs and services are continuing in other capacities currently. For more information about future classes or other programs, call (405) 273-4386. S

KIDSPACE PARK

Park Reopening ‘Smashing Success’ With Visitors Locally, Out-Of-Town

BY DAVID DINSMORE

The City of Shawnee celebrated the reopening of the newly renovated KidSpace Park at 1423 N. Center Ave with thousands of visitors during the first week after the ribbon cutting.

Residents, visitors and officials seemed to be over the moon about the reopening of the newly renovated KidSpace Park in Shawnee.

The city hosted a grand reopening ceremony on June 23 at the 1423 N. Center Ave park that saw hundreds of people gather from around the community and beyond.

“It was packed,” said Sherry Lankford, who serves on the city’s Beautification, Parks and Recreation Committee with Vickie Winters and Ian Hayes that oversaw planning of the ceremony. “You couldn’t stir the kids with a stick. They were so excited. You could see it in their faces.”

Ben and Erin Allred were among

those parents who brought their kids that evening to try out the new features at the park.

“As we walked through the park on opening night and saw the many faces of friends and acquaintances, it was great to see the community and city’s dream come to fruition,” Ben said. “We need this park, and we hope we can all steward it well.”

For their kids, however, the idea of the park’s impact on quality of life in the community took a backseat to the fun that lay before them.

“It was really fun,” 8-year-old Ellie Allred said. “I like the racing track and the slides.”

Her brother, 11-year-old Lincoln Allred, also had a list of his favorite

— Photos submitted

elements of KidSpace Park.

“The new activities, playground equipment, and racing were really cool,” he said. “It was very fun and exciting.”

Attendees at the ceremony participated in games and activities, enjoyed some food trucks, received free Tshirts and got bragging rights as being the first to put all the new elements through their paces. In addition to the families who came to be among the first to slide into the new features of the complete overhaul of the centrally located park, multiple news outlets from Oklahoma City and other communities came to check out what it had to offer.

“It was a smashing success,” said Mayor Ed Bolt, who spoke to people opening night who came from out of town after hearing about the park on the news and on social media. “I don’t

know how it could have gone any better.”

The design and technology incorporated into the 7.6-acre expanse help KidSpace Park live up to its futuristic name. Visitors can test their skills with two sets of timed activities, including a “ninja course” featuring a variety of obstacles and a 40-yard dash. The aesthetics of some of the structures like slides, climbing apparatuses and carousels also incorporate a sci-fi look amid updated amenities for the whole family.

Pickleball courts, basketball courts, table tennis, oversized checker/chess boards and corn hole boards help round out activities for older kids and adults along with the skatepark feature held over from the previous incarnation of the park.

Outdoor lounge-style chairs, centrally placed tables, perimeter benches, four pavilions and other amenities give

adults a comfortable and comprehensive place to keep an eye on the little ones as they explore and have fun.

The 0.4-mile track around the park area adds to the growing number of options for residents to get out and move, joining sidewalk and multipurpose tracks recently or currently being installed in different parts of the city.

Another improved feature of the park is the inclusion of accessible attractions for visitors in wheelchairs or with other mobility challenges, such as a ground-level carousel or table spaces designed for use by those with different abilities.

The public space’s resurgence has its roots in a 2015 park assessment ordered by the city to find ways to best utilize its inventory or public spaces. A half-cent sales tax approved by voters a couple years later helped provide the funding for the $3.6 million renovation

along with the upcoming improvements to Woodland Veterans Memorial Park downtown set to open later this year.

KidSpace Park now ranks among one of the largest public playground and activity areas in the state behind a couple facilities in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Bolt said, and it has caught the eye of other larger cities now addressing their infrastructure.

“There are people in these other communities looking at what we did with this park who are saying, ‘We need to do what Shawnee did,’” Bolt said.

The designers of the park were so happy with the final product that they scheduled a time in the first week of the park opening to take photos that will prominently feature in the catalog they provide to other prospective municipalities and organizations needing park design work, Lankford said.

Anticipation for the new park began surfacing as the city moved closer to the reopening ceremony and confirmed the day it happened. Originally planned for 3 p.m., the weather didn't cooperate as rain pushed back the ceremony to 6 p.m. That, however, did not deter a capacity crowd of families, officials, organizations and media from sticking around or coming back in time for the ribbon-cutting and first moments of the park’s official reopening.

“The response was phenomenal,” City Manager Andrea WeckmuellerBehringer said. “There were so many people. There were lines for slides like I’ve never seen before on a playground.”

After all the turmoil the community faced following the April 19 tornado, Weckmueller-Behringer said it was heartwarming to see the crowds show up for something that represents a fresh start and new beginning.

That initial surge did not subside after the Friday evening ceremony reopening as officials and visitors reported full parking lots and equipment during the majority of the first week as they either passed by or stopped to play, even in the face of near-record temperatures.

“We loved that it had activities for all ages of kids, all the way up to adults,” said Adam Ramirez, who brought his two kids to the park a couple of times in the first few days of the park’s reopening. “It has plenty to do for hours without getting bored.”

Hearing parents talk about their excitement over having a premier park in-town to take their kids meant a lot to those involved in the planning and implementation of the KidSpace Park renovations.

“Now, we have THE park to go to,” Lankford said. S

SHARE THE POPSICLES

Smallest Items, Generosity Help Build Community

BY BRANDON DYER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COMMUNITY RENEWAL OF POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY

If I ever wanted to know where my kiddos were when they were younger, all I had to do was call my neighbor’s house two doors down.

You see, they were grandparents, but their own grandkids didn’t live nearby. They loved when our kids would stop by for a visit so the couple could pinch their precious little cheeks and listen to their make-believe stories. On their back porch was a small refrigerator that they kept stocked with popsicles, and as everybody knows, popsicles are kid magnets. Our children would visit with their neighborhood grandparents over an ice-cold popsicle and then walk the short distance back home thinking they had outsmarted the neighbors again, not realizing it was a fair trade.

A few years ago, I learned of a little 6-year-old boy that wanted to get the neighborhood kids together to play. He lives in a great neighborhood where neighbors know each other by name and the sound of kids playing outside can be heard on any given day. He asked his parents for help. When they asked him what he would like to do with his friends, his face lit up. He wanted to have a water balloon fight for the ages with all the kids in the neighborhood. What a fantastic idea for a hot summer day. They suggested that he come up with some invitations to deliver doorto-door to invite them, so that’s what they did.

While they were making the invitations, he had an idea. “I’ve got it! Water balloons AND popsicles.” Now the plan was complete. What kid could ignore water balloons AND popsicles? They gathered the invitations and went around the neighborhood passing them out. The neighborhood kiddos came, and they had a great time throwing water balloons, getting wet and eating popsicles. They all returned home with sticky fingers and worn out little bodies, having made new friends in the neighborhood.

When I heard this story it made me wonder, why do children seem to know things intuitively about community that we as adults often forget over time? Children seem to understand that it’s important to be around each other. This boy knew that he could make water balloons himself and eat popsicle alone, but there was something better

about doing that with other people. Something more enjoyable, more fun.

We tend to forget the simple things as we get older. We sometimes forget that kindness matters, and people deserve to be loved and that compassion makes us whole. Children might not often articulate these basic human qualities in this manner, but they tend to live their lives as if these things are true.

The boy in this story was displaying generosity. He had a fun idea and he wanted to share it. Even with boys and girls he didn’t know – even perhaps because he didn’t know them. It brought them all together even if for a little while.

We could learn something from him. We need to be together now more than ever. We are all so painfully aware of what makes us different, but what makes us the same? What basic human qualities can we emphasize to remind us that we are really no different from our neighbors? In the end, we all want to be happy and healthy, and even though our instinct sometimes tells us otherwise, we cannot find happiness and health living isolated lives inside busy neighborhoods. We need each other if we are going to lead the sorts of lives we all want.

So, share the popsicles or whatever community-building medium you prefer. Enjoy life together. Let’s show the kiddos of our community how to make a better world.

Brandon Dyer

CITY HALL

Original Shawnee City Hall Stood Nearly 65 Years Until 1970 Tornado

BY ANN MCDONALD, COURTESY POTT CO HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEMBER

Shawnee has been served by two city hall buildings since 1904 – the second one a fine upgrade in 1971 –but that change wasn’t by choice.

Once Shawnee was becoming a viable city, the town’s leaders saw the need for not only administrative offices but a fire and police station. Offices and meeting places were spread about downtown buildings, and it was time to have a city hall. After much discussion among city officials, the two sites considered were to be either the corner of Ninth and Broadway or Ninth and Union.

The city commission was also dealing with finding the location of the library. It would be in Woodland Park facing Broadway. Some said Bell was the best choice for the city hall building, pointing out that Broadway was “getting all the attention.” However, in November 1904, the commissioners – urged by Mayor James Aydelotte – selected the Ninth and Broadway location.

By the summer of 1905, construction was underway. In July, the cornerstone was laid by the Masonic Lodge, then in November, as the building was nearing completion. As the cupola was being painted, several citizens decided it should have a clock. A fundraiser was begun to raise the $500 needed for the project.

In January 1906, the final contractor bills were approved by the commission, and the members voted to receive the new city hall from architect William Keith and contractor George A. Houghton. The commissioners and the public proclaimed the new city hall to be “beautiful and functional.”

Over the years, the central fire station was added to the back of the building, and the police station was moved to the basement. The city hall building became the heart of the town with offices for all the departments. As Shawnee grew, so did the need for more city employees and their work space. Within a few years, an annex was built directly on the north side. There were offices for an engineer, building

inspector and even a civil defense directory added to those already located on that corner.

In the beginning, city hall had been warmed by coal and oil stoves and had hitching posts to accommodate visitors. It wasn’t long before it was outdated, and after 60 years, it was being called “dilapidated.” So in 1968, voters were asked to consider a bond issue to replace city hall. It was described as structurally unsound with the erosion of the bricks and plaster. The wiring was old, and the roof leaked. The police station housed in the basement was hardly large enough to conduct normal business.

Then before plans moved forward, the situation was taken out of the hands of Shawnee officials and voters. In 1970, a deadly tornado swept through the middle of downtown. One of the “victims” of the storm was city hall. Although it wasn’t destroyed, it was so damaged that occupants had to move out. So whether voters were in favor of the change or not, it was taken out of their hands. Meanwhile, offices moved temporarily to the vacant Broadway Hospital.

The fine old city hall and the annex were razed in early summer along with Davidson Case Lumber Co. behind the building. Citizens watched as it came down into a pile of rubble. Then the site was ready for a modern Shawnee City Hall to take up where the old one left off.

The $1.6 million structure also housed the central fire station and the police department. The new home was ready in June 1972, 20 months after the tornado. A new city hall was inevitable, and although support had grown, there had been controversy about replacing the old one. The weather event, although tragic, took care of any decision that had to be made.

Once again, Shawnee had a useful city hall. Then 50 years later, the police department moved to their own building, a converted bank building on East Independence.

The original Shawnee City Hall opened in 1906 and served as the seat of local government until the 1970 tornado caused so much damage it needed replacement with the current building at Ninth and Broadway. — Photo submitted

SETTING BOUNDARIES Finding Ways To Separate Work From Self

BY ALICJA CARTER

For many of us, setting boundaries at work is a process. Personally, my process started with experiencing a number of consequences from not having limits. These manifested in the form of severe migraines, increased alcohol consumption, an uneventful social life, pressure in my chest and immediate feelings of dread and resentment when I opened my eyes in the morning.

It was only after getting fired from a previous job that I finally surrendered and admitted I could not be the end all do all. I walked around in a daze for the following three weeks, trying to uncover who I was outside of keeping others happy and getting the job done. Even though my previous employer left much to be desired, it was me who ignored the red flags, kept saying yes, avoided asking for help and refused to walk away. I was going to take me with me wherever I went next and would eventually drive myself into the ground again. I had to reprioritize my values.

I decided to put my mental, emotional and physical wellness at the top and made a promise never to sacrifice it again … for anyone. I still valued harmony and progress but no longer at my own expense. Whether I believed it or not, I had to act as if I deserved care, too. I had to keep a hold of the tools and teachings that I kept passing along to everyone else. I had to get comfortable being uncomfortable and ask for what I needed to be okay.

Setting boundaries at work is challenging

• Helping and producing makes you feel good about yourself and gives you a sense of purpose.

• You are excited about your work and get great satisfaction and enjoyment from it. The more the better.

• Others are working just as hard and need a break, too. Setting a boundary may mean that the work doesn’t get done, or worse yet, others have to pick up your slack.

• Saying “no” or asking for what you need may cause others to be irritated or upset with you.

• You have been ignored, reprimanded, teased or fired from previous employment when you advocated for yourself.

• Asking for help and support makes you feel like a burden on others.

Setting boundaries at work is doable

Boundaries can look different for everyone and can change as needed. Here are a few examples of what boundaries could look and sound like at work. Of course, these may all be easier said than done, but it doesn’t mean these actions are impossible or unnecessary. They just might take some time and support.

• Set and stick to your working hours, even if you’re working from home. Consider putting a message at the bottom of your email that reminds people when you will be available to answer emails. Make plans for yourself outside of work so that you will be less likely to stay late or take on more.

• Get out of your own head and work with your manager to get clarity on organizational, team and individual priorities — then prioritize ruthlessly. And remember, not everything is a priority. Next time you need to create some space in your calendar, consider saying, “Thanks for thinking of me for this project. Unfortunately, I just don’t have the capacity to take it on right now. I’m happy to help in the future, but I’ll need more notice to fit it into my schedule.”

• Remember that your coworkers' feelings, attitudes and behaviors may not require your input or energy. You are welcome to allow them to ride their own wave. If it begins to affect you, you are within your rights to have a conversation with them or notify your supervisor.

Setting boundaries at work is necessary

• Setting boundaries with your colleagues and encouraging them to do it with you can enhance your understanding and connection with one another, lead to more realistic goal setting and increase your sense of work satisfaction.

• Defining and maintaining your personal boundaries ensures that you will be cared for. Oftentimes, we over help and over produce in hopes that this outpouring will fill our cups. We hope that the people we care for will be sure to care for us in return. The money we make will relieve our fears of the future. Our many achievements will prove us worthy. However, all we are doing is teaching people that we are always available to give and all we need from them is to take, and we are left feeling empty. Rather than giving our energy away to external things hoping that it will come back to us, let’s just start with us. Let’s put first things first and ensure that we are cared for. Then we can evaluate how much is left to give and who is deserving to receive it. If you or someone you know needs recovery support, please reach out to Gateway at 273-1170 ext. 0. We are excited to be a part of your journey.

Alicja Carter, MHR, BHWC, has been working in the behavioral health and addiction treatment field for more than 14 years at Gateway to Prevention and Recovery. Alicja is passionate about wellness and collaborating with others for the purpose of stimulating positive change in her community.

July 9-14: Established 30 years ago, the International Finals Youth Rodeo brings in some of the world’s best young rodeo talent coming from as far away as Australia. The event runs for more than a week at the Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Center at 1700 W. Independence St. as young riders and ropers compete for the best times and achievements to earn $250,000 in prize money, plus scholarships, nightly jackpots and championship saddles and buckles. Information: ifyr.com

July 12-Aug. 9: Jones Theatres will host its 2023 Kids Camp at 9:30 a.m. every Wednesday at Cinema Centre 8 at 3031 N. Harrison. Each week will feature a family friendly kid's movie. Information: jonestheatres.com

July 15: Downtown Auto Body & DTAB Customs present Downtown At Sundown car show with free entry for cars and trucks to win cash prizes and custom trophies while attendees can enjoy giveaways, games, prizes, live music, food trucks and more. Event kicks off at 4 p.m. in the area around 118 W. Main St. Information: downtownatsundown.com

July 20: The Tipsy Artist is coming 6-9 p.m. to the VFW Post #1317 Canteen at 811 E MacArthur Street. Leading painting classes with attendance in the hundreds at some events, The Tipsy Artist will lead attendees in one of four designs of their choosing. Registration and information: tipsyartist.com

July 20: The Third Thursday Poetry Reading welcomes a husband and wife team, Julie Chappell and Hank Jones, to the Lunch Box microphone at 7 p.m. at 217 E. Main. Julie is a retired professor, specializing in medieval and early modern literature. She has published three books of poetry and two collections of short stories. Hank is a retired world backpacker and still teaches at Tarleton State University. His poetry has appeared in a number of anthologies and journals, recently collected in “Too Late For Manly Hands.” The Lunch box will open at 6 p.m. for those who want to order drinks and/or dessert.

July 21: Rose Rock Habitat for Humanity will host the Hope on

the Horizon Benefit Concert and street fair, bringing music, unity and hope to Shawnee following the April 19 tornado. The concert and street fair will take place from 4:30 to 10:30 p.m. on Main and Broadway with a street fair featuring local musicians, food trucks, inflatables, clowns and much more followed by a VIP concert at The Historic Ritz Theatre at 10 W. Main St. to support the ongoing tornado recovery efforts and contribute to community revitalization and emergency repair projects. Information: roserockhabitat.org/events, development@ rrhabitat.org or (405) 965-8183.

July 21: The Arts @317 will host its own Block pARTy from 5:30-8:30 p.m. with featured artists O.T. Sanders and Rondi Large from Hickory Hollow Wood Creations. They create many different things out of wood including tables and charcuterie boards as well as other items. More activities will be happening outside if weather permits. Information: (405) 659-8193

July 21: Tyler Hubbard will cruise into the Grand Casino with a concert at 8 p.m. at the events center at 777 Grand Casino Blvd. As one-half of the smash hit duo, Florida Georgia Line, Hubbard has reached the pinnacle of many country music accolades and achievement and now is reaching audiences with his first solo, self-titled album release. Information: grandboxoffice.com

July 21: See a Dive In Movie from the pool at Shawnee Splash featuring Disney's “The Incredibles” at 8:30 p.m. at 100 E. Highland. Rafts will be available to rent. Information: facebook. com/shawneesplash

July 22: Top Rank Boxing will present an action-packed lightweight doubleheader featuring George Kambosos Jr. vs. Maxi Hughes and Keyshawn Davis vs. Francesco Patera broadcast live on ESPN starting at 9 p.m. at the FireLake Arena at 18145 Rangeline Road. Information: toprank.com

July 22: Elvis impersonator Trent Smith returns to the Historic Ritz Theater with an unforgettable Elvis tribute starting at 7 p.m. at 10 W. Main St. Information: ritzshawnee.com >

July 29: Rock the night away with tribute band Journey of a Lifetime with a concert also featuring Double Vision, a Foreigner experience, starting at 8 p.m. at the Historic Ritz Theatre at 10 W. Main St. Information: ritzshawnee.com

Aug. 4: Kool & The Gang will help celebrate the summer madness with a concert starting at 6:30 p.m. at the FireLake Arena at 18145 Rangeline Road. Information: firelakearena.com

Aug. 6: Locomotive Operators of Central Oklahoma will host its monthly public run 1-4 p.m. at 29626 Lake Drive in McLoud. Ride the rails on powered ⅛-scale locomotives right outside of Shawnee Twin Lakes. Information: locotrains.org

Aug. 11-12: The FireLake Fireflight Balloon Festival offers two days of balloon glows, balloon launches and balloon rides with a carnival, inflatables, food trucks, vendor market and live music in a family-friendly

environment in and around Raymond Peltier Park at 1702 S. Gordon Cooper. Information: firelakeballoonfest.com

Aug. 11-12: The Outdoor Nation Expo returns to the FireLake Arena at 18145 Old Rangeline Road with a free event to help families find all the ways to enjoy the great outdoors featuring camping, hunting, and fishing events along with booths and attractions. Information: outdoornationexpo.com

Aug. 12-13: Camp Monster Nation will rumble into Shawnee with 1,800 tons of dirt and smashed metal as six 10,000-pound monster trucks and machines perform feats in two jam-packed hours of high-flying horsepower starting 6 p.m. at the Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Center at 1700 W. Independence. Information: shawneeexpo. com/events

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