Shawnee Outlook

Project: SAFE | Hope Builders Launches

On the Rise

TEACH THEM YOUNG

If you have older kids or teens in your life, now is the best time to start them on the right budgeting track. There are many great resources out there to teach teens how to manage money, while also offering them the feeling of financial freedom.

• Envelope system – Work out a weekly cash allowance, whether automatic or chore-based, or if your kids are earning a paycheck, have them cash it out and label envelopes or jars with the categories they need (eating out, clothes, etc.). Decide how much of their money will go in each category. When it's time to spend, they'll pull money from the appropriate envelope.

• Kids/teen checking accounts – Many banks offer options for kids and teens that teach them how to deal with money in our digital world. Some of these services – such as Capital One 360 – offer streamlined app access for kids while parents get a more detailed look at the accounts and have the ability to deposit or withdraw money as needed. Some of these even offer budgeting or goal setting.

• Debit cards – A lot of your favorite app-based payment services like CashApp and Venmo now offer teen accounts that have similar features to checking accounts, particularly the ability to easily add or withdraw funds as needed along with a debit card. These also work if your kid is going out to eat/shop with a group, and you don't want to send cash.

• Budgeting software – Websites like YNAB or Mint offer a digital alternative to the envelope system. They may not have tangible cash, but the categories work the same. For kids with checking accounts or debit cards, a budgeting software helps them to see that chunk of money in their account as smaller portions belonging to different needs.

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.

DIVE DEEPER WITH NUTRITION LABS

Have you heard the term “functional nutrition labs?”

These types of labs look a little deeper into health issues. The top two that I deal with the most are food sensitivities and gut health. With food sensitivities, we are trying to find out if the body is not digesting a certain food or foods properly. When that is happening, the body becomes inflamed, and many health issues often stem from the body being inflamed. Obesity can even come from an inflamed body. If the body is not digesting a food correctly, you also don’t get the nutrients from that food like you should. By taking out certain foods, your body can then really run more efficiently. Most tests will evaluate 70-100 different foods.

Looking for what is called “leaky gut” can be a separate lab test. If a patient’s lab comes back positive for a leaky gut, I can then educate them on how to improve their gut health. Many foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and omega-3 fatty acids help to improve the gut. Also, multiple supplements can help aid in healing the gut while making this change. The top two supplements for gut health are a digestive enzyme and a probiotic.

While increasing these certain foods and adding in the supplements, we also have to take into consideration what foods might need to come out of your diet while your gut is healing. Gluten, dairy and added sugar are typically on the top of the list in the six weeks we spend on healing your gut.

If you have any interest in getting these labs done for yourself and getting to the root cause of a particular health issue, I would love to help you at Laser Focus Health and Wellness.

Apple with Nut Butter

School is officially back in full swing. Something I talk with patients about often is what they are eating after school for a snack. I often get chips, pizza rolls, ramen, candy bars, etc. My goal for them is to swap that afternoon snack for a piece of fruit. This is a simple way to make that happen. Choose your favorite nut butter – peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter or sun butter.

Directions: Slice apple and serve with nut butter of choice.

Makes: 1 serving

Nutritional information per serving:

Calories: 298 Total Fat: 19g Saturated Fat: 2g

Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 146mg Carbohydrates: 32g

Fiber: 5.6g

Protein: 7g

Nutrition 101: By making this simple swap from a high fat/high sugary snack to one that has vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein and healthy fats could add up to be a big change for you or your child. Most of us need that snack in our mid-afternoon so we aren’t showing up to dinner starving. With the goal of getting in seven to nine servings of fruits and vegetables in your day, it can be challenging. Having a serving of fruit in the afternoon is just one way to help you reach that goal. By pairing your fruit with a protein/fat choice, you and your child will be fuller longer and have longer lasting energy. This can be helpful while trying to sit and focus on after school homework or before sports that evening. Challenge your household this year to make this swap.

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 along with functional nutrition and labs through Laser Focus. For inquiries, visit strongherwithandrea.com, or the Facebook page, Nutrition and Exercise 101 with Andrea.

Angela Rowland

BACK TO SCHOOL

Clay Tablets Provide Insight Into Ancient Education

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

It is already back to school time! School has been around in one form or another for much of recorded history. The ancient Babylonians learned to write just like us, by practicing. Did you know that the Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art has an ancient Babylonian school book? Well, it is actually a clay tablet that was used by students to practice writing. The teacher would write on one side, and the student would copy it on the other. They used a stylus – a tool for writing or scratching – to write in clay and fired it to preserve the writing.

This tablet is not fired so they can keep reusing it like one would with a chalkboard. They wrote everything from receipts and lists to entire stories like Gilgamesh in a script we call cuneiform. The MGMoA has several pieces with cuneiform writing on exhibit, including the practice one.

Cuneiform is one of the oldest forms of writing known, created around 3,500 BC. It means "wedge-shaped" because people wrote it using a reed stylus cut to make a wedge-shaped mark on a clay tablet. Many different ancient civilizations used a form of cuneiform, including the Sumerians, Babylonians, Hittites, Akkadians and Assyrians.

Cuneiform signs were used to render both words and sounds, and a single sign could signify multiple words and/or sounds. This makes translation tricky. The Akkadians wrote their language phonetically (how it sounds) for the most part, but some symbols they used because it looked like the item it was meant to describe. As languages evolve, so do the symbols or letters used. Depending upon your generation, the “#” symbol could have different meanings.

The English alphabet (which is what I am using to write this)

consists of 26 letters of Latin script. These letters combine to form words. This alphabet originated in the 7th century to write Old English from Latin script. It has changed since then with several letters used in Old and Middle English not used anymore including: thorn (þ), eth (ð), wynn (ƿ), yogh (ȝ), ash (æ) and ethel (œ). These letters were replaced by other combinations of letters that created similar sounds. If you hear something being read in Old or Middle English, it sounds very different to our modern ears.

According to Britannica, the five most commonly used writing systems are Latin, Chinese, Arabic, Devanagari and Bengali. English and many European languages are written using Latin or Roman letters.

Project: Hand lettering

Supplies: Markers, pens, paper

Find some styles of lettering that you like from books, magazines, photos, the internet, etc., then try to copy it. Be patient. It takes several attempts to do it. Check out www.mgmoa.org/art-projects for helpful videos.

Once you have mastered one technique, what do you want to write? Create some signs with inspirational words or your name. Use fun colors. Be creative.

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

The Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art possesses some examples of cuneiform, an ancient writing style that provides a glimpse into how cultures undertook their education and record-keeping.

SAFE AT HOME

Project: SAFE Helps Abuse Victims Escape Cycle

BY DAVID DINSMORE

One woman, a vision and a phone.

That was how Project: SAFE started in 1985, executive director Renee Clemmons said. In the nearly four decades since, the organization has provided thousands of people with free and confidential services that help them escape or address situations involving domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, dating violence and elder abuse.

Counseling, domestic violence education, a 24-hour crisis hotline, protective order application and victim advocacy are just some of the resources Project: SAFE helps provide in Pottawatomie and Lincoln counties, Clemmons said.

“We are responsive to a lot of crisis intervention, safety planning, law enforcement, advocacy, working with the courts,” said Clemmons, who has helmed the organization for the last five years. “We are in a lot of places.”

An annual report presented by the organization showed they served 1,575 new, unduplicated clients in 2022. Freedom House – which is the name of Project: SAFE’s shelter – provided 70 women and 39 children with a place to escape abusive situations. Though the shelter services often associated with the organization houses women and children,

Project: SAFE does provide alternative shelter for men needing to leave an abusive situation, and they also provide a range of services for men as well. Men made up about 12.3 percent of the clients receiving non-shelter services.

Project: SAFE’s services work together to provide options for safety for victims and their families, Clemmons

said. If victims are able to enter a safe environment and begin working with providers who can help them recognize that they could have a life outside of their experience, it can be a turning point not only for the individual but could have generational impact as children could recognize warning signs in their own life as they get older that keep them from perpetuating the cycle.

“Think about the legacy they are leaving for their kiddos and themselves as they realize that they don’t have to live this life where they are constantly in fear, being shamed, being belittled,” Clemmons said. “They can be free of that.”

Already, Oklahoma ranks second in the nation for domestic violence fatalities per capita, and with the statistical probability of that continuing to the next generation if families do not break the cycle, that status will not likely change, Clemmons said. Within the state, Pot-

tawatomie County ranks in the top 20 percent in domestic violence fatalities.

Project: SAFE will host its 15th Honey Do Auction and dinner at 5:30 p.m. at the Grand Casino event center at 777 Grand Casino Blvd, which will serve as its largest fundraising event. Last year’s auction provided $70,000 worth of funding for victims to receive shelter, legal services, IDs, clothing, gas, vehicle repair and other necessities that could prove a barrier to be able to move forward from abusive situations.

“The community has been incredible in supporting this work,” said Clemmons, who mentioned the Paul Milburn Foundation will match dollar for dollar up to $50,000 of the funds raised at the auction.

In addition to great prizes and great food, the attendees of the event will get to hear about the benefits and hope Project: SAFE’s services provide directly from one of the people who broke free

Survivor Anna Watkins shared her story with attendees as last year’s keynote speaker at Project: SAFE’s Honey Do Auction. — Photos submitted

through their program, Clemmons said. She also likes to use the opportunity to recognize some of the volunteers who played a critical role in delivering services during the last year.

Those who cannot attend can get involved by donating items and experiences as part of the silent auction portion of the event, Clemmons said. There are also sponsorship opportunities for local businesses and organizations.

Finances are a huge factor in why people do not leave their abusive situations. They may realize they are in an abusive situation, but financially they may not think they can make it on their own. That’s particularly true for mothers, Clemmons said. Some may not have the tools to make a livable wage to provide for a family, and even some of those working may be in a situation where they risk violence if they do not hand over all of their earnings to the abuser.

Though designed to provide shelter for 30 days, it can take longer to provide the right footing for victims to establish a sustainable life for themselves by working through the program and utilizing the resources provided by Project: SAFE and its partners.

There are also economic impacts for communities when families break free from abusive situations, such as the addition of tax revenue from new members of the workforce; reduced law enforcement costs associated with responding to crises; less medical and health care costs; and fewer lost work hours for employees who are victims.

“That is something that we are trying to educate our lawmakers about at the state level,” Clemmons said. “Not only the stories, but the economic impact for our business community and our communities at large of serving our victims.”

Project: SAFE partners with tribal agencies that work in victim services to secure assistance and resources for some families that may not be possible without those connections, Clemmons said. Recently, the Iowa tribe in the last year provided a five-year grant of $710,000 to bolster Project: SAFE’s services in Lincoln County.

“We’re very thankful for our tribal partners and couldn’t do some of the things we do without them,” Clemmons said.

Project: SAFE’s work for victims does not happen in a vacuum, Clemmons said. It takes the efforts of agencies, organizations and individuals throughout the community to help victims effectively gain the safety and freedom they desire.

“Everybody has a part to play,” Clemmons said. “Law enforcement has a part to play. Project: SAFE has a part to play. District attorney’s office has a part to play.

“We are all working together to help victims in our community to find safety and hope and have a better life. What we do at this agency truly changes lives and it matters.”

For more information, call Project: SAFE at (405) 2739953 or visit projectsafeok.com.

If you or someone you know may be in crisis, contact the 24-hour hotline at 1-800-821-9953. S

Financial strategies built just for you

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HOPE BUILDERS

Housing, Community Service Organization Launches In Shawnee Just Before April Tornado

BY DAVID DINSMORE

As the old adage claims, timing really is everything.

Five days before the April 19 storms caused widespread damage, April Grant accepted the position of Pottawatomie County’s community engagement coordinator for Rose Rock Habitat for Humanity. The organization had recently changed its name to Rose Rock from a moniker specifying Cleveland County as its operational area to bring Habitat for Humanity’s services back to Shawnee and surrounding communities.

The international housing and service organization had not had a lo-

Rose Rock Habitat for Humanity began forming partnerships and expanding its services from Norman into Shawnee a couple weeks prior to the April 19 storms that required the help of its volunteers and resources in addition to raising $10,000 in relief funds with its Hope on the Horizon benefit concert on July 21. — Photos submitted

cal presence for nearly 10 years, and Grant said those leading the local arm of Habitat in Norman wanted to expand to change that based on what feedback they were getting from folks in Pottawatomie County.

“We had been getting requests out of the Norman office to come back to the Shawnee area,” Grant said. “We applied through Habitat for Humanity International to expand and got that

approval in February.”

They could not anticipate, however, that the community would require services so soon. Staff and volunteers leaned on partnerships within Shawnee only a couple weeks old along with established resources in their original operating area to provide clean-up, repair and critical services to those requesting it in the aftermath of the storms.

“It was a hit-the-ground-running kind of experience,” Grant said. “I went from just getting out into the community to let people and organizations know we are here to disaster recovery immediately.”

The boots on the ground at 7:30 a.m. the morning after the tornado was Rose Rock’s first project to get underway in Shawnee, Grant said. They responded to Project: SAFE’s new facility housing its SANE program to help recover items less than 24 hours after attending the organization’s grand opening on the afternoon of April 19. They spent the following days criss-crossing the city answering calls to help clear debris and other damage.

As the recovery got further underway, Rose Rock Habitat for Humanity continued supporting those efforts by hosting the Hope on the Horizon benefit concert with $10,000 of proceeds going directly to storm relief efforts in the area, Grant said. The group also received a $20,000 recovery grant from Habitat for Humanity International to put toward local recovery.

Though it was an unconventional start to her tenure with Rose Rock, Grant was not a stranger to Habitat for Humanity and its services as she had worked as a Habitat for Humanity volunteer on a variety of projects.

“People are my passion,” Grant said. “Helping others is something that is ingrained in my spirit.

“When this opportunity became available in my own community, I was so excited and jumped at the chance to help.”

Habitat for Humanity receives most attention for its home building services, allowing families within certain income guidelines achieve home ownership through affordable construction, financing options and “sweat equity,” but there are many projects and initiatives that the organization undertakes to contribute to the built environment and sense of hope in a community.

For instance, Habitat responds not only to disaster areas in need of relief work but also requests for emergency repairs to needs in a home that may directly affect the immediate health, safety or sanitation of the occupants, according to information. Typical projects are replacement of the roof, HVAC system, water heater, sewer line and other concerns.

The organization will also mobilize volunteers to assist neighborhoods with community clean-up efforts, such as trash removal, tree trimming, porch repair, flower beds, weatherization, fence repair and minor exterior home repair including paint, and those with access issues to their homes because of mobility problems could receive an exterior ramp, and resident can also call on Rose Rock to help fix exterior home code violations.

Another element Rose Rock is looking to bring to Shawnee as a help to current homeowners is a Habitat Restore, which sells new and used home goods, building materials, appliances, furniture and other household items, Grant said. Many of these items are donated by individuals, home-centric businesses, local contractors and builders. The proceeds provide the main funding engine for Habitat’s larger projects like home building projects.

“It’s a very crucial element for us to have, and we’re really excited to bring that here to Shawnee,” Grant said.

Despite its quick start to helping the Shawnee community as part of its expansion, Rose Rock is still in the growth phase within the community as it continues building partnerships, resources and volunteers to undertake larger future projects, such as home builds. They do have two lots from Habitat’s previous iteration and are working with the city to identify other future opportunities.

They also are planning more events to get out and meet more groups and individuals in the community and provide

some fun for residents as well. For instance, they are in the planning stages for a Christmas project life-sized, drivethrough gingerbread house possibly located on the campus of Oklahoma Baptist University. Grant said more details on that will be released in the near future.

They are also in the process of putting buddy benches in the county’s elementary schools, Grant said. Teachers will guide their students in understanding that the bench serves as a way for them to connect. If they see someone sitting on it, it means that kid wants to be invited to play or interact but may be too shy to ask.

In the meantime, they will continue to focus on clean-ups with their own projects and alongside other organizations taking on those tasks. Rose Rock is also identifying more needs for the other services they are able to offer and working on other fundraising efforts.

For more information about Rose Rock Habitat for Humanity, its services or volunteer opportunities, call (405) 366-2813 or visit roserockhabitat.org and facebook.com/ RoseRockHabitat.

PCYP

Young Pros Group Aims

To Help Each Other, Community Thrive

BY DAVID DINSMORE

Networking. Professional development. Fun.

Those three goals set by the first board of directors for the Pottawatomie County Young Professionals factor into every event, activity and initiative they have undertaken since forming in November 2022.

“I love Shawnee, and I know there are a lot of things to do here,” said Fhionna Shaughnessy, chair of the PCYP board. “Whenever this idea came about, I just wanted to be a part of it.”

The organization’s concept came from a group of community and business leaders who wanted to see local young professionals thrive in the community. They created the foundation for the subsidiary of Shawnee Forward that became PCYP.

“We knew that we wanted there to be a multifaceted approach to what the organization would do,” said Erica Bass, PCYP’s programming director.

After identifying their goals, the volunteer-led PCYP group began facilitating seminars, networking events and activities open to all workers under the age of 40 that incorporated one or more of those three concepts.

The networking component has sought to not only get young professionals together to get to know one another but also with established professional mentors who can share their insights from working within the county.

For the professional development aspect, they identified areas where young professionals recognize they may have deficiencies and tried to connect them with resources and experience in the community that could help them make best use of their skills

and talents.

As for the goal of creating fun within the structure of PCYP, Bass said it is important not just from a work perspective for young professionals to thrive but also to know where to go and who to connect with to enjoy living within the community, Bass said. Whether singing – or being happy watching others sing – karaoke at the PCYP Christmas party or hanging out with the Potawatomi Fire basketball team at a post-game soiree at Theopolis Social Club, these events helped

Pottawatomie County Young Professionals formed in November 2022 the goal of facilitating events and activities centered on helping their peers with networking, professional development and having fun within the community where they live and work. — Photos submitted

build connections that went beyond business card swaps and job title explanations.

“It’s really easy to live and work somewhere and never really go have fun in that place and be a tourist in your own community,” said Bass, who moved to Shawnee as a young professional and works as a solutions architect at Astro Panda Studios in Shawnee. “In all of our three facets, we wanted to highlight unique things that are in Pottawatomie County and also young professionally owned businesses whenever we could.”

For Shaughnessy – a lifelong Shawnee resident who works as the membership account executive for Shawnee Forward – the group provides an ideal structure for getting to know the people who will carry forward the legacy of those who have built Shawnee to this point.

“Pottawatomie County Young Professionals gives us a way to bridge that gap between generations,” said Shaughnessy, who left the area to pursue other endeavors before coming back home to build her career at home. “We’re all working for the same goal, and that’s making where we live a better place. That’s really inspiring.”

Meeting new peers and current local business leaders during the last year affirms for Shaughnessy that her community has something to offer anyone looking to make a

life for themselves in this area, whether they were born here or have adopted it as their home.

“Our organization wants to provide a place for both, whether they’ve been in Shawnee forever or they just got here yesterday,” Bass said. “In the end, no matter how long you’ve been here, you are the future of our county, and we’re going to have to work together. Having a place for young professionals regardless of their background to get to know each other and value each other and have fun together, that’s going to build the Pott County that we want.”

PCYP partnered with individuals, businesses, organizations and institutions within the community to host these

events and gave participants the opportunity to interact with segments of the community that they may not encounter during the normal course of their work responsibilities. The opportunities provided by these interactions not only among participants but also the mentors helps connect the story of the community, how it got to this point in its history and some of the people who brought it here, which can be beneficial to anyone whether they’ve lived here their whole life or a short time.

“Some of the things that were the fruits of the labor of those who have been leaders in the past or are leaders now may not be as special to us because we don’t know what went into it,” Bass said. “If we could hear about that, it would be really valuable and would inspire some of our young professionals to be more active in the community and make a difference where it’s needed.”

PCYP can be a great resource for those working in the county who are not sure how to network or where to start getting involved in the community, Bass said. There are no skill or degree requirements to come to an event and get to know some of the people living and working in the same place as each other, and there’s no predicting where a connection may lead.

This first year of PCYP has helped fine-tune the application of its three focuses and can guide the next round of leadership in planning the programming for their peers, Bass said. The group has met in formal, classroom-type settings as well as casual environments like a recent bowling day at FireLake Bowling Center, and they have received a lot of feedback about what has worked and what hasn’t for the participants at those events.

For instance, they are looking to set up a book club in partnership with Pioneer Library System and have even had a book picked out for almost six months, but Bass said finding a time that works best for the young professionals who have expressed interest in it has been challenging.

Some upcoming events for PCYP include their open monthly Let’s Do Lunch event at 12:15 p.m. on Sept. 12

at Cazadorez Mexican Restaurant at 3900 N. Harrison and a professional development event called MVP 101 featuring a panel of business leaders and mentors starting at 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 22 at 20 West Works at 20 W. Main St. with a breakfast provided.

In November, PCYP will host The Big Picture to help shape the events and initiatives for 2024. For more information on this and other events, visit facebook.com/ pottcoyoungpros or pcyoungpros.com.

For more information about getting involved as a mentor or sponsor, email membership@shawneeforward.com. S

‘WE’RE CAPABLE’ People Have Enough Compassion To Spread Around

BY BRANDON DYER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COMMUNITY RENEWAL OF POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY

Afew years ago, I was at home folding laundry one evening as the CBS Weekend News came on. I was half-heartedly paying attention when a story caught my attention.

A woman received a handwritten letter from a neighbor urging her in not-so-kind language to cut her lawn. The neighbor had suggested that the woman’s unsightly yard was becoming an eyesore and bringing down property values for the rest of the neighborhood.

It’s true. Her lawn was overgrown and hadn’t been cut in quite some time. It appears that the neighbors were getting openly feisty about it. The woman read the letter and was quite taken aback by the harsh language and forceful tone. As often happens these days, she took to social media to express her opinion on the matter. Social media is not always the best place for such things, but in this instance something extraordinary happened. People showed up. Lots of people showed up. Young people. Older people. Middle-aged people. They all came to help this woman with her yard. A landscape crew came. Several folks with chainsaws came to clear overgrown brush. It was quite remarkable.

What was most remarkable was why they showed up. You see, this woman’s post wasn’t a gripe session about a neighbor overstepping his boundaries. It wasn’t even a haughty excuse as to why she hadn’t kept the lawn up. It was an explanation. What she explained to her social media world was that her young son had been battling cancer for quite some time. He had been in and out of the hospital for surgery after surgery and was sick more often than he was well. She simply didn’t have the time or energy to maintain her lawn in the way she ordinarily would have wanted.

That’s why they showed up – from all over. Folks that couldn’t do lawn work bought diapers and other necessary household supplies to help lighten this mother’s load. One man came to help because he had recently lost his daughter

to the exact same kind of cancer. It was his way of showing love and coping with the heartache of his daughter’s loss.

She had no family left. Her parents were gone. Her brother was gone. It was just her and her kids. You can imagine what this outpouring of love meant to her.

It was completely unexpected, which is exactly what love often looks like.

Human beings have the capacity to care for other human beings. We also have the capacity to hurt, but it is our capacity to care for each other that unites us. It galvanizes us and cultivates these transcendent moments, which help us to see what our world could be like, what our community could be like and what our businesses, churches and schools could be like if we could regularly access and deploy the goodness in our humanity.

Oh, we’re capable.

We simply need to be intentional. Then, we can begin to build the kind of world we want for our kids and grandkids.

This story is a reminder to us all that we never quite know what a person is going through. I’m sure the gentleman who wrote the letter would like a do-over. He probably wishes he could take it back and walk down to her home to ask if she needed a hand. When it comes to love, there’s enough for everyone. Let’s be generous with it.

Brandon Dyer

BIG TOP

Circuses Were A Big Hit For Decades In Shawnee

BY ANN MCDONALD, COURTESY POTT CO HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEMBER

The circus is coming to town!

Those were welcomed words years ago. There were only a few ways that Americans were entertained. More well-to-do families could go to theaters to see live acts or to amusement parks. Some families might go to city parks for a picnic or to the river or creek for a swim, but an actual “show” was only dreamed of by most.

The young town of Shawnee was fortunate because of the railroads. It was easy for these projects to come to the new town, and one was the circus. Even before statehood as early as 1904 – just 13 years after the “run” and only 10 years after the city was incorporated – there’s a record of the first circus that came to town, and it was a big one!

Ringling Bros. – billed as the “Largest Circus on Earth” – arrived in Shawnee in October. Pre-advertising listed 375 performers in six arenas, 40 elephants, 650 horses, 40 clowns, 108 wild animal cases, 1,280 people in 85 “double length railroad cars” and the only known pair of full-grown giraffes in captivity. There would be two shows with tickets selling for 50 cents, which were available in advance at Pottenger’s Drug Store.

The stop in Shawnee was a success, and Ringling Bros. returned in 1905. A newspaper described the event as “farmers and their families making Tecumseh and other county towns nearly deserted, as they poured into town as if a holiday.” The circus arrived on the Rock Island during the night, and “great crowds” were at the Beard Street crossing to witness the unloading of the show’s paraphernalia. The parade formed at Loop Park, marched down Park to Ninth to the Santa Fe Depot, then south to Main and west to that “thoroughfare to Park and the show grounds.”

Circuses continued to come to Shawnee again because of the availability of the railroads that crossed through the town. In April 1906, it was the Sells Floto Circus, which advertised that they had a calliope wagon that used a steam-whistle organ to play music and draw attention. In September of that year, the Hagenbeck Circus from Germany was here. Their show was “under big tents in the Hoffman Addition” northwest of the St. Benedict church.

Ringling Bros. was back the following year, and this time their circus required 12 acres. Their main tent could hold 14,000 peo-

ple. The site was not described but was obviously on the outskirts of a growing town. Ticket prices remained at 50 cents and were available at Yunts Book Store. Later reports said the shows were “first class,” especially the aerial acrobats.

Barnum & Bailey was in town in 1908 and described as one of the “best ever” with a capacity business. Their circus was held “near the ball park” likely where Shawnee’s ballparks and high school are today, which at one time held the fairgrounds and was the site of the rodeo.

In 1909 it was reported that the Hagenbeck, Miller Brothers and Wallace circuses were in town, but none of the events went smoothly. There were problems with the weather and with unloading when employees quit. Then the Ringlings were back in October, and even school was dismissed for the shows. One of the surprises, according to the newspaper, was the electric arc lighting system – the lights which made the tent brilliant. The circus carried its own gas lighting plant for generating electricity.

At least one circus would come to town in the years to come before moving pictures, radio and TV. Even into the 1930s, 40s and 50s, the big event would be the unloading of the animals and all the paraphernalia that it took to put on a circus. Then there was the anticipated march through town and the raising of the “big top.”

Ringling Bros. partnered with Barnum & Bailey, and their shows continued to be THE circus. They advertised that it took 100 railroad cars to transport the show. In the 40s, Cole Brothers circus was here several times, and in the 50s, it was Kelly-Miller Bros. The place that became the site for circuses in Shawnee was first known as Riverside Park and later called Ozark Park. It’s hard to believe that the area on South Beard just before the bridge on the north side of the North Canadian River, which is now full of trees, was once flat shore, but this writer knows firsthand as a grade schooler having been to the circus there.

Later circuses came to the Municipal Auditorium, ballpark and even the Expo Center, but they didn’t always feature excitement like seeing elephants unload from the train and the “Big Top” set up down by the river.

People living in and around Shawnee would show up in droves to see all the different circuses that came through town for decades after the city’s founding. —

Photo submitted

ON GUARD

Even During National Recovery Month, Fentanyl Remains Major Concern

BY ALICJA CARTER

hat is fentanyl?

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that can quickly cause an overdose. It is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine, making it a major contributor to the 150+ synthetic overdose deaths occurring every day in the United States. Although its powerful opioid properties were originally developed in a patch form to help cancer patients manage pain or offer relief following surgery, it is now being diverted for abuse.

Why is it so dangerous?

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, “Illicit fentanyl, primarily manufactured in foreign clandestine (secret) labs and smuggled into the United States through Mexico is being distributed across the country and sold on the illegal drug market. Fentanyl is being mixed with other illicit drugs to increase the potency of the drug, sold as powders and nasal sprays, and pressed into pills made to look like legitimate prescription opioids. Because there is no oversight or quality control, these counterfeit pills often contain lethal doses of fentanyl with none of the promised drug.”

In May 2022, Citizen Potawatomi Nation Health Services hosted a community overdose awareness event. Mark Woodward from the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics spoke on the panel and shared, “Now, almost every street pill or any other type of drug the department encounters – including cocaine, heroine, and methamphetamine – includes fentanyl. They look like any other pharmaceutical or illegal substance, or even over-the-counter drugs like Tylenol. The stamps are going to look just like U.S. oxycodone. They’re going to look just like U.S. Xanax, and you’re not going to be able to tell the difference.”

What is fentanyl’s impact?

Tragically, even 2 mg (or 10-15 grains of table salt) of fentanyl is considered a potentially lethal dose. Melissa Baptiste, a loving mother and member of the Shawnee community, recently lost her son to an accidental drug overdose involving fentanyl.

“My son struggled with anxiety and depres-

sion, but he put on a happy face and didn’t show his hurt or pain,” Baptiste said. “One day, he reached out to an acquaintance and turned to a substance for relief (like so many people do) not realizing that the pill he took had been laced with fentanyl. He didn’t intend to die. He made a mistake, and I am now left without a son.”

Between Jan. 31, 2020 and Jan. 31, 2021, overdose deaths overall rose 38.1 percent. However, overdoses deaths involving synthetic opioids (primarily illicitly manufactured fentanyl) rose 55.6 percent and appear to be the primary driver of the increase in total drug overdose deaths, according to Drug Enforcement Administration data. Also in 2020, an article by JAMA Psychiatry highlighted that American Indian or Alaska Native individuals experienced the highest rate of overdose mortality – 41.4 per 100 000 – which was 30.8 percent higher than for White individuals.

What can we do to protect our community?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Fentanyl test strips (FTS) are a low cost method of helping prevent drug overdoses and reducing harm. FTS are small strips of paper that can detect the presence of fentanyl in all different kinds of drugs (cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin,etc.) and drug forms (pills, powder, and injectables.) FTS provide people who use drugs and communities with important information about fentanyl in the illicit drug supply so they can take steps to reduce risk of overdose.”

Gateway to Prevention and Recovery is a hub for obtaining FTS at no cost. Please contact Abby Flood at aflood@gatewaytoprevention.org or (405) 628-9553.

In addition, Naloxone (Narcan) saves lives by reversing opioid overdose. It is a nasal spray that is convenient to store or carry and is quick and easy to administer.

According to Dr. Julio Rojas with Citizen Potawatomi Behavioral Health, “Every individual, home, business, place of worship, school and counselor’s office should have Narcan kits.”

Scan to view fentanyl documentary “Dead on Arrival.” Content may be triggering to some viewers.

Gateway to Prevention and Recovery can help any community member or organization obtain Narcan kits at no cost. Individuals and families

Carter

A 2 mg dose of fentanyl can be a lethal dose.

can obtain kits from any of Gateway’s Treatment Centers located in Chandler, Seminole, and Shawnee. Feel free to come by or call (405) 273-1170 ext. 0 for more information. For greater quantities, please contact Abby Flood at aflood@gatewaytoprevention. org or (405) 628-9553.

“Gateway’s vision is for every Oklahoext. 0 for additional resources and support.

Alicja Carter, MHR, BHWC, has been working in the behavioral health and addiction treatment field for over 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.

Scan to view the Fentanyl Awareness Forum hosted by Citizen Potawatomi Nation Behavioral Health hosted in May 2022.

teeth while giving patients additional treatment options to choose from.

At Impressions Dental we believe in minimizing risk and maximizing predictability. With our 3D guided implant protocol, we utilize 3D X-rays, digital scans and AI guided planning software to guarantee maximum predictability for every implant placed.

Sept. 8-9: The Pottawatomie County Free Fair will wrap up with a weekend of family-fun events every day at the Heart of Oklahoma Expo Center at 1700 W. Independence. For questions regarding the fair, schedule, events, time or any other question, contact (405) 273-7683 or pottcofreefair@gmail.com. For more information, visit freefair.org.

Sept. 8-10: ANiME Oklahoma is the premier family-oriented anime convention in the state and will bring three days of fun with more than 340 hours of programming along with more than 40 vendors. Information: facebook.com/animeoklahoma or animeoklahoma@gmail.com

Sept. 9-10: The Community Art Gallery presents the fourth annual September Salon Art Show at Shawnee Mall 4901 N. Kickapoo St. featuring some of the area’s best artists and artwork plus art activities, demonstrations, and a mall-wide gallery walk with specially featured award-winning artists. Information: facebook.com/ShawneeOkArts

Sept. 12: Join Pottawatomie County Young Professionals for Let’s Do Lunch at 12:15 p.m. at Cazadorez Mexican Restaurant at 3900 N. Harrison. Information: facebook.com/ pottcoyoungpros or pcyoungpros.com

Sept. 14: POGO will host its 2nd annual Worksite Wellbeing Summit from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Oklahoma Baptist University inside Bison RecWell at 500 W. University St. This year’s summit features insight and resources for improving employee mental health designed to help businesses and organizations gain actionable strategies they can implement now to enhance their culture and improve employee engagement and mental well-being. Information: worksitesummit.eventbrite.com

Sept. 14: The Community Market of Pottawatomie County is excited to host its annual Harvest Moon dinner from 6-9 p.m. at 120 S. Center St. This event is the market’s largest fundraiser and directly impacts the services they are able to provide to hungry families in communities in Pottawatomie, Seminole and Lincoln counties. It will be a night full of good food, great drinks and even better company. Information: classy.org/event/ harvest-moon/e496199

Sept. 15: The Arts @317 will host its own Block pARTy from 5:30-8:30 p.m at 317 E. Main. The featured artist this month is Douglas Gordon, who creates wonderful abstract art and has also written a book that includes his art along with his own original poems. He will have a variety of original paintings as well as prints of his work on display.

Sept. 16: Gateway to Prevention and Recovery will host its annual Walk for Recovery from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the

Pottawatomie County Museum Complex at 207 N Minnesota Ave. with Live music by the band Nasty Weather, free food, snowcones, carriage rides with Bowser’s Peace Sanctuary, inflatables and recovery resources. Information: facebook.com/ GatewaytoPrevention

Sept. 18: The Friends of the Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art Luncheon invites the community to learn more about how the group supports the museum and its services at 11:30 a.m. at 1900 W. MacArthur. This month’s program revolves around the theme of "Pop Art" and will be presented by Delaynna Trim, the museum’s curator of collections. Salad luncheon is included at no cost. Information: mgmoa.org

Sept. 21: Community Renewal in partnership with the City of Shawnee will host its monthly Rock the Block Party from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Bell Ave between 9th and Main. This free, family-friendly event features live music, food trucks, retail vendors, free kids activities, adult beverages and more. Information: communityrenewal.org/events/rocktheblock

Sept. 21: The Third Thursday Poetry Reading will feature popular poet and songwriter, Nathan Brown at 7 p.m. at the Lunch Box at 217 E. Main. Former Oklahoma Poet Laureate and author of over 20 books, Brown recently completed his Pandemic Project, featuring a poem for each day of the pandemic year, the most recent “In the Days of Our Endurance,” reflecting on our corporate experience. The poems in the project were also featured in his Fire Pit sessions available on YouTube. The Lunch Box will open at 6 p.m. for those who want to order dessert or drinks.

Sept. 22: The Pottawatomie County Young Professionals will welcome in a panel of business leaders and mentors for MVP 101 professional development seminar aimed at helping attendees be more valuable employees wherever they are and may go. Information: facebook.com/pottcoyoungpros or pcyoungpros.com

Sept. 22: The rescheduled Bowl For Kids’ Sake fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma in Shawnee will get rolling at 6 p.m. at FireLake Bowling Center at 40945 Hardesty Road to help support its one-to-one mentoring programs. Information: bfksshawnee.org, 405.395.2788 or keli.pueblo@bbbsok.org.

Sept. 22: Saving Abel’s Scott Bartlett and special guest Rick Monroe and Alan Beeler of The Hitmen to form The Mad Souls, who will come to rock the Historic Ritz Theatre starting at 7 p.m. at 10 W. Main St. Information: facebook.com/ theritzofshawnee

Sept. 22-30: Shawnee Little Theatre will open its season with The Hunchback of Notre Dame based on the Victor Hugo novel and including music from the 1996 Disney animated film. Shows begin at 7:30 p.m. except a 2 p.m. matinee on Sept. 24 at the theater at 1829 N. Airport Road. Information: shawneelittletheatre.org

Sept. 23: Worrel’s Haven women’s soberliving home will host its third annual Serenity Fest from 5-8 p.m. in the Municipal Auditorium at 401 N. Bell Ave with free fun for the whole family including live music from Highway 62 Band, bingo, scavenger hunt, raffle and door prizes, food, face painting and more. Information: facebook.com/WorrelsHaven

Sept. 23: Texas Tightrope will rock the blues as a tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughn with a show at 8 p.m. at the Historic Ritz Theatre at 10 W. Main St. Information: facebook. com/theritzofshawnee

Sept. 30: KC and the Sunshine Band is celebrating 50 years of experience getting down, which is the way they like it. Fans can break out their boogie shoes for a show at 7 p.m. at the Grand Casino event center at 777 Grand Casino Blvd. Information: grandboxoffice.com

Oct. 1: Locomotive Operators of Central Oklahoma will host its monthly public run 1-4 pm. At 29626 Lake Drive in McLoud. Ride the rails on a powered ¼-scale locomotive right outside of Shawnee Twin Lakes. Information: locotrains.org

Oct. 9: The Shawnee Family YMCA Golf Classic will tee off from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Elks Lodge and Golf Course at 13500 Acme Road. Information: facebook.com/ shawneeymca

Oct. 14: The CPN House of Hope is hosting its second annual Color Fun Run to raise awareness for domestic violence from 9-11 a.m. at the CPN Festival Grounds located at 1702 S Gordon Cooper Drive. Information: facebook. com/cpnhouseofhope or (405) 275-3176.

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

Earn 50 points Sunday – Saturday

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