Shawnee Outlook

‘Hart’ for Crafting| Boo on Bell

OCTOBER 18 Vol. 15 Number 8

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SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital - Shawnee welcomes

Dr. Arulkumar

Sailesh Arulkumar, MD Interventional Pain Management

SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital – Shawnee welcomes Sailesh Arulkumar, MD, interventional pain management, to SSM Health Medical Group in Shawnee.

Dr. Arulkumar is a native of Fresno, California. He earned a medical degree from Sri Ramachandra University in Tamil Nadu, India. He then went on to complete his anesthesiology residency at LSU-HSC in Shreveport, Louisiana. Following his residency, he completed a pain medicine fellowship at Case Western Reserve University/University Hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio.

Dr. Arulkumar’s office is located at 1501 Airport Road in Shawnee.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Arulkumar, please call 405-231-2900. ssmhealth.com

1501 Airport Road Shawnee, OK 74804 405-231-2900 ©2018 SSM Health. All rights reserved.

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CONTENTS

OCTOBER 2018

14

Publisher

Okie Icon Media

Managing Editor

David Dinsmore

Advertising Sales

Brad Carter

Creative Direction

Kelsey Walker & Fawn Wilson-Olivarez

Writers

Troy Becker

Jamie Bergsten

David Dinsmore

Brandon Dyer

Carolyn Lawremce

Ann McDonald

Angela Rowland

FEATURES 9

Boo on Bell Brings Fun for All the Boys and Ghouls

10

Couple with a ‘Hart’ for Crafting Turns Passion into New Downtown Shop

13

Over the Fence: When the Lights Go Down in the City

14

Trivia & Tapas to Serve Up Competition, Good Food to Help Local Parents

18

Employees, Stores Keep Trick-or-Treat Tradition Alive for Nearly 30 Years at Shawnee Mall

22

29

18 DEPARTMENTS

The Shawnee Outlook is delivered FREE by direct mail to 25,000 homes and

businesses.

Contact Us

PO Box 1365 Shawnee, OK 74802 E-mail: info@shawneeoutlook.com

To Advertise, call Brad at (405) 445-3033.

6 NUTRITION 101 24 SONIC CONTEST 25 SHAWNEE HISTORY 26 MENTAL HEALTH 30 CALENDAR

Basketball Coach Getting a New Start on Bison Hill

Los Compadres Mexican Restaurant 322 W. MacArthur St. • Shawnee, Oklahoma 74804

Volume 15, Number 8 Shawnee Outlook is a publication of Okie Icon Media. © 2018 Okie Icon Media

Articles and advertisements in Shawnee Outlook do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the magazine or Okie Icon Media. Okie Icon Media does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. The acceptance of advertising by Shawnee Outlook does not constitute endorsement of products, services, political candidates/parties or information. We do not knowingly present any product or service that is fraudulent or misleading in nature. Shawnee Outlook assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials.

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6 KEEP THE CHANGE

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Andrea Beck

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Criminal • Civil • Family • Tribal • Real Estate

639 N. Kickapoo, Shawnee • 405-273-2050 www.shawneeoutlook.com

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KEEP THE CHANGE

Don’t Leave Money on the Table; Put It in the Fridge Last month, I featured some reusable items to save money in the kitchen, but there’s another way to reuse in the kitchen – leftovers. Planning your week’s meals around using leftovers well helps you mix things up and make sure nothing goes to waste.

Here are some ideas: • Whole chicken: I love to cook a whole chicken and serve that for dinner with veggies one night and then later that week use the leftovers as shredded chicken in a variety of recipes – fajitas, casseroles, on salads or on baked potatoes. And when you’re finished carving the chicken, throw the bones in your slow cooker overnight with some water and veggies for amazing homemade chicken stock – another money saver. I use the chicken stock in soups and casseroles. It’s helpful to always have some on hand. 100DaysOfRealFood.com has a great slow cooker recipe for both the chicken and the stock.

• Pulled Pork: Serve it one day with BBQ sauce on a bun and later serve it with tortillas and cheese as pork tacos.

• Eggs: Some recipes specify using only the egg yolks or whites. When you separate them, save the other portion in a small dish in the refrigerator and pull that out to scramble with an egg or two in the morning for breakfast.

• Fruits: If you have fruit going bad before you can finish it – particularly berries – or if you find a great price on seasonal fruit, then freeze the excess. Line a cookie sheet with wax or parchment paper – like the reusable kind I mentioned last month – and spread the fruit out. Freeze until solid, and then store in a freezer safe Ziploc bag. These are great for smoothies. Frozen blueberries are especially perfect for baked goods.

If you’d like to read more about my frugal journey, scan the QR code to visit my blog on the topic!

Angela Rowland is an OBU graduate and a stay-at-home mother of four. She enjoys finding new ways to stretch the paycheck and even posts some of her favorite tips and deals on her blog (steadfaststeward.blogspot.com)

NUTRITION 101

Glute First, Add Toughness Later There are so many reasons to make your glutes the focus of your workout.

For starters, strong glutes give you the power to run faster, reduce your risk of injury and make you feel more confident in those yoga pants. When I talk about being stronger, I am not just talking about how much weight you can bench press. I am more focused on daily movements like walking, chasing after kids, lifting items to and from the car, getting up stairs and doing yard work.

Isolation exercises like rear leg pulses, one-legged bridge lifts and donkey kicks will really target each side. Squats are on top of the list as well. For a better squat, stand with a stance that has your feet planted wider than your shoulders with toes turned out to 11 and 1 o’clock.

As you come up from your squat, make sure your focus is pushing off your heels and not your toes. One of the most common injuries that come from doing squats wrong is a knee injury.

Reverse lunges are great for hitting the glutes and hamstrings. Whichever exercise you choose to do, make sure to squeeze your glute muscles as you are coming out of the maneuver.

Cardio exercises can also help strengthen your posterior. Rowing, indoor cycling and skiing all get your heart pumping while targeting the back side of the body. If you have a day that is focused on lower body, make sure to take the next day off from lower body. The next day can be a cardio day, upper body day or a rest day. Those muscles just need 24 hours to really grow.

Easy Oatmeal Almond Butter Cookies You may have noticed that the majority of my recipes have turned into recipes that my kids will eat. I am always trying to play around in the kitchen with ingredients I already have. My 4-year-old loves the idea of having a cookie or a treat. Cookies that are bought at the store are loaded with sugar and ingredients that I am not even sure about. Buying “healthy” cookies costs as much as buying a pound a beef. So, I thought I would give this a try, and it was a hit.

Ingredients: 1 cup creamy almond butter 1 ½ cup oats

¼ cup honey 1 large egg

Nutritional Information per serving: Makes: 20 cookies, 1 cookie each Calories: 115 Total Fat: 7g Saturated Fat: .5g Cholesterol: 9g Sodium: 5g Carbohydrates: 10g Dietary Fiber: 2g Protein: 3g Directions: Preheat oven to 350F. Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined. Roll dough into 1 ½ - 2 inch balls and then place on baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.

Nutrition 101: When buying any nut butter, make sure to read the ingredient list. You don’t want one that is loaded with extra salt or sugar. If you have access to a grocery store where they freshly grind the nuts into nut butter there, that is the best. I know a lot of people are still so concerned about the fat grams on a food label. I can’t stress enough that there really is a difference between saturated fats and unsaturated fats. A diet made up of saturated fats leads to heart disease. A diet that includes foods from unsalted nuts, nut butters, avocados and olives gives you heart-healthy fats. When looking at a label, instead of just looking at the total fat, look and see how much of that total fat is coming from saturated fat. You don’t want more than 25g of saturated fat in a day.

Andrea Beck, a Registered Dietitian and Certified Personal Trainer, received her Master’s in Nutrition and Dietetics from UCO in Edmond. She offers her nutrition consulting services, personal training and strongHER workouts through Anytime Fitness Shawnee.

For nutrition or exercise questions, you can contact Andrea at andrea.beck@anytimefitness.com

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3930 North Kickapoo Street Suite 5 Shawnee, OK 74804 (405) 535-3718

Store hours: MON-FRI 7AM-9PM SAT 8AM-9PM SUN 11AM-7PM

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Their mailbox.

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Call Brad at (405) 445-3033 8

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Boo on Bell Brings Fun for All the Boys and Ghouls

T

he Halloween season is lots of fun with all its spooks and scares, but it doesn’t have to be scary for the wrong reasons.

That’s why Safe Events for Families organizes Boo on Bell, an annual fall festival held the third weekend in October that showcases family-friendly activities and attractions right in the middle of Shawnee. Boo on Bell has been an annual event for nearly 20 years, and this year is no exception. The festival will be Friday and Saturday, Oct. 19-20, but there will also be things to do on the night of Thursday, Oct. 18.

On Thursday night, Shawnee’s Parks & Recreation Department will be hosting a glow-in-thedark dodgeball tournament at the Municipal Auditorium at 401 N. Bell. It will start at 7 p.m. and is free to the public. Also beginning Thursday night will be a carnival that will run all the way through Saturday.

Vendors will set up 6-9 p.m. on Friday on Bell Avenue, where they will be selling food, books, jew-

elry and more. Entertainment on Friday night will feature a 30-minute Pound fitness demo starting at 6 p.m. followed by live music from Shoulda Been Blonde.

Saturday morning, festivities will start at 11 a.m. with a costume contest for dogs at the main stage then a contest for kids later. Trick or Treat will be from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., and the fire clowns will be performing 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the corner of Bell Avenue and Main Street. There will also be artists, vendors, and plenty more to keep you entertained.

Submitted by Visit Shawnee

Running throughout the festival will be a blood drive in a tent on the north side of Bell Avenue. If you decide to donate blood, the attendants will be dressed up as vampires. Is that a little on the nose?

Maybe, but it’s fun.

The zombie march will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday and will go down Bell Avenue to the Municipal Auditorium, where the zombie prom will be held. There will be a live DJ and judges will be walking around looking for a zombie king and queen to crown. People of all ages – kids, women, men – can get gussied up (or down) and participate in the zombie march and prom.

If all of that wasn’t enough, a Ghostbusters cosplay group is going to be set up in front of the Hornbeck theater. There will be a free viewing of the original “Ghostbusters” movie at some point during the weekend, so be looking for that announcement sometime this month.

For an exact schedule for Boo on Bell, log on to visitshawnee.com/events.

CONSERVATIVE VALUES. EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP.

VOTE

NOV. 6 State Representative

Let’s keep Dell Kerbs working for us.

It is an honor to serve as your State Representative. I hope I can count on your vote in the General Election on November 6th. If you would like to visit with me about out my campaign, please give me a call on my cell phone at 609-0308.

AUTHORIZED AND PAID FOR BY VOTE DELL KERBS 2018

305 EAST FEDERAL STREET SHAWNEE, OK 74804

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Couple with a ‘Hart’ for Crafting Turns Passion into New Downtown Shop

by Carolyn Lawrence

While recovering from a bad motorcycle accident, Steiger and Kelsey Hart used crafting to help grow closer together before deciding to share this love through Coffee N’ Crafts at 5 E. Main St. Photos submitted

C

offee N’ Crafts is the passion turned vision turned open-for-business venture for Steiger and Kelsey Hart.

The couple exemplifies the proverbial phrase, “when life gives you a lemon, make lemonade.” In March 2016, Steiger was in a near fatal motorcycle accident that left him unable to walk on his own for a period of time. For many, this kind of adversity could potentially pose as a great misfortune. Kelsey refused to allow this for her then boyfriend. She encouraged optimism and stayed positive during his healing process. She said she would remind him to trust in God’s plan and to count blessings not struggles.

By May, Steiger had something up his sleeve. He focused diligently during physical therapy, working his broken body to recover enough to be able to stand and kneel for one of the most important moments of his life – proposing to Kelsey. With the assistance of a cane and a helping hand, he successfully stood and got down on one knee to ask the love of his life to marry him.

During the next chapter of his recovery, Kelsey said she “could see the man I love spiraling into depression from the wreck and being stuck at home.”

So, she turned him on to the popular social media platform, Pinterest, where users share and discover new interests including crafting, cooking, redecorating and more.

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“I thought we could craft together and make the recovery process a little more fun, like craft therapy,” Kelsey said. “I have always been crafty.

“I was raised in a crafty family.”

Steiger was in a wheelchair when Kelsey gave him his first project: a new coffee table. He researched the best of the best do-it-yourself instructions on Pinterest until he found what two short days later would become his piece of inspiration. To his surprise, Steiger said he enjoyed the crafting. This new creative insight became a saving grace during a difficult season for the couple. They were instantly hooked on crafting together.

Later, Kelsey was sitting at her desk job – eight months pregnant with their son Beckett – when the idea for Coffee N’ Crafts was born. She wanted to open a shop where people are “able to come with friends and family and enjoy a warm cup of coffee while creating a beautiful piece for you to hang in your home.”

Kelsey eagerly presented the idea to Steiger, and his response was supportive and encouraging.

“I believe in you and will support you in this journey, building your dream,” he told her.

Once she decided to share her thoughts and passion with Steiger, it became a recipe for a new business idea. Prior to his accident, Steiger worked as a car salesman, a position which required a great deal of walking with customers. Still unable to walk on his

own at the time, he decided he would use his hands for work, to create. What began as a distraction from his struggle became a blessing.

He immediately decided he would take his love for recycling and incorporate this enthusiasm into the creative process of crafting. The couple said they find it significant to take care of the environment.

This is why they choose to utilize reclaimed wood in all projects. They cut and bind the wood pieces themselves for the variety of signs their customers construct at Coffee N’ Crafts.

Each vision begins as a bundle of wood. With artistic manifestations, a colorful medium and stencils, a beautiful and intimate sign with powerful words is built. These pieces drape the walls of homes, businesses, nurseries and college dorm rooms. Some also use the pieces they make at Coffee N’ Crafts to create unique gifts for their loved ones, a gift that is meant to last, inspire and bring smiles to those around them.

This idea derived from a place of love, compassion and inspiration, and that is what the Harts are giving back to the community.

“We are a family owned and ran business,” Kelsey said. “We started this adventure in hopes of a place where we can raise our children and give other local families a place to come make sweet memories as well.”

TERRY W. HOPKINS ★ ★ ★

Let’s restore full funding to our public education system, pay our teachers a living wage, and provide the necessary resources to give our kids the best education they deserve!

Let’s accept federal funding of Medicaid to provide vital health care services to those who need access the most and can’t afford it!

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Can you see light around the opening when it’s closed?

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Let’s repair our roads and bridges to improve transportation safety statewide!

★

Let’s reform our prison system, stop spending hundreds of millions of dollars building private prisons, and create reasonable sentencing for non-violent offenses!

★

Let’s create a fairer tax code so that we are rightly paid for the private use of our public natural resources!

★

Let’s restore the prime responsibility of our state government to protect the best interests of our citizens, not the political goals of our representatives!

ELECT

TERRY W. HOPKINS 2018 Democratic Candidate State District 26

APPROVED AND PAID FOR BY TERRY W. HOPKINS STATE DISTRICT 26

www.shawneeoutlook.com

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October 18-20

Downtown Shawnee Saturday, October 20 Main Stage Area Bell Street & Main Street

Thursday, October 18 6:00-10:00 P.M. - Carnival

Friday, October 19 6:00-10:00 P.M. - Carnival 6:00-6:30 P.M. - Pound Demo 6:30-8:30 P.M. - Shoulda Been Blonde

11:00 A.M.-12:00 P.M. - Dog Costume Contest 12:00 P.M.-1:00 P.M. - Stompin’ Sensation 1:00 P.M.-2:00 P.M. - Marc Bronson 2:00 P.M.-3:30 P.M. - Costume Contests 3:30 P.M.-5:00 P.M. - Trick or Treat 5:00 P.M.-7:30 P.M. - Blackwater Smoke 7:30 P.M.-9:00 P.M. - Zombie March/DJ 9:00 P.M.-10:00 P.M. - Street Dance (at Municipal Auditorium)

Family Friendly • Trick-or-Treat • Carnival Rides • Costume Contest for the whole family (including the dogs!) • Vendors • Food Trucks • Live Music • AND MORE!

Bell Street & 10th Street

11:00 A.M.-3:30 P.M. - Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) 3:30 P.M.-5:00 P.M. - Trick or Treat 5:00 P.M.-7:30 P.M. - Fire Clowns

Bell Street & 9th Street 11:00 A.M.-3:30 P.M. - Artists 3:30 P.M.-5:00 P.M. - Trick or Treat 5:00 P.M.-8:00 P.M. - Artists

©Ed Bolt

©Ed Bolt

www.visitshawnee.com/events

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Over the Fence:

When the Lights Go Down in the City

W

hen was the last time you lost power to your house? Was it during of one of our recent thunderstorms? Or maybe an ice storm from winters past? One thing about losing power, the house becomes incredibly quiet, doesn’t it?

You can hear every tiny noise both inside and outside the house. For me, it happened Saturday. I woke up to beautiful fall-like weather and decided I wanted to sit on my back porch and watch my favorite football team play later that evening. It was absolutely perfect. I had ribs on the smoker, a pinion wood fire in the chimenea. And did I mention the fall-like weather?

The problem was that the outlet on the back porch was unreliable, and I needed to replace it.

I’m pretty handy, so I knew it would be a simple project to replace it. I went to figure out which breaker I needed to flip in order to cut the power. After flipping what seemed like every logical breaker in all three panels to no avail, I finally decided I would just turn off the main breaker.

What’s the worst thing that could happen?

My wife and four kiddos were home and lost

in their own world of TV or video games or social media. The kind of thing I would have been doing had I not decided to be Mr. Fixit. The house was pretty quiet actually with everyone in their own little spaces. I wondered for a moment what would happen when their screens went blank and their Wi-Fi failed. Would they be upset? Would we have an all-out first world problem meltdown? And then I did it. I switched off the main breaker. And I waited.

Pretty soon everyone came wandering to the kitchen with puzzled looks on their faces.

“Dad, the TV turned off.”

“Hey, why is the Wi-Fi not working?”

I informed them that I was working on something and needed to turn off all the power. What do you suppose happened next? I’ll tell you. One by one they shrugged their shoulders and decided to go outside and play. You read that right. They went outside and played. No one was upset. No meltdowns. The girls grabbed a volleyball and the boys a basketball, and they went outside and played happily together. They laughed. They talked. They enjoyed each other’s company. I had work

By Brandon Dyer, executive director of Community Renewal of Pottawatomie County

to do, but I couldn’t take my eyes off of them. It really is a beautiful thing to watch children play.

When was the last time you simply unplugged from distractions and took the time to enjoy the moment you were in? Most of us don’t do it often enough. I know I don’t, but something special happens when we tune out the noise and give each other our undivided attention.

That’s how we build meaningful relationships.

That’s how we become known. Being known can seem scary at times. Perhaps that’s why we have an unhealthy relationship with distractions, but being known and understood is one of the deepest desires we have as humans. It’s a basic human need no different than food or water, and it can only be found in community.

Meaningful community doesn’t happen by accident. It requires intentionality. We have to choose it, and the best way to start is to cut the distractions. Get outside of your house. Meet your neighbors. Have coffee with a friend. Watch your children play. Beauty and meaning are found in the quiet moments of life. Don’t wait for a home improvement project to find it.

24 Hour Care • Medicare Certified RNs & LPNs • Social Workers Counselors • Chaplains Home Health Aides • Volunteers Infusion Therapy • Blood Transfusion

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...because every moment counts. www.shawneeoutlook.com

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Trivia & Tapas to Serve Up Competition, Good Food to Help Local Parents

L

egacy Parenting is challenging community members to bring their thinking hats and their appetites to their second-annual Trivia & Tapas event at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 25 at the Heart of Oklahoma Expo Center at 1700 W. Independence St. The event pits multiple teams of eight against each other in a fun and challenging trivia competition covering an array of topics. While trying to best each other in a battle of wits, attendees can also take advantage of a diverse menu of small plate foods and beverages available.

The idea for the first event last year came from trying to find a different way to go about fundraising.

“We didn’t want to have a boring dinner with a silent auction,” Legacy Parenting executive director Lacey Holt said. “We wanted something that was fun and interactive and really shows our personality as an organization. We are about having fun while we do good.”

While they were bouncing around some ideas, Legacy’s director of client services Tiffany Yarbrough suggested doing a trivia night.

Holt worked at the Children’s Hospital Foundation in Oklahoma City before she took over Legacy Parenting. One of her colleagues there has organized a trivia event for their young professionals board for a few years, so Holt reached out to her for ideas about how to put their fundraiser together.

Organizers created five categories with 10 questions to challenge attendees organized into teams of eight who were vying for prizes and supremacy during the competition, Holt said. The key to creating the trivia portion of the event comes in developing questions that strike a balance between too hard for anyone to have fun and so easy everyone comes up with the answer quickly.

“The fun part is seeing the excitement of everyone wanting to be a part of it,” Yarbrough said. “The team-

Legacy Parenting is hosting its second annual Trivia & Tapas fundraiser at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 25 featuring food and competition to help it continues its work building strong families through education, resources and mentoring.

Photos submitted

work they get out of it is a lot of fun.”

This year, Legacy is working with the staff at the expo center to create the menu for the tapas portion of the event, Holt said.

Attendees can also bring diapers and wipes to donate to Legacy’s stockpile to automatically enter the raffle taking place at Trivia & Tapas, Holt said. They are particularly looking for diapers in larger sizes. Attendees can also purchase raffle tickets for the event.

The creativity paid off last year for the organization as they received a lot of praise from attendees about how much fun they had at Trivia & Tapas, Holt said. They also incorporated some suggestions about the trivia from last year into this year’s challenge.

“We just really wanted to do something different,” Holt said.

Committee members from throughout the community make it possible for them to organize Trivia & Tapas, Holt said, and it means a lot to her and Legacy Parenting participants that they and event attendees

OCT

by David Dinsmore

put forth such effort to help keep their goals alive.

Legacy Parenting opened its doors at 126 S. Center St. in 2016 offering education, resources and mentoring to families in the community. Currently, parents from about 75 families receive lessons through a Earn While You Learn curriculum focusing on specific aspects of parenting children under age 6 – like handling tantrums and nutrition – that are taught via video and a live mentor. The mentor talks with the client about the lesson, helps apply it and answers any questions. The goals of these lessons are to develop good parenting skills and knowledge.

With each lesson parents undergo, they earn credits they can use at the Legacy Store, which offers diapers, wipes, outfits, toys, books, pacifiers, cups, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap and more. The majority of the Legacy Store’s items come from donations via word of mouth and private efforts, but fundraisers like Trivia & Tapas keep the curriculum updated and impactful and ensures Legacy’s resources will continue to find their way into the hands of deserving families.

“Everyone getting the opportunity to contribute and help these families grow, it’s really great,” Yarbrough said.

Some of the goals Legacy is eyeing in the next year is offering another day to its current three-daya-week schedule to allow more families to participate and to give more options to those already undergoing lessons, Holt said. They are also working on funding a playroom that features an interactive component to the training that involves the parents and their children playing together to demonstrate and explain the importance of this action to the development of young kids.

“We are all about empowering people and impacting generations,” Holt said. “We do that through our mission to build stronger, healthier families.”

Bethel Acres Tag Agency

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Employees, Stores Keep Trick-or-Treat Tradition Alive for Nearly 30 Years at Shawnee Mall

by David Dinsmore

M

indy Palmer fondly remembers trickor-treating as a child inside the Shawnee Mall.

Dressed in whatever costume she had bought or made that Halloween, Palmer with would go from store to store with her plastic bag in hand, and by the end of the night she would return home with an overflowing bag of delicious candy.

Now, however, Palmer is on the other side of the event in her role as the mall’s marketing manager, but even as an adult, she still looks forward to the trick-or-treating festivities.

“This my 14th year at the mall, and it is very interesting,” Palmer said. “I started off in guest services (as a) marketing assistant. I see people that were in my kids club when I started, and they are bringing their kids to trick-or-treat. You know, I think, ‘I used to make paper plate flowers with you, and now you are bringing your children.’”

An estimated 1,500-1,700 children will descend upon the Shawnee Mall on the afternoon of Saturday, Oct. 27 for the mall’s annual Halloween festivities. The day includes three events with the first being the Kid’s Costume Contest at 1:30 p.m. in the center court area in front of the JC Penney. The contest is for children ages 0-12.

A Mad Scientist Show will take over at 2 p.m. with help from the Science Museum Oklahoma and the Shawnee Public Library followed by the Haunt the Mall trick-or-treating from 3 to 5 p.m.

“The majority of all of our 52 stores participate,” Palmer said. “They stand in front of their stores, and the kids and families line up in the common area of the mall and just walk around in a big circle inside and just trick-or-treat at all of our stores.

THE FIFTH ELEMENT 16 e main

•

CURIOS WHIMSIES 18

shawnee

ANTIQUES VINTAGE RETRO

www.shawneeoutlook.com

Shawnee Mall hosts a Halloween event every year consisting of a costume contest for ages 0-12, a mad scientist show and trick-or-treating. Festivities begin at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27.

Photos submitted

“It doesn’t matter if it is raining or it’s too hot, either way we hold the event.”

The mall also prides itself on being able to provide a safe and secure location for families to have their kids trick-or-treat.

“We do have our security onsite, and we always have off-duty officers onsite as well,” Palmer said.

“It is a safe place and a controlled environment.”

The mall does have some restrictions for the event. No backpacks are allowed. Also, anyone older than 12 years of age or taller than 4-foot2-inches is asked to not wear masks, and no fake weaponry like swords or guns are permitted.

The trick-or-treat event has been going since the mall opened nearly three decades ago and has become an integral part of the local community.

Even budget restrictions by some stores in recent years has not stopped the employees from still

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“When we first started this these stores had big budgets,” Palmer said. “I mean they would spend $3,000 on candy. Now these stores for the most part are not paying for the candy anymore. It is the employees who pay for the candy themselves. They do that so they can still have the stores participate. They dress up just like the kids do and really love it.”

For those like Palmer who work for the mall itself, this event gives them the chance to give back to the people who spend their hard-earned money and time with them.

“There is a general mentality here with our mall and our tenants,” Palmer said. “These are the people that support us the entire year, so when we have golden opportunities to give back to the people that support us, we do.”

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OHH South welcomes OHH South welcomes W.John Haddad, md , facc OHH South welcomes W.John Haddad, md, facc W.John Haddad, md, facc

Long-time Shawnee cardiologist W. John Haddad Long-time Shawnee cardiologist W. John has joined Oklahoma Heart Hospital andHaddad will be seeing at the OHH Southand campus. has joinedpatients Oklahoma Heart Hospital will Dr. has proudly Shawnee beHaddad seeing patients atcardiologist theserved OHH South campus.

Long-time Shawnee W. John Haddad patients locally for the last 20 Shawnee yearsand andwill is has joined Oklahoma Heart Hospital Dr. Haddad has proudly served excited tolocally continue your care OHHcampus.

South. be seeing patients thelast OHH South patients foratthe 20at years and is Dr. Haddad has proudly Call 405.608.3800 forserved an appointment. excited to continue your care atShawnee OHH South. patients locally for the last 20 years and is Call 405.608.3800 for an appointment.

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SSM HEALTH MEDICAL GROUP

Beyond Awareness: Risks, Screenings and What Comes After Breast Cancer Diagnosis most health organizations recAccording to the Ameriommend annual mammograms can Cancer Society, more than starting at age 50. Screening 230,000 women will be diagrecommendations can vary denosed with invasive breast pending on your risk for breast cancer this year. Breast cancer cancer. If you have questions comes with many questions but about your breast cancer screenwith few simple answers. ing needs, talk with your doctor.

When should a woman get What happens if I find a screened for breast cancer? Dr. Michael E. lump in my breast?

What does a diagnosis really Confer “If a woman has a concern mean? What are common treatabout a lump or any other change in her ment options?

In an effort to go beyond awareness, here breast, she should seek medical advice,” Confer said. are some breast cancer basics.

When a lump is discovered, other tests What is my risk for breast cancer?

All women are at risk of developing breast are run to determine if it is cancerous. Becancer. The American Cancer Society reports cause many other breast conditions can that the chance of a woman having inva- cause changes to breast tissue, a lump sive breast cancer in her life is roughly one does not always mean cancer. Regardless of the cause, any time you discover a change in eight.

While some risk factors you can’t change in your breast tissue – be it lumps, dimples, – like gender, age and family history – some changes in size or discharge – let your doclifestyle choices can increase your risk for tor know.

If a lump or other breast tissue change developing breast cancer. Some contraceptive methods and post-menopausal is determined to be cancer, the diagnosis is hormone therapies have been linked to an not a death sentence. Chances of surviving increased risk of breast cancer. Drinking breast cancer are very high and survival alcohol and being overweight or obese can rates continue to rise. The survival rate for also increase your risk of developing breast a woman with Stage 2 breast cancer is 93 percent. A Stage 3 patient’s survival rate is cancer.

“Certain lifestyle choices can also as high as 72 percent. If the cancer is not decrease your risk of developing breast caught until Stage 4, the survival rate drops cancer,” said Dr. Michael E. Confer, radia- to 22 percent.

How is breast cancer treated? tion oncologist for SSM Health St. Anthony “Each person’s case is different, so treatHospital – Shawnee Cancer Care. “Studies suggest that breastfeeding, avoiding to- ment plans are individualized,” Confer bacco and regular exercise – even just brisk said. “Common treatments include surgery, walking for a few hours each week – can radiation therapy, chemotherapy and antireduce a woman’s risk of developing breast estrogen hormone therapy.”

Treatment plans are developed considercancer.”

More research is being done to find other ing factors like when the cancer is detected, what type of cancer it is and how aggresways for women to decrease their risk.

Once I know my risk, when should I sively it grows. Because each woman is different, each treatment plan is different. If be screened for breast cancer?

By age 20, women should start doing you are diagnosed with breast cancer, your monthly breast self-exams and can expect doctor will work with you to develop a treatto have a clinical breast exam done by their ment plan that works for your specific needs.

The following prevention and risk reducdoctor each year.

“The risk of breast cancer increases with tion methods, however, are the same for all age, and screening needs increase propor- women: participate in routine exercise like tional to age,” Confer said. “Having several brisk walking several times per week, avoid family members with breast cancer also weight gain and obesity, minimize alcohol increases an individual’s risk of developing intake and eat a healthy and low-fat diet.

These basic steps are the foundation on it.”

While there is some debate over when an- which women and men can build a long and nual mammogram screenings should begin, healthy life.

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SHAWNEE HISTORY

Shawnee’s 1929, 1930 Professional Baseball Teams Featured Future Major Leaguers

by Ann McDonald, Courtesy Pott Co Historical Society Member

S

hawnee has been a baseball town almost from its beginning.

It appears that within a very few years, there were games between teams across the town and those visiting from other communities. By the turn of the century, organized leagues had sprouted up, especially between the local businesses and industries.

Before statehood in 1907, there were Shawnee teams in the Southwestern League as well as a South Central Oklahoma Territory League.

Games were played on various fields including Oak Park (now Boy Scout Park), Benson Park, Rock Island Railroad Park and north Broadway Park, and before long a park was constructed where Memorial Park is today.

These days, most baseball in Shawnee is in the youth leagues, high school and nearby college ranks. Some years ago, we hosted the Colt League World Series and more recently the Sunbelt Classic, both involving youth teams from across the country. Most older citizens likely remember the Shawnee Hawks, a 1950s minor league team owned by the Brooklyn Dodgers.

The Hawks were not the first professional team to be located in Shawnee. In 1929 and 1930, the St. Louis Cardinals had a team here known as the Robins. The Robins were a member of the Western Association, a C League division of Major League Baseball.

Other teams in the Robins’ league were from Muskogee, Ft. Smith, Arkansas,

The Shawnee Robins played in 1929 and 1930 – the team featured in this photo taken at their home field in Athletic Park – as part of the St. Louis Cardinals organization, and several players from those teams went on to play for major league clubs.

Photo submitted

Joplin and Springfield, Missouri, and Independence, Kansas.

Ray Powell, who had once played for the Detroit Tigers and Boston Braves, was the manager of the Robins and also played centerfield. Their first year, the squad finished a game and a half out of first place. Some of the players from the 1929 roster later made to the major leagues, including Ray Starr (St. Louis Cardinals, New York Giants, Boston Braves, Cincinnati Reds, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs), Fritz Ostermueller (Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Browns, Brooklyn Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates), Bob Klinger (Pittsburgh Pirates), Guilford Paulsen (St. Louis Car-

dinals) and Cotton Tierney (Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Braves).

The Robins finished as runners-up again in 1930. Players on that team who made their way to the big leagues included Mace Brown (Pittsburgh Pirates), Ucal Clanton (Cleveland Indians), Ival Goodman (Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs), Ab Wright (Cleveland Indians, Boston Braves) and Jim Winford (St. Louis Cardinals, Brooklyn Dodgers).

Robins pitcher Cy Blanton made his home in Shawnee during his baseball days after growing up in Trousdale.

He was with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies and named Rook-

ie of the Year in 1935. After his early death, his wife and children remained in Shawnee.

The Robins’ games were played at Athletic Field. After the World War II, it was renovated and named Memorial Park. They attracted an average of 700 fans and sometimes as many as 1,000.

The Robins had the dubious honor of helping set a record that still stands in organized baseball. Near the end of the 1929 season, the Muskogee Chiefs were struggling with poor attendance so Maud – a community in south Pottawatomie County – guaranteed their owner good attendance if he would move his team there. He agreed, but the first game – a 7-6 victory over the Robins – drew fewer than 500 fans, which was not enough to keep the team in the black.

The owner decided to finish the season playing on the road. The team continued to represent Maud but never appeared in town again. The Maud Chiefs remain the only professional baseball team to never be defeated at home.

The league folded at the end of the 1930 season, and the players were dispersed. It was 20 years before a professional baseball team returned – although in the late 1930s Major League Baseball teams twice added Shawnee to their Spring Training route. Then the war took the players, and it was several years before baseball was back.

GOD'S BLESSINGS AND ISRAEL Gen. 12:1-3 - Now the Lord said unto Abraham - I will make of thee a great nation (Israel) and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curses thee, and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed (through Jesus); THIS IS THE PROMISE OF ALMIGHTY GOD.

2 - the State Department worked against the direct orders of the President in establishing borders of the new State. 3 - the State Department tried to make the President look like a liar and a double-crosser.

Those forces that were just beginning to work In January 1977 a UPI release told how Presi- against Israel have now come to full age. Pray dent Harry S. Truman had to fight the powers that our President and those who run the govof hell to help recognize the State of Israel in ernment do not lie and double-cross Israel.

1948. Clark Clifford wrote President Truman No weapon formed against thee shall proswas incensed by the obstructionism of the per; and every tongue that rises against State Department to his policy toward Israel thee thou shalt condemn. Is. 54:17 Written in January 1977 by Bill Matthews. and the middle east:

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MENTAL HEALTH

Medication Assisted Treatment Programs Carry Negative Myths

by Troy Becker

Imagine – you have sustained a serious injury in an accident. Medical providers have prescribed you pain medication, or – more precisely – opioids. While recovering from your injuries, you become dependent upon these medications both psychologically and physically. Without them the withdrawal symptoms and cravings are unbearable. Your life is spiraling out of control. You take more to achieve the same effects. Your doctor has refused to prescribe more so you’ve started buying them elsewhere illegally. You’re lying to your friends, family, employer and anyone else who may have an idea as to what is going on. You’re feeling embarrassed, ashamed and spend a lot of time trying to feed your addiction.

This story is becoming all too common in Oklahoma and across the nation. So common that many find it hard to identify anyone who has not been touched by this epidemic, whether it has happened to them personally or they have a friend, acquaintance or loved one who has gone through this experience. Now imagine that you have come to a place where the people understand what you’re going through and have the skills, ability and desire to help. You find yourself entering a Medication Assisted Treatment program, which consists of taking medication to help with the withdrawal symptoms and cravings, and you begin to reclaim your life. You are putting the pieces back together, mending relationships damaged by your addiction, returning to work or school and things are finally looking up.

While this sounds like a happy ending, there are still hurdles to climb, not the least of which being the fact that many people – including various court systems, DHS offices, law enforcement officials, sober living homes and even others in recovery – do not understand this treatment and believe that people who are in a MAT program are merely trading one addiction for another. This is a myth.

Opioid use disorder affects more than 2.5 million Americans, and this contributed to more than 28,000 deaths in 2014. Use of opioids – including heroin and prescription pain relievers – can lead to neonatal abstinence syndrome as well as the spread of infectious diseases like HIV and hepatitis. There are currently several medications on the market including buprenorphine, methadone and extended release naltrexone, which have proven to be effective in the treatment of opioid use disorders.

MAT decreases opioid use, opioid-related overdose deaths, criminal activity and the spread of infectious diseases. According to a study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, after buprenorphine became available in Baltimore heroin overdose deaths decreased by 37 percent. MAT also increases social functioning and retention in treatment. Patients receiving these medications were proven to be more likely to remain in therapy compared to those who received no medication, and treatment of opioid-dependent women improved outcomes for their babies and decreases the length of their hospital stay.

There are examples to dispute the popular myth that medications like buprenorphine are just substituting one addiction for another. When someone is treated for opioid addiction, the dosage of the replacement medication generally does not get them high. It simply reduces cravings and withdrawal. They restore balance to the brain circuits, allowing the brain to heal.

Another concern some have is that of diversion of medications to those for whom the treatment was not prescribed. It has been shown that diversion of prescription pain relievers like oxycodone and hydrocodone is far more common. In 2014, buprenorphine made up less than 1 percent of all reported drugs diverted in the U.S. Ultimately, MAT is not only about recovery but also about harm reduction. Every life that is saved furthers the evidence that this is a worthwhile treatment.

Troy Becker is employed by Gateway to Prevention and Recovery and is a graduate of St. Gregory’s University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in social science and Master of Arts in counseling psychology. Troy is also furthering his studies at Mid-America Christian University.

26

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Basketball Coach Getting a New Start on Bison Hill

by Jamie Bergsten

W

hen Jason Eaker took the helm of the Oklahoma Baptist University men’s basketball program last spring, it wasn’t his first experience with the organization.

An Altus High School graduate, Eaker spent a year on the OBU squad during his own college days. However, his family’s association with the university’s athletics dates back even farther to the program’s glory days of the 1960s, and that’s exactly where Eaker said he hopes to take the team again.

Longtime Shawnee residents will remember OBU’s 1966 march to the NAIA national championship along with runner-up finishes the year before and after. Eaker’s dad Allen was a member of those squads, playing guard for the Bison on the hardwood as well as left field on the university’s baseball team.

“My father obviously has tremendous pride and investment in the past and present of OBU because of his wonderful college experience as a student, baseball player and basketball player,” Eaker said.

The coach’s own experience as a Bison player back in 1999 was memorable in its own way. Bob Hoffman – who recruited him and experienced great success at OBU – left to take a job at the University of Texas-Pan American in the fall of Eaker’s freshman year, and an interim coach was named. When a fulltime replacement was hired in the spring, Eaker realized he wasn’t part of that coach’s plans, and he transferred to Hardin-Simmons University.

“My experience at OBU was short-lived, and I left very unsettled and disappointed,” he said.

“I’m thankful for that adversity as an adult, and completely believe in my heart that it was part of God’s plan for my journey as a young person.

However, I admit that I still feel like I have more to contribute to our program than I was given the opportunity to do. As a grown person and through my experience as a player and coach, I understand the business of college basketball, so I ‘get it.’ I’m incredibly grateful for the three different head coaches I was fortunate enough to meet and get to know during my year at OBU.” Despite Hoffman’s departure early in Eaker’s time on campus, their relationship proved to be important. Over the years, Eaker has served under Hoffman at three different NCAA Division I schools, most recently at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia.

When former OBU head coach Quinn Wooldridge left the program last spring, the op-

Jason Eaker will take to the court as head coach of the Oklahoma Baptist University men’s basketball team this year starting with an exhibition game on Tuesday, Oct. 30 at OBU’s Noble Complex.

Photo by OBU Athletics

portunity Eaker had been waiting for presented itself. He, wife Meredith – who works as the Associate Commissioner of the Atlantic Sun Conference – and young son Isaac were ready to make the move to Shawnee. Since then, the program has already undergone several transitions under his leadership.

“We’re returning four veterans from last season’s roster and have added 11 new players to this year’s team,” Eaker said. “We’ve also redone the locker room and our men’s basketball office suite area. We’ll continue to slowly enhance our arena and men’s basketball, women’s basketball and volleyball areas as we move forward as an athletic department.”

Another aspect of Bison basketball that Eaker knows he’ll enjoy is having his dad in the stands at games.

“My father and I have always had a special relationship, and our bond over the last 30+ years has been how much we both enjoy the game of basketball and just competition in general,” Eaker said. “My pops will enjoy coming to our games and practices, as he has for many years. Neither of us knows what the OBU piece will play into how special this could become, with his history as a Bison, but I know my dad believes in me. He always has, and that’s the greatest gift he’s ever given me, because it gives me the courage to stand back up when the bell rings and go fight again, so to speak.”

While Eaker looks forward to the season’s tip-

off, he also knows the task ahead of him is daunting.

“Our team’s been working hard, and it’s fun being around the quality young people we have in our program,” Eaker said. “With a new coach, staff, roster and system of basketball that I’m teaching, we’ve got a long way to go, but my early impression is that of excitement. I’m thankful to be their coach.

“My short-term goals are simple: to honor Christ in how we run our program representing OBU and the mission of our school and to compete as hard as we possibly can every day on the basketball floor and in the area of recruiting. If we can figure out how to execute those two goals consistently, everything else will take care of itself.”

Eaker also knows that life can be unpredictable. When he left Bison Hill in the spring of 2000, he never imagined he’d be back 18 years later in his current role.

“If my experiences as a player and coach the last 20 years have taught me anything, it’s to be thankful for my opportunity today and to give my best,” Eaker said. “I’m not a big ‘prediction-type’ coach, but I’m excited about what lies ahead. How lucky are we to be at Oklahoma Baptist University as students, teachers, staff, players and coaches?

In my opinion, it’s the opportunity of a lifetime.”

The Bison will start the season in an exhibition matchup with Barclay College on Tuesday, Oct. 30 in OBU’s Noble Complex. www.shawneeoutlook.com

29

CALENDAR

October Events Planes, Trains and Automobiles cruises into town 11 a.m.- 6 p.m. on Oct. 6 at the Santa Fe Depot at 614 E. Main St. This free event will feature an array of vehicles on wheels and wings, history demonstrators, kiddie train, pony carousel and more. Information: ptanda.net.

open at 10 a.m. with races beginning at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 20 at the Heart of Oklahoma Expo Center at 1700 W Independence General admission is $10, $6 for children ages 6-12 and free for children age 5 and under. Information: outlawmotorsports.net.

Join Oklahoma Baptist University for a “Night of Jazz” at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 6 in the Mabee Suite on campus. Information: (405) 585-4300.

When the going gets tough, the tough go see Billy Ocean perform at the Grand Casino. Show starts at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 27. Tickets and information: grandboxoffice.com.

Claim glory as you and your friends battle it out against other teams in Mission Shawnee’s annual dodgeball tournament at 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct.12. Proceeds help fund Mission Shawnee’s education and community outreach efforts. Information: missionshawneeok.org.

Hear from photographer Lorran Meares at a free event starting at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 12 at the Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art at 1900 West MacArthur. Meares will lead a demonstration and discuss her exhibition, “Sacred Places,” now on display at the museum. Information: mgmoa.org/calendar.

St. John Lutheran Church hosts a rousing Oktoberfest celebration and auction every year with lively German music and entertainment, bratwurst and other authentic fare. Doors open at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 13 at the Benedict Center at 632 N Kickapoo. Information: stjohnshawnee.org.

The excitement won’t stop with Outlaw Motorsports’ Kart Racing Series. Gates

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Get a little unseasonable warmth from a late fall production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” playing on select dates starting Thursday, Nov. 1 in the Craig-Dorland Theatre on the OBU campus. Information: okbu.edu/fine-arts/theatre.

Help little ones “fall” in love with reading this October with story time at 10:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. every Tuesday at the Shawnee Public Library, 10:30 a.m. every Wednesday at the Shawnee Mall and Wiggle to the Music story time at 10:30 a.m. on Thursdays, Oct. 4 and Oct. 18. Information: pioneer.libnet.info/events and filter by location.

Want an opportunity to drink coffee and make art? Check out Shawnee’s new store on Main Street, Coffee n Crafts. Information: facebook.com/CoffeeNCraftsOK. If you know of any events you’d like to see featured, email editor@ shawneeoutlook.com.

Enriching the lives of our patients and their families every day.

Heartland Home Health Care

Heartland Hospice Services

• Home Care Elite 2004 - 2016

• SHP Best Hospice Caregiver Satisfaction Superior Performer Award 2016 and 2017 • All RN On Call Staff • Volunteer Program Supports Families and Veterans

• Best of Shawnee Award 2016 and 2017

• Bereavement Programs open to the public year round

Phone 405-214-6441

Phone 405-214-6442

• Accredited by Accreditation Commission for Health Care • All RN On Call Staff

heartlandhomehealth.com/Shawnee heartlandhospice.com/Shawnee www.shawneeoutlook.com

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