19th Street Magazine July 2022

Moore Chamber Foundation

Giving Back

Read Moore Book Bus

Imagination on Wheels

Veteran of the Month

Megan Dorman

July 2022 • Issue 7 • Volume 5

QUEENS

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Features

JULY CONTENTS 2022

ISSUE 7– VOLUME 5 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mark Doescher

MANAGING EDITOR Lindsay Cuomo

Imagination on Wheels

10 by Callie Collins

PHOTOGRAPHY

Mark Doescher Christian Thomas

Read Moore Book Bus brings free books, learning resources to city parks, elementary schools.

Giving Back

14 by Lindsay Cuomo

Moore Chamber of Commerce forms foundation aimed at giving back.

CONTRIBUTORS

10

Sharla Bardin| Callie Collins Lindsay Cuomo | Bill Moakley Chris Plank

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES

Trevor Laffoon - trevor@kref.com Perry Spencer - perry@kref.com

PUBLISHER

Casey Vinyard

Attaining Jobs in the Trades

18 by Sharla Bardin

MNTC offering more class options for adults interested in welding, HVAC careers.

State Champions &

22 Runner-Ups

by Christian Thomas Images from the Westmoore boys’ and girls’ track and field teams.

14

19th Street Magazine 2020 E. Alameda Norman, Oklahoma 73071 Phone: (405) 321-1400 E-mail: 19thstreetmagazine@gmail.com Copyright © 19th Street Magazine Any articles, artwork or graphics created by 19th Street Magazine or its contributors are sole property of 19th Street Magazine and cannot be reproduced for any reason without permission.

Any opinions expressed in 19th Street are not necessarily that of 19th Street management.

Queens

26 by Chris Plank

Sooner softball wins their sixth national title.

S.O.U.L. Mission

34 by Chris Plank

Venables creates mentorship program for Sooner football student-athletes.

To the Top

38 by Lindsay Cuomo

26

Norman Regional Health System celebrates construction milestone of hospital expansion.

Veteran of the Month

42 Megan Dorman

by Bill Moakley Local veteran shares about her service to country and community.

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38

Cover photo by: Mark Doescher

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COM M U N I T Y

I m ag i natio n o n W heel s

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ummer reading just might change the world, one child at a time. A library on wheels, complete with mobile story times, learning opportunities and books for all ages, Moore Public Schools’ Read Moore Book Bus will once again visit families in the area at city parks and elementary schools through July.

“We absolutely want to encourage people to read, read, read this summer and the Read Moore Book Bus makes it that much easier for families to get books,” said Ronnie Eckart, Moore Public Schools library media specialist.

Now in its fourth year, more than 40,000 books and learning activities have been checked out since the Read Moore Book Bus began its summer rounds. With three stops in the morning and three stops in the afternoon, the bus has become a familiar sight rolling through local gathering places, including school meal distribution sites at designated elementary schools.

10 July 2022

Bus,” said Eckart. “Watching children who have never been on the bus before climb the steps and find a world of resources waiting for them is magical.”

Eckart said checking out about three books at a time is usually a good number to aim for, so the bus doesn’t run out of books. Participants can return materials to the book bus or their neighborhood school’s library and no fines or other fees are part of the program.

Each time a book is returned, readers receive one ticket for a prize, a series of weekly drawings set to take place all summer long or both.

“We have some amazing prizes this summer for outdoor play, including creative things to do on a hot day in Oklahoma,” said Eckart. “Other creative play items children can win include an Easy Bake Oven and other hands-on toys.”

Participants of all ages can join in the free learning fun without the need for formal registration, a library card or even an ID. Materials are available in English, with a small Spanish language section.

Items like iPads will also be given away. Additionally, children will receive a coupon for a snow cone from Kona Ice. Funded through Moore Public Schools, the Read Moore Book Bus accepts prize and book donations.

“From babies with board books to adults who are happy to find cookbooks and novels they’ve always wanted to read, we see so many people from the community who find resources through the Read Moore Book

Keeping students engaged helps prevent learning loss, commonly known as the summer slide. The tendency to forget grade-level material during time away from school equates to losing approximately one month’s

BY: CALLIE COLLINS

Read Moore Book Bus brings free books, learning resources to city parks, elementary schools

worth of school year learning, according to a summary of data from The Brookings Institute. Early literacy and numeracy activities, such as reading just 20 minutes each day, can help mitigate the effects of the summer slide.

“The most important thing I would want people to know is that we want them to help stop that summer slide and enjoy summer reading,” said Eckart. “Anything we can do to help our community read and learn, we’re going to do that.”

Picture books, graphic novels, workbooks, young adult (YA) novels and required reading for high school classes are some of what local students will find among items available to be lent. Thousands of titles are available aboard, with the possibility of acquiring additional items by request. Math and reading games can also be checked out.

Special guest readers ride along with the bus throughout the summer.

Plan your visit by tracking the Read Moore Book Bus at mooreschools.com/Page/52110 or using the hashtag #ReadMOORE on social media. –19SM kref.com

19TH STREET MAGAZINE | 11

FILL THE BUS School Drive

Benefits Moore Public Schools teachers to offset personal costs of school supplies throughout the year.

Drop Off Dates:

July 15, July 22, July 29 11am - 1pm @ Walmart Supercenter August 2 6-9pm @ Regal Warren Moore Visit MooreChamber.com for donation & sponsorship details and supplies needed.

Presenting Sponsor

COM M U N I T Y

Giving Back

Moore Chamber of Commerce forms foundation aim at giving back

T

his spring, the Moore Chamber of Commerce officially created the Moore Chamber Foundation, bringing to fruition an effort that began in 2013.

high schools as well as Vista Academy, the Moore district’s alternative school. Community members are invited to help.

“The foundation is something we have wanted to do for quite some time and we were able to pull it together this year,” said Chamber President Kim Brown. “The Moore Chamber Foundation is now official, and our Fill the Bus campaign is going to be one of our flagship programs.”

On three Fridays this July during lunchtime, a bus will be stationed at Wal-Mart, at 501 SW 19th St, and at Moore Warren Theater on Aug. 2 from 6 to 9 p.m. during the Moore Police Department’s National Night Out community event.

Brown said that disaster recovery assistance for local businesses will also be a component of the foundation as well as the popular Hole-O-Ween event that raises money for a local non-profit.

The Chamber’s Fill the Bus effort has grown from collecting school supplies for one school to impacting ten elementary schools, all six junior highs and all three 14 July 2022

In addition to the drop-off site, area businesses are encouraged to host their own Fill the Bus drives to raise supplies and/or funds for the program. Brown said the district graciously provides a bus to literally fill up.

“The program continues to grow each year and it is remarkable to see our community come together to help out our schools, which we know is especially needed right now with inflation costs.” –19SM

BY: LINDSAY CUOMO

FILL DATES, TIMES & LOCATIONS

MOST NEEDED ITEMS:

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July 15 - Wal-Mart (501 SW 19th St), 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

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July 22 - Wal-Mart (501 SW 19th St), 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

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Glue sticks

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Crayola crayons, markers & colored pencils

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July 29 - Wal-Mart (501 SW 19th St), 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

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Aug. 2 - Regal Warren Moore (1000 S Telephone Rd), 6-9 p.m.

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Sponsorship opportunities are also available and range from $50 to $200. For more information or volunteer opportunities, visit moorechamber.com or call 405-7943400.

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19TH STREET MAGAZINE | 15

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At ta in i n g J ob s in t he Tr a d es

MNTC offering more class options for adults interested in welding, HVAC careers

A

dults pursuing careers in welding and heating and air conditioning will soon have more opportunities to take classes at Moore Norman Technology Center.

In August, the center will offer short-term courses in those fields that will give individuals the chance to complete the programs during evening hours. The evening courses will be a blend of online learning and on-site instruction and training at the center, said Tina Fitzgerald, program developer at the center.

Fitzgerald said offering the courses is a way to help working adults who may not be able to attend the center’s long-term courses during the day.

The short-term classes will be offered three nights a week.

Fitzgerald said the evening courses came about because of interest from businesses who are needing employees trained in heating and air conditioning, offering another avenue for people to explore trade careers.

“We need more individuals going into the field and younger people taking interest in it,” Fitzgerald said.

“There’s just so many directions they can grow and make very good money.”

Zac Corless trained in the center’s welding program and said the instruction and training he received help prepare him for employment. Corless is now serving as an adjunct instructor for the evening welding courses.

“I am excited for the opportunities that I will have to learn something new. It’s cool how things have kind of

18 July 2022

come full circle,” Corless said, adding that he’s “blessed to have this opportunity.”

Corless, of Norman, said he chose to take classes at the center as an alternative to attending college. He said he also had graduated from the center’s automotive services program while he was in high school. He later enrolled in welding classes and then started working at W&W Steel in Oklahoma City.

Corless said he recommends the center’s programs given the variety of classes available and the affordability of those programs.

“I would recommend Moore Norman Technology Center to anyone for any course,” he said. “College isn’t for everyone, and vo-tech is a great opportunity to learn a skill and make some money.”

The technology center also offers other short-term classes in such areas as business and finance, information technology, visual arts, health and safety, transportation and personal enrichment, which includes courses in cooking, fitness and wellness, languages, home and garden, woodcarving and woodturning.

Classes provide individuals with opportunities to explore other careers, attain additional training or develop a new hobby.

“We want to give options where they can better themselves,” Fitzgerald said. “There really is something for everyone.”

For more information about short-term classes, visit mntc.edu. -19SM

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S P O RT S

QUEENS

Photos by: Mark Doescher

F

26 July 2022

or the sixth time in program history, Oklahoma Sooner Softball sits atop the college softball world.

The Sooners have won four of the last six titles, five of the last nine.

perceived smooth ride of a 48-1 regular season was rocked when ace pitcher and the National Freshman of the Year Jordy Bahl was injured during the Sooners final regular season series against Oklahoma State.

Simply put, the Sooners are a dynasty.

The Sooners swept the series and went on to win its 10th straight Big 12 Title, but the journey to OKC would have to be made without the fiery young ace.

But the 2022 Sooners took the dynasty a step further.

The 2022 National Champs may just be the greatest softball team in the history of college softball.

THE PATH The entire season for the Sooners was heavy with expectations. OU started the preseason ranked number one and stayed there the entire season. However, the

Even though the Sooners fell to the Oklahoma State Cowgirls in the Big 12 Tournament Championship game, they still held the number one overall seed heading into the post season, marking the third straight season in the top position.

BY: CHRIS PLANK

SOONER SOFTBALL WINS 6TH NATIONAL TITLE

Patty Gasso stayed firm in her belief in this team and pitching staff despite the injury.

“Our mindset is everybody steps up, let’s do our thing.

If she is available to pitch, it will just be a bonus for us,” Gasso said before post season play began.

The Sooners proved Gasso right during the Norman Regional and Super Regionals. OU cemented its spot in the Super Regionals outscoring its opponents 37-2 over the span of three games including a 20-0 Sunday rout over Texas A&M. The victory marked an NCAA record for largest win in tournament history, eclipsing 2015 Georgia’s 17-0 regional win over Western Kentucky. kref.com

OU backed up its incredible regional performance with a solid all-around performance against the University of Central Florida. Solid pitching from Hope Trautwein and Nicole May eliminated UCF in two games. Trautwein threw a complete game no-hitter in the Sooners’ run rule, 8-0 win in game one and Nicole May backed it up with a complete game 4-hitter shutting down the upstart Knights and clinching the programs sixth straight trip to the WCWS, the 15th in program history.

The win over UCF in game two also marked Home Run Queen and back-to-back Player of the Year Jocelyn Alo’s final home game as a Sooner. Fittingly, she homered in her final at bat.

19TH BOYD STREET MAGAZINE | 27

“It’s been the quickest five years,” Alo said. “It’s gone by in the blink of an eye and I’m sad I won’t get to play another game here again, but I wouldn’t want to go out any other way. Even if I didn’t go out with a home run, I still went out with a dub (win) and that’s all that matters.”

With a lot of the buzz still circling around the potential return of Jordy Bahl, the Sooners were absolutely rolling heading into the WCWS opener in OKC against Northwestern. After 56 games played, the Sooners led the nation 138 home runs, 515 runs scored on 508 hits and 486 RBIs as a team. They were outscoring opponents 515-48 and only 37 of those runs were earned.

The team was slugging .731, held a .476 on-base clip 28 July 2022

and had swiped 59 bases on 76 attempts. The pitching staff held a nation-best 0.80 ERA and has 435 strikeouts, allowing opponents to bat just .139 on the year.

The staff had also thrown a program-record eight no-hitters and 32 shutouts on the year.

Those numbers would continue to grow in the Women’s College World Series. OU run ruled Northwestern to win game one as Jordy Bahl returned to the circle and registered the final out. Even with Bahl back in the mix, the Sooners continued to ride the hot arm of Hope Trautwein and the even hotter bats of the Sooner offense.

In the winner’s bracket game against Texas, the Sooners jumped out with a 2-run first inning home run from Joce-

lyn Alo and never looked back, beating Texas 8-2. The two teams would meet again in the WCWS Championship Series after Texas fought their way through the loser’s bracket, but the Sooners had a big fight on their hands against UCLA to clinch a spot in the Championship Series.

The Bruins shut down the Sooners in game one to force an “if necessary” game. The Sooners never wavered.

The loss to UCLA seemed to spark something in Oklahoma. The Sooners proceeded to run rule UCLA 15-0 and then hit the gas even harder.

Behind solid work in the circle, incredible defensive plays including a homerun stealing leaping catch from Jayda Coleman, and the always hot offense, the Sooners swept Texas in two games by a combined score of 26-6.

“They don’t realize how good they are,” said Gasso after her sixth National Championship. “Maybe I don’t realize how good they are. We just play. We love to have fun and love to play. You ask me to compare, you ask me what it feels like ... It feels like something we do every day at practice.”

THE GREATEST EVER Patty Gasso deferred to the media when the question surrounding the greatest team of all time was asked.

“I’m going to let you decide,” Gasso told a roomful of reporters afterward. “You guys all have the stats and all

kref.com

that stuff. I could rank them very, very high, if not the highest, because everything they do looks so easy to me, and they do it so fast.”

The Sooners disposed of opponents in a dominant manner that included 41 run-rule victories, 33 shutouts, eight no-hitters, holding opponents to one run or fewer 49 times, hitting home runs in 56 of 62 games, and many other mind-boggling numbers.

“I think you have to put their offense with some of the best ever, right up there with some of the Arizona teams from the mid-90s,” Michelle Smith from ESPN said in a roundtable interview. “Their power numbers are off the charts. Jocelyn Alo will be known as the best power hitter ever -- and she hit over .500.”

The competition for “greatest of all time” includes teams like 1994 Arizona, which went 64-3 and was part of the dynasty that won five titles in seven years. The 2008 Arizona State Sun Devils outscored opponents by 356 runs over the course of the season. The 2001 Arizona team slugged a then-Division I record 126 homers and was led by a dominant Jennie Finch in the circle.

The 2021 Sooners set the record for most home runs in a season.

But this year’s Sooners made a strong claim for the greatest of all time mantra. They went 59-3 and led the country in batting average, scoring and ERA.

19TH STREET MAGAZINE | 29

“They’re at their best when the lights are bright and the stage is big,” Gasso said during the week of the WCWS. And she’s right. Be it blowout or backs against the wall, the moment was never too big for Oklahoma. OU only dropped three games in 2022, one to Texas, one to Oklahoma State and one to UCLA, meaning every single loss Oklahoma sustained this year came to a team that reached the semifinals in the WCWS. Fifty-nine wins, the best batting average and the best ERA in college softball this season speaks for itself. But looking at the WCWS on its own, Oklahoma set a record for home runs (17) and runs (64). Look at those three losses on their own, then consider what happened the next time out. The Sooners won all three follow-up games via the run rule and a combined score of 39-0.

In fact, in other contests against the Longhorns, Cowgirls and Bruins this season, the Sooners went 10-0, outscoring the trio by a combined score of 82-14 in those 10 contests.

“I would say with me being a senior, I think this is the best team,” Alo said with a smile.

THE SUPER SENIORS

“Lynnsie Elam is our captain and is the glue that makes this team stick,” Gasso said. “What I love about her, she’s not always in the game, but she is still our captain in the dugout. What she’s done for this program, I don’t know how I could ever repay her, but she is one of those players that will be associated with greatness forever.”

The Oklahoma native completed her career with the Sooners as a 3-year captain and provided leadership that helped propel the Sooners to a WCWS in every season she was on campus and, of course, two National Titles.

“You won’t meet a better person or better player,” Alo said, “she’s worked really, really hard for what she’s accomplished these past five years, and she deserves every accomplishment that’s coming her way.”

The leadership the group of seniors provided will be a foundation they continued to build upon.

“The super seniors taught me the power of being a good teammate,” Kinzie Hansen said. “Everybody has that super senior that takes them under their wing, and mine was Jocy. To see her go, she’s going to pass the baton down.”

The Sooners will be back amongst the favorites to win the WCWS again in 2023, but the impact of the five super seniors will never be forgotten, including the obvious impact of Alo both on and off the field.

2023 AND BEYOND

“One of the biggest things that I’ve learned from (Alo) is to just really just leave it all out there,” true freshman pitcher Jordy Bahl said after OU won. “You’re never going to regret putting in the extra work. She’s one of the hardest workers, and for her it’s all paid off. Also, with all the spotlight she’s gotten, she is still the humblest teammate ever. She handles everything with grace.”

“I’m really going to sit in (this feeling) for a little bit,” Jordy Bahl said after the title. “But then as far as our team’s future, we’re all competitors, and when you are a competitor, if there’s something else out there you can get, you’re going to want to go get it. So, I don’t ever worry about us ever losing our hunger to win more national championships.”

“She loves the Sooners,” head coach Patty Gasso said about Alo. “She loves the state. She loves everything about OU, and she just wanted to feed the OU fan base everything that she had. She left it all on that field, and she left it in the history books forever.”

But it wasn’t just Alo and her redefining of the NCAA Record book. Without Hope Trautwein, the Sooners would not have won the WCWS. As the fans chanted “Hope is Dope,” the North Texas transfer proceeded to finish the WCWS with a 4-0 mark in the circle including one shutout, two complete games and 16 strikeouts.

In fact, every single super senior played a massive role in the Sooners winning a title. Taylon Snow busted out of a slump just in time to provide the Sooners with some clutch hitting including a game-changing, 3-run homer in the first game of the Championship Series and the game-tying RBI in the decisive second game.

Jana Johns continued her stellar defense at 3rd base and started the WCWS with a 5-RBI game against Northwestern including a 4th inning Grand Slam home run that propelled the Sooners to a run rule win in the first round.

30 July 2022

And then, there is Lynnsie Elam.

2022 Oklahoma Sooner softball is in the category of alltime greats. So, what can the Sooners possibly do for an encore? For now, it’s time to celebrate.

Bahl will be counted on to be the ace again after finishing the year with a 22-1 record. Bahl closed out her first year in Norman with the fifth best ERA in the country (1.09). But help is there and on its way.

The Sooners will welcome in the top player in the country in lefty pitcher Kierston Deal and secured a transfer from Michigan ace Alex Storako. Storako finished the season 25-8 with a 1.71 ERA and 300 strikeouts. Add to the mix Nicole May and the Sooner rotation may be as deep and as talented as it’s been.

There will be challenges in replacing the defense and timely hitting of Jana Johns and Taylon Snow, but perhaps no void is larger than the absence of Alo from the lineup. But Alo herself has no worries in how the Sooners can replace the production.

“One thing about Sooner softball -- and I’ve seen it year in and year out -- is they just continue to get better,” Alo said. “I don’t know what next year holds, but I know that they could make a run for the best team, too, and years to come.”–19SM

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S P O RT S

S .O . U. L . M iss io n Venables creates mentorship program for Sooner football student-athletes

W

hen Brent Venables was hired as the head football coach at the University of Oklahoma, his vision for the program went far beyond the field.

The vision of what an Oklahoma football player would represent went well beyond athletic ability or sport.

The ‘holistic’ approach to what he wanted in a Sooner required a group similar to a program that exists at Clemson, where Venables spent 10 years as defensive coordinator.

Brent Venables envisioned the S.O.U.L Mission. Standing for serving our uncommon legacy, a four-man team consists of Josh Norman, Curtis Lofton, Caleb Kelly and Ryan Young. Zulaikha Losman serves as coordinator.

“It’s a leadership initiative program,” Venables explained.

“It’s all encompassing. Their manhood, mentorship, there’s a spiritual aspect.”

“I’m not here to save everybody, but I do have values in that I’m a Christian,” he added. “It’s all voluntary. The staff is at every practice and meeting. They’re very intertwined in our players’ lives.”

Venables reflected on his time as a player and how a program like the S.O.U.L Mission could have impacted him.

“I remember as a young person getting ready for my last year in college, I was so scared,” he shared. “There wasn’t somebody I could go to and say, ‘How do I know what I’m good at?’ The answer to that was to go see the career development officer but I don’t know them. Having an in-house staff that can manage those areas, not just the career, but a lot of things. There is a mental health aspect that’s very real.”

In the building of his foundation at Oklahoma, Venables has likened the S.O.U.L Mission to the front porch for the football program.

34 July 2022

“If you make it all about winning and chasing championships, that’s going to be a very empty, unfulfilling journey,’” he said. “You can be dysfunctional and really good.

When some of the best of the best programs only focus on winning, they’re exactly that.

“We have an opportunity to have some generational change if we can keep the main thing the main thing… equipping these young people and pouring life into them, making sure that we’re not just asking the right questions but putting the right resources and people where they need to be.”

Current members of the OU coaching staff have raved about the early response and benefits of the S.O.U.L Mission.

“I think it brings a more cohesive unit together and more of a family atmosphere,” Sooner legend and current running backs Coach DeMarco Murray said. “We’re letting those guys depend on us because we’re not just here for football. We’re here for life, school, academics, girlfriends, whatever the case may be.”

Offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh agrees there have been positive impacts already.

“You’ve got 100-something kids on your team and guys are going to have issues, whatever they may be,” Bedenbaugh said. “These are four guys they can go to that have sat in their seat and understand what it takes to be successful.”

Former Sooner linebacker Caleb Kelly acts as the lead on the professional and career development side for the Mission. It was a no-brainer for Coach Venables to get Kelly as part of S.O.U.L. “The first time I met Caleb Kelly, I was like ‘That guy’s got a story that needs to be heard.’ He’s a connector,” Venables

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said. “His best asset is he’s a relational person. He’s got this amazing story, but he also has a heart for people. The light inside of that guy, I saw that within the first 30 seconds. I said, ‘I gotta get that guy in the S.O.U.L. mission.’”

Kelly’s personality is infectious, and he has poured himself into his new role.

“It’s basically developing the man, not the football player,” Kelly said. “If you handle your business in every aspect of life, whether it’s on the field, off the field, in the classroom, in relationships and just life in general interacting with other people, then the football portion will come on its own.”

Josh Norman, who was a valued member of the 2000 National Championship squad, helped engineer the first mission trip. In addition to the S.O.U.L members, 24 Sooners volunteered their time to travel to Scott Lake Elementary in Miami Gardens, Florida. The volunteer group helped to mentor students of Scott Lake and helped with the school’s ‘beautification’ by painting walls, landscaping, and other necessary upgrades. To help with the mentoring process, OU players were partnered with students.

“Every single one of those 24 guys volunteered their own personal time to serve,” Norman told SoonerSports.com.

“They finished school on Friday (May 13), and we flew to Miami on Sunday. A lot of guys could have gone home, but they chose to sacrifice their own time to go and serve somebody else.”

Ryan Young has quickly embraced his role with the Mission. Young graduated from Kansas State and had a solid NFL career. Venables was a graduate assistant on Snyder’s staff when Young arrived at Kansas State, and he was promoted to linebackers coach before Young graduated.

“Coach Venables, as the leader of our program, he’s creating a culture in which he says, ‘It’s OK to not be OK,’” Young said. “Life happens. [There can be] mental health issues and mental wellness issues, especially when you talk about the immense pressure that a lot of our athletes and our coaches face [to] perform on the field, off the field, in the classroom. Life doesn’t just slow down because we’ve got a football game. Coach Venables has created an environment where our guys can reach out and let us know or let someone know that they need help.”

Curtis Lofton, the soft-spoken, hard-hitting former Sooner, brings a wealth of experience from the NFL after spending eight NFL seasons with three different teams.

The life experiences the leadership group shares and the vision for what Venables wants in this program have gelled instantly. The S.O.U.L mission has shown in a short amount of time that it adds an immeasurable value to the Sooner football program.

“Life’s going to bring you to your knees, and we’ve got to do everything in our power to make sure they’ve got a foundation that’s sustainable, that can handle the storms, that can pull us through the tough moments that are going to happen,” Venables said. “And they’re there. You are going to have the mountain top experiences. You’re going to be down in the mud, in the valleys.” –19SM

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orman Regional Health System recently celebrated reaching the highest point of construction on its expansion of the HealthPlex hospital. The expansion is part of Norman Regional’s Inspire Health Plan, which will modernize facilities and increase access to healthcare for people in south central Oklahoma.

The Inspire Health Plan will consolidate inpatient acute care services to the newly expanded Healthplex in an effort to increase hospital operations efficiency and provide a consistent patient experience.

The expansion is tentatively set to be completed in 2023 and will include: •

A new patient bed tower

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Expanded emergency department

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Roundabout entrance for convenient entry into the hospital

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New parking garage

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Ambulatory care center

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Comprehensive cancer center

To learn more about the new patient bed tower and the Inspire Health plan, visit InspireHealthOK.com. –19SM 38 July 2022

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Veteran of the Month:

Megan Dorman Local veteran shares about her service to country and community

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moment no newly minted teenager should experience allowed Megan Dorman the opportunity to discover what it was she wanted to do in life.

Dorman’s world was visited by tragedy at age 13 when a close friend died unexpectedly. It was at that friend’s funeral she recalls wanting to devote her life to helping people during some of their most helpless times.

“That was my first introduction to death and funerals,” Dorman explained. “(My friend) looked just like herself, like she was sleeping, which really helped me process what was going on. A few years later, I went to a grandparent’s funeral. I just got it stuck in my head that’s what I’ve got to do for people. I have to help them say their final goodbyes in the right way.”

A 2003 GlenOak graduate of high school in Canton, Ohio, Dorman worked for the local sheriff’s office as a dispatcher for about four years before deciding to join the United States Marine Corps. After completing basic training at Parris Island, she was stationed at Fort Gordon near Augusta, Georgia where she served as a signals intelligence analyst.

“I would work on threat warnings to soldiers deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq,” Dorman said. “We would get warnings from all kinds of different areas. There were different ways that we would get those warnings. I would draft reports and they would be sent to the commanding officers downrange. They would disperse the warnings to the units.”

42 July 2022

Dorman worked on such threats as a Marine for five years, and four more as a civilian contractor. While working as a civilian, she attended mortuary school at Ogeechee Technical College where she earned an associate degree in funeral service.

Dorman began a required apprenticeship at Elliott Sons Funeral Home in Georgia. While working on that apprenticeship, she decided to pursue an opportunity with a funeral home in Wichita. That meant starting the apprenticeship over as apprenticeships in the industry do not transfer across states. She earned her licensure in Kansas in 2019. She then moved one state south to Oklahoma, earn her licensing here and took over as location manager for Moore Funeral and Cremation.

While beginning her career in funeral service, Dorman used her GI Bill benefits to earn her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Maryland, helping her meet Oklahoma’s testing and education requirements.

Since moving to Moore, Dorman has been active with American Legion Post 184, serving on the post executive committee. She also is a member of the Marine Corps League Sooner Detachment 559 and volunteers for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

“As soon as I came here, it really did feel like home to me,” Dorman said of Moore. “The community has been so welcoming and so nice. It’s just been a great experience.” –19SM

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