Southern Oklahoma Living Magazine-Holiday Edition 2014

Fashionable Fashionable Fall DecorTIPS TO MAKE TIPS TO MAKE YOUR HOME YOUR HOME LOOK THE LOOK THE PART IN PART IN AUTUMNAUTUMNPPg. 12g. 12

Alternative Alternative Christmas Trees:Christmas Trees:

Not your average holiday look

Pg. 20

Festival of Lights shines bright after humble

beginnings

PPg. 40g. 40

2 Southern Oklahoma Living ◆ Holiday 2014

Holiday 2014 ◆ Southern Oklahoma Living 3

SEPT. 27 - MAY 6 Explore the world exposed when 101 ancient canoes were found in a dry lake bed. Th e acclaimed exhibit, with videos and interactive play. And canoes, old and new.

canoes2014.com • Sulphur, OK • 580-622-7130

—Th e Wall Street Journal

“Magnifi cent”

Produced by the Florida Museum of Natural History with support from the AEC Trust, Lastinger Family Foundation, State of Florida and VisitGainesville.

Holiday Calendar ............................................... 8

Cross Timbers: Past to Present ................... 16

Outdoors: ‘Hunters in the know let young bucks grow’...................................................................... 19

Picture Perfect: Nail that Christmas Card photo this year ........................................................... 22

Chickasaw Nation: Ready for the Holidays: ....... 36

Holiday on the Hardwood: Ardmore Holiday Tournament fast approaches ............................ 38

ALT get a ‘Clue’ for next show ....................... 42

44 Southern Oklahoma LivingSouthern Oklahoma Living ◆◆ Holiday 2014Holiday 2014

Happy Holidays from the PublisherBy Kim Benedict

PUBLISHERKim Benedict

ADVERTISER DIRECTORNatalie Cockran

ADVERTISING SALESAshley WhiteTracey Aviles

STAFF WRITERSMarsha MillerMichael PinedaScott Joiner

Micah McVickersLaura Eastes

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSHarry GaloobRick BaggettKaye Seeliger

Andrea AndersonLeila LenoreTrevor Potts

Kristy Crutchfi eld CoxGene Lehmann

Kevin KerrLeslie Christian

GRAPHICS/PRODUCTIONJulie Chamberlain

Cathy RobertsAmanda Wyatt

LAYOUT/DESIGNKevin Kerr

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHYMichael PinedaLaura EastesMarsha MillerScott Joiner

COVER PHOTOGRAPHYCharrie Shockey

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHYThe Chickasaw Nation

Charles B. Goddard CenterMetro Creative Services

DISTRIBUTIONCharlie Ammons

CIRCULATIONArlene Austin

BUSINESS OFFICEKathy WorleyKathy Keeton

THE ARDMOREITEEstablished 1893117 W. BroadwayP.O. Box 1328

Ardmore, OK 73401(580) 223-2200

SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA LIVINGPublished 4 Times Per Year

Distributed through insertion in The Ardmoreite

and at select locationsthroughout southern Oklahoma

Holiday 2014 issue printed and distributed

initially on October 31, 2014

Copyright 2014GateHouse Media, LLC

117 W. BroadwayP.O. Box 1328

Ardmore, OK 73401(580) 223-2200

All Rights ReservedNo portion of this magazine may be

reproduced in whole or in part without

written consent fromthe publisher or its designee.

Southern OklahomaSouthern Oklahoma

Holiday 2014 Vol. 1, No.

Contents5

Features

Soon it will be Christmas, and Santa is gearing up to travel around the world once again.

But this year, he’ll have a few extra helpers with him.

These three pitbulls posing with Santa Claus are from the Ardmore Animal Shelter and were nomi-nated to be Santa’s honorary rein-deer. These three are helping Santa raise awareness of the need for good homes for the countless other animals that come through the Ardmore Animal Shelter’s doors every day.

If you are interested in adopt-ing this holiday season, visit the Ardmore Animal Shelter at 321 Carol Brown Blvd. in Ardmore.

Keep the Kids Learning While on BreakKeep the Kids Learning While on Break By Laura Eastes 10Fall Fashions: Table Decorating for the Fall By Laura Eastes 12Switch up your Christmas tree with Switch up your Christmas tree with these fresh ideasthese fresh ideas By Marsha Miller 20Bowl Bound: How far are you willing to travel? By Micah McVickers 30

About the Cover

Festival of Lights comes from Festival of Lights comes from Humble beginningsHumble beginnings By Michael Pineda 40Other Items

It’s a boo-licious time of year, leading into Thanksgiving, then Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanza and the end of this year and the beginning of 2015.

It doesn’t seem quite fair that we pack so much fun and festivity into the last three months of the year, but that’s just the way it is and in southern Oklahoma we make the most of it.

As the air turns crisp and cool, outdoor activities require jackets and the ubiquitous hoodies, generally adorned with

our favorite high school or university name or mascot. Water elements in our gardens and parks are quieted and fi re pits and bon fi res take center stage for quiet conversa-tions on the deck or an after-the-game gath-ering.

Summer’s colorful annuals make way for fall perennials and colorscapes move from hot pinks and purples to autumn’s gold and burgundies. The beauty of our area doesn’t dim, but revels in the change of seasons. And

while some may think our Christmas cover is a little prema-ture, this is our last edition of the year and we wanted a cover that would carry us through the holiday season.

Time has passed quickly this year and it’s hard to believe we’ve put out four editions of this magazine that celebrates our region and our residents. The positive feedback for Southern Oklahoma Living has been gratifying and there’s been such an over-the-counter demand in our offi ce that we’ve included a mail subscription form in this edition for out-of-towners that don’t subscribe to The Ardmoreite, but want to take advantage of the advertising offers and quality content that speaks to our mid-western values and quality of life.

The calendar of events on pages 8 and 9 provides entertain-ment opportunities for everyone. The volume and diversity of activities is almost as amazing as the talented organizers, performers, artists and volunteers that make so many things possible.

If you have a small space or just aren’t up for a large Christ-mas tree this year, check out some stylish and unique alterna-tives on page 20. We also have some simple decorating ideas on page12 that will take your table from everyday, to holiday.

Our columnists, as always, will make you laugh, smile and provide questions and concepts that may provide a spring-board for thought and discussion.

Thank you to everyone that has participated in the journey this year – our advertisers, contributors, the amazing staff at The Ardmoreite and you, our readers and supporters. I look forward to what next year brings as Southern Oklahoma Liv-ing continues to evolve. If you have comments or suggestions, please email me at [email protected].

Best wishes to you and yours for a safe and happy holiday season!

Kim Benedict, Publisher Southern Oklahoma Living magazine


23 Bst SW | Ardmore | 580-223-2333Mon-Fri 11 am-9 pm | Sat 5 pm-9 pm

Dine-In or To Go Dine-In or To Go

New LocationAcross from the Carter County Courthouse

New Location

SUSHI SUSHI

NANCE’S

223-3488 • 1023 W. Broadway • 1-800-677-3489www.nancehomefurnishings.com

• Appliances • Televisions • Furniture

• LG • Frigidaire • Maytag • Sub Zero • Wolf • Vent-A-Hood • U-Line • Hoshizaki • La-Z-Boy • Serta

Our Roots Are In Ardmore, Not Just Our

Branches

Since 1948

Kim Benedict

So many holidays, in such little time, for southern Oklahoma

From the Publisher


Fall is offi cially here. Cold weather enthu-siasts look forward to snow and the Christ-

mas season. However, some of us are already looking forward to spring and next summer. We have put on a few pounds, our body is not as fi t and we are a year older. We look in the mir-ror and a sense of dread and concern arises. “OMG- I see a wrinkle”… “I don’t remember that fl ab on my stomach”….. and… “How in the world am I going to fi t into that new swimsuit next year? “

You should plan your strat-egy for next summer before it gets here. Cosmetic surgi-cal procedures such as breast augmentation, breast lifting, liposuction, tummy tuck, face-lifting, eyelid plasty and skin texture improvement are com-monly performed during the cooler “off “ season.

The kids are in school, va-cation is over and now is the time to have those rejuvenat-ing procedures. Since many procedures require some re-covery, fall and winter is the “best” time for some “body remodeling”. ■ Breast augmentation —

placement of an implant to fi ll out and enlarge the breast. ■ Breast lifting — molding

and shaping the native breast tissue to make it perkier and higher on the chest. ■ Breast reduction — wom-

en with very large breasts may have neck, back and shoulder discomfort because of large breast size. A proportional reduction in the breast with lifting of the nipple area can dramatically improve discom-fort while making the body look slimmer and more fi t. ■ Liposuction —a small tube

that is soft on the end is placed into the fatty area and excess fatty tissue is removed. (Be careful with laser liposuction. Irregularity and injury is not uncommon.) ■ Tummy tuck — excess skin

on the stomach is removed, the belly button is reshaped and the stomach muscles are tightened■ Facelift —facial and neck

skin is smoothed and tight-ened. ■ Eyelid and Brow rejuvena-

tion —excess skin on the eye-lids is trimmed, the brows and forehead may be tightened.■ Skin rejuvenation and

resurfacing — irregulari-ties in skin coloration, dark spots , sun damage, wrinkles and some skin laxity can be corrected with peels and la-sers. Deeper wrinkles can be treated with fi llers or wrinkle smoothing (a simple release of the deepest part of the wrin-kle) and platelet rich plasma. Platelet rich plasma skin peels are available. Procedures are performed in our accredited offi ce setting. ■ Fat grafting — fat is har-

vested from the stomach using a special liposuction proce-dure (yes, you also get a little liposuction included). The body’s healing materials are added to the fat to enhance growth (platelet rich plasma, stem cells extracted from fat). The super-charged fat cells are injected to plump up defi cient areas of the face and body.

All of these procedures can be performed in ambulatory settings. In my practice, they are performed in our private AAAHC accredited Surgical Facility using special local an-esthesia techniques and seda-tives. General anesthesia is avoided. Platelet rich plasma is used in all surgical cases to

enhance healing, reduce re-covery time and improve the fi nal result. In selected cases, we use Stem cells extracted from the patient’s own fat.

FINANCES Most cosmetic surgeons ac-

cept some fi nancing through third party payers (Visa, Mas-terCard, American express, Carecredit). Some sort of convenience fee may apply. New technology makes many of these procedures more af-fordable with faster recovery.

PLAN FOR RECOVERY Most cosmetic surgical pro-

cedures will have some recov-ery period after the procedure. Plan for at least two weeks of reduced activity (a little longer for some of the larger body procedures) Many patients have much less down time. The good news is that this is the best time for recovery since our bodies are covered due to the cold weather. This is also a great time to have skin resurfacing since sun exposure is at a minimum.

IMPORTANT POINTS■ Set aside preconceived

notions and stories of compli-cations from the past. Find out the facts yourself. ■ Get your questions an-

swered. Make an appointment for a consultation with a physi-

cian who is trained and experi-enced in cosmetic surgery. ■ Ask to see photos of other

patients, and if possible, speak with other patients who have been treated. ■ Speak with the doctor per-

sonally. Decide if he or she is someone you want to have a relationship with. If most of your visit is with an assistant, the post operative care may occur in the same manner. ■ Check with your state

medical society about the physician’s qualifi cations and certifi cations. Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure (405) 848-6841 www.osbmls.state.ok.us/■ If your physician is board

certifi ed, make sure they are board certifi ed in an appro-priate specialty, (ie. Cosmetic Surgery, Facial Plastic Surgery, Dermatology, Plastic Surgery, etc.) ■ Verify that the facility you

will be treated in is approved by a national certifying orga-nization. ■ Be wary of non surgical

procedures performed in a spa. There are various machines that claim to change body con-tour and skin using heat, cold, mocrowave and various kinds of lasers. These procedures are unproven (but well adver-tised), expensive and in some cases are potentially harmful. ■ National Organizations to

verify qualifi cations of Physi-cians and facilities:

— Accreditation Association For Ambulatory Healthcare (847) 853-6060

— American Board of Cos-metic Surgery, www.ameri-canboardcosmeticsurgery.org(708)474-7200

— American Board of Der-matology, www.abderm.org (313) 874-1088

— American Board of Facial Plastic Surgery www.aafprs.org (703 549-3223

— American Board of Plastic Surgery. www.abplsurg.org(215) 587-9322

Fall is here How to be sure you look as good as you can look

Harry Galoob

Dr Harry Galoob MD has been in the prac-tice of Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery for more than 30 years. He is board certifi ed by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery. Most procedures are performed in a private AAAHC certifi ed facility. He also has hospital privileges at Mercy Hospital in Ardmore and Southeast-ern Medical Center in Durant. All procedures include the use of platelet rich plasma. Adipose derived stem cell therapy is available.


www.thebrownpaperbag.com

1704 mclish • ardmore 223-1322open 10:00-6:00 tues. - sat.

thursdays ‘til 7:00 p.m.

C RADDOCK Funeral Home

525 S. Commerce, Ardmore, OK • (580)223-2727www.craddockfuneralhome.com

Think about them today. Plan for tomorrow.

You can protect your family from the stress of making emotional decisions during a difficult time.

Call us. We’re here to help. Enjoy your todays...Plan for tomorrow.

The seasons of Thanks-giving and Advent and Christmas are times for

human grace — for goodwill and for support of person by person. Christmas is also, and fi rst of all, the celebration of God’s grace. It is a time to greet our loved ones and even our larger community with the hopes that our lives will be made merry and strong by His providence.

There is a wonderful prom-ise from the Old Testament prophet, Jeremiah of a righteous Branch coming (33:14-16). What excitement, joy, anxiety, won-der, and speculation that news would bring. One wonders if, in the minds of Jeremiah’s hear-ers, preparations began when he spoke those words. People could have begun preparing by thinking of joyous celebra-tions, or of thankful and sacred times, or both. Perhaps a feast and gifts were in order. Perhaps repentance and soul-searching felt right. And probably, as today, there were both.

Today, we prepare for the event of Thanksgiving and the birth of the righteous Branch. But today we know that righ-teous Branch as the Christ Child, and we respond by feast-ing and giving gifts, by prayer,

and by being still and reverent.The holiday season is so many

different things. Stores are full of colorful ribbons and paper and snow and candy canes and glitter of every kind and color. Homes are fi lled with decorated trees,

stockings, won-derful aromas, and conver-sations of gathered friends and families. Church mem-bers are orga-nizing caroling, preparing gifts for the needy, rehearing the

Scriptures leading to the birth of Christ, and practicing special music that gets into our very souls.

Thus, the task of the Thanks-giving and Advent season is preparation. As we approach the Emmanuel moment, we busy ourselves with the task of preparing for the great promise of Scripture, the coming of the Christ. But every year, during this season leading up to Christ-mas Day, we come home and gather together with our family and loved ones. We reconcile and reunite. We share our joys and sorrows at this time. We feast at this time. We praise God at this

time. We come home.The holiday season

is a time of home-coming. It is a time for mothers to be mothers, fathers to be fathers, brothers to be brothers, sisters to be sisters, old friends to be old friends, and for all of us to be children remembering the Christmas of our childhood, its joy and sometimes its pain. The holiday season is also a time for making great memories. May that be so for you and for me this year. Happy holidays

— Dr. Rick Baggett,Pastor, First Presbyte-rian Church, Ardmore

The Holidays

Rick Baggett

14 “‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfi ll the good promise I made to the people of Is-rael and Judah.

15 “‘In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land.

16 “‘In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety.This is the name by which it[a] will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior.’”

Jeremiah 33: 14-16Jeremiah 33: 14-16


MARK YOUR CALENDARMARK YOUR CALENDARNOVEMBERNOVEMBER

NOV. 1NOV. 1........................................................................................................

■ ■ Oklahoma Wine Walk: Brookhaven Vil-Oklahoma Wine Walk: Brookhaven Vil-lage, Normanlage, Norman

■ ■ National Weather Festival: National National Weather Festival: National Weather Center, NormanWeather Center, Norman

■ ■ Kenny Rogers & Ronnie Milsap in Con-Kenny Rogers & Ronnie Milsap in Con-cert: WinStar World Casino, Thackervillecert: WinStar World Casino, Thackerville

NNOV. 5 - DEC. 15OV. 5 - DEC. 15................................................

■ ■ Annual Silent Christmas Tree and Annual Silent Christmas Tree and Wreath Auction: DuncanWreath Auction: Duncan

NNOV. 7-8OV. 7-8............................................................................................

■ ■ Crafts, Arts & Hobbies Show: Stephens Crafts, Arts & Hobbies Show: Stephens County Fair & Expo Center, DuncanCounty Fair & Expo Center, Duncan

■ ■ Cleveland County Craft Show: Cleveland Cleveland County Craft Show: Cleveland County Fairgrounds, NormanCounty Fairgrounds, Norman

NNOV. 9OV. 9......................................................................................................

■ ■ Veterans Day Blue River Trout Derby: Veterans Day Blue River Trout Derby: Blue River Fishing area, TishomingoBlue River Fishing area, Tishomingo

NOV. NOV. 14-15 14-15 ........................

■ ■ Christmas in Christmas in the Barn, Mari-the Barn, Mari-ettaetta

NNOV. 14-16OV. 14-16................................................................................

■ ■ Fall Festival Arts & Craft Show: Ardmore Fall Festival Arts & Craft Show: Ardmore Convention Center, ArdmoreConvention Center, Ardmore

■ ■ Duncan Art Guild Holiday Art Show: Duncan Art Guild Holiday Art Show: Stephens County Historical Museum, Dun-Stephens County Historical Museum, Dun-cancan

■ ■ Carter County Arts & Crafts Festival & Carter County Arts & Crafts Festival & Food Fair: Hardy Murphy Coliseum, Ard-Food Fair: Hardy Murphy Coliseum, Ard-more (Ends Nov. 15)more (Ends Nov. 15)

Nov. 20Nov. 20 ................................................. .................................................March for Babies: SulphurMarch for Babies: Sulphur

NNOV. 22 OV. 22 ............................................................................................

■ ■ Holiday Stroll: DuncanHoliday Stroll: Duncan

■ ■ 19th Annual Ardmore “Chigger Chase” 19th Annual Ardmore “Chigger Chase” 5K through Christmas lights: Ardmore5K through Christmas lights: Ardmore

NNOV. 22 - DEC. 30OV. 22 - DEC. 30............................................................................................

■ ■ Ardmore Festival of Ardmore Festival of Lights: Regional Park, Lights: Regional Park, ArdmoreArdmore

NOV. 26-30NOV. 26-30............

■ ■ World Jr. Team World Jr. Team Roping Champion-Roping Champion-

ship, Hardy Mur-ship, Hardy Mur-phey Coliseum, phey Coliseum, ArdmoreArdmore

NNOV. 27-30OV. 27-30............................................................................

■ ■ Rising Stars Calf Roping Finals: Ste-Rising Stars Calf Roping Finals: Ste-phens County Fair & Expo Center, Dun-phens County Fair & Expo Center, Dun-cancan

NOV. 28NOV. 28 ............................................... ...............................................

■ ■ Ringling Christmas Parade, RinglingRingling Christmas Parade, Ringling

DECEMBERDECEMBERDEC. 1 DEC. 1 ........................................................................................................

■ ■ Christmas Parade of Lights: Pauls ValleyChristmas Parade of Lights: Pauls Valley

DEC. 2 DEC. 2 ....................................................................................................

■ ■ Dashing to Durant Christmas lighting Dashing to Durant Christmas lighting and parade: Durantand parade: Durant

■■ Parade of Lights for Shop with Parade of Lights for Shop with a Cop, Ardmorea Cop, Ardmore

■ ■ Davis Christmas Parade Davis Christmas Parade and Chili cook-off, Davisand Chili cook-off, Davis

DEC. 3 DEC. 3 ..........................................

■ ■ Christmas Tree Light-Christmas Tree Light-ing & Living Windows ing & Living Windows Walk: TishomingoWalk: Tishomingo

DEC. 4 DEC. 4 ........................

■ ■ Pat Taylor Me-Pat Taylor Me-morial Parade of morial Parade of

Lights: AdaLights: Ada


Other Locations: Madill • Durant • Weatherford Kingston • Marietta • Tishomingo • Holdenville

(580) 226-1208Mon-Fri 7:30-5:30

Saturday 8:00-2:00

821 West Main | Ardmore

DEC. 5 DEC. 5 ..........................................

■ ■ Atoka Craft Show: Atoka Craft Show: AtokaAtoka

■ ■ Brian White in Con-Brian White in Con-cert: Jack A. Maurer cert: Jack A. Maurer Convention Center & Convention Center & Theatre, DuncanTheatre, Duncan

DEC. 6 DEC. 6 ..........................................

■ ■ Atoka Christmas Pa-Atoka Christmas Pa-rade: Atokarade: Atoka

■ ■ Southern Oklahoma Southern Oklahoma Children’s Christmas Pa-Children’s Christmas Pa-rade, Ardmorerade, Ardmore

DEC. 7 DEC. 7 ............................................

■ ■ Altus Christmas Pa-Altus Christmas Pa-rade: Altusrade: Altus

DEC. 11 DEC. 11 ......................................

■ ■ Johnston County Johnston County Christmas Parade: Tisho-Christmas Parade: Tisho-mingomingo

DEC. 13DEC. 13........................................

■ ■ Duncan Christmas Pa-Duncan Christmas Pa-rade: Duncanrade: Duncan

■ ■ Waurika Christmas Pa-Waurika Christmas Pa-rade: Waurikarade: Waurika

DEC. 21 DEC. 21 ....................................

■ ■ Eagle Watch: Lake Eagle Watch: Lake

Thunderbird State Park, Thunderbird State Park, Norman, OK. Dec. 21Norman, OK. Dec. 21

DEC. 31DEC. 31........................................

■ ■ John Legend in Con-John Legend in Con-cert: WinStar World Ca-cert: WinStar World Ca-sino, Thackervillesino, Thackerville

JANUARYJANUARYJJAN. 1AN. 1..............................................

■ ■ First Day Hike at Rob-First Day Hike at Rob-bers Cave State Park & bers Cave State Park & Lake Thunderbird State Lake Thunderbird State Park: Wilburton, OK & Park: Wilburton, OK & NormanNorman

JAN. 4JAN. 4............................................

■ ■ Jennifer Fugate Run: Jennifer Fugate Run: Atoka, OK. Jan. 4Atoka, OK. Jan. 4

JAN. 23-24JAN. 23-24......................

■ ■ Trail Dance Film Fes-Trail Dance Film Fes-tival: Simmons Center, tival: Simmons Center, Duncan, OK. Jan. 23 Duncan, OK. Jan. 23 – 24– 24

JAN. 31JAN. 31..........................................

■ ■ Chocolate Festival: Chocolate Festival: NCED Hotel & Confer-NCED Hotel & Confer-ence Center, Normanence Center, Norman

CHICKASAW NATIONCHICKASAW NATION■ ■ Nov. 20 – 22: “A Christmas Carol: A Live Radio Show”: Mc-Nov. 20 – 22: “A Christmas Carol: A Live Radio Show”: Mc-Swain Theatre, downtown Ada.Swain Theatre, downtown Ada.

■■ Nov. 22-23: Chickasaw Cultural Center Thanksgiving Celebra- Nov. 22-23: Chickasaw Cultural Center Thanksgiving Celebra-tion, Sulphurtion, Sulphur

■ ■ Dec. 1: Third annual “Up Go the Lights!” Christmas lights Dec. 1: Third annual “Up Go the Lights!” Christmas lights tour: Chickasaw Cultural Center, Sulphur. (6 – 9 p.m. throughout tour: Chickasaw Cultural Center, Sulphur. (6 – 9 p.m. throughout December)December)

■ ■ Dec. 3: “Chickasaw White House” historical Christmas light Dec. 3: “Chickasaw White House” historical Christmas light display/tour: Emetdisplay/tour: Emet

■ ■ Dec. 13: Chickasaw Cultural Center Christmas Celebration: Dec. 13: Chickasaw Cultural Center Christmas Celebration: CCC, Sulphur.CCC, Sulphur.

The Goddard CenterThe Goddard Center■■ Through Nov. 23: “The Dark Side” Art Exhibit Through Nov. 23: “The Dark Side” Art Exhibit

■■ Dec. 2-31: Contemporary Exhibit Dec. 2-31: Contemporary Exhibit

■■ Dec. 4: Gallery Talk @ noon Dec. 4: Gallery Talk @ noon

■ ■ Dec. 2: Pianist Mac FramptonDec. 2: Pianist Mac Frampton

■■ Dec. 13-14: Holiday Sale Dec. 13-14: Holiday Sale


By Laura Eastes

he holidays of Novem-ber and December, along with class-es ending for

a semester break, prompt days of no school.

While students eagerly look for-ward to those breaks from c l a s s r o o m t i m e a n d h o m e w o r k , parents might be scratching their heads w o n d e r i n g what to do when the kids are home from school.

Families can use the time off from school to take a tiny day trip, traveling to one of the many great museums not far from the Ardmore area. Just because it is a school break, does not mean learning needs to be on a break.

Here are some of the many great museums and education spaces geared towards youngsters.

One of the premier museums in Oklahoma, this is a great place to go for better understanding of natural

history, archaeology, fossils, geology and

O k l a h o -ma’s natu-ral resourc-es. While i t might be best for teens and older, there is the discovery room, which can be great

for entertaining and educating the younger children in a family.

The Discovery Room exhibit is a place to explore artifacts and scientifi c specimens

in a hands-on environment. Think ex-cavating dinosaur bones and touch-

ing artifacts, which is typically not allowed in the rest

of the museum. The room is

also home to weekend pro-gramming de-signed for kids. First at 11:30 a.m. Satur-days, reptiles, a m p h i b i a n s and fish are brought out for

feeding time and staff invite the children to join

them as they ex-plain the animals. At 2 p.m. Saturdays and again at

2:30 p.m. Sundays, Discovery Time takes place for preschool and elementary-

age children. Programs vary each week but may include story time, crafts and touching

specimens. For more information, visit www.snomnh.ou/edu or call

(405) 325-4712.

This is a place designed for family fun and one where adults will likely let their inner-child run wild. The Okla-homa City museum, which is also home to the Kirkpatrick Planetarium, will have guests enthralled from the moment they walk in the door.

There are a variety of exhibits, providing unique op-portunities through an interactive learning style. New to the museum this year, is the Tinkering Garage, a space inviting all to investigate, experiment, design and create. Visitors will be exploring science, engineering, math, art and technology all at once as they “tinker” around testing and interacting in the exhibit.

Other popular exhibits include “Gadget Trees,” “Eye on the Sky,” and “Mind Games.”

For more information, visit www.sciencemuseumok.orgor call (405) 602-3760.


About 40 miles from Ardmore, lies a small zoo that is home to 130 ani-mals. Known as the “best little zoo in Texas,” the zoo is open year round in its

location in Leonard Park. Highlights at the zoo include the giraffes who are fed daily at 10:30 a.m., weather permitting.

The zoo was recently nominated for Best Place for an Animal Encounter in DFW Child’s annual Best for Families

awards. The zoo is closed on Thanksgiv-

ing and Christmas Day, but is open through April with 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. hours.

For more information, visit www.gainesville.tx.us or call (940) 668-4539.

A family might think a U.S. Na-tional Park is great for a summer visit with fi shing, swimming and camping

options, but don’t forget hiking, bird watching and ranger-guided programs take place throughout the year.

A brisk but sunny day can be a great time to explore a hiking trail, which serves as an easy avenue to learn more about nature. Trails are marked with display boards, pointing out animals to be found and plants to be identi-fi ed.

To make sure kids get the most out of the park, visit the Junior Ranger Station and learn about the Junior Ranger program for all ages. An activi-ty book is distributed to kids which has different activities, games and puzzles kids can partake in while exploring the national park. Once the book is com-plete, a junior ranger will take home a badge, patch and certifi cate.

For more information, www.nps.gov/chic or call (580) 622-7234.

— [email protected]


FallHome Decor

FashionsFashionsSimple Chic and natural;

Table decorating

in the FallPhotos, decor by Laura Eastes

A

By Laura Eastes

utumn is a great time of the year to have folks over and entertain. Creating a fall table that is

festive and bright is quite simple with so many natu-ral items easily accessible that will produce a fi tting table decor for the season.

First look to a local pro-duce stand or garden center for loading up on pump-kins, gourds and even, squashes for creating an autumn tablescape. Think outside traditional orange. Pumpkins come in a variety of shades, not just orange. Green and white pumpkins mixed with a bright orange pumpkin have the mak-ing of a vibrant arrange-ment. Variety will create a unique look and don’t shy away from those pint-sized pumpkins. While small in size and cheap in price, those tiny pumpkins can be perfect for completing the fi nishing touches on your table. Uses for mini-pumpkins are countless. Consider it for place cards,

cut a slit in the top for plac-ing a fl at card with a party guest’s name. Placing the pumpkins around the focal point of the table will give it the eye-catching looking as well as tie the table decor together.

With colors like orange, yellow, and white, mums can be a pop of color on a fall table. Nothing rep-resents fall like pumpkins and mums. Like pumpkins, mums come in a variety of colors that correspond nicely with pumpkins and gourds.

For a simple and casual main centerpiece, cut a circle around the stem of a pumpkin. Make sure theopening of the pumpkin is

“Green and white pumpkins mixed

with a bright orange pumpkin have the

makings of a vi-brant arrangement.”

“With colors like orange, yellow, and white, mums can be a pop of color on a fall table.”

Used wine corks can make excellent placecard

holders with a simple slit cut in the top.

SEE ‘FALL,’ PAGE 14


at least the size of a salad plate, possibly more depending on mums. Scrape out the pumpkin seeds and wipe out the pumpkin’s inside. Next, place the mums in-side the pumpkin to create a vase. The end-result will be a natural, but beautiful centerpiece.

With a focal point created for a table, and gourds and mini-pumpkins ready for arranging, next look to decor items used throughout the year and already in the home. The mums, gourds and pumpkins will serve as the color. Therefore adding tradi-tional candlesticks and white candles will complement the ar-rangement nicely.

For table linens, think simple and look to items already in the home. A traditional white table can be utilized, but if a table top is wood, consider having that natural-brown shine through. Burlap is a trendy and cheap alternative to a tablecloth, table runner or as an overlay to a table cloth. Burlap table runners are easy to fi nd at stores during the fall months, but purchasing the fabric and creating one can be a simple project.

When trying to determine a table linen, look to other clothes. An infi nity scarf can be used as a square overlay on a table. Tradi-tional scarfs can also be deployed as table runners or as an accent.

With the elements selected, begin creating the table. If you have access to already changed and fallen leaves, be sure to place under plates, bowls and around the table for accents. The same is true of acorns. Home decor stores tend to sell fabric leaves and decorative acorns, as a back up for those of us in warmer climates.

There really is a variety of ways your fall table can transpire. While the end result may vary, the table is sure to look seasonal, natural, chic and ready for enter-taining.


Excitement is building as we prepare for the 43rd annual Carter

County Arts & Crafts Festival & Food Fair, sponsored by the Carter County Association for Home and Community Education. The commit-tee has been hard at work meeting and planning for this year’s festival. All spaces are fi lled with a variety of items and we are expecting many handmade items for sale such as jewelry, clothes for adults and children, candles, wood-crafts, canned goods, wreaths, western items, gourmet food items and more.

You will just have to visit Hardy Murphy Coliseum to see what is new in the world of arts and crafts as we are always amazed at how creative our craft people are. Over 200 spaces are fi lled and six food vendors are coming. You don’t want to miss the roasted almonds, Root Beer and home made soups that are always big sellers.

This year the committee consists of Barbara Swindell, chairman along with Kaye Seeliger, Phyllis Turner, Leasa Chandler, Angie Rowe, Judith Scholfi eld and Julie Maher. There have been many people over the years that have contributed to the success of this festival and Barbara, Kaye and Phyllis have seen this grow from the very fi rst workshop. And how did this all begin? In the early 70s, with the arts and crafts craze hitting full force, Carter County Extension Home-makers held several craft workshops and also a “Show & Tell Workshop.”

People expressed an inter-est in buying these items.

Our Home Economist at the time, Clara Kelley, suggested that the homemakers sponsor an Arts and Crafts Festival. The fi rst festival was held in November 1972 at Hardy Murphy Coliseum. The fi rst show had only 23 booths but

it was an immedi-ate hit. It gave lo-cal crafts people and artists a place to show and sell their handi-work and

it gave people in the commu-nity a place to buy handcraft-ed goods.

After the fi rst small show in 1972, interest grew and in 1976, the fi fth year, all three rooms of Hardy Murphy Coliseum were fi lled with 136 booths being rented and a long waiting list of people wanting a space. In 1985, the 14th year, the demand for booth space was so great that the arena of Hardy Murphy Coliseum was opened and was fi lled with over 75 more booths.

In 1990, the food fair was added with food vendors set-ting up outside the coliseum. In 1992, the name of the sponsoring organization was changed from Exten-sion Homemakers to Carter County Oklahoma Associa-tion for Home and Commu-nity Education.

Over the years, there have been many people around Ardmore and surrounding ar-eas that fi rst sold their items

at our craft festival and then went on to open a business of their own. Without the support of the Carter County Association for Home and Community Education our Arts & Crafts Festival & Food Fair would not be the success it is now and has been over the years. Besides the festi-val, this organization helps the 4-H program with 4-H camp and scholarships, works very hard to support the Carter County Free Fair with workers, provides a kitchen for the Carter County Fair, the Carter County Livestock Show and the crafts festival, sponsors educational motor coach trips each year and offers a variety of educational programs and workshops.

This is a very successful festival for both the crafts people and the public. There are many people in the area that have not missed attend-ing this festival and look forward to it every year and we have lots of shoppers from all over Oklahoma and North Texas.

Admission is free and park-ing, handled by the Carter County 4-H clubs, is $3 a car. Door prizes are given away every hour of the festival. Doors open at 9 a.m. on Fri-day and close at 8 p.m. and on Saturday the hours are 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.

You will fi nd the crafts people especially friendly and the prices very affordable.

We extend a warm wel-come to everyone to come and browse, visit, shop and take home his or her special discoveries from an event that truly is unique. We look forward to the future.

CC Arts & Crafts Festival and Food Fair celebrating 43 years More than 200 booths

on display Nov. 14-15

Kaye Seeliger

FALL, FROM PAGE 13


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By Andrea Anderson, Cross Timbers Hospice marketing director

Hospice is a special approach to care that combines med-

ical expertise in symptom and pain management with emotional and spiritual sup-port for those suffering with life-limiting illness. Each member of the hospice team is specially trained to meet the physical, social and emo-tional needs of the termi-nally ill and their loved ones. Together this team develops a plan of care that enables special moments and memo-ries at the end of life that would have otherwise been lost to invasive treatments and surgeries.

THE EARLY DAYS OF CROSS TIMBERS

Cross Timbers Hospice was founded in 1981 by a

group of Ardmore citizens looking for a compassionate means of caring for those with terminal illness. The fi rst staff of Cross Timbers Hospice consisted of two nurses that took care of pa-tients in Ardmore. Because hospice was a relatively un-known philosophy of care, it was almost a year before Cross Timbers cared for its fi rst patient.

“When I fi rst started with Cross Timbers in 1983, there were only a handful of pa-tients,” said Dr. Joe Hamill, medical director. “Myself, the social workers, and counsel-ors had all volunteered our time.”

Cross Timbers Hospice, like most hospices at the time, was set-up as a non-profi t with the goal of provid-ing the best care regardless of the patient’s ability to pay. From the very beginning, the citizens of Ardmore helped make this goal a reality. The

PPast to presentast to presentThe history of Cross Timbers Hospice

(Left) The original Cross Timbers HQ was a con-verted home in 1981. (Below) Now, it’s a modern fa-cility that has seen more than 5,000 patients and families come through its doors.


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original money needed to get started was given by an anonymous donor. Ardmore Little Theater and other area groups held benefi t performances with proceeds going directly to Cross Timbers. Benefi t garage sales and car shows were regular events in Ardmore. In June of 1986 Cross Timbers hosted its fi rst salad luncheon with salads and desserts donated from area church and civic groups. These benefi t events along with memorial gifts and donations allowed for the steady growth of Cross Timbers Hospice through the years.

CROSS TIMBERS TODAYWhat began as a dream for a small group

of people in 1981 is now the premier hospice provider in Southern Oklahoma. The Cross Timbers Hospice service area now extends beyond Ardmore to care for patients in Carter, Love, Murray, Johnston, Garvin, Stephens, and Jefferson counties. Since car-ing for its fi rst patient in 1982, over 5,000 patients and their families have benefi tted from the care provided by Cross Timbers Hospice. Staff now includes two full-time medical directors and over 80 nurses, be-reavement counselors, social workers, hos-pice aides, two chaplains, and support staff. Cross Timbers is also supported by over 60 volunteers who gave over 1,500 hours of service in 2013.

Since its founding Cross Timbers Hospice

has striven to be at the forefront of hospice care in Southern Oklahoma. In 2013 the organization earned the Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval by demonstrating compliance with national standards for health care quality and safety in home care. Many members of the nursing and care team have also since earned national hospice care certifi cations. In keeping with its vision to provide the most-up-to-date care possible, Cross Timbers is in the process of equipping its care teams with mobile documentation technology. Having information visible across all locations of care supports timely decision-making and documentation which then leads to safer, quality patient care.

While Medicare and private insurance now pay for part of hospice care, the level of care for which Cross Timbers is known would not be possible without support from the people of Southern Oklahoma.

“As an organization we have been blessed beyond measure by the people of Southern Oklahoma.” stated Mark Dodge, executive director. “Without them we could not pro-vide the level of care or amount of care that we do.” Due to tremendous community sup-port, Cross Timbers is now able to provide over $1 million annually in indigent care.”

Now in its 28th year, the Annual Salad Luncheon is more than just a fundraiser for Cross Timbers Hospice. The salad luncheon has become an annual event that people from across Southern Oklahoma look for-

ward to each year. Many people come to the luncheon to thank us for caring for a friend or family member. For our staff and volunteers it is also a time to thank them for allowing us to care for their loved one.This year’s luncheon fed almost 500 people.

Preparations have just begun for what Cross Timbers staff hope will become its annual kickoff to National Hospice Month in November. The Inaugural CTH Memorial Scramble will be played at Dornick Hills Golf & Country Club on November 3. Reg-istration for each 4-man team will be $500 with a shotgun start at 9 a.m. According to Anderson, “This is uncharted territory for us. We’ve never done a scramble but we’re getting great help and feedback from various people in the community. That, in itself, is exciting to us.”

Founded in 1981, Cross Timbers Hos-pice continues to operate. While much has changed over the last 33 years, the mission of Cross Timbers Hospice remains the same: to provide quality hospice services that give those with terminal illnesses and their fami-lies the opportunity to live each day to the fullest, with choices and dignity. With the support of the communities it serves, Cross Timbers Hospice will continue to be the area leader in hospice care.

For more information on Cross Timbers Hospice or how you can participate in the Inaugural CTH Memorial Scramble, please call (800) 498-0655 or (580) 223-0655.


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Goddard Center is Mosaic of Cultural Opportunities

I recently ran across a simple 18-word poem about the seasons by American Poet Stanley Horowitz, “Winter is an etching,

spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all.” Poetry, like life, doesn’t always have to be dramatic, complicated or life changing. Sometimes, it’s the simplicity of the art, like Horowitz’s 18 words, to which I am most drawn. If you feel overwhelmed at the idea of getting out and enjoying Ardmore and the local art scene, I encourage you to just take in one event at a time as you build your own mosaic of experi-ences.

November is a great place to start by visit-ing our newest exhibit, “The Dark Side,” which will run through Nov. 23. This exhibit features fun and creative sculptures, paintings and photography by regional favorites Rudy Ellis, Natalie Garrison, Michele Mikesell, Nicole Miller, Yenphi “Mimi” Le and Barbara Weidell. There will be a free gallery talk about the exhibit at noon Nov. 6 given by Murray

State College art instructor, Alan Burris. A courtesy lunch will be provided at the talk. It’s a wonderful opportunity for you and a friend or co-worker to squeeze in a little free art education.

The December contempo-rary exhibit (Dec. 2-31) will feature many familiar art-ists from Ardmore including Joann London, Zama Dexter, Madeleine Dodge and Ellen Van Eaton- Gilespie. An opening reception in their honor will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. on Dec. 2. There will also be another gallery talk and complimentary lunch with Professor Bur-ris for this exhibit at noon on Dec. 4. Both events are free and open to the public.

Your cultural mosaic masterpiece won’t be complete until you’ve experienced a live performance in the Goddard theater. We’ve really strived this season to have something for everyone, every age and every genre. In December, we have two Christmas shows, one for adults and one for children. An Ardmore favorite, pianist Mac Frampton, returns to the Goddard stage on Dec. 2 to tickle the ivories with some of his holiday favorites. For our younger audiences we are bringing in the highly acclaimed Casa Mañana Theater out of Fort Worth to perform, “Junie B. in Jingle

Bells, Batman Smells” based on the highly popular Junie B. Jones series of books by Barbara Park. We expect both of these events to sell out very quickly so mark the box offi ce dates on your calendar. The membership box offi ce opens on Nov. 4, for both shows and the public box offi ce opens a week later on Nov. 11. The box offi ce number is (580) 226-0909.

December is also the time to get creative with your holiday gift shopping by stopping by the Goddard art studios and supporting your local artists. What a great opportunity to purchase your loved one something special while supporting local artists at the same time. The holiday sale will be on Dec. 13 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Dec. 14 from noon to 5 p.m. Our art studios facility is located on the corner of 1st Ave. and E Street SW (directly west of the main building).

The Goddard Center is located at 401 1st Ave. SW. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays 1 to 4 p.m. The center is closed on Sundays, Mondays and major holidays. A complete list of activities, dates and times is available on our website at www.goddardcenter.org. To receive box offi ce updates in your email please send me your name and email address to me at, [email protected] and I’ll personally make sure you always know what’s going on at the Goddard Center.

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Hunters in the know, let young bucks grow

The Okla-homa De-partment

of Wildlife Con-servation recently coined the phrase above to help spur a movement among Oklahoma hunters to protect young bucks and advocate sound management decisions by harvesting bucks in older age classes. This is a phi-losophy which is widely accepted among wildlife management professionals from across the country. The ODWC used a similar phrase, “Hunters in the KNOW, take a DOE,” several years ago to help educate Oklahoma hunt-ers as to the benefi ts of harvesting does. This was a really tough concept to understand as generations of hunters in this state remember times with a terribly low deer popula-tion when harvesting a doe was a sin as they were the fawn factory. The state was in a rebuilding period due to extreme over-harvesting and commercial hunting. Luckily for today’s deer hunters, this is not the case and we are able to experi-ence healthy and high deer populations. This original phrase, accompanied with several other avenues of education and manage-ment proved to be very successful for the state’s deer hunters and ultimate-ly the overall health of the deer herd.

Due to this success, the ODWC knew that Oklahoma hunters were not only open to learning about deer management strategies, but passionate about implementing them on their hunting grounds. The average annual doe

harvest increased drastically for sev-eral years during this campaign and the overall philoso-phy has taken hold and it is here to stay. The ODWC obviously wanted to continue the momentum from this accomplish-

ment and chose to target the protection of young bucks. Statistics show that in the 1980s, yearly bucks accounted for nearly 70 percent of Oklahoma’s to-tal buck harvest. Since this time, the state’s yearling buck harvest has dropped to about 25 percent of the overall buck harvest. This alone is an incredible im-provement, but as we have all been told, there is still much room for improve-ment.

It is a well known fact that deer hunters long for large antlers. We spend many dollars on gear and weapons, and countless hours managing our hunt-ing land. However, the statistics show that one-fourth of hunters are still not waiting on an older deer, but settling for a younger deer. This statistic only takes into account the harvest of one-year-old bucks, but there are still many two-year-old and three-year-old deer har-vested every year. There are a much smaller num-ber of four-year-old bucks, and the number harvested drops signifi cantly for fi ve-year-old — and older — bucks. This skewed trend of harvesting younger bucks creates an unhealthy overall deer herd. The buck age structure is skewed to-ward younger deer and the buck-to-doe ratio is also

Trevor Potts

Outdoors

SEE BUCKS, PAGE 25


A change from traditionA changeTHESE AREN’T YOUR STANDARD CHRISTMAS TREES

By Marsha Miller

TT he Christmas tree is a mainstay in holiday decorating. This year the trend

setters include multiple trees, either grouped in a single room or scattered throughout the house, and alternatives to the traditional tree.

What’s the purpose of an alternative to the beloved Christmas tree? Lots of rea-sons — from a desire to step out of the traditional holi-day decorating box to those living on their own for the fi rst time without space or the cash needed for a full-blown decorated tree. Then there are those who want the combina-tion of the traditional and the out of the ordinary.

The good thing about al-ternative Christmas trees is just about anything goes. But one of the hottest looks this

season is trees sketched on a painter’s canvas turned chalk-board. Painter’s canvases come in a wide variety of sizes, al-lowing the individual user to decide how much of a size statement they want to make. The canvases are easily turned into chalkboards by simply ap-plying multiple coats of chalk-board paint and allowing suf-fi cient curing time.

Additionally, chalk has been upgraded from school-house white and pastels to a full range of colors and is readily available.

The best part about creat-ing a chalk board Christmas tree is it can be recreated over and over and over, giving each member of the family and or friends the chance to design their own tree. In fact, mul-tiple boards could be grouped together to combine this year’s other trend, caroling. The more trees, the merrier.

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A change from traditionge from traditionArtist canvas chalk boards

can easily be reused for other holidays but their ability to add a decorative touch doesn’t rely on holiday themes. The boards can become a part of a family or great room with the addition of a bowl or pail of chalk at the ready to offer end-less family/friends doodling entertainment and an ever changing art piece. Those who want a more traditional look can place the canvas in frames. Plain suits styles ranging from modern and minimalistic to rustic.

Artist canvases are also the background for Christmas ball ornament trees. Again the canvases come in a wide range of sizes and prices, and Christmas balls can be found in a variety of prices from high dollar vintage and designer selections to price savvy choices. Canvases can be painted or left plain. Trees begin with rows of large or medium size balls to create a basic triangle tree shape. Dimension is achieved by glu-ing smaller balls on top of the basic shape to fi ll in spaces and build up texture.

Since such trees are personal works of art the designer can express themselves by using a

single color in a variety of textures and sizes or a variety of color and patterns. Fin-ished projects can be framed or not. Hung on a wall, l e a n e d against a hearth, u s e d with a n

e a s e l or even as an unusual wreath for a door.

Alternative Christmas trees don’t even have to be tree shaped at all. A galvanized pail, left plain or painted with a Santa’s face or other holiday decoration, can hold real or faux seasonal greenery, pine-cones and even lights. That

same pail could be

used to support a large tree branch decorated with one or

more Christmas tree decora-tions. Other ideas would be

to use the pail to hold a fragrant rosemary plant

trained in the shape of a tree or even a small

evergreen tree. Kept watered and given

light, the rose-mary or ever-

green can be planted in

the yard after the

h o l i -days.

A

look around

the house will also bring to

light a number of other items that can be used as alternative Christmas trees, such as a tripod. Placed on a plaid blan-ket tree skirt, topped with a big holiday bow, and surrounded by gifts a tripod easily slips into simplistic

holiday mode. It’s just one more example of stepping out-side the box and fi nding new ways to celebrate the holidays with alternative Christmas trees.


“The

b e s t

p a r t

a b o ut

creating a chalk

board Christmas

tree is it can be

recreated over and over

and over, giving each

member of the family and or

friends the chance to

design their own tree.”


By Marsha Miller

It never fails, every year at least one appears in the mailbox — that picture perfect family photo Christmas card. A single glance at those relaxed, smil-ing faces posed against a delightful

backdrop sets the mind reeling with but a single question. Is it really possible to capture such a photo or is the card some sort of trickery intended to make other

families feel guilty be-cause they can’t manage to achieve that perfect holiday magic?

The answer? Yes, (fi ll in your name), you too can take the

perfect Christmas card photo. How? Lo-cal professional photographers, Steve Biehn and Charrie Shockey, say it all starts with advanced planning.

“The ideal family Christmas card photo doesn’t necessarily have to be taken dur-ing the holiday season. I know one family that keeps Santa hats in their car all year long. When the family is somewhere all together they put the hats on and snap

some photos — like if they’re visiting Washington, DC, they might put the hats on and take a photo in front of the White House,” Biehn said.

If the family includes small children and/or pets Shockey’s advice includes making sure little ones have had naps and have been fed to avoid cranky or woeful faces. She also suggests enlisting the aid of an assistant.

“You really need someone, preferably someone the children or pets are familiar with, to hold the squeaky toy that will get

the kids to smile or laugh and get the pet’s attention,” she said.

Advanced planning should also include:

■ Finding a location — remember

Tips for the perfect Christmas Card photo

Picture Pe


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the family is the main attraction, so keep the background simple■ Decide if props (like Santa hats) will be used and have

them on hand■ Decide what everyone will wear — matching outfi ts

aren’t necessary but colors should all be complementary “My biggest tip for taking your own photo is to take it

outdoors,” Shockey said. “Indoor lighting can be diffi cult to work with and can change skin tones.”

But avoid direct sunlight and be sure to watch for shadows and streaks of light that might come through trees.

Once the picture is planned it’s time for the actual photo shoot. Make sure everyone’s hair is combed, faces are clean and everyone is in their place. Here are some more tips to help achieve that perfect photo:■ Take the picture at eye level and have everyone look

directly at the camera and smile■ Check for the unexpected — does it appear a tree limb is

growing out of a family member’s head or are other objects claiming the limelight. Always take a second and even a third look at the background■ Make sure the photo is slightly off center. It’s the num-

ber one rule that will turn a good picture into a great one“I call it the bulls eye factor,” Biehn explained. “The pic-

ture should not be perfectly centered and don’t just think horizontally, think vertically.”

Shockey’s and Biehn’s fi nal tip? Be prepared to take lots and lots of shots, just like the professionals do, in order to achieve that picture perfect photo that will make your holiday card memorable.


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typically skewed toward a higher doe population. It has been shown to also create a longer fawning season the fol-lowing year, which puts more fawns at risk for predation during the critical days after their birth.

Needless to say, the take-home point is

that harvesting young bucks has a nega-tive impact on the deer herd. In addition, harvesting young bucks obviously takes hunters further away from their goals of harvesting older deer with large antlers. A whitetail buck spends the majority of its early years investing in the health and size of its body, not its antlers. Once its body has reached maturity, many believe

at four or fi ve years old, it naturally starts to show its true antler-grow-ing potential. Most deer manage-ment profession-als agree that an average buck does not show its true antler-growing potential until very late in life. If Okla-homa deer hunters truly want to man-age their land for healthier deer and a more balanced buck age structure, then they need to follow the advice of the ODWC. Harvest does to

promote a balanced sex ratio and healthy population, and protect young bucks to allow these deer to reach maturity.

One thing to remember is that every deer hunter, beginner or veteran, is at a different point in their deer-hunting careers. No matter what the manage-ment strategy may be, we all have to start somewhere. Deer management profes-sionals understand it and try to stress this point, but also advocate for each hunter to think about this before they decide to harvest a deer. Is this deer the right one for me? Is he older than last year’s buck? Will I really be happy after I make the shot? Should I harvest a doe and wait for a more mature buck?

For more information on whitetail deer management, visit the following web-sites:

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation:

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/hunting/deer.htm

The Noble Foundation:http://noble.org/deer/The Quality Deer Management Associa-

tion:http://www.qdma.com/content/herd-

management

BUCKS, FROM PAGE 19

By Michael Pineda

For many, the fall means a trip to the Ardmore Main Street Authority

to purchase a new Christmas ornament. Of course, not all ornaments are created equal and there is something near and dear to Ardmoreites when it comes to purchasing orna-ments at the authority.

Each year, a design commit-tee chooses a historical building to be highlighted for the year. Once a building is selected, or-naments are ordered and arrive at the beginning of November. Those ornaments are sold for $15 and, this year, the Veterans Home is one of the top options being considered.

“It’s a wonderful project for the design committee,” Dixie Harper, committee member said. “It keeps alive some of the history of Ardmore. It’s a very popular project and many former Ardmoreites are enthu-siastic about having a memento

of their hometown.”Stephanie French, Ardmore

Main Street Authority admin-istrative assistant, said some years are more popular than others and once the particular ornament is sold out, they are out of circulation for good.”

“We are completely out of eight ornaments,” she said. “They are limited and if you don’t get them when they come out, you will miss out.”

In addition to the new build-

ing, the authority keeps the unsold ornaments on display and for sale. The cost for those ornaments is $5. Among the featured buildings that are be-ginning to dwindle in stock are:■Tivoli Theatre — 50■Central Park Pavilion —

45■St. Philips — 47■First United Methodist

Church — 60 ■First Presbyterian — 57

“The reason we keep them on display year-round is we have people that come in and want them,” French said. “They make really good gifts for staff members and those organi-zations that have a building featured.”

In addition to some orna-ments that are low in number, there are some readily avail-able. French said the author-ity has 300 ornaments featur-ing an Ardmore High School building.

“They would be great for high school reunions and could be made readily available in bulk,” she said.

French said the authority has varied how many ornaments they order each year but now orders between 200 to 250. And although some are out of circulation, it is never too late to start a collection or make an effort to fi nd the extraordinary gift or stocking stuffer.


The Ardmore Main Street Authority annually sells Christmas ornaments featuring historical buildings. MICHAEL PINEDA/THE AR-

AArdmore history kept alive during the holidaysrdmore history kept alive during the holidays

Seen on SceneSeen on SceneWhen the party starts, there’s no need for names, just smiling faces, good friends and good times.When the party starts, there’s no need for names, just smiling faces, good friends and good times.

United Way of South Central Oklahoma Community Heroes eventUnited Way of South Central Oklahoma Community Heroes event

Photos by Laura Eastes



United Way of South Central Oklahoma Community Heroes eventUnited Way of South Central Oklahoma Community Heroes event


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By Micah McVickers

II n the stands for all of his son’s events since the fourth grade, Stillwater is no exception for Mike Muncrief.

Neither, in fact, are road games.An employee of the Oklahoma Department of Trans-

portation, Muncrief is the father of Oklahoma State ju-nior wide receiver — and 2012 Madill graduate — Caleb Muncrief. As a member of the traveling team, Caleb gets four tickets to every football game.

Whether it’s in Stillwater, or Tucson, Ariz., Mike Muncrief said it’s important to him to support his son.

His employer is gracious.“They’ve never not let me go,” Mike Muncrief said.

“Wherever he’s been, I’ve been. It’s just part of it.“They’re up there paying the price that they’re paying,

sacrifi cing, the commitment it takes at that level, then I want him to know that I support him. Whether he’s on the fi eld playing, or whether he’s playing a less signifi cant role, I’m going to be there.”

Whether the playoff is better for OSU and OU fans is obviously unknown.

In contrast, college football is volatile.Should the Cowboys earn a spot in the playoff, AT&T Sta-

dium will host the national championship game, which is a good thing for OSU fans. Expenses to attend the semifi nal game

may be a little more palatable since the champion-ship game is essentially in their backyard.

“Regardless of where it was at,” Mike Muncrief said, “should Oklahoma State make it through that gauntlet, — obviously, the closer the geographics, the better it is fi nancially and time-wise — you fi gure a way to be there.”

Nonetheless, those college football powers-that-be would ben-efi t themselves to make further changes. For instance, have the higher-seeded team host the playoff game. The onus is already on schools to challenge themselves in a non-conference slate. What better incentive can you give college kids than the chance to play in front of many of their own fans — with the stakes somehow higher than they are during the regular season?

“I would like that,” Kenneth Muncrief, grandfather to Caleb, said regarding playoff games at home. “I think if it expanded to eight teams, I would especially like (it).

“I’ve been for a playoff for years,” he said. “I guess we’ll have to wait to see if it works out.”


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Lee Daube is also uncertain con-cerning the current model — one semi-

fi nal is at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, and the other is at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.“That’s like a vacation you have to take, to travel that

distance,” he said.“I went to the (bowl game) at Cowboys Stadium two years

ago, but after we went to back-to-back championship games, I guess in ’03 and ’04, my wife said, ‘No more bowl games.’“I just wish I would’ve gone (to the Sugar Bowl) this year.”Daube doesn’t have as direct a connection with his favorite

team, Bob Stoops’ University of Oklahoma Sooners.That doesn’t mean his fanhood is any less. Saturday, he at-

tended his 30th consecutive Red River Rivalry game.His mind outstrips those in charge. He told me Oct. 2 that the

playoff should double its current size — with a twist.“The playoff would be better if it does expand — which I’m

sure it very well could expand to eight teams — they need to have the top two teams have a home game for the fi rst round,” Daube said. “That would be a crazy environment like you’d see in the NFL. In college, it’d be just as good.”

The antiquated Bowl Championship Series is fi nally history. Bowl games will obviously continue to occur

outside of the playoff. But if your favorite team is among the four selected to participate, that opens a Pandora’s Box, a dilemma that also occurred during the BCS era.

Traveling is not a worthwhile expenditure for all fans.

Empty stadiums would be much less of a concern if the higher seed hosts the game. And that’s what drives this wagon: Money.

Daube said the Sooners’ 23-20 win against Ne-braska in Arlington on Dec. 4, 2010, had one of the

SEE “BOWLIN,’” PAGE 45


Favorite ChriSeniors vs. SeniorsSeniors vs

Christian Davis, Dickson

“How the Grinch Stole Christmas”

Seth Nightengale,

Ardmore“Scrooged”

Ruben Gonzalez, Sulphur


Darion Allen, Dickson


Kanyon Knapp, Sulphur

“A Christmas Story”

Grayson Sralla, Sr., Ardmore

“Elf”

Hunter Sowders,Dickson

“Elf”

Joey Sins, Sulphur

“The Nightmare Before Christmas”

AreaHigh School

Seniors By Laura Eastes


ristmas MovieSeniors vs. Seniorsvs. Seniors

Area Seniors

By Marsha Miller

D. Allen Wint“A Christmas

Carol”Ken Grace

“Home Alone”

LaDonna McAninch“A Christmas

Story”

Irene Logue“It’s A Wonderful

Life”

Annilisa Peevy“White Christmas”

Lee Card“Home Alone”

Lynn Riley“Miracle on 34th

Street”

Millard Ingram“Miracle on 34th

Street”


Wishing you Happy Holidaysfrom our family to yours!

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Dreams. Those lucid images emerg-ing from our subconscious; wishes and hopes, passing thoughts

of “what if ”, barely whispered words of “could I make this happen?” Living in small towns, we often times tell ourselves that certain dreams can only happen if you live somewhere else. Once upon a time, in this town, no one thought a coffee shop stood a chance. We have Main Street Coffee and Starbucks. Some dreams come true. We have had dreams emerge of girl empower-ment programs such as “Girls on the Run”, dreams of a healthy community, and now we have Crossfi t, American Ninja training, and even Fit Camps in the park. Seems like dreams reshape our community and lives. We now have a brewery, wine bar, vintage wear shops, upscale boutiques, big box stores and small business owners. We have arts and symphony, even the MET.

But what about other dreams? Dreams that do not have a

blueprint or mortar and stone to be built by. No architect to design the fl oor plan. What about the dreams of wishing for something

more, to be cre-ative and fi nd an outlet for which one’s hidden words can be read.

This is my dream, to be a published writer.

Some dreams start humble, fi nding fuel in the steps we take. Several years ago, I started writing for the Wilson Post, small town paper, readership over a thousand. Folks like to stay connected and I enjoyed covering the local hopes and creations of our citizens. I became “published” for the fi rst time. A year and a half ago, I started writing a blog for The Ardmoreite. I wan-dered the streets, capturing moments and stories of our down town merchants and townspeople. Honoring the dreams

of so many who work hard to cre-ate the life we enjoy in this small town.

I declared this year to “get it done.” Of taking a step much larg-er, a leap of faith, hope, and hard work. Of submitting myself to the eyes of those who judge literary merit, creative ability, and leader-ship potential.

I entered one of the most com-petitive writing conferences there

is, “A Room of Her Own.” This conference heralds the theme of Virginia Wolfe’s book and life philosophy; that if a woman had room and resources to write, she could create and manifest. I spent over a week talking myself out of self-sabotaging, the inner critic that questions my ability shouted slurs to intimidate and diffuse my confi dence as I typed away. I created both an interactive art project and an essay re-sponse to the theme “Writing Against the Current,” I read and compared the

Adventures in my Hometown

Kristy Crutchfi eld Cox

Small town, big dreams

“ ”This is my dream, to

be a published writer.

SEE ‘DREAMS,’ PAGE 45


Last year, I jumped back into some-thing that was very important me

when I was still in school… I started singing again.

From the time I was very young to the end of my col-lege career, I had been in choirs or music organiza-tions of some kind. But once I graduated, all of that stopped for work.

Adulthood, right?A few years ago, I was

working for The Ardmoreite and got the chance to cover Ardmore’s Community Chorale and their annual Christmas Concert. I was astounded at the quality of sound and technicality of the group.

Most of what I had been a part of in college involved

scholarship students and al-ready-proven music educa-tors. But I can honestly say, this group performed at the same level with passion and dedication.

I had to take part, so when the opportunity arose last winter, I jumped at the chance.

I developed great camara-derie with all of the men in my section, and eventually the whole group, includ-ing director David Hobbs, whom I’ll get to in just a moment.

I was set. I had a great group of people to sing with again, a venue to do it in and a way to step away from the hustle and bustle of real life… my own getaway.

It was a pleasure to walk in every week and get those

Passion, perseverance abound in Ardmore Community Chorale’s recent history goosebumps once or twice

a rehearsal — to challenge myself, and work with those around me, from both a teaching and learning stand-point, was so refresh-ing.

Everything worked as a cohesive unit, as it should, and it was all held together by one man… our director.

I met Dr. Hobbs when I covered my fi rst chorale concert in Ardmore, and was blown away by the man. He holds a position as a respected eye doctor in Ardmore, which in itself is already demanding. But when he fi nishes his day at work, he then goes to work on music.

His musical library must be vast, because he was pull-ing out stuff even I hadn’t heard of, and I grew up with two music teachers as parents. He knew theory, diction, phrasing… there was no doubt in my mind that he was meant to be the leader of a choir.

Then he informed me that a few years prior, he was diagnosed with an ill-ness, and it didn’t look good. He missed a lot of work, rehearsals, and even shortened the chorale’s per-formances to just the Christ-mas concert.

He told me some specifi cs about his battle, and with-out embarrassing him too much, I’ll just say that he’s a strong man and has made a

full recovery. I have to think that the will of those around

him, including this choir, were of great help to him.

I don’t remember the exact quote he gave me, but when I asked him about returning to direct-ing the chorale, I remember this huge

grin slowly stretching from ear to ear, as if he wanted to savor that moment in time once again.

It was apparent he loved directing this group as much as I loved to be in it.

This year is no different from the last few, but unfor-tunately, time didn’t allow me to take part in this year’s Christmas concert. But I did talk with Dr. Hobbs about the selections he’s made, and you can bet, I’ll be right there in the audience hang-ing on every note.

The people who dedicate their time outside of their normal work to do this wouldn’t if they weren’t pas-sionate. As such, their shows are a direct refl ection of their love of music and per-formance.

I would be remiss if I didn’t ask each and every person reading this to clear their evening plans for Sun-day, Dec. 7, and/or Monday, Dec. 8 to come and hear this group sing at Northwest Baptist Church in Ardmore. Even if you’re not the “choir” type, at least come hear what these people have been working on for what will have been almost 3 months. I can honestly say, you won’t be disappointed.

Kevin Kerr

Dr. David Hobbs has been lead-ing the Ardmore Community Chorale for years, even through an illness that nearly sidelined him for good. Photo provided


hile Oklahoma and Texas are in for a cold winter if the Old Farmer’s Almanac prediction hits the mark, that won’t slow

the pace of people in Chickasaw Country.Halloween is at bat, Thanksgiving is

in the on-deck circle, and anticipation is building for a grand slam Christmas sea-son with a full slate of fun, fi estas, galas and celebrations including:

A CHRISTMAS CAROL AT THE MCSWAIN

The Chickasaw Nation will kick off the holiday season with “A Christmas Carol: A Live Radio Show” Nov. 20-22. The Charles Dickens classic will be presented at the Mc-Swain Theatre in down-town Ada and will enjoy a partnership cast of Natives and non-Natives alike, according to the show’s director James Wallace.

The play will be presented as a radio program circa the 1940s, complete with sound effects. Last year, the Na-

tion presented “It’s a Wonderful Life” as a live radio performance to several sold out crowds at the McSwain. Shows on Nov. 20-21 will begin at 7 p.m. each night, while a 2 p.m. matinee and a 7 p.m. main show are planned on Saturday, Nov. 22.

UP GO THE LIGHTS DEC. 1

The Christmas season will be brighter for thousands of people in southern Okla-homa thanks to the third annual Christ-mas lights tour at the Chickasaw Cultural Center.

The twinkling Yuletide show is slated to begin Monday, Dec. 1, at the CCC in Sulphur. Dozens of displays featuring tra-ditional Christmas themes and Chickasaw greetings are included in the dazzling

drive-thru display. The free drive-

thru

light display will be open every evening from 6-9 p.m. during the month of De-cember. More than 3,500 people visited the attraction last year.

The halls and walls of the Artesian Ho-tel, also located in Sulphur, will also be decked in holiday cheer.

CULTURAL CENTER CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION, DEC. 13

His schedule is hectic, but Santa has booked a return visit to the Chickasaw Cultural Center for Dec. 13. The annual event will include celebrations of several signifi cant holiday traditions. A new tradi-tion will be entertainment by the Chicka-saw Community Choir this year.

Photos with Santa will be available in the Anoli Theater Lobby and a children’s Christmas workshop is planned as well.

The Chickasaw Press and White Dog Press will be unveiling four new books hot off the presses and au-thors will be there to autograph copies, a perfect present for the

book lover in the family.In addition, four

Christmas movies

Ready for C

WW

Christmas


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are slated at the CCC. Movies include:■ “Four Christmases” Dec. 6■ “Elf,” Dec. 13■ “A Christmas Story,” Dec. 20 ■ “The Holiday,” Dec. 27.Cultural center offi cials offer patrons a special gift this season

in the form of the world-class exhibit “Dugout Canoes: Paddling through the Americas.” The exhibit is on display at the cultural center through May and features ancient artifacts, information, interactive displays, paddles and other features concerning the art of crafting dugout canoes by Native Americans centuries ago.

A 400-year-old dugout pine canoe is awaiting viewing and a 525-year-old dugout cypress tree found in Mississippi also is on display as a special exhibit to the cultural center.

CHICKASAW WHITE HOUSEMake plans to venture just a few miles from Tishomingo to

the small hamlet of Emet. There, in all its Christmas grandeur, will be the Chickasaw White House, home to Chickasaw Na-

tion Governor Douglas Johnston who served the Chickasaw people from

roughly 1898 to 1939. Restored to its brilliance — with period

furnishings and appointments — plan to attend Dec. 3 when Tishomingo celebrates its an-nual Christmas tree lighting and living windows walk.

— Gene Lehmann is a Chickasaw Nation Media Re-

lations senior writer

By Scott JoinerBy Scott Joiner

The 32nd Annual Ardmore he 32nd Annual Ardmore Holiday Festival is quickly ap-Holiday Festival is quickly ap-proaching with the Tigers in proaching with the Tigers in search of the fi rst tournament search of the fi rst tournament

title since 2009 and the Lady Tigers’ title since 2009 and the Lady Tigers’ fi rst since 2001.fi rst since 2001.

With a large number of alumni in With a large number of alumni in town for the Christmas holiday, the town for the Christmas holiday, the tournament draws a big crowd that tournament draws a big crowd that normally wouldn’t be able to see the normally wouldn’t be able to see the teams.teams.

“It’s awesome,” Ardmore boys coach “It’s awesome,” Ardmore boys coach Mark Wilson said. “It’s been going on Mark Wilson said. “It’s been going on now for about 29 years. It’s a community now for about 29 years. It’s a community event. The people in the community event. The people in the community look forward to it and do a good job look forward to it and do a good job of supporting it. The kids love playing of supporting it. The kids love playing in it.”in it.”

The tournament offers a good value The tournament offers a good value for basketball fans with $5 admission for basketball fans with $5 admission granting access to four games on the granting access to four games on the fi rst day and eight contests the second fi rst day and eight contests the second day.day.

“It’s a great deal,” Wilson said. “You “It’s a great deal,” Wilson said. “You could watch eight games if you wanted could watch eight games if you wanted to in a day. It’s good and we get a bunch of to in a day. It’s good and we get a bunch of kids that come out since they don’t have kids that come out since they don’t have much else to do on Christmas break.”much else to do on Christmas break.”

New Ardmore girls coach Debra Manley New Ardmore girls coach Debra Manley has brought her teams to the tournament has brought her teams to the tournament in the past and hopes to bring in more in the past and hopes to bring in more Texas teams in the future with her contacts Texas teams in the future with her contacts built coaching there over the years. In the built coaching there over the years. In the past, the fi rst round has featured Texas past, the fi rst round has featured Texas teams facing Oklahoma squads.teams facing Oklahoma squads.

“I brought my Paris High team quite a “I brought my Paris High team quite a while ago,” Manley said. “I know it’s a big while ago,” Manley said. “I know it’s a big exciting thing for the community and I exciting thing for the community and I hope we can build that back up this year.”hope we can build that back up this year.”

As a visiting coach, Manley’s teams As a visiting coach, Manley’s teams stayed in Ardmore and it offered a team stayed in Ardmore and it offered a team building opportunity early in the season.building opportunity early in the season.

“Ardmore was always the big favorite, “Ardmore was always the big favorite, they were good in the 90s when coach Cliff they were good in the 90s when coach Cliff Cotton was here,” Manley said. “It’s always Cotton was here,” Manley said. “It’s always been a great thing and was a great experi-been a great thing and was a great experi-ence for our kids. I’m looking forward to ence for our kids. I’m looking forward to being on the other side of that being the being on the other side of that being the hosts now.”hosts now.”

This year’s fi eld includes girls and boys teams from Western Heights, Durant, teams from Western Heights, Durant, Idabel, Witchita Falls Hirschi and Guthrie. Idabel, Witchita Falls Hirschi and Guthrie. Girls squads from John Marshall and El Girls squads from John Marshall and El Reno, along with boys from Carl Albert Reno, along with boys from Carl Albert and Midwest City are also slated to com-and Midwest City are also slated to com-pete. pete.

“On the boys side, probably the big-“On the boys side, probably the big-gest name is Midwest City,” Wilson said. gest name is Midwest City,” Wilson said. “They’ve been in the Class 6A fi nals in two “They’ve been in the Class 6A fi nals in two of the last three years. We’ve got Guthrie of the last three years. We’ve got Guthrie coming back. They were in it for a while coming back. They were in it for a while and got out of it for a few years. Returning and got out of it for a few years. Returning from last year, Western Heights is going to from last year, Western Heights is going to have a pretty good team and we have Du-have a pretty good team and we have Du-rant coming back. It’s a pretty good fi eld.rant coming back. It’s a pretty good fi eld.

“There are three or four teams that have “There are three or four teams that have a chance to win it — we’re defi nitely one a chance to win it — we’re defi nitely one of them.”of them.”

Wilson’s team won the tournament in Wilson’s team won the tournament in his second season at Ardmore, which he his second season at Ardmore, which he remembers fondly.remembers fondly.

“In my second year here we beat Bishop “In my second year here we beat Bishop McGuinness in the fi nals,” Wilson said. McGuinness in the fi nals,” Wilson said. “That was one of the big wins over the “That was one of the big wins over the

years. That team went 25-3 and got beat in the state fi nals. That was our

Two years later, the Tigers beat a Two years later, the Tigers beat a talented Putnam City West team in the fi nals that featured two future Division

“One played at TCU and another “One played at TCU and another played at Oklahoma,” Wilson said. “We ended up beating them in overtime. They hit a three at the buzzer to tie it

Jermaine Gresham, best known for Jermaine Gresham, best known for his football career in Ardmore, was a

“He was good, really good,” Wilson “He was good, really good,” Wilson

Wilson’s 2014 boys team has a large Wilson’s 2014 boys team has a large group of talent returning, including leading scorer sophomore Marvin John-

“We’ve got everybody back from last “We’ve got everybody back from last year except one,” Wilson said. “I’ve got fi ve or six seniors that played a lot of minutes as sophomores and juniors. We’ve got all of them back and our lead-ing returning scorer was a freshman

last year. On paper, we look like we ought last year. On paper, we look like we ought to have a pretty good year.to have a pretty good year.

“We should be better than the last two “We should be better than the last two years. We were pretty young and inexperi-years. We were pretty young and inexperi-enced. They’ve got a lot of experience now. enced. They’ve got a lot of experience now. We had a really good summer. Team camp We had a really good summer. Team camp went well.”went well.”

Johnson, at 6-foot-2, poses match-up Johnson, at 6-foot-2, poses match-up problems and can get to the rim with ease. problems and can get to the rim with ease. He had a strong AAU season and is garner-He had a strong AAU season and is garner-ing attention from college scouts.ing attention from college scouts.

“He gets letters here and there — he’s “He gets letters here and there — he’s getting some looks,” Wilson said. “If he getting some looks,” Wilson said. “If he goes and gets better he’ll get some more.”goes and gets better he’ll get some more.”

The Lady Tigers should also be strong, The Lady Tigers should also be strong, losing just one senior on last year’s team.losing just one senior on last year’s team.

“We didn’t lose a lot,” Manley said. “But, “We didn’t lose a lot,” Manley said. “But, anytime you have a new coach and a new anytime you have a new coach and a new system it’s slow going. The kids are doing system it’s slow going. The kids are doing well. We have some athletes. I’m looking well. We have some athletes. I’m looking forward to it. If we can get them all on the forward to it. If we can get them all on the same page and get it together by then, I’m same page and get it together by then, I’m excited to see what we can do.”excited to see what we can do.”

— [email protected]— [email protected]

Holidays on the Hardwood

Ardmore Boys Ardmore Boys Baskerball Baskerball

Head Coach Head Coach Mark WilsonMark Wilson



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Holiday Festival Champions over the years

Boys2013 — Deer Creek2012 — Bartlesville2011 — Putnam City West2010 — Yukon2009 — Ardmore2008 — Guthrie2007 — Guthrie2006 — Bishop McGuinness2005 — Del City2004 — Edmond North2003 — Ardmore2002 — Bishop McGuinness2001 — Ardmore2000 — Putnam City North1999 — Ardmore1998 — Ardmore1997 — Putnam City North1996 — Lewisville, Tex.1995 — Newman Smith1994 — Ardmore1993 — Ardmore1992 — Ardmore1991 — Ardmore 1990 — Del City1989 — Putnam City North1988 — Midwest City North

GirlsDeer Creek — 2013

Ft. Smith Northside, Ark. — 2012Ft. Smith Northside, Ark. — 2011Ft. Smith Northside, Ark. — 2010

Yukon — 2009Tulsa Edison — 2008

Ft. Smith Northside, Ark. — 2007Ft. Smith Northside, Ark. — 2006

Rogers, Ark. — 2005Wylie, Tex. — 2004

Mustang — 2003Mustang — 2002Ardmore — 2001Ardmore— 2000Ardmore — 1999El Reno — 1998

Star Spencer — 1997Lawton — 1996

Ardmore — 1995Del City — 1994Norman — 1993Mustang — 1992

Star Spencer — 1991Mustang — 1990El Reno — 1989Lawton — 1988


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From humble beginnings, the Ardmore Festival of Lights has grown from an exhibit of 10 displays

into one of the premiere holiday destinations in the state.

Spanning 1-1/2 miles in Ard-more Regional Park, the lights offer an opportunity to take in the holiday spirit with loved ones with a dizzying array of Christmas displays designed for holiday cheer.

The origin of the festival came through the Festival of Lights Auction in which funds were raised to light up downtown buildings. Funding was run through the Chamber of Com-merce Foundation of which Bob Bramlett was a board member. And it was Bramlett who is cred-ited with

having a vision for something bigger.

Assistant City Manager Kevin Boatright, who served as the Parks and Recreation Director until this past year, said Bramlett approached him about some-thing bigger.

“The lights were for downtown but he asked around to see if they wanted to do something bigger,” Boatright said.

At that time, there was $30,000 available to start the Festival of Lights. Boatright said he sat down with Tammy Town-ley, who was with the chamber, and they decided to move for-ward with the project.

“Myself and Townley got a van and took the chamber mem-bers and Regional Park Board members

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to a couple of displays in Texas and showed them what we were talking about,” Boatright said.

The trip left a big impression as a consensus was formed to develop a display in Ardmore.

“The Ardmore Regional Au-thority kicked in some funding and we looked at the oval drive by the softball fi elds,” Boatright said. “We bought 10 displays and had to do all the electrical infrastructure.

“It was something. We got the word out and we basically had it open weekend evenings.”

The display left advocates of the Festival of Lights wanting something grander. And within a year, the authority had spoken with several foundations seek-ing to secure additional funding to take the Festival of Lights to the big time. Boatright said Jeff Snodgrass, a civic leader rep-resenting a number of founda-tions, helped make the dream a reality.

“Within two years, $150,000 in additional money was add-ed,” Boatright said. “We had to run electricity to access the road leading to the lake in Regional Park and purchased 80 a d d i t i o n a l d i s -

plays. That is when it took off.”Boatright said the regional

park board went to the chamber that year to solicit volunteers and each group would receive a percentage of donations from the night they worked.

“The fi rst year, we really had to work to get volunteers,” he said.

Times have changed as com-munity and non-profi t groups have fi lled the volunteer ranks for the Festival of Lights, which runs from the end of Novem-ber until Dec. 30. Mita Bates, Ardmore Chamber of Com-merce president & CEO, said over $9,000 was awarded to groups from donations gath-ered in 2013.

“We have had numerous non-profi t organizations contact us to volunteer,” Boatright said. “They realized it was an oppor-tunity to have a fundraiser.”

Fundraising is an important part of the Festival of Lights and the annual auction in the fall serve as the signature event. The auction annually earns

e Beginnings...

SEE ‘LIGHTS,’ PAGE 49


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“Clue,” the popular boardgame, turned movie, has also been turned into a stage show, and is the next presenta-tion from Ardmore Little Theatre.

The show, which is a musical, is fi lled with every element of both the board game and the movie combined. There’s comedy, dra-ma, suspense, and even an interactive element where the au-dience picks the cards each night to deter-mine the outcome.

The cast, which is a

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Cast and crew prepare for show that epare for show that promises a different ending every nightnt ending every night

mixture of ALT veterans and newcomers, must then adapt and adhere to what the cards say, liter-ally making every night a completely new show.

The audience can even play along with the show as if they were rolling the dice themselves.

The host of the game, Mr. Boddy, narrates and navigates the au-dience through every clue given, even drop-ping hints throughout the show. Then, at the end of the show, your programs will be gath-ered and counted to see who correctly fi g-ured out who-dunnit, with what weapon in what room.

The plot is fun, full of twists, and has crackpot characters that are sure to make you remember this one for years.

Director Doobie Pot-ter has been a staple in the Ardmore Little Theatre community for some time and brings a fun energy to the presentation of such a nostalgic show.

As for the cast, their portrayal of each of the kooky, cartoon-ish characters is the perfect complement to such an absurd yet satisfying journey through the hallowed halls of Boddy manor.

Do you think you have what it takes to fi gure out who kills Mr. Boddy? “Clue: The Musical” promises to challenge your skills.

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The Community Chil-dren’s Shelter and Family Service Cen-ter has been serving

the community of south-cen-tral Oklahoma for more than 44 years. We have endeav-ored to provide a safe place for young people as well as deliver individual counseling, education opportunities and prevention services to help our youth and their families. All along the way, many indi-viduals and groups have sup-ported and helped us fulfi ll our mission.

The agency is most known for the 24-hour, temporary residential safe place for young people up to the age of 18, who are at risk and need refuge due to neglect, aban-donment or abuse or are in need of supervision. Our agency also provides children, youth, group and family counseling on a regular or intensive basis on-

site, in school or in a com-munity setting. We are very proud to offer short-term educational services for iden-tifying and promoting posi-tive behaviors and enhancing relationships.

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we need our com-munity to help

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teenagers that we are now serving. We are a 501c3 non-

profi t entity and all dona-tions are tax deductible. Without organizations and individuals stepping out of their daily routine to help, we

would never be able to meet the changes we now face.

Our agency mis-sion is to empower and advocate for children, adoles-cents and families at risk in south-central Oklahoma through agency and school-based programs, offering temporary

shelter for children and adolescents, integrated behavioral health outpatient counseling, and prevention and intervention services.

Last year alone, we provided residential services to 179 youth who found themselves in an abused, ne-glected or

abandoned situation. These young people stayed with us an average of 16 days. We also provided outpatient ser-vices to 185 youth for a total of over 2,000 contact hours in individual counseling, ed-ucational opportunities and prevention services.

In my opinion there is no better investment in our fu-ture then the investment of time and resources for our young people. To ask ques-tions, to volunteer, or to donate, please contact me at (580)226-1838 or (580) 276-0721. Donate directly on our Facebook Page: The Community Children Shelter and Family Service Center or send your donation to: 15 Monroe St. NE, Ardmore, OK 73448.

— Leslie Christian is CCS-FSC executive director

44 years of safetyCCSFSC gives decacdes of sanctuary to families, childrenCCSFSC gives decacdes of sanctuary to families, children

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most electric atmospheres he’s experienced as a sports fan.

Isn’t that what everyone wants?

The national title game won’t occur in Arlington, Texas, annu-ally. The contest to decide college football’s champion won’t always be in Texoma’s backyard.

Until Daube’s requested ex-pansion comes to fruition, fans have to make a choice: If OU or OSU make the playoff, do fans choose to attend the semi-fi nal game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena? Or do you gamble that your favorite team wins and reaches that national title game?

The college season still has several weeks remaining. A lot could happen.

Despite that volatility, Ken-neth Muncrief has not begun to plan for any scenarios for the Cowboys’ involvement in the playoff.

As a grandfather, he says he doesn’t need to spend much time to plan to attend his grandson’s

games.“I told (Caleb) his freshman

year that if he made the travel-ing squad, that I’d go to all his games,” Kenneth Muncrief said, “and it wore me out.”

Of course, not everyone’s grandson has the opportunity Caleb earned.

Since the Associated Press poll began in 1936, Oct. 4 was the second time that four of the nation’s Top 6 teams lost in the same weekend.

Despite the Week 6 tumult that befell teams ahead of it in the rankings, OSU coach Mike Gundy’s team is a young one.

“It would be a stretch,” Ken-neth Muncrief said of the Cow-boys earning a playoff berth. “By the end of the year, young players are not rookies anymore — they’ve played 10 games.

“There’s always a chance that they could be there.”

The No. 16 Cowboys’ only loss was the much-hyped game against Florida State at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Aug. 31 and “they played them pretty tough.

“It’s sure not out of the ques-tion that they could be there.”

BOWLIN’, FROM PAGE 31

works of Maxine Hong Kings-ton and Virginia Wolfe’s famed “Orlando.” I perused the fe-verish written words of many years in the making; poems and short stories, long narra-tives, social commentary, thou-sands of words I have culled from the abyss of my writer’s mind. On October 1, 2014, I was selected to not only attend, but to be a Program Con-tributor for my Studio Hour “Currents” and a consultant for “Organizing the Writer’s Mind.”

One hundred and eighty four women applied, 35 are chosen for this honor. A total of one hundred women will attend.

Seeing the words “We are pleased to inform you that you have been chosen…”.

I immediately cried, laughed, and found myself suddenly a bit frightened. I cannot write here the words I actually spoke, but religious poop was a term I used. I sud-denly doubted what I had done, of my ability, of if they

even made a mistake. They asked for a bio and a picture, luckily I have a good friend,

Robert Smartt, who captured an image I sometimes forget exists, of me with hair and makeup. My friend Jill Daugh-erty slapped my hands as she sprayed and blended, taking my face from naked and raw, into something smooth and accented. I typed words of my life; husband and dogs, south-ern mornings, and taking risks.

Next summer, August 2015, I will spend a week at Geor-gia O’ Keefe’s Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, NM. I continue to write a blog for The Ard-moreite, “Adventures in my Hometown”. I also have a per-sonal blog at: “patriotichippie.blogspot.com”. I appreciate the readers who have supported me, friends (Katie Tremblay, Jodie Morris Valcasara and family who have kept me from climbing the walls, and The Ardmoreite (Melissa Mang-ham) for giving me that step-ping stone.

Big steps….Dreams coming true, in our

hometown.

DREAM, FROM PAGE 34

Seen on SceneSeen on ScWhen the party starts, there’s no need for names, just smiling faces, good friends and good times.When the party starts, there’s no need for names, just smiling faces, good friends and good times.

Library of Congress poet Honoree Fanonne Jeffers at the Goddard CenterLibrary of Congress poet Honoree Fanonne Jeffers at the Goddard Center

Photos by Laura Eastes



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$20,000 to $25,000. “Displays are supported by

sponsorships, auctions and through the total resource cam-paign,” Bates said. “It has be-come very expensive to maintain the displays.”

Bates said the chamber foun-dation underwrites expenses for updating the displays and repairs.

“We also pay for overtime expenses and promotion,” she said.

The city pays for payroll and the light bill,” Boatright said. During the last count conducted, 19,000 vehicles visited the Fes-tival of Lights with an estimated 80,000 individuals. And with each year, a number of new dis-plays are added.

“Midwest Display works with us,” Boatright said. “We have

displays sent back for repair or we trade out for part of their inventory. That way, we get some new displays for little cost. We start setting up at the end of September and once the Festival of Lights is closed, we take them down and are done by the end of February.”

And it is free of charge to the public. Donations are accepted; however, the desire to not charge was part of an effort to make the holiday spectacle available to everyone.

“When talking to the founda-tions, we wanted to try and keep it at no charge to make it avail-able to families with children,” Boatright said. “I thought it was real important and it’s worked out.

“Many traveling through Ar-dmore said it is one of their favorite displays.”


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LIGHTS, FROM PAGE 41

FILE PHOTO

Holiday gifts and presents come in all shapes and sizes and in all kinds of cartons, packages, sacks and receptacles.

Some gifts are presented wrapped and bowed in traditional holiday fare. Other times the present is enclosed in elaborate glitz and glamour; encased in a way to tickle your funny bone; presented in plain utilitarian fashion or simply handed over un-wrapped “from me to you.”

Regardless of the wrapping or the way it’s presented, each and every gift evokes a response. Some presents really wow you. Many are probably items that were on your Santa list or things you re-ally needed. Others may have you wondering “what is it?” Some will have you laughing. Some will bring tears to your eyes. And, on rare occasions, a gift is something so relevant and signifi cant it’s a life changer.

That meaningful gift might not be the biggest, brightest, expen-sive or most coveted one you ever received. But it’s the one that touched you in an exceptional way and will forever claim a special place in your heart.

We’d like to hear about the most meaningful gift you’ve ever received. Send the story about your most mean-ingful gift to [email protected] and we will share in an upcoming holiday edition.

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Southern Oklahoma Living Magazine-Holiday Edition 2014

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