Independence Day! 4th of July! Summer colors lean to red, white, and blue. A basic staple in red and white for the American summer garden is the sun-loving geranium. Because of their pretty blooms in many colors, lovely fragrances, and culinary uses, scented geraniums are a wonderful addition to herb gardens, borders, window boxes, and hanging baskets. Some can even be used as ground cover. Geraniums are known for their aromatic, green foliage, the fragrance of which varies from plant to plant.
The true geranium is a perennial geranium plant, which is a cold climate plant. What we call a geranium originated in South Africa and was brought to Europe in the 18th century by Dutch traders. These annual flowers actually belong to the Pelargonium family and are not true geraniums, but resemble the geranium.
While there are several types of Pelargoniums, the two most popular are the Zonal Geranium and the Ivy Geranium. The Zonal geranium (Pelargonium x hortorum) has several distinctive features. The name is derived from the circular zone of red, bluish or purple colored striping through the middle of the round, almost kidney shaped leaves. The flowers on zonal geraniums resemble spheres that stand atop sturdy stems. The many colors of today’s modern hybrids bloom in nearly all the colors of the rainbow, especially pink, lavender, yellow, peach, orange, rose, white, and of course the classic red. If you want a geranium hanging basket, look for an Ivy Geranium (Pelargonium peltatum). This geranium naturally grows in a cascading form which is perfect for a hanging basket or window box. It is named for its glossy green, ivy-shaped leaves.
When you cross a zonal geranium with an ivy geranium, the result is an interspecific hybrid geranium. It is the best of both worlds in one plant with big, nonstop flowers on a plant with a mounding or slightly trailing growth pattern. These crosses have a great heat tolerance and fill planting beds and containers with lots of color all season long. Look for the Calliope or Calliente varieties.
Whether you’re growing annual zonal geraniums, ivy geraniums, interspecific hybrid, or old-fashioned scented geraniums, many aspects of geranium care remain the same. Geraniums crave sunshine. Six to eight hours of full sun each day works well, but in the hottest part of the summer, a little shade during the afternoon will keep your plant blooming. Geraniums have a tendency to stop flowering during especially hot weather. A full day is great but plants will thrive best with shade during the hottest part of the day. Ivy geraniums need light shade in all regions, especially as summer temperatures soar.
Geraniums are great drought-tolerant plants, so be careful not to overwater them. Wait until the top one inch of soil is dry. If the geranium is in a pot, be sure to have plenty of drainage holes in the bottom. Geraniums are heavy feeders, so be sure to plant them in soil with a slow releasing fertilizer. Add a water soluble fertilizer after about four weeks and then about every twenty days. Geraniums bloom best if they are kept somewhat root—bound. Repot your geraniums into larger containers only when necessary and then use a container that is just one size larger. To keep those blooms coming, deadhead the wilted and faded flowers. This will encourage new blooms to shoot up. Snap the stems as close to the main plant as possible.
With a little food and water, lots of sun, and some occasional attention, your colorful geraniums will thrive all summer long.
When You Require Surgery, St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center Should Be Your Hospital of Choice
If you or someone in your family needs an inpatient or outpatient surgical procedure, the Surgery Department at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center can help. The department is equipped with advanced technology and is committed to using techniques that help lower infection rates and encourage faster healing.
David W. Shepherd, MD, and Craig M. Bozeman, MD, general surgeons with St. Mary’s Physician Associates, talk about surgical options at the medical center.
What is general surgery?
General surgery involves all parts of the body, including the neck, abdomen, esophagus, liver and more. General surgeons are trained in a broad range of surgical procedures including emergency surgery, pediatric surgery, surgical oncology and more.
What is minimally invasive surgery?
Minimally invasive surgery involves a variety of techniques to operate with less damage to the body than with open surgery. In general, minimally invasive surgery is associated with less pain, a shorter hospital stay and fewer complications. Other advantages of minimally invasive surgery can include greater surgical precision, less trauma, less blood loss and reduced risk of infection.
What is a laparoscopic procedure?
Laparoscopy is surgery done through one or more small incisions, using small tubes and tiny cameras and surgical instruments and was one of the first types of minimally invasive surgery. It is a common type of surgery that is used to check for problems in the abdomen or a woman’s reproductive system.
What is robotic surgery?
Another type of minimally invasive surgery is robotic surgery, also called robot-assisted surgery. It provides a magnified, 3D view of the surgical site and allows surgeons to perform complex procedures with more precision, flexibility and control than is possible with conventional techniques. Robotic surgery is usually associated with minimally invasive surgery — procedures performed through tiny incisions.
What are some of the common surgical procedures you perform at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center?
Appendectomy: The appendix is removed when it becomes swollen or infected, which is called appendicitis. An infected appendix can burst and leak bacteria into the abdomen. Common symptoms include abdominal pain, fever, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Colon and rectal surgery: Common conditions treated include hemorrhoids, fissures, abscesses and infections. Patients can also be treated for many inflammatory bowel conditions, such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, diverticulitis and cancer.
Gallbladder removal: A thin tube called a laparoscope and other instruments are used to see inside the abdomen and remove the gallbladder. You may need to have your gallbladder removed if you have gallstones or other forms of gallbladder disease.
Gynecologic surgery: These include hysterectomy, or the removal of a woman’s uterus, and tubal ligation, a procedure in which a woman’s fallopian tubes are surgically closed to prevent conception and pregnancy.
Hernia repair: A hernia occurs when internal organ or tissue bulges through a weak area in the belly wall or groin. A combination of muscle weakness and straining, such as heavy lifting, may cause hernias. Surgeons at St. Mary’s can use the da Vinci® Surgical System to correct hernias.
What happens before surgery?
At St. Mary’s, you will be scheduled to speak with or see the pre-operative nurse before the scheduled surgery date. The pre-op nurse will review your medical information including medications. It is essential that the surgeon and anesthesiologist know the medications you are taking, including over-the-counter supplements. Please bring a list of your medications or your medication bottles to your pre-op appointment. After reviewing your medical information, the pre-op nurse will provide important information regarding your surgery.
What happens the day of surgery?
You will be asked to arrive two to three hours before your scheduled surgery time. During this time period, an IV will be started and the necessary preparation for surgery will be completed. The anesthesiologist and surgeon will also visit with you. Once surgery begins, family members will be able to track the surgery’s progress in the waiting room. The nurse will also provide updates. When the surgery has been completed, the surgeon will speak to your family in one of our consultation rooms. After the surgeon has talked to the family, they may meet the patient in the assigned post-op room.
To make an appointment with Dr. Shepherd or Dr. Bozeman at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, call 580-249-3898.
Individual results may vary. There are risks associated with any surgical procedure. Talk with your doctor about these risks to find out if minimally invasive or robotic surgery is right for you.
Physicians are on the medical staff of St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, but, with limited exceptions, are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center. The hospital shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians. For language assistance, disability accommodations and the nondiscrimination notice, visit our website.
It is officially summer, and one of my FAVORITE summertime dish is my chicken salad!! It is easy to make and a wonderful mix of summertime flavors that are great all year round! I like to eat it straight from a bowl, but it is perfect on a soft, buttery croissant, in a sandwich wrap, with crackers or on a bed of lettuce. I hope you will try it! Happy cooking!!
RECIPE
1/4 cup real mayo
1/2 tsp prepared brown mustard
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
1/4 tsp paprika
Black pepper to taste
1 (12.5oz) can chicken, drained well *
1 stalk celery, sliced
1/8 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup halved seedless red grapes
**I use canned white chicken, but you can use the mixed white and dark
Drain chicken well!!
Mix mayo, mustard and seasonings together in a bowl. Add remaining ingredients to mayo mixture and mix well, breaking up chunks of chicken to desired size.
We know as of recently, there’s been quite a bit of buzz surrounding the parent choice tax credit regarding school choice. Governor Stitt simply says that “we’re funding students, not systems.” The faith based schools in Enid already charge significantly less than their OKC and Tulsa peer schools, so the $5000-$7500 per child credit will lower the out of pocket cost for families significantly! The Parent Choice Tax Credit will help families access an education that reinforces the Christian values being lived out in their home. More parents can now realize their desire for their child’s school to be teaching the same beliefs, priorities, and values as their home and church. Mr. Wilkins excitedly states, “The financial barriers have all but been removed for parents who want their child educated in a biblical perspective and Christian foundation for a successful life.” OBA is one of several faith based schools in Garfield county that are excited for additional families to consider their educational options.
We wanted to break down some of this information a little more for families who may have some questions.
What is the tax credit?
The Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit Act allows families a specific amount of up to $7,500 to send their children to private or charter schools outside of their school district based on their zip code. The tax credit begins for the Spring of 2024 semester.
What are the details?
The measure establishes a tiered system of tax credits for parents or guardians who send their children to accredited private schools. The tax credit tiers are based on a household’s total adjusted gross income during the second preceding tax year. The credits are distributed per-student, per-year. If the tuition and fees are less than the maximum tax credit amount, the credit shall be limited to the cost of tuition and fees. There is also a tax credit for those that choose to homeschool of $1,000 per child.
Here is a breakdown of the tax credit brackets:
Household income less than $75,000, a parent may receive up to a $7,500 credit.
Household income $75,000 – $150,000, a parent may receive up to $7,000 credit.
Household income $150,000 – $225,000, a parent may receive up to $6,500 credit.
Household income $225,000-$250,000, a parent may receive up to $6,000 credit.
For a household income exceeding $250,000, a parent may receive up to a $5,000 credit.
OBA and the Tax Credit
-YES, financial barriers are significantly reduced for accessing OBA education.
-YES, current OBA families and any new OBA families are eligible.
-YES, the tax credit is fully refundable regardless of Oklahoma tax obligation.
-YES, the Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit, Opportunity Scholarship Fund, Lindsey Nicole Henry as well as OBA Discounts and OBA Tuition Assistance are stackable.
-YES, the current OBA mission, personnel, curriculum or admissions processes stay the same.
-YES, Academic Support Services are eligible expenses for the tax credit.
If you are or know a family that has been wanting to choose OBA but hasn’t been financially able to, there is a solution with this tax credit. Schedule a tour by reaching out to admissions@oklahomabible.com or calling the front office at (580)242-4104. There is limited space available, so we encourage you to tour or apply sooner rather than later! We hope to meet you soon!
How can I apply for the tax credit? As of when this article was written, we have no specific details on how families can apply for the tax credit. We do know that this will go into effect in January 2024. More details on how to apply and more will come from the Oklahoma Tax Commission soon.
Happy Summer NW Okies! Hope y’all have been out enjoying some spawning fish and preparing those deer stands for the upcoming season. If you haven’t, it’s about time to get those game cameras in place and see what you’ve got roaming around.
Speaking of Summer, the end of May kicks off the Walleye Rodeo in good ole Canton, Oklahoma. The “rodeo” is Oklahoma’s oldest and largest fishing tournament. Thousands of visitors flood the lake and small town to enjoy the fishing tourney, a carnival, vendor booths and an art show. Additionally, typically on the Saturday of the tournament, there is a 5K race, a fun run, poker run, barbecue cookoff and car show. To top it off there is a parade. Fun for all!
After the parade and food trucks, there is a street dance. It’s a great way to burn off those calories from the onion burgers and Indian tacos you’d previously consumed. On Sunday, there is a kid’s fishing derby for those 12 years of age and younger. The kids have the ability to win a lifetime fishing license, which would save you parents a few hundred bucks. An awards ceremony is held with ice cream and hamburgers and simply good fellowship with the locals and fellow fishermen.
Prizes are given out for several different categories, including 10 different species of fish. Walleye, stripers, drum, buffalo, carp, sunfish, flathead, white bass, channel cat, crappie, black bass and hybrids are all worth prizes if you catch the biggest. Several fish are tagged, and a tagged fish can be worth anywhere from $20 to $500!
The 2024 Canton Lake Walleye Rodeo will be May 16, 17, 18 and 19th. I’d suggest reserving a camping spot early as the place is guaranteed to be packed. Remember, be courteous and hurry at the boat dock and loading ramps, pick up your trash and your campsite, don’t blare late night music, etc. Simply do what we do, which is be sportsmen(women). Until then, catch ya around the bend!
Summertime is usually for relaxing by the pool, vacations and trying to stay cool for most kids, but not those that are dedicated to playing sports for Enid High. Those that want to excel participate in “Summer Pride,” Enid High’s summer strength and conditioning program. And this year, there is a new co-leader in town – Lane Hendricks. Coach Hendricks officially started on June 5th, and he was so excited, he said he could barely sleep in the days leading up to the first session. “This is a dream come true for me,” said Coach Hendricks, “I grew up playing football in West Kansas, and ended up on the team at Dodge City Community College and Ft. Hays State. I always loved working out, and really knew that coaching and helping kids was going to be my career path from a young age. I have coached football and track, but really loved the opportunity to be involved without the same kind of pressure that comes from being a direct coach.”
Hendricks said he has always had a love for strength and conditioning, and likes to read and study about the new trends. “It’s not like when we were kids,” he said, “now we know a lot more about how to workout and improve. I want to focus on all aspects of sports performance, and not just throwing weights around. Each movement has a purpose, and will help our athletes perform the best they can.”
Watching the first day of Summer Pride, it was impossible not to be impressed with how many student-athletes showed out (more than 300). “It was way more than the staff and I expected,” said Hendricks, “the numbers were crazy impressive across the board and in almost every sport and I was just glad to get started.”
Every sport’s head coach, and a few assistant coaches, are helping out with all sports and each sport is divided up into one of three start times (7:30 a.m., 8:30 a.m., 9:30 am.) and entail both conditioning workouts outside on the track and football field, and weight training, with each sport having a sport-specific workout. Coach Hendricks really likes having the coaches help with everyone, and not just their individual sport. “I think it is really good for the kids to hear voices and opinions from other coaches and maybe a new perspective, instead of just their sport coach. It can definitely be more motivating sometimes,” he said.
Enid has not just limited Summer Pride to the high school, they have encouraged the middle school student-athletes to attend sessions at each of the three middle schools, which each having their own coordinator. Even elementary school kids can get in on the fun this year, and for a small fee, they will teach 2nd through 5th grade kids how to run and stretch and lift with good form, hopefully developing good habits in the future.
While this story focused on the new coach, we don’t want to leave out Coach Jana Robertson, who has been at Enid for almost a year. She has really been a huge help connecting with student-athletes, and has done a great job with sport-specific training while building general athleticism. For every success on the field next school year, remember all the hard work these kids and coaches put in over the summer to give themselves the best chance at winning.
Just look at all these sweet faces. These pets and many more are waiting to be adopted at the ESPCA. If you’ve ever considered adding a family member to your home, there is a pet for you! The ESPCA team would love to help connect you to an adoptable cat or dog that fits your lifestyle and pace.
The ESPCA pulls the majority of its animals from Enid Animal Welfare, and after a health check, spay/neuter, and microchipping, most are ready for adoption right away. Generally, over 100 animals are in the ESPCA’s care on any given day. A small but mighty staff of compassionate individuals, dedicated volunteers, and a lot of community support keep the day-to-day activities rolling at the shelter. However, there is always a need for more help with donations, fostering, and volunteering.
As the shelter turns 25 years strong this month, the ESPCA’s mission is to provide compassionate care to companion animals awaiting adoption. Executive Director Vickie Grantz was one of two ladies who started the ESPCA. She and Gabriella Wilson began with a group of fosters working out of their homes to grow to the current campus that the shelter is on.
The dogs and cats need you; you also get so much from helping them. It’s a great way to feel good and make new friends who love animals. There’s a lot of excitement for new volunteers right now, and you can sign up at enidspca.org/volunteer. There is always a furry face to cuddle, read to, walk, brush, bathe, or pick up after. If pet hair is not your thing, but you would love to help from afar, you can sign up for the event team to help with promotion. There is a large festival in November each year, and help is always needed.
We hope you visit the ESPCA and their furry guests. If you are interested, there are lots of ways to get involved. You can become a Pet Partner (ESPCA’s monthly giving program), foster a pet for a short break from the shelter or until they are adopted, volunteer around the shelter, save aluminum drinking cans to help with the spay/neuter program Cans4Change or walk a dog to get them out of the bustling kennel. There is also a wish list at enidspca.org/wishlist.
Robert Sands, also known as Santa around Enid, was born on December 1st, 1954, in Canyon City, Colorado. Before moving to Oklahoma, Robert and his family moved to San Diego, California. When he was 15, they moved to Oklahoma and settled down.
Robert’s mother was a stay-at-home mom, but she was also an artist. She was a painter, and his father was in the Navy. Robert eventually followed in his father’s footsteps, but he also went on to do other things as well.
On October 5, 1991, Robert married Pamela Sands here in Enid Oklahoma, and they moved to Jet, Oklahoma, in 1996. In addition to being Mr. and Mrs. Claus, Robert and Pam were involved in many things throughout the community. Robert was a manager at the original Pizza Inn for many years, and he worked for the City of Enid, Enid Animal Control, and Jet Animal Control. He now also owns his own Animal Control. In addition to his many professions, he also does volunteer work, which is where you might recognize him from. To some he’s Dad or Grandpa, but to many, he’s Santa.
Robert has been volunteering as Santa for over a decade, and he’s been Santa all over Northwest Oklahoma. He and his late wife, Pam, were Mr. and Mrs. Claus to many children and families. They started their adventure as Mr. and Mrs. Claus in 2003, and it grew from there. In 2011, they started ‘Breakfast with Santa’ at Golden Corral. Since then, they’ve traveled and visited many towns and daycares. Robert partners with his daughter, Jennifer, at Mug Shots Photography to help you and your loved ones bring the Holidays home. Pam may no longer be with us, but she will live on in the picture frames of those whose lives they’ve touched. Stephanie Collins took her son to visit Santa and Mrs. Claus one year, and she said, “He’s the most ‘real’ Santa I have ever met in my 34 years. In looks, spirit, and the heart he has for children.”
Robert is very family oriented and anyone who knows him would tell you just that. His daughter, Amy, said, “He’s got a really kind heart, and he would do anything for anybody.” Robert lives in Kremlin with his family. He has four adult children, Amy, John, Ben, and Jennifer, and he has 29 grandchildren.
Whether you’ve seen him as Santa or he’s helped you with your fur babies, Robert is a true “Local Legend.”
LOCAL LEGENDS IS PROUDLY PRESENTED BY HUMPHREY AND GUARANTEE ABSTRACT CO.!
Hi!! And welcome back to Teen Scene in Enid Monthly. This past June, my dad and I took a vacation to GREECE!! So for July, I will tell you about our journeys each day and let you know a little about Athens’ history. Let’s go!!
To start off on our first full day we traveled all around the mythological areas of Athens. We visited the Parthenon (a temple dedicated to the Greek’s beloved Athena, goddess of war, wisdom, and handicraft), the Acropolis (a huge building used for a fortress and military base that later became a religious center also for Athena), the Theatre of Dionysus (god of drama and wine), which could seat up to 17,000 people, the Temple of Zeus, which we learned that there are only 15 out of 104 standing columns left, and many more incredible buildings. My dad and I were both very surprised by how many of the buildings in Athens were dedicated to Athena. The hotel that we stayed at was very nice but the rooftop view was one of the most beautiful views I’ve ever seen. You could see the whole city of Athens, the sea and a few of the buildings we had seen.
The next day we took a 4 ½ hour train ride to the city of Meteora. We went to the original Monasteries of Meteora and even got to go inside 2 active ones and learn about monks’ and nuns’ ways of life. I even got dress coded by a nun!! Our tour bus stopped at a few places to take pictures of the village and take in the views from the mountains. On the third day, we went on an island tour where we took a boat to 2 different Greek islands. We got to explore the towns, eat local foods, and even got to try locally grown pistachios which led to the tasting of pistachio ice cream, butter, and chocolate crisps!! This was our last day in Athens before we flew out to Santorini so when we got back we enjoyed some delicious food and relaxed on the rooftop of our hotel.
On the fifth day, we flew to Santorini which is an Island southeast of Athens. When we arrived at our hotel me and my dad were just in awe about how beautiful the island was. We again got very lucky with an amazing view. Our day consisted of traveling around the island, seeing the ancient city of Akrotiri, visiting a winery and wine museum, and spending our evening in the beautiful village of Oia. Akrotiri just blew my mind seeing how people lived thousands of years ago. Did you know they had working plumbing in the 16th century BC?! We got to see thousands of years old pottery, houses, trees, and public buildings. When we were driving from the airport through Santorini, I was a little surprised at how it looked. I was expecting what I saw on Google with hundreds of white buildings from the top of the mountains all the way to the beaches of the Aegean Sea but as we arrived in Oia I realized that it is what we think of when you hear Santorini. It was out of this world. We were hoping to see what Santorini is famous for, those beautiful sunsets, but the clouds ruined it for us. The next afternoon we flew back to Athens for our last night in Greece.
To end I would like to share that the people in Greece were the nicest people I have ever met, not one person was mean. Also, the food was very different from America but it was an experience trying the local meals. Almost every night in Athens we walked streets lined with different restaurants and got to taste many different foods. There are also lots of stray cats that come visit you while eating and they are all so sweet and taken care of. I even met one very special cat on our last night in Greece, that stays at the hotel we stayed at, and her name was Sofia!! I 100% recommend Greece for parents to take their teens.
Thank you so much for reading this month’s article! I hope you enjoyed it. If you have any questions, comments, or ideas for upcoming articles email me at tweensceneenid@gmail.com I would also love to hear from you about your vacations this summer so email me or that too!! I hope you all have an amazing July and a great 4th of July. Bye for now!!
It’s now July, and the second annual Best of Enid Event has come to a conclusion. Without you all, it wouldn’t have been possible. On behalf of us here at Enid Monthly, we want to thank you all for making the event such a success. The event sold out for a second year in a row, and it was a blast! Thank you to those who sponsored, which includes Gold and Silver Sponsors Natural Remedies, Enid C-Star, Unleashed Pet Grooming, Ladusau-Evans, Sandy’s Tacos, and all of our table sponsors and door prize sponsors – you are all very appreciated! The Stride Bank Event Center along with its staff and employees also deserve recognition because this wouldn’t have been possible without them. The food was great, the company was tremendous, and the memories will be forever cherished. Everyone gathered at the event to celebrate the Best of Enid, and there was a lot to celebrate. The event may have recognized businesses from around town, but it’s the community and the people here in Enid that make this city what it is. You are all the Best of Enid!
With over 60,000 votes, this year’s competition was close! Many categories were back and forth, and many of them came down to the literal last minute! In the end, the top 3 finalists of each category were cordially invited to the event, and everyone gathered to celebrate each other’s achievements. If you came out a winner, congratulations! If you ended up a finalist, congratulations as well! And for everyone else who was nominated, take pride in that nomination because the community members here in Enid see you and your business, and they recognize all the greatness that you do and bring to the community, so congratulations to you as well!
Events like these present an opportunity to be present and thankful for the community Enid has, and with so much going on constantly, it’s nice to gather with your peers for a night of enjoyment, recognition, celebration, and good times. Bryce Winters was one of the attendees at the event, and he said, “It was amazing seeing the community come together to celebrate all that Enid has accomplished! I love that we have someone giving recognition for our community’s hard work!” At the end of the night, everyone who came felt celebrated and had a good time because that’s really what the event was about – celebrating Enid and everything and everyone that makes Enid, Enid.
As each category was highlighted and the winners were announced, the audience got to see what makes Enid so special. Whether it was the thank you speeches given by the winners or the applause and celebrations for each winner from the audience, those in attendance got to witness the Enid community as a community. At an event where everyone wants to win, it was refreshing and inspiring to see everyone celebrate one another, even if it meant they didn’t win. The energy in the room was absolutely tremendous! Gold sponsor and Best Pet Groomer winner, Unleashed Pet Grooming, stated, “The evening was really nice. I went up against elite competition, and I’d just opened in August of 2022. So, it was an honor to be recognized, and I really enjoyed the event.”
Abby Grey was the photographer for the event, and she was able to capture so many special moments from the evening. She was there to greet each winner as they walked off the stage, and she was also there to capture moments from the audience and presenters.
As many of the winners said in their thank you speeches, each award and trophy was not an individual achievement – it truly takes a village. From the employees that make local businesses thrive to the community that shops local and voted for their favorites – you made the Best of Enid possible.
The doors opened at 6:00pm on June 1st, but the rain started just a little bit before that. Even through the storms and downpour, the Best of Enid still came out and showed up for one another. As people made their way to their seats, they gathered food and beverages and sat down to start the night. The food was spectacular, and the speaker, Jonathan Wilson, quickly got the ball rolling. Gloria Briley was another attendee, and she said, “As a new resident to Enid, I was very impressed with the strong community support for small businesses at the Best of Enid event. I witnessed that same community togetherness at the Christmas tree lighting, and it was so refreshing to see friends and family gathering to celebrate one another.” As winners were announced, each category had a song specific to that category, from “Who let the Dogs Out” for the Best Pet Groomer category to the “YMCA” for the Best Fitness/Gym category. There was so much thought and effort put into each part of the night, so it was amazing to see everything be executed and received so well.
For dinner, guests were served chicken cordon bleu, diced potatoes, broccoli, and a plethora of desserts! The food was raved about by many, and some were still talking about it a couple of weeks later. Good food paired with great drinks and even better people was a recipe for a great night!
It may have been pouring outside, but that didn’t dampen the evening. Almost everyone who purchased a sponsorship, table, and ticket was in attendance, so the seats were full, and the tables were packed. Gold sponsor, Enid C-Star, said “We had a wonderful time. We want to give a special thank you to Enid Monthly and the Stride staff for a wonderful evening. We look forward to next year’s event.”
The keywords for this year’s event were community, appreciation, acknowledgment, and engrossed. There are many other words applicable to the Best of Enid event, like joy, kindness, celebration, anticipation, and so on, but those four words were key at this year’s event.
Community
One of the things that stood out the most was the community at the event. Each one of the nominees celebrated the success of the other nominees, even if that meant they didn’t win. Everyone in attendance seemed to be genuinely happy for their neighbors and competitors, and that spoke volumes to the community here in Enid. In a small town where everyone knows everyone, it’s easy to be overly competitive, but that wasn’t the case. Everyone came together as a community, and everyone celebrated with one another as a community. With the outside world having so many controversies and lots of division, it was truly inspiring to see people of opposition and similarities come together and just enjoy themselves. The community here in Enid is second to none, and that’s why Enid is so special.
Appreciation
Another thing that was evident throughout the whole event was the appreciation. To begin with, we here at Enid Monthly appreciate you all for coming out again and making the night so special. Everyone who came out and everyone who was nominated is very appreciated. Without you all, there wouldn’t be anything to celebrate, acknowledge, or appreciate. So, thank you again for making Enid what it is. Appreciation was also evident in all of the attendees and businesses who were present. Silver sponsor and Best Funeral Home winner, Ladusau-Evans, said, “It is truly an honor to be able to help the families in the Enid community that have entrusted their loved ones with the Ladusau-Evans Funeral Home and Crematory. It is not a job for us, it’s a passion. We have been serving the Enid area for over 50 years. Thank you to the Enid community for trusting Ladusau-Evans Funeral Home and Crematory.” Whether you appreciated the opportunity to be acknowledged, the event, the food, or even just the fact that there was a bar, the appreciation could be felt throughout the room, and the feelings were mutual.
Acknowledgement
As the winners were announced, they made their way to the stage to accept their award. However, many didn’t accept their awards alone. A majority of the winners brought up their teams with them, and many of them even acknowledged their team individually. As a member of the audience, it was so lovely to see business owners and managers acknowledge and thank their teams. And as employees, we all know how nice it is to be acknowledged and celebrated by higher ups, and that was a big part of what made the night so special. Each winner knew that they couldn’t have done it alone, and that’s why so many of them thanked their phenomenal teams. Everyone there deserved every bit of recognition they got, and being able to have an event that does acknowledge and celebrate people for their hard work is so fulfilling.
Engrossed
To be engrossed means you’re giving someone or something all of your attention or interest, and everyone at the event was absolutely engrossed by the speaker. Eager with anticipation, everyone watched and listened as he went through each category announcing the winners of this year’s event. Often times people can get consumed by the technological world that they hold in their hands, but that wasn’t the case at the event. It was so rejuvenating to see people engaging in conversation and interacting with those around them. Many people were totally present and living in the moment, and that was phenomenal to witness. Gold sponsor and CBD/Cannabis winner, Natural Remedies, said, “We had a great time at the event! We enjoyed having the opportunity to attend, and we loved being able to socialize and hang out with our peers from around Enid. It was a great night, and we look forward to next year’s event!”
As things come to an end for this year’s Best of Enid Event, we want to thank you all again. You make Enid what it is today, and that alone is reason enough to celebrate! Thank you all for coming out to the event and supporting one another, and thank you to everyone who helped make this event possible. Until next year, stay safe, spread kindness, and always take a moment to celebrate those around you – we all deserve it. Thank you, Enid!
