TulsaPeople January 2026

Responsiveness. Precision. Intuitive grace. A superior musical instrument can be recognized by the degree to which it allows the player to express vision without interference — with nothing coming between the ngers on the keyboard and the music in the air.

Such is the experience of playing a Boston . Designed by Steinway & Sons, employing the unique patents and expertise that have made the name Steinway synonymous with excellence, the Boston line of grand and upright pianos represents a singular achievement in instrument building: a superior playing experience at a price level never before thought possible .

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BOSTON PIANOS, CONTACT

STEINWAY PIANO GALLERY OR VISIT STEINWAYPIANOS.COM

STEINWAY PIANO GALLERY

3402 S. Peoria Ave. Tulsa, Ok 75105

T E L (918) 516-1853

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TULSA

If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction to opioids, alcohol or other substances, talk with an expert at the OSU Addiction Recovery Clinic about outpatient treatment options, and get on the road to recovery today.

OSU addiction medicine specialists provide customized care for adults and adolescents using treatment options that may include medications, counseling and behavioral therapy, and support groups. Care that goes beyond. osumedicine.com

Addiction Recovery Clinic 5310 E 31st St #1102, Tulsa | 918-561-1890

Conditions treated include:

• Substance use disorders - alcohol, opioids, smoking, vaping, marijuana, stimulants

• Co-occurring psychiatric or mental health concerns

• Compulsive behaviors such as gambling, shopping, gaming, etc.

Call 918-561-1890 to schedule an appointment or visit osumedicine.com to learn more.

CITY DESK

New bookstore experience in town. Family Safety Center’s new location. Tulsa Jr. Oilers going to Nationals. Up With Trees turns 50.

CLIFF ROBERTSON, M.D.

66 in Texas.

fauna.

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Open every day with extended hours across 6 convenient locations — because care shouldn’t wait.

Scan the QR code to check in online, walk in, or go to ascension.org/StJohnCare

Hours may vary; please call ahead.

PUBLISHER’S LETTER

Iappreciate Editor Lauren Rogers continuing the tradition of extending me the opportunity to write an annual Publisher’s Letter in the January issue of the magazine.

e issue you are holding (unless reading our digital edition online) is the third issue in our 40th year of publishing Tulsa’s city magazine. Come November, we will celebrate four decades of creating TulsaPeople. We are happy that Tulsans will have an opportunity to look back at our publishing history via a special TulsaPeople 40th Anniversary Exhibit presented at the Museum of Tulsa History this fall. Stay tuned for an announcement with more details.

Our January issue of the magazine is always a special one because we annually name a Tulsan of the Year, a practice we began in 1999. Our Tulsan of the Year for 2026 — as you see on the cover — is Rhys Martin , for his 10-plus years of devotion to uplifting Route 66. His e orts, largely carried out as a volunteer with organizations including the Oklahoma Route 66 Association and Tulsa Route 66 Commission, helped lay the foundation for our city’s upcoming celebrations of the Mother Road’s centennial this year. Additionally, over the last decade Martin has met with travelers and journalists from around the world to share the story of this historic highway, inspiring new and repeat visitation to one of our state’s most valuable tourism assets. As tourism is Oklahoma’s third largest industry, Martin’s involvement has been instrumental in supporting jobs and sustaining the signi cant economic impact Route 66 travel has on our state.

Rhys Martin joins a distinguished group of TulsaPeople-named Tulsans of the Year since we began this tradition in 1999. Others receiving the honor have been: Ed Keller, 1999; Keith Bailey, 2000; Pete Churchwell , 2001; George Kaiser, 2002; Kathleen Coan , 2003;

Tulsa Vision 2025 Voters, 2004; Beryl Ford , 2005; Ginny Creveling , 2006; Tom Kivisto, 2007; Dr. Tom McKeon , 2008; Dr. Gerry Clancy, 2009; Kathy Taylor, 2010; Mike Neal , 2011; Dr. Keith Ballard , 2012; Phil Lakin , 2013; Becky Frank , 2014; Dr. Steadman Upham , 2015; Marq Lewis , 2016; Damario Solomon-Simmons , 2017; e Donors and Leaders Behind Gathering Place, 2018; Judy Kishner, 2019; Je Martin , 2020; Local Pandemic Heroes, 2021; Sterlin Harjo, 2022; e Rodgers Family, 2023; Stacey Woolley, 2024; and Taylor Hanson , 2025.

Also in this issue you will nd our annual Lives Well Lived feature. is piece, while always an emotional one to compile, allows us to remember notable Tulsans whom we have lost during the previous calendar year.

It is with sadness that I share the passing of Steve Hopkins. Steve served as an advertising account manager on the sta of TulsaPeople Magazine for 15 years, retiring in 2019. He was a sales pro and well-liked by his fellow members of the Langdon Publishing team, along with his many ad clients over the years. Steve’s late father, the Rev. Jerry Hopkins , was a beloved minister in Tulsa and popular for his radio show — e Sunday Morning Gospel Hour — on KVOO Radio. Steve was a very proud alum of e University of Tulsa and happy to have been a member of the Golden Hurricane basketball team during his college years. tp

Jim Langdon PUBLISHER

Wander through whimsy

New to Route 66 is entrepreneur William Franklin’s latest endeavor, FableRealm Books and TulsaRama Ice Cream Parlor at 5729 E. 11th St. This immersive shop transports visitors to their favorite fairytales, complete with secret pathways and dreamy details. Perfect for the kids in your life (or your inner child) this dazzling destination is designed to engage your imagination. Read more about this new Tulsa treasure trove on p. 20. tp

GH2 Architects relocates Tulsa headquarters to historic Greenwood District

GH2 Architects, LLC, an award-winning architecture and interior design firm with a national and international portfolio, has recently relocated their Tulsa headquarters to the historic Greenwood District.

The firm’s Tulsa office is now located at the 21 North Greenwood Office Building, which was designed by GH2 and developed by the Hille Foundation, a private family philanthropy that supports Tulsa nonprofi t organizations and projects.

The building includes 45,000 square feet of open office space, 9,000 square feet of retail, an on-site 153-space parking garage and the Vista at 21 — a 16,000 square-foot indoor/outdoor multi-purpose rooftop space with sweeping views of downtown Tulsa. The firm’s new office occupies the entire second floor of the building.

GH2’s new office is roughly the same size as its former space in the 320 South Boston building — where they officed for decades — but offers a more practical and creative layout, which includes breakout areas to enhance collaboration.

40 years of TulsaPeople

As the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl celebrates its own 40th anniversary in 2026, TulsaPeople reflects on a conversation writer Anna Bennett had with founder Emmett Hahn ahead of their 2016 event.

WHAT WAS THE CHILI BOWL LIKE IN THE EARLY DAYS? In our early days, we had Steve Kinser, the Swindells — Sammy Swindell has been there forever, it seems like. Then Tony Stewart started coming, and Jeff Gordon came, and then the NASCAR guys started getting involved, and drag racers came, the late model guys ...

“The breakout spaces are critical to our being in our industry and the way that we function,”

GH2 Principal Michael Hall said in a press release. “Designing buildings requires close collaboration, and our new offi ce space refl ects how we practice. The modern design facilitates open dialogue and teamwork, focused on working together to create innovative solutions for our clients.” — STAFF REPORTS

We got the best (drivers) of every form of racing, from Indy cars to micros.

WHY DO RACERS KEEP COMING BACK?

It’s not about money. This thing here is fun. It’s almost like a racer’s reunion.

DESCRIBE THE THRILL OF DRIVING ONE OF THESE THINGS. I’m gonna say it would be like jumping out of an airplane, only it lasts for 50 laps. NASCAR is like calf-roping, and midgets and sprint cars are like bull riding.

WHAT’S BEEN THE MOST GRATIFYING PART OF THIS JOURNEY? When you sit up there on a Friday or Saturday night, and just think back 27 years to what it was, and it just kinda makes you feel good that you accomplished something that nobody else in the world has ever accomplished. tp VISIT TULSAPEOPLE.COM FOR MORE OF THIS CONVERSATION.

Jan. 12-17

40th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals SageNet Center, 4145 E. 21st St. chilibowl.com

FEBRUARY 1-15TH

TulsaPeople readers will be invited to nominate their favorite businesses to the 2026 A-LIST in five business areas including:

Dine Local Fun for All Services Head to Toe Shop Local

ATTENTION LOCAL BUSINESSES: For information about A-LIST NOMINATIONS ROUND ad packages, contact adservices@langdonpublishing.com by January 8.

OU HEALTH STEPHENSON CANCER CENTER IN TULSA

World-Class, Research-Driven Cancer Care — Coming to Tulsa

OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center — Oklahoma’s only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer center — is set to bring a transformative 176,100-square-foot cancer center to northeastern Oklahoma. Located on the University of Oklahoma’s Schusterman Campus in Tulsa, this new center will address Oklahoma’s current ranking as 4th in the nation for cancer deaths by delivering life-saving, comprehensive outpatient cancer care and clinical trials.

Opening in 2028:

• Dedicated clinical trials not available at any other Oklahoma cancer center

• 70 exam rooms

• 45 infusion spaces

• Full imaging: MRI, PET-CT & more

• Access to state-of-the-art technology and innovative treatments

We are currently seeing patients in Tulsa at OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center at Hillcrest at 1245 S. Utica Avenue, offering compassionate care and clinical trials. To make an appointment, call (918) 579-3850. Together, we’re lifting the health of Oklahoma — turning breakthroughs into hope for generations.

TULSA 10

JANUARY

COMPILED BY MADISON WALTERS

Jan. 3

YOGA ON ICE

Get ready for a one-of-a-kind yoga class at BOK Center as attendees take to the ice for the session. Stick around afterwards for the Oilers game as they take on the Iowa Heartlanders. facebook.com/wearepowerlife

Jan. 7

AEW DYNAMITE

All Elite Wrestling invades the BOK Center for an epic night of professional wrestling with a wide roster of wrestlers. bokcenter.com

Jan. 12-17

CHILI BOWL NATIONALS

The massive indoor dirt track racing event returns to the SageNet Center for six days of thrilling races. chilibowl.com

Jan. 17

BIRDWATCHING CLASS

This interactive workshop led by the Tulsa Audubon Society will discuss how to set up your yard to be a bird paradise, binocular usage, field guide know-how, feeding tips and more. tulsagardencenter.org

Jan. 22

“MISHIMA: A LIFE IN FOUR CHAPTERS”

Chamber Music Tulsa invites you to a special evening at Circle Cinema celebrating the works of legendary composer Philip Glass. Make sure you arrive early for the pre-film reception! circlecinema.org

Jan. 24

HORTONFEST

Celebrating 20 years of Horton Records, Hortonfest returns again to Cain’s Ballroom this year with an all-star lineup of Tulsa musicians like John Fullbright , Paul Benjaman, Jesse Aycock , Jacob Tovar and more. cainsballroom.com

Jan. 29

TSO ON THE GO

Bring the whole family to this free performance by the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra’s Brass Quintet at The Common Good. tulsasymphony.org

Jan. 30

OZZOLUTION

All aboard the crazy train! The premier Ozzy Osbourne tribute group, Ozzolution, will be making its way to the Venue Shrine for a show featuring fake bats, blistering riffs and more. ozzolution.com

Jan. 19

MLK DAY PARADE

Starting at the corner of North Detroit Avenue and John Hope Franklin Boulevard, the MLK Day Parade is a great place to learn about and celebrate the legacy of the great Civil Rights leader. mlktulsa.com

Jan. 31

TULSA MAC DOWN

Head to Herman and Kate Kaiser YMCA to sample a variety of creative, mouthwatering vegan mac n’ cheese dishes made by talented local chefs. tinyurl.com/mactulsa tp

Breathing room

The new Case Family Safety Center will o er clients an expanded range of services.

BY SHARON BISHOP-BALDWIN

The brand new 65,000-squarefoot Case Family Safety Center will open next month at 2829 S. Sheridan Road to replace the current facility housed inside the Police and Municipal Courts Building. e Family Safety Center serves survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, human tra cking and elder abuse. Every inch of the new location is intentionally designed to help clients feel at ease, as well as better meet their needs.

“ e many shortcomings of the existing space include no windows, limited privacy, not enough room for professionals to do their jobs, etc.,” says Suzann Stewart, the Center’s CEO. “ e new facility is speci cally designed internally as well as externally to provide (an) ultimate traumareducing aesthetic, a more holistic environment for professionals to do their work, and for survivors to feel more uplifted and hopeful just walking in the door.”

e new building will occupy 4 acres of a 6-acre campus shared with the Child Advocacy Network, which serves survivors of child abuse.

“We’re getting light, and we’re getting space, and we’re getting grass and trees and

all of those things people need to thrive,” Stewart says.

e Family Safety Center was born in 2006 to create a one-stop facility for all domestic violence services. Stewart says her agency has always been grateful for their space inside the Police and Municipal Courts Building, and clients have told her they have gotten just what they needed there. But she says it was never a perfect place for the work her sta does. Besides being downtown — an area that can be unfamiliar to many people — and being housed in a police building where some clients have had traumatic experiences, the o ce is simply too small and o ers no room to grow, limiting the amount of clients the center could serve.

e new facility will have more than four times the space, bringing together civil, criminal, health, social, and holistic services and resources. Sta ng will include additional investigators, case managers, attorneys, medical personnel and tribal representatives to perform services such as case investigation.

Janine Collier, the agency’s director of programs, says all that space will be perfect

for expanded programming, including yoga, Reiki, meditation, acupuncture, art therapy and perhaps even some cooking and other life-skills classes.

“Survivors look for safe spaces to create community. is will be a great home for all that,” adds Stewart.

An estimated 30,000 people a year are expected to use the center, which will feature bigger o ces, lounges with comfortable furniture, conference space, a workout room and a courtroom that potentially could host protective order proceedings.

Stewart says she’s grateful to the many donors who made the $24 million project possible, including the A.R. and Marylouise Tandy Foundation, both the Muskogee Creek and Cherokee Nations, Tulsans Mike and Pat Case and other individual and philanthropic donors, as well as the state, county and city.

“Our community takes high rates of domestic and family violence very seriously,” Stewart says. “Providing protection, hope and healing is just a start in ultimately ending violence and abuse. We’re investing in this now working toward a future where it is no longer needed.” tp

The

— Student from the Class of 2026

— Student from the Class of 2027

Our rigorous, college preparatory academics set the standard. Our students are prepared for post-secondary opportunities throughout the world.”

— Ashlee Lowry, Director of College Counseling

CHANGEMAKERS

Fifty years and growing

Up With Trees plants the seeds for a healthier Tulsa.

BY ABIGAIL SINGREY

Forget the pharmacy, sometimes the best medicine really does grow on trees. Research shows that when a city’s tree canopy coverage reaches 30 percent of the ground area, residents quite literally breathe easier, with measurable improvements in heart and lung health. at’s the goal driving Up With Trees, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

In 2016, the organization surveyed Tulsa and found the city’s tree canopy covered about 26 percent of the area.

“We’re working towards the 3-30-300 rule, which is three trees visible from every home, 30 percent tree canopy in all Tulsa neighborhoods, and 300 yards to the nearest maintained green space,” says Shawn Davis, Up With Trees’ director of community outreach.

e organization’s goals are ambitious — reaching the 30 percent mark by 2036 would require planting roughly 15,000 trees in Tulsa County each year. at’s a tall order, especially as storms and other factors continue to take their toll.

“During the 2023 Father’s Day storm, we lost huge, mature trees,” Davis says. “Even with all the new trees we’re planting, it’s hard to keep up with the loss of those older ones, making community-wide planting initiatives even more important for a culture that proudly calls itself Green Country.”

Most Tulsans recognize the wooden Up With Trees signs that dot highway medians, but the organization’s work stretches far beyond that. ey plant trees in neighborhoods, parks and even near Tulsa Public Schools playgrounds. Each year, Up With Trees sta and volunteers plant about 2,000 trees and care for roughly 13,000 each summer. “By combining education with distributing thousands of smaller trees to the public each year that don’t require heavier equipment to plant, we’re able to grow that impact even further and ensure that anyone has the opportunity to plant a tree.”

ey’re also inviting private property owners to join the e ort to grow Tulsa’s green spaces. In one recent Pearl District project, Up With Trees planted along neighborhood streets, while a local property owner donated a vacant lot that became a fruit orchard, which is now a thriving community gathering spot.

“ e more public locations we’ve planted, the more partners come forward that say, ‘Hey, we want trees. We just don’t know how to manage them,’” Davis says. “We educate people on how to select the right species, and care for them, so that as these trees grow, they are an asset to property owners rather than liability.”

In celebration of its 50th anniversary, the organization is o ering a yearlong discount on its 200 remaining Adopt a Tree Site sponsorships, dropping the price by 50 percent to $1,000 for the rst year.

e money funds mowing, cyclical pruning, weed management and general tree care for the 13,000-plus trees along the organization’s 500 tree sites throughout Tulsa County.

Volunteers are the lifeblood of Up With Trees, with opportunities for people of every ability. Children as young as three have helped plant trees in the parks, and other projects, such as maintaining and painting the signs, are also available.

“When you leave (an Up With Trees) project, that landscape has immediately changed, and you know that there’s going to be an impact on the people that live in the area,” Davis says.

Learn more about Up With Trees at upwithtrees.org. tp

Brewing community

Firefl

y Brew serves kombucha and kindness.

BY LAURA DENNIS

Rashel Hudson, owner and founder of Fire y Brew, was born with an entrepreneurial spirit.

“I started waiting tables when I was 14,” she says. “I was always hustling to earn money to get the things I wanted and needed.” After high school, she studied business with an emphasis in law at Haskell Indian Nations College.

Hudson faced many hardships in her young adult life including the loss of her mother, an unplanned teen pregnancy and domestic abuse. As a young single mom, she focused on providing for her children and taking care of her own health. “I haven’t always lived the healthiest lifestyle but have been making sustainable changes,” she says.

One such change inspired Hudson’s connection to kombucha, which she says gives her the same satisfaction as drinking soda — a habit she was looking to kick. After diving into the science behind kombucha, trying dozens of brands and thoroughly

researching the product market, Hudson felt certain she could produce a better, higher quality version — which she assures is non-alcoholic.

“ e naturally occurring alcohol molecule in kombucha is a non-intoxicating one,” she says. “It’s safe for all ages and even recovered addicts.”

With the mentorship of many friends, professionals and other business owners, Hudson began producing kombucha in 2020 as Okie Skies and Fire ies, based in Mounds. After landing investors to fund an expansion, Hudson rebranded to Fire y Brew in February 2024.

Her rst taproom location followed in October 2025 at 1920 E. Sixth St. Next door, Hudson operates a co-packing facility to help other small-beverage brands expand their reach by manufacturing larger batches of their product and canning it for them.

e goal, she says, is “to help them either break into retail or expand their footprint beyond their current market reach.”

Hudson’s company also gives back to its local community of Mounds by donating each year to the Angel Tree as well as through the Mounds Minstrel Alliance, and taking requests to help single parents, teens and domestic violence victims when they can. “We plan to eventually launch our own nonpro t that will provide work, monetary and legal help to (domestic violence) survivors and their children,” she says.

Fire y Brew o ers nine di erent avors of kombucha, along with wellness tonics — including their Elderberry Potion (made with whole elderberries, ground ginger root, clove and honey) and Fire Cider Vinegar (raw, organic apple cider vinegar infused with vegetables, fruits, roots and herbs chosen for their avor and natural bene ts). Shoppers can purchase Fire y brews online at re ybrew.com or in-store, and businesses interested in partnering with Fire y Brew can email info@ re ybrew.com. tp

Take a drive

The Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum o ers visitors a unique way to experience the Mother Road.

BY JANE ZEMEL

The mailing address may be on Sahoma Lake Road, but the Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum and its iconic 66-foot gas pump overlook the stretch of its namesake highway that goes right through Sapulpa.

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Mother Road, the museum is again o ering Model T driving classes, called “ e Experience,” which will take place the rst Saturday of the month, May through September. In 2025, classes were lled. is year, there’s already a waiting list. Students lucky enough to enroll begin with a short classroom session, then move to the parking lot to get a feel for the machine. After a few hours of detailed instruction, each participant gets to drive the Model T.

at’s harder than it sounds. Of the three pedals on the oor, none is for the gas. e combination of footwork on those pedals, the throttle on the steering wheel, the ups and downs of a parking brake, and impeccable coordination is what propels the car.

At roughly 30 mph, the ride can be bumpy. “You’re riding in a Model T car on a Model T road,” says historian Tom McGahan , referring to the patch of the original Ozark Trail where participants drive — which predates Route 66. McGahan and driving instructor Bill Kenny created the Model T curriculum; they are two of the 13 volunteers who power the museum experience for visitors.

“Bill has the patience,” McGahan says. Kenny also owns a building nearby where he rehabs vintage cars including the Model T, which spent a length of time sitting in a barn in disrepair until it was donated to the museum by the owner’s widow.

e museum is the brainchild of Richard (the car guy) and Lina “someone has to run the place” Holmes. “ ere’s nothing like it in the area,” Richard says.

“I have to admit, running a museum was not at the top of my bucket list,” Lina says. “But (Richard) never wavered. So we agreed to give it a go.”

e museum opened in 2016 in a decommissioned armory following more

than $400,000 in renovations completed over one year. Within its 12,000 square feet, dozens of cars — antique, vintage, muscle, military, racing and rare — are on display, including the Holmes’ personal cars (among which are a 1960 Corvette, a 1966 Lincoln Continental, a 1974 Jaguar XKE and a 1954 MG TF). Plans are in the works to expand by another 7,000 square feet. e stick-a-pin-in-it maps at the museum represent visitors from all 50 states and 100-plus countries. Groups from Europe, Asia and Australia y to Chicago or Los Angles, rent cars (some buy) and drive e Mother Road.

Open seven days a week, the museum is ready for an onslaught of visitors during the Route 66 centennial.

One visitor said the museum “makes you feel proud of the country. e Model T was Route 66’s rst customer.”

To get your name on the waitlist for the Model T Experience, call the museum at 918-216-1171 during their business hours, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information about the museum, visit heartofroute66.org. tp

ICING ON TOP

The Jr. Oilers 18U hockey team is heading to Nationals.

BY JOHN TRANCHINA

The competition is still a couple months away, but it’s already con rmed that the Tulsa Jr. Oilers 18U AA hockey team has quali ed for the USA Hockey National tournament March 25-29 in West Chester, Pennsylvania.

After coming up just short in their attempt to make it to Nationals last season, knowing that they’re in it this year is a big thrill.

“It feels like it will be a great experience,” says Gavin Hoskin, a 16-year-old defenseman who has been playing hockey in Tulsa since he was 4. “If we play our game, I think we can do really well. I’m just excited to go.”

Typically, teams have to play a series of elimination games to qualify, but coach Jake Hanson described the process that led to the Jr. Oilers securing their spot at Nationals.

“USA Hockey has three divisions: A, AA and AAA, and Oklahoma — being a tiny hockey market — (typically) falls in A. So we would typically have to play any other team in our state to go,” Hanson explains. “Last year Oklahoma City had an 18U team, we played them and lost 3-2 (so) they got to go and they made it to the semi nals. is year Oklahoma City didn’t have enough players for a team, and we actually got a couple of their guys that came here. So, we don’t have to play anybody and we get to go. at’s not to say that we don’t belong. We’re good enough to go compete.”

e Jr. Oilers play in the 18U AA division in the Texas Hockey League against teams mostly out of the Dallas area, which means a lot of travel throughout the season. But since the new WeStreet Ice Center at 4143 S. Yale Ave. opened in March 2024, it’s easier for them to also entice elite squads from around the country to come to Tulsa. For example, in November, the Jr. Oilers hosted a tournament that included elite AA and AAA squads such as the St. Louis Sting and the Nashville Jr. Predators, both considered among the top 50 of the 406 teams eligible for nationals.

“When we go to Nationals, we’ll play teams from markets that are smaller like ours and be highly competitive,” Hanson says.

e team’s roster consists primarily of players from Tulsa, along with the recent additions from Oklahoma City.

“Lots of us have been playing together most of our lives, so we all have good chemistry,” says Hoskin, who is a junior at Jenks High School. “It’s like a family. And the guys that we didn’t have last year that we now have, I think they enjoy the team quite a bit.”

“We’ve got a great group,” adds Hanson, who has coached the team for the past three years. “ ey’re super good kids. We work hard but we have a ton of fun. ere’s not a lot of dull moments when you’re with a bunch of 15, 16, 17 and 18-year-olds.”

Hockey fans in Tulsa can support the team during the National tournament by coming out to the team’s watch parties at WeStreet’s Puck’s Sports Bar and Grill, or by streaming through the USA Hockey website, usahockey.com. tp

20 years of Horton Records

Music nonprofit Horton Records celebrates two decades of supporting Oklahoma artists

BY JULIE WENGER WATSON

The nonpro t Horton Records will celebrate two decades of supporting Oklahoma musicians with Hortonfest, a weekend of music, food and community Jan. 23-25. e organization, which is run entirely by volunteers, has released more than 120 titles from Oklahoma artists, distributing over 150,000 CDs and albums worldwide. It also books more than 100 shows on behalf of Oklahoma musicians annually, resulting in $50,000 paid directly to those artists each year.

“Artists who have debuted with Horton Records in the last 20 years are now international ambassadors for Oklahoma music,” says Stanton Doyle, executive director of e Church Studio, citing musicians like Jesse Aycock , Carter Sampson, Paul Benjaman and Seth Lee Jones, as well as Ken Pomeroy, who released two albums on Horton Records and is now associated with the prestigious Rounder Records label.

Horton Records has worked with both Doyle and Katie Dale, executive director of the nonpro t Red Dirt Relief Fund, on numerous events and collaborations. ey believe that the organization has helped expand appreciation for Oklahoma artists and their music well beyond the State’s borders.

“Horton Records has provided a platform of opportunities for local artists to realize their dreams and for Oklahoma voices to be heard around the world,” Dale says.

e festivities kick o Jan. 23 with an all-ages free show at VFW Post 577, 1109 E. Sixth St., with performances from Tulsa’s Seth Lee Jones, gritty blues-rock from Chicago’s e Steepwater Band, and funky, improvisational explorations from Milwaukee guitar wizard, Greg Koch and the Koch-Marshall Trio. Dustin Pittsley and Jesse Aycock’s Higher Education closes the night. Saturday’s concert at Cain’s Ballroom, 423 N. Main St., coin-

cides with the birthday of Horton Records’ founder and president, Brian Horton . e all-ages show features some of Horton’s favorites, including roots music guitar heroes JD Simo and Luther Dickinson , Austin’s Ian Moore , and Mike Mattison and Trash Magic, led by the Grammyaward winning singer for Tedeschi Trucks Band, Mike Mattison

Of course, the evening also boasts plenty of local representation with e Tulsa Revue, featuring John Fullbright, Benjaman, Aycock, Jacob Tovar and some special guests. e weekend celebration closes with a free show at noon on Sunday, Jan. 25 at Fassler Hall (304 S. Elgin Ave.) for those 21-plus featuring Austin-based Greyhounds as well as Pilgrim and Brad Absher. For more information, visit hortonrecords.org. tp

Editor’s Note: Julie Watson is a board member of the nonpro t Horton Records.

‘Plugged

in’

Artist releases debut album backed by Tulsa talent.

BY JULIE WENGER WATSON

FACES OF THE MOTHER ROAD

A fresh voice on the Tulsa music scene, 29-year-old Joleen Brown is backed by some heavy hitters. If you haven’t heard of her yet, chances are you will soon. With two songs featured in Sterlin Harjo’s latest FX series “The Lowdown” and the release of her debut album, “A Good Place to Hide Away,” which features Turnpike Troubadours’ Gabe Pearson , Hank Early and Ryan Engleman as well as Grammy-nominated producer Wes Sharon — Brown is making her mark in the roots-country world.

Like a classic country song, Brown was born in Tennessee and raised in eastern Oklahoma, the sixth of seven kids. Her dad was a musician, and she grew up singing with her sisters.

She wrote her first “real” song, “Oklahoma Rider,” after her grandfather passed away. It won her first place at the 2024 “Big Show Off,” a talent competition and fundraiser for the Tulsa Day Center. In addition to a cash prize, the event led to a friendship with Zac and Isaac Hanson, who helped her record a few songs with musicians Paddy Ryan, Jesse Aycock and Aaron Boehler, who now form the core of her band. Brown is grateful for their support.

“They all really took me under their wing and helped me get plugged in to the Tulsa music community, which has become one of the biggest joys of my life. It’s an extremely special group of musicians,” she says.

For more, visit joleenbrown.com. tp

At a Manhattan flea market in 2023, Adam Forgash discovered a collection of antique glass plate negatives containing photographic images that would change the trajectory of his life.

As a photographer and photo history specialist, in addition to being a collector and dealer of antique photography equipment and photos by trade, Forgash had been working at the flea market for 32 years and recognized that what he had found was incredibly special. The collection — of which he also acquired a counterpart to from a storage unit in Queens — contained images from 1913-1949 that depicts a diverse array of travelers, many along Route 66 after it was established in 1926. As he went through thousands of negatives over the course of a year, Forgash finally uncovered an envelope bearing the name of the photographer: Sidney Joseph Tyler of Afton, Oklahoma (1876-1970).

“S. J. Tyler’s work was lost to history until now,” Forgash says. “I think that (many) will be surprised to discover that so many people of different cultural backgrounds traveled the Mother Road, and were photographed in such a distinguished, beautiful and thoughtful way.”

Forgash, who lived in Tulsa from 2014-2019, will return to display the photos in an exhibition titled “Faces of the Mother Road: The Portraits of S.J. Tyler” in partnership with the Route 66 Alliance and the Oklahoma Route 66 Association. The show will open at the First Friday Art Crawl on Jan. 2 at 101 Archer (101 E. Archer St.). Admission is free.

“Deciphering the mystery of who made these glass negatives, where they were taken, who the people were…” Forgash says. “This is the part of my job I love most — being a history detective and steward of a historical collection.”

Forgash adds that there’s so much more he’s begun to uncover about the collection that he’s actually quit his day job to piece together all the overlapping historical connections between Tyler’s photography career, the individuals he photographed along the Mother Road, and how it all fi ts together within the context of the country at that time. For more information and to help support the mission of sharing and preserving this collection, visit oklahomaroute66.com/news/afton-forgotten-history. — MACY GOODNIGHT

Once Upon a Time on Route 66

A second Decopolis location blends whimsy, wonder and ice cream.

BY ABIGAIL SINGREY

Stepping from the bright, candycolored TulsaRama Ice Cream Parlor into the entrance of FableRealm Books feels like crossing into another world — and that sense of wonder is no accident. Instead it’s the orchestrated vision of artist and entrepreneur William Franklin , owner of Decopolis at 1401 E. 11th St. His new location just a few miles down Route 66 at 5729 E. 11th St. is a fantastical weaving together of dreamy ice cream treats, books and an art gallery.

With FableRealm, he’s bringing to life a whimsical “bookstore fantasy,” designed to delight fellow book lovers and the curious alike.

“I admired how Disney doesn’t just create a place, they give it a story,” Franklin says.

FableRealm does indeed unfold like a storybook, telling the tale of a prince and princess who discover two enchanted passageways hidden within a mystic grotto, one leading to a secret attic high in the castle, the other to a dragon’s lair. Visitors follow their journey, rst stepping into a charming village lined with classic literature and a cozy nook devoted to children’s books. From there, they enter the grotto itself, complete with a bubbling fountain and glittering rocks and minerals that create a cave-like atmosphere.

e castle was planned all along, but the grotto was actually created to use an odd space with raised cement that housed a freezer in the building’s former life.

“I’ve found, as you renovate places, you can have a general plan, then when you run into a problem, you can turn your lemons

into lemonade by turning it into something special,” Franklin says.

e adventure culminates in the castle attic, where shelves over ow with fantasy tales for all ages and children’s costumes for sale. Soon, Franklin plans to add a hand-painted ceiling to nish the castle’s enchantment.

While Decopolis has always carried some books at its original location, this new space provides an opportunity to expand the collection.

“Everything’s about the story,” Franklin says. “No matter what’s going on in the real world or how tough or di cult things get, when you read books, you can meet good people, travel through time and space, and nd a safe place to go in books.”

Franklin hopes that he’s created a space where the community will love to gather and everyone will feel welcome. ough no dates have been set yet, he envisions hosting book clubs, art shows, painting parties and other creative events that bring people together.

In February, thanks to help from the Oklahoma Neon Sign Grant and the Tulsa Neon Sign Grant, he will install a 28-foot neon Tulsa 66 sign to draw attention from travelers celebrating Route 66’s centennial year. “It will be our iconic photo opportunity o Route 66,” he says.

You can learn more about FableRealm Books and Franklin’s other Route 66 shops at decopolis.net. tp

Delightfully old stuff

Vintage mall Love Me Two Times brings a lifelong dream to fruition.

BY JORDAN COX

For a guy whose favorite number is ve, 2025 will be hard to top for Michael Easter, owner of Love Me Two Times at 1740 S. Harvard Ave. Reaching 55 re-sellers under the roof of his 5,000 square foot vintage mall during his store’s fth anniversary year is as serendipitous as it comes.

Easter has been a vintage procurer since he was 7 years old. He recounts how he would take his $2 allowance as a kid and bicycle to go to garage sales. “You can make your dollar stretch a lot farther if you’re buying used,” he says. “It became a lifelong love story of me and vintage.”

A former teacher, Easter used to sell vintage in antique malls as a side-hustle. After 10 years of that, he took a leap to open his rst store, which operated only on weekends while he continued teaching. Following seven years of running his own business, including the launch of a second location, Easter gave notice to his school district and signed the building lease for Love Me Two Times in February of 2020.

While the timing might seem ill-fated for a retail launch, Easter says that Covid will always be part of his story. “My contractor and I built out the mall in the spring of 2020 wearing masks and social distancing ... and I opened the store at the end of May as mask mandates went into e ect,” he says. “Not only was I running my rst ‘big’ small business as a career, but I was also suddenly in charge of monitoring safety guidelines ... It was a steep learning curve.”

Heading into the mall’s sixth year, Easter says his biggest surprise has been how awesome the customers are. “( ey are) the kindest, most environmentally aware, just good people. To have a business that I love that is shopped by good people ... goals!”

He is also proud to have an anchor store in what he believes is becoming the Vintage District. Noting that there are about six vintage stores within a mile, Easter considers himself the “Gen X elder” to his Millennial and Gen Z neighbors and celebrates his mark in both the re-sell community as well as the Florence Park neighborhood.

“I love my vintage,” Easter says, “but I doublelove my customers.” tp

‘The Queen of Tulsa Television’

BY MICHAEL OVERALL

Umping a kids’ baseball game in the summer of 1948, Bill Boyd shared a bucket of drinking water with both teams and everyone gulped out of the same ladle. at’s probably how he contracted polio.

By mid-August, Boyd was completely unable to move except for wiggling one big toe, while an iron lung waited just outside his hospital room in case he stopped breathing. Boyd survived and eventually even regained the use of his arms and legs. But the disease changed his life forever and — in a roundabout way — turned his wife into a local celebrity and launched one of Oklahoma’s most fondly remembered political careers.

A B-24 bomber pilot in World War II, Boyd was going to e University of Tulsa on the G.I. Bill when he got sick. He had to drop out of school for a year-and-a-half and, of course, couldn’t go to work either.

e March of Dimes supported Boyd, his wife Betty and their baby daughter.

Betty, out of gratitude, asked the Tulsa chapter of the March of Dimes how she could help, and the organization put her to work as a volunteer spokeswoman. She turned out to be a dynamic public speaker.

“I’ve never been afraid to get up in front of a group,” she would later say. “Now, oneto-one bothers me some. I don’t do well at a party if I have to walk in the room by myself, but big groups are great.”

Channel 6 couldn’t help but notice how natural she seemed in front of a camera.

e station called Betty in late 1955 to tell her that the host of a local talk show was moving to Florida, and did Betty want to audition to replace her?

Betty laughed.

“Heavens no,” she said. But then after a brief pause, she asked, “When?”

A live broadcast from the Channel 6

studio, “ e Woman’s Page” lled a 15-minute gap between Tulsa’s top-rated local news and a hugely popular afternoon soap opera, “As the World Turns.”

“I could have stood on my head,” Betty would joke, “and still come out number one for that time slot.”

In 1965 she moved to KTUL, Channel 8, where she hosted “ e Betty Boyd Show” and later, “Boyd’s Eye View,” while also appearing on the forerunner to “Good Morning Oklahoma.” Her conversational style and friendly smile made her popular with both viewers and advertisers, who often provided her with only a factsheet and let her ad-lib commercials live on the air.

Betty left television in 1980 to become the director of public relations at Tulsa Technology Center, but she remained one of the most recognizable faces in the city. And in 1990, state Rep. Kevin Easley called to suggest that she put her local celebrity to use.

He was leaving his seat in the state House to run for the Oklahoma Senate and wanted Betty to run for election to take his place.

“For heaven’s sakes,” Betty responded. “Why would I do that?”

But once again, she quickly changed her mind.

Her homespun campaign recalled the homespun personality that she had cultivated during her TV days, with ads that included a recipe for homemade apple pie. She went on to represent House District 23 for a decade, during which her major legislative achievements included coauthoring the bill that created Oklahoma State University-Tulsa.

Meanwhile, Bill ran a wholesale auto parts business, where only the most observant customers could tell he was disabled when they watched him walk.

“Many people didn’t realize how really handicapped he was,” Betty would say.

His arms and legs never regained full strength, making it di cult to climb stairs or walk long distances or even make ordinary household repairs.

Nonetheless, Bill provided a key perspective for Betty during her years in legislature. “We would discuss at home a great many of these issues and I would get his viewpoint on things, which wasn’t always like mine,” Betty recalled.

Bill died in March 2000, the same year Betty left the Legislature. She died Jan. 6, 2011, at age 86. But even today, many fans remember as “ e Queen of Tulsa Television.” tp

INNOVATIONS PITCH NIGHT AND UNITE CELEBRATION Earlier in 2025, five local organizations out of 77 were selected to receive a $40,000 Social Innovations Grant through Tulsa Area United Way to fund new initiatives or programs that help to solve urgent challenges different groups of Tulsans face. On Nov. 20, these five organizations took The University of Tulsa’s Great Hall stage to pitch their projects for a chance to win one of two additional Audience Choice prizes totaling $25,000.

The winner was BeHeard Movement (founded by Evan Dougoud, pictured above, left), earning the $15,000 Audience Choice Award for its AI Powered Outreach Hub, an after-hours vending machine offering basic resources and virtual support for people experiencing homelessness. In second place was Carabelle’s Legacy Inc. (founded by Maria Morris, right), which received $10,000 for Carabelle’s Cafe, a trauma-informed program providing skills, stipends, and support for justice-impacted women and fire-affected families. At the event TAUW Fundraising Drive Chair Jackie Price Johannsen also announced that the 2025 campaign had surpassed its goal by raising $26,220,113 to date.

BOURBON AND BLUES The Folds of Honor Bourbon and Blues fundraising dinner was held Nov. 22 at the Mayo Hotel’s 16th floor Crystal Ballroom. The 240 guests in attendance enjoyed a three-course meal paired with six different hard-to-find bourbons from Sazerac's Weller lineup, as well as blues music by military veteran-turned-musician Scott Brown of the Scooter Brown Band. Along with both a silent auction and live auction, Folds of Honor recipient Colleen Katzenberger (pictured above with Lt. Col. Dan Rooney, Folds of Honor CEO and founder) spoke and told her story of how the organization has impacted her life by receiving a scholarship to go back to school after her husband passed away serving the country. A total of $200,000 was raised to fund educational scholarships for Oklahoma spouses and children of fallen and disabled military service members and first responders.

Cliff Robertson, M.D.

President and CEO of Saint Francis Health System and 2026 Tulsa Regional Chamber Chair

BY TIFFANY HOWARD

With over 20 years of leadership experience in health care and private business, Dr. Cli Robertson came to Tulsa in 2021 to assume the role of president and CEO of the Saint Francis Health System. Since arriving, he says he’s been completely taken with this city and its welcoming community, thriving health care and economic ecosystems, and the surrounding region’s beauty.

“When I found out about Tulsa and Saint Francis, it seemed almost too good to be true,” he says.

Previously serving as the CEO and senior vice president at CommonSpirit Health’s Midwest Divison — the nation’s largest nonpro t Catholic health system — the former family practice physician grew up in Denver, Colorado. He completed his undergrad at the University of Colorado before pursuing his medical degree at Ohio State College of Medicine.

Having always worked within Catholic health care systems, Robertson approaches his leadership positions with a heart geared toward service, transparency and supporting the people around him. As he enters into the role of Tulsa Regional Chamber chair this month, he’s excited to help continue fostering growth opportunities within Tulsa’s business and economic community while also advocating to bolster critical aspects of community infrastructure, such as mental health care and education.

We sat down with him in December to learn more about how he plans to steer the Tulsa Regional Chamber in 2026.

WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO WANT TO ASSUME THE ROLE OF CHAMBER CHAIR? I see my role as being focused on service, and service of the community. When I was approached about it, I thought about it and said, you know, Saint Francis is the largest private employer in the region, and so I felt like it would be the right thing for me to do, not for myself, but for the 12,000 or so souls that make up Saint Francis Health System. I was invited to be part of the Chamber when I came to town, partly because of my role and probably, moreover, because of the importance that the Saint Francis Health System plays in the region.

WHAT WILL YOUR PRIMARY FOCUS BE AS THE 2026 CHAIR? I think the Chamber’s really been instrumental over the last year, in particular under Bill Knight ’s leadership, really helping focus the business community around the challenges of public safety and homelessness, particularly in our downtown core. What I see as important for 2026 is really not to deviate from that focus,

but my bias will be to also help the business community understand that one of the most important pieces of civic infrastructure is our mental health system. I’m not going to change direction for the Chamber, but I’m going to try to help us focus a little bit more on bringing this community together to know that we need to work to ensure that we’ve got the appropriate mental health services. Access to mental health services is part of the homelessness challenge — not all of it, but a large part of it. We are in a mental health crisis that I think people now around the country are beginning to realize. Since the pandemic, I think there’s been a greater understanding of the impact that mental health and the lack of mental health services has on our community. I’m going to keep us focused on strengthening our mental health infrastructure ... let’s understand as businesses and as community members, our responsibility is to ensure that our bridges and our streets are all appropriate and safe, but mental health services are also a civic infrastructure that we need to ensure is as robust as it can be.

WHAT DO YOU THINK SOME OF THE BIGGER CHALLENGES ARE THAT THE CHAMBER IS CURRENTLY FACING? I think the Chamber as an entity has the same challenge that every business, every organization, even the not-for-pro ts and community have. e Chamber has to help convene and bring this community together and help us understand that we have to do two things: We have to walk and chew gum at the same time. We have to continue to focus on economic growth, on the development of the economic infrastructure that really supports all of us. But at the same time we have to stay focused on the sort of day-today challenges in our existing state, back to making sure that we have the appropriate civic infrastructure investments to support what we see as the potential growth of the region. e Chamber, I think, does a really good job of it, but it needs to stay absolutely focused on — you have to do both — you have to continue to focus on growth because, if a business isn’t growing or a community isn’t growing, it’s contracting. And that’s not a place we want to be. But at the same time, we can’t just focus on growth. We have to ensure that our existing companies, organizations, people and community members have the resources they need, the infrastructure they need to have the kind of lifestyle that we all want to have.

We (also) have to ensure that our public schools are the absolute best. We have to make sure that we’ve got the right post-high school, post-graduate education components in place so that we can train the next

generation of our workforce. And we have to create a community that is a place people want to live, or even if they go away to school, somewhere they want to come back to. And so the Chamber plays an important role in helping keep all of (these) sort of issues top of mind for everybody.

WHAT ARE SOME OF TULSA’S STRENGTHS AND OTHER THINGS YOU’RE EXCITED ABOUT FOR 2026? As someone who’s moved to Tulsa recently, at least within the last ve years, I think the thing I’m most excited about is it’s an amazing community. We’ve moved around the country a few times, and (to) my friends all over the country, I sing the praises of Tulsa. It is an incredibly welcoming community. It’s really an easy place to live. I’ve lived in places that are not easy, and Tulsa is a wonderful community from that perspective. What’s interesting is that, just like for me ve years ago when I was considering Tulsa, I don’t think we’ve always done a great job of promoting all of what we have here in Tulsa, and making that real public. In fact, one of the things I have asked the Chamber to help lead over the next year is to create a Chambermanaged, but sort of crowdsourced repository of all the positive public stories and information that exist about our city. We need to share all the good things about Tulsa that aren’t what most people around the country hear about. is really was brought to light to me when one of our executives that leads our recruitment team, our physician recruitment team, in particular, she commented once — and unfortunately it’s kind of true — as you’re trying to recruit people here from around the country, their impression of Tulsa can be limited to the movie “Twisters” and in the TV show “Tulsa King,” right? ... I think it would bene t all businesses to have a place where we bring together all of the data, all of the positive stories, the great things that are happening here and make it easy for businesses to share that information with potential recruits. And so that is one of the things that our economic development team within the Chamber is going to help us put together over the course of 2026.

WITH ALL OF YOUR MANY OBLIGATIONS, HOW DO YOU JUGGLE YOUR TIME? ANY TIPS?

I don’t know that I’ve even gured it out. I think I’m blessed because we have an amazing group of leaders within the Saint Francis Health System, as well as the Chamber. And so what I try to do is stay out of people’s way. You know, surround yourself with really good people that are smart and that are committed, and then do your best not to get in their way.

ARE THERE ANY PERSONAL PHILOSOPHIES YOU LIVE BY THAT INFLUENCE HOW YOU APPROACH YOUR WORK? Well, I think if you ask folks inside the Saint Francis Health System, I think people would say that I am somebody that really, truly believes in transparency. I spend a lot of time inside our organization, trying to educate our entire organization around what’s happening in our industry, in our profession, in the country when it comes to health care. And I think that probably holds true from a civics perspective, from a community perspective — the more that we can bring people together to share our perspectives and our beliefs, our ideas, to gain common understanding, and then hopefully gain ... common agreement around the problems that we as a community, or as an organization, need to focus our e orts on. I think that’s critical.

I’m not a caregiver anymore, but I’m like the other 4,000-5,000 of our sta that serve in support of our caregivers, and I see that as a real important role. And it is about those people that are out touching patients every day, but it’s the same in the community. I’m really — we are really lucky to have great public servants, not only those that are elected, but also our police, re and EMS. We need to do our best as a community to come together to make sure we support those that actually serve us every day.

WHAT DO

YOU LIKE TO DO

IN YOUR FREE TIME?

Tulsa is an unbelievable golf community, and that is one of my loves. My other love is, I grew up in Colorado, so I’ve been skiing since I learned to walk. So I appreciate the opportunities in the winter to get away and go get on the mountain somewhere. ose are the two big things. I don’t have grandkids yet, so I’m really looking forward to grandkids at some point in the future, and then I think that’ll become my focus for sure.

ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD?

My last thing would be, for folks that maybe have lived in Tulsa or lived in the region for a while, you may take for granted just how nice a place this is and how great a community that we have. As somebody that was blessed to have the opportunity to move to Tulsa back in the summer of 2021, I just hope people don’t take for granted just how good it is here ... Every day I’m just thrilled to be to be in Tulsa and to be part of the Saint Francis Health System. tp

‘TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THIS MOMENT’

HOW RHYS MARTIN HAS DRIVEN ROUTE 66 CENTENNIAL PREPARATION EFFORTS NATIONWIDE WITH A FOCUS ON TULSA.

by Lauren Rogers

When I found Rhys Martin ahead of our interview at Mother Road Market (1124 S. Lewis Ave.), he was standing amidst the vibrant tote bags and handcrafts on display at Hilo de Amor. He was in conversation with Esther Wright , the face behind the brand which means “thread of love.”

With a warm smile, Martin introduced me to Wright and gave me a quick overview of her story; how she was born and raised in Oaxaca, Mexico and, after a corporate career, she decided to return to her roots and share the beauty of Oaxacan artisans with as many people as she can. Not only does the company’s name reflect the bright, colorful styles Wright o ers, but it illustrates her connection to her hometown — where she returns once a year to source more items.

This was an incredibly on-brand interaction for Martin, a Tulsa native who has spent more than a decade getting to know the stories of Route 66 — first as a tourist, then as a volunteer with multiple Route 66 commissions and associations. In July 2024, Martin left his career in telecommunications to take on a full-time role with the National Trust for Historic Preservation as their Preserve Route 66 Initiative manager, ending a 14-year run with his former employer, U.S. Cellular.

“Sometimes I feel like I’ve been involved with this much longer than I actually have, and other times it feels like I’m just getting started,” Martin says. “Time doesn’t really exist in the same way on Route 66.”

As the Mother Road celebrates its centennial this year, Tulsa sits poised for increased visitation and attention from Route 66 fans worldwide. Martin’s love of the Mother Road, combined with his years of selfless devotion coordinating cross-institutional e orts to ensure that the highway — especially its Tulsa segment — is set up for success in 2026 and beyond, is why we chose him as our Tulsan of the Year.

Discovering the Mother Road

Martin’s Route 66 journey was initially shaped by a self-proclaimed “quarter life crisis” in 2009, where he sold all of his belongings and spent 10 months backpacking through Southeast Asia and Europe. This trip unlocked an interest in photography and writing, which he used to stay in touch with folks back home.

“Before that, I’d never really paid attention to history,” Martin explains. “I didn’t have a passion for writing or photography, and I came home with all of those things and realized I’d never really paid attention to anything here.”

It was also in 2009 that the historic Meadow Gold sign — which was in danger of being demolished in 2004, along with the building upon which it stood at East 11th Street and South Lewis Avenue — was re-installed at East 11th Street and South Quaker Avenue thanks to the Tulsa Foundation for Architecture.

“That was something that told me, ‘Hey, if you don’t pay attention, this stu ’s going to go away and you won’t have a chance to really experience it or learn about it,’” Martin says.

This feeling was amplified when Martin was confronted with several di cult life changes in late 2010 and early 2011, including the passing of his grandmother and the unexpected loss of his father. Having inherited his late father’s prized 2005 Mustang, Martin decided to honor his legacy by using the vehicle to explore Oklahoma with the perspective he’d gained from his travels abroad. It wasn’t until the summer of 2013 that he specifically took a trip on Route 66 after hearing about the Coleman Theater in Miami, Oklahoma.

“I just hopped in the car and went up there and was blown away by this place,” Martin recalls. “It’s this 1920s-era theater built with zinc-mining money up there, and it’s so grand. It really is an unexpected thing to have in a town the size of Miami. So, I learned the history of it and its restoration and all of that and I thought, ‘Well, what else is out here on this highway?’”

‘Pushed into the deep end’

Over the following two years, Martin drove his father’s Mustang across the entire Mother Road one section at a time. He celebrated having driven all 2,448 miles of Route 66 in August 2015. By that time, Martin felt compelled to become more involved. “I had started to meet the people that were advocates for the road, for preservation, for small business, the quirky stu , you know, and raised my hand and said, ‘How can I help?’ And I got kind of pushed into the deep end pretty quickly,” he says.

The same year he finished driving the historic highway, Martin began volunteering with the Oklahoma Route 66 Association — joining their board in 2017. He was elected president of the organization in 2019 and still holds the volunteer position nearly seven years later. This role brought him into the orbit of the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership, a national nonprofi t that brings all eight state associations together, along with other nationally focused advocates. Martin serves as chair of the partnership’s Route 66 State Associations Advocacy Working Group, where he leads a conference call once a month with his peers in the

other seven states along Route 66 to discuss collaboration opportunities — a key role as the Mother Road gears up for a year of centennial celebrations.

Additionally, Martin is a commissioner for both the Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission and the Tulsa Route 66 Commission, and an advisor for the Route 66 Alliance. Through these positions, he frequently gives talks about Route 66 at places like The University of Oklahoma’s Gaylord College, to organizations like Lions Clubs and Rotary Clubs, and to tour groups from around the world including New Zealand and the Czech Republic — whose national Route 66 Association (one of more than 30 such worldwide associations) comes through Tulsa at least once a year on motorcycles.

“My calendar every month now looks like a pack of Skittles with all the di erent meetings and talks,” Martin jokes. “My wife tells me I’ve got to learn how to say ‘no’ to people.”

But Martin’s packed schedule is intentional. From his early days as a Route 66 volunteer, Martin has been anticipating the potential for increased attention from visitors worldwide as the Mother Road turns 100, and the lasting impact this focus can bring.

“I could very easily remember when I was the guy in the back of the room, when I first got started telling people how important Route 66 was to Oklahoma’s development and our culture. And the centennial was coming, and it was a big deal. But I was the only voice, and everyone said, ‘That’s great. Thank you.’ … I want to make sure that we’re taking advantage of this moment,” Martin says. “I don’t think everything’s going to go away in 2027, there’s so much investment happening. There’s so much excitement, and the road is still going to be here. Tourists are still going to come over, and they’re still going to travel Route 66. But I’m not naive. I know some of these really large, corporate folks interested in (the Route) — in 2027, 2028 they’re going to find something else that they want to focus on. It’s the way of the world. I want to take advantage of this moment while we have it. So, I’m not quite at the ‘no’ stage yet.”

Lighting the way

In December 2005, Tulsa County published an extensive Route 66 Master Plan endorsed by Michael Wallis, the founder of the Route 66 Alliance who not only has brought Route 66 lore to life with his iconic role as the Sheri in Disney Pixar’s “Cars” series (2006, 2011, 2017), but also wrote the prodigious book “Route 66: The Mother Road” (1990) responsible for spurring crosscountry revitalization e orts along the Mother Road. Wallis notes in his forward for the now twodecade old Master Plan that, at more than 400 miles, Oklahoma has the longest stretch of Route 66 out of the eight states along the Mother Road. And, while ambitious, the Master Plan would position Tulsa as “a centerpiece of the Mother Road.”

However, many of the proposals in the plan, including an interpretive center at Cyrus Avery Bridge (named after the “father of Route 66,” who was also a Tulsan) stalled. The creation of the Tulsa Route 66 Commission in 2016 helped re-ignite momentum, and in the following years, commissioners connected with Tulsans to gauge how the city should invest in this tourism asset. This engagement included a series of public meetings, where Martin recalls gaining a key understanding of what locals felt was essential to the city’s Route 66 identity.

At one meeting, Martin says, “We had a big discussion, wrote (ideas) down on a big piece of paper, and everyone got to put a dot next to the thing they wanted. At the end of that — I still have a picture of it somewhere — ‘neon’ had the most dots, by far. It wasn’t even a question. So we said, ‘Okay, the citizens want neon to be a part of whatever we do.’”

In 2019, the Tulsa Route 66 Commission launched the Neon Sign Grant Program. This program provides businesses along Tulsa’s historic Route 66 alignments a 50 percent matching grant for repairing old neon or building new signs through an application process.

“Our first sign that went up was Billy Ray’s Barbecue on Southwest Boulevard,” Martin recalls. “The sign had been dark for years and years and years. It was Billy Ray’s name in his mother’s handwriting, and both Billy and his mother had passed away by that time. The family still operates (the restaurant). And so they were really interested in getting the sign lit again. And so we lit that up. That was in September 2019, and it was a big deal.”

Since the program began, Tulsa’s stretch of Route 66 has been illuminated by 80 neon signs benefi ting from grant funds. Martin says Tulsa’s program has inspired a similar neon grant program in the town of Chandler, along with a statewide e ort by the Oklahoma Route 66 Association made possible through state revitalization funds.

Twenty years after writing his forward for the Tulsa Route 66 Master Plan, Wallis says the results of Tulsa’s Neon Grant Program feel “spectacular, because all of that is a result of the renaissance. That’s where we have people like Mary Beth Babcock with Buck Atom’s and William Franklin at Decopolis, who now has not only Decopolis in the Meadow Gold District, but he’s got the new

Decopolis and TulsaRama further east, and it’s just great because those buildings all along the street were once derelict and now they are revitalized.”

Tulsa’s Neon Sign Grant Program, along with other Tulsa Route 66 Commission e orts including its additional two grants — the Route 66 Façade Grant and Route 66 Special Events Grant — the roadside attraction application process and the implementation of commission projects are facilitated by the City of Tulsa’s Planning O ce. The o ce’s Destination Districts Manager Sam Extance, who happens to be married to Martin, says that interest in the Neon Sign Grant — both from Route 66 visitors and business operators — is not slowing down.

“Our nighttime landscape is completely transformed,” she says. “I think that the most exciting part about that is it’s changing all the time, because we have more grant applications — it feels like almost every month.”

Extance explains that having a rich collection of neon signs as an attraction gives the city an added bonus of inspiring tourists to spend the night in order to see the lights illuminate in the evening, which results in more dollars going into Tulsa’s economy.

The Capital of Route 66®

While Tulsa’s “Oil Capital of the World” nickname is not as popular now as it once was, there is still evidence all around town of Tulsa’s roots in the energy industry. One key example is the Oil Capital Motel sign that now stands at the Cyrus Avery Plaza Southwest Neon Sign Park. This initiative by the Tulsa Route 66 Commission came to fruition in the fall of 2020, after the commission was tasked with developing a Route 66 attraction on the pizza-slice-shaped parcel of land west of the 11th Street bridge at 1450 Southwest Blvd., which ended up being the Cyrus Avery Plaza Southwest Neon Sign Park.

Martin explains the project was inspired by the historical significance of the original bridge at 11th Street. “The biggest reason why Route 66 comes down through Missouri and through Oklahoma and out through Texas, rather than going at a more straight line ... is because of that bridge,” he says.

The Cyrus Avery Plaza Southwest Neon Sign Park incorporates three signs from the three di erent historic Route 66 alignments that run through Tulsa: the Tulsa Auto Court was on Admiral, the Will Rogers Motor Court was on 11th Street, and the Oil Capital Motel was on the Skelly Bypass. Each of the signs were nearly lost to history but were recreated for this landmark, which has now drawn the attention of the United States Postal Service. Using photos taken by famed photographer David J. Schwartz, USPS has included the Oil Capital Motel sign as one of the eight stamp designs for its 2026 Route 66 collection. Martin was the one who got to call George Saxby, whose parents Bob and Betty operated the Oil Capital Motel, to tell him about the stamp selection.

Backed by Tulsa’s rich Route 66 history and renewed investment in the Mother Road, the Tulsa Route 66 Commission was able to secure a trademark for the title “The Capital of Route

66” in April 2024. The two-year process involved exhaustive research and surveys which led to the final approval from the federal government.

Jonathan Huskey, senior director of communications for Tulsa Regional Tourism, believes the title enhances Tulsa’s appeal as a tourism destination. “Our standing as ‘Capital of Route 66,’ even before it was made o cial last summer ... that really does bring a lot of attention and make (Tulsa) an attractive place to come visit,” he says. “What’s been really cool to see is Route 66 become almost a hook for people to come and explore that aspect of Tulsa, but then it allows them to see everything else that we have to o er as a city, and maybe extend their stay in the city a little bit more to explore things that are o the Route in other districts and other neighborhoods.”

Ken Busby, who is the executive director and CEO of the Route 66 Alliance, in addition to his roles with organizations including the Oklahoma Route 66 Centennial Commission, shares a similar sentiment. “We use Route 66 as a hook to get people to come to Oklahoma so that we can then showcase everything that makes our state great.”

Busby explains the Mother Road’s international appeal is multifaceted. “These are people often coming from countries where they’re so confined with buildings that they are looking for open expanses and views that go on forever. Sometimes they are coming from former Communist countries and America represents freedom,” he says.

Huskey notes that Tulsa Regional Tourism’s Visit Tulsa Visitors Center at the Shops at Mother Road Market (1102 S. Lewis Ave., Suite A) has noticed that Route 66 roadtrippers stopping in Tulsa often express surprise at what they find.

“People, especially international travelers, will come to explore Route 66 at large,” Huskey explains. “They get to Tulsa, and they come in and they’re chatting with our sta at the Visitors Center, and it’s like, ‘We didn’t realize that Tulsa was so great. We didn’t realize everything that Tulsa had to o er.’”

Extance, who also co-owns Bad Penny — a thrift store on Route 66 in the Meadow Gold District (1317 E. 11th St., Suite D) that sells upcycled and vintage goods — with her mother Cindy, also experiences this phenomenon. “The thing that I love hearing, and we hear so often from people, whether it’s in our shop or in my job at the city, is how surprised people are when they visit Tulsa,” she says.

The road ahead

As momentum has amplified in the months leading up to the Route 66 centennial, Martin has been keeping busy with projects to continue enhancing the appeal of the road. In October 2025, the National Trust and Google Arts and Culture introduced a storytelling hub in partnership with more than 20 organizations. The experimental, AI-powered “Route 66 Rewind” makes the Mother Road accessible to fans around the world, providing historic information and visuals to users as they virtually travel the historic highway.

The experience, accessible by smartphone or desktop, includes adorable details, like a tiny Blue Whale charm that adorns your digital motorcycle

“I could very easily remember when I was the guy in the back of the room, when I first got started telling people how important Route 66 was to Oklahoma’s development and our culture. And the centennial was coming, and it was a big deal. But I was the only voice, and everyone said, ‘That’s great. Thank you.’ … I want to make sure that we’re taking advantage of this moment.”

—RHYS MARTIN

after stopping in Catoosa. Martin says this fun tool can help Route 66 fans access stories that they may not uncover without the help of a local guide.

“You’ve got a place like the Threatt Filling Station in Luther, Oklahoma, which is — according to our research — the only Black owned and operated filling station on Route 66 during the era of segregation. And the family’s been restoring the station to reopen it as an interpretive center ... They gave us some pictures from back in the day of the station. (In “Route 66 Rewind”) you can go to the Threatt Station. A little audio will tell you the story about the family, and you click the ‘Rewind’ button, and suddenly, there it is with them working on the car, attendants, helping folks,” Martin explains.

Meanwhile, Busby says that Oklahoma is investing more as a state in Route 66 than any of the other seven states for the centennial. An example of this investment is the $6.6 million annual Oklahoma Route 66 Revitalization Grant Program, which was initiated as the result of advocacy from organizations like the Route 66 Alliance and Oklahoma Route 66 Association.

For folks driving the road in real life, the City of Tulsa announced last month that it earned a $90,000 grant from the latest round of the state’s Route 66 Revitalization Grant Program to install a “musical road” along the Southwest Boulevard Bridge. For those who are unfamiliar with the concept, a musical road uses thermoplastic rumble strips that when driven over play notes of a song. O cials are working to secure permissions and the copyright to use a song by an Oklahoma musician in this installation.

The city will implement this project in partnership with Route 66 Musical Roads, LLC, which aims to install eight musical roads along the historic highway — one in each state. The interstate initiative is o cially recognized as a Route 66 Centennial Project by the federal Route 66 Commission. Extance, who assisted with securing these funds through her role at the Tulsa Planning O ce, credits Martin with informing her of this connection, as it helped strengthen the city’s grant application. This specific project is just one example of how Extance and Martin’s work can occasionally overlap.

“We’re both very civically-minded, and just love sharing Tulsa’s unique history,” she says. “There’s a lot of those examples of where we’re able to work on something that we’re both passionate about, personally and professionally, and collaborate in a really unique way.”

The city expects that the musical road will be installed in March, two months before the Route 66 Capital Cruise planned for May 30. Tulsa Regional Tourism is working with partners including the City of Tulsa, the Tulsa Route 66 Commission, the Oklahoma Route 66 Association and the Route 66 Alliance to facilitate this event, which aims to become the largest classic car parade on record with a goal of more than 3,000 classic cars. The destination marketing organization anticipates more than 100,000 spectators will line the parade route, which will start at 11th Street and Yale Avenue, ending just west of the Meadow Gold District.

“We’re so fortunate to have such a great attraction to use to tell Tulsa’s story in Route 66, and then even above and beyond that, so many great partners across the city,” Huskey says.

Not only does the “rising tide” aphorism come into play in Tulsa, where collaborative e orts have made a clear impact on Route 66, but the entire Mother Road wins when e orts are aligned.

“I’m looking right here at 66, I see it in my mind — Chicago, all the way through eight states to the sea — and what I don’t see are state borders or city limits or county lines. It’s seamless, a seamless village,” Wallis says. “You can’t compete on the road. You have to pass it along.”

Busby notes that the Route 66 centennial celebrations will serve as the launch of the next 100 years of the Mother Road. “We already have tour groups talking with us about ’27 and ’28,” he says.

There’s no doubt that even after the excitement of the centennial, Martin will still be a familiar face along the historic highway. “Route 66 is something that, for a lot of people, it’ll grab ahold of you and won’t let go for a while,” he says. “It really kind of becomes a second family.” tp

Lives well lived

BY JULIE WENGER WATSON

Each year, TulsaPeople honors Tulsans who have passed away in the last year, but whose legacies live on in the contributions they made to help better the city. Here, friends, family and colleagues pay tribute to some of these special individuals.

Dr. Robert Block APRIL 21, 1943-FEB. 7, 2025

A nationally known pediatrician and child advocate, Robert Block was the rst doctor in the U.S. to earn the title of board-certi ed child abuse pediatrician and was instrumental in the development of the Child Abuse Pediatrics Subboard, serving as its rst chair. He was also president of the American Academy of Pediatrics (2011-2012) and professor of pediatrics and department dhair at the University of Oklahoma School of Community Medicine.

“ ose of us who were privileged to know Dr. Block ask ourselves frequently when dealing with a di cult decision, ‘What would Bob do?’ Although he was passionate about his family, his pediatric vocation, the mentorship of other pediatricians, and his woodcarving hobby, his tireless advocacy was for the health of children who were suspected of being maltreated or neglected. He did not simply change the landscape for children’s wellness; he created it.”

— Dr. K EITH M ATHER , chair of pediatrics at the OU-TU School of Community Medicine

Gregory Conway MAY 4, 1952-AUG. 23, 2025

A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Gregory Conway served for nearly 30 years as executive director and CEO of the Tulsa Boys’ Home. Conway’s lifetime of work earned him numerous accolades, including the Presidential Community Service Achievement Award for his leadership of Oklahoma’s Operation Aware (a drug prevention and education program) and MAPCO’s Unsung Hero Award. A talented equestrian, Conway was also known for his skill as a barbecue chef.

“Gregg once shared that the Tulsa Boys’ Home worked with ‘some of the most broken, troubled teenage boys on the planet Earth.’ He understood the weight of each boy’s reality and would say those same boys deserved safety, steady support, and ‘a whole di erent kind of a life.’ He carried that belief into every conversation and reminded people that when one boy heals, families and whole communities grow stronger for years to come.”

— A LISON A NTHONY, president and CEO, Tulsa Area United Way

Norma Haddad Eagleton MARCH 19, 1934-AUG. 13, 2025

Volunteer, activist and public servant, Norma Haddad Eagleton was the rst female Oklahoma corporation commissioner (1979-89) and Tulsa city commissioner. She was elected city Finance and Revenue commissioner in 1976. A problem solver and collaborator, she earned a law degree at 54 and advocated for women and children. She was an agent for systemic change in Tulsa County’s Family Court and was instrumental in establishing Tulsa’s Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA).

“Norma Haddad Eagleton shattered barriers for women in the 1970s and 1980s ... I was privileged to be her assistant for many of those years, starting when she was the rst female commissioner in Tulsa’s city government, then again after Gov. George Nigh named Norma to be the rst woman on the powerful OCC in 1979. Her brand of governing was open, accessible, collaborative and ercely honest.”

— A NN PATTON, writer and former assistant to Norma Eagleton

Donald Eller MAY 13, 1953-APRIL 20, 2025

A lifelong Tulsan with a love for his hometown and its history, Donald Eller was an oilman, car dealer, restaurateur, banker and consultant. He also served as the director of the Sooner Chapter of Cystic Fibrosis, the Tulsa Day Center and the George Miksch Sutton Avian Research Center. In addition, he helped his children create e Lemon-Aid Project in 1994.

“Uncle Donnie (as I knew him) was always proof to me that you could live an amazing life right here in Tulsa. You could drive cool cars and build a dealership (like Osage Ford), you could love great food and open great restaurants, you could cheer on the TU Golden Hurricane and win the prize for best tailgate chili. And you could improve the lives of others by growing nonpro ts, sharing a remarkable gift for friendship and raising wonderful children. He enjoyed the best life has to o er on a big scale and was loved on a big scale by so many of us.”

—

G.T.

B YNUM, former Tulsa mayor

Viola Ford Fletcher MAY 10, 1914-NOV. 24, 2025

Also known as Mother Fletcher, Viola Fletcher lived through the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre at seven years old. When she passed away, she was the oldest known survivor of the horri c event — during which her family lost everything but the clothes they were wearing. Fletcher worked diligently to make sure this history was not forgotten. In 2021, she testi ed before Congress, and in 2023 co-authored a memoir with her grandson titled “Don’t Let em Bury My Story.”

“Mother Fletcher carried 111 years of truth, resilience and grace, and was a reminder of how far we’ve come and how far we must still go. She never stopped advocating for justice for the survivors and descendants of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, and I hope we all can carry forward her legacy with the courage and conviction she modeled every day of her life. On behalf of the city of Tulsa, I o er my heartfelt condolences to her family, loved ones, the Greenwood descendant community, and to every Tulsan who saw hope in her journey. Rest in peace, Mother Fletcher.”

— Tulsa Mayor MONROE NICHOLS

Jo Ann Goodwin Fields

Gilford SEPT. 18, 1933-MAY 14, 2025

A trailblazing educator and community leader, Jo Ann Goodwin was born in Tulsa’s historic Greenwood District. Her beautiful voice earned her a scholarship to study opera in Vienna, Austria, and she continued to share her vocal gifts throughout her life at church performances and family gatherings. is witty, graceful, independent barrier-breaker was the rst Black educator to integrate Tulsa Public Schools (1961) and the rst Black woman elected to the School Board (1977).

“My aunt Jo Ann was the epitome of the Maya Angelou quote: ‘I’ve learned in life that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’ Her example as a teacher in the public school system, along with the examples of my grandmothers, grandfathers and my parents, inspired me to pursue a career in education.”

— Dr. JERRY G OODWIN, associate professor of journalism at Tulsa Community College, and contributing editor, The Oklahoma Eagle

Burt Holmes OCT. 8, 1931-JAN. 15, 2025

Entrepreneur, philanthropist and unfailing supporter of the arts, education and community, Burt Holmes co-founded QuikTrip Corporation, one of the country’s most successful convenience store networks, in 1958 with school friend Chester Cadieux . With a background in insurance, Holmes founded, owned or directed multiple enterprises, including Utica Bank, National Bank of Commerce, Healthfood Associates (Akins) and Leaders Life Insurance. Holmes served on the board of numerous nonpro ts and had a long association with his alma mater, e University of Tulsa.

“Burt Holmes was, in every sense, one of a kind. He told it like it was and didn’t beat around the bush, sometimes with a drill sergeant’s edge. But if you were paying attention, you saw his compassion and his big heart ... He was deeply proud of his QuikTrip roots, his bond with co-founder Chester Cadieux, and the company’s tremendous success and impact on Tulsa and beyond. ey absolutely broke the mold with Burt Holmes.”

— BECKY J. F RANK , partner and chair, Schnake Turnbo Frank

Bernard

Julius McIntyre JULY 17, 1942-JAN. 12, 2025

Bernard Julius McIntyre served in both houses of the Oklahoma Legislature and was the rst African American elected to the Oklahoma Senate from Tulsa and the second elected in the state. As a state senator, McIntyre was instrumental in Oklahoma’s becoming the fth state to recognize Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday as a holiday.

“Sen. Bernard Julius McIntyre, Tulsa’s rst Black Oklahoma State Senator, was a capable man of the people, whose big smile and presence lled rooms. As both a state rep and state senator, he helped many people in pursuit of justice and was a passionate speaker ... As a young girl, my privilege was to serve as Rep. McIntyre’s House page in the Oklahoma State Capitol where, by God’s grace, I would later be elected to serve in the same House and Senate seats he once held. We hold in memory (his) pioneering path and positive impact.”

— R EGINA G OODWIN, OK state senator, SD-11

Dayal Meshri, Ph.D.

MARCH 11, 1936-MAY 25, 2025

Born in India and orphaned at a young age, Dayal Meshri immigrated to the United States on an academic scholarship in 1962. A business leader, philanthropist and devoted family man, he was a pioneer in the uorine chemical industry. Advance Research Chemicals, the company he founded in Catoosa in 1987, is one of the largest inorganic uoride specialty chemical producers in the world.

“Dad — Dr. Dayal T. “Doc” Meshri — was not only a global pioneer in uorine chemistry, but also an inspiring leader whose joy for discovery made every day feel meaningful. Working alongside him for 30 years was the privilege of a lifetime. He led with curiosity, integrity, humor and a deep belief in people and their potential. His work built more than a company; it built opportunity, purpose and lasting relationships that became like family. He taught us to think boldly, solve creatively and celebrate both progress and people.”

— SANJAY M ESHRI, Dayal Meshri’s son and chairman of Meshri Holdings

John Nickel

AUG. 10, 1935-APRIL 19, 2025

Passionate wildlife conservationist and outdoorsman, John Nickel created Greenleaf Nursery Company, one of the nation’s largest wholesale producers of shrubs, trees and container-grown plants. In 1979, he and his brother Gil restored the century-old Far Niente Winery in Oakville, California, which is now on the National Register of Historic Places and recognized as one of the world’s greatest wine estates. In 2000, he began donating 14,000 acres to the Oklahoma Chapter of the Nature Conservancy to create the J.T. Nickel Family Nature and Wildlife Preserve, the Ozarks’ largest privately protected conservation area.

“John was a passionate conservationist who took his childhood love of the Illinois River and turned it into a tangible gift that Oklahomans will enjoy for generations. He stayed connected to the preserve for decades, working with e Nature Conservancy to see his vision through to reality by inspiring others to think big.”

— M IKE F UHR , state director, The Nature Conservancy in Oklahoma

Fred Parkhill

SEPT. 21, 1935 - MAY 28, 2025

A thrill-seeker with a love for speed, Fred Parkhill raced his beloved McLaren M8E in the prestigious Canadian-American Challenge Cup sports car racing series and won multiple Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Championships. A trailblazer in Oklahoma’s liquor and wine industry, Parkhill established Fikes Center Liquor Mart, now Parkhill’s Warehouse Liquors and Wine, one of the state’s largest and most well-known liquor stores.

“Fred was a renegade in the liquor industry. He won market watch retailer of the year in 1986 for the way his business model changed the industry. His charm, no-fear-attitude and competitiveness set him apart from the rest. Whether playing handball, racing cars, ying planes, riding roller coasters or driving his tractor at the ranch, Fred was always on the hunt for an adrenaline rush. His favorite quote was, ‘Everything is sweeter with risk,’ and he lived his life exactly that way.”

— L ANCE PARKHILL, Fred Parkhill’s son and owner of Parkhill’s Warehouse Liquors and Wine

Donald Pray JAN. 16, 1932-MAY 26, 2025

Founding member of Pray Walker law rm, Donald Pray was also a founding Trustee of the Grace and Franklin Bernsen Foundation and served on the Board of Trustees of the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, where he later became the executive director. An active supporter of many local organizations and nonpro ts, Pray was named “Philanthropist of the Year” by the Association of Fundraising Professionals in 2002.

“Don Pray was rst and foremost, a gentleman. at seems like such an old-fashioned word, but maybe it’s just a rarity to nd someone who had his level of honor, professional poise, ethical standards, generosity of time and demonstrated respect for those around him ... He was so secure in who he was, which is probably what enabled him to take brave risks, on both people and projects. Many of those paid o in e orts advanced by his quiet leadership.”

— C OURTNEY L ATTA K NOBLOCK , vice president of programs, The Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation, and former program director of the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation

Howard Twilley DEC. 25, 1943-FEB. 5, 2025

University of Tulsa NCAA record-setting wide receiver (1963-65) and College Football Hall of Fame inductee (1992), Howard Twilley is considered one of the greatest pass receivers in college football history. During his 11 seasons with the Miami Dolphins (1966-76), he made three trips to the Super Bowl, winning twice. After football, Twilley pursued a career in business, owning 28 “ e Athlete’s Foot” sporting goods stores and working at an investment rm.

“Howard Twilley embodied the very best of what it means to be a Golden Hurricane — excellence, perseverance and humility. His record-setting career at e University of Tulsa was highlighted by his runner-up Heisman Trophy nish in 1965. Additionally, he created a championship legacy with the Miami Dolphins ... and left an indelible mark on the game of football and on all who had the privilege to know him.”

— R ICK DICKSON, interim president, The University of Tulsa

Gailard Sartain SEPT. 18, 1943-JUNE 19, 2025

Known for his iconic and much beloved local comedy TV show “Dr. Mazeppa Pompazoidi’s Uncanny Film Festival and Camp Meeting,” Gailard Sartain was a regular on the country music variety series “Hee Haw” for close to 20 seasons and appeared in over 60 other TV programs and movies. In addition to his acting career, Sartain was a noted artist whose credits include cover designs for several albums, including Leon Russell ’s “Will O’ the Wisp.”

“Gailard’s combination of humility, intellect, silliness, artistic ability, curiosity and loyalty made him a magical force to be reckoned with. He was a Tulsa treasure, yet never quite grasped what an icon he had become — especially to Mazeppa fans. But more importantly, his family and friends knew the depth of his love and loyalty. He leaves a huge Gailard-sized hole in our hearts and lives but knowing that a memory of him usually involves laughter helps us. So many of us have Gailard stories ... Keep telling them. ey always end with a smile.”

— M ARY JO SARTAIN, wife of 36 years

Jon Stuart AUG. 8, 1948-MARCH 17, 2025

Jon Stuart was adopted as an infant in Norway by Tulsa’s Joan and Harold Stuart. He was the chairman of the board and chief executive o cer of First Stuart Corporation, his family’s investment company, managing partner of Jon R. Stuart Interests, L.L.C., and trustee for the Stuart Family Foundation. Appointed by His Royal Highness King Harald VI of Norway, he also served as the Royal Norwegian Consul for Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas. A community leader and philanthropist, he served on the board of directors of numerous banks, the University of Oklahoma Board of Regents, e City of Tulsa-Rogers County Port Authority, Gilcrease Museum and many more organizations and cultural institutions.

“I had the good fortune of calling Jon a friend for more than 30 years ... rough his philanthropy, Jon made a positive di erence in Tulsa and in his beloved University of Oklahoma. His a able approach and twinkle in his eye put people at ease and let you know that he truly cared. His legacy will endure.”

— K EN BUSBY, executive director and CEO, Route 66 Alliance tp

WE ALSO REMEMBER

LINDA LAYMAN HULL • APRIL 16, 1944-DEC. 15, 2024

Former model and owner of the Linda Layman Agency, a model and talent agency she founded in 1971

WALTER MUNARETTO • APRIL 13, 1948-DEC. 31, 2024

Italian born former general manager of Tulsa’s Summit Club and co-owner of Sand Springs’ Little Venice

BRENT DOUGLAS LYNN • MAY 5, 1955-FEB. 7, 2025

Longtime Tulsa radio host nationally known for humorous prank calls made under the pseudonym “Roy D. Mercer”

TERRI WALKER CORNETT • OCT. 12, 1959-MARCH 6, 2025

Community volunteer, longtime local sales manager for KTUL, wife of the 35th mayor of Oklahoma City ( Mick Cornett ), arts advocate

LINDA ALLEN • APRIL 17, 1952-MARCH 7, 2025

Art teacher and celebrated mosaic artist whose work can be found in public spaces, private businesses and residences all over Tulsa

J. HARLEY GALUSHA D.O. • JULY 30, 1930-MARCH 13, 2025

First eye surgeon in Oklahoma to perform a lens implant; celebrated his 80th birthday by climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro

KAY KIRKPATRICK INHOFE • APRIL 9, 1936-MARCH 22, 2025

Wife of US senator Jim Inhofe, devoted mother and grandmother, intrepid traveler

R. HENRY MIGLIORE, PH.D. • MARCH 26, 1940-MARCH 30, 2025

Fisherman, athlete, teacher, founding Dean of the Oral Roberts University School of Business, and president of Managing for Success, an international consulting company

JOHN CARL SACRA, M.D. • FEB. 8, 1944-MAY 30, 2025

Medical Director of Saint Francis Hospital’s Trauma Emergency Center; leader in the field of emergency medicine and trauma care systems

DAVID BATES • NOV. 26, 1939-MAY 30, 2025

From Philbrook to Gilcrease and hospital wards to classrooms, for 20 Christmas seasons, Bates was Santa Claus to a generation of Tulsans

RON WALKER • JAN. 6, 1934-JULY 12, 2025

Rotarian, Up With Trees volunteer, avid outdoorsman, and engineer with a distinguished career in aerospace and aviation who played a pivotal role in NASA’s Apollo Program

CRAIG WILLIAM THURMOND • MARCH 11, 1954-AUG. 7, 2025

Served the city of Broken Arrow for 20 years as a member of the City Council and during his multiple terms as mayor

JACK HARDIN NEELY • APRIL 22, 1958-OCT. 30, 2025

Chief of Capital Investment under former Mayor G.T. Bynum ; helped advance major projects including Zink Dam, the Tulsa Public Safety Center and the new Gilcrease Museum

ROMAN LARKIN JASINSKI • FEB. 21, 1954-NOV. 27, 2025

World-renowned ballet dancer who served as the artistic director for the Tulsa ballet, son of Tulsa Ballet’s founders, Roman Jasinski and Moscelyne Larkin

BRUCE NIEMI • APRIL 24, 1949-DEC. 1, 2025

Representatives from 1991 to 1993; taught political science at Tulsa Community College and served on the Tulsa County Election Board

JUDY WEINKAUF • DEC. 9, 1941-DEC. 4, 2025

Matriarch, chairman of the board of Weinkauf Petroleum and the first female chairman of the board of the National Safety Council

LEE C. RANEY • OCT. 10, 1928-DEC. 6, 2025

Founder of the Tulsa Air and Space Museum driven by his passion for aviation and his love for inspiring children

STEVE HOPKINS • NOV. 8, 1941-DEC. 13, 2025

Longtime TulsaPeople advertising executive beloved by friends, family and colleagues

WILLIAM EARL LOBECK, JR. • APRIL 20, 1940-DEC. 16, 2025

Visionary leader in the global car rental industry, philanthropist and husband to former Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor

CHARITABLE Events Calendar

TulsaPeople is proud to present the 26th edition of this community resource presented in association with the Tulsa Community Foundation.

JANUARY 1-Dec.31

THE WILL TO GIVE AMP ONLINE FUNDRAISER

Benefi ts the Will Rogers High School Community Foundation. willrogersfoundation.net

8

JANUARY LUNCHEON: A HISTORY OF PHILANTHROPY AND WHY IT MATTERS WITH CLIFTON BAKER, CFRE

Benefi ts AFP Eastern Oklahoma Chapter. community.afpnet.org/ afpokeasternoklahoma chapter

11

PICKLEBALL PARTY

Benefi ts The Demand Project. thedemandproject.org

13

PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL DINNER CONCERT: FEATURING THE STARS OF “THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE”

Benefi ts Tulsa Opera. tulsaopera.com

16

BINGO FUNDRAISER

Benefi ts Skiatook Paws and Claws Animal Rescue. facebook.com/ skiatookpawsandclaws

16-18

I HAVE A “DREAM MEET”

Benefi ts Aim High Academy. aimhighgym.org/ dream-meet

22

BLENDED DINNER: ART OF THE POUR

Benefi ts Philbrook Museum of Art. philbrook.org

23

BELLA CUCINA LA CENA DINNER

Benefi ts Tulsa Ballet. tulsaballet.org

MUSIC BINGO

Benefi ts Cascia Hall Preparatory School. casciahall.com

23-25 HORTONFEST

Benefi ts Horton Records. hortonrecords.org

24

BELLA CUCINA ROSE ADAGIO DINNER

Benefi ts Tulsa Ballet. tulsaballet.org

26

EAT, DRINK, AND BE GIVING AT DUET

Benefi ts The Center for Individuals with Physical Challenges. tulsacenter.org

27

BRIDGES BINGO NIGHT

Benefi ts The Bridges Foundation. bridgestulsa.org

31

BREAKTHROUGH T1D TULSA ONE PARTY

Benefi ts Breakthrough T1D. breakthrought1d.org/ oklahoma

COMPILED BY TIFFANY HOWARD

EPOS 2026 GALA

Benefi ts Epos outreach programs. eposoutreach.org/ epos-gala

RIVERFIELD ROCKS THE CAIN’S

Benefi ts Riverfield Country Day School. riverfi eld.org

TOYLAND BALL: RENDEZVOUS IN PARIS

Benefi ts Parent Child Center of Tulsa. toylandball.org

TRIVIA NIGHT

Benefi ts Bishop Kelley High School. bishopkelley.org

FEBRUARY

1

ANNUAL PLANT SALE — ORDERS OPEN

Benefi ts Tulsa Master Gardeners. tulsamastergardeners.org

WINTER DINNER WITH PATRICK GORDON

Benefi ts Tulsa Botanic Garden. tulsabotanic.org/calendar

6–March 14

CHAMPAGNE AND CHOCOLATE MEMBER SHOWCASE

Benefi ts Living Arts Tulsa and contributing artists. livingarts.org

7

COOKING UP COMPASSION

Benefi ts Catholic Charities of Eastern Oklahoma. cceok.org/cuc

13

MARDI GRAS COLLABAGES

Benefi ts Brass in the Ballpark Band Camp. cainsballroom.com

14

ADULT PROM

Benefi ts Art 4orms Foundation. facebook.com/art4orms

CANDY BALL: THE LOVE BOAT

Benefi ts Child Advocacy Network. candyball.org

GLIMMER GALAXY GALA

Benefi ts Tulsa Air and Space Museum and Planetarium. tulsamuseum.org

WHOW SWEETS SHOWCASE AND FUNDRAISER

Benefi ts Women Helping Other Women. whownetwork.org

21

ANCIENT TRAIL TREK

Benefi ts Keystone Ancient Forest. facebook.com/ keystoneancientforest

BASH FOR THE BOYS’ HOME

Benefi ts Tulsa Boys’ Home. tulsaboyshome.org

BEST OF BRUNCH

Benefi ts Domestic Violence Intervention Services. dvis.org/events

THE BIG SHOW OFF

Benefi ts Tulsa Day Center. thebigshowoff.org

CHAMPAGNE AND CHOCOLATE GALA

Benefi ts Living Arts Tulsa. livingarts.org

PATHWAY PIONEERS

Benefi ts Education for Scholars. educationforscholars.org/ events

SERVE FOR SAFETY PICKLEBALL TOURNAMENT

Benefi ts Tulsa Police Foundation. tpdfoundation.org

25

LIVE UNITED AWARDS

Benefi ts Tulsa Area United Way. tauw.org

26

BINGO NIGHT

Benefi ts Tulsa Boys’ Home. tulsaboyshome.org

30TH ANNIVERSARY GALA: EMPOWERING LIVES, STRENGTHENING TULSA

Benefi ts Operation Hope Prison Ministry. ohpm.org

27

STREET PARTY: CATALYST FOR CHANGE

Benefi ts Street School. streetpartytulsa.com

TULSA HEART BALL

Benefi ts American Heart Association. facebook.com/ahaoklahoma

28

BELLA CUCINA CARNEVALE DI VENEZIA DINNER

Benefi ts Tulsa Ballet. tulsaballet.org

CASA CASINO

Benefi ts Tulsa CASA casacasino.org

RED RIBBON GALA

Benefi ts Tulsa CARES. redribbongala.org

MARCH

1-April 30

TULSA BOTANIC BLOOMS

Benefi ts Tulsa Botanic Garden. tulsabotanic.org/calendar 1-May 3

SEAN KENNEY’S NATURE CONNECTS EXHIBIT

Benefits Tulsa Botanic Garden. tulsabotanic.org/calendar

5

BUNCO FOR BOOBIES

Benefi ts The Stonebrook Project. thestonebrookproject.org

RECONCILIATION IN AMERICA NATIONAL SYMPOSIUM

Benefi ts John Hope Franklin Center for Reconciliation. jhfnationalsymposium.org

6

LEGACY LUNCHEON

Benefi ts Lindsey House. lindseyhouse.org

7 GOSPEL, GRITS, AND GERSHWIN

Benefi ts Booker T. Washington Foundation for Excellence. btwfoundation.net/ school-events

OPERA BALL

Benefi ts Tulsa Opera. tgoto.org

Your support helps local families realize their dreams of home ownership.

Break out your disco threads and join us for Green Country Habitat for Humanity’s signature event, Rock the House: Studio 918, on May 9, 2026, at the Arvest Convention Center. Enjoy live entertainment, great food, dancing, and plenty of ‘70s-inspired fun, all for an incredible cause. Become a sponsor to support Habitat’s mission to build more homes and brighter futures in our community.

CHARITABLE Events Calendar

PICKLEBALL TOURNAMENT

Benefi ts Heroes Hope. heroeshope.net

PINK STILETTO GALA

Benefi ts Susan G. Komen Foundation in Tulsa. komen.org/ tulsapinkstiletto

SAPPHIRE CELEBRATION: ADVENTURE ON THE MOTHER ROAD

Benefi ts Riverfield Country Day School. riverfi eld.org

SPLASH!

Benefi ts the Fish Friend’s Scholarship Fund. splashokaq.com

7-8

DRESS RESALE

Benefi ts Bailey Education Foundation. baileyeducation foundation.com

14

BUTTERFLY CONFERENCE

Benefi ts Women Helping Other Women. whownetwork.org

ST. PATRICK’S DAY 5K

Benefi ts Special Olympics Oklahoma. sook.org

15

ANNUAL PLANT SALE — ORDERS CLOSE

Benefi ts Tulsa Master Gardeners. tulsamastergardeners.org

21

RAISING HOPE

BLUE TIE GALA

Benefi ts The Demand Project. thedemandproject.org

25

ADVOCACY DAY AT THE CAPITOL

Benefi ts Oklahoma Center for Nonprofi ts. okcnp.org

TICKETS ON SALE FOR ST. JUDE DREAM HOME

Benefi ts St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. dreamhome.org

26

BELLMON AWARDS

Benefi ts The Sustainability Alliance. thesustainabilityalliance .org

BRIDGES BACK ROADS

BASH

Benefi ts Bridges Tulsa. bridgestulsa.org

DINNER WITH FRIENDS

Benefi ts Meals on Wheels of Metro Tulsa. mealsonwheelstulsa.org/ events

OYSTERS AND ALE

Benefi ts Hospice of Green Country. hospiceofgreencountry .org/oystersandale

26-June 7 (select evenings)

ZOOLIGHTFUL

Benefi ts Tulsa Zoo. tulsazoo.org

27

PINNACLE AWARDS

Benefi ts YWCA Tulsa. ywcatulsa.org/ pinnacle-awards

27-28

2 MINUTES TO TULSA

Benefi ts Horton Records. hortonrecords.org

28

BARN DINNER AND DANCE

Benefi ts A Bigger Table Foundation. abiggertable.foundation

BRAINIAC BALL

Benefi ts Family and Children’s Services. brainiacball.com

GLOW GALA

Benefi ts Global Gardens. global-gardens.org/ glow-gala

SPARTA GALA

Benefi ts Bridge the Gap Bixby. facebook.com/spartagala

SPRING BAILEY VENDOR FAIR AND BAZAAR

Benefi ts Bailey Education Foundation. baileyeducation foundation.com

TBD

ARBOR DAY 50 TREE

PLANTING CELEBRATION

Benefi ts Up With Trees. upwithtrees.org

TREES FOR TULSA SYMPOSIUM

Benefi ts Up With Trees. upwithtrees.org

APRIL

1-30

WORLD WISH MONTH

Benefi ts Make-A-Wish Oklahoma. wish.org/oklahoma

2

BOOTS ON THE BAYOU BASH

Benefi ts Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tulsa. thebashtulsa.org

MENTORSHIP MATTERS

Benefi ts Junior League of Tulsa. jltulsa.org

3-5

ART IN BLOOM

Benefi ts Philbrook Museum of Art. philbrook.org

4

SPRING WITH THE BUNNY

Benefi ts Tulsa Zoo. tulsazoo.org/bunny

7

WILLIAM BOOTH

SOCIETY GALA

Benefi ts The Salvation Army. southernusa.salvationarmy .org/tulsa-area-command

9

APPETITE FOR CONSTRUCTION

Benefi ts the HBA Charitable Foundation and Workforce Development. tulsahbacf.com

ENCOUNTER HOPE GALA

Benefi ts The Spring. thespringok.org

SPRING LUNCHEON

Benefi ts Tulsa Boys’ Home. tulsaboyshome.org/ spring-luncheon

10

CELEBRATE CASCIA AUCTION AND GALA

Benefi ts Cascia Hall Preparatory School. casciahall.com

WOMEN OF THE YEAR LUNCHEON

Benefi ts Tulsa Area Alumnae Panhellenic. tulsapanhellenic.org/ calendar

10-11

SPRINGFEST

Benefi ts educational programming, beautification and preservation of Woodward Park. tulsagardencenter.org/ springfest

11

CARNIVALE NOCTURNE: FROM DARKNESS INTO LIGHT

Benefi ts Mental Health Association of Oklahoma. bestpartyintown.org

GARDEN PARTY

Benefi ts Little Light House. littlelighthouse.org/events

TULSA HEART WALK

Benefi ts American Heart Association. facebook.com/ ahaoklahoma

13

GOLF TOURNAMENT

Benefi ts Heroes Hope. heroeshope.net

16

ANNUAL PLANT SALE — ORDERS PICK-UPS

Benefi ts Tulsa Master Gardeners. tulsamastergardeners.org

17

GO GIRL GALA

Benefi ts Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma. gogirlgala.org

JA BIZTOWN BOWL

Benefi ts Junior Achievement of Oklahoma. oklahoma.ja.org

SPRING BLOOMS SIP AND STROLL: SECRETS OF THE GARDEN

Benefits Tulsa Botanic Garden. tulsabotanic.org/calendar

VOA AT THE VISTA

Benefi ts Volunteers of America Oklahoma. voaok.org/event/ voa-at-the-vista-2026

18

FURCHELLA

Benefi ts Skiatook Paws and Claws Animal Rescue. skiatookpawsandclaws .com

ICONS AND IDOLS

Benefi ts Tulsa Ballet. iconsandidols.org

LIGHTS OUT FOR A CAUSE: THE BLACKOUT GALA

Benefi ts Owasso Community Resources. owassohelps.org

MRS. ROPER ROMP

Benefi ts Family Promise of Tulsa County. familypromisetulsa.org

ONE (OKLAHOMA NONPROFIT EXCELLENCE) AWARDS

Benefi ts Oklahoma Center for Nonprofi ts. okcnp.org/page/ one-awards

OKLAHOMA CENTRAL CREDIT UNION ZOORUN

Benefi ts Tulsa Zoo. tulsazoo.org/run

19

DANCE AROUND THE WORLD

Benefi ts German-American Society of Tulsa. gastulsa.org

SUPERHERO CHALLENGE

Benefi ts Child Advocacy Network. childadvocacynetwork.org

22

KXOJ DAY AND CARE

KEEPER LUNCHEON

Benefi ts Hospitality House of Tulsa. hhtulsa.org

23

PHILBROOK WINE

EXPERIENCE — WINE WALK

Benefi ts Philbrook Museum of Art. philbrook.org

RAISE THE ROOF

Benefi ts Revitalize T-Town. revitalizettown.org

RHYTHM AND ROOTS

Benefi ts Food on the Move. foodonthemoveok.com

SPRING SOIREE

Benefi ts Saint Simeon’s Foundation. saintsimeons.org/ foundation

24

2026 CITY YEAR DAY OF SERVICE

Benefi ts City Year Tulsa. cityyear.org/tulsa

CANCER SUCKS! LAUGHING RULES! DINNER AND COMEDY SHOW

Benefi ts The Stonebrook Project. thestonebrookproject.org

VINO AND VALOR TULSA

Benefi ts Folds of Honor. onecau.se/vinovalortulsa

ZOO NIGHTS (21+)

Benefi ts Tulsa Zoo. tulsazoo.org/zoo-nights

24-25

PHILBROOK WINE EXPERIENCE — SEMINARS AND TASTINGS

Benefi ts Philbrook Museum of Art. philbrook.org

SPACEPORT TULSA 2026

Benefi ts Tulsa Air and Space Museum and Planetarium. tulsamuseum.org

TOUCH-A-TRUCK

Benefi ts Junior League of Tulsa. jltulsa.org

25

ARTRAGEOUS

Benefi ts Foundation for Tulsa Schools. foundationfortulsaschools .org/artrageous

AUCTION 2026

Benefi ts Bishop Kelley High School. bishopkelley.org

AVIATOR BALL

Benefi ts Tulsa Air and Space Museum and Planetarium. tulsamuseum.org

CHARITABLE Events Calendar

LLAMAPALOOZA

Benefi ts Riverfield Country Day School. riverfi eld.org

PARTY FOR THE PLANET

Benefi ts Tulsa Zoo. tulsazoo.org/planet

PHILBROOK WINE EXPERIENCE — VINTNER DINNER AND AUCTION

Benefi ts Philbrook Museum of Art. philbrook.org

SHOOT FOR THE CENTER

Benefi ts The Center for Individuals with Physical Challenges. tulsacenter.org

27

WISH UPON A PAR

Benefi ts Make-A-Wish Oklahoma. wish.org/oklahoma

28

PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL DINNER CONCERT: FEATURING SARAH COBURN, JANA MCINTYRE, AND ABIGAIL RAIFORD

Benefi ts Tulsa Opera. tulsaopera.com

29

NEWSMAKERS LUNCHEON

Benefi ts Association for Women in Communications Tulsa. awctulsa.org

WORLD WISH DAY

Benefi ts Make-A-Wish Oklahoma. wish.org/oklahoma

TBD

BACKPACKS AND BRUNCH

Benefi ts Joy in the Cause. joyinthecause.org

MAY

1

FIESTA FOR FUTBALL

Benefi ts Tulsa Athletic Soccer Foundation. tasoccerfoundation.org

MONARCH BALL

Benefi ts Domestic Violence Intervention Services. themonarchball.com

1-2

CARNEY FEST

Benefi ts The Church Studio Music Foundation. carneyfest.com

1-3

GERMANFEST

Benefi ts German-American Society of Tulsa. gastulsa.org

2

BOOTS AND BUCKLES BASH

Benefi ts Union Schools Education Foundation. unionfoundation.org/ bootsandbucklesbash

DERBY DAY SOIREE

Benefi ts Alzheimer’s Association Oklahoma Chapter. memorygala.org

GARDEN GALA

Benefi ts A New Leaf. anewleaf.org

MAD SCIENTIST BALL

Benefi ts Discovery Lab. discoverylab.org

MINI-LAPS

Benefi ts Little Light House. littlelighthouse.org/events

RUN FOR THE ROSES

Benefi ts Tulsa Boys’ Home. tulsaboyshome.org

WINGS ON EARTH GALA

Benefi ts Angelica’s Connections. angelicasconnections.org

2-17

DESIGNER SHOWCASE

Benefi ts the Foundation for Tulsa Schools tulsahba.com

4

FRANK R. RHOADES GOLF CLASSIC

Benefi ts Tulsa Boys’ Home. tulsaboyshome.org

TEE OFF FOR TOWN AND COUNTRY SCHOOL

Benefi ts Town and Country School. tandcschool.org/ get-involved

7

DIRECTOR’S BBQ

Benefi ts Philbrook Museum of Art. philbrook.org

8

2ND CHANCE PROM

Benefi ts Youth Services of Tulsa. yst.org

LONDON HIGH TEA

Benefi ts Tulsa Ballet. tulsaballet.org

LONDON TOUR BON VOYAGE EVENT

Benefi ts Tulsa Ballet. tulsaballet.org

9

75TH ANNUAL GARDEN

TOUR “HEART AND SOIL”

Benefi ts Tulsa Garden Club. tulsagardenclub.org

BABY STEPS: A CITYWIDE

GIVING INITIATIVE

Benefi ts Emergency Infant Services. eistulsa.org/events

ROCK THE HOUSE: STUDIO 918

Benefi ts Green Country Habitat for Humanity. rockthehousetulsa.org

STAMP OUT HUNGER

Benefi ts the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. okfoodbank.org

TULSA GREAT STRIDES

Benefi ts The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. cff.org/chapters/easternoklahoma-chapter

10

DESIGNER SHOWCASE

MOTHER’S DAY BRUNCH

Benefi ts HBA Charitable Foundation. tulsahbacf.com

15

CONSERVATION ON TAP (21+)

Benefi ts Tulsa Zoo. tulsazoo.org/tap

NOSHVILLE

Benefi ts Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma. bigoklahoma.org/ noshvilletulsa2026

16

BRUNCH ON THE FARM

Benefi ts A Bigger Table Foundation. abiggertable.foundation

DINNER PARTY

Benefi ts the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. okfoodbank.org

16-June 21

GRAND OPENING AND OPEN HOUSE WEEKENDS FOR ST. JUDE DREAM HOME GIVEAWAY

Benefi ts St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. dreamhome.org

17

JOBIM — TRIBUTE TO THE KING OF BOSSA NOVA

Benefi ts Will Rogers Stage Foundation. willrogersstage.com

19 STARS, STRIPES AND PIPES GOLF TOURNAMENT

Benefi ts Folds of Honor. onecau.se/ssp

21

OVERTURE

Benefi ts Signature Symphony at TCC. signaturesymphony.org/ overture

23

ANNUAL MEETING AND SILENT AUCTION

Benefi ts The Guild of Tulsa Opera. tgoto.org

28

RECONCILIATION IN AMERICA NATIONAL SYMPOSIUM

Benefi ts John Hope Franklin Center for Reconciliation. jhfnationalsymposium.org

29

THE PARTY: JUST WEAR WHITE

Benefi ts Family and Children’s Services. thepartyok.com

30

DANCE OF THE TWO MOONS

Benefi ts Indian Health Care Resource Center of Tulsa. ihcrc2moons.org

INSPIRE: A NIGHT OF ENTERTAINMENT

Benefi ts The Center for Individuals with Physical Challenges. tulsacenter.org/events

PARKINSON’S RALLY WALK

Benefi ts the Oklahoma Parkinson’s Alliance. oklahomapa.org/tulsawalk

SPECIAL SHOWING OF “THE OUTSIDERS”

Benefi ts the Will Rogers High School Community Foundation. willrogersfoundation.net

TULSA BRUNCH FESTIVAL

Benefi ts Route 66 Green Book Project, Inc. tulsabrunchfestival.org

TBD

CLARK HOWARD BLITZ BUILD

Benefi ts Green Country Habitat for Humanity. greencountryhabitat.org

JUNE

1-Aug. 4

BOWL FOR KIDS’ SAKE FUNDRAISING SEASON

Benefi ts Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma. bigoklahoma.org

4

THE AQUARIUM RUN

Benefi ts Oklahoma Aquarium. okaquarium.org/178/ aquarium-run

BUNCO FOR BOOBIES

Benefi ts The Stonebrook Project. thestonebrookproject.org

RAISE THE WOOF GALA

Benefi ts Oklahoma Pet Collective Society. okpetcollective.org

6

SAFETY SUMMER

Benefi ts Angelica’s Connections. angelicasconnections.org

9

25TH ANNIVERSARY

Benefi ts the Washington Brown Foundation. washingtonbrown foundation.com

12

ZOO NIGHTS (21+)

Benefi ts Tulsa Zoo. tulsazoo.org/zoo-nights

13

ASCENSION ST. JOHN CENTENNIAL GALA

Benefi ts Ascension St. John Foundation. givestjohn.org/gala

CELEBRATE LIFE

Benefits LIFE Senior Services. lifeseniorservices.org

EVERY MOMENT COUNTS RUN/WALK

Benefi ts Clarehouse. clarehouse.org/events

13-14

GARDEN TOUR

Benefi ts Tulsa Master Gardeners. tulsamastergardeners.org

RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN’S “SOUTH PACIFIC IN CONCERT” Benefi ts Will Rogers Stage Foundation. willrogersstage.com

19

GOLF TOURNAMENT AT BAILEY RANCH GOLF COURSE Benefi ts Bailey Education Foundation. baileyeducation foundation.com

REUNION 2026: CLASSES ENDING IN 1 AND 6 Benefi ts Bishop Kelley High School. bishopkelley.org

20

MIDSOMMAR FESTIVAL

Benefits Tulsa Botanic Garden. tulsabotanic.org/calendar

21-Sept. 7

MISSION IMPOPSICLE

Benefi ts Tulsa Zoo. tulsazoo.org

26

POPPIN’ BOTTLES

Benefi ts Emergency Infant Services. eistulsa.org/events

27

EQUALITY GALA

Benefi ts Oklahomans for Equality. okeq.org

CHARITABLE Events Calendar

28

ST. JUDE DREAM HOME GIVEAWAY

Benefi ts St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. dreamhome.org

WAFFLES FOR WISHES

Benefi ts Make-A-Wish Oklahoma. wish.org/oklahoma

JULY 1-31

SHARKLAHOMA

Benefi ts Oklahoma Aquarium. okaquarium.org

4 FOLDS OF HONOR FREEDOMFEST

Benefi ts River Parks. riverparks.org

18

POLKA PARTY

Benefi ts German-American Society of Tulsa. gastulsa.org

28

SENIOR LIFESTYLE AND WELLNESS EXPO

Benefi ts LIFE Senior Services. lifeseniorservices.org

TBD

TULSA HERB SOCIETY ANNUAL SPEAKER EVENT

Benefi ts Tulsa Herb Society. facebook.com/tulsaherb

AUGUST

4

BOWL FOR KIDS’ SAKE CELEBRATION PARTY

Benefi ts Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma. bigoklahoma.org

7 FLOWER PICKING ON THE FARM

Benefi ts A Bigger Table Foundation. abiggertable.foundation

RINGMASTER’S GOLF AND GALA

Benefi ts Tulsa State Fair Ringmaster’s Scholarship Fund. tulsastatefair.com/ golf-gala

8

SHINING THE LIGHT

Benefi ts Brain Injury Recovery Foundation. braininjuryrecovery foundation.org

TASTE OF CHANGE

Benefi ts the Tulsa Day Center. tulsadaycenter.org

10

HOPE GAMES

Benefi ts the Case Family Safety Center. fsctulsa.org

14

ZOO NIGHTS (21+)

Benefi ts Tulsa Zoo. tulsazoo.org/zoo-nights

17

JA GOLF CLASSIC

Benefi ts Junior Achievement of Oklahoma. oklahoma.ja.org

29 MAKER FAIRE TULSA

Benefi ts Tulsa Fab Lab. tulsa.makerfaire.com

31

DRIVE OUT THE DEMAND GOLF TOURNAMENT

Benefi ts The Demand Project. thedemandproject.org

TOM BOYD MEMORIAL GOLF CLASSIC

Benefi ts The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. cff.org/chapters/easternoklahoma-chapter

TBD ARTINI

Benefi ts Arts Alliance Tulsa. artstulsa.org

DOWNTOWN DECO CHALLENGE

Benefi ts Tulsa Area United Way. tauw.org

RED SHIELD YOUTH CENTER

GOLF TOURNAMENT

Benefi ts The Salvation Army. southernusa.salvationarmy .org/tulsa-area-command

WILD BREW

Benefi ts the George Miksch Sutton Avian Research Center wildbrew.org

SEPTEMBER

3

RECHARGE

Benefi ts The Sustainability Alliance. thesustainabilityalliance .org/recharge

4-7

LEMON-AID

Benefi ts Tulsa Changemakers. thelemonaidproject.org

10

VISION DINNER

Benefi ts Tulsa Community College Foundation. tccfoundation.org

WESTERN DAYS

Benefi ts Saint Simeon’s Foundation. saintsimeons.org/ foundation/western-days

11

GOLF TOURNAMENT

Benefi ts Skiatook Paws and Claws Animal Rescue. facebook.com/ skiatookpawsandclaws

TRIVIA NIGHT

Benefi ts City Lights Foundation of Oklahoma. citylightsok.org

12

DAY GALA: WOMEN

WALKING IN WISDOM

Benefi ts Women Helping Other Women. whownetwork.org

DINNER ON THE FARM

Benefi ts A Bigger Table Foundation. abiggertable.foundation

HEROES HOPE GALA

Benefi ts Heroes Hope. heroeshope.net

RED LINE GALA

Benefi ts Tulsa Firefighter’s Benevolent Fund. tulsafi refund.com

15

FR. PEREZ LADIES DOUBLES TENNIS TOURNAMENT

Benefi ts Cascia Hall Preparatory School. casciahall.com

17-Oct. 31

AUTUMN IN THE BOTANIC GARDEN

Benefi ts Tulsa Botanic Garden. tulsabotanic.org

17

FLIGHT NIGHT

Benefi ts Tulsa Regional STEM Alliance. fl ightnight.tulsastem.org

18

SHOOTOUT AGAINST HUNGER

Benefi ts John 3:16 Mission. john316mission.org/events

WALTZ (21+)

Benefi ts Tulsa Zoo. waltzonthewildside.org

WOMEN BUILD

Benefi ts Green Country Habitat for Humanity. greencountryhabitat.org/ womenbuild

18-27

RESTAURANT WEEK

Benefi ts the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. okfoodbank.org

19

FLOWER SHOW

Benefi ts Tulsa Garden Club. tulsagardenclub.org

MS BIKE TULSA

Benefi ts National Multiple Sclerosis Society. events.nationalmssociety .org

PORTRAIT OF HOPE GALA

Benefi ts The Stonebrook Project. thestonebrookproject.org

STACKED DECK

Benefi ts Resonance Center for Women. stackeddecktulsa.org

WALK TO END ALZHEIMER’S

Benefi ts Alzheimer’s Association Oklahoma Chapter. facebook.com/groups/ tulsawalk

24

COOKING FOR A CAUSE

Benefi ts Iron Gate. irongatetulsa.org

25

CENTER EXPERIENCE

Benefi ts The Center for Individuals with Physical Challenges. tulsacenter.org

WINE AND ROSES

Benefi ts Woodward Park’s educational programming and beautification. tulsagardencenter.org

26

COW THIEVES AND OUTLAWS REUNION

Benefi ts Woolaroc Museum and Wildlife Preserve. woolaroc.org

KALEIDOSCOPE BALL

Benefi ts Emergency Infant Services. eiskball.org

ST. JUDE WALK OKLAHOMA

Benefi ts St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. stjude.org

TULSA RACE FOR THE CURE

Benefi ts the Susan G. Komen Foundation in Tulsa. komenoklahoma.org

VERSES

Benefi ts Ruth G. Hardman

Adult Literacy Service. tulsalibrary.org/verses

27

DIG: DAY IN THE GARDEN

Benefits Tulsa Botanic Garden. tulsabotanic.org/calendar

TBD

BIGA DINNER

Benefi ts Tulsa Opera’s Songs by Heart program. tgoto.org

BLACKOUT BANQUET

Benefi ts NewView Oklahoma. nvoklahoma.org/event/ blackout

HOME REMODELING SHOWCASE

Benefi ts John 3:16 Mission. tulsahba.com

HOMECOMING COOKOUT

Benefi ts Cascia Hall Preparatory School. casciahall.com

MIX

Benefi ts Philbrook Museum of Art. philbrook.org

RALLY FOR RESOURCES TENNIS TOURNAMENT

Benefi ts Animal Aid of Tulsa. animalaid.org

RECONCILIATION IN AMERICA NATIONAL SYMPOSIUM

Benefi ts John Hope Franklin Center for Reconciliation. jhfnationalsymposium.org

WOBBLES FOR WISHES

Benefi ts Make-A-Wish Oklahoma. wish.org/oklahoma

OCTOBER 1-Dec. 8

TOYS FOR TOTS

Benefi ts Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots campaign. toysfortots.org

1 HOSPITALITY UNDER THE STARS GALA

Benefi ts Hospitality House of Tulsa. hhtulsa.org

MEMBERS’ MEETING

Benefi ts Oklahoma Center for Nonprofi ts. okcnp.org

2 ROCK PAPER SCISSORS

Benefi ts The Pencil Box. thepencilbox.org

5

DRIVE FOR THE HOUSE GOLF TOURNAMENT

Benefi ts Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tulsa. rmhctulsa.org

TULSA HALL OF FAME

Benefi ts Museum of Tulsa History. tulsahistory.org/events/ tulsa-hall-of-fame

4-10

RALLY CRY: VIRTUAL WEEKLONG FITNESS CHALLENGE

Benefi ts The Demand Project. thedemandproject.org

JOIN US FOR A SPECIAL EVENING TO CELEBRATE & HONOR OUR ESTEEMED ELDERS

THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2026 • 6:00 PM

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE AT:

CHARITABLE Events Calendar

8

BUNCO FOR BOOBIES

Benefi ts The Stonebrook Project. thestonebrookproject.org

TASTE OF BROOKSIDE

Benefi ts Youth Services of Tulsa. yst.org

9

DIVAS 4 HOPE

Benefi ts HOPE (Health Outreach Prevention Education). divas4hope.org

10

GOOD SAMARITAN

HEALTH SERVICES ANNUAL CHARITY GALA

Benefi ts Good Samaritan Health Services. goodsamaritanhealth.org

ZOO NIGHTS (21+)

Benefi ts Tulsa Zoo. tulsazoo.org/zoo-nights

22

STARS OF TOMORROW

Benefi ts Town and Country School. tandcschool.org/ get-involved

22-25

ZEECO OKTOBERFEST

Benefi ts River Parks. tulsaoktoberfest.org

23

HARVEST FOR HOPE

Benefi ts The Spring. thespringok.org

23-24, 30-31

HALLOWMARINE

Benefi ts Oklahoma Aquarium. okaquarium.org/181/ HallowMarine

23-25, 29-31

HALLOWZOOEEN

Benefi ts Tulsa Zoo. tulsazoo.org/boo

24

DAY OF THE DEAD RUN

Benefi ts Mita’s Foundation. mitasfoundation.org

MURDER MYSTERY DINNER AND SILENT AUCTION

Benefi ts Bailey Education Foundation. baileyeducation foundation.com

26

CHEERS TO JOY — WINE AND DINE FUNDRAISER

Benefi ts Joy in the Cause. joyinthecause.org

DRIVE AWAY PARKINSON’S GOLF TOURNAMENT

Benefi ts the Oklahoma Parkinson’s Alliance. oklahomapa.org/tulsagolf

30

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

GALA

Benefi ts Food on the Move. fotmgala.com

TBD

20TH ANNUAL RESTORE HOPE GOLF TOURNAMENT

Benefi ts Restore Hope Ministries. golf.restorehope.org

50TH ANNIVERSARY FUNDRAISER

Benefi ts Up With Trees. upwithtrees.org

ALL SOULS LOVE AND LIGHT GALA

Benefi ts All Souls Unitarian Church allsoulschurch.org

CONSERVING THE GREEN

Benefi ts Natural Resources Conservancy. natrecon.org

GERMAN-AMERICAN DAY

Benefi ts German-American Society of Tulsa. gastulsa.org

OKLAHOMA CONGENITAL HEART WALK

Benefi ts the Children’s Heart Foundation. childrensheartfoundation .org

MOONSTRUCK

Benefi ts Clarehouse. clarehouse.org

PINK RIBBON

Benefi ts Oklahoma Project Woman. oklahomaprojectwoman .org

TATAS TINIS AND TENNIS

Benefi ts Oklahoma Project Woman. oklahomaprojectwoman .org

PORCH PARTY

Benefi ts Lindsey House. lindseyhouse.org

VINTAGE HOUSING

WELCOME HOME

Benefi ts LIFE Senior Services. lifeseniorservices.org

NOVEMBER 3

AMPLIFY YOUTH HEALTH DAY

Benefi ts Amplify Youth Collective. amplifytulsa.org

5

NIGHT OF HONOR

Benefi ts Soldier’s Wish. soldierswish.org

6

CORKS AND KEGS

Benefi ts The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

cff.org/chapters/easternoklahoma-chapter

HOPE GAMES CLOSING

CEREMONY AND AWARDS GALA

Benefi ts the Case Family Safety Center. fsctulsa.org

7

BOURBON AND BLUES

Benefi ts Folds of Honor. onecau.se/ tulsabourbonandblues

FALL BAILEY VENDOR FAIR AND BAZAAR

Benefi ts Bailey Education Foundation. baileyeducation foundation.com

ROCK ‘N’ FOLK ‘N’ CHILI COOK OFF

Benefi ts Horton Records. hortonrecords.org

10

AWARE LUNCHEON

Benefi ts Alzheimer’s Association Oklahoma Chapter. alz.org/oklahoma

12

OKLAHOMA HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY

Benefi ts Oklahoma Hall of Fame. oklahomahof.com

12-13

BEYOND AWARENESS

EDUCATIONAL SUMMIT

Benefi ts The Demand Project. thedemandproject.org

14

2 ANGELS TOY RUN

Benefi ts 2 Angels Toy Run. facebook.com/ 2angelstoyrun

17-19

STORIES OF LIGHT

Benefi ts Make-A-Wish Oklahoma. wish.org/oklahoma

19

BARBECUE AND CIGARS

Benefi ts Tulsa Boys’ Home. tulsaboyshome.org

DANCING WITH THE TULSA STARS

Benefi ts San Miguel School of Tulsa. dancingwiththetulsa stars.com

DINNER OF RECONCILIATION

Benefi ts John Hope Franklin Center for Reconciliation. jhfcenter.org

20

BASKETFUL OF LOVE: THANKSGIVING BASKETS

Benefi ts the Washington Brown Foundation. washingtonbrown foundation.com

21

DREAM GALA

Benefi ts Tulsa Girls’ Home and Project Orphans. tulsagirlshome.org/gala

TULSA CATTLE BARON’S BALL

Benefi ts American Cancer Society. tulsa.acscbb.org

27-Dec. 30

BOTANIC GARDEN OF LIGHTS

Benefi ts Tulsa Botanic Garden. tulsabotanic.org/calendar

29

LEFTOVER LAST WALTZ

Benefi ts Foundation for Tulsa Schools’ music education programs. facebook.com/ theleftoverlastwaltz

NOG OFF

Benefi ts Emerson Elementary Art Department. thetulsaartsdistrict.org/ annual-nog-off

30-Dec. 15

GIFTS OF HOPE

Benefi ts Youth Services of Tulsa. yst.org

TBD

ACE IT FOR AUTISM!

Benefi ts various Autism organizations. facebook.com/ rotaryclubtulsasunrise

ART PARTY

Benefi ts Tulsa Girls Art School. tulsagirlsartschool.org

BOOTS, CHROME AND THE MOTHER ROAD

Benefi ts Route 66 Main Street. rt66tulsa.org

GIVING SPIRITS

Benefi ts the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. okfoodbank.org

GOLD MEDAL NIGHT

Benefi ts Aim High Academy. aimhighgym.org/ gold-medal-night

OCCJ CELEBRATION DINNER

Benefits the Oklahoma Center for Community and Justice. occjok.org

UNITE + PITCH NIGHT

Benefi ts Tulsa Area United Way. tauw.org

VISIONS

Benefi ts Oklahoma Center for Nonprofi ts. okcnp.org

DECEMBER 1

WOMEN’S AUXILIARY CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON AND FASHION SHOW

Benefi ts Salvation Army. southernusa.salvationarmy.org/tulsa-areacommand

4-6

CHRISTKINDLMARKT

Benefi ts German-American Society of Tulsa. gastulsa.org

4

GINGERBREAD GALA

Benefi ts Daughters of Today Leaders of Tomorrow. daughtersoftodayleaders oftomorrow.com

PEGGY V. HELMERICH DISTINGUISHED AUTHOR AWARD BLACK-TIE GALA Benefi ts Tulsa City-County Library. tulsalibrary.org

5 CAROLS AND CRUMPETS

Benefi ts Tulsa Herb Society. facebook.com/tulsaherb

HOLIDAY MART

Benefi ts The Center for Individuals with Physical Challenges. tulsacenter.org/events

ST. NICHOLAS DAY

Benefi ts OKM Music. okmusic.org

6 CASCIA HALL CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES

Benefi ts Cascia Hall Preparatory School. casciahall.com

8

BASKETFUL OF LOVE: CHRISTMAS BASKETS

Benefi ts the Washington Brown Foundation. washingtonbrown foundation.com

12

ART UNTAMED GALLERY SHOW

Benefi ts Tulsa Zoo. tulsazoo.org/art-untamed

SWEETS WITH SANTA

Benefi ts Tulsa Zoo. tulsazoo.org/santa

TULSA CHRISTMAS PARADE

Benefi ts Soldier’s Wish. tulsachristmasparade.org

13

ABATE TOY RUN

Benefi ts Toys for Tots. abateoftulsa.com

ADVENTSFEIER

Benefi ts German-American Society of Tulsa. gastulsa.org tp

ZOORUN | APRIL 18, 2026

WALTZ | SEPTEMBER 18, 2026

CONSERVATION ON TAP | MAY 15, 2026

HALLOWZOOEEN | OCTOBER 2026

ANNUAL REPORT

PURPOSE

Tulsa Community Foundation (TCF) is among the nation’s largest community foundations, managing over $6.3B in assets and distributing $300M or more each year to charities across the US. TCF’s primary mission is to make giving more efficient and enjoyable for individuals and corporations Through Donor Advised Funds, our donors are able to budget their charitable giving, reap greater tax advantages, and utilize TCF’s staff and knowledge to maximize the reach and value of every dollar given. TCF also administers scholarship funds for students and disaster/hardship funds to benefit corporate employees during times of financial need.

IMPACT

TCF is proud to enhance our community by providing individualized services to donors, participating as a catalyst for vital local issues, sharing community knowledge with the public, and maintaining effective financial stewardship for the charitable assets entrusted to it to meet the needs of Oklahoma, today and in the future

2 largest nd

$6.3 billion

2,000+

TULSA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FUND TYPES

TCF is a collection of over 2,000 funds, varying in size from a few thousand to multiple millions of dollars Each fund has its own identity and philanthropic purpose. Funds benefit from being invested with other funds to create a lasting community resource and benefit to the region.

Vehicle for charitable giving that is an alternative to direct giving or a costly private foundation.

Donors contribute to the fund at any time, receive an immediate tax deduction and recommend grants from the fund in the current or subsequent years.

Charitable gifts of almost any kind (cash, stock, property) are accepted, invested and distributed to nonprofits and programs.

Donors recommend grants over time to their favorite charitable organizations.

EMPLOYEE DISASTER RELIEF

Employer establishes guidelines to assist employees in the event of unexpected and unavoidable emergencies or disasters.

Common opportunities for assistance include natural disaster relief, medical emergencies, and funeral costs for an immediate family member.

TCF manages the application and award process.

C H A R I T A B L E A G E N C Y

Nonprofit agency establishes a permanent pool of assets or operations (reserve) dollars.

Donors establish a charitable entity (emerging nonprofit) under TCF

Donors provide financial assistance for tuition and fees at accredited K-12, postsecondary, vocational, or trade schools.

Donors choose selection criteria and eligibility If donor is a corporation, eligible applicants can be employees or dependents of employees.

TCF manages the application and award process.

Each fund maintains application requirements, ranging from academic performance and financial need to high school attended and major selected.

A group of area leaders focus on charitable community efforts.

The leaders streamline administration to develop philanthropic support to meet the charitable needs of the community

TCF oversees administration and operations.

Current affiliate funds: Grand Lake Communities Foundation, McCurtain Community Fund, and Pawhuska Community Foundation.

Donors choose a focus area or create a program benefitting specific charitable organizations or causes.

An independent foundation that is connected to and receives public charity status and grantmaking services from TCF.

TCF staff is dedicated to supporting and sustaining the charitable efforts of its donors and programs. We provide services to individuals, families and companies to simplify charitable giving, identify important community services, and administer charitable programs. Fund contributions are tax-deductible.

To find out more about TCF, visit www.tulsacf.org

To request a meeting with a program officer, please contact our offices at 918.494.8823 or email donorserv@tulsacf.org

THE PLACE TO BE.

Catering For Any Occasion

VENUE & CATERING GUIDE

When planning an event there are many details to coordinate. From finding the right space to choosing catering options and amenities, the to-do list can be overwhelming. We hope you find the TulsaPeople Venue and Catering Guides to be a helpful resource for your planning.

ALL SOULS UNITARIAN

CHURCH

2952 S. Peoria Ave.

918-743-2363 • allsoulschurch.org

Event rental contact: Jerry Burleson, JBurleson@AllSoulsChurch.org

Capacity: Sanctuary: 400, Chapel: 70, Garden: flexible

GLENPOOL CONFERENCE CENTER

12205 S. Yukon Ave., Glenpool 918-209-4629 • glenpoolconferencecenter.com

Event rental contact: Katlyn Yarbrough, kyarbrough@cityofglenpool.com

Capacity: flexible, up to 500

HERMAN & KATE KAISER YMCA

5400 S. Olympia Ave.

918-446-1424 • ymcatulsa.org/hkeventplanning

Event rental contact: Camille Burke, cburke@ymcatulsa.org

LAFORTUNE STUDIO AT THE TULSA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

110 E. 2nd St. • 918-596-7111 tulsapac.com/lafortune-studio

Event rental contact: info@tulsapac.com

Capacity: 200

Available for rehearsal dinners, receptions, and parties.

MOTHER ROAD MARKET

1124 S. Lewis Ave. motherroadmarket.com

Event rental contact: events@motherroadmarket.com

Capacity: Mother Road Market has dedicated space for intimate small gatherings to large festive parties.

MCNELLIE’S GROUP CATERING

608 E. 3rd St. 918-442-2993

catering@mcnellies.com

Catering capacity: Unlimited

Additional information: McNellie’s

Group Catering is Tulsa’s go-to catering service that offers full-service catering and event planning that specializes in weddings, corporate events, special events, and non-profits.

CIRCLE CINEMA

10 S. Lewis Ave. 918-585-3456 circlecinema.org

Event rental contact: David@circlecinema.org

Capacity: up to 200

HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO TULSA

777 W. Cherokee St., Catoosa 918-384-7931

hardrockcasinotulsa.com/amenities

Event rental contact: meetingsthatrock@hardrockcasinotulsa.com

Capacity: 900

J. POTTER COLLECTIVE

3 Unique Historic Venues

918-810-6765 • jpottercollective.com

Event rental contact: Jackie Potter, jackie@jpottercollective.com

Capacity: Unique venues for small gatherings of 10, to large events of 500.

LIVING ARTS OF TULSA

307 E. Reconciliation Way 918-585-1234

livingarts.org

Event rental contact: Gallery Manager, info@livingarts.org Capacity: 280

TULSA BOTANIC GARDEN

3900 Tulsa Botanic Drive 918-289-0330 tulsabotanic.org

Event rental contact: events@tulsabotanic.org

Capacity: Call for information.

CATERING BY PARTYSERVE™

3902 E. 15th St. 918-748-0111 x2108 partyserve.com

Catering capacity: Unlimited

Additional Information:

Best-In-Class, budget minded, bespoke, and creative award winning catering and event services.

Coastal capers

Spring break tips for travelers taking new nonstop fl ights at TUL.

BY LAUREN ROGERS

This spring, Tulsa International Airport is adding three new nonstop ights to their lineup that will bene t spring break travelers looking for a convenient escape. Frontier Airlines, who returned to TUL last October with nonstop service to Denver, will begin a nonstop route from Tulsa to Orlando International Airport twice per week beginning March 13. Additionally, Alaska Airlines announced that it will launch operations at TUL beginning March 18 with daily nonstop service to Seattle and San Diego. is especially comes as a delight to community members trying to make their way to the west coast for leisure or business. If you’re having trouble deciding where to go, consider these attractions in each city.

ORLANDO, FLORIDA

While TUL already o ers two other nonstop Orlando options via Allegiant and Southwest Airlines, this new Frontier route makes the destination even more accessible to travelers wanting to visit one of the city’s iconic theme parks. Springtime gives visitors unique opportunities at parks like Walt Disney World’s EPCOT, which will host its annual International Flower and Garden Festival from March 4 to June 1 this year. Die-hard Disney fans de nitely don’t want to miss the elaborate topiary sculptures of Disney characters that will be on display during the event. Of course, no visit to EPCOT is complete without sampling di erent internationally-inspired avors — and the

International Flower and Garden Festival hosts a Garden Graze activity to encourage visitors to sample a variety of di erent seasonal creations.

Meanwhile, Universal Orlando will present Universal Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Carnaval from Feb. 7 to April 4. is yearly extravaganza features parades on select nights with street performers, music, lively costumes and — naturally — beads ying through the air. On the food front, park-goers can savor authentic Cajun specialties and avors from around the world. Beyond the festival, spring typically brings ideal weather for enjoying Universal Orlando’s water attractions without the swelter of summer.

Outside of the theme parks, Orlando o ers plenty of dining, shopping and entertainment. For a slower-paced outing, you can rent a swan boat at Lake Eola in the heart of downtown Orlando. e lake provides panoramic views of Orlando skyscrapers and frequently features live entertainment at the Walt Disney Amphitheater. After visiting the park, you can nd something to eat at a nearby restaurant like the popular King Cajun Craw sh on North Mills Avenue.

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

On the west coast, San Diego comes to life in March with blooms across the city at attractions like the Balboa Park Gardens and San Diego Botanic Garden. One of the oldest sites dedicated to public use in the United States, Balboa Park is made up of 1,200 acres of manicured landscapes, museums, theaters and restaurants — plus the San Diego Zoo. e park’s Japanese Friendship Garden will host their annual Cherry Blossom Festival March 12-15, coinciding with the anticipated peak bloom time of their cherry tree grove, home to around 200 cherry trees.

For more oral fun you can make your way up to the Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch, which boasts the world’s largest ranunculus ower eld. Each year, the giant tecolote ranunculus owers that make up the garden are in bloom for approximately six to eight weeks, from early March through early May. You can plan your visit around activities like wellness classes, sunset wine tastings or oral arrangement workshops to get the full springtime experience.

Spring is also a great time to visit the west coast for whale watching. Gray whales migrate north along the coast annually in winter through spring, so consider booking a boat tour for a chance to see these massive creatures in person. On land, you can try to spot whales at lookout points like Sunset Cli s Natural Park, which is also a picturesque hiking spot. Nearby, you can stop for a meal at the 1960’s-inspired Ponyboy, led by the Michelin-starred expertise of Ian Ward and Danny Romero, and let them know that “ e Outsiders” is a Tulsa thing.

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

Just 1,200 miles north of San Diego, Seattle o ers similar west coast experiences with a completely di erent vibe. You can plan your trip around cherry blossom blooms, which happen in late March to early April.

Seattle will hold their annual Cherry Blossom and Japanese Cultural Festival, a free, family friendly event, from April

10-12 at the Seattle Center. is annual event originated in Seward Park — home to some of the rst cherry trees in Seattle, which were planted in 1929 as a gift from Japan. For more dense displays, head to the University of Washington or the Washington Park Arboretum and adjacent Japanese Garden.

If you have picked up an a nity for Dale Chihuly ’s work from his pieces at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, you should check out Seattle’s Chihuly Garden and Glass. e art destination includes a dynamic urban garden designed to complement their collection, and it all comes together vibrantly in the springtime.

If you want to see more owers, during the month of April you can visit Skagit County for the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. About an hour drive north of Seattle, Skagit County has become well known for its annual showcase featuring tens of millions of colorful tulips in gardens nestled in Mount Vernon, Washington.

Last — but not least — the whales. Again, gray whales migrate north along the Paci c coast every spring, and the Seattle area o ers a plethora of di erent boat tour options for you to catch a glimpse of the journey. tp

Expanded accessibility o erings at TUL

Last November, TUL began offering free use of Aira ASL, an app that delivers on-demand American Sign Language interpretation for travelers who are deaf or hard of hearing. By downloading the app, users can connect to a professional ASL interpreter at the tap of a button.

Using the video and microphone capabilities of the user’s smartphone, Aira ASL allows users to communicate seamlessly with any airport employee, empowering them to navigate the airport with independence and confidence.

Tulsa International Airport has offered free Aira Visual Interpreting Services for passengers who are blind or have low vision since November 2023. Expanding the program to include ASL interpretation marks another major step toward ensuring that every traveler has the tools and support they need to experience a smooth travel journey. —STAFF REPORTS

A bold new 360° experience that surrounds you with the sights and sounds of the American West. Built by the creators of Immersive Van Gogh.

Learn more at thecowboy.org/immersive

WELLNESS GUIDE

Meal prep made easy

Chefs for Seniors provides healthy dining solutions for people of all ages.

BY MADISON WALTERS

Year in and year out, one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions is eating healthier, but that’s easier said than done with extenuating factors like skill levels when it comes to cooking and time constraints. So, why not hire someone to do it for you?

Chefs for Seniors (Tulsa) is a local meal preparation service owned by Alicia Urban that aims to make healthy food more accessible. Targeted toward seniors, the business does all the grocery shopping and preparing of foods while also maintaining a relationship with the client, which is key for seniors who don’t receive visitors.

Whether or not you believe in New Years resolutions, January is still the perfect time to start forming healthier habits. Consider kicking off 2026 with a focus on fitness. Or, discover your next favorite self care ritual. Want to treat yourself to more time? Meal prep support may be what you need.

“What sets us apart from other meal services is the community aspect. We pair each client with a chef, so you’ve got that same person coming in every time,” Urban says. “There is a huge epidemic of loneliness in our senior population, so having somebody coming to their home that they can talk with and share stories with is really important.”

That personal touch is prevalent throughout the Chefs for Seniors client onboarding process. When a client decides they’re interested in Chefs for Seniors’ services, Urban does an intake session with them where she gets to know the client’s specific dietary needs, restrictions and preferences.

“Everything is completely customizable to each client’s individual needs and desires,” she says. “We have hundreds of different options when it comes to food. We can even prepare their own recipes if that’s what they wish.”

Though geared toward the elderly, Chefs for Seniors’ services are for anybody. “We have families with young children that are too busy to cook. We have clients with disabilities who aren’t able to cook. We also have clients that just don’t like to cook. Our service takes that burden away,” she says.

Chefs For Seniors (Tulsa) is available to those living in Tulsa County, including the cities of Tulsa, Glenpool and Jenks, as well as parts of Bixby, Broken Arrow, Collinsville, Owasso, Sand Springs and Sapulpa.

“My husband once asked me, ‘If you could do anything, what would it be?’ I realized that I want to take care of people by food ... being able to make healthy, delicious meals for those who are unable to is my calling,” she says. “I’m just so thankful that I get to wake up every day and do this. I can’t believe this is my life.”

If you’re interested in becoming a client visit chefsforseniors.com/tulsa-ok to fill out a contact form. tp

Want to take your self care routine to the next level? If you suffer from migraines, find you’re dealing with excess stress or just want to treat yourself, consider trying a head spa treatment.

For those who have yet to surrender to the serenity, a head spa is a restorative service typically consisting of aromatherapy, scalp massage, deep cleansing hair wash, steam therapy and nourishing hair treatments. In many cases, you can pair your head spa experience with a facial or other services for a full spa day. As the trend continues to gain popularity, Tulsa’s head spa options have been expanding.

If you have yet to find your favorite head spa in Tulsa, consider one of these soothing spots.

MON AMIE NAILS AND SPA Starting out as a nail salon in the Meadow Gold District in 2021, Mon Amie prides itself on using clean, crueltyfree products that are enhanced with herbs grown locally by owner Hannah ’s father. The spa recently added additional head spa treatment rooms to their main location at 1348 E. 11th St., but they also have an additional space less than a block to the east at 1406 E. 11th St. that’s perfect for anyone looking to book a spa day with friends.

POPPI’S SPA AND LOUNGE This downtown Tulsa staple at 302 S. Frankfort Ave., Suite C, offers a lavish scalp detox treatment complete with a deep scalp massage and rinse with luxurious GOOP ® Himalayan Salt Scrub. If you want the full spa experience, you can opt for their Jade Package, which includes a 90-minute massage, 90-minute custom organic facial, scalp detox treatment, therapeutic shower and a lounge pass — complete with a glass of champagne. Don’t miss the immersive salt room while you’re there!

YUME SPA At 1836 E. 15th St., Yume is a tranquil treasure in midtown. Using organic products and intentional techniques, Yume’s head spa treatments focus on scalp health, relaxation and lymphatic fl ow. The result is deeply calming yet therapeutic, supporting overall wellness while easing tension, improving circulation and creating a restorative escape rooted in clean, mindful care. If you don’t want to get your hair wet, try their Dry Head Spa option.

LAUREN ROGERS

FAST, MINIMALLY INVASIVE BACK PAIN RELIEF

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The Discseel® Procedure is a minimally invasive procedure that allows patients to relieve their low back and neck pain without surgery, through the use of Biologic Fibrin Sealant. This is the only procedure proven to seal tears in discs which allows them to heal. The Discseel Procedure has excellent long-term outcomes proven in peer-reviewed literature.

NON SURGICAL DISCSEEL® SPINE PROCEDURE

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• Long-Term Relief: While not immediate, most patients notice substantial improvement within months as the discs gradually heal.

Transformation TAKEDOWN

Women’s jiu jitsu classes at Carson Fight and Fitness build strength and instill confi dence.

BY TIFFANY HOWARD

Women looking to improve their health and tness while also building a new community in 2026 should consider a di erent route this year, one completely free of lonely “dread”mill walks and indecipherable gym machines — jiu jitsu.

ough jiu jitsu has traditionally been a male-dominated form of martial arts, more and more women have begun to practice it as well, especially since it is a great way to learn moves that can be used as self-defense in everyday life, should they be needed.

“It’s a lot of strategy in how to move and how to maneuver out from under somebody, and doing di erent holds, di erent chokes,” says Tulsan Kariss Reed , 28, who began attending the women-only jiu jitsu classes o ered at Carson Fight and Fitness (9535 E. 47th Pl.) last March. “Compared to when I started, I feel a lot more con dent in myself now.”

“It helps (women) be comfortable in scary situations,” says Brooke Cochran, who leads the beginner-friendly women’s class along with co-instructor Lisa Rush. “ ere are also physical benets, it gets you in shape, it helps you understand your body and what you are capable of. You learn to trust yourself and that you can do this thing that seems really challenging, then that translates into the rest of your life.”

Classes consist of Cochran and Rush demonstrating di erent techniques — such as how to take someone down from a standing position, use your own body weight to control an opponent, restrict someone’s movements, break out of a hold or escape being pinned down — before participants then practice in pairs.

“Once you get a takedown you have a pretty good advantage,” says 10-year-old Olive Rainey, who’s been practicing jiu jitsu since she was 5 and regularly competes in competitions. ough Rainey mostly practices with kids her age, she occasionally joins the women’s class, which sees ages ranging from teens to 20-somethings to moms of grown children.

In addition to women’s and co-ed jiu jitsu, CFF also o ers Muay ai, kickboxing, wrestling and mixed martial arts competition training, as well as high-intensity interval training and yoga classes. Opened in 2021, CFF is owned by Broken Arrow graduate and former professional MMA ghter Jonny Carson, who has been practicing martial arts since he was 16.

“It gave me con dence that I lacked growing up, and it just kind of empowered me,” he says. Carson emphasizes that jiu jitsu and the martial arts are for anybody and everybody, and that beginners will nd a welcoming community at CFF.

“We’ve all been that person where it’s scary to come here at rst because you don’t know what to expect,” Carson says. “So I think we can all appreciate when a new person is brave enough to come in and try it.”

Reed attests to the friendly and supportive environment she’s found at CFF.

“When I rst started coming here I didn’t know what the heck I was doing,” she says. “ ey made me feel welcomed and like family from the very rst day, and have made the experience of learning something new less intimidating and more inviting.”

To learn more, visit carson ght tness.com. Also be on the lookout for a basic beginner’s jiu jitsu course, which CFF will be o ering soon. tp

WE CARE FOR YOUR TREES OFF TREE WORK COMPLETED IN JANUARY 2026 10%

• TREE TRIMMING

• FERTILIZATION

• PRUNING & REMOVALS

• STUMP GRINDING

• CABLE & BRACING

• DORMANT OIL

• TREE MAPPING

• CONSTRUCTION PRESERVATION

• INSECT & DISEASE CONTROL

• ARBORIST CONSULTATION

MOTHER ROAD Meetsthe River Road

Celebrate 100 years of road tripping in the only place in America where the Mother Road of Route 66 meets the scenic beauty of the Great River Road. Follow the neon signs to the It’s Electric Neon Sign Park, dine at historic Route 66 roadside cafes, take a walk through the river bluffs and prairies and relax with a glass of locally crafted wine beside the Mighty Mississippi River.

Your one-of-a-kind adventure begins at www.RiversandRoutes.com.

Lifestyle

HOME HEALTH TRENDS

Beautiful bugs

Shoppers at Moonbeam Conservatory are greeted with crystalized insects and glowing owers that can light up the store even in complete darkness. All are for purchase, which can bring a playful layer of mystique and wonder into your own home. Learn more about Moonbeam Conservatory and its creator Tyler Thrasher on p. 66.

BEYOND CITY LIMITS

Car culture

Take a trip through the Texas panhandle for a visual experience in classic Americana.

BY KRISTI EATON

The 100-year anniversary of Route 66 is nally here, and visitors to Texas will be treated to a visual bu et of newly restored signs along the famed highway.

Coined “ e Texas Route 66 Sign Project,” this partnership between the Old Route 66 Association of Texas, the Texas Department of Transportation and the Big

APRIL

30

Texan Steak Ranch will see the installation of historically accurate way nding signs along Interstate 40 from Glenrio to McLean. While I-40 is not part of the original Route 66, it replaced signi cant portions of the old Mother Road and roughly follows the historic path. Twentyseven custom signs are slated to be installed within towns along the route.

EXPLORE

ROUTE 66

As we celebrate the Route 66 centennial this year, TulsaPeople is exploring mustsee Mother Road attractions and activities in each state along the historic highway.

ough Texas’ nearly 180-mile stretch of the Mother Road resides fully in the state’s Panhandle, there’s plenty to see and do out there. Like many other parts of America’s Main Street, the Lone Star state’s stretch is full of quirky roadside attractions.

While heading west from Oklahoma, the rst stop for roadtrippers will be Magnolia Gas Station in Shamrock, a restored station perfect for a photo opp. Further west, another restored gas station in McLean dates back to 1929.

In Groom, catch the Leaning Tower of Texas, a slightly o -kilter water tower that perfectly encapsulates roadside Americana.

Next up is the city of Amarillo, which has a plethora of things to experience related to the Route. Cadillac Ranch and the Big Texan Steak Ranch and Brewery are two famous Route 66 attractions that relocated to I-40 after being removed from their initial locations along Route 66. Don’t forget to stop by Slug Bug Ranch, either, which is full of colorful, gra ti-painted VW cars.

You’ll nd the midpoint of Route 66 — equidistant between Chicago and Los Angeles — just outside of Adrian, Texas. You can take a photo at the iconic sign designating the landmark, then grab a souvenir across the street at Dream Maker Station. tp

ROUTE 66 CENTENNIAL KICK-OFF SATELLITE CITY IN AMARILLO, TEXAS

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR THESE ROUTE 66 CENTENNIAL

Amarillo will be one of five satellite cities to take part in the official Route 66 Centennial Kick-Off celebration. The event will take place on Sixth Avenue, featuring photos, recordings and memorabilia all tied to Route 66. visitamarillo.com

JUNE 4-13 TEXAS ROUTE 66 FESTIVAL

Visitors will get to experience the historic Mother Road in all its glory during this ten-day celebration. The festival will feature cars, music and much more throughout communities across Texas’ 180-mile stretch of Route 66. Don’t miss it! visitamarillo.com

Floral fantasies

Moonbeam Conservatory combines science and art to create magic.

BY MADISON WALTERS

Stepping into Moonbeam Conservatory — the newest store to call the Kendall Whittier area home — feels like you’ve been transported into a fantasy world where plants glow and whimsy abounds. Tyler rasher, artist and store owner, says his inspiration comes from the fantasy lms and video games of his youth.

His experimentation with phosphorescent ora began in 2021 when he was featured in the houseplant episode of “ e Future Of,” a Net ix documentary. Taking dried plants from a previous project, he dipped the owers in phosphorescent minerals and charged them in the sun, hoping for the best. e radiant results, dubbed “Moonbeam Flora,” quite literally look like magic.

October 2025 saw rasher nally launch a physical storefront for his Moonbeam Flora after selling them online for years. Stocked with more than twenty ower varieties, Moonbeam Conservatory o ers creations made from plants sourced both locally and abroad. rasher says he routinely harvests invasive species here in Oklahoma to include in his work.

Beyond Moonbeam Flora, another product you can nd at Moonbeam Conservatory is rasher’s crystallization collection in which he synthesizes crystals on ethically sourced subjects like cicadas, scorpions, snakes and more. “I wanted to nd a way to combine both chemistry and art,” rasher says.

ough he can control the color of the crystals, rasher says how the nished product looks is entirely up to chance. “I can control the crystal size, but I don’t really get to control how they form on the insect,” he explains. “ ere’s a lot I can’t control, which I enjoy. If I could control every part of it, I would be incredibly bored. What keeps me going is the unknown.”

Additionally, Moonbeam Conservatory serves as an event space. Since opening, rasher has held several concerts and community meditation classes. You can nd more information about the store on his website tylerthrasher.com.

Moonbeam Conservatory also goes by the name Materia Studio, which is the studio side where science blends into art. You might catch sta working on owers or perhaps you’ll even see rasher working on a new painting of his. tp

SHOP FAVORITES

WELLNESS ON WHEELS

Tulsa Health Department reaches underserved communities with mobile clinic.

Last year, the Tulsa Health Department launched the Mobile Health Clinic, which travels to neighborhoods where access to health care is scarce.

“Even with our multiple physical locations throughout the county, we know not everyone has the resources to visit a clinic,” says JP Williams , associate director of Preventive Health Services for the Tulsa Health Department. “Increasing public health access directly to the people who need it is at the heart of what we do, ensuring that everyone has access to the care they need, no matter where they live.”

The mobile clinic provides a variety of services, including but not limited to adult immunizations, chronic disease screenings, maternal and child health services, referrals to primary and specialized care, and health and education resources.

“Our mobile unit can do everything from routine vaccinations for adults, monitor for conditions like diabetes and hypertension, and routine screenings like blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose,” Williams says. “If we can identify potential health risks early, then we can treat them before they end up at the ER or in the hospital.”

However, if advanced care is needed, the mobile clinic offers referral services to trusted specialists, hospitals and health care providers.

“Our team will work with you to ensure you receive the right care, at the right time and in the right place.”

Before launching the mobile clinic, the Tulsa Health Department conducted an assessment survey for input on what would be needed to make a mobile clinic a success. They also interviewed several of their health service providers to make sure the mobile clinic would have everything it needed to deliver the same level of service people expect at a physical THD location.

“There were some initial challenges with finding a company that could fully outfi t the interior of the van to meet our needs,” Williams says. “But everything worked out, and we are thrilled we are now able to serve even more people.”

Since the clinic’s rollout, they have seen over 100 patients in various neighborhoods. Tulsa Health Department is monitoring metrics for service delivery and utilization to meet their overall goal of increasing healthier community outcomes. While the mobile clinic travels to new locations throughout the week, they keep an updated schedule on their website. Immunizations are provided at no out-of-pocket cost, and no cost to those without insurance.

“We are proud we can offer this free service to those who need it,” Williams says. “We want to guarantee that access to health care is available to everyone.”

— MARNIE FERNANDEZ

A Cosmos for Fr. Joseph

BY CONNIE CRONLEY

Oh, come on in January. I am ready for a change.

I want to shake o the bad juju of last year. e late Queen Elizabeth II was prescient when she used the Latin phrase annus horribilis, horrible year. ere has been plenty of horribilis. I’m ready for an annus mirabilis, a wonderful new year.

Even so, I’m not starting the new year with resolutions. Resolutions are too somber and binding. I’m going to make wishes instead. I’ll ing wishes like scattering wild ower seeds, like sprinkling stars in the heavens.

I wish I loved exercising as much as I love reading.

I wish I loved housecleaning as much as I love napping.

I wish I loved budgeting and ling and weeding and decluttering and not eating sugar.

ere. ose aren’t heavy-footed resolutions. I’m tiptoeing into the new year. I’m traveling light in case I have to turn back.

Gardens are to be my focus. is year I stumbled into planting Coleus in my garden beds. ey ourished with foliage as colorful as blooming annuals and are more durable. ey were solid new plants in the spring, showy in the summer, magni cent

in the fall. I didn’t invent the notion of Coleus as bedding plants, but when you are a naturally ignorant person — and I’m speaking from experience here — life is full of surprises. is was a good one.

Coleus are easily propagated from cuttings, so here it is January and I have a mini garden of them inside. Sunny (but not direct sun) window ledges, shelves and tables are lined with rows of clear jars and vases lled with water and the rooting plants. e goal is to nurture them through the winter and plant them in the spring garden.

is waxing xation with my waning garden started a couple of months ago when the white blossomed anemones danced like a chorus line of long-legged Rockettes. In the wild ower plot, yellow and lavender cosmos as tall as I am swayed wantonly and hosted a bacchanal of bees and butter ies.

About that time, a dear friend, the Rev. Joseph Alsay, was leaving Oklahoma to become dean of the Cathedral of St. Paul in Detroit. I have known this priest since he was a young curate. I wrote him a letter of congratulations but I didn’t send a gift. My current philosophy about gifts is: If I can’t eat it, drink it, plant it or wear it, I don’t want it because I don’t need it. Fr. Joseph may not adhere to that philosophy, which is too bad for him.

What I sent him was a dried, pressed

ower with this note. “Please take this little piece of Oklahoma with you. It’s a humble cosmos from my garden. Spanish priests raised these owers in their mission gardens and named them after the Greek word kosmos, or orderly arrangement. e circle of petals represented a harmonious universe, so cosmos are a symbol of harmony, balance, peace and joy.” Tuck it into your Bible, I wrote him, where eventually it will crumble to dust, as will all of us, but what better place to crumble than in a Bible. is sappy, little gesture sent me to garden books to read about the Victorian era and oriography, the language of owers. e Victorians used owers as communication, symbols of secret messages. A yellow pansy meant “thinking of you” and a poppy signi ed “I am not available.” I thought, oh how I long for such a sweet and gentle time. I want to speak ower!

Carnation is the ower for January birthdays. Symbolically it represents fascination and love. Humans, as is our nature, grabbed that innocent ower and complicated its simple message. A red carnation means deep love, a white carnation pure love, a striped carnation refusal and a yellow carnation disdain and rejection. Flower talk just got convoluted, complex, intricate, tricky and elaborate. Choose your carnation carefully. We’ve got eleven more ower months ahead. tp

LUXURY PROPERTY GROUP

Call any of the Luxury Property Group Realtors about one of these homes, or any property that you have an interest in. We will provide you with superior personal service with the highest integrity.

SOUTH TULSA

Stunning one-level stucco home on 1.24 unplatted acres in South Tulsa within Jenks Schools. Designed for entertaining, it features a chef’s kitchen, expansive living spaces, and a fully fenced backyard with a gorgeous saltwater pool. With 4 bedrooms plus a study, mature trees, abundant parking, and no HOA, this priv ate retreat offers room to roam just off 71st near Harvard. 3080 E 71st St S, Tulsa. $595,000

OWASSO

This meticulously maintained Clear Brook home features highend finishes, a chef’s kitchen, expansive living spaces, a luxurious primary suite, and resort-style outdoor living with a saltwater pool, fireplace, pergola, and built-in grill. 10121 N Glen Ellen Road, Owasso. $1,089,000

HOLLIDAY HILLS

TIM HAYES 918 -231-5637 thayes@mcgrawok.com

GORDON SHELTON 918- 697-2742 gshelton@mcgrawok.com

Stunning, fully renovated Holliday Hills home in the sought-after Carnegie school district. This 4-bedroom, 3.5bath residence blends classic charm with modern upgrades, featuring a brand-new kitchen with custom cabinetry, gas range, and stylish finishes that open seamlessly to the main living area. Thoughtful updates throughout include new thermal windows, doors, electrical, plumbing, PVC sewer line, tankless hot water, insulated walls and attic, and an all-new roof (2025), offering peace of mind and energy efficiency. Set on a spacious lot with Hardy plank exterior, new gutters, and a new back fence, this home delivers turnkey living in one of Tulsa’s most beloved neighborhoods— close to parks, shopping, dining, and more. 3822 E 56th Pl Tulsa $415,000

SHERRI SANDERS 918- 724-5008 ssanders@mcgrawok.com

DIANA RILEY PATTERSON 918- 629-3717 dpatterson@mcgrawok.com

GRAND LAKE

This rare offering defines Grand Lake living at its best, with breathtaking panoramic views from every room. Expansive interiors and custom design create a serene retreat perfect for both everyday comfort and effortless entertaining. The threebedroom, three-bath layout provides easy access to The Coves’ amenities, including 24hour security, clubhouse, pool, courts, and more. Just minutes from Cherokee Yacht Club, this location blends lake recreation, convenience, and timeless relaxation.

32850 Spyglass Hill, Afton. $825,000

SOUTHERN HILLS

This Ranch style home is located in a cul-de-sac across from Southern Hills CC. Remodeled kitchen with all wood Kraft-Maid cabinets. Light & bright with the kitchen open to the vaulted ceiling den with wood burning fireplace. Doors open to the covered, screened patio. Interior painted recently.5819 S Delaware Place, Tulsa. $579,000

THE VILLAGE

Custom built by Don East, a well known Tulsa home builder, is a prime example of his personal style and taste. He built this home in 2000 and used it as his primary dwelling and office. Make an appointment to view this one of a kind home and why he loved it so much. Tucked into a corner of The Village, a gated community just off Memorial and 101st Street. 10135 S 78th East Ave. $489,000

Table Talk

DINING FOOD DRINKS

LEARN MORE ABOUT PURE KITCHEN IN JENKS ON P. 76.

Looking for healthier options this year? Try the Thai Bowl, available at Pure Food and Juice’s Brookside location as well as their new concept in Jenks. This vegan and gluten-free power bowl is a feast for the eyes as well as the palate. Cradled by a bed of crisp romaine and spinach, the dish includes jasmine rice, garbanzo beans, crunchy chili cashews, purple cabbage, bell pepper, avocado, cucumber and carrots. Topped with a sprinkle of sesame seeds, the bowl is presented with a lime lime wedge and almond chile sauce. tp

Pierogi, please

BY JUDY ALLEN

Stepping into Taste of Poland feels less like entering a restaurant and more like being welcomed into someone’s home.

Owner and Polish-born Alicja Sokolowski came to New York City from Poland at the age of 24, working in restaurants while attending college. After relocating to Tulsa, where some of her family friends reside, she initially planned to be a stay-at-home mom, but that only lasted a few months. In early 2024, she saw a request for pierogi in a Facebook group, prompting her to start making them with traditional llings like potato and cheese. By March, she was selling them at the Owasso and Broken Arrow farmers’ markets, where demand quickly surged — at one point she was producing an average of 1,500 pierogi per week in her home kitchen, with an impressive 1,800 in just twoand-a-half days on one occasion. “I didn’t want to run out of anything,” Sokolowski says.

By December of that year, Sokolowski had opened Taste of Poland, creating a commercial kitchen as well as a space to o er her handmade pierogi alongside other Polish cuisine such as borscht, bigos (hunter’s stew), golabki (stu ed cabbage rolls), placki ziemniaczane (potato pancakes), and kielbasa (sausage). “I cook very traditional Polish food from the roots of Polish cuisine,” Sokolowski says. “It is what my ancestors cooked and is connected to the history of the region.”

I treated my parents to lunch to see how it stacked up to my grandmother’s Eastern European cooking. Our server brought us sliced bread with pickled red onions and smalec (rendered pork fat cooked with apples, onions, and spices) to start and told us that everything except the bread is made from scratch.

“I grew up 80 miles from the border of Belarus during communism,” Sokolowski says. “ ere were no restaurants. I loved cooking, but if I had told my mom back then that I wanted to open one, she would have had a heart attack.”

e potato pancakes are large, crisp, and served with applesauce and sour cream (delicious on their own or topped with smoked salmon). My mom, Micheal, remarked that they reminded her of the ones my grandmother made for my Czech grandfather.

As a pickle lover, I relished the pickle soup, a brothy mixture of shredded pickles, carrots, potatoes, fresh dill and a bit of heavy cream. My dad, James, particularly enjoyed the borscht, a Ukrainian version with white beans alongside the traditional red beets, cabbage and potatoes.

e “Polish Plate” is a popular sampler dish featuring generous portions of hunter’s stew, stu ed cabbage, pierogi and smoked kielbasa. It is a delicious opportunity to try multiple traditional items or share among the table.

Sokolowski’s pierogi come in several avors, including potato and cheese, sauerkraut and mushroom, and the “Okie Pierogi,” a Tulsa twist lled with beef brisket and smoked beans, topped with homemade barbecue sauce. You can order them pan-fried instead of boiled, as we did.

For dessert, our server recommended the forest moss cake, a delicate spinach sponge cake layered with berry gelatin and a sweetened cream cheese mixture, topped with crumbles of the green sponge cake. Other dessert options include sweet cheese pierogi, sticky to ee pudding, honey cake, cheesecake and Polish crepes.

Sokolowski shared a touching story with us about a customer who started crying after eating her honey cake. “I thought it was going to be a disaster when I went out to talk to her,” Sokolowski says. “But she told me that the last time she ate that cake was 20 years ago, when her grandmother was alive.”

Taste of Poland’s immersive hospitality largely stems from Sokolowski’s warmth; she often visits tables to explain the dishes or share stories. “When I cook, I think about ‘back then,’ when I would cook with my mom,” she says. Our conversation taught me so much about Polish cuisine, but also about cherishing roots and preserving family recipes before they are lost. tp

TASTE OF POLAND

4343 S. Memorial Dr. • 918-856-9150 • tasteofpoland.net

Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

A LA CARTE

So hot right now

3 places to warm up with hot pot this winter.

WON KOREAN BBQ AND HOT POT gives you the best of both worlds: tabletop Korean barbecue and hot pot, which makes it ideal for groups who like to graze and try a little of everything. The hot pot broths range from mild to fi ery, and the add-ins are classic, including beef, pork belly, seafood, tofu, vegetables and Korean noodles. It’s lively, interactive and a fun way to eat. The grill stays busy with bulgogi and other marinated meats while the hot pot bubbles away, making the whole table feel like a feast. 7407 S. Memorial Drive • wonqpotok.com

100°C GRILL AND HOT POT lets you build the hot pot you want, starting with your own broth and whatever vegetables, proteins and noodles you like. The six-hour simmered chicken broth is a perfect base for hot pot beginners. If you like spicy, the mala beef tallow broth or tom yum goong are both great. Don’t know where to start? The staff is great at offering suggestions and can steer you toward customer favorites, like the spicy seafood noodle soup with shrimp and vermicelli in a Thai-style aromatic broth. It’s a welcoming spot for first-timers and the variety makes it easy for seasoned hot pot fans to try something new. 1931 S. Yale Ave. • grillhotpot.com

MANDARIN TASTE offers one of the most traditional Chinese hot pot experiences in town. Choose your broth (or a combination of two), then mark a checklist of meats, seafood, tofu, greens, dumplings and noodles. Ingredients arrive quickly and in generous portions, keeping the pot bubbling and the table busy. It’s also one of the better spots for groups, thanks to roomy tables and a relaxed pace that lets you settle in and cook as long as you’d like. If anyone has room for dessert, Mandarin Taste offers a selection of sweets including cakes and tapioca. 9107 S. Sheridan Road mandarintastetulsaok.com — NATALIE MIKLES

WHAT THE ALE

JOIN

THE CLUB

If you are thinking about going dry this month, you now have a new mocktail brand to add to your at-home bar: Fake Drinks Club. The Tulsa-based business produces alcoholoptional, single-serving mixers that just need the addition of water — or a spirit, if desired — to create a mocktail or cocktail.

Co-owners Jillian and Keith Trinh had worked together as bartenders in Manhattan’s East Village, eventually marrying and moving to Tulsa with the incentive of friends and a Tulsa Remote opportunity. Once they got to town, Jillian started a garden and the pair began selling produce at the Tulsa Farmers’ Market as Other Colors Homestead. In 2023 they introduced cocktail infusion kits at TFM’s Yuletide Market, which were so successful they decided to sell them yearround. Last year Jillian and Keith expanded their product line to include Fake Drink Club’s alcohol-optional mixers.

“We really work hard to try to find interesting flavors and ideas and spins on it,” Jillian says, noting flavors include Pineapple Jalapeño Margarita and Pistachio Martini. In December they also released Stardust Spritz, a pink, cherry-based mixer with high-quality edible glitter to ring in the new year.

“We decided to make them specifically as mocktails first to make sure they taste good and (are) fun and interesting, and then they also taste great with alcohol,” Keith says. “It’s not an afterthought to have the mocktail. That was something we really wanted.”

With a strong presence in Tulsa and plans to expand into local retail markets, the mixers are also available nationwide through fakedrinksclub.com. You can also find them at the Tulsa Farmers’ Market and other local markets around town. — TOM GILBERT

WHAT’S COOKING?

Dynamic duo

Community thrives at recent additions to The Ten District in Jenks.

BY SARA PLUMMER

Jenks Main Street is experiencing a revitalization as new businesses open along the historic downtown corridor dubbed e Ten District.

Jenks Co ee Co, 103 E. Main St., and Pure Kitchen and Market, 102 E. Main St., both opened in October 2025 right across the street from each other.

Britny Pittman, co-owner of Jenks Co ee Co, says she and fellow co-owner Justin Wenzel, her ance, have always been passionate about thoughtful design and the way spaces can bring people together, and a co ee shop seemed like the perfect way to blend those values.

“Jenks was the only place that made sense. ere’s a loyalty and community spirit here that you don’t nd everywhere,” Pittman says. “Our goal was to create a space where people feel at home the moment they walk in. It became a natural extension of the lifestyle we’ve built — elevated, warm and intentionally local.”

Jenks Co ee Co o ers handcrafted drinks made with locally roasted beans, small-batch syrups and high-quality ingredients.

“But just as importantly, we o er a place to belong,” Pittman says, noting the private booths and conference rooms that are available to customers. e ve private booths are rst come, rst served, and the two conference rooms — the smaller of which o ers a play area for kids — can be reserved ahead of time for $30, or utilized as community seating without a reservation.

Cynthia Beavers, owner of Pure Food and Juice in Brookside at 3524 S. Peoria Ave., decided to open a second location further south based on feedback from her customers.

“I would have people come in all the time and say ‘I love your food, it’s amazing. If you were in south Tulsa I would eat here every day,’” Beavers says. So when it came time to open another location, she started looking out south and found the space in Jenks. is month, Pure Kitchen plans to

unveil their market — with fresh juices, smoothies, to-go meals and breakfast items. e current menu o ers the same healthy food and drink options as the Brookside location, along with elevated classics and comfort foods; both Pure restaurants o er a combination of items such as power bowls, clean enchiladas and salads, in addition to comfort staples like lets, chicken and dumplings, beef Bolognese and sandwiches.

“So now you can get the best of both worlds. And we created an amazing cocktail menu,” she says, adding that the full bar also serves beer and wine. “I wanted it to be one of the best cocktail menus in all of Tulsa. I just felt like Jenks really needed something a little more upscale and also very healthy.”

And apparently, she was right — Beavers says the new location has been busy ever since opening.

It’s a similar story across the street.

“It’s been exciting watching the community embrace the space exactly the way we hoped they would,” Pittman says. “Our private booths and conference rooms have stayed full with students studying, friends meeting and small businesses hosting clients. We’ve also loved seeing familiar faces become daily regulars; it’s the highest compliment we could receive.” tp

WHAT’S COOKING?

Cold-weather cooking

January is the perfect time to settle in, cook something comforting and let the kitchen ll with the kinds of smells that make winter feel less dreary. What we want in January is food that feels warm without being heavy. A skillet of white beans with sausage and kale checks all those boxes — simple ingredients, one pan and the kind of dinner that makes everyone wander into the kitchen to see what’s cooking. And on weekends, when we have a little more time to slow down, it’s nice to bake something special.

A lemony pound cake is the perfect way to bring a little sunshine into the kitchen. It’s tender and fragrant, with a glaze from whatever citrus you have on hand. Slice it thick and serve with co ee on a cold morning, or save it for dessert after a cozy dinner at home.

TUSCAN WHITE BEANS WITH SAUSAGE & KALE

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound Italian sausage

1 small yellow onion, diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper akes

2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

2 cups chopped kale

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Freshly grated parmesan

Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until browned, breaking it into small pieces, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Add onion and carrots, cooking until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and red pepper akes, cooking another minute.

Stir in beans, chicken broth and heavy cream. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 10 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Add kale, salt and pepper. Cook until kale is wilted, about 2 minutes.

Serve warm with grated parmesan and crusty bread. Or serve over pasta for a heartier take.

LEMON-RICOTTA POUND CAKE WITH WINTER CITRUS GLAZE

CAKE:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose our

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 cups whole-milk ricotta

1 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs

1 stick butter, melted and cooled

Zest of 1 large lemon

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

GLAZE:

1 cup powdered sugar

2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Zest of 1 lemon

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch loaf pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together our, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together ricotta and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Stir in melted butter, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla.

Add dry ingredients to the ricotta mixture, stirring just until combined. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.

Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

To make the glaze, whisk powdered sugar with juice. Add more juice if needed to reach a pourable consistency. Drizzle over cooled cake and sprinkle with zest.

TOTALLY PUMPED

For years, Tulsa knew exactly where to find Chris West ’s food. At Lassalle’s New Orleans Deli, people lined up for gumbo, po’boys and red beans and rice, the dishes that made Lassalle’s feel like a small slice of New Orleans in downtown Tulsa at 15 W. Fifth St. When the restaurant closed in 2021, regulars were left wondering what became of West — and the dishes they loved.

These days they’ll find him in Kendall Whittier at The Pump, where he’s the director of culinary operations, as well as general manager. The quirky neighborhood bar, with its big patio and roll-up garage doors, might not sound like the natural next home for a New Orleans chef. But for West, it made perfect sense.

“I already had a connection to this neighborhood,” he says, noting he’d been cooking at Lassalle’s pop-ups with The Pump’s owners, Jackie and Chad Potter, and selling his products at the Tulsa Farmers Market. He also plays music just down the street at Whittier Bar (2405 E. Admiral Blvd.) as bassist for Medicine Horse — a metal band led by vocalist Nico Albert Williams , another well-known Tulsa chef.

“I love the owners and the neighborhood. It just felt like it had to happen here,” he says.

As director of culinary operations at The Pump, his goal is to balance what longtime Pump regulars already love with the New Orleans flavors people still ask him about.

“This isn’t Lassalle’s 2.0,” he says. “The Pump has its own loyal crowd, and I want to expand outside of my roots while still incorporating my culture.”

That starts with the food the Pump faithful won’t let him change. There’s the smash burger, made with regional farm Creekstone’s hand-formed chuck patties, and the “trashy” and “bougie” fries and tots — the first of which is loaded with white chili queso, bacon bits and fresh chives, and the latter dressed up with house-made garlic aioli, freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano and bacon jam.

Then there are Lassalle’s favorites, now right at home on the bar menu. West’s gumbo, red beans and rice and crawfish étouffée anchor the Cajun side of things, along with a lineup of po’boys: shrimp, catfish, seafood and muffulettas. He’s especially proud of the roast beef po’boy, dripping with gravy and best tackled with a stack of napkins.

“In New Orleans, the roast beef po’boy is the standard. It’s traditional,” he says.

Game days bring even more Louisiana flavor. The Pump now hosts watch parties for the LSU Alumni of Oklahoma group and the Saints Fans of Tulsa. On fall weekends, the couches and chairs inside turn toward the big TVs while the patio fills with jerseys and purple-and-gold.

Looking ahead, West is especially excited about brunch and special events. He’s developing a brunch menu with dishes like shrimp and grits, sweet/savory crepes and eggs Benedict, all designed to fi t The Pump’s easygoing vibe. And come crawfish season, he plans to expand the bar’s annual boil, which already fills the property with long tables, towering pots and the smell of spice.

“It’s a party space,” West says, looking out at the patio. “We want it to feel like there’s always something fun happening.” — NATALIE MIKLES

Brookside Beacon

AND

On October 14, 1955, construction began on the KVOO-TV and Radio Broadcast Center near the corner of 37th Street and South Peoria Avenue in the Brookside neighborhood.

e proposed building was to be the home of Tulsa’s newest television station, KVOO-TV Channel 2, which had signed on the air less than a year before in December 1954. e station had the same call letters as its companion radio station, KVOO, “Voice of Oklahoma” that went on the air in June 1926.

BY PATRICK MCNICHOLAS

KVOO-TV Channel 2 began broadcasting out of the Akdar Building in downtown Tulsa and continued to broadcast from there until the completion of the Broadcast Center on Brookside in the summer of 1957.

e Broadcast Center housed both KVOO Radio and KVOO-TV Channel 2 in the same building and had a formal opening on December 5, 1957. It featured multiple television and radio studios, newsrooms and even an outdoor studio on the rooftop.

e Mid-Century Modern structure

soon became a landmark along Brookside. Despite renovations to the building over the years the exterior remains remarkable similar.

KVOO-TV was purchased by E.W. Scripps in the early 1970s, and the call letters to the station were changed to KTEW (Tulsa’s E.W. Scripps). However, these call letters would only last until July 1980 when the call letters changed to KJRH in honor of Jack R. Howard , a media pioneer and co-founder of Scripps-Howard company.

e building remains the proud home of KJRH Channel 2 after 68 years. tp