Surrey July/August 2012

COMPLIMENTARYCOMPLIMENTARY

LATE SUMMER 2012 Vol. 4 No. 6 • A Claremore Daily Progress Publication

SurreySurreyKickin’It With

Josh

Kickin’It With

JoshFoyil’s JoshBrown pavesway to NFLwith his foot

Foyil’s JoshBrown pavesway to NFLwith his foot

Taking You Places Today!Taking You Places Today!

CLAREMORE | BARTLESVILLE | PRYORwww.rsu.edu | (918) 343-7777

“I was looking for a university where I would be more than a face in the crowd. At Rogers State University, I’m a member of the Honors Program and the varsity cheerleading squad, all while pursuing my degree in medical/molecular biology. I don’t know for sure where I’ll be ten years from now but I do know I’ll be working in the medical �eld and my education will have prepared me to be successful. RSU has given me so many opportunities that I would not have gotten at other schools. For that, I’ll always be grateful.”

KYLIE DENTPryor, OK | Medical/Molecular Biology | Cheerleader | Honors Student

SurreySurrey

CLAREMORE | BARTLESVILLE | PRYORwww.rsu.edu | (918) 343-7777

“I was looking for a university where I would be more than a face in the crowd. At Rogers State University, I’m a member of the Honors Program and the varsity cheerleading squad, all while pursuing my degree in medical/molecular biology. I don’t know for sure where I’ll be ten years from now but I do know I’ll be working in the medical �eld and my education will have prepared me to be successful. RSU has given me so many opportunities that I would not have gotten at other schools. For that, I’ll always be grateful.”

KYLIE DENTPryor, OK | Medical/Molecular Biology | Cheerleader | Honors Student

Surrey 3

SurreySurrey SurreyTaking you places today!

Surrey©2012All rights reserved.

Published Bi-monthly by The Daily Progress

PUBLISHERBailey Dabney

EDITOR/DESIGNERRandy Cowling

CONTRIBUTORSRebecca Hattaway

Tom FinkTim Ritter

Salesha WilkenMark Friedel

ADVERTISINGMisti Grannemann

Kim McCoolMatt Ferrel

Kerri StewartCinda Vaughan

SEND COMMENTS TO:The SURREY @

The Daily Progress315 W. Will Rogers Boulevard

Claremore, OK 74017 P.O. Box 248 Claremore, OK 74018

E-mail — [email protected]

ADVERTISING INFORMATION:918-341-1101

[email protected]

All copy and advertising in the Surrey are copyrighted and cannot be reproduced. Some photos used by permission of source.

Taking You Places Today!Taking You Places Today!

6

9

12

24

Vol. 4 No. 6 LATE SUMMER 2012

An Old Dog’s New TricksDavid Blakely has recently adapted children’s book,Hank the Cowdog, into a musical.

Journalism Hall of FameFaith and John Wylie, publishers of the OologahLake Leader were recently inducted into theOklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame.

Journalism Hall of FameFaith and John Wylie, publishers of the OologahLake Leader were recently inducted into theOklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame.

Kickin’ It With JoshFoyil’s Josh Brown has become one of the NFL’spremiere kickers and it all began in Rogers County.

The Gift of CommunicationSpeech Pathologist Mary Marche works to givewords life for children.

25 Mission of MercyDr. Abby Overstreet uses her talents to help aMexican village.

28 Lemonade Poke CakeAngela Henderson shares a way to beat the heatwith a refreshing dessert.

34 Pepper Hot Music & FoodThe 33rd Annual Bluegrass and Chili Festival isscheduled for Sept. 6-8 in Claremore.

An Old Dog’s New TricksDavid Blakely has recently adapted children’s book,Hank the Cowdog, into a musical.

Kickin’ It With JoshFoyil’s Josh Brown has become one of the NFL’spremiere kickers and it all began in Rogers County.

The Gift of CommunicationSpeech Pathologist Mary Marche works to givewords life for children.

Mission of MercyDr. Abby Overstreet uses her talents to help aMexican village.

Lemonade Poke CakeAngela Henderson shares a way to beat the heatwith a refreshing dessert.

Pepper Hot Music & FoodThe 33rd Annual Bluegrass and Chili Festival isscheduled for Sept. 6-8 in Claremore.

2012 Late Summer Surrey 3

Sweltering. There is no other way to describe how

this summer’s extreme heat has been. Record temper-

atures with consecutive days over 100 degrees, even

in the 110 range, have left us looking for as many in-

door activities as we can find.

Movie theaters are a great place to escape from the

searing heat. Another place is the local library, where

you can browse the stacks and seek refuge from sum-

mer’s warmth.

Fortunately, the Summer Olympics have

provided an opportunity to stay inside and

watch American athletes compete.

Watching the Olympics takes me back to

childhood days when our family would

gather around the television set and watch

ABC’s Jim McKay tell about the lives of ob-

scure athletes from foreign countries.

Watching Jim Ryan during to the 1968

Summer Games run in the 1,500 kilometer

run. He was the USA’s favorite to win the

gold. He ran valiantly to win the silver

medal.

During the Munich Olympics, my family was glued to

the television when the terrorist took the Israeli ath-

letes captive. That moment seemed to tarnish the

Games for me. I could see the Games being politicized

during that Olympics when the USSR basketball team

was given the gold medal after officials put time back

on the clock when USA had won the gold-medal game

so USSR would win the gold.

The 1972 Games also featured Mark Spitz winning

seven gold medals in swimming. Forty years later,

Michael Phelps earned his 20th medal, 16 of which

were gold in swimming. I can also still remember

Frank Shorter coming into the Munich arena on the

final day of the Games to become the first American to

win the marathon. Back then, every four years the

games would roll around. Now we go four years be-

tween Summer Games, then wait two years and have

Winter Games. Another aspect which changed is the

tremendous growth of technology. We saw it when

China hosted the Games, the elaborate opening cere-

monies set the bar for future Games. This year, London

attempted to match China’s creative mastery.

The Olympics can be a source of pride for each of

us. To see individuals representing our nation in com-

petition and then standing on the platform receiving

their gold medals with the Star Spangled Banner play-

ing in the background still brings goose bumps.

Try escaping the summer heat with a variety of inter-

esting stories about Rogers County residents in this

issue of Surrey.

• Tom Fink gives readers a unique look at Roger

State University professor David Blakley, who recently

adapted the children’s book, Hank the Cowdog, into a

musical. Blakley has brought to life the

Hank and entertainment children every-

where.

• Mary Marche is a Claremore speech

pathologist, who has working with children.

Salesha Wilken tells the story of how

Marche chose her field and the ways she

helps being words to life for children.

• Oologah Lake Leader Publishers Faith

and John Wylie are considered landmarks in

their community. Mark Friedel tells how the

Wylies were recently inducted into the Okla-

homa Journalism Hall of Fame. It is an

honor for these Rogers County residents.

• Dr. Abby Overstreet enjoys traveling. Rebecca Hat-

taway tells how Overstreet combines her travel with

helping those in need. When she travels to Mexico,

Overstreet uses her talents to bring better sight to local

children.

• As an eighth grader Josh Brown caught the atten-

tion of Foyil Football Coach Rick Antle when he began

30- and 40-yard field goals before a varsity game.

When he was a junior he kicked a 61-yard field goal.

Since then he starred at the University of Nebraska

and went on to play for the Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis

Rams and now is in camp with the New York Jets. Tim

Ritter tells how Brown has paved his way to the NFL

with his foot.

• In September, the 33rd Annual Bluegrass and

Chili Festival will draw thousands of people to Rogers

County. It will feature a world-class chili cook-off and

plenty of hot bluegrass music.

• Finally, in this issue, we bring you Angela

Henderson, who will be showing off some of her fa-

vorite recipes. Her Lemonade Poke Cake is a great way

to refresh after a day out in the heat.

There seems to be no end in the sweltering heat,

but there are ways to stay cool. Take some time to

enjoy the stories of Rogers County.

4 2012 LATE SUMMER Surrey

Finding relief watching Olympics

RANDY COWLING

6 2012 Late Summer Surrey

Friends of David Blakely will forever remember the

summer of 2012 as the year he went to the dogs.

Literally.

This summer, Blakely’s musical adaptation of the

beloved children’s book char-

acter Hank the Cowdog was

brought to life on-stage at the

Tulsa Performing Arts Center.

But teaching an old dog —

even a fictitious one — a few

new tricks is no simple feat, as

Blakely explains:

“Back in 2011, directors

Dan and Kathy Call were asked

by a patron at Tulsa Repertory

Musicals if they had ever done

a children’s musical before,”

Blakely said. “The Calls are

both friends of mine, and they

contacted me with the idea of

maybe taking a children’s book

and adapting it to the stage for

a musical in their June 2012

season.

“Well, I backed up, looked at

what I had coming up (in

2012), did the math and could

tell it would be a challenge, but

I was on board,” he said. “I’d

already written four (other) mu-

sicals — I was no stranger to

that process — so I decided to

take on John Erickson’s ‘Hank the Cowdog’ character,

picking the 14th book in the series, ‘Hank the Cowdog

and Monkey Business’ and got started.”

For those unfamiliar with the books, the “Hank the

Cowdog” is a series of humorous children’s mystery

novels written by John Rickson,

about a proud (but bumbling) cow-

dog named Hank who’s the self-

styled “Head of Ranch Security” on

the M-Cross ranch in the northern

Texas panhandle.

“The biggest challenge in adapt-

ing the book to the stage was modi-

fying the tense of the storytelling,”

Blakely said. “The books are basi-

cally in the past tense from one per-

son’s (character’s) point of view, so

what I did was to change things into

the present tense. The books them-

selves are episodic, which helps a

lot — characters do this, then they

do that — so creating a dramatic

arc from start to finish wasn’t quite

as much a challenge, but as a

writer, you want to create a story

that’s has enough going on for an

audience to engage and want to

know what happens next (in the

story).

“It’s something of a tightrope act

sometimes, getting from point A to

point B without falling off or losing

your audience, but we were all very

David Blakely serves as an associateprofessor and director for Rogers StateUniversity’s Theatre Program. Blakely re-cently adapted children’s book, Hank theCowdog, to the stage for musical, per-formed this summer at the Tulsa Perform-ing Arts Center as a production of TulsaRepertory Musicals.

An Old Dog’s New TricksBy Tom Fink

Bringing musical adaptation of children’s book act of love

2012 Late Summer Surrey 7

pleased with the finished script,” he said.

With 60 plus “Hank the Cowdog” books from which

to draw, Blakely settled on 1998’s “Hank the Cowdog

and Monkey Business,” the plot of which involves a con-

voy of circus trucks is passing through the ranch, the

last truck hitting a bump, and a large box falling off and

coming to rest in the pasture.

What’s in the box? Suffice it to say, the title of the

book — and the musical — is something of a tip-off.

“The story itself (in the musical) is told in a way that

it’s presented like it’s an old radio play, being broadcast

from the studio, like in the 1930’s and ‘40’s,” he said.

“That keeps the cast small — four actors — and the set

fairly basic, making it easy to mount and strike, so that

it could be performed in any number of venues.”

Another challenge Blakely faced in the process was

finding a way to adapt a well-loved character to the

stage in a way which would “work” in front of an audi-

ence, but keep the integrity of the character and feel of

the books.

To this end, Blakely went straight to the source, con-

sulting author John Erickson himself.

“John was extremely receptive to what we were doing

and he made a few suggestions to the original script —

just a few minor changes — but for the most part, he

liked what we did (with the character),” he said.

Blakely’s musical adaptation of “Hank the Cowdog

and Monkey Business” ran during the month of June at

the Tulsa Performing Arts Center, and although he’s al-

ready looking ahead at his next projects — including re-

hearsals for a musical to be performed at Heller

Theater in Tulsa, a character actor workshop with play-

wright/actor Joe Sears, and the fall 2012 semester at

Rogers State University among others — he said he

wouldn’t mind seeing Hank the Cowdog ride again.

“We were all very pleased with the musical — every-

one enjoyed themselves, especially the audience, so I

wouldn’t mind at all if the play had some legs,” he said.

“I’d enjoy putting it on again.”

David Blakely has served as associate professor of

communications and director of the theater program at

Rogers State University since 2009.

“Hank the Cowdog and Monkey Business” cast members include George Nelson (”Hank”), Steve Barker, Daniel Weatherholt, and KendallGriffith. Rogers State University Professor David Blakely adapted the musical from the popular series of children’s books by John Erickson.

PHOTOS PROVIDED

8 2012 LATE SUMMER Surrey

This past April marked the

42nd annual induction for

the Oklahoma Journalism

Hall of Fame. The ceremony was

held at the University of Central Okla-

homa in Edmond.

Publishers of the Oologah Lake

Leader, John M. Wylie II and Faith L.

Wylie were among the 10 who were

inducted for excellence in the field of

journalism.

John Wylie’s career began in

1972 as correspodent for the Des

Moines Register and news director of

KDIC-FM while studying at Grinnel

College.

After college, Wylie was offered a

full-time position as energy and envi-

ronment writer for the Kansas City

Star.

“The 70’s were a time when the

environmental movement had

gained steam. When they (KC Star)

came to me with the opportunity to

write about it, of course I accepted,”

said John Wylie.

In 1982, while at the Star, Wylie

became part of a team that reported

on the Hyatt Hotel skywalk collapse.

The investigative coverage on the

disaster earned him a Pulitzer Prize.

His reporting has earned him

more than 200 writing awards and in

1993 the Oklahoma Publishing Asso-

ciation awarded both he and his wife

the Beachy Musselman Award for

outstanding work in journalism.

Wylie stays active in many journal-

ism and community groups including

the Oologah Historical Society. He

was named Oologah Citizen of the

Year in 1991.

Faith L. Wylie discovered her jour-

nalism interests in high school,

where she was yearbook editor. She

met John in 1971 and 12 years later

the two settled in Oologah, Okla.

As co-publisher for the Leader,

By Mark Friedel

Faith and John Wylie are publishers of the Oologah Lake Leader.

Oklahoma Journalism Hall of FameJohn and Faith Wylie

Late Summer 2012 Surrey 9

Faith Wylie handles all layout and design work, including

the newspaper’s website.

She has served as president of the Oologah Histori-

cal Society and was awarded Cham-

ber Citizen of the Year in 1985.

Faith Wylie earned a Bachelors

of Fine Arts in graphic design from

the University of Kansas and be-

came production artist at Sun

Publications in Johnson County,

Kansas. She then became a

graphic designer for BR Johnson

Studio before becoming art di-

rector at Old American Insur-

ance Company.

“We have always enjoyed

small town living. With our first

child born in 1983 we decided

to look into buying a local

paper,” said John Wylie.

After searching in three

small, dramatically “dying”

towns, both he and his wife

found Oologah through a

broker.

“It was a young commu-

nity with a strong industrial

base, a good doctor, den-

tist and progressive

banker. The town had a

preserved heritage but

was also moving for-

ward,” he said.

The Wylies pur-

chased the Oologah

paper from a man

named J.R. Haney, who

was known for buying

newspapers, running

them for a few years

and then selling

them.

“We bought the

Leader with few

changes, so we

started making

changes,” said Wylie.

The newspaper’s first three pages became interest

news with the other pages covering sports and family-

related issues.

Quickly the newspaper became a tool used for the

community to promote important changes to the city.

Specifically, John and Faith Wylie helped bring aware-

ness to Oologah concerning Hwy 169’s two-lane road.

“The bridges were old and accidents occurred be-

cause the road was too narrow,” he said.

The Wylies attended governized

assemblies to talk

about these “killer

bridges” and after-

wards, Stratton Taylor

who was Chairman of

the Appropriation

Committee at the

time, agreed and said

he was all for it.

Today Hwy 169 is

considered a “super

highway” for the sur-

rounding areas.

Realizing there were

areas of concern, John

and Faith Wylie estab-

lished a group for the fu-

ture of Oologah. The group

came up with a list of

changes that needed to be

made.

One change included

wide-area calling for the com-

munity.

“Beforehand, Oologah-Ta-

lala had to use long distance

calling for anyone outside of

the three-mile area. Each

week the Leader pounded the

issue for change. We then took

matters into our own hands and

contacted the new president of

Southwestern Bell at the time to

show him a map of what we were

dealing with,” said John Wylie.

Over time the issue was fixed

and since then the Oologah Lake

Leader has been an advocate for

the community.

“One thing that’s important is to

Continued on page 27



The Oologah Lake Leader is actively involved in its community throughFaith and John Wylie.


Josh Brown was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks with the 222nd overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft. Duringhis rookie season, Brown converted a career long 58-yard field goal against the Green Bay Packers.


With one swift kick, Foyil’s Josh Brown put Pan-

ther football on the map and boosted his

journey toward a career in the NFL.

On a Friday night in Oaks, Oklahoma, Brown

opened the eyes of former Foyil head coach Rick

Antle with a 57-yard field goal. Though the kick was

called back because of an offsides penalty, Antle had

enough faith in his junior kicker to give him another

chance.

Brown stepped four yards

back, drove the pigskin

through the up-rights from 61

yards in an 8-Man Football

state playoff game and the

rest is history.

“We knew then that he

(Brown) was going to be some-

thing special and someone we would be

watching on Sundays,” Antle said.

Brown’s journey to Seattle, St. Louis

and this season with the New York Jets

has been a series of stepping stones, but

none more important than the decision

his parents, Kenneth and Quana Brown,

made in 1993 that moved the 14-year-old

from north Tulsa to the small-town of

Foyil.

“It was a big change moving from

inner-city North Tulsa to Foyil. I was living

in an unsafe, not healthy environment and running

the streets, though doing nothing terrible,” Brown

said. “Foyil provided me with stability, a great school

system, good kids and an opportunity to play foot-

ball.”

Brown added that his family’s move to Foyil fit

them better financially and gave us a more simplistic

lifestyle.

In the 8th grade, Brown donned a Panthers uni-

form for the first time, showcasing his speed at wide

receiver and silky-smooth abilities on the 80-yard

field.

“We played 8-man football at the time,” Antle said.

“It wasn’t until 2006 that Foyil jumped up a classifica-

tion and started playing 11-man.”

Knowing that Brown was going to be one of those

‘gifted’ athletes, Antle promoted him to manager on

Friday nights, basically helping get the equipment in

order and videotape the

games.

“We would always take a

group of eighth graders with us

to varsity games and let them

be our managers on Fridays,”

Antle said. “We wanted them

to experience the atmosphere

of Foyil football underneath the lights.

For Josh, his job was to simply put the

footballs on the field for warmups and

make sure the video equipment was

ready to go.

“So, before one of our home games,

I’m sitting in my office and my assistant

comes in and says, ‘Coach, you got to

come see what that (Josh) Brown kid

has done.’ ... I was like, ‘I give him a sim-

ple job and he’s already messed it up.’

... But that wasn’t the case. Josh is out

there with 30 minutes before kickoff booting field

goals through the up rights from 25, 35 and 40

yards.”

Once Antle saw the future he had in this curly-

haired, out-going kicker, the future of Foyil football —

in terms of going for extra-points and field goals —

had quickly changed.

“We had never kicked a field goal, much less an

extra point before Josh came along,” Antle said. “That

By Tim Ritter

Kickin’ It With JoshFoyil’s Brown paves way to NFL with his foot

wasn’t the case anymore, as Josh got

his first chance as a sophomore.”

Brown’s ability to blast a football,

according to Antle, is a “God-given

gift.”

“Brown’s sophomore year was his

breakout season,” Antle said. “He

went from hardly seeing the field as a

freshman to never leaving the follow-

ing the season. We put the ball in his

hands at tailback and he quickly be-

came a scoring machine.”

Brown went from scoring two touch-

downs in ninth-grade to 30 in his

sophomore season and eventually fin-

ishing with 122 as a senior.

Antle characterized his former All-

State player as ‘phenomenal’ and one

of the best to come out of Foyil High

School during his coaching career.

“It would be hard to say he’s the

best-ever player that I’ve coached, but

he’s up there,” Antle said. “As a

coach, you love all your athletes, espe-

cially when you have the opportunity

to coach your sons.”

Brown finished his Foyil High

School football career with 9,136 all-

purpose yards and 122 touchdowns.

More impressive, though, Brown

earned seven letters in football, bas-

ketball and track and was a two-time

Class A state champion in the high

jump with a jump of 6-foot-8 inches in

1997 and 1998.

* * *

Antle’s head coaching career at

Foyil spun over a period of eight years

from 1990-1998. He returned to the

sidelines as an assistant in 2002 and

then in 2005 under his step-son,

Trent Worley, who recently was named

the Special Teams Coordinator at Still-

water High School after serving on the

Lincoln Christian staff for many years.

“There’s something special about

small-town football on Friday nights

that gets your adrenaline flowing,”

Antle said. “The town of Foyil takes

their football pretty serious and it

shows in the support they give to the

kids, administrators and coaches.”

When Antle accepted the Foyil

head coaching job in 1990, Foyil had


BROWN: From Foyil to the NFL


Celebrating Aviation in the Heartland!See Vintage Aircraft, World War I Fighters,

Experimentals, Bi-Planes, much more!

• FREE ADMISSION• LIVE MUSIC• FOOD CONCESSIONS

• ANTIQUE & CLASSIC CARS• CHEROKEE STORYTELLING• INFLATABLE AMUSEMENTS

Will Rogers Birthplace RanchFor more information call 918.341.0719 • wi l l rogers . com

9501 East 380 Road (2 miles east of Hwy. 169 on 380 Road)

S U N D A Y, A U G U S T 128:30 A.M. - 1:00 P.M.

WILL ROGERS BIRTHPLACE RANCH OOLOGAH, OKLAHOMA

2012 Airport Identifier: OK37

B R I N G Y O U R L A W N C H A I R S !Sponsored by Will Rogers Memorial Museums, Will Rogers Memorial Foundation, Cherokee Nation Businesses, and Will Rogers Downs.

only won an estimated 15 games in

30 years.

“They (Foyil) had only had one win-

ning season,” Antle said.

Things changed in a hurry when

Antle resurrected the program, taught

the kids fundamentals and developed

a winning attitude that had Foyil

achieving more than just wins.

“We got the kids believing in mak-

ing state playoffs and playing for

championships,” Antle said. “The par-

ents had always wanted a winning

program but never expected it.”

Antle added that the night they in-

troduced the former Oklahoma State

University defensive end to the school

board to be their next head football

coach, he told them, ‘I’m taking a

pay-cut from my assistant coaching

job at Idabel to come here. But, when

I go undefeated, I’m coming back in

here and talking about getting a

raise.’ ... ‘Coach, you go undefeated

and we’ll give you the keys to the

town.’”

Antle said at first he may have

been a little brash and egotistical, but

losing his first seven games in that

1990 season quickly humbled him.

“I was coaching a team that lacked

self-discipline, team discipline and

quite frankly, didn’t know the funda-

mentals of football,” Antle said. “It

was definitely a challenge that first

year, especially having only one assis-

tant and anywhere from 12 to 18

players show up for practice.”

Simply put, Antle felt he was

coaching over these kids’ heads.

But once they started grasping

what their coach was telling them on

blocking schemes and making the

simple things not look so difficult any-

more, the perception of the Foyil foot-

ball program went from being

average to great.

“We immediately became competi-

tive when we started focusing on fun-

damentals,” Antle said.


In 1991, Foyil finished second in

the district, falling to Welch in a show-

down by six points. Antle brought the

Panthers a long ways in such a short

period and even gave the Foyil fans

something to look forward too with a

state playoff berth.

“Though we lost to Morrison, 32-0,

in the playoffs, we had a remarkable

season,” Antle said.

The next year — 1992 — Foyil went

undefeated and got beat in the 8-man

state semifinals. Then, a five-year

stretch from 1992-to-1997, Foyil be-

came a household name in the 8-

Man state playoffs, reaching either

the quarterfinals or semifinals, and

even the state finals in 1997.

“When you win, it creates more

pride and enthusiasm in your pro-

gram, your school and your town,”

Antle said. “A lot of my success at

Foyil, I give credit to Mike McGregor,

who took a chance on hiring me and

giving me freedom to run my own pro-

gram. (Mike) McGregor understood

that extra-curricular activities brings

pride to a school and a town and

that’s why his name is on the football

field.”

During Antle’s eight-year stretch as

the Foyil head football coach, the for-

mer Owasso Rams standout amassed

a 75-30 overall record.

* * *

The pinnacle of Antle’s coaching

career, however, came in his later

years when he coached Foyil’s first-

ever NCAA Division I football player

— Josh Brown — and then assisting

his step-son Worley in 2005 while

coaching his middle son, Tanner

Antle, who went on to be a standout

linebacker for Tulsa University.

Antle said he’s not surprised at all

by the way Brown’s career has materi-

alized.

After re-writing the 8-Man football

history books, Brown went on to a

four-year career at the University of

Nebraska, where he etched his name

in Cornhuskers history as one of the

greatest kickers to ever step foot in-

side Lincoln Stadium.

From Brown’s point of view, picking

Nebraska over homestate power-

house, Oklahoma, was the best deci-

sion he made.

Brown’s recruitment to Nebraska

started the summer of his senior year

at Foyil, where he attended a camp in

Lincoln and quickly made an impres-

sion on then-head coach Tom Os-

Former Foyil head football coach Rick Antle sits in his home with a picture ofhis son, Tanner, and a signed Super Bowl football by ex-Seattle Seahawksplacekicker Josh Brown. Tanner Antle and Josh Brown played NCAA DivisionI football at Tulsa and Nebraska following their outstanding prep careers at

Foyil High School.


18 Late Summer Surrey

Josh Brown broke into the NFL with with theSeattle Seahawks. He kicked a 47-yard fieldgoal in Super Bowl XL against the PittsburghSteelers.



borne. Knowing that Nebraska was

probably only going to take one

kicker in the upcoming recruiting

class to replace former NFL great

Kris Brown, Brown wasted very little

time to get the coach’s attention.

“I walked up to Coach Osborne

and told him, ‘I’m going to be your

next Nebraska kicker.’,” Brown said.

And come February 1998, Brown

signed the national letter of intent to

take his strong right-leg to Nebraska

and kick in the Big 12 Conference.

Despite redshirting in 1998,

Brown got his chance the following

season in 1999, hitting 14-of-20

field goals and 46-of-47 extra points.

His highlight in 1999 came on a sea-

son-best 42-yard field goal against

Texas in the Big 12 Championship

game.

One year later, in 2000, Brown

was a perfect 60-of-60 on extra

points, hit a season-long 40-yarder

against Iowa State and also drove

home the game-winner in Ne-

braska’s 34-32 win over Colorado on

Thanksgiving Day. Brown also had a

career-best 51-yard field goal against

Northwestern in the Alamo Bowl.

In 2001, Brown hit 10-of-14 field

goals and was 34-of-37 on extra

points. The highlight of his junior

Josh Brown, a former placekicker for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, hit 40-of-59 field goals and 184-of-188 extra pointsto place him fourth on the Cornhuskers all-time scoring list. Ten of Brown’s 40 career field goals were from 40 yardsor longer, including seven in 2002, tying a season record for most field goals of 40 yards or longer. That total doesnot include a 51-yard field goal in the 2000 Alamo Bowl against Northwestern.

PHOTOS PROVIDED


year came in Nebraska’s 20-10 win over Oklahoma,

where he booted two field goals through the up-rights

and steered the Cornhuskers toward a Rose Bowl berth.

As a senior in 2002, Brown’s accomplishments on

special teams helped him garner AP All-Big 12 second-

team honors and AP Coaches Poll All-Big 12 first-team

honors.

Brown wrapped up his four-year stint at Nebraska

with 304 total points, ranking him fourth on

the Cornhuskers’ career scoring list be-

hind Heisman Trophy winners Eric

Crouch and Mike Rozier, as well as NFL

great Kris Brown.

“Nebraska was an overwhelming experience for me,

and a big-time adjustment especially coming from the

small surroundings of Foyil,” Brown said. “That first

year, I didn’t care about anything but having fun. I

thought I was only at Nebraska to play football and that

was it.”

Things changed in a hurry when Brown real-

ized there was more to being a college ath-

lete than just playing football.

“I had to get my priorities in order and focus

more on schoolwork,” Brown said.

* * *

Saturdays in Lincoln were simply amazing, according

to Brown.

“It was such an adrenaline rush to walk out of the

locker room leading to the field and seeing that stadium

full of red,” Brown added. “Just talking about it

now still makes my hair stand up. Corn-

husker fans are the most awesome fans

in college football.”

Throughout his collegiate career,

Brown said he was 1-1 versus Oklahoma,

with the loss coming in 2000 at Norman —

the same year current OU offensive coordinator

Josh Heupel quarterbacked the Sooners to their perfect

season and national championship.

“OU was No. 1 and Nebraska was No. 2 going into

that game,” Brown said. “Being an Oklahoma boy and

kicking in front of people who knew me, I had to prove

that I made the right decision by choosing Nebraska

over Oklahoma. Though, the score didn’t reflect in my

favor, I still believe God wanted me at Nebraska.”

Another place Brown enjoyed kicking at and had suc-

cess was Kyle Field in College Station.

“Texas A&M has so much history and tradition. Their

stadium literally moves when their fans start swaying

side-to-side and back-and-forth,” Brown said.

Brown converted three field goals in 1999 against

Texas A&M, and then nailed a 42-yarder in Nebraska’s

come-from-behind 38-31 win over the Aggies in 2002.

With all his accomplishments as a Cornhusker

kicker, Brown’s final stepping stone to his spectacular

future came in April of 2003 when the Foyil star re-

ceived a phone call from the Seattle Seahawks.

“I was the only kicker taken in the NFL Draft

that year,” Brown said.

Seattle drafted Brown with the

222nd overall pick in the seventh

round, thus beginning his NFL journey.

* * *

Since starting his professional career with Seattle in

2005, Brown has had many defining moments.

• Oct. 23, 2005 against the Dallas Cowboys, Brown

converted two field goals over 50 yards — a 55-yarder

and a 50-yarder as time expired to win the

game.

• Oct. 15, 2006, Brown kicked a 54-yard

game-winning field goal in the Seahawks’

30-28 win over the St. Louis Rams.

• Nov. 27, 2006, on Monday Night Foot-

ball, Brown tied his career best by kicking four

field goals — all in the first half — in a snowy

game at Green Bay.

• Dec. 3, 2006, Brown kicked a 51-yard field goal to

win the game against the Denver Broncos, making it his

fourth game-winning kick in the last minute in the

2006 season.

• Brown also was a member of the

Super Bowl runner-up Seattle Sea-

hawks in 2006, losing to the Pittsburgh

Steelers, 21-10.

After his stint in Seattle, Brown signed a

5-year, $14.2 million contract with the St. Louis

Rams in 2008, making him the highest-paid kicker at

the time.

• Aug. 13, 2011, Brown made a 60-yard field goal in

a preseason game against the Colts.

Also, as of Nov. 2009, Brown has a perfect passer

rating of 158.3 with one completion in one attempt for

36 yards and a touchdown.

The Rams, however, elected to cut Brown in April of

this year, leaving the Foyil kicker to seek greener pas-

tures with the New York Jets.

“I love Seattle, it was a great place to live and a

place where I met my wife and two step sons,” Brown



1995-1998 — Foyil High SchoolJosh Brown played running back, safety and was the Panthers’ punterand placekicker. He hit on 8-of-18 field goal attempts with a career-long61-yarder in the state playoffs in 1996 and was also 38-of-42 on extrapoints. Over his four year prep career, Brown totaled 9,136 all-purpose yardsand 122 touchdowns.

1998-2002 — Nebraska CornhuskersBrown finished third on the Nebraska’s all-time scoring list with 315points, topped only by former NFL kicker Kris Brown (388 points, 1995-98) and Heisman Trophy quarterback Eric Crouch (368 points, 1998-2001). As a senior, Brown was a All-Big 12 Conference first-team selection bythe league’s coaches and the Kansas City Star, adding second-teamhonors from the Associated Press after leading the Cornhuskers in scor-ing with 88 points on 14-of-18 field goals and all 46 extra-point attempts. Brown also booted a 51-yard field goal in the 2000 Alamo Bowl againstNorthwestern, and set an NCAA bowl record with nine extra-point conver-sions.

2003-2007 — Seattle SeahawksBrown was drafted by the Seahawks with the 222nd overall pick in the2003 NFL Draft. On Oct. 23, 2005 while playing against the Dallas Cowboys, Brown con-verted two field goals over 50 yards: a 55-yarder and a 50-yarder as timeexpired to win the game. On Oct. 15, 2006, Brown kicked a 54-yard game-winning field goal whiletime expired against the St. Louis Rams to win the game 30-28. On Nov. 27, 2006, Brown tied his career best by kicking four field goals ina snowy Monday Night Football game against the Green Bay Packers,and amazingly, all four field goals were made in the first half. On Dec. 3, 2006, Brown kicked a 51-yard field goal to win the gameagainst the Denver Broncos, making it his fourth game-winning kick inthe last minute of the 2006 season. Brown’s career long is a 58-yard field goal against the Green Bay Pack-ers during his rookie season. Brown also had a 47-yard field goal in the Seahawks’ 21-10 loss to thePittsburgh Steelers during Super Bowl XL in 2006.

2008-2011 — St. Louis RamsOn Feb. 29, 2008, Brown signed a free agent contract with the St. LouisRams, making him the NFL’s highest paid kicker at the time. On Aug. 13, 2011, Brown made a 60-yard field goal in a preseason gameagainst the Indianapolis Colts. Brown’s best seasons with the Rams were 2008 (31-of-36 field goals, 19-of-19 extra points) and 2010 (33-of-39 field goals, 26-of-27 extra points).

2012-present — New York Jets* Brown signed a free agent contract with the Jets on May 1, 2012 and iscurrently battling Nick Folk for the starting kicking job in preseason train-ing camp in Cortland, N.Y.

Path to the NFLsaid. “But, the NFL is a

business and you can’t get

complacent. I was fortu-

nate to have the opportu-

nity of kicking in a Super

Bowl with the Seahawks.

And, then going to St.

Louis and being around

another Oklahoma guy in

Sam Bradford was a nice

change of pace. New York

is a place I’m looking for-

ward too and hopefully not

only making the Super

Bowl, but winning it.”

With all his success in

high school, Nebraska and

the NFL, Brown still looks

back on his time with

Coach Antle as being the

basis for his football foun-

dation.

“I owe half of my career

if not all of it to Rick Antle,”

Brown said. “He was and

still is a major, major influ-

ence in my life. He taught

me the game of football

and about life.”

And, when people ask

Brown where he’s from,

‘it’s Foyil like in Aluminum.’

“We’re just bunch of

country boys that like play-

ing football.”


It is a lifetime story and a unique

road of how Mary Marche became

a speech pathologist in Claremore.

“I have a cousin who was born

with a very severe birth injury. He

had cerebral palsy and could not

walk or talk and needed help doing

everything,” Marche said.

Despite this, he would keep watch

over us and was very much the cen-

ter of the family, she explained.

If we would get into anything we

were to touch or not to play with he

would let out a scream and “tattle”

to our parents.

“He was “one of the crew” and I

grew up with this wonderful person

in my house and he was such a big

part of it,” she said.

Marche originally planned to go

into forestry, but after a special deliv-

ery was made to her rural school her

life changed.

A government program back in

the 1970’s was established to send

out speech pathologists to under-

served communities in rural schools.

They would show up with their

sound booths, test students and

then write a plan for teachers to use.

“I was the student that was se-

lected to work with these patholo-

gists for nine weeks.

They really encouraged me and

let me read the books they brought,”

she said.

Marche new she had found her

calling.

“It was exactly what I was meant

to do,” Marche said.

After the experience she changed

her major and university to study

speech and communication.

There is this irrepressible desire,

you cannot prevent people from try-

ing to communicate and it doesn’t

matter how severe the disorders are.

Even with severe brain damage, se-

vere mental retardation or any of

those issues, mental challenges,

physical challenges people are

driven to communicate, she ex-

plained

“I am totally humbled by the expe-

rience of ever participating in some-

one as they discover how to do that,

there is nothing in the world as excit-

By Salesha Wilken

The Gift of Communication


ing as the first time a mom hears

her baby’s voice for the first time or

someone that is coming out of a

coma and they speak someone’s

name again or recognize the people

around them. When people who are

thought to not be communicating

and you can start to see a pattern in

what they are doing,” Marche said.

“They are epiphanies, those won-

derful moments that happen where

you are in aw because you are there

to witness it and sometimes docu-

ment it, but the person themself is

driven to do the communicating and

anything I do as a speech patholo-

gist that facilitate that is what I see

as my role.”

Marche graduated from the Uni-

versity of South Dakota with both

bachelor and master’s degrees in

communication disorders.

Marche said her academic and

professional experience have both

played a key role in learning her

craft.

“I can’t separate those two

roads,” she said. “The road to learn

the academics is not an easy road,

but it is the foundation and you lay

your experience on top of it.”

Marche believes you can benefit

from the experience, but without the

foundation you cannot replicate the

things you sometimes stumble

upon, she explained.

Marche has worked in a variety of

areas including a job coach for the

office of mental retardation, school

districts, residential facilities for se-

vere and profoundly disabled indi-

viduals, nursing homes, hospitals

and rehabilitation facilities.

Additionally she served on the

faculty at Arkansas State University

and taught graduate and undergrad-

uate courses.

With all her experience Marche,

cannot explain which was the best,

however one thing has been consis-

tent.

“What I like best is when I watch

some, No matter what the distance,

no matter what the obstacles, I got

to watch someone communicate

with someone,” Marche said.

Some people think you don’t

have to teach someone to say no,

but sometimes you do, according to

Marche.

“To give someone the words yes

and no, can open up so much,” she

said.

Humbly, Marche continued to ex-

plain her work and with tears in her

eyes she spoke about how some

Marche works with children to give words life


students have touched her heart.

Marche briefly shared a story

about one student she worked with

many years ago. The boy had a diffi-

culty with stuttering. It was one of her

first students and she remembered

how hard it was for him as a child.

Many years later she had run

across the young man on a trip back

to her hometown and he was pump-

ing gas.

At first glance she did not recog-

nize him, as he was a grown man.

The man immediately knew her

and let himself stutter as he asked

Marche how he could help her.

He asked if she remembered him

but it wasn’t until he stuttered she

recognized him.

His eyes filled with tears as he ex-

plained to Marche that he owned the

gas station.

Because of the help Marche gave

him, the man was able to operate and

manage his own successful business.

Marche was visibly moved as she

spoke of the man and seeing her

work come full circle.

“My life is full of ‘Mikes’, that was

his name,” Marche said. “It is full of

times when I left a place and people

thought differently of the students

and people I worked with.”

Marche has been making that type

of impact on many students through

the years and it is natural to her what

she does.

Each person she works with is

unique and has a different need. They

may not be able to speak or have a

language-processing deficit.

Mary MarcheContinued on page 26

MARCHE: The power of words


For years, vacations for Claremore eye doctor, Abby

Overstreet, O.D., have not only included the usual

fun in the sun and much-needed relaxation, but

also helping people in need.

Overstreet’s grandparents live near the small, remote

village of El Cardinal in the Mexico desert.

“Growing up, I’d go down there every summer,” Over-

street said. “It’s a two-hour drive from Cabo, all dirt

roads. There’s an eight-mile stretch that’s one way, so if

you meet another car, someone has to back up.”

Not every home in the village has

electricity — or even running water.

“Words can’t describe it, really,” Over-

street said. “Seeing how those people

live, you realize how much you take for

granted. We are so fortunate.”

It’s something Overstreet’s grand-

mother, Sally Holt, has been working to

change since she moved there from

Muskogee 40 years ago.

“They were the first Americans down

in that area. Now there are about 16

other American homes,” Overstreet

said. “The village is about 25-30 min-

utes away. We ride four-wheelers to get

there; it’s hard to access by car.”

While it’s not a tourist destination by

any means, Overstreet said, there is now a grocery store

and restaurants in the village.

Holt built a hotel in town and has even provided hous-

ing for local residents, paying for 35 homes with electric-

ity and running water to be built.

She also built a school, complete with desks, books

and other necessary supplies.

Because of her help to their community, the residents

affectionately refer to her as “Mama.”

Several years ago, she took a young man under her

wings and taught him English and entrepreneurial skills

so he could start a taxi business.

“She provided cars for him. Now he runs a company

which brings fishermen to the hotel,” Overstreet said.

Then there’s a deaf boy who Holt met. At the time, he

and his family didn’t know sign language so they

couldn’t communicate.

“She found someone who signs and paid for them to

teach the boy and his family,” Overstreet said.

As an eye doctor, Overstreet, who owns Advanced Vi-

sion Center in Claremore, is helping in her own way to

continue her grandmother’s work through providing eye

care and eye glasses to the people in El Cardinal who

would otherwise have no access.

“It’s over three hours away to get any type of medical

treatment,” Overstreet said. “I take tons of readers with

me and we go through and find something

to help them finally see better. They’re just

so happy to have reading glasses — some-

thing most of us think nothing of.”

She also brings handheld equipment to

perform eye exams, along with plenty of

items to give to the people.

“We take everything from eyeglass

cleaner to clothes, supplies — even nail

polish. We leave everything we bring with

us there, and go home with basically just

the clothes on our backs,” she said.

Overstreet and her husband typically

visit twice a year for a week at a time.

“They catch word we’re coming and

they’re at the house waiting!,” she said.

“They are like family to us. Some people

think Mexico is a scary place, but the Cartel has not

made it down there (to El Cardinal),” Overstreet said.

“They are all just very good people. There’s no crime. I’m

safer there than I am here.”

One special person Overstreet has been able to help

is Yolanda, an elderly woman who suffers from glau-

coma and diabetes.

She brings Yolanda medication that she is unable to

have access to — much less pay for. Overstreet said she

is always touched by the people’s genuine gratefulness.

“They are so appreciative — for anything,” she said.

“They want to do anything they can to thank you. They

sing for us and want to cook for us. They know I love flan

and Yolanda makes the best flan. That’s my payment.

It’s very special. I’m just glad I can do something to help

make their lives better.”

Dr. Abby Overstreet

By Rebecca Hattaway

Mission of MercyDr. Overstreet shares talents with Mexican village



Until we fix the problem and for

them to understand the words and

how they are put together it can be dif-

ficult for students to succeed in school.

“I have worked with some phenome-

nal teachers in the public school sys-

tem, they demanded that my therapy

was related to the curriculum, “

Marche said. “They were going to make

sure I was not going to fail in my serv-

ices.”

In order to find out where the com-

munication is breaking down, Marche

has to become a part of that communi-

cation, she explained.

“The students have to trust you

enough to be able to tell you what they

need,” she said.

Marche has one clear goal, to help

people communicate and what that

means is different for each person.

Passionate in everything she does,

Marche loves her job and it is apparent

from the excitement in her voice as

she describes her work.

From growing up with her cousin

and learning to communicate with

someone in a nontraditional way,

Marche has taken the very special gift

she has and shared it with the world.

Even upon scheduling an interview

with Marche, parents were eager to

share their stories.

Kind word after kind word, was

shared about how this women

“changed my child’s life”.

The children she works with light up

when they see her because they know

she “speaks” their language.

Marche works everyday to make

sure her students know that everything

they do has meaning.

It changes the perception and peo-

ple start to listen to what the student is

trying to do, she explained.

“I thought everyone knew how to

watch for people trying to communi-

cate,” Marche said.

MarcheFrom page 24

Continued on page 33


let the community tell us what’s im-

portant, then we can use the big guns

if needed. We help as much as possi-

ble and resolve issues for the town,”

he said.

In 2007 John Wylie prepared a

piece on the civil service of small town

media for the National Summit on

Journalism in Rural America, Shaker-

town at Pleasant Hill, Kentucky. The

title was “Independent Publishing

Today: Thriving in a world of box stores

and chain papers. He wrote, “You are

the only newspaper that gives a diddly

about your town. Act like it. Your town

includes the preacher and the pauper;

the millionaire and the welfare mom;

the teacher and the mentally handi-

capped child. Speak for all of them,

meet their needs, help them realize

their dreams and you will prosper.”

With social media being so accessi-

ble today, newspaper media has

begun adjusting to a new age.

“The economics of the newspaper

businesses are changing. We will

need to figure that out, however veri-

fied news will stay. People know the

difference between real news and

chatter, and communities need jour-

nalists who can present the real

news,” said Faith Wylie.

Earlier this year John Wylie under-

went an extensive heart-valve replace-

ment and had to miss the Hall of

Fame induction ceremony.

While waiting on his heart surgery,

he wasted no time, writing and editing

from St. Johns Hospital with his lap-

top, desk chair and office table.

Faith and John Wylie both said retir-

ing is not an option right now.

The two stay busy working with the

Oologah Historical Society, where

Faith Wylie helped bring the Will

Rogers Statue to the “historical”

downtown area.

Currently she is working on a mys-

tery manuscript and would like to

someday travel the world promoting

her book. As for the future, John and

Faith want to continue working hard

bringing news to Oologah and Talala.

“We have a great staff and our

community is very supportive. The

newspaper does not just belong to the

journalists but also the people,” she

said.

As inductees to the 2012 Okla-

homa Journalism Hall of Fame, the

duo felt honored and humbled to be

joining such a remarkable group of

journalists. This is only the third hus-

band and wife team to be inducted to-

gether. Journalism takes constant

dedication and effort. A reporter is

accountable for the news in a rapidly

changing world and can endeavor

some criticism.

John and Faith Wylie have turned

the change and criticism into success

and have shown others how quality-

journalism can make a difference.

Goodwill…

A Fun Place To Shop In Claremore & Owasso”

“Consignment Quality at Thrift Store Prices”

SShhoopp && SSaavvee!! Family Fashions—Housewares

Decorative Items & More

SSuummmmeerr FFaasshhiioonnss

AArrrriivviinngg DDaaiillyy!!

BBrriinngg iinn tthhiiss AADD ffoorr 5500%% OOFFFF** aannyy OONNEE IITTEEMM ooff LLaaddiieess oorr MMeenn’’ss CCllootthhiinngg

Not valid with any other Sale or Discount. Present coupon at time of purchase. Limit one coupon per customer. Valid thru 8/31/2012

Coupon for Claremore & Owasso Stores ONLY!!!

SSttoorreess:: CCllaarreemmoorree—1204 N. Lynn Riggs Owasso—8525 N. 117th East Ave.

TTuullssaa—BBrrookkeenn AArrrrooww——GGlleennppooooll——BBaarrtt lleessvv ii ll llee——MMccAAlleesstteerr— CCaarrtthhaaggee,, MMoo

HHoouurrss:: Monday—Saturday 9 am — 6:30 pm Sunday Noon — 6 pm

www.goodwilltulsa.org

Hall of FameFrom page 9


During this 100-degree of this summer, it’s

hard to remember the harsh winters we had

in northeastern Oklahoma. Winter isn’t my

favorite time of year. Who can forget Snowmaged-

don 2011? I love a good snow day just as much as

the next person, but 20 inches of drifting snow

bordered on the ridiculous.

Now that we are in the midst of this extreme

heat, which seems to be

never ending, I’m sharing a

recipe my mother used to

make that’s still a favorite

in our family: Lemonade

Poke Cake. When I see the

daffodils in bloom, I’m re-

minded of this fresh and

sweet yellow cake that’s so

easy anyone can make it.

My father adores any-

thing lemon. When I was lit-

tle, Daddy would take

everyone’s iced tea lemon

wedge and eat it like a slice

of orange. My pucker reflex

would engage just watching him chew the tart

lemon flesh away from the peel.

Momma, of course, knew that this cake was

Daddy’s favorite and she made it often. I don’t re-

member if Momma got this recipe from somebody

or just made it up herself, but knowing her, it was

the latter. She was so very clever that way.

Last year I made a trip to the State Capital and I

took pieces of this cake to our area legislators.

They do such a good job that I thought they all

needed a little slice of home. One of them called

me later that evening to thank me and told me it

was the best cake he’d ever eaten. He will be get-

ting another cake this year.

By Angela Henderson

Let’s Have

Lemonade

Poke Cake

How To:Make the cake according to the package directions. If

you’re using the Pillsbury cake mix, you will use the three

eggs, cup of water, and third cup of canola oil in the ingre-

dients list. Bake in a 9x13-inch baking pan as directed on

the package.

Once you’ve removed the finished cake from the oven,

poke holes all over the cake down to the bottom of the

pan. I use a metal skewer for this task. Don’t be skimpy in

poking the holes, because you’re going to pour a scrump-

tious glaze over the top very soon.

To make Lemonade Poke Cake,you’ll need the following ingredients:

1 lemon cake mix (any brand will do, butI’m fond of Pillsbury and it’s usually onsale)3 eggs1 c. water1/3 c. canola oil1 can lemonade concentrate, thawed andundiluted2 c. powdered sugar (eyeball it)


After you’ve poked the cake

all over, whisk together the

can of lemonade concentrate

and approximately two cups of

powdered sugar. If there are

lumps of powdered sugar in

the glaze, allow it to sit for a

little bit and whisk again. Pour

the glaze over the top of the

cake.

When you pour the glaze

over the cake, it will seep

down into the holes and form

a slight glaze on top of the

cake. Allow to cool completely

and serve. This cake is very

rich, so you should be able to

serve 15 people very comfort-

ably. It also makes cute little

petit-fours if cut up into

smaller pieces.

Thank you, Momma, for yet

another yummy-licious recipe.

You were the best cook EVER!

Pour the glaze over the cake, it will seep down intothe holes in the cake.


It was not until college that she

realized that is a learned behavior,

although these parents view it as a

very special gift. Most importantly

Marche wants parents to know it is

ok to ask questions, to ask for help.

She wants all children to have a

voice. Sometimes people view chil-

dren with disabilities as “less”, but

there is nothing “less” about these

children, Marche said.

“I am so blessed to do this and

that this is my life,” Marche said.

It is obvious that the blessing is

shared, as these families feel truly

blessed to know Marche.

Marche From page 26

August 25-26Claremore Dog Expofeaturing Dock DogsClaremore Expo Center

September 6-833rd Annual Bluegrassand Chili FestivalClaremore Expo Center

September 57 p.m. U. S. Navy Band’sCountry Current

September 12-17Rogers County FairClaremore Expo Center

September 28-29Art on the HillArt sale and exhibitRogers State University


The 33rd Annual Bluegrass & Chili Festival is set

for Sept. 6-8 on the grounds of the Claremore

Expo Center.

The weekend festivities will include three stages of

free “pepper hot” concerts by national and regional

artists.

Headliners scheduled to appear include a host of

award winners. Thursday night line-up includes

country superstar and historian Marty Stuart

& The Fabulous Superlatives and the award

winning Dailey & Vincent.

Friday’s line-up includes: CMA, IBMA and

Grammy award winning Ricky Skaggs

& Kentucky Thunder. Saturday

headliners include Rhonda Vincent

& The Rage, festival favorites Doyle

Lawson & Quicksilver and IIIrd Tyme

Out.

Top regional acts will entertain on three

stages performing a variety of music including

country, gospel, bluegrass and classic

rock.

Watch for the complete line-up and

schedule will be posted on www.claremore.org. In ad-

dition to the free concerts, other musical entertain-

ment highlights include: The “Junior Showcase” this

showcase is designed to give talented youth 21 and

under stage exposure and experience in a non-com-

petitive showcase.

Youth receive a sponsor bag and by drawing one

will win a guitar. “The Best Country In The City Vocal-

ist Competition invites vocalists of any age to partici-

pate, applications are now available.

Winner will be awarded a cash prize.

Dancers will “kick up their heels” during the festivi-

ties. Country dancers and cloggers will offer dance

exhibitions and audience participation.

The Bluegrass & Chili Festival will sizzle with many

other family activities. The Festival Market inside the

Expo will include a wide variety of crafts, services and

business showcase. Little buckaroos can find free ac-

tivities at the Kiddie Korral.

The Open Car Show will give festival attendees an

opportunity to see classic and current beauties and

you don’t want to miss the Antique Tractor Pull.

All these family activities will add spice to the week-

end of family fun!

Don’t miss the Mid-America Regional Chili

Cook-off and Salsa Competition.

The International Chili Society Division

winning cook will represent the Festival in the

World Cook-off that boasts a $25,000 first

prize. A non-profit division is open to

non-profits, schools, churches etc.

winner will receive $1,000 first prize.

Open and corporate division teams

will compete for awards and of course

bragging rights! All teams will vie for booth dec-

orations, showmanship and ham-manship hon-

ors.

Festival attendees can also sample

the award winning chili with an official

taster kit!

Festival opens at 4 p.m. on Thursday and Friday.

Saturday festivities from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. For addi-

tional Festival information and applications contact:

Bluegrass & Chili Festival, Claremore Chamber at 419

W. Will Rogers, Claremore, OK 74017.

Hotel information, festival updates and a complete

list of festival partners at www.claremore.org or 918-

341-2818.

On-site parking $10 per car load.

Festival major sponsors: Lafarge, City of Clare-

more, RCB Bank, RSU Public Television, Big Country

99.5, KOTV The News on 6 and, Claremore Chamber

of Commerce.

Bluegrass & Chili Festival

Pepper Hot Music & Food33rd annual event featuresworld-class chili, performers


Doyle Lawson and Quicksliver

Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder

Rhonda Vincent and The Rage

IIIrd Tyme Out

Dailey and Vincent Marty Stuart and The Fabulous Superlatives


Documents

Surrey July/August 2012