Five "Programs Making a Difference" to Be Honored Oct 6

On October 6, not only will The Journal Record name the 2011 Oklahoma Woman of the Year. They will  also honor five "Programs Making a Difference" in Oklahoma. This year's honorees are: Stand In the Gap Ministries; Suited for Success; Women's Leadership Initiative; Work of Women; and YWCA of Oklahoma City.

Tulsa Community Women's Reentry Project

Created by the Oklahoma Department of Corrections Division of Female Offender Operations in partnership with Resonance Center for Women, Inc., the Tulsa Community Women's Reentry Project has been in operation since April 2011. The project's goal is to help female offenders find jobs within 30 days of prison release. To qualify, one must be a non-violent female offender with children, who will be returning to Tulsa upon release and who has a parole officer.  Project leaders begin meeting with these women 3 to 6 months prior to their release.  Upon release, they receive a reentry basket filled with necessities. They enter work readiness classes, get help finding child care and, if necessary, receive substance abuse  treatment. On graduation after 6 months, the women receive a professional mentor. The project is took 100 women during the first year. This effort is funded by a federal grant with additional funding from the George Kaiser Family Foundation of Tulsa. 

Sara Jane Richter Authors Book on Oklahoma Panhandle

Sara Jane Richter, PhD, is Dean of the School of Liberal Studies and professor of English at Panhandle State University in Goodwell, OK. She is also the author of a recently published book entitled The Oklahoma Panhandle. This book illustrates the region's history through photos and captions. It is filled with outlaws, college students, settlers, ranchers, Native Americans, dust storms, immigrants, dinosaurs and much more. Richter has a BA from Phillips University in Enid and a MA and PhD in English from Oklahoma State University. She gives literary and historical programs on a range of topics including Depression era women, women of the Santa Fe and Oregon trails, and women of the western gold fields. She has researched the WPA, the Dust Bowl and much more. Her book would make a great gift for Oklahomans and others. It is available in bookstores, online and through Arcadia Publishing (888-313-2665). 128 pages, soft cover, $21.99.

Becky Switzer, Amy Regan and Other Outgoing Tourism Commissioners

There are changes afoot in Oklahoma's Tourism and Recreation Department including a new director and several new commissioners. Melvin Moran and Becky Switzer had a nice guest article in The Oklahoman recently listing many recent accomplishments of this state agency. They - plus Tony Benson, Jason Glidewell, Amy Regan and Frank Sims - are stepping off the Tourism Commission. Any statewide appointment involves substantial time and effort. So, for your good efforts on behalf of our dear state, thank you all.

Girls Gone Wine Celebrates 5 Years

Girls  Gone Wine is a winery located near Broken Bow Lake and Beavers Bend State Park in Southeastern Oklahoma. It recently turned 5 years old.

It is owned by three women - Chandra Rickey, Rhonda Reed, and Michelle Finch. The company has a staff of 12 women.

You can sample and purchase their wine at a tasting bar, make your own wine and shop in their gift shop. They now sell 14 wines plus a special wine at Christmas. Their most popular wine is a pomegranate zinfindel named Twisted Sisters.

Visit their website at http://thegirlsgonewine.com/. Happy birthday, ladies!

Breast Impressions and Turn Tulsa Pink

This image is of the wonderful Judy Grove who founded Breast Impressions, a nonprofit in Tulsa.

Breast Impressions makes plaster casts of women's breasts before they undergo mastectomy -- and artists decorated them!

They also do so many other really important things including a fabulous Breast Cancer Awareness Day at the Oklahoma State Capitol each Spring.

Their next big project is Turn Tulsa PINK, October 22 - 29, 2011 (see www.turntulsapink.org).  Turn Tulsa PINK is part of the Pink Heals Tour international -- a countywide effort to honor and support all women and children in our community who have experienced any form of cancer. In this case Pink is for women and kids. Get on the Pink band wagon!

Check out Breast Impression's website and follow them on Facebook.

Teresa Knox Honored by Tulsa Chamber for Entrepreneurial Success

The Metropolitan Tulsa Chamber of Commerce recently honored Tulsan Teresa Knox for her "Entrepreneurial Success." Knox is founder and CEO of Community Care College, Clary Sage College, and Oklahoma Technical College. These private colleges employ 200 and offer 47 degree programs.
Read a nice interview with Knox in the Tulsa Tribune in 2008 HERE. You can read more about the awards event on the Metropolitan Tulsa Chamber of Commerce website by clicking HERE.

Images is from the Clary Sage College Facebook page.

An Overview of Higher Education in Oklahoma

A while back, I accompanied my husband, Larkin, to Stillwater where he spoke to Leadership Oklahoma Class XXIV. The session topic was Oklahoma education and Larkin's assignment was higher education. It was fun to see friends in this year's class including Deena Fisher, Connie Schlittler, Robin Roberts Krieger, Marnie Taylor, Steve Potts and Greg Wheeler.  If you'd like to see Larkin's handout, go to http://bit.ly/lc5NY8.

Sandra Olson, Juanita Keel Tate Honored

The Oklahoma Historical Society recently honored four individuals -- including Sandra Olson and Juanita Keel Tate (left) -- for outstanding contributions to Oklahoma's history.Olson was recognized for her fundraising efforts and work resulting in restoration of historic buildings in Waynoka. Tate (now 101 years of age) contributed greatly to the preservation of Chickasaw history as well as her own family history. She is author of Edmund Pickens (Okchantubby): First Elected Chickasaw Chief, His Life and Times. Read more by clicking here. 

Jane Haskin Is First Woman to Head Oklahoma Bankers Association

Another first for Okie Women!  Last Tuesday, Jane Haskin, President and CEO of First Bethany Bank and Trust, became chair the Oklahoma Bankers Association.

This makes Haskin the first woman to hold that post in the 114-year history of the organization. Score one for women in banking. Congratulations, Jane!

Click here to read The Journal Record's 2006 "50 Women Making a Difference" bio on Haskin. 

Read The Oklahoman article about Jane Haskin by clicking here.

Sara Bizzell Named Oklahoma Court Clerk of the Year

The Oklahoma Municipal Court Clerks Association recently awarded Sara Bizzell their Anne Thompson Court Clerk of the Year designation. Bizzell is municipal court clerk on Piedmont, Oklahoma.  She has served the City of Piedmont for 22 years. Congrats to Sara Bizzell -- a notable Okie woman! 

Oklahoma Ranks 50th on Women's Health

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health:

Oklahoma has 1.8 million females. Seventy-four percent are non-Hispanic White, while American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) women comprise 9 percent.

The state ranks at the bottom on most major causes of death, including heart disease, stroke, and chronic lower respiratory diseases.

It does have a better record on death rates for colorectal cancer.

Its women fare poorly on most health risk factors, including eating 5+ fruits and vegetables a day, smoking, high blood pressure, leisure-time physical activity, and obesity.

Rates of obesity are higher among non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, and AI/AN women than for non-Hispanic White women.

As with health risk factors, the state ranks near the bottom for all presented preventive care measures except colorectal screenings.

It ranks worst in the nation on routine check-ups and nearly as poorly for mammograms (#51 out of a possible 52).

Of non-senior women, only 77 percent have health insurance, which merits a rank of #47.

Hispanic women have by far the lowest rate of insurance coverage, at less than 42 percent.

Seriously, people. What are we going to do to improve this situation?

Young Democrats of Oklahoma Women's Caucus

Did you know there is a Young Democrats of Oklahoma Women's Caucus? They say "We are the YDO Women's Caucus. We are men and women fighting for gender rights and equality in Oklahoma." Their website is http://ydok.wordpress.com/caucuses/womens-caucus/ and they're on Twitter as @YDOWC. Good to know.

I've added them to the Twitter follow list on my @OkieWomen account. I added them on my "Women Political  Engagement" list along with @WIPPWeDecide, @WomenCount, @The2012Project, @CAWP_RU, @VOICESWomen, @MomsRising, @CfWD1, @ nwlc, @IWPResearch, and many more.

Would someone with the Oklahoma Federation of Young Republicans or the Oklahoma Young Republican Network please tell me if there is a similar group within the Oklahoma Republican Party structure? Thanks!

Oklahoma is #1 in Growth of Women Entrepreneurs

Oklahoma ranks #1 in the nation for the growth rate of women entrepreneurs -- 40% higher than the national average!  Oklahoma ranks #9 for women-owned business expansions and #30 in new women-owned business starts between 1997 and 2011. 


Thinking of starting a business in Oklahoma? There are lots of good resources to help you along the way. A good place to start thought is with the Rural Enterprises' Women's Business Center. They have offices in Durant and Oklahoma.

Learn more at http://newsok.com/women-changing-the-world-one-venture-at-a-time/article/3559209#ixzz1KN4PDi00

Teresa Moisant Honored By Her Peers

Need a promotional ... anything? Check out Oklahoma City based Moisant Promotional Products. This firm's  owner, Teresa Moisant, was recently named one of the top ten "Women to Watch" by the Advertising Speciality Institute. Moisant was recognized in 2009 by The Journal Record Publishing Company as one of "Fifty Women Making a Difference" in Oklahoma. Way to go, Teresa!

OSU-Tulsa Gets a Center for Family Resiliency

Oklahoma State University-Tulsa has launched a Center for Family Resiliency. The Center has received a substantial grant from the George Kaiser Family Foundation to help with operation costs, to establish an endowed chair (for a scholar within the Center), and for preparation of a study on teen pregnancy. See http://www.osu-tulsa.okstate.edu/news/details.asp?id=777

Black Caucus to Honor Mary Fallin, Vicki Miles LaGrange and Yvonne Hovell

On April 25, the Oklahoma Legislative Black Caucus is honoring three remarkable Oklahoma women. They are:

• Governor Mary Fallin, the first female governor in the State of Oklahoma
• The Honorable Vicki Miles LaGrange, the first African American woman to chair a United States Judicial District in Oklahoma and the first African American to be elected to the Oklahoma Senate;
• Yvonne Hovell, owner and general manager of Dodge Chrysler Jeep of Tulsa, who was the first female in the State of Oklahoma to own a dealership.

The 19th Biennial A. C. Hamlin Awards Banquet begins with a 6 p.m. reception followed by a 7 p.m. dinner at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 Northeast 63rd Street in Oklahoma City. Those wishing to attend should contact Rep Jabar Shumate’s office at (405) 557-7406 or jabarshumate@okhouse.gov for further information. Tickets, priced $50 apiece, must be purchased by Monday, April 18.

Phyllis Hudecki to Be Oklahoma's Education Secretary

Congratulations to Phyllis Hudecki who Governor Mary Fallin has named to be her Secretary of Education. Hudecki is Executive Director of the Oklahoma Business & Education Coalition (OBEC). You can read about Hudecki and her appointment by clicking here.

Okie Women Named "Treasures for Tomorrow"

On April 14, six Oklahomans will be celebrated as "Treasurers for Tomorrow." They are Sue Ann Hyde (below) and her husband Dudley, Becky Switzer (center) and her husband Barry, Jeanne Hoffman Smith (left) and Chickasaw Governor Bill Anoatubby. Proceeds from the event benefit the Oklahoma Health Center campus. The event is organized by thwe Oklahoma Health Center Foundation in Oklahoma City. Read about all of these extraordinary Oklahomans by CLICKING HERE.

Majick RavenHawk Named "Women in Business Champion of the Year"

The Oklahoma District office of the US Small Business Administration has named Majick RavenHawk their 2011 "Women in Business Champion of the Year." She has had a talk radio show since 2009 on Contact Talk Radio. She has a PhD in religious studies and metaphysics. Check out her show schedule and more at her RavenHawk Talk Radio website. She and other honorees will be recognized at the Oklahoma SBA annual luncheon April 21 at the Oklahoma History Center. For details, click here. Congratulations, Majick!