Rossi, the therapy dog, goes to Integris Baptist Hospital and Belle Isle Library
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Rossi, the therapy dog. (Photo provided).
Judy Savage and her therapy dog, Rossi, visit a patient in Baptist Integris Hospital. (Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman.)
Three–year-old Rossi gets around. She has quite the social life and knows a lot of people. On Mondays, the bushy-headed standard poodle socializes with children and parents at Belle Isle Library. On Wednesdays, the registered therapy dog makes hospital rounds at Integris Baptist Medical Center.
Actually, people are socializing with her. At the library, the children are reading library books or books they have brought from home, or they are telling Rossi a story. She listens intently whether the children speak English or Spanish. She brings out the best in the children who might not want to read out loud to parents, teachers or their peers.
Rossi is uncomplaining. She doesn’t care how long it takes to hear a story from a child.
Rossi also visits sick patients. She brings laughter and smiles when her owner and handler, Judy Savage, knocks on a patient’s door and announces their arrival.
“She’s a big hit at the Jim Thorpe Rehabilitation Center,” Savage said. “She motivates patients who seem a little depressed. She’s now adding visits to heart patients to her volunteer workload.”
After Rossi passed her American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test, she became a member of HALO, Human Animal Link of Oklahoma Foundation.
Rossi loves people. Staff, visitors and patients smile, chuckle and laugh when she is around. She intuitively knows how to help and seems to love what she does.
“When patients meet Rossi, it’s as if they forget about their medical condition or why they are in the hospital. They seem to focus on the present, and the present is in the form of a therapy dog,” Savage said.
The calm black dog sports a bouffant-style hairdo and a bushy tail; on the job, she wears a yellow HALO vest with her name on it, plus her ID tags.
“Rossi is one of the gentlest dogs around,” Savage said.
She said owning a pet therapy dog has been a responsibility and a commitment. Rossi is routinely walked twice a day, constantly interacts with people and has learned to live a quiet, obedient lifestyle.
“She understands. She listens. She’s tolerant. She’s poised. She’s unique. She’s intelligent. She’s happy,” Savage said.
Judy Savage and Rossi were at the Belle Isle Library where children read to the Standard Poodle. (Photo by Helen Ford Wallace).
Judy and Rossi and the children. (Photo by Helen Ford Wallace)
Rossi, a therapy dog, visits patients at Integris Baptist Health Center.
Parties Extra!—some of our “Favorite things” in Oklahoma City
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Paige Dillard, Linda Miller, Lillie-Beth Brinkman, Jacquelyn Faris discuss their favorites for the holidays and the year on Parties Extra!
Thomas L. Friedman honored with second annual Gaylord Prize
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Carly Roenbrook videos the speakers at the Gaylord Prize luncheon. (Photos by Helen Ford Wallace.)
The second annual Gaylord Prize was given at the luncheon hosted by University of Oklahoma President David L. Boren, Dean Joe Foote and the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication Board of Visitors recently. Book author and New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman was the winner of the $25,000. prize.
The Gaylord Prize is funded by an endowment by the Edward L. Gaylord family.
Friedman’s talk to the 350 people who attended featured ideas and imagination. He noted that when you think of an idea, someone far away, or close by has the idea too. “When we are this connected, you have to act on your ideas, or someone else will, ” he said.
Gaylord College students in the audience used IPod nanos to take videos of the event and posted the videos online and on Twitter on their way back to school in Norman. Students also streamed the luncheon live and beamed in one of their fellow students who was studying abroad in South Korea. Ava Doyle told about her experiences as a student journalism and congratulated Friedman.
Carly Roenbrook with her camera of choice.
Bob Ross, Bill Ross and Thomas L. Friedman were at the VIP reception preceding the luncheon.
Judi Freyer and Jan Barrick Plant arrive at lunch.
Holiday stress?
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Bette Rector and Kim Joseph talk about holiday stress at parties.
Children’s Christmas party features Mr. and Mrs. Claus
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Julie, Stella (3), and Scott Shdeed were at the Christmas party at the Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club. (Photos by David Faytinger).
Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus were at the Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club for the children’s Christmas party. Also there were face painters and member’s children dressed in holiday attire. There was a photo booth where children wore santa hats and reindeer ears for pictures. There was a movie and cookie decorating for the 200 children.
Milk, hot chocolate and cookies were served and after the party, there was a Christmas breakfast buffet.
Madelyn Lister (7), Nancy Ryan took part in all the activities.
A party around the Christmas tree!
Herschal and Betty Crow, Carol and Sam Gann celebrated the season at the Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club “Tree Lighting.” (Photo by David Faytinger).
The Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club’s gigantic Norway spruce Christmas tree is in the Great Hall of the Club. Members celebrated at the annual Tree Lighting party where thousands of holiday lights illuminated the tree.
The Canterbury Youth Chorus sang holiday songs. Guests at the party also sang Christmas carols by candlelight.
Cookies, eggnog and Tom and Jerry drinks were served. There was also a buffet dinner following the tree lighting.
Burns Hargis teaches Oklahoma State University class
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Tanner Sunderland, Lauren Sturgeon, Burns Hargis, Alicia Kirkpatrick, Hunter Owen. (Photo provided).
Oklahoma State University students celebrated the completion of a semester-long project titled “Angie Debo’s Oklahoma” on Nov. 20 at Murray Hall in Stillwater. The OSU Department of Political Science is one of 24 departments in the College of Arts and Sciences.
The project was part of an Oklahoma politics class taught this fall by political science Regents professor Bob Darcy and OSU President Burns Hargis. As part of the class the students studied the life and work of Angie Debo, a leading scholar of Indian and Oklahoma history.
When the class was over, the students presented Hargis with a framed photo of the class.
Oklahoma City couple invites the neighbors over for a holiday party
A beautiful table!
HOLIDAY EVENT
Debby and Paul Dudman were hosts for their annual neighborhood party the night before Thanksgiving Day.
The Dudmans used blue and white dishes and the centerpiece was a huge bouquet of white roses, blue hydrangeas, calla lilies, sparkling gold leaves and orchids.
Guests included Pat and Byron Gambulos, Nancy and Bob Anthony, Nick Berry, Betsy Hyde, Mary and Bill Price, Kelsey and Roland Walters, Judy and Hanna Saadah, Jim Latting, Nancy and Aubrey Kerr, Suzette and Kim Hatfield, Jerriann and Geoff Altshuler, Ashley Altshuler, Katie and Brooks Altshuler and Coe and Bill London.
Excellent hosts!
Oklahoma City Philharmonic has Holiday Music Grams for parties
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Holiday Music Grams are being offered from Dec. 14 -18. Members of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic will perform for individuals at offices and homes in or near downtown Oklahoma Ciity.
The Holiday Music Gram is a new fund-raising and awareness program created by the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Associate Board.
Members of the Philharmonic will also deliver artisan holiday cards, cookies and tickets to upcoming concerts at the OKC Philharmonic.
Holiday Music Grams begin at $40. for a single performer with 5 to 7 minutes of holiday music or $150. for a trio performance with 20 minutes of holiday music. Special requests for events or parties are also available. Deadline to order is Dec. 10.
For information: www.okcphilharmonic.org or call the offices at 405-842-5387.
Oklahoma City Harn Homestead decorated for Christmas activities
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Helen interviews Cher Golding about holiday activities at the Harn Homestead.
