SHEP CONNECTION CORNER - March Newsletter

SHEP’s Connection Corner

 GIVE ME THE SCOOP

We found four leaf clovers!

It’s YOU! You are our lucky charms. We surely got the luck of the draw to have you all! Community is nothing without the parts inside of it. Thank you for being those parts!

It’s easy to think of luck or money. “If I win the lottery I would….If I had a million dollars the first thing I will do is…”

Let’s reflect on the Word.

Here are a few.

Philippians 4:19:And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

Proverbs 10:22:The blessing of the Lord makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.

2 Corinthians 9:8:And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.

We are blessed and grateful to be able to continually sow into the DeafBlind community. Here lately we’ve been singing in the rain. Cold rain, but still the rain. And it has been raining down indeed in more ways than one!

February we loved on braille. It was so much fun practicing reading braille on heart cut outs and having to follow the directions by acting it out with the teddy bears, Directions such as hug the puppy, pet the teddy, swing the teddy in a circle. Man oh man, you should have been present when Cassandra, our president and founder, was swinging that teddy around! This month we are Marching in on social media with challenges, pics, videos, and interesting fact. Be sure to follow us!

We also wanted our SSPs to join us in the celebration of love with our SSP nights. It seemed no one was available for our events so we will schedule some more SSP fun nights soon.

Every month there is something going on so stay tuned!

Read More
SHEP CONNECTION CORNER - February Newsletter

SHEP’s Connection Corner
GIVE ME THE SCOOP!

What is love?
Love is patient. Love is kind.
We have been in love with the spring weather we have been getting sprinkled here and there! !
We want to interpret our love with an IamDB Valentine event. In the upcoming months we will have fun together with the help of the pitter patter of little paws. We are planning to have a guide dog special!
We have lots of love to give! We want to love on our SSPs as well. We will have 2 events to spoil our beloved SSPs while we recertify them. The OKC team will have a paint and sip while the Tulsa team will go bowling. Next time we may do a switch-a-roo of the activities. We have had questions about recertification for SSPs that are coming up due. If you’re coming up due for re-certification before September 2024, our spring certification sign ups are open. If you will be due September or later this year we will hold another re-certification in the fall. Please contact us so we can get you scheduled,
humanresources@shep-ok.org
SSPs anyone?


We have had new SSPs join us! Please welcome Sarah and Ellie! We are pleased with our new SSP chat group. If you are not in the chat group please get the details from Amanda so you can hop in and not miss out.
Guess what! We took a poll towards the end of 2023 amongst our DeafBlind community and decided to get some bling.
Well...a SHEP t-shirt. Hahaha! Those that come to the next SHEP event will get their t-shirts first. After the event we will be sending them out to everyone we polled. No charge! This is all love.
We are working on our plans for the DB camp coming up in October. The theme is Happy Days! Think 50’s Happy rock and roll times. More details and registration forms will be rolling out.
Every month there is something going on so stay tuned!

Read More
SHEP CONNECTION CORNER - January Newsletter

SHEP’s Connection Corner

Give Me The Scoop!

New Year, New Opportunities

Goals or Resolutions

Which do you prefer to call it, resolutions or goals for the new year? Well, we definitely have some new events on the way and more opportunities to get you connected and mingling. Speaking of mingle, December had quite the jingling and mingling! Let’s recall a few things that occurred before 2023 came to a close.

Amanda, our SSP manager, opened a restaurant in Midwest City called Bibbs Smokehouse. We were the first to dine and party the day away with our annual Christmas social. That food was dynamite! Of course, we had to dirty the place with some Dirty Santa, that is! What a time it was. Did you miss it? We have quite a line up coming to you for 2024. Some old favorites and some new.

Remember our SHEP van? It has been such a blessing! We have been able to use the van to transport conferences as well as rounding up the Tulsa area gang to join us here in the OKC area. There will be other opportunities where we will utilize the van to include more in various events.

Read More
SHEP CONNECTION CORNER - November Newsletter

SHEP’s Connection Corner

           

What goes up, must come down! And boy, oh boy, is the temperature doing just that!

Brrrrrrr!

I hope you didn’t miss out on the chili! SHEP’s Ho-down at Hope Ranch was full to the brim with conversation and fun. We even pet blind horses! It was a time that was had, indeed!

Earlier on in October on the 3rd, Cassandra, our founder, did a speaking engagement for the teacher of the OSU Stillwater’s ASL class (and former SHEP SSP), Rachel Hollis. Cassandra was able to share with them what SHEP has been blessed to do throughout the years.

It doesn’t end there! Cassandra attended a Christian Deaf Women’s Conference in Norman Oct. 13-15th where she was able to fellowship with other caring and encouraging ladies. In Arkansas, the 19th-22nd, our president and Jeri, of Jeri House, were able to reunite with the DeafBlind community at their DeafBlind camp whilst encouraging and continuing independent freedoms. Due to Covid it had been quite some time since they were able to come together.

 Did you know there is a deaf church? It’s actually called Deaf Church Oklahoma (DCO). This is where you wanted to be October 27th. Great food, games, and full hearts. Cassandra experienced it all!

November is here and SHEP chose Tulsa for our event for the month. We will be going to Jeri’s House November 11th. It will be IamDB and fall festival fun. We are blessed to have you all in our circle!

Psalm 107:8-9: "Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things." Psalm 95:2-3: "Let's come before Him with thanks! Let's shout songs of joy to Him!”

Read More
DRS to celebrate 30 years of service to 2.45 million Oklahomans with disabilities Oct 17

OKLAHOMA CITY – Since July 1, 1993, more than 2.54 million Oklahomans with disabilities have received life-changing services offered by the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services.

The agency offers 25 employment, education and independent living programs and determines medical eligibility for Social Security disability benefits.

Present and former DRS clients, students and staff, the public and agency partners are encouraged to celebrate the 30th anniversary as an independent state agency with a Fall Festival on Tuesday, October 17.

The free event is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at DRS’ State Office parking lot in the east Landmark Tower building at 3535 NW 58th Street in Oklahoma City.

The theme is “Come Home to DRS:  Celebrating 30 Years of Service to Extraordinary People.”

DRS staff and event partners Oklahoma Rehabilitation Council and Oklahoma ABLE Tech have combined plans for carnival games and information about DRS’ programs with food trucks and entertainment.

Program highlights include messages from Lt Gov. Matt Pinnell, Secretary and Executive Director of Human Services Dr. Deborah Shropshire, M.D., DRS Executive Director Melinda Fruendt, DHS Hope Ambassador Tammy Williams and performances by OSB Jazz Band, OSD cheerleaders and many more.

“We are proud to serve Oklahomans with disabilities at DRS, which was created in 1993 by the Oklahoma Legislature to unite a wide range of state disability services into a single agency with the support of the disability community,” DRS Executive Director Melinda Fruendt said.

“This is an exciting time for all of us to celebrate Oklahomans who reached their goals because of their own initiative and hard work,” Fruendt said. “We say DRS opens doors, but our clients, students, applicants and patrons deserve the credit for walking through those doors to success.”

The Oklahoma Commission for Rehabilitation Services governs DRS under the leadership of Governor Kevin Stitt and the Oklahoma Legislature.

Governor Kevin Stitt appointed Teresa Flannery from Mustang as a Commission member. Vice Chair Wes Hilliard from Sulphur was appointed by Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives Charles McCall.

DRS’ program divisions are Disability Determination Services, Oklahoma School for the Blind, Oklahoma School for the Deaf, Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired and Vocational Rehabilitation.

Read More
Human ResourcesComment
SHEP CONNECTION CORNER - September Newsletter

SHEP’s Connection Corner

Okay, Summer, It’s time to get out of here!

We have a new SSP certified from the Tulsa area! Welcome KJ!

We made it through the heatwave!

Whew wee! It has been a scorcher. I hope you all have been staying hydrated. Heat exhaustion is a real thing. If you are going to be outside getting some sun, safety is always a primary concern. The good news is the heat is coming to an end! By the way, do you try to recycle? Little things help save the environment one water bottle at a time. This year has been flying by! Where has time gone? We are fast approaching the holidays and the time for family traditions. What tradition do you have? Please tell us! We want to hear them! The picture in this newsletter is of Cassandra at an African birthday celebration. It was a magnificent cultural event. Next time you see Cassandra, ask her all about it!

As the season changes and the air begins to smell different and carry a bit of chill in the air, we switch out our icee drinks for chili bowls. We have some exciting things planned for the fall! Check the calendar for upcoming events.

“For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.”-Habakkuk 2:3

We pray over you, giving thanks to be among you in each season. We pray for prosperity and joy in all your hearts and your homes.

Don’t forget to send us an email with your birthday, etc.

Read More
SHEP CONNECTION CORNER - August Newsletter

SHEP’s Connection Corner

The stores already have Halloween out!

Steadily Growing!

We have been doing 1 on 1 trainings to get SSPs certified. We have a couple coming up! Yay! New SSPs!

It was the hottest month EVER!

That’s no exaggeration! July is the hottest month on record for the entire globe. They even said ice in Greenland has melted and formed little tiny lake pools. Let’s see what August brings. I know we are all looking for some relief from the furnace we call outside! Speaking of outside, we had a most refreshing time at the Botanical Myriad Gardens in July. It actually rained and cut our time a tad. It was a beautiful experience. We took a stroll through the children’s garden as well and discovered a vine covered tunnel that led into a secret gathering place. IamBD was cancelled for July due to a loss in the President’s, Cassandra’s, family. Just a couple of weeks before that Cassandra has gallbladder surgery. The good news is she is healed and able to eat more of the foods she loves now!

We are pleased to announce we are on our second contract year with a full staff to serve the DB community! And we have a van to help out along the way! There will be future SHEP related events we will extend van pickup service for. Stay in the know! 

Read More
RESIDENTS FIRE ACADEMY

The Residents Fire Academy is a program targeted toward adults in the Oklahoma City community. Academy participants will obtain an insider’s view of the services the Oklahoma City Fire Department provides, information about fire safety for the home and workplace, and a deeper understanding of the duties of a firefighter by engaging in hand’s-on activities.

As an added benefit, participants will have the opportunity to do “ride-alongs” at Oklahoma City Fire Stations during this eight-week academy.  This will be a great opportunity for the participants to see all the things that they have been learning about come together in real-world incidents.

Read More
INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND IN TULSA PROVIDES FUN FOR EVERY CHILD

Tulsa has opened its first accessible playground that has something for every kid, with a disability or not.

Kids helped cut the ribbon and got to climb all over the new equipment at last.

Whether you’re soaring on the swing, zipping down the slides, or perhaps going for a drive, this is a playground for everyone.

Read More
SHEP CONNECTION CORNER - July Newsletter

SHEP’s Connection Corner

Steadily Growing!

We have 2 new SSPs! One in the Tulsa area and one in the OKC area!

Welcome Juli and Keri!

The rain sure has been showing out!

Wow! July? Already? This year has wings! The earth must be mighty thirsty because it has been raining and pouring. So sorry we had to cancel our zoo outing for June due to the weather. Perhaps we can reschedule in the fall before it is cold and when it is not so hot. Hey! Did you make it out to Tacos for Life on June 20th for our fundraiser night? They reported to us that we made $22.09! Thank you everyone! Now we have a donut fundraiser coming up. Krispy Kreme is where it’s at! Check social media and share, share, share! By using our link to order a dozen donuts we get 50% of every order. Think of how much we can provide for the DeafBlind community with these funds! The fundraiser is from July 10th to the 28th.

Read More
SHEP CONNECTION CORNER - June 2023 Newsletter

What’s the weather like while you’re reading this? Yep, It’s been all over the place!

Strong and Growing!

We have 1 new SSPs in the OKC area!

Welcome Lee!

 

Rain or Shine, we’re shining!

It’s June already? Wow! It seems we were just saying Happy New Year. A happy new year it has been, indeed! You guys, we are now officially members of the Midwest City Chamber of Commerce! Are you smiling? Are you jumping up and down? We sure did and are! We had a ribbon cutting ceremony last month and boy oh boy, what a blessing to be in this place. We are having a fundraiser night on June 20th. That’s a taco Tuesday from 5pm to 9om! Tell everyone you know and come out and eat!

Don’t forget, IamDB is in full effect. We are here to help train you on equipment that will help you evermore in your home. I don’t know about you, but my home is my favorite place to be. Let’s accommodate you there! So much is unfolding.

Psssst...Guess what?...The staff is learning sign language. You can help teach us, too! Have any feedback, suggestions, or questions? Reach out to us. We love hearing from you!

Due to popular requests, we now release two months of our activity schedule at a time so you will see we have June and July posted to help you plan ahead. 

We have a lot of events coming up! Be sure to check the calendar. See below for some that are coming up.

Don’t forget! Send us an email telling us your birthday, anniversary, or any special event so we can shout you out.

It was raining and pouring, but no old man was snoring! We’re here for fun!

Read More
SHEP CONNECTION CORNER - May 2023 Newsletter

Steady & Growing!

We have 1 new SSP in the OKC area!

Spread the word and Keep requesting SSPs!

It has been pouring!

Both literally and figuratively, the rain has been pouring and the blessings have, too! Last month we got a grant from the Junior Service League in Midwest City, we are now members of the Midwest City Chamber of Commerce, and….WE GOT A VAN! So much more to come! It’s because of you and the community that it is all possible. “What is in your heart is the overflow of how you live your life.” I just heard that this week. Think about it. And guess what? SHEP has a heart the size of the galaxy for the community.

Read More