Perhaps one of the biggest challenges Christian rock bands face today is ever-present criticism. Go too far one way and you disappoint a strong believer. Sway too far to the other, you fail to connect to a music lover. Blue Cross Band doesn’t let the skepticism faze them. Their response? “We’re gonna rock your socks off.”

It all began with co-founder and Edmond local Rick Wooldridge who picked up a guitar at age 9 and performed at his first bar in sixth grade. “I spent a lot of time going down the wrong path,” he admits. It wasn’t until he was 33 that Wooldridge found his true calling. 

Edmond, he says, is where he received his spiritual upbringing. Though he lived his entire life surrounded by music, he never wrote a single lyric until he accepted Christ. “When I got saved and used the abilities God gave me for His purposes... that’s when the songs started coming.”

Meanwhile, co-founder Tom Farrier says he felt the urge to call Wooldridge. The two had been bandmates years ago. He said simply, “Man, we gotta play.” With that, the two picked up just like it was yesterday. Wooldridge took to guitar and vocals, while Farrier accompanied on bass. 

Soon after, Wooldridge brought in guitarist Mark Richards, whom he knew from church, while Farrier urged his coworker Rob Sheppard to join them on the drums. “I said, ‘We’re putting this thing together and just gonna see what happens.’ And that’s where it took off,” he recalls.

Still, the band felt something was missing. They needed one more member. So they took to slightly more modern methods of advertising and put an ad on Craigslist. 

“First time I ever responded to anything on Craigslist,” laughs Cassie Lauhon. The vocalist admits that although she was a little nervous walking in, she felt completely at home from the beginning. “It was like I instantly had a group of brothers,” she said.

That’s not to say her husband wasn’t a tad nervous about Lauhon heading off to meet four male strangers. “He was like, ‘No, you can’t go! They’re wanting something,’ ” says Lauhon. “I said it’s OK. It’s at a church.”

And so Blue Cross Band was born. Not long after, they landed a record deal and released their first album, “Walls Are Closing In” in March by Tate Music Group. 

Blue Cross Band has been compared to The Allman Brothers and earlier work by The Doors. A throw back to the ’70s, they believe in good vocals, good harmonies and guitar work. 

While some Christian bands feel the pressure to choose worshipful tunes over trendier rhythms, Blue Cross Band senses their audience’s desire for a perfect blend of the two. “They’re hungry for that type of musicianship in Christian music,” says Wooldridge, “And they’re not getting that.” Until now.

As Farrier puts it, “Just because you go to church doesn’t mean you can’t listen to rock ’n’ roll.” Adds Richards, “It’s not just a Christian thing…[we have that] old school rock where you can get out there and have a lot of fun.”

While they each have a favorite track on the CD, Lauhon says it was “I’m Free” that got her hooked from day one. Listening to that song, she knew this is where she wanted to be. “I think one of the beautiful things about music is that you can connect to a lyric or a melody or a person that’s performing it,” says Lauhon. “It can bring you together and help you feel not alone.”

That is ultimately what Blue Cross Band is about: putting their message into the music in a way that people can relate to. Coming from different backgrounds, the members of Blue Cross Band let their differences bind them through their unique style, and it shows on the album, which is available on iTunes and Amazon, among other record stores. With a fusion of rock, blues, country and worship, listeners have multiple opportunities to connect to the music. As Lauhon puts it, “There’s something on there that everyone will like and respond to because it’s so varied. I love that about the album and I love that about our band.”

The Blue Cross Band is scheduled to perform at the Route 66 Festival in Bethany May 26th at 1 p.m. and at the Hafer Park Summer Concert Series on July 5th at 7 p.m. For more information, visit www.bluecrossband.com or find them on Facebook.

Wakeboarding is a beast of wild origins — a hybrid of waterskiing, snowboarding and surfing bred in crystal blue waters off the coast of Australia in the ’80s. The extreme sport features dizzying spins and gravity-defying stunts at thrilling heights while the rider is pulled across the water by a speedboat, and it’s more than just a weekend obsession for local athletes Taylor Kress, Rachel Orgill and Dylan Branch.

Kress, an Edmond native who won the WWA Wakeboard World Championships in his division last year in Indianapolis, has long been a thrill-seeker. “I motocross; I’ve always snowboarded. Pretty much any extreme sport, really, I’ve done it at one time,” he says. But he loves wakeboarding most. Being on the water and the satisfying feeling of smoothly executing a trick are what keeps Kress coming back every season.

He learned to wakeboard when he was 6 years old, but didn’t like it at first. As a child, waterskiing was an institution in his family and wakeboarding came with it. It wasn’t until he was 11 that he returned to the sport, drawn in by the amazing tricks he was seeing on TV. “From then on, [I] just watched videos nonstop and wanted to do it,” he remembers.

Nine years later, Kress is studying business at UCO and moving to the professional level in wakeboarding following his win at Worlds last August. A couple weeks before that, he also won the WWA National Championships in his division. “I thought I got beat,” he admits of Worlds, “but when the scores came out I ended up winning.” He says it was a relief to win after trying for years. Now, Kress wants to win Worlds in the professional bracket.

In wakeboarding, divisions are based on skill level and age, explains Branch, a 16-year-old wakeboarder from Guthrie. Usually, wakeboarders will compete in heats of about five people. They ride two times, and the judges take each rider’s best score. The top two from each heat progress to the finals, where they ride two more times and then first-, second-, and third-place winners are selected. For pro riders, there’s a cash payout; for the rest, trophies and other prizes.

Kress isn’t the only Edmond-grown world champion whose first exposure to wakeboarding came at age 6. Orgill, now 15, rode for the first time on a houseboat trip in Virginia and has kept up with it ever since. When she was 9 years old, she started learning some tricks and then decided to try to upstage her dad, who posed some competition. “I wanted to compete with him and get better than him, and then I did.”

The Edmond North sophomore estimates that, while riding, she can fly six to 10 feet into the air. To get airborne, a wakeboarder cuts in toward the speedboat’s wake with the edge of the board. “Whenever you edge through the wake, it pops you up,” Orgill explains. “It’s a really cool feeling. I just love going out and doing it,” she relates. “It’s such a unique sport.” Orgill says she loves the time wakeboarding allows her to spend on the water with friends and family.

She tries to make it out to Arcadia Lake two or three times a week during the school year, and during the summer she goes five times a week. “As soon as it doesn’t freeze overnight, that’s when our season starts,” she says. “It’s always terrible, just waiting for spring to come.”

Orgill also competes regularly. “I was really excited,” Orgill says of placing first at the World Championships last year. “It was like all my hard work paid off.” She’s been competing at Worlds for three years, and last year she also placed fourth at Nationals in the junior women (ages 14-18) division. She placed third in the world two years ago, and then she won second in Worlds last year. 

For years, she’s been participating in the Wake Games, held in April in Florida. It’s the first significant event of the season. However, last year, she broke her femur in a back flip while training the night before the competition. “At first, I thought I was just going to be able to walk it off, but obviously I couldn’t. It was disappointing, but it was OK,” she says.

To prepare for the Wake Games, Branch recently spent a month in Florida to train. He’s been riding for a few years, and he was first introduced to the sport by his dad. “He got me a board and took me out and he’s pretty much my inspiration to do it. I love it,” Branch says. His dad, Greg Branch, rides with him often. “He’s actually still really good.”

Last year at Worlds, Branch placed third in the junior men’s division, and his season is already filling up with competitions. He’s out on the water for one to three hours every day, and he’s able to get 10 to 15 feet in the air. He’s homeschooled by his dad, with whom he spends two to five hours per day in academic instruction.

Branch often trains with Kress, who has taught him a lot. They and Orgill ride at Wake Zone Cable Wakeboard Park in Oklahoma City, where speedboats aren’t necessary thanks to cables that pull wakeboarders across the water. “It’s a good place to learn, good atmosphere, it’s just really fun,” Branch says.

“I love being on the water. It kind of gets my mind off everything. It’s a sport I love. I really don’t do any other sports. It’s just fun, [I] get to hang out with friends, and it’s a progressive sport,” Branch says.

To test the water for yourself, or to learn where you can be a spectator to the action, visit the World Wakeboard Association online at www.thewwa.com.

I have always loved high school reunions and have attended nearly every one of mine. Of course, graduating with a class of 18 students in a little country school (and we were a large class), you can see why we have “all-school” reunions rather than by classes. In our rural community, everybody knew everyone so we were like family catching up on old times.

My husband’s reunions were different. He grew up in town and attended a larger school where many students broke into their own little groups, seldom associating with those unlike themselves. I attended college with a few people like that and found it disheartening. Most were focused on becoming popular and did so by attending major social functions. Nothing wrong with that, provided you aren’t putting down others or cutting yourself off from other campus life. Unfortunately, some did both. I couldn’t understand it. I loved college. I loved everything about it, from my studies in foreign languages to basketball games, music concerts and my job. I especially enjoyed meeting new people—all types. That’s where I met my husband, Carl. 

So here we were at Carl’s first high school reunion and the social status of one little group had not changed since high school. These young women did not readily accept new people and seemed to wonder why their handsome classmate had chosen a wife outside their group, especially since one happened to be an old girlfriend. Now that created a little fun drama for me. Carl delighted in showing me off to everyone, even these girls, and I was thrilled to be sporting a six-month “baby bump.” Nothing like a wedding ring and a baby on the way to show off just a little to your husband’s old girlfriends. Not sure why we women like doing that but I confess to being proud. And in truth, these socialites were a small part of the class and I had a great time with Carl’s friends. 

The next time we met was at Carl’s 20-year reunion. By then I had been married for 18 years, given birth to three children and certainly had no reason to feel another social challenge. But something about the fine print of the invitation to a dance, which stated “dress-up or church clothes,” let me know that I still had a little feisty fun left in me. And even though Carl chose “church wear,” I chose a party dress. I splurged on a short, purple, spaghetti-strap crepe that fit me just right. Carl thought I was gorgeous and I felt like a princess as we danced and enjoyed the company of his friends. Again, that small “exclusive” group clustered together at one table, seldom interacting with others. They didn’t have a clue what they were missing.

I learned a little secret that night. There will always be people who choose not to befriend you for some reason, but just like at that dance, there are many more who truly want to get to know you. I didn’t care about being belle of the ball at that reunion. What thrilled me most was dancing in Carl’s arms and seeing the same smile I saw when we were dating and that same passionate look in his eyes. And yes, I still believe my husband was the best looking guy in the ballroom that night, but even better was knowing that from our very first date, our hearts always belonged to each other. You can relax in that kind of love. It’s the kind that lasts for 45 years—and forever! 

The ‘good ole days’ often evoke thoughts of a time when life was easier, slower; when exercise was defined as hard work, entertainment didn’t require remotes and country was a way of life. Although the 21st century has brought advancements that few Oklahomans would trade for the past, many enjoy a taste of it when they visit

Lucille’s restaurant in Mulhall.

Proprietors Don and Chris Harman, Mulhall natives, revived the restaurant after a fire destroyed it in 2009. “Before the fire, Lucille’s was an icon and a business in a town of less than 300. The previous owner had no desire to rebuild but knew the town needed something,” said Harman. 

Endeavoring to keep the history that made Lucille’s an Oklahoma landmark, the restaurant opened across the street from the original site. “The 1894 bank building had been the restaurant’s bar so we kept the old teller window for our bar and the traditional western flavor complete with old cowhides, Native American war bonnets and old pictures of Pistol Pete,” said Harman. 

Perhaps the most interesting piece of history in the new restaurant is the menu. “Our menu is the identical menu of Lucille’s before it burned, including the prices. The economy makes us change from time to time but we’re fighting to keep it the same so people can come back and see things from a simpler time,” said Harman.

Lucille’s menu boasts of burgers, steaks and fried chicken that customers comment “is the best around,” according to Harman. “My favorite is the breakfast buffet we have on Saturdays and Sundays with fried potatoes, three kinds of eggs, French toast, sausage, bacon and homemade biscuits.”

Another delight are the homemade pies and cobblers that Harman says “are strategically located right when you walk in the door.”  

If great food wasn’t enough to draw a crowd, their monthly events are. The first and second Saturday of every month, Lucille’s hosts a classic car show and motorcycle poker run consecutively. Crowds upwards of 500 enjoy live music and old fashioned street dances. Fridays in May, Lucille’s has old cowboy music with guests like Jim Garling. 

While Lucille’s history may entice some to visit, the atmosphere and food keeps them loyal. “Lucille’s isn’t a franchise; it’s a one-of-a-kind destination. I know it’s poetic but it’s where people go to get away from the big city stress and listen to the quiet,” said Harman. “Also, we have some of the best food and service around.”

Lucille’s is located on State Highway 77 and Main Street in Mulhall. Hours are 4 to 8 p.m. Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays. For more information or event schedules, go to lucillesok.com or call (405) 649-2229. 

With 28 locations throughout Oklahoma and Arizona, First Fidelity’s top priority is their customers. Executive vice president and commercial team leader Clint Stone explained, “We placed branches in various communities to allow us to better serve our customers. The convenience of a locally-owned community bank provides them greater opportunities to succeed.”

Each location offers full-service banking with the same technology as a major bank yet with the friendliness of a community bank. Aaron Trahan, assistant vice president and office manager for their Edmond Rose Creek location shared, “Our tools are designed to lead our customers to greater financial success. We work with our customers to get them the best rate and the best product to meet their needs.”

First Fidelity offers retail and commercial services, investment and protection services as well as merchant services. With their competitive interest rates, owner-occupied commercial real estate loans are on the rise at their Rose Creek branch. “We have commercial customers who’ve been leasing that are able to buy their buildings due to low interest rates,” said Stone.

Another avenue First Fidelity provides to ensure client success is their new credit builder loan. “In these economic times people’s credit has been damaged. The credit builder loan is set up like a personal line of credit and can help restore credit,” said Trahan.

The latest, most innovative product First Fidelity Bank proudly offers is mobile deposit. “We’re the first community bank in the country to offer mobile deposit. This application allows clients to conveniently, remotely and safely conduct business through their iPad or iPhone. This has been a huge success, especially at our Rose Creek branch,” said Harris. 

Everyone at First Fidelity agrees that their focus is to take care of customers the way they should be taken care of. When someone calls, they get a real person, not a recording. They want to be your partner with all your financial goals. 

For more information, call 416-2223 or visit their Rose Creek location in Edmond at 2825 NW 164th. Find them online at www.ffb.com.

With more than 15 years of experience in floor coating and sales, Roberts explained his choice for opening Garage Experts. “We wanted to be part of something that offered homeowners and businesses a quality product at an affordable price with a strong warranty. Garage Experts has over 20 years without floor failure. That’s why we can offer a lifetime warranty on this product and why to us, Garage Experts is the complete package.”

According to Garage Experts, they manufacture the only wicking epoxy on the market producing an oil, acid, slip and hot tire resistant floor coating that’s UV stable. “This product is so versatile it covers almost any existing floor covering. It’s more than a paint so you don’t have to worry about it peeling or flaking. Within two hours, it can be walked on and driven on by the next morning,” said Roberts.

There are more than 100 color combinations including custom colors or designs to choose from. “When we do industrial floor coating in restaurants or car dealerships, often we add their company logo. More homeowners are putting this in their homes, not just their garages, in lieu of concrete staining, because of its durability,” said Roberts. This multipurpose floor coating has also proven successful on pool decks, patios and sidewalks. Garage Experts also manufactures and installs custom garage cabinetry. “I’m excited to bring proprietary products to Oklahoma that offer lifetime warranties,” said Roberts.

Roberts isn’t the only one excited about what Garage Experts has to offer. Having done thousands of square feet since opening the Oklahoma franchise in November and counting every inch a success story, his proudest moments are still ahead. Roberts shared, “We’ve been chosen to do the St. Jude’s Dream Home this year. We’re also doing a garage floor for a 93-year-old World War II veteran homeowner from ‘In Your Corner with Scott Hines’ because we believe in giving back to the community.”

For a convenient in-home professional estimate or for more information, call 563-9919 or go to www.garageexperts.com. 

1. Edmond Dog Park

Edmond resident Elizabeth Gutierrez takes her Shih Tzu mix, Chewy, to Edmond’s Dog Park several times a month. While the dogs play, the “regulars” all socialize too, although they only know each other by their dogs’ names. “It’s fun to get outdoors, especially this time of year, and watch the dogs play,” said Guiterrez. “It’s a great, grassy space and there are always lots of friends for Chewy to run around with.” 

Although only 18 pounds, Chewy gets along with all the other dogs, from the little puppies to the Great Danes. “Edmond’s Dog Park is beautiful. They just fixed it up and put a new path around it. There’s a gate you can go through if you want to walk around the little fishing lake, but the best part is Edmond’s dog owners. People are very nice in Edmond, and the dog owners are very responsible,” said Guiterrez.

Open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Boulevard and 33rd, the Edmond Dog Park is five acres of space for dog lovers and their furry “children” to enjoy. 

2. E.C. Hafer Park

Andy and Gabriele Moore moved to Edmond in March 2010, and the couple spends time whenever they can at Edmond’s E.C. Hafer Park, located at Bryant between 2nd and 15th street.

With trails, paths, playgrounds and pond, the park is one of the couple’s favorite spaces. “It’s a very family-friendly park with great outdoor spaces that are both shaded and sunny. There are always lots of people there taking advantage of the park. One time, we saw about 20 people staging some sort of medieval battle, complete with foam swords and cardboard shields. It was hilarious,” said Andy.

Commissioned in 1979, Hafer Park encompasses 121 acres of outdoor land and offers 1.5 miles of paved, multi-use trails, pavilions, three playgrounds, a volleyball court, a kids’ fishing pond, an open stage, an athletic complex and exercise stations. It’s a favorite for families and exercise enthusiasts.

 “We enjoy the walking trails or just go to have a picnic or sit and watch the ducks at the pond. When we got married in 2008, we had a picnic at the park for our rehearsal dinner. Also, we just recently had our first child, and his first outing was taking a stroll through the park,” said Andy.  

3. Festival Market Place

Combine shopping, local produce and the great outdoors, and the Festival Market Place is the perfect setting in Edmond. 

Home to the monthly Farmers Market and events like the Ice Challenge’s Holiday Ice Rink, LibertyFest events and the Arbor Day Celebration, the marketplace is located in downtown Edmond, sharing its space with specialty retail shops and public art. 

Festival Market Place was created when Edmond City Architect David Odle stepped up to manage the area after Edmond took over the farmers market in 2001. The vision was to make the space more than just a farmers market, but a place where families could gather and enjoy the downtown area.

Edmond Farmers Market opens every April on Saturdays allowing farmers to sell their crops directly to customers. Visitors can also find flower vendors, gardening booths and entertainment. Customers can buy a variety of food, from local honey to beef to fresh produce to local wine. 

In June, the Edmond Farmer’s Market also opens on Wednesdays with a second Saturday crafts show starting the same month.

4. Arcadia Lake

Located on the Deep Fork River, Arcadia Lake is one of Edmond’s most popular outdoor spaces. With facilities like picnic areas, camping areas, hiking and biking trails, equestrian trails, covered and pier fishing and sandy beaches, the lake becomes a mecca for families and sports enthusiasts year-round. “In my opinion, because the lake is so close to home, it’s a perfect place for families,” said Nicole Offutt, administrative assistant for Arcadia Lake. “It’s only five minutes from Edmond, but it has all the features of other big lake areas.”

Fishing at the lake can be done from a pier or in a heated, covered dock. Bluegills, largemouth bass, channel catfish and blue catfish can be caught year-round. In addition, boat ramps and docks are available to water enthusiasts.

Hikers and mountain bikers have 17 miles of trails to explore, one of the few trails in the metro that are not paved and truly suitable for mountain biking. “Edmond and OKC have beautiful trails, but they are all paved. You can come hit these mountain bike trails after work for 6.5 miles one way and get a challenging workout,” said Offutt.

Arcadia Lake also boasts two 18-hole disc golf courses as well as both primitive and fully-equipped campgrounds. However, it’s the scenic overlook that attracts visitors from all over.  

5. YMCA Adventure Garden

The Edmond YMCA’s Adventure Garden, still in its first year, is an outdoor community garden that teaches youth how to plant, grow, and harvest fruit and vegetables. Not only are children responsible for planting, watering and maintaining the garden, but they also learn about healthy eating and growing their own produce. “Kids get to see the whole process of how vegetables are planted and grow,” said Geri Valdez, youth and family coordinator. “It’s fun for them to see how plants are planted and then be able to harvest them later.”

The City of Edmond, Regional Food Bank’s Urban Harvest Program, and Oklahoma State University-OKC master gardeners all come together to make the garden grow. The youth also play a big role in watering, weeding, planting and harvesting. “We will start our summer planting in May, but our spring planting had potatoes, tomatoes, green onions and strawberries,” said Valdez. “It is a true learning garden, and we also have a sensory garden so youth can touch, smell and feel different plants.” 

The garden has 13 raised beds, and families come out on weekends to help with planting and maintenance. In the spring and summer, it’s an activity that all family members can help with. “Kids see where their food comes from instead of just seeing them show up at the grocery,” said Valdez. For more information on the YMCA Adventure Garden, call 348-9622.

Melissa Kingry’s transformation from being overweight to a toned size 2 was a yearlong journey that taught her patience, endurance and healthy eating habits. But more importantly, it proved that you could go a long way if you are willing to work hard on achieving your goal. “Just making the decision that you are going to do this, it’s not easy,” she said. “It is a life-changing thing.”

Kingry is an Edmond mother of two young girls who works as an engineering technician. During her first pregnancy she gained excessive weight that she wasn’t able to lose. While pregnant a second time she gained even more. At her heaviest, Kingry weighed 200 pounds. 

“One day I just woke up, I knew that my husband and I were done having children, and I just thought, OK, now it’s just time to get in shape so that I can keep up with my kids and I can enjoy everything that my kids like to do,” she said. “Also, I really wanted to show a good example to my children as they grow up.”

Several small changes started bringing big results. Kingry started cooking more at home. She prepared healthier meals with grilled chicken and salmon, and incorporated a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables in her diet. She substituted the oil and milk she used with a healthier brand and stopped drinking pop. “That dropped the weight so fast,” she said. Kingry started taking the stairs instead of the elevator at work and bought a treadmill. “At night whenever the girls would go to bed, I would get on the treadmill and start out walking, and then ended up jogging, and later I started running four miles every night.”

Kingry logged everything she ate. “I found that if I wrote it down, I was held more accountable.” Once she figured out how many calories to consume and how many to burn, the progress became obvious. Colleagues and friends started noticing the difference. “Being able to get rid of clothes not just a little too big but way too big, that’s a really good feeling,” she said. 

Cooking became a favorite hobby. Kingry began experimenting with healthy recipes for the whole family from blogs and cookbooks. Among her favorite were Rachael Ray’s 30-minute meal ideas. “My husband just enjoyed the fact that I was cooking.” Her daughters loved it, too. She said eating healthy doesn’t mean you need to starve yourself or cut out everything you love to eat. “If you crave a cupcake, have one, but watch what you eat the rest of the day.”

Kingry, who has a busy schedule working full-time and being a mother, said the lack of free time shouldn’t be an excuse for unhealthy habits. Finding the time and motivation could be challenging but it all pays off in the end. “If you are healthy, happy and are taking care of yourself, that reflects on your entire family,” she said.

Kingry wasn’t the only one working hard to lose extra weight. During that time the entire Oklahoma City metro area was challenged by Mayor Mick Cornett to loose 1,000,000 pounds. When Kingry heard about the challenge, she decided to join and started tracking the lost pounds on the campaign’s website. In January the Mayor, who was also on a diet, announced that the goal was met. 

The success put the campaign in the national spotlight and a famous television talk show wanted to feature some of the participants. Ten people from the Oklahoma City area were selected to undergo total makeovers on the Rachael Ray Show in New York and Kingry was one of them. Her achievement was going to be recognized by her favorite television personality. “This giant bus showed up at my house,” she said.  “It was crazy.”

Kingry and her fellow Oklahomans stayed in New York for four days and had the chance to update their wardrobe and hairstyle with the help of makeover guru Kyan Douglas and celebrity stylist Ted Gibson. Some participants had lost more than 150 pounds. “Some of the most amazing people I’ve ever met in my life,” said Kingry, “and I can say that there will be friendships there that will carry on forever.”

One of the most exciting and rewarding moments for Kingry was standing backstage right before her appearance and hearing the announcer saying her name and that she had lost 70 pounds. Then she walked on stage in front of the bright lights and the cheering audience. “That wasn’t anything I thought would ever happen,” she said.

Rachael Ray was warm and welcoming. “She really seemed excited for all of us and I think that excitement carried through the room,” recalls Kingry. “I could feel emotions between the 10 of us and I kind of felt that throughout the audience.”

Kingry hopes that her story will encourage more people to start exercising and eating healthier, and to never give up before reaching their own glorious moment of victory. 

While his television acting career has reached stratospheric heights the past few years, Mark Harmon still brings his celebrity baseball team to Oklahoma to raise money for children’s charities in what has now become an exclusive appearance. Harmon and a baseball team of 14 famous friends will participate in a charity bowling event and admission-free baseball game the weekend of June 1 in Edmond. 

Dr. Michael Wright, Edmond spine surgeon and an insider with the group from his days in California, invites the “Bombers” team to participate in a weekend of fun each year in Oklahoma, and they keep coming back.

“Mark (Harmon) and I had no idea what we were starting, but we were part owners in a minor league baseball team, the San Bernardino Spirit, at the time,” said Barry Axelrod, Harmon’s agent, former roommate and Bombers co-founder. Harmon worked with the club, which figured prominently in his 1988 film “Stealing Home.”

Harmon and Axelrod were asked by baseball league officials to put together a celebrity game as a fundraiser. “Mark and I called our buddies that first time and it was a moderate success,” said Axelrod. “We were then invited to other places, and 24 years later, it has turned into this.”

When Wright lived in San Bernardino, he and a group of doctors played against Harmon’s charity team, the Bombers. Wright then served as assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Loma Linda University School of Medicine and as the team physician for the San Diego Padres. After moving to Oklahoma City in 1998 to join Oklahoma Sports Science and Orthopedics (OSSO), he would fly himself and several teammates back to California for competition.

“Michael asked if the Bombers would consider playing a game in Oklahoma City,” Axelrod said. “It took a few years to get this event off the ground, but Michael’s assistants worked hard to get it going.”

Harmon has told Wright that he will keep coming back as long as he is invited, and the team’s participation has become exclusive. After raising more than $1 million for the Children’s Center in Bethany during the first eight years, Oklahoma City is now the only event in which the Bombers participate.

“There were times we played in South Carolina, Alabama, Oklahoma City and San Bernardino, but because of Mark’s schedule with “NCIS” the last five or six years, he only gets eight weeks off each summer,” Axelrod said. “Mark tries to rest a little and have a family vacation, so it’s hard to find the dates to do more than one of these weekends a year.”

A successful sports agent who inspires loyalty from his clients, Axelrod has convinced a number of luminaries to play these baseball charity events. “We owe the success of this event to Michael Wright, the guys at OSSO and the people at the Children’s Center. It has been a great win-win partnership,” Axelrod said. “We get a group of guys together who have a lot of fun for some good causes.” 

The Oklahoma Kidz Charities Foundation, an outgrowth of OSSO employees, selected the Indian Clinic and The Anna’s House Foundation for the event’s proceeds. The foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting other Oklahoma nonprofits whose values reflect enriching the lives of children, scholastic leadership, academic excellence and mentoring.

The weekend of June 1 and 2 kicks off with Stars and Strikes Bowling Night at AMF Boulevard Lanes at 3501 S. Boulevard in Edmond. Sponsored bowling teams organize well in advance of the June 1 evening on the lanes. The two-session bowling event also features live and silent auctions of many autographed sports and Hollywood-related items. Celebrities, including Harmon, often bowl on a team, mingle with the crowd, and sign autographs. The live auction usually features high bids on an exclusive walk-on part on “NCIS,” which Harmon donates each year, including travel expenses to Hollywood. 

ESPN broadcaster Rick Sutcliff has donated four tickets to the World Series the past several years — often drawing some of the highest bids of the evening. Other bid items include those from recreation, health and beauty, art and culture, dining and entertainment and travel. 

This year, at 3 p.m. on June 2, University of Central Oklahoma’s Wendell Simmons Field is the site for the charity baseball game. Gates open at 1:30 p.m. at the far north end of campus. Harmon often signs autographs before and after the five-inning game near his team’s dugout.

Many celebrities play on Harmon’s Bombers baseball team as they compete against the Oklahoma Sports Science and Orthopedics “Outlaws,” a team of physicians, staff and friends of the medical organization. Axelrod is the Bombers’ manager and often late-inning pitcher. Hollywood super-producer Frank Marshall (Raiders and Bourne trilogies) and MLB veterans Wally Joyner (first base) and Rick Sutcliffe (pitcher) accompany him each year. Other teammates include Mark Heydorff, Peter Dubrawski, John Sciarra, Steve Klausen, Jim Peterson, Deacon Nauslar, Don Manning, Scott Wedman, Bruce Walton and Chuck Olsen. 

Harmon plays special agent Jethro Gibbs on the CBS series “NCIS,” finishing the past three seasons with the highest average Nielsen rating. Harmon is no stranger to competitive athletics, leading the UCLA Bruins as starting quarterback in 1972 and 1973. 

“We’ve been very fortunate to have Mark Harmon and his friends help make this event a huge success so millions of dollars could be raised for several worthwhile charities right here in Oklahoma City over the past 12 years,” Michael Wright said in April. “We’ve enjoyed having this event as much as Mark and his friends have enjoyed participating and hope to continue for many years to come.”

Edmond residents attending the free charity baseball game should arrive as early as 1:30 p.m. Seating will be first-come, first-served, for this rare free glimpse of one of the most famous television actors of the past decade.

Lacy Williams is an Edmond mom, wife, teacher, community volunteer and published author. She is passionate about promoting literacy and shares her love for books with children and adults alike. 

On the first Tuesday of each month, Williams and her red-haired Cavalier King Charles spaniel, Mr. Bingley, visit the Edmond Library. They participate in the local Kids Reading to Dogs program that helps children overcome shyness and fear of reading aloud. “A kid needs to know how to read and even if they don’t grow up to be somebody who makes a bunch of public speeches,” said Williams, “learning the confidence of being able to speak or read aloud in front of a dog or in front of me, who is not going to judge you, is really important.”

Mr. Bingley is named after one of the characters from the book and 2005 movie “Pride and Prejudice,” who also has red hair. He is a trained therapy dog and doesn’t mind listening to familiar stories over and over. “He loves the library, he loves being with the kids,” said Williams. “There are several kids that know him by name and actually come right up to him when they see him.” Williams said some of the children whisper the story to Mr. Bingley, while others just have their hand on his back while reading. “You can see that it relaxes them,” she said. 

Williams loved reading books as a child and dreamed of becoming a writer. When she was 10, her parents bought her a typewriter for Christmas. “My parents always encouraged my dream and always encouraged me to dream big,” she said. “I definitely think building on a childhood like that has got me where I am today.”

Williams grew up on her grandparents’ farm near Calumet. She remembers the cows, horses and fishing pond. It was the perfect setting to expand her imagination. What inspired her from the books that she was reading was the message of hope. “That’s the part that I love —the moment of sacrifice that leads to the happy ending.” She decided that her motto as a writer is “happily-ever-after, guaranteed.”

Last year, Williams published her first book, “Marrying Miss Marshal.” The widow of the town’s marshal “tries to keep justice in her town and guard her heart.” In 2009, Williams won the American Christian Fiction Writers’ Genesis Award for the novel. “This award was how my editor learned about the book and requested to see the whole manuscript,” said Williams. 

In 2012, Williams will release two more books. “The Homesteader’s Sweetheart,” which will be published this month, is a story about a poor homesteader who falls in love with a rich socialite and they have to work out their differences. “Counterfeit Cowboy” will be published in December. A con man pretending to be a cowboy falls in love with a woman who changes his life. The novels will be available as paperback and e-books. Williams is also working on a compilation of short stories. 

Before immersing herself in the world of writing and motherhood, Williams worked as an accountant and auditor. She had the chance to meet clients in different settings and got many story ideas from her own experiences. But after her daughter was born, Williams decided to leave the corporate world. “When you have a little crying baby, they are in charge,” she joked. Williams said watching her two children grow has been a huge blessing. She said she loves spending time with them reading books together. “My daughter actually started memorizing some of the books, so she reads it with you which I think is really cool for a 2-year-old.”

When Williams felt she was ready to start working on a book, she needed some professional guidance. “I knew nothing other than that I loved to write.” Williams joined the American Christian Fiction Writers group. She participated in seminars, received feedback from other writers and found a mentor. “It really made a big difference in my life,” she said. “I wanted to turn around and be that person, that mentor for other people.” 

Williams helped start a local chapter of the group where new writers can find resources and be matched with a mentor. In addition, she teaches part-time writing classes at Francis Tuttle and classes on how to use e-readers at the Belle Isle Library in Oklahoma City. 

For more information about Williams, her books and resources for aspiring writers, go to www.lacyjwilliams.com.