Help Support Returning Veterans Being Treated for PTSD

Support Returning Veterans Being Treated for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in the OKC Veterans Hospital Psychiatric Unit

Please help us meet their needs by donating item(s) listed below.

Donations are being collected & delivered by RSVP. Donations will be accepted through December 21st.

Donations Needed for our Returning Troops:

Deodorant (Huge Need!)

Shampoo & Conditioner

Toothbrushes & Toothpaste

Combs (little black kind)

Paperback Books (can be slightly used)

Playing Cards

Board Games

Soap

For more information or to make donations, contact Beth Patterson, Executive Director for RSPV of Central Oklahoma, 405.605.3110 or beth.patterson@rsvpokc.org

Congratulations Marveda and Marilyn!

Pictured at top are the Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma group at the 2009 Oklahoma City AIDS Walk and below, Marilyn Staats and Marveda Stinson

The Oklahoma City’s AIDS Walk was a huge success this year, with thousands of dollars in grants distributed amongst several local nonprofit agencies at the World AIDS Day Remembrance Service. Of those nonprofits, Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma was honored to receive $8,200 in grants for their HIV/AIDS Legal Resource Project.

The project, run by Marilyn Staats, Staff Attorney and Project Director, and Marveda Stinson, Legal Assistant, has been assisting clients since 1992.

“This grant is so important because it shows how supportive the AIDS community is of our program. To have our services recognized as being vital to the community says a lot,” said Staats.

Serving all 77 counties, the HIV/AIDS Legal Resource Project assists with the legal problems of individuals with HIV or diagnosed with AIDS. Legal services are provided for civil legal problems related to HIV or AIDS diagnosis.

“The majority of the cases we deal with have to do with housing or homeless issues,” said Staats, “because most of our clients are disabled, they can often go homeless or are forced to go without medical care if they don’t receive legal help.”

The project closed 132 cases in 2008 and each year, the number of cases closed continues to go up. Plans are currently under way to add a third employee in Tulsa under the HIV/AIDS Legal Resource Project so that clients can be better served in Eastern Oklahoma.

Marilyn and Marveda make it a point to speak with each potential client that calls in. With the client to attorney ratio being so high at Legal Aid, several cases are referred to pro bono attorneys. Marilyn and Marveda are always seeking assistance from private attorneys across the state who are looking for pro bono opportunities.

In addition to the Oklahoma City AIDS Walk, the project is funded in part by the Oklahoma AIDS Care Fund, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), the Inasmuch Foundation and the George Kaiser Family Foundation

Chili Luncheon to benefit Ada Regional United Way

Source - Ada Evening News

ADA - Ada Regional United Way’s 15 member agencies will host the second annual Agencies Giving Back chili lunch on Thursday, Nov. 19, at the First United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall (Broadway and 14th Street) 11 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.

This event was organized by all member agencies who wanted to give back to Ada Regional United Way to support and show thanks for what the United Way does throughout the year for their agencies. Tickets for the chili lunch are $5; includes a drink, chili, homemade corn bread, and desserts. All proceeds from the event (ticket sales and donations) will benefit the Ada Regional United Way.

Ada Regional United Way’s 15 member agencies include: Ada Area Youth Shelter/Services, Ada Habitat for Humanity, Boy Scouts-Arbuckle Council, Boys & Girls Club of Ada, Camp Fire USA, Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma, Ada Area Chemical Dependency Center, Inc., Ada Area Community Emergency Services, Inc., American Red Cross, Heart of Oklahoma Chapter, Consumer Credit Counseling Services, Family Crisis Center, Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Inc., 2-1-1 of Southeastern Oklahoma, Ada Senior Care Center, and PAWS.

Tickets will be sold at the door, or may be purchased by contacting one of the member agencies. For more information, phone 580-332-2313 x 223.

Congrats, Karl!

Sending a big ol' shout out to our very own Karl Rysted, staff attorney Legal Aid's Oklahoma City office, for completing the Marine Corps Marathon on October 25, in Arlington, VA.

Did I mention he finished in the top third overall? That's out of over 20,000 finishers! He and his training buddy, Paul Friese, were both mentioned in the October 30, Oklahoma Sports & Fitness newsletter. Wow, not bad!

His final stats were as follows:

Name, City, Age, Gender, Chip Time, Official Gun Time

KARL RYSTED, MOORE, 48, M, 4:16:54, 4:26:09K

KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK, KARL!!! You're making us proud!

Tulsa Run this Saturday!

For all you runners out there, this Saturday, October 31, Tulsa hosts the 2009 Tulsa Run. If you plan to register, the cutoff is October 27 at midnight. That's today folks!

The Tulsa Run is the oldest and largest run in Oklahoma and includes several special events throughout the day. Plus, it's for a great cause! This year's beneficiaries include YMCA of Greater Tulsa and LIFE Senior Services.

To learn more about the Tulsa Run, visit their website at http://www.tulsarun.com.

2009 Ghouls Gone Wild Parade

"Sucking the Life out of Legal Nightmares for 35 Years"

This will be the slogan for Legal Aid's float at the 2009 Ghouls Gone Wild parade.

The parade, which takes place Saturday, October 24, at 7 p.m. in downtown Oklahoma City, will feature several floats from local businesses and organizations as well as live music and plenty of spooks and scares for the family.

This is the third year for the parade, which is put on by the Oklahoma Gazette. Once again, the grand finale will include The Flaming Lips and their "march of 1,000 skeletons."

Most importantly, you can see fellow Legal Aid staff dressed as witches, vampires, zombies and even "good guy" attorney vampire and zombie slayers!!

If you would like to participate, contact Rachel Galindo by emailing her at rachel.galindo@laok.org.

For more information on the parade, visit the Ghouls Gone Wild website here:

www.ghoulsgonewildokc.com

2009 Day of Caring

This year's United Way Day of Caring was a huge success for Legal Aid.

Last Friday, several volunteers showed up at Legal Aid's Oklahoma City office to help assemble at least 50 packets of brochures and other information. Following this, the volunteers delivered the packets to various senior sites across Oklahoma City.

United Way's Day of Caring is a chance for partner agencies to submit projects that need to be completed such as landscaping, painting or interacting with clients. Companies then pick the projects and bring the materials needed to complete the projects for the agencies.

Thanks to the volunteers for all your help!

Join us at the 2009 Aids Walk this Sunday!!!

Come help represent Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma by joining us to walk for a cause at the 2009 Oklahoma City AIDS Walk!!

The AIDS Walk of Oklahoma City is a day of citywide HIV/AIDS awareness. Oklahomans from all walks of life join together to raise funds to support individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS in the greater Oklahoma City community. AIDS Walk of Oklahoma City is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization.

The one-mile walk will take place Sunday, October 11, 2009, with Registration & Entertainment at 12:30 p.m. and the walk beginning at 2:00 p.m. Walkers meet at the Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 West Reno Avenue. The walk is approximately one mile and goes through the scenic Bricktown district of Oklahoma City.

Please contact Marilyn Staats at marilyn.staats@laok.org or Marveda Stinson at marveda.stinson@laok.org if you have questions or would like to sign up to walk with Legal Aid. We would love to see all of you there!

Preventing the Swine (H1N1) and Seasonal Flu this Fall

There are plenty of ways in which you can take precautions to make catching the flu less of a risk. Follow this link to get some good advice on what you and your family can start doing now to help ward off the seasonal & swine flu (H1N1):

http://www.thestate.com/opinion/story/943341.html

In addition, exercise has been proven to strengthen the immune system, enabling it to fight viral & bacterial infections. Follow this link to learn more about how you can help prevent the flu through regular exercise:

http://fitness.suite101.com/article.cfm/strengthen_your_immune_system_with_exercise

First Rock & Rib Festival in Tulsa

First Rock & Rib Festival in Tulsa

Tulsa Business Journal

When the BOK Center began planning how to attract Oklahomans to its first anniversary, it went the stomach-to-heart route with its first Rock ‘n Rib Festival, sponsored by local fast-casual eatery Rib Crib BBQ & Grill.

“Right now (the BOK Center) is a brand new arena, and we’ve been very fortunate to have a lot of big acts come to Tulsa,” said Jeff Nickler, special events manager for the SMG-managed center. “Down the road, as acts thin out and the arena is not as full, we’ll need other events to draw people to the arena. This will be a sustainable annual event.”

The Rock ‘n Rib Festival, of which Tulsa Business Journal and local grill manufacturer Hasty-Bake are sponsors, will have downtown rockin’ for four days, Sept. 17-20, with seven award-winning rib vendors and other concessions purveyors treating downtown-goers with delicious barbecue and fair fare while 13 regional bands entertain.

Click here to learn more about the Rock & Rib Festival...