EDITOR’S LETTER

NOVEMBER 2015

“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is

happiness doubled by wonder.” G.K. Chesterton The Sunday after Halloween, as I was eating leftover candy and putting away

my sculls and ravens for more acceptable general “fall” decor, I heard it: a

Christmas commercial. In fact, it was for Hallmark’s 55 Days of Christmas.

This, coupled with the fact that Christmas decorations are already on sale

everywhere I go, goes to show that Thanksgiving is quickly losing ground as

an American institution, and I won’t sit idly by and watch it happen.

Each year, people claim there’s a “war on Christmas,” but this year, I want us to fight the

war on Thanksgiving.

While the true origins of Thanksgiving may not be widely known, the thought behind it

is indeed sincere. President Abraham Lincoln declared a “national Day of Thanksgiving

and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.” This was when it was

declared a federal and public holiday. However, earlier Americans were celebrating long

before that.

In 1777, while the Continental Congress was meeting in a temporary location in York,

Penn., due to the British occupation of our then-national capital at Philadelphia, a note

of thanks was issued. Samuel Adams (the person, not the beer) drafted the First National

Proclamation of Thanksgiving. Congress later adapted the final version, which, in part,

read

“…That it may please Him graciously to afford his Blessing on the Governments of

these States respectively, and prosper the public Council of the whole: To inspire our

Commanders, both by Land and Sea, and all under them, with that Wisdom and

Fortitude which may render them fit Instruments, under the Providence of Almighty

God, to secure for these United States, the greatest of all human Blessings, Independence

and Peace…”

Our first Thanksgiving wasn’t meant to imitate a festive coming together of the pilgrims

and Native Americans; it was to call upon a greater power while we were at war, trying

desperately to establish ourselves as an independent nation. If there is a holiday worth

celebrating in America, Thanksgiving is worth it. So, hold off on your Christmas trees

and carols and let the turkey have his time.

I hope you’ll join my War For Thanksgiving by expressing gratitude toward family,

friends, and others who have helped you this year. I’ll go first: while we will continue

giving thanks for all of our readers, community friends and people who are able to

keep our magazines running, we’re also expressing

sincere gratitude for allowing us, artists, writers,

photographers & designers, to practice our crafts

and remain independent. Without you, we simply

wouldn’t have a job. So, thank you, thank you, thank

you.

Best,

Meg McElhaney

Editor-in-Chief

The hustle and bustle of the holiday season often

leads to an overload of consumerism and stress.

It seems you can’t turn around without the urge

to buy this and purchase that. Though it’s all well

and good to buy fun gifts for your loved ones, the

meaning behind the holiday season sometimes gets pushed

aside with the Black Friday and Cyber Monday madness.

Giving Tuesday (#GivingTuesday), Dec. 1, 2015, is wholly dedicated

to taking time to think of others who truly need help.

The program is a global day centering around giving generously

to those who need it the most. The local Edmond, Oklahoma

City & Choctaw and Harrah communities are getting involved,

too. All it takes is a quick search on givingtuesday.org to locate

a charity that’s participating. A few nonprofits taking part are

HOPE Center of Edmond, Orphan Relief Effort Inc., Regional

Food Bank of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy

and the Foundation for Oklahoma City Public Schools. So

on Giving Tuesday, take the time to give back to your local community—

you’ll be happy you did.

Written by Katy Fabrie

Christmas in

Cleveland County

The Christmas Store of Cleveland County,

a project within the Cleveland County

community, is now accepting donations and

volunteer applications for the 2015 holiday

season. The project

aims to provide a better Christmas

for low-income families by offering

the opportunity to buy gifts and

food through the store. Action, Inc.

began the program in 1970, and the

store operates solely with the help of

volunteers and donations.

Currently, the store is looking for

new or unused donations of children’s

toys, non-perishable groceries, household goods and

products and cash donations to help with the purchase of

additional gifts. The Christmas Store of Cleveland County

will be accepting donations Nov. 17-20, Nov. 30, Dec. 1-3

and Dec. 5. Donation hours run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on

each of these days. Donations can be delivered to the store

at 641 E. Robinson, Norman, OK.

To sign up to volunteer, you can visit

http://christmas-store.org/volunteer.

Volunteers for the store must be age

16 or older. All financial donations

can be mailed to The Christmas

Store at PO Box 256, Norman, OK

73070. For additional information

about the Christmas Store of

Cleveland County, email the store at

ClevelandCountyChristmasStore@

gmail.com or visit http://christmasstore.

org.

Written by Sarah Neese

Sooners Helping Sooners

CHANGING LIVES OFF OF THE FIELD

Of the 1,093,234 high school football players

that gleam under the Friday night lights,

only 6.5 percent will play in college. Of the

college stars that we cheer on at bowl games,

bedlam, and national championship victories

approximately 1.6 percent of those young men will make it

to the ultimate level – the NFL. Lets say you are from the

University of Oklahoma (OU) and have made it to being a

professional football player. You’re living a dream, achieved

by very few, and in a career that spans an average of three

– five years, if you are lucky. Taxes, agent fees, and the

procurement of eye popping luxury items will all be tied

to that “big contract” and when the pro career is over, then

what?

That’s where Sooners Helping Sooners, Inc. comes in. Founded

by University of Oklahoma icon J.D. “Jakie” Sandefer III,

this nonprofit stands with the mission to positively impact

the lives of former University of Oklahoma student-athletes

and their families by providing opportunities for personal

development, education and rewarding career paths. The

organization was formalized in 2014 and is currently

headed by the winning combination of Sooner legends Jerry

Pettibone and Jay O’Neal. Despite its strong football ties,

Sooners Helping Sooners, Inc is committed to assisting all

former student athletes, and is inclusive of all sports and

genders.

Two-time National Championship winner, and former

University of Oklahoma coach, Jay O’Neal, at one point in

time also headed the summer job program for OU student

athletes. During that time students were able to garner

summer internships and gain real world experience in their

chosen field of study. Given today’s fierce competition this

is no longer a viable option. Student athletes spend the

majority of their summers away from their families in intense

University sponsored summer workouts. So regardless if an

individual athlete elects to go pro or finishes their 4-year

degree program, their resumes read the same – no corporate

experience.

“They’re walk ons to the job market”, O’Neal said, “raw talent”.

This is a place that may be familiar to many athletes on the

field or court, however, after earning a college degree, this in

no way can be anyone’s desired endgame. Sooners Helping

Sooners, Inc assists these former college student athletes by

transforming what they have learned from playing sports:

hard work, applying oneself, and work ethic, into success in

the job world. By no means is this process a mere handout.

Former student athletes compete, like all new graduates,

for entry level jobs, but instead of having a resume full of

internships, industry experience and references, they have

Sooners Helping Sooners, Inc. as their advocates.

“In the beginning we called up our own resources,” recalls

Jay O’Neal. Many times if they had an outstanding candidate,

they would call upon a friend, and ask “businesses to give

people a try”. Now this was never a guarantee of a job, just an

opportunity to be seen, and given a chance – former athletes

still had to prove themselves in the interview.

From these humble beginnings, our state has benefited

greatly. Sooners Helping Sooners Inc has introduced the oil

and gas, service corporations, pharmaceuticals sales, truck

driving, insurance, banking, and other industries within our

state to an often overlooked, vastly capable group of young

people eager to get into the work force. For Jay O’Neal it’s

more than just helping someone get a job. “Many of them

have families they need to provide for and we help them do

that” explains O’Neal. For this passionate group, it’s about

building a legacy for student athletes at Oklahoma’s largest

university. Former OU tight end, Bubba Moses is part of that

legacy.

Moses was part of OU’s conference championship teams

from 2002 TO 2006 and participated in four Bowl Games

(Rose, Sugar, Orange and Holiday). In 2006 he graduated

from OU with a degree in criminal justice and returned

to his hometown of Houston, TX to work in a juvenile

detention center. “Playing at the University of Oklahoma,

everybody puts you on a pedestal and doesn’t prepare you for

the next [step]”, explains Moses. He also reflects back on his

college years and adds, “Personally, I didn’t take advantage of

the resources that the University of Oklahoma had to offer

because playing football [at OU] is the top thing on your list,

ya know.” For Bubba, a superior athlete that never made it to

the NFL, the reality check came quick. He rationalizes, “As

the years go on, while you’re in school, when you don’t see it

playing out how you want it to play out, then it’s like you’re

stuck in the mud. Then you say, ‘What will I do?’” A few years

ago, Moses met Jakie and his luck began to change. “They put

you in a position to succeed, to be successful” he continues

“They opened up numerous doors for me that would’ve

never opened without Sooners Helping Sooners, and it just

continues to grow.” Today, Moses and his family reside in

Fresno, TX, where he works in oil and gas, due in large part

to his experience with Sooners Helping Sooners, Inc. “They

are a wonderful organization. They are part of my family, and

my wife loves them and I do too as well,” concludes Moses.

For those in need of job placement services, an application

for Sooners Helping Sooners, Inc, is a simple click away,

when you access soonershelpingsooners.com. In addition to

employment, Sooners Helping Sooners, Inc points former

pros in need of financial planners, in the right direction.

Career center sessions are also offered to aid job seekers to

build on their speaking abilities and professional personal

appearance. This model for identifying and preparing young

people to achieve personal aspirations and career goals is

brought to fruition through an ever-growing number of

partnerships, in a diverse myriad of job fields. This particular

vision for empowering former college student athletes is

made possible by the support of businesses and individual

contributions, nationwide as well as one very special

fundraiser – the Barry Switzer Classic.

Held at the Belmar Golf Club, the Barry Switzer Classic

boasts 18 holes of Oklahoma’s best golf in celebration of

Coach Switzer’s birthday and in support of Sooners Helping

Sooners, Inc. Entrants can register as individuals or on the

higher end of the sponsorship spectrum. For a few hundred

ultimate OU fans, this is an event provides up close and

personal access to OU supporters like Oklahoma’s own

Toby Keith and former Sooner players and coaches. The

all day affair features awards, dinner, and an auction with

this bottom line – the majority of all proceeds go to benefit

future former college student athletes involved with Sooners

Helping Sooners.

Sooners Helping Sooners, Inc. is constantly looking to grow

their network and welcomes support from individuals and

area businesses. For more information on Sooners Helping

Sooners, Inc. you can visit their website, get connected on

their app, or simply keep it interactive on social media. In

this season of thanks, I’m sure we all are grateful for at least

one chance someone gave us to better ourselves, in life, and

nothing feels better than giving back.

Written by Carmen Coffee

Photo by Jim Roberson

Healing OKC

HOW ONE OF OKC’S OLDEST NONPROFITS CONTINUES TO HELP

F or more than 95 years, Neighborhood Services

Organization (NSO) has provided hope, shelter,

understanding and support to people across the

central and south Oklahoma City area. Their approach

is simple, yet remarkable. They care for at-risk

populations and homeless people by sheltering them and giving

them strict schedules and structure, while at the same time

acknowledging that some people who struggle from mental illness

will never be able to secure a place to live on their own. In a city

where mental illness is one of the main causes of homelessness,

we would all be wise to follow NSO’s lead.

“It’s not polite, it’s not something that we talk about in the South,”

Jamie Siegal, Development & Communications Director for NSO,

said of the issue of homelessness.

Mental illness affects thousands of Oklahomans. In fact, one in

five adults across our state live with varying degrees of illnesses

that, when gone unchecked, can be life threatening. Even in less

severe cases, mental illness can keep a person from holding down

a job, finding housing, or even caring for oneself.

Oklahoma is also the number two in the nation (second only to

West Virginia) for number of adults with severe mental illness.

This leads to an ever-increasing population of able-bodied

Oklahomans who would be thrilled to contribute meaningfully to

their communities and society, if only they could receive proper

treatment. But for too many, treatment is out of reach.

These sobering facts drive the mission of the Neighborhood

Services Organization. Because at the heart of NSO lies a love and

compassion for people who are marginalized by society.

They have many programs, and have been the incubator for

some of Oklahoma City’s best and largest nonprofits that aim to

tackle homelessness: the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, a

robust program created to provide food to vulnerable families;

and Promising Tomorrows, an elementary school designed for

homeless students. With these organizations and others doing

important work in other areas of homelessness, NSO now focuses

on a few key areas: housing, both temporary and permanent,

after care for prior residents of their programs, WIC, and a dental

clinic.

For Mickie Miller, a resident in their permanent housing

program, called Palo Duro, having a home has made all the

difference.

By the time she connected with NSO, Mickie was living with

bipolar disorder, paranoia, and Parkinson’s Disease in a park on

the south side of Oklahoma City. She found safety, support, and

attention from doctors through NSO, and is proud to say that she

is finally stable.

“I’m going to be here until my dying day,” Miller said. “Because I

don’t have family, I’m an only child; mom and daddy are deceased

with grandma and grandpa. So, I came in here and made a name

for myself and NSO has helped me just as I help them. I do their

tours and share with people the programs here for the residents of

Palo Dura I and Palo Dura II.”

Both living facilities are apartment complexes designed for stable,

mentally ill adults who qualify for Section 8 housing or HUD

assistance. They are responsible for their own groceries, laundry

and housekeeping. The staff at both facilities assists them with

their medical appointments and performs wellness checks daily

to ensure that they’re taking all of their medicines and staying up

with appointments.

“I wish that I’d been here before, because life for me has been

good,” Miller said.

Miller talks often of how secure the apartment complex is and

how thankful she is of all staff and programing that NSO provides

residents.

“The place is an excellent place to live, but in the event that you

have a friend or someone you work with that you know is a

 special needs person, you can always contact the office here or the main office,” Miller

said. A glowing review doesn’t quite describe Miller’s love for NSO. Living there since

2003, she’s a mainstay around the office and her apartment complex. Everyone she

meets is “girl this or girl that,”. There is a unique warmness and humor that Miller

embodies. Upon leaving, Miller stopped us before we left for the evening.

“When you see my friend Stacy, y’all tell her that y’all came to see me and tell her that

Miss Palo Duro 2015 is being excellent,” Miller said. “Say she’s in good spirits. Tell her

about my jokes, girl,” Miller said. Stacy, by the way, is the CEO of NSO. It just goes to

show how personally the staff take their jobs.

Mickie is just one of many success stories for NSO. She’s moved from the streets to

having her own safe and warm apartment where she can express herself, have friends

and hobbies. Most importantly, she gets the treatment she needs to stay in good sprits.

Another powerful program offered by NSO is transitional housing. The program

is for young men between ages 19-23 who are homeless, which is harder to track

than one would think - in fact, NSO is the only organization providing the service

specifically for this demographic.

“The hard thing about it is, these young men are homeless, but they aren’t necessarily

on the street,” Aaron Wilder, public relations & recruitment coordinator for NSO.

“They’re on their friend’s couch or with distant relatives, but they’re still homeless. It

would absolutely break my heart if every kid who needed us called us, because there

would just be too many for us to house and help.”

The Carolyn Williams Center, which is a dormitory-style complex, houses the young

men of the transitional living program. It’s not set up like a hospital ward or a prison

block; it’s more like a fraternity. There is a state-of-the-art kitchen where meals are

prepared each day, a full-time case worker is there 24 hours a day and programming

is available to help the young men learn to live independently, budget, interview for

jobs, and master the professional etiquette necessary to keep them. NSO brings in

representatives from different industries that don’t necessarily require a four-year

college education, but instead focus on apprenticeships or Oklahoma’s world-renown

CareerTech system.

“This is the only type of program in the state like this,” Siegal said. “This is it.”

Residents at the Carolyn Williams Center can stay up to two years, which gives them

time to acclimate to a stable, non-homeless life.

“We know there’s not enough services in Oklahoma City,” Siegal said. “We know the

need, we know the shortage, we know that there’s other nonprofits trying to help but

there aren’t other dorm-style complexes that takes them [young men] and says ‘Here,

let’s get you on your feet and let’s get you going and help make you a productive adult,’

nobody does that. And, of course, there’s never enough money.”

Learning about the myriad of programs offered by NSO would impress anyone, but

the most striking thing about it is how the staff talk about their work. They get to

know a more intimate side of mental illness; they are on the front line, treating the

symptoms. And if that isn’t enough, they care for the person and help them discover

independence in whatever way they can, no matter how long it takes. Even so, the

staff glows when they talk about their work, and their only complaint is that they

can’t do more. Of course, they could always use more funding and volunteers. You

can learn more about donating to or volunteering with Neighborhood Services

Organization at www.nsookc.org

Written by Meg McElhaney

Photo provided by NSO

Courage to Dream

“Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without

courage you can’t practice any other virtue consistently. You can

practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without

courage.” - Maya Angelou

Local Individuals begin Nonprofit Geared toward

Helping those Struggling with Addiction

It takes courage to deal with life’s struggles. It takes courage

to ask for help. It takes courage to continue dreaming

despite outside circumstances and inward failures. Lucky

for Moore locals, courage is exactly what drives an inspired

new nonprofit.

Dreaming of Recovery

The Dream Challenge, a local recovery program, is set to

open its doors at the end of 2015 and is the brain child of

Jared Williams, a Moore business owner. Williams’ vision

stems from both a desire to help his local community and

a dream he believes everyone has, despite their station in

life. It is from these notions that the Dream Challenge was

born. The recovery program is dedicated to helping those

struggling with addiction of all sorts. Williams says the

faith-based program will accept various types of addiction

patients and will emphasize an accepting, trustworthy

culture. The organization is looking to open its doors at

320 North Eastern Road in Moore in a 36,0000-square-foot

building. Once running, the Dream Challenge will house

those ages 18 and over seeking help for their addiction.

“The Dream Challenge is a program that will help

individuals overcome addiction, hangups, habits and

harmful cyclical behaviors,” said Jared Williams, founder of

The Dream Challenge.

When many people hear the word addiction, drug abuse

and alcoholism comes to mind. Although, these are aspects

the Dream Challenge will address, the “cyclical behaviors”

range from alcohol and drug addiction to anxiety and

depression. Williams hopes the Dream Challenge will

inspire locals to take ownership and seek help for whatever

issues they’re experiencing.

Interestingly enough, the name of the program is one

thing that sets it apart from other similar nonprofits. The

name “Dream Challenge” comes from Williams’ belief that

everyone grows up with a dream of some sort. He cites

children desiring to become lawyers, doctors or astronauts

with great enthusiasm when they’re young. However,

according to Williams, some people get off track on their

dreams when addiction and bad habits come into their lives.

Williams believes that through the Dream Challenge he will

challenge those involved to remember those old dreams

and understand what it takes to claim their life back. When

people have something to work for and to believe in, they

are more likely to pursue positive things. It is this train of

thought that inspires Williams and his Dream Challenge

crew.

A State of Emergency

When the news of new nonprofits and addiction programs

occurs, it is easy to dismiss the need as something for

“everyone else.” However, addiction is a fact of life for many

locals. Oklahoma’s need for addiction recovery programs

is underscored by bleak state statistics, especially when

it comes to prescription drug abuse. In a study done in

2012 Oklahoma ranked number one in the nation for

prescription painkiller abuse.

Improvements have been made, with Oklahoma now

ranking eighth nationally for prescription drug addiction

and fifth for drug overdose mortality, though these

“improvements” hardly generate positive feelings. Moreover,

in a study done in 2014, prescription drug overdoses were

responsible for nearly two Oklahoma deaths per day.

This might come as a shock; however, in many cases

addiction happens in secret and shame. Many struggling

think they can handle it on their own, and before they

know it, they’re in too deep. This is evident in a recent study

done by the the Oklahoma Health Department which cited

prescription drug overdose as the leading cause of injury

death for Oklahomans ages 25-65. Perhaps more shocking

is the overall implications of not only drug abuse, but also

alcohol abuse. These two debilitating habits go hand in

hand with increased risk of suicide, a recent study citing

drug and alcohol abuse increases the risk for suicide 6x.

The circumstances of those with addiction problems is dire;

however, Williams understands this wholeheartedly and

discussed how his program could make a real difference in

his community.

When trouble meets a desire to change, opportunity for real

impact happens. The Dream Challenge is open for those

who need help and are willing to ask for it.

A Different Kind of Nonprofit

When talking about the Dream Challenge, Williams

emphasized the difference between it and other nonprofits

with similar missions. Though the Dream Challenge seeks

to assist those struggling with addiction, it also dedicates,

on average, more time to its participants. Williams cited

other programs that typically last 40-60 days and noted that

although any outreach-driven program is helpful, those

enrolled in the Dream Challenge will be involved for an

extensive 18-24 months. This extra time makes the impact

of the program more likely to stick.

“We’re training people how to live again,” said Williams.

“We’re also establishing a trustworthy environment. Rather

than just giving the individuals in our program the tools, we

stand beside them and walk down their path with them. I

think there’s a huge need, and people need help now.”

It is no secret that people need help, and those that are in

a position to provide help should do their best to give it.

Williams is just one such person who believes in his vision

wholeheartedly. He noted the darker side of addiction, but

stated his faith in God will help him figure out the difficult

logistics like refurbishing the Dream Challenge’s space,

stocking the pantry and getting the word out to locals. His

belief in the mission guides him.

“This area is crying out for a program like this,” said

Williams.

Those looking to get involved with the Dream Challenge

can donate time, money or products like toilet paper,

canned food and nonperishables.

It takes courage to tackle a project like this one, but the

courage is well worth it when it is born from a desire to help

others. For more information about The Dream Challenge

visit their website at thedreamchallenge.com.

Written by Katy Fabrie

Photographed by Jonathan Burkhart

Blue

Christmas

GRIEF & THE HOLIDAYS I am far from an expert in this realm. In fact,

everything I am about to share I can almost

guarantee was advice I picked up along the way,

as the journey through the grief process does

not exactly come naturally. I can say that getting

through the holidays without your loved ones is…

tough, to say the least. From being too far away on the

map to see them, to losing them to the inevitable, not

having the option to share this season with the ones

you love can be dang near unbearable. For me, this will

be the first holiday season without my mother. Only

time will tell how well I can actually brave the next

couple of months. However, I do have a pretty good

idea of what it will take to keep myself healthy and do

a little more than just go through the motions.

As this season continues to slowly creep up, I cannot

help but almost obsess over the fact that I will not

wake up on Christmas morning to a stocking filled

by “Santa” and seeing the satisfaction she got out of

spoiling me with awesome trinkets. I literally woke up

every single Christmas morning to date to her smile.

It is pretty wild that this tradition not only lost all of

its joy, but it has ended completely. An article I read

from my mother’s hospice team mentioned that there

is always a possibility to start a new tradition, a new

normal. My first thought was that they are crazy for

saying that I can simply replace this tradition with a

new one and be content with it. However, the more I

think about it, the more it makes sense. And the more

I get excited about what it is exactly that I am going to

do in her memory that she will absolutely love and be

proud of. The possibilities are endless.

My boss mentioned in passing that a good way to spin

a situation like this into something constructive and

fulfilling is to do something for someone else. It really

got me thinking… I need to do what she would want

me to do with my time. She would absolutely hate for

me to feel sorry for myself

and hide out for a couple of

months (which in all honesty,

seems ideal). Instead, I

am determined to funnel

my energy and emotions into

something that positively impacts

someone else, in turn, positively

impacting myself.

It will be awesome reaping the benefits of helping

others. However, it is definitely just as important

to help my own self… mentally, physically, and

emotionally. It is okay to feel bad, but it is also okay to

feel good, which is something that I have to give myself

constant reminders about. I have found that talking

about her and sharing the memories of our traditions

with those people in my life that love her like I do is

definitely one thing that makes me feel good. Another

thing that has kept me going this whole time, is

knowing that I am not alone. Everyone is fighting their

own battle. It is up to you to figure out how you will

conquer yours.

Erika Raschke is Director of ATI (all things important) at

High Five Media Group and is a living example that positivity

and vulnerability, along with time, can heal people.

Women of the South, a nonprofit organization in south

Oklahoma City dedicated to women helping women, held

a fundraiser at Grand Junction Clothing Co., a clothing

boutique in southwest Oklahoma City. The fundraiser

occurred on Wednesday, Oct. 7 between 10 a.m. and 7

p.m. Shoppers could purchase clothes with 15

percent of the sales benefitting the Women of the

South endowment fund. Ashley Spann, owner of

Grand Junction, also provided drinks and hors

d’oeuvres for members and guests between 4 p.m.

and 7 p.m.

The day was a huge success—the Women of the

South received a $1,050 check to benefit their

endowment. The Women of the South’s mission is

“to provide cultural, civic, educational and social

activities for the South Oklahoma City metro

area.” Teaming up with Grand Junction both raised

awareness for their mission and allowed customers

to participate in their worthy cause.

Written by Katy Fabrie

From Brazil to Oklahoma

From Brazil to Oklahoma, Sandro Sampaio’s

martial arts journey spans countries and

continents. Born and raised in Rio de Janeiro,

Sampaio, now head instructor and owner of

Carlson Gracie Training Center in Moore,

Oklahoma, began his martial arts career at the age of

13, training with the legendary Carlson Gracie team in

Copacabana. After earning his black belt in Brazilian Jiu-

Jitsu, Sampaio moved to Spain to teach Jiu-Jitsu to military

and police personnel and later moved to New Zealand for a

professional MMA fight.

With experience as an international instructor under his

belt, Sampaio moved to Moore, where he opened Carlson

Gracie Training Center, affiliated with the Carlson Gracie

team that helped him begin his Jiu-Jitsu career. Experienced

in MMA, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and submission tournaments,

Sampaio offers specialized instruction for self-defense,

grappling, MMA, and personal and conditional training.

Sampaio uses his specialties to help educate and train

the Moore and Oklahoma City metro communities,

including members of the Moore and Oklahoma City Police

Departments. The center is also the only gym allowed to

teach Jiu-Jitsu at Tinker Air Force Base.

Carlson Gracie Training Center offers classes for children

and adults, as well as self-defense, anti-bullying, and Muay

Thai kickboxing classes. The center also offers seminars and

private lessons to learn self-defense and Jiu-Jitsu techniques

in a more personal setting. If you’re interested in Brazilian

Jiu-Jitsu, you can try one week of the center’s Brazilian Jiu-

Jitsu Academy for free. For more information about Carlson

Gracie Training

Center, call (405)

409-3607 or visit

www.bjjokc.com.

Written by Sarah

Neese