Good morning, good morning morning, Welcome, welcome, welcome in his time now for our community connection right here on K one, the one you trust, and we are talking paths to independence, and we're talking about taking a dancing path this time around. Like in his well we have Robert and Kathy, Kath Caitlyn, Yeah, and the lovely Mimss Williams, who's coming back for a return visit. And I want to thank you all for coming in today. Now, this is going to be great.
It's called Dancing with the Bartlesville Stars. Now, who is going to be dancing here? Yeah, we made it unanimous. We made it unanimous. This is great. Now, this is coming up all in November the ninth, and we're changing it up a little bit because we're going into the big auditorium this year as opposed to you know, the community center or other places. And this is because of the demand over the last This is so popular that over the last few years we had to put it
on TV. We just had to because you know, people wanted to get in and it's like, you mean, what do you mean you don't have a ticket? Well, it's that pop and it's that popular. Now past the Independence
is a wonderful school. It is one of the one of the gems in our community where people will actually pick up and move from elsewhere to come here to make sure that the kids have an opportunity, uh to go to school here because it's one of the few schools that really makes a difference, make an impact for your kids on the autism spectrum. I'm going to ask you first of all, what got you interested in all of this and everything?
And yeah, in paths independence. Well, I'm actually a recreational therapist and a chill development specialist, and I wanted to kind of have a change of career, and so I reached out to them and see if they needed any assistance as a recreational therapist, and they needed an adaptive PE teacher, and so I am now past the independence adaptive PE teacher and so I'm able to use my skills as a recreational therapist to help get the kids moving, get them physically active, because a lot of kids on
the spectrum, some are very active, some want to move, and some just want to sit, and so we really try to encourage them to get up and get moving just to help fuel their body a little bit better instead of just staying stagnant. So being able to use my skills as that as a recreational therapist has been
really unique in getting the kids moving. And I was actually reached from out from Jason Hall, I think his previous part or had something come up and so he reached out and said, hey can you can you do it?
And I was like, why not?
Have you rehearsed yet?
Yes?
We have that going.
It's it's going knowing it's a lot of fun.
We have a lot of laughs and it's it's great.
Yeah. Now, Robert, I've seen you just about every fundraiser there is in town because you're you are very active. Your whole family is very active when it comes into the helping nature of our community. What drew you to Padsey Independent in your interest in dancing with the Bartlefield Stars.
Well, so I was actually supposed to dance last year I think it was last season, and then I had an event come up. My one of my best friends got married, and so I well, yeah, I had to be at that wedding and so but once you agreed to do it, they don't forget about it. Teresa Meseri hit me up and told me that, you know, she would make me the best coconut cream pie known to man if you haven't tried her up at cream pie.
So what you're saying is you can be had.
I can be Yes, thank you offer me a coconut cream pie. You will dance for anything.
So well, you know something, it's a calorie neutral if you get off that dance. How hard your rehearsal.
Has been, Yeah, they have been good. We've actually been rehearsing with someone who graduated from Bartlesville, so it's kind of cool to have that connection. And we've made some trips to Tulsa Courtney and I on Sundays and so we've done some here and so it's been a challenge. It's been a workout, but it's all for a good cause and no regrets.
Are you having fun?
We are having fun. We've got we laugh, We get to take all the outtakes, and when you go back and watch your recorded video of some of your rehearsals, you get a second laugh. So second and third left.
So Jen, tell us about your participation in this.
I started assisting helping him out a few years ago. In the background, I've coached a few in the past and some choreograph and then I judged, so it was hard to say no when they asked me to actually dance prefer the background. But it's it's only fair that I now dance.
Well, you look pretty happy about it.
Well, it's been fun. It's fun. You're enjoying it.
Yeah, I'm happy to do whatever they need me to do to help them out.
Well, well that's great. Now, who's your partner.
Here, John Valardo?
Okay, and how long have you guys been working together on this.
We've been working for a while.
We'll just say a while, a while, let's say a while.
We are practicing first thing in the morning, so we had a practice this morning at seven, so we're trying.
To hit it before work. So it's it's a lot, but we're having fun.
My goodness, sake said. This takes a little bit of dedication.
Doesn't It takes a lot of.
How much different is dancing from what you normally have done? As far as being like a rec raistal therapist. I mean, you think, you know, you probably move around a lot in that, but this is a different muscles, isn't it.
It is as a recrecial therapist, we're working on just movement, stretching, playing with balls, basketball, softball, obstacle courses, general moving around, general moving around. And now I'm having to, you know, do the macarena without any you know, encouragement from anything.
And so it's a little hard by everyone I've talked to who's participated in this said that, yeah, you know, you get a little socre sometimes and you get a little worn out, But at the end of it all, it's worth that adrenaline rush when you go out there and you perform, and then you see how much money is raised for Paths to Independence.
Now you've been with it in a variety of different capacities and you've seen this thing really kind of take on a life of its own over the years.
Absolutely, a few years ago, you know, it was at the Hilton Garden in outrw that now we were sold out before they even put the tickets on sell to the public, So that's why they've had to move it.
It grows every year. It's such a great it's a great cause. It's fun.
It is so much there's so many community members involved, I mean, and I mean, we hope we put on a good show this year, you will, but also the fundraising is probably even more important to us and what we can do. And they always have a parent coming give a testimonial, and I think that brings us back every single year.
Yes, yeah, And I think just the relationships you forge. I mean you get to meet different people, like right, I knew Courtney in the community. I knew her personally, but not on this level, and so you get very in close quarters. So it's it's definitely interesting. And then of course our husband Mike gets to give me heck all the time about dancing with his wife.
So it sounds like having fun.
He is, he's having as much fun as we are.
And you got into this kind of because out of default, right sort of.
I think Jason knows that I can't say no to a lot of things, and so he cornered me and he goes, well, it's for the kids.
And children there you go.
It was it was an easy answer. I said, absolutely, let's do it.
It'll be fun.
You know.
We were talking about how the school has really taken off and how hard the folks inside Pats the Independence really work for everything that they can in order to provide for the children in their care. And I just lived right down the street from pats to the Independence. And I will tell you that this spring there was like maybe a little hole getting kind of parking lot there and I'm like, oh, that's that's interesting. And then I saw, you know, a couple of cinder blocks, but
this could be something. It's like, holy cow, red bricks all over the place. It's almost doubled in size. And cafeteria going side that we had done a fundraiser a couple of them with kowanas, a grilled cheese eating competition or judging. The judges got d do those things sit like bricks? But boy they're good. And anyway, they said that they were doing this for the kitchen the cafeteria area. I'm well, okay, well, but I didn't realize that a
couple of those boom, they got it. And and now I understand that with the money raised here that goes for the general fund. I believe that so whatever whatever needs that they need, it goes to this. So, folks, on top of buying your tickets, I want you to place your votes for your favorite because that's where the real jingle comes in. And it's like it's like Chicago. You can vote early and often as long as you got the money. Yeah, I'm from the area, so I
can say that. Not like I'm throwing anybody under the bus, but anyway, we can do that, and and also encourage your friends to go on the page and vote for your favorites as well. Now you can vote for as many people as you want, right, that's okay, So they vote for you guys there. But it's a coconut cream. I'm kidding. I'm kidding, I'm kidding. I'm getting no bribes there. But it is going to be a lot of fun.
And you got to get your ticket. And like I said, there's like two thousand seats there at the Center, and every one of them is a good one. Because I've sat in most areas there for a variety of different shows. This is going to be no different. And this is just going to be awesome. Now you've been on.
The stage, right, No, I've never walked on the stage.
That's why I'm talking about. We've covered the pit for the orchestra to give you more dance room. So this is going to be really nice. Put the spotlight on you, no pressure, no pressure. Yeah, So what music are you using? Can we even tell you?
Do you want to tell? Yeah?
I better keep that under wrapped. Okay, Courtney may get me. We all kind of keep that under wrapped. We can surprise one another.
So I got you.
He has no clue.
He has had no idea, He has no clue. I know she can keep a secret. But the big the big deal is, let's go to the website here, and that is past to independence dot org, pasta independence dot org, and it'll have the little thing on the menu where you click and it takes you to the contest, takes you to the event and on one page you can get your tickets and cast your boat. Yes, that's easy. I don't know who came up with the navigation on that one, but for an old guy like me, thank you.
One stop shop, One stop shop. I love it. But it is going to be great. It's going to be November the ninth at the center. Now, how are you coaxing your folks to vote for you? Or you just yelling, screaming or what do you?
You're harassing everyone I've ever met. There's lots of emails. If you spend more than an hour with me, you will get an email requesting, and then a follow up email, and then probably if I see you. So, I don't know what friends will have after this, but I'm gonna It's all for a good cause. That's why I keep reminding them that money for me, it's money for PTI got it.
How are you going about Bras?
So we're doing that. We're actually also going to have a fundraiser a Journey to Nutrition, which is a herbal life. They do teas and drinks and shakes, and so we're gonna host a fundraiser there. So also, like Jen and others, we are hitting the streets and turning over every rock and asking all of our friends. So again, we may none of us may have friends at the end of this, but it's all for the right reason, So.
We'll be friends.
Yeah. Are you doing the same thing, Haitler? Are you doing something a little unique.
Kind of sort of?
It's I'm taking the path of I had. I have a new job and I'm able to see the children and the faculty and staff in action, and it's way more than I ever realized. And how amazing these kids are and how amazing the staff and faculty are. It's so I'm coming from that inside saying, look, this place is amazing. Let's let's do what we can for Bartlesville and these kids, and let's let's make it great for him.
In short, she's saying, I know where you work. I know I know. I want to thank you all for being here with us today.
Community can thank you for having
Us, Thanks for listening to one on one with a professional, A paid presentation in fourteen hundred K one