November 10, 2023

Overview for this week.

1. Saturday, the 11th is Veteran's Day. I want to thank all veterans for their service to this country.

2. Also in recognition of Veterans Day, I am sharing an article from July 1, 2022, that highlighted the military career of fellow Flocker, Dr. Jon B. Wang.

3. We have a poem this week from our favorite teacher and guide, Dr. Hayward M. Fox.

4. The 34th running of the New York City Marathon was last Sunday. It was a great race with Tamirat Tola setting a new men's course record.

5. I want to catch up with Dino DeConcini's impressive son Keith, who's advocacy for disabled rights was recently acknowledged by the Marquis Who's Who.

6. This proud mom is featuring her two children, the artist Violet, and the triathlete and businessman Mikey in this week's The Next Gen.

7. The Tucson Community Tennis Program does excellent work bringing the sport to future stars. I support and believe in what they do.

8. In my Nature section I look at biodiversity hotspots, important environments for the health of the Earth. 

9. In the Artist's Corner I'm featuring the amazing Big Island artist, drum maker, healer and dear friend Elizabeth Theriault.

10. This week, Michael and I attended the ribbon-cutting for the Banner Alzheimer's Institute here in Tucson. On Saturday, November 11th they are hosting a free Brain Health Expo.

11. Avian influenza has hit the Reid Park Zoo with three positive infections. The zoo is taking proactive measures to limit the spread of the flu. 

12. The Arizona Theatre Company's production of Scrooge! The Musical is a great way to get the whole family into the holiday spirit.

13. I'm catching up with The Flock's favorite mouser Fern this week. We'll take a peek at what she likes to watch when she's not out hunting mice.

Now, to this week's Flock.

From: The Old Farmer's Almanac, By: Catherine Boeckmann, September 12, 2023

What Does Veterans Day Mean?

Veterans Day is an important day set aside to honor and show appreciation for ALL who have served in the United States military—in wartime or peacetime, living or deceased.

"We can’t all be heroes; someone has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by."

—Roy Rogers

A Short History of Veterans Day

Veterans Day was originally called Armistice Day in the United States, commemorating the signing of the agreement that ended World War I at 11:00 A.M., November 11, 1918. President Woodrow Wilson celebrated the first Armistice Day in 1919.

• In 1938, November 11 became a legal holiday by an act of Congress.
• In 1954, this federal holiday was changed from “Armistice” to “Veterans” Day.

What’s the Difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day?

On both Veterans Day and Memorial Day, it’s customary to spend time remembering and honoring the countless veterans who have served the United States throughout the country’s history. However, there is a distinction between the two holidays:

Veterans Day is the day set aside to thank and honor ALL who have served, living or deceased, but in particular the living veterans among us. 



Memorial Day specifically commemorates the men and women who died while serving their country and made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. 

This Veterans Day weekend I am running an article from our July 1st, 2022, issue honoring Flock reader Jon B. Wang. You can also read more about Jon in our June 23rd, 2022, issue.

Here we honor our selfless hero Dr. Jon Wang - Green Beret, incredible father, incredible warrior, and selfless community servant. Not only to the Americans who walk the straight mile, but those who are serving time.

Last week we introduced you to Jon Wang, MD. As we approach the Forth of July, we'd like to tell you a little more about Jon's military service. After earning a medical degree and completing the first two years of his surgical training, Jon interrupted his residency to enlist in the US Army. He volunteered for Paratrooper training and after that Special Forces training. When he went to serve in Vietnam, he went as a Green Beret Special Forces Surgeon attached to a Special Operations team whose existence was denied by the U.S. Government.

In Jon's words, "Having been born outside America, I have an appreciation for the freedoms and opportunities that have existed here - possibly a greater appreciation than may U.S. citizens. And so for me it was a privilege to be able to serve in our military."

The Flock would like to thank Jon and all veterans for their service to this country.

This week I have a new poem from The Flock teacher, Hayward M. Fox Ph.D. I encourage you to visit Dr. Fox's website, try his guided meditations, and enjoy the insight he offers throughout his website.

Can we relax the structure of our personality

With its limited ways of seeing and behaving

And allow the aliveness of our being to simply express us?

Personality is of divided time and space

The aliveness of being is of the undivided

The aliveness of being is of wholeness

personality is culturally conditioned

Aliveness of being is our natural condition

We are always already whole and complete.

– Hayward Fox

The New York City marathon is a race that has always been dear to my heart. I have run it several times and it is always a joy. This year’s race was held last Sunday, November 5th. The Flock would like to congratulate Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia who won the race setting a new men's course record of 2:04:58 by eight seconds, and Hellen Orbi of Kenya who won the women's race with a time of 2:27:23!

From: Runner's World, byTaylor Dutch, November 5, 2023

The biggest marathon in the world featured inspiring performances across the five boroughs. On Sunday, November 5, more than 50,000 people competed in the 53rd running of the New York City Marathon.

Tamirat Tola dominates the men’s race in a course record

With a decisive move around the 20-mile mark, Tamirat Tola ran away with the men’s title in New York City. The 2022 world marathon champion earned redemption in the Big Apple with the victory in 2:04:58, a course record by eight seconds and almost two minutes ahead of runner-up Albert Korir.

Hellen Obiri claims women’s title

In a thrilling sprint finish, Hellen Obiri won the New York City Marathon in 2:27:23. The victory in Central Park is the Kenyan runner’s second World Marathon Major title this year, marking an exceptional transition from the track to the roads.

The 2023 New York City Marathon Was Insane (Records Broken)

I would like to catch up with Keith Murfee-DeConcini this week. We first met Keith in our May 27, 2022, issue, an article that made the cut to last week's all-archive issue. After that we visited Keith and his work on the Disability Empowerment Now website and podcast in The Next Gen section of our April 14th, 2023, issue. Keith is a chip of the old block of his father Dino DeConcini, an advocate giving back to the community in every way. We aren't the only ones to notice Keith's accomplishments, advocacy and commitment to disability rights. Keith was recently recognized by the Marquis Who’s Who for the work he has done.

From: Marquis Who's Who Press Release, October 12, 2023

Keith R. Murfee-DeConcini has been included in Marquis Who’s Who. As in all Marquis Who’s Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

As a result of his lived experiences as a disabled person since birth, disability rights have been at the forefront of Mr. Murfee-DeConcini’s mission in life. As an adult, he learned to use his speech impediment as a tool for uncovering social injustice and discrimination, which prompted his life’s work: raising awareness and advocating for disability rights through public speaking, writing, and other creative mediums. While attending Landmark College, Mr. Murfee-DeConcini was selected for the Student Ambassador Leadership Award through People to People Programs, now Ambassadors Group. After earning an associate's degree at Landmark, he attended College of Santa Fe (later known as Santa Fe University of Art and Design), where he served as the cultural diversity officer on the student board and earned a bachelor’s degree in creative writing with a minor in music.

In this week's The Next Gen, this proud mom is featuring her own next genners, Violet and Mikey G.Kasser.

Hawaii born, Violet lives in Tucson making magical creations. Along with her own original works of art, Violet has been active with in the Tucson Arts community creating and coordinating the pop-up art exhibition Monsoon Collective and contributing to the annual Tucson Museum of Art CRUSH Gala.

Michael has followed in his father's footsteps as a real estate businessman working in the San Diego market, and just like dad, Michael is an avid triathlete.

Michael with puppy, Kainoa.

This is youth tennis at its best!

From: KVOA 13 News, By: Bailey O'Carroll, December 10, 2021

The Tucson Community Tennis Program is a non-profit that teaches tennis to underprivileged children.

“We are lighting a fire I think,” said TCTP Program Coordinator Stacy Renner.

Tennis, much like golf, is not a cheap sport to get into. The financial requirements can prevent large portions of the community from enjoying the game.

The TCTP hopes to change that.

“Usually it requires money and usually it requires going to a club,” Renner said. “What we do is offer the opportunity to do it without either of those things.”

The benefits of the program stretch far beyond forehands and backhands. TCTP Board President Peggy Ingraham makes sure of it.

“Many school budgets eliminate PE. With COVID, many of them are not having the opportunity to have any physical fitness,” Ingham said. “This is an opportunity for us to get them active and make them feel good about themselves.”

From: Conservation International

Species are the building blocks of Earth's life-support systems. We all depend on them.

But our planet’s “biodiversity,” the vast array of life on Earth, faces a crisis of historic proportions. Development, urbanization, pollution, disease — they’re all wreaking havoc on the tree of life. Today, species are going extinct at the fastest rate since the mass extinction of the dinosaurs.

To stem this crisis, we must protect the places where biodiversity lives. But species aren’t evenly distributed around the planet. Certain areas have large numbers of endemic species — those found nowhere else. Many of these are heavily threatened by habitat loss and other human activities. These areas are the biodiversity hotspots, 36 regions where success in conserving species can have an enormous impact in securing our global biodiversity.

I have been in awe of Elizabeth Theriault since I first met her on the Big Island of Hawai'i in 1985. Elizabeth is an artist, chef, wedding officiant, heart alchemist, and the maker of beautiful and healing drums. 

Along with creating her own art and drums. Elizbeth leads drum making workshops and monthly drum circles from her Kona Art Gallery. She has also pioneered a new drum artform by combining tattoo with drum making, tattooing her original artworks int o the skin of the drum

Tattooed dragonfly and lotus drum. Made with translucent elk hide stretched on a 15" maple wood frame.

The following excerpt is from a Ke Ola magazine feature on Elizabeth:

In 2003, Elizabeth traveled to her homeland in the Sierra Nevadas with Lein'ala for a week-long American Indian Woman's conference. Her experiences there were enlightening and educational. Elizabeth not only received spiritual permission to make drums in groups, she also envisioned DrumSpeak, an organization that would share ways to use the drum for healing and personal empowerment with people from diverse cultures

From: DrumSpeak

DrumSpeak's Mission:

To provide experiences of the Drum from a cross-cultural perspective for the purposes of education, cultural restoration, indigenous language preservation, environmental integrity, personal empowerment, healing, and peace. Respectfully using the drum to give voice, reflective of and responsive to our own hearts

Michael and I attended a ribbon-cutting at the Banner Alzheimer's Institute Tucson this week where Michael was honored. This Saturday, November 11th, The Banner Alzheimer's Institute will be hosting a free Brain Health Expo from 9am to 12pm.

From: Banner Alzheiner's Institute

Please join us on Saturday, November 11th at Banner Alzheimer’s Institute Tucson for our Bilingual Brain Health Expo.

Activities in both English and Spanish include:

• Dementia Friends Workshop
• “8 Steps to Brain Health” Presentations by Dr. Steven Rapcsak and Dr. Jeremy Pruzin
• Community resource fair
• Free memory screening
• Chair yoga

To register for the Spanish version: Click Here

From: Reid Park Zoo: November 4, 2023

Reid Park Zoo has received positive avian influenza test results for three of the birds in its care. The Zoo’s avian influenza safety protocols have been in place proactively for more than a week while test results were pending.

“Our animal care and veterinary team was able to enact safety measures as soon as avian flu was suspected to keep the other birds in our care safe. We have prepared for this scenario,” said Dr. Alexis Roth, Reid Park Zoo’s chief veterinarian. 

Avian influenza is an annual concern for all bird species. Emergency plans for avian influenza are based on recommendations from the biosafety procedures developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Animal and Plant Inspection Service (APHIS) to help prevent the potential spread of the virus from wild birds. 

Reid Park Zoo has been in frequent communication with the State Veterinarian’s Office as well as the USDA to ensure all necessary precautions are being taken. 

Avian influenza is a contagious and often deadly virus that affects birds. It is spread through fecal matter, saliva, and nasal discharges from wild birds and can also be transmitted from humans to birds through contaminated equipment and clothing. Health experts say that while the disease poses a serious threat to some bird species, its risk to humans is low.

You can still catch The Arizona Theatre's production of Scrooge! The Musical in Tucson through December 2nd. If you can't make it by then, it's worth the drive up to Phoenix to catch this holiday family classic before the end of December.

From the enchanting world of the Oscar-nominated film “Scrooge” emerges ATC’s Christmas musical extravaganza, crafted by none other than the illustrious Oscar-, Grammy-, and Tony-nominated composer Leslie Bricusse. Tony Award winner Shuler Hensley takes center stage as Ebenezer Scrooge and is joined by a distinguished cast of characters, live musicians, and an all-star creative team. Prepare to be mesmerized by songs that rival the brilliance of Bricusse’s compositions for “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” In this unique rendition exclusively brought to life by ATC, “Scrooge!” promises to become a cherished holiday tradition for your entire family. Don’t miss this extraordinary journey through the heartwarming magic of the season. Perfect for ages 7 and up.

Checking in again with Fern. It's getting a bit cold outside, so time to tune in and watch some cat programming on YouTube.

Fern settling in on the couch to watch her favorite YouTube videos.

Fern waking up after a late night of cat TV.

Fern's Favorite YouTube channel, Blue Wind Creations, specializes in videos for cats.

Don't Be Shy: Share Your Stories!

I'm looking forward to sharing more of your personal stories - oral, written, or otherwise, as we enter our second year. I'd so love to present them to The Flock, hit a mailbox below to share your story.

Holualoa Ed Fit Wellness & Culture 2

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