Tagged With "Together is better"
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Intro to TRICARE Health Plans & Special Programs
Interested in learning more about TRICARE health care programs for service members, retirees, and their families around the world? OneOp will be partnering with the Defense Health Agency to provide a free professional development webinar on May 25, 2022 at 11:00 AM ET focusing on basic information and resources for military service providers and community support professionals. We recommend that military families with an individual with disabilities attend this webinar to better understand...
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May Is Older Americans Month: Elder Abuse Is a Social Determinant of Health
In this post, the author discusses addressing Elder Abuse to improve health outcomes for older adults and promotes aging in place. The Elder Justice Initiative at the U.S. Department of Justice provides training and resources to help promote the health and well-being of older adults.
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May National Health Observances: Physical Fitness, Older Americans, Women’s Health, and More!
Posted on April 29, 2022 by HHS/ODPHP Each month, we feature select National Health Observances (NHOs) that align with our priorities for improving health nationwide. To help you spread the word, we’ve gathered resources that you can use to promote these NHOs with your networks and communities. This month, we’re raising awareness about physical fitness and sports, healthy aging, women’s health, mental health, stroke, healthy vision, and hepatitis. Use the resources below to join the...
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Leadership from "Band of Brothers" Commander
Major Richard "Dick" Winters , a native of Ephrata in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, was the Commander of "Easy Company", 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 101st Airborne Division, in World War II. They have affectionately become known as the " Band of Brothers ". On D-Day (June 6, 1944) he parachuted behind enemy lines into Normandy, France. 156,000 other American, British and Canadian forces were involved in "Operation Overlord" that become the turning point in...
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2022 Academy on Social Justice Kicks Off June 1
The 2022 Academy, "Family Well-Being: Navigating the Social Justice Landscape," features high-quality content with diverse and respected course authors and experts in subjects such as social justice, racial equity, identity formation, media representation, resilience, engagement through an antiracist lens, and building communities of belonging.
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Job: Associate Dean for Extension at UConn
The College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR) at the University of Connecticut (UConn) invites applications for the position of Associate Dean for Extension and Associate Director for the Cooperative Extension System (CES), with appointment as Associate or Full Professor with tenure in a CAHNR department related to the candidate’s academic discipline. We are seeking an inspirational, dynamic, visionary, and collegial individual to provide exemplary College-level leadership...
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Three Keys to Sustainable Change: The Path toward Social Justice and Supporting the Well-being of Diverse Families
The path of change towards social justice and supporting the well-being of diverse families may, at times, be difficult for professionals who serve families.
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Understanding if Special Needs Trusts & ABLE Accounts are Right for Your Family
Join OneOp Military Caregiving and Personal Finance concentration areas as they host a professional development webinar on August 24, 2022 at 11:00 AM ET on ‘ Special Needs Trusts and ABLE Accounts .’ If you or someone you know is caring for an individual with special healthcare needs and thinking about long-term planning, it may be helpful to RSVP for this upcoming event to learn which disability program is right for your family. Special needs trusts are used to purchase goods and services...
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Financial Health: What It Is and How to Achieve It
Extension educators are in a position to help consumers build financial health. This post describes what financial health is, how to assess it, and twelve steps to achieve it. What Is Financial Health? Financial health is the current state of someone’s finances. It includes both daily financial functioning (e.g., paying bills) and long-term resilience and opportunity. Like physical health, financial health can change over time and needs to be assessed regularly. According to the Financial...
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Associate Dean for UConn Extension - position closes Aug. 15th
The College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR) at the University of Connecticut (UConn) invites applications for the position of Associate Dean for Extension and Associate Director for the Cooperative Extension System (CES), with appointment as Associate or Full Professor with tenure in a CAHNR department related to the candidate’s academic discipline. We are seeking an inspirational, dynamic, visionary, and collegial individual to provide exemplary College-level leadership...
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Extension Foundation Says Farewell to Longtime Technology Team Member
The Extension Foundation offers its sincere gratitude to Ben MacNeill who has been part of the Extension Foundation team since 2006. In July 2022, Ben will be transitioning to a new role outside of the Extension Foundation. Ben has been working with the Foundation through a full-time buyout from North Carolina State University. One of the original architects of many of the Extension Foundation’s former technology infrastructure under the “eXtension” brand, Ben has played a leading role in...
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Extension Professionals Working with Families of Individuals with Disabilities: Special Needs Trusts & ABLE Accounts Webinar
Calling all Extension professionals – Learn how you can better support families within your state and local communities who may be caring for an individual with disabilities. OneOp is providing a professional development webinar for family support providers at 11:00 a.m. ET on August 24, 2022 to discuss ‘ Special Needs Trusts and ABLE Accounts ’ and the different options available for individuals with disabilities. RSVP here to learn more. Webinar presenter, Alison Packard, with Packard Law...
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Connecting Communities in Asset-based Community Recovery
Learn about the community-building opportunities that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic and how you can start building the foundation for community recovery for the future.
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Working with Immigrant Youth in 4-H: 2022 Learning Series for Extension Professionals
This series is being offered by the Immigrant and Refugee Youth Champions which is sponsored by the Access, Equity and Belonging Committee of the National 4-H Program Leaders Group. You can register for the series at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VVIt2QcSrzAea8Er4wLUw2u8_1PZyiTw/view?usp=sharing Topics to be discussed during the series includes: 8/11 History of U.S. Immigration and Current Status 8/25 Social Conditions common to youth and families with immigrant backgrounds 9/15 Marketing...
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Pillars of Successful Transition - Models to help Service Members and their Families Prepare for the Military to Civilian Transition
What Extension programs do you have related to these topics that could support service members as they transition to civilian life?
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Extension Foundation Seeking Evaluation Specialist
The New Technologies for Agricultural Extension (NTAE) cooperative agreement (grant no. 2020-41595-30123) with the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) through a partnership with Oklahoma State University and the Extension Foundation will enter its fourth year on September 1, 2022. Two key programs in the cooperative agreement are the Program Accelerator and Program Expansion. The Program Accelerator and the Program Expansion concept are a unique partnership between a...
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Suicide Prevention Month: Extension Resources from OneOp
Military and veteran suicides is not only a public health concern within the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs, but a concern within which the communities they live and serve. September is Suicide Prevention Month, and we want to highlight upcoming events from OneOp that may be helpful for service members, veterans, and military families within your local communities and surrounding counties. Suicide is a leading cause of death overall in the United States and the...
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Understanding the Digital Equity Landscape and Extension's Role
Understanding the Digital Equity Landscape and Extension’s Role As a part of Bridging the Digital Divide in Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Communities in the South , a NIFA AFRI-funded project, individuals were surveyed to better understand the digital equity landscape, including access to the internet and devices as well as internet use and benefits. Findings from this survey can better prepare Extension to play a role in their respective state’s Digital Equity plan and implementation.
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Biodegradable Plastic Mulch: A Climate Smart Agricultural Practice
During the growing and harvest seasons, vegetable producers often begin their day before sunrise and finish as the last light is seeping into the horizon. These long days are normal but varied. Challenges such as pests, disease, climate change, and weather make each day and each growing season unique and unpredictable. Vegetable farmers control some of the variables they face – like weeds and the temperature and moisture levels of their soil – by using a product that comes with pros and...
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Pillars of Successful Transition - Models to help Service Members and their Families Prepare for the Military to Civilian Transition
By Jenny Rea, Ph.D. While many separating Service members successfully adapt to civilian life, 40 to 75% describe some difficulties managing this major transition (Castro & Kintzle, 2017; Zoli, Maury, & Fay, 2015). For instance, within the first year of transitioning to civilian life, Veterans face increased challenges with homelessness, family integration, employment, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance abuse, all of which can increase the risk for suicide ( VA,...
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K-State Research and Extension and Healthy People: Helping Kansans Access Nutritious Foods
This post is part of Healthy People 2020 in Review, a blog series highlighting how organizations across the nation are addressing social determinants of health — and how their efforts have helped us make progress toward Healthy People goals and objectives. The post describes how K-State Research and Extension, a Healthy People 2030 Champion, contributed to progress toward Healthy People 2020 objectives — as well as Healthy People 2030 objectives under the social determinants of health domain Eco
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Extension's Role in Addressing Social Isolation.
At a recent Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Community and Public Health Program Work Team (PWT) meeting, the topic of social isolation was discussed. Groups of Extension educators from across New York State spoke about how their existing work supports people navigating social isolation. There were also a number of ideas on how Extension could play a larger role in partnership with other health-focused community-based organizations to address this issue. What are folks doing in your LGU...
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Positive Changes
"Whatever you do out there in the world do an equal amount of work internally because if you don't your work in the world will not be as effective." - Dr. Gabor Mate' Recently attended a leadership development workshop where a Psychologist spoke and led us in some discovery exercises. He point-blank stated there are not enough Psychologists to encourage positive lifestyle changes. He asked us to implement them in some way and share the value with others! Here are the therapeutic lifestyle...
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Re: Extension's Role in Addressing Social Isolation.
Really important topic. We are looking at how we can "multisolve" this issue. How to engage older adults in our work and in the community (building social connections) while connecting them with critical community resources and even involving them in programs like Aging Mastery and or Powerful Tools for Caregivers, depending on what they need and are interested in. The more resources and tools in our toolbox, the better!
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The Military Family as a Cultural Identity - Supporting Families in Transition
Soldier with children | IStock
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Practicing Gratitude and Building Better Thoughts
For service providers and clients alike, life is a winding road of good things here and bad things there. Actively working toward wiring your brain to acknowledge the good and appreciating those good things can help individuals shape personal strengths and build protections. Creating protective factors which can help cultivate positive mental health and generate an asset-based outlook that reaches all aspects of life. November is National Gratitude Month Gratitude is the practice of being...
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Your "User Manual"
How well do you know your colleagues? Do you really know them? Our initial response is probably a quick "yes". It's when we slow down we discover quite a few assumptions. Help get to know them better by sharing your self-awareness "manual" in answering just six questions! What’s your style? Strengths, weaknesses OR include descriptors like energetic, compassionate, participative Gets people in touch with how their emotions/actions might affect others What do you not have patience for? Common...
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Sharing is Caring with Fire Ant Venom
Venom is associated with being harmful, but red imported fire ants are using their venom for its medicinal benefits by sharing the toxic substance with their nestmates, according to a study published in the Journal of Insect Physiology . Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists from the agency's Biological Control of Pests Research Unit and Southern Insect Management Research Unit in Stoneville, Mississippi, discovered a new way that fire ants use their venom to prevent diseases in...
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Dr. Christine Nygren Announces Retirement from Extension Foundation as CEO
Dr. Christine Nygren (formerly Geith), Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Extension Foundation has announced her retirement effective January 13th, 2023. The Board of Directors selected Dr. Nygren as CEO in July 2015 during a transitional period for the Extension Foundation. Prior to joining the Extension Foundation, Dr. Nygren was the Assistant Provost and Executive Director of MSU Global at Michigan State University. During her tenure as the CEO, Dr. Nygren led a vision for the organization to...
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2023 Extension Foundation Professional Development for Members
We are excited to invite you to join the Extension Foundation for our 2023 professional development events and offerings. We strive to provide relevant educational and professional resources to all our members. This year, we are offering an array of professional development and leadership development opportunities to learn new skills, enhance leadership potential, network with other professionals, and uplift the impactful work happening across the system! Professional Development Members...
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A Template for Better Health: New publication details Diabetes Prevention Online Toolkit
The Extension Foundation has added a new title to its library. A Template for Better Health: Diabetes Prevention Program Toolkit was w ritten by Vanessa da Silva, an assistant professor and Extension specialist at the University of Arizona and an NTAE Fellow. The publication details the process undertaken by a national team of Extension experts to create an online hub to encourage and support Extension’s adoption of the CDC’s Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP). The toolkit is a critical part...
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The Perfect Meeting
"One can either work or meet. One cannot do both at the same time." -Peter Drucker Darn it! He's right again. Despite our best efforts we can only do one of these (effectively) at a time. Through this, he also reminds us of the multitasking myth. What we actually do is task switch. It takes 40% longer to accomplish two things we're switching on and longer when we add a third or fourth task. One thing we can do to help with effectiveness is to have better meetings. Most HR professionals will...
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Three Strategies to Better Meet Military Families’ Needs
By Anna Peterson Summary Military-connected populations, including military families, face unique needs and barriers in finding services and care for family members. Extension educators/agents who serve military-connected populations can deploy three strategies to better meet their needs: 1) use the Social Determinants of Health model; 2) build collaborations with others; and 3) use a care coordination tool. Introduction The needs of the military-connected population (e.g., service members,...
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University of Arizona job opening - Extension Specialist (Associate/Full) and Director of SNAP-Ed & EFNEP
The School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness and Cooperative Extension at the University of Arizona welcome applicants for a twelve-month, continuing-track Associate Specialist or Specialist position responsible for leadership, strategic planning, and program direction of statewide nutrition and physical activity programs. Minimum qualifications include: a doctorate degree in Nutritional Sciences, or a related discipline; a record of scholarly accomplishments; and a record of managing...
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Leadership ABC's
A = Attitude One of 2 things within your control; attitude and effort! Attitude is everything, pick a good one. B = Brave When you believe strongly in something or perhaps it scares you a bit, let your courage shine through. Be brave enough to go first and model the way. C = Character This is your behavior when nobody is watching. You won't always have the training and education for the situations you find yourself in. Your strong character will get you through. D = Dependable You do what...
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Have you ever...
Have you ever tried to change something about someone else? Of course, you have. We ALL have! The point is we can't motivate anyone else. Like us, they show up for what they believe in. And like us, they always find time for what's important to them. We can engage , inspire , and support . In short, we can show up for them in an authentic way because we care about them. We don't have to be better or smarter, we just have to courageously care about them. Connect first with your intention. If...
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2 thoughts...
When you feel the surge, resist the urge. There are times in our lives when we feel threatened. Some are real. Some aren't. Our bodies process these situations exactly the same. When threats aren't real often we let our fight/flight response take over. In these moments we react as if in real danger. The actual danger here is not having the self-awareness to realize the "threat" is perceived and be able to calm ourselves down. If we succumb to the survival hormones flooding our bodies we...
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National Nutrition Month: Highlighting Extension's Diabetes Prevention Toolkit
This March , we are showing support for National Nutrition Month by highlighting Extension projects that conduct research and programming on nutrition-related topics to aid in the prevention and treatment of -toolkitdisease, such as the Diabetes Prevention Toolkit: A template for better health project. According to the CDC, diabetes affects 1 in 10 Americans and is the seventh leading cause of premature death in the US. In response to this growing public health crisis, an Extension team,...
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Run from it OR Learn from it
We can't change the past. What happened to us and who we used to be cannot be altered. When we run from it and wish things turned out differently we keep ourselves trapped in the past. It all happened. It will not ever have not happened. Some things happened to us while others happened because of us. Fill those two buckets and accept them. Learn from them. Grow into a better person from them. Your mindset is the key. Are you getting through or getting better? Each day has micro opportunities...
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New Publication - The Community Seminar Series Playbook: A model for community outreach and student development
Webinars offer a convenient and engaging way for people to learn and connect with others. As a result, they have become a vital part of Extension's offerings. A new playbook makes it easy to organize virtual Extension programs, providing step-by-step instructions on everything from choosing a topic to promoting your event. "The Community Seminar Series Playbook: A model for community outreach and student development" was created by a team from the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Institute...
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New from OneOp: Military Cultural Competency Course Designed for Extension Professionals!
Military families exist in every community and you, as an Extension professional, might serve them every day - whether you realize it or not. Around two-thirds of military families live off base and often live alongside civilians. Out of uniform, these service members are unrecognizable from civilians when they are in the grocery store, picking their kids up from school, and doing other everyday tasks in their community. The well-being of these families is crucial to the Department of...
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"No" isn't negative
"No! Don't touch the hot stove." "No! Don't text and drive." In these examples, "no" is actually positive to alert us from burning ourselves and not driving while distracted. In other situations, primarily in our professional lives, we perceive saying "no" will be viewed as negative. This leads to saying "yes" to much more than we can accomplish and the mistaken idea that if we're busy it means we're valued more. Does always being busy with more equal accomplishing more? Here's a scenario...
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Be Aware!
Leadership is influence. Influence is felt by others in our behaviors. These behaviors provide evidence of our intentions. Be aware: It's our intentions we betray first followed by our behavior. When tolerated, these bad behaviors have devastating effects on those we spend the most time with; our professional colleagues. There are many studies that chronicle the impact of poor leadership, the resulting toxic environment it creates, and the negative effects on our health. Just guessing it's...
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GET MORE GRATITUDE!
What is gratitude ? It's a sense of wonder, thankfulness & appreciation for life . Gratitude helps increase optimism for life. It promotes positive thinking. It helps us cope with daily stress & traumatic events. Appreciating things in our life and focusing on the positive can help us move forward with purpose. Gratitude can also strengthen our relationships. People who feel gratitude towards others feel closer to them and report overall better relationships, even if they don't...
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UBUNTU is the glue: A unifying philosophy
It's the fall of 2020. The covid-19 pandemic is raging. Forced isolation to control the spread of the virus is the norm. Professionals in the entire Cooperative Extension system are working hard to figure out how to serve communities across the nation in new ways. One of our internal support efforts for Extension professionals focused on the nineteen 1890 institutions. Toward the end of a Zoom meeting with the 1890 Extension Leadership Academy design team, one of the team members asked if...
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Mental Health First Aid Summit- #BeThe1in15 during Mental Health Awareness month this May
Have you taken a first aid class or been trained in CPR? What about Mental Health Frist Aid? Mental Health First Aid is a course that teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. We were fortunate enough to attend the Mental Health First Aid Summit in LA on May 1 st . We spent the day learning from our peers about the importance of mental health and how we can bring the MHFA program to every corner of the country and the world.
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2 Leadership Styles
Recently our family was at a party of mutual school parent friends. Had a conversation with one of the Dads about "what we do". This led to him sharing a bit about where he works and their culture. He said they are highly transactional in how they approach almost everything. Curious, I inquired how he felt about their approach. He stated that for his industry it was probably appropriate, then added that it didn't always feel very good. We had a great conversation about his experience and the...
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Beliefs on the Leadership Journey
Getting clear with ourselves about our beliefs helps connect us to our core values. They will shift over our lives so it's a constant journey of discovery. Here are some things to ponder as you check in on your journey. Your Leadership Philosophy Defining what the huge topic of leadership is to you is of utmost importance. It helps us get clear on our approach, communicate it to others, and measure how we're doing every day. Here's mine right now... It's realizing it's not about me &...
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Dam Safety Awareness Day: How Does a Changing Climate Impact Dams? USDA Scientists are Looking for Answers
How Does a Changing Climate Impact Dams? The Agriculture Research Service is Looking for the Answers Media contact : Maribel.Alonso@usda.gov How do the extreme weather changes resulting from climate change impact the condition of our nation’s aging dams? Do sudden shifts from extreme precipitation events to flash droughts put this infrastructure at risk? These are the types of questions researchers like Dr. Sherry Hunt, a research leader and acting location coordinator at the USDA...
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USDA Studies Determine that the Way We Treat Our Land Impacts Water Availability
Studies by USDA Agricultural Research Service Determine that the Way We Treat Our Land Impacts Water Availability Media Contact : Maribel.Alonso@usda.gov What impact, if any, do farming and ranching practices have on how much water is available downstream? That was the question scientists at the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Agroclimate and Hydraulic Engineering Research Unit in El Reno, Oklahoma, set out to answer in a series of studies conducted in Central and Western Oklahoma.