Autism Oklahoma PieceWalk & 5K ~ May 4

April is Autism Awareness Month. Every year, AutismOklahoma.org hosts the PieceWalk & 5K. This is the largest single autism awareness event held in Oklahoma. This year’s walk/run is on May 4 at the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. This is a day of joy and celebration for all who love someone with autism. It includes a Resource Fair filled with vendors providing information, samples and fun.

As many of you may remember, the AutismOklahoma PieceWalk & 5k holds a special place in our very own Kerry Lingerfelt Blackburn's heart. Her son, JJ, is a highly functioning autistic 10 year old boy. Every year, Kerry and JJ participate in the PieceWalk. Of course JJ loves superheroes and it is only fitting that his team name is Captain JJ and the Autism Avengers!

Please support a good cause and consider donating to Captain JJ's team and participating in the PieceWalk for autism awareness. COALA and Kerry would love for you to join JJ’s team! Click on the link to learn more, donate and to sign up: https://piecewalk.org/team/captain-jj-the-autism-avengers/.

#autismawareness #COALA #autismpiecewalk

A Message from Publications Chair, Tamira Lee-Brown

Happy Monday COALA Members:

The Spring season is upon us. The temperature is rising, leaves are no longer falling, flowers are budding, gatherings are occurring, bodies are metamorphosing for bikini season. Spring is full of transformations, as is COALA.

As COALA President Carol Bybee announced to the membership at the March luncheon, I have stepped down as COALA Publication Chair. I am also experiencing a season of personal and professional transformation with opportunities that require me to take a step back from the Chair responsibilities. As I step away, a wonderful opportunity has now become available for a member to provide fresh perspectives and ideas; a new life for COALA Corner and the Publication Committee…spring symbolizes new life!

A personal thank you to Laura Bennett for providing a summary of the Spring Seminar speakers for inclusion in this issue of COALA Corner.

A special thank you to all the Board Members and Committee Chairs who I have bounced ideas off and who have put up with my constant requests (“When speaking find the camera”; “Don’t lean into pictures, it looks creepy”; “Send me the information about the project you are working on”; “Review this write up I created from the information you sent me about the project you are working on”; “I am featuring you in the COALA Corner this quarter. You’re okay with that, right?”). THANK YOU!

As always, I look forward to hearing your feedback about COALA Corner (good or bad) and welcome your thoughts and ideas. Finally, if you are interested in stepping into the Publication Chair position, reach out to me.

COALA Corner, April 2019

March 2019 Newsletter

For those of you who missed today’s meeting, here’s the newsletter for March. Happy Friday!!

Save the Date ~ 2019 Spring Seminar

Thank you so much to Dr. Gavin Manes from Avansic for speaking at our luncheon today. And THANK YOU COALA Members for all the generous donations you contributed to our school supplies drive for Positive Tomorrows!!

We may have something up our “sleeve” to be announced at Friday’s luncheon. RSVP to Debbie Agnew to attend! We hope to see you there!

COALA President, Carol Bybee, spoke yesterday at the OU Law Center’s Legal Assistant Commencement Ceremony. We are very proud of their graduates and we’re honored to be affiliated with the OU Legal Assistant Program.

COALA was well represented at this year’s NALA convention in Scottsdale, AZ. WE are already looking forward to next year in Atlantic City!

Don’t forget to RSVP for our upcoming Cocktails & Conversation this Thursday at The Sheridan. Hope to see you there!

Thank you so much to Jay VanBuskirk, our speaker for today’s luncheon and thank you to all who attended!

COALA would like to congratulate our 2019 Paralegal of the Year, Tamira Lee-Brown. It is hard to think of a more deserving member of our community! CONGRATULATIONS @shealeebrown

#Repost @theskimm ・・・ Unemployment is the lowest it’s been since 1969. It might be a good time to ask for a raise, but negotiation isn't easy. Let's get your salary all the way up.

Today we celebrate all the secretaries, assistants, and receptionists of the world! Thanks for all you do to keep businesses running smoothly. Many could not get through the day without an assistant!! #AdministrativeProfessionalsDay

BREAKING NEWS!! 04/23/2019: Oklahoma Supreme Court strikes down 23 O.S. sec. 61.2(B-F) which statutorily limits a Plaintiff's cap on recovery of non-economic damages to $350,000.00. Court finds statute unconstitutional in its entirety.

April is Autism Awareness Month. Every year, Autism Oklahoma hosts the PieceWalk & 5K. This is the largest single autism awareness event held in Oklahoma. This year’s walk/run is on May 4 at the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. This is a day of joy and celebration for all who love someone with autism. It includes a Resource Fair filled with vendors providing information, samples and fun. As many of you may remember, the Autism Piecewalk holds a special place in our very own Kerry Blackburn’s heart. Her son, JJ, is a highly functioning autistic 10 year old boy. Every year, Kerry and JJ participate in the PieceWalk. Of course JJ loves superheroes and it is only fitting that his team name is Captain JJ and the Autism Avengers! Please support a good cause and consider donating to Captain JJ's team and participating in the PieceWalk for autism awareness. COALA and Kerry would love for you to join JJ’s team! Click on the link to learn more, donate and to sign up: https://piecewalk.org/team/captain-jj-the-autism-avengers/. #autismawareness #COALA #autismpiecewalk

Sign up today to attend our April luncheon to hear Anne Lawrence of Oklahoma Child Support Services. And don’t forget about Cocktails & Conversation. Swipe left to see more details. #COALA

View the latest issue of COALA Corner and a message from Publications Chair, Tamira Lee-Brown on our website at https://www.coalaokc.org/coala-news/2019/4/1/a-message-from-publications-chair-tamira-lee-brown #COALA

Please welcome Makenzie MacMillan as COALA’s new Membership Chair! Makenzie is a Case Manager/Paralegal for Durbin Larimore Bialick. Contact us if you are interested in helping Makenzie and providing creative ways to improve the overall quality of membership for COALA Members. #COALA

Happy Friyay!!!

#tbt #selfie #coala #okc #paralegal #legalassistant

Come out and enjoy the outside ☀️ with us this Thursday at Bleu Garten for our monthly Cocktails & Conversation. We could all use a little patio time after spending so many cold weeks inside. 🍻 #COALA #OKC #CocktailsandConversation #paralegals #legalassistants ⚖️

Obvi they didn’t have a paralegal cite check and proof this prior to filing.

Amazing turnout at today’s luncheon. Not an empty chair in the room!! Many thanks to Rachel Pappy and Anna Raney of @polstontax for another educational presentation! We always enjoy them. . . #COALA #OKC #CLE #paralegals #legalassistants ⚖️

#Repost @positivetomorrows ・・・ You don’t want to miss it! Delicious food paired with a wide variety of wines, and silent and live auctions featuring artwork by our kiddos. Get your tickets today at the link in profile. Hope to see you there!

2019 Membership Enrollment & Renewal

Happy New Year COALA Members!

It is hard to believe that another year has come and gone. We had a memorable and amazing year and look forward to what is to come in 2019. Click here to download the membership form for 2019. Please get those filled out and returned by January 31, 2019. Be sure to send them to your colleagues that might benefit as a COALA member. Don’t forget those students!

Regards,

Carol Bybee
COALA President

2018 Year in Review

Exciting new things occurred in 2018! COALA revealed its new logo, unveiled its redesigned website (coalaokc.org), and the monthly luncheons were relocated to Sheraton’s Block 23. COALA also focused on educational seminars, community service and networking events making 2018 a busy and productive year.

Click here to watch the full video of COALA’S 2018 Year In Review. 

Special thanks to Tamira Lee-Brown and Barbara Urtz for memorializing 2018 with their photography skills and to Barbara Urtz for putting together the video.

COALA looks forward to an amazing 2019 and wishes all of you a Happy New Year!!

2018 “COAT OF MANY COLORS” QUILT BY JACKIE ARNOLD-SHAFER

Since 2002, Jackie Arnold-Shafer has allowed her love for the art of creating lovely quilts to grow into a beautiful legacy of love. Jackie’s endless devotion of giving to the children of Positive Tomorrows has truly been a gift from the heart.

COALA Past President, Charlottee Blacklee, presented a certificate from COALA to Jackie Arnold-Shafer as a token of our appreciation for her devotion.

After 16 years, Jackie is retiring from making the quilt in the hopes that someone else in the COALA organization would love to take up this labor of love and continue with the quilt legacy. The theme for this year’s quilt was “Coat of Many Colors.” You can learn about the meaning of the quilt and Jackie’s retirement from making the quilt by viewing Jackie’s letter.

Jackie also did us the honor of selecting the winning quilt raffle ticket. The raffle winner was Jaime Caldwell of Continental Resources, Inc. As fate would have it, Jaime is a novice quilter herself. Jackie’s gift of love could not have been given to a more deserving winner.

Many thanks to Jackie and congratulations Jaime!

Holiday Luncheon ~ December 14, 2018

Good afternoon COALA Members!!

Our annual Holiday Luncheon is right around the corner. Last year, COALA raised almost $4,000 for Positive Tomorrows. We would love to see COALA do that again this year!

For the past 10+ years, Jackie Arnold-Shafer has graciously handmade a quilt for COALA as a fundraiser item. Quilting, sewing, and advocating for children are her true passions! This year's quilt theme is “Coat of Many Colors”. The inspiration behind the theme was that it would be a representation of the diversity of the children of Positive Tomorrows. Pictures of the colorful and unique quilt are posted below.

Positive Tomorrows is hands down COALA’s largest fundraiser. All proceeds go to Positive Tomorrows. We encourage you to reach out to your co-workers, family, friends, and anyone who you think may be interested in supporting this great cause.

A representative from Positive Tomorrows will be attending the Holiday Luncheon to accept our donation.

How the raffle works:

1. Anyone, COALA member or not, can donate and can win the quilt.

2. $1 = 1 quilt raffle ticket.

3. Fill out all quilt raffle tickets in advance and bring them with you to the Holiday Luncheon along with any money collected.

4. Checks should be payable to “Positive Tomorrows.”

5. For every $20 in donations you collect, you will receive an additional 5 tickets to use to enter to win the door prizes.

Happy holidays and thank you for all of your hard work this year!

Quilt in the Making

Finished Quilt

Quilt Raffle Tickets