extracted text

TheRAINbow

friend and thought of many others. I
stood in front of the White House and
wondered if its occupants have ever
really been able to maintain touch with
the American people. I felt within me the
pride and promise of America, while
seeing around me the hurting and the
homeless. I cannot rest until the promise
of America is a reality for all of us.

The DIRECTOR'S DESK
For many people, beginning a
new job is a lot like the first day of
school - we worry about what to wear,
we worry about whether everyone will
like us, and we worry about our
success or failure. Following Mary
Catherine's tremendous history with
RAIN Oklahoma and other HIV/AIDS
organizations could be daunting for
me if it were not forthe tremendous
strength of the staff, the inspiring
dedication of the volunteers, and the
faithfulness of contributors to RAIN.
In the few days that I have been
the Executive Director ofRAIN, I have
felt surrounded by warm embraces
and well wishes. This may be similar
to the wonderful feeling of acceptance
that our clients feel upon meeting
their RAIN teams! It isn't surprising
that many people living with HIV/
AIDS who are served by a RAIN team
actually feel their physical and mental
health improve once they have that
acceptance and support.
lt is indeed an honor to have
joinedRAIN at a time when we have
been able to expand services in
southwest Oklahoma through the
Lawton office and in northwest

2

In Love and Faith,

They meet...and life is beautiful for a moment in eternity.
Animal needs and primal desire dance in their souls,
unblemished by reality.
Then daily existence intervenes and
distorts the expectations of something true.
And all that is left are passionless echoes of empty dreams,
Glittering futures never to be lived.

September, 1995

Volume 6, Number 3

Granted, it may not happen in my
lifetime, but I hope when my time on
earth is over I can say I did my best to
bring it about.

Mike Atchley, in memory of Ray McDonald

RAIN UPDATE!

Oklahoma through the Enid
office. Having offices located within
those areas, staffed by people from
the communities, will greatly enhance
RAIN's visibility and effectiveness at
serving individuals and families
impacted by HIV/AIDS. Saundra
Powell, Southwestern Associate
Coordinator, and Alisa Hankins,
Northwestern Associate Coordinator,
bring to their work an exceptional
knowledge of the needs of their
communities but also an understand­
ing of the wealth of human resources
available to them.
My enthusiasm for being a part of
RAIN comes from how closely
RAIN's mission fits with my personal
mission. Serving as the coordinator of
teen pregnancy prevention and
adolescent HIV/AIDS prevention
projects at the Oklahoma Institute for
Child Advocacy I worked for im­
proved adolescent health through
direct education with youth, program-

By the end of August, 1995, RAIN has presented 736 programs to 26,415 people. Seventy-three
teams (44 Western OK, 29 Eastern OK) are currently serving 59 clients. More than 295 clients
have been served since February, 1990. During August, volunteers gave 1,699 hours of service.

------------------------Yes, I want to be a RAIN supporter. Enclosed is my contribution:
$___ My gift is in memory of ___________., Please
notify the family:
My gift is in honor of___________ Please notify
the honoree, whose address is:
I understand RAIN Oklahoma is a non-profit organization and my
contribution is tax-deductible. My cancelled check will serve as my receipt.
{Please check here __ if you prefer to remain anonymous and do not want
to receive RAIN newsletters and mailings.)
Name
Address
City, State, Zip __ ___ ____
Phone
Please make check payable to:

-----------· I

------------------------------

---------------

I

RAINOklahoma
924 N.Robinson
OklahomaCityOK73102-5814

I
I
!
11

As I see it • • .by M.C.
Wow...What a whirlwind the past
few months have been!!! In February
when I went to Dallas for an interview
with the Truman Scholarship selection
panel, one of the questions I was asked
was how I planned to finish my under­
graduate work in a timely manner if I was
selected as a Truman Scholar. A reason­
able question since yours truly had been
attending Oklahoma City University since
January of 1990! The "plan" had been to
whip right through and have my degree
within two years. But RAIN intervened
and I was lucky to get three hours a
semester from then on. I told the panel I
would resign as director of RAIN if I was
awarded the Truman Scholarship and go
to school full-time. Well, as they say, "the
rest is history... "
How can I tell you what RAIN has
meant to me? It has been both the most
wonderful and the hardest job I've ever
had. I've been blessed beyond belief.
There have been times of deep frustration,
certainly times of great grief, times of
anger, times when I've questioned my
sanity (and also that of others), but all
along I have been in the company of
saints, both the living and those who have
left this earthly existence behind them.
Not only have I felt deep humility as our
clients have allowed RAIN into their lives,
I have also been touched and forever
changed by the many volunteers who have
made RAIN what it is. I have seen
members of the clergy go out on a limb
and support AIDS ministry when they
knew they risked professional censure to
do it. I have listened to RAIN Team
members tell of their joy and their pain as
they came to know and love their clients
and then were left with the memories. I
have watched in awe as they began
working through their grief at RAINbow

10

Retreats, took the time to begin the
healing, and then began the process anew
with another client. What wonderful
people they are!
I have seen the face of God in our
clients and other people living with HIV
that I have come to know and love. Many
people with AIDS have taken hold of
their pain and, with dignity and grace,
shown the rest of us what it is to really
live until you die. They have lifted me
beyond myself and helped me to do things
which I never thought were possible.
It has been my privilege to travel
throughout the world because of RAIN.
Who would have believed I would speak
at Harvard or present a workshop in
Bangkok, Thailand? Or be a member of
national and international boards?
Sometimes it has been really scary and
I've wanted to retreat to my house by the
lake and just hole up. Often I have felt
inadequate for the work ahead, but the
necessary doors have always opened and
the strength has always come.
Where will I go from here? The needs
are many .Through the work I have done, I
have seen so many times the injustice
meted out to so many people. Here in
America the promise of freedom and
justice for all is often relegated to a select
few. Social programs vital to the existence
of people are being cut, discrimination
exists no matter what our laws may say,
and those who most need our love and
care are often the last to get it, if they get
it at all.
I was in Washington, D.C. not long
ago, my first trip to that fabled land. At
one of the Smithsonian museums I saw
the first American flag and the soda
fountain where the first sit-in for civil
rights took place. I visited the Vietnam
Wall and cried as I traced the name of a

ming with parents and other adults
who work with youth, and community
presentations designed to enhance
awareness of health issues. Without
a doubt, the most powerful educa­
tional experiences combined accurate
HIV/AIDS education with the oppor­
tunity to meet and interact with
someone impacted by HIV/AIDS.
Witnessing an individual or a group
begin to challenge misinformation or
attitudes that might hurt others is a
chance to observe personal growth.
Because I have seen this occur
with young people and adults in a
variety of settings (schools, churches,
and work places), I am thrilled that
RAIN has entered more formally into
the educational realm. Dannette
Geren, Eastern Oklahoma Educator, is
working closely with schools in Creek
County. The curriculum and activities
she develops and implements will
serve as a model for other school
districts.

My outlook for the future of
RAIN is a positive one. I believe that
RAIN will continue to provide
(through our invaluable volunteers)
loving support for those impacted by
HIV/AIDS and that the numbers
served will increase as we build
bridges in all areas of the state; I
believe that the education provided
by RAIN staff and volunteers will
make a difference in slowing the
incidence of new infection; and I
believe that RAIN will be able to
provide these services because of the
continued commitment of resources
by those generous individuals and
organizations who understand that we
cannot afford to become complacent
regarding HIV/AIDS. Thank you for
the opportunity to help shape the
future of RAIN in Oklahoma.
In Faith and Hope,

Smotherman & Cooper to be honored
at Carepoinfs Red Ribbon Ritz
RAIN recently received the
exciting news that two Oklahoma
women who are very dear to us will be
guests of honor at CarePoint's Red
Ribbon Ritz.
Mary Catherine Smotherman and
Barbara Cooper will received the
"Local Legend in the Fight Against
AIDS Award" given in conjunction
with the Virginia Slims Legends Tour.
Twelve of the most celebrated women
in tennis will attend the reception at 5
pm, Saturday, October 7, in the Great

Hall of the Myriad Convention Center.
Mary Catherine's and Barbara's
names will be engraved on a plaque
that will become part of a permanent
exhibition at the National Women's
Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, New
York.
For more information regarding
tickets to the Red Ribbon Ritz, please
call CarePoint at(405)232-2437.
Tickets for the tennis events must be
obtained from the Myriad, (405) 297300).

3

Calendar
SEPTEMBER
04 - Labor Day
08 & 09 - RAIN Training,
Baptist Mem. Hospital,
Miami
10 & 17 - RAIN Team Training,
Western Oklahoma, Norman
1st Presbyterian
24 - First day of Rosh Hashana
(Jewish New Year)--Fare
well/Welcome Party for Mary
Catherine Smothermon and
Pam Cross, 5:00 PM
25 - Team Rep Meetings, OKC
& Tulsa
30 - AIDS Walk, Tulsa
OCTOBER
04 - Yorn Kippur (Jewish
Atonement)
08 - First Day of Sukkot (Taber
nacles, Jewish); AIDS Walk,
OKC

09 & 10 - CarePoint's "History
of the Banner of Color" confer
ence. Call 232-2437 for info
19 - 22 - National Skills Building
Conference, Washington,
D.C.
23 - Team Rep Meetings, OKC
& Tulsa
28 - Boo Bash RAIN Fundraiser,
Silver Star, Tulsa
NOVEMBER
01 - All Saints Day
07 - Guru Nanak's Birthday
(Founder of Sikhism)
23 - Thanksgiving Day - All
RAIN offices closed
27 - Team Rep Meetings, Tulsa &
OKC
DECEMBER
01 - World AIDS Day Memorial
Service

We quoted an incorrect price window sill. The bells are available
for Red Ribbon Bells in the last through the OKC office. Please add
newsletter. The cost for one of these $2.50 if you would like us to ship the
beautiful silver-plated bells is $15.00. bell to you.
The bells are imprinted with a ribbon
We have also been able to re­
and the words "UNTIL ITS OVER." order the small enameled red ribbon
They make lovely gifts and are a pins which were so popular. The cost
perfect reminder of the AIDS epi­ is $5.00 for the plain pin, $15.00 for
demic when placed on your desk or the one studded with rhinestones.

4

In Memoriam
0KC Christ the King
Catholic Church
Don

Tulsa Christ the King
Catholic Church
Johnson

0KCOark
United Methodist Church
Team A
John

Tulsa All Souls
Unitarian Church
Team A
Mark

Norman Mcfarlin
United Methodist Church
Bethany First Church
of the Nazarene
Roy

Tulsa First
Presbyterian Church
RI

0KC Lighthouse
Metropolitan Community Church
TeamC
Darrell

Muskogee St. Joseph's
Catholic Church
Rick
Tulsa University
Canterbury/Sharp Chapel

John

Edmond First
Tulsa Family of Faith
United Methodist Church
Metropolitan Community Church
Gina
James
0KC St. Eugene's
Catholic Church
Lenny
RAIN lost another gentle spirit August 18 with the unexpected death of
PattyGammell, member ofthe 0KC Christ the King Catholic Church RAIN
Team. Patty will be remembered for her ability to discern the needs of others,
her generous gifts, and the giving of her time, energy, and love to those in
want and in pain. Mother Teresa speaks of a poor widow with children, who,
when given a bag of rice, immediately took half of it to a neighbor who had no
food. Mother Theresa said, "The amazing thing is not that she shared the rice,
but she knew the need". This story personifies Patty Gammell.

9

RAINbows and RAINdrops
When Mark Vickers died recently we lost a good friend, an advocate, and a
healing force against anger and bitterness. Mark was one of the founders of Rainbow
Village in Tulsa and he served diligently on the RAIN Board of Directors as well as the
United Methodist AIDS Task Force. He also worked with the AIDS Coalition of Tulsa,
the planning committee for the HIV Resource Consortium, the Barriers to Bridges
Committee, and the Tulsa Community AIDS Partnership Advisory Council. Despite
being asked to leave one church and made to feel unwelcome in another, Mark returned
love and patience in the face of anger and f ear. He shared his story at RAIN training
sessions as well as other venues. His RAIN Team experienced the uniqueness of his
spirit as they cared for him. Though Mark is gone, he lives on in the legacy of love he
left behind.
Our prayers have been with several people: Mike Claborn, Ardmore St. Philip's
Episcopal RAIN Team, suffered a heart attack...Ellen Griffith, Epworth UMC RAIN
Team A. who had three family members severely injured in an auto accident...Jane
Lundquist, Norman St. Michael's Episcopal RAIN Team, underwent surgery...Doris
Pettigrew and Clemmie Ingram, Lawton Barnett Chapel A.M.E. RAIN Team, whose
sister in Kansas has been critically ill...Joy Schreiber, RAIN board member, whose sister
is critically ill...Toni Wizenberg, member of OKC Christ the King Catholic RAIN Team,
broke her ankle and is using crutches...Debbie Keck, Team rep for OKC Grace United
. Methodist Church, who is recovering from recent surgery ... Love and sympathy go to
Jan Hutchison, Epworth UMC Team A, whose father died recently.
Dan Logsdon completed a practicum with RAIN and is now back at OU working
hard toward his degree in social work... Ellen Griffith also completed a RAIN practicum
toward her bachelor's degree... Harold Swink, Epworth UMC RAIN Team A, has been
named the Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor of the Year...several RAIN people from
Epworth UMC in OKC and UM Community of Hope in Tulsa were in Nicaragua on a
Volunteer in Mission trip. They provided medical care and helped to build a medical
clinic...Congratulations to Kathy McCallie and Gail Addis who served as Rodeo Grand
Marshals for the OGRA...Special thanks to the RAINbow Power Team who helped
with the last RAIN mailing in July: Kathleen Sawyer, Betty Mann, Aileen DeBell, Jean
Montgomery, Jeni Markham Clewell, Ellen Griffith, Jim Zurcher, Bob Young, and
Larry Hamilton.
At a RAIN picnic in June, Mary Catherine Smothermon was given two gifts
which proved to be an emotional time for all attending. MC was told a tree will be
planted in her honor in the AIDS Memorial Garden in Oklahoma City. The Garden
Committee is hard at work and it is hoped that ground-breaking will be help by World
AIDS Day, December 1st. MC and Skip plan a matching memorial to their son, Kirt.
They are considering a bench as a place for people to relax in the shade of MC's tree.
The other gift, a Memory Book designed to be an on-going project, was also
presented o MC. Written memories and stories are being put in plastic sleeves and
added to the book. Anyone wanting to share a memory with MC in encouraged to put
it in writing and mail to the RAIN executive office in Oklahoma City.
Once again, the annual Hope Candlelight Tour of Homes in Tulsa was a huge
success! $100,760.00 was distributed between Eastern Oklahoma RAIN and St.
Joseph's Residence for PLWAs.

8

RAIN continues to grow
So many things have happened
since the last issue of The
RAINbow. As you all know from the
Special Edition sent out last month,
RAIN has a new Executive Director.
Pamela S. Cross·, MPH, better known
as Pam, took over on August 7. She
has been busy meeting with staff
members across the state, getting
settled in her new office, meeting
with the executive committee of the
board, and listening and learning all
she can. Pam's background in AIDS
prevention, coupled with her
compassion and caring, make her an
excellent choice as the new director
ofRAIN.
M.C. Smothermon,RAIN's
founder and first Executive Director,
will continue to serve as a consult­
ant to RAIN and provide whatever
services Pam and the Board of
Directors deem necessary.
In Lawton and Enid, thanks to
the generosity of the Oklahoma
AIDS Care Fund, full-time offices are
now operating. Saundra Powell had
been working part-time, thanks to a
start-up grant from DIFFA, and has
accepted the full-time position of
Southwest Associate Coordinator.
Saundra is a member of Southwest
AIDS Network (SWAN). She has
first-hand AIDS experience, as her
son was a PLWA. Centenary United
Methodist Church has donated
office space for RAIN in Lawton.
Alisa Hankins was recently
hired as the Northwest Associate

Coordinator in Enid. A member of
the Enid AIDS coalition, Alisa was
instrumental in bringing RAIN to
Enid. A successful training held
recently resulted in a team composed
of members from several congrega­
tions in the area.
Dannette Geren was hired under
grants from the Bartlett Foundation
in Sapulpa and the PacifiCare
Foundation. Dannette is located in
an office donated by the Allen
family in their law offices in Sapulpa.
Dannette is developing community
education programs, particularly for
youth and Native Americans. She is
a board member of the Tulsa Chapter
of the American Red Cross and
helped write the Native American
Red Cross curriculum. As Education
Coordinator, Dannette quickly
became extremely busy in Sapulpa as
the school system asked her to write
their HIV/AIDS curriculum and in­
service programs for employees. The
programs developed in Creek
County are serving as a model for
the state.
Jeni Markham Clewell has been
hired to share the Western Okla­
homa position of Volunteer Coordi­
nator with Reverend Kathy McCallie.
Jeni is a candidate for the diaconal
ministry and brings to RAIN a
considerable amount of compassion
and caring. She has been a member
of the RAIN Team at First United
Methodist Church in Edmond for
several years.

j

RAIN Donations
Each donation is special and vital
to RAIN, for we would be unable to
provide the vital services we do
without you. Often, a special letter
accompanies a donation. This month,
we'd like to share the letter which
came to RAIN with a generous check
from the United Life Church in
Oklahoma City. United Life sponsors a
RAIN Team and will host a training
session in the near future.
"Our church teaches and abides
by the Principle of tithing and each
week we tithe 10% of our Sunday
offering to a person or organization
we feel has spiritually fed our church
family in some way. Recognizing that
God is the Source of all, we know that
• our gift of love blesses and enriches
as it circulates and returns to us
multiplied.
"We appreciate and honor you as
a divine expression of God. We are
blessed by you and your work and it
is our pleasure to share with you the
good that has been entrusted to us."
Some pledge and/or donate
regularly...some honor or memorialize
someone special...some support fund
raising activities ...some donate for a
special event or presentation...some
donate anonymously - all are vital to
the ministry of RAIN.
We thank each and every one.
INDIVIDUAL:
Jackie and Barbara Cooper...Billie
Hurst-Gasaway... Carol Woods ... Skip
and Donna Ambler...Dr. Robert
Jones...Roy and Aline Brown ...Skip
and Mary Catherine
Smothermon... Gerald and Betty
Beck...Daniel Norton ...Don

6

Knight...Jeffrey Gaughan... Charlotte
Alexandre...Betty Brown... and several
anonymous donations.
IN-KIND:
DR. BETTY BRITT, office
equipment; EPISC OPAL DIOC ESE
OF OKLAHOMA, office equipment;
STEAVE M. HARLON, two side
chairs for the OKC R AIN office.
MEMORIALS:
ROB BORDERS by Robert and
Norma Borders; JOHN HOCKING by
Terry Knapp;JOHN WHITTMORE
by John McNeese, Jeffrey Gaughan,
Joan Boggs, Bill Rogers, Roy Scott,
Roy and Aline Brown, Sue Brown;
TOMMY GREENHAWby Ronald
Wheeler, Floyd G. Greenhaw, Buck
McPhail, Calvin McLish, Earl Baker,
Floyd W. Greenhaw, Linda Patz­
kowsky, Jo Ann Fair; PAM ARGO by
Bill Rogers;KEVEN HAND by OKC
Metro Men's Chorus; ROY BEC K by
Jody Martin; MARK HOUSTON by
Lorie Summers, The Oklahoma
Gazette; RAY McDONALD by Linda
Newcomer;KIRT SMOTHERMONby
Skip and Mary Catherine
Smothermon;EDMOND P. GAUDIN
by Kathy Leithner; K.J. C OBURN by
Van Wilde; JOHNSON SINC LAIR by
Mary Lou Doudican; JIM MOSS by
Warren Riggs;WILLIAM SOUTER
ALLEN by Tadaaki Hatta.
CHURCHES:
United Life of Religious Science
Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma
Oklahoma Conference of the United
Methodist Church
Catholic Church of Saint Mary
Faith United Methodist Church

Edmond First Presbyterian
Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa
ORGANIZATIONS, GRANTS AND
FUND RAISERS
Hope Candlelight Tour of Homes
Valhalla Energy Corporation
Coram Healthcare
Tramps Club ofOKC
Junior Hospitality Club ofOKC
Tulsa Community AIDS
Partnership (TCAP)
Follies Rewe, Inc. of Tulsa

Carolyn Wright.Jayne Fleener...Polly
Houston...Van Wilde; In Memory of
John Whittmore by Eddie Rothermel,
Terry Dennison, Planned Parenthood
of Oklahoma, Eursey Lenoir; IN
HONOR OF GENEVA SMITHby Jo
Ann Fair, Jesse Sparks, Margaret
Plumb, Pat Denham, Joe O'Neal, Joe
Gill, Judy Pearson, Lance D. Smith,
Earl Baker;IN HONOR OF MARY
CATHERINE SMOTHERMONby
Joan and Larry Foreman, Jeudi
Hamilton, Leslie Heathman, Nora Leal,
Garline Wheatley.

AIDSMEMORIALGARDEN
DONATIONS:

Holiday Cheer in September?
Plans for a "Free Store" to be
available to PL W As are moving
toward reality. Understanding that
many people living with HIV have little
or no money left over to be able to
give gifts to their loved ones, Light­
house is encouraging the donation of
nice items to be available for properly
screened clients to pick out and give
as a gift for the holidays. If you have

You Bet!

something you would like to donate, or
would like to contribute money for the
Free Store, please call Nancy at 5288359 or John at 942-2822.
Lighthouse MCC also operates a
food pantry for people with HIV and
AIDS, serving 25-50 people per week.
They are always willing to accept
donations - and volunteers - for the
Food Pantry.

Have you been planning to present a panel
for the NAMES Quilt? Here's your chance!
A portion of the NAMES Memo­
rial Quilt will be on display in Tulsa
October 13, 14, and 15. If you have
been planning to make a panel for a
friend or loved one, this will be an
excellent time to present it.
All new panels become part of the
display and are then sent to San
Francisco to be sewn into the larger

panels which constitute the Quilt.
RAIN will once again be present­
ing a large panel listing our clients who
have died in the past two years. We
need someone, or more than one, who
would like to give their talent in this
most special way.
Please call the OKC office if you
are interested.

Wecome to the RAIN Team Family
Stillwater Salem Lutheran Church
Enid St. Matthew's Episcopal Church

7

RAIN Donations
Each donation is special and vital
to RAIN, for we would be unable to
provide the vital services we do
without you. Often, a special letter
accompanies a donation. This month,
we'd like to share the letter which
came to RAIN with a generous check
from the United Life Church in
Oklahoma City. United Life sponsors a
RAIN Team and will host a training
session in the near future.
"Our church teaches and abides
by the Principle of tithing and each
week we tithe 10% of our Sunday
offering to a person or organization
we feel has spiritually fed our church
family in some way. Recognizing that
God is the Source of all, we know that
• our gift of love blesses and enriches
as it circulates and returns to us
multiplied.
"We appreciate and honor you as
a divine expression of God. We are
blessed by you and your work and it
is our pleasure to share with you the
good that has been entrusted to us."
Some pledge and/or donate
regularly...some honor or memorialize
someone special...some support fund
raising activities ...some donate for a
special event or presentation...some
donate anonymously - all are vital to
the ministry of RAIN.
We thank each and every one.
INDIVIDUAL:
Jackie and Barbara Cooper...Billie
Hurst-Gasaway... Carol Woods ... Skip
and Donna Ambler...Dr. Robert
Jones...Roy and Aline Brown ...Skip
and Mary Catherine
Smothermon... Gerald and Betty
Beck...Daniel Norton ...Don

6

Knight...Jeffrey Gaughan... Charlotte
Alexandre...Betty Brown... and several
anonymous donations.
IN-KIND:
DR. BETTY BRITT, office
equipment; EPISC OPAL DIOC ESE
OF OKLAHOMA, office equipment;
STEAVE M. HARLON, two side
chairs for the OKC R AIN office.
MEMORIALS:
ROB BORDERS by Robert and
Norma Borders; JOHN HOCKING by
Terry Knapp;JOHN WHITTMORE
by John McNeese, Jeffrey Gaughan,
Joan Boggs, Bill Rogers, Roy Scott,
Roy and Aline Brown, Sue Brown;
TOMMY GREENHAWby Ronald
Wheeler, Floyd G. Greenhaw, Buck
McPhail, Calvin McLish, Earl Baker,
Floyd W. Greenhaw, Linda Patz­
kowsky, Jo Ann Fair; PAM ARGO by
Bill Rogers;KEVEN HAND by OKC
Metro Men's Chorus; ROY BEC K by
Jody Martin; MARK HOUSTON by
Lorie Summers, The Oklahoma
Gazette; RAY McDONALD by Linda
Newcomer;KIRT SMOTHERMONby
Skip and Mary Catherine
Smothermon;EDMOND P. GAUDIN
by Kathy Leithner; K.J. C OBURN by
Van Wilde; JOHNSON SINC LAIR by
Mary Lou Doudican; JIM MOSS by
Warren Riggs;WILLIAM SOUTER
ALLEN by Tadaaki Hatta.
CHURCHES:
United Life of Religious Science
Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma
Oklahoma Conference of the United
Methodist Church
Catholic Church of Saint Mary
Faith United Methodist Church

Edmond First Presbyterian
Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa
ORGANIZATIONS, GRANTS AND
FUND RAISERS
Hope Candlelight Tour of Homes
Valhalla Energy Corporation
Coram Healthcare
Tramps Club ofOKC
Junior Hospitality Club ofOKC
Tulsa Community AIDS
Partnership (TCAP)
Follies Rewe, Inc. of Tulsa

Carolyn Wright.Jayne Fleener...Polly
Houston...Van Wilde; In Memory of
John Whittmore by Eddie Rothermel,
Terry Dennison, Planned Parenthood
of Oklahoma, Eursey Lenoir; IN
HONOR OF GENEVA SMITHby Jo
Ann Fair, Jesse Sparks, Margaret
Plumb, Pat Denham, Joe O'Neal, Joe
Gill, Judy Pearson, Lance D. Smith,
Earl Baker;IN HONOR OF MARY
CATHERINE SMOTHERMONby
Joan and Larry Foreman, Jeudi
Hamilton, Leslie Heathman, Nora Leal,
Garline Wheatley.

AIDSMEMORIALGARDEN
DONATIONS:

Holiday Cheer in September?
Plans for a "Free Store" to be
available to PL W As are moving
toward reality. Understanding that
many people living with HIV have little
or no money left over to be able to
give gifts to their loved ones, Light­
house is encouraging the donation of
nice items to be available for properly
screened clients to pick out and give
as a gift for the holidays. If you have

You Bet!

something you would like to donate, or
would like to contribute money for the
Free Store, please call Nancy at 5288359 or John at 942-2822.
Lighthouse MCC also operates a
food pantry for people with HIV and
AIDS, serving 25-50 people per week.
They are always willing to accept
donations - and volunteers - for the
Food Pantry.

Have you been planning to present a panel
for the NAMES Quilt? Here's your chance!
A portion of the NAMES Memo­
rial Quilt will be on display in Tulsa
October 13, 14, and 15. If you have
been planning to make a panel for a
friend or loved one, this will be an
excellent time to present it.
All new panels become part of the
display and are then sent to San
Francisco to be sewn into the larger

panels which constitute the Quilt.
RAIN will once again be present­
ing a large panel listing our clients who
have died in the past two years. We
need someone, or more than one, who
would like to give their talent in this
most special way.
Please call the OKC office if you
are interested.

Wecome to the RAIN Team Family
Stillwater Salem Lutheran Church
Enid St. Matthew's Episcopal Church

7

RAINbows and RAINdrops
When Mark Vickers died recently we lost a good friend, an advocate, and a
healing force against anger and bitterness. Mark was one of the founders of Rainbow
Village in Tulsa and he served diligently on the RAIN Board of Directors as well as the
United Methodist AIDS Task Force. He also worked with the AIDS Coalition of Tulsa,
the planning committee for the HIV Resource Consortium, the Barriers to Bridges
Committee, and the Tulsa Community AIDS Partnership Advisory Council. Despite
being asked to leave one church and made to feel unwelcome in another, Mark returned
love and patience in the face of anger and f ear. He shared his story at RAIN training
sessions as well as other venues. His RAIN Team experienced the uniqueness of his
spirit as they cared for him. Though Mark is gone, he lives on in the legacy of love he
left behind.
Our prayers have been with several people: Mike Claborn, Ardmore St. Philip's
Episcopal RAIN Team, suffered a heart attack...Ellen Griffith, Epworth UMC RAIN
Team A. who had three family members severely injured in an auto accident...Jane
Lundquist, Norman St. Michael's Episcopal RAIN Team, underwent surgery...Doris
Pettigrew and Clemmie Ingram, Lawton Barnett Chapel A.M.E. RAIN Team, whose
sister in Kansas has been critically ill...Joy Schreiber, RAIN board member, whose sister
is critically ill...Toni Wizenberg, member of OKC Christ the King Catholic RAIN Team,
broke her ankle and is using crutches...Debbie Keck, Team rep for OKC Grace United
. Methodist Church, who is recovering from recent surgery ... Love and sympathy go to
Jan Hutchison, Epworth UMC Team A, whose father died recently.
Dan Logsdon completed a practicum with RAIN and is now back at OU working
hard toward his degree in social work... Ellen Griffith also completed a RAIN practicum
toward her bachelor's degree... Harold Swink, Epworth UMC RAIN Team A, has been
named the Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor of the Year...several RAIN people from
Epworth UMC in OKC and UM Community of Hope in Tulsa were in Nicaragua on a
Volunteer in Mission trip. They provided medical care and helped to build a medical
clinic...Congratulations to Kathy McCallie and Gail Addis who served as Rodeo Grand
Marshals for the OGRA...Special thanks to the RAINbow Power Team who helped
with the last RAIN mailing in July: Kathleen Sawyer, Betty Mann, Aileen DeBell, Jean
Montgomery, Jeni Markham Clewell, Ellen Griffith, Jim Zurcher, Bob Young, and
Larry Hamilton.
At a RAIN picnic in June, Mary Catherine Smothermon was given two gifts
which proved to be an emotional time for all attending. MC was told a tree will be
planted in her honor in the AIDS Memorial Garden in Oklahoma City. The Garden
Committee is hard at work and it is hoped that ground-breaking will be help by World
AIDS Day, December 1st. MC and Skip plan a matching memorial to their son, Kirt.
They are considering a bench as a place for people to relax in the shade of MC's tree.
The other gift, a Memory Book designed to be an on-going project, was also
presented o MC. Written memories and stories are being put in plastic sleeves and
added to the book. Anyone wanting to share a memory with MC in encouraged to put
it in writing and mail to the RAIN executive office in Oklahoma City.
Once again, the annual Hope Candlelight Tour of Homes in Tulsa was a huge
success! $100,760.00 was distributed between Eastern Oklahoma RAIN and St.
Joseph's Residence for PLWAs.

8

RAIN continues to grow
So many things have happened
since the last issue of The
RAINbow. As you all know from the
Special Edition sent out last month,
RAIN has a new Executive Director.
Pamela S. Cross·, MPH, better known
as Pam, took over on August 7. She
has been busy meeting with staff
members across the state, getting
settled in her new office, meeting
with the executive committee of the
board, and listening and learning all
she can. Pam's background in AIDS
prevention, coupled with her
compassion and caring, make her an
excellent choice as the new director
ofRAIN.
M.C. Smothermon,RAIN's
founder and first Executive Director,
will continue to serve as a consult­
ant to RAIN and provide whatever
services Pam and the Board of
Directors deem necessary.
In Lawton and Enid, thanks to
the generosity of the Oklahoma
AIDS Care Fund, full-time offices are
now operating. Saundra Powell had
been working part-time, thanks to a
start-up grant from DIFFA, and has
accepted the full-time position of
Southwest Associate Coordinator.
Saundra is a member of Southwest
AIDS Network (SWAN). She has
first-hand AIDS experience, as her
son was a PLWA. Centenary United
Methodist Church has donated
office space for RAIN in Lawton.
Alisa Hankins was recently
hired as the Northwest Associate

Coordinator in Enid. A member of
the Enid AIDS coalition, Alisa was
instrumental in bringing RAIN to
Enid. A successful training held
recently resulted in a team composed
of members from several congrega­
tions in the area.
Dannette Geren was hired under
grants from the Bartlett Foundation
in Sapulpa and the PacifiCare
Foundation. Dannette is located in
an office donated by the Allen
family in their law offices in Sapulpa.
Dannette is developing community
education programs, particularly for
youth and Native Americans. She is
a board member of the Tulsa Chapter
of the American Red Cross and
helped write the Native American
Red Cross curriculum. As Education
Coordinator, Dannette quickly
became extremely busy in Sapulpa as
the school system asked her to write
their HIV/AIDS curriculum and in­
service programs for employees. The
programs developed in Creek
County are serving as a model for
the state.
Jeni Markham Clewell has been
hired to share the Western Okla­
homa position of Volunteer Coordi­
nator with Reverend Kathy McCallie.
Jeni is a candidate for the diaconal
ministry and brings to RAIN a
considerable amount of compassion
and caring. She has been a member
of the RAIN Team at First United
Methodist Church in Edmond for
several years.

j

Calendar
SEPTEMBER
04 - Labor Day
08 & 09 - RAIN Training,
Baptist Mem. Hospital,
Miami
10 & 17 - RAIN Team Training,
Western Oklahoma, Norman
1st Presbyterian
24 - First day of Rosh Hashana
(Jewish New Year)--Fare
well/Welcome Party for Mary
Catherine Smothermon and
Pam Cross, 5:00 PM
25 - Team Rep Meetings, OKC
& Tulsa
30 - AIDS Walk, Tulsa
OCTOBER
04 - Yorn Kippur (Jewish
Atonement)
08 - First Day of Sukkot (Taber
nacles, Jewish); AIDS Walk,
OKC

09 & 10 - CarePoint's "History
of the Banner of Color" confer
ence. Call 232-2437 for info
19 - 22 - National Skills Building
Conference, Washington,
D.C.
23 - Team Rep Meetings, OKC
& Tulsa
28 - Boo Bash RAIN Fundraiser,
Silver Star, Tulsa
NOVEMBER
01 - All Saints Day
07 - Guru Nanak's Birthday
(Founder of Sikhism)
23 - Thanksgiving Day - All
RAIN offices closed
27 - Team Rep Meetings, Tulsa &
OKC
DECEMBER
01 - World AIDS Day Memorial
Service

We quoted an incorrect price window sill. The bells are available
for Red Ribbon Bells in the last through the OKC office. Please add
newsletter. The cost for one of these $2.50 if you would like us to ship the
beautiful silver-plated bells is $15.00. bell to you.
The bells are imprinted with a ribbon
We have also been able to re­
and the words "UNTIL ITS OVER." order the small enameled red ribbon
They make lovely gifts and are a pins which were so popular. The cost
perfect reminder of the AIDS epi­ is $5.00 for the plain pin, $15.00 for
demic when placed on your desk or the one studded with rhinestones.

4

In Memoriam
0KC Christ the King
Catholic Church
Don

Tulsa Christ the King
Catholic Church
Johnson

0KCOark
United Methodist Church
Team A
John

Tulsa All Souls
Unitarian Church
Team A
Mark

Norman Mcfarlin
United Methodist Church
Bethany First Church
of the Nazarene
Roy

Tulsa First
Presbyterian Church
RI

0KC Lighthouse
Metropolitan Community Church
TeamC
Darrell

Muskogee St. Joseph's
Catholic Church
Rick
Tulsa University
Canterbury/Sharp Chapel

John

Edmond First
Tulsa Family of Faith
United Methodist Church
Metropolitan Community Church
Gina
James
0KC St. Eugene's
Catholic Church
Lenny
RAIN lost another gentle spirit August 18 with the unexpected death of
PattyGammell, member ofthe 0KC Christ the King Catholic Church RAIN
Team. Patty will be remembered for her ability to discern the needs of others,
her generous gifts, and the giving of her time, energy, and love to those in
want and in pain. Mother Teresa speaks of a poor widow with children, who,
when given a bag of rice, immediately took half of it to a neighbor who had no
food. Mother Theresa said, "The amazing thing is not that she shared the rice,
but she knew the need". This story personifies Patty Gammell.

9

As I see it • • .by M.C.
Wow...What a whirlwind the past
few months have been!!! In February
when I went to Dallas for an interview
with the Truman Scholarship selection
panel, one of the questions I was asked
was how I planned to finish my under­
graduate work in a timely manner if I was
selected as a Truman Scholar. A reason­
able question since yours truly had been
attending Oklahoma City University since
January of 1990! The "plan" had been to
whip right through and have my degree
within two years. But RAIN intervened
and I was lucky to get three hours a
semester from then on. I told the panel I
would resign as director of RAIN if I was
awarded the Truman Scholarship and go
to school full-time. Well, as they say, "the
rest is history... "
How can I tell you what RAIN has
meant to me? It has been both the most
wonderful and the hardest job I've ever
had. I've been blessed beyond belief.
There have been times of deep frustration,
certainly times of great grief, times of
anger, times when I've questioned my
sanity (and also that of others), but all
along I have been in the company of
saints, both the living and those who have
left this earthly existence behind them.
Not only have I felt deep humility as our
clients have allowed RAIN into their lives,
I have also been touched and forever
changed by the many volunteers who have
made RAIN what it is. I have seen
members of the clergy go out on a limb
and support AIDS ministry when they
knew they risked professional censure to
do it. I have listened to RAIN Team
members tell of their joy and their pain as
they came to know and love their clients
and then were left with the memories. I
have watched in awe as they began
working through their grief at RAINbow

10

Retreats, took the time to begin the
healing, and then began the process anew
with another client. What wonderful
people they are!
I have seen the face of God in our
clients and other people living with HIV
that I have come to know and love. Many
people with AIDS have taken hold of
their pain and, with dignity and grace,
shown the rest of us what it is to really
live until you die. They have lifted me
beyond myself and helped me to do things
which I never thought were possible.
It has been my privilege to travel
throughout the world because of RAIN.
Who would have believed I would speak
at Harvard or present a workshop in
Bangkok, Thailand? Or be a member of
national and international boards?
Sometimes it has been really scary and
I've wanted to retreat to my house by the
lake and just hole up. Often I have felt
inadequate for the work ahead, but the
necessary doors have always opened and
the strength has always come.
Where will I go from here? The needs
are many .Through the work I have done, I
have seen so many times the injustice
meted out to so many people. Here in
America the promise of freedom and
justice for all is often relegated to a select
few. Social programs vital to the existence
of people are being cut, discrimination
exists no matter what our laws may say,
and those who most need our love and
care are often the last to get it, if they get
it at all.
I was in Washington, D.C. not long
ago, my first trip to that fabled land. At
one of the Smithsonian museums I saw
the first American flag and the soda
fountain where the first sit-in for civil
rights took place. I visited the Vietnam
Wall and cried as I traced the name of a

ming with parents and other adults
who work with youth, and community
presentations designed to enhance
awareness of health issues. Without
a doubt, the most powerful educa­
tional experiences combined accurate
HIV/AIDS education with the oppor­
tunity to meet and interact with
someone impacted by HIV/AIDS.
Witnessing an individual or a group
begin to challenge misinformation or
attitudes that might hurt others is a
chance to observe personal growth.
Because I have seen this occur
with young people and adults in a
variety of settings (schools, churches,
and work places), I am thrilled that
RAIN has entered more formally into
the educational realm. Dannette
Geren, Eastern Oklahoma Educator, is
working closely with schools in Creek
County. The curriculum and activities
she develops and implements will
serve as a model for other school
districts.

My outlook for the future of
RAIN is a positive one. I believe that
RAIN will continue to provide
(through our invaluable volunteers)
loving support for those impacted by
HIV/AIDS and that the numbers
served will increase as we build
bridges in all areas of the state; I
believe that the education provided
by RAIN staff and volunteers will
make a difference in slowing the
incidence of new infection; and I
believe that RAIN will be able to
provide these services because of the
continued commitment of resources
by those generous individuals and
organizations who understand that we
cannot afford to become complacent
regarding HIV/AIDS. Thank you for
the opportunity to help shape the
future of RAIN in Oklahoma.
In Faith and Hope,

Smotherman & Cooper to be honored
at Carepoinfs Red Ribbon Ritz
RAIN recently received the
exciting news that two Oklahoma
women who are very dear to us will be
guests of honor at CarePoint's Red
Ribbon Ritz.
Mary Catherine Smotherman and
Barbara Cooper will received the
"Local Legend in the Fight Against
AIDS Award" given in conjunction
with the Virginia Slims Legends Tour.
Twelve of the most celebrated women
in tennis will attend the reception at 5
pm, Saturday, October 7, in the Great

Hall of the Myriad Convention Center.
Mary Catherine's and Barbara's
names will be engraved on a plaque
that will become part of a permanent
exhibition at the National Women's
Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, New
York.
For more information regarding
tickets to the Red Ribbon Ritz, please
call CarePoint at(405)232-2437.
Tickets for the tennis events must be
obtained from the Myriad, (405) 297300).

3

TheRAINbow

friend and thought of many others. I
stood in front of the White House and
wondered if its occupants have ever
really been able to maintain touch with
the American people. I felt within me the
pride and promise of America, while
seeing around me the hurting and the
homeless. I cannot rest until the promise
of America is a reality for all of us.

The DIRECTOR'S DESK
For many people, beginning a
new job is a lot like the first day of
school - we worry about what to wear,
we worry about whether everyone will
like us, and we worry about our
success or failure. Following Mary
Catherine's tremendous history with
RAIN Oklahoma and other HIV/AIDS
organizations could be daunting for
me if it were not forthe tremendous
strength of the staff, the inspiring
dedication of the volunteers, and the
faithfulness of contributors to RAIN.
In the few days that I have been
the Executive Director ofRAIN, I have
felt surrounded by warm embraces
and well wishes. This may be similar
to the wonderful feeling of acceptance
that our clients feel upon meeting
their RAIN teams! It isn't surprising
that many people living with HIV/
AIDS who are served by a RAIN team
actually feel their physical and mental
health improve once they have that
acceptance and support.
lt is indeed an honor to have
joinedRAIN at a time when we have
been able to expand services in
southwest Oklahoma through the
Lawton office and in northwest

2

In Love and Faith,

They meet...and life is beautiful for a moment in eternity.
Animal needs and primal desire dance in their souls,
unblemished by reality.
Then daily existence intervenes and
distorts the expectations of something true.
And all that is left are passionless echoes of empty dreams,
Glittering futures never to be lived.

September, 1995

Volume 6, Number 3

Granted, it may not happen in my
lifetime, but I hope when my time on
earth is over I can say I did my best to
bring it about.

Mike Atchley, in memory of Ray McDonald

RAIN UPDATE!

Oklahoma through the Enid
office. Having offices located within
those areas, staffed by people from
the communities, will greatly enhance
RAIN's visibility and effectiveness at
serving individuals and families
impacted by HIV/AIDS. Saundra
Powell, Southwestern Associate
Coordinator, and Alisa Hankins,
Northwestern Associate Coordinator,
bring to their work an exceptional
knowledge of the needs of their
communities but also an understand­
ing of the wealth of human resources
available to them.
My enthusiasm for being a part of
RAIN comes from how closely
RAIN's mission fits with my personal
mission. Serving as the coordinator of
teen pregnancy prevention and
adolescent HIV/AIDS prevention
projects at the Oklahoma Institute for
Child Advocacy I worked for im­
proved adolescent health through
direct education with youth, program-

By the end of August, 1995, RAIN has presented 736 programs to 26,415 people. Seventy-three
teams (44 Western OK, 29 Eastern OK) are currently serving 59 clients. More than 295 clients
have been served since February, 1990. During August, volunteers gave 1,699 hours of service.

------------------------Yes, I want to be a RAIN supporter. Enclosed is my contribution:
$___ My gift is in memory of ___________., Please
notify the family:
My gift is in honor of___________ Please notify
the honoree, whose address is:
I understand RAIN Oklahoma is a non-profit organization and my
contribution is tax-deductible. My cancelled check will serve as my receipt.
{Please check here __ if you prefer to remain anonymous and do not want
to receive RAIN newsletters and mailings.)
Name
Address
City, State, Zip __ ___ ____
Phone
Please make check payable to:

-----------· I

------------------------------

---------------

I

RAINOklahoma
924 N.Robinson
OklahomaCityOK73102-5814

I
I
!
11

✓

�

-/

�
OKLAHOMA

Episcopal Church Center
924 N. Robinson • Oklahoma City, OK 73102-5314

L

..J

TheRAINbow
A Publication of RAIN Oklahoma

Volume 6, Number 3

Board of Directors

Pamela S. Cross
Executive Director

Oklahoma cnv Office·
Joan R. Foreman
Western Oklahoma Coordinator
Wesley T. Wlae
Executive Secretary
Larry McGhghy
Secretary
Larry Hamllton
Clerical Assistant
Rev. Kathy McCallle
Jeni Markham Clewell
Volunteer Coordinators
EplacopalChurchCenter
924 N. Robinson
OklahomaClty,OK73102·5814
(405) 232-4372

Eastern Oklahoma Office;
Sheryl Dagang
Eastern Oklahoma Coordinator
Stephen Davia
Secretary
HIV ReaourceConsortium
4154S. Harvanl,Sulle H-1
Tulaa,OK74135-2602
(918) 749-4195

southwest Oklahoma Office·
Saundra Powell
SW OK Associate Coordinator
CentanaryUnllecl MethodlatChurch
704 SW "D" Avenue
Lawton, OK 73501
(405) 351-AIDS (2437)

September, 1995

community EducaJloo Office·
Dannette Geren
Education Coordinator
221 E.Dewey
Sapulpa,OK74087
(918) 224-4433

Northwest Oklahoma Office
Allaa Hankins
NW Oklahoma Associate Coordinator
P.O. Box5724
Enld,OK73702
(405) 234-3683

BIii Guy, Editor
OutsldelheOKCmetro.,_call:

1-800-324-RAIN

"Member AIDS National Interfaith Network"

Rev.Melvin Balley

Ms. Gloria Bellymule
Mr. TommyCheebro
Mr.Stephen Daniels
Rev.Jim Eller
Mr. Charles Faudree
Mr. Jell Hamilton
Mr.Lull Lopaz
Ms. Saundra Lucas
Mr. BradMulholland
Rev.John Nicholas
Mr.Peter G. Pierce Ill
Ms. Janice Piggee
Ms. Joyce Schreiber
LeonanlN.Slater,M.D.
Ma. Marilyn Stlatl



TheRAINbow

friend and thought of many others. I
stood in front of the White House and
wondered if its occupants have ever
really been able to maintain touch with
the American people. I felt within me the
pride and promise of America, while
seeing around me the hurting and the
homeless. I cannot rest until the promise
of America is a reality for all of us.

The DIRECTOR'S DESK
For many people, beginning a
new job is a lot like the first day of
school - we worry about what to wear,
we worry about whether everyone will
like us, and we worry about our
success or failure. Following Mary
Catherine's tremendous history with
RAIN Oklahoma and other HIV/AIDS
organizations could be daunting for
me if it were not forthe tremendous
strength of the staff, the inspiring
dedication of the volunteers, and the
faithfulness of contributors to RAIN.
In the few days that I have been
the Executive Director ofRAIN, I have
felt surrounded by warm embraces
and well wishes. This may be similar
to the wonderful feeling of acceptance
that our clients feel upon meeting
their RAIN teams! It isn't surprising
that many people living with HIV/
AIDS who are served by a RAIN team
actually feel their physical and mental
health improve once they have that
acceptance and support.
lt is indeed an honor to have
joinedRAIN at a time when we have
been able to expand services in
southwest Oklahoma through the
Lawton office and in northwest

2

In Love and Faith,

They meet...and life is beautiful for a moment in eternity.
Animal needs and primal desire dance in their souls,
unblemished by reality.
Then daily existence intervenes and
distorts the expectations of something true.
And all that is left are passionless echoes of empty dreams,
Glittering futures never to be lived.

September, 1995

Volume 6, Number 3

Granted, it may not happen in my
lifetime, but I hope when my time on
earth is over I can say I did my best to
bring it about.

Mike Atchley, in memory of Ray McDonald

RAIN UPDATE!

Oklahoma through the Enid
office. Having offices located within
those areas, staffed by people from
the communities, will greatly enhance
RAIN's visibility and effectiveness at
serving individuals and families
impacted by HIV/AIDS. Saundra
Powell, Southwestern Associate
Coordinator, and Alisa Hankins,
Northwestern Associate Coordinator,
bring to their work an exceptional
knowledge of the needs of their
communities but also an understand­
ing of the wealth of human resources
available to them.
My enthusiasm for being a part of
RAIN comes from how closely
RAIN's mission fits with my personal
mission. Serving as the coordinator of
teen pregnancy prevention and
adolescent HIV/AIDS prevention
projects at the Oklahoma Institute for
Child Advocacy I worked for im­
proved adolescent health through
direct education with youth, program-

By the end of August, 1995, RAIN has presented 736 programs to 26,415 people. Seventy-three
teams (44 Western OK, 29 Eastern OK) are currently serving 59 clients. More than 295 clients
have been served since February, 1990. During August, volunteers gave 1,699 hours of service.

------------------------Yes, I want to be a RAIN supporter. Enclosed is my contribution:
$___ My gift is in memory of ___________., Please
notify the family:
My gift is in honor of___________ Please notify
the honoree, whose address is:
I understand RAIN Oklahoma is a non-profit organization and my
contribution is tax-deductible. My cancelled check will serve as my receipt.
{Please check here __ if you prefer to remain anonymous and do not want
to receive RAIN newsletters and mailings.)
Name
Address
City, State, Zip __ ___ ____
Phone
Please make check payable to:

-----------· I

------------------------------

---------------

I

RAINOklahoma
924 N.Robinson
OklahomaCityOK73102-5814

I
I
!
11

As I see it • • .by M.C.
Wow...What a whirlwind the past
few months have been!!! In February
when I went to Dallas for an interview
with the Truman Scholarship selection
panel, one of the questions I was asked
was how I planned to finish my under­
graduate work in a timely manner if I was
selected as a Truman Scholar. A reason­
able question since yours truly had been
attending Oklahoma City University since
January of 1990! The "plan" had been to
whip right through and have my degree
within two years. But RAIN intervened
and I was lucky to get three hours a
semester from then on. I told the panel I
would resign as director of RAIN if I was
awarded the Truman Scholarship and go
to school full-time. Well, as they say, "the
rest is history... "
How can I tell you what RAIN has
meant to me? It has been both the most
wonderful and the hardest job I've ever
had. I've been blessed beyond belief.
There have been times of deep frustration,
certainly times of great grief, times of
anger, times when I've questioned my
sanity (and also that of others), but all
along I have been in the company of
saints, both the living and those who have
left this earthly existence behind them.
Not only have I felt deep humility as our
clients have allowed RAIN into their lives,
I have also been touched and forever
changed by the many volunteers who have
made RAIN what it is. I have seen
members of the clergy go out on a limb
and support AIDS ministry when they
knew they risked professional censure to
do it. I have listened to RAIN Team
members tell of their joy and their pain as
they came to know and love their clients
and then were left with the memories. I
have watched in awe as they began
working through their grief at RAINbow

10

Retreats, took the time to begin the
healing, and then began the process anew
with another client. What wonderful
people they are!
I have seen the face of God in our
clients and other people living with HIV
that I have come to know and love. Many
people with AIDS have taken hold of
their pain and, with dignity and grace,
shown the rest of us what it is to really
live until you die. They have lifted me
beyond myself and helped me to do things
which I never thought were possible.
It has been my privilege to travel
throughout the world because of RAIN.
Who would have believed I would speak
at Harvard or present a workshop in
Bangkok, Thailand? Or be a member of
national and international boards?
Sometimes it has been really scary and
I've wanted to retreat to my house by the
lake and just hole up. Often I have felt
inadequate for the work ahead, but the
necessary doors have always opened and
the strength has always come.
Where will I go from here? The needs
are many .Through the work I have done, I
have seen so many times the injustice
meted out to so many people. Here in
America the promise of freedom and
justice for all is often relegated to a select
few. Social programs vital to the existence
of people are being cut, discrimination
exists no matter what our laws may say,
and those who most need our love and
care are often the last to get it, if they get
it at all.
I was in Washington, D.C. not long
ago, my first trip to that fabled land. At
one of the Smithsonian museums I saw
the first American flag and the soda
fountain where the first sit-in for civil
rights took place. I visited the Vietnam
Wall and cried as I traced the name of a

ming with parents and other adults
who work with youth, and community
presentations designed to enhance
awareness of health issues. Without
a doubt, the most powerful educa­
tional experiences combined accurate
HIV/AIDS education with the oppor­
tunity to meet and interact with
someone impacted by HIV/AIDS.
Witnessing an individual or a group
begin to challenge misinformation or
attitudes that might hurt others is a
chance to observe personal growth.
Because I have seen this occur
with young people and adults in a
variety of settings (schools, churches,
and work places), I am thrilled that
RAIN has entered more formally into
the educational realm. Dannette
Geren, Eastern Oklahoma Educator, is
working closely with schools in Creek
County. The curriculum and activities
she develops and implements will
serve as a model for other school
districts.

My outlook for the future of
RAIN is a positive one. I believe that
RAIN will continue to provide
(through our invaluable volunteers)
loving support for those impacted by
HIV/AIDS and that the numbers
served will increase as we build
bridges in all areas of the state; I
believe that the education provided
by RAIN staff and volunteers will
make a difference in slowing the
incidence of new infection; and I
believe that RAIN will be able to
provide these services because of the
continued commitment of resources
by those generous individuals and
organizations who understand that we
cannot afford to become complacent
regarding HIV/AIDS. Thank you for
the opportunity to help shape the
future of RAIN in Oklahoma.
In Faith and Hope,

Smotherman & Cooper to be honored
at Carepoinfs Red Ribbon Ritz
RAIN recently received the
exciting news that two Oklahoma
women who are very dear to us will be
guests of honor at CarePoint's Red
Ribbon Ritz.
Mary Catherine Smotherman and
Barbara Cooper will received the
"Local Legend in the Fight Against
AIDS Award" given in conjunction
with the Virginia Slims Legends Tour.
Twelve of the most celebrated women
in tennis will attend the reception at 5
pm, Saturday, October 7, in the Great

Hall of the Myriad Convention Center.
Mary Catherine's and Barbara's
names will be engraved on a plaque
that will become part of a permanent
exhibition at the National Women's
Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, New
York.
For more information regarding
tickets to the Red Ribbon Ritz, please
call CarePoint at(405)232-2437.
Tickets for the tennis events must be
obtained from the Myriad, (405) 297300).

3

Calendar
SEPTEMBER
04 - Labor Day
08 & 09 - RAIN Training,
Baptist Mem. Hospital,
Miami
10 & 17 - RAIN Team Training,
Western Oklahoma, Norman
1st Presbyterian
24 - First day of Rosh Hashana
(Jewish New Year)--Fare
well/Welcome Party for Mary
Catherine Smothermon and
Pam Cross, 5:00 PM
25 - Team Rep Meetings, OKC
& Tulsa
30 - AIDS Walk, Tulsa
OCTOBER
04 - Yorn Kippur (Jewish
Atonement)
08 - First Day of Sukkot (Taber
nacles, Jewish); AIDS Walk,
OKC

09 & 10 - CarePoint's "History
of the Banner of Color" confer
ence. Call 232-2437 for info
19 - 22 - National Skills Building
Conference, Washington,
D.C.
23 - Team Rep Meetings, OKC
& Tulsa
28 - Boo Bash RAIN Fundraiser,
Silver Star, Tulsa
NOVEMBER
01 - All Saints Day
07 - Guru Nanak's Birthday
(Founder of Sikhism)
23 - Thanksgiving Day - All
RAIN offices closed
27 - Team Rep Meetings, Tulsa &
OKC
DECEMBER
01 - World AIDS Day Memorial
Service

We quoted an incorrect price window sill. The bells are available
for Red Ribbon Bells in the last through the OKC office. Please add
newsletter. The cost for one of these $2.50 if you would like us to ship the
beautiful silver-plated bells is $15.00. bell to you.
The bells are imprinted with a ribbon
We have also been able to re­
and the words "UNTIL ITS OVER." order the small enameled red ribbon
They make lovely gifts and are a pins which were so popular. The cost
perfect reminder of the AIDS epi­ is $5.00 for the plain pin, $15.00 for
demic when placed on your desk or the one studded with rhinestones.

4

In Memoriam
0KC Christ the King
Catholic Church
Don

Tulsa Christ the King
Catholic Church
Johnson

0KCOark
United Methodist Church
Team A
John

Tulsa All Souls
Unitarian Church
Team A
Mark

Norman Mcfarlin
United Methodist Church
Bethany First Church
of the Nazarene
Roy

Tulsa First
Presbyterian Church
RI

0KC Lighthouse
Metropolitan Community Church
TeamC
Darrell

Muskogee St. Joseph's
Catholic Church
Rick
Tulsa University
Canterbury/Sharp Chapel

John

Edmond First
Tulsa Family of Faith
United Methodist Church
Metropolitan Community Church
Gina
James
0KC St. Eugene's
Catholic Church
Lenny
RAIN lost another gentle spirit August 18 with the unexpected death of
PattyGammell, member ofthe 0KC Christ the King Catholic Church RAIN
Team. Patty will be remembered for her ability to discern the needs of others,
her generous gifts, and the giving of her time, energy, and love to those in
want and in pain. Mother Teresa speaks of a poor widow with children, who,
when given a bag of rice, immediately took half of it to a neighbor who had no
food. Mother Theresa said, "The amazing thing is not that she shared the rice,
but she knew the need". This story personifies Patty Gammell.

9

RAINbows and RAINdrops
When Mark Vickers died recently we lost a good friend, an advocate, and a
healing force against anger and bitterness. Mark was one of the founders of Rainbow
Village in Tulsa and he served diligently on the RAIN Board of Directors as well as the
United Methodist AIDS Task Force. He also worked with the AIDS Coalition of Tulsa,
the planning committee for the HIV Resource Consortium, the Barriers to Bridges
Committee, and the Tulsa Community AIDS Partnership Advisory Council. Despite
being asked to leave one church and made to feel unwelcome in another, Mark returned
love and patience in the face of anger and f ear. He shared his story at RAIN training
sessions as well as other venues. His RAIN Team experienced the uniqueness of his
spirit as they cared for him. Though Mark is gone, he lives on in the legacy of love he
left behind.
Our prayers have been with several people: Mike Claborn, Ardmore St. Philip's
Episcopal RAIN Team, suffered a heart attack...Ellen Griffith, Epworth UMC RAIN
Team A. who had three family members severely injured in an auto accident...Jane
Lundquist, Norman St. Michael's Episcopal RAIN Team, underwent surgery...Doris
Pettigrew and Clemmie Ingram, Lawton Barnett Chapel A.M.E. RAIN Team, whose
sister in Kansas has been critically ill...Joy Schreiber, RAIN board member, whose sister
is critically ill...Toni Wizenberg, member of OKC Christ the King Catholic RAIN Team,
broke her ankle and is using crutches...Debbie Keck, Team rep for OKC Grace United
. Methodist Church, who is recovering from recent surgery ... Love and sympathy go to
Jan Hutchison, Epworth UMC Team A, whose father died recently.
Dan Logsdon completed a practicum with RAIN and is now back at OU working
hard toward his degree in social work... Ellen Griffith also completed a RAIN practicum
toward her bachelor's degree... Harold Swink, Epworth UMC RAIN Team A, has been
named the Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor of the Year...several RAIN people from
Epworth UMC in OKC and UM Community of Hope in Tulsa were in Nicaragua on a
Volunteer in Mission trip. They provided medical care and helped to build a medical
clinic...Congratulations to Kathy McCallie and Gail Addis who served as Rodeo Grand
Marshals for the OGRA...Special thanks to the RAINbow Power Team who helped
with the last RAIN mailing in July: Kathleen Sawyer, Betty Mann, Aileen DeBell, Jean
Montgomery, Jeni Markham Clewell, Ellen Griffith, Jim Zurcher, Bob Young, and
Larry Hamilton.
At a RAIN picnic in June, Mary Catherine Smothermon was given two gifts
which proved to be an emotional time for all attending. MC was told a tree will be
planted in her honor in the AIDS Memorial Garden in Oklahoma City. The Garden
Committee is hard at work and it is hoped that ground-breaking will be help by World
AIDS Day, December 1st. MC and Skip plan a matching memorial to their son, Kirt.
They are considering a bench as a place for people to relax in the shade of MC's tree.
The other gift, a Memory Book designed to be an on-going project, was also
presented o MC. Written memories and stories are being put in plastic sleeves and
added to the book. Anyone wanting to share a memory with MC in encouraged to put
it in writing and mail to the RAIN executive office in Oklahoma City.
Once again, the annual Hope Candlelight Tour of Homes in Tulsa was a huge
success! $100,760.00 was distributed between Eastern Oklahoma RAIN and St.
Joseph's Residence for PLWAs.

8

RAIN continues to grow
So many things have happened
since the last issue of The
RAINbow. As you all know from the
Special Edition sent out last month,
RAIN has a new Executive Director.
Pamela S. Cross·, MPH, better known
as Pam, took over on August 7. She
has been busy meeting with staff
members across the state, getting
settled in her new office, meeting
with the executive committee of the
board, and listening and learning all
she can. Pam's background in AIDS
prevention, coupled with her
compassion and caring, make her an
excellent choice as the new director
ofRAIN.
M.C. Smothermon,RAIN's
founder and first Executive Director,
will continue to serve as a consult­
ant to RAIN and provide whatever
services Pam and the Board of
Directors deem necessary.
In Lawton and Enid, thanks to
the generosity of the Oklahoma
AIDS Care Fund, full-time offices are
now operating. Saundra Powell had
been working part-time, thanks to a
start-up grant from DIFFA, and has
accepted the full-time position of
Southwest Associate Coordinator.
Saundra is a member of Southwest
AIDS Network (SWAN). She has
first-hand AIDS experience, as her
son was a PLWA. Centenary United
Methodist Church has donated
office space for RAIN in Lawton.
Alisa Hankins was recently
hired as the Northwest Associate

Coordinator in Enid. A member of
the Enid AIDS coalition, Alisa was
instrumental in bringing RAIN to
Enid. A successful training held
recently resulted in a team composed
of members from several congrega­
tions in the area.
Dannette Geren was hired under
grants from the Bartlett Foundation
in Sapulpa and the PacifiCare
Foundation. Dannette is located in
an office donated by the Allen
family in their law offices in Sapulpa.
Dannette is developing community
education programs, particularly for
youth and Native Americans. She is
a board member of the Tulsa Chapter
of the American Red Cross and
helped write the Native American
Red Cross curriculum. As Education
Coordinator, Dannette quickly
became extremely busy in Sapulpa as
the school system asked her to write
their HIV/AIDS curriculum and in­
service programs for employees. The
programs developed in Creek
County are serving as a model for
the state.
Jeni Markham Clewell has been
hired to share the Western Okla­
homa position of Volunteer Coordi­
nator with Reverend Kathy McCallie.
Jeni is a candidate for the diaconal
ministry and brings to RAIN a
considerable amount of compassion
and caring. She has been a member
of the RAIN Team at First United
Methodist Church in Edmond for
several years.

j

RAIN Donations
Each donation is special and vital
to RAIN, for we would be unable to
provide the vital services we do
without you. Often, a special letter
accompanies a donation. This month,
we'd like to share the letter which
came to RAIN with a generous check
from the United Life Church in
Oklahoma City. United Life sponsors a
RAIN Team and will host a training
session in the near future.
"Our church teaches and abides
by the Principle of tithing and each
week we tithe 10% of our Sunday
offering to a person or organization
we feel has spiritually fed our church
family in some way. Recognizing that
God is the Source of all, we know that
• our gift of love blesses and enriches
as it circulates and returns to us
multiplied.
"We appreciate and honor you as
a divine expression of God. We are
blessed by you and your work and it
is our pleasure to share with you the
good that has been entrusted to us."
Some pledge and/or donate
regularly...some honor or memorialize
someone special...some support fund
raising activities ...some donate for a
special event or presentation...some
donate anonymously - all are vital to
the ministry of RAIN.
We thank each and every one.
INDIVIDUAL:
Jackie and Barbara Cooper...Billie
Hurst-Gasaway... Carol Woods ... Skip
and Donna Ambler...Dr. Robert
Jones...Roy and Aline Brown ...Skip
and Mary Catherine
Smothermon... Gerald and Betty
Beck...Daniel Norton ...Don

6

Knight...Jeffrey Gaughan... Charlotte
Alexandre...Betty Brown... and several
anonymous donations.
IN-KIND:
DR. BETTY BRITT, office
equipment; EPISC OPAL DIOC ESE
OF OKLAHOMA, office equipment;
STEAVE M. HARLON, two side
chairs for the OKC R AIN office.
MEMORIALS:
ROB BORDERS by Robert and
Norma Borders; JOHN HOCKING by
Terry Knapp;JOHN WHITTMORE
by John McNeese, Jeffrey Gaughan,
Joan Boggs, Bill Rogers, Roy Scott,
Roy and Aline Brown, Sue Brown;
TOMMY GREENHAWby Ronald
Wheeler, Floyd G. Greenhaw, Buck
McPhail, Calvin McLish, Earl Baker,
Floyd W. Greenhaw, Linda Patz­
kowsky, Jo Ann Fair; PAM ARGO by
Bill Rogers;KEVEN HAND by OKC
Metro Men's Chorus; ROY BEC K by
Jody Martin; MARK HOUSTON by
Lorie Summers, The Oklahoma
Gazette; RAY McDONALD by Linda
Newcomer;KIRT SMOTHERMONby
Skip and Mary Catherine
Smothermon;EDMOND P. GAUDIN
by Kathy Leithner; K.J. C OBURN by
Van Wilde; JOHNSON SINC LAIR by
Mary Lou Doudican; JIM MOSS by
Warren Riggs;WILLIAM SOUTER
ALLEN by Tadaaki Hatta.
CHURCHES:
United Life of Religious Science
Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma
Oklahoma Conference of the United
Methodist Church
Catholic Church of Saint Mary
Faith United Methodist Church

Edmond First Presbyterian
Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa
ORGANIZATIONS, GRANTS AND
FUND RAISERS
Hope Candlelight Tour of Homes
Valhalla Energy Corporation
Coram Healthcare
Tramps Club ofOKC
Junior Hospitality Club ofOKC
Tulsa Community AIDS
Partnership (TCAP)
Follies Rewe, Inc. of Tulsa

Carolyn Wright.Jayne Fleener...Polly
Houston...Van Wilde; In Memory of
John Whittmore by Eddie Rothermel,
Terry Dennison, Planned Parenthood
of Oklahoma, Eursey Lenoir; IN
HONOR OF GENEVA SMITHby Jo
Ann Fair, Jesse Sparks, Margaret
Plumb, Pat Denham, Joe O'Neal, Joe
Gill, Judy Pearson, Lance D. Smith,
Earl Baker;IN HONOR OF MARY
CATHERINE SMOTHERMONby
Joan and Larry Foreman, Jeudi
Hamilton, Leslie Heathman, Nora Leal,
Garline Wheatley.

AIDSMEMORIALGARDEN
DONATIONS:

Holiday Cheer in September?
Plans for a "Free Store" to be
available to PL W As are moving
toward reality. Understanding that
many people living with HIV have little
or no money left over to be able to
give gifts to their loved ones, Light­
house is encouraging the donation of
nice items to be available for properly
screened clients to pick out and give
as a gift for the holidays. If you have

You Bet!

something you would like to donate, or
would like to contribute money for the
Free Store, please call Nancy at 5288359 or John at 942-2822.
Lighthouse MCC also operates a
food pantry for people with HIV and
AIDS, serving 25-50 people per week.
They are always willing to accept
donations - and volunteers - for the
Food Pantry.

Have you been planning to present a panel
for the NAMES Quilt? Here's your chance!
A portion of the NAMES Memo­
rial Quilt will be on display in Tulsa
October 13, 14, and 15. If you have
been planning to make a panel for a
friend or loved one, this will be an
excellent time to present it.
All new panels become part of the
display and are then sent to San
Francisco to be sewn into the larger

panels which constitute the Quilt.
RAIN will once again be present­
ing a large panel listing our clients who
have died in the past two years. We
need someone, or more than one, who
would like to give their talent in this
most special way.
Please call the OKC office if you
are interested.

Wecome to the RAIN Team Family
Stillwater Salem Lutheran Church
Enid St. Matthew's Episcopal Church

7

RAIN Donations
Each donation is special and vital
to RAIN, for we would be unable to
provide the vital services we do
without you. Often, a special letter
accompanies a donation. This month,
we'd like to share the letter which
came to RAIN with a generous check
from the United Life Church in
Oklahoma City. United Life sponsors a
RAIN Team and will host a training
session in the near future.
"Our church teaches and abides
by the Principle of tithing and each
week we tithe 10% of our Sunday
offering to a person or organization
we feel has spiritually fed our church
family in some way. Recognizing that
God is the Source of all, we know that
• our gift of love blesses and enriches
as it circulates and returns to us
multiplied.
"We appreciate and honor you as
a divine expression of God. We are
blessed by you and your work and it
is our pleasure to share with you the
good that has been entrusted to us."
Some pledge and/or donate
regularly...some honor or memorialize
someone special...some support fund
raising activities ...some donate for a
special event or presentation...some
donate anonymously - all are vital to
the ministry of RAIN.
We thank each and every one.
INDIVIDUAL:
Jackie and Barbara Cooper...Billie
Hurst-Gasaway... Carol Woods ... Skip
and Donna Ambler...Dr. Robert
Jones...Roy and Aline Brown ...Skip
and Mary Catherine
Smothermon... Gerald and Betty
Beck...Daniel Norton ...Don

6

Knight...Jeffrey Gaughan... Charlotte
Alexandre...Betty Brown... and several
anonymous donations.
IN-KIND:
DR. BETTY BRITT, office
equipment; EPISC OPAL DIOC ESE
OF OKLAHOMA, office equipment;
STEAVE M. HARLON, two side
chairs for the OKC R AIN office.
MEMORIALS:
ROB BORDERS by Robert and
Norma Borders; JOHN HOCKING by
Terry Knapp;JOHN WHITTMORE
by John McNeese, Jeffrey Gaughan,
Joan Boggs, Bill Rogers, Roy Scott,
Roy and Aline Brown, Sue Brown;
TOMMY GREENHAWby Ronald
Wheeler, Floyd G. Greenhaw, Buck
McPhail, Calvin McLish, Earl Baker,
Floyd W. Greenhaw, Linda Patz­
kowsky, Jo Ann Fair; PAM ARGO by
Bill Rogers;KEVEN HAND by OKC
Metro Men's Chorus; ROY BEC K by
Jody Martin; MARK HOUSTON by
Lorie Summers, The Oklahoma
Gazette; RAY McDONALD by Linda
Newcomer;KIRT SMOTHERMONby
Skip and Mary Catherine
Smothermon;EDMOND P. GAUDIN
by Kathy Leithner; K.J. C OBURN by
Van Wilde; JOHNSON SINC LAIR by
Mary Lou Doudican; JIM MOSS by
Warren Riggs;WILLIAM SOUTER
ALLEN by Tadaaki Hatta.
CHURCHES:
United Life of Religious Science
Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma
Oklahoma Conference of the United
Methodist Church
Catholic Church of Saint Mary
Faith United Methodist Church

Edmond First Presbyterian
Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa
ORGANIZATIONS, GRANTS AND
FUND RAISERS
Hope Candlelight Tour of Homes
Valhalla Energy Corporation
Coram Healthcare
Tramps Club ofOKC
Junior Hospitality Club ofOKC
Tulsa Community AIDS
Partnership (TCAP)
Follies Rewe, Inc. of Tulsa

Carolyn Wright.Jayne Fleener...Polly
Houston...Van Wilde; In Memory of
John Whittmore by Eddie Rothermel,
Terry Dennison, Planned Parenthood
of Oklahoma, Eursey Lenoir; IN
HONOR OF GENEVA SMITHby Jo
Ann Fair, Jesse Sparks, Margaret
Plumb, Pat Denham, Joe O'Neal, Joe
Gill, Judy Pearson, Lance D. Smith,
Earl Baker;IN HONOR OF MARY
CATHERINE SMOTHERMONby
Joan and Larry Foreman, Jeudi
Hamilton, Leslie Heathman, Nora Leal,
Garline Wheatley.

AIDSMEMORIALGARDEN
DONATIONS:

Holiday Cheer in September?
Plans for a "Free Store" to be
available to PL W As are moving
toward reality. Understanding that
many people living with HIV have little
or no money left over to be able to
give gifts to their loved ones, Light­
house is encouraging the donation of
nice items to be available for properly
screened clients to pick out and give
as a gift for the holidays. If you have

You Bet!

something you would like to donate, or
would like to contribute money for the
Free Store, please call Nancy at 5288359 or John at 942-2822.
Lighthouse MCC also operates a
food pantry for people with HIV and
AIDS, serving 25-50 people per week.
They are always willing to accept
donations - and volunteers - for the
Food Pantry.

Have you been planning to present a panel
for the NAMES Quilt? Here's your chance!
A portion of the NAMES Memo­
rial Quilt will be on display in Tulsa
October 13, 14, and 15. If you have
been planning to make a panel for a
friend or loved one, this will be an
excellent time to present it.
All new panels become part of the
display and are then sent to San
Francisco to be sewn into the larger

panels which constitute the Quilt.
RAIN will once again be present­
ing a large panel listing our clients who
have died in the past two years. We
need someone, or more than one, who
would like to give their talent in this
most special way.
Please call the OKC office if you
are interested.

Wecome to the RAIN Team Family
Stillwater Salem Lutheran Church
Enid St. Matthew's Episcopal Church

7

RAINbows and RAINdrops
When Mark Vickers died recently we lost a good friend, an advocate, and a
healing force against anger and bitterness. Mark was one of the founders of Rainbow
Village in Tulsa and he served diligently on the RAIN Board of Directors as well as the
United Methodist AIDS Task Force. He also worked with the AIDS Coalition of Tulsa,
the planning committee for the HIV Resource Consortium, the Barriers to Bridges
Committee, and the Tulsa Community AIDS Partnership Advisory Council. Despite
being asked to leave one church and made to feel unwelcome in another, Mark returned
love and patience in the face of anger and f ear. He shared his story at RAIN training
sessions as well as other venues. His RAIN Team experienced the uniqueness of his
spirit as they cared for him. Though Mark is gone, he lives on in the legacy of love he
left behind.
Our prayers have been with several people: Mike Claborn, Ardmore St. Philip's
Episcopal RAIN Team, suffered a heart attack...Ellen Griffith, Epworth UMC RAIN
Team A. who had three family members severely injured in an auto accident...Jane
Lundquist, Norman St. Michael's Episcopal RAIN Team, underwent surgery...Doris
Pettigrew and Clemmie Ingram, Lawton Barnett Chapel A.M.E. RAIN Team, whose
sister in Kansas has been critically ill...Joy Schreiber, RAIN board member, whose sister
is critically ill...Toni Wizenberg, member of OKC Christ the King Catholic RAIN Team,
broke her ankle and is using crutches...Debbie Keck, Team rep for OKC Grace United
. Methodist Church, who is recovering from recent surgery ... Love and sympathy go to
Jan Hutchison, Epworth UMC Team A, whose father died recently.
Dan Logsdon completed a practicum with RAIN and is now back at OU working
hard toward his degree in social work... Ellen Griffith also completed a RAIN practicum
toward her bachelor's degree... Harold Swink, Epworth UMC RAIN Team A, has been
named the Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor of the Year...several RAIN people from
Epworth UMC in OKC and UM Community of Hope in Tulsa were in Nicaragua on a
Volunteer in Mission trip. They provided medical care and helped to build a medical
clinic...Congratulations to Kathy McCallie and Gail Addis who served as Rodeo Grand
Marshals for the OGRA...Special thanks to the RAINbow Power Team who helped
with the last RAIN mailing in July: Kathleen Sawyer, Betty Mann, Aileen DeBell, Jean
Montgomery, Jeni Markham Clewell, Ellen Griffith, Jim Zurcher, Bob Young, and
Larry Hamilton.
At a RAIN picnic in June, Mary Catherine Smothermon was given two gifts
which proved to be an emotional time for all attending. MC was told a tree will be
planted in her honor in the AIDS Memorial Garden in Oklahoma City. The Garden
Committee is hard at work and it is hoped that ground-breaking will be help by World
AIDS Day, December 1st. MC and Skip plan a matching memorial to their son, Kirt.
They are considering a bench as a place for people to relax in the shade of MC's tree.
The other gift, a Memory Book designed to be an on-going project, was also
presented o MC. Written memories and stories are being put in plastic sleeves and
added to the book. Anyone wanting to share a memory with MC in encouraged to put
it in writing and mail to the RAIN executive office in Oklahoma City.
Once again, the annual Hope Candlelight Tour of Homes in Tulsa was a huge
success! $100,760.00 was distributed between Eastern Oklahoma RAIN and St.
Joseph's Residence for PLWAs.

8

RAIN continues to grow
So many things have happened
since the last issue of The
RAINbow. As you all know from the
Special Edition sent out last month,
RAIN has a new Executive Director.
Pamela S. Cross·, MPH, better known
as Pam, took over on August 7. She
has been busy meeting with staff
members across the state, getting
settled in her new office, meeting
with the executive committee of the
board, and listening and learning all
she can. Pam's background in AIDS
prevention, coupled with her
compassion and caring, make her an
excellent choice as the new director
ofRAIN.
M.C. Smothermon,RAIN's
founder and first Executive Director,
will continue to serve as a consult­
ant to RAIN and provide whatever
services Pam and the Board of
Directors deem necessary.
In Lawton and Enid, thanks to
the generosity of the Oklahoma
AIDS Care Fund, full-time offices are
now operating. Saundra Powell had
been working part-time, thanks to a
start-up grant from DIFFA, and has
accepted the full-time position of
Southwest Associate Coordinator.
Saundra is a member of Southwest
AIDS Network (SWAN). She has
first-hand AIDS experience, as her
son was a PLWA. Centenary United
Methodist Church has donated
office space for RAIN in Lawton.
Alisa Hankins was recently
hired as the Northwest Associate

Coordinator in Enid. A member of
the Enid AIDS coalition, Alisa was
instrumental in bringing RAIN to
Enid. A successful training held
recently resulted in a team composed
of members from several congrega­
tions in the area.
Dannette Geren was hired under
grants from the Bartlett Foundation
in Sapulpa and the PacifiCare
Foundation. Dannette is located in
an office donated by the Allen
family in their law offices in Sapulpa.
Dannette is developing community
education programs, particularly for
youth and Native Americans. She is
a board member of the Tulsa Chapter
of the American Red Cross and
helped write the Native American
Red Cross curriculum. As Education
Coordinator, Dannette quickly
became extremely busy in Sapulpa as
the school system asked her to write
their HIV/AIDS curriculum and in­
service programs for employees. The
programs developed in Creek
County are serving as a model for
the state.
Jeni Markham Clewell has been
hired to share the Western Okla­
homa position of Volunteer Coordi­
nator with Reverend Kathy McCallie.
Jeni is a candidate for the diaconal
ministry and brings to RAIN a
considerable amount of compassion
and caring. She has been a member
of the RAIN Team at First United
Methodist Church in Edmond for
several years.

j

Calendar
SEPTEMBER
04 - Labor Day
08 & 09 - RAIN Training,
Baptist Mem. Hospital,
Miami
10 & 17 - RAIN Team Training,
Western Oklahoma, Norman
1st Presbyterian
24 - First day of Rosh Hashana
(Jewish New Year)--Fare
well/Welcome Party for Mary
Catherine Smothermon and
Pam Cross, 5:00 PM
25 - Team Rep Meetings, OKC
& Tulsa
30 - AIDS Walk, Tulsa
OCTOBER
04 - Yorn Kippur (Jewish
Atonement)
08 - First Day of Sukkot (Taber
nacles, Jewish); AIDS Walk,
OKC

09 & 10 - CarePoint's "History
of the Banner of Color" confer
ence. Call 232-2437 for info
19 - 22 - National Skills Building
Conference, Washington,
D.C.
23 - Team Rep Meetings, OKC
& Tulsa
28 - Boo Bash RAIN Fundraiser,
Silver Star, Tulsa
NOVEMBER
01 - All Saints Day
07 - Guru Nanak's Birthday
(Founder of Sikhism)
23 - Thanksgiving Day - All
RAIN offices closed
27 - Team Rep Meetings, Tulsa &
OKC
DECEMBER
01 - World AIDS Day Memorial
Service

We quoted an incorrect price window sill. The bells are available
for Red Ribbon Bells in the last through the OKC office. Please add
newsletter. The cost for one of these $2.50 if you would like us to ship the
beautiful silver-plated bells is $15.00. bell to you.
The bells are imprinted with a ribbon
We have also been able to re­
and the words "UNTIL ITS OVER." order the small enameled red ribbon
They make lovely gifts and are a pins which were so popular. The cost
perfect reminder of the AIDS epi­ is $5.00 for the plain pin, $15.00 for
demic when placed on your desk or the one studded with rhinestones.

4

In Memoriam
0KC Christ the King
Catholic Church
Don

Tulsa Christ the King
Catholic Church
Johnson

0KCOark
United Methodist Church
Team A
John

Tulsa All Souls
Unitarian Church
Team A
Mark

Norman Mcfarlin
United Methodist Church
Bethany First Church
of the Nazarene
Roy

Tulsa First
Presbyterian Church
RI

0KC Lighthouse
Metropolitan Community Church
TeamC
Darrell

Muskogee St. Joseph's
Catholic Church
Rick
Tulsa University
Canterbury/Sharp Chapel

John

Edmond First
Tulsa Family of Faith
United Methodist Church
Metropolitan Community Church
Gina
James
0KC St. Eugene's
Catholic Church
Lenny
RAIN lost another gentle spirit August 18 with the unexpected death of
PattyGammell, member ofthe 0KC Christ the King Catholic Church RAIN
Team. Patty will be remembered for her ability to discern the needs of others,
her generous gifts, and the giving of her time, energy, and love to those in
want and in pain. Mother Teresa speaks of a poor widow with children, who,
when given a bag of rice, immediately took half of it to a neighbor who had no
food. Mother Theresa said, "The amazing thing is not that she shared the rice,
but she knew the need". This story personifies Patty Gammell.

9

As I see it • • .by M.C.
Wow...What a whirlwind the past
few months have been!!! In February
when I went to Dallas for an interview
with the Truman Scholarship selection
panel, one of the questions I was asked
was how I planned to finish my under­
graduate work in a timely manner if I was
selected as a Truman Scholar. A reason­
able question since yours truly had been
attending Oklahoma City University since
January of 1990! The "plan" had been to
whip right through and have my degree
within two years. But RAIN intervened
and I was lucky to get three hours a
semester from then on. I told the panel I
would resign as director of RAIN if I was
awarded the Truman Scholarship and go
to school full-time. Well, as they say, "the
rest is history... "
How can I tell you what RAIN has
meant to me? It has been both the most
wonderful and the hardest job I've ever
had. I've been blessed beyond belief.
There have been times of deep frustration,
certainly times of great grief, times of
anger, times when I've questioned my
sanity (and also that of others), but all
along I have been in the company of
saints, both the living and those who have
left this earthly existence behind them.
Not only have I felt deep humility as our
clients have allowed RAIN into their lives,
I have also been touched and forever
changed by the many volunteers who have
made RAIN what it is. I have seen
members of the clergy go out on a limb
and support AIDS ministry when they
knew they risked professional censure to
do it. I have listened to RAIN Team
members tell of their joy and their pain as
they came to know and love their clients
and then were left with the memories. I
have watched in awe as they began
working through their grief at RAINbow

10

Retreats, took the time to begin the
healing, and then began the process anew
with another client. What wonderful
people they are!
I have seen the face of God in our
clients and other people living with HIV
that I have come to know and love. Many
people with AIDS have taken hold of
their pain and, with dignity and grace,
shown the rest of us what it is to really
live until you die. They have lifted me
beyond myself and helped me to do things
which I never thought were possible.
It has been my privilege to travel
throughout the world because of RAIN.
Who would have believed I would speak
at Harvard or present a workshop in
Bangkok, Thailand? Or be a member of
national and international boards?
Sometimes it has been really scary and
I've wanted to retreat to my house by the
lake and just hole up. Often I have felt
inadequate for the work ahead, but the
necessary doors have always opened and
the strength has always come.
Where will I go from here? The needs
are many .Through the work I have done, I
have seen so many times the injustice
meted out to so many people. Here in
America the promise of freedom and
justice for all is often relegated to a select
few. Social programs vital to the existence
of people are being cut, discrimination
exists no matter what our laws may say,
and those who most need our love and
care are often the last to get it, if they get
it at all.
I was in Washington, D.C. not long
ago, my first trip to that fabled land. At
one of the Smithsonian museums I saw
the first American flag and the soda
fountain where the first sit-in for civil
rights took place. I visited the Vietnam
Wall and cried as I traced the name of a

ming with parents and other adults
who work with youth, and community
presentations designed to enhance
awareness of health issues. Without
a doubt, the most powerful educa­
tional experiences combined accurate
HIV/AIDS education with the oppor­
tunity to meet and interact with
someone impacted by HIV/AIDS.
Witnessing an individual or a group
begin to challenge misinformation or
attitudes that might hurt others is a
chance to observe personal growth.
Because I have seen this occur
with young people and adults in a
variety of settings (schools, churches,
and work places), I am thrilled that
RAIN has entered more formally into
the educational realm. Dannette
Geren, Eastern Oklahoma Educator, is
working closely with schools in Creek
County. The curriculum and activities
she develops and implements will
serve as a model for other school
districts.

My outlook for the future of
RAIN is a positive one. I believe that
RAIN will continue to provide
(through our invaluable volunteers)
loving support for those impacted by
HIV/AIDS and that the numbers
served will increase as we build
bridges in all areas of the state; I
believe that the education provided
by RAIN staff and volunteers will
make a difference in slowing the
incidence of new infection; and I
believe that RAIN will be able to
provide these services because of the
continued commitment of resources
by those generous individuals and
organizations who understand that we
cannot afford to become complacent
regarding HIV/AIDS. Thank you for
the opportunity to help shape the
future of RAIN in Oklahoma.
In Faith and Hope,

Smotherman & Cooper to be honored
at Carepoinfs Red Ribbon Ritz
RAIN recently received the
exciting news that two Oklahoma
women who are very dear to us will be
guests of honor at CarePoint's Red
Ribbon Ritz.
Mary Catherine Smotherman and
Barbara Cooper will received the
"Local Legend in the Fight Against
AIDS Award" given in conjunction
with the Virginia Slims Legends Tour.
Twelve of the most celebrated women
in tennis will attend the reception at 5
pm, Saturday, October 7, in the Great

Hall of the Myriad Convention Center.
Mary Catherine's and Barbara's
names will be engraved on a plaque
that will become part of a permanent
exhibition at the National Women's
Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, New
York.
For more information regarding
tickets to the Red Ribbon Ritz, please
call CarePoint at(405)232-2437.
Tickets for the tennis events must be
obtained from the Myriad, (405) 297300).

3

TheRAINbow

friend and thought of many others. I
stood in front of the White House and
wondered if its occupants have ever
really been able to maintain touch with
the American people. I felt within me the
pride and promise of America, while
seeing around me the hurting and the
homeless. I cannot rest until the promise
of America is a reality for all of us.

The DIRECTOR'S DESK
For many people, beginning a
new job is a lot like the first day of
school - we worry about what to wear,
we worry about whether everyone will
like us, and we worry about our
success or failure. Following Mary
Catherine's tremendous history with
RAIN Oklahoma and other HIV/AIDS
organizations could be daunting for
me if it were not forthe tremendous
strength of the staff, the inspiring
dedication of the volunteers, and the
faithfulness of contributors to RAIN.
In the few days that I have been
the Executive Director ofRAIN, I have
felt surrounded by warm embraces
and well wishes. This may be similar
to the wonderful feeling of acceptance
that our clients feel upon meeting
their RAIN teams! It isn't surprising
that many people living with HIV/
AIDS who are served by a RAIN team
actually feel their physical and mental
health improve once they have that
acceptance and support.
lt is indeed an honor to have
joinedRAIN at a time when we have
been able to expand services in
southwest Oklahoma through the
Lawton office and in northwest

2

In Love and Faith,

They meet...and life is beautiful for a moment in eternity.
Animal needs and primal desire dance in their souls,
unblemished by reality.
Then daily existence intervenes and
distorts the expectations of something true.
And all that is left are passionless echoes of empty dreams,
Glittering futures never to be lived.

September, 1995

Volume 6, Number 3

Granted, it may not happen in my
lifetime, but I hope when my time on
earth is over I can say I did my best to
bring it about.

Mike Atchley, in memory of Ray McDonald

RAIN UPDATE!

Oklahoma through the Enid
office. Having offices located within
those areas, staffed by people from
the communities, will greatly enhance
RAIN's visibility and effectiveness at
serving individuals and families
impacted by HIV/AIDS. Saundra
Powell, Southwestern Associate
Coordinator, and Alisa Hankins,
Northwestern Associate Coordinator,
bring to their work an exceptional
knowledge of the needs of their
communities but also an understand­
ing of the wealth of human resources
available to them.
My enthusiasm for being a part of
RAIN comes from how closely
RAIN's mission fits with my personal
mission. Serving as the coordinator of
teen pregnancy prevention and
adolescent HIV/AIDS prevention
projects at the Oklahoma Institute for
Child Advocacy I worked for im­
proved adolescent health through
direct education with youth, program-

By the end of August, 1995, RAIN has presented 736 programs to 26,415 people. Seventy-three
teams (44 Western OK, 29 Eastern OK) are currently serving 59 clients. More than 295 clients
have been served since February, 1990. During August, volunteers gave 1,699 hours of service.

------------------------Yes, I want to be a RAIN supporter. Enclosed is my contribution:
$___ My gift is in memory of ___________., Please
notify the family:
My gift is in honor of___________ Please notify
the honoree, whose address is:
I understand RAIN Oklahoma is a non-profit organization and my
contribution is tax-deductible. My cancelled check will serve as my receipt.
{Please check here __ if you prefer to remain anonymous and do not want
to receive RAIN newsletters and mailings.)
Name
Address
City, State, Zip __ ___ ____
Phone
Please make check payable to:

-----------· I

------------------------------

---------------

I

RAINOklahoma
924 N.Robinson
OklahomaCityOK73102-5814

I
I
!
11

✓

�

-/

�
OKLAHOMA

Episcopal Church Center
924 N. Robinson • Oklahoma City, OK 73102-5314

L

..J

TheRAINbow
A Publication of RAIN Oklahoma

Volume 6, Number 3

Board of Directors

Pamela S. Cross
Executive Director

Oklahoma cnv Office·
Joan R. Foreman
Western Oklahoma Coordinator
Wesley T. Wlae
Executive Secretary
Larry McGhghy
Secretary
Larry Hamllton
Clerical Assistant
Rev. Kathy McCallle
Jeni Markham Clewell
Volunteer Coordinators
EplacopalChurchCenter
924 N. Robinson
OklahomaClty,OK73102·5814
(405) 232-4372

Eastern Oklahoma Office;
Sheryl Dagang
Eastern Oklahoma Coordinator
Stephen Davia
Secretary
HIV ReaourceConsortium
4154S. Harvanl,Sulle H-1
Tulaa,OK74135-2602
(918) 749-4195

southwest Oklahoma Office·
Saundra Powell
SW OK Associate Coordinator
CentanaryUnllecl MethodlatChurch
704 SW "D" Avenue
Lawton, OK 73501
(405) 351-AIDS (2437)

September, 1995

community EducaJloo Office·
Dannette Geren
Education Coordinator
221 E.Dewey
Sapulpa,OK74087
(918) 224-4433

Northwest Oklahoma Office
Allaa Hankins
NW Oklahoma Associate Coordinator
P.O. Box5724
Enld,OK73702
(405) 234-3683

BIii Guy, Editor
OutsldelheOKCmetro.,_call:

1-800-324-RAIN

"Member AIDS National Interfaith Network"

Rev.Melvin Balley

Ms. Gloria Bellymule
Mr. TommyCheebro
Mr.Stephen Daniels
Rev.Jim Eller
Mr. Charles Faudree
Mr. Jell Hamilton
Mr.Lull Lopaz
Ms. Saundra Lucas
Mr. BradMulholland
Rev.John Nicholas
Mr.Peter G. Pierce Ill
Ms. Janice Piggee
Ms. Joyce Schreiber
LeonanlN.Slater,M.D.
Ma. Marilyn Stlatl



TheRAINbow

friend and thought of many others. I
stood in front of the White House and
wondered if its occupants have ever
really been able to maintain touch with
the American people. I felt within me the
pride and promise of America, while
seeing around me the hurting and the
homeless. I cannot rest until the promise
of America is a reality for all of us.

The DIRECTOR'S DESK
For many people, beginning a
new job is a lot like the first day of
school - we worry about what to wear,
we worry about whether everyone will
like us, and we worry about our
success or failure. Following Mary
Catherine's tremendous history with
RAIN Oklahoma and other HIV/AIDS
organizations could be daunting for
me if it were not forthe tremendous
strength of the staff, the inspiring
dedication of the volunteers, and the
faithfulness of contributors to RAIN.
In the few days that I have been
the Executive Director ofRAIN, I have
felt surrounded by warm embraces
and well wishes. This may be similar
to the wonderful feeling of acceptance
that our clients feel upon meeting
their RAIN teams! It isn't surprising
that many people living with HIV/
AIDS who are served by a RAIN team
actually feel their physical and mental
health improve once they have that
acceptance and support.
lt is indeed an honor to have
joinedRAIN at a time when we have
been able to expand services in
southwest Oklahoma through the
Lawton office and in northwest

2

In Love and Faith,

They meet...and life is beautiful for a moment in eternity.
Animal needs and primal desire dance in their souls,
unblemished by reality.
Then daily existence intervenes and
distorts the expectations of something true.
And all that is left are passionless echoes of empty dreams,
Glittering futures never to be lived.

September, 1995

Volume 6, Number 3

Granted, it may not happen in my
lifetime, but I hope when my time on
earth is over I can say I did my best to
bring it about.

Mike Atchley, in memory of Ray McDonald

RAIN UPDATE!

Oklahoma through the Enid
office. Having offices located within
those areas, staffed by people from
the communities, will greatly enhance
RAIN's visibility and effectiveness at
serving individuals and families
impacted by HIV/AIDS. Saundra
Powell, Southwestern Associate
Coordinator, and Alisa Hankins,
Northwestern Associate Coordinator,
bring to their work an exceptional
knowledge of the needs of their
communities but also an understand­
ing of the wealth of human resources
available to them.
My enthusiasm for being a part of
RAIN comes from how closely
RAIN's mission fits with my personal
mission. Serving as the coordinator of
teen pregnancy prevention and
adolescent HIV/AIDS prevention
projects at the Oklahoma Institute for
Child Advocacy I worked for im­
proved adolescent health through
direct education with youth, program-

By the end of August, 1995, RAIN has presented 736 programs to 26,415 people. Seventy-three
teams (44 Western OK, 29 Eastern OK) are currently serving 59 clients. More than 295 clients
have been served since February, 1990. During August, volunteers gave 1,699 hours of service.

------------------------Yes, I want to be a RAIN supporter. Enclosed is my contribution:
$___ My gift is in memory of ___________., Please
notify the family:
My gift is in honor of___________ Please notify
the honoree, whose address is:
I understand RAIN Oklahoma is a non-profit organization and my
contribution is tax-deductible. My cancelled check will serve as my receipt.
{Please check here __ if you prefer to remain anonymous and do not want
to receive RAIN newsletters and mailings.)
Name
Address
City, State, Zip __ ___ ____
Phone
Please make check payable to:

-----------· I

------------------------------

---------------

I

RAINOklahoma
924 N.Robinson
OklahomaCityOK73102-5814

I
I
!
11

As I see it • • .by M.C.
Wow...What a whirlwind the past
few months have been!!! In February
when I went to Dallas for an interview
with the Truman Scholarship selection
panel, one of the questions I was asked
was how I planned to finish my under­
graduate work in a timely manner if I was
selected as a Truman Scholar. A reason­
able question since yours truly had been
attending Oklahoma City University since
January of 1990! The "plan" had been to
whip right through and have my degree
within two years. But RAIN intervened
and I was lucky to get three hours a
semester from then on. I told the panel I
would resign as director of RAIN if I was
awarded the Truman Scholarship and go
to school full-time. Well, as they say, "the
rest is history... "
How can I tell you what RAIN has
meant to me? It has been both the most
wonderful and the hardest job I've ever
had. I've been blessed beyond belief.
There have been times of deep frustration,
certainly times of great grief, times of
anger, times when I've questioned my
sanity (and also that of others), but all
along I have been in the company of
saints, both the living and those who have
left this earthly existence behind them.
Not only have I felt deep humility as our
clients have allowed RAIN into their lives,
I have also been touched and forever
changed by the many volunteers who have
made RAIN what it is. I have seen
members of the clergy go out on a limb
and support AIDS ministry when they
knew they risked professional censure to
do it. I have listened to RAIN Team
members tell of their joy and their pain as
they came to know and love their clients
and then were left with the memories. I
have watched in awe as they began
working through their grief at RAINbow

10

Retreats, took the time to begin the
healing, and then began the process anew
with another client. What wonderful
people they are!
I have seen the face of God in our
clients and other people living with HIV
that I have come to know and love. Many
people with AIDS have taken hold of
their pain and, with dignity and grace,
shown the rest of us what it is to really
live until you die. They have lifted me
beyond myself and helped me to do things
which I never thought were possible.
It has been my privilege to travel
throughout the world because of RAIN.
Who would have believed I would speak
at Harvard or present a workshop in
Bangkok, Thailand? Or be a member of
national and international boards?
Sometimes it has been really scary and
I've wanted to retreat to my house by the
lake and just hole up. Often I have felt
inadequate for the work ahead, but the
necessary doors have always opened and
the strength has always come.
Where will I go from here? The needs
are many .Through the work I have done, I
have seen so many times the injustice
meted out to so many people. Here in
America the promise of freedom and
justice for all is often relegated to a select
few. Social programs vital to the existence
of people are being cut, discrimination
exists no matter what our laws may say,
and those who most need our love and
care are often the last to get it, if they get
it at all.
I was in Washington, D.C. not long
ago, my first trip to that fabled land. At
one of the Smithsonian museums I saw
the first American flag and the soda
fountain where the first sit-in for civil
rights took place. I visited the Vietnam
Wall and cried as I traced the name of a

ming with parents and other adults
who work with youth, and community
presentations designed to enhance
awareness of health issues. Without
a doubt, the most powerful educa­
tional experiences combined accurate
HIV/AIDS education with the oppor­
tunity to meet and interact with
someone impacted by HIV/AIDS.
Witnessing an individual or a group
begin to challenge misinformation or
attitudes that might hurt others is a
chance to observe personal growth.
Because I have seen this occur
with young people and adults in a
variety of settings (schools, churches,
and work places), I am thrilled that
RAIN has entered more formally into
the educational realm. Dannette
Geren, Eastern Oklahoma Educator, is
working closely with schools in Creek
County. The curriculum and activities
she develops and implements will
serve as a model for other school
districts.

My outlook for the future of
RAIN is a positive one. I believe that
RAIN will continue to provide
(through our invaluable volunteers)
loving support for those impacted by
HIV/AIDS and that the numbers
served will increase as we build
bridges in all areas of the state; I
believe that the education provided
by RAIN staff and volunteers will
make a difference in slowing the
incidence of new infection; and I
believe that RAIN will be able to
provide these services because of the
continued commitment of resources
by those generous individuals and
organizations who understand that we
cannot afford to become complacent
regarding HIV/AIDS. Thank you for
the opportunity to help shape the
future of RAIN in Oklahoma.
In Faith and Hope,

Smotherman & Cooper to be honored
at Carepoinfs Red Ribbon Ritz
RAIN recently received the
exciting news that two Oklahoma
women who are very dear to us will be
guests of honor at CarePoint's Red
Ribbon Ritz.
Mary Catherine Smotherman and
Barbara Cooper will received the
"Local Legend in the Fight Against
AIDS Award" given in conjunction
with the Virginia Slims Legends Tour.
Twelve of the most celebrated women
in tennis will attend the reception at 5
pm, Saturday, October 7, in the Great

Hall of the Myriad Convention Center.
Mary Catherine's and Barbara's
names will be engraved on a plaque
that will become part of a permanent
exhibition at the National Women's
Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, New
York.
For more information regarding
tickets to the Red Ribbon Ritz, please
call CarePoint at(405)232-2437.
Tickets for the tennis events must be
obtained from the Myriad, (405) 297300).

3

Calendar
SEPTEMBER
04 - Labor Day
08 & 09 - RAIN Training,
Baptist Mem. Hospital,
Miami
10 & 17 - RAIN Team Training,
Western Oklahoma, Norman
1st Presbyterian
24 - First day of Rosh Hashana
(Jewish New Year)--Fare
well/Welcome Party for Mary
Catherine Smothermon and
Pam Cross, 5:00 PM
25 - Team Rep Meetings, OKC
& Tulsa
30 - AIDS Walk, Tulsa
OCTOBER
04 - Yorn Kippur (Jewish
Atonement)
08 - First Day of Sukkot (Taber
nacles, Jewish); AIDS Walk,
OKC

09 & 10 - CarePoint's "History
of the Banner of Color" confer
ence. Call 232-2437 for info
19 - 22 - National Skills Building
Conference, Washington,
D.C.
23 - Team Rep Meetings, OKC
& Tulsa
28 - Boo Bash RAIN Fundraiser,
Silver Star, Tulsa
NOVEMBER
01 - All Saints Day
07 - Guru Nanak's Birthday
(Founder of Sikhism)
23 - Thanksgiving Day - All
RAIN offices closed
27 - Team Rep Meetings, Tulsa &
OKC
DECEMBER
01 - World AIDS Day Memorial
Service

We quoted an incorrect price window sill. The bells are available
for Red Ribbon Bells in the last through the OKC office. Please add
newsletter. The cost for one of these $2.50 if you would like us to ship the
beautiful silver-plated bells is $15.00. bell to you.
The bells are imprinted with a ribbon
We have also been able to re­
and the words "UNTIL ITS OVER." order the small enameled red ribbon
They make lovely gifts and are a pins which were so popular. The cost
perfect reminder of the AIDS epi­ is $5.00 for the plain pin, $15.00 for
demic when placed on your desk or the one studded with rhinestones.

4

In Memoriam
0KC Christ the King
Catholic Church
Don

Tulsa Christ the King
Catholic Church
Johnson

0KCOark
United Methodist Church
Team A
John

Tulsa All Souls
Unitarian Church
Team A
Mark

Norman Mcfarlin
United Methodist Church
Bethany First Church
of the Nazarene
Roy

Tulsa First
Presbyterian Church
RI

0KC Lighthouse
Metropolitan Community Church
TeamC
Darrell

Muskogee St. Joseph's
Catholic Church
Rick
Tulsa University
Canterbury/Sharp Chapel

John

Edmond First
Tulsa Family of Faith
United Methodist Church
Metropolitan Community Church
Gina
James
0KC St. Eugene's
Catholic Church
Lenny
RAIN lost another gentle spirit August 18 with the unexpected death of
PattyGammell, member ofthe 0KC Christ the King Catholic Church RAIN
Team. Patty will be remembered for her ability to discern the needs of others,
her generous gifts, and the giving of her time, energy, and love to those in
want and in pain. Mother Teresa speaks of a poor widow with children, who,
when given a bag of rice, immediately took half of it to a neighbor who had no
food. Mother Theresa said, "The amazing thing is not that she shared the rice,
but she knew the need". This story personifies Patty Gammell.

9

RAINbows and RAINdrops
When Mark Vickers died recently we lost a good friend, an advocate, and a
healing force against anger and bitterness. Mark was one of the founders of Rainbow
Village in Tulsa and he served diligently on the RAIN Board of Directors as well as the
United Methodist AIDS Task Force. He also worked with the AIDS Coalition of Tulsa,
the planning committee for the HIV Resource Consortium, the Barriers to Bridges
Committee, and the Tulsa Community AIDS Partnership Advisory Council. Despite
being asked to leave one church and made to feel unwelcome in another, Mark returned
love and patience in the face of anger and f ear. He shared his story at RAIN training
sessions as well as other venues. His RAIN Team experienced the uniqueness of his
spirit as they cared for him. Though Mark is gone, he lives on in the legacy of love he
left behind.
Our prayers have been with several people: Mike Claborn, Ardmore St. Philip's
Episcopal RAIN Team, suffered a heart attack...Ellen Griffith, Epworth UMC RAIN
Team A. who had three family members severely injured in an auto accident...Jane
Lundquist, Norman St. Michael's Episcopal RAIN Team, underwent surgery...Doris
Pettigrew and Clemmie Ingram, Lawton Barnett Chapel A.M.E. RAIN Team, whose
sister in Kansas has been critically ill...Joy Schreiber, RAIN board member, whose sister
is critically ill...Toni Wizenberg, member of OKC Christ the King Catholic RAIN Team,
broke her ankle and is using crutches...Debbie Keck, Team rep for OKC Grace United
. Methodist Church, who is recovering from recent surgery ... Love and sympathy go to
Jan Hutchison, Epworth UMC Team A, whose father died recently.
Dan Logsdon completed a practicum with RAIN and is now back at OU working
hard toward his degree in social work... Ellen Griffith also completed a RAIN practicum
toward her bachelor's degree... Harold Swink, Epworth UMC RAIN Team A, has been
named the Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor of the Year...several RAIN people from
Epworth UMC in OKC and UM Community of Hope in Tulsa were in Nicaragua on a
Volunteer in Mission trip. They provided medical care and helped to build a medical
clinic...Congratulations to Kathy McCallie and Gail Addis who served as Rodeo Grand
Marshals for the OGRA...Special thanks to the RAINbow Power Team who helped
with the last RAIN mailing in July: Kathleen Sawyer, Betty Mann, Aileen DeBell, Jean
Montgomery, Jeni Markham Clewell, Ellen Griffith, Jim Zurcher, Bob Young, and
Larry Hamilton.
At a RAIN picnic in June, Mary Catherine Smothermon was given two gifts
which proved to be an emotional time for all attending. MC was told a tree will be
planted in her honor in the AIDS Memorial Garden in Oklahoma City. The Garden
Committee is hard at work and it is hoped that ground-breaking will be help by World
AIDS Day, December 1st. MC and Skip plan a matching memorial to their son, Kirt.
They are considering a bench as a place for people to relax in the shade of MC's tree.
The other gift, a Memory Book designed to be an on-going project, was also
presented o MC. Written memories and stories are being put in plastic sleeves and
added to the book. Anyone wanting to share a memory with MC in encouraged to put
it in writing and mail to the RAIN executive office in Oklahoma City.
Once again, the annual Hope Candlelight Tour of Homes in Tulsa was a huge
success! $100,760.00 was distributed between Eastern Oklahoma RAIN and St.
Joseph's Residence for PLWAs.

8

RAIN continues to grow
So many things have happened
since the last issue of The
RAINbow. As you all know from the
Special Edition sent out last month,
RAIN has a new Executive Director.
Pamela S. Cross·, MPH, better known
as Pam, took over on August 7. She
has been busy meeting with staff
members across the state, getting
settled in her new office, meeting
with the executive committee of the
board, and listening and learning all
she can. Pam's background in AIDS
prevention, coupled with her
compassion and caring, make her an
excellent choice as the new director
ofRAIN.
M.C. Smothermon,RAIN's
founder and first Executive Director,
will continue to serve as a consult­
ant to RAIN and provide whatever
services Pam and the Board of
Directors deem necessary.
In Lawton and Enid, thanks to
the generosity of the Oklahoma
AIDS Care Fund, full-time offices are
now operating. Saundra Powell had
been working part-time, thanks to a
start-up grant from DIFFA, and has
accepted the full-time position of
Southwest Associate Coordinator.
Saundra is a member of Southwest
AIDS Network (SWAN). She has
first-hand AIDS experience, as her
son was a PLWA. Centenary United
Methodist Church has donated
office space for RAIN in Lawton.
Alisa Hankins was recently
hired as the Northwest Associate

Coordinator in Enid. A member of
the Enid AIDS coalition, Alisa was
instrumental in bringing RAIN to
Enid. A successful training held
recently resulted in a team composed
of members from several congrega­
tions in the area.
Dannette Geren was hired under
grants from the Bartlett Foundation
in Sapulpa and the PacifiCare
Foundation. Dannette is located in
an office donated by the Allen
family in their law offices in Sapulpa.
Dannette is developing community
education programs, particularly for
youth and Native Americans. She is
a board member of the Tulsa Chapter
of the American Red Cross and
helped write the Native American
Red Cross curriculum. As Education
Coordinator, Dannette quickly
became extremely busy in Sapulpa as
the school system asked her to write
their HIV/AIDS curriculum and in­
service programs for employees. The
programs developed in Creek
County are serving as a model for
the state.
Jeni Markham Clewell has been
hired to share the Western Okla­
homa position of Volunteer Coordi­
nator with Reverend Kathy McCallie.
Jeni is a candidate for the diaconal
ministry and brings to RAIN a
considerable amount of compassion
and caring. She has been a member
of the RAIN Team at First United
Methodist Church in Edmond for
several years.

j

RAIN Donations
Each donation is special and vital
to RAIN, for we would be unable to
provide the vital services we do
without you. Often, a special letter
accompanies a donation. This month,
we'd like to share the letter which
came to RAIN with a generous check
from the United Life Church in
Oklahoma City. United Life sponsors a
RAIN Team and will host a training
session in the near future.
"Our church teaches and abides
by the Principle of tithing and each
week we tithe 10% of our Sunday
offering to a person or organization
we feel has spiritually fed our church
family in some way. Recognizing that
God is the Source of all, we know that
• our gift of love blesses and enriches
as it circulates and returns to us
multiplied.
"We appreciate and honor you as
a divine expression of God. We are
blessed by you and your work and it
is our pleasure to share with you the
good that has been entrusted to us."
Some pledge and/or donate
regularly...some honor or memorialize
someone special...some support fund
raising activities ...some donate for a
special event or presentation...some
donate anonymously - all are vital to
the ministry of RAIN.
We thank each and every one.
INDIVIDUAL:
Jackie and Barbara Cooper...Billie
Hurst-Gasaway... Carol Woods ... Skip
and Donna Ambler...Dr. Robert
Jones...Roy and Aline Brown ...Skip
and Mary Catherine
Smothermon... Gerald and Betty
Beck...Daniel Norton ...Don

6

Knight...Jeffrey Gaughan... Charlotte
Alexandre...Betty Brown... and several
anonymous donations.
IN-KIND:
DR. BETTY BRITT, office
equipment; EPISC OPAL DIOC ESE
OF OKLAHOMA, office equipment;
STEAVE M. HARLON, two side
chairs for the OKC R AIN office.
MEMORIALS:
ROB BORDERS by Robert and
Norma Borders; JOHN HOCKING by
Terry Knapp;JOHN WHITTMORE
by John McNeese, Jeffrey Gaughan,
Joan Boggs, Bill Rogers, Roy Scott,
Roy and Aline Brown, Sue Brown;
TOMMY GREENHAWby Ronald
Wheeler, Floyd G. Greenhaw, Buck
McPhail, Calvin McLish, Earl Baker,
Floyd W. Greenhaw, Linda Patz­
kowsky, Jo Ann Fair; PAM ARGO by
Bill Rogers;KEVEN HAND by OKC
Metro Men's Chorus; ROY BEC K by
Jody Martin; MARK HOUSTON by
Lorie Summers, The Oklahoma
Gazette; RAY McDONALD by Linda
Newcomer;KIRT SMOTHERMONby
Skip and Mary Catherine
Smothermon;EDMOND P. GAUDIN
by Kathy Leithner; K.J. C OBURN by
Van Wilde; JOHNSON SINC LAIR by
Mary Lou Doudican; JIM MOSS by
Warren Riggs;WILLIAM SOUTER
ALLEN by Tadaaki Hatta.
CHURCHES:
United Life of Religious Science
Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma
Oklahoma Conference of the United
Methodist Church
Catholic Church of Saint Mary
Faith United Methodist Church

Edmond First Presbyterian
Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa
ORGANIZATIONS, GRANTS AND
FUND RAISERS
Hope Candlelight Tour of Homes
Valhalla Energy Corporation
Coram Healthcare
Tramps Club ofOKC
Junior Hospitality Club ofOKC
Tulsa Community AIDS
Partnership (TCAP)
Follies Rewe, Inc. of Tulsa

Carolyn Wright.Jayne Fleener...Polly
Houston...Van Wilde; In Memory of
John Whittmore by Eddie Rothermel,
Terry Dennison, Planned Parenthood
of Oklahoma, Eursey Lenoir; IN
HONOR OF GENEVA SMITHby Jo
Ann Fair, Jesse Sparks, Margaret
Plumb, Pat Denham, Joe O'Neal, Joe
Gill, Judy Pearson, Lance D. Smith,
Earl Baker;IN HONOR OF MARY
CATHERINE SMOTHERMONby
Joan and Larry Foreman, Jeudi
Hamilton, Leslie Heathman, Nora Leal,
Garline Wheatley.

AIDSMEMORIALGARDEN
DONATIONS:

Holiday Cheer in September?
Plans for a "Free Store" to be
available to PL W As are moving
toward reality. Understanding that
many people living with HIV have little
or no money left over to be able to
give gifts to their loved ones, Light­
house is encouraging the donation of
nice items to be available for properly
screened clients to pick out and give
as a gift for the holidays. If you have

You Bet!

something you would like to donate, or
would like to contribute money for the
Free Store, please call Nancy at 5288359 or John at 942-2822.
Lighthouse MCC also operates a
food pantry for people with HIV and
AIDS, serving 25-50 people per week.
They are always willing to accept
donations - and volunteers - for the
Food Pantry.

Have you been planning to present a panel
for the NAMES Quilt? Here's your chance!
A portion of the NAMES Memo­
rial Quilt will be on display in Tulsa
October 13, 14, and 15. If you have
been planning to make a panel for a
friend or loved one, this will be an
excellent time to present it.
All new panels become part of the
display and are then sent to San
Francisco to be sewn into the larger

panels which constitute the Quilt.
RAIN will once again be present­
ing a large panel listing our clients who
have died in the past two years. We
need someone, or more than one, who
would like to give their talent in this
most special way.
Please call the OKC office if you
are interested.

Wecome to the RAIN Team Family
Stillwater Salem Lutheran Church
Enid St. Matthew's Episcopal Church

7

RAIN Donations
Each donation is special and vital
to RAIN, for we would be unable to
provide the vital services we do
without you. Often, a special letter
accompanies a donation. This month,
we'd like to share the letter which
came to RAIN with a generous check
from the United Life Church in
Oklahoma City. United Life sponsors a
RAIN Team and will host a training
session in the near future.
"Our church teaches and abides
by the Principle of tithing and each
week we tithe 10% of our Sunday
offering to a person or organization
we feel has spiritually fed our church
family in some way. Recognizing that
God is the Source of all, we know that
• our gift of love blesses and enriches
as it circulates and returns to us
multiplied.
"We appreciate and honor you as
a divine expression of God. We are
blessed by you and your work and it
is our pleasure to share with you the
good that has been entrusted to us."
Some pledge and/or donate
regularly...some honor or memorialize
someone special...some support fund
raising activities ...some donate for a
special event or presentation...some
donate anonymously - all are vital to
the ministry of RAIN.
We thank each and every one.
INDIVIDUAL:
Jackie and Barbara Cooper...Billie
Hurst-Gasaway... Carol Woods ... Skip
and Donna Ambler...Dr. Robert
Jones...Roy and Aline Brown ...Skip
and Mary Catherine
Smothermon... Gerald and Betty
Beck...Daniel Norton ...Don

6

Knight...Jeffrey Gaughan... Charlotte
Alexandre...Betty Brown... and several
anonymous donations.
IN-KIND:
DR. BETTY BRITT, office
equipment; EPISC OPAL DIOC ESE
OF OKLAHOMA, office equipment;
STEAVE M. HARLON, two side
chairs for the OKC R AIN office.
MEMORIALS:
ROB BORDERS by Robert and
Norma Borders; JOHN HOCKING by
Terry Knapp;JOHN WHITTMORE
by John McNeese, Jeffrey Gaughan,
Joan Boggs, Bill Rogers, Roy Scott,
Roy and Aline Brown, Sue Brown;
TOMMY GREENHAWby Ronald
Wheeler, Floyd G. Greenhaw, Buck
McPhail, Calvin McLish, Earl Baker,
Floyd W. Greenhaw, Linda Patz­
kowsky, Jo Ann Fair; PAM ARGO by
Bill Rogers;KEVEN HAND by OKC
Metro Men's Chorus; ROY BEC K by
Jody Martin; MARK HOUSTON by
Lorie Summers, The Oklahoma
Gazette; RAY McDONALD by Linda
Newcomer;KIRT SMOTHERMONby
Skip and Mary Catherine
Smothermon;EDMOND P. GAUDIN
by Kathy Leithner; K.J. C OBURN by
Van Wilde; JOHNSON SINC LAIR by
Mary Lou Doudican; JIM MOSS by
Warren Riggs;WILLIAM SOUTER
ALLEN by Tadaaki Hatta.
CHURCHES:
United Life of Religious Science
Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma
Oklahoma Conference of the United
Methodist Church
Catholic Church of Saint Mary
Faith United Methodist Church

Edmond First Presbyterian
Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa
ORGANIZATIONS, GRANTS AND
FUND RAISERS
Hope Candlelight Tour of Homes
Valhalla Energy Corporation
Coram Healthcare
Tramps Club ofOKC
Junior Hospitality Club ofOKC
Tulsa Community AIDS
Partnership (TCAP)
Follies Rewe, Inc. of Tulsa

Carolyn Wright.Jayne Fleener...Polly
Houston...Van Wilde; In Memory of
John Whittmore by Eddie Rothermel,
Terry Dennison, Planned Parenthood
of Oklahoma, Eursey Lenoir; IN
HONOR OF GENEVA SMITHby Jo
Ann Fair, Jesse Sparks, Margaret
Plumb, Pat Denham, Joe O'Neal, Joe
Gill, Judy Pearson, Lance D. Smith,
Earl Baker;IN HONOR OF MARY
CATHERINE SMOTHERMONby
Joan and Larry Foreman, Jeudi
Hamilton, Leslie Heathman, Nora Leal,
Garline Wheatley.

AIDSMEMORIALGARDEN
DONATIONS:

Holiday Cheer in September?
Plans for a "Free Store" to be
available to PL W As are moving
toward reality. Understanding that
many people living with HIV have little
or no money left over to be able to
give gifts to their loved ones, Light­
house is encouraging the donation of
nice items to be available for properly
screened clients to pick out and give
as a gift for the holidays. If you have

You Bet!

something you would like to donate, or
would like to contribute money for the
Free Store, please call Nancy at 5288359 or John at 942-2822.
Lighthouse MCC also operates a
food pantry for people with HIV and
AIDS, serving 25-50 people per week.
They are always willing to accept
donations - and volunteers - for the
Food Pantry.

Have you been planning to present a panel
for the NAMES Quilt? Here's your chance!
A portion of the NAMES Memo­
rial Quilt will be on display in Tulsa
October 13, 14, and 15. If you have
been planning to make a panel for a
friend or loved one, this will be an
excellent time to present it.
All new panels become part of the
display and are then sent to San
Francisco to be sewn into the larger

panels which constitute the Quilt.
RAIN will once again be present­
ing a large panel listing our clients who
have died in the past two years. We
need someone, or more than one, who
would like to give their talent in this
most special way.
Please call the OKC office if you
are interested.

Wecome to the RAIN Team Family
Stillwater Salem Lutheran Church
Enid St. Matthew's Episcopal Church

7

RAINbows and RAINdrops
When Mark Vickers died recently we lost a good friend, an advocate, and a
healing force against anger and bitterness. Mark was one of the founders of Rainbow
Village in Tulsa and he served diligently on the RAIN Board of Directors as well as the
United Methodist AIDS Task Force. He also worked with the AIDS Coalition of Tulsa,
the planning committee for the HIV Resource Consortium, the Barriers to Bridges
Committee, and the Tulsa Community AIDS Partnership Advisory Council. Despite
being asked to leave one church and made to feel unwelcome in another, Mark returned
love and patience in the face of anger and f ear. He shared his story at RAIN training
sessions as well as other venues. His RAIN Team experienced the uniqueness of his
spirit as they cared for him. Though Mark is gone, he lives on in the legacy of love he
left behind.
Our prayers have been with several people: Mike Claborn, Ardmore St. Philip's
Episcopal RAIN Team, suffered a heart attack...Ellen Griffith, Epworth UMC RAIN
Team A. who had three family members severely injured in an auto accident...Jane
Lundquist, Norman St. Michael's Episcopal RAIN Team, underwent surgery...Doris
Pettigrew and Clemmie Ingram, Lawton Barnett Chapel A.M.E. RAIN Team, whose
sister in Kansas has been critically ill...Joy Schreiber, RAIN board member, whose sister
is critically ill...Toni Wizenberg, member of OKC Christ the King Catholic RAIN Team,
broke her ankle and is using crutches...Debbie Keck, Team rep for OKC Grace United
. Methodist Church, who is recovering from recent surgery ... Love and sympathy go to
Jan Hutchison, Epworth UMC Team A, whose father died recently.
Dan Logsdon completed a practicum with RAIN and is now back at OU working
hard toward his degree in social work... Ellen Griffith also completed a RAIN practicum
toward her bachelor's degree... Harold Swink, Epworth UMC RAIN Team A, has been
named the Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor of the Year...several RAIN people from
Epworth UMC in OKC and UM Community of Hope in Tulsa were in Nicaragua on a
Volunteer in Mission trip. They provided medical care and helped to build a medical
clinic...Congratulations to Kathy McCallie and Gail Addis who served as Rodeo Grand
Marshals for the OGRA...Special thanks to the RAINbow Power Team who helped
with the last RAIN mailing in July: Kathleen Sawyer, Betty Mann, Aileen DeBell, Jean
Montgomery, Jeni Markham Clewell, Ellen Griffith, Jim Zurcher, Bob Young, and
Larry Hamilton.
At a RAIN picnic in June, Mary Catherine Smothermon was given two gifts
which proved to be an emotional time for all attending. MC was told a tree will be
planted in her honor in the AIDS Memorial Garden in Oklahoma City. The Garden
Committee is hard at work and it is hoped that ground-breaking will be help by World
AIDS Day, December 1st. MC and Skip plan a matching memorial to their son, Kirt.
They are considering a bench as a place for people to relax in the shade of MC's tree.
The other gift, a Memory Book designed to be an on-going project, was also
presented o MC. Written memories and stories are being put in plastic sleeves and
added to the book. Anyone wanting to share a memory with MC in encouraged to put
it in writing and mail to the RAIN executive office in Oklahoma City.
Once again, the annual Hope Candlelight Tour of Homes in Tulsa was a huge
success! $100,760.00 was distributed between Eastern Oklahoma RAIN and St.
Joseph's Residence for PLWAs.

8

RAIN continues to grow
So many things have happened
since the last issue of The
RAINbow. As you all know from the
Special Edition sent out last month,
RAIN has a new Executive Director.
Pamela S. Cross·, MPH, better known
as Pam, took over on August 7. She
has been busy meeting with staff
members across the state, getting
settled in her new office, meeting
with the executive committee of the
board, and listening and learning all
she can. Pam's background in AIDS
prevention, coupled with her
compassion and caring, make her an
excellent choice as the new director
ofRAIN.
M.C. Smothermon,RAIN's
founder and first Executive Director,
will continue to serve as a consult­
ant to RAIN and provide whatever
services Pam and the Board of
Directors deem necessary.
In Lawton and Enid, thanks to
the generosity of the Oklahoma
AIDS Care Fund, full-time offices are
now operating. Saundra Powell had
been working part-time, thanks to a
start-up grant from DIFFA, and has
accepted the full-time position of
Southwest Associate Coordinator.
Saundra is a member of Southwest
AIDS Network (SWAN). She has
first-hand AIDS experience, as her
son was a PLWA. Centenary United
Methodist Church has donated
office space for RAIN in Lawton.
Alisa Hankins was recently
hired as the Northwest Associate

Coordinator in Enid. A member of
the Enid AIDS coalition, Alisa was
instrumental in bringing RAIN to
Enid. A successful training held
recently resulted in a team composed
of members from several congrega­
tions in the area.
Dannette Geren was hired under
grants from the Bartlett Foundation
in Sapulpa and the PacifiCare
Foundation. Dannette is located in
an office donated by the Allen
family in their law offices in Sapulpa.
Dannette is developing community
education programs, particularly for
youth and Native Americans. She is
a board member of the Tulsa Chapter
of the American Red Cross and
helped write the Native American
Red Cross curriculum. As Education
Coordinator, Dannette quickly
became extremely busy in Sapulpa as
the school system asked her to write
their HIV/AIDS curriculum and in­
service programs for employees. The
programs developed in Creek
County are serving as a model for
the state.
Jeni Markham Clewell has been
hired to share the Western Okla­
homa position of Volunteer Coordi­
nator with Reverend Kathy McCallie.
Jeni is a candidate for the diaconal
ministry and brings to RAIN a
considerable amount of compassion
and caring. She has been a member
of the RAIN Team at First United
Methodist Church in Edmond for
several years.

j

Calendar
SEPTEMBER
04 - Labor Day
08 & 09 - RAIN Training,
Baptist Mem. Hospital,
Miami
10 & 17 - RAIN Team Training,
Western Oklahoma, Norman
1st Presbyterian
24 - First day of Rosh Hashana
(Jewish New Year)--Fare
well/Welcome Party for Mary
Catherine Smothermon and
Pam Cross, 5:00 PM
25 - Team Rep Meetings, OKC
& Tulsa
30 - AIDS Walk, Tulsa
OCTOBER
04 - Yorn Kippur (Jewish
Atonement)
08 - First Day of Sukkot (Taber
nacles, Jewish); AIDS Walk,
OKC

09 & 10 - CarePoint's "History
of the Banner of Color" confer
ence. Call 232-2437 for info
19 - 22 - National Skills Building
Conference, Washington,
D.C.
23 - Team Rep Meetings, OKC
& Tulsa
28 - Boo Bash RAIN Fundraiser,
Silver Star, Tulsa
NOVEMBER
01 - All Saints Day
07 - Guru Nanak's Birthday
(Founder of Sikhism)
23 - Thanksgiving Day - All
RAIN offices closed
27 - Team Rep Meetings, Tulsa &
OKC
DECEMBER
01 - World AIDS Day Memorial
Service

We quoted an incorrect price window sill. The bells are available
for Red Ribbon Bells in the last through the OKC office. Please add
newsletter. The cost for one of these $2.50 if you would like us to ship the
beautiful silver-plated bells is $15.00. bell to you.
The bells are imprinted with a ribbon
We have also been able to re­
and the words "UNTIL ITS OVER." order the small enameled red ribbon
They make lovely gifts and are a pins which were so popular. The cost
perfect reminder of the AIDS epi­ is $5.00 for the plain pin, $15.00 for
demic when placed on your desk or the one studded with rhinestones.

4

In Memoriam
0KC Christ the King
Catholic Church
Don

Tulsa Christ the King
Catholic Church
Johnson

0KCOark
United Methodist Church
Team A
John

Tulsa All Souls
Unitarian Church
Team A
Mark

Norman Mcfarlin
United Methodist Church
Bethany First Church
of the Nazarene
Roy

Tulsa First
Presbyterian Church
RI

0KC Lighthouse
Metropolitan Community Church
TeamC
Darrell

Muskogee St. Joseph's
Catholic Church
Rick
Tulsa University
Canterbury/Sharp Chapel

John

Edmond First
Tulsa Family of Faith
United Methodist Church
Metropolitan Community Church
Gina
James
0KC St. Eugene's
Catholic Church
Lenny
RAIN lost another gentle spirit August 18 with the unexpected death of
PattyGammell, member ofthe 0KC Christ the King Catholic Church RAIN
Team. Patty will be remembered for her ability to discern the needs of others,
her generous gifts, and the giving of her time, energy, and love to those in
want and in pain. Mother Teresa speaks of a poor widow with children, who,
when given a bag of rice, immediately took half of it to a neighbor who had no
food. Mother Theresa said, "The amazing thing is not that she shared the rice,
but she knew the need". This story personifies Patty Gammell.

9

As I see it • • .by M.C.
Wow...What a whirlwind the past
few months have been!!! In February
when I went to Dallas for an interview
with the Truman Scholarship selection
panel, one of the questions I was asked
was how I planned to finish my under­
graduate work in a timely manner if I was
selected as a Truman Scholar. A reason­
able question since yours truly had been
attending Oklahoma City University since
January of 1990! The "plan" had been to
whip right through and have my degree
within two years. But RAIN intervened
and I was lucky to get three hours a
semester from then on. I told the panel I
would resign as director of RAIN if I was
awarded the Truman Scholarship and go
to school full-time. Well, as they say, "the
rest is history... "
How can I tell you what RAIN has
meant to me? It has been both the most
wonderful and the hardest job I've ever
had. I've been blessed beyond belief.
There have been times of deep frustration,
certainly times of great grief, times of
anger, times when I've questioned my
sanity (and also that of others), but all
along I have been in the company of
saints, both the living and those who have
left this earthly existence behind them.
Not only have I felt deep humility as our
clients have allowed RAIN into their lives,
I have also been touched and forever
changed by the many volunteers who have
made RAIN what it is. I have seen
members of the clergy go out on a limb
and support AIDS ministry when they
knew they risked professional censure to
do it. I have listened to RAIN Team
members tell of their joy and their pain as
they came to know and love their clients
and then were left with the memories. I
have watched in awe as they began
working through their grief at RAINbow

10

Retreats, took the time to begin the
healing, and then began the process anew
with another client. What wonderful
people they are!
I have seen the face of God in our
clients and other people living with HIV
that I have come to know and love. Many
people with AIDS have taken hold of
their pain and, with dignity and grace,
shown the rest of us what it is to really
live until you die. They have lifted me
beyond myself and helped me to do things
which I never thought were possible.
It has been my privilege to travel
throughout the world because of RAIN.
Who would have believed I would speak
at Harvard or present a workshop in
Bangkok, Thailand? Or be a member of
national and international boards?
Sometimes it has been really scary and
I've wanted to retreat to my house by the
lake and just hole up. Often I have felt
inadequate for the work ahead, but the
necessary doors have always opened and
the strength has always come.
Where will I go from here? The needs
are many .Through the work I have done, I
have seen so many times the injustice
meted out to so many people. Here in
America the promise of freedom and
justice for all is often relegated to a select
few. Social programs vital to the existence
of people are being cut, discrimination
exists no matter what our laws may say,
and those who most need our love and
care are often the last to get it, if they get
it at all.
I was in Washington, D.C. not long
ago, my first trip to that fabled land. At
one of the Smithsonian museums I saw
the first American flag and the soda
fountain where the first sit-in for civil
rights took place. I visited the Vietnam
Wall and cried as I traced the name of a

ming with parents and other adults
who work with youth, and community
presentations designed to enhance
awareness of health issues. Without
a doubt, the most powerful educa­
tional experiences combined accurate
HIV/AIDS education with the oppor­
tunity to meet and interact with
someone impacted by HIV/AIDS.
Witnessing an individual or a group
begin to challenge misinformation or
attitudes that might hurt others is a
chance to observe personal growth.
Because I have seen this occur
with young people and adults in a
variety of settings (schools, churches,
and work places), I am thrilled that
RAIN has entered more formally into
the educational realm. Dannette
Geren, Eastern Oklahoma Educator, is
working closely with schools in Creek
County. The curriculum and activities
she develops and implements will
serve as a model for other school
districts.

My outlook for the future of
RAIN is a positive one. I believe that
RAIN will continue to provide
(through our invaluable volunteers)
loving support for those impacted by
HIV/AIDS and that the numbers
served will increase as we build
bridges in all areas of the state; I
believe that the education provided
by RAIN staff and volunteers will
make a difference in slowing the
incidence of new infection; and I
believe that RAIN will be able to
provide these services because of the
continued commitment of resources
by those generous individuals and
organizations who understand that we
cannot afford to become complacent
regarding HIV/AIDS. Thank you for
the opportunity to help shape the
future of RAIN in Oklahoma.
In Faith and Hope,

Smotherman & Cooper to be honored
at Carepoinfs Red Ribbon Ritz
RAIN recently received the
exciting news that two Oklahoma
women who are very dear to us will be
guests of honor at CarePoint's Red
Ribbon Ritz.
Mary Catherine Smotherman and
Barbara Cooper will received the
"Local Legend in the Fight Against
AIDS Award" given in conjunction
with the Virginia Slims Legends Tour.
Twelve of the most celebrated women
in tennis will attend the reception at 5
pm, Saturday, October 7, in the Great

Hall of the Myriad Convention Center.
Mary Catherine's and Barbara's
names will be engraved on a plaque
that will become part of a permanent
exhibition at the National Women's
Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, New
York.
For more information regarding
tickets to the Red Ribbon Ritz, please
call CarePoint at(405)232-2437.
Tickets for the tennis events must be
obtained from the Myriad, (405) 297300).

3

TheRAINbow

friend and thought of many others. I
stood in front of the White House and
wondered if its occupants have ever
really been able to maintain touch with
the American people. I felt within me the
pride and promise of America, while
seeing around me the hurting and the
homeless. I cannot rest until the promise
of America is a reality for all of us.

The DIRECTOR'S DESK
For many people, beginning a
new job is a lot like the first day of
school - we worry about what to wear,
we worry about whether everyone will
like us, and we worry about our
success or failure. Following Mary
Catherine's tremendous history with
RAIN Oklahoma and other HIV/AIDS
organizations could be daunting for
me if it were not forthe tremendous
strength of the staff, the inspiring
dedication of the volunteers, and the
faithfulness of contributors to RAIN.
In the few days that I have been
the Executive Director ofRAIN, I have
felt surrounded by warm embraces
and well wishes. This may be similar
to the wonderful feeling of acceptance
that our clients feel upon meeting
their RAIN teams! It isn't surprising
that many people living with HIV/
AIDS who are served by a RAIN team
actually feel their physical and mental
health improve once they have that
acceptance and support.
lt is indeed an honor to have
joinedRAIN at a time when we have
been able to expand services in
southwest Oklahoma through the
Lawton office and in northwest

2

In Love and Faith,

They meet...and life is beautiful for a moment in eternity.
Animal needs and primal desire dance in their souls,
unblemished by reality.
Then daily existence intervenes and
distorts the expectations of something true.
And all that is left are passionless echoes of empty dreams,
Glittering futures never to be lived.

September, 1995

Volume 6, Number 3

Granted, it may not happen in my
lifetime, but I hope when my time on
earth is over I can say I did my best to
bring it about.

Mike Atchley, in memory of Ray McDonald

RAIN UPDATE!

Oklahoma through the Enid
office. Having offices located within
those areas, staffed by people from
the communities, will greatly enhance
RAIN's visibility and effectiveness at
serving individuals and families
impacted by HIV/AIDS. Saundra
Powell, Southwestern Associate
Coordinator, and Alisa Hankins,
Northwestern Associate Coordinator,
bring to their work an exceptional
knowledge of the needs of their
communities but also an understand­
ing of the wealth of human resources
available to them.
My enthusiasm for being a part of
RAIN comes from how closely
RAIN's mission fits with my personal
mission. Serving as the coordinator of
teen pregnancy prevention and
adolescent HIV/AIDS prevention
projects at the Oklahoma Institute for
Child Advocacy I worked for im­
proved adolescent health through
direct education with youth, program-

By the end of August, 1995, RAIN has presented 736 programs to 26,415 people. Seventy-three
teams (44 Western OK, 29 Eastern OK) are currently serving 59 clients. More than 295 clients
have been served since February, 1990. During August, volunteers gave 1,699 hours of service.

------------------------Yes, I want to be a RAIN supporter. Enclosed is my contribution:
$___ My gift is in memory of ___________., Please
notify the family:
My gift is in honor of___________ Please notify
the honoree, whose address is:
I understand RAIN Oklahoma is a non-profit organization and my
contribution is tax-deductible. My cancelled check will serve as my receipt.
{Please check here __ if you prefer to remain anonymous and do not want
to receive RAIN newsletters and mailings.)
Name
Address
City, State, Zip __ ___ ____
Phone
Please make check payable to:

-----------· I

------------------------------

---------------

I

RAINOklahoma
924 N.Robinson
OklahomaCityOK73102-5814

I
I
!
11

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OKLAHOMA

Episcopal Church Center
924 N. Robinson • Oklahoma City, OK 73102-5314

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TheRAINbow
A Publication of RAIN Oklahoma

Volume 6, Number 3

Board of Directors

Pamela S. Cross
Executive Director

Oklahoma cnv Office·
Joan R. Foreman
Western Oklahoma Coordinator
Wesley T. Wlae
Executive Secretary
Larry McGhghy
Secretary
Larry Hamllton
Clerical Assistant
Rev. Kathy McCallle
Jeni Markham Clewell
Volunteer Coordinators
EplacopalChurchCenter
924 N. Robinson
OklahomaClty,OK73102·5814
(405) 232-4372

Eastern Oklahoma Office;
Sheryl Dagang
Eastern Oklahoma Coordinator
Stephen Davia
Secretary
HIV ReaourceConsortium
4154S. Harvanl,Sulle H-1
Tulaa,OK74135-2602
(918) 749-4195

southwest Oklahoma Office·
Saundra Powell
SW OK Associate Coordinator
CentanaryUnllecl MethodlatChurch
704 SW "D" Avenue
Lawton, OK 73501
(405) 351-AIDS (2437)

September, 1995

community EducaJloo Office·
Dannette Geren
Education Coordinator
221 E.Dewey
Sapulpa,OK74087
(918) 224-4433

Northwest Oklahoma Office
Allaa Hankins
NW Oklahoma Associate Coordinator
P.O. Box5724
Enld,OK73702
(405) 234-3683

BIii Guy, Editor
OutsldelheOKCmetro.,_call:

1-800-324-RAIN

"Member AIDS National Interfaith Network"

Rev.Melvin Balley

Ms. Gloria Bellymule
Mr. TommyCheebro
Mr.Stephen Daniels
Rev.Jim Eller
Mr. Charles Faudree
Mr. Jell Hamilton
Mr.Lull Lopaz
Ms. Saundra Lucas
Mr. BradMulholland
Rev.John Nicholas
Mr.Peter G. Pierce Ill
Ms. Janice Piggee
Ms. Joyce Schreiber
LeonanlN.Slater,M.D.
Ma. Marilyn Stlatl