Gaineses bowled over by contest entry
Several things may have helped separate Rhonda Hefton’s video entry from the rest of the entries submitted to the Chipstarter competition.
Funny friends in high places and a toilet.
Hefton worried that she needed something to get Chip and Joanna Gaineses’ attention, particularly since she figured her entry was one of the last received for their competition.
Two of her famous pals came to her rescue.
Megan Mullaly, an actress who grew up in Oklahoma City and a longtime friend of Hefton’s, took to the social media platform Twitter to alert the Gaineses of the video entry sent in by Hefton and HopeHouse. Mullaly’s husband, actor Nick Offerman, also chimed in via Twitter. Mullaly is known for her portrayal of Karen Walker in the NBC sitcom “Will & Grace,” among other roles, while Offerman is known for his role in another NBC sitcom “Parks and Recreation,” and currently, the craft reality TV show “Making It.”
“@joannagaines @chipgaines this is my oldest friend. She is the real thing, committed to helping the homeless and disenfranchised. Would you please consider her project for your #chipstarter program? She’s worked very hard, but now she needs your help,” Mullaly tweeted.
Offerman’s subsequent tweet was comedic, to say the least.
“@joannagaines @chipgaines I admire your gumption, your elbow grease, and your marital tenacity, not to mention your commitment to ship-lap. Please give our pal your consideration, and good Lord you should taste her stuffing. Not a euphemism,” he tweeted.
Chip Gaines’ response to the two stars let them know that he’d received their message.
“Ok, ok, you two. You got my attention. Not to mention, the whole office is completely geeking out! We have flagged, highlighted and marked your friend’s video “for immediate consideration.” And you know, if it doesn’t work out this time, there’s always #Nickstarter…?” he tweeted.
And then there was the toilet. Hefton said an old toilet was the first thing she noticed when she went in the project house to shoot her entry video. She said she debated trying to move it from the middle of the living room floor but decided against it when she realized there was water in it.
Romine said the toilet in the entry is just one of the many signs that the former owner of the house had tried to renovate it before putting it on the market midway through the project.
The toilet front and center in the Chipstarter entry video definitely captured Chip Gaines’ attention. Hefton said he mentioned it to her at the Magnolia Silobration in Waco, Texas.
“He said, ‘Did you move the toilet so you could do the video with toilet?’ and I said, ‘No, the toilet was already there,’ ” Hefton said, laughing.
‘Souls to the Polls’ planned
The fifth "Souls to the Polls" will be at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Greater Mount Olive Baptist Church, 1020 NE 42.
The voters’ rally is hosted by Mount Olive in partnership with several community organizations, including the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, Concerned Clergy for Spiritual Renewal, Together Oklahoma and VOICE.
Registration will begin at 9 a.m., followed by the rally. Afterward, participants will walk from the church to the Oklahoma County Election Board, 4201 N Lincoln Blvd. At the election board, registered voters will be able to cast their vote early for the Nov. 6 election.
"This is the fifth event that has been held, with the inaugural event taking place in 2008," said Joshua A. Busby, one of the event’s coordinators. "The event was hosted again in 2012, 2014 and 2016, but we are endeavoring to make 2018 the largest event to date."
For more information, contact Busby at 623-6602 or joshuabusby2@yahoo.com.
Church will host gospel singing
DEL CITY — The Del City Gospel Singing will be 7 p.m. Saturday at Del City Nazarene Church, 4701 SE 26.
Paul’s Journey and Joyful Noise will be the guest singers. Admission is free. A love offering will be received.
For more information, call 677-2330.
Fairview’s Leadership School is set
Registration is open for Fairview’s Fall Session Christian Leadership School, set for Friday through Nov. 10.
School will be in session from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday and from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Nov. 10. Enrollment is open. Course descriptions and a school schedule are available on the church’s website. Donation is $15 per course. Course descriptions and a school schedule are available on the church’s website.
Registration may be completed online with the option to pay through the church website at www.fairviewokc. com. Preregistration is encouraged to ensure admission in the desired course. Classes will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Onsite registration will begin at 5:30 p.m. Friday.
Pastor receives award from OCU
Oklahoma City University presented Life.Church Senior Pastor Craig Groeschel with its Servant Leadership Award during a celebration on Monday.
The award recognizes those who make positive influences on the community and successfully encourage others to do the same.
OCU President Martha Burger said Groeschel is a shining example of what the award represents.
“Pastor Craig Groeschel has selflessly worked for many years to build a church that has had a great impact on the community-at-large,” Burger said. “Through his leadership, Life.Church has been a wonderful influence not only for its own members, but also for those who give freely of their time to help others.”
Groeschel graduated from OCU in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science degree in business marketing. He helped establish Life.Church in 1996. He regularly speaks at conferences and has written several books, including his latest release "Hope in the Dark: Believing God is Good When Life is Not."
Life.Church has been recognized for its innovations in advancing Christianity including the development of apps, use of video and in worship service programming. The church also offers free resources to help other churches thrive.