Roots to Rubies 40th Anniversary Gala

Category Archives: FUNdraisers

Please join us for our 40th Anniversary Gala on

Saturday, September 16th ,2023 at 6:30pm.

This year the gala will be at The Stoney Creek Hotel in Broken Arrow, OK. It will be a wonderful evening to re-connect and fellowship with the CPO community, learn about the history and founding of CPO, celebrate the impact CPO has had on our community, and learn how you can help us continue the legacy. We will have a silent and live auction as well as a couple raffle items. Our auction packages and items include domestic and international trips, local services and items, experiences, event tickets and more! We are honored to welcome back Karen Larsen as our MC and will have live music performed by Tulsa’s own Grady Nichols. The dress is cocktail attire.

*If you are a CPO birth mom or adoptee, we have a ticket set aside for you. Please e-mail Maggie@ CPOTulsa.org if you would like to attend.

Click HERE to visit our event page

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Birth Mother’s Day: Act Now to Permanently Honor Your Child’s Birth Mom

Birth Mother’s Day is a pretty big deal around CPO. It’s a time for us to celebrate birth moms for their courageous decision to make an adoption plan. At CPO, we celebrate this special day by inviting birth moms and their adoptive families to CPO for a day of pampering, professional portraits, gifts, and a delicious meal served to them by adoptive dads. This year’s Birth Mother’s Day is on May 6th at CPO.

And this year, CPO has the perfect gift for the birth mom in your life. We are working on a beautiful area right outside of the CPO office entrance. It will be a monument to birth moms and you can add a brick with your birth mom’s name or a custom message. Plus, we have a donor who has offered to hire a landscape architect to create a beautiful area around the monument! Keep reading to the bottom to see the exciting mock up of the future monument.

Some bricks are already currently in place. You can see pictures below of the bricks with a couple of the Jacobson kids having fun around them.

Here are the renderings for what it will look like when it’s done.

This will be a permanent structure. If you want a message of appreciation for your birth mom, sponsor a brick now! To get your brick, make a $200 donation online. 100% of your donation goes to CPO and we’ll get your brick ordered and set. The bricks may not be installed by Birth Mother’s Day, so if you’d like one, please email Kelly Jacobson at jacobsonjam@sbcglobal.net and she’ll get a certificate for you to give as a gift to a birth mom.

Have Fun for a Great Cause!

CPO’s Super Hero Run

CPO's Super Hero Run

In case we haven’t mentioned it enough, CPO’s Super Hero Run is now only days away!

Check out this post for more information on how you can participate, volunteer, or sponsor!

Create a team, join someone else’s team, participate individually, or volunteer. And be sure to dress up!! No matter how you get involved at this year’s run: It is sure to be blast!

The Super Hero Run is Getting Closer!

Here are a few photos from last year to get you excited for this year’s run!

Volunteer: serenalowecpo@gmail.com

Follow on Facebook: Super Hero Run

Follow on Instagram: @superheroruntulsa

CPO’s 4th Annual Super Hero Run: All the details you’ll need!

It’s almost time for our Super Hero Run! This is a fantastic way to have a great time while supporting CPO, a very worthy cause!
You can run, cheer, or volunteer! Whatever you choose, be sure to dress up in your best super hero costume!
Our race coordinator, Keli Boatman, has graciously answered some questions about the event. See below for all the details you’ll need to join in the fun. shr-photo

Q: When is the race?
A: This year’s race is on November 12th. We love doing this event in November because it is recognized as National Adoption Awareness month. Sometimes it gets a little chilly, but it’s such a fun time to be able to get together and celebrate adoption in our own way!

Q: How early should participants arrive?
A: The 5K race starts at 8:30 AM so participants should try and be there about 7:45 or 8 that morning. Runners for the 1K, which starts at 9:30, should shoot for about 9. This should allow time for you to get parked and over with us and maybe even cheer on those finishing up the 5K as you come in!

Q: Is it okay to walk instead of run?
A: Walking is most certainly allowed! We just want to see all your super faces out with us. All we ask is that when we line up for the race that you hang to the back of the group. This allows the runners that are seeking a serious time to move to the front and set the new personal best at the Superhero Run! Similarly, we do allow strollers, but please single width only, and we ask you to also stick to the back at the starting line to allow those runners to pass.

Q: What kind of volunteers are needed?
A: Our volunteers are definitely the staple that holds this run together. We could never have had such a successful race the last few years without them. One of the biggest and most important volunteer needs that we have this year is running/walking! We have such a great turn out for volunteers that what we really need is people that will gear up to walk or run to celebrate our Superheroes. The second biggest need that we have this year is Sponsorship! We have so many different levels that fit any budget, corporate or individual. It would be phenomenal if we had some volunteers that would get out and get the Superhero run into the minds of business owners or individuals that have a heart for this organization and would be willing to donate to help us keep this run going. We are so blessed to have Serena Lowe joining this years’ team as our volunteer coordinator. I know she will do an incredible job working with our volunteers and making sure they’re in a spot that keeps everything moving smoothly. If you would like to volunteer, email Serena at serenalowecpo@gmail.com. For sponsorship information email Keli at kboatman38@yahoo.com.

Q: What will the t-shirt design look like this year?
A: We are very excited that the long sleeve runner shirt will be back! Our Superhero Run logo will still be on the front and all of our wonderful sponsors will once again be loud and proud on the back!

Q: How can readers help get the word out?
A: Yes! Please help us spread the word. The way the website is laid out makes it so easy for you to create your team. Be it a company, church, or family… make a team and recruit like crazy! We have prizes for the biggest! We also have flyers that you can pick up and distribute in your office, church, gym, etc. We are also very active on our Facebook page which you can find by searching Super Hero Run and for some added fun you can follow us on Instagram this year. You can find us there @superheroruntulsa. I will be updating that page with progress sneak peeks to let you in on all of the fun so go find both of those pages and share, share, share! In the last few years, surveys reported that our biggest source of advertising was word of mouth. You are our biggest asset! Contact Keli at kboatman38@yahoo.com to get flyers for distribution.

Q: Where do we register and what is the deadline?
A: Registration is open at http://superherorun2016.eventbrite.com. From there you can register as an individual or as a team and get all ready to go! Be sure you get registered ASAP to get your t-shirt ordered. There is no deadline, we will be accepting registrations right up to race day, but prices increase by $5 on November the 2nd and the only way you’re guaranteed a shirt is if you’re registered by November 5th.

Q: Are there prizes?
A: We will have our wonderful runner medals again this year as well as prizes again for the best costumes and the biggest teams. We have so much fun with those fantastic masks, tutus, and of course the occasional cape! We will also be doing giveaways and prizes on our Facebook and Instagram pages leading up to the event so be sure to go “like” the Super Hero Run Facebook page right now or find us on Instagram here!

Q: Is there anything else you want us to know about the run?
A: I just want to thank you all for such an incredible race last year. I have the opportunity to plan this event with a great committee that is working very hard for you all. I’d like to thank Serena Lowe again for coordinating some incredible volunteers. I’m thrilled to announce that Becky Martin is back with us this year and I cannot say thank you enough for all of her help recruiting both sponsors and runners. Also a huge shout out to my wonderful momma, Angie Boatman, for hanging with us again as the very best Registration Coordinator I could imagine. I’m truly blessed to work with such an amazing committee. Please join us on race day to show your love, support, and encouragement to the incredible birth mothers that CPO has touched!

Volunteers Matter: Brooks Parker

Crisis Pregnancy Outreach has been 100% run by volunteers since its inception more than 30 years ago. No one has ever received a salary, which enables CPO to make an even bigger difference in the lives of Tulsa area women. We know that volunteers matter, and to honor them we periodically interview and highlight one of our volunteers. This week we hear from another dedicated volunteer, Brooks Parker.

Q: How do you volunteer with CPO?
A: I work in the office occasionally, gather and organize baby/maternity donations so they are easily accessible at the CPO storage unit. I helped with donations for the gala in April and I will soon be writing some blog posts.:)

Q: How long have you been volunteering with us?
A: I began volunteering the end of November, 2015.

Q: How did you find out about CPO?
A: I heard about CPO from various people over the past several years. When my niece was pregnant a friend recommended she utilize CPO’s services since she was young with an unplanned pregnancy. CPO was helpful for her at that time in her life. There are also several CPO adoptive families at my kids’ school and I have several friend/acquaintances at CPO that are heavily involved in volunteering at the organization. I have always heard wonderful comments.

Q: Why did you choose to volunteer with CPO vs. other organizations? What is it about crisis pregnancies that drew you to us?
A: Well, I wouldn’t say “versus”.;) I still volunteer a lot at my kids’ school and I also assist with computer work and am on the finance team at my church. I have wanted to get involved with CPO for some time but the main motivator at this time is because we are now a waiting adoptive family. I love that CPO requires volunteer hours to complete an adoption. For someone like me that may be reserved to jump into a situation I am not familiar with, it has pushed me to put myself out there and learn the ropes of CPO.

Q: Why is our cause so close to your heart?
A: CPO cares for many facets of ladies in crisis and I love that. Again, it is the love in action. It’s not only showing the girls alternatives to abortion but helping them walk it out..for life. Help doesn’t end at a free pregnancy test or delivering a baby or placing a baby for adoption. The CPO girls are offered counseling and support for life and that is huge. I am excited to be able to participate in a ministry that doesn’t just focus on one small area of an unplanned pregnancy but that it offers an all encompassing level of support for women.

Q: What have you learned about yourself since volunteering?
A: I have solidified my introvert status by realizing I really don’t like to talk on the phone. Haha!

Q: How have you seen God’s hand at work in the ministry of CPO?
A: I am very new to being directly involved with the CPO ministry, but what I have always seen through friends that have been involved and what I see now that I am there is: true love and care for the girls that come to CPO for help. I see love in action and that is what God calls us to do.

Q: What would you say to anyone considering becoming involved in CPO?
A: Do it. The likelihood of CPO being able to put your God-given gifts and talents to use is pretty high.

Retro CPO: Meet Paige Tooman

Each month we will feature a “retro” CPO article, one that is pulled from our archives of quarterly newsletters. Whenever possible we will provide details regarding the author and date of publication.
This month’s Retro CPO article was written by Paige Tooman, one of Cheryl’s assistants at the time. It was written in fall of 2009, and is her personal testimony.

I am so honored to be part of such an incredible ministry! I love serving alongside Godly women who have been doing this for so many years and I continue to learn more and more each day! Being an Assistant Director never crossed my mind as we began our journey with CPO.

My husband Brent and I were baptized together in 2002, and we were on the amazing road of Christianity together. We had just found out that we were pregnant, after one round of Clomid, a fertility drug. We were so thankful that God had blessed us and couldn’t wait for our newest family member. Our 34 week check up went great, but then I began to get very sick. I tried to play it off as part of being pregnant, but after a week of sleepless nights, I called the doctor. I was admitted to the hospital and they determined that my liver had shut down and my kidneys were next. This was part of the HELLP Syndrome, something I had developed during pregnancy. Needless to say, we were rushed to the OR for an emergency C-section and Hank was born! He was a strong baby and he and I were both in the hospital for about 10 days. After arriving home, I basically was on “lock down”, as I didn’t want my preemie to get any kinds of sickness at all! He is now a strong, healthy six year old, no one would ever even know about his early arrival if I didn’t tell them.

We decided we wanted to add to our family, but we were told that I could get HELLP again. We had heard about CPO through several different friends and we decided to give Cheryl a call.That is when it all starts happening. We received a call several months into the process about a baby that was being born in three hours. THREE HOURS?? This was out baby, Barrett, or as we call him, Bear. His birth parents rode to the hospital on a motorcycle, in the rain, so we knew they were a spirited pair! We started to get to know them in the hospital and then we lost touch with them after the hospital stay. We were so sad about not having the open adoption that we had thought about so often. We wanted to minister to a girl and help her find God and get her life on His path. Fortunately, God had His plan in place and Bear now has a baby brother that was adopted by the Hiseys and we have an incredible Christian family to share our lives with!

After all of the love and time that Cheryl and Kelly showed us, I decided that I wanted to give back to CPO and I got involved with the fundraising banquet. I loved sharing CPO’s vision with others and trying to get funds for our “all-volunteer” agency! When I became an Assistant, I knew that this was my calling. I am the type of person that needs to be involved. I also knew that if I was going to be volunteering and away from my kids at times, this would be perfect because when I am volunteering for CPO, I am multiplying His kingdom. I can truly see God each day as I look into the faces of the birth mothers, the babies, and the families. My you all find your place in CPO, as I did. It is truly a blessing!

cpo-4

Volunteers Matter: Thom and Christine Crowe

Q: How do you volunteer with CPO?
A: Christine and I [Thom] love CPO and have looked for any way to volunteer. I help with social media and we both volunteer with the girls at the CPO Transition House and Christine did a brief stint as the house mom and I helped quite a bit with the recent gala fundraiser.

Q: How long have you been volunteering with us?
A: We started volunteering with CPO in March of 2015.

Q: How did you find out about CPO?
A: Kinda funny story, Christine was cleaning out her old emails a few weeks ago and came across an email thread between the two of us about adopting and we talked quite a bit about CPO back in 2006. We weren’t ready yet but, unbeknownst to either of us, the seed had been planted in our brains. Fast forward to 2014, we decided we were ready to begin the adoption process and a family we knew had adopted through CPO recommended that we fill out our application. We applied and were accepted as a waiting family. As we learned more and more about the organization, we fell in love. The mission was something we could get behind and we jumped in with both feet and haven’t looked back!

Q: Why did you choose to volunteer with CPO vs. other organizations? What is it about crisis pregnancies that drew you to us?
A: My mom had me when she was a teenager and my sister had our nephew when she was 18, just out of high school. One thing I learned from this was that when a girl has an expected pregnancy, she needs love and support. There are other agencies that do that, but something about CPO just stuck with us. Once we learned it was a 100% volunteer agency and no one was paid so that all the money raised goes straight to the girls, I was sold.

Q: Why is our cause so close to your heart?
A: Having a family is really important to both Christine and me and adoption has always been something on my heart. As we’ve been able to work with and get to know the girls in the transition house, we’ve grown to care for them. They’re special girls and they are why we do what we do. We started out volunteering because we were supposed to, but now the birth moms are our passion.

Q: What have you learned about yourself since volunteering?
A: I think the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that I’m a huge pushover! I’m not the best at saying no which is why I think we’re a great fit to befriend the girls and do fun stuff with them. I should probably work on that before I have a teenager at home, but there’s plenty of time for that.

Q: How have you seen God’s hand at work in the ministry of CPO?
A: For me, probably the best gift we could have asked for came in the form of our birth mom and we know God was involved with how we met her. On a Friday night back in August, Christine and I had plans to go out. A message was placed on the CPO Volunteer Facebook group about a girl who needed a ride from a dance back to the Transition House. Neither of us could shake the need to go, so we canceled our plans and got ready to go pick her up. We were waiting to meet a birth mom who was living in the house and wanted to interview us so we made sure it wasn’t her or any sort of conflict of interest for us to go, which it wasn’t but I’m a bit paranoid and a rule follower. We picked up who would be our birth mom and hit it off with her. She and Christine clicked really well and when we dropped her off, Christine, who is not a terribly emotional girl, started crying. Some connection was made. We were supposed to meet with the other birth mom and got the call while waiting for her at a restaurant that she picked another family. While there, we ran into Cheryl Bauman who had wonderful words of encouragement for us. The next day we got a call that the girl we had driven wanted to meet us. We went to dinner and she picked us as her adoptive parents. Since then spent time with her, we have been able to get to know her and now love her so much. She’s an invaluable part of our lives and our family now. We know God put it on our hearts to meet her that night and we’re so thankful we answered.

Q: What would you say to anyone considering becoming involved in CPO?
A: In whatever capacity you can, do it. If you can volunteer, there are unimaginable ways to make an impact. If you want to adopt and have a heart for the birth moms, this is the place to do it. CPO gives them and you the resources you need for a successful open adoption. If you don’t have time but have financial resources, give. CPO is a good steward of the gifts they are given. Just get involved. If you’re not sure or have questions, reach out and come see what CPO is doing. You’ll be sold hook, line, and sinker just like we are!

Elise Newborn Photos-99

Celebrate Life Gala 2016 Recap

The recent Celebrate Life Gala was a huge success. The event was held at the Mayo Hotel on Friday, April 30th. What a beautiful venue!

The evening began with a silent auction and light hors d’oeuvres. This year our silent auction utilized software from GalaBid.com. This allowed our attendees to bid on their phones, which made the whole experience very fun and interactive!

Thanks to the interactive software, the silent auction continued as dinner began. This allowed users to visit with their tablemates, eat their dinner, and continue bidding on their favorite auction items.

Dinner was delicious, and everyone had a great time!

Meanwhile, a dessert auction was ongoing. What a fun way to decide what your table will enjoy after the meal!

During and after dinner, Karen Larson again served as our emcee. She explained our mission and our needs. There were other speakers as well as videos and live music.

The final part of the evening was perhaps the most exciting: the live auction! What a fun way to get some awesome items and support CPO at the same time!

In all, it was a lovely evening. If you missed it, check out even more photos on our Celebrate Life Gala 2016 page, and be sure to attend next year!

Volunteers Matter: Jackie Potter

Q: How do you volunteer with CPO?
A: Currently, I am the Gala Sponsor Chair for our annual Celebrate Life Gala. I’m responsible for securing table sponsors for the event, as well as a lot of behind the scenes gala work. In the past Chad and I were mentors for the transition house, and I have also coordinated host families for birth moms, and out of town families.

Q: How long have you been volunteering with us?
A: I began volunteering with CPO in January of 2005, so 11 years ago!

Q: How did you find out about CPO?
A:My husband, Chad and I had experienced an interrupted adoption through another agency, and went to see Teri Burnett for some guidance. She introduced us to CPO, at that time. However, I’ve known of CPO since about 4th grade, when Cheryl’s daughter Natalie and I would carpool and go to Tracie’s house for after school snacks! 🙂

Q: Why did you choose to volunteer with CPO vs. other organizations? What is it about crisis pregnancies that drew you to us?
A: CPO just fell in my lap, after talking with Teri Burnett. We first came here because of our desire to adopt, and then it quickly turned into more than that. You see the work being done and how much more work needs to happen and you can’t help but want to be a part of that ministry. The one thing that keeps me volunteering at CPO is the constant need. There are so many hurting women and children in our community and I want to be part of their healing, and that’s what CPO does.

Q: Why is our cause so close to your heart?
A: CPO is so close to my heart because it stands for LIFE. Plain and simple. CPO respects the lives of the birthmoms coming for help, knowing they are worthy of goodness in their lives. They respect the lives of the babies, finding them their perfect forever family. And CPO respects the lives of the adoptive parents; knowing that God placed the desire to adopt on their hearts. And in such a seamless way, CPO unites all of these lives together.

Q: What have you learned about yourself since volunteering?
A: Through volunteering at CPO, I’ve learned that it’s ok to step outside my comfort zone. Because when I do that, God stretches me, and continues to form me into the person He created me to be.

Q: How have you seen God’s hand at work in the ministry of CPO?
A: God’s hand is in constant work at CPO. From the financial donations that keep our organization running, to the volunteers in the nursery so that we can meet without interruption, to the birthmoms that turn their lives around, to the adoptive families that have received answers to prayer…God is in constant work with those involved with CPO. He orchestrates it all so beautifully!!

Q: What would you say to anyone considering becoming involved in CPO?
A: If you’re interested in volunteering with CPO, I say go for it, please come help! The more we have doing His work, the more women and children we can help. We can’t do this alone. But, I would also say, be prepared for your life to change. God’s doing big things here!

Jackie Potter