Juanita Davis

In 1959, I co-founded the first professional modeling and grooming club, Les Mannequins Club, in Oklahoma City, whose goals included teaching young people how to dress for success as they sought employment. The club was featured in a major newspaper, the first organization of color to receive such coverage in the state. Later, I established the “Miss Love” beauty pageant to raise money to provide scholarships for more than 30 students.

Inspired by these successes, I began the Oklahoma Achievers program in 1984. I then used the program to fund my dream, establishment of a day care center for seniors and special needs children, “my encore” at age 68.

I started the Metropolitan Better Living Center with two participants. Recognizing this as a ministry, I looked for a church with the same interests and found my new church, The Tenth Street Seventh Day Adventist Church. Today, the center has up to 100 participants on any given day in a 6,500 square-foot facility that we purchased. We are in the process of acquiring another building to serve special needs children separately.

I fell in love with seniors as a younger person while working for two local agencies that provided services to this population. I yearned for a way to care for elderly people with handicaps and disabilities so that they could remain at home with their family. This love affair with caring for others expanded and embraced children with special needs that required special care. Through the center, they can learn during the day and go back home to family every evening.

Family members are able to continue almost normal lives and feel confident that their loved one is well cared for. The parent of one child wept openly as her child beautifully sang a song at the Oklahoma Achievers program. She never thought her child would be able to express herself at all. The audience gave her a standing ovation, with our funders present. An increase in our funding followed the next year.

Older workers may be one of the best sources of creativity, innovation and community engagement that is available. This population of workers is seasoned and has wisdom that should be part of the growth and development of communities, hence, our nation. An often overlooked resource, I declare.

After surviving cancer surgery, I am cancer free today at the age of 94. I continue to look for ways to engage seniors, through retreats, workshops, concerts and other mind and body-stimulating activities. I am writing my first book to leave an account of my life lessons and the wisdom that may accompany them.