To celebrate her 10th year as a local insurance agent, Michelle Schaefer blocked off the street in front of her Edmond office, danced to a mobile disc jockey and served hotdogs, cake and ice cream to her customers and anybody else who'd come.

To promote the event three years ago, Schaefer ran advertisements and distributed scores of fliers bearing her fourth-grade picture with the headline: "Michelle is 10, and s...