May 2013
Vol. 27
summer 2013
Health &Wellness Marie Nemec, left, and Charlotte Reicks, middle, are known as the Bicycling Grandmas for Huntington’s disease. They and Sherri Kole, right, bicycled over 500 miles to the 2012 HD convention in Las Vegas.
Use it, don’t lose it © Huntington’s Disease Society of America
Is a personal trainer right for you? page 6
Produced by the BEACON’s Advertising Team
Your Guide to a Healthy Mind & Body
Now on the web at www.BeaconSeniorNews.com
No. 5
Western Colorado’s Monthly Newspaper for Adults 50+. Over 32,550 Readers.
Get out and ride! Your health and wellness are sure to get a boost after reading this month’s insert.
What’s Inside Advice and Ideas............................. 9 Classifieds..................................... 44 Crossword..................................... 32 Delta/Montrose County................. 38 Finance.......................................... 30 Fruita............................................. 23 Gardening...................................... 20 Garfield County.............................. 42 Laughing Matters.......................... 16 Local Lore...................................... 24 Mesa County.................................. 34 Parks & Recreation........................ 22 River City Singles.......................... 35 Travel & Recreation....................... 18
vOLUNTEERS bring out the best
Ghost Towns Colorado has over 1,500 ghost towns. What made these towns die out? Read more on page 24.
Memorial Day Honoring our military, passed loved ones or enjoying the long weekend...What does it mean to you? Read more on page 10.
From top left: Dallas Bottineau, Edwina Herman, Judy Baier, Kenneth Zarecor, Bob Vogel, Sharon Vogel, Marie Adams, Beth Sanders, Shirley Dalla, Spencer Bergner, Barbara Firth, Linda Douglass and Cindy White
Photo by Heidi Graf
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May 2013
Stay Independent, Stay Mobile, In Your Home MORNING STAR ELEVATOR provides Stair Lifts and Wheel Chair Lifts that will help you stay in your home and remain independent. Whether you’re living with a disability, have had an accident or just find the stairs too much to handle, let MORNING STAR ELEVATOR help you make the right choice to stay mobile in your home. MORNING STAR ELEVATOR offers the highest quality Stair Lifts, most reliable service along with reasonable cost. Our FREE IN-HOME INSPECTION and follow up by our well trained staff and licensed installers is one of the many services we provide. Ask about our stair lift rentals, too. Please don’t struggle anymore! Stay in your home, stay mobile and stay independent - MORNING STAR ELEVATOR is here to help you.
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May 2013
Fancy Hands calls my wife By Kevin K. VanGundy
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learned of a new service on the Internet called www.fancyhands. com. Think of it as a virtual personal assistant. For about $5 per request, you can have them call your cable company, for example, where they will endure the long hold and try to lower your rate or cancel your service. Or they could find you those hard-to-get Bruce Springsteen concert tickets that you’ve coveted. I had them call the phone numbers for several pieces of property I was looking at and ascertain if they thought the prices were fair. You can request their help with tasks through a simple form on their website. As part of my evaluation process, I wanted to have them make a call to someone that I knew so that I could then talk to that person to see how professional they came across. To that end, this is the exact wording of my initial test request: Please call my wife Lauren (970-###-####) and let her know that I will be working late tonight, but that I will pick up our exchange student at 6:30 and will then meet her and our daughter for dinner at Texas Roadhouse. A woman from fancyhands called my wife. Awaking from an afternoon nap, my wife groggily answered the phone. What she thought she heard the woman say was: "This is Amber from Fantasy Hands. Your husband wanted me to let you know that he will be working late tonight, but will meet you for dinner at 6:30 at Texas Roadhouse."
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Needless to say, I had some explaining to do!
Volunteering does the body good As publisher of the BEACON, I have read of numerous studies that show the direct health benefits of volunteering. Please volunteer, if for no other reason than to live longer. This month’s cover story pays homage to those volunteers that were recently nominated for BEACON Volunteer of the Year.
Where will you go this summer? In June, the BEACON will present you with a myriad of suggestions on places to go and things to do. What we’d really like to know from you is what to include and what not to include. Please send your suggestions to: Beacon@PendantPublishing.com or PO Box 3895 Grand Junction, CO 81502
Lance Armstrong banned from area’s senior games! In July’s BEACON, we’re going to include the complete schedule of events for the Western Colorado Senior Games. While old enough to compete, Lance Armstrong is not eligible for our local senior games because, among other things, he is not a Western Slope resident. You, however, have no excuse! For that matter, neither do I, so please join me in some friendly competition and register using the official registration form in July’s BEACON.
Happy Mother’s Day! To all of the mothers that read the BEACON: Happy Mother’s Day! ■
Editorial 3
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Volunteer Info Session May 21, 2013 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Hospice Care Center 3090 N. 12th Street
Hospice & Palliative Care of Western Colorado www.hospicewco.com
4 Cover Story
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May 2013
Volunteering brings out the best in you On the Catholic Outreach Board for six years, Hutmacher he key to long life may be is now actively involved in the in your genes, but the key soup kitchen. to happiness is in volunteering. “People want to be asked to Research finds a strong link behelp,” Hutmacher said. “Voluntween volunteering and greater teerism brings out the best in life satisfaction. Who among people.” us could deny that it just plain A former teacher, Hutmacher feels good to be valued and to tells kids, “Smile at people! It make a difference in another may be the only one they get person’s life and in your comall day long.” munity? He encourages people to not No one believes this more be intimidated by trying somethan BEACON Volunteer of the thing new, as they will find it Year Linda Douglass, 68, and comfortable in no time. her Yorkie therapy dog, Tiffany Volunteer of the Year NomiJoy. Douglass and Tiffany were nees Bob and Sharon Vogel, both nominated by Jami Beck both 74, assist visitors at the from Hospice & Palliative Care Grand Junction Visitor and of Western Colorado. Convention Bureau (VCB). “Because pet therapy has “First and foremost, it’s a grown into a modality that is good way to give back to your shown to provide peace, comcommunity,” Sharon said. “We fort and happiness to patients, it have new experiences and is clear that this complementary learn things we didn’t know therapy is not going anywhere,” about.” Beck said. Bob said volunteering at the At 7 years old, 7 pounds and VCB is a good way to meet infull of loving licks, Tiffany lives teresting people from all over BEACON Volunteer of the Year Linda Douglass and her Yorkie, up to her name, bringing joy the world. Tiffany Joy. and companionship to hun“This isn’t work,” Bob said. dreds of patients. thing to please me. She is definitely “It’s fun.” Douglass and Tiffany have been more inclined to go toward older A recent visitor to the VCB, Hilton with Hospice for over three years. people than younger.” Fitt-Peaster, 74, said, “You can’t buy For Douglass, training Tiffany as a Douglass feels pet therapy at Hosthe enthusiasm volunteers donate.” therapy dog filled a void as she headpice has special value. He went on to thank volunteers ed into retirement. Now as a team, “In hospice care, nothing in their Monica and Bruce Peers for volunthey have made 600 patient visits and life is normal,” she said. “But so many teering. are ranked as Therapy Dogs Internahave had pets that pets bring back a “Whenever anybody thanks me for tional Gold, which is awarded to dog part of normal. In many situations, volunteering, I always thank them handlers who accumulate a total of the pets are there more for the famifor the opportunity to do so,” Monica 500 documented therapy dog visits. lies than the patients.” said. “I have always said we should “Patients respond so well to pets,” Douglass believes you will get more pay for the privilege of volunteering.” Douglass said. out of volunteering than those you If you have any doubt that there is She mentioned one Alzheimer’s are helping. a volunteer need out there you would patient who most of the time won’t enjoy or would match your skills, you talk to anyone. need to talk with Mesa County RSVP Smile at people! It may be the “She lights up like a Christmas tree only one they get all day long. Volunteer Manager Ruth McCrea. when she sees Tiffany,” Douglass “We are like a volunteer employsaid. “If I go visit patients without ment agency, being that we help inLearning through volunteering Tiffany, they don’t know me at all. dividuals 55 and older stay healthier “It is very satisfying to be doing When I go to the Hospice Care Cenand live longer by offering volunteer ter without her, she pouts. She has so something that’s so appreciated,” opportunities in over 90 member Andy Hutmacher, 73, said. much personality and will do anyagencies,” McCrea said.
By Melanie Wiseman
Mayors' Day of Recognition for National Service Joining mayors across the country, Grand Junction Mayor Bill Pitts and Fruita Mayor Lori Buck proclaimed April 9 as Mayors' Day of Recognition for National Service, highlighting the impact of national service programs on the community and thanking the individuals who serve. Mesa County is home to four active national service programs that have a positive and longstanding record in volunteer service: RSVP, St. Mary’s Foster Grandparents Program, St. Mary’s Senior Companion Program and Hilltop’s Mesa County AmeriCorps. “It’s just amazing the number of people that we have in Grand Junction that are volunteers that are willing to step up to the plate and serve when needed on certain projects,” Pitts said. “You all just do a wonderful job.” The volunteers of these four programs provide a combined annual benefit of over 215,968 hours of service. This day of recognition provides a unique opportunity to spotlight the importance of citizen service, bolster support for nonprofit and national service groups, and help bring more city residents into service. Interested in becoming part of one of these organizations? Visit their websites to find out more or give them a call. Mesa County AmeriCorps....244-0633 www.mesacountyamericorps.org Recruiting seniors age 55 and older: Mesa County RSVP............... 243-9839 www.rsvpgrandjunction.org St. Mary’s Hospital: Foster Grandparent Program 263-9091 Senior Companion Program 263-9092
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May 2013
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Volunteer opportunities include tutors, mentors and companions, along with administrative, fundraising and handyman work, just to name a few. “What would we do without the volunteers who are the backbone of our organization and our community?” McCrea said. She refers to volunteers as priceless. “Volunteering provides a reason for getting up in the morning and builds a feeling of giving back to your community,” McMonica Peers, right, helps visitors at the VCB. Crea said. “Volunteers are less likely to experiRoice-Hurst Humane Society, a ence depression. Volunteering keeps nonprofit shelter and adoption center things in perspective, which means providing care for homeless dogs and you’ll be better able to focus on the cats, has a number of volunteer oppositive things going on in your life portunities available. as opposed to dwelling on things that “We are looking for people who bring you down. Volunteering fosters are compassionate about helping our an atmosphere of growth and volanimals while they are waiting for unteers have stronger relationships forever homes,” Roice-Hurst Humane with others. Volunteers are physically Society Volunteer Coordinator Shanhealthier and volunteering sharpens non Freed said. your brain. Those who volunteer Freed said there are many benefits have lower mortality rates, greater of volunteering with Roice-Hurst. functional ability, and lower rates “We are grateful for all the volunof depression later in life than those teer help we get,” Freed said. “Dog who do not volunteer.” walking by volunteers is the only Call McCrea at 243-9839. opportunity the dogs have to get out Volunteering helps people find pur- of their kennels. You get to be part pose, feel better about themselves, of the solution and create life long contribute to a cause, encourage friendships.” meaningful conversation and make a Bambi Harmon from the John McConnell Math and Science Center difference. Volunteering and lifelong learning give seniors the opportunity also recognizes the benefits of volunteering. to explore and learn something new.
Cover Story 5
National & Regional Award-Winning Publication
Bruce and Monica Peers love volunteering. “There are amazing rewards in seeing the light bulbs go off in their heads when they learn something,” Harmon said. “Volunteer satisfaction is immediate. It’s all about the interaction with our guests, who are mostly grade school children. You don’t have to be knowledgeable about math and science to volunteer here. It’s fun. It’s not work. It’s a great way to give back to the community.” Harmon said the Math and Science Center is always looking for more volunteers. Hospice & Palliative Care Directors of Volunteer Services Sheryl Click and Diane Dickey agreed that it is important to support organizations that make a difference and improve the quality of life for others. “We may feel an intrinsic need to help and care for others in our community, and to contribute to something bigger than ourselves, and all of us at one time or another, or our family members, may need services,” Dickey said. “Be a participant. Get involved in your community. The personal growth and satisfaction you will receive from volunteering will not only change your life but impact the lives of others.” ■ Andy Hutmacher, far left, and the Empty Bowls kitchen staff.
Publisher ........................ Kevin K. VanGundy Founding Publisher................... Susan Capps Editor........................................ Cloie Sandlin Office Manager ........................Genevra Shal Office Assistant..........................Lisa Moeller Graphic Design.............................. Heidi Graf Production/ Photographer......... Karen Jones Delivery.....................................Anouk Olson Advertising Sales.........................Sue Bowen Advertising Sales................. Michelle Hooper Delta-Montrose Bureau Advertising Sales.................... Virginia Carlile Delivery..........................................JR Milner Garfield Bureau Editor.......................................Cheryl Currier P.O. Box 3895, Grand Junction, CO 81502 970.24 3.8 829 80 0. 536.7516 fax Website: www.BeaconSeniorNews.com E-mail: Beacon@ PendantPublishing.com The Beacon is published at the beginning of the month. Our goal is to inform and inspire the 50+ community in Mesa, Delta, Montrose and Garfield counties. Publication of advertising does not necessarily constitute endorsement. Columns are opinions of the writers, not necessarily the opinion of the publisher. Display advertising rates are available upon request. Deadline for advertising and announcements is the 20th of the month preceding publication. © Copyright 2013 • All Rights Reserved
Cover Photo The BEACON’s 2013 Volunteer of the Year winner Linda Douglass and her Yorkie, Tiffany Joy, surrounded by our other amazing volunteer nominees at our 2013 Grand Junction BeaconFest Senior Fair.
6 Feature Story
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May 2013
Not your average volunteer job By Jan Weeks & Cheryl Currier
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equests for volunteers abound in the Grand Valley, and we’re all familiar with Meals on Wheels, ShareFest and other organizations that do everything from delivering food to homebound seniors to raking leaves. However, there are also volunteers with special talents that you may not have heard of. Hospice & Palliative Care of Western Colorado’s care center allows patients to rest, and sometimes recover, in a home-like atmosphere. The emphasis is on providing comfort rather than trying to cure a condition, and to that end, they’ve assembled an interesting crew of those willing to share their time and talents.
The healing power of volunteers Debra Cahill is a certified acupuncturist who came to the center after her experiences with her mother in a Denver hospice center. She uses painless needles to activate the body’s natural healing energy. The work has reduced edema, aided digestion and diminished joint pain. “The biggest benefit,” Cahill said, “is that after a treatment, patients are able to fall into a deep, natural sleep—one that allows their bodies to relax. That sleep is sometimes hard to come by in a medical setting, even when drugs are used. Realigning the energy brings patients comforting sleep.” She also says that relaxation helps
“shift” happen, which may mean going home or transitioning to “over there.” She particularly appreciates Hospice’s willingness to mingle alternative and Western medicine to bring a variety of healing modalities to those in its care. Although massage therapist Paul Anthony uses gentle touch to ease pain and relax patients, he also works with people’s energy fields, realigning forces that become blocked or tangled, which produce fear as patients near the end. His own energy is so clear that sometimes, when he walks into a room, the patient says, “I know you!” But Anthony has never seen them before. “What they’re recognizing is the power of love,” he said. He calls them his 15-minute friends. “When people are agitated and fearful, it takes about 15 minutes to smooth them out,” he said. “They realize that death is just a new experience and that there’s nothing to fear.” What he appreciates about his work with Hospice is that at the end, there’s no pretense. People become “real” and open to whatever lies ahead. The soothing strains of harp music wafting down the hallways is not a sound most of us expect to hear in a medical setting, but Mary Jo Johnson devotes her volunteer hours to soothing both patients and staff by playing her custom-made lap harps. Therapy pets help patients think of happier times.
Linda Roy, a patient & family support volunteer, runs an errand for a patient.
“It really calms the patients down when they’re restless or anxious,” Johnson said. “In fact, I’ve had people fall asleep while I’m playing and that’s a real compliment.” She, too, had a mother in hospice care, which led her to offer her talents here. Strolling guitarists also bring music to the patients. While music and bodywork bring relaxation and sleep, Mike Paul’s furry friends bring laughter and fun. Angel, a Siberian Husky, and Summit, a 130-pound Alaskan Malamute, love to visit and their “hosts” love to bury their fingers in the soft fur and receive doggy Music Therapy Volunteer Mary Jo Johnson plays the harp for Hospice patients. kisses. “These dogs were ‘pound puppies,’” Paul said. “With some training, visit www.therapydogsinc.com. they’ve become great therapy dogs.” “Hospice is about family,” Hospice He said their presence brings back Volunteer Coordinator Jami Beck said. memories, leading the patients to “It’s a privilege to meet the families talk about pets they had and happier where they are. We try to provide times. pieces of normal in abnormal circum“I really enjoy sharing the dogs,” he stances.” She stressed that all therasaid. pists and body workers are licensed. Paul is a member of Therapy Dogs, She also said that volunteers are Inc. The 13,000-member organization needed to do office work or to staff has no restrictions on the types of Heirlooms for Hospice, a store that dogs that it admits into the program, takes donations of gently used merexcept that they don’t accept wolf or chandise and clothing and offers it coyote hybrids. for sale to support Hospice programs. “And they can’t be jumpers,” Paul “We honor complementary modaliadded. ties,” Beck said. “We are working on To learn more about therapy dogs, getting a certified music therapist Conversation circle volunteers lead activities to help people learn English.
May 2013 and are looking into bringing clowns in, also.” A magician or two? Why not?
Cleaning up the range Volunteers are needed in more than health care settings, as Dean Talbot well knows. He and 30 to 40 other shooting enthusiasts visit the BLM rifle and pistol ranges at the end of 27-1/4 Road, near the airport. “These two ranges are free to the public,” Talbot said, “and they’re exceptional because shooters can shoot 1,000 meters.” The covered benches get plenty of action. However, not all participants pick up their tattered targets and cast-off casings. That’s where Talbot and his buddies come in. A couple of times a week, he and others visit the ranges to empty trash cans, and every six weeks or so, they do a thorough cleanup of the range. “We bear all the expense, such as buying our gas and tools,” Talbot said. “The BLM provides trash bags and sometimes gloves.” In addition to the volunteer cleaning efforts, the BLM will soon do a major renovation of the site. No matter where they work or what they do, all the volunteers speak the same truth: Sharing talents and time with others fulfills their desire to be of service. And that’s a very good thing for the rest of us.
A conversation circle Colleen Rutledge of Glenwood Springs volunteers with Literacy Outreach by leading a conversation circle for Hispanic mothers with young children. A conversation circle is a supportive group for English learners to practice their conversation skills. Rutledge, 60, said she tries to keep the time less structured than her regular tutoring time. “It much more free form,” she said. “I try to go with the flow.” Rutledge sometimes starts the conversation with a planned activity but she remains flexible to allow the conversation to develop according to the needs and interests of the participants, which vary week to week. “I have to be on my toes, depending on who is here, because it chang-
www.BeaconSeniorNews.com es all the time,” Rutledge said. Rutledge said as many as eight mothers attend. Mothers are encouraged to bring their young children, who often play close by. At times, Rutledge will read a story to the children and then talk with the mothers about reading stories and using other literacy skills in their homes. Volunteers do not need to speak a foreign language. They only need to be able to read and write in English. Rutledge said she enjoys making new friends and learning about Hispanic culture. Conversation circles are held at the various libraries throughout Garfield County. Literacy Outreach Executive Director Martha Fredenall initiated the program in 2011. “We have over 100 people waiting to learn English, so we’re looking for a way to help more people,” Fredenall said. The groups vary in size, are offered at different times, and are led by trained volunteers. There is no cost for participants. Along with the conversation circles, Literacy Outreach provides one-on-one tutoring and has other volunteer opportunities available. To learn more, call 945-5282 or visit www.literacyoutreach.org. ■
Feature story 7
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What volunteers should know: • Treat your volunteer work as you would a paid position. Show up when you’re expected to and honor your time commitment. If for some reason you can’t, let your supervisor know right away. • Be willing to follow any guidelines that your position requires. • Be prepared. If you have special material or equipment, be sure to bring everything you need to fulfill your duties. • Be flexible. Tasks sometimes change. Be ready to modify your work, too, especially in a situation where people come and go without notice, such as a care setting. • Be generous with your time and talents. Something that may seem insignificant to you may be a huge gift to the people you’re working with. Five minutes of conversation with someone who’s lonely can mean the difference between depression and hope.
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S ummer
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Yield: 8 6 c assorted fruits (such as mango, pineapple, cantaloupe, and apricot), sliced or cut into chunks 1/4 c thinly sliced peeled fresh ginger 1 to 1-1/2 c fresh basil or mint leaves 1/2 c orange liqueur, such as Cointreau 1 bottle crisp white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio 3 T fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon) Ice In a large bowl or pitcher, combine fruit, ginger, basil or mint, and orange liqueur. Mash gently with the back of a wooden spoon until basil is bruised and fruit releases juices. Add wine and lemon juice and stir to combine. Refrigerate 1 hour (or up to 1 day). To serve, fill eight glasses with ice and top with sangria.
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For the filling: 1 c ricotta cheese (8 oz) 1 c lump crabmeat, such as peekytoe (8 oz) Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 1/8 t red pepper flakes For the ravioli: All-purpose flour, for baking sheet 90 wonton wrappers (two 12-oz packages) 1 large egg, lightly beaten, for egg wash Coarse salt For the sauce: 1 stick unsalted butter 2 t lemon peel, very finely chopped, plus 2 t fresh lemon juice Garnish: fresh chervil Make the filling: Mix together ricotta, crabmeat, 1/2 t salt, 1/8 t pepper, and the red pepper flakes. Make the ravioli: Lightly flour a baking sheet. Working in batches, arrange 45 wonton wrappers on a work surface; keep remaining wrappers covered with a damp paper towel. Mound 1 t crab filling in the center of each. Brush edges of wrappers with egg wash, and top each with another wrapper. Press edges to seal. Cut out circles using a 2-1/4-in cookie cutter; transfer to baking sheet. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Working in 2 batches, cook ravioli until they rise to the top, 2 to 3 minutes. MAKE the sauce: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Melt 4 T butter, and heat until just bubbling and frothy. Transfer first batch of ravioli to skillet, using a slotted spoon, along with about 2 T cooking liquid. Add 1 t chopped lemon peel and 1 t juice, and swirl to combine. Transfer to plates. Repeat with second batch of ravioli. Garnish with chervil.
May 2013
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Advice & ideas 9
Ask the Old Bag Advice Column for the Over 50 Crowd By Gayle LagmanCreswick Dear Old Bag: You reprinted info about senior dating rules. Can you remind me or reprint the piece about why you are called the Old Bag? Signed, Mimi Dear Mimi: We must have picked up some new readers because several people have asked why I am called the Old Bag. Years ago, I was a regional director for several retirement communities. I had my office in one of them. One day, as I was waiting for the elevator near the dining room, I overheard three women who were waiting for the dining room to open. One woman said, “Who is that woman?” Another replied, “I don’t know, but she sure looks like an old bag.” I looked around for the person they were talking about, but I was the only one in the vicinity. My elevator arrived and I quickly entered. I was really taken aback. I think you could say I felt wounded. I had always prided myself in being a friendly person. Then I recalled my mother saying, “You will always hear the truth from children, elderly and drunks.” I got out of the elevator and promptly went to the restroom and looked in the mirror. There I was, looking like an old bag. Then I smiled and I no longer looked like an old bag. The truth was, when I was not smiling, I looked somewhat crabby. You can be sure that I smiled much more after that. Thus the Old Bag was born and it seemed like the proper name for my column. Dear Old Bag: Our mother is 74 years old and has been chronically ill for the past couple of years. She is a wonderful person and has been a real champion throughout her illness. Lately, she has been skipping her medications and when the doctor said she needed to go to the hospital, she said she did not want to go. We will lose her if she keeps
this up. How can I help her? I do not want to lose her. Signed, Need Help Dear Need Help: I realize that you do not want to lose your mother. I would ask you to put yourself in her place. I believe your mother is saying, “I have had enough. I do not want to be treated for this illness anymore.” I believe that is her right. Keep in mind that there are things worse than death, such as suffering and losing your quality of life. I would also ask you to embrace the difference between causing death and letting someone die naturally. You should look into hospice or palliative care. Both of these wonderful services would be supportive to you and your mother. I have seen people get carried along in the medical world of multiple hospital admissions without anyone telling them that they have a choice. They could say, “I do not want to do this anymore. Let me die in peace.” I do not intend to step on anyone’s religious views. This is just the view of one old bag. Dear Old Bag: We are getting married for the second time and we want a church wedding with just our family and a few close friends. Two of our children have been married before and we have maintained a close relationship with their previous mates. Of course, we want to invite them to the wedding. We are afraid it may cause a problem for our children who have since remarried. What to do? Signed, Afraid Dear Afraid: I would like to tell you that it is your party and you can invite who you want to. However, I guess you should be considerate and talk to your children and see how they feel about it. I hope they say, “It’s your party and you can invite who you want, and we will be happy about it.” Good luck! ■
Send your questions to the Old Bag in care of the BEACON, or email lagmancreswick@cox.net.
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May 2013
What does Memorial Day mean to you?
By Terri Benson
I
t’s hard to find individuals under the age of 50 who still follow family traditions related to the historical meaning of Memorial Day. Pam Larson remembers her mother had a long list of graves she decorated each year. After she passed, Larson and her sister continued the effort for years. Then Larson “got tired of all the death” and stopped. She remembered Memorial Day parades in Palisade, when they would go out on the bridge and throw a wreath into the Colorado River, followed by more ceremonies at the cemetery. Others of the boomer generation had their own family traditions. To Betty Hancock, the holiday is Decoration Day. Her family usually goes to the cemetery a week or so prior to the holiday to put out flowers, usually silk, leaving the decorations up
as long as possible. “This is a public acknowledgement of our loss,” Hancock said. “The rest of the year, we go in private.” Hancock comes from a military family and feels the reason for the day is often forgotten. “It’s a time to honor those who served and are now gone,” she said. Helen Roe remembered her mother trying to get her to go to the cemetery to decorate but, like most preteens, she didn’t want to do much of anything her mother wanted. “I wish I would have gone. It’s too late now,” she said with sadness. Annalisa Pearson also calls it Decoration Day. Instead of flowers, she leaves special rocks at her father’s grave at the Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery. She goes with her mother and sometimes her sister, and this year, she expects to take her granddaugh-
ter, since she’ll be babysitting. Pearson’s daughter hasn’t gone yet. “Maybe someday she will,” she said. “It’s her birthday weekend, so we always have a birthday event.” Julie Morey said her husband’s family comes from the South. They, too, call it Decoration Day. When the family gets together on Memorial Day weekend, they have a picnic dinner on the ground at the cemetery in Moab and leave flowers. “There are a couple different graves we visit, but my family also goes to the cemetery at other times of the year,” she said. Betty Benson’s husband was in the Navy (as where other family members), so she has multiple reasons for honoring the holiday. She decorates more than 20 graves. At least one of her daughters goes along to help. “I don’t see too many people I
Orphans decorating their fathers’ graves in Glenwood Cemetery, Philadelphia, on Decoration Day. The Illustrated London News, 1876.
know out decorating any more,” Benson said. “Some of the family think that as long as you keep those who are gone in your heart, it’s enough, but I still think that flowers should be put on the graves.” For me, the tradition started with helping my grandmother cut flowers, loading the car up with dozens of peonies, or if the weather had delayed the blooms, whatever was available, including iris, lilac or even pussy willows. She would park on the hillside and we’d wander around a bit looking for the graves. Then she’d make sure every grave had a nice bouquet with plenty of water. After she died, there wasn’t anyone left who knew where all the graves were, and I’m sorry to say I never really tried to find them. Now I drive through the cemetery every day to go to work and I intend to see how many of the family markers I can find. I’m not sure I’ll decorate them, but I do think about them a lot more than I used to. The holiday’s origins are in the South, with the first reported grave
May 2013 decorations during the Civil War. Known as Decoration Day, each town set its own date to participate, including Jefferson Davis’ birth of June 3. The first “claim” of a decorated soldier’s grave is from 1861 Virginia. Georgia has records from 1863. There was also a formal commemoration of soldiers’ graves at Gettysburg in 1863. The concept of decorating graves traveled from town to town, and honored both Union and Confederate soldiers. In 1865, in Charleston, South Carolina, the unmarked graves of Union prisoners who died in the POW camp there were cleaned and landscaped by freed slaves, who also built an enclosure and put an arch that read, “Martyrs of the Race Course” (the POW camp was at the Charleston Race Course). More than 10,000 people gathered there on May 1. That same year, the federal government began creating national cemeteries for the dead Union soldiers. General John A. Logan, commanderin-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, proclaimed Decoration Day, and it was formally celebrated on May 30. Records indicate the date was picked because there hadn’t been any major Civil War battles on that particular date. The first federally recognized Decoration Day covered 183 cemeteries in 27 states. Two years later, it had grown to 336 cemeteries. Michigan was the first state to officially adopt the holiday in 1871, and by 1890, all the Northern states had done so as well. The term “Memorial Day” vs. “Decoration Day” (neither to be confused with Veterans' Day, which occurs in November), first emerged in 1882, but wasn’t well known until after World War II, and wasn’t the official name until 1967. On June 28, 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which moved four holidays, including Memorial Day, from their traditional dates to a Monday to create long weekends. This moved Memorial Day from May 30 to the last Monday in May. Eventually all 50 states, some grudgingly, went along. As time went by, Memorial Day
www.BeaconSeniorNews.com extended beyond honoring Civil War casualties to include all American wars. After World War II, the holiday’s theme emphasized American’s duty to uphold freedom, then further expanded to become a day to visit the graves of deceased relatives, not just those who died in the service of their country. Once the holiday was moved to Monday, it became the traditional beginning of summer vacation season, which ends on Labor Day weekend. This led to more emphasis on family gatherings, fireworks, shopping and media events. Hawaii’s Senator Daniel Inouye, a World War II veteran and Medal of Honor recipient who enlisted in the U.S. Army at age 17, just after Pearl Harbor, introduced a bill to return Memorial Day to its traditional date for years. He died in 2012. The Veterans of Foreign Wars has also lobbied to return the holiday to its original date—and original meaning—feeling the move just to give everyone a long weekend has caused observance to become nonchalant. One of the Memorial Day observances which has evolved and which only a few notice is the flag being raised very quickly in the morning to the top of the pole, then slowly lowered to half staff until noon. Then it’s raised back to the top. The symbolism is that half staff is remembering the deaths of over a million men and women who died in the services. At noon, raising the flag high is paying homage to those living who continue to fight for freedom. Other events, which have become staples of the Memorial Day weekend, include parades, many with veterans and military marchers; barbecues; the Indianapolis 500 race (since 1911); and the Coca-Cola 600 (since 1961) on the Sunday before the holiday. What does this holiday mean to you? Please email us at Beacon@Pen dantPublishing.com or write to: BEACON Senior Newspaper P.O. Box 3895 Grand Junction, CO 81502 ■
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May 2013
Volunteers travel to restore beauty By Karen Telleen-Lawton
A
mong the many sweet spots of arriving at senior status is the relative abundance of time. No more school carpools to drive, fewer errands to run, fewer lives to organize, etc. We now have the opportunity to contribute more time, but we don’t necessarily want to be confined to the boardroom. For those of us who also wish to spend time outdoors, volunteer projects abound. Leaders welcome seniors who may not have the brawn of our younger years but have diligence and stick-to-it-iveness to spare. My experience on a naval island off California convinced me we still have what it takes. Only a few could attend the first-ever invasive plant removal project on San Clemente Island, read the email from Ken Owens, founder of Channel Islands Restoration. The list of interested volunteers was winnowed to 20 who were allowed the privilege of pulling ice plant on the southernmost Channel Island, an active Navy bombardment area since 1934. After identifying our way onto the naval base in San Diego, we flew a half-hour west past Catalina Island to a long, skinny land strip. We listened dutifully to mandatory ordnance training. Once our trainer,
Tom, described the island as “one of the most contaminated places I’ve ever seen,” he got our undivided attention. We’d brought gaiters to protect ourselves from cholla and opuntia, but those wouldn’t help against unexploded ordnance (UXO). Rule number one: “If you didn’t drop it, don’t pick it up.” We unloaded our luggage into clean rooms in a building descriptively called “the three-story.” Outfitted in long sleeves, leather gloves, gaiters and combs for yanking cactus spines from our clothes, we piled into vans for our first afternoon of work. The top invasives on SClI include fennel and two mustard species, but ice plant removal was our project’s goal. Hiking to a 55-acre site overlooking a beautiful stretch of dunes and shoreline, we looked over our project: rescuing native boxthorn, cactus, Ambrosia, Stephanomeria, Bronia, and deerweed from the ice plant’s smothering tresses. Within minutes we discovered another obstacle: black widow spiders. A depauperate ecosystem is one that can’t support much flora and fauna and thus lacks biodiversity. Few species survived under the tangled vines. Boxthorn and other natives they smothered are the preferred habitat for the San Clemente sage sparrow, a federally threatened species.
This sparrow and the San Clemente loggerhead shrike, a federal endangered species, are two of the species the Navy is working to protect. The original catalyst was the 1970 Endangered Species Act, but the Navy Volunteers remove ice plant during the first-ever invasive plant removal has since taken a project on San Clemente Island. proactive role as a land steward, hiring biologists to Navy archeologists research and bring the island back to health. protect these sites. On the second day we came across We wound down Sunday aftera metal disc that we marked for Tom’s noon, admiring the hundred or so inspection. We also discovered about chest-high piles of ice plant cascad15 rifle bullets in a sandy pile. Several ing over the hill in three directions. times per day we heard a loud kaReturning to the three-story, we reboom and demanded Ken’s assurance moved the last bits of cactus spines, that the Navy knew our location. iced sore wrists and eased aching Except for unimaginative sack backs with a glass of beer at the Salty lunches, lunch times were heavenly. Crab Pub. Each day we drove to a different site, Oh, yes. The ordnance discovered admiring outflanking sites, visiton the second day was inspected by ing the captive breeding programs, Tom. It turned out to be an empty and lounging above beautiful rocky can of sardines. beaches. On Sunday we admired Volunteers can visit gorgeous natusome of the finest examples of ral areas, while working to protect marine terraces in the world. We rare plant and animal species. For also encountered several of the information on volunteering, visit 7,500 midden sites showing habitawww.channelislandsrestoration.com tion dating back at least 8,000 years. or call 805-448-6203. ■
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My mother was a rebel ing trouble, but preferred letting us figure out things for ourselves. y mother was a rebel. In my Meeting after meeting, she favorite picture of her, she is would have some project for smiling while standing on the us to do. They weren’t alroof of the boarding school ways the greatest and the rethat was supposed to sults were often “iffy” but “straighten her out.” Her we always had a lot of fun stockings are rolled down trying to do them because and she is smoking a my mother didn’t try to cigarette. I can almost do everything herself. read her mind: “So I remember our den much for straightenbuilding a racer for ing me out.” a soapbox derby. My My mother’s mom got my dad to sometimes rough give us some help, exterior housed a but we built most of it soft heart—a heart ourselves. We painted that would show its it pink (my mother’s love by exceptional acts of generosity, favorite color) becovered by a veneer cause that was the of “Don’t bother me.” extra paint my dad The seismic event of had after he had her volunteering to be painted our living a den mother for the room. Cub Scouts is a powOn race day, our erful example of her soapbox finished The author’s mother, willingness to give of last. All the other entries, Dorothy, right, in 1932 complete with steering herself for others. at age 16, holding a My mother liked to wheels, looked like a team cigarette with her socks smoke, play poker and of engineers built them. rolled down. drive fast. When I was a The Pink Panther’s steeryoung boy, if someone had ing mechanism consisted done a worldwide poll asking mothof a rope attached to the main axle ers about their desire to become (a wooden board). Looking back, our a den mother, my mother’s name pink beauty was probably the most would have been towards the dangerous to drive, but to us, it was bottom of the list, probably last. also the most fun. It was certainly I don’t remember all the details of the most honest entry. Despite our why my joining the Cub Scouts was contingent upon her becoming a den last place finish, I remember my mother’s smile as we loaded our mother, but I assume it had someracer into the station wagon. We had thing to do with the lack of other built and raced the soapbox our way. volunteers. On her one day off from I know my mom wasn’t the greatbeing a waitress in a busy restaurant, est den mother—not even close. But 12 denizens of the neighborhood she had to be one of the most would come to our basegenerous. My mother has ment for a den meeting. I passed on, but my hope is can still see my mother that she somehow knows sitting on a chair smokthat in my heart she will aling (times were different ways be the gold standard then) and watching us for den mothers and that weave baskets. She would I miss her feistiness, her occasionally get up and help someone who was havgenerosity and her love. ■ By Edward A. Joseph
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May 2013
A big BEACON thank you By Kevin K. VanGundy
F
irst, I’d like to thank the approximate 2,775 people who attended this year’s BeaconFest Senior Fair. Second, I’d like to thank the BEACON staff and the staff at Two Rivers Convention Center for working so hard to make this event such a great success. Also, the RSVP volunteers who manned the doors and blew up over 400 brightly colored balloons. Of course, I can’t forget to say thank you to AARP for being our bag sponsor.
Fantastic food The Olive Garden served up some delicious pasta with its famous Bellini Iced Tea. Noodles & Company served two different varieties of salad, and A Taste of Heaven Catering delighted attendees with a homemade Italian soup. Café Rio was also a big hit with its chips and salsa. For dessert, DoubleTree by Hilton gave out gourmet cookies, and Gray Gourmet served up a delicious “Wacky” chocolate cake.
There was music and dancing One of the great treats at BeaconFest is the entertainment, which runs all day long on two different stages. Greeting folks as they entered the show in the foyer were: • Spare Parts Barbershop Quartet
• Grand Pianist Paula Dunfee • Cover Charge Quartet Entertainers on the main stage were: • Rosewood & Ivory • Danny Agajanian • King’n Trio • Miss Emily and Steve Williams • Ron Koss, who also masterfully managed the sound for our entertainers
Door prizes galore Of course, no BeaconFest would be complete without giving away thousands of dollars worth of door prizes from these kind and generous businesses: AAA Hearing Aero Care American Furniture Warehouse Battlement Mesa Golf Club Benge’s B & H Sports Big O Tires Bookcliff Gardens Boston’s Gourmet Pizza Brakes Plus Café Rio Carino’s Italian Restaurant Center for Independence Century Casino & Hotel Cherry Creek Mortgage Chili’s
May 2013
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Mountain Aire Medical Supply Olive Garden Orchard Mesa Lanes Peppermill Casinos Plastic Surgery Specialists Redstone Castle Residence Inn by Marriott RgsDesigns Rifle Creek Golf Course RIMU Respiratory Rockslide Brewery Scott VanDusen, DDS Sleep Number Splish Splash Car Wash Tepanyaki True Value Two Rivers Winery & Chateau Uintah County Travel & Tourism Utah Office of Tourism Village Inn Wells Fargo Western Colorado 211/ARCH Zoup! Finally, I want to thank the 90 different senior-related businesses that set up booths at BeaconFest to share their information. Without them, none of this would be possible. Our next BeaconFest will be in Montrose on September 19. See you there! ■
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16 Laughing matters
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Laughing Matters Things my mother taught me Submitted by Karen Jones My mother taught me to appreciate a job well done. “If you’re going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning.” My mother taught me religion. “You better pray that will come out of the carpet.” My mother taught me about time travel. “If you don’t straighten up, I’m going to knock you into the middle of next week.” My mother taught me logic. “Because I said so, that’s why.” My mother taught me more logic. “If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you’re not going to the store with me.” My mother taught me foresight. “Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you’re in an accident.” My mother taught me irony. “Keep crying and I’ll give you something to
P R E M I E R
cry about.” My mother taught me about the science of osmosis. “Shut your mouth and eat your supper.” My mother taught me about contortionism. “Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!” My mother taught me about stamina. “You’ll sit there until all that spinach is gone.” My mother taught me about weather. “This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it.” My mother taught me about hypocrisy. “If I told you once, I’ve told you a million times. Don’t exaggerate!” My mother taught me the circle of life. “I brought you into this world and I can take you out.” My mother taught me about behavior modification. “Stop acting like your father!” My mother taught me about envy. “There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don’t have wonderful parents like you do.”
S E N I O R
May 2013
My mother taught me about anticipation. “Just wait until we get home.” My mother taught me about receiving. “You are going to get it when your father gets home.” My mother taught me medical science. “If you don’t stop crossing your eyes, they are going to get stuck that way.” My mother taught me ESP. “Put your sweater on. Don’t you think I know when you are cold?” My mother taught me humor. “When that lawn mower cuts off your toe, don’t come running to me.” My mother taught me how to become an adult. “If you don’t eat your vegetables, you’ll never grow up.” My mother taught me genetics. “You’re just like your father.” My mother taught me about my roots. “Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were raised in a barn?” My mother taught me wisdom. “When you get to be my age, you’ll understand.” My mother taught me about justice. “One day you’ll have kids and I hope
L I V I N G
they turn out just like you!”
Financial planning Submitted by Roy Lambert Dan was a single guy living at home with his father and working in the family business. When he found out that he was going to inherit a fortune when his ill father died, he decided he needed to find a wife with whom to share his fortune. One evening, at an investment meeting, he spotted the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her natural beauty took his breath away. “I may look like just an ordinary guy,” he said to her, “but in just a few months, my father will die and I will inherit $200 million.” Impressed, the woman asked for his business card and three days later, she became his stepmother. Women are so much better at financial planning than men.
Golfer at the dentist Submitted by Ross Gibbon A man and his wife walked into a dentist’s office. The man said to the dentist, “Doc, I’m in one heck of a
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May 2013 hurry. I have two buddies sitting out in my car waiting for us to go play golf, so forget the anesthetic. I don’t have time for the gums to get numb. I just want you to pull the tooth and be done with it. We have 10 a.m. tee time at the best golf course in town and it’s 9:30 already. I don’t have time to wait for the anesthetic to work.” The dentist thought to himself, “My goodness. This man is very brave.” He asked the golfer, “Which tooth is it?” The man turned to his wife and said, “Open your mouth, honey, and show him.”
Homesick Submitted by Kimberly Graham I was in Fort Meyers, Florida the other day and I saw a bumper sticker on a parked car that read, “I miss Chicago.” So I broke the window, stole the radio, shot out two of the tires and left a note that read, “I hope this helps!”
The art of proofreading Submitted by Jan Weeks Here are some news headlines that could benefit from a better proofreader. “Man kills self before shooting wife and daughter” – I didn’t think that was possible. “Something went wrong in jet crash, expert says” – Really? You think? “Police begin campaign to run down jaywalkers” – Now that’s taking things a bit far! “Panda mating fails; Veterinarian takes over” – What a guy! “Miners refuse to work after death” – Good-for-nothing lazy so-and-sos! “Juvenile court to try shooting defendant” – See if that works any better than a fair trial. “War dims hope for peace” – I can see where it might have that effect. “If strike isn’t settled quickly, it may last a while” – Really? You think? “Cold wave linked to temperatures” – Who would have thought? “London couple slain; Police sus-
www.BeaconSeniorNews.com pect homicide” – They may be on to something! “Red tape holds up new bridges” – You mean, there’s something stronger than duct tape? “Man struck by lightning; Faces battery charge” – He probably is the battery charge. “New study of obesity looks for larger test group” – They weren’t fat enough? “Local high school dropouts cut in half” – Texas Chainsaw Massacre all over again! “Hospitals are sued by 7 foot doctors” – Boy, are they tall! “Typhoon rips through cemetery; Hundreds Dead” – Did I read that right?
Donations for Congress Submitted by Robert Shaver A driver is stuck in a traffic jam on the highway outside Washington, DC. Suddenly, a man knocks on the driver’s window. The driver rolls down the window and asks, “What’s going on?” “Terrorists have kidnapped the entire U.S. Congress and they’re asking for a $100 million ransom,” the man says. “Otherwise, they’re going to douse them all in gasoline and set them on fire. We are going from car to car, collecting donations.” “How much is everyone giving on average?” the driver asks. The man replies, “Roughly a gallon.”
Help with math Submitted by Karen Jones The owner of a golf course was confused about paying an invoice, so he decided to ask his secretary for some help with the math. He called her into his office and said, “You graduated from the university and I need some help. If I were to give you $20,000, minus 14 percent, how much would you take off?” The secretary thought for a moment and then replied, “Everything but my earrings.” ■ Send your funniest jokes to: beacon@pendantpublishing.com
Laughing matters 17
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May 2013
A trip of a lifetime to Uganda By Victor Block
R
elaxing in a hot shower, walking to a nearby market to buy meat or strolling through a village may seem like commonplace occurrences. But in the African country of Uganda, these experiences are likely to be unlike life as you’re used to living it. For instance, the shower consists of hot water poured into a tank on the roof of a tent, which drips through holes in a bucket onto the bather below. The meat is large body parts of animals, some unidentifiable, strung up in an outdoor marketplace. And villages often are groupings of mudbrick huts with thatch roofs and dirt floors. An early impression of Uganda during my recent visit was how much diversity is squeezed into an area about the size of Montana. Broad plains of dry savannah and lush rain forests cover much of the country. Despite the fact that it’s landlocked, fully a quarter of the nation is covered by water. That includes a section of the Nile River and Lake Victoria, the second largest freshwater lake in the world after Superior. Most people visit this African destination, like others nearby, to observe a Noah’s Ark variety of wildlife in its natural habitat. However, I found life of another kind to be equally intriguing. Some 35 million people, many of them among the poorest in the world, retain a lust for life, which often has treated them badly. A recent past that included
brutal dictators and vicious warlords has not quelled the tendency of most Ugandans to deal philosophically with whatever mishaps and misfortunes come their way. Given an often violent history and grinding poverty, in which more than one-third of the people are said to live on less than $1.25 a day, the amiable demeanor that generally greets visitors comes as a welcome surprise. This attitude is demonstrated in many ways and situations. Many women, tilling the soil on hillsides so steep I wonder how they can stand, wear the traditional, colorful, flowing dresses. Some have a baby napping in a sling on their back. As they swing their crudely made hoe, passersby often hear them chatting and laughing with neighbors toiling in adjacent fields. Wide smiles adorn the faces of children, whether playing near their house, often with sticks and stones as their only toys, or waving to passing vehicles transporting visitors in their country. Their excitement and broad grins prompted my wife Fyllis and me, and our eight traveling companions, to return every smile and wave that came our way as our Land Rover headed for our next destination. I still picture lines of women and children walking alongside roads that are more pothole than pavement, balancing a variety of bundles on their head. These might be a bunch of bananas, laundry just
May 2013 washed in a stream, a heavy 5 gallon plastic container of water pumped from the village well, or anything else that needs to be moved from here to there. Many school children tote their books on their head, their version of the backpack carried by youngsters in the U.S. Bicycles and motorbikes, both ridden and pushed, are used to transport larger and heavier items. I spotted them laden with cages of live chickens, heavy bags of charcoal which is used for cooking, and a live goat slung across the lap of a man driving to an outdoor market. Person-to-person encounters with Ugandans provided even more insight into their lifestyle. Lunch with a local man, which had been arranged
Travel 19
www.BeaconSeniorNews.com sometimes possess people. He also proudly proclaimed that he has three wives and a total of 13 children. When not being introduced to some of the friendly and fascinating people of Uganda, members of our tour group ventured out on game drives and boat cruises for close up encounters with the animals that also make Uganda their home. Indeed, the adrenaline rush of a charging mountain gorilla and stately beauty of lions sprawled over tree branches are but two of innumerable animal experiences that linger in my memory. Equally fascinating to me were encounters with people whose culture and lifestyle are very different from mine. These are among reasons why several of my traveling companions described their visit to Uganda as the trip of a lifetime.
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If you go: A safari trip to Africa isn’t best undertaken as a do-it-yourself affair. My wife and I went there with ElderTreks, which Uganda Market Day. specializes in travel to 100 countries for the ElderTreks tour group with around the world for people 50 and which we traveled, introduced us to older. The benefits are small groups typical cuisine. Our meal included limited to no more than 16 travelers, beef from the long-horned cattle that highly efficient trip preparation, outare common there, cassava, sweet standing local guides and inclusion of potato, plantain and mashed roasted all meals, which is not true for some peanuts. tour companies. Deo Karegyesa, a farmer with Our accommodations ranged from whom we visited, explained that he a luxury hotel to a sophisticated hilloften sleeps near his sweet potato side lodge overlooking tea plantations crop to keep foraging bush pigs away. to spacious tented wilderness camps He proudly pointed to a deep trench with a private bathroom, including that he had dug with help from his that bucket shower. Monkeys, hippos neighbors to prevent elephants from and wart hogs were among the anidestroying his crops. mals that hung around some camps As we chatted with Alfonse Bifumand provided yet more opportunities bo, a traditional healer, in his thatchto observe wildlife at close range. roof house, chickens pecked at the This year, ElderTreks will offer dirt floor and goats bleated outside. its Uganda trip and a combination Wearing a floppy hat and perpetual Uganda and Rwanda itinerary. For grin, he described herbs he uses to more information about what may treat ailments that range from malarprove to be your trip of a lifetime ia to ear, eye and nose problems, and call ElderTreks at 800-741-7956 or to drive away evil spirits that he said log onto www.eldertreks.com. ■
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Spring Day on the Farm Saturday, may 4 9 am - 3 pm Step back in time and soak up our rich agricultural heritage at this favored annual event! Historical demonstrations, animals and more!
Cross Orchards Historic Site
3073 F road, Grand Junction $5/Adults • $4/Seniors $3.50/Kids (3-12 yrs) $15/Immediate family museum members free! Dig us up online for more details and great adventures!
www.museumofwesternco.org • 970.242.0971
20 Gardening
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May 2013
Garden Smarts By Kathy Kimbrough, Garden Scentsations
necessary to support healthy growth. Rest assured that when you amend your soil, your plants are getting the best possible start to a long and healthy life in your garden.
Q. I have a Nanking cherry currently in bloom and a dwarf Korean lilac that usually doesn’t bloom until late spring or early Q. I have several mature perensummer. They were both planted nials in my garden that don’t seven years ago and I have never bloom as well as in the past. pruned either of them. Both are They seem crowded and overgetting larger and I think they grown. When is the right time to should be pruned. When is the divide them and how do I do it? best time to prune them and Susie C. how drastic should I be? Dividing perennials Jerry B. every few years is a Your Nanking Plant of the Month great way to keep cherry and dwarf them healthy and Korean lilac are an inexpensive spring-blooming way to get more shrubs, which plants for your Russian Hawthorn - Russian Hawthorn garden. There means they should is one of those trees that give you a are optimum be pruned after great bang for your buck with its year- times to divide they bloom and round interest. A small ornamental tree plants and it before they set that will grow 15 to 20 feet high, it pre- depends on what buds for next year. fers full sun and has low water needs. In perennials you Late May or early May, the Russian Hawthorn is covered have. Now is a June would be the with crisp, white flowers, which turn to great time to dioptimum time to dark, red berries in August. The bright vide chrysanthedo this. It is a good green foliage turns yellow in the fall and mums, Blanket idea to do rejuvelooks beautiful with its golden exfoliat- flowers, coreopnation pruning ing (shredding) bark. This and its twist- sis and coneflowevery few years. ed branches make Russian Hawthorn ers. Just lift the Cut approximately an attractive tree even in winter. one-third of the entire crown of largest branches the plant and sepadown to the base of rate into chunks that the shrub every year or so. have healthy roots and This allows for good circulation and shoots. Wait to divide your iris and encourages new shoots. daylilies until late July or August. Q. Must I really amend the soil before I plant? I doubt that most of the other homeowners in our subdivision amended their soil and their yards look just fine. Mrs. Delbert Oaks There is an old saying that will answer your question: “Give every $5 plant a $10 hole.” By this I mean, yes, you should amend your soil before you plant anything in our area. We either have heavy clay or sandy soils with little or no organic matter. Amending the soil with good organic matter like compost will help provide proper drainage and nutrients
Q. We recently bought a new house. The neighborhood soil has a white substance on it that my friends have said is alkali. I’m from the South and have never seen that before. One neighbor says that I need to dig it all up. Another said to just plant over it. What should I do? Beverly T., Grand Junction Welcome to the Grand Valley and our unique gardening challenges. Because the valley sits on an ancient seabed, which turned into Mancos Shale, we have pockets of land that are very salty. The white alkali you
May 2013
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are seeing in your yard is soluble salts and other minerals. Plants growing on salty soils appear to be waterstressed because the high salt levels hamper the ability of plants to take up water from the soil. A permanent solution can be found through leaching the soil with water and amending with good-quality organic matter such as compost at the rate of 3 to 6 cubic yards per 1,000 square foot area. Mix thoroughly with existing soil to a depth of at least 6 inches. If that isn’t possible, consider building raised beds.
Q. How can I control squash bugs before they appear in my vegetable garden? Carol B., Grand Junction Squash bugs affect cucurbits— cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, and summer and winter squash. They typically overwinter around the base of plants in your garden. To reduce the number of those pesky bugs, fall cleanup is essential. Remove garden debris and till the soil so there are fewer places for them to spend the winter. In the spring, protect young plants with floating row covers. Be sure to remove the covers when your seedlings grow too large or when the temperatures heat up. Don’t add mulch around the plants, as this is an ideal place for squash bugs to hide. Q. We want to incorporate a water-wise landscape plan in our yard, but we have a large syca-
more tree. How can we make sure the tree stays happy while the rest of the yard uses less water? Jim and Betty G., Palisade There are several things you can do to keep your tree healthy while lowering water use in your existing landscape. First, check your sprinkler system to be sure it is running efficiently. Inefficient sprinklers waste more water than anywhere else in the yard. Second, group plants with similar water needs together. Typically, the high water use plants should be placed close to the home, while the most xeric plants should be on the outer perimeter of your property. Third, consider eliminating turf grass in areas that are hard to mow, on steep slopes or in deep shade. Replace with water-wise ground covers. Your sycamore tree has an extensive root system that can access water from all around your yard and will be able to adapt if you replace existing shrubs and perennials with more water-wise plants. Just remember that xeric plants still need to be watered on a regular basis, especially during the first season. ■
Gardening Checklist Plant tender annuals and vegetables after the last average frost date, which is usually Mother's Day weekend. Plant summer bulbs, such as dahlias, gladiolus and canna. Sprinkle 5-10-5
Gardening 21
fertilizer in holes before inserting bulbs.
do not increase thatch build up.
Have your lawn mower blade sharpened on a regular basis throughout the summer months. A dull blade will shred the grass instead of cut it and shredded grass tips invite fungal diseases.
Harvest rhubarb stalks larger than a half-inch in diameter by twisting and pulling at the base of the stalk. Harvest asparagus stalks larger than 3/8-inch until about the end of June. Cut just at soil level.
If you use a mulching lawn mower, leave
Send your questions to Kathy at Beacon@PendantPublishing.com or mail them to the BEACON at P.O. Box 3895, Grand Junction, CO 81502.
your grass clippings on the lawn. They return nitrogen to the soil during the season, which reduces the amount of chemical fertilizer that must be applied. The clippings
Bad soil means bad yard. But good soil...
A
lush green lawn and bountiful garden begins with the right soil. That is exactly what you’ll find at Cooper Soils, 3007 N. Townsend Ave. in Montrose. Montrose natives Gary and Jackie Cooper and their son L. J. have owned Cooper Soils since 2003. These master gardeners have always enjoyed working in the yard and garden, and continue to work closely with the CSU Extension Office to provide answers or advice to any landscape/gardening issues. Cooper Soils’ organic, sandy, loam topsoil (not clay topsoil) and their soil conditioners are tested with CSU and Ward Laboratories. A good base of soil and conditioner is vital when starting a landscaping project. A small plant in a good garden mix will
grow and thrive. Garden mixes are blended and available according to a customer’s needs. They also have landscaping fabric, decorative rock, flagstone and mulches. Mulching helps reduce the amount of water needed and insulates plants from the heat and cold. A variety of fountains, benches, birdbaths and yard ornaments can add an extra special touch to a yard or garden. Cooper Soils can help load or deliver gravels, road base, cobble and sand. They also have grass seed and fertilizers formulated for western Colorado’s temperatures and soil, along with Yum-Yum, an organic fertilizer and great soil builder. For more information, call 2400123, or visit Cooper Soils in person or online at www.coopersoils.com. ■
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22 Recreation
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Fun after 50
Offered by Grand Junction Parks and Recreation
T
o register for the following activities, visit www.gjcity.org/ recreation.aspx or call 254-3866. For a complete list of activities, pick up an Activity Guide at the Parks and Rec office, 1340 Gunnison Ave. or at the Senior Recreation Center, 550 Ouray Ave. May 3
Poker Walk
Senior Recreation Center 550 Ouray Avenue - 970 243-7408
The Senior Recreation Center offers activities for seniors age 50 and older. The center is open Monday - Saturday from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Annual membership is $10.
S e n i o r R e c re a ti o n C e n te r M o n t h ly C a le n d a r
of
Ev e n ts
Monday
9:00 a.m. 10:30 a.m. 12:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. 5:30 p.m.
Cribbage Computer Classes Gray Gourmet Card Bingo Singles Pinochle (1st & 3rd Monday)
Tuesday
9:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. 1:30 p.m.
Cribbage & Pool Tourney Gray Gourmet Bingo
Wednesday
9:00 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m.
Ladies Pool, Card Social Jack & Jill Pool Tourney Free Blood Pressure Clinic (3rd Wed) Gray Gourmet Pinochle
Thursday
9:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m.
Canasta Band (1st Thursday) Pokeno Dance
Friday
9:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. 12:30 p.m. 12:45 p.m.
Canasta, Painting Class & Pool Tourney Gray Gourmet Bible Study Bridge
Saturday
8:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m.
Bridge Class Bridge Bingo
Sunday
1:00 p.m.
Dance (1st & 3rd Sunday)
May 2013
Participate in fun physical activities such as walking, beanbag toss, basketball shoot, soccer kick and T-ball hit. Get poker chips for doing activities and turn them in for random cards to make your best poker hand. Top 10 hands win prizes. There will be a mini health fair, free massages and lunch. Event starts at 10 a.m. at Canyon View Park. Cost is $5. Registration is required. May 9
Deuces Wild Have an evening of Las Vegas-style fun! Enjoy a delicious dinner, then play poker, blackjack, Texas hold ‘em, or spin the wheel. The more you win, the greater your chances are of winning fabulous prizes. Event starts at 4:30 p.m. at the Senior Recreation Center. Cost is $5. May 15
Garden Talk – Aquaponics Instructor Bryan Reed is an organic gardening specialist that will teach you everything you need to know about growing plants in a non-soil environment. Event takes place at noon at the Western Colorado Botanical Gardens. Cost is $5. May 24
Friday Hike to Dominguez Canyon Meet at the Dominguez Canyon trailhead at 9 a.m. and hike one of the top destinations for rock art in the Whitewater area. There is usually lots of wildlife so bring your camera. Distance is 8.4 miles, elevation is 4,990 to 6,780 feet, and the difficulty is moderate to strenuous. Cost is $5 and lunch is included.
August 26-31
Western Colorado Senior Games The 12th annual Western Colorado Senior Games is for anyone 50 years and better. Compete in track and field, swimming, pool, golf, 5K running or walking, bowling, cards, dance, horseshoes, bocce ball, pickleball and more! Registration forms are available at www.gjcity.org or at the Parks and Recreation Department office, the Senior Recreation Center, and in the July BEACON. For details, call 254-3866. Register by August 12.
Senior sports Pickleball Pickleball is a sport for all ages. Come by the Lincoln Park tennis courts at around 10 a.m. most days and check it out. Equipment is available to borrow at the Parks & Rec office.
Senior Softball Open to men and women age 50 and older, this is an excellent avenue for exercise and friendly competition. Call Carl at 255-6688 for details.
Senior fitness Total Core Conditioning Experience the benefit of utilizing props to use deep torso and spinal muscle work to improve control, strength, balance and conditioning of the core. Class takes place at Lincoln Park Barn from noon to 12:45 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays through May 30. Cost is $4 to drop in.
Gentle Yoga Designed for all abilities, this class will help increase flexibility, balance, strength and relaxation. Class takes place at Lincoln Park Barn from 7:45 a.m.-8:45 a.m. Mondays and Thursdays through May 30. Cost is $4 to drop in.
Senior Recreation Center May 23
Mother’s/Father’s Day Party Dancing begins at 10 a.m. with a meal at 11:45 a.m. Cost is $3. ■
May 2013
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Fruita 23
Fruita Calendar May 4
Fruita History Fair The Fruita Historic Preservation Board will host a Fruita History Fair from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at Cavalcade, 201 E. Aspen Ave. There will be displays of historic artifacts and photographs covering the importance of agriculture, ranching, business, families, schools, houses, the Colorado National Monument, Fruita and the Grand Valley. There will be digital slide shows and period music, and board members will identify, scan or photograph historic artifacts and photographs brought by the public. For more information, call 858-6375.
Fruita Senior Center activities All activities below are offered by Fruita Parks and Recreation. To register for any of the following activities, call or visit the Fruita Community Center (FCC), 324 N. Coulson, at 858-0360 or visit www.fruita.org. Events take place at the FCC unless otherwise noted. May 10 & 24
Social Night
Enjoy an evening with friends, movie and popcorn starting at 5:30 p.m. There will be a potluck meal served, so please call the FCC to sign up to bring a dish. May 16
Bunco
Colorado River and explore the wonders of the beautiful wilderness that surrounds the river at sunset. An experienced guide will be leading us. A cookout will follow. Meet at the senior center in the FCC at 4 p.m. Cost of $50 includes transportation, trip and cookout.
Adventure Hikes The Grand Valley has no shortage of beautiful hiking trails. We will be hiking trails with a difficulty of easy to moderate every Friday morning beginning in May. Meet at 8 a.m. at the FCC Senior Center to carpool to trailhead. (Times may change as the weather gets warmer.) Cost is $3 per hike or $12 for the month.
Food for Thought This group will discuss nutritional facts and will share recipes, menus and more that can make mealtime more enjoyable. This group meets from 2 p.m.-4 p.m. on the first and third Mondays of the month at the FCC Senior Center.
Coupon Savvy Group Meet with other coupon-crazy shoppers to learn new ways to share clips and tips. This group meets at 10:30 a.m. on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month at the FCC Senior Center. â–
At 1 p.m., join in the fun and games. Bring a wrapped white elephant gift. Games take place in the FCC lunchroom.
Home
Loans
May 25
Moonlight & Roses Dance Dance the night away at 6 p.m. with local band Hughie, Dewey & Louie. Cost is $10. Call the FCC to register. May 27
Mystery Night Dress the part and help solve the mystery at 5:30 p.m. A meal will be provided. Preregister by May 20. Call the FCC. Cost is $10.
Shelly Smith CO MLO License # 100011819 NMLS # 273372 Town & Country # 299128
In downtown Fruita
858-4752
May 29
Sunset float Take a scenic float down the
122 E. A spEn , F ruitA , C olorAdo 81521
Happy Nurses Week May 5-11, 2013
24 Local lore
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Ghost towns
May 2013
of Western Colorado
Part 1 By Sandi Cameron
A
rgentine. Baldwin. Cardinal. Granite. London Junction. Manhattan. Monarch. Colorful names fit a colorful history. These towns and more existed in Colorado during our early days. Although Colorado has over 1,500 ghost towns, less than half of those have obvious visible signs of any former community. Many were once thriving towns, which were abandoned, when nearby mines closed down. Boomtowns have the potential to decrease in size as fast as they initially grew. Silver was devaluated in 1893, so the expensive process of extracting it from the ore was not worth it to many mine owners. Some towns were deserted for other reasons, however. Rail towns were left uninhabited after spurs were abandoned or the route was diverted to other depots. Coal towns were left empty when the coal vein (or need for it) ran out. Agricultural communi-
ties died out when water sources or the quality of soil were drastically reduced. Stage towns were abandoned because of the introduction of the rail. Popularity as a tourist attraction, flooding waters of newly created reservoirs, and other reasons may have also necessitated the changes in communities. Western Colorado is home to many of these deserted towns. For our readers who have lived in this region for many years, you might have explored one or more of the following towns and discovered an old medicine bottle, nail or some other small artifact. Or, if you visit any of these picturesque sites this summer or in the future, an hour or two of walking or just relaxing and pondering the unique history of the town will undoubtedly provide reflection of voices and activities from a vibrant time not so far removed. Ashcroft was once home to two newspapers, 20 saloons, a school and many private homes, but faded
prior to the turn of the 20th century. Ten miles from Aspen, a dozen or so buildings are preserved by the Aspen Historical Society, including the jail, livery stable and two saloons. Cameo is four miles from Palisade and named for the cameo-like profile in the red sandstone cliff. Cameo was a town created for the Cameo Coal Mine. John McNeil, the founder, was president of the GJ Fuel and Mining Co. The Denver and Rio Grande provided easy transportation to and from the town. During the 1930s, the population was around 200. It had a barbershop, post office, mercantile store, and a billiard parlor. After World War II, the operation shut down and most of the miners left. A coal-generated power plant opened in 1957 and operated for many years close to the original town site. The plant has been recently scrapped and the last remnants are being removed. The plan is to restore the 1,200-acre site to native grasses. Camp Bird, just outside of Ouray,
was named for the camp birds who nibbled on the lunch of Andy Richardson, who discovered the mine. (Virginius was a predecessor to Camp Bird. As many as 400 people lived here in the 1880s and 1890s.) Owned by Thomas Walsh, Camp Bird was the second largest gold mine in Colorado. Walsh sold the property for $5.2 million in 1902. After purchasing the “notorious� Hope Diamond, he died in 1909. The mine, still in production, has produced between $30 and $50 million worth of ore. Camp Hale, located between Leadville and Red Cliff, was an active military installation and home to the 10th Mountain Division during World War II. Troops trained here fought in the Apennine Mountains of Italy and were prepared for mountain warfare and winter conditions. Pando was the temporary town nearby in which construction workers lived. The camp was constructed in 1942 and contained over 1,000 structures, housing 2,500 men. It was deacti-
vated in 1966 and returned to the Forest Service. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began a cleanup effort in 2003 to remove some of the unexploded ordnance at the site. There are some camping sites and plaques with historical informationlocated throughout the area. Carpenter is situated 12 miles northeast of Grand Junction. Established by William Thomas Carpenter in the 1890s, it provided homes to workers in his two Book Cliff Mines. No more than 50 residents ever lived there, however. Carpenter had a company store and a boarding house/restaurant, along with a number of buildings with stone from the company’s quarry. The Little Book Cliff Railway arrived in 1892 during the town’s heyday, with Carpenter renaming it Poland Springs and planning a tourist resort with a dance pavilion. However, he lost his money during the Panic of 1893. Wealthy Massachusetts investor Isaac Chauncey Wyman purchased the property, renaming it Book Cliff and did much to improve the mine and the community. After his death in 1910, the town gradually declined. Wyman left his mines (and the railroad and town of Book Cliff) to Princeton University. After 15 years of management by the school, the possessions were sold. Lake County’s Climax, the highest human settlement in the U.S. at 11,360 feet, is known for its massive molybdenum ore deposit. For many years, Climax supplied three-quarters of the world’s molybdenum. Most of its residential buildings were removed to Leadville, but the mine reopened less than a year
www.BeaconSeniorNews.com ago (May 12, 2012). A tourist line of the Leadville, Colorado & Southern Railroad takes sightseers, historians and train buffs on a scenic journey through untouched wilderness, with spectacular views of Colorado’s two highest peaks, Mt. Elbert and Mt. Massive. Dallas, a stagecoach stop on a toll road, was developed just three miles north of Ridgway, at the confluence of Dallas Creek and the Uncompahgre River. The Denver and Rio Grande linked Dallas to Montrose and Ouray in 1887. Nearby Ridgway soon became the center and Dallas gradually lost its residents. It has had a resurgence as of late with the creation of the Dallas Meadows community. Elko, near Gothic and the surrounding Elk Mountains, had mines such as the Duke of Wellington, New York, Hard Cash, Lucky Star, and Pride of Cinnamon. Silver deposits were found at the base of Galena Mountain in Gunnison County in 1879, although the community was never considered substantial. Eureka is situated between Silverton and Animas Forks in San Juan County. By 1896, Eureka was connected to the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad, via the Silverton Northern Railroad. The town grew steadily through the late 1930s and was then abandoned after the Sunnyside Mill closed. The on-site Eureka jail has been restored. Read the rest of this story next month in June’s BEACON. ■
Carpenter/Bookcliff Coal Mine tokens. Top right: Book Cliff Railroad station house, near First and Main Streets in Grand Junction. Photo courtesy of the Museum of Western Colorado.
Local lore 25
Eureka was abandoned after the Sunnyside Mill closed in the 1940s. Photo circa 1900. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress.
Camp Hale was an active military installation during World War II. Photo courtesy of the Museum of Western Colorado.
Carpenter/Bookcliff Mines. Photo courtesy of the Museum of Western Colorado.
26
www.BeaconSeniorNews.com
May 2013
BeaconFest Seniors’ choice awards By Kevin K. VanGundy
T
hank you for attending our 2013 Grand Junction BeaconFest Boomer and Senior Fair. I hope you had a fun day and enjoyed our lineup of exciting entertainers, free food from local restaurants, informative seminars and of course, the booths of nearly 100 exhibitors. Speaking of exhibitors, BeaconFest would not have been possible were it not for them.
Best overall booth: DoubleTree by Hilton
NEW! Seniors’ Choice Awards This year, we asked those attending BeaconFest to choose the best exhibitors in three categories: Best Overall Booth, Booth With the Friendliest People, and Booth with the Best Swag (aka free stuff). The winners are:
Best overall booth: DoubleTree by Hilton â– Runner-up: Rimu Respiratory Friendliest people: Tile Meister â– Runner-up: A Taste of Heaven Catering
! # % ! !
Friendliest people: Tile Meister
Best giveaways: Olive Garden â– Runner-up: CafĂŠ Rio The closest contest was in the “friendliest peopleâ€? category. It seems that the folks attending BeaconFest thought that all of our vendors were real friendly. Congratulations! â–
Best giveaways: Olive Garden
' ! ' % " ! %' ! ' ! ! ! ' & ( " ! # ' $ ! ! # !
Contact Admissions at 970-245-1211
After Hours 970-361-1630
LaVillaGrandeCareCenter.com Located 2 Blocks East of St. Mary’s Hospital off Wellington Ave. • 2501 Little Bookcliff Drive, Grand Junction, CO 81501
â– A Taste of Heaven Catering
â– Rimu Respiratory
â– CafĂŠ Rio
May 2013
Compassionate Friends By Terri Benson
H
resource directory highlight 27
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ave you or do you know someone who has lost a child? If so, you might want to contact the local chapter of Compassionate Friends. This group, formed in 1969, is comprised of other bereaved family members—parents, grandparents and siblings. It’s probably the only group that hates to see new members. “Compassionate Friends literally saved me when my daughter died 27 years ago,” Betty Hancock, a member of the local chapter, said. “The loss of a child is the most difficult thing anyone can ever go through. The meetings are a confidential and safe place where the healing can begin. Grief can continue for a very long time and healing only comes when you start to help others, even though you might not even realize it.” The Grand Junction chapter is one of several chapters in Colorado and 650 worldwide in 30 countries. All chapter volunteers are bereaved family members, as are the national board members. The group’s mission states: When a child dies, at any age, the family suffers intense pain and may feel hopeless and isolated. The Compassionate Friends provides highly personal comfort, hope and support to every family experiencing the death of a son or a daughter, a brother or a sister, or a grandchild, and helps others better assist the grieving family. “Compassionate Friends offers a wonderful meeting place to help people survive,” Hancock said. “Everyone is on a different level of grief. Some, like me, lost children years ago. Others are new to their
grief. Men and women grieve differently, and those of us who’ve been there, understand that.” The meetings usually include a short program, then a time for sharing—talking about what’s troubling members, celebrating milestones, debunking perceived failures, and understanding, truly, how the attendees feel. “The divorce rate for bereaved families is astronomically high,” Hancock said. “It’s so important to help families work through their grief so they don’t suffer the loss of their marriage as well.” Besides the meetings, the Grand Junction chapter participates in an annual Worldwide Candle Lighting in December, a balloon release and potluck dinner in August, and Mother’s Day and Father’s Day celebrations. The local chapter also produces a newsletter, mailing out 350 per month. The brochures from the national group include those geared toward parents, family members, friends (including dos and don’ts for helping your bereaved friends), and for professionals. Their materials are also available in Spanish. “When you lose your parent, you lose your past,” Hancock said. “When you lose your spouse you lose your present. When you lose a child, you lose your future, and that’s how it really is.” The Grand Junction chapter meets at 7:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of every month at the Unity Church, located at 3205 N. 12th St. in Grand Junction (entrance is from the back of the church). For more information, contact Hancock at 434-3822. ■
“The loss of a child is the most difficult thing anyone can ever go through.”
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May 2013
Raft the San Juan with author Pam Houston O ne of the West’s best-loved women writers, Pam Houston, is returning to Grand Junction to join the Western Colorado Writers’ Forum on a raft trip down the San Juan River from May 31-June 3. Houston is best known for two award-winning collections of linked short stories, “Cowboys Are My Weakness” and “Waltzing the Cat,” and a novel, “Contents May Have Shifted.” She is the director of creative writing at the University of California at Davis and teaches at many writers’ conferences and festivals in the U.S. and abroad. She will join participants on this four-day, three-night adventure through her favorite stretch of the river—Mexican Hat to Clay Hills. This area, known as the Little Grand Canyon, is a place of surreal beauty with warm water, petroglyphs, old villages and cave dwellings in a labyrinth of canyons, including the Moki Stairs, the Tabernacle and Second Narrows, Cedar Mesa, Cowboy Hat, Eagle Rock, and the Goosenecks of the San Juan, which zigzag over seven miles. Swim in waterfalls and warm plunge pools, and beach camp under the desert stars.
Last year, she joined the Writers’ Forum on a rafting trip on the Colorado River. “We really connected with Pam last year,” Western Colorado Writers’ Forum Director Sandra Dorr said. “She rarely gets out to rivers, her first love, and is booked internationally, usually a year ahead, so I was amazed when she emailed me back when we asked her to come read and do the trip.” Houston will lead the group in writing sessions each mid-day, with critiques and readings, and discussions in the evenings. “During our hours on the Colorado, we laughed a lot, kayaked, floated and talked, but mainly listened to her, really, as she’s one of the most articulate writers I’ve met,” Dorr said. “She took a keen interest in each person’s questions and work and style of writing.” The trip is subsidized by the Writers’ Forum at an all-inclusive cost of $775. For more information, visit www. westerncoloradowriters.org, email sandydorr@bresnan.net or call 256-4662. ■
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Pam Houston, middle, poses with a participant on last year’s trip on the Colorado River.
May 2013
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ask the computer guy 29
What is the best device for email and browsing the Internet? Ask the computer guy
you want and achieve the results you are looking for.
By Daniel Ashurst, Owner, Alpine Computer Solutions
W
ith the invention of the tablet computers, there has been a lot of publicity about the Apple iPad and for good reason. Below are some questions and answers that I feel address the benefits and challenges of buying an iPad.
Q. What do I have to know to be able to use an Apple iPad? The ease of use for the iPad is quite attractive. If you can point your finger and swipe it across the screen from time to time, you can learn to use the iPad like a champ! If you have used a desktop computer or laptop computer to access a Gmail account or an MSN account, you will be able to use the iPad. Q. Won’t I have a hard time typing on that touch screen? It is true that typing on an iPad’s touch screen is a bit different, but I find myself being quite efficient with just two fingers. But for those that really like the keyboard feel, I have also purchased a combination case and Blue-tooth keyboard. What this does is protect the iPad when you are toting it around, but when opened it provides a sizeable keyboard that has a great feel. Retail cost is somewhere in the $129 range. Q. What can be done if I can’t seem to get used to the touch screen? Are there any devices to help with that? Yes. There are touch screen stylus pens, which allow you to point with a pen-like device to the area of the screen
Q. What are the advantages of an iPad over a laptop? First and foremost, the iPad is small, light and able to fit in most ladies’ purses and men’s briefcases quite easily. Secondly, the battery is quite robust and will work for hours at a time. With built-in speakers and plugs for headphones, you can load it with music or your favorite audio book. Q. What is the cost of an iPad and what accessories would be an important part of the initial purchase? At the $399 mark, the iPad 2 with Wi-Fi is a great starter kit. I would add the protective screen cover and the combination Bluetooth keyboard/protective case. This is the fastest email product I have ever used and I use it for most all of my Facebook posts and Internet browsing.
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As always, I welcome any feedback or questions. I usually have my iPad with me at our office, located at 1000 N. Ninth St. #7 in Grand Junction. If it would serve you to come see and play with the applications I have on my iPad, come on in and take ‘er for a spin. ■ Email your questions to Daniel Ashurst with Alpine Computer Solutions at solutions@alpinepc.com or mail them to the BEACON at P.O. Box 3895, Grand Junction, CO 81502. For professional assistance, call Daniel at 234-1011 or Alpine Computer Solutions at 257-1011.
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30 Finance
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May 2013
For Mother’s Day, discuss Mom’s financial future mom can begin drawing reduced benefits beginning at 62, however, doing n Mother’s Day, children of all so will cut her benefit amount by up ages thank their moms for the to 30 percent. However, by postponmany sacrifices made during their ing benefits until after full retirement childhoods and well beyond, considage, her benefit will increase up to 8 ering how many adult children still percent per year, up to age 70. hit up their moms for a loan or free Also keep in mind: babysitting. Widows can tap Suggest that your best Unfortunately, for Social Security benefits many mothers, sacMother’s Day gift this year as early as age 60 (50, rificing extends well might be to initiate if disabled). And spoubeyond sleepless nights a discussion about her sal benefits are availand boring recitals. able if she’s divorced, Women frequently finances. provided the marriage leave the workforce lasted at least 10 years, during prime earning years to care she remains unmarried and is at for families. Consequently, they often least 62. fall behind on pay increases and proAlthough many states don’t tax motions, so their retirement accounts Social Security benefits, the federal and Social Security benefits are usugovernment counts them as taxable ally much smaller than men’s. Plus, income. So depending on your mom’s women live an average five years longer than men so their already smaller overall retirement income, she could owe federal tax on a portion of her income must stretch even further. benefit. IRS Publication 915 has full I’m not trying to bring everyone down, but rather to suggest that your details. If your mom begins drawing benbest Mother’s Day gift this year might efits while still working, they could be to initiate a frank discussion about be significantly reduced depending your mom’s personal finances and on her income. Read “How Work how she can better prepare for the Affects Your Benefits” at www.ssa. future. Here are a few topics you gov for details. (Note: The reductions might discuss: aren’t truly lost since benefits will Put retirement savings first. You be recalculated upward at full retirecan always borrow money to pay for ment age.) college or a house, but you can’t get Social Security has a great website a loan to pay for retirement. If she’s for women with information on restill working, make sure your mom is enrolled in a 401(k) plan or an IRA tirement, disability and other issues, in English and Spanish, at www.ssa. and saving as much as possible. Even if your mother didn’t pay into gov/women. You can help your mom estimate Social Security through work, she’ll her retirement needs by using the be eligible to collect benefits as long as her spouse did. And, if she qualifies Retirement Estimator, which enters her earnings information to estimate under her own work record as well projected Social Security benefits as your dad’s, she’ll generally receive the higher benefit amount of the two. under different scenarios, including The longer your mom waits to draw retirement age and future earnings projections. Visit www.ssa.gov/ Social Security, the larger her monthestimator. ly benefit will grow. Social Security Discussing finances isn’t as much “full retirement age” is 65 for those born before 1938 and increases gradu- fun as a picnic in the park, but your mom will appreciate your looking ally to 67 if born after 1959. If she out for her financial future. ■ meets eligibility requirements, your By Jason Alderman
O
May 2013
Travel & gaming 31
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A slippery slope for the weary wallet By Mark Pilarski
Dear Mark: Where
I play blackjack, there are only six-deck shoes. They just removed the last single-deck 3/2 games and replaced them with 6/5 games. Do you get more blackjacks on a single-deck game to make up for the reduced blackjack payoff? John P. You’re on to something, John, in that blackjacks do occur more frequently on a single-deck than on multi-deck games. On a single-deck game, if your first card is an ace, 16 of the remaining 51 cards, or 31.37 percent, are a face or 10-value card that would complete your blackjack. On a six-deck game, 96 of the remaining 311 cards, or 30.87 percent, would give you your snapper. Now immediately delete the above information from your brain’s hard drive. Erased yet? Good! True, John, in the past, I have recommended that players play on single-deck blackjack games simply because, with perfect basic strategy, the house edge shrinks to a paltry 0.15 percent. However, that is based on single-deck games where blackjacks are paid three to two. The swizz going on now is that casinos like yours are advancing singledeck blackjack, but offering merely six to five for a blackjack. With this new single-deck version, a player’s blackjack is paid just six to five rather than the usual three to two. To illustrate, if you bet $10 and get a blackjack, you get only $12 instead of the $15 you once received. The house keeps your hard-earned extra $3. Above, I stated that the house edge against the perfect basic
strategy player was a meager 0.15 percent. Well, now that casino advantage has soared to 1.45 percent. Given a choice between a six-deck game and six to five single-deck blackjack, avoid the latter. A six-deck shoe game is three times more advantageous for you than is six to five single-deck blackjack.
Dear Mark: Who sets black-
jack table limits? Are dealers allowed to raise or lower limits? Danny B.
Table limits are set to establish both the minimum and maximum amount of money you can wager on any one bet. You cannot wager more than the maximum posted on the table game nor less than the table minimum. Table limits can vary from casino to casino, pit to pit, and even table to table. As to who sets table limits, generally it is either a games shift manager, or a pit boss working that particular pit, based of course, on customer traffic. Casinos try their best to keep the inmates from running the asylum, so you won’t see dealers arbitrarily bumping up table limits.
Dear Mark: In Pai Gow poker, is the joker wild in every situation? Jason C. In Pai Gow poker, the joker acts as a special card, but not in every scenario. The Joker can only benefit your hand as an ace, or as a wild card to complete a straight, a flush, a straight flush, or a royal flush. ■
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32 Crossword puzzle AT A DISTANCE Richard W. Lewis, Funeral Director
Although death is a certainty in all our lives, where death claims us is not. Many people who are retired enjoy their years of hard work by rewarding themselves by travelling the country, as well as the world. Families simply do not know what to do when their family member dies in another county, state, or country. As your local Dignity Memorial® provider, through a relationship we have with Medical Air Services Association, we are able to offer the Transportation & Relocation Plan. For those who travel on a regular basis, this is an extremely valuable service, giving everyone involved additional peace of mind in knowing they will be taken care of and returned home regardless of where death claims them. Medical Air Services Association will take care of all the necessary paperwork, including all transit permits, airline, container, ground transportation and shipping, body preparation, and paperwork necessary to return your loved one home (when travelling beyond 75 miles of your home). We also understand that for the family members that do not live nearby, the death of a loved one can present the predicament of getting home to be with the family… For that reason, we offer a Bereavement Travel Program, an exclusive Dignity Memorial® provider benefit. This is a wonderful program designed to assist out-of-town family members and friends to attend a funeral, cremation, and memorial or graveside service. We provide the best available travel options throughout the U.S. and Canada and to many international destinations. On a moment’s notice, dedicated travel specialists will seek the best available airfares as well as hotel accommodations and car rentals for all family and friends - allowing them to be with their loved ones. We are committed to providing our families with a wide variety of services that meet any possible need your family might encounter when a loved one dies. Martin Mortuary, your local Dignity Memorial® provider, has been serving families in the Grand Valley and surrounding areas since 1917. Please feel free to visit our mortuary at 550 North Avenue, and if a question arises, do not hesitate to contact us at 970-243-1538 to set up an appointment, or visit our website: MartinMortuary.com.
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May 2013
Crossword Puzzle
Across 1 “Think nothing ___!” 5 Film cowboy Jack 9 Michener novel 14 Whale like Willy 15 Mucky earth 16 Santa ___, El Salvador 17 The Scarecrow, perhaps? 19 Rainbow-shaped 20 Operation centers? 22 Walk like Richard Pryor in “Stir Crazy” 23 Kuril Islands inhabitant 24 Cool, now 27 Cool, then 28 C & W -network 29 Matchstick counting game 32 Words with bend or lend 34 Place for a flash? 35 Classical colonnade 36 Doctors swear to it 40 Amo, amas, ___ 41 Splash in the 34 Across? 42 Eclipse type 43 Actress Park-Lincoln of “Knots Landing” 44 It’s in the genes 45 Telecom giant 47 Mao ___-tung 48 For whom the bell tolls 50 Actress Keaton 52 General practitioner’s field 57 “___ Tear Fall in the River” (Ella Fitzgerald ditty) 58 Kind of surgery 60 Took to the station house 61 Soccer star’s shoe? 62 Barge ___ (interrupt) 63 Words before music or work 64 Amtrak stops (Abbr.) 65 Hops hot spot Down 1 Ball or buff ending 2 Cleaving tool 3 Peace keeper, e.g. 4 Shipping counterweights 5 Displaced person 6 TV programming schedule 7 “___ you the lucky one!” 8 Ford product, for short 9 “… we have seen his ___ the east” 10 Juan or Eva 11 Person concerned with figures 12 Skelton’s bumpkin 13 Ironclad steamship builder James
18 Prefix meaning “joint” 21 One-named New Age musician 24 1986 Indy 500 winner Bobby 25 One’s true inner self, according to Jung 26 Store section 28 “I tought I taw a putty ___” 30 Tiny bits 31 Olympic skiing medalist Phil 33 Suitable for the occasion 34 Secret keeper, to the teller 35 Small French coin 37 ___ Island 38 Narrow inlet of a river 39 Grip tightly 44 Part of F.D.R. 45 Judges judge 46 Spikes the punchbowl 49 Bandleader’s cry 50 Greyhound site 51 MacDonald’s refrain 52 Christmas holiday purchases 53 Winglike structures 54 Greets with too much enthusiasm 55 Sha ___ (“Blue Moon” singers) 56 Mythical archer 59 Ted’s bang-up cable network
May 2013
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faith moves 33
Big church vs. little church By Denton Harris
“M
egachurch” is a new word not yet found in most dictionaries. However, that name has now spread throughout the media, describing how huge houses of worship are mushrooming, with some congregations exceeding 30,000 members. A megachurch is described as one with over 2,000 members and growing. A study, “Megachurches Today,” by the Hartford Institute of Religious Research shows over l,200 in this expanding category. Half of them are in the South. A third of these are nondenominational. My first thought, filled with considerable alarm, is “What does this movement do to the little churches I came to know as a boy?” Thank God, most of these “little” churches are still alive and some are even growing. Let’s compare this so-called megachurch with the little churches many of you, as well as I, knew as youngsters. I am quoting from an article in “The Christian Science Monitor.” “The megachurch’s Wednesday Bible study group meets in a hotel ballroom-style sanctuary with Bibles in hand (that’s good). The teenagers have their class in another building.” I attended small churches with names like Old Rosehill, Pauline Missionary, and New Hope. Where I and other teenagers went was decided by how many cute girls were there. Wednesday night was Prayer Meeting night with supper brought by local ladies. Each of these churches had only one room and that was used for Sunday worship, Sunday School and all other events. Couples got married there. Funerals and community gatherings were held in the same room. Members, most with tough hands and sun-drenched faces, laughed, shed tears and felt a togetherness seldom known in today’s society. This article described megachurches as having “upholstered mauve chairs and huge projection screens for movies and slide shows.” Wow! All of my little churches had wooden benches, darkened
and scarred with decades of use. Metal folding chairs were used when needed. A movie or slide show was beyond our dreams. This survey shows “some megachurch pastors pull in crowds by making people feel good and avoiding Christian demands.” My churches had members feeling good, too, because in many cases that was the first time each week they could sit, relax and meditate on the word of God. I don’t remember a single preacher making folks feel good except by guaranteeing a better life in the hereafter. That article states these “big churches grow by prayer and caring for their community.” My little churches knew every family in the community from the youngest to the oldest. When any of them had problems, the community stepped in and delivered food, prayers, tender love, and were ready to do manual labor for the family if needed and “get the ox out of the ditch,” as they said. While my little churches didn’t have movie screens or projectors or speakers (when some of our preachers got worked up with a sermon, they could be heard a quarter of a mile away), they had one thing these monster megachurches can never duplicate. At least once each year they had an all-day singing and dinner on the grounds. Some of America’s greatest singing originated in such churches. Also, those with a cemetery sponsored a day for cleaning that was followed with a potluck dinner afterward. If those megachurch members could ever partake of one of those dinners, their hearts and stomachs would be won forever. Let these megachurches continue growing, and I hope they do, and reach millions of unchurched people. But for me, nothing will ever replace those little churches of my childhood where I had dreams about the future and got to know God. Now I believe without any doubt that God is still bestowing special blessings on each one of them! ■
Reaching Out to Those Reaching Up
Bethel Assembly of God Church Join us in a friendly atmosphere, a loving congregation and anointed Praise and Worship. We are a family oriented church that focuses on reaching the whole person: ages 2 to 92 and beyond. Visit our website: www.gjbethel.org for information about our ministries and to listen to past services. 2945 Orchard Avenue • Grand Junction
970-243-8247
Pastors David and Carol Huslig - Serving over 30 years
SUNDAY 9:30 - Sunday School 10:45 - Worship Service 6:00 - Evening Worship WEDNESDAY 7:00 - Bible Study MPact Girls Royal Rangers
34 Mesa county
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Mesa County Calendar Compiled by Cloie Sandlin May 4
Cinco de Mayo celebration The 33rd annual Cinco de Mayo celebration takes place at 10 a.m.-10 p.m. on Main Street, between Fifth and Seventh Streets, in downtown Grand Junction. There will be fun activities and entertainment, along with food, vendors, dancing and more. There will be a jalapeño-eating contest at 3 p.m. and scholarship presentations. Admission is free. For more information, call Mike at 216-7332. May 4
Fruita History Fair The Fruita Historic Preservation Board will host a Fruita History Fair from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at Cavalcade, 201 E. Aspen Ave. There will be displays of historic artifacts and photographs, covering the importance of agriculture, ranching, business, families, schools, houses, the Colorado
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National Monument, Fruita and the Grand Valley. There will be digital slide shows and period music, and board members will identify, scan or photograph historic artifacts and photographs brought by the public. For more information, call 858-6375. May 4
Spring Day on the Farm Bring the family from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. and enjoy the beauty of Cross Orchards Historic Site, 3073 F Road, with blooming flowers, farm animals and historic demonstrations. Cost is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, $3.50 for kids age 3 to 12 or $15 for an immediate family. May 4
Peter and the Wolf The Colorado Mesa University Symphony Orchestra will present a benefit concert for the Western Slope Center for Children at 7:30 p.m. in the Moss Performing Arts Center Robinson Theatre. The program will feature the delightful Prokofiev masterpiece, “Peter and the Wolf,” choreographed by Melonie Buchanan Murray and narrated by
Congrat ulations to Jonathan Andrade for being a true Beatles Fan!
Jeremy Franklin. “Peter and the Wolf” features various instruments of the orchestra, representing the different characters in the story. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for seniors. Tickets can be purchased by calling the box office at 248-1604. May 5
Rose Hill Rally This family-friendly bike ride through the scenic farm country around Grand Junction and Fruita starts at 7 a.m. at Canyon View Park. Proceeds benefit Rose Hill Hospitality House, a guesthouse accommodation for St. Mary’s Hospital for out-of-town patients. Registration fee is $35 for adults, which includes breakfast, a hot lunch, rest stops with snacks and drinks, door prizes, massage and more. Riders can choose from a 50K or 100K route. For more information, call 242-5940. May 9
Changing Landscapes of Science This lecture will take place at 7 p.m. at the Whitman Educational Center, 248 S. Fourth St. The topic is “Space Weather: Our Dynamic Sun and Our Vulnerability to it.” Cost is $5 for members of the Museum of Western Colorado or the John McConnell Math and Science Center, and $10 for nonmembers. May 10
Pro-Life Spring Banquet Mesa County Right to Life is sponsor-
May 2013 ing its sixth annual Spring Banquet at 6 p.m. at A Taste of Heaven, 2817 North Ave. In addition to a delicious dinner, the banquet will feature guest speaker Heather Surovik, whose unborn baby was killed by a drunk driver after one of her last prenatal visits. Tickets are $20 for adults and must be purchased prior to the event. Call 812-9911 for tickets. May 10
CMU Wind Symphony Showcase The Colorado Mesa University Wind Symphony will present a concert featuring its music faculty at 7:30 p.m. in the Moss Performing Arts Center’s Robinson Theatre. Stephen Page will perform Claude T. Smith’s “Fantasia for Alto Saxophone.” Sean Flanigan and Jonathan Hinkle will perform “Fandango,” a duet for trombone and trumpet by Joseph Turrin. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for seniors. Tickets are available by calling the box office at 248-1604. May 11
Dancing Under the Stars St. Mary’s Senior Companion and Foster Grandparent Programs are hosting their first “Dancing Under the Stars” fundraiser from 6 p.m.-10:30 p.m. on the fifth floor of St. Mary’s Hospital. Dance professionals from La Puerta Dance Studio will dazzle attendees with various dance showcases from the fox trot to the tango and will then open up the floor for open dancing, cocktails (cash bar), hors
Jonathan said his favorite Beatle was Paul and he got the most correct answers—9 out of 12—in our Beatles Trivia contest in the March issue of the BEACON. Congrats, Jonathan! You have won a $25 gift card to Texas Roadhouse! Thanks to all who sent in their answers! The majority of entrants said their favorite Beatle was a tie between Paul and George. See the correct answers on our website at www.Beacon SeniorNews.com
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May 2013
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d’oeuvres and a silent auction. Tickets are $25 and must be purchased in advance. Tickets can be purchased by calling Susan at 263-9091. May 11
Community Contra Dance Come to La Puerta Ballroom, 5231/2 Main St. in Grand Junction, for a public dance with live music from 7:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m. A new dancers’ workshop will be held at 7 p.m. Adults are $8. Dances are taught and cued by caller. Come with or without a partner. For more information, call Connie at 243-6736. May 16
Power Against Fraud clinic Colorado Legal Services and other organizations are offering a free clinic from 9 a.m.-11 a.m. on how to identify financial scams aimed at seniors, other citizens and how to avoid becoming a victim of fraud. Clinic takes place at the Grand Junction City Hall auditorium, 250 N. Fifth St. Call 424-5748 to register. May 17
Downtown Walking Tour Enjoy a walking tour of downtown Grand Junction. Meet at 5:30 p.m. at the Museum of the West, 462 Ute Ave. Cost is $5. May 18
Golf tournament to benefit veterans Enjoy a round of golf with your friends in a four-person team golf tournament at the Adobe Creek
20% off
National Golf Course, 876 18-1/2 Road in Fruita. Compete for cash prizes and support the Grand Junction CHAMPS, the Golden Age Games Veterans Team. A shotgun starts at 8 a.m. with check in at 7:30 a.m. Cost is $400 per team, which includes cart, lunch and a chance to win cash prizes. Register with Adobe Creek or call Emma at 462-5028. Proceeds are used for transportation and housing of the team members to the national Golden Age Games in Buffalo, New York. May 19
Kokopelli Bells Spring Concert The Kokopelli Bells, a local handbell choir made up of 14 members from various area churches, will present their spring concert at 4 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 3940 27-1/2 Road. They will be accompanied by other church choirs in the Grand Valley. The concert is free. For more information, call Claudine at 270-5898. May 24
Supercrocs: Terrors of the Cretaceous Swamp exhibit This exhibit will open at 9 a.m. at Dinosaur Journey, 550 Jurassic Court in Fruita. This blockbuster exhibit will only be here through Labor Day and is one you and the grandkids don’t want to miss. Cost is $8.50 for adults, $6.50 for seniors, $5.25 for children age 3 to 12 or $24.50 for an immediate family. ■
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Mesa county 35
May 2013 Activity Schedule
“Young-at-heart adults getting together for fun and friendship!” Friday Afternoon Club meets at 5 p.m. Fridays in the lounge at The Doubletree Hotel, 743 Horizon Drive. The first FAC meeting of the month is our business meeting. Call Jim Spiegel at 424-2545 for details. Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. - Join us for Early Start Breakfast at Denny’s on Horizon Drive. Call Debbie Grose at 245-4995 for details. Visitors are welcome. Wednesdays at 5 p.m. - Dine out at the following locations every week. Visitors are welcome. Call Debbie Grose at 245-4995 for details. May 1 - Dos Hombres, 421 Brach Drive May 8 - Chili’s, 584 24 1/2 Rd May 15 - Outback Steakhouse, 2432 Hwy 6 & 50 May 22 - Applebee’s, 711 Horizon Drive May 29 - Johnny Carino’s, 2480 Hwy 6 & 50 Sundays at 12:30 p.m. - It’s Bowling Sunday followed by card games at Orchard Mesa Lanes, 295 27 Road. RSVP to Bob Lewis at 263-8462. Saturdays at 10 a.m. - Meet at Albertson’s on the Redlands for a leisurely ride along the Colorado River Trail. Call Bob Lewis at 263-8462. Thursday, May 2 - Jerry Whittaker and Bev Spevere are hosting an overnight trip to the Green River to see if they can catch the water geyser. If you have an RV/camper/tent, you’re welcome to come along for the fun. Bring your 4-wheeler, too. BYOB, food, insect repellant, sunscreen and firewood. Bring your guitar, cards and enjoy the fellowship with friends by the campfire. RSVP to Bev at 210-2722 or Jerry at 216-3048, or sign up at FAC. Saturday, May 4 - Join friends at noon for lunch, followed by a few friendly games of pool at Bank 8 Billiards, 2460 F Road (across from Barnes & Noble). All skill levels are welcome. This is also Kentucky Derby Day. The race is at 4 p.m. so stick around after pool or come early to get a seat. Wear your most outrageous derby hat. Call Mary Wynn at 255-7370. Friday, May 10 - A horseback ride has been scheduled in Moab at Backcountry Trail Rides. Meet at the DoubleTree Hotel parking lot at 8:30 a.m. to carpool. Call John Delehanty at 241-3171 for cost and details, or sign up at FAC. Saturday, May 18 - Sue Moon is hosting a hike followed by a barbeque potluck at 4 p.m. BYOB. Meet at Albertson’s on the Redlands at 11:30 a.m. to carpool or caravan. Sign up at FAC or RSVP to Sue at 433-4763.
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Mesa County Beacon Bits Compiled by Cloie Sandlin
Weight loss surgery options If you are considering weight loss surgery, attend a free education session presented by the staff of St. Mary’s Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Center. Learn how the different types of surgery work, who qualifies, and how St. Mary’s will support you as you change your life. Family and friends are welcome. Classes take place in the Grand Mesa Room at St. Mary’s Life Center, 2686 Patterson Road. Call 298-6400 to register. • May 1, 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m. • May 15, noon to 1:30 p.m. • May 29, 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m.
Grand Mesa Chorus earns awards at regional competition Grand Mesa Chorus of Sweet Adelines won the second place medal in the small chorus division, the
fourth place chorus medal, the most improved chorus plaque and ribbon, and the showmanship plaque at the Rocky Mountain Region 8 Convention and Competition in Colorado Springs. Elixir and Cover Charge, two quartets from Grand Mesa Chorus, also competed in the quartets competition with Cover Charge bringing home the novice quartet award with their rendition of “Hey Daddy” and “Are You Lonesome Tonight.” For more information on the chorus, call 255-9419.
Community Hospital accredited from The Joint Commission Community Hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for accreditation by demonstrating compliance with the commission’s national standards for health care quality and safety in home care. Learn more by calling 256-6205 or visit www.jointcommis sion.org.
Support Groups • Mending Hearts Support Group is for any adult who has experienced the death of a loved one. This group meets from 2 p.m.3:30 p.m. every Thursday at the Miller Homestead, 3090 N. 12th St. This is a free service provided by
Hospice & Palliative Care of Western Colorado. Call Paul at 683-3202 for more information. • Caregiver Connections is a support group open to all caregivers. This group meets from 10 a.m.11:30 a.m. every Tuesday at the Miller Homestead, 3090 N. 12th St. This is a free service provided by Hospice & Palliative Care of Western Colorado. Call Terry at 260-8931 for more information. • MACHO Men, a cancer support group, meets at 5 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month at St. Mary’s Hospital’s Oncology Conference Room and the fourth Wednesday at St. Mary’s Java City Café. Call 2982351 or 858-1301 for details. • St. Mary’s Stroke Support Group meets from 1 p.m.-2:30 p.m. on the third Friday of each month in the Grand Mesa Room of St. Mary’s Life Center, 2686 Patterson Road. This free group provides information and support to those recovering from stroke and/or their family members and caregivers. Call 298-1929 for more information. • GriefShare is a nondenominational Christ-based support group for those mourning the death of a loved one. Choose from two different times: 1 p.m.-3 p.m. Mondays or 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Tuesdays. For details, call Vicci Hofmann at 778-1599.
Volunteer opportunities • RSVP connects individuals 55+ to volunteer positions in any of our
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May 2013 member agencies. For a list of volunteer opportunities and to register, call 243-9839. • Hospice & Palliative Care is seeking volunteers for a variety of positions. Call Diane at 257-2378. • Homeward Bound is in need of dinner volunteers to cook and serve meals to guests in the month of May. Call 256-9424. • Operation Interdependence needs volunteers to write notes for the troops, help collect products and pack civilian rations. Call 523-4217. • Gray Gourmet needs several adult volunteers to deliver a weekday lunch to homebound seniors in the Grand Valley. Volunteers are also needed to work at one of our senior dining sites one day per week. Call 243-9844. • Harden Hospice needs volunteers to help patients tell their life story. Training is provided. Call 2105912 for details. • St. Mary’s Senior Companion Program needs volunteers to provide companionship and assistance to a senior in need. Call Tamara at 263-9092.
Club activities • Vestafjell Lodge, Sons of Norway will meet at 2 p.m. on May 19 at All Saints Lutheran Church, 20101 Deer Creek Road in Cory, Colorado. Elmer and Brandy Ferganchick from Eckert will bring several of their prized Norwegian Fjord horses. They will also celebrate Mother’s Day on May 12 and Syttende Mai, Norway’s Constitution Day, on May 17. Bring a potluck dish for the Koldtbord meal. Guests are welcome. For location and details, call 245-5649 or 874-4604 or visit www.vestafjelllodge.org. • Western Slope Coin Club meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month at the VFW Post 1247, 1404 Ute Ave. Get a free coin/ currency evaluation before the meeting at 5:30 p.m. Call 241-1770 or visit ww.gjcoinshow.com. • Talk of the Town Toastmasters invite you to join their weekly Thursday meetings from noon to 1 p.m. at the Business Incubator. Call 244-1625. • Grand Valley Knights are a
May 2013
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group of auto enthumonth and from 1 p.m.-3 p.m. on the second and siasts that meet every fourth Wednesdays at the Saturday from 8 a.m.Redlands United Method10 a.m. at Spoons ist Church. Call 245-8817 Bistro and Bakery or 523-5965. with their sport and • Thunder Mountain classic vehicles. Call Camera Club will host 462-6762 or visit its monthly meeting at www.grand 7 p.m. May 28 at Larchvalleyknights.com. wood Inns, 2845 N. 15th • Two River Sams St. For more information, Chapter Good Sam call Kathleen at 260RV Club will meet at 7488. noon on May 18. For • Levis & Lace Square location, call 523Dance Club hosts square 5625. dances from 7 p.m.-9:30 • Mesa County p.m. every Friday at the Genealogical SociMasonic Lodge. Call ety meets at 7 p.m. Cover Charge Quartet, from Grand Mesa Chorus, competed in the quartets 216-8503 or 434-6541. on the second Thurs- competition at the Sweet Adelines International Rocky Mountain Region • Art Jewelers’ Guild day of each month at competition. They brought home the Novice Quartet Award with their rendition meets at 6:30 p.m. on the the Commons of Hill- of “Hey Daddy” and “Are You Lonesome Tonight.” Left to right: Amber Hasson, second Monday of each top and at noon on tenor; Vickie Rowley, bass; Colette Mayers, lead and Cindy von Gogh, baritone. month at the Grandview the fourth WednesPhoto from Sweet Adelines International Apartments, 1501 N. First day of the month St. Call 243-1220. (bring a lunch) at the meets from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. every • Stamp Collectors meet the secMuseum of Western Colorado. A help Thursday at the Masonic Lodge. Call ond Wednesday at White Star Electric session is at 1 p.m. on the first Friday 261-1670. at 7 p.m. Call 986-1502. of the month at one of the Mesa • Happy Feet Rounds meets at County libraries. Call 245-5312. the Masonic Lodge on Sundays for a • Mesa County Republican variety of dancing, including waltz, Women meet from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. rumba, cha-cha and more. Beginon May 6 at Two Rivers Convention ners are welcome from 5 p.m.Center. Diane Schwenke with the 6:30 p.m. and intermediate dancers Grand Junction Chamber of Comare welcome from 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. merce will be speaking. Lunch is $15 Call 243-5858. for members and $20 for nonmem• Grand Valley Woodcarvers bers. RSVP to 434-9378. Club meets from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. on • Two Rivers Cribbage Club the first and third Wednesdays of the
Senior Homecare by Angels
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• Western Slope Non-Smoking Singles has potlucks on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month at 6 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church. They have dinner on the third Wednesday of the month and have monthly outings. Call 434-5277. • Mesa Fiberarts Guild meets at noon the first Wednesday of the month at First Presbyterian Church, and at 6 p.m. the first Thursday of the month at the City Clerk’s Office break room. Visit www.mesafiberar tsguild.org or call 245-9469. • Blue Lodge Masons meet at 10 a.m. the first Saturday of the month at the Masonic Lodge. Call 245-5312. • Grand Mesa Back Country Horsemen meet at 7 p.m. on the first Monday of the month. For location and details, call 242-8860. • Grand Junction Christian Women’s Network meets at 12:15 p.m. for a luncheon at The Clarion Inn on May 16. The program will be “Room for Hope: Women at Risk” and the speaker will be Martha Fellure. RSVP by May 12 by calling 424-0464. ■
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May 2013
Delta/Montrose Calendar Compiled by Liesl Greathouse May 3
Forum on Recovery This free forum, building support and services in Delta County for individuals in recovery from substance abuse or mental illness, is from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Center for Spiritual Living, 658 Howard St. in Delta. For more information and to RSVP, call 234-5631. May 4
Mother’s Day Tea This year’s tea is a fundraiser for Hospice’s Child & Teen Grief Program. The tea will feature a full assortment of fancy tea sandwiches, scones, lemon curd, Devonshire cream and fabulous desserts. Bring your daughters, granddaughters, friends and your own special teacups to share the fun from 2 p.m.-4 p.m. at Cobble Creek Golf Club, 699 Cobble Drive in Montrose. Tickets are $15 per person and are available at Cobble Creek Pro Shop. For more information, call 964-4947. May 4
Spring Craft and Boutique Show With over 30 vendors, this free event is from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Express, 1391 S. Townsend Ave. in Montrose. For more information, call 210-6619.
Chapel Church, 2201 S. Townsend in Montrose. For more information, call 252-0552. May 6
Medicare computer training The program will help participants navigate the extensive Medicare website. This free program is from 10 a.m. to noon at Colorado Mesa University’s Montrose campus, 234 S. Cascade Ave. Space is limited. To register or for more information, call 249-9639. May 10 & 11
2013 Wine Festival Weekend The 10th annual Montrose Wine and Food Festival will be held at the Mon trose Pavilion, 1800 Pavilion Drive. Disco Night is at 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday’s Grand Tasting on the Lawn is from 2 p.m. -5 p.m. and will feature music by Zolopht and the Destroyers. Start your Saturday even earlier with an 11 a.m. beer seminar, with limited seating, featuring local and craft beers. Proceeds benefit Black Canyon Boys & Girls Club and Voices for Children (CASA). Tickets are $10 for Disco Night, $50 for Grand Tasting, and $30 for the beer seminar. To purchase tickets and for more information, call 901-9993. May 11
Plant Sale and Silent Auction
Dancers age 2 through adult celebrate the year through dance. Recital takes place at 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Montrose Pavilion, 1800 Pavilion Drive. For more information and to purchase tickets, call 249-5332.
Join the Montrose Botanical Society for its 16th annual Plant Sale and Silent Auction from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. in the gardens behind the Montrose Pavilion, 1800 Pavilion Drive. Along with having flowers, shrubs, vines, tomato plants, herbs and hanging flower baskets for Mother’s Day. Some incredible silent auction items will be available. Free admission. For more information, call 417-1524.
May 5
May 11
May 4 & 5
A Time to Dance recital: “Brand New Year”
Valley Youth Orchestra Spring Concert The Valley Youth Orchestra is pleased to announce its spring concert, where musicians age 6 to 17 will perform a program featuring theme music from the movies. This free event begins at 4 p.m. at Calvary
10th annual Mission to Ride The Montrose Firefighters’ Association proudly presents the 10th annual Mission to Ride from 6:30 a.m.2 p.m. at the Montrose Pavilion, 1800 Pavilion Drive. This is a noncompetitive bicycling tour for riders of all abilities. After the ride, relax
May 2013 in our food and beverage tent adjacent to the Montrose Wine and Food Festival. Proceeds benefit the Volunteers of America Meals on Wheels Program and the Montrose Firefighters’ Association. Online registration is due by May 9 and registration can also be done the day of the event. To register or for more information, call 596-4108 or visit www.missiontoride. com. May 18
Swingin’ at the Sage Join Delicious Dance for a monthly social and a celebration of community from 7 p.m.-10 p.m. at the Blue Sage Center, 228 Grand Ave. in Paonia. Open to dancers of all ages and abilities. Bring your dancing shoes and a small snack to share. Cost is $7. For more information, call 527-7243. May 18
Ridgway Love Your Valley Festival This popular festival features dozens of regional microbrews, live music, dog contests, and more. This fundraiser benefits the free concerts in Town Park on Thursday evenings in July. Event is from noon to 6 p.m. at Ridgeway Hartwell “Town” Park, 201 N. Railroad St. For more information, call 626-5308. May 18
Golf scramble fundraiser This is a benefit for the chaplains at the Delta Correctional Center. The $100 entry fee includes green fees, golf cart and awards luncheon. A light breakfast and refreshments will be available. There will be prizes and great fun for all. Event begins at 8 a.m. at Devil’s Thumb Golf Course, 9900 Devil’s Thumb Road in Delta. For more information, call 874-0216. May 18
The Black Canyon Ascent The Black Canyon Ascent 6-mile Run and Challenge Walk features a tough,
www.BeaconSeniorNews.com scenic 6-mile course starting at an elevation of 6,500 feet and climbing almost 2,000 feet to the rim of the Black Canyon National Park. After the race, you, family and friends can enjoy visiting the spectacular Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. All participants will receive high-quality, Race Ready shorts with distinctive Black Canyon imagery. Also, all participants will be entered into a raffle. The race is also a fundraiser for the Montrose Community Foundation. The event takes place at 7:30 a.m. for walkers and 8 a.m. for runners. The event takes place at the Black Canyon Entrance on Highway 50. Entry fee is $35 until May 16 and $45 after. For more information and to register, visit www.blackcanyon races.com.
Delta/ Montrose counties 39
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Sons of Norway
Vestafjell Lodge of Sons of Norway will be having a special meeting at 2 p.m. at All Saint’s Lutheran Church, 20101 Deer Creek Road, in Cory. Elmer and Brandy Ferganchick from Eckert will show several of their prized award-winning Norwegian Fjord horses, which are small, light draft horses from the mountainous regions of Norway. Norwegian Fjord horses have an authenticated history of pure breeding for hundreds of years and are unique among horses. Guests are welcome, so bring the kids or grandkids and enjoy some true Norwegian history and culture. For more information, call 245-5649. May 27
Senior Resource Council meeting This group provides resources to seniors. Anyone interested in joining the group is welcome. The SRC meets from 8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m. on the fourth Tuesday of every month at the conference room of the Education Center building north of the hospital, at Third and Stanford in Delta. For more information, call 712-2295. ■
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May 2013
Delta-Montrose Beacon Bits Compiled by Liesl Greathouse
Events for veterans The Warrior Resource Center, 11 S. Park Ave. in Montrose, has the following events scheduled for veterans in May. If you have not previously registered with the Warrior Resource Center as a veteran, bring a form of military ID with you. For more information, call 765-2210. • All veterans are invited for coffee from 8 a.m.-10 a.m. every Thursday. • All military spouses are invited for coffee from 2:30 p.m.-3 p.m. every Thursday. • The public is invited to eagle head cane presentations at 1 p.m. the first Thursday of every month. Beautiful eagle head canes, created by Black Canyon Wood Carvers and Wood Workers Guild of Western Colorado, are presented to veterans of any war or conflict.
Montrose walking events • Downtown historic walks - Historic walks of downtown Montrose are at 6 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month, starting at the Montrose County Historical Museum. Cost is $5. Space is limited. Call 249-2085 to RSVP. • First Friday Stroll - On the first Friday of each month, from 5:30 p.m.8 p.m., stroll along downtown Mon-
trose and see artist demonstrations, enjoy free wine tastings and more. • ReneWest Interactive Art Crawl - On the third Thursday of each month, starting at 5 p.m., stroll along the West Main arts district in Montrose for fine art, fun activities, drinks, drama, music and special discounts at local businesses.
AARP Driver Safety Save on insurance, keep up on newer traffic laws and learn defensive driving techniques. For details and schedule, call John Loring 856-6924 or 424-1778.
Support groups • Veterans’ PTSD support group This PTSD support group is open to combat veterans (not providers) and takes place at 10 a.m. on Thursdays at the Montrose Workforce Center, 504 N. First St. Veterans must provide a copy of their DD214 as verification of eligibility of services from the Vet Center. Call 245-4156 for details. • Stroke Support Group - The Montrose Memorial Hospital stroke support group meets twice a month at the hospital’s Acute Rehab Unit from 11 a.m. to noon. Stroke survivors, family members and caregivers are all encouraged to attend. For meeting days, call Tim Ramsey at 318-2028. • Mending Hearts Support Group - This support group, offered by
May 2013 Hospice & Palliative Care of Western Colorado, is open to adults who have experienced the death of a loved one. • Delta group meets at 6 p.m.7:30 p.m. every Tuesday at Hospice, 195 Stafford Lane. Call 874-6823 for more information. • Montrose group meets from 1 p.m.-2:30 p.m. on Monday and 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. on Thursday at the Bosom Buddies Room, 645 S. Fifth St. Call 252-2520 for more information.
Volunteer opportunities • Harden Hospice in Montrose is seeking volunteers to help their patients tell their life stories. Share some laughter, hold a hand, and be there when you’re needed most. For more information, call 275-6064. • Hospice & Palliative Care of Western Colorado in Delta and Montrose is seeking volunteers for a variety of positions with an immediate need for patient and family support volunteers to visit with a patient, share hobbies and stories, read, run errands, relieve the caregiver for a small amount of time, and provide transportation. In Delta, call 874-6823 for details. In Montrose, call 252-2642.
Rural Philanthropy Days This year, Western Slope nonprofits will have a unique opportunity to connect with over 30 Colorado foundations at the 2013 Western Slope Rural Philanthropy Days conference from June 17-19 in Ouray. The conference provides a powerful opportunity for the state’s most influential funders to come to Ouray for three days of workshops and collabora-
tive events focused on the needs of Western Slope communities. For more information and to register, call 708-1059.
Magic Circle Players: “1776” The Tony Award-Winning “1776” presents a rollicking, yet spellbinding story of how America’s Continental Congress chose independence against all odds. The tenacious John Adams and charming Benjamin Franklin coerce a reluctant Thomas Jefferson into writing the Declaration of Independence as they try to persuade the American colonies to support the revolution. Even as depressing messages sent by George Washington describe military disasters, wealthy landowners and slaveholders conspire to block independence. Performances are Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays May 10-June 2 at the Magic Circle Theatre, 420 S. 12th St. in Montrose. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for seniors. For showtimes and details, call 249-7838
Delta Senior Activities The following activities are offered at Bill Heddles Recreation Center, 530 Gunnison River Drive in Delta. To register for any of the following activities or for a full list, call 874-0923. • Community Evening Dances Held from 7 p.m.-10 p.m. on the third Saturday of each month. Cost is $4 per person. Please bring a snack to share. • Outdoor Heritage Day - Save the date for the City of Delta’s annual Outdoor Heritage Day on June 1. It will showcase outdoor sports, recreation, stewardship and safety. Learnto-Fish stations will be open from
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Delta/ Montrose counties 41
8 a.m.-9:15 a.m., then the Fishing Derby will be from 9:15 a.m.-11 a.m. Exhibitor booths will be active from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. This free event is for all ages.
Community Theatre PRESENTS
Montrose Senior Activities The Montrose Recreation District has the following activities scheduled for seniors 50 and older in May. Register one week ahead. Events take place at the Montrose Pavilion, 1800 Pavilion Drive, or transportation departs from the Montrose Pavilion. Please arrive at least 15 minutes early. For more information on any of the following activities, call 252-4884. • Highline State Park Hike - We will hike the Highline State Park in Grand Junction from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on May 9. Cost is $18. • Ute Mountain Gambling Casino - Relax at the slot machines and play video poker, or play in the poker room. Also, enjoy a scenic drive through the Colorado mountains on the way to Towaoc. This trip takes place from 6:45 a.m.-7:30 p.m. on May 28. Cost is $45. ■
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What’s Inside .......... 13 Advice and Ideas ................ .... 30 Classifieds ................................ .... 19 Crossword ................................ 27 Delta/Montrose County ................ 18 ............ ................ Fruita ................ ......... 10 ................ Wellness & Health ......... 14 Laughing Matters ................ ....... 8 Local Lore ................................ . 22 Mesa County................................ ...... 23 River City Singles.................... .............. 26 Theater & Arts ................
Adoptable Love
Local Lore
This old yellow farmhouse once stood on the banks of Lake Lenore. Read more about it’s history inside.
Local Lore From peddling pickles in a wheelbarrow to creating a successful factory, read more about the Kuner-Empson factory inside.
From horses to turtles, take a look at our reader submitted photos.
Long-Term Care of Care West A Continuum Health Parlor) at Family Beauty (even a page 2
Key Questions nursing to ask a home 6 page
Madness
Medicare Medical Home t Users Targets page 7 Equipmen
Beacon’s by the Produced Team Advertising
to Senior Your Guide
Housing
Term Care & Long
at the Web Now on www.BeaconSeniorNews.com
Western Colorado’s Monthly Newspaper for Adults 50+. Over 28,350 Readers.
Advice and Ideas ............................ 9 Classifieds .................................... 30 Crossword .................................... 26 Delta/Montrose County ................ 27 Fruita ............................................ 17 Laughing Matters ......................... 14 Local Lore ..................................... 10 Mesa County................................. 22 Parks & Recreation ....................... 16 River City Singles.......................... 23 Travel & Recreation ...................... 12
Pets and their people
e rm Car Long-Te
Vol. 24 No. 9
Learning how to operate firearms correctly can save lives. Olathe resident, Ron Avery can aim you in the right direction. Animal Arielle Alstatt, Mesa County more inside. a Joe, Read Services officer, cuddling Little for adoption. young pit-mix male waiting page 4. See our cover story on What’s Inside
River Lessons
july 2010
Vol. 31
Western Colorado ’s Monthly Newspap
Life Tastes No. 7
Seniors can play rough too. Read more on page 9.
er for Adults 50+
Good Here!
. Over 28,3 50 Rea
Rita Baughman, right, of Taylor Produce helps Brenda St. John select
What’s fresh Palisade Ins ide Peaches. Advice and Ideas .......................... 19 Classifieds ........... ......................... 34 Crossword ........... ......................... 22 Delta/Montrose County ................ 31 Health & Wellness ......................... 10 Laughing Matter s ......................... 14 Local Lore ........... .......................... 20 Mesa County........... ...................... 26 River City Singles .......................... 28 Theater & Arts ........... ................... 30
Susan Capps, describes experiences and lessons learned from our beautiful Colorado rivers.
What everyone needs to know about long-term care Read more in this month’s insert.
Faux Food !
What started as local artist turne a hobby for this business. Rea d into a full-time d Martin and othe about Jeannie r starting on page local artists 4.
Lake Lenore and the surrounding Lakesid e Community have made their mark in Jones. by Karen Photohistory . Read more on page 20
Health & Wellness ess Health &Welln Health foods that aren’t page 11
Real Men Give Blood page 6 A Bright Future for Senior Daybreak page 3
the Beacon’s Produced by Team Advertising
& Bod y a H eal t hy Mind Your Guid e to
at Now on the Web www.BeaconSeniorNews.com
The artists of the Grand Valley Woodcarvers create masterpieces out of simple blocks of wood. Read more on page 6
What everyone needs to know about your health Read more in this month’s insert.
Photo by Karen Jones. western colorado
Senior Games
western colorado
Aug. 30-Sept. 3
Parks & recreation
Produced by the Beacon’s Advertising Team
Colorado Senior Games Your Guide to the Western
Now on the Web at www.BeaconSeniorNews.com
Photo by Karen
August 30-Septe
S enior Gam es
See this month’s
insert for complet
mber 3, Lincoln
e details and regi
Mail form with check to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 3895, Grand Junction, CO 81502
May 9
Gardening in Small Spaces The Parachute Branch Library, 244 Grand Valley Way, will host a workshop to teach participants how to garden with limited space. Meet at 2 p.m. at the library. For more information, call 285-9870. May 10
Chautauqua at the Silt Historical Park The Silt Historical Park, 707 Orchard Ave., will host an evening of living history about life in the early 1900s with storytellers and demonstrators. A special feature will be the Dutch oven cooks and their great food. The gathering is from 4 p.m.-8 p.m. This event is free but donations are greatly appreciated. Call 618-4182 for more information.
Mother’s Day Mile state
zip
phone number
New subscription Renew subscription
ders.
Join Colorado wildlife science biologist Jonathan Lowsky and Roaring Fork Conservancy staff from 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. for this amazing look at great blue herons, bald eagles and osprey near the confluence of Cattle Creek and the Roaring Fork River. They’ll tour two properties, which are off-limits to the public, in search of these large avian predators. Bring binoculars and/or a spotting scope if you have them. We will bring a few pairs for participants to use. Members of the conservancy are free and nonmembers are $10. To register, visit www.roaringfork.org/ events or call 927-1290.
May 14
address
credit card
Jones.
Park
stration form!
name
city
Compiled by Cheryl Currier
Heron, Eagle and Osprey Watching
625-3579
AUGUst 2010
Garfield County Calendar May 7
Call Cheryl Currier for ad rates.
exp. date
1 year $15.00 2 years $25.00
cvc
May 2013
The 14th annual Mother’s Day Mile will be held in Glenwood Springs. Opening ceremonies begin at 1 p.m. The one-mile race benefits the domestic and sexual violence programs of the Advocate Safehouse Project of Garfield County. The race will start at Glenwood Medical Associ-
ates, 1830 Blake Ave. Register online at www.runingguru.com. Cost is $15 per person or $55 per family if you preregister. If you register the day of the race, the cost will be $20 per person or $65 per family. For more information, call 945-4439. May 16
Photoshop Skills The Silt Branch Library, 680 Home Ave., is hosting local photographer Ashley Mickelson, who will help you unlock the potential of Adobe Photoshop. She will explain the different menus, panels and tools for retouching your photographs or flyers. Some of the tools you will learn about include cropping, modifying text, resizing and reshaping photos, spot healing and more. This free workshop is from 6 p.m.8 p.m. Call 876-5500 for more information. May 18 & 19
Illustrated Garden Journals The Carbondale Council for the Arts and Humanities, 520 S. Third St., is hosting a workshop taught by Maria Hodkins from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on keeping a garden journal, a visual record of gardening dates, ideas, plants and flower documentation, and personal stories. Learn nature sketching, watercolor, page design, lettering, and artful journaling techniques. Cost is $90 for CCAH members and $100 for nonmembers. To register, visit www.carbondalearts.org or call 963-1980. May 25
Black Hawk Casino Day Enjoy a day of gambling and exploring the towns of Central City and Black Hawk. Bring your own lunch or try one of the many affordable buffets. Register at the Glenwood Springs Park and Recreation Center, 100 Wulfsohn Road, by May 20. Cost is $35 for members and $45 for nonmembers. Meet at the recreation center at 9 a.m. Call 384-6301 for more information. ■
May 2013
Garfield County Beacon Bits Compiled by Cheryl Currier
Fundamentals of Fly-fishing
New Valley Senior Center brochure
Learn the fundamentals of fly-fishing through the continuing education program at Colorado Mountain College at the Rifle Campus, 3695 Airport Road. Classes will meet from 6 p.m.-8:50 p.m., on all Wednesdays in June with two Saturday field trips to local areas with fly-fishing master Bob McGill. To register, fill out the noncredit registration form at the Rifle Campus or online at www.colo radomtn.edu/register. Cost is $56. Call 625-1871 for more information.
Copies of the new and up-to-date Valley Senior Center brochure are available at several locations. This brochure highlights events and services for seniors and may be picked up at the Senior Center, Grand Valley Recreation Center, Battlement Mesa Office, Clark’s Market and the Parachute Library. Reservations for weekly Wednesday lunches can be made from 9 a.m. to noon by calling 285-7216 the preceding Monday.
New Castle Classic Film Club
If you are considering weight loss surgery, attend a free education session presented by the staff of St. Mary’s Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Center. St. Mary’s offers all surgical options: gastric band, gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, and biliopancreatic diversion procedures performed by a bariatric-trained surgeon. Learn how the different types of surgery work, who qualifies, and how St. Mary’s will support you as you change your life. Family and friends are welcome. The seminar takes place from 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m. on Thursday, May 16, at Grand River Hospital, 501 Airport Road in Rifle. Call 298-6400 to register.
The New Castle Branch Library, 402 W. Main St., is launching a new club that will show classic films from around the world followed by lively discussions. Popcorn and punch will be served. Meet at the library from 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. on May 9. Participants will decide on the next month’s film. This event is free. For more information, call 984-2346.
Honoring those in active duty Community members can honor those serving our country in active duty from May 25-31 at the Rifle Branch Library, 207 East Ave. Write a letter to a soldier, or if you have loved ones overseas who have access to web cameras, use the library’s iPad to Skype with them in one of the study rooms. For more information, call 625-3471.
Hidden History Tours Tour historic downtown Glenwood Springs with your pioneer guide and hear stories of robberies, reprobates and the red light district. Meet at the Frontier Museum, 1001 Colorado Ave., from 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. on Fridays from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Cost is $15 per person. For more information, call 945-4448.
www.BeaconSeniorNews.com
Weight loss surgery options
Tackle it Tuesday Calling all quilters, stampers, needle crafters and scrap bookers! Want to have a day of fun and accomplishment? We’ll have tables, irons, ironing boards and cutting mats all set up for your convenience at the Parachute Branch Library, 244 Grand Valley Way, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 14. Drop in and bring your project for a day of crafting, food and friends. Bring your own lunch. Refreshments will be provided. For more information, call 285-9870. ■
If you have an event or photo you would like to have appear in the Beacon, send it to: beacon@pendantpublishing.com.
Garfield county 43
IT’S YOUR CHOICE. CHOOSE THE BEST.
WATER
WIND
FIRE
HAIL
MOLD
ASBESTOS
BIOHAZARD
HAZMAT
970.945.4407
24 7
E M E R G E N C Y
R E S P O N S E
Attention
BEACON Advertisers
Senior
Summer Traveler
1.
2012
A world of travel options for singles2 page
Summer festivals fun Music, food and page 8
Currumbin Wildlife This baby koala is at by Erik Veland. in Australia. Photo BEACON’s Produced by the Advertising Team
Sanctuary
Alberta
Your Guide to Summer
Smith
Travel, Recreation
recent on her
& Festivals
Austral trip to
Mature travelers over the age of fifty travel 60% more than the average American and spend 30% more money per trip than younger travelers. Of course, it would be hard for them to spend money with you if they don’t know about you. Let’s let them know. Advertising Deadline: May 20, 2013 Publication Date: June 3, 2013
ia.
at Now on the web s.com www.BeaconSeniorNew
2.
Got Game?—Help us and the Grand Junction Parks Department get the word out about this summer’s annual Western Colorado Senior Games. Show your support for active aging by advertising in our special (center-spread, pull-out) section of the July Beacon, which will have a comprehensive listing of events and registration. Advertising Deadline: June 20, 2013 Publication Date: June 26, 2013
western color ado
S enior Games REGISTR ATION DEADLI NE:
Monday, august 13, 2012 Thank You to our Facility
Ale House The Atrium Orchard Mesa Pool Orchard Mesa Lanes Bookcliff Activity Center Lincoln Park Golf Course Senior Recreation Center
For more info on Brown & Brown, P.C. scan this QR code with your smart phone
Aug . 27-Aug. 31
Produced by the Beacon’s advertising Team
Long-Term Care
3. New elder care technology helps seniors age in place page 15
3 myths of senior living
Are you responsible for Mom’s nursing home costs?
page 10
page 9
Photo courtesy of Hilltop
Produced by the Beacon’s Advertising Team
Care Your Guide to Senior Housing & Long Term
Now on the Web at www.BeaconSeniorNews.com
Your Guide to the Wester n Colorad o Senior Games
now on the web at www.BeaconSeniornew
s.com
The continuum-of-care that one goes through as they age can be a confusing and expensive process. Beacon readers know that first hand. As a sponsor of this important publication, you can show our readers how you can best help them and their loved ones navigate the aging process. After all, “getting old isn’t for sissies.” Advertising Deadline: July 20, 2013 Publication Date: July 29, 2013
Call for information 970
Sponsors
243-8829
44 classifieds
www.BeaconSeniorNews.com
To Place a Classified Ad...
3 easy steps! Write your ad: ....................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................... Start running my ad in the month of .....................................................................
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beacon, po box 3895, Grand Junction, Co 81502 fax: 1 800 536-7516 email: beacon@pendantpublishing.com
For Sale GREAT DEAL! SINGLE HOSPITAL BED Electric controls raise head, knees, seat and elevates. Sunrise Quick Change Model SQ30. 500 lb. capacity. Great condition. Mattress and sidebars. Originally $4,800. Priced at $400. Carolyn 260-4807. MEMORIAL GARDENS 4 interment spaces. 2 each Garden of Eden. 2 each Sermon on the Mount. Make good offer. 242-9159. Fundraising Yard Sale Friday, May 3 through Sunday, May 5 at Nellie Bechtel Clubhouse, 3032 N. 15th St.
Help Wanted
sales person needed The BEACON Senior Newspaper is growing and we’re looking for a salesperson to grow with us. Please send your cover letter and resume to the BEACON at beacon@pendantpublishing.com.
Retired/Need Extra Income? Part-time medical delivery position available. Shift starts at 2:45 a.m. Good driving record and ability to drive manual transmission. Flexibility and dependability essential. Call for details 254-2896.
Real Estate for Rent
senior living in a park like setting Friendly Affordable Safe Convenient Comfortable
address .................................................................................................................
SENIOR DISCOUNT 10% Light-filled updated 3/2, large den/ fourth bedroom, oversize garage, 2 decks, overlooking park-like area, sunroom, all appliances, RV parking, no yard work, near med center, lake, walking trails. Indoor pool, quiet neighborhood, Lakeside, $1,250, first and last month plus deposit $1,250. 248-9101.
Real Estate for Sale Hickory Crest 55+ Community in Columbia, MD. 1 bedroom, den, 1.5 bath, wood floors. Close to Lorian/Hospital $320,000. LongnandFoster Realtors. 410-730-9573/ 410-730-3456. Ann Detraglia.
Cosmetology
Health Services
city............................................................ state .................. zip .............................
queStionS? Call Lisa M-TH, 9a.m.-4p.m., 970 243-8829 www.BeaconSeniorNews.com
Senior Living In The Country If you love living in the country, you will love this rental home new to the market. Located in beautiful Palisade, Colorado with spectacular views of Grand Mesa & Mt. Garfield. Immaculate 2 bedroom, 1 & 3/4 baths, single-family home with a bright and spacious interior. Move-in ready with updated kitchen, brand new appliances, freshly painted interior walls, new carpet, new flooring, new energy efficient windows and bathroom updates. Ample interior storage space and built-in china cabinet and large walk-in closet in master bedroom. Beautifully landscaped with lawn. Yard care and snow removal provided by landlord. RV parking available upon request. To view this property contact: Mathew J Higgins. 260-0377. $950 per month. No smokers, no pets. Handicap accessible.
SENIORS! Need a haircut, perm, style or color? Call Hair on Wheels Hair Service AT YOUR DOOR. 201-0267 anytime.
name .....................................................................................................................
telephone number .....................................................................
May 2013
nellie Bechtel senior apartments 245-1712 • 3032 North 15th Street Vacation Lake Havasu, AZ For rent by week or month. 1 Bedroom Park Model completely furnished. Website: www. havasufallsrvresort.com or phone 928-764-0050 or 877-843-3255.
MEDICARE SUPPLEMENTS? Got questions? We have answers! Don’t wait. Whether you’re turning 65 soon or are over 65, we specialize in AFFORDABLE HEALTH & MEDICARE plans. Call us today 275-3000.
May 2013
www.BeaconSeniorNews.com
Home Care CAREGIVER/CNA With over 20 years’ experience, is available to care for your elderly or disabled loved one. Colorado licensed, CPR certified. Excellent references available. Serving Montrose, Ridgway, Ouray. Contact Karen at 803-767-8797. Home Care Night & Day Reasonable rates, companionship, shopping, transportation, meal preparation. 15 years’ experience. 462-8105 or 541-707-0533.
PASCO/SW, INC.
Skilled and unskilled homemaking and/or personal care. Skilled nursing, specialize in wound care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, CNA, social work, pre-op, post-op services. PASCO/SW carriers certification for Mi, children’s hospice and Tbi waivers. Please call for courtesy evaluation of your home care needs. Serving: Archuleta, Delta, Dolores, La Plata, Montezuma, Montrose, Ouray, San Miguel Cortez (970)565-6833; Durango (970) 247-1211; Montrose (970) 240-1771; Toll Free (877) 685-6833
www.pascosw.com
Home Services Professional Tile Installer Insured and bonded. You purchase tile, I provide everything else. Special discounts. Call Bill for a free estimate. 245-3344. Accessibility Services Grab bars. Walk in tubs/showers. Licensed plumber/handyman. “Serving Western Colorado since 1989.” Free estimates. Compare and save! 985-1403.
Reliable Estate Sales Are you in the midst of a stressful relocation or the passing of a loved one? Let us handle the burden of personal property liquidation from start to finish. Contact Mark Bluhm at 260-2327, cash4@bresnan.net or www.reliableestatesales.net. Antiques, Appraisals, Estate Sales With over 30 years in the antique, appraisal and estate sale business, Great American Estate Sales is the valley’s leader in appraisals and estate liquidation. Settling an estate, moving into a smaller home or just simplifying your lifestyle? Great American Estate Sales can provide a worry-free and quick solution. Free consultation. 216-8236. SCENE CLEARLY, LLC Window cleaners specializing in making your day a little brighter! Grand Junction area. Call Frank Cordova at 242-1264.
Pet Sitting Services My Pet Nanny: Loving care for your precious pets when you are away. New customers receive the first visit free! 623-9902. Mary Jo Johnson, owner.
3-D Archery Shoots Just $25, includes lunch and free camping, if needed. June 7, 8 & 9. Call 241-3949 or visit us at www. Brokenspokeranch.com.
Good running VEHICLE In good condition, low mileage if possible. 778-9429. BUYING COINS AND CURRENCY U.S. Silver Dollars, 90% Silver, Eagles, Krugerrands, Maple Leafs, Gold and Silver Bars, Proof Sets, Mint Sets, Currency, Collections, Hoards, Accumulations of any size. Call 242-5374. CASH Paid for old Stuff Wind up men’s wrist/pocket watches. Gold and silver jewelry. Pocket/ hunting knives, antique firearms, fishing gear, toys, BB guns, old Colorado bottles, old motorcycles, radios and amp, railroad, military, mining items. www.cash4oldstuff. net. Mark 260-2327.
3251 E Road • Clifton, CO
Become an Aviation Maintenance Tech. FAA approved training. Financial aid if qualified – Housing available. Job placement assistance. Call AIM
877-205-2315
Angel’s Chime By Dave Argenta
I was awakened early morning by a sound with soft sweet warning, loving as an angel’s chime.
Wanted to Buy
Computer Lady – In home PC Repair Services Friendly, affordable, easy to understand. Computer not-soliterate my specialty! Cleanups, virus removal, setups, upgrades, instruction, wireless and more. Call Mindy at 255-1216 or 261-3120.
Begin Here
Buying BOOKS Nonfiction, history, nature, westerns, religion, antique, reference, etc. Also buying stamp collections. Call Frank at 241-7778. Will pick up.
Introduction to Drawing Part 1. Start understanding basic skills with Sallie Wysocki in this 6-week class beginning June 6. Cost is $90 plus supplies. Call 424-5125. Ask for Sallie.
Miscellaneous Services
AIRLINE CAREERS
Classifieds 45
Cling, cling, cling was as clear as the tap on a glass to me. I marveled at this mystery. I waited in my wonderment to hear the tapping once again. There it was. Today’s the first sweet day of spring, I called my mom to hear the ring. This was her favorite time of year, my grandma sweet, her picture’s near and close to me. And then, I found the mystery... man-made...or the brink of time... I will cherish sweet angel’s chime to me.
Thank you, Grandma. Love always, Dave
• Relocate to a Quiet Adult Park • New Homes for Sale and Vacant Lots Available • Incentives for New Move-ins Call Meg at 970-434-6800 email: meg@pictureranchllc.com
46 Kudos & kvetch
kudos \ ku·dos “Yesterday’s (April 18) BeaconFest was the best one yet! My mother and I always attend. Thank you! (We really enjoyed the King’n Trio.)” - Bonnie P., Grand Junction
“BeaconFest was a blast! I attended several seminars and spoke with numerous booths (sic). Having recently moved here to retire, I had no idea how many businesses and services there are to help me. Thank you! I’ll be back next year!” - Melanie G., Grand Junction “The musical acts at BeaconFest were great! I missed Ula [Kirkman] and her fabulous accordion, but still was quite pleased.” - Scott S., Battlement Mesa
Kevin: Wonderful! Thank you for your kind words. I missed Ula as well. Unfortunately, due to illness, she was unable to make it. Let’s pray for her and we’ll see if she can make it to our Delta-Montrose BeaconFest on September 19 at the Montrose Pavilion. “I like the new computer guy (Daniel Ashurst) column. He talks on a level that I can understand.” - Cheryl C., Rifle “I recently moved to Grand Junction from Memphis. I learned of the Mesa County Concert Association through the BEACON. Attending the concerts has been a delightful experience and I’m looking forward to the new season.” - Gloria J., Grand Junction
“I do like the BEACON. I usually pick up extra copies and give them to friends.” - Evelyn C., Grand Junction “I appreciate the ads that St. Mary’s Hospital put in the BEACON. Too many ads just try to sell you stuff. Their ad is informative and provides me with information on events and medical issues that concern me.” - Clara B., Grand Junction
www.BeaconSeniorNews.com
Congrats on your graduation. Now get a job! By Jim Cotsana
W
henever any of my nieces or nephews graduated from either high school or college, my wife and I would send them a congratulatory card with a check. We have no children of our own so we take pleasure in being a part of their lives. My wife was the one to write the card, enclose a check and send it off. On one occasion, she told me, “It’s about time that you wrote something” and handed me the card and pen. Not excited about doing this, I wrote the following: “Dear Jamie: Congratulations on your graduation. Please take a hard look at this check because it’s the last money you’re going to see from me. GET A JOB! Love, Uncle Jim and Aunt Donna” My wife did not find this very amusing but it was sent off anyway. Apparently it was a big hit with our other nieces and nephews and it was no surprise that it came from me. I have the reputation as the grumpy old uncle but behind the facade, we all love each other very much. I find my grumpy exterior not only entertaining for them, but for me as well. When they were in elementary school, they would frequently stop by with their parents and we all enjoyed the visit. However, after about an hour, I would get up and tell the kids it was time to go so “beat it.” “Why do we have to go?” they asked. “Because you are all beginning to annoy me,” I replied with a smile. They would laugh, and even as young children, it didn’t take them long to understand it was an ongoing joke. They would each come up and give us a hug and sometimes I would hold onto them, while at the same time saying, “Let’s go. It’s time to leave.” They would all laugh even harder. One of my nephews, who just barely made it out of high school, found a job bagging groceries at
a local grocery store. He had little motivation or interest about what to do next and had the typical 18-yearold attitude about people trying to tell him what to do. I had the opportunity to talk with him one day and asked him if he was going to bag groceries for the rest of his life. He gave me the “none of your business” look. I pressed on and suggested he join the military. He said no way. Since I was in the Marine Corp, I told him I would make a couple of calls to get him in, knowing I had absolutely no pull in this area. Unbeknownst to me, he thought about it and contacted several different military recruiters on his own. Something must have clicked and I got a call about three months later and he told me that he had joined the Marines. His parents were not too happy and blamed me for his choice. They didn’t think he was ready for such a commitment. I told them it did me a world of good and the Marine Corps training will make sure he is ready. I did not pressure him but only suggested it on one occasion. I can’t tell you how proud I was of him and still am. When he returned home after graduating from boot camp at Parris Island, his parents could not believe the positive change in him. He was polite and courteous and had an air of confidence they had never seen before. Needless to say they were thrilled. This young man has risen to the rank of gunnery sergeant (soon to be master sergeant), had two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan, is married with three children and is a committed family man as well as a devoted Marine. Those nieces and nephews are now adults with children of their own. When they plan to drop by, they ask their kids if they would like to go for a quick visit to see “grumpy old Uncle Jim.” They always say yes and look forward to it. I maintain the same grumpy exterior and I’m glad to see that I haven’t lost my touch. ■
May 2013
kudos \ ku·dos “Thank you for the recent article (March 2013) on the Western Slope Coin Club. Marsha Kearns (the writer from the BEACON) was real nice and fun to work with. We are real happy with the article.” - Dean Crysler, President, Western Slope Coin Club
Kevin: Thank you, Dean. BEACON readers are interested in collecting coins and you and your group do a fine job. However, I was a bit disappointed that you didn’t advertise your April coin show with us. We are only able to provide the BEACON to our readers when people like you pay to advertise with us. Please keep us in mind for next year’s show. In the meantime, we’ll continue to promote your monthly meetings for free. “What an outstanding event put on by the BEACON! Our staff was able to meet so many outstanding organizations dedicated to serving seniors. We would like to extend a warm thank you to all the organizations and patrons of BeaconFest for welcoming Legacy Funeral Home with such warmth and enthusiasm.” - Doug Nielson, Legacy Funeral Home
“I think this was a super BeaconFest! Lots of great guests and a super venue!” - Kevin Braa, Grand Mesa Medical Supply
“The BEACON is the best!” - David D., Grand Junction
Wow!
No people kvetching this month.
Wanna give a shout out? Pass out a compliment? Write us at Beacon@PendantPublishing.com.
101 Years Dedicated to Serving the Families of Western Colorado Springing into Spring! Our beautiful Grand Valley is beginning to show signs of spring. New life begins as the flowers bloom, the trees awaken and show their new leaves and the animals begin to bring forth a new generation of life. Our lives need to renew themselves in the spring as well. The old baggage can go into the trash and new thoughts and actions can move us to a new place in life. What new things will you bring forth? What life will you awaken within yourself? Each day is a new day and you’ll never have that one again. Do you make the most of each day? Are you aware of the life going on around you? If you walk, do you take a minute to experience the sights and sounds of the world, or do you have an earpiece in each ear and listen to music you’ve heard a few thousand times? Try listening and seeing all the beauty around you. Awaken your senses. Regenerate. Love the moment you are having, and live your life with renewed eyes, ears, smell, touch and taste. Make the most of what you have while you have it and don’t be afraid to experience it all. Remember—“Life is precious, don’t waste it”
2515 Patterson Road • Grand Junction, CO 81505
970.243.2450 info@cemgj.com www.callahan-edfast.com
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Upcoming Events
• AND •
MAY 25– JUNE 1, 2013 St. Mary’s and JUCO team up!
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ST. MARY’S ROSE HILL HOSPITALITY HOUSE, a home away from home
Visit our website at www.stmarygj.org for information about our services, campus maps, and driving directions.
“We’re here for life.” 970-298-CARE (2273) 2635 N. 7th Street • P. O. Box 1628 Grand Junction, CO 81502-1628 An Affiliate of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth Health System
As a regional medical center, St. Mary’s treats thousands of patients from outside Mesa County each year. St. Mary’s Rose Hill Hospitality House allows family members and loved ones to stay close without the expense of an extended hotel stay. Rose Hill House is within walking distance of the hospital. With 20 bedrooms, all with private bathrooms, Rose Hill Hospitality House can accommodate up to 50 guests. Rose Hill House accepts donations but does not charge guests. The Rose Hill Rally is the largest annual fundraiser for Rose Hill House.
Step up to the plate and donate blood to St. Mary’s Regional Blood Center by May 30 and score a free single game JUCO ticket. » Alpine Bank JUCO World Series May 25–June 1, 2013 Suplizio Field, Grand Junction Donor Center Hours: Monday–Friday, 7:00 am–5:30 pm Saturday, 7:00 am – Noon St. Mary’s Regional Blood Center 750 Wellington Avenue, Grand Junction
Hospital and Nurses weeks recognize professionalism and dedication » National Nurses Week: May 6–12 » National Hospital Week: May 12–18 May is the time St. Mary’s offers a special thanks to its dedicated staff and physicians. National Hospital Week and National Nurses Week highlight the amazing number of people and professions required to take care of patients. St. Mary’s is full of experienced, well-trained professionals who never stop learning and improving their skills.
“We say ‘thank you’ to every member of the St. Mary’s team. Please know you are appreciated by your leadership, patients, and the community.” —Mike McBride, St. Mary’s president and CEO