Lifestyles After 50 Sarasota Edition, September 2015 by Lifestyles After 50 Magazine

For Our Tech Giveaway!

SEE IT ALL!

7 Ways To Make Memories With Your Grandkids

eptember is Grandparents Month, and the perfect chance to spend some quality fun time with loved ones. Check out these free or low-cost activities that will help you make lasting memories with your grandkids, courtesy of grandparents.com. Life-Size Me Van Gogh, Rembrandt, da Vinci ... all the great artists drew a self-portrait at one point in their lives, so why not you and your grandchildren? Spread a large roll of paper out on the floor and have your grandchild lie down on it. Trace them using a black marker. Then switch, and have your grandchild trace you. Grab a mirror, gaze longingly, and fill in the features of your face with crayons or markers. Color in the clothing, and then hang the picture on a wall or door. TIP: If you’re out of brown shipping paper, pick up an inexpensive roll of newsprint at your local craft store.

A Word From Our Readers L

ast month, Lifestyles After 50 wanted to know: What was your first car? We heard back from Don Royston of Punta Gorda, Florida. He writes:

“Mine was a black 1935 Ford Roadster with green wire wheels with a rumble seat. There weren’t any wind-up door windows, only snap-on side curtains made with isinglass sewn to canvas four-inch edges. Needless to say, they leaked badly. At age 15, in 1948, I didn’t care as this was better than my motorbike and motor scooter. With the top down it was sporty, fun to be seen in and provided freedom to travel miles from home. I found it on the third row behind a nearby Plymouth-DeSoto Dealer in Baltimore County, Maryland, near where I lived. Lifestyles After 50 • September 2015 • page 2

That roadster taught me that all convertibles made a special image regarding early transportation. They still do, whether old or new—and if the top goes down, the value stays up! The price of $50 was a bargain, considering I drove it home using my special farm operator’s license. (The photo is of a Roadster similar to mine.) Since then, I have owned 79 different convertibles of fifteen brands and currently have six, including Sylvester Stallone’s 1980 Clenet that cost him $98,000.” Lifestyles After 50 Wants to Know: What’s on your bucket list? In 50 words or less, describe something you’ve always wanted to do or a place you’d like to visit someday. How are you planning to check items off of your list? Include your name and city if you desire, and email it to editor@lifestylesafter50.com so we can share your story!

Walk Dogs at a Shelter Volunteerism comes from the heart, and it’s never too early to teach your grandchildren about the importance of giving their time to the community. Many dog shelters welcome volunteers to help walk the dogs and clean the runs and cages. However, before you mention anything to your grandchildren, call your local shelter to see if they accept volunteers and whether there’s an age minimum.

Dress Up Years-old dresses, leisure suits, feather boas… they might be ten sizes too big for your grandchildren but you can bet they’ll want to strut around in them. Tip: Everything old is new again. Those clothes you haven’t worn since the 1960s? We bet your teen grandchildren will think they’re hip and get some real use out of them.

Swap Skills Make plans for a skill-swap day — the kids teach you something, and you teach them something. Consider teaching the kids a classic card game or how to shuffle cards, while they teach you to play a new video game. Or teach them a simple piano scale, then let them teach you their favorite dance moves. This is a terrific way to strengthen the bond between you and your grandchildren and make memories you both will cherish. Make and Bury a Time Capsule Using a large jar with a good, tight seal, make a time capsule by filling the jar with items that reflect this moment in time – a newspaper with events of the day; a television guide, to give people an idea of what was on; music CDs; personal photographs, and any other significant items. Bury the time capsule and write down the exact location. Put that piece of paper in the file with your will or in a safety deposit box. Tip: Write a personal note to a include in the capsule. Download an iPod Walking Tour Make your next walk together more interesting. Look online to find an audio walking tour in your area and download it onto your iPods and iPhones. You can listen to the same thing and learn at the same time. You’ll both find out about historic buildings, neighborhoods, or museums in your area that you may have never known existed. Two great websites to try: tourcaster.com and audible.com. Mentos Soda Explosion This experiment was a YouTube sensation a few years ago. Do it outside. Take the cap off a brand new, two-liter bottle of Diet Coke. Drop a sleeve of Mentos candies into the bottle, step back, and wait for science to take over. The explosion of Diet Coke into the air is pretty cool, and not a bad way to explain how mixing certain things can sometimes have an unexpected effect. Hello, teaching moment.

What’s On Your Bucket List? Dear Readers,

he wander bug always seems to bite me this time of year. Maybe it’s a result of too many sweltering summer months cooped Tracie Lukens, Editor up indoors. (Globally, this year’s been the hottest on record since we started taking notes on these things around the 1880s.) This is not a treatise on global warming, but rather, on global exploration! This month is all about travel, “seeing it all” and finding fun ways to mix work, retirement and opportunities to knock items off of your bucket list. The image on the cover of the magazine this month was taken by our office manager, Vicki, while she was fulfilling one of her dreams: hot air ballooning. “Going up in a hot air balloon was definitely on my list, and I did it!” she cheered. It was a Florida trip that left from Quail Hollow and landed in Land Tampa Bay ‘ODena Lakes. “It was cool; I was afraid of Bingham: 813-293-1262 heights, but it didn’t bother me because dena@lifestylesafter50.com it went up slow and gentle,” she said. Her next mission: Catch a sailfish. I was curious about the bucket lists of the rest of my office mates, so I took a quick survey. Some longed for cooler climes: “I want to see the Northern Lights. I’d love to be up there. Living somewhere cool would be right up there on the list,” said president Richard Reeves. “I’d like to live up north,” said sales and event coordinator Dena Bingham. “I’d also like to go to Scandinavia someday.” For Linda Seavey, our production manager, list items were about the rare or spontaneous. “I want to start a slow clap. You know, somewhere big—like an arena or

Lee, Collier & Charlotte Edition Published monthly by News Connection U.S.A., Inc

President Richard Reeves richard@lifestylesafter50.com Publisher/Director of Events & Marketing Kathy J. Beck kathy@lifestylesafter50.com

Photo by Vicki Willis Editor Tracie Lukens

stadium,” she told me. “I’d also like to editor@lifestylesafter50.com see a pod of whales.” Editor Emeritus Meanwhile, Allie, our web and office Janice Doyle guru, has already ticked a few items off her list and isOffice readyManager to add more. Vicki Willis “I’ve accomplished a lot already,” she vicki@lifestylesafter50.com said. “I watched a pro football game betweenAdministrative the Bucs andAssistant the Bengals. The Bengalsallie@lifestylesafter50.com won,” Allie she Shaw added. “And on my fiftieth birthday I jumped Production Supervisor/Graphic out of a perfectly good airplane.Design 813-689-6104 “My ultimate goal,” she said, “is to be Distribution in a position where I can sell everything Spencer: I own,Nancy buy an RV and941-244-0500 travel the country nancy@lifestylesafter50.com for the rest of my life, because there’s so much Advertising out there. Spend Sales the kids’ inheritance!” she laughed. Service Questions/Customer • 1-888-670-0040 As813-653-1988 for me, I’ve always wanted to see the glow worm caves in New Zealand. Nancy Kuehne: 239-822-6150 Pretty nancyk@lifestylesafter50.com much anything in New Zealand, actually. I’m not picky. Our the otherroad editions: Wisdom from Sarasota Edition: Sarasota/Manatee There are more than a few snowbirds Edition: Hillsborough County outTampa thereBay living Allie’s dream right now. Suncoast Edition: Pinellas/Pasco Counties You may be one of them, and I’m very Lake Edition: Lake/Marion Counties happy you’re reading us from wherever To learn 1-888-670-0040 the road hasmore, takencall you. InNews this Connection issue, we hear USA,about Inc. two snowbirds who decided to put nuggets of P.O. Box 638 wisdom gainedFlorida from their first trip into Seffner, 33583-0638 a memoir—everything from restoring Fax: (813) 651-1989 a vintage RV and surviving a gauntlet www.lifestylesafter50.com of repairs to stumbling across amazing

sights, towns and people. They talk about relationships in close quarters and have Pinellas/Pasco more than a few tipsEdition about what to take with you and what to behind, Published monthlyleave by News Connection U.S.A., Inc physically and philosophically. President

WWII Richard Reeves Augustrichard@lifestylesafter50.com 15 marked the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. For that Publisher/Director of Events & Marketing mystery soldier who kissed a nurse in Kathy J. Beck Times Square, and for other members of kathy@lifestylesafter50.com the Greatest Generation, it’s a time to Editor remember a victory bought by bravery, Tracie Lukens sacrificeeditor@lifestylesafter50.com and more than a few hard choices. Spiritof45.org is a site created Editorindividuals Emeritus to honor those and their Janice Doyle families, and to share their stories. It’s worth checking out. Office Manager Vicki Willis vicki@lifestylesafter50.com

News! We also have some news at the Administrative Assistant magazine, bothAllie good and bittersweet. Shaw The good: We’re announcing allie@lifestylesafter50.com a brand new Polk edition of our magazine Production starting in Supervisor/Graphic October! We’re Design excited 813-689-6104 to better reach our 50+ followers in Lakeland, Bartow, Winter Haven and Distribution Nancy Spencer: 941-244-0500 Lake Wales, and to connect them with helpful nancy@lifestylesafter50.com services and fun goings on in the area. Great things are coming! Advertising Sales TheQuestions/Customer bittersweet: Edith “Pat” Brunner, Service Vicki’s mother, passed away last month 813-653-1988 • 1-888-670-0040 shortly after her 80th birthday. We’ll miss the vibrant, no-nonsense Ourwould other editions: woman who volunteer at our Tampa Edition: Countyus Fun FestBay events, runHillsborough circles around Lake Edition: Lake/Marion young’uns and make us all Counties laugh at the Sarasota/Manatee endSarasota of a longEdition: day. I’ll miss her beautiful Southwest Edition: Lee/Collier & Charlotte gardens and the afternoons she spent To learn 1-888-670-0040 teaching memore, how call to play the Wii. I like to think she’s looking News Connection USA, Inc.down on all of usP.O. fromBox one638 of Vicki’s hot Seffner, Florida 33583-0638 air balloons, hitting the last and best item on her bucket list, rising slow Fax: (813) 651-1989 and gentle. www.lifestylesafter50.com —Tracie Lukens

Sarasota/Manatee Edition Published monthly by News Connection U.S.A., Inc

Lak

President Richard Reeves richard@lifestylesafter50.com Publisher/Director of Events & Marketing Kathy J. Beck kathy@lifestylesafter50.com

Publi

Editor Tracie Lukens editor@lifestylesafter50.com Editor Emeritus Janice Doyle Office Manager Vicki Willis vicki@lifestylesafter50.com Administrative Assistant Allie Shaw allie@lifestylesafter50.com Production Supervisor/Graphic Design 813-689-6104

Prod

Distribution Nancy Spencer: 941-244-0500 nancy@lifestylesafter50.com

Advertising Sales Questions/Customer Service

813-653-1988 • 1-888-670-0040 Our other editions:

Southwest Edition: Lee/Collier & Charlotte Tampa Bay Edition: Hillsborough County Suncoast Edition: Pinellas/Pasco Counties Lake Edition: Lake/Marion Counties To learn more, call 1-888-670-0040

News Connection USA, Inc. P.O. Box 638 Seffner, Florida 33583-0638

Sunc Tam Saras South

Fax: (813) 651-1989 www.lifestylesafter50.com

FCOA

Attention Readers: The articles printed in Lifestyles After 50 do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Editor or the staff. Lifestyles After 50 endeavors to accept reliable advertising; however, we cannot be held responsible by the public for advertising claims. Lifestyles After 50 reserves the right to refuse or discontinue any advertisement. Our advertising deadline for each issue is the 15th of the previous month. Magazines are out by the 7th of each month. All rights reserved.

Atte in Li reflec staff. acce cann for a reser any dead previ the 7

As a reader of Lifestyles After 50, you are creating an established relationship with our advertisers. You may be contacted by email, telephone or mail as allowed by law.

As a creat our a emai

Lifestyles After 50 • September 2015 • page 3

The Big Summer Golf Card® D

on’t miss out on playing golf all summer long at preferred rates at 55 top area courses! Prime tee times, no blackout days or times, at lowest rates available! Not only that, but every round played at a Big Summer Golf Card Exclusive course (go to bigsummergolf. com for list) puts you one step closer to SM an entry in the Big Money Tour with $30,000 of giveaways to be won! The Big Summer Golf Card® is your passport to a full summer of golfing

SARASOTA Brian’s auto repair.............. 926-2526 suzuki of sarasota ............. 925-0376 Gulf Coast auto parts ...... 377-1199 MoBile teCh auto repair ... 925-2446 Jay & Dean’s auto repair .... 924-2708 swift auto repair................. 922-3011 sunset DoDGe ........................ 922-0285 toM Dion’s autoMotive .......926-4942 Dan’s MoBile v-twin..............806-8712 hap’s CyCle sales ................365-3443 aDvanCe auto works ..........924-1898 kesatie Motorsports.........378-1630

opportunities! Look for the free Golf Course Guide at participating clubs and a website detailing special rates, frequent offers, play dates and an exclusive invitation from The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club. Gain prime time access to favorite area courses for unlimited play through October and beyond. Cardholders get preferred rates with Exclusive courses offering a minimum 25% off greens fees and cart. Most of the courses are semiprivate but a select number of private

BRADENTON napa auto parts ....................746-4181 CoMe see CoMe save ...........748-5965 total Motorsports ............756-6500 BraDenton lawn & fun .......792-1122 the Bike shop .........................744-0400 aCtion Jet sports ................745-9521 usa transMission .................748-6961 Manatee sCooters ..............677-2668 h3 perforManCe ...................751-1949 rnr Marine ..............................840-1767 NORTH PORT aDvanCe auto parts ........... 429-0013 PALMETTO northsiDe auto parts .....722-4581 hhht auto Care ..................721-3888 napa auto parts................. 722-6618

PARRISH parrish Gen supply ..........776-2141 PORT CHARLOTTE BlaCk wiDow CyCles ........883-8000 VENICE auto worx of veniCe .......923-1438 aDvanCe auto parts .........484-6128 aDvanCe auto parts .........497-7970 aMeriCan iMports .............484-1340 enGlewooD svC Center..474-4900 ENGLEWOOD enGlewooD svC Center.....474-4900 stiver’s tire & auto ..........474-7660

If you or your business would like to get AMSOIL products at Wholesale CALL 941-586-3853

Lifestyles After 50 • September 2015 • page 4

courses work with BSGC and have opened their doors to cardholder play. Cardholders benefit from email updates with special offers and the new campaign “Take a Local Road Trip,” which showcases courses around SW Florida. Golf is about fun and Big Summer Golf Card does its part to promote active and SM social play. The Big Money Tour offers golfers a chance to win big in a monthly prize drawing which is all about the amount of play and not the scores! For

full details, visit bigsummergolf.com SM and click on Big Money Tour. Would you like to play The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club? Big Summer Golf Card holders have an exclusive opportunity to experience the acclaimed Tom Fazio-designed 18hole course. Dates available online. 2015 Big Summer Golf Cards can be purchased at bigsummergolf.com or 1-800-391-3665. The late season price is just $39 starting Sept. 15. One card, many options; Don’t Play Golf Without It!

Around Town W H AT ’ S H A P P E N I N G S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5

ondays The Venetian Harmony Chorus Chapter of Sweet Adelines will be teaching anyone interested in learning how to sing in four part harmony. 6:30 – 9 p.m., Christ Lutheran Church, Englewood. Call 941-480-1480 for more information. aturdays Venice Farmers Market. Free. 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. Nokomis and Tampa Avenues, Venice. 941-484-6722.

and 7 Pioneer Days Events and Labor Day Parade. Two-day festival featuring live entertainment on two stages, food, vendors, contests and more. Free. 10 a.m. Parade starts Monday at 9 a.m. Olde Englewood Village, Dearborn Street, Englewood. 941-474-5511. Englewoodpioneerdays.com.

The Swingaroos, jazz from the ‘20s to the 2010s. $18/$36. 7:30 p.m. Florida Studio Theatre, Sarasota. 941-366-9000. Floridastudiotheatre.org/swingaroos.

Concert in the Park. Relax as the air fills with beautiful music. Vendors, free entertainment, food and more. Free admission. 7 – 9 p.m. Centennial Park, Venice. 941-486-2626.

Lou Reed’s “Berlin.” Enjoy a Florida folk concert by Beartoe before a screening of Lou Reed’s “Berlin” where he re-teams with producers to stage live performances of the now classic release. $5/$7. 6:30pm. South Florida Museum, Bradenton. 941746-4131. Southfloridamuseum.org. Pre-Biketoberfest Party! Enjoy another great event with the Peace River Chapter of ABATE. Live music, food, vendors and more. $3 gate fee. 12 – 5 p.m. Tarzan’s Jungle, Venice. More info at 941-429-9917 or peaceriver.abateflorida.com.

Monday Night at the Movies. Enjoy movies on the big screen at Elsie Quirk Library, Englewood. Free admission. 5 – 8 p.m. Contact the library for movie titles. 941-861-1207.

Historic Downtown Village. Stroll shops, galleries and restaurants while enjoying live entertainment and complimentary hors d’oeuvres and wine. Free admission. 5 – 9 p.m. Historic Downtown Village, Sarasota. 941-388-3700.

Central Sarasota Farmer’s Market. Free admission. 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. Sarasota County Technical Institute. 941-726-4391.

Exploring 3D Printing. The fascinating world of 3D printing will be the featured topic at the Welcome Club of Sarasota/Manatee monthly luncheon, with Dawn Musilli from the Englewood Incubation Center as the speaker. $25. 11:15 a.m. Laurel Oak Country Club, Sarasota. 941-870-2330.

Send Around Town news to News Connection USA, Inc., P.O. Box 638, Seffner, FL 33583; fax 813-651-1989 or email events to info@lifestylesafter50. com. News must be received by the 10th of the month prior to event (i.e. September 10 for October event.)

12, 13 Fall Home Show. Over 200 exhibits. Merchandise, product demos and sample interior and exterior vignettes. Free admission. 1 a.m. – 7 p.m. Robarts Arena at Sarasota Fairgrounds. 888-433-3976 or 516-535-3976.

The Secret Garden. Witness the enchanting story of young orphan Mary Lennox as she blossoms into a woman while bringing new life to a neglected garden. $27/$37. 7:30 p.m. Manatee Performing Arts Center, Bradenton. 941-749-1111.

Comedy Lottery. Twelve lucky audience members will decide the lineup for the night which will feature scenes, sketches, and song. $15. 7:30 p.m. Florida Studio Theatre, Sarasota. 941-366-9000 or www.floridastudiotheatre.org

ct. 2 Venice Area Chamber of Commerce Expo. Free admission. 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Venice Community Center. 941-488-2236. tarting Oct. 6 10-Week Aging Mastery Program at Senior Friendship Centers, 1900 Brother Geenen Way, Sarasota. Learn how small changes to one’s lifestyle can lead to a longer, healthier life. Tuesdays from 9 to 11 a.m. $99/ten sessions. Learn more/register at 941-556-3236.

Lifestyles After 50 • September 2015 • page 5

Tin Can Tourists Chock-Full of Vintage Adventures By Tom Chang

in Can Tourists is a vintage trailer and motor coach enthusiast club originating in Florida. The Florida treasure, which began in Tampa, has been around since 1919 and its objective was “to unite fraternally all autocampers.” The group gathers all over the country to share a camaraderie among others with shared interests. Members could be inducted as fellow campers through an initiation process that involved teaching the prospective member the secret handshake, sign and password. The group adopted the song “The More We Get Together” as its anthem. While membership was waning, seasonal Sarasota residents Forrest Bone and his wife, Jeri, saw an opportunity to take the reins of the organization for a new generation of enthusiasts. “I was a Tin Can Tourist in 1998,” Bone said. “My wife and I were charter members of another group in 1993. From 1993 until 1998, we would travel to the Airstream Internationals and then, in 1998, we decided there were a lot of great looking trailers and we didn’t

want to be restricted to events that just featured Airstream trailers.” Bone decided to venture elsewhere and found about the existence of the group. Upon further research, he discovered the group hadn’t been active for over a decade. “We wanted to see if the group was still functioning,” Boone said. “So we went through a deal with the trademark lawyers to make sure we weren’t stepping on the feet of any existing group, and we found out the last remnants stopped meeting around the mid-1980s.” The Bones re-established the trademarks and organized a renewal gathering that included 21 trailers. “The main rally at the gathering in Michigan we had last Spring had 109 trailers,” Bone said. “Since ‘98 until now, it’s grown nationally and we have a few international members too.”

Photos from a recent Tin Can Tourist caravan: Characters welcome!

Bone said the secret to the group’s success is that they’re open to any brand. “If a person has a new rig and doesn’t necessarily have a vintage trailer, they’re welcome to participate at our gathering,” Bone said. “They’ll have an opportunity to see everything.” Through the internet, Bone attributes the group’s newfound success with the generational appeal of camping.

“When you talk with some people, they relate back to camping with their parents or grandparents,” Bone said. “When they saw certain trailers that reminded them of the 1950s and 1960s, they had a real love for them and it brought real fond memories.” Bone said membership has grown particularly in the last three or four years. “My son set up the website and social media for us and all of that has really broadened the reach,” Bone said. “On our Facebook page, we’ve reached over 22,000. Either we contacted them or they contacted us. The internet has allowed us to attract others from all over the United States.” Enthusiasts can sign up at online at tincantourists.com.

Florida Athletes Bring Home Gold at National Senior Games By Nick Gandy, Florida Sports Foundation

hey traveled anywhere from 1,300 to 1,800 miles to represent the State of Florida. The 469 Florida Senior Athletes made their presence known, winning a total of 346 medals at the 2015 National Senior Games in Bloomington/ Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota. The 346 medals won ranked third among the 50 U.S. states and six Canadian provinces competing, just behind hostShirley Chase, “Freedom Spirit of Florida,” state Minnesota and California. Florida Kamal Chaudhari, St. Augustine Temple Terrace Tampa Bay athletes won 123 gold, 107 silver and 116 bronze medals, according to the “Medal the National Senior Games and in the and mixed doubles in the 75 – 79 age Count,” posted on www.nsga.com. top three of the medal count, shows that group. Chaudhari has been competing The biennial event featured 13 days our state is home to many outstanding in the Florida Senior Games since 1997. of competition this summer with nearly competitors who just so happen to be In softball’s women 75+ category, 10,000 athletes competing in 19 sports. 50 and over,” said FSF Senior Vice “Freedom Spirit of Florida” shone. Florida swimmers led the way with 57 President Stephen Rodriguez, who The team of spirited ladies from Tampa, medals (14 gold, 25 silver, 18 bronze) also serves as Board Chairman for the Pinellas Park, Largo, Leesburg, St. followed by track and field athletes National Senior Games Association. Petersburg, The Villages and Venice won with 39 medals (10 gold, 18 silver, 11 bronze and several individual medals. Florida Senior Athlete Highlights at the bronze). Florida’s bowling athletes 2015 National Senior Games included: won 30 total medals and cyclists won Another Florida two-sport athlete, Ryan 20 medals. The State of Florida won at Kamal Chaudhari of Temple Terrace Beighley of The Villages, turned in medal least one medal in each of the 19 sports was the lone badminton player from -winning performances in the pool and on and two demonstration sports. the State of Florida. He represented the the track. He won two gold and a silver “The fact that Florida is typically in the state well, winning two gold and a silver swimming medal, and silver in the javelin top five state delegations represented at medal playing singles, men’s doubles throw in the 90 – 94 age group. Beighley’s

Lifestyles After 50 • September 2015 • page 6

wife, Marty, also brought home some hardware after winning two gold and five silver medals in the 70 – 74 age group. Ryan met Marty on a 191-mile Ragnar Relay Run from Miami to Key West and the pair married two years ago. They have been competing together in the Florida Senior Games for three years. It may have taken St. Augustine’s Shirley Chase nearly 30 minutes to swim the 34 laps of her four freestyle events, but the 90-year-old swimmer accomplished a goal two years in the making. Chase informed her family two years ago she would swim at the 2015 National Senior Games and they all needed to be in attendance. Her training program included lap swimming three times a week, yoga and light weightlifting three days a week. On July 9, she began swimming the last of her four freestyle events, the 20 lap, 500 yard freestyle. Nearly 18 minutes later, she touched the wall for the final time for a gold medal and was greeted with applause from her children and grandchildren. Chase won bronze medals in the 50, 100 and 200 yard freestyle events. To learn more, visit www.nsga.com.

The White House Conference on Aging —Themes, Surprises and Realities By Adriane Berg

very 10 years, leaders in the field of aging gather in Washington D.C. to attend the White House Conference on Aging (WHCOA). The WHCOA sets the tone for governmental, nonprofit and commercial efforts that will affect us all. This year, there were significant themes President Barack Obama addresses the which express the White House Conference on Aging state of aging today: • Focus on family and professional of ageism for commercial enterprises to consistently skew young with their caregivers marketing and advertising. • The woeful state of retirement savings All in all, there is much to be hopeful of boomers for from the Conference. • The disgrace of elder abuse Several speakers gave a shoutout to their parents and spouses at • Age-friendly and dementia-friendly home who were having birthdays; universally designed communities then quickly apologized with a smile • Continued food insecurity about mentioning their age in public. • The ubiquitous presence of technology President Obama quipped that he was in our lives living in dog years and pointed to his It cannot be ignored that both Medicare graying hair. What could be demeaning or secretive and Medicaid turn fifty this year and Social Security turns 80. Will these about being over 60? Which leads me the greatest programs enjoy further longevity? Refreshingly, boomers and older omission at the WHCOA: there was adults were acknowledged as mega no panel presentation on employment consumers, adding—not detracting— discrimination for our boomers and older adults. from our economy. Airbnb, HONOR, Peapod, Uber, Care. I can only hope that the energy, sincerity com, Walgreens and other successful and hard work of everyone who spoke enterprises proved once and for all that and attended the WHCOA will result in the boomer is an economic force not 10 years of active progress. One thing is to be ignored. These companies have a assured, at the next WHCOA everyone who survives will be 10 years older. great deal to teach their competitors. “To age is to live...To care is to be With 78 million people with billions in spendable income, it is nothing short human.” —David Hyde Pierce

Happier People Retired, Older

ivicScience, a market research firm whose research has appeared in the WSJ, Bloomberg, Good Morning America and much more, has been following happiness since 2013. Over that time, 166,310 Americans have answered the CivicScience poll question: “How happy are you today?—Very Happy, Happy, Unhappy, Very Unhappy, or So-So.”

And in it, there is good news for older and retired Americans. The perks of youth apparently don’t guarantee happiness. More happy people than unhappy people are over the age of 45 (52% happy vs. 37% unhappy). Unhappy people are more likely to be under age 30. And while career is a major indicator of happiness, people who report being happy are also more likely to be retired.

Check Us Out Online! and

Find our Facebook page by clicking on the Facebook icon on lifestylesafter50.com Or visit us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MaturLifestyles (without the “e”).

MEDICARE OPEN ENROLLMENT DATES! October 15 - December 7

1-866-413-5337 TOLL FREE Se Habla Español

SHINE is a Florida Department of Elder Aﬀairs program operated in partnership with your local Area Agency on Aging to provide information and assistance with Medicare. All services are free, objective and conndential. WE DO NOT SELL INSURANCE OR REPRESENT ANY INSURANCE ENTITY.

Lifestyles After 50 • September 2015 • page 7

RECIPE

Grilling Tips to Get You to Pitmaster Status

ive your grill some sizzle by combining your favorite cuts of meat and unique combinations of dry rub ingredients. In no time, you’ll earn “pitmaster” status among your friends and family as you create amazing flavors that will impress even the biggest BBQ fans. The key to success on the grill is top-notch ingredients, and it all begins with quality meat. With mouthwatering flavor and no artificial ingredients, Smithfield Fresh Pork offers a wide variety of cuts perfect for grilling season.

5. Patience is a virtue; don’t open the grill lid unless you are checking for doneness or turning the food. Become the ultimate grill master with these tangy Asian inspired St. Louis Style ribs created by pitmaster Tuffy Stone of Q Barbeque.

When you’re ready to hit the grill, keep these tips in mind: 1. Season your ribs at least 30 minutes before grilling to make sure all of the flavors are absorbed. 2. Trust your thermometer; cook ribs to an internal temperature of about 200°F for fall off the bone tenderness. 3. Forget forks; use tongs or a spatula to keep from releasing precious juices. 4. Slow and steady is the way to go; slow cook ribs over indirect heat and add a handful of soaked hickory, apple or cherry wood chips for extra smoky flavor.

Ingredients • 1/2 cup kosher salt • 1/3 cup light brown sugar •1 tablespoon ground cinnamon • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground anise or fennel seed • 1 teaspoon black pepper • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves • 2 racks Smithfield Extra Tender St. LouisStyle Pork Spareribs, membrane removed • 1 handful hickory or apple wood chips for smoking, soaked and drained (optional) • 2 cups hoisin barbecue sauce

Lifestyles After 50 • September 2015 • page 8

Asian Style BBQ Ribs

Preparation 1. About 30 minutes before grilling, make the dry rub. Combine the first six ingredients in small bowl; mix well. Generously coat both sides of ribs with rub. Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes.

2. Heat charcoal or gas grill for indirect cooking at 275°F. Add drained wood chips, if using. 3. Place the ribs, meaty side up, over a drip pan and cook for 2 hours. Add about 12 coals to a charcoal grill every 45 minutes or so to maintain the heat. 4. Remove ribs from grill. Doublewrap each rack in heavy-duty aluminum foil. Return wrapped ribs to the grill and cook for 2 hours more over indirect heat, until very tender. Add more coals as needed to maintain temperature for a charcoal grill. 5. Remove ribs from grill and unwrap. Place ribs over direct heat on grill and brush with hoisin barbecue sauce. Cook for about 5 minutes until the sauce is set. Turn ribs and repeat with more sauce. 6. Serve ribs with remaining hoisin barbecue sauce. For more flavorful grilling recipes and tips, visit smithfield.com. (Family Features)

Lifestyles After 50 • September 2015 • page 9

Snowbirds: Life Lessons From The Road

ike many a retired couple, Jo Ann Bender and her husband Frederick (Bud) Budinger, a.k.a. ‘Skipper,’ thought it would be a grand adventure and a dream come true. So they upgraded the interior of a $7,000, l973 Ford motor home and spent $3,000 in repairs, hoping that would be sufﬁcient to ﬁx the engine. Then they hit the road on a 2,000-mile, two month semibusiness trip from Spokane to Texas. The trip required $2,000 a month for fuel, food, camping and $1,500 for repairs. This was less than they would have had to pay at home during the two highest months of utility bills. Insurance of the car left at home was lessened by being “on vacation.” But the trip in a vintage teal-andwhite RV named “Our Girl” was not without its ups and downs, including a nightmare of breakdowns by the side of the road, and hours spent searching for and getting help from mechanics everywhere along the route. They learned new skills as navigators and mechanics as they plowed joyfully ahead with their cantankerous little motor home looking for free parking. And along the way, Jo Ann records her experiences and the many discoveries she and Skipper make during the course of their journey. Here are a few discoveries, life lessons and tips:

On Challenges One of major problems with life in an RV, according to the Benders, is that things have a way of disappearing that become a waste of energy, frustration and loss of good feelings. When you’re on the road, it’s difﬁcult to do more than get from one destination to another, especially when weather conditions make driving hazardous. “Road Gods must be similar to River Gods: they like to claim something for themselves,” Bender writes. “In Portland, it was a turtleneck left in a dryer.” An RV also brings out the best and the worst in personal relationships. Small spaces are ideal for some couples. For others, even with outdoor living possible under awnings, there is nowhere to get away from each other. As Skipper points out at one point in frustration, “There’s no place to have a good ﬁght in such a small space.”

On Purchasing an RV “We had one rule when choosing our discretionary home on wheels, and that was to never buy one unless it was at least five years old. New RVs depreciate fifty percent in the first five years. After that, the price goes down another two percent or so each year. “Buy a motor home, but buy one you can afford without hurting your quality of life so you can love—not resent—it. It will be the best decision you ever made.” Lifestyles After 50 • September 2015 • page 10

Essential Items for a Snowbird trip 1. The trip log with tickler notes 2. Frozen, easy-to-cook meals, prepared at home and placed in freezer bags, laid ﬂat 3. A map for each state 4. Small and medium-size baggies 5. New wiper blades 6. Bathrobes and slippers 7. Gifts representing our state (apples, handmade items, a cookbook we wrote) 8. Easygoing companion with a sense of humor 9. Tool kit with wrenches, sockets and fuses 10. Rolls of quarters for laundry, tolls, phone calls, gambling (minimum of sixty dollars in cash for each day we’ll be on the road for groceries, attractions and cash-only service stations) 11. Flashlight for each occupant, plus a spare for the person who can’t ﬁnd theirs 12. Flood lamp 13. Medications. Walk-in clinics often won’t help a transient because of the need to have patient follow-up Helpful Tips Local lunch: “On the road, lunch at a restaurant is essential to experience the culture of an area, because even the taste of the water can be different,” JoAnn writes. Community clubs: “Visiting a noon club meeting of a local community group, when possible, leads to local information and possible friendships. Skipper is a longtime Rotarian, and we were invited to a Texas ranch to enjoy the food, a horse ride and a trip to see the Marfa Lights because of that.” Laundry: “Rolling parcels of clothes with a day’s wear worked well and left extra storage space in drawers.” Look for free sites: “In the Southwest, especially in the desert surrounding Quartzite, Arizona, the Bureau of Land Management has thousands of free sites.”

JoAnn Bender and Frederick Budinger

Mail: “General delivery at U.S. Postal Service mail stops worked exceedingly well. We canceled magazines, prepaid as many bills as possible and had a friend sort mail and forward it to general delivery in whatever city we directed. It never failed to arrive on time.” Road Wisdom Time: “As we drove down the lonely highway, a tape played and I heard the words, ‘Fill your dreams with sweet tomorrows,’ and I started to glow all over. I wondered what time it had gotten to be and noticed that I was not wearing my watch,” JoAnn writes. “We didn’t care about time. Deadlines were part of another world. Time chimes differently for snowbirds. Long, lazy ﬁfteen minute showers, late nights and sleep-in mornings: luxuries of time substituted for money; time to follow strange and unknown roads wherever they might take you,” she says. Destiny: “During an RV journey, there is a sense of being on a journey along a predestined path. The inner spirit shines.” Distance: “The longer a journey, the farther the distancing from the past.” Trouble: “There are dangers wherever you go, yet when you are on the road you seem to bump into good people. When you need help, somehow you get it.”

The Best Part of The Trip Bender and Budinger’s trip took them to hot springs, Indian ruins, Western forts, the Marfa Lights, and a Mariachi Mass at a San Antonio Mission, among other memorable and surprising adventures. “The RV world is vast,” JoAnn writes. “It is as beautiful and challenging as this wonderful world we call home—the U.S. of A. We went off to explore parts of it and returned feeling the responsibility and privileges of being a citizen. “When we viewed and drove miles of golden lands, we thanked our country for the good roads that allowed us the opportunity, at little cost, to explore so we could meet diverse people and savor foods and other lifestyles.” JoAnn Bender is the author of Lebensborn and Rusting Springs. She and her husband, Frederick (Bud) Budinger, aka “Skipper,” live in the mountains of Washington State a few miles south of the Canadian border. For more road wisdom, check out their book, “Snowbirds, A Memoir” available on amazon.com.

Dramatic Improvement In Woman’s Musculoskeletal Health After Using Low-Intensity Vibration

ike many older adults, Sara Meeks, 74, is at risk from musculoskeletal degeneration that affects the health of her bones, leaving her vulnerable to painful fractures. Diagnosed several years ago, Sara is still technically considered osteoporotic, but at a time when her musculoskeletal health is expected to be deteriorating at a rapid pace, it is actually improving. Sara puts these improvements in musculoskeletal health down to her comprehensive program that includes the use of low-intensity vibration, a therapy that can stimulate the repair of and maintenance of musculoskeletal tissues. “Since I’ve started using the lowintensity vibration as part of my comprehensive routine, my bone density has improved a lot,” Sara said. As a physical therapist, Sara has focused the last 30 years of her career on musculoskeletal health, so she knows just how important healthy and strong muscles are for supporting bone health. Her Meeks Method exercise and posture program is recognized both in the

United States and internationally to prevent, arrest and reverse the postural changes that negatively impact musculoskeletal wellness. Sara began using low-intensity vibration about 7 years ago when she discovered research by Marodyne Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Clinton Rubin. Dr. Rubin has spent more than 30 years researching the effects of low-intensity vibration in relationship to musculoskeletal issues. “I’m really excited to see technology available like this,” Sara said. “I’m an advocate of a non-drug approach to health.” High intensity vibration therapy, called whole-body vibration, is available, but this is considered risky and may even be harmful to the elderly, frail or infirm. “Whole-body vibration can be dangerous,” Sara said. “The devices can give you headaches. That’s not what my patients want; they want safety.” Dr. Rubin’s LivMD device is the only

Sara Meeks

vibration therapy Sara recommends to her clients. Both she and her husband have been using the lowintensity vibration daily to support their musculoskeletal health, said Sara.

LivMD was developed in line with The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) safety standards. The device, that accelerates the user at 0.4g at a frequency of 30HZ, is safe to stand on for up to four hours per day, according to the International Standard Organization 2631 evaluation of human exposure to whole body vibration. “It’s the only one I would use because it was designed with safety in mind,” Sara said. Sara described the sensation while standing on the device as a nice buzzing that works its way through the body “In my experience, people don’t like to exercise. If you can give them something that fits into their daily life, they’re more likely to do it. This fits into your life.” Contact Sara Meeks for more information about low-intensity vibration and her programs by visiting her website www.SaraMeeksPt.com. To learn more about LivMD, visit www.LivMD.us.

Lifestyles After 50 • September 2015 • page 11

Looking To Stay Active? Try The Theatre!

t’s no secret that staying active—both physical and mentally—helps us stay young. If you’re looking for new opportunities, try Venice Theatre. Take a class, audition or volunteer. You’ll meet new people, flex new muscles and have fun. Plus, you’ll be helping us carry out our mission of “making a dramatic impact on all stages of life.”

Auditions: It’s almost time for Silver Foxes auditions! If you love performing or have always wanted to try, the Silver Foxes might be for you. Our young-at-heart performers take their road shows around the community all season and in March they perform a big show Classes: In addition to on the MainStage. performance classes, we’ve The Silver Foxes perform at They’re looking for last year’s show. got some for the non-actor. new singers, dancers Back by popular demand, Photo by Renee McVety and actors. Auditions there’s “That Show Changed are Sept. 28 and 29 at 10 a.m. Details My Life …Why?” It’s a theatre session are at VeniceStage.com, or just call our on Saturday, Oct. 3 from 10 to 11:30 education office at 941-486-8679 with a.m. It’s open to the public at no charge. any questions about the audition process. If you like it, you can come back for five more Saturdays to learn all about Volunteering: Opportunities range the “miracle of live theatre.” Peter from performing to ushering, from is also teaching a new class starting painting scenery to entering data. Again, Oct. 13 called “Dinner, Discussion you can learn more at VeniceStage.com. and Drama!” Learn more about it and register online at VeniceStage.com Whether in the audience, the classroom, or call our education department at on stage or back stage, we look forward 941-486-8679. to seeing you at the theatre!

2496 Sylvia Lane, Venice, FL 34292

Office: 941-488-5672

www.VeniceRanch.com Hours: Mon.,Tues., Thurs. & Fri. 10:00 to noon and 1:00 to 4:00. Closed Wed. Weekends by appointment only.

Venice Ranch is a quiet, clean, 55+ manufactured home community in a super location. Here’s what is nearby:

• Shopping ...............................1/2 mile • Hospital ............................ 3-1/2 miles • Restaurants ............................1/4 mile • Banking .................................1/4 mile • Quaint, cultural, and BEST OF ALL … historic Venice Center ............... 3 miles • Homes starting at $2,000 and up, on larger • Four golf courses ...................1-3 miles than normal manufactured home lots • Beaches ................................... 4 miles • New solar heated pool • Interstate 75 ..........................3/4 mile • We have all kinds of clubs and amenities Lifestyles After 50 • September 2015 • page 12

Lifestyles After 50 Announces New Edition!

Our first annual Fun Fest in Polk County will be held Nov. 5 at Heartland Church in Winter Haven. Info: 813-651-1989. As always, we are proud to bring Lifestyles After 50 magazine to our readers FREE of charge. Look for our publication at convenient, free pickup locations across the county, or sign up for our annual subscription. It’s only $12 a year (to cover postage) to have the magazine delivered to your doorstep every month. Just call 1-888-670-0040 to sign up! Do you have a business or service in Polk County that benefits 50+ adults? Our readers want to get to know you better. Call us at 1-888-670-0040 to find out how we can better connect you to your customers. Lifestyles After 50 fills a critical need for Polk county businesses that want to reach the vital over-50 population. “We will offer our free distribution monthly magazine at over 800 locations throughout Polk County. Locations such as pharmacies, libraries, waiting rooms, community centers and more: most of the places this demographic visits often.” says Reeves. Lifestyles After 50 is also online, bringing to you a free, easy-to-read digital version of our magazine as well as fresh weekly content on topics of interest. Check out our weekly trivia for prizes, horoscopes, games and fun videos! Visit lifestylesafter50.com to learn more.

ifestyles After 50 is excited to announce its brand new Polk Edition, starting in October, 2015! This new edition will cover events and happenings all across Lakeland, Winter Haven, Bartow, Lake Wales and more, as well as providing great information on travel, health, ﬁnance and retirement living that are the hallmarks of our other ﬁve editions across Florida’s west coast. “I am very excited about this new edition,” says publisher Kathy Beck. “The Polk County Senior Market is almost twice the size of Hillsborough County and has been underserved for a long time. Lifestyles After 50 will offer the opportunity to connect the 50-plus market to all that Polk County has to offer.” “Lifestyles After 50 is currently distributed in eleven counties throughout the west coast of Florida, from the Villages to Naples. Polk county offers the most logical next step for us as we provide news, entertainment and valuable health information for our readers,” says president Richard Reeves. Life In Polk County Our goal is to connect our active, 50+ readers with the best local services and area attractions. Resting between Tampa and Orlando, Polk County may seem like a laidback community to the average visitor, but residents know that there’s always something going on.

Florida Polytechnic University, Lakeland

It’s an exciting mix of old Florida and new in Lakeland. A trip to Dixieland is like stepping back into the ‘50s, with retro and mod-themed architecture on shops and restaurants and residential streets lined with old Craftsman-style houses. While nearby, Legoland, Winter Haven visible from I-4, Florida Polytechnic University’s cuttingedge design is a landmark that proves that the city has its eye on the future. The Lakeland Center is the heart of the arts in the city, hosting regular concerts, theater performances, comedy and Taking up the former residence of conventions. Catch an independent ﬁlm at Cypress Gardens, LEGOLAND is the historic Polk Theatre or walk through making a huge splash in Winter Haven, the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright at inviting families and fans to explore Florida Southern College. There’s more larger-than-life LEGO worlds like to do downtown with regular food truck Chima and Ninjago, to cool off at their nights, bands, drinks at the Lakeland water park, enjoy rides and shows and Brewery or a stroll through Hollis Gardens learn how to build with the pros. on serene Lake Mirror.

Bok Tower Gardens, Lake Wales

Lake Wales’ picturesque Bok Tower Gardens is getting ready to ring in the holidays from its stately carillon. And in Bartow, Sun ‘N Fun brings aerobatic daredevils and aviation enthusiasts from across the country to its annual Fly-In and Expo and Florida Sun ‘N Fun, Bartow Air Museum. These are only a few of the great attractions Polk County has to offer. Look for our monthly Around Town calendar in the new edition to ﬁnd out about fun events going on near you. Great Events We’re also excited to bring our own brand new Lifestyles After 50 Fun Fest events to Polk County, with live entertainment, senior-friendly exhibitors, free games and chances to win $1,000s in prizes! If you’ve ever been to one of our events, you know it’s a must-see!

We look forward to bringing you more great info and entertainment as the magazine grows. We couldn’t have done this without you, our readers and sponsors. Thank you for being part of our Lifestyles After 50!

Lifestyles After 50 • September 2015 • page 13

Business or Pleasure? Why Choose, Say Retirees By Tracie Lukens

magine waking up every morning with Glacier National Park as your backyard, or stepping out for a coffee break to watch buffalo grazing by Yellowstone Lake. It’s not your traditional retirement or your typical 9 to 5, and Christina Hampson, 67, wouldn’t have it any other way. Hampson has called many places home in her career in the entertainment, paralegal and advertising industries, but lately she winters in sunny Florida and spends the summer months workamping. I asked her how she got started. “It was just a quirk. One year in the ‘90s I didn’t have a job, and while I was in the employment office I saw a big sign on the wall about working for the National Park Service. I said, ‘I need an adventure, I’ll apply!’” She applied to several parks and was accepted for a customer service position at Glacier National Park. “I had the most amazing summer I’d ever had in my life,” she said. “I did a lot of hiking, a lot of playing golf, met a lot of great friends, and at that point I was hooked!”

Workamping “Workamping is essentially when you volunteer your time at a campground in return for a site to place your camper on, and usually the amenities—hookups, water, sewer and electric,” Hampson explained. Most positions involve entry level hotel, customer service, concession or retail duties. Applicants with the right experience can apply for park ranger or skilled labor positions. Paid work or labor for housing in a national park is usually 40 hours a week, But work for a standard campsite with amenities at most venues is usually only

part-time—15 to 22 hours a week for couples, and about 26 hours a week if you’re single. Cons: Jobs can involve long periods of standing, physical activity and working outdoors, and resources like grocery stores, hospitals and pharmacies can be over an hour away. Pros: America’s most scenic places are your backyard. “If you’re workamping, you meet new people from all over, see animals and scenery that you’d never see.” Hampson said. “It’s just the adventures that you have— it’s way cooler than plain retirement.” How to start: Private campgrounds, Army Corps, forest services and state parks are always looking for workampers, Hampson suggests. For more job postings, visit sites like coolworks.com and workamper.com. Caretaking If you’ve ever fantasized about living in a chateau, on a ranch or in a

lighthouse, becoming a caretaker can be a rewarding retirement experience. Just ask Lynne Macco, 57, and her husband Timothy Mount, 65, who spent three months as the caretakers of a lighthouse off the coast of Maine. They found the job in Caretaker’s Gazette and have since lived rent-free in lighthouses in Alaska, Massachusetts and Tasmania. In exchange, they’re responsible for daily upkeep and maintenance of the property, as well as stewardship of any guests who visit. “We give tours of the island and tell the history of the lighthouse,” said Lynne. Otherwise, their time is free to explore the area or enjoy the peace and quiet. Cons: Properties may be remote. It’s also not all vacation: it’s your responsibility to care for the property. If something happens, you’re on the hook to fix things, so it helps to be handy. Pros: It’s a chance to try on a new lifestyle in a unique destination, rent-free. How to start: House sitting or caretaking listings can be found in resources like The Caretaker’s Gazette (caretaker.org) and Mind My House (mindmyhouse.com).

September Kicks Off The Players’ 86th Season A t 86 years young, The Players Theatre has transported audiences to hundreds of worlds with thousands of performances and, to this day, continues to be a magical vehicle into the world of imagination. As a learning institution, countless up-and-coming actors have graced The Players stage, have given their time and have filled the darkness with the life of live theatre. Some have gone on to illustrious theatrical and musical careers, while others have enriched this world we live in with the understanding and creative problem-solving only training in the arts can provide. This upcoming year will continue this tradition of excellence with a theme of “Celebrating What Makes Us Unique.”

Lifestyles After 50 • September 2015 • page 14

Each “Unique” show in this upcoming season has NEVER been performed on The Players stage in its almost nine decades of existence and celebrates something different about the human experience. From Sept. 3 – 13, The pre-season bonus show “Cat On A Hot Tin Roof” by Tennessee Williams wets your theatrical and literary whistle until the first show of the season begins on Sept. 30 with the fast-paced Hitchcock whodunit “The 39 Steps.” Entire season subscriptions save you money and provide the theatre with the ability to continue inspiring Sarasota, young and old. For more info on these and the rest of the upcoming shows, visit www.theplayers.org or call 941-365-2494 for a brochure.

Travel Where You Want, Stay For Free With Home Swapping

ext vacation, forget expensive hotels and rental rates. If you swap homes instead, not only do you save money, but you have the opportunity to “live like a local” instead of a tourist, experiencing your destination’s day-to-day life in a new way. The concept of home swapping, or home exchange, has been around since the ‘50s. But the internet and mobile devices have made it even easier to connect with house owners around the world and plan your perfect vacation.

How it works: Two owners with a dwelling, whether conventional (houses, condos or apartments) or unconventional (RVs, boats or castles, for example) agree to trade residences for a certain amount of time. The most popular arrangement is simultaneous home exchange, where two members of a home exchange website trade their homes at a time convenient to both parties.

Owners of second homes or summer houses have the option to do non-simultaneous exchange, opening their vacant homes to their exchange partner, then taking their turn later at their own convenience. Those who want to host guests in their home without leaving themselves can choose a hospitality exchange, where exchangers take turns welcoming each other into their homes at designated times. Some use home exchange for weekend getaways, while a growing number of seniors are participating in long-term swaps or sabbatical exchanges. The easiest way to do this is to join a home swap website. In exchange for a monthly or annual membership fee, the service will help connect you with properties and owners around the world, and help facilitate a secure arrangement. To get started, check out sites like Digsville.com; HomeExchange.com; or ExclusiveExchanges.com (for upscale properties). Happy traveling!

Lifestyles After 50 • September 2015 • page 15

This Month in History 1945: On Sept. 2, President Harry Truman declares V-J Day (Victory over Japan Day) commemorating the formal Japanese surrender to the Allies aboard the U.S.S. Missouri in Tokyo Bay.

his August 15 and September 2 mark the 70th Anniversary of the end of World War II. Here are some other notable moments in history this month: 1620: The Mayflower sets sail from Plymouth, England, carrying pilgrims to the New World. 1789: New York City becomes the first national capital of the United States under the new United States Constitution. The U.S. Postal Service is founded. 1813: The image of “Uncle Sam,” a symbol of America, is first used.

1956: Elvis Presley first appears on the Ed Sullivan Show.

The famous “V-J Day in Times Square” photo by Alfred Eisenstaedt

1921: The first Miss America beauty Pageant is held in Atlantic City, N.J. 1936: Puppeteer Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets, is born in Greenville, Mississippi. 1939: Hitler’s armies invade Poland, on Sept. 1, starting World War II in Europe.

1962: The Beatles record their first single, “Love Me Do.”

1966: premiered on television.

Star

Trek

1981: Sandra Day O’Connor becomes the first female Supreme Court Justice. 2001: Islamic Al-Qaeda militants fly planes into NYC’s twin World Trade Towers and the Pentagon. From internet sources.

Hut, Hut, Hike! B

efore the start of play, the football quarterback begins his cadence. More than just “hut,” the offensive leader on the field uses short commands to prepare the team, adjust to the defense’s line up and even change the play. Whether it’s “Omaha,” “Red 32,” “Set” or “Hike,” each shout is an important tool in the quarterback’s bag of tricks. The most well known cadence, “hike,” was the brainchild of John Heisman (of the eponymous trophy). Prior to its introduction, commonly the quarterback signaled the center to give him the ball by simply scratching the center’s leg. During the 1890-1891 season, Heisman was playing center for the University of Pennsylvania when a leg scratch from an opposing player tricked him into hiking early. To fix the problem, Heisman introduced using a word to start the snap, and that it be “hike,” which already meant to lift up and also had the added benefit of being a short, sharp sound. “Hut” was introduced later, believed to be inspired by the military cadences of World War II, when drill sergeants would holler “Atten-hut!” Another short, sharp sound, it was perfect for preparing the team for battle.

Lifestyles After 50 • September 2015 • page 16

In longer phrases, colors and numbers are frequently used in combination, such as “Green 19,” “Blue 82” and “43-2,” for any number of reasons. Sometimes, the phrase indicates a lastminute change in play or clues players in to their blocking assignments. Often the phrase will put a receiver in motion or simply designate when the ball is about to be snapped. And frequently, a great deal of it (if not all at times) is gibberish. A cadence that comes in many forms but generally means the same thing is the word(s) used to indicate a change in the snap count. Peyton and Eli Manning sometimes use “Omaha,” and Tom Brady uses “Alpha.” Defenses can grow wise to this use, however, so quarterbacks often switch up their cadence or use code words to keep from tipping the snap (and to make the defense jump.) Excerpts from “Why Do American Footballers Say ‘Hut, Hut, Hike!” by Melissa, B.A., J.D on todayIfoundout.com.

Last Month’s Answers

Enter to Win!

Enter To Win!

This month’s Last Month’s Winner Is Rino Allocca winner is Congratulations! Myron L. Guisewite Congratulations !!!

Last Month’s Answers

FILL IN ANSWERS & WIN MONEY!

Send your answers for a drawing. First correct answers selected from the drawing on Sept. 20 will receive $20 cash! Send to: Lifestyles After 50, P.O. Box 638, Seffner, FL 33583 I want information on: Travel / Cruises Recreation / Leisure Entertainment / Events

Insurance Elder Law / Financial Housing Options Reverse Mortgages

Personal Health & Fitness Home Improvements Automobiles

Name Address City Age

State

Zip

Phone

E-mail Sara

Lifestyles After 50 • September 2015 • page 17

Lifestyles After 50 • September 2015 • page 18

Tech Talk Giveaway: VIM & VIGR

elcome to this month’s Tech Talk column, where we cover the latest apps, products and websites that make life a little easier. This month, we’re giving away a pair of new VIM & VIGR compression socks, size M. (Shoe size: 7.5 – 9.5, women; 6 – 8, men. Calf size: 12 – 16”) Approximate value: $32.95. Does sitting, standing, exercising or flying ever leave your legs tired, achy or swollen? Support your health with VIM & VIGR compression legwear. By gently squeezing your legs, their advanced Gradient Pressure knitting technology helps move blood back to your heart and lungs and increases the circulation of freshly oxygenated blood back to your legs. The compression level for the legwear is 15 – 20 mmHg, perfect for all-day, everyday wear. Visit vimvigr.com.

Editor’s Note: These have done wonders for my chronic leg cramps, and are must-haves for any long trip! They also come in a number of styles and colors for men and women. To enter the giveaway, email editor@lifestylesafter50.com or snail mail us at: Attn: Socks Lifestyles After 50 P.O. Box 638, Seffner, FL 33583

䤀渀攀瘀漀䴀匀℀ 䰀䄀䤀䌀匀倀䔀

Send us your name, address and phone number by September 19. The drawing will be held on September 20, and the winner will be contacted and announced in the next issue of Lifestyles After 50. Look for more giveaways in upcoming editions. Good luck!

o n l y$249 00 pp

Congratulations! To last month’s winner: Dayna Ellerbrock of Sun City Center. She won the Lenzcase!

Atlantic City Sept 1- Sept 4 Tunica Sept 16 - Sept 19 Oct 28 - Oct 31

**This offer is subject to availability and management reserves the right to change or cancel this promotion at any time without notice. Must be 21 or older to gamble and enter and remain in a NJ casino and participate in any Harrah’s Resort promotions. Resort fees of $27 per room per night are not included and paid upon hotel departure. Florida Seller of Travel Ref. No ST39092. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.

Lifestyles After 50 • September 2015 • page 19

Last Month’s Answers

August Sudoku Laura Wasden is last month’s winner! Congratulations!

Win Great Prizes!

Good Luck!

New winner selected each month

Sept. Sudoku Sudoku requires no arithmetic skills.The object of the game is to fill all the blank squares with the correct numbers. Each row and each column of 9 numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 in any order. Each 3 by 3 subsection of the 9 by 9 square must include all digits 1 through 9 as well. Good luck! The first correct answers selected from the drawing on Sept. 20 will win.

Send your answers along with your name, address and telephone number to: Lifestyles After 50 P.O. BOX 638, SEFFNER, FL 33583

WIN! WIN! WIN! GREAT PRIZES! SUDOKU MUST BE RECEIVED BY SEPT. 20, 2015

Word Search September In the grid below, twenty answers can be found that fit the category for today. Circle each answer that you find and list it in the space provided at the right of the grid. Answers can be found in all directions – forwards, backwards, horizontally, vertically and diagonally. An example is given to get you started. Can you find the twenty answers in this puzzle?

Question:

Name two famous people born in August and the date they were born:

Your Answer: Send in the correct answer to be entered in a drawing to win a prize each month! Deadline for entries: Sept 16, 2015. Drawing held Sept. 20, 2015.

Name Address City

State

Phone

Zip

Mail to: Lifestyles After 50, P.O. Box 638, Seffner, FL, 33583

Last month’s answer is “Larkspur and Water Lilly” Frank Tutay from N. Fort Myers is last month’s winner! Play more trivia online and win more prizes at www.lifestylesafter50.com

Click on the Trivia Palooza button and answer a Trivia question each week for a chance to win a prize at the end of each month.

Word Search Answers From August

Carol Huston is last month’s winner! Congratulations! Send your answers along with your name, address and telephone number to: LIFESTYLES AFTER 50 P.O. BOX 638, SEFFNER, FL 33583

The first correct answers selected from the drawing on September 20 will win. MYSTERY PRIZE!

WIN! WIN! WIN! GREAT PRIZES!

MYSTERY PRIZE!

(Puzzles must be received by September 20, 2015.)

Lifestyles After 50 • September 2015 • page 20

VETERANS CORNER

WWII War Paint: How BomberJacket Art Emboldened Our Boys All Veterans ~ All Families t the beginning of the WWII, Army

Air Corps members were issued the most badass jacket in the military: the leather A-2. The jackets were not just protection from the wind and cold of high altitudes—they were also a way for young aviators to express their individuality, according to John Conway and Jon Maguire, authors of “American Flight Jackets” and “Art of the Flight Jacket.” Flyers would paint jacket backs with their plane’s nickname and little bombs to tally how many missions the crew flew. Looney Tunes and Walt Disney cartoons were other popular motifs, along with the Vargas Girls from Esquire magazine. The A-2 and plane nose art imagery tended to come from radio programs, newspaper funny pages, comic books, magazines and cartoon reels shown before movies, which served as a common language for young Americans. “You’re talking about guys who were 18, 19 years old,” Conway says. “And this was the first place they’d ever been besides home. They tended to cling to things that were familiar to them.” While familiar cartoons or pretty ladies gave the soldiers a sense of comfort, menacing images such as pirate flags, grim reapers or ferocious animals were intended to give them a sense of power and protection. (The earliest nose art was shark’s teeth, painted across the fuselage.) The same goes for lucky charms like dice, playing cards and rabbit’s feet. While uniform codes were stricter during peacetime, Maguire explains, during World War II, the attitude of the U.S. Army was, ‘Let’s do whatever we can, try to keep these guys happy; they might not be here next week.’” The A-2 After the War The jacket was not only a stylish piece of Americana, Conway says, it was also a very practical garment. “A lot of vets wore them until they fell apart. So many A-2s didn’t survive the postwar years.” While the A-2 lived on through trade and surplus, and was even reissued by the Air Force in the ‘80s, the painted flight jackets more or less died out. Both the end of the war and the introduction of standard-issue nylon jackets brought the tradition to a halt. Because of their personalization and rarity, original A-12s are now a hot-ticket item for American and foreign collectors. Flawless painted flight jackets (even ones that aren’t attached to anyone famous like the American Volunteer

Funerals & Cremations “Serving All Families - Always Honoring Veterans”

Prostate Cancer: Are You At Risk? Pete, a pilot in the 100th Bomb Group, flew a B-17 bomber “Goin’ My Way” and had Bugs Bunny painted on his A-2 jacket. The bomb tail indicates he flew 33 missions. From the collection of Jeff Spielberg.

Group “Flying Tigers,” highly decorated airmen, or celebrities like Jimmy Stewart) will still sell for $3,000 to $6,000. But they’re rare. Of course, that’s created a market for counterfeiters who will buy an unpainted A-2 from the war, paint it and artificially age the painting. There are ways to determine if a jacket is the real deal. If an A-2 still has its name tag, it’s possible to research that soldier through federal records. In the past, Conway and Maguire would turn to veteran’s organizations, who would often help them track down a jacket’s history just with a nickname. But sadly, the World War II vets are dying off, taking their stories with them. For Conway, unraveling the mystery is part of the appeal. “The first flight jacket I ever owned was a gift from a friend of mine who’s a World War II veteran,” Conway recalls. “He bought it in a clothesline sale at a school for a quarter in the 1970s. When he gave it to me, I was so elated. It had a B-17 bomber painted on the back, and 30 bombs, so we knew the guy had flown 30 missions. It had the tail code on the B-17 so we were able to determine it was the 92nd Bomb Group. “I got hooked on unraveling the little mysteries, and also the je ne sais quoi of the leather aviators wore. Even the smell of that old leather captures your imagination because it makes you wonder where it went and who wore it.” Excerpts from “WWII War Paint: How Bomber-Jacket Art Emboldened Our Boys” by Lisa Hix, CollectorsWeekly.com.

ewer men are being diagnosed with and dying from prostate cancer these days. While that is due in part to widespread awareness and better treatment, it is also the result of more judicious screening. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and the second-leading cause of cancer-related death in men following lung cancer. In 1995, when a test came out to measure the PSA, or prostate specific antigen, in the blood, the number of diagnoses spiked. During the past 20 years—especially the past five or six—there has been an annual reduction of 3 to 4 percent in diagnoses. Awareness certainly plays a part in that. Most men know that they should get screened once every year or so once they hit age 50 because early detection leads to more effective treatment. “If you’re under 50, you are at low risk, and if you’re over 70, you’re probably going to die of some other cause,” says Dr. Jay Raman, associate professor of urology at Penn State Hershey. Those most at risk are men whose father or brother have been diagnosed, as well as African-American males and those who eat high-fat diets that have been known to increase the likelihood of developing other cancers. Raman says there is discussion within the medical community about the necessity for and frequency of prostate screenings.

Just over two years ago, the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force gave a low grade to screening for prostate cancer, indicating no general benefit to it. The American Urology Association’s position suggested that was a bit extreme and that men should still be screened, just in a more effective way. New, more specific tests have been developed that—together with the PSA and a rectal exam—can determine the type, amount and aggressiveness of prostate cancer. Raman says a newer PCA3 urine test is good for potentially confirming an initial high PSA value prior to proceeding to prostate biopsy. “We know now that not all prostate cancer is alike,” he says. “Some can be simply followed and observed and don’t need active treatment.” Advances in surgery in the last five to 10 years, coupled with more targeted radiation and new medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration also have contributed to lower death rates from prostate cancer once diagnosed. Raman says the bottom line is to be aware, but not to over-treat. “Screening is paramount because it can detect the disease before it becomes significant enough to be symptomatic,” he said. “But just like you don’t immediately start diabetes medication after a single high glucose test, you don’t want to overreact to a single high PSA result.” September is National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Learn more at www. cancer.org/cancer/prostatecancer/index or www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/ prostate. (Newswise)

Lifestyles After 50 • September 2015 • page 21

101507

1-877-421-3730

Lifestyles After 50 • September 2015 • page 22_R

Perfect Pit Stops On Route 66 A

long with football and grilling outdoors, fall road trips are one of the great American pastimes. A new survey from Booking.com reveals that at least a third of Americans hope to take an extended trip to multiple destinations in 2015. And with gas prices projected to be 32% lower than last year, there’s never been a better time to freewheel it down one of America’s all time classic routes across the country for a spur-of-the-moment adventure. Want a piece of the action? Take our advice and just wing it! Hit the highway for a spontaneous trip down Route 66 and see where your journey takes you. Established on November 11, 1926, the iconic highway runs from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California, covering a total of 2,448 miles. In its heyday, Route 66 was the main thoroughfare for vacationers heading west and Midwesterners looking for work in California. Small towns along the highway enjoyed a boost to their economy, which gave rise to mom-andpop businesses such as service stations, restaurants and motor courts, all readily accessible to passing motorists. Route 66 underwent several changes over its lifetime before the United States Highway system eventually rendered it obsolete. But it was given a new lease on life as a National Scenic Byway and some relics of that bygone era still stand--whether they are ghost towns or carefully preserved and restored American icons—for the next generation of tourists to enjoy. From roadside kitsch to genuine American history, a trip down the Main Street of America is a journey through the nation’s culture by automobile. Below are some perfect pit stops, suggested by Kayak.com and Booking.com, that you don’t want to miss along the way:

in Pontiac (pontiac.org) for stories and memorabilia to inspire your journey.

St. Louis, Missouri You’re really in the Midwest after viewing the Gateway Arch. Continue to the Wagon Wheel Motel in Cuba, which has been open since 1938. (wagonwheel66cuba.com)

Springfield, Missouri Springfield is the place to see to the world’s largest fork, clocking in at 35 feet high and 11 tons of gleaming aluminum. Booking. com reviewers also mention plenty of music venues worth checking out. The Gillioz Theatre (gillioz.org) was singled out for its dedication to all things rock.

Galena, Kansas You’re only in Kansas for 13 miles, but you can find well-preserved portions of the original route, old service stations, bridges and more in the Route 66 Historic District in east Galena. Chicago, Illinois As the birthplace of the deep-dish pizza, it would be rude not to treat yourself to a slice… or ten. Booking.com reviewer Santiago recommends the pizzas over at Giordano’s, but reviewers all agree you would be hard-pressed to find a bad slice in the city. After lunch, stop at the Willis tower then head west for the starting Route 66 Hall of Fame Museum

(nationalcowboymuseum.org) or get outfitted with some cowboy gear at Oklahoma City’s numerous independent stores and shopping malls. See the Rock Cafe of Stroud, (rockcafert66.com) which was built with stones from the authentic Route 66. To keep your engine running, Booking.com traveler Jessica recommends Nic’s Grill for a satisfying meal of American classics like chickenfried steak or burgers with curly fries.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Don your Stetson and hit the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum,

Amarillo, Texas Time to think big, because Amarillo is home to the Big Texan Steak Challenge. Competitors from far and wide head to the Big Texan Steak Ranch to try and eat the legendary 72oz. steak in record time. (bigtexan.com) For an easier challenge, sample pecan pie at Midpoint Cafe, the Route’s original halfway point. (route66midpointcafe.com)

Albuquerque, New Mexico The fictional setting of the hit show Breaking Bad, in reality, Albuquerque is a great place to get back to nature. Plenty of Booking.com reviewers recommend the hiking trails, with travelers Robert and Rosalind both mentioning Sandia Peak and the Tram as must-visits. There are also plenty of horse riding stables in the city, so you can saddle up and ride on out, then hit the hay at one of Albuquerque’s hotels. Find the KiMo Theatre, home to motion pictures and stage productions beginning in the ‘20s. You can still see a show today. (kimotickets.com)

into ghost stories. (hotelmontevista.com) Navigate steep and windy Sitgreaves Pass for spectacular mountain views. Williams, Arizona Williams is only 60 miles from the southern rim of the Grand Canyon, and reviewers definitely thought it was worth the drive. Booking.com traveler Dana mentioned driving toward the Canyon at sunset to enjoy a spot of stargazing. You can also hop aboard the Grand Canyon Railway and set off into the desert. (thetrain.com) Barstow, California Having spent so much time on Route 66, it would be a shame not to drop by the other end’s Route 66 Museum. (route66museum. org) Here you can learn more about the history of the highway and see some of the classic vehicles that have made the journey over the years. Then catch a flick at the Skyline Drive-In Theater. Santa Monica, California Your journey has come to an end. Take a selfie near the trail end sign and relax on Venice Beach or the Santa Monica Pier. (santamonicapier.org) For more pit stop ideas, visit www.nps.gov/nr/travel/route66/

Flagstaff, Arizona Stay at the Hotel Monte Vista if you’re Lifestyles After 50 • September 2015 • page 23

10-15-2015. Call (941) 266-7000 or (941) 497-5650