55 Plus CNY, #117: June-July 2025 by 55 Plus: For Active Adults in Central New York

Weight Loss Surgery

It’s about more than just weight loss. It’s about reducing your risk for serious conditions like heart disease and diabetes — and regaining the stamina, mobility and conﬁdence to take on every day.

Crouse’s bariatric surgery program offers a dedicated team of physicians and providers, as well as psychological and nutritional counseling — all with the expertise to support you every step of the way.

Begin the process from home by viewing our online informational video. Then consult with our bariatric team via telemedicine visits to start your journey. It’s time — and now easier than ever.

Don’t wait to get the care you need. When you visit the St. Joseph’s Health Cardiovascular Institute, you can expect the best. They’re rated high-performing in more heart procedures than all other area hospitals.* You’ll be back home and feeling better in no time.

*U.S. News & World Report

GET THE UPSTATE ADVANTAGE FOR HEART SERVICES

Upstate’s revitalized and growing heart services provide bene ts to you.

From six cardiology outpatient sites to the arrival of our new heart surgeons, and more doctors and advanced providers for procedures such as caths and TAVRs, we are here to work with you. Learn more about what The Upstate Advantage can do for you.

UPSTATE.EDU/HEART

A guest, Stephanie Crockett, CEO of Mower, during a tour of Onondaga Lake last year offered by Syracuse Boat Tours. The business is starting its second season in Syracuse.

Features

Second Act

Annette Peters, a former Post-Standard / Advance Media New York executive, excited about the second year of her new venture, Syracuse Boat Tours.

22 Golfing

Why hitting the links can improve your health? We ask physician Kaushal B. Nanavati, assistant dean of wellness and director of integrative medicine at SUNY Upstate.

24 Cemetery Tours

Tours offer chance to ‘meet’ the dead at the Oakwood Cemetery, one of the oldest cemeteries in Syracuse.

Looking for a Job?

Finding and applying for a job is not like used to be — but many websites help specifically older job seekers.

32 Tennis

Bob Connor, an Auburn tennis player, is getting ready to compete in the National Senior Games for the fifth time.

36 Cover Story

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central New York: Forty years granting wishes to local kids.

42 Hobby

Retired public relations director for New York Power Authority still busy with woodworking, traveling. He discusses his career, artwork.

WE CARE LIKE FAMILY

We are growing and have exciting career opportunities in the health care industry.

JOIN OUR FAMILY

available positions.

LIKE FAMILY

To join our talented, professional team, please visit one of our care facilities career pages for available positions.

Life in balance.

We are growing and have exciting career opportunities in the health care industry.

A company philosophy that speaks to a continual process of individual and collective development to improve our well-being, quality of life and personal relationships.

Life in balance.

To join our talented, professional team, please visit one of our care facilities career pages for available positions.

Our Mission.

Life in balance.

A company philosophy that speaks to a continual process of individual and collective development to improve our well-being, quality of life and personal relationships.

Our Mission.

To provide people in our community with healthcare, customer services, support & employment to achieve their individual best quality of life.

Life in balance.

17 Sunrise Drive Oswego, NY 13126 315-342-4790 | www.morningstarcares.com

A company philosophy that speaks to a continual process of individual and collective development to improve our well-being, quality of life and personal relationships.

Our Vision.

A company philosophy that speaks to a continual process of individual and collective development to improve our well-being, quality of life and personal relationships.

RESIDENTIAL CARE CENTER

To join our talented, professional team, please visit one of our care facilities career pages for available positions. 17 Sunrise Drive Oswego, NY 13126 315-342-4790 | www.morningstarcares.com

Our Mission.

To provide people in our community with healthcare, customer services, support & employment to achieve their individual best quality of life. Our Vision.

To redefine skilled nursing care through successful team development, use of technology, progressive service and being a strong community partner.

Our Mission.

Our Team.

To provide people in our community with healthcare, customer services, support & employment to achieve their individual best quality of life.

Sunrise Drive Oswego, NY 13126 315-342-4790 | www.morningstarcares.com

220 Tower Street, Waterville, NY 13480 315-841-4156 | www.watervillecares.com

To redefine skilled nursing care through successful team development, use of technology, progressive service and being a strong community partner.

To provide people in our community with healthcare, customer services, support & employment to achieve their individual best quality of life.

Registered Nurses

Licensed Nurses

Our Vision.

Our Team.

Our Vision.

Physical Therapists

Occupational Therapists

Registered Nurses

Licensed Nurses

To redefine skilled nursing care through successful team development, use of technology, progressive service and being a strong community partner.

132 Ellen Street, Oswego, NY 13126 315-343-0880 | www.thegardensbymorningstar.com

315-841-4156 | www.watervillecares.com

To redefine skilled nursing care through successful team development, use of technology, progressive service and being a strong community partner.

Tower Street, Waterville, NY 13480 315-841-4156 | www.watervillecares.com

Speech Therapists

Physical Therapists

| www.thegardensbymorningstar.com

Our Team.

Social Workers

Our Team.

Occupational Therapists

Speech Therapists

Registered Nurses

Recreational Therapists

Manor R ehabilitation and N ursing C enter

Registered Nurses

Licensed Nurses

Dieticians

Social Workers

Nurse Aides

Licensed Nurses

Physical Therapists

Occupational Therapists

Speech Therapists

Social Workers

Recreational Therapists

Dieticians

Nurse Aides

132 Ellen Street, Oswego, NY 13126 315-343-0880 | www.thegardensbymorningstar.com A ssist ed Living Community

100 St. Camillus Way, Fairport, NY 14450 585-377-4000 | www.aaronmanor.com

Isavvy senior

By Jim Miller

All About Voluntourism

f you’re looking to do more on your next vacation than relax in the sun or go sightseeing, volunteer vacations — also known as voluntourism — which combine travel and volunteer work, are a great alternative for solo travelers and have become increasingly popular among older adults.

Volunteer Vacations — There are many organizations today that offer short-term volunteer vacation projects in the U.S. and abroad, lasting anywhere from a few days to a few months.

Common program themes include teaching English, working with children and teens, building and repairing homes and schools and assisting with community or environmental projects.

In addition, volunteer vacations also give travelers the opportunity to experience the culture more fully and connect with the local people — much different than your run-of-the-mill sightseeing vacation.

Most volunteer vacation groups accept singles, couples and families and you don’t need to speak a foreign language. Costs usually range from around $1,000 to $3,000 per week, not including transportation to the country your site is in. Fees typically cover pre-trip orientation information, room and board, on-site training, ground transportation once you get there, the services of a project leader, and a contribution to the local community that covers material and services related to the project.

Where to Look — While there are many organizations that offer volunteer vacations, here are some good options to look into.

• Global Volunteers (globalvolunteers.org): A pioneer in global travel, this group tackles hunger, poverty and educational

needs. It offers a variety of one, two and three-week service programs in 12 countries, including the U.S.

• Earthwatch Institute (earthwatch. org): With an emphasis in environmental conservation and research, they offer dozens of one and two-week expeditions in countries all over the world.

• Conservation VIP (conservationvip. org): Provides environmental conservation volunteer projects to seven destinations abroad and three in the U.S.

• Biosphere Expeditions (biosphereexpeditions.org): Offers wildlife conservation expeditions in six countries.

• Habitat for Humanity (habitat. org): Offers international housebuilding trips through its global village program in 16 countries.

• Natucate (natucate.com): With a focus on nature and species conservation, they offer one-to 12week trips in 32 different countries.

• American Hiking Society (americanhiking.org): Targeting hikers and backpackers they offer weekend and week-long volunteer vacations in the U.S. that focus on building and maintaining trails.

• International Volunteer HQ (volunteerhq.org): Offers a wide variety of one-to 24-week volunteer service projects in dozens of countries.

How to Choose — To help you decide, you need to think specifically about what you want. For example: Where you want to go and for how long? What types of work are you interested in doing? What kind of living situation and accommodations do you want? Do you want to volunteer alone or with a group? Do you want a rural or urban placement? Also consider your age and health. Are you up to the task, or do you have any special needs that will need to be met?

Editor and Publisher Wagner Dotto

Associate Editor Stefan Yablonski

Writers & Contributors

Deborah J. Sergeant, David Figura

Stefan Yablonski, Mary Beth Roach

Margaret McCormick, Tim Bennett Carol Radin, Dawn Papandrea

Columnists

Marilyn Pinsky, Jim Sollecito

Marvin Druger, Michelle Reed, Jim Miller, Julie McMahon

Eva Briggs (M.D.)

Advertising Amy Gagliano Pamela Roe

Office Manager Mary Trapasso-Ayers

Layout & Design Angel Campos-Toro

Cover Photo Chuck Wainwright

55 Plus: A Magazine for Active Adults in Central New York is published six times a year by Local News, Inc. at 185 E. Seneca St. P.O. Box 276, Oswego, NY 13126.

Subscription: $30 a year; $40 for two years © 2025 by 55 Plus: A Magazine for Active Adults in Central New York. No material may be reproduced in whole or in part from this publication without the express written permission of the publisher.

P.O. Box 276 Oswego, NY 13126

Phone: 315-342-1182

Fax: 315-342-7776

Editor@cnyhealth.com

Email: editor@cny55.com

By Jim Sollecito

gardening Letting Go to Face the Future

Releasing it back into the ocean, the Permit and I are both ready for our next adventure.

As age creeps in, I try to focus on what I can do, not what I can’t.

Purposely scheduling life so I always have something to look forward to, I try to let go of some old habits and replace them with better ones. Sometimes it costs too much to try to hold on too tightly to something that really needs to be released.

Water has always been a very important element in my life, relative

to both flora and fauna. We live on one Earth where all water is connected and can teach us lessons.

Rivers never go in reverse. That’s good human philosophy, too. Holding forward motion in my visual imagery allows me to focus on the future, the positive direction.

By far my favorite bodies of water are oceans, with limitless possibilities to explore, both on the surface and below. Going about my normal daily

work routine, I can always conjure a smile when I start to think about flyfishing in skinny salty water. It is not the fish I caught that keeps me going back, but those that eluded me. Usually due to angler error, which itself is an ongoing lesson.

Studying people more skilled or experienced than I am is one way I continue to grow. Because when I am out on the salt water, I am not necessarily at the top of the food chain. There’s always something new to me.

And yes, of course, I have a list of things I wish I had done differently. Yet I am thankful for most experiences and achievements. Life is an ongoing master class.

Influenced by Mr. Green Jeans, I was a boy destined to a life in denim. I do get asked why I keep working. Well, working later in life can reduce dementia, boost emotion, help sharpen cognition and preserve physical well-being. The idea of having a place to go or tasks to accomplish is a driver to keep moving. I enjoy mentoring younger staffers while, of course, there’s still plenty for me to learn. Containing my enthusiasm, I’m striving to listen more than I talk. It’s not easy.

The uncertainly of each growing season is part of the charm of my profession.

With so many variables, we have no idea what is going to happen.

Ideally, two Junes and two Octobers would be optimal for a great year.

With all of the changes thrown at us lately, maybe that will happen one day. Probably not.

The weather has become my favorite part of the evening news. Odd to think it’s become the more reliable, stable and comforting portion of the evening coverage.

Change is inevitable; growth is optional. It’s an option I’m thrilled to accept. And that trend is a friend.

Jim Sollecito is the first lifetime senior certified landscape professional in New York State. He operates Sollecito Landscaping Nursery in Syracuse. Contact him at 315-468-1142 or jim@sollecito.com.

Why Sleep Gets Harder With Age And How To Sleep Better

Tossing and turning more as you age? You’re not alone — and experts think they know why.

Shelby Harris, a sleep psychologist in White Plains, explained that stress, sleep structure and hormonal changes can impact sleep as people age.

“As we start to move into our 60s, 70s, you have more issues with the depth of your sleep, so your sleep is just lighter in general,” Harris told CBS News. “There’s sleep disorders, like insomnia, that happens, and then you have to go to the bathroom more at night.”

Research shows up to 70% of people 65 and older have chronic sleep problems, and hormonal shifts play a big role in that, especially for women.

“We have more hot flashes, night sweats. You actually have more sleep apnea in women as well, and just more insomnia too,” Harris said.

There may also be some evolutionary reasoning behind why older adults get less deep sleep, Harris added. “The deepest stage of sleep is where your muscles are repairing, you’re growing — and as you’re getting older, you don’t need that ideally as much as you do when you’re younger,” Harris said, adding that younger kids get a lot of deep sleep.

“[Older adults] just wake up a lot more because of pain and movement and having to urinate,” she added.

Along with keeping a cool, dark and quiet sleep environment, she offered these tips:

• Meditate during the day. “If you have a busy brain, meditating five minutes during the day can help to actually ease your brain more at night,” Harris said.

• Limit daytime sleep. That means reducing naps.

• Stick to a regular bedtime.

If sleep issues last more than a few weeks, it’s important to talk with a doctor, Harris urged.

“We do have a lot of treatments like cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia, you might need a sleep study, medication,” she said. “We have lots of options.”

Dining Out - RESTAURANT GUIDE

PRESERVE AT 405

It’s worth the wait for a delectable meal at this Syracuse’s Inner Harbor restaurant

By Julie McMahon

Several

It took us several tries to get a seat at the Preserve at 405 in Syracuse’s Inner Harbor — but it was worth the wait.

After showing up without reservations three or four times, we finally made a reservation and ultimately we really enjoyed the meal, especially the wedge salad and our sandwiches.

For drinks, we had the blueberry lemonade cocktail ($9) and the Mass Riot IPA ($10), a personal favorite, served cold and fresh from the tap. The blueberry lemonade, which consisted of blueberry vodka, lemonade and a skewer of blueberries, had the perfect blueberry flavor with a subtle lemonade taste.

For appetizers, we got the scallops wrapped in bacon ($15.95) and the half wedge salad ($10.95), which the server remarked upon when we ordered. She commented that the guy who makes the wedge really well was here and she asked if we’d had it before. We hadn’t, of course, but we knew we were in for a treat. And he did a good job.

Starting with fresh, crisp, clean iceberg lettuce in a large wedge and topped with the perfect blend of bacon, blue cheese, tomato, onion and balsalmic, this was really delicious.

RIGHT: The Mass Riot IPA ($10) and the blueberry lemonade cocktail ($9).

We understood why the server would remark on it. The half portion was large enough to serve as an appetizer. Each of us got a decent portion and we took a little bit home with us, though we kept returning to nibble on this throughout the meal.

The scallops wrapped in bacon were also really good. They came six to an order and were served with blueberry jalapeno jam. The dipping sauce had a little kick and paired nicely with the salty, rich scallops. The bacon was cooked crispy and the jam added just the right spice and sweetness.

We were seated in the bar area of the restaurant, which was busy, along with the lengthy dining room situated off to the side. The décor of the restaurant is subtle and modern, with black, gold and silver accents. The bar area has several televisions and popular music played at a moderate level throughout our meal.

The server was quick and fun. She was clearly very busy, even for our 5 p.m. reservation, but she didn’t miss a beat and managed to take good care of us.

The menu at the Preserve is huge, featuring salads, pizza, sandwiches, pasta and steaks. We both opted for sandwiches for our meals. We ordered

the beef on weck with housemade potato chips ($22.95) and the Buffalo chicken sandwich with sweet potato fries ($23.95).

As we wrapped up our appetizers, our food came out quickly. I was hungry so this was very welcome. Everything was hot and looked delicious.

The Buffalo chicken sandwich was massive. I ordered it crispy, though grilled was an option. Instead of being doused completely in hot sauce, this slab of fried chicken came topped with Buffalo sauce and a mound of blue cheese. The chicken was smothered, so every bite contained a bit of the sauce and cheese. The vegetables were crisp and a nice addition to each bite.

The sweet potato fries came with a brown sugar butter dipping sauce that was absolutely divine. The hefty wedges of sweet potato were crisped flawlessly. Each bite made for a yummy morsel of great flavor.

The beef on weck contained tender meat, not fatty or tough at all. The sandwich was served au jus and the dipping sauce added to the moisture and taste. Best of all, the sandwich came with a horseradish mayo that was good enough to dunk the potato chips, fresh cut and crispy and enjoyed

LEFT: Beef on weck with housemade potato chips.

on the sandwich as well. The roll was good, though it was a kaiser roll, not the kimmelweck roll we’re used to seeing in Central New York. This was noted on the menu though and didn’t deter from the sandwich being tasty. It was especially good when the bites got small enough to dunk in the au jus and horseradish mayo. It was nice the horseradish was delivered in a mayo instead of on its own. This added to the flavor and balanced out the tanginess of the spice.

Our server boxed up our leftovers for us, which was a nice touch, not something you get at many restaurants. At the Preserve, you get some upscale touches in the casual but refined environment they’ve created.

We topped off our meal with a slice of lemon blueberry cheesecake ($9.50). A large slice was delivered to our table, the lower portion a classic sponge cake topped with the cheesecake. The prominent flavor was lemon, accented with blueberries. The dish was served with lots of whipped cream and blueberries on the side. It was a large and scrumptious finale to a great meal.

The place was pretty packed by the time we wrapped up at 6:15 p.m. We noticed the outdoor tables, not in use on a rainy night, would make a fine place to dine in nice weather.

Our server dropped the check before we finished dessert, and returned by the time we finished our drinks.

Outstanding service made the experience better.

Though the final bill was slightly expensive ($110 including tax), it felt appropriate for the amount of food we ate and level of service we received. We would come back to try the pizzas, steaks and more from the menu.

The buffalo chicken sandwich is massive and was topped with buffalo sauce and a mound of blue cheese.

Half wedge salad is one of the main signature plates at Preserve at 405: “This was really delicious.”

JOIN UPSTATE’S VOLUNTEER PET

THERAPY PROGRAM!

Does your dog have a calm, friendly temperament and like to be loved by lots of people? Then he or she may have the potential to join Upstate University Hospital’s volunteer pet therapy program.

Upstate’s pet therapy dogs provide comfort and emotional support to our patients, and help destress and encourage our sta . Brightening one’s day and aiding in recovery, pet therapy dogs are a source of love and inspiration.

To learn more how your pup can become an o icial therapy dog, visit Upstate.edu/volunteers (pet therapy tab)

Come “heel” with us!

Supported by the

At Hematology-Oncology Associates of CNY, you are never just a diagnosis or a number. We see you...the whole person, with passions, hopes, dreams, histories, and loved ones who share in your journey. From diagnosis, to treatment, to survivorship – our personalized care focuses on truly understanding and planning for your unique needs. We provide genuinely compassionate support, collaborating with you, your family, and caregivers every step of the way. Learn more about HOA today. We’ll see you and care for you – body, mind and spirit.

Annette Peters is the owner of Syracuse Boat Tours, now in its second season.

second act Making Waves: Syracuse Boat Tours Launches Second Season

Former Post-Standard / Advance Media New York executive excited with second year of new venture

By Tim Bennett

Imet with Annette Peters, owner of Syracuse Boat Tours, April 24 at the dock at Dutch Landing on the Seneca River in Baldwinsville, which is around the corner from Onondaga Lake.

It was a beautiful, warm spring day with blue skies, and the vivacious Peters had kindly thought to bring along a couple of plastic chairs so we could sit and chat. There was a slight breeze and a few boats moved along the river. I could see a bridge to the right. To be honest, I was hoping to sit in the boat or maybe go for a short cruise. But alas, Peters said, “Sorry, Tim, the new boat won’t be ready until the end of May. But don’t worry; we’ll get you on a tour.”

For most of her professional life, Peters spent her career working in the marketing and advertising industry for The Syracuse Post-Standard and Advance Media New York. She retired as vice president of marketing for Advance Media, then worked as a consultant and associate publisher on The Good Life CNY, an Advance Media website that is produced in collaboration with CenterState CEO. She helped launch the project, which is designed to help local companies recruit new employees to the area.

It is clear from her obvious passion for boating, the “good life” includes, not only getting the right employees but also taking the time to relax and enjoy one of her creative cruises on the local waterways.

Q: You’ve spent almost your whole career in marketing and advertising. Why start a boat touring business at this time in your life?

A: I’ve had a boat for years on the

Seneca River and I’ve taken people out to the Onondaga Lake, around the bend there on the left [pointing], or down the river, and they would often be surprised that we have such a great water venue in our area — which is probably true for most people of Central New York. They’ve never had the opportunity to explore what we have here. I wanted to do something new and fun. So I figured, I helped a lot of small businesses grow with my marketing background so why don’t I combine my promotional skills with my love of boating?

Q. You worked in marketing at the PostStandard and with other publications for many years. With everything going digital, many publications got hit hard. Was that a factor in your decision?

A: Not really. But it did force me to learn new skills, where I can say now that I am internet savvy and can hopefully market my own company successfully like I did for many other local businesses.

Q: You started your business in 2024. Were there some hurdles you did not anticipate?

A: Well, I had been looking for a boat for a couple of years and had just about given up, actually had given up, when Rich Hilliman, who has been a mentor for me from the Buffalo Boat Tours, tipped me off on a boat for sale in Hudson, Florida. So I called and though the original boat was no longer available, another one was. So I bought the boat and suddenly I was scrambling to start a company — get a liquor license among other things. Rich had given me a check list of what I needed to do. So I knew what

had to be done. But it was a question of how fast I could do it — like the Coast Guard drills and the inspection. Unfortunately, I didn’t get it done until late July. Another difficulty was my good friend, Katie McElroy, who had also been a colleague for 25 years, died last May. She had also retired and was going to help me with some of the admin stuff to help launch the company. So her passing was tough, both professionally and emotionally. I named my new boat the SS Katie in her honor.

Q: Did that make you want to reconsider your plans?

A: No, but it was hard. I was already committed, but it did make me think how short life is and it motivated me to do something that was fun and also meaningful to me. I want to introduce Central New Yorkers to this great lake we have. Our dock here at Dutch Landing is a prime spot and only six or seven minutes from the lake. Once on the lake we do an historical tour of the lake and its shores, which is quite fascinating.

Q: Give me some fascinating details about Onondaga Lake.

A: Going back to the late 1800s there were huge amusement parks dotted all along the shores of the lake and there were boats that would travel from one amusement park to the next and to the next — kind of like a water taxi. Maybe something we’ll get back to one day. That is my long-range goal when the Inner Harbor is up and running, the aquarium is open and people want to go from one end of the lake to the other and maybe have dinner at a restaurant on the

Seneca River. There could be a lot of opportunities for a water taxi in the future. Not yet.

Q: What other tours do you offer?

A: This year is the 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal so we are adding an historical Erie Canal Tour. I am working with the Erie Canal Museum on that. The museum is an amazing place if you haven’t been there yet. In fact, The Syracuse Weighlock Building is the only surviving one of its kind and it’s here in Syracuse. When they first built the canal they did not utilize the lakes and rivers, they just built a trench, but as the years went by they changed it three times. So this is all part of it now. You can go to Baldwinsville in 45 minutes from here so that is another tour we’ve added this year. Some of the others include: a river cruise down the Seneca to Three Rivers, a Trivia Night tour, a family hour tour, a happy hour tour, an Italian winetasting tour, a sunset tour, a Barbecue tour and a

Q: That sounds interesting. What exactly is a charcuterie tour?

A: I partnered with a new company, Graze Craze in Clay, which is owned by two women. I am selling their individual charcuterie platters on board. It includes crackers, meat, vegetables and fruit. You can take a look at it on their website www. grazecraze.com/clay-ny. I think people are really going to enjoy that and I am also working with Angry Smokehouse in Baldwinsville for the Barbecue tour. They are right up the lock. I am trying to partner with local businesses as much as I can. I hope to work out something with The Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater so I can drop people off there for its concerts.

Q: How do you set up the tours?

A: I have a calendar all set. We’ve got five captains and most of them have full-time jobs. But two of them are

in the school system so they are more available in the summer for weekdays. The dates are on the website https:// syracuseboattours.com/. Hit “book now” in the box just underneath the title Onondaga Lake Seneca River Boat Rides and you will see. You can search by event. We have a family hour tour where you can go out with the kids. Trivia tour on Monday nights. The average time per tour is an hour and a half. So we have those tours set up but we also do private tours so people can charter the boat and take a party out.

Q: How many people can your new boat take out?

A: I think it will be up to 48 people. But I will find out for sure when the Coast Guard does its final inspection here.

Q: Did you have a lot of problems with the rain last year? Syracuse is not known for a lot of sunny days.

A: We had to cancel a few times

charcuterie tour.

for really bad weather. But there is a cover in the boat. We have light plastic ponchos if it rains. I remember thinking one time when it started raining that maybe we should cancel, but the people didn’t care. They loved it. We saw some bald eagles. I mean it was an epic trip for wildlife and everybody was so happy. You just don’t know. But it’s the captain that makes the decision to cancel or not. If you bought tickets for a tour tomorrow for example and thunderstorms were predicted, we would shoot you an email or a text and say hey, heads up the weather doesn’t look good and if we do cancel we will refund your money or reschedule, whatever you want.

Q: How was your first season?

A: It was great. We had a slow start and the start date was such a moving target I couldn’t really promote it. We had to wait for the license to come in and those kinds of things. But by late August we were chugging pretty

nicely. When we got several requests for bigger parties I knew I needed a bigger boat. Not two yet, but a bigger boat.

Q: Is there a minimum number of people that you need for the scheduled tours?

A: Yes. I need 10 people. For the chartered tours, it doesn’t matter since the price is the same regardless of how many people.

Q: What are some interesting things to see on the Seneca River?

A: Herons, ospreys. We also see a lot of bald eagles. We stop, of course, for the photo ops. It’s very exciting. We see deer, muskrats, turtles. There are also a lot of nice houses to see from the river. For the residents, the side of the house facing the river is the front. It’s really fun to see what people have done in their yards and how they’ve decorated it. You’ll see fun things like blow-up swans. It is beautiful. There

is something about being on the water that makes people happy. It is fun to go under the bridges and honk the horn. Kids get excited.

Q: What are some things you like about this new job as compared to what you used to do?

A: First of all just being on the water. It’s just fun. The hard part is I want to be on every tour and I really can’t. When they leave I stand there a little sad like, “I wanna go, too.”

Q: Now you go from the end of May to the end of October. So you must have some foliage tours too, right?

A: Absolutely. We serve apple cider, hot mulled cider and caramel apple drinks.

For more information or to schedule a tour, go to https://syracuseboattours.com or call 315-516-4719.

Visitors and local residents tour Onondaga Lake and Seneca River. Photo provided

Golfing for Health Why hitting the links can improve your health

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

If you love playing golf, keep it up. And if you’re curious about the game, why not start?

A study published by the National Institutes of Health indicates that “golf can provide moderate intensity physical activity and is associated with physical health benefits that include improved cardiovascular, respiratory and metabolic profiles and improved wellness.”

Research promoted by the American Stroke Association states that in a decade-long study, people who regularly golf have a death rate of 15.1% compared with 24.6% among people who don’t golf.

Physician Kaushal B. Nanavati, assistant dean of wellness and director of integrative medicine and survivorship at Upstate Cancer Center, enjoys golf and touts its benefits.

“When walking the course and carrying or pushing a golf bag, golf can offer moderate intense physical exercise,” Nanavati said. “This

moderate intensity has been shown to benefit cardiovascular health, can reduce the risk of cancer recurrence for breast cancer and can improve and slow down our aging process by positively impacting something called a telomere, which has an impact on the life span of our cells.”

One of the benefits of golf is the exertion required to play the game — but only if you skip the cart.

“Walking a golf course can burn significant calories,” Nanavati said. “Walking while carrying a bag can burn as much as 1,400 or more calories depending on the person, while riding in a cart may burn half as much or less.”

A bag of clubs can weight 35 pounds or more.

The game itself is also physically challenging.

Research indicates that spending time in nature elevates mental health and promotes a healthy immune system. In addition, “the game requires focus, concentration, strategy and so has mental, emotional, and cognitive benefits and it definitely teaches humility — if you know you know,” Nanavati said.

He added that golfing with others can make the sport a social activity. Whether with friends and family or as a chance to meet new people, golf is an opportunity to stave off isolation and engage with others.

Playing 18 holes of golf can take three hours and can be costly. To make it a regular part of your fitness regimen, Nanavati recommends joining a league to lower the expense. Purchasing used clubs versus renting can also reduce the cost.

“Swinging a golf club helps with strength, coordination and balance, and flexibility,” Nanavati said. “Golf courses are generally very beautiful and can help with our mental wellbeing as we know that being in nature, especially greenery, can enhance mood.”

Don’t expect golfing weekly to fulfill all of your fitness needs.

“On other days, people can do strength training, cardiovascular activities such as walking, jogging, bicycling, swimming or other exercise that they enjoy,” Nanavati added.

The National Institutes of Health noted on its website that the risk of injury while playing golf is moderate with back injuries as the most likely. Although rare, golf-related head injuries can have the most severe outcomes.

To minimize the chance of injury, receive a healthcare provider’s clearance before playing. Warm up muscles before beginning and do a few gentle stretches. Stop playing if you experience pain and see a healthcare provider. If you hear another player shout “Fore!” immediately seek cover. Do not try to visualize the source of the ball. And notify other players of a possible errant shot by calling “Fore!” as well.

Oakwood Cemetery

Volunteer assumes the personas of a number of people buried at one of the oldest cemeteries in Syracuse

By Mary Beth Roach

Sue Greenhagen portrays Mary Druce Gannon, who was accused, along with her mother, in the 1884 grisly murder of her father in Herkimer.

“Not everybody is famous. But everybody has a story.”

A volunteer with the Historic Oakwood Cemetery Preservation Association, Sue Greenhagen uses this quote from her late sister as inspiration for the tours and presentations she does of Syracuse’s Oakwood Cemetery and their “residents” (as she calls them).

Oakwood, established in 1859, is one of the oldest cemeteries in Syracuse and is the final resting place for more than 60,000 souls. It is bordered by Interstate 81, East Colvin Street, Comstock Avenue and the Syracuse University campus.

HOCPA was organized in 1991 to help maintain the cemetery’s 160 acres and, according to its website, raises funds to repair damaged monuments and provides public tours in “a wonderful outdoor museum.”

Many people might walk through the picturesque cemetery for exercise or to get outside and they see headstones and names, “but they don’t know the rest of the story,” Greenhagen said.

“I feel that my job is to bring out those stories, do the research, find out what’s really interesting and share it,” said the 78-year-old historian and Morrisville resident.

Greenhagen said she assumes the personas of a number of those souls, both men and women and often dresses in period costume to add to the authenticity.

“It’s just another way to present the stories and make it more personal for people,” she said.

She began doing the HOCPA tours in 2007 as Oakwood resident Margaret Olivia Slocum Sage and she has become a favorite. She was the widow of Russell Sage, a financier, railroad executive and one-time congressman who amassed a fortune and left it all to his widow upon his death in 1906. It was valued at about $70 million, which would be approximately $2.4 billion in today’s dollars.

Margaret Sage became a philanthropist, donating to a number of educational institutions, such as Syracuse and Cornell universities and other organizations and she established the Russell Sage College in the Albany area. She died in 1918 and is buried in Section 3 at Oakwood.

Sage began her life in Syracuse and although she did not come from wealth, she went on to become one of the wealthiest women in America, Greenhagen said.

“Now that’s a story unto itself.

And there she is buried in Oakwood Cemetery. You lasso people in with that kind of story and then you go and share some of the other stories. It’s just a whole different experience for people,” she said.

In choosing who she’ll portray, she explained that she generally picks a section of the cemetery first, goes through the roster of everyone buried there and one will inspire her.

The research that Greenhagen does for each of her characterizations comes naturally to her.

“I’ve spent my life studying history and at 78 years old, I’ve learned a lot of history,” she said. She has master’s degrees in both history and library science, is a retired academic librarian from Morrisville State College and she’s been the historian for the village of Morrisville and the town of Eaton.

“You find out some really interesting things and not always good,” she said.

One example might be Mary Druce Gannon, another persona Greenhagen does. Gannon was accused, along with her mother, in the 1884 grisly murder of her father in Herkimer. Her mother was hanged and although she kept claiming her innocence, Mary was sentenced to life in jail. She was

Among her characters, Sue Greenhagen portrays Margaret Olivia Slocum Sage, widow of Russell Sage, a financier, railroad executive and one-time congressman who amassed a fortune and left it all to his widow upon his death in 1906.

pardoned 10 years later, married a Syracuse man and upon her death in 1915, was buried in Oakwood in Section 52.

Another favorite of Greenhagen’s is Blanche Weaver Baxter, an actress, art leader and suffragist.

Born in Cicero in 1856, she traveled to New York City, became an actress, and married William Baxter, an associate editor of the New York Tribune. She returned to Syracuse after Baxter’s passing and became an art instructor, president of the League for Political Equality and a charter and life member of the League of Women Voters.

When Greenhagen assumes her persona, she wears a purple skirt and yellow hat (the colors of women’s suffrage) and a “Votes for Women” sash. Blanche Baxter is in section 30.

While attending a tour is the best way to experience Oakwood Cemetery and the residents’ stories, according to Rick Naylor, president of HOCPA, not everyone is able to attend them.

So, the organization offers Power Point presentations and one of Greenhagen’s is titled, “Live Oaks and Dead Folks.”

“If that doesn’t pique one’s interest, nothing will,” she noted with a chuckle.

Greenpagen does not limit her portrayals to the “residents” of Oakwood Cemetery. For example, she has assumed the characters of local historical figures for the Onondaga Historical Association’s ghost walks and this past year, she addressed second graders at the Morrisville Public Library as Mary Phelps, who had lived in that building in the 1800s. Her long-standing character is William F. Bonney, who served as sheriff of Madison County during the mid-19th century and the era of the Loomis Gang, which hailed from that area.

Cemetery tours are popular, as Naylor explained, “as people are more interested in genealogy and history. With famous burial sites and beautiful scenery, a cemetery tour becomes an educational experience highlighting those buried there and the cemeteries’ history.”

For more information on the presentations, tours, events, donation and volunteering opportunities, visit hocpa.org; write to hocpaoakwood@ gmail.com or call 315-263-7159.

Sue Greenhagen portrays an undertaker at Oakwood Cemetery. It’s believed to be Austin Hoyt, who was an undertaker in Syracuse for more than 30 years. He died at the age of 96. Photo provided by Historic Oakwood Cemetery Preservation Association.

Americans Borrowed $74 Million in 2024 to Cover Medical Costs

Thirty-one million people, or 12% of the U.S. adult population, borrowed $74 million last year to help pay medical costs for themselves or a family member, according to the results of a survey conducted by West Health and Gallup.

The online West Health-Gallup Healthcare Survey included 3,583 U.S. adults and was conducted from Nov. 11 to 18, 2024.

The survey revealed that 18% of young adults aged 18 to 29 years needed to borrow money to pay health care costs. Adults aged 30 to 49 years reported similar rates. However, only 9 and 2% of Americans aged 50 to 64 and 65 years and older, respectively, said they needed to borrow money to help with medical costs.

Twenty percent of women younger than 50 years reported borrowing money to pay for health care compared with 14% of men younger than 50 years. Similarly, women aged 50 to 64 years were twice as likely as men in the same age bracket to report borrowing money. Although men were less likely than women to borrow money to pay for health care, they tended to borrow more (51 versus 36 percent borrowing $1,000 or more).

Black and Hispanic adults were each more likely to report having borrowed money than their white counterparts (23 and 16 percent, respectively, versus 9 percent). When broken down by age, the disparities were particularly noticeable among adults younger than 50 years (29 percent versus 19 and 14 percent for Black adults versus Hispanic and white adults, respectively).

Fifty-eight percent of Americans said they are concerned that a major health event could lead to personal medical debt, including 28 percent who reported being “very concerned.”

“The findings suggest that stronger public policy is needed to address the impacts of high-priced health care; without such changes, millions more may accumulate debt or be forced to make painful tradeoffs about seeking health care,” according to a news release from Gallup.

Looking for a Job?

Many sites help specifically older job seekers

By Jim Miller

To help you find employment, there are a number of jobsearch websites and apps specifically tailored to older workers seeking full-time, part-time or remote positions.

Here are 10 great options that are recommended by U.S. News & World Report for 2025, most of which are completely free to use.

• AARP job board (jobs.aarp. org): Designed for workers 50 and older, AARP’s job board allows users to search by job title, keyword, company or location. The platform also offers search filters for fulltime, part-time and remote work opportunities. Employers who are part of AARP’s Employer Pledge Program are committed to hiring older workers.

• CareerOneStop (careeronestop. org): Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, you can use this site to explore career opportunities, access training programs and job-search resources. You’ll also find help looking for a remote job, filling out a job application, getting started as a selfemployed person and choosing a path that’s right for your stage in life.

• Indeed (indeed.com): One of the largest job search engines in the world, Indeed will help you sift through millions of available positions. You can include a variety of specifications to find a job, including whether you

want to work remotely, your salary requirements, preferred location, experience level and education. If you upload your resume, employers can find you as well.

• LinkedIn (linkedin.com): If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, create one to showcase your experience, knowledge and skills. You can gather news and insights related to your industry by looking at what others are posting and share your content as well. The site allows you to conduct job searches and set alerts for new opportunities.

• NEW Solutions (newsolutions. org): This site connects professionals aged 55 and older with part-time and full-time positions in government agencies. Users can browse openings by state, apply online and receive guidance through the hiring process.

• Rent A Grandma (rentagrandma. com): If you want to work as a nanny, chef, domestic staff or pet care provider, this site is a great resource, but they do charge a $25 registration fee. It also offers opportunities for tutors and personal assistants. After you sign up, clients can contact you about job opportunities.

• Retired Brains (retiredbrains. com): This site can help you find remote, flexible, freelance and workfrom-home jobs. You’ll also be able to access resources to start a business.

You can search by location, keyword or job title and access career advice on resume building and interview preparation.

• RetirementJobs (retirementjobs. com): This site specializes in job opportunities for workers over 50, with retail, caregiving, transportation, sales and finance listings. It also features certified age-friendly employers and offers webinars on job searching, networking and overcoming age bias. You can learn how to utilize LinkedIn, improve your interview skills and understand how your job could impact Social Security benefits.

• Seniors4Hire (seniors4hire.org): For job seekers aged 50 and older, at this site you can register for free, post your resume and search for jobs. Employers use the platform to find experienced workers for part-time, full-time and remote positions.

• Workforce50 (workforce50. com): At this site you can view jobs specifically posted by companies looking for older workers. You’ll also be able to access resources related to resume building, shifting from military to civilian life and finding a federal job.

Jim Miller is the author of Savvy Senior, a column that is published every issue in 55 PLUS.

Physical Activity Linked to Better Mental, Brain Health

Moving your body helps your brain, a new study suggests.

Folks who regularly exercise have better mental and brain health, researchers recently reported at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in San Diego.

Moderate to vigorous physical activity reduces risk of dementia, stroke, anxiety, depression and sleep disorders, researchers found.

“This research highlights the role of physical activity and sedentary behavior as modifiable factors that may enhance brain health and reduce the incidence of these diseases,” lead researcher, physician Jia-Yi Wu, of Fudan University in Shanghai, said in a news release. “It is promising to think that encouraging people to make these lifestyle changes could potentially lessen the burden of these diseases in the future.”

For the study, researchers analyzed data from more than 73,000 U.K. residents with an average age of 56 who wore motion-tracking devices for seven days.

The devices monitored their physical activity, the energy they spent on those activities and the time they spent sitting each day.

The team used that data to quantify each person’s physical activity as metabolic equivalents, or METs.

Moderate physical activity like walking or cleaning amounts to around three METs, researchers said, while more intense exercise like cycling can burn around six METs depending on speed.

People who engaged in moderate to vigorous activity were 14% to 40% less likely to develop the mental health and brain conditions being tracked, results show.

On the other hand, more time spent sitting increased people’s risk of these conditions by 5% to 54%, results show.

Lighthouse Boat Tours - June thru Sept. Museum Open Daily May through December 23rd 1-5pm July and August 10-5pm

Lake Ontario Waterfront Festival Sat.,May 17th, 12-4pm

aging

By Marilyn L. Pinsky

The New World of Planned Death

“ Death is the most human of all experiences that most people don’t like to talk about,” says Ron Hammerle, Ph.D., a former healthcare executive who has taught in graduate schools of medicine, law, business and pharmacy for nearly 50 years.

The founder and later chairman of Health Resources, Ltd., Hammerle became nationally-known as a leader in healthcare strategy, management and marketing.

His career in working with Fortune 500 companies, hospitals and clinics on their healthcare systems put him in the forefront of changes that have come to fruition.

What follows is a Q and A on one of the topics he is now focused on, planned death.

Q: What is a planned death?

A: Planning your death is simply making plans for how you would like to die. We make plans for dying when we execute our wills, do financial planning and purchase life insurance. Planned death is just another part of that process.

Q: Why are we hearing more about this topic lately?

A: It is generational. If you became of age in the ‘60s, you are part of an age cohort that has a history of effecting change and wanting to

control personal decisions in many areas of life. In New York, an early example involved the legalization of elective abortion in 1970.

A bit of history. Dying has always been a part of medicine, but it was Derek Humphry’s 1981 book Final “Exit, The Practicalities of SelfDeliverance and Assisted Suicide for the Dying,” that really signaled the beginning of the modern death with dignity movement in the United States. Combined with Elizabeth KublerRoss’s earlier book “On Death and Dying,” the 1971 introduction of the hospice movement in the United States and the headline making activities of Dr. Jack Kevorkian, the subject of death became more culturally acceptable to talk about.

Q: Can we legally plan the time of our death in the United States and in New York state in particular?

A: Though there has been proposed legislation in New York to that effect for 10 years, it has never become law. But regardless of where you live, you can still plan your death, though you may have to travel to implement those plans. For instance, Oregon has had legally enabled medical aid in dying for 40 years. More recently it has become legal in California, Maine, New Mexico, Vermont, Washington, Colorado, Montana, Hawaii, New Jersey and Washington, D.C. Delaware

is the latest state to have passed enabling legislation, but a previous governor vetoed it.

Even with these enabling laws, obtaining medical aid in dying is often challenging in the United States. Many who seek it do not qualify because of multiple medical and legal restrictions. If you are able to travel and have the economic resources, Switzerland is frequently the destination of choice, unless you are a resident of Canada.

In 2015 the Canadian Supreme Court unanimously ruled that a legally competent citizens of Canada have a constitutional right to physician aid-in-dying if they “clearly consent to the termination of life and have a grievous and irremediable medical condition, including illness, disease or disability that causes enduring physical or psychological suffering that is intolerable to the individual in the circumstance of his or her condition.” Doctors and nurses now involved in end-of-life care, including medical aid in dying (MAID), follow clinical guidelines and legal regulations.

Q: I am curious if the fact that science is keeping us, or at least our bodies, living longer but at the same time we are experiencing an increase in dementia that can go on for years, is also a reason why this topic is becoming spoken about more?

A: Yes, it is. Most people don’t

Ron Hammerle, Ph.D., is the founder and later chairman of Health Resources, Ltd. And an expert in healthcare strategy.

want to die in pain or live forever with memory loss, few in the United States want to bankrupt their families when there is no longer a cure or any hope of a quality of life.

Q: I know we should all have advance care directives, those legal documents that allow a person we’ve chosen to carry out our wishes regarding future medical care and to make medical decisions for us if we become unable to do so. ( Having done mine years ago, I asked Hammerle if that would be enough.)

A: The first thing to consider is sitting down with your children or your healthcare surrogates to review your advance care directive, so they know what you want in the event you cannot speak for yourself. It would be ideal to record or video your wishes, so if there is ever a question, it would be you speaking for yourself.

People’s lives change and you have to make sure your advance directives reflect your current situation. For instance, is your healthcare surrogate living in the same area you are or have one of you moved? Are their beliefs still aligned with yours? Will they honor your choices, no matter what they feel personally?

If that person is not available, do you have a second choice who understands your wishes, is legally on your form and can easily be reached if a decision needs to be made quickly?

And there are other considerations. Do you know the policies and beliefs of the hospitals where you may go? Are they locally owned and by whom? Are

they investor owned? Do you know if their policies allow your wishes to be carried out? A substantial percentage of hospitals are run by religious organizations that will not honor medical aid in dying choices and they often manage hospitals that do not bear their names. These same issues also apply to independent living, assisted living and continuing care facilities, where you might reside.

In the last few years the practice of medicine has changed immensely. Now, most physicians in urban areas are employed by hospitals. Depending on the hospitals’ philosophy, a recent study by John’s Hopkins found that a significant percentage of advance directives are not honored. This is where you and your chosen healthcare surrogate have a difficult and important role. You may need to assume the roles of an aggressive plaintiff’s attorney and fight for what you put into your advance care directive. These are things you need to take into account in talking with your family and choosing a healthcare surrogate.

Another issue that might arise is whether the hospital is a teaching or research hospital. There is a distinct possibility that a doctor in that type of hospital may say to you, your family or your surrogate: “Even though there are no proven treatments for patients with your condition, we have several things we’re testing that might help. Wouldn’t you like to try one?” Or: “We know it may not help you, but don’t you want to help someone else by trying it?”

What would you or your surrogate do in these situations? One question

you might ask the doctor is “What would you really choose for yourself, knowing what the odds and side effects are?”

ONLINE RESOURCES

Ron Hammerle, Ph.D., recommends two decisionmaking guides. One is called “Five Wishes,” and it can be found at https://fivewishes. org. The other may be found at Compassion and Choices, https:// compassionandchoices. org. Both include a series of choices to help you answer these questions:

Wish 1: Who you want to make healthcare decisions for you when you can’t make them.

Wish 2: The kind of medical treatment you want or don’t want.

Wish 3: How comfortable you want to be.

Wish 4: How you want people to treat you.

Wish 5: What you want your loved ones to know.

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Bob Connor of Auburn at the Austin Park tennis courts in Skaneateles. He is getting ready to compete in the National Senior Games in Iowa.

Tennis: Going for the Gold at National Senior Games

Auburn tennis player gets ready to compete in the National Senior Games for the fifth time

By David Figura

This summer, Bob Connor will be competing in tennis at the National Senior Games for the fifth time.

“The fun part for me is seeing how I stack up against other tennis players my age from across the country. And just being there is inspiring,” said the 67-year-old Auburn resident.

The mission of the National Senior Games, which are held every other year, is to “promote the benefits of competitive sports, physical fitness and active aging to adults ages 50plus.”

The games bring together more than 11,000 participants aged 50-100+ to compete in more than 25 individual and team sports.

This year’s games are set for July 24 – Aug. 4 in Des Moines, Iowa.

During the past 10 years, Connor has participated in singles and doubles competitions at National Senior Games held in Birmingham, Alabama; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

His best finish to date was at the 2023 Pittsburgh games. He and his doubles partner, Zeke Unobagha, of Manlius, took the bronze medal in their age group (65-69). Unobagha will not be going to Des Moines this year due to a scheduling conflict.

“In his place will be my wife, Robyn,” said Connor.

Since Robyn is 63, she and her husband will be playing in the mixed doubles division of players aged 6065. Connor will be competing in the singles division for players ages 65-69.

The wide range of athletes at the

games — their sports and their ages — is really eye-opening, Connor said.

“I once met a woman in an elevator who told me she was 77. Her sport? She threw the javelin,” he said. “You get all sorts. I met some 3-on-3 basketball players who were in their 80s. You should see these guys. They rarely miss a shot. And you have folks in their 90s playing tennis.”

Apart from tennis, Connor works for Marsh McClennan, a firm specializing in commercial insurance and risk management. He is a managing director and territory leader for the Upstate New York region.

He got his start in tennis when he was 11 years old, taking lessons offered by the Auburn Parks and Recreation program.

While in high school, Connor was Section III singles champion in both his junior and senior years and years later was inducted into the Auburn High School Sports Hall of Fame.

After high school, he played all four years at Alma College in Michigan and for years afterward until the present day has played in various United States Tennis Association leagues, along with competing in numerous tournaments.

The following are excerpts from a recent interview with Connor.

Q: Why do you remain so passionate about tennis?

A: First of all, it’s been the friendships and relationships I’ve built over the years. I can’t say enough about that. There are still some active players in the Syracuse and CNY area that I’ve played with or against for the

past 50 years. Then there have been all the competitions-tournaments, with all the great memories and lessons learned. And finally, I just love playing. I’ll keep it up as long as I can walk and hit a tennis ball.

Q: How does one qualify in tennis for the National Senior Games?

A: In New York’s case, you have to medal [finish in the top three in your event/category] in the Empire State Games, which are held each year in Cortland. During the 2024 competition, I took the gold in singles (for my age group (65-69) and Robyn and I took the gold in mixed doubles in the (60-64) division.

Q: Who was the most influential person in your life when it comes to tennis?

A: There are so many people I’ve met over the years years who have been incredible mentors. One in particular, though, was Bill Huther, legendary Auburn High School coach. He was there during the 1960s and ‘70s. He had a major impact on a lot of people. He was all about sportsmanship. Bill is no longer alive. In his honor, five years ago my wife and I, several of his family members [(Carol, Erika and Kevin] and other generous members of the local tennis community started an annual tournament in his name that takes place the third weekend of August at the Auburn High School courts. We call it “The Coach” Men’s and Women’s Doubles Tournament, with proceeds going toward the William S. Huther Scholarship Fund. The money raised

goes toward two $2,500 scholarships handed out each year to two deserving Auburn High School seniors pursuing college studies in the field of education.

Q: I hear you’re also involved in a tennis-related non profit that helps young people. Talk about that.

A: I helped spearhead the formation of Auburn Community Tennis, a nonprofit that for the past five years has offered a tennis summer camp at the high school. We got some grant money from the USTA. With the help of the Auburn tennis coach [Shelly Connors] and another great area player, [Claire Minnoe], we offer free tennis lessons three days a week in the morning to youngsters. Last year, we had 130 kids participating.

Q: You mentioned that tennis has had in impact on your business career, your life in general. How?

A: I’m in a very competitive business. You experience a lot of highs and lows. You have to learn gracefully how to act when you win. But losing sometimes can be the best lesson in life.

When things aren’t going your way in a tennis match (or in business), you learn to try to change things up a bit. And if you end up losing, it’s best to sit back and think about what you can do differently next time. That correlates to a lot of other things in life.

Q: What are your thoughts on pickleball?

A: I’m very pro-pickleball or any sport that gets you moving. Pickleball is fun, an easy sport to pick up and it’s obviously the rage lately. It’s huge at the Senior Games. Also, you have former tennis greats such as John McEnroe, Andre Agassi, Steffi Graff and others playing it. Personally, I prefer tennis to pickleball because I’ve been playing tennis for so long, but I do enjoy playing pickleball occasionally.

Q: What do you do to stay in shape? Had any serious injuries over the years?

A: Over the past few years, I’ve tried strength training. But I haven’t been as disciplined as I should be. During my 40s and 50s, I ran three

marathons and did several half marathons. Today I still do some running, walking and just try to stay active, moving. I try to play tennis at least three times a week. As for injuries, during my first Senior Games in Birmingham, Alabama, I ripped my Achilles tendon. I had to have surgery and it took me about a year to recover.

Q: What’s your advice to the 55-plus age crowd about getting started in tennis?

A: CNY has a very robust tennis presence and there are several great places with indoor courts to take lessons and play. In the greater Syracuse area, you have Elevate Fitness in Liverpool and DeWitt; the YMCA in Manlius, Drumlins Country Club at Syracuse University and Champions for Life in Auburn. Apart from just playing on outdoor public courts, you also have a number of USTA leagues locally for all ages and levels of ability. All you need to get started is a tennis racquet, a pair of sneakers and a can of tennis balls.

Long-time tennis buddies from left: Vince Schoonmaker, Bob Connor, Eric Allyn and George Cosentino. Cosentino is the Skaneateles High School tennis coach (Submitted photo)

Guest Collumnist

By Jan Lane

Seeking Clarity? Write Your Obituary

Sitting down to write your own obituary probably doesn’t sound like an ideal way to spend an afternoon.

Naturally, many people don’t like thinking about their mortality or what will happen after they’re gone. But through my years of experience in legacy planning, I have found that it can also be the key to unlocking deeper purpose and clarity.

When I first engaged in this exercise five years ago, I wrote a really lovely, deeply inaccurate work of fiction.

The obituary I had written for myself reflected an age decades beyond my own and spoke of accomplishments and milestones that I hadn’t yet achieved or experienced. What I realized was twofold: 1) I was going to have to rewrite my obituary to reflect the person I was at that moment and 2) my aspirational obituary had not been written in vain.

There is real power in discerning how you want to be remembered.

The gap between what I had written in my first draft and what I could faithfully report in my second revealed a roadmap for actions I could take in the present moment to bring me closer to who I aspire to be and how I wish to be remembered at the end of my life. It brought my values into sharper focus and helped me understand that the legacy I will ultimately leave is determined by the legacy I’m living day in and day out. Since then, I have been able to return to my obituary on an annual basis to measure my progress and assess whether anything has changed.

I have found that the same process can be applied to charitable planning. Whether it’s an obituary, a legacy plan or a personal mission statement, write

the aspirational one first. Then, ask yourself: Is this accurate? If not, what are some steps I can take to bring me closer to my ideal vision or goal? In other words, how can I start living the legacy that I want to live on when I’m no longer here? And if it’s any consolation, at least you know you’ll have the last word.

Getting started is usually the hardest part. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

1. Read first, write later. Read through obituaries in newspapers and on sites like legacy.com to find examples and inspiration. Consider the ones that stand out to you and try using them as templates for your own.

2. Start out short and sweet. Start with a six-word memoir summarizing who you are and how you wish to be remembered and then expand from there. This exercise will help illuminate the most important aspects of your life and identity — core values, passions and personality traits. The words that emerge from this exercise can be incorporated into a longer narrative.

3. Reflect on your life’s journey… so far! Take time to think about the key moments, achievements and experiences that have shaped you. This includes your personal and professional accomplishments, meaningful relationships and passions. Remember, your obituary isn’t just a list of facts but a chance to highlight the essence of who you are and what’s important to you.

4. Acknowledge your contributions. Think about how you impact others — whether through your work, volunteer efforts or personal relationships. You can mention organizations you are involved with, hobbies you love or the legacy you wish to leave behind. This adds depth to your obituary and

shows how you make a difference.

5. Personal touches. Infuse your obituary with your personality and interests. Consider adding a favorite quote, a humorous anecdote or a brief story that reflects your character. This will help create a more authentic and memorable account of your life.

6. Think about what comes next. To write your aspirational obituary, consider what you want to be true at the end of your life. To write your factual obituary, consider what is true about your life today. Use this project as an opportunity to identify actions you can take to bring your desired future into focus: nurture your relationships, support your favorite causes, take a class, plan a trip, pursue a goal, chase a dream, plant a garden, make a plan, make a change. Writing your obituary can also be a springboard for other forms of planning and writing. Do you have an estate plan, advance care plan or living will? What about writing a memoir, family history or personal mission and vision statement?

Whether we are conscious of it or not, we live our legacies every day. The beauty of writing an inspiring obituary now is that you can start living up to it!

For more ideas and resources related to legacy planning, visit cnycf.org/legacy or contact legacy@ cnycf.org. For information on how to incorporate charitable giving into your estate plan, visit 5forCNY.org

Jan Lane serves as senior philanthropic adviser at the Central New York Community Foundation, where she facilitates the Community Foundation’s legacy planning program, working closely with donors who plan to leave a future bequest or estate gift to the foundation.

Diane Kuppermann and Sue Tormey of MakeA-Wish Foundation Central New York at the organization’s headquarters in East Syracuse on May 2. Photo by Chuck Wainwright.

MAKE-A-WISH CELEBRATES

40 Years in Central New York

Since its inception in Central New York, MakeA-Wish Foundation has granted 2,500 wishes to eligible kids in a 15-county area

By Mary Beth Roach

To say that Diane Kuppermann and Sue Tormey are passionate about their work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation is an understatement.

The CNY chapter of the organization grants the wishes of the eligible critically-ill children between the ages of 21/2 and 18.

The two women have been involved for more than a combined 70 years — Tormey as a founding board member, who four decades later, still supports the chapter as a mentor and resource and Kuppermann, 62, in her 33rd year as executive director.

“It’s such a simple thing that we do — grant a wish. How basic but how wonderful is that!” Tormey said.

It might be basic, but their involvement has impacted Tormey and Kuppermann in profound ways — seeing the courage of the wish children and their families and experiencing the overwhelming generosity of individuals, organizations and companies in this area in making these dreams a reality.

As the chapter celebrates its 40th year, Kuppermann and Tormey sat down at the chapter’s East Syracuse headquarters to talk about the beginning of the chapter, one of 57 in the national organization and its growth.

Tormey, of Syracuse, a longtime Onondaga County government

employee, had been chatting one day with a co-worker and friend, Bill Coon, about how inspired he had been after watching a TV program the night before about the national Make-AWish organization, which was founded in 1980.

They began talking with more friends and colleagues; researched the national organization; and talked with Upstate Medical Center staff, especially its pediatric oncology department, to learn what the need was and how they could help.

It didn’t take long, Tormey said, to know that they had to start a local chapter.

“How could you not wrap your arms around this organization?” she said.

She credited the early volunteers who got the local chapter started, including Don Lawless, Coon, Lynda Sturick, Barbara Finley, Marilyn Tickner, Rebecca Artessa, Charles Swanson, JoAnn Manuel, J. Michael Kelly, Caryl Frawley, Dr. David Sadowitz, Carole Fleischman, Kimberly Cramer Hancock, John Orr Jr., Helen Holler, Lynda Sturick, Cris Hafner and Don Hamilton.

Hamilton’s living room became their office space and a separate phone line was installed in his home. Sue’s late husband, attorney Jim Tormey — who would later become a state Supreme Court Justice and the Fifth

Judicial District’s chief administrator — helped get the chapter incorporated.

Fundraisers were very grassroots in nature, such as a wishing well that Green Hills, a grocery store in Syracuse’s Valley neighborhood, set up in which their shoppers could toss spare change. The Groton High School in December of 1993 did a program called “Jingle Links,” in which students could purchase a paper chain link for 5 cents and each class competed to build the longest chain. The school was able to donate $150 to Make-A-Wish. And in the early 1990s a second-grade class from Marcellus collected change left over from their milk money and donated it to Make-AWish in honor of their beloved teacher.

“These things make a difference, whether it’s the nickels that add up to $150 or a company who has the capacity to give more. Everybody has the potential to be a wish-maker,” Kuppermann said.

“This community has embraced Make-A-Wish and has never looked back,” Tormey said.

That first wish

Shortly after starting the group, it received its first wish request, from 6-year-old Joey Edwards of Oneida County, who was born with Fanconi’s aplastic anemia, which affects bone marrow and blood cells.

1. Photo of the 1988 Make-A-Wish golf tournament, designed to raise money for the newly created CNY chapter of Make A Wish Foundation. From left are Jim Tormey, Sue Tormey and former Syracuse University Football Coach Dick MacPherson.

2. Former Wish kids help raise funds for the organization. For example, Alayah Green, who received her own wish in 2017 by becoming a princess at Walt Disney World, has taken her love for carousels and turned it into a benefit event. For the past several years, she has hosted a Rideathon at the antique carousel at Destiny USA, a weekend in which all of the proceeds from the rides there go to Make-A-Wish CNY. The event raised $2,922 this year.

3. Don Hamilton and Sue Tormey pose by the Wishing Well in the early days of the CNY chapter of Make-A-Wish Foundation. The announcement appeared in the Eagle Bulletin newspaper.

Joey had hoped to go to Walt Disney World, but the chapter didn’t have enough resources yet to make his wish possible.

But as Tormey has said, “’No’ is not in our vocabulary.”

So, the board members got in touch with the national chapter for contacts with Disney World, they reached out to their contacts and they even used their own credit cards in order to make Joey’s wish a reality. Joey and his family were able to make that trip in June of 1985. He died on July 15, 1986.

Growing the chapter

Since that time, the local chapter has been able to grant approximately 2,500 wishes for eligible kids in the 15-county area that the organization covers, which extends from the Canadian border to Pennsylvania and from Herkimer County to the east and Cayuga County to the east.

As the chapter continued to grow, Tormey said that the board realized that they needed to turn the job of overseeing the chapter to a professional, rather than a volunteer team.

Enter Diane Kuppermann, of Fayetteville, who had moved from Utah to Central New York to be closer to family.

Kuppermann wanted to pursue a nursing career, but she said she always got sidetracked. As she was preparing to enter nursing school here and checking as to whether her credits would transfer, she learned of the local Make-A-Wish job. She loves kids, she said, and thought she’d find the job gratifying.

Tormey joked that hiring Kuppermann was the answer to the board’s wish.

“She has taken this organization to unbelievable heights,” Tormey said.

Part of the chapter’s growth also included the move into office space at the former Hotel Syracuse in downtown Syracuse.

When the hotel was closed, they moved into space at the then-MONY Towers in downtown Syracuse. But then AXA bought out MONY and Make-A-Wish had to find a new home. The board members stepped up again. One member had a contact with the late Mike Falcone, a wellknown real estate developer and philanthropist, who, with his partners at the Pioneer Group, donated a building on Campuswood Drive in East Syracuse, to the organization. Volunteers were instrumental in renovating the site and Make-A-Wish moved in in 2007.

The seating area at the office celebrates the chapter’s Wish kids. On

Visit to Disney World Resort Leads Wishes Made to Local Make-AWish Foundation

I wish to go — 60% of all wishes

• Disney World Resort is still the most popular wish — about 40% of wishes.

• Other travel including Disneyland, Hawaii, Disney Cruises and other cruises, sporting events — about 20%.

I wish to have — 30% of all wishes

• Shopping sprees.

• Playhouse or playset.

• Room makeover bedrooms, special rooms i.e., man cave.

• Swimming pools and hot tubs.

• Campers.

• Motorized vehicle i.e., CanAm.

I wish to meet — 5% of all wishes

• The Rock.

• John Cena.

• Other WWE wrestlers.

• Michael Jordan.

• Shaq.

I wish to be — MakeA-Wish started in the dreams of a little boy who wanted to be a policeman, roughly 3% of all wishes

• I wish to be a ballerina.

• I wish to be in the Army.

• I wish to write, direct, produce and star in my own movie!

I wish to give —Kids have wished to use their wish to help others – very small percentage and not every year.

• I wish to help kids who are food insecure.

• I wish to give my school a new baseball field (we did the batting and pitching cages but the school fasttracked their campaign to complete the baseball field because of Jack’s wish)

• I wish to give my school a new scoreboard.

Marshall’s wish: “I wish to write, direct, produce and star in my own movie”

one wall is a fireplace and Disney décor, as a nod to Disney World, a favorite wish destination. On another wall is a rotating photo collage featuring some of the Wish kids, but the main focal point in the room is the Wish Child Honor Roll. Stretching two stories, it is covered with stars with the names of many Wish kids and the years their wishes were granted.

“To be able to look at that wall of stars and to know that all those stars signify children with such courage and families; to have put smiles on all those faces at some point; to give them some kind of a reprieve, it’s overwhelming,” Tormey said.

But the wishes do more than put smiles on faces and give families a reprieve.

Kuppermann said in a recent interview with In Good Health newspaper that parents and physicians have seen that the wish process can have a positive impact on the child’s overall well-being.

“The power of hope. The power of positivity,” she said.

Today, Kuppermann, as executive director, oversees a staff of eight; a team of nearly 200 volunteers, who handle a wide range of responsibilities;

and a budget of $2 million this year. This is the most aggressive budget to date, she said, but it is necessary if they are to continue to say “yes” to every eligible child in its 15-county area.

Last year, they granted a record 96 wishes and this year, there are 126 wishes they are working on, although Kuppermann explained how that number is fluid with new wishes being made and others being granted each month.

During that In Good Health interview, Kuppermann was asked if any one of the 2,500 wishes the local chapter has done over the years has especially tugged at her heart and without hesitation she said all 2,500 of them have.

One particular wish, Kuppermann recalled, took her aback.

It was late winter 1993 and Janet, a 13-year-old girl from Cortland County who had an inoperable brain tumor, had wished for a pole barn, but her doctors had advised the Make-A-Wish staff and volunteers that time was not on their side to grant that particular wish. So, Janet’s second wish was for a pregnant Arabian mare to give birth to a gray foal.

Through a series of calls,

Wishes fall into one of four predominate categories with a fifth emerging.

• I wish to go.

• I wish to meet.

• I wish to be.

• I wish to have.

•I wish to give (the 5th emerging category).

Most Unique Wishes in the past 40 Years

• I wish to write, direct, produce and star in my own movie, Marshall’s wish

• I wish to help kids who are food insecure, Caden’s wish

• I wish to have a pregnant Arabian horse with the likelihood of a gray offspring, Janet’s Wish – photos attached

• I wish for an accessible treehouse – Kalan’s Wish – photo attached

• I wish to be in the Army – Justin’s Wish – photos attached

Justin’s wish: “I wish to be in the Army.”

Kuppermann and her team found a breeder who had the type of horse that Janet wanted. The breeder sold the animal to Make-A-Wish and delivered the animal to the girl. Janet’s family already had a barn, so the horse was able to be stabled there. On March 25, the mare gave birth to her foal — which turned out to be gray! And every day that she could, she made her way to the barn by herself or with help, to see her horses. Janet died from her cancer in October of that year.

Impact on a personal level

As mothers themselves, Kuppermann and Tormey have been impacted by their work on a very personal level. Tormey has two grown children, Andy, 38, and Colleen, who will turn 34 later this summer, and three grandchildren.

Kuppermann’s daughters, Elana and Leah, will turn 31 and 28, respectively this summer.

Kuppermann said that as a young mother with Elana, “I just could not comprehend, as I sat home rocking her at night, what a parent was going through in a hospital. I was dreaming about her future and they were wondering what tomorrow would bring. I could never get that out my head.”

Moving forward

Moving forward, these women will not only continue making wishes come true, but they, with their team, will continue to make a difference.

“Make-A-Wish is forever in my heart; and I will always be available to offer any guidance, mentorship or support that I can. And I continue to be grateful to our dedicated staff and volunteers together with this community for helping Make-A-Wish Central New York create the magic and embrace the hope,” Tormey said.

“I wish for an accessible treehouse,” Kalan’s wish.

Wishes by County

Broome 172 (10%)

Cayuga 72 (4%)

Chenango 43 (2%)

Cortland: 30 (2%)

Herkimer 66 (4%)

Jefferson 115 (7%)

Lewis 16 (less than .5%)

Madison 73 (4%)

Oneida 248 (14%)

Onondaga 529 (30%)

“They say that when a wish is granted, that a child replaces fear with confidence, sadness with joy and anxiety with hope. We see that every day,” Kuppermann said. “It’s humbling to know that these parents, who are struggling with such a difficult time in their lives and their child’s life, trust us to come in. They invite us into their life to make a difference.”

Oswego 158 (9%)

Otsego 42 (2%)

St. Lawrence 101 (6%)

Tioga 35 (2%)

Tompkins 60 (3%)

Based on a sample of 1,760 wishes. Source: Make-A-Wish-Foundation of CNY.

Carl Patrick at his home studio in

“I wish I’d known before I retired how many really interesting things there are to do,” he says.

Oswego.

hobby

Noodling Carves Out Enjoyable Retirement for Carl Patrick

Retired PR director for New York Power Authority still busy with woodworking, traveling

By Stefan Yablonski

Carl Patrick’s retirement is tied up in knots — Celtic knots to be exact.

The former director of nuclear communications for the New York Power Authority took an early retirement at 53. That meant a longer retirement. But he didn’t feel ready to retire at the time, he recalled.

“I wish I’d known before I retired how many really interesting things there are to do, other than what I was doing for a living before I retired,” said Patrick.

The 78-year-old discovered myriad new opportunities, such as participating in Riverside Artisans, an art co-operative in Oswego.

Transplant

“I’m a transplant — from Western New York. I’m originally from Perry in Wyoming County. I grew up on a dairy farm outside of town — but I feel as though Oswego is my adopted home town,” he said. “My wife [Terry Quigley] is an Oswego native. We were married in 1980; so we’ve had 45 years of bliss this fall.

“I met her when I was working here in the 1970s. I was working at the FitzPatrick nuclear power plant, doing public relations for the Power Authority. I really developed an affinity for Oswego. I really felt at home here and marrying a local you get into the community a bit more.

“You get to know people in the community and I think it’s a really

nice community. I came from a town of 5,000 and grew up on a farm so being in Oswego was like being in a big city to me. It’s very comfortable here in Oswego.”

Patrick came to Oswego in 1976 and stayed until 1982.

“We moved to Putnam Valley while I worked in the Power Authority’s headquarters office in White Plains.” He lived downstate for 30 years.

“When I was promoted we lived in the New York suburbs. It had its advantages, but was never as comfortable as Oswego,” he said. “I got involved with community things down there. We were near the city of Peekskill which had a lot in common with Oswego. It’s an older city, was an industrial center a hundred years or so ago. It was redeveloping at the time I was down there.

“It came time to retire and we said where do we want to go? We could go to France, Spain or Costa Rica, California or Florida,” he said. “We said, ‘let’s go to Oswego!’ Getting back to Oswego has been delightful after too many years in the suburbs of New York City.”

He said he was fortunate to have a good pension through the state — which has allowed him to do a lot of things — “have a lot of adventures, you know — like this. I’m still working,” he said referring to being a part of the cooperative that he joined in June 2014. In 2017 he was celebrated as Artist of the Month for June at the Riverside Artisans.

Many of his carvings use the patterns of Celtic knots. Some Celtic knots have a special symbolism, while others are simply beautiful patterns. All of them are endless paths, symbolizing eternity and the continuity of life, he explained.

“The Patricks in my family are English. The Irish side of my family is Baker. In fact, Baker High School in Baldwinsville is named after my uncle. He was at least half Irish,” he said. “He went to Oswego to go to college when it was a normal school. He didn’t complete it. They needed a teacher in Hannibal, so they sent him over to Hannibal to be a teacher. This would have been 100 years ago probably. He did well and somehow he ended up in Baldwinsville and worked his way up to principal and eventually superintendent. I don’t know if he ever completed get his degree!”

Tied up in knots

“It really kind of came together when we took a trip to Ireland with our kids when they were in high school. It was one of those things where we said if we are ever going to travel with the kids we should do it now. We had done some of the typical sight seeing things, but we said let’s do a real international trip. My wife is 100% Irish and I’ve got about a quarter,” he said. “We decided to take them to Ireland, teach them a little about their heritage. The trip to Ireland really peeked my interest. You see a lot of Celtic knots there.

“I had done some stuff and something struck me — a light went on over my head — that it would be a lot easier to carve Celtic knots in wood rather than in stone. All these Irish monuments are marble or they are granite. I said wood would be neat and it might look nice. So I started just trying it out see how it would work and I got better and better at it. I entered one in an art contest and it was well-received. So I joined up here. I said maybe I can actually sell some things.”

For carving, he mainly uses butternut and basswood. Occasionally, he’ll use cherry, walnut, cedar or ash.

“The rich wood brings life to the figures I carve, making it the ideal medium for my work. I use only a light finish, with little or no stain, so the beauty of the wood stands on its own. Each figure is unique, with a distinct personality and character,” he explained. “The act of creating a shape or design from a chunk of wood is very satisfying.”

In addition to Celtic knots, he’s created pieces using natural themes such as leaves, animals and the Oswego lighthouse. He’s also done Buddhist designs and New Zealand themes.

“We went there with Dr. [Michael] Nupuf several years ago and I got all sorts of ideas,” he said. “I’d love to do wood block cuts, some of the things that the Japanese do. Wood block cuts

are really great — maybe in my next lifetime. I spend a lot of time whenever we travel, going to art shops and shows and ‘stealing’ ideas — getting inspiration, that’s the word for it.”

Noodling

“I started noodling with [woodworking] when I was young. A friend of my mother did some carving when she retired. I liked the things that she did. I always liked wood,” he said. “My grandfather had remodeled [our farm] in, I think, 1905. They did all the woodwork from white oak that grew in the woods around there. They cut all the wood and let it season and I remember my father telling me there was a local carpenter who came in with all his milling equipment and set up in the front yard and milled all of the trim and woodwork for the house. I grew up in a farmhouse — but it had this gorgeous white oak woodwork throughout. I always appreciated that. My father liked wood and taught me about wood and how important and nice it is. So I had that background. And then I saw these carvings that my mother’s friend made and I said, ‘gee I could do that.’ I started just kind of whittling away at stuff. I’ve always been fascinated by the beautiful grains and rich textures of our native hardwoods and started carving wood many years ago. Over the years, I’ve found that the character of the wood I

use gives a special feel to my carvings.”

Patrick started doing Celtic knots and gave them to family and friends. “There’s a substantial Irish community in Oswego, so they’ve sold well here over the years. It’s fun making them. I enjoy the creative aspect of it and working with wood,” he said. “I really enjoy working in the shop here. This is a really nice organization. I don’t think any of us like doing specific commissions because then you feel the pressure to make it perfect. If I create something that I want to and it has a little flaw in it then if someone wants to buy it they can buy it or if they don’t want to buy it they don’t have to. But if I am doing it specifically for you, I gotta make it right.

“At some point you can’t give them away to your friends and relatives anymore — they’re saturated. You can’t hang any more on your own wall. If you can sell some of them you can recover some of your costs so your spouse doesn’t pick on you too much about money you are spending on materials and equipment.”

The adventure continues

“To me, retirement has been an opportunity to do things that I never had time to do before. I don’t want to work real hard — its retirement. But I can do things that I never had a chance to do before, like this. It’s a hobby; working in the shop is a hobby. But I get to meet new people, get to see old friends. I get to be involved, involved in the community! I like being involved in stuff. I play trombone in a couple different bands. I’m not very good at it but I enjoy it a lot. It’s fun. So all of these things that look like jobs have been hobbies, adventures.”

Is there anything Patrick still wants to do?

“That’s a tough one,” he said with a grin. “There are a lot of things I would like to carve. I have a file on my computer of new ideas that is just huge — there isn’t enough wood in the world to carve all of the things I’d like to carve.

“My wife and I have been doing a lot of traveling. I really enjoy the traveling. We’ve got some friends who like to travel as well. There are a lot of fascinating places that I’d just love to travel to. We’d like to continue traveling. There are a lot of places we haven’t seen yet.”

Carl Patrick showing off some of his artwork.

scams

How to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft Scams

Readers concerned with DOGE’s access to millions of Social Security records

By Jim Miller

I’ve been hearing from many older readers around the country that are deeply troubled by the news that the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been granted access to millions of Americans’ Social Security records that include highly sensitive personal information.

The major concern among data privacy experts is what could happen if your Social Security number, bank account information or tax records somehow gets leaked or breached in all the data shuffling. If your information gets in the wrong hands it could lead to identity theft, which means scammers could use your personal information to open credit card accounts, bank accounts, telephone service accounts, and make major purchases — all in your name.

If you’re concerned about the privacy of your personal information, the best way to protect yourself is to put a “fraud alert,” or better yet a “credit freeze” on your credit file.

A fraud alert is a notification placed on your credit report that signals to potential creditors to take extra steps to verify your identity before extending credit in your name. While a credit freeze completely restricts access to your credit report,

essentially preventing anyone from opening new accounts in your name without your explicit authorization.

A credit freeze provides much stronger protection than a fraud alert, but there is a drawback. When you freeze your credit, you won’t be able to open new credit cards or get a new loan while the freeze in place. It does not, however, prevent you from using the credit cards you already have open.

If you do need to get a new credit card or some type of loan, you can always lift the freeze on your account until you get the card or loan approved, and then refreeze it.

You’ll also be happy to know that a credit freeze is completely free to put in place and lift, as are fraud alerts. And neither action will affect your credit score.

Fraud Alert Set-Up

To set up a fraud alert, you’ll need to contact one of the three major credit reporting bureaus — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — either by phone, online or by mail. You only need to contact one of these agencies, and they will notify the other two. Here’s the phone and website contact information for each of the three bureaus.

• Equifax: 800-685-1111 or Equifax. com/personal/credit-report-services

• Experian: 888-397-3742 or Experian.com/help

• TransUnion: 888-909-8872 or TransUnion.com/credit-help

If you haven’t been a victim of identity theft, you’ll need to set up an “initial fraud alert,” which lasts for one year, although you can renew it for additional one-year periods.

Credit Freeze Set-Up

To set up a credit freeze you’ll need to contact each of the three previously listed credit reporting bureaus –Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. A credit freeze lasts until you unfreeze it. But remember, before you apply for new credit card or loan, you’ll need to temporarily lift the security freeze by following the procedures from each of the credit reporting bureaus where you placed the freeze.

If, however, you don’t want to set up a fraud alert or credit freeze, you can still keep an eye on your credit file by reviewing your credit report regularly. You can get a free credit report each week from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion by going to AnnualCreditReport.com.

There are 68 octagon houses listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and 15 still standing in the Empire State, including the Wilcox Octagon House on 5420 W. Genesee St. in Camillus.

attraction

The Wilcox Octagon House: An Historical Gem in Camillus

By Tim Bennett

Most of us learn about shapes in elementary school.

Astute readers will quickly think: Octagon. Wow, that’s a house with eight sides! The second thought might be: Why build a house with eight sides?

Great question.

We have to go back to society in the mid-1800s in New York to understand.

Although the octagon structure dates way back to the Greeks as well as the early Dutch pioneers of New York state, one of the strongest proponents of this type of house was the 19th century phrenologist and author Orson S. Fowler, who wrote the book, “A Home For All,” or “The Gravel Wall and Octagon Mode of Building,” in 1848.

In it he listed the benefits of octagon houses. It would cost less to build because fewer materials were needed. It used space more efficiently as compared to traditional houses. It maximized natural light with all its windows and it would cost less to heat because of the reduced exterior surface.

As a result of the book’s popularity, octagon houses were built in more than 20 states in the U.S. and Canada with the majority in New York.

Today, there are 68 octagon houses listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and 15 still standing in the Empire State.

Among them is the Wilcox

Karen Donovan, the president of Wilcox Octagon House, and Joy Flood, the first vice president. “We had 600 people come through the house at the Holiday Open House last year,” said Donovan.

Octagon House on 5420 W. Genesee St. in Camillus, just west of the Super Walmart.

It was built in 1856 by Isaiah Wilcox who moved to Camillus with his family from Connecticut in the 1840s. When the Wilcox family moved into their new octagon home Isaiah Wilcox was 51, his wife, Ann, 54, his daughter, Mary, 20 and his son, George, 17.

In a recent interview at the site with Karen Donovan, the president of Wilcox Octagon House, and Joy Flood, the first vice president, Flood said, “Mr. Wilcox was what they called a gentleman farmer. This was because he did not work the farm himself but hired local workers to do that for him. He also hired people to serve inside the house, although they did not live there.”

A census from 1855 reveals that the property was a moderatelysized farm, which produced potatoes, corn, wheat, hay, apples and beans. It also had animals such as sheep, chickens, cows, horses and cattle. The census records that the farm consisted of 48 “improved acres” and four “unimproved acres.” Oral tradition says it once consisted of 300 acres.

When asked about the house’s possible use for the Underground Railroad, Flood said, “Although it cannot be substantiated, it is a strong possibility when you consider the proximity of the house to the Erie Canal and Isaiah Wilcox’s abolitionist beliefs. We have a copy of the old petition Isaiah Wilcox signed upstairs that proves he was opposed to slavery.”

The petition Flood is referring to was a public proclamation for all residents who were against the “Fugitive Slave Law” and slavery going “to new soil” [other states], to meet at a local hotel. This law was officially called the Federal Fugitive

Slave Act of 1850. This was meant to compel people from any state to return runaway slaves to their owners. The federal consequence of aiding escaped slaves was severe. Those who willingly obstructed, hindered or prevented capture of a fugitive could face a fine of $1,000 ($37,000 today) and up to six months in prison.

Flood said, “This could be why there are no written records of Isaiah Wilcox being involved in the Underground Railroad, if he was. He could have gotten into a lot of trouble for doing this.”

Flood explained how the small door going into the cellar area would have made it easy for escaped slaves to slip in and out unnoticed.

Another case for Wilcox’s possible involvement with the Underground Railroad was the fact many religious people of New York were actively involved. Wilcox was a member of the local Baptist church and served as a deacon. He also wrote to his brother in 1856 urging him to read the book, “My Bondage & Freedom,” by ex-slave, Frederick Douglas.

George Wilcox died young at 23 in 1862, Ann Wilcox at 79 in 1881, Isaiah at 79 in 1884 and Mary at 63 in 1899. Mary continued to live in the house after her father died and never married. She worked as a teacher at the oneroom school house in Camillus and

became its principal in 1881. She was also very active in the Sunday school and mission projects of her church, The Second Presbyterian Church of Camillus.

After Mary Wilcox’s death in 1899 the Wilcox farm was bought by Edward Fox in 1900. The property was owned by Fox’s family for three generations until 1965, though the farm and house were sometimes rented to outsiders for periods of time. The house was divided into two apartments during the renovations of 1933 through 1935.

The Wilcox Octagon House was purchased by the town of Camillus in 1967 and remains one of its treasured historical museums.

The town takes care of the exterior of the house while the house association is responsible for the interior.

Many renovations have been done since then to return the house to its original condition. Furniture from the time period decorates the rooms as well as framed vintage photos of the families who lived there.

Clothing and other common items of the day are also on display. Regarding a new acquisition for the house, Donovan said, “We were very happy to find a Hoosier kitchen cabinet for downstairs recently.”

This item was popular from 1900 to 1930, produced by the Hoosier Manufacturing Company of Indiana.

Wilcox Octagon House Open for Visitation

Today the Wilcox Octagon House is open on Sundays from April to October for tours and on certain Sundays for special events such as the Father’s Day Strawberry Festival where they sell strawberry shortcake; Farm Day, which features local artisan products; and their popular Christmas event, Holiday Open House, where volunteers creatively decorate small Christmas trees, which are then raffled off.

“We had 600 people come through the house at the Holiday Open House last year,” said Karen Donovan, the president of Wilcox Octagon House.

The Octagon House can also be rented to small groups for bridal showers, teas, art exhibits and special showings.

“One time, an antique car group decided to make The Octagon House a destination point for one of their events. We could not accommodate the whole group of 65 cars, of course. But I suggested they double up and they came and had a great time,” Flood said.

For more information or to schedule a special event at The Wilcox Octagon House, go to: https:// octagonhouseofcamillus.org or call 315 488-7800.

your health

By Eva Briggs, M.D.

Here’s to Good Health

Factors underlying the aging process

Ithink I’m not alone in wishing for not just a long lifespan, but a long healthspan. Aging is inevitable, but to stay healthy as long as possible would be ideal.

I recently read an article that explains a number of the biological factors underlying the aging process. Since my love of biology is what led me to pursue a career in medicine, I’ll try to explain and describe them in this column.

• Senescent cells. Most of the cells in your body divide to form new cells. Old cells typically die when they are no longer functional. Over the years, some cells lose the ability to divide but don’t die. These senescent cells build up in the body and secrete substances that cause inflammation, interfere with tissue function and promote agerelated diseases.

• Telomere erosion. DNA is the molecule inside cells that provides the instructions the cell uses to manufacture the proteins that allow metabolism and growth. DNA molecules exist in long strands. At each end of the DNA molecule is a section that serves as a protective cap to prevent one chromosome from merging with another. This end cap is called a telomere. Over time the telomeres wear away, eventually

losing their protective abilities. When this happens, the cell can’t divide and becomes senescent.

• DNA damage. Because our cells contain so much DNA, it’s inevitable that the DNA can become damaged each time a cell reproduces itself. Healthy cells have mechanisms to repair the damage so that the error won’t spread and cause diseases such as cancer. With time cells lose the ability to repair DNA damage.

• Epigenetics. Your body has chemicals that turn sections of DNA on or off as needed. These chemicals change over time, affecting the rate of aging. Epigenetic changes can be passed from parent to child. Environmental factors such as diet, exercise and psychological stress also contribute to epigenetic changes.

• Mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondria are structures inside each cell that produce energy from nutrients needed for metabolic processes. As mitochondria age, they become inefficient, failing to provide the cell with the energy to do its job.

• Protein degradation. Proteins are complex molecules needed for cells to function. Older cells may be unable to maintain healthy proteins. Damaged non functional proteins accumulate. Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s are two diseases felt to arise from the buildup

of damaged proteins.

• Cellular repair. When cells lose the ability to repair the wear and tear to their internal structures, toxic wastes pile up. Think of what would happen if you couldn’t take your trash out. It makes a mess.

• Worn out stem cells. Stem cells are cells that have the ability to grow into different types of cells to repair and replace damaged cells. When they wear out, organs and tissues degenerate. This especially affects the skin, immune system, and blood.

• Altered gut microbiome. Your intestines host a community of microorganisms. Changes such as loss of beneficial bacteria and an increase in detrimental species contribute to a wide variety of processes: inflammation, immune function, metabolic health and more.

• Endocrine changes. Hormones send signals between different organs. Various changes contribute to aging. For example, decreased growth hormone leads to weaker muscles and decreased melatonin interferes with the sleep cycle.

The good news is that by understanding how we age at the cellular level, scientists are studying ways to slow or reverse these processes. The goal is to enable us to stay healthier longer.

entrepreneurship

A Retirement Life: Running a Golf Course

A retired Auburn firefighter and his wife, a computer programmer, bought Pearl Lakes Golf Course in Skaneateles 25 years ago as a retirement business — they still run it today

By David Figura

Angelo and Mary Tozzi’s retirement years have been dominated by one thing — the Pearl Lakes Golf Course and Driving Range in Skaneateles.

For the past 25 years, Angelo, 75, a retired Auburn firefighter and Mary, 76, a retired computer programmer, have owned and maintained the ninehole, course on Old Seneca Turnpike (County Route 133).

The public course offers seven, par-three holes and two par-four holes. With a cart, one can easily finish in about an hour and a half, making it attractive for golfers looking for a quick, challenging round. It costs $23 to play nine holes with a cart; $33 for 18.

“We get people coming up from New York City and other places and when we tell them the prices, we often

hear, “And that’s all?” Angelo said.

On a recent weekday early May afternoon, Joe Adams, 77, and Mike Zales, 75, both of Camillus, were hitting balls on the driving range.

“I’ve been coming to Pearl Lakes for years,” Adams said. “I like the course because it’s usually not that crowded and there’s not too many local driving ranges open now.”

The course was built in 1993 by Chris Staples of Skaneateles. It covers more than 59 acres in a picturesque setting with rolling hills and forest. It was originally designed by renowned golf architect, Robert Trent Jones Jr., according to golfandtravel.com.

When the course first opened it had seven small ponds. Staples named the course after his wife, Pearl, and added the word “Lakes” because of the ponds.

Since then, only three ponds remain. The others were filled in with “tons of sand” and now sport cattails, Angelo said.

How did a firefighter and computer programmer come to own a golf course?

Back in the late 1980s, the Tozzis were both working full-time. Angelo as a firefighter; Mary as a computer programmer for Continental Information Services in Syracuse.

Angelo also had a part-time job, helping a friend who owned Byrn’s Trophies and Sports in Auburn.

“I was helping him build trophies when I wasn’t fishing or hunting,” he said.

Eventually, the store owner moved to Florida and the Tozzis bought the business. Mary, who tired of the daily commute to Syracuse (particularly

Family playing a round of golf at Pearl Lakes Golf Course and Driving Range in Skaneateles in May.

in the winter), quit her Syracuse job and began working full-time at the trophy shop. Angelo, with his flexible firefighter hours, worked part-time at the business.

Dan Soules and Mark Dunn, co-owners of Cranebrook Hills Golf Course (just west of the city of Auburn) were frequent customers at the trophy shop. Soules made the Tozzis aware that Pearl Lakes was for sale and suggested that owning it would be “a nice, little nest egg” for them in retirement, giving them the winters off.

“We came here with some friends and went golfing. Everyone was smiling, laughing and we had a real good time,” Mary remembered.

Shortly after, the couple decided to sell the trophy shop, which they had been running for 13 years and bought Pearl Lakes for $300,000.

The couple soon realized that owning a golf course was not an easy, leisurely business venture.

“There was nothing here. We had to buy all the golf carts. The greens looked like they belonged in a freaking museum. There was no [adequate] equipment to mow the fairways or to pick up the balls on the driving range,” said Angelo, who retired from the fire department in 2003 to dedicate all his time to the course.

Initially, the Auburn couple got assistance from their two sons in running Pearl Lakes, but their help ended. They’ve also had friends and part-time workers helping out over the years. But for the majority of the time — and even today — it’s Angelo and Mary who keep things running.

Weather permitting, each year the course and driving range opens annually in March and stays open seven days a week, often through Thanksgiving.

Angelo mows the fairways, maintains the greens and does whatever else needs to be done to keep the course in playing shape.

Twice over the years he’s had to pull golf carts out of the ponds, the result of young, inexperienced drivers. He’s also had to apply to the state Department of Environmental Conservation for a nuisance permit to get rid of beavers that have come on the course from an adjacent swamp.

“A friend of mine who is a trapper helped out,” he said. “This spring he got a 48- and a 54-pounder.”

What’s the most important thing about maintaining a golf course?

“In my opinion, the greens are more important than anything else,” Angelo said. “That’s our lifeblood right there. That’s why I have to keep them

LEFT: Angelo Tozzy: He mows the fairways, maintains the greens and does whatever else needs to be done to keep the course in playing shape.

RIGH: Mary Tozzi: Among other things, she tends the clubhouse, taking in greens and cart rental fees, along with handling all the bookkeeping.

green and looking nice. They keep us in the green.”

Mary tends the clubhouse, taking in greens and cart rental fees, along with handling all the bookkeeping. She also runs the adjacent driving range, driving the machine that picks up the balls. She then brings the balls back to the clubhouse, washes them and puts them out in baskets for golfers to use.

It all makes for long days, particularly during the warm, busy summer months. At times, Angelo stays overnight in the clubhouse on weekends, sleeping in a recliner in the back office.

Business the past two years has picked up and the course continues to be profitable, Mary said.

Not surprising, though, the couple who got into the golf course business partially because of their love of the game rarely, if ever, have time to golf themselves. And after 25 years, they’re looking to sell Pearl Lakes.

“It’s hard to walk away,” Angelo said. “We’re both getting up there in age. I’d like to see it remain a golf course. But it’s time.”

Angelo then paused, looking out on the course with pride.

“Most everything you see here was from us,” he said.

Barado’s on the Water Still a Top Destination, Despite Loss

Partner

Cheryl Barsom says she was not certain she could run the restaurant after her partner’s death in 2022

By Margaret McCormick

When Cheryl Barsom upgraded the outdoor seating at Barado’s on the Water with lush landscaping and an enlarged patio, she made sure to carve the initials of her business partner and best friend, Donna J. DiRaddo, in the cement.

DiRaddo died in 2022 after a lengthy battle with cancer. She was the restaurant’s executive chef and menu guru. “She’s still our guiding star,’’ Barsom said.

That’s evident on the menu, which often features dishes and specials DiRaddo developed, including her customer-favorite lobster bisque, served Friday and Saturday.

Barsom cared for her friend as her cancer progressed and her loss still leaves a void. But Barsom knows DiRaddo would be proud of what she

has accomplished as a solo owner. She’d also be proud of the imaginative food, the dedicated bar, service and kitchen staff, and the restaurant’s commitment to the Brewerton-Oneida Lake community.

It’s a recipe for success that has helped Barado’s become one of the most popular outdoor dining destinations in Central New York.

“At first, I didn’t think I could do this crazy restaurant life without her,’’ Barsom recalled recently. “But we had all the systems in place: the scheduling, the food, the ordering, the recipes and so much more. We’re also very thankful that our core staff are also so invested — and amazing people. You have to surround yourself with great people. That’s what we’ve done here.’’

Barsom, 62, grew up in Massachusetts and moved to Central

New York when she met and married her husband, Jeffrey. She worked for 22 years as a dental hygienist, but she always worked in restaurants, too, from an early age. “It’s in my blood,’’ she said.

She met DiRaddo when they worked together at Lakeshore Country Club. Barsom was bartending and DiRaddo was the executive chef. They later worked part-time at the former Williams Sonoma store at Destiny USA.

After a couple summers working at Lakeshore and Beaver Meadows Golf Club, Barsom and DiRaddo launched their own catering business. They needed a free-standing kitchen and found one in Brewerton, where they introduced a small restaurant and gave it a combination of their two last names: Barado’s Cafe.

The team behind the success of Barado’s: From left, Ted Jandzio, Cheryl Barsom, Ericka Burns and Anthony Campolito.

In 2014, Nolan Bradbury, owner of Bradbury’s Boatel, asked the partners to open a restaurant at the marina. “We can rock this kitchen,’’ Barsom recalled DiRaddo saying when they went to look at the place. They ran the café and Barado’s on the Water for more than a year before closing the café to focus their attention on the thriving marina location.

That work has paid off.

Today, Barado’s on the Water is a lively restaurant with a casual “tiki bar” vibe. The restaurant earned top honors for both outdoor dining and waterfront dining and second place for best signature cocktails in The Post-Standard/Syracuse.com annual Readers’ Choice Awards in 2024.

“I can see why this place is so popular,’’ diner Fred Kuepper wrote on Facebook after visiting in October. “Our table of four chose haddock, fish tacos, calamari, lobster rolls and red Argentine shrimp. Everything was perfect. Glad we got there early because it was packed by 7 p.m.’’

Barado’s doesn’t take reservations during the warm weather months, and it’s common for guests — some of whom arrive by boat — to wait for tables. It’s so busy at times, Barsom

said, that three people are needed to staff the host station. Enjoy a cocktail or mocktail by bartender Ericka Burns while you wait. She makes her own simple syrups and has developed a following for her espresso martinis, seasonal sangrias, cosmopolitans and other drinks.

The kitchen is home to a trio of chefs who pull old favorites out of chef Donna’s recipe file but also bring their own creative flair to the menus and daily specials. Popular dishes include fried calamari with house marinara sauce, “firecracker” shrimp, lobster rolls, grilled mahi-mahi tacos with cilantro-lime slaw, baked haddock with butter crumb topping and pasta dishes, including some with head chef Anthony Campolito’s trademark meatballs. Cakes, pies, cheesecakes and other desserts are made by Shawna Vollmer, a longtime friend and coworker of Barsom.

Barsom works long days and loves that every day is different. Mornings are spent at home with her husband and some days she fits in a workout with her daughter before heading to the restaurant. You might be greeted by her at the host station, or she might pour your wine or deliver your food.

“I’m wherever I’m needed,’’ Barsom explained. “I’m hostess, server, dishwasher and bartender. You have to do it all as an owner. You have to flow where you’re needed.’’

Prior to DiRaddo’s passing, Barado’s on the Water closed for the season in late fall. The restaurant is now open year-round, with comfort food front and center on the fall and winter menus and the warmth of a woodstove replacing summer’s warm breezes. “It’s nice to carry on her legacy and passion,’’ Barsom said.

After a winter where snow was measured in feet rather than inches in Oswego County, Barsom and her team are looking forward to warm days and planning fresh menus for the summer crowd.

“In the summer we’re running — sprinting — from the time we get here until time we leave,’’ Barsom said. “It keeps me young.’’

Barado’s on the Water is at 57 Bradbury Road, Central Square. For more information, visit the restaurant’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ Barados.on.the.Water

Steak served at Barado’s.

One of the specialties at Barado’s: mahi mahi tacos.

medicare

Should You Get a Medicare Broker?

Many people don’t realize that working with a broker can help demystify the application process and match them with the best plan for their needs — and it doesn’t cost a dime

By Dawn Papandrea

Once you reach a certain age, you start paying attention to those Medicare conversations that always seem to come up at family gatherings or social get-togethers. Inevitably, you will hear some familiar comments.

“It’s so confusing. You need an advanced degree just to understand all the terminology.”

“It’s getting more and more expensive.”

“How do they expect non-techie types to navigate all this stuff?”

“I’m turning 65 soon and I don’t even know where to begin!”

If all that has you beginning to dread your own Medicare rite of passage, take heart. Medicare brokers can help you not only navigate your initial Medicare enrollment, but continue to hold your hand through the process and any follow-up needs

you may have — and the service is completely free.

But wait. How can this free service be out there, but hardly anyone you know uses it?

Dispelling the Big Myth

First things first. You do not have to — nor should you — pay for a Medicare broker’s services. Medicare brokers earn commissions from insurance carriers and plan providers and are not allowed to charge beneficiaries for their services. What’s more, the brokers work on your behalf and in your best interest. “Nobody pays me any more or any less to send a client to them — we’re carrier agnostic,” says Tracy Brown, a Medicare broker and founder of MedWiseTrust in San Diego.

Knowing that, you may wonder why everyone doesn’t automatically use a broker. Besides the misperception

about cost, people often assume they will have no problem selecting Medicare plans by themselves. After all, they’ve successfully sorted through employer-based health care plans for years. But as many people come to learn, Medicare can be more complex than that.

“During your whole working life, the employer does the heavy lifting to find suitable insurance for you,” says Danielle Kunkle Roberts, founding partner at Boomer Benefits, which is based in Fort Worth, Texas, and specializes in Medicare-related insurance.

When signing up for employerprovided health insurance, you might have had to choose a plan level, or a PPO versus an HMO. Medicare has many more options, from whether to get a comprehensive, privately run Medicare Advantage plan or go with original Medicare with a drug plan and a supplement to help you pay

Who Should Get a Medicare Broker?

On top of that, people are bombarded with marketing materials, from postcards to commercials. “You don’t ever want to enroll in a plan because you saw a TV commercial where they promised everything will be free,” warns Roberts, who is also author of “10 Costly Medicare Mistakes You Can’t Afford to Make.”

Pretty much anyone can benefit from using a Medicare broker. “People make expensive Medicare mistakes because they don’t know who to trust for help,” says Sylvia Gordon, who wrote “Medicare Mama’s Guide to Medicare and Social Security Retirement” and helps run her family’s insurance broker business, The Medicare Family.

A common mistake cited by one in 10 respondents to a Commonwealth Fund survey is enrolling in a plan thinking that their doctor was covered, only later to learn that there were limitations on seeing that doctor or the doctor was not in the plan’s network.

A broker can save you hours of research and help you avoid such mistakes, potentially saving you hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

• You have a lot of providers and medications. “It can be really easy for you to make a mistake using the tools on the Medicare website on your own, “ says Roberts. When using Medicare’s online tool for choosing the best Part D insurance for prescription drugs, for example, you might type in the brand name of a medication instead of the generic version or ask for tablets instead of capsules. This could result in you getting an incorrect quote. “If you have more complex medical issues, or are spending more with medications, that’s not something you want to get wrong,” says Roberts.

• You might be dual eligible. That is, if you qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid, there are special products available, and brokers should be familiar with how to set yourself up in the best possible way.

biased way, she adds.

What a Broker Can Do for You

If you decide to move forward with a Medicare broker, you may be pleasantly surprised at the breadth and depth of services they can offer you.

• Get you up to speed on the basics. If you don’t know your Part B from your Part D, for example, or the order of events to get signed up for Medicare the first time, your broker will start there. “They should explain the difference between Medicare and Medigap, and Medicare Advantage and how they differ, what it covers, and what it costs,” says Roberts.

• Help you choose a plan. The first big decision is whether you want to go with Original Medicare plus a Medigap supplement plan and Part D prescription plan. Or, if you want to choose more

“Brokers who are not captive to one insurance carrier, ask and care about your needs, and provide on-going support can make a huge difference in your experience with Medicare,” says Dan Hardle, chief executive of Medicare Advocates, an insurance marketing organization.

This is especially true if any of the following applies to you:

• You have a complicated life situation. Let’s say you work past age 65, you’re coming off your group insurance while you’re in your home state, but then you’re moving to another state a few months later. “A broker can shop the quotes to say, ‘Here’s what’s going to be best for you in Texas, but here’s what you have to do when you go to Florida,’” says Roberts.

• You’re not tech savvy or don’t have the time to do research. Can you compare plans on Medicare. gov, call 10 insurance companies, and read through plan documents? Sure. “But a broker can do it all in less time, explain complicated terms in plain language, and catch things you might overlook, like hidden costs and coverage restrictions,” says Gordon.

State Health Insurance Programs (SHIPs) are another resource that Medicare beneficiaries can turn to for free, personalized health insurance advice. SHIPs help individuals compare coverage options and plan costs and are not connected to any insurance company or health plan.

Contacting your SHIP can be an excellent starting point, says Roberts, but you won’t get ongoing support as you would with a broker. What they do well is help you sort through the options available to you, in a non-

of an all-inclusive

Medicare Advantage program. If you go with the latter, then you’ll have to choose from a variety of network plans, which change yearly.

When it comes to comparing plans, a broker can also help you look beyond just cost. “People think they have to buy the most expensive plan because they think $160 a month is way better than the one for $20 a month,” says Brown. “But buying the most expensive one could also be the fastest way to waste your money.”

A broker can also help perform due diligence like calling your doctors’ offices to confirm that they do in fact accept a particular plan, since online directories are not always up to date or accurate, says Roberts.

“Brokers also know which plans have better customer service and which ones deny the most claims — something you won’t find on

Medicare’s website,” says Gordon. And while the government rates Medicare Advantage plans, it does not rate Medicare Supplement plans. “We’ve worked with these plans for 30 years,” she adds, “so we can speak about each of them from experience.”

Problems that May Arise

Helping you pick a policy is just the first part of a broker’s job, says Roberts. They also can help you navigate questions and issues that come up. Some examples:

• You might get a bill in the mail and don’t know if you should call the insurance company, Medicare, the lab or the doctor’s office.

• You get a late penalty from Part D and you want to file an appeal to get that penalty waived.

• You have a Medicare Advantage plan but aren’t sure how to find a dentist or file a claim.

“We don’t run from problems,” says Brown. “We’re here when people have questions, and we teach them to solve some of the easy ones themselves.”

Signing up for Medicare is not a one-and-done process. Plans can change each year, and so might your health status, including the medications you take. Moving to a new state can also affect your Medicare Advantage plan options. That’s why maintaining an ongoing relationship with your broker is key. “They will update you each year of upcoming changes and help ensure you stay

in the best available coverage,” says Hardle.

How to Find a Medicare Broker

Like any other service provider, choosing the best broker for your needs requires some upfront research on your part.

• Start with referrals. Talk to friends or family, or your trusted financial professionals or health care providers.

• Go online and search for independent brokers. You can use an online directory like the one from the American Association for Medicare Supplement Insurance or see if your state has a search tool (for example, there is one from New York State).

• Read reviews. “A good broker who really knows what they’re doing should have thousands of five-star reviews. Take a look at what their customers are saying about them,” says Roberts.

As for when to start looking for a broker, start researching Medicare about a year before you plan to enroll and read broker reviews, says Gordon. If you are already on Medicare but think you could benefit from a broker’s help, remember that you can change plans every year in the open enrollment period from October 15 to December 7. Try to book your appointment a few weeks ahead of time.

Questions to Ask a Potential Broker

• How long have you been doing

this and how many clients do you have? Ideally, you’ll want to choose an experienced broker who has a long track record of satisfied customers.

• How many plans do you represent? Look for brokers who have a dozen or so plans in every state that they work in, says Roberts. If they represent just one plan, then they are health care agents, not brokers.

• Are you available for assistance after I choose a policy? “If they tell you to call your insurance carrier, that should be the end of the line,” says Roberts.

Follow Your Gut

Finding a broker with whom you have a good rapport is important, so don’t hesitate to look elsewhere if you don’t click. Also, watch for red flags, such as feeling you’re being pushed in one direction or a broker isn’t being responsive to your questions.

Most important, do not work with agents who attempt to charge you extra for a consultation or meeting, says Hardle. “Agents get paid by insurance providers in the form of commission, if they enroll you,” he adds. “They should not be getting a dime of your money.”

This article was previously published in www.nextavenue. org, a nonprofit, digital journalism publication produced by Twin Cities PBS (TPT).

grandparenting

They’re Teenagers Already!

How to have fun with teenage grandchildren

By Carol Radin

When they’re babies, you can take them on long stroller rides and watch them kick their toes in the breeze. When they are in elementary school, you can take them to the playground and the ice cream stand for a cone with extra sprinkles.

When they’re teenagers — then what?

If you are a grandparent lucky enough to spend a whole day with teenage grandchildren or even a whole week while they visit from out of town, you know that the activities the two generations can do together require some extra thought.

As seniors, we might be slowing down a bit and looking for manageable and mellow activities, while our teens are speeding up and developing new interests in high-sensory, complex environments.

So I asked several grandparents about the ways that they and their teen grandchildren enjoy their visits together.

While I compiled lists in my head of recreation complexes with admission fees that can be a fun day trip, the grandparents I spoke to have

discovered that some of the more timeless outdoor activities still apply in the summer.

Right in your own backyard

Some grandparents found that starting with their grandteens’ own interests leads to great fun at little or no cost.

Cazenovia grandmother, Heidi Ravven, 73, has a 12-year- old granddaughter who visits her from out of state. On a recent visit, Lucy just wanted to hang out at the house, so Ravven actually dug into her vintage lawn game sets. They played croquet! And bocce! While these might strike many kids as dated, Ravven was surprised that Lucy liked bocce quite a bit. So, you never know. Bring out the badminton set, Frisbee or soccer ball for some casual footwork. Or get tie-dyeing kits.

Judy Drucker, 72, of DeWitt, knows that when her two teenage granddaughters come to visit, they are happy simply doing things that are different from what they do at home. Drucker and her husband, Dan Hurley, have eight grandchildren

in their blended families. The two oldest of the cousins, Celia, going on 15 and Annaliese, going on 14, come from rural areas, so shopping itself is a field trip for them. They love a trip to Trader Joe’s, where they stock up on their favorite chips, dried fruits, frozen taco roll-ups and whatever else Drucker treats them to. Other big hits are Starbucks for tall drinks or a shop that makes a favorite they can’t get at home: Bubble tea!

“We’ll also involve them in what we’re doing, like we’ll wash cars and they’ll help,” Drucker said.

Such tasks as watering and weeding or washing lawn furniture become less of a task and more of a team contribution when the generations join in.

Speaking of yard work, it happens to be one of the activities of choice for Tracy and Ron Poushter’s grandson, Landon. Landon will sometimes visit them for a week at a time at their home in Jamesville. The 17-year-old already has advanced skills in repairing and building. Lucky for Tracy, 67 and Ron, 68.

“He can fix anything,” Tracy bragged. (Grandparents are allowed

to brag!) “He can fix my car, our truck, motorcycles, outdoor lawn machinery.”

Ron Poushter has a truck with a snowplow and Landon can fix that, too. Tracy loves to describe a little table Landon built for her boat on one particular visit. Since he didn’t have paint, he meticulously trimmed the table with shiny black tape in a checkerboard design. He cut two-byfours to make the table’s legs. Landon can spend hours that way, doing what he enjoys, side by side at home with his grandparents. And his grandmother still uses her checkerboard table.

Water, water everywhere

With our many lakes and rivers, water activities are always in. Several grandparents remarked that their teens love fishing and found that even the antsy-est teen could focus for hours while waiting for a bass or a carp to catch and release. Search online for CNY fishing sites.

Limestone Creek, Cazenovia Lake and Jamesville Reservoir are just a few. Webster Pond, a small and tranquil patch of nature on Valley Drive in the south of Syracuse, also offers onemorning Saturday and Sunday fishing programs for teens in the summer for a small fee.

And swimming and boating — of course! With a cooler full of food to grill during water breaks, the day is complete! The Finger Lakes, Oneida Lake and Lake Ontario are practically required when planning day trips.

The same goes for our public pools. Syracuse has Olympic-sized pools at Thornden, Schiller and Burnet parks, with picnic areas and, depending on the park, open playing fields, basketball courts and tennis courts for those who want to dry off. In Utica, two parks have public pools and in Auburn at least one. Check out city parks and recreation websites for the pools near you.

People can rent canoes or go on a boat excursion. The popular Green Lakes State Park has canoe and rowboat rentals, as well as scheduled nature walks on the trails. If your grandteen is a history buff, you might consider the 45-minute boat tour along the Erie Canal, which leaves from the Camillus Erie Canal Park on Wednesdays and Sundays. The park has a canal museum as well, a

replica of the old Sims Canal Store. As an aside, speaking of history buffs, what about a day trip to the National Women’s Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls or the Harriet Tubman National Historic Park in Auburn, to name just a few more of the historical sites that abound in CNY.

For a wilder water experience, I have yet to meet a teen who doesn’t like a trip to a water park for a day. Sky-high slides, pool currents, tunnels, tube-riding — what could be bad? Even sitting back and watching, as the grandparents will most likely do, is fun. Thunder Island in Fulton and Cascades Indoor Waterpark in Cortland are two complexes that are a short drive. (Thunder Island also has mini-golf and a go-kart track.) Roseland Waterpark is another, a little further away in Canandaigua.

The food marathon

“It’s a food marathon when they’re here,” Drucker exclaimed.

Together, she and her granddaughters get creative. They’ll do make-your-own ice cream sundaes, the fancier the better. For one meal, she’ll set up a pizza-making assembly line with an array of condiments and vegetables. Drucker also has a favorite bread recipe that she makes with the girls.

“I give each of them their own lump of dough for kneading and shaping. Then they can make individual loaves,” she said.

If they go out to eat, the girls like Thai food.

Ravven, too, likes to cook and bake. She will make a big pot of chicken chili, an easy one-bowl meal that Lucy likes and it keeps dinner simple, so that there is plenty of time for other activities.

Tracy Poushter’s approach to food is to make it a social occasion for her grandson, by inviting old friends of his over for dinner. Hungry 17-year-olds and a pan of macaroni and cheese — perfect! Burgers, check. Pizza, check. Wings, check.

“One day I have a full refrigerator. The next day it’s empty!” Poushter laughed.

For restaurant outings: Easy and casual, must include a bun or crust.

For the price of admission: outings on land and water

Miniature golf complexes come to mind immediately. Even the unskilled (like me!) can have a good laughout-loud when the ball zig zags 10 times and lands everywhere except the last hole under the windmill. (See sidebar for mini-golf complexes.)

Grandparents who are avid golfers might also suggest a golf driving range for their teens to practice, like the Butternut Creek driving range in Jamesville, just east of Syracuse. And of course there are teens who already play, so doing a real game with them is a special occasion in and of itself. For the totally uninitiated who still want the physical exercise and challenge, many state and county parks have disc golf, which you play on park terrain.

For spectator sports, Syracuse and Auburn both have baseball stadiums, as does Rochester, if you don’t mind a slightly longer drive.

The Syracuse Mets, a minor league team and Triple A affiliate of the New York Mets and the Rochester Red Wings, a minor league team and affiliate of the Washington Nationals, have frequent home games and promotional nights with fun giveaways, discount food and special cultural theme nights. The Auburn Doubledays, a collegiate summer baseball team of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League, holds games in June and July in a stadium where you have a perfect view from any seat; they too have promotions and giveaways, hot dogs and sausage sandwiches from the grill and the ever-essential crackerjacks and ice cream.

Destiny USA mall in Syracuse has Wonderworks, a large recreational complex offering a suspended indoor ropes course, an intricate canyon-like climb with stepping platforms, railings and ropes. You will want to merely observe with those. However, other interactive areas like Extreme Weather Zone, Space Discovery Zone, and Light and Sound Zone look more like walkin environments that all ages can do.

Say yes to your neighborhood library

Our libraries have become multi-media community centers for educational workshops in the arts and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). When my grandchildren, still pre-teens, come

to town, I always check the summer calendar of events at every Syracuse branch library. We’ve gone to see the Reptile Man as well as the Birds of Prey program. Yup, live snakes and lizards and hawks and claws for the latter. For teenagers, you will find that every library offers hour-long workshops that are age-appropriate: workshops in music recording, STEM, Dungeons and Dragons, Rubik’s cube time and so on.

The Liverpool Library will offer short summer sessions for teens like the Teen Lego Robotics Club, the Cube Club (Rubik’s cube) and one-hour cooking lessons with foods of particular cultures. Northern Onondaga Public Library’s branch in North Syracuse has a chess club and a tie-dye socks session. Every online search for libraries’ calendars of events opens up endless possibilities. Three libraries in the Syracuse area have “makerspaces,” which are fascinating hands-on laboratories where kids of all ages can find a corner that will captivate them for hours. Those are the Central Library in downtown Syracuse, the Fayetteville Free Library in Fayetteville and the Community Library of DeWitt and Jamesville, located in DeWitt. There, grandparents and teens alike can learn the how-to’s of 3D printers, a laser engraver, a vinyl cutter and a CNC mill (computer numerical control milling machine). Your teens might even show you a thing or two once you enter the room.

It’s all good

Our common refrain as grandparents when we stand head to shoulder with our tall and taller grandchildren is often “Where did the years go?” When they were little, you might have thought they could never be any better; then you discover that as teens they have dimensions that make them even more interesting and refreshing with their thoughtful observations about a whole range of issues. No matter what their new talents, skills and school interests are though, they still need what everyone needs and what grandparents can give them: a pause in their busy lives and a time to have fun and be just plain silly sometimes. Our grandteens ARE getting older, but to us they are still kids at heart.

Judy Drucker and Dan Hurley have eight grandchildren. Drucker and her two teenage granddaughters love their food outings in Syracuse and in the kitchen.

Heidi Ravven, daughter Simha, and granddaughter Lucy. Lucy enjoyed the lawn games that Ravven set up in her backyard in Cazenovia.

medicare

6 Fairs to Attend This Season

From county fairs to the Great New York State Fair, region offers a wide variety of entertainment options

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

The Great New York State Fair in Syracuse wraps up the summer season in central New York. It’s the largest fair in the state with a wide variety of entertainment. It runs from Aug. 20 to Sept 1.

Attending a local fair builds community in so many ways. Friends and family attend together to share experiences. They buy from local vendors and support the local economy. They also see exhibitors from their community. Why not make plans to attend your local fair this summer?

Here are some of the fairs taking place in the region:

1 2

THE 166TH OSWEGO COUNTY FAIR in Sandy Creek, July 2-6, will feature “Barn in the USA” as its theme this year. In addition to animal exhibits and competitions, tractor pulls and truck pulls, visitors can see the entries for the annual Bucket of Junk contest, where participants create a sculpture from, well, a bucket of junk.

http://oswegocountyfair.com

THE BOONVILLE-ONEIDA COUNTY FAIR in Boonville, July 22-27, has hosted the Coleman Bros. Shows as the midway manager for 75 years this season. In addition to animal competitions, fairgoers can also expect tractor pulls and a demolition derby.

https://boonvillefair.com

ONONDAGA COUNTY FAIR in Syracuse, July 29-Aug. 3, is held at the New York State Fairgrounds, but is a separate event from the statewide fair. In addition to animal exhibits, live entertainment like Dan the Snakeman, cooking demonstrations, Onondaga County Sheriff’s K-9 demo and STEM activities provide plenty to do all day.

https://cceonondaga.org/4-h-youthfamily-development/onondaga-county-4h-youth-fair

CAYUGA COUNTY FAIR in Union Springs, July 31-Aug. 2, has been operating for more than 200 years. Fairgoers enjoy tractor and farm equipment demonstrations, farm animal competitions, “fair food” and live entertainment, all at Union Springs Fire Hall Field (previously at Emerson Park).

3 4 5

https://www.cayugafair.org

EMPIRE FARM DAYS in Pompey, early August, was canceled in 2024 with a promise of renaming and relaunching in 2025. At press time, it’s unclear if the event will be held this year. In previous years, the event included local food vendors, agriculture-

related entertainment like tractor square dances and hay bale tosses, equipment auctions and numerous farm equipment demonstrations, educational sessions and vendors of equipment and supplies for farmers and other rural landowners.

www.facebook.com/empirefarmdays

THE ANNUAL SUMMER WRAP-UP , The Great New York State Fair in Syracuse, Aug. 20-Sept 1, is one of the nation’s biggest fairs, comprised of 360 acres of entertainment. It’s also the nation’s oldest and longest-running state fair. Where else can you in one day see animal, art and performance exhibitors; experience live concerts, street performers, seal show, circus, live cattle birth, miniature golf course and petting zoo; and explore distinct cultural zones, carnival games and midway rides? Don’t forget the Dairy Products Building to see the annual butter sculpture and pick up a cup of fresh chocolate or white milk to wash down a freshly baked treat or ice cream cone. The variety of vendors at the fair is also impressive, as several buildings are areas on the fairgrounds include vendor areas.

https://nysfair.ny.gov

picnic

The Best Picnic Places in CNY

Here are the prettiest, most appealing places to spread your spread

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

What’s finer than a picnic on a beautiful summer day? Pack up a cooler and plan to enjoy a lovely meal and on-site amenities at any one of the area’s parks.

• Clark Reservation State Park in Jamesville, includes vistas of rocky cliffs, woodland, wetland, meadow and a glacial plunge basin lake. You can reserve a picnic pavilion ($75 to $200) or use any of its other picnic tables. Explore Clark’s Nature Center and five trails to experience its beauty. https://parks.ny.gov/parks/126/ details.aspx

• Breitbeck Park in Oswego has views of Lake Ontario and a lighthouse. Bring along the grandkids to enjoy the splash park, playground and miniature golf. There are also walking trails and an adult outdoor fitness center. You may reserve the Breitpark Pavilion for a larger gathering or one of park’s fire pits seating area overlooking Lake Ontario by calling 315-342-8180. www.oswegony.org/government/ parks-recreation

• Mexico Point State Park in Mexico offers picnicking on 122 acres at the edge of Lake Ontario and the mouth of the Little Salmon River. https://visitoswegocounty.com/ directory/mexico-point-state-park

• Emerson Park in Auburn not only offers picnic spots, but also playgrounds, sport fishing, disc golf,

concerts and watercraft rentals on Owasco Lake. The Ward W. O’Hara Agricultural Museum is also nearby. www.cayugacounty.us/1391/ Emerson-Park

• Onondaga Lake Park in Liverpool is a great place to bring your dog, as the Wegmans Good Dog Park is at one end. In addition to great lake views, enjoy paved and groomed walking and cycling trails, pickleball court, shuffleboard, bocce, volleyball, playground and skate park for the grandkids and The Salt Museum.

https://onondagacountyparks.com/ parks/onondaga-lake-park

• Selkirk Shores State Park in Pulaski offers fantastic sunset views over Lake Ontario, in addition to hiking and biking trails amid meadows and forest. Since Selkirk Shores is located in a migration route, the park is perfect for birders.

https://parks.ny.gov/parks/ selkirkshores

• Pratt’s Falls Park in Manlius boasts a 137-foot waterfall. Bring your hiking shoes to enjoy the trails. The park is the site of Onondaga County’s first mill operation in 1796.

https://onondagacountyparks.com/ parks/pratts-falls-park

• Beaver Lake Nature Center in Baldwinsville provides nine miles of hiking trails for viewing birds and other animals in their 690-acre natural habitat encircling a 200-acre glacial

lake. Bring along your picnic to make a day of it. Stop by the gift shop in the nature center to find unique goods.

https://onondagacountyparks.com/ parks/beaver-lake-nature-center)

• David C. Webb Memorial Park in Bernhards Bay has a sandy beach for swimming, playground, pickleball, other sports facilities and trails. www.facebook.com/taftbaypark

• Jamesville Beach Park in Jamesville offers three picnic shelters for reservations and first-come, firstserved tables also. The park includes 100 feet of waterfront with Jamesville Reservoir and Butternut Creek.

https://onondagacountyparks.com/ parks/jamesville-beach-park

• Oneida Shores County Park in Brewerton offers a sandy, shallow beach and children’s playground. Bring along the grandkids to enjoy the playground and wading in the lake.

https://onondagacountyparks.com/ parks/oneida-shores-park

Keep in mind that many parks are “carry in, carry out” parks, so plan to bring along a trash bag for anything you want to dispose of. Check out the park’s website before you head out to check on any closures and to ensure the park has the amenities you want.

life after 55

By Michele Bazan Reed Email: bazanreed@hotmail.com

How Sweet It Was (Part 2)

Charles M. Schulz, the creator of the “Peanuts” comic strip, is reputed to have said, “All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.”

As with most of his messages, there’s a whole lot of wisdom behind the joke.

If you’re like me, the magic of chocolate — indeed, any candy — is how it can bring back, in a single taste, the sweetest moments of our childhood.

A piece of ribbon candy transports me back to Christmas Eve at my grandmother’s house, where the evening concluded with passing a plate of the jewel-like confection, always accompanied by a warning: “Be careful! It’s sharp!”

The sweet-tart taste of conversation hearts evokes memories of Valentine’s Days in St. Stanislaus elementary school. And chocolate is a magic portal to every Easter I’ve lived through: chocolate bunnies I loved as a child, standing in line for Stone’s homemade candies in Oswego for my kids’ Easter baskets and cross-shaped chocolates, in a basket with our Easter feast, covered by a cloth embroidered by my mother, and blessed at church on

Holy Saturday. Remember the candy counters at mom-and-pop grocers, or in freestanding candy stores? Glass jars like fishbowls sat row on row on counters or shelves, watched over by a proprietor used to sticky fingers in more than one sense of the word. Those magical jars gave us kids a clear view of the temptations waiting inside. This “penny candy” really was a cent when I was growing up in the ’50s, but even when prices rose, it retained the name.

And oh, what treasures you could get for your handful of copper coins: atomic fireballs that lasted all afternoon, if your lips could stand the burning sensation that long; Tootsie Rolls, red hot dollars and licorice in a multitude of shapes from ropes to pipes.

A variation on this form of the candy counter was candy by the pound. Each type of candy sat in a little bin, dozens next to each other on tables in the center of the space. You transferred your favorites into a small paper bag using a little scoop — or carefully chose each piece by hand — and the shopkeeper weighed your treasures at the end of the line. The method is still used in some

supermarkets that boast bulk food sections.

Just waiting to be scooped up were orange and black-wrapped peanut butter taffy, root beer barrels, butterscotch drops and Bull’s-Eyes: those iconic treats with a white creamy center, surrounded by a chewy ring of caramel. My mom loved the Bull’sEyes and I was pretty sure I could find one or two in the bottom of her purse on any given day.

Remember the little Kraft Caramels and Fudgies? They were perfectly shaped little cubes, wrapped in clear cellophane. They were soft and chewy and packed a real flavor punch.

Round out your bag with some lemon drops, strawberry candies, jawbreakers and little rectangular slices of nougat dotted with colorful dried fruit or bits of nuts.

Other treats were sold unwrapped and loose in bulk: bridge mix; swirly chocolate stars; and nonpareils, dark chocolate discs with white round sprinkles (Fun fact: The sprinkles themselves are also called nonpareils and in some regions they go by name “hundreds and thousands.”) And of course, there were the “French burnt peanuts” with a thick and lumpy dark

red candy coating.

Taffy was and is a popular candy. Some oldies but goodies are still available. Mary Jane is a peanut butter and molasses taffy that debuted in 1914, sporting a yellow and red wrapper showing a little girl in an old fashioned dress and bonnet. The real Mary Jane is said to be the inventor’s favorite aunt.

That chewy treat is matched by Bit-O-Honey, one of my favorites. It’s a honey flavored taffy with little pieces of almond embedded in it. The trademark bee still graces the bar’s iconic wrapper.

And the biggest name in the taffy category was Bonomo Turkish Taffy. From its start at Coney Island in 1912, it grew to be wildly popular midcentury, perhaps because of its catchy jingle touting “B-O-N-O-M-O, oh oh oh, It’s Bonomo Turkish Taffy.” Or maybe its appeal was its interactive nature. To eat the taffy, commercials instructed, chill it in the fridge for a minute, then place the bar in your palm and slam it on the table to break it into several pieces.

Speaking of fun things to do with candy, nothing can top the play factor of the popular wax candies. Nik-L-Nip,

named for its five cent price tag, was a little wax bottle filled with a colorful syrup. You’d bite the tip of the neck off and drink the liquid inside. Then you could chew the empty wax bottle like gum, wasting nothing.

The second wax candy thrilled generations of kids and is still available today. It’s none other than Wack-O-Wax lips, the bright red wax disguise that came in two forms: red lips like a midcentury Hollywood bombshell, and wax fangs, that staple of homemade Dracula costumes every Halloween. Camp it up or scare your victims, then enjoy a nice leisurely chew of the waxy treat.

All these novelty treats were fine and dandy, but there’s no denying the king — or queen — of the confectionary world is the good old chocolate bar. From a simple slab of milk chocolate to bars studded with almonds, filled with caramel, coconut or peanut butter, Americans have always loved a good chocolate bar. Charleston Chew, Three Musketeers, Snickers, Hershey’s, Crunch, Mounds, Baby Ruth or Butterfingers, you can’t go wrong with the simple, portable pleasure of a chocolate bar.

So grab your favorite chocolate bar

and settle in to enjoy World Chocolate Day July 7. Or if you miss that, there’s always National Milk Chocolate Day July 28. Or International Chocolate Day Sept. 13, National Chocolate Day Oct. 28 and National Chocolate Candy Day Dec. 28. But who needs a special holiday to enjoy the simple pleasure of theobromine — a chemical component of chocolate whose name means “food of the gods”?

Candy in all its forms makes our world a little bit sweeter.

Opportunities to Eat Chocolate

Grab your favorite chocolate bar and settle in to enjoy World Chocolate Day July 7 or the National Milk Chocolate Day July 28. Or International Chocolate Day Sept. 13, National Chocolate Day Oct. 28 and National Chocolate Candy Day Dec. 28.

druger’s zoo

By Marvin Druger Email: mdruger@syr.edu

My Bad Experience at Local Rehab Facilities

The nights were particularly difficult. Ringing the bell call to get toilet assistance was often met with comments like, “Why do you have to go to the bathroom so frequently?”

The most common cause of injury in older people is falling. I am very conscious about trying not to fall.

Oftentimes, the fall results in a broken hip.

Guess what? I recently fell and broke my hip.

I had just been talking to a friend on my car phone, telling her how important it was for older people not to fall. Then I got out of my car to get a prescription at a pharmacy. I spotted a shiny, new penny lying on the ground. It was New Year’s Day 2025 and I thought, “Wow. There’s a lucky penny. I should pick it up.”

I squatted to pick up the penny and my left leg totally buckled and I fell heavily on my hip.

I couldn’t get up.

I felt like a TV commercial for a Medical alert device, “Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!”

I don’t know if the penny was heads or tails up, but I did save the penny. Two good samaritan men saw my dilemma and they helped get me into the store and called 911. Another TV commercial flashed through my mind and I said, “Take me to Crouse.”

This was the start of a new adventure in life.

I was rushed to the emergency room where I waited several hours for X-rays. The physician’s assistant was

very kind and caring, but I wondered how people in real distress could wait so long for treatment in an emergency room? The X-rays revealed a broken hip and I underwent surgery the next day to repair it.

Then, the nightmare began.

I was sent to a local rehabilitation center. I lost my independence and I was under the control of nurses and aides. For different injuries, I had experienced four local rehab centers in the Syracuse area and they all had features in common. The one that I first went to for my hip injury was the worst.

Nurse’s aides were variable in quality and quantity. Some of the aides were cheerful, caring and capable. Others were nasty and unsympathetic to patients’ needs. Some of the aides at night were particularly short-tempered and would yell at the patients. The shortage of help was acute and I was told that on a particular night one of the rehab facilities had one aide for 20 patients.

The nights were particularly difficult. Ringing the bell call to get toilet assistance was often met with comments like, “Why do you have to go to the bathroom so frequently?” or “I have other patients to take care of. You will have to wait” or “I’ll be back in a minute,” never to return.

My worst encounter with a night

aide was at the second rehab facility. The aide refused to help me go to the bathroom. I asked her to give me the TV remote. She found it and told me it needed a battery and threw it on my bed. How was I supposed to get a new battery?

I needed to go to the bathroom, so I decided to get out of bed and walk there by myself. Suddenly, I became dizzy and confused and lost my mental stability. This had never happened to me in my life before. I fell and bruised my other hip. Fortunately, it was not broken. But until then, I was making good rehab progress. Thereafter, the bruised hip was more painful than the other one that had the surgery.

I found out that they had mistakenly given me a medication that interacted negatively with another medication in my bloodstream. The level of the original medication should have been between 10-20 mcg/mL. The interaction with the new drug caused the level to increase dramatically, hence leading to my passing out and falling.

I was sent to a third rehab facility. Although the food was somewhat better than at the other facilities, the general atmosphere was similar. Many of the patients were long-term, elderly residents. They sat in wheelchairs, half-asleep with eyes closed and heads drooping, consumed by memories

and reality. Many were not mentally competent. It was not unusual to hear plaintive screams of “Please help me!” throughout the night.

Entertainment was a regular feature at the rehab centers. Sometimes, the entertainment was excellent. Sometimes, it was terrible. Either way, the residents sat silently in their wheelchairs.

I even did a poetry reading and a reading of some of my 55 Plus articles. Residents would sit silently in their wheelchairs with eyes closed. At the end of an entertainment session, you could hear one resident gently applauding, while others just slept quietly.

Residents rarely spoke to each other and the atmosphere was eerie, despite the efforts of the staff to be cheerful and enthusiastic. Loss of independence and the need to become dependent on others for survival seemed evident.

This article is not intended to convey a condemnation of rehab centers. To me, it is amazing and gratifying to see so many staff members who really care for elderly people and want to help relieve the pains of old age. One of my beliefs is that, “If you help others, you help yourself.” There are many devoted, kind, caring, competent people at rehab centers who enjoy helping others. There are also some who are selfish, thoughtless and even cruel.

You will encounter both kinds of individuals everywhere. The apparent shortage of staff and being overworked may also contribute to grumpiness and negligence.

By the way, to make things worse was an outbreak of the flu, COVID-19 and a stomach virus at one of the rehab facilities. Residents were isolated in their rooms for several weeks.

Older people deserve special care and attention. They have helped shape the world that we live in and now it’s payback time. As we grow older, we are bound to get some disorder that we don’t want. So do something good for an older person today and get that satisfying feeling that you helped a special person.

My advice to all is not to fall and be obliged to stay at a rehab center. Be careful and have a safe and happy 2025.

Part-Time

By Mary Beth Roach

Irv Lyons Jr., 68

He had just retired from the MOST when he learned of a new position at Onondaga Community College — Native/Indigenous admissions coordinator. He applied for it and started in January. He also developed the Indigenous Student Center on campus and is the front man for the local band, The Ripcords.

Q: This is a new program here at OCC and it’s a new role for you. How did this all come about?

A: It came about through OCC wanting to do a land acknowledgement — that OCC was on Onondaga ancestral lands. They wanted to honor and acknowledge that presence. They want to build the Native population here, so they’re going to need a Native — a Haudenosaunee, which I am. I’m Oneida Wolf Clan. You have to have a Haudenosaunee because people know that you know their customs

and socialization. When you have an opportunity to work for your people, to use your skills to work for your people, I had to do it. The music helps because that’s another bridge that connects to the youth. The first thing that I had to do was create a center or headquarters for our Native students to go where they would feel comfortable, where they could engage with each other, they could study, they could relax. I brought all my things that were Native, so you walk in there, you know that that it’s Native, but it’s open to any student.

Q: You’re going to have a festival here on campus on Aug. 9. What will that involve?

A: Over 45 artists and crafters; we have three new fashion shows. Our Native fashion, our fashion designers are trending. We have a smoke dance competition, Native music, Native foods.

Q: What is your connection to the Nation?

A: I grew up on the Onondaga Nation. I’m Oneida, but I grew up on the Onondaga Nation. So that’s where my roots are, that’s where my friends and family are. That’s where I feel home is; that’s where I feel connected to.

Q: What do you see as the purpose of the center and the program?

A: To me, it is a light. It’s the Center for Natives. It’s a wheel for the Natives and the spokes that are in that wheel are socialization, culture, teaching, education, encouragement, art, bridge building, connecting. That center means a lot because everyone has to have a place to go. We have a lot of Native students that come from Canada, from Wisconsin. Because they’re far away, this is important to them. There’re a lot of cultural differences that people don’t realize that Native students experience. Part of my job is to help them navigate through the challenges that they might have.

Q: How was the response that so far back to the program, to the center?

A: We definitely are increasing Native registration here. The staff, the faculty, the kids are very receptive to it. Everything is evolving.

Q: What does this position mean to you personally?

A: Personally, it means an opportunity to change, to build bridges. I think that’s what the Creator sent me to do, more than music or more than anything else, to build bridges. I don’t speak my language, but I speak English. And the Creator has used my abilities to build bridges with the non-Native community and that’s the most important thing for me. The one thing that always drives me is our Great Law and it says in every deliberation we must consider the impact of the Seventh Generation, which means what I do on a micro level, whatever we do on a macro level as a government, as a people — how is it going to affect our children, their children, their children and next? Are we going to leave them with a brighter day, with a better environment, with a better effect toward each other?

WHEN SHOULD YOU GO TO

THE EMERGENCY R OOM ?

Here are the conditions professionals say should always be directed to the ER.

Upstate has a dedicated senior emergency room at its Community Hospital and the area's first Comprehensive Stroke Center at its Upstate University Hospital.

This list is a guide only and is not individual medical advice. For any life-threatening concerns, call 911. If you are not certain you are experiencing a medical emergency, you can be assessed at any emergency room.

VISIT THE EMERGENCY ROOM

• Abuse (domestic, child, elderly)

• Allergic reactions (anaphylactic shock)

• Breathing problems:

severe respiratory distress

• Bleeding you can’t stop

• Burns: severe or smoke inhalation

• Choking

• Drowning or near drowning

• Electric shocks

• Eye Injuries

• Head trauma with loss of consciousness

• Heart attack, chest pain, or chest pressure

• Losing consciousness

• Suicidal thoughts or severe psychiatric complaints

• Seizure

• Severe cuts (lacerations)

• Severe pain

• Sexual assault

• Stroke symptoms

• Trauma with significant injury

VISIT URGENT OR PRIMARY CARE

• Burns: minor

• Ear infections

• Colds

• Coughs

• Diarrhea

• Flu, Cold or mild COVID symptoms

• Insect bites

• Minor cuts or lacerations that require stitches or glue

• Rashes

• Skin infection

• Sore throats

• Sprains and strains

• STD (sexually transmitted disease) treatment

• Vomiting

OVER 50? DISCOVER OASIS

Stay healthy, active and engaged — join Oasis, a learning center for adults 50+.

Enjoy classes in the arts, history, languages, science, health and tness, technology, travel and more!

Learn something new in a friendly environment. Oasis also o ers online classes for those with health or transportation issues. Start anytime.

55 Plus CNY, #117: June-July 2025

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Features

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More Contents

Seasonal Memberships:

Isavvy senior

All About Voluntourism

gardening Letting Go to Face the Future

Why Sleep Gets Harder With Age And How To Sleep Better

Dining Out - RESTAURANT GUIDE

PRESERVE AT 405

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THERAPY PROGRAM!

second act Making Waves: Syracuse Boat Tours Launches Second Season

Former Post-Standard / Advance Media New York executive excited with second year of new venture

Golfing for Health Why hitting the links can improve your health

Oakwood Cemetery

Americans Borrowed $74 Million in 2024 to Cover Medical Costs

Looking for a Job?

Many sites help specifically older job seekers

Physical Activity Linked to Better Mental, Brain Health

aging

The New World of Planned Death

ONLINE RESOURCES

Tennis: Going for the Gold at National Senior Games

Guest Collumnist

Seeking Clarity? Write Your Obituary

MAKE-A-WISH CELEBRATES

40 Years in Central New York

Growing the chapter

Impact on a personal level

Moving forward

Wishes by County

hobby

Noodling Carves Out Enjoyable Retirement for Carl Patrick

Retired PR director for New York Power Authority still busy with woodworking, traveling

Transplant

scams

How to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft Scams

Readers concerned with DOGE’s access to millions of Social Security records

Fraud Alert Set-Up

Credit Freeze Set-Up

attraction

The Wilcox Octagon House: An Historical Gem in Camillus

your health

Here’s to Good Health

Factors underlying the aging process

entrepreneurship

A Retirement Life: Running a Golf Course

Barado’s on the Water Still a Top Destination, Despite Loss

Partner

medicare

Should You Get a Medicare Broker?

Dispelling the Big Myth

Who Should Get a Medicare Broker?

What a Broker Can Do for You

Problems that May Arise

How to Find a Medicare Broker

Questions to Ask a Potential Broker

Follow Your Gut

grandparenting

They’re Teenagers Already!

How to have fun with teenage grandchildren

Right in your own backyard

Water, water everywhere

Say yes to your neighborhood library

medicare

6 Fairs to Attend This Season

picnic

The Best Picnic Places in CNY