Beaumont News March 2019

V o lu me T h i rt y T h ree , N umber 3

Managing pain includes a wide range of treatments; efficacy and safety vary

By Virginia Rivers

Pain, that most subjective and personal experience, is a sensation most of us want less of. And so we filled the Ballam Theater on a March afternoon to hear Beaumont Medical Director Charles Breish, M.D., discuss what brings it on, how it’s measured and how it can be managed.

Noting that pain prompts a fifth to half of patients’ visits to their doctors, Dr. Breish described a range of treatments.

Physical therapy and massage are often helpful; acupuncture may work for some; and mindfulness or meditation can also be effective.

Medicating pain has long been the most popular approach, with time-honored substances, such as wine and other alcoholic beverages, and newer products, both over the counter (OTC) and Photo by Linda Madara by-prescripWOW! AND OUCH! A St. Patrick’s Day Irish tion-only step dancer gives it her all. See more wearing of medications. the green on page 8.

March 2019

The once-favored OTC remedy aspirin has largely been replaced by acetaminophen, which has the most favorable side effect profile, especially when following a fixed regimen such as three times per day. However, “most favorable side-effect profile” does not Photo by Brock Nichols equate to no side effects.

WHAT’S THAT? Several A review of the mediof these mysterious fittings are cal literature indicates attached to baseboards in the an association between mansion. They were installed high doses (both acute when the house was built. Any and chronic) of acetaminophen and damage ideas? (Answer is on page 2.) to the liver.

Your physician should be aware of extended use of any medication.

In alternative approaches to pain management, muscle relaxants and anti-convulsive medications may be recommended. The discovery that pain may be magnified by depression has led doctors to prescribe antidepressants.

Asked whether pain can be diagnosed as “real” or “imagined,” Dr. Breish said that it is difficult to define or describe a patient’s perception of pain.

A more potent pharmaceutical approach to pain management is the use of opioids. This is a popular alternative in the United States: for example, U.S. consumers account for 80 percent of oxycodone use worldwide. Opioids are a popular but potentially risky way to treat pain.

They can affect brain chemistry, leading to addiction. They can increase the risk of falling. They can cause confusion.

Cannabis, aka marijuana and “weed,” can be useful in treating pain, tremors and other symptoms of Parkinson’s disease: Irene Borgogno wrote about her experience in the October 2018 issue of the Beaumont News. Capsules of one of marijuana’s components, cannabidiol or CBD, are available, where legal, in drugstores and some supermarkets.

MANAGING PAIN continued on page 7

What’s new in our greenhouse?

By David Randolph

MODERN TECHNOLOGY for the Austin family: The fittings on the baseboards (page 1) connect vacuum cleaner hoses to a central vacuum system in the basement.

It’s 40 degrees Fahrenheit outside on this cloudy Saturday, and there is still snow in Wheeler Woods. In the Greenhouse, it’s T-shirt weather—70 or 80 degrees day and night, with more daylight hours every day and moist air.

Recently, Marsha Stamm Gayl, Beaumont’s Registered Horticultural Therapist, guided 10 residents of the Health Care Center in planting a variety of seeds—bachelor’s buttons, zinnias, marigolds—in bedding trays. These covered trays of seeds should start sprouting within two weeks.

We also have basil, tarragon, parsley and sage that have already sprouted, with many sunflower seeds and several starter trays of tomato varietals WATERING TIME: David Randolph mists

(Early Girl, Big seedlings and young sprouts.

Boy, Better Boy, grape tomatoes and an early varietal—Box Car Willies).

Two starter trays—100 seeds each—of the tomatoes will also be started in rockwool, a material like cotton candy spun from molten rock, then formed in molds. These sets will be started hydroponically in one case, and modified hydroponically in the other. Ivan Ramos, our multitalented Maintenance specialist, will check the pH level of the nutrient solution, so that it has the same acidity level as limestone-filtered groundwater.

The African Violets, which were cloned on September 22 by residents of the Health Care Center, are now grown, and a few are starting to flower. These 30 plants will be delivered back to the Health Care Center in March or April.

Two resident artists—Joan Bromley and Isabella Budzinska (granddaughter of Tony and Linda Parrotto)— have used the Greenhouse this month as a place for en plein air [outdoor, as opposed to studio] painting and sketches.

Donald and Jacqueline Mykytiuk drop by regularly to tend to their beautiful fuchsia arrangement.

Built by Blaisdell Vacuum System, Bradford, Pennsylvania, these systems were normally used for large commercial, industrial and government buildings, but a wealthy man could install one at home.

And he did.

Photo by Brock Nichols

Opera DVD library available to residents for home viewing

From the estate of Shirley Novo, Beaumont has recently received a remarkable library of 132 opera DVDs that she had built over many years as an opera lover. Our Resident Services staff has a complete list of the DVDs in this impressive library and will be responsible for its maintenance and care.

Starting in 2019, individual DVDs will be available to residents who wish to view them at home.

Selections can be made from a list of titles, which is available upon request.

If you wish to borrow a DVD, want more information, or would like to suggest an opera to be shown in the Ballam Theatre, contact Paige Welby at 610-229-9436.

BEAUMONT NEWS The Beaumont News is published by the residents and staff of the Beaumont Retirement Community, 601 N. Ithan Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010

In Memoriam

Executive Editor Lynn Ayres Editor Emeritus Mary Graff Managing Editor Irene Borgogno Deputy Executive Editor and Production Manager John Hall Graphic Designer TJ Walsh Photo Editor Louise Hughes Contributing Editor Linda Madara Quality Control Jennifer Frankel Index Manager Nancy Harris Consulting Assistant Editors Mary Schnabel, Jean Homeier, Peggy Wolcott, Sis Ziesing, Wistie Miller

Dr. Elizabeth Wood March 21, 2019 Members of the Beaumont Community extend deepest sympathy to her family and friends.

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Spring is here. Get outside; breathe fresh air. Take a walk, a hike or even a run A small boy’s travel adventure

An Alpine engagement party

Some of you may know that my wife Margaret is the traveler in our family. She prefers the exotic, having in recent years visited, among others, Antarctica, Myanmar, and Papua New Guinea. It was not always so. This is a story about one of my own first travel adventures, undertaken at the age of 11.

I grew up in New York City in the late 1940s and 1950s. My parents divorced when I was five years old, so I was essentially raised by my mother. At the time of this story, we were living in a one-bedroom apartment in Stuyvesant Town, a large housing project built by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company after World War II to house returning GIs. My mother generously gave me the only bedroom, which I periodically shared with my maternal grandmother; Mom slept in the living room.

My mother worked full time, so I developed the habit of spending time with friends from school. One classmate in particular was also named David (we were distinguished by

Gene and I became engaged while l was visiting an uncle in New York. At that time he was editing a paper of his for publication, before a planned trip to Italy to visit his parents for the summer. A few days later Gene told me that his

Beaumont runner sweeps the beach

was a corked bottle of beach sand and a slip of paper showing place and category. Richard’s listed statistics did not accurately reflect his results. Not only did he win his official category (70+), but he also came in 11th out of the 151 participants, beating out everyone over 55, a man in a lobster costume, and the two runners in pink tutus.

By David Balamuth

By Giuliana Calabi

his parents were anxious to meet me as soon as possible, before our wedding, which was planned for early that September; however, his father was unable to travel because he had a history of heart attacks. At their suggestion, I booked passage to Italy with a friend of theirs (as a chaperone), landing in Genoa about a week after Gene’s arrival.

I was met in Genoa by Gene, his mother, and his elder brother; we all took the train to Milan, where—in keeping with the proprieties of the time—I was going to stay in the home of a distant cousin of mine.

The entertainment that was planned for our first weekend in Italy was a hike with Gene, my future brother-

TRAVEL ADVENTURE continued on page 4

ENGAGEMENT PARTY continued on page 4

By Richard Stephens

Early in February, the Stephens clan converged on the barrier island Surfside, Texas. Among the many reasons for the trip was Richard Stephens’ plan to participate in a 5K beach race. Other clan members also planned to run.

The 151 participants assembled at 8:15 a.m.: low tide. Stormy weather the previous day had dampened the whole beach, so footing was good, but a thick haze covered the course, and the runners rapidly disappeared as they ran down the beach. Richard was the first of the Stephens clan to reappear out of the fog. (Last of the clan to reappear— and last of all the participants—was Richard’s sister-in-law, Dianne Bettag, who missed the turn-around point; we dubbed her route an ultra-5K.)

The prize at the end of the race

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Photo by Barbara Stephens

Photo by Richard Stephens

By Sis Ziesing

New York native settles at Beaumont and they moved upstate to Utica, New York, where they raised six children: three boys and three girls. Madeline eventually ended up with 13 grandchildren. Because it was difficult for their children to visit with them in Utica, it made better sense for Madeline and Bob to make the move to Philadelphia.

Madeline worked for 10 years as a secretary in a local paper company. When Bob retired, they moved to the Philadelphia area in Haverford to be close to some of their children.

For recreation, she has enjoyed tennis and golf, and she now participates in Beaumont exercise classes.

It was pleasure interviewing Madeline Manogue at her lovely apartment in Baldwin.

She was born in New York City and attended school just over the George Washington Bridge in Leonia, New Jersey. That’s where she met her husband Bob. Bob subsequently went to medical school, and they were married while he was still there. He became an obstetrician/gynecologist, Madeline Manogue

were walking back down, and we chatted briefly with them.

They cautioned us that the hill that we had just bypassed had some “rotten rock” that could easily crumble under one’s feet, especially when walking across the slope.

We continued on our way up for a while and then started on our way back to meet again with the construction crew for the ride back. Unfortunately, we were delayed by having taken a wrong turn, so that by the time we reached the tunnel, the construction crew was gone.

We had to bushwhack our way back around the foothill and then down the steep incline to our starting point.

The whole return walk took over five hours. My untrained knees were buckling so badly that for several days afterwards I needed a cane just to step down street curbs.

The next day, we read in the papers that the three hikers we had met at our picnic had had a bad accident, and two of them had fallen to their death.

ENGAGEMENT PARTY continued from page 3 in-law and some other friends in the Alps, near the Swiss border and the renowned Matterhorn. We parked the car at a country inn in the foothills.

Gene’s brother, knowing that I had no experience in mountain hiking, met that evening with a construction crew that was building a hydroelectric generator to be powered from a water conduit through a small tunnel that had been dug through one of the foothills. As a shortcut to the starting point of our ascent, he arranged for us to ride in a construction cable car up to the 5-foot-high tunnel, and then walk through it as a human chain.

The next morning we started on our little adventure; the ride and the underground trek took about an hour. After over another hour of uphill hiking, we stopped for a picnic lunch break. There we met a group of three other hikers who

TRAVEL ADVENTURE continued from page 3 our teachers as David B and David L). David lived on East 23rd Street, a 10-minute walk from our apartment.

One of our main activities was traveling by foot. We would choose a destination and set out, often accompanied by detailed maps (I loved the red street guides to each borough, which I collected assiduously). On this particular occasion we set out to walk from lower Manhattan, where we lived, to LaGuardia Airport, which was across the East River in Queens. This was a fairly insane project for two 11-year olds.

Not knowing any better, we set out. We crossed the East River using the footpath on the Queensborough Bridge, and followed our map eastward into Astoria. After passing what seemed like an endless number of used car lots, junkyards, and other commercial establishments, we finally arrived at the airport, tired but proud to have accomplished our task.

At this point my upbringing kicked in, and I figured I’d better call my mother to tell her where we were. (When we left I had merely said, “I’m going for a walk with David.”)

I well remember the dead silence on the phone when, after depositing my dime and dialing our number, I cheerfully reported, “Mom, we’re at LaGuardia Airport–we’re starting for home now.”

Mom’s response was completely predictable and

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consisted of stern instructions to get on the subway and return home forthwith. We promptly complied; truth to tell, we were both pretty worn out, and the subway ride was preferable to the long walk home.

Reflecting back on this experience, two thoughts come to mind. The first is how much times have changed.

We raised our own two girls in the suburbs, where social engagements required driving by parents. Our grandchildren live in the city, but these days a suggestion of turning an 11year old loose to wander around the city would be, I think, greeted by the look reserved for people with two heads. I have the sense we’ve lost something important, but I can’t quite see how to recover it.

The second thought has to do with my mother, who was understandably quite worried by our somewhat cavalier decision to take this trip. She was a wonderful parent: supportive, always available, but tending to worry and concern.

This behavior grew as she aged (she died in 2006 at the age of 94), and I can now palpably observe the same propensity across multiple generations: the tendency to over-worry is shared by myself, my oldest daughter, and her oldest son, who is now about the age I was at the time of the Great LaGuardia Adventure. Seems that these guys like Mendel and Darwin who studied heredity were on to something!

By Dede Shafer

Two apartments? Twice the fun!

After looking at all the possible retirement homes in the Philadelphia area, Alan and Helen Vinick had no doubt about which one they wanted. They were welcomed so warmly by everyone they met at Beaumont, they loved it right away.

They immediately put their names on the list for a two-bedroom apartment in the spring of 2017. Although nothing became available when they really wanted to move here, they discovered there were two one-bedroom apartments available close by on the same hallway. They enthusiastically took them so that they could immediately move in, leaving their names on the waiting list for an eventual move to a two-bedroom unit.

Both Alan and Helen are originally from New England. Alan graduated from Babson College outside of Boston and received a master’s degree from the University of Massachusetts.

After his move to Washington, D.C., he went to law school at night and received a degree from Catholic Helen and Alan Vinick

University while working at the Securities & Exchange Commission. This was where he and Helen met. He now volunteers with SCORE,

Senior Corps of Retired Executives, helping those wanting to start a new business or online business owners facing challenges, as a way to give back. He finds this work most gratifying.

Helen’s energy and enthusiasm are contagious.

She graduated from Lesley University in Cambridge and received her master’s degree at Cabrini College in Radnor.

In addition, Helen has certification as a reading specialist and as a principal. She has been a teacher of second-graders for years, first in Potomac, Maryland, more recently in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. She also taught at the college level at Cabrini.

Helen is an avid fan of music and dance. She has subscriptions to Modern Dance at the Annenberg and to the Philly Pops. Since moving to Beaumont, Helen has joined the knitting group and taken exercise classes.

She’s looking forward to meeting people and exploring the woods and paths outdoors when weather permits.

Alan and Helen have lived in nearby Wayne for 30 years, thus are quite familiar with the area. They have three daughters, one of whom lives in Wayne with two of their three grandchildren. Alan enjoys reading and watching many sports on TV in his spare time, and they are both big Villanova basketball fans. They say they are both pretty well settled in and that they are enjoying life in Beaumont even more than anticipated.

Do you like starlings? No? Don’t worry; no one else does either

it, and they in turn take cues from a different (but overlapping) set of seven. The result is a graceful Viennese waltz in the sky.

By Lynn Ayres

Starlings are not a favorite of anyone, including ornithologists and birders. They are an aggressive non-native species and not particularly attractive (although in other parts of the world there are several quite lovely starling varieties).

In 1890, New Yorker Eugene Schieffelin decided that all of the birds mentioned in Shakespeare’s works should be found in North America as well as Europe. He released 60 starlings into New York City’s Central Park, giving no thought to consequences. Now there are more than 200 million starlings in the United States, to the detriment of some native birds.

Thanks a lot, Gene.

A flock of starlings may be called a chattering, an affliction, a scourge—all reflecting what people think of them— but they are also called a murmuration, named for the sound created by their wings while exhibiting their one beautiful attribute. How do they do it?

A few years ago, George Young and colleagues from Princeton’s Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering investigated. They already knew that, regardless of flock density, each starling pays attention to only seven neighbors in the flock. Each bird takes cues from the birds around

Screen capture from YouTube A MURMURATION OF STARLINGS is a thrilling experience.

Starlings have other talents, as well. Have you heard of Mozart’s starling? I hadn’t, until last year while listening to NPR. Since antiquity, people have kept wild birds as pets. Parrots and canaries come to mind, but in 1784 Mozart bought a starling. He recorded the purchase in his expense book and added several bars of music, fairly close to the opening bars of the third movement of his Piano Concerto No. 17 in G, which he had completed a few weeks earlier.

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STARLING continued on page 7

Debut of Gadget Speaks Out! is a wild success

Text and photos by Linda Madara

There were no fireworks lighting the sky or high school marching bands, but the atmosphere on the gray, snowy day was one of excitement: a celebration of the book debut from Beaumont’s newest published author. Gadget, whose ancestry is 25% Chihuahua and 75% terrier, was the star of the day. Authors Marvin “Mr. W.” Weisbord, Gadget, and Helen “DeeDee” Ballard were on site to sign books that were gobbled up by a long line of enthusiastic readers.

Having Gadget’s official paw print, plus an inscribed message by both “Mr. W.” and DeeDee Ballard (Gadget’s personal translator/illustrator, as well as being Gadget’s Mom), BOOK SIGNING: Marvin Weisbord, DeeDee Ballard and the book immediately became a collector’s item. the Man Himself—Gadget—autograph and pawtograph their book.

How many books do you know with an Marv is wearing the cozy blue sweater that Gadget admires. official paw print and the autographs of two authors, one of whom is also the illustrator… in other words: a double signature and paw print? Rare, VERY rare indeed! cookies and cider.

Following the authors’ reading of Gadget Speaks Out!

For the uninitiated, each page guests were treated to appropriate refreshments: dog bone of this magically illustrated book is filled with dog thoughts, impressions, and in some cases concerns. “Mr. W.,” Gadget’s dear and endlessly understanding friend, does a masterful job of smoothing over and soothing the little dog’s concerns while at the same time giving thoughtful, wisdom-filled advice suitable for both two-legged and fourlegged friends.

GADGET’S LOBSTER: is his

Gadget Speaks Out! is available favorite squeaky toy. at Amazon.com, or stay tuned as more copies will be available at Beaumont soon.

Facebook aficionados – we understand Gadget will have a Facebook page of his own and hopefully go viral very shortly.

GADGET’S BOOK: the cover and a peek inside.

Mixer Dinner entreé: Is it salmon or is it trout?

So, what is ocean trout? Ocean trout, also known as “steelhead” trout, are in

By Zack Margolis, Food and Beverage Director fact in the same species as the freshwater

Beaumont’s annual Mixer Dinner is different from “rainbow” trout found other special occasions because dining partners’ names are in lakes and rivers pulled out of a hat. The idea is to lure residents away from across America and the their usual dining partners and introduce them to new people. salmon found around the world.

It works very well and is lots of fun.

Ocean trout is caught in cold waters that have a rich

At the Mixer Dinner few weeks ago, a large majority natural blend of tannins and saltwater. Ocean trout has the same of our Beaumont residents indulged on piece of ocean color hide as trout, and its flesh is the same as salmon. It is high trout expertly crafted by Chef John Bauer and his team. in Omega-3 and is moist, tender, mild and is available yearDuring the Mixer Dinner, one could get a sense that many round. Ocean trout has delicate flakes (salmon) but is moderately people in the room were shocked to hear that their trout was firm (trout). coming from the ocean. When it was served, most of our

It is best prepared sautéed but is an extremely versatile residents thought they were simply eating a piece of salmon. fish when it comes to culinary preparations. I hope you will To the unsuspecting eye, one would be convinced that we join us in the Bistro @ Beaumont to enjoy our new exciting served salmon and not this so-called “ocean trout.” menu item.

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Wynlyn Jazz premieres new song

From memoirs to fantasy, they do it all

The Wynlyn Jazz Ensemble held one of its reliably enjoyable Cabaret Nights on March 9. The selections were love songs; the theme was “Ah, Youth!” arranged as “A Musical Romance in Five Acts.” The five stages were hope, true love, remembrance, regret and renewal.

Many of the songs are from musicals of the ’30s, ’40s and ’50s, including South Pacific, The King and I, Plain and Fancy, and Disney’s Snow White.

But the last song was decades newer. The audience was surprised and delighted with the first Beaumont performance of Never Too Late for Love (2018), lyrics by Alan Tripp, music by Marv Weisbord.

Described as a swing ballad with 1948 vibes, it was a foretaste of a new album-in-progress, Songs for Seniors, inspired by Beaumont. Stay tuned for updates.

Even in the age of emails and Twitter, writing for pleasure is far from dead. The second annual publication of Writers’ Circle stories will be distributed in April.

The Writers’ Circle meets on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month in the Club Room at 10:30 a.m.

At the meetings, writers read aloud whatever they have written.

Topics are whatever they please. Some write memoirs. Some write about amusing or frustrating events of the day. Some write fiction. Members encourage and support each other. This is an opportunity for writers to express themselves freely.

A number of Writer’s Circle stories have found their way into the Beaumont News. In addition, some Writer’s Circle members have joined the BN.

However, there’s no pressure, just an opportunity to meet and learn about friendly people. Give writing a try.

You may find your inner author.

STARLING continued from page 5

He apparently taught that piece of music to his starling, and noted that it incorrectly inserted a pause in one segment and elsewhere sang a G-sharp instead of a G. Apparently starlings are great (but not perfect) mimics. Who knew?

Mozart bonded with the bird, and when it died after three years, he arranged an elaborate funeral procession with music and veiled mourners.

NPR also interviewed naturalist and author Lyanda Lynn Haupt. Inspired by Mozart, she rescued a five-day-old nestling, named it Carmen, and raised it. As birds do, baby Carmen imprinted on the first things she saw moving— in this case, humans, who became her family.

Haupt said, “Carmen is so smart, so mischievous, and the word I have to use is ‘friendly.’

If I’m working, she’s on CARMEN THE STARLING seems

my hand while I’m interested in her owner’s book. typing on the computer or maybe jumping around the keys herself—just into everything that we are.” (Tolerant lady.

When my cat tries the same stunt, I get pretty annoyed.)

Carmen mimics words and other sounds as clearly as a parrot. Her owner said, “In the morning, she looks at me and says, ‘Hi Carmen,’ which is the first thing I would say to her. And then the cat comes downstairs, and Carmen says, ‘Meow.’ And then I go to make the coffee, and before I grind the beans she goes, ‘Rrrrr.’ She’s sitting there in full awareness.”

Carmen’s owner tried to attract her with some Mozart, but Carmen had no interest at all. She prefers Bach and bluegrass. Well, there’s no accounting for taste, I suppose.

MANAGING PAIN continued from page 1 These OTC preparations are frequently labeled as a hemp complex. A liquid form is available. Dr. Breish noted that long-term safety of any cannabis or cannabis-related product needs scientific research.

Questioned about Advil, or ibuprofen, he said it should be used for only up to two weeks because of potentially serious side effects.

ACT III ENTERTAINMENT, a dynamic Cabaret ensemble, performed at Beaumont on Tuesday, March 19. From the masterpieces of Broadway and film music, to Cabaret and Tin Pan Alley, their music has stood the test of time and reminds us of posh supper clubs and sophisticated revues of another era.

Left to right: Bill Lautenberger (bass), Selma Savitz (seated Pianist/Coordinator), Charlie Mayer, Joan Rayfield, Jim Bracken, Ruth Cohen, Randy Shupp, Anita Beckett, George Cocco (drums)

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Who was this St. Patrick fellow, anway?

From The History Channel website

mission: to minister to Christians already there and to convert the Irish.

Most Irish practiced a nature-based pagan religion.

Instead of attempting to eradicate Irish beliefs, Patrick incorporated pagan ritual into his lessons of Christianity. For instance, he used bonfires to celebrate Easter since the Irish were used to honoring their gods with fire. He also superimposed a sun, a powerful Irish symbol, onto the Christian cross to create what is now called a Celtic cross, so that veneration of the symbol would seem more natural to the Irish. Legend has it that he used a shamrock’s three leaves on one stem to explain the concept of the Trinity.

Irish culture centered on a rich oral tradition of legend and myth, gods and heroes. It is no surprise that Patrick’s story became exaggerated over the centuries.

A shanachie (story-teller) spinning exciting tales to help listeners remember history has always been part of Irish life.

The patron saint of Ireland is one of Christianity’s most widely known figures, yet he is something of a mystery. Many stories traditionally associated with St. Patrick, including the famous account of his banishing all the snakes from Ireland, are the false result of centuries of exaggerated storytelling.

St. Patrick was born to wealthy parents in Roman Britain. He is believed to have died on March 17, around 460 AD. At age 16, Patrick was taken prisoner by a group of Irish raiders and forced to work as a shepherd in Ireland.

After more than six years, Patrick escaped and returned to Britain, where he experienced a revelation telling him to return to Ireland as a missionary. To prepare himself, he began religious training that lasted more than fifteen years. After his ordination as a priest, he was sent to Ireland with a dual

BEAUMONT’S SUNDAY BRUNCH fell on St. Patrick’s Day this year: Sunday March 17. Chef John Bauer created a lucky four-leaf shamrock ice sculpture for the occasion Photo by Lynn Ayres

THE BEAUMONT RAGTAG FOLK BAND selected Irish folk songs and satorial greenery for their March concert in the Beaumont Room.

Guest singers were Dublin-born Helen Gannon and centenarian Alan Tripp.

Photos by Linda Madara

ST. PATRICK’S DAY COFFEE SOCIAL, organized by Louise Hughes, offered tea sandwiches, pastries, Irish coffee and more. The highlight of the event was a performance by talented students from the McDade-Cara School of Irish Dance.

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Photos by Linda Madara