OCTOBER 2017
Vol. 31 No. 10
Mesa County’s Monthly Newspaper for Adults 50+. Over 28,350 Readers.
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BORN TO BE WILD
Hunting brings families together Photo by Cloie Sandlin
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OCTOBER 2017
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OCTOBER 2017
EDITORIAL
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Eat, drink and be scary
N
o matter how old I get, I’m never too old for Halloween. I love dressing up in costume, and I always look forward to seeing what others come up with as well. I usually spend the early hours of All Hallows Eve with family at the mall or trick-or-treat streets around town, watching kids parade around in costume, showing off their tiaras and vampire fangs and charming vendors into giving them candy. Sometimes I’ll go home and hand out candy to trickor-treaters while I get ready—which can be a scarier sight than whatever terrifying costume I decide to wear that year. I’ve barely given any thought to my Halloween plans this year, and that’s where the BEACON comes in. We’ve collected all kinds of upcoming events sure to scare up a good time for ghouls and boys of all ages. You can read all about them in this month’s BEACON. Even if you decide to stay home this Halloween, make it a fun night in by inviting a friend over. It’s always nice to have someone help hand out candy to the variety of creatures that shows up at the door.
Comic Con You don’t have to wait until Halloween to get out your costume. Mesa County Libraries’ Comic Con brings thousands of fans, young and old, to Two Rivers Convention Center on October 7 to celebrate the world of comics and sci-fi. Come dressed as a superhero, villain or alien from your favorite comic
Learn about Estate Planning and more at our Free Educational Workshops!
Long Term Care, Nursing Home Care - Can I Afford It? Do you have questions about the options? You’re not alone! v Grand Junction: Wednesday, October 25th, 4:30 - 5:30 p.m.
The BEACON staff had a gre at time at another sold-out year of Co lorado Mountain Winefest.
book, movie, book or TV show, and enjoy fan meetups, costume contests, panel discussions, seminars and more. The library has organized events and presentations by authors, artists, publishers and other experts, including Ian Doescher, author of the “William Shakespeare’s Star Wars” book series. Best of all, admission is free!
Medicare open enrollment begins Do you have questions about Medicare? You’re not alone. Open enrollment begins on October 15, and RSVP’s Senior Health Insurance Project (SHIP) and the Colorado Gerontological Society have seminars and resources available to help you navigate the confusing world of government health insurance. Read more about Medicare changes and where to get help, along with articles to help you make the most of your retirement years, in this month’s special section on Retirement Planning.
Help us honor our veterans In November, we’ll honor local veterans with an issue that tells their stories. We know of a few good stories, and could use your help to find more. Do you know an unsung hero? Let us know by calling 243-8829 or emailing us at beacon@pendantpublishing.com. ■
Cloie Sandlin Editor, BEACON Senior News
(Held in our office at 1250 E. Sherwood Drive) Do you have questions or concerns about paying for the costs of nursing home care? The 2017 average cost of nursing home care on the Western Slope is $7,559 a month, & approximately 70% of people over the age of 65 are likely to need some type of assisted or nursing home care during their lifetime. That’s a high likelihood you or one of your loved ones may need care. Be prepared, learn about your options! Learn about payment sources like Medicaid, private pay, Medicare, long term care insurance and more! Read more about this workshop on our website Workshop Calendar: www.brownandbrownpc.com/workshopcalendar Registration is Required for Workshops: Sign up by calling (970) 243-8250, or by going to our website: www.brownandbrownpc.com, where you can also view the full schedule with location information and other details for upcoming workshops & presentations. Sign up today! Experienced & Compassionate Estate, Trust & Long Term Care Planning Attorneys
Phone: (970) 243-8250 1250 E. Sherwood Drive, Grand Junction, CO 81501 1825 E. Main Street, Ste. C, Montrose, CO 81401
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COVER STORY
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OCTOBER 2017
Born to be wild: Hunting brings families together
ABOVE: Jeff and Mike Harmeling prepare for an early trip together. RIGHT: Jeff and Mike today, along with 1-year-old Baylor.
By Melanie Wiseman Additional reporting by Cloie Sandlin
F
rom the time he was 3 years old, Mike Harmeling remembers being so excited to go hunting he couldn’t sleep. It didn’t matter that he wasn’t old enough. He was by his dad’s side, out in nature. Today, Mike, 33, looks forward to the day his 1-year-old son, Baylor, will be able to join the two of them, but he still loves spending time in the wilderness with his dad, Jeff, 65. Jeff loves it, too. He looks forward to annual hunting trips with Mike, and occasionally a trip with his other son, Daven, who lives in Washington. “There isn’t anything else I’d rather be doing than hunting with Mike,” he said. “Each year, I’m reminded what a remarkable person he is, and I get
to experience a tremendous sense of pride in the person he’s become. Spending time with him doing what we love to do is pretty special.” Randy Hunt shares these sentiments about his two kids—Evan, 25, and Heather, 20. “It’s great to have one-on-one time, whether you’re out on the hill or in the camper in the evenings,” Randy, 56, said. “Everybody’s got busy lives and are going in different directions. It’s a dedicated time that we can all come together.” This is just as true for the Bailey family. For 38 years, multiple generations have hunted from the same camp up Buzzard Creek on Grand Mesa. “My dad started this, and each year anywhere between three and 13 family members from three generations get together,” said Dave Bailey, 79. Raised in Collbran, Dave even returned each October for the 32 years he lived in Virginia. “My dad will still be going up to hunt 10 years from now, even if I have to set him up in a chaise longue,” said his son, Mark, 52.
Is it genetic? Jeff started hunting with his dad, uncles and grandpas in northern Wisconsin at age 10 and has memories of hunting trips he couldn’t go on as early as age 5. He recalled eagerly awaiting his father’s return to see if he “got anything.” Jeff said he believes hunting is genetic in some respects. “Otherwise, how do you explain someone who’s 5 years old, never having been out there, being so excited?” he said. Randy grew up in the outdoors. An avid outdoorsman, his father took the family out almost every weekend— hiking, camping, fishing or hunting. His wife, Bretina, also comes from a family of hunters. It was only natural that they shared their love of hunting with their kids early on. “I started going to hunting camp when I was a baby,” Heather said. “I got my own permit and license when I was 12 years old.” Mike remembers getting his first doe at age 12 like it was yesterday. Even as a little kid, “going hunting was better than Christmas,” he said. Mark loved tagging along on outdoor adventures with his dad and grandparents. For him, when the first snowflake fell, it meant hunting season had arrived.
Food for the family For the Hunts and Baileys, hunting has never been about killing, but putting food on the table. “We’re definitely in it for the meat,” Randy said. “We like to fill our freezer and keep nice, natural meat. It’s healthy that way.” Heather appreciates how each person in her family has a role in providing and preparing the meat. “We couldn’t do it without everyLEFT, RIGHT: Dave and Mark Bailey with a few of their trophies. MIDDLE: 22-year-old Dave and the black bear that attacked him.
OCTOBER 2017
COVER STORY
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ABOVE: Heather and Randy Hunt’s trips have influenced Heather’s career path as a wildlife biologist. RIGHT: Randy hunts with his son, Evan. one in the family,” she said. “Me and Dad go out and hunt. When we get one down, we gut it and my mom comes out and does all the field dressing. She actually skins and cuts up the deer and elk while me and my dad haul it out, and my brother usually cooks it.” These hunters agree—dinner is an important part of the experience. “We don’t usually eat dinner together at home, so here we just huddle around the heater and talk about the day,” Heather said. Jeff and Mike have hunted on the Grand Mesa with the same two sets of fathers and sons since 2000. “Being up there with those guys is better than hunting,” said Mike. “From dinner on is the best part— [telling] jokes and sharing stories, most of them not about hunting.” Jeff said men are sometimes vulnerable at hunting camp—they share life stories that aren’t talked about anywhere else. One week each fall is dedicated to this experience, transporting them to a special world of their own.
The drama of the hunt While most hunters are disappointed when they return home with nothing, Heather still finds the experience rewarding. “It’s really hard if you don’t get something…but it doesn’t really mat-
ter because you were up there,” she said. “It’s dead silent and it’s when you’re most in nature.” Relaxing on a hill next to her dad is one of her favorite activities. “It’s fun hunting with my dad as we get older. He falls asleep a lot,” she added. It’s also the birthplace of many of her favorite stories. “One time he was snoring and there was an animal,” she said. “I was old enough to make the decision on my own so I shot it while he was asleep and it freaked him out.” For the Harmelings, the challenge of locating animals and seeing them up close are some of the most thrilling parts of the hunt. “I can sit in the woods the whole day just in the hopes of seeing something,” said Mike. “To see deer and elk living in their natural habitat where they’re normally not disturbed is different than seeing them anywhere else.” Dave almost got too close to an animal on a hunt. When he was 22 and hunting on Battlement Mesa in blowing snow, a fellow hunter above him hollered that a bear was coming his way. He saw a black bear in the brush just 50 feet away. Then it charged. “I was getting ready for him and went to shoot but there was snow on my scope,” said Dave. “I ended up
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shooting him when he was just 15 feet away. He did a somersault and landed one step away.” Despite this terrifying event, Dave and Mark still like to watch animals and take pictures. “Hunting with Mark is a special tradition I look forward to every year,” Dave said. “It would have left a void if he didn’t like to hunt.” Describing the meaning of their annual hunting trips together is easy for Mark. “For as long as I can remember, I have admired my dad and wanted to be like him,” Mark said. “He has such a wealth of knowledge about the outdoors. It’s a time just for us that ties us together.” Although she’s away at college and studying to be a wildlife biologist, Heather has never missed a hunting season; and with the exception of a couple of years while he was overseas in the Air Force, neither has Randy. “Hunting has been a huge influence on [Heather],” Randy said. “It’s exciting that she’s grown up in that environment—she loves the outdoors and wants to be out there working with wildlife.” ■
The BEACON is published at the beginning of the month. Our goal is to inform and inspire the 50+ community in Mesa, Delta and Montrose counties. Publication of advertising does not necessarily constitute endorsement. Columns are opinions of the writers, not necessarily the opinion of the publisher. Display advertising rates are available upon request. Deadline for advertising and announcements is the 20th of the month preceding publication. © Copyright 2017 • All Rights Reserved
Cover Photo: Jeff and Mike Harmeling go hunting together every year, spending time together and doing what they love.
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FEATURE STORY
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OCTOBER 2017
Beating cancer with attitude By Melanie Wiseman
S “Cancer is something that happened to me, but I’m not going to wear badges because I was a cancer patient. I’m going above and beyond, surviving and living.”
Shirley Schultz was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1988. She’s never let it slow her down. Photo by Melanie Wiseman.
hirley Schultz and Kathleen Messinger have never met yet march to the same drum. They both feel that the best way to beat cancer is with a lot of attitude— positive attitude, that is. These breast cancer survivors are too busy living life to the fullest to waste time or energy on being negative. “You’ve got to keep moving or you’re dead!” said Schultz, 95, who recently returned from an African safari. In December, she’ll travel to the Middle East. Messinger, 67, accomplished the challenging 446-mile Ride the Rockies tour in June after taking up biking last summer. “It’s so unproductive to be negative,” she said. “I make the choice to be positive.”
No time for negativity Schultz’s first breast cancer diagnosis was confirmed through blood work in 1988, before mammograms were commonplace. She is a threetime survivor after it returned in 1998 and 2008. Two lumpectomies and a mastectomy later, she now has checkups every three months.
“Cancer is something that happened to me, but I’m not going to wear badges because I was a cancer patient,” Schultz said. “I’m going above and beyond, surviving and living.” Even through her treatments and pain, Schultz refused to feel sorry for herself. She is more proud of rising above the other tragedies she’s had in her life: losing her husband and three of her four children. “When you’ve had other tragedies in your life, cancer is just another stop in the road,” Schultz said. “It’s all in your attitude and how you perceive it. Occupy yourself with something other than yourself so you have something else to think about.” Schultz focuses her energy on staying active and helping others. She volunteers four days a week, splitting her time between St. Mary’s oncology center, Heirlooms for Hospice and the airport’s welcome desk. Her poor eyesight prevents her from driving, so she takes the bus or catches rides with friends. She is active with Friendship Force, continues to travel the world and is a voracious consumer of e-books and audiobooks. She’s currently relearning Spanish through library tapes.
“My husband used to say ‘There is no book of shoulds. Never regret what you didn’t do.’ I’m going to be the poorest lady in the cemetery,” she said. Schultz also encourages participation in support groups or group therapy. “People have funny ideas about support groups. [They think] that they’re sympathy groups to commiserate,” she said. “We don’t do that, but [we] show we need each other and that we’re not alone.” She said her losses and cancer have made her an improved person, not a different person. She has new values and attitudes, an open mind and open horizons.
Focus on the Future Since her mother had breast cancer at 38, Messinger knew she was at risk. But she was surprised to learn that her cancer was not genetic when she was diagnosed after a routine mammogram at age 49. Following a second opinion, she opted for a double mastectomy. “I told my husband I’m going to do everything I can to avoid my family going through long ordeals I’ve seen other families go through. Let’s just
OCTOBER 2017
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FEATURE STORY
“It’s so unproductive to be negative. I make the choice to be positive.” be done with it,” she said. “I don’t think it’s the surgery that kills you, but the chemo and radiation afterwards, which is so hard on your body.” After extensive, 10-hour surgery, it took Messinger a full 18 months to feel like herself again. She was never so happy to see her birthday—the day she turned 50. “Staying positive and support from family and friends makes a huge difference to your recovery,” said Messinger. “Coming from an Italian family, I didn’t have time to whine because my hospital room was filled with 16 or 17 people.” Through it all, her husband, Bif, was right by her side. Messinger said his devotion brought tears to one doctor’s eyes, who told her how fortunate she was, because many men leave women during this process. “Before cancer, I was always thankful for what I had: my husband, my kids. But it really does make a difference when you’ve had cancer—the birds really do sound lighter, the sun really looks brighter, the world is more colorful,” Messinger said. “I’ve known so many who haven’t made it. I have a whole new appreciation for life.”
A passionate horsewoman for 35 years, not even cancer could stop her from getting back in the saddle. She put it behind her and went on with life. Her advice is to treat cancer like anything else that happens in your life. Focus on the future and make plans for things you can look forward to. In 2016, she found a new passion. She sold her horse and started riding a used bike she bought for $100. That bike, along with four months of training and a lot of determination, carried her throughout the seven-day Ride the Rockies event. Her family’s support meant everything during this challenge, just as it did during her cancer surgery and recovery. “Not once did anyone tell me they thought I shouldn’t do this,” said Messinger. “Everyone was so encouraging.” Always the cheerleader for her family members, Messinger said it was fun to have them cheering for her for a change. Both of her kids met her at the finish line, where there was a lot of jumping and a few tears. ■
Stay well with these breast cancer screenings The Colorado Department of Public Health’s Women’s Wellness Connection program offers breast and cervical cancer screenings, as well as heart health tests, to eligible women free of charge.
To qualify, women must: • Live in Colorado or a bordering state • Be legal U.S. residents • Be between ages 40 and 65 for breast cancer screenings • Be between ages 30 and 65 for heart exams • Be between ages 21 and 65 for cervical cancer screenings • Have limited or no health insurance to pay for these screenings • Have an income of no more than 2.5 times the Federal Poverty Level To learn more about the program and find a service provider, visit www.colorado.gov/cdphe/womens-wellness-connection.
Kathleen Messinger traded her horse’s saddle for a bike saddle and took on the 446-mile Ride the Rockies this summer.
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RECIPES
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OCTOBER 2017
Are you Ready ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
TO GET BACK BEHIND THE WHEEL AND BACK TO LIFE?
Start your Shift to Independence! Work with a registered, licensed occupational therapist • Help for those of all ages and driving abilities • Treatment plans and adaptive equipment tailored just for you • An emphasis on safety and independence •
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Jill Wohlgemuth, OTR/L;CDRS (970) 201-2264 shifttoindependence15@gmail.com
Latin-Style Pork Roast Recipe by Michelle De La Cerda, www.thecompletesavorist.com
Ingredients: 3 lb pork loin roast
1 tbsp cumin
2 large yellow and/or orange bell peppers, sliced
1/3 tsp cinnamon
1 small red onion or 1/2 of medium, sliced
1/2 tsp salt +/- to taste
1-14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained but juices reserved
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp capers, drained
1/2 tsp black pepper +/- to taste 3 cloves garlic, minced/grated 2 tbsp oil/butter
15 colossal pimento stuffed Spanish-style green olives, drained
Instructions: • Heat oil/butter in a large frying pan and sear the pork roast on all sides; place in a slow cooker.
• Place the lid on the slow cooker, turn to high and cook for three hours or turn to low and cook for six hours.
• Add the onions and the bell peppers to the slow cooker, positioning all around the roast.
• Once the pork is cooked, remove it from the slow cooker and allow to rest for at least five minutes before shredding.
• Open can of diced tomatoes, drain the juice into a bowl; set aside and add the tomatoes to the slow cooker. • Add the olives and capers. • In the tomato juice bowl, whisk salt, pepper, cumin and cinnamon, and pour over the veggies and meat. • Add the water and mix in all the residual spices left behind, and pour over the veggies and meat.
• Add the shredded pork to a serving dish. • Scoop out all the veggies and toss with the pork, then ladle the broth over the meat and veggies to keep it all moist before serving. • Serve and enjoy over rice, with tortillas or on its own.
OCTOBER 2017
ASK THE OLD BAG
www.BeaconSeniorNews.com
What’s your next move? Let’s figure it out together
ASK THE OLD BAG By Gayle Lagman-Creswick ADVICE COLUMN FOR THE OVER 50 CROWD
Your stuff is just that—stuff Dear Old Bag: When my ex-husband passed away, our children and six helpers spent four Saturdays trying to determine what his large estate was worth. I heard them quibble over who gets what. As I saw the agony and work they had to go through, I said to myself, “That will never happen with my meager belongings.” I went home, emptied closets and priced every single item, sorting them in boxes in preparation for a moving sale. I moved from 1,750 square feet to 550 square feet. Before my parents passed away, they put notes on every item in their apartment that said who the item was from—that item went back to the giver of the gift. If they purchased it, they decided who it went to. I hope these processes help readers who are struggling with parting with “things.” Signed, No Name
they say something like, “Well, I have been going to him for 15 years and he knows my history.” Another friend says something similar about her hairdresser. It drives me crazy. If I don’t like something, I change it. I had a husband who was a real piece of work and I got rid of him. How many people are miserable and just prefer to stay miserable? Signed, Puzzled
Dear Puzzled: I had to laugh because I have friends who do the same thing. I guess they are more afraid of the unknown than they are with the status quo. They worry, “What if my new doctor, hairdresser or husband is worse than this? I think I’ll just stick it out!” OB
Dear No Name: It’s hard for seniors to part with things they have treasured over a lifetime. I will reiterate: They are just things. Be glad you had them to enjoy and let them go. I downsized last year myself, and it was difficult. My daughter-in-law said, “Mom, if you don’t get rid of all this stuff, we are going to have to do it when you’re gone.” That did it for me. By the way, my kids wanted very little of my stuff. They have plenty of their own to deal with. OB
Dear Old Bag: You are probably going to think I am terrible. My kids certainly do. My husband has Alzheimer’s disease, and I want to admit him to a memory care facility. My kids think I should take care of him. They don’t know what I have put up with for years. He was a womanizer from about the 13th year of our 50-year marriage. There was a new woman every year. We fought behind closed doors but put on a good front for the kids. I’m sure if we had a loving relationship, I’d want to care for him as long as I could, but I simply don’t feel I can and I refuse to do it. What now? Signed, Unloving Wife
Dear Old Bag: Sometimes I am amazed at my fellow seniors. I frequently hear them complain about how they don’t like their doctor. I ask them why they still go to him, and
Dear Unloving: You either need to explain your marital relationship to your kids or accept their anger. My guess is they know more than you think they do. Good luck. OB ■
Send your questions to the Old Bag in care of the BEACON, or email her directly at lagmancreswick@cox.net
Downsizing? We’ve been in our home for 16 years and I hate to admit it, but there are still boxes in the garage that have never been unpacked. I have no idea what’s in them. I should just pick them up and take them to the dump. But what if…? That “what if ” is my problem. We’re trying to downsize. We really are! And we’re not alone—for the first time in the history of the world, two generations (boomers and their parents) are downsizing simultaneously.
What do we do? 1. Start now. Get the stories behind some of the things that could help sell them or help you decide what you want to hang on to. 2. Give yourself plenty of time to find takers. The longer you have to sell something, the more money you’re
going to make. Try Craig’s List. 3. Do a Google search to see if there’s a market for any of your art, furniture, china or crystal. 4. If you or your parents haven’t used something in two years, get rid of it! (Note to self.) 5. Look for a local consignment shop, auction or estate sales specialist. 6. Consider donating kitchen items and furnishings to a local shelter. 7. Download a free booklet called “Rightsizing and Relocation Guide,” from the National Association of Senior Move Managers. It has a lot of helpful hints. 8. Here is possibly the best advice of all: Prepare for disappointment. Your kids probably don’t want your treasures. They’re not picking out formal china patterns anymore. I have two sons who don’t want anything of mine. I get that.
Until next month...
Martha Newman Senior Real Estate Specialist 970-260-8747 or martha.l.newman@gmail.com.
focus on people
our residents
their lives
their families
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THE HEALTHY GEEZER
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If you or Someone You Know is Struggling with Hearing Loss...
HEALTHY
GEEZER
Don’t MISS tHIS opportunItY
Wanted:
By Fred Cicetti
15 People Who have Difficulty Hearing, Especially in Noise Situations, to Evaluate New Digital, Noise Reduction Hearing Aids,
risk - Free!
Will be performing hearing evaluations at NO CHARGE for the first 15 qualified callers to determine candidates for this program. Applicants who are selected will be asked to evaluate the latest hearing aid technology for two weeks. Participants who wish to keep the instruments may do so at TREMENDOUS SAVINGS. Those who do not experience significant benefit may simply return them. Those interested need to CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT
2532 patterson road, Suite 12 Grand Junction, Co 81505
(970) 243-6440
Brandy Lujan, NBC-HIS
Hearing Instrument Specialist
OCTOBER 2017
Bernadette Mills, Au.D.,CCC/A Doctor of Audiology
Drinking can intensify snoring
I
s it your imagination, or does your husband’s snoring get worse when he’s been drinking? Good news: You’re not going crazy. Drinking can intensify snoring. As you fall asleep, your tongue, throat and the roof of your mouth relax. If they relax too much, they may partially block the flow of air to your lungs. Then the tissue at the back of your mouth vibrates, creating the sound of logs being sawed. As the airway narrows, the vibration intensifies and the snoring gets louder. Alcohol relaxes throat muscles, so it promotes snoring. To avoid it, you should stop drinking alcohol at least four hours before bedtime.
Other causes of snoring Your sleeping partner may be a teetotaler, but that doesn’t mean you’re safe from nightly noises. • That triangular thingy hanging in the back of your palate is called a uvula. If yours is long, you’re a snorer. • Overweight people have bulky neck tissue that narrows the airway. • A stuffy nose or one blocked by a deviated septum requires extra effort to pull air through it. This creates an exaggerated vacuum in the throat, and pulls throat tissues together. • Very loud snoring may be associated with obstructive sleep apnea, a seri-
ous condition. Heavy snorers should seek medical advice to ensure that they don’t have sleep apnea.
Snore-lutions If your spouse is at the end of his or her rope, it might be time to consider taking action. Here are some simple tips to counteract your snoring: • Sleep on your side. Lying on your back allows your tongue to drop into your throat. • Tilt the head of your bed up four inches. • Make sure your nasal passages are clear. Mouth breathing during sleep can lead to snoring. If you have chronic nasal congestion, ask your doctor about prescription nasal sprays. • Avoid alcohol, tranquilizers, sleeping pills and antihistamines before bedtime. • Lose weight. • Surgically correct a deviated septum. • Place adhesive strips on your nose. They can open your nasal passages and make breathing easier. • Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (thank God it has an acronym—UPPP), surgery to tighten palate and throat tissue. • Oral appliances help advance the position of your tongue and soft palate to keep your air passage open. ■
Send your general health questions to the Healthy Geezer in care of the BEACON, or email him directly at fred@healthygeezer.com.
OCTOBER 2017
HEALTH & WELLNESS 11
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DEAR PHARMACIST By Suzy Cohen, RPH
Amazing health benefits of butternut squash
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utumn is stunning here in Colorado. I love how the temperature drops, and I begin to crave the flavors and scents of the season.
published results stating beta cryptoxanthin can “be used as a chemopreventive agent or a chemotherapeutic compound against lung cancer.”
There’s a pumpkin patch near my house that begins to boast its harvest with pretty pumpkins for miles. I love looking at them, but I don’t crave them. I prefer butternut squash.
As for inflammation, cryptoxanthin compound has the ability to reduce development of rheumatoid arthritis, according to a University of Manchester study.
Butternut squash has a lot of beta carotene, which your body automatically converts to vitamin A.
A 100-gram serving of cooked butternut squash contains about 3,120 mcg of beta cryptoxanthin. A bowl of boiled carrots contains only 199 mcg.
The health perks of eating butternut squash are amazing. For now, I’ll focus on beta cryptoxanthin, a powerful carotenoid (similar to beta carotene) that protects DNA. Studies suggest it can help with cancer, especially lung cancer. It works by flipping a switch on the genes in your body that keep cancer from spreading. In fact, researchers in Philadelphia just
The only part of this squash you have to throw out is the skin. You can roast the seeds with olive oil, salt and pepper. They are rich in tryptophan, which converts to the happy neurotransmitter serotonin and subsequently into sleepy melatonin. Never prepared butternut squash? Here’s a delicious way to incorporate its nutritious qualities into your diet.
Butternut Squash Savory Salad 2 tbsp butter 2 cups butternut squash, cubed Salt and pepper 2 tsp coconut or brown sugar 1/2 cup almond slivers
A stroke couldn’t stop her from helping others heal.
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice 6 cups mixed lettuce greens 1 avocado, sliced 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
Melt butter in a skillet and cook the butternut squash with salt and pepper (as desired) and sugar (to caramelize it.) Cook until golden or lightly brown and tender. Toast the almond slivers in another saucepan along with the pumpkin pie spice. Keep tossing them until they are toasted—it took about five minutes for me. Toss the salad greens along with the cooked butternut squash, cucumber and pomegranate seeds. Then top with avocado slices, cucumber and toasted almonds. I make my own dressing by combining olive oil and pomegranate vinegar. Pomegranates are natural beta-blockers and help reduce blood pressure. ■
Send your questions to Suzy in care of the BEACON, or via her website, www.suzycohen.com
Sharon cared for stroke patients earlier in life, as a Registered Nurse. So, when she had a stroke, she knew she needed to get help fast. Her stroke team immediately began treatment. Thanks to the personal encouragement and comprehensive therapy she received, Sharon regained the ability to drive, walk and speak. Today, she’s connecting with other stroke survivors, teaching Sunday school, and caring for her community in other rewarding ways. Find out how our 24/7 stroke program helps you recover to your full potential. Visit stmarygj.org/stroke.
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HEALTH & WELLNESS
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Battling the leading cause of death for women: heart disease
R
esearchers in the Netherlands recently compiled data from 32 studies involving more than 300,000 women and reached a disturbing conclusion. Women who experience early menopause—before age 45—face an increased risk for heart disease and premature death. “This is why women who go into early menopause need to pay special attention to their lifestyle choices and habits,” said Dr. Mache Seibel, a leading American expert on menopause and author of “The Estrogen Window.” Those women should also explore the possibility of taking estrogen, which can help reduce the risk of death from heart disease.
Now’s the time to talk about it It’s a point worth making any time, but is especially appropriate in
October, which is World Menopause Month. October 18 is World Menopause Day. Estrogen therapy, used to minimize menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, irritability and weight gain, has been controversial. More than a decade ago, the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) advised menopausal women to stop using estrogen because of a reported increase in breast cancer, strokes and heart attacks. Since then, flaws with the WHI study have come to light, reversing some of that thinking. “Estrogen is safe and beneficial for the majority of women if taken in the estrogen window,” Seibel said.
The estrogen window The estrogen window is the ideal time to begin estrogen replacement. It opens the moment a woman enters menopause, and generally closes about 10 years later, but that can
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vary. Women should have ongoing discussions with their physicians. When taken in the estrogen window, estrogen can lower the risk of death from heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women, so it’s critical that women and their doctors understand the role it plays in reducing that risk, said Seibel. “Unfortunately even with the current thinking, some doctors are unaware that estrogen is beneficial in preventing heart disease or they simply don’t have enough time to adequately explain this to patients,” Seibel said.
Things to keep in mind • Age is not the deciding factor. The number of years it’s been since a woman went through menopause determines whether estrogen will be protective or potentially harmful. • Women’s heart attack symptoms differ from men’s. During a heart attack, men often experience crushing chest pain or radiating
OCTOBER 2017
pain down the left arm, and sometimes the right arm. While women can have those symptoms, Seibel said they are more likely to feel profound fatigue, lightheadedness, dizziness, nausea and vomiting. They may also notice neck, jaw, back or upper abdominal pain. Women who have persistent symptoms such as those should tell their doctor as soon as possible. • Your lifestyle matters. Whether a woman chooses to take estrogen or not, Seibel said, a healthy lifestyle can reduce the risk of heart disease. Smokers, for example, have two to six times the risk of heart attack as nonsmokers. Women should exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet, watch their weight and reduce stress. “The important thing is for women to understand that there are proactive steps they can take to remain physically and mentally healthy, and thrive beyond menopause,” said Seibel. “Time spent on you isn’t lost—it’s invested!” ■
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HEALTH & WELLNESS 13
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e had a blast at Grand Junction Parks and Recreation’s 2017 Western Colorado Senior Games. Judging from the numbers, the athletes did, too! Whether it was bocce ball, billiards, swimming, swing dancing or something else all together, senior athletes excelled in their sports. To see how well you did (and scope out the competition for next year), visit www.BeaconSeniorNews.com. ■
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Sticks, stones and donated bones: A look at how CMU is changing forensic science By Melinda Mawdsley
I
t was an October 2016 crime scene that happens on occasion in Mesa County: Hikers found human skeletal remains in the desert off 16 Road, north of Fruita. As is customary, the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office and the Mesa County Coroner were called in to extract the remains before determining identification and cause of death. Unique to the scene, however, was the presence of Colorado Mesa University students. The undergraduates who worked alongside law enforcement were key players in identifying the remains as those of Roger Alfonso Vigil, a Loma man who went missing in 2013. The students were part of the school’s Forensic Investigation Research Station (FIRS), also known as the “body farm.” Since receiving its first body donation in fall 2013, FIRS has accepted nearly 50 donations, enabling students to study how human remains decompose in western Colorado’s climate. At about 4,700 feet above sea level, CMU’s research station is the highest in elevation in the country. The ob-
servations made at the outdoor facility near Whitewater are shared with law enforcement personnel in similar elevations and comparable climates, helping investigators and coroners around the world estimate how long an individual has been dead. “Being able to have examples of how bodies decay in this region has helped folks understand the processes,” said Melissa Connor, CMU professor of forensic anthropology and FIRS director. “In addition, we are an education facility. We give our undergrad students an experience that is incredible.” The student interns at CMU’s research station are in select company. There are only six body farms in the country, and only two work with undergraduate students, Connor said. “When they intern at the facility, they know it’s a possibility that they will need to search for bodies,” she added. “We are happy that [law enforcement is] willing to ask for assistance and that they trust us and our students on a scene.” Although it isn’t common for CMU students to assist in extracting human remains—it happens only two to four times a year—the young
The FIRS facility is located in Whitewater.
OCTOBER 2017
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people are a valuable resource to the community, Mesa County Coroner Dean Havlik said. “It’s pretty unique to have them here in this tiny place we live in,” he added. “They do some of what I call the ‘dirty work.’ They help us look for bones.” It can be difficult to find all necessary evidence when a body has been exposed in the outdoors. That’s where the students’ work becomes invaluable. “For example, if someone was hiking in a remote location and happened to die and wasn’t found for a couple months, animals may scatter those bones. Sometimes it’s challenging to find the whole skeleton. Students from CMU have helped us search for those,” Havlik said. Connor said since the station’s opening in 2013, it has accepted local donors but also bodies from around the country. Once the body has decomposed, the bones are added to a skeletal collection for continued study. FIRS is for education and research only and is not open to the public— or even donors’ families— out of respect for the bodies. Donations enable CMU students and researchers to continue making valuable findings that may bring justice to the deceased and closure to their families. ■
Interested in becoming a FIRS donor? Donors help FIRS continue its mission of education and research. Once a body is donated, it’s placed in an outdoor laboratory and allowed to decay naturally. Once it is skeletonized, it’s collected, cleaned and added to the school’s skeletal collection for further study. There is no cost to donate a body within 75 miles of Grand Junction at the time of death. The decedent’s estate must assume responsibility for transporting bodies to the facility if death occurs farther away. All donors are accepted, except those with infectious diseases such as hepatitis or tuberculosis, or those with antibioticresistant infections. Ultimately, family or next of kin has final say on whether or not a body will be donated. CMU will not fight for a donation, so be sure to make any desires known prior to death. To donate your body to CMU’s Forensic Investigation Research Station, visit www.coloradomesa.edu/firs to find donation forms. Contact Connor at mconnor@coloradomesa.edu or 248-1219 with further questions.
Melissa Connor has directed CMU’s Forensic Investigation Research Station since its establishment in 2012. Photo by Melinda Mawdsley.
FIRS students prepare for a day studying decomposition.
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16
LAUGHING MATTERS
www.BeaconSeniorNews.com COUPON
OCTOBER 2017
LAUGHING MATTERS Very busy
Submitted by Katie Moreno
Two new mothers were talking about a friend of theirs, who had just given birth to triplets. “You know, that only happens one in 12,000 times,” one mother said. “Amazing!” said the other. “How did she ever find time to do any housework?” ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Religious intolerance
Could have been me Submitted by Mary Randall
An elderly Coloradan called 911 on her cell phone to report that her car had been broken into. She was hysterical as she explained her situation to the dispatcher. “They’ve stolen the stereo, the steering wheel, the brake pedal and even the accelerator!” she cried.
Submitted by Candice Howard
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A guy had been isolated on an island in the South Pacific for 10 years. He lit a signal every night, but no one saw it and no one came to rescue him. Finally, the captain of a passing ship noticed the signal and sent a small boat to investigate. The castaway explained that he had been on this island for a decade, waiting to be rescued. “If you’re all alone, what are those three huts I see built in the lagoon?” asked the captain. “The first hut is my home,” said the castaway. “The second hut is where I go to church, and the third hut is where I went to church before I got mad and changed churches.” –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
A sign from above Submitted by Alice Seddon
A priest and a pastor from two local churches were standing by the side of the road, pounding a sign into the ground. It read, “The End Is Near! Turn Yourself Around Now Before It’s Too Late!” As a car sped past them, the driver yelled, “Leave us alone, you idiots!”
The dispatcher said, “Stay calm. An officer is on the way.” A few minutes later, the officer radioed back in. “Disregard,” he said. “She got in the backseat by mistake.” –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
The biker bar Submitted by Martha Vest
A drunk man walked into a biker bar, sat down and ordered a drink. Looking around, he saw three men sitting at a corner table. He got up, staggered to the table, leaned over, and looked the biggest, meanest biker dead in the eye. “I went by your grandma’s house today and I saw her in the hallway buck naked,” he jeered. “Man, she is one fine-looking woman!” The biker looked at him without saying a word. His buddies were confused— this guy had a mean reputation. The drunk leaned on the table again. “Let’s just say this,” he said. “Your grandma is the best ever!” Now the biker stood up, took the drunk by the shoulders, looked him square in the eyes and said, “Grandpa, go home. You’re drunk.”
It drove around the curve ahead, and then the two men heard screeching tires and a big splash. The pastor turned to the priest.
A gift for Mom
“Do you think the sign should just say, ‘Bridge Out?’” he asked.
Three sons left home, went out on their own and prospered. During one
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Submitted by Linda Gregg
OCTOBER 2017
LAUGHING MATTERS 17
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visit together, they discussed the gifts they had just sent to their elderly mother. The first said, “I built a big house for our mother.” The second said, “I sent her a Mercedes with a driver.” The third smiled and said, “I’ve got you both beat. You know how Mom enjoys the Bible, and you know she can’t see very well. I sent her a brown parrot that can recite the entire Bible. It took 20 monks in a monastery 12 years to teach him. I had to pledge to contribute $100,000 a year for 10 years, but it was worth it. Mom just has to name the chapter and verse, and the parrot will recite it.” Soon thereafter, their mother sent out her thank-you notes. “Milton,” she wrote to the first son, “The house you built is so huge. I live in only one room, but I have to clean the whole house.”
ly answered, “Sure, why not?”The yuppie parked his car, whipped out his MacBook Pro, connected it to his cell phone, and surfed to a NASA page online, where he called up a satellite to get an exact fix on his location. Then he fed the data to another NASA satellite to scan the area and take an ultra-high-resolution photo. He opened the image in Photoshop and exported it to an image processing facility in Germany. Within seconds, the yuppie received an email on his smartphone. He accessed a MS-SQL database through an ODBC-connected Excel spreadsheet and, after a few minutes, received a response.
“That’s right,” said the rancher. “Well, fair’s fair. I guess you can take one of my calves.” He watched the young man select an animal and looked on with amusement as the young man stuffed it into the trunk of his car.
“Dearest Melvin,” she wrote to the third son, “You were the only son to have the good sense to know what your mother likes. The chicken was delicious. Thank you!”
Then he said, “Hey, if I can tell you exactly what your business is, will you give me back my calf?”
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
“You’re a congressman in the U.S. government.”
Submitted by Isabel Loya
A rancher was overseeing his herd in a remote, mountainous pasture when a brand-new BMW came toward him in a cloud of dust. The driver, a young man dressed in a designer suit, Gucci shoes, RayBan sunglasses and a Yves Saint Laurent tie, leaned out the window. “If I tell you exactly how many cows and calves you have in your herd, will you give me a calf?” he asked. The rancher looked at the man, obviously a yuppie, then looked at his peacefully grazing herd and calm-
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Finally, he printed out a full-color, 150page report on his high-tech, miniaturized LaserJet printer, turned to the rancher and said, “You have exactly 1,586 cows and calves.”
“Marvin,” she wrote to the second son, “I am too old to travel. I stay home all the time, so I never use the Mercedes. And the driver is so rude!”
The herd
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The young man thought about it, then replied, “Okay, why not?”
“Wow!” said the yuppie, stunned. “That’s correct, but how did you guess that?” “No guessing required,” answered the rancher. “You showed up here even though nobody called you, wanting to get paid for an answer I already knew and a question I never asked. You used millions of dollars worth of equipment trying to show me how much smarter than me you are, and you don’t know a thing about how working people make a living! Or about cows for that matter—this is a herd of sheep. Now give me back my dog!” ■
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18
HOME & GARDEN
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Let nature do fall Alive & Digging By Paige Slaughter
M
aybe I’m the odd one, but I just can’t seem to wrap my head around raking up leaves, stuffing them into a big black garbage bag and setting them out on the curb to be picked up in a truck, driven across town and buried. Through spring and summer, trees are drawing trace minerals from deep in the soil and storing them in their leaves. Full of carbon, fallen leaves are food for our critters below ground, feeding earthworms and microbes, which create nutrient-rich topsoil. Leaves help lighten heavy soils, creating space for life to thrive. They also act like a sweater, insulating bare ground and tender plants from the cold. So for the love of life, let’s not treat our leaves like garbage!
To keep or to gift? Since leaves make a fantastic mulch, you can use yours to mulch your garden beds, bare ground in your yard and even your lawn. You can also experiment with composting by layering leaves with a nitrogen source like manure or bone meal. Create a ratio of 5:1—five parts leaves to one part nitrogen. Make a layered pile and keep it moist. If you turn the heap each month, you’ll have a pile of great compost come spring. If you have no use for leaves or compost, or aren’t interested in the work, consider gifting your leaves—that is, ensuring they return to the soil. Both Mesa and Montrose Counties
offer a variety of recycling (composting) programs. Grand Junction and Palisade offer leaf pickups beginning this month. In Grand Junction, leaves are transported to the Mesa County Organic Materials Composting Facility to be turned into compost. Palisade’s program picks up leaves and takes them directly to local farmers and home gardeners who want to use leaves for mulch (call 464-5602 to request leaves). Montrose citizens can drop off grass clippings and leaves at the Montrose City Public Works facility free of charge. These materials are sent to a compost facility and then into gardens. If there’s no existing program in your area, try reaching out to a friend or local farm. Someone would be thrilled to recycle your leaves into their soil.
Grow garlic for the health of it My favorite way to get leaves back in the ground has got to be growing garlic. Packed with vitamins and minerals, garlic is a medicine as well as a key player in the kitchen. According to herbalist Rosemary Gladstar, garlic treats colds and flus, boosts the body’s immune system, is a powerful antiseptic, antibacterial and antimicrobial agent and is effective for maintaining healthy blood cholesterol levels. It’s also quite easy to grow in our arid climate.
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Order garlic now to plant this month. Many seed companies offer discounts at this point in the year. To plant garlic, break a head apart into cloves, then plant each root-end down in fertile soil with good drainage. Cover with two inches of soil and six inches of leaves, which act as insulation. Once in the ground, garlic is low maintenance. Begin watering in the spring, and you’ll harvest delicious heads in July. Letting nature do fall is one of my favorite gardening philosophies. Returning nutrients to the soil is one of the easiest steps we can take toward creating rich garden ecosystems. ■
GARDEN CHECKLIST ❒ Clean up spent crops by pulling them or cutting plants at the base, leaving roots in the ground to compost themselves. ❒ Leave seed heads of flowers to feed the birds, or harvest seeds for next year’s garden. ❒ Add compost and mulch to garden beds as a nutrient-rich blanket. ❒ Seed wildflowers after the first frost, right before a snowfall. ❒ Seed winter greens like arugula, kale and mustard greens to harvest through fall and into winter. ❒ Divide perennials and plant spring-flowering bulbs.
Send your questions and comments to Paige in care of the BEACON, or email her directly at paige@fruitionstudio.com.
HOME & GARDEN 19
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Tips for wrapping up summer Tend the garden
By Jan Weeks
B
y now you may be asking yourself, “Where the heck did summer go?” Summer in western Colorado tends to linger well into October. We may have a month of good weather left, but it’s never too early to get started on pre-winter chores.
Winterize your home Depending on your location and the weather, it may be time to winterize your swamp cooler. Drain the pan, shut off and disconnect the water, drag out the canvas cover and get that puppy ready for the first freeze. There’s nothing worse than having the tubing split inside the house and start leaking next spring when you gear up for heat. It’s also a good time to check furnace filters, have the ductwork cleaned and make sure your carbon monoxide alarm is working. Is the weather stripping around doors and windows in good shape? How about inserting some foam outlet insulation into your receptacles? They come several to a packet and really cut down on drafts. Consider insulated drapes to keep warm air from migrating to the outside. And while you’re at it, replace the batteries in your smoke detectors. Outside, check for missing or damaged shingles on the roof. If your garage roof is prone to ice dams, make sure the insulation reaches to the eaves. Escaping warm air hitting the underside of the shingles causes the bottom layer of snow to melt, making a mini glacier. While you’re on the ladder, clean out the gutters. You can buy plastic rolls of gutter guard to keep most leaves and other debris from filling them up. If you have a wood-burning stove or fireplace, make sure last year’s soot accumulation is cleaned out before building the first cozy blaze.
Take a stroll through the garden and pull weeds so that they don’t reseed when they dry out. Are the tomatoes getting weary? Have new cucumbers dwindled to gherkin size? It’s time to pull them. Green tomatoes can be fried (yum!) or put in a paper bag to ripen. Plant spring bulbs now, too. They need to winter in the ground to bloom next April. When the weather cools and the ditches go dry, blow out the sprinkler system, store the hoses, and resign yourself to spot watering with the house hose. Hummingbirds won’t migrate as long as there’s an ample supply of sugar water in the feeder, so take it down by the end of the month. October is also the time to fertilize the lawn. Check with a nursery for what and how much to use. Is your leaf rake in good shape? Do you have plenty of leaf bags? Is your snow shovel handy? Don’t make yourself trek through a foot of snow and rummage through disorganized piles of tools to find it. Stock up on ice melt before the rush. (You can use a fertilizer spreader to de-ice large areas. Just don’t let the salt get on lawns or shrubs.)
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The final touches It’s also time to get the blankets out of storage in preparation for the cooler weather ahead. Maybe you change your home’s décor seasonally. If so, get out the autumn-themed throw pillows and other decorations. If canning and freezing food for the winter make you feel like you’re burrowing in for the long haul, head to your favorite farmers’ market, or your own garden plot, and sterilize the jars. Defrost and organize the freezer. Now that your home is in order, it’s time to relax and enjoy the last bit of summer. Days may be shorter but evenings still stretch out, mild and cool, inviting you to sit out as the sun sinks. Enjoy a cup of tea or glass of wine, perhaps build a fire and enjoy the winding down of the year. ■
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20 TRAVEL
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OCTOBER 2017
How brave are you? 8 haunted sites in New York state By Sandra Scott
A
s one of the original 13 colonies, New York has quite the haunted history. Ghosts, UFOs, things that go bump in the night and otherworldly events have always titillated people who visit one of the oldest regions of the U.S. Some of the historic haunted places in New York state offer special tours and events during October, but others welcome visitors year-round. Many of the sites have been featured on paranormal TV shows and in famous writings.
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The Capitol was completed in 1899 and is on the National Register of Historic Places.The architecture, most notably the “Million Dollar Staircase,” is magnificent. During the October haunted tours, learn about the demon that cursed the Capitol and the night watchman who still makes his rounds—even though he died in a fire in 1911. Bannerman Island Beacon 855-256-4007 www.bannermancastle.org
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New York State Capitol Albany 518-474-2418 online.ogs.ny.gov/ogsEvents/CapitolHauntingsTours
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Located on an island in the Hudson River, the Scottish-style castle has tales of hauntings dating back to the Native Americans who considered it an “evil” place, making it a refuge for early settlers during times of Native American aggression. Washington Irving added to the lore when he wrote about the goblins that inhabited the island. Special guided ghost tours are available by calling 845-831-6346.
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Otesaga Resort Hotel Cooperstown 607-547-9931 www.otesaga.com
The Otesaga is a member of the Historic Hotels of America. Since it opened in 1909, there have been rumors of paranormal activity. Guests have reported hearing children playing in the hallway, voices in the Glimmerglass Room, and apparitions in period clothing walking hand in hand. Landmark Theater Syracuse 315-475-7979 www.landmarktheatre.org
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The theater is a historic movie palace. Workers and visitors claim to have seen the spirit of Clarissa, who fell to her death from a balcony in 1930. It may have been when she saw her husband electrocuted while working on the stage.
OCTOBER 2017
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TRAVEL 21
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Toolbox
Fort Ontario has been rebuilt many times since the first fortress was erected in 1755. Once a fortress during the French and Indian War, “The Guardian of the Northern Frontier” has seen many deaths, but also served as a safe haven for Jewish refugees during the Holocaust. The TV show “Ghost Hunters” declared it is one of the most haunted places in the United States. Sightings, smells and music are often part of the paranormal experiences. Ghost tours take place in October.
Casey’s Cottage Mexico 315-963-8216 www.mexicopointpark.com/casey-s-cottage.html
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The carriage house turned into an 11th century English manor house at Mexico Point State Park hosts several events including ones that allows people to help in the investigations for other-worldly phenomena. After the death of the cottage’s namesake, Dr. Bill Casey, the building sat vacant for years. But visitors and professional paranormal investigators have since reported glimpses of apparitions, music and voices, and misplaced furniture and personal items.
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Caregivers 17th Annual
Fort Ontario Oswego 315-343-4711 www.historicfortontario.com/event/ ghost-reveal-hunt
Thompson Park Vortex Watertown
Vortexes and ley lines are places where there are special energy forces. Some say the vortex portal at Thompson Park has sent people into time warps— disappearing and reappearing out of thin air. It was dubbed “Watertown’s Area 51” after it was revealed in 2013 that the code name for Area 51 was “Watertown,” presumably generated by former CIA Director Allen W. Dulles, who was born in Watertown.
Seward House Auburn 315-252-1283 www.sewardhouse.org
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The Auburn Haunted History tours surrounding the Seward House, now a museum, are actually neighborhood walking tours. Guides share stories of Victorian funeral practices, the 1918 influenza epidemic and the story of the assassination attempt on William Seward, a 19th century politician, the same night Lincoln was killed. It’s a mix of history and folklore that focuses on the Seward family and area legends. ■
Conference
Speakers, Vendor Booths, Lunch, Door Prizes *Respite Care Available*
Wednesday, November 1st 8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
$5 includes: Lunch, Sessions, and Materials 8:30-9:00 9:00-9:45 9:45-10:30 10:45-11:45 11:45-12:30 12:30-1:15 1:15-2:00 2:15-3:00
Registration Conversations about Life Holistic Approach Legal Checklist Lunch ($5 RSVP dial 211- Seating is limited) Life Coach Mental Health Tips and Tricks
Mesa County Workforce Business Center
512 29 1/2 Road Grand Junction, CO
space is limited please call to register
Dial 211
970-244-8400
22
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Cold War workers may qualify for benefits By Jan Weeks
T
hey may not have been soldiers, but men and women who worked in the nuclear weapons industry are still suffering the long-term effects of the Cold War. And they may not know they’re entitled to government benefits if their illnesses can be traced directly to their employment in the nuclear field. Fortunately, they no longer have to suffer alone. Three area agencies specialize in connecting workers with benefits and home health care. All three have nurses throughout the Western Slope to assist affected workers.
Help is here Pam Wilson, a nurse case manager with Nuclear Care Partners (NCP), visits Dean Quamme twice a week. As an engineer at Hanford in
Washington in the mid-1960s, he supervised a team that operated the chemical separations plant that produced plutonium. “In those days, we didn’t think about low-level exposure. It was the high-level exposure you had to worry about,” he said. After a lifetime of work as a general contractor, Dean and his wife, Suzanne, moved to Grand Junction, where he worked at the Grand Junction Operations Office, a former uranium refinery until 2004. Dean has been an NCP patient for two years. The Quammes are so impressed by Wilson that they consider her part of the family. NCP, a nurse-owned company, has operated here for six years. Tyler Skeen, vice president of marketing and business development, likens finding ailing workers to finding a
Pam Wilson has been so helpful to Dean Quamme that he considers her family. needle in a haystack. Many don’t realize their condition is related to previous work. “Rocky Flats alone had 60,000-80,000 workers, and some of those may be affected,” he said. “There is a lack of education and a lot of misconceptions among doctors and claimants.” John Kelley, NCP’s community outreach manager, said the company spends its time getting former workers the information they need and educating the medical community on recognizing and caring for them. He said it can take four to eight months to start receiving benefits once the paperwork is completed and accepted. NCP acts as a resource to point patients in the right direction for benefits. “Patients must fill out the paper-
work through a lawyer or authorized representative to get the Medical Benefits Identification card,” Kelley said. “Once they have the card, we can work with them, but we can’t file for them.”
Going the extra mile Critical Nurse Staffing, Inc. (CNS) also provides home health staffing from aides who take care of housework and shopping to round-theclock nursing. Vickie Becoat, community outreach liaison, said that once patients are approved and CNS has approval
ATOMIC NATIONAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE CELEBRATION Join us as we honor the nuclear and uranium workers that helped provide the freedoms we enjoy today.
OCTOBER 30 10 AM - 12 PM
LAS COLONIAS PARK
925 STRUTHERS AVE. GRAND JUNCTION, CO
This is event is for former uranium or DOE workers and will include an honorary pinning ceremony, appetizers, and prizes.
RSVP TODAY! 970.628.7495 Event sponsored by: Nuclear Care Partners
OCTOBER 2017
Please register by Sept. 25th Seats will go quickly
740.400.0011 www.nuclearcarepartners.com
OCTOBER 2017
23
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letters from doctors related to covered diagnoses, “the family doesn’t pay one penny. The Department of Labor pays for care.” She also said that family members who have been taking care of loved ones who fall under DOL guidelines can be compensated for their work, as long as they fill out the proper paperwork and gain government approval. So a wife whose husband has been affected by a career in the nuclear field can receive payment for a certain number of hours per week she spends caring for him, once her husband becomes a patient of CNS. Professional Case Management (PCM) Marketing Communications Manager Shannon Porter said that PCM has been providing in-home care for more than 30 years. The company began working with Cold War veterans 15 years ago. “Congress passed the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA) in 2001. PCM served the first client benefiting from this program in 2002,” she said. In fact, she said PCM was the first company in the nation to specialize in quality in-home care for beneficiaries of the EEOICPA program. The company provides all levels of care, from occasional visits to check vitals or do case management, all the way up to round-the-clock skilled nursing. Since many former workers have cancers and lung diseases, PCM caregivers are trained and skilled to care for those types of illnesses. Porter said that the company goes the extra mile to help former nuclear weapons and uranium workers through its membership organization, Cold War Patriots. “The CWP connects these former workers to the resources they need to learn about the EEOICPA program and how to apply for benefits, and regularly holds educational town halls and resource fairs to connect the members to these resources,” she explained. Though the process of applying for a lump sum compensation and other benefits can be grueling, it’s well worth it for those who have spent years dealing with the aftereffects of
FIND HELP Nuclear Care Partners 644-2992 Critical Nurse Staffing, Inc. 424-5563 Professional Case Management 866-387-2123
EVENTS & WORKSHOPS: October 17, 2 p.m. Mesa County Library, 443 N. Sixth St. Nuclear Care Partners hosts this free resource workshop to help former AEC Compound and uranium workers access the federal benefits they’ve earned to compensate for their exposure to radiation and toxic chemicals during their work on behalf of the U.S. defense. This workshop will cover: • How to File or Refile a Successful Claim: Have you been denied? Learn why cases get denied and how to file a successful claim. • What To Do With Your Monetary Award: Find out how to plan for your financial future and protect your monetary award with estate planning, wills and trusts. • Home Care Questions You Should Ask: As home care companies approach you about using your health benefit, learn what questions you should be asking.
DON'T TRASH YOUR NEEDLES Sharps & Syringes are not allowed in the Mesa County Landfill Bring your needles to the Hazardous Waste Collection Facility to utilize our FREE Drop and Swap container program
Call for more information call 256-9543 Hazardous Waste Collection Facility 3071 HWY 50, Grand Junction Residents: Thurs.-Fri. 8-4:30, Sat. 8-4:15
For more information, call 361-3405. their service to America, and with the help of any of these agencies, it can be less challenging.
National Day of Remembrance In 2009, the U.S. Senate designated October 30 National Day of Remembrance, recognizing the men and women who supported our country’s defense. NCP recognizes these Western Slope citizens at a special ceremony from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at Grand Junction’s Las Colonias Park. CNS staff, nurses and clients will gather at 1114 N. First St. in Grand Junction for a ceremony at 10:30 a.m. Former nuclear workers are invited to a barbecue afterward. ■
Organic Materials Composting Facility
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OCTOBE
The haunting of a young boy By Sam Beeson
I
noticed the graveyards first. It seemed like you couldn’t go a mile down the road without driving by one. I asked my mom why there were so many. “A lot of people have lived and died here,” she said. It was the summer of 1972 and my mother and grandmother were driving us from the tract homes and new developments in Phoenix to a smallish city in New York called Oswego. My father had landed a job there that would last through the summer, so as soon as school was out, we packed up and headed to a world that seemed as foreign to me as the moon. I was 11, and the thought of death was an unwelcome new visitor in my mind. Along the way, we visited famous Civil War battlefields like Gettysburg, where so many gave so much. This did nothing to allay my new morbid fascination.
And arriving at the house we had rented for the summer sent my fear and imagination straight into overdrive. It was an old, three-story Victorian-era house near Lake Ontario. At the very top was a small hexagon-shaped room. I asked my mother what it was. “It’s called a widow’s [walk],” she said. “Women would sit up there when their husbands went off on ships across the lake and watch for their return. If they didn’t return, they would be widows.” Well, that certainly didn’t help. Immediately I thought of all the people who may have lived and died in the house, and of the poor widows looking forlornly for their husbands who were never coming back. I immediately imagined the old house to be haunted. And it was. Of course, the widow’s walk became my favorite place to hang out that summer. I would watch the ships out on the lake and imagine how it must have felt for so many others who had sat up here. My mom’s words came back to me: “A lot of people have lived and died here.” If the widow’s walk was haunting, at least it was well lit. But to get to it, you had to walk through the attic, which had only one small window and one single light bulb hanging on a wire.
The light was not comforting at all, and only seemed to emphasize the contrast of the shadows. There was an old crate up there, left behind by the house’s owners. One day I peeked inside. There was little of interest to an 11-year-old boy, save for some ancient black and white photos. Men, women and children, smiling, posing, living their lives decades ago. What hopes and dreams did they have? Were they realized? Or were they unfulfilled and angry? I looked into their eyes and thought, “They’re probably all dead now. Will someone, someday look at a photo of me and think the same?” I shuddered. I never went near the crate again. I’ll always remember that summer as my favorite. We visited a Revolutionary War fort, went fishing on the lake, visited museums and enjoyed the strange world that was so different from the place I was raised. But like I said before, the house was haunted. One morning, I awoke from a nightmare and saw a hand reaching down from the ceiling above. It was completely
translucent, except for the outline of the hand and arm. I was terrified. I closed my eyes and opened them again, but it was still there. It seemed to me that the hand was directly under where the crate was sitting in the attic. I had disturbed a ghost and now it was coming for me. And then it faded away. One of the joys of being a child is that the world is a magical place, filled with wonder… and some horror. Anything is possible to a child. Even a ghost hidden away in an old crate in the attic. With an adult mind, I now rationalize that I imagined that hand. I don’t believe in ghosts and there is nothing in the shadows that’s not there in the light. My grown-up mind now discards many of the supernatural horrors that I loved—and feared—as a kid. But back then, I was convinced. A few years ago, I took my family back to Oswego to search for that house. I couldn’t find it. Perhaps that is just as well, because seeing that house with my old eyes would probably destroy the mystery that it keeps in my memory. That house is indeed haunted by the lives and the memories of those who had lived there before. And by a boy who spent only a summer there and met some of those ghosts. And that’s a ghost story that I want to keep. ■
ER 2017
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HALLOWEEN EVENTS October 20 - Pumpkins at Dark
Enjoy a pumpkin hunt, pumpkin patch, hayrides, a movie and more free activities from 6-9 p.m. at Canyon View Park.
October 21 - KAFM Zombie Prom This year’s theme is “Dance of the Dead” and will be held at Mesa Theater. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door.
October 27 – Palisade Harvest Fest Trick-or-Treat Street, Halloween Carnival and more from 3-9 p.m. in downtown Palisade.
Diana Barnett’s grandson Landon McPhail as Hulk
October 29 – Pumpkinfest
CJ Payton’s granddaughter Kylie dressed as Hulkerina
Enjoy a pumpkin demolition derby, pumpkin carving/smashing, kids’ candy trail and more starting at 10 a.m. at Studt’s Pumpkin Farm.
October 31 – Fruita Trick-or-Treat Street Trick-or-Treat with local businesses in downtown Fruita from 3 p.m.-5 p.m. CJ Payton’s six-week old granddaughter, Zariah
Stephanie Summar on Halloween, 1996
The BEACON staff on Halloween, 2016
Kathy Applebee and her grandniece, Emily
Valerie Sears’ daughter Bella dressed as Alice in Wonderland
Diana Barnett’s grandson Liam McPhail as a stegosaurus
26 FAITH MOVES
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OCTOBER 2017
Methodist women have Holiday House Bazaar down to a fine art By Elaine Moore
cious pies and cakes.
here is excitement and much bustling about as United Methodist Women (UMW) and members of the First United Methodist Church (FUMC), 522 White Ave., prepare for the church’s annual Holiday House Bazaar. The bazaar will be held Friday, November 3, from 9 a.m.–3 p.m., and Saturday, November 4, from 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
A winter wonderland
T
What’s for lunch? Visitors will be met with the wonderful aroma of traditional, homemade beef vegetable soup simmering for lunch, which will be served from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Friday only. The hearty soup is a historical tradition, served at all FUMC bazaars over the years. Visitors will also enjoy homemade sandwiches, salads and deli-
FUMC’s Holiday House Bazaar takes shoppers through a veritable village of seasonal fun. Enter The Christmas Boutique with its twinkling Christmas trees adorned with beautiful ornaments—a room filled with Christmas wreaths, floral arrangements and gifts. The Country Store features many wonderful gift ideas, fall decorations and unique notecards designed by the church’s artist in residence. Don’t miss The Pantry, where there are freshly baked peach pies, and jams and jellies made with local fruit. On the lower level, take time to peruse gently used books in The Book Nook. After all the excitement, take a break in the Victorian Tea Room,
Chili Supper
5TH ANNUAL
ORCHARD MESA BAPTIST CHURCH Tickets only $7 - All You Can Eat Kids under 5 eat FREE
Saturday November 4, 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. 2748 B 1/2 Road Proceeds benefit the church food bank.
Live Pie Live Pie Auction Auction!
Orchard Mesa Baptist Church
Craft fair 2748 b 1/2 Road, October 28 9 A.M.-3 P.M. Free Entry; Tables only $25 Breakfast and lunch available
For more information contact Melissa at 234-9808 or find us on Facebook Proceeds are used to make quilts for nursing homes and children in the hospital, pillowcases for our US Navy and to support the community through our food pantry.
where tea, coffee and hot spiced cider are served in real china cups, and tea sandwiches, scones and mini desserts are served in a beautifully decorated holiday setting. This is
The Christmas Boutique and Pantry are always big hits at the Holiday House Bazaar. the place to relax and remember the reason for the season.
A community affair The bazaar is hosted by the UMW organization, and many members of the congregation pitch in to make it an event that the whole community can enjoy. UMW owes a lot to the men who set up tables, chairs, Christmas trees and tote boxes. One gentleman donates his time year-round cutting out all the wood projects that the women paint and decorate. A group called The Crafting Angels works throughout the year making the craft items available at the ba-
zaar. Many church members donate books, fruit, sugar and jars for the jelly; bake pies; and sew and knit. Some of the senior members even embroider and knit gift items when they go south for the winter. Congregants work together and friendships are formed while putting on this complex event. Laughter and tears are shared, and seniors who might otherwise be sitting home alone, bored, are instead active, social and learning new skills. UMW considers it an honor to answer God’s call to care for one another—therefore all the net proceeds go to missions supporting FUMC, the local community and beyond. ■
H O y A L D I B A A
Z
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH FIFTH & WHITE
NOV 3RD & 4TH
R
A
FRIDAY 9AM-3PM LUNCH SERVED 11AM-1PM SOUP, SALAD, SANDWICHES, AND HOMEMADE PIE
SATURDAY 9AM-2PM VICTORIAN TEA ROOM THE CHRISTMAS BOUTIQUE THE COUNTRY STORE THE PANTRY THE BOOK NOOK
OCTOBER 2017
TALKING DIGITAL 27
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TALKING
DIGITAL
By Adam Cochran
Retirement living with the emphasis on living
Crisis communication:
using Facebook to keep your friends and family close
I
n 2010, my daughter began having mysterious health problems. We spent a lot of time traveling to Children’s Hospital in Denver while doctors tried to pinpoint a diagnosis and treatment.
A group allows people to join and communicate with each other, even if they aren’t friends on Facebook. For example, if you’re a member of a club, you may find a group useful for communicating outside of regular meetings.
My family is active in the community, and my wife and I each have a lot of family members. My daughter had her own group of friends, too. All of these worried people wanted regular updates about our medical situation.
A page allows people to like a certain topic and then receive updates from the page’s creator.
We felt loved, but it was extremely difficult keeping up with all the phone calls and emails. Communicating with everyone became almost as much of a burden as the health problems.
Finding a better way I used to help snowbirds create free blogs so they wouldn’t have to spend time writing letters and emails to friends and family back home. I would teach people how to post pictures and updates, and answer common questions about their day-to-day adventures. That’s one way to keep a group of people updated. When my daughter got sick, I realized there was another way: Facebook is a built-in crisis management tool.
What Facebook can do In addition to allowing individuals to create accounts for online personal interaction, the platform also provides the ability to set up groups and pages.
In our case, we decided to create a “Get Well” page for our daughter, where we posted messages, videos, pictures and other updates about her progress. Anyone who liked the page could comment on it. Almost instantly, our communication dilemma went away. We felt like we were being cared for, our friends felt like they knew what was going on, and we could read comments and respond at our convenience.
Don’t miss out If you have family on Facebook but you aren’t there, you’re missing out on continuous updates, photos and even reports of the mundane that will make your network seem closer. This is not an attempt to persuade you to begin posting selfies or playing games on Facebook. But just as television has a lot of garbage with worthwhile programs mixed in, Facebook has entire channels featuring messages and updates from the people you love most. ■
Send your technology questions to Adam in care of the BEACON, or email him directly at adamc@talkingdigital.org.
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28 FINANCE
The Truth About REVERSE MORTGAGES Yes, it is a big decision, and it’s not for everyone, but it might be right for you! • You own your home – not the bank! • Live in your home for as long as you choose free of monthly mortgage payments (borrower must remain current on property taxes, homeowner’s insurance and HOA dues)! • Heirs inherit all remaining equity!!
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Val Begalle NMLS #267890
Reverse Mortgage Specialist
970-210-5610 direct vbegalle@ccmclending.com 2560 Patterson Road Grand Junction, CO 81505
Copyright© 2016 Cherry Creek Mortgage Co., Inc., NMLS #3001. This material is not from HUD or FHA and the document is not approved by the Department of HUD or any Government Agency. HUD does not approve the material presented. Cherry Creek Mortgage Company, is not endorsed by nor acting on behalf of or at the direction of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Federal Housing Administration, the US Department of Agriculture or the Federal Government. To check the license status of your mortgage broker, visit www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org.
OCTOBER 2017
Sporting events on a budget—it’s possible with a plan By Jason Alderman
W
hether you’re a season ticket holder or a first timer, watching your team take the field can be some of the best entertainment possible. Whatever your sport, the roaring crowd, sights and smells that fill a stadium have something to offer everyone. A little planning can help keep your costs under control.
Save money on tickets You may stick with your home team through thick and thin, but you can still look for ways to save money. Avoiding the most popular games, such as those on the weekends and when you’re playing against big-name teams, can help.
To further maximize your savings, consider the following tips:
tickets for less than $10. You may not get to see your favorite players, but you can still save money while spending quality time with your grandkids or friends. • Try the minor league. A minor league game can be a fun alternative to a major league game. The stadiums are often smaller so you’re closer to the action. The extras, like parking and snacks, are often cheaper as well.
Time it right Timing your purchase can also be important. If you suspect a game will sell out, it may be better to buy early than risk having to pay above face value on a reseller site. With less popular games, ticket prices tend to drop as game day approaches.
• Find tickets on reseller websites. Buying tickets from a scalper could save you money, but it also opens you up to the possibility of getting scammed. Instead, look for secondhand tickets on legitimate reseller websites, such as www. stubhub.com and www.vividseats. com, that verify authenticity and guarantee your purchase.
Compare transportation
• Connect with season ticket holders who can’t make a game and offer to buy their tickets. Even if they’re going to the game, they might be able to get you a discount on additional tickets.
Stadium food is expensive, and filling up on a big meal before the game can help you avoid cravings. Unbeknownst to some fans, stadiums might let you bring in outside food. However, there’s often a strict bag policy, which could limit the size of your bag and may require bags to be transparent. Check the stadium’s policy and call the team’s office if you need clarification. A sporting event can be a wonderful way to spend a day, but the expenses can quickly stack up. Luckily, there are many ways to save money on tickets, transportation and food and still have a memorable experience. ■
• Check for an employee discount. Some companies offer discounted tickets to sporting events as a benefit. Government employees and current military members or veterans may also be eligible. • Join the fan club. Becoming a member of a team’s official fan club can cost $20-40 a year and can pay for itself with discounts on tickets, gear and access to special events. • Go during the preseason. In 2016, you could buy preseason NFL
Public transportation isn’t a guaranteed money saver if you’re going with a large group. Carpooling could be cheaper. If you’re driving, look for off-premises parking lots. You may need to walk a bit, but you’ll also be able to save money and might avoid some of the post-game traffic.
Bring snacks
OCTOBER 2017
SENIOR SCAMS 29
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Preventing fraud after natural disasters By Justin Lavelle
I
n the wake of Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma, two things are certain: 1. Texans and Floridians will rebuild and repair. 2. Scammers will be lurking, ready to take advantage of victims, their circumstances and the people lending a hand to help. Preventing natural disaster relief scams is possible, but it takes informed citizens doing their research.
How victims can avoid fraud Use trusted, local contractors. Without a doubt, there will be scammers posing as contractors after a natural disaster. Do research to ensure you aren’t going to be taken advantage of. • Don’t hire anyone who rushes or pressures you to sign a repair contract. • Don’t pay in cash—a scammer can take the money and never be heard from again. • Never hire a contractor on the spot. Read reviews and make sure they do quality work before making any deals. • Confirm that the contractor’s business is legal, licensed and registered. Request to see a business license and proof of insurance. • Pay in installments and wait for the repairs to be completed to make the last payment. • Always get everything in writing—a legal contract is your safety
net should any issues arise. Do a VIN check before buying a car. After Hurricane Katrina, fraudsters were fixing up cars damaged by the flooding and selling them—leaving their victims with a lemon. Conducting a vehicle inspection number check will tell you if the vehicle had previous repairs or damage.
How supporters can avoid fraud Spot fake charities. Don’t let scammers take advantage of your generosity. Doing your own research is imperative before making any donations. Conning charities and fraudulent fundraisers may do any of the following: • Refuse to tell you the details: their mission, identity, cost or how your donation will be used • Ask for cash donations • Ask you to wire money • Thank you for a donation you didn’t make • Try to get you to donate immediately, without giving you time to research • Use a similar name as an established charity • Refuse to give you proof that a donation is tax deductible • Offer to provide an overnight shipping service to collect a donation Beware of internet charity scams. Before Hurricane Katrina even hit, scammers had registered dozens of websites with “Katrina” in the name to pose as charities.
These sophisticated scams circulate quickly on social media, so watch out. Once someone makes the mistake of falling for a scam, the fraudsters will lure in the victim’s social network, knowing that people are more likely to trust what their friends like. • Be careful of which websites you give your email to. • Any organization asking you to send money overseas is a scam. • Do not open email attachments— real emails from real charity organizations will not typically include attachments and an unsolicited attachment may lead to a computer virus. • Investigate the charity’s website. Legitimate charities’ web addresses typically end in .org, not .com. You can also rule out any website that asks for your personal information. • Be cautious of people claiming to be victims. If someone contacts you directly for help with something like a disaster or disease, they are likely scamming you. • Do not donate immediately over the phone. Do your research. You can help those affected by Harvey and Irma by sharing these tips with others. When more people are informed of these scams, more victims can get the help they need. ■
Trustworthy ways to support hurricane victims Western Colorado may be miles from the areas most affected by Harvey and Irma, but residents can still lend their support to victims using tried and true charities.
UNICEF Donate by visiting www.unicefusa. org or text RELIEF to 864233 to make a $10 donation for children impacted by natural disasters.
American Red Cross Help hurricane victims by visiting www.redcross.org/donate and selecting the cause of your choice from the drop-down menu.
For pets To help the non-human victims of both hurricanes, visit www.bestfriends.org or www.southfloridawildlifecenter. org/how_you_can_help.
Justin Lavelle is chief communications officer at BeenVerified.com. BeenVerified is the fast, affordable and easy way to access public records and search for people. Find out ages, marital status, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, criminal records and more. www.beenverified.com
30 BUSINESS PROFILE
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OCTOBER 2017
Martin Mortuary:
Celebrating lives well lived P
By Jan Weeks
reparing for a funeral is not something that people like to think about. It’s a difficult task during an emotionally fraught time, and the right mortuary can make all the difference. There’s a reason that Martin Mortuary and Crematory, a Dignity Memorial provider, celebrated its 100th anniversary in June—the company has a reputation for providing quality, personal assistance to those who need it most. Martin Mortuary, 550 North Ave., presents special programs and seminars through the year, including an
occasional Day of the Dead celebration, to help destigmatize death and familiarize clients with the options available to them. When it comes to planning, the company makes a special effort to help clients and their loved ones.
Easing the burden Martin Mortuary offers prepaid plans that alleviates stress for the loved ones we leave behind. Clients may prepay in person or on-
line. If a prepaid client moves more than 75 miles from Grand Junction, the plan transfers to a Dignity Memorial provider nearby. With more than 2,000 funeral homes and cemeteries in the Dignity Memorial network, finding one nearby is never a challenge. Martin Mortuary also lightens the load for survivors by putting them in touch with bereavement specialists who help make time-sensitive travel arrangements. The company offers catering services for receptions, eliminating the overwhelming amount of coordination that can accompany funeral planning.
A dedication to dignity Recently, there have been several instances of area funeral homes going out of business, leaving prepaid clients in the lurch and even holding cremains in unmarked containers in a shed. General Manager Richard Lewis said no such troubles will ever affect clients of Martin Mortuary. “To maintain the integrity of the funeral service industry,” Lewis said, “we were honored to help many families who were victims of this wrongdoing.”
Colorado doesn’t formally license funeral directors, so there is often little recourse in the case of fraud. Not so at Martin—the mortuary puts all prepaid moneys into an American Memorial Life Insurance policy, controlled by the client. If something should happen to the mortuary, the client’s money is still protected.
Sacred spaces Martin Mortuary offers a range of services, including an on-site crematorium. In addition to the main chapel, which seats 400, there is also an urn release room with candles, a small altar and a rose in front of the urn the family has chosen. “It’s a sacred but not religious space,” Lewis said. “I think the senses of sight and smell are important to those who come in.” The ambiance allows mourners “the ability to see the transformation and release the deceased,” he said. While Martin Mortuary respects all different ways of mourning, the staff recognizes that the transition from the physical to spiritual plane can and should demonstrate appreciation of a life well-lived. ■
OCTOBER 2017
BEACON GUIDE HIGHLIGHT 31
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Filling bowls for hungry souls
Flower Extraordinaire Flowers year round from the best in town
• Valley-wide delivery • Out-of-town orders welcome ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
By Polly Kennedy
G
rand Valley Catholic Outreach’s (GVCO) Empty Bowls fundraiser was introduced to the organization by the late Ginger Rice, who recognized it as the perfect way to achieve part of GVCO’s vision—to feed hungry people in the community. More than two decades later, her vision still holds true. On October 14, Empty Bowls returns to GVCO’s soup kitchen, 245 S. First St. in Grand Junction, to serve a message to the community.
Comfort food Each year, local potters donate hundreds of handcrafted soup bowls to GVCO. During the fundraiser, patrons pick out a bowl and fill it with their choice of gourmet soups and delicious desserts donated by area restaurants. Then they take their bowls home to place on a shelf, a reminder that there are people who are hungry in our valley. “We have an amazing committee of about 20 called Friends of the Outreach,” said Beverly Lampley, GVCO’s director of development and communications. “These folks have it down pat and we sell about 1,000 tickets.” According to Lampley, Empty Bowls is a community event. “We have more than 50 potters who participate, 50-plus restaurants
Crystal Garner - Your floral expert
970-216-6764
FlowerExtraordinaire@gmail.com
donate soup, bakers donate baked goods, growers from Palisade donate cider and we get a plethora of desserts,” she said. The cost of tickets has not risen in the 22 years that GVCO has hosted the event—$25 covers soups, bread, dessert and a handmade bowl. Proceeds support the organization’s programs for the less fortunate.
Specializing in Helping Seniors Downsize and Relocate Carol Gerber
Senior Real Estate Specialist Cell: 970.234.2037 Office: 970.242.3647 carolgerber@brayandco.com www.carol.brayandcosearch.com
A long legacy of giving GVCO began in 1988 as a collaborative effort between the valley’s four Catholic parishes. It offers a number of programs that support people in the community, regardless of religious denomination. Among these is Almost Home, designed to simplify the process for looking for affordable housing. Roommate Exchange assists people seeking shared housing. The Book in Hand program provides children with a new book, and a volunteer who reads to them while their parents seek GVCO services. To learn more, visit www.catholic outreach.org. ■
Donate to Grand Valley Catholic Outreach
The GVCO’s services rely on donations from community members. Besides monetary donations, the following items are accepted: • Clean, seasonal clothing in good condition • Household items in good repair • Small, working kitchen appliances Furniture and other large items are accepted on an as-needed basis. To donate furniture, bicycles, or cars, call in advance. Most-needed items include coffee, sugar, creamer, razors, white socks, women’s personal items, combs, lotion, small soaps, shampoo and conditioner, deodorant and shaving lotion.
S E R V I N G
G R A N D
J U N C T I O N
&
M O N T R O S E
Sometimes we all need a little help caring for a loved one
Dementia and Alzheimer’s Care, Support and Information. Hilltop’s Senior Daybreak is a unique day program that keeps seniors with memory loss safe and secure while providing their caregivers the flexibility and support they need to care for their loved ones at home. We also offer valuable information and support groups specifically designed for those caring for someone affected by dementia and Alzheimer’s.
(970) 241-7798
www.seniordaybreak.org L O C A L L Y
O W N E D
A N D
O P E R A T E D
B Y
H I L L T O P
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Spoons at Sunrise
The Rim Rock Run will take your breath away By Amanda Arnold
C
Fresh. Local. From the Heart.
When you start with the freshest local ingredients, your meals speak for themselves! At Spoons our talented chef has an extraordinary gift for creating dishes sure to become timeless favorites. Sunrise Hours:
Monday - Saturday • 7:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Sunday Brunch 8:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. 3090 North 12th Street • SpoonsBistroAndBakery.com
OCTOBER 2017
olorado National Monument (CNM) attracts adventure-seekers of all kinds, including cyclists, hikers and climbers. And early each November, the monument hosts nearly 600 athletes with one crazy goal: to run the U.S. Bank Rim Rock Run, a race that climbs thousands of feet over the monument before descending into downtown Fruita. The Rim Rock Run offers runners the choice of a full marathon, a marathon relay and a half-marathon. The first 4.5 miles are the most challenging—they include a 2,500-foot climb that finally levels out at about 6,600 feet above sea level before sloping back down to the valley floor. It’s worth the effort. The 26-mile run has twice been named “Most Scenic Marathon” by “Colorado Runner” magazine. It’s the perfect way to enjoy scenic views of the valley and canyons while pushing oneself to the limit.
Marathon master Eric Sandstrom, 66, has participated in the Rim Rock Run several times. He’ll run again this year. “It’s always fun and painful,” he said. “It’s never effortless to run 26 miles.” He explained that the extreme ups and downs make the course differ-
ent—and more challenging—than most marathon courses, which are flat. Sandstrom has watched people struggle on the Rim Rock’s descent, and said he does, too. The uphill section is also tough, and while the stretch between CNM’s Cold Shivers Point and its visitor center may appear flat, it’s actually the opposite. “That’s the hardest part. It’s the longest, and it’s mentally tough because of the long, rolling hills,” he said. Sandstrom has a good basis for comparison. This year’s Rim Rock Run will be his 39th marathon. He started running them in 1983, when his friends convinced him to run in the Chicago Marathon. Since then, he has completed short races and ultra marathons of 100 miles. As trying as these long-distance races are, he’s never quit in the middle of one. “You push through it, and sometimes the second half is the best part,” he said. “The rule of thumb is the race doesn’t start until after the first 20 miles.” Those final miles can “make or break you,” said Sandstrom. A couple of years ago, a skiing accident ruptured a disk in his back and made him wonder if he’d finally been broken. “I didn’t know if I’d be able to run The Rim Rock Run returns to the Colorado National Monument on November 4.
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“It sounds corny, but I often get through running and say, ‘Thank you, God, for this day.’” again,” he said. But within a year, he was back in shape and ready to go. To stay in marathon shape, Sandstrom runs CNM trails five or six days a week. Trail running is more forgiving and results in less pounding on the joints, he said. He suggested short trails for those new to running. Trail running is also a great way to observe the environment with a zenlike mindset, with nothing to worry about but tripping over a rock or running into a snake. (Sandstrom has encountered a lot of wildlife during his workouts, including collared lizards, snakes and bighorn sheep.) “I find it really kind of like meditation,” he said. “There’s a certain thought process that happens when out there, in particular when alone. It helps me address issues in my life that have nothing to do with running. I come up with ways to approach problems. I reflect on how lucky I am—not just to be running, but how lucky I am to have a wonderful family and wonderful job. It sounds corny, but I often get through running and say, ‘Thank you, God, for this day.’”
Celebrating life Liz Norris ran her first marathon in Napa Valley when she was in her 20s. At that time, she met a lot of senior athletes who left a lasting impression on her. “When I was a kid, old people were supposed to be feeble and frail,” Norris said. “I didn’t want to do that. I was meeting people…who were running marathons, riding bikes and doing things, and not helpless.” In 2014, at age 61, Norris proudly ran a two-kilometer race in less than eight minutes and an uphill five-kilometer race in 21 minutes. Around the same time, she went to a free cancer screening with her friend. The news wasn’t what Norris, a lifelong exercise enthusiast, expected. She was diagnosed with stage 4
breast cancer that had traveled to her bones and muscles. Since then, she has been diagnosed with several primary cancers throughout her body. Despite great pain, a lack of energy and being unable to eat solid food, November’s Rim Rock Run will be Norris’ 101st race. While she can’t run six or seven miles each day, she can run almost five, and she rides her bicycle or walks to her treatment appointments. “I like to challenge myself and give my life meaning as long as I can. I can’t quit until I have to. It’s how I celebrate life,” she said. Running gives Norris time to think about everything that’s going on, and about giving back to others. “I get to see the sunrise,” she said, “and I’m thankful to have eyes to see it.”
Getting back up Greg Hewitt, 61, has been racing in the Rim Rock Run since the beginning. He ran it three times in its early years. He transitioned from pavement to running on dirt in his early 50s upon discovering that dirt is easier on the body. Unfortunately, it also makes it challenging to maintain one’s balance on uneven trails. “If you sway on the road, it’s okay, but if you sway on the trail, it’s a fall,” Hewitt said. He’s experienced some tumbles, including a painful one this year. But three months after his fall, he was back in running shape and succeeded in a Leadville race and a 34-mile run on the Grand Mesa. Although they may feel bad in the short term, the Rim Rock Run is sure to leave participants feeling good about their achievement. More information, pricing and registration for the Rim Rock Run’s marathon, marathon relay and downhill half marathons are available at www. rimrockmarathon.com. ■
Fight the flu and save money
M
esa County’s flu season is October through March. Everyone should get a flu vaccination, but that’s especially true for seniors.
Flu can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus infections and ear infections for adults age 65-plus. The flu can also make chronic health problems like asthma or congestive heart failure worse. The average cost of a hospital stay for the flu is almost $30,000. A flu shot today reduces the risk of a costly hospitalization tomorrow.
Mesa County Public Health
510 29 1/2 Road Grand Junction, CO health.mesacounty.us (970) 248-6900
The flu vaccine is also important for grandparents. Young children are also at risk for flu and complications. If you’ll be spending time with your grandchildren this flu season, be sure to get your vaccination in October. Get vaccinated this flu season and encourage your friends and family to do the same! Mesa County Public Health offers flu vaccinations, and takes insurance or works with you on a sliding scale basis for payment.
Anyone can get a flu shot at the MCPH Clinic, 510 29 ½ Road. Call (970) 248-6900 to make an appointment today!
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OCTOBER 2017
Beer 101: Ales vs. lagers By Kristian Hartter
T
T
y B l i r r d a E Pig e h
here is an exciting shift taking place at Kannah Creek’s Edgewater Brewery. The company is expanding the facility’s kitchen and restaurant areas, but it’s also shifting Edgewater’s beer production from the ales they have been known for to lagers they hope will set them apart. “Ales are so much easier to make,” said Jim Jeffryes, Kannah’s head brewer. “Lagers are more technical.” Ales and lagers are the two types of beer. Styles such as wheat beers, pale ales, pilsners and stouts all fall under these classifications. The three basic differences between the two beers start with yeast. Lager yeast works at colder temperatures than ale yeast, and over a longer period of time. Lagers also often use lighter, undermodified malts, requiring more attention during the brewing process. The final factor is the time it takes for beer to gain maturity and round off its sharper flavors. Lager yeast typically takes longer to change sugars into alcohol without making lots of complex, fruity flavors. This means anything a brewer puts into the beer—through ingredients or technique—needs to be selected and applied with great attention to detail.
How lagers are made
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All craft beer—ale or lager—gets sugar to feed its yeast from base malts and specialty grains. Base malts make up the vast majority of the recipe. The pilsner malt best suited to creating a subtle and soft pale lager is lighter than the more common pale malts that are used as the base for almost all beers. Pilsner malt is a bit more reluctant to allow its starches to be changed to sugars, so a few extra steps must be taken to help ensure the conversion goes
off without a hitch. Instead of adding the malt to hot water at roughly 160 degrees and holding it at 150 degrees for about an hour, pilsner malt benefits from step mashing. This means the malt is added at a much lower temperature, which is then raised in discrete steps and held at each step for a period before finally being brought up to 150 degrees— the point where simple sugars are created from complex carbohydrates. Each temperature encourages specific enzyme action, providing excellent material for the lager yeast to process, namely simple sugars. The step-mashing process can be accomplished in a few ways. Kannah Creek will use decoction. Decoction raises the mash temperature by starting with the mixture of water and grain and removing a portion to boil then adding it back in, raising the temperature of the mash by 20-30 degrees. The mash is allowed to rest at this temperature, then the process is repeated up to three times.
Cold storage for cool beers Alongside new brewing equipment, Kannah Creek will install tanks for lagering the beer, allowing it to rest at cold temperatures to make a more refined beer. “Lager” is the German word for warehouse or storehouse. It’s also the name for the process of cold-storing beer for a period of time, allowing yeast to eliminate various fruity esters and sulphur compounds developed during the initial fermentation. This process can take place over a few weeks or many months, during which the beer is stored at near-freezing temperatures. The end result is a cleaner tasting beer that emphasizes the malts and hops used over the byproducts of fermentation itself. Slainte. ■
OCTOBER 2017
FUN AFTER 50 35
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Senior Recreation Center 550 Ouray Avenue - 970 243-7408 The Senior Recreation Center offers activities for seniors age 50 and older. The center is open Monday–Saturday from 8 am–4 pm. Annual membership is $15.
FUN AFTER 50
Activities offered by GJ Parks and Recreation To register for these programs, call the Grand Junction Parks and Recreation Department at 254-3866 or visit www.gjparksandrec.org. OCTOBER 20 Pumpkins at Dark This free event takes place from 6-9 p.m. at Canyon View Park and includes hayrides, Halloween-themed games, face painting, photo opportunities with a special movie guest, a movie under the stars, a flashlight pumpkin hunt and more. Come dressed in your spooky duds and get ready to have a howling good time! Bring a flashlight and the grandkids! OCTOBER 25 Trick, Track and Treat Do you run like a corpse or as if ghouls are chasing you? Come have a howling good time at Stocker Stadium. Whether you wear a spooky disguise or your regular track gear, it will be a hair-raising event. Onsite registration is $5 and begins at 5 p.m. This is an all-ages event.
HEALTH TUESDAYS & FRIDAYS Gentle Active Yoga This class is designed for an active beginner and above. Class is at 8-9 a.m. at Lincoln Park Barn. Cost is $7 to drop in or purchase a 10-punch pass for $50.
MONDAY-FRIDAY Aqua Aerobics These aqua aerobics classes are for beginner or novice individuals. Class is 8:15-9:15 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and 5:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at Orchard Mesa Pool. Drop in for $4.50 or purchase a 12-punch pass for $46.50.
DANCE MONDAYS Line Dance Line dance to a variety of music from 12:15-2 p.m. Mondays, October 16 through November 13 at Lincoln Park Barn. No partner needed. Class is $15, or drop in for $5. THURSDAYS Senior Dances with Live Music Dance from 8 p.m.-10 p.m. at the Senior Recreation Center. Cost is $3.
SPORTS DROP-IN PICKLEBALL Play pickleball at Lincoln Park Barn. Cost is $5 to drop-in or purchase a punch card for $30. Monday & Wednesday - 8:30-11:30 a.m. Tuesday & Friday - 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. & 5-8 p.m. Thursday - 8:30-11:30 a.m. & 5-8 p.m. Saturday - 9 a.m. to noon Sunday - 1-4 p.m.
Senior Recreation Center Monthly Calendar of Events MONDAY THURSDAY 9:00 am 9:30 am 10:30 am 12:00 pm 1:00 pm 5:30 pm
Cribbage Cards Computer Classes Gray Gourmet Lunch Card Bingo & Dominoes Singles Pinochle (1st & 3rd Monday)
9:00 am Cribbage & Dominoes 10:00 am Dance w/Music (1st Thursday) 10:30 am Membership Meeting 12:00 pm Pokeno (Starts at 1 p.m. on 1st Thursday) 7:30 pm Dance
TUESDAY
FRIDAY
9:00 am Cribbage & Pool Tourney 12:00 pm Gray Gourmet Lunch 1:30 pm Bingo
9:00 am 12:00 pm 12:30 pm 12:45 pm 1:00 pm
WEDNESDAY 9:00 am 9:30 am 10:00 am 12:00 pm 1:00 pm
Ladies Pool & Cribbage Jack & Jill Pool Tourney Free Blood Pressure Clinic (3rd Wed) Gray Gourmet Lunch Pinochle & Canasta
Painting Class & Pool Tourney Gray Gourmet Lunch Bible Study Bridge Canasta
SATURDAY 9:00 am Bridge 1:00 pm Bingo
To make Gray Gourmet lunch reservations, call 243-9844. Cost $3.50
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Calendar
OCTOBER 3 Celebration of life for former CMU professor A celebration of life for former Colorado Mesa University Professor Byron Evers will held in Escalante Hall on the CMU campus from 5-7 p.m. The program includes a short video, memories from friends and former students, and a meet-and-greet with the Evers family. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Professor Byron Evers Mass Communication Scholarship through the CMU Foundation. The scholarship will be presented to a recipient in spring 2018.
OCTOBER 4 Medicare 101 New to Medicare? RSVP’s Senior Health Insurance Assistance Project invites you to a free educational seminar designed to help you understand your options, including when to sign up, Part A versus Part B, and drug plan and supplemental choices. Seating is limited. Call 243-9839, ext. 1 to reserve your spot. The seminar will be held from 10 a.m. to noon in the basement of US Bank.
Memoir: How Objects Tell Life Stories This Mesa County Libraries’ writers’ workshop is about listening to the stories the objects in your life have to offer you, and is taught by writing coach Rebecca Mullen. The workshop is 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Central Library. Admission is free; register at www.mesacountylibraries.libcal.com/ event/3019854.
OCTOBER 5 3 Redneck Tenors Finalists on “America’s Got Talent,” the 3 Redneck Tenors perform a smorgasbord of songs and music ranging from gospel to country, to Broadway, pop and classical. They’ll perform the second concert of the Community Concerts of the Grand Valley season in the Grand Junction High School auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 for adults and available at the door only. Learn more at www.communityconcerts grandvalley.org.
Air quality public forum Citizens for Clean Air is hosting its fifth annual forum on air quality from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 536 Ouray Ave. This year’s topics include presentations from local experts, a panel and audience discussion. For details, visit www.lwvmesa. org or contact citizensforcleanairgj@ gmail.com.
OCTOBER 7 Personality exploration Learn how the five elements influence your personality and call upon them to create a better balanced flow of energy in your body. This workshop takes place at Elite Dance, 305 Main St. Space is limited. Cost is $110. To register, visit www.art5elementdesigns. com or call 485-4958.
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“Hearing Loss: It’s a Family Issue” The Western Colorado Chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America will meet from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the Center for Independence. Andriana Longwell discusses how hearing loss can affect family dynamics. This session provides advice for dealing with tension during communication breakdown. Learn more at www.hearingloss wco.org. Greek festival Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church hosts a Greek festival from 11 a.m.-7 p.m at 3585 N. 12th St. The community is welcome to share in Greek culture, including traditional Greek food, baked goods, dancing, gifts and games. The public is also invited to tour the church. A portion of profits will be given to the Grand Valley Catholic Outreach. Animal Care Fair This animal resource and adoption event takes place at the Church of the Nativity in the Redlands from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. There will be a low-cost vaccination clinic (dogs only), and a series of animal-related seminars. The event is free and open to all. OCTOBER 9 Archaeology lecture by Sally Crum The Colorado Archaeological Society hosts retired archaeologist Sally Crum, who will discuss Native American uses of plants at 6:30 p.m. at the Redlands United Methodist Church. OCTOBER 11 Beauty and Brains forum
OCTOBER 2017
From 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Beauty and Brains Workshops will present free forums for women of all ages on pertinent topics at the KAFM Radio Room. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, contact Linda Wethington at 260-2099 or beautyand brainsworkshop@gmail.com.
OCTOBER 14 Keep ’Em Flying Hangar Dance This is a swingin’ night with dancing, vintage planes, live music and a whole lot of style. Come dressed in your best ’40s style and dance the night away. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for veterans and military families to see the planes before the crowds. Dance lessons start at 6 p.m. and live music cranks up at 7 p.m. Advance tickets are $20 each or $35 per couple. Tickets at the door are $25 each. Visit www.grandjunction swing.ticketleap.com to purchase tickets. Boo at the Zoo The Children’s Nature Center, located in the Sears wing of Mesa Mall, hosts Boo at the Zoo, a Halloween-themed family event, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Boo at the Zoo features animal ambassadors, educational activities, games and prizes. Mystery dinner theater What’s got more twists than a pretzel? The problems arising when the judge for the Oktoberfest celebration turns up sporting a toe tag. Help unravel the Polka Pretzel Problem, presented by Mesa Murder Mystery at Garfield’s Restaurant, 2148 Broadway, at 6:30
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OCTOBER 2017
MESA COUNTY 37
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p.m. Tickets are $27.50 and available at www.garfieldsrestaurantgj.com/ events.
OCTOBER 19-21 Friends of the Libraries’ Book Sale Stock up on winter reading materials at the Friends of the Mesa County Libraries’ fall book sale at First Congregational Church, 1425 N. Fifth St. in Grand Junction. For the best selection, attend the Early Bird Sale from 3-7 p.m. Thursday (admission is $10). The public sale, from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday, is free. Pick up books by the bag ($5) or the box ($10) from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Satuday. Donate books, CDs and VHS tapes in good condition at the southwest corner of the church parking lot. OCTOBER 21 Personality exploration workshop Dr. Dee Jaquet presents “Aspects of Self” at the Whitewater Benedictine Community from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. This workshop is about the different aspects of personality and how they complement and challenge each other. Cost is $30 and includes lunch. Call 241-3847 or email amatkannahcreek@peoplepc. com for details and driving directions. “GAME OF THORNS” MYSTERY DINNER THEATER Join Mesa Murder Mystery at Garfield’s Restaurant, 2148 Broadway, at 6:30 p.m. for an unforgettable evening. Auditions for a TV parody are underway and some people will do anything to get the part of their favorite Game
of Thrones character, including murder! Come in costume if you dare. Tickets are $27.50 and available at www.gar fieldsrestaurantgj.com/events.
ZOMBIE PROM Celebrate the dead at the annual KAFM Zombie Prom starting at 8 p.m. at Mesa Theater. This year’s theme is Dance of the Dead. Come to KAFM from 5-8 p.m. and get your face made up with a sugar skull design or your own ghoulish request. Zombie Prom tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door. Face painting starts at $10. Purchase tickets at www.kafmradio.org or www.mesatheater.com. OCTOBER 28 Craft fair Orchard Mesa Baptist Church hosts a Craft Fair from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Breakfast and lunch are available. Booths cost $25; entry is free. Proceeds benefit materials for mission projects and the church’s community food pantry.
collections and jewelry made by members. Donate items for the sale or bring them by on October 27.
OCTOBER 30 Birds and Water in the West At 7 p.m. in Colorado Mesa University’s Saccomanno Lecture Hall, Abby Burk, the Western Rivers Program Lead from Audubon Rockies, will be talking about National Audubon’s “Water and Birds in the Arid West: Habitats in Decline” report and Audubon Rockies work on river habitats. NOVEMBER 1 Caregivers’ Conference Caregivers are invited to the Caregivers’ Toolbox Conference from 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. for a fun-filled day of learning. Cost of $5 includes lunch, sessions and materials. Respite care is available for charges and loved ones. Space is limited. For more information and to register, dial 211 or call 244-8400. ■
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CONTRA DANCE Enjoy a contra dance with Don Paine, a fiddler from Glenwood Springs, at the Margery Ballroom, 523 1/2 Main St. A new dancer’s workshop begins at 7 p.m. The dance will be from 7:3010:15 p.m. The price is $10 for adults. PUBLIC YARD AND ROCK SALE Join the Grand Junction Gem and Mineral Club at 2328 Monument Road for a sale from 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. that includes rocks and petrified wood from private
Taking care of the
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2016 Western Music Association Entertainer of the Year
November 3 & 4, 2017
Whitman Educational Center, 4th & Ute Tickets: $10/per evening performance Kids are admitted FREE!
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38 MESA COUNTY
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Beacon Bits State offers archaeology classes The Colorado State Office of History and Archaeology Program for Avocational Archaeological Certification is offering courses for amateur archaeologists this fall. On Tuesday evenings from October 10-November 14, the program’s Northern Colorado chapter will host “Prehistoric Ceramic Description and Analysis.” On October 14, travel to Durango to learn about “Archaeological Practice in Colorado.” Anyone may register for the classes—no archaeological background required. To learn more, visit www. historycolorado.org/oahp/paac-eventschedule. St. Mary’s breaks ground on heart center St. Mary’s Medical Center broke ground on a new Center for Heart and Vascular Health (CV), slated to open in January 2019. The new, 46,316 square-foot center represents a $48.5 million investment in equipment and infrastructure and will be located on the main hospital campus. It will include a state-of-the-art hybrid operating room, a new catheter lab and a complete upgrade of the existing CV medical suite. The center will enable heart patients to receive care in Grand Junction rather than having to travel to get treatment, significantly elevating patient care across the region. As part of this expansion, St Mary’s expects to hire 8-10 specialized staff members, including surgeons, physician assistants, nurses and technicians. “William Shakespeare’s Star Wars” author at library Comic Con Ian Doescher, author of the brilliantly unique “William Shakespeare’s Star Wars” book series, will be a special guest at Mesa County Libraries Comic Con on October 7 at Two Rivers Convention Center. Doescher will speak and sign his books during the
OCTOBER 2017
day-long Comic Con, a celebration of comic books, comic arts, science fiction, fantasy, anime, manga, books, graphic novels, movies and more. The event will include fan meetups, panel discussions, hands-on workshops, kids’ and teens’ activities, cosplay, a costume contest and an exhibitor fair. Comic Con is open to the public at no charge. October 15 is National White Cane Day National White Cane Day is October 15. This special day commemorates the independence, achievements and positive contributions of vision-impaired and blind people. It’s meant to increase awareness of white canes, which indicate low vision, and what it signifies for users. Mesa County has several resources available to the vision-impaired. Aging and Disability Resources of Colorado has funding available for low vision aids. The Center for Independence has a support group for older individuals with blindness. For more information about these services, contact Lorraine Hutcheson at 248-7110. October is Conflict Resolution Month Conflict Resolution Month is meant to inspire Coloradans to use constructive methods to solve problems. Since 2007, individuals come together each October to promote and celebrate productive problem solving in our state. Organizers of Mesa County’s Conflict Resolution Month are seeking local residents to host events to promote peacemaking this month. This can be as simple as hosting a movie featuring themes of peace and conflict, displaying art with a peacemaking theme, hosting an informal discussion on a social justice topic, hosting a book club that reads a peace-related book, and more. These events will be listed online at www. mesacountypeacemakers.com so that others may participate.
OCTOBER 2017
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Save money on Medicare Medicare’s annual open enrollment period is October 15-December 7 each year. Open enrollment is the time to verify that your current health and drug plans still meet your individual needs. By now, your current plan should have notified you about 2018 adjustments in your health or drug coverage or any changes in out-of-pocket costs for next year. Free benefits counseling is available. Here’s how: • Call RSVP Senior Health Insurance Assistance Project (SHIP) at 2439839, ext. 1.
Expedition Dinosaur seeks quarry truck Dinosaur Journey in Fruita is looking to acquire a used, three-quarter-ton four-by-four truck with crew cab for the 2018 field season. The paleontology field crew has been digging fossils for more than 30 years but has never had a truck powerful enough to move its work trailer or haul fossils back to the museum. Patrons may support the cause with credit card and PayPal contributions made atwww.razoo.com/story/dino saurtruck.
• Attend a walk-in event at RSVP on October 23, November 3, November 15 or November 20. All events are from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Ageless Authors holds unique contest Ageless Authors, the first publishing project exclusively for writers age 65 and older, is now accepting submissions for a nationwide writing contest. Professional and amateur writers can submit short stories, essays and poetry based on any of three topics—Military Memories; Dang I Wish
• Visit www.medicare.gov to help you narrow your search for a new health or drug plan. • Call Medicare’s toll-free help line at 1-800-633-4227.
I Hadn’t Done That; and Parents, for Better or Worse. Cash prizes will be awarded in each category. Winners and other outstanding entries will also be published in the second edition of Ageless Authors Anthology. Each submission requires an entry fee of $20 and the deadline for submissions is December 15. To learn more or submit your work, visit www.agelessauthors.com/current-contests. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES • Mesa County RSVP connects individuals 55 and older to volunteer positions in any of our member agencies. For a list of volunteer opportunities and to register, call 243-9839. • Mesa County Spellbinders is looking for volunteers to learn a few storytelling skills and make a difference in children’s lives. Spellbinders tell stories to students in kindergarten through fifth grade once a month during the school year. To join, call 462-7346.
• Colorado Canyons Hospital & Medical Center is looking for a volunteer to assist with the Activities Department on Saturdays. Duties include engaging with patients by playing games, reading and doing puzzles, and bringing snacks to patient rooms. To apply, visit www. fhw.org/volunteer or call 858-2211. • Mesa County Sheriff’s Office is seeking Victim’s Advocate volunteers. No need for prior experience, must pass background check and have valid driver’s license and car. Training is Tuesday and Thursday evenings, September 12-October 19, plus two daytime shifts and field training. Call 244-3275. • Museums of Western Colorado seeks volunteers for a number of positions. Learn more at www. museumofwesternco.com/about/ volunteer. ■
The Center at Foresight is a short-term rehabilitation and nursing facility that helps patients reach their highest level of independence and wellness through physical, occupational and speech therapy. Our highly qualified and caring staff provide therapy and/or complex nursing care in a beautiful, resort-like atmosphere. With the most advanced equipment and amenities, our physician-driven care plan is designed to maximize the quality of care for each patient.
State of the Art Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Services
Physical Rehabilitation / Therapeutic Technologies, Services, and Amenities / Medical Services / Private Suites including private bathroom / Salon / Fine Dining
606 East Foresight Circle, Grand Junction, CO, 81505 / P: 970-985-7900
www.centeratforesight.com
40 MESA COUNTY
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best burgers and prices Small Cheeseburger, Fries & Beverage $5.79 Large Hamburger, Fries & Beverage $6.89
Open 6am-8pm 3247 F Rd, Clifton • 434-0777 555 Raptor Dr., Fruita • 858-8444
We hand patty each burger using fresh ground beef to bring you the best in quality and price.
Also try one of these: • Bacon Avocado Cheeseburger • Blue Bacon Burger • Ranch Burger • Mushroom Swiss Burger • Chili Cheese Burger • Bacon Onion Cheddar Burger
Support Groups Caregiver Connections meets from 10-11:30 a.m. Tuesdays at the Miller Homestead at HopeWest. Call Terry at 260-8931. Compassionate Friends offers friendship and understanding to bereaved parents, siblings and grandparents. The group meets monthly at 7-8:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday at Unity Church, 3205 N. 12th St. Call 434-3822. COPD Support Group gets together and shares information at 581 Grand Valley Dr. in Grand Junction. Meetings are usually at 1 p.m. on the fourth Friday of the month. Call 3177556 or email Ruthkk97@gmail.com or Jimcampbell3@aol.com.
Come visit our sister restaurant
Pufferbelly Restaurant Open 6am-2pm 337 South First Street Grand Junction
Help Heal Veterans’ Craft Center, 1670 North Ave., supplies hundreds of free therapeutic craft kits each week to military service members and veterans receiving medical care. Call 424-0499.
242-1600 Fun Family Dining
Our Name & Address have Changed!
Our St Mary’s Clinic has moved offices:
ICON Eyecare 1000 Wellington Ave Grand Junction, CO 81501 (1/2 mi east of St Mary’s Hospital off Wellington Ave)
Surgical & Medical Eye Care Advanced Technology, Experienced Providers
970-399-5177 | iconeyecare.com
OCTOBER 2017
Leukemia, Lymphoma & Myeloma Support Group meets monthly from noon to 1 p.m. on the third Monday of the month in St. Mary’s Reflection Room. Look Good, Feel Better meets monthly from 2-4 p.m. the last Wednesday at the American Cancer Society Office, 2754 Compass Dr. Beauty professionals provide tips to help women defy the appearance-related side effects of cancer treatment. Call 800-227-2345 to register. MACHO Men cancer support group meets monthly at 5-6:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday at St. Mary’s Hospital’s Java City Café. Call 298-2351. Mending Hearts is for any adult who has experienced the death of a loved one. This group meets from 2-3:30 p.m. Thursdays at the Miller Homestead at HopeWest. Call 2488844.
MS Arts & Crafts group meets at 4:30-6:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Fridays of the month at the National MS Society’s office, 521 Rood Ave. Pieces are available for purchase with proceeds benefitting the NMSS. The class is for anyone living with MS, and family members, friends or caregivers of people with MS. Call 241-8975. MS Breakfast Group meets monthly at 9 a.m. on the first Tuesday at Village Inn, 757 Horizon Dr. Call 2418975. National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) offers support groups for family members of adults who have a serious mental illness and connection groups for adults living with a mental illness. Groups meet at various times and locations in Mesa County. For details, visit www.NAMIWS.org or call 462-3989. Neuropathy (Peripheral-Idiopathic) meets monthly from 1-2 p.m. the first Tuesday at Church of the Nativity, across from Redlands Middle School. Tinnitus Support Group meets monthly from 1-2 p.m. on the second Saturday at St. Mary’s Physician Office, suite 503. Call 589-0305. Western Colorado Post Polio Group educates polio survivors and caregivers about post-polio, connects post-polio people and promotes independent living for people struck with the virus many years ago. Call 261-0162. Western Slope Visionaries, a low-vision support group, meets monthly from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday at Center for Independence. Transportation is available. Call 241-0315. ■
OCTOBER 2017
MESA COUNTY 41
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Clubs & Activities Art Quilt Association meets monthly at 9:30 a.m. on the third Saturday in Grand Junction. Visit www. theartquiltassociation.com.
Grand Valley Woodturners meets monthly on the second Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Redlands United Methodist Church. Call 245-8817 or 856-3632.
Blue Lodge Masons meets monthly at 10 a.m. the first Saturday at the Masonic Center. Call 245-5312.
Knitting Club meets monthly from 6:30-8 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday at Community of Christ Church, 2880 B 1/2 Road. Call 623-1455.
Bookcliff Duplicate Bridge Club plays at 1 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and 6:30 p.m. Thursdays at 2923 North Ave. Call 243-7874. Cribbage Lite meets at 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays at IHOP. Call 201-7823. Colorado Archaeological Society Grand Junction meets from 6:309 p.m. the second Monday of most months. Call 433-4312 or visit www. meetup.com/CAS-GJ/events. Fleet Reserve Association (FRA) #244 meets monthly at 7 p.m. on the second Wednesday at the VFW #3981. All former, retired and active sea service, U.S. Navy, Marines or Coast Guard are welcome. Call 4340868. Grand Junction Gem and Mineral Club meets at 7 p.m. on the second Thursday and 6:30 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of the month at 2328 Monument Road. Email grandjunctionrockclub@gmail.com Grand Junction Newcomers Club meets monthly at 9:30 a.m. the second Wednesday at First Christian Church. Call 549-0439. Grand Junction Petroleum & Mining Club meets monthly on the third Thursday. Visit www.grandjunctionpmc.com. Grand Valley Pets Alive meets monthly from 4:30-6 p.m. on the third Wednesday at Church of the Nativity. Call 462-7557. Grand Valley Woodcarvers meets at 6 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays and at 1 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at Redlands United Methodist Church. Call 245-8817 or 523-5965.
Mt. Garfield Daughters of the American Revolution meets at 1 p.m. on October 14 at the Whitman Education Center. Call 596-4870. Not Going Quietly meets from 1:30-3:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at Center for Spiritual Living Grand Junction. This group is intended to create a space of empowerment, grace, community and wisdom for individuals age 60 and older. Call 433-7799. Thunder Mountain Camera Club meets from 7-9 p.m. on October 24 at Western Colorado Community College. Visit www.thundermountaincameraclub.org or call 216-9311. Two River Sams/Good Sam RV Club will meet at noon on October 14. For location, call 523-5625. Vestafjell Lodge, Sons of Norway meets at 11:30 a.m. on October 9 at The Egg & I. Call 245-5649 or visit www.vestafjelllodge.org. Western Colorado Amateur Radio Club meets monthly at 9:30 a.m. on the second Saturday at the Civil Patrol Hangar, 2868 Aviators Way. Visit www.w0rrz.org. Western Colorado Astronomy Club meets monthly at 7 p.m. on the first Tuesday at Colorado Mesa University’s Wubben Hall, room 161. Call 812-3661 or visit www.wcacastronomy.org. Western Slope Coin Club meets monthly at 6:30 p.m. the second Wednesday at VFW #1247. Get a free coin/currency evaluation at 5:30 p.m. Visit www.gjcoinshow.com.■
a rd Mes Lions C a h lub c Or
COUPON
Buy One Entree - Get One Entree with purchase of 2 drinks
of equal or lesser value
FREE!
2430 Patterson Rd., Unit A
639-9562
RIVER CITY SINGLES
“Young-at-heart adults getting together for fun and friendship.” Singles group for those age 50+. Annual membership is $20. Fridays at 5 p.m. - Calling all singles over 50! Meet new friends at Friday Afternoon Club (FAC) in the Hideaway Lounge at the Travelodge on Horizon Drive. Call Beverly at 210-2722 for details. Tuesdays at 9 a.m. - Early Start Breakfast at Denny’s on Horizon Drive. Visitors welcome. Call Debbie at 245-4995 for details. Sundays at 12:30 p.m. - Bowling Sunday at Orchard Mesa Lanes, 295 27 Road. RSVP to Bob at 263-8462. Tuesdays at 9 a.m. - Golf at Adobe Creek National Golf Center in Fruita. Contact Barbara at 640-0967 for details. Saturday, October 7 - Celebrate River City Singles’ 15th anniversary from 5-10 p.m. at the Travelodge, 718 Horizon Dr. Social hour starts at 5 p.m. Dinner buffet starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are $25. Pay in advance. RSVP to Don at 242-8666.
Thursday, October 12 - Play miniature golf at Banana’s Fun Park at 4 p.m. Cost is $6. RSVP to Anna Mae at 623-0456. Wednesday, October 18 - Game Day at Mary’s at 2 p.m. Bring a snack. RSVP to 242-0630. Saturday, October 28 - Dress your best or scariest at the RCS Halloween Costume Party at Judie’s in Fruita. The person with the best costume wins a prize. Party starts at 5 p.m. Bring a potluck item and BYOB. Sign up at FAC or RSVP to Judie at 639-2197.
42 FUN & GAMES
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xpert groomi e , y t i l Qua livered to your doo ng r!
de
More than 30 years’ combined experience New to the Grand Valley Full grooming services at your location Discounts for seniors and vets
$5 off your first groom Ponderosa Paws Mobile Dog Grooming www.PonderosaPaws.com | 720-232-2261
OCTOBER 2017
FUN & GAMES
www.BeaconSeniorNews.com
For the puzzle answers see page 46
Across 1 Typical reply to “Que pasa?” 5 Tall spars 10 Totalizes 14 Guinness of stage 15 Brass or bronze, e.g. 16 Passion 17 What a contested will might do? 19 Recital of events 20 Shakespearean stage device 21 Drenched in sauce 23 Three, in Milan 25 Per capita 26 James Cameron film 29 Engine parts 31 Mil. branch 34 Affirmative moves 35 Fencing ploy 37 Sergeant or corporal 38 “Jefferson in Paris” star 40 Deep matter? 41 Sacrificial stone 43 ___ as directed 44 Does 65, rather than 55 47 Grown grigs 48 “Mal de ___” 49 Wee ones 50 Legally binding command
FUN & GAMES 43
A Great Place to Call Home!
FUN & GAMES
OCTOBER 2017
Quiet 55+ Adult Community New & Pre-Owned Homes Free RV Storage On-Site Manager Resident Club House
Turn to page 46 for your puzzle answers 52 German border river 54 Lobby or novel ending 55 A cast of ___ 60 Cum laude start 64 Hindquarters 65 Will Rogers? 67 Wheelhouse direction 68 One starting a roast? 69 One of the Muppets 70 It’s in back of your house 71 Blows one’s horn 72 Line of stitches Down 1 Out-of-this-world org.? 2 Yodeler’s range? 3 Hero’s hangout 4 Crucial trial 5 ___-jongg 6 Hearty libations 7 Like a long shot’s chances 8 Matador’s foe 9 Buddy, binary and block 10 Empire conquered by Cortez 11 One seeking Mr. Right? 12 Earnhart of NASCAR 13 Transport for Susan Butcher 18 Graceful seabird
22 “___ la vista, baby!” 24 It takes things to extremes 26 Per ___ 27 Like some lips or change 28 A nonproductive tenant? 29 Blubbers 30 “___ Lang Syne” 32 Dieter’s place? 33 From Oslo 36 Prepared some beds? 39 Colorado park 42 Teaches 45 Balcony barrier 46 80’s “Star Wars” plan 51 She, in Rome 53 Took for a ride 55 Lazy Susan, e.g. 56 Polynesian dance 57 Hurler Hideo 58 Art trailer 59 Editor’s scribble 61 1,609 meters 62 “I Remember ___” 63 Niels Bohr’s concern 66 “___ Miserables”
Crossword Puzzle
44 CLASSIFIEDS
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Palisade Dental
EVENTS
BIG COIN SHOW! Grand Junction VFW Hall on 14th & Ute. Saturday October 7 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Free admission. For more info call 417-9025.
125 West 3rd Street, Palisade, CO 81526
Brian E. Day, D.M.D., P.C. • 464-5123 Hours 8am -5 pm Mon-Thurs
GENERAL AND COSMETIC DENTISTRY
*Crown & Bridge*Implants placed & restored*Dentures* Partials & Repairs *State of the Art oral cancer screening*tooth colored fillings*root canals *Gentle and thorough cleanings Most insurance, credit cards and Care credit accepted New patients and emergencies welcome
BRUNO ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR OR SCOOTER LIFT; bumper mounted model. $500 OBO 424-1733.
We Cater To Cowards
How are we doing? Send us your questions and suggestions. We want to hear from you!
BEACON Senior Newspaper P.O. Box 3895 Grand Junction, CO 81502 Beacon@PendantPublishing.com
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PESTICIDE-FREE REMEDIES Rodents, lawn dandelions, pet odors and more. Just ask…Consulting, training, applications. BE/E SAFE 984-2467 / Since 1996. SCENE CLEARLY, LLC Window cleaners specializing in making your day a little brighter! Grand Junction area. Call Frank Cordova at 242-1264. COMPUTER LADY, LLC In-home repair. 15 years serving Mesa County. Windows, Internet, Wi-Fi, Android, tablets, Netflix, Roku. Virus removal, installation and instruction. Dependable, reasonable, qualified. 255-1216. ANTIQUES, APPRAISALS, ESTATE SALES With over 40 years in the antique, appraisal and estate sale business, Great American Estate Sales is the valley’s leader in appraisals and estate liquidation. Settling an estate, moving into a smaller home or just simplifying your lifestyle? Great American Estate Sales can provide a worry-free and quick solution. Free consultation. 216-0048. REMODELING AND FOUNDATION REPAIR. Three generations of quality construction, additions and remodels. Residential/insured. References and free consultations provided. Tom Peters: 261-4303, tompetersconstruct ion.com. PERSONALS
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ANTIQUE FURNITURE: Breakfront Secretary Bookcase Desk made by Schmitt A. Henry Company, late 1800s. Perfect condition with original glass and hardware. China Closet made by Mechanics Furniture Company; four shelves with original curved glass, perfect condition. Call to make offer: 242-9166.
SALES PERSON WANTED
$49 value for FREE!
Priced for 30 words or less. Additional Words $1 each.
❒ check ❒
HOIST FOR HEAVY EQUIPEMENT: 11’ 8” x 12” wide. Comes with two-ton traveling block with chain fall. Other welding equipment also available. Call to make offer: 285-7743.
HELP WANTED
PAY FOR IT
❒ cash
FOR SALE
OCTOBER 2017
CUSTOM DRAPERIES, BLINDS, AND SOLAR SHADES Floor coverings and design services, Interior Monologues, Inc. 234-0040.
NO ONE DESERVES TO BE LONELY! Find your life mate through our nationwide listing of single Christian seniors of all ages seeking life mate companionship. For details call: 1-800-8794258.
OCTOBER 2017
CLASSIFIEDS 45
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SERVICES
CAREGIVER Caregiver / light housekeeping position wanted. City of GJ. Cash and carry. 970-243-5451 HOME CARE PROVIDER Licensed CNA offering companionship, guidance, healthy cooking, light housekeeping, help with shopping, errands, exercise and fun activities. Great references. Brenda 623-0649. “Caregiving is my passion!” CLEANING LADY Competitive rates, reliable transportation, will travel. Weekly/ biweekly/monthly cleaning, downsizing, reorganizing. Just call to see how I may help you. The holidays are coming—let’s get those decorations up! Linda, 263-7364 or 720-841-7505.
WANTED TO BUY
USED BOOKS BUY, SELL OR TRADE Gently used books on hundreds of subjects. Westerns, romance, mysteries, suspense, kids, young adult, inspirational and many others. Large print. Special orders. 242-3911. Twice Upon a Time Bookshop, 2885 North Ave., Ste. B. Located in front of North Ave. Walmart and next to Subway. 10-6 Mon-Sat, 11-4 Sunday. **Bring this ad in for $10 Trade Credit**
New device stops a cold as it starts
R
Pat McAllister, age 70, received one ecent research shows you can stop a cold in its tracks if you take one for Christmas and called it “one of the simple step with a new device when best presents ever. This little jewel really works.” you first feel a cold coming on. People often use CopperZap for preColds start when cold viruses get in your nose. Viruses multiply fast. If vention. Karen Gauci, who flies often, you don’t stop them early, they spread used to get colds after crowded flights. Though skeptical, she tried it several in your airways and cause misery. But scientists have found a quick way to kill a virus. Touch it with copper. Researchers at labs and universities agree, copper is “antimicrobial.” It kills microbes, such as viruses and bacteria, just by touch. That’s why ancient Greeks and Egyptians used copper to New research: Copper stops colds if used early. purify water and heal wounds. They didn’t know about vi- times a day on travel days for 2 months. “Sixteen flights and not a sniffle!” ruses and bacteria, but now we do. Business owner Rosaleen says Researchers say a tiny electric charge in microbe cells gets short-cir- when people are sick around her she cuited by the high conductance of cop- uses CopperZap morning and night. per. This destroys the cell in seconds. “It saved me last holidays,” she said. Tests by the Environmental Pro- “The kids had colds going round and tection Agency (EPA) show germs round, but not me.” Some users say it also helps with sinusdie fast on copper. So some hospitals switched to copper touch surfaces, es. Attorney Donna Blight had a 2-day like faucets and doorknobs. This cut sinus headache. When her CopperZap the spread of MRSA and other illness- arrived, she tried it. “I am shocked!” she said. “My head cleared, no more heades by over half, and saved lives. The strong scientific evidence gave ache, no more congestion.” Some users say copper stops nightinventor Doug Cornell an idea. When he felt a cold coming on he fashioned time stuffiness. One man said, “Best a smooth copper probe and rubbed it sleep I’ve had in years.” Users also report success in stopping gently in his nose for 60 seconds. “It worked!” he exclaimed. “The cold sores and warts. It can also prevent cold went away completely.” It infection in wounds, cuts and abrasions. The handle is sculptured to fit the worked again every time he felt a cold coming on. He reports he has never hand and finely textured to improve contact. Tests show it kills germs on had a cold since. He asked relatives and friends to try fingers to help you avoid spreading illit. They said it worked every time. So ness to your family. Copper may even stop flu if used he patented CopperZap™ and put it early and for several days. In a lab on the market. Soon hundreds of people had tried test, scientists placed 25 million live it and given feedback. Nearly 100 per- flu viruses on a CopperZap. No viruscent said the copper stops their colds es were found still alive soon after. The EPA says the natural color if used within 3 hours of the first sign. Even up to 2 days, if they still get the change of copper does not reduce its ability to kill germs. cold it is milder and they feel better. CopperZap is made in the U.S. of Users wrote things like, “It stopped my cold right away,” and “Is it sup- pure copper. It carries a 90-day full money back guarantee and is available posed to work that fast?” “What a wonderful thing,” wrote Physi- for $49.95 at CopperZap.com or tollcian’s Assistant Julie. “No more colds for me!” free 1-888-411-6114. (Paid Advertisement)
46 KUDOS & KVETCH
kudos \ ku·dos
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[Regarding “Liberty Cap: an excellent outdoor adventure,” September Health & Wellness] “Love your style of language. John Otto would have been proud of your adventure!” - Alan Kania,
Leave a legacy for the children: Vote yes on the school bond measure
author of “John Otto: Trials and Trails”
By Susan Elenz
“The article you published in the August BEACON (“Meet your therapist: Mr. Ed”) has been very helpful for us to get the word out about us and what we do to help people in need. Our horses have been a big help in our ministry. Thank you for everything you do. It means so much!” - Grand Valley Equine Assisted Learning Center
Wanna give a shout out? Pass out a compliment? Write us at:
Beacon@PendantPublishing.com
FUN & GAMES Game answers from page 43
H
ow much are our children and grandchildren worth? They’re our most treasured resource. They’re the future. But every few years, we vote no on tax increases for District 51 schools, essentially telling the children, “You’re not worth that much!” The increase in revenue that the school district needs is not about new buildings, administrators’ salaries, teachers’ contracts or the district budget. It’s about the children. Children can’t speak for themselves, so we have to speak for them. They need safe and inviting buildings to learn in. They need teachers who feel valued enough to want to do their best for them. They need administrators who are experienced and highly educated, and who can lead the education process to ensure it works for all children. Children thrive in a positive environment. They need us to create that for them. Our children deserve the best possible chance at succeeding in life. Education is that chance. A “no” vote is essentially telling area children that we don’t care if they succeed or not. Even if children attend private schools, public education is still important because educated children grow up to be: • Doctors, nurses and aides who will
take care of us when we are old or sick. • Scientists who will discover cures for diseases and injuries and invent new things. • Good citizens who improve our communities with fewer crimes and less violence. • Future business owners who are successful and grow our economy. • Police officers and firefighters who rescue and protect us. • Food workers who grow, cook and serve us our food. • Lawyers and judges who make sure justice is served. • Contractors and construction workers who build a safe, quality infrastructure for our communities. • Engineers and tech workers who design and maintain machines and technology to do the work we need them to do. • Politicians who can lead us to do what is right for all people. • And teachers for the next generation. You get the idea. A “yes” vote for the children is a vote for you and your family, too. It’s a vote for our community now and for the future. Leave a legacy of being someone who helped children succeed in life and made the world a better place. Tell the children they are worth it. Vote yes on the school bond measure and mill levy override on November 7. ■
OCTOBER 2017
kudos \ ku·dos
“Thank you so much for sending me a copy of The Beacon Guide. I am very interested in our health care resources and challenges in the valley, the state and in the country. The guide you sent seems well organized, and how wonderful to have up-to-date resources at my fingertips. I will certainly be happy to share with others.” - Kayla Dodson Cloie: “You’re welcome! We’re getting ready to publish our 2018 BEACON Guide, which comes out at the end of the year. To request a copy, give us a call at 243-8829.” “I have received only positive comments regarding the article about my journey thru depression (“Restoring purpose: Tom Baker shares journey of overcoming depression,” September issue). Melanie [Wiseman] did a wonderful job of editing a long story, and it has allowed me to share with people who barely know me. Thanks so much.” - Tom Baker, Grand Junction
“My thanks to all of you for doing such a great job with the article about my husband Ed’s story regarding the need for blood donors (“Donating is in their blood: Family honors one man’s legacy by paying it forward,” September Health & Wellness insert). I hope it will inspire a lot of people to step forward and become donors.”- Nancy Keddy “What a great featured article and photo spread (“Traveling with purpose: Local couple combines travel with exploring family history,” September issue)! The article presented Jean and I accurately with friends, neighbors and business associates who said they appreciated learning a lot more about us than they originally knew. And the front-page photo was a real home run.” - John Rodwick, Fruita
Wanna give a shout out? Pass out a compliment? Write us at:
Beacon@PendantPublishing.com
C E L E B R AT E T H E
GRAND OPENING Together Life Sings
OF CAPPELLA OF GRAND JUNCTION!
Enjoy local music and entertainment, live art, to our exciting community community tours, healthy open house celebration on: snacks and giveaways too. We’re adding harmony to life Saturday, October 21 at Cappella. And we invite you to join in our song! from 1:00 to 4:00 pm.
YOU’RE INVITED
MEET THE NEW NEIGHBOR WHO OFFERS
ASSISTED LIVING
&
AT A N E L E VAT E D L E V E L .
Learn more at CappellaGrandJunction.com or call us at 970.847.5444 Cappella of Grand Junction, 628 26 ½ Road, Grand Junction, CO 81506
MEMORY SUPPORT
I FIND BY WA N T I N G L E S S I H AV E M O R E Sally Crum loves her little log cabin that she helped construct. There’s something to be said for splitting your own wood and hauling your own water. For Sally, it’s given her the independence she wants, while still being able to ask for help when she needs it. Rocky Mountain Health Plans Medicare helps people like Sally keep living the life they’ve built for themselves. Find a Medicare plan that fits your Colorado lifestyle at www.rmhpMedicare.org or call 866-305-1132 (TTY: 711)
RMHP MEDICARE PRESENTATIONS • NO COST • NO OBLIGATION Space is limited, reserve your seat today. Call 800-273-1730 (TTY: 711) to RSVP for these events. A salesperson will be present with information and applications. For accommodation of persons with special needs at sales meetings call 800-273-1730 (TTY: 711).
Monday, October 16, 2017
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
10:00am-11:30am Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites 2751 Crossroads Blvd
2:00pm - 3:30pm Fruita Recreation Center 324 N. Coulson St.
2:00pm - 3:30pm Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites 2751 Crossroads Blvd
Grand Junction, CO
Fruita, CO
Grand Junction, CO
RMHP is a Medicare-approved Cost plan. Enrollment in RMHP depends on contract renewal. This information is available for free in other languages. Please call Customer Service at 888-282-1420 (TTY dial 711). Hours are 8am - 8pm, 7 days/week, Oct.1–Feb.14, and 8am - 8pm, M-F, Feb.15–Sept.30. Esta información está disponible gratuitamente en otros idiomas. Por favor llame a la línea de Atención a Clientes, al 888-282-1420 (TTY marque 711). Horario de 8am - 8pm, 7 días a la semana, del 1 de octubre al 14 de febrero; y de 8am - 8pm, de lunes a viernes, del 15 de febrero al 30 de septiembre. RMHP complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-888-282-1420(TTY: 711). CHÚ Ý: Nếu bạn nói Tiếng Việt, có các dịch vụ hỗ trợ ngôn ngữ miễn phí dành cho bạn. Gọi số 1-888-282-1420 (TTY: 711). H0602_MS_MC244B_09252017 Accepted