BEACON - December 2014

DECEMBER 2014 ™

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Western Colorado’s Monthly Newspaper for Adults 50+. Over 34,020 Readers.

INSIDE: Transitions in Aging Our annual Resource Directory has a new face and name. Find yours inside.

2015

in agInG

Vol. 28 No. 12

RE SOURCE DIREC TORY

Remembering Pearl Harbor Pershing DeVore heard about Pearl Harbor just hours before Japanese bombers attacked Clark Air Force Base. Page 7.

Giving Club A new club in the Grand Valley implements a simple way of giving to a deserving local nonprofit. Page 26.

BEACON wins national awards for excellence in writing, photography, design, web content and more.

Page 24.

that make a difference “Maybe Christmas…doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas… means a little bit more!”

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December 2014

Seniors want your presence, not your presents

By Kevin K. VanGundy

D

uring this season of generosity, the best gift that you can give a senior is your presence. I mentioned that a couple of years ago in this column and then one morning when I was checking the BEACON’s voicemail, a gruff gentleman’s voice exclaimed, “Bullsh*t! I want a new television for Christmas.”

Okay, so a few would rather have presents.

A lesson that I have learned during my time with the BEACON is that people love to be heard. Often, older people long to connect with someone.

For many of us who are still raising families and working, life has become super busy. We rush here and there, with little time for our selves, let alone others. In addition, take into account the business of the holiday season itself and it becomes much easier to give a loved one a present instead of your presence.

Or perhaps, after you deliver a new television to your favorite senior, you can sit down and actually watch it with them.

Merry Christmas, Kevin K. VanGundy

EDITORIAL 3

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December 2014

By Melanie Wiseman & Cloie Sandlin

There’s still time to give!

If you missed the Alternative Christmas Fair, don’t worry. You can continue shopping through Monday, December 15 by • Shopping online using your credit card at www.gvpeacejustice.org.

• Filling out the shopping list and sending it along with your check made out to Grand Valley Peace & Justice, 740 Gunnison Ave., Grand Junction, CO 81501. Include your phone number and address.

• Stopping into Grand Valley Peace & Justice or call 243-0136.

Mark your calendars for next year’s fair, Sunday, November 22, 2015.

The story behind Neural Activity’s star tree The Starfish Story Original story by Loren Eisley

O

ne day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean. Approaching the boy, he asked, “What are you doing?”

T

he Alternative Christmas Fair, hosted

by Grand Valley Peace and Justice (GVPJ) in conjunction with Alternative Gifts International (AGI), featured representatives from 51 nonprofits who sought to educate fairgoers about their goodwill projects, hoping to inspire them to purchase meaningful, lifechanging alternative gifts in honor of the true spirit of the season.

“The Alternative Christmas Fair gives you the chance to walk around, see the projects, talk to people at the booths and see what projects would be meaningful to support for yourself or as a gift,” GVPJ Executive Director Julie Mamo said. “Why not give

that make a difference a meaningful gift that makes a difference instead of a tangible gift they may not need?”

In return for your gift or donation, you receive customized holiday cards to give to the person you bought for, letting them know about the projects to which you gave in their honor.

Another way that community members could support some of the local organizations at the fair was bidding

on the trees at the Christmas Tree Silent Auction.

“It’s a fundraiser for the organizations,” Mamo said. “It’s a great part of the fair that allows organizations to earn a little extra money and to incorporate who they are into a tree.”

Eight trees were auctioned off at the fair.

Each tree was creatively decorated and had its own special story and connection to the organization that decorated it.

A star tree with a story The tree auctioned off with the highest bid was a live tree in the shape of the star, which was decorated by the teens of Neural Activity, a program that unites adventure activities with teen drug education and peer-to-peer mentoring.

Leigh Fitch founded Neural Activity 1 1/2 years ago and in 2013, the

The youth replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.”

“Son,” the man said, “don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can’t make a difference!”

After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said, “I made a difference for that one.”

Foundation for Cultural Exchange

Roice-Hurst Humane Society

Couseling & Education Center

Kids Aid

December 2014

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program started with eight drug-free mentors.

“That quickly turned into 18 teens, all drug-free,” Fitch said.

Fitch said the peer-to-peer structure of the program is key when teaching younger kids about awareness and prevention.

“It’s more impactful coming from a teen than any adult,” she said.

Teens mentor trust, teamwork and giving alternatives. Monthly activities and seasonal workshops focus on building self-confidence and leadership training. At the fair, teens hoped to garner sponsorships to send mentors to Neural Activity’s seasonal workshop and to sponsor activity/ drug prevention trainings.

“It’s the first time the kids are doing their own fundraising,” she said.

“They feel that kids who want to be drug free shouldn’t have to pay for it.”

The program’s tree was inspired by “The Starfish Story,” a tale about how one simple act by one person can make a difference.

“The tree is a live plant which the buyer can plant in the yard, forever to remind them of the difference they’ve made to teens in the Grand Valley,” Fitch said.

A tree that speaks words The staff at the Counseling and Education Center’s (CEC) booth aimed to promote the organization’s affordable counseling services.

At first glance, the CEC’s tree looked traditional yet classy, adorned with glittery golden ribbon, and red and gold ball ornaments. But upon

Neural Activity

closer inspection, you’d see that there were words written on the ornaments.

Development Coordinator Mary Cawood said clients were asked to take an ornament and to write one word on it that describes how counseling has helped them.

“Our tree represents the words of our clients,” Cawood said.

Words such as “Hope, confidence, forgiveness, learning, happy, insight and self-worth” were inscribed on the ornaments.

“It’s an empowering message and a reflection of what we do and why we are here,” Cawood said. “We had a lot of fun decorating it and hope the community enjoys it.”

A tree of education The Foundation for Cultural Exchange (FCE) is no stranger to the Alternative Christmas Fair, having attended for the last 10 years. But this was only the second year the foundation auctioned off a tree.

The FCE facilitates a sister-city relationship between the people of Grand Junction and El Espino, El Salvador. The FCE aims to promote cultural understanding and solidarity between the two cities through a number of projects.

“Our main goal is to seek sponsors for scholarships awarded to deserving students in El Espino,” FCE President Anna Stout said, adding that education is rarely obtainable for these students after eighth grade.

The FCE believes that education is crucial towards lasting economic and

Homeward Bound

social development in El Espino.

The FCE’s tree of education reflected that goal. It was decorated with hand-painted ornaments from Salvadoran artists. Blue and white ribbon, the colors of the Salvadoran flag, snaked through the branches, which were embellished with doves made from recycled dictionary pages (a symbol of peace achieved through education), solidarity bracelets—one for each of the 10 years the FCE has been at work in El Salvador—and photos of the FCE’s 24 scholarship students “to serve as reminders of hope for the future,” Stout said.

A Thanksgiving tree Some people think it’s silly to put up the Christmas tree before Thanksgiving. But what about a tree for Thanksgiving?

“It’s a tree of thankfulness,” Center for Independence Executive Assistant Tami Walter said, emphasizing the importance of being grateful and adding that CFI is grateful to serve the community.

CFI offers a variety of programs and services at no charge to assist people with disabilities to live more independently.

“We have participated in the Alternative Christmas Fair for 10 years,” Executive Director Linda Taylor said.

“We are grateful for every donation.

We auction a tree, have a booth and this year we were fortunate to be the food vendor.”

The Thanksgiving tree, decked in shades of orange, gold and brown, was complete with pumpkins hang-

Center for Independence

Grand Valley Peace & Justice

COVER STORY 5

National & Regional Award-Winning Publication Publisher ........................ Kevin K. VanGundy Founding Publisher................... Susan Capps Editor........................................ Cloie Sandlin Graphic Design.............................. Heidi Graf Production................................ Karen Jones Account Representative...............Sue Bowen Account Representative............Sidney Jayne Proofreader................................. Jan Weeks Customer Service...................Kelli Wakefield Cheerleader..............................Genevra Shal Delivery ............................. Solomon Herrera Delta-Montrose Bureau Assistant Editor...................Liesl Greathouse Account Representative.......... Virginia Carlile Delivery..........................................JR Milner Beacon Mascot Bogart..........................................................

P.O. Box 3895, Grand Junction, CO 81502 970.24 3.8 82 9  800.536.7516 fax Website: www.BeaconSeniorNews.com E-mail: Beacon@ PendantPublishing.com The BEACON is published at the beginning of the month. Our goal is to inform and inspire the 50+ community in Mesa, Delta, Montrose and Garfield counties.

Publication of advertising does not necessarily constitute endorsement. Columns are opinions of the writers, not necessarily the opinion of the publisher. Display advertising rates are available upon request. Deadline for advertising and announcements is the 20th of the month preceding publication. © Copyright 2014 • All Rights Reserved

Cover Photo Charlie Blackmer, left, and Anna Stout, right, adjust some decorations on the Foundation for Cultural Exchange’s Tree of Education, which was auctioned off at Grand Valley Peace & Justice’s recent Alternative Christmas Fair.

6 COVER STORY

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com ing from the branches and nestled under the tree.

A tree for pet lovers “People have too much stuff,” Roice-Hurst Humane Society board member Elaine Johnson-Craig said.

“That’s not true for both the twolegged and four-legged recipients of the donations the fair helps generate.”

Roice-Hurst had a booth at the fair to raise funds to help with food and shelter for a homeless animal and for spaying and neutering. The little white decorated tabletop tree that was auctioned off at the fair was perfect for anyone with little space or little energy to decorate, or who had an empty tabletop begging for a dose of holiday style. Nestled under the tree were small bags picturing different breeds of dogs.

A Charlie Brown tree “Our tree is a Charlie Brown tree because Kids Aid serves children that don’t have a lot,” Kids Aid Executive Director Mary Beth Luedtke said.

Leudtke referred to the sad-looking tree in the Christmas classic, “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” In the movie, the tree was nothing more than a branch with a single red Christmas ornament and Kids Aid’s tree was of the same likeness but came with little kid-size mittens and other trinkets under the tree. It also came with the movie soundtrack by the Vince Guaraldi Trio.

Kids Aid provides sacks of food to local children to take home over the weekend and serves over 2,049 sacks a week to kids from all 47 schools in the district.

“It’s about those kids who are disenfranchised and don’t have the support they need or are trying to do it on their own, much like Charlie Brown did,” Luedtke said. “It’s enlightening that kids are fending for themselves and any little bit helps.”

A pathway home for the snowman tree Homeward Bound’s snowman tree found its home when it was auctioned off at the fair.

Acquisition Coordinator Megan Kemmis posted a request on the

December 2014 community homeless shelter’s Facebook page for a tree to be donated and an anonymous donator had one waiting for her the next day.

“We didn’t want the tree to be Christmas specific,” Kemmis said.

“The idea was finding the snowman a home just like we are always encouraging a pathway home for our clients at Homeward Bound.”

Kemmis also solicited design ideas and local interior designer Kay Albright donated her services and decorated the tree.

“We live in such a generous community and we want to thank them,” Kemmis said.

A peace tree Grand Valley Peace and Justice’s tree, decorated with doves, green peace signs and silver bows, embodied the organization’s message of advocating for social justice and working for the common good.

“It’s a peace tree,” Mamo said. “And you can’t have peace without justice.

That speaks to who we are in trying to promote love and harmony in our community. [The decorations] are just symbols but those symbols mean a lot to us. So we’ve made them part of our tree.”

The tree was one of the two live trees at the fair.

“You can actually take it out of the bin that it’s in and plant it in the ground and it will grow,” Mamo said.

“It’s a miniature spruce so it’ll be with you for as long as you want it to be.”

Most of the trees are auctioned off to individual supporters of the organizations, but for future fairs, Mamo hopes to encourage more businesses to bid on the trees so that they will become part of the community.

“That way people can walk into a business and see these beautiful trees and it shows the business’ support for these organizations,” Mamo said.

Even though all the trees auctioned off have found homes, it’s not too late to support these organizations and to find a great gift for that person who has everything. See the story sidebar to see how you can continue shopping through December 15. ■

December 2014

By Terri Benson

Q

uentin Pershing DeVore, 95, is a survivor—a survivor of World War II, of the Bataan Death March, and of years in Japanese POW camps.

DeVore’s family had a farm in Wray, Colorado. In 1938, at age 21, he joined the Army Air Corps, training at Ft. Logan, Lowry Field, San Antonio, St. Louis and Langley. Trained in armament, he was assigned to the 7th Material, 19th Bomb Group and shipped out to Clark Air Force Base on Luzon in the Philippine Islands, where a U.S. military presence was expected to deter a Japanese attack.

En route to Luzon, DeVore befriended another soldier, Ben Steele.

DeVore was in the control tower at Clark on December 7, 1941 when reports of Pearl Harbor came in.

The only planes that made it off the ground at Clark were the few pilots who bucked General Douglas MacArthur’s threat of court martial if they took to the air. DeVore said the B-17s might have intercepted the Japanese invasion force at sea if they’d been allowed to take off.

The Japanese bombers arrived at Clark four hours later.

“I took off down the stairs, but didn’t quite make it,” DeVore said. “A bomb hit and blew me about 16 feet.”

He woke up next to a lieutenant who’d lost his leg. DeVore helped him to the hospital and stayed to unload more wounded. He met Steele, who had found DeVore’s watch and was relieved to know his friend hadn’t been blown to bits.

Clark Field was evacuated Christmas Eve 1941 but DeVore and six others manned gun emplacements to cover the evacuation. They were promised Bronze Stars, but DeVore said, “It took 40 years before I got it.”

The defenders didn’t have much more than three 50-caliber turret guns from the B-17s mounted on welding carts for anti-aircraft guns.

In April 1942, the line was overrun.

DeVore and Steele were separated.

Then began the death walk of nearly 100 miles in 100-degree temperatures with no food or water. Shells from the U.S. guns at Corregidor fell around them, killing some POWs.

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DECEMBER 7, 1941

A SURVIVOR’S STORY Above: Quentin Pershing DeVore at 95. Photo by Ashley Bernal.

Right: DeVore before shipping out to the Philippines in 1941.

Unbearably thirsty, DeVore drank water from a ditch, resulting in dysentery. He found some beans spilled on the road and gathered a handful to eat. When a medic shed his kit, DeVore pocketed the quinine. The survivors of the walk were packed like sardines into rail cars bound for Camp O’Donnell. In DeVore’s car, everyone stayed calm, rotating frequently to give each of them a few minutes of fresh air by the door.

At O’Donnell, DeVore met up with Steele again. Both suffered from malaria, sharing DeVore’s stash of medicine. The only way to get more food was work.

“One day Ben and I volunteered,” DeVore said. “But I had a bad feeling and backed off. Ben ended up having to build a road through the jungle using shovels and wheelbarrows.”

Once Corregidor fell, the POWs were shipped to Camp Cabanatuan, where all men worked burial details, no matter how sick. DeVore was down to 100 pounds and could barely stand, but he still served his 30 days. Starvation contributed to beriberi, scurvy, malaria, dysentery,

blindness and more. Around 2,300 Americans died. DeVore developed pneumonia, pleurisy, dengue fever and tuberculosis.

DeVore was interrogated about what kind of training he had.

“I didn’t want to reveal my armament training, so I told the truth,” he said. “I was a farmer.”

He was shipped to the island of Mindanao, where he worked a farm, driving an International-H Farmall tractor. Access to vegetables, fruit and rice allowed him to put on 30 pounds. If he plowed up a sweet potato or cassava root, he’d pretend to do repairs and put the food on the engine to cook while he drove. The tractors ran on pure sugar cane alcohol instead of gasoline.

The camp was run by an Englishspeaking, American-educated Japanese named Uke. He was quick to punish transgressions. If one member of a 10-man burial squad tried to escape, the entire squad was executed.

“I watched two squads killed,” he said. “Once, a whole 10-man burial detail managed to escape. The rest of us got 30 days of rice, salt and water,

FEATURE STORY 7

and confinement to the barracks.”

The POWs were allowed musical instruments and entertainment once a week. Their favorite lyrics were “We’re the battling bastards of Bataan; No mama, no papa, no Uncle Sam; No aunts, no uncles, no cousins, no nieces; No pills, no planes, no artillery pieces. And nobody gives a damn.”

When American troops started making headway against the Japanese, DeVore’s group was moved to Bilibid Prison in Manila. He met up with Steele, but his friend was sent to Japan to work in a coal mine. All officers from DeVore’s squadron were put on another ship to Japan, but the Americans sank the ship.

Because DeVore had TB, he was sent to Cabanatuan again. He started seeing dog fights between American and Japanese planes. In January 1945, many guards from the camp were sent to the front lines and the POWs were given run of the camp, including the Japanese side where they found storerooms of food. DeVore put on nearly 20 pounds in a month.

The night of February 1, Army rangers and Filipino Ghost Soldiers broke into the barracks, located 25 miles behind enemy lines, giving the shocked POWs 10 minutes to get to the front gates, where 510 POWs were rescued. Out of a squad of 360 men, 26 made the trip home. DeVore and Steele were two of them.

“I remember thinking I had managed to stay alive, but would probably fall off the gangplank and break my neck,” DeVore quipped.

The POWs were treated to a ticker tape parade in San Francisco, dinner at the Cow Palace, and a raise in rank, making DeVore a buck sergeant. He headed to Fitzsimmons Army Hospital in Denver, near his family. He met and married his late wife of 64 years, Dorothy, and raised three boys.

Steele lives in Billings, Montana.

“I threw my memories [of the war] over my shoulder and moved forward,” DeVore said, “so I didn’t have some of the problems other soldiers had.” ■

8

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Broil ducks 5–6 in. from heat source until skin is well browned and crispy, 6–8 minutes. Cut each duck into quarters and transfer to serving plates. Pass gravy separately. Garnish with sage sprigs, if desired.

December 2014

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Ask the Old Bag

Advice Column for the Over 50 Crowd

By Gayle LagmanCreswick Dear Old Bag: In the past you received a letter from someone who had a friend who talked incessantly.

My problem is similar, only the person who talks constantly is my wife.

We have been married just over 50 years. I was able to tune her out for all those years. Now I find that it is getting on my nerves so bad that I have to escape to my room. Maybe I am selfish, but once in a while I would like to talk. She is a good person and is good to me. Sometimes I think I will go crazy and bop her one. What is wrong with me?

Signed, Wearing Thin Dear Wearing Thin: First of all, I don’t believe anything is wrong with you. I do believe something is wrong with your wife. It sounds as if she is a

compulsive talker, which is a condition that may require counseling.

The thing I wonder is did you ever tell her that she talks too much? I am reminded of a young nurse I employed years ago. Several of the other nurses came to me and complained that they could not get their work done because Margie (fake name) talked too much. They were afraid they would make a medication error because of this. I had to speak to Margie about the excessive talking.

Her response was, “In all of my 34 years, no one has ever told me that I talked too much.” I said, “I’m sorry, but I feel that I must tell you because I care about you and your future.” I am happy to report that the excessive talking ended right there. It may not be that easy with your wife, but maybe no one has ever told her. It is touchy to speak to someone about their intimate personal habits, but it is best addressed by someone who

cares about them. Good luck.

Dear Old Bag: It’s that time of year when gift giving becomes a problem for some of us who are on a fixed income. Any suggestions?

Thank you, Low on $ Dear Low on $: I have received many good suggestions from my readers on this subject and will pass them on to you. Give a gift of food that keeps on giving throughout the year. One reader baked a pie for her dad once a month for the whole year. He loved it. Begin giving away your prized possessions to your family. Write a little note with the article telling what it meant to you and how you came to own it. Write a story about your childhood that will get lost if you do not write it down.

You could probably do a story each month for the year! These are a few ideas that might spark other ideas for you.

Dear Old Bag: I’m afraid I’ve made a mistake. I talked my mother into moving into an independent retirement community. She has lived

ASK THE OLD BAG 9

there for two weeks and every time I see her she is crying and wants to move back to her home. She has paid a sizable amount of money to live there and it is a wonderful place. It is not so much that she hates it there; it’s that she misses her home, her neighbors and driving. She had to give up driving because of her vision problems—the reason we wanted her there. They have transportation. HELP! Dear HELP: She has not lived there long enough to get adjusted.

Loss is hard to overcome, even in the healthiest person. She has lost her home, her car, her driving. Be patient with her, and please go to the administration and tell them how your mother is doing. There are many forms of support they can give her. I bet in three months she will like her new life. Please let me know! ■

Send your questions to the Old Bag in care of the BEACON, or email lagmancreswick@cox.net.

10

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December 2014

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HEALTH & WELLNESS 11

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Shingles on your roof are good. On your body? Not so much.

By Tait Trussell

H

alf of all Americans will have had excruciatingly painful shingles by age 80, according to the National Institutes of Health.

The pain of shingles can be debilitating. If it is severe and persists for months or even years, it is called post herpetic neuralgia. Unfortunately, persistent pain is a common symptom in people over 60.

As you probably know, shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. The virus that causes shingles is a herpes virus. Once you have this virus it stays with you as long as you live. If you had chickenpox as a child, the virus is still in your body, waiting to spring.

A shot called Zostavax blocks the virus. When the shingles virus comes to life, the affected nerves and the skin they lead to become inflamed.

A burning, stabbing pain ensues.

According to National Institutes of Health (NIH) Senior Health, the name comes from the Latin word “cingulum,” which means belt or girdle (because it appears on one side of your body). The scientific name for the virus that causes shingles is varicella zoster.

Shingles isn’t contagious, but the fluid from shingles blisters can give you chickenpox if you come in contact with the fluid.

Bacterial infection of the open sores can lead to scarring. In a very small number of cases, bacteria can cause more serious conditions, including toxic shock syndrome and necrotizing fasciitis, a severe infection that destroys the soft tissue under the skin.

The burning waves of pain, loss of sleep and interference with basic life activities can cause depression.

According to NIH, “In patients with immune deficiency, the rash can be much more extensive than usual and the illness can be complicated by pneumonia. These cases are more serious, but they are rarely fatal.”

If you are healthy, shingles usually goes away without complications. It is unlikely you’ll ever get it again.

The NIH website states that as seniors “our natural immunity gradually loses its ability to protect against infection. The shingles virus can take advantage of this and become active again…Conditions that weaken the immune system can also put people at risk for shingles…. Shingles is especially dangerous for anyone who has had cancer, radiation treatments for cancer, HIV/AIDS, or a transplant operation.”

The shingles blisters are so sensitive to pain that even the touch of clothing is extremely painful.

Taking a cool bath or using cool, wet compresses on your blisters may help relieve the itching and pain.

According to WebMD: Avoid picking at and scratching blisters. If left alone, blisters will crust over and fall off naturally. Use cool, moist compresses if they help ease discomfort. Lotions, such as calamine, may be applied after wet compresses.

Apply cornstarch or baking soda to help dry the blisters.

Use nonprescription pain medicines, such as acetaminophen, aspirin or ibuprofen, to help reduce pain during an attack of shingles or pain caused by post herpetic neuralgia.

If you are already taking a prescription pain medicine, talk with your doctor before using any over-thecounter pain medicine. Some prescription pain medicines have acetaminophen (Tylenol), and getting too much acetaminophen can be harmful.

If home treatment doesn’t ease the pain, see your doctor. Getting your pain under control right away may prevent nerve damage that may cause pain that lasts for months or years.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that anyone over age 60 get the shingles shot even if they have had shingles because the virus can come back. ■

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12 HEALTH & WELLNESS

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

December 2014

Risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s reduced by vitamin D

By Tait Trussell

V

itamin D deficiency can substantially increase the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in older people. The risk is twice as great as scientists had expected. This important finding by an international team of doctors was led by Dr. David Llewellyn at the University of Exeter Medical School in southwest England. It discovered that study participants who were severely deficient in vitamin D were more than twice as likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

The team determined that elderly Americans who took part in the cardiovascular study who were moderately deficient in vitamin D had a 53 percent increased risk of developing dementia of any kind. Strikingly, the risk increased to 125 percent in those who were severely deficient in vitamin D. Similar results were found for Alzheimer’s disease, with the moderately deficient group 69 percent more likely to develop this type of dementia, jumping to a 122 percent increased risk for those severely deficient in vitamin D. The study was partially funded by the Alzheimer’s Association and the results were published in “Neurolo-

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gy,” the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

The scientists examined 1,658 adults aged 65 and over, who were able to walk unaided and who were free of dementia, cardiovascular disease and stroke at the start of the study. The participants were then followed for six years to investigate who went on to develop Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

“Clinical trials are now needed to establish whether eating foods such as oily fish or taking vitamin D supplements can delay or even prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia,” Dr. Llewellyn said. “We need to be cautious at this early stage, and our latest results do not demonstrate that low vitamin D levels cause dementia. That said, our findings are very encouraging, and even if a small number of people could benefit, this would have enormous public health implications given the devastating and costly nature of dementia.”

Previous research established that people with low vitamin D levels are more likely to go on to experience cognitive problems, but this study confirms that this translates into a substantial increase in the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Vitamin D comes from three main

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December 2014 sources—exposure of our skin to sunlight, foods such as oily fish and bananas, and vitamin supplements.

Older people’s skin can be less efficient at converting sunlight into vitamin D, making us elders more likely to be deficient and reliant on other sources.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, according to the National Institutes of Health. It is naturally present in few foods, but available as a dietary supplement. It is produced from within when ultraviolet rays from sunlight strike the skin and trigger vitamin D synthesis. Vitamin D obtained from sun exposure, food and supplements is biologically inert and must undergo two oxidative processes in the body for activation.

The multi-organization study also found evidence that there is a threshold level of vitamin D circulating in the bloodstream below which the risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease increases. The team had previously hypothesized that this measurement might lie in the region of 25-50 nmol/L. Their

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com new findings confirm that vitamin D levels above 50 nmol/L are most strongly associated with good brain health.

Alzheimer’s Society Director of Research and Development Dr. Doug Brown said, “Shedding light on risk factors for dementia is one of the most important tasks facing today’s health researchers.”

While earlier studies have suggested that a lack of the sunshine vitamin is linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease, this study found that people with very low vitamin D levels were more than twice as likely to develop any kind of dementia.

During the heat of summers, hitting the beach for just 15 minutes of sunshine is enough to boost your vitamin D levels. However, scientists aren’t ready to say that sunlight or vitamin D supplements will reduce your risk of dementia. Large-scale clinical trials are needed to determine whether increasing vitamin D levels in those with deficiencies can help prevent dementia from developing. ■

HEALTH & WELLNESS 13

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By Anne Ashley

I

can recall the delivery of our very first family television. It was an impressive piece of furniture with foldaway doors on the front and a turntable/stereo system on top of the cabinet (albeit under a lift-up panel) and oh, yes, the television in the middle.

I can also recall that the imposing thing, with all its features and magnificence, seemed to dwarf the purpose of the screen as it took up practically one full wall from one end to the other, but the actual screen represented no more than a quarter of its entire span.

Nevertheless, we were thrilled with the state-of-the-art addition to the family. I can also remember the excitement as we waited for the tube to warm up and the picture to come into view for the very first time. We were instantly trained on how to change channels, each given an opportunity to prove that we had been paying attention by having to demonstrate turning the knob slowly as it clunked from one selection to the next. Following that, we were advised that the volume was to remain on number 4 or lower (there were 10 volume options), or we would lose watching privileges.

I can tell you, regardless that none of us even knew what programs were available to us at that time, or

if volume number 4 was even sufficient, we all solemnly pledged to abide by the volume rule.

We knew nothing of remote controls in those days. To be fair, the room hardly accommodated this latest addition, as it was already competing for space with an oversized couch, a coffee table, two chairs and a bookcase. No room or need for a remote. I always got the impression that my parents felt they lived in a much larger house when they shopped for fittings and furnishings.

Anyway, further excitement followed when we realized how many channels we had to choose from— five! I mean, five stations! Our little minds were blown away with such overindulgence.

We eventually settled into a routine where Mom chose evening shows and afternoon viewing was determined by what was left after homework and before dinner was served. Incidentally, I used to race home from school, throw homework together so I could watch a particular program and I can’t even remember what that program is now.

For years, we maintained our awe, our reverence, a near worship for our weekly programs that came into our home from somewhere in Televisionland. How could we not? We were enlightened and taught how to solve family problems (in less than half an hour, mind you) by mentors of the day such as Donna Reed, Robert Young or the Beaver. We enjoyed special occasions with what was to become traditional television viewing. At the time, it wasn’t tradition, it was just Christmas with Rudolph,

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December 2014 Charlie Brown and The Andy Williams specials. There were nonsensical programs, too. I mean, who didn’t love the antics of “The Beverly Hillbillies” trying to adjust to palatial grandeur from their previous poverty? In addition, the original “Friends” of yesteryear on “Gilligan’s Island?”

Hilarious stuff!

On a somber note, we watched the assassination of President Kennedy and the shooting of Lee Harvey Oswald just days later. Sadly, we also witnessed the assassination of Bobby Kennedy and all that followed.

Regardless of your political persuasions, these tragedies dumbfounded the world.

In due course, I watched as the Vietnam War played out nightly on our now much smaller-encased, yet larger screened television. I also watched the Watergate scandal take its toll on President Nixon and climax with his resignation. I doubted anything could ever be as adrenalinecharged as those days of entertainment, news bulletins and historymaking events.

Was I wrong?

Today we have over 1,000 channels to choose from, no restriction on viewing times, the ability to record, replay and edit to our own specifications and pay-per-view. We have flat screens, wide screens, mini-mobile TVs that allow you to view your favorite shows in even the most awkward of locations.

And what do we watch with all this modern technology and endless availability? Rage and conflict. Whether it’s teens from 90210, tots and their tiara tantrums, chefs and their inability to cook and be nice at the same time, women from Jersey, pawn shop owners or prickly party planners, every single show on television today is focused on rage and conflict. Moreover, no resolution, just rage to be continued next week where someone is even nastier than this week. Oh yes, and new conflict!

I dare say, had television viewing been this pointless and irritating in my youth, I’d have been a better student. ■

15

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16 LAUGHING MATTERS

Laughing Matters Why a Christmas tree is better than a woman

Submitted by Nancy Castella A Christmas tree doesn’t get jealous around other Christmas trees.

A Christmas tree doesn’t care if you watch football all day.

A Christmas tree doesn’t get mad if you tie it up and throw it in the back of your pickup truck.

It doesn’t ask you to have little Christmas trees.

Why a Christmas tree is better than a man

Submitted by Nancy Castella You can throw a Christmas tree out when it wears out.

You don’t have to put up with a Christmas tree all year.

You only have to feed and water it once a week.

It’s always there to light up your life.

It always smells nice.

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December 2014

and not have an enemy in the world.”

“It’s easy,” she said. “I outlived them all.”

Forgive your enemies

Submitted by William Hayashie The subject of the preacher’s Sunday sermon was “forgive your enemies.” After a long sermon, he asked the congregation how many were willing to forgive their enemies.

About half held up their hands. Not satisfied, he harangued for another 20 minutes and repeated his question. This time he received a response of about 80 percent.

Still unsatisfied, he lectured for another 15 minutes and repeated his question. With all thoughts now on Sunday dinner, all responded except one elderly lady in the rear.

“Mrs. Jones, are you not willing to forgive your enemies?”

“I don’t have any,” she said.

“Mrs. Jones, that is very unusual.

How old are you?”

“Ninety-three,” she said.

“Mrs. Jones, please tell the congregation how a person can live to be 93

Christmas stamps

Submitted by A. Byers A woman goes to the post office to buy stamps for her Christmas card envelopes. She says to the clerk, “May I have 70 Christmas stamps?”

The clerk says, “What denomination?”

The woman says, “Lord help us.

Has it come to this? Give me eight Catholic, 12 Episcopalian, eight Methodist, nine Presbyterian, 10 Lutheran and 22 Baptists.”

’Twas The Day After Christmas

Submitted by Karen Jones ’Twas the day after Christmas, and all through the house, every creature was hurting, even the mouse.

The toys were all broken, their batteries dead; Santa passed out, with some ice on his head.

Wrapping and ribbons just covered the floor, while upstairs the family

continued to snore.

And I in my T-shirt, new Reeboks and jeans, went into the kitchen and started to clean.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the sink to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash, tore open the curtains, and threw up the sash.

When what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a little white truck, with an oversized mirror.

The driver was smiling, so lively and grand; the patch on his jacket said “U.S. Postman.”

With a handful of bills, he grinned like a fox, then quickly he stuffed them into our mailbox.

Bill after bill after bill, they still came. Whistling and shouting he called them by name: “Now Enstrom’s, now Walmart, now Pennys and Sears, here’s Home Depot and Target and Pier 1—all here!

To the tip or your limit, every store, every mall, now chargeaway, chargeaway, chargeaway all!”

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December 2014 He whooped and he whistled as he finished his work. He filled up the box, and then turned with a jerk.

He sprang to his truck and he drove down the road, driving much faster with just half a load.

Then I heard him exclaim with great holiday cheer, “Enjoy what you got. You’ll be paying all year!”

Another ’Twas The Day After Christmas

Submitted by Geneva Christiansen ’Twas the day after Christmas, and into the box went catalogs featuring rum balls and socks, Fruitcakes and flashlights, medicines and such, jewelry and pillows for an elegant touch.

When I loaded that box with the holiday clutter I said to myself, with a sigh and a mutter, “If only it was as easy to make all these pounds vanish—every last bit of food that I like must be banished.

So away with the last of the sour cream dip, away with the crackers, the cheese, and the chips.

Toss out the cookies, the cakes, and the pies, let nothing be left that is tempting mine eyes.”

Now I’m so hungry, and life is a chore. Perhaps that is what January is for.

No festive snacking, no house full of cheer Happy Boxing Day to all, and to all a good year!

The perfect tree

Submitted by Barbara Miller Two blondes went deep into the frozen woods searching for a Christ-

It’s worth the drive!

mas tree. After hours of subzero temperatures and a few close calls with hungry wolves, one blonde turned to the other and said, “I’m chopping down the next tree I see. I don’t care whether it’s decorated or not!”

Sometimes I wonder…

Submitted by Charles Gross Since I have lost all my hair, who found it?

If I fall down with no one around, do I make a sound?

If we’ll soon be riding in cars that can drive and park themselves, who pays the insurance?

If everyone’s child is exceptional or above average, who’s causing all the trouble?

Did garage doors get narrower or have my car’s mirrors gotten wider?

If I’m forced to use the self-checkout lane, am I working for the store?

Shouldn’t I get a paycheck? And benefits?

If an auto dealer wants his name plastered anywhere on my vehicle, should I charge for the advertising?

If I could ever figure out what they are selling on TV I might want to buy it, as long as the pretty pitch girl was included.

Everybody likes rodeo clowns.

You’d think there would be more clowns than politicians. Or maybe there are. ■

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18 TRAVEL

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December 2014

10 unforgettable things to do in Hawaii

By Sandra Scott

A

s Colorado weather gets colder, my writing wanders off to warmer places.

Hawaii is like no other state. It is located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and is of Polynesian heritage.

There are only seven inhabited islands, each offering unforgettable experiences.

1. Pearl Harbor. The World War II

Valor in the Pacific National Monument is the place to learn about the beginning and end of World War II. A 23-minute documentary in the Pacific Memorial Theater relates the attack that led to the U.S. declaring war. Visitors then proceed to the memorial built over the sunken battleship Arizona. A shuttle bus takes visitors to the recently refurbished battleship Missouri, the site of Japan’s

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Hawaii. The North Shore of Oahu is known for its big waves, especially during the winter, but surfers will official surrender to the U.S. that find thrills on all the islands. Wanended World War II. nabe surfers will find places to take 2. Polynesian Cultural Center. The lessons and practice on more gentle Polynesian waves. Surfing is Cultural Center also a spectator lets you experisport, especially ence villages in at Oahu’s Waimea Tahiti, Fiji, Tonga, Bay, Sunset Beach Hawaii, New Zeaand Banzai land and Samoa.

Pipeline.

At 5 p.m. head to 6. Volcanoes. the Hale Ku’ai for There are cura fabulous luau. rently three After dinner there active volcanoes is time to amble in Hawaii. For over to the evethe biggest thrill, ning show “Ha: head to Hawaii Breath of Life,” a Volcanoes Nationcircle of life story. Traditional Hawaiian greeting. al Park on the Big 3. SnorkelIsland. Near Hilo ing. Enjoy the colorful underis Kilauea, one of the earth’s most water parade of fish, especially active volcanoes, called “the world’s the bright yellow tangs and the only drive-in volcano.” The Crater Humuhumunukunukuapua’a (huRim Drive, a 10.6-mile loop, takes muhumu for short, also known as visitors to the main attractions. reef triggerfish), the Hawaiian state 7. Plantations visits. On Oahu visit fish. Dive above a turtle-cleaning stathe Plantation Village Museum and tion where the surgeon fish clean the the Dole Pineapple Plantation. The algae off the turtles. The most excitBig Island is home to the Mauna Loa ing snorkel trip is the night dive with macadamia nut plantation. Maui is the manta rays. the place to learn about producing 4. Whale watching. Every winter sugar, tropical fruits and flowers. the humpback whales return to bear Kauai is home to a sugar plantation their young and put on a great show and rice mill. On Molokai visitors can of breaching, fin slapping and tail learn about taro and take the Molokai waving. While these behemoths of Coffee Plantation Estate Tour. the sea can be 40 to 45 feet in length, 8. Halawa Valley. The Halawa Valweigh up to 40 tons and can eat a ton ley is where the first civilization in of food a day, they can leap nearly Hawaii began around the year 500. their body length out of the water.

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TRAVEL 19

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A fabulous luau takes place at the Polynesian Cultural Center.

50 generations, are preserving the ancient culture of Hawaii. The lush valley is the place to hike to some stunning waterfalls.

9. Father Damien. The former leprosy colony is located on Molokai where victims of this now curable disease were isolated. Until the arrival of Father Damien, there were no amenities or help for the ill. In 1873 Father Damien, a Catholic missionary, arrived and dedicated his life to

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10. Getting around. Several airlines, including Hawaiian and Mokulele Airlines, offer quick, efficient connections between the islands. Looking for a luxurious, all-inclusive cruise to the Big Island, Maui, Lanai and Molokai? Consider Un-Cruise’s Safari Explorer. For more information, visit www.gohawaii.com and www. un-cruise.com. ■

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20 FUN AFTER 50

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December 2014

Fun after 50

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12:00 p.m.

12:30 p.m.

12:45 p.m.

1:00 p.m.

Painting Class & Pool Tourney Gray Gourmet Bible Study Bridge Canasta

Saturday

9:00 a.m.

1:00 p.m.

Bridge Bingo

Sunday

1:00 p.m.

Dance (1st & 3rd Sunday)

o register for these programs, call the Grand Junction Parks and Recreation Department at 254-3866 or visit www.gjparksandrec.org.

December 6

Candy Cane Hunt The 14th annual Candy Cane Hunt features holiday crafts, cookies and cocoa. Mesa County Library will render a holiday-themed puppet show for your entertainment. MJ Thomas Photography can capture a holiday family photo with Frosty the Snowman. Photo packages begin at $15.

This free event is from 10 a.m.11:30 a.m. at Lincoln Park Barn.

December 9

Holiday Light Tour for 50+ Get in the holiday spirit while you relax and enjoy the hidden gems of the city’s best light displays. Enjoy hot chocolate and goodies before you go. Register early. This event always fills. Cost is $5. Event is from 6 p.m.8 p.m. Meet at Lincoln Park Barn.

DANCE Mondays

Intermediate Line Dance Continue with the benefits of dancing and improve your line dancing skills by learning new dances with a little more difficulty. Class is from 1 p.m.-2:30 p.m. Mondays at Lincoln Park Barn. Cost is $34 for a 10-punch pass or $5 to drop in.

HEALTH & FITNESS Tues. & Fri. (through Dec. 16)

Gentle Active Yoga

This class teaches flexibility of mind and body in a fun and supportive environment. Students must be able to get up and down unassisted. Class is 8 a.m.-9 a.m. at Lincoln Park Barn.

Cost is $7 to drop in or $50 for a punch pass.

SPORTS Drop-In Pickleball

When the weather turns cold, keep on playing! There will be three indoor ACTIVITY GUIDE December 12 courts available at Chocolate Walk Lincoln Park Barn.

The Winter/Spring Experience downEquipment is avail2015 Activity Guide town Grand Junction’s able to borrow at the will be available online Parks and Recreation holiday charm during a walking tour of beautioffice, located south December 19. ful Main Street, featurof the pool. Courts are ing your choice of an available from 8:30 Art on the Corner Tour or history a.m.-11:30 a.m. Monday, Wednesday tour. All paid participants receive a and Thursday. They are also available special commemorative mug filled from 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.with Enstrom’s hot chocolate. An 7 p.m. Tuesday and Friday. Cost is $5 adult must accompany children under to drop in. A 10-punch pass can be 12. Cost is $10. Meet at Enstrom Canpurchased for $30. dies at 5:30 p.m.

December 13

SRC SPECIAL EVENTS

Jingle Bell Run 5K

December 18

Show up at Canyon View Park with bells on—jingle bells, that is. The allages 5K begins at 9 a.m. Cost is $24 if you preregister. Cost is $29 if you register the day of. Roice-Hurst Humane Society will be accepting donations of dog and cat food, and cat litter. Great prizes will be raffled off.

Dancing starts at 10 a.m. with meal at 11:45 a.m. at the Senior Recreation Center. Cost is $3 if you preregister and $5 at the door. Call 243-7408 to reserve a spot. Bring a wrapped gift for a member of the same gender. ■

Christmas Party

December 2014

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

Remodeling your home? What to look for in a general contractor

By Shelley Clennin, Paragon Restoration & Building, Inc.

W

hen it comes to remodeling your home, it’s important to choose a reputable contractor who is professional and who will give you a good price estimate, has the right materials and references, communicates well and is licensed and insured.

 Licensing is not required in all areas but hiring a licensed and insured contractor avoids opening yourself up to significant liability as a homeowner. Having a license is a good indication that he or she is familiar with local building codes and enables him or her to attain a permit or inspection if required. Licensing can be determined by contacting your local building and planning department.  General liability and

 Does the contractor have knowl-

HOME & HEARTH 21

edge or experience specific to your project? For example, when considering a remodel that focuses on accessibility, ADA compliance or the need for accessibility equipment, consider a contractor that is certified and educated in that area. In this instance, check with organizations such as Accessible Home Improvements of America, which offers a Certified Environmental Accessibility Consultant (CEAC) certification.

 It’s standard for a contractor to request a reasonable down payment in order to start the job and then collect the remaining balance upon completion. But watch out for contractors requesting down payments exceeding one-third to one-half of the project.

Never put down money prior to signing a contract or without a detailed estimate. Also, feel free to ask the contractor to explain the estimate. (A good contractor will do that without being asked.)

Hiring a licensed and insured contractor avoids opening yourself up to significant liability as a homeowner.

workers compensation insurance are essential. Does the contractor carry insurance? You could be liable for injuries to your contractor or his employees, or you could find yourself having to bear the cost of repairing damages to your property caused by the contractor in the course of work. The cost of insurance is a significant factor to the contractor’s cost of operation, but it also protects the homeowner.

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December 2014

The ugliest Christmas guest ever

By Teresa Ambord

E

xcept for the lights on the Christmas tree the house was dark.

I sat on the floor with my back against the couch, admiring the red, green and white twinkle lights. They were one of my favorite things about Christmas. Beside me on the floor were two boxes of decorations, most of which would not make it onto the tree at all. I was determined to keep it simple for once, especially because this would be my first Christmas as an empty nester. My only child had moved too far away to come home for the holidays.

Christmas might be a little lonely this year, I thought as I sipped some decaf coffee. I knew that on Christmas afternoon I’d go to my sister’s house, but until then, it would be just me and my dog and cat. It would be nice to have a little bit of company. I didn’t know then that I would come to regret that thought.

A noise at the back door caused me to look up and see Gracie hop through the kitty door.

“Come here, baby,” I said.

My cat stopped and took a long look at the Christmas tree as if to ask how an outside tree got inside the house. Then she sauntered over to allow me to pet her.

“Have you been rolling on the wet ground? You’re damp,” I said. “Oops, Gracie, you’ve got a leaf or something stuck in your hair. Let me pull it off.”

Removing the thing proved harder than I expected, since it had worked its way into Gracie’s long hair. With it

on my finger, I walked to the darkened kitchen to toss it in the trash.

As I walked, I noticed it felt odd.

Hmmm, this is no leaf, I thought. I flipped on a light and brought my hand up to my eyes for a better look.

Then I realized, I was eye to eye with a fat brown slug. My beautiful Gracie had brought a slug into my home, instantly destroying my peace of mind.

I shrieked, probably scaring the slug more than he scared me. In my panic, my hand shot out as a way to get him off of me. No sooner did Sluggo detach and fly off of me that I realized that was a big mistake.

What have I done? I thought, smacking my forehead. Now there was a slug somewhere in my house and I had no idea where. I had visions of myself walking across the carpet and squashing him with my new Christmas socks. Or maybe Gracie or my dog would find him and think he was an interesting toy or worse, a treat. Moments earlier I had wished for some Christmas company, but this was not what I had in mind.

I had to find him, so I estimated the trajectory of my hand when I propelled Sluggo into oblivion. Then I followed the path I thought he must have traveled, eager to expel the unwanted, ugly visitor. No luck. I got down on all fours and surveyed the carpet.

For the first time, I regretted my choice of new carpet in multiple shades of brown, including the ever-popular “Slug Beige” tone.

I wasn’t sure which would be worse, finding him, or not finding him. Would I stand up and discover he was pasted to my knee?

The idea of having

December 2014 to peel a slug pancake off my pant leg made me shiver.

Face it, I told myself. There is no good ending to this situation.

When Sluggo did not turn up anywhere else, I realized he had to be in one of two places. Either he had flown into one of the boxes, still filled with decorations, or he was buried in the boughs of my Christmas tree. Methodically I emptied the boxes, examining every ornament.

No sign of Sluggo.

With no other choice, I got out my big flashlight, and began to go over the tree, inch by inch. I’d been so happy with this tree, but suddenly I was regretting how dense and prickly it was. I wanted Sluggo gone, but I sure didn’t want to find him impaled on my Christmas tree like some kind of weird ornament.

At the end of the evening, an exhaustive search failed to turn up my unwanted guest. I knew there was little chance of Sluggo finding his own way out of the house. But I was at a loss. I had no choice but to give

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com up and face the fact that I would be sharing my house and my Christmas with a fat, slimy, brown slug that had accidentally hitched a ride on my unsuspecting Gracie. Or did he do it on purpose? Maybe he was lonely too.

Ah, well, I decided. Somehow life will go on.

As I expected, Christmas was lonely that year. But thanks to Sluggo, it was certainly more interesting. He never made another appearance, and for all I know, he could still be here somewhere. He was without a doubt, the ugliest Christmas guest anyone ever had. On the other hand, he was quiet and undemanding. In previous years I’d had human guests who were noisy, clumsy and less than grateful for my hospitality.

Come to think of it, some of them even resembled Sluggo’s gelatinous, blob-like appearance. When I looked at it that way, as Christmas guests go, it could have been worse.

Yes, it could have been much worse. ■

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24 NAMPA AWARDS

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

December 2014

BEACON SENIOR NEWSPAPER wins national awards

BEACON staff and writers. Back row, left: Daniel Ashurst, Lauren VanGundy, Kevin VanGundy, Cloie Sandlin, Heidi Graf, Genevra Shal, Liesl Greathouse and Clay Greathouse.

Front row, left: Brenda Evers, Kathy Kimbrough, Karen Jones, Jan Weeks, Sue Bowen, Terri Benson, Virginia Carlile and Cheryl Currier.

By Cloie Sandlin

C

hristmas comes early every year for the BEACON staff when our publisher, Kevin VanGundy, returns from the annual North American Mature Publishers Association (NAMPA) convention.

This year’s convention took place in Shreveport, Louisiana. Aside from seeing the sights with other senior publishers from across the country, a highlight of the convention is the awards banquet, where senior publications big and small vie for top honors in a variety of categories. Publications are independently judged on the quality of their written content, editing, design, photography, web content and more by the prestigious Missouri School of Journalism. The best are then commended for their efforts with awards.

This year, your BEACON Senior Newspaper and its staff were nominated in the following categories:

General Excellence • BEACON Senior Newspaper, Colorado

Column Review • “Ask the Computer Guy” by Daniel Ashurst • “Garden Smarts” by Kathy Kimbrough

Profile • “Dancer keeps moving beyond boundaries” by Brenda Evers (July 2013) • “The Iron Maiden” by Carrie Kellerby (March 2014)

• “Artist finds inspiration at fast food restaurant” by Carrie Kellerby (May 2014) • “‘When you read my obit, you’ll know I’ve quit’” by Melanie Wiseman (January 2014)

• “All aboard! Model trains take over Cross Orchards during the holidays” by Terri Benson (December 2013) • “How I became an outdoor woman” by Jan Weeks (August 2013)

• “Globe-trotting Doris” by Melanie Wiseman (October 2013)

• “The perfect tree” by Jan Weeks (December 2013)

• “Nancy Lewis’ life-changing journey” by Melanie Wiseman (July 2013)

• “Driving dogs on the Grand Mesa” by Cameron Jones (January 2014)

How-To Feature • “Be publishing savvy: 3 tips to keep from getting scammed” by Patti Hoff (September 2013) • “Searching for a sweetheart? 9 tips for senior dating” by Jan Weeks (February 2014)

• “The Avalon Theater – Cornerstone of our community’s culture” by Marsha Kearns (January & February 2014) • “Local Wall of Heroes honors our veterans” by Marsha Kearns (May 2014) • “Staying young, having fun at Powderhorn” by Cloie Sandlin (March 2014)

• “10 ways to get your home and garden ready for spring” by Melanie Wiseman (March 2014)

• “Meeting new friends? Looking for love?”

by Carrie Kellerby & Liesl Greathouse (February 2014)

• “How to speak fly-fishing” by Jan Weeks (July 2013)

• “Offroading for the young at heart” by Liesl Greathouse & Melanie Wiseman (June 2014)

Feature Writing

• “Steadfast Steeds” by Melanie Wiseman (August 2013)

• “Firefighters of Western Colorado” by Sandi Cameron (July & August 2013) • “History, legends and lore of the Hotel Colorado” by Sandi Cameron (September & October 2013) • “Snowbirds head south for the winter” by Carla Johnson (October 2013) • “Women changing the face of military vets” by Adele Israel (November 2013) • “Rethink your Christmas giving?” by Cheryl Currier & Rebecca Sanders (December 2013)

Photo by Lorie Gregor • Grand Junction BeaconFest Program (April 2014). Photo by Cloie Sandlin.

Photo features Mary Lee Bowen and Ellen Roberts.

• Create a Legacy (March 2014). Photo by Melanie Wiseman.

Photo features Susan Alvillar in a vintage Girl Scout uniform.

• April 2014 BEACON, “Fun, friendship, freedom” Photo features Friends for the Fun of It, a local chapter of the Red Hat Society.

• Senior Summer Traveler & Festivals (June 2014).

Photo features BEACON reader Mike Hill holding up March’s BEACON in front of a cathedral in Ireland.

• June 2014 BEACON, “Offroading: Your ticket to adventure” Photo features Western Slope ATV Association members Jerry and Susan Norton crossing West Divide Creek on their ATV.

• “The experience of being alive” by Melanie Wiseman & Carol Inglis (September 2013)

• September 2013 BEACON, “Yeehaw!

I’m 90!”

Photo features Al Inglis falling through the sky, documenting his skydiving adventure to ring in his 90th birthday.

Special Section

Front Cover Illustration

• Senior Summer Traveler & Festivals (June 2014) • Happy Holidays (November 2013) • Create a Legacy (March 2014)

Front Cover Photo • Senior Games Program (July 2013).

• February 2014 BEACON, “Where do seniors find love?” by Heidi Graf.

Feature Layout All layouts by Heidi Graf.

• “Dancer keeps moving beyond boundaries” (July 2013). Story by Brenda Evers.

• “History, legends and lore of the Hotel Colorado” (September & October 2013).

Story by Sandi Cameron.

• “The Avalon Theater – Cornerstone of our community’s culture” (January & February 2014). Story by Marsha Kearns.

• “The experience of being alive” (September 2013). Story by Melanie Wiseman & Carol Inglis.

• “Searching for a sweetheart? 9 tips for senior dating” (February 2014). Story by Jan Weeks.

• “10 ways to get your home and garden ready for spring” (March 2014). Story by Melanie Wiseman.

• “What’s so funny about growing old?”

(April 2014). Story by Melanie Wiseman.

• “Cattle and sheep men of Western Colorado” (March & April 2014). Story by Sandi Cameron.

being alive” by Melanie Wiseman & Carol Inglis (September 2013)

Special Section We wiped out this category!

• 1st Place - Create a Legacy (March 2014) • 2nd Place - Happy Holidays (December 2013)

Fresh. Local. From the Heart.

Hand-cut filet mignon from Quality Meats, fresh vegetables from Okagawa Farms, delicious desserts made with Enstrom Toffee & featured wine from Two Rivers Winery. It’s just another way we take care of our community.

Because it’s the small things that count.

• 3rd Place - Senior Summer Traveler & Festivals (June 2014)

Front Cover Photo • 3rd Place - September 2013 BEACON, “Yeehaw! I’m 90!”

Photo features Al Inglis falling through the sky, documenting his skydiving adventure to ring in his 90th birthday.

Front Cover Illustration • 2nd Place - February 2014 BEACON, “Where do seniors find love?” by Heidi Graf.

• “11 tips for staying safe on the water” (June 2014). Story by Melanie Wiseman.

Website General Excellence

Best Overall Use of Photography • BEACON Senior Newspaper, Colorado

• 1st Place - BEACON Senior Newspaper, Colorado

Best Overall Design

Congratulations to you all!

• BEACON Senior Newspaper, Colorado

NAMPA AWARDS 25

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

For the second year in a row!

Putting together a BEACON isn’t easy. It takes novel ideas, creative Website General Excellence design and photography, careful • BEACON Senior Newspaper, Colorado editing, intriguing and well-written stories, supportive advertisers, and a And the winners are… dedicated staff.

Column Review I believe that the number and qual• 1st Place - “Garden Smarts” by Kathy ity of the local articles we publish Kimbrough in the BEACON make us stand out at such competitions. Many of our • 2nd Place - “Ask the Computer Guy” by award-winning stories about local Daniel Ashurst people and local Profile issues might • 1st Place never have been “Nancy Lewis’ written if it life-changing weren’t for our journey” by wonderful, local Melanie Wisewriters. Thank man (July 2013) you!

But above How-To Feature all, the BEA• 3rd Place - “How CON would to speak flynot be where fishing” by Jan it is today if it Weeks (July weren’t for you, 2013) our readers. As always, thank Feature Writing The BEACON website, www.BeaconSeniorNews. you for reading • 2nd Place - “The com, won first place for website general excellence. the BEACON. ■ experience of

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www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

There’s A New Prosthodontist In Town!

I’m Jake R. Atwood and although I am new to town, I am not new to Prosthodontics.

I served in the United States Air Force where I polished my skills and learned the value of self-sacrifice and service.

As a prosthodontist, I primarily deal with the replacement of missing or worn teeth. Whether it’s just one or all 32 of them, I can help you achieve a comfortable bite and a beautiful smile. And remember, it’s important to get your dentures checked annually!

Having 4 kids, I know what it’s like to want the best for the ones you love. That’s why it’s not just about teeth. It’s about providing the best care in a comfortable, friendly atmosphere.

So, come on over, get to know us, and leave feeling like one of the family! *Dr. Atwood is the only Prosthodontist in the Western Slope of Colorado.

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December 2014

A simple way of giving

By Melanie Wiseman

W

hat would you do if someone knocked on your door and handed you $10,000?

This scenario has become a reality for nonprofits in Mesa County. A passionate and eclectic group of women appropriately named The Giving Club is on the move.

Long-time leader in the nonprofit community and fifth generation Western Colorado native Illene Roggensack lit the fire behind the group.

“The Giving Club is modeled after something that many communities around the country have called ‘100 Women Who Care.’ It’s a great idea and easy enough to put together,” Roggensack, 54, said. “I got a hold of seven other women in town whom I know can make things happen and we were off and running.”

The club sought 100 or more women who enjoy coming together in downtown Grand Junction for a quarterly early evening gathering.

After just two meetings, the group already touts 108 members and more are welcome.

From 5:15 p.m.-7 p.m., women enjoy social and networking time, beverages and great food. The highlight of the evening is when members nominate local nonprofits to receive The Giving Club members’ philanthropic support.

The names of three organizations are randomly drawn and an enthusiastic endorsement is given by the each organization’s respective nominator. Members vote and one charitable group is awarded the evening’s pledges: $100 per person, which equals over $10,000.

The Giving Club had its first quarterly meeting in August with 78 initial members and donated $7,800 to the Western Slope Center for Children. At the November meeting, Roice-Hurst Humane Society was selected to receive that evening’s pledges totaling $10,800.

“It’s organized random acts of kindness,” Jacque Chappell-Reid said about the club. “It’s simple and fast.

One hundred percent of the pledges go to a nonprofit. In one hour we give away over $10,000.”

“There are so many deserving nonprofits in Mesa County,” Sharon Currie-Mills said. “All nonprofits are trying to raise money. This is great for smaller organizations without the staff to write grants and plan fundraising events.”

“It is a wonderful meeting of women with commitment, purpose and a goal,” Marilee Langfitt said.

“I was so excited to see how this small community of 100-plus women can make such a big difference,” Gail Gnirk said. “I don’t come to nominate a nonprofit; I come to learn about organizations others are nominating.

One hundred dollars once a quarter is not a hardship and The Giving Club’s donations can make a big difference.”

Roggensack is thrilled with the club’s early success.

“It’s a great opportunity to meet new people while doing something worthwhile in giving a gift. It’s very much aligned with the trends we’re seeing today in Americans’ charitable giving,” she said. “As someone who works with a lot of nonprofit organizations, I can tell you that this appeals to me personally because it doesn’t require the selected organization to jump through a lot of hoops to get a very substantial donation.”

All quarterly $100 pledges are tax deductible, and must be cash or checks. An annual $100 hospitality fee covers wine, beer and soft drinks as well as an appetizer spread at each meeting. Next meetings are at the Springhill Suites, 236 Main St. in Grand Junction on February 2, May 4, and August 3, 2015.

Roggensack said many women tell her it may not feel like you can make much of a difference with $100, but collectively it has the potential to make a real impact.

To get involved, contact Judy Vanderleest at jjvan6@gmail.com, call 260-6140 or visit www.gjgivingclub. org. ■

December 2014

RESOURCE DIRECTORY HIGHLIGHT 27

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

BEACON Resource Directory now called Transitions in Aging

By Cloie Sandlin

listings in our Mesa County section, 460 in the Delta-Montrose counties section and 365 in Garfield County.

If you can’t find a service or product in your particular area, try looking in one of the other counties. It’s not uncommon for Western Slope seniors to live in one place, shop in another, or even visit a doctor in another county.

M

erry Christmas from the BEACON! As a gift from us to you, you should find a copy of the BEACON’s annual Resource Directory stuffed somewhere 2015 inside this December issue. If you haven’t found it already, I thought I should give you a heads up because it looks a little different this year.

Got technology?

That’s because it For even more conhas a new name and a venience, our webnew look. Now called site, www.Beacon Transitions in Aging, SeniorNews.com, this trusted tool for hosts a virtual forarea seniors, their RE SOURCE DIREC TORY mat of Transitions families and those in Aging for seniors who assist them, has and their family members who live only gotten bigger and better. In adoutside of the area. It’s senior friendly dition to the new name and overall design, it’s also printed on some nice and can be turned page by page with just a click of the mouse. You sleek paper.

The new name comes from the fact can search for keywords, zoom in that our directory is full of resources and out, and click on an advertiser’s weblink to be automatically directed that we may need as we age and as to its website. we transition along the continuum of care. We have better organized Monthly highlights the listings under different phases Every month, the BEACON highof care, from retirement planning to lights a local club or organization assisted living to end of life. But of listed in the directory. It’s a great way course, our directory has many other for readers to become better involved helpful resources, such as clubs, with organizations in the community. churches, genealogy resources, pet (This month, Transitions in Aging is vets and shelters, support groups and what we are highlighting.) volunteer opportunities. Don’t worry.

Get your free copy of Transitions in They’re all still there.

Aging Transitions in Aging contains If your copy isn’t in this issue of the hundreds of listings and hard-to-find BEACON, or if you’d like to request phone numbers in Mesa, Delta, Monadditional copies, call us at 970-243trose and Garfield counties. We’ve 8829 and we will mail them to you. taken great care to make sure that We widely distribute Transitions in each listing is accurate and up to date.

Each year, every listed phone number Aging in Mesa, Delta, Montrose and Garfield counties. It can be found is called and personally verified. at numerous doctors’ offices, senior Though geared for seniors, many centers, hospitals and more. households keep the directory on Businesses are able to call and hand throughout the year. As our community grows, so does our direc- request them in bulk and we will deliver them personally and with tory. Many listings are added every a smile. ■ year. This year, there are about 800 ™

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28 FAITH MOVES

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December 2014

will always remember the first Christmas Eve I spent back home with my family after having gone off to college.

I had purchased a new book to read and as I sat on the bed in my room reading the book, I just couldn’t fall asleep. I spent those hours reading and considering the crossroads of life where I found myself—at the intersection of youth and adulthood. I was so caught up in the anticipation of Christmas, but I couldn’t figure out why. As a child, I dreamed about the presents under the tree, but as a young man, those gifts didn’t concern me. As I look back, I realize that it was on that night that I finally discovered the true meaning of Christmas.

Now many years later, I get just as full of anticipation as I did on that Christmas Eve long ago. Sometimes I feel too tired to put up and decorate the Christmas tree. Sometimes the memories of Christmases past haunt me. I wish I could go back in time to be with people who are no longer on this earth. I wish I could go back to a time when I was a younger man and had more energy. And yet, there is still this anticipation as Christmas approaches.

And so I remember that night. I remember the discovery of the thing that makes Christmas so amazing.

It wasn’t the stuff I dreamed of as a child: toys, candy, fancy decorations and a break from school. Christmas is the best reminder of how much God loves me. It’s also a reminder of how this crazy world has gotten away from that.

God’s son, my King, was born in a lowly manger and was first worshipped by lowly shepherds. I find joy in knowing that God loves me enough to send his son to show me that God’s way is not the way of the world.

So I stretch out the holiday season for as long as possible, finding ways to remind myself of what Christmas is all about. I listen to and sing Christmas music, I read the prophecies about Jesus and the Christmas story, I make simple paper chains to decorate, I go to special worship services, and I reminisce about the wonder of the life I’ve lived and consider the wonder of what God has left for me.

It’s not quite the same as wondering whether or not I’m going to get a G.I. Joe doll under the tree like I did when I was a kid, but actually, it’s so much better. It almost makes me wonder if I’ll be able to get any sleep at all this Christmas Eve. ■

Christmas is the best reminder of how much God loves me. It’s also a reminder of how this crazy world has gotten away from that.

December 2014

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

Don’t let technology woes bring gloom to your holiday Ask the computer guy

By Daniel Ashurst, Alpine Computer Solutions

’T

is the season to be jolly! Now if only there was a magic wand that we could wave over our computer and other devices to prevent Scrooges from stealing our holiday cheer. But since there isn’t one, here are some practical ways we can traverse the holiday season and keep peace with the technology in our homes.

Say no to inbound phone calls promising support and solutions to alleged computer woes that have projected themselves across the Internet to their “support center.” These scoundrels have no good tidings for you or your family. They are after your greenbacks.

An appropriate reaction would be to give them a prominent raspberry over the phone and hang up.

Say no to toolbars and software solutions that may appear in your email or are peddled through websites. General cleanup of your computer can easily be done without any software tools. There are a few good tools out there, but few of the good ones cost much, if anything.

Say no to TV ads promising quick and painless cures for PC problems. There’s no one-click lasting solution. There is an art to keeping your PC fast and error free, and you don’t have to be a rocket

ASK THE COMPUTER GUY 29

1000 N. 9th Street, #5 Grand Junction

scientist to perform the steps.

Say yes to maintenance, good record keeping and organization. Have a place for your computer passwords and the disks used to install each device. Many times when I make house calls, it is to retrieve a lost Wi-Fi password or to load a printer because the customer has lost their disk. Having one box to store everything related to your computer would serve you greatly.

Say yes to investing in your computer. If you enjoy browsing Facebook or reading the online news, embrace the fact that you are more than a casual user of the computer. I find that people who put more thought and strategy into their buying decisions for the long-term use of their technology are generally better served because they tend to buy a higher quality system that lasts longer and has fewer problems. Just because it’s on sale doesn’t mean it’s going to save you money in the long haul.

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May this holiday season find you full of eggnog and empty of technology woes.

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30 FINANCE

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

It’s about time...

Can you lend me a few bucks?

I’ll pay you back.

By Teresa Ambord

W

Discover the carefree retirement community that gives you the luxury of time INDEPENDENT LIVING Our single-level patio homes offer privacy and luxury. The open living plans feature two bedrooms, two baths, vaulted ceilings, contemporary kitchens, gas fireplace, covered patio and one-car garage.

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L O C A L LY O W N E D A N D O P E R A T E D B Y H I L LT O P - M A K I N G A D I F F E R E N C E F O R P E O P L E O F A L L A G E S

December 2014

hether you are well off or barely making it month to month, there always seems to be someone lower on the food chain who wants to borrow your money. A family member, a friend, maybe even a coworker or acquaintance. Too often they’ll promise you anything, accept any terms or conditions, until they get the money. Then good luck getting repaid.

Don’t let yourself be pressured into lending money you can’t afford to do without for the duration of the loan. But if your money is languishing in the bank collecting almost no interest, you might do well to make a private loan to someone you feel confident can and will pay you back.

Chances are the borrower will also get a better deal from you than he or she could from a bank. Just make the decision with a cool head and whatever you do, don’t go into it lightly. If you decide to make the loan and you structure it properly, it could be a win/win situation.

Before you turn over a single dollar, follow some practical rules from financial experts.

Put it in writing. If this makes you squirm, I recommend that you don’t make the loan until you’ve watched a week’s worth of Judge Judy. It’s the same story over and over: Mama scraped together $2,000 out of her Social Security so 34-year-old Junior could buy the jalopy of his dreams.

He’d pay her back out of his tax refund, he said. But after he blew it on a Vegas weekend, there was nothing left. Junior’s defense: “She never said nothin’ about no loan. It was a gift. I can’t believe my mama hauled me into court!” That’s why you need to put the loan on paper and get all parties to sign it. If the borrowers complain you are acting like a bank, remind them that they are treating you like an ATM. Other compelling reasons to formalize the deal are as follows.

• If the loan is structured properly and you do not get repaid, you may be able to write the loan off as a non-business bad debt. You not only need to have the loan in writing, but you must also make a good faith attempt to collect. Otherwise if you are audited, the IRS may disallow your deduction. Generally a bad loan can be treated as a short-term capital loss on your tax return. On the flip side, if the loan is not documented and you write it off and undergo an audit, the IRS may deem it to have been a gift and disallow your deduction. Depending on the amount, you could also be hit for not filing a gift tax return.

• If there is real estate involved, you may also need to consult an attorney and get the documents recorded.

Don’t be afraid to charge interest. But how do you set the interest rate? If the loan is below $10,000 it’s usually acceptable to charge whatever interest rate you are comfortable with. If the loan is for $10,000 or more, you’ll need to follow IRS rules, so talk it over with your tax adviser to avoid penalties.

Let’s say you are lending $9,000 to your brother-in-law for some minor home repairs. He’ll probably expect low or no interest. But of course it’s your money and it could be earning some sort of return, so if you’re giving up the use of your own money you need a reward. Banks charge higher interest for higher-risk borrowers. You should do the same. Take an honest assessment of how risky it is to lend this guy money. Higher risk equals higher interest. The longer the loan life, the greater the risk, and therefore the higher the interest should be. On the other hand, if your brother-in-law is a stand-up guy and you have reason to believe you’ll get repaid fairly quickly, you could give him a low rate compared to a bank loan and still outdo the interest income a bank would pay you.

Don’t beat yourself up over charg-

December 2014 ing interest. It’s your money and even assuming you are fully repaid, you are giving up the use of it for a time.

The more businesslike you keep this, the better you’ll fare if you do have to drag your brother-in-law before Judge Judy.

Keep emotion out of it, family or no family. Don’t ever lend what you can’t afford to lend (and possibly lose) and don’t lend if you have no realistic expectation of getting paid back.

Better to just call it a gift than to ruin a family relationship and end up a Rolaids junkie.

Notice that when your loving niece comes, hat in hand, asking for a loan, she’s willing to make any deal, do anything, swear to be your most devoted fan forever. That gratitude may fade quickly after the money is spent and you want to be repaid. So before the ink is dry on the check you write, take advantage of the borrower’s pre-funding willingness and get it in writing.

A scrap of paper signed by both parties is better than nothing but this is your money. Take a little extra time to do it right. Type it up, set an interest rate, schedule payments, and take your borrower to visit a notary public to get the agreement notarized. Notaries are easy to find and the process is quick and inexpensive.

How to charge interest If you do lend a substantial amount of money interest free, you could end

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com up with tax and gift consequences.

Before you lay down the first dollar, talk to your financial adviser. A good adviser will likely tell you to forget interest free and charge applicable federal rate (AFR). Each year, you’ll need to report the interest you receive on your tax return, and your borrower may be able to claim the interest expense (depending on how the proceeds of the loan were spent).

Your adviser can tell you what the current month AFRs are. If the loan is a “term loan,” meaning it has a specific end date like a 5-year loan, you can use the same rate for the life of the loan. For example, here are the AFRs for December 2014: 0.34 percent for short-term loans of

three years or less.

1.70 percent for mid-term loans of more than three years but no more than nine years.

2.70 percent for long-term loans more than nine years.

So let’s say that in December 2014 you lend your daughter $60,000 for a business venture, and set up a 10-year monthly repayment plan. The AFR to use is 2.70 percent and this will apply until the loan is paid off.

On the other hand, suppose you set up a “demand loan,” meaning you can demand the money back at any time.

For demand loans, the AFR does not last the life of the loan. It must fluctuate as the short-term rate listed above fluctuates. ■

FINANCE 31

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www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

December 2014

Tips for caregivers: How to make it through the holidays

By Joni Karp, CaregiverCARE, LLC

F

or most families the holidays are about spending time with loved ones and celebrating. But for people with a disability and those who care for them, the holidays can be challenging.

Be sure to provide family and friends with updated information about the person. This is especially important if changes have occurred, such as general decline, changes in appearance, increased memory loss and behaviors.

Be honest. The purpose is to maintain dignity, avoid embarrassment, and create a calm and comfortable environment.

Recognize agitation, stress and

discomfort. Signs include withdrawal and seeking isolation, repetition in behaviors and speech, pacing and outbursts. If your person is selfisolating, allow them that time.

Avoid continued coaxing, as this may lead to agitation and undesired behaviors.

Don’t overwhelm.

• Consider having family and friends visit in small groups rather than in one big gathering, or consider scheduling the gathering at a time that is best for the person you are caring for, such as the time of day or evening when they are most alert and at their best.

• Be sure to serve foods that your person likes, will recognize and will be easy to eat.

• Include level-appropriate activities that your person can participate in

so they feel included.

• When dealing with memory issues, ensure that people introduce themselves and state who they are in relation to that person.

• Wear nametags.

• Avoid saying “Remember...”

• Dementia doesn’t mean deaf. Be aware of the tone of your voice.

Speak slowly and clearly and allow the person time to respond.

• Follow and engage in their conversation and what they are saying.

• If the person is in a wheelchair, get down to their level. Do not talk down to them.

• Make eye contact.

• Choose music that is soothing.

• Limit holiday decorations. Avoid clutter and possible tripping hazards.

• Ensure proper lighting and room temperature.

• When assisting with personal needs, whisper in their ear to

preserve dignity.

• Above all, be patient.

Tips for caregiver preservation.

• Join a support group.

• Don’t take anything personally.

• Don’t get stuck in tradition. Make new memories and create new traditions.

• Breathe deep and allow family and friends to provide you with moments of respite during this time. Step away, mingle and enjoy.

• When others ask if or how they can help, don’t be shy. Tell them.

• If guests ask what they can bring, suggest gifts that really will help, such as frozen prepared foods, an IOU for caregiving that offers you respite time, an offer to run specific errands, etc.

• Take photos and videos, and record special and humorous moments.

• Above all, love, laugh and enjoy.

Cherish every moment. ■

December 2014

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

Mesa County Club Activities • Friendship Force meets monthly at 6:15 p.m. on the second Thursday at Community Hospital’s lower conference room. Call 260-4653 or visit www.thefriendshipforce.org.

• Western Slope Coin Club meets monthly at 6:30 p.m. the second Wednesday at the VFW Post #1247.

Get a free coin/currency evaluation at 5:30 p.m. Call 241-1770 or visit www.gjcoinshow.com.

• Grand Valley Knights meets at 7 a.m.9:30 a.m. Saturdays at Spoons Bistro & Bakery with their sport and classic vehicles. Call 462-6762 or visit www. grandvalleyknights.com.

• Mesa County Genealogical Society meets monthly at 7 p.m. on the second Thursday at The Commons of Hilltop and at noon on the fourth Wednesday at the Museum of Western Colorado. Help sessions are at 1 p.m. on the first Friday at a library branch. Call 640-2388.

• Two Rivers Cribbage Club meets from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Thursdays at the Masonic Center. Call 261-1670.

• Vestafjell Lodge, Sons of Norway meets at 2 p.m. on December 14 at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church. Call 858-6702 or visit www. vestafjelllodge.org.

• Happy Feet Rounds offers basic choreographed ballroom dancing at the Masonic Center on Sundays (beginners from 5 p.m.-6:30 p.m. and intermediate from 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m.) and 7 p.m.-9 p.m. Mondays (Phase 3 and 4 dancers). Call 243-5858.

• Grand Valley Woodcarvers meets monthly at 6 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays and at 1 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays at Redlands United Methodist Church.

Call 245-8817 or 523-5965.

• Grand Valley Woodturners meets monthly at 7 p.m. on the second Tuesdays at Redlands United Methodist Church. Call 245-8817.

• Levis & Lace Square Dance Club meets monthly on the second and fourth Fridays at the Masonic Center.

Rounds at 7 p.m. and square at 7:30 p.m. Call 434-6541.

• Art Jewelers’ Guild meets monthly at 6:30 p.m. on the second Monday at the Grandview Apartments, 1501 N. First St. Call 243-1220.

• Stamp Collectors meets monthly at 7 p.m. on the second Wednesday at White Star Electric. Call 986-1502.

• Western Slope Non-Smoking Singles meets monthly at 1 p.m. on the third Saturday of the month at Starvin’ Arvin’s in Clifton for lunch and games. For more activities, call 434-0803.

• Mesa Fiberarts Guild meets monthly at noon the first Wednesdays at First Presbyterian Church and at 6 p.m. the first Thursdays at the Center for Independence. Call 243-3598 or visit www.mesafiberartsguild.org.

• Blue Lodge Masons meets monthly at 10 a.m. the first Saturday at the Masonic Center. Call 245-5312.

• 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.

• Western Colorado Decorative Artists meets monthly at 9 a.m. on the second Saturday at First Congregational Church. Call 640-2751.

• Fleet Reserve Association (FRA) Branch 244 meets monthly at 7 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month at the VFW Post #3981. All former, retired and active sea service, U.S. Navy, Marines or Coast Guard welcome. Call 434-0868.

• Grand Junction Toastmasters meets at 7:10 a.m. Tuesdays at St. Mary’s Life Center. Call 242-4863.

• Talk of the Town Toastmasters meets at noon Thursdays at the Business Incubator Center. Call 250-3969.

• Western Slope Rovers RV Club meets monthly at the Egg and I for breakfast on the first Thursday. Call 858-3907 for time and details.

• High Desert Diamonds is a plus-level square dance club that dances from 7 p.m.-9 p.m. on the first and third Fridays monthly at the Masonic Center. Call 241-7457. ■

Hilltop’s Senior Life Options presents their annual

[ÉÄ|wtç OPEN HOUSE

Saturday, December 27, 2014 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm at The Commons of Hilltop (625 27 1/2 Road • Grand Junction) • Tour the area’s premier assisted and independent living communities including The Commons, The Fountains and The Cottages of Hilltop • Learn about Hilltop Home Care’s unique medical and non-medical services for seniors who want to remain safe and secure in their own homes • Talk to a dementia and Alzheimer’s care specialist • Learn about Senior Daybreak, a day program for those affected by memory loss

For more information call (970) 434-2111

33

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Crossword Puzzle

Across 1 Igor’s load 5 Kellogg-Briand and Warsaw 10 Mlle. La Douce 14 On the Marmara 15 Special Forces group 16 Novelist Uris 17 Former Senate majority leader 20 Texas leaguer?

21 Type of spray 22 Madison Ave. output 23 Lady with a title?

25 Wish undone 27 1863 Chancellorsville event 30 On the ball 33 Matador motivator 34 ___ the word 37 Pileup 39 Female representative?

43 Artist’s pigment 44 Cameo stone 45 Black-eyed item 46 Walks with one’s head up?

48 Be to come 51 Gov’t agency 52 One of a New Testament twelve 54 Ship pronoun 57 Drop a swatted fly, e.g.

59 Cuckoo houses 63 Home business of sorts 66 Entertainer Moffo 67 Reduced, as tension 68 One preparing for the prom 69 Rifle sight 70 Head lock?

71 Org. since 1960 Down 1 Second City sound 2 Exploits 3 Advance ending 4 Repeat after me 5 Associate 6 Turn away from sin 7 Chest material 8 Sale sights 9 Vilifies jam?

10 Dock worker’s org.

11 “The Ballad of John McEntire” singer 12 It may be contentious or cheerful 13 Dance if they’re in your pants 18 Distressful sound, as heard in a kennel 19 Coop crowd 24 Jules Verne character

December 2014

26 New currency 27 Greets with courtesy 28 “A Lesson From ___” (Athol Fugard) 29 Wiggle a carrot in front of 30 Grayish 31 Oyster shade 32 City near the Ruhr and Rhine 35 Certain saucers 36 Rockies abbr.

38 Froth on beer 40 Graces partner 41 Ill feeling 42 Take one’s leave 47 Object of attack 49 Diner’s card 50 Magical word 52 Aplomb 53 Beach birds 54 Line crosser 55 Make a point?

56 Sicilian hot spot 58 Raise 60 “That’s one small ___…”

61 Genealogical diagram 62 Harmony 64 Drop in the ocean 65 Driller’s deg.?

December 2014

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

Support your favorite charity on Colorado Gives Day on December 9!

T

he Community First Foundation and FirstBank announce the fifth consecutive Colorado Gives Day on December 9. Donors come together as part of this movement to give to nonprofits in their community and throughout Colorado. Coloradans have raised $58.1 million for Colorado nonprofit organizations in past years.

The purpose of Colorado Gives Day is to raise money. Another

MESA COUNTY 35

important goal is to raise awareness of nonprofit organizations that are providing critical services each and every day to supplement the work of government and the for-profit sector.

Colorado Gives Day also supports the benefits of online giving, making it easy for donors to give to their favorite nonprofit organization.

Make a donation to your favorite charity at www.coloradogives.org. ■

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36 MESA COUNTY

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

Mesa County Calendar Compiled by Liesl Greathouse December 5

Spirit of Christmas Celebration This year’s 19th annual Spirit of Christmas Walk expects over 300 entertainers to rove and perform on Main Street and inside downtown Grand Junction retail shops from 5:30 p.m.-9 p.m. Performers include a variety of musicians, fire dancers, barbershop quartets, choirs, jazz bands, clowns, poets, hula dancers, theater groups, dance groups and more. Santa and free horse-drawn carriage rides will also be part of this event.

December 5

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Senior Health Insurance Assistance Project (SHIP) Navigators are offering free Medicare help during the Medicare annual open enrollment period.

This is the last opportunity to receive personal help before open enrollment ends. Medicare-trained SHIP navigators will help Medicare beneficiaries compare coverage options from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Mesa County RSVP in the lower level of the US Bank building, 422 White Ave. Bring your complete list of prescriptions, including dosages, and insurance cards. For details, call 243-9839.

December 5

Altrusa Soup Fundraiser Altrusa International of Palisade invites everyone to stop in for a “Cup of Warmth” at 5 p.m. at the Slice O’Life Bakery, 105 W. Third St., before Palisade’s Olde-Fashioned Christmas parade. The parade starts at 5:45 p.m. Altrusa will have a delicious variety of five or more kinds of soup to make you and your family full and warm for the parade. The soup is $1 a cup and will be served until it runs out. For details, call 261-1998.

December 5

Lions Club Chili Supper & Cake Raffle The Redlands Lions Club members and volunteers will be hosting their annual Chili Supper and Cake Raffle 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the Redlands Middle School cafeteria, 2200 Broadway.

Chili or potato soup will be served and guests can also purchase raffle tickets for cakes. A separate drawing will be held for a handmade afghan.

Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for students age 7-17, and children 6 and under are free. For tickets, call 589-2124 or 201-8432.

December 6

Writers’ Forum Christmas Western Colorado Writers’ Forum welcomes the public to come and hear a professionally rendered version of “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” and other seasonal favorites starting at 7 p.m. at 740 Gunnison Ave. in Grand Junction. Cookies will be provided while you listen.

For details, call 256-4662.

December 6

Grand Villa’s annual Craft Fair Come do your holiday shopping 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at Grand Villa Assisted Living, 2680 N. 15th St in Grand Junction. There will be a variety of vendors offering cupcakes to purchase, sweatshirts, holiday decorations, wreaths, lighted Christmas items, candy plates, and more. For details, call 241-9706.

December 6 & 13

Santa Photos Fundraiser Come get a photo with Santa Claus from 12:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. both days at the Bibs to Cribs Store, 2923 North Ave. in Grand Junction. Cost is just $5 for the first photo and $2 for each additional photo. Proceeds support the Grand Junction Veterans Golden Age Games Team. All proceeds will assist team members to travel to the 2015 National Golden Age Games in Omaha, Nebraska in July. For more information, call 242 2520.

December 7

Centennial Band Holiday concert The Grand Junction Centennial Band proudly presents its holiday concert, “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” at 3 p.m. at the Avalon Theater, 645 Main St. Adults and kids age 6 and up are $7 and children under 6 are free. Tickets can be purchased

December 2014 from any band member or at the door.

To commemorate Pearl Harbor Day, veterans can attend for free. For more information, see their ad on page 6 or visit www.gjcentennialband.com.

December 12 & 14

Michael Gott concert and workshop Michael Gott is a recording artist, performer and speaker who speaks and sings purely from the soul. He will perform at 6:30 p.m. on December 12 at the Two Rivers Center for Spiritual Living, 251 Colorado Ave. in Grand Junction. Tickets are $20 and include dessert. For tickets, call 433-7799. He will also lead a “Living On Purpose” workshop from 1 p.m.3 p.m. on December 14 at the Two Rivers Center for Spiritual Living.

This class offers specific tools to put you in touch with your inner wisdom and your own divine spark that will lead you to a new understanding of Jesus’ statement: “Don’t you know?

You are the light of the world.” For details, call 433-7799.

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

FREE FALLWaste LEAF Electronic DROP -OFF Disposal

Electronics are banned from Colorado landfills Let us help you dispose of your unwanted, broken and old electronics the right way All electronics are accepted for $.42 per pound

Open Thurs.- Sat. 8:00am-4:30pm For more information call 970256-9543 Hazardous Waste Collection Facility 3071 U.S. Highway 50, Grand Junction www.mesacounty.us/swm

River City Singles

MESA COUNTY 37

December 2014 Activity Schedule

“Young-at-heart adults getting together for fun and friendship!”

Fridays at 5 p.m. - Friday Afternoon Club (FAC) meets in the lounge at the Travelodge (formerly the Country Inn), 718 Horizon Drive. The first FAC meeting of the month is the business meeting. Cards and games will follow the meeting.

Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. - Early Start Breakfast at Denny’s on Horizon Drive. Visitors welcome. Call Debbie Grose at 245-4995 for details.

Wednesdays at 5 p.m. - Dine out at the following locations every week. Visitors welcome. Call Debbie Grose at 245-4995 for details.

December 3 - Dos Hombres (Redlands) December 10 - Texas Roadhouse December 17 - Rib City Grill (Grand Junction) Sundays at 12:30 p.m. - Bowling Sunday and card games at Orchard Mesa Lanes, 295 27 Road. RSVP to Bob Lewis at 263-8462.

Saturday, December 6 at noon - Enjoy billiards, games of pool and lunch at Bank 8 Billiards, 2460 Patterson Road. Call Mary Wynn at 255-7370.

Saturday, December 6 - RCS Christmas Party in the Colorado/Canyon Room at Travelodge. Cocktails (cash bar) at 4 p.m. Potluck at 5 p.m. Music by Remember When. RSVP to Jim at 424-2545.

Thursday, December 11 at 11:30 a.m. - Fun Lunch Bunch meets at Spoons Bistro & Bakery, 3090 N. 12th St. RSVP to Penny at 712-2588.

December 13

Fruita Lioness Club Chili Supper The Fruita Lioness Club will be hosting its 18th annual Chili Supper from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. at the Fruita Community Center, 324 N. Coulson St. Chili, cornbread and dessert will be served.

Tickets are $4 for adults and $2 for children.

EVERY LIFE IS A STORY - A TREASURE, INSIDE EVERY PERSON, TOUCHED ALONG THE WAY. THEY ARE PART OF THAT STORY. WHEN THEY TELL IT - THE TREASURE IS FOUND, THE STORY IS TOLD, IT’S PASSED ALONG. TELLTHEIR STORY.

December 14

Sons of Norway Christmas Vestafjell Lodge will celebrate Christmas at 2 p.m. at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, 3133 F Road in Grand Junction. Spellbinders will tell Christmas stories and Duane Helgelien will lead a holiday sing-along.

Bring an unwrapped toy, gift card or cash donation for the Salvation Army, and Christmas cookies to sell, and a side dish or dessert. Call 242-3396.

December 31

New Year’s Eve Celebration Dance Come enjoy food, fun, a cash bar and live music starting at 7:30 p.m. at the Adobe Creek Golf Course, 876 18 ½ Road in Fruita. The JLRJ Band will perform live. Tickets are $25 per person. This event benefits the Sacred Heart Church Building Fund. For tickets, call 858-9605 or 858-3137. ■

Organic Materials Composting Facility

Connecting People, rough Life, rough Loss

38 MESA COUNTY

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

Mesa County Beacon Bits Compiled by Liesl Greathouse

Weight loss surgery seminar If you are considering weight loss surgery, attend a free education session presented by the staff of St. Mary’s Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Center. Learn how the different types of surgery work, who qualifies, and how St. Mary’s will support you as you change your life. Sessions take place at the St. Mary’s Life Center, 2686 Patterson Road in Grand Junction. Call 298-6400 to register.

• December 10 - noon to 1:30 p.m.

• December 17 - 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m.

Check out holiday deals

On Select & Discount Merchandise • JEWELRY • MUSIC • GUNS • GUITARS/INSTRUMENTS Specials on diamond rings, Gold Bracelets & Necklace Pendants

Grand Valley Model Railroad Club show at Cross Orchards

20% off

243-9332

The Grand Valley Model Railroad Club puts on its Christmas show at Cross Orchards, 3073 F Road in Grand Junction, on the weekends of December 13 and 14, December 20 and 21, December 27 and 28, and January 3 and 4. The show is open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. each day. Admission is $1 for children, $4 for adults and $7 for a family.

GUITAR AMPS

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The care you need to stay safe and independent in your own home

New store opens for holiday season shopping Treasures from the Past opened a new antique and collectibles mall in the Enterprise Park Shopping Center, 2923 North Ave., just in time for the holiday season. The store offers a 10 percent discount to seniors age 50 and older on a purchase of $20 or more. The vendor mall offers a great selection from different collections and makes a great alternative to shopping at traditional malls. The store is open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

The name you trust for compassionate in-home medical care

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(970) 208-1345

www.HilltopHomeCareGJ.org L

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Museum of Western Colorado Activities • December 6 - Breakfast with Santa at 9 a.m. at Dinosaur Journey, 550 Jurassic Court in Fruita. Cost is $8 per person. Reservations required.

Call 242-0971, ext. 201 to reserve your seat.

• December 11 - Changing Landscapes of Science lecture at 7 p.m. at

the Whitman Educational Center, 248 S. Fourth St. Topic is “Wines: It’s All About the Acids.” Cost is $5 for members and $10 for nonmembers.

• December 18 - Oral History Presentation at noon at the Whitman Educational Center, 248 S. Fourth St. • December 19 - Behind the Scenes Tour at the Museum of the West, 462 Ute Ave. Starts at 5:30 p.m. Cost is $5 per person.

Giving Trees help needy during holiday season Through December 15, Mesa County Libraries and Grand Valley Catholic Outreach are working together to help local needy families during the holidays with Giving Trees. Giving Trees are decorated with gift requests from underprivileged Mesa County residents of all ages and are available at the Central Library in Grand Junction and library branches in Clifton, DeBeque, Fruita and Palisade. Stop by and select a tag describing a gift to purchase. On the smaller portion of the tag, provide library staff with your contact information.

After you have purchased the gift, bring it to the library unwrapped and with the Giving Tree tag attached.

Gifts are meant to be about $25 or less. For details, call 683-2437.

Support groups • The National Association for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) is offering support groups in Mesa County for adults diagnosed with mental illness and their families. In Fruita they meet 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of every month at Family Health West, 228 N. Cherry Street.

Call 462-3989.

• GriefShare is a nondenominational Christ-based support group for those mourning the death of a loved one, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. Mondays. Call Vicci at 628-1453 for details.

• Low Vision Peer Support Group, Western Slope Visionaries, meets from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Wednesdays.

Call Joanne or Cathy at 241-0315.

• Mending Hearts Support Group is for any adult who has experienced

December 2014 the death of a loved one. This group meets from 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m. every Thursday at the Miller Homestead at HopeWest, 3090 N. 12th St. Call 248-8844 for more information.

• Caregiver Connections is open to all caregivers and meets from 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. every Tuesday at the Miller Homestead at HopeWest, 3090 N. 12th St. • St. Mary’s Stroke Support Group meets from 1 p.m.-2:30 p.m. on the third Friday of each month in the Grand Mesa Room of St. Mary’s Life Center. Call 298-1929 for details.

• Breast Cancer Support Group meets from 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month in the Reflection Room (Entrance 25). Call 298-2254 for details.

• MACHO Men, a cancer support group, meets at 5 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month at St. Mary’s Hospital’s Java City Café. Call 2982351 for details.

Volunteer opportunities • Mesa County RSVP seeks volunteers for its Fund Development Committee. Members of this committee

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

MESA COUNTY 39

collaborate with the RSVP board and staff to evaluate and implement fundraising opportunities and develop and strengthen donor relations. To apply, visit rsvpgrandjunction.org • Mesa County SOS needs volunteer drivers to give seniors rides to grocery shopping, pharmacy and medical visits once a week. SOS will reimburse for mileage. Call 248-2746.

• HopeWest seeks volunteers for a variety of positions. Volunteering can be as simple as one hour a month.

Call 623-8816 for details.

• Operation Interdependence invites you to write notes for deployed troops around the world. Notes don’t have to be lengthy—just a simple thank you will do. They are also in need of Slim Jims, beef jerky, gum, snack bars, Chapstick, toothbrushes, etc. Call 523-4217 for drop-off location.

• Gray Gourmet needs several adult volunteers to deliver a weekday lunch to homebound seniors. Volunteers are also needed to work at one of their senior dining sites. Call 243-9844. ■

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

729 37 3/10 Rd. (970) 464-5333

40 DELTA/ MONTROSE COUNTIES

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

Safety.

Reliability.

Trees can be a power line’s worst enemy.

Right-of-way clearing is the easiest and most common way to reduce risks of injuries and outages. You can help. Make sure your co-op knows of any trees or limbs located close to a power line.

Delta/Montrose Calendar Compiled by Liesl Greathouse December 4

Taize-Style Services Taize-style services of music, prayer and meditation on scripture are offered at 7 p.m. at the Montrose United Methodist Church, 19 S. Park Ave. in Montrose. All are welcome.

For details, email secretary@montro seumc.org or call 249-3716.

December 5

Cookie Walk

The Delta United Methodist Women will host Cookie Walk Plus from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Delta United Methodist Church, 477 Meeker St. in Delta. Come by to purchase your holiday cookies. There will also be craft vendors to help with your Christmas shopping. Or just stop by and have a cup of coffee and cookies with us.

For details, call 874-9501.

Call 877-687-3632 (OUR DMEA) to tell DMEA about potential problems.

DMEA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

*Offer applies to new businesses only or additions to current advertising

December 2014

ents the inaugural Mac & Cheese Cook-Off to benefit the Abraham Connection Homeless Shelter Building Fund during the Delta Parade of Lights. The cook-off will be from 5 p.m.-6:30 p.m. at the Coffee Therapist, 326 Main St. in Delta. Enter the cook-off for $15 or help us decide a winner by taste testing for $5. To enter and for details, call 361-8905.

December 5-6

Holiday Art Fair in Paonia The 22nd annual Holiday Art Fair will be 3 p.m.-8 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday at the Blue Sage Curtis Hall, 226-228 Grand Ave. in Paonia.

The Holiday Art Fair is an event produced by local artists for the benefit of the community and the artists. All items are local and handmade, and make excellent gifts. For details, call 527-7243.

December 6

December 5

Winter Festival Open House

Senior CommUnity Care PACE pres-

Come try some Frybread, bid in a silent auction, and visit booths from

Mac & Cheese Cook-off

December 2014 arts and craft vendors for free from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Ute Indian Museum, 17253 Chipeta Road in Montrose.

Enjoy 40 percent off all silver and turquoise Indian jewelry from 9 a.m. to noon and 30 percent off everything in the gift shop all day. There will also be raffles and drawings for an original oil painting by Mike Simpson called “Summer of the Utes,” valued at $1,600. For details, call 249-3098.

December 6 & 7

Valley Symphony “Christmas By Candlelight” concert Come enjoy the special music of the holiday season with a candlelight concert from 7:30 p.m.-10 p.m.

Thursday and 3 p.m.-5 p.m. Friday at the Montrose Pavilion, 1800 Pavilion Drive. This program features an array of popular Christmas carols and holiday pieces (old and new). For tickets, visit www.valleysymphony.net.

December 7 & 8

Magic Circle Players auditions The Magic Circle Players in Montrose will hold auditions at 6:30 p.m. both evenings for Yeston and Kopit’s “Phantom” to be performed in May 2015. There are singing and non-singing roles. Auditions take place at the Magic Circle Theatre, 420 S. 12th St. For details, call 596-9007.

December 9

Wills, Trusts and Powers of Attorney Learn about will and trust estate plans at this workshop sponsored and presented by Region 10 and

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com Brown & Brown, P.C. Workshop takes place at Region 10, 300 N. Cascade Ave. in Montrose. This workshop includes basic information about specialized trusts, including pet trusts, how to protect your special needs child using trusts, asset protection trusts, how to protect your heirs using trusts, and more. The workshop is 4:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m. Registration required. To register, call 249-2436 or visit www.region10.net.

DELTA/ MONTROSE COUNTIES 41

December 18

Weight loss surgery seminar If you are considering weight loss surgery, attend a free education session presented by the staff of St. Mary’s Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Center at 5:30 a.m.-7 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Express, 1391 S. Townsend Ave. Call 298-6400. ■

December 14

Montrose Community Band Christmas Concert Montrose Community Band presents “A Family Christmas,” a free concert at 3 p.m. at the Montrose Pavilion, 1800 Pavilion Drive in Montrose. The band members have selected their favorite Christmas songs to share with you and the new jazz band will play some swinging favorites as well. For more information, visit www.mon troseband.com or call 596-1188.

e loss of a loved one can occur at any time.

When you need us, we’ll be there.

Funeral Service & Crematory Mesa View Cemetery

December 14 & 31

Dances at the Montrose Pavilion The Montrose Pavilion Dance Club hosts dances at the Montrose Pavilion, 1800 Pavilion Drive. On December 14, from 2 p.m.-5:30 p.m., there will be music by Country Plus. Admission is $5. On December 31 there will be a New Year’s Eve dance from 9 p.m.-12:30 a.m., with music by the Ghost River Band. Admission is $10.

For more information, call 252-7172.

682 1725 Road • Delta (970) 874-9988 105 S.E. Frontier, Suite F • Cedaredge (970) 856-3232 209 Bridge Street • Hotchkiss (970) 872-3151 311 Grand Avenue • Paonia (970) 527-3836 www.taylorfuneralservice.com

Custom Engraved:

Home appointments available

• Headstones • Stone Signs • Address Rocks • Sandblasting • River Rocks • Gifts & More

970-323-6658

Please call for an appointment

www.facebook.com/ MorrisMonument

morrismonument.com

1630 South Main Street, Delta

Life’s Legacy in Stone

42 DELTA/ MONTROSE COUNTIES

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

December 2014

Delta/Montrose Beacon Bits Compiled by Liesl Greathouse

Events for veterans

Your portal to the

Western Slope.

The Warrior Resource Center, 11 S. Park Ave. in Montrose, has the following events scheduled for veterans this month. If you have not previously registered with the Warrior Resource Center as a veteran, bring a form of military ID with you. For more information, call 765-2210.

• All veterans are invited for coffee from 8 a.m.-10 a.m. every Thursday.

• All military spouses (of any branch or era) are invited to a luncheon from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. on the last Friday of every month.

• The public is invited to eagle head cane presentations at 1 p.m. the first Thursday of every month. Beautiful eagle head canes created by Black Canyon Wood Carvers and Wood Workers Guild of Western Colorado are presented to veterans.

Montrose walking events • First Friday Stroll - On the first Friday of each month, stroll along downtown Montrose and see artist demonstrations, enjoy free wine tastings and in-store promotional events from 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m.

• Meet Me Downtown Montrose Bring your girlfriends to downtown Montrose from 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. on the second Saturday of each month for a day of shopping and fun. Visit participating shops, galleries, salons, spas and restaurants for special events and deals.

Garden of Lights at Montrose

Botanic Gardens

The Garden of Lights at the Montrose Botanic Gardens will be from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. December 12-14 and 19-21 at 1800 Pavilion Drive. Santa will be there, along with storytellers, hayrides, hot cocoa, coffee, snacks, ornament kits for kids, and music.

Cost is $2 for children, $4 for adults and children 4 and under free. For details, call 249-1115.

Support groups • Veterans PTSD support group meets at 10 a.m. Thursdays at the Warrior Resource Center, 11 S. Park Ave. Veterans must provide a copy of their DD214 as verification of eligibility of services. Call 765-2210.

• Stroke Support Group meets 11 a.m. to noon, twice a month, at Montrose Memorial Hospital’s Acute Rehab Unit. For details and meeting days, call 318-2028.

• Bosom Buddies Breast Cancer Support Group meets from noon to 1:15 p.m. Wednesdays at 645 S. Fifth St. in Montrose.

• Caregiver Support Group meets 1 p.m.-2 p.m. Wednesdays at Crossroads Assisted & Independent Living model cottage at 1380 Aspen Way in Delta. Call 773-4214.

• Caregiver Support & Networking Group meetings are structured to be an all-inclusive group for caregivers who care for someone with dementia or any disability or illness in any living environment. For more information and to register, call 249-2436, ext. 203.

MONTROSE ORAL SURGERY AND DENTAL IMPLANT SPECIALISTS • Specialist Implant Surgeons with Advanced Training • Most experienced implant team in our area • Implants for denture stability & implants for individual tooth replacement • Do your surgery asleep or awake • We work with your general dentist • Conventional, Mini & Orthodontic Implants Craig T. Cayo D.D.S., Dorcha W. Boisen D.D.S.

www.montroseoms.com

970.240.4485 • 600 S. Park Avenue • Montrose, CO 81401

December 2014 • Mending Hearts Support Group, offered by HopeWest, is open to adults who have experienced the death of a loved one. The group meets from 10:30 a.m. to noon Thursdays in the Bosom Buddies Room, 645 S. Fifth St. Call 240-7734.

Volunteer opportunities • HopeWest in Delta and Montrose is seeking volunteers for a variety of positions. In Delta, call 874-6823 for more information. In Montrose, call 252-2642.

Club activities • Western Slope 4 Wheelers meets monthly at 7 p.m. on the first Tuesday at the Montrose Rod & Gun Club’s indoor range, 1211 6450 Road in Montrose. Call 275-0754.

• Black Canyon Camera Club meets monthly at noon on the second Tuesdays at the First Church of Christ, 1102 Howard St. in Delta. Visit www.blackcanyoncameraclub.org.

• Black Canyon Classics is a classic car club and meets monthly on the first Tuesdays at the Sunset Mesa Funeral Directors Building, 155 Merchant Drive in Montrose, during the winter months and at various locations in the summer. For times, call 249-6051.

• Wild Bunch 4WD club is an outdoor club that meets monthly on the second Monday of the “odd-numbered” months. For dates, times and locations, email desertrat27@hotmail. com.

DELTA SENIOR ACTIVITIES The following activities are offered at Bill Heddles Recreation Center, 530

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com Gunnison River Drive in Delta. To register for any of the following activities or for a full list, call 874-0923.

• Community Evening Dance 7 p.m.-10 p.m., December 6. Cost is $4 per person. Bring a snack to share • Holiday Craft Show - 9 a.m.3 p.m., December 6. There will be over 50 vendor booths with Christmas décor, stained glass, pottery, jewelry, fleece, hats, hand-painted glassware, candles, quilts and more.

MONTROSE SENIOR ACTIVITIES The Montrose Recreation District has the following activities scheduled for seniors 50+ this month. Register one week ahead. Events take place at the Montrose Pavilion, 1800 Pavilion Drive, or transportation departs from the Montrose Pavilion. Please arrive at each event at least 15 minutes early. For more information on the following activities, call 252-4884.

• Hike - 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., December 2. Hike Colorado National Monument. Cost is $18.

• Shopping trip to Grand Junction - 8:15 a.m.-5:30 p.m. December 9.

We will travel to stores not found in Montrose. Cost is $20. Bring money for lunch and for shopping.

• Holiday Lights and Dinner 4:45 p.m. December 16 & December 18 (same trip repeats). Montrose community members have a great display of lights for the holidays. Join us for an evening of dining at the Camp Robber and Christmas light viewing. If you are not able to drive or don’t drive at night, we’ll pick you up! Cost is $25. ■

DELTA/ MONTROSE COUNTIES 43

44 CLASSIFIEDS

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To Place a Classified Ad...

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senior living in a parklike setting

Burial Plots In Memorial Garden of the Valley - 3 consecutive grave plots. $500 each or $1,200 for all three plus transfer fee.

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Home Care

nellie Bechtel senior apartments 245-1712 • 3032 North 15th Street

Skilled and unskilled homemaking and/or personal care. Skilled nursing, specialize in wound care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, CNA, social work, pre-op, post-op services. PASCO/SW carriers certification for Mi, children’s hospice and Tbi waivers.

Please call for courtesy evaluation of your home care needs.

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Manufactured Homes Rio Vista Mobile Home Park Beautifully shaded lots available in Palisade’s premium 55+ mobile home community. Ideal for a single-wide modular home. Ph: 464-7798 for details.

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Complete Cremation Package for Two All cremation services are inclusive along with an attractive oak companion urn and eye-level glass front niche inside Memorial Garden’s Chapel. $2,900 OBO. 255-0043.

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QUESTIONS? Call Kelli M-TH, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., 970 243-8829 www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

Cortez (970)565-6833; Durango (970) 247-1211; Montrose (970) 240-1771; Toll Free (877) 685-6833

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December 2014

Black Canyon Home Services Small repairs, maintenance, housekeeping, second home care. Visit our website at www. blackcanyonhomeservices.net.

Montrose area. Call John 209-2095.

Skilled Handyman Services Fast, reliable handyman services available. No job too big or too small. We are licensed and insured and have over 35 years’ experience.

We are ADA (Special Needs), CAPS (Aging in Place) and NHBA (National Home Builders Association) certified to meet your individual needs. All services include carpentry, plumbing, electrical and misc. services. Western Interior Builders, LLC. Call 241-2029 for appointment.

Professional Flooring Installer Insured and bonded. You purchase the tile, laminate, hardwood or vinyl, and I provide everything else. Special discounts. Call Bill for a free estimate.

245-3344.

Reliable Estate Sales Are you in the midst of a stressful relocation or passing of a loved one?

Let us handle the burden of personal property liquidation from start to finish. Contact Mark Bluhm at 2602327, cash4@bresnan.net or www. reliableestatesales.net.

December 2014 Accessibility Services Grab bars. Walk-in tubs/showers.

Licensed plumber/handyman.

Serving Western Colorado since 1989. Free estimates. Compare and save! 985-1403.

Tree Service Get ready for winter. Tree trimming, tree removal, stump grinding. FREE hauling, boom truck to 85 feet, FREE estimates. Licensed and insured. Chris 260-0222.

Antiques, Appraisals, Estate Sales With over 30 years in the antique, appraisal and estate sale business, Great American Estate Sales is the valley’s leader in appraisals and estate liquidation. Settling an estate, moving into a smaller home or just simplifying your lifestyle? Great American Estate Sales can provide a worry-free and quick solution. Free consultation. 2168236.

Pet Sitting Services

Wanted to Buy BUYING OLD CLOTHING Costume jewelry, purses, sewing patterns and perfumes (pre-1970s).

Call Linda 234-4736 or 1-800-5727670.

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** CASH Paid for Old Stuff Wind-up men’s wrist/pocket watches, gold and silver jewelry, pocket/ hunting knives, antique firearms, fishing gear, toys, BB guns, old Colorado bottles, old motorcycles, radios and amps, railroad, military, mining items. www.cash4oldstuff. net. Mark 260-2327.

Help Wanted

Pet’s Desire Pet Sitting Provides attentive, loving care in your home. Peace of mind that your pets are safe and comfy in familiar surroundings. Critter Cash discount of 15% off. 589-3425.

Hunting Pheasant Hunting!

Open now. www.

BrokenSpokeGameRanch.com.

241-3949.

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

The Counseling and Education Center has a part-time opening for a L.C.S.W. or a LPC with three or more years of clinical experience. CEC is a nonprofit counseling agency. For more information: www.cecwecare.org and/or email penny@cecwecare.org.

If interested, submit a cover letter and a resume to Penny Frankhouser – CEC, 2708 Patterson Road; GJ, CO 81506.

Wendy’s NOW HIRING! Shift Supervisors and Crew Members. We are looking for smiling faces and positive attitudes.

We offer competitive pay, discounts and a great working environment.

Full-time and part-time employment available. Please apply at your nearest location in Grand Junction.

writers wanted The Beacon Senior newspaper is looking for writers in Mesa, Delta and Montrose counties.

Send your letter and resume to beacon@pendantpublishing.com

CLASSIFIEDS 45

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Finding Senior Housing can be complex, but it doesn’t have to be.

“You can trust A Place for Mom to help you.”

– Joan Lunden

(800) 217-3942 A Place for Mom is the nation’s largest senior living referral information service. We do not own, operate, endorse or recommend any senior living community. We are paid by partner communities, so our services are completely free to families.

46 KUDOS & KVETCH

kudos\ku·dos  “I would like to commend Terri Benson and Liesl Greathouse for the well-written articles (October and November BEACONs) on our area Elks Lodges. The material was accurate and put forth a very positive image of the Elks and the good work we do. The Grand Junction secretary told me that they have added several new members because of your article.”

- Robert Kapus, District Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler

Kevin: Wow! That’s what we live for— telling good stories that get our readers out and about doing good stuff! Thanks for letting us know about your success.  “What a handsome man Dick Ball is.

He made for a great photo on the cover of your recent paper (November BEACON). Do you have his phone number?

I also noticed that the Free Press had Dick on their front cover as well.”

- Lauren T., Grand Junction

Kevin: Dick Ball is indeed a handsome man and I wish that I could take credit for that photo, but it was submitted to us by the parade organizer, Greg Merschel. I actually don’t have Mr. Ball’s number, but good luck with that. As for the Free Press, the November issue of the BEACON Senior Newspaper came out a week before theirs, but you know what they say about imitation being the sincerest form of flattery.  “I wanted to thank the local RSVP group for their annual help with Medicare. When it’s time for me to re-sign with my health plan, the first thing I do is go visit them.”

- Barbara W., Grand Junction

Wanna give a shout out?

Pass out a compliment?

Write us at Beacon@PendantPublishing.com.

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

Maybe I should just leave it

By Sy Rosen

I

went to the dentist last week because I had a cracked side tooth—a bicuspid. Anyway, my dentist, a selfimportant man in his mid 40s, asked if I just wanted to leave it.

I thought that was an odd question and asked, “Don’t I have to chew with it?”

“You can chew around it,” he curtly responded.

“For the rest of my life?” I thought.

And then it occurred to me that this pompous dentist’s strange suggestion had to do with my age. I was at a point in my life when sometimes you just don’t fix things in your body.

It’s like when your car has 175,000 miles on it, you don’t bother fixing that rattle. Is that what the dentist was saying? I was an old rattling car?

Okay, maybe his suggestion shouldn’t have irritated me so much.

After all, there are a few things going wrong with my body that I haven’t bothered dealing with. I’ve got gray hair, wrinkles, brown spots, jiggly arms and a turkey neck. I try to hide these imperfections, of course. Longsleeved shirts, turtlenecks, and an occasional scarf and cap have become a way of life. If something goes wrong at our house, like a crack or a stain, we just hide it with a plant. That’s kind of what I’m doing with my body.

However, I’m hiding cosmetic flaws. A damaged tooth is medical.

Telling me to ignore a cracked tooth is almost like saying there’s something wrong with my spleen but I should just leave it.

I decided to confront my dentist about this and asked, “If your patient was 30 years old, would you tell him to just leave it?”

“You’re not 30,” he answered.

“Okay,” I replied, “but do you have a 30-year-old-patient who has a cracked bicuspid?”

“I can’t reveal the condition of my patients,” he said.

I didn’t realize that a tooth was privileged information but I pressed on.

“Okay, let’s say you have a hypothetical patient who was hypothetically 30 years old. Would you tell him to leave it?”

“I can’t comment on hypothetical patients,” he said, dismissing my question.

I decided to confront him directly: “Why did you tell me to leave it?”

“A lot of different reasons,” he said.

I could tell that I had broken through his arrogance and he was starting to get a little nervous.

“Like what?” I asked.

“You know,” he said. Sweat started to drip down his face.

“No, I don’t,” I replied, backing him into a corner.

“It’s because…” He started to develop a tic.

“Because why?” I pressed.

“Because you’re old!” he yelled, losing control.

It’s strange watching a dentist lose it. He got all red in the face, his hands were shaking, and he started mumbling almost incoherently about how he should have gone to law school. I was afraid he was going to collapse into his spit tank. He finally gathered himself together and told me if I mentioned this to anyone he would deny it.

I felt victorious as I walked out of his office. Unfortunately I haven’t found a new dentist and still have the crack in my tooth.

Oh well, maybe I’ll just leave it. ■

December 2014

20% OFF Any Lift Chair Many Fabrics to Choose From (bring in this ad; expires Dec. 31, 2014) Made in USA. Lifetime Guarantee.

Explore our many selections,

styles, and unique decorating items either online at www.blackcarriagefurniture.com or visit our showroom for the real wood experience!

BUY ONE MEAL, GET 2ND MEAL AT 1/2 PRICE EXPIRES 12/31/2014

Excludes Daily Specials

One Coupon Per Two People

urs Mon-Thly On

Homestyle Cooking • Breakfast • Lunch Open Mon. - Sat. 6am to 2pm

Closed Sun.

970-243-2133

241 Grand Ave.• Grand Junction, CO

2580 US Hwy. 6&50 Grand Junction (Next to Chrysler-Dodge) Mon–Sat, 10–6

970 263-4433

December 2014

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

P R E M I E R

S E N I O R

L I V I N G

47

C O M M U N I T I E S

The Independence we want and the Support we need.

Visit Hilltop’s independent and assisted living communities today and discover a world of gracious living, personalized care and unsurpassed amenities.

Now Renting Studio, 1 and 2 Bedroom Apartments n Luxurious apartments featuring great views & spacious floorplans

n On-site physician visits and medical transportation

n Temporary assisted living stays

n 24-hour emergency response

n Social activities and trips

n Personal assistance, room service & pet walking

n Restaurant-style dining

The Commons (970) 243-3333 625 27 1/2 Road

www.TheCommonsGJ.org

The Fountains (970) 243-8800 3203 N. 15th Street

www.TheFountainsGJ.org

L O C A L LY O W N E D A N D O P E R AT E D B Y H I L LT O P - M A K I N G A D I F F E R E N C E F O R P E O P L E O F A L L A G E S

Upcoming Events

Deck your halls

with help from St. Mary’s HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE AND SALE Wednesday, December 3 8:00 am–8:00 pm Wooden Horse Gift Shop St. Mary’s Hospital, Entrance 1

10 percent off all merchandise, except candy and flowers Cash and credit cards accepted Sorry, no checks.

TREE AND WREATH SILENT AUCTION Friday, December 5 9:00 am–2:00 pm St. Mary’s Hospital, Entrance 1

Make the winning bid and take home a wreath or table-top tree beautifully decorated by St. Mary’s associates.

Take the covered walkway from our parking garage to the Main Floor lobby.

Y

ou might not think of shopping for Christmas decorations and gifts at a hospital, but you should. Just inside the front door of St. Mary’s Hospital is an unusual little shop— The Wooden Horse.

Operated by the Friends of St. Mary’s, the hospital’s auxiliary group, the shop is managed and staffed by volunteers.

Not only is the shop’s merchandise special, but where the store’s profits go is special, too. The shop’s proceeds are donated to St. Mary’s Hospital Foundation and used to support a patient care project or program. Gift shop customers say they like knowing their purchase helps patients because they appreciated the care they or a family member received at St. Mary’s.

In addition to baby gifts, flowers, cards, jewelry, fashion accessories, plush toys, and other gifts, the shop carries items handmade by volunteer crafters and artisans who meet once a week to create blankets, hats, scarves, and this time of year, Christmas decorations.

HOURS: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 9:00 am–5:00 pm

970-298-CARE (2273) www.stmarygj.org 2635 N. 7th Street Grand Junction, CO 81501

Wednesday 9:00 am–7:00 pm Saturday, 10:00 am–1:00pm Sunday, Closed

Living with Diabetes Next class starts January 6 Four-week series for people with type 2 diabetes. Learn to live your best, healthiest life through weight management, diet, and current technology.

Call 298-2582 for information and to schedule an initial appointment with a diabetes educator prior to the class. A physician referral is required. Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance plans provide a diabetes education benefit.

St. Mary’s Life Center Tuesdays, Jan. 6, 13, 20, 27 1:00–3:00 pm 2686 Patterson Road News flash!

St. Mary’s diabetes self-management education program has been awarded continued Recognition from the American Diabetes Association. This designation helps people with diabetes identify a high quality education program. St. Mary’s diabetes education program has been continuously “recognized” since 1995.

Weight Loss Surgery Seminars Learn how weight loss surgery works and who qualifies at a free seminar presented by the staff of St. Mary’s Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Center. Call 970-298-6400 to register.

GRAND JUNCTION St. Mary’s Life Center Wed., Dec. 10, Noon–1:30 pm Wed., Dec. 17, 5:30–7:00 pm MONTROSE Holiday Inn Express Thurs., Dec. 18, 5:30–7:00 pm “I used to have to think about my diabetes 100 percent of the time. Now, no more pills, no more insulin. I’m free again.”

–Tom Ballard, Glade Park Gastric bypass surgery patient