march 2012
Vol. 26
Create a Legacy Vote for BeaconFest’s Volunteer of the Year page 7
Three keys to successful giving through your estate plan page 13
Local philanthropist Herb Bacon is none other than Mr. April from the Rotary Club Calendar of 2011, “Legends of Rotary: A Tribute to Sexy Old Guys.”
Produced by the BEACON’s Advertising Team
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Western Colorado’s Monthly Newspaper for Adults 50+. Over 31,080 Readers.
Creating a legacy is something we will all do. How will you create yours? Read more in this month’s insert.
What’s Inside Advice and Ideas............................. 9 Classifieds..................................... 44 Crossword..................................... 25 Delta/Montrose County................. 38 Finance.......................................... 22 Gardening...................................... 32 Garfield County.............................. 42 Health & Wellness.......................... 10 Laughing Matters.......................... 14 Local Lore...................................... 18 Mesa County.................................. 34 Parks & Recreation........................ 23 River City Singles.......................... 35 Travel & Recreation....................... 16
Grandparents raising grandchildren
Local Lore The men of Colorado’s Conservation Corps helped restore the economy during the Depression. Read more inside.
Works of Art The recent member’s art show at the Art Center was filled with art by local artists. See what we liked inside.
Just when they thought their parenting years were over, many seniors have given up retirement and are opening their hearts and homes to raise their grandchildren.
Colorectal Cancer Prevention Learn the risk factors, symptoms, and screening tests for cancer of the colon and rectum. Free presentation and Q&A open to the public Presented by Eugene Crafton, MD, Grand Junction Gastroenterology Sponsored by St. Mary’s Regional Cancer Center > Call 298-2351 with questions.
Thursday, March 29 5:30 to 6:30 pm Java City Café St. Mary’s Advanced Medicine Pavilion 750 Wellington Ave., Grand Junction No reservation needed. Please join us.
Photo by Barbara Ward
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March 2012
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Editorial 3
Herb Bacon’s big, yellow banana By Kevin VanGundy
H
erb Bacon is the subject of our feature story for this year’s “Create A Legacy” insert in this month’s BEACON. Herb and I share something in common. We both owned the same station wagon. It was big, yellow and looked like it came straight out of “The Brady Bunch.” My kids just called it the “banana.” As in, “Dad, please don’t take me to school in the banana.” In 1996, I was at a charity auction for Partners. As I looked over one of the cars that had been donated, Joe Higgins walked over to me and said, “Herb Bacon donated that car to us. He sure takes good care of his cars.” “Good care” was an understatement. Even though the “banana” had high mileage, it was immaculate inside and out. Probably not much different than it looked when Herb drove it off the showroom floor. I bought it.
Even Bacon’s banana had a long and generous life. I bought that gorgeous, yellow station wagon because later that year, my family and I were scheduled to spend our Christmas vacation building houses for poor people in Tecate, Mexico. Until then, I had no idea how the eight of us were going to get there. I remember distinctly spending Christmas Eve attending service at a beautiful, little Catholic church located on the central piazza. It was one of our family’s most selfless and memorable holidays.
Bacon’s banana gives its last. Looking back on it, I wish that I had left the “banana” with the missionaries in Mexico. But then how would we have gotten back home? As it turned out, the “banana” broke down just outside St. George, Utah and we had it towed to the Ford dealership there. At the urging of their salesman, with the nodding
approval of the service manager and the pleading of my family, I put my disappointment aside and bought our first minivan. But I miss that car we called the “banana.”
Grandparents raising grandkids This month’s cover story about grandparents who have become full-time parents to their grandkids is one of the most engaging stories I’ve read. It breaks my heart for those grandkids. I have empathy for the grandparents. But I’m also encouraged by the true grit that these grandparents have shown in taking on the responsibility of raising their children’s children.
Please vote! This year’s Volunteer of the Year nominations include 24 dedicated, hard working individuals that deserve our support. This will be the first time that BEACON readers will be the ones who decide who wins the coveted BEACON statue at this year’s BeaconFest. Please read this month’s insert for details.
BeaconFest is April 19 I just got word from Genevra, who handles booking our entertainment, that the King ‘n’ Trio has agreed to be one of our entertainers at this year’s BeaconFest. She has been working to get them to perform for the last three years. But that’s not the only pleasant surprise we have in store for you at BeaconFest.
Got travel plans? In June, the BEACON will include our guide to summer travel and area festivals. Where are you planning to travel? What festivals are you planning to attend? We’d like to know. As always, feel free to contact us via email at Beacon@PendantPublish ing.com, or by snail mail at: BEACON Senior Newspaper PO Box 3895 Grand Junction, CO 81502 ■
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Are you a grandparent raising a grandchild?
Trading in your retirement years to take care of a grandchild can be tough both emotionally and financially. There might never be enough resources to fully alleviate the struggle, but here are some to get you started:
Grandfamily Support Groups Mesa County Grand Junction Parenting Contact: Kim Cannedy, 314-1901 Grandparents & Other Kin Parenting Again Contact: Rochelle, 260-1804 Montrose Kinship Connection for Kids through Partners and Montrose County Mental Health Contact: Karen Barnes, 252-1009
Colorado resources Grandparents Resource Center P.O. Box 27064, Denver, CO 303-980-5707, www.grc4usa.org Child Health Plan Plus 800-359-1991 Colorado Coalition of Adoptive Families Colorado Kinship Care Resource Guide www.cocaf.org/kinship-resource AARP Grandparent Information Center 888-687-2277 www.aarp.org/grandparents
For more contacts and resources, consult the BEACON’s Senior RESOURCE Directory. Don’t have one? Call our office at 243-8829 and we will send you a FREE copy.
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March 2012
Family 2.0: Grandparents become the new generation of parents By Carla Johnson, Marsha Kearns, Barbara Ward and Sandy Barney
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in both times to give them stability and keep them with family.” Brewer eventually gained full custody of both grandsons. Austin’s parents both agreed to the solution, but Joey had moved into the foster care system. Brewer had to become an official foster parent and pursue a long process of becoming certified as a “kinship” foster parent. Grandparents don’t have normal standing in the custody process, so it took Brewer a year to get Joey. “I had to complete a mountain of
hroughout history, parents and grandparents have “tag-teamed” raising children. However, an increasing number of these family teams are splintering for a multitude of reasons, mainly relating to a child’s parents. Situations range from tough economic times, to substance abuse, incarceration, health problems and even death. Whatever the cause, the result is that a grandparent today may likely face the decision whether or not to raise their grandchildren in the future. A census data analysis indicates that the number of grandparents raising grandkids began to spiral upward when the recession began in 2007. Overall, 34 percent of grandparents raising grandchildren are unmarried, and 62 percent are women. One in 10 children in the U.S. already lives exclusively with a grandparent. Jean Brewer heads one such household. Her older grandson, Austin, came to live with her on Christmas Eve in 2003, when he was 10 and she was 53. Brewer was working full time, living alone and enjoying it all. Jean Brewer, 61, went through a long process to gain “The decision to take Austin legal custody of her grandson Joey, 13. into my home was a hard one, paperwork, be background checked, because I knew it would change my have a home check and monthly life dramatically,” Brewer said. “But I home visits, take eight weeks of knew it was necessary to give him a 3-hour trainings, and become certistable home. I loved him and so that fied in CPR,” Brewer said. was my choice.” Brewer dipped into her retirement Challenges for everyone savings to help support Austin. Then, “For the boys, the biggest challenge in 2008, her other grandson, Joey, was and is that their parents chose came to live with them, too. not to raise them,” Brewer said. “They miss their mother all the time Different paths to the same door and hunger and fight for her atten“My daughter began struggling tion even though they regularly get financially in 2002, so she let both boys go live with their fathers,” Brew- to spend time with her.” On Brewer’s part, she has to deal er said. “Later, Austin’s father decided with the fallout of all the emotions, he didn’t want the responsibility, and as well as be there for her daughter Joey’s father was arrested. I stepped
and her grandsons. “It is hard to work full time and raise kids by yourself,” Brewer said. “Especially when the kids are often sad and angry. There are times when I have more to do than time to do them. And yes, I do sometimes wish I had just been able to love them and spoil them as a grandmother.”
Parenting the second time around Brewer said parenting is harder the second time around. “I had to learn that I cannot be a full substitute for their parents and that being there for them will never completely fill the void left by their parents,” Brewer said. Brewer’s daughter has always been a part of the boys’ lives. She is now working more as a partner in parenting her children with her mother. At 18, Austin recently graduated from high school and is living in another state, doing well. Thirteen year-old Joey still lives with Brewer and sees his mother often. Why does he like living with his grandmother? “Because she’s good,” Joey said. Brewer, now 61, said, “Even knowing all the problems, issues, time constraints, expense and the rest, I would still do it all again. They are my family, and to me, this is what family does. It steps up and helps when there is a need. I have to admit, however, that I often say to myself that I’m too darn old for this.”
Going the extra mile Like Brewer, Jan and Barry Hicks chose to raise children, but go the extra mile by raising the children of a young woman they accepted into their family as an at-risk teenager. Jan, 53, has reached out to youth for over two decades, beginning with summer Bible camps and children’s ministries. She served as a youth minister at a church in Parachute, facilitated a Young Life group in Glenwood Springs, and led Bible studies at the Division of Youth Corrections
March 2012
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in Grand Junction. want to do when you get older,” Jan said. “Barry and I were “We wanted to travel. official foster parents Fiji sounds real good to three children some days, but this and took in quite a is a fulfilling thing to few strays,” Jan said. do. I believe God put “I became the go-to us all here for a reaadult for 12 to 15 kids son. Only He knows who became lifetime how important this commitments. I helped may be. Some of our them at every level, friends ask, ‘How from getting their much longer is this wardrobes together going to last?’ We for special functions at have accepted that school to preparing for this is for years. We graduation.” will wait until Cat is Among the kids they ready to step up.” took in, one young lady Jan admitted that was forever woven she does not have into the fabric of their Jan Hicks, 53, with her adopted granddaughters Aneesha (left) and Kennedy (right). the energy she did family. when raising her “I did YFC (Youth for couldn’t wrap her tongue around own children. Christ) ministry and Cat was a kid “Wiggily,” so Barry became Wiggy. “If I was younger I would jump on that attended the club,” Jan said. “She The Hicks have a biological son and the trampoline with the kids, but I was rejected by her bio family and I adopted daughter who are 10 years have physical limitations now,” Jan helped with her placement in a foster apart. Kate, 21, still lives at home. said. “I do well in the mornings, but home. I also acted as a nonofficial Her older brother, Roger, is married it’s all I can do to keep my eyeballs guardian through her teen years.” with seven children and one on open to get them to bed. But you Cat became pregnant with her first the way. don’t walk away just because it’s difchild with no other support system. “They’ve all accepted Cat’s kids as ficult. God gives the strength.” She moved into the Hicks’ home family, but Barry and I are juggling Jan views her role as a liaison in when her daughter was three the dynamic of being grandparents to restoring family relationships, not as months old. our son’s children and in some ways, a replacement. “Barry and I acted as parents of acting as parents to the other four.” “Had Cat been our biological the bride at her wedding and I child, I would feel that I had was the birth coach for all four failed and was doing penance,” of her children,” Jan said. “We Jan said. “But that guilt piece helped her get her GED, her first isn’t there. My grandmother car, and her first apartment.” helped raise me, so that’s my With each new baby, Cat belegacy. I look forward to seeing came more overwhelmed. these kids become healthy, function“She wanted to be the kind of Jan calls their current living aring adults.” mother she never had,” Jan said. “But rangement a “round robin” plan.
I believe God put us all here for a reason.
she was dealing with conflict generated by a lot of personal issues from her early years.” The Hicks recognized that it was time to fish or cut bait. Jan took legal guardianship of Cat’s two boys and two girls, who range in age from four to 11. The kids call her “Nana” but at first, Barry, 55, insisted that he was too young to be a grandpa. “The kids started calling him Uncle Wiggily from the children’s board game,” Jan said. ‘Neesha, Cat’s eldest daughter,
“We keep the kids through the school week and they take turns staying with mom,” Jan said. “Cat never has them all at once, which allows her to be the parent she wants to be.” The Hicks’ sprawling ranch style home has helped this extended family adapt to an unconventional routine. Jan praised her daughter, Kate. “If she weren’t a part of this package it wouldn’t work as well,” Jan said. Jan said she repeatedly questioned her decision to raise the children. “You think about the things you
Cover Story 5
National & Regional Award-Winning Publication Publisher ............................ Kevin VanGundy Founding Publisher................... Susan Capps Assistant Editor........................ Cloie Sandlin Office Manager ........................Genevra Shal Graphic Design.............................. Heidi Graf Production/ Photographer......... Karen Jones Delivery........................................Al LeFebre Advertising Sales.........................Sue Bowen Advertising Sales.................Jeanette Kiphart Advertising Assistant...............Jamie Begalle Mascot............................................... Bogart Delta-Montrose Bureau Advertising Sales.................... Virginia Carlile Delivery..........................................JR Milner Garfield Bureau Editor.......................................Cheryl Currier
P.O. Box 3895, Grand Junction,CO 81502 970.243.8829 800.536.7516 fax Web site: 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 Delta, Garfield, Montrose and Mesa 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 2012 • All Rights Reserved
An unexpected blessing
Ross and Aggie Hamilton’s new life of raising grandchildren came about 15 years ago when their daughter, Connie, was diagnosed with breast cancer. “She was sick for a year and a half,” Aggie recalled. “We’ve had her daughter, Courtney, most of her life. We got her when she was just 2 1/2 years old. She is 17 now.” Aggie and Ross also raised Courtney’s older half brother, Ray, who was 13 when Connie died. Connie’s cancer spread into her
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March 2012
lymph nodes and the radiation from Obstacles her chemotherapy seemed to make Montrose resident Tammy Avilathings worse. After a long battle, Spear took on the role of raising her Connie died in August 1997. grandson, Nicholas, just minutes “Nobody is ever ready for a loved after he was born. With both of his one to pass away,� Aggie said. “My parents addicted to drugs, Avila-Spear husband gave her a blessing, but it arranged to take him at birth with was not meant to be.� the help of a lawyer. Although her Courtney doesn’t remember her husband, Russell Spear, is not Nichomother very well, but las’ biological grandRay took it the hardfather, he also readily est. Aggie said he tried accepted the responhard not to show his sibility. feelings, but one day “I gave up furthering he just broke down my education, made and cried. financial sacrifices and “I wasn’t in very neglected my own good shape,� Aggie health issue,� Avilasaid. “I would lie on Spear said referring the couch for days. to her end stage renal Then one day I deciddisease. “But I would ed that I had two kids “Nana� gives the girls a touch up do it all over again. He after her daughter, Kate, did their to raise. I needed to is my reason to get up get up off that couch hair for Valentine’s Day. everyday and want to and do my job.� live in spite of my poor health.� The Hamiltons raised Ray until he Nicholas, 6, visits his father on a was grown. Now in her 70s, Aggie regular basis and has some contact said Courtney has been an exception- with his mother. Although he has developed his own way of coping, he al child to raise. doesn’t fully understand why he can’t “We have never had discipline live with his parents. problems with her,� Aggie said. “If “It’s not easy at all,� Avila-Spear you ever have to raise a child in your said. “But I discipline like a mother old age, you want one like Courtney. and spoil like a grandmother.� She has her mother’s characteristics Avila-Spear said one of the proband the older she gets, the more I see lems that arise for grandparents raisConnie in her.� ing their grandchildren is the finanWhen Courtney’s father died two cial expense and lack of government years ago, his social security helped assistance. She said some children the Hamiltons financially support receive free or reduced lunches at her. “It has been a joy to be able to raise school, and receive Medicaid, but all other expenses are the responsibility Courtney,� Aggie said. “She has been of the grandparents. a blessing to have in our home.� Avila-Spear said grandparents need Aggie said at her age, it is hard counseling, too. Montrose offers keeping up with Courtney, as she Kinship Connection for Kids, a supenjoys activities like hiking, swimport group for grandparents raising ming, archery, paint ball and being involved in her church’s youth group. children, but there are no low-fee services available for private counselFortunately, Courtney has cousins ing and professional help. that often join her in such activities. Although the journey is hard, Courtney has been homeschooled since the fifth grade. She plans to get Avila-Spear and her husband have no regrets. To them, laughter, smiles and her GED this summer and then go hugs make up for any heartache. to college. “We cannot afford to provide a lot “I am thankful for my grandparof extra ‘things,’� Spear said. “But ents raising me, and for being there what we do provide is love, stability for me when my mother could not,� and a positive influence.� ■Courtney said.
March 2012
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Feature story 7
Help send local veterans to national competition By Sue Chapman
L
ife begins at 55… at least it does for more than 700 veterans competing in the National Golden Age Games every year. This national is the only multi-event sports and recreational seniors’ competition program designed to improve the quality of life for all older veterans including those with a wide range of abilities and disabilities. It is one of the most progressive and adaptive rehabilitative senior sports programs in the world offering 14 different sports and recreational activities. Grand Junction’s own Golden Age Games Team has 15 members including both men and women. They participate in such events as golf, shot put, horseshoes, cycling, air rifle and dominoes. Every year, our team members do well and bring home Joe Replogle tosses the shot put
several medals. Team members must pay for their own travel and housing expenses, therefore, we must hold several fundraising events such as yard sales, bowling tournaments, silent auctions, golf tournaments and even Santa photos. The team’s upcoming event is a bowling fundraiser at 5 p.m. on March 24 at Orchard Mesa Lanes, 295 27 Road. Register your team before March 17 and tickets are $25 per person or $90 per four-person team. Cash prizes will be given to the first place man and the first place woman. In May, the team plans to attend the games in Saint Louis, Missouri. For further information about the Golden Age Games fundraising events and the tournament, call the team’s captain, Emma, at 245-6175 or Henry Bullock at 242 0731, ext. 2417. ■
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March 2012
Cottage Pie wit h Garlic Butter
“The cheese in this crust and the lump of garlic butter that melts into the center make this into something very special.” Serves 6, Preheat the oven to 350°F. 3 T olive oil 2 garlic cloves, mashed 1 small onion, chopped 1 lb beef, freshly ground 1 t fresh thyme leaves 1/2 c dry white or red wine 1 c beef stock 1 t Worcestershire sauce 1 T tomato paste Roux (recipe follows) Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 c grated Dubliner cheese 1/4 c grated Kerrygold Aged Cheddar To Serve Garlic Butter (recipe follows) Green salad
For the Topping 3 lbs baking potatoes, unpeeled 1 c whole milk, boiling Salt and freshly ground pepper 2 T Kerrygold Irish butter 1 T chopped chives (optional) Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add garlic and onion and fry until soft and slightly brown. Increase heat, add ground beef and thyme and fry until beef changes color. Add wine, half the stock, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste. Simmer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, boil the unpeeled potatoes, then peel them. Add boiling milk and mash potatoes while they are still hot. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, and add butter and chives, if using. Bring the rest of the stock to a boil and thicken it well with roux. Stir it into beef — it should be thick but still juicy. Taste and correct seasoning. Put meat mixture into one large or six individual pie dishes. Pipe or spread mashed potato mixture over the top. Sprinkle with grated cheeses. Bake for 30 minutes, until top is golden and slightly crispy. Serve with garlic butter and a green salad.
Roux
“Roux can be stored in a cool place and used as required, or it can be made up on the spot if preferred to thicken up a sauce.” 8 T Kerrygold Irish butter Scant c all-purpose flour Melt butter in a pan and cook flour in it for 2 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally. It will keep for two weeks in the refrigerator.
Garlic Butter
“Slather over bruschetta or toast. Also great with grilled fish, meat, or vegetables.” 8 2
T Kerrygold Irish butter T finely chopped parsley 3 to 5 cloves crushed garlic A few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice
Whip butter, then add in parsley, garlic and a few drops of lemon juice at a time. Roll into butter pats or form into a roll and wrap in parchment paper or foil, twisting each end. Refrigerate to harden.
March 2012
Ask the Old Bag Advice Column for the Over 50 Crowd By Gayle LagmanCreswick Dear Old Bag: Something I read in a previous column of yours got me thinking. I have been married for 42 years to a man who has verbally abused me. I cannot begin to tell you the tears that have been shed, the sleepless nights, and the times I have thought about leaving him. I read in your column about couples our age that have split. One lady told you, “Life is too short to spend it with someone who abuses you.” I will never please this man and I am sick of trying. I cannot imagine what he will do without me, because he is helpless when it comes to doing anything for himself! I have a good attorney. Do you have any other advice? Signed, Finally Dear Finally: I hope the reason for your decision is that you believe it is the best thing for you and your life, and not because of something you read in my column. I give advice based upon my life experiences, which may not be yours. Leaving a marriage of 42 years is difficult. Even bad habits are hard to break. The most difficult part, I believe, is finding out who you are as an individual. Right now, you know who you are as an abused wife of 42 years. After splitting up, you will have some uneasy feelings about who you are as a single person. Have a plan to begin your life single: take a college course, get a job, volunteer, develop new friendships, and develop new hobbies. You did not say whether you two have a family. If you do, let them know that this is between you and their father, and that you do not intend to involve them in choosing sides. I have a suspicion that after you split, you and your ex may get along better than you ever did, partly because he cannot bully you anymore, and partly because he will have a new respect for you. Good luck and let me know how it goes! O.B.
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Dear Old Bag: I read your answer with a smile on my face about the woman who lived in a retirement community and could not figure out how some old people could be so cantankerous. Your answer was right on. I moved into this retirement community 10 years ago. Last year, a high school classmate of mine moved in here. Guess what? She was a little snippy, gossip in high school and she still is! We just become more of whatever we are—that is the good news and the bad! Signed, Hoping I am maturing gracefully! Dear Hoping: Thanks for writing. Keep smiling! Note from the Old Bag: I received many letters in regard to the recent column about how people present themselves in a Friendship Ad. Some men were adamant that it is women who misrepresent themselves. The women say it is the men who misrepresent themselves. Here’s some good advice from R. who lives in the “hot and dry desert:” Be real, be yourself, and don’t try to be and look like someone you are not! I think it is applicable to life in general. Dear Old Bag: I am a high school girl who picked up my grandma’s paper and read your column. I have a problem: My grandma goes on and on about how the teenagers of today have no respect, decorate their bodies with punctures, have tattoos, and dress sinfully. I love my gram, but I do not enjoy my time with her when she starts putting my group down. HELP!
Advice & ideas 9
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Dear Help: Give this column to Grandma. Dear Grandma, Your granddaughter loves you and I feel sure you love her too. If you want her to visit you, you need to nix your criticism of her age group. Now, don’t give me that jazz about “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” Yes, you can if the price is right. O.B. Send your questions to Ask the Old Bag in care of the BEACON, or email lagmancreswick@cox.net ■
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March 2012
The Healthy Geezer By Fred Cicetti
Q. I’m 70 and I’m starting to see a blurred area in the middle of my vision. Any ideas? Have this checked immediately by an eye care practitioner. What you describe is a symptom of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of vision loss in Americans 60 years of age and older. The macula is at the center of the retina in the back of your eye. The retina transmits light from the eye to the brain. The macula allows us to perform tasks that require central vision such as reading and driving. In some cases, AMD advances so slowly that people notice little change in their vision. In others, the disease progresses faster and may lead to a loss of vision in both eyes. It comes in two forms— wet and dry. Wet AMD occurs when blood vessels behind the retina start to leak and raise the macula. An early symptom of wet AMD is straight lines that appear wavy. Wet AMD is considered to be advanced AMD and is more severe than the dry form. However, dry AMD can turn into wet AMD at any time. Dry AMD occurs when macular cells break down, gradually blurring central vision in the affected eye. Central vision in the affected eye can be lost. Dry AMD generally affects both eyes, but vision can be lost in one eye. The risk of getting AMD increases with age. Other risk factors include smoking, obesity, race (whites are at higher risk), a family history of AMD, and gender (women are at higher risk). AMD is detected through a comprehensive eye exam that includes a visual acuity test, a dilated eye exam
and tonometry. Visual acuity is measured with an eye chart test. In the dilated eye exam, drops are placed in your eyes to enlarge the pupils. Then, a magnifying lens is used to examine your retina. Tonometry measures the pressure inside the eye. You may also be asked to look at an Amsler grid. With one eye, you will stare at a black dot in the center of the grid. You may notice that the straight lines in the pattern appear wavy or are missing. These may be signs of AMD. Once dry, AMD is in the advanced stage. No treatment can prevent vision loss. However, treatment can delay and possibly prevent AMD from progressing to the advanced stage. Some vitamins and minerals may reduce the risk of developing advanced AMD. Wet AMD can be treated with surgery, therapy and injections into the eye. None of these treatments is a cure for wet AMD. Each treatment may slow the rate of vision decline, but the disease may progress anyway. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved the Implantable Miniature Telescope (IMT) to improve vision in some patients with end-stage age-related macular degeneration. Surgically implanted in one eye, the IMT is a small telescope that replaces the natural lens and provides an image that has been magnified more than two times. If you have lost some sight from AMD, don’t be afraid to use your eyes for reading, watching TV, and other routine activities. Normal use of your eyes will not damage your vision further. If you would like to read more columns, you can order a copy of “How to be a Healthy Geezer” at www.healthygeezer.com. ■
March 2012
A trip down the alimentary canal By Dr. Masi Khaja
C
olorectal cancer is the third most diagnosed form of cancer in men and women in the U.S. It is estimated about 140,000 new cases are diagnosed each year and about 49,000 Americans die from it, making it the second most common cause of cancer death in the U.S. Colorectal cancer occurs when abnormal cells grow in the lining of the large bowel or rectum. This abnormal growth is known as a polyp. The two most common types of polyps are adenomas or hyperplastic. The adenoma type have the potential to turn into cancer, but can be prevented when they are removed early by routine screening colonoscopy. Common risk factors include a family history of colorectal cancer, age, and a history of inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis. A personal history of ovarian or breast cancer have also been associated with increased risk. Risk factors that can be modified to prevent colorectal cancer are a diet high in red meat, processed meats, obesity, smoking or drinking alcohol. Most people think that they are not a risk due to lack of symptoms, but with colon cancer there are no early warning signs. As the disease progresses, symptoms are blood in stools, abdominal pain, change in bowel habits, weight loss or anemia. With these signs, the tumor is usually larger and difficult to treat.
Screening for colon cancer Colonoscopy is the visual exam of the rectum and colon. The exam is done with a colonoscope, a flexible instrument with a tiny camera on the end. This tube is inserted into your rectum, allowing the doctor to view the inside of your colon. A cancer screening colonoscopy can find and remove precancerous polyps or even diagnose early cancer. Metastatic cancer is cancer that has spread to other parts of the body and is generally more difficult to treat. Polypectomy is a procedure performed during a colonoscopy in which a
Health & wellness 11
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small cancerous polyp is removed from the colon or rectum using the colonoscope. Treatment depends mainly on both the stage and location of the cancer. Surgery remains the most common form of treatment for more advanced stages. Surgeons will often perform a colon resection or removal of the entire diseased portion of the colon and/or resect a portion of the rectum better known as proctectomy. If the surgeon is not able to reconnect the healthy parts, a temporary or permanent colostomy may be needed. This involves the surgeon creating an opening in the wall of the abdomen through which solid body waste is eliminated into a special bag. Other forms of treatment are chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Chemotherapy involves the use of drugs to kill the cancer cells. But often normal healthy cells may also be killed in addition to the cancer cells. Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays to shrink the tumor before surgery, kill cancer cells that may remain after surgery, and may relieve pain and other symptoms caused by the cancer. One of the most important factors in determining survival from colon cancer is early detection. The American Cancer Society recommends a colonoscopy every 10 years, starting at age 50. If your initial colonoscopy detects precancerous polyps, then you should have the procedure every five years. Studies have proven that a colonoscopy screening reduces your risk of being diagnosed with colorectal cancer by 84 percent. If you have a family history of colon cancer, screening may be recommended even earlier. Patients with cancers detected at the early stages have a higher rate of survival, with the five-year survival rate of 70 to 80 percent for colorectal cancer stages I and II. This is considerably higher than those with advanced metastatic disease. The best recommendation is to take charge of your health and undergo a screening colonoscopy. ■
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March 2012
Eat fat to be healthier? By Sandra Gordon
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witch to skinny lattes. Learn to love nonfat cheese. No more butter! Sound familiar? If you’re trying to lose weight by cutting out all the fat in your diet, here’s food for thought: Fat doesn’t make you fat. Excess calories do. “It’s not total fat that matters. People need to be concerned about total calories,” explained Artemis Simopoulos, M.D. and co-author of “The Omega Plan.” Another fat misconception? A no-fat or low-fat diet is the health gold standard. It isn’t. In fact, studies, such as the Women’s Health Initiative, which involved 49,000 women, showed that a low-fat diet didn’t significantly reduce the women’s risk of heart disease, breast cancer, or colon cancer. Some types of fat, such as unsaturated fat, which comes from plant sources and fish, are actually good for you. Studies show that by watching your total calorie intake and eating more foods rich in unsaturated fat, you may lose weight and reduce your risk of disease.
Fat is your friend Like a car, your body needs oil to run. Among its many duties, fat is a major energy source and helps your body absorb certain nutrients. Fat also regulates your hormones, keeps your nervous system humming and forms the membrane that surrounds each cell. It’s also the staff of life for your brain. Yet, the type of fat you consume matters. Saturated fat, the fat found principally in meat, dairy products and some tropical oils, has been shown to increase your risk of heart disease because it raises the LDL, or “the bad” cholesterol and triglyceride levels in your blood. The same holds true for another “bad fat,” trans fat, the man-made fat found in margarines and some manufactured foods,
which also lower HDLs, “the good” protective cholesterol.
Reduce heart disease risk Unsaturated fat, on the other hand, the type of fat that comes mainly from vegetable, nut and fish products can help lower LDLs and blood pressure, raise HDLs and prevent heart disease, stroke and potentially-deadly heart rhythm disorders. A little butter, ice cream or a steak every once in a while is okay: everything in moderation. But to keep your ticker in top shape, you can’t beat a diet rich in unsaturated “healthy” fats. One landmark study in particular, the Lyon Diet Heart Study, dramatically proved this point. In the study, 302 heart attack survivors were assigned to a lowfat “prudent” diet, consisting of 30 percent fat. Another similar group was assigned to a slightly higher fat diet that was based on a modified version of the traditional diet of the Greek island of Crete, which featured unsaturated fats like olive and canola oil. Although you’d think those on the lower-fat diet would have won this round, the opposite proved true. Subjects on the Crete diet had an unprecedented 76 percent lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease or suffering heart failure, heart attack or stroke.
Healthy fat For overall good health and to lose weight, it’s important to eat less saturated fat and trans fats and to try to make sure the fat you do consume is unsaturated. Keep in mind that you have to consume fat to be healthy. Up to 35 percent of your total daily calories can come from fat (that’s 700 fat calories on a typical 2,000-calorie daily diet), according to the National Academy of Sciences. Unsaturated fats such as omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish and fish oil, are essential fats. They’re
March 2012 required for normal body functions and you must get them from food because your body can’t manufacture them. “Omega-3 fatty acids have to be part of your diet continuously,” Simopoulos said. Moreover, if you don’t eat enough fat, your body will make its own. “Eating a very low-fat diet can turn your body into a fat-making machine, and the type of fat your body manufactures is saturated fat,” Simopoulos said. Super food sources of omega-3s and other types of unsaturated fat include canola and olive oil, flaxseed, walnuts, and fish, particularly fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines and albacore tuna because it’s packed with two types of omega-3 fatty acids: DHA and EPA, which your body readily uses. Plant sources of omega-3s like walnuts and flaxseed contain ALA, which your body doesn’t use quite as efficiently. Nonetheless, it’s all good for you. To reduce the risk of environmen-
Health & wellness 13
www.BeaconSeniorNews.com tal contaminants, mix up the menu and serve different kinds of fish from varied sources, such as wild salmon, tilapia and lake trout at least twice a week. Fishing for serving ideas? Here are ways to work healthy, unsaturated fats into your menus. • Canola oil: Use it for sautéing vegetables and lean meat. For salad dressings, use half canola oil, half olive oil (for flavor). • Ground flaxseed: Use a couple tablespoons as a topper for salads. Blend into a morning fruit smoothie or sprinkle atop cereal at breakfast. • Albacore tuna: Stir into lunchtime pasta salads. Serve on toast with sliced avocados, a squirt of limejuice and a dash of salt, or fold into your favorite dinnertime casseroles. • Walnuts: Add chopped walnuts to baked goods like banana bread, sprinkle on pancakes or serve with an afternoon snack of cheese and crackers. • Sardines: Sneak them into pasta sauce. ■
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March 2012
Submitted by Charles Gross Your glasses get thicker and your hair gets thinner. Your grandkids take you to school for “Show and Tell: American History Week.” You think everything should cost half as much and last twice as long. Every time you stand up, it sounds like someone stepped on a box of macaroni. There is a complete stranger on your driver’s license photo. You find that people mumble more than they used to. Only you alone know how to use the rotary phone in the kitchen. You realize that Lawrence Welk was ahead of his time. The comic strips no longer make any sense. Your high school class says, “To heck with it. No more reunions.”
Tool descriptions for DIY Submitted by Kevin VanGundy Dedicated to Kevin Ray Drill press: A tall upright machine useful for suddenly snatching flat metal bar stock out of your hands so that it smacks you in the chest and flings your beer across the room. Wire wheel: Cleans paint off bolts and then throws them somewhere under the workbench with the speed of light. Also removes fingerprints and hard-earned calluses from fingers in about the time it takes you to say, “Oh crap!” Skill saw: A portable cutting tool used to make studs too short. Pliers: Used to round off bolt heads. Sometimes used in the creation of blood blisters. Belt sander: An electric sanding tool commonly used to convert minor touch-up jobs into major refinishing jobs. Vise grips: Generally used after pliers to completely round off bolt
heads. If nothing else is available, they can also be used to transfer intense welding heat to the palm of your hand. Oxyacetylene torch: Used almost entirely for lighting various flammable objects in your shop on fire. Also handy for igniting the grease inside the wheel hub out of which you want to remove a bearing. Table saw: A large stationary power tool commonly used to launch wood projectiles for testing garage wall integrity. Band saw: A large stationary power saw primarily used by most shops to cut good aluminum sheet into smaller pieces that more easily fit into the trash can. Phillips screwdriver: Normally used to stab the vacuum seals under lids or for opening old-style paperand-tin oil cans and splashing oil on your shirt. They can also be used, as the name implies, to strip out Phillips screw heads. Straight screwdriver: A tool for opening paint cans. Sometimes used to convert common slotted screws into non removable screws. Pry bar: A tool used to crumple the metal surrounding that clip or bracket you needed to remove in order to replace a 50 cent part. Hose cutter: A tool used to make hoses too short. Hammer: Originally employed as a weapon of war, the hammer nowadays is used as a kind of divining rod to locate the most expensive parts adjacent the object we are trying to hit. It is especially valuable at being able to find the exact location of the thumb or index finger of the other hand. Utility knife: Used to open and slice through the contents of cardboard cartons delivered to your front door. Works particularly well on contents such as seats, vinyl records, liquids in plastic bottles, collector magazines, refund checks, and rubber or plastic parts.
March 2012 Son-of-a-bitch tool: Any handy tool that you grab and throw across the garage while yelling, “Son of a bitch!” at the top of your lungs. It is also, most often, the next tool that you will need.
In sickness and in health Submitted by Brent Carlile George, 92 and Edith, 89, decided to get married. They were strolling past a drugstore when George said, “Let’s go in. I have an idea.” They met the pharmacist, who was the owner of the store. George asked, “Do you sell heart medications?” “Of course we do,” the owner replied. “How about support hose for circulation?” George asked. “Definitely,” the owner replied. This went on with George asking about medications, hearing aids, denture supplies, wheelchairs, walkers and canes. “We have all different kinds of medications, medical supplies, wheelchairs and canes,” the owner replied. “May I ask why all the questions?” George smiled, glancing shyly at Edith. He turned to the owner and said, “We’ve decided to get married and we’d like to use your store as our bridal registry.”
I love my grandkids Submitted by Jacque Stafford After putting her grandchildren to bed, a grandmother changed into old slacks and a droopy blouse, and proceeded to wash her hair. As she heard the children getting more and more rambunctious, her patience grew thin. Finally, she threw a towel around her head and stormed into their room, putting them back to bed with stern warnings. As she left the room, she heard the 3-year-old say with a trembling voice, “Who was THAT?”
Lil’ Bill Submitted by Renae Gustine Bill attended a horse auction with his father. He watched as his father
www.BeaconSeniorNews.com moved from horse to horse, running his hands up and down the horse’s legs, rump and chest. After a few minutes, Bill asked, “Dad, why are you doing that?” His father replied, “Because when I’m buying horses, I have to make sure that they are healthy and in good shape before I buy.” Looking worried, Bill said, “Dad, I think the UPS guy wants to buy Mom.”
Irish Alzheimer’s Submitted by Kevin Ray Murphy showed up to Mass one Sunday and the priest almost fell down when he saw him. He’d never been to church in his life. After the service, the priest caught up with him and said, “Murphy, I am so glad ya decided to come to Mass. What made ya come?” “I got to be honest with ya, Father,” Murphy said. “A while back, I misplaced me hat and I really, really love that hat. I know that McGlynn had a hat just like mine and I knew he came to church every Sunday. I also knew that he had to take off his hat during Mass and I figured he would leave it in the back of church. So, I was going to leave after communion and steal McGlynn’s hat.” “Well, Murphy,” the priest said. “I noticed that ya didn’t steal McGlynn’s hat. What changed your mind?” “Well, after I heard your sermon on the 10 Commandments, I decided that I didn’t need to steal McGlynn’s hat after all,” Murphy said. With a tear in his eye, the priest gave Murphy a big smile and said, “After I talked about ‘Thou Shall Not Steal,’ ya decided you would rather do without your hat than burn in hell?” Murphy slowly shook his head and said, “No Father, after ya talked about Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery’ I remembered where I left me hat.” ■ Send your funniest jokes to: beacon@pendantpublishing.com
Laughing Matters 15
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March 2012
Easy Excursions Compiled by Cloie Sandlin
Indoor Football: Colorado Ice vs. Wyoming Calvary March 4 Budweiser Event Center 5290 Arena Circle Loveland, Colorado 970-472-0128 www.thecoloradoice.com The NFL Super Bowl may be over, but football season isn’t. Catch the Colorado Ice, Colorado’s professional indoor football team playing at the Budweiser Event Center in Loveland through June. Colorado Ice is a member of the Indoor Football League and will be playing the Wyoming Calvary. Tickets range from $10 to $35. Call or visit the website for more dates.
Beauty and the Beast March 14 The Buell Theatre Downtown Denver, Colorado 303-893-4100 www.denvercenter.org The romantic Broadway musical for grandparents and grandchildren alike, Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” is coming to Denver. Based on the Academy Award winning animated feature film, this eye-popping spectacle has won the hearts of more than 35 million people worldwide. This classic musical love story is filled with unforgettable characters, lavish sets and costumes. Experience the enchantment. Tickets start at $20.
National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic March 25-30 Snowmass Village, Colorado 970-263-5040 www.va.gov Celebrating its 26th year, the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic has been a leader in helping veterans with disabilities rehabilitate by introducting them to adaptive winter sports on the majestic Colorado Rockies. All participants are veterans with traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, orthopedic amputations, visual impairments,
certain neurological conditions and other disabilities. More than 200 certified adaptive ski instructors serve the unique needs of the participants. Participation is open to disabled U.S. military service veterans who receive care at a Department of Veterans Affairs medical facility. Call to participate or visit the website for more information. You can also contact the Veterans Affairs Medical Center or any local Veterans Service Organization for additional information.
Disney on Ice March 29-April 1 Denver Coliseum 4600 Humboldt St. Denver, Colorado 720-865-2475 www.disney.go.com/disneyonice/ Join the celebration as 65 of Disney’s unforgettable characters from 18 beloved stories come to life in Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic. You’ll be captivated by the one and only Mickey Mouse, the irresistible Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, Jiminy Cricket, Pinocchio and all the Disney princesses. Be thrilled by exciting moments from The Lion King, Mulan, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles and Toy Story films in a skating spectacular filled with magical Disney moments you’ll remember forever. Show times vary. Tickets start at $15. Call or visit www.ticketmaster. com/100years to purchase tickets.
Bill Cosby in Denver March 31 The Buell Theatre Downtown Denver, Colorado 303-893-4100 www.denvercenter.org One of America’s most prolific comedians of all time, Bill Cosby has dazzled generations of fans with his comedy routines, also captured on his iconic albums and best-selling books such as Fatherhood and the groundbreaking “The Cosby Show.” His comedy transcends age, gender and cultural barriers. See him live at 5 p.m. or 8 p.m. Ticket prices start at $40. ■
March 2012
Travel & gaming 17
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Keepers and weeper partial-pay machines By Mark Pilarski Dear Mark: I recently played in my very first slot tournament. I found it to be a lot of fun even though I was knocked out in the second round. Any strategies on how I can improve my chances in the future? Jenny S. Luck aside, Jenny, there isn’t a slot strategy that will make you a longterm winner at the slot tournaments, except one: Get those wheels-a-whirling as fast as you can to amass points. The quicker you get at tapping the max coin button, the better your chances are of moving on to the next round. When you leave available credits on the meter, players who are faster than you at thumping the spin button will have more spins than you will, which makes them more likely to have more points. Being too fast can also work against you in that the machine will not spin until the winning credits have been tallied and displayed on the screen. It’s all about timing and being prepared to tap the max coin button instantaneously after your credits are computed. In addition, concentrate on your play and not that of fellow competitors. Wasting time eyeing an opponent’s credit total will cost you precious spins and they can be the deciding factor on whether you do or don’t advance to the next round. The upshot here is to get your fingers moving as fast as you can. The more you can keep those reels spinning, the better your chance of accumulating points and moving on to the next round. Dear Mark: I like to play “Jacks or Better” on a 9/6 machine. When dealt three unsuited face cards, or an ace with two face cards, should I hold all three cards and draw two, or what? Fred K. Before I deal you in on your question, Fred, I am going to need you to review the paytable on your 9/6
machines. Is it as follows? Royal Flush 250-for-1; Straight Flush 50-for-1; Four of a kind 25-for-1; Full House 9-for-1; Flush 6-for-1; Straight 4-for-1; Threeof-a-Kind 3-for-1; Two Pair 2-for-1; pair of Jacks or Better 1-for-1. The reason behind my probe is that I want to make sure you understand the difference between a full-pay and a partial-pay 9/6 machine. The full pay 9/6 machines (9 for a full house 6 for a flush) compensate you the maximum for each winning hand. The partials do not. For instance, if you can find a full pay Jacks or Better quarter machine that pays 9 coins for a full house, 6 for a flush, and 2 for two pair, you can expect a return rate, if each hand is correctly played, of approximately 99.5 percent. However, if the machine only pays 1-for-1 for two pairs, it is considered a partial-pay machine and you are giving the house an extra five-plus percent on your play. Most hands dealt have some value and potential of winning you some money. Your hand with multiple face cards and/or an Ace is one such hand that can enhance that win capability. Based on playing a full-pay 9/6 machine, the optimal cards to retain in descending order are: Three-Card Royal Flush Two-Card Royal (no Ace or 10) Four High Cards Two-Card Royal (Ace, no 10) Three High Cards (no Ace) Two High Cards Two Card Royal (10, no Ace) One High Card What’s missing here are all those hands that rank in between a threecard royal flush and one high card that includes at least one high card, like a three-card inside straight with two high cards, or this mouthful— a three-card double inside straight flush with one high card. That’s where getting a book on video poker and/or a strategy card is suggested since it is only through perfect basic strategy that you procure the above mentioned 99.5 percent return. ■
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March 2012
“Save the soil, save the forests, save the young men” this cycle around. The first CCC camp for unemployed he entire nation was citizens from ages 18-25 devastated by the efefwas was established in George fects of the Great Depression Washington National Forand the Dust Bowl. In est in Virginia. During the 1933, newly elected Presiprogram’s six-year existence, dent Franklin D. Roosevelt the majority of enrollees were faced the challenge with his New assigned to forest conservation work Deal proposals. He believed that under the U.S. Forest Service. Commassive unemployment could be mitted to a minimum of six months, resolved if faced “wisely and couramany of the men recruited had no geously.” In his inaugural address, he prior employment. The work they introduced his intent to implement enrolled in was often exhausting, a program for employing youth and but the recruits gained both physical stabilizing the economy. Within a strength and useful job skills. Enrollmonth of Roosevelt’s announcement, ment in Congress passed a law the CCC amps found c creating n o ti a rv was later e s on One of the c onument. M l a the Civilian n o ti a N opened do on the Colora Conservation Corps (CCC). A council was established with representatives from the departments of labor, agriculture, war and interior participating in the organization and running Construction on the National Monument. of the program. Duties of various departments entailed enrolling, transporting, housing and training the recruits. Decades of reckless timber harvesting and excessive cultivation of soil had eroded America’s landscape. Employing young men for systematic, cross-country resource conserAll photos courtesy of the Paul O’Brien vation projects collection/Museum of Western Colorado, unless otherwise noted. eventually turned
By Sandi Cameron
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March 2012
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Local Lore 19
Red Rocks Amphitheater stage construction, (left). Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress archives. (Far left) Tunnel construction for the Colorado National Monument.
to veterans of all ages, as well. By the summer of 1935 over a half-million men were distributed among 2,600 plus work camps nationwide, with each camp housing approximately 200 men. The camp layout was standardized by the U.S. Army, from the ground clearing to the finished camp. Wooden panels were shipped into camps for the structures that resembled housing in military installations. A large mess hall/kitchen, bathhouse and latrine and supply headquarters were common. Nourishing food was plentiful and clothing was furnished (initially World War I wool pants, although later khaki was typical). The average weight gain in the first three months of camp was 11.5 pounds per man. Camps also included infirmaries and recreation halls (with libraries). Enrollees slept in bunk beds, 40 to a barrack. Punishment was assigned if cleanliness and order were not maintained. The appearance of the camps could be improved by planting trees or creating walkways, as the men saw fit. Surprisingly, although the camps were rather spartan, they often had more luxuries than the men experienced at home. Enrollees were given $30 a month, with $22 prescribed to be sent home for dependents. Created May 11, 1933, the Colorado State Relief Committee was the first
agency at the state level to handle CCC enrollee selection. Colorado was part of the eighth division (out of nine) of the national CCC, which corresponded to Army Corps of Engineer districts. Headquarters were at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas. Within this Colorado/Wyoming region, as many as 40 companies were formed. By 1935, the two Colorado districts had headquarters in either Grand Junction or Fort Logan (later Littleton) responsible for accepting and filing enrollment applications and interviewing young men for CCC positions. The CCC impacted counties throughout the U.S. in significant ways. It has been estimated that the CCC workers put $56 million back into Colorado’s greatly recessed economy. Mostly Coloradoans, 32,000 young men worked in the 162 camps scattered throughout the state. Because of vast farmland in the eastern portion of Colorado, much of the work of the CCC revolved around controlling soil and water erosion. Prolonged drought and overgrazing created plenty of work for the men. The unofficial motto of CCC was “We can take it.” Twenty-nine workers nationwide died fighting forest fires. With Colorado’s many forests, the CCC “Woodpecker Warriors” provided much needed help in reforesting and conservation efforts. Men
Chow time at camp (above). Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress archives. built roads, created trails and campgrounds, thinned forests, removed debris and helped prevent forest fires. The forests were considerably safer and more accessible because of their hard work. Up to six camps of CCC men worked in Rocky Mountain National Park at one time. Other camps were assigned to the Colorado National Monument, Mesa Verde National Park, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, the Great Sand Dunes, and Hovenweep National Monument. Over five years in creation, the Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison was a great achievement for CCC enrollees.
Camp SP-13-C still survives and is one of six remaining intact examples in the U.S. Each camp’s name designated the type of work carried on at the camp, the project number, and the camp location. The “SCS” in Camp SCS-4-C, for instance, indicated that it was a Soil Conservation Service project with an identification number of “4.” The “C” meant that the camp was located in Colorado. The highest camp, at 9,200 feet above sea level, was operated by the CCC in Colorado. Read the rest of this story next month in April's BEACON. ■
20 Resource directory highlight
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March 2012
Art Center Members’ Show
We can help you navigate the confusion and fear surrounding dementia
Compiled by Kevin VanGundy
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You are not alone
n Hilltop’s Senior Daybreak offers comprehensive support and education classes for anyone caring for those affected by dementia and Alzheimer’s
ome check out the Western Colorado Center for the Arts, located on the southwest corner of Seventh Street and Orchard Avenue. Each month, the staff unveils a new art show and on the first Friday of the month, admission to that show is free. February’s show was populated by works made exclusively by the Art Center’s very own members. I'm neither an art critic or an art snob. I have no idea what makes one artist's work more valuable than another's, but I just know what I like and I found a lot to like at this year's Members Take the Building Show. Enjoy. ■
n Attend specific modules or the full 16 hour series and obtain a “Hilltop Dementia Certification” (fee for classes) This too could be yours if the price is right. Olivia VanGundy shows off “Her Power Tools” by Shari Miller.
n FREE referrals to community services and programs
Call (970) 241-7798 or email laurief@htop.org
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March 2012
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Resource directory highlight 21
“Rollerdam” by Kathy Ruzycki Kelleher, acrylic with oil glaze
“Vibrations” by Patricia “Tesha” Hammonds, oil
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22 Finance
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March 2012
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By Jason Alderman
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etting paid to go shopping may sound like a dream job, but buyer beware: For each legitimate mystery or secret shopper opportunity, probably hundreds more are scams. In fact, the National Consumers League (NCL) said complaints regarding fraudulent mystery shopper and work-at-home schemes were up nearly 9 percent during the past six months. Why the increase? It’s due in part to our nation’s high unemployment rates and how desperate people are to earn money while seeking fulltime employment. Plus, many people are lured by offers that sound too good to be true (and are). Here are tips for spotting bogus mystery shopper programs: Many retailers hire marketing research companies to gauge their employees’ quality of customer service. Those companies in turn hire mystery shoppers to make purchases anonymously and fill out questionnaires documenting their experience. Many research firms belong to the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (www.mysteryshop.org), a trade organization that links businesses with mystery shopping providers. (MSPA also provides a search engine where people can register for mystery shopping assignments.) Unfortunately, scammers are increasingly using newspaper and Internet job ads, emails and phone calls to snare unsuspecting consumers with promises of quick, easy money for minimal effort. The BEACON does not accept such ads in any of our publications or on our website. Here’s how a typical mystery shopping scam might work: You answer an ad and are “hired” as a mystery shopper to evaluate its clients’ businesses. The company sends an official-looking employment packet containing the business evaluation forms you’ll supposedly use. But first, you’ll be required to complete a so-called training assignment to make sure you’re a suitable employee. That’s where the fraud
comes in: • The company claims it’s evaluating a money transfer service like Western Union. • They send you a large check with instructions to deposit it in your personal checking account. • You are told to keep a certain amount as your fee and then to pose as a customer by wiring the balance to a third party, usually within 48 hours. • You then submit a report about your customer experience. What you may not realize is that the original check was fake. Scammers know that by law, banks generally must make deposited funds under $5,000 available within a few days. They count on your completing the transaction before the check has been cleared by the issuing bank, which may take several weeks. Once your bank discovers the fraud, it will bounce the check and you are on the hook for the whole amount you wired, plus your wasted time. Common red flags include: • Legitimate companies will never ask you to send a money transfer for any purpose. • Legitimate companies don’t charge shoppers a fee to work for them. • Be suspicious if you’re hired on the basis of an email or phone call without any interview or background checks. • Companies that promise you can make a lot of money as a mystery shopper are almost certainly scams. • If mystery shoppers are asked to make purchases, it’s usually for very small amounts for which they will be reimbursed. • Mystery shoppers are paid after completing their assignments and returning the questionnaires. Shoppers never receive checks upfront. To learn more about bogus scams, visit these websites: the FBI (www. fbi.gov/scams-safety), the Federal Trade Commission (www.ftc.gov), the Consumer Federation of America (www.consumerfed.org), and the National Consumers League (www. fakechecks.org/index2.html). ■
March 2012
Local senior activities C
all Grand Junction Parks and Recreation at 254-3866 to register for the following activities. Some programs require a fee. Call or visit www. gjcity.org for more information.
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Recreation 23
April 19, 2012 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Two Rivers Convention Center, Grand Junction, CO
March 7 – Trail Host Program: Riverfront Trail Hosts, noon to 1 p.m. For Trail Hosts provide a friendly presence to those who use the trails. location, call 2543876. a.m., Senior Recreation Center March 15 - Senior Recreation March 13 – Files, 9:30 a.m.-11:30 Center St. Patty’s Day Party, 10 a.m.-1 a.m., Senior Recreation Center p.m., $3 includes dancing and lunch March 14 – Programs, 9:30 a.m.March 21 – Bicycle Maintenance. 11:30 a.m., Senior Recreation Center Bring your bike to Brown Cycles at 7 p.m.-9 p.m. Fun after 50 softball March 22 – Piano Instruction Open to men and women 50+. Adult Class, 7:30 p.m.-8:20 p.m. at Excellent for exercise and friendly Crossroads United Methodist Church competition. Call Carl at 255-6688 March 23 – Friday Hike at McGinto join. nis Canyon from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. March 23 – Adult Cooking Classes: Fruita Senior activities Call the Fruita Community Center Starters and Salads, 7 p.m.-9 p.m. at at 858-0360 or visit www.fruita.org the Senior Recreation Center. Learn to register for the following activities. about desserts during the class on All activities take place at the Fruita March 30. Community/Senior Center, 324 N. March 27 – Garden Talk: Pruning Coulson St. unless otherwise noted. Roses 101, noon to 1 p.m. at Western Colorado Botanical Gardens March 2 & 30 – Senior Social March 29 – Beginning Fly Casting. Night, 6:30 p.m. No cost. Call in adBring your equipment to the north vance to sign up for taco potluck. pond at Canyon View Park at 6 p.m.March 11 – St. Patty’s Day Dance, 7:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Cost is $3. March 14 – Senior Task Force Digital Photography meeting, 1 p.m. March 13 - Digital Camera Basics, March 15 – Bunco, 1 p.m. 6 p.m.-9 p.m. at the Senior Recreation March 19 – Senior Mystery Night, Center 5:30 p.m. Cost $10. Preregister by March 19 – Past the Basics, March 12. 6 p.m.-9 p.m. at the Senior Recreation Senior walks, 10 a.m. Tuesday Center (weather permitting) March 31 – Photo Excursions, 2 p.m.-5 p.m. at the Parks and Lunch from Gray Gourmet, noon, Recreation office Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday. Must be 60 or older. Call 243-9844 Adult Computer Classes for reservations. March 6 – The Basics, 9:30 a.m.11:30 a.m., Senior Recreation Center March 7 – Docs, 9:30 a.m.-11:30
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Potluck and Anna May cooks, noon, Thursday. ■
Senior Recreation Center 550 Ouray Avenue - 970 243-7408
The Senior Recreation Center offers activities for seniors age 50 and older. The center is open Monday - Saturday from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Annual membership is $5.00.
S e n i o r R e c re a ti o n C e n te r M o n t h ly C a le n d a r
of
Ev e n ts
Monday
9:00 a.m. 10:30 a.m. 12:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. 5:30 p.m.
Cribbage Computer Classes Gray Gourmet Card Bingo Singles Pinochle (1st & 3rd Monday)
Tuesday
9:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. 1:30 p.m.
Cribbage & Pool Tourney Gray Gourmet Bingo
Wednesday
9:00 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m.
Ladies Pool, Card Social Jack & Jill Pool Tourney Free Blood Pressure Clinic (3rd Wed) Gray Gourmet Pinochle
Thursday
9:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. 8:00 p.m.
Canasta Cleaning Crew (Last Thursday) Bunco (3rd Thursday) Band (1st Thursday) Pokeno Dance
Friday
9:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. 12:30 p.m. 12:45 p.m.
Canasta, Painting Class & Pool Tourney Gray Gourmet Bible Study Bridge
Saturday
8:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 1:30 p.m.
Bridge Class Bridge Bingo
Sunday
1:00 p.m.
Dance (1st & 3rd Sunday)
24 faith moves
www.BeaconSeniorNews.com
April 28 & 29, 2012
12
www.gjsharefest.com
March 2012
Local churches gear up for ShareFest By Cameron Jones
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bout 3,000 volunteers from 25 local churches will be participating in the fourth annual Mesa County ShareFest on April 28-29. Volunteers rake leaves, build wheel chair ramps, and clean schools with one mission in mind: “To share the love of Jesus in tangible ways.” The first ShareFest occurred in Arkansas in 1999. In 2006, residents in Montrose read about the event and decided to try it out for themselves. Word spread to Grand Junction and in 2008, community members held their first ShareFest. Planning and preparation for the event is a joint effort between all participating churches and organizations. First Presbyterian Church, 3940 27-1/2 Road, is the home base for the event. Director of Outreach Ministries Debe Colby helps coordinate volunteer efforts. “No task is too small, but some are too big,” Colby said. Some churches and organizations choose to extend their services beyond ShareFest and continue to serve the community year-round by adopting a school or neighborhood, or committing to a task that cannot be done in the two days ShareFest is held. “This is a giving community and
there are a lot of people in need,” Colby said. “The main cost is your time.” ShareFest has grown every year since it’s inception, both in the number of participating volunteers and those who receive help. Even if someone has received help in the past, ShareFest volunteers are happy to serve them again. It’s not too late to submit a project or to volunteer. If manual labor is not for you, there are other ways to participate. During ShareFest, quilters at First Presbyterian will create quilts to be distributed to those in need. Volunteers are needed to assemble sack lunches for volunteers doing manual labor and those receiving help. There is also a need for cookies. Every year, volunteers hand out 12,000 cookies. Volunteers receive much positive response from those they help. “You find people who realize that someone cares about them,” Colby said. “It makes people feel valued and feel that God loves them.” To participate in this year’s ShareFest, visit www.gjsharefest.com. The deadline to apply for help from ShareFest volunteers is April 1. For more information about ShareFest, contact Colby at 242-1923 or outreach@firstpresgj.org. ■
March 2012
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Crossword Puzzle
Across 1 Per unit 5 Several Norwegian kings 10 WAC school 14 Mother Hubbard’s quest 15 Like some bulls 16 New York night spot 17 Ready for customers 18 Project Gemini rocket 19 Gael, for one 20 1955 Astaire musical 23 Use the unsharpened end 24 Apply bread to gravy 25 Mighty Joe Young, for one 28 Oink-filled pen? 29 ___, skip and jump away 33 Repairman’s reading 35 Log-on requirement, often 37 “Alice’s Restaurant� name 38 Asks to marry 43 Teheran V.I.P. 44 Arcane 45 Computer programming language 48 Bygone pump name 49 Product of 48 Across 52 Nixon’s start and finish 53 Wine descriptor 55 Cardiologist’s concern 57 Margaux’s grandfather 62 Blow, as bucks 64 Scaler’s spike 65 Fam. members 66 Snooty attitude 67 180, so to speak 68 Director Kazan 69 Letter’s number 70 Huffs and puffs 71 Jalousie unit Down 1 Dwelling places 2 Gift for 62 Down? 3 Eventually 4 Hangs in the balance 5 Milky gem 6 ___ di Como, city in 50 Down 7 With the stroke of ___ 8 Poison administrants 9 Zigzag downhill 10 Shore defense grp. 11 Books of synonyms 12 Scaleless fish 13 Mastered perfectly 21 Baker’s supply 22 MPG raters
Crossword puzzle 25
A SENSE OF OCCASION Richard W. Lewis, Funeral Director
26 ___ Alto, CA 27 United Church of Christ college 30 Sneaky laugh sound 31 Loads from lodes 32 Sharp irritation 34 Hoops Hall-of-Famer Thurmond 35 Quantico initials 36 Makes tracks? 38 Water transporter 39 Arab sultanate 40 Traveler’s document 41 Popular ’80’s dolls 42 “Backyards, Greenwich Village� artist 46 Dreaded snake 47 Ascend 49 “1984� author 50 Napoli locale 51 ___ one’s feet 54 Dancer Rivera 56 Frightful giants 58 Place for a vault 59 Vingt-___ (twenty-one, in cards) 60 Cartoonist Walker 61 Pay-to-stay places 62 Subject of this puzzle 63 Narrow inlet
celebrates, and remembers the life of one who has died, a funeral merits all the attention that any life-altering occasion would receive. To this end, a funeral should be a deeply personal affair that traditions and individual personal preferences. All this can be achieved with the help of a funeral director, who can help preplan such aspects of a funeral as casket selection, body presentation, and the manner and form of remembrance. Without such directives in place, surviving members will be forced to make important decisions under great duress. Funeral preplanning takes much of the anxiety out of an event that may seem to arrive with little notice. We all have at least one family member who has expressed his wish that no service be held on his behalf. While it is easy to understand the reasons for this type of request, it may not meet the needs of your family and friends. If the concern is monetary, then the family can hold their own service, wake or reception;Íž thus giving them the solace they may need for closure. If the reluctance stems from not wishing to have their body viewed after death, then consider allowing the family to hold a ceremony without a casket. The funeral is an observance for those who are mourning. It provides an opportunity for the survivors and others who share in the loss to express their love, grief and appreciation for a life that has been lived. It allows those who grieve to face openly and realistically the crisis a death presents. Martin Mortuary, your local Dignity MemorialÂŽ provider, can guide you through the many options and issues to help you settle on the arrangements that best meet your needs. Please feel free to visit our mortuary at 550 North Avenue, and if a question arises, do not hesitate to contact us at 970-243-1538, or visit our website: www.MartinMortuary.com. Martin Mortuary now provides the security of cremation and burial insurance policies.
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March 2012
Backpack program feeds kids By Brenda Evers
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1,800 students with packs of food per week.” Mike said they are growing because they are getting better at finding money, often in the form of donations and grants. Kids Aid and the Berrys have good reason to be proud of what they have accomplished. It takes a lot of money and people power to keep the backpacks going out each week. Mike estimated that it costs $4 per bag each week—that’s $7,200 per week. Since they deliver 32 weeks of food bags to district 51 schools that’s $23,000 needed per school year. How do they get enough financial support?
ocal businessman Mike Berry, 56, is always smiling when talking about his second job as volunteer CEO, overseeing Kids Aid, the nonprofit organization his family started in Mesa County. Most know it better as the “Backpack program,” where hungry students are provided with backpacks of food donations, so they will have food over the weekend. Even fewer people realize this 9-year-old program was started at a family meeting around the Berry’s dining room table. “One October morning in 2003, my wife and I walked our daughter to her first grade class,” Mike said. “A little girl came running across the playground, crying. We stopped her and asked what was wrong. Her answer pierced our hearts.” “I’m cold,” she said. “I’m hungry.” This one little girl’s plea touched Mike, his wife Debbie and their daughter Kayla’s hearts. But how could they help? After four years of researching and asking questions about Mike and Debbie Berry fill backpacks with food, supporting more childhood hunger than 1,800 school kids in the Grand Valley through Kids Aid. in Mesa County, the “We have survived because of the Berry family came up with a plan. generosity of the community,” Mike Kayla named it Feeding Friends Backsaid. “For every dollar donated by pack program. The Berrys established the nonprof- individuals or organizations, 96 cents goes to the Kids Aid to buy the food, it Kids Aid to run it. They started with a trial program at to deliver the food and to store the food.” Orchard Avenue Elementary. The community has responded “We fed 10 kids for the final 10 weeks of the 2007-2008 school year,” generously to this program. Twentyeight churches have embraced the Mike said. “By the next fall, we had program, at first by donating food five schools and 156 kids. By 2009, and backpacks. As the number of we were in 17 schools and providing 1,260 kids. Today, we provide over students needing backpacks grew,
March 2012
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donated food had to be handled at a more central location. The church members continued volunteering their labor to pack and deliver more schools’ bags. “We were storing donated food in rooms in our home and then here in my business office,” Mike said. “We sent out word to find a bigger place. About three years ago, Ametek-Dixon donated a warehouse to us for only $1 a year.” Berry is always appreciative of the donations of money and time. “In 2010, I flew to New York City to receive the Volunteer of the Year Award from the Invest in Others Charitable Foundations,” Mike said. “That included a check of $15,000.” Last year the Rotary Club donated $30,000 raised from their annual masquerade fundraiser. Mike can’t say enough praise for all the volunteers: at the churches, at the warehouse, and in the schools. There are no financial requirements to apply for the Kids Aid Feeding Friends Backpack program. “Our goal is to fill bellies and get
P R E M I E R
them to school ready to learn,” Mike said. Elementary school parents can sign up with their child’s teacher. At the middle schools and high schools, students can talk to the counselors. After all these years, the backpacks have undergone a few changes, but overall the program is basically the same. “We don’t use backpacks any more,” Mike said. “Two years ago, we started using plastic bags with cord tie tops for less costs and more convenience.” Another change removed a loaf of bread or package of tortillas from the contents because those items didn’t make the trip home very well. Debbie made the menus more “kid friendly.” She includes two breakfast, two lunch and two dinner items that kids like, and are easy for them to prepare or eat “as is.” Even as co-founder of Kids Aid, Debbie is the ‘do-it-all’ person. She buys the groceries, plans the menus and makes deliveries from the warehouse to the churches and schools.
S E N I O R
“We have survived because of the generosity of the community,” Mike said. “We will continue to do this as long as the community supports us.” Mike said he does not intend to grow the program outside of Mesa County. But if it happens, he sees them expanding in other ways to help kids. “I feel that God gave us this to do,” Mike said. “I’m excited about this as part of our lifestyle and part of our family.”
How you can help: Kids Aid is always looking for volunteers, donations of money and food, or someone to sponsor a school. Donations are tax-deductible. Contact Kids Aid at www.kidsaidcolorado.org or mail: Kids Aid P.O. Box 2569 Grand Junction, CO 81502 ■
L I V I N G
Help a child in need
It costs an estimated average of $4 per child to feed them for a weekend. With the growing number of children supported by the program, Kids Aid always needs donations. To help out, you can donate your time, money or food. Based on what foods go into a typical backpack, preferred food donations are: Spaghetti-Os Ravioli Spaghetti with meatballs Vienna sausage Chicken noodle soup Vegetable beef soup Chili Boxed macaroni and cheese Easy Mac Ramen Noodles Noodle lunch cups Individual fruit cups Apple sauce cups Juice pouches or boxes Individual cracker and cookie packs Pudding cups Granola bars Pop tarts Microwave popcorn Regular size jars of peanut butter
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March 2012
Free help filing your tax returns every year. It takes a trained professional to keep up. “All of us have to be recertified o you find filing your income each year,” Walz said. “We’re trained taxes…well, taxing? Most people and scrutinized by the IRS more than do, so here’s some great news. Skilled paid preparers and we do a lot of and knowledgeable AARP Tax-Aide amended returns. We save people a volunteers are ready to help you prelot of money.” pare your 2011 federal and Colorado Volunteers are mostly retired and tax returns for free. their background experience ranges The Tax-Aide Program has helped from CPA to construction to homepeople file their tax returns and maker. Their jobs range from client gain peace of mind for more than facilitators, who greet the clients and 40 years. Tax-Aide uses trained and help them get oriented to the proIRS-certified volunteers to provide cess, to counselors, to site coordinaexpert tax counseling to taxpayers tors. Counselors and coordinators go of all ages through 40 and income hours of inlevels. You class traindo not have ing on proto belong grams and to AARP to tax laws; a get this free, two-week, professional hands-on service. practice lab; Marie they are testWalz, 68, is a ed and must retired certipass at an fied public 80 or above accountant AARP Coordinators from left to right: Barb Harmon, Cindy to be certiand the Tax- Reed, Marie Walz, Bob Walz, Sally Bellacqua, Mike Whiting. fied to do a Aide District tax return. Then they are mentored Coordinator. She credits the organizathrough their first season to ensure tion’s success to the amazing volunaccuracy and proper procedure. teers and community supporters who Programs are encrypted to ensure provide the services and spaces that complete privacy and protection of make it possible for Tax-Aide to help personal information. About 98 perpeople. cent of returns are e-filed, but each There is at least one site open six client has the choice to e-file or mail days a week to accommodate workin a paper return. ing people who can only come on Last year, Tax-Aide Grand Junction the weekends. served 4,036 individuals, a substan“Every volunteer does this as a gift tial jump from the 2,811 served in of time and knowledge,” Walz said. 2010. All those clients got to keep the “Each site location is donated by a money they would have spent on tax concerned and caring community preparation. They most likely spent business. We all live here and it’s like that money in our community, therepaying it forward. We all need some by benefiting all of us. At a low averkind of help in our lives. In return, age of about $158 per return, Taxwe get thanks and the satisfaction of Aide helped put more than $600,000 knowing we are helping each client back into our local economy. and our whole community...and we Even if you think you don’t need to get hugs. We love the hugs.” file a tax return, come in and talk to a counselor. It might just be that you Confidence and confidentiality qualify for refund credits, such as Tax laws get more complicated By Marsha Kearns and Barbara Ward
D Come tour our 5 star manufactured home communities. Peaceful walk paths, beautiful views, community garden and lots of amenities. These land leased communities are very affordable and have all you need. Your choice of home sites and various floor plans available or relocate your existing home to our community. Relocation incentives offered. All homes are owner occupied. On-site financing available. Pet friendly.
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March 2012 PTC 104 (property tax, rent or heat rebate credit) worth up to $600 sent to you by check quarterly when you qualify. Seasonal workers with Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITIN), even with no social security number, can get help. “We are working with Child and Migrant Services in Palisade to help these hardworking, taxpaying people that we all need to help support the agricultural part of our economy,” Walz said. Montrose County also has an active program held at the Montrose Pavilion on Tuesdays and Thursdays through April 15. The program is designed to assist people over 60 and low-income families, but others can be accepted depending on the circumstances. “You can have your taxes done confidentially here,” location coordinator Paul Martin said. Many of the volunteers have been helping for years. If after using the service you find that you like a certain volunteer, you can request them again next year. The program serves an average of 60 clients per week and 600 per year.
How you can help Every Tax-Aide counselor will treat you with the utmost respect and courtesy at every Tax-Aide site. Please be polite, respectful and patient in return. Tax-Aide is staffed exclusively by volunteers and the site locations are generously donated by community businesses. Tax-Aide is always looking for new volunteers eager to give back to their neighbors and the community. Call Marie at 589-3789 if you’re interested. While Tax-Aide doesn’t accept monetary donations, the AARP Foundation would gratefully accept a contribution. However, Tax-Aide Grand Junction would love to accept good, usable laptop computers. They need one for every volunteer and currently they could put 15 to 20 laptops to use immediately. Better equipment makes for better and faster processing of tax returns. Just walk in at any Tax-Aide site
www.BeaconSeniorNews.com location at the times specified. It’s on a first come, first serve basis. Bring these documents: • Social Security card or an accurate record of taxpayer identification numbers for all individuals involved, including your dependents • Driver’s license or state ID card • All income documents—W2s and 1099s (for the past three years, if possible) • Unemployment statements • A voided check with account and routing numbers for direct deposit of refunds • A copy of last year’s tax return is helpful • Documents showing state and federal taxes withheld • Receipts for things you think can be itemized
Times and locations Grand Junction • U.S. Bank, Lower Level, 422 White Ave. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday • Senior Center, 550 Ouray Ave. 12:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Friday 9:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Saturday • Wells Fargo Bank, Lower Level, 2808 North Ave., 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Tuesday & Thursday Fruita • Fruita Alpine Bank, 125 N. Park Square, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Wednesday & Friday
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Clifton • Clifton Community Center, 126 Second St., 9 a.m. to noon, Tuesday & Thursday Montrose • Montrose Pavilion, 1800 Pavilion Drive. 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Tuesday, 12:30 p.m.3:30 p.m. Thursday. Appointments preferred. Call 252-4884. Delta • Hanson House, 247 Meeker St. Appointments only. Call 874-7837. Hotchkiss • Hotchkiss Senior Center, 115 E. Main St. Appointments only on second Tuesday of each month. Call 872-5956. Cedaredge • Cedaredge Community Center, 140 NW Second St., 12:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m.-7 p.m. Wednesday. ■
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Your airport, your community G rand Junction Regional Airport (GJRA) provides an essential gateway to a multi-county and multistate area for businesses, health care and recreation. The importance of a strong regional airport in the Grand Valley’s diversifying and growing economy is critical. It is also critical to be a vital member of the community. To that end, GJRA involves itself in areas reaching beyond flight take-offs and landings.
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March 2012
GJRA is one of the greatest economic contributors to the local economy. The Colorado Department of Transportation’s Economic Impact Study credited GJRA with an annual impact of nearly $624 million. Today, with more air service, more passengers, and growth in support services and general aviation, that number will have soared even higher. Currently, six airlines provide daily nonstop flights to seven major U.S. cities. Total enplaned commercial passengers totaled more than 222,000 in 2011. Rental car revenues were more than $7 million in 2011, up almost 4 percent over the prior year, while deplaned air freight (the freight coming into GJRA) was up 3 percent in 2011.
Aviation service growth In addition, GJRA supports government services, air charter operations, the civil air patrol and medical transport. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the National Forest Service house and dispatch aircraft and other resources for wildland fire suppression from GJRA. And the Federal Aviation Administration, TSA and BLM all maintain field/facilities offices at the airport.
Local business involvement In the business community, GJRA is a member of the Grand Junction, Fruita and Palisade Chambers of Commerce. The airport will serve as host of the May 24 Fruita Chamber Business After Hours event this year. Rex Tippetts, director of aviation,
speaks frequently to civic groups including Lions, Rotary and Kiwanis throughout the year. The airport staff regularly conducts tours for requesting groups, including plenty of school groups.
Community sponsor The airport has sponsored events ranging from the Colorado Mountain Winefest to the Palisade Bluegrass Festival. Some key events for which GJRA will be a sponsor this year include the following. PBS Travel Night “Europe Through the Back Door,” a presentation by Rick Steves, will be at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 6 at the Avalon Theater. Steves, a public television host and author of more than 50 guidebooks, will share practical tips on saving money, avoiding crowds, packing smartly, and eating and sleeping well while traveling independently. Runway 5K GJRA will host the first Runway 5K race June 16. Grand Junction Air Show GJRA will be the site of the September 21-23 event, featuring aerial performers by military and non military aircraft, and the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels Aerial Demonstration Team. Palisade Classic Bike Festival GJRA will help sponsor the June 9 event featuring the Grand Mesa Grind mountain bike race, and “Fruit Loop” tour of the fruit and wine road in Palisade. The Grand Junction Regional Airport Authority board, which owns and operates the airport, hosts quarterly meetings, meet-and-greet sessions and other public meetings on all relevant issues to help involve and inform the community. The airport also recently completed a major update to its website, allowing easier and faster access to information for the public. Now, visitors to the site can book flights, track flights, and check out all airport activities on the online calendar. A classified posting feature lets people peruse or post aviation-related ads. ■
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32 gardening
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Start your garden with a soil test
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After 30 years in the Montrose area we have expanded our service to the Grand Junction area. Introduction special for month of March
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WESTERN SLOPE DENTAL CENTER BRANDON S. BERGUIN D.D.S. AND ASSOCIATES 514 28 Road • Grand Junction, CO 81501
241-3483
GENERAL & COSMETIC DENTISTRY
DENTURES, CROWNS, VENEERS, BRIDGES, FILLINGS, ROOT CANALS, EXTRACTIONS, IMPLANTS • • • • •
Brandon S. Berguin D.D.S. SENIOR DISCOUNTS
March 2012
ALL FEES QUOTED BEFORE TREATMENT INSURANCE PLANS ACCEPTED DENTURE REPAIRS & RELINES EMERGENCIES WELCOME NO INTEREST PAYMENT PLANS
The Garden Guru By Curtis Swift, Colorado State University Extension
M
arch is when gardeners in western Colorado begin to prepare their gardens for the season. By this time, I hope you have stockpiled organic matter to till into the soil and have either grown your own transplants, or located a garden center or greenhouse that has the transplants you need. Hopefully, you have had your soil tested to ensure that your vegetables, flowers and other plants receive the nutrients they need to maximize yield and quality. If you haven’t done this, take your soil to your local Colorado State University Extension office located at the Mesa County Fairgrounds, 2775 Highway 50. A soil test takes about 10 days. The fertility recommendations you receive will provide guidance on what each of your plants and vegetables need. Vegetables are particular on what they need for nutrients. Some vegetables need to be fertilized at a specific stage of development. Sweet corn, for example, needs nitrogen fertilizer when the plants have eight to 10 leaves and again as silk starts to develop. They also need a specific level of nitrogen when planted. Specific levels of phosphorus, potassium and other nutrients are required to produce quality ears. If you over fertilize, you can increase insect and disease problems, and reduce the quality of your vegetables. A soil test and recommendations specific to your plants costs $25 through the extension. The Delta and Montrose offices will also accept soil samples and forward them to my office. Call 244-1836 (Grand
Junction), 874-2195 (Delta), or 249-3935 (Montrose) for guidance on how to prepare your soil sample. If you would like a garden plot in the Grand Junction area, call Susan Rose at 244-1841. If you love plants, our Native Plant Master program might be for you. This award-winning program sponsored by CSU Extension will conduct three upcoming programs in Mesa and Delta counties. The program uses field trips to provide training on the identification, ecology and human uses of Colorado plants. Participants learn to use a botanical key with an emphasis on scientific names and families. Students need a hand lens and a required textbook, which we can provide. Weekly on-site quizzes are used to strengthen the student’s understanding of native plants. The classes follow the opening of the flowers on the Colorado National Monument with the first series scheduled on April 21 and 28, and May 5. The second series will be held on the Black Canyon of the Gunnison on June 1, 8 and 18. The third series is scheduled for the Grand Mesa on June 6, 13 and 20. Registration is limited, so sign up early. Each course has a fee, but the cost is reduced for participants who agree to teach at least 20 people per year per course about Colorado plants. Participants who pass three courses and satisfy the teaching requirement become certified Native Plant Masters. Several of our certified instructors have taken the required class over several years in different areas of the state to obtain their certification. For more information, visit www.westernslopegardening.org or call 244-1841. ■
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March 2012
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Grandma’s quilt: A legacy By Cheryl Currier
I
’ve been thinking about my grandma lately. I have been working on a quilt she hadn’t finished before she died. My grandma passed 17 years ago, so I’ve had this project in my closet a long while. When my aunts, mother and cousins were cleaning out Grandma’s house, we ran across several unfinished projects and I claimed this one. My oldest daughter was three at the time and I was 7 months pregnant with my youngest daughter. There was a beautifully finished queen size quilt on her bed she had done years before, and my cousin asked to keep it. The quilt top I chose was for a twin bed. She was working on it when her eyesight had gone and her hands weren’t so steady. Every stitch was hand done and the piecing was uneven and lackadaisical. I had the quilt for several years when I first decided to work on it. I had never done any quilting, so I asked my mom to help me purchase material for the backing, the batting and some fabric for the binding. When we went to the fabric store, we found material that matched her original choice perfectly. I thought it was a sign from heaven to finish this project. I had idealist notions of both my daughters learning to hand sew on this quilt. After basting the parts of the quilt together, I set up a standing quilt frame I had found at a yard sale. I drew a template of the quilt pattern my grandma had used, traced it on the quilt top and took the first tentative stitches. I showed my daughters what I was doing and asked them to give it a try. Their quilting efforts lasted about 5 minutes. The quilt stayed set up in
from me, but on this Saturday, there was really nothing on the docket. I had run across Grandma’s quilt doing some cleaning and I decided to get it out and work on it while I watched the movie. I was surprised at the connection I felt to her and the other women in my family. My grandma was an original do-it-yourself person. I can remember when she moved back to Grand Junction after a cross-country move to Alabama. When she and Grandpa retired, they sold their home in Colorado, bought a little trailer and traveled all over the U.S. I think that my parents thought they were a little crazy. After a year of travel, they decided they liked the climate in the south and the people in the town of Theodore, Alabama. So they bought a house there and integrated into the community. There was a season I didn’t see my grandparents much. My folks had four kids involved in school, a summer business to run, and cross-country vacations were not a practical Currier remembered more about her grandmother and her option. When Grandpa values as she worked on her grandmother’s unfinished quilt. died, Grandma decided I knew I wanted to watch a movie to move back to Grand Junction to in the evening, but there were no be with most of the family. My folks errands to run, appointments to keep helped her pick out a little house or housework screaming to get done. and she set about making it her new home with ambitious remodeling My husband was gone for the weekprojects and planting a big backyard end, my older daughter had married garden. I remember talking to my and was happily living away from mom about Grandma’s decision to lay home, and my younger daughter engaged in social activities with friends. tile in her bedroom. “Does Grandma know how to lay This is a fairly new experience for tile?” I asked my mom. me. Usually there is someone to look “I don’t think she’s ever done it, after, cook for, or needing something our living room for months. Every time I looked at it, I thought to myself, “I really should work on that.” One day, I noticed a layer of dust on the quilt and decided it wasn’t the season for Grandma’s quilt. So I took it down and it went into my unfinished project closet. Recently, I was facing a whole day at home, alone, with not much to do.
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but she has a book about it and she’s going to give it a shot,” she replied. I love this story about Grandma. She showed a fearless determination to learn something new. She wasn’t afraid of hard work, even in her old age, and she knew how to get something done without spending a lot of money. The quilt I’ve been working on reflects these values. I am sure the piecing was done from fabric she had on hand, scraps from clothing and previous projects. I imagine her working on the piecing in spare moments between her gardening, church commitments and remodeling efforts. I am almost done with Grandma’s quilt. I have been working on the binding. I held it up to show my daughter and the edge of the quilt was pretty uneven. The stitching is crooked and bunched in places. But then again, my sewing certainly isn’t perfect and I can feel the strain in my eyes when I work on the quilt in the evenings, making my stitches uneven. I found freedom working on the quilt even though I knew it wouldn’t turn out exactly right. I am enjoying thinking more about this woman and her life. I appreciate her thrift, determination and teachable spirit. She modeled a desire to invest her time creating something beautiful and useful. Over the phone, I told my older daughter I was finishing up Grandma’s quilt. “That’s great mom, what are you going to do with it?” she asked. “I don’t know,” I answered, “I just feel good getting it done.” I have appreciated the opportunity to reflect on the qualities in her life I see in my own mother, my life and the lives of my children. My grandmother left a valuable legacy and her unfinished quilt was a gift to me as I consider my own mortality and what my future grandchildren might remember about their grandmother. ■
34 Mesa county
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Mesa County Calendar Compiled by Cloie Sandlin March 1
Kristi Ballif flute concert The flute recital includes selections by Georg Philipp Telemann and contemporary composers Katherine Hoover and Mike Mower. Ballif will be joined by Gisela Flanigan, piano, and Javier de Los Santos, guitar, along with community and university musicians on other instruments such as saxophone, trumpet, trombone and percussion. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Moss Performing Arts Recital Hall at Colorado Mesa University. Tickets are $8 for seniors. For more information, call 248-1604 or visit www.coloradomesa.edu/music/ performances March 2 & 3
Phantom of the Op’ry The Grand Junction Senior Theatre presents “Phantom of the Op’ry,”
a musical, mystery, comedy spoof on “Phantom of the Opera.” The play was written by playwright Tim Kelly and directed by Rachel Nelson Fortner. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday at Grand Junction High School, 1400 N. Fifth St. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased at the door, at Roper Music, Albertsons, City Market and Safeway. For more information, call 242-9254. March 2-4
Home Improvement and Remodeling Expo Join the Housing & Building Association of northwestern Colorado’s 2012 Home Improvement & Remodeling Expo at Two Rivers Convention Center, 159 Main St. With over 100 different vendors, there is something for everyone. The show is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. Seniors 60 and older are $3 and adults are $5. For
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March 2012
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March 13
March 3
Join Karra, the main character in local author Patricia Scholes’ book “Her Darkest Beauty,” in her journey to defeat an invading entity that feeds on her emotions as she experiences life in all its darkest beauty. Scholes will sign copies of the book from 1 p.m.-4 p.m. at Hastings, 2401 North Ave. in Grand Junction.
“Revenge of the Electric Car” will be shown at 7 p.m. at the Recital Hall in the Moss Performing Arts Center at Colorado Mesa University. The film tells the story of the global resurgence of electric cars by following the carmakers as they jump to produce new electric models and be the first, the best, and win over the public. This event is free. Call 2552901.
March 6
March 15
Linda Wang is among the premier violinists of her generation. Wang will play works such as “Smetana: Overture to the Bartered Bride Barber” and “Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6” on violin at the Grand Junction High School auditorium, 1400 N. Fifth St. at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available online at www.gjsymphony.org. Call 243-6787 for more information.
The Mesa County Bar Association offers Call a Lawyer Night on the third Thursday of every other month. The next Call a Lawyer Night will take place 7 p.m.-9 p.m. If you have a legal question, discuss it with an attorney at no charge by calling 256-4001. All calls are anonymous.
March 10
The Sunset Slope Quilters invite the public to their National Quilting Day celebration held at Mesa Mall’s Claire’s Court from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Extraordinary quilts will be on display showing how your local quilt guild keeps the art form alive and takes it to the next level. There will be a “bed-turning” and several other demonstrations. For more information, call 254-9791.
Local author book signing
GJ Symphony’s “Pathetique”
Chris Isaak at the Avalon Throughout his impressive recording career from his stunning 1985 debut to this latest album “Mr. Lucky,” Chris Isaak, has tunefully and artfully explored musical themes of love, as well as other matters of profound human interest. Show starts at 8 p.m. at the Avalon Theatre, 645 Main St. Tickets start at $55 and can be purchased at City Market Stores, Back Porch or online at www.ticketswest.com. For more information, call 263-5700. March 10
World Friendship Day Friendship Force of Western Colorado celebrates their 35th anniversary by hosting World Friendship Day from 3 p.m.-5 p.m. at the Church of the Nativity, 2175 Broadway. Ethnic hors d’oeuvres and refreshments will be provided. There will also be a silent auction featuring some of Ruth Moss’ art along with other items. FFI members serve as U.S. Ambassadors who travel as a group to other countries where they are welcomed by other FFI club members and are hosted in their homes. This event is open to the public. Call 260-4653 for more information.
Revenge of the Electric Car
Call a Lawyer Night
March 17
National Quilting Day
March 17
Corned beef and cabbage fundraiser The Ladies Auxiliary to Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4663 of Clifton will hold a corned beef and cabbage dinner from 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m. at their post home, 3244 F-1/4 Road in Clifton. Proceeds go to veterans and their families. Cost is $7 for adults and $4 for children age 6-12. Younger children are free. Call 434-0326 for more information. March 17 & 18
Horse Show
This horse show will be held by the Grand Valley Dressage Society at the Mesa County Fairgrounds, 2785 Hwy 50. Show starts at 8 a.m. both days and is free to the public. For more information, call 255-7100.
March 2012 March 18
For more information or to volunteer, call Maria at 314-0828 or email maria. polen@stmarygj.org.
Glenn Smith, Chief in Residence at the Cooking School of Aspen, will be the featured celebrity expert demonstrating his skills at this event from 1 p.m.-5 p.m. at the Wine Country Inn. Tickets cost $49 per person and will be on sale at the Wine Country Inn or through www.edesiapalisade. com. There will be many vendors at the event. For more information, call 464-5777.
March 24
Edesia: A Palisade Culinary, Wine and Spirits Adventure
March 23
Schumann Singers spring concert “The Stars, the Moon, the Heavens” is the Schumann Singers spring concert at 7:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 522 White Ave. in Grand Junction. Tickets are available at Roper Music, the Grand Junction Symphony or at the door. For more information, call 242-0034 or 2433945. Visit www.schumannsingers. org. March 23
Behind the scenes at Cross Orchards This fun-filled family event at Cross Orchards Historic Site, 3073 F Road, provides an opportunity to visit with and watch Civil War re-enactors display their skills. The event is from 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m. Cost is $5. For more information, call 242-0971 or visit www.museumofwesternco.com. March 24
Downtown criterium A cycling criterium will be a part of the weekend’s racing activities from 5 p.m.-10 p.m. The downtown course starts and finishes at the U.S. Bank parking lot, 422 White Ave. The course loops on White Avenue, Sixth Street, Main Street and Third Street. Admission is free. For more information, call 270-9771. March 24
Walk from Obesity Weight Loss Surgeons of Western Colorado presents a walk from obesity at Eagle Rim Park in Orchard Mesa. Register online for $25. On site registration is $35. Children 12 and under are free. All registrations receive a T-shirt. Registration starts at 8:30 a.m. and the walk begins at 9:30 a.m.
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Wild & Scenic Film Festival Western Colorado Congress is hosting the Wild & Scenic Film Festival at 7 p.m. in the University Center Ballroom at Colorado Mesa University. Advance tickets are available at Summit Canyon Mountaineering at 461 Main St. or the CMU Outdoor Program for $10. Tickets can also be purchased at www.wccongress.org. For more information, call 256-7650. March 24
Golden Age Games bowling fundraiser Win cash prizes, bowl with friends and help send the Veteran’s Golden Age Games Team to the 2012 Golden Age Games in St. Louis, Missouri. The bowling tournament will take place at 5 p.m. at Orchard Mesa Lanes, 295 27 Road. Register your team before March 17 and tickets are $25 per person or $90 per four-person team. For more information, call Emma at 245-6175. Cash prizes will be given to the first place man and the first place woman. March 31
Dine in the Blind Navigating aspects of daily life with blindness or low vision can be challenging. Have you ever wondered how these everyday heroes manage these tasks that we take for granted? The Center for Independence’s “Dine in the Blind” dinner will include great food, a live auction and live music by the Terry McGovern Uranium Blues Band. Join us for this fun event and learn what you can do in the dark. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Space is limited so get your tickets early. Purchase your tickets at Fisher’s Liquor Barn, at the Center for Independence’s office at 740 Gunnison Ave. or at www.cfigj. org. Call 241-0315 for more information. ■ If you have an event or photo you would like to have appear in the Beacon, send it to: beacon@pen dantpublishing.com.
3251 E Road • Clifton, CO
Mesa county 35
• Relocate to a Quiet Adult Park • New Homes for Sale and Vacant Lots Available • Incentives for New Move-ins Call Meg at 970-434-6800
River City Singles
email: meg@pictureranchllc.com
March 2012 Activity Schedule
“Young-at-heart adults getting together for fun and friendship!” Friday Afternoon Club (FAC) meets at 5 p.m. every Friday in the lounge at The DoubleTree Hotel, 743 Horizon Drive. The first FAC meeting of the month is our business meeting and the second is Birthday Recognition Day for our members. Contact Jim Spiegel at 424-2545 for details. Tuesdays at 10 a.m. – Join us for Early Start Breakfast at Denny’s on Horizon Drive. Contact Debbie Grose at 245-4995 for details. Tuesdays at 5 p.m. – Taco Tuesday in Bailey’s Lounge at the Grand Vista Hotel, located at Crossroads Boulevard and Horizon Drive. Contact Brenda Leisten at 241-9997. Wednesdays at 5 p.m. - Dine out at the following locations every week. Call Debbie Grose at 245-4995 for details. Walk-ins are welcome. March 7 – Red Robin, 575 24 1/2 Rd March 14 – Olive Garden, 2420 Hwy 6 & 50 March 21 – Sang Garden, 687 Horizon Drive March 28 – Outback Steakhouse, 2420 Hwy 6 & 50 Sundays at noon – It’s Bowling Sunday followed by card games at Orchard Mesa Lanes, 295 27 Road. RSVP to Jim Sanders by 11 a.m. Call 257-1174. Saturday, March 3 – RCS meet at Bank 8 Billiards, 2460 F Road, Suite 3 at noon for lunch and games of pool. All levels from beginners (never held a cue) to old pros (who used to run a table) are welcome. Thursday, March 8 – Enjoy a gourmet lunch and kitchen tour at Western Colorado Community College, 2520 Blichmann Ave., Bldg. B. Meet at 11:30 a.m. Call John Delehanty at 241-3171 for details. Saturday, March 17 – Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a potluck at 1 p.m. at Nellie Bechtel’s Club House, 3032 N. 15th St. Corned beef will be furnished by RCS. Bring side dishes, desserts and BYOB. Sign-up at the FAC. Thursday, March 22 – It’s Dinner and a Movie. Meet at 5 p.m. at Genghis Grill, 2474 Hwy 6 & 50 and attend a movie afterwards. Movie is to be decided. RSVP to Judie at 639-2197 by Wednesday, March 21 or sign-up at the FAC. Saturday, March 24 – Hike the Tabaguache Trail. The trail is an easy hike, but “no walk in the park.” Meet at Albertsons on the Redlands at 1 p.m. and bring water. For details, contact John Delehanty at 241-3171. Thursday, March 29 – Restaurant Rove. Enjoy lunch with friends at Il Bistro Italiano, located at 400 Main St. at 11:45 a.m. RSVP to John Delehanty at 241- 3171 or Mary Lu Graham at 241-0280. Saturday, March 31 – Take a day trip to Moab and The Arches. Meet at the DoubleTree, 743 Horizon Drive at 9 a.m. to carpool. Lunch will be in Moab. Wear walking shoes, bring water and prepare for the unpredictable Colorado weather. Riders will share the fuel cost with the driver. Sign-up at the FAC or RSVP to Jim Spiegel at 424-2545.
36 Mesa county
www.BeaconSeniorNews.com
Mesa County Beacon Bits Compiled by Cloie Sandlin
AARP Tax-Aide AARP Tax-Aide offers free help to older taxpayers and people with limited incomes through April. All ages are welcome. From the list below, find a tax-aide group nearest you.
Grand Junction • U.S. Bank, 422 White Ave. – 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. • Senior Recreation Center, 550 Ouray Ave. – 12:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Fridays, 9:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Saturdays. • Wells Fargo Bank, 2808 North Ave. – 9:30 a.m.– 12:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Clifton • Clifton Community Center, 126 Second St. – 9 a.m. to noon, Tuesday and Thursday.
Fruita • Fruita Alpine Bank, 125 N. Park
Patti Reece, E.A.
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Square – 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Wednesday and Friday.
Writers support group A network for novice writers will meet at the Fruita library, 324 N. Coulson, on the third Saturday of every month beginning March 17. Join us from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Share your talent and receive support. For more information, call 858-7604.
Call for art entries The Palisade Art Lovers are calling for entries for their 32nd annual Peach Blossom Art Show on April 1215. The entry deadline is March 21. To enter, visit www.palisadeartlovers. org.
Community Foundation honors those with Hearts of Gold The Western Colorado Community Foundation celebrated its 15th anniversary with a special luncheon and celebration of those in the community who have a “heart of gold.” Two
March 2012
long-time community volunteers, Carol Murphy and Gregg Kampf, were recognized with Heart of Gold awards at the event. Murphy has been the co-manager of the gift shop at St. Mary’s Hospital for 27 years and has logged over 12,000 hours of volunteer service at St. Mary’s alone. Kampf is a practicing attorney and has shared his legal expertise with dozens of nonprofits over the years, serving on boards such as the Legends Project, the Red Cross, the Grand Junction Symphony, Mesa State College Foundation, Hospice and St. Mary’s. For more information, visit www.wc-cf.org and view our new video commemorating 15 years of Community Philanthropy, or call us at 243-3767.
• 7 p.m. on March 14 & 28
Free family caregivers series
• RSVP connects individuals 55+ to volunteer positions in any of our 90+ member agencies. For a complete list of volunteer opportunities, visit www.rsvpgrandjunction.org or call 243-9839. • Homeward Bound of the Grand Valley is a nonprofit organization providing housing, compassionate services, and safe shelter for individuals and families. It is always in need of community volunteers. If you are interested, please call 256-9424. • GriefShare: Healing from grief through Christ is held every Monday at 6:30 p.m. at Fellowship Church, 765 24 Road. For more information, contact Vicci at 434-9473. • Gray Gourmet needs several adult volunteers to deliver a weekday lunch to homebound seniors in the Grand Valley. To find out more about delivering meals to homebound seniors, call Karen at 243-9844 ext. 5. Volunteers are also needed to work (on call) to serve lunch at one of our senior dining sites in Grand Junction one day per week. For more information, call Sheli at 243-9844. • Alpine Hospice needs volunteers to help patients “tell their life story.” It’s a rewarding opportunity to offer support, listen and be a friend to someone facing end-of-life issues. Training is provided. Volunteer office support positions are also available. Contact Sandy at 210-5912 for more information.
Did you know that 29 percent of the U.S. population are caregivers, providing care an average of 20 hours a week, with 16.8 million people caring for children with special needs under age 18? The Arc Mesa County, Mesa Developmental Services, and the Colorado Children’s Campaign have partnered to bring Grand Junction’s caregivers a series of free classes at Western Colorado Community College. The Advocate’s Toolbox series provides an opportunity for caregivers to learn about rights, financial planning, guardianships, special education, and how to strengthen their voice in the systems that provide services to those they care for and about. Classes begin March 1 and run through mid-April. Register at www.coloradomesa.edu/ cec or call 255-2828.
O.I. Packing Meetings Operation Interdependence is a civilian to military delivery system that provides over 2,500 comfort packages to service personnel every month. If you would like to show your support for the troops, attend the following packing meetings, contact Karon Carley at 523-4217 or email carley@ oidelivers.org. Packing meetings are held at their warehouse. Call Carley for directions. March’s packing meetings will be: • 9 a.m. on March 3, 17 & 31
Rent a garden The Grand Junction Community Gardens at Fifth Street and Chipeta Avenue get better every year. The gardens consist of 29 beds that may be rented for $75 for the entire season. Water is provided by the City of Grand Junction and a storage shed for wheelbarrows, rakes and other tools was generously loaned by Mor-Storage. Compost provided by the Mesa County Compost Facility. Gardeners who need help tilling it can be assisted by Colorado State University Extension Master Gardener volunteers. For more information, or to purchase a bed, call 244-1841.
Volunteer opportunities
March 2012
Club activities • The Western Slope Coin Club meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month at the Redlands Community Center, 2463 Broadway. For more information, call 241-1770 or 242-3716. • The Talk of the Town Toastmasters invite you to join their weekly Thursday lunch hour club meetings from noon to 1 p.m. at the Business Incubator, 2591 Legacy Way (B-3/4 Road). For more information, call 244-1625. • The Grand Valley Knights are a group of auto enthusiasts that meet every Saturday from 8 a.m.-10 a.m. at Spoon’s Bistro and Bakery, 3090 N. 12th St. with their sport and classic vehicles. Their website is www.grandvalleyknights.com. They encourage visitors to join them for coffee and breakfast. Proceeds from Spoon’s help support Hospice. For more information, call 462-6762. • Vestafjell Lodge, Sons of Norway welcome guests to their annual Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 11 at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, 3133 F Road in Grand Junction. Come celebrate those Irish Viking roots and cultural delight with a delicious home cooked dinner and entertainment provided by the Colorado West Celtic Dancers. You don’t need to bring your “pot o’ gold” as the cost is only $8 per adult. Reservations are recommended. Call 245-5649 or 8586702 for more information. Also, visit www.vestafjelllodge.com. • The Two River Sams Chapter Good Sam RV Club will meet at 11:30 a.m. on March 10. For location, call 248-9846 or 261-8817. • The Palisade Masonic Lodge is the only daylight lodge in the Grand Valley. They meet at 10 a.m. on the first Saturday of each month at the corner of Fifth and Kluge Avenue. All Masons are invited to attend. For more information, call 245-5312. • The Mesa County Genealogical Society meets at 7 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at Cross Orchards, 3073 F Road. They also meet at the Museum of Western Colorado, 462 Ute Ave. at noon on
www.BeaconSeniorNews.com the fourth Wednesday of the month. Bring a brown bag lunch. For more information, call 245-5312. • Thunder Mountain Camera Club will meet at 6:30 p.m. on March 27 at the River of Alliance Church, 701 24-1/2 Road. For more information, call 260-7488. • Mesa County Republican Women meet the second Monday of each month at Two Rivers Convention Center at noon. Lunch is $15 per person. RSVP to 248-0815. • The Two Rivers Cribbage Club meets from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. every Thursday at New Life Church, 1350 N. Seventh St. For more information, call 261-1670. • Happy Feet Rounds meets at the Masonic Lodge, 2400 Consistory Court on Sundays for a variety of dancing including waltz, rumba, cha-cha and more. Beginners are welcome from 5 p.m.-6:30 p.m. and intermediate dancers are welcome from 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. For more information, call 243-5858. • The Grand Valley Woodcarvers Club meets from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays of the month and from 1 p.m.-3 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays at the Redlands United Methodist Church, 527 Village Way. Carvers and wood artisans of all skill levels are welcome. For more information, call 245-8817 or 523-5965. • Levis & Lace Square Dance Club hosts square dances from 7 p.m.9:30 p.m. every Friday night at the Masonic Lodge, 2400 Consistory Court in Grand Junction. For more information, call 986-8801 or 434-6541. • The Art Jewelers Guild meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second Monday of each month at the Grandview Apartments on the northwest corner of First Street and Independence Avenue. Amateurs and professionals are welcome. Learn how easy and fun it is to make your own jewelry. For more information, call 243-1220. • Western Colorado Horeshoe Pitching Club meets at 6:30 p.m. March 28 at the Mesa Mall Community Room between Cabela’s and JC Pennys. Call 260-6287 for details. ■
Mesa county 37
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38 Delta/ Montrose counties
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March 2012
Delta/ Montrose Calendar Compiled by Jamie Begalle March 3
Black Canyon Fly Fishing Show Presented by Gunnison Gorge Anglers, the Black Canyon Fly Fishing show will take place from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Learn fly tying/tie knots, how to cast a fly rod/see bugs that live in our rivers and lakes. There will be door prizes, hourly fishing shows, exhibitors and vendors. There will also be rod appraisals by Jeff Hatton and inside casting ponds at Friendship Hall at the Montrose County Fairgrounds, 1001 N. Second St. Admission is free. For more information, call 835-3679. March 3
Free clinic
Mild Hyperbaric Therapy is now available on the Western Slope Non-Invasive Treatment for: Anti-aging, Asthma, Autism, Brain Injury, Cerebral Palsy,
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Injuries, Stroke, and Surgery Recovery.
Call us today
970-252-3360
or visit our website
www.dchyperbarics.com
to learn more about the benefits of mHBT
To celebrate their second anniversary and to show appreciation to the Montrose community, Dr. Wade of Mountain Peaks Urgent Care, 836 S. Townsend Ave., will be offering a free clinic from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Patients will need to call to schedule an appointment. Please bring two nonperishable food items to be donated to Sharing Ministries Food Bank. For more information and to schedule an appointment, call 249-2118. March 5
Job search techniques Statistics suggest that people who use many job search methods find jobs faster than people who use only one or two. But which techniques really work? At this workshop from 10 a.m.11:30 a.m., you will learn tips for job searches and common assumptions that can limit landing a job. Workshop takes place at the workforce center, 206 Ute St. in Delta. Admission is free. For more information, call Melissa at 874-5781. March 9
“Dearly Departed”
located inside Dunnagan Chiropractic
145 S. Cascade Ave in Montrose 970-252-3360
Join the Magic Circle Community Theatre, 420 S. 12th St. in Montrose for this production. In the Baptist backwoods of the Bible Belt, the beleaguered Turpin family proves that living and dying in the south are seldom tidy and always hilarious. When the
patriarch of the dysfunctional Turpin family keels over dead, the struggle to get him buried involves the whole clan, whose problems keep overshadowing the solemn occasion. For more information details and tickets, see their ad on page 23, visit www.magiccircleplayers.com or call 249-7838. March 16
Charity poker tournament Join in a Texas Hold’em poker tournament from 5 p.m.-9:30 p.m. at the Bill Heddles Recreation Center, 580 Gunnison River Drive. This event is sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Delta. Raffle prizes are given throughout the evening. All proceeds support the youth of Delta County. Tables available on a first-come, firstserve basis. Cost is $20 for 100 chips $30 for 200 chips. Contact Clay Speas at 874-0716 for more information. March 16 & 17
Eckert Crane Days Celebrating the migration of the sandhill cranes starting at 3 p.m. Friday and 8:30 a.m. Saturday. Colorado Gold Distillery will provide guided tours throughout the day. Tickets are $15 in advance or $17 at the door. Visit www.starsguitars.com for details. March 31-April 1
Valley Symphony spring concert The Valley Symphony Association continues its 41st anniversary season with a spring celebration of great choral music titled “A Musical Tapestry.” A wide range of choral favorites has been arranged including “Requiem” by John Rutter accompanied by an instrumental ensemble, selections from the popular Broadway show “Les Miserables” and a variety of contemplative sacred pieces as well as patriotic numbers. Concerts will be held at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Delta Performing Arts Center and at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Montrose Pavilion. Tickets are $10 for seniors and can be purchased by calling 249-7015 or online at www.valleysymphony. net. They’re also available at Clubb’s in Delta and other locations in Montrose. ■
March 2012
www.BeaconSeniorNews.com
Delta/ Montrose counties 39
No one knew this baby would be living in Olathe 103 years later busy, it didn’t mean that Ahlberg never had time to play. She said one of ow often have you heard someher favorite things to do was swing. one say that age is just a numOne of Ahlberg’s most memorable ber? Elsie Ahlberg, 103, will tell you moments is when she was young age is not just a number, but is a and living in St. lifetime of Louis, where she experiences. When Ahlberg saw the Zepwas born in Berpelin fly over ryman, Missouri her backyard. on October 23, She doesn’t 1908, no one remember the knew this baby first plane she would be living ever saw, but in Olathe 103 feels that aviayears later. tion is one of Ahlberg’s this century’s father inspected most important wood sold to advancements. railroad comAhlberg is still panies, which not impressed were made into railroad ties. At with television. age 6, her family Although she bought a farm in has a brand new Olney Springs. TV set in her Olathe resident Elsie Ahlberg’s photo wall Ahlberg said room, she rarely commemorates 103 years of memories. life was good, watches it. but not easy on a farm. There was “There’s too much nonsense on it,” no running water, indoor plumbing she said. or electricity. She recalled feeding Ahlberg said living at her age is not calves, and gathering turkey and hen so bad. The three words she used to eggs. Laundry day meant boiling describe her life are serenity, happiwater on a wood burning stove and ness and contentment. She said she making your own soap. The launfound a good anchor and foundation dered clothes were then hung outin life with a devoted husband and side to dry. Just because life on the farm was wonderful children. ■
By Barbara Ward
H
249-7838
Call for reservations.
Come Laugh With Us As The Magic Circle Players Presents...
March 9-24
Dearly DeparteD A Comedy by David Bottrell and Jessie Jones Fridays & Saturdays 7:30 p.m. Sunday Matinees March 11 & 18, 2:00 p.m. 420 South 12th Street, Montrose www.magiccircleplayers.com
Quality Care with a compassionate touch Paonia Care and rehabilitation Center 1625 Meadowbrook blvd • Paonia, Co Hospice • Respite Care • 24 Hour Skilled Nursing Care • Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy • Medicare/Medicaid Certified Transportation to & from Appointments • Respiratory Services Available as Needed • Dedicated Rooms for Rehabilitations and Recoveries • Long Term Care and Private Rooms Available • Basic Cable Service Provided to our Clients • All Qualified Insurances Accepted Medicare • Medicaid • HMO • Private • PACE • UMWA • Hospice Respite Care • VA We Accept MC & Visa Credit Cards
970-527-4837 www.PCrC.web.officelive.com
40 Delta/ Montrose counties
www.BeaconSeniorNews.com
Tobler DenTal
General & Family Dentistry Now accepting new patients.
“Your Hometown Dentist”
Dr. Tobler and family
140 S. Uncompahgre Ave.
(behind the Montrose Police Dept. between S. 1st and S. 2nd)
Call now for an appointment
249-1733
Dental Care for Your overall HealtH
Delta/ Montrose Beacon Bits Compiled by Cloie Sandlin
AARP Tax-Aide AARP Tax-Aide offers free help to older taxpayers and people with limited incomes through April. Find a tax-aide group near you from the list below. • Montrose – Montrose Pavilion, 1800 Pavilion Drive. Hours are 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Tuesdays and 12:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Thursdays. Appointments are preferred, but walk-ins are welcome. Call 252-4884. • Delta – Hanson House, 247 Meeker St. Appointments only. Call 874-7837. • Hotchkiss – Hotchkiss Senior Center, 115 E. Main St. Appointments available second Tuesday of each month. Call 872-5956. • Cedaredge – Cedaredge Community Center, 140 NW Second St. Hours are from 12:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m.-7 p.m. on Wednesdays. Walk-ins welcome.
AARP Driver Safety Keep up on newer traffic laws while saving money on car insurance. Membership in AARP is not required. Cost is $12 for AARP members and $14 for nonmembers. Preregistration is required for both classes. • Hotchkiss: March 13, 9:30 a.m.2:30 p.m. at the Town Hall Conference Room. Preregister by calling
fresioen admis
April 19, 2012 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Two Rivers Convention Center, Grand Junction, CO
March 2012
LaFawn or Bob at 527-5199.
Delta Senior Activities The following activities are offered at Bill Heddles Recreation Center, 530 Gunnison River Drive in Delta. To register for any of the following activities, call 874-0923. • March 7, 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Savings expert Holly Richard will show you how to save with coupons and spend less on groceries. Bring your coupons and she’ll help you make your shopping list. Cost is $10. Register by March 5. • March 17, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. All ages are invited to the annual amateur chess tournament. Cost is $10, which covers awards and snacks. The tournament will begin promptly at 10 a.m. and will consist of six rounds with a one hour time limit. Participants much register by 9:30 a.m. • March 17, 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Community evening dances are for everyone. Cost is $4, plus bring a snack to share. Entertainment will be provided by Route 66. • March 24, 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Join the City of Delta and the Colorado Parks & Wildlife in a Turkey Hunting Seminar. This seminar will cover laws related to turkey hunting, demonstration of calling, turkey habitats, hunting tactics and techniques, and turkey behavior. Cost is $10.
March 2012
Fly tying for beginners The Gunnison Gorge Anglers will teach a beginning fly tying class at 7 p.m. Tuesdays, March 6-27. Participants will learn to tie basic dry flies, nymphs and streamers. Cost is $30, which includes all materials. Register by March 1.
Montrose Senior Activities
Stroke Support Group The Montrose Memorial Hospital Stroke Support Group meets twice a month at the hospital’s Acute Rehab Unit from 11 a.m. to noon. Stroke survivors, family members and caregivers are all encouraged to attend. For more information and meeting days, call Tim Ramsey at 318-2028.
League of Women Voters The League of Women Voters has two upcoming meetings. For more information, email Nancy at nancy ball@montrose.net. • March 7, 7 p.m.-9 p.m. A Montrose City Council Candidates Forum will be in the City Council Chambers of the Elks Civic Building, 107 S. Cascade Ave. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. • March 8, noon Part two covers privatization of traditional government services at the Montrose Library Community Room. Guest speakers are Brian Wilson and Carol Friedrich.
Montrose Recreation District activities The Montrose Recreation District has the following activities scheduled for seniors 50+ in March. Register one week ahead. Events take place at the Montrose Pavilion, or transportation departs from the Montrose Pavilion. Please arrive at each event at least 15 minutes early. For more information on any of the following activities, call 252-4884. • March 2, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Few recreational activities are as easy to learn and are as much fun as snowshoeing! If you haven’t been snowshoeing before, don’t worry. The beauty of snowshoeing is simplicity. Just strap on a pair of snowshoes to your favorite snow boots and start walking! We take frequent rests. Cost
www.BeaconSeniorNews.com is $16 with your own snowshoes and $20 if we provide them. Bring a sack lunch. Please register early. Call for location and more information. • March 17, 9 a.m.- 2 p.m. Every spring, the greater sandhill cranes begin their northward migration. A primary overnight stop for the birds is Hart’s Basin and Fruitgrower’s Reservoir in Eckert. We will travel to Eckert to observe the morning liftoff and attend educational presentations given by crane experts. Cost is $18, plus bring money for lunch. • March 20, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Enjoy shopping in Grand Junction. We will travel to Mesa Mall, Kmart, Hobby Lobby and Kohl’s. We will stop at the shopping center with Michael’s, Bed Bath and Beyond, Ross and Sportsman’s Warehouse. You choose the stores you want to shop in. Cost is $20, plus bring money for lunch. • March 22, 1 p.m.-1:45 p.m. There will be a free presentation offered through Uncompahgre Volunteer Legal Aid. Lincoln Anderson is an elder law attorney specializing in estate planning, health care planning and public benefits. The presentation takes place in the senior center dining room. • March 27, 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Enjoy a guided tour of the Hotchkiss Fish Hatchery, which consists of a hatchery building with a small visitor center and tank room, residences, 32 outdoor concrete raceways, 24 nursery tanks and six earthen ponds. The end of March and beginning of April is when the hatchery has the most fish. We will eat lunch in Hotchkiss following the tour. Cost is $18, plus bring money for lunch. • March 29, 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. We begin our day observing a heronry consisting of about 17 nests. We will travel to Ridgway reservoir to begin hiking and to watch for bird activity. Cost is $17, plus bring money for lunch. ■ If you have an event or photo you would like to have appear in the Beacon, send it to: beacon@pen dantpublishing.com.
Delta/ Montrose counties 41 - fri 8am - 8 pm|Sat 8am - 4 pm Sun noon - 4 pm
mon
There when you need them the most Minor Injuries & illness Colds, Flu, & Allergies Sports, DOT & employment physicals. Lacerations & Fracture Care Terry S. Wade D.O. Barbara Budagher P.A.-C Chris Palsley P.A.-C 836 S. townSend, montroSe next to eldorado bakery
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www.BeaconSeniorNews.com
Garfield County Calendar Compiled by Cheryl Currier March 6
Knit and Stitch Join the Rifle Craft Collective for a Knit & Stitch from 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. at the Creekbend Bistro, 121 E. Third St. Bring any fiber craft. All ability levels welcome. Call 930-1309 or email mslritte@gmail.com for more information. March 6
Art in the Stacks Rifle High School art students will share their reproductions of wellknown works at 6:30 p.m. at the
Rifle Library, 207 East Ave. Art lovers of all ages are welcome to attend. A short talk will be presented followed by refreshments. Call 625-3471 for more information. March 7
Allergies and Sensitivities This lecture presented by Aarin Meager-Benson will discuss common health conditions related to allergies, the difference between allergies, sensitivities, and the natural options to addressing and relieving allergies. The lecture will be held at the Glenwood Springs Community
Booths availaBle
Center, 100 Wulfsohn Road. This is a free event. Call 384-6301 for more information. March 8
Top 10 Heart Health Foods As part of Grand River Hospital’s mission to improve the health of our communities, a free lecture and luncheon will be held at the hospital in Rifle from noon to 1 p.m. Learn more about heart health nutrition. Please RSVP. Call 625-6200 for more information. March 10
Thai cooking What makes Thai food unique? Make dishes that have a perfect blend of sweet, sour, tart and spice. Five different regions of Thailand will be discussed while preparing a meal comprised from those regions. The class meets from 1 p.m.-5 p.m. at the Colorado Mountain College campus at Rifle, 3695 Airport Road. CMC is offering this noncredit class for $25. Fill out the registration form available at the CMC office or online at www. coloradomtn.edu/register. Call 6251871 for more information. March 10
Making Ukrainian Easter eggs
april 19, 2012 Two Rivers Convention Center, Downtown, Grand Junction
Prize Giveaways Informational Booths Live Entertainment All Day Yes, please send me free information on being an exhibitor at BeaconFest. contact address state zip
phone
fax
e- mail product category
Phone: 243-8829 Fax: 1-800- 536-7516
March 10
Health Fair at Battlement Mesa
company
city
Jack Spuhler will return to the New Castle Branch Library, 820 Castle Valley Blvd., to teach the traditional method of creating pysanky, or Ukrainian Easter eggs. Due to popular demand, two workshops will be offered. The first will be 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and the second will be 2 p.m.-5 p.m. The class is open to everyone in the ninth grade and up. There is a $3 materials fee. Stop by the library to register, or call 984-2346.
Mail: P.O. Box 3895 Grand Junction, CO 81502
A health fair will be held at the Battlement Mesa Activities Center from 7:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. For more information, call 285-9480. March 15
Planning your flower garden Learn what works and what to avoid when caring for your flowers in these special intermountain conditions. The class meets from 9 a.m. to noon at the Colorado Mountain College
March 2012 campus at Rifle, 3695 Airport Road. CMC is offering this noncredit class for $25. Fill out the registration form available the CMC office or online at www.coloradomtn.edu/register. Call 625-1871 for more information. March 15
Hammering Out Human Rights The Glenwood Springs Library and the Frontier Historical Society host Susan Marie Frontczak in a lecture given in a Chautauqua format at 7 p.m. at the Glenwood Springs Branch Library, 413 Ninth St. The lecture speaks of the groundbreaking, grueling, tempestuous and eventually triumphant development of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This event is free. For more information, call 945-5958. March 17
Quilting by machine This class offered by the Glenwood Sewing Center will offer tips, techniques and tools to make your machine quilting more enjoyable. Learn about walking feet and free motion stitching, layering and pinning or spray basing, choices of thread, battings and designs. The class is offered from 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. at 822 Grand Ave. in Glenwood Springs. Cost is $43 plus kit. Call 945-5900 for more information. March 20
Tips and Topics on Tuesdays Dr. Garry Millard will give a “Dental Update” lecture at 10 a.m. at Parachute’s Senior Center, 540 N. Parachute Ave. This event will also include blood pressure readings, word games and refreshments. Bring a friend. For more information, call 285-7216. March 29
Tree and shrub care Discover practices that will help your trees and shrubs. This class meets from 9 a.m. to noon at the Colorado Mountain College campus at Rifle, 3695 Airport Road. CMC is offering this noncredit class at a cost of $25. Fill out the registration form available the CMC office or online at www. coloradomtn.edu/register. Call 625-1871 for more information.
March 2012 March 30
Film screening at Rifle CMC Campus “Revenge of the Electric Car” will be shown at 7 p.m. at the Clough Auditorium, Rifle campus of Colorado Mountain College, 3695 Airport Road. The film tells the story of the global resurgence of electric cars by
following the manor carmakers as they jump to produce new electric models and be the first, the best, and win over the public. This event is free. A short discussion and reception will follow the screening. Call 625-1871 for more information. ■
Bingo at Parachute Senior Center Bingo players gather at 6:30 p.m. every first and third Saturday at the Parachute Senior Center, 549 N. Parachute Ave. You can win up to $150. A packet of 15 cards costs $9. Free popcorn and shared snacks add to a night of fun. No reservations needed. Call 285-6942 for more information.
Genealogy series in Rifle Three classes covering various aspects of genealogical research will be offered at the Colorado Mountain College campus at Rifle in March. All classes meet 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Wednesday evenings. This noncredit class costs $20. Fill out the registration form available the CMC office or online at www.coloradomtn.edu/reg ister. Call 625-1871 for more information. • March 14 – “Technology Tools” will evaluate various computer programs that help with the research process. Bring a laptop computer to the session. A CD will be provided, containing trial versions of various programs. • March 21 – “Sources and Documentation” will help you recognize the importance of documenting your research process while exploring various types of sources to discover new branches of your family tree. • March 28 – “Preparing for Research Trips” will help you indentify what you need to take along on research trips.
Grief Group at Valley View Hospital A support group for people experi-
encing grief meets from noon to 1 p.m. the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at Valley View Hospital, 1906 Blake Ave. in Glenwood Springs. Call 618-3043 for more information.
Senior Matters Board meeting in Carbondale The Senior Matters Board meets 8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. the third Wednesday of every month in room 33 at the Third Street Center, 520 S. Third St. in Carbondale. Guests are welcome. Call 963-2536 or email seniormat ters2@sopris.net for more information. The Senior Matters Radio Show is at 4:30 p.m. the third Wednesday of the month on KDNK (88.1 or 88.3).
Contra dancing in Glenwood Springs Contra dances are held the first Saturday of the month at Glenwood Springs Elementary School, 915 School St. in Glenwood. Beginners can arrive at 7:30 p.m. for a free walkthrough lesson. Dancing begins at 8 p.m. Cost is $8 at the door. For more information, email glenwoodspring scontradance@gmail.com.
Rifle Senior Center Rifle Senior Center, 50 Ute Ave., is open 8 p.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Play pool, shuffle board, work on group puzzles or play cards any day of the week. The center also has a Wii and games available. “Happy Hookers” meets at 1 p.m. Tuesdays. Bring your knitting, needle point or crochet projects to work on. Tables are set up for bridge at 1 p.m. Wednesdays. Bingo is 1 p.m. Fridays. Call Marie at 625-1877 to reserve your space. ■
Garfield county 43
Attention
BEACON Advertisers FREE
Garfield County Beacon Bits By Cheryl Currier
www.BeaconSeniorNews.com
door prizes
FREE
Admission
1. Sponsored by:
KJCT Callahan-Edfast Mortuary & Crematory Senior Services Group
R nv enTi o n CenTe T wo R i v eRs Co | 9 a . m .- 3 p . m . | A p r il 21, 2 011
Got a booth? If you’re planning to participate in the area’s largest senior fair, it only makes sense to make the most of your investment by placing your ad in our BeaconFest Program. We insert the program into our April newspaper and give the program away to show attendees. Advertising Deadline: March 20, 2012 Publication Date: April 4, 2012
2.
In a recent study of today’s adults, “a healthy mind and body” was cited as the “topic of most interest” to them. Because of our readers’ keen interest in “health and wellness” we have committed to publish this special insert three times a year (Jan., May, Sept.) with ads and articles created around your business. Advertising Deadline: April 20, 2012 Publication Date: April 30, 2012
summer 2011
Health & Wellnes s
Re-think your ink Laser tattoo removal
page 6
New hope for Cancer cure page 7
Fight muscle with weight loss training
page 8
Produced by the Beacon’s Advertising Team
Your Guid e to a H eal t hy Mind & Bod y
Now on the Web at www.BeaconSeniorNew
s.com
Senior
3.
eler Summer Trav &Festivals
2011
Telluride Adventures
page 9
Summer Festivals Music, food and fun page 2
Produced by the Beacon’s Advertising Team
You can’t find a more exciting way to spend $99 than with Gateway Canyons Air Tours!
A Guide to Summer Travel, Recreation & Festivals
Now on the Web at www.BeaconSeniorNews.com
Mature travelers, over the age of fifty, travel 60% more than the average American and spend 30% more money per trip than younger travelers. Of course, it would be hard for them to spend money with you if they don’t know about you. Let’s let them know. Advertising Deadline: May 20, 2012 Publication Date: May 29, 2012
Call for information 970
243-8829
Garfield County Seniors are reading the BEACON. Shouldn’t your ad be here? Call Jeanette Kiphart for ad rates.
243-8829
44 classifieds
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Help Wanted
Real Estate for Rent
Part-time editor needed
for Delta-Montrose. Also, writers for Mesa, Delta-Montrose, and Garfield counties as we expand our award winning paper throughout Colorado. Please send your letter of interest and your resume to beacon@pendantpublishing.com.
Nellie Bechtel Senior Apartments 55 and older, no smoking or pets. 3032 N. 15th St. Call 245-1712 for appointment. Newly remodeled log cabin in Palisade Located in a quiet orchard. 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, with fireplace. $900/month. Please call 433-3540 for more information.
Real Estate for Sale LIQUOR STORE for Sale Turn key operation – All goes. Asking $325K. Naturita, CO. 865-2545.
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queStionS? Call Genevra or Jamie M-TH 9am-4pm, 970 243-8829 www.BeaconSeniorNews.com
Home Care PASCO/SW, INC.
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. Serving: Archuleta, Delta, Dolores, La Plata, Montezuma, Montrose, Ouray, San Miguel Cortez (970)565-6833; Durango (970) 247-1211; Montrose (970) 240-1771; Toll Free (877) 685-6833
www.pascosw.com
Home Services 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. 242-2443. Professional Tile Installer Insured and bonded. You purchase tile, I provide everything else. Special discounts. Call Bill for a free estimate. 245-3344. Tub-to-Shower Conversion Convert your tub into a safe, accessible shower in just one day! We also do complete bathroom remodels. The Tile Meister, 244-8453. Accessibility Services Grab bars. Walk in tubs/showers. Licensed plumber/handyman. “Serving Western Colorado since 1989.” Free estimates. Compare and save! 985-1403. AAA Lawn care now offers senior discounts! Serving the GJ area for a decade. Master Gardener and sprinkler expert at your service. Call for fall clean up 234-1607. SCENE CLEARLY, LLC Window cleaners specializing in making your day a little brighter! Grand Junction area. Call Frank Cordova at 242-1264.
March 2012 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 260-2327, cash4@bresnan.net or www.reliableestatesales.net. Bill The Builder Handyman Finish carpentry – decks and fencing, light electrical, garages, painting, kitchen updates, doors and windows. Senior discounts. Call for estimates 261-7071.
Premier Solutions Home Improvement & Repairs
(970) 812-6963 Senior Discount
Licensed & Insured
Window cleaning Experienced. 20 years in Mesa County. Reduced hourly rate for seniors. Free estimates. Call Ryan 361-0531.
Miscellaneous Services Let us do the job for you! Light hauling & cleanup. Small & odd jobs. Grave maintenance. References available. Call Mike 434-2556. OPERATION GUN DISPOSAL! We buy and safely remove guns from your home. Call 250-9190.
For Sale MANTIS Deluxe Tiller. NEW! FastStart engine. Ships FREE. One-Year Money-Back Guarantee when you buy DIRECT. Call for the DVD and FREE Good Soil book! 888-703-2715. Grand Junction Memorial Gardens Two side-by-side cemetery lots. Garden of Christus. For additional information please contact cali2bound@yahoo.com or call 702-647-1128.
March 2012
Wanted to Buy 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 amp, railroad, military, mining items. www.cash4oldstuff. net. Mark 260-2327.
Meal Menu m onday
Chicken Fajitas w/Salsa Pinto Beans Peaches
12
Beef Lasagna Italian Bean Vegetables Tossed Salad w/Topping Tropical Fruit Italian Bread
19
Sloppy Joe 3-Bean Salad French Onion Bake Orange Yogurt Dessert
26
Chicken Parmesan Brussels Sprouts Chuckwagon Vegetables Applesauce w/Raisins
BUYING COINS AND CURRENCY U.S. Silver Dollars, 90% Silver, Eagles, Krugerrands, Maple Leafs, Gold and Silver Bars, Proof Sets, Mint Sets, Currency, Collections, Hoards, Accumulations of any size. Call 242-5374.
tu e sd a y
6
Spinach Cheese Squares Parsley Potatoes Island Vegetables Pineapple Slices
w e d n e sd a y
13
Turkey Tetrazzini Chateau Vegetables Jellied Beet Salad Citrus Fruit Mix
20
Crunchy Turkey Hot Dish Brown Rice Island Vegetables Tossed Salad Mandarin & Pineapple Dessert
27
7
Classifieds 45
Center for Independence
Buying old clothing Costume jewelry, purses, sewing patterns and perfumes (pre-1970s). Call Linda 234-4736 or 1-800-572-7670.
March 2012
Please call Fran at 243-9844 for nutrition questions or for nutrition counseling services.
5
www.BeaconSeniorNews.com
Chicken Fricassee Lima Beans Hot Marinated Carrots Citrus Surprise
14
Chili Relleno 4 Way Vegetables Tossed Salad w/Fiber Topping Mandarin Oranges
21
Pork Roast w/Gravy Stuffing Carrots & Peas Saucy Fruit Salad
28
Chicken Fried Baked Potato Steak w/Pepper w/Broccoli, Gravy Cheese & Mashed Potatoes Bacon Bits 4 Way Vegetables Tossed Salad Saucy Fruit Salad Blushing Pears
243-9844, ext. 1
th u rsd a y
fridaayy frid
1
2
Roast Turkey w/Gravy Yam Apple Bake Herbed Green Beans Fruit Salad
8
Beef & Barley Soup w/Topping California Vegetables Pineapple Mold Whole Wheat Roll
15
Baked Ham w/Raisin Sauce Yams Peas & Onions Apricots
22
Beef Taco Salad Garden Vegetables Orange Wedges
29
Egg & Sausage Bake Asparagus Carrot Raisin Salad Orange Wedges Mini Bran Muffin
RESERVATION & CANCELLATIONS required at least a business day in advance Call Mon-Fri: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 243-9844, ext. #1 ADVANCE Call Mon-Fri: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 243-9844, ext. #5 If you have not received your meal by 12:45 p.m., please call number above. Client donation notices delivered monthly.
Salisbury Steak w/Mushroom Gravy Mashed Potatoes Butter Beans Citrus Fruit Mix
9
Meat Loaf w/Gravy Mashed Potatoes Brussels Sprouts Blushing Pears
March 31, 2012 5pm
At Center for Independence 740 Gunnison Ave. Grand Junction
Tickets $20 in advance/$25 at the door 970-241-0315 www.cfigj.org
16
Corn Beef & Cabbage Parsley Potatoes Emerald Isle Fruit Mold Cornmeal Roll
23
Lentil & Black Black Bean Soup Parmesan Garlic Potatoes Cucumber & Tomato Salad Pineapple Tidbits Crackers
30
Corn Chowder Fish Sticks Ruby Beet Salad Apricot & Peach Compote Crackers
Do you hate m!sspelled words , m!ssing punctuat!on marks + bad grammer as much ass we do?
Here’s your chance to become a defender of the English language! Simply read the
, red pen in hand, and point out our slup-ips, I mean slip-ups, to us. Send in your entries by the end of the month to: Newspaper PO Box 3895 Grand Junction, CO 81502 Each mistake you catch will count as one entry. At the end of the month, we’ll draw from the entries and one lucky, eagle eyed, reader will win a gift certificate, T-shirt, cash or something else of value.
46 kvetch
kvetch \ kfech “Everyone reads the BEACON. If I don’t get one early they are all gone. If I don’t get my BEACON, I’m not happy.” - Dorris H., Grand Junction “Admittedly, it took me a few days to pick up a copy of February’s BEACON, but WOW! I’m blown away. Thank you for the very kind and well-written article.” - Dan Kirby, Chez Lena Kevin: Thank you. I too, was very happy with the story, but the real kudos go to you and your staff, who have made great strides in creating excellent food. The story was just a natural extension of that. “I will not vote for Obama again and I won’t vote for a republican. What choice do I have?” - Harold C., Grand Junction
Kevin: Vote for Ron Paul. “I visited your new website (www. BeaconSeniorNews.com). It’s very nice, but difficult to find past articles.” - Terri M., Delta
Kevin: Most of the BEACON’s older stories are not yet online, but we will slowly get around to posting them. “My grandkids are dumb enough already. The last thing they need is one less day of school per week. Who’s stupid idea is that?” - Patricia F., Grand Junction
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Wanna pitch a fit? Write us at Beacon@PendantPublishing.com.
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March 2012
Nine out of 10 stupid about Social Security By Tait Trussell
O
nly 10 percent of Americans know that the government can spend seniors’ Social Security money any way it wants. This was a recent finding by the Rasmussen Reports opinion polling organization. The “super committee” in Congress appointed to look for $1.5 trillion in spending reduction over the next 10 years has everything on the table, including Social Security. However, no one has suggested cutting the benefits of anyone receiving Social Security now or in the near future. There have been some suggestions for extending the age of retirement to age 70 instead of 65. But I know of no proposed cuts for current beneficiaries of Social Security. It’s a given that benefits will keep rolling out, although there is no pot of money in the Social Security Trust Fund as many seniors believe. Seniors’ payout comes from those paying in. The payroll taxes you paid during your working life may be used for anything from stealth bombers to subsidies for “green” jobs. Workingage Americans remain skeptical about receiving their Social Security benefits even though they mistakenly believe money in the Social Security Trust Fund can be used only to pay promised benefits. The money paid in by the payroll tax is drawn out by the federal government to pay for other programs and replaced by IOUs in the form of Treasury notes. And Congress can keep doing this. Overall, 52 percent of likely voters, according to the Rasmussen poll, have a favorable view of Social Security. Some 43 percent hold an unfavorable view. The new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that most of those aged
30-49 have a negative opinion of the program. Among senior citizens, 75 percent have a favorable view. Surprising it isn’t higher. Forty-two percent of those polled expect to receive all their promised benefits from Social Security, while 57 percent do not. Three out of four seniors expect to receive all their promised benefits, and those aged 50-64 are evenly divided. Among those under 50, a majority do not expect such a return. The survey found that 80 percent believe that Social Security taxes are paid into a Trust Fund that can legally be used only to pay Social Security benefits. However, 10 percent recognize this is not the case. Federal budget documents describe it like this: “The Federal Government uses the term ‘trust fund’ very differently from the private sector. The beneficiary of a private trust owns the trust’s income and may own the trust’s assets.” However, “the Federal Government owns and manages the assets and earnings of most federal trust funds.” Additionally, the government “can unilaterally change the law to raise or lower future trust fund collections and payments or change the purpose for which collections are used.” Just 6 percent think the federal government can do whatever it wants with the money from the Trust Fund. Eighty-two percent disagree and say the Trust Fund should be protected so that the money is used only to pay promised benefits. Sixtyfive percent of voters believe individuals should have the right to select their own retirement age. Those who want to retire earlier could pay more in Social Security taxes now. Those who would prefer lower taxes today could pay less in taxes and retire later. That suppos-
edly is how such a plan would work. Sixty-four percent believe that any proposed changes in either Social Security or Medicare should be submitted to the American people for a vote before they can become law. Mort Zuckerman of “U.S. News & World Report” has some thoughtful ideas. “The promise of Social Security as a backstop against poverty is more important than ever. But for the program to endure, as it must, we must not avoid the financial implications of ensuring that anyone who has worked hard and paid into the system will have the basic sustenance they need once their working days are behind them. Here are his options to cure the problem: l. Gradually raise the retirement age to reflect the longevity increases that have already taken place. Men born in 2004 can expect to live almost 10 years longer than those born in 1950, while women can expect to live nine years longer. In the future, this should be indexed to rise automatically. 2. Increase employer and employee payroll taxes by up to 1 percent each. 3. Eliminate or gradually raise the cap on taxable payroll income to reflect the fact that the pay of higher income workers has been rising faster than the threshold for Social Security taxable earnings. The share of pay overall that is not taxed has increased from 9 percent to 17 percent today. 4. Increase the earliest eligibility age from 62 to 65. By some estimates, this would extend the trust fund’s solvency by about five years. Current retirees would be unaffected. Exceptions would have to be made for Americans who cannot work longer due to injury, ill health, or other causes. 5. Make modest reductions in benefits for wealthier recipients. Perhaps the competing Republican candidates, suitably goaded by the moderators, will drill down on these issues. ■
Serving families in the Grand Valley for over 100 years.
The Legacy of Love According to Webster’s unabridged dictionary, a legacy is a gift or anything handed down from the past - from one generation to another. In the funeral business we find we are given the gift from many families to conduct the funerals from one generation to the next. This is an honor that we at CallahanEdfast Mortuary hold very high. We find that more often than not, people want to have a say in what their final wishes are. Many pre-plan their service, giving the ultimate gift, a Legacy of Love. Pre-arranging has many benefits, including the ability to hold today’s prices for future services. We offer funeral and cremation services and also have an on-site columbarium for the interment of cremated remains. It is important to share your desires with your family and pre-arranging allows you to do just that. For more information about how to leave your family a Legacy of Love – contact Sandra Johnson, CPC or Abel Chavez, our pre-need counselors at Callahan-Edfast Mortuary. Appointments can be set up by calling 243-2450.
2515 Patterson Road • Grand Junction, CO 81505
970.243.2450 info@cemgj.com www.callahan-edfast.com
Music as therapy Learn how music can aid in recovery from stroke and other neurological conditions and injuries. “Neurologic Music Therapy and Brain Recovery from Injury and Stroke” Presented by Deborah Palmer, board-certified music therapist. No reservation needed. Fri., March 16, 1:00–2:30 pm Grand Mesa Room, St. Mary’s Life Center 2686 Patterson Road, Grand Junction
Low cost blood screenings
Fast for 12 hours, drink water and continue to take prescribed medications. Do not fast if you’re diabetic. • Blood Chemistry – $30
March 16–17, 2012 7:00 am–Noon Central High School For iNForMatioN: call 211, (888) 217-1215, or visit www.mesahealth.org.
tHaNk you to aLL SpoNSorS aNd Media!
Baseline information on cholesterol, blood glucose, liver, kidneys, thyroid, and more.
• Blood Count – $15
An additional screening for many conditions such as anemia, infection, bleeding disorders…
• Hemoglobin A1c – $25
Measures the average blood sugar control and whether a person is at risk for diabetes.
• PSA for men 40 & over – $25
Checks for prostate and testicular cancer.
• Vitamin D – $40
Baseline level for Vitamin D which plays an important role in bone health.
Free health screenings • “Ask
a Pharmacist” • Blood Pressure • Chiropractic Spinal Screening • Diabetes Screening • Foot Screening • Hearing Screening Beacon • Comcast Spotlight • KJCT KKCO • KREX, Channel 12 • Free Press Fruita Times • Palisade Tribune Your Valley Source • Things to Do KAFM 88.1 • KSTR 96.1 The Moose 100.7, Magic 93.1, The Vault 92.3, KEKB 99.9, KJOL 99.5, Team Sports Talk KTMM 1340 KOOL 107.9 • Mix 104.3 95 Rock • KEXO AM 1230 DRIVE 105.3 • KNZZ 1100 AM
Sponsored by St. Mary’s Stroke Support Group. Recovery education, relaxation, therapies and discussion for those who have suffered a stroke and their loved ones. Meets the third Friday of each month, 1:00–2:30 p.m. Call 298-1929 for more information.
• Height
and Weight Function Test • Talk to a Health Professional • Oral Health Screening • Osteoporosis Screening • Vision Screening • Lung
interactive health education booths Lions recycle for Sight Bring your used eyeglasses to donate.
Weight loss surgery and follow-up care Learn how weight loss surgery works and who qualifies. Presented by St. Mary’s bariatric-trained surgeons. Call 298-6400 to register.
GRAND JUNCTION Wed., Mar. 7, Noon–1:30 pm Wed., Mar. 21, 5:30-7:00 pm RIFLE Thurs., March 15, 5:30–7:00 pm “I wanted to get healthy for my family. St. Mary’s bariatric surgeons said weight loss surgery was a process and we would go at a pace that was comfortable for me. Now I’m well on my way to my goal.” -Tamara Vliek, Grand Junction
“We’re here for life.” 970-298-CARE (2273)
2635 N. 7th Street Grand Junction, CO 81501 www.stmarygj.org An Affiliate of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth Health System