December 2018 - Senior Spectrum Newspaper

Passing of Chris McMullen, Publisher of Senior Spectrum

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December 2018 THIS ISSUE

Chris and Connie McMullen, 2002

It is with great sadness that the Senior Spectrum Newspaper family announces the passing of Chris McMullen, 66, on November 12, 2018 after a courageous two­year battle with pancreatic cancer.

Determined to fight, Chris was positive and strong. His determination and optimism reflected his strength and com­ mitment to those who loved him. His passing has come at a great loss to his family and friends. He was an extraordi­ nary father, friend and hus­ band.

Chris and his wife Connie McMullen have been the co­ owners of Senior Spectrum Newspapers for 25­years. Chris was an advocate for older adults and was actively involved in several senior serv­ ice organizations including the Senior Coalition of Washoe County. He organized Senior Fest for the past 23­years, Northern Nevada’s largest Health and Wellness Fair for older adults. He also had many accomplishments in radio, television, and newspa­ per advertising.

In spite of our loss, Senior Spectrum readers can be assured the paper will contin­ ue to be published as Chris would have wanted for our communities seniors. Nothing will change in the distribution or circulation. The manage­ ment of Senior Spectrum will be assumed by Connie McMullen and Chase McMullen, as the paper will remain in the family.

Chris was born in Chicago, Illinois, grew up in Fox Lake, Illinois, and spent the majority of his life in Reno, Nevada. He will be forever remembered by his wife of 43­years, their three children, Tara (Shaun) Moran, Chase (Angela) McMullen, and Krystal McMullen, grandson, Jackson Moran; brother and sisters, Craig (Doris) McMullen, Cathy (Tony) Adams, and Carol McMullen, father­in­law John (Sonnia) Iliescu, and sister­in­ law Kathy (Michael) Rain.

Chris was preceded in death by his fathers Walter McMullen and Melvin General, his moth­ er Dorothy General, and moth­ er in­law Sadie Iliescu.

Page 3 - Honoring Chris Page 11 - Growing Need for Representative Payees Page 32 - The King & I Page 34 - Your Guide to Snowshoeing in Tahoe EVERY ISSUE Page 4 - Opinion: U.S. Senator Cortez-Masto Page 6 - CMS: Your Medicare Costs in 2019 Page 12 - Home Sharing: A Program That Can Help Homelessness, Limited Income Seniors Dr. Larry Weiss Page 14 - City of Reno Senior Citizen Advisory Committee: Senior Discovery TV

Page 17 - Calendar Page 19 - Janet Ross: Eclectic Observer Page 20 - Arts Calendar Page 22 - This ‘n That Page 24 - Biggest Little City - Harry Spencer Page 26 - Tinseltown Page 28 - Smart Travel Page 31 - Crossword Page 33 - Resources FINANCIAL Page 8 - Fair Does Not Always Mean Equal Gerald Dorn, Anderson, Dorn & Rader, Ltd.

Senior Spectrum Newspaper P.O. Box 7124 • Reno, NV 89510

775-348-0717

SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com SeniorSpectrumNV@aol.com Publishers: Chris & Connie McMullen

Column opinions are writers, not the publishers.

SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com / December / 3

Opinion:

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto

Honoring the Spirit of Giving in the Reno Community

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his holi­ day sea­ son, thou­ sands of Nevadans across the Silver State will donate food, gifts, time and talent to help those in need.

Catherine Cortez Masto Thousands more will show up for work at jobs dedi­ cated to providing health care to sick Nevadans, educating our youth and keeping our communities safe. As we celebrate the spirit of giving this winter,

4 / December / SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com

I want to recognize some of the out­ standing work Northern Nevadans are doing every day to make our communi­ ties stronger and supporting those in need.

One of Reno’s most beloved community heroes is Evelyn Mount. For over 41 years, Evelyn has provided Reno resi­ dents and families in need with the comfort of a holiday meal. Born in a small town in Louisiana, Evelyn’s family instilled in her the values of sacrifice and service at a young age. In 1976, Evelyn moved to Reno with her husband Leon. While working as a telephone operator at the airport, Evelyn started

collecting food donations in her spare time. That first year, she collected more than 200 bags of food to distribute amongst members of the Northern Nevada community. Now, her annual food drives are a Reno holiday staple, feeding over 10,000 residents each year, and an outreach center bearing her name works year round to provide food for senior citizens across the city.

Unfortunately, this year marks the end of an era in philanthropic leadership in Reno, as Evelyn intends to step away from her work organizing her annual food drive to enjoy some well­earned rest and respite.

(Cortez Masto page 5)

Cortez Masto / page 4 Earlier this year, I also had the opportu­ nity to tour the Food Bank of Northern Nevada, another organization dedicated to assisting Nevada families with food donations, literacy education and work­ force development programs. I was so inspired by the Reno community mem­ bers I met with and the work they do each day to serve the more than 95,000 Nevadans that come through their doors each month. It also reminded me of the importance of fighting for resources that support food banks and food services, and working to ensure that vital programs like the Supplemental Assistance for Needy Families Program (SNAP) and Meals on Wheels are fully funded.

As Nevadans, we understand the impor­ tance of service. From the thousands of veterans that call Nevada home, to the countless others that volunteers to improve our community, I’m constantly moved by the innovative stories I hear

about those living in the Silver State giv­ ing back. For example, in October, over 40 volunteers cleaned the grounds of the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Fernley, trim­ ming trees and upgrading landscaping.

Hundreds of volunteers also came together to pick up trash along the Truckee River as part of the annual river clean up days. In November, my alma mater, the University of Nevada, Reno hosted an adoption awareness event at Mackay Stadium. The Wolf Pack wel­ comed foster and adoptive families for a day of food and fun and helped cele­ brate a record­setting year in which 202 children have been adopted in Washoe County. And since 1973, our state’s Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, RSVP, has been bringing together senior volunteers who are using their lifetimes of experience to provide quality, com­ passionate care for Nevada’s elderly population. RSVP volunteers have saved taxpayers millions in long­term care expenses and allowed thousands of sen­

iors to live out their lives at home and with dignity. Events and programs like these make a lasting impact on those in need.

I hope those who are able find time this holiday season to join the ranks of Nevadans volunteering for worthy caus­ es. Many studies have even shown that volunteering helps older Americans stay in shape, reduce chronic pain, and improve brain function. Throughout the state, Nevada’s seniors can play a role in setting an important example for oth­ ers by sharing their knowledge, experi­ ence and compassion with their com­ munities.

I also hope we all take time this year to offer our heartfelt thanks to those in our community who work day in and day out to better the lives of those around them. That is the true spirit of the holiday season, and one that we all can hold with us well into the New Year.

SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com / December / 5

Medicare and Medicaid Services

Your Medicare Costs in 2019

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s we head into the holiday season, I wanted to let you know how much your Medicare will cost in 2019.

Most peo­ Greg Dill ple with Medicare will pay the standard monthly premium for Medicare Part B, which will be $135.50 next year, an increase of $1.50 over 2018.

Part B covers physician services, out­ patient hospital services, some home health services, durable medical equip­ ment, and certain other medical and health services not covered by Medicare Part A. Your Part B premium is based on your income. People whose tax returns show income equal to or higher than $85,000 pay higher premiums. These income­adjusted premiums apply to about 5 percent of all Medicare benefi­ ciaries.

The premiums for higher­income beneficiaries for 2019 can be found here: https://www.cms.gov/news­ room/fact­sheets/2019­medicare­parts­ b­premiums­and­deductibles.

The annual deductible for Part B is $185 in 2019, an increase of $2 from 2018.

Medicare Part A covers inpatient hospital, skilled nursing, and some home health services. The vast majority of Medicare beneficiaries don’t have to pay Part A premiums since they or their spouses paid Medicare payroll taxes for at least 40 quarters (10 years).

The Part A inpatient hospital deductible that beneficiaries pay when admitted to the hospital will be $1,364 in 2019, a $24 increase over 2018.

6 / December / SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com

Greg Dill, Regional Administrator Medicare District 9 There are two ways to get your Medicare benefits: Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage.

With Original Medicare, you can choose any doctor, hospital, or other healthcare provider you want, as long as they accept Medicare. When you receive medical services or goods, Medicare pays the provider directly.

About 70 percent of all Medicare bene­ ficiaries have Original Medicare.

The other way to get your benefits is Medicare Advantage, which is a form of managed care, like an HMO or PPO. Medicare Advantage is provided by pri­ vate insurance companies approved by Medicare. If you’re in Medicare Advantage, you generally must go to doctors and other providers in the com­ pany’s network.

If you go outside the network, you may have to pay more.

On the other hand, Medicare Advantage plans may offer some servic­ es – such as dental, hearing, vision, and prescription drug coverage – that Original Medicare doesn’t.

Most people with Original Medicare pay a monthly Part B premium. If you’re in Medicare Advantage, you may have to pay an additional monthly premium to the private insurer that covers you.

With Original Medicare, you or your supplemental insurance must pay deductibles, co­pays, and coinsurance.

To cover these “gaps” in Medicare, some people buy supplemental insur­ ance called Medigap. If you have a Medigap policy, Medicare pays its share of covered costs, and then your Medigap policy pays its share.

Original Medicare doesn’t cover pre­ scription drugs. If you want drug cover­ age, you can buy a separate Medicare Part D plan. Such plans are sold through private insurers approved by Medicare.

You have to pay an additional monthly

premium for Part D. On average, Medicare Advantage premiums in 2019 are projected to decrease by six percent to $28, from an average of $29.81 in 2018.

Some plans are providing new types of benefits in 2019, including: • Adult day care services, in­home sup­ port services, caregiver support servic­ es, home­based palliative care and ther­ apeutic massage; and • Reduced cost sharing and additional benefits for enrollees with certain con­ ditions, such as diabetes and congestive heart failure.

The average monthly basic premium for Part D prescription drug plans is expected to fall from $33.59 this year to $32.50 next year. This is the second year in a row that average Part D premi­ ums have declined.

And while we’re talking about costs, don’t forget that Medicare Open Enrollment season is here, and lasts until Dec. 7, 2018.

This is the time each year when you can shop around for a new Medicare Advantage health plan or Part D drug plan that better meets your health needs and pocketbook.

To help you, we’ve developed an online calculator that can give you an idea of how much you’ll pay out­of­ pocket for a Medicare Advantage plan versus Original Medicare plus a Part D plan and a Medigap plan.

You can access the calculator at https://www.medicare.gov/oopc/.

Greg Dill is Medicare’s regional administrator for Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and the Pacific Territories. You can always get answers to your Medicare questions by calling 1­ 800­MEDICARE (1­800­633­4227).

SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com / December / 7

Gerald Dorn

L

Fair Does Not Always Mean Equal: Avoiding Conflict in Inheritances

et’s face it, even in the closest­knit families, money and assets can still create problems. For example, resentment can show up when one sibling has seen greater financial and career success than his or her siblings. Sometimes, clients try to “balance” this inequity in their estate plan, which can cause further fric­

By: The American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys Luke Welmerink Anderson, Dorn & Rader, Ltd. Legacy and Wealth Planning Attorneys www.wealth-counselors.com

tion in the future.

What do you do when you’re estranged from one of your children? How do you bal­ ance your distributions when one of your children has five children of their own, where­ as another of your children has chosen not to have any children at all? Are you obli­ gated to leave an additional

8 / December / SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com

cash gift to your son to match the money that you gave your daughter as part of the down payment for her home?

Clearly, “fair” does not always mean “equal.”

If you have decided to leave unequal inheritances for any reason, there are things you

can do to prevent hurt feel­ ings, anger, any legal chal­ lenges after you’ve passed.

The best way to avoid future problems is to discuss your plan, and your reasons, while you’re alive.

If you do choose to memori­ alize your reasons, it’s impor­ tant to be honest, but also (Conflicts page 9)

recognize that your letter may be shared during a time that your loved ones are still grieving. While it sounds simple, many of the more successful efforts include more than a simple explana­ tion; instead, they include a more heartfelt justification.

For instance, you could say, quite simply, “Your father and I paid for your college education, so we wanted to set aside the same amount of cash for your brother when he decides to buy a home.” While this is an honest justification for leav­ ing an unequal inheritance, a more detailed explanation could clarify, “Your father and I were so proud of you as we watched you receive your college degree. It was one of our proudest moments and we knew it was one of your proudest accomplishments. Because of that, we wanted to be sure your younger brother would have an opportunity to experience the same level of pride in a different accomplishment. While he opted not to attend college, he chose to start a family.

As a result, he has not had the opportunity to purchase his first home and has dreamed of providing a bet­ ter place for his family. We know you will understand the immense pride that comes with being a home­ owner and because of that, we know you will also understand why we wanted to play a role in that by mak­ ing sure he has the funds for a down­payment.”

Often, these heartfelt expla­ nations can remind adult children of what really mat­ ters in life.

If, however, you do want to provide a more balanced inheritance, it can still be helpful to explain the rea­ sons for choosing to treat everyone equally. Many times, parents will have one child that needs or expects more financial support, but those same parents don’t want to punish the other successful children by dimin­ ishing their inheritance. An explanation might make clear that the individual cir­ cumstances of each child was not a deciding factor in ensuring that each child enjoyed an equal share of the family wealth.

Ultimately, the decisions are yours. Because each family is different, only you can make the choice as to what works best for your family.

Either way, your estate plan­ ning attorney can provide guidance to meet your goals and wishes for your children after you are gone.

Another very important decision in avoiding family arguments is appointing the right person to be responsi­ ble for handling your estate’s affairs after your death. Naming your chil­ dren as equal Co­Trustees or Co­Personal Representatives might exacerbate the family fight. Sometimes, it is more problematic to have “too many cooks in the kitchen” when it comes to making decisions in administering your estate. However, in some other families, choos­ ing one child as the sole Trustee or Executor might lead to more resentment that the parents “trusted” or “liked” one child better than the others. There is no clear (Conflicts page 10) SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com / December / 9

Conflicts / from p.9

answer, and every family will want to consider this appointment very carefully.

Having open discussions with your family about who will be responsible for handing these administrative matters will help everyone under­ stand the process. Many times, nowadays, we find parents would rather leave their children out of these difficult decisions altogether to avoid bitterness. You may appoint an independent fidu­ ciary to handle the estate administration in a profes­ sional and efficient manner.

You should work with your estate planning attorney to discuss the pros and cons of your options to avoid prob­ lems arising after your death.

Lastly, if you anticipate a

10 / December / SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com

challenge to your estate plan, your estate planning attorney can discuss includ­ ing a “no contest” clause as a way of decreasing litigation risk to your plan!

Luke Welmerink practices primarily in the areas of estate, tax, and asset protec­ tion planning. Prior to join­ ing the firm, Mr. Welmerink gained valuable experience working in finance, account­ ing, and tax planning mat­ ters.

The law firm of Anderson, Dorn & Rader, Ltd. is devoted exclusively to estate planning and estate and trust adminis­ tration. For more informa­ tion or to attend an upcom­ ing seminar, contact us at (775) 823­WILL (9455) or visit us online at www.wealth­ counselors.com.

National Council on Aging

The Growing Need for Representative Payees, and How You Can Help

By Randy Feliciano, MPA

Each year, millions of older adults become victims of financial exploitation.

Protecting those who are most vulnerable—including those with cognitive impair­ ments—is essential to ending the cycle of elder abuse.

Created in 1939 as an amend­ ment to the Social Security Act, the Representative Payee Program is one tool that can help. Representative Payees assist individuals with physical and mental impairments, as well as minor children, who cannot manage or direct the management of their Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.

Who qualifies to be a Representative Payee?

A Representative Payee is an appointed individual or organ­ ization who is deemed appro­ priate by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to man­ age the Social Security or SSI benefits for a single benefici­ ary or multiple beneficiaries.

Whereas a family member may be the Representative Payee for their loved one, an Organizational Representative Payee (some of which operate on a fee­for­service basis) will often manage benefits for large numbers of beneficiar­ ies. Other examples of payees include friends, nonprofit organizations, mental health service residences/facilities, and social services agencies.

What are the responsibilities of a Representative Payee?

When a Representative Payee is appointed, that individual, group, or organization is responsible for using the ben­ efits to pay for the current and future needs of the bene­ ficiary, and saving any bene­ fits not needed to meet cur­ rent needs.

Representative Payees are required to provide Social Security with a short form (accounting), which shows expenditures for food and (Payees page 16) SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com / December / 11

“Adding Life to Years”

Home Sharing: A Program That Can Help Homelessness and Limited Income Seniors Dr. Larry Weiss Center for Healthy Aging Larry Weiss

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ost seniors want to age in their own homes and stay in the community but many may feel a bit lonely, or could use help with living expenses or with the housework. Home Share programs offer a practical, safe solution. They match homeowners, usually seniors, with home seekers of all ages who need a place to live and perhaps are willing to trade services for reduced rent.

Home Sharing is a living arrangement among two or more unrelated people.

Home owners or renters (Home Providers) who have a residence with two or more bedrooms are matched with persons seeking housing (Home Seekers).

Often, especially in college towns, these home seekers are students, others might be low-income seniors or folks in transition due to divorce or changes in employment.

The community is also a beneficiary of Home Sharing. Shared living makes efficient use of existing housing stock, helps preserve the fabric of the neighborhood and, in certain cases, helps to lessen the need for costly chore/care services and long-term institutional care for the senior.

A home provider might be a senior, a person with disabilities, a working professional, someone at-risk of homelessness, a single parent, or simply a person wishing to share his or her life and home with others.

For these people, shared housing offers companionship, affordable housing, security, mutual support and much more.

The concept of Home Sharing originated with Maggie Kuhn, who rented rooms in her Philadelphia home to younger adults at reduced rates in exchange for services and companionship.

For decades Maggie was an incredible creative driving force in the aging field.

Maggie Kuhn was an American activist known for founding the Gray Panthers movement after she was forced to retire from her job, at the then mandatory retirement age of 65. The Gray Panthers 12 / December / SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com

became known for advocating for nursing home reform and fighting ageism, claiming that "old people and women constitute America's biggest untapped and undervalued human energy source." She dedicated her life to fighting for human rights, social and economic justice, global peace, integration, and an understanding of mental health issues. For decades, she combined her activism with caring for her mother, who had a disability that required her to receive assistance in her care, and a brother who suffered from mental illness.

I was fortunate to know and work a little with Maggie Kuhn. She was an innovative force and wonderful human.

According to the National Shared Housing Resource Center, established by Maggie Kuhn in 1981, home share agencies now exist in more than 20 states.

They range from hands-on programs that do background checks, arrange matches and serve as mediators to agencies that simply provide information on resources in an area. For example, the New York Foundation for Senior Citizens (NYFSC) created a free home sharing program that helps link adult “hosts” with extra private spaces in their homes or apartments with appropriate adult “guests”. In that program, one of the match mates must be age 60 or older. The program also serves adult “hosts” age 55 or older, who are interested in sharing with developmentally disabled adult “guests” capable of independent living.

Professional social work staff comprehensively screen and check the references of all host and guest applicants. They use “Quick-Match”, a unique database, to help them determine the most potentially compatible match mates by inputting their 31 lifestyle objectives. To facilitate potential hosts and guests in determining their compatibility and willingness to be matched in a shared living arrangement with one another, the staff schedule and attend “match meetings”. Prior to moving

in, the service offers a written agreement to help hosts and guests feel a level of confidence and sense of security in their shared living arrangements.

For more than three decades, the enthusiasm of participants in NYFSC’s Home Sharing Program has run high.

Home Sharing has attracted considerable recognition in the New York media as a fresh approach that works and has also gained national recognition as an affordable housing opportunity that can provide financial relief as well as companionship.

Both hosts and guests benefit from reduced housing costs and the possibility of companionship to offset the isolation and loneliness experienced by many living alone, which benefits all.

Funding for the Home Sharing program is received through the New York State Legislators, New York State Office for the Aging, New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, New York City Department for the Aging, New York City Council Members’ and Borough Presidents’ discretionary funds, as well as private contributions.

Nevada, especially the cities of Reno and Sparks, as well as Washoe County, should take note and start investing in such a program.

People who participate in Home Sharing, either Home Providers or Home Seekers, save money, share utility costs, reduce financial worry, provide mutual assistance, and increase security and independence. Certainly extending the life of seniors in the community living in a home and not an institution “adds life to years”.

Lawrence J. Weiss, Ph.D. is CEO of the Center for Healthy Aging. Dr. Weiss welcomes your comments on this column.

Write to him at larry@addinglifetoyears.com or c/o Center for Healthy Aging, 11 Fillmore Way, Reno, NV 89519

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Senior Discovery TV Provides Seniors with Moviemaking Opportunities

by Donna Clontz Chair, Reno Senior Citizen Advisory Committee and Nelson Cyr, Senior Discovery TV SDTV) Co-chair

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ights!

Camera!

Action! Senior Discovery TV (SDTV) is a terrific opportunity for aspiring senior moviemakers 50 and older. City­ Donna Clontz sanctioned SDTV fosters meeting new people, learning new skills and having fun. The group meets monthly every first Tuesday at 2 p.m. (except during certain holiday weeks) at the Evelyn Mount Northeast Community Center (EMNECC) at 1301 Valley Road.

In addition to production shoots, the group holds mobile­studio and on­loca­ tion training sessions for production and post­production skills development and practice. New volunteers with or with­ out moviemaking experience are always

(L to r) Karen Thompson, Bea Sledge, Carl Adams, Nelson Cyr, Sandy Cyr, Donna Clontz, Sunny Minedew

needed to expand SDTV’s moviemaking capabilities.

Inexperienced volunteers learn moviemaking basics in varied interest

(L to r) Steve Vanderver, Nelso Cyr, Carl Adams.

14 / December / SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com

areas by helping as credited Production Assistants (PAs) on projects. Help is always welcome with production­relat­ ed equipment setup, operation, and teardown. PAs learn lighting, audio, and camera operation basics and ultimately more advanced skills prior to producing their own projects. Experienced volun­ teers start by joining SDTV members on their projects as co­producers, co­direc­ tors, camera operators, audio boom operators, lighting technicians or editors before producing their own projects.

Experienced SDTV members initiate their own group­approved projects to direct, produce and edit as events, opportunities or creative ideas arise.

SDTV’s credo is to produce creative video content “by seniors, for seniors, about seniors." With the professional grade camera and studio equipment made possible by funding from the Senior Citizen Advisory Committee and

by SDTV members, the group is now able to do studio interviews, newscasts, (Discovery page 15)

create short comedy or dramatic episodes and more. Reno provides equipment, shooting locations and access to events. Membership is free, and all levels of skills are welcome.

Group­approved SDTV program videos are broadcast at noon daily and during other unscheduled times on Reno’s Government Access Charter Channel 192/194. Over 50 SDTV videos are also viewable 24/7 on Reno’s Senior Discovery YouTube channel which has a link on the Senior Connect / Senior Citizen Advisory Committee / Senior Discovery TV landing page at www.reno.gov/seniors .

Notable SDTV­produced projects include the Reno Parks & Rec PSA video “Reno Parks Are Something Fun for Everyone,” the “SDTV RENO 150 Celebration Project” done in May 2018 (five histori­ cal mini­documentaries depicting Reno from 1868 ­ 2018), “Evelyn Mount – a Community Treasure,” Nevada Honor Flight / Comstock Lode Quilters’ “Quilts

of Valor,” “Virginia Range Wild Horses,” “Seniors on the Go” (VT Railroad Ride to Virginia City), “Reno­Tahoe Senior Games PSA Promos,” Reno Rodeo Cotton Rosser “King of the Cowboys Tribute,” the “Making of a Flash Mob,” as well as “Senior Summer and Winter Games Events” at vari­ ous venues since 2014. SDTV members recently created a “Reno/AARP Nevada Age­ Friendly & Community Living Project” PSA video encouraging seniors to participate in an online survey at www.tmrpa.org/seniorsurvey.

SDTV was created in Spring 2014 by Reno's Senior Citizen Advisory Committee. Active seniors may attend any monthly first Tuesday meeting at EMNECC to meet group members and decide if they want to join the fun. Contacts are: Nelson & Sandy Cyr, Senior Discovery TV

Sunny Minedew on camera.

Co­chairs, at nelsoncyr@gmail.com. You may also contact me for questions since I am also a member of the group at donnanorm1@yahoo.com or (775) 240­ 2745.

SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com / December / 15

Representative Payees / page 11 housing and separately, per­ sonal spending (recreational expenses, clothes, etc.). The payee must ensure that the beneficiary’s bills are paid and that the beneficiary does not have a high level of excess income, which could disqualify them from SSI ben­ efits.

A growing need According to the 2016 issue brief Representative Payees: A Call to Action, more than 8 million Americans have an appointed Representative Payee managing their Social Security or SSI benefits. SSA

recognizes that there is a growing need for older adults to have a Representative Payee, as baby boomers are the fastest­growing segment of the U.S. population.

Inevitably, there will be a growing segment of aging adults with both physical and cognitive disabilities in need of assistance with managing their SSA benefits.

What can you do to help?

First, you can serve as a vol­ unteer Representative Payee.

To find opportunities near you, perform this simple web search: Volunteer

16 / December / SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com

Representative Payee pro­ grams in (fill in your loca­ tion).

In Reno, Washoe County Senior Services has a Representative Payee pro­ gram. Washoe County Senior Services is the first point of contact for Washoe County's growing population of sen­ iors, their families, and care­ givers. Contact them by tele­ phone at (775) 328­2575, or visit the website at http://www.washoecounty. us/seniorsrv, by e­mail at sr_info@washoecounty.us and/or visiting our main center at 1155 E. 9th Street, Reno, NV 89512.

WCSS mission is to ensure that every older adult is able to live independently as long as possible and to be informed of his or her long­term care options.

WCSS also pro­ vides these serv­ ices: Congregate Meals, Home Delivered Meals, Senior Law Project, Caregiver Support, Daybreak Adult Day Health Care, Social Services program and other services such as: Case Management, Representative Payee, Homecare Services, and Visiting Nurse/Medication Management and volunteer oppor­

tunities.

Many organizations and local government agencies administer Representative Payee programs. In Nevada, the Aging and Disability Services Division offers Representative Payee servic­ es statewide. In Washoe County, ADSD is located at: Regional Office ­ Reno 9670 Gateway Drive, Ste 200 Reno, NV 89521 Tele: (775) 687­0800 You also can advocate for someone in need by becom­ ing familiar with your local ADSD or Washoe County Adult Protective Services offices found under the Human Services Agency (HSA). The HSA provides an array of protective and sup­ portive services to families and individuals to enhance their quality of life by ensur­ ing they are optimizing their self­reliance and self­suffi­ ciency. Both of these resources provide wrap­ around supports for older adults and adults with dis­ abilities.

Human Services Agency: https://www.washoecoun­ ty.us/hsa/ Adult Services 350 S. Center Street Reno, NV 89501 (775) 328­2700 Senior Services 1155 E. Ninth Street Reno, NV 89512 (775) 328­2575 ADSD: Website: ADSD.NV.Gov 9670 Gateway Drive, Ste 200 Reno, NV 89521 Tele: (775) 687­0800

2:15 p.m., EMNECC, $8.

• Dec. 5 ­ Pickleball, 4:30­ 6:30 p.m., NRRC.

• Dec. 3 ­ Sit and Get Fit, 8:30­9:30 a.m., TPPAC; also Dec. 10, 17, 24, 31.

CALENDAR

• Dec. 3 ­ Pickleball, 9 a.m., EMNECC. Also Dec. 10, 17, 24, 31.

• Dec. 4 ­ Sit and Get Fit, 10­ 11 a.m., EMNECC; also Dec. 11, 18, 25.

• Dec. 3 ­ Pinochle, 10­2 p.m., TPPAC. Also Dec. 10, 17, 24, 31.

• Dec. 4 ­ Bread Drop, noon, NRRC. Every Tuesday, Dec. 11, 18, 25. Also TPPAC, every Tuesday@10 a.m.

• Dec. 3 ­ Volunteer Crochet and Knitting Group, 10­12 p.m., EMNECC, free; also Dec. 10, 17, 24, 31.

• Dec. 4 ­ Beanbag Baseball Practice, 1­3:30 p.m., TPPAC, drop­in fee; also Dec. 11, 18, 25. Fridays 10­12:30 p.m.

• Dec. 3 ­ Sunshine Quilters, 1­4 p.m., TPPAC, drop­in fee.

Also Dec. 10, 17, 24, 31.

• Dec. 4 ­ Tai Chi Class, 1­2 p.m., EMNECC, also Tuesday and Thursdays at 1­2 p.m., $5, per class.

• Dec. 3 ­ Beanbag Baseball Practice, 1:30­3:30 p.m., NRRC, drop­in fee; also Dec. 10, 17, 24, 31.

• Dec. 3 ­ Pickleball, 1:30­ 3:30 p.m., NRRC. Also Dec. 10, 17, 24, 31.

• Dec. 3 ­ AARP Driver Safety Class, Washoe County Senior Center, register at (775) 851­ 4550.

• Dec. 4 ­ Silver State Super Seniors, 8:30 a.m., EMNECC. Also Dec. 11, 18, 25.

• Dec. 4 ­ Pickleball, 9­11:30 a.m., NRRC. Also Dec. 11, 18, 25.

• Dec. 4 ­ Bread Drop, TPPAC, 10­11 a.m. Every Tuesday, Dec. 11, 18, 25.

Also every Tuesday, NRRC@noon.

• Dec. 4 ­ Ballroom Dancing, 2­3:30 p.m., EMNECC, drop­ in fee. Every Tuesday. Also every Friday, 6­7:45 p.m.

• Dec. 5 ­ Sit and Get Fit, 8:30­9:30 a.m., TPPAC. • Dec. 5 ­ Pickleball, 9 a.m., EMNECC. • Dec. 5 ­ Ceramic Workshop, 9:30­12:30 p.m., McKinley Arts & Culture Center, $45 (3 classes ­ 3 hrs per class). Also first, second and third Wednesdays.

Register call (775) 334­2417.

• Dec. 5 ­ Mat Yoga, 10­11 a.m., NRRC. • Dec. 5 ­ Pickleball, 11:30 ­ 12:30 p.m., NRRC. Also 1:30­ 3:30 p.m.

• Dec. 5 ­ Chair Yoga, 1:30­

• Dec. 5 = CSA Medication Disposal, 10:30­12:30 p.m., Washoe County Senior Center, every Wednesday.

Also Dec. 12, 19, 26.

• Dec. 5 ­ Renown Grief Support, 6:15­8:15 p.m., Washoe County Senior Center, every Wednesday.

Also Dec. 19.

• Dec. 6 ­ Silver State Super Seniors, 8:30 a.m., EMNECC. Also Dec. 12.

• Dec. 6 ­ SHIP Counselors, 10­1 p.m., NRRC. • Dec. 6 ­ Sit and Get Fit, 10­ 11 a.m., EMNECC; also Dec. 11, 18, 25.

• Dec. 6 ­ Zumba Gold Fitness, 10­11 a.m., TPPAC, $10 monthly.

Mondays@TPPAC, 5:30­6:30 p.m.; Thursdays@TPPAC, 10­ 11 a.m.

• Dec. 6 ­ Chair Yoga, 10­ 10:45 a.m., NRRC, $8.

• Dec. 6 ­ SNAP Food Stamp Outreach, 8­11:30 a.m., Washoe County Senior Center.

• Dec. 6 ­ NV HOPES Blood Pressure Clinic, 9­11 a.m., Washoe County Senior Center, every Wednesday.

Also Dec. 13, 20, 27.

• Dec. 7 ­ AARP Board Meeting, 10­noon, Washoe County Senior Center.

• Dec. 7 ­ Beanball Baseball Practice, 10­12:30 p.m., TPPAC. Also

Tuesday@TPPAC, 1­3:30 p.m.; Friday@TPPAC, 10­ 12:30 p.m.; Monday@NRRC, 11:30­1:30 p.m.; Friday@NRRC, 1:30­3:30 p.m.

• Dec. 7 ­ Catholic Charities Outreach, 10­noon, Washoe County Senior Center. Also Dec. 21, 28.

• Dec. 7 ­ Senior Bingo, 1­2 p.m., NRRC. • Dec. 7 ­ Senior Dance Club, live music, every Friday, 7:30 p.m. Also Dec. 14, 21 and 31.

Washoe County Senior Center.

• Dec. 9 ­ Reno Dance Club, 2 p.m., NRRC, $5. Second and Fourth Sunday of the month.

• Dec. 10 ­ Sierra Flute Society Christmas Music, 11­ 12:30 p..m., Washoe County Senior Center.

• Dec. 10 ­ Basic Art, 1­2 p.m., TPPAC. • Dec. 10 ­ Drive at the Movies, 7:30­10:30 p.m., El Rancho 4 Drive­in Theater, (775) 657­4602.

• Dec. 12 ­ Grumpy Old Men, 10 a.m., music and dancing, Washoe County Senior Center. Also Dec. 19, 26.

• Dec. 13 ­ AARP Tax Aide Training, 8­noon, Washoe County Senior Center.

• Dec. 13 ­ Nevada Button Society, 1­2 p.m., Washoe County Senior Center.

• Dec. 14 ­ Alyssa Stress Management Group, 10­11 a.m., Washoe County Senior Center.

Calendar on page 18)

SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com / December / 17

CALENDAR Calendar / from page 17 Dec. 17 ­ Christmas Carols Sing Along with Kiwanis “AKTION” Club of Downtown Sparks, 11:30­ 12:45 p.m., Washoe County Senior Center.

• Dec. 18 ­ Assistance League of Reno/Sparks Food Pantry, 8­11 a.m., Washoe County Senior Center.

Center.

• Dec. 18 ­ Conversation Cafe, 9:30­11 a.m., NRRC, drop­in fee.

• Dec. 18 ­ Something New Bingo, 11­12:30 a.m., TPPAC.

• Dec. 18 ­ Washoe County Animal Services Pet Food, 8­ 10:30 a.m., Washoe County Senior Center.

• Dec. 18 ­ Beanbag Baseball Practice, 1­3:30 p.m., TPPAC. Tuesday @ TPPAC 1­3:30 p.m.; Friday @ TPPAC 10­ 12:30 p.m. Monday @ NRRC 11:30­1:30 p.m.; Friday @ NRRC 1:30­3:30 p.m. Drop in fee.

• Dec. 18 ­ SNAP Food Stamp Sign­up Workshop, 8­noon, Washoe County Senior

• Dec. 19 ­ Senior Tap, 9:30­ 10:30 a.m., EMNECC, drop­in fee.

Washoe County Senior Services (WCSS): 328-2575 Evelyn Mount Northeast Community Center (EMNCC): 334-2262 Neil Road Recreation Center (NRRC): 689-8484 Teglia’s Paradise Park Activity Center (TPPAC): 356-3176 Sparks Senior Center (SSC): 353-3110 Sun Valley Senior Center (SVSC): 673-9417

• Dec. 19 ­ Board Game Day/Puzzle Corner, 10­ 3:30 p.m., TPPAC, drop­ in fee.

• Dec. 19 ­ This­N­That Exchange, 1­ 3 p.m., NRRC, drop­in fee.

• Dec, 19 ­ Friends on the Go, 11­1 p.m., Washoe County Senior Services.

• Dec. 19 ­ Veteran’s Suicide Prevention, 10 ­ noon, Sparks Senior Center.

• Dec. 20 ­ Food Bank of Northern NV Pantry Distribution, 8 a.m., Washoe County Senior Center.

• Dec. 20 ­ Game Day: Any Game/Minnesota/Dominos, 1­3 p.m., NRRC, drop­in fee.

• Dec. 21 ­ Mat Yoga, NRRC, 10­11 a.m.

• Dec. 21 ­ Chair Volleyball, 1­3 p.m., TPPAC. • Dec. 24 ­ Sunshine Quilters, 1­4 p.m., TPPAC, drop­in fee.

• Christmas • Dec. 25 ­ The Voices, 11­1 p.m., EMNECC. • Dec. 25 ­ Tai Chi Class, 1­2 p.m., EMNECC, $5.

18 / December / SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com

• Dec. 25 ­ Ballroom Dancing, 2­3:45 p.m.,

EMNECC. Also on Friday, 6­ 7:45 p.m.

• Dec. 26 ­ Chair Yoga, 1:30 p.m., EMNECC, $8.

• Dec. 27 ­ Open Lab, 12­2 p.m., NRRC, $5.

• Dec. 27 ­ Accordion Players, 10­11 a.m., Washoe County Senior Center.

• Dec. 28 ­ Cribbage, 1­3 p.m., EMNECC, drop­in fee.

• Dec. 28 ­ Mat Yoga, 12­1 p.m., EMNECC. • Dec. 28 ­ Senior Bingo, 1­2 p.m., NRRC, drop­in fee.

• Dec. 28 ­ Movie Day, 12:15 p.m., Sparks Senior Center.

• Dec. 28 ­ Pickleball, 1:30­ 3:30 p.m., NRRC. • Dec. 28 ­ Care Chest of Northern Nevada, 10­noon, Washoe County Senior Center.

• Dec. 31 ­ Jeff Wayne Sings, 10:30­12:15 p.m., Washoe County Senior Center.

• Dec. 31 ­ Badminton, 7­10 p.m., NRRC.

ECLECTIC OBSERVER Janet Ross

E

ach year now

my Christmas card list diminishes a little, along Janet Ross with the number of gifts I give. Just part of the ageing process, but a bit sad all the same. Two good friends died this year, one in January, the other in June. I miss both, for our shared interest in reading and, for one Yoga classes, the other bridge games.

Leaving these sad thoughts aside, I'd like two share a pair of restaurant “discoveries”.

Each might be a special place to celebrate the holiday season.

Kaffe Crepe is a tiny enterprise in the sprawling Costco Reno center. Look for it on the East side of the complex, in a strip, Suite C4. As its name implies, this is the place for crepes in town.

You can choose from several savory or sweet selections, but only the largest appetite will have room for one of each at the same sitting. Some of the savory selections include the Monsieur with cheese and ham, a Cowgirl with brie cheese, fig jam and arugula or the Turkey Pesto with cheeses, turkey, diced tomato and pesto. (Prices ranges from $5.95 to $9.95.) Sweet crepes include the Classic with Vanilla sugar and tangy Lemon or Cinnamon butter, or such stunners as the Opera with Nutella, crushed hazelnuts and vanilla sugar … or why not the Neapolitan with white and dark chocolates, raspberry jam and vanilla sugar? Your choice of a beverage to add to the experience could be as simple as a cup of

tea, several varieties of coffee, a frappe, root beer float, or Italian soda. This delightful spot is tiny, seating is limited but all share a view of your crepes being prepared.

Kaffe Crepe is open Monday through Sunday, from 8 a.m. for breakfast to a late afternoon treat, closing at 5 p.m., Sunday at 3 p.m.

(Details and photos at info@kaffeecrepe.com or call 775-683-9338.)

We found a new, favorite Chinese restaurant a few months ago. Located just off Oddie Blvd. at 1825 Silverada Blvd., The Wok is housed in a former Wendy's building, part of a small shopping center.

The menu is huge and, while you can expect to find all the usual Chinese favorites, there's an additional section of “Authentic Chinese Food” that includes choices like a Garlic Cucumber appetizer or Beef Tripe in Spicy Sauce. Under Chong King Flavor dishes there is Braised Intestine with Baby Bamboo, or Cumin Lamb (how often do you find lamb on a Chinese menu?).

Boiled Flavor dishes include a Spicy Boiled Pickle Fish … all totaled, there are 51 choices for this special menu. Back to the familiar, you'll find lunch and dinner combinations, chef's specials like Walnut Shrimp, Orange Beef and Roast Duck. Sizzling Iron Platters with beef, chicken, shrimp or assorted seafood are a treat. And, yes, if your idea of Chinese cuisine is Chow Mein, you'll have a choice of six favors. Be warned, portions are generous; I've taken home leftovers every time.

The former Wendy's interior hasn't changed much; it's casual but comfortable. Service is pleasant and efficient. You'll

find The Wok – Chinese Cuisine open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Friday and Saturday until 9:30 p.m.).

They do a large take-out business – call 775-355-5835.

Changing direction, have you seen the snazzy, new booklet produced by the Washoe County Library system? The cover features a shot from space and the intriguing title “Steam +”. Inside you'll find a list of Winter programs from November though January for all the Library locations and information about the Tech Exhibit, hosted by the Northwest Reno branch.

If you were not aware, STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math.

Only 42 Libraries nationwide were selected to host this special exhibit and you can view it, plus participate in hands-on projects until January 11th.

The number of ongoing programs throughout the system is staggering – from seasonal storytimes to coding classes and Radon Awareness sessions in the new year.

You can pick up your own copy of this great resource at any of the Washoe County Library locations; there are ten to choose from: Downtown Reno, Incline Village, North Valleys, Northwest Reno, Sierra View, South Valleys, Spanish Springs, and my personal favorite, Sparks Library.

May your December be a very good one!

SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com / December / 19

ARTS & Entertainment

• Dec. 6 ­ Siamsa ­ A Celtic Christmas, 7:30 p.m., Grand Theatre, Grand Sierra Resort.

• Dec. 6 ­ First Thursday: Woody and the Boilers, 5­7 p.m., Nevada Museum of Art. • Dec. 7 ­ Tree Lighting, 1:30­ 3:30 p.m., Teglia’s Paradise Park Activity Center, bring a dish to share.

1 p.m., Nevada Museum of Art. • Dec. 8 ­ Little Steven & the Disciples of Soul, 7:30 p.m., Harrah’s Lake Tahoe.

• Dec. 8 ­ Jackson Galaxy Cat Mojo Live, 8 p.m., Grand Theatre, Grand Sierra Resort.

• Dec. 7 ­ Nevada Wind Ensemble and Concert Winds, 7:30 p.m., Church Fine Arts, Nightingale Concert Hall, UNR. • Dec. 7 ­ Docents in the Galleries: Anne Brigman, 12­

• Dec. 11 & 14 ­ Over The River and Through The Woods, Reno Little Theater, 147 Pueblo, or visit RenoLittletheater.org/ART­ at­RLT.

• Dec. 8 ­ 24 ­ The Nutcracker, Nevada Ballet Theater, The Smith Center, Las Vegas.

• Dec. 9 ­ Composer’s Concert, 7:30 p.m., Church of Fine Arts, Nightingale Concert Hall, UNR.

Dec. 7 ­ 9 ­ Nutcracker

• Dec. 7 ­ 9 ­ Nutcracker, Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts, Laura Jackson conducting Reno Phil.

• Dec. 11 & 12 ­ Milan Institute, $15, pedicure, pick­up: Reno Parks & Recreation locations: EMNECC@9 a.m.; TPPAC@9:15 a.m.; NRRC@9:30 a.m.

• Dec. 9 ­ Christmas Concert, 3­5 p.m., St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, $25, pick­up at Reno Parks and Recreation: EMNECC@2 p.m.; TPPAC@2:15 p.m.; NRRC@2:30 p.m.

• Dec. 9 ­ Sunday Music Brunch: Judith & Rocky, chez louie hosts brunch every Sunday 10­2 p.m., Nevada Museum of Art.

20 / December / SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com

Docents in the Galleries.

• Dec. 14 ­ Holiday Gala, 6­9 p.m., McKinley Arts and Culture Center, free, bring a can of food for the Food Bank.

• Dec. 14 ­ Ann M. Wolfe on Laid Bare in the Landscape: The Legacy of Anne W. Brigman, 12­1 p.m., Nevada Museum of Art. • Dec. 14 ­ 16 ­ Noel the Musical, Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts.

Dec. 13 ­ Chez louie Holiday Wine Dinner.

• Dec. 13 ­ Chez louie Holiday Wine Dinner featur­ ing Dark Cellars’ Wine, five­ course meal prepared by Chef Mark Estee, 6:30­9:30 p.m., Nevada Museum of Art. • Dec. 13 ­ BRDI Presents: Michael Dellis on Art and Landscape, 6­8 p.m., Nevada Museum of Art.

Dec. 13 ­ Michael Dellis on Art, Landscape.

• Dec. 14 ­ 29 ­ Golden Dragon Acrobats, South Shore Room, Harrah’s Lake Tahoe.

• Dec. 15 ­ Meet the Brewers, noon to 5 p.m., The Brewer’s Cabinet, 8565 White Fir., Reno, NV. • Dec. 15 ­ The Price is Right: Live, 4­9 p.m., Reno Ballroom & Eldorado Buffet, $65, City pick­up: EMNECC@3 p.m.; TPPAC@3:15 p.m.; NRRC@3:30 p.m.

• Dec. 15 ­ Orbital Reflector Launch Party, meet three artists and engineers, 7­10 p.m., Nevada Museum of Art.

Calendar / from page 20

10­2 p.m., Nevada Museum of Art. • Dec. 26 ­ 31 ­ The Magic of Rick Thomas, Harrah’s Reno, magic & illusion.

• Dec. 27 ­ 29 ­ Reno Jazz Syndicate, Terrace Lounge, Peppermill.

Dec. 20­21 ­ Holiday Dreams

• Dec. 16 ­ Sunday Music Brunch: Colin Ross, chez louie, 10­2 p.m., Nevada Museum of Art.

• Dec. 28 ­ San Francisco String Trio presents “May I Introduce To You” a Beatles Tribute, 7­8:30 p.m., Nevada Museum of Art, two­time Grammy win­ ner violinist Mimi Fox.

• Dec. 16 ­ Pioneer Theater presents Noel, 1­4 p.m., Pioneer Auditorium, $52, city pick­up: EMNECC@12 p.m., TPPAC@12:15 p.m.; NRRC@12:30 p.m.

Dec. 23 ­ Brian Wilson Christmas Album.

Art. • Jan. 11 & 12 ­ Sheep Dip 55, Eldorado Showroom.

• Jan. 12 ­ 13 ­ Unexpected Evolution, Reno Phil, Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts.

• Jan. 18 ­ Lewis Black, 8 p.m., Grand Theatre, Grand Sierra Resort.

• Dec. 16 ­ Journey, 8 p.m., Grand Theatre, Grand Sierra Resort.

• Dec. 17 ­ Stewart Indian School: Home of the Braves, school in Carson City, 4­8 p.m., Nevada Museum of Art. • Dec. 20 ­ Winter Solstice Yoga Celebration: An Homage to Anne Brigman, 5­8:30 p.m., Nevada Museum of Art.

Dec. 28 ­ String Trio, Tribute to Beatles.

• Dec. 30 ­ Kenny Loggins, 8 p.m., Reno Ballroom.

• Dec. 30 ­ Sunday Music Brunch: The Socks, chez louis hosts live music on Sunday, 10­2 p.m. Nevada Museum of

Jan. 18 ­ Lewis Black.

• Dec. 20 ­ High Noon: Shootout with Neal Cobb, noon, Nevada Historical Society, A Christmas Carol.

• Dec. 20­21 ­ Holiday Dreams, 8 p.m., Grand Theatre, Grand Sierra Resort.

Also 12/24­28 and 30th.

• Dec. 21 ­ 22 ­ The Magic Dragon, Sammy’s Showroom, Harrah’s Reno.

• Dec. 23 ­ Brian Wilson Presents The Christmas Album Live, 8 p.m., Grand Theatre, Grand Sierra Resort.

• Dec. 23 ­ Sunday Music Bruch: Erika Paul, chez louis, SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com / December / 21

this ‘n that

by Anne Vargas annevargas3@gmail.com

A Cluster of Candy Canes

Anne Vargas

I wrote this in December of 2010. I am using it again because it is one of my favorite columns…and because nothing much is different. This annual turkey/tree tradition has continued in the ensuing years (one year we even had EVERYONE here.) The age range is now from 9 to 21 so cribs and sippy cups are no longer needed but the essence of the narrative is astonishingly unchanged. I still over­pre­ pare, chaos still reigns and we still have varying people at the table claiming they no longer eat meat.

And then they do. The tree is still too big, covered with too many ornaments collected over our 57­year marriage, but each is a cherished memory. And despite my annual suggestion that we “skip the tree this year,” I’m glad we didn’t.

2010: Two of our three chil­ dren and six of our eight

grandchildren were here for Thanksgiving this year, a rare and happy event for us.

We see every­ one often but as a geographi­ cally challenged family, we usu­ ally do the trav­ eling and it’s been a long time since we’ve had so many of them under our roof.

Their arrival was preceded by a week of frenzied prepa­ ration. Since the ages of the children range

22 / December / SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com

from 13 years to 22 months, we went shopping for a portable crib, Sippy cups, books, toys, games, puzzles and videos.

Futons, booster seats and a high chair were borrowed and a bed for us provided by a friend up the street since there was no room for us at our inn. Breakables were put out of reach, cabinets were secured, anything that could be harmful, hidden.

Ignoring a lot of advice to the contrary, I cleaned every cor­ ner of the house, ensuring everything was in perfect order. Visions of a storybook Norman Rockwell gathering danced in my head. Menus were carefully planned and shopped for, freshly baked cookies and hot soup ready when they walked through the door on Tuesday.

The chaos that immediately ensued was, well, chaotic.

Hugs, happy hellos and a steady stream of soggy stuff making its way into the house and up the stairs.

Coats and scarves and boots were strewn everywhere.

As I tripped over suitcases I rapidly realized how out of practice I am in coping with confusion and I smiled rue­

fully as I thought of the futile hours spent putting every­ thing in place. I really should have heeded that advice.

The age gap posed all sorts of unanticipated challenges; toddlers need naps and eat dinner early but older cousins don’t which resulted in mealtime madness.

Pancakes for breakfast delighted some while others preferred Cheerios and everyone needed a different kind of milk. A few had decided (recently) to live as vegans which meant even turkey was verboten but we were assured the side dishes on Thursday would be suffi­ cient. Games that are fun for some are boring for others and videos that are exciting can be frightening to little ones. Frigid temperatures severely limited outdoor opportunities to work off all that energy although the sighting of fresh bear tracks in our yard created excite­ ment for everyone.

The days were beyond busy; something was needed by someone every moment.

Nights were short but appre­ ciated as we crept gratefully out of the house and into bed in the quiet room up the street, savoring our brief iso­

this ‘n that / from page 22 lation. We returned to the house very early every morn­ ing but the littlest ones were already up and waiting for us. The 3­year­old thought we slept in the garage since we always came in through that door.

The dishwasher and washing machine ran non­stop, the hand vacuum always close at hand. All the children, what­ ever the age, had a wonder­ ful time racing up and down the stairs and all around the house and I reminded myself frequently (hourly?) that all of this was to be cherished, that pandemonium is a good thing, that the mess was not that important and that everything could be and would be put back together eventually. I willed myself to disregard the crayons in the carpet, sticky fingerprints

and tried to find humor in the need for a plumber after toddlers plugged the toilet with tissue.

Friday was given over to put­ ting up and decorating our too­big tree, a memory­mak­ ing event we even managed to capture on camera.

early, hoping to beat the storm in the Sierras (they didn’t), and the Washington family left by plane, all of which involved hurried and harried preparation.

Suddenly we were surround­ ed by solitude and silence, the silence I had guiltily wist­ fully wished for in preceding days. As I gazed at the house, trying to decide where to start to put it back together, I stopped to look at the tree. It didn’t look any­ thing like Martha Stewart’s trees, it was much prettier.

All along a bottom branch hung a cluster of candy canes, carefully placed there by the little ones to be within easy reach. I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.

Martha Stewart would be envious.

Saturday morning the California clan departed

With a lump in my throat, I thought of the words of wis­

Just as I’d about given up on that peaceful, perfect Norman Rockwell image the turkey was ready.

Thanksgiving dinner matched that image; it really was per­ fect. Everyone was at the table in their Sunday best, faces beaming in excitement, even the little ones taking turns telling what they were most thankful for. (We were thankful that everyone decid­ ed to eat the turkey after all.)

dom from Judith Viorst: “Love what you've got while you've got it."

2018 NOTE: The ornaments are now hung with a bit more care but candy canes are still clustered within easy reach!

The Open­Door Café wel­ comes anyone who is inter­ ested to their monthly meet­ ing. The intent is to provide a place for people living with any type of dementia and their loved ones to have a place to meet, relax, socialize and develop a network of mutual peer support, all with­ in a welcoming environment.

Meetings are held on the third Thursday of every month from 2­3:15 p.m. at the Lake Mansion, 50 Court Street, Reno. The next meet­ ing is December 20th.

SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com / December / 23

BIGGEST little City

Harry Spencer

T

Harry Spencer

UNR Mackay Muckers Mining Team to Host Mining Competition

he University of Nevada, Reno’s (UNR) Mackay Muckers mining team is preparing to welcome teams from around the world to the 41st Annual International Intercollegiate Mining Competition next spring. This exciting mining skills competition will be held at the Virginia City Arena & Fairgrounds during UNR’s Spring Break, March 20—March 23, 2019. The Mackay Muckers have invited teams from around the world to compete with them in Virginia City, “The Richest Place On Earth”. To become a sponsor or reg­ ister a team, please contact Claire Roberts, Mackay Muckers President, at robertsclaire03@gmail.com or (530)559­2278.

24 / December / SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com

The mining competition began in 1978 and was dedicated to the 91 miners who died from smoke inhalation or car­ bon monoxide poisoning during an underground fire in the Sunshine Mine on May 2, 1972 in Idaho.

This past spring the mining competition was held at the King Edward Mine in Camborne, England. About 40 teams from around the world participated in the competition and the Mackay Muckers student team captured second place overall in the co­ed division. The Mackay Muckers are looking forward to hosting at least 40 teams and more than 200 competitors next year on the Comstock from England, India,

Germany, Brazil, The Netherlands, Australia and throughout the U.S. Joining the Mackay Mucker student team in England was the Mackay Mucker alumni team. This was the inau­ gural year for the alumni category and the alums from UNR still have “it” as they tied for fifth place overall. This gru­ eling mining skills competition has four categories of teams: men, women, co­ ed and alumni. Each team has five members plus one alternate.

Participants compete in seven different events which are: single jack drilling, a ten­minute contest where all five team (Biggest Little page 25)

members drill for two minutes into a block of concrete with a hand steel and a four pound hammer; jackleg drilling, two members machine drill into con­ crete for the best depth; mucking, four members fill and tram an ore car for the best time by hand; swede saw, all five members hand saw through a 6”x 6” timber for the fastest total time; gold panning, all five members pan by hand for the fastest total time to recover lead pellets; surveying, two members survey for speed and accuracy with modern equipment and track stand, four com­ petitors lay railroad ties and track for speed and accuracy.

landmarks in Virginia City and will have an opportunity to learn more about “The Richest Place on Earth”.

In the 1850s, Mackay worked as a miner at placer gold mines in Sierra County. In 1859, based on reports of the Comstock Lode, he decided to relocate to the Comstock and try his hand at mining this new discovery. As a hands­on miner, Mackay was able to learn a lot abou`t the geological formations of the Comstock Lode. When he wasn’t mining for owners of other mines, he worked his own mining claims and began invest­

ing in other mining operations. By 1865, he became a millionaire and used the proceeds and his first­hand knowledge to purchase several other mines with his Bonanza King partners that led to their Big Bonanza discovery in 1873 and enor­ mous wealth for Mackay.

The Mackay Muckers are working hard to make next spring’s mining competi­ tion on the Comstock a great event for participants and spectators and they are honing their mining and mucking skills to capture first place as the home­town hosts.

The Mackay Muckers mining team is proud to welcome mining students and miners from around the world to Virginia City and the Comstock Lode where John Mackay utilized his mining acumen during the 1860s and 1870s and made a great fortune. As one of the Bonanza Kings, he and his wife Louise and son Clarence, as well as the Mackay family, were mag­ nanimous benefactors of UNR. In fact, each year dur­ ing the first week of March, UNR celebrates Mackay Week at the campus “on the hill” in Reno.

In addition to the Mackay School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, the Mackay name is found on the foot­ ball stadium and there is a magnificent statue of John Mackay overlooking the Quad made by Gutzon Borglum who later became famous for his grand sculp­ ture of the four Presidents of the United States at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota.

Participants in next year’s mining competition will be able to tour the Mackay Mansion as well as other SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com / December / 25

Tinseltown Nick Thomas

A

Christmas with Margaret O’Brien

dorable Margaret O’Brien began her big­screen career at the age of three with a one­minute spot in 1941’s “Babes on Broadway.” Her

Margaret O’Brien

career took off the following year as the star of MGM’s “Journey for Margaret.”

26 / December / SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com

Throughout the 1940s, she continued to endear herself to millions seeking Hollywood diversions as World War II came and went.

Ms. O’Brien, now 81, is back this holi­ day season starring in “This is Our Christmas,” a sequel to the popular 2015 TV movie “Beverly Hills Christmas,” and follows the Foxworth family 7 years after the original picture.

The film had its broadcast premiere on the UPtv network in early November, followed by DVD distribution through Walmart and Target, and will be rebroadcast on UPtv over the holiday season (see www.uptv.com).

“The film was set in a beautiful house in Beverly Hills so it was very comfort­ able to work in,” said O’Brien. “The cast and crew were great and everyone had fun because it was a Christmas movie.”

Movie with Margaret O’Brien.

Tinseltown / from page 26

1961. She astonished audiences with a display of adult emotions though she was not yet even a teenager.

“I think movie kids are just a little more mature in some ways,” she said. “I knew it was a job, not playacting, and that others depended on me to know my lines. I took my work very seriously.”

O’Brien says she can still recall her first brief role in “Babes” starring Mickey Rooney.

“Mickey and I didn’t have any scenes together, but I can still remember him walking by and saying ‘Hello, what a cute little girl!’ I sort of have a photo­ graphic memory and can remember all my movies just like I was back there now.”

An avid reader as a child, little Margaret was thrilled to tackle many roles based on the books she grew up reading such as “Little Women,” “Jane Eyre,” and “The Secret Garden.”

“How many children get to play a character from their favorite books?” she asked. “I knew them so well, it was just fabulous to create them on the Publicity still from Meet Me in St. Louis with Judy Garland - 1944.

O’Brien is no stranger to holiday clas­ sics. “I appeared in two big Christmas films, ‘Meet Me in St. Louis’ (1944) and ‘Little Women’ (1949),‘ and also ‘Tenth Avenue Angel’ (1948),” she said. “I have special memories of ‘Meet Me in St. Louis’ where Judy Garland sang to me.

That film also had a beautiful house and wonderful Christmas street scenes they created.”

Appearing in almost 20 feature films throughout the 40s, O’Brien was one of only a dozen children to receive a Juvenile Academy Award when the prize was intermittently given from 1935­

Margaret O'Brien early publicity shot.

screen.”

And unlike many child actors who strayed into the darker side of Hollywood and fame, O’Brien never did.

“My mother raised me to be pretty well­grounded,” she says. “So I never had the problems that a lot of child actors faced.”

O’Brien says she never watched her own films, so will she tune in to view her new Christmas movie?

“Actually, I’m a little better about watching them now, but as I child I never did. So I might watch this one to get in the Christmas mood,” she said. “I watch a lot of Christmas movies as the season approaches and when scripts come up with a Christmas theme, I love to do them because they’re just so much fun. Acting has been a wonderful career, and still is.”

SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com / December / 27

Simply Smart Travel Jeff & Virginia Orenstein

Exploring Europe By Train Customize A Eurail Pass For Economy and

I

f you are planning a trip to Europe, the easiest and best way to see that fasci­ nating continent is to go by train and use the right rail pass that you have cus­ tomized for your trip. Our latest European exploration took us by train around Sweden, Denmark and Germany and it was delight­ ful.

Traveling by train is a great way to get around and really see the countryside any­

where. But it is especially convenient and practical in Europe because its rail sys­ tem is one of the finest and most complete in the world.

It is no wonder that European trains are widely patronized by Europeans, and visitors alike, for busi­ ness and pleasure.

European trains have con­ venient schedules, comfort­ able seats, wide windows and serve almost every­ where. They run far more

A typical smaller­town station at Boppard, Germany. Credit: Jeff Orenstein, Simply Smart Travel

often and to vastly more places than in North America. The best are state­ of­the­art, fast and smooth, capable of traveling at more than 200 miles per hour.

Even local and secondary trains are usually modern, comfortable, swift and on time. With tracks scrupu­ lously­maintained for safety and comfort, trains are the Simply Smart way to see Europe.

European trains run so fre­ quently between most city pairs that you can usually go where and when you want without much advance plan­ ning. If you miss your train on a busy main line, chances are another one will be along soon. Unless you are way off the beaten path, you can simply head for the station with your Eurail pass 28 / December / SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com

in hand when you want to travel. Then simply check the posted schedule for the time and track of the next train going toward your desired destination. When you arrive on the right platform, a train will usually arrive in less than an hour (sometimes much less) that will speed you to your destination. Find a seat, have your Eurail Pass ready for the conductor to check and enjoy the trip. It’s a no­ hassle experience without security lines, forfeiture of water bottles and other air­ port indignities and time­ wasters. Even if the train you want is one of the few premi­ um trains that require advance seat reservations, they can be obtained in a few minutes at almost any rail­ road station or online with the free Eurail Rail Planner app.

Europeans regularly use trains for local and regional travel and often bring their bicycles. Credit: Jeff Orenstein, Simply Smart Travel

Onboard, European train seats are much bigger and have more legroom than commercial aircraft. Also, restrooms are plentiful and amenities such as bar or din­ ing cars and vendors offering food and drink are common.

There is also room to store luggage and no checked bag fees. You can even walk around without being told to get back to your seat.

Train travel is also scenic and low­stress. Looking through large windows, you can really see the countryside as you pass. It is a great opportunity to observe how people live as you relax in comfort while munching on a sandwich or sipping a glass of wine instead of dealing with traf­ fic, foreign­language road signs, getting lost and hunt­ ing for a parking space if you drive.

Additionally, if you plan well and buy the right Eurail Pass for your needs, you will add both ease and economy to your trip. Your pass usually saves you money and gives you the freedom to take advantage of the flexible schedules. With it you also avoid change fees and the

inconvenience of buying advance tickets for an indi­ vidual trip or worrying about how to get a refund for the tickets you bought for specif­ ic trains.

A Eurail Pass is a pay­once­in­ advance ticket that gives you passage on most trains across Europe. The so­called Global Eurail Pass covers 28 countries. The Select Pass is good for trains in two, three or four adjacent countries which you specify in advance and 27 one­country passes are available too. Each pass is available for periods from a few days to months and for as many days of actual travel that you think will suit your needs.

European Rail Travel Tips

• Do pre­travel research.

Most of it can be done online. Once you know which countries you will visit, how long you will stay in each place and what you want to see, you can order the right Eurail Pass in advance and have time to familiarize your­ self with schedules, which trains need advance reserva­ tions, etc. Order your Eurail (Smart Travel page 30)

SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com / December / 29

Travel / from page 29

about their home coun­ tries.

Rick Steves has an excellent essay about how to do it. https://www.ricksteves.com/ publications/rail­guide­form).

• Save some money if you are on a tight budget. If you are traveling with one or more com­ panions, a companion discount fare saves 15%.

Pass from: http://www/raileurope.com

Note: Eurail passes must be purchased before you leave the U.S. They cannot be pur­ chased in Europe.

• Pack light. You will have to lift bags on and off trains and find a place to store them once onboard. Some smaller stations have steps and no elevators. One small to medi­ um bag is ideal.

• Mix a little. Don’t be afraid to talk with fellow passen­ gers, especially Europeans.

You might find some inter­ esting people and learn a lot

You can eat and drink at Big city terminals, such as this one in Copenhagen, are usually under cover and contain many shops and amenities. Credit: Jeff Orenstein, Simply Smart Travel your seat on Travel second class. The of on­board amenities. And most trains. Save a piece of accommodations are not as arrive in the center of your fruit or other snack from commodious, but they are destination. your hotel breakfast for your decent. The scenery is the onboard eating and/or buy same.

Mobility Level: Low, with the what you want at a grocery exception of some rural sta­ store or at the station to save If you are willing to give up tions without elevators. on onboard prices and some daytime scenic views, expand your choices. sleeping in your seat on an When To Go: Any time, overnight train saves you a Summer trains are often hotel stay. crowded with tourists.

If you’re 27 or younger, you can save 20% with a Eurail Youth Pass. Children under 12 travel free!

If you really want to see Europe and avoid driving hassles and expenses, you should consider going by train with the exact Eurail Pass that meets your needs. It’s the way to go for Simply Smart Travelers.

Ginny O’s Tips For Dressing ­ The Simply Smart Travel Way For Euro Train Travel: Wear comfortable clothes that are appropriate for your desired activities at your next destination.

30 / December / SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com

Over 50 Advantage Relaxing way to travel: It is easy to take advantage

Where To Stay: Near the sta­ tion. Hotels within walking distance of the station save cab fares and time. Most sta­ tions are conveniently locat­ ed in the City Center.

Special Travel Interests: European culture, art, cuisine and history.

Jeffrey Orenstein, Ph.D. and Virginia Orenstein are travel writers from Sarasota, Florida. Their Simply Smart Travel column appears in newspapers and magazines in eight states. Reach them at jorenstein@SimplySmart Travel.com. They publish travel ideas, article, photos and blog at www.Simply SmartTravel.com and at www.facebook.com/SimplyS martTravel/

Solution page 32

SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com / December / 31

The King and I

Comes to The Pioneer Center for the Preforming Arts

N Solution

from page 31

ETworks Presentations LLC has announced that the national tour of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s THE KING AND I, based on the 2015 Tony Award ®– winning Lincoln Center Theater Production, will make its Reno pre­ miere at the Pioneer Center for 5 performances, January 18­20, 2019 as part of the Broadway Comes to Reno series.

One of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s finest works, THE KING AND I boasts a score that fea­ tures such beloved clas­ sics as “Getting To Know You,” “I Whistle a Happy Tune,” “Hello Young Lovers,” “Shall We Dance” and “Something Wonderful.” Set in 1860’s Bangkok, the musical tells the story of the unconventional and tempestuous rela­ tionship that develops between the King of Siam and Anna

32 / December / SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com

Leonowens, a British schoolteacher whom the modernist King, in an imperialistic world, brings to Siam to teach his many wives and children.

In the words of Bartlett Sher, direc­ tor of the 2015 Broadway production and the first national tour, “Great classics come back to us when we need them the most. In order to live up to the scale of its ambition, we have to go both backward and for­ ward in time. It’s like having one foot in the past as deeply as we can, one foot in the present, and our eyes looking out as far ahead as we can to see how it resonates.”

Tour director Shelley Butler explains,“Now feels like the perfect time to bring forward this powerful story with its depiction of clashing cultures and its journey toward understanding. It is a great pleasure to helm the tour with a dynamic cast of 33 actors, including an array of international company members.”

To purchase tickets, visit www.PioneerCenter.com, call (866) 553­6605, or visit the Pioneer Center box office (M­F, 11­6 p.m.).

SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com / December / 33

YOUR GUIDE TO SNOWSHOEING IN RENO TAHOE

R

eno Tahoe is home to some of the most beautiful and invigor­ ating views in the world, so don’t let the cold weather keep you indoors.

Snowshoeing has evolved into a winter activity anyone can enjoy – it is easy to learn, poses little risk of injury and is inexpensive. You can fol­ low an established trail, or opt to forge your own trail through the powder (which WILL give you a solid work­ out!). Here are a few areas within our region where you can extend your hiking sea­ son into the winter.

Trails Chickadee Ridge – A snow­ shoe adventure to Chickadee Ridge offers great, scenic

views of the Desolation Wilderness and Lake Tahoe. This hike is dog­ friendly and thanks to the easy access and modest terrain it is a snowshoe hike nearly everyone can enjoy. You can access this trail on the south side of Mount Rose Highway (Hwy 431) from the Tahoe Meadows.

Mount Rose Trail – With snow even through the sum­ mer, this hike was meant to snowshoe! Conquer this trail and enjoy waterfalls, alpine

lakes, and great Tahoe views of the lake. Located near Incline Village.

Galena Creek – This trail near Reno is located off the Bitterbrush trail in Galena

Creek Regional Park. The dif­ ficulty level is easy to moder­ ate, and pets are welcome.

It’s a beautiful hike in the summer, but when cloaked in snow, the scenery is even more amazing.

Tahoe Rim Trail – From a leisurely snowshoe to a more difficult hike, the Tahoe Rim Trail features impressive scenery of the surrounding mountains and trees, beautiful landscapes of the lake, and revitalizing sunrise and sunsets. This hike is friendly to all skill lev­ els, and allows you to enjoy Lake Tahoe year­round.

34 / December / SeniorSpectrumNewspaper.com

Lake Tahoe Ski Resorts: • The Resort at Squaw Creek­ Squaw Valley offers a great snowshoeing hike.

• Kirkwood­ 50 kilometers of open track that accom­ modate all skill levels.

• Northstar at Tahoe­ over 35 kilometers of carefully groomed scenic trails.

“I DOUBT I’LL I SEE A BET TTER PRODUCT TION IN MY LIFETIME”

BROADWAY COMES TO O RENO

NOW W ON SALE! JANU U ARY Y 18-20

PIONEERCENTER .C COM BOX OFFICE M-F 11A-6P P 866.553.6605

Photo by Jeremy Daniel

T H E WA L L S T R E E T J O U R N A L