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Vol. 48 | No. 9 | September 2021
World War II veterans share stories at event in Hudson page 16
‘We must push mandates’ to end the COVID-19 pandemic Medical ethicist Arthur Caplan says vaccination mandates are the way to end the COVID-19 pandemic.
By Jane Keller Gordon Contributing Writer
R
enowned medical ethicist and prolific author Dr. Arthur Caplan told Fifty Plus Advocate, “I don’t trust masks. Vaccination is the only solution.”
Throughout the pandemic, as a regular guest on WGBH’s Boston Public Radio show, Caplan has had a lot to say about COVID-19. He has also been featured on major radio stations, network and cable television channels, and print. Caplan also co-edited a 2017 book, “Vaccination Ethics and Policy.” Deep roots in Massachusetts Caplan was raised in Framingham along with his two sisters, one of whom still lives there. Sadly, in April 2020, his mother, Natalie Caplan, succumbed from complications of COVID-19. Caplan said on Twitter, “Mom – 96 died tonight in her nursing home in Framingham from covid-19. Over half the deaths in Massachusetts are in nursing homes.” After graduating from Brandeis University in Waltham, Caplan earned two master’s degrees and a Ph.D. from Columbia University. He launched his long, productive career at the University of Pennsylvania. Caplan is the founder and is now the head of the Division of Medical Ethics at New York University’s (NYU) Langone Health and the Drs. William F. and Virginia Connolly Mitty Professor at NYU’s Grossman School of Medicine. Ethicist | 12
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AARP Awards Four Massachusetts Organizations with Community Grants as Part of its Successful Nationwide Program By Mike Festa, State Director AARP Massachusetts
The Community Challenge grant program is part of AARP’s nationwide Livable Communities initiative, which supports the efforts of cities, towns, neighborhoods and rural areas to become great places to live for people of all ages.
WE MAY BE APART, BUT WE'RE NOT ALONE SOMEONE WHO CARES IS JUST A PHONE CALL AWAY. If you or someone you love is feeling isolated or anxious in these challenging times, a friendly phone call may help. That's why we created the AARP Friendly Voice program—a trained, caring group of volunteers standing by ready to chat, listen, or just say hello. It's easy. Request a call by dialing AARP at 1-888-281-0145 for English or 1-888-497-4108 for Spanish, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. local time.
AARP Massachusetts has announced four Bay State organizations will receive 2021 Community Challenge grants – part of the largest group of grantees to date with $3.2 million awarded among 244 organizations nationwide. Grantees will implement quick-action projects to promote livable communities by improving housing, transportation, public spaces, civic engagement, and connection with family, friends, and neighbors with an emphasis on the needs of the 50-plus. Many of this year’s awards support revitalizing communities adversely impacted by the pandemic and include a focus on diversity, inclusion, and disparities. We are incredibly proud to collaborate with these organizations as they work to make immediate imMike Festa provements in their communities, encourage promising ideas and jumpstart long-term change, especially for those age 50 and over. Our goal at AARP Massachusetts is to support the efforts of our communities to be great places for people of all backgrounds, ages and abilities. All projects are expected to be completed by November 10, 2021. Here in Massachusetts, projects funded are as follows: • City of Boston The Boston Public Library will add locations to its free, 24-hour Outdoor Wi-Fi Program so people can access high-speed internet services through workstations located outside of library buildings. • Urban Farming Institute of Boston The institute will build and install raised “Grow Boxes” for residents hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic so they can grow fresh, healthy food. • City of Lynn The funded project will improve public access and amenities and provide arts and cultural programming at two downtown public spaces, enabling safe outdoor gatherings for the community’s diverse population of older adults. • Clear Path for Veterans New England (Middlesex County) Challenge funds will help in the creation of Clear Path’s Memorial Courtyard, which will serve as an outdoor space “where Veterans, families, and the general public can reflect, remember and enjoy the enduring spirit of the United States Military.” The Community Challenge grant program is part of AARP’s nationwide Livable Communities initiative, which supports the efforts of cities, towns, neighborhoods and rural areas to become great places to live for people of all ages. Since 2017, AARP Massachusetts has awarded 12 grants and nearly $130,000 through the program to nonprofit organizations and government entities across the state. View the full list of grantees and their project descriptions at www.aarp. org/communitychallenge and learn more about AARP’s livable communities work at www.aarp.org/livable. Mike Festa is the State Director for AARP Massachusetts. For more articles visit www.fiftyplusadvocate.com.
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Massachusetts seniors may be eligible for circuit breaker tax credit By Kelley Walker Perry Contributing Writer BOSTON – Older residents who are struggling financially walk into the Mattapan Family Service Center at 535 River Street, and find relief, in part from the state’s Senior Circuit Breaker Tax Credit. The center, an Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD) site, is a nonprofit human services organization that provides low-income residents with the tools and resources needed to transition from privation to stability and beyond. Available help includes food, housing and energy assistance and more – including free tax preparation. Help with tax preparation Bianny Suncar, director of the center, oversees the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. “All of our agencies as a whole – we’ve been doing tax preparation for 20 years now,” Suncar said. Roughly 5,000 people receive tax preparation assistance through the agency annually. A good portion of those are senior citizens, and all of them are disadvantaged. “Our services are targeted to low-income folks,” she explained.
Older residents of Massachusetts who are struggling financially may get some relief from the state’s Senior Circuit Breaker Tax Credit.
Tax credit for seniors At the center, IRS-certified tax preparers take advantage of every available boon, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Additional Child Tax Credit, the Recovery Rebate Credit – and the lesser-known Massachusetts Senior Circuit Breaker Tax Credit. When an electrical outlet becomes overwhelmed, a circuit breaker activates to alleviate the load. Likewise, the homonymous real estate tax credit provides relief for those taxpayers who are encumbered by financial stress. Tax preparers emphasize this
credit when helping someone over 65. Most senior citizens the agency assists are renters, yet still meet the criteria. “We ensure that we look into all the tax credits, so if they qualify, they get it,” Suncar said. According to information provided by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR), this refundable credit on personal state income tax returns is available to taxpayers 65 and up within the tax year. If married and filing jointly, one of the filers must meet the age criteria by Dec. 31 of that year. The taxpayer’s total income cannot exceed a certain amount – for the 2020 tax year, the limits are: $61,000 (single, not head of household); $76,000 (head of household); or $92,000 (filing jointly). Married taxpayers must file jointly to be eligible. Additionally, the assessed valuation of the real estate owned or rented as their principal residence cannot exceed $848,000. Amending returns for previous tax years Taxpayers who qualified for the credit but already filed this year should file an amended return, in-
cluding a completed Schedule CB. According to a DOR spokesperson, the same is true for prior tax years 2017, 2018 or 2019; different income limits apply. However, the amended-return clock is ticking. Generally, a taxpayer has three years from the date the original return was filed, or the due date – whichever is later – to file an amended return. If a taxpayer filed a return for 2017 on or before April 15, 2018, then the deadline to correct or amend would have been April 15, 2021. Eligible taxpayers who do not normally file a state income tax return might still obtain a credit of up to $1,150. Those who qualify and are owed a refund on an original return will receive it by whatever means they specify. If it is on an amended return, then the refund will always be issued via a paper check. For further information, visit the DOR website or call the Tax Department at (617) 887-6367, or tollfree in Massachusetts at (800) 3926089. Boston residents seeking help with tax return preparation can find the closest ABCD center by visiting https://bostonabcd.org/#locations.B.
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I’m Still Here engages, gives hope to people living with dementia At an equine therapy program at Windrush Farm, people with dementia are introduced to a horse and develop a bond.
By Susan Gonsalves Contributing Writer WINCHESTER – In the news, dementia is typically presented as a disease that robs you of yourself and makes you fail to recognize your children and other loved ones. It is mired in decline and despair. “This is not a valid view of Alzheimer’s and dementia,” said John Zeisel, author of “I’m Still Here: A New Philosophy of Alzheimer’s Care.” “They are always with us until the end of their lives,” he said. A different kind of care and treatment approach Zeisel established the “I’m Still Here” approach to non-pharmacological care and treatment of memory loss—designed to manage and lower rates of anxiety, aggression, apathy and agitation. In 1996, he created a foundation to develop family and community programs and activities that embrace the ISH philosophy and its guiding principles. An equine therapy program at Windrush Farm in North Andover is one recent program. Participants with dementia start off by getting to know
a horse, recognize its name and distinguish it from another, Zeisel explained. From there, they begin to care for “their” animal—brushing it and learning how to put a saddle on and blanket with assistance. Then, they offer their horse for a young person with a disability to ride. “They participate and they are still there,” Zeisel said. “When engaged in something meaningful to them, they wake up, they remember things and they recognize people.” Zeisel recalled seeing a man rise from his wheelchair in order to brush “his” horse. He was also present when partic-
adventurous energetic
ipants with dementia were learning how to walk their horses. Zeisel put his arm out to assist a woman and she told him, “I can walk.” “She didn’t want any help. She was proud and self-reliant,” he noted. “The world needs to have more of these programs. They need to have programs that give people back to themselves,” said Zeisel. A variety of initiatives Over the past decade, many of their initiatives have expanded significantly. Their Meet Me at the Museum program, for example, started at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and was adopted by museums in California, Nebraska, Europe and Asia. Zeisel explained that the similar Meet Me at the Movies program, established in Boston is now used by organizations in Seattle and Paris, France, to name a couple. He noted the program uses snippets of films featuring iconic actors and scenes with which the people with dementia are able to connect. Music is another avenue that reaches people living with the conditions. To wake people up in the morning, a quiet tune plays, building up to a faster, more exciting piece and then subsiding down again, Zeisel explained. Movement to music and participation with objects in their hands like rubber balls, rattles and drum sticks proves to be effective.
Jerry Pucillo, president of the I’m Still Here Foundation board, has first-hand knowledge in this area; his step-mother at age 72, developed Alzheimer’s. Pucillo, who shared a Harvard fellowship with Zeisel, has 30-plus years of experience in real estate development and project management— delivering 1,000 units of senior housing into the marketplace and recently focusing on assisted living communities. “Music is one of the things that stays with people,” he said. “My stepmom could sing along with songs she knew for years.” He joined the organization, he said, because he recognized the importance and effectiveness of Zeisel’s work. Shifting focus Like other organizations, the pandemic brought in-person activities to a halt. The foundation has shifted gears. Thanks to a $100,000 grant over three years from the Cummings Foundation, I’m Still Here launched its innovation grant program, extending an invitation to care partners, families, private and community groups to create their own programs to benefit people living with dementia. “The ISH principles are tried and true and we’re now expanding our reach and giving program managers at various facilities the ability to create more opportunities for people outside in the communities,” Pucillo said. Innovative Grants Program awards in 2021 went to the Man’s Best Friend Innovative Community Engagement Program at Poydras Homes, Dementia Friend Specialized Virtual Exercise Classes in the town of Arlington, the Community Social Connections Program at Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living, and Art is… In, at the Memory Center of the University of Chicago Medicine and GoldMind Arts and Aging. More information on the grants and organization can be found at https://www.imstillhere.org/.
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Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge Showcasing Chappaquiddick Island’s natural beauty PHOTOS/THE TRUSTEES OF RESERVATIONS
PHOTO/RICHARD CHEEK
A sweeping view of Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge on Chappaquiddick Island.
Cape Poge’s secluded barrier beach stretches far into the distance of the 516 acre refuge.
The Cape Poge Lighthouse, which dates back over 200 years, offers three daily tours.
By Colin McCandless Contributing writer
island steward for The Trustees of Reservations, which owns and manages Cape Poge, along with Chappy’s adjacent Mytoi and Wasque properties. Altogether, nearly a third of Chappy is maintained as conservation land, according to Karparis. While just a quick ferry ride from Martha’s Vineyard, Cape Poge boasts its own wildly beautiful and unique landscape of sandy shoreline, coastal dunes, expansive salt marsh, a salt pond and an old growth forest of eastern red cedars.
on the refuge, including a guided lighthouse tour of the Cape Poge Lighthouse. The most recent iteration of the lighthouse was built in 1893, but its origins date back to 1801. Tours run daily three times a day, with guides imparting the cultural history and ecological significance of the island. “The tour is the only way to access the interior of the lighthouse, which the U.S. Coast Guard operates,” Karparis explained. Climb its spiral staircase and learn some of the fascinating stories of the lighthouse keepers who kept sentry over this
CHAPPAQUIDDICK ISLAND – Nestled on Chappaquiddick Island lies a hidden gem called Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge, featuring 516 pristine acres of secluded barrier beach and the 19th century Cape Poge Lighthouse. “Chappy,” as the island is also known, offers a quieter, more tranquil alternative for people looking to escape the “traffic and hustle and bustle of Martha’s Vineyard,” especially during the peak tourism season of summer, explained Dan Karparis, down
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Five of the best craft breweries in Central Massachusetts that will quench any thirst By Sandi Barrett Contributing Writer
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PHOTOS/SANDI BARRETT
hat is your craft beer weakness? Do you love a crisp and hoppy India pale ale (IPA)? Do you crave a dark and coffee-infused stout? Or are you a fan of the hip, fruity sours? Whatever your craft brew heart’s desire, you will find great options in Central Massachusetts. You can sample some of the most flavorful artisan craft brews at local taprooms and outdoor beer gardens ready and waiting for you to enjoy a great night out with good friends. With two of RateBeer’s 100 Best Brewers In The World for the Year 2020 located in Central Massachusetts, it is time to head out to your local brewery and enjoy some fresh and tasty beers on tap. We have assembled a few of our favorite Central Massachusetts brewery options for you to explore. There is surely a wonderful brewing company close to you. The breweries listed below are in no particular order and represent a sampling of the won-
Tree House Brewing in Charlton was recently voted the fifth best brewery in the world.
derful craft brewers across Central Massachusetts. Tree House Brewing Company, Charlton The award-winning brewer voted number five on RateBeer’s Best Brewers in the World 2020 list, Tree
House Brewing Company has a devoted fan base. The gorgeous craft brews that rise out of the Charlton brewery are consistently tasty and brought to life by expert craftsmanship. Try the Peanut Butter and Coconut Quad Shot, a rich Imperial Stout
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that will tickle your taste buds with this unique and fabulous combination. Of course, their showstopper IPA, Julius, is a force unto itself and has stood the taste test of time. Beer lovers as far away as New York stand in line to grab a trunk full of Tree House cases. The line moves fairly quickly while allowing you plenty of time to consider your beer choices. Alternatively, you can grab a seat on the patio and take in the hillside views and a draft while your order is filled. Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers, Framingham Another world class brewer, Jack’s Abby, ranked number 39 in the world on RateBeer’s 2020 top 100. Their fun outdoor beer garden and the casual indoor beer hall are the perfect spot to meet up for an evening with friends. Stop for lunch with the entire gang for casual, family friendly dining. Explore Jack’s crisp lagers like the Hoponius Union India Pale Lager and the Shipping Out Of Boston Amber Lager. Alternatively tuck into a hearty
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sitting around the fire with great friends. The limited edition Bonspiel is an Imperial Maple Stout that is sweet enough to be considered a dessert treat.
A flight of beers from Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers in Framingham
dessert beer like the Cinnamon Roll Barrel-Aged Framinghammer; it will satisfy your sweet tooth cravings. This is what craft beer is meant to be, unique, interesting, and sometimes a little over the top. Wormtown Brewery, Worcester Wormtown Brewery is not your average brewery. With its hip industrial, downtown vibe and busy Shrewsbury Street location, you will happily fall into beer lover heaven when you stop in for a pint. Want to stay for dinner — no problem —
Volturno’s restaurant next door offers its full menu delivered while you relax in the beer garden. Their very popular, super hoppy Be Hoppy IPA sports a smiley face label that screams Don’t Worry, Be Happy! Wormtown loves to play with crafty beers and labels. You definitely need to check out the local “inside joke” brews like the American Lager Mass Whole and the Brown Ale Blizzard of 78. Specialty brews like The Table Talk Pumpkin Pie Ale and Chocolate Pecan Pie Ale are a perfect dessert beers.
Craft Beer Tours Sampling the amazing New England craft beers on tap is a great way to get to know a particular area. When you are heading into Boston try the Sip of Boston Guided Brewery Tour, where you will explore some well-known breweries along with a few up-andcoming artisans. It’s a fun way to explore Boston’s taprooms.
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Flying Dreams Brewing Company, Marlborough Flying Dreams Brewing Company relocated their taproom to Marlborough, which is fabulous news for anyone in the area. Their Worcester brewery is in full swing cranking out tasty beers but is not open to the public at this time. Head on over to their fun and funky new digs and sample a pint. The Cold Brew Coffee Stout stands up to its name with bold flavors and a beautiful coffee back note. The Pond Jumper IPA is a classic, refreshing, and fruity brew. For the sour drinker, the Hop Tart is a limited edition sour ale that is perfect for a hot summer, refreshing libation.
Wachusett Brewing Company, Westminster Since 1994, when the craft brewing scene was becoming a viable business enterprise, the Wachusett Brewing Company became a thing. And the folks in Central Massachusetts will be forever grateful. Now one of the largest in the area, they are continually crafting amazing brews for their guests. Wachusett’s signature brew, Wally, is a Hazy and Juicy New England IPA and delicious fresh from the tap. The seasonal Boo-Yeah Pumpkin Spice Ale is perfect for chilly autumn nights
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Fools’ frontman, Ipswich native Mike Girard, also sings with Big Swinging Thing By Ed Karvoski Jr. Culture Editor IPSWICH – The Fools’ lead singer Mike Girard got the party started when the rock band debuted New Year’s Eve 1976. Now, he’s also crooning with Mike Girard’s Big Swinging Thing. He performs alongside some of his fellow Ipswich natives. “Ipswich is the home of the fried clam and the entertainment capital of the world,” he declared. Self-described as “a painfully shy kid,” the 14-year-old Girard began braving stages with a cover band at Ipswich teen dances. “Singing was my therapy – and a way to meet girls,” he shared. After graduating from Ipswich High in 1966, he
Gathered in the cellar/dressing room of Bunratty’s in Allston in the mid1980s are The Fools’ bandmates (l to r) Joe Holaday, Mike Girard, Leo Black and Rich Bartlett.
Mike Girard listens to fans sing a Fools’ song chorus at Boston’s House of Blues in 2011.
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dug clams by day and sang with lots of bands at night. Takes a cue from The Tubes Girard moved to California in 1974. Hearing KSAN-FM play The Tubes’ song “White Punks on Dope” prompted him to see their live show. “I saw that you can create a stage persona and it doesn’t have to follow rules,” he relayed. “The Tubes took that to a whole other place.” Determined to work again with a former bandmate, guitarist Rich Bartlett, Girard moved back to Ipswich in 1976. “You occasionally meet people in life who you feel like you’ve known before,” he noted. “Rich is one of those people for me.” They formed The Fools with three Ipswich natives: bassist Doug Forman and the Pederick brothers, drummer Chris and guitarist Stacey. The Fools immediately gigged at North Shore clubs and progressively expanded geographically. They became well-known for tongue-incheek original and cover songs. Hatching hit songs Their song parody “Psycho Chicken” was added to the repertoire after Girard and a buddy heard The Talking Heads’ song “Psycho Killer.” “When they sang ‘fa-fa-fa-fafa,’ we started clucking to it,” Girard recounted. “It was so stupid that we couldn’t stop laughing.” The Fools recorded “Psycho Chicken” and sent a tape to Boston’s now-closed progressive rock station WBCN-FM. Legendary deejay
Charles Laquidara played it on his morning show, “The Big Mattress.” “Like us, Charles was childish and petulant — and didn’t care whether you liked it or not,” Girard explained. “’Psycho Chicken’ was his ‘Big Mattress’ song of the week, which guaranteed one or two airplays a day.” It also got airplay in several regions nationwide as did their second single “It’s a Night for Beautiful Girls.” Signs record deal An impressed exec from EMI America Records attended the 1979 concert with The Fools opening for Blondie at Boston’s Orpheum Theatre. The then-major label signed The Fools to a record deal and a national tour with The Knack. Their hometown celebrated the accomplishments with an elaborate party at an Ipswich landmark, Crane Estate. Now residing in Southern New Hampshire, Girard recalled, “Ipswich was really proud of us when we got signed.” EMI released The Fools’ debut album “Sold Out” in 1980, followed by 1981’s “Heavy Mental” and 1985’s “World Dance Party.” Their third album featured a remake of Manfred Mann’s “Doo Wah Diddy.” MTV frequently aired its music video. This was The Fools final EMI album. “EMI told us that novelty acts don’t last,” Girard acknowledged. “The Fools lasted longer than EMI!” Among iconic musical artists who The Fools have shared stages
www.fiftyplusadvocate.com + SEPTEMBER 2021 + fiftyplus advocate The Fools founding bandmates (l to r) Doug Forman, Stacey Pedrick, Chris Pedrick, Rich Bartlett and Mike Girard strike a pose on the cover of their 1980 debut album “Sold Out.”
Singing the national anthem at Fenway Park prior to a Boston Red Sox game in the mid1990s are The Fools’ bandmates (l to r) Joe Holaday, Mike Girard, Rich Bartlett and Jim Taft.
with are The Doobie Brothers, J. Geils Band, Rush and Van Halen. After part-time gigging for several years, The Fools’ fulltime schedule steadily resumed in the late-1990s with some personnel changes. Current Fools bandmates are founders Girard, Bartlett and Stacey Pedrick with bassist Eric Adamson and drummer Leo Black. Rock ‘n’ roll with horns Not a typical big band, Mike Girard’s Big Swinging Thing formed in 2015. Girard, Bartlett and former Fools’ bassist Joe Holaday and drum-
mer Jim Taft are joining forces with saxophonist Steve LeClaire, horn players, a keyboardist and backup singers. They perform Fools’ classics along with diverse covers. “We’re doing tunes that I’d always dreamed about doing,” Girard noted. “It’s a magical feeling to play with so many talented people all going in the same direction. I couldn’t be happier.” Girard’s books “Psycho Chicken & Other Foolish Tales” and “A Fool in Time” are available on Amazon.com. Follow Girard’s bands on Facebook.
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Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge Showcases Chappaquiddick Island’s Natural Beauty Cape Poge | from page 5
stretch of ocean and helped ships navigate through the “shoal waters and shallows of Muskeget Channel into Edgartown Harbor.” For a different perspective of the refuge, register for one of their guided discovery kayak tours, where a natural history and engagement ranger will lead you through Poucha Pond and out into Cape Poge Bay, while reciting the ecological history and detailing local flora and fauna of Cape Poge’s saltmarsh and coastal ponds. That wildlife includes protected nesting seabirds like the state threatened piping plovers and endangered roseate terns. Least terns and American oystercatchers also brood their chicks here. “We try really hard to protect all birds on our property,” stated Karparis, of the conservation efforts of The Trustees of Reservations, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving natural and historical places in the commonwealth of Massachusetts. If you opt to explore the refuge on foot, Cape Poge offers ample upland hiking trails, or you can traverse the beach or jog, walk or bike
on the island’s lone eponymous paved road (approximately three miles). Over-sand vehicle trails and guided over-sand vehicle tours are available to those who prefer seeing the refuge’s diverse upland, marine habitats from the comfort of a jeep or truck. Accessing Cape Poge Visitors should be aware that accessing Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge does involve a time commitment of catching two ferries just to reach the refuge. The first leg entails taking a 45-minute, three-car ferry from Cape Cod at Woods Hole to Martha’s Vineyard and then a second, much shorter ferry ride brings you from Edgartown-Martha’s Vineyard to Chappaquiddick. Once you arrive on the island, Chappaquiddick Road leads you to a free public parking area. As of publication, there were no guest limitations due to COVID-19, but tickets must be purchased in advance online, noted Karparis. Cape Poge tickets also provide you free entry to the Trustees’ Mytoi and Wasque properties. For more information on Cape Poge and other Trustees properties, visit thetrustees.org.
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Cambridge publisher brings the joys of books to kids to work in England for Penguin Publishing in one of their children’s divisions. After that she continued working for various publishers. In 1994, she founded Star Bright Books, a children’s book publishing company located in New York City. Today, the company is in Cambridge.
By Peg Lopata Contributing writer CAMBRIDGE - Some people’s adventures involve travel, some people do it virtually or through reading. Deborah Shine, 89, has done her exploring in all ways. Born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, where her father, a diamond cutter, went for work, she’s lived in, amongst other places, England, St. Helena — one of the remotest islands in the world, Hawaii, Kentucky and Cambridge, Massachusetts.
ic serv
Deborah Shine, 89, founded Star Bright Books, a children’s book publishing company located in Cambridge, in 1994.
To reward the children for being good kids on their travels, Shine took up her husband’s suggestion to buy them books―but there’s wasn’t any to be found in her new locale. “On my first day in Lexington I went for walk with the kids and there was an empty store. So, what do you do?” said Shine. “You open a kid’s bookstore!” About ten years later she went
Viewpoints on reading and books Though others may bemoan that children seem to be reading less, Shine doesn’t dwell on the negative. “People who don’t read only have
A full and richer life Not surprisingly, this is Shine’s personal philosophy too.
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A world in children’s books When her husband was offered a position at the medical school at the University of Kentucky, in Lexington, Shine opened a children’s bookstore, The Owl and The Pussycat, also in Lexington. It was one of the first of its kind — and certainly the first one in Lexington. It all came about serendipitously for this young woman with three children who was formerly working as a fashion designer. “When my husband went to Kentucky to make our nest, I traveled with my three children to South Africa, Venice, Amsterdam and London,” Shine explained.
A business to love Shine loves the work of running a publishing house. Maybe it’s in her blood―this love of reading and books. “I come from a reading family,” explained Shine. Shine’s mother, who was Russian, once explained to her daughter what reading meant to her in her accented voice, “Vit out books I vould die.” Like many of her era, Shine learned how to run her company on the job. She says it was done by trial and error and people in the book trade were for the most part generous with their help.
one life,” she said. “People who read have dozens of experiences and adventures ― much, much fuller lives.” She does recommend banishing the phone from kids, reading to them and treasuring books. “It’s important to read to your kids long before they get to the phone,” advised Shine. Making books that get into those little hands or big ones for those hands is what Shine’s all about. She finds getting a submission, turning it into a book that the author and illustrator are happy and proud of is for her one of the most fascinating things about the publishing world. She’s particularly proud to have published “Defying the Nazis” by Hermann Vinke. The book tells the story of Wilm Hosennfeld, a German army captain who saved a famous pianist during World War II. This biography epitomizes Shine’s favorite quote from the Hebrew bible: ‘Thou shalt not follow the multitude to do evil.’
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Whatever your age, exercise is good for you “Humans evolved to move. We evolved to be physically active,” says Harvard professor and evolutionary biologist Daniel E. Lieberman.
By David Wilkening Contributing Writer
W
hen he gets up in the morning for his daily run in Cambridge, the weather is often cold and miserable for Harvard professor Daniel E. Lieberman. He readily concedes he has no desire to change into jogging clothes to start his daily run. “I sometimes have to force myself out the door,” admitted the evolutionary biologist. But he does it anyway. Why? Because exercise is good for him. His unexpected reluctance to do his regular jogging came up during a Harvard Gazette interview with Lieberman, which was somewhat surprising because his latest book is called “Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved to Do is Healthy and Rewarding.” Exercise myths Lieberman, whose books reflect his lifelong interest in studying in cultures worldwide how people move their bodies, is among prominent advocates of an increasingly popular prescription for better health: exercise. His latest book explodes some of the myths about exercise. A basic tenet of the book: “Humans evolved to move. We evolved to be physically active.” The biggest myth in his book involves human understanding of exercise. “We live in a world where everyone knows that exercise is good for you, and yet the vast majority of people have a hard time doing it. According to government statistics, only about a quarter of Americans actually exercise in their leisure time,” he has been quoted as saying on multiple occasions. “Humans have these deep-rooted instincts to avoid unnecessary physical activity, because until recently it was beneficial to avoid it. Now, we judge people as lazy if they don’t exercise. But they’re not lazy. They’re just being normal,” he added. He has suggestions to foster better exercise attitudes, including finding ways to make it fun, such as walking instead of driving a car.
Special benefits for older adults Repeated studies have come to the same conclusion: Exercise provides both physical and mental benefits for all ages. Older adults might be more interested in its positive impact on lower blood pressure and heart rates, as well as improved general health. Some studies have specifically found that exercise leads to better mental health. One of the most recent studies on age and exercise found that higher levels of daily physical activity may protect against the brain tissue loss from Alzheimer’s disease that alters the lives of many older people. Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) reported that lowering vascular risk factors may offer protection against Alzheimer’s and delay progression of the devastating disease. “One of the most striking findings from our study was that greater physical activity not only appeared to have positive effects on slowing cognitive decline, but also on slowing the rate of brain tissue loss over time in normal people who had high levels of amyloid plaque in the brain,” said Jasmeer Chhatwal, MD, PhD of the MGH Department of Neurology. Modest efforts reap rewards Individuals don’t have to be fanatic fitness buffs to achieve results. It can be done with only minutes of activity. Some studies found just five minutes of physical activity helps curb depression (a common condition for the elderly).
Even a quick walk or a few minutes of exercise goes a long way to improve individual moods. And even those who take up exercise at older ages find it provides immediate results. “Exercise provides a remarkable variety of health benefits, which range from strengthening bones to positive effects on mood and helping to prevent chronic illnesses. Research dating back to the late 1980s has consistently shown that aerobic fitness may help extend lives,” said Dr. Marwa W. Ahmed, a physiatrist in Brighton, Massachusetts who is affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital. Another prominent researcher on aging and exercise facetiously says modern medicine has a pill that prevents heart disease, improves strength and balance, alleviates arthritis and
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makes everyone feel younger as well. There’s just one catch, however. There’s no such pill. The prescription is exercise. “We’ve spent years studying numerous nutritional and lifestyle factors,” said Frank Hu, associate professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health. No single medication has been a panacea. “The single thing that comes close to a magic bullet, in terms of its strong and universal benefits, is exercise.” During the last 10 years, epidemiologists like Hu have clearly demonstrated exercise’s protective effects against many serious diseases. And yet, as one medical researcher studying exercise in elderly populations put it, “Exercise is often overlooked.” It’s never too late to start Age researchers such as Lieberman and others cite such common misconceptions among seniors that they are too old to continue or to start exercising. Not true, according to the experts. “Age is really just a number,” according to exercise physiologist Evelyn O’Neill at the Boston-based Hebrew Rehabilitation Center. She should know, because she designs exercise programs for people who are close to 100 years old.
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And this approach to life guides her not just in her personal, but also in her professional life. It may be a rat race, but Shine is no rat and she’s still winning the race in a very challenging industry. However, she’s not one to boast about her accomplishments. She does hope to accomplish something that has nothing to do with publishing ― that is reaching the age of one hundred with her beloved hus-
band by her side. “I think I am extremely fortunate,” admitted Shine, “to have had the life I’ve had. I married a fun guy, who delivered two of our four kids, he puts band aids on all my cuts and bruises and laughs at my jokes. What more can you ask for?” Well, she does want one thing: more time. But in the meantime, she’ll continue to have some fun.
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‘We must push mandates’ to end the COVID-19 pandemic Ethicist | from page 1
He has received numerous awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society of Bioethics and The Humanities in 2016. Caplan is the author of over 850 articles on a wide variety of topics relating to ethics, including many on COVID-19.
We have been worrying too much about the rights, if you will, of the unvaccinated. We’ve got to start focusing on protection of people who are going to get sick, or ill, or die.
— Dr. Arthur Caplan
Push for mandates In the current environment, where despite the high vaccination rate in Massachusetts, residents who are unvaccinated face a significant threat from the highly infectious, more serious Delta variant, Caplan stated bluntly, “We must push mandates.” Caplan referred Fifty Plus Advocate to a recent television interview he gave for further detail on his current viewpoint on vaccine mandates. “We have been worrying too much about the rights, if you will, of the unvaccinated,” Caplan told MSNBC. “We’ve got to start focusing on protection of people who are going to get sick, or ill, or die.” Caplan sees it as a moral imBranding Concepts
perative. “Morally the right thing to do now is to push for the mandates. It doesn’t mean you have to get vaccinated, but it does mean your freedom, your liberty is going to be restricted if you still pose a risk to other people. So, it’s got to be, vaccinate, frequent testing, masking, or you’re going to lose a lot of your job opportunities and going to lose your freedom to go where you want.” FDA’s role The FDA, Caplan believes, has the power to authorize mandates now. “I think that it is within the FDA’s authority to rewrite the emergency use and say it’s time to permit mandates. They issued the regula-
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tion. They’re sitting on the data,” he added. “They could just step in and say that those of you who are still hesitant for legal reasons or whatever reasons to mandate something under emergency use. We as the FDA are ready to say go ahead and do that. I think that would really help.” Proof of vaccination Caplan explained that people who have been vaccinated already have the proof that they can provide. The United States doesn’t necessarily have to implement a digital health pass, the way European countries like France and
Italy have. “You are going to have something on your (phone) – I have been telling people for a long time ― take a picture of your CDC vaccine card,” he explained. “Use that to show to people; you will probably show that with your driver’s license. They have been trying this at concerts. I think that we are going to start to get used to this. It seems a little alien now,” he admitted, “to show proof of vaccination for entry. But I think it’s going to become a lot more common.” Role of the private sector “It’s the private sector that’s going to get us to the finish line here in terms of getting vaccinated,” Caplan concluded in his MSNBC interview. “We have done about all we could with education, with incentives. We don’t want to go back to lockdowns. If we don’t want to go back to fighting about school masking. If we don’t want to lose our travel and recreational opportunities and activities. We’ve got to use vaccination,” he affirmed, “to handle these new variants.”
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By Michele Collins Contributing Writer SHREWSBURY - During the COVID-19 pandemic, some of the people Hollie Lucht, director of the Shrewsbury Council on Aging, worried about most were the seniors who were homebound. She remembered an activity she had seen run successfully in her previous job, and thought she would introduce it to the Shrewsbury community. The Intergenerational Pen Pal program brought senior citizens in the community together with young elementary students, partnering through writing letters to one another. With all the cancelled programs and activ-
ities that had taken place due to the pandemic, Lucht didn’t want to let this program go by the wayside. In the end, more than a dozen seniors and 40 or so children participated, bringing joy and even some learning to both groups of people. “I wanted to do outreach to our seniors, to have them participate in an activity that was safe, but would make them feel involved and cared for,” said Lucht. “I talked to some of the teachers at Sherwood Middle School, and they were all for the idea. They saw it as a way to teach their students about letter writing, how to properly address an envelope, even about stamps.” Power | 19
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• 13
Apply early and often for housing as you age By Marianne Delorey, Ph.D. Executive Director, Colony Retirement Homes
You can’t plan for everything or you never get started in the first place. — Jim Butcher
W
e get calls weekly from people who are looking for housing on an emergency basis. Unfortunately, we don’t usually have good news for these people. In my 12 years in my current position, we have only once had an immediate opening. Most of the time, I have to tell callers that our wait lists can be upwards of seven years long. Many of these people are calling because a loved one experienced a medical crisis, and they simply cannot go back to their third-floor walkup or need to be closer to family. As a result, many people must prematurely consider options such as assisted living or nursing home placement that they otherwise might not be ready for. Affordable housing is an important part of the safety net our country provides to our lowest income members. The importance of this part of the safety net is hard to understate. Without
a safe place to call home, many people cannot take the next step and obtain employment or focus on bettering their medical situation. Indeed, even though it is possible for homeless families to go to school or find employment, without the stability offered by a permanent place to live, these next steps to self-sufficiency are almost always neglected. So many benefits are tied to housing – where you live determines what school your kids will attend and what jobs you should consider. At least with Medicare and Social Security, you can receive the same benefit anywhere. Affordable housing is everywhere, but the reality of our current system of decentralization of housing means that if someone wants to apply for affordable housing, they have to apply many times at many different companies. Even our own company has (per HUD mandate) several waiting lists requiring multiple applications. To their credit, 102 public housing authorities did organize into a Section 8 Centralized Waiting List in 2003 which has simplified application for many. Also, to their credit, several agencies (Mass Access through CHAPA, Massoptions.org through the state Department of Health and
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Human Services) have tried to simplify searching for a new place to live. The biggest problem I see is often that once you are “in” and set up with affordable housing, you have to apply all over again to move to a building or community that serves your needs better. Many waiting lists for elder housing are years long and people find themselves shuffled back down to the bottom in terms of priority. This has the unfortunate effect of limiting choice for people trying to better their situation. HUD has always promoted affordable housing, of course, but they have also been at the forefront of desegregation. Fair Housing law started in 1968 to make sure people had a choice of where to live. However, at its core, affordable housing is set up to tie people to one community.
Typically, while companies do allow transfers if needed, they can only transfer a resident to another owned by the same company. In our capitalist society, mobility is important to offering opportunities to others and voting with our dollars by supporting some products and services over others. In support of elders needing an emergency medical transfer, HUD would be well suited to helping housing agencies create a centralized list for applicants and transfers. There are too many housing providers for this to occur without assistance and currently emergency medical need is not a focus of HUD’s priorities. Until this problem is addressed, I advise people to apply early and to as many housing sites as they can, regardless. Having a choice, even several years down the road, is still better than no choice.
Marianne Delorey, Ph.D. is the executive director of Colony Retirement Homes. She can be reached at 508-755-0444 or mdelorey@colonyretirement. com and www.colonyretirementhomes.com. Archives of articles from previous issues can be read at www.fiftyplusadvocate.com
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viewpoint
Just a little scared By Janice Lindsay Contributing Writer
W
hen my granddaughter was four, she attended a friend’s birthday party at an outdoor amusement park. Its central feature was a two-story spiraling slide that ended in a ball pit. To get to the top of the slide, children climbed up a rope-ladder tunnel. The ladder looked scary. Several times, she climbed the ropes and slid down the slide, apparently fearless. But once, as she climbed, her father, standing below, playfully growled up at her. She said, “Daddy, don’t do that. I’m just a little scared.” It takes courage to admit to
being scared. I know because, by the time I was school-age, I could not do it. Maybe I absorbed some implied stoicism in the traditional Yankee culture of our Rhode Island village. I don’t remember hearing an adult express fear, even when there was plenty to be fearful about. A cousin of mine recently summed it up: “Suck it up and move on.” Keep your fear to yourself, deal with it, your fears are no worse than anybody else’s. I remember a song from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical that became the movie, “The King and I.” The song was popular around the time I turned nine. In the musical, Anna, an English tutor for the capricious, dangerous Siamese king, sings about coping with fear: “Whenever I feel afraid, I hold my head
erect, and whistle a happy tune, and no one will suspect I’m afraid.” Her song says that when she fools others, she also fools herself. I don’t believe it. Fooling others, sure. Fooling yourself, doesn’t work. When I was 11, a hurricane that would be devastating approached Rhode Island. We were then living next to a small cove off Narragansett Bay. Hurricanes were not tracked in those days; they just showed up and surprised people. As the wind roared and the rain poured, the water in the cove began to rise toward our house. I was scared to death. As the older of two children, I felt it my responsibility to keep my sister, two years younger, from being afraid. We played board games in the living room. Every once in a while, I made up some excuse to leave and peered out the pantry window. The water crept closer and closer. I swallowed my terror, to appear calm for my sister. It didn’t make me any less afraid. (We left the house and watched the storm from a neighbor’s on a hill.
Our neighborhood flooded, but the houses survived.) I learned that I could cope with fear, even if I could not conquer it, by keeping my wits about me and concentrating on doing what needed to be done, whatever was appropriate for the situation. Ultimately, having the confidence that I could cope resulted in my being afraid of fewer things. I think most people on this earth would admit that we live in scary times. There are plenty of things to worry about. Dealing with the pandemic might be the scariest of all, as it can interfere with our ability to address everything else. So we get the vaccine, we wear our masks, we respect physical distance, and we use our hand sanitizer. We cope with the fear by doing what needs to be done, and by getting on with life as best we can. As John Wayne once said, “Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway.” So I saddle up. And I’m not afraid to admit that I’m just a little scared. Contact jlindsay@tidewater.net.
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• 15
For healthy feet, take care of your overall well-being By Debbie Spingarn Contributing Writer REGION - Seventy-five percent of Americans will experience foot problems at some point in their lifetime, and adults over the age of 50 suffer from a myriad of other health problems as well. If you want to fix your foot problems, medical experts say, fix your heart. Or your weight, or your back. It’s important to make the link between general health and foot health. Massachusetts hospitals and medical facilities such as Atrius Health and Harvard Vanguard all have departments of podiatric medicine and can coordinate with a person’s primary care physician for best care options. In Boston alone there are over 150 private podiatrists and over 600 total in the Bay State. Demand for podiatry is growing, as the population ages yet is increasingly active in sports like running and biking. Older people who want to become active might particularly be deterred by foot problems that reduce their ability to exercise. Diabetics have special concerns Newton resident Ilana Benivgy experiences diabetic numbness at times in her feet. This issue – diabetic neuropathy – can cause foot numbness, imbalance, and reduced sensation in the feet. “I feel comfortable with a wide, small heel and a wedge style,” she said. Most people experience peripheral neuropathy from the bottom up, starting in the toes and moving up the leg. Afflicted individuals are advised to avoid going barefoot and wear soft cotton socks and padded, closed-toe shoes. Checking the feet daily for blisters, cuts or calluses can prevent pain and infection. As 60 to 70 percent of people with diabetes have diabetic nerve damage, it is
Left: Podiatrist Dr. Saylee Tulpule emphasizes that resolving foot pain is critical to avoiding a sedentary lifestyle. Below: Newton resident Ilana Benivgy’s shoe choices help with her foot numbness.
important to take care of the feet to prevent infection or amputation. Swelling is another common issue Another medical problem that shows up as a foot problem is edema, or swelling. Swollen ankles, commonly seen in older adults, make it difficult to walk, find proper fitting shoes and are linked to fluid traveling from the heart to the lower extremities. A related condition, lymphedema-related swelling, is felt by another Newton resident, Phoebe Foley. Foley, who has had the condition since childhood, says the lack of lymph glands in her body results in the painful condition, which presents as swelling in the feet. “In the heat, it’s quite painful and uncomfortable,” she said. “Physical therapy helps a lot. The best thing for it is exercise.” The number one foot problem By far the most common foot problem among all age groups according to the American Podiat-
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tar fascia ligament that helps support the arch of the foot. Such things as poor fitting shoes, stress due to exercise and prolonged standing, can cause the intense heel pain that sends many patients to a podiatrist or seeking other forms of relief. Treatment, explained Tulpule, consists of orthotic devices to provide arch support, therapeutic stretches of the foot and reduced exercise to allow healing of the ligament. “Foot pain often prevents individuals from exercising and promotes a sedentary lifestyle,” Tulpule observed. “It’s important to provide patients with better shoe options, stretches, orthotics and to work with each patient’s individual interests.” Shoes aren’t the only fix Foot issues are often reflections of other medical and health issues. After all, our feet are just one body part that should be looked at in a holistic way. Often, that foot problem can be fixed through improvement of your general health rather than a new pair of shoes. So, the next time your foot hurts, don’t just blame your shoes.
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World War II veterans share stories at event in Hudson Albert Consigli receives his French Legion of Honor medal.
By Laura Hayes Contributing Writer HUDSON - Albert Consigli was 18 and living in Milford when he was drafted to serve in World War II. He had never been to a city or rode a train. When Consigli passed his tests to serve, the officer asked him, “Do you like guns?” “I said, ‘Yes, I like guns,’” Consigli recalled to the Community Advocate. “I shouldn’t have said that.” Consigli was one of 58 World War II veterans who gathered at the American Heritage Museum for a special event on Aug. 1. Drawing hundreds of other attendees, the event was billed, in part, as a way to hear and preserve the stories of America’s aging community of World War II veterans. Veteran recalls finding bazooka Upon being drafted, Consigli was sent to be part of the “Black Cats,” General George Patton’s special tank battalion primed to fight at night. He landed on Utah Beach and served in five major battles, including the Battle of the Bulge and the Ardennes.
PHOTOS/LAURA HAYES
“I was young,” Consigli said. “I used to do a lot of crazy.” On one occasion, while in Luxembourg, Consigli was walking
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People gather in the American Heritage Museum Aug. 1.
through the woods when he found a wooden box. He opened it and found a German bazooka. Consigli assembled the weapon and fired it. “Instead of the officer saying, ‘You should have never looked in that box, it could be booby trapped,’ he said, ‘Alright, be careful,’” Consigli said. “He just walked away. But that made me feel good that I put it together.” WWII stories make up veteran’s intergenerational book Veteran and author Andrew Biggio has heard tons of stories like Consigli’s. He put pen to paper on many of those stories for his book “The Rifle: Combat Stories from America’s
Last WWII Veterans, Told Through an M1 Garand.” “They taught me, as a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, that there was no difference between the men who raised their hands when Pearl Harbor was attacked and the men and women who raised their hands after the Twin Towers burned,” Biggio said of the World War II veterans. Biggio himself was a sergeant in the Marine Corps, participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in Iraq and Afganistan, respectively. Along the way, he had been wanting to meet the WWII veterans since he was a child. Many people who later served
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You jumped into Normandy. You stormed the beaches. You fought in the Battle of the Bulge. You fought in the China Burma India Campaign. You fought in the Pacific. You raised the flag on Iwo Jima. I can’t thank you enough for being here.
– Andrew Biggio
A veteran receives the French Legion of Honor.
did so because of the actions of the WWII veterans, said Biggio. “You jumped into Normandy,” he said to those veterans. “You stormed the beaches. You fought in the Battle of the Bulge. You fought in the China Burma India Campaign. You fought in the Pacific. You raised the flag on Iwo Jima. I can’t thank you enough for being here.” When Biggio came home from Iraq and Afganistan, he would pass the Andrew Biggio square in Winthrop, Mass. every day. The square is named after his grandfather’s brother, who was killed in action in WWII at the age of 19. He decided that he wanted to find out what happened to the first Andrew Biggio. So, he began reading Biggio’s letters. In one letter, Biggio learned that his great-uncle enjoyed the M1 Garand rifle. That connected Biggio to his long lost relative. So, he purchased an M1 Garand. Biggio later showed the rifle to his neighbor, who fought in WWII, including at Okinawa as a Marine. “As soon as I put this rifle in his hands, he had this burst of energy,” Biggo said. “He started waving the rifle around, smiling from ear-to-ear,
PHOTO/LAURA HAYES
[saying] ‘Oh my God, I haven’t held one of these in so long.” That neighbor started telling Biggio about the Battle of Okinawa. He became the first person to sign the rifle. “I made it a mission — call it therapy, call it research, call it what have you — of meeting these men that we’ve been reading about our whole lives,” Biggio said. Being part of the youngest generation of veterans, Biggio saw this project as a way to say goodbye to the oldest generation of veterans. He would visit a veteran, hear their story, and have them sign his rifle. “The fact that they were able to come home and live a successful life after the war teaches our younger vets so much,” Biggio said. American Heritage Museum hosts large scale event Back at the American Heritage Museum, several veterans, including Consigli, received the French Legion of Honor. World War II veterans who fought in one or more of the four main campaigns in the liberation of France, including Normandy, Southern France, Northern France and the Ardennes are eligible for the honor.
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A number of people spoke during the Aug. 1 ceremony, including Gov. Charlie Baker. But the guests of honor were the veterans. Among them was Mildred Cox, who was a stenographer in the Marine Corps’ Commanding Office and lives in Quincy. Her’s is one of over 200 names on Biggio’s rifle. She was also the first female veteran to sign the rifle, however. Cox decided to enlist when she turned 20 to free a man who had been doing clerical work to be able to fight. Cox grew up learning the Robert’s Rules of Order, which is viewed as a foundational book dictating modern parliamentary procedure. Her father was a disabled veteran and was involved in organizations.
Her younger brother had already enlisted. “It was expected that I would do my service, and I was happy to do it,” Cox said. She served for two years. Women who were in the Marines didn’t serve overseas, she said, so she served in North and South Carolina. But the best part of the time was that she was near her brother, who was serving in Fort Jackson at the time. Cox’s brother later fought in the Battle of the Bulge and earned the Silver Star. “No matter what you go through, rise to the top,” Cox said. “Be obstinate. Reach your goal. That’s the best thing you can do. Be an optimist. There’s enough pessimism in the world, so be an optimist.”
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Sudbury author helps others unlock their writing potential By Deborah Burke Henderson Contributing Writer SUDBURY - Students of all ages who take creative writing with Pamela S. Wight quickly realize her classes are a safe zone. They come to experience a deep level of trust and bonding with fellow aspiring writers. “I instruct everyone to create a dome of privacy around themselves,” the author and blogger said. “We agree to never discuss anyone else’s writing outside the group. This establishes trust and encourages people to connect with themselves and one another.” Wight’s strategies work. People drawn to her class, whether or not they’ve written before, whether or not they struggle with her ten rules of writing, undergo an unparalleled experience – discovering inner truths. Rule #1: write without thinking After an initial brief lesson regarding metaphor or simile, character or plot construction, Wight instructs her students to write, not think, when given a five- or ten-minute prompt. “Don’t stop your pen,” Wight advises, “just keep writing whatever comes to mind. Don’t worry about
During pandemic restrictions one of Wight’s classes met outside in a church parking lot.
PHOTOS/COURTESY OF PAMELA S. WIGHT
grammar or word choice and don’t listen to the editor in your mind. Be honest and vulnerable.” Wight underscores writing is about feeling, and the more one writes, the more one reveals honesty. Then real stories emerge. “In my 25 years of teaching, I’ve never seen anyone come away with bad feelings about themselves. People get stronger knowing what’s inside
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and why. It’s simply beautiful,” she added. Expressing oneself From the start, Wight focuses on “I” or first-person nonfiction work, typically written in present tense. She knows from experience one cannot develop a good fictional character and bring that character alive until writing about oneself honestly, expressing one’s own emotions and inner conflicts. Students have ranged in age from 18 to 90. She finds her classes most valuable for the mature individual, especially someone who has never made time to stop and really look inside themselves. “The older one gets, the more one has to let go,” she said. “I’ve had many people tell me this experience has opened their lives.” Wight sees each participant “open up like a flower,” as they let their imaginations come forward. “Creative writing is about showing your soul,” she added. “This is a gift each person has given him or herself. I just offer a safe place for exploration.” Prolific book author and blogger Wight calls Sudbury home, although she has spent time living in the San Francisco area where she also teaches creative writing. “I go back to Tiburon occasionally,” Wight said, “and offer a day or evening class for those students who continue to enjoy working with me.” Locally, she teaches through Concord-Carlisle Adult and Community Education, Lincoln-Sudbury Adult Education, and Keefe at Night Continuing Education. During the pandemic, she experimented with online teaching by assigning two writing prompts per week and instructing participants to email their stories to the group. No one is a critic in Wight’s classes. Everyone provides positive comments with an
Pamela S. Wight, author and blogger, loves to help others find themselves through creative writing.
eye toward encouraging one another. “People learned they had the discipline to write at home alone. This was a surprise for them and me,” Wight noted with a smile. Wight prefers to teach in person. Since April, her classes have been held in a church parking lot, with participants physically distanced and wearing masks. “We agree to meet if it’s not below 48 degrees, snowing, or raining,” she added. “All my students have welcomed the opportunity.” Wight writes with creative aplomb for children and adults. She is the published author of two books on romantic suspense: “The Right Wrong Man” and “Twin Desires,” and two illustrated children’s books: “Birds of Paradise” and “Molly Finds Her Purr”. She has now added flash memoir to her repertoire with “Flashes of Life: True Tales of the Extraordinary Ordinary” published in June by Borgo Publishing (borgopublishing.com) and also available through Amazon. Wight pens a weekly blog called Roughwighting (roughwighting.net) and some of this content is reflected in her newest work.
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Recumbent bicycles growing in popularity among older adults By David Wilkening Contributing Writer
I
The pandemic bike boom Bicycling of all kinds nationwide and in Massachusetts has been booming since the pandemic. And why not? Anyone who starts pedaling quickly finds out that Massachusetts is very bike-friendly. In the countryside or in towns you can travel former railroad and trolley tracks, riverbeds and shorelines, parks and greenways. An added attraction is to bike through the historic and scenic places, often on bike-friendly flat terrain. In Boston alone, there are 68 miles of bike lanes with plans to add more. The state was ranked fourth most bike-friendly in the nation by the League of American Bicyclists. All this has prompted an increased demand for recumbent or sit-down bikes, which are more likely than ever to be the choice of older adults. No state or national statistics are kept on the niche market that is adult recumbents. But shop owners and manufacturers both say they are seeing an increase in sales. Most adult bicycles in Massachusetts and elsewhere are still the ever-popular two-wheeled kind. Then, there’s stationary recumbent bikes for gym or home exercise. Recumbent or outdoor riding bikes also come in two-wheeled versions, which are not popular with older riders because of balance issues. There are also traditional three-wheeled tricycles often known for their large seats. But recumbent, sit-down three-wheelers offer stable rides that are similar to children’s tricycles.
Answers to Super Crossword (puzzle on page 14)
PHOTO/HELEN KAHN, ALL OUT ADVENTURES
f you’re a recumbent bicyclist, you recognize it as a familiar experience. That’s because as a child, you probably rode something similar: a tricycle.
cumbents also put less pressure on joints, which is ideal for anyone with arthritis. In addition to greater comfort and stability over standard twowheel bikes, recumbents can be easily adapted for an older rider’s individual disabilities. More expensive recumbents can be fitted with Recumbent tricycles are becoming especially popular small motors with older adults. (handy for climbing those What sets them apart big hills). Their only major downsides The main difference between reare fewer shops selling them. And cumbents and ordinary two-wheelers their wider bodies and low positions is that instead of sitting upright, as make them harder to see by motorthey do on ordinary bikes, riders are ists. Many riders cope with the latter seated on recumbents in a reclined by adding blinking lights, often in the position with the pedals in front instead of beneath them. Comfort and safety are two aspects of why recumbents are becoming increasingly popular, according to Jeff Palter, owner of Cycle Loft in Burlington. “Recumbents have a unique Power | from page 12 design that allows you to sit down in a seat to ride, instead of on a narOffering writing supplies row bicycle saddle. This allows you increased participation to ride in a seated position instead of Lucht said that in order to increase hunched over the handlebar,” he said. participation she even offered to proPalter’s shop is among the many vide writing supplies to the seniors, as bike stores in Massachusetts that well as postage stamps. Some partichave added more recumbent models ipants called her to say, don’t waste a in recent years. Among the brands he stamp, come pick up the letters. She carries is TerraTrike. and her staff did just that. “The reason why trikes are the The students at Sherwood Middle fastest-growing segment of recumSchool were so excited to take part, that bents is ease of use,” said Jeff Yonker, Lucht received more participants than marketing manager for TerraTrike. she had seniors, so the participating se“Two-wheeled recumbents have a niors agreed to take on more than one sharp learning curve for pedaling, pen pal. balance, and starting and stopping. “We were so lucky; some of the oldFor many older riders, not having to er adults agreed to have between two worry about balance is a big plus.” and four pen pals. They wrote them Yonkers is a strong believer that cyeach a letter each month,” she added. clists, whatever their age and ability, Lucht said she had promised to not highly value comfort as well. “Anyone share the seniors’ information with who pedals a trike for an hour can atothers, to maintain privacy and safetest to the cardiovascular benefits,” ty. However, she said several shared he explained. “Why not be comfortsweet or funny interactions between able as you’re getting exercise?” the pen pals. TerraTrike and Catrike, the two “One gentleman told me he had biggest companies that sell the style, written to his pen pal about having estimate that at least 75 percent of been a fighter pilot in the war. He their customers are over 50. thought this would excite his young The cardiovascular and other pen pal. But the pen pal said, that’s physical benefits of all forms of bicycool you were a pilot, but I really want cle riding have been long-established. to be a soccer player when I grow up,” Riding in a reclined position allows shared Lucht. older riders to exercise thighs, calves Other seniors and pen pals bonded and glute muscles with less strain. Reover shared activities, or sports teams.
front and back of their trikes, to make them easier to spot when sharing roads with motor vehicles. One of the most common questions asked of recumbent riders is if their bike was built at home. But dealers selling them have proliferated in recent years. Another common question is whether they can climb hills. Since recumbents have as many as 27 gears, the answer is yes. Besides, as previously noted, motors can be an added feature. Pricing going down but still higher than two-wheelers Recumbent trikes in recent years have become more affordable as their numbers have grown. The typical cost is anywhere from $2,000 to $3,000 and is often much more expensive than the price for standard bikes. Some riders spend up to $5,000 on higher-end models with motors. But the price of even an expensive recumbent bike could pale in comparison to the costs of treating health problems caused by lack of exercise. And riding one is a lot more fun than going to a doctor’s appointment.
Power of the pen binds generations But throughout it all, one thing that was consistent, both the young students and their senior citizen pen pals, became friends. Program will run throughout school year Last year’s program went from March to June, but unfortunately, a planned event where the pen pals would meet one another had to be cancelled due to worries about COVID-19. But this year, Lucht says the program will begin in mid-September, and continue through May. A “meet your pen pal celebration” is also being planned for May or June. “I have had many inquiries already from people who want to participate,” said Lucht. “I think this year’s program will include even more seniors.” Lucht said those who are interested in participating in the Intergenerational Pen Pal program for the upcoming school year should call Rene D’Argento, the outreach coordinator, at the Shrewsbury Senior Center at 508841-8647. Senior citizens do not need to reside in Shrewsbury to participate. “We welcome all senior citizens in the area, and we will make sure you have the supplies you need,” added Lucht. After all, the students at Sherwood Middle School will be waiting to meet them, through the power of the pen.
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