Forum Magazine - Winter 2021

FORU M

Winter 2021 | Protecting families through life insurance since 1894. | Gleaner Life Insurance Society

Protecting Your Loved Ones p. 14

Give gardens a head start p. 6 75 years ago: Gold Star Gleaners, Part 1 p. 17

MAGAZINE

G L E A N E R

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BIENNIAL CONVENTION OCTOBER 22-24 B E L T E R R A , 2 0 2 1

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CELEBRATING A MILESTONE A special event — the 60th Biennial Convention — calls for a special attraction. Gleaner members will want to join us Oct. 22-24, 2021, for the Society’s diamond jubilee. The Belterra Resort and Casino outside Florence, Indiana, will provide southeastern Indiana hospitality along the Ohio River just across from Kentucky.

Save the date and plan to enjoy: Society business and long-awaited reunions with our fellow Gleaners.

The relaxation of a salon and spa.

The challenge of a Tom Fazio public golf course.

The entertainment of country and classic rock music acts.

The excitement of a casino.

It’s a milestone occasion for the Society, so plan to celebrate with us! Look for more information in the Spring 2021 edition of Forum Magazine.

www.gleanerlife.org

soften the death of a parent by not uprooting their entire life. Suitable coverage may enable the surviving family to remain in familiar surroundings as they cope with grief. Education may continue. College funding can be set aside. A surviving parent may be able to avoid becoming a full-time income earner. Life insurance proceeds may be set up as a tax-free inheritance.

Life insurance also can protect children or grandchildren in an entirely different way.

Purchasing a children’s policy — such as Gleaner Life’s Just For Kids® term life insurance that covers their life from age 1 month through 17 years — gives them the gift of insurability later in life. A child has protection even if a serious health condition develops. And, later in life, the term certificate can be converted to permanent life insurance of up to $50,000 without a medical exam.

Contents

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Winter 2021

Features 4

Dig in now for

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Learn how you can help support the Society’s scholarship program. Eligible members can now apply for 2021 scholarships, while others can leave a legacy for this valuable beneifit.

spring gardens

The process of protecting our loved ones continues for as long as we’re alive, but purchasing a policy is the key step. After that, make sure the coverage is appropriate as big changes occur such as a new home or a new child. One way to estimate future needs is by using a free calculator such as one at lifehappens.org. Another is to visit with your Gleaner agent. If you don’t have an agent, find one at gleanerlife.org/agents.

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Gleaner Scholarship Foundation open to growth

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Get ready for gardening Don’t wait for May. Things you do now will improve this year’s garden.

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Protecting your loved ones with life insurance Whether it’s your sweetheart, your children or others, protect those you love.

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6

75 years ago: The Gold Star Gleaners, Part 1 Marking the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II, we recall the heroism and sacrifice of members who gave all.

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Sending more than your love by mail Gleaner history shows how advocacy helped deliver the U.S. Parcel Post for Americans.

lt HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS

DELIVERING DREAMS 14

state-specific variations.

Society’s pressure helped deliver U.S. Parcel Post service

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Do you enjoy searching for Gleaner’s wheat stalk?

It's hidden in every issue of Forum Magazine. Having difficulty finding the wheat stalk in this issue? Look on Page 30 for the answer.

@GleanerLife National Archives photo 111-SC-210241

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Rural mail carrier M.D. Hockstedt of Cadillac, Michigan, was shown in 1913, the year parcel post began.

B

oxes and packages delivered by mail conveniently bring gifts and products ordered online to Americans everywhere. Such deliveries were just a dream, however, before the Society helped make U.S. Parcel Post a reality.

At the turn of the 20th century, most Americans lived outside cities. Roads were not paved, virtually no one had cars, and most rural residents did not receive home mail www.gleanerlife.org delivery until at least 1904. Even then, packages weighing more than four pounds were only handled by private delivery companies such as Wells Fargo. Their rates were high, their earnings were growing 18% per year, according

more Americans had seen the success of rural free delivery (RFD) for mail, and they added to Society leader Grant Slocum’s call for a government alternative to the express companies. Yet “parcels post” as it was called struggled to get a hearing in Congress until 1910. This was due to the power of express companies and railroads, as well as merchants who feared losing business to national retailers like Montgomery Ward and Sears Roebuck and Co. The Society's years of pleadings for parcel post were distilled in a June 1912 Forum editorial by Slocum, obviously written with the November elections in mind.

Forum Magazine is made from soy-based ink products and is recyclable.

Make a small impact on conservation by recycling this publication or passing it on to a friend.

Forum Magazine \ Winter 2021 \

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FORUM

Contents

Winter 2021 / V. 126 / No. 1

White Chocolate Almond Scones

our

ugar

Senior Officers Kevin A. Marti, FSA, CLU, ChFC President and CEO

D. Arell Chapman, CRISC, FLMI

Senior Vice President, Chief Operations and Technology Officer

Deborah K. Elliott, SHRM-SCP, SPHR Senior Vice President

Chief Human Resources Officer, and Secretary

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12

Anthony D. Golden, CLU, ChFC, RICP, FIC Senior Vice President, Sales Todd M. Warner

Senior Vice President, Chief Financial and Investment Officer

Kaylene S. Armstrong, FLMI

Vice President, Finance, Controller and Treasurer

Barbara Janowski, RN, ALMI

Vice President, Insurance Operations and Chief Underwriter Jaime Linden, FIC

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and Communications

32 Korinne’s Korner

1 tablespoon Almond extract

10 Board of Directors election planned

34 Benny’s Page

1 ¼ c. Half and half

31 50- and 75-year members

poon Baking powder

1 egg

oon Baking soda

2/3 cup White chocolate chips

Giving back

Officers Assistant Vice President, Marketing

Interests

Thoughts from the president

and Community Engagement

Chuck Monahan, ALMI

At a glance News & reviews

Vice President, Member

oons cold12butter 1/2 cup Chopped almonds Give and Grow in action 22 Arbors in Action

Board of Directors Terry L. Garner, Chair

Mark A. Wills, Vice Chair

Stephanie R. Andresen | Donna K. Baker |

Russell E. Cunningham | Margaret M.S. Noe | Daniel R. Sutton

Frank Dick, Chairman Emeritus Supreme Arbor Officers Dick Hadden, Supreme Chief Gleaner

Norma Garner, Supreme Vice Chief Gleaner Linda Ruehrmund, Supreme Chaplain Deborah Rydberg, Supreme Conductor Cheryl Jones, Supreme Guard National Headquarters

ven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine dry ingredients in large 5200 West U.S. Highway 223 P.O. Box 1894 ng a pastry knife, cut in 8 T. cold butter. Measure out half and half, add extract and egg and stir Adrian, Michigan 49221-7894 stir into flour mixture. You may need to add 2-3 tablespoons of half and half if too dry. Stir in p 517.263.2244 or 800.992.1894 nuts. Knead dough in a little flour until smooth. Cut dough into four sections, flattening each f 517.265.7745 o a 6-inch circle and cut into six to eight wedges and place on cookie sheet. Brush with egg www.gleanerlife.org forum@gleanerlife.org garnish with raw sugar.

Forum Magazine is produced quarterly at Gleaner’s Home Office by Dustin Everden, Mark Lenz, Chuck Monahan,

Julie Tison and Abigail Wright.

For questions regarding this publication, please email forum@gleanerlife.org. minutes until golden.

Cool.

Store in container.

Hours Monday - Friday: 8 a.m. - 4:45 p.m. EST

Thoughts from the president Dear valued Gleaner members: We sure hope that you and your families had a Happy Thanksgiving, a very Merry CHRISTmas, and are off to a great start in the New Year!

You will be pleased to know the Society achieved outstanding results in 2020, despite the twin challenges of continued low interest rates and COVID-19 pandemicrelated “opportunities.” Keeping our employees safe and complying with all the various county and state orders has been difficult to say the least. At the time of this writing, we are headed in reverse with respect to progress on containing the virus, and we all are thankful for the promising vaccinations being distributed for our protection in 2021.

Continued strong growth in our life insurance new business premiums, as well as good growth in our annuity new business premiums, were the highlights of the year, in addition to record-setting member surplus levels nearing $125 million. The impact of COVID-19 on our bottom line has been relatively minor thankfully. We will report our full year, audited 2020 financial results in the spring issue of Forum Magazine.

As we enter 2021, we again have ambitious plans to grow our beloved Society through providing life insurance and annuity financial solutions that help ensure, or at a minimum enhance, the financial security of our members.

We endeavor to do so through our quality independent agent advisers. If you’d like to have a comprehensive review of your financial situation after the topsy-turvy 2020 we have all experienced, please contact your independent agent listed on the back of your Forum Magazine. You’ll be glad you did!

Wishing you, your families, and your friends a healthy and blessed 2021!

Fraternally, Kevin A. Marti President & CEO

We fully expect to maintain our current “A-” financial strength ratings with a “Stable” outlook from both A.M. Best and KBRA when they complete their rating analysis.

The life insurance industry overall has been on a “negative” outlook from A.M. Best for most of 2020. So holding our own at “Stable” is an achievement in and of itself.

Peter Drucker was quoted as saying: “Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results, not attributes.”

We’d like to congratulate two senior officers who are known to provide effective leadership on their recent promotions approved by the Board of Directors at their November 16, 2020, Board meeting: •

Jaime Linden, Vice President, Member and Community Engagement

•

Tony Golden, Senior Vice President, Sales.

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Scholarship Foundation seeks new applicants, supporters Scholarship applications due by Feb. 1 for Gleaner membership benefit “Not having to worry about how I am going to pay for a portion of school really allowed me to choose a school where I belong and can get the most out of my education.” That’s how Amy Higgins, a senior pre-med student at Western Michigan University, says her 2019 Gleaner scholarship is helping her to pursue her dreams of being an emergency department physician. “It has helped me not hold back and have the confidence and courage to do what is best for me and my education.”

For Carter Copes, his 2019 Gleaner scholarship helped him double major in Actuarial Science and Mathematics while reaching new levels at the University of Iowa.

“No one in my family has ever attended a Big Ten university, nor a university outside of Illinois before,” Copes explained. “I definitely hope to not be the last. My hope is to work and help my children, grandchildren, and so on as well as the children in my community reach these same levels.”

Madelene Kish is using a 2018 scholarship at Lourdes University to fulfill a dream. “The Gleaner Life Insurance Scholarship has given me the ability to pursue my dream of becoming a pediatric oncology nurse,” Kish related. “After watching my youngest brother fight for his life with a cancer diagnosis, I was inspired to become a nurse to care for our littlest warriors. This scholarship is giving me the chance to fight for those who do not have a voice.”

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Gleaner Scholarship Foundation involvement also is vital on the giving side, first demonstrated by the Craughwell family of Joliet, Illinois. Linda Craughwell played the organ at many Gleaner conventions during the 1960s and ’70s. She even took an 11-piece orchestra once to perform for Illinois arbor activities in West Lockport, Foss and DuPage Valley. In 1980 she donated $10,000 for the Foundation's first fund on behalf of herself, her late husband John, and their son Bob. Since that time, thousands of students have benefited from the Gleaner Scholarship Foundation. Another class of applicants will be chosen in 2021, and the deadline to apply to join them is Feb. 1, 2021.

Educating the next generation has always been a priority for the Society. The very first Gleaner news edition in 1894 contained a front-page discussion of offering one scholarship. After scholarships were revived with a foundation in 1980, there were five $1,000 scholarships awarded. Last year, the Society awarded 100 one-time scholarships for $2,250 each. The list of winners filled seven pages of Fall 2020's Forum Magazine.

Although the program has grown tremendously over four decades, today's application process is less complicated thanks to online processing.

Scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis.

In addition to applicants' academic record, judging evaluates their activities and community involvement. An essay and character evaluation survey are also part of the judging. Scholarship opportunities also have included non-traditional students such as those returning to college later in life or seeking vocational training. Today's requirements are that applicants: Be a Gleaner benefit member (an insured of a life insurance or annuity certificate).

Be a high school senior or high school graduate.

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Either attend or plan to attend an accredited vocational/technical school, college, university or graduate school within the United States; and Enroll as a full-time student taking 12 or more semester credit hours.

Have a minimum grade point average of 2.5.

Students can visit www.gleanerlife.org/scholarships to apply.

Gleaner scholarships have become one of the Society's most popular and valuable benefits.

Over the decades, more than $3 million has been awarded and invested in growing our membership into the leaders of today as well as tomorrow. You can help continue the tradition whether as a recipient or as a donor. Members can assist the Foundation with charitable giving now or as part of their estate planning. Both options may offer tax deductions.

It was at 1979’s 39th Biennial Convention in Toledo — the first under then president Frank Dick — that the scholarship program was announced. The new president credited his education paid for by the G.I. Bill of Rights after World War II with helping him launch his career. Gleaner Board Vice Chairman Leonard Davis introduced the “2 in 1” Gleaner Scholarship and Loan program to Toledo delegates, saying, “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if, someday in the future, a famous doctor or scientist could look back on a career of helping people and know that a Gleaner scholarship had made it all possible?"

With your involvement, scholarships can help another 40 years of Gleaner members build careers that benefit all of us. To learn more about funding Gleaner scholarships through charitable donations, contact Gleaner Life Insurance Society’s Community Engagement Department at Scholarships@gleanerlife.org.

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Dig in now for

spring gardens

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Summer gardens and fall harvests seem distant during cold winters, but now is the perfect season to prepare.

It could be time for special projects, such as building raised beds, or for purchasing seeds or growing seedlings indoors. Depending on your region’s climate, certain varieties may be ready for planting now.

No matter where you live, a vegetable garden is a healthy way to add fresh produce for yourself and others. It might be a large plot in the backyard, or a few plants on windowsills. You could join with a church or with other local residents to set up a community garden. Or, if none of these is practical, you might start looking now for a local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program in which a farmer sells “shares” of his produce. Each consumer’s share usually consists of weekly or semi-weekly boxes or bags of vegetables or other produce. It’s a different way to enjoy fresh food throughout the growing season and support local agriculture.

If you do decide to grow some of your own vegetables, here are a few things to consider doing now.

Plotting a plot Finding a place to plant if you don’t have one already is a key winter activity. Soil is the most important factor, and you can learn about your prospective site.

Check its pH, mineral levels and moisture suitability with a soil test. These can signal necessary changes — such as adding minerals like calcium, potassium, lime or garden sulphur — as well as which type of plants the soil will best sustain. For example, root vegetables such as carrots grow better in areas without lots of fertilizer, which tends to expand their above-ground foliage at the expense of their root. In other areas, spreading a top dressing of compost can add nutrients to garden soil and help retain moisture, key steps to increasing summer production. www.gleanerlife.org

You may not have a lot of space or time, but don’t let that stop you. Square foot gardening (SFG) is one option. It can provide up to 16 different planting areas in a 4-foot by 4-foot grid system that’s usually made of wood. Because you fill the compartments with potting soil or compost, SFG can overcome problems with poor soil or drainage. The soil stays warmer, which allows earlier planting. Other SFG benefits include less time to manage, easy access, fewer seeds and dense planting that offers less space for weeds to germinate and take root. You’ll want to start soon to build grids as well as frames or netting to enable some plants (cucumbers or squash) to grow vertically.

If you’ve planted before and plan to use the same area, it’s a good idea to rotate where you locate your plants.

Putting the same types in the same place year after year tends to deplete key nutrients from the soil and makes it easier for pests and soil-borne diseases to gain a foothold. To help avoid this, rotate the major groups among four main areas. One common rotation is to move brassicas (cabbage, cauliflower and kale) to the location you previously grew and composted legumes (beans and peas). The brassicas thrive from nitrogen gradually added to the soil by the old legumes’ biomass.

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Upgrading your access Bending over for long periods all summer can be tiring or, for people with limited mobility, impossible.

One way to not deal with that this summer is by assembling raised planting beds now. These can be built high enough so that people who use wheelchairs can enjoy a garden’s rigors. (Similarly, attaching a plywood bottom to an SFG can allow those gardens to be raised to table height.)

Wood, cinderblocks, stone or brick are materials commonly used to build a raised bed at least 12 inches high. If situated on bare ground, the bottom should be covered with chicken wire or a similar barrier to keep out gophers or other pests. Pick a location that receives at least six hours of sunlight but don’t plan to put them on a wooden deck. Their weight when filled with water and soil can collapse wooden structures.

Most vegetables are suitable for raised beds except for most varieties of corn, which become too tall to harvest. Plant seeds in raked and leveled compost or good potting soil.

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Seedlings can be a start Many gardeners start plants from seeds indoors to get a head start before harsh winter weather has ended outdoors. Some of the most popular plants for starting indoors include lettuce, tomatoes, cabbage, cucumber, peppers, broccoli, eggplant and watermelon. This can offer other advantages as well. Seeds are less expensive than starter plants, and a gardener has control over the organic growing processes. www.gleanerlife.org

Transplanting the seedlings outside depends on when the last frost and warmer temperatures arrive. Timing is important. Gardeners don’t want to move seedlings before they develop enough to survive transplanting — often shown after the plant has sprouted three or four of its own leaves — but also don’t want to wait until the seedlings become root bound indoors.

Know your zone Where you live and when your final frost occurs dictates how soon most outdoor planting can begin. The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map at https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/ has a ZIP code-based search for your local growing zone. For example, most of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio are Zone 6A or 6B, with northern portions in Zone 5.

Cabbage seeds planted in Zone 6 in February are typically the earliest that can be planted outdoors,

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followed in March by kale, onions, celery, broccoli, spinach, radish and peas. In April, plants that can usually go in the ground include carrots, lettuce and beets. In May, this zone may see sweet potatoes, potatoes and squash being sown.

Other zones vary considerably. Florida, for instance, features Zones 8-11 and in south Florida many vegetables such as lettuce and carrots are planted in the fall. Different varieties of plants may be better suited to the summer heat so, wherever you live, check with your local farm extension office for detailed advice on your specific area.

Whether your 2021 goals are to eat more veggies, spend quality time outside, add some exercise, or just watch the beauty of nature, starting a garden now can help you grow a lot.

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2021 Board election process review Giving members a voice

As a fraternal benefit society, Gleaner is owned and governed by its members (the insured or annuitant on a Gleaner certificate) through a representative form of government. Gleaner’s arbors (local service clubs) play a vital role in the Society’s leadership by electing delegates to represent their arbor at our Biennial Convention. Depending on the number of members assigned to an arbor, the arbor has the opportunity to send up to three delegates to the convention. These delegates will come together to elect board members, vote on changes to Gleaner’s Constitution and discuss the state of Gleaner Life Insurance Society during the business meeting on Oct. 23, 2021. With a board composed of Society members who have been elected by their fellow members, the financial security and other fraternal needs of our membership are always at the forefront of the decision-making and actions of Gleaner’s leadership team.

According to Gleaner’s Constitution — Article 3, Section 2: "Each local Arbor shall be entitled to elect one of its members to represent such local Arbor at the meeting of the Supreme Arbor for each one hundred members or major fraction thereof, provided that no such Arbor may have more than three delegates. The basis of total membership in an Arbor for purposes of representation in the Supreme Arbor shall be determined from the records at the headquarters of the Society as of December 31 of the year prior to the regular meeting of the Supreme Arbor. Any Arbor subsequently formed and approved by the Board of Directors shall be entitled to one delegate."

If you are interested in serving as a delegate, please contact your arbor leadership.

Board qualifications According to the Gleaner Constitution, members of the Board of Directors must be members of the Society who are in good standing for at least two consecutive years and are at least 21 years of age and less than 72 years of age. However, an individual is ineligible to be elected to the Board of Directors if at any point in the four-year period preceding the 10

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election he or she is or has been: •

A licensed life insurance agent of any company

•

An employee of the Society

The Gleaner board has approved Director Qualification Guidelines, which state that directors should be selected for their belief in the Society mission and purposes, and personal attributes and values that embody those of the Society, as well as specific skills and areas of expertise. Universal attributes expected of all directors include: an ability to think strategically and independently, personal integrity, good communication and listening skills, and a commitment to accountability and sound judgment.

Desired skills and expertise include: •

10-plus years of senior/executive-level experience in business management or organizational leadership

•

Corporate board and/or not-for-profit board experience

•

A commitment to increase one’s knowledge and understanding of the work of the board and the issues affecting the Society in the complicated 21st-century business environment

•

A demonstrated commitment and leadership in fraternalism and/or volunteerism

Further, with the changes in 2019 to laws involving corporate governance and disclosure, prospective directors should understand the critical role of good governance, including working for the collective good of the Society and its membership, assuring accountability and oversight to the members who have entrusted the Society with $1.3 billion of their assets under management, while also working at a board policy level on the complex issues of the day.

Board nomination process Gleaner’s Nominating Committee, composed of members selected by the Board of Directors, facilitates the board nomination process by reviewing applications from those who have expressed an interest in serving. The committee interviews qualified candidates and, after thorough review www.gleanerlife.org

and discussion, recommends a slate of nominees to the board. The board reviews the committee’s recommendations and approves the final slate. The nominees are presented to the membership in the summer issue of Forum Magazine and also published online at www.gleanerlife.org, giving members and delegates a chance to review them prior to the Biennial Convention. The candidates’ names are included on the election ballot for the business meeting at the convention.

If you are interested in being considered for a position on Gleaner’s Board of Directors, please contact Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer and Secretary Deb Elliott at delliott@gleanerlife.org to discuss the process and your qualifications. Applicants must consent in writing to a background check, pursuant to Article 2, Section 5 of Gleaner's Constitution and By-Laws. You can then request a link to the online Nomination Form that you will need to complete to be considered by the Nominating Committee. The deadline for submitting the form and your credentials with your resume is Wednesday, March 31, 2021. The Senior Management team, the Nominating Committee and the Board of Directors are equally committed to ensuring that prospective candidates are given due consideration and that qualified candidates are nominated to further the mission, values, current priorities and core work of the board going forward.

Election process On Saturday morning, Oct. 23, 2021, arbor delegates, guests and members will attend Gleaner's business meeting. Delegates will elect board members and vote on proposed changes, if any, to Gleaner's Constitution. Any proposed changes will be published in the summer issue of Forum Magazine.

During the election of board members, each delegate’s eligibility to vote will first be confirmed prior to being given a ballot. There are four board positions up for election in 2021. The marked ballots are returned to the Teller Committee, which records the results. The individuals elected by a majority of the voting delegates are sworn in and begin their four-year terms as Gleaner board members. Watch for the spring issue of Forum Magazine to learn more about Gleaner’s 60th Biennial Convention at Belterra Resort & Casino in Florence, Indiana.

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T HE CALL Give and Grow Service Project Grant

blessed It is more

to

Caleigh Kosarue and her sisters wanted to assist homeless pets.

They sought Give and Grow funding to make blankets that a shelter can send with the pets when they're adopted.

Jacob Wolf saw a way to help make teaching safer during the COVID-19 pandemic. He applied for a Give and Grow grant to develop a portable whiteboard that teachers can use outdoors.

Laura Strzelewicz wanted to help people in need. Her Give and Grow project is assisting community members to get their clothing and bedding clean at a laundromat.

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GIVE...

All three of these Society members showed how individuals can make a difference in their own community by using Give and Grow. That sort of initiative is needed more than ever, and right now Gleaner Life Insurance Society is making it more rewarding than ever.

During the first quarter of 2021 ( January 1-March 31), any member who applies for a Give and Grow project will be entered into a drawing.

Gleaner will select one winner who will receive $1,000 to be given to the charity of their choice. The project also will be shared with our members, agents and staff.

receive. ...than to

Acts 20:35 www.gleanerlife.org

Jacob Wolf ’s project in Youngstown, Ohio, showed how members can help their local community meet sudden opportunities. The pandemic made outdoor activities preferable for safety, and some schools wanted to move classes outside if feasible. One obstacle was the lack of teaching equipment suitable for outdoors. Wolf went to work with a Give and Grow project.

“In July and August at our home, we constructed the whiteboard for the teachers to use at Boardman Glenwood Junior High School,” he wrote. “In August, we prepped some of the fence work, and on Aug. 17, we went to BGJHS to construct the fenced-in area in the courtyard of BGJHS for the Hope Club to use to store their supplies. It took us three days. On Aug. 21, the sign company finally had the cling ready, and we helped install it on the window looking into the fenced in area.”

Caleigh Kosarue and her sisters thought of ways to help homeless pets make the transition from the Adrian, Michigan, shelter to their “forever homes” a little easier for them, shelter staff and adoptive families. Their project took place Aug. 15.

“My family and I made blankets and donated them to the Lenawee Humane Society,” Kosarue reported. “Each blanket was designed in an animal

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theme with the intent that the pets would take their blanket with them to their forever home upon adoption. … We really enjoyed this experience.

Thank you for the opportunity.”

Laura Strzelewicz of Caro, Michigan, found a never-ending need that’s even more important during a pandemic — clean laundry.

“I would like to help people with their laundry needs at the laundromat,” she wrote in her application. “I plan to purchase detergent and dryer sheets and, if possible, pay for some of their laundry machines to run. I am planning to seek a donation from our local Walmart to try help even more people.”

Which situations have you seen in your community that you could make better?

Apply for a Give and Grow grant. Members who own a Gleaner life insurance or annuity certificate and are at least 12 years of age are eligible. The process is easy. Rules requiring additional volunteers for projects have been suspended due to pandemic social distancing guidelines, and you may be able to use funds to directly assist charitable groups. If you have questions, email giveandgrow@gleanerlife.org or call 800.992.1894. Apply online at www.gleanerlife.org/giveandgrow.

#giveandgrow

*Gleaner Life Insurance Society is licensed in AZ, FL, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MI, MO, NE, OH, PA, TN, VA, WI & WV.

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alentine's Day cards, boxes of chocolates, a special dinner, flowers, clothing, accessories and jewelry.

Each of these helps communicate our feelings for the people we love while we share life together. No matter how we define them, our families bring us joy — and we often admire people who guard them the way a lion protects his pride, or a mother bear protects her cubs.

“Love,” writes author Ron Hill Sr., “is a commitment to protecting another person's heart with the same passion you use to guard your own.”

Guarding their heart, however, isn’t enough if a protector overlooks their loved ones' other needs.

Each needs such basics as food, shelter and clothing.

How will we express that love or protection on the inevitable day when death or disability threaten our promises to “always be there”? A box of old cards or special bracelets can't protect our loved ones from the expenses they must face throughout a future without us.

For thousands of years, people have grappled with the challenge of what we should leave for those we want to protect. The Bible contrasts those who fail to protect (2 Kings 4:1 “My husband is dead and the creditor has come to take my children as slaves”) with those who set up protection in advance (Proverbs 13:22 “A good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children.”)

PROTECTING OUR

LOVED

The ability of life insurance to protect our loved ones was obvious more than 200 years ago when Benjamin Franklin wrote, “A policy of life insurance is the cheapest and safest mode of making a certain provision for one’s family.”

The temptation, however, is to wait until we think we'll need retirement or estate planning when we're older. By that time, however, life insurance becomes more expensive to purchase — assuming it's even available. The best time to buy coverage to protect our loved ones is when we're healthy.

ONES 14

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Unfortunately, many people do wait until later to seek full protection. According to insurance group LIMRA, only 59% of Americans had life insurance in 2020 before the U.S. experienced the COVID-19 pandemic. And most of those who did have life insurance were covered only by a standard group policy offered by an employer.

Such policies end when switching jobs and might pay only one year of the employee’s earnings. On average, according to LIMRA, people with this type of coverage face an insurance gap of about $225,000.

The survey also found 36% of respondents planned to buy life insurance in the next 12 months, but this meant that many of their loved ones were without coverage while COVID-19 surged. Not having this protection adds to the stress American families are facing. By not purchasing cash value insurance while time is on their side, they miss out on the growth possible from fixed or indexed accounts. Not maintaining insurance also increases a person's likelihood of needing medical exams and facing reclassification when they reapply later.

of matrimony with only workplace group life insurance coverage — if even that. Such policies may leave little more than enough to pay funeral expenses. The surviving spouse is left with little means to stay afloat.

Consider some of these practical ways to say, “I love you”:

•

Making sure to have enough insurance to pay for existing debts including a house mortgage and vehicle loans. This rescues your spouse from potential added burdens of being forced to move to a smaller home in a different neighborhood, possibly uprooted from friends and church at a time when those support systems are needed most.

•

Providing income for household expenses.

This not only means food, utilities and clothing but — especially if the surviving spouse must become a single provider — childcare and housekeeping.

•

Having enough to cover unexpected costs, both now and in the future. Permanent life insurance provides cash value that can be used if needed while the insured is alive. Future savings also are important to protect a surviving spouse from unbudgeted small problems that grow until they become major expenses. Over time, savings become the difference between surprises and disasters.

•

Replacing Social Security or other income may be a factor, especially for couples at or near retirement age who don't have time to catch up their savings. A surviving spouse usually is forced to survive on about half the Social Security income that a couple relies on to pay their expenses.

Most of the survivor's expenses, however, will not decrease.

Life insurance also is a more affordable protection than people realize. The same LIMRA study found that people think life insurance is three times more expensive than it actually is.

Millennials in particular overestimated the cost, with 50% believing that coverage for a $250,000 level-term life insurance policy for a healthy 30-year-old would cost $1,000 or more per year when the true cost is about $160 annually.

Our spouse

Purchasing a cruise with their spouse is one of the ways couples find fun and fulfillment. A cruise ship is not allowed to sail internationally, however, without enough propelled and at least partially covered lifeboats to accommodate everyone aboard. Protection is required by law. Yet most couples embark on the ocean

www.gleanerlife.org

Forum Magazine \ Winter 2021 \

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Our parents

Many of us are blessed to still have our parents with us. They protected us when we were young.

As they age, protecting them becomes more important. Life insurance can help in a variety of ways. For single adults, parents may be the only family. Naming them as the life insurance beneficiary would help the parents if anything happened to their son or daughter. This is the sort of practical care emphasized in the Bible (“Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

— 1 Timothy 5:8).

To protect the family, it also remains important that elderly parents have their own life insurance coverage. As the parents age, children may face a variety of challenges including taking time away from work to care for a sick parent, or providing long-term care if other options are not available.

The death of a parent may also carry costs for the children, including: •

Paying off the parent’s mortgage if they shared a primary residence, vacation home or family farm with children.

•

Paying off a loan if children co-signed.

•

If one parent survives, helping them move to assisted living or a nursing home.

Protecting the family may mean children help pay existing premiums. There are more stringent qualification requirements in applying for life insurance for your parents, including their knowledge and consent, but this may also be a good idea. Check with an agent to determine whether a term life, whole life, or other type of policy best meets your needs.

Our children

Children are deeply affected by the loss of one parent, let alone two. Life insurance can help soften the death of a parent by not uprooting their entire life. Suitable coverage may enable the surviving family to remain in familiar surroundings as they cope with grief. Education may continue. College funding can be set aside. A surviving parent may be able to avoid becoming a full-time income earner. Life insurance proceeds may be set up as a tax-free inheritance.

Life insurance also can protect children or grandchildren in an entirely different way.

Purchasing a children’s policy — such as Gleaner Life’s Just For Kids® term life insurance that covers their life from age 1 month through 17 years — gives them the gift of insurability later in life. A child has protection even if a serious health condition develops. And, later in life, the term certificate can be converted to permanent life insurance of up to $50,000 without a medical exam.

The process of protecting our loved ones continues for as long as we’re alive, but purchasing a policy is the key step. After that, make sure the coverage is appropriate as big changes occur such as a new home or a new child. One way to estimate future needs is by using a free calculator such as one at lifehappens.org. Another is to visit with your Gleaner agent. If you don’t have an agent, find one at gleanerlife.org/agents.

As with all insurance, the sooner you purchase the less risk you face of a serious health crisis later making coverage more expensive or difficult to obtain.

Just For Kids Certificate form number ICC14-JFK and state-specific variations.

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\ Winter 2021 \ Forum Magazine

www.gleanerlife.org

Honoring the Gold Star Gleaners

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75 years after WWII, remembering 130 Society members who gave all

On Sept. 2, 1945, Japanese officials signed surrender documents aboard the U.S. battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay to formally end World War II, the deadliest war in human history. By some estimates, the war killed as many as 80 million people. Thousands of Gleaner Life Insurance Society members left home to answer the call of freedom. Of those, 130 members died in military service.

They were known as the Gold Star Gleaners.

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Gleaner Life encouraged members to support the Allies’ cause. Home Office members served, Victory Gardens were planted, and resources were rationed. Perhaps most important, the Society waived the war exclusions attached to many insurance policies and paid face amounts for members who died in military service. This helped many families survive the death of a loved one. Next of kin often received little information. Some were told only that their son had died “somewhere in France.” Gleaner members were in fact involved in many of the war’s notable actions.

At least one was at Pearl Harbor and at least two survived the infamous Bataan Death March, only to die later. Many died liberating Italy, France and the Philippines. Some service members were lost in icy waters off Greenland, others in China, India and the jungles of New Guinea. One was age 47; another was 17. In 1949, as more was learned, the Society printed an honor roll listing all 130.

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This tribute provides more details, gathered from hundreds of sources. The first 43 claimants are listed in the following pages. Others will be printed in this year’s future Forum editions: www.gleanerlife.org

Forum Magazine \ Winter 2021 \

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1. Harold Spangler, Sugar Ridge Arbor (OH) Pilot Officer Harold LeRoy Spangler was killed Sept. 17, 1942, serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force in Scotland. “First Gleaner War Claim Paid on Ohio Member,” read the headline in the Gleaner Forum. “From his Wing Commander came word of the death of Pilot Officer Harold LeRoy Spangler who, as a member of the crew of an aircraft, lost his life during flying operations near Bladenock, Wigtownshire, Scotland… . This young man, who had been interested in flying for some time, joined the Canadian Air Force before the United States entered the war and had not transferred at the time of his death.

He had been a member of Sugar Ridge Arbor for a little over two years. Funeral services took place at 1:30 p.m. September 21, at Kirkinner Cemetery (in) Wigtownshire, Scotland. The sympathy of the membership goes to the youth’s mother, Mrs. Catherine Armitage.” Spangler was 28 when the Avro Anson twinengine plane he was piloting crashed half a mile from Wigtownshire’s airfield.

He also left a wife, Anna Harvey Spangler.

2. Duane Jackson, Eaton Rapids Arbor (MI) Army Pvt. Duane Jackson was killed Oct. 17, 1942, in a motorcycle accident at Camp Cook, California, where he was receiving tank corps desert training. He had been drafted and enlisted at Fort Custer, Michigan, March 9, 1942. Jackson was 27 and had worked as a farm laborer. He was survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Hebert L. Jackson of Eaton Rapids. Gleaner District Manager Russell L. Jones assisted the parents in preparing proofs that were delayed due to difficulty contacting Jackson’s commanding officer, whose unit was constantly moving.

3. Richard W. Vogel, Alpine Arbor (MI) Army Pvt. Richard W. Vogel died Sept. 6, 1942, traveling to an Army air base for training. He was treated at the Salt Lake City Army Air Base in Utah. Vogel, 38, was a farmer and a Society member of more than 20 years. He enlisted Aug. 20, 1942, at Kalamazoo, Michigan. He is buried at Holy Trinity Cemetery in Comstock Park, Michigan. His father, John Jacob Vogel, had also suffered the death of his wife in June of 1942.

4. Franklin Gilliland, Harrison Arbor (OH) Army Cpl. Franklin P. Gilliland was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for gallantry. He was listed killed in action Nov. 9, 1942, in a notification to his mother, Leah Gilliland. Cpl. Gilliland was serving with the 26th Infantry Regiment of the 1st Infantry Division. On Nov. 8, the division had launched the Allies’ amphibious landing at Oran, Algeria, as part of the start of Operation Torch, the liberation of North Africa. Gilliland is buried in the North Africa American Cemetery and Memorial in Carthage, Tunis, Tunisia. When he had joined Harrison Arbor in 1940, he was working on the family farm east of Napoleon, Ohio. He was born in 1917 and was survived by his parents, two brothers and two sisters.

5. Dale Aldrich Wolfrom, Laingsburg Arbor (MI) Navy seaman 2nd class Dale A. Wolfrom, age 27, was aboard the cruiser USS Quincy when it was sunk by Japanese ships in the Battle of Savo Island. He originally was reported “missing in action since Aug. 9, 1942” by the War Department. In early 1943, Gleaner Forum noted: “To date, the War Department has furnished no proofs, and Mrs. Wolfrom is informed that she may not be able to establish this claim until after the war is over.” However, Gleaner Life did resolve the issue within a few months, paying the insurance policy Dale had purchased. It listed his parents as beneficiaries. Wolfrom entered the service Nov. 9, 1940. Less than a year later, on Nov. 1, 1941, his father died, adding to the shock suffered by his mother. The October 1943 Forum carried this letter from her: “Dear Society: Yours received and many thanks for same. I don’t know how to thank you as words can’t express my feelings. I am so glad my son thought of his parents — he must have known he could do no more — and that he might never come back. … Thanks again. – Dale’s Mother, Nellie Wolfrom.”

31. Frederick William George Hollweg, Armada Arbor (MI) Navy Ensign “Fred” Hollweg was killed during training when the torpedo bomber he was piloting crashed at sea April 12, 1944, returning to Boca Chica, Florida. Wreckage from the three-man plane, including its empty life raft, was found in the ocean 15 miles from Key West. Hollweg, 19, had been 5 years old when his parents purchased a Junior Gleaner policy in the Armada Arbor near their home in Armada, Michigan.

32. George B. Stahl, Lowell Arbor (IN) Army Cpl. George “Bernard” Stahl, 27, was killed in action “somewhere in Italy” on June 3, 1944. He had enlisted 11 months before the war. He took part in the North Africa and Sicily campaigns as a tank crewman with the 13th Armored Regiment before going to Italy with the Fifth Army. Earlier in Italy, he had been surprised to meet one of his two other brothers, Sgt. Leonard Stahl, who also was in the Army but neither had known where the other was serving. Bernard had become a member of Lowell Arbor when he was 19 and assisting his father, Ray, on the farm. He later worked in the Gary steel mills. His beneficiary was his mother, Laura Stahl of Lowell.

33. Herbert E. Lee, Seven Lakes Arbor (IN) Marine Corps Pfc. Herbert Elton Lee was killed in action June 14, 1944, in the Pacific. He was fighting with Company K of the 3rd Battalion of the 24th Marine Regiment on the island of Saipan. He was survived by two sisters and his parents, Henry E. and Carrie Lee. Herbert Lee had received a Junior Gleaner policy at age 2. The Seven Lakes Arbor was located in Plymouth, Indiana, where he is buried. Lee was age 19 years and 7 months.

34. Richard L. Wood, Butternut Brook Arbor (MI) Army Pvt. Richard L. Wood, 28, was killed in action June 5, 1944, serving with the 32nd “Red Arrow” Infantry Division at Yakamul, New Guinea. Wood had enlisted in April 1941 at Kalamazoo. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank E. Wood, all members of the Butternut Brook Arbor at Covert, Michigan. He is buried at Arlington Hill Cemetery in Bangor, Michigan.

35. Charles H. Johnson, Hartford Arbor (MI) Army First Lt. Charles H. Johnson, age 24, was killed in action fighting in Italy with the 339th Infantry Regiment, the MichiganWisconsin “Polar Bear Regiment.” He was killed June 2, 1944 — three days before the regiment and the 85th Infantry Division liberated Rome. He had been a member of the Hartford Arbor since age 9. He was survived by his father and one sister. Johnson is buried in the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial in Nettuno, Italy.

36. Ellis Ray Shaffer, Chester Arbor (OH) Ellis R. Shaffer was an Army Air Force Technician Fourth Grade when he was killed July 2, 1944, at Hollandia, New Guinea, “as a result of injuries received in an accidental bomb explosion.” Shaffer, 23, had been serving as a turret gunner for a medium bomber. Shaffer had been a member of the Chester Arbor for three years. He entered the service in August 1942. Prior to enlisting, he was employed by North Electric Co. of Galion, Ohio, at its assembling plant, wiring panels for telephone and radio communication for airplanes. He was survived by his mother, Icelina Shaffer, of Mt. Gilead, Ohio.

37. Wendell R. Tabler, Channahon Arbor (IL) Army Pfc. Wendell Ray Tabler, 24, of Channahon, Illinois, was the first Gleaner Gold Star casualty from Illinois. His parents received two telegrams within days from the War Department. The first reported that he had been seriously wounded in France on July 15, 1944. The second reported his death on July 16. Tabler entered the Army in 1942. He took part in the North African campaign with the 2nd Armored Division, the invasion of Sicily, and the Normandy campaign. He was written for a Junior membership in 1934, and worked as an electrician at the Elwood Ordnance Plant. He was survived by his parents and a married sister. He is buried in Channahon’s Willard Grove Cemetery.

6. Millard V. Buskard, Bellwood Arbor (MI) Army Pvt. Millard K. Buskard, 21, was reported killed in action Dec. 12, 1942, near Buna, New Guinea. Buskard was with the 126th Infantry Regiment in the 32nd Infantry Division, which was engaged in the two-month Battle of Buna to push Japanese forces off the eastern coast of New Guinea. Buskard had joined the Michigan National Guard in 1940. He had been a member of the Bellwood Arbor in Stanwood, Michigan, for only 19 months when he was killed.

He is interred at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines.

7. Frederick F. Hammer, Maumee Arbor (OH) Navy Petty Officer Third Class Frederick F. Hammer, 25, was declared dead in the crash of a Navy PBY-5 Catalina seaplane Jan. 10, 1943, off Bermuda.

Hammer, an Aviation Machinist’s Mate, and the other eight crewmen from patrol squadron VP-52 were never located. Hammer resided in Defiance, Ohio, but had joined the Maumee Arbor about three years prior to his death when he began one of his first jobs. He was survived by his parents, Carroll and Hazel Hammer of Defiance, as well as two brothers and a sister.

8. Lester Simkins, Gary Arbor (IN) Marine Pfc. Lester C. Simkins died Feb. 7, 1943, when a PB4Y-1 Liberator airplane he was a gunner aboard crashed on a photo reconnaissance mission half a mile after takeoff from Espiritu Santo island in the Pacific. The bodies of the 12 crewmen were never recovered. Simkins, 19, had received a Junior Policy six years prior. He learned to fly in Lansing, Illinois, and finished second in his aerial gunnery class. He was survived by his mother, Harriet, plus five brothers, a sister and three half-brothers. He was remembered with a church memorial service and a Gold Star at Hammond Technical High School.

9. Donald V. Ruth, Delaware Arbor (OH) Army Pvt. Donald V. Ruth, 24, of Marion, Ohio, was killed in action in North Africa. He died Jan. 31, 1943, in Tunisia with the 168th Infantry Regiment, which fought that day at the Battle of Sened Station. He had joined Delaware Arbor in 1938 while living at home in Marion, Ohio, and working at a gasoline station. He formally enlisted on Oct. 21, 1941, before Pearl Harbor and earned an Army sharpshooter’s qualification badge. His regiment took part in the North Africa invasion. In addition to his parents, Ruth was survived by a brother in the Navy and three sisters.

10. Clyde L. Lownes, Bonne et Belle Arbor (IN) Army Air Corps Staff Sgt. Clyde L. Lownes died March 15, 1943, while stationed at Pyote, Texas. He died while undergoing a scheduled tonsillectomy. Lownes, 29, had been a member of the Bonne et Belle Arbor for more than 12 years. He was a native of Indiana, born in Manteno and buried in Fulton. He was survived by his father, a sister, a half-sister and a half-brother, Harvey Hubert, who was serving with the U.S. Navy in the Pacific at the time.

11. Dale D. Lewis, Elm Arbor (OH) Army Pfc. Dale D. Lewis, 21, died Jan. 3, 1943. Initially, his mother, Ziola Lewis of Whitehouse, Ohio, was told only that he died in the southwest Pacific. Lewis was killed in action with the 127th Infantry Regiment, part of the 32nd Infantry Division. At the time, the 127th was pushing Japanese forces off the eastern coast of New Guinea. Two months of fighting in hot jungles cost the under-supplied men of the 32nd Division 1,954 killed or wounded and another 2,952 hospitalized due to disease. Lewis is buried at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in Manila, Philippines.

12. Marvin F. Lamphier, Pontiac Arbor (MI) Army Air Corps Cadet Marvin F. Lamphier was killed in an airplane training crash Aug. 10, 1943, nine miles west of Waco, Texas. He had been chosen for training the winter before and assigned to Randolph Field, Texas. Lamphier, 22, was one of the charter members of the Junior Gleaner program when it had enough applicants to first issue policies Jan. 1, 1927. He was 5 when he became a Gleaner through the Pontiac Arbor. He was survived by his parents, Floyd and Evelyn Lamphier, and is buried at Lake Orion’s Eastlawn Cemetery.

13. Raymond E. Smith, Starke Arbor (OH) Army Pfc. Raymond E. Smith received the Silver Star after his death March 31, 1943, at the U.S. defeat at Kasserine Pass in the North African campaign. He was a member of Company G of the 168th Infantry Regiment. According to his Silver Star citation: “During the heaviest part of the action when the company communication lines were broken by enemy mortar and artillery fire, Private First Class Smith went out on a line repair patrol and although the enemy soon observed him and subjected him to intense mortar fire, he continued on his route, accomplished his mission, and was then mortally wounded by the enemy during mortar fire.” Smith, 27, had been a member of Starke Arbor for more than seven years. Prior to entering the military, he had worked as a grocery clerk and a gas station attendant in Warren, Ohio. He is buried at the North Africa America Cemetery and memorial in Carthage, Tunis, Tunisia.

14. Malcolm E. Mohler, Malinta Arbor (OH) U.S. Coastguardsman Malcom E. Mohler, 23, died aboard the Coast Guard’s ship USCGC Escanaba when it sank June 13, 1943, during convoy duty in the North Atlantic. Mohler had enlisted in the Coast Guard on Aug. 6, 1940, in Detroit. Three months after the U.S. entered the war, the ship was sent to Manitowoc, Wisconsin, to be armed to escort Atlantic convoys. The Escanaba crew also pioneered the use of rescue swimmers wearing rubber survival suits to retrieve freezing survivors from the sea, as well as techniques to revive them. Mohler’s duty was rolling depth charges during battle.

On Feb. 3, 1943, the Escanaba rescued 133 survivors of the USAT Dorchester after the troop ship was torpedoed by a German U-boat. Four months later, the Escanaba was escorting several ships off Ivigtut, Greenland, to Newfoundland when an explosion possibly caused by a mine quickly sank the ship. Only two of the 105 men aboard survived. Mohler had been born April 4, 1919, in Flatrock Township, Ohio. He graduated in 1937 from Malinta-Grelton High School.

15. Raymond T. Sharai, Sodus Arbor (MI) Army Pvt. Raymond T. Sharai died of a brain tumor in June 1943. He had been sent back from North Africa to the Bushnell Hospital in Brigham, Utah, where he died. Sharai, 27, was a resident of Benton Harbor and was known as a singer. He had been orphaned as a boy, and was raised by his aunt and uncle, Laura and Amos Thomas. He had enlisted in July of 1940 in Detroit. He was survived by his wife Mary, and a daughter. Eleven years prior to his death he had received a Gleaner policy written by his uncle, Gleaner District Manager Bert Sharai.

16. Charles F. Kline, Ottokee Arbor (OH) U.S. Army Air Corps Pvt. Charles F. Kline was killed Feb. 3, 1943, when the transport ship he was aboard, the USAT Dorchester, was torpedoed and sunk in the North Atlantic. The Dorchester’s sinking, about 100 miles off the coast of Greenland by a German U-boat, was one of the worst U.S. troop ship losses of the war. More than 670 died while 230 were rescued. Four Army chaplains handed out life vests to troops and, after running out, gave up their own vests and went down with the ship. Kline was awarded the Purple Heart and Good Conduct Medal.

Kline, 20, was a member of the Ottokee Arbor for more than four years. He had been attending school and assisting with farm work when he went into the service. Kline’s body was never recovered. He is listed on the Tablets of the Missing East Coast Memorial in New York City and at the Pettisville Union Cemetery in Pettisville.

17. Walter J. Johnston, Prairie View Arbor (OH) Army Staff Sgt. Walter J. Johnston was killed Aug. 4, 1943, when the B-17 he served aboard as a gunner crashed into a mountain in Wales. It was making a cross-country night training flight. The crew had flown numerous combat missions with the 427th Bomber Squadron of the 303rd Bomber Group, which was based in England at the Molesworth airfield. It struck the summit of Arenig Fawr, a 2,800 foot mountain in Snowdonia, Wales, located six miles west of Bala, Wales. Bala residents placed a marker honoring the eight crewmen killed, and over the years have continued to place wreaths at the site. Johnston, 25, had enlisted 14 months earlier in Toledo. He was survived by his mother, Dora B. Johnston of Wauseon, and had been a member of the Prairie View Arbor for two years.

18. Robert H. Danielson, Rolling Prairie Arbor (IN) Army Pvt. Robert H. Danielson died Sept. 9, 1943, at the Camp Thomas Army Hospital in Fort Thomas, Kentucky. His death was due to “pulmonary tuberculosis pneumothorax” that claimed him after seven days of treatment. He was 24, and a member of Company B of the 737th Military Police Battalion. Danielson had joined Rolling Prairie Arbor when he was 18 at the urging of Gleaner agent Claire Fail. Danielson is buried in the Greenwood Cemetery in Michigan City.

25. Stanley L. Hansen, Mutual Arbor (MI) Army Air Corps Pfc. Stanley L. Hansen of Ludington was killed Jan. 4, 1944, in an airplane accident in Jorhat, India. He had enlisted in 1942 in Kalamazoo, and had been a ground crew member for 13 months. He was survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Hansen of Victory Township, Michigan. Stanley, 20, had joined the Mutual Arbor at age 13. He is buried in South Victory Cemetery outside Ludington.

19. Lyle E. West, Gary Arbor (IN) Army Pfc. Lyle E. West died Sept. 9, 1943, on the Allies’ first day of landings during the invasion of Italy. West was with the 142nd Infantry Regiment, which fought its way onto the beaches around Salerno. West, 23, had been a member of Gary Arbor for four years prior to his death. He was survived by his parents, three brothers and four sisters. West is buried at Lake Village Cemetery in Lake Village, Indiana.

26. John A. Lilley, Lapeer Arbor (MI) Army 2nd Lt. John A. Lilley was reported killed Oct. 10, 1943, while parachuting from his damaged bomber after combat over northwest Germany. He was the bombardier aboard the B-17 “Tennessee Toddy” with the 401st Bomber Squadron of the 91st Bomber Group. It suffered mechanical loss of two engines on a mission to Munster, Germany, and crash landed near Apeldoorn in the Netherlands. Six of its crew were captured. Lilley, 20, had joined the Lapeer Arbor at age 7. He was a 1940 graduate of Lapeer High School, studied one year at Flint Junior College and worked at a machine gun factory prior to enlisting. He was survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Hazen Lilley. Lilley is buried at the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, Netherlands.

20. Maurice G. Kosier, Kunkle Arbor (OH) Army Air Force Cpl. Maurice G. “Push” Kosier was serving in India when he died Oct. 3, 1943, in an airplane crash in China. Nicknamed “Push” for his athletic ability, he joined Kunkle Arbor at age 16.

He enjoyed acting and played center on the Kunkle High School basketball team. He graduated in the Class of 1941 and was attending Albion College in Michigan when Pearl Harbor was attacked. He enlisted six days later at Toledo, the first from his high school class according to a Forum story that reported all the young men in his class enlisted. Kosier received parachute training in Illinois and his mechanic’s diploma in Buffalo, New York, before arriving in India July 25, 1942. He and the five other crewmen of a C-46 transport plane were killed when the plane exploded shortly after takeoff from the Kunming Airport. Kosier was buried in a cemetery in China.

21. Paul Kopschok, Dilworth Arbor (OH) Navy Pharmacist’s Mate Second Class Paul Kopchok served aboard the aircraft carrier USS Wasp. He was reported missing after the ship was struck by three torpedoes from a Japanese submarine and sunk Sept. 15, 1942. The carrier was supporting operations around the island of Guadalcanal. Kopchok, 23, was declared dead one year later, one of 193 Navy personnel who died in the sinking. Kopchok had been in the Navy for four years. He was a Society member for six years, first with Mansfield Arbor while a student and then Dilworth Arbor. He was survived by his parents, two brothers — including another one in the Navy — and two sisters.

22. Wilbert F. Lorensen, Hayes Arbor (OH) Army infantry Pvt. Wilbert F. Lorensen, 21, was killed in action Oct. 17, 1943, in Italy with the 7th Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Infantry Division. During that week, the unit was crossing the Volturno River and advancing toward Cassino. Lorensen had joined the Hayes Arbor two years before his death. He had worked in farming before enlisting Oct. 27, 1942. He was survived by parents Louis and Emma Lorensen and a brother, Emery, of Port Clinton, Ohio. Another brother, Clarence, served with a surgical hospital in the Pacific. Lorensen is buried in Roose Cemetery, Oak Harbor, Ohio.

23. Harold Edward Bardon, Florida Arbor (OH) Navy Seaman Second Class Harold Edward Bardon died Dec. 8, 1943, following a training accident the day before. He was taking part in amphibious landing training at Little Creek, Virginia, where he worked on landing barges. Bardon, 20, suffered “intercranial injuries” and died the next day at the Naval Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia. Bardon was employed at the Marion Steam Shovel Company in Marion, Ohio, prior to his induction into the Navy. He had joined Florida Arbor at age 18. He was survived by his wife, Evelyn A. Bardon, and his mother, Myrtle Bardon. Bardon is buried at Chapel Heights Memory Gardens in Marion.

24. Harland M. Clark, Temple Arbor (MI) Army Pfc. Harland M. Clark, 23, of the infantry was killed in action Nov. 24, 1943, in southern Italy as the Allies tried to break through the Germans’ mountainous Winter Line north of the upper Volturno Valley. Clark was with the 168th Infantry of the 34th Infantry Division. He was one of the first Junior Gleaners, joining the Temple Arbor at age 10. He was survived by his father Harold “Harry” Clark of Central Lake, Michigan, and one sister. He is buried at Southern Cemetery in Central Lake.

27. Donald Abair, Seven Lakes Arbor (IN) Army 2nd Lt. Donald L. Abair was killed April 5, 1944, during a bombing mission near Fogia, Italy. Abair was the bombardier aboard the B-24H “Dizzy Lizzy” from the 763rd Bombardment Squadron. On the way to bomb the Nis railroad yards, the plane reached the meet-up point with an additional flight of B-24s. The “Dizzy Lizzy” was involved in a midair crash with one of the other B-24s, and the crews of both planes were killed. Abair had joined Seven Lakes Arbor when he was a student at Plymouth High School. He was 23 and survived by five sisters, including one who served as a U.S. Navy lieutenant during the war.

28. Charles E. Brettin, Marine Arbor (MI) Army Staff Sgt. Charles Edward Brettin, 21, was killed in action in Italy on March 1, 1944. He served as an infantry gunner with the 30th Infantry Regiment. Earlier near Fratello, Sicily, when he was a private first class and assistant gunner, Brettin had received regimental commendations for running 10 yards under direct fire to mount a gun in full view of the enemy and using it to knock out enemy machine guns holding up an advance. He had received his boot training at Fort Custer, Michigan, and Camp Roberts, California. He had never been home for furlough since his induction into the Army March 29, 1942. Sgt. Brettin was born Aug. 22, 1922, in North Judson, Indiana, and moved to Marine City with his family in 1936. He joined the Marine Arbor and worked for the Motor Valve Company, living with his mother and stepfather on their farm. He is buried at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial in Nettuno, Italy.

29. Morris Raphael Latour, Ira Arbor (MI) Army Pfc. Morris R. Latour was killed in action with the 133rd Infantry Regiment in Italy on Jan. 26, 1944. At the time, the regiment was part of the 34th Infantry Division that was advancing toward the Germans’ Gustav Line.

Latour, 21, had been overseas for four months when killed. He had joined the Ira Arbor while employed by the Mayea Boat Works of Fair Haven. One brother, Benjamin Jr., was in the Merchant Marine and another brother, Bernard, was in the Army Air Force. Their father, arbor secretary Benjamin “B.J.” Latour, received the news of his son’s death. Latour is buried at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Anchorville, Michigan.

30. Harold W. Durham, Liberty Center Arbor (OH) Army Corps of Engineers Technician Fifth Class Harold W. Durham lost his life in the worst troopship sinking experienced by U.S. forces during the war. He had enlisted in the Army Dec. 12, 1942, 19 months after being married. Durham, 31, served in the Army’s North African campaign with the 853rd Engineers Battalion (Aviation). He was among more than 2,000 U.S. troops bound for Europe aboard the British ship HMT Rohna on Nov. 26, 1943. The ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea by a German radio-controlled glider bomb. More than 1,000 U.S. troops died in the rough waters along with 123 of the ship’s crew. Durham was a 16-year member of Liberty Center Arbor and a member of the Florida Methodist Church of Napoleon. He was survived by his wife, Amy Woodward Durham.

38. Edward J. Sarles, Silverwood Arbor (MI) Pvt. Edward J. Sarles, age 28, of the Army infantry was killed in action July 5, 1944, in France. Sarles’ parents had died when he was a boy. He was raised by his grandparents and an uncle, Lyle Sarles, who had a farm near Silverwood. Sarles was 19 when he joined Silverwood Arbor. He is buried in West Burlington Cemetery in Burlington Township, Michigan.

39. George A. Prince, Ruth Arbor (MI) Army Air Corps 1st Lt. George A. Prince, a B-24 bomber pilot, was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross — the Army’s second-highest award — for extraordinary heroism after his death in action May 30, 1944. Lt. Prince was guiding his B-24H nicknamed “Cluster’s Folly” to bomb an aircraft parts factory at Neunkirken, Austria. The bomber was shot down by a German fighter plane and crashed at Lusci Plank, Yugoslavia. All of the crewmen survived except Lt. Prince and the navigator. He was 26 and had joined the Ruth Arbor with a Junior policy at age 10. He was survived by his parents, Claude and Hannah Prince. He is buried in Oxford, Michigan.

40. Milburn R. Taylor, Grass Lake Arbor (MI) Army Pfc. Milburn R. Taylor, 20, died in action in France on July 28, 1944. He was in heavy artillery with the 8th Infantry Regiment, one of the first regiments ashore on Utah Beach during D-Day. It fought the last week of July in the St. Lô breakout from Normandy. Taylor’s final letter, written four days before he died, said he’d lost 30 pounds, but hoped to be home the next year in time for deer hunting. Taylor was 17 when he joined the Grass Lake Arbor. He was survived by parents Roy and Esther Taylor, a married sister, and a younger brother, Robert, in the Navy.

He is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer. 41. William Ronald Nesen, Harmony Arbor (MI) Army Air Corps 2nd Lt. William “Ronald” Nesen was the pilot of a B-17 bomber lost April 24, 1944, in the English Channel. The plane, “Sleepytime Girl,” was with the 550th Bomber Squadron on a mission to Germany when hit by flak, forced to turn back to England, and shot down by two Me-109 German fighters.

Nesen, 27, and half the crew did not survive crash landing in the water off Dungeness, Kent. Nesen had worked through his first year as a student at Alma College when forced to halt his education due to lack of funding. He was the son of William and Neva (Perrine) Nesen of St. Louis, Michigan.

He had a brother, Robert; a sister, Betty; as well as another brother, Stanley, who served in Gen. Patton’s Third Army. The Gleaner policy for Nesen benefited his wife, Elizabeth, whom he had married Christmas Day 1941 in Grand Rapids.

42. John Kisela, Gary Arbor (IN) Marine Pfc. John Peter Kisela, 19, was with the 4th Marine Division when he was reported killed in action June 14, 1944, in the Pacific area. No additional information was received by his parents John and Anna Kisela, although they believed he was taking part in the invasion of Saipan when he died. Previously, Kisela had helped liberate the Marshall Islands. He was born in Ottumwa, Iowa, but moved to Indiana when young. He attended Holy Trinity Slovak school and Merrillville High School and worked at Glen Park Dairy company.

He was insured by his grandparents when he was 7 and assumed an adult policy at age 18.

43. Dean Brooks, Grass Lake Arbor (MI) Cpl. Dean Brooks was with Battery A of the 21st Field Artillery Battalion when he was killed during the liberation of Verdun, France, on Sept. 1, 1944. That day, American troops liberated the city and German forces responded by bombing it. Brooks had worked on a farm belonging to his parents, William and Bessie Brooks, but volunteered in April 1941. He was 26 when he died. In addition to his parents he was survived by three sisters and one brother. Brooks is buried at Grass Lake West Cemetery.

Look for part two of our tribute to Gold Star Gleaners in the Spring 2021 issue of Forum Magazine.

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www.gleanerlife.org

START WITH A STRONG FOUNDATION

Recent stock market volatility is a reminder of the value and protection fixed-rate annuities provide. Every Gleaner annuity features a minimum guaranteed interest rate that provides a foundation for the entire life of your annuity. Regardless of market performance, you can rely on your Gleaner annuity to provide guaranteed growth.

Annuity

Initial interest rate (accounts of $100K-$249,999)

Guaranteed minimum interest rate (all account values)

Foundation 91

2.00% (Guaranteed for first certificate year.)

1.00% in all years

Foundation MYGA61

1.70% (Guaranteed for first six certificate years.)

1.50% in all years

Foundation SP91

2.15% (Guaranteed for first certificate year)

1.50% in years 1-9; 1.00% thereafter

To learn more about the benefits of tax-deferred growth with Gleaner annuities, contact your Gleaner agent, listed on the back of this publication, or find an agent online at www.gleanerlife.org.

Gleaner Life Insurance Society is domiciled in Adrian, Michigan, and licensed in AZ, FL, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MI, MO, NE, OH, PA, TN, VA, WI and WV. The Gleaner Life Foundation SeriesÂŽ Form Nos. ICC18-FPDA9, ICC18-MYGA6 and ICC18-SPDA9, all with state-specific variations. This flyer is intended for informational purposes only. It is not intended to recommend a specific product, nor is it intended to provide any legal or professional advice. For information on possible tax implications, you should consult with a legal or tax adviser.

Withdrawals that exceed the annual 10 percent (Foundation MYGA6 and SP9) or 15 percent (Foundation 9) withdrawal amount will be subject to a surrender charge of 6 percent (Foundation MYGA6) or 9 percent (Foundation SP9 and 9), decreasing by 1 percent each year until reaching zero.

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www.gleanerlife.org

HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS

DELIVERING DREAMS Society’s pressure helped deliver U.S. Parcel Post service

National Archives photo 111-SC-210241

Rural mail carrier M.D. Hockstedt of Cadillac, Michigan, was shown in 1913, the year parcel post began.

B

oxes and packages delivered by mail conveniently bring gifts and products ordered online to Americans everywhere. Such deliveries were just a dream, however, before the Society helped make U.S. Parcel Post a reality.

At the turn of the 20th century, most Americans lived outside cities. Roads were not paved, virtually no one had cars, and most rural residents did not receive home mail delivery until at least 1904. Even then, packages weighing more than four pounds were only handled by private delivery companies such as Wells Fargo. Their rates were high, their earnings were growing 18% per year, according to a 1912 article in The Gleaner, and they formed a virtual cartel with railroad companies. A 1910 Senate report found railroads owned $20 million in express companies’ stock, while express companies owned $34 million in railroad stock and millions more in each other’s stock. By this time, 20

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more Americans had seen the success of rural free delivery (RFD) for mail, and they added to Society leader Grant Slocum’s call for a government alternative to the express companies. Yet “parcels post” as it was called struggled to get a hearing in Congress until 1910. This was due to the power of express companies and railroads, as well as merchants who feared losing business to national retailers like Montgomery Ward and Sears Roebuck and Co. The Society's years of pleadings for parcel post were distilled in a June 1912 Forum editorial by Slocum, obviously written with the November elections in mind.

He urged U.S. congressmen to, “Get off the fence. Are you with us or against us?” Although Congress had set up a commission, Slocum blasted its resulting “tomfool bill” that would only allow rural residents to ship to their main post office for pickup, or to other routes handled by the www.gleanerlife.org

Grant Slocum, right, and assistant editor E.C. Lindemann examine more than 3,000 letters about parcel post that they had bound and sent to Michigan’s congressmen in 1912. same post office. He addressed the concerns of merchants by noting they could not sell all of a farm’s products, some of which might be best sent to cities where larger demand existed.

Parcel post, he believed, would help farm families do this.

“For more than 40 years they have been held up and robbed by the express companies,” he wrote. “They have been feebly protesting for two decades. It's about time the people quit fi ling protests and sending in petitions 'humbly praying,' etc., and make a few demands of their servants down there at Washington who seem much more concerned about disturbing the business of the express companies than they are in securing relief for their constituents.”

The Society wasn’t the only group demanding change, but it was among the most influential farm organizations. To prod Congress, Slocum had more than 3,000 letters that the Society had received about parcel post arranged, bound with a www.gleanerlife.org

leather cover and forwarded to the Michigan congressional delegation.

Such efforts worked. Both the Republican and Democratic parties went into the November 1912 election supporting U.S. Parcel Post’s creation.

It was approved before the year’s end and took effect on Jan. 1, 1913.

The new service was an instant success.

Excited Americans sent more than 4 million packages in the service’s first five days. Rates were lower than the express companies charged. A 5-pound package sent on a city or rural route cost 9 cents with Parcel Post instead of 25 cents with an express company.

Sent to a zone up to 1,800 miles away, it would cost 51 cents compared to the express companies’ 80 cents. And while express companies required shipments to be sent from their offices and that recipients call for delivery, Parcel Post picked up and delivered at the farm.

“Those who predicted that Uncle Sam would not be in a position to handle this service have found that their uncle is equal to almost any

emergency, and that the fi rst month closes with a record for efficiency in the post-office department unequaled by any other nation,” The Gleaner reported in February 1913.

“It has been said that right now the parcels post service in this country is more complete than the same service was in England at the close of the fi fth year.”

Parcel Post has evolved. Today it is known as Standard Post and offers a variety of options including Priority Mail and Parcel Select.

Some of the same debates that raged in 1910 about the proper role of government continue, but the service has provided reliable delivery throughout the entire U.S. without destroying private competition. Private companies often even rely on the Postal Service for “last mile” transport.

For more than a century, an important dream for many Society members continues to be delivered.

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ARBORS IN ACTION Fraternal communicator Phil Raske dies at 92 The Gleaner Life family lost former fraternal communicator Phillip Dean “Phil�

Raske on Nov. 9 after a short illness. Raske, 92, was a longtime member of Harmony Arbor (MI). A lifelong farmer in St. Louis, Michigan, Phil began his Gleaner work in 1996 after retiring from his first career of 28 years at Alma Products. He retired again in 2016 from Gleaner Life but remained active in Harmony Arbor while helping his community. He delivered Meals on Wheels and served in the Lions Club, the St. Louis Historical Society and many other service groups. He was honored with the Spirit of St. Louis award in 2000.

Born in Bethany Township, Michigan, in 1928, Phil graduated from St. Louis High School in 1947. His faith in God shaped his life and he was a member of the First United Methodist Church for more than 70 years. He was married for 48 years to his first wife, Doris, before her death. On April 4, 2000, he married Marilouise Williams. In 2020, they celebrated 20 years of marriage. The family requests any memorials be made to the Gratiot Community Personal Needs Pantry, St. Louis Methodist Church, 116 S. Franklin St., St. Louis, MI 48880.

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www.gleanerlife.org

Bay Area Arbor (FL) continued to adapt to the changing pandemic rules and advisories. Some of the groups that it is looking to support include the Mary & Martha House, Elmira’s Wild Life, Infants in Need, My Warrior’s Place, Guadalupe Food Pantry, SCC Emergency Squad and South East Guide Dogs.

Capital Arbor (MI) brought lunch and “goodwill” to the local Southside Police Precinct in Lansing, Michigan.

Supplies were purchased and 50 gift bags were assembled Oct. 11 at the home of members Steve and Karen Lowder. Each bag included Gleaner promotional items, a Capital Arbor flyer, a Quality Dairy cookie, an apple, a large candy bar and a Halloween treat. The arbor also paid for lunch delivered from the officers’ choice of restaurants, which turned out to be ChickFil-A. Chips and cider cups were also delivered.

Officers greeted members. Officer VandeVoorde www.gleanerlife.org

thanked members for their support during these tumultuous times. The project followed an Oct. 3 meeting at Endeavor House, a home for 17 men recovering from addiction. The house’s founders plan to open a women’s shelter nearby soon. Arbor member Dale Lambert presented three kitchen skillets and an assortment of storage containers for the men’s kitchen.

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conversations. The arbor supplied Jimmy John’s subs and beverages for dinner. Among the guests was a returning-citizen who said he was thankful to be able to give back to the ministry that meant so much to him while he was inside, and to be able to continue to send the message of hope to his Christian brothers still in prison. The arbor’s officers and an agent attended. It was a very successful night. The arbor also gave 120 gift bags to kids at two schools. Each bag had Gleaner promotional items such as pencils and hand sanitizer, plus a bag of cookies.

Caro Arbor (MI) purchased and assembled baskets of goodies to put in the teacher lounges at all four local schools as a teacher appreciation activity. The arbor also purchased Subway food gift cards for all the secretaries as an appreciation for all their hard work and dedication.

Champion Arbor (MI) held an Impact Event to fold, address, stuff, stamp, seal and pray over envelopes containing the “Message of Hope” quarterly prison ministry newsletter. A total of 18 in attendance had a great time praying and laughing and having good 24

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Chester Arbor (OH) made a big push in October to support local food banks. Joanne Trainer (left), chairman of the committee, and Bret Foster (right), a committee member, presented a check to Teresa Shipman of the Job and Family Services food pantry in Morrow County. She was one of eight who received checks to help stock their pantry. The arbor’s donations helped offset the lack of a countywide event this year due to social distancing and contact issues. www.gleanerlife.org

Community Arbor (IN) presented donations to the Emmaus Homeless Shelter and food bank. Items such as toilet tissue, paper towels and cleaning aids including bleach, Pine Sol, dish soap, etc. were chosen to help with the pandemic. To aid with transportation, 30 $10 gas cards were also given. All arbor officers were present and Jason Mitchell, director of the shelter and food pantry, gave members a tour of the food pantry. It was the arbor’s third impact activity for the year.

Covenant Helpers Arbor (MI) members and volunteers shopped, prepared, packed, loaded, and delivered 400 “gift bags” with healthy snacks, and meals for the students at West Utica Elementary School in Shelby. In contacting the school, this was their request when asked how the arbor could serve them, allowing the arbor to help the whole school. They chose this underserved school for its demographics — all of the school’s students are on free or reduced-cost lunches or breakfasts due to economic circumstances.

Entrican Arbor (MI) had several projects during the quarter. These included monetarily supporting seven local fire departments (Edmore, Lakeview, McBride, Richland Township. Sheridan, Six Lakes, and Stanton), moving forward with donations to help the Montabella School District’s need for mittens and shoes, and holding a Halloween trunk or treat activity on Oct. 31. www.gleanerlife.org

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Gulf Coast Arbor (FL) celebrated a baby shower for a family experiencing financial hardship. The husband is the only one working with his job as a nursery driver, while his wife is expecting their second son’s birth. When she was due in two weeks, the arbor decided to hold a small baby shower. Members gave them a bobby pillow, first aid kit, clothes, socks, diapers, wipes, etc. Five members met them and celebrated with the family, who were very appreciative of what the Gulf Coast Arbor did.

Harrison Arbor (OH) conducted a school impact event. Hand sanitizer was delivered to St. Paul Lutheran School, St. Augustine Catholic School and the Napoleon elementary, middle and high schools. The arbor also carried out other projects while mourning the deaths of two of its members during a three-week period.

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Hawthorne Arbor (IN) carried out a food pantry drive Sept. 12 at three business locations. Tables were set up with jars on each so people could donate. The project followed a $250 donation to St. Jude House a day before. The food pantry project went so well it was repeated at one location the following day. When finished, the drive netted 30 large bags or boxes of items plus paper products. The donations were divided between six food pantries and one household pantry. There also was $614 collected that was divided between food pantries.

Holland Arbor (OH) voted to help the family of a man who was shot to death in the street while returning from a restaurant. The arbor helped the family with a $500 check for funeral expenses. Members delivered the check to the widow. Delivering the check together with the toys John Kozlaker purchased on his own were Daniel Atanacio, John Kozlaker, Val Swanson, Lynn Atanacio and John Knickels.

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Ann Lacasse, principal at Michener Elementary School, said. “The headphones help to block out the background noise. … The other thing that happens a lot is teachers buy sets of earbuds out of their own pockets, so it was nice that they didn’t have to do that.”

The headphones were delivered on Sept. 10.

Jasper County Arbor (IN) supported teachers at Wheatfield and Demotte Elementary Schools. After sending out sticker books asking teachers what they need and how the arbor can help, one response included a need for a dedicated pack of VersaTiles since second grade classes cannot share items for health reasons. Another project involved helping a young child in the community who needed a new electric wheelchair. The arbor was able to pay $750 to cover half the cost, and directed the family to other groups who could help with the other half. The mother said she had almost given up hope.

Legacy Arbor (MI) purchased 100 pairs of headphones for Michener Elementary School in the Adrian Public Schools district to help students with remote learning from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. The shipment of headphones cost more than $1,900. “We asked students if they could get headphones but most only have earbuds,” 28

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Marion Arbor (MI) established a green space in an area where an old hotel had been razed on Main Street. The arbor had agreed in February to donate up to $1,000 to convert half the space. Landscaping took place and on Aug. 19 arbor members met to plant three trees. It was agreed by members and the village’s public works department to finish the landscaping in the spring of 2021. The arbor conducted numerous other projects including partnering with a Feeding America mobile food truck, a purchase of shoes and boots for school children in need, and a package mailing project for people in the military.

Mt. Pleasant Arbor (MI) donated $500 to Life Choices, a free medical clinic that serves teens, women, men and families. The Sept. 10 donation represented the arbor’s sponsorship for the clinic’s fall fundraiser, which was to be held online this year.

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North Baltimore Arbor (OH) provided blankets and haircuts to the residents of the City Mission in Findlay, Ohio. The City Mission is a church-based shelter for people in need. Members ordered 30 blankets through Gleaner’s Home Office and handed them out to the residents. They were very appreciative of the blankets due to the cold weather approaching.

A hair stylist, friend of a Gleaner member, donated almost three hours of her time to provide free haircuts to the residents who had signed up prior to the date of the event. She cut or trimmed 16 peoples’ hair during this event. The residents were very appreciative of the haircuts and wondered when we could come back again. Arbor members in attendance discussed the possibility of doing this event twice a year. The original plan was to have two hair stylists during the event, but a second was not available for that date.

Oakwood Arbor (OH) assisted several groups in October including Grover Hill’s new Bible class (125 students), a local playground that needs a new metal bleacher and playground equipment, funding to send a care package to several residents serving in the military, aid for a church and assistance for the local historical society, which has been unable to hold fund-raising activities due to COVID-19. The total provided by the arbor was $1,600 to help the community. www.gleanerlife.org

Ober Arbor (IN) attracted at least 70 people at the Culver Park market with ice cream and frozen stick treats Aug. 29. Eldon and Sandra Amor set up their tent, table and the Gleaner sail banner. The arbor also had a quiz board to see how many garden items could be identified. These were red beets, eggplant, rhubarb, kohl rabi, gooseberries, garlic, okra, parsnips, artichoke, figs, paw paws and persimmon. Many people accepted the challenge and won Gleaner prizes. Those helping with the event were Eldon Amor, Sandra Amor, Habo Runkle, Judy Sinn, Mark Rippy, Paul Sellers, Arlene Sellers, and Cindy Sellers. Also, on Oct. 9, the arbor worked with six first grade classes at Knox Community Elementary School to plant trees. A class of second graders will help water and care for the trees.

Riley Creek Arbor (OH) worked with Suter’s Corn Maze in Bluffton, Ohio, to offer free admission Sept.

27 in exchange for two unexpired, non-perishable food items. The third annual food drive benefited the Bluffton Food Pantry. The corn maze, located between Bluffton and nearby Pandora, was well-suited to COVID-19 social distancing rules. Arbor members used masks at the donation table and were careful to mention following safety precautions put into effect by the maze operators.

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Ogemaw and Clear Lake Fire Departments, the Michigan State Police post in West Branch, Ogemaw County Sheriff, West Branch and Rose City Police Departments and Ogemaw County Dispatch. Two groups — South Branch Fire Department and Mid-Michigan Hospice — also received monetary donations. “What a rewarding experience,” was the arbor’s verdict.

Simply Giving Arbor (MI) decided to donate to essential workers to show appreciation for the work they do to keep all of us safe. The arbor was able to provide a meal to the Marysville Police Department.

Vulcaneer Arbor (MI) put on two food drives for the Vassar community during August.

The first one involved bagging cucumbers, sweet potatoes and other items, then loading vehicles and delivering the food to shut-in residents. The second one was larger with a semitrailer carrying 26,187 pounds of food. Extra help was encouraged by providing to-go lunches for 30 through a local restaurant, and some of the college members came and assisted. Members reported it was a “joy seeing Gleaner members who lined up in the huge lines to deliver food to shut-ins in the surrounding towns” of Reese, Millington and Vassar.

Alma Arbor (MI) hosted a Music in the Park event that drew 88 guests in addition to 13 members. The arbor hired the Taste of County band and arranged for a local business to handle concessions. A total of $355 was raised in donations to the ramp project conducted by the Gratiot County Commission on Aging. The arbor matched that for a check totaling $710. It was a positive and enjoyable activity.

Birch Run Arbor (MI) helped with two projects on Sept. 22. Three members worked at a food giveaway at their church. The members worked 21 combined hours, helping approximately 215 people who took about 30 minutes each to go through the lines. The arbor also donated $500 to help purchase food aboard the truck.

The same day, three members from the arbor wrote a check to aid Navy crewman aboard a ship the arbor is supporting. Due to COVID-19, it is easier to fund their supply purchases than to send supplies to them.

Homer Twp. Oak Arbor (IL) held its first Drive-By Senior Harvest on Oct. 21. Ten members and one new volunteer helped pack 110 boxes. Each contained a food store gift card, bananas and oranges, a card with a Gleaner pen and other promotional items, Gleaner informational pamphlets and a photo collage of the arbor’s 2020 community activities. Donations totaling $57 were received that will be used to help mail packages going overseas. Remaining items were given to the American Legion post that served as the site for the activity.

Did you find the wheat stalk?

White Pine Arbor (MI) reached out to all first responders in the community including police, EMS, dispatch and fire personnel. Members purchased chips, cookies, trail mix and gift cards for food. They then took packages to Ogemaw County EMS, Lupton, Richland-Logan, Rose City, Skidway, South Branch, 30

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In this issue of Forum Magazine, the wheat stalk is hidden on Page 23 in the Bay Area Arbor photo.

www.gleanerlife.org

California

Jacob F. Rems, Irvine

Illinois Christine Vaughn, Bradley

Indiana Nicholas Mager, Cedar Lake

Michigan

Robin Butcher, Mt. Pleasant Victor B. Clark, Gaylord Robert D. Finkbeiner, Fostoria Violet R. Grell, Midland Albert S. Hall, Merrill Lawayne Hirschy, Colon Kathryn Light, Bay City Nellie Kathern Rogers, Cadillac Lori Wilkins, Mt. Pleasant Charles B. Woodard, Sumner Mark James Young, Olivet

North Carolina John R. Compton Sr., Newport

Ohio

Christopher L. Gagne, Waterville James Eldon Mohr Jr., Metamora Mary Anne Payne, Springboro

Washington

David J. Kulick, Everett

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California

Paul D. Curtis, Corona Del Mar Wayne A. Munyon, Morgan Hill Lois I. Stoughton, Fullerton Kaylynne Throne, Occidental

Colorado Thomas J. Power, Aurora

Florida Karen S. Kendall, Hobesound

Illinois

Wayne Arseneau, Beaverville Loren L. Kohler, Watseka Curtis G. Larsen, Marseilles Jerry M. Larsen, Marseilles Carol F. Manners, Chicago Heights Betty J. Mettille, Minooka Dennis Ray Schermerhorn, Burr Ridge Daniel T. Shepherd, Minooka Peggy Weybright, Grant Park

Indiana

Larry P. Gick, Fowler Aaron L. Kessler, La Porte Nicholas Mager, Cedar Lake William R. Yates, Fair Oaks

Michigan

Jo Ann Beardslee, St. Joseph Marie Bigney, Sparta Arlon P. Coble, Kalamazoo Carol L. Copenhaver, Mattawan Dorothy Hemenway, Decatur Eunice M. Kreger, Sandusky Allen D. Peterson, Sparta Doreen K. Schummer, Swartz Creek Wanda C. Sheeley, Galien Karalyn A. Simon, Stanton Marlene K. Tiedeman, Clarkston Mildred J. Watson, Dowagiac

North Carolina

David L. Tucker, Southport

Ohio

Janice Fischer, Defiance Dixie Garverick, Fredericktown James E. Nunn, Saint Paris Werden H. Smith, Marion

Pennsylvania

Thomas A. Kerr, Biglerville

Washington

Nelma Jean Gebhardt, Bremerton

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Korinne’s Korner me was a God-driven transformation their congregation had initiated in this man. It was my friend’s decision to join this church, and from what she had shared with me, he only reluctantly followed suit. After her death, he gradually started attending Sunday services, as well as attending other groups meeting within the church. The pastor described him as “flourishing.” My response was “only with God’s grace,” and that’s a big AMEN.

This is not the year to get everything you want.

This is the year to appreciate everything you have.

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As we continue to remain isolated from family and friends during this pandemic, it only takes a moment to reach out by phone, send a card, or drop off cookies to let others know they are never far from our thoughts and prayers. My friend’s husband has enriched his life by welcoming the heartfelt concern of others and moving forward with faith. What an opportunity we all have to reach out to members in our arbors, our neighborhoods, and with our friends to make a positive impact on their lives.

As we begin a new year, it’s time to look forward with anticipation for what lies ahead.

However, it’s easy to fall into a slump with the baggage we still carry with us from 2020.

By October, like many of you, I had resumed many of my daily activities that had stalled from last spring due to the the virus, only to go backwards by year end. It was so heartwarming to reconnect with old friends after a difficult number of months.

I always try to appreciate each day and express gratitude for the blessings I have been given.

In the summer of 2019, a friend of mine passed away suddenly. She was a bright light, always positive, compassionate, and caring. She and her husband had been married for 50 years.

No extended family lived close by, and he was devastated and heartbroken at losing her. I spoke with him at her funeral. He was lost, void of emotion and seemed so alone. During the months after her death, I thought of how much I missed her smile, and wondered how he was managing. In October, I ran into the pastor that conducted her service. I asked if her husband was still in the area and inquired how he was doing. What he described to

During the spring quarantine of 2020, I worked on perfecting a scone recipe given to me by a dear friend.

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When my heart is overwhelmed, I often think of this scripture verse: Psalm 61:2 : “From the end of the earth, I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I…”

It seems I “got it right” according to my neighborhood “test kitchen” and am thrilled to share it with you all (see the following page).

Fraternally yours,

Korinne Marti, Wife of Gleaner President and CEO Kevin Marti

www.gleanerlife.org

White Chocolate Almond Scones

3 cups Flour

1 tablespoon Almond extract

1/2 cup Sugar

1 Âź c. Half and half

2 1/2 teaspoon Baking powder

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon Baking soda

2/3 cup White chocolate chips

8 tablespoons cold butter

1/2 cup Chopped almonds

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine dry ingredients in large bowl. Using a pastry knife, cut in 8 T. cold butter. Measure out half and half, add extract and egg and stir well; then stir into flour mixture. You may need to add 2-3 tablespoons of half and half if too dry. Stir in chips and nuts. Knead dough in a little flour until smooth. Cut dough into four sections, flattening each section into a 6-inch circle and cut into six to eight wedges and place on cookie sheet. Brush with egg white and garnish with raw sugar.

Bake 20 minutes until golden. Cool. Store in container.

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Hi kids!

A favorite holiday of mine in February is Valentine’s Day. I like getting candy and, sometimes, someone will send me a card. That makes me feel special.

Did you know you have a superpower? You have the power to make people feel special! Sending them a card tells them how much you like them. It’s like a giant smile you can share, even when you can’t be there!

Maybe you have grandparents or aunts and uncles. Maybe you know someone who lives alone. They would be very happy to receive a Valentine’s Day card from you. It’s even more special if you make the card yourself.

Here is an easy idea for a card you can make.

You will need: 1 piece of paper (maybe white1 slightly larger piece of cardstock 1 pair of scissors 1 pencil Pens To make the card: 1. Fold the small paper in half.

2. Use the pencil to draw two lines about 2 inches apart along the edge of the fold. Draw longer lines if you want a big pop up.

3. Use the scissors to make cuts on the two pencil lines.

4. With the card still folded, bend over the cutout in the middle, creasing it so that you have a notch in your card.

5. Open your card and pull the new fold toward you so that its fold points the other direction and stays open.

6. Glue your smaller paper to the larger piece. Be careful not to put glue on the pop-out part!

7. Draw and cut out a heart. Don’t make it too big or it won’t fit when you close your card.

8. Glue your heart to the pop-out in the middle of the card.

9. Write on your card with pens.

You can add fingerprints, draw a picture or glue on photos. Whatever you send, you can be sure the person you send it to will feel extra special!

Wishing you a happy Valentine’s Day, Benny

34

\ Winter 2021 \ Forum Magazine

www.gleanerlife.org

Life insurance: A simple act of love Here’s to appreciating all the little things we do and those everyday moments that shape our lives and give it meaning. In fact, our days are often filled with simple acts of love, one followed by another, that over time create a better future.

Getting life insurance is like that, too. It’s a simple act you can take today to ensure your loved ones are protected financially tomorrow.

It’s time to protect those everyday moments with life insurance.

This piece has been reproduced with the permission of Life Happens, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping consumers make smart insurance decisions to safeguard their families’ financial futures. Life Happens does not endorse any insurance company, product or advisor. © Life Happens 2020. All rights reserved.

Nonprofit Organization U.S. POSTAGE PAID BOLINGBROOK, IL PERMIT NO. 594 5200 West U.S. Highway 223, P.O. Box 1894 Adrian, Michigan 49221-7894

Happy New Year!

Welcome 2021!

Give life protection — and direction — in the new year.

Many Americans happily bid farewell to 2020 and its challenges and changes. Millions were hit hard by COVID-19, the resulting economic upheaval or other surprises. Throughout the year, the strength of Society life insurance and annuities made them rock-solid protections for loved ones. The resilience of our members made them beacons for good in their communities. To learn how you can find protection and fraternal good work, contact your Gleaner agent (listed above) or visit www.gleanerlife.org to learn more.

Wishing you a safe and purpose-filled 2021 from Gleaner Life Insurance Society!