The Lynn Kramer Village by the Shore

The Lynn Kramer

Village by the Shore

jfsvillagebytheshore.org

Join Us in the Basement: A memoir excerpt

We were drawn to the basement. It was damp, musty, smelling of moldy wet concrete. It was dark and a perfect place for us to escape. The steps were treacherous… open, steep, rickety wood. We always kept the door to the basement closed, and no one ever tumbled down to the unforgiving floor.

The basement became many things to us, transforming into what we needed at any given moment in our lives. I needed space for my ballet. Frank and I were taking ballroom dance lessons. Dennis needed an escape from pesty younger brothers. My parents, anxious to have us somewhere safe, cooperated and purchased a stereo for our new basement room. It stood on legs and was a large square mahogany box capable of playing records as loud as we needed. We moved assorted discarded furniture into the space, a couch, chair, and some end tables. My mother needed space for her food supply. As a child whose mother had died at a young age, she had to take care of young siblings and deal with the threat of not enough food. Mom stocked the basement with a vast pantry—a mini grocery store. She always made sure there were plenty of pickles known as the VanLangen green vegetable. My father decided to take up lapidary as a hobby, and he sectioned off a corner of our basement as his workshop. He would escape to that space, smoking endless Pall Mall cigarettes. Dad created beautiful semi-precious gems. Despite his skill with jewelry, his handyman skills were lacking. On one memorable afternoon when I was a teenager, he decided to fix the water pipes in the basement. The stream of water rushed from an open pipe and flooded our wonderful basement. My little brothers, seeing an opportunity, grabbed their surfboards and floated gleefully around the basement with cries of “Surf’s Up!” Dad did not find this funny.

My Halloween birthday celebrations always took place in that basement. It was easy to hang orange and black decorations from the rafters and transform the space into the creepy place that was its origin. We would hang apples from the rafters instead bobbing into a bucket of water. My brothers, Frank and Den, eventually escaped our little brothers and made a bedroom in a corner of the basement. We made sure to preserve our entertainment spot and dance floor. Our beautiful stereo remained lodged in the corner. A dark, unpromising space continued to evolve into the safest escape in the house. Many years later when I was twenty-six and married with a house of my own, our brother TJ, ten years younger than me, moved into the basement bedroom. He decorated with handpainted scenes from Lord of the Rings, not knowing that a few years later he would be in a wheelchair. Upon returning from months of rehab, TJ said, “I’ll never see my paintings again.” My husband, Roy, cut the basement wallboard, framed the artwork, and delivered it to TJ’s Florida home.

Kenny, the youngest of our brothers, escaped to the basement bedroom as a young adult. He renovated our space into a beautiful bedroom and spa bathroom complete with jacuzzi. His hard work provided just the place he needed to begin his career in computer science. The basement, once dark and forbidding, became a haven for each of us when we needed it most.

Barbara Law shares her excerpt from the Village Memoir Writing class

St Member Spotlight: Lynn Waltersrength in Community

jfsatlantic.org

When Lynne Walters speaks about several of her eight grandchildren, she beams with pride. As she shared, “My oldest grandchild is pursuing her doctorate in chemistry and the twins, who are seniors at Lehigh University studying English and Engineering, respectively, are enjoying a semester in Ireland. My youngest granddaughter recently celebrated her Bat Mitzvah.”

The petite, soft-spoken former literacy teacher expresses the same enthusiasm when she talks about the services and programs offered through The Lynn Kramer Village by the Shore. “During the pandemic, I really appreciated the volunteers who went grocery shopping for me,” Lynne said. “The programs that Tina (Serota) brought on-line offered me a morning activity. I particularly enjoyed the Positivity Project, Comfort Cooking, Movie Society, and my favorite, Coffee Klatch, an outstanding, multi-sided conversation where everyone is encouraged to participate.” It’s that same sense of enthusiasm that Lynne and her late husband, Bob, who were married for 38½ years, enjoyed as avid travelers. The couple liked sightseeing and making memories on their world adventures to Greece, Turkey, England, Asia, Hawaii, African Safari – the nature and animals were beautiful – and Israel, which is closest to her heart. “I was carrying a book by James Michener, The Source, which tells the story about a freshwater well just north of Makor (Hebrew for “source”) when we were actually going through the area in Israel. It was amazing,” said Lynne. Now, with pandemic restrictions easing, Lynne is excited to get back to doing in-person things like the planned family reunion with her children, Howard, Jeff and Dana, their spouses, and her grandchildren this summer in Virginia. “Between the pandemic and my children living on the east and west coasts, it will be our first get together in seven years. We’re certainly going to have lots of hugs.” Until then, Lynne keeps busy participating in Village programs, playing Bridge, exercising, reading biographies and mystery novels – something she’s done since being 10-years-old with Agatha Christie books – and making homemade soups, a hobby she picked up from the Comfort Cooking Workshop, within the past two years. “I work from a recipe and modify the ingredients a bit. So far, I’ve made chicken with matzo balls, carrot soup, butternut curry and parsnip and leeks soup.” In addition, with the Atlantic City Boardwalk outside her front door, she strolls the sandy beach and takes late afternoon walks. “I have enjoyed so many programs and services in my three years as a Village member. I encourage everyone to join the Village and take advantage of everything it has to offer. You can be part of something so helpful in our community,” Lynne shared. Village memberships are $18 per month. For more information or to sign-up, contact Tina Serota at tserota@jfsatlantic.org.

This contains content from The Lynn Kramer Village by the Shore Summer 2022 newsletter. To receive the newsletter in its entirety, contact 609.822.1109 or villagejfs@jfsatlantic.org.

Watching Out for Medicare Scams

Medicare fraud is a pervasive program that costs taxpayers billions of dollars each year. The fraud is primarily caused by identify theft when someone uses your personal information without your consent. Have you ever spoken to a telemarketer who recommends you order an unneeded back, wrist or knee brace? What about a misleading television commercial that advertises how they can offer you more coverage than Medicare? Navigating around the misinformation has become an increased responsibility for the Medicare market.

“It’s important for individuals who are about to sign-up, or are currently Medicare participants, to understand even the basics of the program in order to avoid potentially getting scammed,” said Amanda Reese, Medicare Department Manager at Hafetz & Associates. “There are three important factors to know related to Medicare.”

Is Medicare calling you?

Be cautious about who is on the other end of your phone call. Do not give any personal information including your Social Security number, Medicare ID number, date of birth, etc. Companies are using very alike caller IDs to make you think they are someone other than who they are, which is likely a call center looking to change you out of your current Medicare plan to another plan.

Is that postcard real?

Did you get a somewhat official looking postcard in the mail asking you to complete and send information back? This was not sent from Medicare or Social Security. Filing out and sending the postcard back will add you to call and mailing lists for that company’s plans.

Is everything free?

Sorry, but Medicare is not free. Yes, there are some plans that give extra benefits but be wary of anyone pushing to give you free benefits. Advantage plans can offer some dental, vision and hearing benefits, whereas Supplemental plans offer discounts on those same benefits.

Tips to Avoid Being Scammed

Below are tips to help minimize scammers taking advantage of you.

• Know when your Medicare sign-up time is! Scammers love to put you in a panic, not thinking you have time to confirm their information and saying yes to them because of pressure. Do research and know what timeframes you have for enrollment. • Work with a company that offers multiple carriers and plan types. These companies can show multiple options to compare, so you can make an educated decision on what plan best fits your needs and budget.

• Talk to friends, relatives, community leaders, etc. for referrals. Knowing who you are working with and that others had a good experience can help alleviate the stress of working with strangers. Remember, you can report any Medicare waste, fraud, or abuse to https:// seniormedicarepatrolnj.org.

St Volunteer Spotlight: Meredith Cheifetz rength in Community

jfsatlantic.org

Prior to moving to the beachside community, Meredith Cheifetz and her husband of 25 years, Steve, loved to spend summers at the shore with their children, Lauren, Ben and Jessica. From dipping their toes in the sparkling ocean to strolling the soft caramel sandy beaches and making family memories at amusement parks, mini-golf courses and savoring shore favorites like pizza and salt water taffy, Meredith and Steve always knew they wanted to own a piece of paradise.

More than a year ago, they made that dream a reality by relocating to the Jersey Shore. After settling in their Margate home, Meredith looked for organizations where she could donate her time. With a professional background in nutrition and wellness, Meredith knew the Food Pantry at Jewish Family Service would be a perfect match. Each week, she spends two hours packing 15 – 20 food bags for clients who have special dietary needs. As a seasoned Nutrition Counselor in private practice for 20 years, Meredith’s passion in health and wellness is evident. She works as an independent provider with insurance companies including Blue Cross, Aetna, and United Healthcare on their health and wellness programs for the Philadelphia School District, St. Christopher’s Hospital, Arcadia University and General Electric to name a few. “I love helping my clients develop healthier lifestyle habits to improve their health and feel well,” she shared.

With her honed expertise, Meredith works to understand a JFS client’s intricate nutritional needs and the fruits, vegetables and proteins that best fit their dietary restrictions. Some weeks, Meredith delivers the overflowing JFS grocery bags which gives her an opportunity to spend time speaking with the client to garner a better prospective on their preferences and how food supports their respective conditions. In addition to packing and delivering grocery bags, she also checks expiration dates on canned and boxed foods as well as stocks and straightens products on the pantry shelves.

Meredith knows the importance of volunteering and shares that when her mother, Rosalyn August, retired from working endless hours in retail about 13 years ago, she began volunteering. Currently, she serves on the Executive Boards of Jewish Adoption and Family Care Options (JAFCO) of South Florida, Birthright of South Florida, and the American Technion Society. As Meredith said, “Even from a young age, I’ve been thankful for having what my family and I need. To me, giving a gift is much better than getting a gift and by using my education and career experience, I feel like I’m able to share my knowledge with a client.”

When not working or volunteering, Meredith enjoys Canasta and Mahjong with friends, playing tennis and golf, reading, walking her dog on the beach, and working out at the Jewish Community Center. “I love being involved in the community and Margate has certainly been warm and welcoming to my family and me,” she said.

For anyone looking to volunteer at JFS or another organization, Meredith said, “Just do it. Doing a good deed helps someone in need and you feel good that you were able to assist.”

For more information on Volunteer opportunities, contact Vanessa Smith at vsmith@jfsatlantic.org.