www.idahoseniorindependent.com
TAKE ONE!
FREE!
Philanthropic Shriner Jim Birdwell Takes Clowning Around Seriously By Dianna Troyer Dressed as a clown, Jim Birdwell’s octogenarian fingers blur as he twists and tucks a long, slender balloon. Within seconds, he hands a tiny dog to a child whose eyes widen in wonder and gratitude. “I’ve made so many of these, I could do this in my sleep,” says Jim, 89, a clown for Shriners International since 1997. He works swiftly as eager children crowd him at the Bannock County Fairgrounds during the Shriners’ circus in June. Besides the dog, he whips out parrots, bumblebees, and butterflies. “I always tell people, ‘Give me a smile,’” he says. “I’ve had so damn much fun being a clown all these years, I can hardly stand it. Whatever I do, it’s for the children.” Jim became a clown as a retirement hobby. After selling a grocery and curio store in Fort Hall in 1995, he and his wife, Val, moved to Pocatello. He had been a longtime member of a Masonic Lodge, and a friend in the organization asked him if he would like to be a clown for Shriners. “To be a Shriners clown, you have to be a Mason first,” explains Jim. “I thought it sounded fun. They taught me what I needed.” Not that he needed much help. “He’s always had a great sense of humor,” says Val. Jim is known as Nickel the Clown to Pocatello children and to patients at the Shriners Hospitals for Children in Salt Lake City. “My wife came up with that name because she says that’s all I’m worth,” says Jim with a grin. National organizers at Shriners Jim Birdwell makes a butterfly for consider him priceless. In 2011, Treven Belcher during the Shrine the organization awarded him the Circus in Pocatello. (Photo by Di- prestigious El Korah Shrine Award anna Troyer) of Merit for his philanthropy. Since 2002, Jim has collected or bought at least 2,000 stuffed animals for children at the Shriners Hospitals. “It’s been proven that a stuffed animal can help children relax because their mind is focused on it,” says Jim. “If they hug that animal before they have surgery, and it’s there for them when they’re done, they’ll have a strong recovery. That stuffed animal helps take their mind off any pain they might be feeling.” He credits his granddaughter with giving him the idea. “She was working at Shopko and told me they had stuffed animals left over from Christmas, and they were 75 percent off,” he recalls. “I knew the kids at the hospitals would like them, so I bought them. Local Shriners donated money to help pay for them.” Anonymous donors also help. “Our one neighbor writes Jim a check several times a year and tells him to go buy (Continued on page 41)
PAGE 2 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 3
Bronco Billy
NE
No t Contrac
“My friends all hate their cell phones… I love mine!” Here’s why.
FREE Car Charge r
ly e et th th h G on or wit m f 0 . 0 es 20 LK 40 nut of TA i m ice EM pr W
W
In 1979 Clint Eastwood’s, Bronco Billy, was filmed in twenty-one locations in the Treasure Valley. Over fifteen hundred local folks were hired to be extras in the movie. In 2011, I completed a book called, On the Trail of Bronco Billy. For the most part, it involves the history of the locations where the movie was filmed and the memories of people who were extras in it, who helped with filming, or helped in other ways. All the profits from this book, which is no longer in print, went to the Canyon County Historical Society. Introduction to On the Trail of Bronco Billy II is a thirty-two plus page booklet I have almost completed. For the most part it’s an update from 2011 of the locations where the movie was filmed and a description of places where there has been or is a Bronco Billy display. I only plan to make twenty to twenty-five copies of this booklet to give to organizations & businesses that are willing to run off their own copies & give them to their visitors, customers, etc. The booklet does encourage those who would like to donate to the Boise Veteran’s Home Activity Fund. Plans have been completed to put an interpretive panel on the western end of Lake Lowell’s Upper Dam, which includes information about the filming of Bronco Billy at that location. The Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge has given its approval. Clint Eastwood has given his approval to a photo of him with the wildlife manager at that time, to be included. I need help raising $1,200 to pay for this panel and its installation. All profits from On the Trail of Bronco Billy II will be going to the Friends of the Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge. While On the Trail of Bronco Billy is no longer in print, it can be found at State of Idaho Public Library and Archives in Boise, Boise State University Library, several public libraries (Boise, Nampa, Caldwell, Middleton, Homedale, and Payette), Old Fort Boise in Parma, and Lawson’s E-Mu in Grandview.
Say good-bye to everything you hate about cell phones. Say hello to Jitterbug. “Cell phones have gotten so small, I can barely dial mine.” Not Jitterbug®, it features a larger keypad for easier dialing. It even has an oversized display so you can actually see it. “I had to get my son to program it.” Your Jitterbug set-up process is simple. We’ll even pre-program it with your favorite numbers. “I tried my sister’s cell phone… I couldn’t hear it.” Jitterbug is designed with an improved speaker. There’s an adjustable volume control, and Jitterbug is hearing-aid compatible. “I don’t need stock quotes, Internet sites or games on my phone, I just want to talk with my family and friends.” Life is complicated enough… Jitterbug is simple. “What if I don’t remember a number?” Friendly, helpful Jitterbug operators are available 24 hours a day and will even greet you by name when you call. “I’d like a cell phone to use in an emergency, but I don’t want a high monthly bill.” Jitterbug has a plan to fit your needs… and your budget.
Monthly Plan
$14.99
$19.99
Monthly Minutes
50
was 200 NOW 400
Operator Assistance
24/7
24/7
911 Access
FREE
FREE
No add’l charge
No add’l charge
FREE
FREE
YES
YES
30 days
30 days
Long Distance Calls Voice Dial Nationwide Coverage Friendly Return Policy
1
More minute plans available. Ask your Jitterbug expert for details.
“My cell phone company wants to lock me in on a two-year contract!” Not Jitterbug, there’s no contract to sign and no penalty if you discontinue your service. “I’ll be paying for minutes I’ll never use!” Not with Jitterbug, unused minutes carry over to the next month, there’s no roaming fee and no additional charge for long distance.
“My phone’s battery only lasts a couple of days.” The Jitterbug’s battery lasts for up to 25 days on standby. Enough talk. Isn’t it time you found out more about the cell phone that’s changing all the rules? Call now, Jitterbug product experts are standing by.
NEW Jitterbug5 Cell Phone
Order now and receive a FREE Car Charger for your Jitterbug – a $25 value. Call now!
Call toll free today to get your own Jitterbug5. Please mention promotional code 100363.
1-888-663-6197 www.jitterbugdirect.com
47637
We proudly accept the following credit cards.
Available in Blue and Red
IMPORTANT CONSUMER INFORMATION: WEMTALK offer valid on 400 minute plan and applies to new GreatCall customers only. Offer valid until plan is changed or cancelled. Jitterbug is owned by GreatCall, Inc.Your invoices will come from GreatCall. All rate plans and services require the purchase of a Jitterbug phone and a one-time set up fee of $35. Coverage and service is not available everywhere. Other charges and restrictions may apply. Screen images simulated. There are no additional fees to call GreatCall’s U.S. Based Customer Service. However, for calls to an Operator in which a service is completed, minutes will be deducted from your monthly balance equal to the length of the call and any call connected by the Operator, plus an additional 5 minutes. Monthly minutes carry over and are available for 60 days. If you exceed the minute balance on your account, you will be billed at 35¢ for each minute used over the balance. Monthly rate plans do not include government taxes or assessment surcharges. Prices and fees subject to change. We will refund the full price of the GreatCall phone and the activation fee (or set-up fee) if it is returned within 30 days of purchase in like-new condition. We will also refund your first monthly service charge if you have less than 30 minutes of usage. If you have more than 30 minutes of usage, a per minute charge of 35 cents will be deducted from your refund for each minute over 30 minutes.You will be charged a $10 restocking fee. The shipping charges are not refundable. Jitterbug and GreatCall are registered trademarks of GreatCall, Inc. Samsung is a registered trademark of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. ©2015 Samsung Electronics America, LLC. ©2015 GreatCall, Inc. ©2015 firstSTREET for Boomers and Beyond, Inc.
PAGE 4 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
Tell Your Story
It is never too early to tell your story, but it can be too late.
LifeStory LLC. is an exciting new company providing an affordable, safe, convenient and easy way to create a video documentary to record your most precious message and memories for your children, grandchildren, and faith community.
Specializing in Ethical Will and Christian Testimony. 4700 N. Cloverdale Rd. Suite 215 • Boise (Near Centennial High School)
lifestoryllc.org | 208.901.4908
If you can’t come to us, we’ll come to you. (In the greater Boise Area.)
Discounts: Military, Law Enforcement, & Fire Personnel
Idaho Senior Independent A Barrett-Whitman Publication
P.O. Box 3341 • Great Falls, MT 59403-3341 208-318-0310 • Toll Free: 1-866-360-5683 Fax: 406-761-8358 www.idahoseniorindependent.com E-mail: idahoseniorind@bresnan.net The Idaho Senior Independent is published six times each year in February, April, June, August, October, and December by Barrett-Whitman, 415 3rd Avenue North, Great Falls, MT 59401 and is distributed free to readers throughout the state of Idaho. The mail subscription rate is $10.00 per year (6 issues). The Idaho Senior Independent is written to serve Idaho’s mature population of all ages. Readers are encouraged to contribute interesting material. Views expressed in opinion stories, contributions, articles, and letters are not necessarily the views of the publisher. The appearance of advertisements for products or services does not constitute an endorsement of the particular product or service. The publisher will not be responsible for mistakes in advertisements unless notified within five days of publication. All copy appearing in the Idaho Senior Independent is protected by copyright and may be reprinted only with the written permission of the publisher. Advertising copy should be received or space reserved by the 5th of the month preceding the month of publication.
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
The Idaho State Police Association in Meridian has a copy in its archives, as does Warner Brothers in California. The Idaho Commission for Reading has made it into a talking book for those who are blind. For more information or if you would like to contribute, please feel free to contact me at 208-989-6668. Sandy Kershner Caldwell
Interested In Minidoka History
By chance, I happened across the letter to the editor from Viola Brown of Ammon in the April/ May issue regarding historian Gary Schorzman. I am interested in his historical research and want to know more about the immigrants who came to Minidoka County in the Paul area. Can you provide me with a list of books by him? Fanchon Morris Nampa
Women have been giving birth since people were people, and in some parts of the world, that process has not changed much. In our society, modern medicine has greatly reduced mother and infant mortality, making it difficult to appreciate the risks that families faced in earlier times. Specialized procedures and technologies can safely deliver and save many babies who in earlier times would have had no chance. Today’s younger generation would have a difficult time understanding the challenges that its grand-parents and great grandparents experienced – challenges that were seen as routine and “just the way things were.” This issue’s Remember When winner is from Paul Brown of Burley, whose story about the birth of his older sister is very much a testament to the challenges of everyday life in 1919 and... “just how things were.” Thank you, Paul for sharing your story, The Eight Dollar Baby. Remember When contains our readers’ personal reflections and contributions describing fictional or non-fictional accounts from the “Good ol’ Days” or reflections on life in general. Contributions may be stories, letters, artwork, poetry, etc. Photos may be included. Each issue of the Idaho Senior Independent features the contribution deemed best by our staff. The contributor of the winning entry will receive a $25 cash prize. We look forward to receiving your contributions for our October/November 2015 issue. Mail your correspondence to Idaho Senior Independent, P.O. Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403; email to idahoseniorind@bresnan.net; or call 1-866-360-5683 or 208-318-0310. Visit us online at idahoseniorindependent.com.
ED: Following is a list of books by Gary Schorzman: • Whistle Stop on the Oregon Short Line – OSL (Minidoka City, Idaho) • Our Past May Surprise You (Acequia, Idaho) • Progressive Paul (Paul, Idaho) • A Window into the Past – Stringtown/Riverton (Heyburn, Idaho) • The Way We Were (Rupert, Idaho) • Minidoka County Schools (1905 to 2013) (36 Schools) • Arid Acres 3rd Edition (Kimama/Adelaide Homesteaders 1912-1932) • 110 Years of the Methodist Church in Rupert, Idaho (1905-2015) • 100 Years of Trinity Lutheran Church in Rupert, ID (1914-2014) Contact Gary Schorzman at 148 W 300 N, Rupert, ID 83350; phone 208-436-3982; cell phone 208-312-1556; or Email wgschorzman@pmt.org for a price list or to order books through the mail. ISI
The Eight Dollar Baby By Paul Brown, Burley At 11 p.m. in a large hotel building located at an idled zinc mine called “The Lucky Dog” in the Ozark mountains of Northern Arkansas back woods country, Mabel Brown, heavy with child, awakened her husband with groans that could mean only one thing. Their second child was about to be born and the time was drawing near indeed. A “granny woman” – Mary Beggley – had been with them for several days now awaiting the big event but she was not prepared to handle the birth alone. Oliver Brown was the $60/month caretaker for the shut down zinc mine. Daily he started the water pump that supplied the mine with water from Tomahawk Creek. The piping was oak and required regular soaking to maintain it. Other equipment also required a certain amount of maintenance including the buildings. As Oliver arose from the bed beside his wife, his face took on a determined look as he pondered the task ahead. He dressed and was shortly headed out the door for the barn where he quickly saddled his horse for his urgent business. The nearest doctor was more than six miles away at St. Joe requiring a galloping ride through the darkness in a pelting rain – rain that had drenched the countryside for 48 hours and was one of the worst in several years. As he rode through the night, he faced a decision as to which route to take. The shortest way was the most hazardous requiring that man and horse risk life and limb to ford Tomahawk Creek four times to reach the doctor’s house. Believing the risks worth the time
For Quality Products & Services, Visit The Following Advertisers Online at www.idahoseniorindependent.com!
Jack W. Love, Jr., Publisher/Editor Colleen Paduano Lisa Gebo Joanne Bernard Jonathan Rimmel Sherrie Smith
Natalie Bartley Holly Endersby Gail Jokerst Craig Larcom Jack McNeel
Office Manager Production Supervisor/Sales Advertising Sales Graphic Designer Admin/Production Assistant
Contributing Writers Connie Daugherty Cate Huisman Bernice Karnop Liz Larcom Michael McGough Dianna Troyer © 2015
Caregiving Entertainment Gold & Silver Health Health Health Health Insurance Real Estate Real Estate Real Estate Retirement Living Retirement Living Travel
BRP Health Management Lemhi County Museum Rosehill Coins & Jewelry Cassia Regional Medical Center Charles P. Lawless Kootenai Outpatient Imaging University Health Care Dialysis SHIBA Carey & Adams Realtors Four Seasons Realty Treasure Valley Mobile Village Kootenai Creek Village Tomlinson & Associates House of Travel
brphealth.com lemhicountymuseum.org rosehillcoins.com cassiaregional.org eyesurgerypocatello.com kootenaihealth.org utahdialysis.org shiba.idaho.gov careyandadams.com 4seasonsrealty.net g7rvresorts.com/communities/treasure-valley kootenaicreekvillage.com tomlinsonassociates.com houseoftrvl.com • 208-245-8687
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
saved, Oliver made his choice. Each crossing seemed worse than the last as he made three of the four successfully. Trees and branches floated past in the swollen creek while the darkness made it difficult to avoid these hazards that could tear a horse and rider apart. His horse was a small black mare that swam like a duck and never hesitated as they took to the water each time and were carried downstream at a steep angle – losing substantial distance by the time they came out and up the far bank. Miraculously Oliver and his spunky mare were not injured. The last crossing was in a flat, wide area that made the creek shallower and easier to cross. Oliver reached Dr. Jim Henley’s house and banged at his door until the doctor appeared before him glassy-eyed and sleepy. Little explanation was needed, and Oliver saddled the doctor’s horse while he dressed and prepared his bag of medical equipment. In short order, the two were headed back. The return route was different. Rather than subject Dr. Henley to unnecessary risks, the trail through Canaan was chosen and though much farther, it was safer with only one creek crossing. Men and horses splashed on through the woods of the Arkansas night as the rain continued. The one thing uppermost in their minds was to reach the hotel before the baby was born. The creek crossing finally appeared in front of them just a quarter mile from the hotel and the expectant mother. Oliver looked back at Dr. Henley and shouted through the storm, “Can your horse swim?”
Summer is winding down, but now is no time to frown. Here’s your chance – for new romance. Send in a letter; send in an ad; find yourself a nice lady or lad. To respond to any of these personal ads, simply forward your message and address, phone number, or email address to the department number listed in the particular personal ad, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, P.O. Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403. We will forward your response, including your address, phone number, and/or email address to the person placing the ad. When you respond to an ad in this section, there is no guarantee that you will receive a response. That is up to the person who placed the ad. Please submit your correct address plainly printed, so you can promptly receive replies. Respond to the ads in this issue, and also sit down now and prepare your own ad to run in our next issue. There is no charge for this service, and your ad may lead you down the path of companionship and true love! Responses to personal ads appearing in this column may be submitted at any time. However, to place a personal ad in the October/November 2015 issue, the deadline is September 7, 2015. Eighty-year-old widower in SW Idaho who collects old unwanted vehicle titles and registration papers, most found in drawers, seeks live-in companion, female who desires a place for her garden and animals. You cook some, thus no rent due. Reply ISI, Dept. 11301, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403. Built heavy and strong... just a little on the short side. I have had a small raised garden, but got tired of all the critters. I love dogs, I have one about 60 lbs. Most of my life has been hunting, fishing, and hiking. I wanted to be a fisherman, so I built my own boat. I fished in Alaska for 25 years. Reply ISI, Dept. 11302, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403. Boise area older man, 64, fit, looking for nice lady for trips, fun, pool, hiking, outdoor activities. Gentle, kind, grandfather, Vietnam veteran, well adjusted journalist. Reply ISI, Dept. 11303, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403. Widower desires to meet a little squirt, white haired from Northern Nevada, SW Idaho, or SE Oregon. I have many YARNS to tell to keep your interest. Much older or younger doesn’t impede as the true feelings come from the heart. Reply ISI, Dept. 11304, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403. She loves horseback riding, 4-wheeling, camping, swimming, reading, fishing, and so much more. Also the occasional movie and dining out. She’s 5’7, red long hair, great humor, loves to laugh. Looking for a very honest, down to earth gentleman who’s not afraid to raise a teenager with her, and wants to enjoy and share life in general. If this speaks to you, please reply
IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 5
“By God, you lead and I’ll follow,” Dr. Henley yelled in reply from beneath his dripping black hat. The little mare leaped into the muddy tumbling water and right behind, the doctor’s big gelding leaped in with a splash like a hippo. Being submerged to their waists in the muddy water was of little concern because the driving rain had left then saturated, and they both emerged on the far bank none the worse for wear. When they burst into the hotel room at 2 a.m. the mother-to-be was resting calmly – awake but waiting. Janis Lavida Brown was born two hours later November 16, 1919. Being the unpredictable character he was, Dr. Henley celebrated her birth by sitting at the breakfast table devouring dill pickles from a fruit jar while passing up the traditional eggs and sausage. The doctor’s bill was $8. Mother and child did well. The second in a family of eight children born to Oliver and Mabel, Janis grew up in the area around Everton, Arkansas. She and her husband, Harvey Hudspeth, settled around Sand Springs, Oklahoma. Janis was taken in 1973 by cancer as had been Mabel two years earlier. Oliver died in 1982 at the age of 87. Oliver Brown was 83 and a very active man living in Burley when he told this story. He particularly remembered the $8 spent for delivery of his second child for two reasons – dollars were hard to come by then and that particular night even harder to spend. ISI
Say you
saw it in the Idaho Senior
Indpendent!
PAGE 6 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
with phone number. Reply ISI, Dept. 11305, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403.
Reply ISI, Dept. 11308, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403.
Howdy, lonely mountain girls. Goat heads are my lily of the driveway. I miss the sweet scent of a cowgirl’s ear lobes. Her tender kiss as she delivers a fresh piece of rhubarb strawberry cobbler. Days of wine and roses. I’m tall and damn good-looking. Photograph please. Age doesn’t interfere. See me in your dreams. Reply ISI, Dept. 11306, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403.
SWM. Widower for 8 years and a non drinker/smoker. No drugs. I am a semi-retired daredevil and adventurer – educated and a world traveler. I am a Christian about 5’9” and 170# and financially secure. I own my home and love most animals and enjoy both country and city living. I am looking for a slender, non drinker-smoker with no major hang-ups that does not use recreational drugs and who is unencumbered and financially secure for companionship and perhaps more. Somewhere in the 60-80 age group. Take a chance and you may find it rewarding. Reply ISI, Dept. 11309, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403. ISI
Has a lady allowed life to pass by her, who now deeply desires to start her own family? No physical or verbal abuse, only honor, trust, love. 60-year-old widower who knows how to listen. I love my cold well water on 102-degree days. Perhaps a photo please. Reply ISI, Dept. 11307, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403. SWWF. Hi, I am 75 years young, 5’4” 138 lbs, living in Utah. Still have most of my own teeth, not plastic parts, no arthritis, no pain pills, color my hair, have wrinkles. Love the outdoors, gardening, target practice, and hunting. I am a knowledgeable horsewoman. I am paid for riding a dumb horse. I have my own tack and would like to ride with you when I am in Idaho.
“We spend our time searching for security and hate it when we get it.” –John Steinbeck
There is no escaping the thundering herd of presidential candidates as they stampede toward next years’ election. To divert our attention only slightly, we thought perhaps a focus this month on some of our Presidents’ spouses. Over the last two hundred years, our nation has had First Ladies of all persuasions, from the meek and timid to the independent and self-promoting. But, in any case these First Ladies are a cross section of our great country and whatever their strengths and weaknesses, they have been the First Lady of the United States of America! This month’s quiz will test your knowledge of a number of First Ladies and bits of trivia related to them. Thank you and congratulations to Jim Kerns of Boise for submitting this featured quiz. He is the winner of the $25 prize. Thank you to all who participated in our How Well do you Know our Presidents? quiz in the June/July 2015 issue. There was an error in question #2. What President was shot while walking into to Governor Jerry Brown’s office? Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme pointed a gun at President Ford but was restrained by a Secret Service agent before she could fire. The President was not shot nor shot at. (He was shot at and missed by Sara Jane Moore in San Francisco 17 days later. Moore was restrained before she could fire a second shot.) We apologize for the error. The winner of the $25 prize for submitting the correct answers is Susan Sankey of Hayden. Congratulations, Susan! Two $25 cash prizes are awarded from the “Contest Corner” in each issue of the Idaho Senior Independent. One prize goes to the person who submits the winning answers to the featured quiz from the previous issue. The second $25 prize goes to the person who submits the entry that our staff selects as the featured quiz or puzzle in the “Contest Corner” for this issue. Be creative Over 35 and send us some good, fun, and interesting puzzles! Years S erving Please mail your entries to the Idaho Senior Independent, P.O. Box the Trea sure 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403, or email to idahoseniorind@bresnan.net Valley (include your USPS address) by September 10, 2015 for our October/November 2015 edition. Be sure to work the crossword puzzle on our website Estate Jewelry www.idahoseniorindependent.com. All Gold, Silver & Platinum Jewelry
ROSEHILL COINS & JEWELRY, INC is Highest Prices Paid In Decades
Turn Your Old Forgotten Treasures Into Cash!!!
BUYING
We Pay Top Prices For Gold, Silver & Platinum Items. 9k, 10k, 14k, Dental 18k, 22k, 24k Any Condition New, Used, Or Damaged
We Buy From All Time Periods. Diamonds 1/2 Carat & Larger Loose Or Mounted All Shapes & Quality
Sterling Silver U.S. Silver Coins Buying 1964 & Older
Coin Collections
Premium Paid For Uncirculated Rolls. We Pay More For Rare Dates And Collections.
GOLD & SILVER BULLION, BUYING GOLD EAGLES, MAPLE LEAFS, KRUGGERRANDS, SILVER BARS & ROUNDS, TOP BUY SELL SPREAD
Paper Money
U.S. Gold Coins
Prices Subject to Market Changes.
ROSEHILL COINS & JEWELRY, INC 3506 Rosehill St., Boise • 208-343-3220 Hours: Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri, 9:30-5:00pm; Sat 10:00-4:00pm, Closed Wed & Sun.
How Well Do You Know Your First Ladies Submitted by Jim Kerns, Boise
Below are twenty-one numbered descriptions of America’s First Ladies. On a sheet of paper numbered from 1-21, write the letters from the list of First Ladies’ names that best correspond to the numbered First Ladies being described. Mail or email your answers to us including USPS contact information. 1. This First Lady told her husband to remember the ladies. 2. This First Lady, according to a President’s daughter, had a hippopotamus face. 3. This First Lady was accused of poisoning a President. 4. This First Lady was sent to an asylum by her son. 5. This First Lady dressed like a cowgirl and was a Goldwater Girl. 6. This First Lady, married in the White House, later gave birth to Baby Ruth. 7. This First Lady’s husband praised her graces. 8. This First Lady assisted our only bachelor president. 9. This First Lady was accused of being our first female president. 10. This First Lady was the immediate predecessor of the First Lady in 9 above. 11. This First Lady was cross-eyed. 12. This First Lady saved George Washington while someone was burning down the house. 13. This independent First Lady spent most of her time in Independence. 14. The president covered this First Lady’s face with a handkerchief. 15. This First Lady’s husband forgot to duck. 16. This First Lady’s husband was the namesake of a sardonic duck. 17. This First Lady had bangs. 18. This First Lady had a bouffant and may have been bribed with a trust fund. 19. This First Lady went down in a coalmine serving hot dogs to the king.
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
Answers to How Well Do You Know Our Presidents?
20. This tart First Lady served lemonade, not wine. 21. This peaceful First Lady watched the Boxers. A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I. J. K. L. M. N. O. P. Q. R. S. T. U.
Submitted by Peggy Parks, Challis
Eleanor Roosevelt Lucy Hayes Bess Truman Ellen Wilson Grace Coolidge Mary Lincoln Abigail Adams Florence Harding Frances Cleveland Edith Wilson Dolly Madison Nancy Reagan Jackie Kennedy Lou Hoover Mamie Eisenhower Ida McKinley Julia Grant Harriet Lane Hillary Clinton Nellie Taft Abigail Fillmore ISI
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 64. 66. 68. 69. 70. 71. 72. 73.
© State Point Media
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 15.
Provided by State Point Media ACROSS 1. 6. 9. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 21. 23. 24. 25. 28. 30. 35. 37. 39. 40. 41. 43. 44 46. 47. 48. 50. 52. 53. 55. 57. 60. 63.
Northern Scandinavians To use a Singer *Al Green: “____ Stay Together” Like unlucky straw Paleontologist’s estimate Confusion Emotion at a funeral *Beach Boys: “____ Only Knows” Like worthless promise *Billy Joel: “... just the way ____ ____” *Sonny & Cher: “I ____ ____ Babe” Type of evidence “The Blair Witch Project” emotion School of thought suffix Obsolete phone feature The 1 1/2 calorie breath mint Throat-clearing sound Lovers’ quarrel blow *Deniece Williams: “I just wanna ____, let’s hear it for the boy” *Depeche ____: “Just Can’t Get Enough” Impede or bar Guesstimate phrase Scoops water out of a boat Symphony member Nile dweller Condition Someone ____ Tarzan’s adoptive mom Found on a rosary *“____ for Two” *Bette Midler: “Some say love is like a ____” *Simple Minds: “Don’t you ____ about me” Bear Down Under
20. 22. 24. 25. 26. 27. 29. 31. 32. 33. 34. 36. 38. 42. 45. 49. 51. 54. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 65.
67.
D. H. N. S. J. A. R. I. B. O. K. C. M. P. F. T. L. Q. E. G.
George H. W. Bush Gerald Ford John Tyler Abraham Lincoln John F. Kennedy Dwight D. Eisenhower Bill Clinton Theodore Roosevelt Lyndon B. Johnson William Howard Taft James Madison Andrew Johnson James Buchanan Ronald Reagan Franklin D. Roosevelt William Henry Harrison Grover Cleveland John Quincy Adams George Washington Herbert Hoover ISI
Pitcher’s stat Tiny amounts In an unfriendly manner And not Related on mother’s side In 1492, it sailed the ocean blue “Much ____ About Nothing” Button on many mechanical units
DOWN
Love Songs
IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 7
Lysergic acid diethylamide Call to a mate Ralph Lauren’s inspiration Like honors student’s parent ____ of hair Like Solomon Bigheadedness Type of salad Containing limestone Former Montreal player “Swan Lake” outfit “I ____” guessing game System used in most of world, except U.S. Employer’s good news Quaker Man’s cereal Roofless, sideless truck Metrical units in poetry Sheep + goat The press Additionally Colloquial British abbreviation for particular sweet “Earth” to Virgil Famous fabulist *If he “could save time in a bottle” *Modern English song about doing this with you It can be indoors or outdoors Basil-based sauce Rapid transit *“I’m Beginning to ___ the Light” Scarier Rome’s Colosseum In the past Many focuses Been in bed Paella pot Wild West card game Estimated arrivals London art museum Kith partner *____ Stewart: “Have I told you lately” Part of tennis match
PAGE 8 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
Rich and Connie Wills Channel Their Passion for Drama into Historic Theater By Dianna Troyer For Rich and Connie Wills, keeping a centuryold theater afloat in Glenns Ferry is an entertaining and endless improvisational performance. “You never know what’s going to happen here,” says Connie about coordinating scripts, dozens of actors, dinner menus, and doing building maintenance during the Glenns Ferry Historic Opera Theatre’s busy summer season. “We wouldn’t have it any other way,” she adds. “We’ve always loved theater and met each other while taking drama classes at Nampa High School. Theater just makes a person feel good, no matter what side of the stage you’re on.” Two decades ago in the midst of careers and
kids, the Wills took on a commitment that others avoided. In 1994, they bought the theater with the vision of running it as a non-profit corporation. With community support, the 70-year-olds have revived it with summer stage productions and renting it as a community center. They not only rescued the brick theater with its archway entrance from a forlorn future, they also bought an adjacent building and remodeled it as a commercial kitchen. “The last 20 years have gone so fast,” says Connie, a retired educator and the town’s mayor. “In the early ’90s, the owner couldn’t turn a profit anymore as people started watching videos at home, so he put it up for sale. We couldn’t stand to see it lost to water damage. It was part of the
town’s history.” It had been a venue for Vaudeville acts and later silent movies and talkies. When it was built in 1914, the state-of-the-art theater was called the Gorby Opera House. The Wills renamed it the Glenns Ferry Historic Opera Theatre, but the locals call the building their Grand Ol’ Gal for its numerous ornate vintage features. “It still has the original red velvet stage curtain, piano, hardwood floors, wainscoting, staircase, and brass fans along the walls,” says Connie. “We try to maintain its original appearance. When people walk into the lobby, they tell us it feels like they’ve stepped back in time. People come back year after year because they’re looking for oldfashioned family entertainment. They plan their reunions at the park and then come over here for evening entertainment.” On Fridays, a murder-mystery is performed, while Saturday’s production is an old-time melodrama. This summer’s season runs from June 12 to August 29. Dinner starts at 6:30, with the show opening at 7:45. This summer’s shows are In Memoriam on Fridays and Treasures of Huckleberry Ridge or Hey Jude on Saturdays. “We have two casts for each show, so actors can have some flexibility with their summer schedule,” says Connie, estimating about 60 people including doubles are available to perform. “We
have people coming from as far as Kimberly and Jerome to the north and Meridian to the west to act in our plays.” While Connie handles administrative tasks, Rich directs performers, serves as the chef, and takes care of custodial duties. “We’ve acted in some plays,” says Connie. “In a pinch, Rich can step into any role. We also make sure kids of all ages are in the melodramas, so we’ll tweak a script to include roles for them.” For Rich, working at the theater in summer suits his busy schedule. During winter, he serves as a state legislator. He also is a part-time deputy for the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office. “Theater is a nice break from my usual routine,” says Rich, who retired in Glenns Ferry after a 30year career with the Idaho State Police officer. The Wills moved from Nampa to Glenns Ferry when the ISP assigned him there as the resident trooper in 1973. “For us, Glenns Ferry is home, and running the theater is a way to give back to the community,” says Connie. With the kitchen and a capacity for 160 people, the theater is rented year-round for all kinds of events. “After our town Christmas tree lighting, everyone comes here to visit Santa in the lobby. We have craft shows and a spring style show and tea. People schedule their weddings, receptions,
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
memorial services, proms, and reunions here. We have church groups, campers, and the Red Hat Society chapters... you name it.” The Grand Ol’ Gal is also a stop on an annual downtown ghost tour for Halloween. When the local Chamber of Commerce organized the event, a medium from Boise came out to check the stops on the tour. “He stood in our lobby a few minutes to get the feel of the place,” says Connie. “Then he said there are about seven spirits here. They’re either former employees or actors and love what has been done here. They like to sit in the balcony to
watch the shows.” Running the theater is a volunteer effort. “No one takes a salary,” says Connie. “The money that comes in goes into building improvement projects.” This summer they will purchase wireless microphones for each major actor, paying for the project with a grant from the Union Pacific Foundation. “Even though our acoustics are good, the mics will help seniors in our audience hear the dialogue,” says Connie. “We need to finish roofing, too. Eventually we’ll replace the ceiling because it has some stains from water damage.”
IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 9
The theater also received a grant from the Idaho Commission on the Arts to pay semi-professional entertainers to perform before the shows. Like the proverbial village raising a child, the town of Glenns Ferry and the Wills’ leadership and energy have raised and saved their historic theater. “When our audience and the cast meet in the lobby after a show, everyone is smiling,” says Connie. “It makes it all worthwhile. The theater is still our passion and love.” ED: This article has been reprinted from the June/July 2015 issue because a portion of the article was erroneously ommitted. ISI
Club Car Tip Sheet for Buying a Golf Car From Craig’s List or E-Bay Avoid Buyer’s Remorse With These 9 Tips Pre-owned golf cars can be great investments, or they can be rolling money pits. According to Ray Bentley, director of aftermarket sales and operations at Club Car, most preowned golf cars sold by wholesalers and dealers are former fleet electric cars, reconditioned for personal use. This often includes a speed upgrade. “Make sure the car you buy has a maximum speed of 20 mph. Anything over that can lead to legal and safety concerns,” Bentley says. Bentley also suggests buyers: • Identify a clear serial number. This reveals the origin of the vehicle. If the number has been hidden or removed, the seller may be trying to hide something. • Determine the age of the batteries. The batteries are the most expensive components on electric cars. Lift the seat and find the month and year of manufacture. Look for a car with batteries that are no more than two years old. Months are represented by letters, with A for January and L for December. Years are designated by numbers, with
1 standing for 2011, 2 for 2012 and 3 for 2013. • Check the batteries. Look for leaks and corrosion and make sure the battery fluid is clean and clear. Inspect the battery cables and ask if the charger shuts off automatically when the batteries are charged. This is a better option than a manual timer is. • Inspect the body and frame. Look for misuse, rust, or body damage. Look underneath the car for welds or other signs of frame damage. If possible, buy a car built on a rustproof aluminum frame. • Make sure the vehicle has taillights, turn signals and other safety gear required for street use. • Look for tire wear. • If the vehicle has a canopy, make sure it is secure. Shaking the canopy will help determine if something is loose or broken. • Test drive the car. Watch for noises and vibrations and test the brakes, acceleration, and turning stability. • Make sure the vehicle is made by a reputable manufacturer. If it’s not, parts and service can be a problem.
“You could also consider a pre-owned golf car that has been factory remanufactured, such as a Club Car Gold Standard Factory Remanufactured Precedent golf car,” Bentley says. “They’re the next best thing to a new car.” In a demanding 12-step process, skilled Club Car technicians disassemble each of these cars to its aluminum I-beam chassis and carefully inspect the frame to ensure it is free of damage or defects. After inspecting select components, they install new batteries, body, cowl, bumpers, tires, steering gear-box assembly, pedal-group assembly, on-board computers, and many other parts. The car is test driven, assigned a new serial number, and covered by a Club Car warranty. Gold Standard Remanufactured Precedent golf cars are available in two- or four-passenger models and in cargo models that carry up to 150 pounds. All feature safety equipment and Club Car’s exclusive Monsoon™ canopy top, that channels water directly to the ground. “These vehicles take the worry out of buying a pre-owned golf car,” Bentley says. ISI
Bob & Connie Tessmer create exquisite bowls and vases from discarded wood By Dianna Troyer Whenever Bob Tessmer begins working with a chunk of wood on his lathe, he has no preconceived idea of what the finished vase or bowl will look like. “The unique features of the wood guide me,” says the 64-year-old retiree who works in a shop adjacent to his home in Moore. “I love imperfections and developing natural defects. Other woodworkers might try to eliminate those imperfections, but not me. I can’t ever top the beauty that nature has produced in wood, but I can enhance it.” Bob’s pieces often sell as quickly as he makes them, but money fails to motivate him. “A lot of times, people look at pieces I’ve made but don’t buy them,” he says. “That’s fine. I’m not trying to make money, just to recoup my costs. People love to feel the smoothness and see the patterns in the wood grain. Their smiles and appreciation are priceless.” Appreciative clients in Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, California, Pennsylvania, and Illinois have purchased Bob’s wooden works of art on the Internet, at local Christmas bazaars, farmer’s markets, and a local floral shop. Bob launched himself into woodworking after retiring in 2012 from the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), where he did maintenance work for nuclear energy departments. His wife, Connie, 59, a retired technical procedures
writer at the lab, sometimes helps him, using a wood-burning tool to make patterns on the sides of his pieces. Bob has worked with wood most of his life. Before being hired at the INL, he built homes. He also has crafted furniture including tables, dressers, and a bed. Yet the projects that intrigue him most are the creations he turns on his lathe. Bob credits his b r o t h e r, D i c k , w i t h teaching him to use a lathe. “He piqued my interest, and it’s grown from there,” says Bob, who bought a lathe in 2007. “I love carving wood, too.” He calls his retire-
PAGE 10 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
ment business and Facebook page Sheep Creek Woodworks, named for a favorite hiking area near Challis. For Bob, hours pass like minutes when he works in his shop. “On most days, I’m out here for eight hours or more,” he says. “Connie comes out and asks me if I want some lunch, and I don’t even realize it’s already midday.” Bob uses a variety of wood. “Most comes from around here, but I also trade with my brother’s logger relatives in Washington,” he says of pieces of elm, cedar, maple, cherry, cottonwood, willow, sage, and mountain mahogany. Some of his most beautiful pieces have been made from burls. The bulbous lumps on trees have deformed the wood due to injury, virus, or fungus. Woodworkers prize them for their unusual grain patterns. It can take months for Bob to finish a bowl or vase. The amount of time varies from piece
to piece due to the wood’s unique characteristics. “I usually have about five pieces going at the same time because they’re in different stages,” he explains. “Some might be drying, while others are ready for sanding and the finish.” After sanding, he coats the piece with oil containing wax, or he brushes on a lacquer to give a gloss or matte finish. Besides turning wood on a lathe, Bob carves wood. In their living room is the face of a green man, whose eyes seem to close in the evening when shadows are cast on his features with the shifting light. While Bob is busy in his shop, Connie makes items to sell at craft shows. A skilled seamstress, she sews aprons and crochets placemats, potholders, scrubbies, and dish clothes. She also makes gift boxes from decorative paper. Bob occasionally takes requests from a customer. “I’ll work with easy-going people,” he says. “Mostly I just want to see what I can bring out in the wood. Then if someone wants it, that’s great. I get so much satisfaction from just working with the wood.”
Bob Tessmer turns a bowl on his lathe. His wife, Connie, burns designs into some of his pieces. [Photo by Dianna Troyer] ISI
Visit The Historic Silver Valley For Fun! Fall spells FUN in the Silver Valley! A variety of activities is available for active adventures or just relaxing enjoyment. The Farmer’s Market runs Saturdays from 9 am to 1 pm off Division Street in Kellogg. Take Exit 51 off I-90. Stock up on fresh produce while exploring local vendor offerings. If you are looking for a party, Silver Mountain’s Brewsfest on Saturday, August 15, offers an awesome experience. Travel above the trees by riding the gondola up to 5,700 feet. The views
are spectacular and sometimes a deer or moose looks up from the forest below. The Brewsfest offers three bands, and 40 craft beers. Everyone is friendly; some folks dance on the grass while others sample a variety of beers. It’s a taste bud marvel to enjoy beer flavors such as huckleberry, apricot, and honey. There is a beer for everyone: soft and silky, dark and dry, tart and funky, earthy, hoppy, and malty – a beer connoisseur’s delight. Visit silvermt.com for tickets.
The Mine to Vine is a bicycle cruise downhill from Mullan to Silver Mountain along the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes. This is an easy ride with beautiful scenery, delicious treats, and a wine tasting. Live music, an auction, and lots of fun make this an event you will not want to miss on Saturday, September 12. For more information, visit silvervalleychamber. com or call 208-784-0821. ISI
MENTION THIS AD & GET 10% OFF*! 10.10
{andy hackbarth} Americana & Folk Music $30 | $35
01.07
{the hit men} Original Four Seasons members $35 | $40
10.24
{dave coulier} “Uncle Joey’s” jokes & impressions $45 | $50
01.20
{flashdance: the musical}
Iconic 80s movie brought to life $45 | $50
11.06
11.14
sherlock holmes} Holmes & Watson on stage $40 | $45
{cheyenne jackson} Award winning broadway voice $40 | $45
01.30
02.06
{the adventures of
{kathleen madigan}
Humor from everyday life $35 | $40
{timber!}
Death-Defying Stunts and $45 | $50 Acrobatics
09. 17 & 18 {david archuleta} Best-selling pop artist and American Idol darling comes for two nights at the Colonial Theater. $45 | $55
03.11
02.26 {feet don’t fail me now}
Rhythmic Circus spectacle $40 | $45
{the hunts} Ethereal alt-folk music $30 | $35
03.18
{portland cello project}
Classical Meets Pop $30 | $35
04.07
{saturday night fever}
The Classic 70s Film Live! $45 | $50
ORDER BY AUG 7TH PREMIUM SEATING & DISCOUNTS! • SEASON TICKETS 25% OFF • 5+ SHOW PACKAGES 15% OFF • MEMBER DISCOUNT 10% OFF *Mention this ad and receive the member discount of 10% off
BECOME A MEMBER FOR ONLY $35! SENIOR MEMBERSHIP $35
05.07
{live at 25} Celebrate IFAC’s 25th Anniversary with a revamped Getting Our Act Together featuring the best talent eastern Idaho has to offer and an anniversary party! |$20
498 A St. | (208) 522-0471 | idahofallsarts.org Senior-1516Ad.indd 1
7/10/15 11:54 AM
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 11
In Every Corner Of Idaho There Is Something Fun To See And Do With half of summer ahead there are plenty of fairs, rodeos, festivals, art shows, car shows, benefits, concerts, star gazings, parades, music events, wine tastings, and sporting events to keep Date Event Aug 5 Kellogg–Silver Mountain Brewfest Aug 6 Sandpoint–Festival at Sandpoint Aug 7 Sun Valley–Center Arts Festival Aug 7 Elk River–Elk River Days Aug 7 Boise–Shakespeare – King Lear Aug 7 Wallace–Accordian Festival Aug 14 McCall–Brundage Mtn Bike Fest Aug 14 Boise–Basque WineFest Aug 14 Donnelly–Huckleberry Festival Aug 19 Boise–Fizzyology Science Bubbles Aug 19 Caldwell–Caldwell Night Rodeo Aug 19 Burley–Cassia County Fair/Rodeo Aug 19 Pocatello–Portneuf Farmers Mkt Aug 21 Boise–Western Idaho Fair Aug 25 Idaho Falls–ART Idaho Aug 28 Lewiston–Hot August Nights Cars Aug 28 Moscow–U of I Women’s Soccer Aug 28 Burley–Hazzard County Nationals Sept 2 Boise–Spirit of Boise Balloons Sept 2 Twin Falls–County Fair/Stampede Sept 4 Stanley–Sawtooth Cowboy Poetry Sept 4 St Maries–Paul Bunyan Days Sept 5 Elk River–ATV Mud Bog Sept 5 Blackfoot–Eastern Idaho State Fair Sept 9 Lewiston–Roundup Rodeo Sept 11 Mountain Home–Idaho Star Party Sept 12 Athol–Grandparents Weekend Sept 16 Nampa–ZZ Top Grooves & Gravy Sept 16 Boise–Fizzyology Science Bubbles Sept 17 Idaho Falls–*David Archuleta Sept 17 Clearwater–Lumberjack Days Sept 17 Lewiston–*Shrek the Musical Sept 18 Orofino–Fair & Lumberjack Days Sept 18 Shoshone–Lost N Lava Cowboy Sept 18 Payette–Big Nasty Hill Climb Sept 18 Nezperce–Lewis County Fair Sept 24 Sandpoint–Drafthorse/Mule Show Oct 10 Idaho Falls–*Andy Hackbarth Oct 17 Kamiah–*Walking with Ancestors Oct 24 Idaho Falls–*Dave Coulier Comedy Nov 5 Lewiston–*Arsenic & Old Lace Nov 6 Idaho Falls–*Sherlock Holmes
us entertained and busy. Here is a sampling of fun things that may pique your interests, and with a little searching on the web, you can fill in the gaps. To start, we would suggest readers contact Phone Web Address 208-784-0821 silvervalleychamber.org 208-265-4554 festivalatsandpoint.com 208-726-9491 sunvalleycenter.org 208-826-3068 208-336-9221 idahoshakespearetickets.com 208-753-7151 wallaceidahochamber.com 208-634-4151 brundage.com 208-459-7333 basquecenter.com 208-325-8859 208-343-9895 dcidaho.org 208-459-2060 208-678-9150 cassiacountyfair.com 208-705-7333 208-287-5650 expoidaho.com 208-524-7777 theartmuseum.org 509-758-7489 208-885-6466 307-444-3014 208-344-6363 208-326-4396 208-774-3365 sawtoothmountainmamas.org 208-582-3402 stmariesidaho.org 208-826-3584 208-785-2480 funatthefair.com 509-758-7489 boiseastro.org 208-683-3400 silverwoodthemepark.com 208-442-3232 fordidahocenter.com 208-343-9895 dcidaho.org 208-522-0471 idahofallsarts.org 208-476-4335 orofinolumberjackdays.org 208-746-3401 lctheatre.org 208-476-4335 orofinolumberjackdays.org 208-886-9811 lostnlavagathering.com 208-573-4255 208-937-1021 cityofnezperce.com 208-661-4587 208-522-0471 idahofallsarts.org 208-935-2367 208-522-0471 idahofallsarts.org 208-746-3401 lctheatre.org 208-522-0471 idahofallsarts.org ISI
Follow The Steps Of Lewis & Clark To Kamiah Located on the Clearwater River, on National Historic Highway 12, Kamiah, Idaho lies about halfway between Lewiston, Idaho and Missoula, Montana. Kamiah is a Victorian Western town in a place where Meriwether Lewis and William Clark wintered their expedition with the Nez Perce tribe on their journey to the Pacific Ocean. Kamiah Historical Society preserves local history in our small town museum that is still free to visit. We are currently open Memorial Day, through Labor Day, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and by special request. Displays include mammoth bones discovered locally, items from early settlers such as the Bethman sisters, Dr. Bridewell, and other settlers from Woodland, Pardee, and other towns in the area.
Our major fundraiser this year is our Tea on October 17. Tea includes a program Walking with Ancestors. Advance tickets may be purchased, $14 adult, $8 children 8 yrs and older. Contact Mrs. Yates at 208-935-2209 or Mrs. DuClerque at 208-935-2367. For our 2016 season, we are planning a Civil War exhibit, with artifacts from local families, and names of veterans from our local graveyards. For more information visit us at 518 Main St or call 208-935-0764. ISI
the following resources: Boise Convention & Visitors Bureau at boise.org or 800.635.5240; Hells Canyon Visitor Bureau at visitlcvalley.com or 877774-7248; Idaho Division of Tourism at visitidaho. org or 800-847-4843; Lewis Clark Valley - North Idaho Tourism Alliance at visitnorthidaho.com; and Pioneer Country Travel Council at seidaho.org or 888-201-1063. These are just a few of the regional and community resources that you can consult in order to make this a most memorable summer and fall 2015!
PAGE 12 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
Plan Ahead And Check Your Numbers For Medicare Open Enrollment It’s that time of year again when folks on Medicare need to address their coverage for 2016. What is Fall Open Enrollment? Fall Open Enrollment occurs each year from October 15 to December 7. During Fall Open Enrollment, people with Medicare can make changes to their Medicare coverage with their new coverage taking effect January 1 of the following year. Outside of this time, people with Medicare generally cannot make changes to their Medicare coverage unless certain circumstances qualify them for a Special Enrollment Period. During Fall Open Enrollment, people with Medicare can do the following: • Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan • Switch from a Medicare Advantage plan to Original Medicare • Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another Medicare Advantage plan
• Switch from one Medicare prescription drug plan to another Medicare prescription drug plan • Join a Medicare prescription drug plan for the first time Before making any changes during Fall Open Enrollment, it may be helpful for you to look at your current Medicare coverage to see whether your benefits and costs will change in 2016. If there aren’t any changes to your Medicare coverage and you’re satisfied with your coverage, you don’t need to make any changes during this time. However, if there are changes to your Medicare health and drug coverage or you are unsatisfied with your Medicare coverage, you have the right to make changes during this time. You can make any number of changes to your Medicare coverage during Fall Open Enrollment, but keep in mind that your last coverage decision made during this time will take effect January 1, 2016. To avoid enrollment problems, it’s best to call 800-MEDICARE when making any changes to your Medicare health and/or drug coverage. I plan to switch from a Medicare Advantage plan to Original Medicare during Fall Open Enrollment. Can I also sign up for a Medigap plan during Fall Open Enrollment? Whether you are allowed to buy a Medigap plan during Fall Open Enrollment (October 15-December 7 of each year), depends on your circumstances and your state’s specific rules on Medigap enrollment. A Medigap plan is supplemental coverage designed to pay for out-of-pocket Original Medicare costs, such as deductibles and coinsurances. Medigap plans do not work with Medicare Advantage plans. You can only have a Medigap plan if you have Original Medicare. Under federal law, you have the right to buy a Medigap plan at certain times. Federal law allows people 65 years or older to buy Medigap; however,
some states may extend that right to people who are under 65 years old and become eligible for Medicare due to disability, end-stage renal disease, or Lou-Gehrig’s disease (ALS). For exact rules and protections in your state about Medigap enrollment periods, contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) or State Department of Insurance. I received a grey notice in the mail that said I would no longer automatically qualify for Extra Help. What does this notice mean? Sometime in the fall, certain people with Medicare may receive grey Extra Help notices from the Social Security Administration (SSA). This grey notice informs people that they will no longer automatically qualify for Extra Help, beginning the first of the following year. Extra Help is the federal assistance program that helps pay the cost of prescription drugs for those with limited finances. Generally, people who receive this grey Extra Help notice automatically qualified for the program in the past by having Medicaid, a Medicare Savings Program, or by receiving Supplementary Security Income. The grey notice is sent to individuals who will no longer qualify for Extra Help in the upcoming year, because they no longer qualify for Medicaid, have a Medicare Savings Program, or no longer receive Supplementary Security Income. People with limited income and resources may still qualify for Extra Help. However, they must apply directly to Social Security to continue receiving the benefit. They can do so by filling out the application attached to the grey notice or by visiting https://secure.ssa.gov/i1020/start. Marci’s Medicare Answers is a service of the Medicare Rights Center (www.medicarerights. org), the nation’s largest independent source of information and assistance for people with Medicare. ISI
Use Separate Trusts To Protect Inheritance for Children from Former Marriage By Jonathan J. David Dear Jonathan: My wife and I are setting up a joint trust. Now we have to move assets into that trust in order for them to avoid probate. One of our concerns, however, is that once we move the assets into the trust, do we give up control? Also, if we want to sell an asset, such as our house, does that become more complicated when it is in a trust? Jonathan Says: I assume that you and your wife will act as co-trustees of your trust. If that is the case, then you give up absolutely no control by moving the assets into the trust. If there comes a time when you and your wife are no longer acting as co-trustees of the trust, then you give up control in the sense that whoever is acting as trustee of your trust is charged with the responsibility of managing the trust assets on your behalf. Transferring assets to a trust does not complicate the sale of those assets down the road. For instance, if you transfer your home to your trust, and then you decide to sell the home, instead of you and your spouse being the sellers of the home in your individual names, you would be selling the home through the trust as co-trustees of the trust. Dear Jonathan: My wife and I set up a joint trust a few years back. The trust provides that upon the latter death of the two of us, that our assets will be divided equally among our respective children. Each of us was married before and have children from our first marriages and we want to make sure that they are all treated the same. If I were to die first, are my children protected? In other words, does my wife have the ability to change any of the terms of the trust at my first death and leave my children
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
out? It is not that I do not trust my wife, I am just curious as to what her rights would be, as well as what my rights would be if she were to die first. Jonathan Says: If you and your wife set up a typical joint trust, then the trust would only become irrevocable, i.e., unchangeable, upon the death of the second one of you to die. As such, at the death of the first spouse to die, the survivor of the two of you could change the terms of the trust, i.e., change the beneficiaries and/or what each beneficiary would receive from the trust.
If you are concerned about this and want to make sure that there is no way your children, or if she were to die first, her children, could be disinherited if the surviving spouse changes the terms of the trust, then you may want to consider having each of you set up separate trusts, in place of the joint trust you currently have. Each separate trust could provide for the surviving spouse during lifetime, but indicate that upon the surviving spouse’s death, that the balance of the trust assets are to be distributed to or held for the benefit of that
IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 13
grantor’s children. Further, since each separate trust would become irrevocable upon the grantor’s death, the surviving spouse would not have the ability to modify the trust and re-direct the assets to his or her own children. I recommend that you meet with an estateplanning lawyer who can review your concerns more carefully and make recommendations on how to address those concerns going forward. Good luck. ISI
How Divorce Can Affect Your Social Security By Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, Am I entitled to my former husband’s Social Security benefits? I was married for 12 unpleasant years and would like to know for what benefits I may be eligible. Ex-spouse Dear Ex-spouse, You will be happy to know that for the most part, Social Security provides divorced spouses benefits just as they do spouses, if you meet the government’s requirements. Here is how it works. A divorced spouse can collect a Social Security retirement benefit on the work record of their ex-husband (or ex-wife) if they are at least age 62, were married for at least 10 years, are unmarried now, and are not eligible for a higher benefit based on their own work record. In order to collect, however, your former spouse must also be at least 62 and eligible for Social Security benefits, and you must have been divorced for at least two years. But, he does not have to be receiving them in order for you to collect divorced spouse’s benefits. Even if your ex is remarried, it will not affect your right to divorcee benefits, nor will it affect your ex’s retirement benefits or his current spouse’s benefits. Benefit Amount – A divorced spouse can receive up to 50 percent of their ex’s full Social Security benefit, or less if they take benefits before their full-retirement age – which is 66 if you were born between 1943 and 1954. To find out your full-retirement age and see how much your benefits will be reduced by taking them early see ssa.gov/retire2/agereduction.htm. Keep in mind though, that if you qualify for benefits based on your own work history, you will receive the larger of the two benefits. You cannot receive benefits on both your own record, and your ex’s work record too. To find out your retirement benefits based on your own earnings history, see your Social Security statement at ssa.gov/myaccount. And to get an estimate of your divorced spouse benefit, call Social Security at 800-772-1213. You will need your ex’s Social Security Number to get it. Getting Remarried – Since three-quarters of U.S. divorcees get married again, it’s also important to understand that remarrying makes you ineligible for divorced spouse’s benefits unless the later marriage ends. And, for those who have been married and divorced twice, with both marriages lasting more than 10 years, you can collect using the ex-spouse with the larger Social Security benefit. Divorced Survivor – You also need to know that if your ex-spouse dies, and you were married for 10 or more years, you become eligible for divorced “survivor benefits,” which is worth up to 100 percent of what your ex-spouse was due. Survivor’s benefits are available to divorced spouses as early as age 60 (50 if you are disabled). But, if you remarry before 60, you become ineligible unless the marriage ends. Remarrying after age 60 will not affect your eligibility. Also note that if you are receiving divorced spouses benefits when you ex-spouse dies, you will automatically be switched over to the higher paying survivor benefit. Switching Strategies – Being divorced also offers some switching strategies that can
help boost your benefits. For working divorced spouses, there is an option that lets you file a “restricted” application with Social Security (at full retirement age) to collect a divorced spousal benefit, which is half of what your ex gets. Then, once you reach 70, you stop receiving the exspousal benefit and switch to your own benefit, which will be 32 percent higher than it would have been at your full retirement age. Divorced widows (and widowers) have even more options. If, for example, you are currently collecting Social Security retirement benefits on your own record, and your ex-spouse dies, you can switch to survivor’s benefits if the payment is larger. Or, if you are collecting survivor’s benefits, you can switch to your own retirement benefits – between 62 and 70 – if it offers a larger payment. Send your senior questions to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. ISI
You can learn little from victory. You can learn everything from defeat. – Christy Mathewson
PAGE 14 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
“Nourishing Life: Mind, Body, Spirit” Is Theme For National Assisted Living Week, September 13-19, 2015 By Bernice Karnop “Nourishing Life: Mind, Body, Spirit” is the focus for National Assisted Living Week and celebrates the countless ways assisted living caregivers nurture the whole resident. Communities across the country work each and every day to ensure that the lives of their residents are fully nourished in each and every way. Conversely, residents nourish the lives of team members and volunteers, with the support of loved ones, by sharing their inspiring lives. The American Health Care Association (AHCA), a non-profit federation of health care organizations, established National Assisted Living Week in 1995. Over a million Americans need assistance with daily living needs, including the elderly, disabled veterans, and others.
Survey Reveals Financial, Emotional, and Other Stressful Components Of Caregiving
Is it Time?
At Wedgewood Terrace, we understand the worry involved with seeking assistance for an elderly parent, spouse, or loved one.
We’re here to help. Call us to speak with one of our care professionals about the services we offer that may meet your family’s needs: Adult Day Care program (hourly) Respite stays (daily rate) Alzheimer’s education Assisted living apartments Secure memory care apartments Medicaid applications accepted
2114 Vineyard Ave. Lewiston, ID 83501 (208) 743-4545
440207CB-15
• • • • • •
The AHCA provides education, information, and tools to encourage quality care and quality of life for this vulnerable population. During National Assisted Living Week families, individuals, businesses, and the public are encouraged to recognize and appreciate not only the folks in assisted living, but also the health care professionals who provide daily care for them. So put some nourishing thoughts and action toward assisted living residents in your life and the staff who serve them. Bring cookies, flowers, or other tokens of appreciation during National Assisted Living Week – or any time of year. A simple visit adds a joyful note, not only to the resident but also to the workers who care for them. ISI
Except during the nine months before he draws his first breath, no man manages his affairs as well as a tree does. – George Bernard Shaw
By Tait Trussell It is women’s fate, largely. And the recession has not helped. I am talking about caregiving - for family, friends, or loved ones. American caregivers are predominantly female (66 percent), according to the study Caregiving in the U.S. conducted for the National Alliance for Caregiving from interviews with 1,480 caregivers chosen at random. It is said to be the most comprehensive examination to date of caregiving in America. Seven out of ten of these kindly souls care for someone over age 50. Caregiving lasts an average of 4.6 years, and almost one-third of the nation’s population plays a role in caregiving, the study discovered. “More and more people who are 65plus are providing care to both children and adults,” said Gail Hunt, president and CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving. “The shift to an older population of caregivers points to a real need for assistance for these individuals from family, friends, employers, and social service programs. With more support for caregiving, older and
disabled people would be able to do what is so important to them, to remain in their own homes and with those they love,” The survey also found that the economic downturn affected family caregivers in significant ways, including their work situation, their use of savings or added debt to cover caregiving expenses, and the impact on the caregiver’s health in terms of stress. Over 60 percent of the respondents were providing personal care or ADLs – activities of daily living – such as bathing, dressing, feeding, and toileting. Fifty percent of working caregivers said they were less comfortable taking time off from work to provide care. Thirty percent of working caregivers reported they were having to work more hours or get an extra job. Forty-three percent had had their work hours or their pay cut. One in six caregivers said the downturn had caused them to lose their job. In terms of cost, 13 percent said they had to spend more on caregiving expenses. Of these, half are struggling just with basic needs and are putting their own financial futures at risk. Sixty-three percent reported they are saving less for retirement. Forty-three percent are borrowing money or increasing their credit card debt because of the recession. One in four has cut back on spending. The likelihood of reducing caregiving expenses is higher among younger folks. The proportion falls steadily as age rises until it reaches age 65, when 11 percent of caregivers are 65 or older. The average caregiver is a 48-year-old woman. Most of them care for a relative (86 percent) and most often a parent (36 percent). Seven in ten caregivers take care of someone who is over age 50. One in seven caregivers provides care for a child with special needs - over and above regular parenting. In a profile of caregivers, the study showed that 32 percent live in households with incomes of $50,000 to $100,000. Twenty-two percent live in households with incomes of less than $30,000. Fifteen percent of caretakers were retired, while 57 percent said they were still working. Ten percent were listed as homemakers. Seven percent were unemployed and seeking work. The study also revealed that both caregivers of adults and their families are older now than their counterparts were five years ago. There is a shift upwards among caregivers 50 to 64, while younger caregivers declined. The average care recipient’s age increased from 67 to 69 over the five-year period as the proportion of elderly increased. The main reasons people need care is old age (12%), Alzheimer’s disease (10%), mental/ emotional illness (7%), cancer (7%), heart disease (5%), and stroke (5%). “Caregivers report they need help looking after their loved ones, but they also need help managing their own stress,” said Dennis White, president and CEO of MetLife Foundation. ISI
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 15
Everything You Want To Know About Mental Health & Depression But Were Afraid to Ask Exactly what is depression? When should you think about getting treatment for depression? Doesn’t everyone get depressed once in awhile? By James Day, M.D. Yes, in a non-clinical sense, of course everyone does get depressed periodically. The trouble is the word depression is used in everyday language and even medically at times to cover such a broad range of emotional states it almost loses its meaning. In common use, it covers everything from someone who is a little “blue” because of prolonged cloudy weather to someone totally immobilized by severe clinical depression. Also confusing the picture is the fact that even clinical depression exists on a continuum and not as separate states, such as “depressed or not depressed.” For example, a mild depression provoked by stress, such as grief after the loss of a loved one, usually resolves with time and support from our families and friends, but can at times progress slowly into a severe clinical depression. Major Depression is the current term used for more severe depressions, depressions that can be a lethal illness if not treated. These depressions usually require treatment to resolve in any reasonable length of time and cause a tremendous amount of disability and suffering. Treatment usually consists of a combination of antidepressant medications and at least brief psychotherapy focused on changing the negative ways of thinking and behaving that often persist without psychotherapy, even when medications successfully resolve most symptoms. Major depression is an illness of at least 2 weeks duration, which often can last months or even years if untreated, in which there is either depressed mood or the loss of interest or pleasure in nearly all activities. Symptoms may include constant awakening during the night, loss of appetite and weight, fatigue, loss of motivation, loss of interest in activities that normally would be enjoyed, an inability to experience joy or happiness, feelings of worthlessness or guilt; difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions; and
recurrent thoughts of death, or suicidal thoughts, plans or attempts. The symptoms must be newly present or must have clearly worsened compared with the person’s previous status. The symptoms persist generally throughout the day with little or no relief and cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. For some individuals with milder episodes, functioning may appear normal, but requires markedly increased effort. Individuals often have various physical complaints and may be convinced they have physical illness. Actually, they do have a physical illness, though one different from what they might have imagined. Everyday activities may be exhausting and take twice as long as usual. A sense of worthlessness or guilt may include unrealistic negative evaluations of one’s worth or guilty ruminations over minor past failings. Such individuals often misinterpret neutral or trivial day-to-day events as evidence of personal defects and have an exaggerated sense of responsibility for untoward events. The illness may include psychotic symptoms such as delusions. A sense of worthlessness or guilt may be of delusional proportions (e.g. an individual who is convinced that he or she is personally responsible for world poverty). Blaming oneself for being sick and for failing to meet occupational or interpersonal responsibilities because of the depression is very common. Many individuals appear easily distracted or complain of memory difficulties. Those in intellectually
demanding academic or occupational pursuits are often unable to function adequately even when they have mild concentration problems. In elderly individuals, memory difficulties may be the chief complaint and may be mistaken for early signs of a dementia. Frequently there may be thoughts of death, ranging from a belief that others would be better off if the person were dead, to transient by recurrent thoughts of committing suicide. Although these symptoms are associated statistically with suicide attempts and may be helpful in identifying a high-risk group, many studies have shown that it is not possible to predict accurately whether or when a particular individual with depression will attempt suicide. Motivations for suicide may include a desire to give up in the face of perceived insurmountable obstacles or an intense wish to end an excruciatingly painful emotional state that is perceived by the person to be without end. The good news is that the illness responds to treatment 70% to 80% of the time and the chance of recurrent episodes can be considerably diminished by means of maintenance treatment, even in those with a history of recurrences. ISI
Serving the following counties: Nez Perce • Asotin • Latah • Clearwater • Idaho • Garfield • Whitman • Benton • Spokane • Walla Walla
Serving our communities with professionalism, quality and integrity since 1995, we continually strive to
provide quality of life for all people entrusted to our care. We endeavor to meet the total needs of those we care for! With our professional home care, many individuals can continue to live independently in the privacy and comfort of their own homes, up to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
SERVICES OFFERED • Meal Preparation • Bathing Assistance • Housekeeping • Transportation
• Adult Day Services • Homemaker Services • Skilled Nursing • Daily Living Assistance
• Dressing Assistance • Medication Reminders • Companionship
Are you a veteran or a loved one of a veteran? Call us about eligible VA benefits.
Call ANS Today for a FREE in-home assessment Lewiston/Clarkston......... (208) 746-3050 Grangeville/Orofino........ (800) 930-3050 Moscow.......................... (208) 882-0616 Kamiah.......................... (208) 935-2204 Kennewick...................... (509) 735-3388
YOU CHOOSE THE HOURS AND THE DAYS
Spokane......................... (800) 930-3050 Coeur d’Alene................. (800) 930-3050 Walla Walla.................... (509) 525-3388 Pinehurst....................... (800) 930-3050 Toll Free......................... (800) 930-3050
PAYMENT OPTIONS Idaho and Washington Medicaid, Long-Term Care Insurance, Private Pay Options, Idaho Workmen Compensation Insurance, Washington Labor and Industrial Insurance, VA Medical Insurance, and AAA Homemaker.
“Professional In-Home Health Care”
PAGE 16 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
Elder Abuse Is Everyone’s Business caregivers
AdvantagePlusCaregivers.com
We’re all about the Care. Services for the entire family from those with disabilities or in need of rehabilitation, to assisting our elderly to stay safe and cared for in their own home.
509.714.1794 1.800.972.4106
104 S. Freya | Ste. 201 Red Flag Building Spokane WA Everlastingly Us, Inc. is an independently owned and operated franchise dba AdvantagePlusCaregivers.com®
By Tammy Langley Wealth of wisdom is often hidden beneath wrinkles of time. For instance, Laura Ingalls Wilder was 65 when she wrote her first book, Little House in the Big Woods. Ronald Reagan became President of the United States at 69. While aging is inevitable, growing old in spirit and choosing a youthful mindset is not always easy, especially for folks affected by abuse. According to the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA), 1 in 10 Americans age 60+ will experience abuse. Tragically, 90 percent of abusers are adult children, spouses, partners, or other family members. According to NCEA, the following are the major categories of elder mistreatment: • Exploitation – Illegal taking, misuse, or concealment of funds, property, or assets. • Emotional Abuse – Inflicting mental pain, anguish, or distress through verbal or nonverbal acts. • Sexual Abuse – Non-consensual sexual contact of any kind or coercion to witness sexual behaviors. • Neglect – Refusal or failure by those responsible to provide food, shelter, health care, or protection. • Physical Abuse – Inflicting, or threatening to inflict, physical pain or injury or depriving a basic need. • Abandonment – The desertion of a person by anyone who has assumed the responsibility for care or custody of that person. Martha (not her real name) recalls feeling humiliated when a store clerk noticed her bruises that had been caused by her daughter. She had just celebrated Mother’s Day when her daughter flew into a violent rage over her lack of drug money. Thankfully, a neighbor witnessed the altercation and called 911. Unfortunately, that is not the situation for most victims of elder abuse. The National Elder Abuse Incidence Study estimates that only 1 in 14 cases ever comes to the attention of authorities. “Elders suffer in silence,” says Linda Wakefield, Elder Abuse Coordinator at the Nampa Family Justice Center, “Education and collaboration are two tools that can stop it.” Together, we can make a difference by treat-
ing others the way we would want to be treated. From first to final breath, every person deserves dignity, respect, and compassionate care. Becoming aware of the warning signs is a good place to start. NCEA Warning Signs of Abuse: • Unexplained withdrawal from normal activities, a sudden change in alertness, and unusual depression may be indicators of emotional abuse. • A sudden change in a person’s financial situation may be the result of exploitation. • A spouse or other person who exhibits behavior such as belittling, threats, and other use of power indicates verbal or emotional abuse. • Strained or tense relationships or frequent arguments between a caregiver and elder. • Bruises, pressure marks, broken bones, abrasions, and burns may be an indication of physical abuse, neglect, or mistreatment. • Bruises around the breasts or genital area may reflect sexual abuse. • Bedsores, unattended medical needs, poor hygiene, and unusual weight loss are indicators of possible neglect. NCEA stresses the importance of being alert to changes in personality, behavior, or physical condition. Do not hesitate to question what is going on. With knowledge of the warning signs, we can take preventative measures such as the following recommended by NCEA: 1. Call or visit an elderly loved one and ask how he or she is doing. 2. Provide a respite break for a caregiver. 3. Ask your bank manager to train tellers how to detect financial abuse. 4. Urge your doctor to ask senior patients about possible family violence in their lives. 5. Contact your local Adult Protective Services to learn how to support their work with seniors. 6. Organize a Respect Your Elders essay or poster contest in your child’s school. 7. Ask your church leader to speak about elder abuse or put a message in the bulletin. 8. Volunteer to visit nursing home residents or homebound seniors in your neighborhood. 9. Write to your local paper, radio, or TV station urging their coverage of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day or Grandparents Day. 10. Dedicate your bikeathon, marathon, or other event to elder mistreatment awareness and prevention. The Marthas of this world need us! They need intervention, support, encouragement, and a renewed sense of hope. If you suspect abuse, it is critical to get help. Report elder abuse to Idaho Adult Protection at 208-332-1745 or 1-844-689-7562. In case of emergency, call 911. Contact the Nampa Family Justice Center at 208-475-5700 for more information. Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For, indeed, that’s all who ever have. – Margaret Mead ISI
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 17
People with Chronic Conditions More Susceptible to Hot Weather Provided by Comfort Keepers Summer’s hot weather can be a welcome relief from the cold winter months, but it can also pose a threat to older people. As people age, their ability to regulate heat becomes compromised, making them more prone to injury and illness from hot weather. A number of factors can increase susceptibility to hyperthermia, an abnormally high body temperature that can lead to heat stroke. Among these are decreased perspiration, dehydration, alcohol use, medications, poor blood circulation in the skin, and obesity (or anorexia). What people may not know is that chronic conditions can also substantially increase older adults’ risk to heat sensitivity. People who are managing heart disease with salt-restricted diets or medications that reduce sodium levels in the body, for example, are at a much higher risk for heat stress. It is important, though, that older adults with heart disease continue their medications or start taking salt supplements. Rather, they should speak with their doctors to come up with a plan for avoiding heat stress during the summer months.
Diabetics face additional problems with heat as well. High temperatures can cause dangerous imbalances in blood sugar levels that may cause either low (hypoglycemia) or high (hyperglycemia) blood sugar. Diabetics should speak with their doctors about regulating their blood sugar during the summer months. Keeping insulin that requires refrigeration on hand and sufficiently cool can be a challenge too, but cooling packs can help. Dehydration is also a greater risk for diabetics, so drinking plenty of fluids is important. Medical issues, such as lung disease, kidney disease, or any other illness that causes general illness or fever, and taking multiple medications should prompt extra vigilance in the summer months as all of these factors can inhibit the body’s ability to regulate heat. Dressing in cool, lightweight clothing; taking frequent breaks in cool, air-conditioned locations; drinking plenty of fluids while avoiding caffeine, alcohol, and sugary drinks; wearing well-ventilated shoes; and scheduling outdoor activities during the cooler hours of the day are steps that can help prevent heat injuries. Families and friends can help keep an eye on older adults during the summer months and assist
if they notice the person is displaying symptoms of heat exhaustion, which can include headaches, heavy sweating, rapid breathing, dizziness or fainting, weak or rapid pulse, cold and moist skin, chills, muscle cramps, nausea or vomiting, and confusion. Medical professionals should be contacted immediately if these symptoms appear, and the person should be moved to a cool location, misted with cool water, and given fluids to drink until help arrives. Families concerned about people living alone can hire professional caregivers to help. Caregivers can not only assist with daily tasks, meal preparation, and transportation but also be the eyes and ears for the family, noticing if something is not right and if the person may need medical help. For more information on how professional caregivers can help people with chronic conditions or those who need assistance around the house, contact your health care provider. ISI
Caregiving Costs Exceed $20,000 for Almost Half of Alzheimer’s Family Caregivers Nearly half (42%) of family members caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia spend $20,000 or more per year on caregiving, according to a new Caring.com report. Caregiving expenses include out-of-pocket costs for assisted living, professional in-home caregivers, medications and medical bills, incontinence products, wandering products, transportation, and more. In addition, a third of those spend $30,000 or more a year on Alzheimer’s caregiving. Only eight percent of Alzheimer’s family caregivers do not know how much they spend on caregiving. A startling 62% of family caregivers are paying for Alzheimer’s care out of their own pockets. “The numbers are staggering,” said Caring. com CEO Andy Cohen. “More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s, and that number is expected to triple as the population continues to age. The majority of family caregivers care for a loved one with Alzheimer’s for at least a few years, with some even extending over a decade.” In fact, 22% of family caregivers say that caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia has put them in debt. But Alzheimer’s and dementia caregiving doesn’t just affect one’s bank account: • 97% of family caregivers say their personal (marriage and friendship) relationships have suf-
fered or even ended. • 76% say their emotional well-being has declined, and 55% say their physical health has declined. • 56% of caregivers have had to quit their job or say their career has been negatively affected. “Now is the time to talk to loved ones about future care, and for family caregivers to ask for and get support,” said Cohen. “As the numbers show, caring for Alzheimer’s is difficult on many levels, which is why it’s so important to have an open dialogue with trusted family and friends.” More information about the survey results and resources to support family caregivers is available at caring.com/research/alzheimers-care-costsindex-2014. About Caring.com – With more than two million visitors per month, San Mateo-based Caring. com is a leading senior care resource for family caregivers seeking information and support as they care for aging parents, spouses, and other loved ones. Caring.com provides helpful caregiving content, online support groups, and a comprehensive Senior Care Directory for the United States, with more than 66,000 consumer ratings and reviews and a toll-free senior living referral line 800-3258591. ISI
Quality Care at Affordable Prices Health West Community Health Centers provide the highest quality care for their patients in Southeast Idaho. Recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as a Patient Centered Medical Home Level 3, which is the highest level of recognition, Health West emphasizes teamwork and communication to provide a better experience in healthcare. Since 1976, Health West has served Southeast Idaho communities including Pocatello, Chubbuck, Aberdeen, American Falls, Lava Hot Springs, Downey, and, coming fall 2015, Preston. Health West is governed by a Board of Directors, half of whom are Health West patients, and employs only board certified physicians. Health West’s non-profit community health centers provide medical, behavioral health, and
dental services, and are always accepting new patients – regardless of insurance status. Health West welcomes Medicaid and Medicare patients to visit any of its eight locations to discuss a care plan that best suits patient needs. All of Health West’s services are based on a sliding scale, so even if you have insurance, you may still qualify for a discount depending on your family size and income. Health West’s goal is to empower its patients and communities by proactively providing quality, affordable, patient-centered health care. ISI
If Only He’d Had Wings Submitted by John Early, New York City One night, an 87-year-old woman came home from bingo to find her 92-year-old husband in bed with another woman. She became violent and ended up pushing him off the balcony of their 20th-floor apartment, killing him instantly. Brought before the court on a murder charge, she was asked if she had anything to say in her own defense. “Your Honor,” she began coolly, “I figured that at 92, if he could screw; he could fly!” ISI
Logan Park
Government Subsidized Apartments for Self-Reliant Elderly
senior living
~CALDWELL~
• A Loving Family Atmosphere • On Site Beauty Parlor & Laundry Units • Home Cooked Meals Every Day
208-454-0004 • 612 W Logan St Equal Opportunity Provider & Employer
LoganParkSeniorLiving.com
PAGE 18 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 19
• Adult / Pediatrics Examinations
• Cataract Surgery
Study Finds High Rate of Patients Recommend Cataract Surgery 99.7 Percent of Patients Who Undergo Cataract Surgery at Ambulatory Facilities Would Recommend It to Friends or Relatives Living with Cataracts Individuals weighing cataract surgery take heart – a new study found almost all patients who undergo the procedure are satisfied with their improved vision and increased quality of life. The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care Institute for Quality Improvement (AAAHC Institute) collected more than 1,200 surveys of patients who had recently undergone cataract surgery from 59 ambulatory health care organizations. The surveys show that almost all patients – 99.7 percent – said they would recommend the procedure to friends or relatives suffering from cataracts. “The patient survey data clearly show that patients find value in cataract surgery and are generally very pleased with the outcomes of the procedure,” said Naomi Kuznets, Ph.D., vice president and senior director for the AAAHC Institute. Cataracts occur when protein builds up on the lens of an eye, making the person’s vision cloudy. They are usually a normal part of aging. During cataract surgery, a surgeon makes a small incision to remove the cloudy lens, and then replaces it with a clear, manmade lens. By 2030, 38 million Americans will suffer from cataracts, a number that will increase to 50 million by 2050, according to the National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health. While cataract surgery is most commonly associated with seniors, a 2013 Mayo Clinic study found the procedure is becoming increasingly performed on individuals younger than 65.[1]
Patient satisfaction rates with cataract surgery were very high in several areas reviewed in the study: • 99.7 percent said they would recommend the procedure to friends or relatives with cataracts • 96 percent reported that their vision was better post-surgery; two percent said it was the same • 98 percent said they were comfortable during the procedure; 98 percent said they were comfortable post-discharge • 96 percent returned to normal activities of daily living within one week of the procedure • Only four percent reported post-surgical contact with their health care providers for reasons other than routine, scheduled follow-up, to address issues such as blurred vision, eye/eyelid irritation, pain, prescription clarification, and vision problems. “The satisfaction numbers in this study show how worthwhile cataract surgery is for so many individuals,” said Kris Kilgore, R.N., AAAHC Institute board member and administrative director of Grand Rapids Ophthalmology Surgery Center, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. “Every day we hear from patients who have improved quality of life thanks to this procedure. This study bears out empirically the wonderful anecdotes we hear from patients every day.” _____________________________ Increasing incidence of cataract surgery: Population-based study, Gollogly, Heidrun E. et al. ISI
[1]
Early Treatment Can Save Hearing Provided by Comfort Keepers Hearing loss is the third most common chronic condition affecting older adults today. Approximately one third of people aged 65-74 and one-half of people 75 and over experience a decline in hearing. Despite these numbers, it is still one of the conditions for which very few older adults seek medical help, and it is a condition that is greatly under diagnosed and undertreated by medical professionals. While it is normal for many people to experience a decline in hearing as they age, there are some underlying causes of hearing loss that can be treated or prevented. The advantages of early treatment are extensive and can have a significant impact on health, quality of life, and independence. Age-related hearing loss can stem from physical changes in the inner ear, medical conditions, and medications. Aside from age, many other factors can contribute to a decline in hearing. Included in these are genetics, exposure to high noise levels, and chronic conditions, such as kidney disease, high blood pressure, or diabetes. Sudden deafness, which is a rapid, unexplained loss of hearing, can be caused by medications, illness, trauma, or injury. Early medical intervention for certain types of hearing loss has been shown to produce good outcomes for the patient. For example, in the case of sudden deafness, treatment by an otolaryngologist (an ear, nose, and throat doctor) results in recovery of all or most of the hearing for 85% of those treated. Sometimes it is as simple as changing or stopping a medication that is known to cause deafness (ototoxic medications), and there are hundreds that are prescribed or bought over the counter every day. Medical
Better care means a better quality of life.
At DaVita®, our approach is to treat people, not just their kidney disease. Better manage your health, your care and your life with help from our highly trained clinical support teams and a wide range of tools and services. Visit DaVita.com or call 208-733-2006 today to learn how DaVita can help improve your quality of life on dialysis.
© 2015 DaVita Healthcare Partners Inc. All rights reserved.
Charles C. George, MD • Bruce D. Bellin, MD Board Certified Ophthalmologists
208-263-8501 or 1-800-881-8501 307 South First Avenue, Sandpoint, Idaho 83864 eyeclinicofsandpoint.com
Vision Loss? Unique Glasses Helped Karen And Her Twin Sister Sharon An eye specialist diagnosed Karen and Sharon with juvenile macular degeneration saying, “There’s not much to be done.” “Our mom was heartbroken.” “Years later, Mom read an article about a low vision trained doctor who designed special glasses that helped people with macular degeneration.” “...And it changed everything! For the first time in thirty years we could read! We can see God’s big beautiful world as clearly as ever.”
Call today for a Complimentary phone consultation with low vision trained specialist, Dr. Cheryl Dumont
208-667-1802 DumontLowVision.com
Serving Idaho, Washington, & Montana
PAGE 20 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
intervention for all types of hearing loss is beneficial as well. Hearing loss can be an indicator of other health problems, so seeking medical attention for hearing problems can help doctors identify and treat other health issues. Medical professionals can also help with hearing difficulties by prescribing certain treatments or hearing aids. People often delay seeking help for hearing problems because of the negative stigma associated with losing their hearing. They may consider it a marker that they are growing old, even though they feel perfectly young. However, left untreated, hearing loss causes a heavy toll emotionally and socially since it can impede the person’s ability to communicate and function. A number of studies have shown that untreated hearing loss results in significantly higher levels of depression, anxiety, other psychosocial problems, and social isolation. It can also affect seniors’ ability to live independently as
they may not hear doorbells, ringing telephones, or fire and smoke alarms, and hearing loss can be associated with cognitive decline. Older adults can take measures against hearing loss by first avoiding risk factors to protecting the hearing they currently have. One of the easiest protective measures for people of all ages is to protect themselves against exposure to loud noise (at or above 85 decibels, which is the sound of heavy traffic), one of the most common causes of hearing loss. Even if individuals have already experienced some hearing loss induced by noise, they can protect themselves from further decline by wearing protective devices. They can also be screened for auditory problems regularly to identify a problem early on so they can take action before it becomes a problem that interferes with daily living. For more information, contact your healthcare provider or audiologist. ISI
Heart Advice
Submitted by Vance Derricott | Mack’s Inn, Idaho The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans. On the other hand, the French eat a lot of fat and also suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans. The Japanese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans. The Italians drink excessive amounts of red wine and also suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans. Conclusion: Eat and drink what you like, it’s speaking English that kills you. ISI
Surgery For Weight Loss Can Reduce Incontinence Provided by National Institutes of Health Roughly 30 million adults in the United States experience urinary incontinence (UI), and the condition can reduce quality of life. UI is loss of bladder control. Symptoms can range from mild leaking to uncontrollable wetting. It can happen to anyone, but it becomes more common with age. Women experience UI twice as often as men do. Most bladder control problems happen when muscles are too weak or too active. If the muscles that keep your bladder closed are weak, you may have accidents when you sneeze, laugh, or lift a heavy object. This is stress incontinence. If bladder muscles become too active, you may feel a strong urge to go to the bathroom when you have little urine in your bladder. This is urge incontinence or overactive bladder. There are other causes of incontinence, such as prostate problems, nerve damage, and obesity, which is a key risk factor. Treatment depends on the type of problem you have and what best fits your lifestyle. It may include simple exercises, medicines, special devices, procedures prescribed by your doctor, or surgery. According to a recent study report from the University of California San Francisco, weight-loss surgery may also help ease urinary incontinence if there is long-term weight loss, in this case three years after weight-loss surgery. The surgery helps obese people shed unwanted pounds, and the weight loss seems to help prevent a loss of bladder control. “Our findings showing another important long-term benefit to bariatric surgery might help to motivate people who are severely overweight,” study first author Dr. Leslee Subak said in a university news release. She is a professor in obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences, as well as urology and epidemiology. “Research has previously shown that weight loss by several methods – low-calorie diet, behavioral weight reduction, and bariatric surgery – were all associated with improved incontinence in overweight people through the first year,” Subak said. But there was no evidence of the longer-term effects. For the study, 2,000 people ages 18-78 who had undergone weight-loss surgery between 2005 and 2009 were recruited. Their procedures were done at 10 different hospitals around the United States. Seventy-nine percent of the participants were women. About half the women and more than one-fifth of the men had had an episode of incontinence at least once a week before they had surgery. Weight loss in the 25-30 percent range led to dramatic improvements in bladder control for most of the participants three years after weight-loss surgery. The study that the greater the weight loss, the greater their chances of improvement. Older participants and those with serious walking problems had less progress. And the pounds needed to stay off; with every 10-pound weight gain, the risk of relapse increased. The study results were published online in JAMA Internal Medicine. For additional information, visit nlm.nih.gov. ISI
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 21
Ten Tips for September is Healthy Aging® Month Reprinted with permission from Healthy Aging®. For further information about Healthy Aging® or “September is Healthy Aging® Month,” visit healthyaging.net Do you think it’s too late to “reinvent” yourself? Think again. According to Carolyn Worthington, editor-in-chief of Healthy Aging® Magazine and executive director of Healthy Aging®, it’s never too late to find a new career, a new sport, passion, or hobby. Worthington is the creator of September is Healthy Aging ® Month, an annual health observance designed to focus national attention on the positive aspects of growing older. Now in its second decade, Worthington says September is Healthy Aging® Month provides inspiration and practical ideas for adults ages 50+ to improve their physical, mental, social, and financial well being. “Use September as the motivation to take stock of where you’ve been, what you really would like to do if money was no object,” says Worthington. “And try it! Who says you have to do something related to what you studied in school? Who says, you can’t start your own home business later in life, test your physical prowess, or do something wildly different from anything you’ve done before? Only that person you see in the mirror!” To get you started on reinventing yourself, here are some ideas from the editors of Healthy Aging® Magazine (www.healthyaging.net). Maybe they will help you think outside the box: Ten Tips for Reinventing Yourself during September Is Healthy Aging Month 1. Do not act your age or at least what you think your current age should act like. What was your best year so far? 28? 40? Now? Picture yourself at that age and be it. Some people may say this is denial, but we say it’s positive thinking and goes a long way toward feeling better about yourself. (Tip: Don’t keep looking in the mirror, just FEEL IT!) 2. Be positive in your conversations and your actions every day. When you catch yourself complaining, check yourself right there and change the conversation to something positive. (Tip: Stop watching crime shows and the police reports on the local news.) 3. Do you have negative friends who complain all of the time and constantly talk about how awful everything is? Drop them. As cruel as that may sound, distance yourself from people who do not have a positive outlook on life. They will only depress you and stop you from moving forward. Surround yourself with energetic, happy, positive people of all ages and you will be happier too. (Tip: Smile often. It’s contagious and wards off naysayers.) 4. Walk like a vibrant, healthy person. Come on. You can probably do it. Analyze your gait. Do you walk slowly because you have just
become lazy or, perhaps, have a fear of falling? (Tip: Make a conscious effort to take big strides, walk with your heel first, and wear comfortable shoes.) 5. Stand up straight! You can knock off the appearance of a few extra years with this trick your mother kept trying to tell you. Look at yourself in the mirror. Are you holding your stomach in, have your shoulders back, chin up? Check out how much better your neck looks! Fix your stance and practice it every day, all day until it is natural. You will look great and feel better. (Tip: Your waistline will look trimmer if you follow this advice.) 6. How’s your smile? Research shows people who smile more often are happier. Your teeth are just as important to your good health as the rest of your body. Not only is it the first thing people notice, but good oral health is a gateway to your overall well-being. (Tip: Go to the dentist regularly and look into teeth whitening. Nothing says old more than yellowing teeth!) 7. Lonely? Stop brooding and complaining about having no friends or family. Do some-thing about it now. Right this minute. Pick up the phone, landline, or cell and make a call to do one or more of the following: volunteer your time, take a class, and invite someone to meet for lunch, brunch, dinner, or coffee. (Tip: Volunteer at the local public school to stay in touch with younger people and to keep current on trends, take a computer class or a tutorial session at your cell phone store to keep up with technology, choose a new person every week for your dining out.) 8. Start walking not only for your health but to see the neighbors. Have a dog? You’ll be amazed how the dog can be a conversation starter. (Tip: If you don’t have time for a dog, go to your local animal shelter and volunteer. You will be thrilled by the puppy love!) 9. Make this month the time to set up your annual physical and other health screenings. Go to the appointments and then, hopefully, you can stop worrying about ailments for a while. (Tip: For a list of recommended annual health screenings, a great resource is the Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.) 10. Find your inner artist. Who says taking music lessons is for young schoolchildren? You may have an artist lurking inside you just waiting to be tapped. Have you always wanted to play the piano, violin, or tuba? Have you ever wondered if you could paint a portrait or scenic in oil? What about working in wood? (Tip: Sign up for fall art or music classes and discover your inner artist!) ISI
A compassionate healing experience BURLEY
PAGE 22 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
Gaven Knighton Strives For Simplicity In His Diverse Inventions By Dianna Troyer Heads turn whenever Gaven Knighton and his wife, Frances, pedal their tandem tricycle on the back roads of Moore. “People smile, honk, or give thumbs up when they see us coming,” says Gaven, 68, who designed and built it. “We let people try it out, so they know how comfortable it is.” For years, Gaven has invented diverse devices for work and play. Besides the tricycle, he also has designed an emergency water pump that can be used in a domestic well when the electricity is off and a baseball-pitching machine. “I strive for simplicity in everything I do,” says the awardwinning engineer who retired in 2012 after working in the fuels and engineering division of Argonne National Laboratory – West for 28 years. While working there, he won four Pacesetter Awards, recognition given to exemplary employees for their innovative projects. Gaven and Frances Knighton ride their “I had the best job,” he says. “People would come to me with tandem tricycle several times a week a problem and ask if I could design something to fix it. I enjoyed year-round. [Photo by Dianna Troyer] the challenge.” In 2007, he received the Outstanding Engineer Award from Idaho State University’s College of Engineering for accomplishments and innovations in nuclear fuel safety and machine design. Although retired from Argonne, Gaven will never retire from being an inventor. “I’ve always been a hands-on guy, and if I need something, I’ll try to build it. When I get an idea, I’ll keep working on it and redesigning it until I think it’s the best I can make it.” Frances, says, “He’s frugal. Plus he likes to keep busy, and he’s always thinking.” Last year, he built the tandem tricycle. “I thought it would be romantic to ride side-by-side with Frances,” he says. “Conversation would be easier if we were sitting beside each other instead of on a traditional tandem bicycle. We’ve known each other since junior high school, and she’s still my sweetheart.” He bought several bicycles at thrift stores and disassembled them. “The Kootenai Outpatient Imaging is one of just 1214 facilities in the bicycle chain for each passenger has to be a lot longer than normal, so I had nation named a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence to get more than one bike to get the right length,” he says. by the American College of Radiology. Then he fired up his welder, built a frame with crossbars, and secured When it’s time for your mammogram, give us a call (208) 625-6300 the seats, which are metal folding chairs. “Chairs are a lot more comfortable to sit on than a traditional bicycle seat,” he says. Continued on Page 43
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 23
CDA GLASS INC ADH Doors & Hardware Ken Palm
• AUTO GLASS • MIRRORS • SHOWERS
Today, the stigma of quilting as “women’s work” is gone, and many men enjoy quilting as much as women do.
• STORE FRONTS • SCREENS • INSULATED WINDOWS
208.677.6494
1523 N 4th St. Coeur d’Alene, ID
A Stitch and a Story: Quilts Tell the Stories of Families and Generations By Sylvia Forbes
Quilts tell many stories – of happy times, holidays, hobbies, friendship, gardens and flowers, clothes and kids, marriage, new babies, and being snug in warm beds, enveloped by love. Each quilt tells a different story, fashioned by the memories and experiences of the person who made it. “Quilting has been a part of my life since I could walk,” said Trish Hilgedick, an avid quilter in Missouri. “As a small child, I watched my grandmother, Goldie, cut out fabric pieces.” Her grandmother drew original designs on cardboard, then cut them out to use as pattern pieces for cutting fabric into the right-sized blocks. A Grandmother’s Influence – Trish’s grandmother hand-pieced dozens of quilts over her lifetime. One that Trish inherited and is especially fond of is a Snowball and Bowtie quilt composed of blocks of white snowballs edged with scrappy bow ties. The fabric was cut from the family’s old, outgrown clothes, most of which Trish can remember. The fabrics remind her of the fun she had as a child while wearing them. When Trish married in 1973, her grandmother gifted her a lovely, pink, embroidered quilt. Goldie embroidered the blocks to make a one-of-a-kind wedding gift, while her mother, Nellie, bordered them with pink sashing. Goldie eventually made embroidered quilts for all of Trish’s siblings, creating a family heirloom for each one. People who have a quilter in the family are lucky – they often receive handmade quilts as gifts on special occasions, and these quilts become family heirlooms that are passed down over generations. Acquiring a Quilting Habit – About 20 years ago, Trish made a baby quilt in a tumbling block pattern for her new niece. “That was my first quilt, but it turned out fine,” said Trish. She enjoyed it so much that she started quilting regularly. Since then, she’s completed several more baby quilts for relatives, as well as several dozen quilts of all sizes and numerous wall hangings. Trish writes in her Quilter’s Registry book to keep track of the many quilt projects she’s completed. The book includes pictures of each quilt and notes about any special details of the quilt. For example, in 2008, she “rescued” a quilt for her father-in-law. His mother had started a quilt in the Trip Around the World pattern, and had never finished the top. The tiny blocks were made entirely from scrap pieces from old shirts and aprons, and the entire quilt was bound in black. Trish completed setting the top together and then machine-quilted it. Quilting with Friends – Trish and several others started the Peacemakers quilting group right after 9/11. As well as getting together regularly for quilting, they’ve put on four quilt shows. “Our first show featured Underground Railroad quilts,” noted Trish. “These are quilts that were thought to have a message to slaves as they escaped along the underground railroad to freedom. Certain patterns were thought to tell the slaves that a place was a sanctuary where they could stop, or not to stop due to danger.” The group’s most recent show featured quilts of all types, from familiar traditionals such as log cabin quilts, to bright Amish quilts, stained glass-type quilts, scrap quilts, friendship quilts, cross-stitched quilts, and even some three-dimensional quilts. In addition, the show included a grouping of patriotic quilts made by a group that honors those “touched by war” by presenting them with handmade quilts. Quilting Trends – Quilting continues to evolve, with new trends and techniques. One technique, paper piecing, uses water-soluble paper and is helpful for keeping quilt pieces squared up. Another recent development is that quilt shops now make pre-cut, color-coordinated rolls of fabric strips available for quilting, called “jelly rolls” for small 1.5”-wide strips, and “cake rolls” in several larger sizes. This saves lots of time in having to decide on colors and in cutting. Today, the stigma of quilting as “women’s work” is gone, and many men enjoy quilting as much as women do. The Next Generation – Quilting has come full circle in Trish’s family. Trish inherited her grandmother’s cardboard quilting patterns and some of her quilts, along with the stories, which she’s happy to tell. Now it’s her turn to gather the pieces, sew the designs, and create new stories. ISI
09/30/15
Ground Level Independent
SENIOR LIVING
• Custom Designed Units
• Dinner Buffet w/Fresh Fruit & Salads Daily
• Luxurious 1 & 2 Bd Floor Plans • Garages Available • Ground-Level Private Patios • Comfortable & Quiet • Close to hospitals & shopping
Call for Details & a Tour
509-928-9197
1309 N. Evergreen Rd. Spokane Valley www.courtlandplacespokane.com
SPOKANE VALLEY’S ELITE COMMUNITY
PAGE 24 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
Row by Row Experience, Mini Quilt Madness, and Quilt Shows By Cindy Martin, Cindy’s Quilt Shop, Caldwell
“Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother.”
–Oprah Winfrey
The national quilting craze this summer is the Row by Row Experience. Quilt shops from all across the 50 states and Canada are participating. Row by Row started in 2011 with 11 different shops across New York State and over the years it has grown to include all 50 states and Canada. It is like a shop hop but there are no fees or passports to stamp, and you have all summer to participate. Visit one of the participating shops and receive a FREE pattern for its row. Collect them on your travels and locally. Discover new quilt shops and make new friends. Several people have mentioned they are calling their friends and family in other states, to see if they will go to the quilt shops in their area to pick up a pattern and a personalized quilting themed license plate for them. They are also planning their travel itineraries to include stopping by participating quilt shops along the way. This year’s theme is Water! Each participating shop created its own unique row with its interpretation of water. Win a prize! Make eight different rows and arrange them in a quilt. Bring your finished quilt to a participating shop and if you are the first one, you win a fat quarter bundle! Completed quilts can be brought in through October 31 for a chance to win. There are also special extras offered like personalized quilting themed license plates, pins, kits, and much more. You can collect your FREE pattern through September 8. Mini quilts are everywhere these days! Designers are taking their larger quilt patterns and creating a smaller version to go with it. Kim Diehl, fabric designer for Henry Glass Fabrics and Idaho native, has created a miniature quilt series called Simple Whatnots using her lines of fabric. Julie Herman of Jaybird Quilts has created a smaller version of her Hex N’ More ruler to make miniature versions of her Tiny Dancer and Disco quilts to name a few. These miniature quilts are a great small project to do and make an easy wall or tabletop decoration. Smaller pieces are used and precision piecing is important to create the desired pattern. Unique miniature quilts are showing up on social media, too. On Instagram there are mini quilt swaps and challenges. Quilts are being created based on a theme, designer, or color palette. This summer there are a number of opportunities to see quilts by local quilters, or if you are a quilter, for you to show yours. Canyon County Fair had quilts on display in July. At the beginning of August, the Idaho PieceMakers Group had a quilt show, Purple Majesty, at Kuna High School. The proceeds from the show benefited the Boise Chordsman Youth Outreach, Comfort Kits for Children/Meridian Kiwanis, Kuna Food Bank Backpack Program, and Project Kids. Western Idaho Fair, August 21-30 will have quilt competition and prizes in the Home Arts division. The Boise Basin Quilt Show, Bloom and Sew, is at Expo Idaho September 25-26. Quilts from all over the valley will be on display. This is Idaho’s only professionally judged quilt show. There will also be a vendor’s mall, demonstrations, gift garden, silent auction, and door prizes. These fairs and quilt shows are a great way to get inspiration and to show off your quilting skills. ISI
A VISIT TO GROVER CAN TURN INTO A DIY WORKSHOP... FROM A CUSTOMER:
“Customer service is top notch! I went in for a toilet fill valve and water valve. They looked at my picture, selected the parts, adjusted the fill valve and installed the washer and nut. They explained the best solution to installing the water valve and if that dind’t happen how to move forward and be succesful in getting it installed. I love going to Grover’s...” P.N.
PAY & PACK
ELECTRICAL • PLUMBING LIGHTING • IRRIGATION NAMPA: 824 Caldwell Blvd (208) 466-7807 BOISE: 5730 W Franklin Rd (208) 342-6576 TWIN FALLS: 130 Eastland Dr South (208) 733-7304 Filename:
274
ELECTRIC AND PLUMBING SUPPLY
DO IT YOURSELF AND SAVE! Mon–Fri 8:00 to 7:00 Sat 8:00 to 5:30 Sun 9:00 to 4:30
www.groverelectric.com Proudly serving the Magic and Treasure Valleys since 1954
Navajo Woman
Submitted by Jim Meade Sally was driving home from one of her business trips in northern Arizona when she saw an elderly Navajo woman walking on the side of the road. As the trip was a long and quiet one, she stopped the car and asked the Navajo woman if she would like a ride. After a bit of small talk while resuming the journey, the Navajo woman noticed a brown bag on the seat next to Sally. “What’s in the bag?” asked the Navajo woman. Sally looked down at the brown bag and said, “It’s a bottle of wine. I got it for my husband.” The Navajo woman was silent for a minute, and then speaking with the quiet wisdom of an elder said, “Good trade.” ISI
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 25
Eco-Friendly Pest Control in the Garden By Melinda Myers
Spots on tomatoes, holes in hosta leaves, and wilting stems mean insects and diseases have moved into the garden. Don’t let these intruders reduce the beauty and productivity of your landscape. Work in concert with nature to prevent and control these pests and you will be rewarded with a bountiful harvest and landscape filled with beautiful blooms. Monitor. Take regular walks through the landscape. Not only is it good exercise, but it will improve your mood and you’ll discover problems earlier when they are easier to control. Look for discolored leaves, spots, holes, and wilting. Inspect the underside of the leaves and along the stems to uncover the cause of the problem. Identify. Once you discover a problem, identify the culprit. Your local extension service, garden center, or reliable Internet resource can help. Once identified, you can plan the best way to manage the culprit. Invite the Good Guys. Toads, lady beetles, and birds help control many garden pests. Attract them to the garden by planting herbs and flowers to attract beneficial insects, adding a house for the toads, and birdbath for songbirds. Avoid using pesticides and learn to tolerate a bit of damage. A few aphids or caterpillars will bring in the ladybeetles, lacewings, birds, and toads that are looking for a meal. Clean up. Many insects and diseases can be managed and prevented with a bit of garden cleanup. A strong blast of water from the garden hose will dislodge aphids and mites, reducing their damage Free to a tolerable level. Or knock leaf-eating Floating row covers allow air, light, and Local water through, but prevent insects like beetles and other larger insects off the Area bean beetles and cabbage worms from plants and into a can of soapy water. reaching and damaging the plants. Pick off discolored leaves, prune off Information [Photo by Melinda Myers, LLC] diseased stems, and destroy. Be sure to Larry Waters NMLS 400451 disinfect tools with 70% alcohol or one part Reverse Mortgage Consultant bleach to nine parts water solution between cuts. This will reduce the risk of Learn about the spreading the disease when pruning infected plants. new changes: Adjust care. Reduce the spread and risk of further problems by adjust208-762-6887 ing your maintenance strategies. Avoid overhead and nighttime watering that can increase the risk of disease. Use an organic nitrogen fertilizer like Milorganite (milorganite.com) that encourages slow steady growth that is less susceptible to insect and disease attacks. 157 W Hayden Ave Ste 104 Mulch the soil with shredded leaves, evergreen needles, or woodchips. Hayden, ID 83835 This will keep roots cool and moist during drought, improve the soil as they 855-762-6887 / NMLS 1079636 decompose, and prevent soil borne diseases from splashing onto and infecting the plants. Non-chemical Controls. If the problems continue, try some non-chemical options for insects. A yellow bowl filled with soapy water can attract aphids, a shallow can filled with beer and sunk in the ground will manage slugs, and crumpled paper under a flower pot for earwigs are just a few ways to trap and kill these pests. Or cover the plants with floating row covers. These fabrics allow air, light, and water through, but prevent insects like bean beetles and cabbage worms from reaching and damaging the plants. Organic products. Organic products like insecticidal soap, Neem, horticulture oil, and Bacillus thuringiensis can be used to control specific pests. And even though these are organic, they are designed to kill insects or disease organisms, so be sure to read and follow label directions carefully. Take Notes. Make notes on the problems and solutions in this season’s garden. Refer to these next year to help you do a better job of monitoring and managing garden pests. And when shopping for new plants, select the right plant for the location and choose resistant varieties whenever possible. A little eco-friendly gardening can go a long way in creating a beautiful and productive garden. ISI
Feeling Hot?
REVERSE
MORTGAGE
®
Tips To Help You Sell Your House (NAPSI) – If you’re considering putting your home on the market in the coming months, there are a few tips you should follow. House sales generally peak around June and July, with many families beginning their home search in the spring, in hopes of settling into their new home in time for the next school year. It’s wise to work with a Realtor. According to a survey from the National Association of Realtors, 88 percent of recent home sellers used an agent. A Realtor can provide expert advice and counsel on the selling process, including listing your house on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), marketing it to prospective buyers and accepting offers and negotiating on your behalf. To find a Realtor nearby, go to realtor.com/realestateagents. Know your neighborhood when setting your asking price. Realtors have real insights in the markets where they do business. A Realtor is your best source for accurate, up-to-date information and comparable properties to help you determine a competitive listing price for your home. He or she will give you an idea of how long homes are staying on the market and at what price they’re selling. While it’s important to get the best possible deal for your home, a Realtor will help you understand the importance of pricing your house appropriately. Overpricing your home could lead to it staying on the market too long – compelling you to compromise on the asking price or terms. Decide on how to market your home. Given the mass amounts of information available today to consumers, the days of just placing an ad in
Let Us Help! SENIOR DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE GREAT FINANCING ON AIRCONDITIONING
208-762-9857 www.rdiheating.com
9443 N. Government Way • Hayden
PAGE 26 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
your local newspaper and putting a “For Sale” sign in front of your yard are over. A Realtor® can place your listing on the MLS and work with you to decide other ways to market your home. Marketing your listing on a popular real estate website such as www.realtor.com will ensure your listing is generating the most eyeballs from interested buyers. If you’re looking to sell your home as quickly and easily as possible, you could use the real insights you’ll get having a Realtor help you through the process of finding interested buyers and eventually closing the deal. ISI
Whether You Are Going To Sell Or Stay – Five Ways To Breathe New Life Into Your Home (NAPSI) – Whenever the urge to remodel strikes, spring, summer or fall, or you’re looking to spruce up in anticipation of selling, you can seamlessly update your home with just a few simple steps toward improved design, comfort, functionality, energy efficiency, and curb appeal. 1. Work with what you have. Look around your home. Is there anything in dire need of replacing or refurbishing? Updates may not be as expensive as you might think. Consider this: If your kitchen cabinets are looking a little worn, consider resurfacing instead of replacing them. Just remove the doors, then strip and refinish or repaint/stain them. Invest in new handles and pulls, as well as new hinges if they’re visible. 2. Build a greener home with energy-efficient enhancements. Homeowners can dramatically cut energy costs without major renovations. Instead of new windows, try caulk and weather stripping to stop any air leaks on the windows you already have. Install high-efficiency water heaters to drive down heating costs. You can also install an ENERGY STAR–certified air conditioner that adds to your home’s good looks. For example, the Art Cool Mirror ductless indoor unit from LG has a flat panel with a charcoal mirror finish that complements any décor. Plus, when paired with LG’s Smart AC, homeowners can control the system and monitor temperature on their smartphone anytime day or night, whether at home or away. 3. Beautify your yard to increase personal comfort now and receive more cash. Try planting deciduous trees on the south side of your house to provide additional shade in the hotter months, allowing you to cut down on air-conditioning expenses and save energy. What’s more, real estate experts estimate that by spending 5 percent of the value of your home on quality, low-maintenance landscaping, you could boost the resale value by 15 percent. 4. Create a seamless look for your kitchen. A counter-depth refrigerator, like a 3-door French door refrigerator from LG, will allow homeowners to get the sophisticated look they desire for their kitchen without sacrificing space or the added cost of installing an actual built-in appliance. To help keep the hub of your home clean, establish a message center in your kitchen. Put a bulletin board or chalkboard on the wall to help eliminate clutter. 5. Stylish lighting is a bright idea. A striking chandelier or light fixture can serve as a charming addition in a well-composed room. Lighting is also Bathrooms • New Homes • Remodeling • Kitchens one of the easiest and most economical ways to update your space; a petite desk lamp or floor lamp Accessibility & Aging in Place Experts can significantly brighten up a room. Be sure to use ENERGY STAR-qualified bulbs to make it a Design or Modify Your Home truly eco-friendly yet chic addition (and save up to For Better Accessibility and Universal Design $70 a year in energy costs). Learn More – For further facts and tips, go to Call Toll Free: 888-314-6250 | Athol | NorthstarConstruct.com lghvac.com. ISI RCE-38539
Western Montana’s Only 55+ Community
Maintenance Free Living Custom Single Family Homes • Gated Entry Community Clubhouse Convenient Location • Parks & Walking Trails Energy Star Efficient Homes
406.546.6930 • KootenaiCreekVillage.com
When it gets hot on the farm, at home or on the jobsite… we have what you need! BANDANAS • DOO RAGS • INSULATED COOLERS • COOLING REHAB BUCKET • DRY ICE COOLING FANS • COOLING VESTS • NECK WRAPS • ELECTROLYTE ADES Some items limited to stock on hand
WWW.OXARC.COM
Your Single Source Supplier
Boise | Coeur d’Alene | Lewiston | Nampa | Sandpoint
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 27
Blogging: A Great Pastime For The Web Savvy By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior, I recently read an article about people who share their talents, experiences, and thoughts with others through their own personal Internet blog. I have always been good in the kitchen and think it would be fun to start a cooking and recipe blog but don’t know where to start. What can you tell me? Granny Blogger Dear Granny, Starting a blog is a fun and stimulating pastime, not to mention a great way to share wisdoms and make new friends. Here is what you should know. A Growing Trend – Blogging has never been so popular among boomers and seniors! Today there are literally thousands of bloggers over age 55. In fact, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 5 percent of online U.S. seniors have created a blog, and 20 percent have read someone else’s blog. But before I go any further, a blog (short for Web log) is a personal online journal where you can write about anything or everything that interests you, and you can post pictures, too. (The newest blog entry is always at the top of the page.) Readers can comment on each post, often creating a rich and enlightening conversation. How to Start – Fortunately, you do not need to know much about technology to get started. If you have a home computer and Internet access, you can start your own blog in a matter of minutes and in many cases, it’s free. Here are some tips to help you get started. • Pick a theme: If you already know you want to blog about cooking, you are ahead of the game. Topic driven blogs (writing on something specific) attract more readers than a personal blog – which are online diaries for people who want to write about whatever interests them at the time. Personal blogs are fun outlets for people who want to keep family and friends informed of what is going on in their lives. • Choose a name: Pick a short name for your blog that encompasses your theme or identifies with you. • Select a blog hosting service: While there are lots of options to choose from, two good ones are Blogger.com (which is free) and Typepad.com (which charges a minimal fee). Both of these sites are incredibly easy to use, and offer a variety of pre-made templates, color schemes and more that allow you to personalize your blog. If you want more hosting options check out Livejournal. com, JournalHome.com, 360.yahoo.com, WordPress.com, TheDiary.org, Mindsay.com, Blog.com, Blogagotchi.com, Blogdrive.com, Blogidentity.com, Weebly.com, and Xanga.com. • Test it: After you have set up your blog, write a few posts to test it out, and adjust the layout or style as you see fit. • Promote your blog: After you get up and running send your friends and family your blogging address so they can visit. And when you visit other blogs of similar interest, build a blogging circle by leaving comments along with your blog address so they can visit you too. Savvy Tips: When you blog, avoid giving out too much personal information such as your last name, address, phone number, etc. While the Internet can be a wonderful window to the world, it can also be a dangerous place. Also, do not feel bad or rejected if no one visits your blog for the first few months. As with anything new on the Internet, it will take some time for your blog to get noticed. But keep in mind that frequent blogging (several times a week) helps attract visitors. And to find other blogs you may be interested in, go to blog search sites like blogsearch.google.com or technorati.com and click on Blogs. Send your senior questions to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit www.savvysenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. ISI
COME
LIVE STAY Quality, Affordable Senior Housing
Professionally Managed by
Tomlinson & Associates, Inc. Come visit us at www.TomlinsonAssociates.com Equal opportunity employer & provider
Devon Senior Apartments 208-735-2224 1338 N College Rd • Twin Falls
Eagle Manor
208-939-0409 276 Cedar Ridge St • Eagle
Friendship Manor I & II 208-459-7075 324 W Logan • Caldwell
Gleneagles
208-735-0308 1846 Harrison St N • Twin Falls
Leisure Village I
208-452-7927 419 S Colorado Ave • Fruitland
Leisure Village III
208-459-6036 210 S 19th Ave • Caldwell
Leisure Village IV
208-452-7927 155 S 7th St • Payette
Leisure Village V
208-459-6036 911 Belmont St • Caldwell
Maryland Village
208-442-4300 1737 Sunnyridge Rd. • Nampa
Poplar Grove
208-678-9429 2233 Almo Ave • Burley
Portstewart
208-455-9888 4321 S. 10th Ave. • Caldwell
Sunset Manor I
208-934-8141 617 East Main • Buhl
Sunset Manor VI
208-436-1380 510 15th St • Rupert
Sunset Manor V & VII
208-587-7419 835 N 3rd E • Mountain Home
Valencia
208-452-7352 1273 Spring Creek Lane Fruitland, ID
Van Engelen
208-465-7832 1307 1st St S, Ste 104 • Nampa
PAGE 28 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
The Day the World Changed Reviewed by Connie Daugherty
The Court-Martial of Corporal Nutting: A Memoir of the Vietnam War by John R. Nutting; Skyhorse Publishing; New York; 2014 “Almost forty-eight years ago, I stepped into a whole new world… a After one particular battle in which the village people he had been helping company of Marines disembarking from the helicopters.” writes John Nutting with medication and food allowed his platoon to walk into a deadly ambush, in his recent memoir. It is one man’s memoir, but not his story exclusively. Nutting was especially frustrated. He wrote a letter home, “Dad, I am tired of John Nutting speaks for the Marine buddies who did not come home from that seeing my friends killed when there is no visible end to this war… you know new world. He speaks for those who came home to a place that no longer felt as well as I do – you can’t explain a combat situation to someone who has welcoming and safe. He speaks for soldiers, sailors, and aviators he never never taken part in it…. Do you realize I graduated from high school a year met, but who will recognize shared experiences in his words. He speaks for ago tomorrow?” a generation of young men and women whose lives were changed by the A lot had happened in that year. In another letter home after a bout with tremulous times of the 1960s. malaria and more seemingly senseless engagements with the enemy, he “This was the day before Thanksgiving, 1966…. I was twenty years old…. wrote, “Being over here I have become very close to God. Could you imagine I was sick, scared, and homesick. I didn’t know my heart could ache like that.” what a jam I would be in if I didn’t know how to pray when things get bad and Still John Nutting from small-town Idaho was where he knew he should be. I get the shit scared out of me; there is nothing more reassuring than to say “I always knew I wanted to be a marine,” he writes. It was a family tradition a prayer.” going back generations. So as soon as Finally, John Nutting received his orders for he crossed the stage to receive his high transfer stateside. He was going home alive, but school diploma, he enlisted. Over the next changed, changed in ways he could not quite four years he would be wounded in battle, “The Corps had taught them understand. On the plane home, he wrote a earn a Purple Heart, and watch brothers poem. “Feeling the hate, pity and sorrow – Not everything it could about staying really wanting to go out and fight – Wondering if die, yet develop an appreciation for the country, its people, and their customs. He alive and protecting fellow marines he will live to see tomorrow – Dying a thousand would survive a war only to discover his times in the endless night – Cradled in his arms, in combat…. What it didn’t teach his only friend dies – Losing a part of himself battles had just begun. He would even find was that you also had to protect when his friend is gone…. himself facing a court-martial for a minor infraction. He would come to understand “Long before my plane touched down your soul and your humanity.” why his father and uncle seldom talked in America, I felt this growing sense of about their World War II experiences. apprehension,” Nutting writes. “Like there was In his memoir, Nutting admits to being some kind of danger waiting for me… I was not naïve as he left home for boot camp. He understood that he would probably quite sure how I was now or how I was supposed to feel inside.” be heading to Vietnam eventually, but for a young boy, it all still seemed like Back from Vietnam, but still with time left to serve in the Marines, Nutting an adventure – leaving home for the first time and going out into the world settled into life on a military base. He worked in an office and in the field beyond Idaho on a jet plane. helping to train new recruits from the perspective of someone who had been Nutting writes in detail about the tough training he endured during those there. “The Corps had taught them everything it could about staying alive weeks at boot camp. “I found what I was being taught not only challenging but and protecting fellow marines in combat…. What it didn’t teach was that you exciting… anything physical was far easier at sea level than my accustomed also had to protect your soul and your humanity.” mountains of Idaho.” He excelled, he met guys from all over the country, and One way Nutting tried to hold on to a bit of his humanity was to get high he made friends. Then it was over and he had orders for Vietnam. whenever he could – his low-risk adventure into marijuana use had become a Just before he left for Vietnam, in a motel room in Long Beach, Calif., regular habit. And it almost cost him everything. He was caught with marijuana John Nutting tried marijuana for the first time. “Trying pot… seemed like a in his possession on base. very low-risk adventure considering where we were headed.” Marijuana “Basically, I was in deep shit.” Possession of marijuana was a courtwould be a part of his life – a bigger, bigger, and not always good part of his martial offense with the possibility of a bad-conduct discharge and up to ten life for the next three years. years in federal prison. Concern about the increased use of drugs by combat The experiences about his time in Vietnam related in his memoir are soldiers and returning veterans was growing in the military. It was the 1960s sometimes difficult to read. “This was the beginning of an understanding of and drug use was a growing problem for civilians as well. what I felt was ‘battlefield gratitude’… I was truly thankful it wasn’t me. That “Almost six months passed before my court-martial convened,” he recalls. kind of thought numbs you to the core. I knew what I saw, but I didn’t. I could It was a long emotional roller coaster ride with his future hanging in the only feel so much, only allow in so much.” balance. Finally, in 1969, three years after he had first landed in that whole His keen descriptions of the smell and sound and feel of battle, of seeing new world, it was over. his buddies die, of desperately picking up pieces of a body to send home bring John R. Nutting is a Vietnam veteran who served as a scout/sniper. He it all close. After forty-eight years, those sights and sounds are still strong overcame war-induced troubles through education, a marriage, raising three in his consciousness and readers can feel the relived pain in the words on children, and becoming a business owner. Recently, he discovered letters the page. that he wrote home during his Vietnam tour, and being natural storyteller decided to tell his story. He currently lives in Port Angeles, Washington. ISI
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 29
PAGE 30 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
Family Cruisin’ Can’t Be Beat! By Dean & Nancy Hoch Can you imagine a family of 38 gathering for a reunion cruise – all courtesy of Grandpa and Grandma? For our family it wasn’t something to imagine; it was a reality, and it turned out to be a blast! Rather than leaving money in a will, we decided to enjoy some of our nest egg along with our family, and a great decision it turned out to be.
Baker City, Oregon
Honoring Those Who Have Served CENTRAL GALLERY EXHIBIT 2015–2016
Baker Heritage Museum
The Historic Adler House
Open 7 days a week 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mid March thru October Campbell & Grove Streets Across from City Park 8 blocks off I-84 Exit 304 2480 Grove St., Baker City, OR 541-523-9308
2305 Main Street—Downtown Baker City Open Fri & Sat 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Other Times by Appointment Mid May through Sept
Group tours and memberships available. • New Exhibits Each Year • Mining Ranching • 1900 Baker City • World Class Rock & Mineral Collection • WildlifeTransportation • Chinese Culture Admission Charged www.BakerHeritageMuseum.com
Step into the past in this Italianate home of the Adler family. Every room has original furnishings. Marvel at the restoration and original wallpaper.
Baker City, OR
When we first told our neighbor about our tentative plans, she said incredulously, “Thirty-eight family members – and they all get along?” She really was amazed, but we knew our crew of five sons and their wives and kids, as well, or we would not have proposed the idea in the first place. When we started raising those five rambunctious boys, we could never have imagined what the years would bring. However, as they were growing, we had told the boys that somewhere in the world five wonderful girls were also growing up and that one-day they would be married and raising kids of their own. Although beyond anything they could envision at the time, it all came about as we had said. Little did we dream, however, that those five sons and their beautiful wives would reward us with 22 equally beautiful grandchildren – and so far, three darling, little great-grandchildren. Okay, we’re biased, but truly, it’s amazing for us to live to see the start of not just one, but two completely new generations. When the boys started to marry and have their own little ones, neither of us liked to shop much at all, so, for the many birthdays, we made it a policy to give the grandkids a dollar for each year of their ages, stopping when they turned 18. With their 18th birthday card, we jokingly told them that if we continued sending them money, we’d eventually run out of cash. By that age, they understood. At Christmas, we gave them each $10 toward a book of their choice. Then the rest of the money went toward our specially planned yearly reunions. For more than twenty years, we planned all kinds of weekend reunions. Instead of Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast, we undertook our family “moveable reunions.” Living in Southeast Idaho, we held various summer gatherings in the Grand Tetons, Yellowstone Park, Lava Hot Springs, Heise Mountain River Ranch, water parks in Boise and Bear Lake, and amusement parks in Northern Utah and other locales. What fun they all turned out to be – mostly weekend events – and what grand memories were created for everyone. When we first queried the clan about our tentative plans for the cruise, our oldest son and his wife from Seattle immediately said, “Count us in.” Another family from our area of Idaho said the same, as did the three other families living 150 miles away. Months of careful planning followed. An experienced and friendly travel agent handled a huge amount of the details for our Carnival cruise. He was outstanding, ever responsive to each of our queries, and, because of him, everything went off without a hitch. The cruise we chose, of course, was something we saved for and considered “the really biggie reunion” for our family – a three-nighter during the week between Christmas and New Year’s, sailing out of Long Beach, California. The only shore excursion was a day in Ensenada, Mexico. An option would have been four nights, including a day on Catalina Island, but this didn’t fit our time frame. As travel writers, the two of us had been on a number of cruises and years earlier, we had taken our five sons and their wives only, on a similar cruise that they all remembered fondly. Most of the rest of the family had never sailed, so this was definitely an exciting adventure for them. Excitement built as the time for our departure drew near. In spite of rain, snow,
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
and heavy traffic – in our individual vehicles and from various directions – we all converged on our Southern California destination and our overnighter in hotels near the pier. Since gasoline for the trip was a consideration, we also provided a travel stipend of $300 per vehicle, as well as some colorful HOCH FAMILY REUNION – 2014 CALIFORNIA CRUISIN’ Tshirts for everyone, even the babies – both “gifts” greatly appreciated. As we all arrived at the dock on the afternoon of our sailing, we marveled at the huge ship and excitedly went about finding our cabins and settling in. The crew welcomed us warmly, and the first meal on board met with everyone’s approval, as did all the subsequent meals – both the formal, sit-down dinners, the everopen pizza bar, and other food stations in many places on the ship. Our group was comprised of all ages, the youngest being two tiny great-grandsons, in the 1-2-year age range, as well as twin grandsons, age nine, who loved best of all the “endless ice cream machine” on one of the decks. We had several older teen boys who spent a lot of time in the workout room, and the girls and the adults especially enjoyed the formal dinners, dancing, shopping on shore in Mexico, and every other interest and activity you can imagine. What fun we all had! Our ship, the Imagination, held some 2,000 guests, and was well appointed. We could have wished for a bit more family-oriented evening programs, and we expressed our desire to the cruise director. He said he greatly appreciated our input and that the cruise line was definitely considering moving in that direction. We hope they do.
Did you know, by the way, it’s been said that media specialists figure one comment represents the opinions of roughly 100,000 people? So it does pay to speak up. Even if it’s only a fraction of that number, it obviously pays to let concerns be known. Now, if you are contemplating a family cruise, we recommend, of course, to plan well ahead. The rewards will be well worth the effort – such as many hugs, thank you notes, and positive comments about what a great time everyone had and
how much our efforts were appreciated. Surely, the memories created were worth it all. As we were disembarking, one of the twin grandsons took Grandpa by the hand and expectantly asked, “Grandpa, when will we get to go on another cruise?” And Grandpa replied, “Tell you what, son, you go and ask your daddy the same question, and see what he says. Also, tell him that when it happens, maybe you’ll invite Grandma and Grandpa to go along on that one?” He seemed okay with that answer; we’re not sure about his dad. Reflecting on the trip the question is whether, if time and means permitted, “Would we do all the planning and put up all the funds for this bonding experience with our big family again?” The answer is, “You bet!” ISI
The Buffalo Bill Name Is Still A Dominant Force In Wyoming In some places Buffalo Bill is more than a just a name. It’s a place to camp, an event for purchasing fine art, or a museum in which to learn about someone who at one time was the most recognized person on the planet. In northwest Wyoming, the man is still a dominant force with a town, museums, events, and more bearing his moniker. Tourists even know the town and surrounding area as Buffalo Bill’s Yellowstone Country. “For most people, William F. Cody is equal parts man, myth and legend,” Claudia Wade, director of the Park County Travel Council. “For those of us live and work here, we view him as 100 percent man who made such an indelible mark upon the region that his spirit will always be with us.” The town of Cody was founded in 1895 and incorporated in 1901, and Buffalo Bill’s legacy lives. It’s just a short drive to find major attractions with his name, but the main drag is not named for him. That would be Sheridan Avenue, named after Philip Henry Sheridan, a general for the Union in the Civil War. Sheridan was later appointed general-in-chief of the United States Army and was instrumental in protecting Yellowstone National Park before the National Park Service was created. The Buffalo Bill Center of the West is actually five museums with the Whitney Gallery of Western Art, Firearms Museum, Plains Indian Museum, Draper Museum of Natural History, and of course, the Buffalo Bill Museum. There is the Buffalo Bill State Park just to the west of Cody camping, fishing, and hiking. In Nebraska there is also Buffalo Bill State Historical Park preserving 25 acres of what was Buffalo Bill’s home, Scout’s Rest Ranch. Cody’s elegant Victorian house, built in 1886, is a museum, with numerous exhibits depicting the life and times of Buffalo Bill and other members of his Wild West Show. The Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale occur every September during Rendezvous Royale, the town’s most prestigious event of the year. In February, the town celebrates Cody’s birthday in style with the Buffalo Bill Birthday Ball. Buffalo Bill was born in 1846 in Leavenworth, Kansas. West of Cody on the way to Yellowstone National Park is the Buffalo Bill Dam. Seeking to irrigate land in the Big Horn Basin, Cody and his associates asked the federal government’s Reclamation Service – later known as the Bureau of Reclamation – to construct a dam on the north fork of the Shoshone River. One of the first such projects undertaken by the service, the dam was the tallest in the world when it was completed in 1910. The manmade lake it created is named the Buffalo Bill Reservoir and is part of Buffalo Bill State Park. From the reservoir to Yellowstone’s East Entrance, US highway 14-1620 traverses the Wapiti Valley through the Shoshone National Forest. Once inside the forest, the highway is designated the Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway. The Wapiti Valley is known for its abundant deer, elk, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, and more. The areas closer to the park become more heavily wooded and are prime habitat for grizzly bears and moose. Yellowstone Country is comprised of the towns of Cody, Powell and Meeteetse as well as the valley east of Yellowstone National Park. The Park County Travel Council website, yellowstonecountry.org, lists information about vacation packages, special events, guide services, weather, and more. For more information, call Park County Travel Council at 1-800-393-2639. ISI
IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 31
PAGE 32 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
Learning To Sail In Washington’s San Juan Islands By Natalie Bartley As we watched Orca whales feeding along the Haro Strait off San Juan Island, I couldn’t believe my 20-year dream of learning to skipper a cruising sailboat had finally come true. Seeing whales was a bonus, for sure. In June, I joined a live-aboard sailing class in Washington’s San Juan Islands that consisted of three certification classes wrapped into one action packed week. I came to the course to learn about the yachting lifestyle as a retirement option. One classmate planned to charter a boat for her family trip in the British Virgin Islands, while the other classmate planned to buy a cruising sailboat and keep it near his home in Anchorage, Alaska. We slept on, cooked in, and maneuvered the 42foot Catalina sailboat Fancy Free from Bellingham Bay to various islands near the Canadian border. Our instructor Captain Nate taught us the skills and knowledge needed to complete the American Sailing Association (ASA) Basic Sailing, Basic Coastal Cruising, and Bareboat Cruising Charter certifications. Passing the written and skill tests enables us to rent and skipper a cruising sailboat. A bareboat charter means you are renting a boat that is “bare” of crew and provisions. As skipper, you are ultimately responsible for the safety of your companions and the boat’s electrical system, navigation instruments, diesel engine, and sailing equipment. Plus you oversee the sailing,
dodging islands, buoys, and other boats, made for challenging sailing. Then Captain Nate added the requirement to sail solo by managing the helm, the main sail, and the jib sail all at the same time. As if that were not enough to test a skipper wannabe, Captain Nate introduced the importance of solo sailing when there was a man-overboard (MOB). He replicated a MOB situation by throwing a plastic boat fender overboard for each student to rescue sailing solo as if the only other crewmember fell into the frigid water. We practiced solo several times keeping the “victim” in sight, turning the boat, sailing back to the victim, hooking the fender via a rescue pole, and hauling the supposed victim back into the boat. The course was not all sailing and drills. Each Join a fun flotilla of sailboats to gain more evening we stayed at a new location moored on skipper skills and experience under the a buoy at the edge of a protected bay, anchored guidance of a flotilla leader, such as this group in a quiet shore side location, or docked in a busy moored in Inati Bay off Lummi Island in the San harbor with amenities. Delicious dinners prepared Juan Islands. by the students and the captain in the boat’s galley (Photo by Natalie Bartley) were consumed topside next to the splendor of the green San Juan Islands under red-tinted sunsets. Shore-based excursions included hikes to high docking, anchoring, navigating, and other aspects points, visits to restaurants, and shopping sprees of expedition sailing. for produce, fresh seafood, and wine. Roche Initially our boat felt monster-sized to me. Harbor on San Juan Island offered stunning views Holding the helm – a gigantic steering wheel that reached from my shins to my shoulders – while of nearby islands and served as a protected area for boats to dock, shop, and refuel. For grand
REKINDLE YOUR HAPPILY E V E R OPOLIS. . . Visit Thermopolis, Wyoming. Worlds largest mineral hot springs... and more!
THERMOPOLIS.COM
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
views of islands and the Cascade and Olympic Mountains, we moored off Pelican Beach. The four of us enjoyed the scenery from both water level and from a cliff during a hike along Cypress Island’s trail systems. Mount Baker provided a stunning view on many days. As the course progressed through three written tests, various sailing skill sessions, and cruising boat systems procedures, I realized my journey towards confidently skippering a cruising sailboat on a recreational trip was underway, with future enhancements needed. Sailing schools offer a docking endorsement, a navigation course, and other courses for finetuning and expanding your skills. You can also take a private lesson in a chartered boat or use your own boat. Another option is to join a flotilla of sailboats after completing the certification courses. Weeklong excursions help novices gain skipper skills and experience under the guidance of a flotilla leader and serve as a way to meet other sailors. We saw a flotilla of cruising sailboats anchored in Inati Bay off Lummi Island. There are over 300 affiliated ASA schools throughout the world, and both ASA and some schools offer flotillas. When I researched sailing schools offering bareboat charter skipper certifications, I considered scenic value and ease of access within the Pacific Northwest region. San Juan Sailing School, located in Bellingham, Washington, easily won over other coastal areas. They have a thorough and informative
website. Everything you need to know about the sailing courses is outlined in detail at sanjuansailing.com. If you fly to Bellingham, a 10-minute taxi ride from the airport to the school’s boats at Squalicum Harbor provides fast access to the start of the learning adventure. Since the weeklong courses begin mid-day Saturday and finish mid-day Friday, no overnight stay is needed. If you drive, plan on taking a few extra days, journey down the Columbia River where you will see many sailboats and wind surfers that will spike your anticipation of the sailing course. Spend a day or two in North Bonneville on the Columbia to learn the history of the mighty Bonneville Dam and harnessing the Columbia River. Why learn to skipper a yacht? As our sailboat’s name indicates, you are Fancy Free to explore the oceans of the world in the fashion and the pace you desire. Natalie Bartley is a Boise-based author of the mobile app travel guide Boise’s Best Outdoor Adventures and the trail guidebooks Best Easy Day Hikes Boise and newly updated Best Rail Trails Pacific Northwest. ISI
“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” –Anas Nin
IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 33
Old Goats
Submitted by John Early, New York City A group of Americans was traveling by tour bus through Switzerland. As they stopped at a cheese farm, a young guide led them through the process of cheese making, explaining that goat’s milk was used. She showed the group a lovely hillside where many goats were grazing. “These,” she explained, “are the older goats put out to pasture when they no longer produce.” She then asked, “What do you do in America with your old goats?” A spry old gentleman answered, “They send us on bus tours!” ISI
BOOK YOUR ROOMS NOW FOR THESE E V E N T S ! SEPTEMBER 26 oktobrewfest
OCTOBER 29
moonlight madness
NOV 14–FEB 14
Keys to the City Winter Promotion
Thermopolis is your perfect destination for those special getaways. Just three scenic hours from Billings, you will enjoy soaking and relaxing in the healing waters of the World’s Largest Mineral Hot Spring. Whether it’s just the two of you enjoying each other or it’s a special trip with the grandkids, Thermopolis offers a world-renowned dinosaur center and dig site, unparalleled outdoor activities, and unique scenic attractions. From antique stores and art galleries, to fur and buffalo hide stores and whiskey-distillery gift shops, you will enjoy an eclectic shopping experience reflecting the town’s unique character. To satisfy your palate, choose from many distinctive, locally owned restaurants. Finally, well-appointed and comfortable lodging will let you wind down in dreamland and rest for another day.
T H E R M OPOLIS.COM
PAGE 34 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
For Fishing, All Rivers Lead To The Columbia By Jack McNeel
` For Mike and Linda Kelly, owning and operating Mike Kelly’s Guide Service keeps them moving as they seek good catches for their clients. Fall and winter months find them on the Clearwater and Snake Rivers upstream from Lewiston. Around April 1, it’s off to the lower Columbia for the spring run of king salmon. Then home again for a while before heading off to Alaska to guide on the Kenai River. Later in the summer, it’s over to the lower Columbia near Astoria before returning home to the Clearwater Valley and another season. And, when do they vacation? “March is pretty much a dead month for us. Then a lot of times the river blows out or something and you get unexpected times off,” explains Mike. Some anglers might think Mike and Linda’s entire year is a vacation, but when you’re depending on the income from guiding for your livelihood, it is a job – though an enjoyable one. Mike was born and raised in Tacoma and recalls how his dad would take him fishing when Mike was just a little guy.
Plan your fun fall getaway!
To Boise 84
86
Pocatello
800.882.4433 | explorelogan.com
“He’d take me trout fishing on streams. I can remember being on his back and he’d wade across streams in his hip boots so I wouldn’t get wet. He would slip on the rocks but never fall. I look back on that and am amazed we never fell in,” he says. Mike began guiding in 1972 on the Cowlitz River in the ChehalisCentralia area. Linda was born in Nebraska and moved to Tacoma when she was 12. Later, she met Mike and they were married in 1967. Her family was in the meat business and when she finished school, she went to work cutting and wrapping meat. When retirement came in 1996, she made a decision. “I wasn’t going to sit in this house and answer the phone. That’s when I became a deck hand. It’s something I thought I’d never do but I absolutely love it!” Linda was immediately taken by Lewiston/Clarkston area when they moved there in 1999. “When we came out here to this canyon I told Mike that we were going to find a home here and move here. He was a little reluctant but said okay. We found this nice little house and it’s the best thing that’s happened to us. Our daughter moved over and married a local boy and we have our granddaughters here. It’s been a wonderful move for us.” Linda’s humor shows when she describes her role as the deck hand. “I go everywhere. You know the pointy end of the boat? That’s mine! The boat doesn’t go anywhere without the pointy end,” she declares with a laugh. “He just runs those black things in the back. They call them motors. That’s all he does, but otherwise I keep everybody baited.” Linda also describes how the clients on the boat don’t even have to touch the bait. “I make sure they are always in the water because when you’re not in the water you’re not fishing. Mike nets the fish. I figure that’s his job. Once they’re in the boat I clean the fish, hand them to our clients, and thank them very much. This is how we pay the rent!” Mike sold his permit for the Clearwater to a former employee, Adam Hocking of Steel Dreams Guide Service. “So instead of him working for me, now I work for him on the Clearwater. The rest (Columbia, Alaska, and western Washington) is ours. It’s a full time job. We basically just do salmon and steelhead. I used to fish sturgeon but I’m here when salmon and steelhead season is open so people aren’t too interested in going for sturgeon.” Mike believes Idaho has reasonable regulations. “They’re real strict in Idaho which is a good thing. They keep things in hand whereas other states I guide in are pretty lax.” Mike and Linda are working with the Nez Perce Tribe by giving up part of their fish quota to increase the number of adult fish that can be spawned for egg collection – hopefully providing an additional million smolts for release. “We’re real happy about that,” Mike adds. Mike and Linda have a 26-foot Alumaweld jet boat for fishing the Clearwater and Snake Rivers. For fishing in Astoria, they have a 30-foot Alumaweld Offshore. On the Kenai River in Alaska, they use a 20-foot Willie Boat. “If you don’t have a Willie Boat on the Kenai, you’re nobody,” he declares with a laugh. ‘Everybody has a Willie Boat on the Kenai.” Over the years, Mike and Linda have had some interesting clients. “I’ve done some famous people like Kevin Duckworth (played basketball for Portland). I had Kevin McHale out (played for Boston). I’ve fished with a lot of the Seahawks. I became good friends with Jack Patera (a former player and first coach for Seahawks). We did a lot of fishing together, and Earl Averill who was a Hall of Famer baseball player. I used to fish the two of them together a lot. “I fish guys from those who just barely can afford my services to people who just about own the world.” One wealthy client “used to take Linda and me in his Lear jet. He’d fly us to different places and I’d guide him fishing. It was phenomenal!” When not fishing, Mike enjoys working on street rods and taking them to car shows. Linda is more likely spending that time at home. “I like to work in my flower beds and we have three wonderful granddaughters that I spoil absolutely rotten. We’re so busy fishing that when we get home I kind of sit down and watch TV. I enjoy that.” To contact Mike and Linda for a guided fishing trip just give them a call at 509-243-3474. ISI
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 35
Head North of the Border to Nelson, British Columbia By Bernice Karnop The West Kootenays, just north of the Idaho border in British Columbia, provide an enticing playground for visitors. The mountains, lakes, and rivers provide a backdrop to outdoor recreation that draws skiers, hikers, paddlers, and mountain bikers. It also draws those who simply want to enjoy a beautiful drive through stunning mountain scenery, coniferous forests, fields of wildflowers, and a number of Provincial Parks. The area is dotted with several pleasant towns worth a stop. Nelson, for example, sits in the midst of the scenery, overlooking the west arm of Kootenay Lake (spelled Kootenai in the states). This small city is known for its large and fun arts and culture scene. Nelson was incorporated in 1897, but it already had a pretty good start by that time. In 1887 the Silver King Mine on Toad Mountain brought rapid growth. The railway arrived in 1892. Nelson had a copper and lead smelter from 1896-1907, and following that boom; the economy thrived on the lumber industry. Today it’s a service center for the Kootenay region. For visitors, this offbeat Victorian town comes to life through its historic buildings and art culture. In an organized effort, the town deliberately restored its old buildings instead of demolishing them. More than 350 structures in Nelson are heritage sites and a treasure to all who know hand-
crafted buildings like these will not be built again. Many of the old structures are stores and open for individuals to explore. Others are restored private homes. The Chamber of Commerce provides walking/driving tour brochures that tell their stories. Baker Street is the heart of downtown Nelson. As one can imagine in such an area that encourages an active life-style, there is a mixture of outlets selling gear for mountain biking, hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, and backcountry touring. These mix with arts and crafts stores and cool clothing venues. Visitors can mingle with locals over lunch at a sunny sidewalk cafe or a delicious beverage at an upscale coffee shop. Nearly all of the restaurants double as an art gallery. Festivals, street musicians, sidewalk artists, and other special events add to the fun. In the winter, people come to ski at Whitewater Ski Resort, half an hour from downtown. Whitewater includes cross country ski trails and heliskiing tours. Outdoor recreation is around every corner in the summer. Favorite summer spots include nearby Kokanee Creek, Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park, and West Arm Provincial Park, where one can enjoy sandy beaches, hiking trails, water sports, wildlife, and bird watching. In town, there’s Lakeside Park and Gyro Park, from which one can walk to an expansive scenic lookout.
Travelers may want to drive north to Kaslo on Highway 31 to see the restored S.S. Moyie, a luxury craft that the Canadian Pacific Railway brought here in 1898 to ferry people across Kootenay Lake. Over the next decades it was used and abused for various purposes and retired in 1957. The city of Kaslo lovingly restored it and today the S.S. Moyie is a National British Columbia Historic Landmark, open daily from May to October. The site includes a visitor center built to look like a Canadian Pacific Railway station and a beach along Kootenay Lake. Nearby are good restaurants and other shops. Nelson is on the International Selkirk Loop, a 280-mile scenic byway through southeastern British Columbia and adjoining parts of Washington and Idaho. Drive north from Nelson on 3-A to Balfour. Here motorists find a working ferry that’s part of Highway 3-A. It takes vehicles and walkon passengers on a 35-minute ride across one of British Columbia’s largest natural lakes. The ride is free but the mountain and lake scenery is priceless. The ferry takes traffic from Balfour to Kootenay Bay on the east. From here highway 3-A continues south along Kootenay lakeshore and right on into Idaho. ISI
Did I read that sign right? Submitted by John Early, New York City Toilet out of order. Please use floor below. In a Laundromat: Automatic washing machines – Please remove all your clothes when the light goes out. In a London department store: Bargain basement upstairs. In an office: Would the person who took the step ladder yesterday please bring it back or further steps will be taken. In an office: After tea break, staff should empty the teapot and stand upside down on the draining board. Outside a second-hand shop: We exchange anything – bicycles, washing machines, etc. Why not bring your wife along and get a wonderful bargain? Notice in health food shop window: Closed due to illness. Spotted in a safari park: Elephants please stay in your car. Seen during a conference: For anyone who has children and doesn’t know it, there is a day care on the 1st floor. Notice in a farmer’s field: The farmer allows walkers to cross the field for free, but the bull charges. Message on a leaflet: If you cannot read, this leaflet will tell you how to get lessons. On a repair shop door: We can repair anything. Please knock hard on the door – the bell doesn’t work. ISI
8 Hotels in the heart of the Canadian Rockies
BANFF HOTEL ROOMS SUITES CONDOS 1-800-563-8764 www.bestofbanff.com
PAGE 36 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
Tom Wilson and the American Mountain Man Association By Jack McNeel • Photo by Jackie McNeel The ability of mountain men to survive and prefer a lifestyle that would rapidly destroy most people has fascinated Tom Wilson since his childhood in Randolph County, Illinois. “I’d had an interest in history, muzzle loading, and hunting since I was a young boy,” he says with a laugh. “Of course Davey Crockett and Daniel Boone shows stirred up the bug that was already there.” Tom grew up on a farm with parents and grandparents who told him the history of the area. There were stone points in the fields his grandfather had cleared of timber and he recalls trips to old French settlements on the eastern shore of the Mississippi. “I was number four of five boys and we were always exploring our creek and woods and feeling the spirit of our ancestors.” He recalls attending a rendezvous when he was 12 and seeing buck skinners, highlanders, and re-enactors shooting and competing with flintlock long rifles behind the fort populated with blacksmiths, spinners, and many others. “I was suddenly in heaven,” he exclaims. You’ve got to do your own growing, no But time passes and after a year of art studies at Southern Illinois University, he followed two brothers to a theology school matter how tall your grandfather was. in Seattle. He received a degree and met his wife Jennifer there, – Irish Proverb but knew all along that it was too large a city for his long-term interests. “There weren’t people lining up to put a man to work as a preacher at that time,” he explains. The school provided a solid foundation in the bible and the ministry but perhaps even more, “it was to equip you for life as a Christian, staying on the path, and helping others as you walk through life.” Tom exhibits those traits with his quiet tone, strong convictions, and his volunteer work. During those Seattle years, Tom and a close friend got into muzzle loading firearms. Soon they were challenging each other to become proficient, to hunt with this type of gun, and then to craft the clothing and other accouterments of that era. Tom became an electrician because it seemed to fit his personality and need for a challenge. “You had to be ready to just get in, get dirty, and accomplish the work but you also had to be thinking.” Tom and Jennifer lived in Seattle for 20 years before moving to Viola, a small town just north of Moscow. He found employment at Washington State University where he remains as the lead electrician for the construction services electric shop. Learning the way of the mountain men of the past was still a big part of his life. “It became a goal and source of enjoyment whenever I could.” A national organization called American Mountain Men (AMM) started in the early 1970s. Tom had been exposed to them before, but when he moved to Viola, he began getting into it more seriously. One of his fellow electricians at WSU was president of the local Hog Heaven Muzzleloader Club. The first stage in being certified for AMM status is called Pilgrim. Tom became a Pilgrim There is a list of 15 requirements and a newcomer must fulfill at least 10 of them for full membership in AMM. Tom began fulfilling those requirements. LOCATED IN LEWISTON IDAHO Some he had done in earlier years but they must be completed after showing the interest and becoming a Pilgrim. One of those requirements included making a full set of hand cut and sewn clothing and accoutrements from the period 1800-1840. Another was to spend at least two days and one night during each of the four seasons in As a top rated facility, we offer a wide range of care a wilderness setting. Another was to spend two or more weeks in wilderness for residents including independent living, assisted settings under primitive conditions in company with no more than one other member. Others include demonstrating trapping ability, packing a canoe, living, & memory / dementia care. horse, or person for travel under adverse conditions, cooking a meal of meat with materials found in nature, conversing using Plains Indian hand talk, and more. Perhaps one of the more difficult is to camp out during the winter seaPET FRIENDLY • HOMEY ATMOSPHERE son. Tom did that in mid-January at an encampment north of Coeur d’Alene with five other men. They used snow sleds and toboggans to transport their bedrolls to the campsite. He carried a knapsack on his back for his shooting 2421 Vineyard Ave. Lewiston, ID 83501 pouch and knapsack and a haversack for larger food items and a canteen.
V ISIT OUR BEAUTIFUL CAMPUS IMMEDIATE OPENINGS!
Caring for Family the old-fashioned way... at home.
Call for a tour 208.743.6500
HOME CARE
“Helping you is what we do!” Fix a meal, do the laundry, help you bathe, sweep the floor. We do this and a whole lot more... Our goal is to help you keep your quality independent lifestyle.
Visit Us at Our NEW location!!
108 S. Mill St. 208-983-1237 Grangeville, ID
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
On reaching camp, they rolled out tarps and stretched them around poles to provide a dry shelter with collected evergreen boughs and leafy debris to sleep on. “In winter camp it’s really imperative to have that extra layer to get you off the ground,” Tom explains. “We had a pretty good blow come over us the second night, a real Chinook wind with heavy rain. I’m rolled up in my bed roll and pretty cozy but hearing a heavy drip,” he recalls. Unable to stay dry, Tom got up and dressed. The campfire had been covered and still had hot coals. “I stirred up the fire, got it going, and proceeded to dry out the vest that had gotten wet.” He had the fire going and coffee going as the others rolled out of bed in the morning.” Not an easy weekend, but then mountain men frequently faced a variety of problems in those early years and weather could certainly be one of the problems.
IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 37
“The way I look at it, these are things I have enjoyed doing for years and look to keep doing. I’ve shared the experience with other good brothers in other situations. I’ve shared it with my wife and kids and they have benefited from it. It’s their choice if they want to keep on that trail. I’m here to teach, help, and enjoy it myself but more than anything to enjoy it with people of a common heart and mind. Part is respect for the old ways and ancestors that have done it before me – that have lived and carried on and made a living for me. “It gives me a deep appreciation for the luxuries we have around us on a daily basis that we take for granted. We don’t realize how quickly they could be taken away from us. I know, in a small degree, that I’m prepared to live and survive if we lost them temporarily. Maybe I can help and teach other people what to do if the phone lines go down or the power goes out indefinitely. ISI
Life’s an Adventure for Joyce Dearstyne By Holly Endersby Although she was born in New Jersey 69 years ago and has lived up and down the East Coast, Joyce Dearstyne of Elk City has embraced the western rural lifestyle while still managing to be a true adventurer by working on both coasts, bringing a little bit of Idaho to Florida most recently. In her younger years, Joyce was a busy mother of two who managed to show horses and dogs as well as work with two veterinarians, Drs. Bernhard and Alfred, on canine parasitology. That research resulted in the first public education regarding heartworm medicine. Joyce carried her love of dogs into a successful show career but expanded into search and rescue and tracking with her talented, homebred Doberman Pinschers. She became an ardent member of the Milltown Township Canine Corps in Pennsylvania, helping to train and field test search and rescue dogs. But in 1996, with her husband wanting to sell his business and retire, Joyce was ready to consider moving to rural central Idaho where hunting and fishing opportunities abound, something her husband found very attractive Originally settling in Clearwater, the couple soon found Elk City more to their liking and purchased a permanent home there in 1997. Although she was renovating their large home, Joyce had energy to spare and when the local lumber mill was scheduled to close an opportunity presented itself. She became a co-leader of a community project to build a timberframe gazebo to demonstrate value-added wood products as a way to sell wholesale and retail products over pure commodities. From this initial project, the non-profit Framing Our Community (FOC) was born in April 1999. With the mill closing and the local U.S. Forest Service (USFS) ranger station in Red River closing as well, the job loss hit the community hard. As Executive Director of Framing Our Community, Joyce realized that focusing on stewardship restoration projects as well as small businesses built around wood products might just be the life-line the community needed. With that in mind, FOC trained its first field crew to work on fuels reduction and forest and watershed restoration as contractors for the USFS and Bureau of Land Management (BLM). By the third season, FOC had added high school students to their summer work teams. From 2004-2007 FOC had contracts for work on private land as well federal and Idaho state land. Since then, Joyce has been a tireless advocate for job opportunities by obtaining various contracts to monitor water quality, and for river and stream bank revegetation and stabilization to reduce sedimentation, water temperature, and protect the public drinking water ON-SITE supply. In 2007, Joyce became a PHYSICAL member of the Clearwater Basin THERAPY! Collaborative representing rural economies and has pushed for improving work opportunities in some of Idaho’s smallest timber communities. And then Joyce and FOC went national. Ian Barlow, a Nez Perce/Clearwater NF wilderness ranger, had worked in Florida to help build bridges along the1,130-mile Florida National Scenic Trail. He asked the USFS if they had considered contracting with a nonprofit specializing in this Both locations still provide kind of field work. That simple question brought Joyce to Florida, and new Endoscopic procedures FOC contracts with the National Forests in Florida working with their teams Make sure you are ‘up-to-date’ with your colonoscopy. and the Florida Trail Association maintaining trails and building bridges on Colon cancer is one of the only preventable cancers. Talk to your doctor. the trail. Joyce brought a crew from Idaho to teach Florida folks the skills needed on this trail project in hurricane country and added a retired Forest MRI & CT scans Service bridge engineer and an engineering student to address bridge and available at our hospital where you can avoid a other structural needs in this often waterlogged landscape. An army reservcommute and remain close to home and family. ist handles logistics in the off-season arranging for materials, supplies, and equipment; Ian Barlow remains an integral part of the ever-evolving team, and Joyce spends several weeks each winter supervising the projects. “Contracting with FOC is cost-effective for the federal and state agencies,” explains Joyce “Because we have less red tape, our overhead costs are much lower than an agency’s would be – typically 1-15% whereas an agency
Introducing our
NEW
Clinic in Orofino!
Orofino Health Center: 208-476-5777 Cottonwood Clinic: 208-962-3267
PAGE 38 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
overhead can be 40-50% – so we can get more done on the ground for less money while meeting all of the required standards.� “Last season our wages were right around $230,000,� says Joyce, which reflects four permanent employees plus seasonal employees, contractors, and Youth Corps team leaders and students. And very little of that finds its way to Joyce.
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
“I donate around 90% of my time,� she explains. “That allows us to hire more people for work in the field. This is really a labor of love for me. For her work, Joyce has earned numerous awards including the Firewise Leadership Regional Award, the Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition Leadership Award, the Outstanding Service in Developing Community Partnerships Award, and
the Purpose Prize, one of 75 international fellows selected for their innovation and service to their communities. But for Joyce, working for Framing Our Community is not about awards. “I want to make a difference and leave the world a better place,� she says “And, I am always ready to embrace the next adventure!� ISI
Moscow veterinarian speaks to importance of animals laughing easily as she relates anecdotes revealing her philosophy on the value of animals and her view of medicine in general. D r. K e t h l e r e s t a b l i s h e d C e d a r Ve t erinary Hospital in Moscow in 1973. “I bought a little house in Moscow that was built in 1907, the same year my mother was born. I converted it to a veterinary hospital and then built additions on twice as we needed them.� Born in Brooklyn, Margretta is the daughter of an Irish immigrant who became a New York City policeman. As a teenager, she lived across the river in New Jersey. “I could see the New York City skyline from my bedroom window.� She decided at age 11 to become a veterinarian but despite her goal she wasn’t allowed to have pets, other than a rabbit. The family moved to southern California where she volunteered at a veterinarian office during her senior year in high school. “I was very lucky to work with two outstanding veterinarians.� From there she went immediately to the University of California in Davis. It had the only veterinarian school in California at that time, and she was accepted into the veterinarian school during her sophomore year. “I was 18 at the time which is unusual but I was lucky.� She spent her first year out of school on the academic staff at U.C. Davis doing brucellosis research. “We’re having our 50th reunion this fall and I can’t wait to see everyone,� she exclaims. When Margretta began her career there were only about 200 women veterinary doctors. “Now there are about 65,000,� she says.
In fact, women students now make up roughly 80% of the veterinary students in any class whereas it was only 1-2% in 1965. Her love and respect for animals is readily apparent. “I think all animals, wild or domestic, add intrinsic value to our world. They’re important to us but also important in themselves and to the world. We now recognize the mutual benefits we share with our pets. They’re companions for children, they teach responsibility and compassion, and introduce some children to the natural world. They help the elderly with companionship and people of all ages with disabilities. They’re very valuable to us.� The motto of Margretta’s clinic is “We treat any species which fits in our front door that doesn’t have hoofs and is not a primate – everything else counts.� She works with dogs, cats, rabbits, and “pocket pets� like gerbils, hamsters, and such. “I did surgery on a coy (a large goldfish) and that was totally cool,� she says with a laugh. “It readily came around and lived for several more years. A few years later someone in the tri-cities did that and it went all over the world. I said, ‘I did that,’ but I didn’t tell anybody,� she says with a chuckle. She credits her ability to get along with animals, “especially cats,� by regarding them with affection and respect. “I respect who they are and try to meet their needs. If a cat turns and tries to bite me because I’ve done something painful, the owner will apologize. I say, ‘Hey, if I were a cat and someone did that to me, I’d bite me too,� she adds with a laugh. “I work very very hard not to stress any of my patients.� Margretta went through all the chairs of the North Idaho Veterinary Medical Association and received the only award they offer for her work. She then went through all the chairs for the Idaho Veterinary Medical Association, president, board chair, etc, and received their Veterinarian of the
DEDICATED HOPE, HEALING AND RECOVERY TO
We Offer: t 5SBOTJUJPOBM $BSF 6OJU
- Short-term Rehabilitation Unit Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy -Outpatient Therapy
t $PNQMFY 8PVOE $BSF 5FBN t 4FMFDUJWF .FOV T 'JOF %JOJOH BOE 8J Ăś t 0O TJUF .FOUBM )FBMUI $POTVMUBOU t .FEJDBSF .FEJDBJE .BOBHFE $BSF $POUSBDUT BOE 7" BQQSPWFE
MAKE A RESERVATION
If you have a scheduled surgery and will need Rehabilitation therapy following the procedure, call and make a reservation for your continued care. Our therapists will work with your physician to get you back home as quickly as possible. REHAB MADE EASY!
Please call to schedule a tour or just drop in. We are always available to show you the center and answer any questions you may have.
t UI 4USFFU -FXJTUPO
&&
ByJack McNeel “I love what I do!� Dr. Margretta Kethler exclaims, as she talks of her many years in veterinary medicine. From her numerous awards and accolades, it’s clear others love what she does as well. “I have a million stories,� she adds,
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
Year Award. In addition she was elected to the House of Delegates of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and served for about 20 years representing Idaho. She served as the first woman and first Idahoan elected to the Northwestern States District of the AVMA Executive Board from 1990-96. Margretta voiced her concern that veterinary medicine is becoming too expensive for the average family to care properly for their pets. “Students learn in schools to run all the lab tests and it’s okay when they first start out. They’re teaching them the way human medicine is taught and human medicine is broken. Too many people can’t afford it! In veterinary school we were told if we didn’t work on livestock we were wasting our time.” Now that bond between animals and humans is more appreciated. People are asked to fill out an information sheet when they enter her hospital and one questions asks if the animal is a family member, a pet, or whatever. Most answer ‘family member.’ That guides her on how to approach the people on how to care for their animals. She also works hard to keep her prices no more expensive than they have to be. One of her million stories reflects her concern about price. Last fall a woman asked how much it would cost to treat one of her ducks, one used for
IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 39
egg production. The bird had prolapsed internal organs. “I’m thinking that when I went to school you could never charge more to treat a livestock member than it was worth. It just didn’t make economic sense. I had no idea what the duck was worth but thought it shouldn’t be that hard to fix. I said, ‘About $25.’ She agreed.” Margretta built an anesthetic chamber from a soapbox and a device using a syringe to push the prolapsed organs back in while she sutured it. Everything worked well and the duck awoke quacking. “From the time the duck entered the surgery room until it left the room was probably no more than seven or eight minutes. The lady said, ‘$25?’ I said, ‘If you want to pay me more you can, but you owe me $25.’ She handed me a $100 bill and I nearly fainted. She had called another facility and they quoted her $700.” Margretta’s Cedars Veterinary Hospital is the only private practice in the Palouse to take emergency calls and that’s disturbing to her. “Some practices have six vets. You would think they could be on call one night without killing them,” she exclaims. She and Dr. Victoria Kendall, the only vet working with her at the hospital, have been working together for 27 years.
Retirement will eventually happen but she hopes to work at least three more years. “They’re going to have to carry me out of here in a box,” she says. Laughing she adds, “On a bad day I say, ‘I don’t mean today!’” But she adds that if she ever made a mistake causing an injury to a patient she would quit that day. She is that committed to her profession. “I love what I do. We have a lot of fun, and I get a lot of hugs. I am so lucky and so privileged to get to do this.” ISI
Elders aren’t in Jeopardy By Bill Hall Working people ask me, “Where have all the geezers gone?” At certain times of the day, it may seem that my fellow seniors and I seem to disappear, though there are millions of us. We fade from sight part of the day because we are like cats. We nap a lot. You will find us by listening for all our snoring. Seniors have periods of the day when they disappear from sight for other reasons. They have their senior food hideouts. They sneak away from the rest of the population and head for the 3 p.m., all-you-can-eat, chicken-gravy buffet that offers an elder discount. Food isn’t the only command performance in our lives. Far from it. Not long after dinner, you will find millions of us sitting in front of a television set watching Jeopardy, even though it is a highly discriminatory quiz show unfair to the elderly. Ironically, seniors are the segment of society most likely to be thrilled with the show but least likely to become contestants. Granted, that’s something like the unfairness I experience in rooting for the Seattle Seahawks. Nobody cheers more for that team than we senior Seahawks do. But do seniors ever get a chance to put on a Seahawks uniform and go in for a play or two? No. In major league football, it is the young alone who get to play the game. And it is the bald and gray like me who have the honor of helping to pay the astronomical cost of the seats. Jeopardy is like that. The blatant truth is that hardly anyone my age (78) ever gets a chance to stand up there and compete at answering questions with younger people. There is a reason for that, of course. The reason is that the game is loaded against the elders, just as football is. Maybe people my age are too old to play football. But the same is not true of Jeopardy contestants. In fact, old people on the whole are more broadly knowledgeable in a general quiz show than young people are. The trick in denying elders their chance at winning a Jeopardy game is how many seconds a contestant has to shout out the answer. The natural advantage for the elderly, if Jeopardy were fair, is that we the old ones have accumulated more knowledge over long years of life
than younger people have. If you give us enough time, we will dig deeply into our old brains and find the answer. Many an elder skull is chock full of all the knowledge of a lifetime. True, young people and the middle aged are quicker at finding answers in their less crowded brains. They haven’t yet learned as much as a senior, even if the stuff they have learned is brought to the surface more quickly. But if you don’t know the answer, it doesn’t matter how quickly you can make an inaccurate stab at what you don’t yet know. This all raises some questions for the star and leader of Jeopardy – Alex Trebek. He will turn 75 on July 22. If that isn’t old, it is at least really ripe (though Trebek is better than ever as the ringmaster of Jeopardy). referred On the other hand, isn’t it about time that Adult Family Home, LLC Trebek accepts his age and stops cooperating with those producer scoundrels who have found a way Peace of Mind...Uncompromising Quality of Care to tilt the game in favor of the young? For starters, all contestants should have at least three minutes to come up with each answer. There should be no more immature snap judgments. There should be a fair amount of time for all who have lost some of the quickness of their minds. True, that would tend to increase the current running time from half an hour to double that. (509) 751-0300 At the very least, let Jeopardy give elders a • Spacious, comfortable rooms competition of their own. Jeopardy does that for Call for a with private bathrooms elementary school children, for high school contesTOUR • Scenic mountain views tants, for college competitors and for celebrities. In today! • RN on staff • Licensed care staff fact, I’m not certain that Jeopardy doesn’t have a • Menu choices • Hair salon... and more! tournament for dogs who can bark a little English. At my age (only three years older than Trebek), When it’s time to move...Come Home! I ask how about a grandpa and grandma tourna2341 12th Avenue • Clarkston Heights ment? Granted, one serious problem comes to mind if grandparents get their own tournament: we are devoted to enriching the lives of those entrusted to us. Who will wake them if they fall asleep halfway through their three-minute answer time? Hall may be contacted at wilberth@ cableone.net or 1012 Prospect Ave., Lewiston, ID 83501. ISI
P
Care
At Prestige Care Rehabilitation & Care Center,
Prestige Care & Rehabilitation
T h e
O r c h a r d s
Phone: 208-743-4558 1014 Burrell Avenue • Lewiston www.prestigecare.com
PAGE 40 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
Octogenarian Barb Chaffin still works gold claims By Dianna Troyer Barbara Bell Chaffin’s idea of a perfect summer day is sitting in a creek panning for gold. The octogenarian still has gold fever from being raised in the mining camps of central Idaho, where her father supervised miners, and her mother was the camp cook. “The most beautiful place is the Yankee Fork,” says Barb, 86, who travels every summer from her homes in Blackfoot and Mackay to the Yankee Fork Mining District near the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. From July to October, depending on the weather, she works the gold claims she inherited in 1971 from her late father, David E. Bell. “We have 13 claims in our family. You have to do assessment work on your claims every year to keep them,” says Barb. “My kids and grandkids help, too.” She either pans for gold or brings quartz rocks with glittering flecks to her ore crusher at her Mackay home. “After I crush it, then I’ll pan and see what’s there,” she says. “Three years ago, I found 4 ounces in several days. It was mostly flakes rather than nuggets. Every miner can’t help but think, ‘I’m going to find it this time.’ ” Unlike her father who owned several mines and sold gold, silver, and lead to make a living, Barb refuses to sell what she finds. “I have it made into jewelry for family and friends,” she says. “My son keeps it in his safe. For me, it’s not about making money from gold. It’s about doing what my father taught me and remembering him. There’s no place I’d rather be. It’s so relaxing to sit in the creek and pan. I love the fresh air and solitude. Those mountains are so beautiful.” Barb says she has been addicted to gold mining since childhood. “Those mining camps were all I knew as a child.” Her father was originally a grub-stake miner, providing supplies to miners in exchange for an interest in their claims. Eventually, he was able to invest in
Barb Chaffin, 86, still works gold claims in central Idaho’s Yankee Fork Mining District. She pulverizes rocks in her ore crusher, then pans for gold. When going into a mine, she still wears the hard hat her father gave to her. [Photo by Dianna Troyer]
several mines, including the McFadden, the Tonto, the Snow Drift, the Lucky Boy, and others. “I still go in them every chance I get,” says Barb. Inside the mines, she wears the hard hat her father gave to her. “When I was young, it always slipped forward, so he tied a rock to the back so it would stay in the right place,” she says. When low gold prices in the ’40s made the McFadden Mine unprofitable, her father closed it and moved his family to Mackay. “Gold was about $32 an ounce back then,” says Barb. “If he was alive today with gold at about $1,100 an ounce, he’d be out there mining again.” When Barb starts mining, she parks her fifth wheel near the historic Yankee Fork Gold Dredge. “I used to hoof it up the mountain. Now I’ve spoiled myself and bought a Razor ATV and away I go,” she says. “My kids worry about me, so I tell the folks at the Custer Museum where I’m headed for the day. People up there are worth their weight in gold.” To her family, Barb is more priceless than gold. “She had four stents put in her heart this spring, and we’re grateful she still has plenty of enthusiasm for whatever she does,” says her daughter, Margie Van Orden. “She has such a passion and knowledge of the history of gold mining in central Idaho. People are in awe of her tenacity and energy.” Barb taught her kids lessons from mining that apply to any endeavor in their lives.
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
“She and my dad taught us to have a strong work ethic and to have a sense of perseverance even if you feel exhausted,” says Margie, who relied on those ideals while creating and operating the Bear Bottom Inn with Barb for 14 years. When Barb wasn’t mining, she helped Margie at the restaurant and adjacent motel. Like her mother, Stella, Barb is known for her cooking. “She baked our French bread, German rye bread, and scones,” says Margie. “She did whatever needed to be done from bookkeeping, to washing dishes, doing the prep work for me, and cleaning the rooms.” The waitresses nicknamed her “TurboMom” because she goes 100 miles an hour at whatever she does, says Margie. “After surgery, she told people she was still turbo-charged, it’s just that one
IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 41
of her engines quit for a while. Whatever project she does, she puts her heart into it.” During her mining season, Barb channels her energy into working her claims. She remembers how her dad and other miners started their season as soon as possible. “A lot of times in June, he’d snowshoe in and ski out,” she says. When Barb takes a break from panning, she often visits a family cabin on Estes Mountain that her dad named the ConnieMarBo after her kids. “Miners built it about 100 years ago,” she says. “We still maintain it for lost hunters and never lock the door. Some people even use it for their honeymoon. I just put a sign on the door that says, ‘Use but don’t abuse.’” Barb carries on the family tradition of hospitality. “If people come up to visit, I’m happy to give
them a tour and tell them about local mining history,” she says. She offers advice to those who want to start gold mining. “You don’t know what you’re missing,” she says, grinning. “Go for it.” ISI
Jim Birdwell – Shriner Clown (Continued from front cover) more stuffed animals,” says Val. “The last couple of years, someone left bags of stuffed animals on our front step. We had no idea who was doing that. Then one day we happened to see him and talked to him. He just wanted to help.” A couple of times a year, whenever they have enough animals, the Birdwells visit patients at the Shriners’ Salt Lake City hospital. “Every time we leave, we both have tears in our eyes from seeing how courageous those kids are,” says Val. A few incidents are seared in Jim’s memory. “I still get choked up thinking about it,” he says. “We saw a 13-year-old take her first steps. She had a metal head brace and had just had surgery in which a rod was put in her back, so she could walk. She struggled just to shuffle along, but she had the biggest smile.” Another time a 5-year-old was running around the cafeteria. “We didn’t realize it at first, but she had two artificial legs,” says Jim. He can relate to the children he visits. “I’ve had polio, cancer, and deal with Crone’s disease,” he says. Besides stuffed animals, the Birdwells gather and distribute used medical equipment. In a corner of their living room, they have walkers, crutches, canes, and wheelchairs for anyone in need. “We get calls all the time to help people, either with Jim being a clown or someone needing equipment,” says Val. “I have no idea how people hear about us. We’ll even get calls from case managers at area hospitals because an uninsured patient might need crutches or a wheelchair.” The Birdwells began storing the equipment after the staff at a local clinic received the dona-
tions but were unable to pass them on to patients due to liability issues. “I was talking to a physician’s assistant there one day,” recalls Jim, “and she wondered what they would do with all that. I knew exactly what to do with it.” Besides gathering toys and equipment, Nickel entertains at children’s birthday parties, accepting donations to Shriners as his fee. “He does anywhere from five to 30 parties a year, whatever is needed,” says Val. “People like donating to Shriners because they know most of their monetary gift will go to the kids instead of administrative expenses.” When Nickel began clowning, “there were 17 of us,” says Jim. “Now, we’re down to about seven including two 85-year-olds and two in their 70s. Then there’s me. I guess I am the oldest clown here, come to think of it. I’ll keep doing this as long as I can.” ISI
The Hospital on andEarth Dialysis Center on Earth! The Most Most Caring Caring Hospital
Healthcare Services
Available for Travelers
www.BLMHospital.com 208-847-1630
PAGE 42 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
The Old West lives on at Bill Chess’ home
By Dianna Troyer While Bill Chess had varied occupations, one constant in his life was a love for the Old West. The 76-year-old retired truck driver and commercial pilot remodeled his house in Moore to resemble days gone by. His remodeled basement and a cabin he built look like immaculate sets for classic western films. “I’ve always liked John Wayne movies and the Old West,” he says. “Friends who drop in to visit are the kinds of people who like nostalgia as much as I do. We visit, shoot pool, and play cards.” Bill describes himself as being “born with a big dose of imagination. Whatever I picture in my mind, I can build. This is what I imagined,” he says, gesturing around him. To make the basement’s bar, dance hall, and poker room look like the 1850s, he covered the walls and ceilings with weathered wood, brick, stone, and one-by-six wooden boards he carefully
textured. “On the boards, I used a draw knife to scallop the edges, and then I took a chain saw to make scroll patterns on the surface.” His downstairs décor reflects his childhood lifestyle. Bill grew up on Soldier Creek near Fairfield riding horses and working cows. “My uncles ranched there, and I begged them
been neglected. “I saw its potential. I’ve never been the type to sit around, so I started fixing it up.” Bill never imagined the remodel indoors and outdoors would take more than five years. He took breaks from working indoors to tend to his shady acre-sized lawn, which he manicures like a park. “I planted more trees than I can remember, got
208-523-6404
AladdinsFloral.com 504 W. Broadway Idaho Falls
Whatever your message, flowers express it best 100% Guaranteed!
Cotton & Flannel
Fat Quarters in the Newest Styles & Patterns
4/$10 Regular Price $399 each Selection Varies
Cotton or Flannel
Pillowcase Kits
11
$
99
Selection Varies
Bill Chess remodeled his basement to look like the Old West. [Photo by Dianna Troyer] to let me work for them for next to nothing in pay,” recalls Bill. “That cowboy lifestyle always suited me, and I even went on to ride rodeo rough stock.” After getting married, he flew planes and later drove trucks, saving his salary so he and his wife, Shirley Ann, could buy a picturesque property near Stevensville, Mont. Together, they built their dream home. In 1990 when she died suddenly from a heart attack, Bill was devastated. “There were so many memories of her there. We were married 34 years, and it was too hard for me to be there without her, so I sold it.” He drove truck for a highway construction company. “I lived wherever a job took me. I was on the road so much; I didn’t really need a house and lived in my fifth-wheel for 12 years.” When he retired in Large Selection 2002, Bill’s son in Idaho Falls persuaded him to find a place near him. He found a house outside Plus tons of Project Ideas! Moore that had been built in 1947 and had
rid of weeds, and hauled away the busted fences.” Two years ago, he found some discarded spud cellar timbers in Blackfoot and built a 12-foot-by14-foot cabin in three weeks. “Once I started, I couldn’t quit working on it,” says Bill, a meticulous craftsman. “When I get an idea, I’m like a bull dog that won’t let go.” Once the cabin was built, he furnished it with items he found at second-hand stores, including a vintage wood stove, table, and chairs. “I couldn’t find a bed the right size, so I had to make one.” Although he lives in a remote valley, Bill often has visitors. “My son beats feet up here every chance he gets.” Friends of friends even knock on Bill’s door, seeking a glimpse of the Old West. “Even though it’s out of the way here, I can’t believe how people from all over have heard about my place just by word-of-mouth. They want to look for themselves. Who doesn’t like a little bit of the Old West?” ISI
Cuddle Soft Fabric Third Yd Pre-Cuts
4
$
99
Reg $799 Selection Varies
Cuddle Soft Fabric is also available by-the-yard in a huge variety of Colors, Prints, & Patterns
Create-Your-Own Kit
Cuddle Soft Fabric Third Yard Pre-Cuts
1. Choose a Pattern 2. Choose Fabric Colors & Patterns 3. Assemble using the Strip & Flip Method
Silhouette® Cameo Electronic Cutting Machine
Kits & Project Ideas Quilts, Hemstitch Kits, Tea Towels, Table Runners, Patterns & So Much More! Large Selection
Yarn
Crochet & Knitting Supplies Prices valid thru Sep 30, 2015. Item selections may vary. Hitt Rd & 25th St, Idaho Falls 522-5882 Mon - Sat 9-9pm 19 College Ave, Rexburg 359-0786 Mon - Sat 9-9pm
Cuts Perfect Fabric Appliqués Everytime! Plus cut Vinyl, Paper, & More
22999
$
Regular Price $29999
Large Selection
Notions Rulers Scissors
Rotary Cutters
Pillow Forms & Batting
Spring Creek, American Falls • 208-226-7856 Edgewood Soda Springs • 208-547-2057 edgewoodseniorliving.com
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 43
The Knightons are year-around bikers – Continued from page 22 He geared the tricycle so each passenger can pedal separately at an individualized comfortable speed. “Your pedaling doesn’t have to be synchronized as with a traditional tandem bicycle,” he says. Brakes are attached to a handle bar in the middle, allowing either passenger to steer. They ride the back roads of Moore several times a week year-round. “We can go about 15 miles an hour, 20 with a tail wind,” says Frances. “We ride in winter, too, because it’s really stable on snowy, icy roads.” In 2008, Gaven invented another unusual device. He wanted to be able to pump water from their well during an electrical outage, so he designed a hand-pump that can be inserted into a domestic well casing to extract water. “It can pump about 3 gallons a minute, lasts about 20 years, and costs $200-$300 to install depending on the well depth,” he says. “It’s a really simple device with PVC pipe, O rings, a small foot valve and a screen to keep out sand.” Gaven and his daughter Stephanie Jackson
of Menan have installed quite a few throughout southeastern Idaho. She demonstrates the pumps at preparedness workshops and writes about them at gkpump.blogspot.com. He was inspired to invent another device when he coached Little League baseball. He needed a precise pitching machine. He designed a collapsible metal stand with surgical tubing and used it like a slingshot. “You could place the ball exactly where you wanted it – whether inside, a low ball or outside, whatever,” he recalls. “It really helped the kids with batting practice.” He sold about 100 pitching machines in the Idaho Falls area. What’s Gaven’s next project? “I’m making bio-char, carbon-rich pieces of burned wood in the stove, to work as soil prep in our garden. Sometimes I still get calls from Argonne employees asking for advice about something I designed. I’m glad to give it if I can. I never know where my next project will come from.” ISI
Your Are Never Too Old Submitted by John Early, New York City Bob, a 70-year-old, extremely wealthy widower, showed up at the country club with a breathtakingly beautiful and very sexy, charming 25-year-old blonde. She hung over Bob’s arm. His buddies at the club were in awe. At the very first chance, they cornered him and asked, “Bob,
how’d you get the trophy girlfriend?” Bob replied, “Girlfriend? She’s my wife!” They were knocked over, but continued, “So, how’d you persuade her to marry you?” “I lied about my age,” Bob replied. “What? Did you tell her you were only 50?” Bob smiled and said, “No. I told her I was 90.” ISI
Call today to experience the
Quail Ridge lifestyle.
(208) 233-8875 797 Hospital Way Pocatello, ID 83201 www.quailridgeretirement.com
AN ASSISTED LIVING COMMUNITY
PAGE 44 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
PortMed.org
Is A Thing Of Beauty
and it’s closer than you think Nothing is more precious to a person diagnosed with
family and friends, which in itself is some of the very
cancer than hope and at Portneuf the reasons for
best care you can receive.
hope have never been greater. Our understanding of the science of fighting cancer New, advanced technology combined with our
combined with modern technology and advanced
experienced, knowledgeable physician team and staff
protocol provides every patient we treat with hope,
means your treatments are on a par with facilities
the one thing they need more than anything else.
across the Northwest. This level of care provides you with the opportunity to stay at home during
And hope, after all, is the foundation on which all
treatments. It allows you to be near the support of
successful outcomes are created.
Schedule your mammogram today, contact Idaho Medical Imaging at 239-1500 or go to PortMed.org/cancer Idaho Medical Imaging is part of Portneuf Medical Center and provides complete outpatient services in a warm, inviting and comfortable environment. Portneuf Cancer Center 777 Hospital Way Pocatello, ID 83201 (208) 239-1750
Cancer Center Portneuf Medical Center is jointly owned with physicians