MSN June / July 2015

Iceberg Lake photo

by Dianna Troyer

montanaseniornews.com

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– Governor’s Conference on Aging & Montana Gerontology Conference – Insights Into Alzheimer’s Disease: Lifespan Respite Care & other Aging Resources –

pages 74-80

Flying The Flathead With Dick Schaus

By Michael Ober “What’s the best way to get into this thing?” I asked, while looking up at the open cockpit of the sky-blue fuselage.

“Well, you just hoist yourself up onto the wing walk section and then grab hold of the upper wing handles and lower yourself in. You’ll have to stand on the seat first, but that’s okay. It’s the only way in.”

Obligingly, I do as instructed and fold myself into the spartan surroundings of Dick Schaus’ 1943 Stearman biplane.

Strapped in place with the lap and shoulder harness, I look around and wonder at the utility of it all. Tubes, wires, and cables extend along the sides of the front seat area. The control stick rises awkwardly from the aluminum floor. A small cluster of only six gauges is arrayed to the front and it all looks so… well, old.

“It should be.” Dick proclaims. “It’s a museum quality aircraft.”

I wonder why it isn’t in a museum instead of taking me up for an evening spin around the Flathead Valley.

“Well, you see, it just wants to fly!” he says almost triumphantly.

The original Lycoming radial engine provided early trainee pilots with 220 horsepower, while the 450 horsepower, Pratt and Whitney engine that replaced it in the restoration process supplies us with an assuring, throbbing, primeval rhythm.

After the preflight checks with me over the intercom, Dick supports his claim, and as we roll across the tarmac, past private Gulfstreams and Lear jets, pilots peer out their windows and nod approvingly. It is a plane over which all pilots lust.

We taxi to the end of the runway and it’s power up – we accelerate down the runway.

“Tail is up,” he announces. Seconds later, “Wheels off… and we’re off.”

Airborne.

Ordinarily the roll and liftoff could be done in an astonishingly short distance.

“But that would take too much gas.” Dick shouts into the intercom. “I give it just enough throttle to get it airborne and then let the plane do the rest.”

In Montana there are very few vintage aircraft collectors – long winters and harsh weather – and especially for open cockpit configurations. On the other hand, uncrowded, endless blue skies provide a priceless panorama.

Dick flies his Stearman year ‘round.

What it gains in performance it gives back in efficiency. After all, it is a military airplane.

“It drinks gas. Did I mention that?” asks Dick. (Continued on page 62) Dick Schaus and the author’s wife, Alanna Ober, stand in front of Dick’s 1943 Stearman, which has been completely restored. Many military pilots trained in the rugged Stearman during the 1930s and 1940s. Following WW II, thousands of Stearmans saw service as crop dusters, sports planes, and for use in air shows. [Photo courtesy of Dick Schaus]

PAGE 2 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

JUNE/JULY 2015

Montana Senior News A Barrett-Whitman Publication

P.O. Box 3363 • Great Falls, MT 59403-3363 406-761-0305 or 800-672-8477 FAX 406-761-8358 montanaseniornews.com email: montsrnews@bresnan.net The Montana Senior News is published six times each year in February, April, June, August, October and December at 415 3rd Avenue North, Great Falls, MT 59401 and is distributed free to readers throughout the state of Montana.

The mail subscription rate is $10.00 per year (6 issues). The Montana Senior News is written to serve the reading interests of mature Montanans 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 Montana Senior News 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.

Jack W. Love, Jr., Publisher/Editor Colleen Paduano Kathleen McGregor Lisa Gebo Jonathan Rimmel Peter Thornburg Sherrie Smith

Production Supervisor Advertising Sales Advertising Sales Advertising Sales Production Assistant Graphic Designer Distribution Admin/Production Assistant

Contributing Writers Bob Campbell Connie Daugherty Kim Thielman-Ibes Gail Jokerst Bernice Karnop Craig Larcom Liz Larcom Michael McGough Jack McNeel Dianna Troyer © 2015

Yes, It’s Time For Kudos!

I wish to thank you for your outstanding publication in addressing items of interest to seniors!

I’ve found many informative articles that have made my senior years more meaningful.

Harry Tavenner Whitehall Keep up the good work. I read the Montana Senior News cover to cover the minute I pick it up.

LaVerne Tyres Great Falls Thanks for the great paper... and for the fun of looking for the hidden Easter eggs.

Lorene Gould Hungry Horse This is an excellent newspaper, and I look forward to picking up the next edition at the Hays Senior Center on the Fort Belknap Reservation where I reside. Thank you and I enjoyed looking for the eggs. It was fun!

Patricia Bear Hays The Easter egg hunt was a fun idea! I found them all. I also like the information in the Montana Senior News and the humorous bits of wisdom.

Celeste Goldhahn Fort Benton

But There’s Still Work To Do...

Regarding the Easter Eggs, I counted seven.

Now, I checked three times and was about to call in the F.B.I. or the C.I.A., but then I wondered if page one could be counted as two since there are two depictions of Easter eggs. I may just have missed one. Otherwise, it’s not nice to fool Brother Nature just because he’s living in New York City.

On another paw, I was horrified to see on page 48 that famous Montanan Tom Cruse was misidentified as Tom Cruise. Imagine my horror!

On a third paw, I was pleased that there were so many articles in the current issue about Helena, where I spent my own woebegone youth back in 1946 to mid-1955. Now I can send the several articles to my younger sister, who was born in Helena but knows nothing about it.

On the fourth paw, I was very pleased and ‘umbled indeed, that I received Honorable Mention on page 15. I have an archery friend with whom I go to the Poconos in Pennsylvania, and it was while there that I got that very interesting article, which I hope helps older and maybe wiser people as I hope to be someday.

I will be 72 come May 24, same birth date as Queen Victoria. Her Majesty and I may dance/ dust up a storm on that date. Finally, I noted that your newspaper is getting better and better. Oh wait, maybe it is just that I am reading it more attentively. I never said I was the brightest light in the chandelier.

John Early New York City MSN

JUNE/JULY 2015

Almost Paradise by Elizabeth Cain; iUniverse, Inc.; Bloomington, IN, 2013 Reviewed by Connie Daugherty A pretty, young wrangler steps into the pen with a problem horse and life at Rancho Cielo Azul, an isolated Nevada guest ranch, is changed forever.

“When they led the horse into the round pen, I thought, Okay, fifteen minutes.” Serena Skye has an almost magical connection to and understanding of horses. But she has almost no connection to or experience with men. The seasoned ranch hands standing around the fence laugh as she gently caresses the horse.

“One of the guys wasn’t laughing… I wasn’t that crazy about men. The greatest love of my life had been a horse trainer a couple counties over – a woman.” Still Serena finds herself oddly attracted to Julian Rose, the one man who is not laughing.

And Julian Rose is definitely attracted to the young woman who is so expertly working with his problem horse. He hires her almost without thinking.

Elizabeth Cain’s novel, Almost Paradise, is more than a love story that spans decades. It is a story of self-discovery, patience, and forgiveness with constant unexpected twists and turns that keep the suspense and drama high and the pages turning. It is filled with picturesque landscapes, details about horse training, and about the connections between people and horses. Set in the Nevada wilderness and populated with beautiful but often problem horses and memorable characters, Almost Paradise is a good summer read.

From that very first moment their eyes met over the back of a stubborn grey gelding, Julian is attracted to Serena and Serena is attracted to Julian.

They share a love of horses and the ranching life style. However, they both have so much baggage it seems the best they can achieve is a respectful

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 3

working relationship that borders on friendship.

Although she has left Carla, her girlfriend, Serena can’t seem to get Carla out of her mind. Carla was her first and only love so far. Their separation had been sudden and complex with unanswered questions. Now Serena isn’t sure she’s ready to move on especially with a man even if he would have her. “It felt like a lie, keeping the most intimate discovery about myself from him, that I had loved a woman. But right now he needed my horse savvy.”

Although Julian’s wife, Miranda, has been locked up in mental institution for eight years, he hasn’t divorced her and continues to pay for her treatment. He hasn’t seen her in all that time – has tried to put her out of his mind. But now she might be released and she wants to come home to her husband. Doctors claim Miranda is okay, but Julian isn’t convinced. Could she still be dangerous?

Could she still be capable of murder? Does he dare file for a divorce?

Too many things need to change for Julian and Serena if they are going to move forward at all. Too many questions have to be answered, too much of the past resolved. Serena is confused. “I felt like a bronc in the round pen, not knowing who I was, what my job was, when the pressure would be released.”

(Continued on page 15)

Find out more: call 721-BOOK or online at MissoulaPublicLibrary.org

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PAGE 4 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

JUNE/JULY 2015

How many times have we completed a task or project in a very normal way believing it was done, only to discover some time later that there was a flaw in our plan? The resulting unintended consequence can take on many dimensions, from the humorous to the horrifying and everything in between.

This issue’s winning Remember When selection is by Larry Roland of Missoula whose story of Uncle Charlie’s Ashes will bring a shake of your head or perhaps a smile to your face as you contemplate the reality of the situation presented.

Thank you, Larry.

Remember When contains our readers’ personal reflections, 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 Montana Senior News features the contributions deemed best by our staff.

The contributor of the winning entry receives a $25 cash prize.

We look forward to receiving your contributions for our August/September 2015 issue. Mail your correspondence to Montana Senior News, P.O. Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403; email to montsrnews@bresnan.net; or call 1-800-672-8477 or 406-761-0305. Visit us online at montanaseniornews.com.

Uncle Charlie’s Ashes

By Larry Roland, Missoula Uncle Charlie didn’t have much money when he passed away a few years ago. It was pretty simple; he had lived alone in a rented apartment, so I emptied it out and distributed the contents.

There was a small memorial service and, since I dislike those ugly plastic boxes used by funeral homes, I transferred his ashes into a container that I believe Uncle Charlie would have thought more suitable, put it in an out-of-the-way corner, and pretty much forgot about it. And life went on.

Some time later, a friend I hadn’t seen in quite a while came to visit, and we chatted until late into the night before turning in. I live alone with my cats, so it was good to have some company –especially someone to share some pleasant memories. I drifted off to sleep thinking about what we might do the next day – finally deciding we’d make it up as we went along… and I was asleep.

I awoke the next morning to kitchen sounds and fuzzily wondered who was in my apartment.

JUNE/JULY 2015

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 5

Gradually, I remembered my visitor and felt self-conscious at not being noon.

“This sure tastes better than that stuff I mixed together,” he said, and I up first to make the coffee. I crawled out of bed, pulled on my clothes and shoes, stepped into the bathroom to wash my face and comb my hair, and agreed.

Later, in the nearby woods when I was spreading the rest of the old coffee then strolled into the kitchen.

My friend was searching cupboards to find what he needed to start mixture along with the grounds from the pot, he asked why.

“It’s good for the soil,” I explained. MSN breakfast. He had been to my place before so he felt comfortable, but didn’t know exactly where everything was. I apologized for my tardy arising, which he dismissed with a wave.

“You seemed to be enjoying your sleep and I didn’t know what time you usually get up, so I didn’t want to disturb you. Besides, we were talking until the wee hours. Are pancakes, eggs, and sausage all right?”

I said that it sounded good to me, and in a few minutes we sat down to our plates, thanked God for what He provides, and began our meal. I told him I appreciated someone else’s cooking for a change and that the food tasted very good.

“Maybe it’s because I didn’t have to do the work,” I suggested.

He laughed, thanked me for the compliment, and then, between bites, told me, “I noticed that you had two partly-filled coffee cans sitting on the shelf so I mixed them together and scooped out what I needed.”

I stopped – my second steaming cup halfway to my lips – and stared at him.

“You dumped them together?” I asked hoarsely.

“Why, yes,” he said, “I didn’t look too closely, but no sense having two cans when one will hold it all.”

“It’s all right,” I told him. “They weren’t the same but it’s too late now. I’ll just get a fresh can at the Nursing Quality Care Collaborative NursingHome Home Quality Care Collaborative store today.” s astatthtehececnetne He said he was willing to pay for his mistake, idnetnt trero eidse r s r of af ure o r lalll but I assured him there was no need. gu “I did notice that the coffee didn’t taste quite like what I’m used to. I thought it might have been The Nursing Home Quality Care Collaborative because I mixed the two together,” he added.

“Yeah, might’ve been,” I agreed, but I didn’t of nursing home residents across the country. finish my cup.

I bought a new can of Prime Roast that afterimprovement organizations in the nation to work with nursing homes to ensure that their residents receive high quality care.

On a septic tank truck: Yesterday’s Meals on Wheels At an optometrist’s office: If you don’t see what you’re looking for, you’ve come to the right place.

On a plumber’s truck: We repair what your husband fixed.

On another plumber’s truck: Don’t sleep with a drip. Call your plumber.

On an electrician’s truck: Let us remove your shorts.

In a non-smoking area: If we see smoke, we will assume you are on fire and take appropriate action.

At a car dealership: The best way to get back on your feet – miss a car payment. MSN

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Welcome Collaborative Members

The following nursing homes join the 52 nursing homes already participating in the Montana Nursing Home Quality Care Collaborative.

Welcome: Billings Health & Rehab Community, Billings  Central Montana Skilled Nursing, , Billings  Eastern MT Veterans Home, Lewistown  Crest NH, Butte  Glendive  Fallon Medical Complex, Baker  , Jordan  Hillside Health Care Center, Missoula  Hot Springs Health & Rehab, Hot Springs  Libby Care Center, Libby  Livingston Health Care Center, Livingston  Mountain View Care Center, Ronan Pondera Medical Center LTC, Conrad  Riverside Health Care Center, Missoula  Sidney Health Center, Sidney  Sweet Memorial NH, Chinook  Valley View Estates, Hamilton And thank you to those facilities already participating in the Montana Nursing Quality Care Collaborative Apple Rehab Cooney, Helena  Awe Kualawaachee CC, Crow Agency  Beartooth HCC, Great Falls  Big Sandy MC, Big Sandy  Big Sky HCC, Helena Columbus  Brendan House, Kalispell  Bridger Healthcare Community, Bozeman  Butte Healthcare Center - Genesis, Butte  Cedar Wood HC, Red Lodge  Community Nursing Home of Anaconda, Anaconda  Copper Ridge Health & Rehab, Butte  Dahl Memorial, Ekalaka Daniels Memorial NH, Scobey  Discovery CC, Hamilton  Elkhorn HC & Rehab, Clancy Faith Lutheran Home, Wolf Point  Friendship Villa HCC, Miles City  Gallatin Rest Home, Bozeman  Genesis Healthcare: Butte Center, Butte  Good Samaritan Society MVM, Eureka Glacier CC, Cut Bank  Heritage Place HCC, Kalispell  Holy Rosary HRH RL, Miles City Immanuel SCC, Kalispell  Kindred Healthcare Parkview, Dillon  Kindred Transitional Care & Rehab, Great Falls  Lake View HC, Big Fork  Laurel Health & Rehab, Laurel  Madison Valley Manor, Ennis  Marias Care Center, Shelby  Missoula Health & Rehab, Missoula Missouri River MCNH, Fort Benton  Montana Veterans Home, Columbia Falls  Mountain View HC Community, Bozeman  Parkview HCC, Billings  Pioneer Medical Center, Big Timber Polson Health & Rehab, Polson  Pondera Medical Center, Conrad  Rocky Mountain HCC, Helena  Rosebud HCC Nursing Home, Forsyth  Sheridan Memorial Nursing Home, Plentywood  St. John’s Lutheran Ministries, Billings  St. Luke’s Extended Care, Ronan  Teton Medical Center NH, Choteau  Teton Nursing Home, Choteau  The Living Centre, Stevensville  Tobacco Root Mountains Care, Sheridan  Valle Vista HCC, Lewistown  Valley Health Care, Billings  Valley View Estates Health Care Center, Hamilton  Valley View Home, Glasgow  Village Health Care Center, Missoula  Under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), works within the communities it serves to help improve the delivery of health care and the systems that To join the Montana Nursing Home Quality Care Collaborative please call Pamela Longmire 406.457.5885.

Territories of Guam and American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS),

PAGE 6 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

JUNE/JULY 2015

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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 7

Montanan Lynn Smith Blends Art, Adventure, and Nature

By Natalie Bartley Photo courtesy of Anna Hansen-Lane “I am kind of a daredevil. My friends call me the fearless funster,” says Lynn Smith of Whitefish. When she isn’t skiing or hiking, you’ll find her photographing wildflowers, creating nature-oriented art, or simply being a good friend.

After serving as a high school home economics teacher in Indianapolis, she was drawn into the world of flowers and plants, where she worked as a florist for about five years. Then big, beautiful mountains drew Lynn from Indiana.

She headed west in search of resort skiing and national parks and settled in Colorado.

Living at 8,800 feet above sea Lynn Smith photographing hard-to-find yellow Lady’s Slipper flowers in the Swan Mountains level between Boulder and Rocky Mountain National Park held her in Montana. [Photo by Anna Hansen-Lane] interest for 25 years.

In Colorado, she became intrigued with dried botanical seedpods from around the world, which she used to create sculptured wall and table designs. Her venue for sales was art shows, where she enjoyed the connection she felt with her customers. Lynn displayed her work in ski towns across Colorado including Vail, Breckenridge, Winter Park, and Crested Butte.

“It was a good business for me. I made a living and a lot of artists can’t say that – there’s always that starving artist syndrome out there,” says Lynn.

Eventually she wanted something new and different, so while presenting her art at shows in the Northwest, she explored various art communities and other places to live.

“I knew I wanted a national park to hike in and a resort area to ski in,”

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PAGE 8 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

JUNE/JULY 2015

Lynn says. There were Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho to consider. Glacier National Park and the Flathead Valley in Montana won her heart.

Lynn discovered Montana is different from Colorado. There are fewer people and less art business. She says she worked a few art shows after her Montana arrival and then slid easily into an active retirement life.

“I didn’t come to Montana to make a living; I came to make a lifestyle.”

Now 12 years later, Lynn keeps refining her interest in wildflowers and art while hiking the trails and mountains of Glacier National Park and the nearby Swan Range. She feels Glacier is a spectacular hiking park with stunning scenery and a trail system offering many easy to challenging options.

“One of the amazing aspects of Glacier National Park is the wildlife, and in particular the bears, of which I see dozens of every year when I am hiking. I stand in awe of them; it is such a

sense of wild,” Lynn explains.

She has also seen the elusive wolverine.

Generally, she hikes over 400 miles each summer, but in 2014; she completed about 600 miles in the area.

This past winter, at 65-years-young, Lynn tested her risk-taking tendencies on a black diamond ski run at Whitefish Mountain Resort.

Though no stranger to steep slopes, that day featured icy conditions, and she broke her leg, resulting in surgery.

Lynn says, “Part of the lesson in that experience is to be more respectful of treacherous conditions.”

This spring the new challenge is recovery – working on simple things like bending, stretching, and strengthening. Her goal is to be active and outside in time for spring wildflower season, where Lynn maximizes her enjoyment of the bountiful array of nature’s offerings.

“My love of flowers has never waned. Montana’s climate creates an environment for a wide diversity of flora,” she says.

Her hobbies of learning about wildflowers and shooting photographs led her deep into research. “It’s about the whole process of trying to find rare orchids,” she says.

After a few years of studying, she realized there were many orchids in the area, including 5 common genus and 12 orchid species she often finds.

Lynn has seen and photographed all but one of the varieties in the area.

JUNE/JULY 2015

To identify the potential location of an elusive orchid, in 2014 she dug into several old U.S. Forest Service studies about habitat protection of orchids on Forest Service land written in the 1980s before Global Positioning System (GPS) usage became common. From the studies’ descriptions of terrain, she gathered the details.

Combined with her extensive knowledge of the area’s foothills, her detective work paid off when she found the particular orchid she sought and photographed it.

Lynn’s philosophy of life – live in awe and gratitude for the beauty of the world – is reflected in her art. She creates an artistic product from her love of flowers and nature.

Laugh It Up On The Links It’s Only A Heart Attack

A husband and wife are on the 9th green when suddenly she collapses.

“Help me dear,” she groans to her husband.

The husband calls 911 on his cell phone, talks for a few minutes, picks up his putter, and lines up his putt. His wife raises her head off the green and stares at him.

“I’m dying here and you’re putting?”

“Don’t worry dear,” says the husband calmly, “they found a doctor on the second hole and he’s coming to help you.

“Well, how long will it take for him to get here?” she asks feebly.

“No time at all,” says her husband. “Everybody’s already agreed to let him play through.”

It’s So Simple

A gushy reporter told Phil Mickelson, “You are spectacular; your name is synonymous with the game of golf. You really know your way around the course. What’s your secret?”

Mickelson replied, “The holes are numbered.”

All It Takes Is Skill

A young man and a priest are golfing together.

At a short par-3 the priest asks, “What are you going to use on this hole, my son?”

The young man replies, “An 8-iron, Father. How about you?”

The priest says, “I’m going to hit a soft seven and pray.”

The young man hits his 8-iron and puts the ball on the green.

The priest tops his 7-iron and dribbles the ball out a few yards.

The young man says, “I don’t know about you, father, but in my church, when we pray, we keep our head down.” MSN

First, she prints a photo of a wildflower on cotton fabric, then embellishes in a textile fashion. She frames the photos with fabric, yarn, beads, and embroidery threads. Each project is a uniquely individual work of art, which she sells at the Montana House in Agar Village in Glacier National Park.

Lynn says, “If you are passionate about things and you live that way, your life is going to be full.

Live with love in your heart.”

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. MSN

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 9

PAGE 10 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

JUNE/JULY 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 Departing Billings, Miles City & Glendive a blast! Rather than leaving money in a will, we decided to enjoy some of our nest egg along with Mark Your Calendar 2015 our family, and a great decision it turned out to be.

When we first told our neighbor about our Capital to Capital tentative plans, she said incredulously, “ThirtySept 7–22 eight family members – and they all get along?”

Two Capitals on this Early Fall Foliage Tour She really was amazed, but we knew our crew of five sons and their wives and kids, as well, or we Great Rivers of America would not have proposed the idea in the first place.

Oct 4–15 When we started raising those five rambuncA unique Fall Foliage Tour along with tious boys, we could never have imagined what the three of the Great Rivers 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 Both tours offer EARLY Registration one-day they would be married and raising kids SAVINGS-Don’t Delay! of their own.

Although beyond anything they could envision at the time, it all came about as we had said.

800-440-2690 abtoursonline.com Little did we dream, however, that those five sons and their beautiful wives would reward us with 22 equally beautiful grandPLAN YOUR 2015 DREAM GET-A-WAY TOURS, children – and so far, three darling, little greatJune 22 3-Day Deadwood Getaway Add $69 for single $148/ppd grandchildren.

July 16 9-Day National Parks & Washington State Waterways, featuring Mnt. Rainier $2349/ppd + air & Aug 20 and Olympic Mountains National Parks Okay, we’re biased, July 21 11-Day Alaska Adventure, featuring Seattle, the Gateway   $3689/ppd but truly, it’s amazing for to the Pacific Northwest Including RT air from Billings July 25 7-Day Islands of New England, featuring Martha’s Vineyard, $1998/ppd + air us to live to see the start Nantucket & Block Island. Add $719 for single of not just one, but two August 9 4-Day Experience beauty of the Black Hills: Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse & $448/ppd chance with Lady Luck in historic Deadwood, SD Add $146 for single completely new generaSept 7 8-Day Cruising Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands   tions.

Sept 7 & 16 16-Day Heart of the British Isles Tour, featuring England, Scotland, Wales    and Ireland Including RT air from Billings $4940/ppd When the boys startSept 18 11-Day The Legendary Blue Danube River Cruise, featuring Hungary,   $3149/ppd + air ed to marry and have Slovakia, Austria, Germany, & Czech Rebublic. their own little ones, Sept 20 5-Day Tour, highlighting a 3-day spectacular cruise of the San Juan Islands, WA. $1928/ppd Add $898 single. Fair includes RT air. neither of us liked to Sept 24 14-Day Germany, Austria, & Switzerland Tour, featuring Nuremberg, Rothenburg, $4240/ppd shop much at all, so, for Munich, Black Forest, Heidelberg, & more. Including RT air from Billings. Call for availability.

Sept 29 5-Day Experience Norsk Hostfest Festiva! Minot, ND. Fantastic line-up, including $1090/ppd the many birthdays, we ABBACADABRA & Minot Symph. Orchestra; Jeff Foxworthy, Celtic Thunder, made it a policy to give Ronnie Milsap–Fairwell Tour & more. Add $404 for single Oct 5 & 19 9-Day Splendid Scotland $2499/ppd + air the grandkids a dollar for each year of their Special Billings hotel rate for out of town travelers. ages, stopping when For additional tours please visit our website, or call: GDP TOURS they turned 18. With their 2501 Montana Ave., Suites 15-17, Billings, MT 59101 (888) 827-1492 or (406) 256-1492 | www.gdplanners.com | lily@gdplanners.com 18 th birthday card, we

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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.”

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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

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 11

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, 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 (Cont’d on pg 34)

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Book Review - continued from page 3 Meanwhile, the summer season has started and everyone on the ranch is busy with the paying guests. Carla and some friends come over for the Saturday night staff dinner and dancing. The meeting goes better than Serena dared to expect. Her love for Carla hasn’t diminished, just changed. Julian proposes and Serena accepts. “Thirty years old, waiting for the moment that would reveal who I was… if it was almost paradise that would be enough.”

Then, months later, “Miranda pounded on the front door…. Julian slowly walked over to the desk. He picked up a sheaf of papers…handed them to her, his divorce papers.” Miranda, who has stopped taking her medications, is livid and out of control. Although Julian has her arrested, she escapes, steals a gun, and heads back to the mountains surrounding the ranch. She is determined to separate her husband from his beloved horses and from this new woman in his life even if she has to kill them all.

Together Julian and Serena are determined to find a way to keep Miranda from killing anyone or anything. Get her back into a hospital where she belongs, then maybe, just maybe she will be out of their life forever. Maybe.

Elizabeth Cain was a secondary teacher for thirty-one years. She has won numerous poetry awards and had two poems set to music for chorus and orchestra. She lives in Montana’s Blackfoot Valley with her husband and their sixteen dogs, six cats, and four horses. This romantic, psychological thriller is her second novel. Its sequel, Dancing in the Red Snow, was released recently. MSN

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JUNE/JULY 2015

More on page 64 à

Cardston’s Carriage House Theater

By Bernice Karnop Cardston, Alberta, was established by Mormons in one of the continent’s last wagon migrations. This group of emigrants came from Utah to the Canadian prairies and established their community much like the original settlers to the Salt Lake Valley did. Today there’s a lot to enjoy in this prairie town less than a 30-mile drive from Waterton National Park. Most of these attractions, including the temple, the Carriage House Museum, the Card House, and the Carriage House Theater have a direct line to the original settlers.

President of the Cardston Historical Society, Diane Barnes says, “Theater has been alive in Cardston since its founding year, 1887.”

The Carriage House Theater building isn’t quite that old. Prosperous citizen, Mark Spencer, had it built in 1912. The snazzy art-deco building at 353 Main Street West, a few steps from the original Card log cabin, was impressively called the Palace Theater and held more than 300 people. In the century since then it has changed hands and names a number of times. By the early 1990s, it was in need of a major upgrade. It took two years, a million dollars, and lots of volunteer labor to make it today’s delightful venue.

Each summer the theater attracts visitors from around the world. The combination of hired professional and local volunteers specializes in musicals and comedies that the whole family can enjoy. The 2015 summer shows include Mary Poppins and Catch Me if You Can. The schedule is available at thecarriaghousetheater.com. Tickets can be booked by calling 1-403-653-1000. Most shows sell out so it’s advisable to book ahead.

But why does the Cardston historical society say theater started the founding year? That claim goes back to Zina Young Williams Card, wife of the LDS leader who established the town. Zina, the daughter of Brigham Young, was a cultured city girl who didn’t give up her gracious ways just because she moved to the wilderness and lived in a tent until they could get a log cabin built.

Zina grew up in Salt Lake City as one of Brigham Young’s older children. She lived with her mother in Lion House. When she was 18, she married Thomas Williams and had two sons before he died. In 1878, the young widow moved from Salt Lake City to Provo and attended Brigham Young Academy. The following year she was appointed Matron of young girls and drama director of the school.

JUNE/JULY 2015

In 1884, she married Ora Card, who was chosen to lead the migration to Canada. It must have been challenging for this city girl because when they arrived they were met with rain, snow, and mud. They lived in tents until the cabin could be built, but she’s remembered as being a positive influence. She’s quoted as saying that the settlers greeted their tasks with “sunshine and joy in their hearts.”

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 17

She is credited with bringing sunshine and joy with her books, music, and games during the hardscrabble early days on the Canadian prairie.

Her home was open and she hosted all manner of entertainment for adults and for children – including theater.

Visitors may appreciate the legacy of Zina Card along with the local families in Cardston by enjoying an evening of good entertainment at the Carriage House Theater. MSN

Crazy Horse Memorial Crazy Horse Memorial in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota is the place to visit for the 30th annual Crazy Horse Memorial Volksmarch on June 6-7 followed on September 27 with a second Volksmarch during the Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup.

Another popular event will be the Crazy Horse Stampede Rodeo and Gift from Mother Earth celebration June 19-21. The 25th annual rodeo will feature the Great Plains Indian Rodeo Association (GPIRA) and Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association (PRCA) events on the Crazy Horse Memorial grounds.

Another milestone in Crazy Horse Memorial’s 67-year history will be reached with the initial carving of Crazy Horse’s hand and finger. His face was completed and dedicated in l998, and since then the experienced mountain crew has been roughing out his horse’s head from the granite mountain. When finished, the gigantic carving will be 563-feet-high and 641-feet-wide. The 29-foot finger of Crazy Horse will point as Crazy Horse once said, “…where my dead lie buried.” From all over the world, 1.3 million visitors visit the Memorial to learn about the history and culture of the Native American Indian.

Sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski envisioned not only the mountain carving when he came to South Dakota at the invitation of Chief Henry Standing Bear, but also the Indian Museum of North America, the Indian University of North America, and a medical training center. Since its construction in 1973, the museum has been expanded several times to contain its burgeoning collection.

In 2014, the fifth Crazy Horse Indian University of

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PAGE 18 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

JUNE/JULY 2015

North America summer program awarded 32 students the first 12-15 credits of their college education.

Korczak declined government funds because he knew his full vision would never be fulfilled in that way. After carrying on the project since Korczak’s death in 1982, the sculptor’s wife Ruth passed away in 2014. The project is now led by a three-person team that includes two of Korczak and Ruth’s ten children, Jadwiga and Monique, who have worked on the project all their lives.

President and Chief Operating Officer Dr. Laurie Becvar created and supervised the university program and was selected in 2013 to be part of the three-person executive management team that supervises all aspects of the continuously growing educational and humanitarian project.

As you plan your summer travels, be sure to include the Crazy Horse Memorial. For additional information, call 605-673-4681 or visit crazyhorsememorial.org. MSN

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The Brinton Museum will open its new state-of-the-art Forrest E. Mars, Jr. Building June 15, according to Ken Schuster, chief curator and executive director of the museum. Located on the 620-acre historic Quarter Circle A Ranch in Big Horn, Wyoming 12 miles south of Sheridan, the new 24,000-square-foot $15.8-million, eco-conscious building will house one of the most significant and extensive Western and American Indian art collections in the Rocky Mountain West. It will also contain the new Brinton Bistro offering indoor and outdoor dining with picturesque, 180-degree views of the Bighorn Mountains.

Inspired by Bradford Brinton’s collection assembled in the early 1900s, the Brinton Museum is best experienced by first taking a tour of Brinton’s original ranch house, where his collection is still displayed as he intended.

“The Brinton Museum offers an authentic view into the life and lifestyle of a western gentleman and art collector who was a patron and friend of many of the most celebrated 19th and 20th century western artists,” says Schuster.

The new Forrest E. Mars, Jr. building design aligns with the natural geography of the ranch. Nestled into the hillside, it is anchored by a two-footthick, 51-foot-high, 209-foot-long arced rammed earth wall that is the tallest in North America. The design symbolically unites the geological and spiritual nature of its Western and American Indian art collections.

Climate-controlled galleries display works by iconic artists, including Frederic Remington, Charles Russell, Edward Borein, and Winold Reiss, along with the world’s largest Hans Kleiber collection. The Gallatin Collection, which has been on loan to the Art Institute of Chicago for 40 years, will also now have a permanent home in the museum, showing more than 100 historic treasures of American Indian art and artifacts.

Boots, Brushes, and the Bighorn Mountains will be one of the first rotating exhibitions in the new Forrest E. Mars, Jr. Building, and it includes works by nationally and internationally recognized artists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries such as Thomas Moran, Remington, and Russell. More frequent and extensive contemporary exhibits will show on the third floor, near the Brinton Bistro.

The first one – The Light Still Sheds the Dark, by contemporary western artist Gregory Packard – will feature a 46-piece collection of vibrant impressionist paintings. Both shows begin June 15 and close September 7, 2015.

The Brinton Museum will celebrate Bradford Brinton’s 135th birthday with an outdoor gala dinner and dance event June 26. Call 307-672-3173 for tickets. Museum hours will be 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. Visit thebrintonmuseum.org to learn more. MSN

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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 19

TASTE Treat MONTANA Your Taste Buds of

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Living Like a One-percenter

By Ernie Witham “Hello. What would you like this evening?”

“Haku to you too. I’ll have the He’lapunitse special, please.”

“Excuse me?” The young waiter said.

“He learned a few Native American words today,” my wife said.

“Ah,” the waiter said. “Took the Chumash Nature Trail did we?”

We were in the Ocean House bar and restaurant at the Bacara Resort & Spa, which sits on 78 acres of pristine beachfront along the Gaviota Coast just north of Santa Barbara. The Chumash, regarded as the oldest humans in North America, called the area He’lapunitse, “place of the shovelnose guitarfish.”

The prices on the menu would have normally made my dinner choice the side salad with free bread and two forks, but tonight I

was treating my wife for her birthday, so prices did not matter. Besides, it was free. Last spring I won a raffle at the Santa Barbara Vintners Golf Tournament. It included a two-night stay at the resort, free wine tasting in the Foley tasting room, plus a free dinner!

The waiter was being very patient. “Do you even know what a shovelnose guitarfish is?” my wife asked.

Turns out it’s an ugly looking ray that lives buried in the sand with a big, fat head and a skinny tail. Looks like a wriggling Fender Stratocaster. Also turns out the restaurant didn’t serve them, so I had spicy lobster spaghetti with champagne. My wife had the beef tenderloin with champagne. By the time we finished, our plates were so clean they could have used them again without washing them. (Continued on page 51)

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JUNE/JULY 2015

Dear Pharmacist – Green Apples And Your Brain

By Suzy Cohen When I was chopping up green apples to put into my chicken salad, I wondered two things: Does anyone else realize that apples are brain food? Do all of you see your food as “medicine” or am I just slightly neurotic?

When I eat avocados all I can think of is glutathione! Tomatoes, lycopene. Almonds, aspirin.

Okay, I think it’s just I; let’s move on.

Green apples are rich in a bioflavonoid called quercetin, which is a natural antihistamine and anti-inflammatory. A study published in the journal Neurochemical Research in 2014 evaluated mitochondrial health in the brain as well as mechanisms that might prevent plaques from developing which are associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

We know that in Alzheimer’s patients, beta amyloid plaques in the brain cause mitochondrial stress and affect functioning of your ATP generators. The amyloid plaques gum up ATP machinery as if you were putting Elmer’s in your gas tank! Long story short, memory is dampened, learning is stunted, and you develop poor concentration, comprehension, and brain fog.

Your mitochondria or “mito” are tiny organelles inside your cells that produce energy mol-

ecules for you that we term ATP. The body gets fat and sugar from meals but then it needs to be broken down into teeny weenie parts so you have energy or “ATP” to function in your life.

This reaction is dependent on an enzyme called AMPK and this AMPK is the gas in terms of how fast you turn that cheesecake into energy.

In the study, a group of animals received natural quercetin each day while others were given a dose of the famous Alzheimer’s medication called Aricept. The animals treated with the most quercetin had the most benefits. These mice had fewer problems learning tasks and they had a better memory. There was significant reduction in the amyloid plaque build-up too!

Finally, their mitochondrial function was evaluated and it had improved. There was improved health and function of the mitochondria deep inside the hippocampus, which is the memory center in the brain.

The study showed that AMPK enzyme activity was markedly increased in the mice given quercetin (not Aricept) which is very good. When the AMPK activity was increased with quercetin treatment, it slowed plaque build-up and even better, those poor little mito didn’t suffer as much.

There was less mitochondrial dysfunction. Scientists know that when this master switch of AMPK is flipped, your mitochondria respond.

Additionally, microglial cell activity improves, inflammation goes down, and blood sugar balance improves.

So even though it was just rodents, I feel like my chicken salad with green apples gives me an advantage in my quest for better brain health. Quercetin is a wonderful antioxidant sold at health food stores as a dietary supplement. You don’t need a prescription. It naturally occurs in apples, red onions, black and green tea, raspberries, cranberries, citrus, and green leafy veggies.

There’s a longer version of this article at Suzycohen.com. MSN

JUNE/JULY 2015

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 21

Your Dentist Can Help With Dry Mouth And Its Consequences… And Watch The Caffeine

By Tait Trussell Dry mouth is a common problem among the elderly.

Wrigley chewing gum has climbed aboard the explosive popularity of energy drinks and come up with a product that can help dry mouth while giving you a boost of energy.

Energy drinks have seen exponential growth, outpacing almost every other drink in the beverage market. But even though chewing gum is an aid to stimulating saliva, you also get a jolt of caffeine, which you may not want.

According to the Journal of the American Dental Association, a review of studies concluded that dry mouth among the elderly “causes significant oropharyngeal disorders. Dry mouth has many causes.” Early intervention for dry mouth problems helps prevent serious problems, it said.

Without adequate saliva production, your risk of tooth decay and infection in your mouth increases.

Health experts say that without adequate saliva production, eventually “you may develop difficulty with speaking, tasting and swallowing. Saliva also provides enzymes that help in digestion.

Some people breathe through their mouth instead of their nose, which is not only a source of dry mouth but also indicates a health problem that may require medical attention.

But the scientific name for it is xerostomia, in case you want to investigate further.

Nearly everyone experiences dry mouth on occasion, often caused by dehydration. It may seem to be a minor annoyance. But dentists say that chronic dry mouth can lead to tooth decay because saliva washes away excess plaque and bacteria.

About 25 million Americans suffer with dry mouth, some because they sleep with their mouth open. Dry mouth is also a side effect of many medications. It occurs often when taking medications to treat anxiety, depression, urinary incontinence, hypertension, Parkinson’s disease, and relax muscles.

Harry Kitner of Vero Beach, Florida, recently wrote his local newspaper in response to a letter from a woman criticizing a “senior” for

chewing gum at a funeral.

“The primary reason,” he said, “may be a lack of saliva as a result of the side effects of various medications. Many of us have diminished saliva glands as a result of chemo or radiation therapy.”

Back to the expanded sale of energy drinks.

Before you reach for that promise of enhanced alertness, concentration, and physical performance, you should know a single energy drink might have as much as 500 milligrams of caffeine (a cup of coffee has 100).

A popular energy drink is made from guarana (a South American plant that has the highest concentrations of caffeine in any plant). The Food and Drug Administration regulates the amount of caffeine in soft drinks – but not in energy drinks.

A new study is calling energy drinks a health problem. Emergency room calls are up because of energy drinks.

There’s no such concern about Wrigley’s energy gum at this point.

It contains the caffeine equivalent of only about a half cup of coffee. But neither the gum nor an energy drink is fit for your grandkids. That’s High Cholesterol for sure. MSN

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PAGE 22 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

JUNE/JULY 2015

Modest Federal Bill May Repeal National Marijuana Prohibition

By Mike Adams Excerpted, edited, and reprinted with permission from Cannabis Now per Lionheart Caregiving A clever group of bipartisan lawmakers may have just introduced legislation that could ultimately repeal marijuana prohibition on a national level. Representative Dana Rohrabacher of California introduced the Respect State Marijuana Laws Act of 2015 (H.R. 1940) to prevent the federal government from interfering with states that have legalized marijuana for either recreational or medicinal purposes thus making it illegal for Uncle Sam’s drug enforcers to arrest and prosecute individuals and businesses that are in compliance with state statutes.

While the bill does nothing to force Congress to amend the Controlled Substances Act to omit marijuana from the language or downgrade its

Schedule I classification, it would protect people and companies in states that have legalized marijuana from prosecution under federal law. This could provide the impetus for states across the country completely to repeal prohibition without fear of federal intervention.

“The American people, through the 35 states that have liberalized laws banning either medical marijuana, marijuana in general, or cannabinoid oils, have made it clear that federal enforcers should stay out of their personal lives,” Rohrabacher said in a statement. “It’s time for restraint of the federal government’s over-aggressive weed warriors.”

Although twenty-three states and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis for medicinal use and four states have passed legislation to legalize the recreational cannabis markets, their operations are only permitted to exist as long as the federal government maintains its hands-off approach to policing. Yet, nothing has really changed on a federal level – Uncle Sam still considers marijuana a Schedule I dangerous drug with no accepted medical use – like the other highly addictive substances listed in the Controlled Substances Act. As it stands, there’s an illusion that the Justice Department is ignoring the business of marijuana in states that have passed laws making it legal. A recent federal spending bill signed by President Obama and intended to keep the Justice Department from pushing around medical marijuana states, has done nothing to actually prevent the Drug Enforcement Administration from cracking down on various organizations for dealings not considered above the board in the eyes of Uncle Sam. This interpretation was confirmed in a Los Angeles Times article that quoted a Justice Department spokesperson stating that the language of the omnibus spending bill had been

misunderstood and all it really was intended to do was prevent the federal government from pursuing states’ medical marijuana programs – doing nothing to protect businesses and individuals.

While the U.S. Attorney General has not launched a full-scale attack on states like Colorado and Washington, local offices across the nation have been keeping the heat on the collective cannabis trade. The organization Americans for Safe Access report the Obama Administration is still spending in upwards of $80 million per year to take down medical marijuana operations all across the country. That’s a substantial amount of spending for a supposed “hands-off” approach to policing states that have legalized marijuana.

For this reason, Representative Rohrabacher’s legislative attempt at marijuana reform across the nation would be a Godsend for states that have already legalized the leaf and perhaps a catalyst for others. No longer could local lawmakers use federal statutes banning marijuana as a reason not to support state marijuana reform legislation – though it is expected that many one-dimensional legislators would still exercise unnecessary resistance.

Many cannabis supporters wonder what chance the Respect State Marijuana Laws Act has at passage. Despite a previous defeat in 2013, drug policy advocates believe this year’s effort stands a better chance of going the distance.

“Unlike other bills that address only some aspects of the conflict between state and federal marijuana laws,” said Dan Riffle with the Marijuana Policy Project. “This bill resolves the issue entirely by letting states determine their own policies. [... ] Nearly every GOP presidential contender has said marijuana policy should be a state issue, not a federal one, essentially endorsing this bill.” MSN

One of the symptons of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one’s work is terribly important.

- Bertrand Russell

JUNE/JULY 2015

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 23

Generic Drug Use Shown To Improve Medication Adherence In People With Glaucoma

In the first study to examine the impact of a reduction in glaucoma medication copay on patient adherence, researchers in Michigan have found a potential solution to one of the biggest obstacles facing American ophthalmologists in the fight against glaucoma-related blindness. Despite the availability of effective treatments, more than half of glaucoma patients do not take their medications as prescribed.

The standard treatment for open-angle glaucoma – the most common form of the disease in the United States – is a class of medications called prostaglandin analogues (PGAs), which are eye drops that lower intraocular pressure. While PGAs are highly effective, the brand name versions are often more costly than other classes of glaucoma drugs, and researchers have suspected that the high cost may be an important reason so many patients do not take their medication as prescribed.

In March 2011, the first and only generic PGA, latanoprost, became available in the United States.

At the time, it was priced to save a typical patient approximately $1,300 a year.

To determine how the generic drug’s availability may have affected adherence, researchers from the University of Michigan Medical School and University of Michigan College of Pharmacy examined claims data from 8,427 glaucoma patients for the 18 months before and after latanoprost became available. All subjects were taking name brand PGAs prior to the availability of generic latanoprost, but after the generic drug’s introduction, some stayed on the name brand medications while others shifted to the generic drug.

The researchers found that while medication adherence improved on average among all patients who were switched to generic latanoprost, those who had been on name brand PGAs other than branded latanoprost – such as Bimatoprost and Travaprost – experienced a greater improvement. Among those who had switched from Bimatoprost, medication adherence rose, on average, from 47 percent of the time to 61 percent of the time. Among those who had switched from Travaprost, the average adherence rose from 43 percent of the time to 54 percent of the time.

In a subset of patients who had suboptimal adherence prior to the availability of a generic option, the researchers identified several factors associated with an adherence improvement of 25 percent or more.

These factors included

higher prescription copays prior to the introduction of generic latanoprost or lower prescription copays after the introduction of generic latanoprost.

The researchers speculate that the lower cost of generic latanoprost may be the primary reason for the improvement. They also found improved adherence among African-American patients who switched to generic drugs, and noted that AfricanAmericans tend to have more severe glaucoma compared to other ethnicities.

“Some of my patients require three or four different classes of medications. Individuals’ outof-pocket costs for glaucoma medications can exceed $100 per month, and the high drug cost may deter patients on a tight budget from consistently buying and taking their medications as prescribed,” said Joshua D. Stein, M.D., lead author and associate professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences at the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center. “It’s reassuring to find that switching patients to more affordable, generic drugs could be an effective solution for this subgroup of patients.”

Dr. Stein added that the findings might have applications beyond glaucoma to other chronic conditions – such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol – for which patients similarly struggle with medication adherence.

The investigators recommend that ophthalmologists consider switching to generic drugs when available for patients who struggle with adherence.

Similarly, they advise patients with glaucoma to talk with their ophthalmologist about whether any of their prescribed medications are available as generic products and if they could be switched to such products when applicable.

Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide, affecting more than 2.7 million Americans aged 40 and older and 64.3 million people globally. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that all adults have

a comprehensive eye exam by age 40 – the time when early signs of age-related eye disease and changes in vision may start to happen. Based on the results of this exam, the ophthalmologist – a physician and surgeon who treats eye diseases and conditions – will advise when follow-up exams are necessary. MSN

PAGE 24 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

JUNE/JULY 2015

The Miracle That Is Honey

By Susan Frances Bonner, RN BSN “A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of honey left inside,” said Winnie the Pooh. And how true it can be!

Honey, that thick, sweet bee ambrosia, is easy to ingest, digest, and has more varied, delicious, and healthy uses than we can list. Eat it directly on toast, use it as a sweetener on cereal, mix it with herbs as a medicine, or add it to whiskey and lemon as a hot toddy for colds and coughs.

Although many people have a fear of bees, they are vital to human survival. For more than 100 million years, honeybees have been collecting pollen and nectar with their fuzzy bodies, pollen

baskets, long tongues, and a social system ideal for storing what they collect. Honeybees are important pollinators of crops and orchards as well as backyard gardens, but because the sweet nectar is also a super food and extremely good for us, humans have been harvesting honey for millennia.

Some of the earliest evidence of honey harvesting is on an 8,000-year-old rock painting found in Valencia, Spain that shows a honey seeker robbing a wild bee colony. Like harvesting, the use of honey for medicinal purposes is very old and widespread. Honey has been used by countless cultures all around the world over the past 2,500 years.

Honey consists of glucose, fructose, water, oil, and special enzymes produced by bees. It contains minerals such as iron, calcium, phosphate, sodium, chlorine, potassium, and magnesium. Its slightly acidic pH between 3.2 and 4.5 helps prevent the growth of bacteria, while its antioxidant constituents clean up free radicals. The physical properties of honey vary depending on the specific flora that was used to produce it, as well as its water content.

The health benefits of honey as reported by traditional and modern medical experts can include: • Sweetener: Honey contains about 69% glucose and fructose, enabling it to be used as a sweetener that is better for your overall health than normal white sugar.

• Weight Loss: Though honey has more calo-

ries than sugar, when consumed with warm water, it helps in digesting the fat stored in your body.

• Vitamins and Minerals: Honey contains a variety of vitamins and minerals. The type of vitamins and minerals and their quantity depend on the underlying flowers. Honey commonly contains vitamin C, calcium, and iron.

• Honey’s antibacterial and antifungal properties support its use as a natural antiseptic in traditional medicines.

• Antioxidants: Honey contains nutraceuticals, which are very effective for the removal of free radicals from the body resulting in improved immunity against many conditions, perhaps even cancer and heart disease.

• Skin Care with Milk and Honey: Milk and honey are often served together, since both of these ingredients help in creating smooth, beautiful skin.

• Wound Management: Significant research is being carried out to study the benefits of honey in the treatment of wounds. The Nursing Standard lists some of these benefits: 1. Antimicrobial properties 2. Promotes autolytic debridement 3. Deodorizes malodorous wounds 4. Speeds up the healing process 5. Initiates healing in dormant wounds 6. Promotes moist wound recovery.

These are just some of the healing benefits of honey – a true miracle of nature. MSN

By David Stauth Corvallis, Ore. – Researchers at Oregon State University have discovered how vitamin E deficiency may cause neurological damage by interrupting a supply line of specific nutrients and robbing the brain of the “building blocks” it needs to maintain neuronal health.

The findings – in work done with zebra fish – were just published in the Journal of Lipid Research. The work was supported by the National Institutes of Health and shows that zebra fish fed a diet deficient in vitamin E throughout their life had about 30 percent lower levels of DHA-PC, which is a part of the cellular membrane in every brain cell, or neuron. Other recent studies have also concluded that low levels of DHA-PC in the blood plasma of humans are a biomarker than can predict a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Just as important, the new research studied the level of compounds called “lyso PLs,” which are nutrients needed for getting DHA into the brain, and serve as building blocks that aid in membrane repair. It showed the lyso PLs are an average of 60 percent lower in fish with a vitamin E deficient diet.

The year-old zebra fish used in this study, and the deficient levels of vitamin E they were given,

are equivalent to humans eating a low vitamin E diet for a lifetime. In the United States, 96 percent of adult women and 90 percent of men do not receive adequate levels of vitamin E in their diet.

DHA is a polyunsaturated fatty acid, or PUFA, increasingly recognized as one of the most important nutrients found in omega-3 fatty acids, such as those provided by fish oils and some other foods.

“Human brains are very enriched in DHA but they can’t make it, they get it from the liver,” said Traber. “The particular molecules that help carry it there are these lyso PLs, and the amount of those compounds is being greatly reduced when vitamin E intake is insufficient. This sets the stage for cellular membrane damage and neuronal death.”

DHA is the needed nutrient, Traber said, but it’s lyso PLs which help get it into the brain. It’s the building block.

“You can’t build a house without the necessary materials,” Traber said. “In a sense, if vitamin E is inadequate, we’re cutting by more than half the amount of materials with which we can build and maintain the brain.”

Some other research, Traber said, has shown that the progression of Alzheimer’s disease can be slowed by increased intake of vitamin E, including

Inadequate Vitamin E Can Cause Brain Damage

JUNE/JULY 2015

one study published last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association. But that disease is probably a reflection of years of neurological damage that has already been done, she said. The zebra fish diet used in this study was deficient in vitamin E for the whole life of the fish – as is vitamin E deficiency in some humans.

Vitamin E in human diets is most often provided

by dietary oils, such as olive oil. But many of the highest levels are in foods not routinely considered dietary staples – almonds, sunflower seeds, or avocados.

“There’s increasingly clear evidence that vitamin E is associated with brain protection, and now we’re starting to better understand some of the underlying mechanisms,” Traber said. MSN

Focus On Orthotics

By Dr. Bruce D. Fisher Orthotics are highly effective and invaluable tools in my line of work. I say this because they have worked wonders for most of my patients in alleviating discomfort and pain. The purpose of orthotics (also known as “arch supports” and “inserts”) is to correct irregular walking patterns by slightly altering the angles at which the foot strikes a surface. For the sake of brevity, most foot pain is the result of a faulty relationship between the bones and muscles of the foot.

This abnormal function can result in a number of problems such as bunions, hammer toes, flat foot, and arch and heel pain.

The function of a custom orthotic is to realign the foot to prevent or correct these problems.

This can be effectively achieved only by designing true custom orthotics. Creating effective custom orthotics is dependent on several variables: • Proper gait analysis and a biomechanical exam by a medical specialist

• Proper placement and molding of the cast • Proper prescription written by the doctor • Proper construction of the orthotic by an experienced and qualified laboratory to ensure that the prescription is filled correctly.

As your foot rests on a properly constructed custom orthotic it is gently and consistently directed into the correct position (or at least a better position) for walking, running, and standing.

Because your foot is now functioning properly, the pain of muscle strain and pressure points is relieved, and the progression of deformities is often halted or significantly slowed.

There are many advertisements promoting “custom” orthotics at shoe stores and orthotic retail stores. While these products may offer some clinical benefit, they typically are not custom at all and tend to be extremely overpriced.

So, think before you buy. Better yet, go see your foot and ankle specialist to ensure you are getting the real thing. MSN

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Whether You Are Going To Sell Or Stay – Five Ways To Breathe New Life Into Your Home (NAPSI) – Whether the urge to remodel struck you during May’s National Home Improvement Month, it will this summer, 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 Free Preapprovals • Personal • Confidential Mortgage Consultants • Fast • Friendly • Experienced 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 LeAnne Gullett • Judy Sprandel • Brett Hyde • Amy Hyde • Tami McLaughlin 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 and store a calendar, notebook and writing utensils in a nearby drawer 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 one of the easiest and most economical ways to update your space; a petite desk lamp or floor lamp can significantly brighten up a room. Be sure to use ENERGY STAR-qualified bulbs to make it a truly eco-friendly yet chic addition (and save up to $70 a year in energy costs).

Learn More – For further facts and tips, go to www.lghvac.com. MSN

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(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.

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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

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 27

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 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. MSN

New Tips For Buying and Selling Your Old Stuff

By Leah Dobkin Garage sales have always been a mainstay of American life and their popularity has grown as more people try to live “greener” lifestyles. Whether you are hosting a garage sale or rummaging through others, there are tricks of the trade and garage sale etiquette that should be considered.

Tips For Hosting a Garage Sale: Getting Rid of the Mother Lode 1. Research the value of what you have before your garage sale. There are diamonds in the dust, and you want to make sure you get a fair price for your items. Knowles Antique Price Guide is a good starting place. Insurance companies use this book to determine value, but that’s not necessarily market value. You can also go to eBay to get a determination of market value of items before you set the price. Some items you think are junk are actually “shabby chic.”

2. Get the history and background of the items you are selling. The more interesting stories or even an original receipt or box will increase the value of the item.

3. Be well stocked with supplies. Go to the bank before the garage sale to get adequate change.

You will need at least four $20s, $10s, and $5 dollar bills and two fists full of change to make transactions smooth. A child’s cashier or hip belt can be a valuable tool at garage sales. Don’t forget to note the amount of this change so you can subtract it from the total sales at the end of the garage sale.

Shoppers appreciate you having extra bags and

newspaper to wrap up sold items.

4. Be prepared to negotiate and know your bottom line. Sentences like, “What’s the best you can do on this?” or “Feel free to make an offer.” or “Can you do better?” results in more and higher sales. Mark the item “firm” if it is nonnegotiable.

Welcome people with a friendly and sincere smile, and ask if there is anything in particular they are looking for also increases sales.

5. Watch out for the professional antiquers, those wolves in sheep clothing who are trying to lowball you, and sell your items at much higher amounts at other venues like antique stores and malls. Their trained eyes quickly scan your stuff, but your trained eyes can detect them in a flash

with the following clues: • They look on the bottom of items right away for markings, not just pricing and they hold things up to the light to look carefully for defects.

• They come well equipped with magnifying glasses, and jeweler’s loupes which fit in their pocket and sits on their eyes.

• They’ll be at your door two hours earlier to get a jump-start, and they’ll make fake excuses why they are waking you up at the crack of dawn.

• They make specific requests, like “Do you have records, cards, military items, radios, tools, ads, and memorabilia showing old forms of transport like trains, planes, and automobiles.

• Be leery of people who tell you that your items

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PAGE 28 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

JUNE/JULY 2015

are not worth much and that you have junk, but they are willing to buy it all from you. If it’s junk why do they want to buy it?

6. Check local ordinances. You will be surprised by the regulations that might govern your sale such as the number and size of signs allowed, and where you can place your items for sale.

7. Signage is very important. You can download free professional-looking signs or buy them at hardware stores or Wal-Mart.

8. Saturday and Sunday are not the only days to have a successful garage sale. Thursdays and Fridays will work too.

9. Have a bin of free stuff to keep your children or grandchildren busy, and allow neighborhood children to sell beverages to make some extra cash and keep your buyers happy and hydrated.

10. Sell only what you want to sell. Be sure to cover up non-sale items with tarps and label stuff not for sale. Put a sign on your front and back door that there are no items for sale in the house.

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1. It is helpful to map out an area the day before garage sales. Get an idea where you want to go from newspaper ads, local websites, and Craigslist.

Then develop an itinerary. MapQuest or your GPS can give you directions to all of your garage sales so your focus is on buying and not getting there.

2. Do a little research if there are specific items you are looking for. Peoples’ biggest mistake is not doing adequate research before they embark on the garage sale hunt, and they end up paying too much.

3. Feel free to negotiate because people expect it, but be reasonable. Have an idea in your mind what you want for an item before negotiating.

Combine items together and say, “Can I have all of this for such and such price?” You usually get a better deal.

4. Look over the items you want to buy carefully.

Look for chips, taped or re-glued pieces, or holes in linen and clothing. Politely, ask for a reduced price, if there is a defect.

5. Come with small bills and change. It is poor garage etiquette to buy a 25-cent item with a twenty-dollar bill.

6. Don’t ask to use the garage sale host’s telephone or bathroom.

7. Don’t just look at what’s on the table. Look under tables or above the tables for sale items. It’s not snooping when you look beyond the common areas of sale. You never know what you can find.

8. Be creative. Look with a third eye to fix things up and create new uses for old things.

9. The late bird sometimes gets the worm. You get the best deals later in the afternoon because people don’t want to pack stuff back up.

Having fun is the name of the game whether you are hosting a garage sale or attending one. You get to know more of your neighbors, socialize, and even learn a lot. There’s also a sweet unspoken partnership between garage sale host and shopper.

Together you can reduce, reuse, and recycle those treasures. MSN

JUNE/JULY 2015

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 29

I am Marco, the son of Bea

By Bill Hall Hey, everybody, it’s me, Marco.

I admit it. I sometimes use another name. I learned this trick from my mother. She never liked her name – Beulah.

Some churchy people will recognize the name from the Bible as meaning “bride.” And some will tell you it means “the promised land.” So I think of that bride as the woman who promised children a relevant life. That was my mother and she was my promised land.

My mother viewed the name Beulah as the outdated name she had been stuck with. By the time she was in grade school she was getting teased over that name. Most students are teased over the outdated names chosen for them by parents from a previous generation.

For some reason, my mother, ordinarily a kind and thoughtful person, faltered on the day my name was chosen. She, a woman who knew how it feels to be named Beulah, was so pleased with my father for helping create me that she went momentarily wacko and named me for my father.

For him, that was such a sweet moment in his life that he had a brain freeze and forgot to remember how much he had minded his name (and now mine) – Wilbert! How could a thing like that happen?

To a kid, that was a double disaster. He gave me a name he regretted. And he didn’t even use the name himself. When asked, he would tell people his name was W.P. Hall.

That’s not fair. His whole name was Wilbert Peter, a compound name even worse than mine was, Wilbert Duane.

What were they thinking? Especially my mother, Beulah. She should have understood my embarrassment.

But she soldiered on, enduring a name she didn’t like. To tell the truth, I think the worst part for her was not that Beulah wasn’t a popular name when she was a child. It was that a movie made the name famous in a silly way when the comic actress Mai West told her maid in the movie, “Beulah, peel me a grape.”

Thereafter, the Beulahs of our land could hardly go anywhere wit ho u t so me jo ker demanding a peeled grape. It was one of those irritating moments from a silly movie when everybody is suddenly chuckling over your unusual and therefore hilarious name. Unfortunately, it could happen to anyone, including you.

However, there is a remedy. Sometimes

an unpopular name is removed in a simple way that had never occurred to me. One day a young woman my mother had only recently met threw the Beulah word out of my mother’s life. That shrewd young woman told my mother, “I don’t think a name like Beulah fits you. I’m going to call you Bea.” And so she did. Soon everybody else stopped

calling Mom anything but Bea and it made her happy. She had lived a Beulah life for six decades and then she became a Bea, a real honey of a Bea. In subsequent years, I would sometimes find ways to avoid telling people my real name of Wilbert. I would even abandon my nickname Bill.

Just for the fun of it, I would encounter strangers who asked me my name and I would lie to them.

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I would pose under a name of the moment that could replace Wilbert – strong names like Bruno or Barack or George Clooney.

For instance, when I go into some espresso joint, they ask my name, write it on the side of the paper cup, and then call me by that name when the drink is ready. So when a barista asks me for my name, I tell a big, fat fib.

“Marco,” I answer.

After all, Marco is an Italian name and espresso is a famous product of Italy.

I sit there with my Marco cup full of hot latte wondering if I don’t

look a little more handsome and sophisticated and possibly Italian. Glancing sideways, I thought maybe that attractive 76-year old was peeking at me from behind a 16-inch mocha (topped with a wild and crazy puff of whipped cream).

I routinely take on other names in other situations. I hide from the Wilbert in me.

Yes, it’s all a charade, but I recommend it. If you have an odd name, it’s time you start deciding whether to Bea or not to Bea. Hall may be contacted at wilberth@cableone. net or at 1012 Prospect Ave., Lewiston, ID 83501. MSN

Help Fido Enjoy The Trip Too

By Bill Siuru It is vacation time and many people will be traveling with their dogs.

Here are a few tips to make sure they enjoy the ride, or at least tolerate it and arrive safely at the destination.

Make sure your dog is properly restrained so it does not go flying in case of a sudden stop. A harness connected to a seat belt works well and lets the dog see out the windows, which can help prevent motion sickness. Dogs can also travel in pet crates. When riding in the cargo area of a station wagon, van, or SUV, a divider will prevent the pet from leaving this secure area.

If you use a crate, secure it so it does not go ballistic in a sudden stop or accident. If you must carry a pet crate in the bed of a pickup, make sure it is securely tied. Don’t do what Mitt Romney reportedly did and put the crate on the roof.

Never drive with a pet in your lap or even the lap of a front seat passenger, since it could impact the dash or windshield during a sudden stop.

Worse, it could cause serious or fatal injuries to both the person and pet should the air bag deploy in a crash. A pet in your lap can be as distracting as driving while using a cell phone, maybe even more so.

Pets should not be left unattended in a vehicle where on hot days interior temperatures can reach 120 degrees F or more, even with windows rolled down. This can even be a problem in cold weather. With windows rolled up, modern cars are virtually airtight and a pet left alone for long periods may not get enough fresh air. Sidewalks and parking lots can get very hot, so paws exposed to high temperatures can be burned. When loading/unloading dogs from vehicles, carry small pets to a cool area, and lay down a wet towel for a larger dog to walk on.

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JUNE/JULY 2015

For example, drive to a park a few times where he or she can run freely and fetch a ball or Frisbee.

When you get home, provide a meal or treat.

Praise and pet him frequently.

Some pets need to travel on an empty stomach to prevent motion sickness, so feed six to eight hours before starting out. As an added benefit, there will be less mess to clean up if the pet does throw up. Others need a small amount of food in their stomachs to keep them from getting sick. You’ll have to learn what is best for your pet.

In either case make sure he or she has sufficient fresh air and water by stopping every couple of hours for a brief walk and a drink of water. If stress, because riding in vehicle is associated these fail, give the proper dose of Dramamine with trips to the vet or kennel. Get your dog to prescribed by a vet at least an hour before the associate a car ride with pleasant experiences. trip. MSN

Shopping for Antiques?

Are You Sure They Are Genuine?

By Teresa Ambord If you’re in the market for antiques, do you know how to spot a fake? Even experts make those mistakes at times. The key says an antiques expert, is to examine, examine, examine. Reputable dealers understand the need for this and will not object. If the would-be seller objects, you might want to look elsewhere.

Here are some basic tips to help you avoid being fooled: • If you are shopping at an antique fair and notice an abundance of one item, that’s an indication that the items are modern copies, not antiques.

• Is the item you’re looking at is amazingly cheap for what it is supposed to be? You do hear stories about people who don’t know what they’ve got and sell masterpieces for practically nothing.

This does happen, but more often than not, the old adage applies. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

• If the item is furniture, stand back and take an overall look at it. Are the legs in the same style as the tabletop, or do they have a different look?

Sometimes parts of different pieces of furniture are combined into one piece.

• If the piece is dirty all over, why? You may find grime in hard to access places. But dirt all over is suspicious. Could the owner be hoping to make the piece look older than it is?

• What about wear and tear? Has the furniture worn where you might expect, like on the arms of a chair? If the wear is in places that normally wouldn’t be harshly used over time, you may want to ask questions.

• Does the piece have holes that might have been made by woodworm? Or were the holes man made to look like woodworm? Experts tell us that examining the holes with a magnifying glass is the way to tell. Man made holes will likely have little cracks extending out from them, whereas woodworm holes would not.

• Is the piece varnished or painted in places that are not normally seen, like the underside of a table? If something is painted, stained, or var-

nished for no obvious practical reason, it could be a sign of bad faith dealing.

• Look at joints that are pegged. Over time as the wood shrinks, the pegs should stand out. If the item is a modern knockoff, the pegs may still be flush with the surface.

• Years ago, when lumber was less scarce, many furniture items such as tabletops and chest tops were made with large boards. Often a single board could be as wide as 18 or even 30 inches, mostly knot-free. Modern furniture is generally made from smaller boards glued and stained.

• Old furniture was planed by hand, so it tends to be less smooth than furniture planed by modern machines. If you run your hands over the surface, you should be able to feel the difference between hand-planed and machine-planed pieces.

For further information include oldandsold. com; pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/index.html; consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2012/10/how-much-isyour-stuff-worth/index.htm; antiques.about.com; and collectibles.about.com; goantiques.com. MSN

Vintage, Furniture Clothes, Tools, Jewelry, Books, Records, etc.

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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 31

PAGE 32 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

JUNE/JULY 2015

From Victorian Poems to Stork Club Mementos

By Judith Remington Q: My great-aunt collected different types of Depression glass. As a child, we could look but not touch. I was fascinated by the colors and the patterns on the glassware. When my great-aunt died, she left her collection to me.

I am sending a picture of one of the sugar and creamer sets, with pineapples on them. I really don’t know a lot about this type of glassware, so any information would be appreciated.

A: I love Depression glass, and you will find there is nothing depressing about it.

The history of this inexpensive glassware is For All Your Railing Needs... wonderful. It was given INTERIOR • EXTERIOR away at the movies, RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL packed into boxes of soap, and used as a Call Today! premium to encourage Senior Discount sales of certain products. Then there were 406-458-1904 • helena some glassmakers that made elegant glassware with fine etchings and delicate stemware in the same era and so it became known as Depression glass as well.

The market for Depression glass goes up and down continually.

Your particular set of pineapple design sugar and creamer is quite collectible and valued in today’s market at about $45 for the set.

If the sugar bowl had a lid, the value would

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Q: My friend knows I love to collect unusual coffee and tea mugs. She found this Stork Club mug at an antique store. She paid $5 for it. I think it is so cute. Is it valuable or can I use it.

It is marked Fitz &Floyd on the bottom.

A: Your cup is wonderful. “The Stork Club” according to Walter Winchell was “The New Yorkiest Spot in New York.” Many stars of the stage and silver screen could be found in this sparkling restaurant. Perhaps your cup was used by Elizabeth Taylor or Clark Gable.

Your cup was made in 1978, by Fitz & Floyd who began making high-end dinnerware in 1960. A great addition to your collection, the value would be about $15 in perfect condition; however, there does seem to be a small chip on the bottom. Therefore, about $7-$10 is the approximate worth. The history the cup could tell is priceless.

Q: My grandpa was a firefighter in the 1950s and ‘60s. This fire nozzle is one of my favorite pieces he had in his collection. Now it is mine.

It stands 6-1/2” inches tall and at the bottom is about 3” across. It is in very good condition and the rubber on the top is just a little dry. Can you give me any information on my fire nozzle?

A: Great family history. Firefighters are a brave breed of men and women and most of them are good cooks too. I hope your grandpa told you the stories he lived through. Your fire nozzle presented me with research puzzle.

On the bottom of the nozzle is stamped “Santa Rosa.” So, I called the Santa Rosa Fire Dept. in California, thinking it was made for that fire department. I was wrong. After much digging, Internet searching, and phone calling, I discovered the Santa Rosa Manufacturing Co. made the nozzle.

The company sold out to KK products, which in turn sold out to TFT Company. Only the original company put the roses on the nozzles. That makes your nozzle very collectible.

After consulting with my entire COC (Closet of

JUNE/JULY 2015

Consultants) we decided that until the final mystery is solved, we value the nozzle at about $125.

Keep your nozzle and oil the rubber a bit now and then to keep it moist, I am sure the value will be going up all the time. Firefighting equipment is very collectable.

Q: I received this poem picture from a friend of mine who knows I love old-fashioned decorations for my home. The picture is in very good condition and has a lovely poem with flowers around the border. The picture is made to stand on a dresser or table as it folds in two so no hanger or stand is needed. It is marked Edgar A. Guest, A Buzza Motto, 1926. I would be very

interested in anything you can tell me about my picture.

A: What a nice friend. These motto pictures were placed on every tabletop and windowsill in the Victorian era. The poems always taught lessons of love and humility.

They are a wonderful accent piece to any decorating style, and after all, love and humility never go out of style.

Your picture appears to be in excellent condition. Keep it out of the sunlight, so it will not fade.

The value of the picture is in the $20-$30 dollar range. MSN

Water Wisely for a Beautiful Garden and Landscape

By Melinda Myers Too much or not enough water and never when you need it. That seems to be the long time plight of gardeners. Add to this extended droughts, flooding, and watering bans. What is a gardener to do?

Become a waterwise gardener.

Waterwise is not just about growing drought tolerant plants or eliminating plantings. It is a holistic approach to managing water to avoid flooding that overwhelms sewer systems, improper watering that wastes water, and poor landscape designs that generate too much work and require too many resources.

Make this the season that you incorporate a few waterwise habits into your gardening. You’ll find it is good for your garden, the environment, and your pocketbook. Start with one or more of these strategies this year.

• Select the right plant for the growing conditions. Plants that thrive in normal growing conditions for your area will be healthier, require less care, and need less water. Look for drought tolerant plants that require less water once established.

• Keep water out of the storm sewers and in the garden instead. Prevent flooding while improving your garden. Adding several inches of compost to the top 8 to 12 inches of soil increases the soil’s ability to absorb and retain water. This means less runoff into the storm sewers and less frequent watering.

• Use plants to prevent runoff and conserve water. Plant trees, shrubs, and groundcovers to slow the flow of rainwater, increase the amount of water that stays in your landscape for your plants, and to filter water before it enters the groundwater. Install one or more rain gardens to intercept surface water runoff for use by rain garden plants and to help recharge the groundwater.

• Provide plants with a healthy diet. Use a slow release non-leaching organic nitrogen fertilizer like Milorganite (milorganite.com). You’ll encourage slow steady growth, so your plants will require less water and be less prone to insect and disease problems. Plus, the slow release nitrogen encourages healthy growth and does not prevent flowering and fruiting.

• Water wisely. Water plants thoroughly and only when needed. Water the soil, not the plant, using a watering wand, drip irrigation, or a soaker

hose so less water is lost to evaporation. Water early in the morning whenever possible to reduce water loss during the heat of the day and diseases caused by wet foliage at night.

• Manage your lawns to reduce water use.

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 33

PAGE 34 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

Select drought tolerant grass varieties to reduce watering needs. Prepare the soil before seeding or sodding or aerate and spread a thin layer of compost over existing lawns to increase water absorption and reduce runoff. Mow high to encourage deep roots that are more drought tolerant and pest resistant. Allow lawns to go dormant during hot dry weather. If irrigating, water thoroughly when needed, that’s when your footprints remain in the lawn.

• Conserve water and reduce time and money spent on plant care. Mulch the soil around trees, shrubs, and other plants with several inches of woodchips, shredded leaves, evergreen needles, or other organic material. Mulching reduces watering frequency and prevents soil compaction from

JUNE/JULY 2015

heavy rainfall thus increasing water absorption. It also adds organic matter to the soil as it decomposes.

• Repair leaking faucets, fittings and garden hoses. A slow leak of one drip per second can waste up to nine gallons of water per day.

• Look for and use wasted water. Collect the “warming water” typically wasted when preparing baths and showers. Use a five-gallon bucket to collect this fresh water and use it for your containers and gardens. Collect water from your dehumidifier and window air conditioners for use on flowering plants. However, do not use this water if environmentally harmful solvents have been used to clean this equipment.

• Check with your local municipality if you are considering using gray water. Once you wash clothes, dishes or yourself, water is classed as gray water and most municipalities have guidelines or regulations related to its use.

• Harvest rainwater if your municipality allows.

The ancient technique of capturing rainwater in jugs, barrels, and cisterns has made a comeback.

Collecting rain when it is plentiful and storing it

until it is needed is one way to manage water for the landscape. First check local regulations before installing a rain harvesting system. Several states have banned rain harvesting, while others offer rebates or rain barrels at a discount to gardeners.

Gardening expert, TV/radio host, author & columnist Melinda Myers has more than 30 years of horticulture experience and has written over 20 gardening books. Myers’ web site, www.melindamyers.com, offers gardening videos and tips. MSN

Family Cruisin’ Can’t Be Beat! - continued from page 11 stipend of $300 per vehicle, as well as some colorful HOCH FAMILY REUNION – 2014 CALIFORNIA CRUISIN’ T-shirts 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 ever-open 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!” MSN

JUNE/JULY 2015

It’s summer! You have your swimsuit and your sunscreen, now you just need someone special to join you in the sun. So don’t dilly-dally, send in your letter.

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 Montana Senior News, P.O. Box 3363, 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 true love!

Responses to personal ads appearing in this column may be submitted at any time. However, to place a personal ad in the August/September 2015 issue, the deadline is July 7, 2015.

my home, a few cars, pickup, and camper. My kids are grown. I lost my husband four years ago. I am in very good health. I like being outside; working in the garden and building things. I do not smoke, no drugs, and a drink occasionally when out. Reply MSN, Dept. 31502, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403 DWF, 68: looking for a male companion in Flathead County. Enjoy long talks and short walks, kayaking, traveling, reading, spectator sports, cards and games, cooking at home, and eating out. Do you have the same interests? If so, please write and I will answer all replies. Reply MSN, Dept. 31503, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403

SF, fun, fit, 59, 5’4”, 125 lbs. Educated free spirit with simple but sophisticated tastes, living active outdoor lifestyle in upper N.W. Montana.

Athletically inclined tomboy on the outside, but all woman inside. Favor public broadcasting. Eclectic spirituality. Recreational interests include exploring new places, hiking, biking, all water sports, bird/ wildlife watching, winter skiing, and snowshoeing. City interests: dining, dancing, symphony, concerts, theatre, museums. Home interests: SWM seeks lonely or handicap lady for long- gardening, growing houseplants, cooking, readterm relationship. Looks and age unimportant. ing, listening to music, aerobic exercise, yoga and Send photo and phone number. I will answer all similar practices, lifelong learning, and exploration relies. Reply MSN, Dept. 31501, c/o Montana of many interests. ISO physically active, open Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403 minded, honest, emotionally mature, financially secure gentleman with similar/compatible interI am 70 years old, 5’4”, 170 lbs. Very active, ests and good dental hygiene in the Missoula, still working, looking for someone with whom to northwest Montana to Idaho/Canadian border go fishing, hunting, camping, and car racing. Love area for intermittent companionship initially – and animals, country living, garage sales, second hand who knows what the future holds. Not interested stores, and most of all music and dancing. I own in rushing into anything or a full-time live-in situa-

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 35

PAGE 36 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

JUNE/JULY 2015

tion. Do not like emotional drama or head games. Reply MSN, Dept. 31505, c/o Montana Senior Please supply informational letter to include ad- News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403 dress and/or phone number for initial contact. No email. Reply MSN, Dept. 31504, c/o Montana Summer is just around the corner and it’s time Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403 for long walks and exploring our beautiful state with a special friend. SWF, no drugs, or tobacco, I DWM, 76, 5’6”, 165lbs, full black hair with do enjoy an occasional glass of wine. Active and some gray, blue eyes. A biblically (John 3:3) based in good health. I enjoy a variety of interests includBorn Again, spirit filled, Jesus first, conservative ing sitting on the deck and enjoying the sunshine.

Christian. Divorced four years, own a large house; If you are a single male, active and interested in need a Christian woman/spirit/soul-mate to make living, then I hope that you will respond to this ad. it a home. House in rural NE Montana, in a park Age is not as important as being active, and while a like setting on two acres, surrounded by tall ev- picture would be nice, looks are not that important ergreens. I am clean, healthy, active, muscular, either. Let’s be friends and perhaps more. Reply adventurous, loving, open-minded, type A positive MSN, Dept. 31506, c/o Montana Senior News, personality, love to laugh, social, animal lover (not Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403 a hunter), like Gaither/Bluegrass/Gospel music, Mexican/Asian food, Montana/western history.

WWF. Is there a young-at-heart gentleman in Retired U.S. Navy aviation, Vietnam veteran (four good health late 70s early 80s who is financially tours). Seeking intelligent, biblical Christian, who secure? No sex, smoking, drugs, alcohol, or knowloves the Lord first and is not bound by Satan’s it-alls. Honestly is a must. One who enjoys family spirit of fear. “…where the Spirit of the Lord is, life, animals? Meet an active north Montana lady, there is liberty.” 2 Cor 3:17. I am a man not a girly 81 years young, who loves to feel special, romantic, man, not a misogynist, not perfect. I believe this travel, late bloomer blonde, average weight, tall, earth is not my home and this tent (body) will be like simple things and down to earth, live in country, made perfect in Heaven. Please send a current classy dresser, with fashion statement most of the full-length photo and I will do the same. time. Please send picture, phone number and info,

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JUNE/JULY 2015

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 37

and I will answer all replies. Reply MSN, Dept. 31507, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403 I am seeking a beautiful girl, age 60-74 that loves cooking, country music, gardening, fishing, TV, and movies. Have own home in Belgrade area, two girls, grandchildren that love grandpa. Need one that would live in my home. Three bedrooms, use one for computer room. Doublewide trailer.

Lost wife with cancer eight years ago and she had me promise I would find a nice girl to live with, so I promised that I would. Do not drink, smoke, or do drugs. Am a Christian. Write right away please. Reply MSN, Dept. 31508, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403 MSN

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It Is Curtain Time Across Montana This Summer

The Bigfork Summer Playhouse will celebrate its 56th Season of live professional theatre thru September 5, 2015 with exciting productions of Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Man of LaMancha, The Addams Family, Annie, and Footloose followed by a late summer show, Hits From the 50s, 60s and 70s. The theatre is located at 526 Electric Avenue in Bigfork. Visit bigforksummerplayhouse.com or call 406-837-4886 for more information.

For over 60 years, friends and strangers have gathered through Billings Studio Theatre, a volunteer-based community theatre located at 1500 Rimrock Road. Productions this summer include Mary-Kate Olsen is in Love and Silence! The Musical through August 9, 2015. Visit billingsstudiotheatre. com or call 406-248-1141 for more information.

Considered the Jewel of the Prairie, the Fort Peck Theatre will celebrate its 46th season of professional theater thru September 6, 2015 with One Man. Two Guvnors, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Tarzan, and Steel Magnolias. The theatre is located at 201 Missouri Avenue in Fort Peck. Visit fptheatre@nemont.net or call 406-228-9216 for more information.

“It’s hard to imagine community theater could get any better than this!” says the Independent Record about Helena’s Grandstreet Theatre at 325 North Park. Upcoming productions include Oklahoma, Pippin, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream through October 29, 2015. Visit grandstreettheatre. com or call 406-447-1574 for more information.

In the Bitterroot, the Hamilton Players at 100 Rickets Road will present Singin’ in the Rain, Beauty and the Beast, and The Odd Couple through August 30, 2015. Visit hamiltonplayers.com or call 406-375-9050 for more information.

The 1891 Opera House Theatre in downtown Philipsburg at 140 South Sansome St. is recognized as the oldest continually operating theatre in Montana! The 2015 season runs from June 25 to August 30 and will feature First Things First, The Nerd, and Vaudeville Variety Show. Visit operahousetheatre.com or call 406-859-0013 for more information.

The Port Polson Players celebrates its 40th summer theatre season with music and comedy at the beautiful 1938 John Dowdall log theatre at Port Polson Golf Course on Flathead Lake, 111 Bayview Drive. The 2015 season through August 30, 2015 includes Gaslight, Breakin’ Up is Hard to Do, and The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Dramatic Society Murder Mystery. Visit portpolsonplayers.com or call 406-883-9212 for show dates, curtain times, and ticket information.

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JUNE/JULY 2015

In the West Yellowstone area, take in live productions at the Playmill Theatre at 29 Madison Ave, which will present The Foreigner, Mary Poppins, and Damn Yankees through September 5, 2015.

Visit playmill.com or call 406-646-7757 for more information.

With more than 75 performances scheduled, the 42nd season of Montana Shakespeare in the Parks will present The Taming of the Shrew and Cyrano de Bergerac through September 8, 2015 in every corner of Montana – 62 cities! Visit shakespeareintheparks.org or call 406-994-3303

for the touring schedule and more information.

Since 1948, the Virginia City Players Theatre Company has been performing authentic 19th century melodramas and a varied, vigorous, vagary of vivacious vaudeville variety acts in the Virginia City Opera House located at 338 W. Wallace St. in one of the most intact Old West towns in the country.

Productions include Box & Cox, The Blundering Herd, and The Phantom of the Opera through August 23, 2015. Visit virginiacityplayers.com or call 1-800-829-2969 for more information. MSN

In Every Corner of Montana There is Something Fun to See and Do Holy Sprint Catholic Church

201 44th Street South • Great Falls

Call Jan Reagor 406-899-7430 or Mike Dunlap 406-781-4280

Yes, there are too many fairs, rodeos, festivals, art shows, car shows, benefits, concerts, star gazings, parades, music events, wine tastings, and sporting events going on for the next several months to be able to list them all here. But we have provided 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 visitmt.com; visitbillings.com; discoverkalispell.com; glaciermt.com; visitbigskymt.com; centralmontana.com; virginiacity.com; southeastmontana.com; southwestmt.com; and visityellowstonecountry.com. These are just a few of the regional and community resources that you can consult in order to make this a most memorable Summer 2015!

Additional information regarding events marked with an asterisk can be found in advertisements in this issue of the Montana Senior News. Many of the events listed run on multiple days, but we have listed just the first day of the event. Please call the listed phone number or visit the website for more details.

Start Date Event Phone Web Address Jun 1 *Missoula Farmers’ Market 406-241-9870 missoulafarmersmarket.com Jun 1 *Great Falls C.M.R. Museum: Harmless Hunter 406-727-8787 cmrussell.org Jun 1 Fort Peck - Theater: “Always Patsy Cline” 800-653-1319 missouririver.visitmt.com Jun 2 Billings - Highland Games 406-652-8100 zoomontana.org Jun 3 *Missoula - 30th Annual Out to Lunch 406-543-4238 missouladowntown.com Jun 4 * Missoula - 15th Downtown Tonight 406-543-4238 missouladowntown.com Jun 5 Helena - Wings Big Sky Bird Festival 406-443-3949 Jun 5 *Conrad - Whoop-Up Trail Days 406-271-7791 conradmt.com Jun 5 Virginia City - Brewery Follies 800-829-2969 Jun 5 *Billings Studio Theatre: Bark the Musical 406-248-1141 Jun 6 Superior - Schoolhouse Rock Car Show 406-370-2188 Jun 6 Billings - Montana Renaissance Festival 406-652-8100 zoomontana.org Jun 6 West Glacier - Music At the Belton Chalet 406-888-5000 beltonchalet.com Jun 6 *Wallace, Idaho Street Fair 208-753-7151 wallaceidahochamber.com Jun 9 Kalispell - Montana HS Rodeo Finals 888-888-2803 majesticvalleyarena.com Jun 12 Hamilton - Montana Mule Days 406-777-2331 montanamuledays.com Jun 12 *Big Timber - Little Timber Quilts Shop 406-932-6078 ltquilts.com Jun 12 Fort Peck - “One Man. Two Guvnors” 800-653-1319 missouririver.visitmt.com Jun 12 Pryor - Chief Plenty Coups’ House Tour 406-252-1289 Jun 12 Hamilton - Professional Artists Show 406-961-3887

45

Microbrews & Select Wines from Montana & the Northwest Best Community

Outdoor Party of the Year!

21

ST

Food, Fun & Live Music PINKY & THE FLOYD

Saturday, July 25

2015

bitterrootchamber.com

Come Vote For Your Favorite Beer!

3:00–10:00 pm Legion Park in Hamilton $20 for 5 Tastes

406-363-2400

JUNE/JULY 2015

Jun 13 Lewistown - Pioneer Days Threshing Bee Jun 13 Glendive - Buzzard Day Jun 13 Helena - Governor’s Cup Jun 16 Helena - Gordon Lightfoot – 50 Yrs Tour Jun 17 Chester - Sounds on the Square Jun 17 W Yellowstone - Wild West Rodeo Jun 17 Missoula - City Band Jun 17 Various - Shakespeare In the Parks Jun 18 Sidney - Fort Union Rendezvous Jun 18 *Wallace, Idaho - Lead Creek Derby Jun 20 Fort Peck - Longest Dam Race Jun 20 Virginia City - Brothel Days Jun 21 *Everywhere - Alz’s Longest Day Walk Jun 21 Roy - 63rd Annual Open Rodeo Jun 25 *Hardin - Little Big Horn Days Jun 25 Philipsburg - Vaudeville Variety Show Jun 26 *Ft Benton - Summer Celebration Jun 26 Polson - Mission Mountain NRA Rodeo Jun 26 Helena - Mt. Helena Music Festival Jun 26 *Little Bighorn Battle Reenactment Jun 26 *Scobey - Pioneer Days Jun 27 Missoula - Gregg Allman Concert Jun 27 Bozeman - Lily Tomlin Jun 27 *Scobey - Dirty Shame Show Jun 28 Big Fork - Riverbend Concert Series Jul 1 *Polson - Port Polson Players: Gaslight Jul 1 Billings - The Abba Show Jul 2 Lame Deer - N Cheyenne Pow Wow Jul 2 Livingston - Depot Festival of the Arts Jul 3 Wibaux - Music At the Gem Theater Jul 3 *Wallace, Idaho - Statehood Day Parade Jul 3 * Whitefish - Arts Festival Jul 3 Ennis - Moods Brew & Spirits Fest Jul 4 *Whitefish - Stumptown Quilter’s Show Jul 5 Absarokee - Montana BBQ Cook-off Jul 5 Drummond - PRCA Rodeo Jul 8 * Fort Peck - Gov’s Cup Walleye Tourney Jul 8 *Kalispell - Quilt Gallery Workshops Jul 9 *Wolf Point - Wild Horse Stampede Jul 9 Browning - North American Indian Days Jul 9 *Livingston - Music Ranch Concerts Jul 10 *Dutton - Dutton Fun Days Jul 10 *Wallace, Idaho - Blues Festival Jul 10 Kalispell - Artists of the Flathead Show Jul 10 Butte - Montana Folk Festival

406-535-8664 406-377-6256 406-227-6588 406-227-6588 406-265-4383 406-560-6913 406-728-2400 406-994-3901 406-433-1916 208-753-7151 406-228-2222 406-843-5700 406-252-3053 406-464-2135 406-665-1672 406-859-0013 406-750-8918 406-883-1100 406-447-1535 406-638-2000 800-653-1319 406-549-2777 406-585-5885 406-487-5965 406-837-2036 406-883-9212 406-256-6052 406-477-6284 406-222-2300 406-796-9463 208-753-7151 406-862-5875 406-579-2535 406-261-4855 406-690-3030 406-288-3479 800-653-1319 406-257-5799 800-653-1319 406-338-5194 406-222-2255 406-476-3311 208-753-7151 406-881-4288 406-497-6464

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 39

6th Annual Bitterroot Celtic Games & Gathering

makoshika.org

A u g u s t 15 - 16

yellowstonerodeo.com shakespeareintheparks.org wallaceidahochamber.com glasgowchamber.net baleofhaysaloon.com alz.org/montana thehardinchamber.org operahousetheatre.com fortbenton.com/sumcel polsonfairgroundsinc.com downtownhelena.com custermuseum.org missouririver.visitmt.com bigskybrew.com theellentheatre.com

e Come se W E N s what’ ar! this ye

athering Games & G

Tickets available online

Free Ceilidh Party Saturday at 7pm • Featuring •

Highland & Irish Dancing • Adult & Kids Highland Athletic Competitions • International Pipe & Drum Bands • Mead, Scotch & Irish Whiskey Tastings Gathering of the Clans • Vendors • Live Music!

portpolsonplayers.com albertabairtheater.org/ cheyennenation.com livingstondepot.org wallaceidahochamber.com whitefishartsfestival.org

Daly Mansion Grounds

251 Eastside Hwy Hamilton, MT

www.bcgg.org | 406-274-8886

montanabbqcookoff.com missouririver.visitmt.com quiltgallery.net missouririver.visitmt.com blackfeetnation.com musicranchmontana.net duttonfunday.com wallaceidahochamber.com acfguide.com montanafolkfestival.com

See the new summer exhibition at the

C.M. Russell Museum May 16–September 13, 2015

Alzheimer’s disease — the nation’s sixth-leading cause of death — is destroying our families, our finances and our future. But you can do something to stop it. Register for the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s and lead the way to a world without Alzheimer’s.

®

Sept 12: Eureka - Fairgrounds Sept 12: Great Falls - Gibson Park Sept 13: Missoula - McCormick Park Sept 19: Helena - Centennial Park

Charles M. Russell (1864–1926), To the Victor Belong the Spoils, 1901, oil on Canvas, 31 1/2 x 44 1/2 inches, JKM Collection®, National Museum of Wildlife Art.

alz.org/walk

Sept 19: Kalispell - Woodland Park Sept 20: Bozeman - Bogert Park Sept 27: Billings - Zoo Montana

alz.org/montana | 406.252.3053 | 3010 11th Ave. N., Billings Monthly Drawings for Early Registrants!

Harmless Hunter: The Wildlife Work of Charles M. Russell is organized by the National Museum of Wildlife Art in collaboration with the Charles M. Russell Center, University of Oklahoma, and is guest curated by B. Byron Price, Director of the Charles M. Russell Center and University of Oklahoma Press.

PAGE 40 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

JUNE/JULY 2015

Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul

10 11 11 11 12 12 15 16 16 17 17 17 16 18 18 18 20 20 21 22 22 22 23 23 24 24 24 24 25 25 30

Jul 30 Jul 30 Jul 31 Aug 4 Aug 6 Aug 7

Ft Peck: Best Little Whorehouse in Texas *Sidney - Sunrise Festival of Arts Whitefish - Glacier-Waterton Bike Tour Billings - Summerfair Georgetown L. - The Muir String Quartet Kings Pointe - Flathead L. Poker Paddle Havre - Great Northern Fair Great Falls - Summer Pops Concert Glendive - Spectacular Spectacular *Virginia City - Dog & Grog at Bale of Hay *Anaconda - Art in the Park Ennis - Moods of the Madison Lincoln - Hooper Park Flea Market *Whitefish - Climb Big Mountain Helena - Symphony Under the Stars Choteau - Old North Trail Tours Deer Lodge - Haying with Horses *Wallace, Idaho - ATV Jamboree Paradise - Mt. Baroque Music Festival *Conrad - Rock the Downtown *Lewistown - Central Mt. Fair/Rodeo *Helena - Last Chance Stampede & Fair *Polson - Pt Polson Players: Breakin’ Up White Sulphur Spgs - Red Ants Pants *Great Falls - Special Healing Mass @ Holy Spirit Catholic Church Hamilton - Daly Days Great Falls - Montana State Fair *Hot Springs - 6th Annual Blues Festival *Hamilton - Bitterroot Brew Fest Billings - Mexican Fiesta *Lewistown - Shakespeare in the Parks: Cyrano De Bergerac Billings - Magic City Blues *Wallace, Idaho - All Class Reunion Fort Peck - Summer Theatre: “Tarzan” *Conrad - National Night Out *Sandpoint, Idaho - Festival at Sandpoint *Wallace, Idaho - Accordion Festival

Join us for the fifth annual

Big Sky Classical Music Festival August 7-9, 2015 A weekend of amazing music, featuring:

WindSync Quintet Angella Ahn, David Wallace, Rachel Barton Pine, Matt Haimovitz, Kathe Jarka, Gillian Gallagher Big Sky Festival Orchestra featuring Maestro Peter Bay, Austin, TX Join us for a weekend of Beethoven, Brahms and more in beautiful Big Sky, Montana

www.bigskyarts.org Presented by the Arts Council of Big Sky

CENTRAL MONTANA FAIR 4 DAYS OF NON-STOP FUN! * JULY 22-25, 2015 purchase tickets online at

CentralMontanaFair.com

or call 406-535-8841

Ram Central Montana

PRO RODEO

Wednesday

July 22 7:00pm

BGM Racing Bump-n-Run, 1pm

~~ Thursday

Saturday

July 23 7:00pm

July 25 Demolition Derby, 6pm Friday, July 24 Restless Heart ~ 8pm ~

Diamond Rio ~ 9pm ~

Fergus County Fairgrounds • Lewistown

800-653-1319 800-653-1319 406-721-1776 406-256-6804 888-407-4071 406-883-1346 406-265-7121 406-453-4102 406-377-3876 406-843-5700 406-563-2422 406-579-2535 406-362-4313 406-858-0897 406-442-1860 406-466-5332 406-846-2070 208-753-7151 406-826-3600 406-271-7791 406-535-8841 406-457-8516 406-883-9212 406-547-3781 406-899-7430 406-442-1860 406-727-8900 888-305-3106 406-363-2400 406-248-4612 406-535-8278 406-534-0400 208-753-7151 800-653-1319 406-271-7791 208-265-4554 208-753-7151

missouririver.visitmt.com missouririver.visitmt.com adventurecycling.org/tours

retrotheatre@hotmail.com baleofhaysaloon.com coppervillageartcenter.com moodsofthemadison.com flatheadindustries.org helenasymphony.org oldtrailmuseum.org nps.gov/grko wallaceidahochamber.com www.quinnshotsprings.com conradmt.com centralmontanafair.com lastchancestampede.com portpolsonplayers.com redantspantsmusicfestival.com

goexpopark.com symeshotsprings.com bitterrootchamber.com

wallaceidahochamber.com missouririver.visitmt.com conradmt.com festivalatsandpoint.com wallaceidahochamber.com

JUNE/JULY 2015

Aug 7 Big Sky - Classical Music Festival 406-995-2742 Aug 7 *Billings - Montana Fair 800-366-8538 Aug 11 *Missoula - Western Montana Fair 406-721-3247 Jul 23 *Polson - Pt Polson Players: Farndale Av 406-883-9212 Aug 13 *Lewistown - Montana Cowboy Poetry 406-538-4575 Aug 14 *Trout Creek - Huckleberry Festival 406-827-4091 Aug 15 *Hamilton - Celtic Games & Gathering 406-274-8886 Aug 21 Fort Peck Theatre: Steel Magnolias 800-653-1319 Sep 10 Billings MSU - Evening w/ Terry Bradshaw 406-657-1626 Sep 11 *Billings - Don’t Dress for Dinner Play 406-248-1141 Sep 12 *Eureka - Walk to End Alzheimer’s 406-252-3053 Sep 12 *Great Falls - Walk to End Alzheimer’s 406-252-3053 Sep 13 *Missoula - Walk to End Alzheimer’s 406-252-3053 Sep 19 *Helena - Walk to End Alzheimer’s 406-252-3053 Sep 19 *Kalispell - Walk to End Alzheimer’s 406-252-3053 Sep 19 *Deer Lodge - Big Sky Draft Horse Expo 406-490-1305 Sep 20 *Bozeman - Walk to End Alzheimer’s 406-252-3053 Sep 20 *Culbertson - Threshing Bee 800-653-1319 Sep 27 *Billings - Walk to End Alzheimer’s 406-252-3053

bigskyarts.org metrapark.com missoulafairgrounds.com portpolsonplayers.com huckleberryfestival.com bcgg.org missouririver.visitmt.com msubillings.edu alz.org/montana alz.org/montana alz.org/montana alz.org/montana alz.org/montana drafthorseexpo.com alz.org/montana missouririver.visitmt.com alz.org/Montana MSN

Quilts? Contact Stumptown Quilters’ Society Whitefish’s small non-profit, The Stumptown Quilters’ Society (SQS) – The Small Guild with the Big Heart, devotes itself to the love of quilting. SQS creates, stimulates, and maintains an interest in the making, collecting, and preservation of quilts.

SQS membership is open to anyone with a passion for quilting, as well as those interested in learning the art – beginners welcome. SQS also provides classes, workshops and an annual retreat for members. Visitors are welcome to attend two meetings prior to membership. Meetings are on the second Saturday of each month at 10 a.m. in the Whitefish Middle School Boardroom. Regardless of your quilting level, SQS invites you to join

them each month for a brief meeting with snacks, instructions, and quilting techniques. Be sure to bring your sewing machine and supplies for the monthly project and your quilt items for a “show and tell.”

As a community-minded organization, SQS encourages members to make quilts to provide for the needs of the local community each year. The organization also donates to various local charities and participates in various outreach projects.

For more information, contact the SQS show chair, Syl at 406-261-4855, email sqswhitefishmt@ gmail.com, or Facebook at Stumptown Quilters’ Society (Whitefish, MT). MSN

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 41

CLIMB Join Us Saturday, July 18th

to Climb Big Mountain at the beautiful Whitefish Mountain Resort

Registration/sign-in at Upper Village

Hike the Danny On Trail Anytime between 8am–12pm

Free Lunch, Snacks, Goodies & T-shirt Raffle Items and Silent Auction For more info

www.flatheadindustries.org or call Sarah at 755-7656 Ext 229 or 858-0897 “Creating Opportunities for People with Disabilities”

Virginia City Brings You Montana’s Best Beers The Bale of Hay Saloon in Historic Virginia City hosts the 12th Annual Dog and Grog Montana Micro-brew Festival July 17-18 featuring Montana’s best micros. Starting at 5 p.m. Friday is the Wee Dog pint night. Bozeman’s White Dog Brewing’s featured at this year’s festival is bringing its best brews in its first visit to the Bale. Kevin Clark brings his music from 9:30 p.m. – 12:30 a.m. This is your chance to sample beers from the newest brewery in Montana and collect one of its pint glasses!

Saturday features ten breweries including Lewis and Clark Brewing, Bitterroot Brewing, Bayern Brewing, Neptune’s Brewery, Madison River Brewing, Bozeman Brewing, Quarry Brewing, Draught Works, Lone Peak, and White Dog Brew-

ing. Beer and music flow under the big tent next to the Bale of Hay Saloon with festivities starting at high noon and ending at 7 p.m. with no cover charge!

Brant McGregory and Super Blues from Butte are playing the best blues, roots, and R&B during the day. Join us later in the bar for more music by the Levitators from Missoula starting at 9:30 p.m.

Arrive early for our special package – 8 tasters of beer, a polish dog, and limited edition commemorative glass. Individual beers and polish dogs are also for sale.

For more information, call 406-843-5700 or 800-829-2969, or visit baleofhaysaloon.com or virginiacity.com. MSN

alz.org/montana | 406.252.3053 | 3010 11th Ave. N., Billings

PAGE 42 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

JUNE/JULY 2015

montana microbrew festival Montana's Oldest Watering Hole

JULY 17 & 18

wee dog pint night

dog & grog

FRIDAY, JULY 17TH 5PM TO 12:30AM featuring White Dog Brewery from Bozeman

SATURDAY, JULY 18TH NOON TO 7PM Bryant McGregory & Super Blues

LIVE MUSIC 9:30pm-12:30am

BY KEVIN CLARK

LEVITATORS

406-843-5700

LIVE MUSIC BY noon-7pm

9:30pm-close

www.baleofhaysaloon.com

Laugh, Smile, Frown, And Enjoy Plays In Polson For forty seasons, live theatre in a beautiful air-conditioned 1938 log building has graced the southern shores of Flathead Lake! Your evenings with the Port Polson Players will include a preshow and intermissions watching the sun set on the immaculate “old nine” of the Polson Golf Course, framed by the majestic Mission Mountains.

The Polson Players 2015 summer season includes the Victorian

Bob DiGiallonardo (l.) teams up with Karen and Neal Lewing in the show that gave rise to the psychological term “gaslighting” that describes an abuser’s attempts to make a victim doubt his or her sanity. [Photo provided

by Port Polson Players]

thriller Gaslight, July 1-19; Breakin’ Up is Hard To Do, a musical comedy featuring the music of Neil Sedaka, July 23 – August 9; and back by popular demand, the comedy farce Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Dramatic Society Murder Mystery, August 13-30.

Shows play Wed thru Sat at 8 pm, with a Sun matinee at 2:00. The Players are dark Mondays and Tuesdays. For info or reservations, visit PortPolsonPlayers.com or call 406-883-9212. MSN

Don’t Miss Helena’s Last Chance Stampede and Fair, July 22-25

By Bernice Karnop Where can you gather with the neighbors and compare quilts, breads, jams, and pickles? Where do you go to see the 4-H kids who you’ve watched grow up, strut their steers, sheep, hogs, chickens, and rabbits? Where can you watch a rodeo, swing on a carnival ride, and stuff yourself with amazing array of sweet or spicy food and drink?

Where else but a county fair! For folks growing up in the 1950s and ‘60s, Fair memories spill out like grain after a good harvest. But memories don’t belong in the past. Bring your grandchildren and continue the tradition for them.

The folks at the Last Chance Stampede and Fair work hard to make the event fun, exciting, and even comfortable. In fact, some come to the Last Chance Stampede and Fair just to find a nice cool spot to spend a hot July afternoon. Built in 2008, the new exhibit hall is air-conditioned and

JUNE/JULY 2015

its 36,000 square feet are packed with displays, fair booths, commercial vendors, and a free entertainment stage where something is happening almost all day long every day of the Fair.

The night show on July 22 features Martina McBride, who’s known for her Country Pop music and her soprano singing.

The three days of PRCA Rodeo attract top competitors from around the country, as well as top rodeo fans. Don’t worry if your physical ability isn’t what it used to be. The new grandstand, which holds 4,600 people, has an ADA approved elevator that whisks you to the top of the stands in seconds.

In more good news, the web site brags that they added twice as many women’s bathrooms!

More information about the Last Chance Stampede and Fair can be found at lastchancestampede.com or call 406-457-8516. MSN

Opera Singer, Rodeo Contestant, Director Of The Worlds Smallest Theater

Article By Jack McNeel Photo By Jackie McNeel Bob Ricketts enjoys life to the fullest, and his enthusiasm and quick wit are evident immediately on entering his Polson business – Three Dog Down.

Even the name Three Dog Down reflects Bob’s humor. Legend has it that in Alaska sled dog runners would sleep with one, two, or three dogs, depending on how cold it was. Australian Bushmen used a similar measurement and a three-dog night was very cold. Bob’s business features the finest goose down for comforters, pillows, jackets, and other items – good enough for a three-dog night.

Bob moved to Montana from Sacramento to attend Montana State on an Air Force ROTC scholarship during the Viet Nam era.

“While I was there I found out I could sing,” he says. During his junior year, he auditioned for the Chicago lyric opera and was offered a contract. “I think to this day I’m the only undergrad from MSU to be offered a professional operatic contract.”

After graduating from MSU, Bob took a full ride scholarship to earn his Masters at a Cincinnati conservatory then for 17 years sang professionally in Cincinnati, New York, Chicago, and Europe.

But he had an itch to get back to Montana so in 1989 he and his wife settled in Polson and opened Three Dog Down.

“My wife had a good job at the hospital so I was going to let her support me and just sell one pillow a week and go fishing. It was a dandy plan but unfortunately the store was successful and I had to work,” he says with a laugh. And his wife quit her job.

à

Local, Nutritious, Delicious Come enjoy a hot breakfast and the relaxed charm of an Old World Market

Open 8:00am–Noon Saturdays Tuesdays Kid’s Day

May 2–Oct 31 July 9–Sept 22 2nd Sat, May–Oct

Double Up Food Bucks for SNAP Card Holders Music Performed 9:00am–Noon North End of Higgins by the XXX’s Contact Market Manager, Evita Blouin at 406-241-9870 www.missoulafarmersmarket.com & Facebook

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 43

PAGE 44 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

JUNE/JULY 2015

A divorce followed and he confesses it hit him hard. He says he sat down and made a list of things a “middle-aged fat man can do single that he can’t do married.”

“One of the things I always wanted to do was ride bareback in the rodeo. I started riding bareback and have never had so much fun. I wasn’t very good and I couldn’t ride every week because my th body wouldn’t heal up as fast as a young fellow but for four or five years I was the oldest, and fattest, bareback rider in the state of Montana. I’m proud of that. I was riding for the old fat guys. I did MARTINA McBRIDE: STAMPEDE PARADE win one buckle so I could Sat July 25 The Everlasting Tour quit, which was good beWed July 22 cause I was about out of 4-H LIVESTOCK body parts that worked,” Food • Exhibits RAM PRCA PRO RODEO he adds with another Entertainment & More!

Th-Sat July 23-24-25 chuckle. “Unlike bull riding you don’t get gored, lastchancestampede.com CARNIVAL but in bareback riding, Wed-Sun July 22-26 facebook.com/lastchancestampede no matter what happens, you don’t have shoulders left and it just wrecks the body pretty good. But for a middle aged fat man, who feels like he’s Music Under the Stars, The seventeen for 8 seconds, On the Lake, aT it’s worth going to the augusT 6 - 16, 2015 in hospital. I broke bones and didn’t even feel them for 24 hours because the adrenaline was pumping so good. It’s the coolest thing in the world. You’re never as alive as when you’re getting your ass kicked on top of someFor more information and tickets visit us online at: thing!” or call: When Bob first opened Three Dog Down, the huge supplier in Cincinnati where he gets most of his down told him he needed a town of 250,000 people with lots of disposable

55 Annual

LAST CHANCE STAMPEDE & FAIR July 22-25, 2015 Helena, MT

Sandpoint, Idaho

FestivalAtSandpoint.com

FesTival sandpoinT

(208) 265-4554

Vi s i t m i s s o u l a d ow n tow n .co m f o r a full schedule of music, food, and kids activities

income to support a down outlet.

“Polson is a town of 4,000 and we’re not rolling in dough. But it was my nickel. For some reason, through no fault of my own, the store has been successful for 25 years.”

Throughout those years, he’s had “best ratings” from such outlets as the Chicago Tribune, Delta Airlines, American Airlines, Glamour Magazine, and many Montana newspapers.

“The one that really cracks me up is the Fed Gazette,” Bob says. “I asked, ‘What the hell is the Fed Gazette?’”

He found out it was an in-house publication for bankers. “It still cracks me up to this day.”

The store still relies on its sales of down products but they have expanded into several rooms and each is unique, reflective of Bob’s personality.

“If something strikes my fancy we like to try it out, see if it works or not, and if my customers enjoy it.” He mentions a ginger ale he gets from South Carolina as one example. “There’s no alcohol but it’s got a kick from the ginger. It’s very robust. We’ve had customers for 25 years who come in for just a six-pack of ginger ale and to say, ‘Hi.’” They also make medical bedding using goose down for hypothermia cases that is called Doctor Down Rescue Wrap – the only company in the world to makes this.

Saying “hi” is important and he loves to schmooze. “My favorite part of the store is my very interesting customers and friends of 25 years.”

Walking into one of the rooms, a toy monkey starts laughing and rolling on the floor, activated by entering the room. A barber chair sits in the middle of the room.

As Bob explains, “I got a deal on a barber chair and put it in for decoration. I noticed with just one barber chair that when a guy had a place to sit they felt secure and didn’t rush the wife for shopping. I noticed sales went up 5% because the wife wasn’t

JUNE/JULY 2015

being harassed. I probably saved thousands of marriages over the years,” he adds with a laugh. He now has several barber chairs scattered about.

Other rooms contain unique T-shirts and candy.

The store also contains the “World’s Smallest Theater” which seats three or four. Bob often sits amongst them, plays an accordion, and sings some of the popular songs of years past. And he’s good! Where else can one go and buy truly unique items while listening to the owner entertain in a tiny private theater with an operatic voice that has performed far and wide.

Two other businesses have been generated through Three Dog Down.

He tells of a call from a friend in a small town fire department who said, “Bob, we’ve got this amphibious vehicle we don’t need.

You’re the person jackass enough to buy it.”

So he bought it. It’s an old military vehicle called a LARC, for Light Amphibious Resupply Cargo.

“We do tourist rides in the summer and kind of a crazy ride with a big water fight on it and water cannon. I honestly believe it’s the funnest thing to do on this lake.” It’s called the Happy Hippo and painted accordingly. “That business kind of took off through no fault of my own.”

Bob also owns the Molly Trolley and says he bought it so he’d be a popular dad with his daughter and her soccer team but now it’s used for weddings and other community events. “None of my businesses are my fault, they just kind of happen.”

As If this weren’t enough, he also owns Oberlander horses. They come from southern Germany

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 45

and weren’t introduced to North American until 1993. They are bred to be gentle, larger than quarter horses, but smaller than draft horses.

“It makes the ideal trail horse for your fat cousin because they can carry 400 pounds,” he says with a laugh. “They’re like a big SUV, a Sport Utility Vehicle Equine.” At one time, he had as many of 30 and only about 70 exist in the entire country.

Bob is one of a kind in a good way, a man who loves people, good conversation, and to entertain. No trip to Polson would be complete without visiting Three Dog Down and its eclectic mix of gifts, candy, T-shirts, down products, and whatever else Bob feels might appeal to his customers. MSN

Who’s Keeping Score?

Police are called to an apartment and find a woman holding a bloody 3-iron standing over a lifeless man.

The detective asks, “Ma’am, is that your husband?”

“Yes” says the woman.

“Did you hit him with that golf club?”

“Yes, yes, I did.” The woman begins to sob, drops the club, and puts her hands on her face.

“How many times did you hit him?”

“I don’t know – put me down for a five.” MSN

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PAGE 46 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

JUNE/JULY 2015

How to Search for Lost Pension Money

By Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, What tips can you offer for tracking down a lost pension from a previous employer?

About to Retire Dear About, It’s not unusual for a worker to lose track of a pension benefit. Perhaps you left an employer long ago and forgot that you left behind a pension. Or maybe you worked for a company that changed owners or went belly up many years ago, and you figured the pension went with it.

Today, millions of dollars in benefits are sitting in pension plans across the U.S. or with the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), a federal government agency, waiting to be claimed by their rightful owners. The average unclaimed benefit with PBGC is about $6,500.

To help you look for a pension, here are some steps to take and some free resources that can help you search if your previous employer has gone out of business, relocated, changed owners, or merged with another firm.

Contact Employer – If you think you have a pension and the company you worked for still is in business, your first step is to call the human resources department and ask how to contact the pension plan administrator. Ask the administrator

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whether you have a pension, how much it is worth and how to claim it. Depending on how complete the administrator’s records are you may need to show proof that you once worked for the company and that you are pension eligible.

Your old income tax returns and W-2 forms from the years you worked at the company will help you here. If you haven’t saved your old tax returns from these years, you can get a copy of your earnings record from the Social Security Administration, which will show how much you were paid each calendar year by each employer.

Call 800-772-1213, and ask for Form SSA7050, Request for Social Security Earnings Information, or you can download it at ssa.gov/online/ ssa-7050.pdf. The SSA charges a $136 for this information.

Some other old forms that can help you prove pension eligibility are summary plan descriptions that you should have received from your employer when you worked there, and any individual benefit statements that you received during your employment.

Search PBGC – If your former employer went out of business or if the company still is in business but terminated its pension plan, check with the PBGC, which guarantees pension payouts to private-sector workers if their pension plans fail, up to annual limits. Most people receive the full benefit they earned before the plan was terminated. The PBGC offers an online pension-search directory tool at search.pbgc.gov/mp/mp.aspx.

Get Help – If you need help tracking down your former company because it may have moved, changed owners or merged with another firm, contact the Pension Rights Center, a nonprofit consumer organization that offers seven free Pension Counseling and Information Projects around the U.S. that serve 30 states. For more information, visit pensionrights.org or call 888-420-6550.

If you, your company, or your pension plan happens to be outside the 30-state area served by the projects, or if you’re trying to locate a federal or military pension, use Pension Help America at pensionhelp.org. This resource can connect you with government agencies and private organizations that provide free information and assistance to help your search.

For more pension searching tips, see the PBGC’s free online publication called Finding a Lost Pension at pbgc.gov/documents/finding-alost-pension.pdf.

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. MSN

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PAGE 48 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

JUNE/JULY 2015

Fraud Foresight

By Alana Listoe Montana Credit Union Network Having easier access to information, especially online, has many positive implications, but it also means the risks of being scammed, having your identity stolen, or being a victim of fraud are at an all-time high. Some financial and economic columnists go so far as to say it is not if, but when each of us will be hacked Scammers are smart and have one goal – tricking their victims. Imposters call and say you have won a prize; misrepresent themselves as an official with a financial institution (or the IRS); or claim a relative needs help and pfish for account details.

Montana’s credit unions are committed to providing a variety of relevant and timely consumer education resources. It cannot be overemphasized how important it is for consumers to full advantage of their rights and make better informe decisions Tax scams are more prevalent this time of year than others. People who depend on others to assist them and children are often seen as easy targets for financial exploitation. And, there are many cases where unethical businesses overcharge and take advantage of diligent bill-payers The Montana Office of Consumer Protection, which is under the umbrella of the Department of Justice, works to protect your rights. Investigator Ryan Sullivan fields calls and e-mails from consumers about scams and bad business practices.

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them to the best of our knowledge and steer (consumers) in the right direction,” he says, adding that many times it just takes some communication. “We look to help consumers and businesses get on the same page and work for a fair resolution.”

Sullivan says a communication breakdown is often behind a consumer’s complaint. The first step for the consumer is to contact the business.

“Businesses are typically more than willing to work it out given the chance,” he said. “But when that doesn’t work out, we can step in and play the moderator.”

But, it is not always about bad communication.

Sometimes it is fraud. Recent attempts to scam consumers involve those using a computer with Windows operating system. The scammer calls and claims there is an identified computer issue in an attempt to gain access to install an antivirus. But, Sullivan says the anti-virus is actually a program that tracks keystrokes, allowing the culprit to replicate passwords and steal personal information. If consumers have unwittingly allowed access to their computer, Sullivan advises that they should completely unplug all power sources and Internet connections and notify his office for further assistance and guidance The best advice is to be proactive. Pay close attention to financial statements, receipts, and credit activity. If a credit card is stolen, contact the issuer immediately, and monitor the account activity online, never waiting for monthly statements.

When fraudulent activity is identified, put a freeze on credit with all three reporting bureaus. It’s also a good idea to get your free annual credit report at annualcreditreport.com “The more proactive you stay, the less damage that can happen,” says Sullivan. “If you ever wonder if something is legitimate, don’t hesitate to call because our office is a gateway to help people get through the battle. People should never be embarrassed, because there is nothing we haven’t heard.

To reach the Office of Consumer Protection toll-free call 1-800-481-6896. You can also visit. montanacreditunions.coop for information on preventing scams and fraud. MSN

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How to Choose the Right Executor for Your Will Dear Savvy Senior, What are my options for choosing an executor for my will? I was considering asking one of my kids to do it but I don’t think any of them are up for the job. What can you tell me?

Still Kicking Dear Kicking, Choosing an executor – the person or institution you put in charge of administering your estate and carrying out your final wishes – is one of the most important decisions in preparing a will.

Picking the right executor can help ensure the prompt, accurate distribution of your possessions with a minimum of family friction. Some of the duties required include: • Filing court papers to start the probate process (this is generally required by law to determine the will’s validity).

• Taking an inventory of everything in the estate.

• Using your estate’s funds to pay bills, including taxes, funeral costs, etc.

• Handling details like terminating credit cards, and notifying banks and government agencies like Social Security and the post office of the death.

• Preparing and filing final income tax returns.

• Distributing assets to the beneficiaries named in the will.

Given all the responsibility, the ideal candidate should be someone who is honest, dependable, organized, and vigilant about meeting deadlines.

Whom to Choose. Most people think first of naming a family member, especially a spouse or child, as executor. If, however, you don’t have an obvious family member to choose, you may want to ask a trusted friend, but be sure to choose someone in good health or younger than you who will likely be around after you’re gone.

Also, if your executor of choice happens to live in another state, you’ll need to check your state’s law to see if it imposes any special requirements. Some states require an out-of-state executor to be a family member or a beneficiary, some require a bond to protect your heirs in case of mismanagement, and some require the ap-

pointment of an in-state agent.

Also, keep in mind that if the person you choose needs help settling your estate they can always call on an expert like an attorney or tax accountant to guide them through the process, with your estate picking up the cost.

If, however, you don’t have a friend or relative you feel comfortable with, you could name a third party executor like a bank, trust company, or a professional who has experience dealing with estates. If you need help locating a pro, the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils (naepc.org) and the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (naela.org) are great resources that provide directories on their websites to help you find someone.

Executor Fees. Most family members and close friends (especially if they are a beneficiary) serve for free, but if you opt for a third-party executor, it will cost your estate. Executor fees are set by each state and typically run anywhere from one to five percent depending on the size of the estate.

Get Approval. Whomever you choose to serve as your executor, be sure you get their approval first before naming him or her in your will. And once you’ve made your choice, go over your financial details in your will with that person, and let him or her know where you keep all your important documents and financial information. This will make it easier on them after you’re gone.

For information on the duties of an executor, get a copy of the book The American Bar Association Guide to Wills and Estates fourth edition for $17 at ambar.org/wills or call 800-285-2221.

Send your 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. MSN

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Living Like a One-percenter – continued from page 19

“Thanks for mentioning that, but I think we’ll probably wash them anyway,” the waiter said.

We went back to our room and found a free bottle of EOS wine waiting for us. There was a knock on the door. A man was holding a plate. “I understand someone is having a special day.” He set the plate on a table and said congratulations and left.

There was a small round cake-looking thing in the middle. Surrounding it written in chocolate were the words: “Happy Anniversary.”

We wondered briefly if it was supposed to say Happy Birthday. Then we wondered briefly if it might have been for a different room. Then we ate it. Not sure what it was but it was delicious. Plus, maybe I could count this as an anniversary gift, too.

The next morning we splashed about in one of the outdoor Jacuzzis, then went to the spa to use the steam rooms.

“Would you like sandals?” the attendant asked.

“Sure.”

“Robe?”

“Why not?” I started putting them into my gym bag.

“Ah, they’re just for use here. In the men’s spa.”

“Oh. Sure. Ha, ha… just kidding around. I’m a humor writer, see?”

“Right. It must pay pretty well then?”

“Right.”

There was only one other guy in the steam room. I could barely

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 51

make him out through the clouds of eucalyptus mist. “Where you from?” he asked. I was tempted to break out my New England accent.

Pretend I just flew in for a sabbatical from Harvard. Tell him I was an expert on the Chumash. But, I was afraid he might have actually been a Native American. We had a nice chat then I showered and met my wife at the pool for lunch.

“Hello. What can I bring you?” the young man asked. Before I could respond my wife said, “Fish tacos.”

“What kind of fish is in the tacos?” I asked.

“Shovelnose guitarfish,” he said.

Actually, he said red snapper. And they were quite good.

“What’s next?” my wife asked.

I took out my iPhone and opened the Bacara app. “Free wine and cheese in the lobby at five. Plus we still have the free wine tasting at Foley.”

“Maybe we should watch the sunset first,” my wife suggested.

Like everything else, it was spectacular.

The next morning it was raining, which in southern California is a treat in and of itself. We ate the last of the free apples that they offer daily. Then they sent a cart to drive us to the lobby. Our entire bill was LESS than I make for writing a column!

“Kiwana’n,” I said, using the last Chumash word I remembered from all the signs on the nature trail. “Until we meet again.” MSN

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JUNE/JULY 2015

JUNE/JULY 2015

Carla Wambach Teaches Children and Touches the Future

By Bernice Karnop Carla Wambach loves teaching and birds – and she loves to dance. Her post-retirement days are full and fun, but there’s one thing she can’t do.

“I don’t know how to retire,” she admits.

Carla is a tiny woman with neat platinum hair (not grey!) and an oversized smile. She brings energy and enthusiasm into any room, but especially when that room is full of children.

She spent 40 years in the classroom and many more days sharing her enthusiasm for the natural world in various other venues. Teachers invite her to share her talks on meadowlarks, magpies, turkeys, bears, beavers, or Montana’s state symbols.

“Children are just wonderful if you can capture their attention by speaking to them, not down to them, and showing them things,” she says. She knows the value of children and the value of time spent with them. “Teachers touch the future,” she declares.

Carla grew up in Detroit, and times were tough because her dad lost almost everything in the Great Depression. Her mom, a teacher, held things together. From her earliest days, her

parents recognized that Carla loved music and dance. Her mom even eked out enough money for ballet lessons.

When she graduated from high school Carla’s dream was to pursue this happy profession as a career. Her dad had other ideas. “No. You will be a teacher,” he insisted. In his mind, she needed the ability to support herself first, when hard times came.

She graduated with a degree in teaching and now says her dad was right. “I love teaching and I never had any trouble getting a job,” she says.

She was glad he lived long enough for her to thank him.

Not that she ever gave up dancing. Whenever the school had a music program, she choreographed a dance to go along with it.

Today she and her husband, Ed Eaton, dance every chance they get, especially the waltz, the schottische, and the polka.

Carla will never forget her first teaching job.

Because she taught in Detroit and not the suburbs, she received an extra thousand dollars, a lot more money than it sounds today. In return, she spent each morning teaching reading, writ-

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 53

PAGE 54 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

ing, arithmetic, and spelling to 35 first graders.

In the afternoon, she taught reading, writing, arithmetic, and spelling to 35 second graders.

“That was 70 kids for a brand new teacher who thought she knew everything but she didn’t know anything!” she says.

The challenging experience paid off. Later interviewers said, “You taught in Detroit? You can have the job.”

She never had trouble keeping the children’s attention with her hands-on style of show and tell teaching. Principals, on the other hand, learned to pay attention the hard way. More than once one agreed to an activity he or she wanted to call

JUNE/JULY 2015

back after they realized the activity was “out of the box.” Carla took her class ice-skating after school, having talked the city into flooding an area and letting it freeze for them. She taught astronomy, even though it wasn’t in the science book, and organized a night of star watching for the children and their parents, lying on blankets and identifying constellations. After it was all arranged, her principal realized the event was after school hours and it was at night. “That’s when the stars come out,” she reminded him.

After the fires in Yellowstone in 1988, she wanted to help. She asked her principal to support her and applied to be a Park Ranger for the summer. He thought it was a great idea until she got the job. She was set to start May 1, and he didn’t want her missing the last month of school.

“All I could do was hammer at him,” she says.

She wrote all the lesson plans for the substitute teacher and had an unforgettable experience as “the smallest Ranger in Yellowstone.” Her Smokey the Bear hat still hangs on the wall in her home.

After she retired, Carla helped with after school enrichment programs and she started Adopt a Species in Helena schools. In this popular program, each school picks one bird or animal a year to study. With donations from the Animal Foundation, Fish Wildlife and Parks, and the Forest Service, she put together a trunk for every school and every species. This successful program has grown to include 19 area schools.

Carla, who has a master’s degree in environmental education from the University of Montana, is active in Audubon and gives talks about birds.

She gave one called Birds Across the Sky at the Audubon convention. Among her numerous

accolades is Audubon’s Educator of the Year award. She received the Wildlife Heritage Award from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and the Distinguished Educator Award from the Helena School District. She’s proud to be the first Helena teacher to receive the National Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching Science. This included a trip to Washington, D.C. and being honored at the White House.

Carla started speaking for Montana Humanities during the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial. She collected 14 birds that Captain Lewis recorded in his journal. She paid to have them mounted and bought the required license to own them.

Her Take Flight with Lewis and Clark talk took Carla and her birds all over Montana and to 12 other states.

Carla has many more interests and activities.

“There’s always something going on,” she says, so she keeps on going. And why not, if one enjoys good health?

“I have good health because I love what I do,” she says. “Anyone who loves what they do will have good health.” Especially if what they do touches the future. MSN

For the Love of Wood Article & Photo By Connie Daugherty Sometimes success in business is as much serendipity as it is sense, education, and expertise.

Or as Helena’s Al Swanson, owner of A.L. Swanson Gallery, can attest, it’s most often a combination. Sometimes we are led in a life-direction in the most unexpected ways; we just have to be willing to follow. Al has always been willing to follow and in the last year, that willingness has taken him on the adventure of a lifetime.

Born and raised on a farm in Maine he spent summers in the hayfield and winters in the woods, and from childhood he loved the trees.

“It was just fascinating,” he says. At Rutgers College, he earned a degree in agronomy determined to be a golf course manager and work outdoors. “But there was this nagging element of being artistic,” he says. Al’s creative expression had been in wood.

“We’d build things as we needed to,” he says.

“Whether it was a birdhouse, a door for the chicken coop, or a cabinet door for the kitchen.” Even at a young age, he fell in love with woodworking. “It came very naturally, very easy.” Still, he had never considered woodworking as a career until he was recovering from a serious back injury.

JUNE/JULY 2015

“I just started dabbling in wood.”

He collected a few tools, converted a bedroom of his apartment into a wood shop, and made gifts for family and friends. He discovered that he enjoyed it and he was very good at it. He was hired to create one piece, then another and another. Before long, he had his own shop and was making custom Shaker style furniture. Determined to get better, he studied, researched, and became an apprentice.

“I learned how to accommodate wood – how it moves and grows – it’s dynamic, how you fit a drawer in the summer, which is different from fitting it in the winter – how wood is going to work and not just how to work it.”

Al began a small business that grew into a successful business. And then he came to Montana on a visit to family, liked the area, saw an opportunity, packed up his tools, and moved. That was about fifteen years ago. He rented a shop, scrounged his first contracted job by building relationships with a bit of serendipity and a lot of hard work. Al was on his way.

It wasn’t long before he had a thriving business.

He was building cabinets, furniture, and a reputation for quality craftsmanship.

“It just evolved,” Al says.

Al combined his work with local artists’ work to create a gallery, and he began teaching woodwork-

ing classes, which he enjoyed very much.

“People really liked the experience of building something,” he says. Al’s enthusiasm and love for the art of woodworking is contagious.

On a visit to Maine, he got together with family for a traditional lobster feed.

“There was this wooden box, it caught my eye,” he recalls. “I opened the lid and there were lobster

picks and a set of lobster crackers.”

The box was small and plain and had belonged to his great-great grandmother, but he had never noticed it before. In any Maine household, lobster picks and crackers are as common as chopsticks in Chinatown and knives and forks in Montana, but they are not generally kept in a felt-lined wooden box.

“I was intrigued,” Al says.

Back in Montana his business thrived, and then one summer afternoon, he was sweeping in front of the store, watching fisherman get ready to head out on the Missouri river and he remembered his great-

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great grandmother’s lobster pick box. He was struck with an idea.

“I fly-fish,” he thought. “I went to work whittled by hand… we did it, we did it... we made a unique, pocket-size, wooden fly box.

Fun and clever, yes, but an impractical product to produce commercially because of the time required. However, by combining Al’s design with his friend, Jacob Franklin’s, computer technology and experience to create the basic box; he had something that made business sense. There was still plenty of handwork required to finish each box – the sanding, sculpting, finishing, and the details – but it was more doable and affordable.

Serendipity. A family gathering, a simple, but treasured family heirloom, a hobby, twenty years of furniture making experience, a spark of inspiration, and the help of his friends led Al in an entirely unexpected direction. He had a marketable product; he just needed to find the right market.

Then he remembered an encounter ten years before when a young man walked into his shop with a fishing net with a cracked wooden rim and asked if Al would repair it. The net had belonged to his grandfather and was important to the him.

“We don’t really do that,” Al told him, but there was just something about the young man. “So we kept it, glued it back together. I refinished it, called him, and gave it back, I don’t think I even charged him,” Al recalls.

That fishing guide turned out to be Simon Perkins, son of the CEO of Orvis Corp. Serendipity.

Al called Simon; Simon gave him the name of a person to contact at Orvis. They sent a prototype of the box off to Orvis. And then they waited.

The answer, when it came, was beyond anything Al expected. Orvis wanted his fly box. Actually, Orvis wanted hundreds of fly boxes. And they wanted Al. They featured him on the cover of the holiday catalog in 2014.

“It’s all happening so fast,” Al says, a bit breathless with excitement when the talks about it.

Since then, Al and Jacob have not only built hundreds more; they continue to create new designs of the original box, and different wood combinations. But for Al it’s still about the art, the personal touch, and the quality.

“I will never sacrifice the quality,” he says adamantly.

There is a sense of integrity, of personal commitment to the process and the art that is a vital part of what Al’s work is all about whether it’s a dining room table or a fly box.

It’s about business, and Al has a good business sense and clever marketing skills, but it’s more than that. For Al it’s as much about the process – from selecting just the right wood to putting in the last screw in the hinges – as it is the product. It’s about the excitement of the experience and he wants to share it with others. That’s why he teaches; that’s why his workshop is visible from the gallery.

Whether it is destiny or a calling or just serendipity, Al Swanson has traveled from a boy in the woods of Maine to a furniture maker in Helena and he has done it by sharing his vision and his enthusiasm with everyone he encounters. MSN

PAGE 56 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

JUNE/JULY 2015

Volunteering for Veterans Article & Photo By Connie Daugherty “I walk out of here at the end of the day and feel needed and like I made a contribution, says Lois Schmidt of her volunteer work at the VA Center in Helena. “ I can’t tell you what a rewarding feeling that is.”

“I just wanted to give back,” says Bill White, retired Army veteran. He also admits to enjoying, “the good conversations and company.”

Contributing and being a part of something that matters are feelings that Lois Schmidt and Bill White share with hundreds of volunteers from around the state who give of their time to help our veterans. Even though she has been retired for a while now, Lois says, “I like to be among people who think, plan, and project.” And she found that at the Veterans’ Administration.

Lois started working as a volunteer at Fort Harrison about eight years ago. She and her husband helped in the mailroom, sorting and distributing mail. After her husband died, Lois came back to Fort Harrison. She eventually found herself working in the office of Voluntary Services where she supports the volunteer process.

“Our job description is ambiguous,” Bill adds.

“We do anything and everything.” He has been working at Fort Harrison about six years, starting shortly after his wife passed away. Both Bill and Lois generally work five days a week. It has become almost a full-time job for both of them. And a job they love, “choose is the keyword,” Bill says.

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They both chose to be where they are at this time in their lives.

“It’s a healthy place to be,” says Lois. That might seem an odd thing to say about a hospital, but helping veterans and helping other volunteers to help veterans can be a healthy experience.

“It’s fascinating to watch how this place works,” Bill says. “You listen to the veterans talk about the good things and the bad things, it’s just fascinating to watch how the system works, or it doesn’t work.” Neither Bill nor Lois is oblivious to the issues facing the VA system, they understand there are problems; nothing is perfect. “But over-all, Lois says, “This is a tremendous organization and it’s great to be a part of it.” Lois and Bill work closely enough with the personnel to see how hard doc-

tors, nurses, and support staff work and how they sincerely care about helping all veterans.

“We do the pick and shovel work,” Lois says.

And while Lois is implying that they leave the important work to the staff, we all know that nothing of importance is done without the pick and shovel work. That essential work the volunteers do ranges from greeting worried veterans as they come in the door at a clinic or the hospital at Fort Harrison to putting out coffee and cookies and books. It includes collecting, organizing and distributing the donations that come in from businesses, organizations, and individuals. These donations, big and small, are distributed around the facility at Fort Harrison to the various departments and around the state to various VA clinics.

And of course transportation. Driving disabled veterans to doctor appointments across town or across the state is a vital part of what the volunteers do. Bill has been involved with this; in fact he is always on call, “I just grab the keys and log book and take them,” he says. The key point is being available and willing to help and Bill is both as are several volunteers around the state.

An average day at work for both Bill and Lois starts the minute they walk in the door at Fort Harrison, often in the hall before they even get to the office. “When I hit this door in the morning I’m usually good for about a mile,” Bill says. He wears a pedometer to prove it. By mid-afternoon on the day we talked, he (Cont’d on page 68)

JUNE/JULY 2015

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 57

Frank Vitale Gives A Voice To Wild Places lies long-term,” says Frank. “Oil and logging only

By Gail Jokerst; gailjokerst.com It seems fitting that a man who coaxes iron into benefit in the short-term. Economically, it makes custom-sized horseshoes can also help forge an sense to preserve it. There are places for logging, too, but not to cut and run.” alliance among wilderness Although he doesn’t adversaries. But that won’t lead pack trains into the come as a news flash to backcountry to earn his anyone familiar with Frank living, Frank volunteers Vitale – farrier-muleskinnerthis service several times hunter and longtime veteran annually to support the of the public-lands’ wars.

National Forest Service He has found the same and the Bob Marshall Wilpatience and strength rederness Foundation. With quired to wield hammer his six sure-footed mules, and tongs and to deal with he hauls in food, tools, and sometimes-stubborn mules supplies for volunteers have proven invaluable donating muscle-power when collaboratively crafton trail and weed-clearing ing land-use proposals. crews. You would have “As I get older, I’ve beto scour the state from come more vocal. I speak Superior to Sidney to find from my heart about roadanyone more knowledgeless lands and don’t worry able about the joys and about saying what’s on my challenges linked to these mind,” admits this Flathead Valley resident. “We’re not Frank Vitale riding his mule Honeybunch and hold- remote territories.

“Wilderness can making more wilderness ing his dog, Benny. [Photo courtesy of Frank] come in many forms. It’s and we keep losing what we have. Our public lands are under attack, particu- a psychological and spiritual thing. Kids discovlarly because of the quest for cheap energy. I feel ering nature tend to think of it as the wooded lot compelled to say what I feel and convince people down the road. In the conventional sense, it’s a to take a second look at the value of this landscape landscape unaltered by man,” explains Frank.

“Americans think of it as untouched landscapes with trees and diversity.”

For over 35 years, Frank has eloquently and but man has not been excluded. Man is part of the urgently pleaded the case for preserving Mon- whole scheme. To me, wild country is liberating. tana’s remaining wild country. He has steadfastly You cut the strings on technology and meet nature battled alongside other concerned Montanans to on its own terms.” protect vulnerable tracts of the Treasure State’s undeveloped lands. And through thoughtfully penned guest editorials and participation at countless public meetings and hearings, he has tirelessly spoken out on behalf of wild lands.

“Wilderness is the best resource, the best wealth we have, even better than any oil. It’s a huge economic engine, a big attraction to hunters and fishermen. If we take care of it and respect it, it will be there forever. That’s where Montana’s future

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JUNE/JULY 2015

Despite Montana’s stewardship skirmishes being far from over, Frank counts some important battles as won. Thanks to the joint efforts of ranchers, outfitters, landowners, conservation organizations, and a host of other foot soldiers, the North Fork Watershed Protection Act and the Rocky Mountain Front Heritage Act were signed into law in 2014. Together, they preserve over 650,000 acres in the Crown of the Continent. This includes 65,000 acres of designated wilderness, the first to be protected in Montana under that legal mantle in the past 31 years.

“Preserving these landscapes as wilderness where nature can play itself out is important to sportsmen and to inner-city kids, who have never heard the hoot of an owl or the bugle of an elk. It means a vibrant wildlife population and a sanctuary to find or lose oneself,” comments Frank. “People are craving this experience. They want to use these lands.”

Unfortunately, another landscape Frank has long championed in the Whitefish Range remains at risk of being changed forever. So he stalwartly continues to explain through the written and spoken word why the pristine character of this acreage should be retained and why mining and clear-cuts should be banned.

“You don’t have to hike in the Bob or the Whitefish Range to care about these areas. You just have to care about protecting them for future generations,” sums up Frank. “We are blessed with open spaces, clean air, and water. People take it for granted. We had better be careful because it’s going fast. We had better not squander it.”

One sign of encouragement Frank has noted is the collaborative approach to land preservation that has cropped up throughout the West. As a member of the Whitefish Range Partnership, a coalition of foresters, conservationists, snowmobilers, bicyclists, and area landowners Frank engaged monthly in round-table discussions for 13 months to help create a management plan for the National Forest Service’s consideration.

With consensus and civility as their guidelines plus oversight by former state senator Bob Brown, the group eventually agreed on recommendations that represented all of their interests. Their proposal covers everything from weed control and boundary settings to snowmobiling and biking, along with timber management. It also proposes earmarking 83,000 acres of this 300,000-acre region above Columbia Falls and Whitefish as wilderness.

“Through these meetings we understood each other’s feelings. Some folks came to realize that wilderness won’t be so bad,” remarks Frank, “and we made concessions with boundary adjustments. You have to be able to move beyond impasses for this process to work. It’s a compromise.”

Last year, the Montana Wilderness Association honored Frank with its Brass Lantern Award for exceptional service on behalf of wilderness preservation.

As MWA spokeswoman Amy Robinson says, “It was well deserved. Frank took a leadership role in the Whitefish Range Partnership. He is fearless and persistent in his desire to protect wild country. We wanted to recognize him not only for his dedication and work in the North Fork of the Flathead, but also because he can see the big picture of landscape preservation in the state. He understands we need to protect these lands in a pragmatic way and supports the collaborative approach to accomplish that.”

As far as Frank’s future, he considers safeguarding wilderness a lifetime goal.

“I want to bring people to a different level of consciousness about wilderness; to help educate them to initiate their own inquisitiveness and learn more; to pause and think,” says Frank. “My work’s not completed until I die.”

For more information contact The Bob at 406-387-3808 or trails@bmwf. org; Montana Wilderness Association at 406-730-2006 (Flathead-Kootenai Chapter), 406-443-7350 (Helena Headquarters), or visit mwa@wildmontana. org. MSN

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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 59

A Commitment To Community: Sharon Bengtson

By Gail Jokerst; www.gailjokerst.com If you wanted to compare Sharon Bengtson to anyone, George Bailey from Frank Capra’s It’s A Beautiful Life would be a candidate. Like George, Sharon is always thinking about the other guy, about her neighbors, and how she can be of help.

“I don’t go looking for people to help, but if the opportunity crosses my path to do an act of kindness, I do it. My goal is to get people independent, not to carry them but for them to carry themselves,” says this energetic grandmother of eight who loves to ski, bicycle, and hike in nearby Glacier National Park. As Sharon’s record of volunteering testifies, many opportunities have crossed her path.

One of the most far-reaching occurred when her husband, Tom, received a phone call last winter from a coworker who was watching his home burn to the ground. The Beard family escaped with their lives but little else. The fire spread so quickly they did not have time to grab even coats or shoes as they fled into the snow.

“My wheels started turning. How can I help?

What can we do?” were the first thoughts that dashed through Sharon’s mind when she and Tom appeared on the scene. “It’s devastating to stand by someone who is losing everything. How do you comfort somebody in that situation when you can go home to a bed and a roof over your head?”

True to form, Sharon soon took charge. She phoned the Red Cross and enlisted their aid in finding immediate shelter; she created an on-line fundraising campaign through youcaring.com; and she opened an account to receive donations at the Whitefish Credit Union. An email blast to everyone on her contacts list and that of the Glacier View Golf Club, where the couple works, soon followed and reached thousands of people. Sharon then notified local television stations and a newspaper, which reported the story and indicated the need for support. Through her efforts, enough money was raised for the Beards to buy a mobile home and receive a houseful of furniture along with – among many other things – food, clothing, and toys.

Sharon cannot praise area businesses enough for their largesse in offering generous discounts or donating to the family. As she says, “One of the best things from the fire is the wonderful stories of people helping out.”

Originally from Columbia Falls, Sharon married her high-school sweetheart in 1976 a year after graduating and moved to Tom’s hometown of West Glacier shortly afterwards. She has been one of the community’s most valuable assets ever since.

When she had children at home, over 25 years ago, Sharon learned that a Japanese couple with minimal English language skills and a toddler had moved nearby. The toddler, now a successful college graduate, still calls Sharon, “my American mom” and for good reason. Though she had never met them, Sharon told the couple to bring their daughter to her house when they wanted a babysitter. As the children grew up together, Sharon never even considered charging for her assistance, which extended beyond daycare to enabling the parents to understand and fill out important documents written in English.

Her sense of compassion runs deep, formed both from a desire to assist others and from the challenges she has faced in her own life. One of the most difficult was losing her third child within a week of the baby’s birth. A friend involved in a grief support group encouraged her to attend their meetings but she did not go because of the 70-mile-round-trip distance from her home. However, Sharon felt strongly that the hospital where she had given birth could do more to aid mothers facing a similar situation. So she initiated meeting with the nursing staff to offer suggestions on how they could help young moms cope with their loss.

“It was important to me that no one would have

to go through what I did,” recalls Sharon. “I felt driven.” Following that, whenever the hospital called for assistance Sharon would contact maternity patients she didn’t know to console them and bring a sense of hope.

After a train derailed near her home, Sharon realized an emergency call list would be useful to notify the area’s 276 residents of any future danger. That prompted her to spearhead a four-person project to compile the list and create a phone-tree. Her efforts proved their worth in 2003 when the Roberts Fire broke out and forced people in and around West Glacier to evacuate their homes.

Beyond these instances, Sharon served several terms on her school board and took a lead in bringing high-speed internet to her community.

From the first time she saw a Missoula Children’s Theatre (MCT) production at the Canyon Elementary School in Hungry Horse some 20 years ago, Sharon saw the potential for bringing such a program to the West Glacier Elementary School and helped raise the money for the students’ first performance. MCT has remained a popular annual event for people of all ages in West Glacier ever since. And come summertime, for the past 15 years she has served with an interfaith program providing worship services in Glacier Park.

“It’s so much more satisfying for me to help somebody else than to do something for myself,” sums up Sharon. “I think everyone should volunteer. The world turns because of volunteering.”

Contributions to the Beard Family Fund can be made to the Whitefish Credit Union, Dennis Beard Fund, P.O. Box 1322, Columbia Falls, MT 59912. MSN

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JUNE/JULY 2015

Lyle Ruterbories: The Nation’s Oldest Park Employee Works at Glacier

By Bernice Karnop In a perfect world, we would all be cutting logs and building trails in remote and beautiful places until we near the century mark. We don’t live in a perfect world, but there are still some who manage to do just that.

Lyle Ruterbories is the oldest National Park Service employee in the nation, and he’s not passing out maps in some museum back east. He’s chasing bears, managing campsites, and keeping things in good repair at a remote campground in Glacier National Park.

When he returns to Glacier this summer, his job will again include living in a one-room cabin without amenities like electricity.

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in 2005. With a devastating loss of a spouse and working partner of sixtyfive years, many would not have the heart to carry on. It wasn’t easy for Lyle either, but he did it.

“Marge always said the Kintla Lake Ranger station was her paradise on earth,” Lyle declares.

Lyle and Marge visited Glacier for the first time in 1962, and returned nearly every year after that. Starting in 1987, the pair served as campground hosts at Avalanche Campground for four years. In 1991, he was asked to be the ranger, and Marge, the campground host at Kintla Lake.

This summer will be his 24th summer.

Lyle has certainly left his mark on the camp. He made log barriers for campsites and built a pole fence around the cabin. He hauls gravel by wheelbarrow to make the paths in the campground accessible. Even more “You become part of this place,” says Lyle importantly, he greets each guest, Ruterbories about Glacier National Park. offering information, assistance, and He felt the connection when he visited the park for the first time in 1962. Since retirfriendship.

Lyle’s blue eyes are clear as the ing, he’s been the seasonal ranger at Kintla alpine lake and his wide smile takes Lake for 23 years and the Park’s become part of him. [Photo by Bernice Karnop] in all comers. He tells the history of the ranger station, built in 1903 by an oil company team. A bear ripped the roof off in 1942. That explains the iron bars and grating on the windows. He knows when the mountain lion passed by this week, and points out the stumps and logs that the black bear recently ripped apart searching for tasty insects.

He watches mergansers scarf up minnows in the gravel along the shore and keeps an eye on those who go out on to the lake in canoes or boats.

Lyle has a natural curiosity about places and people and a positive outlook on life. He and Marge visited 93 countries and went to Antarctica twice.

They were in Berlin before the wall came down and St Petersburg when it was Leningrad.

He’s faced danger on his life journey but felt little fear. He tumbled down a mountain in Glacier one time. That incident earned him a limp, one of the few hints that that he’s aging. He was carrying a gun when he fell and he was more worried about damaging it than about hurting himself.

Lyle, a sheet metal journeyman, retired after 33 years with the nuclear weapons production facility at Rocky Flats in 1985. Born in Nebraska, this farm boy also worked for Beach Aircraft Company, ran a Gamble’s store in Kansas, worked at Montgomery Wards, built houses in Denver, and spent 1944-45 in the Army.

Glacier is a fair commute from his home in Colorado, but Lyle has it down to a science. He drives to Billings and spends the night, then stops in Kalispell before going on to the ranger cabin.

Lyle sounds almost surprised when he acknowledges that he’s the oldest Park Service employee. As an inspiration to all of us Lyle’s message is, “Don’t let the number on the calendar dictate what you can do. Stay as active as you can, stay positive, happy, and engaged with other people.”

We might not find a perfect world in the future, but we expect to see more people truly enjoying life as they age… and as Lyle Ruterbories does today. MSN

JUNE/JULY 2015

Civility: It is More Than Manners

By Gail Jokerst; gailjokerst.com As a newlywed, Kalispell’s Diana Damron learned a life-changing lesson about civility from her husband. He arrived (and still arrives) everywhere early or on time while she was perpetually late. This created friction whenever they had to be somewhere together at a set time. On one memorable occasion, after Diana once-again finished apologizing, he met her words with silence.

“Then he looked at me and said, ‘No, you are not sorry,’” recalls Diana, who now teaches workshops on civility regionally and nationally. “‘If you were truly sorry you would not be late. Obviously, you think that your time is more important than anyone else’s.’ He had the courage to tell me that being late all the time was self-centered and I listened.”

However, Diana did not glide overnight from that pivotal incident to becoming a civility guru, speaker, and speech coach. Instead, her life path led her to a career in modeling and training models, which included etiquette.

From there, she took a secretarial post at a television station and eventually landed a job as a news anchor. Reporting for over a decade in Florida and California, Diana interviewed everyone from felons and rock stars to politicians and the man on the street.

Lessons in civility were assimilated when she learned the importance of working as part of a team whether in the studio or out in the field.

Gradually she came to see that the essence of civility lay in five easy-toremember words. “The consistent implementation of respect. People often think civility means agreeing with you. Not necessarily. It’s how you treat people,” she explains. “Civility runs deep. It’s not a surface thing. It goes back to character and opens the door for our character to become stronger as we pay more attention.”

What eventually prompted Diana to embark on a career helping others to be more civil was a variety of personal experiences dealing with incivility.

“I became aware of toxic environments and rudeness in businesses and their impact on employees. When people are fearful and angry, research shows there are huge emotional and financial costs,” she states. “I wanted to start turning that around.”

According to Diana, American companies lose hundreds of billions of dollars annually because of job stress due to workplace incivility.

“Employers have to pay attention to what goes on in the workplace,” cautions Diana. “Negative behavior and emotions are contagious. Once they get in, they permeate and are pervasive. When incivility takes root, creativity diminishes, and feelings of anger at work go home with you.”

She also feels strongly that civility is past due in many places other than in the work environment.

Practicing civility at home, in her estimation, is the perfect place to begin.

“Those are the people we take for granted. If we start there to care about what’s being said, it bleeds over into other areas of life. We have become fo-

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cused on ourselves – on our happiness and hurt feelings,” observes Diana.

“Because of that, we aren’t thoughtful of others and take offense easily. We lose opportunities to serve other people, humanity, and society.”

Here are six things she recommends to anyone wanting to express more civility and spread more joy in life: 1. Notice how you say things, not just what you say. When we communicate, we tend to focus mostly on our words. But Diana’s research has revealed that words comprise only 7% of the package. Tone of voice and body language carry the bulk of weight in terms of how our message is understood and interpreted. “You can say the right words but say them sarcastically or condescendingly as well as kindly,” she points out. “How a compliment, for example, is delivered is as important as the compliment itself.”

2. Say thank you. According to Diana, one of humankind’s deepest

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yearnings is to be appreciated and there is no better way to do that than to express gratitude to others for their kindness – that requiring some sacrifice or an inconsequential gesture, such as opening a door for someone. “We don’t say thank you enough,” states Diana, who encourages people to look for ways to help the other person. “Sending a thank-you says, ‘I appreciate you as an individual and the effort you made on my behalf.’”

3. Don’t gossip. “It’s neither kind nor respectful to engage in gossip, which is often based on speculation or exaggeration. Gossip erodes the self-confidence of the person who is targeted,” she explains. “As it spreads, it causes behavioral changes that undermine trust.”

4. Make eye contact. Whether thanking someone or sharing her thoughts, Diana tries to do that face-to-face whenever possible. “With technology these days, we don’t have a lot of eye contact,” she notes. “How we communicate with others is important. When you can look into other people’s eyes, you see their anxiety or their delight. You connect. The eyes tell everything.”

5. Be punctual. “Punctuality shows respect for other people’s time and for them. Being late means everyone else has to work around you,” says Diana, who still considers this trait, which launched her on her civility journey, to be an old trusted friend.

6. Smile. “Aside from making you look younger, smiles are contagious,” says Diana. “They open up the heart and that is your life.”

For more information, visit dianadamron.com. MSN

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Flying The Flathead With Dick Schaus continued from cover

The insanely powerful turbo-charged engine roars with a deep tone that is unmistakably vintage. The huge dual wings provide exceptional lift but also produce plenty of drag.

“If I trim it out just right, it can use about five gallons per hour,” he explains. “If I’m at a good cruising altitude, I can set the prop pitch, throttle, and manifold pressure just right to squeeze the right fuel consumption out of it.”

Yes, you have to fly this beast and watch your gauges – no computers allowed! And that’s where vintage aircraft pilots find their glory – tweaking settings to extract the penultimate performance from the plane.

“If I had oxygen, I could be up at thirty thousand feet. It’s got that much power. But that would be too cold, right?”

The Stearman is aerobatic; it can do loops, barrel rolls, fly upside down, and do other assorted gut-wrenching, jaw-dropping stunts, but not unless pilot and passenger are equipped with a parachute.

Because of the wind noise and the drone of the radial engine just a few feet in front, I can only hear about every fourth word of Dick’s conversation.

“What was that?” I ask.

“I said you can grab the control stick now.” Dick says.

Earlier he had promised that I could fly, if only for a few minutes, so I cautiously took hold of the yoke and tried a few banks, left and right, pulled the nose up and then pushed it over and down for a slow roll left, opening up a wondrous view below. With my head in a period leather helmet and goggles, the only thing missing was a billowing silk scarf. I could imagine myself as a young student pilot, circa 1943, learning to fly.

Dick’s Stearman, like many vintage planes, was used as a trainer during World War II, and then, in post war years was used as a crop duster in the Midwest and as a fire retardant bomber in the Yukon Territories before being lovingly restored by its previous owner in Spokane.

True to history, its bright yellow wings, blue fuselage, period-perfect squadron 630 numerals, and Army Air Corps wing stars draw attention from anyone at any airport. Dick has participated in air shows and fly-ins throughout Montana and has been awarded the Golden Aviator award by the FAA for successfully amassing over 1,000 hours of flight time in over a dozen airplanes. He is a retired Navy commander who settled into the Flathead Valley, sought a second career teaching physics at Flathead Valley Community College, and kept amassing hours in single engine private airplanes.

If the takeoff appeared easy, the landing did not.

“Okay. As we come in on final, be sure to keep your feet away from the rudder pedals and your hands off the control yoke.” Dick directed me. “Because these are taildraggers, you have to sort of land by feel rather than on direct vision ahead.”

Right. I could see that immediately as we lined up and began to descend.

Because of the attitude of the plane and the monstrous engine obstructing the view up front, I could not see the runway and neither could Dick, seated right behind me.

“So, umm, how do you actually do this, Dick?” I asked apprehensively.

“Well shoot, you just kinda watch your point of reference off your wingtips and be aware of the perspective of the plane in relation to the upcoming ground and fly by feel.”

With that little bit of reassurance, the front wheels and then the tail wheel, settle into a one-bounce contact with the runway and we are on the slow roll back to the hanger with Dick ”sawing” the plane right and then left all the way to see what’s in front because, of course, he can’t really see straight ahead.

“These taildraggers have horrible ground handling capabilities. If you don’t control the speed of your turns, you can lose a plane real easily,” Dick adds.

With the Stearman tucked safely inside the hanger, Dick makes the customary entry into his flight logbook.

“I always record the date and the name of all my passengers. That’s number 343. By the way, that reminds me to work on that front seat belt fitting that keeps breaking loose. Last time someone almost fell out!”

After we exchange blank looks with one another, he slaps me on the back and breaks out into a broad grin. It’s all part of the pilot culture humor.

“We walked away from another one!” he proclaims. “And as an added bonus we get to fly the plane again.”

Next time I’ll bring my silk scarf. MSN

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Make Your Next Stop Historic Wallace, Idaho Yes! The Center of the Universe is where all Montana roads heading west lead – historic Wallace. Just past Lookout Pass and the Idaho border on Interstate 90 or south on Forest Highway 9 over Thompson Pass lies the Rest & Recreation Capital of the America!

All of Wallace is listed on the National Register of Historic Places – telling stories of silver and gold rushes, mining wars, gambling, prostitution, presidential visits, Wyatt Earp, and more!

The Silver Capital of the World features the Sierra Silver Mine Tour, the Wallace District Mining, Oasis Bordello, and Northern Pacific Railroad Depot Museums as well as our gorgeous and distinctive architecture.

Enjoy world class biking on the Old Milwaukee

Road’s Route of the Hiawatha featuring 10 tunnels and 7 breathtaking trestles or the 72-mile, incredible Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes paved, nonmotorized bike and walking path. A hike on the historic Pulasksi Tunnel Trail tells the epic tale of the 1910 Big Burn.

Active lifestyles require good food and beverages along with comfortable, cozy places to sleep, and Wallace has them all. Known for its unique silver, gift, and sundry shops, Wallace also features two craft breweries that ensure an ample supply of refreshment.

We invite you to visit Hometown, USA – historic Wallace, Idaho – indeed the Center of the Universe! For more information visit wallaceidahochamber.com/ or call 208-753-7151. MSN

North Idaho Adventures Along I-90

By Natalie Bartley Crossing westward from the Idaho/Montana border to the Idaho/Washington border, Interstate 90 offers unending recreational opportuties near the small towns just off the ribbon of highway.

Consider the following outdoor and indoor options on your next westward journey.

Northern Pacific Multi-Use Trail. (Exit 0 and 69) Traveling through deep forests and down a steady incline from Lookout Pass to the town of Mullan, this 11.7-mile trail is known for its remoteness, scenery, and potential wildlife sightings. It is a continuation of the Union Pacific Railroad that served the Silver Valley. Mountain bikers, ATV drivers, and hikers use the old rail bed that is now a gravel road. The town of Mullan is also the eastern terminus of the non-motorized Trail of the Coeur d’Alene, a popular bicycling rail trail.

For the downhill ride, take the I-90 Exit 0 at the Idaho and Montana border. Turn right off the ramp and right again into the Lookout Pass Ski and Recreation Area. Look for the signs directing you on to the trail.

To drop a shuttle vehicle in Mullan, take exit 69 off I-90 east of Mullan. Turn north off River Street onto Second Street and into the Trail of the Coeur d’Alene western terminus parking. The Northern Pacific Mulit-Use Trail ends at the eastern end of the parking area.

The trail is an asphalt road for about 3.0 miles until just before East Shoshone Park. Follow the signs at each intersection to stay on the road/trail, which turns into a dirt and gravel road as it heads up to Lookout Pass.

Rent mountain bikes at Lookout Pass Ski and Recreation Area, 208-744-1301, www.skilookout.com.

For trail information, try the Friends of the Coeur d’Alene Trails Idaho Panhandle Web site at www.friendsofcdatrails.org.

Train and Mining History (Exit 61) With the entire town on the National Register of Historic Places, Wallace is the perfect place to learn about the mining and rail history of north Idaho. Once known as the silver capital of the world, visitors can drop underground on a 15-passenger trolley ride with a retired miner serving as a guide on the Sierra Silver Mine Tour. Bring a sweater as the underground temperature remains at about 50 degrees throughout the year.

While in town, check out the Wallace District Mining Museum 208-556-1592; the Northern Pacific Depot Railroad Museum 208-752-0111; the Oasis Bordello Museum 208-753-0801; Sierra Silver Mine Tour 208-752-5151, www.silverminetour.org; and Historic Wallace Chamber www. wallaceidahochamber.com.

Swim, bike, hike at Silver Mtn Resort (Exit 49) Located in Kellogg, Silver Mountain Resort offers gondola-assisted hiking and mountain biking.

Cooler summer temperatures, colorful wildflowers, far-reaching views, and potential glimpses of big game are bonuses.

Catch a ride on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through and including Labor Day, ascending 3.1 miles and gaining 3,000 vertical feet. Riders access nine designated mountain biking trails and 60 miles of hiking and biking trails.

The paved Trail of the Coeur d’Alene is nearby for additional walking and bicycling on a smooth flat surface.

Information: Silver Mountain Resort Mountain Bikers Full-day gondola ticket $35; One ride for hikers only $17; 800-204-6428 or www.silvermt. com.

Bird Watching at Coeur d’Alene Lake (Exit 15) Watch for great blue herons, osprey, bald eagles, common mergansers, and American tree sparrows at Higgens Point on the east edge of Coeur d’Alene on the North Idaho Centennial Trail.

Take exit 15 off I-90. Get on the Coeur d’Alene Lake Drive and go past the Rutledge Trailhead.

Continue east another 4.5 miles, paralleling the trail, towards Higgens Point to the large parking areas at the end of the road. There are plenty of waysides to stop at to picnic, rest, use the bathroom, and enjoy the peaceful scenery.

Marina parking is at the end of the road, and requires a day-use fee. The paved trail continues about 0.25 more, uphill to Higgens Point, where a park sits at the top of the knoll. On the side of the trail before you climb up the final hill, there are two viewing scopes, which are great for bird watching and gazing at the boating activity on the lake. At the flat top of Higgens Point, take in panoramic views of Blue Creek Bay, Wolf Lodge Bay, and Beauty Bay. Foot trails lead off the point, down to the beach, and back to the paved trail.

Information: North Idaho Centennial Trail www. northidahocentennialtrail.org; and North Idaho Information www.fyinorthidaho.com. MSN

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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 65

Disrupted Biological Clock Linked To Alzheimer’s Disease

tive Biology in the OSU College of Science, and

By David Stauth Corvallis, Ore. – New research has identified expert on the biological and genetic underpinnings some of the processes by which molecules asso- of the biological clock.

“This research adds more support to the hyciated with neurological diseases can disrupt the biological clock, interfere with sleep and activity pothesis that neurological damage is a circular patterns, and set the stage for a spiral of health process that, in turn, causes more disruption of concerns that can include a decreased lifespan the biological clock,” Giebultowicz said. “We’ve identified a new player in this process, a fragment and Alzheimer’s disease.

The research was published in Neurobiology of of the amyloid precursor protein called AICD that is Disease by scientists from Oregon State University able to enter the nucleus of cells and interfere with central clock function.” and the Oregon Health One known cause & Science University, in of Alzheimer’s disease work supported by the is cleavage of an amyNational Institutes of loid precursor protein, Health. which creates a peptide Previous studies that’s toxic to neurons. have shown that disAn enzyme involved is ruption of the biological elevated in Alzheimer’s clock – the natural patpatients. This study took tern of day-night activity that process further and that’s genetically controlled in many animals This fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, is used by re- showed that increased – can cause neurode- searchers at Oregon State University for studies of the production of the engeneration, loss of mo- genes that control the biological clock in many animals, zyme, which in flies is including humans. (Photo courtesy of Oregon State called dBACE, reduced tor function, and early University) the expression of a core death.

The newest results help outline the molecular clock protein.

The results suggest that dBACE acts via dAICD mechanisms involved, and show how proteins associated with neurological disease can diminish to cause the disruption of the biological clock and the biological clock function and ultimately lead loss of daily sleep and activity cycles. This disrupto very serious health problems, including severe tive process was much more severe in older flies.

“A general message from this is that normal cognitive deterioration. It also confirms that these day-night sleep and activity cycles are imporrisks increase significantly with age.

“The molecular basis underlying biological tant,” Giebultowicz said. “There’s evidence that clock deficits in Alzheimer’s disease has been dif- proper sleep allows neuronal repair activity and the ficult to tease out,” said Matthew Blake, an OSU maintenance of neurofaculty research assistant and author of the study. nal health,” she said.

“Only recently have we been able to utilize our “Since neuronal dammodel system to accurately dissect this mecha- age is a destructive process that can build nism.”

This research was done with fruit flies, which on itself once it begins, have many genes and biological processes that it’s important that sleep are similar or identical to those of humans, retained issues should be taken through millions of years of evolution. Circadian seriously by people and clocks are so essential to health that they are found their doctors, especially throughout the nervous system and peripheral as they age.”

Molecular clock osorgans.

Proper function of circadian rhythms has been cillations decline with shown to affect everything from sleep to stress age, Giebultowicz said, reaction, feeding patterns, DNA repair, fertility, and and finding ways to help maintain or restore even the effectiveness of medications.

“Alzheimer’s disease has always been of inter- them might form the est in this research, because sleep disruption is basis for a possible one of its earliest symptoms, and almost everyone therapy to reduce or with Alzheimer’s has some sleep problems,” said prevent the associated Jadwiga Giebultowicz, corresponding author of health problems. MSN this study, a professor in the Department of Integra-

Aging has enough difficulties.

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PAGE 66 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

JUNE/JULY 2015

How To Recognize Stroke Symptoms And What To Do

By Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, What are the symptoms of a stroke? My 66-year-old aunt had a stroke a few months ago and neither she nor my uncle had a clue it was happening.

Concerned Relative

Dear Concerned, Unfortunately, most Americans don’t know the signs of a stroke, but they need to. Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States and the No. 1 cause of disability. Being able to recognize a stroke and getting to the hospital quickly can make a huge difference in reducing its potentially devastating effects. Here are some tips that help you recognize a stroke, and what you should do if it happens to you or your loved one.

Types of Stroke – According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every year more than 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke – three-quarters of which are over the age of 65. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries blood to the brain is suddenly blocked by a clot (ischemic stroke), or burst (hemorrhagic stroke), causing parts of the brain to become damaged or die. About 87 percent of all strokes are ischemic.

Depending on the severity of the brain damage, strokes can cause mild to severe disabilities including paralysis, loss of speech, vision, and memory, along with other health and emotional issues, and death.

Stroke Signs – Because stroke injures the brain, the person having a stroke may not realize it. Stroke victims have the best chance if someone around them recognizes the symptoms and acts quickly. The five most common symptoms include: • Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body.

• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or understanding.

• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.

• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.

• Sudden, severe headache with no known cause.

The easiest way to identify a stroke is to use the F.A.S.T. test to identify the symptoms.

• F (Face): Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?

• A (Arm): Ask the person to raise both arms.

Does one arm drift downward?

• S (Speech): Ask the person to say a simple sentence. Is their speech slurred?

• T (Time): If you observe any of these signs of stroke, call 911.

To help you remember the signs, the American Stroke Association has a free “Spot a Stroke FAST” app (see strokeassociation.org) that you can download on your smartphone or mobile device.

Or, visit the National Stroke Association at stroke. org and print their “Act FAST” wallet card to keep as a reminder.

Act Quickly – Remember that stroke is a medical emergency and every minute counts. Even if you’re not sure a stroke is happening, call 911 anyway. The longer blood flow is cut off to the brain, the greater the damage. Immediate treatment can save a person’s life and improve their chances for a successful recovery.

Ischemic strokes are treated with a drug called t-PA that dissolves the blood clots that block the blood flow to the brain. The window of opportunity to start treating a stroke is three hours. But to be evaluated and receive treatment, patients need to get to the hospital within 60 minutes.

If you have a choice, wait for the paramedics rather than driving the patient yourself. Patients who are transported by EMS are evaluated and treated much quicker than people who are driven in. And, of course, don’t drive if you are the one having a stroke.

It’s also very important that you call 911 even if symptoms go away. When symptoms of stroke disappear on their own after a few minutes, a “ministroke” or transient ischemic attack (TIA) may have occurred which is a warning that a major stroke may be coming. That’s why mini-strokes need to be treated like emergences too.

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. MSN

Is It Time To Get Help With Caregiving? Don’t Try To Go It Alone

By Lisa M. Petsche If you are looking after an aging relative, chances are good that a time will come when you need help to manage all of their needs. Many people are aware of the signs that a loved one needs help looking after their day-to-day needs; changes in grooming, hygiene, and difficulty with medication management are some examples.

What is not so well known are the signs that a caregiver needs help carrying out the responsibilities involved in their role.

Caregiver Circumstances And Needs Physical Health: Your own health is being neglected – for example, when you’re not eating nutritiously or you’re long overdue for a medical checkup.

You’re experiencing sleep deprivation – due

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to the care receiver waking in the night or having their days and nights reversed as can happen with dementia.

You have frequent acute health problems, such as colds or the flu.

You have a chronic health condition that is getting worse – for example, arthritis, or you’ve recently been diagnosed with a health condition that requires lifestyle changes – diabetes or heart disease, for instance.

Mental Health: You feel overwhelmed or trapped.

Friends have noticed changes in your personality or expressed concern about your stress level.

You have a pre-existing mental illness.

You have recently been diagnosed with clinical depression.

à

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You have a strained relationship with the care receiver and it’s taking a toll on you.

You have thoughts of harming the care receiver or have been verbally or physically aggressive towards them.

Role Overload: It’s difficult or impossible to stay on top of household chores or paying bills.

If you’re employed outside of home, you’ve had to take numerous unscheduled days off work to deal with your relative’s needs. Your job may even be in jeopardy.

Another family member also has special needs and relies on you for assistance.

Other: You don’t have any time to yourself.

Your relationship with a significant other is strained due to the amount of time and perhaps resources you devote to caregiving.

You don’t see your friends anymore, or hardly ever.

Your finances are stretched and you need to go back to work (or increase the hours you work if you’re already employed).

Getting Help There are two types of help: formal and informal. The latter involves getting other family members to share the responsibility for caregiving. It’s important to be specific about the kinds of help you need. If relatives live in another area and aren’t able to pitch in, explore whether they’re able and willing to contribute to the cost of hiring help to

make caregiving more manageable.

Formal help is the type of structured assistance that’s offered through community programs and services. In some cases, it may be free of charge or at a reduced cost. Check with the local office on aging or community information service to find out what is available in your area.

A prerequisite to seeking help is acknowledging that you can’t and shouldn’t do it all alone when it comes to caregiving. Accepting help is not a sign of weakness. On the contrary, it’s a sign of strength and wisdom, because outside help can enable you to be more effective in your role and provide care for a longer period than you otherwise might be able to manage.

If people you know have been offering help, take them up on it. Otherwise, speak up and ask, or do some research about formal support options for the care receiver, such as meals on wheels, friendly visiting, volunteer driver programs, accessible transportation, recreational programs, and home healthcare services. Be sure, too, to look into caregiver respite services – including adult day-care programs and nursing facilities that offer short-term residential care – and take advantage of them.

You need and deserve a break.

Lisa M. Petsche is a social worker and a freelance writer specializing in boomer and senior concerns. She has personal and professional experience with elder care. MSN

Thoughtful Gifts for Caregivers

By Lisa M. Petsche The contribution of informal caregivers often goes unrecognized in our society. These unpaid helpers provide practical assistance and enhance quality of life for ill or frail older adults who might otherwise need to move to an assisted living or nursing home.

Typically, caregivers are spouses or children; many are seniors themselves. The majority are women. And the loved ones they care for have physical or mental impairment (perhaps both) caused by one or more chronic health conditions, stroke and dementia being most common.

The caregiving role involves physical, psychological, emotional, and financial demands. It is a heavy load, exacerbated by the limited availability of community support services.

But there are rewards for caregivers, too.

These may include a closer relationship with the care recipient; increased creativity and assertiveness; increased insight into their own strengths and limitations; a general increase in compassion for others; re-thinking of values and priorities; learning to live in the present and appreciate the simpler things in life that make it enjoyable. Then, too, there is the satisfaction of knowing they are doing something meaningful.

The caregiving journey can be long, though, and particularly challenging when the elder has heavy hands-on needs, a demanding personality, or cognitive impairment. This can cause a variety of emotions along the way, including sadness, grief, frustration, anger, resentment, guilt, anxiety, and loneliness. Burnout is common, due to the physical toll of caring for someone who is ill and the emotional strain of dealing with the suffering and decline of a loved one.

Thoughtful Gifts – To show you care, the following are is variety of gift ideas for the caregiver in your life – for special occasions and for no particular occasion (that is, as a nice surprise).

• Booklet of IOUs for one or more of the following: home-cooked meals, baked goods, respite care, household chores or repairs, yard work, chauffeuring, running errands.

• Answering machine, cordless phone, or cell phone.

• Wall calendar with plenty of space for noting appointments.

• Caregiving binder for keeping records and organizing paperwork.

• Membership in a caregivers’ organization or the non-profit organization associated with

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 67

the relative’s disease (for example, the Alzheimer’s Association or Parkinson Foundation).

• Gift certificate for a home healthcare agency, medical supply store, or housecleaning service.

• So they can go out together, a book of tickets or gift vouchers for accessible transportation if the care receiver is not able to ride in a car.

• Inspirational book, collection of verses, or short stories • Subscription to a magazine that reflects

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an interest or favorite pastime.

• Decorative journal for recording experiences, thoughts, and feelings, along with a high quality pen.

• Relaxation tapes or miniature water fountain.

• Bird feeder and seed, or binoculars for bird watching.

• Hobby or craft supplies.

• Writing paper and envelopes or a set of alloccasion note cards with postage stamps.

• Scented items: hand and body lotion, cologne, bar soap, bath salts or shower gel, drawer sachets, potpourri, or votive candles.

• Basket of sweets, gourmet coffees and teas, jams and jellies, or dried fruit and nuts.

• Gift certificate to a restaurant with takeout and delivery service, a dry cleaner with pickup service, or a pharmacy or grocery store that delivers.

• Two tickets to a cultural event – so a friend can accompany them – and an IOU for respite care.

This is just a limited list of ideas, so don’t hesitate to be creative. For higher-cost items, pool resources with family members or friends.

And remember, emotional support and your time are the two most valuable gifts you can give a caregiver. MSN

Volunteering For Veterans - continued from page 56 had logged over three miles. “You might run into someone in the hall who needs directions,” Lois says. “We actually walk with them to x-ray or the business office or wherever it is they need to go,” she says. After taking a brief walking tour with her around a part of the facility, I can appreciate how helpful it would be to have a guide from one place to another.

“As I walk through, the most important thing I feel that I do is I acknowledge that veteran,” Lois says. On any given day, they will see veterans from WW II, Korea, Viet Nam, “and we are getting more and more who have just returned from Iraq or Afghanistan,” Lois reports.

Bill is always willing to take the time to stop and listen, to share “war stories,” with veterans whatever their age.

“They are amazing people,” Lois says. Bill also notices how the older veterans respond to the younger men and women who come in. Those

who serve in the military share more than a culture, more than a community. “It’s a family,” he says.

“A bonded family, you can see the pride, the respect, these older World War II vets show when a younger veteran walks in from Afghanistan or Iraq… when they talk to them or pass by them in the hall.”

And in the middle of all this are the volunteers – about 500 around the state. Like Bill and Lois, they are doing whatever is needed to help. Those volunteer hours translate, not only into better service for our veterans, but also into dollars saved – about $2 million.

“Most of all we’re here for the veterans,” says Lois. By giving of their time and donations – women around the state make quilts and crochet Afghans and baby blankets, Lois Schmidt, Bill White, and all the volunteers have become part of that unique family bond shared by all those who have served. MSN

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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 69

The Magic Of Montana Is In The Details

So many facts about Montana are unique that discovering them all is probably an insurmountable task, Janet Spencer, author of Montana Trivia (Riverbend Publishing, $10 + $2 S & H; 866-787-2363) probably knows more than anyone, so we have reprinted a few for your enjoyment.

1. Makoshika State Park, a badlands area, with 8,834 acres is the largest state park in Montana.

2. Charles Bair, who owned some 300,000 sheep (thought to be the largest flock in the na-

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tion), filled forty-four railroad cars with about 1.5 million pounds of wool in 1905.

3. Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge wrapping around Fort Peck Lake is the second largest wildlife refuge in the lower 48 states. Desert National Wildlife Range north of Las Vegas is the largest.

4. Beaver Creek County Park near Havre is the largest county park in the nation with about 10,000 acres.

5. Governor Donald Nutter and five others died in a plane crash when winds tore a wing off his plane in 1962, only a year after he was elected.

6. Only between one-third and one-half of western settlers who filed claims under the Homestead Act were successful in getting title to the land.

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7. Of the 270 million acres that were claimed nationwide under the Homestead Act, Montanans claimed the most with 32 million acres. Nebraska was second with 22 million acres.

8. The bitterroot, the Montana state flower, can live for over a year without water and can be revived even after being boiled, dried, or pressed. Its tenacity is reflected in its Latin name Lewisia rediviva with “Lewisia” being for Meriwether Lewis who cataloged it, and “rediviva” meaning “one who lives again.”

9. At Montana Mule Days in Drummond each June, you participate in the annual Flapjack Race, where rules dictate that you must build a fire and cook an edible pancake, all while keeping your untied mule within fifteen feet of you at all times.

10. The Bitterroot National Forest was the first in Montana and one of the first in the nation in 1887.

11. All eleven team members of the Golden Bobcats of Montana State College in 1940 were killed in World War II. 12. Three workers died during the construction of the precarious Going-to-the Sun Road, which is fifty-two miles long.

One lost his grip on a rope; one fell over a cliff; and one was hit by a falling rock. The employee turnover rate was 300 percent.

C. M. Russell, Deer at Lake McDonald, 1986.06.01, MHS Museum Collection

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13. The population density for both Petroleum and Garfield Counties, Montana’s least populated counties, is .3 people per square mile.

14. The Blackfeet Indian Nation was paid $1.5 million, at $150,000 per year for ten years, in 1896 for the property that now composes Glacier National Park.

15. The state’s first highway, built in 1923, consisted of twenty-six miles of concrete connecting the two key mining towns of Butte, where the ore was mined, and Anaconda, where the ore was smelted.

16. In 1901 at the height of sheep ranching in Montana, there were twenty-five times as many sheep in the state as there were humans – six million sheep, making Montana the top sheep-producing state in the nation.

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18. The only two states that have a population density less than Montana, which has an average of 6.2 people per square mile, are Alaska and Wyoming. The national average is 75 people per square mile, and New York City has a density of 26,402 per square mile.

19. David Williams, at age twenty-one the youngest man ever elected to the Montana state legislature, was the father of Myrna Loy, the famous 1940s leading lady. MSN

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2015 Governor’s Conference on Aging Joins Montana Gerontology Society to Gain Insights into Alzheimer’s Disease: Lifespan Respite Care and Other Aging Resources and Supports

By Bernice Karnop People can accomplish more working together than they can working independently. This year’s Governor’s Conference on Aging joined the Montana Gerontology Society to bring an impressive slate of speakers from across the nation to help listeners understand and tackle the challenges associated with the coming wave of people with dementia. The conference drew many differ-

ent organizations and individuals, including the Alzheimer’s Association, AARP, the Lifespan Respite Coalition, the Money Follows the Person Grant program, health professionals, caregivers, and seniors.

Each brought an important piece to the table.

Their goal was improving Montana’s ability to provide services to people with the disease and to their caregivers.

Why focus on Alzheimer’s? Because the number of people with Alzheimer’s is growing rapidly. By 2050, the Late Onset Alzheimer’s Disease (LOAD) population worldwide is expected to be over 115 million individuals. Of the top ten reported causes of death in the world, this is the only one for which the numbers continue to rise and yet no treatment or cure has emerged. Montana has around 19,000 persons living with this disease now, and by 2025, just ten years from now, the number will be 27,000. The increased need combined with shrinking budgets pose a serious problem.

The Montana Alzheimer’s/Dementia Work Group is working on a Montana State Comprehensive Plan on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias. This will bring focus to the problem and possible solutions. Encouraging developments include early detection through blood tests and engaging folks in the early stages of the disease about what they want for treatment and services.

Home and community based services and respite

care were emphasized as ways to cut costs and, at the same time, allow people to stay in their own homes for as long as possible. Person-centered care was also highlighted, including instruction on how to communicate with people with LOAD. The need for more caregivers, more health professionals, and more research is evident. Alternate “helpers” can be mobile devices that can be used as reminders, alerts, and information sources. Presenters of the various technological tools added that simple, low-tech solutions are generally best.

And we Montanans treasure our Centenarians.

There were 390 people at the Centenarian Luncheon. Governor Steve Bullock led in the Happy Birthday song to Christine Peterson on her 103rd birthday, and then personally greeted each of nearly two dozen people over 100 who attended.

Centenarians honored included: Ruth Arnold, 104, Three Forks; Charles Bennetts, 102, Fairfield; Keo Burcham, 103, Missoula; Inga Morris-Connolly, 102, Great Falls; Hank Dahl, 101, Helena; Evelyn Dunlap, 101, Missoula; Elizabeth Gibson, 100, Helena; Florence “Chloe” Grimm, 100, Anaconda; Alberta Haltom, 103, Helena; John Hocevar, 100, Great Falls; Mary Lincoln, 101, Chester; Arvah Morton, 103, Helena; Al Muggli, 101, Clyde Park; Charlotte Niklas, 104, Helena; Christine Petersen, 103, Butte; Edith Spencer, 100, Bozeman; Ernie Stomsvik, 105, Cut Bank; Elena Superneau, 100, Missoula; Ann Van Sickle, 102, Helena; Frederick

JUNE/JULY 2015

“Fritz” Week, 100, Helena; and Edith “Suzanne” Yerx, 100, Bozeman.

Readers should remember that, like other health issues, it’s possible to lower one’s risk of Alzheimer’s. What’s good for your heart is

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 75

also good for your brain: exercise daily, eat your vegetables, stop smoking, and eat and drink in moderation. Many mysteries still surround LOAD, but the clouds are breaking. Hopeful progress is being made. MSN Big checks for mini-grants help fund projects from computers to refrigerators for Montana senior groups.

This year eight grants went to Boulder Basin Senior Center; Daniels County Council on Aging; Lake County Council on Aging; Noxon Senior Center; Meagher County Senior Center; Prairie County Community Center; Three Rivers Senior Citizen’s Club; and Treasure County Senior Citizens. Shown are Lake County representatives, Joanne Shaw, Lake County Council on Aging director; and Nancy Rourk, in-home services manager, photo center. Awarding the check are speaker Martha Roherty, Executive Director of the National Association of States United on Aging and Disabilities, left, and Joan Tayler, chair, Montana Governor’s Advisory Council on Aging, right. The Lake County women were delighted with the $400 for respite training. “We need more respite care workers,” they stated. [Photo by Bernice Karnop]

Rose Fritz and Donna Mullan from Shepherd attended their first GCA. Rose, a former schoolteacher in Miles City came to learn about senior centers, as she is the president in Shepherd. Donna didn’t expect to live long enough to be concerned about aging before she received a new kidney three years ago. She’s a poster child for organ donors, having paid it forward some years ago when they donated organs from two children killed in a car accident. She was barely awake from the kidney transplant before she was writing to the donor family to thank them. She has been blessed to know and follow the grateful cornea recipient, who, because of their donation, has seen his children’s high school and college graduations, and weddings. Donna lived in the Evergreen State, Washington, for 25 years before moving to Shepherd, trading the big trees for prickly pear, yucca, and sagebrush. She says they’re living her husband’s dream. He fell in love with the high plains on hunting vacations. They love the friendly senior group that meets weekly at the Feedlot restaurant for dinner and entertainment. [Photo by Bernice Karnop]

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JUNE/JULY 2015

Elly Rennick, from the Senior Center in Havre, checked out the signature teas and aromatherapy at the Highgate Senior Living booth. Highgate has facilities in Great Falls, Bozeman, and Billings. Corryn Toombs and Adim Zaazaa were at the table answering questions about Highgate’s assisted living and memory care options. [Photo by Bernice Karnop]

Centenarians John Hocevar and Inga Morris Connolly, front, shared some giggles along with their daughters, Pauline Schaff and Pat Strand, all of Great Falls. Inga, who calls herself “humbly Norwegian” stated that after 100 years they could start over. If so, John would be zero and Inga two. Inga was born on the family homestead near Red Lodge but moved to Norway at age six. They moved back to Red Lodge when she was nine. She loves music, dancing, and fishing. She and her husband owned a music store in Great Falls and loved camping in their RV. She really loved it when her daughter, Pat turned 64, and delivered 64 roses to Inga! Inga and John are only two of the 22 elite honorees at the Centenarian luncheon. [Photo

by Bernice Karnop]

Ann McKinsey, right, at the Montana Military Museum booth, let people know more about this excellent facility at Helena’s Fort William Henry Harrison. The museum is “dedicated to Montana’s commitment to freedom and our connection to Montana’s military history from Lewis and Clark through the World Wars and beyond.” With Ann is Denise Rich, Nye, who learned that she could donate military artifacts left to her by an uncle. Individuals may also support the museum financially. [Photo by Bernice Karnop]

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This fun pair is Connie Beggar (l.), Billings, the new Montana Gerontology Society president, and Mindy Renfro, Missoula, the outgoing president. [Photo by Bernice Karnop]

JUNE/JULY 2015 AARP’s communications director, Stacia Dahl, center, organized the wine and cheese reception featuring brain health.

With her are Dr. Phillip Rambo, (l.), and Dr. Christine Childers (r.). Dr. Childers’ topic, The Effect of Early Childhood Experiences on Healthy Aging, explained how early childhood experiences affect individual’s lifetime health and how to mitigate these factors for a better life. Dr. Rambo spoke on age-related cognitive changes and recent advances in healthy aging. Although there are many causes of dementia, lifestyle does matter. Exercising 30 minutes a day, maintaining mental activity through classes, reading, games, hobbies, social activity, and diet improve the chances for healthy aging.

[Photo by Bernice Karnop]

Two gentlemen from Whitehall, Harry Tavenner (l.) and Ervin Hidegaard, relaxed at the AARP Brain Health Event. Harry entered the Montana Senior News egg contest in the last issue. If he wins, he’ll donate the cash prize to their center. The Whitehall center serves meals five days a week, cooked by “the best cook in the nation,” he says. Ervin says his wife grew up in Big Timber and “we could never get the hay seed out of her hair.” They choose to live and raise their children in the small community of Whitehall. Ervin commuted over the hill to Butte to work for Montana Power. He boasts that he never once had to put on chains. [Photo by Bernice Karnop]

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 77

PAGE 78 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

JUNE/JULY 2015

Somewhere in the world there is an empigram for every dilemmna.

- Hendrick Willen van Loon

A centerpiece in the vendor room was the display, “A Century of Stories: Life in Montana at 100: 1914 to 2014,” sponsored by the Missoulian and the Montana Broadcasters Association. A project of University of Montana journalism students, it includes a dozen large photos of Montanan Centenarians and a brief story about each one. Chester women, Pat Ludwig and Betty Marshall were delighted to see a familiar face, that of Emma B. Lommasson, who greeted students for many years as registrar at the University of Montana in Missoula. According to the accompanying story, Lommasson was born in Sand Coulee, December 11, 1911, to Italian immigrants. She spoke only Italian until she was six years old. She was the first woman in Sand Coulee to attend college, where she majored in mathematics. She was associated with UM for 58 years as a student, teacher, staff member, and registrar. The Emma B. Lommasson Center at the U of M was named for her. [Photo by Bernice Karnop] More than 40 vendors spilled out into the hallway of the Red Lion Colonial Inn during the GCA. Not only did they add to the information available at the conference, they also added to the fun, with giveaways, raffles, and silent auctions. In the photo, Zelpha Boyd from Bozeman signs up for a chance to win $50 at the Montana SMP program booth. The Montana Senior Medicare Patrol helps seniors figure out their Medicare billing questions by matching volunteers with people who need an advocate. [Photo by Bernice Karnop]

God grant me the serenity to accept the people I cannot change, the courage to change the one I can, and the wisdom to know it’s me.

- Author Unknown

JUNE/JULY 2015

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 79

Del “Lonnie” Lonnquist, an AARP volunteer, is acquainted with the gritty side of Alzheimer’s disease. No statistics and research will tell you what size Depends to buy, he affirms. His creative care for his wife of 60 years included replacing a restraining belt with colorful vests with ties to hold her upright in her chair; splitting her pretty dresses down the back and securing them with ties so she could wear them in bed; and creating a fabric book that she spent hours touching. When she died, the kids wondered what he’d do. “I think I’ll take a little ride,” he said. It was an affirmative statement that there’s life after Alzheimer’s. He got on his motorcycle and did the Iron Butt Challenge – driving 1,000 miles in one day. When he got to Minneapolis, he kept going. He started a blog, RightLaneAmerica.com, and spent the next six months traveling America. The banner says, “1 motorcycle + 1 sidecar + 1 eighty year old man=Right Lane America.” He’s written some of his experiences in a book, The Longest Ride – Reimagining Life after Alzheimer’s, which will be available soon on Amazon, or on his web site. Watch for him and wave when you see him on the road this summer. [Photo by Bernice Karnop]

T H R O U G H

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PAGE 80 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

JUNE/JULY 2015

Speakers didn’t wonder if the audience was engaged. Each talk was followed by excellent questions from the floor.

Shown are Thompson Falls’ physical therapist, Honini Poleguaptewa, talking to speaker Howard Federoff, M.D., PhD, executive dean of the School of Medicine, Georgetown University. With them is Terry Egan, MS, associate director of Montana Geriatric Education Center at the University of Montana. Dr. Federoff says that at Georgetown, their research focuses on ways to identify Alzheimer’s disease early. Although age is the greatest risk factor, he notes that a person can control certain factors that are proven to create greater risk for dementia. They include the epidemic of diabetes and childhood obesity, which he calls, “the scourge of the century.” Honini Poleguaptewa, a native Hopi, who’s lived in Montana for 15 years, encourages his clients at Clark Fork Valley Medical Network to take charge of themselves by adopting a lifestyle that prevents illness. [Photo by Bernice Karnop]

Speaker Michael Splaine, from Splaine Consulting, Columbia, MD, brought a global perspective to the issues of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. The U.S. is only one country that needs to prepare for the coming impact.

China, which has a bigger problem than we do, spends $500 million U.S. dollars a year on Alzheimer’s research. Research is happening in many countries. Because of earlier detection, people with the disease are now able to a voice in planning for their treatment and care for the first time.

Our response to the challenge of the wave of people needing care is not just about economic impacts or even health care challenges, according to Splaine. “It’s a moral test on the society level.” [Photo by Bernice Karnop]

Gwendolyn “Jean” Farnham serves as the Three Forks Senior Center president. She and her husband came to Three Forks in 1988 to house sit for her mother… and never left. They had been snowbirds but their motorhome burned about the same time her mother wanted to relocate to a warmer climate. They replaced the motorhome with a boat and trekked out to Houser Lake for many fine days of fishing, instead. [Photo by Bernice Karnop]

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We are on the cusp of the summer release of new movies… but if you look at the list, don’t you wonder, “Where did all the good movies go?” It seems like the old movies were just better – no they did not have the fancy special effects or the surround sound, but the stories and the actors just seemed so much better. Or, maybe they were not really better, but we just identify with them because they were parts of our younger lives.

When you work this month’s Movies and Movie Stars quiz let yourself go back a few years and recall where you were in your life when these movies and actors were popular. Thank you and

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 81

congratulations to Patty Friedrich of Missoula for submitting this quiz. She is the winner of the $25.

Thank you to all who participated in our Phrases of Popular Culture quiz in the April/May 2015 issue.

The winner of the $25 prize is Gary Tenda of Twin Bridges. Congratulations, Gary!

Thank you also to the many who tracked down the hidden Easter Eggs, also in the April/May 2015 issue. The winner of the $25 prize is Robert Gansel of Rexford. Congratulations, Robert!

Two $25 cash prizes are awarded from the “Contest Corner” in each issue of the Montana Senior News. One prize goes to the person who

submits the winning answers to the featured quiz from the previous issue. The second 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 and send us some good, fun, and interesting puzzles!

Please mail your entries to the Montana Senior News, P.O. Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403, or email to montsrnews@bresnan.net by July 10, 2015 for our August/September 2015 edition. Be sure to work the crossword puzzle on our website montanaseniornews.com.

Movies and Movie Stars Submitted by Patty Friedrich, Missoula Below are the numbered names of 25 movies and the letter-designated names of 25 movie stars. Your job is to match the actor or actress to the movie in which they starred. Just jot down your answers on a numbered sheet of paper and mail them to us. E-mail is fine too (be sure to include your USPS mailing address). Have fun with this journey onto the silver screen.

1. Thunder on the Hill 2. Gone With the Wind 3. Souls at Sea 4. The Unforgiven 5. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

6. David Copperfield 7. Casablanca 8. The African Queen 9. The Rainmaker 10. The Mark of Zorro 11. Sudden Fear

F. Katherine Hepburn G. Clint Eastwood H. Paul Newman I. Claudette Colbert J. Marilyn Monroe K. Joan Crawford L. Elizabeth Taylor M. John Wayne N. Marlon Brando O. Henry Fonda P. Richard Burton Q. Vivien Leigh R. Audrey Hepburn S. Humphrey Bogart T. Kirk Douglas U. Cary Grant V. Charlton Heston W. Gary Cooper X. Spencer Tracy Y. Tyrone Power MSN

12. Jezebel 13. Breakfast at Tiffany’s 14. Sayonara 15. Mutiny on the Bounty 16. The Agony and the Ecstasy 17. The Grapes of Wrath 18. The Taming of the Shrew 19. Ulysses 20. The Old Man and the Sea 21. Cool Hand Luke 22. North by Northwest 23. To Kill a Mockingbird 24. How to Marry a Millionaire 25. North to Alaska A. Burt Lancaster B. W.C. Fields C. Gregory Peck D. Clark Gable E. Bette Davis

Answers to Phrases Of Popular Culture

Submitted by Jim Meade 1. Silver bullet 2. The Ed Sullivan Show 3. On Route 66 4. To protect the innocent 5. The lion sleeps tonight 6. The Limbo 7. Chocolate 8. Louis Armstrong 9. Timex watches 10. Freddy, the Freeloader

11. Good Night and God Bless 12. Beetle or Bug 13. Buddy Holly 14. Sputnik 15. Hula Hoop 16. Lucky Strike/Means Fine Tobacco 17. Howdy Doody Time 18. Shadow 19. Monster Mash 20. Speedy

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Answers To Gather The Hidden Eggs 1. 8 2. 18 3. 30 4. 37

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PAGE 82 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

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Destiny opponent 47. Norse deity and husband of Frigg 48. Shoe hole 50. Audio bounce-back 52. Lt.’s inferior, in the Navy 53. Frequenter 55. ___ de Triomphe 57. *Type of Wild West wagon 61. Metallurgy factory 65. Run off to wed 66. Female sheep 68. “_____ two shoes” 69. RAF member 70. Spring mo.

71. Plural of ostium 72. A chronic drinker, pl.

73. *Billy the Kid’s was less than 20 when killing his first 74. Lofty homes

DOWN

ACROSS

1. French pancake 6. Trig function 9. *The steam ____motive drove Western growth 13. Flotsam and jetsam alternative 14. Earned at Kellogg School of Management 15. In any degree at all, archaic 16. Discrimination against elderly people 17. Black gold 18. Traction aid 19. *Spaghetti _______

21. *Precursor to cowboy 23. Type of tree 24. Cough syrup balsam 25. Contrary conjunction 28. Heracles’ wife 30. Methane or carbon dioxide, e.g.

35. “Put a lid __ __!”

37. Russian mountain chain 39. Lorry in America 40. Capital of Norway 41. Special Administrative Region of China 43. Tubular pasta 44. Rock bottom 46. *____ Party, Manifest

1. Bird weapon 2. Angry display 3. Shining armor 4. Fusilli, e.g.

5. Catch in a net 6. Kesha’s 2012 hit 7. ___-Wan 8. Artillery burst 9. Beauty or babe 10. Curved molding 11. Blacken 12. Football great ____ Graham 15. *Jury did it to Wild Bill Hickok after famous gunfight 20. Watery discharge from eyes or nose 22. Priestly garb 24. *She often worked in one room in Old West 25. *The Wilderness Road trailblazer 26. “Take it back!”

27. Found over “n” in Spanish 29. Brightly colored and showy, Scottish

31. Rice-like pasta 32. *Sacagawea, e.g.

33. To ___ __ a play 34. *They were often traded 36. Work hard 38. Non-clerical 42. Early Irish alphabet 45. Bemoan 49. Triple ___ loop in skating 51. *______ Trail, spanning east-west 54. Swelling 56. Intimate 57. Large edible mushrooms with a brown cap 58. Assortment 59. Unit V 60. “Iliad,” e.g.

61. Bone-dry 62. Marines’ toy recipients 63. Prep for publication 64. Swedish shag rugs 67. Tail action MSN

JUNE/JULY 2015

MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 83

“THANKFULLY PHYSICIAN ASSISTED SUICIDE REMAINS A HOMICIDE IN MONTANA” Our 2015 Montana Legislature rejected Senate Bill (SB) 202 that would have legalized non-voluntary euthanasia, trampling individual’s rights.

Montana Disability Rights advocates describe SB 202 as a blunt instrument. Montanans are not for such a heavy hand.

This is the third legislative session in a row that so-called “aid in dying” or assisted suicide and euthanasia legislation has been thankfully rejected in Montana in the face of record out-of-state lobbying by a corporation. It is a corporation attempting to buy a license to sift through our seniors for a wind-fall profit.

Marilyn Golden, senior policy analyst with Disabilities Rights Education & Defense Fund, said “if these [aid in dying] bills pass, some people’s lives will be ended without their consent, through mistakes and abuse. No safeguards have ever been enacted or proposed that can prevent this outcome, which can never be undone.”

Thankfully our legislators read the bills and keep us safe.

Prevent assisted elder abuse.

Say NO to assisted suicide.

President

PAGE 84 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS

JUNE/JULY 2015

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