Zest June 2019

JUNE 2019

A passion for work World War II veteran and Litchfield resident Roger Tipka, 98, goes to work Tuesdays and Thursdays at Davis Motors in Litchfield

nI side:

 Inaugural Tour de Meeker coming this summer  Love marching band music? Don’t miss Parade of Bands on June 18  Does Medicare cover ambulance transportation?

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

JUNE Concerts in Central Park begin on June 6 in Litchfield The Litchfield Area Male Chorus is the first performance group of the season at Concerts in Central Park.

The performance is from 6 to 8 p.m. in Litch field’s downtown Central Park. This year’s schedule features Meeker Area Ministries on June 13; the Marv Nissel Band on June 20; the Mary Guentzel Quintet on June 27; no concert on July 4; Watercade Idol on July 11; Tim and Kristi on July 18; Gravel Road on July 25; no band on Aug. 1; Everett Smithson Band on Aug. 8; and Rainbow Singers on Aug. 15. Admission is free and the public is welcome.

FILE PHOTO

This bronze statue created by Brodin Studios in Litchfield was commissioned by the Darnell Army Medical Center in Fort Hood, Texas. View the work of the Litchfield-based studio at the Dassel History Center exhibit through June 15.

New exhibits at Dassel History Center The Dassel History Center, 9 01 First St., is featuring two new exhibits: “Manthei Farm Dioramas” and “Brodin Studios: The Brodin Brothers — Rodger, John and Neil.” The dioramas exhibit is showing through Labor Day and the Brodin Studios

2 ZEST | JUNE 2019

exhibit is on display through June 15. View the exhibits from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. For more information, call the history center at 320-275-3077.

77th annual Hutchinson Jaycee Water Carnival is June 8-16 Hutchinson’s annual summer festival, the Hutchinson Jaycee Water Carnival, begins Saturday, June 8, and runs through Sunday, June 16. For more information, call the Hutchinson Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism at 320-587-5252 or visit watercarnival.org.

Music in the Park begins June 10 Hutchinson’s Music in the Park is shaking things up this year. The outdoor summer concert series will begin Monday, June 10. In a change from past years, the public will be introduced to the Hutchinson Jaycee Water Carnival queen and junior royalty candidates at 6 p.m. followed by live music by Shirts & Skins at 6:30 p.m. both at Library Square in downtown Hutchinson. The social is by the Odd Fellows Lodge.

This year’s summer concert series features: SouthGrade on June 17: Everett Smithson Band on June 24; Julyda on July 1; Traveled Ground on July 8, Beer and Hymns Band on July 15; Blues Driver on July 22; Meire Grove Band on July 29; and Gravel Road on Aug. 5. Inclement weather location will be announced by noon Mondays on KDUZ Radio 1260 AM and KARP 106.9 FM or visit Music in the Park’s Facebook page.

Winstock Country Music Festival Country music fans f lock to the Winstock Country Music Festival Friday and Saturday, June 14-15 in Winsted. Jason Aldean, the 2018 Entertainer of the Year, returns to Winstock as Friday’s Main Stage headliner.

Joining Aldean on Friday is Kane Brown. Making its Winstock debut and headlining on the Main Stage on Saturday is the 2018 Vocal Group of the Year Old Dominion. Also performing Saturday is Brett Young, Midland and

Diamond Rio. For more information about the 26th annual country music festival, visit winstockfestival.com.

Parade of Bands Litchfield will recognize its 150th anniversary with a Parade of Bands at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 18. For more information, call the Litchfield Visitors Bureau at 320-693-8184.

Fishing with Seniors The Litchfield Student Anglers Club is hosting a free Fishing with Seniors event from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 19, at the East Landing at Lake Ripley in Litchfield. Advance registration is required by June 12.

To reserve your spot, call Litchfield Community Education at 320-693-2354.

Noon summer concert series begins June 26 Peace Lutheran Church, 400 Franklin St. S.W., Hutchinson, begins its free Noon Concert Series on Wednesday, June 26. The schedule begins with 2 Sisters: Ellen Tracy and Julie Vrieze.

Future performers include: July 3: A Patriotic Celebration with Hutchinson Memorial Rifle Squad and Paul Otte, organist; July 10: Josie Sanken; July 17: Organ duets with Brandon Begnaud and Dr. Joan DeVee Dixon; July 24: Stoney Point with Lucy Newcomb, Robin Kashuba and Brian Brosz; July 31: BASICS, Brothers and Sisters in Christ Singing; and Aug. 7: Chuck T hiel on t he concer ti na. Fol lowing the concert a salad luncheon is served in the Peace Center. For more information, call the church office at 320-587-3031.

JULY Litchfield is celebrating 150 years, Watercade It ’s a week of festivities when Litchfield celebrates its 150th anniversary July 8-10 and then moves into Watercade from July 11-14. For more information about these events, call the Litchfield Area Chamber of Commerce at 320 - 693-8184 or visit watercade.com.

CONTENTS

6

In the news: Love

marching band music?

Don’t miss Litchfield’s inaugural Parade of Bands on June 18

JUNE 2019 Vol. 11 No. 4 PUBLISHED BY Hutchinson Leader 170 Shady Ridge Road N.W., Suite 100 Hutchinson, MN 55350 320-753-3635 Litchfield Independent Review P.O. Box 307, Litchfield, MN 55355 320-693-3266 PUBLISHER Brent Schacherer: 320-753-3637 schacherer@hutchinsonleader.com

9 Cover story:

Litchfield resident Roger Tipka has a passion for work.

At 98, he can be found at Davis Motors welcoming customers to the dealership

NEWS Kay Johnson, features editor 320-753-3641 johnson@hutchinsonleader.com ADVERTISING Kevin True, advertising director 320-753-3648 true@hutchinsonleader.com Sales representatives

7

In the news:

Queens of the court: Duo has bonded over volleyball, families for four decades

12 Money matters:

Lessons about money can be priceless gifts to

grandchildren

14 Medicare: 15 Recipes:

Find out if Medicare covers ambulance transportation

Dip into these fruit salsas and radish spread

 Ronda Kurtzweg: 320-753-3652, kurtzweg@hutchinsonleader.com  Colleen Piechowski: 320-753-3652, piechowski@hutchinsonleader.com  Hayley Anderson: 320-753-3651, anderson@hutchinsonleader.com  Charlie Schurmann: 320-593-4804 schurmann@independentreview.net

SUBSCRIPTION OR ADDRESS CHANGE Toni Adams: 320-753-3657 circulation@crowrivermedia.com PRINTED BY Crow River Press 170 Shady Ridge Road N.W. Hutchinson, MN 55350 Zest is published monthly by the Hutchinson Leader and the Litchfield Independent Review newspapers. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior consent of the publisher.

JUNE 2019 | ZEST 3

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WELCOME

Festivals, theater and music add to summer pleasure

I

t’s funny how quickly we forget about winter when sunny skies and warm temperatures fill our days. It’s June and I’m happy about that.

Three things come to mind when I think about summer: festivals, outdoor music concerts and community theater.

Hutchinson is ready to roll out the red carpet for the 77th annual Hutchinson Jaycee Water Carnival, Saturday, June 8, through Sunday, June 16. The weeklong schedule of events will kick off with the new Party in the Park from 3 to 11 p.m.

Saturday, June 8, at Library Square in downtown Hutchinson. This all-ages free event features everything from children’s activities to the Mayor’s Pulled Pork Challenge and live music by the Music Junkies. For more information, visit watercarnival.org.

Litchfield is rolling out its

Kay

JOHNSON ARTS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR

inaugural Parade of Bands on Tuesday, June 18. Participating will be:  Benson HS Marching Band  Fergus Falls HS Marching Band  Henry Sibley Marching Band  Hutchinson Marching Tigers  KMS Marching Saints  Lake City Tiger Band  Litchfield Marching Dragons  Mankato 77 Lancers

We’re here for one reason.

 Milaca HS Marching Wolves  Sartell Marching Sabers  Waconia HS Marching Band As of early May, the Litchfield Visitors Bureau was at 70 percent of its fundraising goal for this event.

For more information or to make a donation, visit the Litchfield Parade of Bands Facebook page.

Summer musicals are on the schedule with Litchfield Community Theatre performing “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.” Hutchinson Theatre Company staging “Happy Days: A New Musical” and Dassel-Cokato rolling out “Man of La Mancha.”

If you’re looking for a volunteer activity, consider sharing your time and talent with a local theater company. People are always needed to help from painting sets to selling tickets. Let them know you’re interested and how you can help.

On that note, enjoy this issue of Zest.

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IN THE NEWS

Inaugural Tour de Meeker coming this summer This year’s annual Litchfield Watercade Bike Ride is receiving an upgrade and a new name: the Tour de Meeker. The event is on Saturday, July 13, and now there are five routes of differing lengths for cyclists to choose from: 5, 15, 25, 50 and 62 miles, also known as a metric century.

Cyclists will begin at the Meeker Memorial Hospital west parking lot, but there isn’t a group start for most of the routes. Participants can begin anytime between 7 and 9 a.m. Metric century riders must depart before 8 a.m. The only group start is at 9 a.m. for the 5-mile route around Lake Ripley.

Route maps, information and registration for the event can be found at tourdemeeker.com. All proceeds will go to ward the Meeker Memorial Foundation.

— Cam Bonelli

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FILE PHOTO

The Litchfield Marching Band performed at the 2018 Hutchinson Jaycee Water Carnival Grande Day Parade.

Marching to a band beat on June 18 Litchfield will recognize its 150th anniversary this year with a celebration hosted by the newly formed Litchfield Visitors Bureau.

The inaugural Parade of Bands, a contest that features 10 bands from across the state, is scheduled for June 18. The parade will feature three performances by each band with the final performance being judged. Bands will receive a $500 stipend, and the winner will receive a cash prize.

The parade route will start on East 10th Street by the high school, moving west. The bands will turn south on North Armstrong Avenue and make their first performance. From North Armstrong Avenue, the bands will turn east on Fifth Street for their second performance and then north on North Gilman Avenue for the third and final judging performance.

For more information, call the Litchfield Visitors Bureu at 320-693-8184.

— Cam Bonelli

Grove City-area program awarded grant Minnesota consistently ranks as one of the top states for providing services and supports to older adults and people with disabilities, according to a national scorecard by AARP. Helping people live well at home is one of the key reasons.

The Minnesota Department of Human Services is building on that track record by awarding $8.6 million in Live Well at Home grants to help older Minnesotans remain in their homes rather than move to nursing homes or other more expensive settings.

During the recent round of funding, Grove City Area Care Living at Home Program was awarded a Live Well at Home grant of $113,707 to expand to the Cosmos area in-home services, health promotions and social activities.

For almost 20 years, the Live Well at Home grants have supported a variety of efforts to help the growing number of Minnesotans age 65 and older maintain their health, independence and community involvement.

IN THE NEWS Regina Telecky, left, and Karla Wosmek have combined for almost 75 years of recreational volleyball experience.

Neither plans on slowing down anytime soon. “We’re still having fun doing it,” Karla said.

STAFF PHOTO BY RYAN KASTENSCHMIDT

QUEENS OF THE COURT Duo has bonded over volleyball, families for four decades

BY RYAN KASTENSCHMIDT sports@hutchinsonleader.com

R

egina Telecky and Karla Wosmek are grandmas, friends and teammates. After nearly 40 years together on and off the volleyball court, the two have shared enough victories and memories to last a lifetime.

Wosmek, who turned 65 in April, began playing recreational volleyball in Hutchinson in 1972 when she joined her mom’s team. Since then, for 47 fall and winter volleyball seasons Karla could be found on the volleyball court, taking time off only for her kids.

About nine years after Wosmek started playing, Telecky, 71, joined the team.

Four decades later, the pair maintain a formidable backcourt duo.

“I enjoy it,” Telecky said. “I love my volleyball, and it gets you out of the house once a week and you get some exercise.”

Connecting once a week on the court during the colder months has become a tradition that created strong bonds between the two women.

“This is our family. We stick together through thick and thin,” Telecky said. “Since 1985, four of us have been camping every year. Our kids all grew up together.”

In addition to their camping trips, many game nights ended at a local rest au ra nt, ma ki ng t he nig hts a family affair.

“Back when our kids were still in

school,” Wosmek said, “I’d say we were closer as families and team members, because we’d always go out and have a soda after volleyball. Always.”

Though recreational volleyball games are now played at the Hutchinson Recreation Center, they have competed in venues all over town. Some of the past sites include New Discoveries Montessori Academy, the National Guard Armory, Hutchinson Middle School and Park Elementary.

The locations have changed over the years, and so has the pace and intensity of play, according to Wosmek.

“It used to all be a lot more recreational,” she said. “There’s all the different leagues now, the power and the semipower. ... Because I’m getting older, everyone seems to be younger, too.”

Queens to 8

JUNE 2019 | ZEST 7

IN THE NEWS

QUEENS continued from 7

The pair has remained active in the sport even as many of their family and friends have left.

“We’ve gone through quite a gamut of people,” Wosmek said. “They come and go. We get new ones and some leave. It’s the camaraderie.”

Their kids sometimes make guest appearances at their games, but more often are found on one of the other courts.

“They’re more into power now. They don’t like us old people,” Telecky said with a laugh.

Neither player has shown much interest in other rec. sports besides bowling, though Wosmek tried her hand at softball one year in the ’70s.

“They kind of told me I wasn’t good enough,” she joked.

Volleyball has remained their sport of choice, even as their league has shrunk to three teams.

“We’d love to see more people come out and just do it,” Telecky said. “We don’t roll around on the floor and go slid-

STAFF PHOTO BY RYAN KASTENSCHMIDT

Regina Telecky, left, and Karla Wosmek have played recreational volleyball together since the early 1980s, making many memories along the way. ing anymore. It’s just for the exercise.”

Neither player has been kept off the court due to injuries, though Telecky credits some of that to a good chiropractor. She hopes to keep playing as long as possible, or at least “until they kick us off the team.”

Wosmek, who has followed in her mom’s footsteps as a longtime player, still has some time on the court before

she calls it a career.

“I think something will tell me when to quit … (but) not yet.” she said, adding that her mom played until she was 70. “I have a few more years to go.”

Although she’s been playing in the Hutch leagues since her youth, Telecky encourages people of any age to jump into the sport and make some memories.

“You’re never too old to start,” she said.

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COVER STORY

“I was in the army about three years in World War II. A lot of people thought I should have written a book, but I’m not a great writer.”

Roger Tipka, Litchfield

STAFF PHOTO BY CAM BONELLI

Cover photo: Roger Tipka, sits in a chair at Davis Motors in Litchfield. He has worked at the dealership for more than 43 years.

A passion for work

BY CAM BONELLI bonelli@independentreview.net

L

itch field resident Roger Tipka goes to work Tuesdays and Thursdays at Davis Motors in Litchfield.

At 98 years old, Tipka does not drive, but General Manager Chad Davis makes sure he gets there on work days, picking him up from his home. Tipka comes in promptly at 9:30 a.m. and leaves by noon to get home to his wife, Doris, of 69 years.

Donned in a hat and a shirt that

reads “Manager,” Tipka brings smiles and laughter from customers and workers alike.

Tipka said he was born in Litchfield March 17, 1921, and has lived there his whole life, except for his time serving in the army. He said this year his birthday fell on “Irish day” or St. Patrick’s Day. While he was in the army, Tipka was a radio operator and was on Iwo Jima.

“I was in the army about three years in World War II,” Tipka said. “A lot of people thought I should have written a book, but I’m not a great writer.”

Tipka was a c a reer mecha nic,

At 98, Tipka keeps Davis Motors running working at several dealerships over the years.

He said he began working at a familyowned dealership at age 9, leaving the eighth grade to work to support his family.

“The brothers told me that they were going to make sure I graduated high school,” Tipka said.

And he did. Tipka started his lifelong career as a mechanic, working at several dealerships during his time.

Davis Motors Business Office ManPassion to 13

JUNE 2019 | ZEST 9

LOCAL HISTORY vw

The Good Cheer Club members pose with donated goods in 1922.

Direct Relief

BY DARLENE KOTELNICKI

I

t was December 1922 when the Litchfield Business Men’s Club appointed a group to work with community churches to “relieve the unfortunate people among us.”

The group met, and after a thorough discussion, formed the Litchfield Good Cheer Club. The club thought that the memberships should be as “large as possible and will act as a clearing house for churches and other societies in the relief of the poor and unfortunate.” The club collected provisions and other contributions, which they could offer and distribute to those in need.

The Litchfield Good Cheer Club provided help to destitute from 1922 to mid-1950s

The Good Cheer Club was to help when the Village Council could not act officially. In the early 1900s, the Village of Litchfield took care of the poor to some degree. In 1905, the general fund of the city was $2,000, and the poor, the library and roads each received $1,000.

Karna Agren, daughter of Axel Johnson, provided background information about the Good Year Club in her oral history. She reported it was the Mrs. N.D. March, who was the woman who started the club. Members were recruited from each church.

Ladies from local churches met and collected items for the needy families.

The club provided food baskets, Christmas gifts, clothing and furniture. The

baskets were assembled in the room above the old fire hall on West Second Street. The furniture was stored at Olson’s Music Store, which was located about where Parkview Grille’s patio is today. Professor O.A. Olson, called “Music” Olson, was Agren’s grandfather.

Agren remembered in her oral history that during her childhood, the phone rang on Christmas Eve. Somebody had called in from the country and said there was a family that was “absolutely destitute.” They did not have anything to eat, and they had no fuel or anything.

The mother was ill and lying on the floor.

Johnson’s wife called Reuben Hagglund Club to 11

About the photo — Pictured are, from left, Mrs. N.D. March, president, Adventist Church; Mrs. H. L. Halverson, Adventist Church; Mrs. C.A. Anderson, First Lutheran Church; Mrs. Axel Anderson, secretary, treasurer, Trinity Episcopal; Mrs. James Campbell, First Presbyterian; Miss Grace Wandok, St. Philip’s; Mrs. M.A. Harris, First Presbyterian; Mrs. Luther Nelson, Trinity Episcopal; Mrs. Harvey A. Hanson, Methodist; Miss A. Borden, Trinity Episcopal; Miss Ida Brown, First Presbyterian; men in back: V.A. Sederstrom, Alfred Anderson and Mayor E. W. Campbell. The two boys are sons of Mrs. W. Lund. She was not a member but stopped in during the photo.

COURTESY MEEKER COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

10 ZEST | JUNE 2019

LOCAL HISTORY

CLUB continued from 10

since he had a car. They rounded up mattresses and things for the family and delivered everything on Christmas Eve. In the oral histories at the Meeker County Historical Society, David “Mickey” Shoutz remembered the Good Cheer Club.

“I was born on 1917 and never knew my dad,” Shoutz said. “He died in 1919 from the World War I influenza. He was sick just three days. Mom was left to raise all nine of us. The welfare helped us out.

One woman, Mrs. Axel Johnson, was a wonderful woman. If it wasn’t for her, I think we would have gone hungry a few times. I can remember Thanksgiving welfare, too.

“They were called the Good Cheer Club,” Shoutz continued. “They would bring turkey and stuff to the house. I think we got our clothes from the Good Cheer Club, too. And the shoes, of course, you had to have plenty of cardboard to stick in the bottom for the holes. You

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flu. Everyone was sick. They were just lying on the dirt floor. They were too sick to bathe or even eat. My mother went into action and she got them help.”

Agren’s mother collected items for the family, she said.

“They even put in a cement floor,” she said. “It was terrible. I couldn’t eat that time. It was terrible. The one daughter never forgot my mother. When my mother was in the nursing home and dying of cancer, the daughter called me. She told me she wanted to go to the nursing home and care for my mother as a thank you for what she had done for the family. She stayed three nights.”

The Good Cheer Club was active up to the mid-1950s. With the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, and a true welfare system, the Good Cheer Club disbanded in 1958. The stories of kindness to those less fortunate gives us good role models for today’s living.

— Past and current members of the Litchfield Heritage Preservation Commission contributed to this story.

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would almost freeze your feet before you got to school. You had to dress in front of the stove or you would freeze.”

Another memory Agren shared was when Johnson’s wife and March were packing Christmas gift baskets upstairs in the old fire hall. March was a “very lovely woman and a true Christian.” A man who shall remain nameless, but his mansion is on the historic homes tour, came to the watch the ladies.

He said to the women, “Well, my word, you got about a hundred baskets here.

Why, if you have too much, why, I would like a basket.”

Agren’s mother replied, “If you really needed it, we would give it to you.”

He walked out of there like “a whipped dog.” March felt Johnson’s wife should not have said that comment. Agren’s mother replied, “He has the first pair of shoes that he ever brought to this country and he still has them on.”

Another time Agren spoke of going with her mother.

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MONEY MATTERS

Lessons about money can be priceless gifts to grandchildren

F

ather’s Day is almost upon us. If you’re a grandpa, you cer t ai n ly may enjoy getting cards and gifts, of course.

But, over time, you will gain even greater satisfaction by giving your grandchildren something that will last a lifetime: valuable financial lessons.

These lessons can include the following:  Value of understanding the financial markets: You may actually be quite surprised at how interested your grandchildren are in

investing, especially the concept of “owning” companies through stocks and stockbased vehicles. Depending on their ages, you might even want to show them the progress of your own investments and describe, in general terms, how different events can cause the markets to rise and fall, especially in the short term. You could even discuss the difference between the basic types of investments, such as stocks and bonds.  Putting time on your side: You might want to emphasize the importance of

patience, and how investing is not a “get-rich-quick” scheme, but a process that requires decades of diligence and persistence. Let your grandchildren know that it’s of great value to start investing as early as possible, so you can put time on your side, giving investments a chance to grow.  Living within your means: We all know that you can’t always get what you want. Stress to your grandchildren that you can’t just splurge on big purchases whenever you feel like it, because such behavior can lead to bad outcomes. Use concrete examples: If you have a car that’s several years old, tell your grandchildren that it would be nice to have a new one, but you simply must wait until you can afford it.  Paying debts on time: Tell your grandchildren that, no matter how good a saver

you are, or how thrifty you try to be, you still have debts, such as your mortgage payment, and it’s important to pay these debts on time.

You may not want to get too detailed about the consequences of missing debt payments — bad credit scores may not be that easy for children to understand — but you can certainly mention that if you’re always late on payments, you might find it harder to borrow money when you really need it.

By sharing these principles with your grandchildren, you will, at the least, give them something to think about, and you may well find that you’ve helped start them on the path to a lifetime of making solid financial moves. And who knows? If they truly master the ideas you’ve taught them, one day they might give you some really nice Father’s Day gifts.

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COVER STORY

PASSION continued from 9

ager Tom Kersting said Tipka has worked there for 43 years.

“He basically came with the building,” Kersting said. “Prior to that, he worked as a mechanic at Kvam Motors.

After Kvam was bought by Fenton and Hughes in 1982 ... Roger stayed. Davis has been here since 2008, so probably up until 2000, Roger did oil changes.”

Kersting said another one of Tipka’s jobs in his later years was to give rides to customers who were getting their oil changed or having work done on their vehicles.

“He would give you a ride to work,” Kersting said. “One of his jobs was to cut up cardboard and put it in the dumpster. The garbage man would say that he needed Roger to teach the guys in the shop how to cut it up because they just don’t do it right.”

Kersting said now, Tipka mostly sits in the lounge and banters with people.

“He always complains about his

knees, and I always joke with customers, asking if he’s starting talking about his knees yet, Kersting said.”

As a World War II veteran, Tipka was at Iwo Jima. Kersting said Tipka told him he witnessed the famous flag raising.

“I always give him grief about how he got out of guard duty,” Kersting said.

Tipka and his wife have four children, two sons and two daughters. He said he loves to have a good time with people at his job and around town.

“If you go around town, they are probably all talking about me,” Tipka said.

Kersting said about 10 years ago, when John Davis bought the company, the dealership gave Tipka his manager shirt.

“We asked him what he wanted to say to everyone and Roger told everyone to get the hell back to work,” Kersting said. “But when he gets home the shirt has to come off because he’s not the manager there.”

Recently, Tipka and his wife moved

to Ecumen of Litchfield. Before that they had been in their Litchfield home of more than 60 years.

Kersting said Tipka used to go to the bank and post office for the car dealership, but now he mostly stays in the lobby talking to customers.

“At the counter they have a bell you can ring in the Litchfield Post Office,” Kersting said. “The post office workers let only Roger and one other person ring the bell and get away with it.”

“Right now, he is slowing down,” Kersting said. “He’s walking with a walker, but how many of us could do what he does at 98?”

Right now, Tipka is still coming to work, and while customers are waiting to get their cars fixed, he’ll offer a story and a cup of hot coffee.

“You can’t refuse a cup of coffee and to come sit down,” he said.

— Cam Bonelli is editor of the Litchfield Independent Review.

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JUNE 2019 | ZEST 13

MEDICARE

Does Medicare cover ambulance transportation?

Dear Marci, I do not have a car of my own, and I wanted to learn more about how Medicare covers medical transportation.

When does Medicare cover transportation in an ambulance? Does it cover ambulette transportation?

— Paula Dear Paula, Medicare Part B covers emergency ambulance services and, in limited cases, non-emergency ambulance services. Medicare considers an emergency to be any situation when your health is in serious danger and you cannot be transported safely by any other means. If your trip is scheduled when your health is not in immediate danger, it is not considered an emergency.

Part B covers emergency ambulance services if:  An ambulance is medically necessary, meaning it is the only safe way to transport you.  The reason for your trip is to receive a Medicare-covered service or to return from receiving care.  You are transported to and from

certain locations, following Medicare’s coverage guidelines.  And, the transportation supplier meets Medicare’s ambulance requirements.

To be eligible for coverage of nonemergency ambulance services, you must: Be confined to your bed (unable to get up from bed without help, unable to walk, and unable to sit in a chair or wheelchair). Or, need essential medical services during your trip that are only available in an ambulance, such as administration of medications or monitoring of vital functions.

Original Medicare never covers the services of ambulettes, wheelchair vans, or litter-vans. These are wheelchair-accessible vans that provide non-emergency transportation. Medicare also does not cover ambulance transportation just because you lack access to alternative transportation.

Medicare Advantage Plans must cover the same services as Original Medicare, and may offer some additional transportation services. Check with

your plan to learn about its coverage of non-emergency ambulance transportation.

Note that if you are receiving skilled nursing facility, or SNF, care under Part A, most ambulance transportation should be paid for by the SNF. The SNF should not bill Medicare for this service.

Under Original Medicare, Part B covers medically necessary emergency and non-emergency ambulance services at 80 percent of the Medicare-approved amount. In most cases, you pay a 20 percent coinsurance after you meet your Part B deductible ($185 in 2019). All ambulance companies that receive Medicare payments must be participating providers who accept assignment in all cases.

If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan, contact your plan to learn about the costs of ambulance transportation.

— Marci ”Dear Marci” is a service of the Medicare Rights Center. For more information, call 800-333-4114.

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14 ZEST | JUNE 2019

FOOD & FUN

Pear Party Salsa

BY THE EAT SMART COMMITTEE Heart of Hutch

Ingredients: 1 pear (cored and finely chopped) 2 tablespoons honey 1 apple (cored and finely chopped) 1 teaspoon lemon juice 2 kiwi (cored and finely chopped) cinnamon graham crackers (optional) 1 orange (peeled and finely chopped) 2 tablespoons honey 1 teaspoon lemon juice Cinnamon graham crackers for serving Directions:Combine pear, apple, kiwi, and orange in a medium-size bowl. Pour honey and lemon juice over fruit and gently toss. Scoop up fruit salsa using bites of cinnamon graham crackers.

Chef’s note: For a more savory salsa, add 1 fresh pomegranate, 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and a half red onion, diced. For the dressing add the juice of half a lime and season with salt and pepper. This pairs well with chips or crackers.

Nutrition:Serves 4. Per serving: 113 calories, 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 3mg sodium, 29g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, 1g protein.

Source: USA Pears, Pear Bureau Northwest, found on What’s Cooking? USDA Mixing Bowl, whatscooking.fns.usda.gov.

Lisa Hill WACONIA

121 W. Main St 952-442-7700

Neil Jensen

HUTCHINSON 22 N. Main St

CHASKA

102 W. 5th St 952-442-7700

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www.mhslaw.com JUNE 2019 | ZEST 15

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At Regional Eye Center, Dr. Christopher Wallyn and Dr. Michael Merck are committed to preserving and protecting your good vision from Cataracts or Glaucoma, two of the leading causes of blindness in America today. Early Detection is key, so if you’re above 55 and live in Central Minnesota or the surrounding areas, you may be eligible for this special FREE EYE SCREENING.

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Michael P. Merck, M.D. • Christopher R. Wallyn, D.O. 16 ZEST | JUNE 2019