Linn-Benton edition September 2015

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Sustainable LANDSCAPING

LINN & BENTON COUNTIES EDITION SEPTEMBER 2015 • FREE!

Take a big step forward and save water, energy and money By JOY MASSEY BOOMER & SENIOR NEWS

Sustainable landscaping is a term we hear more and more often, a growing trend among homeowners. But what does it mean, and why is it important? The fact that the environmental resources of the planet are strained is not news. Nor are the damaging effects of the fossil-fuel based herbicides and pesticides, as well as the high energy demands and wasteful water use of traditional landscaping. Lawns alone account for a huge portion of wasted water and chemical runoff. There’s no excuse for using chemical herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers anymore. The organic horticulture community has come up with alternative solutions to almost every problem, whether it’s pests, diseases or weeds. Sustainable landscaping offers more efficient techniques that save water, energy and money. On top of that, it improves wildlife habitats, promotes home-based food production, lowers maintenance and labor requirements, and helps to clean up the environment by limiting or avoid-

Photos courtesy of Owen Dell

Are you looking for a way to make your property easier to take care of? Landscape designers, like Owen Dell, recommend getting rid of that green lawn (inset) and replacing it with a variety of low-maintenance plants and hardscapes that provide interest and little effort.

ing toxic products that simply aren’t necessary. Not to mention, it’s beautiful to look at. What’s not to like? Even a non-environmentalist likes to save money and spend less time working. Beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings help keep pests under control without chemicals. Products based on clove oil and vinegar are one example of less toxic ways to control weeds. There are cover plants that out-compete the

weeds, and removing weeds from your yard before they go to seed is helpful; eventually it becomes less and less work until it only takes a few minutes a day. Landscape architect and author Owen Dell, of Owen Dell and Associates, has made sustainable landscaping his life’s work. Through big and small projects during a career that spans decades, Dell is an expert on the subject. His business, books and

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INSIDE

articles offer help to homeowners wanting to get on board, either on their own or through hiring a professional. “If you can make just three changes in your landscaping that really counted, one would be getting your watering under control, one would be the right plant for the right place, and one would be to mulch,” Dell says. “If you do these three things, you’re going to be 80 percent of the way to sustainability.”

Take control of your watering Inappropriate watering is one of the most common mistakes. Hand watering, done right, and drip irrigation are two effective ways of watering. “Most people water too much,” Dell says. “They see that the soil is dry on the top and they don’t realize that an inch down the soil is soaking wet. One thing you can do is

DIGGIN’ IT

HEALTHY VIBES

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PLANT BERRIES IN YOUR HOME GARDEN

FIGHTING CANCER WITH A TEAM

See PLANTS p. 2 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

SEE WHAT’S COMING THIS MONTH Page 5

Oregon’s oldest & largest boomer and senior publication


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BOOK REVIEW

LINN-BENTON EDITION

Highway Blues By Carl Falsgraf (Available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle editions, and at Tsunami, Black Sun and J Michaels bookstores in Eugene; The Book Nest in Springfield; Mari’s in Yachats)

At the solid boomer age of 55, Carl Falsgraf left his long standing “dream job” at the University of Oregon in Eugene, grabbed a guitar, hopped in his newly-bought used pickup and took off on a month-plus journey across backroads America. Then, as a beginning author, he wrote “Highway Blues” as a memoir for his “great-grandchildren” about where he went, and what happened along the way. For the holder of a doctoral degree with 30-plus years of experience as an educator and administrator of a program he created, the precipitous break with a long routine and taking off with “no destination, no companion, and no plan to speak of” was a major chal-

PLANTS CONTINUED FROM P. 1

get a water gauge. They cost about $8 and you just poke it in the soil, and it will tell you if it needs water.” Hand watering can be one of the most efficient watering methods, but it takes patience. A light sprinkle is a waste of water — it doesn’t get down to the plant roots. The best way is to go over it several times, and give it time to soak in. “Let it sit for an hour or two, and then go back and check. Make sure you’re not just watering the mulch so the moisture is just sitting on top.” Drip irrigation is one of the best methods of watering. The tubing has emitters every 12 to 18 inches, so the water drips very slowly, imitating rainfall. “It’s something you can do yourself,” Dell says. “You don’t have to hire a professional. The tubing goes right on top of the soil and you can cover it with mulch so you don’t even see it. It saves water, and the plants like it better.” Irrigation systems are often used with a controller, sometimes called a clock, but again, it’s a matter of knowing how to do it right. A conventional controller needs to be managed by re-programming it at least four or five times a year, as the weather changes. “We just had a period of 90degree days when pots needed to be watered daily, or even twice a day,” Dell says. “When the temperature drops, the water requirements change.” He recommends using a smart controller. “They save 25 to 50 percent of your water use because they take weather conditions into account. It’s an amazing technol-

‘Highway Blues’ by Carl Falsgraf

lenge. It is a transition he generously shares in the book, and explaining the reason for doing what he did can resonate with boomer readers: “Hitting the road after 30 years of professional striving seemed like a good way to jump-start the last third of my life.” This was a minimalist adventure to be sure. Taking along no companion (his wife did not want to go, plus “she knew this was my journey, and so did I”), nor cooking gear, his truck simply contained a raised sleeping platform

NW BOOMER & SENIOR NEWS • SEPTEMBER 2015

beneath its canopy. Falsgraf did take along his guitar, continuing a musical love affair with the blues that accompanied him through life and dates back to a Boston jazz club where, as an 18-year-old, he heard B.B. King and later other Blues greats. As a nod to readers, he provides links to his website, booksnblues.com, so readers can hear the songs he both played and composed along the road. Falsgraf explains that two songs in the latter category, “Poor Boy” and “Dark Road,” are the ones that evoke “the journey’s smells, sounds, and emotional landscape.” And so the book follows Falsgraf and his guitar through nights of restaurant finding, camping and guitar playing in places as disparate as Wal-Mart parking lots and desolate Nevada desert sites. Then there are dinners in Chinese restaurants (“They are often the only place serving vegetables, at least vegetables that have been in the ground recently”), and breakfasts in roadside diners,

ogy.” He adds that the best smart controllers should be bought from a professional irrigation supply house, and will cost a little more, but they perform better and last longer.

Right plant, right place Having the right plant in the right place is a huge factor in determining maintenance needs. Consider each plant’s relationship to the soil, to other plants, and to the amount of light available to create a living ecosystem where the forces are all in balance, a condition called homeostasis. “Most gardens are not created this way,” Dell says. “They’re just decorative, and homeowners have to work very hard to maintain them. I call it adversarial horticulture, where we’re constantly battling bad design.” Unfortunately, as people get older, they often move from a home they love because their landscaping demands more than what they can take care of. “That’s not necessary,” he says. “In a sustainable landscape there’s not as much need for intensive labor to maintain it. Constant mowing, pruning, fertilizing and watering shouldn’t be a reason to drive people away from their homes.” Plant size and proper placement is a huge source of gardening maintenance, when a plant is too big for a space in the first place. Making an investment in a more sustainable design is worth it in the long run. When you have a shrub that has overgrown its space, you have to pay someone to trim it, then pay to have the waste hauled away. It can amount to huge costs over a 20-year period. Most sustainable landscaping designs also do away with,

sharing space with sometimes grumpy and suspicious regulars, and served by the usualsuspect waitresses. There are the surprises that can be met on such a journey, such as finding an independent bookstore tucked away in an otherwise down-and-out small Nevada town. He also chronicles the indeed down-and-out conditions he finds in many of the tiny towns through which he travels. Also along the way: Some spiritual/philosophical nibblings (Jesus, Buddha, Lao Tzu, Martin Buber) present themselves as Falsgraf has only himself to confront when things go very right, or marginally wrong. As he finds, traveling alone indeed makes it easier to philosophize about the second-by-second unfolding of life experienced along the way. Then there is the business of having to go into town now and then. Wandering into civilization after a few days on lonely roads, he feels “unplugged, disoriented, wan-

Of note

Owendell.com

takes to water that amount of lawn could grow 81 million acres of food. One way to remove sections of lawn is called sheet mulching, layering cardboard and wood chips to smother the unwanted grass. For those who want to keep some lawn, there are still alternatives — drought tolerant grasses and ground covers, and low-mowing grass varieties that you can introduce into your lawn gradually, reducing the need for watering, mowing and fertilizing.

Photos courtesy of Owen Dell

Top, Owen Dell enjoys helping homeowners choose the right plants for the right space, including (above) this fall sowing of crimson clover, which adds nitrogen and organic matter to the soil.

or cut back on, conventional lawns. It takes 60,000 gallons of water to irrigate a 2,000square-foot lawn. There are 31 million acres of lawn in this country, and they use 800 millions of gasoline every year to mow. The amount of water it

Feed yourself In the case of emergencies, many homeowners are woefully unprepared, and put too much energy into growing ornamentals rather than food, Dell says. “The movement to convert lawns into food production is tremendously popular,” he says. “In a conventional farm, we’re putting up to 10 calories of fossil-fuels into growing one calorie of food. That’s unconscionable.” Home-based food production, Dell says, can use as little as one calorie of energy to produce 10 calories of food. “If you were to look at it as a stock option, fossil-fuelbased food production is not a very good investment, and it’s not sustainable,” he says. “Sustainable landscaping leads to a sustainable neighborhood which leads to a sustainable city.” He offers Cuba as an example of putting resourcefulness to work. “Look at what happened when the Soviet Union cut off all support to Cuba,” Dell says. “Cuba had nothing, no

dering.” Falsgraf’s route wanders east across rural and smalltown country, with a few stops along the way in larger cities, including Chicago. He finally ends up visiting his brother in Vermont. There, having come across the continent, he comes to realize what the trip was all about: “I now understood that the journey was fundamentally internal, the changing external landscape a backdrop to the main story unfolding within.” Having reached the Atlantic Ocean, Falsgraf turns around, and at a much quicker pace travels back across the country to his Pacific Northwest home in Eugene, having put 11,273 miles on the truck. Arriving at the end of his 49-day journey, Falsgraf faces the next part of his life with “no job, no plan, no place in the world.” Yet still he has a wife and a house, a place he knew would be “where I would sleep and eat tomorrow, and the next day, and the next. Forever.” Reviewed by DAVID R. NEWMAN imported food and no fossil fuels, and they started growing food in every nook and cranny. They now produce a huge amount of food. They set up their own farmer’s markets, and their health vastly improved. Of course, they have other problems, but they’ve done amazing things. Here, we’re doing it not out of necessity but out of what’s right. More and more people all the time are creating neighborhoods where they grow and share food.”

Cover your ground Dell’s third recommendation to homeowners is to mulch. “Mulching makes a huge difference, cutting way back on the amount of water needed,” he says. “Wood chips are one of the best mulches, but bark is good too.” Even leaves make a good mulch because they break down and add nutrients and organic matters to the soil, while keeping weeds down and saving water, Dell says. “Rock is pretty, and it’s better than nothing, but it’s not the best. Weeds come up through it, and it doesn’t add organic matter or keep soil temperatures even as organic mulch does.” Sustainable landscaping shouldn’t be an afterthought, but rather a new mindset. “It’s so important to the future that we do this,” Dell says. “Even if you hate the environment, you should still adopt sustainable landscaping practices, because you’ll save money. Economics cuts across all lines. But just being sustainable isn’t enough. It’s important to go beyond sustainability. We can use sustainable landscaping practices to restore native habitats, conserve resources, increase local food production, and create a better world.” ■


KANTA LUTHRA:

SEPTEMBER 2015 • www.nwboomerandseniornews.com

LINN-BENTON EDITION

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Expanding her wings in America

Her life in India was oppressive, now she finds hope, more opportunity By MARY OWEN BOOMER & SENIOR NEWS

Kanta Luthra once wrote, “I confess, I have two lovers.” Both possess her heart and soul, she says. “One haunts my nights, my dreams,” she writes in her poem about India, the land of her birth, and the United States, the land that adopted her. “I’ll adore and cherish both to my last day,” she ends her poem. “My beautiful two lovers.” Life in India was not easy for Luthra, now in her 70s. “My dad died when I was 3 months old, and my mom, his third wife, was 19 when she became a widow,” Luthra says. “In those days women had no right to her husband’s estate unless she had a male child. So I was raised by my uncle who was more of a father to me than my real father.” In 1947, when her country fought for independence from Great Britain, her uncle was stabbed to death. Traumatized by the many atrocities she witnessed during the warring, Luthra then traveled to New Delhi to live with her aunt. “I was not her favorite person,” she says. “At age 14, I reunited with my mom, but we couldn’t connect. There was no bond between us. She didn’t know what to do with me.” Luthra’s mother did send her to college, and while Luthra was there, she met and married one of her teachers. The couple had two children, but their marriage was lackluster. Luthra’s life in India was no better. “Women were told to keep our eyes down while talking

Photo by Mary Owen

Kanta Luthra holds a photo of herself when she was younger and still living in India. Her father died when she was just a baby, and she was raised by an uncle and later an aunt. Her young life was full of challenges, as India struggled for independence.

to men, otherwise we were considered shameless,” she says. “Being a woman in those days was not in the same par as with a man.” When she was almost 30, the family moved to Oregon where her husband was studying for his doctorate. Luthra, too, began her stud-

ies at the University of Oregon, and eventually got her master’s degree in English and special education at Oregon College of Education, now Western Oregon University, in Monmouth. “And then the whole world opened up to me,” she says.

After several job offers, Luthra got her first job at Veneta High School, near Eugene. She then taught at Oregon Youth Authority Hillcrest Youth Correctional Facility, a job that allowed her to connect with the girls there because of the abuse she had suffered at the hands

See LUTHRA p. 4

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of her aunt as a child. “Wounds cling to you like lichen on an apple tree,” she says. “My message to them was, ‘You can do something with your life.’” Luthra’s next outreach was teaching high school courses to sex offenders incarcerated at the Oregon State Hospital. She also taught at Oregon City and Franklin high schools, and nine years at Chemeketa Community College. Combining her passion for writing with a desire to share the struggles of women in India, Luthra penned two fictional books. The first, “Beyond the Reach of Darkness,” is based on her mother’s life and tells the plights of widows in her native land. The second, “Partition of the Hearts,” is based on her own life and continues with the plight of women’s issues in India. Like Jyoti, the main character in her second book, Luthra is finding herself by helping others. She helps financially support a friend, a cancer survivor in India who works with women battling cancer. To promote women’s rights, she has written to India’s prime minister advocating stricter laws to protect women. “Justice in life drives me,” she says. “Men are still calling the shots, and we’re still taking second fiddle.” Luthra, now single, wants a better world for her six grandchildren. “I am here now in my

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Try planting berries in your garden

LINN-BENTON EDITION

DIGGIN’ IT!

By GRACE PETERSON

NW BOOMER & SENIOR NEWS • SEPTEMBER 2015

MASTER GARDENER

I love early morning walks in the garden when the air is cool and the birds are singing. Breathing in the fresh scent of roses and honeysuckle makes me smile and as I walk over to my raspberry plants, I can’t help but pluck a few in my mouth. It’s moments like these that make all the toiling and sore muscles worth it. Although I’m not much of a vegetable gardener, I love my fruits. Compared to vegetables, I have found that berries are much easier to grow. For instance, they don’t seem as susceptible to bug infestations and they really don’t take up much room in my garden. And once they’re established, they come back year after year, reliably producing abundant crops. Years ago I relegated two raised beds for my raspberries, one raised bed for blueberry plants and several containers for my strawberries. This has worked really well for me. Berry plants require rich, friable,

LUTHRA CONTINUED FROM P. 3

adopted land, the land of Lady Liberty,” she wrote in one of her poems. “Blessed with a new identity, a new dignity and self-esteem. I am now her daughter. I owe her my allegiance. I speak her language.” On Aug.15, India celebrated its independence day, but for Luthra, the holiday holds mixed feelings.

well-draining soil to grow their best. And they need as much sun as you can provide for them. Although they can tolerate short periods of drought, I’ve found that they’re much happier with consistently moist soil, so watering regularly is a must. I like to give them a drink of liquid fish fertilizer and organic all-purpose food once a month or so during the growing season. Several inches of organic mulch topdressing keep the soil moist and keep all the soil microbes happy,

which in turn feed the plants. Although pruning blueberries and strawberries is a fairly straightforward process, raspberry plants can be a little tricky and require good observation skills. In winter, I take note of the dead and living canes. The dead canes are cut at ground level. Canes with green centers are alive so I cut them two feet or so above ground and they will be next year’s early crop — berries in June. The canes that develop from the ground the following spring and summer will bear the later crop — August until hard frost. There is never a huge yield all at once but enough for daily munching. Raspberries are self-fertile meaning only a single variety is required to produce fruit. It seems plant breeders are constantly introducing improved varieties and now you can even get dwarf varieties to grow in containers. This way, even those without garden space can have home-grown fruit. There are several everbearing or “day-neutral” strawberries on the market. Currently, the two most popu-

lar varieties are “Seascape” and “TriStar.” Because strawberry plants are very shallow-rooted, providing several inches of organic topdressing is really important for keeping the soil moist which will increase yields. Blueberries produce higher yields when at least two different varieties are planted a few feet apart. Fortunately it’s easy to find early, mid-season and late varieties to extend the harvest season. I’ve got an early variety, “Duke,” a mid-season variety, “Sunshine Blue,” and a late variety called “Chandler” although this year Chandler finished before Sunshine Blue. These little idiosyncrasies are what make gardening fun.

Tips for September: Watering, deadheading and harvesting fruits and vegetables are the garden chores of this month. Watering in morning or evening is best and aiming the nozzle at ground-level to make sure the water penetrates the soil down to the roots is vital. ■

“Losing my father, leaving my home, being a refugee, seeing so many killings,” she says. “Even after so many years, we are still fighting. It never ends. India has made a lot of progress, but still has much to address.” Luthra loved celebrating America’s Fourth of July, a holiday that to her means she has found her voice and is a person in her own right. “To live with dignity and let others do the same,” she says is the defining factor of

Photo by Mary Owen

Kanta Luthra, who now lives in Salem, still keeps pieces of her life in India, including this statue of Saraswati, the goddess of fine arts and music. Since Luthra dabbles in writing, loves music and dancing, she is her patron goddess. Independence Day in the United States.

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Luthra’s life now revolves around tending to her garden, meeting with friends, and playing with her Pomeranian, Reggie. Speaking Hindu, Urdu and Punjabi, she works part-time as a translator. Future plans include writing a book of her short stories and poetry, tak-

ing a computer class, and teaching a class on Eastern Religion at Center 50+ in Salem. “I’m glad to be an Indian American, and that my children and grandchildren have the freedom to expand their wings,” Luthra says. “The sky is the limit. They will

“No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace as I have seen in one autumnal face." ~ John Donne


SEPTEMBER 2015 • www.nwboomerandseniornews.com Jane Kirkpatrick book launch, “The Memory Weaver,” 2 to 4 p.m., Atavista Farm, 35580 Hwy. 228, Brownsville. Historicbrownsville.com. An Afternoon with Best-selling Author J.A. Jance, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., Monroe Community Library, 380 N. 5th St. 541-7666458. Albany Senior Center trip: Mo’s and giant dune buggy tour, 7:50 a.m. to 6 p.m. $40/$63. 541-917-7777. Corvallis Arts Walk, 4 to 8 p.m., starting at The Arts Center. Free. The Enchanting World of Fresh Salsas and Sauces, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Albany Senior Center, 489 Water Ave. NW. $25/$33. Albany Senior Center trip: Depoe Bay Salmon Bake, 8:20 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. $45/$68. 541-9177777. Starker Forest Tours, 1 to 4:30 p.m., 7240 SW Philomath Blvd., Corvallis. 800-334-8118. Antique Appraisal Clinic, 10 a.m., Samaritan Center, 605 Mullins Dr., Lebanon. (also Sept. 27) Friends of the Library Fall Festival Book Sale, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.,

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(through Sept. 30) Oregon Wonders:

Crater Lake and Oregon Stake Parks plein air art show, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26th St., Corvallis. (through Oct. 15) Quilt County, a tour of 22 diverse exhibits in Benton County. Quiltcounty.org for locations. Art Tours at the Library, 10 a.m., Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, 245 NW Monroe Ave., Corvallis. Free. Wii Bowling, 9:30 to 11 a.m., 60+ Activity Center, 20 SE 2nd St., Newport. Free. 541-265-9617. Fused Glass Wind Chimes workshop, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., Albany Senior Center, 489 Water Ave. NW. $19/$25. Albany Senior Center trip: Oregon State Fair, 9:40 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. $28/$37. 541-917-7777. (through Sept. 24) Lebanon Downtown Farmer’s Market, 3 to 7 p.m. Thursdays. (through Oct. 29) Brownsville Farmer’s Market, 3 to 7 p.m. Thursdays, Main and Parks streets. Movement for Parkinson’s, 10 to 11 a.m., 60+ Activity Center, 20 SE 2nd St., Newport. Free. 541-265-9617. Be a volunteer naturalist and stop invasive plants, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Simpson Park, 778 Waverly Dr. NE, Albany. Tools and gloves provided. 541917-7777. (through Nov. 21) Albany Saturday Farmer’s Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., City Hall parking lot, 4th and Ellsworth.

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Sunflower Flutes Workshop, 10 a.m., Bruce Starker Arts Park, 4485 SW Country Club Dr., Corvallis. $10-$15. Facebook.com/ SAGE Garden. Cribbage Group, 10 a.m., 60+ Activity Center, 20 SE 2nd St., Newport. 541265-9617. Hilltop Big Band, 7:30 p.m., Central Park gazebo, 650 NW Monroe Ave., Corvallis. Random Review: “Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End,” by Atul Gawanke, noon to 1:30 p.m., Corvallis-Benton County Library. 541-766-6965. Diet and Optimum Health, co-sponsored by the Oxygen Club of California, LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26th St., Corvallis. Oregonstate. edu/lasells/events. Lyons Garden Club no-host potluck picnic, noon, John Neal Park, Lyons. John Hollensteiner, 503-508-5913 or Jean Evett, 503-859-2563. Antiques in the Street, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., downtown Albany. Car show, pancake breakfast. 541-7040109. (also Sept. 13) Shrewsbury Renaissance Faire 2015, Kings Valley Highway, Monmouth. $11/$5. ShrewFaire.com.

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Send your calendar items to: Calendar, 4159 Cherry Ave. NE Keizer, OR 97303 or email mte@nwseniornews.com by the 6th of the month for the following month’s publication.

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Do Not Call list needs technology update LINN-BENTON EDITION

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According to an investigation by WHTR –TV in Indianapolis, Indiana, senior citizens are being targeted by harassing phone calls from companies trying to sell medical devices. The Federal Communications Commission is considering new rules as U.S. senators focus on ways to address concerns with how companies use the federal Do Not Call list. The Senate’s Special Committee on Aging focused on a number of issues related to the federal Do Not Call list and the increase in complaints about harassing calls. Myrtle Harper, 84, says she gets calls day after day from companies trying to get her to order back braces and knee braces she does not need. Even though she declines the equipment, Harper’s doctor says he gets order forms from various medical device companies saying Myrtle ordered the devices. At the hearing on Capitol Hill, Indiana Sen. Joe Donnelly (D) sits on the committee and told the group such calls have to stop. “We’ve heard about these calls from seniors’ organizations, physicians, from folks in Indiana who’ve been on the receiving end of harassing phone calls from medical equipment companies offering equipment like back braces that they neither want nor need, and the suppliers use aggressive tactics to persuade seniors into ordering unnecessary items at Medicare’s expense,” Donnelly says. “We have an obligation to protect the privacy seniors have and to protect taxpayer dollars.” Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) related her family’s experience. “I watched my mother get victimized when she thought she was being called by Medicare, and it was really a company called Medicare,” she said. Senators heard testimony from consumers and technical experts saying the nation’s Do Not Call list has not kept up with technology, allowing scammers to repeatedly call consumers who thought they would no longer receive solicitations. The committee is pledging to study new strategies and technology to help consumers fight back, and senators are now proposing legislation that puts more pressure on phone companies to stop scam artists that make harassing phone calls. “We have to stay on this issue because spammers, spoofers and robocallers will continue to use whatever tools are available to them to defraud American consumers and America’s seniors. We must give them the flexibility to fight the fraudsters,” McCaskill told the committee. The Federal Trade Commission also appeared during the hearing, and urged the approval of new rules that will give consumers more options to block harassing phone calls. The Federal Communications Commission will vote on that proposal. ■

Of note

If you or a loved one has been getting harassing calls from companies or scam artists, here are several resources. ■ Senior Medicare Patrol in Oregon: Contact the Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) of Oregon, 855-673-2372. ■ FTC Do Not Call List Complaint: donotcall.gov ■ Oregon Department of Justice Salem: 503-378-4320 Portland: 503-229-5576 Toll-free: 877-877-9392 Email: help@oregonconsumer.gov U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging: aging.senate.gov/fraud-hotline, 855-303-9470


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LINN-BENTON EDITION

By PAT SNIDER

Willaregon’s mette Valley is home to some of the best agricultural land in the Northwest, a gift from our state to the north. During the last Ice Age of 10,000-15,000 years ago, an ice dam holding back the enormous waters of Lake Missoula repeatedly melted, sending rushing waters across eastern Washington and down the path of the Columbia River to the Pacific. A narrow choke point in the area of present-day Kalama, Wash., forced the water to back up into the flat lands along the Willamette River creating a large lake. When the waters receded, the rich volcanic soil they were carrying (thank you, Washington) remained behind, leaving nearly 200 feet of fertile alluvial top soil in some areas. Over the years, this land has created a feast of abundance for native tribes, early fur traders, Oregon Trail settlers and farmers, both large and small. The valley produces more than 170 different crops and livestock items including grass and legume seeds, tree fruits and nuts, wine grapes, berries, hops, wheat, hay, nursery plants and field crops. It is the country’s number one provider of blackberries, hazelnuts, loganberries, boysenberries and grass seed. Farm market stores are scattered throughout the area, but largely concentrated near the two major metropolitan areas of Portland and Salem. They are a great source of locallygrown fruits and vegetables,

BOOMER & SENIOR NEWS

Farm fresh

NW BOOMER & SENIOR NEWS • SEPTEMBER 2015

Photo by Pat Snider

Bauman Farms, located in Gervais, has become a year-round farm stand that really hits it big in the fall with the area’s largest pumpkin patch. There’s also mazes, an animal barn, hayrides, apple tastings, cider-making demos and more. nursery stock, and most offer a wide range of special harvest events starting in late September and running through October. On the east side of Interstate-5, just south of Woodburn, off Oregon 99E, on Howell Prairie Road is the red barn of Bauman Farms (baumanfarms.com). If there is such a term as agri-destination, this place fits the bill. Not only is it a yearround farm stand, but a bakery,

gourmet goodie shop, and nursery. Don’t miss a stroll through the greenhouses where aisles of hanging baskets and other floral displays fill the room with brilliant color. At harvest time, their festival is the area’s largest with a pumpkin patch, mazes, animal barn, hayrides, apple tastings, cider-making demos and tons of fun activities for the grandkids. Now, continue south on Howell Prairie to Hazel Green

Road and turn west toward Brooks. EZ Orchards (ezorchards.com), operated for years by the Zielinski family at the corner of Hazel Green and Cordon roads, also offers fresh produce, baked goods (including yummy donut samples as you walk in the front door), a good selection of packaged gourmet foods, and colorful gardens. Next to the main store

is the Shortcake Stand with a menu of seasonal fruit desserts and ice cream treats and a pretty, shaded picnic area nearby. Like Bauman’s, they do a bang-up harvest festival with corn maze, petting zoo, pieeating contest, pony rides, bluegrass music … a complete country experience for all ages. From here travel south on Cordon Road to Sunnyview and turn east to 82nd Ave. You can’t miss the big sign on the left side enquiring, “Got Pie?” The family-owned Willamette Pie Company (wvpie. com) was started by the Roths, third-generation berry farmers, when they purchased a local pie maker in 2001. They process about 12 million pounds of berries and fruit each summer, and while most of the fruit is flash frozen, much of it ends up in the fillings of their delicious pies and cobblers. In the retail store, one side features windows providing a view of the pie “assembly line,” and the other side is a wall of freezers stuffed with a wide variety of pies, cobblers and bags of frozen fruit. There’s a small café offering bakery treats, coffee and ice cream, and both indoor and outdoor dining areas. If you prefer home-baked pies and goodies, check out Fordyce Farms (fordycefarm. com) on Sunnyview Road where you’ll also find produce, u-pick berries and currants; but if sweet corn is your thing, don’t miss a stop at Schlechter Farms (schlechterfarms.com) on 86th.

See FARM p. 7

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Having missed out on an earlier opportunity to move to Dallas Retirement Village, Ken and Ann Rolfe weren’t going to let another chance pass them by when they heard about the new Lodge Residences. “We’ve known enough people at Dallas Retirement Village to know it’s a nice place to live. In fact, many have told us they wish they’d moved there sooner!” The Rolfes selected a two-bedroom Lodge Residence and are looking forward to continuing their active lifestyle when they join our community. “The trips and the social activities are part of the appeal, along with all of the amenities that will be available at The Lodge Clubhouse—especially the new wellness center.” Don’t miss your opportunity. To learn more about independent living at Dallas Retirement Village and schedule a personal tour, call 503-623-9211.

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Advocating for Medicare Advantage SEPTEMBER 2015 • www.nwboomerandseniornews.com

LINN-BENTON EDITION

Of note

By MARY OWEN

For more information on CMC, visit medicarechoices.org. The Coalition is also very active in engaging in discussions about Medicare Advantage on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

BOOMER & SENIOR NEWS

Pat Young calls herself a “pretty typical, 70-something retiree,” but she is far from it. Young traveled to Washington, D.C., earlier this year with the advocacy group, Coalition for Medicare Choices, to share cookies, coffee and personal stories about why she loves Medicare Advantage and needs policymakers to protect her benefits from any further cuts. “I heard about a local meeting at which our congressman wanted to hear from seniors about our Medicare needs and preferences,” says Young, 72, a long-time Salem resident, of a forum held by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.). “At the meeting, I met our local CMC coordinator and talked one-onone with our congressman. He listened intently and asked relevant questions.” Feeling that her opinion mattered, Young became an active advocate with CMC, a grassroots organization of 1.8 million seniors from all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. Founded in 1999, CMC members actively communicate with members of Congress about issues that affect their Medicare Advantage coverage and, to date, have made more than a million contacts with the Congressional members. On her trip to Capitol Hill, Young brought an age-old message: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” “About two years ago, I was given a diagnosis of osteopenia, an early stage of osteoporosis,” she says. “I was familiar with what bone loss could do. I had watched my

FARM CONTINUED FROM P. 6

Another popular farm stand on the west side of I-5 near the town of St. Paul is

7

Photo courtesy of Pat Young

Pat Young of Salem spent some time this spring in Washington, D.C., where she shared her opinions about the Medicare needs of seniors. She spoke with Sen. Jeff Merkley, who “listened intently and asked relevant questions.” astute, mentally-alert grandmother lie flat on her back in 24-hour care for the last six years of her life because of a broken hip and bones so porous that a new hip could not be attached. Believing that I was facing the same fate, I was terrified.” Facing her fear, Young signed up for Silver Sneakers, a senior fitness program through her Medicare Advantage health plan. About six months later, her bone density test came back “normal.” “Silver Sneakers costs a little over $40 a month,” she says. “One day in the hospital

can cost up to $10,000. I haven’t a clue how much six years of 24-hour care costs, but I’m pretty sure it’s a lot more than the cost of a senior fitness class.” Medicare Advantage seniors faced deep cuts to their benefits that could have increased costs, reduced benefits and offered fewer choices, but a “no” vote by Congress on April 6 gave Young and her fellow CMC advocates something to cheer about — for now. “Fortunately, the cuts didn’t happen this time, but our continued vigilance is essential,”

French Prairie Gardens (fpgardens. com) on French Prairie Road. In addition to having fruits and vegetables for sale, they offer a full range of events from monthly grilling dinners, barbecues,

and an activity-filled fall festival. Be sure to check websites in advance for directions, hours, and event calendars; and enjoy the bounty of the Willamette Valley. ■

Young says. “The cutters won’t give up. So we must persist if we are to maintain a healthy, active lifestyle. “I am one of more than 300,000 Oregonians who benefits every day from Medicare Advantage,” she adds. “Medicare Advantage keeps me healthy. When I’m healthy, I’m happy and my family is happy.” Young plans to stay active

and to encourage other seniors to speak up to help protect the program that goes far beyond the pay-per-service scope of Medicare. “Speak to whoever will listen,” she says. “If you hear of Sen. Jeff Merkley, Sen. Ron Wyden or Rep. Kurt Schrader speaking in our city, go. Speak to them. Thank them for supporting us, for supporting our healthcare.” Meanwhile, her osteopenia in check, Young wants to work on her art. “As an art therapist, I spent many rewarding decades helping others realize their potential,” she says. “Now it’s time for me to realize my own artistic potential.” One of her most ambitious goals is to finish art projects she never had time to complete, she says. “When I’ve got enough, I hope to have a show,” she adds. “I meet with a couple of art friends every week for dedicated art time, show-andtell, encouragement and support. My life continues to unfold.” ■

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HEALTHY VIBES LINN-BENTON EDITION

NW BOOMER & SENIOR NEWS • SEPTEMBER 2015

Pharmacist treats cancer through teamwork

Lebanon pharmacist Ed Kelso has worked in medicine for 40 years, but just as he was contemplating retirement, he became the patient. Kelso, 66, was out for dinner one night last August when, as he was talking, he reached up and touched his neck. “I noticed a lump on my lymph node,” Kelso recalls. The next day, he went to see his doctor, who referred him to Albany ear, nose and throat specialist Mark Robertson, DO. About a week later, a biopsy confirmed a diagnosis of squamous-cell carcinoma, the most common type of head and neck cancer. In surgery, Robertson removed the affected tissue, including part of his tongue. After he had healed, Kelso was referred to the Samaritan Cancer Program for follow-up treatment. Kelso saw medical oncologist Ike Onwere, MD, and radiation oncologist Patrice McGowan, MD, medical director of radiation oncology for Samaritan. Kelso received seven weeks of radiation treatment, and chemotherapy once a week during that time. Kelso was impressed with the dedication of his cancer care team, how people always had a smile and showed empathy. “The staff do such a good job,” Kelso says. “They are so compassionate.” Kelso says family, including his wife, three children and two step-children, as well as his co-workers, all came together to help him through treatment. Like many patients with cancer, Kelso wonders what caused the disease. Kelso is an Army veteran, and he served in Vietnam in 1969. It’s possible that exposure to Agent Orange could

a follow-up PET scan showed that he was cancer-free. Soon, he plans to return to work part-time. “I’m a positive person,” he says. “I had great faith.” ■

Do you know the symptoms of cancer?

Photo courtesy of Samaritan Health

Recovering cancer patient Ed Kelso and patient navigator Amy MacRostie, RN. have caused his cancer, he says. “Where I was stationed was one of the most heavily hit areas in Vietnam,” Kelso says. Head and neck cancers are some of the most complex cases to treat, according to McGowan. Oncologists must be precise in directing treatment because of the close proximity to other organs. Also, patients may lose their ability to eat and must be fed with a feeding tube. Fortunately, head and neck cancers have a good cure rate, and Kelso’s cancer responded to treatment. For patients like Kelso, having comprehensive cancer treatment available locally is life-saving. Currently, the new Samaritan Pastega Regional

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SEPTEMBER 2015 • www.nwboomerandseniornews.com

By MARY OWEN BOOMER & SENIOR NEWS

stick of Wrigley’s spearmint gum from Uncle Wiggly Wings recently kindled memories of post-World War II Germany for two local women. “I chewed mine for two months every day and put it on the bedpost every night,” says Regine Lovely, who was 3 years old at the time of the Berlin Airlift of 1948-49. “I put it in my mouth one day and it just disintegrated.” Christel Jonge Vos took the bus to Tempelhof Airport where Col. Gail Halvorsen, one of the many American pilots to fly the USAF C-54 Skymaster during the airlift, also called “Operation Vittles,” delivered supplies. While approaching the runway, Halvorsen would wiggle the wings of his plane before dropping candy to the eagerly waiting children. As others joined the effort, candy was donated, handkerchief parachutes were made by volunteers, and the tiny parcels began to fall all over Berlin. Thousands of pounds of candy continued to arrive from the United States to support the airdrops, earning Halvorsen his nickname, the Candy Bomber. Since that time, Lovely and Jonge Vos have met with Halvorsen, a high point in both their lives. “When I was a little girl, I went to the ruins where I picked flowers to make a wreath to give to him, but I couldn’t get close enough,” says Jonge Vos, who met with Halvorsen last November. “I went home and cried, and then gave it to my mother. Now 65 years later, I was able to give it to him. I made it with dried flowers in American colors and attached a toy wooden bear. He was thrilled.” In 2012, Lovely met with Halvorsen, who hails from Provo, Utah, when the two were filming their part in the documentary, “Meet the Mormons,” in Berlin. She still stays in touch with the man she remembers treating children with kindness during a time when many in the world thought of the Germans as enemies. “The man is incredible,” she says. “At 95, he still flies a plane, and sometimes still does candy drops. Every May, he goes to Berlin and Frankfurt to celebrate.” For Lovely, the fear, hunger and cold she felt in post-war Germany was replaced with a yearning to come to Uncle Wiggly Wing’s country. “I thought if I lived in America, I would never have to go hungry,” she reminisces. “We would pick up the cigarette butts dropped by the soldiers and eat them to kill our hunger pains.” The hardships of war were simply a way of life for a child, Lovely says. “It is not until you get older that one realizes how horrid the conditions were,” she says.

Uncle Wiggly Wings

REMEMBERING

LINN-BENTON EDITION

Photo by Mary Owen

Above, Christel Jonge Vos and Regina Lovely are two local World War II survivors who remember the candy drops by Col. Gail Halvorsen (top) to starving children in Berlin after the Soviets blocked access to food and supplies. “I remember my mother collecting bricks by the buckets. My job was to separate the broken bricks from the ones that still could be used to rebuild the city. I was only 2 years old at the time. We worked all day, every day for a certificate to receive a pound of butter or flour once a month.” Endless, gut-wrenching hunger haunted Lovely, and she and her brothers learned to steal food and run fast from the Russian soldiers to avoid being whipped for stealing. Their “fun” consisted of scouring the ruins to find “treasures” — a tablecloth, a usable pot — to take home to their mother. “Most people think that the war was over when the treaty was signed, but the ‘after the war years’ were much harder than the actual war, at least for the survivors,” she says. “No food, water or any kind of utilities. I remember rats — rats and disease.” Her mother, part-Jewish, and her father a first lieutenant in the German army, Jonge

Vos’ family was forced to evacuate twice during the war. Her first childhood memory was of people jumping out of windows because their houses were on fire. “My mother, sister and I had left Berlin to live on my uncle’s farm in north Germany in early 1943, and later moved to live with my grandmother in Marburg in the western part of Germany,” Jonge Vos says. “Although we were bombed days and nights, it must have been much, much worse in Berlin and explained the city’s appearance when we moved back there in 1947. “If there was still a house standing, it was badly damaged and unsafe,” she adds. “Many streets were barred by colossal piles of rubble and rubbish, covered with flies. The fire storms had blackened the whole city.” Jonge Vos was 10 years old at the time of the Berlin Airlift, and for the first time since the bombing raids of the war, the humming of the airplanes was a welcomed sound. Even with

the airlift, food remained scarce, and often dinner was herring — sometimes all that was left after standing in food lines — and radishes from the family’s garden. “But it was not all that good,” Jonge Vos says. “Often there was only so-called ‘larke’ left, the salt water in which the herring was stored. Larke with radishes was almost inedible.” Her one comfort was her doll, Peter, a Christmas gift from her father during one of his furloughs home in 1941. “Peter was always with me,” she says. “He is a senior citizen now at 72 years old. He lost his eyes when the bombs fell, and my mom painted them.” When expecting her first child, Jonge Vos hoped for a boy she could name Peter. “But I had a girl,” she says, smiling. “I named her Petra.” Meeting their hero is not all these women have in common. Both women left Berlin and became U.S. immigrants — Lovely in 1965 and Jonge Vos in 1972. Lovely now lives in

9

Gervais, just a few miles from Keizer where Jonge Vos now lives. Both women taught German, became translators, and opened their own language centers. They married and raised families. Lovely has three children and three grandchildren, and Jonge Vos, a daughter and a son as well as four grandsons. Both have a story to tell to help others understand the events and consequences of that time. Jonge Vos has written a trilogy, “Pathways away from the Edge,” in which she tells the story of her formative years during World War II, the Berlin Airlift, and the Berlin Wall. She also has had numerous speaking engagements, leads a writing group that meets weekly at the Salem library, and is in the process of publishing her fourth book about her life. She encourages Lovely to jot down notes and get started on her own story, something Lovely wants to do. But perhaps the most unexpected history they share is a love for music. Lovely’s mother was an opera singer and her father played cello in the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Her grandfather was a composer, a music school director, and owned a sheet music company. She was a singer in a band that opened for Bill Haley in Berlin. She was 15 at the time, and later sang with Haley’s band in Greensboro, N.C. Jonge Vos, who has a master’s degree in music from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, plays the harpsichord. Her grandfather, a well-known physicist who worked with Albert Einstein and Max Plank in Berlin, also composed music. Her grandson lives in Los Angeles and composes music for the film industry. The ladies met for the first time last month at a local eatery. Throughout lunch, talk flowed about life in Germany, their commonalities, and their love for Halvorsen, whose little parachutes of candy brought a spark of hope to two little girls. “We on the east side of Berlin heard rumors that the Americans on the west side were throwing little handkerchiefs out of planes with candy attached to them, just for the children,” Lovely shares. “As luck would have it, depending on how the wind was blowing, some of those ‘candies from heaven,’ as I called them, made it to us.” Jonge Vos agrees that seeing tiny parachutes come down was a beautiful sight, but more important was that Halvorsen cared enough to fly over and drop them to the eagerly waiting children. “I am proud to have been one of those children loved and cared for by our Uncle Wiggly Wings,” she says. Lovely adds, “He is a hero.” Jonge Vos leans over the table and pats Lovely’s arm. “You are the hero,” she says softly as their eyes meet. “You are a survivor.” ■


10

LINN-BENTON EDITION

NW BOOMER & SENIOR NEWS • SEPTEMBER 2015 well-known writers. Very short stories are gaining popularity around the globe, probably because we’re too glued to our high-tech instruments. These stories prove that often less is more.

Recommended reading

“The Anticancer Diet, Reduce Cancer Risk Through the Foods You Eat” by David Khayat, MD (WW Norton) This is a straightforward and easy-to-read summary of cancer, foods and recommendations. He explains in

simple and conversational tone how people can adjust their diets to help prevent this widespread killer. The French oncologist led France’s war on cancer and the book is a bestseller on the other side of the Atlantic. You can then shop with knowledge. Handy charts distill information. Best and worst foods, habits and cooking methods. Dr. Khayat is head of medical oncology at Pitie-Salpetriere Hospital in Paris and teaches part-time at Houston’s MD Anderson Cancer Center.

“Flash Fiction International, Very Short Stories From Around the World” edited by James Thomas, Robert Shapard and Christopher Merrill (WW Norton) If you like to read but fall asleep when you do or have a short attention span this is the book for you — 86 stories from around the globe by

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A D S

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Improvement

law (ORS 701) requires anyone who contracts for construction work to be licensed with the C o n s t r u c t i o n Contractors Board. An active license means the contrctor is bonded and insured. Verify the contractor’s CCB license through the CCB Consumer Website www.hirali censedcontractor.com or call 503-378-4621.

AFFORDABLE WINDOW & GUTTER CLEANING, pressure washing, glass resurfacing. Senior discounts! Insured, professional & courteous CASH FOR OLD TOYS, service. Call Jesse, pre 1970. Sport & 5 0 3 - 8 8 4 - 4 7 0 6 . non-sport gum or cigarette cards, model EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY kits; old toys, comic All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference limitation or discrimination books, old scrap based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” books, old car or??? Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians; pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. Private collector. 503- This newspaper will not knowlingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings 644-7947. advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination call HUD Toll-free at 1-800-669-9777. The Toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275.

REACH THOUSANDS of READERS with a FRIENDSHIP AD

ATTENTION!

Changes have been made to the existing Friendship Club format. All Friendship Ads now appear in all four editions...and you can access the ad form online at: www.nwboomerandseniornews.com MAIL responses to: NW Boomer & Senior News, 4159 Cherry Ave. NE, Keizer, OR 97303; (include listing # you’re responding to)

Join the Friendship Club & broaden your circle of friends! WWF, 84 young. House, yard, pond, corresponding, casino, sunset walking, driving, music, computer. Eating out, Legion, VFW, potluck, theatre. No pets. Family, grandkids, photos, touring, cell phone, town car, shopping, laughing. #5614

Twenty year Summerfield resident, World War II Veteran. Still walk, drive, dance well. Painted some nice water colors, wrote several decent novels, play organ. Don’t drink or swear. Seeking sweet Portestant lady friend without pets. #5615

TRIM SWM, retired Tigard realtor, University Oregon graduate.

WHAT a rough world to live in alone. WAF wants a man’s help

Ad Abbreviations M = Male F = Female S = Single D = Divorced W = White A = Asian B = Black H = Hispanic J = Jewish C = Christian

N/S = Non-smoker N/D = Non-drinker ISO = In Search Of LTR = Long Term Relationship WW = Widowed White

WB = Widowed Black WA = Widowed Asian WH = Widowed Hispanic LGBT= Lesbian/Gay/ Bisexual/Transgender

& to protect me. No relocation, no drugs, no long distance, no addictions. Photo please. Portland area. #5617 LGBT 77, educated woman ISO 70-80 years woman for companionship. Lunches, drives, interesting conversations. East Portland area. Avid reader, gardener. #5619 WWFC, N/S, N/D. I am an active, young 70’s. I like to walk, golf, read, cook, movies, travellong/short trips. ISO congenial man for friendship, possible

romance, LTR. Eugene. #5620

own a car or drive. #5622

SWM, N/D, N/S. Looking for stable lady who likes traveling, long/short trips. BBQ’s, doing fun things. Own home, romantic, simple life with good moral character. Dinner out. LTR. Photo, phone. Eugene area. #5621

SPECIAL, attractive lady! Fun, happy, playful, hospitable. Enjoys laughter, theatre, movies, music, dining, short trips, nature, home life. Seeking romantic, easygoing man, N/S, stable, respectful, generous, cleancut, integrity. Photo please. #5623

RETIRED, healthy Christian male, 64. N/S, N/D, no drugs, 5’7”, 170#. Devoted, honest, faith-based & fun loving. ISO lady w/same attributes, 55-65, for companionship. I do not

HCF seeking a male friend, 60+ years young. I am healthy and active, enjoying simple things life offers. Love dancing. #5624


letter

SEPTEMBER 2015 • www.nwboomerandseniornews.com

to the

editor

PCT not as ‘pristine’ as they say TO THE EDITOR:

Joy Massey writes, “The Pacific Crest Trail is 2,650 miles of pristine wilderness …” Whoever told her that was only partially right. The PCT is 2,650 miles long. There are some wilderness areas, but none it is pristine. Much of the trail passes through national forests where PCT means “partially cut trail.” Much of the trail passes through private grazing lands where PCT means “pretty crappy trail.” All of the PCT is open to equestri-

ans so it is marked with horse manure. Horse packers ride their mounts into the lakes to water them and graze them on the green grassy fringes. Horses do not know they are not supposed to defecate within a hundred yards of a water source. You will never see a horse packer stopping to clean up behind the animals. There is a growing number of people who believe wilderness areas are dog parks where no leash is necessary. You have a better chance of seeing Bigfoot than of seeing a dog owner cleaning up after her beloved pooch. If you ask a dog owner to hold their pet while they pass, they will consider it an insult and react accordingly. Maybe the trail was pristine when it was established but it isn’t now. It is still worth walking but the modern hiker must be prepared for horse manure, cow manure, dog manure, manure-fed swarms of flies, and fecal bacteria-polluted water sources. MARSHALL DUNHAM Blodgett

Volunteers needed for small group training LINN-BENTON EDITION

Volunteers are needed to facilitate small group training sessions for students in varied medical fields. No medical experience needed for this communications class. Students from Linn-Benton Community College, CompNW Medical School and Oregon State University will work together in small, interdisciplinary group sessions, including students in the fields of pharmacy, medical assisting, nursing, physician and public health. Volunteer facilitators help students work through real-life case scenarios during each session. Sessions are designed to help stu-

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dents to communicate and work together across their varied medical disciplines, and will be held at Linn-Benton Community College in Albany. A free information session, including facilitator training, is scheduled from 9 to 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 24 at LBCC in the Vineyard Mt. Room, Calapooia Center, room 213, 6500 Pacific Blvd. SW, Albany. Group sessions will be held from October through April, for approximately 15 hours total of volunteer time needed. To register, contact Estelle Henderson at 541-917-4939 or email estelle.henderson@linnbenton.edu. ■

A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history. ~ Mahatma Gandhi

Corvallis Caring Place

750 NW 23rd St. Corvallis, OR 97330 541-753-2033 Lorene Hales, Administrator info@corvalliscaringplace.org www.corvalliscaringplace.org

Dallas Retirement Village

377 NW Jasper Street Dallas, OR 97338 503-623-5581 Fax: 503-623-6450 www.dallasretirementvillage.com

Mennonite Village 5353 Columbus St. SE Albany, OR 97322 541-928-7232 Whitney Olsen, Marketing info@mennonitevillage.org www.mennonitevillage.org www.facebook.com/ mennonitevillage

Samaritan Wiley Creek Community

5050 Mountain Fir St. Sweet Home, OR 97386 541-367-1800 www.samhealth.org

Rates dependent upon level of care. Call for rate information.

● ● ● ● ●

42 Units

“No Buy-In” A full-service Retirement Community with multiple living/care options.

● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Rates starting at $1821

A Not-for-Profit Continuing Care Residential Community providing Life-Enriching Services to People of All Faiths and Beliefs.

● ● ● ● * ● ●

“No Buy-In”

Independent Cottages: $1390 & up Assisted Living: ● ● ● ● ● ● $2575 & up Medicaid accepted 44 Units

“No Buy-In”

Timberhill Place 989 N.W. Spruce Street Corvallis, OR 97330 541-753-1488 Robin Bemrose

Memory Care

Utilities Included

Planned Activities

Transportation

Housekeeping

LOCATION

Asst. Living/RCF/Foster Care

COMMUNITY

BUY-IN MONTHLY RENTAL No. of Units

Independent Living

RETIREMENT LIVING CHOICES

We offer 9 styles of apartments including 2 BR/2 BA apartments. 60 Units

● ● ● ● ●

AMENITIES Corvallis Caring Place is a not-for-profit assisted living residence providing dignity and compassion in a life-enriching environment; conveniently located in the heart of a peaceful college town where residents have easy access to parks, shopping, restaurants, health care, and the senior center, as well as artistic, educational, athletic, and cultural opportunities at OSU and Benton Center. Active retirement living with a full accommodation of living options and services in one scenic care community. Remodeled Independent Living community features: spacious homes, apartments, elegant dining rooms & abundant common areas to enjoy time with friends. Full service community. Garden homes and Health Center complete with Skilled Nursing & Alzheimer’s care, and Memory Care Center.

A 275-acre community in a rural setting, Mennonite Village provides living spaces for all levels of retirement - close to Corvallis, Eugene, or Salem. With an award-winning chef and beautifully landscaped grounds Mennonite Village is an inclusive, all-faith community of amazing people. Services include: independent living, assisted living, nursing & rehab, memory care, foster care, respite care, and in-home care.

Wiley Creek Lodge is just minutes from downtown Sweet Home. Housing and personal care services are provided for persons age 55 and over. The selection of apartments ranges from studio to twobedroom, each with a “front porch” facing a spacious atrium filled with natural light. Each apartment has a private bath, a kitchenette, an emergency call system, and other appropriate amenities.

Assisted living community located within short distance of local shopping center. We offer 3 delicious meals daily, weekly housekeeping & linen services, social/recreational programs, scheduled transportation in our van and a full range of personal services available should you need them.


12

LINN-BENTON EDITION

NW BOOMER & SENIOR NEWS • SEPTEMBER 2015

Mennonite Village Village

Picture yourself living at Mennonite Village... AN Not-for-Profit ot-for ot-f or-Profit Contin CContinuing ontinuing Care Car Car aree RRetirement etirement Comm CCommunity ommunit unityy Pro Pr Providing oviding Life Lif Life-Enriching e-Enriching SServices ervic vices es

A 275-acre 275-acre ccommunity ommunity in a rrural ural setting setting,, Mennonit Mennonitee VVillage illage pr provides ovides spacious living spac spaces es ffor or all lev levels els of rretirement etirement – just a shor shortt driv drivee from from CCorvallis, or vallis, SSalem, alem, or EEugene. ugene. W With ith aaward-winning ward-winning healthc healthcare are and beautifully landscaped landscaped gr grounds, ounds, Mennonit Mennonitee VVillage illage is an inclusiv inclusivee community community of amazing people people.. Mennonit Mennonitee VVillage illage cconsiders onsiders and admits people age 55 and older without rregard egard to to rrace, ace, ccolor, olor,, na olor national tional origin, rreligion, eligion, gender, gender, se sexual xual orien orientation, tation, or disabilit disability.y.

• • • • •

Independent living homes and apar apartments tments AAssisted ssisted living apar apartments tments with care care and support suppor t available available 24/7 Memor Memoryy care, care, including rrespite espite ccare are and on-site on-site ffoster oster ccare are SSkilled killed nursing & rehab rehab ser services, vices, both inpa inpatient tient and outpa outpatient tient In-H In-Home ome Care Care ser services vices in Linn, BBenton, enton, and Marion ccounties ounties

541-928-7232 w www.mennonitevillage.org ww.mennonitevillage.org w www.facebook.com/mennonitevillage ww.facebook.com/mennonitevillage 5353 CColumbus olumbus Street Street Southeast, Southeast, Albany, Albany, OR


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