January/February 2016
DAVE WEBBER The Legend of the Lucky Corncob Omaha Ski Club
From the Big O to the Big Mountains
Rita Paskowitz
Storyteller, Comedienne, and Curly-Haired Compassionist
Hospice and Palliative Care
Trouble Getting Up & Down the Stairs? Regain your independence... and the rest of your home!
402-342-5566 . Companion Care . Skilled Care . Home Infusion . Therapy Home Health . Technology Hospice and
www.theVNAcares.org
Palliative Care
Largest showroom in the nation! Multiple models..one sure to fit your needs! Call for special pricing!
12739 Q Street 402.408.1990 www.kohlls.com Recipient of PLATINUM AWARD
SUBSCRIBE TODAY! Don’t miss a single issue of
Omaha Magazine NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015
LAUREN GARRISON Surly Lass, British Sass BOBSLEDDING? IN NEBRASKA? Olympic Gold Medalist Curtis Tomasevicz BEST DOCTORS OMAHA 2015-2016
Rev. John Jenkins
HA FROM OMA to
NOTRE DAME
omamag.com/save
S2 60PLUS |
january/february 2016 | omahamagazine.com
Thank you for voting us #1! VNA Complete In-Home Care! 402.342.5566 | theVNAcares.com
60PLUS FROM THE EDITOR
LIVING AN INTERESTING LIFE T
HIS ISSUE OF 60 Plus has stories of several active men and women living interesting lives and “doing things.” Like our cover feature on Dave Webber. Dave is certainly a guy who does “things,” wonderful things like emceeing for hundreds of charitable events. Maybe the New Year is a time to do something new and different—make changes! Perhaps, like me, you’ve had thoughts of moving to a smaller abode, cutting down on “stuff,” or living where there is more activity. You’ll find one couple who did just that on page 14 of this issue. You may want to travel, go on a cruise—why not? You may want to remain where you are but join an organization where you can meet new friends. Rita Paskowitz, featured on page 12, belongs to several organizations where she meets people. Whatever it is—NOW is the perfect time—go for it! HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Gwen
Gwen Lemke Contributing Editor, 60PLUS In Omaha
CONTENTS volume 3 • issue 6 ACTIVE LIVING Omaha Ski Club Socializing from the Big O to the Big Mountains................................ S4
FACES Jane Beran Selling Sage, Waxing Sage Advice.............S6
COVER FEATURE Dave Webber A Multitalented Sportscaster Looks Back on His Career..........................S8
FACES Rita Paskowitz Storyteller, Comedienne, and Curly-Haired Compassionist....................S12
FEATURE From the ‘Burbs to the City Lights Moving Downtown Leads to Lifestyle Change..................................S14
HEALTH Tackling Male Pattern Baldness Is “The Donald” Right For You?................S18
NOSTALGIA Do You Remember? Ak-Sar-Ben Racetrack.............................S20
THE GRANDPA CHRONICLES Under a Full Moon............................................S22 january/february 2016 | 60PLUS
S3
60PLUS ACTIVE LIVING by ryan borchers | photography by bill sitzmann
Teri Hammon S4  60PLUS | january/february 2016 | omahamagazine.com
OMAHA SKI CLUB socializing from the big o to the big mountains
W
HEN JANET TUTTLE WAS in her 40s, she wanted to take up skiing again, an activity she started at age 14 but stopped when home and family life took over. She joined the Omaha Sports Club, but when that group decided to focus less on skiing, a new group branched off from it: the Omaha Ski Club. Today, Tuttle is 79 and still going strong as a member of the Omaha Ski Club. Her favorite part of skiing is the scenery. “I love the mountains,” she says. “When you ski in the mountains, you see things you don’t see when you’re driving.” Teri Hammon, 57, a board member who plans all of the club’s trips, says about three quarters of the members are age 60 or older. “We’re not old fuddy-duddies,” Hammon says. “We ski hard and ski all day.” The Omaha Ski Club generally takes two to five skiing trips a season and members bicycle in the summertime (“to stay in shape for skiing,” Hammon says). The group has skied in Colorado, California, Utah, Wyoming, and Canada.
“Anywhere there’s powder!” Hammon says. The group recently traveled to Snowmass, Colorado, for their first trip of the 2015-2016 season. Trips vary in length and typically involve the members meeting at a ski resort. Members enjoy participating in social activities, including a pre-trip party to discuss travel arrangements and a welcome party on the first or second day, along with lots of skiing. In order to go along on a trip, one must be a member of the Omaha Ski Club (or one of its reciprocal clubs with the Flatland Ski Association). Annual dues are reasonable. Each member pays for his or her own travel, lodging, and equipment, but group discount rates often apply. One need not be an expert skier to join the club, which welcomes all skill levels along with non-skiers who want to go to the resorts and do something else. Knowledgeable, experienced members often help beginners. Tuttle says she particularly likes to go out with the beginninglevel skiers along some of the easier slopes.
Tuttle and Hammon agree that the club gains stability from the large percentage of retired members, who tend to have more free time and savings that allow them to go on the trips. Tuttle says she appreciates the social aspect of the club, which includes and welcomes anyone regardless of age. “The socializing is a nice part of the skiing,” she says. What about the risk of injury? Tuttle and Hammon have bumped and bruised themselves on the slopes—that’s why Tuttle says she’s become more careful as she’s aged. But it takes more than a few accidents to keep her from returning to the mountains. “It’s kind of like falling off a horse,” Tuttle says. “If you love what you’re doing, you get back on the horse again.” Visit omahaskiclub.org to learn more.
january/february 2016 | 60PLUS S5
60PLUS FACES by greg jerrett | photography by bill sitzmann
S6  60PLUS | january/february 2016 | omahamagazine.com
JANE BERAN
selling sage, waxing sage advice
A
CORNERSTONE IS A BUILDING block of importance, architecturally joining two walls. Metaphorically, it signifies that everything worthwhile begins somewhere, often connecting the past and the future. In Benson, where business and culture are booming, it is fair to argue that Jane’s Health Market, 6103 Maple Street, has been a community cornerstone since the mid-1980s. It sets the tone. There is a peacefulness in the store that spills out onto the street. Maybe it’s the freshly cut wheatgrass on the juice bar counter or the organic, locally sourced meat, produce, facial cleansers, store branded vitamins, and more lining the shelves of Jane’s where locals go for answers and healthful seekers browse free-range.
“If you support local people, you keep money in Nebraska.” -Jane Beran
The Omahan behind the healthful magic of Jane’s is one of Benson’s most amicable sages, 67-year-old Jane Beran. Jane has been in Benson for 30 years, 25 of those at her current location, which smells of delicious organic soups and sandwiches—especially pleasant this time of year. It’s hard to imagine, but this woman with a patient word of advice for everyone—along with a big glass of carrot juice—is quite reserved on the subject at hand. “I don’t like talking about myself,” says Jane, who majored in home economics at Kearney State and worked at House of Nutrition for 20 years before moving to Benson. “Let’s talk about the store. This store is my life.” One day, as she tells it, a realtor wanted to speak to Jane at her desk at Nutrition World. He said she should consider opening a store in Benson, but back in those days, that meant a daunting amount of work in an unrevitalized part of Omaha. Jane was undaunted. “We decided we wanted to open a juice bar,” says Jane, and the rest was attention to detail, a well-publicized realty deal that kept The Waiting Room in the neighborhood and expertise in knowing which trends and philosophies would pan out. “The local thing has been a big deal for me. We’re trying to do more local products: arugula, kale, sweet potatoes...I even have a supplier for turmeric and ginger,” Jane says, advocating for a more neighborly economic system. “If you support local people, you keep money in Nebraska.”
To keep healthy customers coming back, Jane uses aluminum-free cookware and will be featuring bone broths in the near future. She recommends juicing with added shots of wheat grass to help with alkalizing and energizing the body, especially for the over-60s. One might assume the owner of a health food store to be vegan or vegetarian, but that would be embarrassingly off-target in this case. “I’m not a vegetarian,” Jane says. “I have to be open to tasting a lot of foods for the deli.” But when it comes to eating out, Jane’s feelers are still out for the veggies. “My main goal when eating out,” says Jane without hesitation, “is finding good salads.” Her current favorite is Benson Brewery’s kale salad. Now, that’s better than a Yelp! recommendation. As 2016 begins and this Benson cornerstone remains at the intersection of 61st and Maple streets, the past and the future show no signs of slipping. It’s gotta be the wheatgrass. Visit shopjaneshealthmarket.com to learn more.
january/february 2016 | 60PLUS
S7
60PLUS COVER FEATURE by judy horan | photography by bill sitzmann
Dave Webber
S8  60PLUS | january/february 2016 | omahamagazine.com
DAVE WEBBER
a multitalented omaha sportscaster looks back on his career
D
AVE WEBBER COVERED ALL five Big Red national championships during a broadcast career that spanned 46 years; but he will never shake free from the “Legend of the Lucky Corncob.” The story started in 1995 toward the end of the Orange Bowl championship game against the Miami Hurricanes. A fan in the stands pleaded with Webber, “You have to will the team to victory.” Obligingly, the then-WOWT sports director picked up a corncob that happened to be in the end zone and held it up for fans to see. “A few minutes later, they scored the touchdown that won the game late in the fourth quarter,” he remembers. “I got chills. I couldn’t watch.” The Huskers came from behind to win. It was the Big Red’s first national title since 1971 and the first for Coach Tom Osborne. “I put that sucker in my pocket and took it next year to the 1996 Fiesta Bowl,” he says. Nebraska was again trailing, this time against the Florida Gators, so Webber pulled out the lucky corncob. Whaddaya know—the Cornhuskers won the national championship. Some WOWT viewers credit the lucky corn cob with Nebraska’s back-to-back championships. Tom Osborne says otherwise. “One of Osborne’s favorite sayings is, ‘This guy actually thinks his corncob won the game,’” laughs Webber. Superstitious fans have asked to buy the corny icon, now framed and displayed at Webber’s home. “Every single day during football season, somebody mentions the lucky corncob,” says its proud owner. >
january/february 2016 | 60PLUS S9
60PLUS COVER FEATURE < The story of the well-known sportscaster began when a two-year assignment at Offutt Air Force Base brought him to the Omaha area in 1964. His duty was to guard the SAC Underground as a member of the elite guard. After retiring from the military, Webber attended the University of Omaha (now University of Nebraska at Omaha). For two years starting in 1967, he performed as a full-time folk singer at the Swinging Door Saloon, following a year working on-air at KBON radio. But then he married Terri and began seeking a “real job.” Webber joined KFAB as an announcer and also covered Big Red championship games in 1970, 1971, and 1972. A move to Sioux City, Iowa, in 1973 to cover sports news for KMEG-TV brought with it a second quirky job. He was asked to portray “Pops,” a popular children’s show character. “Pops was a retired custodian for the Bijou Theater. The camera would show me sweeping, then the stage door would open, and we would show cartoons and movies like Little Rascals and Laurel and Hardy,” he says. He was only 29 years old at the time. Forty years later, viewers haven’t forgotten the character. “People come up to me still today and say ‘I was a kid in Sioux City. Were you Pops?’” says Webber.
Webber performs the role of “Pops.”
Webber and his friends are regulars at Shirley’s Diner, where they hang out with owner Doug Fackler.
He returned to Omaha in 1977 to cover sports news for KMTV. A year later, he moved down the street to WOWT as assistant to then-sports director John Knicely. When Knicely left for a St. Louis television station in 1981 (returning to Omaha three years later), Webber became sports director. That’s only one story from the life of the multitalented Webber, whose mellifluous voice has won over crowds for more than 40 years as he hosted and emceed more than 1,000 banquets and fundraisers. “You name a disease and I’ve done a fundraiser for it,” jokes the affable personality who is more likely to greet you with a hug than a handshake. Webber has been a longtime presence at major Omaha events. For 22 years, he has braved wind, rain, and sun as master of ceremonies for the Fourth of July Memorial Park concert in front of as many as 80,000 people. His favorite group to perform there was the Beach Boys. During the Christmas holiday, he takes his emceeing indoors. Webber has been singing, dancing, and making jokes for 20 years as host for the Omaha Symphony’s Christmas Spectacular. “The year I took over, my biggest job was to keep the kids on stage from goofing around,” he remembers.
S10 60PLUS | january/february 2016 | omahamagazine.com
Donna Malone talks to Pink Poodle owner Doreen McNeil. Meeting sports figures that he idolized as a youngster was payback for his volunteer work with a fundraising golf tournament hosted by baseball Hall of Famer Bob Gibson. One volunteer stint he looks forward to is at the end of a pleasant hour-long drive to Harlan, Iowa, where Webber has judged an estimated 1,000 pies over 20 years at the Shelby County Fair pie-baking contest. “Every year, it’s like seeing old friends. I play guitar and sing. I walk around and say ‘hi’ to every single person.” He and Terri have three adult children and three grandchildren. Today he is spokesperson for Baxter Auto Group. Although “retired” (sort of), he still gets calls from WOWT to fill in on newscasts. As a sideline, Webber delights in being asked to conduct holiday tours (15 so far) to destinations such as Hawaii, Ireland, and the Canadian Rockies. Three years ago, heart surgery left him 50 pounds lighter and with a renewed zeal for life. “I enjoy every minute of every day,” says the TV sports guy, singer, guitarist, emcee, symphony host, pie-contest judge—and lucky corncob owner. Visit wowt.com to learn more.
Like talking to a friend who’s an expert, too.
Here’s what your neighbors have said about us:
Of course, we do basic home care. The “above and beyond” care we provide is what we’re known for. • Whether it’s Alzheimer’s or another condition, we will create a care plan designed specifically for your family member and provide him with a professionally supervised and trained caregiver of his choice. • Your Care Manager is available to go to the doctor with your family member and be an advocate for him on your behalf. • Our Proactive Approach to home care means your Care Manager will get to know your family member, his lifestyle and his current health and wellness goals. • We’ll provide our services as long as you’re satisfied; no contract required.
Call us today. 402-763-9140 • HomeCareAssistanceOmaha.com
“We have been so thankful for Home Care Assistance... they found caregivers who fit well with Mom, helped her increase her strength and stamina and generally improved her quality of life. She is so happy now: getting out and visiting her neighbors. She has returned to being “Mom” to some degree. Home Care Assistance made all the difference.” — Linda, Omaha
Always Local, Always Beautiful March/April
Each issue also features human interest pieces,
2013
Beautiful al, Always Always Loc
including architect/designer/builder profiles,
May/ June 2013
Always Loc al,
Always Bea utifu
Nature Chic
British Regenchiy,c
al, Always Always Loc
Beautiful
spotlights, landscaping columns,
e
me in Sth-Terechling Ridg AThte Ho Yannones' Hig
French cdee in Dun
September /October 2013
Always Loc al,
Dream House in Omaha
: Decor & You
Amy Boesen PlanningsonYour Yard's
hot products, maintenance columns, room
t 2013 July/Augus
l
Design Q&A
A Publication
Always Bea utifu
home transformations, home
of
ASID Designer
next seA
A Publication
of
Showhouse
The Smyth House At Home
Rockbrook
Renovation
, AiA d gerber Architect Q&A JAre oes Her A Home for ord es Aff Homping tHose wHo serve Hel
neighborhood profiles,
l
Sophistica ted S Entertain implicity
A Publication
of
in a Historic Hg in ome A Publicatio n of
Morton Meadows Landscape Redesi gn NeighbOrhO
Od prOfile
weStSide hOme mak eS rOOm fOr hOSpitality
happenings, mortgage columns, new business stories, green design features, and much, much more.
60PLUS FACES by daisy hutzell-rodman | photography by bill sitzmann
S12  60PLUS | january/february 2016 | omahamagazine.com
RITA PASKOWITZ
storyteller, comedienne, and curly-haired compassionist
R
ITA PASKOWITZ IS IMMEDIATELY recognizable when walking into a room. Her most recognizable feature, surrounding her ever-working brain, is a thick mass of tightly-wound tresses. “My hair’s always had something to do with who I am,” Paskowitz says. “Each strand is a different brainwave going in a different direction at the same time.” She tried straightening it, she tried hiding the curls. It helped to make her an actress, comedienne, and storyteller. “I’ve been in the Twin Cities, which was a wonderful place for me,” Paskowitz says. “I worked at Dudley Rigg’s Brave New Workshop,” whose alumni includes the likes of Al Franken, Louie Anderson, and Penn Jillette. “We created our own material. Every night we did improv. You learn who your personality is. Knowing what your persona is is a big deal if you’re a performer. I can get away with a lot because of how I look.” Beneath the funny lines lies depression, which many people cannot see, or often understand.
“In my life, I think there have been two things that have saved me. Writing and drawing. When I was younger I was anorexic and bulimic. I drew pictures of myself, profound and terrifying. There are pictures of me gigantically fat eating a building. They are filled with self-loathing and sadness, but they are kind of funny in a way.” Storytelling gives Paskowitz a way to lead, to work with others, to engage in the Jewish concept of tikkun olam, from the Hebrew for “repair of the world.” “When I became a storyteller, I thought I would be a concert performer, meaning telling stories in front of audiences. I didn’t know I would work with grief, dealing with art, dealing with writing, leadership. It’s always a surprise where I will be, but I welcome it.” She works to help people of all ages, races, and economic situations. Paskowitz goes into schools for a program with fourthgrade students called So What’s Your Story? To prepare for the class, Paskowitz sends a letter to the parents or guardians of each student, asking them to help answer 20 questions, which become the basis for the stories that are written and told in class. Failure to come to class with the completed form is rare.
“This year there was one girl,” Paskowitz sighs. “That’s out of two classes of 27 kids each. It breaks my heart because it deprived the parent of an opportunity to interact with her kid in school. You see no-show parents, and the kids pay a huge price.” She also teaches storytelling by working with Sienna Francis House in the creative workshop. “We write and share our writing, we draw and share our drawings. We do what we can to get people out of themselves, and the purpose of it is to let everyone’s voice be heard. It’s about having an opportunity to try something creative. I leave every week a better person. I love what I get to give to them, but I love what they get to give to me.” This all goes back to her desire to help others through creativity. “I think that with the work I do every day, I get to repair the world,” Paskowitz says. “I just think that’s lovely.” Visit tedxomaha.com/rita-paskowitz to learn more.
january/february 2016 | 60PLUS S13
60PLUS FEATURE by allison janda | photography by bill sitzmann
FROM THE ’BURBS TO THE CITY LIGHTS
moving downtown leads to lifestyle change
D
OWNTOWN OMAHA PULSES TO the beat of live music, clinking glasses, and laughter, but while 20-somethings wander, propping one another up, scurrying from one bar to the next, Mary-Beth and Bruce Muskin find themselves settling slowly, calmly into a night on the town. For them, taking in everything downtown offers is not just for one night out, it is an invariable part of their new lifestyle. About a year ago, the couple moved from the Leawood West house they lived in for 26 years. They got rid of “stuff upon stuff upon stuff.” While the couple loved their suburban home and neighborhood, they needed less space and desired a more vibrant lifestyle. >
S14 60PLUS | january/february 2016 | omahamagazine.com
Mary-Beth and Bruce Muskin january/february 2016 | 60PLUS  S15
60PLUS FEATURE
“We have everything from excellent food, great exercise areas, the arts, and sporting events.” -Mary-Beth Muskin
< “When we first moved in it felt like a permanent vacation,” Mary-Beth says. Nonetheless, the move hasn’t changed their day-to-day participation or interest in everyday pursuits. He is a small business owner while she is involved in local organizations including Omaha 360, Youth Emergency Services, and Take Flight Farms. She returned to work in August as the Anti-Defamation League Regional Director serving Nebraska, Iowa, and Kansas. Blessed with all four living parents, MaryBeth and Bruce became inspired by the beauty of the aging process. It soon became important for them to eliminate extra stuff. With their children grown, the Muskins opened their minds and hearts to an entirely new way of living. They enjoy helping their parents but learned that by scaling back their own lifestyle, they’ve made it easier on themselves today and their children in the future. “There is a lot of fun activity right outside our door,” Mary-Beth shares. “We have everything from excellent food, great exercise areas, the arts, and sporting events.”
S16 60PLUS | january/february 2016 | omahamagazine.com
She also mentions that while she and Bruce can participate in just about anything by walking a short distance, their home is quiet when they return—a welcome advantage. Once taking time to discover their new surroundings, Mary-Beth and Bruce now immerse themselves in activities including live music at Nosh, movies at Film Streams, outdoor happy hours, the College World Series, and Creighton basketball games. Additionally, they find that they use the downtown farmer’s market as their primary source of fresh produce from May through October. Mary-Beth and Bruce have slipped into their new habits easily. Their children—Anne, Matt, Emily, and Zach—none of whom live in Omaha, are pleased with the decision their mom and dad made, deeming it as much more manageable for their parents. However, the children do sometimes wish that there was more space for guests—specifically bedrooms. While the Muskins do have a spare bedroom, Mary-Beth admits it is almost constantly occupied by various rotating guests.
OmahaBV&ElkhornBM_Ad - Omaha 60+ Mag_111612_60+ Omaha Magazine Ad - BSV & BSM 3/11/2014 3
QUALITY LIFE | QUALITY CARE | EXCELLENT TEAMS | QUALITY REPUTATION | STEWARDSHIP
Visit our website to find out more about us!
When Experience Counts... ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy Care after total joint replacement Stroke recovery Strengthening after cancer treatment Care after surgery Recovery from a fall or extended illness
...Experience our State-of-the-Art Facilities
4330 South 144th Street Omaha, NE 68137 (402) 614-4000 ww.BrookestoneVillage.com
600 Brookestone Meadows Plaza Elkhorn, NE 68022 | (402) 289-2696 ww.BrookestoneMeadows.com
Proud Members of the Vetter Health Services Family
An added bonus to their new living quarters is how much less they need to drive from place to place—but walking isn’t their only option. “We are looking forward to using the newly installed bikes [the B-cycle bike rental stations] to move around downtown and midtown,” Mary-Beth admits. Additionally, she shares that she no longer purchases shoes unless they’ll be comfortable for at least a mile. Of course, it’s impossible for her to be upset about this. After all, the very pulse of Omaha is waiting to greet her and her husband just outside their front door. Visit omahadowntown.org to learn more.
BUSINESS. ENTERTAINMENT. FAMILY. FOOD & DRINK. HEALTH. HOME. LIFESTYLE. STYLE.
the new
ART. AT HOME. AUTO. BEAUTY. BEER, COCKTAILS & WINE. BEFORE & AFTER. BEST OF B2B ® . BEST LAWYERS IN AMERICA ® . BEST OF OMAHA ® . BUSINESS PROFILES. CALENDAR OF EVENTS. CHEFS. COFFEE & TEA. DIY PROJECT. DOWNTOWN. EDUCATION. ENTREPRENEURS. ETHICS. FAMILY ACTIVITIES. FASHION. FINANCE & REAL ESTATE. FITNESS. GALAS. GALLERIES & MUSEUMS. HOME HAPPENINGS. HOME IMPROVEMENT. HOT PRODUCTS. IN THE OFFICE.
LEADERS. MUSIC. NEIGHBORHOODS. NEW HOME BUSINESSES. NEWS. NIGHTLIFE. NONPROFITS. NUTRITION. OMAHA’S BEST DOCTORS ® . OPINION. PARENTING. PEOPLE. PEOPLE ON THE RISE. PETS. PLACES. PREMIER WEALTH ADVISORS. Q&A SPOTLIGHT. RECREATION. RESTAURANTS. RETIREMENT. REVIEWS. SOCIAL MEDIA. SPORTS. STYLISTS. TEEN VOICES. THEATRE. TOP DENTISTS.™ YOUNG HERO.
january/february 2016 | 60PLUS
S17
60PLUS HEALTH by james vnuk
S18  60PLUS | january/february 2016 | omahamagazine.com
TACKLING MALE PATTERN BALDNESS is “the donald” right for you?
I
T’S A STORY ALL too familiar to men. One day you’re cruising through Big Sur in a convertible, wind blowing through your gorgeous locks, and the next you’re pulling clumps of Chewbacca out of your shower drain. You’ve suddenly found you can’t rock a mohawk like you used to, and the last time your barber asked if you wanted to “take a little off the top,” you had the sudden urge to burn down the place. You’re facing male pattern baldness, and it can be a death knell for self-esteem. You’re not alone, and thankfully there are a number of options on the market to consider. A popular choice is using medications like Minoxidil (Rogaine), which is available OTC, or Finasteride (Propecia), available only by prescription. Each of these can restore some hair loss, but there’s no guarantee. They’re good for stopping thinning in its tracks; however, they only work for as long as you take them, and stopping will cancel out any gains (and possibly even make things worse), which makes getting hooked on Rogaine one of the weirder drug addictions. If chasing the dragon doesn’t sound appealing, you could spring for a concealer such as Caboki or Toppik. A far cry from the “spray paints” of old, these coat your existing hair with a layer of microfibers, creating the appearance of greater volume. The effect is surprisingly convincing. Plus, you’ll have a “Wooly Willy” costume ready to go for Halloween every year.
We cannot forget the oft-maligned toupee. To be blunt, they’re essentially hats made from human hair (or worse). Yes, they’re the butt of many jokes, and the media is currently plastered with images of Donald Trump’s fabled red locks revolting against gravity, but a well-designed toupee can appear convincing and natural. Toupee tech has come a long way, and savvy purchasers will be pleased if they can get over the stigma. So what’s a guy to do? You might find some of these options appealing, but all of them are partial solutions in holding back a chrome dome tide. Implants also exist, but the treatment can be inconsistent and cost-prohibitive. We’re unfortunately left waiting for a breakthrough even today. There is some good news. There’s never been a better time to be a bald man in America. Beards are fashionable across all ages, and nicely complement a pristine crown. We even have a toupee running for president (albeit attached to a billionaire)! As it stands, there’s no correlation to speak of between baldness and a drop in attractiveness, virility, or your chances of becoming governor of Nebraska. Perhaps the best solution is to accept your new look gracefully and with dignity. The truth is that baldness is only a self-esteem killer if you let it be. In the land of the bald, confidence is king. Regardless of if your hair’s thinning, receding, or getting blasted away, it’s all a matter of knowing you’ve got it going on.
january/february 2016 | 60PLUS S19
60PLUS NOSTALGIA by max sparber | photo courtesy of douglas county historical society
The venue offered performances by Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and Nirvana.
DO YOU REMEMBER? ak-sar-ben racetrack
I
T’S HARD TO BELIEVE the Ak-Sar-Ben Race Track and Coliseum has been closed for 20 years (the coliseum closed later, in 2002), as it was long one of Omaha’s iconic locations. Here is a brief look back on its long history. The track was built in 1919 to underwrite the various activities of Omaha’s famous Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben, a civic and philanthropic group dating back to 1895 inspired by the various “krewes” of New Orleans’ Mardi Gras parades. Initially created to provide an alternative to the rougher entertainment then popular at the state fair held in Omaha, the
S20 60PLUS | january/february 2016 | omahamagazine.com
Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben quickly expanded to supporting civic improvement projects, funding local charities, and overseeing various social events. The first race at the Ak-Sar-Ben track was an informal harness race on July 6, 1919. The track itself was not officially dedicated for nearly another year. That ceremony was held on September 14, 1920, with Nebraska governor Samuel Roy McKelvie officiating. At that time, admission cost 85 cents, and the track featured four harness and two running races every day. In 1921, the racetrack expanded, adding a new grandstand at the cost of $400,000; that same year Nebraska created a racing commission and made pari-mutuel betting legal—the style of gambling favored by horse races, in which odds are not fixed until the pool is closed, allowing for a great variety of bets. You can bet that a horse will win, place, or show, or place even more complex bets, such as sweep six, in which the bettor must correctly pick the winner of six races. The more challenging the bet, the more the bettor stands to win. The track built an adjoining coliseum in 1929, which quickly became Omaha’s premiere events center, serving as both an ice rink and a concert stage. Over its long life, the coliseum hosted many of the country’s most popular musical acts, acting as virtually a who’s who of changing tastes in music: The venue offered performances by Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and Nirvana. The track shut down from 1943 to 1945 during World War II. When the track opened again, on May 13, 1945, a crowd of 6,500 attended.
When a tornado struck Omaha in 1975, the race track was so close to its path that the twister was visible to people attending the races. The tornado carved a 10-mile path, killing three people, injuring 133, and scattering the debris of destroyed homes and businesses for miles. The total damage from the tornado, adjusted for inflation, was $1.1 billion, but the race track was mostly spared significant damage. The track is often associated with a horse named Omaha, who won the Triple Crown in 1935. The horse had no relationship with Ak-Sar-Ben until retiring to Nebraska City, when he was sometimes paraded around the track. When he died in 1959, Omaha was buried at Ak-Sar-Ben, but in the intervening years, the exact site of the grave was lost to time and remains a mystery to this day. Visit douglascohistory.org to learn more.
january/february 2016 | 60PLUS  S21
60PLUS THE GRANDPA CHRONICLES by david williams
UNDER A FULL MOON
T
HE HIKING TRAILS AT Platte River State Park are a jumble of twists and turns, ups and downs, forks and choices. Each junction—each meandering tendril—offers a different destination. I know the waterfall is down this path, I recall thinking on a recent night hike with my young grandsons, Easton (6), and Barrett (4). The haunted tepee (haunted because I made it so in a campfire tale over s’mores the evening before) is up that trail. And the choo-choo trains that rumble past the edge of the forest what seem a million times a day are best viewed if we instead take that other branch of the trail over there. The boys relied on Grandpa to know which direction to go, and a full moon lit the way for us in making navigation easy that night.
But the rest of life’s decisions won’t be so easy. Easton and Barrett will have many choices to make in selecting the paths that will be their life journeys. My hope is that they will always make wise decisions at every junction, but I know that this is wishful thinking. Along the way I hope that they learn humility, fairness, love, and compassion. I hope they fight for what they believe in. I hope they contribute to their community. I hope they learn how to make a slingshot. I hope they develop an appreciation of the arts and that which unites all of mankind. I hope they hate their first taste of alcohol. I hope they come to learn that peanut butter and salsa sandwiches are delicious. I hope that one day they will tell me about their favorite author. I hope they visit me when I am a broken-down pile of musty old bones. I hope they remember me when I am gone.
S22 60PLUS | january/february 2016 | omahamagazine.com
I hope they are strong, safe, healthy, and happy—and have families of their own someday that are the same. I hope they are curious. I hope they find passion. I hope they reach. Reach for something. Anything. Most of all, I hope they become exactly who they want to be and are comfortable in their own skin. Like the trails at Platter River State Park, life for them will be a jumble of twists and turns, ups and downs. The footing will sometimes be treacherous and slippery, but I hope they always have a full moon to guide their way.
Guilt-free reading. Through PrintReleaf, paper consumption is measured and trees are automatically replanted across our global network of certified reforestation projects to continually offset environmental impact. Vote Now! And now we need your help. Where should we make the world greener? Please visit Facebook.com/OmahaMagazine and vote for Mexico, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, or Madagascar as where Omaha Magazine should direct our tree-planting efforts.
we will plant a tree For every tree-worth of paper we use printing OMAHA MAGAZINE.
PrintReleaf certified partner. Please recycle your used magazines.
with
Travel and Transport
OPEN
Now more than ever, the time is right for travel No matter your age or level of experience. In this fast paced world, taking the time for a shared multigenerational vacation with family or friends creates lasting impressions and bonds that you’ll cherish for a lifetime. Connect with travel companions of all ages, as we assist you in planning a travel package to satisfy the needs of your whole group. From relaxing by the beach to adventurous activities, these experiences will satisfy the wanderlust of any vacationer and leave you with memories to share and treasure.
travelandtransport.com/vacations Located at 72nd & Mercy | 402.399.4555
CORPORATE TRAVEL | EVENTS | LOYALTY | VACATIONS