Issuu

Cumberland County Edition

January 2014

Vol. 15 No. 1

Wearable Memories Fabric Artist Creates Keepsakes from Belongings of Loved Ones By Lori Van Ingen Laurie Kolanko was just looking for a way to make some Christmas gifts while caring for her elderly mother. What she found was a new venture and a new way to help people honor their departed loved ones. “I knew someone who made purses out of placemats. I thought that sounded like fun,” Kolanko said. She also knew a lot of people used tote bags and wondered if she could make them using placemats. So Kolanko found some online tutorials, purchased some unusual-looking placemats and webbing, and she was set to go to work. “I enjoyed it so much,” Kolanko said, that she went back for more. “I fell in love with the whole process of shopping for them, mixing and matching colors and textures.” Kolanko said she has always liked sewing and making things with her hands. “I remember making clothes for my trolls out of felt when I was very young. I always had a needle of some sort in my hand when sitting down and relaxing.” She even made her daughters’ school clothes with matching clothes for their Cabbage Patch dolls. She also did counted cross stitch, embroidery, please see MEMORIES page 14 Laurie Kolanko with several of her handmade tote bags and tie pins.

Inside:

Strength-Training Tips for Seniors page 4

The Gone with the Wind Trail page 10

Art and Antiques by Dr. Lori

Collecting Colored Glass Lori Verderame oda lime glass is basically colorless. Metals and oxides can be added to glass to change its color during the glassblowing, molding, or machineproduction process. The following additives make the distinctive colors:

• Red glass: selenium • Ruby/cranberry glass: copper or gold, depending on the concentration • Amber glass: sulfur, carbon, iron salts • Yellow-green or Vaseline glass: uranium • Yellow glass: cadmium sulfide • Yellow-brown glass: titanium • Dark-green glass: iron oxide and chromium • Green-blue glass: iron oxide • Turquoise glass: copper oxide • Blue glass: cobalt with potash • Purple or amethyst glass: manganese

• Violet glass: nickel • Black glass: nickel depending on the concentration • White glass: fluorspar or zinc oxide • Milk glass: tin oxide, arsenic, antimony Why are wine bottles green? Why are beer bottles brown? Why are medicine bottles blue? The answers to these questions speak volumes about American culture and design. For instance, bottles for wine and beer were typically dark in color, such as green or brown, in order to protect the wine or beer from the light that could change its taste. Dark-colored wine bottles also hide the unsightly sediment that accumulates

at the bottom of a wine bottle. Often used for powder jars and bedroom vanity pieces, purple or amethyst glass has a long history. Purple or amethyst glass was first used in ancient Egypt and is a popular collectible today. In many 19th-century and early 20th-century general stores and early pharmacy or apothecary shops, blue bottles lined the shelves. Blue bottle glass was inexpensive to make, which was of interest to those who were trying to attract customers to new potions, tonics, and medicinal products. The cobalt-blue bottles were attractive and became connected with signs of good health.

Ruby glass is associated with its additive, gold, making the collecting of ruby glass a high-society status symbol. Ruby glass is often featured in objects such as decanter sets, goblets, and vases. Milk glass was a Venetian invention, the site of a longstanding history of glassblowing and glassworks. Milk glass was commonly used for items at weddings, such as bride’s baskets to hold money for the newlyweds, since milk glass resembled porcelain. Color reveals a great deal about the chemistry and history of collecting glass. Celebrity Ph.D. antiques appraiser, author, and award-winning TV personality, Dr. Lori hosts antiques appraisal events worldwide. Dr. Lori is the star appraiser on Discovery channel’s Auction Kings. To learn about your antiques: www.DrLoriV.com, www.Facebook.com/DoctorLori, @DrLori on Twitter, and (888) 431-1010.

Pick up your monthly refill…of news!

Best Wishes for a Happy 2014!

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January 2014

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Resource Directory This Resource Directory recognizes advertisers who have made an extended commitment to your health and well-being.

Emergency Numbers American Red Cross (717) 845-2751 Central PA Poison Center (800) 521-6110 Cumberland County Assistance (800) 269-0173 Energy Assistance Cumberland County Board of Assistance (800) 269-0173 Eye Care Services Kilmore Eye Associates 890 Century Drive, Mechanicsburg (717) 697-1414 Funeral Directors Cocklin Funeral Home, Inc. 30 N. Chestnut St., Dillsburg (717) 432-5312 Health & Medical Services Alzheimer’s Association (717) 651-5020 American Diabetes Association (800) 342-2383 Arthritis Foundation (717) 763-0900 CONTACT Helpline (717) 652-4400 The National Kidney Foundation (800) 697-7007 PACE (800) 225-7223 Social Security Administration (Medicare) (800) 302-1274 Healthcare Information Pa. HealthCare Cost Containment Council (717) 232-6787 Hearing Services Duncan Nulph Hearing Associates 5020 Ritter Road, Suite 10G, Mechanicsburg (717) 766-1500 Pennsylvania Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (800) 233-3008 V/TTY

Home Care Services Home Care Assistance Serving Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, and York counties (717) 540-4663 Safe Haven Quality Care Serving Cumberland, Dauphin, and Perry counties (717) 582-9977 Senior Helpers Serving the greater Harrisburg area (717) 920-0707 Hospice Services Homeland Hospice 2300 Vartan Way, Suite 115, Harrisburg (717) 221-7890 Housing Assistance Cumberland County Housing Authority 114 N. Hanover St., Carlisle (717) 249-1315 Homeland Center Cumberland and Dauphin counties (717) 221-7727 Property Tax/Rent Rebate (888) 728-2937 Salvation Army (717) 249-1411 Insurance Apprise Insurance Counseling (800) 783-7067 Pharmacies CVS/pharmacy www.cvs.com Retirement Communities Homeland Center 1901 N. Fifth St., Harrisburg (717) 221-7902 Services Cumberland County Aging & Community Services (717) 240-6110 Meals on Wheels Carlisle (717) 245-0707

National Council on Aging (800) 424-9046

Mechanicsburg (717) 697-5011 Newville (717) 776-5251 Shippensburg (717) 532-4904

Organ Donor Hotline (800) 243-6667 Passport Information (888) 362-8668

Toll-Free Numbers Bureau of Consumer Protection (800) 441-2555 Cancer Information Service (800) 422-6237

Smoking Information (800) 232-1331 Social Security Fraud (800) 269-0217 Social Security Office (800) 772-1213

Consumer Information (888) 878-3256

Travel Wheelchair Getaways Serving Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware, and Southern New Jersey (717) 921-2000

Disease and Health Risk (888) 232-3228 Domestic Violence (800) 799-7233 Drug Information (800) 729-6686

Veterans Services American Legion (717) 730-9100

Flu or Influenza (888) 232-3228 Health and Human Services Discrimination (800) 368-1019

Governor’s Veterans Outreach (717) 234-1681

Internal Revenue Service (800) 829-1040

Lebanon VA Medical Center 1700 S. Lincoln Ave., Lebanon (717) 228-6000 or (800) 409-8771

Liberty Program (866) 542-3788

Veterans Affairs (717) 240-6178 or (717) 697-0371

Medicare Hotline (800) 638-6833

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January 2014

Savvy Senior

Strength-Training Tips for Seniors

Corporate Office: 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 Phone 717.285.1350 • Fax 717.285.1360 Chester County: 610.675.6240 Cumberland County/Dauphin County: 717.770.0140 Berks County/Lancaster County/ Lebanon County/York County: 717.285.1350 E-mail address: info@onlinepub.com Website address: www.onlinepub.com

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EDITORIAL VICE PRESIDENT AND MANAGING EDITOR Christianne Rupp EDITOR, 50PLUS PUBLICATIONS Megan Joyce

ART DEPARTMENT PROJECT COORDINATOR Renee McWilliams PRODUCTION ARTIST Janys Cuffe

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Karla Back Angie McComsey Jacoby Valerie Kissinger Susan Krieger Ranee Shaub Miller Sue Rugh SALES & EVENT COORDINATOR Eileen Culp EVENTS MANAGER Kimberly Shaffer

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50plus Senior News is published by On-Line Publishers, Inc. and is distributed monthly among senior centers, retirement communities, banks, grocers, libraries and other outlets serving the senior community. On-Line Publishers, Inc. will not knowingly accept or publish advertising which may be fraudulent or misleading in nature. Views expressed in opinion stories, contributions, articles and letters are not necessarily the views of the publisher. The appearance of advertisements for products or services does not constitute an endorsement of the particular product or service. The publisher will not be responsible for mistakes in advertisements unless notified within five days of publication. On-Line Publishers, Inc. reserves the right to revise or reject any and all advertising. No part of this publication may be reproduced or reprinted without permission of On-Line Publishers, Inc. We will not knowingly publish any advertisement or information not in compliance with the Federal Fair Housing Act, Pennsylvania State laws or other local laws.

January 2014

Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, Can lifting weights help with agerelated health problems? At age 70, I have diabetes, arthritis, and osteoporosis and recently read that strength training could improve my conditions. What can you tell me? – Looking for Help

develop a safe and effective routine you can continue on your own. To find one, ask your healthcare provider or contact a good health club or fitness facility in your area. You can also search for one online at reputable sites like the American Council on Exercise

Dear Looking, A growing body of research shows that strength-training exercises can have a profound impact on a person’s health as they age—and you’re never too old to start. Regular strength training, done at least two nonconsecutive days a week, helps you build muscle strength, increases your bone density, and improves your balance, coordination, and stamina. It can also help reduce the signs and symptoms of many chronic conditions like arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, back pain, depression, and obesity. And some studies even show that it helps improve cognitive function too. Safety First For the most part, strengthtraining exercises—especially if you start conservatively and progress slowly—are safe for most seniors, even those with serious health conditions. But, if you have health concerns or if you are currently inactive, you should talk to your doctor about what may be appropriate for you. A good self-help resource to help you find an appropriate, safe exercise program is the “Exercise and Screening for You” tool at EASY (Exercise and Screening for You, www.easyforyou.info). Getting Started If you’ve never done strengthtraining exercises before, you may want to work with a personal trainer for a few sessions to help you

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(www.acefitness.org) or the IDEA Health & Fitness Association (www.ideafit.com). If personal training isn’t an option, there are lots of great senior strength-training videos you can purchase to guide you through a wide variety of exercises that you can do at home. Collage Video (www.collagevideo.com, (800) 8197111) sells dozens of age- and fitness-appropriate DVDs. Also see Go4Life (www.go4life.nia.nih.gov), a resource created by the National Institute on Aging that offers a free exercise DVD and guide that provides illustrated examples of exercises you can do at home to strengthen your body. You can order your free copies online or by calling (800) 222-2225.

Senior Classes If you don’t like exercising alone or need some motivation, consider joining a gym or call your local senior center to see if they offer any strength-training exercise classes. You should also check out SilverSneakers (www.silversneakers. com, (888) 423-4632) or Silver&Fit (www.silverandfit. com, (877) 427-4788). These are fitness programs offered in thousands of fitness centers, gyms, and YMCAs throughout the U.S. that offer special classes designed for older adults. These programs are available only to seniors that have certain Medicare supplemental policies or Medicare Advantage plans. Equipment If you work out at home, you’ll probably need to invest in some equipment. While some strength training can be done using your own body weight (like push-ups, sit-ups, and leg squats), hand weights, ankle weights, medicine balls, resistance bands, or rubber tubing are all great tools for strength training. You can find all these products at sporting-goods stores or online. Cans of soup, water bottles, or plastic milk containers filled with water or sand could also be used (like small hand weights) for resistance. Another strength-training tool you should know about is the Resistance Chair. This is an all-inone home fitness system that helps seniors maintain and improve their strength from a safe, seated position with minimal risk of injury. To learn more, see www.vqactioncare.com or call (800) 585-4920. Jim Miller is a regular contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior Book. www.savvysenior.org

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The Way I See It

It’s Over So Soon Mike Clark

y now, most of us are back to our routine day to day. The Christmas tree stands lifeless in the corner of the room where, just days ago, it was imbued with a certain seasonal magic—a magic especially obvious at night when its lights glowed warmly, and the bright, shiny ornaments reflected the illumination in a colorful palette of red, green, blue, silver, and gold throughout the room. The electrical plug now droops over a bottom branch. Nobody notices; the lights remain cold. The tree has seen its best days, done its holiday duty, and will soon be stripped of its finery. The township mulch pile is the next stop for some trees. Others will be enclosed in giant bags and placed curbside on trashremoval day. There are tiring days ahead for those who must heave the woody remains onto a truck. In the meantime, some gifts remain under the tree. Sweater sleeves appear to slither over the shallow sides of their boxes to touch the floor, chain-store tags dangle from bathrobes and slippers, and returnable items are bagged up and ready to go back to the mall at the next convenient moment. The best gifts are already in use. That’s not to say that sweaters, slippers, and bathrobes aren’t great gifts. They are. It’s just that most people do not feel compelled to model slippers and robes when they’re outside the home. It would just be odd. There’s not much about those items that elicit admiration and approval, anyway. As for sweaters, I haven’t looked good in one since I was young and almost slim (maybe not slim, but a lot less bulgy). Stockings will be taken down, and not necessarily with the care in which they were hung; I yank, and tacks fly.

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They land in places where only bare feet can find them. The small stuffers of pen sets, bottles of fragrance, candy bars, shaving razors, and all sorts of other knickknackery have been whisked away. I shook my stocking out several times. I’m convinced it was only hung to add symmetry to the lineup; I didn’t ask. Listen, it’s all good. I have little use for pen sets; the ink is nearly dried up in the ones I already own. My bottle of Old Spice is almost full. It’s obvious that I don’t need candy bars. I mostly use an electric razor, when I remember to charge it. And I certainly have no use for knickknacks and the dust they collect. It’s a new year. We embrace hope and the idea of a do-over for mistakes, poor decisions, and bad habits that have hindered our aspirations and relationships. We vow to be better. We will lose weight, quit smoking, be more patient with our spouses and children, unselfishly serve mankind, and make other resolutions, numerous and diverse. We will invariably fail to follow through on some of our loftier aims. It happens because we are human. Being human is a good general excuse for why we often fall short of our grand schemes. But resilience of spirit is another aspect of being human. When we fail, we feel challenged. We back up, take a running start, and head for the goal, again and again. That’s when good things happen, and we become better human beings. Keep at it—you’ll see. Happy New Year. Mike Clark writes a regular column for The Globe Leader newspaper in New Wilmington, Pa. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in organizational behavior/applied psychology from Albright College. Mike lives outside Columbia, Pa., and can be contacted at mikemac429@aol.com.

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January 2014

Beyond the Battlefield

He Hobnobbed with the Rich and Famous Alvin S. Goodman Veteran profile of David Press continued from last month … Eddy Arnold in Harrisburg “I met country-and-western singer Eddy Arnold when he was just beginning his career as the ‘Tennessee Plowboy’ but had already made a few hit records. We kept in touch, and when he appeared in person at the State Farm Show, my wife, Sonny, and I had dinner with him that evening.” While recording at the RCA Studios in New York, Elvis Presley took a break and drove his white Cadillac to the Poconos. Press was asked to meet him there and was in his Caddy while Presley showed him the eight-track stereo tape cartridge player, which was just installed. “Later, my wife and I saw him on The Ed Sullivan Show.” Press met his manager, Col. Tom Parker, before he managed Presley. He

came to the D&H Distributors’ new building when it was moved to its present location on North Seventh Street in Harrisburg. “Elvis sent my two daughters a lifesized stuffed camel from FAO Schwarz.” Mario Lanza in Scranton When Mario Lanza appeared for a performance in Scranton at the height of his career, he accepted a personal appearance in the record department of the Globe Department Store, which Press had arranged. “I met him in Stroudsburg, where we had lunch. He brought along his wife. After lunch, we had a state police escort from Stroudsburg to Scranton, where he was met by the mayor at city hall and was given the key to the city.” From there, Lanza and Press went to a hotel, where they had lunch with local dignitaries. At the Globe Store, Lanza

Thank You, Al Goodman! For the last decade, columnist Al Goodman has chronicled the lives of local veterans in his “Beyond the Battlefield” column. Thank you, Al, for honoring the service of so many area vets and for bringing their stories to the community. 50plus Senior News and its readers wish Al a happy and healthy retirement!

January 2014

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was escorted been a truck to the driver before record being department, discovered by located on Leopold the fifth Stokowski, floor, by a conductor of dozen police the and Philadelphia firemen. Symphony Lanza told Orchestra.” the crowd He had just Dave and Sonny Press had dinner with country-andof about a finished western singer Eddy Arnold, center, before he thousand making one of performed in Harrisburg. fans that if his movies, they would The Student file in front Prince. of the “Mario counter in told me he an orderly had a fashion, he weight would be problem happy to and said autograph when you any records see the or albums movie you they had will see purchased. noticeable “At that differences Harry Belafonte, seated in center, pictured with point, the in his others (including Press, far right) after entertaining crowd weight.” students and faculty at a Harrisburg Catholic surged He said high school assembly. forward, the movie uprooted studio sent the counter, and I caught him to Washington state the cash register before it during the filming of the hit the floor. I told the movie to work as a police and firemen lumberjack so that he standing in awe nearby, could trim down. ‘Let’s get him out of here.’ We formed a V and Harry Belafonte managed to get him back Entertains to his hotel room.” High-School Students In 1957, Harry When he got there, Belafonte was appearing at Lanza said he would The Forum in Harrisburg never do that again. with dancers Marge and “He took off his shirt Gower Champion and and showed me where actor James Whitmore. some women fans had David Press today. “I contacted Harry and actually scraped the skin asked him if he would off his chest through the make an appearance at a Harrisburg clothes.” Catholic high school assembly. He This incident made The New York agreed and spent about an hour at the Times and Time magazine, and Lanza school, even having the nuns join in kept his word: He never made another singing ‘Day-O.’ I knew Harry was autograph signing like that again. Catholic, and one of his college “Mario liked to eat and drink, having www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com

roommates lived here.” After 38 years of being associated with the Harrisburg firm, Press retired. He and his wife then opened a record and video store in downtown Harrisburg’s Strawberry Square. A few months later, they expanded and opened two candy stores named Chez Chocolat, one in Strawberry Square and another in the Camp Hill shopping mall.

After another retirement, Press is working part time for a candy and general merchandise broker. Press married Sondra Goldman Oct. 16, 1966. They have four children and six grandchildren. The Presses enjoy playing tennis, golf, dancing, reading, traveling, and spending time with their grandchildren.

Editor’s Note: This concluding segment of the four-part series on David Press will be the last one for freelance writer Al Goodman of Harrisburg. He has been doing veterans’ profiles for 50plus Senior News since 2001, and with his 81st birthday coming up Feb. 3, has decided to retire. “It has been a tremendous pleasure writing these articles,” Goodman said.

“We commend all our servicemen and -women, past and present, living or deceased, in all branches of the armed forces, plus those civilians in the Merchant Marine, for their service to our country during World War II, the Korean conflict, and Vietnam, in war and peace and ‘beyond the battlefield.’ Well done, thou good and faithful servants!”

Calendar of Events

Cumberland County

PA State Parks in Cumberland County

Senior Center Activities

Jan. 1, 1:30 to 3 p.m. – First Day Hike, Kings Gap Environmental Education Center

Big Spring Senior Center – (717) 776-4478 91 Doubling Gap Road, Suite 1, Newville Jan. 17, 10 a.m. – Presentation on Scamming and Identity Theft Jan. 24, 11:30 a.m. – Snowflake Luncheon Jan. 23 to Feb. 27, 10:30 a.m. – Six-Week Course: Chronic Disease Self-Management Program

Jan. 12, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. – Stressbuster Hike, Kings Gap Environmental Education Center

Programs and Support Groups

Free and open to the public.

Jan. 2, 6:30 p.m. Too Sweet: Diabetes Support Group Chapel Hill United Church of Christ 701 Poplar Church Road Camp Hill (717) 557-9041

Jan. 8, 1 p.m. Parkinson’s Support Group HealthSouth Rehab Hospital 175 Lancaster Blvd., Mechanicsburg (717) 877-0624

Jan. 21, 1 p.m. Caregiver Support Group Mechanicsburg Church of the Brethren 501 Gale St., Mechanicsburg (717) 766-8880

Jan. 7, 7 p.m. CanSurmount Cancer Support Group HealthSouth Acute Rehab Hospital 175 Lancaster Blvd., Mechanicsburg (717) 691-6786

Jan. 14, 6:30 to 8 p.m. Carlisle Area Men’s Cancer Support Group The Live Well Center 3 Alexandria Court, Carlisle (717) 877-7561 sirbrady12@gmail.com

If you have an event you would like to include, please email information to mjoyce@onlinepub.com for consideration.

Southampton Place – (717) 530-8217 www.seniors.southamptontwp.com 56 Cleversburg Road, Shippensburg Jan. 7, 1 p.m. – Safe Serve Training Jan. 28, 9 to 11:30 a.m. – “Road to Healthier Living” Chronic-Disease Management Workshop Jan. 30, 5:30 to 8 p.m. – Winterfest Please contact your local center for scheduled activities.

Community Programs Cumberland County Library Programs Bosler Memorial Library, 158 W. High St., Carlisle, (717) 243-4642 Jan. 6, 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. – Monday Bosler Book Discussion Group Jan. 8, 1 to 2 p.m. – Wicked Wednesday Book Discussion Group Jan. 24, 1 to 2 p.m. – Just Mysteries! Book Club Cleve J. Fredricksen Library, 100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill, (717) 761-3900 Jan. 9 – Mobile Device Basics: iPad, iPhone, iPod at 5:30 p.m.; Android at 6:30 p.m.; Kindle and Nook at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 13, 6:30 p.m. – Twisted Stitchers Knitting and Crochet Group Jan. 14, 7 p.m. – Fredricksen Reads Book Discussions: The Piano Shop on the Left Bank by Thad Carhart New Cumberland Public Library, 1 Benjamin Plaza, New Cumberland, (717) 774-7820 Jan. 2, 10:30 a.m. – Ruth’s Mystery Group: “The Title is a Place” Jan. 6 and 20, 6 to 8 p.m. – Great Books Discussion Group Jan. 22, 6 to 9 p.m. – Pennwriters Writing Group

What’s Happening? Give Us the Scoop! Please send us your press releases so we can let our readers know about free events occurring in Cumberland County! Email preferred to: mjoyce@onlinepub.com www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com

Free and open to the public.

Mondays and Wednesdays, noon to 12:45 p.m. Silver Sneakers Class: Muscular Strength and Range of Movement Living Well Fitness Center 207 House Ave., Suite 107 Camp Hill (717) 439-4070 Jan. 8, 11:30 a.m. NARFE West Shore Chapter 1465 VFW Post 6704 4907 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg (717) 737-1486 www.narfe1465.org Visitors welcome; meeting is free but fee for food. Jan. 8, 6:30 p.m. Amputee Support Team Meeting HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital 175 Lancaster Blvd., Mechanicsburg (610) 867-9295 rbuck18015@verizon.net www.astamputees.com

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January 2014

Social Security News V. Eugene Kilmore, Jr., M.D. John W Pratt, M.D. Foster E. Kreiser, O.D. Ryan J. Hershberger, O.D. Michelle A. Thomas, O.D.

January is Glaucoma Awareness Month Glaucoma is a disease that can steal sight without warning! Many are unaware that glaucoma can affect people of all ages. The best way to protect your sight is to have yearly eye exams. Call today and schedule an appointment.

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FUNERAL HOME, INC. Dillsburg, Pennsylvania

Ring in the New Year with a COLA By John Johnston any people ring in the new year with champagne. People who receive Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) get to ring it in with a COLA. This year, more than 60 million Americans are receiving a 1.5 percent cost of living adjustment (COLA) in their monthly benefit payment. The 1.5 percent COLA begins with increased benefits for more than 57 million Social Security beneficiaries in January 2014. Payments to more than 8 million SSI recipients began in late December 2013. The estimated average monthly Social Security payment to a retired worker is $1,294 (in 2014), up from $1,275 (in

2013). The average monthly Social Security disability payment for an individual is $1,148 (in 2014), up from $1,131 (in 2013). The basic monthly federal payment for SSI is $721 (in 2014), up from $710 (in 2013). Some other changes that take effect in January of each year are based on the increase in average wages. For example, the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security payroll tax (taxable maximum) will increase to $117,000, up from $113,700. Of the estimated 165 million workers who will pay Social Security taxes in 2014, about 10 million will pay higher taxes as a result of the increase in the taxable maximum. The amount of earnings needed for one credit of Social Security coverage has

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January 2014

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For an application or tour of the facility contact:

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gone up as well, but all workers can still earn up to four credits in a year. In 2014, a worker earns a credit after earning $1,200. In 2013, one credit of coverage was $1,160. It takes 40 credits to be fully insured for retirement benefits. Information about Medicare changes for 2014 is available at www.medicare.gov.

Visit www.socialsecurity.gov/pressoffice to learn more about the COLA and other Social Security changes in 2014. From everyone at Social Security, have a Happy New Year. John Johnston is a Social Security public affairs specialist.

On Seeing Snow for the First Time The little boy stood by the window watching the morning sky. Something strange was falling from heaven. He knew neither what nor why. He had never seen anything like it, But it was pretty and oh-so-white. It fell to the ground and stayed there, Truly a beautiful sight. “O, Mama, come quickly,” he called her, “and see what’s happening this morn. The weather’s all mixed up and crazy, ’Cause today it’s raining popcorn.” Written and submitted by Wilma Musser

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January 2014

Traveltizers

Travel Appetizers: Stories that Whet the Appetite for Travel

The Gone with the Wind Trail Trail that leads people to five sites that are in some way connected to the book, the film, or the author. allow three days to explore the Our first trail stop is in Clayton Gone with the Wind Trail in and County, where Mitchell’s relatives near Atlanta, but it takes me only had a rural home. As a child, one to become a Windie. A Windie Mitchell visited often and listened is a die-hard GWTW fan, a person intently as her family elders told who is immersed in the history, stories about their experiences legends, and legacy surrounding the during the Civil War. Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and Many of these tales were enormously popular film. A Tudor Revival mansion had been transformed into scenes in her novel, Some dream of Rhett; others subdivided into small apartments leading her heirs to dub Clayton dream of Scarlett’s fancy clothes or by the time Mitchell and her Gone with the Wind has earned husband moved in. 17-inch waist. As for me, I dream of One of the most popular County the “Official Home of Gone more money than any other publishing a novel that wins one of pieces in The Road to Tara with the Wind.” (To Mitchell’s movie in box-office history, Museum is a replica of the dismay, Selznick upgraded the the world’s most prestigious awards adjusted for inflation. “drapery dress,” worn by comfortable farmhouse of Mitchell’s and is turned into a film that earns Vivian Leigh. memory into Tara, a much grander me millions. mansion that he thought would On the surface, GWTW is the better appeal to movie audiences.) wildly romantic tale of Scarlett story of the American South during and overnight sensation. David Selznick The Road to Tara Museum has a O’Hara, a headstrong Southern belle produced the movie, which is the immediately after the Civil War, a time painting of the old farmhouse, in (played by Vivian Leigh in the movie) when an entire society was challenged highest-grossing film in box-office and her love-hate relationship with Rhett and ultimately transformed. history, earning an estimated $3.3 billion addition to authentic Civil War items and reproductions of many of the Butler, a dashing, successful opportunist in today’s dollars. The book, written by first-time costumes worn in the film, including the (depicted by Clark Gable). To capitalize on the public’s interest, novelist Margaret Mitchell, was released green “drapery dress” that Leigh wears in But on a deeper level, GWTW is the the state of Georgia created a GWTW to the public in 1936 and became an By Andrea Gross

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one of the movie’s most memorable scenes. But it’s not until I see the display of foreign-edition books that I begin to morph from casual tourist to possible Windie. GWTW has been translated into more than 40 languages and sold in more than 50 countries, from Albania and Burma to North Korea and Serbia. Why are people all over the world so intrigued by a story about a war that took place in America so long ago? We learn the answer the next day when we visit the Margaret Mitchell House, where the author lived when she began her novel. It takes only a few minutes to see the small apartment but much longer to peruse the exhibits in the nearby hallway. There, on a large signboard, is a quote by Margaret Mitchell: “If the novel has a theme, it is that of survival.” Why, of course. GWTW addresses a basic concern: If their old world is “gone with the wind,” how do people create a new one that will work in their new circumstances? This is a question asked by everyone who has ever suffered a hardship, be whatever the cause. When seen in this light, it’s easy to understand the story’s universal and enduring appeal. Our next stop is Atlanta’s Public Library, where there are more than 1,500

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The apartment where Mitchell lived when she began her novel has been reproduced as accurately as possible in the Margaret Mitchell House.

Stately Oaks is an 1839 home in Clayton County. Although it bears some resemblance to Tara, the plantation home depicted in the movie, it is much more elegant than the home that Mitchell described in her book.

Windies from all over the world visit Margaret Mitchell’s grave, which is in Oakland Cemetery.

Gable got $160,000 plus a bonus that enabled him to divorce his wife and marry Carole Lombard, the love of his real life. On the other hand, his co-star Vivian Leigh got a mere $30,000. Yes, Gable was a mega-star, but still, I can’t help but wonder what Mitchell, who was quite the feminist for her time, thought of that. Finally, we double back to Atlanta to visit Oakland Cemetery, where Mitchell is buried next to her husband. Her tombstone is small compared to many and gives no hint of her fame. It’s simply inscribed with her married name, Margaret Mitchell Marsh. Someone, a Windie no doubt, has decorated the grave with pink flowers, reputedly Mitchell’s favorite color. I want to extend my stay in Georgia, to delve more deeply into the GWTW phenomenon and to learn more about the era in which the novel is set. But we have a plane to catch, so I console myself by remembering Scarlett’s words, “Tomorrow is another day.” I’ll be back. www.gwtwtrail.com

of Mitchell’s personal items, including her old Remington typewriter and 1937 Pulitzer Prize certificate. We’re even more fascinated by the

items on display at the Marietta GWTW Museum, Scarlett on the Square, which holds a treasure-trove of photos and ephemera. I examine the film contracts.

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January 2014

The Beauty in Nature

Blue Spruces and American Hollies Clyde McMillan-Gamber aturing blue spruce and American holly trees have pyramidal forms, drooping limbs like half-collapsed umbrellas, and densely packed needles, or leaves, the year around. Blue spruces are native to the Rocky Mountains, and wild American hollies are barely established in southeastern Pennsylvania. But both species are commonly planted on local lawns, as elsewhere, because of their beauties, including shapes, evergreen leaves, and decorative cones on the spruces and strikingly red berries on the hollies. And both offer year-round shelter, and seasonal food, to the wildlife that add their beauties to those of the trees. Heaps of snow push the limbs of those trees down tighter than normal. The snow and foliage together protect squirrels, hawks, owls, and small birds

nestled under them from cold, winter winds and the keen vision of predators. Through that leaf and snow insulation, and their own fur or feathers, much body heat of those mammals and birds is retained, keeping them warm. In winter, owls shelter in the spruces and hollies during the day, while redtailed hawks, Cooper’s hawks, mourning doves, dark-eyed juncos, American crows, blue jays, and other kinds of birds snuggle in them at night. Those trees are good nursery sites in early spring because

their evergreen foliage conceals eggs and young. The hawks also hide in those trees to ambush squirrels and birds. Squirrels, mice, and

wintering American goldfinches, pine siskins, chickadees, and other bird species eat seeds in the spruce cones. The small birds cling to the cones to pull seeds from between the scales. Flocks of American robins, cedar waxwings, and other kinds of birds consume berries on the hollies during winter. And robins also do so in March when migrating north. Look closer at blue spruces and American hollies on lawns. You will enjoy the beauties of those trees and the animals that benefit from them.

Public Vote Selects Book for 2014 Reading Campaign Representatives from libraries in Berks, Dauphin, Lebanon, Lancaster, Perry, and York counties recently announced the selection of The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan as the 2014 One Book, One Community selection. As part of the campaign’s 10th anniversary, organizers wanted to promote community involvement in the selection of the title, rather than handing over a single title for the 2014 campaign. A public vote in October selected a book from a narrowed-down list of three titles. The vote also established a new timeline for the community read project, which previously took place in the fall. The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan is a non-fiction book that tells the

story of the 1930s Dust Bowl primarily through the eyes of those who did not flee but stayed and watched the disintegration of their homes. Residents of the six-county region are encouraged to read the book during January in preparation to attend free programs and discussions that will be held at public libraries during February. The public will also be invited to a post-read celebration that will be held the end of February or early March. Libraries in the six counties will stock copies of the book that can be borrowed free of charge in January. Books will also be available for purchase at local booksellers. More information is available at www.oboc.org.

Are You Reading? Join the 2014 One Book, One Community campaign by reading The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan

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January 2014

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93 libraries in Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, and York counties and their community partners present the regional reading campaign:

Visit www.oboc.org or your library to learn more www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com

Tinseltown Talks

Elly May Offers Up Some Vittles Nick Thomas

f ever an actor was recognized by one career role, it was Donna Douglas with her portrayal of Elly May in the highly popular CBS ’60s comedy The Beverly Hillbillies. In the four decades since the series ended its nine-season run in 1971, the drop-dead gorgeous blonde, a native of Pride, La., is still strongly identified with the show wherever she goes. Rather than distancing herself from the connection to Jed, Granny, Jethro, and the Clampett clam, Douglas has embraced her sitcom heritage and still makes public appearances as a real-life Southern belle. “Elly was a slice out of my life,” says Douglas, whose official website (www.donnadouglasofficialwebsite.com) was launched in 2012. “I was raised a tomboy, with one older brother and all male cousins. So I grew up swinging from vines and playing softball. I was getting ready for Jethro long before we ever met! I still adore Elly and we have a lot in common, with the same interests and values.” After Hillbillies ended, Douglas was offered many roles but accepted just a handful that she felt wouldn’t compromise her standards. “I’ve got no regrets about anything I turned down. I sold real estate for a while, made a couple of record albums, and speak at churches, ladies groups, and schools around the country. My days are full and I’m very happy!” This year, she also published a nostalgic cookbook, Southern Favorites with a Taste of Hollywood, a collection of recipes gathered over the years, many from friends including Debbie Reynolds, Buddy Ebsen, Phyllis Diller, and Valerie Harper. “The cookbook came about as a way to share my favorite recipes,” said Douglas, who recalls homecooked meals prepared in the rich, Southern tradition that many will also remember from their childhood. “Homemade dishes are almost unheard of today,” she lamented. “They’re all premade in a box or from a drive-thru. That’s today’s way. But there was something about the way your mom www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com

The cover of Douglas’ cookbook, Southern Favorites with a Taste of Hollywood

Somewhere around 500 were used during the series, provided by Hollywood animal trainer Frank Inn.” Today, she shows little sign of slowing down. “I seldom really rest,” admits Douglas, who turned 80 in September. “I travel all over the U.S. and Canada and have a very busy schedule. But I have to turn down a lot of requests. I also garden, spend time with family and friends, and still get quite a bit of fan mail. “My days are full and then some, so I’m always playing catch-up. Life has been very good to me and full of blessings for a little backwoods girl from Louisiana who never had any thoughts of a career in showbiz.”

The cast of The Beverly Hillbillies Donna Douglas today

made dishes with a special touch—with a bit of this and a pinch of that.” Although her own mother never used Granny’s “possum fat,” her childhood meals weren’t exactly lean. “Lard and bacon grease, especially in the South, were cooking essentials!” Interspersed between the book’s recipes are delightful personal anecdotes from her Hollywood days. “I thought fans would enjoy a few remembrances from my life, along with some photos from my scrapbook.” In an effort to remind readers of the long-lost art of good manners, there’s also a quaint section called “Hollywood Social Graces.” Advice includes never using your fork as a toothpick, chewing gum in someone else’s home, or answering a cell phone while a dinner guest. “Etiquette was taught in the South, but I’m afraid it’s a thing of the past now. Social graces are lacking all around us, people are rushing all the time, and no one sits and visits any longer.” Not a big fan of today’s television programming, Douglas says she likes to watch the classics in reruns, such as Touched by an Angel as well as the occasional Hillbillies episode, which brings back memories.

“Elly may not have kissed many fellows during the show’s run, but she sure did kiss a heap of animals.

Thomas’ features and columns have appeared in more than 300 magazines and newspapers, and he is the author of Raised by the Stars, published by McFarland. He can be reached at his blog: http://getnickt.blogspot.com

Early Warning for Alzheimer’s: Peanut Butter? The sense of smell may be an important clue in a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers at the University of Florida ran an experiment designed to test the ability of Alzheimer’s patients to detect odors, based on the fact that impaired smell is often one of the first effects of cognitive decline. The main ingredient in the test: peanut butter. The scientists capped subjects’ nostrils one at a time and observed the distance at which each participant could smell a teaspoon of peanut butter, which was used because its

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odor doesn’t include any secondary effects like stinging or burning (as other smells generally do). They found that in patients who had been previously diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the left nostril’s sense of smell was significantly more impaired than the right. Control subjects who either didn’t suffer from cognitive decline, or who had different kinds of cognitive disability, didn’t exhibit the same discrepancy. The finding could serve as a vital early warning of Alzheimer’s, a disease that’s difficult to detect in its early stages. January 2014

MEMORIES

from page 1

and pillowcases. “I would sit and watch TV with a needle in my hand. I liked to do that even as a child. It was my time to relax. It was very calming,” she said. Creating tote bags gave her that same feeling, so she kept making them to give to family and friends. Because everyone loved the tote bags she made, her husband and daughter thought she could sell them. They brainstormed name ideas and came up with Totelly Unique. “No two tote bags I make are alike. I now make three different sizes: a small, purse-type tote; a medium-size tote that would carry a laptop; and a large one to carry more items,” Kolanko said. She sold her first tote bags to the store where she gets her glasses. “They said, ‘You should bring some in and people will buy them,’” she said. “The first time I walked away with being paid for something I made was really exciting.” The 58-year-old was a full-time physical therapist for VNA for 30 years before her mother needed her care. She now takes her Totelly Unique bags to area craft shows and would like to expand the territory she has attended.

“I enjoy embellish the meeting people totes, my best and making friend’s father contacts. It’s a passed away, and I really enjoyable wanted to make business.” something for her Besides using as a keepsake for “beautiful and her dad,” Kolanko unusual” said. “He was a placemats, pastor and had Several memorial tie pins made from neckties. Kolanko now many ties, and I adds handmade thought I could flowers and probably make other some lovely embellishments flowers out of his to her tote bags. ties. So I asked her “I’d sit at for some and night with my made her and her mom and make mom some flower flowers” for the brooches. tote bags, she “That brought Tie pins, also created from an oxford shirt. said. She’d make such joy to my a “poofy” flower heart that I began and put something in it like costume to do the same for family and friends, jewelry or a button. and it spread from there.” The tie flowers are 99.9 percent hand Then on other tote bags she’d just use sewn with only a tiny bead of hot glue jewelry, like retro pins, from old on the back that can’t be seen, she said. fashioned to contemporary. She also uses the tag that comes on the Kolanko also has added a side branch back of the tie, adding beauty to the to her business, Tie Flowers. “When I had begun making flowers to flower.

“I try to make the back as beautiful as the front,” she said. Kolanko also makes flowers out of fabrics other than ties. “If a mom or grandma had a special dress or scarf, or even a tablecloth around which the family had dinner, I could make flowers from these,” she said. She has made pocket squares out of shirts for a man to remember his dad, hairclips using ties for little girls, and tote bags using pockets, buttons, and belt loops from a man’s jeans as pockets on the bag. It gives Kolanko the most pleasure when customers see a flower for the first time and tears come to their eyes, or when the tie is from a very special occasion. She recently worked on a tie flower pin from a tie that a man wore to his daughter’s wedding, and her mom gave it to her for Christmas. Also, in the future when she is able to travel, Kolanko would like to teach women in other countries to make tote bags and flowers to help them earn money. “A lady from Nicaragua likes to wear bright and colorful flowers in her hair, and she said she would like me to teach her to make them,” Kolanko said.

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January 2014

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The Squint-Eyed Senior

Good Intentions Theodore Rickard his happens every New Year’s. It’s a combination, I’ve decided, of Good Intentions and Fond Hopes. As we who have already lived a lifetime already know, these two virtues are extremely fragile. Some of us have begun to suspect that they might not be virtues at all. Good Intentions pave the road to hell, I’ve been given to understand. Fond Hopes, however, help us get to sleep, and the fonder of the hopes rapidly morph from childish fantasies to adult ambitions—especially around 4 a.m. Even with a good night’s rest, we can’t overlook the reality: We just don’t reform very well. Especially me. For example, I still have a paperback edition of a book called Budgeting Your Retirement Years. I bought a used copy two years ago. Not surprisingly, it arrived postage due. I never read it, because the next week our condo fee was raised $50 a month and the car began making loud complaining noises somewhere under the rear seat, and how do you budget for that? The budgeting book went to the local library sale. The librarian said they already had 40 copies of it in the sale, and did I know about recycling? (She had that sweetly frozen manner of

speaking that librarians learn to turn on for those patrons who have a dozen books that are four weeks overdue—each of them—and who want to complain— loudly— about the fines.) Also in the area of New Year’s selfimprovement, our daughter with the degree in fine arts sent us a CD recently. It featured “Great Art of the Entire World.” I believe she got it as a premium for paying her museum dues. She apparently figured she didn’t need it—the college degree in fine arts being enough for anybody—but that her parents could use some cultural tuning up. She showed us where the CD goes to play on the computer. There are monthly follow-up recordings coming, she told us, so we could look forward to a full year of cultural enhancement. She didn’t notice that neither her mother nor I had any difficulty concealing our enthusiasm. At first I thought that maybe a

Books and Their Original Titles “What’s in a name?” Shakespeare asked, possibly when trying to think of titles to the many plays he wrote. Take a look at the original titles of some of the world’s best-known books and imagine how their impact might have been different if someone hadn’t suggested a switch: • Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell: The Last Man in Europe • Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov: The Kingdom by the Sea • The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway: Fiesta www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com

• The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand: Second-Hand Lives • Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck: Something That Happened • Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: First Impressions • The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner: Twilight • The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald: Gatsby, Among Ash-Heaps and Millionaires; Trimalchio; Trimalchio in West Egg; On the Road to West Egg; Under the Red, White and Blue; GoldHatted Gatsby; The High-Bouncing Lover

sampling of the digitized lessons would catch our interest more strongly as they steeped us in refinement, so I tried to play the initial CD once again just to see. I found the little panel in the computer, the horizontal gateway that flew open at our daughter’s touch when she demonstrated it. But neither I nor her mother could find the magic spot to be touched. We even tried saying “open, sesame” several times, getting louder and louder until we felt insane doing it. It was far more practical, we decided, to await a visit from one of the grandkids to show us how to operate the thing. With a little luck, the child would swear to lifelong secrecy and be unwilling to rat out his own grandparents! I haven’t really given up on selfimprovement in the new year. On the last library visit I returned the overdue books, so I felt entitled to browse a bit. In the magazine section, I picked up a copy of Art Today. I did this rather

surreptitiously since the magazine cover blazoned a feature titled “Modern Nudes.” I found a quiet reading corner and folded over the front cover while I investigated what was new in art circles. Frankly, I felt a bit like a preteen punching in s-e-x for a Google search as I hunched down in the chair in the library’s “quiet corner.” But if I was expecting prurience, what I got was geometry. Modern nudes, according to Art Today (and who would know better?), consist of triangles, circles, squares, and what I think are parallelograms—if I remember my highschool geometry. Another version of the undraped looked like a waterfall with orange water, or maybe it was Snapple, for all I know. There were six pages of similar portraits. Nothing approached what I expected to find, which, now upon reflection, was pretty close to what the eighth-grader expects to find via Google. I’m afraid this whole self-improvement thing is beyond me. And heaven knows what we’ll find on the CDs, with 11 of them yet to come. A collection of Ted Rickard’s family-fun essays is titled Anything Worth Knowing I Learned from the Grandkids. It is now available in paperback on Amazon.com.

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Volunteer Spotlight! Submissions should be 200 words or fewer and photos are encouraged. Email preferred to mjoyce@onlinepub.com or mail nominations to 50plus Senior News, Volunteer Spotlight, 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512.

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January 2014

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