York 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 12 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 6
The Way I See It
It’s Over So Soon Mike Clark
B
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 trash-removal 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.
Best Wishes for a Happy 2014! from
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.
is seeking an ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE On-Line Publishers, Inc. has an opening for a highly motivated person with a professional attitude to sell print and online advertising as well as niche events. The successful candidate should: • Enjoy building and maintaining your own long-term business relationships. • Be highly motivated, detail oriented, and able to multitask. • Have good communication skills. • Show a willingness to learn and grow in a fast-paced environment. We offer a competitive compensation plan with a benefits package that includes health insurance and a 401(k) plan. If you have sales experience and are interested in joining our growing sales team, please send your resume and compensation history/requirements to danderson@onlinepub.com. On-Line Publishers, Inc. • 3912 Abel Drive • Columbia, PA 17512 • 717.285.1350 www.onlinepub.com
2
January 2014
50plus SeniorNews t
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Social Security News
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
M
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 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.
Resource Directory This Resource Directory recognizes advertisers who have made an extended commitment to your health and well-being. Active Adult Communities Roth’s Farm Village Roth’s Church Road, Spring Grove (717) 633-7300 Adult Day Centers SeniorLIFE 1500 Memory Lane Ext.,York (814) 535-6000 Animal Hospitals Community Animal Hospital Donald A. Sloat, D.V.M. 400 S. Pine St.,York (717) 845-5669 Automobile Sales/Service Gordon’s Body Shop, Inc. 10 Mill St., Stewartstown (717) 993-2263 Sun Motor Cars 6677 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg (877) 316-3030 Coins & Currency Steinmetz Coins & Currency 2861 E. Prospect Road,York (717) 757-6980
Energy Assistance Low-Income Energy Assistance (717) 787-8750 Entertainment Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre 510 Centerville Road, Lancaster (717) 898-1900 Health & Medical Services Alzheimer’s Association (717) 651-5020 Alzheimer’s Information Clearinghouse (800) 367-5115 American Diabetes Association (800) 342-2383 CONTACT Helpline (717) 652-4400 The National Kidney Foundation (800) 697-7007 or (717) 757-0604 Social Security Information (800) 772-1213 Healthcare Information PA HealthCare Cost Containment (717) 232-6787
Hearing Services Pennsylvania Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (800) 233-3008 V/TTY Home Care Services Senior Helpers Serving Adams and York counties (717) 920-0707 Visiting Angels Living Assistance Services (717) 630-0067 – Hanover (717) 751-2488 – York Housing/Apartments Elm Spring Residence 118 Pleasant Acres Road,York (717) 840-7676 Housing Assistance Housing Authority of York (717) 845-2601 Property Tax/Rent Rebate (888) 728-2937
Pharmacies CVS/pharmacy www.cvs.com Minnich’s Pharmacy 976 S. George St.,York (717) 848-2312 Salon Services Trimmer’s Hair & Nail Care 112 Brittany Court, Red Lion (717) 246-4844 Senior Move Management Life Transition Solutions (717) 799-0648 Services York County Area Agency on Aging (800) 632-9073 Veterans Services Lebanon VA Medical Center 1700 S. Lincoln Ave., Lebanon (717) 228-6000 or (800) 409-8771
Insurance – Long-Term Care Apprise Insurance Counseling (717) 771-9610 or (800) 632-9073
Not an all-inclusive list of advertisers in your area.
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
50plus SeniorNews t
January 2014
3
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
PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER Donna K. Anderson
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
CIRCULATION PROJECT COORDINATOR Loren Gochnauer
ADMINISTRATION BUSINESS MANAGER Elizabeth Duvall Member of
Awards
Winner
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.
4
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
50plus SeniorNews t
(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
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Want to Get Smarter? Watch What You Eat Want to increase your brainpower? Cybernetic implants aren’t the answer (except in science-fiction stories), but some foods may actually help your brain work better. No guarantees, but try some of these mental boosters: Walnuts. A Spanish study found that people who eat a small handful of walnuts a day saw their memory improve by 19 percent. Coffee. It helps you wake up, and a British study suggests that just 20-30 milligrams of caffeine (less than 1 cup) can enhance mental agility.
Spinach. The magnesium in Popeye’s favorite food may not make you instantly stronger, but it can increase the blood flow to your brain along with the rest of your body—at least according to a Japanese research team. Mussels. Seafood is considered brain food, right? Mussels provide high levels of vitamin B12, which can help insulate your brain cells as you age. Asparagus. Eating your vegetables is good for you. Asparagus is packed with folate, which can decrease the risk of depression.
Volunteer Spotlight YCAAA Recognizes Volunteers of the Month
Nevin Shultz
Mary and Gary Grant
Jody Duncan, Mary and Gary Grant, and Nevin Shultz have been named Volunteers of the Month by the York County Area Agency on Aging for their ongoing service and dedication to the agency and York County’s older adults. Jody Duncan enjoys volunteering for YCAAA as a friendly visitor. In addition to friendly visiting, Duncan also volunteers for many other organizations and encourages others to volunteer. Duncan is blessed with a large family that helps one another and continues to help others in their community. Mary and Gary Grant volunteer as coaches in the Matter of Balance
Enjoy Low-Maintenance Living! • Active Adult (50+) Condos • NEW Construction Underway! • 2 NEW Model Homes! • NEW Units Starting at $143,900
Office—717-633-7300 Direct—717-433-2951 Brett Warren Realtor
ROTH’S CHURCH ROAD—SPRING GROVE, PA www.rothsfarmvillage.com MODEL HOME HOURS: Monday thru Friday 12–4 • Sunday 12–4 •Saturday by appointment
Jody Duncan
Program. Together they present a realistic approach to fall prevention for older adults. Following retirement from careers in healthcare, the Grants have seen how devastating a fall can be and how frequently they can be prevented. Nevin Shultz has assisted many Medicare beneficiaries over the past 15 years as a volunteer for the agency’s APPRISE Program. Between him and his wife, also a YCAAA volunteer, they have been volunteering for various organizations for more than 60 years each. When not volunteering, Shultz enjoys spending time with his family, which includes three special grandsons.
Do you know a 50+ volunteer who gives selflessly to others? Tell us what makes him or her so special and we will consider them for 50plus Senior News’ 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.
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
50plus SeniorNews t
January 2014
5
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
I
Advertise in this vital community guide If your organization or business offers a product or service relevant to seniors, the disabled, caregivers, or their families, you should be included!
Ad closing date: April 18, 2014
• Online e-dition for anywhere, anytime access • Complementary print edition — no additional charge • Links consumer with the appropriate information and resources • Supports local agencies and promotes efficient coordination of services • 400+ informative listings (FREE expanded listing with display ad) • 8,000 free copies distributed throughout the county, including government offices, CVS/pharmacies, doctors’ offices, 50plus EXPOS, and wherever 50plus Senior News is distributed
Most comprehensive directory of its kind!
Sponsorships available for greatest exposure Individual full-color display ads and enhanced listings also available
All at an affordable price to you ... priceless to consumers!
Contact your account representative or call 717.285.1350 now to be included in this vital annual directory. On-Line Publishers, Inc., 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 • 717.285.1350 • 717.770.0140 • 610.675.6240 • info@onlinepub.com • www.onlinepub.com
6
January 2014
50plus SeniorNews t
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
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
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.
Photos © Irv Green unless otherwise noted; story by Andrea Gross (www.andreagross.com).
Calendar of Events
York County
York County Department of Parks and Recreation
Senior Center Activities
Pre-registration is required for these programs. To register or find out more about these activities or any additional scheduled activities, call (717) 428-1961. Jan. 17, 7 to 9:30 p.m. – Owl Walk, Nixon Park Jan. 18, 1 to 4 p.m. – Beekeeping Program, Nixon Park Jan. 19, 2:30 to 4 p.m. – Birds of Prey Program, Nixon Park
South Central Senior Community Center – (717) 2356060, http://southcentralyorkcountysrctr.webs.com First and Third Mondays, 12:30 p.m. – Card-Making Class Wednesdays, 9 a.m. – Ceramics Class Wednesdays, 11 a.m. – Dancersize
York County Library Programs
Please contact your local center for scheduled activities.
Collinsville Community Library, 2632 Delta Road, Brogue, (717) 927-9014 Tuesdays, 6 to 8 p.m. – Purls of Brogue Knitting Club
What’s Happening?
Glatfelter Memorial Library, 101 Glenview Road, Spring Grove, (717) 225-3220 Mondays, 6 to 8 p.m. – Knitting and Spinning Group
Programs and Support Groups Jan. 7, 7 p.m. Surviving Spouse Socials of York County Faith United Church of Christ 509 Pacific Ave., York (717) 266-2784 www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Free and open to the public Jan. 16, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Alzheimer’s Support Group Senior Commons at Powder Mill 1775 Powder Mill Road, York (717) 741-0961
Give Us the Scoop! Please send us your press releases so we can let our readers know about free events occurring in York County! Email preferred to: mjoyce@onlinepub.com Let
50plus SeniorNews t
help you get the word out! (717) 285-1350
January 2014
7
Tinseltown Talks
Elly May Offers Up Some Vittles Nick Thomas
I
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
The cover of Douglas’ cookbook, Southern Favorites with a Taste of Hollywood
The cast of The Beverly Hillbillies
Your key to choosing the right living and care options for you or a loved one.
18th Edition Now Available!
Call today for your free copy! (717) 285-1350 In print. Online at onlinepub.com.
8
January 2014
50plus SeniorNews t
Donna Douglas today
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 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. 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.” 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
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
The Beauty in Nature
Blue Spruces and American Hollies
M
Call for your FREE In-Home Assessment
717-920-0707
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.
BATHING & DRESSING • DIET/NUTRITION MONITORING HOME HELPER SERVICES ALZHEIMER’S & DEMENTIA CARE NO MINIMUM HOURS OF SERVICE
Now partnering with the AFA and ASA for our specialized Alzheimer’s and dementia care program!
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.
Now Serving Adams County www.seniorhelpers.com/york
Community Animal Hospital Our caring, well-trained staff will treat you and your pet like family
Donald A. Sloat, D.V.M.
Michael Schindler, V.M.D. Office Hours: 7 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Monday-Friday 8 - 11:30 a.m. Saturday Doctor’s Hours by Appointment Serving the York community for over 40 years. (717) 845-5669 • 400 South Pine Street • York
Happiness May Depend on Where You Live Are you happy? The answer may depend on where you live. The United Nations’ World Happiness Report measures well-being across a range of economic, psychological, and statistical factors. The United States came in at No. 17 in the 2013 report. Here are the top 10: 1. Denmark 2. Norway 3. Switzerland www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
4. Netherlands 5. Sweden 6. Canada 7. Finland 8. Austria 9. Iceland 10. Australia At the bottom of the list, the five least happy nations are Rwanda, Burundi, Central African Republic, Benin, and Togo.
50plus SeniorNews t
January 2014
9
Salute to a Veteran
He Flew in 32 B-17 Missions over Germany and Came Out Without a Scratch Robert D. Wilcox hen Walter Jones graduated from high school, he reasoned that, since it was likely that he would soon be drafted, he better enlist in the Army Air Corps. In that way, he could follow his long-held dream of becoming a pilot. So, on Nov. 28, 1942, he enlisted and shipped to Miami for basic training. After basic, the Air Corps discovered that he was color blind, so that was the end of his dream of becoming a pilot. They then put him through a battery of tests and found that he was adept at radio work. So, he was sent to Scott Field in St. Louis to learn to become a radio operator. Morse code seemed to come to him naturally, and he did so well with it that he was made an instructor, teaching Morse code there for 18 months before he was sent to more extensive training
W
Pvt. Walter N. Jones in 1943 at Scott Airfield in St. Louis.
to equip him to be a B-17 radio operator. Jones says there was a lot more to that training than he ever imagined. On
a B-17, the radio operator compartment was just behind the bomb bay and just in front of the waist section of the Flying Fortress. He had far more responsibilities than just manning the main radio gear for the aircraft, however. He also had a .50 caliber machine gun mounted in the ceiling of his compartment. And he primarily assisted the navigator. He had a couple of instruments that duplicated those of the navigator that gave heading information. He could forward radio fixes, known as position reports, to the navigator. And as long as the navigator knew where the radio signal was coming from, based upon the heading of the signal from the radio operator, the navigator could get a fix on where the aircraft was. please see SCRATCH page 15
Steinmetz is Buying & Selling All Gold & Silver — Call for Quotes! • U.S. COLLECTIONS • 1/2 Cents through U.S. Gold • All U.S. Coins and Currency • All Silver Dollars
WE WILL TRAVEL Michael Steinmetz michael@steinmetzcoins.com
YORK 2861 E. Prospect Rd. (Rts. 24 & 124)
757-6980 or 866-967-2646
FREE APPRAISALS
www.steinmetzcoins.com 10
January 2014
50plus SeniorNews t
You may already qualify for free, or reduced-cost, health care services and other benefits from VA. Enrolling for VA health care is easy.
Call: 1-717-228-6000 or 1-800-409-8771, ext. 6000 For more information: Lebanon VA Medical Center 1700 South Lincoln Avenue Lebanon, PA 17042 1-717-272-6621 or 1-800-409-8771
Web: www.lebanon.va.gov www.facebook.com/VALebanon www.twitter.com/VALebanon
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Pets Are Gaining in the Weight Department America is facing an obesity crisis, and it’s not just humans who are in danger. Even our pets are getting heftier. According to the National Pet Obesity Survey, more than 50 percent of cats and dogs in the U.S. are overweight or obese, adding up to more than 80 million pets. And pets aren’t the only members of the animal kingdom who could stand to lose a little weight, apparently. An international research team tracking animals used for study in
strictly controlled research facilities found that male and female chimps grew plumper between 1985 and 2005, with males experiencing an average weight gain of 33.2 percent and females gaining an average of 37.2 percent—increasing their odds of obesity more than tenfold. What are the reasons behind the weight gain? Possibly the use of sugary foods as a reward for good behavior, as well as lack of exercise due to the fact that research animals don’t have to search for food as vigorously as they do in the wild.
Five-time recipient Mercedes-Benz BEST OF THE BEST Dealer Recognition Award 2008/2009/2010/2011/2012 Courtesy pickup and delivery & car wash for service customers. Family owned & operated for 30 years.
Sun Motor Cars 6677 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg Toll Free 877-316-3030
mercedes.sunmotorcars.com www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
50plus SeniorNews t
January 2014
11
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 Spring Grove woman, who was a full-time physical therapist for VNA for 30 years before her mother needed her care, now takes her Totelly Unique bags to area craft shows and would like to expand the territory
“When I had she has begun making attended. flowers to “I enjoy embellish the totes, meeting people my best friend’s and making father passed away, contacts. It’s a and I wanted to really enjoyable make something business.” for her as a Besides using keepsake for her “beautiful and Several memorial tie pins made from neckties. dad,” Kolanko unusual” said. “He was a placemats, pastor and had Kolanko now many ties, and I adds handmade thought I could flowers and probably make other some lovely flowers embellishments out of his ties. So I to her tote bags. asked her for some “I’d sit at and made her and night with my her mom some mom and make Tie pins, also created from an oxford shirt. flower brooches. flowers” for the “That brought tote bags, she such joy to my heart that I began to do said. She’d make a “poofy” flower and the same for family and friends, and it put something in it like costume jewelry spread from there.” or a button. 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 on jewelry, like retro pins, from old the back that can’t be seen, she said. She fashioned to contemporary. also uses the tag that comes on the back Kolanko also has added a side branch of the tie, adding beauty to the flower. to her business, Tie Flowers.
“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.
Connect with the people you need most – customers! Lancaster County
omen’s Expo us o t r Talk ponso ts u tor o ab exhibi s. and rtunitie o opp
May 17, 2014 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Spooky Nook Sports 2913 Spooky Nook Road, Manheim (Just off Rt. 283 at the Salunga exit)
The third annual women’s expo in Lancaster County will be held in spring 2014. It features lively demonstrations, shopping, free spa treatments, and a fashion show. A wide variety of exhibitors provides information that embraces the many facets of a woman’s life, including:
Health & Wellness Finance Home Shopping Technology Beauty Nutrition Fashion and more!
717.285.1350
FREE advance guest registration online. ($5 at the door.)
a G r e a t W a y To S p e n d M y D a y . c o m 12
January 2014
50plus SeniorNews t
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
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.
Unpacking Memories: The Story of a Suitcase, a Country Doctor, & a Community
BODY SHOP, INC. 24-HOUR TOWING & RECOVERY PA EMISSION TEST PA STATE INSPECTION MECHANICAL REPAIRS
717-799-0648 Free Consultation STEWARTSTOWN
(717) 993-2263
U
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
system, strip malls, and technology changed America. The book returns the reader to a time and place that is no more, back to the days of black-and-white television, the March of Dimes, and doctors who administered care in place of drugs. Sweaney writes of a community that nurtured its youth through scouting, 4-H, and county fairs. It was a world where kids had the freedom to run and play unsupervised— climbing trees, playing cowboys and dress-up, and creating their own games. Unpacking Memories is available from www.deborahsweaney.com and other online sources and can be purchased at Whistlestop Bookshop at 129 W. High St. in Carlisle. About the Author Deborah Sweaney lives in Cumberland County. After residing in Washington, D.C. for 30 years, she and her husband left the Washington area for Pennsylvania in 2006. She is a frequent lecturer at the Cumberland County Historical Society, a former adjunct instructor at Messiah College, and a consultant for National History Day.
LifeTransitionServ.com
Are You Reading? Join the 2014 One Book, One Community campaign by reading The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan 93 libraries in Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, and York counties and their community partners present the regional reading campaign:
Get a copy at your local library or area bookseller
By Deborah Sweaney npacking Memories: The Story of a Suitcase, a Country Doctor, & a Community is the story of life in the 1950s in a tiny town in Missouri where Deborah Sweaney, her siblings, her mother, and her country-doctor father lived. She was inspired to write Unpacking Memories when she opened an old, forgotten suitcase stored in her basement. It was filled with newspaper clippings, photographs, cards, and notes packed away in the summer of 1960. Frank Sweaney was a doctor in the rural community of Oregon, Mo. His welcome to town on the day he arrived was an office packed with patients. It remained that way until Doc Sweaney got sick and died. He made house calls late into the night and on weekends, took time to talk with and listen to his patients, and, as his daughter writes, believed that healthcare was far more about care than about medicine. But he worked too hard, ignored his own health, and died a young man. Towns like Oregon, Mo., dotted the American landscape in the years following World War II. Unpacking Memories portrays life before the interstate highway
Home Sale and/or Downsize & Move Help
© Sophie Egan
Book Review
COMPLETE COLLISION REPAIRS
Visit www.oboc.org or your library to learn more
Have you photographed a smile that just begs to be shared? Send us your favorite smile—your children, grandchildren, friends, even your “smiling” pet!—and it could be 50plus Senior News’ next Smile of the Month! You can submit your photos (with captions) either digitally to mjoyce@onlinepub.com or by mail to:
50plus Senior News Smile of the Month 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 Digital photos must be at least 4x6'' with a resolution of 300 dpi. No professional photos, please. Please include a SASE if you would like to have your photo returned.
50plus SeniorNews t
January 2014
13
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:
S
• 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! Nursing & Rehabilitation Center
50plus Senior News is available each month near the entrance of your local CVS/pharmacy. Pick up a free copy with your shopping basket!
• Long-Term Care • Short-Term Rehab • Specialized Dementia Unit • In-house PT/OT/ST • In-house Pharmacy • Specialized Ventilator Unit with 24- hour Respiratory Care
Efficiency apartments for seniors who want to enjoy independent living with the freedom to come and go without worry.
Located at 118 Pleasant Acres Rd, York For More Information Call: (717) 840-7100
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com 14
January 2014
50plus SeniorNews t
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
SCRATCH
from page 10
After that training, Jones was assigned base. He also had a clear view of the to a B-17 crew at Lincoln, Neb., and bomb bay and could check the area for they were soon headed for combat, damage or a hung bomb when the flying over the northern route, through aircraft came off the target. Goose Bay, Labrador; Reykjavik, It was also his responsibility to Iceland; and Valley, Wales. dispense the chaff that was used to In England, he was assigned to the scramble enemy anti-aircraft artillery 303rd Bomb Group (called the Hell’s radar when over the target area. He Angels) in Molesworth, England, and would unbind the chaff bundles and flew his first mission on Dec. 6, 1944. release the chaff out a chute that was On that built into and later the radio missions, room. he found On that there many of was a lot to his keep the missions, radio his plane operator was with busy in 1,000 or combat. more He would other monitor planes, the group and his frequencies plane to find out often led any his group, T/Sgt Walter Jones (far right, front row) changes to an with his combat crew in 1945. the flight especially plan. If dangerous the lead plane decided to switch to a position. He often saw enemy fighters secondary target, or if a plane fell out of circling but was never attacked, formation, he would record the message “probably,” he says, “because we flew over the group channel and pass the such tight formation.” information on to the pilot. He remembers having lost two He logged all radio events and as engines more than once, and there was much of what he could see going on many a time his plane was riddled by around him as possible. He would note flak, yet it somehow always got them which planes went down, when and home in one piece. where, along with the number of chutes After his last mission, on April 3, seen to come from the plane. He 1945, Jones came home to the U.S. on checked with his crew every 15 minutes the luxurious French passenger liner, Ile on intercom to make sure all were OK. de France, except that it was now packed If needed, he would have been one of with 10,000 men. the first ones to tend to a wounded He was discharged from the Air crewmember. Corps as a tech sergeant in May at Fort He remembers well that, on one of Dix, N.J., and then became a lineman his missions, his ball turret gunner for Bell Telephone. hadn’t yet entered the ball turret, and Did his getting that job have Jones found him flopped over, anything to do with his World War II apparently asleep. Jones examined him knowledge of electronics? and found that the man’s oxygen tube Laughing, he says, “Not a chance. had come loose from the main supply They told me to forget all that stuff. line, and he was getting no oxygen. They wanted me to learn the Bell way.” He promptly reattached it and Well, he did and, after varying levels brought him to life. But a few more of responsibility, retired from Bell in minutes at the 28,000 feet that they 1983. were flying, and the man surely would He now lives comfortably in a have died. retirement home with Marie, his wife of As all radio operators did, Jones had 31 years. But he still has vivid memories flare pistols, so he could signal other of those missions high over Germany, aircraft when formations were forming with enemy flak bursting everywhere. (when he was in the lead ship) or to Colonel Wilcox flew a B-17 bomber in signal that there were wounded on Europe in World War II. board when the plane was returning to www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Celebrate Those Strongly Tied Knots!
Are you or is someone you know commemorating a special anniversary this year? Let 50plus Senior News help spread your news—for free! We welcome your anniversary announcements and photos. Anniversaries may be marking any number of years 15 and over. (Fields marked with an * are required.) *Anniversary (No. of years) _________________________________________ *Contact name __________________________________________________ E-mail ________________________ *Daytime phone ___________________ *Husband’s full name _____________________________________________ Occupation (If retired, list former job and No. of years held)___________________ _____________________________________________________________ *Wife’s full maiden name __________________________________________ Occupation (If retired, list former job and No. of years held)___________________ _____________________________________________________________ *Couple’s current city and state __________________________________________ *Marriage date_____________ Location ______________________________ Children (name and city/state for each)_________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ Number of grandchildren________ Number of great-grandchildren___________ Photos must be at least 4x6'' and/or 300 dpi if submitted digitally. Completed information and photo can be emailed to mjoyce@onlinepub.com or mailed to:
Anniversary Announcements 50plus Senior News 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 Please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you would like your photo returned.
50plus SeniorNews t
January 2014
15
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
T
Please join us for these events! • Exhibitors • • Health Screenings • • Seminars • • Entertainment • • Door Prizes • Limited Sponsorship Opportunities Available
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
Lancaster
Celebrates Seniors
Two of your favorite events, together!
26th Annual
15th Annual FREE!
&
May 5, 2014 May 5–9, 2014 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Spooky Nook Sports
2913 Spooky Nook Road, Manheim (Just off Rt. 283 at the Salunga exit)
11th Annual
15th Annual
DAUPHIN COUNTY
CHESTER COUNTY
May 27, 2014
June 10, 2014
FREE!
9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Hershey Lodge 325 University Drive Hershey
NEW LOCATION!
FREE!
9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Church Farm School
1001 East Lincoln Highway Exton (717) 285-1350 • (717) 770-0140 (610) 675-6240
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 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 selfimprovement 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.
Never Miss Another Issue! Subscribe online at www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
www.50plusExpoPA.com 16
January 2014
50plus SeniorNews t
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
CROSSWORD
Solutions for all puzzles can be found on page 18
WORD SEARCH
Across
SUDOKU
1. 6. 10. 14. 15. 16. 17. 19. 20. 21. 23. 24. 25.
Famed Island garlands Tempo Decrease Dwarf buffalo Aquatic bird Ohio city Sharp Bristle Noblewoman Fr. saint (abbr.) Merriment Bowman
27. 31. 33. 34. 35. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 47.
Singer Callas Lightweight wood Remediate Witches Mouth off Fixes Beer relative Digress Wager Fastened Badger Iniquities Rounded
48. 51. 53. 54. 57. 61. 63. 65. 66. 67. 68. 69. 70.
22. 24. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 34. 36. 37. 38. 41. 43.
Annums (abbr.) Crazes Fmr. president Parent Prayer word Lease So Bundles Elderly Applaud Saddle horse Flower holder Saw Pack Most kempt
46. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59.
Alit Some Japanese capital Jeweled headdresses Tobacco holder Redact Building toy Deceptive maneuver Aspect Mason’s Street Hurried N.M. city Fencing swords
Down
1. Negatives 2. Double-reed instrument 3. Tense 4. Bunsen burner 5. Temp. (abbr.) 6. Romance language 7. Organic compound 8. Hawkeye State 9. Shoes 10. Time zone (abbr.) 11. Inundated 12. Menu 13. Go inside 18. So. school inits.
Ex-serviceman Ogles Summate Racket Confronts Time zone (abbr.) Solo Make over Homework Cay Hawaiian volcano goddess 60. LAX postings 62. Turner or Williams 64. Lyric poem
Your ad could be here on this popular page! Please call (717) 285-1350 for more information.
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
50plus SeniorNews t
January 2014
17
The Search for Our Ancestry
What’s New at Ancestry.com? Angelo Coniglio y last few columns have reviewed changes to the free Mormon genealogy research website FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org). The most recognized subscription genealogy site is Ancestry.com. As previously noted, Ancestry.com may be considered expensive by many beginning researchers; however, the service does offer free 14-day trials. It is available for free at many public libraries and at most Mormon FamilySearch Centers (FSCs). Many features of FamilySearch may also be found on Ancestry.com. These include images of many European civil birth, marriage, and death records. Ancestry.com, however, has records from some European towns that FamilySearch does not, while FamilySearch has church baptism and marriage records for U.S. cities, which Ancestry doesn’t. Both sites have extensive images of U.S. federal census records and access to manifests of passenger ships that brought
M
immigrants to the U.S. If a searched name on FamilySearch yields information on a ship’s manifest, that site just transfers you to Ellis Island’s website (www.ellisisland.org) to see the document’s image, while the same search on Ancestry.com will produce the actual image; furthermore, it can be downloaded and printed. In my experience, Ancestry.com is more user friendly and more intuitive in its use than FamilySearch. I find that FamilySearch also tends to steer the user to its Family Tree function, which I believe is the least helpful to new researchers. Ancestry.com also has family tree options, for which it encourages the use of its site as well as its associated software, Family Tree Maker. However, it’s not as forward as FamilySearch is with its Family Tree function. Generally, it’s a good idea to use both of these sites in concert. What you don’t find on one, you may find on the other. Images may be clearer on one than on
the other, or it may be simpler to make copies. You may find that due to indexing errors on either site, a name search on, say, the 1930 U.S. federal census on FamilySearch fails to find your relative, while a search of the same census on Ancestry.com gives the results you wanted. Or vice versa! Ancestry.com, like FamilySearch, has online instructional videos. Though they are not as extensive and are not grouped by nation, subject, etc., they too can be very helpful. Included are such titles as “Coming to America – Finding Your Immigrant Ancestors,” “Polish Ancestry,” “Irish Ancestry,” “Finding Females in Your Family Tree,” and “Forward Thinking – Tracing the Children of Your Ancestors and Their Children.” This latter video shows that there is much more to genealogical research than just finding one’s direct ancestors. Those ancestors had siblings who had children, and their descendants are your relatives. This video explains how to identify them.
Like FamilySearch, Ancestry.com has options to allow searching by an individual’s name. But unlike FamilySearch, when you do so on Ancestry.com, many sources can be viewed in their original format, rather than in the transcribed version. In some instances, selecting “View Image” on FamilySearch will simply transfer the user directly to Ancestry.com, and to see the record you must log on there, as a paid user, or from a library or FSC that allows access. As with many genealogy sites, Ancestry.com is continually tweaking its functions and adding to the already vast array of information it holds. I’ll go into more detail about that next time. Write to Angelo at genealogytips@aol.com or visit his website, www.bit.ly/AFCGen. He is the author of the book The Lady of the Wheel (La Ruotaia), based on his genealogical research of Sicilian foundlings. See www.bit.ly/ruotaia or www.amzn.to/racalmuto for more information.
Early Warning for Alzheimer’s: Peanut Butter?
18
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 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.
Puzzles shown on page 17
Puzzle Solutions
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
January 2014
50plus SeniorNews t
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
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.”
Who Has the Best Bites in Central PA? Help 50plus Senior News celebrate the local eateries that deserve national fame!
Where do you frequent for: Breakfast _________________________________________
Written and submitted by Wilma Musser
Lunch ____________________________________________ Dinner____________________________________________ Ethnic Cuisine _____________________________________ Celebrating _______________________________________ Bakery ___________________________________________ Coffeehouse ______________________________________ Fast Food _________________________________________ Seafood __________________________________________
Seniors and Students Pair Up for Intergenerational Program
Steak_____________________________________________ Outdoor Dining____________________________________ Romantic Setting __________________________________ Smorgasbord/Buffet _______________________________ Caterer ___________________________________________
“Sages” and “Seekers” met for eight weeks as part of an intergenerational program.
Windy Hill on the Campus senior center and the Spring Grove Area School District recently collaborated on a unique intergenerational program called “Sages and Seekers.” This is an eight-week program pairing older adults (sages) with high school students (seekers). They have been meeting on a weekly basis for approximately one hour and sharing their stories, experiences, and wisdom. Through a series of one-on-one
activities, the pairs were able to get to know one another. The students then completed a biographical story on their “sage” and recently made their presentation at an evening program. The program was facilitated by volunteer Sara Smith. This is the third year that Windy Hill and the Spring Grove Area School District have collaborated on this program. For more information, contact Tammy Miller at (717) 225-0733.
Please return your completed entry form by February 20, 2014 to: 50plus Senior News 3912 Abel Drive • Columbia, PA 17512 Your Name __________________________________________________ Address ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ Phone ______________________________________________________
If you have local news you’d like considered for Around Town, please email mjoyce@onlinepub.com
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
This information is strictly confidential.
50plus SeniorNews t
January 2014
19
20
January 2014
50plus SeniorNews t
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com