BOOM! May 2015

The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine

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May 2015

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The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine

HealthNEWS

for Boomers and Beyond

May 2015

Stroke: When Seconds Count Have you ever heard someone say time is money?

When it comes to recognizing the signs of a stroke, the message should be just as clear: Time is brain. Because wasting time before getting help is the same as wasting brain cells.

A stroke interrupts the flow of blood and oxygen to your brain. Once the stroke starts, brain cells begin to die. And dead brain cells can’t be revived.

However, fast medical treatment may halt a stroke as it’s occurring.

Most strokes are caused by blood clots. If you get to the hospital and are diagnosed quickly, a clot-busting medication may be able to help.

The medication is called tissue plasminogen activator (TPA). It should be given within 4½ hours of a stroke’s onset. So call 911 at the first sign of stroke.

Stroke symptoms are sudden and may include: • Weakness or numbness in the face, arms or legs, especially on one side of the body • Trouble seeing out of one or both eyes • Trouble talking or understanding what others are saying • Severe headache for no known reason • Confusion • Loss of coordination or balance Use the acronym F.A.S.T. to help you identify signs of a stroke.

Face – Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?

Arms – Ask the person to raise both arms. Does

The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine

one drift downward? Do they feel numbness or weakness in one arm?

Speech – Is the person’s speech slurred or strange?

Time – If you observe the symptoms above, it’s time to call 9-1-1.

Jackson Hospital is recognized by The Joint Commission as an Advanced Primary Stroke Center. This certification signifies an organization’s dedication to fostering better outcomes for stroke patients. If you or someone you know shows signs of a stroke, call 9-1-1.

In case of a stroke think F.A.S.T., then think Jackson Hospital. For more information visit Jackson.org/stroke.

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“When leaders get better, everybody wins.”

—Bill Hybels, Willow Creek Community Church

The Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit offers two days of Game-Changing Leadership Development for your business, church or organization, featuring a World-Class faculty of speakers, hosted by satellite right here in Montgomery at Frazer UMC. There is simply no better investment you can make in the strength of your team and the future of your mission.

Speakers include: Adam Grant Wharton School Brian Houston Hillsong Church Ed Catmull Walt Disney Animation Sheila Heen Harvard Law School Jim Collins Best-Selling Author Horst Schulze Capelia Hotel Group Brené Brown University of Houston Liz Wiseman Best-Selling Author Craig Groeschel LifeChurch.tv

Individual Registration By May 19: $189 | By June 23: $199 Significant discounts available for large teams (10+), military, faculty and students

Join an expected 260,000 leaders around the world at The Global Leadership Summit 2015. #wcagls

Frazer Church: find hope, Follow Jesus • Sunday worship 8, 9:30 & 11AM 6000 atlanta Hwy. Montgomery • frazerumc.org • 334.2728622 •

FRAZER IS THE PLACE TO BE FOR CHILDREN THIS SUMMER!

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The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine

BOOM!, The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine

Contents

May 2015

“Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.”

Volume 5 Issue 11

Carl Bard

page 9

Thought Relationships Taste Inspiration

Humor Advice Health Community

You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” C.S. Lewis

3 Jackson Hospital’s Health News 6 Publisher’s Letter 8 One Small Step Leigh Anne Richards 9 Alabama Mother of the Year 10 A Toast to Your Financial Success with Brandt McDonald 12 Stand-Up Comedy Coming to Elmcroft of Halcyon

Features

24 Fixed Income

Living better, expenses keep rising, but income doesn’t.

Departments 12 This and That

Now You’re “In the Know”

16 BOOM! Cover Profile

32 Saddlebreds & Silver Bucket List Adventure: in Kentucky Horse Country.

44 {12} Things

Solutions for Bored Boomers

38 Time to Change Doctors?

Seeing a doctor you don’t like can be hazardous to your health.

20 Dating Advice: 3 oversights that are killing your dating life 22 It’s all about May-ntenance Dr. Michael Bowman 26 3 Common Estate Planning Mistakes Ask an Elder Law Attorney

46 Greg Budell 10 Years After...

28 Second Careers for Racehorses 29 River Bend Brew Fest

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30 May is Better Hearing Month

COVER PROFILE page 16

35 Brian Wright’s Journey 37 Ask Nancy: Caring for Aging Relatives 40 Eating Smart with Tracy Bhalla: Save The Bees page 12

page 20

41 A Mission of Caring

BOOM! The River Regions 50+ Lifestage Magazine is published monthly by River Region Publications, 6398 Eastwood Glen Pl., Montgomery, AL 36117.

The phone number for voice and fax is 334.523.9510. Copyright 2015 by River Region Publications. No part of this publication can be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Opinions expressed in BOOM! The River Regions 50+ Lifestage Magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the owners, nor do they constitute an endorsement of products and services herein.

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Publisher’s Letter

Congratulations and Happy Anniversary Greg Budell has been writing a column for BOOM! since July 2011. He’s a special friend to all of us who reside this side of 50. And as many of you can attest Greg is a piece of work or should I say a work in progress. He has lived life as large as anyone and has probably crashed and burned a few times along the way, just like many of us. And then he came to Montgomery to begin one more time, building another radio empire with Bluewater Broadcasting.

The mission of BOOM! is to serve the folks of the River Region age 50 plus with information and ideas to inspire new experiences, better quality of life and new beginnings.

Publisher/Editor Jim Watson, 334.523.9510 jim@riverregionboom.com

Associate Editor Kelly Watson kelly@riverregionboom.com

Contributing Writers Sandi Aplin Tracy Bhalla

Along the way he connected with Susan Woody and they became the “odd couple” of radio, sort of married, but not married, but all of the listeners could relate to Susan Jim Watson, Publisher and Greg’s relationship, it reminded them of their own. Because it’s Greg’s 10th anniversary in Montgomery radioland and both Susan and Greg won awards for being the best at what they do from the Alabama Broadcasters Association we asked them to share our May cover and be BOOM! Cover Profiles...again. Only this time as partners in a broadcasting marriage that has thousands of fans in the River Region. Congratulations and Happy Anniversary to both of you, thanks for the laughs!

Do you like your doctor? Some people don’t and we have a story that explains why you just might want to make a change. Kathy Witt returns with one of her Bucket List Adventures with a focus on horse country and a special breed that’s strictly American. Leigh Anne Richards hits the nail on the head when it comes to achieving your goals, I think you’ll be inspired to action, I know I was! Do you want to know who the The Alabama Mother of the Year is, turn to page nine and read a little about Charlene Rabren from Pike Road, she is something special!

Brandt McDonald is offering some financial thoughts surrounding a “sippy cup” and he’s like to know what you think about an idea he has, be sure and let him know. Our elder law expert Raley Wiggins explains three common mistakes we sometimes make in estate planning...you may be able to avoid some future problems with his advice.

Better yet, if you haven’t attended one of Raley’s quality workshops on “Estate Planning and Asset Protection” they are free and valuable, I highly recommend. Read more about them on page 26.

Greg Budell

Dr. Michael Bowman Elaine Carroll Lisa Copeland Brandt McDonald Rick Peters Leigh Anne Richards Katie Slade Brittany Spahr Nancy Stein Wina Sturgeon Susan Woody Raley L. Wiggins Kathy Witt

Cover Photography Kim Bethea The Studio @ EastChase thestudioateastchase@gmail.com

We’re giving away $100 to one of the lucky folks who join the BOOM! Community during the month May. Instructions are listed below, so please join and tell everyone you know over 50 to join too, I’m trying to figure our how many of you are out there :) I hope you enjoy this issue and please send Greg and Susan an email about there success and you read about them in BOOM! Please continue sharing, I love to listen. And if you’re going to spend some money please consider our advertisers, they value each of you and will work very hard to serve your needs. Remember, you can read and share the Digital & Interactive BOOM! online at RiverRegionBoom.com.

Thanks again for being part of our BOOM! Community and allowing us to share stories with you.

www.thestudioateastchase.com 334.239.3196

Jim jim@riverregionboom.com 334.324.3472 cell/text 334.523.9510 office

Advertising

Jim Watson, 334.523.9510 jim@riverregionboom.com

STOP & JOIN...WIN $100!

Everyone who joins in the month of May will be eligible to win $100 Cash!

Design & Layout Lake House Graphics

Distribution Network Delivery

Printing Publications Press, Montgomery, AL 334.244.0436 Please Recycle This Magazine, Share with a Friend!

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One Small Step I am always pondering what can I write about next? What will interest my readers? I always talk to one of my special clients about what to write because she herself is a writer. We had a discussion the other day about not giving up. She came in one night and was totally exasperated, frustrated, and just mad. Why am I exercising Leigh Anne??

This is doing me no good. I don’t think I am cut out for this. I see no weight loss and have not seen any since we started training.

I’m listening to all her negative chatter and so I said, let’s stop and have a “talk session.” As I questioned her about some things, we hit the on the subject of eating. My questions were as you would think- what are you eating at night, how much water are you drinking. “I don’t like water”, she says. Here is where I started to tell her about how something as simple as adding fresh lemon to the water changes everything. We discussed how keeping that at the desk while working keeps you hydrated and refreshed. Instead of drinking a sugary drink made with juice at night, switch to the crushed ice and lemon water. The next day she calls me and says “I love the lemon water.” I have everybody at my office doing this now.”

As the days passed this ONE small step changed her whole attitude She came back to me and told me that the “talk” we had about doing one little thing made all the difference to her. Hence, why I chose this topic for this month’s article. She said to me that I had to write about only one step.

Small steps can make big changes in life.

There is a Japanese philosophy called Kaizen philosophy. The word Kaizen simply means improvement; it is based on the idea that small but continuous improvements create long- lasting results.

I believe we can greatly benefit from this approach. Steady improvements suit us better than radical changes. Kaizen is a daily process, as personal development

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and working towards your goals should be. Incorporating small changes and small activities into daily life bring you closer to your goals.

We are very impatient people. We are in an immediate gratification society. This

Fitness over Fifty

by Leigh Anne Richards

Kaizen method takes more time, but will be worth it because it can ensure long lasting results through forming habits.

Habits help us reach our goals more easily because we need to rely less on willpower. That means you don’t need to force yourself to do a certain activity, you just do it naturally because it has become “normal.”

We want to have reached our goals yesterday. Reaching our goals requires maximum change, which most of us can’t keep up with. Take dieting for examplewho can eat cabbage soup all day for a long period of time? Start off your weight loss program by trying to change only one meal a day instead of starting a crash diet and then giving up. Remember small steps bring big changes with results over time.

Now, let’s take a look at how to improve in our goals set for our exercise regiment?

Exercising for an hour at a time for many people can see overwhelming. You don’t have to become an athlete over night to make exercise part of your lifestyle. It’s better to commit to those small changes in your daily routine instead of trying to reinvent yourself over night because you will not stick with it and frustration will set in. Remember small steps can lead to lasting permanent change. The following are just a few tips to start incorporating exercise in small steps:

1. Develop a “MOVE MORE” mindset- Sit less and stand more. Take the stairs when you have the chance, park away from the building so you will walk more, stand when you talk on the phone, and exercise during commercial breaks. The key is to learn to move more.

2. Commit to regular activity- You don’t have to become a fitness buff to benefit from exercise and movement. Have you got 15 minutes? Schedule a nice walk at a leisurely pace. That 15 minutes may eventually turn into 30- baby steps.

3. Find what you like to do- We are not going to stick with something we despise.

Of all the forms of exercise out there, you are bound to find one that you enjoy.

4. Focus on health and strength, not numbers on a scale. Focus on joys of exercise and movement. Take pride in your body getting stronger or your new ability to exercise longer, even if its just small amounts.

5. Put yourself first- Consider what you need and do something for yourself everyday even if it is just 15 minutes. You can effectively take care of somebody else without taking care of yourself first.

6. Exercise with a group- Accountability works. When you discover physical activities and forms of exercise you love, you develop a sense of camaraderie and community with others.

7. Look to the future- don’t look back and beat yourself up for what “has been” Start over with a clear plan of what you will commit to doing each day for your health.

8. Avoid the start and stop syndrome- If you do the start and stop thing, you are setting yourself up for a never ending cycle where you will never see progress.

Remember- small steps.

9. Remind yourself daily of your WHY- If you make it automatic when you wake up to remind yourself of why exercise is important to you, you will be more likely to keep your commitments.

Small changes equal big results!

Sources: fitness.mercola.com and brighthubpm.com/project-planning/100172explaining-the-kaizen-principle/ Leigh Anne Richards, MEd, Certified Personal Trainer, Group Exercise Instructor, General ManagerMetroFitness. For any questions or comments, contact Leigh Anne at LAMetrofit@aol.com The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine

Pike Road Town Clerk Selected As

Alabama Mother of the Year

Long-time resident, Charlene Rabren has held many titles in the Town of Pike Road.

Serving as one of the original incorporators, the town’s first “First Lady”, and as Town Clerk for more than a decade, Rabren has certainly made a name for herself in the thriving Montgomery County community. With many even referring to her as the “Mother of Pike Road”, her motherly instinct always shines through and she’s positively impacted thousands of people. However, what she refers to as her “most coveted title” is one she’s only officially received from two people, her children. Rabren’s title of Mom, has recently earned her the prestigious honor of being named “Alabama Mother of the Year.”

Rabren will represent the State of Alabama at the American Mothers, Inc.® 80th Annual National Conference.

This event was scheduled for April 23-26 and will be held at the Willard Hotel in Washington DC. Winners Charlene Rabren welcomes grandchild Cade into the world. from across the country will explain their philosophies on motherhood and also educate attendees about their respective home states. The three day event will culminate with a gala, during which the coveted title of 2015 National Mother of the Year® will be announced.

American Mothers, Inc.® is a national non-profit dedicated to honoring and supporting mothers around the world. To learn more about this organization visit americanmothers.org “Being a mother is an experience that can’t be topped. While many young people aspire to be doctors, lawyers, race car drivers, I remember dreaming of being a mommy,” said Charlene Rabren. “When I received the news that I had been selected as Alabama Mother of the Year, it truly was the proudest moment I’ve ever experienced…well except for the moments when my children and grandchildren were born,” Rabren continued with a smile.

Charlene celebrates being a cancer survivor with her husband Wayne and their grandchildren. Her team, “Nana’s Neons” raised thousands of dollars for the American Cancer Society at the Pike Road Relay for Life.

“I cannot think of anyone who deserves this honor as much as Charlene Rabren. Not only does Charlene mother her own children and grandchildren, she also mothers our entire town,” said Pike Road Mayor Gordon Stone. “We are thrilled to have such an outstanding person representing the State of Alabama and we are blessed that she calls the Town of Pike Road HOME!” For more information or to schedule an interview, contact Kadie Crowell by calling 334.495.4109 or by emailing kadie@pikeroad.us.

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A Toast to Your Financial Success considerably volatile and we anticipated a major shift away from U.S. stocks into European equities. So far we have been right on with our projections and expect to see a continuation of extreme volatility and massive shifts in international capital flows among various asset classes and geographic locations.

novel ideas always get their start? – Hey! It could be our own special way to toast one another towards financial success. Maybe it could be the new and improved “wine cup.” – Ha-ha, I don’t know about that for sure but you get the point. If you read this column and have the time, send me an e-mail with your vote on whether it’s a Whether you are good idea or in retirement or not. And, while nearing retirement, we are on the with it’s healthy to keep subject of wine!

Brandt McDonald on dreaming. But, There are many we also have to eat great wines while we dream. in the world Last week on Thursday I called in for The problem with but choosing my daily afternoon radio segment with markets like the one we are in now is one depends on personal taste, the Greg Budell. In a light-hearted attempt that it wreaks havoc on systematized occasion, and the proper meal it should to describe market conditions I referred retirement be paired with. Likewise, there are to the situation as distributions. Any many great investment options in the one where some protracted downturn world but choosing one depends on people might in stock markets can your personal situation, your stage indeed be hiding change the glide of life, and the proper goals that the in the corner in path of projected investments should be paired with. the fetal position and sustainable with a sippy cup. distributions Whether it’s our firm or another that And then went dramatically.

For this you trust, take the time to properly on further to say reason, now is THE match your investment portfolio to that while we time to make the your personal situation in life. And, if at McDonald, proper adjustments we are fortunate enough to work with Barranco, and to your investment you? Well then, we would be honored Hagen might have portfolio to increase to toast YOU as we both seek out “sippy cups”, we the probability of successful outcomes together. Until next are most definitely long term success. time, never run with the herd, always not hiding in a Don’t ignore what be thankful, and look to the future with corner. We work Good Idea or Not? VOTE TODAY anticipation of what’s yet to come. for clients who Brandt.Mcdonald@mbcapitalwealth.com is happening in the markets right now. expect us to Brandt McDonald, Managing Partner Rather, “don’t hide in the corner with a be actively engaged in the ongoing McDonald, Barranco & Hagen Wealth sippy cup” – LOL. management of their investment In the past twelve months the S&P 500 has exhibited considerable volatility as it attempts to maintain its 6 year bull march to new heights. Last October brought the end of the colossal money printing exercise by our own federal reserve, more commonly referred to as Quantitative Easing (QE). Since that time, we have witnessed a 12% correction, a 5.3% correction, a 5.2% correction, and a 3.6% correction. And, that doesn’t include the sometimes daily 1% market swings. To say the least, this hasn’t been a market for the faint of heart.

accounts. To that end, we spend every waking moment studying global economic news, connecting the dots the best we can, and apply our findings to the portfolios we manage.

Late last year, our thesis for 2015 was that we would make some progress in the stock market but that it would be

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Financial Thoughts

I’ve had many people who heard my comments on the show last week suggest that maybe we should have company sippy cups made to give out to the public as a reminder that we are available to help you navigate these fickle and capricious markets. That’s probably a reach but I guess that’s how

Management LPL Branch Manager MBCapitalWealth.com Direct comments and questions to bailey.worrell@lpl.com or 334.387.0094

Securities offered through LPL Financial. Member FINRA/SIPC. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. The opinions expressed in this material do not necessarily reflect the views of LPL Financial.

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Contemporary Stand-Up Comedy Coming to Elmcroft of Halcyon...FREE! Comedian and corporate humor speaker Mark Klein and Elmcroft Senior Living Centers are partnering to provide a comedy event open to the public at Elmcroft of Halycon, includes a wine and appetizer reception, and tours. The “Here’s To Life Through Laughter” show is the same one done on cruise ships and comedy clubs. Mark’s father is 90, loves live comedy, but has trouble getting out to see it, so this program is a personal as well as professional mission for Mark. The 45-minute show is open to the public, free of charge, and makes the Senior Living center a community entertainment and social venue for the evening. The date is Friday, May 8, 5 – 7 pm. The location is Elmcroft of Halycon, 1775 Halcyon Rd, Montgomery AL 36117. For more information contact Christa Wasseman, 334.396.1111. To learn more about Mark Klein and a sample of his comedy visit corpjester.com

Authors Carole King and Karren Pell’s New Book Images of Modern America: Montgomery Arcadia Publishing and authors Carole King and Karren Pell announce the publication of their new book, Images of Modern America: Montgomery. Montgomery looks at the changes in Alabama’s “Capitol City of Dreams” beginning with World War II, when residents opened homes and hearts to pilots at Maxwell and Gunter Air Force Bases. In the post war boom, downtown flourished while homes and shopping centers popped up in suburbia. In the 1950s and 1960s, Montgomery became an important site of the Civil Rights Movement. The 1970s witnessed Urban Renewal. The 1980s focused on the arts with the construction of the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, and the Authors Carole King and Karren Pell restoration of the Paramount Theater as the Davis Theatre for the Performing Arts. The last chapter celebrates Montgomery’s current downtown renaissance with photographs featuring the restoration of many historic buildings for a baseball team, restaurants, and retail. Carole and Karren dedicated the book and their royalties to the Landmarks Foundation, Montgomery’s leader in historic preservation since 1967. On Thursday, May 28 from 4-7 a combination Landmark Foundation fundraiser-book signing event is scheduled at the Ware -Farley-Hood House in Old Alabama Town. For more information call 334.240.4500. Books are available through the Old Alabama Town Book Store and Capitol Book and News.

Farmer’s Market Returns May 16th The Farmer’s Market will start back up on May 16th for a preview day, and on May 23rd for the grand opening of all vendors and activities.

This year the Farmers Market will feature fitness classes like Zumba, and live cooking demos. Farmer’s Market is open 7 am – noon at The Shoppes at EastChase. Plenty to do and sample at the Market where you will find locally grown produce and unique gift items, as well as entertainment for the entire family. The Market is open every Saturday rain or shine until October 10. Call 334.279.6046 for more information.

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BOOMERS, share your stuff with BOOM! We Love to Bring BOOMERS Together, send info and pics to jim@riverregionboom.com

Great Strides for Cystic Fibrosis at Hampstead Tipping Point Great Strides is the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s largest national fundraising event. Each year, more than 125,000 Someone’s people participate in hundreds of walks across the Grandchild Needs country to raise funds for cystic fibrosis research and drug Your Support development. Great Strides continues to gain momentum, as do our research efforts and the progress we’ve made in the search for a cure. The CF Foundation has raised and invested hundreds of millions of dollars to support the development of new CF drugs and therapies. But the lives of people with this disease are still cut far too short. We need the public’s continued support to fulfill our mission of finding a cure and improving the quality of life of those with the disease. This year’s Great Strides Event will be held at Hampstead Tipping Point on Saturday, May 30th beginning at 9am. Form a team, join a team, and serve those in the fight for the cure of Cystic Fibrosis. Get involved at fightcf.cff.org

Sarah McKemey Receives The Camilla W. Prince Community Partner in Service Award

Pictured (l-r) Kimberly Baker (JLM President), Camilla W. Prince Community Partner in Service Award Recipient Sarah McKemey, former Marketing and Public Relations Director with the Montgomery Zoo, Camilla Prince (Former HandsOn Executive Director), and Gage LeQuire (HandsOn Board President)

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The Camilla W. Prince Community Partner in Service Award was added this year to recognize an outstanding employee of a River Region nonprofit. The award is named for Mrs. Prince, former HandsOn Executive Director, who was instrumental in establishing several of the agency’s most successful programs and led the organization with true grace and devotion for over 25 years. Sarah McKemey, former Marketing and Public Relations Director with the Montgomery Zoo, was named the inaugural recipient of this award in appreciation of the exemplary service she provided the Zoo for nearly 4 decades. HandsOn partners with more than 200 non-profit, faith-based and government agencies to mobilize 10,000+ volunteers annually creating an economic impact of more than $1.25 million for this region. To learn how you can serve in order to help those in need and make a real impact in the community, contact HandsOn River Region at 334.264.3335 or visit handsonriverregion.org.

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Shape Magazine Names AUM Professor to Advisory Board Shape magazine, has named Dr. Michele Olson, professor of exercise science and lead researcher at Auburn University at Montgomery’s Scharff-Olson Kinesiology Lab, to its advisory board with the aim of delivering credible fitness advice to the publication’s six million active readers. “Dr. Olson adds credibility to our brand thanks to her years of institutional knowledge in exercise physiology and the fact that she lives a fit and healthy lifestyle herself,” said Shape editorial director for fitness, Jaclyn Emerick. “She really gets fitness and exercise science, and really cares that it’s talked about in an accurate and responsibly way — two things that we really rely on and [that we] think set our brand apart from Shape is currently developing a 10-page feature for its May issue on scientifically proven ways to get a flat belly. Olson’s research will guide the piece, and she will also create workout programs for readers for inclusion in the spread.

FREE Estate Planning and Asset Protection Workshop Wednesday, May 20: Hosted by Red Oak Legal, PC: 1:30 - 3:30 pm at the Archibald Senior Center (MACOA) in Montgomery. This educational workshop presented by local attorney Raley L. Wiggins covers wills, trusts, powers of attorney, advance directives, living wills, probate administration, protecting assets from creditors, bankruptcy, divorce and remarriage, nursing homes, long-term care and Medicaid qualification. Registration is required. Call 334.625.6774 today to reserve your seat or register online at www.redoaklegalpc.com.

Keeping Wine for the Long Haul To enjoy aged wine, is it necessary to construct an elaborate wine cellar, carved into the depths of your home? Absolutely not. The most important part of creating a space to store your wine is finding a place where they will not be attacked by wine’s major enemies: light, heat, and humidity. There’s a reason why most cellar-worthy wines come in a dark brown or green bottle. Just as your skin doesn’t appreciate too many UV rays, neither does your wine. Heat will cook wine, ruining it fairly quickly. Wild fluctuations in humidity can damage the cork, allowing too much oxygen to invade the bottle. So to start aging wines, find the coolest, darkest spot in your home. As long as there are no radical fluctuations in heat or humidity, you should be ok. So why go through all this gratification-delaying effort? As wines age, primary, fruity flavors start to mingle with the unexpected delight of savory secondary notes. Wine is a living thing, constantly evolving and changing. And not just red wine; if you’re looking for value for the cellar, German Riesling can offer astonishing levels of pleasure and complexity. Just don’t wait too long to enjoy them. Many wines are made to be enjoyed as soon as they are bottled.

Particularly white wines, lighter reds, sparkling wines, and most wines under $30. The wines that really benefit from age tend to be the big reds from Bordeaux and Burgundy, Spain, Italy and California. You can keep tabs on the “drinkability” of your wines through websites such as cellartracker.com, which tells you whether to drink or hold specific bottles. So what wines are in your closet cellar?

Herb Day 2015

“Where the Wild Things Are” is the them for the 18th Annual Herb Day. Learn where wild herbs grow and sample some wild game with Savory - Herb of the Year for 2015. Herb Day is a fun-filled public educational event for the entire family featuring children’s activities, programs by experts on growing herbs, a cooking demonstration, and a session that explores the medicinal properties of herbs. An open-air market will feature vendors selling crafts, books, food, herbal teas, garden wares and a huge selection of herbal plants. To learn more about this event and the Herb Society visit oathsblog.com.

The 25th Annual Charity Golf Classic Benefiting Boys and Girls Clubs The 25th Annual Charity Golf Classic Benefiting Boys and Girls Clubs of the River Region is scheduled for May 20 at Wynlakes Golf and Country Club. The tournament will have shotgun starts at 8 am and 2 pm. Morning golfers will be treated to a continental breakfast and lunch, while after-noon participants will receive lunch. Registration will start at 7 a.m. for the morning round and 11:30 a.m. for the afternoon round.

If you’re interested in participating or becoming a sponsor contact Luella Giles lgiles@bgcriverregion.org, or call 334.832.4288.

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The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine

Nothing Sheepish About Montgomery’s Taoist Tai Chi The Montgomery Branch of the Taoist Tai Chi Society isn’t being sheepish about celebrating 2015, the Chinese Year of the Sheep. From 9:00 am to 12:00pm May 16, members of the Tai Chi Center will present a Tai Chi Awareness Day celebration at the Montgomery Zoo. The group chose the zoo to honor the Big Horn Sheep Exhibit in acknowledgement of the Chinese Year of the Sheep. Information on the relaxing and healthy movements of Tai Chi will be available, and members will demonstrate the 108 moves, known as “a set.” The year of the Sheep is the perfect year to learn more about Tai Chi. According to most interpretations, the Chinese Year of the Sheep focuses on living life along a steady path, maintaining a sense of generosity, and increasing desires to keep the peace. According The North American Big Horn Sheep at the Montgomery Zoo to Steve Howe in “Backpacker Magazine,” North American Sheep are peaceful, timid creatures, “all they ask for is food, water, and solitude.”

These characteristics also share some benefits of Tai Chi such as relaxation, increased mobility, and maintaining a balance of mind and body. To enjoy the energy of the year, the sheep, and Tai Chi, come to the Montgomery Zoo on May 16. So, don’t be a cranky old goat--herd your friends and family together and come on out to the Montgomery Zoo on the morning of May 16 to see the Montgomery Tai Chi group and the Big Horn Sheep Exhibit (and the other beautiful animals too!).

Bob Varley and Ruth Deramus demonstrate “Left Grasp Bird’s Tail”

Heart of Dixie Bridge Tournament Do you play Bridge? Do you like competition? Well get ready for the Bridge event of the year in the River Region. The Montgomery Bridge Club is hosting the Heart of Dixie Bridge Tournament beginning April 30 through May 3rd. The tournament will be held at the new location of the Montgomery Bridge Club at 1103 South Perry St, across from the Governor’s Mansion. Party Bridge players will have a separate game. Also, partners will be found if you need one. Session Fees: Charity Game $12, Open Pairs, KO and 299ers $11, and Swiss Team $100. $3 additional per session for non or unpaid ACBL members. Except Charity Game. Oodles of Southern Hospitality! For more info call 334.416.8014 or visit google.com/site/ montgomerybridgecluborg/home

The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine

R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m

May 2015

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BOOM! COVER PROFILE

Greg & Susan, Real Personality This month’s BOOM! profile is Greg Budell and Susan Woody. Many of you know them from the Susan and Greg Morning Show on Newstalk Radio Station 93.1 from 6 to 9 each weekday morning.

They’ve been sharing microphones for a number of years and they recently won the Alabama Broadcasters Association for “Best Morning” show. They are like many of us in the over 50 community who work at something they love and age doesn’t get in the way of their success. They are not married but they sound like many married couples you know. They are spontaneous and authentic personalities who will make you laugh every morning! We hope you enjoy getting to know them as much as we have.

BOOM!: Please give us a brief biography, i.e. are you from the Montgomery area, did you raise your family here, schools, married, family, etc?

Greg: In 2004, I asked a guest psychic on my morning show “Where will I be in 5 years”...I laughed as she said “the South”. I thought she was nuts. She persisted.

She was right. I had always envisioned life in the south as more genteel and romantic so when I had the chance to build a new empire in Montgomery, I took it.

I began compiling formal studies on listeners and sold my first one to WLS the summer after graduating high school.

I formed my own research company and worked it while going to the U. of Illinois at Chicago.

Susan Woody, Jay Scott and Greg Budell at Newstalk 93.1 I finished a research project of my adulthood at the Montgomery Little for ABC-FM in 1973, when FM was first Theater, and in 1979 became the vocalist starting to take listeners from the AM dial. for The Montgomery Recreators, an They wanted a different type of jock- a 18-piece dance band. It’s big band music communicator and not a screamer. I began that I enjoy singing most…standards like as an experiment.

New York, New York and At Last.

The ultimate reward is using the influence you build to help others. I love to laugh but my best shows have been in and around tough or dangerous times...9/11... Katrina...and these days, with people so worried about the future, Susan: I’m a Montgomery it is rewarding to know they turn to you for a little native. Ashley, my daughter escape. Becoming a part and mother of my two grandsons, lives in Fairhope, of someone’s daily routine Greg with his Alabama Broadcasters AL. My son, Will, is a is a real privilege, and one “Best Personality” Award server at The A & P Grille that has to be earned anew every single day. in Cloverdale. He’s also a singer and musician.

BOOM!: Many people know you as a BOOM!: You’ve been in the radio industry radio personality, but you’re also a terrific most of your life, why did you get into singer. Please tell us how you got started singing and what style of music you enjoy radio? What has been the most rewarding performing. aspect about it?

Greg: Radio got into me. In high school (Chicago) I was always curious about people’s listening habits. Why they liked certain personalities and didn’t like others.

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Susan: Like so many performers, my singing career began in the youth choir of my church. I honed my skills during high school and college, spent the greater part

BOOM!: How did you get to become a radio personality? Did you choose radio as a career or was it a natural choice for an entertainer like yourself? What has been the most rewarding aspect about it?

Susan: In 1988, while working as a bank teller, I was invited to sing on a morning radio show. That appearance led to a job offer in radio sales which I accepted with some reservations. After all, I was a 40 year old mother of two with a steady job taking a big chance in unfamiliar territory.

Then, just like in the movies, one of our onair personalities failed to show up for work, and I got my first crack at an open mike. I was hooked. The most rewarding part of my job? It affords me the opportunity to work with funny, creative people; I literally laugh out loud every day.

BOOM!: Would you share how the Greg and Susan Morning Show got started?

Greg: Let’s begin with Jay. He is the referee- and a smart young man with a good sense of humor and the perfect

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middle man for 2 people who can be Ralph and Alice Kramden, Archie and Edith Bunker and yes- George and “Weezy” Jefferson. I knew Susan would be a great partner from the get-go. And it only took 4 years for me to convince management we could work together without killing each other!!

still fresh enough to stay ahead of the “whippersnappers”...lol.

Susan: A Steve Jobs quote epitomizes my anti-aging philosophy: “Stay hungry, stay foolish”. The broadcast business is constantly changing…new procedures, new equipment. Therefore, I continue to acquire new skills; I‘m “hungry” for ways to improve my craft. The “foolish” part comes easily. Under the guise of work, I’ve done some foolish things, i.e. played basketball on donkey-back, tossed eggs from a billboard, milked a goat. I recently joined a bowling team and got my first tattoo!

Susan: Our working together was Greg’s idea. Although we are on opposite sides of most political issues, we share the same sense of humor and respect each other as radio professionals. We make sure to keep the tone light on our show so that BOOM!: What are you most we and our listeners passionate about? begin the day with a smile. Jay is the calming Greg: Believe it or not- staying influence that keeps two sober. Without that, all the sometimes high-strung other things I am passionate dramatic personalities Greg and Roz Budell about are simply NOT in check. He’s young POSSIBLE! Only took me 30 years to figure enough to be our child, but is often the that out! most mature one in the room.

BOOM!: Many Boomers are experiencing a renewed sense of purpose, new goals, new careers, especially if they’ve experienced the empty nest syndrome of their kids moving on. How would you describe this sense of renewal in your life? Any advice for the rest of us seeking renewal?

Greg: People don’t realize the challenge of radio. I have to do 250+ different shows a year while constantly refreshing material. Ray Kroc, the guy who founded McDonald’s, allowed only one old saying to be posted in his office- “When you’re green, you’ll grow and when you’re ripe, you’ll rot”. I am constantly trying to stay ahead of the ripening process. Keep learning. Many of my peers are out of the business now because they failed to reinvent themselves and adapt to changes.

Always stay curious. Never question your ability to achieve a goal.

Susan and I won the Alabama Broadcaster Association award for Best Morning Show this year, and I have won similar awards during my career but this one meant the most. As two Sixtysomethings we are

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Susan: I’m passionate about music. It permeates every facet of my life. It lifts me, inspires me, consoles me, entertains me.

BOOM!: With your busy schedule, do you get to travel much? Favorite vacation spot?

Any travel dreams for the future?

Greg: : I use all my vacation and travel to visit my daughter in South Florida. I’ve been here 10 years and have wanted to visit Warm Springs, Georgia (where FDR died) and have failed to make that happen.

I travelled like crazy when I had the money and energy to do it. Flying sucks now, so I’m glad I did it when I had the chance. I do hope to get tickets for the Major League Baseball game in Cincinnati this summer.

Susan: : I try to spend time with close friends and family at Folly Beach, SC, each summer and travel to Fairhope to see my daughter and her family as often as possible. I’d like to visit Greece some day.

BOOM!: You and Susan are “unmarried” with microphones, but many listeners think you sound like a married couple, can you explain how that happens? Has your wife Roz ever been on the radio with you?

Greg: : Roz loves the show and is our biggest fan. She calls in from time to time. Susan and I sound married because we argue about everything- we are the Bickersons but it’s fun and not bitter and all REAL. I may be the only legal bigamist in Alabama!

BOOM!: You and Greg have the most popular morning radio show in the market. What’s it like working with Greg? Is it like a radio marriage or a sibling rivalry?

Greg refers to you as the “Cougar,” is there any truth to it?

BOOM!: How do you like to relax and wind down from a hard day’s work at the radio station?

Greg: : I am boring and love it! I hit a bucket of whiffle balls in my front yard … my personal Susan and Greg share a moment at Greg’s Wedding driving range. I went back to playing golf. When it’s time Susan: Working with Greg is a privilege, to lip-diddle, I binge watch shows from a challenge, a romp. There’s no rivalry at ME-TV and movies from Turner Classic all. We’re partners. When you think about and documentaries. I have fun at work it, we actually spend more waking time so I don’t need to go out and have it together than most married folks. The somewhere although I do enjoy Biscuit “Cougar”, a Budell creation, exists only on games. the radio these days. However, there was a time…………!

Susan: Crossword puzzles, Facebook.

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BOOM!: You’ve been involved with local theater for many years, how can we help make this a more valuable part of our local arts community?

Susan: : There are several wonderful community theaters in the River Region.

The Alabama Shakespeare Theatre is one of the finest regional theatres in the country. We can make sure theater thrives in the River Region by attending performances, volunteering to help with productions, and donating money when time and talent aren’t an option.

BOOM!: If you weren’t in the entertainment business what kind of work would you be doing?

BOOM!: Give us three words that describe you?

Greg: Off the wall!

Susan: Three words that describe me? Depends on whom you ask. The nice ones include creative Susan poses for her first and talented. I’d add BOOM! Cover mercurial… I think most creative people are.

Greg: A TV weatherman Susan: I think I’d enjoy teaching music or theater in an elementary school.

BOOM!: You have a quote from Katharine Hepburn on your Facebook page about marriage “If you want to sacrifice the admiration of many men for the criticism of one, go ahead, get married” and another on the Q96.1 website, “If you obey all the rules, you’ll miss all the fun.” What is it you admire about her philosophy towards life?

Susan: I not only admire Katharine Hepburn’s talent, I admire her off-stage

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persona, as well. She refused to conform to societal expectations of women. She was outspoken and assertive. An entertainment journalist and reviewer for the Los Angeles Times wrote, “More than a movie star, Katharine Hepburn was the patron saint of the independent American female.

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BOOM!: What kind of music do you listen too?

Greg: : I rarely listen to music away from Q...but the reason the music from the 60s-80s endures is because it is melodic and is easily embraced by new generations.

My favorite work of all time? The Nutcracker Suite is pure freaking genius.

Susan: I listen to a wide variety of music…

Diana Krall, Cole Porter, Aaron Copeland, Aretha Franklin, James Taylor, and Garth Brooks are among my favorites. I also enjoy Broadway musical scores (Wicked, Spamalot, and A Chorus Line).

BOOM!: What is it about living in the Montgomery/River Region area that you like?

Greg: People and convenience. I have a 6 minute drive to work in the morning. 10 on the way home. Everything you need is no more than 20 minutes away. I love the green, too. The abundance of trees and natural landscape is great.

Susan: Montgomery’s a nice southern city…nice people, nice parks, nice restaurants, nice places to visit like the Montgomery Zoo. BOOM!: Greg, you’re obviously a dog person because we’ve heard you talk about Hershey or “Manshtaweenie”. Could you share your love for dogs and the odd name? Susan, do you share your house with pets?

Greg: Everybody talks to their pets in a special language. I’m just goofy enough to do it in public. My daughter named him Hershey because he was chocolate brown as a pup. Like all small dogs, he thought he was Mr Tough so he went from Monster to Manstor and it sort of evolved. He’s totally housebroken but until he was, he was also called MishtaFoofinfransh.

Susan: : I adopted an adult Australian Heeler from the Montgomery Humane shelter several years ago. Since our station is dog friendly, “Alice” accompanies me to work on occasion. I also have THREE cats.

No wonder I’m single!

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BOOM!: What is the future of radio?

It seems everything has evolved into talk…politics, sports, morning shows. As Boomers we escaped to our transistor radios for cool music, now we can’t seem to escape the conversation. Where do we go from here?

Greg: Radio is committing suicide with Government help. De-regulation in the Clinton years killed competition and part of competition was developing personalities.

With music so available and through such personal delivery systems, it’s going to take the power of personality to save it.

Bluewater Broadcasting is doing that.

We’re very local. We have Dan Morris, and just added News & Views (9 am-12 noon) which is a great group of personalities for Newstalk 93.1. Jay Scott has a popular weekend show called In-Game Chat and Terry Adams has had a great start with his Saturday evening show “Clearing The Air”. And Willie Bee, who is replacing me on Q 96.1 is going to be a fresh change to Q 96.1. I am retiring as a DJ on my 10th anniversary with Q. Most people don’t know it but I have been the only radio guy in America with 2 morning shows in the same market for 4 years!

Susan: : Hopefully, talk radio is here to stay!

Greg and I love our jobs. Yes, radio has changed over the years, but it’s still a FREE source of information and entertainment.

BOOM!: Do you have any hobbies or other activities that grab your attention?

Greg: Writing is my first love, and I have a great book to write. My life has been one amazing ride...I want to tell the story with humor. Dave Barry is a friend, and an influence. Besides that, I am lucky in that I pretty much have fun all day doing what I do, so I don’t need to escape. I’d love to try radio-controlled flying!

Susan: I stay pretty busy with work, band rehearsals and choir practice, and like Greg, I love my job, so no escape necessary. We are both very lucky in that way.

We want to thank Greg and Susan for sharing their story with us this month. Please share your comments with Greg at gregbudell@aol.com and Susan at swoody@ bluewaterbroadcasting.com. We also want to thank Jay Scott for helping set up the cover shot. As always, thanks to Kim Bethea from The Studio @ Eastchase for her professional cover photos. If you have questions, comments or suggestions, please send them to jim@riverregionboom.com

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A Few Words from the Boss...

We asked Rick Peters, owner of Bluewater Broadcasting to share a few words about Greg and Susan. Rick helped Greg launch his radio career in Florida again and again...eventually leading to Montgomery and Bluewater Broadcasting. Rick knows Greg and he knows radio.

BOOM!: You’ve had a long relationship with Greg, you’ve fired him many times and hired him many times…how would you describe his unique talent?

Rick: Greg is the consummate professional – relatable, funny, relevant, and quick. He’s also incredibly honest about his life on the air. Greg has the ability to make listeners into friends just by being open about who he really is.

Honesty works. Also, if you’ve ever seen him work on the air…I really believe there are two people in that head of his. Greg has the unique ability to be “live in the moment” while at the same time setting up a sound effect or something else he’s going to drop onto the air 10 or 20 seconds later. It’s quite a talent. He is without a doubt the best air personality I’ve ever had the pleasure to know. He’s my “franchise player” here at Bluewater.

BOOM!: What makes the Greg and Susan Morning Show successful?

Rick: Greg and Susan are successful because everyone relates. They’re like an old married couple, and everyone understands that dynamic. They are also great together in keeping with of some of the best comic duos in history of radio and TV, such as Burns and Allen, the Kramden’s, or the Bundy’s. It’s the Honeymooners meets Married With Children every day, and it’s a hoot to listen to. If you’ve ever been married you get Greg and Susan instantly.

BOOM!: What’s the future of local radio?

Rick: The future of radio is excellent, especially for live and locally owned and operated radio stations like ours. 93% of the population in Montgomery listens to

Rick Peters with wife Jennifer

radio every week. That hasn’t changed substantially in the last three decades.

Radio has survived records, television, tape and cassettes, ipods and downloads, satellite and the internet. We are one of the last “free” mediums left. No cable bill, subscriptions, bandwidth fees, or download payments.

Radio remains the primary source of new music for the majority listeners. We are “curated” - there is thought behind the order and presentation of stations. That’s why radio sounds different then a random stream. There’s a human element to radio not found in most other music options.

But, in order to secure our position with increasing “audio” options, we need to continue to be local, live, and relatable.

Our staff and ownership lives in this city.

We shop here. We live and die here. We are concerned about the same things our listeners are concerned about. We are members of the community, and we reflect that on the air.

In an emergency, when your electricity goes down and the cell phone doesn’t work, and you’re internet is out, radio is on the air with crucial information and hopeful reassurance that we will all get through it together. We are a robust medium and listeners count on us. Our continuing job is to never let them down. Every broadcaster should remember this. We do.

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DATING Coach

3 oversights that are killing your dating life

What are some of the oversights that women in their fifties and older overlook when dating?

inside out enhancing your outer beauty.

This whole package is something young women don’t have yet.

Dating falls flat when your dating mojo is missing...

It’s also something men are highly attracted to in the women they want to date. Your job is to find your inner beauty and bring it out into the world for all to see.

As confident as you might feel at work, and why wouldn’t you be? You’ve been doing it forever and you’ve learned the tools and developed the resources that makes you good at what you do, this confidence doesn’t translate to how you might feel today as a woman in her fifties stepping into the dating world.

Yikes ... this part of your life means having to meet new men who might judge you or not like you. Pretty scary!

I’ve had clients who were powerhouses in their chosen fields. If you asked them what their confidence level was on a scale from 1-10, it would be “10-plusplus”but asked the same question about dating, the number often plummeted to 2 or even into negative numbers.

As we all know, our bodies and our faces have changed with age. In such a youth oriented culture, it’s easy to forget just how amazing you really are at this time in your life.

And you really are! You have wisdom and a passion for life from knowing who you are and what you bring to the world.

This is called inner beauty and it’s something that makes you glow from the

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You’re only looking for a George Clooney type of guy who is handsome and rich and yet, you’re finding his clone doesn’t exist...

Last time you dated, chances are the guys you were attracted to looked a lot different than those faces you see online today.

The men of our youth were young, hot, had longer hair, toned bodies and handsome faces. Where are they now? Well, I’ll let you in on a secret ...they are the men in their fifties or older you see online with grey hair, glasses and bellies who want to date you.

And what you are probably thinking when you look at them is, my friends tell me I look young and these men look so old.

George and the men who look like him have one thing going for them you can see right away... they are handsome on the

outside. But it doesn’t mean they are great guys on the inside. That’s a story we’ve made up about the beautiful people. If they are beautiful, they must be the best.

It’s not necessarily true. What’s in a man’s heart and how he treats a woman is what really counts. Some of those older looking, grey haired, fuddy-duddies are amazing men that women pass over daily.

They may be far more fun, caring and loving than you think. Turn your fifties-plus dating life around by giving one of them a chance. He may turn out to be a great catch.

You expect to feel instant chemistry to go out with a man again...

Want to know what chemistry really is? It’s a hormonal release that started back in the caveman days. It meant this person was a potential mate for making strong babies that could survive the brutal elements of the time.

It’s useful even today for young adults who are looking for a mate to build a life with including children, the dog and the house.

But mature dating is different. This part of your life is not about building like it was in your twenties. It’s about finding someone to share a good life with who will make a great companion for you. And who will be there to support you and you support him ... through both the good times and the challenging times that can come with aging.

It’s worth adding this quality into the equation for figuring out your attraction factor after fifty.

Lisa Copeland, “The Dating Coach Who Makes Dating Fun and Easier after 50!” Find out more at Findaqualityman.com (c)2014, Lisa Copeland, findaqualityman.com Distributed by MCT Information Services

The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine

The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine

R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m

May 2015

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It’s all about May-ntenance Presented by River Region Facial Plastics

Hello, this is Dr. Michael Bowman with River Region Facial Plastics.

This month I’d like to talk about beauty maintenance.

As you may know, your Dr. Michael Bowman first visit to River Region Facial Plastics involves a consultation where together we review your medical and surgical history and discuss your goals for facial rejuvenation.

After a painless physical examination, we will create a roadmap for your rejuvenation that we call your Beauty Plan. I like to divide the Beauty Plan into two phases, the rejuvenation phase and the maintenance phase. The rejuvenation phase is more active, as you would expect, when we are trying to turn back the clock and make more dramatic progress. For many clients, this involves a surgical procedure like the QuickLift®, blepharoplasty (eyelid rejuvenation), or Rhinoplasty (nose reshaping). However, sometimes we can accomplish our rejuvenation results with just office treatments like Voluma®, Juvederm®, Restylane®, and/or Sculptra®.

After you have reached your rejuvenation goals, the pace slows down a little bit and we shift our focus towards the maintenance of your beautiful results.

down the road. This type of ongoing intervention is all the more important for our clients who have chosen to undergo some procedures. It’s important to protect your investment in yourself!

For some of our clients, we actually start off in the “maintenance” side of things to help make sure they get comfortable with my techniques and recommendations before we try something else.

2. Wrinkle Relaxers: Botox Cosmetic® and Dysport® are ideal beauty maintenance treatments. Your treatment will only take two or three minutes and will last about four months. These treatments work by relaxing the muscles that cause dynamic wrinkles. When done properly, you will look softer, fresher, and rejuvenated… but so natural that no one will be able to tell why you look so much better!

Maintenance is something that we take for granted in many areas of our lives, and it is often overlooked in the face as well.

For example, no one would recommend waiting until shingles have blown off and water is dripping into the attic before maintaining your roof. In the same way, a little preventative maintenance over time add up to prevent much larger problems

So what are the three main things you can start doing this May to help slow down that aging clock?

1. Skin Care: Good skin is the single best thing you can do on a daily basis to help prevent future damage and maintain the quality of skin that you have. You will get a customized recommendation for skin care after your consultation; for most people, this will be a regimen that includes Growth Factors, Retinols, Antioxidants, and Sunscreen (we use the mnemonic G.R.A.S.S.). We offer only SkinMedica®, which is the premier medical grade skin care line, and can only be purchased from a licensed physician.

The quality of products and results from the SkinMedica® line is far superior from retail grade products sold at drug stores, department stores, or by non-physicians.

3. Volume Replacement: Volume loss is a major component of the aging process and thankfully it can be easily improved with office treatments like Voluma® and

Sculptra®. Look at a picture of yourself from a few years ago. It is obvious to see the new things that have appeared, but if you look carefully, you can start to notice all of the volume that we lose with time.

This hits especially hard in the temples, cheeks, and around the mouth. It only take us a few minutes to create a more youthful cheek contour or plump up some of the areas of volume loss around the mouth or lips. I use cannulas in most areas of the face for my volumizing agents, which dramatically reduce bruising, swelling and the discomfort associated with the treatment.

4. Putting it all together: Many clients who have shifted from the rejuvenation phase over into their maintenance phase like to visit us about four times a year. Their Botox® Cosmetic treatment takes just a few minutes, and then we can assess their face and can add in a little touch up of Voluma® or Restylane®, if necessary. Everyone seems to enjoy leaving the office with a refreshed, natural look that is even better than when they came in.

So whether you feel you are in need of some maintenance to help slow down the aging clock, or if you want to have a more dramatic (yet natural) rejuvenation, I hope you’ll call and set up an appointment to create your own personalized Beauty Plan.

When you call, mention this article for your free consultation!

Yours in good health, Dr. Michael Bowman doctors@RiverRegionFacialPlastics.com

20 Units of Free Botox® Cosmetic!

w h en you a s u b m it a q u e st io n fo r o u r co l u m n a n d we a n swe r i t

(One treatment area only)

S u b mi t your questi on today to RiverRegionFacialPlastics@gmail.com 22 BOOM!

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face it!

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55 Plus: Living Better on a Fixed Income You may be retired or still working, but you’re probably dealing with the same problem many folks 50 and older experience. Expenses keep rising, but income doesn’t.

Those who are younger or at the peak of their earning ability can job hop to higher paying positions. But that’s not easy for the middle aged who are often judged by their years rather than their talent. Those

who can see the end of their working days coming have to live just as frugally as those living on the fixed income of Social Security or a pension.

Yet just a few easy changes will make even a low, fixed income go a lot further, giving you more actual cash you can use to make your life better. The first place to start is by realizing exactly how you spend your money.

Take a close look at several months of your bank and credit or debit card statements. Are there a lot of minor purchases you can’t identify? Twenty dollars here, thirty dollars there, do you remember what you spent that money on? It’s easy to get deeper into credit card debt than you wish if you don’t pay attention to these little charges. You may not even be aware of how much you’re spending until you get your statement.

There are two solutions to this problem, both very simple. The first: use checks instead of a card, and write down every purchase in a register. Writing a check is more laborious than just sliding a card, so it often will make you change a habit of making frequent casual inexpensive purchases. This habit alone can add up to $100 or more each month.

The second solution: get a check register from your financial institution. Write down every transaction when you spend or send money. That allows you to see what you’re putting on your card so you can start pulling back if you’ve spent a bit more than you intended.

Next, check out how many companies have access to your financial accounts.

Some may include phone service, installment payments and other automatic withdrawals. If possible, eliminate some of these. Meanwhile, add up all the amounts you’re stuck with, and subtract that sum from your monthly income. Since that money is already spoken for, get it out of your mind. It’s not spendable income.

Examine your credit card statements carefully every month. You’ll sometimes find small monthly payments for a ‘travel club’ or magazine subscription that you never authorized. If you use a credit, rather than debit card, you can get these bogus charges reversed.

Now to home economies that can cut your bills. You probably already know, and practice, shutting off lights in rooms you’re not currently using. But how

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about heat registers? It makes no sense to heat up a bedroom if you’re spending the evening in your living room. There are thin magnetic sheets you can place over heat registers to keep any heat from escaping.

If you have access to your water heater, be sure the hot water temperature is not so high that you have to add cold water. Heating a whole tank of water to scalding temperatures is expensive.

You’ll save money by turning it to a lower temperature, and clothes can be washed just as clean with warm, rather than hot water. You can always temporarily turn the gauge back up if you want a long and very hot shower.

Food is another area where you can increase your luxury factor with proper planning. For example, I love a good plate of pasta with bottled sauce improved with diced tomatoes, herbs and cooked hamburger or seafood. But I don’t want to go to all that effort for one night’s dinner. So I make up a big pot of pasta, then portion it out into plastic containers, each with about two

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servings. I put each container into a plastic grocery produce bag, suck the air out, twist the top and tie it into a knot, date and label the contents. It’s really nice to come home, pull out a container of pasta, heat it up and have a delicious dinner.

In fact, use the freezer part of your fridge for money-saving food storage.

Make up a company-sized meal, it’s cheaper to cook for four or five than for just one person, divide the pot roast or whatever into single-sized portions, and freeze them for later use. If meat is on sale at a local market, buy some, divide into single portions and freeze it.

Also freeze leftover rice from an oriental meal, discounted candy and chocolate after a holiday and even larger sizes of your favorite foods divided into smaller portions.

One big expense that can be easily cut is mobile phone service. Signing a contract for several years and paying for a new phone in installments is not the best way to go. Instead, when you’re no longer under contract, investigate

pre-paid phone services. You can get plans that start at under $50 per month for unlimited talk and text, plus internet.

Many of the companies that offer such service have frequent sales where you can outright purchase a good phone for one third or less than buying it on a multi-year plan.

When you realize you’re saving money with these small changes, don’t just spend the savings any old way. Make plans for it. Perhaps you’ll want to save it for a better vacation, a new appliance or some home refreshing. Working on extending your income means that aside from having more disposable cash, you won’t feel as constricted by your fixed income, because you ‘fixed’ that problem.

Wina Sturgeon is an active boomer based in Salt Lake City who offers news on the science of anti-aging and staying youthful at adventuresportsweekly.com. (c)2015 Adventure Sports Weekly Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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Ask an Elder Law Attorney By: Raley L. Wiggins | Attorney at Law | Red Oak Legal, PC

3 Common Estate Planning Mistakes In our practice, we commonly see the same mistakes being made time and again.

Sometimes we see the client early enough to correct the mistake before any harm is done, but not always. Read on to learn about three of the most common mistakes, and how to avoid them.

“everything” they may need to address.

Instead, you have to specifically state that your agent has the power to handle certain kinds of transactions. That’s why it is important to include expanded powers in your power of attorney, particularly for clients over age 65.

MISTAKE ONE NOT PLANNING FOR DISABILITY

MISTAKE TWO NOT KNOWING HOW YOU OWN YOUR ASSETS

People are living longer than ever before.

If you need proof, just look around at the number of nursing homes, assisted living facilities, home health agencies, and similar organizations that care for the ever-growing senior population. The longer we live, the more likely it is that we will deal with a period of disability late in life during which we will need others to help care for us.

I regularly teach an educational workshop on estate planning to members of the public, and one of the topics that tends to get people’s attention is the discussion of how you own your assets. You see, the way your assets are held or titled can have a significant effect upon whether your estate plan “works” the way that you hope it does.

The starting point in disability planning is to be sure that you have, at a minimum, a durable power of attorney and an advance directive in place. Note that not all of these documents are created equal. For example, most advance directives focus on end-of-life scenarios in the event that we are in a coma, or require machines to keep us alive.

They often fail to adequately address a more common scenario—one in which we require nursing home or other long-term care for an extended period of time.

Attend Free Workshop

at the Archibald Senior Center (MACOA) in Montgomery. This educational workshop presented by local attorney Raley L. Wiggins covers wills, trusts, powers of attorney, advance directives, living wills, probate administration, protecting assets from creditors, bankruptcy, divorce and remarriage, nursing homes, long-term care and Medicaid qualification. Registration is required.

Call 334-625-6774 today to reserve your seat or register online at www.redoaklegalpc.com.

Under the new Alabama Uniform Power of Attorney Act (effective January 1, 2012), granting your agent the power to do “everything” you could do yourself, doesn’t actually mean that the agent can handle May 2015

MISTAKE THREE LEAVING ASSETS OUTRIGHT TO THE SPOUSE

This mistake is not true in all cases, but consider the increasingly common second marriage. When each spouse has their own children, this can be a source of hurt feelings when one spouse dies before the other. The children of the deceased spouse often resent step-parent Estate Planning and Asset Protection Workshop their for spending “their” Wednesday, May 20: Hosted by Red Oak Legal, PC: 1:30-3:30 pm inheritance.

While the advance directive deals with health care issues, a durable power of attorney grants a person of your choosing (your agent) the authority to handle your business and financial affairs. Importantly, however, the law is clear that your agent only has the powers which are granted to her in the power of attorney. The problem is that just reading the terms of the POA won’t necessarily give you the complete picture of what powers your agent does or doesn’t have.

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Assume John jointly owns a house with his wife, Jane. He has a 401(k) that names Jane as the death beneficiary, and a life insurance policy that names his son, Billy as the beneficiary. At John’s death, his wife Jane will own the house and get the money in the 401(k), while Billy gets the life insurance money. Even though the will leaves “everything” to Sally, she won’t actually inherit anything at all.

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For example, many kinds of jointly owned property will automatically become the sole property of the surviving joint owner upon the death of the other owner, regardless of what the deceased person’s will says about who gets the property. Similarly, beneficiary designations on life insurance policies, retirement accounts, and other accounts will determine who actually gets the money in those accounts after the owner’s death.

For an average middle class family, the bulk of their estate’s value will consist of three types of assets—the home, retirement accounts, and life insurance proceeds.

Consider John Doe, whose will leaves his entire estate to his favorite niece, Sally.

The better choice is to leave those assets in trust. For example, John and Jane get married. They are both in their 50’s, and each have their own children from prior marriages. John dies first. His will leaves the bulk of his estate to Jane, in trust, to make sure her basic needs are provided for. The terms of the trust, however, prevent Jane from leaving John’s money to her new spouse (if she remarries) or to her own children. Instead, whatever is left will pass to John’s children after her death.

In conclusion, I’ll leave you with a question: Do any of these examples sound familiar to you?

Raley L. Wiggins Attorney at Law, Red Oak Legal, PC 334-239-3625 | info@redoaklegalpc.com 445 Dexter Avenue, ste 9000, Mont, AL 36104 www.redoaklegalpc.com The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine

ARE YOU MAKING A COMMON ESTATE PLANNING MISTAKE? Not planning for disability Not knowing how you own your assets Leaving assets outright to your spouse

Sound Familiar?

We can help.

FREE EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOP

Estate Planning, Asset Protection & Medicaid Eligibility

CALL US OR REGISTER ONLINE TODAY!

Join local attorney Raley L. Wiggins to discuss wills, trusts, powers of attorney, advance directives, living wills, probate administration, protecting your assets, bankruptcy, divorce & remarriage, nursing homes, long term care and medicaid qualification.

Seats fill up quickly!

Reserve your seat today:

(334) 625-6774 redoaklegalpc.com

“No representation is made that the quality of legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.”

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Second Careers for Racehorses

It all starts with a glimmer of hope that the Thoroughbred foal that a Breeder delivers into the world will be a future Kentucky Derby Winner. But considering only one, three-year old horse from approximately 40,000 horses foaled a year will make it to that coveted Winner’s Circle the first Saturday in May, to most, it’s just a unrealized life long dream.

That’s where Elaine Carroll of Bar-El Farm in Montgomery comes in the picture. She brings home some of the other Thoroughbreds that aren’t good enough for the Kentucky Derby. These Off- Track Thoroughbreds (OTTB’S) come to Mrs. Carroll’s farm when their racing careers are over. Many retired racehorses are sound, great horses, just not fast enough to compete successfully on the track any longer. Mrs. Carroll re-trains these OTTB’s for second careers such as jumping, eventing, dressage, and trail riding.

Mrs. Carroll makes several trips a year to the Louisiana tracks, inspecting and choosing horses that she feels have potential in second careers. Because of the connections she has made in the breeding and Elaine, Sallie and Quake racing industry there, she is able to visit the stabling area that is restricted to horsemen licensed by the State Racing Commission. The horses she chooses on these trips, then make the trip to her farm in Montgomery for re-training.

Re-training is very slow and sometimes a difficult thing to accomplish. Many of the things these Thoroughbreds were taught on the track, are opposite of what a Thoroughbred in a second career is required to know. For example, at the track, a rider mounts a horse as the horse is being walked to the track. In second careers, these horses need to stand still while the rider gets on them. The fast pace of the track no longer plays a part of their new lives and careers.

With the help of Sallie Johnson of Montgomery, Mrs. Carroll teaches an OTTB straight off the track the basics of standing still, walking, trotting and cantering while these horses gear down from the track life they have lived. The new exercises build different muscles then they needed for track work to get them prepared for the new kind of work that they will be required to do. Once they have mastered the basics, the horse is asked to jump obstacles. The height of the jumps are increased as the horse advances in their training.

It doesn’t take long to figure out a horse and what type of second career it would be best fitted in.

Saddling paddock fixed Once the OTTB is advanced enough in their re-training, Mrs. Carroll entertains potential buyers that will be a perfect match for these OTTB’s. She matches a person with a horse based on personality, wants and needs. It’s very important to her, along with the previous breeder/owner/trainer, that these horses are placed in homes that has the horse’s welfare at their best interest. OTTB’s are quickly becoming known worldwide for being versatile, sturdy and willing to please. Thoroughbreds are more than “The First Saturday in May”. To learn more about Elaine Carroll’s work visit barelfarm.com

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May is Better Hearing Month There are approximately 36 million Americans who suffer from hearing loss, making it the third most prevalent health concern in America. Each year, the month of May is designated as a month of promoting education of hearing health and the importance of annual hearing evaluations. At Doctors Hearing Clinic (DHC), our daily goal is to educate every person who walks through our door on the importance of hearing protection and the early detection and treatment of hearing loss. In fact, we believe so strongly in the importance of hearing health education that we offer a Wellness Program, which incorporates education of hearing loss prevention and treatment as well as a complimentary hearing screening, to anyone over the age of 55.

The two most common causes of hearing loss are age and noise exposure. Although we can’t slow down the aging process, we can protect our ears against noise.

It is important to always wear hearing protection when you are exposed to loud sounds.

Using power tools, lawn equipment, firearms, and attending concerts are just a few examples of times that hearing protection should be utilized.

Foam earplugs can be purchased in most pharmacies and grocery stores.

It is important to ensure that earplugs are inserted into the ear canal properly in order to provide the most protection from noise. If you or someone you love is consistently exposed to loud noise or has trouble using foam earplugs effectively, it may be beneficial to consider custommolded earplugs to provide increased protection from noise. At DHC, we are glad to provide information on safe listening levels, instruct on proper insertion of hearing protection, and review options for custom hearing protection.

Additional common risk factors of hearing loss include hypertension, diabetes,

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elevated cholesterol, thyroid dysfunction, hearing loss, clarity of speech is affected. autoimmune disorders, and neuropathy.

The organ for hearing, known as the The final phase of the Wellness cochlea, and the hearing nerve are very Program appointment at DHC is a pass/ sensitive to blood fail screening of flow and having hearing. If hearing the appropriate loss is indicated,

By Dr. Katie Slade and Dr. Brittany Spahr chemical a comprehensive balance. Any of evaluation will be the previously recommended. A mentioned comprehensive health concerns, evaluation is necessary if not wellto identify the degree managed, can and configuration disrupt the blood of hearing loss, flow or chemical assess how clearly balance of the speech is processed cochlea and hearing nerve, which can by the hearing system, and determine result in hearing loss. At DHC, we begin if further medical evaluation is needed. every hearing evaluation by reviewing Following a comprehensive evaluation, your case history to identify any hearing our audiologists will recommend the loss risk factors and make appropriate best treatment options for your hearing referrals when necessary. loss. Research suggests that someone diagnosed with hearing loss will wait an Most hearing loss occurs gradually average of 7-10 years before pursuing over time; therefore, it may be hard for treatment; however, long-term untreated someone to hearing loss has been linked to a more recognize they rapid decline in word discrimination ability have hearing loss as well as an increased risk of cognitive because it has decline. Therefore, it is important to accrued slowly. identify hearing loss and begin treatment Some common in a timely manner. signs of hearing At Doctors Hearing Clinic, we believe that loss are: it is important to be informed of how to • Frequently properly protect your ears from noise asking friends damage, identify risk factors associated and family members to repeat what was said with hearing loss, and have your hearing • Feeling that people often mumble or are screened annually to allow for early not speaking clearly identification and treatment of hearing loss. During Better Hearing Month, • Difficulty understanding what is said make hearing healthcare a priority for when someone is not facing you yourself and those you love. To schedule • Difficulty understanding speech in the presence of background noise a Wellness Program appointment or comprehensive hearing evaluation at DHC, It is common for individuals with hearing please call (334) 396-1635 and get on the loss to report that they can hear people path to better hearing today! talking but cannot understand what is

Content adapted from the American Academy of being said. This is due to the fact that Audiology website: age-related hearing loss, or presbycusis, http://www.audiology.org/publications-resources/ and noise-induced hearing loss generally consumer-information/may-better-hearing-month affect high frequency sounds first. High frequency sounds include many common Dr. Katie Slade is a Board Certified audiologist and fellow of the American Academy of Audiology. Dr. consonant sounds that help us distinguish Brittany Spahr is a Doctor of Audiology and a fellow of one word from another. When we are the American Academy of Audiology. Amy Davis is a missing these consonant sounds due to Doctoral Extern from the University of South Alabama.

Healthy Hearing

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The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine

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Bucket List Adventure by Kathy Witt

Saddlebreds and Silver

In the rolling bluegrass of central Kentucky, there are more than 90 farms dedicated to a singular vocation: breeding and training Saddlebred horses, the “peacock of the horse world.” These high-stepping equine beauties, highly regarded for their grace and athleticism, are perfectly at home in Shelbyville, Ky., the “American Saddlebred Capital of the World.”

Deemed as such by state legislative proclamation, Shelbyville and Shelby County became the hub of saddlebred horse breeding activity, quite simply, because it’s where the best horses were, and still are.

“If you want to get into the country music business you go to Nashville,” said saddlebred horse breeder Hoppy Bennett. “If you want to get into American Saddlebred, you come to Shelby County.

HISTORIC HORSE The breed actually dates back to the late 18th century when explorer Daniel Boone, his brother Squire and many a pioneer traveled to Kentucky on “American Horses,” the forerunner of the modern Saddlebred horse. These days, the pioneers have been replaced by the breeders and trainers and the hobbyists who buy and show saddlebreds. All involved are looking for the next champion.

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“He was a historymaking stallion, born right here, and he made a great contribution to the breed through his off-spring,” said Bennett.

“He added a lot of beauty and refinement.”

“What makes a Saddlebred a champion is inside, it’s his heart, his will to win,” said Bennet. “We breed for that. We know what pedigrees produce that. They move and go like they’re breathing fire, yet they have to be trained to be mannerly enough for anyone to ride them.”

Groups of 15 or more and families overnighting in Shelby County can take an exclusive behindthe-scenes tour of the cosseted world of the saddlebred, including to Bennett’s Undulata Farm.

A Shelbyville landmark that is also on the National Register of Historic Places, Undulata is where Civil War veteran Harry Weissinger and his sons once bred the great stallion, American Born.

Saddlebred stables are abuzz with activity all year long, but the most exciting time is during the spring when the babies arrive, the best time to tour.

Each spring, as many as 300 foals are born in Shelby County. (Nationally about 1,500 saddlebred horses are born each year.)

“You’ll see the babies with their mamas, playing in the field,” said Charlie Kramer, horse farm tour director.

“You’ll see some twoyear-olds, working toward getting ready to show. They’ve been training for four, five, maybe six months, and they’ll be under saddle or pulling a cart.”

The approximately 90-minute tour includes a discussion of the breed, the training aids the horses may be The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine

wearing and how and why saddlebreds do what they do. Visitors will get to see this “jewel of a breed” up-close, stroll through the barn, talk to a trainer. You’ll learn about the distinctive gait of these beautiful show horses and you might even get to pet a new foal.

THERE’S SILVER IN THEM THAR HILLS Shelbyville is not only where you’ll find the world’s largest concentration of saddlebred-related facilities; it is also home to one of the world’s largest antique silver collections at Wakefield-Scearce Gallery.

Loving cups, meat skewers, snuff boxes, cake baskets, tankards, tea services, these pieces and hundreds more gleam from within their cases in the shop’s aptly named Silver Vault.

Perhaps most famous are the handmade sterling silver Presidential mint julep cups. Since Franklin Roosevelt, Wakefield-Scearce Gallery has sent every president a cup, hand-engraved on the side with the Presidential Seal. Of nearly equal importance is the official mint julep cup of the Kentucky Derby, distinguished by signature markings, including an eagle cartouche combined with the initials of the current president.

Both cups owe their creation to gallery co-founder Mark J. Scearce, who originated the pattern during World War II from a Kentucky cup design from the early 1800s.

Besides a treasure trove of silver, Wakefield-Scearce Gallery has fine English antiques, paintings, garden and architectural accessories, chandeliers and more, all staged in beautiful vignettes in a building that dates back to 1825 and the Kentucky wilderness when it was a school for young ladies. Known as Science Hill School, its founder, Julia Hieronymus Tevis, did the unthinkable: In addition to the traditional “gentlelady’s education” of reading, writing and the social graces, she taught her students the sciences.

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Today, Science Hill houses not only Wakefield-Scearce Gallery, but also the one-of-a-kind Shops of Science Hill and the Science Hill Inn Restaurant, which

specializes in Southern-style home cooking using locally sourced farm-fresh ingredients.

ADVENTURE GUIDE DON’T-MISS MOMENTS ● When in Rome . . . Since you’re in American Saddlebred Horse Country, saddle up a horse at Shelby Trails Park and take a ride through 400 acres of heavily forested Kentucky countryside. ● Head to Smith-Berry Winery for dinner and a concert in the vineyard. Every other Saturday in spring and summer the winery hosts live concerts, featuring music of all genres, everything from oldies rock ‘n roll to tribute shows (Jimmy Buffet, the Beatles). Concert/ dinner tickets at the door are $28.95. Visit the tasting room first to sample and select wine to pair with the meal. ● Coordinate your visit to Shelbyville with an artisantaught workshop offered at Making Ends Meet. Several jewelry-making classes are offered in late May by Deb Guess where students will work in metalsmithing and tooling and with the jeweler’s saw to create earrings or pendants. See classes here: MakingEndsMeet.com ● Give your taste buds an authentic Kentucky culinary treat at the Bell House Restaurant with a Classic Kentucky Hot Brown. Locals will tell you this hearty concoction of tender turkey breast topped with juicy tomatoes and crisp

bacon and simmering in a cheese bath is as close as you can get to the original recipe created in the 1920s by Chef Fred Schmidt of Louisville’s Brown Hotel. ● Pack your shopping shoes for the Outlet Shoppes of the Bluegrass, 90 designer shops in a setting of lushly planted courtyards and arched roofs providing shade. Ann Taylor Factory Store, Banana Republic, Brooks Brothers, Coach, Fossil, the Fragrance Outlet, Gucci, J. Crew, Kate Spade, Michael Kors, Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH, they’re all here and plenty more and with savings of 20 to 70 percent.

ADVENTURE GEAR TO TAKE ALONG A trip to one of the great silver caches of the U.S. demands a luggage of equal stature. Just introduced at the 2015 International Travel Goods Show, held in Las Vegas, was Ricardo Beverly Hills’ Rodeo Drive collection. Available in anthracite (dark silver), this four-piece premium set of luggage includes the 21-inch Expandable Spinner Hybrid WheelAboard ($400), perfect for when you want to look like a million bucks as you roll into town. Visit RicardoBeverlyHills.com to see the collection.

INFORMATION Families wishing to take a behind-the-scenes tour of a saddlebred horse farm must overnight in Shelby County lodgings.

Contact the Shelby, KY Commission and Visitors Bureau at 502-6336388 or 502-321-5979 between the hours of 9 a.m.-5 p.m. MondayFriday. Tours take place Monday through Saturday and all tours are by appointment.

Go to VisitShelbyKy.com for information about accommodations as well as area attractions and restaurants.

Author, travel and lifestyle writer, and travel goods expert Kathy Witt feels you should never get to the end of your bucket list; there’s just too much to see and do in the world. She can be reached at KathyWitt24@gmail.com or KathyWitt.com. (c)2015 Kathy Witt Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m

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MAY EXHIBITION: Gallery One Featured Artists

Pentimento Series: Dawning, 36x48 acrylic on canvas, Carol Barksdale galleryonefineart.com/Carol-Barksdale

Sound Asleep, 11x14 acrylic on canvas John Mazaheri galleryonefineart.com/John-Mazaheri

Breaking Point, 24x20 acrylic on canvas, Jane Segrest galleryonefineart.com/Jane-Segrest

Tuscany Countryside, 18x24 oil on linen, Anne Hugghins galleryonefineart.com/Anne-Hugghins

Untitled, 32” x 7”, wood sculpture, Ken Lever

Three Tulips, 10x8 oil on canvas Anita Westerberg

galleryonefineart.com/Ken-Lever galleryonefineart.com/Anita-Westerberg

The Baroness, 20x16 oil on paper John Wagnon galleryonefineart.com/John-Wagnon

Flashing Peacock, 10x10 mixed medium Sunday Walk, 24x18 oil on canvas, Judith Ivy Hayden Pam Wesley Copeland galleryonefineart.com/Judith-Ivy-Hayden

Poppies, 16x20 acrylic on canvas Shirley Esco galleryonefineart.com/Shirley-Esco

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galleryonefineart.com/Pamela-Wesley-Copeland

Texas, 12x12 mixed medium Cecily Hulett galleryonefineart.com/Cecily-Hulett

Gallery One offers a wide selection of original art by gallery artist members. Style and price accommodate every taste and budget. As an Alabama not-for-profit cooperative gallery, Gallery One is actively engaged in the community.

Gallery Director Sandi Aplin sandiaplin@aol.com, 334.269.1114, galleryonefineart.com

The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine

By Sandi Aplin

Art & Soul

Brian Wright’s Journey This month my message will unfortunately be a little different.

Normally we are sharing accomplishments of artists due to hard work and announcing recognition of their achievements, both the past and present.

Our artist member, Shirley Esco and her family need your prayers and support. I have written the following story which was taken from Shirley’s texts, e-mails and phone calls. Please read and share with your friends.

On Monday, April 6th, I received a text message from Shirley, her 47 year old son, Brian, was home for Easter. He woke up feeling really bad that day, she asked him if he wanted to go to the emergency room and he said yes.

They got into her car, on the way to the emergency room he took a turn for the worst. Brian looked at Shirley and said,” I don’t think I’m going to make it, I love you.” She immediately dialed 911 and the ambulance met them on the side of the road. They took him to the hospital where tests and an examination were conducted, they thought he had an aortic dissection. They said he should be sent to Emory University Hospital in Atlanta. The weather was so bad that day, the plane was grounded and he was transferred to Emory by ambulance. When Brian arrived at Emory University Hospital, they were waiting for him. The surgeon said his condition was very serious and the heart operation would take five to six hours. Shirley told his doctor, she was praying for him too, he said he could use all the help he could get.

understanding from Shirley, this is when he had another major surgery.

On the fourth day, after many more challenges, Brian’s doctors said he is still very critical, however, for the first time they told us he is improving. Today is April 22nd, sixteen days since the beginning of Brian’s journey. Brian is conscious, he knew who Shirley was and answered questions by nodding his head. God is Great, another miracle.

I have been reading about this wonderful hospital on their website and this came from their home page. Emory University Hospital is staffed exclusively by Emory University School of Medicine faculty who also are members of the Emory Clinic.

Emory University Hospital is one of the nation’s leading hospitals in cardiology and heart surgery, cancer, neurology and more. Shirley can’t say enough good things about this hospital. Shirley said, “Everyone has been wonderful to Brian and our family. They have worked around the clock to save his life.”

She continued, “I want to take this opportunity to thank all our friends and their friends for their prayers and concern for my son Brian and our family. His doctors say if he survives, he will be recovering for the next 18 months. I have a dear, longtime friend and she has helped me set up an account The Brian Wright Fund at Servisfirst Bank located at 1 Commerce Street, Montgomery, Alabama, 36101, telephone number 334-223-5800 For those out there who have asked and would like to help us to offset some of the expenses, we will be eternally grateful. It is only by the Grace of God and these excellent doctors, nurses and their staff that my son Brian is still fighting the good fight.”

Sandi Aplin, Director of Gallery One Fine Art A freelance writer living in Montgomery, AL sandiaplin@aol.com or galleryonefineart.com

This is when Brian received his first miracle. Brian survived his heart operation. His doctor said we have to wait for several hours to see if the heart was good after the surgery.

Later after a few hours passed, with Brian still very critical, the doctors asked for permission to go into his abdominal cavity to evaluate his organs. Brian’s second miracle, his organs were still alive and it is my

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This Mother’s Day, Give Your Loved

One A Better Quality of Life.

May is Better Hearing Month!

Healthy Hearing Starts Here.

Spring is a hopeful time filled with social gatherings, longer days and the sounds of people enjoying the great outdoors again.

At Montgomery Hearing Services, we want to help everyone with hearing loss enjoy the sounds of spring. Our highly trained ENT physicians and audiology professionals offer patients the best quality of care possible. Trust your loved one’s hearing to the Ear, Nose & Throat Specialists.

FOR TWO WEEKS ONLY! • FREE Hearing Screening • FREE Hearing Aid Demonstration • FREE Clean and Check of Current Hearing Aids

Call (334) 651-0665 We offer CareCredit financing.

(334) 651-0665 Located in the Park Place Building (near Jackson Hospital) 1758 Park Place, Suite 101 • Montgomery, AL 36106 MontgomeryHearingServices.com Follow Us on © 2015 SMPN. All Rights Reserved. 4/15 35231-15 TJAD2631

Ask Nancy: Caring for Aging Relatives Brain Games for My Wife and I to Play

Q: My wife and I are in our 80s and living in an Assisted Living Facility. My wife was recently diagnosed with early stage Alzheimer’s Disease. We participate in many activities that keep us physically and socially engaged all day long. Our issues are in the evening, when it’s just the two of us. My wife is searching for “mind games” that we can play at night that may slow the progression of the Alzheimer’s. We are computer literate, have an iPad, (we skype with our grandchildren) and are able to navigate games and apps. But, there are so many choices out there, what do you recommend? _ Robert R., Boca Raton, Florida.

A: It’s wonderful to hear that, despite your wife’s memory problems, you both remain physically and socially engaged all day long. Keeping up your respective long-time hobbies and interests that you enjoy and find mentally stimulating, such as knitting, reading or music is also believed to enhance brain health.

A great resource for finding “mind games,” or what’s popularly know as “brain training” is the website of Sharp Brains (sharpbrains.com),a company that tracks health and wellness applications of brain science. Its founder and CEO, Alvaro Fernandez, writes in his

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blog that, “Anything we do involving novelty, variety, and challenge stimulates the brain and can contribute to building capacity and brain reserve.”

Fernandez advises choosing a game “that exercises a core brain-based capacity ... that is relevant to reallife outcomes.”

For example, in his list of the “Top 50 Brain Teasers and Games” (sharpbrains.com/top-50) that his readers have enjoyed the most, is a set of five exercises that are intended to improve one’s ability to keep information current for a short period while using the information. Hmmm ... I suspect it’s easier said than done.

He also writes that a minimum “dose of 15 hours, performed over 8 weeks or less is necessary for real improvement.”

The newest discoveries in Brain Science have focused on brain plasticity, how learning changes the brain by forming

new connections between brain cells, or neurons. That’s why taking a class or workshop to learn something new, say, cooking or learning a new language, can be beneficial. It’s also a wonderful way to meet people outside your immediate circle of friends, who share the same interests.

Simple games like Sudoku, daily exercising, and even the Wii video games provide mental stimulation and there are also several online cognitive training services, such as Lumosity, Posit Science, Dakim Brain Fitness and CogniFit that offer “personalized training” programs that they claim can improve memory and attention.

Nancy Stein, Ph.D., is the founder of Seniority Matters (senioritymatters.com), a caregiver advisory and referral service in South Florida for seniors and their families. You can contact her at nancy@senioritymatters.com. (c)2015, Seniority Matters Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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Is it Time to Change Doctors?

Seeing a doctor you don’t like can be hazardous to your health. It can be little things, like a cool demeanor when you’re a big hugger, or serious issues such as a failure to explain procedures effectively.

But make no mistake, says Pamela Gallin, MD, professor of ophthalmology and pediatrics at Columbia University and author of ‘How to Survive Your Doctor’s Care,’ “As soon as that little voice asks, ‘Is this doctor right for me?’ then you have a problem.” The issues might be fixable, and Gallin suggests that a good relationship with your primary care doctor, your family practitioner, OB/GYN, or pediatrician is much more important than with a specialist. “Not only do you see your primary caregiver more often, you also share much more sensitive information, and need a certain comfort on a psycho-social level. If you feel you can’t tell them you might have an STD, you’ve got the wrong man or woman,” Gallin says. “And you count on them for referrals to specialists.

The better your relationship with the referring doctor, the harder the specialist will work to make you happy.”

All of our experts agree that while the new health care systems strive to be more cost and time efficient, it’s also more patient-centric. That means seeking your dream doc is worthwhile and within reach. Here are some warning signs that it’s time to move on: 1. You simply don’t like the person.

You don’t even have to know why,

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it could be that she uses what you consider inappropriate language, or doesn’t understand your nonverbal cues. “This is why people are drawn to doctors who are their own gender, nationality, and race,” Gallin says. But it even extends to personality and manner. If you don’t feel you are being treated appropriately or being listened to, find someone else.

2. Your time is not being respected.

“It goes way beyond being late,” says Paula Pearlman, MD, associate clinical professor at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine. “There are plenty of studies that show people don’t mind waiting if they are given a time frame and kept up to date, if they’re given a choice to wait an hour for the doctor, or schedule another appointment.” If it happens repeatedly, it colors the entire relationship, but good communication from the practitioner can mitigate the situation.

3. You don’t feel heard.

“If you have a question about your cardiovascular health or cholesterol,”

Pearlman explains, “and all your doctor wants to talk about is your smoking, that’s not going to be satisfactory for you.” And if your doctor treats you like an unfamiliar, new patient every time you see him, that’s a red flag.

4. Your doctor doesn’t explain your conditions, your treatment, and your options clearly and thoroughly.

“When a practitioner starts resorting to medical jargon, that makes it more difficult for the patient,” says Pearlman, who has been an ER doctor at a busy Kaiser Permanente hospital for 30 years.

“The doctor should be willing to slow down and simplify; but doctors don’t have a lot of time anymore, so patients should be willing to schedule a second visit if they still have unanswered questions.”

Pearlman adds that a well-run office will have nursing staff who can answer many questions; they know about the studies and side effects of medications.

And it’s not a bad idea to do some online research yourself so you can be prepared with specific questions.

5. She doesn’t talk to your other doctors.

“This is my new pet peeve,” says family physician Kenny Lin, MD, associate professor of family medicine at Georgetown University School of Medicine. “I see a lot of patients The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine

with multiple conditions, and it’s the responsibility of both the primary care doc and the specialist to communicate. If you have the sense that they aren’t, then you need to ask, and the appropriate response to that should be, ‘Thanks for checking.’ Your doctors should not be offended by this suggestion.”

6. He seems to be keeping you in the dark.

“It’s pretty rare that doctors are intentionally keeping their patients in the dark,” Lin says, “but sometimes they don’t check to make sure that their patients are absorbing the information adequately.” For instance, if a patient is getting a cancer diagnosis, it can be overwhelming, and a practitioner might interpret silence as resilience instead of confusion. “I try to state the situation in several different ways, then use the ‘Teach Back’ technique,” Lin explains, “I ask them to repeat back what I just told them.”

7. She isn’t discussing all your treatment options.

When you have a complicated condition, there might be multiple approaches, and you also might need time to discuss

The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine

alternatives with your family. While you should never feel rushed, time is a factor, says Don Powell, PhD, president of the American Institute for Preventive Medicine, a nonprofit that promotes healthy behavior through wellness programs and publications. “On average, doctors spend less than 15 minutes per patient; while most patients have at least four questions to ask, most doctors only get to 2.5. So bring a checklist of symptoms and questions, and also give your practitioner all the information you have,” Powell advises. “Studies show that 70 percent of what a patient says determines a correct diagnosis and treatment plan.”

8. You just aren’t getting better.

“Non-specific, vague symptoms might not be that easy to figure out right out of the gate,” Pearlman warns, “so sometimes you have to be patient, especially if your symptoms are pointing to a chronic condition.” But if you’ve been following a treatment plan that involves medication and your doctor is not willing to discuss alternatives, it might be time to move on.

9. Poor bedside manner.

“With our new systems, doctors don’t

get paid as much per patient, so they need more volume,” Powell says.

This is the underlying cause of the interrupting doctor syndrome. “Doctors are notorious for interrupting before a patient is finished talking,” says Pearlman. “Yes, sometimes we need to keep them on track. But there’s a positive way to say, ‘I really am sorry to interrupt you here, but I need to move to the next question,’ or something similar.” Studies show that your level of trust in your doctor is a huge factor in your healing process.

10. She seems to resist a second opinion.

Getting one is your right as a patient, and any good doctor will be confident, open to having her diagnosis and treatment plan examined and willing to readjust her approach if called for. But here’s a caveat: “If you go for a second opinion, don’t seek it within the same practice or the same hospital if you have the choice,” cautions Pearlman. “There tend to be institutional approaches to the same conditions and you want to have as much confidence in the second view as you do the first.” (c)2015 Prevention magazine Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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Eating Smart with Tracy Bhalla This month I am going to talk to you about something which is really close to my heart.

Bees!

Don’t ask me why, but I’ve always had a soft spot for the bumble bee.

Its fuzzy striped coat, its amazing focus and workaholic nature, its sleep inducing drone as it flits from flower to flower. And of course, the honey! As many of you are aware, local honey is THE BEST cure for seasonal allergies. Honey is also a great alternative to sugar as a sweetener in drinks, cakes, sauces, etc. and you don’t need to use much as it’s sweeter than sugar. However, you may have noticed that finding local honey is becoming more and more difficult (not to mention expensive).

Honey is also anti-bacterial, due to an enzyme that bees add during production.

This also adds credence to the use of honey to help heal wounds and burns, where the external application of honey has been shown to be as effective as conventional treatments.

since 2006. It is the name given to the mass die-off of whole hives or sectors of hives at a time.

There are many historic reasons for bees dying off and disappearing, including disease, parasites and poor nutrition, but the most lethal one of all is pesticide poisoning and that is the biggest contributor to Colony Collapse Disorder.

Save the Bees

Honey is amazing at healing coughs and sore throats (I use nothing else). In a study of 110 children, a single dose of honey was just as effective as a single dose of dextromethorphan (and without any side effects!)

Even though honey does contain simple sugars, it is NOT the same as white sugar or artificial sweeteners. Its exact combination of fructose and glucose actually helps the body regulate blood sugar levels.

Honey is the only food substance I know of that never goes off. It may crystallize if it gets too cold, but just place it in a glass container in a simmering pot of an inch or two of boiling water until the crystals dissolve again. It truly is amazing stuff!

So why is it getting harder to find local honey?

Colony Collapse Disorder is something we have all heard about, it has been around

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I would like to put some kind of perspective on (a) why bees are needed by humans and (b) the astonishing rate of their decline in recent years.

(A) Bees pollinate plants; they move pollen from one plant to the next, from the anther (male part) to the stigma (female part) of the plant, thereby enabling fertilization and reproduction. Bees, and other pollinators, are required to pollinate 70% of the world’s flowering plants.

Without them the plants would not survive.

Approximately 30% of the plants that we eat require pollination by animals (mainly bees, butterflies, humming birds). Bees play a huge role in the survival of a large sector of our food.

(B) Since Colony Collapse Disorder was identified in 2006, the bees have been dying off at an alarming rate – approximately 30% of them EVERY YEAR! Neonic pesticides (neonicotonoids) are the root of the problem. Found in household names such as Round Up, these pesticides cause the bees to lose their memory and then they cannot find their way back to the hive and subsequently just die.

We all need to do our part to help. No one

group of us can win this fight alone.

In recent months we have had two big successes – (1) Starting the end of 2014, Home Depot said that its suppliers must label any plants treated with neonicotinoids. The world’s largest home improvement retailer is also running tests to see if suppliers can eliminate the chemical in their plant production.

(2) Lowes have just announced that they are phasing out the selling of Neonic pesticides in their stores – fantastic!

But more must be done. There is a huge legal battle taking place against the big pesticide giants such as Monsanto (makers of Round Up) as commercial agriculture is still spraying thousands upon thousands of acres with this poison. Make your voice heard. Check out earthjustice.org/ savethebees for more information and ways in which you can help.

My husband and I have made some gorgeous bee notecards which we are selling for $5 each and donating $1 per card to earthjustice’s save the bees campaign. So far we have donated $70.

A drop in the ocean maybe, but if every family could do that, what a difference we could make. I am also trying to get ladies (or gents) who can crochet or knit to make some cute little bee toys, booties, hats, etc and again for each sale make a donation to the save the bees cause. If any of you would like notecards or would like to join our (currently small) group of knitters, please email me at coolbeans.mgm@ gmail.com. Help save the bees! Please!

Tracy Bhalla, Owner/ Manager of Cool Beans Restaurant, 115 Montgomery Street, P: 334.416.8447, coolbeans.mgm@gmail.com or facebook.com/coolbeans.mgm Trained as an architect! Worked as a teacher of product design and graphic design for 9 years in England and Bermuda. Always had a love of healthy, good-for-you food. Always cooking for friends and family. Married a cardiologist in 2007.

We have a shared passion about eating healthily (and wine) and both love to cook, so when Cool Beans became available we jumped at it.

The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine

A Mission of Caring Unique Among Many When it comes to hospice care, you do have a choice. Hospice of Montgomery (HOM) offers a number of unique benefits to their patients, caregivers and families.

What makes Hospice of Montgomery different?

Community As the only independent non-profit hospice provider serving the River Region, Hospice of Montgomery has a unique knowledge and understanding of the community environment and the local support and service agencies that are available to assist you through this journey.

Focus Hospice is not a place but a concept of care that is recognized as the model of quality, compassionate health care delivery for people facing a serious illness.

Hospice of Montgomery concentrates all their efforts and expertise strictly on home hospice and palliative care.

Stability As the first hospice in the State of Alabama, HOM has remained local and independent since 1976.

Intimacy Hospice of Montgomery strives to provide levels of personal care that exceed industry averages in practically every category. For example, their Annual Patient Satisfaction surveys consistently show above a 90% excellent rating for patient care received under hospice.

What this translates to is that patients get extra attention, the best care and thus, a better chance at a higher quality of life…a one-on-one personal touch.

The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine

Where Your Money Goes: • Bereavement services • Community counseling and support groups in our community for those who are not enrolled in HOM’s hospice program but are in need of supportive counseling • Uninsured and underinsured care • Staff and community

Flexibility Hospice of Montgomery is a local organization that is guided by an allvolunteer Board of Directors from right here in the River Region. In other words, there aren’t multiple layers of bureaucracy standing between the patient, the family, the caregivers and the leadership team. This means HOM can be responsive, adaptive, and creative in meeting patient’s unique needs.

Perhaps the greatest strength of HOM lies in the fact that they have a passionate belief in the hospice concept and the benefits it provides to their patients. The staff is knowledgeable and has been involved with hospice care for many years.

Supporting The Mission: As a nonprofit hospice, Hospice of Montgomery relies on community support to provide quality services to all who need care regardless of their ability to pay. Funding from the United Way and generous community support has been fundamental to HOM’s success for nearly 40 years. The utilization of these funds provides the best end-of-life care available.

The Purpose of Fundraising Activities • Increase awareness of Hospice of Montgomery.

• Raise money to support the work of Hospice of Montgomery.

• Establish ongoing sources of income for Hospice of Montgomery.

• Build long term relationships with supporters in the community.

education • Memorial “Celebration of Life” Service • Volunteer training

How Funds are Raised Within the Community: • United Way • Fundraisers like the Kentucky Derby Annual Benefit, Hittin for Hospice Tennis Tournament, and the Young Professional Advisory Council’s Hops for Hospice • Endowment fund • Grants • Donations from the community How You Can Contribute: • Become a member of our donor society • Designate Hospice of Montgomery to receive your United Way donation • Planned giving • Attend and/or sponsor fundraising events • Honorary and memorial gifts For more information on hospice care and how you can make a lasting impact on our community call us at 334-279-6677 or visit us at hospiceofmontgomery.org.

Make a Difference Today, Make it Hospice of Montgomery!

Alabama’s First Hospice. Still Local. Still Non-Profit.

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Montessori@Mulberry advertorial

The River Region’s Preferred Montessori Preschool M@M’s New Expanded Campus

Montessori @ Mulberry has added a new building to its Mulberry Campus. The building is a charming house, newly renovated, next to the current location and includes a classroom, a Montessori Resource Center and an additional playground. We have also expanded our classroom to the outdoors with “The Children’s Garden.” Our students now participate in all the phases of gardening: from germination, planting, caring for and harvesting an organic crop. According to Jackie Maloy, Executive Director, “The response to our unique educational approach has been very positive and we are excited to offer more opportunities for parents who appreciate the Montessori Education we specialize in.”

M@M Location

Elena Olson-Shimp and Milan Crittenden

Montessori@Mulberry is centrally located in Midtown Montgomery a few blocks from Jackson Hospital and Huntingdon College. Conveniently located just blocks from Interstate I-85.

The M@M Classroom

In the Montessori classroom, each child is encouraged to reach his or her full potential in all areas of life. The specific needs of individual children are met at each developmental level. The classroom contains many multisensory, sequential and self-correcting materials that facilitate learning.

Concepts are presented concretely and students work with materials until Neah James they are ready to move to more abstract materials. Children are free to work at their own pace with materials they have chosen. All classrooms have multi-age groupings, which encourages a family-like atmosphere where learning can take place naturally. Our curriculum, which is challenging, interdisciplinary and real world related, provides a strong academic bridge to elementary school.

Annalise Applegate

Why Choose Montessori @ Mulberry

Is it a coincidence that many of the mavericks on the leading edge of innovation and creativity in our culture are Montessori graduates? The founders of Google and Amazon.com along with T. Berry Brazelton, noted pediatrician, to Peter Drucker, the well known management guru, were all educated in the Montessori Classroom. As you research and think about how you want your child to begin his or her education, Montessori @ Mulberry should be at the top of your list. We offer certified Montessori teachers in each classroom and a quality environment designed for fostering the love of learning. As a parent, you want the “peace of mind” knowing your child will have the opportunity to learn and grow according to his or her ability. We invite you to call Jackie MaloySriram Madadi Watson at 265.7733 to schedule a tour and discover why Montessori @ Mulberry is the River Region’s preferred Montessori Preschool. Begin your child’s education for life with the skilled staff at Montessori @ Mulberry.

Offering Exceptional Educational Experiences for children 12 months through Kindergarten.

Limited space available beginning January 5th, 2015

Call Jackie Maloy-Watson Today to Schedule Your Tour @ 334-265-7733 or Cell 334-462-0548 casadebambini@aol.com The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine

_ www.montessoriatmulberry.com _ 2034 Clubview St.gioin Mulberry District R ive r Re n Bothe o m . co m May 2015 BOOM!

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May 2015

{12 Things} for active boomers and beyond

MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA Frazer Singles’ Missions Flea Market Parking Lot by Frazer Soccer Fields Saturday, May 2nd, 7 am-1 pm

One man’s junk is another man’s treasure! And whether it’s junk or treasure, the annual Missions Flea Market sponsored by the Frazer Single Adult Ministry makes something wonderful of it by raising funds o support mission projects that reach out to those in need here in Montgomery and in some of the darkest corners of the world. Come and Shop! It’s fun, and remember, all proceeds go to Frazer Singles’ missions. For more info, contact Caroline in the Singles Minisry office, 334.272.8622 or caroline@frazerumc.org

MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA

The 2015 Cloverdale-Idlewild Spring Concert Series

- artists, chefs, breweries, craftsmen, and designers - to one central place, making it easy for adventurers to get a sampling of Alabama’s best.

Rich with history in textiles, food, farming, literature, art and design, Southern Makers will explore contemporary Alabama-based food and design with panel discussions, demonstrations, tastings, workshops, maker conversations and a market featuring goods from these southern artisans and chefs. Southern Makers is created and curated by Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood, Matter, and Southern Accents Architectural Antiques to benefit E.A.T. South. All proceeds from ticket sales benefit E.A.T. South, non-profit organization that encourages healthy lifestyles through education and sustainable food production in urban areas throughout the Southeast. For more info visit facebook.com/ southernmakers or southernmakers.com.

MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA King Lear Alabama Shakespeare Festival - ASF Through May 10th, various times

Sundays, May, 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th, 4pm - 7pm The 2015 Cloverdale-Idlewild Spring Concert Series started in April and goes through May. This month’s concerts are May 3 - Ed Pickett, May 10 - Stephen McCullough, May 17 - Caribbean Chrome, May 24 - The Back, Hines, Mason Dixon Trio This is the neighborhood’s most anticipated event of the year! It is always fun and a great way to meet your neighbors and visit with friends! Everyone is welcome, so bring all your friends and family!! Leashed dogs are also welcome, so bring your furry babies as well!! Hope to see y’all there!!! Cloverdale Bottom Park, Intersection of Cloverdale Road and Ponce de Leon Avenue, Montgomery, AL 36106. ADMISSION IS FREE! Bring your chairs or blankets (or both), coolers, snacks. Plan to sit under the beautiful oak trees in the park setting and enjoy the music. For more info visit the Facebook Page/Cloverdale-Idlewild-Association

MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA

Southern Makers Union Station Train Shed-Downtown Montgomery Saturday/Sunday, May 2-3, 11 am to 5 pm 3rd Annual Southern Makers is May 2-3, celebrating creativity in Alabama.

The purpose is to bring together highly curated, handpicked top talent

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“How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child!” The lust for power is all in this epic tale of a once noble monarch driven to madness and ruin by family betrayal, treachery and regret. Experience the fall of a dynasty in one of Shakespeare’s greatest works. For more information call 334.271.5353 or visit asf.net

MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA

River Jam Music Festival-Downton Montgomery Train Shed/Riverfront Amphitheater Friday, May 15th, 6pm, Saturday May 16th, 5:30pm Friday’s location is Union Station Train Shed, 6 pm. Artists scheduled to perform Include: Soul Tree, King Bee, Outside the Inside. Free Admission!

Saturday’s location is Riverfront Amphitheater starting at 5:30 pm. Artists schedule to perform: The Weeks, Glen David Andrews, Blackjack Billy, Jess Meuse. Free Admission! For more info visit funinmontgomery.com.

MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA Brewfest-Downtown Montgomery Riverfront Park Saturday, May 16th, 3 pm

Located in the beautiful Riverfront Park, in Downtown Montgomery. The second annual Brewfest will feature a large selection of Craft, Specialty and Seasonal brews from Local, Regional and National Breweries. Gates open at The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine

3 pm and the tasting begins at 3:15 pm. Tickets are $25/Person & Includes a Commemorative Tasting Glass. Must be 21 or Older to Purchase Tickets.

For more info visit funinmontgomery.com

MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA Taste of the Gardens 2015 Southern Homes & Gardens Thursday May 7th, 5-8 pm

Southern Homes & Gardens and the American Red Cross present Taste of the Gardens, a benefit for the American Red Cross, held annually at SH&G on Vaughn Road, Montgomery, AL. Taste of the Gardens will be held Thursday, May 7th, from 5 to 8 pm The event includes a silent auction featuring works from local artists; tasting from the River Region’s finest restaurants & caterers; wine and music with Henry Pugh. Also, during the Taste of the Gardens event, items purchased at SH&G will be discounted 20%. Event tickets are $20, and may be purchased online at american. redcross.org/tasteofthegardens or at SH&G and Caffco Outlet. For more information contact Kari Hennagin at 334.260.4016 or email kari.hennagin2@redcross.org.

MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA

Jammers Old Alabama Town, Rose House Saturdays, May 9th and 23rd, 9-12 noon Every second and fourth Saturday a group of musicians gather at the Rose House to pick n’ grin. Anyone is welcomed to join this group. Be a “jammer” and come play! They welcome anyone to stop by and watch or just look and listen. For more info visit oldalabamatown.com

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA

Dr. John & The Nite Trippers Alys Stephens Performing Arts, Birmingham Saturday, May 16th, 8 pm

MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA Southern Voices Cloverdale Playhouse Saturday, May 9th, 7:30-9:30 pm

For great writers telling great stories, look to the South. The Playhouse presents a new mix of readings and music celebrating a great American treasure. From Capote to Welty, O’Conner to Conroy, the South can boast an impressive list of writing. Funny, heartbreaking, historic: the words from this region’s stories, songs, poems, and plays will move you.

Come spend an evening that will wrap you in the warmth of great words and songs in this encore performance. For more info and etickets visit cloverdaleplayhouse.org

MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA

Gladys Knight Montgomery Performing Arts Center (MPAC) Downtown Montgomery Saturday, May 16th, 8 pm

MARDI GRAS in MAY with a true icon of American culture, the incomparable Dr. John. This performance will feature a career retrospective including his biggest hits as well as music from his most recent release, The Spirit of the Satch, Dr. John’s tribute to the late Louis Armstrong. A legend was born with his breakthrough 1968 album Gris-Gris, introducing to the world his unique blend of voodoo mysticism, funk, rhythm & blues, psychedelic rock, and Creole roots.

Several of his career highlights include the masterful album Sun, Moon and Herbs in 1971, including cameos from Eric Clapton and Mick Jagger and 1973’s In The Right Place, which contained the chart hits “Right Place Wrong Time” and “Such a Night.” Dr. John and The Nite Trippers, career retrospective performance will be an expertly varied set touching on his influences, and his multi-faceted career, all while creating a smoky, richly sensual climate that is a testament to his continuing relevance. for tickets and more info visit alysstephens.org

WAVERLY, ALABAMA

This is American Music Spring Showcase On The Grounds of Standard Deluxe, Waverly, AL Saturday, May 30th, 12-8 pm The great ones endure, and Gladys Knight has long been one of the greatest. Very few singers over the last fifty years have matched her unassailable artistry. This seven-time Grammy winner has enjoyed #1 hits in Pop, Gospel, R&B and Adult Contemporary, and has triumphed in film, television and live performance. For more info visit mpaconline.org.

The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine

We’re Throwing a Lil’ Music Showcase with our best buds: This Is American Music ....JOIN US and Come Hear some of the South’s Finest Musicians Featuring Performances By:Great Peacock, Have Gun, Will Travel, Dana Swimmer, Fire Mountain, The Holy Ghost Electric Show. Get more info at standarddeluxe.com

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By Greg Budell

The Mayor of BOOMTOWN

10 YEARS AFTER...

MY LAWN JOURNEY TO MONTGOMERY

I’ve never told this story before.

In 2004, on one of my final South Florida radio shows, I accommodated a friend who insisted I interview a psychic she claimed was “the real deal”.

Morning radio is not meant for interpreting the Dead Sea Scrolls so I agreed to some harmless fun.

During the conversation, I decided to ask her (sorry- her name is long forgotten) “where will I be in 5 years?” Hoping not to hear “buried”, she went quiet for a bit, and then said “the south” “The South? We’re in The South”, I protested. I had no plans to leave the Fort Lauderdale area.

“No”, she explained- “I meant THE south.

You’ll be somewhere close to Georgia. I can’t be more specific than that but that’s what I’m seeing for you”.

Amused by her ridiculous prediction, I thanked Her Royal Psychness and finished the show. Exactly one year later I found myself northbound on I-75 heading to Montgomery, regretting only I hadn’t asked the visionary for some Florida Lottery number suggestions.

I had never been to Alabama. Coming up 231 across the state line after 3

ponderous hours of I-10, the very first thing I saw in my new state was a billboard featuring the word “ALCOHOLISM” on it. It was an ad for Bradford Center and made for an ironic moment.

Alcoholism was, in part, responsible for my relocation.

It was all so unlikely.

The guy I was coming to work for - Rick Peters - was the man who launched my South Florida radio career back in 1979.

Before this opportunity developed, our most recent conversation (in 2000) ended with Rick’s suggestion I “never call him again”. My drinking had burned him too many times and he had every reason to tell me that.

Five years later, Rick had purchased a group of Montgomery radio stations, founding Bluewater Broadcasting. I had just finished recovering from injuries sustained from being rear-ended in a car wreck and was looking for a gig.

I had reached out to media friends and connections, contacted agents, sent resumes and CDs along with my

impressive collection of press clippings looking for something, somewhere and there was nothing, nowhere.

I reconnected with Rick through “Richie” Richie who? Richie ran a thriving Ft. Lauderdale lawn business. He’d cut my grass for years, and was, by chance, still working for my ex-wife Michelle and her husband.

Richie also happened to live next door to Rick in Ft. Lauderdale.

In April of ’05, my cell rang with a call from Michelle.

“Rick Peters wants you to call him”, she announced.

You see, resumes, connections and agents can only get you so far in radio.

Richie the Lawn Master got me back in the business.

He and Rick were chatting one day when Richie mentioned that the former Michelle Budell was a client. Rick asked Richie to ask Michelle how I was doing,

Greg Budell's column is proudly sponsored by McDonald, Barranco & Hagen Wealth Management

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The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine

figuring an ex-wife will give an honest answer.

The honest answer was “he’s doing great”.

A few days later I met Rick for breakfast to discuss Montgomery.

fluke. My arrival in Montgomery was eerily similar to 1979, when I arrived in Miami with 40 bucks, a crappy car and my Dad’s Shell credit card. By 1989, I had succeeded beyond my wildest dreams, and then trashed it all with alcohol.

I built a second strong Miami radio run, ended by a reckless driver.

“I’m ready, Rick”. “Just give me a shot”.

Two weeks later, I arrived in Da Gump with little money, damaged credit, driving a RENT-A-WRECK and knowing but one (very skeptical) friend in my new town.

My first apartment would be in the fabulous Warren (“Warrant”) House on Eastern Boulevard. My first paycheck was so small I cried, momentarily forgetting I had asked only for “a shot”. I had something else that was more important though, and that was faith.

I had faith that with God’s help I could stay sober, and faith in myself - that all my previous radio success was no

In the decade since that spring evening in ‘05, again, I have succeeded beyond my wildest dreams - enjoying a life filled with more blessings than I can count.

It’s far more than making a nice living and having fun. I have priceless friends, on and off the job.

One day at a time, I rebuilt my credit to buy a nice house and a decent car.

Then came a beautiful wife (Roz) and an awesome stepson (“Sho”), 2 screwy dogs and the best radio team anywhere (Susan Woody, Jay Scott & Joey Clark). I’m proud my work is supported by some of the finest businesses in the area.

Montgomery has given me more than I could ever give back. The people of the River Region are the salt of the earth.

Winning the Alabama Broadcasters Awards along with my teammates (see cover story) was very gratifying.

BOOMers! We can still be the best at what we do!

However, it was a trophy given to me at last year’s Bluewater Christmas party that meant more. A lot more.

It is inscribed with the words “thank you for your service and commitment - you have truly made a difference”.

Receiving the award as Rick Peters raised a tribute glass in my direction was so gratifying. I had gone from toast to being toasted. Nice!

And here’s to you, Richie the Lawn Master (raising a Diet Coke)! I couldn’t have done it without ya!

Greg Budell lives in Montgomery with his wife, children and dogs. He’s a 25 year veteran of radio who hosts the Greg & Susan morning show 6-9 am and Happy Hour 3-6 pm on NEWSTALK 93.1, Greg can be reached at gregbudell@aol.com

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The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine

R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m

May 2015

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May 2015

RiverRegionBoom.com

The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine