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HealthNEWS
September 2017
for Boomers and Beyond
Peripheral Artery Disease: How Surgery Can Help
Y
ou might know that plaque can build up in your coronary arteries—and limit the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your heart. But these fatty deposits can also choke off blood flow elsewhere. Doctors call this peripheral artery disease (PAD)—and it’s especially likely to affect arteries in your legs. Untreated PAD is dangerous. Blocked blood flow in a leg can cause gangrene—and sometimes result in an amputation. If you have leg pain when you walk or climb stairs, it’s crucial to tell your doctor—the reason could be PAD. Improving blood flow Although it’s serious, PAD is also treatable. And often lifestyle changes, medicine or both can ease your discomfort and help keep PAD from getting worse. But sometimes changes such as starting an exercise program and taking medicine aren’t enough. Then you may need angioplasty or even surgery, especially if your leg hurts even when you’re resting. During angioplasty, a doctor inserts a thin catheter with a balloon at its tip into the blocked part of the artery and inflates the balloon, which opens the blockage. Often a wire mesh tube called a stent is put in place to help keep the artery open.
blocked—then bypass surgery may be recommended. In bypass surgery, a doctor attaches a vein from another part of the body or a synthetic blood vessel above and below the blocked area. This lets blood flow around the blockage. Like angioplasty, bypass surgery typically increases blood flow. You might not have symptoms anymore, even when you walk. And if you do have them, you should be able to walk much farther before they start. Learn more about all treatment options for PAD by calling 334-293-8922
For most people, angioplasty improves blood flow. If it doesn’t—or if a long part of an artery is
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Come Worship with Us! Sunday Worship: 9:30 a.m. Christian Education: 11:00 a.m. on Sundays and 6 p.m. on Wednesdays
Founded Upon God’s Word
Liturgically Joyful
At Christchurch, Holy Scripture serves as the final authority for our teaching and preaching. Indeed, over the course of three years, almost the entire Bible is read aloud and preached upon.
At Christchurch, worship involves the entire congregation, as we offer God praise, thanksgiving and adoration using worship traditions that can be traced back to the earliest days of the Church. Our worship is not designed to entertain us, but to honor the true “audience” of worship, the Lord!
Warm and Loving
Committed to Mission
By God’s grace and through His Spirit, the people of Christchurch enjoy the richness and joy of being a true family. We’d love for you to become a part of us! Regardless of who you are, you will always find a home at Christchurch.
The people of Christchurch respond to God’s Word by going out into the world proclaiming the good news of Jesus, and we joyfully serve as His hands and feet whether in places like Uganda and Guatemala or within Montgomery.
8800 Vaughn Road, Montgomery, AL 36117 www.christchurchmgm.net 334.387.0566
BOOM!, The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Contents
September 2017
Facebook.com/RiverRegionBoom
Volume 8 Issue 1
You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”
C.S. Lewis
Thought Relationships Taste Inspiration
Humor Advice Health Community
“Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.”
Carl Bard
3 Jackson Hospital’s Health News 8 Publisher’s Letter 11 OLLI at AUM, Open House 12 Potato King Andy Jackson 14 Healthy Foods for PostMenopausal Women Leigh Anne Richards
page 38
Features
24 Ed Parker's
Got Game @ Ninety
Departments 18 This and That
Getting You “In the Know”
38 Experiencing LaLa Land
44 {12} Things
Special Events for Boomers
42 Meet Baddie Winkle:
She's a Social Media Phenomenon
16 The Economic Impact of Baby Boomers 18 Tavern Fest 2017 20 Blue Morpho Butterfly Month
40 Greg Budell
22 Successful Aging Initiative 2017
BUCKET LIST?
26 BOOM! Cover Profile
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31 Eating Smart with Tracy Bhalla: Weed or Free Food?
COVER PROFILE page 26
32 4 Things You Don’t Know About Estate Planning Ask an Elder Law Attorney
page 20
35 Walk to End Alzheimer’s: Mallie Mims’ Story 36 Art and Soul Service Dogs Alabama page 21
page 46
page 35
46 Barbara Rush and Her Leading Men
BOOM! The River Regions 50+ Lifestage Magazine is published monthly by River Region Publications, 3966 Atlanta Hwy, Box 266, Montgomery, AL 36109. The phone number is 334.324.3472. Copyright 2017 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
Aging Independently In this month's issue we feature a man who celebrated his 90th birthday doing something he's been doing since he retired 30 years ago, playing tennis. Not only is it a remarkable thing to reach your 90th birthday but doing it while playing a sport like tennis is also remarkable. Ed Parker's tennis family at O'Conner Tennis Center got together to honor him on his birthday because he is an inspiration to all of them when it comes to the game they love. The inspiration I took away from my conversation with Ed was that I want to maintain my independence as I age. To play tennis, go to the store, visit friends, etc. Being independent is having freedom and Ed showed me you can still be free at the honorable age of 90!
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, 334.324.3472 jim@riverregionboom.com
Contributing Writers Sandi Aplin Jeff Barganier Tracy Bhalla Jason Byrant Greg Budell
Mallie Mims Rosemary Elebash Andy Jackson Treva Lind Mallie Mims Leigh Anne Richards Nick Thomas Cheryl Truman Raley L. Wiggins
Cover Photography Jeri Hines Total Image Portraits www.totalimage.com 334.261.2080
Advertising
Jim Watson, 334.324.3472 jim@riverregionboom.com Please Recycle This Magazine, Share with a Friend!
Our Cover profile this month is Rosemary Elebash, a special woman to the hundreds of independent businesses in Alabama because she's the person who works with the government to help you succeed. Rosemary has a unique job and loves the interaction with politicians and business owners. She also has some unique ideas when it comes to aging. I know you'll enjoy getting to know her and sharing her profile with friends. Jim Watson, Publisher
There are many other good reads such as the feature on Ed parker; the 89 year old social media phenomenon, Helen Van Winkle; as well as Jeff Barganier's excursion into LaLa Land. All are short reads and worth the experience! Greg Budell has bucket list of sorts but not really, you'll understand after reading it. And there seems to many words written about food in this month's issue, healthy foods for post menopausal women, the Potato King of Germany and how some of your favorite weeds are also free food! I hope you enjoy this month's issue, it should be the best reading experience for the 50+ Community in the River Region. Thanks for sharing BOOM! with your friends and your comments with me, I love to listen. Last month I mentioned my engagement to Sandy Scott and asked if anyone new of the best place for a couple of Sixtysomethings to get married. Well, we found it and we're heading that way the first week of September. Victoria, British Columbia is our destination and should be a gorgeous spot for a wedding and the honeymooners! Google it and see if you agree!
Jim
jim@riverregionboom.com 334.324.3472 cell/text
Digital & Interactive
When you read the Digital & Interactive version of BOOM! on your digital device you will be interactive with every website and email link in the magazine. You can click through to a writer’s source, an
advertiser, send comments and suggestions, request more info and share your favorite reads on Facebook and Twitter. The Digital & Interactive version was built for the new you so go ahead and sign up for a free subscription at RiverRegionBoom.com “BOOM!, the best reading experience for the 50+ community”
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Open House for OLLI Fall Term 2017 Lifelong learning is one of seven core values at Auburn University at Montgomery. The university formally began the lifelong learning initiative seven years ago with 22 members and two to four classes in the first terms. Now the program has nearly 300 members and, as of four years ago, is a partner with Auburn’s Osher Lifelong Initiative. Obviously the course offerings have grown with the demands of an increased membership. To begin its seventh year, AUM OLLI will host an Open House on 7 September 2017 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Center for Lifelong Learning (75 TechnaCenter Drive, Montgomery). In addition to a coffee bar with pastries (and some other drinks), the fall Open House will introduce 24 courses, special interest groups, details about four brown bag lunch speakers, and the possibility of one field trip. Those attending this casual gathering will have the opportunity to meet the instructors of the courses and ask questions about the approaches, the expectations, and the content of the various courses, which cover everything from history (experience of war)
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to literature (Helen Keller and Truman Capote), architecture, film, painting, writing, and gardening among other subjects. They can also meet and visit with long-time OLLI members and learn about experiences of taking classes offered in the program. Those who have never been to the Center for Lifelong Learning can tour the building and become acquainted with the excellent facilities for classes and larger gatherings. Details about the bonus opportunities, the brown bag lunches, and the field trip will be available at the Open House. The fall bonus opportunities are a brain bowl and a book discussion group. The brown bag lunches include presentations on Theatre AUM, music offerings in Montgomery, marble sculpture (especially the new Helen Keller sculpture installed at her home), an AUMCappella concert, and a military family’s story. The program offers a number of courses considered to be “academic” courses based on readings and discussions for
members wishing to study and discuss. With the increase in the number of OLLI members, interests have broadened so courses are offered to appeal to a variety to tastes. Members are taking oil painting, pine needle basket weaving, zentangle (fascinating artwork you might want to look up!), and handworks. Because of the excellent quality of the works being completed in these courses, the Open House is adding an exhibition to spotlight the members’ accomplishments in many of these classes. The artworks may also inspire individuals to register for courses to develop new or forgotten talents.
For more information about AUM OLLI or to request a catalog, contact: Brittany at 244-3804.
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by Andy Jackson
Long Live The Potato King Friedrich Hohenzollern (1712-1786) was the king of Prussia known to history as Frederick the Great. He earned this title due to his military talents. King Frederick transformed Prussia into a major military power, greatly expanded the area of his kingdom, and set the stage for the formation of modern day Germany. In addition to his military ability, Frederick was a talented musician, a patron of the arts, and an avid gardener. At the time of his reign, the Prussian diet was largely dependent on grain, primarily wheat and rye. When one of those crops failed, widespread hunger resulted. King Frederick wanted to diversify the Prussian diet to make it less dependent on grain. Frederick became interested in a vegetable recently introduced to Europe from South America, the potato. The more he studied this exotic new tuber, the more he became convinced that not only would it grow well in Prussia, but it could make a significant contribution to the diet of the Prussians. He had a large amount of seed potatoes imported and ordered the Prussian farmers to plant this new vegetable. The stubborn Prussian peasants were skeptical of this unknown plant and were reluctant to devote part of their fields to growing it. Many refused to plant the seed potatoes, and many of the peasants who did plant them did not know what to do with the strange tubers, and boiled it into a tasteless mush. King Frederick’s advisors informed him that his experiment was failing, and advised that he impose a heavy fine on all those peasants who refused to plant potatoes. Frederick had a better idea. He issued a decree that proclaimed the potato to be a Royal Vegetable, and that henceforth, only the Royal Family and his most favored nobles would be allowed to grow and eat potatoes.
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Further, he announced that his soldiers would
guard the Royal Vegetable Gardens night and day to prevent any ‘common’ people from obtaining this special food. Needless to say, this decree greatly increased interest in potatoes, and the Prussian burgers and peasants alike wanted to try this new, forbidden fruit. Those peasants who still had the seed potatoes sold them at a high price or planted them in the most fertile part of their fields. In a break with rigid Prussian discipline, Frederick quietly ordered his commanders to allow the troops guarding the Royal Gardens to take frequent breaks at the nearest village Bauhaus. Normally law abiding Prussian burghers slipped into the gardens and took potato plants and transplanted them in their own gardens.
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Frederick did not want the potato to be a short-lived fad, so he ordered his royal chefs to create recipes using potatoes that would appeal to the Prussian palate and had the recipes printed in newspapers throughout the kingdom. Within a remarkable short time, the potato became a staple crop and a mainstay of the Prussian diet. To this very day, many Germans fondly refer to Frederick the Great a “Der Kartoffelkonig”, the Potato King. Andy Jackson, a Master Gardener, class of 2014, lives in Montgomery. For more information on becoming a master gardener, visit www.capcitymga.org or email capcitymga@gmail.com
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5 Healthy Foods in Plain View for Post-Menopausal Women
Staying healthy over the years becomes more and more difficult; Especially when hormones are creating havoc within the body. It seems like hormones are always the culprits for some of the best and worst times in our lives. As the stages of menopause emerge, it’s a whole new un-known territory that is frustrating and uncomfortable. And the only reward for it is, there’s no needs to cruise down the grocery aisle looking for sanitary napkins. Though, you might be look-ing for some aspirin to take care of the joint, muscle and headaches. But did you know that foods can help assist in managing the symptoms of menopause? And some of these foods can prevent some of the common diseases in the post-menopausal years?
Well, it might be time to pull out the garlic press from storage, because some foods are sitting in plain view, which can help you deal with the hormone level drop which can lead to unpredictable, uncomfortable and frustrating side effects of menopause. There’s not just one pill that will help with all the symptoms, but incorporating natural, healthy foods to alleviate the discomfort of menopause or postmenopause might be enough to regain control of those moments when you feel you’re unraveling. After thorough research and talking to several physicians, here are five healthy foods in plain view that can help in the post-menopausal years. 1. Greek Yogurt Many physicians promote consuming probiotics for a healthy gut and to help with gastrointestinal efficiency. Greek Yogurt is packed with probiotics and contains both Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium bacteria, which is considered the “good bacteria.” A huge component of your immune system is found in the bacteria in your stomach, and when hormone levels begin to fluctuate, some of the bacteria permeates through the stomach walls and into the
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bloodstream. With probiotics in Greek Yogurt, this gives added protection against a leaky gut.
to ache, cinnamon contains antiinflammatory properties as well. Plus, it can assist in your overall blood flow. Yeah, that’s right, it’s the spice of life. Plus, by adding Greek Yogurt to your One gram of cinnamon has been clinically diet, the probiotics assist in the small studied and proven to assist in slowing intestines absorption of healthy nutrients the progression of insulin resistance. as well. And luckily Greek Yogurt is On average, cinnamon can lower blood packed with protein, which is good sugar lev-els upwards to 29 percent! This spice works directly with muscles to remove glucose from the bloodstream and convert sugars into energy. Which means, cinnamon also combats fatigue. by Leigh Anne Richards If you’re still on the fence about how awesome cinnamon is, it has been proven effective in lower-ing LDL cholesterol while promoting for maintaining muscle with age. Also, HDLs. Which, for you means better this creamy treat is jam packed with circulation all around and decreased risks Potassium and Magne-sium as well, of stroke or heart attack. which helps the bones absorb calcium, and also balances out sodium. Some 3. Cherries & Berries more good news about Greek Yogurt is Cherries and Berries are similar but also it contains calcium which is imperative have their difference. But tossed together for maintaining good bone health and they are ra-ther delicious. Especially in preventing osteoporosis. Lastly, it’s filled Greek Yogurt with a quick sprinkle of with a variety of B Vitamins, which can cinnamon… help with mood swings, energy levels, metabolism, lowering cholesterol, and Cherries and Berries are low in calories, overall cardiovas-cular health. Be careful and are low on the glycemic index with sugars though, some Greek Yogurts but are chock-full of nutrients. They have added sugar, and with the refined contain vitamin C, tons of potassium, B sugars added it could trigger potential hot vitamins, and a little bit of calcium and flashes. So ideally get plain Greek Yogurt magnesium. But one thing both berries and consider adding cinnamon and fresh and cherries have is a little nutrient called berries instead. Hint, foreshadowing to manganese. Manganese is awesome, the next foods on the list. especially if you are post-menopausal. This essential trace mineral, which many 2. Cinnamon have never heard of assists in nutrient Entire civilizations were built because absorption, especially when it comes to of cinnamon. This isn't just any ordinary iron. Manganese and Iron go together spice; this is the grandest and best spice like peanut butter and jelly. Manganese of life! It has stood the test of time as helps with the synthesis of nutrients, like being the most sought-after medic-inal cholesterol, carbohydrates, and proteins. spice. Even Christopher Columbus set out It also is critical in developing healthy on the ocean blue to find it. And it might bone mass. It helps prevent osteoporosis, be time for you to start incorporating it and stop arthritis and osteoarthritis too. Possibly on your Greek Yogurt. from progressing. However, too much manganese can lead to potential toxicity Cinnamon is a potent antioxidant, which so, and there’s no Adequate Intake of it means it fights against free radicals and at the moment. But if you have a bowl of can lower the risk of cancer. Moreover, cherries and berries, that should be safe. if your knees or joints are beginning
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Why else should you add cherries and berries into the diet? Well, it’s all about those antioxidants, and these antioxidants help with aging and preventing further DNA damage. And by preventing further DNA Damage means it can lower the risk of cancer. The high source of antioxidants helps treat inflammation as well and boost overall heart health by improving blood pressure while lowering cholesterol. Lastly, cherries have been known to help with gout, and gout is a common condition post-menopause. It can reduce gout attacks by 35-75%. Plus cherries are a natural source of melatonin, so if you’re battling from insomnia, try eating a cup of cherries and see if you drift off to dreamland a little better. 4. Ginger When you go out to sushi, there are always two additional items on your plate: wasabi and pick-led ginger. Many pass over the pickled ginger as decorative, but ginger is a bonafide superfood. It has incredible and magical properties if you are going through menopause. Ginger’s medicinal use can be traced back to 4700 BCE. It truly has stood the test of time, and now it might be worth taking a closer examination on how it can help you. Ginger consists of a compound called gingerol. Gingerol is an oily resin which gives ginger its enormous antiinflammatory and antioxidant properties.
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Ginger has anti-blood clotting reputation and can help with blood disorders and high cholesterol. With decreasing inflammation, it's no surprise this root is rooted in the treatment of arthritis, ulcers and joint pain. It’s better at relieving pain than aspirin, so some studies have indicated.
C, mosquitos do not find that to be attractive. So, it’s a natural bug repellant. But besides that, it helps take care of a lot of diseases and side effects associated with menopause and post-menopause. Garlic has an-ticancer properties and can contribute to reducing risks of cancer cells from metastasizing. Moreover, if you are noticing your hair is thinning a little bit because of the reduced estrogen levels, garlic can help with that too. There are several properties in garlic which help with hair loss and thinning hair in women. Sorry fellas, you’re out of luck.
If you have any open wounds, a cut or scrape and you’re concerned about bacteria and infec-tions ginger can save you. Gingers potency in antioxidants allows it to be the optimal fighter against bacterial and fungal infections by boosting the immune system. Is it getting warm in here? Maybe you feel a hot flash coming? Hurry and steep ginger in hot wa-ter and make a natural and cheap hot flash remedy. This is the best “do it yourself medicine” to combat hot flashes or night sweats. It also can help soothe any digestive discomfort too. So be-fore bed, have a little homemade ginger tea, and your body with thank you. Though, if you are on blood thinners, it’s best to talk to your physician about incorporating ginger into the diet. 5. Garlic The folklore about repelling Dracula with garlic has a kernel of truth to it. Here in Alabama, it’s almost impossible to go outside in the summertime without having mosquitos attack your ankles. But because garlic is so dense with sulfur, B1 and B6 vitamins and Vitamin
Garlic tends to be known for assisting in lowering cholesterol levels, and that’s true. Over and over again clinical studies have proven garlic helps remove dangerous lipids and plaque from the arteries. Blood can flow a little better, and cardiovascular health will improve. With better blood flow, that also means the transport of anti-inflammatory properties can cope with joint pains, es-pecially in the hips. And more blood flow can mean better blood pressure, and of course better exercise tolerance. So, throw in an extra clove of garlic into your soup or stirfry. There are so many excellent benefits you’ll gain from chomping on a little extra garlic. Leigh Anne Richards, MEd, Certified Personal Trainer, Group Exercise Instructor, General ManagerMetroFitness. For any questions or comments, contact Leigh Anne at LAMetrofit@aol.com
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The Economic Impact of Baby Boomers
Brandt McDonald introduces his September guest columnist, Jason Bryant...From time to time, I will be introducing several of our advisors through this column. They will share their unique insights into financial markets, financial planning and overall wealth management concepts. At McDonald & Hagen, we have a deep bench of talent that is eager to serve our firm’s clients and our local community. This month’s column is written by Jason Bryant. Jason entered the financial advisory business in 2008 after earning a bachelor’s degree in business-finance from Elon University in North Carolina. Jason and his wife Alice live in Old Cloverdale with their daughter Emily and their dog Nash. In his free time, he enjoys college football, reading, and spending time with his family on Lake Martin.
Consider how your financial behavior has changed over the course of your life. In your late teens and early twenties, you move out of your parent’s house and start working. Suddenly, you are making and spending your own money, albeit a small amount. As you grow into your thirties, you gain experience and skills in your career. You start making more money. You also start spending more and taking on debt as you buy your first home and start a family. By the time you are in your forties, you might be making even more money. You also might have children who are getting older and costing more. In this mid-life stage, you are making and spending a large amount of money each year. By the time you reach your late fifties and early sixties, your spending should start to come down. Now your kids have left the house, your debt is likely getting paid off, and you are finally focused on your retirement. Once you retire, you no longer have a salary. Your biggest fear is running out of money, so you spend less on trivial items. You may even sell your house and move to a smaller place. As you grow into your seventies and eighties, you travel less and go out less. You are not spending nearly as much. This may not be an accurate reflection of your career and family life, but this is the average pattern of income and spending for most people. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, income and spending habits move in a bell curve across age groups. You make and spend very little money when you are young. As you get older, you make and spend more. As you reach retirement, you make and spend less. This pattern is important because if we know how old a population is, we can predict where prices will rise and fall. This appears to be most evident in one specific generation. If you were born between 1946 and 1964, you are considered to be a baby-boomer. Over the past 70 years, this generation formed a population bubble that shifted from one stage of life to the next, leaving a massive economic impact in its wake. When baby boomers all decided to buy something, it caused the price of that item to go up. In the late 1970s, baby boomers flooded into
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Financial Thoughts with Jason Bryant
adulthood and moved out of their parents’ homes. The increase in demand caused home prices to go up. From 1970 to 1980, the median sales price for new houses went up 200%. That is staggering compared to the housing bubble from 1997 to 2007, which only saw a 77% increase. It is no coincidence that the United States entered a time of economic prosperity in the 1990s – right when boomers reached their 40s, the stage of life where peak income and spending occur. Finally, what is the one thing people spend more money on as they get older? Health care. Is it any surprise that the rising cost of health care is such a big issue today? Most people like to blame rapid price movements on corporations or politicians or monetary policy set by the Federal Reserve. While monetary policy can have large ripple effects, it is usually just a reaction to price shocks from supply and demand imbalances. The changes in our population have a tremendous effect on this. Imagine if the population of Montgomery, Alabama doubled overnight. Home prices would sky-rocket. Now consider if half the population left Montgomery - home prices would plummet. Unless something chaotic happens, we have a good idea of how the US population will look over the next 20 years. The number of people below the age of 65 will not change much but the number of people over 65 will skyrocket. This is the baby boomer generation taking the place of much smaller generations before them. When you invest in stocks, one strategy is to pick companies that will be selling more products in the future than they are today. The success of your portfolio can rely on whether those companies will grow or shrink over time. However, trying to predict the future is a difficult game. Consider that just 10 years ago, the most popular cell phone was a
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Nokia and the most popular social networking website was MySpace. A lot has changed over the past decade and those companies have struggled. Rather than focusing on consumer trends or hot technology, investors should look at how the marketplace of consumers is changing. The most impactful generation in our country is spending more money on health care each year. They will be spending less on virtually everything else. Therefore, is it surprising that overall inflation is so low, yet health care costs are rising at a faster rate? Is it surprising that health care stocks have outperformed the market over the past 10 years, despite constant changes in government policy in an effort to reduce costs? Changes in price are easier to predict than you might think. Just ask yourself, “What are baby boomers buying?” The answer should give you a good idea of where to invest your money.
Jason Bryant, Financial Advisor Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics – Consumer Expenditures Vary by Age, https://www.bls.gov/opub/btn/volume-4/consumerexpenditures-vary-by-age.htm Source: Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis - Median Sales Price for New Houses Sold in the United States https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MSPNHSUS Source: ¹ Morningstar, “Morningstar’s Take On the Second Quarter” July 6, 2017. http://news.morningstar.com/articlenet/article. aspx?id=814739&part=2
Brandt McDonald, Managing Partner McDonald & Hagen Wealth Management LPL Branch Manager www.mcdonaldhagen.com Direct comments and questions to Jennifer.Hunt@LPL.com or 334.387.0094 The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. No strategy assures success or protects against loss. Stock investing involves risk including loss of principle. This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized legal or tax advice. We suggest you discuss your specific legal or tax issues with a qualified legal or tax advisor.
Securities offered through LPL Financial. Member FINRA & SIPC. Investment advice offered through McDonald & Hagen Wealth Management, a Registered Investment Advisor, and separate entity from LPL Financial.
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This & tHAT
Buddy Guy @ MPAC
Buddy Guy has received 7 GRAMMY Awards, a 2015 Lifetime Achievement GRAMMY Award, 37 Blues Music Awards (the most any artist has received), the Billboard Magazine Century Award for distinguished artistic achievement, a Kennedy Center Honor, and the Presidential National Medal of Arts. Rolling Stone Magazine ranked him #23 in its "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time." Buddy Guy released his latest studio album Born To Play Guitar on July 31, 2015 via Silvertone/RCA Records, which debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top Blues Albums chart. The follow-up to his 2013 first-ever double disc release, Rhythm & Blues, which also debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top Blues Albums chart, Born To Play Guitar was produced by GRAMMY Award winning producer/ songwriter and Buddy’s longtime collaborator Tom Hambridge. The release features guest appearances by Van Morrison, Joss Stone, Kim Wilson and Billy Gibbons. Thursday, September. 28th, 7:30 pm. For more info visit www.mpaconline.org or www.buddyguy.net
Tavern Fest 2017, September 22nd, Historic North Hull Street
On September 22nd, Southern hospitality will meet Old World tradition at Landmarks Foundation’s 17th annual Tavern Fest! A variety of regional craft beers, local fare, and live musicians will bring the streets of Old Alabama Town to life. The community-wide celebration draws crowds downtown for an evening of fun and fellowship, while serving as the biggest annual fundraiser for Landmarks Foundation of Montgomery. $7 advance tickets, $10 at the door. Beer and wine may be purchased for $5 each at Tavern Fest. Local vendors will be on site and will have food available for purchase. Tavern Fest is a rain or shine event! For more info visit www.landmarksfoundation.com
HOM Bereavement/Grief Support Group
Thursdays, October 5, October 12, October 19, October 26 of 2017 at Hospice of Montgomery, 1111 Holloway Park, Montgomery, AL 36117, Contact: Chaplain Winston Brooks 334.279.6677. This is a community-wide grief support group and is open to anyone who needs grief counseling. For more info HOM visit www.hospiceofmontgomery.org
Capital City Master Gardener Association Presents Lunch & Learn 2017 Capital City Master Gardener Association presents Lunch & Learn 2017 the 1st Wednesday of Every Month from 12-1 pm. We meet at the Armory Learning Arts Center, 1018 Madison Avenue, Downtown Montgomery. Mark your calendars September 6, Fall Gardening for Spring Color – Cindy Berg, Master Gardener For information, please contact the Montgomery County Extension Office 334.270.4133. Also visit www.capcitymga.org
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THE WORLD FAMOUS GLENN MILLER ORCHESTRA The legendary Glenn Miller was one of the most successful of all dance bandleaders back in the Swing Era of the 1930’s and 40’s. A matchless string of hit records, the constant impact of radio broadcasts and the drawing power at theatres, hotels and dance pavilions, built and sustained the momentum of popularity. Glenn Miller and His Orchestra made a big impact right before and during WWII. The orchestra had more hit records in one year than anybody in the history of the recording industry. In fact, its recording of Chattanooga ChooChoo earned the first Gold Record ever awarded to a performing artist. Back in the days of the big band era of the forties, any dance band “worth its salt” had a distinctive theme song. It was the musical signature with which they signed on and signed off at their engagements and radio broadcasts. The theme of Glenn Miller and His Orchestra was the beautiful Moonlight Serenade, and it is still the signature tune of the Glenn Miller Orchestra today. Interestingly enough, Glenn Miller originally wrote the music of the song himself as an exercise for a course in arranging. He composed it long before he organized his band, when he was a trombonist and arranger with Ray Noble’s famous band. Today, it is considered a standard in the field of popular music with its popularity as an instrumental continuing undiminished through the years. It is now more than 75 years since Glenn Miller first succeeded with the Orchestra which still bears his name. Except for a few years following his disappearance, Glenn’s orchestra and music have been heard around the world continuously since 1938. The Most Popular Big Band in the World Today with that unique jazz sound will be appearing on Thursday, October 5th, 7:30 pm at The Enterprise High School Performing Arts Center. For more info visit www.coffeecountyartsalliance.com or call 334.406.2787, www.glennmillerorchestra.com
1917–2017: A Century of U.S. Airpower from the Air Force Art Collection
Thirty years from 1917, with the enactment of the National Security Act on September 18, 1947, the United States Air Force became a separate branch of the United States military. To commemorate the 70th anniversary of this event, the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts in conjunction with Maxwell Air Force will present a selection of works of art from the collection of the U.S. Air Force. On view will be over 40 paintings reflecting the beginning of the Air Service—with images that depict the involvement of the Wright Brothers in Montgomery—and the subsequent development and growth of the U.S. Air Force. Through portraits of influential airpower leaders, renderings of various aircraft, and images of airmen in action, this exhibition provides insight into the history of the United States Air Force from World War I to the present. This exhibit will run through October 1. For more information, please call 334.240.4333 or visit www.mmfa.org
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
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How the World and D.C. Affect Alabama – and Where in the World is Alabama Headed? Business Breakfast AFTERNOON EXTRA, September 6 at 2 pm / AUM Campus, AUM Taylor Center, Room 222. Dr. David Bronner is the CEO of the Retirement Systems of Alabama, a public pension fund with assets in excess of $37 billion providing benefits for over 339,000 public employees and retirees. RSA is ranked 107th of the top 300 private/public pension funds in the world with the top three being sovereign wealth funds. Dr. Bronner earned a Ph.D. and law degree from the University of Alabama where he taught in the Graduate Schools of Business and Education and served as Assistant Dean and Lecturer in the School of Law before coming to the RSA. Dr. Bronner has been featured in Time, Governing magazine, The Institutional Investor, The Money Manager, Wall Street Journal, Business Week, Forbes Magazine, and Pension & Investment Age for his investment strategies and financial market decisions. In 2003, PlanSponsor magazine named the RSA “Plan Sponsor of the Year.” Individual Tickets are $30.
Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center-Blue Morpho Butterfly Month Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center-Blue Morpho Butterfly Month - Enjoy our month-long display of nature at its finest! Marvel at the Blue Morpho as hundreds of these tropical David Bronner butterflies fill the Day Butterfly Center with their iridescent-blue splendor. If the trend continues, visitors to the Day Butterfly Center will witness the largest display of Blue Morpho Butterflies on the planet during September. Join us Sept. 16 for a Blue Morpho Butterfly Reception. For only $25, guests will have exclusive after-hours access to the Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center. Each guest will receive a complimentary glass of red wine or red grape juice, which the blue morphos are attracted to. As guests stroll through the Butterfly Center enjoying their beverage, they will have up-close and personal experiences with these beautiful irridescent blue butterflies. For details, CLICK HERE. The Blue Morpho (Morpho peleides) is a spectacular iridescent blue butterfly native to the rainforests of South and Central America. The undersides of the wings are brown with eyespots, but the contrasting upper sides could be considered the most brilliant, vivid blue that nature has to offer. This iridescent color actually results from microscopic scales on the back of their wings reflecting light, giving the brilliant shimmering blue appearance. As a Blue Morpho flies, its contrasting wing colors of brilliant blue and dull brown fool the eye and make the Morpho look as if it is appearing and disappearing, paying tribute to its name ‘morpho’ – which actually means “to change or modify.” www.callawaygardens.com
69th Annual Labor Day Greek BBQ Montgomery's Greek Orthodox Church will host the 69th Annual Labor Day Greek BBQ on September 4th at 9am. The offerings include a choice between three entrees: barbeque pork or 1/2 chicken or lamb. Each plate comes with cole slaw, slow-simmered camp stew, bread and the church's secret recipe barbecue sauce. Chicken and pork plates are $12; Lamb plates are $14. Quarts of the homemade camp stew are also available for $12 each. Event goers may also select from a mouth-water array of Greek pastries, including baklava. (sold separately). Don't miss this holiday feast! Located on the grounds of the Greek Orthodox Church at the corner of Capitol Parkway and Mt. Meigs. Tickets may be purchased on-site or from a church member. For more information call 334.263.1366. More Information on Website: www.agocmal.org
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CHONDA PIERCE “GETTING BACK TO FUNNY” Pierce is fresh off an incredible year after debuting her movie “Chonda Pierce: Laughing In The Dark,” to rave reviews from audiences and critics alike. The limited engagement documentarystyle film was so well received that it was brought back for a very special encore performance and in total was viewed by nearly 100,000 people over the course of just two nights. A stand-up comedian, television hostess, author and now actress, Pierce has channeled her life experiences into positivity, bringing laughter to audiences around the country. As the RIAA’s best-selling female comedian, her hilarious take on life is easily relatable as she publicly opens up to her listeners about times of darkness and depression in her own life, drawing humor and good from every situation. In October 2015, Pierce took her humor to the big screen with her first film “Chonda Pierce: Laughing In The Dark,” based on her personal struggle to overcome depression. The film is a behind-the-scenes journal chronicling Pierce’s downward spiral dealing with the devastating loss of her mother, an estranged daughter and the tragedy of her husband’s battle with alcoholism and subsequent death, all over the course of three years. Yet she remarkably makes her way through the adversity, heart-wrenching loss and her own depression with the gift of humor! Pierce made the film in hopes it would serve as a vehicle to inspire others who may be hitting points of darkness and depression in their lives. She will be performing Wednesday, September 27th, 7 pm. Call MPAC for more information 334.481.5100 or visit www.mpaconline.org and www.chonda.org.
The Interesting History of Montgomery's Monroe Street It is time to put on your walking shoes for a leisurely stroll down one of Montgomery’s most historic thoroughfares, Monroe Street, where once upon a time a future presidential assassin performed, famous actors strode the ‘boards, billiard balls bounced, and the aroma of fried fish sandwiches competed with those of indoor restaurants, the stables of the police and fire departments. The rhythm of the liveliest street in town was home to street singers, folk artists, peddlers, and “ladies of the evening.” It was where country folk came for a day in the city. Pawn shops, just around the corner from the finest jewelers in the southeast, offered bargains and one could find just about any thing desired in the corner drugstore. Meet at corner of Hull and Monroe Street, Part One, September 23, 8:30 am. www.landmarksfoundation.com
The Side by Side Singers are dedicated to sharing music to keep our minds strong. Music can improve our mood and boost cognitive skills. We invite those living with Alzheimer’s or dementia and their care-partners to join us for 8-week sessions each Tuesday, 1:00-2:00 pm at First United Methodist Church in Montgomery. The music we sing ranges from Sinatra to Elvis. photo by Mickey Welsh/Montgomery Advertiser
SIDEbySIDE singers singers
Please contact Jack Horner at ivortickle@aol.com or Laura Selby at 834-8990 for more information. The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
NO FEE, PLEASE JOIN THE FELLOWSHIP!
First United METHODIST CHURCH
2416 W. Cloverdale Park Montgomery, AL 36106 334.834.8990 www.fumcmontgomery.org
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More Prattville’s Way Off Broadway Theatre will present Deathtrap Prattville’s Way Off Broadway Theatre will present Deathtrap, Broadway’s longest running comedy thriller, beginning Thursday, September 7, at 7:30pm. The play is directed by Matthew Givens and will run Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through September 24. Tickets are $10 in advance/$12 at the door and can be purchased online at cc.wobt.prattvilleal.gov, with Visa or MasterCard by calling 334-595-0854, or by visiting the Special Events Office in the Cultural Arts Building at 203 West 4th Street in Prattville. For more information, call 334.595.0854 or visit wobt.prattvilleal.gov.
Successful Aging Initiative 2017 As the life span of the elder generation increases, nearly every aspect of our society will be affected, including health care, leisure time, family relationships, housing arrangements, societal connections, and economic considerations. The top three concerns about aging suggest that respondents are most concerned with maintaining their independence. Young older adults (“baby boomers”) are more proactive, diverse, better educated and health conscious; and, express financial concerns about not having enough money to stay in their homes. As citizens live longer, health, legal and financial issues are often interrelated and will also increase. This is a FREE one-day conference for older adults (50+), Baby Boomers, family members, caregivers, social workers, ministers, church administrators, and others who regularly handle aging issues. The conference will be October 5th at Crump Senior Center, 1750 Congressman Dickinson Drive, Montgomery, AL 36109. The conference will be from 7:45 am until 2 pm. To register you must fill out a form and mail in before Sept. 15. To receive a registration brochure, please call Karen Bixler @ 334.270.4133. More Information is available at www.aces.edu
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The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
The Black Jacket Symphony presents The Beatles "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" "Sgt. Pepper is still widely regarded as the most influential rock album of all time" says Black Jacket Symphony founder J. Willoughby. "We are beyond excited to be performing this record and are honored to have the Alabama Symphony Orchestra joining us for a couple of shows!" Released on 1st June, 1967, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, the band's eighth album became the soundtrack to the "summer of love" but its appeal is timeless. Tickets range from $25 to $30 and may be purchased through Ticketmaster. Call MPAC for more information at 334.481.5100. Saturday, September 16th, 8pm. For more Info visit www.mpaconline.org
Get Your Affairs in Order, FREE Estate Planning and Asset Protection Workshop Wednesday, September 27: 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.
House of Holidays
Beautiful handmade Arts and Crafts, wonderful selection of Second Time Around Treasures, Frozen Entrees are always a big hit, visit our Sunflower Bakery for wonderful treats, cakes , pies and more. There will also be plants, toys and lots of fun, so come on out and find that special something you have been looking for...see you there Lunch $5.00 House of Holidays is located at First United Methodist Church, 306 W Tuskeena St Wetumpka. Saturday, October 7th 8 am – 1 pm.
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
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Ed Parker's Got Game @ Ninety Ed Parker began playing tennis after he retired from Brown Printing Company in Montgomery at the age of sixty. Why? He just wanted something to do, fill in some time. That was 30 years ago and he’s still got some game! Ed is one of those rare people who begins working on something and sticks with it. He plays tennis with a group called the Early Birds at the O’Conner Tennis Center in Montgomery. The group plays, as the name implies, early in the morning before the heat becomes too much of a factor. They play 3 days a week and Ed says he tries to play once or twice if he’s up for it. The Early Birds are mostly 60 years old or older, and Ed is the elder tennis player of the group. He likes the competition but it’s all friendly and fun. As he said, tennis is something for him to do, both for the exercise and the social benefit. When we caught up with Ed, his tennis family was throwing him a 90th birthday party at the O’Conner Center to celebrate this remarkable milestone in his life and he wasn’t sitting around eating cake for long because he was part of a doubles team getting ready to serve. Ed still seems to have some of his tennis game but understands that tennis is as much about strategy as anything so he tries to anticipate and guess what his opponents will be doing next so he can be prepared to react to their next moves. His legs and knees aren’t what they used to be, but he still can hit some good shots.
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Ed Parker, 90 years young
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Harold McKinney and Ed Parker
More importantly, as the senior among these seniors, Ed has become an inspiration to many of the players who see the effort and attitude Ed exhibits and hope they’ll have it as their tennis playing continues. “It gives us inspiration,” said Bob Hawkins. “If we can just get out there and play half as good as Ed, we just love him to death and hope he continues to play.” You can tell how much these Early Bird Players respect and admire Ed’s ability to continue playing tennis with them, he is a very good role model for them and for the rest of us. As we wrapped up our time together, Ed told me that he was born in the old Hubbard Hospital, about two blocks from where the O’Conner Tennis Center is in Highland Park. He described the 3 houses which made up the hospital and that Hubbard Hospital later became Jackson Hospital. Ed grew up in that area and he laughed when he thought about how far he had come from his old neighborhood. It was his desire to start playing tennis that brought him full circle back to where he played as a kid and he remembered it like it was yesterday! Happy Birthday Ed Parker!
Want To Play Tennis Like Ed?
Contact Ben Bradshaw at O'Conner Tennis Center at (334)-2404884 or email him at bbradshaw10s@gmail.com. The O'Conner Tennis Center is located in the heart of Montgomery at 500 Anderson Street, Montgomery, AL 36106 www.oconnortenniscenter.com The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
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BOOM! COVER PROFILE
Rosemary Elebash, "Growing Old is a Bad Habit..." have one gives a voice in governmental decisionThis month’s BOOM! son, Sams, making through political advocacy Cover Profile is who is a through grassroots of the membership. Rosemary Elebash, NFIB’s political agenda on the federal who is the Alabama Registered and state level is determined by a oneState Director of the Nurse. Also, vote balloting process of its members National Federation of we have two on issues. NFIB is the only nationwide Independent Businesses rescue dogs, organization whose policies and positions (NFIB). In other words, Henry and are established by the members directly, Rosemary lobbies our Faith. not an executive staff or the Board of government on behalf Directors. Independent business is the of all the independent BOOM!: economic engine for the nation and business owners out You are the Alabama for Alabama. 96 percent of Alabama there. She loves what businesses are small/independent State she does and the businesses. Businesses with fewer Director of people she represents... than 100 workers have the largest the National we are fortunate to share of small business employment. have such a dedicated Federation of Independent Studies have shown that for every $ 1 voice to support the dollar paid to a small business owner, Business entrepreneurial spirit that same dollar turns over 7 times (NFIB). of Alabama. Rosemary in the community. Independent Please share remembers a 4th business owners are very active in their grade field trip to the what you do Rosemary's NFIB photograph communities with their volunteerism Alabama State Capitol at NFIB and and support of local sports teams and that sparked her interest and career the purpose of the organization? Why is events. Many independent business working with the people who work in independent business so vital to the U.S. owners serve as elected officials and government. We recently shared some economy? are appointed time with Rosemary and we think you'll to state enjoy getting to know her as much as we Rosemary: 2018 boards and will be my 15th did...especially her idea that growing old commissions. year serving as is a bad habit! the Alabama BOOM!: State Director BOOM!: Please give a brief biography, Women play an and each year has where you’re from, education, what ever-increasing been a wonderful brought you to the River Region/ experience role in small Montgomery area, did you raise your representing businesses; family here, schools, married, family, etc? Alabama’s small/ can you help independent us understand Rosemary: A native of Opp, Alabama some of the business owners. and graduate of Troy University. I moved challenges NFIB was formed in to Montgomery in 1979 to work as a women face 1943 to represent Staff Assistant for U.S. Senator Donald when starting the nation’s Stewart and after his defeat, I worked their own as a Legislative Assistant for Governor independent business? Fob James during his first term. After business owners my tenure working for elected officials, before federal Rosemary: I moved to the private sector and and state elected Probably the served as the state director of Law and officials. NFIB has biggest single Government Affairs for AT&T overseeing an office in the nation’s capital and Rosemary discovered the political world in the 4th Grade issue I hear legislative and regulatory affairs in both from women all 50 states. NFIB Alabama and Mississippi. My husband, business owners is the lack of capital to is a member driven organization that Brian, is a Montgomery native and we
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either start a business or to expand. All business owners face the overwhelming number of rules and regulations from the federal to the local level. The total cost of just federal regulations on the economy is $2 trillion (that’s with a “t”) annually. Goofing in the kitchen, husband, Brian and son, Sams The annual Archives and History Building and to walk regulation up Dexter Avenue. It was my first visit to costs are 30 percent higher for small the State Capitol and I remember walking businesses than big businesses. In into Rotunda, looking up at the beautiful addition, federal regulations cost small staircases, visiting the Governor’s office businesses $11,724 per employee each year. It’s a challenge for any business owner to comply with the regulatory issues. What advice would you give to Boomers wanting to start their own businesses? Start your business with passion, have a good banker and excellent accountant to help you start and maintain a positive balance sheet. Interview and call each reference before hiring employees and keep excellent employee records. Remember employees are the face and voice of your business and you want to hire the best. BOOM!: We know you have had many experiences in the political world, tell us when and how you got the desire to participate in the political circles of Alabama? Rosemary: My interest and passion for history and politics was inspired by my fourth-grade teacher, Mrs. Ruth Black, at South Highlands Elementary School in Opp. Mrs. Black taught the class not to read history but to imagine you living the history. Mrs. Black took her class to Montgomery to visit the State Capitol, The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Ever thought about running for an elected office? Why/Why not? I have no plans to run for public office. I enjoy helping other candidates with their campaigns. BOOM!: Some people would refer to your work as a lobbyist and some people think that’s a dirty word…what’s the real benefit to an organization of having a lobbyist?
Rosemary: As the lobbyist for NFIB/ Alabama members, I’m the advocate for their position on legislative issues before elected officials. In addition, I assist business owners as they encounter difficulties with regulatory agencies. When small business owners work together they change laws and rules and regulations to create a more business friendly environment to grow their business and create more job opportunities. Since 2011 more than 50 laws have passed to make Alabama a better place to do business. NFIB encourages small/ independent business owners to run for public office. When business owners are elected to office, they ask tough questions and require a detailed answer on the spending of tax dollars. NFIB strongly encourages their Rosemary with her Sunday School Girls members to and the House and Senate legislative vote and to encourage their families and chambers. At that moment, I was employees to vote. John Wesley said, determined to work in the State Capitol “Act as if the whole election depended and Governor Fob James gave me the on your single vote…” honor of working in the Governor’s office during his first term.
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If you could change the name of a lobbyist to help people better understand the work you do, what would it be? Many words have been used as titles including Government Relations Manager, Governmental Affairs Manager but lobbying is still the function.
the freedoms our country was founded on. Any travel dreams planned? I look forward to celebrating Alabama’s Bicentennial by visiting communities across Alabama. Cities and towns have unique events planned to highlight their role in Alabama’s history from the southern shores of Mobile to the Blue Ridge Mountains in north Alabama. The Alabama Department of Archives and History, the nation’s oldest state historical department, will have an exhibit showcasing the decisions and turning points that shaped Alabama history, culture, and geography for everyone to enjoy. Rosemary with husband Brian and son, Sams
BOOM!: How do you like to relax and wind down from a hard day’s work?
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? Rosemary: Over the years, I have known many people who have retired and shortly afterwards they are looking for a new career to maintain a schedule and to have a sense of purpose. Several have begun consulting companies using their talents and skills from their previous occupations. Others have become executive directors of non-profits and work with charitable entities. The Dash, a poem written by Linda Ellis, is advice I would recommend to anyone working or retiring. The date you were born and the date you die aren’t what really matters, it’s “the dash” – those years in between and what you do every day and that’s your legacy. BOOM!: What are you most passionate about? Rosemary: Faith, Family and the many friendships I have developed over the years.
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Rosemary: Exercising at the end of the day with wonderful friends. Cooking for family and neighbors and just enjoying being at home.
BOOM!: You have taught Sunday School for more than 20 years at Saint James United Methodist Church, please share your experience and why you love doing what you do?
Rosemary: Teaching Sunday School keeps me young and I enjoy teaching the 5th grade girls each Sunday. The class focuses on helping others with mission BOOM!: What are some of your favorite projects while we are studying Biblical travel destinations and why? teachings. Some of the mission projects over the years have included raising Rosemary: My favorite city to visit is money from bake sales to buy animals the nation’s capital. The Smithsonian through the Heifer Project, monetary Museums, Ford Theatre, Arlington donations to the Montgomery Humane National Cemetery, Tomb of the Shelter and Unknown a special Soldier, Valentine’s Capitol, Tea annually White and the House, collection of Supreme supplies for Court the Shelter, Building monetary and the list donations continues for foster with art children’s galleries and birthday, the many making restaurants. homemade The sense cards for of history the church’s knowing you shut-ins are walking for their the same birthdays Rosemary with U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (Now Attorney General) hallways as and other those who occasions, and filling hundreds of have worked to establish and maintain shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child.
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This year’s mission projects will include using old t-shirts to make chew toys for the Humane Shelter, collecting pop-tops for a donation to the Ronald McDonald House and baking cookies for the local fire station. Each person, starting at an early age should begin using their God-given talents to help others and to be an example to those people they encounter daily.
Rosemary: Retirement is not something I dream about. I enjoy having a schedule, juggling a calendar, working and focusing on completing tasks and projects, meeting with people and enjoying the daily routine. What would be your purpose when you finally retire? Retirement is sometimes defined as a place of seclusion, private and isolated and I have no plans to be secluded, isolated or in a private place. I want to be active every day and follow in my Mother’s footsteps and those who are in their eighties and nineties in my church who are working and contributing daily to those who need assistance and cheer. “Growing old is no more than a bad habit which a busy man has no time to learn”, said Andre’ Maurois.
Rosemary: Other people have described me as friendly, organized and focused. BOOM!: If you weren’t the Alabama Director of the NFIB what kind of work would you be doing?
BOOM!: Do you have any hobbies or activities that grab your attention? Rosemary: Gardening, reading, assisting with different events at church are the main activities. BOOM!: As you’re aged, how have your priorities changed? Rosemary: Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is a key to having the opportunity to participate in sports, travel, volunteering and being there for my family. Learning to relax and enjoy the end of the day to see the small pleasures of life has been a major change from the busy day. BOOM!: Give us three words that describe you?
The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Rosemary with Gov. Bob Riley and NFIB member Sieu Tang Wood of Tang’s in Montgomery.
Rosemary: It would be some type of job in the political arena. BOOM!: Many of us think about retirement but we’re not sure how to define it…how do you think about retirement?
We want to thank Rosemary for helping us put together this month’s BOOM! Cover Profile. If you want to learn more about Rosemary and her work at NFIB, visit www.nfib.com or send her an email to Rosemary.Elebash@NFIB.ORG. We want to thank the portrait team at Total Image Portraits for their quality work this month. If you have questions, comments or suggestions about our cover profiles, including nominating someone, please send them to jim@riverregionboom.com Read all of the BOOM! Cover Profiles at www.riverregionboom.com/archives
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wiLlpower
health
decision
frEedom
prevention
eFfective wait
future
smart
abstinence proud
relationship discipline goals security choice
responsible
avoidance self-restraint
safe
behavior
action
trust
confidence
knowledge
dedicated worthwhile
It's your body. Take Control.
Eating Smart with Tracy Bhalla
Weed or Free Food? Dandelion
Since moving to our 5 acre minihomestead we are constantly learning about “nature’s bounty”, from the obvious – chestnuts and walnuts falling from the trees, to the more obscure – dandelion, chickweed and plaintain, for instance. I have bought dandelion tea previously, it’s very good for digestion. Now I just make my own. I’ve also used the leaves in salads and in soups. You can buy bunches of dandelion leaves in Publix or dried in GNC ($5 or so a bunch in Publix! I couldn’t believe it when a friend of mine bought some to feed to her rabbit!!) Why buy something you can pick yourself for free? Every single part of the dandelion can be eaten AND every single part has a different health benefit. Dandelion leaves should be treated like any other leafy green vegetable (like spinach, chard, etc.) Use them in salads or sandwiches when they’re young and fresh; use older larger ones for cooking in soups, casseroles or sautéed as a side dish all on its own. To make tea simply pour boiling water over fresh clean leaves, cover and let steep until cool. Pour through a sieve to remove the leaf pieces. Keep in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. You can also make tea from the flowers, this has a slightly different taste, more lemony. Use two or three whole flowers to make one cup of tea. You can even make coffee from dried dandelion root. Again, I have bought this The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
Chickweed
Plantain
from a health shop years ago and it was actually quite good. Now I’ll try it myself – dry the root thoroughly, grind it with a mortar and pestle (or in a blender) and use as you would instant coffee granules. Dandelions have good levels of iron, as do all dark leafy greens, a variety of vitamins including C and K and good protein and fiber content. If you haven’t already, you’d better get out in the garden and pick some now! It’s not a weed – it’s free food! And of course you can feed it to your rabbit or in my case, your horse.
Last but not least, plaintain – and no, not the banana-like fruit. This plant also grows pretty much everywhere and is currently lining the edge of my driveway, (as shown in the photo) so I am looking forward to harvesting this for the first time. Having medicinal qualities as well as being a food source, lines this up nicely with the other two. It has been documented as a healing herb as far back as 40BC. It has been used throughout the ages to heal everything from boils, swelling, epilepsy, headaches, coughs, fever, snake bites, wounds and bruising. Quite an extensive list!
Chickweed is my second “weed food”, one which I only discovered this year. It grows in abundance in most places, though often in Spring only (as opposed to dandelions which seem to grow all year round.) More of a ground covering than a dandelion, chickweed has small leaves and tiny white flowers. Easy to identify by the petals, which appear to be 10 in number, but are actually 5, each one with a split in the middle. As per the name, chickens love this plant, so our little chicken was very happy to have this added to her diet while it was available. We humans can also enjoy it though. It is high in calcium, iron and magnesium, plus vitamins A and C. A highly nutritious little plant. You can eat both leaves and flowers. Wash well and add to a leafy green salad or use it instead of basil in a pesto, which you freeze in batches. Also, just as with spinach, if you don’t like the taste much, you can get all the nutritious benefits by adding it to your favorite smoothie.
You can also eat the leaves, just as with dandelion and chickweed. Add them fresh and young to a salad or in a sandwich. The seeds can be harvested and used to add a nutty flavor to anything from smoothies to oatmeal to cakes. The leaves, seeds and roots can all be used to make a soothing tea. Particularly noteworthy for its high levels of beta carotene, calcium, vitamins C and K. So there you are, go out and forage for your dinner – you’ll be amazed at what you can find. Tracy Bhalla, Independent Consultant with NYR Organics, website: us.nyrorganic.com/shop/tracybhalla email: nyrbhalla@gmail.com You can also visit Tracy’s blog at Tracybhalla.com, Continuing my obsession with all things organic, I have been working with NYR for two years now, using their skincare products myself for over 25 years! Your skin is the body’s largest organ, it deserves to be well looked after. I am here to answer any questions you may have.
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Ask an Elder Law Attorney
By: Raley L. Wiggins | Attorney at Law | Red Oak Legal, PC
4 Things You Don’t Know About Estate Planning 1. “Stale” Documents
Every adult age 19 or older should have a durable power of attorney. This is a document that appoints another person (called your “Agent”) to manage your financial and business affairs on your behalf, particularly if you are no longer able to manage them yourself. The same is true of an Advance Directive, which is essentially a Power of Attorney for Healthcare that appoints an agent to make medical decisions for you if you are no longer able to make them for yourself. Most powers of attorney do not expire on a given date. Instead, they are usually effective until you either revoke the document, or you die.
will names a guardian for your children, and those children are in their 30’s or 40’s, that’s probably a good sign that it’s time for an update.
The number one problem that will “break” your estate plan is the failure to consider how ownership of non-probate property will pass Protection Workshop after your death.
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Wednesday, September 27: 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.
As a practical matter, however these documents are only useful if the bank, hospital, physician or other third party will accept it as valid proof of the agent’s authority to act. For example, if you walk into a bank with a power of attorney that your mother gave you in 1981, the bank is more likely to scrutinize the document more carefully than they would if it were dated 2012.
Other reasons to update your estate plan may include marriage and divorce (of you or your children), the birth of new children or grandchildren, or the death of a spouse or other family member. Likewise, acquiring more wealth can be a reason to update your plan.
That’s what I call a “stale” document. Technically it’s as effective as the day it was signed. But practically you may run into some problems if it was typed on ancient, yellowing paper thirty years ago.
In sum, estate planning is a process, not something you do once, put in a drawer and forget about it. It needs to be updated from time to time to reflect your current financial and family situation, and your current wishes.
2. It’s Not a One-Shot Deal
3. Your Estate Plan Might Not Work
I often see clients who have previously drafted wills or other estate planning documents. But these documents are often seriously out of date. Unlike the powers of attorney discussed above, your last will and testament doesn’t really get “stale.” It’s a document that is essentially meaningless until your death. The law says that a will only “speaks” at death. This is because you can revise or revoke your will at any time while you are alive, so long as you’re competent to do so. I cannot tell you how often you should update your will, but I will say this: if your
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become the property of the surviving coowner at your death.
When I teach estate planning workshops to the public, I make a point to explain that your will may have very little to do with who actually inherits your property at death. In fact, it may have nothing at all to do with who gets what. That is because some kinds of property passes “outside the will.” For example, life insurance will pay the beneficiary named in the policy, regardless of what your will says. If you have a retirement account like an IRA, you probably designated a beneficiary to receive the proceeds at your death. Similarly, many jointly owned bank accounts and pieces of real estate will automatically
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4. You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know
When it comes to estate planning, don’t trust the advice you get down at the beauty shop or the coffee shop. The fact is every situation is different, and just because something worked for one person doesn’t mean it will be the same for you. I do estate planning work every day, and I’m always learning something new. Just recently I was surprised to learn that in most cases burial plots do not pass to the beneficiaries under your last will and testament. Instead Alabama law says that the plots go to the people who would have inherited your property if you had died without a will (unless you specifically reference and make a gift of the burial plots in your will). Most folks aren’t thinking about who will get the leftover cemetery plots after their deaths, and it’s commonly overlooked. But the lots can be valuable, and it can lead to a great deal of confusion over who gets to own them after you’re gone. Remember, estate planning is something we do for our loved ones—after all they’re the ones who will have to pick up the pieces after we’re gone. So dust yours off from time to time and make sure it’s up to date.
Raley L. Wiggins Attorney at Law, Red Oak Legal, PC 334-239-3625 | info@redoaklegalpc.com 312 Catoma Street, Suite 150, Montgomery, AL 36104, www.redoaklegalpc.com The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
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Walk to End Alzheimer’s:
By Mallie Mims
Mallie Mims’ Story
I walk because my dad, diagnosed with Alzheimer’s two years ago at the age of forty-eight, is theoretically way too young to have to carry such a cruel disease. I walked for my mom, who gives her all every single day to be the best caretaker she can be, not only for my father, but for me, my little brother, and older sister. I walk for my brother, whose childhood this Scot and Angie Mims, 1994 has become, and for my sister, who has learned to carry the situation into adulthood as best as she can. My first recollection of realizing something was not quite right would probably be when I was still in middle school. Seemingly normal everyday tasks became increasingly difficult; and, the frustration this caused quickly became evident in not only my dad but the rest of the family. I do not think Alzheimer’s, or even anything close to it, had ever even crossed our minds for the longest due to his young age; the thought is still kind of crazy and hard
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to believe to me at times. Now, I am eighteen years old, and Alzheimer’s has been a major factor in my life for years – even before an official diagnosis. I watched my grandfather suffer from dementia, but I have Scot Mims at Macy and Stephen's wedding, June 2017 quickly realized how hugely and unexplainably different that is compared to seeing my young father go through the same type situation. I walk so that one day, people my age will not have to explain that difference. It has impacted how I
Mallie, Mason, Scot, and Macy, 2014
have matured, and resulted in me
seeing the world differently than most people my age. I walk to shine light on my dad’s rare case in hopes that perhaps it can lead to a further understanding of the disease and its causes. My entire life, my dad has been one of the strongest people I have ever known. Now, through everything, he continues to show his strength, arguably more than ever before. He has taken this challenge on headfirst and at full force, using his story to reach Mallie with dad, Scot Mims others. He continues to diligently lead, through church and trust in God’s plan for his future and the future of our family. Although it is not easy, I think his strength is what keeps my family, or at least me, going. Becoming connected to the Alzheimer’s Association through The Walk to End Alzheimer’s has exposed me to a lot more knowledge of just how many people are impacted by Alzheimer’s and how widely those numbers are growing. In the past seventeen years, deaths from Alzheimer’s have increased by eightynine percent, and in my opinion, that alone is something worth walking for.
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By Sandi Aplin
Art & Soul
Service Dogs Alabama Celebrating another Powerful and Exciting Year
their formal training in prisons with Kudos to inmates. This program is wonderful Frances on so many levels; they are saving McGowin. the lives of these beautiful dogs, Executive rehabilitating inmates who train the Director of service dogs, and changing the lives Service Dogs of people who desperately need Alabama, and them. her team. This non-profit In addition to the construction of the is enjoying Service Dogs Alabama Graduation Class new indoor training building, SDA some serious two to three months. SDA needs this has opened their doors to the public, growth with time for evaluation, to make sure the offering boarding and training for our new programs, new kennels, and dogs are good own family breaking ground on a new indoor candidates members training and competition center. to be service and for dogs before people who On Sunday August 6th at the starting their need their Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts full-time assistance here in Montgomery Service Dogs training. “All to train their Alabama hosted a Celebration dogs are not own Service honoring their Graduating Service meant to be Dogs. Located Dogs and the awarding of these service dogs. just off trained service dogs to children, We do our l-65 South, adults, and veterans with disabilities best to make they are and to Alabama schools and juvenile Guice Slawson and Martha Roby cut Grand Opening Ribbon sure our dogs convenient probation officers. · have the right focus and work ethic to everyone in the River Region. Take as well as the the first Hope Hull exit (the Hyundai Service Dogs tolerance for exit) turn left and go for about a mile. Alabama is long working There is a sign at the entrance. a non-profit hours in stressful organization. conditions to According to the ADA Law, Service They rescue be service dogs Dogs are dogs that have been dogs from before their specifically trained to be Service Shelters full-time training Dogs. The dogs are trained to and Rescue begins’” says perform tasks for individuals who Organizations. Ashley Taylor, have disabilities and need medical or These special Head Trainer at psychiatric assistance in order to live animals will SDA. an independent and productive life. begin their Service Dogs Alabama professionally training at the The dogs trains dogs to be proficient in Guice Slawson selected for all Public Access behaviors and Training the program commands as well as proficiency in Complex in Guice Slawson with Mr. Hobbs and Gent will continue individual tasks. All dogs come with Hope Hull for
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a 100% guarantee.
curriculum for this pilot program and is handled used in by Brandi Reiske who works with conjunction special needs students. “Popcorn has SDA trains with the been very successful, even raising Diabetic School Dogs. some test scores 10 points when Alert Dogs It is a student she is present with students who to detect management experience test anxiety,” reports low and system for Reiske. high blood educators sugars, to interrupt Service Dogs Alabama operates on seizure unwanted Grants and public donations. All The Puppy Kennels at Guice Slawson Training Complex alert and patterns of proceeds from public boarding and assistance dogs, wheelchair and defiant and disruptive behaviors. training at the Guice Slawson Training mobility assistance dogs, as well as Complex benefit Service Dogs intervention dogs for Post-Traumatic FTL with a School Dog was been Alabama’s efforts to train Service Stress Disorder (PTSD), Autism, and tested in the Elmore County Schools Dogs for children, adults, Veterans, certain anxiety disorders. Many 2015-2016. Eleven dogs were trained and schools who need them. disabled individuals depend on them to be fullto help them make it through each time student The public is day. They are truly lifesaving Dogs. intervention advised to call dogs. Data and make an Emotional Support Dogs and Therapy collected after appointment Dogs should not be confused with the first year of to come Service Dogs. Neither are part of the implementing and visit the ADA Law, and neither are allowed FTL with a Complex. Public Access. School Dog showed an Service Dogs One of the newest programs of increase of 28% Alabama, The Service Dogs Alabama has been the in language arts Guice Slawson School Dog Program. Professionally (reading) and Training trained intervention service dogs 12% increase Complex, 8365 Ashley Taylor and Frances McGowin with Gaige and Emma, his Service Dog are skilled at detecting anxiety and in math Mobile Hwy, escalating adrenalin levels which is scores over classrooms without the Hope Hull, AL 36043, Off. 334-462extremely helpful in assisting school program. These same classrooms had 2463, Kennels 334-452-0772 children with test anxieties or who ZERO disciplinary write-ups or office Sandi Aplin, Director of Gallery One Fine are experiencing other problems. referrals. Art. A freelance writer living in MontFOLLOW THE LEAD (FTL) is the
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Popcorn is one of the dogs trained
gomery, AL. sandiaplin@aol.com or galleryonefineart.com
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By Jeff Barganier
Experiencing
LaLa Land If you’re ever in Los Angeles, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library is a must see. It is absolutely the best place to learn about the amazing Reagan years. This fabulous edifice is located in a beautiful valley of California about 43 miles northwest of Beverly Hills. You can see a full-scale replica of the Oval Office and tour Reagan’s actual Air Force One plane and helicopter. Reagan’s armored presidential limousine is also on display. Plan to spend several hours here. Immerse yourself in history. Touch the Berlin Wall Reagan helped bring down. Watch clips of his most profound speeches and brief documentaries showing the 40th President in action against the Soviet Communists. Relax and take in the scenic hills of Ventura County over lunch then visit the final resting place of Ronald and Nancy Reagan. We saw many visitors and even new Americans at the library from places like Vietnam, Korea and Eastern Europe who expressed their love of Reagan— people who had escaped the bonds of Communism and understood Reagan’s role in reshaping the destiny of the world for their children. We looked on as a little boy sat front and center during the opening film introducing Reagan. He watched and listened respectfully. “We loved Reagan,” his Dad said. People often stood and watched the videos with tears in their eyes; especially, at the Berlin Wall where the story is told of East German border guards shooting innocent
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We stayed at the Beverly Hilton (think Golden Globe Awards) where Cindy attended the 2017 Design Bloggers Conference. The staff was friendly and responsive. The hotel has a sprawling, attractive bar, a large gift shop, and the café has an awesome cheeseburger! There’s a spa, exercise room, huge pool area that is all aglow at night with one wall of the hotel serving as a huge movie screen. The Hilton is an easy walk to the glamourous shops of Rodeo Drive. For non-walkers, there’s a Budget Rent-a-Car and an exotic-car rental about a block from the hotel. You can rent a Maserati for $295 a day. I asked a guy there if special training was necessary. “Nope. Just a valid driver’s license and insurance.” Lots of insurance. Cindy and Jeff Barganier, Malibu, CA
Germans who were trying to escape to the West and freedom. I highly recommend a visit to the Reagan Library but there is much more to do and see in the Los Angeles area. Over 60 attractions were listed in our hotel’s area guide book. They range from amazing museums to parks, zoo and Hollywood tours, —literally something for everybody—notably, Disneyland; or, for more intellectual visitors, the Griffith Observatory. This free-admission observatory is said to be one of the most popular informal education facilities in the United States and the most visited public observatory in the world.
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When you’re walking on Rodeo Drive, look out for David. He’ll hand you a little pack of lotion and invite you in to his shop—a really nice establishment. Seriously. If you’ll sit in his chair, be still and look up, and keep looking up—don’t dare look down—he’ll give you a mini-facial by applying this stuff around your eyes that will cause your skin to tighten and, at least in theory, remove wrinkles. Actually, use it every day for a month and they’re gone for good, so he says. The whole package is only $3995. But because I’m a writer, I was offered the special deal of $495. Unfortunately for David, I like my wrinkles. Compared to Alabama, L.A. is another world and Beverly Hills is a cosmos of its
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own. But in obscenity everywhere. North Beverly Drive. And don’t miss a my view, it’s Being from Alabama, I tried Reuben sandwich at Nate’n Al Deli on a paradise to say something polite as Beverly where writers hang out and pitch for writers. I hit the exit. “Cool store,” screenplays. Say hello to my favorite There are I managed. “We think so,” waitress, Raisa from Russia. colorful the clerk replied tentatively, Almost everyone speaks English characters as if he didn’t really believe but you’ll hear many languages and around my words or his either. Met encounter people from all over the every corner. a couple from Arkansas who planet exploring, shopping, snapping Perhaps said they come every year pictures, eating and/or watching you. that’s why and are still finding new Take the hotel “house car” over to a every other things to do and see. nice restaurant, favorite deli or shop. person Our driver, Dale, dropped us off for you meet Ladies, do you crave shoes? dinner at Mastro’s Steakhouse, and then is a writer, I recommend Schutz at 314 returned for us while we sat out front Little Boy Watching Reagan producer Beverly and watched celebrities or marketing agent for writers and Drive. A pair of arrive in pricey cars. Later, producers; or a plastic surgeon or five-inch heels will we sat by the pool and cosmetics salesman. I found people very run you about $200. viewed a surfer-movie on friendly; albeit, at times, I got the distinct I tried to get Cindy the big wall. If you rent impression that there was an ulterior to go buy some, that Maserati, check out motive. I asked a long-time resident how but she couldn’t Paradise Cove Café on L.A. compared to New York in terms of tear herself away Malibu Beach just down friendliness. He answered obliquely, from the bloggers the sand from Barbara “Well, it’s not New York.” I talked at conference at the Streisand’s cliff-top estate length with a friendly young man from Beverly Hilton. The that overlooks the Pacific Maryland, a rabid Alabama football joys of technology. Ocean. Have a mean time, fan, whose job was reading a “noise C’est la vie. Men, surfer-dudes. Tell ’em Jeff meter”—Beverly Hills is concerned do you like cars? I sent y’all. about noise pollution. A friendly security have never seen so guard from Houston seemed less than many exotic cars: Bevery Hills Hilton impressed with the city. But he had Bugatti’s, Tesla’s, the dubious pleasure of standing in Maserati’s, Ferrari’s. And you’ll never see Jeff Barganier is a freelance writer and business one spot and staring at the door of a so many beautiful young ladies anywhere manager of Cindy Barganier Interiors LLC. He travels far and wide upon the slightest excuse jewelry store all day. And a sweet young as in Beverly Hills! I suppose many are for something lady who wouldn’t make eye contact looking to break into show business or interesting to with me until I asked her for directions have jobs connected with the industry. I write about. became effusive, nearly getting us don’t know. But it is amazing how many Contact him at jeffbarganier@ run over in the middle of the street. there seem to be everywhere you go. knology.net. I meandered in to a glitzy bookstore If you’re interested in antiques, art and on Rodeo Drive but quickly discovered the like, check out Uniquities at 266
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The Mayor of BOOMTOWN
FX BUCKET LIST?
At the end of this month I’ll be celebrating one of those “benchmark birthdays”. I’m not particularly anxious to share the number, but I’ll just say this. I have been lining my mailbox with Vaseline to help my mail lady squeeze all the various Medicare offers arriving each day. They come by the handful. Part A. Part B. Part C, D, F’n, G. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do before the 27th. If 37 different companies know about this birthday, I struggle to understand why I have to announce it to our clueless gub’ment. In addition to 7 pounds of daily Medicare Mail I’ve been inundated with insurance companies willing to bet me a dollar a day ‘til the day I die that I won’t die. Really. So IF I evaluate this birthday by the USPS, there’s nothing ahead from this point but sickness and eventual death.
I plan to celebrate this birthday because for much of my life, even reaching this age in a non-vegetative state was a bet most people wouldn’t take. For example, I turned 25 in a rubber room facility. I’d gone off the deep end following (another) calamitous breakup with a woman and spent #25 making wallets and welcoming unarmed visitors in a special hospital. Birthday #30 wasn’t much better. The
party had been the night before and if it’s judged by the hangover, it was the worst of all. The pain raged in AND outside my head, on a day that began face-down inside my front door, (floor pattern imbedded in my face). I had to work that morning, head pounding to Air Supply and Lionel Richie ballads through a show I could not remember afterward. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Ohh- not so loud. That was the worst, and I’m happy to report my birthdays have been far more civil and festive since I grew up a few decades late. Someone recently asked if I had a Bucket List, you know, the things you want to do before the Grim Reaper comes to collect. At that moment, the only thing I could think of was mowing the lawn, because I was a couple days behind and really wanted to get it done. Seriously, I’ve given it lots of thought and there is very little I haven’t experienced or done. My whole life, I always wanted to experience a hurricane. You read about that last month when I wrote A Night To Remember, about Hurricane Andrew. I spent that whole terrifying night thinking “well, this was a stupid thing to wish for”. For the record, I’ve wondered what it’s like to be in an earthquake but having learned from Andrew, I won’t mind if that never gets scratched off the BL.
By Greg Budell
There are some things it’s too late to do. I will never play major league baseball. I had a hole-in-one in golf, so that remains my moment of Sports Glory (I was 14 so I’ve had plenty of time to brag on it). I’ve always wanted to bowl a 300 game (10 strikes was the closest) but I just don’t bowl often enough to get into the groove required to accomplish that one. I once had 9 strikes in a game and scored only a 197, a dubious but difficult achievement. I’ve also accepted that I’ll never master any musical instrument, having tried and failed on everything from the banjo to the accordion. Zithers don’t count, do they? I have one Bucket List item that is doable but unlikely - a trip to Hawaii. I’ve always wanted to visit Pearl Harbor, as it is a place and story I have studied through books, documentaries and films- and I’d like to see it with my own eyes. However, 11 hours on airplanes, TSA and NO SMOKING is more than I can bear. United flies there and I’d be the next passenger getting dragged off a plane by the lips. I’d snap. More realistically, the other historical site I’ve studied and want to see is Dealey Plaza. I’m an admitted JFK conspiracy theorist and need to see this place for myself. Everyone I know who’s gone there says it’s much smaller in person. That’s a perspective I need for myself, and I can drive there.
Greg Budell's column is proudly sponsored by McDonald & Hagen Wealth Management
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One item gets scratched off the BL next year when I watch my daughter get married (to a young man I strongly approve). That Bucket List item includes a codicil- to make it through the ceremony without crying. My daughter has been telling me since she was a kid that people would need to wear rubber shoes to her wedding because even then, she knew what a mushbag her Dad can be. Right now, the OVER/UNDER on my achieving that is about -5 gallons. My life has been filled with amazing people and experiences. I’ve been rich and poor. Happy and sad, I’ve had fancy pants cars and crapmobiles. I’m not in the golden years (yuck) but more the Goldilocks era as everything is about just right. I don’t know what will kill me but I know if I leave the radio I’ll start dying that day. I’ve seen that happen! One more thing. No birthday candles this year. I’m going to take all those Medicare and life insurance offers, build a bonfire and blow that out instead.
Meanwhile, as the train pulls into Station 65, I’m happy to report I can still do what I used to do all night. It just takes me all night to do it. Greg Budell lives in Montgomery with his wife, Roz, and dogs Hershey and Briscoe. He’s been in radio since 1970, and is marking 12 years in the River Region in 2017. He hosts the Newstalk 93.1FM Morning Show with Rich Thomas, Jay Scott & Emily Hayes, 6-9AM Monday-Friday. He returns weekday afternoons from 3-6PM for Happy Hour with sidekick Joey Clark. Greg can be reached at gregbudell@aol.com The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
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Meet Baddie Winkle:
She's 89 and a Social Media Phenomenon
By Cheryl Truman
Helen Van Winkle, aka "BaddieWinkle," age 89 on July 26, 2017 at her home in Richmond, Ky. BaddieWinkle is an internet personality and has a book out, "Baddiewinkle's Guide to Life." (Pablo Alcala/Lexington Herald-Leader/TNS)
There's the public Baddie Winkle, who attended MTV's Video Music Awards in an embellished nude-colored bodysuit, whose slogan is "Stealing your men since 1928" and who appeared on the MTV show "Ridiculousness" with the line "I pray for the basic." Then there's the striking white-haired lady who answers the door at her brand new house in Richmond, who sounds like, and is, someone who has spent most of her life in Kentucky, 50 years of it on six acres in nearby Waco. "I'm just an old farm girl," she said.
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Well, yes, and no. Don't call her a little old lady. She may have to use a cane, but it's the bejeweled one she carried at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards. And her jeans, if you look at the back, feature two middle fingers signaling to those behind her. Helen Van Winkle is, at 89, a media phenomenon. "Discovered" at 85 by her great-granddaughter Kennedy Lewis while she was sporting a T-shirt, cutoff jean shorts and pink socks with marijuana plants printed on them
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("I didn't know what they were," Van Winkle said of the plants), her photo went up on social media and immediately ticked that box of the internet called virally cute. Soon after her debut at 85, Baddie was famous across Instagram (3.1 million followers), Twitter (223,000 followers) and Facebook (160,000 followers), dressing in clothing that looks as if Forever 21 went on a bender composed of grain alcohol and Starburst: shiny short dresses, skinbaring jumpsuits, huge glasses, pink lipstick turned up to atomic radiation The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
levels and the pout that has launched a million Facebook selfies. Not bad for someone born at Glomawr near Hazard whose first job was setting tobacco and just turned 89. Although she is petite _ a size 2, usually, at most a size 4 _ she is a born rebel, and she was as surprised as anyone that she got to re-invent herself after the deaths of her husband and son. On a recent visit to her new home in Richmond _ she lived in nearby Waco for 50 years and has just moved back from Tennessee _ she was boxing some copies of her new book, "Baddiewinkle's Guide to Life" (HarperCollins, $21.99). On the internet, Baddie is portrayed as an elderly rebel without a cause who loves flashy and sometimes revealing clothes, partying, dancing and shooting fake dollar bills out of a special currency-dispensing gun. She has worn a coat that sports the words "Rude Girl," shirts that say "Acid: Drop It," "Will Commit Sins 4 Chipotle," and "Dimepiece." She wears form-fitting latex dresses and, frankly, looks pretty good in them. The Web site Closer called Baddie "basically the Rihanna of the 60-100 age bracket."
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She won an Instagrammer of the Year award in 2016 at the Eighth Annual Shorty Awards, which honor the best of social media.
Baddie has given so many interviews to media outlets around the world she can no longer remember them all, but here's a partial list: CNN Money, which said she can make up to $5,000 for a paid post on Instagram; the New York Times; New York Daily News; and The Telegraph in Great Britain. Baddie is, in short, proof that you don't have to stop partying like it's 1999 just because you're 89. Baddie talked about her slogans: "Stealing your man since 1928" is one. "I pray for the basic" is another, because she frets about the online haters who tell her that she shouldn't be doing the things she does. In Kentucky parlance, she "sees no strangers," be they Miley Cyrus (who she met, and calls charming), Drake (who she wants to meet) or people at shopping centers who stop her and ask for a selfie (she always obliges). Baddie has been a spokesmodel for brands such as Smirnoff ICE Electric Flavors, which was her first national commercial. For the teen clothing brand Misguided, she dressed in a silver lame miniskirt with a furry neon pink jacket, a crown and a raft of gold necklaces, one of which says "bitch." The pitch: "Who says you can't slay at any age?"
Baddie went to the 2016 MTV Video Awards dressed in a spangled nude bodysuit with crystals hiding her naughty bits and platform boots so high they allow the wearer to reach up and touch Jesus. Some noted a sly homage to the 2000 bodysuit that Britney Spears wore to the VMAs. (If you're keeping up with VMA bodysuit homages, it probably was.) Baddie has a presence that the camera loves: Like the 95-year-old fashion icon Iris Apfel, she takes the outrageous, such as pink faux fur and a retro jumpsuit with cut-outs, and makes them look commanding. Chico's this isn't: nothing subtle, demure or without a small rebellious twist. Baddie and her great-granddaughter are planning a trip to Jamaica soon to participate in a swimsuit contest. Baddie doesn't know the details, but she doesn't worry. She's going to Jamaica, she will wake up and then she will be Baddie Winkle. Nothing to it. (c)2017 Lexington Herald-Leader Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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September 2017
{12 Things} for active boomers and beyond
BIRMINGHAM/SHELBY, ALABAMA Alabama Wine Trail Excursions Alabama Wine Country
September 2016 Spend the day in Alabama’s wine country, taste traditional wines plus our southern favorites. Break the day with a great meal along the way, or bring a picnic and finish the day at a Bed and Breakfast or area hotel. Trail Maps available on the website wineries minutes away from the Interstates and Highways. Plan your trip now by visiting alabamawinetrail.net
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA
Broadway Under The Stars ASF-Blount Cultural Park Thursday, September 7th, gates open at 5 pm The Montgomery Symphony will present its 31st annual Broadway Under The Stars Pops Concert this September 7, 2017 at 7:30pm. Coolers, baskets, blankets, and lawn chairs are welcome at this free concert of Broadway show tunes performed lakeside at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. Gates open at 5:00 p.m for picnicking. Broadway Under the Stars concert is generously sponsored by Regions Bank. For more info visit www.montgomerysymphony.org
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA
Burger Bash Lower Dexter Avenue, Downtown Montgomey Thursday, September 7th, 5:30-8:30 pm Chefs from area restaurants throw down, to determine who really has the best burger in the city—and you, the people of Montgomery, decide. MGM Burger Bash is a competition style cook off and you are the judge, you cast your vote after sampling all of the burgers. Join us on September 7th, 2017 on Lower Dexter Avenue, Downtown Montgomery, AL. This year's Competitors: Kowliga, Central, Montgomery Biscuits, Cork & Clever, Sundown East, NYC Gyro, D'Road
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Cafe, Cahawba House, Fire Meats Wood, Dreamland BBQ, Chris' Hot Dogs and Itta Bena. General Admission Tickets: $25 - You get to taste all the burgers and vote on the best. VIP: $50 - Burger Bash 2017 t-shirt, VIP drink cup and you get to taste all the burgers and vote. Tickets can be purchased at Eventbrite. For more information, go to www.lightninglinemgm.com
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA Family Guidance Center Walk/Run The Shoppes at EastChase Saturday September 9th, 7:30 am
This event offers many different activities for individuals and families. In addition to the 5K and 10K courses designed by the River Region Runners, many of the stores at The Shoppes at EastChase open early and offer deep discounts to participants. Gap, Williams-Sonoma, and Bath & Body Works are some of the many participating stores. Refreshments, Color Guard flag presentation, and DJ-hosted music add to the festive spirit. Age-level awards encourage best times among competitive runners, and door prizes allows everyone a chance of going home with a prize. More info visit www. familyguidancecenter.org
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA Zoobilation Montgomery Zoo Thursday,September 14th, 6-10 pm
Dance to the groove, delight in drinks and food samplings from the finest eateries in the River Region, try your luck at the vast collection of auction items and rub elbows with the area’s finest animal lovers. Zoobilation is a fundraiser geared for adults only. All guests must be 21 years old or older to attend. Tickets are $50 per person (all guests must be at least 21 years old to attend). Individual and table tickets may be purchased online at montgomeryzoo.com or at the Zoo’s gift shop and museum. For more info visit www.montgomeryzoo.com
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA
38th Annual SAC’s Waterfront Show Montgomery Visitor Center-300 Water Street Sunday, September 17th, 1-3 pm Please join us for a Reception at our 38th Annual SAC’s Waterfront Show and Competition. The show is in Memory of Nell Hardeman, the founder of this competition. The Reception and Awards Presentations will be held Sunday, September 17th, from 1 to 3 pm with awards being presented at 2 pm. The awards and exhibit will be The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine
at Montgomery Visitor Center, 300 Water St. - Downtown in the Union Station. The exhibit will be on display through October 4th at the Visitor Center Monday-Saturday 8:30 am to 5 pm. For more information, please call 334.265.9931 or visit www.sacsgallery.org/2016/08/01/2016annual-waterfront-show-competition
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA
Taste of The Beach Pensacola Beach Florida Saturday/Sunday, September15-16, various times If your ideal vacation is flip-flops and a fork, we’ll see you on the sugar-white sands of Pensacola Beach in September for Taste of the Beach! This annual foodie festival showcases taste-tempting coastal delights made by Pensacola Beach’s favorite restaurants. It’s Florida’s best seafood meets Florida’s best beach. Not just “with a beach view.” We’re talking feet in the sand, crashing waves, sunshine and shrimp. Taste of the Beach brings the restaurants right down to the sandy shoreline for a day-long celebration of all things Southern, seafood, savory and sweet. The 10th Annual Taste of the Beach opens Saturday, Sept. 15, at 11 am when 22 of the beach’s favorite casual and fine dining restaurants, stationed in booths overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, begin serving sample-size portions of their signature dishes for $5 each throughout the day. For more info, visit www.tasteofpensacolabeach.com
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA
51st Annual Montgomery Art Guild/Regions Bank Art Show Regions Bank, 100 Monroe St.
September 21-October 12th 51st Annual Montgomery Art Guild and Regions Bank Art Show, showcasing the best in River Region art. The exhibit can be viewed from Sept. 21 - Oct. 12 at RSA Regions Bank, 100 Monroe Street -with a public reception from 5-7 p.m. on Sept 21 in the bank's second floor lobby. Three thousand dollars in cash prizes will be announced and awarded in six art categories during the juried exhibit's opening reception. For more information, visit the exhibit's online site at https://51stannualregionsbankexhibit.artcall.org
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA Tickled Pink Women's Expo Cramton Bowl Multiplex September 29, 2017 | 9 am–4 pm
Join Alabama News Network as we kick off Breast Cancer Awareness Month on Friday, Sept. 29th with the 3rd Annual Tickled Pink Women’s Expo. All ticket sales benefit the Joy to Life Foundation. Tickets are now on sale. Check below for purchase information. This year will be even BIGGER and BETTER than last year with more beauty, more fitness, more food, and even more fun! To be a Vendor, contact Austin Saunders or Paul Neace at 334.271.8888.
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TITUS, ALABAMA
Titus Bluegrass Festival Titus Community Center, 5859 Titus Rd, Titus, AL Saturday, September 30th, 10-4 pm The toe-tappin’ and fiddlin’ will begin Saturday, September 30th, as down-home music will kick-off the 17th annual Titus Bluegrass Festival. Family-oriented fun and entertainment will be the order of the day as banjos, mandolins, fiddles, and guitars take center stage. Sponsored by the Titus Community Center and the Titus Volunteer Fire Department, the family event features a schedule of continuous music that runs from 10 am until 4 pm. Admission is $5 for age 12 and over, and free to children. Grab a lawn chair (for outside seating) and head to the Titus Community Center located approximately 10 miles north of Wetumpka on Highway 231, then six miles north on County Road 29. For more information, visit our Facebook page at facebook.com/pages/TitusBluegrass-Festival.
MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA Riverwalk Arts and Crafts Festival Downtown Montgomery Saturday, September 30th, 9-6 pm
The Riverwalk Arts & Crafts Festival will be held in Montgomery’s Riverfront Park along the banks of the historic Alabama River. In the event of rain, the event will be moved to the Historic Union Station Train Shed adjacent to Riverfront Park. Admission is free. Riverfront Park 355 Commerce St, Montgomery, AL 36104
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA Antiques at The Gardens Birmingham Botanical Gardens Friday-Sunday, October 6-8
Antiques at The Gardens will feature Tastemakers who are regionally and nationally known architects, interior designers and landscape designers. Each designer will curate themed areas with goods selected from the best of Birmingham and other sources around the country. The show will continue to include antique dealers from across the United States presenting antiques, furniture, porcelain, fine art, silver, garden accessories and jewelry. A Conversation Bobby McAlpine with Bobby McAlpine & Chris Tippett will take place Sunday at 1 pm. Come, shop and be inspired! Location address is Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 2612 Lane Park Road, Birmingham, Alabama 35223. For more info visit www.bbgardens.org R ive r Re gio n Bo o m . co m
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Tinseltown Talks By Nick Thomas
Barbara Rush and Her Leading Men The list of actors with whom Barbara Rush shared the big screen is impressive.
“Taza, Son of Cochise," Rush’s character was named Oona. “Off camera, Rock would call me Oona, dos, tres!”
that was ridiculous and he agreed. We divorced but remained friends.” Rush also counted the late Turner Classic Movies host Robert Osborne among her many entertainment friends.
“I remember Bob calling me up one “I did work time and saying ‘We’re playing one of with a lot of your old films tonight.’ There was a time interesting when I didn’t like seeing myself in those But laughs and talented early films, but I watched that evening were scarce in men,” said and thought ‘Hey, I was actually pretty 1956’s “Bigger Ms. Rush good!’ If you work with great actors than Life” from Los it rubs off on you. I think I gave some where Rush's Angeles. “And performances I can be quite proud of.” character Carolyn Hennesy and aunt Barbara Rush on the set of Bleeding actresses, too, Hearts The Arteries of Glenda Bryant - provided by Carolyn Hennesy suffered such as Jane Wyman. I found the nicest people were abuse at the hands of a actually the biggest stars because they drug-crazed James Mason. were all so gracious and helpful.” “It was based on a true story about a teacher and the Just considering 1958’s “The Young side-effects he experienced Lions," she worked alongside Marlon from addiction to the new Brando, Montgomery Clift, and Dean drug cortisone. James was Martin. fascinated by the story and wanted to produce and star in “It was a serious war film, but Dean the movie." And she adds, he still made me laugh – a lovely man. He was "truly a wonderful actor would say ‘I don’t drink anymore… I with an unforgettable voice." The many faces of Barbara Rush in Captain Lightfoot, The Black Shield don’t drink any less, but I don’t drink of Falworth, and It Came from Outer Space - all Universal Pictures any more!’ I never saw him drunk, it was Rush was also married to And at 90, she recently found herself in all an act.” popular leading man Jeffrey Hunter. front of the camera again to complete a short promo – “Bleeding Hearts: The With a career that includes extensive “We never really did a film together. He Arteries of Glenda Bryant” – for a new television and theatrical roles, Rush was was always wandering around the world TV series her niece, “General Hospital” prolific on the big screen throughout making movies and so was I. There was actress Carolyn Hennesy, is pitching to the 50s including three films with Rock a period of about a year and a half when networks. Hudson. “You couldn’t help but love we never saw each other. I told him someone like “I play a kind of Rock who had a vampire – something wonderful sense quite new for me! But it of humor and was fun to do.” just loved to laugh. He was Nick Thomas teaches just the funniest at Auburn University at actor I ever Montgomery, Ala., and has worked with.” written features, columns, Playing a pair of Indians in the western
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Barbara Rush and Dean Martin in The Young Lions Twentieth Century Fox
September 2017
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Rock Hudson and Barbara Rush in Taza, Son of Cochise - Universal Pictures
and interviews for over 600 magazines and newspapers. Nick can be reached at www.getnickt.com
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n io t a s r e v n o c e h t t Star is suicidal
e n eo m o s t a th t ec p s u s u o y if
1. Show them that you care. u.” “I’m really worried about yo out 2. Ask if they are thinking ab suicide. “I can imagine how tough this must be for you. Have you been thinking about suicide?”
3. Get Help. n’t “Maybe there’s a chance you wo help.” feel this way forever. I can icide, If you are thinking about su are worried about a friend or ional loved one, or would like emot support, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24/7. Just Talk About It.
Call 1-800-2 73-8255 Available 24 hours every day alabamapublichealth.gov/suicide