55 Plus of Rochester, #27: May – June 2014 by 55 Plus: For Active Adults in Rochester

Savvy Senior: How to Fight Age Discrimination

FR Jim Terwilliger: 5 Reasons to Delay Your Retirement

55 PLUS Issue 27 May / June 2014

For Active Adults in the Rochester Area

Mrs. Canandaigua Ellie Fralick is credited with being a force for positive change in Canandaigua

Trends Growing number of Rochesterians working past 65

Doing Zumba at 90 Program at Episcopal SeniorLife helps people get moving

ways to cut 100 calories a day

DAN MEYERS 65-year-old leader of Al Sigl making a difference in the nonprofit world in Rochester

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CONTENTS

55 PLUS

May / June 2014

12 16 Savvy Senior 6 Real Estate 8 Financial Health 10 My Turn 18 Long-term Care 39 Visits 40

12 WORKFORCE • Not quitting at 65: More workers over 65 in the workforce

14 PARENTING • Patience and distance are the best policies when grown children behave badly

16 PROFILE

• Meet Ellie Fralick, who recently received the Mrs. Canandaigua award Betty Smith, 80, longtime worker who got an education later in life inducted to MCC Hall of Fame 4

55 PLUS - May / June 2014

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20 32 24 COVER • Dan Meyers, the leader of Al Sigl, has a gift for helping those with disabilities, special needs

30 ACTIVITY • Program at Episcopal SeniorLife helps people get moving

32 GARDENING • Top local garden experts cite what trends are drawing attention

20 TRENDS

36 WEIGHT LOSS

• After more than 30 years, Tom Kohn still relishes helping customers find obscure and collectible records

• Ten ways to cut 100 calories a day

40 VISITS • Top 10 things to do in Hawaii, the “Sinshine State”

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savvy senior By Jim Miller

How to Fight Age Discrimination

ADEA Protection

20 employees, you may still be protected under your state’s anti-age discrimination law. Contact the labor department for more information. Another protection for older workers is the federal Older Workers Benefit Protection Act. Under this law, an employer cannot reduce health or life insurance benefits for older employees, nor can it stop their pensions from accruing if they work past their normal retirement age. It also discourages businesses from targeting older workers when cutting staff and prohibits employers from forcing employees to take early retirement.

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) is your first defense against age discrimination. This is a federal law that says an employer cannot fire, refuse to hire, or treat you differently than other employees because of your age. Some examples of age discrimination include: • You were fired because your boss wanted to keep younger workers who are paid less. • You were turned down for a promotion, which went to someone younger hired from outside the company, because the boss says the company “needs new blood.” • When company layoffs are announced, most of the persons laid off were older, while younger workers with less seniority and less on-the-job experience were kept on. • Before you were fired, your supervisor made age-related remarks about you. • You didn’t get hired because the employer wanted a younger-looking person to do the job. The ADEA protects all workers and job applicants age 40 and over who work for employers that have 20 or more employees — including federal, state and local governments as well as employment agencies and labor unions. If your workplace has fewer than

If you think you are a victim of employment age discrimination, your first step is to file a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) usually within 180 days from the date of the alleged violation. You can do this by mail or in person at your nearest EEOC office (see www.eeoc.gov/contact), or by calling 800-669-4000. Once the charge is filed, the EEOC will investigate your complaint and find either reasonable cause to believe that age discrimination has occurred, or no cause and no basis for a claim. After the investigation, the EEOC will then send you their findings along with a “notice-of-right-to-sue,” which gives you permission to file a lawsuit in a court of law. If you decide to sue, you’ll need to hire a lawyer who specializes in employee discharge suits. Lawyers. com and Findlaw.com are two websites that can help you locate discrimination attorneys in your area. Another option you should consider is mediation, which is a fair and efficient way to help you resolve your employment disputes and reach an agreement. The EEOC offers mediation at no cost if your current or former employer agrees to participate.

ge discrimination has become a much more frequent complaint in recent years as more and more people are working into their retirement years. But you need to be aware that proving it is extremely difficult to do, especially since the 2009 Supreme Court decision that raised the bar for the type of legal proof that workers need to win age discrimination lawsuits. With that said, here are the steps you’ll need to take to fight age discrimination if you think you’ve been treated unlawfully.

55 PLUS - May / June 2014

What to Do

55PLUS Editor and Publisher Wagner Dotto

Associate Editor Lou Sorendo

Contributing Writers

Deborah J. Sergeant, Ernst Lamothe Jr., Mike Costanza Aaron Gifford

Columnists

Jim Terwilliger, Susan Suben Jim Miller, Bruce Frassinelli Laura Thompson Mary Howard

Advertising

Donna Kimbrell, Marsha Preston H. Mat Adams

Office Manager

Laura J. Beckwith

Layout and Design Chris Crocker

Cover Photo

Chuck Wainwright 55 PLUS –A Magazine for Active Adults in the Rochester Area is published six times a year by Local News, Inc., which also publishes In Good Health–Rochester–Genesee Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper.

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How to Reach Us P.O. Box 525 Victor, NY 14564 Voice: 585-421-8109 Fax: 585-421-8129 Editor@roc55.com

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real estate By Mary Howard

Lovin’ City Living At Any Age

Moving from the suburbs to the city

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’m an empty nester from the suburbs who wanted to downsize after raising two great kids in a three bedroom home in West Irondequoit. If this sounds like you, then you will enjoy reading the rest of the story about my transition from the “burb” to the “urb.” So there I was — feeling like my kids grew up faster than I could shake a stick. I knew I wanted the next phase of my life to be something different. I wanted something exciting where I could have convenience and culture and connect with people my own age but also be around younger people and a more diverse population. It seemed cool and practical so I decided to take the leap when I found a great place in historic Corn Hill. That was four years ago and I have enjoyed the lifestyle of city living every day since. What I discovered after moving here is that many people like me are making similar choices. According to a Time.com article, in 2011, for the first time in nearly a hundred years, the rate of urban population growth outpaced suburban growth, reversing a trend that held steady for every decade since the invention of the automobile.” So what’s the big attraction? Downtown living provides a unique lifestyle for anyone who enjoys walking to restaurants, theater, sporting events, live music and arts festivals. Add to that list, hikes along beautiful tree-lined streets adorned with historic homes, biking along trails that lead throughout the city or along the river to see our nation’s highest waterfall (within a city limit). What I found to be equally enticing are the quaint neighborhood business districts filled with small boutique shops, intimate wine bars and cafes, and specialty shops offering locally made products showcased in beautifully decorated storefronts. Shopping in the South Wedge or Park

Avenue is a special treat offering visitors a taste of Rochester at its best. Now let’s talk about festival season. Rochester is fast becoming a “festival capital” drawing huge talent from all over the world and large audiences to attend some of the best festivals in the country. Let’s start with the Rochester International Film Festival (RIFF), the High Falls Film Festival, ImageOut and the Jewish Film Festival. Amazing creativity, talent and production derived from independent film artists all over the world. Why? Because Rochester represents a city of innovation and creation. And who hasn’t heard of the fabulous Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival? This festival literally transforms our city! We have art festivals galore in Park Avenue, Corn Hill, the Memorial Art Gallery and High Falls (Greentopia) and a new rising festival star — the Fringe Festival. With all this entertainment, there’s no more time spent pondering the question, “what is there to do today?” While much of the newer housing in Rochester is dedicated to rentals, there are amazing opportunities to own if you know where to look. Whether you’re looking for an affordable starter home or a luxurious condo in the heart of the East and Park Avenue neighborhoods, it’s all there waiting for you to “make the move”! There are exciting incentive programs available for city homeownership and it would be wise to enlist the help of a professional to navigate those options. A great starting point to learn more about Rochester’s neighborhoods, special home buyer programs and amenities is the Rochester City Living website www.rochestercityliving.com/ Mary Howard is a licensed real estate salesperson with Magellan Real Estate & Relocation located in Brighton. You can contact her at mary@1magellan.com

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financial health By Jim Terwilliger

Five Reasons to Delay Your Retirement

Planning for retirement? Do the math first

o, math wasn’t your favorite subject in school? It may not have been — but when planning for retirement, you just might want to dust off your textbooks and get out your calculator. Crunching the numbers will put you ahead of the curve when planning for a financially-secure retirement. Maintaining (or dare I say, enhancing) a pre-retirement standard of living into and through retirement is a goal we all share. Believe it or not, delaying the start of retirement by one or more years beyond an original target retirement date has a huge multiplier effect on the probability of achieving a desired standard of living. How so? For each year retirement is delayed, we have: 1 One additional year of earned income, a portion of which can be saved through employer retirement plans or outside IRAs, Roth IRAs, or investment accounts, resulting in additional wealth accumulation. 2 One additional year of potential earnings and growth associated with that wealth. 3 Reduced by one the number of years that our savings/investments will need to last to see us through retirement. 4 One additional year of earned income that will add to the Social Security wage base which, for most people, will enhance monthly Social Security retirement benefits. 5 Made it easier to delay the start of Social Security benefits, with each year of delay increasing these benefits by 8 percent. The math is simple here. A modest delay, while perhaps not desirable in the short term, can make a great difference in the long term. 10

55 PLUS - May / June 2014

Another mathematical reality related to retirement is lifespan. People are living longer. At age 65, a male has an average life expectancy of 17 years and a female, 20 years. A 65-year-old man has a 30 percent chance of living to 90, and a 65-year-old woman has a 40 percent chance of reaching 90, according to Professor Ron Gebhardtsbauer at Penn State University. A 2011 report by the Census Bureau says that a person at 90 has a further life expectancy of almost five years. With medical science continuing to advance, these numbers will be conservative in a few years. All of this suggests that when planning for retirement, timeframes ranging from 20 to 30 to 40 years need to be on the radar screen. The key to making retirement doable, from a financial perspective, is to ensure that distributions from the nest egg over such a timeframe are managed in a way that the money does not run out. Again, reach for the calculator. We have commented in previous articles about a rule of thumb verified by countless studies in the financial planning literature. While the specifics vary by author, it goes something like this: For the initial year or two of retirement, limit distributions from all investment resources to no more than about 4 percent or 5 percent of the total balance. In future years, increase the distribution by inflation to maintain constant purchasing power. For years in which savings/investments suffer an investment loss, forgo the increase in the following year’s distribution. Be sure your overall investments follow a disciplined balanced investment approach — 50 percent to 60 percent stock-related with broad

global diversification and periodic rebalancing. Avoid market timing. The above then represents cash flow available to the household from your invested resources. Other ongoing income sources may include Social Security, a pension, earned income from part-time work and distributions from immediate annuities. Outflow is represented by recurring expenses and income taxes. If projected outflows exceed inflows, something has to give or you may ultimately run out of money. What might give? We are right back to where we started — possibly delaying the start of retirement or reducing your spending target. The time to crunch the numbers is before retiring, in the planning stages. It may be too late to effectively reverse course after retiring. In most cases, learning too late that you jumped into retirement too soon results in having to settle for a less-than-desired retirement standard of living. This is hard to live with for the next 20, 30, 40 years — and avoidable in most cases simply by planning ahead. If you are concerned that you will need to do the math on your own, you can breathe easy. Most folks do not want the full burden of retirement planning on their shoulders alone. The consequences of making a mistake are too great. Seek out a feebased financial planner to help you with the task. Partnering with a trusted adviser is the best way to ensure that you are on the right path. James Terwilliger, CFP®, is a senior vice president, financial Planning manager for the Wealth Strategies Group of Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Company. He can be reached at 585-419-0670 ext. 50630 or by email at jterwilliger@cnbank.com.

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55+

workforce

Not Quitting at Age 65 Most are retired at that age but study shows a growing number of people 65 and over still active in the work force or looking for work By Aaron Gifford

lame the economy and the Great Recession. Or credit today’s older adults for their ability and desire to remain active in the work force. Either way, this is definitely not your father ’s retirement situation. A re c e n t n a t i o n a l s t u d y o f Americans around the retirement age determined that a quarter of adults over 65 are working or looking for work, and that figure is expected to increase within the next few years. The study, completed by The Associated

55 PLUS - May / June 2014

Press NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, also found that those over 55 remain the fastest-growing segment of the work force. The study, called “Working Longer: Older Americans’ Attitudes on Work and Retirement” is based on surveys of 1,024 adults over the age of 50. “Retirement is not only coming later in life, but for many it no longer represents a complete exit from the work force,” AP authors noted in the study’s introduction. “Faced with

the expectation of living healthier for longer, older adults may opt to remain in the work force longer and defer savings, pensions and Social Security for a later age. Increased work force participation of older adults has implications for retirement policy, Social Security and health care financing, and the behavior of employers and employees alike.” Of those surveyed, 47 percent indicated that they will do some work for pay during their retirement, and 50 percent said friends and

relatives around their age are still working. Twenty-two percent of the participants said they have searched for employment in the past five years. Twenty percent of the respondents said they have experienced age-related discrimination in their effort to find a job or secure a promotion in their current career. The report also notes that the average retirement age has shifted since the recent Great Recession, from age 57 prior to 2008, to 62 last year. Sixty-two percent of the survey respondents said age is not or was not an issue in their job or career. Of those surveyed, nearly half responded that their job is or was physically demanding. Thirty-six percent said it has become more difficult to complete the physical requirements of their job as they age, and 10 percent said that task has actually become easier. Eighteen percent of workers 50 and older reported that it is more difficult to complete the mental aspects of their job compared to when they were younger, but 51 percent said it is about the same. As for retirement savings, 60 percent of those surveyed indicated that they have less than $50,000 saved for retirement. More than half of those surveyed said they did not have a pension, and 70 percent said they have borrowed from their retirement savings in the past year even if they were still working. In addition, the study measured how attitudes toward retirement have changed. It said that 47 percent of working adults 50 and over have shifted their expectations in the past decade, originally hoping to retire around the age of 63 and later deciding to push off retirement to beyond the age of 65. Ten years ago, 11 percent expected to retire after their 70th birthday, and 10 p e rc e n t n e v e r planned to retire. The percentage of those who planned to retire at 70 has Kingson

Number of workers over the age of 65 in the work force GENESEE COUNTY

Year........... No. of workers over 65 2002........... 1,060 2007........... 1,197 2012........... 1,230

LIVINGSTON COUNTY

Year........... No. of workers over 65 2002........... 796 2007........... 887 2012........... 1,124

MONROE COUNTY

Year........... No. of workers over 65 2002........... 10,348 2007........... 12,964 2012........... 17,670

ONTARIO COUNTY

Year........... No. of workers over 65 2002........... 1,704 2007........... 2,115 2012........... 2,786

WAYNE COUNTY

Year........... No. of workers over 65 2002........... 1,357 2007........... 1,602 2012........... 1,894

Source: New York State Department of Labor. Figures based on the third quarter of each noted year.

now grown to 20 percent, while the percentage of those who never planned to retire has remained at 11 percent. A portion of the study also examines opinions about Social Security, with 43 percent of those surveyed indicating that they will begin collecting benefits between the ages of 65 and 69, and 6 percent noting that they will wait until their 70th birthday or beyond. On average, the study said, Americans over the age of 50 believe that people should be eligible for full Social Security benefits at age 64. Eric Kingson, a Syracuse University professor of social work and co-director of Social Security Works in Washington, D.C., a national

organization that is fighting to preserve Social Security benefits for retirees, said he is cautiously optimistic federal lawmakers will eventually consider expanding Social Security benefits as an impending “retirement crisis” looms. By his estimations, about two thirds of working Americans will be unable to maintain the standard of living they’ve grown accustomed to after they retire. “It’s about a $7 trillion gap between what they have in savings, and what they need to have for retirement” to maintain their current standard of living, he said. Kingson, citing research from the National Institute of Retirement, said the average American household has about $3,000 in retirement savings, and that the average benefit to Social Security recipients is about $15,000 annually. He advocates increasing the amounts by up to $800 a year, “but I don’t think even that’s enough.” As a tenured college professor at a prestigious private university, Kingston, 67, acknowledges that his retirement finances are secure, and he’s in a position to continue working because he enjoys it. He plans to retire at 70 and start drawing from Social Security then. When it comes to his advocacy work, however, he’s thinking about the people who have to keep working despite health problems, or those who have had to put off retirement indefinitely because of the dot com bust, the housing and credit collapse, or personal events that crippled them financially. The tragedy is that most Americans spend a half century building for retirement, Kingson said, but still can’t enjoy that time as comfortably as they’d like. Without economic and Social Security policy changes, Kingson fears that 40 years from now there will be a significant increase in the number of elderly people who move in with their children because they are too broke to afford their own place. “It’s critical that after a lifetime of work, there should be some options for a period called retirement, and certainly for a period of dignity,” he said. “What kind of country do we want to be? And what do we value as a society?” May / June 2014 - 55 PLUS

55+

parenting

Bad Seed, Spoiled Fruit Sometimes, patience and distance are the best policies when grown children behave badly toward the hands that fed and loved them By Laura Thompson

y daughter is a beautiful, successful, competent business woman to the outside world. She’s gracious, empathetic, charming and charismatic. Everyone loves her, and clamors for her attention and good humor. She is in great demand as a project manager at her firm, sometimes overseeing as many as four separate work projects and thousands of employees. My daughter is a mewling, histrionic attack force of evil, intent on disparaging me and the life I have chosen at every opportunity. She views me as an inferior life form, obsolete and embarrassing. I am an obstacle in her otherwise perfect life. Although 14

55 PLUS - May / June 2014

I raised her single-handedly, I know nothing. She corrects me in public, as if I am her simple child, and loses all sense of humor when I’m in the room. If I speak at all, it is too much; if I express any opinion, it is, of course, the wrong one. My wardrobe choices are beyond contemptible and, finally, I am old, boring and done. We had a great life together, prior to her graduation from university. We were close, very in tune and in sync with one another. She had a very middle class upbringing as an only child of a single parent during the ‘80s and ‘90s. We had holiday traditions and daily routines. We took trips, had fun, engaged in a variety of athletics together. I killed myself keeping her

in athletic gear, four season jock that she chose to be. Later, I really almost did do myself in putting her through a private tier-one university. Those four years were the last four years we actually had a relationship, got along well. Because once she had graduated from the university, I was not good enough for her anymore. We have not had much fun together since. It’s hard to have fun with people who look down on you. So I finally realize, this is the way it is with children. You let them grow inside you, forever ruining your 18-inch waistline. You give birth to them, a long and arduous process that leaves much to

be desired, as life events go. They feed at your breast, gulping away like vampires-in-training, draining your bones of precious calcium reserves. Twenty-two years of exhausting sacrifice later, if you’re very lucky and equally insistent, they might finally leave home. If you’ve been especially stubborn with them, they will have managed to complete 16 years of education, and are ready to sail off into the world. But don’t worry. They’ll be back. To get more of your money, to take at least some of your possessions. And finally, to make absolutely sure you know just how old and stupid you are. When my daughter was a baby, people would say to me, “Now, don’t spoil her.” To which I would smugly reply, “Fruit spoils, children don’t.” Now, I wonder. Other people who know my daughter don’t believe that she growls like an animal when she’s on the phone with me. Literally, she growls. Our conversations have become so toxic in both word and intent that I have taken to hanging up on her in self defense. I have never been as rude to my mother as my daugther feels free to be with me. I have tried to tell her that. But she’s not listening, so I’ve stopped talking. She’s 34, remarkably immature — with me at least — and I keep reminding myself that at her age, I had a 13-year-old daughter. Once, in a fit of childish devotion, she made a beautiful drawing of some flowers, and on a vividly hand painted background, carefully lettered, “My Mom is the beast Mom in the whole wild world.” I laughed, and said that truer words were never spoken. I was a mother once, and my daughter loved me. My bad seed has forgotten herself, forgotten the life we shared, the laughter and joy we had. I’m maintaining a “Silence is Golden” rule for a while, awaiting her return to herself and her senses. I’m keeping my mouth shut, and my distance long. But I do know this: When she comes to her senses — and I have confidence she will — her beast mother will still be there. Waiting, and ready to resume.

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55+

profile

Meet Mrs. Canandaigua Ellie Fralick is credited with being a force for positive change in Canandaigua By Ernst Lamothe Jr.

Ellie Fralick during the Canandaigua Chamber of Commerce Mrs. Canandaigua Awards dinner. She was recognized for her work in various organizations in Canandaigua.

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rowing up in a family where her father was a cardiologist and her mother active in health and social issues, it is not surprising that Ellie Fralick’s life has been devoted to providing a better life for others. However, there are few people who have put in the decades of tireless work to make the community a better place for everyone involved from inspiring and helping youth to providing services for the elderly and dying. Fralick recently won the Mrs. Canandaigua Award, which is sponsored by the Canandaigua Chamber of Commerce. A combination of her boundless energy, sense of justice and pure passion for everyone led her to receiving the award. “I had no clue when we left home to go to the chamber annual dinner that something very special was about to occur,” said Fralick. “The announcement began with ‘This year’s winner came to Canandaigua to go to summer camp when she was very young.’ I was totally surprised. I listened to the detail others provided about my story, amazed and humbled.” Balancing her combination of practical and expansive thinking, she received a bachelor’s degree in economics from LeMoyne College, while eventually receiving a master’s in philosophy from Georgetown University. She soon found her way into the governmental world working as program specialist and legislative analyst for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. When the AIDS epidemic spread

nationwide, terrifying many, she jumped into the fray and became the first chairwoman and founder of New York AIDS Coalition, which provided access to service for individuals with HIV. She went to Albany continuously to fight for more funding, understanding that a nation was dying slowly and something had to be done about it. She also briefly moved overseas where she served as a grant specialist for the East London and City Health Authority in England. During her three years in this role, she advocated for preventive medicine as well as helped increase awareness of AIDS, tuberculosis and heart disease. Described as someone who simply goes above and beyond on an everyday basis, Fralick established an immediate connection with the Finger Lakes when she was young and attended summer camp and fell in love with the scenic waterways. For the past 16 years after her retirement, she continued to use her time impacting many and forming lasting bonds. “I find Canandaigua a very special place. Our community is small enough that we see people’s needs and can step forward to be helpful,” said Fralick. “While praise for our community often centers on great businesses, a wonderful school system, the lake, a great hospital, what is actually best about our community are the great people who live here and how dedicated we are to our community and its people. After moving to Canandaigua in 1997 with her equally civic-minded husband Jim — an economist who was director of European economics for Morgan Stanley — she became active as a cook and Tuesday supervisor for Gleaner’s Community Kitchen, which provides hungry residents with nutritious meals every day without question and at no cost. In addition, she soon took the role as chaplain volunteer with Thompson Health. Ministering primarily to cancer patients and those in palliative care, she provided the kind of caring support needed through the difficult time. “Dying is something you shouldn’t do by yourself,” she said. Soon after joining the board of directors for Thompson Health Senior Living Services in 2000, she formed a multi-organizational, seniors-relat-

ed think tank called Seniors CAN! and convened a summit on aging. This event brought more than 100 community members together to explore the area’s readiness to serve its growing senior population. “Ellie Fralick is without a doubt a force for positive change and meaningful change within our community, well deserving of this prestigious honor of being chosen as Mrs. Canandaigua,” said Michael F. Stapleton Jr., president and CEO of Thompson Health. “Individuals of her caliber are few and far between. She has a deep admiration for her unrelenting commitment to making Canandaigua a better place for the young, the old and everyone in between.” The family became even closer to Thompson Health when her husband, Ellie Fralick and her husband during a Jim, became a participant Star of Distinction Award. in Thompson Hospital’s cardiac rehabilitation program, a program the couple would for more than 15 years, Risser said her one day generously support with a friend has the genuine compassion to donation toward the expansion and listen and help. She also showed her passion for renovation of the fitness center. The center is now named after them. She youth. Along with volunteering and joined the health system’s board of being a lecturer at St. Mary’s Church, she also became a dedicated member directors in 2005. Barbara G. Risser, president of of With Youth For Youth coalition, as Finger Lakes Community College, well as the Kids in Crisis coalition. said Fralick is the rare individual who The former organization was created is not afraid to step up and tackle after the death of a student at Cananseemingly intractable community is- daigua Academy in 2009. The purpose was to create a plan for positive sues. “She does not look for recognition youth interaction and development. Kari Buch, regional director or accolades. Ellie’s motivation is her sincere commitment to making a pos- of United Way of Ontario County, itive difference in the lives of others,” worked with Fralick as a member of said Risser. “She works tirelessly to the With Youth for Youth Steering build bridges between organizations, Committee. She saw her drive to creknowing that through partnerships a ate a safe, happy, healthy community of adults and youth. great deal can be accomplished.” “This is not a group coming toRisser said her mother was a patient at M.M. Ewing Continuing Care gether to offer programs for a better Center, and when she struggled with community, but a drive to change the her progress, Fralick was instrumen- way we think and create a philosophy tal in helping her deal with an elderly for a better future. This philosophy stems from a phrase I hear from Ellie parent with Alzheimer’s disease. With Fralick being a chaplain’s all the time “nothing about me, withvolunteer at F.F. Thompson Hospital out me,” added Buch. May / June 2014 - 55 PLUS

my turn

By Bruce Frassinelli Email: bruce@cny55.com

Tales from the Crypt and Other Stories

hen I was 11 years old, one of my best friends, Jerry McHugh, came over to my house one brisk fall day. In hushed tones, Jerry suggested we go into the basement so my mother couldn’t hear what was to come next. I followed Jerry down the steps into our back basement. There, he reached into his belt, which was covered by a sweatshirt, and pulled out a comic book. “Look at this!” he exclaimed. My jaw dropped. It was one of the first issues of Tales from the Crypt. On the cover were images of The Crypt Keeper, The Vault Keeper and The Old Witch. Inside, each of these creepy characters served as narrator of horror stories, one spookier than the last. I p a g e d t h ro u g h t h e b o o k , mesmerized by the gory images — flying parts of skulls bashed with baseball bats, beheadings with guillotines, dismemberment of arms, legs and other body parts and blood everywhere. The one image that stayed with me for days was seeing a hapless janitor’s head severed by a depraved sadist, who impaled the head on the front of a luxury car and used it as a hood ornament. I begged Jerry to let me have the book overnight and promised to return it the next day. I had to pay him a quarter before he agreed, or two and a half times more than the face value of the magazine. I could not risk going to the drug store to buy my own copy for fear that the owner, Mr. Wylie, would rat on me to my mother. Once I took the book from Jerry, I had to find a place to conceal it, because 18

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if my mother found me reading s u c h material, t h i s 11 - y e a rold would have been history. T h a t night, when I was sure my parents were asleep at the other side of our home, I retrieved the book, which I had strategically hidden between the bed sheets. I also had brought a flashlight to my room, because putting on the overhead light was too risky; mom might have seen its glow under my closed bedroom door and wondered what was going on at 1 a.m. I held the book in my hands, intent on the gory cover. There were four stories inside, two told by The Crypt Keeper and one each by The Vault Keeper and The Old Witch. The anticipation was palpable, way off the fear meter. The cover blared: “Introducing a new trend in magazines — illustrated SuspenStories we dare you to read.” The word “TERROR”

down the left side of the cover screamed out to me, and for a minute I thought I heard maniacal laughter in the distance. The cover showed this buxom blonde babe being watched by a salivating werewolf from around the corner. On the street was a discarded open newspaper that said, “Werewolf Strikes Again.” As I read the second story, “This Trick’ll Kill You,” my heart started to pound, and I began to sweat. My

imagination was in overdrive. The third story, “Grim Fairy Tale,” did me in. I couldn’t finish it; I was consumed by fright. I sneaked into the basement and hid the book near the furnace until I could rid myself of the beast the next day. Every step to and from the basement was accompanied by unbearable apprehension, but there was no way I was going to sleep with this book tucked into my bed. When I returned to my room, I was sure I heard a rustling noise coming from my closed closet. I was nearly paralyzed with fear. Slowly, I edged past the closet, out of the room, down the hall and into my parents’ room. My father was snoring heavily; my mother was fast asleep. I positioned myself on the floor, at the foot of their bed and curled up in a ball. Certain that I was now safe in the protective confines of my parents’ room, I fell asleep. The next thing I heard was my mother calling me and nudging me to get up. “What are you doing here?” she inquired. “Uh, I had a bad dream,” I lied. For the next four years, I never missed a copy of Tales of the Crypt, which came out every other month. By that time, I was 15 and had gravitated to horror movies such as “War of the Worlds,” “The Beast with A Million Eyes,” “The Blob,” “The Creature Walks Among Us,” “The Thing That Couldn’t Die” and “I was A Teenage Werewolf” (starring Little House on the Prairie’s Michael Landon when he was 21.) Not surprisingly, Tales of the Crypt and other copycat publications came under attack from members of the clergy, parents and educators, who charged that this “filth” was contributing to illiteracy and juvenile delinquency. A high-profile Congressional subcommittee convened in 1954 to examine the effects of comic books on children. From these hearings came a highly restrictive Comics Code, which proved to be the death knell for these types of publications. EC Comics Publisher Bill Gaines pulled the plug on Tales of the Crypt and two of its companion horror titles in September 1954.

Editorial Cartoons as Social Critique Presentations for general audiences and educational settings. Offered by Dr. Elaine K. Miller.

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Contact Dr. Miller at ekmiller@ekmillerproductions.com For more information, go to: www.ekmillerproductions.com

May / June 2014 - 55 PLUS

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’ n i p p o B l Stil r e t f A All e s e Th s r a e Y

57-year-old Tom Kohn is the owner and founder of the Bopshop, one of Rochester’s best-known sellers of records, CDs and music collectibles. He has operated his business since 1982.

After more than 30 years, Tom Kohn still relishes helping customers find obscure and collectible records By Mike Costanza

urrounded by thousands of record albums, Tom Kohn reflects on the place music has played for him down through the years. “Music is, to me, essential to life,” the 57-year-old says. “It is nourishment.” That love of music helped take Kohn from collecting record albums as a pre-teen to founding the Bopshop, one of Rochester’s best-known sellers of records, CDs and music collectibles. Teenagers seeking the latest releases, white-haired vinyl collectors who can quote rock lyrics from memory and just plain folks have all 20

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headed to the Rochester store down through the decades to search for those special items. Though the shop sells CDs, most of its stock is in vinyl, and runs the gamut from country to classical. “There’s something for everybody—at least, people who like music,” Kohn says. During his 25 years in the business, the impresario has also hosted as many as 1,000 concerts in the Rochester area, drawing acts from around the country and overseas to local stages. His free concert series, 14 Fridays at the Village Gate, drew crowds to Rochester’s Village Gate Square for

four years running. Kohn’s love affair with music began at his family’s Rush home, when he was about 10 years old. “I was a little bit of an odd-manout as a kid,” he says. “I spent a lot of time alone, so I started listening to records.” After working his way through the vinyl at home, he started spinning through the collections of his friends’ older brothers and sisters. “Beach Boys records at one house and Yardbirds in another house,” he says. “I got really infatuated with records and music in general.” Kohn was soon buying his own vinyl, searching local stores for the

kinds of records that satisfied his thirst for music. While working as a stock boy for a local drugstore, he received a windfall from the store’s driver — a box containing as many as 300 records. Years later he speaks of the gift with a kind of awe. “It was, like, The Pretty Things, The Yardbirds, and the Small Faces, and the Who, and the Kinks, plus Beatles and the Stones,” he says, with a kind of awe. “This really kind of obscure British rock stuff.” By the time he reached the age of 17, Kohn had really caught the record-collecting bug, and found himself searching through local stores for records by everyone from popular artists to unknowns. Back then, retail establishments of all kinds — even drug stores — had racks of recent releases and stacks of older records on sale. Some had bins full of 45s, 78s and 33 1/3s that had been discontinued, and were selling for as little as a penny apiece. “They’d punch holes in the labels, or in other ways make sure you couldn’t return them,” Kohn explains. “I’d take a $20 bill, and buy one of everything.” A stint as a sales rep for Boston-based Rounder Records, a now-defunct distributor for independent record labels, helped swell to his collection. “You’d get a 30-count box of records every week,” he says. “That’s where I learned so much Doyle about bluegrass and reggae and all this obscure music.” How obscure were Rounder’s offerings? One record Kohn helped sell was by Gid Tanner & the Skillet Lickers, one of the most innovative country string bands of the 1920s and 30s. Few but staunch country music fans and historians know of the Skillet Lickers today, but Kohn reels off points about the band’s music with an ease borne of decades spent researching tunes, artists, and record labels of many genres. By 1981, Kohn was married, and set to be a father. Then he suffered a

personal blow. “I lost a son at birth,” he says. Quitting Rounder, he took the approximately 6,000 records he’d collected and opened a booth in what was then known as Peddler’s Village, a converted factory on Rochester’s North Goodman Street that is now known as Village Gate Square. When it opened in 1982, the place lacked a name, its walls were made of chicken wire, and Kohn, its only employee, opened its doors only on weekends. Despite those limitations, the place pulled in those who loved collecting and talking about records and music. Peter Doyle was a 20-year-old record collector when he walked into the booth in the 1980s. He and Kohn struck up a conversation, drawn together by their mutual interests. “Here was a cool guy who knew records, who knew great music,” Doyle explains. Doyle went on to work part-time for Kohn for a while, and to count him as a friend. “He gave me the one wedding gift that I still have, a Fletcher Henderson boxed set from Columbia Records called “A Study in Frustration” that Columbia put out in the 1960s,” Doyle says. “I still play that.” The chicken-wired booth was reborn as the Bopshop, and found itself the ground floor of Village Gate Square. Folks came in to leaf through stacks of records, look over the vintage album covers and posters that filled its walls or shoot the breeze with Kohn about records, record collecting, or the local music scene. “I like Tom Iannapollo for his enthusiasm,” says Robert Iannapollo, a longtime friend of Kohn’s and ex-Bopshop employee who has written about jazz for “Cadence Magazine.” “He’s kind of like an old-school shop owner who knows the people who come into his store.” In 2012, Kohn reluctantly took his business a couple of miles east, to a strip mall close to the Brighton border. While his new 3,600 square foot sales floor is double that of his old lo-

“I like Tom for his enthusiasm. He’s kind of like an oldschool shop owner who knows the people who come into his store.” Robert Iannapollo, a longtime friend of Kohn’s and ex-Bopshop employee. cation, the move has not changed the way he does business. “I like helping people find things,” he says. “They come in, sing a song, ‘What is it, and can I get it?’ Fifty percent of the time, I can figure it out.” That personal touch reaches beyond music sales to the Bopshop’s other services — such as the re-recording of rare works for customers. One time, a man asked Kohn to convert messages that his late father had recorded while serving in France during World War II into a more durable and accessible form. “They had portable recording devices that would record on these paper records, and then you’d put them in an envelope and mail them home,” Kohn explains. “It was an audio letter.” The man’s father was killed soon after the records arrived in the US. Kohn and his staff re-recorded the messages onto CDs, and then played them for the customer and his sister. “It was the first time she’d heard her father’s voice, and it was in the store,” Kohn says. “Everybody cried.” Such moments bring Kohn back behind the counter of the Bopshop day after day, even though limiting his business to mail order sales could be more profitable than running the store. “I have fought closing this store and going mail order for a decade because the most interesting part of life is who walks in that front door,” he says. May / June 2014 - 55 PLUS

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The

Facilitator Dan Meyers has a gift for helping those with disabilities, special needs. He has been the leader at Al Sigl for the last 28 years By Mike Costanza

an Meyers, president of the Al Sigl Community of Agencies, looks back with a kind of wonder on his 28 years as head of the agency. “I’ve had to pinch myself that somebody wanted me to come and stay, and they wanted me to pay me to do what I was interested in doing,” the 65 year old said.

Under Meyers’ leadership, Al Sigl has more than tripled in physical size. The agencies it serves meet the needs of more than four times the number of adults and children with disabilities and special needs that they did all those years ago. Al Sigl, which was founded in 1962 as the Monroe County Center for Rehabilitation Agen-

Dan Meyers joined noted Rochester-area philanthropist B. Thomas Golisano at the 2001 dedication of the Golisano Building on the Elmwood Avenue campus of the Al Sigl Community of Agencies. 24

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cies, collaboratively provides the physical space and business services that local nonprofits need to serve adults and children who have disabilities or special needs. “They pay to live in our facilities,” Meyers said of the nonprofits. “We provide our services at cost.” After operating out of several locations in Rochester, Al Sigl built a new facility on Elmwood Avenue to house its services. The 150,000-square-foot building, which opened in 1968, gave seven local agencies a central location in which to serve their clients. “This building was planned very carefully to have unique and specialized suites of space for each agency,” Meyers explained. “It was a very unusual, collaborative community solution to an array of services that were spread out all across the community, none of which was housed in the right kind of space to serve the people it was serving.” Constructed with the needs of those with physical disabilities in mind, the building incorporated many of the features that have since become commonplace. “It was the first consciously barrier-free community space, probably, built in the Northeast,” he asserted. It might be said that Meyers’ career path began in a boardinghouse in Saranac Lake during his last year in high school. Each year, the school’s principal asked one of its students to

Dan Meyers at Rochesterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Frontier Field during the non-profitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 50th anniversary celebration in 2012.

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visit a local woman who was blind and had lost both of her legs. That year, he tapped Meyers to visit the woman Jeannette Saunders, at her boarding house. One visit blossomed into a deep friendship that shaped his view of those with disabilities. “This was somebody who didn’t have a lot of things that other people had, and she figured out exactly how to make it work, and to make it work so that everybody she came in contact with was better as a result of that, and she was too,” he said. “[She] probably taught me more about the world and life than anybody I had met up until that point.” Life-changing moment The experience helped turn Meyers toward a career in the nonprofit world. He received his first break after graduating from St. John Fisher College, when he was working evenings as a janitor for what is now the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Rochester. The agency offered Meyers a better job, but he turned it down, intent upon enjoy-

The clients of the member organizations that comprise the Al Sigl Community of Agencies often have the chance to spend a moment with Meyers at functions. Here, Meyers shared a laugh with an unidentified man at a recent Al Sigl Community WalkAbout fundraiser. 26

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ing some time off after graduating. “I was going to go to Europe and do whatever college students in the early 1970s were going to do,” he said, with a grin. Then, the break came that caused him to reconsider his employment options. It was a mechanical one. “My car died,” he said. “I needed a car, and I needed a car loan, and I needed a job to be able to get the car loan.” Signing on as ABVI’s new director of recreation and volunteers, Meyers put his organizational and personal skills to use for the agency’s clients, many of whom were older. “An awful lot of my work, in terms of social programs and recreational programs, was connection to community services, which meant I was out, sort of, where older people were and activities were,” he explained. ABVI generally segregated its social clubs by gender back then, a practice that Meyers felt was not in its clients’ best interests. To better meet their needs, he

began putting together the kinds of structures and linkages that would allow the blind and visually impaired to socialize across genders and in the community. “The longer gain would be to make sure that people who had visual impairments could be integrated in their town’s senior club or the city recreation center or a church recreation program,” he explained. “I was building those bridges, and then looking for volunteers who would make that happen, looking for rides that could make that happen.” Not one to sit still in his off hours, Meyers also began volunteering for some of the agencies at the Al Sigl Center. “I started working in a program that had teenagers from the various high schools in the community come on Saturday mornings to work with young adults in the day programs of the Arc,” he explained. The Arc of Monroe County serves those who have intellectual or developmental disabilities and their families. Through volunteering at Al Sigl,

55+ Meyers soon found the agency’s view of those with disabilities fit his own. “It was very clear to me this was a place that was about people working together to make things better for everybody, as opposed to some nice people coming in to make life better for people with disabilities,” he said.

Wells Fargo & Co., one of sponsors of Al Sigl’s 50th anniversary celebration, gave attendees a chance to ride around Frontier Field in a stagecoach. Meyers climbed on board.

Off to RSVP After two years at ABVI, Meyers left the agency to help start and become the first executive director of the Retired Senior & Volunteer Program, which connects volunteers who are 55 or older with local agencies that are in need of their assistance. “It was a terrific program, because you had this terrific resource of people who had a lifetime of skill and interest and had time and you had community-based services,” he said. “We were the marriage-broker.” Through helping seniors connect with local agencies and providing free meals, transportation and other supports they needed in order to volunteer, RSVP helped the agencies accomplish their missions and the seniors enjoy the experience. “Folks who might be isolated would have more connectivity, and being more connected, be happier, healthier, [and] live better,” Meyers explained. Reaching beyond RSVP’s main goals, Meyers also sought to introduce more seniors to some of the area’s cultural assets. “We set about an arts-and-aging project that meant to link older people to our major community arts organizations,” he said. The effort led a number of local cultural attractions to create programs for seniors, including the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Dryden Theatre of the George Eastman House. Older adults can still head to the Dryden for its monthly senior matinees. “The Eastman archive has all these wonderful, vintage films of the era that folks of a certain age would remember,” Meyers explained. After a few years, Meyers left RSVP to become the George Eastman House’s first director of de-

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velopment, where he initiated an annual giving program, established special events, and solicited grants for special projects. Five years later, he put his fundraising skills to use as director of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra’s capital campaign. Though Meyers’ positions grew in responsibilities over the years, he continued to volunteer, holding seats on the boards or committees of the agencies that call Al Sigl home. “I was lucky enough to have energy and interest that went beyond what I was getting paid to do,” he said. In 1987, the Al Sigl Community of Agencies tapped Meyers to be its executive director. His title was later changed to president. By that time, the organization had come to serve eight local agencies, each of which has grown in size. “We were out of space [and] we needed a new wing,” Meyers explained. “That was a big challenge.” Space limitations Part of the problem was Al Sigl, which is surrounded by a combination of public and private land, lacked the physical space it needed to grow on its side of Elmwood Avenue. Though it was able to add 20,000 square feet of classroom space

for the Mary Cariola Children’s Center, the agency needed to consider other options for future growth. “We really needed to confront the idea of whether Sigl was this place-specific thing or whether it was a concept about creating space solutions for agencies as they grew and changed,” Meyers explained. “We made the decision that it was time for us to grow beyond this site.” That new way of viewing Al Sigl led to the construction of the 60,000-square-foot Hale Building, which opened its doors on a new campus in Henrietta in 1990. “We took a farmer’s field, and grew a wonderful service facility there,” Meyers said. Since then, Al Sigl has established five more new campuses in and around the Rochester area and is planning a sixth. Through the years, many in the local nonprofit community have come to know of Meyers’ dedication to those with disabilities and special needs and of his skills as a leader. Walter B.D Hickey, Jr., who sits on the board of the Al Sigl Foundation, praises his organizational skills, and ability to help lead the disparate nonprofits under Al Sigl’s roof. “Getting these people to try and go in one direction is a chore,” May / June 2014 - 55 PLUS

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explained Hickey, who is also a longtime friend of Meyers. “He’s a remarkable individual in getting these people together and taking steps down the road.” Meyers’ skills as a fundraiser have also come into play, according to Hickey. Under his leadership, the agency’s last capital campaign brought in over $20 million, exceeding its goal. Kathryn McGuire, senior vice president for behavioral health, long-term care and senior services for the Rochester General Health System, first came to know Meyers about 20 years ago. The two of

Al Sigl: Growing Through the Years Total square footage of all campuses

1987 2014 150,000 500,000

Annual Budget

$1.2 million

$6.7 million

Clients annually served by all agencies

16,000

50,000+ and affiliates

Al Sigl’s headquarters is located at 1000 Elmwood Ave., Rochester.

Al Sigl Community of Agencies Campuses Elmwood Campus

(Main campus) 1000 Elmwood Avenue, Ste. 300, Rochester, NY 14620

Feinbloom Campus

Feinbloom Hall and Patty Mendick Hall 101 and 151 E. Henrietta Road Rochester, NY 14620

Schwartz Family Campus 1850-1900 South Avenue Rochester, NY 14620

Winton Campus

3399 Winton Road South Rochester, NY 14623

Wolk Campus

1600 South Avenue Rochester, NY 14620

Howitt House

(Residence) 280 Sanford Street Rochester, NY 14620 28

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them sat on the board of ElderONE, an RGHS program that helps the elderly continue living independently in their own residences. “He was always asking questions about how the program impacted on patients and families, and what we were doing to make those things better,” McGuire explained. CP Rochester President Mary Walsh Boatfield has worked with Meyers since she took her agency’s helm 10 months ago. “He’s a great listener, and he’s willing to look at all sides of an issue,” she said. “I’ve been able to call on him to work things out.”

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‘A special person’ Ann Marie Cook, president and CEO of Lifespan of Greater Rochester, Inc, says Meyers’ good qualities transcend his listening ear and willingness to examine important issues. “Dan is a special person,” said Cook, who has known Meyers for close to 20 years. “He’s a visionary, he’s a leader, and he is, I think, beloved in the community for a reason — because he earned it.” Also, under Meyers’ leadership, the budget at Al Sigl Community of Agencies has grown from $1.2 million to $6.7 million. The number of children and adults served each year by Al Sigl member agencies has grown from 16,000 to over 50,000. Though Meyers speaks of Al Sigl’s many accomplishments with a touch of pride, he admits the agency will face challenges in the coming years. For one thing, all of its buildings are at or past their usable life, and every major system at its Elmwood Avenue headquarters is in need of upgrading. “We’ve got a great opportunity to re-do these for tomorrow’s use, and make sure that this building has another 50 years of service to people with disabilities and special needs,” he said. When not guiding Al Sigl or volunteering for other organizations, Meyers enjoys gardening, attending RPO concerts, and partaking of some of the other cultural attractions that the Rochester area offers. “I’m sort of a cultural junkie,” he said. “I love to take advantage of the wonderful array of things that are here.”

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55+

activity

a b m u

at 90

Program at Episcopal SeniorLife Communities helps people get moving By Ernst Lamothe Jr.

ou are never too old to have a New Year’s resolution. Just like many people, Bud Allinger, 90, wanted to get his body into good shape. He started the week of Jan. 6 doing everything from walking to Zumba classes. He grew up fit, participating in many exercise programs while in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. His regimen involved standard exercises and long hikes while carrying equipment. After leaving the military, he had not exercised regularly since then, but all of a sudden became energized after seeing a promotional flyer about a program organized by the Episcopal SeniorLife Communities, which has several facilities throughout Monroe County. “These programs give seniors a very convenient way to get healthy exercise, make new friends and have

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a lot of fun,” said Allinger. “They give seniors the opportunity to exercise comfortably in spite of any physical problems which they may have.” As people start getting older, their world starts getting smaller through the deaths of loved ones. They may not want to get out as much and they don’t want to be a burden to their families. That can create a sedentary and lonely life. Officials at the Episcopal SeniorLife Communities wanted to counteract that by formulating a program that targeted the older population and got them moving. Almost two years ago, they created neighborhood outreach programs, which provide a variety of health and wellness initiatives to seniors in and around their campuses. The program includes a tailored balance class, walking club, nutritional guide, yoga, art class, strength

Episcopal SeniorLife Communities offers exercise classes at many locations in Rochester. Katie Torres, right, certified Zumba instructor and ESLC community liaison, leads seniors in Zumba every week at various ESLC sites as part of their neighborhood programming.

training and wellness presentations. Looking for Henrietta residents who may not have transportation to go to the senior center, they wanted seniors who were independent but just needed a push to become engaged or connected to a higher quality of life. Seniors participated in the exercising initiative at Episcopal Beatrice Place site, 600 Denise Road. Opened in September 2013, the former Our Lady of Mercy Church and school campus is independent living with 73 one- and two-bedroom apartments. Seniors show resolve Dorothy Howell, 87, a Beatrice Place resident, dove into exercises

and healthy food classes. She began in January after hip surgery but she was doing certain exercises related to her recovery. Before she retired, she took aerobics, walked often and swam. “It helped me move better, keeps you from getting stiff, offers you motivation and energizes you when you wake up,” she said. “Come and watch a class and you will see there is no reason to be shy or embarrassed.” Not to be outdone by the seniors, both Loren Ranaletta, president and CEO of Episcopal, and Lisa Marcello, vice president and chief financial officer, decided to get into the fray and do some Zumba with the seniors. “I very carefully folded myself into the second row behind some senior residents. Some people really know what they are doing and they definitely taught me something,” said Ranaletta. Marcello said it was “wonderful” to see firsthand how successful the wellness program was going and how seniors had a love affair with exercising. “You can see they are just so committed. When I saw people who were 90 years old wanting this to be part of their lives, you can see what a positive impact it has on them,” she said. When officials were coming up with the wellness initiative, there were certain aspects they believed

Bud Allinger, 90, (wearing blue jeans) wanted to get his body into good shape. He started the week of Jan. 6 doing everything from walking to Zumba classes. On his left, wearing a green T-shirt, is Loren Ranaletta, president and CEO of Episcopal, who decided to get into the fray and do some Zumba with the seniors.

would create a domino effect. They saw bringing people together as a way to create a support system and build in encouragement for those who were maybe shy initially in trying something out of their comfort zone. “I am a big fan of wanting people to gather and do things for themselves,” added Ranaletta. “Whenever we are in a fitness situation and working together in one room, it brings a lot of positives like healthy competition, joy and laughter. You work harder and have more fun beDorothy Howell, 87, a Beatrice Place resident, dove into cause the people exercises and healthy food classes in January after hip around you are surgery. “[Exercise] helped me move better.” working harder

and having a lot of fun.” The next step is expanding the program to Gates. “We believe that improved physical health and social well being will sustain a person and create a healthy lifestyle that allows people to be independent and make their own decisions for a longer time,” added Marcello. “We are very excited about how well the program has done so far.” Allinger understands it might be a difficult sell to some seniors who struggle to try new things. However, he said they should push aside their reluctance and join a health and wellness program. “If you have any thoughts about no longer being athletic enough to exercise comfortably, don’t be concerned. Most seniors have some limitations and the programs emphasize the fact that each individual should exercise within his or her limits and comfort,” he said. “My greatest reward is the fact that I am developing more confidence in carrying out physical tasks, such as climbing stairs, which require balance. May / June 2014 - 55 PLUS

55+

gardening

Excitement Blooms Top local garden experts cite what trends are drawing attention

here’s plenty to interest gardeners this year. Much of what is new also is traditional, local nursery operators say. According to the 2014 Garden Trends Report compiled by Garden Media Group, consumers are spending more leisure time outdoors and not only “decorating” their homes, but their gardens as well. The report notes the worldwide gardening and outdoor living market is expected to increase yearly by almost 3.5 percent through 2016, when it should reach almost $220 billion. In North America, where the market was flat for the past four years at $58 billion, annual growth is expected at 1 percent over four years, the report said. People will always want to garden, said Joe Gallea, co-owner of Gallea’s Tropical Greenhouse & Florist, 2832 Clover St., Pittsford. The family owned business has been in operation since 1957. Gallea has seen many changes over the years in what gardeners are looking for. But the hobby remains popular. “Gardening is always going to be there,” he said. “What we’ve seen as far as the gardening end, the old-time gardeners [who began] in the 1970s and 1980s, they’ve gotten older and

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By Ken Little

they’re not doing as much,” he said. “They’ve gotten away from the bigger gardens they used to have.” Younger gardeners, many who have children and a busy work schedule, “are looking for an instant garden like container gardens because they don’t have the time,” Gallea said. Organic gardening is resurging in popularity among all age groups. “That’s huge. Everybody wants an organic garden. The plants, the vegetables, the lawns — they don’t want the chemicals,” Gallea said. At the same time, people “are looking for the containers and downsizing on the garden itself,” he said. Available time is again the culprit. “With the texting and Facebook and cell phones, people are taking their work home now,” Gallea said. “There’s never downtime with business anymore. They’re always on the clock.” Colorful blends Once at home, gardeners “are looking for that blend of color” in their back yards. “Except now, it’s more instant,” Gallea said, referring to container gardening. “That is their downtime, going out and relaxing in the garden,” Gallea said. “[They say] my plants never

ask me questions, they never complain. It’s a little bit of work but it’s more relaxing for me.” Gardeners, particularly newer ones, remain interested in “unique” foliage like tropical plants, Gallea said. “It will give them some color,” he said. “They’re into fairy gardens, they’re into miniature gardens and dwarf plants that gets the kids involved.” Gallea’s Tropical Greenhouse & Florist “has gotten into different plants, different tropicals,” he said. “Garden giftware is trendy,” he said. “Also pottery, not just typical clay pots. We’ve got different clay pots, different ceramics and that brings attention from our younger gardeners.” “Outdoor living” is a popular trend, driving the popularity of some plants and gardening accessories catering to “the grilling end,” Gallea said. One such charcoal griller, called the “Big Green Egg,” has proven very popular this year, he said. It’s one example of how outdoor living “has also become entertainment,” Gallea said. “They are grilling and cooking pizza outside,” he said. “That’s popular.” “It’s outdoor living on their patio,

not so much spending the whole evening weeding and cleaning out their garden beds. It’s more condensed for people to enjoy,” Gallea said. There are gardens for whatever time investment the enthusiast is willing to make, he said. “It’s just how much time they want to spend to get involved in it,” Gallea said. “The big thing is fresh air with your plants. There’s never enough hours in the day,” he said. Gallea said heirloom vegetables are also popular at his nursery. “The new thing is heirloom, the old varieties (like) heirloom tomatoes with a sweeter flavor,” he said. Many people are downsizing in the garden, Gallea said. “They’re not plowing up the back yard and putting up 20 tomato plants because they are not cooking or canning anymore. They don’t have time,” Gallea said. “The gardening end is shifting, but it will always be here. There’s always excitement when the flowers are in bloom.” For more information about Gallea’s Tropical Greenhouse & Florist, go to www.galleas.com. Low maintenance movement Greg Frank, vice president of Ted Collins Tree & Landscape, 800 Victor Mendon Road, Victor, also said going organic is a big trend among gardeners this year. “Organic and the low-maintenance movement,” he said. “Those things have really been around for quite a while and what we’re seeing is more people want to utilize the outside as their playroom, their kitchen and their living room.” Outdoor pizza ovens and fire pits are popular, Frank said, “as well as the introduction of vegetables and fruit into the landscape.”

Greg Frank of Ted Collins Tree & Landscape: Going organic is a big trend. Some of the change in philosophy is carried over from 2008 and 2009, when the nation’s economy wilted. “What we found is that people got back to that home-made feeling and really kept that going,” Frank said. Container gardens are one example. “People are planting apple trees and cherries and moving them around. It’s easier to maintain,” Frank said. “It is popular to have your own home-grown tomatoes. There’s nothing that beats that.” Fruit trees are also making a comeback. “The varieties that are around now, even compared to 10 years ago or eight years ago, there is a minimal need for spraying and pruning,” Frank said. Frank mentioned the relax-

ation factor when it comes to having a garden. “We’re really finding people are getting back into gardening because they’re so busy. They can go home and relax with a glass of wine with their gardens,” he said. “We’re finding people are enjoying it.” Just being outside in the garden is a noticeable sign of the times, Frank said. “They enjoy listening to the birds chirp and hearing the goldfish splash in the pond,” he said. “They would rather have an outside pit to roast marshmallows than go to bed and pull the covers over their heads.” Younger gardeners with children are particularly interested in being outside “rather than in front of a computer or a television so their kids can get out,” Frank said. Green organic vegetables fed by home compost piles

May / June 2014 - 55 PLUS

remain popular with many gardeners, he said.

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Frank has seen the reintroduction of heirloom vegetables like squash, carrots and tomatoes among longtime gardeners and those just getting their spades in the ground. “We find the beginners doing more things successfully,” he said. “Container gardens are probably the best place to start. They have the best soil and they are easy to monitor. It’s there in your face,” Frank said. Many gardeners then “branch out into different sections of your property and maybe do a little garden by your patio or your walkway.” The key is “just going out and doing it, planting a single apple tree or a raspberry patch,” Frank said. “It’s overcoming inertia,” he said. New trends include outside kitchens, play areas, vegetable gardens and fire pits. “Those are the things that are really hot right now,” he said. Frank suggested checking with the neighbors to get gardening ideas.

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Cornell Cooperative Extension can also be helpful, he added. “Going online is good, but getting your hands dirty and getting dirt under those fingernails is really what you need to do,” Frank said. For more information about Ted Collins Tree & Landscape, go to http://tedcollinst-l.com. Gardeners are looking to plant edibles “with a splash of color,” said Frances Grossman, co-owner of Grossman’s Landscape & Garden, 1810 Fairpoint Nine Mile Road, Penfield. “Very simply, trends are anything having to do with edibles, vegetables, herbs, berry bushes and trees,” Grossman said. “People are taking what used to be their lawns and changing them into gardens with edibles.” Enthusiasts “are combining gardens that have color combined with edibles,” she said. “Container gardening is also very popular.” The container garden trend “is huge,” Grossman said. “People with even limited space are able to get into gardening with the containers (and enjoy) both the color and edibles,” she said. Containers gardens don’t require a lot of “working the earth” for people who have limited space and time to spend maintaining a garden, Grossman said. “There are vegetables that perform more successfully in containers instead of the ground,” she said, citing examples like tomatoes, herbs and peppers. Organic gardening has remained popular with some gardeners, but has made a notable resurgence in recent years. “We saw for a number of years that people talked the talk but they didn’t necessarily put it into practice,” Grossman said. “Now, they’re not only wanting to be more responsible with what they’re eating, but more responsible to the environment and the land.” Tropicals in the garden Another popular trend is using tropicals in gardens, “things that normally you can’t plant in Rochester,” Grossman said. The container approach allows bananas, and palm, bougainvillea and medinilla trees. “We’re seeing a lot of that. Fig

trees that go into edibles, container tree category,” she said. “It’s ornamental gardening, but practical.” Emphasizing the benefits of spending time outside also continues its popularity. “We at Grossman’s have always talked about outdoor growth,” Grossman said. “It’s not a new trend.” Decorating and accessorizing a porch or patio is a popular pastime. Outdoor furniture in the garden enhances the outdoor experience, Grossman said. Ceramic animals and statuary can add to the atmosphere. “What is very strong are pieces of Asian and Japanese accents for kind of a Japanese garden, that Zen feel,” Grossman said. Ornamental Buddhas and lanterns and even miniature pagodas are popular this year, Grossman said. Another big trend is succulent plants like aloe, often in outdoor garden containers. “We have people putting them in window boxes. They’re a very invogue type of plant,” Grossman said. “They’re very tranquil and relaxing.” When springtime arrives in West-

Joe Gallea of Gallea’s Tropical Greenhouse and Florist. “There’s never downtime with business anymore.” ern New York, “People are wanting to go out and get that sense of peace feeding their soul, that rest and relax-

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May / June 2014 - 55 PLUS

55+

weight loss

10 Ways to Cut 100 Calories 2 1 I By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

f you could stand to lose some weight but hate complicated diet plans or gimmicky, pre-packaged meals, here’s some good news. You don’t have to subsist on cabbage or eat “lite” freezer meals to shed pounds. “If you cut 100 calories a day, you’ll have 3,000 less in a month and you’ll almost lose a pound a month,” said Jane Braband, a registered dietitian with Rochester General Hospital. Just following one or two of the tips below can really add up fast. Of course, exercise and diet play equal roles in healthful weight maintenance. But shaving 100 calories from your daily food intake isn’t as arduous as you may think. 36

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“Look at beverages,” Braband said. “Are you drinking high caloric cappuccinos and fancy drinks from coffee shops? Or drinking milkshakes at fast food places? If you can, cut the sugar content from your coffee and tea or use none at all. The danger with artificial sweeteners is if you drink enough of it, you’ll continue to crave sweet. Switch to water with a lemon slice.” Seltzer water with 1/4 teaspoon of fruit juice can appease your soda craving. If you nix just one serving of sugary soda (about 150 calories) or a sweetened 10-oz. serving of iced tea (about 100 calories) per day, you can reduce your caloric intake with little effort.

“Add more veggies into meals,” Braband said. “Put veggies into the rice or broccoli into mac and cheese. I always add zucchini, mushrooms and bell peppers to spaghetti sauce to reduce the meat content.” Although meat provides iron, zinc and protein, many people eat plenty and could cut back to reduce their caloric intake. Six ounces of lean beef contains 316 calories, for example. Halving the meat in a dish and replacing it with veggies Braband

easily saves you 100 calories.

Eat a salad with each meal. “As long as you go easy on dressing and focus on veggie toppings, salad is a caloric bargain,” Braband said. “The salad will fill you up so you don’t eat as many heavily caloric foods.”

Who doesn’t have a sweet craving occasionally (or more often)? Don’t fight it; just have a half-sized portion or pick a lighter dessert. Sarah Guilbert, University of Rochester Medicine registered dietitian, suggested eating a cup of fat-free frozen yogurt instead of ice cream to save 100 calories.

Eat fruit instead of dessert. Nearly every fruit is less than 100 calories per serving, unlike most desserts. And fruit offers many more nutrients, too.

Lighten up at least one meal per day. Perhaps your light meal will be lunch: a cup of veggie soup, a bunch of grapes and five whole-grain crackers spread with 1 tablespoon peanut butter for lunch (about 350 calories) instead of a fast food burger, fries and soda (roughly 900 to 1,200 calories). Braband advises sticking with broth-based soup instead of cream-based soup.

Go easy on condiments. Use half the normal amount of dressing, butter, jelly, and so forth. “Swap a tablespoon of mayo for mustard to save 83 calories,” Guilbert said. If you stick with lighter and less condiments all day, you’ll easily spare yourself 100 calories.

Snack smarter. Choose vegetable- and fruit-based snacks that are close to their natural state, such as raisins, not yogurt-dipped raisin snacks or dry roasted nuts, not sugar-glazed nuts. If you eat two

55PLUS

Stay hydrated and drink plenty of water with your meal. You’ll eat less than if you’re thirsty. “Lots of times, people confuse thirst for hunger,” Braband said.

Drink an ice-cold smoothie for lunch. Smoothies offer a slow-sipping, satisfying meal. It’s hard to wolf it down. Be careful about commercially-made smoothies, which are usually loaded with sugar. Make your own with a cup of fresh berries (or use frozen and omit the ice), half a cup of plain Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup of spinach or cucumber slices, five baby carrots and crushed ice. That equals about 225 calories, compared with a fast food meal of 400 to 600 calories.

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May / June 2014 - 55 PLUS

New Book Offers Financial Advice for When We ‘Get Stupid’

aby boomers can learn how to protect their hardearned assets and guarantee a steady income for the rest of their lives through a new book by Lewis Mandell, professor emeritus of finance and managerial economics in the University at Buffalo School of Management.

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55 PLUS - May / June 2014

According to “What to Do When I Get Stupid: A Radically Safe Approach to a Difficult Financial Era” (August 2013, Point White Publishing), financial reasoning usually peaks around age 53 and then declines sharply, especially after age 70. More troubling, Mandell finds financial confidence increases at this stage, leaving many seniors susceptible to risky sales pitches and bad investments. Mandell, author of 22 books on consumer finance, says aging workers and retirees must act today to safeguard their finances against volatile markets and their own poor decisions. “A fully paid, age-in-place home may be the single best investment we can make,” Mandell says. “By staying at home, we can keep ourselves or our loved ones out of expensive nursing homes, which can quickly deplete our assets.” Mandell also stresses the importance of securing a lifelong income, well before financial reasoning declines, through a single-premium immediate fixed annuity. In addition, the book re-evaluates common practices, such as retaining a financial adviser or moving to a continuing care retirement community, and doubts the

effectiveness of longterm care insurance. “What to Do When I Get Stupid” is available in paperback and on Kindle at amazon.com. From 1998 to 2001, Mandell served as dean of the University of Buffalo School of Management and currently teaches in the school’s Singapore Executive MBA program. He has published numerous articles in top business and economic journals, and his research has been cited nationally by The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today and other media. 2926 Lakeville Rd

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long-term care By Susan Suben

Trends in the Long-Term Care Insurance Industry

he industry of long-term care insurance — or LTCi — continues to evolve and certain buying trends have become apparent, according to the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance in its 2012 LTCi sourcebook. We’re seeing internal rate increases for new buyers based upon gender-based pricing and claims history, rate increases for existing policyholders, the elimination of certain benefits and features; decreases in discounts and stricter underwriting requirements. This was bound to happen due to the existing economic and regulatory climate. Interest rates are remaining low. The anticipated 5 percent policy lapse ratio is actually 1-1.5 percent. Policyholders are holding onto their policies. They see the value in having the coverage. The top 10 carriers paid $10.8 million in claims per day in 2011. In order for LTCi companies to remain solvent and live up to their obligations, change had to occur. Last year, the change with the most impact was gender-based pricing. Women live longer, are on claim longer, therefore they will pay more for coverage. The premium increases have been 20 percent or more depending upon the state. Several states, however, have opted not to approve this trend citing discrimination. Lawsuits are pending. The questions asked most often by prospective clients are when is the right time to buy and how should the features be designed? The average buyer’s age has changed dramatically. Twenty years ago, the average buyer was 70 years old. Today, approximately 56.5 percent of buyers are between the ages of 55 and 64; 22 percent are 45 to 54 and 18 percent are 65 and over. It seems

that more individuals are planning for LTC prior to retirement when the premiums are lower and insurability is higher. According to the 2012 LTCi Sourcebook, approximately 46.5 percent of couples bought policies together vs. 21.5 percent of sales for singles. Perhaps due to cost or insurability, 32 percent of sales were for one spouse. On the national level, the average daily benefit selected was between $150-199, the average length of coverage was three years, and the average elimination period was 90 to 100 days. In terms of inflation, 5 percent compound was chosen more often with 3 percent compound as the second most popular choice. Very few individuals purchase CPI based inflation or future purchase options. According to a five-year-study conducted by John Hancock on costs of care, nursing homes averaged a 3.5 percent increase, assisted living 3.4 percent and home care 1.5 percent. Depending upon age, selecting 3.5 percent inflation could stay in line with future costs and save premium dollars especially if a higher daily benefit is initially selected to compensate for the lower inflation protection. In the region, the average cost of nursing home care is $350 so the selected daily benefit would be higher than the national norm. In NYS, the partnership plans have a minimum daily benefit of $274 for 2014 as well as mandated coverage periods and inflation options. The LTCi companies have gathered extensive claim statistics over the last 35 years. According to the LTCi sourcebook, 50 percent of newly opened claims are paid for home care; 19 percent for assisted living and 31 percent for nursing home care; 65.5

percent of claims start at age 80 or older; 24.1 percent at ages 70-79; and 8.4 percent at ages 60-69. As far as marketing trends, we are seeing more policies with alternative cash benefits and more hybrid policies (life insurance with LTC or chronic illness riders) Cash alternative benefits add flexibility at claim time. It allows policyholders to pay for informal care from friends and neighbors who generally cost less thereby extending the life of the policy. This feature also takes into consideration future caregiving options. The hybrid policies allow for the acceleration of the death benefit to pay for LTC expenses. Those with LTC riders generally require a single premium and two sets of underwriting. Many of the features in the LTC rider are as robust as a standalone LTCi policy. The hybrids with chronic illness riders are a good alternative for individuals who are uninsurable for LTCi because only life underwriting is required. Hybrid policies are appealing because there are no wasted premiums. More than ever before, individuals have the ability to tailor their LTC plan for affordability and value. Perfect policies don’t exist but the LTCi carriers are offering more appropriate and realistic choices based on statistical information. Susan Suben, MS, CSA, is president of Long Term Care Associates, Inc. and a consultant for Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Company. Information for this article was gathered from the AALTC 2012 sourcebook and an ICB 2013 webinar on LTC trends. She can be reached at 800-422-2655 or by email at susansuben@31greenbush.com. May / June 2014 - 55 PLUS

55+

visits

10 Things to Do in Hawaii, the Sunshine State By Sandra Scott

awaii is like no other state for it is truly America’s “Islands in the Sun.” It is located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and is of Polynesian heritage. There are only seven inhabited islands with each offering unforgettable great experiences. In 1778 the English explorer, Captain James Cook, visited the Hawaiian Islands and is thought to be the first European to do so. He

Arizona Memorial

named them the Sandwich Islands in honor of the Earl of Sandwich. At first Cook and his crew were treated as deities but when one of the crew died showing that they were mere mortals the relationship deteriorated and Cook was killed. A monument in Kealakekua Bay, which is a great snorkeling spot, by the way, commemorates the event. Hawaii became the 50th state Aug. 21, 1959.

Pearl Harbor: The World War II Valor in the Pacific national monument is the place to learn about the beginning and end of World War II. A 23-minute documentary in the Pacific Memorial Theater relates the attack on Dec. 7, 1941 that led to the United States declaring war. Visitors then proceed to the memorial built over the sunken Arizona. The recently refurbished battleship Missouri, the site of Japan’s official surrender to the United States that ended World War II, is accessed via a shuttle bus to Ford Island. There are many displays and monuments. Polynesian Cultural Center: The Polynesian Cultural Center offers a trip to villages in Tahiti, Fiji, Tonga, Hawaii, New Zealand and Samoa, where visitors can learn about the various cultures and participate in a variety of activities. Be along the river to see the colorful canoe pageant. At 5 p.m. head to the Hale Ku’ai for a fabulous luau. After dinner there is time to amble over to the evening show, “Ha: Breath of Life,” which is a circle of life story.

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Snorkeling and diving: Enjoy the colorful underwater parade of fish, including the bright yellow tangs and the humu-humu-nukua’pua’a, the Hawaiian state fish. Dive above a turtle cleaning station where the surgeon fish clean the algae off the turtles. The most exiting snorkel trip is the night dive with the manta rays. There are plenty of companies on all the islands that offer diving and snorkel trips. Whale watching: Every winter, from December to May, the humpback whales make the journey from Alaska to the warm waters around Hawaii to bear their young. They put on a great show of breaching, fin slapping and tail waving. While these behemoths of the sea can be 40 to 45 feet in length, weigh up to 40 tons and can eat a ton of food a day they can leap nearly their body length out of the water. It is best to take a whale-watching boat tour. Surfing: The surf is always up in Hawaii. The North Shore of Oahu is known for its big waves especially during the winter but surfers will find thrills on all the islands. At one time only the royalty were allowed to surf but now anyone can enjoy this uniquely Polynesian sport. Wannabe surfers will find places to take lessons and practice on more gentle waves. Surfing is also a spectator sport especially at Oahu’s Waimea Bay, Sunset Beach and Banzai Pipeline. Volcanoes: There are currently three active volcanoes in Hawaii. For the biggest thrill head to the

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Lava Tube Big Island and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are hiking trails, a museum, petroglyphs and a walk-in lava tube. Near Hilo is Kilauea, one of the earth’s most active volcanoes; it has been active since 1983. It is called “the world’s only drive-in volcano” The Crater Rim Drive, a 10.6-mile loop, takes visitors to the main attractions. Plantations visits: On Oahu visit the Plantation Village museum and the Dole pineapple museum. The Big Island is home to Mauna Loa macadamia nut plantation. Maui is the place to learn about producing sugar, tropical fruits and flowers. Kauai is home to a sugar plantation and rice mill. On Molokai visitors can learn about taro and take the Molokai coffee

plantation estate tour. Halawa Valley: The Halawa Valley is where the first civilization in Hawaii began around the year 500. Anakala Pilipo and his family, who have been living in the valley for 50 generations, are preserving the ancient culture of Hawaii. Learn about growing taro and how to make poi, the uniquely Hawaiian food. And, the lush valley is the place to hike to some stunning waterfalls. Father Damien: Located on Molokai is the former leprosy colony. At one time, victims of this now easily curable disease were isolated. In 1873 Father Damien, a Catholic missionary, arrived at the colony and dedicated his life to improving conditions for the patients. Even today the area is remote and accessible mainly by a mule ride down the escarpment but the settlement can be viewed from above from a scenic overlook at Pala’au State Park with explanatory story boards. Getting around: Each of the Hawaiian Islands has its own special appeal from bustling, modern Oahu to laid back Molokai. Several airlines, including Hawaiian and Mokulele Airlines, offer quick efficient connections between the islands. Looking for a luxurious, allinclusive adventure cruise to the Big Island, Maui, Lanai and Molokai? Then consider a week on Un-Cruise’s Safari Explorer with the maximum capacity of 38 passengers. For more information check Gohawaii.com.

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By Ernst Lamother

Betty Smith, 80 Longtime worker who got an education later in life inducted to MCC Hall of Fame Q.Tell us how you got started on your road to education? A. I never went to college. I got married young at 19 and had three kids by the time I was 24. I just had the full time job of being a parent. Then when I turned 46, I said, “by the time I hit 50 years old, I want to have gone back to college and gotten some type of degree.” I remember my mom always wanted me to go to college so I went to Monroe Community College. I had been out of school for 30 years, but I knew this was something I needed to do for myself. I tell people it is not going to be easy, but nothing worth doing is.  Q.Were you afraid about starting over? A. Forget afraid, I was terrified. Back then, you didn’t have as many older adult students going back to school as there are now so I really stuck out. I didn’t know if I could do it. But then I figured either way I had to try because I didn’t want to regret not going. You never think about the fact that you have to learn to study. But in two years, I got my associates in liberal arts. Then I went and got my bachelor’s in psychology at SUNY Brockport. Then I went and got my master’s in higher education too. I just loved learning and once you start it is hard to stop. It might be a cliché, but you really have to take it one day a time, then one week at a time, and before you know it, you have graduated. Q.What role do you have at MCC now? A. I provide personal counseling, career counseling, as well as teaching career development and life planning. I provide advisement and counseling here at the college for students 42

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and offer a series of returning adult workshops as well as a series of personal development workshops like “Self Esteem” and “Learning to Put First Things First.” Plus we also serve more than 800 veterans and provide them with additional education. Q.What advice do you have for older people who think they can’t do what you have done? A. I always say you have to give yourself a chance. The only way to feel like a failure is when you think about wanting to do something and never try. You have to believe in yourself and know what you want to do. You are never too old to learn and you shouldn’t let anyone, including yourself, tell you any different. You just have to go for it because that is the most important part. You are still young at 50. I got hired as a counselor at 54 years old. Q.Why do you keep preaching education? A. I tell people all the time that education is the key. It can really open so many doors. Especially with this economy there are so many people who have to go back to school for more education and there are also people changing careers. It used to be that you could get a good paying job without ever needing to graduate high school. That is not the case now and there are so many people out of work. Being an adult should make you want to be a full, life-long learner. I know how hard it is to start from the beginning and I never forget that when I am counseling people Q.What do you enjoy about your job? A. I have a passion for helping people and the work I do. I tell peo-

Betty Smith, 80, is a 1982 graduate at Monroe Community College who has worked there since 1986. She was inducted into the MCC Hall of Fame ple you are going to be working a lot of hours in your life so you might as well find something that gives you pleasure. When you see someone come into your office afraid, and after months, they come back on fire for education, it is just great. The people at MCC were the first people to believe in me which is what makes working here so special. It has all come full circle so MCC is a gift that keeps giving to me. Q.What do you like to do in your spare time? A. I’m a big outdoors person. If the weather ever warms up, I like doing summer gardening. We plant all the time and I love doing landscaping. Also I have a wonderful time with my five grandchildren, and my four children who are great. I get the best of both worlds. And the grandkids think Grandma is cool. They say if Grandma can do it then I can do it. Plus I have been married for 60 years so I enjoy spending time with my husband.

He had more faith in you than you had in yourself. That’s why he’s one of the most important people on earth. How do you care for the most important people on earth? By giving them your absolute best. At St. Ann’s, we have built a brand new skilled nursing center in Webster that gives people more choices than ever before. From setting your own schedule, to enjoying small, friendly neighborhoods, to dining in cozy country kitchens—we make life what each resident wants it to be.

We have also created the area’s first freestanding transitional care center—the only rehab center in Rochester that is not located in a nursing home. So people can recover from major medical events surrounded by people just like themselves. It is a remarkable new way to care for people. Inspired by the people who deserve nothing less than the best. Learn more about the changes at St. Ann’s Community by visiting us at StAnnsCommunity.com.

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