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www.theactiveage.com April 2021 Kansas’ Award-winning Top 55+ News Source
Vol 42 • No. 5
Room to roam
'Dipping their toes' back in
Vaccines, reopenings preiew return to normalcy
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Rita Hephner, in swimsuit, is returning to the Downtown YMCA to work out. In 2019, family members cheered as she completed an indoor triathlon.
By Joe Stumpe Rita Hephner calls March 31 her “day of freedom.” That’s the date she expected to return to a more normal lifestyle, having passed 14 days since the second of her COVID-19 vaccination shots. And Hephner planned to celebrate. “I’m going to make an appointment at Beau Monde and have a massage,” she said. Across Wichita, thousands of people were making similar plans as the pace of vaccinations picked up and COVID cases fell. Businesses and organizations that have been closed to the public for a year announced that they would be opening, albeit with some restrictions in place. Senior Services, Inc., which operates the Downtown Senior
Dollar store delights, page 10
Kansas has plenty. Where will your next adventure be?
See Normalcy, page 8
Parents, grands drawn into domestic cases
By Amy Geiszler-Jones The troubling calls from Pat and Linda O’Donnell’s only daughter often came in the middle of the night. Prompted by her boyfriend, then 23-year-old Patricia would blame her parents for her failings. The O’Donnells, who were then in their 60s, believed their daughter was being controlled and intimidated as part of an unhealthy relationship. They even met with Patricia and her boyfriend to tell them so. Returning to Wichita from Kansas City without their daughter “was extremely hard,” Pat said. “You never know if you’re doing the right thing, especially for fear that See Domestic, page 6
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A hiker takes in scenary at Cedar Bluff State Park in northwest Kansas, above. Below, a sailboat traverses Cheney Lake. By MeLinda Schnyder occurred in 2001 when travel was In a year when travel was stymied impacted by the 9/11 terrorist attacks. in unpredictable and unprecedented Tourism officials expect the ways, some people still went exploring. increase in exploration to continue this A record 8.6 million people year as those deferred openings and visited 28 Kansas state parks in 2020. celebrations get rescheduled and travel restrictions lift. Already, Lanterman State Park Director Linda Lanterman credits residents looking for said, reservations are nearing capacity recreation outlets for camping during within driving 2021 holiday distance during weekends at state parks, where the pandemic or canceling out-ofthere are 10,000 state vacations for campsites and more in-state getaway.s than 120 cabins The previous and yurts. If you’re high attendance record was 7.9 planning an outing million, and Lanterman noted that See Travel, page 21
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