This ‘Christmas Vacation’ keeps growing
By Joe Norris
ROSE
HILL — In
“National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” movie, nobody loves Christmas more than Clark Griswold. When he throws the switch on his gleefully over-decorated house, it fries the city’s electric grid.
In Rose Hill, Kansas, nobody loves Christmas more than Michael Russell. He calls his place The Griswold House of Rose Hill. But that undersells it. Because Russell’s house transformation actually surpasses the house of Chevy Chase’s character in the 1989 movie.
Russell’s display is an eyepopping, jaw-dropping, brain-melting extravaganza of lights and wonder. It covers every square foot of his front yard, every inch of his house, his entire roof and now all of his backyard, too.
He hasn't blown the town's electric grid yet.
But every year, he finds a way to dial up the wattage from the year
before. This year, he’s added Clark Griswold’s station wagon, a 20-foot elf, the leg lamp from “A Christmas
Story,” a bunch of other large inflatables, a candy cane arch over the
Christmas, page 9
She's raced in all 50 states
By Bob Rives
To keep the pounds off after losing weight in 2010, Lisa Land started running. And racing. And running and racing some more. This fall, the Andover resident reached her goal of running a race in all 50 states. “I ran my first race in the nation’s largest state and finished it in Rhode Island, the smallest,” she said. Land started running while living
“It just gets me out of my funk”
PACE delivers senior health care and more
By Jacinda Hall
Following a heart attack and surgery, Sandra Howard sometimes struggled to obtain all the medications she’d been prescribed. She was being seen by more than one medical provider, and it wasn’t unusual for them to use different pharmacies. Howard’s daughters were tasked with rounding up the medications.
“My daughters always complained because at the time, I was taking around 10 or 11 meds,” Howard said.
Today, Howard obtains all her medications in one spot thanks to enrolling in the health care program known as PACE, or Program of AllInclusive Care for the Elderly. And that’s not all: Howard spends many weekdays at the PACE center at 775
N. Edwards (near Central and McLean), taken to and from her home by a PACE van driver.
At the center, she can be seen in its medical clinic, eat a hot lunch and socialize with other PACE participants and staff. The bright and airy 32,000-square-foot center, opened at a cost of $6.5 million in 2023, also houses a pharmacy.
Chloe James says PACE, or Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, saved her life.
“I come four times a week,” Howard said. “It just gets me out of my funk.”
For Howard and most other PACE participants who qualify
See Pace, page 6
Photo by Joe Norris
Michael Russell welcomes visitors to his Rose Hill home.
See Runner, page 7
Courtesy photo
Lisa Land, right, and regular running partner Laura Burvinski raced on Mackinaw Island, Mich., in 2024.
See
Win a diamond necklace!
The Active Age will celebrate its 46th anniversary in December. To mark this milestone, we'e holding a drawing for a stunning 14k yellow gold diamond cluster necklace generously donated by Mike Seltzer Jewelers.
The necklace is valued at $3,500. Everyone who donates at least $25 to The Active Age between Nov. 1 and noon on Dec. 15, 2025, will be entered in our drawing for the necklace. Each $25 donation gets you another chance at the necklace.
You can mail your donation to The Active Age, 125 S. West St., Suite 105, Wichita, KS, 67212, or call us at (316) 942-5385 to donate by phone. The drawing will be held
on Tuesday, Dec. 16, and the winner notified shortly thereafter.
Proceeds will help us keep bringing The Active Age to subscribers in Butler, Harvey and Sedgwick counties each month.
Senior exercise park opens
courtesy of Sedgwick County Strategic Communications Sedgwick County Commissioners (from left) Jim Howell, Jeff Blubaugh, Stephanie Wise and Pete Meitzner check out a fitness station during the grand opening of the GAIN (Get Active in Nature 60+) Exercise Park in Sedgwick County Park. The facility features 11 resistance-based machines, including five that are wheelchair accessible, and is free to use. It's located on Horseshoe Lake Drive near the Sunrise Boundless Playscape for children.
Photo
Social Security benefits, Medicare premiums rising in 2026
Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments for Americans will increase 2.8 percent in 2026. On average, Social Security retirement benefits will increase by about $56 per month starting in January.
Over the last decade the cost-ofliving adjustment (COLA) increase has averaged about 3.1 percent. The COLA was 2.5 percent in 2025.
Nearly 71 million Social Security beneficiaries will see a COLA beginning in January 2026. Increased payments to nearly 7.5 million people
receiving SSI will begin on December 31, 2025. (Some recipients receive both Social Security benefits and SSI).
Social Security begins notifying recipients about their new benefit amount by mail starting in early December. Those who have a personal my Social Security account can view their COLA notice online before receiving a letter in the mail.
Medicare Part B premiums and deductibles are also rising. Medicare Part B covers physicians’ services, outpatient hospital services, certain home health services, durable medical
equipment and certain other medical and health services not covered by Medicare Part A.
Each year, the Medicare Part B premium, deductible and coinsurance rates are determined according to provisions of the Social Security Act. The standard monthly premium for Medicare Part B enrollees will be $202.90 for 2026, an increase of $17.90 from $185 in 2025. The annual
deductible for all Medicare Part B beneficiaries will be $283 in 2026, an increase of $26 from the annual deductible of $257 in 2025.
The increase in the 2026 Part B standard premium and deductible is mainly due to projected price changes and assumed utilization increases.
Sources: Social Security Administration, medicare.gov.
Find your place. friendship
Help those in need through Share the Season
Share the Season is a community program that assists people during a time of hardship in their lives. The program offers hope and help to working families who have experienced difficult circumstances resulting in financial strain and emotional stress. Often an illness, car accident, layoff or other unexpected situation can put a family into crisis. Share the Season provides financial assistance to alleviate some of the pressure during this challenging time.
Since 2000, generous donors have given over $4.5 million to the program, which has allowed Share the Season to assist over 4,200 families. To mark the program’s 25th year, this year’s campaign goal is to raise $125,000. Donors can contribute by going to the website at www. sharetheseason.net or by scanning the QR code above.
Candice’s story: Recovery delays led to financial setback
A TASTE OF WHAT’S NEXT
Tuesday, December 9 11:30 a.m.
2 BEDROOM RESIDENCES STILL AVAILABLE!*
Call to reserve yours now.
Join us for lunch, where you’ll have the opportunity to meet depositors and future residents, and see how planning your future can be the best gift you give yourself this year. While our largest residences have been claimed, a few spacious two-bedroom homes are still available, featuring open entertaining spaces and inviting outdoor patios. Don’t miss this chance to be part of our vibrant and welcoming community.
“Moving to Larksfield Place, I found more than just a new home — I found a warm, welcoming community. For anyone seeking vibrant independent living, this is definitely the place to be.”
–
Wanda
N., Resident
To RSVP, scan the QR code or call 316-202-4074. Stay informed about upcoming events and expansion updates.
*Availability subject to change.
Candice, a nurse, underwent knee surgery and soon after developed blood clots that left her in a wheelchair for several weeks. Because she could not work during that time, she was placed on unpaid FMLA and began falling behind on her mortgage. Without another source of income, she turned to Share the Season for help. The program assisted Candice with a mortgage payment, helping her stay in her home while she continued recovering and planning her return to work.
Thank You Recent Donors!
Honor Roll of Donors
Readers critical of protesters story suspect anti-Trump bias
By Joe Stumpe
An article in last month’s issue about seniors leading political protests in downtown Wichita generated phone calls and emails from some readers who thought it was biased against President Trump.
In case other readers felt the same way, I thought I’d let you know my thoughts on the subject. First off, I appreciate and take seriously all reader feedback. The Active Age will always correct errors of fact and I’m open to all concerns regarding our content. Plus, I enjoy talking with readers who take the time to contact me.
The Active Age is a nonpartisan publication. Indeed, as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, we are prohibited by law from endorsing political candidates at any level. We can and have advocated for certain issues affecting seniors, but that’s not
From the Editor
relevant to this particular discussion.
At The Active Age, a good number of our stories fall into one of two categories: Seniors doing interesting things and interesting things for seniors to do. From my point of view, the article about political protesters was simply an example of the first, no more and no less. If, during the previous administration, scores of older anti-Biden protesters had spent several days a week leading noisy protests at one of the busiest intersections in town, we would have done a story about that, too.
A couple of readers complained that the article didn’t include views from the “other side.” If our reporter had encountered any pro-Trump protesters downtown, they would have been included in the article. But it seems to go without saying that the president is supported by many
Kansans, since he won 57 percent of the state’s vote last year, a landslide by any measure.
A couple of other readers thought we should just stay away from politics completely due to the current polarization on that front. I don't agree, although I would note that stories touching on politics are relatively rare in these pages.
After talking with these readers, a few said they understood my position and a few more said we’d just have to agree to disagree. Three readers cancelled their subscriptions, for which I am sorry. It’s certainly not our intention to cause anybody to stop reading because they object to one of about 300 stories and items we’ve published during 2025.
Finally, one reader made me smile by informing me that older anti-Trump protesters are sometimes known as “grantifa,” a play on the antifa movement. “Gotta see the humor in it all,” she wrote.
The Active Age, published the first of each month, is distributed in Butler, Harvey and Sedgwick counties.
To subscribe, call 316-942-5385, write The Active Age or visit theactiveage. com.
In these times, I couldn’t agree more. Contact Joe Stumpe at joe@ theactiveage.com
125 S. West St., Ste 105 • Wichita, KS 67213 316-942-5385 • Fax 316-946-9180 www.theactiveage.com
Published by Active Aging Publishing, Inc.
Editor: Joe Stumpe joe@theactiveage.com
Advertising Manager: Teresa Schmied teresa@theactiveage.com
Business Manager: Tammara Fogle tammara@theactiveage.com
Board of Directors President: Sharon Van Horn
Steve Criser
Pace
From Page 1
for Medicare or Medicaid, there is minimal or no cost.
In Sedgwick County, PACE is provided by Ascension Living HOPE, part of the faith-based healthcare organization that also operates hospitals, clinics and senior living communities here. There are two other PACE programs in Kansas: Bluestem PACE, for residents of Harvey County and five other south-central Kansas counties; and Midland PACE, which serves residents of 15 counties in northeast Kansas.
The Kansas programs are part of a small but growing national model of care that began in San Francisco’s Chinatown-North Beach area in the early 1970s. Families there were looking for an alternative to placing elders in nursing homes. They formed a nonprofit called On Lok Senior Health Services. On Lok is Cantonese for “peaceful, happy abode.”
On Lok opened one of the nation’s first adult day care centers in 1973 and began receiving Medicaid reimbursement for adult day health services the next year. It soon expanded to offering complete medical care and social support.
In the 1980s, the federal government allowed On Lok to test a new system under which it would be paid a fixed amount each month for each person in the program — still the basic funding model for PACE programs — then allowed 10 more organizations across the country to replicate the program.
With help from national foundations and support from the government, PACE programs have continued to expand. Today there are 187 of them operating in 33 states and serving nearly 88,000 participants, according to the National PACE Association.
The Sedgwick County program, started in 2002, now serves about 340 participants and employs about 145 staff. Bluestem PACE, a subsidiary of Bluestem Communities, started in 2022 and serves about 120 participants with a staff of 80. Midland Care
Upcoming Events
McCormick Museum holiday fun
The McCormick School Museum, 855 S. Martinson, will host several holiday events this month, including its annual holiday open house from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 5, featuring musical performances by USD 259 students; holiday open house weekend from noon to 5 p.m. Dec. 6-7; and carol
PACE has about 610 participants and a staff of 240.
“All-inclusive” doesn’t seem like too broad a term to sum up the services offered by Ascension Living’s PACE program. On the medical side, they include primary medical care, nursing and home care; physical, occupational and speech therapy; prescriptions, lab tests and procedures; home medical equipment, outpatient surgery, emergency room care, dentistry, optometry, podiatry and more. Non-medical services include wheelchair accessible transportation, social services, meals, recreation and personal care.
Each PACE participant has an 11-member interdisciplinary team of support including a primary care physician, registered nurse, social worker, activity coordinator and transportation representative.
“Everything we do for our seniors is focused on ‘what can we do to help them live well and live safely in their homes?’” said Jennifer Campbell, Ascension Living HOPE’s marketing director.
To be eligible for Ascension’s PACE program, an individual must be at least 55 years old, a resident of Sedgwick County, eligible for nursing home placement according to Kansas Department on Aging guidelines but able to live safely in the community. Participants authorize Ascension Living HOPE to administer their Medicaid and/or Medicare benefits and agree to receive all medical and community services through Ascension Living HOPE’s staff and provider network, although they can withdraw at any time.
Many participants face significant health challenges. In testimony before a state legislative committee last year, Lea Chaffee, vice president and executive director of Midland PACE, said its participants suffer from an average of 6.2 chronic conditions such as vascular disease, depression and diabetes.
But acting as both a health insurance and health care provider, the program helps seniors lead healthier lives, said Brenda Williams of Kansas PACE, which promotes all three programs in the state.
singing, hot cider and cookies from 6:30-8 p.m. Dec. 11. Admission is by donation.
The museum is also selling snowman ornaments for $20 to raise money for the museum, which highlights the history of Wichita public schools.
Window wonderland on view
More than two dozen businesses are taking part in the second annual
According to Kansas PACE, seniors in the program have 40 percent fewer hospital visits than those in regular Medicare plans while their family caregivers experience less stress. Participants with Medicaid pay nothing for PACE. Participants with Medicare but not Medicaid pay a monthly fee but no extra costs as they do with some Medicare plans.
Williams said PACE staff can often help participants qualify for Medicaid.
“There is an income threshold, and if they have $3,000 a month or less of income and no more than $2,000 of assets — but that does not include their house or a car — then the PACE program would be at no cost to them,” she said.
PACE advocates say the programs save the government money by reducing hospitalizations and emergency room visits through its emphasis on preventative care. While the programs have grown in Kansas, many members of the public still do not know about them. The state of Kansas recently awarded a grant to all three programs to promote PACE.
Ascension’s program gets an enthusiastic thumbs-up from Howard and several other participants who spoke to The Active Age. Howard noted she had felt lonely while living by herself for the last 10 years. As a PACE participant, she said, “I really like having the medical (care), and I love coming to socialize.”
“I’m never sitting in my chair
Downtown Wichita Window Wonderland decorating contest. Visitors can view the windows from Nov. 28 through Jan. 1 and cast one vote per day for their favorite window by scanning the QR code located at each business or by visiting downtownwichita.org/holidays/ winter-wonderland, where a list of participating businesses can also be found. The Leprechaun’s Lab microbrewery took home last year’s top
very often. I eat better, a lot better … I’ve noticed a weight loss just eating normal good food.”
Chloe James joined PACE nine year ago after hearing about it from a friend. “She was telling me about this great program that she goes to. They pick her up, all the good activities and everything that they do, plus all the benefits and everything that we have,” James said.
The program literally saved her life, she said.
“I was having a heart attack and didn’t know it, and the aide I had recognized the fact that there was something wrong with me when she came over. I called my cardiologist and he told me to get myself to the emergency room. Sure enough, I went and had a triple bypass and came out of it just absolutely wonderful. Had physical therapy, just no problem at all.”
These days, she helps welcome new participants.
“It’s just great. My home healthcare people are wonderful. I can’t say enough good things about HOPE.”
To learn more
For more information about PACE, call 316-858-1111 if you live in Sedgwick County and (844) 588-7223 in Harvey County.
Kansas PACE is an awareness initiative to provide information on PACE and directs the person to the program in their area. Visit KansasPACE.org or call 1-855-6621325.
prize of $500.
Holiday market set for Dec. 6 NORTH NEWTON — Locally made scarves, blankets and other gifts will be for sale at Kidron Bethel Village’s annual holiday market. It will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6 in Kidron Hall, 3001 N. Ivy Dr. in North Newton. The event also feature a bake sale, cinnamon rolls and coffee.
Courtesy photo
Asension LIving HOPE's PACE program moved to a new $6.5 million center in 2023. Many participants are transported to it by PACE vans.
Runner
From Page 1
and working in Anchorage. It became a lifestyle for her and good friend Laura Burvinski. They ran both before and after work, which sounds like a challenge considering the winter sun sets at 3:30 p.m. and doesn’t rise until 10:30 a.m. in Alaska’s biggest city. But it’s a different kind of darkness, Land said.
“We had headlamps, and with snow on the ground and city lights there was good ambient light. It is much darker here after sunset.”
They participated in races yearround, usually one a week in the summer and one a month during the winter. They’ve done all the distances from marathons and half marathons to
5Ks and 10Ks. It was after a marathon in Portland, Ore., that the pair set their 50-state goal.
The value of running is as much social as physical, Land said. “Laura and I tried biking, but we couldn’t visit. When we run, we talk, so we prefer it.
Running times aren’t the most important part of the activity. A few years ago, Land would run three miles in about 28 minutes. Today, that takes her about 36 minutes. Part of the reason for the slower pace is a hip replacement. After it, doctors said, running for recreation was fine, but hard running and training weren’t advisable.
She sticks to a plan: During a workout or race, she runs 90 seconds and then walks for 30. An app, “Runkeeper,” helps her keep track of
the pace. “That way at the end of the run, your legs don’t feel wiped out,” she said.
What was her toughest race?
“Probably when my friend Laura ran her fiftieth. It was near Cheyenne, Wyoming. The wind was terrible and we were running around cactus plants and gopher holes,” she recalled with a laugh.
Her husband, Bob, gets kudos for helping her schedule and travel to races. Actually, her whole family is supportive. When she celebrated her 60th birthday with a trip to Hawaii to race, her mother, sister, nieces and daughters were with her.
In Rhode Island for race number 50, she was surprised to find all three of her children and their spouses and children along with Burvinski.
“I cried,” she said. “It was pretty awesome.”
Land was born in Denver and moved to Hays with her family when she was two. She earned a finance degree from Fort Hays State and was recruited by Conoco-Phillips to work in the company’s computer department in Ponca City. Her 38-year career took her to Texas and ultimately Anchorage to work in construction project management.
With races in all 50 states behind her, what’s next?
She hasn’t decided, she said. But there are 10 Canadian provinces and two territories and the U.S, territories of Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands. Surely there are races to run there.
Contact Bob Rives at bprives@gmail.com
Medical marijuana, property tax relief among KSHL priorities
The Active Age
The Kansas Silver Haired Legislature has released its list of priorities for the 2026 Kansas legislative session. They include the legalization of medical marijuana, Medicaid expansion and more money for senior-related services.
In a news release, the KSHL said it’s clear that a majority of Kansans
support most of these priorities, based on results of the most recent “Kansas Speaks” survey conducted by the Docking Institute of Public Affairs at Fort Hays State.
“These (survey) results show what Kansans have been saying for years — they want action,” said Leroy Burton of El Dorado, KSHL’s Speaker of the House. “Medical marijuana, Medicaid
expansion and stronger senior care all have widespread support.”
KSHL, a volunteer organization that advocates on behalf of seniors, meets at the Kansas State Capitol each fall to pass resolutions that it then presents to state lawmakers.
Its priorities for 2026 are:
• Support for Senate Bill 294, legalizing the cultivation, processing and use of medical cannabis.
• Support for SB 215 or similar legislation providing property tax relief for seniors.
• Expanding Medicaid to more participants, including an estimated 14,000 aged 60 to 65.
• Opposing any legislation that would restrict voting rights.
• Support for community-based transportation systems across the state.
The “Kansas Speaks” survey found that 70 percent of residents legalizing medical marijuana and expanding Medicaid and 77 percent favor money for senior-related services. Property tax relief and voting rights were not covered in the survey.
New book tells the story of Al Higdon, Wichita’s original Mad Man
By Carrie Rengers
The Wichita Eagle
Anyone who has lived nine decades probably has a good story to tell, but Al Higdon’s is particularly packed.
From a high-flying career in public relations in the early days of jets to starting his own ad agency, Higdon was Wichita’s original Mad Man. His former employer, Learjet, even was a story line on the “Mad Men” television series.
His good friend of 50 years, Linda Talbott, convinced him to tell his story.
“I just see me as a guy who’s gone to work and worked and retired, and here I am," said Higdon, a former board member of The Active Age.
Talbott, though, “felt that there is something there,” he said.
"Al Higdon: The Power of Two" has just hit bookstores. Higdon asked his friend John Brown to write the book instead of attempting it on his own.
Brown “did as good of a job as could be done on this old, tired life,” Higdon said.
The native of Kansas City, Mo., moved to Wichita while in high school, when his father took a job here.
Higdon decided he wanted to be a sports writer “because I liked sports, and I had some flair for writing.”
That and he was “lousy at math” and other skills he figured he’d need in business.
Higdon ended up studying what he said was then a fairly new profession: public relations.
He got a business degree from the University of Kansas in 1958 and went to work for a small PR consulting firm in St. Louis.
Feeling like he needed more of
a writing background and study of PR, Higdon returned to Wichita and got a journalism degree from Wichita State University.
From there, he joined the PR department at Beech for three years before jumping to Learjet in 1964.
“There was some soul searching,” Higdon said.
His concern was that a Learjet plane might not “ever see the light of day, let alone be successful.”
Working for the legendary Bill Lear was an experience.
“He was irascible. He was smart as hell. . . . He was a visionary. I’ve never met anybody like him.”
Even when Lear was a mere 53, Higdon said, “Everybody called him ‘the old man.’ “
The business was successful, of course, and Higdon remained until 1971.
He called that time “seven of the best years of my life that I wouldn’t want to go through again.”
One-year trial
Higdon left Learjet to form an ad agency with Wendell Sullivan.
“The aircraft industry was in serious doldrums.”
Higdon said there were bumper stickers back then that said, “Will the last one out of Wichita please turn out the lights?”
Higdon and Sullivan were no more confident that the agency would be a success.
“We gave ourselves a year.”
Higdon ended up continuing to work for Learjet, too, on a contract basis, from 1972 to 1985.
Then, in 1987, the agency took on part of Cessna Aircraft Co.’s PR work, “which was the beginning of a whole new, wonderful chapter for us.”
By 1988, the agency began handling Cessna’s worldwide account, which previously had been with an international agency. Cessna was the firm’s largest client for a long time and “was the best client in the history of the agency,” Higdon said.
Beginning with Cessna CEO Russ Meyer, the company allowed the agency access to every aspect of its business, “which allowed us to do our work much better,” Higdon said. “If more clients knew how to work with agencies, they would know how to get the best work out of them.”
Higdon attributes his time in “that jet age” to “blind luck and being on the ground floor.”
“I was a player in that, the emergence of the industry in Wichita.”
He’s equally proud, though, of how he and Sullivan established a profitsharing plan for their agency, which became Sullivan Higdon & Sink when Vaughn Sink became a partner.
Sullivan and Higdon previously
had hired Sink when they got their first agriculture client.
“Both of us were city guys,” Higdon said of himself and Sullivan. “We didn’t know a damn thing about agriculture, but I knew who did.”
Higdon said the agency, today known as Signal Theory, successfully changed with the times, and he appreciates how current leaders keep him up to date on what’s happening. They even named their custom AI tool AL after Higdon.
In the book, Higdon also shares stories of difficult times, including the death of Sullivan and layoffs during a recession.
Higdon will have a book signing at 6 p.m. on Jan. 15 at Watermark Books & Cafe.
“I’m reminded constantly what a lucky lad I’ve been throughout my whole life to be in the right place at the right time,” Higdon said. “I’m just a blessed human being.”
Courtesy photo
Al Higdon, far right, joins baseball legend MIckey Mantle, left, and businessman Tom Vickers in front of a Learjet.
Christmas
From Page 1
front yard pathway and more lights than ever before. The total is now somewhere around 120,000, but he’s lost count.
“I never intended to go this big,” Russell said. “I moved here to Rose Hill from Ark City in 2004 to be closer to work, and I started off with a few lights and a couple of inflatables. But I’ve always been the type of person to do things in excess. So my display kept growing. And now, to have it ready by Thanksgiving, I have to start working on it in August.”
Christmas of 2020 was when the number of visitors exploded. Russell had been offering a free candy cane to everyone who stopped to see the display, and 20 or 30 boxes of candy had always been enough. But in 2020, he went through 500 boxes of the red and white canes.
“People had been cooped up because of Covid and just wanted to get out. Some of them told me they’d had a pretty rough year and that seeing my display made them feel a little better. So each year now, I look for ways to make the display even bigger and even better.”
Russell also found a way to make it even taller. After the trees in his front yard had grown too large for
him to string lights into the upper branches, a friend showed up with a cherry picker. Now, the holiday glow stretches all the way to the very tops of the trees. As it happens, Russell has no fear of working that far above the ground.
“My display includes a biplane, a helicopter and a hot air balloon, because I’ve jumped out of all three,” he says. Yes, he’s also an experienced skydiver. Russell’s a grandfather now, but he’s still jumping. So it’s no accident that his Christmas display
also includes a skydiving Santa. You’ll have to look for it because The Griswold House of Rose Hill is a visual blizzard of Santas, snowmen, gingerbread men, polar bears, elves and more. And in keeping with its name, an inflatable Clark Griswold stands in the corner of the yard to greet visitors.
“One family from Wisconsin was on their way to Arizona for Christmas, road-tripping like the Griswolds. But they heard about my display and drove
an hour and a half out of their way to come here and see it,” Russell recalls. “They said it was totally worth the detour.”
It’s also totally worth your short trip to Russell’s house at 1610 Tanglewood Road in Rose Hill. He spends his days in his FedEx truck, helping Santa with deliveries, but he spends his evenings outside, near the fire pit on his driveway.
“Talking to visitors is my favorite part of the entire thing,” he says. “I really enjoy seeing the smiles on their faces. Doing this brings back some of the Christmas magic I always felt when I was a kid.”
Joe Norris is a retired Wichita marketing executive. He can be reached at joe.norris47@gmail.com
A friend took this drone photo of Micheal Russell's home. Above right, the Clark Griswold character with whom Russell is often compared.
Going paperless?
A free digital copy of The Active Age is now available. The digital copy can be “flipped through” like a regular newspaper, and the type can be enlarged on your phone or computer. To have the digital version emailed to you each month, call (316) 942-5385 or email joe@ theactiveage.com
KANSAS PODIATRY ASSOCIATES STATE OF THE ART PODIATRIC CARE 1819 N Greenwich · Wichita KS 67206 316-269-FEET(3338) · Fax 316-264-5516 www.CKPA.net
It’s the holidays, so break out the games
By Suzanne Perez KMUW
The holiday season is here, and if you’re looking for fun things to do during family get-togethers, you might consider a new card or board game. Here are some recommendations from Gwen Ottenberg, owner of Imagine That Toys in Wichita, who’s been selling games for more than 25 years and playing them even longer.
Prime Suspect (ages 8 and up, $14.99) — Playing alone or with a friend, arrange the nine suspect cards into a 3-by-3 grid using directional clues on the case cards. For example: “Monica is below Joe, and next to Devin.” Once you have the characters placed, the one in the middle is the prime suspect. Then just flip over the case card to see if you’re right. There are 45 case cards in each box, ranging from easy to difficult.
Kitty Litter (ages 6 and up, 2-4 players, $14.99) — In this fast-action matching game, players race to match all their colorful tiles with at least two adjacent colors. If you match three colors, that’s a Cat Scratch, and you
send one of your tiles to another player. The player who plays all their tiles first is the winner.
IQ Circle (ages 14 and up, $24.99)
— This brainpower puzzle game comes with a sleek, travel-sized plastic board, 10 brightly colored shaped pieces and a book with 120 challenges from easy to expert. Pick a challenge from the book, place a few pieces where it tells you to put them, and then fill in the remaining pieces around the circle.
Variations include IQ Square, IQ Hexagon and IQ Pentagon.
Genius Connection (ages 8 and up, $29.99) — This brain-boosting strategy game can be played solo or with two players racing against each other. Roll the dice to see which squares will begin and end your “path” tiles. Complete the path and then try to fit the remaining pieces around it. Every game is different because the dice offer endless possibilities.
Clearosity (ages 8 and up, 2-6 players, $17.99) — Players race to find hidden three-letter words by stacking the clear plastic cards. Take turns placing cards face-up in the center, and
Notice to Readers
The Active Age is now publishing obituaries and celebratory announcements. The price of Memorial and Celebration announcements starts at $50 for a black-and-white, 1-inch photo and up to 50 words. More information can be found by calling (316) 942-5385 or by visiting theactiveage.com.
the first person to spot a word formed by the overlapping cards collects that stack. Great for quick thinking, spelling, vocabulary building and spatial perception.
Chipzi (ages 6 and up, 2-7 players, $24.99) — Chipzi is a fast-paced game from the creators of perennial favorite Tenzi. It features 49 chips numbered one through seven, in seven different colors. Players race to flip chips and collect seven chips that meet a specific condition, such as the same color or number. The first player to collect all seven and yell “Chipzi!” wins. Variations include “Countdown Chipzi,” where you have to collect seven chips in descending order, and “Perfect Chipzi,” where you have to collect seven chips with no repeat numbers or colors.
Tacta (ages 7 and up, $19.99) — Each player gets a deck of cards
in their chosen color. On their turn, players can play only the top or bottom card from their deck by overlapping it with at least one existing card on the table. The goal is to cover your opponents’ dots while protecting your own. When the game ends, the player with the most dots visible in their color wins.
Gwen Ottenberg, owner of Imagine That Toys in Wichita, holds some of her favorite games for children and families.
December quiz: Name these Christmas characters
By Nancy Wheeler
It’s not surprising that practically everybody’s favorite holiday has produced some of our favorite entertainments as well. See if you can identify the fictional characters featured in these stories, movies, TV shows and songs. The answers appear on page 20.
1. What was the name of the blanket-carrying Peanuts character whose idealism and hope were the
December Theatre
By Diana Morton Act
1 Players, El Dorado Elks Lodge #140, 121 E. Pine Ave., El Dorado. The Cowhand’s Christmas Carol (italics). Comedy erupts when mountain folk come to the big city to help their daughter with dinner. Dec. 12-13, dinner & play, $25, play only, $15. 316-321-9393 Mosley Street Melodrama, 234 N. Mosley. Holidaze of our Lives by Carol Hughes, followed by a new musical review. A delightfully unhinged holiday spoof that blends soap opera melodrama with Christmas chaos in El Dorado Falls. Now – Dec 20. Tickets, dinner & show $36-40; show only $26-30. 316-263-0222
centerpiece of “A Charlie Brown Christmas”?
2. Who was accidentally left “Home Alone “when his family went to Paris and ended up defending the family residence from robbers?
3. What baby was left in Santa’s bag on Christmas Eve so he was raised at the North Pole with the other elves?
4. What New York cop defeated villain Hans Gruber at the Nakatomi Plaza in the movie “Die Hard”?
Music Theatre Wichita, Century II, 225 W. Douglas. Holiday Extravaganza. MTWichita’s starstudded holiday variety show features a 24-piece onstage orchestra, tap dancing elves, special guests and holiday favorites that never go out of style. December 5 – 7. Visit mtwichita.org or call 316-265-3107 for tickets.
Prairie Pines Murder Mystery
Theatre, Dancing and Dying at the ‘Ole Five and Dime. An interactive, comedy-mystery is played between dinner courses, with actors serving as waiters. Now – Dec 23. Tickets are available at prairiepinesplayhouse.com or call 316-303-2037
Roxy’s Downtown, 412 E. Douglas, cabaret-style theatre. Dwight Christmas. Join Dwight and Mamie
VOLUNTEER WITH US THIS TAX SEASON!
Help income-limited households gain financial stability by volunteering to help them file their taxes for free. Last year, volunteers filed 6,200 returns, putting a RECORDBREAKING $8 MILLION in refunds back into the pockets of local residents. You can help generate this kind of impact!
• Volunteer as a site greeter or tax preparer. No experience is needed! Bilingual volunteers are encouraged to sign up.
• Learn valuable new skills and become IRS certified with our free training (virtual or in-person).
• Flexible commitment: Choose your site, shift, and role (February through April).
• Full support every step of the way. You’re never on your own.
5. What Dr. Seuss character decided to ruin Christmas for the cheery citizens of Whoville?
6. What 293-year-old clockmaker tried and tried to gain his angel wings before finally succeeding by helping George Bailey?
7. What old man appeared regularly as Santa at Macy’s, claimed that he really was Santa Claus, and ended up in court?
8. What Christmas animal was
down on the farm for a White Christmas where Mamie will answer the age-old question “What Can You Do with a General?” 7:30 pm Thu –Sat, 2 pm Sat matinees. Nov 28 – Dec 27. Tickets $40. 316-265-4400
Wichita Community Theatre, 258 N. Fountain. Almost Maine, by John Cariani, directed by Abri Geist. Almost, Maine, is so far north, it’s almost not in the United States. One
made popular in a 1949 recording by Gene Autry that soared to No. 1 on radio charts?
9. What ghostly figure appeared to his business partner Ebeneezer Scrooge because he was doomed to spend eternity walking in chains?
10. What jolly happy soul had both a corn cob pipe and a button nose plus two eyes made out of coal?
11. Who wanted only one thing for Christmas—an air rifle—despite everyone giving him the same warning: “You’ll shoot your eye out”?
cold winter night, as the Northern Lights hover above, its residents find themselves falling in and out of love in unexpected and hilarious ways. Performances are at 8 pm Thursday through Saturday with a 2 pm Sunday matinee, Dec 5-15. Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for military/seniors/ students. 316-686-1282
Contact Diana Morton at dianamorton12@sbcglobal.net
2026 World Cup in Kansas City: A casual fan’s guide
By Suzanne Hogan KCUR
Kansas City will host six FIFA World Cup soccer matches in the summer of 2026. This is the first time Kansas City will hold a global sporting event of this scale, with about 650,000 people expected to come into town for the games. What is the World Cup?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is a 104-game tournament featuring 48 competing countries. It will kick off June 11, 2026, at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, last 39 days and take place across 16 North American cities. Kansas City is the smallest city to host games. The World Cup final will be held at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19, 2026. Can I still get tickets to World Cup games?
Yes, but ticketing for all games — including the ones in Kansas City — happens in phases through a lottery draw system. For access to all ticket sales, you’ll need to register a profile through FIFA's website, fifa.com. So what will happen in Kansas City?
Kansas City will host six matches at GEHA Arrowhead Stadium, which will be renamed Kansas City Stadium for the tournament: Tuesday, June 16; Saturday, June 20; Thursday, June 25; Saturday, June 27; Friday, July 3, 2026
Kansas City, Mo., Mayor Quinton Lucas cheers alongside fans June 16, 2022, at Power & Light as news breaks that Kansas City will host during the 2026 World Cup. (round of 32); and Saturday, July 11, (quarter-final).
We won’t know which teams will play in Kansas City until the draw on Dec. 5, 2025.
KC 2026 is also planning an elaborate Fan Fest experience on the lawn in front of the National WWI Museum and Memorial with a giant screen, stage and activities. You can expect to find watch parties and festivities at the Power & Light district and other sites across the city.
Plus, bars and restaurants in Kansas City will be able to stay open and serve alcohol from 6 a.m. to 5 a.m. (that's 23 hours a day!) during the month of the World Cup thanks to a statewide exemption aimed at helping boost business. So if you want to watch a game broadcast in a totally different
time zone, you’ll have a place to do that.
How will people get around Kansas City?
KC 2026 announced in March 2025 that they procured 200 extra buses to help with transportation by tapping into and expanding existing routes.
This will include routes to matches at Arrowhead Stadium, the airport, hotel centers and key destinations on both sides of the state line.
Why was Kansas City picked to host the World Cup?
Kansas City has a long history with soccer. Kansas City businessman Lamar Hunt, more famously known as the patriarch of the Chiefs, was instrumental in developing professional soccer leagues and attracting the country’s last FIFA World Cup, back in 1994.
Now Kansas City has
a professional men’s MLS team, Sporting KC, and a women’s NWSL team, the Current.
For a longer version of this article and regular updates on the 2026 World Cup, visit kcur.com.
CPAAA looking for new provider of Friendship Meals and Meals on Wheels
The provider of nearly 11,000 meals per month for the elderly and homebound in south-central Kansas is getting out of the business.
The Central Plains Area Agency on Aging (CPAAA) will transition services provided by Everfull, including Friendship Meals and Meals on Wheels programs, to a new provider in
BEL AIRE
2026, it was announced Nov. 21. While Everfull has made the decision to end services, CPAAA remains committed to providing services for older adults in the community, including Friendship Meals and Meals on Wheels programs.
“We’ve been scurrying a bit but in active conversation with some alternative providers for a couple of weeks
now,” said CPAA Executive Director Stephen Shaughnessy. “We’re working on it. We feel like there are some viable options.”
A Hutchinson-based nonprofit formerly known as Aging Projects, Inc., Everfull has provided nearly 11,000 meals per month in Butler, Harvey and Sedgwick counties since
seDgwick county senior centers
7651 E Central Park Ave 744-2700, ext 304 www.belaireks.org
BENTLEY/EAGLE 504 W Sterling, 796-0027
CHENEY 516 Main, 542-3721
CLEARWATER 921 E Janet, 584-2332
DERBY 611 N Mulberry Rd, 788-0223 www.derbyks.com
DOWNTOWN
200 S Walnut, 267-0197 www.seniorservicesofwichita.org
ANDOVER
EDGEMOOR
5815 E 9th, 688-9392
GARDEN PLAIN 1006 N Main, 535-1155
GODDARD 122 N Main, 785-398-1255
HAYSVILLE 160 E Karla, 529-5903
KECHI Kechi City Building, 744-0217, 744-1271
LA FAMILIA 841 W 21st, 267-1700
LINWOOD 1901 S Kansas, 263-3703
MCADAMS GOLDEN AGE 1329 E 16th, 337-9222
2017 for the Friendship Meals and Meals on Wheels programs. Due to funding projections ahead of fiscal year 2025-2026, Everfull’s Board of Directors made the decision to exit as a provider for the Friendship Meals and Meals on Wheels programs.
Friendship Meals
MT HOPE 105 S Ohio, 667-8956
MULVANE 632 E Mulvane, 777-4813
NORTHEAST 2121 E 21st, 269-4444
OAKLAWN 2937 Oaklawn Dr, 524-7545
ORCHARD PARK 4808 W 9th, 942-2293
PARK CITY 6100 N Hydraulic, 744-1199
VALLY CENTER COMMUNITY CENTER 314 E Clay, 755-7350
Butler county senior centers
410 Lioba Dr, 733-4441 www.andoverks.com
AUGUSTA 640 Osage, 775-1189
BENTON
Lion’s Community Bldg, S Main St
CASSODAY Cassoday Senior Center 133 S. Washington, 620-735-4538
DOUGLASS 124 W 4th, 746-3227
EL DORADO 210 E 2nd, 321-0142
LEON
112 S Main, 745-9200 or 742-9905
ROSE HILL 207 E Silknitter, 776-0170
senior weDnesDays
www.seniorwednesday.org
Dec 3
10:30 am Wichita Art Museum 1400 W. Museum Blvd., $2 admission. Holiday Party
1:30 pm Museum of World Treasures 835 E. 1st St. Info not available. Dec 10
10 am Sedgwick County Zoo, 5555 Zoo Blvd. (316) 2668213, $4 People’s Choice!
1:30 pm Advanced Learning Library, 711 W, 2nd, (316) 2618500, Free. Info not available. Dec 17
10 am Ulrich Museum of Art, 1845 Fairmount St. Info not available.
1:30 pm Great Plains Nature Center, 6232 E 29th St N. Info not available.
Derby Sr Center, 611 Mulberry. 3rd Tuesday 7pm-9:30 pm. El Dorado Jam & Dance, Senior Center, 210 E. 2nd.
Dec 24
10 am Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum, 204 S. Main. Info not available.
1:30 pm Mid American All-Indian museum. 650 N Seneca (316) 3503340, $2 + tax admission; free for MAAIM members. Info not available.
Dec 31
10am The Kansas African American Museum, 601 N Water. $3. Info unavailable. 1:30 pm Old Cowtown Museum. 1865 Museum Blvd $2 + tax; bers. Info unavailable
Dances
Prairie Wind Dancers: Plymouth Congregational Church, 202 N Clifton. Joyce, 683-1122.
Linwood Golden Age, 1901 S Kansas. Every Saturday 7pm-9:30pm. Call Jim 316-945-9451
Minisa Golden Age, 704 W 13th. Info 617-2560. Every Thursday 7pm9:30pm. Call Rita 316-364-1702
Oaklawn Activity Center, 4904 S. Clifton. Contra Dance1st Saturday of each month. 7pm-9pm. Call Amanda at 316-361-6863. Orchard Park Golden Age, 4808 W 9th. Every Friday 7pm-9:30pm. Call Casey 316-706-7464
Village Steppers Square Dance, Oaklawn Activity Center, 4904 S Clifton. 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month September through May 7:30 - 10:00 pm. Info: Mike Huddleson 316-650-2469 Westside Steppers Square Dance, 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month, 6-8:30 p.m., West Heights United Methodist (entrance "D"), 745 N. Westlink Ave. Info: Sheldon Lawrence (316) 648-7590.
TOWANDA 317 Main, 316-536-8999
Open 10:30 am-5 pm Mon, Wed, Fri WHITEWATER Legion Hall, 108 E Topeka
Harvey county
BURRTON
124 N Burrton, 620-463-3225
HALSTEAD 523 Poplar, 835-2283
HESSTON Randall & Main, 620-327-5099 www.hesstonseniorcenter.com
NEWTON AREA SENIOR CENTER 122 E 6th, Newton, 283-2222 www.newtonseniorcenter.com
SEDGWICK 107 W. Fifth, 772-0393
transportation
Sedgwick County
Sedgwick Co Transportation, 660-5150 or 1-800-367-7298. Information: 8 am-5 pm, Mon-Fri; closed most holidays. www. sedgwickcounty.org/aging.
Butler County Transit
Weekday transportation in El Dorado, Augusta and Andover. Rides to Wichita on Wed, Thu. Information: Augusta, 775-0500; El Dorado, 322-4321; toll free, 1-800-2793655. 48-hr notice required.
Harvey County
Transportation reservations or information: 316-284-6802 or 1-866-6806802. Round-trip: $8 Newton (wheelchair only), $12 Harvey County, $20 outside Harvey County. AVI to Newton: Tue, 12:304:30 pm from Burrton, Sedgwick, Halstead, Hesston, Walton.
Aging Projects serves a hot, nutritious meal weekdays for persons 60 and older in Sedgwick, Harvey and Butler counties. Reservations are necessary. For locations and reservations, call 316-686-0074
WEEK OF DEC. 1
Mon: Taco Burger w/ bun, cheese, lettuce, tomato, corn, mixed fruit.
Tue: Chili, peas, peaches, cinnamon roll, crackers.
Wed: Creamed chicken w/ biscuit, mixed veggies, pears.
Thu:Swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes, garden salad, applesauce, wheat roll.
Fri: Egg & cheese omelet, potatoes O'Brien, breaded tomatoes, mandarian oranges.
WEEK OF DEC. 8
Mon: BBQ chicken w/ bun, pasta salad, green beas, easy fruit cobbler .
Tue: Poor boy stew. beets, mixed fruit, crackers.
Wed: Easy beef and rice, carrots, pears, wheat roll.
Thu: Tuna noodle casserole, peas, peaches, corn bread muffin
Fri: Chicken & rice casserole, Sandy's Green Beans, applesauce, wheat roll.
WEEK OF DEC. 15
Mon: Cheeseburger w/ bun, lettuce, tomato, onion,pickle, potato wedges, baked beans, blushing pears.
Tue:Chicken Noodles, mashed potatoes, green beans, applesauce
Wed: Speghetti w/ meat sauce, garden salad, peaches, garlic bread
Thu: Sliced ham, sweet potato casserole, dressing, corn, applesauce, dutch apple coffee cake.
Fri: Tomato soup, chicken sandwich, garden salad, mixed fruit
WEEK OF DEC. 22
Mon: Fish sandwich w/ bun, lettuce, tomato, tarter sauce, creamed noodles, peas & carrots, pears
Tue: Cowboy beans, broccoli, peaches, 6" corn tortilla(x2)
Wed: Cheese pizza, garden salad, mixed fruit.
Thu: CLOSED
Fri: CLOSED
WEEK OF DEC. 29
Mon: Potato soup, ham sandwich, lettuce, tomato, onion, applesauce
Tue: Choice of beef cutlet or liver & onions w/ brown gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans, banana
Wed: Lemon Baked fish fillet, brown rice, spicy black-eyed peas, peaches
* Milk or grape juice is served with all meals. Meals fall within the following ranges: Calories 650-750; protein 25 grams or higher; fat 20 to 30 percent of calories; calcium 400 mg or higher; sodium 1,000 grams or less; fiber 9 grams or higher.
Classified advertising
White Chapel Masonic Garden
Two plots side by side. Two vaults. One opening/closing. 1 Bronze Memorial 24x12
1 Granite Memorial 62x16. Valued $12,500; priced to sell $8,500. (316)250-8641
Niche available at Wichita Park/Old Mission. In Mission Chapel niche east. Sell for $1,000. Sell-er pays transfer fee. 316-652-9943
2 spaces side by side at Lakeview in Garden of Gethsemane. 1 two-piece vault. Seller Pays transfer fee. Was $10,000 Now Asking $8,000. 316-522-1659
Resthaven Garden of Prayer. Lot 11A, Plots 1&2. $5,000 plus transfer fee buys both plots. 316-978-0743
Resthaven Cemetery-Single burial space; back of East section of Rose Garden. $1300; buyer pays $495 transfer fee. 620-491-0257.
Resthaven Garden of Love 2 plots, 158D spaces 3&4. Both for $8,000. Seller pays transfer fee. Cash or certified check only. For info or photo call 918-698-7120.
Resthaven Garden of Freedom, space 4. Double depth lawn crypt, Vault included. Retail $9,795, Sell $7,000. Buyer pays transfer fee. Email mterry27@gmail.com.
2 plots at Lakeview cemetery in Garden of the Apostles. Lot 57 spaces 1&2. $3,300 each OBO. Seller pays transfer fee. 903-348-1636
4 plots White Chapel cemetery located in Good Shepherd Section. Lot 91a spaces 1,2,3&4. $3,000 each. Can sell separately. Buyer pays transfer fee of $499. 316-640-0480.
Resthaven Garden of the Good Shepherd Family Plot #70-D, Spaces #1-4. Highly desirable easily accessible plot. Valued at $21,000+. Will sell for $16,500 with Seller paying transfer fee. Contact Dale @ dadpe@comcast.net.
Double stacker plots w/stone at Lakeview Cemetery. Purchased for $8,000. Asking $5,000. Buyer Pays transfer fee of $295. Call 316-665-7445
2 plots available in Old Mission/Wichita Park located in Section 5 $2000.00 each (half price). Contact Mrs.Beach 918-520-8565.
Painting * Sheetrock Repair * Trim work/ Woodwork Spring Clean-up Free Estimates - Insured Call Kevin 316-807-7271
Dave’s Improvements General Contractor Lic #7904 Roofing, Siding, Gutters, Storm damage repair, Senior Discount. 316-312-2177
Handyman RX- We have a remedy for almost all of your “fix-it” jobs! Light carpentry including deck and fence repair, indoor misc. repairs and installations, lawn mowing “LG or SM”,
F HAIR STYLING F
Classified advertising
F SERVICES F
Need help on your electric scooter, power or lift chair, stair or platform lift? Call Howard Distribution at 316-648-1694. Howard is a certified service center and dealer for Bruno, Golden Tech, Pace Saver, and Pride. Also sell new and used equipment. Working for you since 1987. HDIkansas.com
HALSIG INSURANCE
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Veteran Resources
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Mary Halsig, Ind. Agent, Veteran HalsigInsurance.com
Felipe Tree Service
Evergreen trimming. Tree removal. Brush hauling. Splitting. Deadwooding. Free estimates. 12 years experience. 316-807-4419
Bruce’s Tree Service
FIREWOOD
Get an Early Start on your trimming for 2025
Complete Tree Trimming & Removal Gutter Cleaning and Leaf Rake Trees * Shrubs* Hedgerows * Evergreens Senior Discounts. Insured. Over 30 years exp. ALL FARM & RURAL AREAS
Snow Removal Call 316-207-8047
FATHER EARTH'S TREE SERVICE LLC
Certified Arborist
Trees-Stumps-Shrubs-Brush
• Crown/Height/Weight Reduction
• Center Sucker/Growth Clean Cut
• Deadwood Trunk/Limbs
•Canopy Raised
•Tree Removal
• Stump Grinding
• Tree Diagnostics for Diseases
Firewood $90-185 For Full Rick Medium To Hard Woods 24 years experience - INSURED 316-218-5318.
Penny pinching: Ramifications of coin’s demise extend beyond nostalgia
By Huascar Medina Kansas Reflector
Guest Column
from 5 to 10 cents, so a pair of penny loafers wouldn’t get you very far.
wish you could imagine.
As of Nov. 12, the penny is no longer being minted as a form of legal tender. The reasons cited include the reported cost to mint a single penny, which is 3.69 cents. Every time the treasury minted a penny, we lost 2.69 cents. In fiscal year 2024, the U.S. Mint produced 3.2 billion pennies. The U.S. Mint reported losing $85.3 million that year in the production of the penny.
Benjamin Franklin, who coined the phrase “a penny saved is a penny earned,” designed the original American penny, known as the Fugio Cent, in 1787. The message on the coin was “Mind Your Business,” and on the reverse side, “We are One” was encircled by a chain of 13 links, representing the original 13 colonies. “We are One” later became the motto “E Pluribus Unum” on the one-cent
piece.
The first official one-cent piece was minted early in our nation’s history by the newly established U.S. Mint, located in Philadelphia, in 1793, following the passage of the Coinage Act of 1792. It originally minted over 11,000, and Thomas Jefferson oversaw the U.S. Mint until a director was appointed. The penny is a piece of U.S. history, a symbol of the establishment of our great republic, and to see it disappear so unceremoniously is a cheap way to go out.
The penny is part of popular culture. In 1936, American footwear brand G.H. Bass introduced the Weejun, considered the first penny loafer mass-marketed in the United States. The shoe became known as the “penny loafer” in the 1950s, when college students would tuck a penny into the shoe’s front strap, or “vamp,” as a fashion statement, for good luck and supposedly as an emergency backup to make phone calls at pay phones. The price of a pay phone in the ’50s ranged
I have owned a pair of penny loafers since before I could walk. I’ve been wearing penny loafers for over 40 years. Something else I owned growing up in the 1980s were Penny Racers, miniature toy cars that you pulled back to wind up. They could perform a wheelie when released if a penny was inserted into the slot on their back while racing. The Penny Racer was initially created by the Japanese toy company Takara in 1978 under the Choro-Q brand. It made its U.S debut in 1981. They were marketed as “a different breed of speed.”
It may sound like I’m delving into nostalgia, but the loss of the penny has ramifications that extend beyond my childhood. Wishing wells are littered with the pennies from well-wishers. Wells were seen as sacred and divine gifts. Even modern water fountains have been transformed into wishing wells, an echo of an ancient tradition that spans multiple cultures, where a coin was thrown into them for a wish. In the United States, you could offer a penny in exchange for a wish — any
Donate for chance to win Botanica membership
Donate at least $50 to The Active Age, and you could win a family membership to Botanica. The Active Age holds a drawing for a family
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Donations may be
When we run out of pennies or hoard them into oblivion, that well is going to cost you at least a nickel per wish, which brings me to the part that I haven’t seen reported by the media yet. Are we rounding up or down for the cost of items that are not in increments of 5 cents at businesses? Things will always cost at least 5 cents moving forward. I thought affordability was an issue, and this feels like state-sponsored greedflation. Huascar Medina Huascar is a poet, writer and performer who lives in Topeka.
Quiz Answers (from page 15)
1. Linus Van Pelt
2. Kevin McAllister
3. Buddy the Elf
4. John McClane
5. The Grinch
6. Clarence Odbody
7. Kris Kringle
8. Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer
9. Jacob Marley
10. Frosty the Snowman
11. Ralphie Parker
made by calling 316942-5385; through our website, theactiveage. com; by mail to The Active Age, 125 S. West St., Suite 105, Wichita, KS, 67213; or in person.
Fanfare Instruments for Students
Huascar Medina
Check Medicare plans before Open Enrollment ends Dec. 7
Dr. Mehmet Oz
As head of the Medicare program, I encourage everyone with Medicare to take advantage of this year’s Open Enrollment period. This is your oncea-year opportunity to take a fresh look at your coverage for the year ahead. As a physician, I’ve seen firsthand how the right health plan can improve both the quality of care you receive and your peace of mind.
Health plans can undergo changes every year including adjustments to benefits, costs and coverage. At the same time, your health needs may have changed over the past year. When
Selling Made Simple
you review your coverage options and compare plans, you may find that you can save money, get better coverage or both. A simple plan comparison could save you hundreds — in some cases even thousands — of dollars depending on the prescription medications you take.
Start at Medicare.gov Medicare.gov is your official source for your Open Enrollment needs. Here people can explore and compare every available Medicare health and drug plan available in their area. If you prefer speaking with someone directly, call 1-800-MEDICARE
(1-800-633-4227) to connect with our team of experts. They’re available 24/7 to help you review your options and answer any questions about your Medicare coverage.
To get started, go to Medicare. gov and click on “Find Plans Now.” For the best shopping experience, log in or start a Medicare account. You can compare plan costs and benefits side by side, based on the drugs you take. Make sure the plan you choose covers your prescription drugs and your doctor(s) and pharmacy.
Time is limited Medicare Open Enrollment ends Dec. 7. After this deadline, you’ll typically need to wait until the next Open Enrollment period to make changes to your coverage. One more note: Stay vigilant against Medicare fraud, especially during Open Enrollment. Remember that Medicare will never contact you unsolicited. If someone you don’t know calls, texts or emails you about Medicare, simply hang up or delete the message.
Dr. Mehmet Oz is Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. This column was distributed by Family Features.
Start the party with Ricotta Toast and Cheese Puffs
Family Features
When it comes to holiday meals, good hosts know the main dish isn’t the only star of the show. Appetizers set the tone. These recipes come from the European Union's Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) certification program, which promotes products such as Prosciutto di Parma, produced only in Parma, Italy, and Grana Padano, produced only in the Po River Valley of Italy.
Expert Hospice Care
Whipped Ricotta Toast with Prosciutto di Parma and Hot Honey
Thick-cut sourdough bread
Whole milk ricotta cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
Hot honey
Prosciutto di Parma
In toaster oven, toast bread to desired doneness. Set aside. In large bowl, with electric mixer, beat ricotta until whipped and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Spoon ricotta onto each toast evenly. Drizzle each with hot honey, as desired. Top each with two slices prosciutto and serve.
Grana Padano and Nutmeg Cheese Puffs
The preferred choice of patients & families for more than 40 years.
hynesmemorial.org • 316-265-9441
1 3/4 cups milk
1 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 2/3 cups flour
1 cup, plus 1 tablespoon, grated Grana Padano PDO cheese
6 medium eggs
Black pepper and nutmeg, to taste
In pan, boil milk, butter and salt until butter is dissolved. Add flour and stir using wooden spoon over low heat
until mixture doesn’t stick to bottom of pan. Add 1 cup cheese and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat.
Put mixture in mixing bowl and add eggs one by one until mixture is smooth. Add black pepper and nutmeg, to taste. Let mixture cool and form dough into small, round parcels.
Fry parcels in hot canola oil, about 325 degrees, until golden. Dust with remaining cheese and serve.
from small spider veins to larger, rope-like varicose veins.
DECEMBER 31, 2025 NOON – 4:30PM JANUARY 1, 2026 5PM – 12AM
DECEMBER 31, 2025 8PM – 3AM
JANUARY 2, 2026 6PM – 10:30PM
JANUARY 3, 2026 1PM – 10PM
