November 2022

‘It’s rough out here’

Inflation, stock market worry despite SS hike

By Amy Geiszler-Jones

Living on a fixed income with the current inflation means Wichitans Wakeelah Martinez and Jim Lichlyter are making some tough decisions.

“I eat only one meal a day,” said Martinez, 72, a full-time caregiver for her mother, with whom she lives. The pair live on $2,000 a month.

“Thank goodness Mom has Meals on Wheels.” Martinez said because she doesn’t eat meat, the meals offered through the program aren’t an option for her.

Lichlyter, 69, a disabled veteran and retired state worker living on his pension and full Social Security benefits, has made changes in his eating habits, too. He said he’s found it cheaper to go out to eat and order

enough food for two days rather than deal with rising grocery and utility costs to cook his own meals.

Lichlyter said he’s also cut down

on driving to visit friends, mainly keeping company with his cockapoo Daisy Mae, and has put off doctors' appointments — a decision that

caused what was recently diagnosed as spinal stenosis to worsen.

He maintains a list of errands to run so that he can consolidate those trips into one day every week or two.

“It’s rough out here,” Martinez said.

She’s not wrong. Inflation is reaching record highs.

According to federal figures released in mid-October, consumer prices rose 8.2% for the 12 months ending in September. Increases in housing, food and medical care costs were the biggest contributors and were partly offset by a decline in the gasoline index, according to the

By Joe Stumpe

McConnell Air Force Base has served many missions through the decades, from training bomber crews and maintaining intercontinental ballistic missiles to its current focus on air refueling and military intelligence.

No task proved more perilous to the pilots stationed there than its stint as a home to fighter squadrons during the Vietnam War.

“It was a period of distress at McConnell,” said Ed Sykes, who flew 118 missions in southeast Asia. “There were a lot of guys getting shot down, and their wives were back here with their kids at McConnell. It was not a pretty sight.”

Sykes recalled the period during a talk last month at the Kansas Aviation

Questions about services?

Museum, focusing particularly on a failed 1965 operation known as Spring High, which was part of a larger, multiyear bombing campaign known as Operation Rolling Thunder. President Johnson authorized Rolling Thunder in the ultimately unsuccessful attempt to keep Communism from spreading to South Vietnam.

The Air Force had located fighter squadrons at McConnell several years earlier. As part of Rolling Thunder, they were sent to bases in Thailand.

“Squadrons would take turns

Central Plains Area Agency on Aging/Sedgwick County Department on Aging: 1-855-200-2372

going over there,” Sykes said. “They all got a shot at it. None of them wanted it. They all got shot at, too.”

A trap is set

In July 1965, as U.S. planes

Butler County: (316) 775-0500 or 1-800-279-3655

Harvey County: (316) 284-6880 or 1-800-279-3655

Photo by Joe Stumpe Frank "Frosty" Sheridan and Ed Sykes, seen here at th Kanas Aviation Museum, lost fellow McConell airmen in Vietnam.

Revisiting 'Rolling Thunder' McConnell pilots were the hunters and hunted in Vietnam

Photo by Fernando Salazar

Lou Sheets has put off restoring a vintage car due to concerns about inflation while Wakeelah Martinez, right, is saving money by only eating one meal a day.

Martinez

Nationally known Dr. Roger Landry set to speak at Larksfield Place on November 14th Dr. Landry will address the importance of how where you live can make for a long and successful life

As we approach our senior years, we hope for years of good health, a sharp mind and a sense of peace and fulfillment. The fact is that there are choices you can make to help bring those hopes to reality. One of the key choices you will make is where to live.

A retirement community can provide the fulfilling social interaction and activities that can move you toward your goal of a long healthy life. But it’s important to choose wisely. Having a full activities calendar is not enough. WHAT those activities are all about makes a difference.

Here at Larksfield Place, we embrace Life Enrichment as a purpose and way of life. We are a stand-alone, not-for-profit community, but we partner with national organizations whose goals are to research and change the perception on health and aging.

We welcome Dr. Roger Landry, preventive medicine physician and author of “Live Long, Die Short: A Guide to Authentic Health and Successful Aging” on November 14th at Larksfield Place. He will highlight the difference between communities that are ‘busy’ versus those who have a plan informed by research. With a Life Enrichment program, robust data and analysis prove that a high level of health, functionality and life satisfaction is possible for all and at every stage of life.

This is why Larksfield Place continues to be a community that is not “isolated” but embraces the broader scope of resources that truly expand our residents’ capacity for wellness, growth and wholeness.

Seating is limited – call 316.858.3910 to RSVP and for more information.

Where you live ma ers!

Live your life to the fullest at Larksfield Place! Enjoy a less stressful life where you have more time for the things you love.

Call today for a tour! 316.858.3910 7373 E. 29th St. North, Wichita, KS 67226 www.larksfield.org | Like us on Facebook

Independent Living

Assisted Living & Montessori® inspired Memory Support Skilled Nursing & Short-Term Rehab

Enjoy the comforts of a place you can call your own while receiving just the right amount of assistance with daily activities, so you can remain as inde pendent and active as you want to be.

Call today for a tour! 316.361.2800 2727 N Rock Road, Wichita, KS 67226 www.larksfield.org | Like us on Facebook

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Check out our website to learn more.

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Thank you Kroger Company Zero Hunger/Zero Waste Foundation for your grant to support ICT Food Rescue’s community outreach, engagement and impact.

Together we are making a difference in the lives of Wichitans who are experiencing food insecurity.

Visit our booth at the Farm & Art Market every Second Saturday.

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Note to readers:

In response to inflation and an increase in our postage costs, The Active Age has raised its 2022 fundraising goal to $100,000. Last year, readers generously donated $95,358. Please help us reach or exceed our new goal if you can. We are doing all we can to keep down the cost of producing and distributing The Active Age, while still striving to bring you a newspaper you enjoy each month.

Patti Sullivan joins The Active Age board of directors

The Active Age’s newest board member brings with her a varied business background and love of learning.

Patti Sullivan was voted onto the board during its September meeting. Sullivan earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology and business administration from the University of Massachusetts and a master’s degree in education from Arizona State University.

A Wichita resident for over 30 years, Sullivan said that whenever she and her husband thought about moving to a warmer climate, they

never found a location enticing enough to relocate. “I suspect this came as a result of the comfortable life we found here and the many memories and friends we acquired over the years,” she said.

During her time in Wichita, Sullivan has worked in aircraft manufacturing, civil construction, hotel development and high technology, focusing on everything from sales and operations to education and human resources. “I will always be grateful to these employers for the many educational opportunities to grow and develop that were offered to me over

101 S Webb Road, Suite 150 Wichita, KS 67207

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the years,” she said.

Sullivan is active in the Retired Officers Wives and belongs to Kappa Kappa Gamma. But as a retiree, she missed the everyday challenges of the business world and knew she needed to find new learning opportunities. “On one fine day, I picked up The Active Age and read about the Continuing Education program at Wichita State University,” she said. “That was about 2½ years ago, and since then, I have

enjoyed attending a wide range of expertly presented classes. “

She found a number of trustworthy businesses among the newspaper’s advertisers as well.

“So, when approached to join the Board, I was already in their debt as a reader who had benefited from the publication. I look forward to offering my past business experiences toward the continued growth and success of The Active Age. “

Agent - Specializing in Retirement

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years.

is right around the corner.

Sullivan

Inflation

Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The inflation rate isn’t the only thing making history for these seniors. In July, it was reported that the stock market slump had lopped off $3 trillion in Americans' retirement savings plans.

More recently, the Social Security Administration announced it was increasing benefits 8.7% for 2023, which is the biggest cost of living adjustment since 1981.

Unlike with previous COLA increases, seniors won't be facing higher Medicare premiums. It's the first time in over a decade that premiums are not rising, according to the Social Security Administration website.

The current inflation rate has more than wiped out this year’s 5.9% COLA increase in Social Security benefits, according to a recent article in Kiplinger, which publishes business forecasts and personal financial advice.

Lou Sheets, 83, a former aviation worker for more than 40 years who retired 22 years ago, said he’s learned lessons from previous economic downturns as well.

“After the last big downturn a few years ago, we went more conservative”

on he and his wife's investments, Sheets said. They worked with a broker to invest in stocks that are more income-producing so that they could maintain his 401k plan and draw income off of that.

But even conservative plans can take a hit, and lower returns mean there's less money to spend.

Sheets said he and his wife are reconsidering some lifestyle choices, albeit not as drastic as others.

“We are some of the fortunate ones,” Sheets said.

The couple has put off selling their home to buy a more aging-friendly patio home and Sheets, a self-professed old car buff, has put off restoring the couple of cars he has sitting in his barn.

“When you don’t know what the future holds, you postpone and hesitate,” he said. “My feelings go out to those who are not as fortunate.”

He remembers what it was like to be living on a fixed income, being raised in a family that lived on government benefits because his father was 100% disabled. During his career, he made sure to take advantage of the 401k plan offered when he worked at Learjet for 35 years and also invested on his own.

Martinez thought she was being wise too in setting aside money for

retirement during her 30 years teaching at Howard University in Washington, D.C. as a mass communications professor. She retired and returned to Wichita in 2006 to help take care of her parents and other ailing relatives.

She ended up spending all that money on helping her parents.

“It was a lot — home and car repairs. They were always behind on their meds,” Martinez said.

Her only source of income now is her Social Security benefits. Her mother’s primary source of money is Social Security as well, with a small pension from her time working in aviation.

To do any of the travel associated with work she’s doing on behalf of the African American Council of Elders — Wichita/Sedgwick County, such as getting historical Black Kansas settlements recognized or establishing a partnership with a tribe in Ghana, she relies solely on donations from individuals and other organizations.

She recently diverted the $50 a month her niece was giving her to help with her medications to purchase a life insurance policy instead. She uses prescription discount programs when she can.

Going back into the workforce isn’t an option for them, said Martinez and Lichlyter.

Finding respite or relief to help with her mother’s care has been frustrating and inconsistent, Martinez said. She said she’s been told by those in the home health care industry that they are having a hard time finding reliable workers. Another factor that thwarts workers is that her mother’s home health would be covered by Medicare, which pays a much lower fee than patients on private insurance, she’s been told.

Lichlyter spent nearly 20 years trying to qualify for disability benefits

as a result of the seven years he spent in the Army in the 1970s. He then worked 23 years in the state’s disabled veterans outreach program, helping vets transition to private sector and getting them the benefits and resources they needed, before he left that job in 2001. He received Social Security disability benefits since then until he reached full retirement age, when the Social Security Administration converts those benefits into retirement benefits.

Tips to help survive inflation

The No. 1 tip most financial advisers give for facing rising living costs is to re-evaluate one’s budget. Write down your current expenses and see where you may be able to save money.

“Rising consumer costs are prompting people to re-evaluate their discretionary spending on items such as subscriptions (magazines, streaming services, etc.), travel and leisure,” said Gaylyn McGregor, a wealth adviser with Mariner Wealth Advisors in Wichita.

Personal finance guru Suze Orman, in a recent tele-town hall for AARP, said people who are contributing to retirement plans should continue to do so, since their money buys more shares when the market is down.

One way to help with expenses is to consolidate trips or carpool with neighbors, friends or family members when going shopping. Buy generic food brands, look for sale items and buy cheaper cuts of meat.

Another tip for those who haven’t reached full retirement age is to work longer. While Americans can start claiming Social Security benefits at age 62, the payout will be reduced compared to getting 100% if one waits until full retirement age.

bombed a munitions factory near Hanoi, the North Vietnamese for the first time used a sophisticated, Sovietmade surface-to-air missile (SAM) to destroy one of the bombers. The SAMs were capable of downing bombers at previously safe altitudes. Operation Spring High, launched on July 27, 1965, was designed to take out two SAM sites that had fired on the U.S. bombers — the first such mission ever attempted by the Air Force.

Of the 48 F-105 Thunderfchief bombers sent against the SAM sites that day, half were piloted by airmen from McConnell. Because of the distance from Thailand, the bombers were refueled in air before crossing Laos to reach North Vietnam. As the jets neared their targets, traveling some 500 miles per hour, they dropped down from 17,000 feet to 50 feet in an attempt to avoid anti-aircraft fire, pulling up “rooster tails” of water from the rice paddies below.

The bombers dropped their ordnance — a mix of bombs, rockets and napalm — inflicting horrific damage below. But the North Vietnamese, far from being surprised by the retalitory attack, had anticipated it. They had moved out the surfaceto-air missiles — replacing them with dummies made of bamboo — and brought in more than a hundred antiaircraft guns, which wreaked havoc on the attackers.

The first jet shot down was piloted by McConnell airman Capt. Walter Kosko, who ejected into a river and is believed to have drowned.

McConnell airman Capt. Kile Berg and Robert Purcell, who’d been based in the Pacific, survived being shot down but were both captured and spent more than seven years as POWs. Another Pacific airman, Capt. Frank J. Tull, bailed out, managed to evade North Vietnamese militia and was rescued by helicopter.

Capt. Bill “Black Bart” Barthelmas steered his plane back to Thailand after it was struck, but lost control during the emergency landing and collided with another piloted by Major Jack Farr. Both McConnell airmen were killed. Altogether, more than half the

jets were hit by North Vietnamese fire.

“It was a bad day for McConnell and a bad day for the U.S. Air Force,” Sykes said.

Wild Weasels

In hindsight, Spring High participants and military analysts agreed the attack was poorly planned. Out of the debacle, though, came measures that eventually helped U.S. forces take out many SAM sites. That December, receivers were installed in F-105s that allowed pilots to pick up radar emissions from SAM site, and the next year brought another innovation, which allowed the bombers to jam radar from the missile sites.

Also important was the development of aircraft specifically designed to take out SAM sites. Known as Wild Weasels, these twoseat jets carried both a pilot and a weapons officer. The crews allowed themselves to be targeted by enemy radar, then traced the radar back to its source so that it could be destroyed.

“These were crazy people,” Sykes joked of the Wild Weasel crews.

Not that the danger to F-105 pilots, most of whom trained at McConnell, was gone.

“The F-105 was the only airplane in Air Force history that was withdrawn from combat because of

losses,” said Sykes. “We were running out of airplanes.” According to military records, 382 out of the 833 F-105s built were lost to combat or operational issues.

“It was a really good airplane and it could take a hit, but the threats we had were just unbelievable,” Sykes said. “We were flying into some really bad situations, especially those guys early in the war that were going up north.”

In his talk, Sykes noted that another McConnell airman, Capt. David Hrdlicka, had been shot down over Laos in a F-105 in May 1965. Although Hrdlicka survived the crash and was taken prisoner, he was not returned with other POWs and is presumed by the military to have died in captivity. According to a recent article in the McConnell base website, his wife, Carol, who still lives in Wichita, made trips to Vietnam and the Soviet Union to try to locate her husband.

Sykes said one airman who flew in Operation Spring Hill — Paul Craw

— lives in Wichita today but was not able to make it to the talk.

Sykes was sent to Southeast Asia in 1969 and flew most of his missions over Laos, trying to disrupt the movement of North Vietnamese soldiers and supplies south along the Ho Chi Minh trail. After leaving the Air Force and working as a flight instructor, he spent 20 years with the Kansas Air National Guard, including almost seven years as commander of the 184th Wing. He’s active in the Aviation Museum and counts among his best friends

Frank “Frosty” Sheridan, who flew about 100 Wild Weasel missions in Southeast Asia.

Veterans parade to honor female vets

By James Bower

Organizers of this year’s Veterans Day Parade in Wichita are encouraging female veterans to take part in this year’s event.

“Honoring Women Veterans” is the theme of the Nov. 5 parade. The idea came to Vietnam veteran Herb Duncan two years ago but was delayed by COVID-19 and bad weather. Duncan felt like male veterans are fairly visible but that female veterans often don’t get the recognition they deserve.

As of mid-October, 64 women had signed up to participate, including

“We drink a beer every Friday,” Sykes said. Katie Conkling, a 105-year-old World War II veteran of the Pacific theater. Veterans can register at www.womenveteransofkansas.org/

The parade starts at 11 a.m. at Central and Main. The route runs south on Main, turns west on Douglas and crosses the Arkansas River before ending at Riverfront Stadium.

Many businesses offer free or discounted items and services to veterans on Veterans Day. A list of those doing so this year will be published at www.VeteransBargains.com on or about Nov. 8.

Courtesy photo Ed Sykes and other McConnell airmen finished their F-105 flight class in November 1968. Two months later, they were in Southeast Asia.

Jack Farr

Bill Barthelmas

Walter Kosko

Play it again, boys. And again, and again

By Ted Blankenship

When I was a senior at Eureka High School in 1945, I put together a seven-piece jazz combo made up of a couple of school friends and some older musicians.

The instruments were tenor sax, alto sax, trumpet, trombone, piano, rhythm guitar and drums.

We were able to rehearse only about once a week because the guy who played alto sax lived in El Dorado, about 30 miles west of Eureka, and he could drive over only on weekends.

I don’t remember how it happened, but we got a job to play for the Yates Center High School senior prom. The band didn’t think we could manage a dance with the seven tunes we had rehearsed.

I convinced them we could be ready by the time the prom took place.

Too soon, the prom date arrived

and we put on our best suits, polished our shoes and drove the 30 miles or so to Yates Center.

The basketball court was decked out with crepe paper, and folding chairs were set up for the wallflowers. The boys were dressed in their finest, and the girls had gardenia corsages pinned to their dresses.

They were ready for an evening to remember. They would soon get it.

We played the seven songs we had rehearsed and paused while the dancers fidgeted a bit then asked for a fast one.

We didn’t have a fast one — or a slow one. We didn’t have a mediumtempo number. We were out of songs and the dance was just getting started.

I decided we could sight read some

numbers and get by a little longer. We were using arrangements we bought at the music store. I pulled out a Duke Ellington song called "Sophisticated Lady."

“This should be easy,” I said, “then maybe we can wait a little longer between songs.”

The piece started out pretty well, but the alto sax man, a perfectionist of sorts, didn’t like the way it sounded so he just quit playing. The tenor sax guy dropped out because he was then the only saxophone. With no woodwinds playing, the brass gave up, leaving just the rhythm section.

The drummer felt lonely, so he quit, and that left the piano man and guitar player, who were brothers. The older brother, playing piano, got lost and was frantically turning pages trying to find where he was supposed to be playing. He eventually quit and

the guitarist doggedly stayed with it.

All that could be heard was chunk, chunk, chunk, the guitar beating out chords, some of which were the right ones.

I yelled at him to give it up and went to the microphone. I told the kids the class could get its money back, and we’d just go home and forget we had ever been there, or they could stay, and we’d play the seven tunes we knew as long as they wanted us to.

Amid some good-natured laughter, they yelled, “Keep Playing!”

And that’s what we did. Any of those “kids” who are still around would now be in their 80s and 90s. I hope they remember that night as fondly as I do.

Contact Ted at tblankenship218@ gmail.com.nov 2018

November quiz: What do you know about World War II?

By Nancy Wheeler

Around Veteran’s Day, we often remember those who served in the military, but how much do we know about the big one — World War II? Test your knowledge on these questions—some easy, some harder. The answers appear page 30.

1. Which two countries were the first to declare war on Germany?

2. From which French port were British forces forced to evacuate across the English Channel in 1940?

3. The bombing of Pearl Harbor

November Theatre

By Diana Morton Crown Uptown Theatre, 3207 E. Douglas. A Crown Holiday Spectacular Inspired by the Radio City Hall Rockettes, this show features a big band, singing and a kick-line sensation. Doors open at 6:30 pm Fri-Sat; show at 8 pm. Sun, doors open at 12:30 pm; show at 2 pm. Nov 18-27. Tickets,

For

drew the U.S. into the war. On what Hawaiian island is Pearl Harbor located?

4. Which country was the site of most of the Nazi concentration camps?

5. What was the English name given to the Nazi-constructed building above Obersalzberg that was used exclusively by members of the Nazi Party for government and social meetings?

6. Who was the leader of Italy when the Pact of Steel officially created the Axis powers?

dinner & show, $40-45; Show only $25-$30. 316-612-7696.

Empire House Players, Old Cowtown Museum, 1865 Museum Blvd. (use West exit next to the Wichita Wagon Master’s Barn) Rockers Around the Christmas Tree…or There’s No Place Like the Old Folks Home for the Holidays. Melodrama havoc ensues due to the illegal manipulations of the home’s nurse and doctor. Fri – Sat 7 pm; Sun 2 pm, Nov 11-13.

7. What was the code name for the Battle of Normandy?

8. What was the name of the B-29 Bomber that dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima?

9. What country lost the most lives in World War II?

10. What research and development project produced the first nuclear weapons during World War II?

11. Who was the Japanese admiral behind the Pearl Harbor attack?

12. In which battle did the Axis powers lose about a quarter of their

total troops on the Eastern Front?

13. After the war, where was the International Military Tribunal held that tried 21 of the most important surviving leaders of Nazi Germany?

14. Who was “the British Bulldog” who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during World War II?

15. What was the last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front during World War II?

Tickets $10 (cash only at the door). For reservations, call 316-350-3323.

Mosley Street Melodrama, 234 N. Mosley. SCROOGE YOU! A Bad Christmas Carol with musical revue following. Dinner 6:15, show begins 7:50 pm. Nov 11-Dec 23. Tickets, dinner & show, $26-$30; Show only $20. 316-263-0222.

Roxy’s Downtown, 412 E. Douglas, cabaret-style theatre, Carrie: The Musical. The 2012 revival of this musical won the Off-Broadway Alliance Award for Best Musical Revival. This gripping tale is set today and continues the tradition of B-rated movies made into musicals. Fri – Sat 8 pm; Sat 2 pm. Oct 27 – Nov 12. Tickets $20-$30. 316-265-4400 Contact Diana Morton at dianamorton12@sbcglobal.net

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Mt. Hope Nursing Center

Finding hope and a way forward

By Julie Hying DERBY —

Rhonda Kemp knows the pain of losing a loved one too soon.

Her daughter, Lacy, died of a prescription opioid overdose in 2014, at age 30.

Now Kemp hopes to help others deal with loss through a book and support group. Her 2021 book, “Remarkable You: Revisiting Love, Regrets and Celebrations,” presents writing prompts that invite readers to a place to write down their thoughts.

“It’s a way to talk to a loved one you miss, recall memories you shared,” Kemp said.

Lacy first used pain pills when she was 17 and had undergone two knee surgeries. By her mid 20s, she was battling addiction that profoundly changed her relationships with others. As her mother writes, “Chronic pain and pain killers can alter a person’s brain chemistry, and sometimes I felt

Briefs

Wreath Festival at museum

The Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum’s 39 annual Wreath Festival is set for Thursday, Nov. 19 through Saturday, Nov. 19, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the museum, 204 S. Main. Admission is free.

As always, the event features artful wreaths, music and holiday exhibits, plus gift items, décor, baked goods, cards and books for sale. The festival’s traditional luncheon will not be offered this year, but carryout lunches will be available with a menu of cranberry

like I was talking to another person, not to my daughter.”

Before Lacy’s death, she had been clean for a number of months, was hopeful and talking about joining a rehabilitation group. Unfortunately, when she was 30, a visit to the emergency room for kidney stones left her in pain again — and vulnerable.

According to the Centers for

chicken salad over greens, croissant and dessert for $16. Dine-in options without table service will be available. To reserve an order, call (316) 2659314 by Nov. 14 or emailing wschm@ wichitahistory.org

Alternative Gift Market back

The Alternative Gift Mark, which raises money for nonprofit organizations around Wichita and the world, will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12 at Hillside Christian Church, 8330 E. Douglas.

Participants receive an ornament and greeting cards in exchange for donations. Also available for purchase will be lunch and snacks benefiting a

Wichita

Disease Control and Prevention, about 263,000 in the United States died from overdoses involving prescription opioids from 1999 to 2020. That’s more than heroin, which claims about 13,000 lives each year in our country.

A current problem ravaging the nation is the synthetic, highly potent opioid fentanyl, which is nonpharmaceutical and sometimes mixed into other drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin. In 2020, over 56,000 Americans died of overdoses involving synthetic opioids.

Lacy’s death devastated her family. As time passed, Kemp began recording thoughts that she wanted to share or remember on her cell phone. Filled with grief and drained of energy, she found this simple act took mere moments but brought glimmers of peace and some semblance of closure.

The thoughts and memories sparked other ideas and questions, too. Soon the beginnings of a book had formed.

Kemp’s book contains a collection of sentence starters. It’s organized into chapters that frame various stages

Hillside CC mission, wall calendars offered by the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Kansas, upcycled products from Pockets for Change, fair trade items through Alegria and more.

Partners of this year’s market include Church Women United, East High’s National Honor Society, the Society of Women Engineers and 14 other organizations. Donations can also be made at: https://alternativegifts.org/giving/ crowdfunds/128

Dementia talk by consultant

Kathy Adkins, a registered nurse and dementia consultant, will present a 45-minute talk about dementia at

of the grieving process, focusing on positivity and helping the person journaling continue his or her relationship with their lost loved one.

Kemp also helped start Hope After Loss with four other women, three of whom had also lost children to drug overdoses. Their mission is “to come along beside hurting family members who are grieving the loss of a loved one who has died from overdose,” Kemp said.

The support group is affiliated with Hope is Alive Ministries, which began in 2010 and in which Kemp is active.

In September 2021, Hope After Loss members gathered for their first retreat in Broken Arrow, Okla. Since then, twice-monthly meetings have been held in Wichita, Tulsa and Oklahoma City. In Wichita, Hope After Loss meets at Rock of Christ Church, 147 S. Hillside, the first and third Wednesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. More information can be found at www.hopeisalive.net

Kemp’s book is available at Watermark Books and through Amazon.

Contact Julie Hying at hyingj@ usd385.org

South Rock Christ Church, 900 S. Rock Road in Derby, at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6. Admission is free.

A holiday to remember

Botanica’s A Holiday to Remember Garden Glow event will take place Thursday, Nov. 17 from 6:30-9:30 p.m. The event kicks off the 2022 Illuminations season with a VIP preview and party featuring food and entertainment, a horse-drawn hay wagon and more.

Tickets are $60 for Botanica members, and $70 for non-members. Guests can also reserve a table of 8 for $750 and receive 16 Illuminations tickets.

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Courtesy photo Lacy Kemp's death at age 30 in spired her mother to help others cope with loss.

Camping group enjoys camaraderie

The Active Age

AUGUSTA — There have been times when Lynda Maier looked at the weather forecast and reconsidered her plans for a weekend camping trip. Then she thought of the Koontzes, Barnetts and other members of the Kansas Travelers club and knew she didn’t want to miss their company.

“When you go with a club, you go even when it’s 105 (degrees), raining or snowing,” said Maier, who joined the group with her husband, Glenn, 11 years ago. “People say you’re crazy, but it’s fun.”

The Kansas Travelers have been going since 1965. They typically camp together twice a month, May through October. Mostly they gather at Kansas state parks such as Cheney, El Dorado, Cross Timbers and Eisenhower, although they’ve also been to campgrounds in Oklahoma, Missouri and Iowa through the years. During the winter hiatus they meet monthly at restaurants.

The Kansas Travelers are a chapter of the Family Campers and RVers

Card games and board games are a favorite pastime of the Kansas Travelers. Top right, members tour Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park in Logan county. Bottom left, members gathered for dinner at Cy's Hoof and Horn restaurant in Sedgwick.

International Camping Club. Other local chapters include Buehler’s Sunflower Ramblers, Derby’s Coyotes and Wichita’s Cowtown Campers.

Currently, there are 29 members in the Augusta club, most aged 70 and up. The Maiers say they enjoy the friendships they’ve made and easy-going nature of the trips. There’s not much in the way of a schedule. On the Friday they

From the Editor

The Active Age is losing two good neighbors and mourning the loss of a longtime writer for the newspaper.

Bob and Donna Arnold are closing their Hardware Pro store, which is located next to us at 125 S. West St., on Nov. 1. The store is known for

its large inventory of cabinet pulls, knobs and other hardware, and the Arnolds are known for their friendly smiles (and perhaps also for helping a neighbor duplicate a key or two).

“It’s been a great ride, but it’s time,” said Bob, who opened Hardware Pro about 15 years ago.

Rather than holding a goingout-of-business sale, they’re donating their remaining inventory to Habitat for Humanity.

Debbi Elmore, who wrote about a variety of subjects for The Active Age, died Sept. 15. Debbi

are card players.”

People interested in joining or learning more about the Kansas Travelers may contact Glenn Maier at (316) 360-6766 or gl.maier@yahoo. com Courtesy photos

arrive at a destination, they may to a local restaurant for dinner. Saturdays are set aside for a group meal.

“Sometimes we have themed dinners, like everybody brings Mexican,” Lynda said. “It’s always good no matter what it is.”

If there’s an event happening in the area, such Halstead Days or Yoder Days, they may venture out of the campground. Some members fish or ride bikes.

“Otherwise, it’s sit around, eat, solve the world’s problem and play games,” Glenn said. “A lot of the gals

earned degrees in public relations and journalism from Wichita State University and went on to a long career in the communications field. Her articles for this newspaper won several awards, including awards from the Kansas Press Association, Kansas Professional Communicators and National Association of Press Women earlier this year

90th Birthday

Leo Jean Parker will celebrate her 90th birthday on Nov. 4. Parker said she “feels blessed to reach this mile stone” and appreciates her family, many friends and church.

www.theactiveage.com

Celebrate!

Celebrations is a FREE announcement of 80 birthdays or more and anniversaies of 50 years or more. Send your Celebration information to the active age 125 S West St., Ste 105, Wichita,KS 67213 or by email to joe@ theactiveage.com. Deadline is the 10th of the month prior to publication.

Elmore

Bob and Donna Arnold

Camping "got us through the pandemic," Glenn Maier said. "They were saying everything should be outdoors."

Remington country

They called Frederic Remington a lot of things — fun-loving, lazy, football player, boxer and above all an artist. And for two years, they also called him a Kansan.

Remington was born in Canton, N.Y., in 1861, and for his first four years his dad was away. The senior Remington was a Civil War Union army colonel who wanted his son to attend West Point and to pursue a military career. But a couple of things seemed to stand in the boy’s way: discipline and math. Thus, he settled for Yale, where he lasted just one year. He did manage to play for the school’s national champion football team alongside the legendary Walter Camp (who’s credited with modernizing the game) and to take up boxing.

Then, like many other eastern

Butler County inspired sketches, hijinks by famed Western artist

By Bob Rives

young men, including eventual friend Theodore Roosevelt, he yielded to the lure of the west. In 1883, armed with a $10,000 inheritance (worth more than $300,000 now), he had a Yale classmate, Robert Camp, buy a 160acre Butler County sheep ranch for him. He moved to Kansas.

The ranch was about three miles from the town of Plum Grove, at its biggest a tiny town. Various estimates put its population at 60 to 100. Ten miles north was Peabody, a comparatively robust town of 1,400 people. It was there Remington did most of his business, some of his mischief and one of his good deeds. Early newspaper accounts say he rode into town, saw a bully threatening another man and used his Yale-honed boxing skills to send the bully running.

Sheep farming could be profitable. A sheep purchased in New Mexico for $1 could be raised to maturity and sold for $5. In addition, there was valuable wool to shear. Unfortunately for a would-be gentleman rancher, the animals also stank.

To do the work, Remington hired two local men, Bill Kehr and Grandon Scrivener. They became not only employees but friends who joined in Remington’s hijinks.

In one incident

at Plum Grove, they were credited with putting the preacher’s buggy atop the church and a cow inside the building. Remington reportedly paid $10 to have the buggy lowered and the building cleaned.

More seriously, at a community Christmas party, they ignited a box of excelsior, yelled “fire” and emptied the church where the party was being held. For that they stood trial but the jury was hung. A second trial was never held because Remington sold his holdings and left the state after paying court costs.

While Fred had taken an art class at Yale, he was just beginning to use his talent. He often drew local scenes while in Kansas on whatever paper was handy and gave the works to friends, who were appreciative. But it wasn’t until after selling his property and moving to Kansas City that he began to be serious about his art. After a short time there in which his business ventures did not flourish, he returned to New York and started his career as a western artist.

And what a career it became. Over his lifetime, he completed some 2,800 paintings and 19 bronzes while also writing books and covering the Spanish-American War as a correspondent. He became regarded as one of the best — if not the best — portrayers of the American West, focusing on cowboys, cavalrymen and Native Americans.

He is remembered to some extent in Kansas. The towns of Elbing, Furley, Potwin and Whitewater jointly hold a Frederick Remington Festival — also know as "Fred Fest" — each October.

At top, left to right, Frederic Remington photographed in Kansas; sketches of his farm near Peabody, his sheep herding operation and friend Robert Camp. Bottom left, a copy of Remington's bronze, The Bronco Buster, stands at the entrance to Remington Place at 21st and Cranbrook Streets in northeast Wichita. Bottom right, the artist after achieving fame.

Remington Road is a county road a few miles east of Peabody. Remington School Distarict USD 206 operates an elementary school, middle school and high school in Butler County. Remington Place is an upper-income enclave in east Wichita and one of its streets is named Frederic. The town of Plum Grove is entirely gone except for a cemetery.

In El Dorado, the Coutts Museum of Art owns 21 recasts of Remington’s works and rotates displays of some of them.

The Museum of World Treasures in Wichita has a collection of bronzes based on Remington’s work. And the Wichita Art Museum has a bronze of one of Remington’s best-known works, “The Bronco Buster.” However, it is not currently on display.

Remington lived only 48 years. He died after a severe attack of appendicitis the day after Christmas in 1909. His widow destroyed molds of the bronzes so that no more re-casts could be made, increasing the value of those that then existed.

Contact Bob Rives at bprives@gmail. com.

What are you happy for?

By

plenty about what’s wrong and which candidate is going to fix it. The Active Age conducted a different, very unscientific kind poll at last month’s AARP Kansas food truck/voting rally in Grandparents Park, asking participants what they were happy or grateful for.

“I’m grateful for AARP. Even though we have Covid, they’ve still got every thing online.”

“Just life in general. We have a lot of good things going for us. And try not to dwell on the others.” -Linda Overman

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“I’ve had a good, long, happy life. Married to this gal for 56 years.” -Gerald Schmitt “Family. Friends.” -Dianna Schmitt

“I’m grateful for life. I’m happy for the world as it is. Could be better (laughs).” -Anita Raghavan “Being supportive of local business in Wichita.” -Tavrick Lawless

“There are so many things. My family, of course. That’s the major thing.” -Joan Barrier

“Friendship, and meeting new people. Helping where I can.” -Charlotte Kuhn

“I’m grateful for God’s grace and his mercy.”

“I’m going to say home security is right at the top of my list. Having my home.”

“My wife. That’s the correct answer.” -Bill Reynolds “I was going to say family.” -Glenda Reynolds

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Glenda DeBoise, AARP Kansas Executive Director:

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Tavrick Lawless and Anita Raghavan

Damita Wright: Gerald and Dianna Schmitt

Charlotte Kuhn and Linda Overman

AARP volunteers John and Kathy Kramer, Joan Barrier, Paul Babitch, Anita Raghavan, Tavrick Lawless and Andrea Bozarth

Wichita Choral Society

Perform “Messiah” Methodist Church, 330 N. Broadway. Tickets are

The Wichita Choral Society

perform select movements from Handel’s Messiah at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 27

First United

The Wichita Choral Society was established in 1945. Its annual Handel concert includes members of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra

October quiz contest winner, answers announced

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In contest of footballrelated get-togethers, everybody wins

By Beth Bower

Tailgating is a social gathering at which an informal meal is served from the back of a parked vehicle, typically in the parking lot of a sports stadium.

Lots of fun, for sure, but then so is enjoying football, food, friends and family in the comfort of your home. And now that approach has its own name: Homegating.

Rob Bennett, a regular at Kansas City Chiefs games, is a diehard tailgater.

“My dad got season tickets when I was 10,” said Bennett, who’s now attended tailgate parties at Arrowhead Stadium for more than four decades.

Sometimes, Bennett fixes his

Tailgating vs. Homegating

favorite pork tenderloin recipe. “It’s so simple,” he said, “and great left over for breakfast with eggs.” On one occasion, though, he and my husband, Guy, served a formal steak dinner set up under two tents with tablecloths and real napkins. They had to arrive at the stadium at 6:30 a.m. in order to finish before the game started.

“According to a radio interviewer, it was the fanciest food in the parking lot that day,” Guy said.

And that’s saying something, as Arrowhead is routinely cited as the best tailgating stadium in the NFL.

A Super Bowl is sort of the ultimate Homegating party. Chris Ens is known for the ones she throws.

“We love hosting Super Bowl

parties because our house is designed well for those who are serious football fans and those not so serious,” said Ens, who has wisely shifted her allegiance from the Denver Broncos to the Chiefs. “We can meet in the middle for great food and drink.”

Because she wants to enjoy visiting with guests rather than be stuck in the kitchen, Ens’ go-to dish is a taco and nacho bar, which allows people to serve themselves and use their culinary imaginations to make just what they want.

And as my husband points out, homegating does come with certain creature comforts that even the most elaborate tailgating parties lack, like a comfy recliner.

“I would sooner sit in the living room with the replays and commentaries and get up during the commercials to get food,” he said.

Black Bean and Sirloin Chili

This recipe from Guy Bower was selected for the “Seriously Good Chili Cookbook, 177 of the Best Recipes in the World” by Brian Baumgartner of "The Office" fame. Bower is host of The Good Life with Guy Bower on KNSS radio station.

1/3 cup olive oil

2 lbs. boneless sirloin, cut into 1/2-in. cubes

2 cups chopped yellow onion

2 tablespoons minced garlic

5 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped fine (wear rubber gloves)

1/3 cup masa harina (corn tortilla flour mix)

1/3 cup plus 1 tsp chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

2 teaspoons salt

4 cups beef broth

½ cup red wine (optional)

2 cups cooked black beans, rinsed and drained if canned

1 can (14 oz.) petite diced tomatoes

Grated mild Cheddar, minced red onion and cilantro, for garnish

Directions: In a heavy kettle, heat the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking. Brown the sirloin in batches, transferring it as it is browned with a slotted spoon to a bowl.

3-5 lbs. pork butt

1 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

Olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

3-4 carrots, chopped

For serving: Herdez Green Salsa Verde (32 ounces or more depending on size of pork and crowd); red salsa, grated cheese, chips, flour tortillas, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, guacamole, sour cream, chile con queso, refried beans, black olives and jalapenos

Directions: Mix cumin, salt and pepper in small bowl. Season pork with spices. In a large pan, heat oil. Brown pork on all sides.

In a crockpot, add the onions, carrots, salsa and pork. Cook on low for 8 hours or until pork is tender. Let cool, separate the meat with a fork and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Fill individual bowls with the remaining ingredients and put out with pork.

Source: Chris Ens

Watermelon Bites (shown above)

To make Watermelon Bites, cut seedless watermelon into football shaped pieces, decorate with crème fraiche and garnish with mint, if desired.

Source: Jeremy Wade, Napoli.

In the fat remaining in the kettle cook the yellow onion, the garlic and the jalapenos over moderate heat, stirring until the onion is softened. Add the masa harina, chili powder, cayenne, cumin, white pepper, salt and wine. Cook the mixture, stirring for 5 minutes.

Add the broth and the sirloin and simmer the mixture, uncovered, stirring occasionally for 45 minutes, or until the meat is tender. Stir in the beans and diced tomatoes. Simmer the mixture for 20-30 minutes. Serve the chili garnished with the Cheddar and red onion and cilantro.

¼ cup sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Pork Tenderloin

1 to 2 tablespoons chili powder

Cayenne, to taste

Olive oil

1.5 to 2 lbs. pork tenderloin

Mix first 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Coat the pork tenderloin with oil and rub spice mixture all over the meat. Marinate in refrigerator for at least 3 hours; preferably overnight.

Can be cooked in the oven but is best on a charcoal grill. Prepare coals, place tenderloin directly on grill for 10 minutes. Flip over and cook on direct heat for 10 more minutes. Move meat off fire and cook indirectly for 20 minutes and test for doneness at 145 degrees. Remove from heat, slice and enjoy.

Source: Rob Bennett.

Taco and Nacho Bar

Chris Ens

Photo project portrays rural Kansas newspapers

By Eric Thomas Kansas Reflector

Jeremiah Ariaz has traveled Kansas to visit and then photograph the offices of small-town newspapers. A photography professor at Louisiana State University and a Kansas native, Ariaz brings a mixture of reverence and urgency to the project.

His collection — still in progress — mixes portraits of the small-town journalists and print shop laborers with dusty still-life images of newspaper artifacts. Ariaz’s images situate the industry facing great challenges while hoping that the papers receive a vital lifeline.

“I was interested in Kansas because of the rich legacy of journalism here in the state and you know, thinking about thelegacy of William Allen White(famed editor of The EmporiaGazette).

“And Kansas is a very rural state. And so these towns are positioned about every 25 to 35 miles apart across the state. They have newspapers, or at least they did have newspapers, and there’s no urban center in most of the state that is going to vacuum up those interests or concerns.”

— Jeremiah Ariaz

Office of the Osborne County Farmer, Osborne, Kan. Left, An old photograph enlarger at The Western Star Newspaper, Coldwater, Kan. Upper right, Miles, an employee of the Russell County News, Russell, Kan.

Copy of old Newton Kansan, photographed on the newspaper’s 150th anniversary

Small-town roots a big deal to me and J.C. Penney

By Ted Ayres

Over the years, when asked where I was from, I would answer: “Hamilton, Missouri.” Occasionally I would add: “It’s the birthplace and hometown of J.C. Penney!” There was a time when ninety-nine percent of those I was in conversation with at least knew J.C. Penney, the store, if they did not actually know there was James Cash Penney, the man.

Penney’s early years in Hamilton proved to be of great importance. As his daughter, Mary Frances, told an interviewer in 2010: “I believe the reason for this is that he really liked, respected and enjoyed all sorts of people, except those who ‘put on airs.’ He never forgot his roots as a poor boy in Hamilton.” So I have at least one thing in common with Penney! Well, I also graduated from J.C. Penney High School.

Penney was born on Sept. 16, 1875. His father, for whom he was named, taught him a great deal about farming, livestock and certain aspects of range conservation. In 1895,

Guest Column

Penney’s father set up a retailing apprenticeship for his son with John M. Hale, the proprietor of a local department store in Hamilton (which ultimately became the 500th store in the Penney chain of stores).

After a two-year stint with Hale, Penney moved to Longmont, Colo., because of the threat of tuberculosis. There he was hired by Thomas Callahan, a chain store merchant, whose philosophy was to sell only quality merchandise on a cash basis with a comparatively low markup. In 1902, at the age of 26, Callahan offered Penney a managing partnership in a new Golden Rule store in Kemmerer, Wy. Penney eventually purchased the Golden Rule stores and transformed

them into the J.C. Penney chain.

Speaking of another Golden Rule, Penney was a creative and thoughtful philanthropist of significance (his philanthropy and the Great Depression caused the loss of his $40 million fortune in the 1930s; he ultimately recovered it). He also had a gift for hiring talented, hard-working people such as Earl Corder Sams, a Kansas farm boy; aside from Penney himself, no associate had greater influence in the early expansion of the chain. In a letter to a friend back in Kansas, Sams wrote: “He [Penney] is one of the best business men in the west without exception. I am now a partner of his and think more of him than any man on earth.”

Penney loved being connected with agriculture, as is detailed in a book I recently came across, “J.C. Penney, The Man, The Store and American Agriculture,” by David Delbert Kruger (University of Oklahoma Press, 2017, 346 pages, $29.95). He was involved in the development and breeding of grand champion Guernsey dairy

There’s help available for those helping others

By Monica Cissell

Caregiving can be overwhelming. Caregivers not only experience the normal day-to-day stressors that we all deal with, they also have the added challenges that come with caring for another person. Staying grounded while caregiving is not easy and the first step a caregiver can take is to start with self-care.

Today, more than 65 million people (nearly 30 percent of the U.S. population) provide care for chronically ill, disabled or older family members or friends in some fashion. Caregiver scenarios can be complex. Caregivers may be caring for a spouse, partner, parent or more than one person in their lives.

Some days may pose more of a challenge than others. During hectic or unsettling times, caregivers may fly off handle, feel overwhelmed or have negative thoughts about their situation or their abilities. These feelings can be an indication of falling out of balance. Being in balance or grounded helps maintain one’s ability to remain stable and calm in tough circumstances and take quick, sensible action, no matter what is happening.

According to experts at the American Psychological Association, staying grounded can improve relationship satisfaction and memory

while decreasing stress and emotional reactivity. Here are a few tips for staying grounded:

• Practice gratitude. Journal or think daily about positive things in life, big or small.

• Take a break. Turn off the phone and TV, take a nap or sit on the porch.

• Connect with others. Walk with a friend, take a class, virtual book club or social group.

• Prioritize mental and emotional health. Meditate, ask for help, find professionals or community resources to help.

• Stay active. Spend at least 30 minutes a day walking, hiking, dancing, practicing yoga or performing some other exercise.

• Get out in nature.

• Meditate. Sit quietly for a few minutes daily, follow a guided meditation (examples can be found on YouTube). Prayer or walking may also be a form of meditation for some.

• Breath work. One example is to inhale for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, then exhale for 8 seconds.

Caregivers for older adults may feel overwhelmed and alone at times; during this time a professional can be included as a partner in caregiving. There are over 600 Area Agencies on Aging organizations across the nation

and eleven in Kansas. All the Kansas agencies are available to provide information, services and options for counseling and varied levels of support to older adults and caregivers.

Central Plains Area Agency on Aging (CPAAA) serves Butler, Harvey and Sedgwick counties and is here to help with resources or programs such as those listed below.

• Caregiver coordinator. Offers options counseling or consultation to help caregivers/families determine what type of support or services they need.

• In-home services. Limited inhome support with housekeeping and hands-on care bathing, dressing, etc.

• Caregiver counseling. Offered to the caregiver alone or with others such as siblings, spouse or care recipient to assist with challenging situations.

• Caregiver support group. Offered in all three counties.

Transportation. Assisting caregivers with transporting a loved one.

• Respite. In-home or in-facility assistance to relieve the caregiver for a short period of time.

There is no set fee for these services, though donations help expand the reach of the programs. In addition, the Caregiver Coordinator will also link caregivers with other available

www.theactiveage.com

cattle, Percheron draft horses, mules, Black Angus cattle, and Hereford cattle. He acquired his father’s original farm in Hamilton, which is northeast of Kansas City, and expanded it to several thousand acres of ranching and farmland under the banner of Home Place Farms.

After suffering a massive heart attack in his sleep, Penney died at age 95 on Feb. 12, 1971, a time when life in small-town America was undergoing drastic change to the detriment of Main Street stores like his own. On the morning of his funeral, 1,660 J.C. Penney stores across all fifty states shut down in remembrance of their founder.

The J.C. Penney store on Main Street in Hamilton has been closed for many years. However, my memories of growing up in small town rural America remain important to me, just as they did for J.C. Penney.

Contact Ted Ayres at ted.ayres@ shockers.wichita.edu.

services or to other community resources such as home-delivered meals, legal services or private pay services that may be helpful.

November is National Family Caregiver month and CPAAA will offer several opportunities for caregivers to learn, listen and connect with professionals who can help. Here are some activities taking place this month:

Nov. 9: Caregiver exercise video, available on CPAAA’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/ centralplainsareaagencyonaging

Nov. 16: Fall caregiver resource event. Find resources for home safety, in-home services, technology, dementia, a meditation demo and more. Held 4-6 p.m. at the Alzheimer’s Association, 1820 E. Douglas, Nov. 23: Aging is Living podcast, on CPAAA Facebook page at Facebook.com/ centralplainsareaagencyonaging

Caregiver Chat: Every Friday on CPAAA’s Facebook page. Find us at Facebook.com/ centralplainsareaagencyonaging.

CPAAA also publishes a caregiver newsletter. Call 855-200-2372 or email info-kadrc@cpaaa.org to be added to the mailing or email list.

Monica Cissell is director of information and community services for CPAAA.

Ayres

“RMDs,” “QCDs” and The Active Age

By Sharon Van Horn

Although we might like to keep retirement funds in our account indefinitely, according to the IRS one generally has to start taking withdrawals from an IRA, SIMPLE IRA, SEP IRA or retirement plan account upon reaching the age 72. However, starting at age 70 ½, one option is to take a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD), which comes out of an IRA and goes directly to charity. The IRA owner will not be taxed on this amount, and it will count toward the owner’s Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) for the year. (Be

sure to check with your investment advisor.)

If you are like me and use these funds to support your charitable giving, I hope you will consider making a contribution to The Active Age. Did you know there are about 60,000 FREE copies of this newspaper distributed to residents of Sedgwick, Butler and Reno counties each month? Many local newspapers

have had substantial subscription increases in the last few years, but we have been able to keep The Active Age free because of great advertisers and financial support from our readers.

The paper is written by local writers with local stories about our neighbors and communities. It is printed and mailed from Wichita, supporting local businesses. If you want to talk to someone at the paper, you are talking to someone in Wichita!

At our house, both my husband and I read The Active Age from cover to cover as soon as it hits our mailbox. We have utilized companies who

advertise in the paper and have been very pleased with the services they provide. On behalf of the board of directors, I want to thank the many readers who have supported the paper financially over the past year. The Active Age is a designated 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization. If you’re doing your “RMDs and QCDs” I hope you will consider making a contribution.

Sharon Van Horn is secretary of The Active Age’s volunteer board of directors. She can be reached at sharon@ vanhorninc.net.

The Active Age – Thanking you for including us among your Charitable Contributions We are a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization – Your donations will help us to keep our newspaper full of interesting articles and important information brought to your door free of chge each month.

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The Active Age needs your help updating our calendar! Please call Joe at 316-942-5385 or email joe@theactiveage.com with your current schedule.

Calendar of eventS

SedgwiCk County Senior CenterS

Note to readers: Senior center schedules and other events normally listed on this page are expected to be affected by the coronavirus through November. For information, call the numbers listed below.

BEL AIRE 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

EDGEMOOR 5815 E 9th, 688-9392

GARDEN PLAIN 1006 N Main, 535-1155

GODDARD 120 N Main, 794-2441

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 www.seniorservicesofwichita.org

MCADAMS GOLDEN AGE 1329 E 16th, 337-9222

MT HOPE 105 S Ohio, 667-8956

Butler County Senior CenterS

ANDOVER 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

Senior wedneSdayS www.seniorwednesday.org

NOTE: SOME SENIOR WEDNESDAY PROGRAMMING FOR NOVEMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE AS THE ACTIVE AGE WENT TO PRESS.

NOV. 2

10:30am Wichita Art Museum 1400 W. Museum Blvd., $2 admission. Info unavailable.

1:30 pm Museum of World Treasures 835 E. 1st St. "National Identity and the Cultural Divide" with Retired Air Force Lt. Col Joey Markusfeld. NOV. 9

10 am Sedgwick County Zoo, 5555 Zoo Blvd. (316) 266-8213, $4 Talking Turkey.

1:30 pm Advanced Learning Library, 711 W, 2nd, (316) 261-8500, Free.

Aviation: A Story of Wichita.

NOV. 16

10 am Ulrich Museum of Art, 1845 N. Fairmount. Info unavailable. NOV. 23

10am Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum, 204 S. Main. Info unavailable.

1:30 pm Mid American all-Indian museum. 650 N Seneca (316) 3503340, $2 + tax admission; FREE for MAAIM members. Info unavailable NOV. 30

10am Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum, 204 S. Main. Info unavailable.

danCeS

Augusta Sr Center, 640 Osage. . Info: 755-1189

Derby Sr Center, 611 Mulberry.

El Dorado Jam & Dance, Senior Center, 210 E 2nd.

Goldenrod Golden Age, 1340 S Pattie.

Linwood Golden Age, 1901 S Kansas.

Minisa Golden Age, 704 W 13th. Info 617-2560.

Mulvane, 101 E. Main (Pix Community Center Second Tuesday of every month at 7-9pm.

Oaklawn Activity Center, 4904 S Clifton. Nick, 529-2792. Info: iamgary48@yahoo.com.

Orchard Park Golden Age, 4808 W 9th.

Park City Sr Center, 6100 N Hydraulic. 1st and 3rd Saturday 7-9:30 p.m. Info: 755-1060

Prairie Wind Dancers: Plymouth Congrega tional Church, 202 N Clifton. Joyce, 683-1122.

Village Steppers Square Dance, Oak lawn Activity Center, 4904 S Clifton.

Westside Steppers Square Dance, 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month at the Sedgwick County Extension Build ing at 21st and Ridge Road. Inf: Shel don Lawrence (316) 648-7590.

Wichita Solos Square Dance, For Info email: Curtis, wichitasolos@yahoo.com.

MULVANE 632 E Mulvane, 777-4813 NORTHEAST 2121 E 21st, 269-4444 www.seniorservicesofwichita.org

OAKLAWN 2937 Oaklawn Dr, 524-7545

ORCHARD PARK 4808 W 9th, 942-2293 seniorservicesofwichita.org

PARK CITY 6100 N Hydraulic, 744-1199

VALLEY CENTER VC Community Center 314 E Clay, 755-7350

LEON 112 S Main, 745-9200 or 742-9905

ROSE HILL 207 E Silknitter, 776-0170

TOWANDA 317 Main, 776-8999 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

GRAND CENTRAL 122 E 6th, Newton, 283-2222 www.grandcentralseniorcenter.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.

NOTE: AGING PROJECTS, INC. PLANNED TO MAKE FRIENDSHIP MEALS AVAILBALE THROUGH PICK UP AND DELIVERY IF NECESSARY. FOR INFORMATION, CONTACT YOUR LOCAL MEAL SITE OR CALL 316-686-0074

Friendship Meals

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 620-669-8201

WEEK OF NOV. 1

Tue: Goulash, carrots, strawberries, garlic bread.

Wed: Scalloped pot. & ham, mixed vegetables, mandarin oranges, wheat roll.

Thu: Meatloaf, mashed potat/margarine, peas, mixed fruit, bread .

Fri: Chicken salad on a bun, broccoli cheese soup, hot spiced peaches, crackers.

WEEK OF NOV. 7

Mon:Speghetti w/meat sauce, combination salad, salad dressing, pineapple, garlic bread .

Tue: Ham & beans, potatoes & onions,parslied carrots, blueberries, cornbread.

Wed: Turkey pot pie, cabbage, pears, butterscotch pudding, biscuit.

Thu: Swedish steak, baked potato/ margarine, cauliflower, mixed fruit, cake. roll.

Fri: Chicken & noodle soup, broccoli, peaches, crackers .

WEEK OF NOV. 14

Mon: Creamed chicken over biscuit, mixed vegetables, strawberries .

Tue: BBQ pork on a bun, corn o brien, cole slaw, banana .

Wed: Beef & noodle casserole, broccoli/ cauliflower salad, pears, bread.

Thu: Turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, cornbread dressing, green beans, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie square .

Fri: Mexican pork stew, mexican rice, corn, pineapple, cornbread.

WEEK OF NOV. 21

Mon:Chicken & chees casserole, broccoli, mixed fruit, garlic bread .

Tue: Liver & onions in gravy, or Beef cutlet and gravy, mashed potato w/ gravy, peas, blushing pears, roll.

Wed: Chili w/ beans, combination salad, dressing, applesauce, crackers, cinnamon roll.

Thu: HOLIDAY.

Fri: HOLIDAY.

WEEK OF NOV. 28

Mon:Chicken fried steakw/ cream gravy, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, peaches, roll .

Tue: New England stew, hot beets, pears, cornbread.

Wed: Oven fried fish, tartar sauce, macaroni & cheese, spinach, strawberries.

* Milk is served with all meals. Meals fall within the following ranges: Carlories 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.

FUNDING MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT, KDADS AND CENTRAL PLAINS AREA AGENCY ON AGING

Classified advertising

Lakeview Cemetery in the SOLDOUT Everlasting Life area. One double lawn crypt w/ marker. Current value for plot appox. $8,000 & marker $3,000. Asking $5,500 for both. 620-249-4906.

Lakeview. 2 lovely side by side plots in Garden of Holy Rosary. Spaces 11&12 lot 25. Asking $6,000. Call 281-253-1991, leave message.

Old Mission Cemetery, Garden of Devotion; 2 adjoining plots; $3800 or best offer. Seller will pay transfer fee. (316) 684-4230

Resthaven, 2 plots for sale in Bruce Newton Masonic Section 15, Lot 60-A, Spaces 1&2. $4,000 each. 785-632-1915

Lakeview Garden, 2 spaces, Garden of Apostles and 1 Deluxe Casket asking $4200. Leave message at 316-253-6909 or e-mail dhart2369@gmail.com

One plot at Resthaven, Garden of Christ with the Children. Lot 60 A-3, Asking $2,300 OBO. Email dbwimbo@att.net

White Chapel Memorial Garden, Last Supper, lot 274, space B3 & B4. $1,000 each. 520-834-6603

2 plots side by side $1800 OBO. Kechi Cemetery. 316-794-6735 or 316-992-8148.

FOOT CARE IN YOUR

PlaCe an ad: 942-5385

HELP WANTED

FURNITURE F

Downsizing?

Don't have an Auction, or Estate Sale.

We Buy Entire Estates. Call Kelly 316-283-8536. Furniture Warehouse 200 Main Newton, KS

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO DELIVER MEALS ON WHEELS

IMPROVEMENTS

Dave’s Improvements General Contractor Lic #7904 Roofing, Siding, Doors, Gutters, Windows, Storm damage repair, Senior Discount. 316-312-2177

Molina Electric - Wichita Lic #1364 Comm. or Residential wiring. Service calls. New electric service. Troubleshooting. Cell 316-461-2199.

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”, Yard & Garage clean-up, mulching, hauling miscellaneous,hauling dirt, sand, and rock/gravel upto 3.5 tons. What you need done I can probably handle. Call for HELP! Brian 316-217-0882. Free Estimates

Cowboy Construction Remodeling, siding, decks, fences, windows, doors

more. 20 years locally owned. Free estimates. Senior discounts. Todd Wenzel 316-393-4488

FENCING

Professional fencce install and

or text 316-821-6341

Steve’s

*Mailboxes* 316-339-6092

Handyman Jones Handyman Service Aaron Jones 316-210-1057

Servicing South Wichita, Derby, Mulvane, Haysville, and Rose Hill Check us out on FB…. www.facebook.com/Handymanjones19/

LIFT-RITE GARAGE

Scheduled

*Springs-Torsion

*Garage Door Openers,

More Chris (316) 619-1196

www.theactiveage.com

Spring clean-up * Aeration * Over Seeding Gutter cleaning * Fencing * Landscape install/maintain * Shrub/tree trimming/removal Call for a free estimate! 316-737-3426 or 316-631-5984

WWW.JESUSLANDSCAPINGKS.COM

Clean Cut Lawncare: Residential/Commercial Mowing, Spring/Fall Cleanup, Mulching/Rototilling, Landscaping, Scalping, Tree & shrub Trimming. Gutter Cleaning. Snow Removal. Fence building and repair. Single owner with over 9 years’ experience. 316-821-6341

Mike E. 316-708-1472

MOWING BRICK, BLOCK AND STONE repair. Garage clean out, gutter cleanup, hauling, roto-tilling.

APPLIANCE REMOVAL

All Season Clean Up Lawn Care Quality Lawn Care • Yard Clean Up Tree Trimming • Gutter Cleaning Fall through Spring raking. Free estimates, senior discounts. 316-409-8780.

YARD & TREE WORK

Hauling Handyman Brush, Junk /Trash Removal MISC. ODD JOBS, NO JOB TOO SMALL Honest & Reasonable. 316-807-4989.

Christian Lawn Care Mowing-$20, verti-slicing, core-aerating, overseeding, new lawns, mulching flower beds, fall cleanup, leaves, shrub trimming and removal, gutter cleaning, hauling. Pampas trimming & clean-up. Senior discount. Steve 316-685-2145

Sharp Edges Lawn Care Service Mowing * Trimming *Edging Rake Leaves *And MORE Call/Text 316-640-6327

Jason’s Lawn Care Fall leaf and yard clean-ups. Shrub and bush trimming. Call Jason. 316-304-6928. Free estimates.

Brush, Limbs, Debris, Hauling and Junk Removal. Leaf removal. Free Estimates. Call David at 316-213-8880.

Westside Lawn Service Fall cleanup. SNOW REMOVAL Bush and hedge trimming, bed work, mulching, gutter cleaning, odd jobs and hauling. Free estimates. 316-339-4117.

BudPalmerAuction.com.

F TREE

Service

Evergreen trimming. Tree removal. Brush hauling. Splitting. Deadwooding. Free

experience. 316-807-4419

Bruce’s Tree Service

Gutter Cleaning

12

Removal

Trees * Shrubs* Hedgerows * Evergreens Senior Discounts. Insured. Over 30

ALL FARM & RURAL AREAS Firewood Call 316-207-8047

STUMP GRINDING Brock 316-765-1677

Alfred's Superior Tree Service

Women’s group battles for judges, against amendment

By Rachel Mipro Kansas Reflector

A group of Kansas women are campaigning to retain all Kansas Supreme Court justices on the November ballot and defeat a proposed constitutional amendment.

The group, which calls itself Keep Kansas Free, says women’s reproductive rights and the authority of the governor are at stake in the election.

“If we don’t do anything, something will be taken away from us,” state Rep. Barbara Ballard, D-Lawrence said. “We should pay attention to the fact that they’re messing with the Constitution.”

Keep Kansas Free was formed by former Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger, who’s a Republican, and former Topeka mayor Joan Wagnon, a Democrat.

Jill Docking and Lynn Stephan are members from the Wichita area.

Kansas uses a merit-based Supreme Court judicial selection process in which a nine-person panel nominates candidates and sends them to the governor, who makes the final selection. The judge serves for a year before the public votes in a general election whether to keep them in the position. If the judge is approved, they serve for six years on the state Supreme Court.

In 2019, the state Supreme Court voted to uphold abortion rights, with a majority deciding that the Kansas Bill of Rights protected the right to an abortion. This November, six of Kansas’ seven Supreme Court judges are up for retention votes, along with seven of the 14 Kansas Court of Appeals judges. Abortion rights activists are

campaigning to keep the judges in their positions, while anti-abortion activists want to unseat the judges and create an anti-abortion court.

One constitutional amendment on November’s ballot would change the balance of power between the governor and Legislature. The Kansas Legislature currently has the ability to overturn executive rules and regulations by a two-thirds majority vote and a signature from the governor. The amendment would authorize the Legislature to revoke or suspend policies from the state executive by a simple majority vote, with no governor signature required.

Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who’s the Republican nominee for governor, proposed the amendment following Gov. Laura Kelly’s decision to temporarily close schools at

the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Keep Kansas Free members say the amendment gives too much power to legislators.

Elizabeth Patton, state director for Americans for Prosperity-Kansas, said the campaign didn’t represent the situation accurately. Patton said the proposed amendment would increase accountability and efficiency in state government.

“This has nothing to do with the governor’s veto power,” she said. “This amendment is a bipartisan effort to make sure every Kansan has a voice in state government.”

Ballard and other speakers also urged the crowd of about 25 people, mostly women, to vote to retain Kansas judges.

Counselors worry Kansas unprepared for problem gambling increase

By Celia Hack KMUW

The legalization of sports betting was widely celebrated this September, with Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly placing a $15 bet on the Chiefs.

But some counselors who treat problem gambling worry that sports betting could lead to an increase in addiction — and they say that Kansas isn’t allocating enough resources to it.

“Today, I had to work in a client who was referred by the problemgambling help line who’s gotten themselves into a lot of debt due to sports betting,” said Stephenie Roberts, a certified gambling counselor in Wichita. “And I’m just worried that we’re going to see an increase in these numbers of calls now because of the easy accessibility that online gambling has for folks.”

The state dedicates 2% of all money generated from gambling to its Problem Gambling and Addictions

Grant Fund. The issue, advocates say, is that not all of that money goes to problem gambling services, such as advertising the problem gambling hotline.

Since 2013, 7 percent of the fund on average has gone to problem gambling services, according to the Kansas Legislative Research Department. That’s an average of about $600,000.

Kansas’ investment is comparable — if not larger than — the amount neighboring states put toward problem gambling services. Oklahoma spends $250,000 a year on assisting with gambling addiction treatment. Colorado allocates about $130,000 a year for its problem gambling hotline and problem gambling services.

Cara Sloan-Ramos, a spokesperson for the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services, said the state is assessing budgetary needs for problem

gambling resources.

“As part of our ongoing effort to emphasize the importance of providing resources to Kansans who may experience a gambling problem, KDADS is reviewing the program and its needs,” Sloan-Ramos wrote in an email to KMUW. “Once that review is complete, any recommendations for additional staff or marketing support will be made through the normal budgeting process for consideration during the next Legislative Session.”

Joyce Markham, president of the Kansas Coalition on Problem Gambling, said that more money is needed to fund a statewide advertising campaign for the problem gambling hotline. She said not enough people know it’s the first step to seek help.

“I bet you ask 10 people today where would you go if you had a problem with problem gambling, they’re probably not going to tell you they’re going to call the hotline and ask

Avoid getting hit by driveway pavement scams

Better Business Bureau

Anyone with a driveway in need of repairs can be targeted by scammer contractors. What they may end up with is a driveway that’s shoddily paved, only part-way paved or perhaps not paved at all. Reports of homeowners losing as much as $8,000 have come in.

It starts at your front door

A common first-contact may be made by a knock on your door or by a pamphlet left there. You are informed that the contractor has been doing work in your area and is therefore generously willing to give you a discount because of it. They claim to

have leftover material from “that other job” they did nearby. They are willing to give you a huge discount so they can use up this surplus paving material.

Once you have agreed to accept their “discounted” price, they will ask for a large percentage of the fee up front. Once you have made that payment, the story may end abruptly. You may never see or hear from the contractor again.

Sometimes the scammer will only do a portion of the job and then demand more money to complete it. Instances have been reported of the contractor using intimidation tactics on the homeowner, such as lawsuit

threats.

Stopping the scam before it happens

BBB offers these tips for avoiding the driveway scam:

• Head off scammers by being proactive. If your driveway needs work, contact several legitimate area contractors, and get estimates before a scammer spots your problem. They should provide free quotes (after coming to your home and examining your driveway).

• Any company you are looking to do business with should provide a working phone number so you have a way to communicate with them.

www.theactiveage.com

for help,” Markham said.

From July 2021 to June 2022, 156 people called the hotline to seek information or referral services to a treatment counselor, down from 225 the previous year.

Roberts also added that she wants the state to hire more problem gambling specialists, who help regions around the state provide problem gambling prevention and education services. Roberts said the state used to have four of these specialists and now has two.

Sloan-Ramos confirmed that two of the four problem gambling specialist positions were cut under a previous administration.

Though they have concerns about the total amount of money going to problem gambling services, both Markham and Roberts said the state provides enough funding for anyone to receive free problem gambling counseling.

• Get everything in writing. Verbal agreements have no relevance.

• Research the company through bbb.org and by doing your own online search where you input its name and words like “complaints” and “reviews.”

• Standard procedure is for staggered payments. A portion can be paid up front, but it is important to stagger the rest so you can inspect what’s been done and determine that it is acceptable.

• Pay with a credit card if possible, for ease of settling disputes later. If you pay by check, make it to the company, not to an individual. There is no other safe way to make a payment.

I

for chance to win Botanica family membership

grandchildren under 18. They

with

may be made by calling 316-942-5385; through our website,

theactiveage.com; by mail to The Active Age, 125 S. West St., Suite 105, Wichita, KS, 67213; or in person at the same address.

Help

MIRIAN

Meet your licensed Medicare sales agents

With all these agents, Humana has this town covered

When you want to talk about Medicare Advantage plans, it’ll be easy to find somebody to listen. Each licensed sales agent in this city has a trained ear and an expert understanding.

For any Medicare help you need

If you’re looking for information, want to enroll or add coverage, these agents are ready to help.

So is Humana. Humana goes the extra mile to help you get the care you need. That might mean doing something unexpected, like helping you find the right doctor. Humana calls that human care.

Call a licensed Humana sales agent

Jessica Dung Dinh 316-239-4406 (TTY: 711) Vietnamese Speaking JDinh1@humana.com

Greg Dane 316-633-0162 (TTY: 711) GDane1@humana.com

Lexi Giannetti 316-895-0001 (TTY: 711) LGiannetti@humana.com

Joe Ann Hunter 816-359-9865 (TTY: 711) jhunter9@humana.com

A more human way to healthcare™

Dustin Avery 316-253-2789 (TTY: 711) davery@humana.com