Senior Life - Elko Edition - July 2025 by The Papers Inc.

Free Living Life After 50

Elkhart Homemakers

By MAKSYM HART Staff Writer

In Elkhart County, a network of women — and soon, a few men — are keeping homemaking traditions alive while adapting to modern needs.

The Elkhart County Extension Homemakers, one of the largest groups of its kind in Indiana, has been offering fellowship, education and volunteer opportunities to local residents for nearly a century.

Currently, the organization includes about 180 members across around 18 individual clubs, all operating under the Indiana Extension Homemakers Association and the Purdue University Extension Service.

Clubs meet monthly to share life skills, learn about new topics, and work together on volunteer projects.

“Our oldest club is 96 years old,” said Luanne Gressman-Dunn, the county organization’s membership chair.

“And we’ve added four new clubs just this year, includ-

ing some focused on special interests like crochet and junk journaling.”

Though historically focused on homemaking in the traditional sense, with topics like nutrition, sewing and cleaning, today’s clubs reflect a broader and more modern vision.

Educational topics covered this year will include “Sleep On It,” “Stress and Your Health,” “Smart Choices for Dining Out,” and “Healing Through Grief.” These one-hour community lessons are taught at the Purdue Extension Office at the 4-H Fairgrounds and passed along to individual clubs for further discussion.

Clubs vary widely in character. Some have a longstanding membership of women over 70, while others include younger members or serve as skill-sharing groups. One club, for instance, made 200 quilts for cancer patients last year.

Another meets regularly to assemble blankets for the nonprofit Sleep in Heavenly

Continued on page 2

make life ‘large and lovely’

Protect What Matters Most

THE ICING ON THE CAKE Brenda Mestach demonstrates cupcake decorating at the Fall Holiday Program. All photos provided by Elkhart County Extension Homemakers.

LET’S DANCE From left are Karen Honey, Lisa Stephens and Jen Chupp having fun at Camp ELKO.

FROM SCRAPS TO SOFTBACKS Homemakers working on junk journaling during Camp ELKO.

Key Positions

Larion Swartzendruber still creating while

By NATHAN PACE Staff Writer

Larion Swartzendruber loves meeting his former students from Bethany Christian as they share their passion for woodworking and the industrial arts. Teaching at Bethany Christian is what brought Swartzendruber and his wife, Nancy, to Goshen.

“(I) get together with a number of them once a month for breakfast. They reflect on the experience that they had when they were in industrial arts class,” Swartzendruber said.

“There is not many of those classes being taught anymore and that is a concern of mine, I think for a lot of people. I think that’s unfortunate.”

The dream of starting his own business became a reality when he earned a contract to build cabinets for an electronic manufacture while he was teaching at Bethany. The work added on a custom furniture business that Swartendruber managed from a renovated barn north of Goshen. After a couple of relocations, Swartendruber had his furniture business in the Chase Bag building. Through a contest to rename the building, Swartendruber found a winner calling it “The Old Bag Factory.” Swartendruber would sell the property in 2010 after managing site for 26 years.

“There has been a lot of change over the years and I have hired people who have skills that go beyond the skills that I have. (I) try and surround myself with people who bring the desired skills. Not one person can be the best at everything,” Swartendruber said.

His furniture business has shipped products everywhere, including a wooden case that visited the White House when

Notre Dame won the 1988 college football championship. His custom furniture was used to renovate Hotel Elkhart in 2020.

He says he enjoys the flexibility he has now with his business while also continuing the relationships he has built.

“I sell to my friends, the way I see it is the friendships start when they make the first contact. That’s the way I treat it and I really, really enjoy that. My customers respond well to that, too. I enjoy the creativity. It gives me energy. This is something that I really enjoy,” Swartzendruber said.

Today, he has more time to play pickleball and travel. Swartzendruber calls himself “semi-retired” as he feels his custom furniture keeps him sharp.

“To work on things that are good for my physical health and mental health and keep learning new things. The business side helps with all that,” Swartzendruber said.

His favorite compliments are the customers who keep calling him for new products over the years. Many are repeat clients he has gotten to know personally, as one couple asked for more custom pieces even after moving out of their house and into a condo.

“I was so pleased to hear that they treasured the pieces that we had built that even though they are in a new stage of life, have some new pieces that they would like to have,” Swartzendruber said.

Swartzendruber also credits having others in his life who share his passion for the longevity of his career.

“Surround yourself with people who enjoy doing the same thing you do,” Swartzendruber said. “It’s important to follow your passions. There

are people who really love woodworking, who just want to do art pieces themselves. If

they get joy and energy from working with something that they love and they can find

Elkhart Homemakers

Continued from page 1

Peace, which provides beds for children in need. There’s even a growing interest in clubs focused on financial literacy and investing.

“One of my goals is to start new clubs that appeal to younger women,” Gressman-Dunn said. “And maybe even a few men. We’re starting an investment club this August that’ll be led by a man ... so we’ll get our first man, and maybe some others will get involved in that.”

For

call 574.243.7727

Beyond monthly meetings, the Extension Homemakers are a familiar presence at local events. They organize a fashion show before the start of the Elkhart County 4-H Fair and staff a membership booth in the Elkhart County Community Center throughout the fair, providing information on joining or forming clubs.

Volunteerism is central to the organization. One group, called Volunteer Community Sewing, meets monthly from September through May to make quilts, baby hats, and prayer shawls for local charities and hospitals. Kris Peterson, who chairs the group, can be reached at (574) 238-2065 by anyone interested in donating or joining the effort.

The Extension Homemakers also hold annual events like their Fall Holiday Program and Heritage Skills Day. The holiday program, set for Saturday, Oct. 25 this year, includes craft demonstrations, taste-testing of holiday recipes and a silent auction. Heritage Skills Day

a way to make a living doing it, I would highly recommend that.”

offers hands-on lessons in traditional crafts and homemaking techniques.

While the organization’s roots stretch back to the 1910s, when local women organized as an auxiliary to Farmers Institutes, its mission continues to evolve. Purdue Extension remains a strong partner, providing educational support, office space and staff assistance to keep the clubs running smoothly.

“The support we get from Purdue is essential,” said Gressman-Dunn. “They help us stay organized, connected, and informed.”

Anyone interested in joining or starting a club can reach Gressman-Dunn directly at (574) 524-5459 or call the Purdue Extension Office at (574) 533-0554. Members must be 18 or older, but there are no restrictions based on gender, race, or background.

“It’s all about sharing knowledge and building community,” said Gressman-Dunn. “Our creed says we believe in anything that makes life large and lovely. That’s what we try to do.”

CUSTOM FURNITURE SPECIALIST — Goshen resident Larion Swartendruber created this prairie style 1905 four-door hutch 20 years ago. Photo by Nathan Pace.

Planning For Medicaid coverage

By CLIFFORD J. RICE Elder Law Attorney Granger, Indiana

Statistics show that onethird of us will live in a nursing home at some point

in our lives. That number is increasing as we live longer and longer. So, we need to plan for how those nursing home expenses will be paid. With a ratio of one out of three people spending an average stay of over twoand-a-half years in a nursing home, when should you start planning? Since none of us know when our health might take a turn for the worse, it’s important to start planning now. Here are several ways to plan now that can help to save you and your family tens of thousands of dollars when the time comes that nursing home care is needed. Power of Attorney — you should have a comprehensive

Durable Power of Attorney in place that will continue to be effective even if you become incapacitated. This is a time that you will need it most and it must include the specific authority for self-dealing and making gifts for Medicaid planning purposes so that self-dealing and gifting can be done according to state law. Self-dealing language is required under Indiana law in order for the person acting as power of attorney to transfer assets out of the name of the person in the nursing home into the name of the spouse, or others. You can give the power to your spouse (if competent) or to one or more of your children to act as your “agent” (on

your behalf) with the POA. Gifting Program — there are Medicaid planning techniques that require you to transfer assets into a trust or outright to children. Under the current rules, any such transfers or gifts made within five years of the date that you apply for Medicaid can cause a period of ineligibility or a so-called “penalty period.”

You can protect your transferred assets by making the transfers sooner than later to help meet the five-year period requirement.

Legal Consultation — it is best for you to sit down with an experienced elder law attorney and look at all your options when you or your

spouse are facing possible nursing home care due to a health issue such as stroke, early dementia or the beginning of Alzheimer’s. Because we are an elder law firm, we can help to save you or your life savings from nursing home spend-down.

Free Elder Law Workshop

Want to learn more? Join us for one of our free Elder Law Dinner Workshops: 6 p.m. Monday, July 14; or 6 p.m. Monday, July 21, at Ruth’s Chris Steak House, 902 E. University Drive, Granger Reservations required; seating is limited. Call (800) 303-7423 or visit our website at riceandrice.com.

Is that all there is? There is more to life

By TOM ROSE

Somewhere along your journey, you will begin to embrace the change after the loss of a loved one or a sudden change in your life. It starts with that feeling in your gut; as singer Peggy Lee put it, “Is That All There Is?” There has to be more to life. The gut feeling that you have more to do with your life and much more to offer is there within you, waiting patiently to be acknowledged. It may have been there for years but you have ignored it. Then you have that moment when your mind re-

alizes what your gut has been trying to tell you. This is your epiphany, so to speak.

The legend goes that Sir Issac Newton was sitting beneath the tree when an apple fell and struck him on the head, sparking the a-ha moment and discovery of gravity. That was the moment of his epiphany; he realized what the gut had been telling him. Newton took his moment and shared it with the world. My epiphany came four months after the loss of my wife when I realized I had to embrace

A gift of age guarantees

By JIM CARPENTER Guest Writer

I suppose I have my share of troubles.

Getting old kind of guarantees that.

There are times I find, just staying home, might be the best option that I’ve got.

But whether it is real, or my brain is somehow faking it,

I am finding peace in staying home.

Even to the point of liking it.

Truth be told, influence is given.

I cannot drive, my eyes are weak, but while the body may function less, the brain still actively may seek.

I feel my years of psychological leaning, coupled with a philo-

sophical bent, have somehow conspired to provide me, with a worthwhile poetic intent. Not for thee but for me. (Gosh! What a fun thing to say.)

Both a purpose and a challenge, that I might play with every day.

I only ask that you forgive my ramble.

It seems to be the thing I do.

While I write primarily for myself,

I am most happy to share it with you.

the change in my life and move forward.

Once you realize what the gut tells you, it is time for your heart and soul to take over and find your new self. The time has come to reinvent yourself or refurbish/ remodel yourself. It is time to move forward with your new life. To some, it may be a new career, going back to school; others, simply writing down their thoughts or renewing their faith, offering their time and treasure to a worthy cause. It may be as simple as expanding your horizons with new hobbies and interests. If you were never a reader, start reading, join a book club or go to the theater and concerts. These things will change and enhance your life, introducing you to new experiences and friends. Writing

the book “Balloon in a Box, Coping with Grief” opened up a whole new life for me. I became an author and a speaker, leading to hosting the podcast “Senior Talk Michiana.”

Change can be complicated. While it is essential to move forward, it can be uncomfortable, especially if it feels out of control. To move forward and embrace change, we must first take control. Finding yourself and that there is more to life is a three-step process. First is that gut feeling, and then your mind understands that feeling. Then, you must open your heart and soul and allow God to lead you on your new life journey. Making the changes won’t be easy, but it will be well worth it. Listen to your soul; listen to him. He will lead the way.

In the article “Patented technology to provide a healthier you,” which appeared on page 6 of the June edition of Senior Life, the wrong phone number was given for Ernie Chupp. The correct number is (574) 773-9404. We regret the error and any confusion it may have caused.

Coping with Grief

70s Flashback — ‘Mork and Mindy’ spun off ‘Happy Days’ episode

By RANDAL C. HILL

In the late 1970s, TV’s “Happy Days” shone a spotlight on the fictional middle-class Cunningham family. The show was a ratings smash, and the writers loved the high-paying work it brought.

But things changed one day with an unexpected visit from Garry Marshall, the show’s creator. Marshall strolled into the writers’ office and proclaimed how Scotty, his 8-year-old son, had suggested the possibility of having a spaceman visiting the Cunninghams.

Garry then smiled, departed the room and left behind stunned silence.

Writer and story editor Brian Levant recalled, “We looked at each other like, ‘That’s the most

horrible idea I’ve ever heard’.”

But the boss obviously wanted a script that would please young Scotty, and the boss is always the boss. Right?

A story concept was quickly created for inclusion in a forthcoming “Happy Days” episode. That broadcast, which involved a dream sequence involving Ritchie Cunningham (Ron Howard), featured an appearance by Mork, a goofy alien from the planet Ork who wanted to whisk Ritchie back to his home planet for study. Several actors — including Dom DeLuise— were offered the Mork role, but nobody showed interest. What to do?

Ronny Hamlin, Marshall’s older sister and an associate producer on “Happy Days,” had recently seen an unknown stand-up comedian named Robin Williams present a “spaceman” bit as part of a manic stand-up routine at a local comedy club.

Hamlin felt that Robin would

be perfect as mega-weirdo Mork, and Williams was consequently summoned to the writers’ office.

Brian Levant recalled the meeting as “the most amazing run-through in the world,” with Williams reminding writers of the Marx Brothers, Charlie Chaplain and the Three Stooges rolled into one screwball. “The guy was on fire,” Levant claimed later.

When Williams made his appearance in a “Happy Days” episode during the program’s fifth season, viewers embraced his ditzy alien character, and it was quickly determined that he deserved his own TV show. The result was “Mork and Mindy.” Williams was brought together with ex-model newcomer Pam Dawber to play Mindy, Mork’s friend and eventual love interest.

During the show’s three-year run, an ongoing myth had Robin Williams ad-libbing all his lines on “Mork and Mindy.” The real-

ity? During rehearsals, he could be a whirlwind of brilliant improvisation. But when the cameras rolled, Williams always stuck to the script.

At the end of each show, Mork reported to Orson, his Orkan superior, to explain what he had learned on Earth that week. Here is where the writers could really offer silliness for the viewers. Consider, for example, this conversation:

Mork tells Orson about the punishment of being sent to a prison on Earth: “This is a place where they give you food, they give you clothes, and they give you housing,” Mork explains. Orson declares, “This doesn’t sound like punishment. What do they do for pleasure?” “People smoke cigarettes,” explains Mork. “They make you sick, they make you smell bad, and they make you cough.”

“Mork and Mindy” deserves a special place in TV history!

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“Don’t

“Try

interests you and that you are proud to do.”

“Don’t get married until you have $50,000 in the bank. Save your money and keep hoping for the best.”

CATHY ERVIN NORTH WEBSTER

ROBERT MCLEAN NAPPANEE

VAN ROHN NAPPANEE

MORK AND MINDY

Good times roll at Stan’s Idle Hour in Florida

By FYLLIS HOCKMAN

Mature Life Features

Rarely is the word funky used to describe an entire town. Welcome to Goodland, Fla. — all six blocks of it. Founded in the 1800s, this tiny town sits just outside an almost-as-tiny harbor. Scattered throughout are large and colorful dolphin, swordfish and flamingo mailboxes entertain en route. But what really catches your eyes are some roadside toilets sprouting bountiful bouquets of flowers.

I stopped to ask directions and I prefaced my inquiry with a friendly, “Do you live here?”

I was a little surprised at the reply. “No, no one lives here; it’s not big enough.”

On the other hand, Stan’s Idle Hour Sea Food Restaurant’s occupancy could populate a small metropolis.

This is not your average town.

Funk reaches its peak on Sundays at Stan’s somewhat ramshackle eating center — as it has since 1969. Crowds? No. Throngs and mobs? Okay.

The sheer number of endlessly undulating bodies overflowing the huge area in front of the bandstand far exceeds the town’s population. People of all ages, sizes and shapes gather — the eclectic nature of the hordes attested to by the tattooed not-so-tough guy sporting a ponytail who sidles up to the bar and orders a glass of rose wine.

Which prompted me to ask the guy sitting next to me at the bar, “What brings you here?” I was skeptical of his initial reply: “It’s a great place to relax on a Sunday,” Then he added, “It appeals to bikers, bums and billionaires.”

The juxtaposition of cars, golf carts and motorcycles crammed outside supported that.

As the afternoon progressed from 1 p.m. to 3, some of the

endlessly undulating bodies coalesced into line-dancing aficionados. And then all hell broke loose.

The swinging and swaying crowd depicted the strange movements made by trash-scavenging buzzards as they hover over road kill before landing to devour it. This was hallowed tribute to Stan’s signature Buzzard Lope dance. The lyrics instruct participants to “Flap your wings up and down, take steps around and round.”

The decibel level of the music matches the enthusiasm it engenders. It’s an experience.

A sign above the stage proclaims: “Sunday is FUNday at Stan’s. No one can have more fun in life than we can. If they don’t like it, tell them to go next door. They’re closed.”

We tried to take a break from the mayhem. But Little’s, the bar down the road a piece, had its own eccentricities. Its menu presentation required a large chalkboard to be balanced on the chairs in back of our bar stools so we had to turn around to check out its offerings. A low-key — very low-key when compared with its neighbor’s entertainment combo — folk duo crooned soothing ballads.

Away from Stan’s, Goodland remains one of the last vestiges of the real Florida, where res-

idents — all 300 plus — cling stubbornly to the past. Many people visit because of what they don’t find there — glitzy theme parks, beaches covered by blankets, and natural beauty uprooted and paved over.

The tiny fishing village sits atop 40 acres of Calusa Indian mounds comprised of shells, fish bones, pottery shards and other discards.

Stan’s is one reason that, while Goodland is a small town, it has a reputation as a village that knows how to throw a party. Throughout the year, the community hosts a variety of events, fishing tournaments and festivals that celebrate its history, local culture, and love for all things seafood.

And throughout the week, Stan’s showcases different bands nightly. But if Sunday is the apex of the week’s entertainment, the annual Mullet Festival in January is the highlight of the year’s festivities. More people, if that’s even possible, louder music, a variety of vendors, and a whole lot of fresh-caught fish.

Over which, of course, the Buzzard Lope Queen reigns.

If you want to relax, stop by Little’s. But if you want to experience the essence of Goodland at its most extemporaneous, try to wedge yourself into the Stan’s experience.

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References Available Upon Request. 574-304-5075

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References Available Upon Request.

574-304-5075

WELCOME TO GOODLAND Roadside toilet flowers are one of the many unique sights one finds in Goodland, Fla. Photo attributed to Dreamstime.

NOT YOUR AVERAGE TOWN A flamingo mailbox at Goodland, Fla. Photo by Victor Block, Mature Life Features.

Ken Metzler wraps up decades of Elkhart 4-H mentorship

By MAKSYM HART Staff Writer

family. His passion for agriculture, he said, was something he

come from watching young people grow both during their time in the club and long after. He still hears from former 4-Hers, now adults with families of their own.

“Some of the kids from when my daughter was in are now married with children. And now those kids are getting involved,” Metzler said. “So there’s that next generation coming through

He’s even seen former club members return as leaders themselves. One assistant leader on the board was a 10-year member who now mentors others.

“That’s always good to see, when they want to keep the tradition going,” Metzler said.

For families just starting out in 4-H, Metzler offered simple advice: “Don’t come in expecting to win. Come in expecting to

Metzler explained that raising calves is more work than it may appear, especially with newborns that require round-the-clock care.

“If I can drive down a country road and see someone raising calves in their backyard, and I know they’re former calf feeder members … that’s the real value,” Metzler said. “Not so much in a show ring. The life lessons are what I think matter

As he plans his succession, Metzler says the next leader should be someone who “knows cattle, knows 4-H, is organized, but most of all, someone who

He isn’t planning to leave entirely, especially with grandchildren soon joining the club. He’ll stay close enough to support

A HERD RAISED ON EXPERIENCE Ken

stands in front of his cattle. Metzler has been with 4-H’s Dairy Calf Feeder program for decades, since his children first became involved.

them, while giving the next generation of leaders the space to grow.

“I’ve worked with kids since

I was in my 20s,” Metzler said. “They keep you young. And they remind you why you started in the first place.”

Team exercise boosts health

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features

Recent studies have revealed that team sports provide the best mental health benefits from exercise.

There are many such opportu-

nities for seniors that cover an array of physically demanding levels.

Teams gather for slow-pitch softball, bowling, curling, cycling, golf, swimming, walking, horseshoes, bocce, walking, pickle ball, soccer, skiing, and hiking, to name a few.

In between competitions, you can do squats and leg lifts to help maintain your strength, balance and flexibility so you can be ready to head out and have fun.

Make sure you wear sturdy footwear and clothing that fit properly. And always check with your family doctor to make sure you’re fit to participate in the activity of your choice.

Metzler

Photo by Maksym Hart.

Submit your continuing disability review report online

By MONA HARTER District Manager, South Bend Social Security Office

Do you receive Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income? If so, you should know that we are required by law to review your case to verify that you still have a disabling condition that prevents you from doing substantial work. We call this process a Continuing Disability Review.

We will send you a notice telling you when it is time to review your medical condition and keep you informed about your benefit status. How often we review your medical condition depends on whether your condition is likely to improve.

We’ll normally review your case:

• Within 6 to 18 months after our decision on your disability application if your medical condition is expected to improve.

• Every 3 years if medical

improvement is possible.

• Every 7 years if medical improvement is not expected.

If you get disability benefits you can complete and submit the Medical Continuing Disability Review Report (SSA-454) online.

The online option is available to adults who receive SSDI, SSI, or both, and do not have a representative payee. To complete the form online, sign in to your personal my Social Security account and select “Complete Your Continuing Disability Review.” If you do not have an account, visit ssa.gov/myaccount to get started.

If you do not have a personal my Social Security account, you can fill out and print the SSA454 at ssa.gov/forms/ssa-454-bk. pdf. You can mail or make an appointment to take your completed form to your local Social Security office.

Please share this information with your friends and loved ones who receive SSDI benefits or SSIs.

I am feeling flush

NUTSHELL

By DICK WOLFSIE

My wife has a huge walk-in closet off her bathroom. She has a shower, spa/bath, and several drawers and shelves for her toiletries and makeup. At least that is what she tells me. I’m not allowed in there, so I have no way of confirming this. We do not share a bathroom. Let’s put it this way: We have been happily married 43 years, and then there was the year we shared a bathroom.

The other day, I stood on the commode in my john to extract a nail from the wall. I fell, broke the toilet seat, and chipped the bowl when my hammer hit it. That meant I had to use Mary Ellen’s lavatory temporarily until I replaced the broken fixture.

Because she doesn’t trust me in her powder room, she accompanied me whenever I entered her restroom. This got very creepy as you can imagine. Author’s note: I am quickly running out of euphemisms for bathroom.

I had never shopped for a toilet before, so I wasn’t exactly sure how to begin. As you know, it is often tough finding help in these huge hardware stores. Spending more than 30 minutes walking up and down the aisle, I had already invested more time in the search than I had in picking out our new washer and dryer, or my wife’s engagement ring, or my wife for that matter (love at first sight).

One confusing thing was the toilets were way up high on the shelves. When’s the last time

you looked up at a toilet? Don’t answer that. I did run into a few employees. They had some interesting responses to my plea for assistance.

“I don’t know anything about plumbing. I’m in power tools.”

“I’m sorry. I only work in aisle 23.”

“I’m sorry. I know nothing. I am 23.”

“I’m sorry, I can’t walk over there with you. I’m 93.”

“Oh, so you are looking for a toilet? Way in the back. Careful, there’s no lock on the door.”

The products had some intriguing sales pitches. One of the toilets had a sign that said: “Will flush a dozen golf balls.”

“That’s a stupid thing to promote,” I said. “Who would flush golf balls down the toilet?”

“You did last summer when you shot 34 over par?”

The sales guy asked me if I wanted a round or an oblong seat. I looked for a mirror to catch a peek over my shoulder to see what would fit best,

but this will also be the guest bathroom, and our friends come in all shapes and sizes. Some of the toilets were labeled “smart,” with prices in the thousands. They have several buttons and a remote control, but what they remotely control is still a mystery. I don’t want a smart toilet. I don’t want one that answers the phone, or is connected to Bluetooth, or gives me a weather report. I don’t want my bottom warmed or scented. I simply want my toilet to sit there. And I promise to do the same.

REVIEW ONLINE — Those who receive Social Security Disability Insurance or supplemental security Income can review their case online by submitting the Medical continuing Disability Review Report. Photo provided by the Social Security Administration.

Hospice Care

Q. What are the benefits of using Hospice Care?

A. Hospice care is a compassionate service designed to support individuals with life-limiting illnesses, as well as their families, during the final stages of life. Rather than focusing on curing an illness, hospice prioritizes comfort, dignity, and quality of life. There are several meaningful benefits to choosing hospice care when a cure is no longer possible.

One of the most significant benefits is personalized comfort care. Hospice teams, which include doctors, nurses, aides, social workers, and chaplains, create a tailored plan that addresses pain management, emotional well-being, and spiritual support. This approach ensures that the patient is as comfortable and supported as possible throughout the journey.

Emotional and spiritual support is another core element. Hospice provides counseling services for both patients and their families, helping them navigate the emotional weight of terminal illness. Grief support is often extended even after a loved one passes, giving families time to heal with guidance.

Additionally, hospice care allows patients to remain in familiar surroundings, whether

Tim Bradley, MA, BSN, RN Executive Director-Comfort1 Hospice

that’s their home, an assisted living facility, or a hospice center. Being in a peaceful, known environment can bring a sense of control, comfort, and closure.

For families, hospice offers respite and relief. The hospice team handles medical needs, medications, and caregiving tasks, reducing stress and preventing caregiver burnout. This allows family members to focus more on meaningful time and less on logistics.

Finally, hospice emphasizes dignity and choice. Patients are empowered to make decisions about their care, honoring their values and wishes in the final stages of life.

Hospice care is not about giving up it’s about choosing quality, connection, and comfort. It can be one of the most compassionate choices made during life’s most vulnerable moments.

Elder Law

Q: What does the law say about how liens and expenses get paid, and by whom, for specific devises of any real or personal property as well as for real estate transferred by T.O.D. deed at death?

A: This question points out a very relevant topic which can pit the heirs of one class against the heirs of another.

For instance, if you are the residuary beneficiary in a Last Will & Testament (“Will”) of a decedent where the decedent’s Will requires the payment of expenses of administration from the residuary, you may receive nothing from the estate because those expenses must generally be paid first. Only what remains gets paid to the residuary beneficiary.

As such, consider the fact that a specific beneficiary in the Will is to receive a specific devises of real or personal property, but that property contains a mortgage or lien, and the Will requires the payment of mortgages and liens from the residuary. Such mortgage or lien must generally be paid from the residuary beneficiary’s share and the specific beneficiary of the real or personal

property receives the same free of the mortgage or lien because Indiana law (I.C. 29-1-17-9) says that specific devises are subject to the lien unless the Will specifically or by implication states the lien is to be paid off. The statute also says that a general directive “to pay debts” does not imply payment of lien.

A client

118 W. Edison Rd, Suite 200, Mishawaka, IN. 46545

Your Journey is Our Path www.comfort1hospice.org

Financial Services

Q. Who is Everence?

A. At Everence®, we believe it’s possible to integrate your faith and values with your finances. Since 1945, we’ve helped our members align their values, goals and finances to achieve financial well-being, while also driving positive change in their communities.

We offer a broad array of valuesbased services for individuals, businesses, churches, and charitable organizations:

- Wealth management - Investments with impact - Medicare Supplement Insurance - Financial and charitable planning

Brent Miller Vice President, Michiana Region

- Trust and estate administration - Banking services

In our upcoming series, we look forward to sharing insights about senior health care, charitable giving, and more. At Everence, our mission is to support your financial well-being – so you can stay focused on what matters most!

1110 N. Main St. Goshen, IN 46528 574-537-8773 michiana@everence.com

Dining/Leisure/Entertainment

Blast to the Past!

— ‘Jive Talkin,’ a crossbreeding of pop-music hooks and hip soul

By RANDAL C. HILL

During the first half of the 1970s, the Bee Gees (“Brothers Gibb”) were floundering. “We didn’t know where we were going,” admitted leader Barry. “We ended up doing dreary ballads. That was totally wrong, but we seemed to be stuck in that mode.”

What was needed was a new outlook. The singers’ friend Eric Clapton urged the brothers to move from Los Angeles to Miami, where exotic music and a thriving club scene offered a profound change of pace. After the lads relocated, Atlantic Records’ producer Arif Mardin scheduled them to record at Miami’s Criteria Studios.

On their daily drive from Miami Beach to the downtown studio, the brothers crossed the 4.4-mile-long Julia Tuttle Causeway. As they rolled over the road seams, the tires of the Gibbs’ car throbbed with a steady “chunka chunka” rhythm.

One day, Barry’s wife, Linda, remarked, “Hey, listen to that noise … it’s our ‘drive talkin’.” Barry chuckled and began improvising “D-D-Drive talkin’,”…

Mardin loved the idea of creating a dance single that featured some of the Gibbs’ lyrics unfolding with the stutter gimmick. But he did want a title change from “Drive Talkin’” to “Jive Talkin’.”

Maurice Gibb later recalled, “Arif went, ‘Do you know what jive talking means?’ And we said, ‘Well, yeah, it’s, you know, you’re dancing.’ And he says, ‘No, it’s a black expression for (deceitful talk).”

Some music critics had often dismissed the group as merely a vacuous pop-music machine, even though the trio’s recordings had always featured an element of soul, especially in the way the brothers bounced their high-pitched voices off each other when they recorded.

In creating “Jive Talkin’,” the Gibbs discarded the delicate singer/songwriter language of their catalog and replaced it with the kind of hip lingo heard in numerous soul hits of the day. In this case, we hear about a man grown tired of his girlfriend’s deceptive ways:

“J-J-Jive talkin’, you’re telling me lies

“Jive talkin’, you wear a disguise

“Jive talkin’, so misunderstood

“Jive talkin’, you’re really no good”

Fueled by a heavily muffled “thump” common in later disco hits, “Jive Talkin’” offered a stomping dance beat layered

A BREAK FROM BALLADS

The creation of “Jive Talkin” was a break for The BeeGees from their ballads they knew was wrong for them. The song took them into the crossbreeding of pop-music hooks and hip soul. Photo from Ultimate Classic Rock..

with a scratchy rhythm guitar, catchy keyboard stabs and an irresistible synthesizer bassline. The result was a crossbreeding of pop-music hooks and hip soul.

To introduce radio programmers to the “new” Bee Gees, Atlantic Records’ staff mailed the “45” in a plain white sleeve with no explanatory information, as they didn’t want people to dredge up preconceptions about the trio’s prior works.

Released on Atlantic’s RSO label, the tune caught fire and shot to the peak of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it reigned for two weeks.

The success of the single

allowed the lads to get a jump on the emerging genre of disco music, a captivating sound exploding from urban black and gay dance clubs and into the mainstream.

“Jive Talkin’” has a place in recording history as the only million-selling disc to be inspired by a drive across a long Florida bridge.

Times are a-changing

By CECIL SCAGLIONE

Mature Life Features

“Pack Your Patience” has become a traveler’s mantra.

A couple who returned recently from a clan gathering for birthday celebrations as well as their first view of grandchildren made one vow: their next trip will be to the afterlife.

Their latest experience with airports and airplanes convinced them they no longer enjoy the airport-airplane experience.

Travelers around the country are returning home with vows to drive to visit family, friends and tourist attractions if they don’t have to cross oceans.

Lengthy lines, last-minute flight cancellations, tightened seating, muddled pricing and an array of other disappearing comforts, such as meal and alcoholic beverage service, are driving travelers away from air travel.

At the same time, motor home sales have been soaring.

A Boomer Blast To The Past

Independence | Dignity | Strength

Join Us for REAL Talk: Chronic Condition Self-Management!

Free presentations and community connections. Topics target those 60 and older, but everyone is welcome to attend.

Join Us for REAL Talk: Chronic Condition Self-Management! Free presentations and community connections. Topics target those 60 and older, but everyone is welcome to attend.

July 8 | 11 AM | Portage Commons (574) 284 - 7189

July 17 | 11 AM | OWLS | (574) 336-2652

July 25 | 11:30 AM | 1 ROOF (Lunch) (574) 284-7189

July 29 | 11:30 AM | Salvation Army of Elkhart (Lunch) | (574) 284-7184

Reserve your spot by visiting realservices.org/get-involved/real-talk/

Bourbon Chicken

Mashed Sweet Potato Cauliflower Dinner Roll/ Marg. Cinnamon Applesauce

Maple Pork Chops

Sweet Potatoes

Green Beans

Sweet Potatoes Green Beans

Dinner Roll/Marg. Fruit Cup

Polish Sausage w/bun

Mashed Potatoes

Polish Sausage w/bun Mashed Potatoes Sauerkraut Applesauce

Sauerkraut Applesauce

Vegetable Soup

Tuna Salad Slider

Vegetable Soup

Spiced Peaches Cottage Cheese

Tuna Salad Slider

Spiced Peaches Cottage Cheese

Health Education Classes

MOB | Mondays: Aug 4- Sept 29

10 AM - 11:30 AM | Kosciusko Cty Sr Services (800 N. Park Ave. Warsaw,IN)

1 PM - 3:00 PM | Bell Memorial Library (101 W. Main St., Mentone, IN 46539)

PATH I Mondays: June 23-July 28

1 PM - 3:30PM | Portage Commons

PATH I Mondays: June 23-July 28

1 PM - 3:30PM | Portage Commons

SAIL I Tuess & Thurs: Starts Aug 5th 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM | Portage Commons

Pre-Registration Required, Call (574) 284 - 7189

How I Stay Strong

Learn more by visiting realservices.org/services/a2aa/vaccines/

Turkey Tetrazzini Green Beans Garlic Bread Fig Newton

Turkey Tetrazzini Green

Beans Garlic Bread Fig Newton

Chicken Salad Sliders

Roasted Penne Pasta

Salad Kale Salad Angel Food Cake

Meatloaf Baby Bakers Seasoned Green Beans Peach Cup

Dinner Roll/Marg.

Meatloaf Baby Bakers Seasoned Green Beans Peach Cup Dinner Roll/Marg.

Lasagna Bake w/Sausage Italian Green Beans

Lasagna Bake w/Sausage

Italian Green Beans

Warm Spiced Apples Garlic Bread

Learn more by visiting realservices.org/services/a2aa/vaccines/

To make a reservation, please call the meal site director at your

Meal Site Locations (Elkhart County) info@realservices.org

Breaded Chicken Scalloped Potatoes

Breaded Chicken

Scalloped Potatoes

Stewed Tom. & Zucch. Wheat Bread/Marg. Oreo Cookie

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

Rice Pilaf Asian Vegetable Blend

Sweet & Sour Meatballs Rice Pilaf Asian Vegetable Blend Wheat Bread/Marg. Pineapple Cup

Wheat Bread/Marg. Pineapple Cup

Turkey Sausage Patty Scrambled Eggs English Muffin O’Brien Potatoes Banana & Yogurt

Turkey Sausage Patty Scrambled Eggs

English Muffin

O’Brien Potatoes

BBQ Riblet on Bun Red Skin Potatoes Spinach Fresh Orange

Address: 133 N William St. South Bend, IN 46601

Phone: (574) 284-7159

Meal Site Locations (Elkhart County) info@realservices.org

Address: 133 N William St. South Bend, IN 46601

Business Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday | 10 AM - 3 PM

Come join us at the Portage Commons Senior Enrichment Center- a warm, welcoming space where seniors can relax, connect, and thrive!

Come join us at the Portage Commons

Senior Enrichment Center- a warm, welcoming space where seniors can relax, connect, and thrive!

Social Activities & Games

Arts & Crafts

Friendly Faces & Good Company

Special Events & Guest Speakers

Health & Fitness Programs

Facebook for Events and Classes: https://www.facebook.com/PortageCommons

Philly Cheesesteak on Bun, Garlic Mashers Creamed Corn Mandarin Oranges

Chicken Penne Pasta w/ Spinach Broccoli Ciabatta Roll/marg. Pear Cup

BBQ Chicken Baked Beans Corn, Wheat Bread/Marg. Pudding Cup

Banana & Yogurt BBQ Chicken Baked Beans Corn, Wheat Bread/Marg. Pudding Cup

Chef Salad w/Turk.Ham Cheese, Boiled Egg, Tom. w/Ranch Pickled Beets & Club Crackers Jello

We welcome Seniors to join our program and access daily nutritional meals while increasing your socialization. Meals are prepared fresh daily in our Kitchen. Lunch site locations are open

To make a reservation, please call the meal site director at your preferred location listed below. We look forward to serving you.

1151 S. Michigan St, South Bend IN 46601 | (574) 233-8205 realservices.org Real Services, Inc. info@ Elkhart

848-7182

Visit Facebook for Events and Classes: https://www.facebook.com/PortageCommons

Broccoli,

Broccoli, Breadstick

Tropical Fruit Cup

Country Fried Steak Garlic Mashed Pot. Cali. Blend Veg. Bread/Marg. Pudding Cup

Potato Crusted Fish Mashed Potatoes

Potato Crusted Fish

Mashed Potatoes

Brussels Sprouts Bread/Marg. Mandarin Orange

UMC 201 Division St. | (574) 848-7182 St. Paul's UMC

St. Paul's UMC 405 W. Beardsley | (574) 320-5863 Riverside Terrace

W. Beardsley | (574) 320-5863

N. Elkhart Ave. | (574) 320-5995

(574) 320-5995

Oakland Ave. | (574) 320-5996

| (574) 320-5996

Hot Dog on Bun Potato Salad, Succotash Pineapple Cup

Sloppy Joe on Bun Macaroni & Cheese Mixed Vegetables Applesauce

Cabbage Roll Casserole Mashed Potatoes, Peas Bread/Marg. Spiced Peaches Happy 4th of July!

Philly Cheesesteak on Bun, Garlic Mashers Creamed Corn Mandarin Oranges

Stuffed Baked Potato w/ Chz & Taco meat

Hot Dog on Bun Potato Salad, Succotash Pineapple Cup

Sloppy Joe on Bun Macaroni & Cheese Mixed Vegetables Applesauce

Cabbage Roll Casserole Mashed Potatoes, Peas Bread/Marg. Spiced Peaches Happy 4th of July!

Stuffed Baked Potato w/ Chz & Taco meat

Breadstick Tropical Fruit Cup

Free Resources for Caregivers

TOLL-FREE HELPLINE

MON-FRI: 8:00 AM-4:30 PM EST 1-888-303-0180

CAREGIVER SUPPORT

ST. JOSEPH & ELKHART COUNTY

LAPORTE, MARSHALL & KOSCIUSKO 1-574-232-4121

MEMORY SCREENING CALL TO SCHEDULE 1-574-232-4121

FAMILY CONSULTATIONS CALL TO SCHEDULE

1-574-381-8983

Ask questions, get resources & schedule family consultations

Assist in finding a location, determine what date and times work best for groups, help see benefits of attending a support group.

Allows caregivers to discuss frustration, ask questions & create a care plan.

Upcoming Events

By LAURIE LECHLITNER Staff Writer

“My mother, Dollie, was a powerful prayer warrior,” stated Mary Russell, Elkhart. “She prayed for me for 30 years, and although I’d gotten in a lot of trouble and my life looked very hopeless for years, I’m convinced it was her prayers that brought me to Jesus.”

Russell grew up in a dysfunctional family. “There were 10 of us kids. The older kids watched the younger ones. My father was an alcoholic.”

Although Dollie tried to get her children to church, that didn’t always happen.

“Sometimes we just didn’t have a way to get there. I was active in the church at one time. When I was 13, I was given the job of reporting the activities of children’s church. I enjoyed serving the Lord in that capacity.”

Russell always knew there was a God. “I just didn’t follow him. I was looking for love in all the wrong places. I was pregnant at 15. I felt rejected and abandoned. To top it off, I also had to step down from my church work. I left the church for the next 30 years.”

During that time, Russell got caught up in street life. “I started hanging out with the wrong crowd. I was smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol. I even got involved with a married man who promised to leave his wife for me. Of course, that didn’t happen.”

Russell took time out from her rough lifestyle only when she was pregnant three times. “I got involved in another toxic relationship and moved to Rockford, Ill. That’s when I started snorting cocaine and experimenting with the hard drugs. I continued to drink excessively. I also began using IV drugs.”

She felt like everyone she loved deserted her. “I had a job at a nursing home for a year, but the lady I was taking care of died. I was devastated.”

Starting out as a dancer and stripper in a bar, Russell worked for a while in adult bookstores. She eventually became a prostitute.

“I was arrested for prostitution. My mom and sisters were taking care of my kids when I was locked up. Eventually, I was a heroin addict, and my kids were in the foster care system. I had been in several rehab programs and a couple mental institutions. I was arrested for selling drugs and spent time in prison. My life looked very hopeless.”

Finally, she spent four months in jail for breaking and entering a home. “I cried out to God from that jail cell. I didn’t want to hurt the people I loved anymore. That was more than 26 years ago, and God heard my cry.”

She began searching for help at Servants of the Street, Elkhart. Pastor Regina Villela recommended Russell to the director of SPA Women’s

Ministry Homes, Elkhart, an organization that works with addicts and brings them to Jesus Christ.

“I learned new life skills at SPA and was the first graduate from the program 26 years ago. I worked there assisting director Sandra Bontrager as needed. The last 17 years at SPA I was working full time.

“After I retired in April 2025, I opened my Christ-centered home to SPA alumni who need more accountability. I named it Dollie’s Restoration Home, after my mother. I give God all the glory.”

organization’s first graduate

tered home to other SPA alumni who need more accountability. She named it Dollie’s Restoration Home, after her mother. Russell gives God the glory for her recovery and ministry to others who are struggling with addiction. Photo provided by

Always ask for the senior discount

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features

Folks in their golden years not only have the time to travel but they also can take advantage of a range of discounts that begin as early as a person’s 50th birthday and proliferate after they turn 65.

All they have to do is ask for the senior discount when they book an airline or train trip, cruise, hotel or motel reservation, rent a car, and stop for breakfast, lunch or dinner along the way.

Various resorts, entertainment complexes, casinos and government-owned parks also have

lower prices available for seniors. An AARP membership card has many of these discounts attached to it along with discounts from several chains for auto maintenance and repair, haircuts, groceries, movies and other products and services.

Just ask.

www.comfort1hospice.org

VICTORY IN JESUS — Mary Russell, Elkhart, is an SPA Women’s Ministry Home alumni. She was the

26 years ago. After she retired in April 2025, Russell opened her Christ-cen-

SPA Women’s Ministry Homes.

Staying around sports led to interim role for Chad Coleman

By NATHAN PACE Staff Writer

When you visit the office of Chad Coleman at Goshen College, it’s easy to find something to talk about. He has a collection of “Star Wars,” “Game of Thrones” and sports memorabilia on display and they always lead to conversation.

“I try to make my office, since I spend so much time here, feel like home. My wife would never let me have all that stuff in the house. I surround myself with things that have brought me joy at some point in my life,”

Coleman said, “They are also just fantastic conversation starters. You instantly have icebreakers.”

Coleman became the interim athletic director for the

Maple Leafs this past September. He took over when former athletic director, Erica Albertin, switched to a different role as the Goshen College Associate Director of Athletic Health and Wellness. Coleman has held multiple roles at Goshen College going back to 2002, but wanted to keep a foot in the door for sports.

“If I wasn’t going to be an athlete my dream was to work in sports. I always eyed a way to get back to it,” Coleman said.

Coleman became the associate athletic director in 2023, but admits it was a challenge when he became the athletic director.

“I kind of had to just learn as I went. Erica, when she left, helped me get logged in to certain things,” Coleman said. “Get connected to the NAIA,

connected to the Crossroads League. She’s been instrumental. Some of that stuff came at me really fast. The first two months were really challenging.”

Going to games and solving problems as they came up every season was a big time commitment for Coleman, but he feels he settled into the role.

“Just being present at the games. Reason why you might not want to do the job is, ‘oh, that’s a lot of games, a lot of appearances to make.’ Once I was in the role I wanted to be there. It didn’t feel like work,” Coleman said. “Just like watching your favorite team play on TV, yeah, I want to watch it. They became my favorite teams.”

Dwight Gingerich, the new men’s basketball coach, will

take over the athletic director position on July 1. Coleman said he is excited to work with him as shifts back to associate athletic director.

“My experience in the past year is going to help Dwight in the way Erica was able to help me,” Coleman said. “At the same time, the experience that he will bring to Goshen I can probably learn from. I think that will be a nice mutual learning experience. We have not been as equipped, at least not in 20 years, in athletics administratively as we will be next year. It’s like in the NFL when you have the head coach and two assistants who have been head coaches before.”

Coleman is alumnus of Northridge High School and has degrees from Indiana University Bloomington and Gonzaga University. He married his wife, Caren, in 2008 and they share a daughter named Claire.

In the next few years Coleman would like to see Goshen College improve their athletic facilities to be on par with their rival schools in the Crossroads League.

“Our facilities are not at the same level that our Crossroads competition is. We were 20 years ago,” Coleman said. “Those schools invested in athletics and now it’s our turn.”

PACKED OFFICE — Chad Coleman has no shortage of icebreakers to talk about at his office at Goshen College. He was interim athletic director for the Maple Leafs for the past 10 months. Photo by Nathan Pace.

Here are the events coming up for July 2025 at the LaGrange County Public Library and its branches in Shipshewana and Topeka. For more information and latest updates go to lagrange.lib. in.us

All LaGrange Co. Public Library locations will be closed on Friday, July 4 in observance of Independence Day.

• Adult Summer Reading Challenge: Color Our World. All Library branches, June and July 2025.

For every three books read during June and July, put an entry into the drawing for one of three $100 Hobby Lobby gift cards. Open to all LaGrange Co. Public Library cardholders, age 18-plus.

• Youth Summer Reading Program continues through July. The theme this year is Color Our World. Sign up at any LaGrange Co. Public Library location to get a reading log and information about all of the fun colorful things the library will be doing. Try to read every day in June and July to earn prizes and a chance for a prize bag at the end of July. Come to the library for all of the activities listed below and more.

• Culinary Adventure: East Meets West

Tuesday, July 1. Miso Japan, 203 W. Pike St., Goshen. La Michoacana, 304 N. Main St, Goshen.

Meet at Miso Japan at 6 p.m. All food purchases will be at your own expense. Enjoy a Japanese supper and a Mexican dessert. Register at the LaGrange Library or by calling (260) 463-2841 x1030 so staff will know how many to expect. Ages 12-plus.

• Pre-School Story Time (ages 0-5) Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m.

Theme: Gardening. Enjoy stories, songs and rhymes with a fun craft or activity.

• Makerspace: Registration not required.

10 a.m. to 7 p.m. every Wednesday. Ages 5 and up. Parents must stay with kids 10 and under. Drop in anytime between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. We will have new special projects every week.

• Lego Play: Registration not required. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. every Thursday in July. Ages 5 and up, parents must stay with kids 10 and under. Drop in anytime during the hours listed. All of our Legos will be out to build or to complete the challenges for the month.

• Monday Movies

1 p.m. every Monday. See fliers or website for shows. Bring a blanket or pillow. Come to Makerspace on Wednesdays and design your own cardboard car to watch the movie at the drive-in. Free popcorn. Bring your own covered drink.

• Culinary Adventure: Vegan Brunch Thursday, July 10 at The Rooted Vegan, 30 N. Public Square, Angola. Meet at the restaurant at 10:30 a.m. All food purchases will be at your own expense. By popular demand we are returning to this delightful vegan restaurant. Register at the LaGrange Library or by calling (260) 463-2841 x1030 so staff will know how many to expect. Ages 12-plus.

• Second Saturday Book Club

11 a.m. Saturday, July 12. This month, discuss “The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store” by James McBride. In 1972, when workers in Pottstown, Pa. were digging

the foundations for a new development, the last thing they expected to find was a skeleton at the bottom of a well. Who the skeleton was and how it got there were two of the secrets kept by the residents of Chicken Hill, the dilapidated neighborhood where immigrant Jews and African Americans lived sideby-side and shared ambitions and sorrows. Copies available at the LaGrange Adult Services Desk. Ages 16-plus.

• Teen Games (Grades 6-12)

4-7:30 p.m. Monday, July 14: Board games. Play larger group party type games or settle in for something longer.

4-7:30 p.m. Monday, July 28: Video games.

• Pokemon Club (Ages 8-18)

6-7:30 p.m. Monday, July 14.

Have fun playing Pokemon, trading, and learning. Bringing cards to trade is optional.

• Book Clubs

LaGrange: 4-5 p.m. Tuesday, July 15.

Elementary: Grades 1-3, reading “I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic.” We will begin reading the book together and do a fun activity related to the book.

Mid-Grade: Grades 4-7, discussing “Explorer” by Katherine Rundell. Come to the library to get your book. We will discuss and do a fun related activity.

• Patchwork Trails: David Rogers Memorial Park

6 p.m. Tuesday, July 15 at 2355W 550S, Wolcottville.

Patchwork Trails combines exercise, education, friendship, and fun! No fees or registration required, just meet at the designated starting point. All ages welcome.

• Make & Take with Deb: Watermelon Trio Wednesday, July 16 at 6 p.m.

Participants will paint a set of three wood columns to resemble watermelon. They can welcome visitors on your porch, in the garden, or in the house. Cost is $20 per person. Register with non-refundable deposit of $10 by Thursday, July 10 at the Main Library in LaGrange. Ages 12-plus.

• Archi-Trek: Ligonier Thursday, July 24. Depart at 8:30 a.m., Return at 5 p.m. Depart and return: LaGrange Co. Public Library.

With more than two dozen murals and large Jewish mansions scattered throughout the historic downtown area, Ligonier offers surprises nearly everywhere you look. Though mostly a riding tour, there will be some walking. Cost is $10 per person. Registration is required as space is limited. Register by cash or check at the library, or payable online at eventbrite. com, or by mailing a check to Green Bus Tours. Ages 12-plus.

• Family Movie Night: “Paddington in Peru” (PG) Friday, July 25 at 6 p.m. Free popcorn provided. Bring a covered drink.

• Cookbook Club 11 a.m. Saturday, July 26. This month’s cookbook is “Taste of Home Copycat Favorites.” Check out the cookbook from the library, find a recipe, make it, and bring it to the Cookbook Club carry-in. Plates, silverware, coffee and tea will be provided. Cookbook Club meets the fourth Saturday of each month. Families welcome.

• Stephen’s Puppets Marionette Show: Performing Gold-

ilocks and the Three Bears Saturday, July 26 at 11:30 a.m.

All ages are welcome for this family-friendly show. Hang around for ice cream and collect any prizes you have left to collect from Summer Reading.

• Culinary Adventure: A Taste of Vietnam Thursday, July 31 at Goshen Noodles, 1303 College Ave., Goshen

Meet at the restaurant at noon. All food purchases will be at your own expense. Join us on this adventure to sample pho, banh mi and more. Register at the LaGrange Library or by calling (260) 463-2841 x1030 so we’ll know how many to expect. Ages 12+

• Chicago Architecture by Land and River: One Day Motor Coach Trip Saturday, Aug. 16. Depart LaGrange Town Hall at 7:30 a.m. Return approximately 7:30 p.m.

Cost $264 per person. Registration and $25 deposit due to S&S Travel by Wednesday, July 16. Detailed information and registration forms are available at all library branches.

Topeka

• Pre-School Story Time (Ages 0-5) Wednesdays at 11 a.m.

Theme: Gardening. Enjoy stories, songs and rhymes with a fun craft or activity.

• Lego Play: Registration not required. Noon to 5 p.m. every Thursday in July. Ages 5 and up, parents must stay with kids 10 and under. Drop in anytime during the hours listed. All of our Legos will be out to build or to complete the challenges for the month.

• Stephen’s Puppets Marionette Show: Performing Goldilocks and the Three Bears 9 a.m. Saturday, July 26. All ages are welcome for this family-friendly show. Stay after the show for school supplies, lunch and other great information from Reason 4 Hope.

Shipshewana

Pre-School Story Time (Ages 0-5) Tuesdays at 1 p.m.

Theme: Gardening. Enjoy stories, songs and rhymes with a fun craft or activity.

Assisted Living, nursing And rehAbiLitAtion guide

Brentwood at Elkhart Assisted Living

3109 E. Bristol Street, Elkhart, IN 46514 (574) 266-4508

https://brentwoodatelkhartassistedliving.com

Licensed Assisted Living, Physical & Occupational Therapy On-Site, Nurses 24 Hours Per Day, Private Apartments, Respite Care, Activities, Studio/1 BR/2 BR Apaartments, Pet Friendly.

Greenleaf Health Campus

1201 East Beardsley Avenue, Elkhart, IN 46514 (574) 206-0086 • www.GreenleafHS.com

Assisted Living, Rehabilitation Unit, Alzheimer’s Unit, Skilled Licensed Nursing, Semi-Skilled Nursing or Intermediate Care, Therapies: SpeechOccupational-Respiratory-Physical, Long Term Care, Temporary Care, Private/Semi-Private Rooms, Pet Visitation Allowed, Pharmacy On Premises, Medicare and/or Medicaid

Hellenic Senior Living

2528 Bypass Road, Elkhart, IN 46514 (574) 389-1776

https://elkhart.ahepaseniorliving.org/

Licensed Assisted Living, Medicaid Waiver Accepted, 24 Hour Medical Care, Restaurant Style Dining, Therapy, Private Apartments, Daily Activities, Pet Friendly. Stop In To Tour Today!

Hubbard Hill Retirement Community

28070 CR 24 ., Elkhart, IN 46517 (574) 295-6260 • www.hubbardhill.org

Rehabilitation, Healthcare, Assisted Living, Memory Care, Maintenance Free Homes, Licensed, Locally Owned, Non-Profit, Faith Based, Physical, Occupational, Speech Therapies, Memory Care Support Group, Pet Friendly, There’s No Place Like Hubbard Hill

Majestic Care of Goshen

Goshen

2400 W. College Avenue, Goshen, IN 46526 (574) 533-0351

www.MajesticCare.com/Location/Goshen

Rehabilitation Unit, Skilled Licensed Nursing, Semi-Skilled Nursing or Intermediate Care, Therapies: Speech-Occupational-RespiratoryPhysical, Long Term Care, Temporary Care, Private/Semi-Private Rooms, Pet Visitation Allowed, Medicare and/or Medicaid

900 Provident Drive, Warsaw, IN 46580 (574) 371-2500 • www.masonhealthandrehab.com

Orchard Pointe Health Campus

702 Sawyer Rd., Kendallville, IN 46755 (260) 347-3333 • www.orchardpointehc.com

Offering Memory Care, Assisted & Independent Living Apartments and Skilled Services. We’ll meet you with the appropriate level of care wherever you are — whether you’re fully independent or looking for additional assistance. Call us.

316 Woodies Lane, Bremen, IN 46506 (574) 546-3494 • SHCofBremen.com

liaison2.bremen@signaturehealthcarellc.com

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‘Killers of Kill Tony’ standup show rescheduled to Oct. 23

The Killers of Kill Tony performance originally scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, July 25, at the Lerner Theater has been rescheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23.

All tickets for the original performance will be honored so patrons should hold onto their tickets. For ticket inquiries, contact the Lerner Theatre Box office.

Regular and fan favorites of “Kill Tony,” the No. 1 live podcast in the world, bring their stand-up show on the road with “Killers of Kill Tony,” coming to The Lerner Theatre on Oct. 23.

Building upon the success and energy of “Kill Tony,” “Killers of Kill Tony” showcases the diverse talent pool of comedians who have graced the stage of the original podcast with their wit, humor and unique comedic styles. “Killers of Kill Tony” will feature your favorite characters doing their longer stand-up sets, all in one night.

Ticket holders should contact

the Box Office by Saturday, July 5 for a refund if the new date is not suitable. If purchase was made via credit card, allow 3-5 business days after receipt to refund confirmation for a

refund to be received.

Refunds via credit card will go back to the original card used when making the purchase. If a purchase was made via cash, check or gift

certificate, a check from The City of Elkhart will be issued and mailed to the address on file. Checks issued from the city will take approximately 6-8 weeks to arrive in the mail. If

any of a patron’s information has changed since the date of purchase, contact the Lerner Theatre Box Office at (574) 293-4469 or via email at info@ thelerner.com

Seeing is relieving for the eyes

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features

Several years ago, a colleague joined a group of friends huddled around their hot chocolates on a frigid January day.

After sweeping the snow off his overcoat, he took off his hat and tossed his sunglasses in it for safekeeping.

Everyone around the table was taken aback and asked him why he was wearing sunglasses in winter. He had to explain that sunglasses don’t keep you cool in the heat of summer. They protect your eyes from the sun’s ultra violet rays

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that can damage your eyes. And help cut down the glare dancing off the season’s snow.

Much has been learned since then as ophthalmologists recommend wearing sunglasses all year long whether it’s cloudy or sunny. Dermatologists also recommend using sun screen at all times to protect you skin from the sun’s damaging rays — even when it’s cloudy.

Eye-care experts have assembled a few simple steps to follow that focus attention on your eyesight.

They suggest you start with a good pair of walking shoes

to get out for walks since even regular moderate exercise slows the development of glaucoma and cataracts as well as such sight-robbing diseases as diabetes and high blood pressure.

Keep a pair of sunglasses right beside the shoes so you wear them when you head out the door.

While you’re out, you might visit your nearby drug store and pick up some eye drops.

The pharmacist can suggest which might work best to protect you from dust, dirt and heat while keeping our eyes moist and comfortable.

When you get back home, check the lighting in all parts of the house and yard. Both harsh lighting and poor lighting can give you headaches. So can improper positioning of your television set and computer screen. Too high, low, close or far can also cause headaches as well as erode the health of our eyes. A good pair of readers will help for computer work by reducing eyestrain.

As with any health-related matter, start probing the problem and seeking solutions by discussing the matter with your family doctor.

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Years of model aviation to explore at Muncie museum

Model aviation enthusiasts know about the National Model Aviation Museum in Muncie, but it’s not necessary to be a model airplane buff to enjoy a self-guided tour through the history of this popular hobby.

By ROD KING

Grandchildren will particularly enjoy this museum. It’s chock full of models of all shapes, sizes, colors and configurations. Some are propelled by rubber bands and miniature engines. Some are controlled by wires and others by remote control.

There are some neat displays of equipment and hardware on loan to the museum by NASA and were used in the space program, a drone collection and one room is a hands-on gallery with computer-operated flight simulators and games. Youngsters are encouraged to make and fly paper airplanes and to make a paper cone fly in a vertical wind tunnel.

Next is the free flight section, which is the oldest form of the hobby featuring rubber band powered models and handlaunched gliders.

A large section focuses on planes controlled by persons manipulating them by wires, making them do loops and dives while flying in a circle. The last section is for models controlled by radio frequencies.

Nestled in the middle of everything, take a step back in time by entering a circa-1950s hobby shop full of boxed stick and paper models, a mannequin sales clerk and an antique cash register.

The Academy of Model Aeronautics History was founded in 1936 and the National Model Aviation Museum was established in 1978 in Virginia, near Washington, D.C. It was relocated to Muncie in 1993. Model plane enthusiasts from across the country flock there in July and August for the annual national competition, which includes combat flying, pitting two participants attempting to cut a streamer from their opponent’s plane; landing planes on a mock aircraft carrier; skill flying and more.

CROWDED CEILING

Planes of all sizes, colors, shapes and configurations inhabit the ceiling of the National Model Aviation Museum in Muncie. Some are propelled by rubber bands and miniature engines. Some are controlled by wire and others by remote control.

Crossroad Tours Crossroad Tour

The museum is separated into four major areas, starting with more than 200 years of aeromodeling history, tracing the important role models played in the development of manned flight.

F

The 1,000-acre site has eight fly sites specifically designed for a variety of competitions. They also have facilities for creative flying, racing featuring permanent pylons, speed and aeromodeling.

To take in some fancy flying, be sure to get to the muse-

Continued on page 19

Diamond To

September 21-27, 2025 - Beautiful Vermont

October 11-19, 2025 - Amelia Island, St. Augustine, Jacksonville, FL

MODEL AVIATION MUSEUM—Enthusiasts flock here in July and August for the annual national competition which includes combat flying, landing on a mock aircraft carrier, skill flying and more. That’s followed by the International Radio Control Helicopter Association’s three-day fun fly.

November 3-7, 2025 - Nashville Show Trip

December 7-12, 2025 - Charleston, South Carolina

April 11-19,2026 - San Antonio, TX

Crossroad Tours oad Tour

May 17-23, 2026 - Cape Cod & Martha’s Vineyard

October 1-12, 2026

Crossroad Tours ros d T rs

Hoover Dam

D

Family Fun T ours

September 21-27, 2025

July 12, 2025 - Air Zoo

October 11-19, 2025

July 19, 2025 - Peru Circus

August 16, 2025 - Chicago Air Show

Augustine, Jacksonville,

August 23, 2025 - Toledo Zoo

August 16, 2025 - Chicago Air Show

September 27, 2025 - Brookfield Zoo

August 23, 2025 - Toledo Zoo

November 3-7, 2025December 7-12, 2025

- Beautiful Vermont - Amelia Island, St.

Crossroad Tours Crossroad Tour

September 22-23, 2025 - Antiques and Explore Elizabeth, IL

October 23-25, 2025 - The Ark Encounter & Creation Museum

July 12, 2025 - Air Zoo

July 19, 2025 - Peru Circus

August 16, 2025 - Chicago Air Show

August 23, 2025 - Toledo Zoo

September 27, 2025 - Brookfield Zoo

October 23-25, 2025 - The Ark

Encounter & Creation Museum

September 27, 2025 - Brookfield Zoo

April 11-19,2026

October 23-25, 2025 - The Ark Encounter & Creation Museum

May 17-23, 2026

October 23-25, 2025The Ark Encounter & Creation Museum

October 1-12, 2026

Hoover Dam

Fun Tours Diamond Tours

September 21-27, 2025 - Beautiful Vermont

October 11-19, 2025 - Amelia Island, St. Augustine, Jacksonville, FL

November 3-7, 2025 - Nashville Show Trip

October 11-19, 2025 - Amelia Island, St. Augustine, Jacksonville, FL

December 7-12, 2025 - Charleston, South Carolina

November 3-7, 2025 - Nashville Show Trip

April 11-19, 2026 - San Antonio, TX

May 17-23, 2026 - Cape Cod & Martha’s Vineyard

December 7-12, 2025 - Charleston, South Carolina

April 11-19,2026 - San Antonio, TX

Nashville Show Trip - Charleston, South Carolina - San Antonio, TX - Cape Cod & Martha’s Vineyard - Grand Canyon, Las Vegas and

of the museum is devoted to planes controlled by wire to make them do loops and dives while flying in a circle.

ANSWERS:

October 1-12, 2026Grand Canyon, Las Vegas and Hoover Dam

May 17-23, 2026 - Cape Cod & Martha’s Vineyard

October 1-12, 2026 - Grand Canyon, Las Vegas and Hoover Dam

WIRE CONTROLLED

section

GREAT ESCAPES

Text and Photos

Civilians & Soldiers in History Day with train excursions

By LORETTA KOSLOSKE Ridership Specialist Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum

The Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum, located in North Judson, will run diesel train excursions for our annual Civilians & Soldiers in History Day on Friday evening, July 18, and all day Saturday, July 19. Passengers have their choice of riding in open-air sightseeing cars, a vintage coach or first class in a former Monon business car while rolling down the tracks through the Northwest Indiana countryside. Train excursions are round-trip from the depot and travel about 5 miles to the Kankakee River at English Lake, before returning to North Judson. The total length of

S & S TRAVEL

Tours 1404 E. Lake Bluff Dr. Kendallville, IN 46755

JULY 28-AUG 2: NEW YORK: NIAGARA FALLS, 1000 ISLANDS Maid of the Mist Boat Ride, George Eastman Estate, 5 hr Island Boat Cruise w/Bolt Castle & Rock Island Lighthouse, Buffalo Double Decker City Tour & Much More

AUG 12-15: FOUR DAY MYSTERY ????

AUG 21-22: Say oHIo to AKRON, Stan Hywet Hall, Neil Diamond Tribute Show, Hartville Place/ Flea Market, Harry London Candies, Don Drumm Studio/Gallery

SEPT 2-13: SOUTHWEST

CANYONLANDS Utah & Arizona: Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyons, Arches, Monument Valley Jeep Tour, Colorado River Light Show Cruise, Capitol Reef Nat. Park, Lake Powell Cruise, Indian Pueblo Culture Center, National Cowboy Museum & More

SEPT 24-25: TWO DAY MYSTERY ??

SEPT. 29-OCT 2: AGAWA

CANYON

www.s-stravel.com

Calendar: Call 888-262-4423

each trip is approximately 45 minutes. Ticket prices begin at $14. Purchasing tickets at hoosiervalley.org is recommended, as seating is limited.

Numerous displays from various eras of U.S. History will be on the museum grounds, where admission is always free. Military and civilian reenactors will explain displays, answer questions and participate in scheduled demonstrations. In addition, HVRM has a restored WWII Pullman Troop Car. Stroll around the grounds to see one of the largest museum collections of working railroad signals and all types of rolling stock, engines and memorabilia of a bygone era.

Regular Saturday train excursions continue through September, including Ice Cream

Trains. The fall brings Pumpkin Trains and Santa Trains run in late November and December. Times and prices for special events vary from regular train excursions. Seating is limited and it is recommended to purchase tickets in advance before excursions sell out.

HVRM is an all-volunteer, not for profit organization dedicated to the preservation and education of railroading history. Special group events (including school groups) can be arranged by contacting the depot.

Visit the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum website at hoosiervalley.org for a complete schedule of events. Order tickets at hoosiervalley.org or call the depot at (574) 896-3950 on Saturdays.

Years of model

Continued from page 18

um Aug. 9-16 for the World Championships of control-line models.

To get to the National Model Aviation Museum, drive south on I-69 to exit 234 and follow S.R. 32 into Muncie. When you reach US 35, turn south and follow it to Memorial Drive. Then turn left and

travel a short distance to the museum on the right side of the road.

Hours through August are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Admission for adults is $8, $4 for youths, and kids under 6 are free. Call (800) 435-9262 for more information or visit modelaircraft.org.

1950S MODEL SHOP Nestled in the middle of the museum is a circa 1950s hobby shop full of boxed stick and paper models.

STEAMING AHEAD The Bock Lumber No. 1 Steam Engine is shown departing the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum Depot with passengers. Photo provided by the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum.

Highways history links Ford with Ike

By TOM MORROW Mature Life Features

While history books dedicate much of the credit for our nation’s interstate highway system to Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was our nation’s president from 1953 to 1961, much of the responsibility for it has to be attributed to automotive pioneer Henry Ford.

Before the emergence of the Ford’s Model T, most Americans had never been more than 50 miles from home. While this horseless carriage was affordable for the average working family, there were a limited number of roadways on which to travel in the early 1900s.

The few roads that existed in the Southwestern and Western states were nothing more than a two-track mud or dusty pathway cut through the landscape connecting one village or town with another.

The first major highway in the U.S. was built in 1920 by the Old Trails Road Association, a private organization that built a Missouri roadway connecting St. Louis and Kansas City. The association’s president was Jackson County Judge Harry S. Truman of Independence, Mo.

In 1926, the association determined roads be split into several numbered highways throughout the nation. The portion of the Old

Trails Road from Chicago to Los Angeles would later become the iconic US Route 66.

The Lincoln Highway became the first coast-to-coast roadway running from New York’s Times Square to Los Angeles. The Old Trails Association proposed automobile manufacturers donate 1% of their annual revenue to building the various national roads. All the major company heads complied except one — Henry Ford.

He declared highways were the responsibility of the national government, not private enterprise. Ol’ Henry was a known miser. He “made” money, he didn’t spend much of it.

In 1919, the U.S. Army mounted a car-and-truck convoy headed by Lt. Col. Dwight D. Eisenhower to travel the length of the new Lincoln Highway to determine viability of the road.

Eisenhower reported that the Lincoln Highway through Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana was in “fairly good shape” and much of it paved, but the roadway west from Illinois was mostly a dirt trail. The road became nearly impassable during bad weather, especially rain, leaving much of it little more than a deep-rutted roadway.

These findings encouraged Congress to pass the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921 that increased matching state funds.

Until roads were built in the various western states, the old Oregon Trail crossed what is now the states of Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho and Oregon.

After the Army convoy excursion, young Ike vowed to do everything he could to improve the nation’s roadways. Years later, as President Eisenhower, he oversaw the creation of our modern interstate highway system, fashioning after the German autobahn he saw at the end of World War II.

Germany’s autobahn was started in the mid-1920s but construction did not make progress beyond the planning stage due to the Great Depression. Its first section was completed between Cologne and Bonn and officially dedicated Aug. 6, 1932, by

Konrad Adenauer, Lord Mayor of Cologne and future Chancellor of West Germany.

The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate & Defense Highways, using the German scheme as a network of controlled-access highways, connects most principal cities across the nation.

The Eisenhower administration began construction 1956 and was proclaimed completed in 1992. The cost was approximately $114 billion (more than $520 billion today).

The Interstate system uses a numbering scheme in which primary Interstates are assigned one- or two-digit numbers and shorter routes are assigned three-digit numbers where the last two digits match the parent route.

Much of the Lincoln Highway still exists as US 30, which parallels I-80 connecting Lincoln Park in San Francisco with Times Square in New York City.

One-quarter of all miles driven in the U.S. use the Interstate network of 48,440 miles. Because of its heavy use, especially by truck traffic, the system is constantly under restorative construction.

Thanks to Ike, our lives have been greatly changed because of the Interstate. It was good for travelers and bad for the dozens of small towns and cities which were by-passed. And thanks to Henry Ford, who made the automobiles that forced the government to build our highways.

Mature Life Features Copyight 2025

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BURMA SHAVE The history of America’s interstate highway system began with Dwight Eisenhower, Henry Ford and the Lincoln Highway — much of which still exists today. Photo by Tom Morrow, Mature Life Features.