SORTED BY DESTINATION Joy Blooms volunteer Patty Akers sorts vases for the organization’s bouquets. Each vase of flowers will be delivered to Elkhart residents, from residents in local assisted and senior living facilities, participants in programs of area nonprofits, or healthcare workers, teachers, and others who support the community.
Text and Photos
By MAKSYM HART Staff Writer
A year into retirement, Nancy Stoelting found herself wondering what to do next. Inspired by a lifelong love of flowers and a desire to bring joy to others, she launched Joy Blooms, an Elkhart-based nonprofit that has since delivered more than 7,000 bouquets to residents across the city.
Operating out of the Hellenic Senior Living of Elkhart building, the organization collects donated flowers from wholesalers, retailers, weddings, funerals and other events. Volunteers then repurpose those flowers into smaller bouquets that are distributed to senior living residents, nonprofits and homebound individuals.
“I wanted to do something that I really enjoyed and that would serve other people,” Stoelting said. “My
PERFECTLY ARRANGED Sandy Freet places a bouquet of flowers into the “finished” basket after it has been trimmed and prepared for its destination. Each set of flowers is donated from local partner organizations.
Elkhart nonprofit Joy Blooms spreads floral cheer
parents and my grandmother were big flower gardeners and that always inspired me.”
After researching similar groups around the country, Stoelting connected with a Kansas City nonprofit called Unexpected Blooms, which mentored her through the process of starting Joy Blooms. The Elkhart chapter officially launched in June 2024.
Each Thursday, local floral wholesalers, resalers and donors from events
Ruth’s Chris Steak
such as weddings provide fresh flowers to the organization. Stoelting said the weekly supply has been essential to the group’s ability to grow and maintain a steady delivery schedule.
“We’re busy every week,” she said. “We get the flowers, our volunteers come in, and we make them into bouquets for delivery.”
Currently, Joy Blooms serves 37 partner sites within Elkhart. These
Continued on page 3
BY ANY OTHER NAME Nancy Stoelting, the founder of Joy Blooms, shows off one of the organizations’ rose-stemmed card sticks. Joy Blooms strives to be efficient and environmentally friendly, recycling plant matter, cardboard, and cellophane used in their bouquets.
Smiling faces fuels Ronda DeCaire’s passion for local parks
By NATHAN PACE Staff Writer
Ronda DeCaire grew up over 250 miles away from Elkhart County, but the local parks are what make the area home to her now. DeCaire serves as the director of Elkhart County Parks and has held down multiple roles in the organization since 2009.
“The most fulfilling part of my job is seeing the smiles on people’s faces when they attend our events or visit our parks,” DeCaire said. “It is very rewarding and allows me to continue to grow my passion for what we do each year.”
DeCaire grew up in Alpena, Mich., on the shore of Lake Huron. A fan of the outdoors, DeCaire obtained a bachelor’s degree in park and recreation management from Lake Superior State University. Her first full-time position came in Elkhart County at the Woodlawn Nature Center for two years. A role with the City of Elkhart as the director of the Elkhart Environmental Center would follow and lead her to her job at Elkhart County Parks.
“I am blessed to lead an amazing team of people who serve our community in various ways. We work together to protect natural resources, educate the community about environmental education as well as cultural and natural resources, and preserve and maintain more than 1,300 acres of recreation and green space,” DeCaire said.
DeCaire says over half a million people visit the seven county parks each year, along with the county portion of the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail. Her responsibilities include budgeting, managing staff, park projects, grant writing and creating partnerships.
Planning for the future of the parks is another key role. She admits her job requires her to be indoors more than what one might expect from a parks director.
A challenge DeCaire faces is how to create a balance in the county between green spaces and new housing developments.
“We don’t have a state park, state fish and wildlife or federal forests as many Indiana counties have, therefore we are the ‘go to’ place for outdoor recreation in the community, along with our municipal partners with the town and city park departments,” DeCaire said.
DeCaire says she uses a Christmas event to recharge at the end of each year.
“I refresh myself at the beginning of each year by leading the Elkhart County Christmas Bird Count. This year will be the 30th annual count for Elkhart County,” DeCaire said. “It is a citizen science project that involves between 60 and 80 volunteers. This past year we counted a record number of species and
individual birds in one day.”
DeCaire and the parks department held a “soft opening” for a new park in Corson Riverwoods County Park located northwest of Middlebury last year. Marketing the new site is a big goal for this summer.
She and her husband, David, live in Bristol. The couple have three adult daughters with chickens, two dogs and a cat. As empty nesters, they have more time enjoy the outdoors and their hobbies.
In addition to needing volunteers, DeCaire says the parks department will need donations to keep their sites running smoothly.
“In the coming years as we grow the department and budgets become tighter and the needs become greater, we would like to create an endowment fund for each park. We presently have two such funds at the Community Foundation of Elkhart County that serve such purpose,” DeCaire said. “Each year we receive proceeds from the investments at the community foundation to assist with the projects, programs, and maintenance.”
Why a will may not be enough
A will has no legal power until it is admitted to probate and a personal representative is appointed by the court. But courts don’t act on their own after your death; someone must file the necessary paperwork. This is a built-in delay that can slow down the process significantly. Further, probate is a public process; the contents of your will can be available to anyone who asks. Probate can be expensive and time consuming. In some cases, probate can take months or even a year or more, and court costs and legal fees can reduce an estate’s value significantly.
A will also doesn’t help if you’re incapacitated. For that, you will need a healthcare proxy and a durable power of attorney; these are documents that allow someone you trust to make medical and financial decisions on your behalf if you’re unable to do so.
Instead of relying solely on a will, it might be worth engaging in more comprehensive estate planning. This can begin with creating a living trust.
Trusts offer more flexibility and more protection than wills. You can transfer assets such as investments, property and personal belongings into a
trust that is managed by you, as trustee. The trust allows you to outline how and when your assets should be distributed. You can also include specific conditions, such as age milestones, timed payouts or provisions for a family member with special needs.
Our trusts also contain language to help you remain in your own home as long as possible, avoiding unnecessary placement in a nursing home. A long-term catastrophic illness could otherwise cost your family up to $10,000 each month, or more. Our trusts also contain Continued on page 3
PARKS DIRECTOR — Ronda DeCaire serves as the director of Elkhart County Parks and has been in the organization since 2009.
Photo provided by Ronda DeCaire.
CLIFFORD J. RICE Elder Law Attorney Granger
A big photo bomb
This could only happen to me and it did.
NUTSHELL
By DICK WOLFSIE
I got a new iPhone. It has a lot of new features, which are wasted on me because I am a meatand-potatoes kind of guy, so I don’t need a lot of bells and whistles.
However, the camera does have some neat photography enhancements, which I was particularly interested in, as we were going to Iceland and I wanted to bring home more than just a bad cold. As you will see, I don’t have an eye for photography, but I do have a foot for it.
I was sitting on the couch, my legs propped up on the coffee table, snapping photos and learning how to switch between landscape mode, portrait mode, night mode, slow-motion mode, and, for pastry fans, pie à la mode.
To test the camera’s precision and light sensitivity, I took a photo of the TV screen I was watching. But because I am a lousy photographer, it ended up as a photo of both my legs and feet. So, I deleted it. I thought.
After completing my self-tutorial, I went to Facebook to check on a few friends, and there was the photo I had just taken. How did it get there? What did I click? I had no idea.
As perplexed as I was, I didn’t panic. There was nothing lascivious about the picture. Unless you have a thing for feet. I was innocent of any indiscretion. I was also confident that, even with my limited technical prowess, it would be easy to delete a photo on Facebook, but in this case, I discovered that I had inadvertently created a video for Instagram, called a reel. I could see my feet twitching.
Before I could respond to the problem, our friends, Bob and Cathy, called me. They saw the photo on Facebook and wondered
why I was wearing white socks before Easter. Bob wanted to know how many of my little piggies went to the market, and how many went to Instagram.
This is not my first goof online. Years ago, when I was testing my acumen with Twitter, I sent a message to myself with just my name to see if I was doing everything correctly. I also accidentally sent it to about 500 Facebook friends.
I got some irritating responses:
“Bad column. No plot development.”
“It’s always about you, isn’t it?”
“Rotten story, hated the main character.”
“Dick, I used your name for a week instead of mine. You can have it back.”
I tried and tried to delete the
photo of my legs and feet, but I must have been doing something wrong because it wouldn’t go away. In the meantime, I had 50 likes, then 85, then 120. This yielded more responses than I had ever received for my weekly column.
Once again, I got annoying comments:
“In a contest for the worst photographer in the world, you’re a shoe-in.”
“I usually get a kick out of your stuff, but this is ridiculous.”
As they say in show biz: “Break a leg.”
And my favorite: “This photo stinks in more ways than one.”
Finally, the photo magically disappeared. I was tired of all the stupid leg and foot jokes, so I was happy the reel was finally amputated. I mean deleted.
Check rules before flight
By CECIL SCAGLIONE
Mature Life Features
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, recommends everyone take a self-health inventory — and getting the suggested shots — before boarding an airliner to anywhere.
Then when returning home, they should get a viral test three to five days after landing.
Why a will
Continued from page 2
language for married couples to require the surviving spouse to do a prenuptial agreement before they remarry. This could easily save your family hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Unlike a will, a trust can sometimes help reduce estate taxes, shield assets from lawsuits or creditors and extend financial protection across generations. While a will can name guardians for minor children, it usually lacks the detail and safeguards of a trust, which can provide instructions for how funds are to be used and
Elkhart nonprofit
Continued from page 1
include senior living communities, nursing homes and nonprofits such as the Spa Women’s Ministry Homes, Tolson Center, Church Community Services and Meals on Wheels. Each site receives a delivery roughly once a month.
The organization is also working with programs that support individuals undergoing job training or recovery services. “We’re serving not only the residents of nursing homes and senior living facilities, but also people who are working hard to improve their lives,” Stoelting said.
Despite the success, the organization has faced its share of challenges, chief among them, recruiting and retaining volunteers.
“Our biggest challenge has
been getting volunteers,” Stoelting said. “It’s gotten better, but we’re always looking to connect people with roles that they enjoy and that keep them involved in our mission.”
Joy Blooms currently has about 40 volunteers and recently added two new board members, bringing its total board to seven. With help from its growing team, the nonprofit is conducting strategic planning to map out its future.
Community response has been overwhelmingly positive, Stoelting said, especially when it comes to the donation of vases.
The organization emphasizes sustainability by labeling and reusing vases, which are collected after the flowers wilt and returned for future use.
“People have been really supportive,” she said. “They’ve
At the same, time, follow any regulations laid down by the local, regional or state government regarding air travelers.
The best recommendation is to check all the regulations and responsibilities involving your departure and return and the restrictions that apply to the airline and destinations on your itinerary before buying your ticket.
Mature Life Features Copyright 2025
clarify expectations for your children’s upbringing.
To learn more about how a comprehensive estate plan can fully protect you and your loved ones, come to Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, 902 E. University Drive, Granger at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 29; or 6 p.m. Monday, June 2. Reservations required; seating is limited! Call now: (800) 303-7423 or visit our website at riceandrice.com. A thoughtful, flexible strategy will help you transfer wealth, preserve your values and reduce uncertainty for the people you care about most.
shared our information, donated vases, and told their friends and family.”
Businesses and individuals can support Joy Blooms in several ways: by donating event flowers, collecting vases, organizing volunteer groups or contributing financially. Some organizations have even hosted vase drives with their employees.
“We’re glad to talk to anyone about the possibilities,” Stoelting said.
Though the organization currently operates only within Elkhart, Stoelting said there is room to grow.
“We don’t know what the future brings, but we’re growing fast,” she said. “For now, we’re focused on reaching more people in the city.”
For more information or to get involved, visit joyblooms.org.
Not all germs should be washed away
By CECIL SCAGLIONE
Mature Life Features
An accent has been placed on washing your hands often with soap and water to eliminate any germs you may have picked up during the day.
Doing this to your entire body may not be healthy, we’re told.
Taking long hot showers or baths can wash away the layer of dead skin cells and natural
oils and organic compounds that protect your skin from becoming brittle and scaly. Soap ingredients are designed to remove dirt, but they also take away that protective layer.
Skin specialists recommend lukewarm water for baths or showers that are limited to 10 minutes or less. They also suggest patting yourself dry rather than rubbing vigorously so you don’t irritate your skin.
Mature Life Features Copyright 2025
“Indy
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The Papers Incorporated, 206 S. Main St., P.O. Box 188, Milford, IN 46542. STAFF
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LESLIE JEFFRYES WARSAW
“Kentucky Derby, it’s not as loud as the Indy 500.”
MAUREEN HAAB MILFORD
“Derby, it’s quicker to watch, and I don’t get the Indy 500 on my TV.”
MILLIE SCHMUCKER GOSHEN
500, my daughter is in the transportation business.”
Creativity is timeless: local art show celebrates
By AMY WILLHELM Community Center Director
Greencroft Goshen invites the community to experience the beauty and talent of local artists at the upcoming “Creativity is Timeless” art show. This inspiring event will be held at the Greencroft Goshen Community Center May 22-26 and promises to showcase a wide range of artwork created by gifted individuals from the area.
Whether you’re an artist hoping to share your creativity or an art lover eager to take in the talent of others, this event is for you. Artists interested in participating are encouraged to register their pieces by Monday, May 6.
“Creativity is Timeless” highlights the idea that artistic expression knows no age limit. From painting and photography to sculpture and mixed media, the show celebrates the unique perspectives and lifelong creativity of our local community.
ARTISTS AT HEART — Shown are winners of the 2024 “Creativity is Timeless” art show. Artists gather at Greencroft Goshen to celebrate their winning entries in the annual “Creativity is Timeless”
This is a free and welcoming event open to all — residents, families, neighbors, and friends. Come enjoy a beautiful afternoon of inspiration and imagination and support the incred-
ible artists who remind us that creativity truly is timeless. For more information or to register your artwork, please contact Amy Willhelm at (574) 537-4096.
COMPASSIONATE CARE Comfort 1 Hospice is a compassionate and dedicated provider of exceptional hospice care services.
Pictured in front row from left are Anastasia Koucouthakis, marketing liaison; Paul Chimutu, part owner; Abby Miller, RN, case manager; Alison Fox, business office manager; and Rain, a certified therapy dog.
In back row are Amanda Wynn, compliance and insurance manager; Charles Pine, chaplain; Casey Eycleshymer, VP of business development; Karen Fox, volunteer; and Tim Bradley, executive director. Visit comfort1hospice. org or call (574) 387-4117 for more information.
art show, which highlights the enduring talent and imagination of older adults. Photo provided by Greencroft Goshen.
Dan Carlson helps others grow through Master Gardener program
By MAKSYM HART Staff Writer
For Dan Carlson, gardening has been a passion since childhood and means a commitment to helping others.
Carlson is a gold-level Master Gardener with the Michiana Master Gardeners Association, a volunteer group run through the Purdue Extension that serves Elkhart County. Over the years, he’s worn many hats within the organization, including president, vice president, treasurer, board member, speaker, trainer and committee member.
“I’ve always been interested in gardening, even as a kid ... But I was working, and, you know, didn’t have time to take a master
gardening class,” Carlson said. “So once I retired, I took the Master Gardener course so I could be better educated. I found out some of the things I was doing as a gardener wasn’t necessarily the best thing to do.”
To become a certified Master Gardener, volunteers must complete 40 hours of training and 40 hours of community service. To maintain certification, they must commit to at least 12 volunteer hours and six educational hours annually.
Carlson spends much of his time volunteering at the Extension Office’s Answer Line, where Master Gardeners field questions from the public on topics ranging from sick tomato plants to mysterious weeds.
up a sign that says, ‘Plant
“People bring in bugs, diseased plants, even bed bugs in sealed bags,” Carlson said. “We do a lot of plant diagnostics. It’s like being a family doctor, but for plants.”
One of Carlson’s most memorable calls involved a man whose tree “lost all its leaves overnight.” After a site visit, Carlson discovered the tree had been dead for two years, stripped bare by insects that only infest dead wood.
Another involved residents whose backyard had become completely overturned by skunks and raccoons. The tilling uncovered a deeper problem: the yard turned out to be drawing critters with its extreme grub infestation.
“I think learning is an ongoing process,” he said. With new inquiries every year, Carlson finds that in the process of research, he always learns something new.
Beyond the Answer Line, Carlson helps organize community outreach programs such as the annual Garden Expo and Garden Tour. He also volunteers with the county’s quilt garden project, planting flowers in elaborate, quilt-like patterns that bloom each summer.
One of his favorite projects is the community garden at the Elkhart Airport, where volunteers grow 800 to 1,000 pounds of fresh
produce each season for local food pantries. The site also offers garden plots for rent, an affordable option for apartment dwellers or beginners.
Carlson’s dedication extends beyond the garden beds. He trains new volunteers on the Answer Line, helps set up Ag Hall for the county fair, and supports ongoing public education efforts through the group’s Speakers Bureau.
Despite the seriousness of some calls, like advising homeowners to remove beloved but dying trees, Carlson remains committed to the program’s mission, “Helping Others Grow.”
Whether it’s identifying pests, answering questions at events, or giving hands-on support, Carlson sees his role as both a teacher and a student.
“If (you) enjoy gardening and want to help others, the Master Gardener program is a great way learn and improve your skills and help others,” he said.
The Michiana Master Gardeners is a program that, with the help of volunteers like Carlson, can empower people to better understand and care for the world around them.
“Our mission is to help others grow,” he said. “So not only grow personally, but also your crops,
flowers or whatever you want to do.”
Business hours for the Michiana Master Gardeners association are from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. most weekdays. Samples for identification can be dropped off during these hours, or left in the lobby, which is open 24/7 at 17746 CR 34 E., Goshen. The Answer Line phone number is (574) 533-0554.
Memories of a muddy pond
By JIM CARPENTER Guest Writer
I suppose the smell got pretty strong, on those dry, dog days of summer.
When the muddy pond receded, into shallow pools of water. With luck fallen trees might lie about, to form a connecting trail, On which the 10-year boy could walk, above the stench of the muddy pond smell.
Observing the trapped aquatic life, he edges closer to the water. There to spy the insects and the tadpoles.
And on the surface glide the spiders.
The pond was his playground for the summer.
His curiosity constantly piqued. With no near friends or neighbors, it would be the water he would seek.
Animal tracks in the mud were fun.
Getting bit by a struggling snake was not.
But even going home in muddy clothes, was worth the lecture that he got.
That boy has grown and is now a father.
But those pond memories live on.
As his kids hike the wooded paths,
making memories of their own. Contact Carpenter at pokeberryjim@gmail.com.
HELP IS JUST A CALL AWAY Dan Carlson’s role answering gardening questions means he’s always researching — and learning new things about gardening. “At some of our events, we actually put
Doctor’s In,’” he recalls with a chuckle.Photo by Maksym Hart.
Blast To The Past —
‘Philadelphia Freedom’ was Elton John’s
Elton John
A recording superstar + an iconic athlete = a million-selling song that made no sense.
Huh?
By RANDAL C. HILL
In early 1975, Elton John had personal reasons for wanting to create what would become his fourth chart-topping disc. A couple of years earlier, at a party in California, he had met Billie Jean King, who at the time was busy becoming a feminist hero.
Shortly after meeting Elton, Billie Jean— arguably the best woman tennis player in the world — decimated Bobby Riggs in the well-hyped 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” match at the Houston Astrodome. While King destroyed Riggs in three consecutive sets, Elton, who watched the match from a hotel room, screamed so loudly that he lost his voice.
The John-King friendship grew over time. King collected his albums, and John often cheered at King’s matches. In gratitude, she had a custom
tracksuit uniform made for the British superstar. He would eventually find his own way of returning the favor.
One day, John told King he wanted to write a song for her. King thought he was kidding and later recalled, “I didn’t think I heard him right. I turned scarlet red.” But John assured her that he was on the up-and-up and could create a hit song with her in mind.
“What are we going to call it?” he asked King, who at the time was the player/coach for the (World Team Tennis)
Philadelphia Freedoms. He answered his own question with “How about ‘Philadelphia Freedom’?” Thus was born the title of what would become Elton’s next journey to the top of Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.
In the King-oriented creation came a rare moment in which John gave his lyric writer Bernie Taupin an unusual assignment: John wanted a song called “Philadelphia Freedom,” and Taupin needed to come up with … well, something. Later, Taupin admitted that his words had nothing to do with tennis and, really, meant nothing in particular:
“Oh, Philadelphia Freedom
“Shine on me, I love ya
“Shine a light through the eyes of the ones left behind
Elkhart Civic Theatre offering ‘12 Angry Jurors’
Elkhart Civic Theatre will be performing “12 Angry Jurors.” Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday May 9-10, 16-17 and 3 p.m. Sunday, May 18.
A 19-year-old man is on trial for murdering his father. It’s a seemingly open-andshut-case — until one juror begins opening the other’s eyes to the facts.
“We have nothing to gain or lose by our verdict,” says the juror. “We should not make it a personal thing.” And yet, it does become personal. Tempers grow short, tension mounts and the room becomes a hotbed of anger. The final verdict — and how they reach it — reveals the complexity of human nature and the tenacity of drama.
Tickets are $19-$25 and may be purchased online at elkhartcivictheatre.org. Online ticket sales close 2 hours before curtain. Tickets may be available onsite one hour before performances. For more information call
“Shine a light, shine the light
“Shine the light, won’t you shine the light
“Philadelphia Freedom, I love ya
“Yes, I do”
John later said to King, “We don’t have to understand what the words mean.”
To which she remarked, “It doesn’t matter. It’s the emotion of it.”
It was one of the few times that John decided that this release should be a standalone single and not an album track. (It would eventually show up on “Elton John’s Greatest Hits Volume II.”)
The resulting 45 was a perfectly crafted aural stew that included shout-along energy, augmented by instrumental music that included sweeping strings, energetic hornbursts, a bouncy baseline, and piercing guitar stabs, all of which were fueled by an infectious “thump” that helped to eventually bring disco into mainstream music.
Back then, radio music
4th
disc
programmers constantly grumbled that the song had a too-long running time of
5:21, but what rockin’ station wasn’t going to play “Philadelphia Freedom”? Hmmn?
the box office at (574) 8484116 or email info@elkhartcivictheatre.org.
Schemers never let a crisis go to waste
By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features
Crooks love it when folks are on edge, especially when such calamities as hurricanes, brush fires, tornadoes, floods or other disasters are predicted or just passed.
They show up at the door, contact you by mail, call you on phone or alert you on the internet that they are government officials or on-the-spot fixer-up contractors or some other helpful person or organization that can solve all your problems. For a fee.
Their approaches usually narrow down to the demand or need for immediate precautions and repairs that requires money up front money to get the material for the work that needs to be done.
Getting their name and the name and phone number of their government department or having them leave a card with you isn’t always a protection because their information can be bogus.
To protect yourself from these impostors, contact your local government office and Better Business Bureau.
Mature Life Features Copyright 2025
GOOD FRIENDS A friendship grew between Billie Jean King and Elton John and in the early 1975 he found a way of returning a favor to King for his custom tracksuit uniform. That was the creation of “Philadelphia Freedom.” King and John are shown with Helen Reddy in a photo from Facebook.
A Boomer Blast To The Past
By MONA HARTER District Manager, South Bend Social Security Office
There
can find lots of information about our programs and services on our Frequently Asked Questions page at faq.ssa.gov. We feature the most asked questions at the top of the page to include:
How can I get help from Social Security?
How much will the COLA amount be for 2025 and when will I receive it?
What should I do if I receive a call from someone claiming to
be a Social Security employee?
How do I schedule, reschedule, or cancel an appointment?
What happens if I work and get Social Security retirement benefits?
You can also browse by topic, including: Disability. Supplemental Security Income. Retirement. Medicare.
Many of our FAQs are available in Spanish, as well, at ssa. gov/espanol.
Visit our publications library at ssa.gov/pubs for more detailed information on many important topics. Most publications are available in text, audio, downloadable formats, and in other languages.
Share this information with your loved ones.
Downsizing could lead to house hunting
By CECIL SCAGLIONE
Mature Life Features
Just the thought of downsizing after the kids have left and we’re heading into our senior years makes most of us shake our heads.
We face such issues as whether to move into a highrise apartment building or senior-living community or to a friendlier climate or near the grandkids. Other matters include whether or not we can still have a garden or workshop or two-car garage and what do you do with all our “stuff.”
Most folks in this position for the first time decide to shop around for a smaller house, something cozy and comfortable as they grow older. Some rent in the area or domicile they think they they’d like before deciding on what and where to settle.
If you see yourself in or ap-
proaching this situation, you’ll probably list location and price range before looking.
Keep in mind the time-worn warning when shopping: caveat emptor — let the buyer beware.
Homes for sale are primped and prettied up to look most-inviting and dream-home-like to looky-loos.
While older structures may have the most problems, even newly built buildings can be poorly put together.
When you go through a building that has some appeal, turn on every light switch inside and outside and out in the garage and every electrical appliance — stove, air conditioner, heater, washer and dryer, microwave, dishwasher and anything else — to make sure everything works and you don’t trip a circuit breaker. If the electrical system can’t handle what’s installed, it probably needs an upgrade, which can
be costly.
Then check the water system. Turn on all the faucets, indoor and outdoor and shower and flush the toilets. Check for leaks and check the walls for damp spots that indicate dripping or cracked pipes.
As you inspect walls, look closely for tell-tale signs of patching that can mean the dry wall was cut open to repair piping or electrical circuits. Check the ceiling the same way. While such patches might indicate that whatever problem existed has been repaired, they can also be signs of ongoing problems.
Now check the flooring for the same thing as well as sagging spots or sloping. Mismatched coloring of carpeting or wood are indicators that the flooring was ripped up and replaced. A sagging or slanting floor can mean the building’s foundation is sinking.
It also can be an indicator that a section of the building was added to the original structure. Mismatched roofing can be a sign of the same thing. Mold may be hiding behind these walls, floors and ceilings as well as in closets and kitchen cabinets. Exercise your sense of smell as you prowl around the house to make sure it’s as clean as it looks.
If you’re still interested in the property, make sure the owner signs a written record of all the problems and how and when they were repaired.
Before making a final decision, you might have a professional builder give the property a thorough inspection.
Or you might keep on looking.
Mature Life Features Copyright 2025
Get doctor’s opinion on medical fees
By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features
Whether or not you have health insurance, always ask your doctor if there is a fee involved when discussing any appointment, surgery,
test, procedure, or any other arrangement being made to continue your treatment. Follow-up appointments for such purposes as checking on proper healing of minor surgery or monitoring blood pressure can be chargeable but any fee might be avoided if the patient asks the doctor about any charge when the follow-up is discussed.
For example, follow-up visits after surgery normally is included in the surgeon’s original fee. But not all, so ask to avoid surprises.
The process has been complicated by the recent rise in telemedicine: internet contact with doctors by telephone and computer. In some cases, they’re covered by Medicare, Medicaid or supplemental insurance. In some cases, they are not, so you have to check with the doctor.
Mature Life Features Copyright 2025
FIND ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS Visit Social Security’s Frequently Asked Question page to find your answers to important questions at SSA.gov.
Pat Speicher reflects on athletic success at Milford
By NATHAN PACE Staff Writer
Milford alumnus Pat Speicher achieved victories in pretty much every sport he tried and brought up more athletes at Wawasee. Today, at the age of 84, Speicher still finds a way to maintain healthy habits. Now residing in Toledo, Ohio, he admits not many from his high school days are still around.
“A lot of people my age have passed away. I ran into Roger Baumgartner, (Milford alumnus), a while back and I said we know more people at the graveyard than we do in town,” Speicher said.
While he was a student at Milford he kept a full schedule playing basketball, baseball, track and field and played in the school band. His basketball stats made him one of the leaders in the area.
“I averaged about 18 points per game in my career. The highest I had was 28,” Speicher said.
In track and field, Speicher won the county championship in pole vault. In baseball, his team won the county championship his freshman year.
After graduating in 1958, Speicher chose to join the navy. He served on the USS
Farragut, a guided missile destroyer and the first ship of its kind.
“I was in Cuba during the missile crisis. I was down there for several months. To stop the missiles from coming in from Russia,” Speicher said.
Speicher says he played golf at Guantanamo Bay Cuba. He would soon conclude his time in the navy after the missile crisis. He returned to Milford and had success with the golf courses in the area. He has won multiple local golf tournaments, including a 1965 city championship in Nappanee. He won a Michiana Seniors golf tournament and club tournaments at the Maxwelton Golf Course.
Speicher credits his golf success to learning the sport when he was growing up in Milford.
“I started caddying when I was 12 years old. I caddied through four to five years. That’s how I learned how to play golf,” Speicher said. He has two children who made an impact in Wawasee sports. Pat Speicher Jr. played multiple sports as well and graduated in 1982. A knee injury hindered his time at Wawasee, but he was still able to pitch and went on to play
Longevity opens a new world
By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features
People are getting older. By 2030, the senior population around the world is expected to top 1.5 billion from the current 900 million. China’s over-65 phalanx that accounts for less than 10% of the population now is predicted to account for a quarter of its population in just three decades.
By the end of this decade, more than 20% of the North American population will be 65 years or older. By 2060, one out of four people will be in that age bracket.
This phenomenon is occurring for a few reasons. One is the graying of the post-World War II baby boomers, the 77 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964. Added to that is the fact that we’re living longer while the birth rate is diminishing. The 1950 U.S birth rate was 25 per 1,000 compared with 12 per 1,000 at the beginning of this decade. By the beginning of the 2030s, workers will account
baseball at Bethel College now Bethel University.
Christy Speicher graduated in 1985 and was a member of the 1985 state runner-up girls basketball team. She played multiple sports at Tri-State College that now goes by Trine University.
for only 30% of the population. This shrinking workforce means a shrinking source of payroll taxes to finance Social Security and Medicare benefits for the aging population that no longer will be working.
Counterbalancing this trend is recent reports that three quarters of the current labor force plans to keep working past the age of 65. But pundits still predict Social Security benefits will have to be cut by at least 20% by the mid-2030s.
All of this movement not only affects financial-support programs, it puts a strain on the health-care industry, which foresees a shortage of more than 120,000 doctors in the next 10 years.
The combination of this anticipated shortage and an older work force is expected to result in openings for seniors in the health-care industry, which already is looking to avoid shortages of 100,000 nurses assistants and other medical aides forecast over the next half dozen years.
Mature Life Features Copyright 2025
Speicher eventually moved out of Milford and lived in Indianapolis and Florida before residing in Toledo, where his wife is from. He credits visits to Veterans Affairs hospitals for assisting with his health. Speicher also works a routine of walking, doing squats and lifting dumbbells. Speicher says his main health issue is he can’t hear too well.
He has five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren scattered in the Great Lakes region.
“They live all over the place,” Speicher said.
CITY GOLF TITLE — Pat Speicher poses for a photo with the Nappanee Golf Championship he won in 1965. Photo provided by Christy Speicher.
YEARBOOK IN TIME — Pat Speicher is pictured in the 1958 Milford High School yearbook.
Independence | Dignity | Strength
1151 S. Michigan St, South Bend IN 46601 | (574) 233-8205
Join Us for REAL Talk!
REAL Talk offers free presentations and community connections. Topics target those 60 and older, but everyone is welcome to attend.
May Events: Mental Health Awareness
May 13 | 11:30 AM | Portage Commons
May 15 | 11 AM | OWLS | (574) 336-2652
May 23 | 11:30 AM | 1 ROOF (Lunch) Reserve lunch by 5/20 | (574) 284-7189
May 27 | 11:30 AM | Salvation Army of Elkhart (Lunch)
Reserve lunch by 5/23 | (574) 284-7184
Reserve your spot by visiting realservices.org/get-involved/real-talk/
Health Education
PATH: Class for individuals 60 and older with 1 or more Chronic Conditions. This is a 6 week courseRegistration open until May 30th
Register for classes at realservices.org/getinvolved/health-education-classes/
How I Stay Strong
Learn more by visiting realservices.org/services/a2aa/vaccines/
Chix. & Dumplings
Mashed Potatoes
Broccoli, Dinner Roll Graham Cracker Bites
Lemon Chix. Thigh Rice Pilaf
Brussels’ Sprouts Dinner Roll, Pears
Turkey Tetrazzini
California Veg. Garlic Bread Mandarin Oranges
CLOSED FOR
Meatloaf w/gravy
Scall. Potatoes Peas, Bread Mixed Fruit Cup
Saus, Gr. Bean, Potato Casserole, Stewed Tom. Dinner Roll Warm Spiced Apples
Saus. Gravy/Biscuit
Scrambled Eggs
Breakfast Potatoes Banana, Yogurt
Hot Dog/Bun Potato Wedges, Corn Cherry Apple Crunch Bar
Ham & Beans Carrots Cornbread Fresh Fruit
Bruschetta Chix. Garlic Mashers California Veg. Bread, Mandarin Oranges
Baked Ziti w/Saus. Salad w/dressing
Gr. Beans, Texas Toast Spiced Peaches
Polish Sausage/Bun German Potatoes Sauerkraut, Carrots Pineapple Cup
Portage Commons
Address: 133 N William St. South Bend, IN 46601 Phone: (574) 284-7159
Business Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday | 10 AM - 3 PM
We welcome you to join this vibrant community designed for active adults 60+. Whether you are looking to experience the joy of connection, engage in meaningful activities, the center offers a wide variety of recreational programs, wellness and lifelong learning.
We Welcome You to Join Us: Bingocize, Games & Card , Library Open, Men’s Lounge, Crafting, Music, Therapy Dog Visits and MORE
Visit Facebook for Events and Classes: facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575250702801
Stuffed Gr. Peppers
Mashed Potatoes
Carrots, Dinner Roll Peaches
Sweet & Sour Chix. w/Rice, Egg Roll Stir Fry Veg. Pineapple Cup
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 Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
To make a reservation, please call the meal site director at your preferred location listed below. We look forward to serving you.
Goshen Greencroft Manor II 1425 Greencroft Dr., Manor II | (574) 971-6016
realservices.org Real Services, Inc. info@realservices.org realservices.org/meals-and-nutrition/ Elkhart
Free Resources for Caregivers
Toll-Free Helpline MON - FRI: 8:00AM - 4:30PM EST 1-888-303-0180
Caregiver Support Groups ST. JOSEPH & ELKHART COUNTY (574) 232-4121
Memory Screenings CALL TO SCHEDULE (574) 232-4121 Family Consultations
TO SCHEDULE (574) 381-8983
Dining/Leisure/Entertainment
COMING TO THE LERNER The World Ballet Company will be bringing The Great Gatsby to The Lerner Theater in October. The World Ballet Company specializes in making ballet accessible. Photo provided by The Lerner Theater.
The Great Gatsby Ballet comes to Elkhart
World Ballet Company — one of the country’s leading touring ballet companies — has announced its new production. The company presents the world premiere of its latest ballet, “The Great Gatsby,” a Broadway-style take on the iconic story. It will tour to more than 140 cities across the United States from Feb. 6 to Nov. 24. It will perform at The Lerner Theater at 7 p.m. Oct. 3.
“World Ballet Company prides itself on making ballet accessible, and producing Broadway-style ballets. This year, we’re doing that with one of the most important stories of the 20th century literature classic,” said producer Gulya Hartwick, who founded the company with Sasha Gorskaya. “From ballet lovers to the ballet curious, we welcome audiences in Elkhart to experience this incredible production firsthand with some of the best dancers on stage today.”
The dazzling new show adapts the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel of ill-fated love and American Dream to ballet form, taking audiences back in time to the lavish decadence of the Roaring Twenties. The production features an all-star creative team, including sensual choreography from Ilya Zhivoy performed to an original, lively jazz score from Anna Drubich, sumptuous sets by Sergei Novikov, video projection by Mikki Kunntu and glamorous costumes by Sonya Vartanyan that capture the allure of the Jazz Age.
According to audience surveys, more than 60% of World Ballet Company audiences experience ballet for the first time with these productions, which is crucial to the company’s mission.
“We created the World Ballet Company because we believe there are audiences for ballet in cities across the country,” said Gorskaya. “We are thrilled that
audiences have responded so enthusiastically to the chance to see ballet in their hometown theaters.”
Tickets for the ballet are on sale and range from $39 to $89 plus fees.
Dusty Slay: The Night Shift Tour coming to The Lerner Theatre
The Lerner Theatre is excited to announce Dusty Slay: The Night Shift Tour, coming to the historic Lerner Theatre at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov 7.
Tickets for the concert went on sale 10 a.m. Friday, April 11.
Long hair, tobacco, oversized glasses and a trucker hat, Dusty Slay is the self-effacing bourbon-voiced Southern comedian next door with a knack for observational, blue collar humor and the nerve to say what everyone else is thinking. He grew up the son of a single mom in an Alabama trailer park and evokes laughs about everything from Cracker Barrel to his aversion to soap. The 40-year-old Nashville native is a mainstay on the country music scene, making his Grand Ole Opry debut in 2019 — the youngest at the time — and adding
dozens of appearances in the historic Circle ever since. He has also appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel Live, has a Comedy Central special to his credit and just released his first hour-long Netflix special “Workin’ Man” that he filmed about three hours from home, at the Bijou theater in Knoxville, Tenn. With almost 20 years of eliciting guffaws through his laidback observations, comedic cadence and conversational style, Dusty is just getting started bringing his brand of relatable working class comedy to audiences coast to coast. Slay recently announced his 35-show “The Night Shift Tour” in support of the new special. For ticket information visit thelerner.com or call The Lerner Box Office at (574) 293-4469.
A Girl Named Tom coming to The Lerner
The Lerner Theatre is excited to announce Girl Named Tom: Return To The Wild — Acoustic Tour in the Crystal Ballroom of the historic Lerner Theatre at 7:30 p.m. May 1920. Tickets for the tour are on sale now.
Become a Friend of The Lerner for access to all Lerner Theatre presales, including this event at friendsofthelerner.org/donate.
Three siblings unlock one harmony to unite the world as Girl Named Tom. The trio — Bekah, Joshua, and Caleb Liechty— notably made history
Ias “the only group to ever win NBC’s ‘The Voice.’” Along the way, they’ve impressively generated over 25 million of streams across chart-rattling covers such as “River,” “The Chain,” and “Dust in the Wind.” The proud Midwesterners gained further traction with the independent release of their “Another World” EP. In 2022, they served up their debut holiday EP, “One More Christmas,” which reached No. 1 on the iTunes Charts, and embarked on a massive arena tour supporting Pentatonix for “A Christmas Spectacular.”
Since 2022, the group has been living life on the road, performing over 200 shows to date. The sibling trio has captivated millions on television, appearing on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, singing for the Indy500, and returning for a heart wrenching performance on “The Voice” finale a year after their win. Their inimitable harmony will only continue to resound louder with their most recent release, “Locked In Your Love” Tickets are $40 plus fees. To purchase visit thelerner.com or call The Lerner Box Office at (574) 293-4469.
Melanie can brighten up the Interior of your home.
Melanie can brighten up the Interior of your home.
Melanie can brighten up the Interior of your home.
Walls
Walls Ceilings Window And Door Trim
Walls Ceilings Window And Door Trim
Ceilings
Stairways
Stairways
Window And Door Trim
Woodwork Staining
Stairways
Woodwork Staining
Garage And Workshop Floors And Walls
Garage And Workshop Floors And Walls
Woodwork Staining
Small Patch Repair
Small Patch Repair
Drywall Repair
Garage And Workshop Floors And Walls
Drywall Repair
Small Patch Repair
Great Service – Reasonable Rates
Great Service – Reasonable Rates
Drywall Repair
References Available Upon Request. 574-304-5075
References Available Upon Request.
Great Service – Reasonable Rates
574-304-5075
References Available Upon Request. 574-304-5075
Q. What’s new at Senior Talk Michiana?
A. Effective May 1st, Senior Talk Michiana will be designated a non-profit organization, allowing us to apply for grants and solicit tax-free donations.
By becoming a non-profit, we hope to generate funds to expand our reach to a much larger number of followers, a larger percentage of the 260,000 seniors in Michiana. Tax-deductible donations can be processed by credit card at www.seniortalkmichiana.org.
Guests on the schedule for May include Megan Rogers from SHIP, the State Health Insurance Program. She will be discussing Medicare, Medicaid, and Pathways. Also in May, Amy Hemphill and Jill Chorba will join us to share all the information about Dunes Hospice
Tom Rose
Author & Speaker Balloon in a Box
Coping with Grief Grief Group Facilitator
Resource Fair.
Sponsored by Aging Connections of Michiana, Senior Life Newspapers, and Goshen Home Medical, Senior Talk Michiana is tailored specifically for seniors and offers valuable information regarding services and organizations in Michiana.
Listeners can access the podcast through free subscriptions available on Spotify and www.seniortalkmichiana.org. Episodes are also available at www.thomaslrose.com/senior-talk.
Rose and Rose Associates Senior Talk Michiana 574-596-6256
In your Last Will & Testament (“Will”), you may want to leave specific gifts to specific people. This is typically called a specific bequest. You might have some special family heirloom like jewelry or an antique vehicle that you want to make sure goes to a specific child, grandchild or friend of the family.
One way to accomplish this is to list each item in your Will with enough detail to make it clear, such as “To my son, John D. Smith, I bequest my 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air.” You should also make it clear what happens if that person predeceases you.
Another option is to state in your Will that there is a list with items and names located in a certain place such as your bedroom dresser or a safety
deposit box. The danger with this option is that if the list is not found, all of the items you wanted to go to specific people will pass pursuant to the remaining terms of your Will.
You should consult your elder law attorney to ensure that your preferences for your specific Will are valid and tailored to your requests.
Advertising in Senior Life Works!!
Q. What is the likelihood I will get a response if placing an ad
A. If your product or service is geared to adults over the age of 50, Senior Life is the newspaper for you! According to CVC, our readers average 45 years of age and older and frequently purchase products or services from the ads they see in Senior Life (74.8%). Call or send me an email today to discuss adding Senior Life into your marketing strategy.
Hospice Care
Q. When is it time for Hospice Care?
A.
Deciding when it’s time for hospice care can be emotionally challenging, but recognizing the signs can help ensure a loved one receives the compassionate support they need. Hospice care is typically appropriate when a patient has a terminal illness with a prognosis of six months or less, and curative treatments are no longer effective or desired.
Some key indicators include frequent hospitalizations, declining ability to perform daily activities, significant weight loss, uncontrolled pain or symptoms, and increased confusion or sleepiness. It may also be time when a patient expresses a wish to focus on quality of life rather than prolonging it.
Hospice care isn’t about giving up, it’s about enhancing comfort and dignity during the final stage of life. The care team of doctors, nurses, social workers,
chaplains, and volunteers are all focused on physical, emotional, and spiritual support.
Families are encouraged to explore hospice options early, allowing time for meaningful moments and well-planned transitions. Early hospice involvement often leads to improved comfort and peace—for both the patient and their loved ones.
Tom Rose
DISCLAIMER:
Tony B. Manns Attorney at Law
Regina Villela believes God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him
By LAURIE LECHLITNER Staff Writer
“I would say Hebrews 11:6 sums up my life very well,” stated Regina Villela, Elkhart. “It states that ‘without faith it’s impossible to please God. Those who come to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him.’ Prayer is my life and in my faith journey, I have found that the Father really does reward those who seek him with all their hearts.”
Villela and her husband, Mario, are the founders of Servants of the Street in Elkhart. The organization offers housing and help to men struggling with addiction.
Villela describes herself as a little Baptist girl. “I grew up in the Southern Baptist Church where there were always programs for children and youth. I started out as a Sunshine Girl. Then through Bible study and completion of Christian assignments, I became a princess and then a queen. On my coronation day, I was presented to the body of Christ. I recited Proverbs 31:10-31, the virtuous woman, to the congregation with a robe
draped over my shoulders. I felt royal. I was a teenager and God’s Wword had a permanent place in my heart. Even then, I felt like I had a special calling in my life.”
However, Villela walked away from the Lord for a portion of her young adult years. “I changed clothes. I was no longer living as a princess, but as a woman my own mother was ashamed of. But the memory of being a royal personage in Jesus Christ never left me.”
Villela met her husband, Mario, when they were both addicted to drugs. “I was pregnant with my first son, Cody, when I decided I wanted to repent. That Sunday morning both of us went to church. When the minister gave the invitation to accept Jesus Christ, Mario went forward. When the minister presented him to the congregation and was ready to pray with him, Mario came and got me. ‘Do this with me,’ he said.”
The Villelas became new people from that moment on. “Our lives were saved. Our desires and outlook changed. We began to follow Jesus.”
In Utopia, Texas, Mario took the job of caring for a campground. “The camp
was situated by some ranch land with itinerants working around us. They came to know our park house as a safe place to go when they were in trouble. We set up some cots in the garage and breezeway. Altogether, we fed and housed about 100 men through the months that we stayed there.”
In November 1989, the Villelas started the first S.O.S. program in San Antonio, Texas. “We converted a burned-out pool hall into resident housing. Then we’d go out into the streets and invite people to our Bible study. Those who needed help stayed with us.”
The Villelas started the program in Elkhart in February 1995. “We’re located at 803 W. Wolf Ave. We’ve made some changes over the years. We offer transitional housing for no more than eight men. Our program lasts from nine months to two years. We have Bible study and prayer. The men are responsible to find a job or volunteer. It cost them $100 a week to stay.”
She concluded, “We’re working to teach the men to develop a stable, Christian lifestyle. With God’s help, that’s possible.”
on how to develop a stable, Christian lifestyle. Photo provided by Regina
Pandemic saving lesson
By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features
The COVID-19 pandemic is slipping over the horizon but it has left us with some financial as well as medical lessons.
A major proportion of the population found out they had no financial cushion to soften their landing when hit by any disruption in their lives.
According to a Federal Reserve Report, more than onethird of American households did not have enough cash reserve on hand to get them through an unanticipated hit of only $400.
While squeaking through the pandemic drained savings
accumulated by folks with the foresight to build an emergency fund, it pushed those without such resources into debt. There’s a commonly held tenet that everyone should have resources to last anywhere from three months to six months through any emergency.
If you’re still working, a simple way to build a rainyday fund is by automatic payroll deduction.
For seniors receiving income from Social Security and other fixed incomes, that translates to a self-starter plan setting aside a set percentage every month until they reach their three- or six-month goal.
Mature Life Features Copyright 2025
CARING MINISTER — Regina Villela has the magnetic personality that draws those who need encouragement. She and her husband, Mario, are the founders of Servants of the Street in Elkhart. S.O.S. offers transitional housing for men who are struggling with addiction. The program they offer lasts for nine months to two years and includes Biblical teaching, prayer, and valuable instruction
Villela.
Meals on Wheels: more than a meal, a lifeline for independence
By NADINE KARNER J2 Marketing Social Media Manager
May is Older Americans Month, a time set aside to honor the lives, stories, and achievements of those who have soared into their golden years. This year’s theme, “Age My Way,” reflects a powerful truth: older adults thrive when they are given the support they need to live independently and comfortably at home.
That belief is at the core of everything we do at REAL Services Meals on Wheels program.
Through the delivery of nutritious meals, we’re not just nourishing bodies — we’re preserving independence, dignity and connection.
In 2023 alone, Meals on Wheels served 956 individuals in our community and delivered over 155,000 meals. For many of these neighbors, the knock at the door is as meaningful as the meal itself.
As Meals on Wheels CEO Jennifer Steele reminds us, “The most meaningful advice I’ve found from older adults is ‘Just keep celebrating every day,’ and ‘Laughter keeps you healthy.’”
The grace, humor, and wisdom shared with our volunteers every day are just a few of the reasons this program is so special.
Earlier this month, South Bend Mayor James Mueller joined one of our delivery routes to see firsthand the impact of Meals on Wheels.
“Meals on Wheels is a vital program. It not only provides nutritious meals, but also a sense of connection and care. It’s heartwarming to see the smiles when we show up at the door and it reminds us how powerful these small acts
of service really are,” said Mueller.
The program goes far beyond nutrition. Each visit from a volunteer serves as a wellness check and a moment of human connection.
Crystal Hallwood, director of nutrition and transportation at REAL Services, shared, “I think it’s important to note that, as saving federal dollars go, Meals on Wheels can feed a senior all year long for the same cost as one day in a hospital, or 10 days in a nursing home. This program enables people to age on their terms and maintain their independence for as long as they are able. Our program is a comfort not just to the meal recipient, but to their loved ones, their neighbors, and our community at large.”
Still, the need continues to grow. One in three local programs nationwide has a wait list, and with more funding and volunteers, we could reach more of our most vulnerable neighbors.
That’s where you come in. Volunteers are the heartbeat of Meals on Wheels. Last year, over 1,300 hours were donated to ensure that more than 400 people were reached each day.
Whether you have a lunch break to spare or want to engage your workplace in our Adopt-A-Route program, your time makes a difference.
To get involved, call (574) 256-1649 or email volunteer@ realservices.org. If you can’t volunteer, consider donating in honor of a senior who has impacted your life at realservices. org/giving.
This May, and every month, let’s celebrate older Americans by showing up for them.
Meals on Wheels is more than a meal. It’s a movement of compassion, connection, and community.
Smiles soften the miles
By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features
The airport search lines are insufferable, herding at the gates smashes your patience, the claustrophobic cabin chews at your phobias, from fear of flying to hating being touched, and the thought of having to put up the shifting and shuffling in the seats behind, beside and in front of you for the next few hours makes you grind your teeth a bit as you sense the approach
of a headache.
Not much of this is going to change any time soon for air travel.
There is one small step you can take to make your flight more pleasurable.
Be kind and polite to the personnel. The gate agent who just had to accommodate a passenger-load from a previously-canceled flight will breathe a small sigh of relief and gratitude if you smile and ask her to take her time.
The flight attendant who
missed his layover because of bad weather will remember who you are if you’re polite and make room for him as he dashes up and down that narrow aisle to meet demands of other passengers.
The obtrusive customer hollering at the gate agent for faster service and the bulky woman with the oversize carry-on only make the lives of the airline staff — and the other passengers — uncomfortable.
Mature Life Features Copyright 2025
MORE THAN A MEAL Earlier this month, South Bend Mayor James Mueller joined one of the delivery routes to see firsthand the impact of Meals on Wheels. Mueller, left, visited with Carol Anderson, right. Photo provided by REAL Services.
Talking about death and grief
A doctor friend told me a story when he was in medical school, and a doctor /professor was talking about a specific medical condition. He said, “If these complications occur, the patients who develop them will eventually die.” Then he stopped for a second or two and said, “But then, all patients eventually die.”
My friend commented, “The medical profession is stalling for time.”
It became clear to me during my wife’s battle with breast cancer that doctors are well aware that the added time is precious to the patient. With the advanced medical tools available, they can improve their patient’s length and quality of life. The professor’s point that we all eventually die is not something we are taught and we don’t discuss it very much. As long we have lived, we have died. The simple fact of life is that we will eventually die, and someone we love will die. We will, at some
time in our life, experience grief. No one is immune. We all live with it, and yet we still find death and dying very difficult to discuss. With medical advances, life expectancy has increased. We expect medical advances to prolong our lives regardless of our diagnosis. We may cruise through our twenties, thirties, or forties without ever facing the reality of our mortality. So, we rarely ever discuss it. If we don’t talk about it, it won’t happen.
Our ancestors were much better at talking about death. In those times, people may have been reluctant to discuss sex, but death was part of their daily life. Disease was rampant, so living with death was expected. No matter your wealth, everyone will eventually die. Less than 40% of babies born in the 1800s would reach their 60th birthday. Less than 10% made it to their 80th. That meant that our ancestors experienced a lot of death
and attended a lot of funerals.
We are no strangers to death, though. Over the last 125 years, death has occurred on a significant scale with two world wars, Korea and Vietnam, a major flu epidemic, and now the Covid-19 pandemic. Yet, we still don’t openly discuss the difficulty and complexity of the emotions that death and grieving bring. We con-
tinue to deal with the trauma of death by embracing a stiff upper lip, hiding our feelings, and moving on. No, talking about death won’t prevent it from happening; it will only perpetuate the fears, misconceptions, and confusion surrounding it.
In my book “Balloon in a Box: Coping with Grief,” I suggest that we reclaim our emotions and learn how to process better how we feel. Let’s talk openly about death and how we think about how something is impacting us. We can begin to understand that whatever we are feeling is normal and find a way through it. By sharing our experiences and talking about them, we will know that grief will always be with us; that is something you really have to get over. We must learn that life continues, understanding that it’s something we can learn to live with. We do not need to feel we’ve failed because we continue to grieve the death
of someone important. We must learn to embrace the changes it brings to our lives. By embracing the end as we do the beginning, acknowledging our mortality, not thinking that we will live forever and not taking our lives for granted. Talking about it, maybe we will be able to view death, our death, in a different way.
Let’s not wait until the final moments of our lives to talk about it. Let’s talk about it now, and remember, life continues, and we must embrace the changes.
Editors Note: Tom Rose is the author of “Balloon in a Box: Coping with Grief” available on Amazon, at Fabells Books in Goshen, and on his website, thomaslrose.com. He is avilable for speaking engagements and facilitates grief groups. Feedback can be directed to rosandroseassociates@ comcast.net or (574) 596-6256. Additionally, Tom hosts the weekly podcast “Senior Talk Michiana” available on Spotify and his website at thomaslrose.com/senior-talk.
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1201 E. Beardsley Ave. Elkhart, IN 46514 (574) 206-0086 www.greenleafhs.com
316 Woodies Lane Bremen, IN 46506 (574) 546-3494 SHCofBremen.com
6910 N. Main St., Ste. 3, Unit 47 Granger, IN 46530 (574) 277-4121, (574) 327-6123 www.southbendin.comfortkeepers.com Providing Compassionate Senior Home Care & Home Assistance In Northern Indiana Region. Includes personal care, respite care, transitioning home care and more. Indiana Medicaid, VA Provider, long term insurance and private pay.
Coping with Grief By TOM ROSE
Prodding the past — Were they really ‘the good ‘ol days’?
By TOM MORROW Mature Life Features
Life was a lot simpler and slower back in the old days, we oldsters like to think and talk about.
Times certainly seemed to be a bit less hectic and more predictable back in the 40s, 50s and 60s.
The only real worries I had as a youngster were “the bomb” and “polio.”
In my part of the world — southern Iowa — television was something we read about in the newspapers. We didn’t get our first set until 1953, and then the only reliable output was a snowy screen. The nearest station was in Ames some 130 miles away. VHF signals, channels 2-13, were only reliable up to maybe 100 miles.
Des Moines, the capital city, didn’t have a station until 1956.
For us kids, radio and the
movie theater were the sources of entertainment. The movies were not first-run but radio had some really great programs to get your mind working. Kids listened to early morning news for school closures due to snow storms. We stayed glued to the radio before trudging off to school, hoping for a day of freedom from classroom drudgery.
Back then, telephone party lines were commonplace, a good supply of coal was kept on hand for heating, some of us had the luxury of an indoor toilet, but there was no air conditioner to get us through the summer.
For cars, new tires were relatively expensive, although re-treaded used tires were available for about half the price of manufactured new ones. You had to watch where you drove because pot holes could cause breaks in the tires. The new tubeless tires
were especially prone to breakage. Inner-tube tires were pretty common up through the fifties and into the sixties.
In high school, I had a job at a Conoco service station and you can believe me when I say breaking a tire down off of a wheel was no easy feat.
When a customer drove up for gas, we not only had to pour the fuel for them but had to wash the windshield, check under the hood for the oil and tire pressure and, in the particular station where I worked, whisk-broom the floor mats. That was a lot of service for a few gallons of gasoline at 29 cents per, but the station owner didn’t care because I was working for him at 50 cents an hour while he stood by and smiled.
Radio programming was for us kids after school and Saturday morning. We rushed home from school to hear the latest
adventures of “Straight Arrow,” “The Lone Ranger,” “Sergeant Preston of the Yukon,” and “Sky King.” They were 15-minute serialized programs and every bit as exciting as those soap operas Mom had been listening to just a couple of hours earlier. A number of those after-school programs made the transition to 30-minute Saturday morning adventures alongside Roy Rogers, Gene Autry and Hopalong Cassidy.
We were given special privileges if we became club members. We got secret decoder rings after we ate two boxes of breakfast food and sent in the box tops with a dime in to complete the transaction.
More sophisticated programming such as “Dragnet,” “Johnny Dollar,” “Lux Playhouse,” “Sam Spade,” “The Whistler,” “You Bet Your Life” and the Fibber McGee, Bob Hope, Jack Benny and
Groucho Marx shows were top listening fare. We shared the night with Mom and Dad after news commentary by H.V. Kaltenborn. Our appetites for cowboy shootem-ups were stoked by old — and I mean really old — films from the ‘30 starring the likes of Hoot Gibson, Buck Jones, Harry Carey, Tom Mix, and a young John Wayne when he was known as Singing Sandy or one of the Three Mesquiteers.
Red Ryder and the Durango Kid came Friday and Saturday nights to the Lyric Theater. Red was played by “Wild Bill” Elliott. Charles Starrett, as the Durango Kid, always seemed to have his great white stallion in a cave close by to give chase to the bad guys.
Looking back, I guess we could say the good ‘ol days really were pretty good to us after all.
Mature Life Features Copyright 2025
insurance, Medicaid Waiver and VA through AVCC. Deaf-friendly and Hearing welcome. Serving South Bend, Mishawaka, Granger, Osceola, Elkhart and surrounding counties. Accepting Applications
VILLAGE CAREGIVING
2515 N. Bendix Dr., Ste. 201 South Bend, IN 46628 (574) 931-0712
villagecaregiving.com
Nations Largest Privately Owned And Operated Home Care Agency. VA Provider. We Accept A Variety Of Payment Options. Call Today!
TABBY CARE, LLC
3404 Troy Ct. South Bend, IN 46614 (574) 323-8879
https://tabbycarellc.com/
Dedicated to providing exceptional home care services that promote a healthy and safe environment while preserving the integrity and livelihood of the individuals we serve. Services offered in Elkhart, Goshen, South Bend, Mishawaka, Granger and surrounding communities. We do accept Medicaid Waiver. Let Us Help You Today.
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!
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
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
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
Our Gated Community is a smaller, dedicated unit for comfort and safety for Alzheimer’s and Dementia Residents. We offer Enhanced Quality of Life Programming which includes cognitive strengths, life skills, daily movement, power of music, artistic expression, creativity and socialization.
The Waters of Wakarusa-Assisted Living Facility
303 N. Washington Street, Wakarusa IN 46573 (574) 862-1918
admissions@watersofwakarusaALF.com
Independent/Assisted Living. Private studio/1bed/2bed apartments. Home-like family-oriented environment. Family-style dining. Daily activities. Transportation available. 24-hour care-givers. Pet friendly. Out-patient therapy available. Come for tour today.
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, Pharmacy On Premises, Medicare and/or Medicaid
Waterford Crossing (Assisted Living)
1212 Waterford Circle, Goshen, IN 46526 (574) 537-0300 • www.waterfordcrossingsl.com
Licensed Assisted Living, Alzheimer’s Unit, Memory Support Unit On Campus, Long Term Care, Temporary Care, Private/Semi-Private Rooms, Pet Visitation Allowed, Daily Activities
343 S. Nappanee Street, Elkhart, IN 46514 (574) 295-0096 • www.woodlandmanornursingandrehab.com
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, Medicare and/or Medicaid
Woodland Manor
Benton County
By ROD KING
Agriculture has been the backbone of Benton County since before it was established in 1840. Located on the Illinois line in north central Indiana, half way between Indianapolis and Chicago, the county has always been known for its corn, soybeans and wheat.
As of 2005, Benton County experienced the beginning of a new kind of farming when researchers determined it possessed another valuable resource. It had the highest sustained winds in northern Indiana. They blow steadily through the county from the southwest from Boswell to Earl Park along Fowler Ridge. This discovery sparked the development of the state’s first utility-scale wind farm near the city of Goodland and has earned it the distinction of being the capital of Hoosier wind farming.
The Goodland project, which produces 130.5 megawatts of electricity, was just the tip of the iceberg. Then came the Benton County Wind Farm with 135 turbines, Fowler Ridge Wind Farm with 460 turbines, Hoosier
landscape full of wind machines
Wind Farm with 106 turbines, and Fowler Ridge IV with 65 turbines.
There are wind turbines everywhere, 560 in all, with more on the drawing board. They’re visible from US 52 and US 41. Together, they produce 988 megawatts of electrical power, which is enough electricity to serve 265,000 homes.
Standing well above area grain storage silos and church steeples, they’re actually quite majestic with the sun glinting off their 100-foot-long blades. Though they appear to be turning slowly, the speed of the blades at the tip is approximately 120 miles per hour. Each turbine has its own weather station, can determine wind direction and change the angle of its blades to fit the conditions. Optimum wind speed is between nine and 56 miles per hour. They’re held erect on a concrete base, which require 377 cubic yards of cement and 135 tons of reinforcing bars.
According to the director of Benton County Economic Development, Latisha Provo, there initially were some people who were opposed to the invasion of the 162-foot-tall wind machines on the pristine landscape.
“Besides making Fowler a new tourism center,” she said, “the wind farms have been a big shot in the arm for local businesses serving workers during the developmental/construction stages and those who have stayed to
maintain the machines. All of the area towns, school corporations and county governments have benefited, as have the residents from lower property taxes.”
”Yes,” Provo pointed out, “the turbines do make some noise, but it’s basically a low hum that has simply become part of the ambient sound and is generally ignored.”
To schedule a tour, call (765) 884-2080, ext. 8153. A fee of $5 for adults and $3 for children/ students is charged for groups of more than 21. Groups under 20 persons pay a $75 flat fee. Tours are available from 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday or by appointment.
The hour-long tours include
S & S TRAVEL
Motorcoach Tours 1404 E. Lake Bluff Dr. Kendallville, IN 46755
JUNE 9-13: GET YOUR KICKS ON ILLINOIS
ROUTE 66 From Joliet to St Louis, Experience the Old Mother Road
JUNE 25-27: LAKE GENEVA, WISCONSIN Black Point Estate, Lake Cruise, Dancing Horses, Church Basement Ladies Potluck Supper
JULY 17-18: MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME
Bardstown, KY: Stephan Foster Story, My Old KY
Dinner Train, My Old KY
Home St.Pk., Make Biscuits
JULY 28-AUG 2: NEW YORK: NIAGARA FALLS, 1000 ISLANDS Maid of the Mist Boat Ride, George Eastman Estate,1000 Islands Boat Cruise w/Bolt
Castle & Rock Island
Lighthouse, Antique Boat Museum, Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural site SEPT 2-13 SOUTHWEST CANYONLANDS Utah & Arizonia: Canyons Zion, Bryce & Grand. Arches, Monument Valley & More
a video overview with questions and answers, a visit to an operating turbine and getting up close and personal with a 100-foot-long blade.
To get there, head toward US 52 on the west edge of the state, turn north and head right into Fowler.
200 FEET TALL Each wind tower is supported on a base of 377 cubic yards of cement (33 truck loads) and 135 tons of steel reinforcing bars.
LANDSCAPE OF TOWERS Wind turbines dot the Benton County landscape with more scheduled to be erected. They can be seen from both US 52 and US 41.
PRODUCING ELECTRICITY The 560 wind turbines in Benton County produce a total of 988 megawatts of electric power, which is enough to supply 265,000 homes.
GREAT ESCAPES
Text and Photos
—
Snatched from the Jaws of defeat
As many of us probably remember, “Jaws” was a fun movie to watch. Filming it, though, was a different story. Just ask the director.
By RANDAL C. HILL
In 1973, movie producers Richard D. Zanuck and David Brown bought the rights to Peter Benchley’s just-released novel “Jaws.” The pair in turn offered film-directing chores to Steven Spielberg, the 26-yearold hotshot who had become an overnight success with his now-classic TV movie “Duel.”
Spielberg handed the screenwriting project to a friend, TV scriptwriter Carl Gottlieb, who gleefully promised Spielberg, “If we do our jobs right, people will feel about going in the ocean the way they felt about taking a shower after ‘Psycho’.”
Spielberg discarded the book’s many subplots, as he figured the shark was the star of the story. He thus hired lesser-known actors for the movie — Roy Scheider as police chief Martin Brody, Richard
Dreyfuss as marine biologist Matt Hooper and Robert Shaw as shark hunter Quint.
Spielberg also insisted on filming on the ocean rather than in a Hollywood tank.
Three huge, pneumatically powered sharks were then constructed. The California project took five months and required the use of 40 effects technicians, who managed to get the props to swim, gnash their teeth, flip their tails and dive. The sharks, each nicknamed “Bruce” after Spielberg’s lawyer Bruce Ramer, were then trucked to Massachusetts. Once in the Atlantic Ocean, 14 operators were needed to control the movements of the beasts, each of which was fastened to an elongated sled during shooting scenes.
Spielberg chose the quaint village of Martha’s Vineyard for filming, as it met his needs for a place with a shallow and sandy ocean floor (for effective camerawork), small tides and an unbroken horizon. Called Amity in the story, the locale was depicted as a small tourist resort on Long Island’s south shore.
In May 1974, Spielberg’s crew came to town with a $3.5
FROM BOOK TO MOVIE The rights Peter Benchley’s newly released novel “Jaws” was bought by movie producers Richard D. Zanuck and David Brown in 1973. The 26-year-old Steven Spielberg was given the directing chores. Photo from peterbenchly.com.
million budget to cover 55 days of filming.
From the outset, though, problems threw the schedule into disarray. Many issues involved the Bruces, whose hoses burst, the props became tangled in forests of kelp, and the sleds that the sharks rode ran aground. Add to this the aggravation of recreational sailboats drifting into view, stormy weather canceling shoot times, and some actors and crew members becoming seasick.
Family Fun Tours
May 10, 2025 - Tulip Festival
Family Fun Tours
May 24, 2025 - Fort Wayne Zoo
May 10, 2025 - Tulip Festival
May 24, 2025 - Fort Wayne Zoo
Everybody complained. After a while, frustrated crew members began calling the project “Flaws.”
The movie eventually wrapped, but in 159 days rather than 100, and $5.5 million over the original budget. Spielberg understandably moaned, “I thought my career as a filmmaker was over.”
To Hollywood moguls, summertime was best for dumping teen-oriented films into drive-in theaters. But Tin-
Diamond Tours
May 27-29, 2025 - The Ark Encounter & Creation Museum
May 27-29, 2025 - The Ark Encounter & Creation Museum
June 14, 2025 - Indy Zoo
June 21, 2025 - Dayton Air Show
June 14, 2025 - Indy Zoo
June 21, 2025 - Dayton Air Show July 4-5, 2025 - Horse Progress Days July 5, 2025 - Columbus Zoo
seltown’s outlook was turned inside out when, in June 1975, Universal Pictures’ “Jaws” became history’s first-ever summer movie blockbuster. Just how big was it? Steven’s release recouped all its production costs in only 10 days and became the highest grossing film of all time until “Star Wars” appeared two years later.
And Mr. Spielberg, thankfully, never had to worry about his career again.
Diamond Tours
June 9-13, 2025 - Niagara Falls & Toronto
OPEN HOUSE
July 4-5, 2025 - Horse Progress Days July 5, 2025 - Columbus Zoo
July 12, 2025 - Air Zoo
July 19, 2025 - Peru Circus
August 16, 2025 - Chicago Air Show
August 23, 2025 - Toledo Zoo
Saturday, June 14 • 9am-1pm Rain or Shine!
September 21-27, 2025 - Beautiful Vermont
July 12, 2025 - Air Zoo
October 11-19, 2025 - Amelia Island, St. Augustine, Jacksonville, FL
July 19, 2025 - Peru Circus
August 16, 2025 - Chicago Air Show
November 3-7, 2025 - Nashville Show Trip
August 23, 2025 - Toledo Zoo
September 13, 2025 - Fair Oaks Farms
September 13, 2025 - Fair Oaks Farms
September 27, 2025 - Brookfield Zoo
December 7-12, 2025 - Charleston, South Carolina & July 5,
September 27, 2025 - Brookfield Zoo
Diamond Tours
June 9-13, 2025 - Niagara Falls & Toronto
August 4-9, 2025 - Beautiful Branson
September 21-27, 2025 - Beautiful Vermont
October 11-19, 2025 - Amelia Island, St. Augustine, Jacksonville, FL
November 3-7, 2025 - Nashville Show Trip
December 7-12, 2025 - Charleston, South Carolina
Meal and ice cream to be provided. Sign up for chance to win Giveaway!
September 21-27, 2025 - Beautiful
October 11-19, 2025 - Amelia Island, St. Augustine, Jacksonville, FL
