Senior Life - NorthWest Edition - April 2025 by The Papers Inc.

Free Living Life After 50

ENJOYING PLEIN AIR PAINTING Plein Air Painters member Bunny Dimke paints at a paint out at the Art Barn in Valparaiso.

LOVELY SUNFLOWERS Nicole Wilbur paints a sunflower during a Paint Out at the Art Barn in Valparaiso.

Crown Point woman’s career has been dedicated to tourism

By CARRIE STEINWEG Feature Writer

Kim Kislowski of Crown Point will be celebrating 35 years with Visit Chicago Southland, formerly the Chicago Southland Convention & Vis-

itors Bureau, in May, but her time in the tourism industry extends back even further. She began working at the travel agency her father was part owner of when she was in high school and she worked there through college.

S. O. S. – Speaking Of Seniors Chicago area hospital goofed a patient’s bill

On Jan. 23, 2025, I met with a client to review the papers regarding a bill from a Chicago area hospital for $1,668.54. The client is a senior citizen woman from Crown Point, Indiana. I worked with the client over two hours, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

With some editing to protect privacy, here is the letter that I sent to the patient billing department of the hospital.

“Dear Patient Billing Manager, You sent our client a bill with a balance of $1,668.54 on Guarantor Number XXXXXXX for services rendered 4/10 through 11/2024.

I reviewed the bill with her and phoned her secondary insurer to learn what it knew of this claim. Here is what the secondary insurer reported. It got the claim on 10/25/2024. It returned the claim to your firm with a letter on 10/28/2024. That letter requested that your firm resubmit the claim with the Medicare Remittance Advice from the original MAC that had jurisdiction. The secondary needs the original with details. You sent them only a summary. If you have questions, phone the secondary at 866-XXXXXXX. Send the items to Claims, [company name and address].”

All the help that I gave this

By WOODROW WILCOX Senior Problem Resolution Officer Senior Care Insurance Services

client was free of charge. This insurance agency helps all our clients with such medical bill problems. We do that to demonstrate to our clients that we really appreciate and care about them. If your insurance agent or agency does not give the same high level of customer service, why don’t you switch to one that does? We do!

Note: Woodrow Wilcox is the senior medical bill case worker at Senior Care Insurance Services in Merrillville, Indiana. He has saved clients of that firm over $3 million. Also, Wilcox wrote the book “Solving Medicare Problem$” which is available from book stores or online.

As a junior in college, she participated in Governor State University’s intern program.

“I had three interviews, but immediately connected with the Chicago Southland CVB due to my background as a travel agent,” said Kislowski. “By the end of the summer, the current marketing manager resigned and I was offered the role while finishing my senior year at GSU.”

In October 2012, she was promoted to director of marketing and in July 2022 she was named vice president of marketing. Since last July she has served as executive vice president.

Among the duties of her role are production and distribution of several guides, website maintenance, advertising, administering a local grant program, social media and app oversight.

“Tourism brings several key benefits to a region, including economic impact, job creation, cultural exchange and awareness, infrastructure development, local investment and global recognition,”said Kislowski.

“There are so many favorite parts of my job, as tourism is such a fun industry,” she explained. “I take great pride in the guides that I work on and produce. I have worked on 37 visitor guides, each one surpassing the previous in both content and design. I am also the architect behind VisitChicagoSouthland.com, which won the Illinois Excellence in Tourism Award for Best Website Budget A during the 2024 Governor’s Conference on Travel & Tourism in Peoria, Ill. Awarding over $1.25 million in grants to local communities and nonprofits has also been a favorite aspect of my role.”

Having spent so many years in tourism, she’s seen a number of changes. “When I began, there weren’t websites, email or social media. We printed guides, placed printed ads and aired radio spots. Everything was done manually,” she said. Since then, individuals have come to get information from a variety of media and her job has involved incorporating current technology into every facet of her job.

She also has had challenges in promoting the area in a competitive market. “It requires continuous efforts to distinguish the region’s unique offerings. While the Chicago Southland has amazing trails, events, hotels, restaurants and attractions, we lack a major

destination driver. It’s sometimes difficult to convey the value of tourism to our constituents,” she said.

Kislowski and her husband, Joe, have been married for 33 years and have two adult children, Kelly and Joey. She enjoys gardening and walking her mom’s beagle, Roxanne. She attends mass weekly with her husband and is involved in

various church activities.

“Throughout all the changes in my life, the one true constant has been Visit Chicago Southland. Tourism has been my life’s work,” she said. “I love that the industry is fun, yet I cherish most the good we do for the Chicago Southland by attracting more visitors and boosting the region’s economic vitality.”

Eat, sleep vital for travel comfort

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features

Traveling not only enriches your life, it improves your overall well-being and self-confidence in myriad ways.

But jet lag can have an unwanted side effect. Rewinding our internal clock to adjust to a new time zone can cripple our enjoyment when you land far away from home.

Pilots and flight attendants deal with this phenomenon as part of their job. And they have some advice to hand out on how to ease the pressures of jet travel.

Start off simply by drinking plenty of water. Staying

hydrated will ward off that feeling of weakness and lightheadedness when you step off the airplane. Coffee or alcohol intake just before or during your trip only exacerbates the problem. Just drink plenty of water.

Sleep also helps you get acclimated, especially after long international flights. If it’s night time when you land, take a quick nap to get your through the day. Seasoned travelers suggest you allow yourself one day before you dive into business or sightseeing after your arrive.

Booking a flight that works best for you also is important.

Some folks can’t sleep crammed into a red-eye middle seat. So purchase a ticket for a plane that gets you there just a bit before local bedtime so you can rest comfortably after you arrive.

And don’t forget to eat.

Some flight crew members have been known to pack a sandwich in their bags so they’ll have something to eat before they go to bed.

CELEBRATING 35 YEARS Kim Kislowski of Crown Point will be celebrating 35 years with Visit Chicago Southland in May. She loves working in the tourism industry. She finds it fun but also cherishes the good tourism does for the region’s economic vitality. Photo provided.

Caring Canines couple feels honored to serve hospice patients

By STEVE EUVINO Feature Writer

At first glance, Chloe may appear the most chilled dog you’ve ever seen. However, there’s more to this 5-year-old Havanese than just a pooch that can feel at home on a couch.

Chloe is a therapy dog with the Caring Canines program of Hospice of the Calumet Area. One of three dogs currently

in the system, Chloe and her handlers, Mike and Becky Buchanan of Munster, regularly visit hospice patients, often at their homes and but also at the hospice’s William J. Riley Memorial Residence in Munster.

The Buchanans have been with the program since its beginning nearly 10 years ago. The couple started with Maggie, a Lhasa Apso. Zach and Jacques joined as the three initial Caring Canines.

As Becky Buchanan ex-

CARING CANINES TEAM Mike and Becky Buchanan pose with Chloe, a hospice therapy dog, at the William J. Riley Memorial Residence Center in Munster. The Munster couple has been with caring Canines since the program began nearly 10 years ago. The Buchanans bring Chloe to hospice patients, often at their homes, to help patients live with their physical conditions.

plained, the couple receives patient referrals, after which they respond to learn if the patient would like a therapy dog.

These patients, Mike Buchanan said, may suffer from cancer, lung disease, heart problems or Alzheimer’s.

“Why not visit them?” Mike Buchanan asked. “They’re people, and they’re fun to talk to. We feel we’re visiting people, not people who are dying.”

CORPORATE OFFICE

The Buchanans have plenty of stories about little but significant changes dogs have made in hospice patients’ lives. Those include the dogs’ capacity for getting sedentary people moving.

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“It’s a gift,” Becky Buchanan said, “a most rewarding thing for us.”

Therapy dogs have been shown to decrease pain, increase mobility, speed up post-surgery healing and increase social interactions. Therapy dogs have also been shown to stimulate the release of massive quantities of the neurohormone oxytocin, used in building relationships and trust.

Not all dogs are qualified to be therapy dogs. In some cases, it may take years for a candidate to “get the dog” out of itself and focus on its handlers and strangers. Dogs

HOSPICE THERAPY POOCH Chloe, a 5-year-old Havanese belonging to Mike and Becky Buchanan of Munster, is a Caring Canines therapy dog with Hospice of the Calumet Area. In existence for about a decade, Caring Canines connects hospice patients with trained dogs for patient relaxation.

undergo training and testing to determine their suitability as therapy dogs.

“We always feel an honor to be part of these people’s lives. We interact with the family,” Becky Buchanan said.

In some cases, Mike Buchanan added, patients have said the Buchanans could go but leave the dog. One patient, a former animal trainer, became very accustomed to the dogs.

Mike Buchanan is a retired steel industry programs analyst; Becky Buchanan is a

retired nurse-attorney. Mike Buchanan was doing volunteer office work for hospice when Caring Canines began.

In addition to hospice, the couple volunteers at Franciscan Heath-Munster, where they take Chloe. They also bring the dog to the Powers Health rehab center in Crown Point and Southlake YMCA.

According to the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, these canines offer warmth and connection that can make a difference for a hospice patient. By providing emotional support, physical comfort, and moments of cheerfulness, therapy dogs help patients and families find solace and support during these difficult times.

“This is a really wonderful organization to join,” Becky Buchanan said. “They do such good work, and the dogs are another extension of that work.”

Hospice of the Calumet Area can always use more Caring Canines teams. If interested, contact Damian Rico, hospice director of marketing and community relations, at (219) 922-2732.

Duneland Plein Air Painters excited about a new season of making art outdoors

Text and Photos By CARRIE STEINWEG Feature Writer

Spring has finally arrived and on the horizon are scenes of golden skies, blossoming flowers and bountiful gardens that will soon be before us. One group of artists will soon be outdoors capturing those images in their chosen medium.

The Duneland Plein Air Painters will start their schedule of weekly “Paint Outs” around the area this month. The group meets throughout the warmer seasons to participate in plein air painting, a manner of 19th century-style outdoor painting that became a central feature of French impressionism.

The group has been around for many years and prides itself on its casual structure of having no membership fees, officers or attendance requirements.

Anyone is welcome, from novice painters to accomplished artists with decades of experience. It’s simply a social meetup for those interested in painting or drawing in scenic outdoor spaces. “It’s just a group of people who get together to paint and make new friends. There’s no fees. You’re not going to get kicked out if you don’t show up,” said member

Sharon Goodall.

Dawn Duty is chairing the locations committee this year with six members. “We pick the locations that we go to and we start in April and go through the end of October,” she said. “We meet every Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and then do a critique afterwards. Anyone can be part of it. They don’t care how good a painter you are. Some use water colors, oils, charcoals, pastels. You can paint or draw in any medium you want.”

No one needs to fear the critique time at the end. “People give helpful hints or ask questions. It’s very friendly and not intimidating. People are very helpful,” said Goodall. “You learn by meeting other people and seeing what equipment they have.”

Each week the group makes their way to a new location in the region. “We go to some local beaches and a lot of wonderful gardens mostly in Porter, LaPorte and Lake Counties,” said Duty. Past locations have included Rogers Lakewood Park, Blue Moon Vintage Market, Chellberg Farm, Deep River County Park, Ogden Gardens, Fernwood Botanical Garden and Beverly Shores beaches.

At the end of the season, the

group gathers for a potluck and they also have an end of the season art show that has been held at the Chesterton Art Center, featuring works done by the group, in the past two years. The exhibition is open to the public and pieces are available for purchase. Several members of the group are also featured in other local shows, solo shows and juried art shows, so the group serves as a networking

tool for artists wanting to learn about venues to view and possibly exhibit their art.

“It’s good for people who want to make themselves get out and do it. It motivates you to go out and make art. If you go with people, you are going to do it,” said Goodall. “I could go myself, but if I have other people out there I feel safer and more confident. And there’s things I can learn and find out

about from others in the group. The networking and getting to know about other things and the encouragement to get out and paint is my favorite thing about the group.”

Those interested in getting on the mailing list for the group can email dawnhduty@comcast.net. You can also join the “Duneland Plein Air Painters” group on Facebook for more information.

Stay healthy in the air

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features

Air travel has been touted as the safest way to travel. Yet, recall over the years how many friends, family members, colleagues and cohorts have returned from a trip with a cough they say they “probably caught on the plane.”

Commercial carriers have been carrying germs for quite some time so seasoned travelers have become aware of how to safeguard themselves from a passenger several rows away that might be harboring some type of malady.

Common ailments such as cold

or flu are not the only perils. In 2003, a passenger with the SARS virus boarded a flight leaving Hong Kong and almost a dozen other passengers on that flight were infected.

Knowledgeable travelers know that staying hydrated — drinking plenty of water — is a major step toward lowering their chances of infection in the confined quarters of a jetliner. The airliner’s dry air dries out the protective nose and mouth fluids that shield you from air-borne germs.

They also ask if they can change seats if there’s a nearby rider coughing and sneezing. It also helps to get up and move around every hour or so.

This also supports blood circulation, lowering the possibility of blood clots in your leg.

Carry hand sanitizers and moisteners to use whenever you touch something before touching your face and eyes. Wipe down the seat-back tray and arm rests in your battle to cut down the army of germs around you. After deplaning, dash into a washroom and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.

If you have a face mask, you might take it with you.

Keep in mind that elderly passengers are the most vulnerable to any infections packed aboard an airplane.

3 questions about Social Security that can help plan your retirement

By DANIEL SUMMER, MA Public Affairs Specialist

Social Security Administration

Social Security benefits are part of the retirement plan of many American workers. If you’re among the many people paying Social Security taxes, you should get an estimate of what your future benefit may be. Our retirement webpage at ssa.gov/retirement is a great place to start mapping out your retirement plan. These three questions will help to guide your planning:

What factors may affect your retirement benefits?

When is the right time to start receiving your retirement benefits?

What documents do you need to provide when you apply for retirement?

We encourage you to use your personal my Social Security account at ssa.gov/myaccount to get an instant estimate of your future retirement benefits. You can also compare the effects of starting your

retirement benefits at different ages.

We base your benefit on how much you earned during your working career. Higher lifetime earnings result in higher benefits. If there were some years you didn’t work or had low earnings, your benefit amount may be lower than if you had worked steadily. If you never worked and did not pay Social Security taxes, and have a spouse who worked, you may be eligible for spouse’s benefits. You must be at least 62 years old, and your spouse must already be receiving retirement or disability benefits. If you are a younger spouse, you may be eligible for benefits if you have a qualifying child in your care. By a qualifying child, we mean a child who is under age 16 or who receives Social Security disability benefits. You can learn more at ssa.gov/retirement.

Share this information with family and friends to help them prepare for their financial future.

When shirt happens

This past week, I did a little shopping to find some warm apparel for our trip to Iceland. I don’t like buying new clothes because I always seem to spill something on them.

If I enjoy my meal at a particular restaurant, I wear the same shirt the next time I am there. When the waiter asks what I’d like for dinner and I have trouble remembering the great choice I made the previous time, I just point to the appropriate spot on my shirt. The server knows exactly what I want.

Mary Ellen also went shopping for our vacation. A woman’s shopping spree lasts longer than a man’s, so I was home for about two hours

before Mary Ellen pulled into the driveway. When she walked into the house, I was trying on a pair of pants I had purchased.

“You have a stain on your pants,” said Mary Ellen.

“That’s impossible. I haven’t even worn them yet.”

“They must really know their customers at Macy’s. They prestained them for you.”

“Well, I guess I can’t wear those to dinner,” I said, hoping to return them and get my money back.

“I think you should wear them, anyway,” said Mary Ellen. “You’re missing a few food groups in your collection. That

may be something new you’ve never spilled.”

Then, I reached into the package and pulled out the flannel shirt I had also bought. This was perfect for our trip.

“That’s another bad choice,” said Mary Ellen.

“Why?”

“It has a smudge under the second button.”

Sure enough, once again I had purchased something brand new that had somehow anticipated its unavoidable destiny to be dripped on.

“Wait a second, Mary Ellen, my tie will cover the problem.”

“That’s super idea, Dick, a tie with a flannel shirt. It’s too bad the Mickey Mouse tie you packed also has a stain on both his ears. Not that you need a tie in Iceland. Did you read the dress code for the trip? We’re going to Iceland, not Disneyland. And I know why you like flannel shirts. All the new drippings blend in together.”

On a previous cruise, Mary Ellen suggested not bringing any fancy clothing for dinner at all, maybe just a good raincoat. The truth is, it’s inappropriate to arrive at a formal meal in a soiled garment, but acceptable to stain it accidentally while eating. That first night, I ordered the shrimp cocktail and effortlessly completed my assignment on my pants.

“Those need to be soaked in cold water,” said my wife when we were back in our cabin. So, I threw it overboard.

After we returned home from our vacation, I washed my clothes and tried to remove the soiled areas, but what remained was evidence of some fine Italian wine and a delicious chicken parmigiana dish. Mary Ellen took more than 1,000 photos on that trip to create lasting memories.

I had a better idea. Let’s just say my approach was spot on.

PLANNING YOUR RETIREMENT Social Security can help map out a retirement plan with answers to three questions to guide planning.

NUTSHELL

By DICK WOLFSIE

70s Flashback —

Imagine, for a few moments, that you are a fly on the wall.

It’s 1970 and you’re in the offices of a top-rated Chicago marketing and advertising firm. Folks there are listening attentively to Orville Redenbacher, a Purdue University-educated agricultural scientist with a somewhat goofy — almost cartoonish — appearance.

By RANDAL C. HILL

For three hours, Redenbacher has gleefully extolled the virtues of the “gourmet” popping corn he and his business partner Charles Bowman call Red Bow, a blending of their last names. “Reddy,” as he calls himself, is there to learn the best marketing strategies for their product, which has never sold very well.

At the end of the meeting, Redenbacher is told to come back in one week for the recommendations.

What he is told later leaves him almost gasping

in disbelief. According to the Windy City wise men, he and Bowman should rename their product Orville Redenbacher’s Gourmet popping corn. And, even more importantly, that Redenbacher’s grinning “country bumpkin” image — wavy, snow-white hair; thick, horned-rim glasses and an absurdly oversize bow tie — should grace the front of every package.

Redenbacher is then handed a bill for $13,000 (about $105,000 in today’s currency).

Ouch!

He pays the fee while silently fuming and undoubtedly thinking, THIS is what we’re being charged for seven days’ worth of collaboration from a highly recommended advertising team?

But, as it turned out, the unorthodox advice was akin to hitting a home run with the bases loaded. Before long, America’s newest celebrity was appearing in national TV ads, smiling broadly and proclaiming, “You’ll like it better or my name isn’t Orville Redenbacher.”

As a result, the scrumptious snack flew off grocery shelves everywhere, and by the mid-1970s the brand had

captured one-third of the lucrative popcorn market — proof that snack-loving customers were willing to shell out more cash for popcorn that was larger, lighter, more flavorful and left few, if any, unpopped kernels.

Popcorn had always fascinated Indiana-born Orville Clarence Redenbacher. Named after aviation pioneer Orville Wright, Redenbacher partnered with Charles Bowman, a fellow Purdue agricultural graduate. Together, they bought a small corn-seed company and set

•

about toiling six long years and experimenting with over 30,000 popping-corn hybrids before declaring in 1965 that they had reached popcorn paradise with what they felt was the ideal product.

Their original offering — Red Bow Gourmet popping corn — soon appeared on market shelves. When buyers saw the higher price, though, they pretty much ignored it.

In 1970, Redenbacher and Bowman decided they needed guidance from savvy marketeers. So Orville traveled to Chicago, where he met with

the marketing team. Were the Hoosier State partners charged too much for the unorthodox suggestions? Before you answer, consider this: In 1976, food giant Hunt and Wesson paid $4 million to buy the thriving company. ($4 million = $22 million in today’s cash.)

Yet Redenbacher always grumbled that he had been charged a fortune for the name that his mother had thought up when Orville was born back in 1907.

Thanks, Mom. You did your part.

Philanthropy

Q. What is a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD)?

A. A Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) is a transfer of funds from your IRA to a qualified charity, like Legacy Foundation. This is available to individuals age 70½ or older and offers numerous benefits:

• Reduces taxable income – A QCD is not included in taxable income, which can lower your tax bill.

• Fulfilling Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) requirements (starting at age 73)

• Supports charities

– Unlike

Q. How can QCDs benefit you and the community?

A. QCDs allow you to support charities while lowering your tax burden. You can use a QCD to:

• Create a named unrestricted fund that supports Lake County now and forever. For a limited time, donations to Legacy Foundation’s

•

AGRICULTURAL SCIENTIST Orville Redenbacher was a Purdue University-educated agricultural scientist. Photo from Purdue University.

Full-body, fun exercise done to Latin beat

Text and Photos

By STEVE EUVINO Feature Writer

Here’s fitness with a Latin twist. It’s called Zumba, and the Valparaiso Family YMCA is among the Porter County sites hosting classes in this full-body workout.

As the Valpo YMCA describes the class, “this Latin dance-inspired, dynamic, exciting and effective fitness class incorporates international music and dance.”

Zumba incorporates a variety of dance styles, such as salsa, merengue and reggaeton, set to lively music to encourage participants to move rhythmically and energetically.

Beto Pérez, a Columbian dancer-choreographer, founded Zumba in 2011. Since then, classes have been held at 200,000 locations in 180 countries, with 15 million people swaying to the music.

The Valpo YMCA Zumba classes taught by Becky Raderstorf combine contemporary light rock music with Latin tunes. She teaches two gold toning classes Tuesdays and Thursdays and an aquatic Zumba class early Wednesday mornings in the YMCA’s heated leisure pool.

A Zumba instructor for 12 years, Raderstorf said she enjoys the class because “you go to just be yourself. I want my students to learn how to feel happy that they’ve accomplished something.”

Her 50-minute classes average 10-20 members. Sometimes

they use props, including 1 to 2.5-pound barbells that make a sound similar to maracas.

“What’s great about this class,” Raderstorf noted, “is that you do what you can.”

Some of her students are older adults, while others are just coming from work.

A Valparaiso woman, seeking anonymity, has been coming to classes for 15 years. She commented, “I like the instructor a lot. She does the steps and routines for seniors. It’s great to know a lot of people here. They can enjoy this.”

According to healthline.com, physical benefits to Zumba include involving the entire body; burning calories and fat; improving cardiovascular fitness and blood pressure; adaptability for any fitness level; and increasing one’s pain threshold.

Experts say a 39-minute Zumba workout can burn an average of 9.5 calories per minute, which adds up to 369 calories burned during the class. In an hour-long class, 600 to 1,000 calories can be burned.

Kathy Miltz of Valparaiso attended class prior to the pandemic and returned after COVID-19.

“It’s fun,” she said. “The instructor makes it very entertaining and she makes it fun.”

Physically, Miltz said, through Zumba “I get the exercise I need, and it helps with my balance. When you’re younger, balance isn’t that important, but it becomes very important for us older adults.”

Zumba takes place in a class

setting, adding a social aspect to health benefits.

Mental health benefits include stress relief, enhanced mood, increased self-confidence, improved cognitive functions and social interactions.

Millie Wise of Valparaiso has been attending Zumba for two months.

“I love the instructor,” she said, “There’s a lot of energy going on in this room.”

Wise noted she’s been taking Zumba classes for cardio health and loosening up her muscles.

Zumba’s combination of aerobic exercise with rhythmic dance is designed to enable participants of all ages to stay active and improve overall fitness.

For more information on Zumba classes, contact the Valparaiso Family YMCA at (219) 462-4185 or valpoymca.org.

FUN EXERCISE Millie Wise of Valparaiso fakes playing the guitar at a Zumba gold toning class at the Valparaiso Family YMCA. The class incorporates contemporary music and Latin tunes in a fullbody workout.

CLASS TEACHER — Becky Raderestrof, center, leads a Zumba gold toning class at the Valparaiso Family YMCA. She teaches two studio classes each week and also teaches an aquatic Zumba class in the YMCA’s leisure pool.

Coping with grief by writing

Dealing with grief is one of life’s greatest challenges. Through the suggestion of a friend, I discovered that a grief journal can be a powerful tool for working through emotions, helping me reflect and confront my feelings.

Understanding why grief arises can shed light on the importance of expression. Bottling up emotions can lead to feelings of loneliness and depression, which can weigh heavily on the heart. A grief journal serves as a safe space to release, process and gradually let go of those feelings.

Writing about grief allows for deeper understanding, promotes better sleep and aids in coping with pain.

Creating your journal can be straightforward. A basic composition book from a local store or a digital journal online can be perfect. While a formal structure may appeal to some, daily, free form writing about your feelings often yields the most profound insights. It doesn’t need to be polished; simply express what you feel and think in a way that feels right for you.

Don’t pressure yourself to be

creative while navigating grief.

The words may not flow easily at first, but as you commit to writing, inspiration will grow. Revisiting past entries can ignite motivation and provide comfort.

To support your writing journey, consider these prompts to spark your thoughts and maintain focus:

• How do you feel today? Describe that feeling.

• Share a memory of your loved one.

• Write down all the things your loved one used to say.

• Write a message to your

Help is all around you

By CECIL SCAGLIONE

Mature Life Features

Helping each other is part of our genes, whether we know it or like it or not.

We help our aging parents, neighbors and friends as they become frail and their abilities to cope with the world around them fade.

Our children learn how to walk and cope with the world around them with our help.

But, whether it’s because of macho or manners, there seems to be resistance to ask for help.

Just think about the cliché couple in a car looking for an address. They waste much time driving around proclaiming it should be just around the corner when all they would have to do is stop and ask directions from a passerby or shop owner who’s familiar with the neighborhood.

They claim they don’t want to look stupid, so they act stupidly.

As we age, many of us think we’ll look like we’re losing it if we ask for help. You read of seniors dying of heart attacks shoveling snow from their driveway. And you hear oldsters complain about their aching back as they heft heavy grocery bags into and out of the trunk of their car.

They should be asking someone for help with these chores. For example, shopping trips can be coordinated with a family member, friend or neighbor who can help with the loading and unloading.

This means you should quit caring about whether or not you look self-reliant or lazy.

While “Please” and “Thank You” should be atop your list of vocabulary used on a daily basis, you can slip “I need your help” right behind them.

Get used to this phrase. Use it when you walk up to a bank teller. Instead of telling them

Register Today for the third Annual Parkinson’s 5K Fun Run at Coffee Creek

The third annual 5K Fun Run will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 7, at the beautiful Coffee Creek Watershed Preserve, supporting the Parkinson’s Support Group & Exercise Program, Inc. Participants can run, walk, or simply enjoy the day with family and friends — all for a great cause. Dogs on leashes are also welcome!

Hosted by Residences at Coffee Creek Senior Living, the event benefits the Parkinson’s Support Group & Exercise Program, a weekly support group meeting every Wednesday at 10 a.m. The Fun Run is a fantastic way for families to come together, stay active, and support a cause that has truly made a difference in the Chesterton and surrounding communities.

The need for support and resources in the community is personal for many. Four years ago, Coffee Creek began collaborating with the leaders of the Parkinson’s Support Group to find a convenient location to better serve Porter County families. Through this partnership,

Coffee Creek introduced a unique Parkinson’s Exercise Program designed to slow the progression of Parkinson’s, a debilitating neurological disorder. Funds raised through the 5K Fun Run support a weekly exercise program, plus Parkinson’s research and awareness efforts.

In the therapeutic exercise room, participants engage in specialized exercises to alleviate muscle stiffness, improve balance, and enhance coordination. Caregivers meet in a separate space, where they access educational resources, share coping strategies and find support in managing the challenges of Parkinson’s disease. A sense of community and providing resources is key to helping families cope with Parkinson’s. There is no cure — yet!

Parkinson’s progression affects memory, cognition and ability to perform daily tasks such as dressing, eating and personal care. Consider a Memory Care tour; Coffee Creek Senior Living is licensed for 24/7 nursing care and peace of mind!

you want to make a deposit, you might say, “I need your help to make this deposit.”

You’ll find the teller’s attitude friendlier and much less business-like because you’re asking for their help — because studies reveal people actually do want to help each other. All they need is to be asked.

Asking for help most likely will start with members of your family — brothers, sisters, sons, daughters and in-laws — and expand to friends, colleagues, co-workers and neighbors.

You might be looking for some-

one to help with your taxes or get you to medical appointments or find the right kinds of plants to make your yard easier to maintain. Be very clear on what you need and when you need it.

Let the person you’re asking know right off that they can say no if they can’t help you. You don’t need or want an explanation.

Thank them for listening and ask if there’s someone they know who might be able help you. Then ask if there’s anything you can do to help them.

loved one.

• Find a quote that resonates with you.

• Find a song that resonates with you.

• Write about what you miss.

• Write about what you plan to do moving forward.

Make journaling a priority by creating a schedule that fits your lifestyle. Setting aside time in the morning and evening can foster consistent practice. The more often you write, the easier it will become.

Reading your entries is an invaluable part of the process. Initially challenging, revisiting your words can deepen your understanding of your feelings. You may wish to share your reflections with a trusted friend or family member or keep them for personal introspection.

A grief journal is an effective way to navigate the complex emotions of loss. While the stages of grief require time, writing allows you to express and heal. It keeps you connected to your loved one and preserves cherished memories. My greatest fear after my wife’s passing was forgetting those memories, but writing has helped keep them alive. My journal, which turned into a book called *Balloon in a Box*, will always be a part of me and a treasured memento for my family for years to come.

Coping with Grief

By TOM ROSE

Blast To The Past —

‘Before the Next Teardrop falls’ brought 1 year of stardom

Freddy Fender

Freddy Fender had just one year of mainstream stardom, but, man, it was a humdinger!

It was also quite an achievement, considering all the times he had stumbled on his way to the top.

By RANDAL C. HILL

He was born Baldemar Huerta in 1937 in San Benito, Texas. Part of a poor, field-working family, Huerta left high school and joined the Marine Corps. Much of his military time, though, went wasted in an Okinawa brig, due to his drinking binges.

But, during that soul-crushing confinement, he learned of a new type of music that sometimes wafted through the prison corridors.

Music that would change his life. Early rock ‘n’ roll.

He returned to Texas, a goal of musical stardom now burning in his being. “I grew my sideburns, put 50 pounds of wax on my hair, and I thought I was Elvis Presley. That lasted several years. I

was nothing but rhythm-andblues and rock ‘n’ roll.”

At 19, he recorded a Spanish-language version of Presley’s “Don’t Be Cruel.” Huerta’s rendition earned airplay in Latin America, but north of the border nobody seemed to notice.

He soldiered on. In 1959, he adopted the stage moniker Freddy Fender, after the wellknown brand name etched on his electric guitar. (“I thought it would sell better with gringos.”) A year later, a pivotal moment occurred for him when he composed a catchy tune in the restroom of a Harlingen, Texas, joint called the Starlight Club.

The song was “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights.” Later, Freddy would proclaim, “I knew it was something special.”

However, as he prepared to release a single of “Wasted,” Fender and his bass player were busted in Louisiana for marijuana possession. Sentenced to five years each in Angola Prison, both served fewer than four. The future, though, still seemed anything but bright for the San Benito singer.

Sometimes, he wondered if his past poor choices would, in time, condemn him to never rise higher than

performing in smoke-filled joints while customers drank, talked, laughed and all but ignored him

Back in San Benito, Fender worked as a mechanic before meeting Huey Meaux, a shady businessman who owned the record label Crazy Cajun. In 1974, Meaux had Freddy cut a countrified single called “Before the Next Teardrop Falls.” The creation had been around since 1967, but it was Fender’s fervent rendition — sung in both English and Spanish — that drew interest from recording powerhouse ABC/Dot Records.

“I was reluctant to cut country at first,” said Freddy. “I just wanted to do rock ‘n’ roll and rhythm-and-blues.” But when ABC/Dot leased Meaux’s disc, Fender was on his way.

In early 1975, his signature tune reached Number One on Billboard’s pop chart. He followed with his own “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights,” a Top Ten single, and ended the year with a version— sung partly in Spanish — of Doris Day’s “Secret Love.”

Billboard proclaimed him Best Male Artist of 1975.

“I was just having fun,” Fender admitted later. “I never thought of becoming a great singer.”

Surgeons will cover ‘neck to knees’ during free orthopedic symposium at Powers Health

Join surgeons from Powers Health and Orthopedic Specialists of Northwest Indiana as they discuss signs, symptoms, risk factors and innovative treatments for orthopedic conditions.

The Orthopedic Symposium: Improve Your Movement from Neck to Knees will run from 2-7 p.m. Thursday, April 17, at the Powers Health Rehabilitation Center Community Room, 10215 Broadway, Crown Point.

Participants can attend any or all sessions. Registration

is recommended. For more information or to register, call (219) 836-3477 or visit PowersHealth.org/programsand-events/o/orthopedic-symposium.

The presentation lineup at this free event includes:

• 2:30-3 p.m. — Nitin Khanna, MD, Pain in the Neck: Cervical Disc Replacement.

• 3:15-3:45 p.m. — Sunil Dedhia, MD, Shouldering the Pain: Outpatient Procedures.

• 4-4:30 p.m. — Daniel Woods, MD, Off the Cuff:

Arthroscopy for Rotator Cuff Tears.

• 4:45-5:15 p.m. — Brett Schiffman, MD, On Your Nerves: Managing Compressive Neuropathy.

• 5:30-6 p.m. — Jonathan Edgington, MD, Get Hip: A Look at Replacement Procedures.

• 6:15-6:45 p.m.— Michael Knesek, MD, Knee to Know: Robotic-Assisted Surgery. For information about orthopedic services at Powers Health, visit powershealth. org/services/orthopedics.

Trash may be treasure when downsizing

By MATT DANBURY Owner Blue Collar Antiques

My company, Blue Collar Antiques, buys and sells a variety of antiques and collectibles. The prices on a lot of antiques have been trending up lately. Recently, new record high prices have been set for sports jerseys and baseball cards. A Queen Ann Carved stool just sold for over $5 million at Sotheby’s. A 1938 Superman comic book set a new record when it sold for over $6 million. On May 31, a Star Wars figure sold for $525,000.

While you may not have anything worth millions, if you have anything you have been thinking about selling, now may be the time. Prices have been going up on military items, comic books, baseball cards, antiques, old toys, advertising items, coins, jewelry and much more.

I have always enjoyed antiques and have a deep appreciation for history. I go to several auctions each week, which helps me stay current with what people are buying and how much

items are selling for. I also subscribe to many research sites. I am able to find the market value for almost any item you may have.

I have been in business for over 15 years. I believe in treating people fair. Because of this, a big part of my business comes from referrals or repeat clients. Often, when people call me to look at their collections or estates, they are pleasantly surprised to learn that items they considered worthless are actually very valuable.

I would recommend to anyone that before items are discarded or given away, please give me or someone with experience in antiques the opportunity to take a look at it for valuation. Since I have been in business for so long, I have established many contacts in the industry.

Even if you have something that I do not buy, many times I can at least give you a value for it, put you in contact with someone who would buy it, or tell you the best way to go about selling it. You can contact me at (219) 794-6500. Ask for Matt Danbury.

Looking out the window

By JIM CARPENTER Guest Writer

Looking out the window, into a landscape, that is barren, desolate, and cold.

He somehow senses a comparison with his own season of getting old.

Though there is much that he is thankful for as he surveys his many years. It seemed that joy could always be found, even when it was mixed with tears.

His springtime was a special time. Adventure on a fertile scale. The work of summer was met with passion. Raising kids, potatoes, and kale.

Fall would be a defining season. Reflecting on the harvest made.

A bounty of nourishing memories that would brighten winter’s shade.

The seasons will come and the seasons will go.

Growth and drought, sun and rain.

A mimic of what our lives will bring.

Some tempering loss among the gain.

The path is narrow, it may not be true.

It’s quite different for everyone.

The old man blinks and thinks of his life.

And realizes, he has already won.

To contact Jim Carpenter, email him at pokeberryjim@ gmail.com.

ONE YEAR OF STARDOM ”Before The Next Teardrop Falls” brought Freddy Fender one year of stardom. Photo from Billboard.

A Boomer Blast To The Past

ACROSS

NBA

1. Port city in Japan

6. *Team ride

9. Nordic native

13. Equipped with feathers

14. Cigarette deposit

15. *Arena, e.g.

16. Not odds

17. Hawaiian welcome wreath

18. Bone hollows

19. *NBA headquarters location

21. *Bill ____ NBA Finals Most Valuable Player award

23. “Roses ____ red ...”

24. *NBA centers typically have long ones

25. Tarzan the ____ Man

28. Cry like a baby

30. 3.26 light-years

35. “Off The Wall” shoe

37. Living quarters

39. Shop ____ slogan

40. “I’m ____ you!”

41. Got some shuteye

43. Comme ci, comme Áa

44. Brandish

46. Ski hill ride

47. Contractor’s work order

48. *Basketball blocking move

50. Swedish shag rugs

52. Member of a “benevolent and protective order”

53. Kind of cola

55. Thrice-repeated dance step

57. *Power ____ position

61. *NBA team with most championships

65. Deprive of armor

66. Genetic acronym

68. Plural of ostium

69. Junk yard stuff

70. Geisha’s sash

71. *Nickname for 61 Across 72. Ooze

73. *NBA Sixth ____ of the Year Award

74. Type of leaf cabbage, pl.

DOWN

1. Bun baker

2. “____ me a seat”

3. From square one

4. Tanzania’s northern neighbor

5. Not absorb, nor repel

6. Refuse to comply

7. Wear and tear

8. Bake an egg

9. Sunglasses “glass”

10. Casino chip

11. Not knit

12. Church sound

15. Lord’s subordinate

20. Good____, book lovers’ app

22. Strike caller

24. High school math class

25. Declares to be true

26. Sweat-inducing attack

27. Come in!

29. *The Stilt’s first name

31. David Schwimmer on “Friends”

32. Breadth

33. Art support

34. *Shot ____, NBA countdown timer

36. Cobbler’s concern

38. Fix a dog

42. Vanish without this?

45. Abscond

49. Conjunction that joins alternatives and negatives

51. Inferior goods

54. Read-only disc

56. Away from port

57. Much ado

58. One time

59. Like pink steak

will

and

helps support your well-being. The base of the soup is prepped ahead of time and stored in separate containers. Simply add the broth and heat it in the microwave when you’re ready to eat. 3 servings; Active 10 min.; Total Time 20 min.

INGREDIENTS:

2/3 cup no-salt-added tomato sauce

1-1/2 cups frozen lima beans

1 cup matchstick carrots

1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper

1 cup chopped plum tomatoes

1 cup packed chopped spinach

2-1/4 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth

3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning, divided 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder, divided 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, divided

3 pinches salt, divided

DIRECTIONS:

Divide tomato sauce among 3 (1-pint) canning jars (or other microwaveable airtight containers).

Top each with 1/2 cup lima beans and 1/3 cup each carrots, bell pepper, tomatoes and spinach. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

To prepare 1 jar of soup: Add 3/4 cup broth to the jar; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon each Italian seasoning, garlic powder and crushed red pepper and a pinch of salt. Microwave, uncovered, on High in 1-minute increments, stirring after each, until the soup is steaming hot and the vegetables are tender, 4 to 5 minutes total. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

60. Sandwich alternative

61. Abel’s big brother 62. It

63. Give a ticket 64. Fresh talk

67. *Commissioned by Adam Silver

This vibrant

wholesome soup recipe

Lansing church volunteer has heart for helping veterans and elderly

By CARRIE STEINWEG Feature Writer

For Hammond resident Judy Kuzemka, spending time at a church service is uplifting and provides her with a feeling of peace that she doesn’t find anywhere else.

“The feeling I feel in my heart after a church service is something I can’t explain. The peace and gratitude is powerful. I feel badly that so many people don’t go to church and feel this,” she said.

“My faith is important to me because without religion there would be no life for anyone. It brings a peace to my life knowing I can always count on God to help me through the tough times. It doesn’t matter what religion any of us are, there is only one God.”

Kuzemka is a longtime member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Lansing, Ill. where she serves on the Alter Guild, helps out with the church’s monthly community meal and volunteers with additional projects. The church, which she has been a member of since 1962, has a very welcoming atmosphere, she says.

“My church makes everyone

feel welcome,” she said. “It’s like one big family. Everybody is treated the same.”

Throughout her life, Kuzemka has always aimed to make a difference. She currently works as a personal administrative assistant for a handyman service. Her boss is a disabled veteran.

“I will drive him to pending jobs, talk to the pending client to see what they want done, take measurements and photos for our estimator to work out a quote for them,” she said. “Because he cannot see, I will take him grocery shopping and I will prepare meals for him.” She said so far her meals have been met with good reviews from the New Orleans native. She’s learning to cook some Cajun and Creole specialties to give him a taste of home.

She also spent many years as a caregiver for her mother.

“When my mom moved in with us because of Alzheimers, a lot of my life was put on hold for seven years until she passed,” said Kuzemka. “I believe that those years of taking care of her gave me more of an appreciation for helping the elderly and disabled. So many need the kindness and support

of those of us that can help, along with our vets. We cannot keep turning our back on our past as they created our future for us.”

One of her biggest hobbies outside of work and church is reading.

“You can never read too much,” she said.

She is also a big Chicago Cubs and Bears fans and makes time to watch games.

“In my younger days I was a soccer coach for approximately 12 years and I played softball in two different leagues,” said Kuzemka. “I used to belong to the Lansing Jr. Woman’s Club, serving as treasurer and fundraising chairman for many years. I used to bake deserts for Meals on Wheels in Lansing, too.”

Kuzemka is the mother of an adult son and a huge animal lover.

“I love dogs and I believe in adopting. I lost my two dogs this past year and a half. Both were adopted as small pups,” she said. “I now have an adopted cat and an adopted 132-pound pit bull that we got when he was five weeks old and only 5 pounds. He’s my granddog.”

What’s happening at your local library

Below are all the adult programs, events and classes for the month of march at the Lake County Public Library

Cedar Lake

10010 W. 133rd Ave.

Crochet @ Your Library, 4:306:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30.

Book Discussion, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 16. Registration required for

all programs: visit lcplin.org/ branches/cl.htm or call (219) 374-7121.

Dyer-Schererville

1001 W. Lincoln Highway (US 30)

Crafters Gathering, 10:30

a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, April 3, 17.

Composting 101, 1-2 p.m.

Tuesday, April 8.

All Ability: Book Page

Wreaths, 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, April 8.

National Library Week: It All Comes with Your Library Card, 3-4 p.m. Thursday, April 10.

Mini Book Nooks, 10-10:30 a.m. Friday, April 11 .

Mahjong Open Play, 1-4 p.m. Friday, April 11, 25.

Morning Mix, 10 a.m. to noon Friday, April 18. Between the Lines Book

Discussion, 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, April 24

New Parent & Caregiver Meet Up, 11-11:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 29.

Registration required for all programs: visit lcplin.org/ branches/ds.htm or call (219) 322-4731.

Griffith-Calumet

1215 E. 45th Ave.

Thursday Threaders, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, April 3, 10, 17, 24.

Book Discussion, 1-2 p.m. Monday, April 14.

Book Discussion, 4-5 p.m. Monday, April 28.

Be Heart Smart Program Series, 1-3 p.m. Tuesday, April 29.

Registration required for all programs: visit lcplin.org/ branches/gr.htm or call (219) 838-2825.

Highland

2841 Jewett St.

p.m. Wednesday, April 9. Fact or Fiction Book Club, 3-4 p.m. Tuesday, April 22.

Tech Class: Library Apps, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Thursday, April 24.

AARP Driver Safety, 1-5 p.m. Wednesday, April 30.

Registration required for all programs: visit lcplin.org/ branches/hi.htm or call (219) 838-2394.

Hobart

100 Main St. Safer Cleaning Solutions, 1-2 p.m. Tuesday, April 1.

Stitch’n Time, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, April 5. Paint’n Time, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 8, 22.

Adults Get Crafty: Plarn, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Monday, April 14.

Once Upon a Crime Mystery Book Club, 3-4 p.m. Thursday, April 3.

Hobart Book Chat, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 15. Whodunit? Adult Mystery Club, 6-8 p.m. Monday, April 28.

All Ability: Birdhouses, 6-7

Registration required for all programs: visit lcplin.org/ Continued on page 13

LIVES HER FAITH Judy Kuzemka lives her faith by caring for others. She is active in Trinity Lutheran Church in Lansing, Ill. She strives to make a positive difference in lives of the people around her. Photo provided.

The ‘bland’ ambitions of U.S. vice presidents

By TOM MORROW

Mature Life Features

The most successful vice president who had any ambition was Teddy Roosevelt, but ...

The list of the American veeps is riddled with forgettable politicians who made little or no contribution to United States history other than taking up space on dusty pages that are not much of scholarly interest.

Consider Hannibal Hamlin, Charles Warren Fairbanks, Henry Wilson, Charles Curtis or George Mifflin Dallas. Sound familiar?

How about Schuyler Colfax and Henry Wilson who were both a heartbeat from the White House? They served as veeps for Ulysses S. Grant.

In 1992, history author Steve Tally penned “Bland Ambition,” a listing of our vice presidents.

He begins with John Adams, who backed up George Washington, our first president and ends with Dan Quayle, who was the veep for George H.W. Bush, our 41st president.

Unlike tall and handsome General Washington, Adams was short, round, dumpy, peevish, a loudmouth and a frequent bore. He was not very well liked and saw no redeeming qualities to being vice president.

J. Danforth Quayle wasn’t exactly “Mr. Excitement.” He once was suspected of being a ladies’ man who had an illicit affair, to which his wife reportedly retorted: “Anyone who knows Dan Quayle knows that he’d rather play golf any day than have sex.”

Teddy Roosevelt was William McKinley’s veep. Before assuming the Oval Office upon McKinley’s assassination, he

What’s happening

Continued from page 12

branches/ho.htm or call (219) 942-2243.

Lake Station

2007 Central Ave.

Mah Jongg Instruction at the Library, 1-4 p.m. Saturday, April 5.

Tuesday Time Out, 2-3 p.m. Tuesday, April 8.

Arts & Crafts for Adults: Felt Bumblebee Bookmark, 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 9.

Hobby Hour, 2-4 p.m. Thursday, April 10.

Mah Jongg Meet Up, 1-4 p.m. Friday, April 18.

Craft and Chat, 1-3 p.m. Saturday, April 19.

Grown Up Game Night, 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 23.

Reading Hour, 2-3 p.m. Thursday, April 24.

Bingo at the Library!, 3-4 p.m. Saturday, April 26.

Registration required for all programs: visit lcplin.org/ branches/lsnc.htm or call (219) 962-2409.

Merrillville

1919 W. 81st Ave. (US 30)

Caregivers & Coffee Hour, 11 a.m. to noon Tuesday, April 1, 15 and Wednesday, April 9, 23.

Writing Wednesday, 2-3 p.m. Wednesday, April 2.

Writing Wednesday, 6-7 p.m. Wednesday, April 16. Dungeons and Dragons for Adults, 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, April 2.

Keep Me In Stitches, 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 5.

Circle of Readers Book Discussion, 2-3 p.m. Tuesday, April 8.

Foundation Literary Tea, 1-3 p.m. Saturday, April 12.

had attended law school. As No. 2, Teddy was afraid he would not have a great deal to do.

Lincoln’s veep upon his re-election was Andrew Johnson, who was impeached and escaped conviction by one vote.

There was a time in the mid1970s when the name “Millard Fillmore” became a joke. Yet he rose from log-cabin poverty to wealth and life in the White House.

Fillmore attended one-room schools and, in 1823, was admitted to the New York bar. Seven years later he moved his law practice to Buffalo and was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for eight years.

In 1848, Fillmore was elected vice president to Zachary Taylor’s presidency. Taylor died two years later, leaving the White House to Fillmore.

When Fillmore left office, Oxford University offered to give him an honorary degree, which he declined. He was afraid the students and faculty would ask, “Who is he and what has he done.” He said it would give people ample opportunity to make his name a joke. Ironically, he was prophetic.

America’s fifth veep was Elbridge Gerry, pronounced with a hard “G,” who served under James Madison from 1813-1814. He brought about the term and tradition of “Gerrymandering,” an oft-times questionable policy of redrawing Congressional boundaries.

Gerry was one of the original signers of the Declaration of Independence and also was one of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention.

When John Adams became

president, he appointed Gerry, John Marshall and Charles Pickney to represent America in France. Through some back-channel bargaining, Gerry got the French navy to stop raiding American vessels on the high seas.

Later, after four tries, Gerry was elected governor of Massachusetts. During his first term as governor, he signed a redistricting bill that ultimately gained him the political immortality he has since enjoyed. The stories are involved and interesting so it might be time to recall these famous last words.

They’re attributed to President Lyndon B. Johnson’s vice president, Hubert Humphrey, who said: “Where I stand depends on where I sit.”

Monthly Resume Workshop, 1-3 p.m. Wednesday, April 16.

Genealogy Class: Obituaries, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, April 17.

Citizenship Class, 10:3011:30 a.m. April 21, 23, 28, 30.

English as a Second Language (ESL), 6-8 p.m. April 21, 24, 28.

Board Meeting, 4:30-6 p.m. Thursday, April 24.

Registration required for all programs: visit lcplin.org/ branches/cnl.htm or call (219) 769-3541.

Munster

8701 Calumet Ave.

Dungeons and Dragons for Adults, 6-8:15 p.m. Thursday, April 3, 10.

Yoga & Breathing, 10-11 a.m. Saturday, April 5, 19.

National Library Week: We Love Our Library Patrons Party!, 6-7:30 p.m. Monday, April 7. Calumet Astronomical Society, 7-8 p.m. Tuesday, April 22. Munster Book Discussion, 1:30-2:30 p.m. Thursday, April 24.

Registration required for all programs: visit lcplin.org/ branches/mu.htm or call (219) 836-8450.

St. John 450 Wicker Ave. (US 41) Off the Hook, 1-3 p.m. Wednesday, April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30.

Book Discussion, 5:30-6:45 p.m. Wednesday, April 9. Tech Class: Phone Camera Basics, 1:30-2:30 p.m. Monday, April 14.

Registration required for all programs; visit lcplin.org/ branches/sj.htm or call (219) 365-5379.

Grief keeps on rolling like the ocean

By CECIL SCAGLIONE

Mature Life Features

Grief has been compared to the waves in the ocean.

When you’ve just lost your loved one, the waves are stormy and severe as they crash without end on the shore of your world.

As time passes, the waves subside in size and frequency and, over time, may even wash quietly in and out of your consciousness.

Like the waves in the ocean, grief never goes away.

Its effect on mourners differs.

Some folks wail loudly and carry plenty of tissue with them

to soak the tears. Others stoically swallow any emotional displays and make people around them wonder if they really miss the deceased.

Whatever the effect on an individual, grief is real and usually involves one’s family and friends. When a spouse dies, for example, the role of family members normally is to help the surviving partner plan details for handling the remains and memorial services as well as facing immediately the bureaucratic government regulations as well as any financial loose ends.

And help each other through

their grief.

Recognizing how to help can be a problem.

Those who have trouble controlling their emotional outbursts usually feel overwhelmed by their grief and see no end to their devastation, making people around them feel unsure about what to do to assuage those feelings.

At the same time, the stoic sufferer many times is seen as cold and uncaring.

Everyone experiences life and living — and death and dying — differently.

If a grief-stricken person

There could be ‘a very good year’ in your 60s

By CECIL SCAGLIONE

Mature Life Features

Frank Sinatra had “a mess of good years” according to a recording he made popular in the mid-1960s.

He cited 17, 21 and 35 as very good years but never got around to a year that many oldsters deem pretty good themselves — 65.

It’s been a target for generations since the German Reichstag tagged it in the 1880s as the age at which workers could retire and receive a government pension. It was seen as a shrewd move because it staved off socialist unrest that was spreading across Europe at a time when most people didn’t live that long.

Things have changed a lot since then, but the magic of age 65 still glitters.

While the goal posts have shifted a bit, the practice persists to apply just before that milestone for Medicare, Social Security and any company pension so you can quit the job and enjoy a life of leisure — fishing, camping, visiting grandchildren, travel, you name it.

Those moving goalposts have complicated matters a bit. The Social Security retirement age is sliding slowly up the scale, as are the earliest and latest dates you can apply.

This affects planning because it affects the amount your monthly check will be during your retirement years.

Full retirement age at this juncture is 67 years. You can still apply for and receive benefits at age 62, but your monthly check may be almost one-third less than benefits for those who hold off until their

full retirement age. If you wait until age 70 to start collecting Social Security, your income can be about 25% above the full retirement age norm.

The aging population is, of course, affecting all this. So is the changing pattern of retirement as more workers opt to remain on the job past age 65. Almost 25% of the adult population over 65 is still working.

Deciding which year is best for you to retire is no longer as simple as it used to be.

It seems that as we live longer, we work longer, especially with the growing trend toward home offices that offer opportunities for an array of professional service providers — accountants, bookkeepers, tax preparers, and computer gurus, for example — to work well up in their years.

Mortal medical mistakes

By CECIL SCAGLIONE

Mature Life Features

When we’re sick, injured or close to dying, we look for aid and assistance from the medical community — doctors, nurses, pharmacists and medical technicians.

Yet as many as 400,000 people are killed every year by these same people, not on purpose, but because of errors

in judgment and treatment.

That’s 10 times more than the number that die in traffic accidents.

Medical mistakes are the third leading cause of death in this country, next to heart disease and cancer.

While medical health-care personnel are dedicated to keeping the ill and ailng alive and well, errors occur simply because they’re human, and

humans make mistakes.

Death due to medical error is defined as one that is caused by inadequately skilled staff, error in judgment or care, a system defect, or a preventable adverse effect. This includes computer breakdowns, mix-ups with the doses or types of medications administered to patients, and surgical complications that go undiagnosed.

has problems leaning on other members of the family for help, grief-support groups are growing in number and can usually be found through one’s church or

civic center.

There’s no way to avoid grief when it strikes. The key is to face it head on and let it all out.

Dementia conversations: driving, doctor visits, legal and financial planning

Caring for someone living with dementia brings a unique set of challenges and rewards. Learn to navigate the responsibilities of middle and late stage caregiving in this education program.

Topics in the program include:

• Providing you with tips on how to “break the ice” and have the most common difficult conversations

• Help you plan ahead and build a care team that communicates well.

• Listening to others dealing with the similar issues.

Linda Curley, Purdue Uni-

versity Extension Educator, Health and Human Sciences has partnered with the Alzheimer’s Association to provide community-based programming in Lake County. Join her for Dementia Conversations: Driving, Doctor Visits, Legal and Financial Planning from 9:30- 11 a.m. Thursday, April 17, at Purdue Extension-Lake County, 2291 N. Main St., Crown Point. Register at tinyurl.com/Apr17PELake or call (219) 755-3240. For more information, please contact Linda Curley, lcurley@ purdue.edu or call Purdue Extension-Lake County at (219) 755-3240.

AARP opens discount doors to travel

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features

An American Association of Retired Persons, or AARP membership is also a ticket to discounted travel.

The membership card can open doors to discounted pricing

on airlines, car rentals, hotels, cruise lines and tour packages ranging from British Airways to the Grand Canyon Railway. You can also shop for a senior discount lifetime pass to the more than 440 sites overseen by the National Park Service.

Take care of your faithful family flivver

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features

As you slow down with age — you and your colleagues don’t have coffee as often as you used to, you’re golf games aren’t as frequent and you don’t head out for dinner as many times as you used to — your demands on the family flivver lessen.

You probably could sell it and use other modes of transportation to get you where you want to go these days.

Keeping your vehicle handy

offers an independence most of us enjoy and you might even be attached to it a bit, so you want to keep it from slowing down with age.

A mechanic’s advice from years ago still applies: “Keep it oiled and greased and it’ll run forever.” Add to that a weekly wash. And wax it regularly to protect its finish.

If you don’t have a garage or car port at home, park it in the shade when possible to keep it from baking in the sun.

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Residences at Coffee Creek

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Fun outdoes fear on Amazonia trek

Text and Photos By FYLLIS HOCKMAN

Mature Life Features

No branch, bush, vine or twig was safe from our guide’s slicing, swatting and swooping machete as he chopped a trail through the rainforest during our daily excursions along the banks of the Rio Negro.

It was part of our hiking, bird-watching and village-hopping itinerary led by Souza and his machete as we left the Tucano, our 18-passenger motor riverboat in a small powered launch during our 200-mile trip up the largest tributary of the South America’s mighty Amazon River.

Souza demanded quiet during our launch rides. He used his senses to read the forest, listening for the breaking of a branch or a flutter through the trees, sniffing for animal odors, scanning leaves for motion and water for ripples. He alerted us of every discovery because, on our own, we heard, felt and discerned nothing.

Our forest walks were a time for observation, not conversation.

On one stop, Souza swiped his hand through a swarm of teca ants and rubbed them on his forearm — instant mosquito repellant.

We learned of the many medications the forest supplies to the natives, vines that morphed into baskets and brooms, bark that became strong rope and plants providing poison for arrows.

A closer look at a line of leaves parading up a hill like a synchronized marching band revealed leaf-cutter ants hauling their unwieldy loads as much as half a mile to their colony.

On our visits to several villages, we found a few commonalities: a dance hall where residents party once a month, a soccer field where youths exercise once a day, a school room

housing students of all grades, a clinic that caters to the medical needs of the community, two or three churches — and a generator.

Differences are notable as well.

One village of no more than 30 families depended entirely on a single farm product called manioc — a product made from grain that is the mainstay of the Amazonian diet. There were no stores, no satellite dishes and no outhouses. The bordering forest was the villagers’ toilet.

A larger “company” town thrived on its asphalt industry. It also supported a convenience store, small café, and bakery. There were several satellite dishes and each hut had its own outhouse.

While every day was an adventure, nothing compared with our nighttime jaunts that Souza and his searchlight against the dark horizon, scanning shoreline and trees for something to entertain his eager charges.

Everything sounded magnified — dolphins snorting, fish jumping, caimans slithering, and monkeys howling.

The slashing light eventually poked through the brush to uncover a caiman, its crocodilian snout protruding for a moment before slinking away. The light then reflected off a kingfisher’s eyes, temporarily blinding him so we could drift almost close enough to touch it. For an encore, we watched a spider devour a dragonfly it grabbed from a crack in a tree directly in front of us.

Whereas the trills, tweets and twerps of the birds dominated the landscape during the day, the nights were crammed with the croaks, caws and throaty outpourings of frogs and caimans.

On one of our fishing forays, I sat with my Tom Sawyer fishing pole thinking the Amazon’s a long way from the Mississippi after attaching chunks of beef

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to the end of the line. I thought this was strange bait until I remembered our prey.

While being quiet was the order of the day on most such sojourns, Souza rattled the water with the end of his pole so I followed his lead. This makes the quarry think there’s a wounded fish thrashing about. Within a minute I had snagged one of our infamous carnivorous predators: a sixinch piranha. Souza held it up to a tree and used it like a scissors to cut a branch in two. But I learned piranhas get a bad rap. The truth is, unless they’re starving or you’re bleeding, we’re really not in their food chain.

Nonetheless, the fried piranhas we had that night as appetizers were scrumptious, their tiny bones crunchy and the meat flaky, proving the wise adage that more people eat piranhas than piranhas eat people — at least in Amazonia.

AMONG THE SIGHTS A strikingly colorful macaw was among the sights offered visitors to Brazil’s Amazonia.

AMAZONIA RIVERBOAT Riverboat Tucano transported travelers through South America’s Amazonia.

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HOSPICE CARE

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Take a step back in time at Stockdale Mill

In the mid-1800s, the Eel River that starts in northeast Indiana and joins the Wabash River at Lafayette, had a total of 13 mills.

Just one is still standing, still operates and is open for visitors to experience the intricate workings of a thriving enterprise of a bygone era.

The Stockdale Mill, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, is just west of Roann in Wabash County. It’s open for tours Saturdays (May through October) from noon to 4 p.m.

Built in 1857, the mill is actually the second to operate on the site. The original mill was built in 1840 on top of a timber dam in the middle of the river. The first mill was a grist mill using grindstones. One was found buried on the property in 2008.

In 1852, flood waters severely damaged it and the dam and plans were made to construct a new one, on solid ground on the north side of the river with a new concrete dam. Water is diverted from the river on a mill race that flows into the basement, where it turns three vertical turbines creating about 75 horsepower.

Farmers brought their wheat and corn by wagon onto a scale where it was weighed. The front end of the scale floor was manually lifted by ropes and pulleys so that the grain would fall out the back of the wagon into a holding bin in the basement. When empty, the

was lowered and the wagon was weighed again to determine what the farmer would get for his crop.

In its heyday, the mill could turn out 50 barrels of flour a day. During the Civil War, flour from Stockdale Mill supplied the Union Army.

From the holding bin, the grain made its way to the fourth floor via elevators (belts with attached cups) where it went down chutes to the first floor to be run through iron rollers to break up the grain. It was then sent back up to the top for sifting and cleaning, and then returned for more refining. It went through a series of eight sets of rollers before it was finally bagged and pronounced ready for baking.

Be prepared to climb some pretty steep steps to get to the fourth floor, where wooden chutes crisscross each other going in every direction. Products made from wheat included middling’s (chicken feed), cereal (wheat germ), flour and bran. At that time, bran was considered a waste product and expelled from the mill by fan over the river. Legend has it that the fish became quite plump.

Stockdale Mill produced flour until 1964 and then animal feed until 1972, at which time it closed. It stood silent and decaying until it was purchased in 2002.

A foundation was established to bring life back into this splendid bit of history. A new roof was the first order of business, and turnbuckles were installed to straighten the sagging walls. It’s still an ongoing project that relies on a dedicated crew of volunteers.

The mill is located just one mile west of Roann on SR 16. For more information, visit stockdalemill.org.

scale floor

BAGGING MACHINE Flour from the final rolling machine went to the bagger where it was ready for sale.

GRINDSTONES — Stones like these were used in the original mill that was built in 1840. The one in the foreground was found buried on the property in 2008.

ROLLING MACHINES Grain went through eight sets of rollers before it was fine enough for bagging. Visitors can purchase flour in the visitor center.

STOCKDALE MILL Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Stockdale Mill produced flour, animal feed and cereals from 1857 until it closed in 1972.

UP THE ELEVATOR Belts with attached cups took grain to the top floor. Then it went down chutes to the second floor for grinding. After going through eight sets of iron rollers and four trips to the top floor, it was bagged for sale.

GREAT ESCAPES

Text and Photos

By ROD KING

Have a home sweet user-friendly home

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features

While hanging around the house during the chilly winter, you might have noticed some things no longer are quite right.

Have you noticed it’s taking more and more muscle maneuver to get out of your favorite recliner? And after sinking into that comfortable old sofa you could use a little help getting up and around again. It’s not going to get any easier because you’re going to keep on getting older.

You don’t have to start thinking of the expense of replacing these pieces of furniture with higher and pricier pieces.

Look around for a few decorative bricks or pieces of wood to place under the chair and sofa legs. Make sure they’re not too high and the furniture is mounted solidly so it — and you — won’t tip over.

Take a look at the chairs around the house. Rungs in front can be in the way when you get up.

Now that you’re up and head-

Keep the weather out of the house

By CECIL SCAGLIONE

Mature Life Features

Take a few tours around the house to see what needs repairing.

You might have noticed readily that the screen door needs replacing and the back porch should be repainted, and those steps need to be repaired.

If you haven’t noticed the following yet, you might check it out.

Manually check the frames of all windows and doors to see if they leak and you can feel a draft. Repairing them can save you a lot of money by lowering air-conditioning bills during hot weather and less heating cost in the cold season.

ing to the kitchen to get a mug to fill with coffee, ask yourself if the coffee cup shelf is too high and hard to reach. Is the cabinet too high? And what about the one in the bathroom? While you’re there, check the height of the towel racks.

You might consider installing grab bars in the shower, by the toilet, and along the stairs and hallway.

Which gives you a moment to see if there’s enough light, as well and checking on the location and visibility of light switches. These can be replaced with larger switches that have internal lights of their own.

Small light-activated lights can be plugged in around the house to help you move around at night.

Replace lamps that require reaching up and searching for the toggle or switch to turn off and on with those that have the switch in their base or easy-to reach power cord.

To help you move around safely at any time, get rid of those loose rugs lying around. Make sure your bathtub and shower have non-slip bottoms. Attach non-slip edges on stairs and steps.

Reflecting on the fact that aging is accompanied by infirmities, you can consider how to make arrangements for getting around the house in a wheelchair.

Ramps can replace steps wherever possible. Cupboards under the kitchen and bath-

room sinks might be removed and the space left open for access. Doorknobs can be replaced

with handles that are much easier to use. Some doorways may have to be widened when

someone does become confined to a wheelchair.

And the beach goes on in Tortola

By FYLLIS HOCKMAN Mature Life Features

My husband and I are travel writers. Which means when we get to a destination, we explore every aspect, constantly seeking out stories.

Until we got to Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. That didn’t happen. And it was almost like — dare I say the word? — a vacation.

Let’s back up a bit.

We are a lot older than our last visit 30 years ago when my husband had the temerity to actually hazard driving. To put the roads in context, they’re dangerous and death-defying. We weren’t trying that again.

But to give them their due, as you drive around the harrowing roads (with someone else driving), sometimes the fear subsides sufficiently to ooh and ahh around every turn at yet another spectacular view. And more so on Tortola than

other Caribbean islands. It’s not unusual to hear someone say, “Don’t bother craning your neck — it’s just another magnificent view.”

But we were greatly limited this time in our usual practice of exploring every nook and cranny of a destination. Our program listed a guided island tour, a ferry to Jost Van Dyke island and a lobster fest on Anegada. And we still had 10 days left to enjoy the hotel beach and pool, something we’ve never had time for before.

The beach is pristine, the azure sea inviting, the canopy trees enveloping, and the chaise unimaginably relaxing. The reggae music in the background is toe-tapping enticing.

And I hadn’t even had my first painkiller yet (more on that later).

Sitting on my hotel balcony, another rum drink in hand and listening to the cacophony of coqui tree frogs singing their

nightly repertoire, I couldn’t be further away from the ambiance of my usual city life. I was very okay with that.

While swimming is discouraged certain times of the year because of unusually powerful

undertows, beaches still reign supreme on the island. There are beaches for snorkeling, some for diving, others for surfing, secluded spots for quiet reflection, while others attract the partying crowd. The BVI, comprised of 60

islands and cays with six inhabited, is also the “Sailing Capital of the World.”

One getaway we allowed ourselves was a short ferry ride to Jost Van Dyke, BVI’s smallest inhabited island. White Bay, home of the infamous Soggy Dollar Bar, lives up to its name. So does the Soggy Dollar. Rumor has it that coming off the boats — the only mode of transportation — sailors’ money would get wet on the approach. The bar, home to the original painkiller (we’re still getting to that), was willing to accept their soggy dollars.

People come for the express purpose of having a good time painkillers help. These magical drinks — Pusser’s rum (and only Pusser’s rum) with coconut cream and fruit juice — were created at the bar in the 1970s and has since become the signature drink throughout the BVI.

Because of high tides, swimming on Tortola is sometimes discouraged but the water on Jost Van Dyke is calm and inviting. So I took my dip to save my trip. I had been afraid I was going to go home and have to admit I had spent two weeks in Tortola without going into the ocean.

Then I checked out the second-most famous bar on the island. Foxy’s is part of a whole commercial open-air market. It makes Soggy Dollar look like a laid-back neighborhood hangout.

Most of my unknown comrades were there for the atmosphere, loud music and a bar covered with pennants, hats, assorted license plates and dollar bills hanging precariously. Foxy Callwood, who opened the bar in 1968, is a man of many stories, which he is more than happy to share and share and share.

The city center of Road Town, Tortola’s capital, offers the J.R. O’Neill botanical gardens, a hidden oasis that justifies a trip to town. A labyrinth of interlocking paths engulfed in greenery that is small, large, low, high and enormous, with leaves the size of surfboards. The plants are light, dark, thin, thick, mottled, marbled — a mini-rainforest in the middle of a city.

Did I mention the roosters? They’re everywhere, either strutting about in their feathered finery or repeating their very-early morning greetings several times throughout the day. There’s no stopping them. Mature Life Features Copyright

WELCOMING WAVES Jost Van Dyke beach, a sunny shoreside in the British Virgin Islands.